2015DBRP_104 Deut23-24 Ps61 Acts15a

Yesterday we heard an odd collection of regulations: Cleansing the land from unsolved murder, marrying a captive woman after a war, rights of a first-born son when a man has more than one wife, the responsibility of helping neighbors, and various problems concerning adultery.

https://www.bible.com/bible/116/deu.23

 

Psalm 61 is one I love to sing.

 

Translation notes:

6A[s the king I ask] that you add many years [my life//to

the life of the king]!

May [my//his] years span the generations!

 

7May [I//he] reign under [Your/God’s] protection forever.

May your unfailing love and faithfulness watch over

[me/him].

https://www.bible.com/bible/116/psa.61.nlt

 

In Acts 14, we heard of the incredible turn of events for Paul and Barnabas. At one moment they were hailed as gods, but after a very short time Paul was stoned. As they tell the believers, "We have to go through many hardships before we enter God's kingdom in heaven."

https://www.bible.com/bible/116/act.15.nlt

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2015DBRP_103_to_GrandRapidsMI

Thanks for listening to this special announcement podcast, or reading the episode notes.

 

On Tuesday, 14April, Gale and I will start our trip to Grand Rapids, MI. One of our main supporting churches is Berean Baptist (1574 Coit Ave NE). This was our home church way back from 1978 to 1981, when I was a music teacher at what is now Cornerstone University. I will speak in the main 10:45 worship service on April 19th. Knowing that anyone in Grand Rapids listening or reading this already has a church, I would like to offer that we could meet DBRP listeners at 4PM on Thursday the 23rd at a yet to be decided location. If you would like to meet us at 4PM on Thursday, please send me a message via the Send a message link at dailybiblereading.info.

 

Here is a Help Needed plea! Most of you are probably using the Youversion/bible.com app on your smart device. You may have noticed that the “Devotional Content” button only gives a link to our web site. This is not cool. The people at Youversion would be pleased if we could instead put my three introductory paragraphs in that slot— the ones I read in the podcasts. The text needs to be only 400 words long, which means that some of the longer introductions would need to be shortened. Preparing the text might take two full days of rather tedious and repetitive work. But this could help many people get more out of their daily Bible readings. If you would have time to do this for me, please let me know by sending me a message. Use the message link at dailybiblereading.info. Thanks!

 

Here are Ben’s challenge questions for us this week!

 

*Deuteronomy: Moses reviews the regulations concerning war (20:1-4). The principles given apply to Israel, but in a spiritual way they hold true for Christ followers. How has the Lord, our God, fought for you against your enemies?

 

* Psalms: Several of the Psalms in our readings this week speak of God as a Warrior, and Shelter— for those who love and serve Him. What other words do you find as descriptions of who God is? How do these  descriptive words enrich your understanding of God, and in what ways can they affect how you live?

 

*Acts: In this week's readings, you will find situations where God sends out workers, and modifies their course and ministry targets along the way. So in these readings, what some markers that may indicate God is leading?

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2015DBRP_103 Deut21-22 Ps60 Acts14

Yesterday we heard an example of why cities of refuge were needed. And we heard interesting rules concerning war.

https://www.bible.com/bible/116/deu.21.nlt

 

We turn to Psalm 60, which is again based on David’s experiences. I think that this psalm must show how David prayed before the victories mentioned in the scriptural title.

 

Translation notes:

6[O] God [You have/has]promised this by [your/his]holiness:

“I will divide up Shechem with joy.

I will measure out the valley of Succoth.

 

12With [Your help, O]God’s help we will do mighty things,

for [You/he] will trample down our foes.

https://www.bible.com/bible/116/psa.60

 

We turn to Acts 14. In chapter 13 yesterday we completed the story of Paul and Barnabas' short but successful ministry in Pisidian Antioch. They were too successful, so were run out of town. This is just the first time that will happen!

 

Translation note:

23Paul and Barnabas also appointed elders in every church. With prayer and fasting, they [surrendered//turned] the elders over to the care of the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.

 

https://www.bible.com/bible/116/act.14

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2015DBRP_102 Deut19-20 Ps59 Acts13b

In yesterday’s reading we heard that the duties of the king included making a copy of the Law-- something we never ever hear of happening. Then chapter 18 is very import in its prohibition against all kinds of witchcraft and fortune telling. Then there is one of the most important prophecies regarding Jesus. God was going to send a prophet like Moses and the people must listen to him.

https://www.bible.com/bible/116/deu.19.nlt

 

We turn to Psalm 59. Because of David’s unique situation, he certainly learned how to pray for protection from enemies.

 

Translation note:

10 In [your/his] unfailing love, [You] my God will stand with

me.

[You/He] will let me look down in triumph on all my

enemies.

https://www.bible.com/bible/116/psa.59

 

We turn for the second time to Acts 13. In the first reading in chapter 13, we heard how God called Barnabas and Saul, and the church sent them out. We repeat some verses from Paul’s speech in the other city called Antioch, the one in the province of Pisidia.

 

Translation note:

52 And the believers [there] were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

 

https://www.bible.com/bible/116/act.13

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2015DBRP_101 Deut17-18 Ps58 Acts13a

In yesterday's reading we heard about the release of debts and slaves in the Jubilee Year, and a reminder about 100% participation in three festivals.

 

Translation note:

22 If the prophet speaks in [my//the LORD’s] name but his prediction does not happen or come true, you will know that [I, the LORD//the LORD] did not give that message. That prophet has spoken without my authority and need not be feared.’

https://www.bible.com/bible/116/deu.17

 

We turn to Psalm 58, which is a psalm that celebrates that God will indeed give justice to His people, even though many times it seems to us that there is no justice on earth.

 

Translation note:

9 God will sweep [those unjust people/them] away, both

young and old, faster than a pot heats over burning thorns.

https://www.bible.com/bible/116/psa.58

 

We turn for the first time to Acts 13. In yesterday's reading, we heard how Herodes decide to go after the top apostles, killing James. But Peter escaped. As a result, 16 soldiers died. Then Herodes met his richly deserved end.

 

Translation note:

52 And the believers [there] were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

 

https://www.bible.com/bible/116/act.13

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2015DBRP_100 Deut15-16 Ps57 Acts12

Yesterday's reading included Moses' warning about being led astray by anyone, including false prophets or even close family members. No one who proposed idolatry was to be allowed to live. Then we heard a repetition of the laws about which animals were to be treated as clean/edible and those unclean/detestable.

https://www.bible.com/bible/116/deu.15.nlt

 

We turn to Psalm 57, which is beautiful and often quoted. It again is from David's experiences.

 

Translation note:

In v.2-3 the honorific 3rd person was changed to ‘You’ for English discourse naturalness.

https://www.bible.com/bible/116/psa.57

 

In Acts 11 we heard how Peter needed to defend what he did in sharing the Gospel with Gentiles. The result was that the church leaders joyfully accepted that God was giving salvation to more than just the Jews. Then we heard how Barnabas visited the predominately Gentile believers in Antioch and then called Saul to join him.

 

Translation notes:

9 So Peter left the cell, following the angel. But all the time he thought [“this must be//it was]  a vision.” He didn’t realize

it was actually happening.

 

15 “You’re out of your mind!” they said. When she insisted, they decided, “It must be his [guardian/0] angel.”

 

18 At dawn there was [no little//a great] commotion among the soldiers about what had happened to Peter.

 

20 Now Herod was very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. So they sent a delegation to make peace with him because their cities were dependent upon Herod’s country for food. [With the aid of a little bribe money, the//The] delegates won the support of Blastus, Herod’s personal assistant,

 

https://www.bible.com/bible/116/act.12

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2015DBRP_099 Deut13-14 Ps56 Acts11

In yesterday's reading Moses continued to stress the need for faithfulness to God and all his commands. It is clear that Moses loves  the people and is marshaling every argument possible to convince them to keep on obeying God.

https://www.bible.com/bible/116/deu.13.nlt

 

Psalm 56 is another psalm from the experiences of David. This is a good psalm for us to pray when we feel that our lives are out of control and that people are against us.

Translation notes:

 

4 I will praise [You,/0] God, for what [You/he] has promised.

I trust in [You,/0] God, so why should I be afraid?

What can mere mortals do to me?

Similar changes in v. 9-11

https://www.bible.com/bible/116/psa.56

 

In yesterday's reading, Peter didn't even get to finish his speech before the Holy Spirit took control of the Gentile listeners. The new believers were baptized by the astonished Jewish-background believers from Joppa.

 

Translation notes:

2 [So/But] when Peter arrived back in Jerusalem, the

Jewish believersb criticized him.

 

13 He told us how an angel had appeared to him in his home and had told him, ‘Send messengers to Joppa, and summon a man named Simon[, also called//0] Peter.

 

17 title-name order: Christ Jesus

 

https://www.bible.com/bible/116/act.11

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