October 18th, 24: Finding Life Abundant in Christ through Malachi, Psalms, and Acts

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One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on 'The Daily Radio Bible' for a daily 20-minute spiritual journey. Engage with scripture readings, heartfelt devotionals, and collective prayers that draw you into the heart of God's love. Embark on this year-long voyage through the Bible, and let each day's passage uplift and inspire you.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome, dear ones, to the Daily Radio Bible. Today is October 16th, and it's day 290 of our journey through the scriptures. I'm Hunter, your Bible reading coach, here to accompany you as we dive into the Word of God. Today, we'll explore powerful passages from Malachi chapters 3 and 4, Psalm 148, and Acts chapter 5. We'll reflect on themes of purification, praise, and the unstoppable message of life found in Jesus Christ. Join us as we read, reflect, and pray together, letting the scriptures point us to the one who is the living Word of God. Ready your hearts, and let's embark on this soul-nourishing journey.

TODAY'S PRAYERS:

Lord God Almighty and everlasting father you have brought us in safety to this new day preserve us with your Mighty power that we might not fall into sin or be overcome by adversity. And in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen.

Oh God you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth and sent your blessed son to preach peace to those who are far and those who are near. Grant that people everywhere may seek after you, and find you. Bring the nations into your fold, pour out your Spirit on all flesh, and hasten the coming of your kingdom through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

And now Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon. Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope. Where there is darkness, light. And where there is sadness, Joy. Oh Lord grant that I might not seek to be consoled as to console. To be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love. For it is in the giving that we receive, in the pardoning that we are pardoned, it is in the dying that we are born unto eternal life. Amen

And now as our Lord has taught us we are bold to pray...

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our tresspasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not unto temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

Loving God, we give you thanks for restoring us in your image. And nourishing us with spiritual food, now send us forth as forgiven people, healed and renewed, that we may proclaim your love to the world, and continue in the risen life of Christ. Amen.

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Transcript:

Hunter: Good day to you all, dear ones, and welcome to this 18th day of October. It is day 291 in our journey through the bible. Hello to everyone out there. My name is Hunter. I am your brother and bible reading coach. Somebody who shows up with you every day to spend a little time together in the pages of the scriptures. And we are going to let these scriptures do what they do and point the way to the one who is the living word of God, the one alone who has the words of life, who told us in his own words that he has come that we might have life and have it in all its fullness. And so we come, sisters and brothers all around the world, gather here every day to warm their hearts by the fires of God's love, for that is who he is.

Hunter: And today, my friend, we are in the book of Job again. It is chapters 34, and then we'll finish our reading in Acts chapters 8 9. I'm glad you're here. Father, help us now. Sustain us. Encourage, strengthen us, heal us, open our eyes. Job chapter 3. Job's first speech.

Hunter: At last, Job spoke, and he cursed the day of his birth. He said, let the day of my birth be erased, and the night I was conceived. Let that day be turned to darkness. Let it be lost even to God on high, and let no light shine on it. Let the darkness and utter gloom claim that day for its own. Let a black cloud overshadow it, and let the darkness terrify it. Let that night be blotted off the calendar, never again to be counted among the days of the year, never again to appear among the months. Let that day be childless.

Hunter: Let it have no joy. Let those who are experts at cursing, whose cursing could rouse Leviathan, curse that day. Let its morning stars remain dark. Let it hope for light, but in vain. May it never see the morning light. Curse that day for failing to shut my mother's womb, for letting me be born to see all this trouble. Why wasn't I born dead? Why didn't I die as I came from the womb? Why was it laid on my mother's lap? Why did she nurse me at her breasts? Had I died at birth, I would now be at peace. I would be asleep and at rest.

Hunter: I would rest with the world's kings and prime ministers, whose great buildings now lie in ruins. I would rest with princes rich in gold, whose palaces are filled with silver. Why wasn't I buried like a stillborn child, like a baby who never lives to see the light? For in death, the wicked cause no trouble, and the weary are at rest. Even captives are at ease in death, with no guards to curse them. Rich and poor are both there, and the slave is free from his master. Oh, why give light to those in misery and life to those who are bitter? They long for death, and it won't come. They search for death more eagerly than for hidden treasure. They are filled with joy when they finally die and rejoice when they find the grave.

Hunter: Why is life given to those with no future? Those god has surrounded with difficulties. I cannot eat for sighing. My groans pour out like water. What I always feared has happened to me. What I dreaded has come true. I have no peace, no quietness. I have no rest. Only trouble comes.

Hunter: Job 4. Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied to Job, will you be patient and let me say a word? For who could keep from speaking out? In the past, you have encouraged many people. You have strengthened those who are weak. Your words have supported those who are falling. You encouraged those with shaking knees. But now when trouble strikes, you lose heart. You are terrified when it touches you. Doesn't your reverence for God give you confidence? Doesn't your life of integrity give you hope? Stop and think.

Hunter: Do the innocent die? When have the upright been destroyed? My experience shows that those who plant trouble and cultivate evil will harvest the same. A breath from God destroys them. They vanish in the blast of his anger. The lion roars and the wild cat snarls, but the teeth of strong lions will be broken. The fierce lion will starve for lack of prey. The cubs of the lioness will be scattered. This truth was given to me in secret. As though whispered in my ear, it came to me in a disturbing vision at night.

Hunter: When people are in a deep sleep, fear gripped me and my bones trembled. A spirit swept past my face and my hair stood on end. The spirit stopped, but I couldn't see its shape. There was a form before my eyes. In the silence, I heard a voice say, can a mortal be innocent before God? Can anyone be pure before the Creator? If God does not trust his own angels and has charged his messengers with foolishness, how much less will he trust people made of clay? They are made of dust, crushed as easily as a moth. They are alive in the morning, but dead by evening, gone forever without a trace. Their tent cords are pulled, and the tent collapses, and they die in ignorance. Acts chapter 8.

Hunter: Saul was one of the witnesses, and he agreed completely with the killing of Stephen. A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem, and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria. Some devout men came and buried Stephen with great mourning. But Saul was going everywhere to destroy the church. He went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them into prison. But the believers who were scattered preached the good news about Jesus wherever they went. Philip, for example, went to the city of Samaria and told people there about the Messiah. Crowds listened intently to Philip because they were eager to hear his message and to see the miraculous signs he did.

Hunter: Many evil spirits were cast out, screaming as they left their victims, and many who had been paralyzed or lame were healed. There was great joy in that city. A man named Simon, who had been a sorcerer there for many years, amazing the people of Samaria and claiming to be someone great, everyone from the least to the greatest often spoke of him as the great one, the power of God. They listened closely to him because for a long time he had astounded them with his magic. But now the people believed Philip's message of the good news concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ. As a result, many men and women were baptized. Then Simon himself believed and was baptized. He began following Philip wherever he went, and he was amazed by the signs and great miracles Philip performed.

Hunter: When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that the people of Samaria had accepted God's message, they sent Peter and John there. As soon as they arrived, they prayed for these new believers to receive the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them, for they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John laid their hands on these believers, and they received the Holy Spirit. When Simon saw that the Spirit was given when the apostles laid their hands on the people, he offered them money to buy this power. Let me have this power too, he exclaimed, so that when I lay my hands on people, they will receive the Holy Spirit. But Peter replied, May your money be destroyed with you for thinking that God's gift can be bought. You can have no part in this, for your heart is not right with God.

Hunter: Repent of your wickedness and pray to the Lord. Perhaps he will forgive your evil thoughts, for I can see that you are full of bitter jealousy and are held captive by sin. Pray to the Lord for me, Simon exclaimed. That these terrible things you have said won't happen to me. After testifying and preaching the word of the Lord in Samaria, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem, and they stopped in many Samaritan villages along the way to preach the good news. Ask for Philip. An angel of the Lord said to him, go south down the desert road that runs from Jerusalem to Gaza. So he started out, and he met the treasurer of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under the candig, the queen of Ethiopia.

Hunter: The eunuch had gone to Jerusalem to worship, and he was now returning. Seated in his carriage, he was reading aloud from the book of the prophet Isaiah. The Holy Spirit said to Philip, go over and walk along beside the carriage. Philip ran over and heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah. Philip asked, do you understand what you're reading? The man replied, how can I unless someone instructs me? And he urged Philip to come up into the carriage and sit with him. The passage of scripture he had been reading was this, He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb is silent before the shears, he did not open his mouth. He was humiliated and received no justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth.

Hunter: The eunuch asked Philip, tell me, was the prophet talking about himself or someone else? So beginning with this same scripture, Philip told him the good news about Jesus. As they rode along, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, Look, there's some water. Why can't I be baptized? He ordered the carriage to stop, and they went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away. The eunuch never saw him again, but went on his way rejoicing. Meanwhile, Philip found himself farther north at the town of Azotus. He preached the good news there and in every town along the way until he came to Caesarea. Acts 9.

Hunter: Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord's followers. So he went to the high priest. He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them, both men and women, back to Jerusalem in chains. As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? Who are you, Lord? Saul asked. And the voice replied, I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting. Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.

Hunter: The men with Saul stood speechless. For they heard the sound of someone's voice, but saw no one. Saul picked himself up off the ground, but when he opened his eyes he was blind, so his companions led him by the hand to Damascus. He remained there blind for 3 days, and he did not eat or drink. Now there was a believer in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, calling, Ananias? Yes, Lord, he replied. The Lord said, go over to Strait Street to the house of Judas. When you get there, ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul.

Hunter: He is praying to me right now. I have shown him a vision of a man named Ananias coming in and laying hands on him so he can see again. But, lord, exclaimed Ananias, I've heard many people talk about the terrible things this man has done to the believers in Jerusalem, and he's authorized by the leading priest to arrest anyone who calls upon your name. But the lord said, go. For Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings as well as to the people of Israel. And I will show him how much he must suffer for my name's sake. So Ananias went and found Saul. He laid his hands on him and said, brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road has sent me so that you might regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Hunter: Instantly, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized. Afterward, he ate some food and regained his strength. Saul stayed with the believers in Damascus for a few days, and immediately he began preaching about Jesus in the synagogues, saying, He is indeed the Son of God. All who heard him were amazed. Isn't this the same man who caused such devastation among Jesus' followers in Jerusalem? They asked. And didn't he come here to arrest them and take them in chains to the leading priest? Saul's preaching became more and more powerful, and the Jews in Damascus couldn't refute his proofs that Jesus was indeed the Messiah. After a while, some of the Jews plotted together to kill him.

Hunter: They were watching for him day night in the city gate so they could murder him. But Saul was told about their plot. So during the night, some of the other believers lowered him in a large basket through an opening in the city wall. When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to meet with the believers, but they were all afraid of him. They did not believe he had truly become a believer. Then Barnabas brought him to the apostles and told them how Saul had seen the Lord on the way to Damascus and how the Lord had spoken to Saul. He also told them that Saul had preached boldly in the name of Jesus in Damascus. So Saul stayed with the apostles and went all around Jerusalem with them, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord.

Hunter: He debated with some Greek speaking Jews, but they tried to murder him. When the believers heard about this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus, his hometown. The church then had peace throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, and it became stronger as the believers lived in the fear of the Lord. And with the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, it also grew in numbers. Meanwhile, Peter traveled from place to place, and he came down to visit the believers in the town of Lydia. There he met a man named Aeneas, who had been paralyzed and bedridden for 8 years. Peter said to him, Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and roll up your sleeping mat.

Hunter: And he was healed instantly. Then the whole population of Lydia and Sharon saw Aeneas walking around, and they turned to the Lord. There was a believer in Joppa named Tabitha, which in Greek means Dorcas. She was always doing kind things for others and helping the poor. About this time she became ill and died. Her body was washed for burial and laid in an upstairs room. But the believers had heard that Peter was nearby and Lydia. So they took 2 men to beg him, Please come as soon as possible.

Hunter: So Peter returned with them, and as soon as he arrived, they took him to the upstairs room. The room was filled with widows who were weeping and showing him the coats and other clothes Dorcas had made for them. But Peter asked them all to leave the room. Then he knelt and prayed. Turning to the body, he said, get up, Tabitha. And she opened her eyes. When she saw Peter, she sat up. He gave her his hand and helped her up.

Hunter: Then he called in the widows and all the believers, and he presented her to them alive. The news spread through the whole town, and many believed in the Lord. And Peter stayed a long time in Joppa living with Simon, a tanner of hides. And now may our Lord give his blessing to the reading of His word. Amen. It's happening. Enemies, foreigners, the blind and deaf are all hearing and receiving the message of Christ's life. His life is being multiplied into the lives of all these people.

Hunter: Jesus, his message is spreading out into all the earth. Down to Ethiopia, up to Damascus, on to Tarsus. The spirit and life of Christ is moving out. John wrote this. He said, I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new colonels, a plentiful harvest of new lives. He was that grain of wheat that fell to the ground. On our behalf, out of love for you and me, because he did this great work, Now we have been included into the life that he shares with his father and the spirit.

Hunter: People like us and people not like us, enemies, foreigners, the deaf, and the blind, and the dead are all being included into this life that Christ has come to give. He's making all things new. The world is transformed by what he's done. And now, one person at a time, are being awakened. Their eyes are being opened. The scales are coming off, like Saul. Now they can see who Jesus is. What he has done.

Hunter: How deeply loved they are. And not just them, but every human being. The power to experience change is being given. The power to be transformed is being offered. Ask God to give you eyes to see, a heart to understand, that you're included too so that you can participate and be fully alive and available to whatever he wants for you. Whatever he desires to do through you, ask him to make you a vessel of this life that'll bring his peace, his hope, his love into this world. Even today. And that's a prayer that I have for my own soul.

Hunter: That's a prayer that I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, my son, and that's a prayer that I have for you. May it be so. And now, let us pray. Lord God, almighty and everlasting father, you have brought us in safety to this new day. Preserve us with your mighty power that we might not fall into sin or be overcome by adversity. And in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose through Jesus Christ, our lord. Amen. Dear lord, you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth and sent your blessed son to preach peace to those who are far and those who are near.

Hunter: Grant that people everywhere may seek after you and find you. Bring the nations into your fold. Pour out your spirit on all flesh, and hasten the coming of your kingdom through Jesus Christ our lord. Amen. And now, lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon. Where there is doubt, faith.

Hunter: Where there is despair, hope. Where there is darkness, light. And where there is sadness, joy. Oh, lord. Grant that I might not seek so much to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love. For it is in the giving that we receive, in the pardoning that we are pardoned. It is in the dying that we are born unto eternal life. Amen.

Hunter: Almighty God, father of all mercies, we, your grateful children, give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving kindness to us and all you have made. We bless you for your creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life. And above all, for your immeasurable love and your redemption of the world through our lord Jesus Christ. For the means of grace and the hope of glory. Lord, we pray, give us such awareness of your mercies that with truly thankful hearts, we may show forth your praise. Not only with our lips, but with our lives, by the giving up of ourselves for your service, in holiness and righteousness, all our days. Through Jesus Christ, our lord, to whom with you and the Holy Spirit, be all honor and glory through all ages. Amen.

Hunter: And now as our Lord has taught us, we are bold to pray. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen. Well, hey.

Hunter: Hey. Hey. DRB nation, my sisters and my brothers. I hope that you are doing well today. I just wanna remind you that we have once again spent a perfectly good 20 minutes investing into our souls, establishing those habits of the heart that are worth establishing, opening our ears and listening to things that are worth our attention. Indeed, my friend, this habit of the heart is worth the time, and you are putting in the time that is needed. Now here's something that might not be needed, but it might be something that you want and I wanna tell you about it. It is our monthly newsletter.

Hunter: We send it out and we try to bless you every month. We try to give you something. We try to give you some perspective, maybe some encouragement, maybe something that makes you go, wow. And we also like to do giveaway things like leather bibles and stickers and stuff like that. So if you are interested in being blessed at least once a month through a newsletter, well, we got you covered, and we would love for you to get it. It's easy. It's free like everything here, and all you need to do is head on over to the web page and sign up for it. You can find the link for it right in the show notes of the podcast.

Hunter: So do that before the next one comes out. You don't know what you are missing. Well, hey. Before I let you all go, just wanna say, man, I'm glad to be on this journey with you. It is a source of deep encouragement for myself and for Heather, and we are constantly blown away by you. And last before I let you go, hunterpottery.com, that is the online store for the pottery that I have been making as of late. I've got a whole new drop that's just out of the kiln, and they are all handmade mugs by your brother Hunter. They are in a beautiful blue glaze called galaxy blue, and some of them have the words you are loved inscribed in the mug.

Hunter: So you can have your morning coffee and listen to the DRB sipping in a mug that your brother Hunter made. So check it out at hunterpottery.com. You can also find information about it on our Facebook page at daily radio bible. Might be a good time to get a early start on those Christmas gifts at hunterpottery.com. Okay. Okay. Hey. Hey.

Hunter: Hey. What do you say we do this again tomorrow? That's my plan, Lord willing and the Creek don't rise. Your brother, a hunter, plans on being right here until that time. Let's go forward in God's joy. Let's let his joy be our strength and let us always remember this, that you are loved. No doubt about it. Alrighty. I'll talk to you again tomorrow.

Hunter: You guys take care. Bye bye.