Daily Bible with Hunter and Heather

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible. Today is October 8th, and our readings are Ezra 9–10, Psalm 131, and Luke 21.

There is a lot happening in these passages.

Ezra is grieving what he sees among his people. There is confession, sorrow, and the painful recognition that something needs to change.

Then Psalm 131 gives us a very different image.

The psalmist says that he has calmed and quieted himself, like a child resting with its mother.

And then we come to Luke 21.

Jesus watches a poor widow place two small coins into the offering.

Others give from their abundance. She gives from her poverty.

Then Jesus begins speaking about the temple, about upheaval, conflict, persecution, and uncertainty.

The world his disciples know will change.

Some of the things they believed were permanent will not remain.

And Jesus tells them:

Don't panic.

Don't be deceived.

Don't allow fear to determine how you live.

Remain faithful.

Endure.

Stay awake.

Maybe Psalm 131 gives us a picture of how that is possible.

A quiet heart does not mean a trouble-free life.

It means discovering where to rest when the world around us is anything but quiet.

I keep coming back to the image in Psalm 131.

A quieted soul.

The psalmist says,

"I have calmed and quieted myself."

That sounds wonderful.

But it is not always easy.

Our minds can be noisy places.

We rehearse conversations.

We anticipate problems that haven't happened yet.

We imagine outcomes.

We try to predict what other people are thinking.

We attempt to control tomorrow before tomorrow arrives.

And then Jesus says something remarkably simple in Luke 21:

Don't panic.

He isn't saying that nothing difficult will happen.

In fact, he has just told his disciples that difficult things will happen.

Things will change.

Structures they trusted will fall.

There will be conflict.

There will be uncertainty.

There will be moments when they don't know what comes next.

But Jesus seems to be saying:

You don't have to allow the chaos around you to become the chaos within you.

There is another place from which you can live.

Psalm 131 describes it as a child resting with its mother.

No argument.

No explanation.

No certainty about tomorrow.

Just trust.

Maybe faith sometimes looks like that.

Not having all the answers.

Not knowing exactly what will happen.

Not pretending everything is fine.

But learning to rest in the presence of God.

And that brings me back to the widow Jesus notices.

She has almost nothing.

Two small coins.

Yet Jesus sees something in her that others miss.

She opens her hand.

She gives.

She trusts.

Perhaps the invitation today is not to figure everything out.

Perhaps it is simply to unclench our hands.

To loosen our grip on the things we cannot control.

To quiet ourselves in the presence of the One who holds us.

There may be things happening in your life right now that feel uncertain.

There may be decisions you don't know how to make.

There may be circumstances you wish you could change.

There may be something you've been carrying around in your mind all night long.

You don't have to solve tomorrow today.

You can be here.

You can breathe.

You can open your hands.

You can allow your soul to become quiet again.

The world may be noisy.

The future may be uncertain.

But you are held.

And you are loved.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

OTHER PODCASTS:

Listen with Apple Podcast

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible. Today is October 7th, and our readings are Ezra 7–8 and Luke 20.

Ezra is preparing for a journey.

He has been given permission to return to Jerusalem, and others will travel with him. There are resources to carry, people to lead, dangers along the road, and plenty that could go wrong.

And yet Ezra keeps returning to one simple phrase.

The gracious hand of God was upon us.

I love that.

Ezra does not pretend there are no risks. He does not ignore the uncertainty of the journey. He simply learns to recognize another reality alongside all of those things.

Grace is present.

God is at work.

He is not alone.

Then in Luke 20, Jesus finds himself surrounded by people asking questions designed to corner him.

"Who gave you this authority?"

"Should we pay taxes to Caesar?"

Questions about resurrection.

Questions intended to expose him, embarrass him, or force him into someone else's categories.

But Jesus remains remarkably free.

He does not allow their anxiety to become his anxiety.

He does not let their hostility determine his posture.

He knows who he is.

And maybe that is part of what it means to live under the gracious hand of God.

We don't have to control every circumstance.

We don't have to have an answer for everyone.

We don't have to be ruled by the fear of what might happen next.

We can walk the road before us knowing that grace is already there.

There is something beautifully ordinary about Ezra's phrase:

The gracious hand of God was on us.

Ezra says it more than once.

Almost as though he has learned to look back over his life and recognize a pattern.

There were circumstances he could not control.

There were people he depended upon.

There were dangers he could not predict.

And yet, somehow, grace kept meeting him.

I wonder how often we miss that.

We can become so focused on what might go wrong that we stop noticing the grace that is already carrying us.

Sometimes the gracious hand of God looks dramatic.

A door opens.

A prayer is answered.

Something impossible suddenly becomes possible.

But often it is quieter than that.

It is the person who calls at the right moment.

It is strength when you thought you had none left.

It is wisdom that comes slowly.

It is courage to have the conversation you have been avoiding.

It is enough light for the next step.

Grace does not always remove uncertainty.

Sometimes grace simply accompanies us through it.

Ezra still had a journey to make.

There were still miles ahead.

There were still risks.

But he could move forward because he believed that the presence of God was greater than the uncertainty of the road.

Maybe you are standing at the beginning of some journey today.

Something is changing.

Something is ending.

Something new is beginning.

And perhaps you don't know exactly how it is going to unfold.

You don't need to know everything.

You don't have to see the whole road.

Maybe today you simply need to recognize the gracious hand of God.

Look back for a moment.

Notice where you have been carried.

Notice the people who have appeared along the way.

Notice the strength you didn't know you had.

Notice the small mercies.

Notice the grace.

And then take the next step.

The gracious hand of God is still upon you.

You are loved.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

OTHER PODCASTS:

Listen with Apple Podcast

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible. Today is October 5th, and our readings are Esther 3–8 and Luke 18.

Today the story of Esther moves into dangerous territory.

Haman's anger toward Mordecai becomes something much larger. His resentment turns into a plan to destroy an entire people. Esther suddenly discovers that her position in the palace is not merely a place of comfort or privilege. It has placed her at the center of a moment that will require courage.

Mordecai sends her those famous words: perhaps she has come to this royal position for such a time as this.

Esther does not know what will happen. She cannot control the king. She cannot guarantee her own safety. She can only decide whether she will step forward.

And she does.

Then Luke 18 gives us people who come to God with empty hands: a persistent widow, a tax collector crying out for mercy, little children being brought to Jesus, and a blind man calling from the roadside.

Again and again, Jesus directs our attention away from status, control, and self-sufficiency and toward trust.

Maybe faith often looks like Esther standing outside the king's door.

We do not know how the story will unfold.

We simply know the next faithful step.

There are moments in life when we realize that we are standing somewhere we never expected to be.

Esther certainly did.

She did not choose the political crisis unfolding around her. She did not create Haman's hatred. She could not control the king or guarantee how he would respond.

But she could choose what she would do with the moment she had been given.

"For such a time as this."

That phrase can sometimes sound grand, as if every moment of faithfulness must involve something heroic or dramatic. But most of the time, I think it is much quieter than that.

It might mean telling the truth when silence would be easier.

It might mean showing compassion when fear tells us to protect ourselves.

It might mean asking for help.

It might mean forgiving someone.

It might mean speaking when someone else has no voice.

It might simply mean taking one small step toward the life and love of Christ.

And Luke 18 reminds us how we take that step.

Not with clenched fists.

Not by proving ourselves.

Not because we have everything figured out.

We come like the tax collector who simply says, "God, be merciful to me."

We come like a child.

We come like the blind man calling out from the roadside.

We come with empty hands.

Esther could not see the whole story from where she stood. Neither can we.

But God is present in the part of the story we cannot yet see.

You don't have to know how everything will turn out.

You don't have to control the outcome.

You can simply ask:

What does love require of me here?

And then take the next faithful step.

Maybe this moment, ordinary or difficult as it may seem, is your moment to receive courage, extend mercy, tell the truth, or simply trust.

Perhaps you are here for such a time as this.

And remember, whatever this day holds:

You are loved.

Prayer of Surrender

Lord Jesus, give me courage for the moment before me. Free me from the need to control the outcome. Help me recognize the next faithful step and give me grace to take it. Amen.

Prayer for Mercy

Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me. Open my eyes to your presence. Teach me to receive your kingdom with the trust of a child. Amen.

Prayer for Courage

Father, where fear makes me silent, give me courage. Where pride makes me self-sufficient, make me humble. Where anxiety makes me grasp for control, teach me to trust. May your love shape the way I live today. Amen.

Daily Radio Bible dailyradiobible.com

Scripture readings from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted.

Today's reading brings the book of Esther to its conclusion. The danger facing the Jewish people is reversed, deliverance comes, and the festival of Purim is established as a lasting remembrance of rescue, courage, and providence.

In Luke 19, Jesus meets Zacchaeus, tells the parable of the ten servants, enters Jerusalem to shouts of praise, and weeps over the city. The King has come near, but not everyone recognizes the kind of kingdom he is bringing.

Jesus is not distant from the people others overlook. He sees Zacchaeus in the tree. He receives the praise of the crowd. He weeps over Jerusalem. And he continues moving toward the cross.

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Esther 9–10; Luke 19

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Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible-in-a-year podcast with about 20 minutes of Scripture readings, Christ-centered reflection, and guided prayer. This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible. Today is October 6th, and our readings are Esther 9–10 and Luke 19.

The story of Esther closes with reversal.

The plot intended to destroy an entire people is overturned. Mordecai is honored. Esther's courage has helped change the course of events. And the people establish Purim as a way of remembering what happened.

Remembering matters.

We are people who forget. We forget where grace has met us. We forget how frightened we once were. We forget the doors that opened, the people who showed up, the strength we discovered only when we needed it.

Then Luke 19 introduces us to Zacchaeus.

He is wealthy, powerful, and despised.

And Jesus sees him.

Not the reputation. Not the label. Not simply what everyone else thinks about him.

Jesus sees Zacchaeus.

And when Jesus comes near, something begins to change.

Zacchaeus opens his home. He opens his hands. He begins to imagine a different way of living.

Jesus says, "The Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost."

That is the heart of the King who enters Jerusalem.

A King who seeks.

A King who saves.

A King who comes near.

Zacchaeus climbed a tree because he wanted to see Jesus.

But the surprise of the story is that Jesus was already looking for him.

I love that.

Zacchaeus probably imagined that he was the observer.

He would stay above the crowd, keep some distance, get a look at Jesus, and then go home.

But Jesus stops.

Looks up.

Calls him by name.

And says, in effect, "I'm coming to your house."

Grace has a way of doing that.

We think we are searching for God, only to discover that God has already come looking for us.

And when Jesus comes near, Zacchaeus begins to change.

Jesus does not begin by shaming him.

He does not stand beneath the tree and recite everything Zacchaeus has done wrong.

He offers relationship.

Presence.

Welcome.

And something in Zacchaeus opens.

He starts talking about generosity. Restitution. Repair.

Maybe transformation often begins there.

Not with shame, but with being seen.

Not with condemnation, but with encounter.

Not with someone forcing us to become different, but with love making a different life imaginable.

Then Jesus rides into Jerusalem.

The crowds celebrate.

But Jesus weeps.

He knows how deeply people long for peace and how easily we misunderstand the path that leads to it.

His kingdom will not come through domination.

It will come through self-giving love.

It will come through a cross.

And resurrection.

Maybe that is the invitation for us today.

Allow yourself to be seen by Christ.

Allow yourself to be loved.

Allow that love to reach the places in your life that need repair.

You do not have to climb high enough to get God's attention.

He has already stopped beneath your tree.

He already knows your name.

And he is coming near.

You are loved.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

OTHER PODCASTS:

Listen with Apple Podcast

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible. Today is October 5th, and our readings are Esther 3–8 and Luke 18.

Today the story of Esther moves into dangerous territory.

Haman's anger toward Mordecai becomes something much larger. His resentment turns into a plan to destroy an entire people. Esther suddenly discovers that her position in the palace is not merely a place of comfort or privilege. It has placed her at the center of a moment that will require courage.

Mordecai sends her those famous words: perhaps she has come to this royal position for such a time as this.

Esther does not know what will happen. She cannot control the king. She cannot guarantee her own safety. She can only decide whether she will step forward.

And she does.

Then Luke 18 gives us people who come to God with empty hands: a persistent widow, a tax collector crying out for mercy, little children being brought to Jesus, and a blind man calling from the roadside.

Again and again, Jesus directs our attention away from status, control, and self-sufficiency and toward trust.

Maybe faith often looks like Esther standing outside the king's door.

We do not know how the story will unfold.

We simply know the next faithful step.

There are moments in life when we realize that we are standing somewhere we never expected to be.

Esther certainly did.

She did not choose the political crisis unfolding around her. She did not create Haman's hatred. She could not control the king or guarantee how he would respond.

But she could choose what she would do with the moment she had been given.

"For such a time as this."

That phrase can sometimes sound grand, as if every moment of faithfulness must involve something heroic or dramatic. But most of the time, I think it is much quieter than that.

It might mean telling the truth when silence would be easier.

It might mean showing compassion when fear tells us to protect ourselves.

It might mean asking for help.

It might mean forgiving someone.

It might mean speaking when someone else has no voice.

It might simply mean taking one small step toward the life and love of Christ.

And Luke 18 reminds us how we take that step.

Not with clenched fists.

Not by proving ourselves.

Not because we have everything figured out.

We come like the tax collector who simply says, "God, be merciful to me."

We come like a child.

We come like the blind man calling out from the roadside.

We come with empty hands.

Esther could not see the whole story from where she stood. Neither can we.

But God is present in the part of the story we cannot yet see.

You don't have to know how everything will turn out.

You don't have to control the outcome.

You can simply ask:

What does love require of me here?

And then take the next faithful step.

Maybe this moment, ordinary or difficult as it may seem, is your moment to receive courage, extend mercy, tell the truth, or simply trust.

Perhaps you are here for such a time as this.

And remember, whatever this day holds:

You are loved.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

OTHER PODCASTS:

Listen with Apple Podcast

Esther 1–2; Psalm 150; Luke 17

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible. Today is October 4th, and our readings are Esther 1–2, Psalm 150, and Luke 17.

Today we begin the remarkable story of Esther. It's a story where God is never explicitly named. There are no dramatic miracles, no burning bushes, no seas being parted. Instead, we find ordinary human lives unfolding within complicated circumstances.

A king makes foolish decisions. A queen refuses him. A young Jewish woman named Esther finds herself caught up in events far beyond anything she could have imagined. And somewhere within it all, a story of deliverance is beginning.

Psalm 150 calls everything that has breath to praise the Lord. And then in Luke 17, Jesus speaks about forgiveness, faith, gratitude, and the kingdom of God.

When people ask Jesus when the kingdom will come, he tells them they're looking in the wrong way. The kingdom isn't something they can point to and say, "There it is!" Jesus tells them, "The Kingdom of God is already among you."

Maybe that's our invitation today. God may be closer than we realize. The kingdom may be present in ways we haven't yet learned to recognize. And perhaps one day we'll look back and say: Aha. You were there.

There's an Aha moment coming.

I love those moments when something suddenly becomes clear. You look back and see something you couldn't see while you were living through it. Aha. Now I understand. Now I see.

The book of Esther is filled with those kinds of moments. And one of the most fascinating things about Esther is that God's name is never mentioned. Not once. There are no prophets announcing, "Thus says the Lord." There are no spectacular miracles. God doesn't speak from heaven. There's no pillar of fire. No sea parts. And yet something is happening.

A story is unfolding. And when we reach the end and look backward, we'll begin to recognize things we couldn't see at the beginning.

That's often how life feels to me. Maybe it feels that way to you too. We live our lives forward, but so much of the time, we understand them backward.

In the moment, things can seem confusing, disconnected, sometimes painful, sometimes completely ordinary. We wonder where God is. We wonder what any of it means. We wonder whether anything is happening at all.

And sometimes, looking back, we see things differently. We see the person who showed up at just the right time. The conversation we didn't realize we needed. The door that closed. The unexpected door that opened. The season that felt wasted but formed something in us. The kindness that carried us when we didn't think we could keep going.

And we say: Aha. You were there.

Now, I want to be careful here. I don't think faith requires us to believe that God causes every painful thing that happens to us. There are things in this world that are genuinely evil. People hurt one another. Bodies become sick. Relationships break. Wars happen. Towers fall. People suffer.

Jesus never asks us to call evil good in order to defend God. Instead, Jesus shows us a God who enters into our suffering. A God who refuses to abandon us. A God who can bring resurrection even out of death.

That's different. And that's where I find hope.

God is present even when I can't see it. God is faithful even when I can't explain what is happening. God is at work bringing life and healing and reconciliation into this world. And sometimes we only recognize it later.

Aha. You were there.

But Jesus says something in Luke 17 that pushes this even further. People ask him, "When will the Kingdom of God come?" They want signs. They want a timetable. They want something obvious.

But Jesus tells them, "The Kingdom of God is already among you."

In other words, don't become so obsessed with looking for God somewhere else that you miss the presence of God right here. The kingdom is among you because the King is among you. Jesus is standing right there. God's life has entered the human story. God has drawn near.

And maybe that's the deepest Aha moment of all. Christ is here. Christ has always been closer than we imagined.

That's what faith is learning to trust. Not that we can explain everything. Not that every event has a tidy spiritual explanation. Not that we can trace God's fingerprints on every circumstance. But that nothing can separate us from the love of God revealed in Christ.

And maybe some of us need to hear that today. You may be in the middle of your story, and the middle can be confusing. Esther doesn't yet know how her story will unfold. She doesn't know what lies ahead. Neither do you. Neither do I.

But we know something Esther could not yet see. We know Jesus. We know the One who has entered our story completely. The One who has entered suffering. The One who has entered death. And the One who has risen again.

Resurrection is God's great Aha. Death looked final. It wasn't. Violence looked victorious. It wasn't. The grave looked like the end of the story. It wasn't.

And maybe that's why we can live with hope when our own stories remain unfinished. The kingdom is already among us. Christ is here. And the story isn't over.

So pay attention today. Maybe there are little glimpses of the kingdom all around you. A kindness. A reconciliation. A moment of beauty. Someone choosing forgiveness instead of retaliation. Someone feeding the hungry. Someone sitting beside the lonely. Someone seeing the person everyone else has overlooked. Someone loving their enemy. Someone refusing to give up hope.

Small signs. Mustard seeds. Glimpses.

And maybe someday we'll see what we cannot see now. We'll look back at the whole story, our lives, our joys, our tears, our questions, our losses, our loves. And somehow, in the light of Christ, we'll see more clearly.

And maybe we'll say: Aha. You were here. You were with us. You never let us go.

That's the prayer I have for my own soul. That's the prayer I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, and my son. And that's the prayer I have for you.

May we trust Christ in the middle of the unfinished story. May we learn to recognize the kingdom already among us. And may we live with hope for that great Aha when all things are finally seen in the light of God's love.

May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

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Ezra 5–6; Psalm 138; Luke 16

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible. Today is October 3rd, and our readings are Ezra 5–6, Psalm 138, and Luke 16.

Ezra brings us back to the rebuilding of the temple.

The work that had stalled begins again. Haggai and Zechariah encourage the people, opposition comes, questions are raised, old records are searched, and eventually King Darius confirms the decree of Cyrus.

The temple is completed.

And God's people celebrate.

Psalm 138 gives us David's song of gratitude:

"I give you thanks, O Lord, with all my heart."

And then we come to Luke 16, where Jesus speaks about money, faithfulness, and the things that can take possession of our hearts.

"You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money."

Then Jesus tells a story about two men.

One is extraordinarily rich.

The other is desperately poor.

But something strange happens in the telling.

The poor man has a name.

Lazarus.

The rich man doesn't.

One has almost nothing the world values, yet he is known.

The other seems to have everything the world values, yet somehow he has lost sight of who he is.

Maybe that's the question before us today.

What tells you who you are?

Your possessions?

Your accomplishments?

Your reputation?

Your failures?

Or the God who knows you and calls you by name?

He's a rich man with no name.

I've always found that interesting.

Jesus tells us about a man who lives in luxury.

He dresses in expensive purple and fine linen.

Every day is a feast.

He has wealth.

Status.

Comfort.

Influence.

But Jesus never tells us his name.

Then outside his gate lies another man.

Poor.

Hungry.

Covered with sores.

Longing for scraps from the rich man's table.

And Jesus tells us his name.

Lazarus.

The man whom the world hardly notices is named.

The man everyone probably knows is nameless.

I think Jesus wants us to notice that.

Because the rich man has constructed an identity out of all the things the world tells us matter.

Money.

Possessions.

Status.

Comfort.

Maybe reputation.

But somehow all of it has blinded him.

Lazarus has been lying outside his gate.

Close enough to see.

Close enough to help.

But the rich man doesn't really see him.

And perhaps even more tragically, he doesn't see himself.

He doesn't recognize his own poverty.

His own need.

His own dependence upon grace.

That's one of the dangers of wealth, power, success, and even religion.

They can create the illusion that we are self-sufficient.

That we don't need anything.

That we don't need anyone.

That we can build a life substantial enough to give ourselves an identity.

But Jesus says:

Be careful.

You might gain everything and lose sight of who you actually are.

And even after death, the rich man's blindness seems to continue.

He sees Lazarus beside Abraham, and yet he still seems to imagine Lazarus as someone who should serve him.

Send Lazarus to bring me water.

Send Lazarus to warn my brothers.

He sees Lazarus.

But he still doesn't really see him.

That's what blindness does.

It reduces people to their usefulness to us.

But Jesus gives Lazarus a name.

Lazarus.

It means something like, "God has helped."

And that's exactly what happens.

The one who had nothing is gathered into the embrace of Abraham.

The one who was ignored is seen.

The one who was hungry is brought to the table.

The one who appeared forgotten is known by name.

And maybe that's the good news for us.

God knows your name.

Before your accomplishments.

Before your possessions.

Before your reputation.

Before your failures.

Before all the labels other people have placed upon you.

You are known.

And your life doesn't come from what you possess.

Your life comes from God.

Psalm 138 says:

"Though the Lord is great, he cares for the humble."

That's Lazarus.

The world may overlook him.

God does not.

And then Jesus says something at the end of this story that points us toward resurrection.

The rich man wants someone to rise from the dead and warn his brothers.

Abraham tells him that if they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, they won't be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.

And, of course, we know where Luke's Gospel is going.

Someone will rise from the dead.

Jesus.

The truly Named One.

The One who enters our poverty.

The One who identifies himself with the hungry, the poor, the excluded, and the forgotten.

The One who dies.

And the One whom God raises up.

Resurrection tells us where true life is found.

Not in riches.

Not in status.

Not in our ability to secure ourselves.

Life is found in God.

And that life is gift.

So maybe the invitation today is simply to let God call you by name.

Set aside the identities you've been trying to construct.

The successful one.

The failure.

The wealthy one.

The poor one.

The important one.

The forgotten one.

The good Christian.

The disappointment.

Whatever name the world has given you, let Jesus speak something deeper.

You are known.

You are seen.

You are loved.

And then, knowing that we are seen, perhaps we can begin to see the Lazarus lying outside our own gates.

The person we've overlooked.

The person our comfort has allowed us not to notice.

The person who has a name.

Because everyone does.

That's the kingdom Jesus is revealing.

A kingdom where the nameless are named.

Where the unseen are seen.

Where the hungry are brought to the table.

Where the dead are raised.

And where our deepest identity is received from the God who knows us completely and loves us still.

That's the prayer I have for my own soul.

That's the prayer I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, and my son.

And that's the prayer I have for you.

May we know who we are in Christ.

May our eyes be opened to those lying outside our gates.

And may we trust the God who raises the dead and calls each of us by name.

May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

OTHER PODCASTS:

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Zechariah 13–14; Psalm 147; Luke 15

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible. Today is October 2nd, and our readings are Zechariah 13–14, Psalm 147, and Luke 15.

Zechariah gives us visions of cleansing, restoration, and God's presence among his people.

Psalm 147 tells us that God heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds. He gathers the outcasts and brings them home.

And then we come to Luke 15.

Jesus tells three stories about lost things.

A shepherd loses a sheep.

A woman loses a coin.

And a father loses his sons.

In each story, something precious has been lost.

And in each story, the heart of God is revealed in the finding.

The shepherd searches.

The woman searches.

The father runs toward the younger son and then goes outside looking for the older one.

And when what is lost is found, there's a party.

Jesus is showing us what God is like.

God is not standing at a distance waiting for lost people to somehow find their own way home.

God is the Good Shepherd who goes looking.

God is the Good Father who runs down the road.

And God is the Father who walks out of the party to find the child who is standing just outside the door.

Maybe that's the invitation today.

Let yourself be found.

And come join the party.

God has a way of finding lost things.

That's what Luke 15 is about.

A lost sheep.

A lost coin.

And two lost boys.

We usually call this last story the parable of the prodigal son.

And usually our attention goes immediately to the younger brother.

And for good reason.

He is obviously lost.

He asks his father for his inheritance.

He leaves home.

He travels to a distant land.

He wastes everything.

And eventually he finds himself hungry, broken, and feeding pigs.

He's lost.

But then Jesus tells us something beautiful.

He comes to his senses.

Something awakens in him.

He remembers his father's house.

And so he begins the long journey home.

But the younger brother isn't the only lost son in the story.

There's another one.

The older brother.

He's been home the whole time.

He's been working.

He's been responsible.

He's followed the rules.

He's done what was expected of him.

And he's lost too.

The younger brother is lost in his appetites.

The older brother is lost in his pride.

One has wandered into a distant country.

The other has managed to become distant from his father's heart while never leaving the property.

And maybe that's the more dangerous kind of lostness.

Because it's harder to recognize.

You can be in the house and still not know the Father's heart.

You can be religious.

Responsible.

Obedient.

Hardworking.

And still imagine that everything the Father has must somehow be earned.

Listen to the older brother.

"All these years I've slaved for you."

Slaved.

That's how he sees himself.

Not as a son.

As a slave.

And that's exactly how the younger brother planned to return too.

"I'll go home and ask my father to make me one of his hired servants."

Both boys misunderstand their father.

Both imagine their relationship with him in terms of servitude.

One runs away from the Father.

The other works for the Father.

But neither seems to understand what it means simply to be loved by the Father.

And the Father goes after both.

When the younger son is still a long way off, his father sees him.

He runs.

He embraces him.

He kisses him.

Before the boy can finish his speech, the Father is already restoring him.

Bring the robe.

Bring the ring.

Bring the sandals.

Prepare the feast.

My son was lost, and now he is found.

But then the Father notices someone else is missing.

The older brother.

He's standing outside.

Angry.

Refusing to come in.

So what does the Father do?

He goes out to him too.

The Father leaves the party to find another lost son.

And his words are so tender:

"My dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours."

Everything I have is yours.

You don't have to earn this.

You don't have to compete with your brother.

You don't have to prove your worth.

You're my son.

Come inside.

Join the party.

That's the heart of God.

The shepherd goes looking for the sheep.

The woman goes looking for the coin.

The Father goes looking for both sons.

God has a way of finding lost things.

Maybe you identify with the younger brother today.

Maybe you've wandered.

Maybe you've made choices you regret.

Maybe shame has convinced you that you have forfeited your place at the table.

Look down the road.

The Father is running toward you.

Or maybe you're the older brother.

You've tried hard.

You've done the right things.

You've been faithful.

But somewhere along the way, faith became labor.

Relationship became obligation.

And you started thinking like a servant instead of a beloved child.

The Father comes looking for you too.

He's standing outside with you.

"My dear son."

"My dear daughter."

"Everything I have is yours."

Come inside.

Psalm 147 says that God heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds.

He gathers the outcasts.

That's what Jesus shows us.

This is the Father's heart.

He gathers.

He heals.

He restores.

He finds.

And then he celebrates.

So wherever you are today, let yourself be found.

If you're far away, look toward home.

If you're standing just outside the door, listen for the Father's voice.

The party isn't complete without you.

Come home.

Come inside.

Receive the robe.

Receive the ring.

Receive your place at the table.

You are not a slave.

You are a beloved child.

And the Father has come looking for you.

That's the prayer I have for my own soul.

That's the prayer I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, and my son.

And that's the prayer I have for you.

May we see the Good Father today.

May we see the Good Shepherd.

May we awaken to the God who is always pursuing our hearts.

And may we hear him say:

"My dear son, my dear daughter, all I have is yours. Come, let's join the party."

May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

OTHER PODCASTS:

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Zechariah 10–12; Psalm 126; Luke 14

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible. Today is October 1st. A brand-new month is here, and we begin again, right where we are.

Our readings today are Zechariah 10–12, Psalm 126, and Luke 14.

Zechariah speaks of restoration. God gathers his scattered people and brings them home.

Psalm 126 remembers another homecoming:

"When the Lord brought back his exiles to Jerusalem, it was like a dream!"

Mouths that had been filled with sorrow are filled with laughter. Those who planted in tears are harvesting with shouts of joy.

And then Jesus brings us to a table.

In Luke 14, Jesus tells a story about a great banquet. Invitations have gone out, but those who were originally invited are too preoccupied to come.

They have property to inspect.

Oxen to examine.

Relationships and responsibilities demanding their attention.

They have lives to manage.

So the host does something surprising.

He sends his servant into the streets and alleys and tells him to bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.

"Come. The banquet is ready."

And there is still room.

Maybe that's the good news for us today.

There is still room.

The kingdom of God isn't a prize for those who have managed to make something impressive of themselves.

It's a banquet.

And the invitation is gift.

Come.

Take your place.

Receive the life God has given you in Christ.

There is a place for you at the table.

There's a party going on.

And everybody is invited.

Jesus tells us about a man who prepares a great feast and sends out many invitations.

Everything is ready.

The table has been set.

The food has been prepared.

The invitation has gone out.

"Come, the banquet is ready."

But then the excuses begin.

One person has purchased a field and needs to go inspect it.

Another has bought some oxen and wants to try them out.

Another has just gotten married.

None of those things are bad.

That's worth noticing.

Fields aren't bad.

Oxen aren't bad.

Marriage certainly isn't bad.

The problem isn't that these people are doing terrible things.

The problem is that their lives have become so filled with their own interests that they cannot receive the invitation.

They have things to manage.

Things to protect.

Things to accomplish.

Things that feel more urgent than the banquet.

And so they miss it.

Then the host does something extraordinary.

He says:

Go out into the streets and alleys.

Bring in the poor.

The crippled.

The blind.

The lame.

Bring them in.

And they come.

Why?

Maybe because they don't have much to protect.

They don't have impressive résumés to present.

They don't have fields that need inspecting or investments that need managing.

They simply hear the invitation.

And they receive it.

There's something beautiful about that.

Because grace can only be received.

You can't achieve an invitation.

You can't earn a gift.

You can only open your hands.

And maybe that's why Jesus turns immediately afterward to the crowds following him and says some very difficult things.

He tells them that following him means letting go.

He even uses that shocking language about hating father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, even our own lives.

I don't think Jesus is teaching us to despise ourselves or the people we love.

That would contradict the very love he embodies and teaches.

I think Jesus is exposing the things we cling to as sources of identity and security.

He's saying:

You can't receive the kingdom while insisting on possessing your life on your own terms.

You can't follow me while demanding that everything remain under your control.

You have to let go.

And then Jesus says:

"You cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own."

Maybe there's another way of hearing that.

Give up everything you own, and you might discover freedom from everything that owns you.

Because there is so much that can own us.

Our need to be recognized.

Our success.

Our failures.

Our past.

Our shame.

Our money.

Our reputation.

Our religious identity.

Our need to be right.

Our need to prove ourselves.

Even our image of who we think we're supposed to be.

These things can own us.

But Jesus is setting us free.

He invites us to the table.

Come as you are.

Come empty-handed.

Come hungry.

Come knowing that you need grace.

Come knowing that life is gift.

Psalm 126 says that when God's people came home from exile, it felt like a dream.

They laughed again.

They sang again.

Those who had planted with tears harvested with joy.

That's what grace feels like.

Homecoming.

And maybe that's what the banquet is too.

It's coming home.

It's discovering that the seat at the table wasn't something you had to earn.

It was prepared for you.

It's discovering that your identity isn't something you have to manufacture.

Your life is hidden with Christ in God.

It's discovering that the things you thought would save you never could.

But Jesus can.

So bring your empty hands.

Bring your hunger.

Bring the parts of your life that have been owned by fear, shame, ambition, or regret.

Bring them to the table.

There's a place for you.

The feast is ready.

The invitation has gone out.

Come.

And maybe as we sit at that table, we will discover that the things that once owned us don't have the same power anymore.

Because we know where we belong.

We belong with him.

That's the prayer I have for my own soul.

That's the prayer I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, and my son.

And that's the prayer I have for you.

May we release what owns us.

May we receive the invitation with gratitude.

And may we discover who we truly are in Christ, seated at the table of grace.

May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

OTHER PODCASTS:

Listen with Apple Podcast

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible. Today is September 30th, and our readings are Zechariah 7–9 and Luke 13.

Zechariah speaks to people trying to rebuild their lives after exile.

They have questions about religion, fasting, and what faithfulness should look like now.

And God's response is remarkably practical:

Judge fairly.

Show mercy and kindness to one another.

Do not oppress widows, orphans, foreigners, and the poor.

Don't scheme against one another.

And then Zechariah gives us a beautiful vision of restoration.

Old men and women will once again sit in the streets of Jerusalem.

Children will play there.

God's people will come home.

And their king will come to them, righteous and victorious, yet humble, riding on a donkey.

Then in Luke 13, Jesus confronts some of the hardest realities of life.

People have been murdered by Pilate.

A tower has collapsed and killed eighteen people.

A woman has lived bent over for eighteen years.

The world is falling down.

But Jesus refuses to let tragedy tell us what God is like.

Instead, he shows us the kingdom.

A gardener tends patiently to a tree.

A woman who has been bent over is lifted up.

A mustard seed grows.

Yeast quietly works through the dough.

Something is happening.

The kingdom of God is rising up.

The world is falling down.

Those are the headlines.

They were the headlines in Jesus' day too.

Violence.

Tragedy.

Disaster.

Death.

People come to Jesus with news that Pilate has killed some Galileans while they were offering sacrifices.

It's horrifying.

And behind their report seems to be a question.

Why?

Why did this happen to them?

Did they somehow deserve it?

Was God judging them?

Were they worse than everyone else?

Jesus says no.

Then he brings up another tragedy.

A tower in Siloam collapsed and killed eighteen people.

Were they worse sinners than everyone else in Jerusalem?

Again, Jesus says no.

I think that's important.

Because human beings have a long history of trying to make sense of suffering by assigning blame.

Something terrible happens, and we want to know whose fault it was.

Sometimes religious people take it even further.

They tell us that tragedy is God's punishment.

That suffering tells us something about the moral worth of the person who suffers.

Jesus refuses that explanation.

Towers fall.

Violence happens.

Bodies break.

People die.

We live in a world that groans.

And Jesus doesn't give us an easy explanation for all of it.

Instead, he gives us himself.

And he announces something new.

The kingdom of God is rising up.

Look at what happens next.

Jesus encounters a woman who has been bent over for eighteen years.

Eighteen years.

Imagine seeing the world that way for eighteen years.

Unable to stand straight.

Unable to lift your face.

And Jesus sees her.

That's important.

He sees her.

He calls her over.

And he says:

"Dear woman, you are healed of your sickness!"

Then he touches her.

And immediately she stands up straight.

The world has been pushing her down for eighteen years.

Jesus raises her up.

That's the kingdom.

And when the religious leader objects because Jesus has healed her on the Sabbath, Jesus calls her a daughter of Abraham.

He restores more than her body.

He restores her place.

Her dignity.

Her belonging.

The world bends people down.

The kingdom raises them up.

The world says some people don't matter.

Jesus sees them.

The world creates categories of insiders and outsiders.

Jesus calls her daughter.

The world is falling down.

The kingdom is rising up.

And Jesus says the kingdom is like a mustard seed.

Tiny.

Easy to overlook.

But alive.

Growing.

Becoming a place where birds can find shelter.

The kingdom is like yeast hidden in flour.

You can't always see it working.

But slowly, quietly, it changes everything.

I need that word.

Because sometimes I look at the world and I see everything that's falling down.

War.

Violence.

Fear.

Division.

Loneliness.

Grief.

People bent beneath burdens they've carried for years.

And it can seem overwhelming.

Maybe you feel that too.

But Jesus invites us to look again.

Look for the mustard seed.

Look for the yeast.

Look for the woman standing up straight.

Look for mercy.

Look for healing.

Look for forgiveness.

Look for people crossing boundaries to love one another.

Look for the quiet work of the Spirit.

The kingdom is rising.

And Zechariah gives us the same hope.

He sees a king coming.

But this king doesn't arrive on a war horse.

He comes humbly.

Riding on a donkey.

And Zechariah says this king will bring an end to war.

That's the king Jesus chooses to be.

He doesn't save the world by becoming more violent than the violent.

He doesn't conquer the world by becoming a greater version of Caesar.

He comes in humility.

He comes in peace.

He comes in self-giving love.

He comes to raise up those who have been bent down.

And ultimately, he enters into the world's death and rises from it.

That's our hope.

The world is falling down.

But death doesn't get the last word.

Violence doesn't get the last word.

Fear doesn't get the last word.

The kingdom of God is rising up.

And Jesus invites us to participate in it.

To show mercy.

To pursue justice.

To lift up those who have been bent down.

To make room for those who have been pushed aside.

To become little mustard seeds of hope.

To let the life and love of Christ work through us like yeast in the dough.

So don't lose heart.

The headlines aren't the whole story.

There is another story unfolding.

The kingdom is rising.

Christ is making all things new.

That's the prayer I have for my own soul.

That's the prayer I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, and my son.

And that's the prayer I have for you.

May we see the kingdom rising in the midst of a world that seems to be falling down.

And may we join Jesus in his work of healing, mercy, justice, peace, and love.

May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

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One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible. Today is September 29th, and our readings are Zechariah 4–6 and Luke 12.

Zechariah continues his strange and beautiful visions.

God's people have returned from exile. The temple lies unfinished. The task before Zerubbabel must have seemed enormous.

And into that uncertainty comes one of Scripture's great words:

"It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of Heaven's Armies."

Not by might.

Not by power.

But by my Spirit.

Then we come to Luke 12, where Jesus warns us about another kind of power.

The power of possessions.

The illusion of control.

The anxiety that tells us we must accumulate enough, protect enough, and plan enough to make ourselves secure.

Jesus tells the story of a rich man who has so much that he decides to tear down his barns and build bigger ones.

But Jesus reminds us that life cannot be secured in a barn.

And then he turns toward his disciples and says:

"Don't be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom."

Maybe that's the word for us today.

Not by might.

Not by power.

Not by bigger barns.

Not by controlling everything around us.

But by the Spirit.

And by trusting the heart of the Father who delights in giving us the kingdom.

We like big barns.

Maybe we don't call them barns anymore.

But we like them.

We like bank accounts.

Retirement accounts.

Houses.

Careers.

Platforms.

Reputations.

Plans.

We like whatever gives us the feeling that we've finally managed to secure our lives.

And to be clear, there's nothing wrong with planning.

There's nothing wrong with saving.

There's nothing wrong with being responsible.

But Jesus knows how easily these good things can become something else.

They can become the place where we look for life.

Jesus tells a story about a man whose land produces an enormous harvest.

The man looks at everything he has and says:

What am I going to do?

I don't have room for all this.

And then he comes up with a plan.

"I know! I'll tear down my barns and build bigger ones."

Bigger barns.

More storage.

More security.

More control.

And then he says something revealing.

He tells himself that once he has enough stored away, he can finally relax.

Now I'll be safe.

Now I'll be secure.

Now I can live.

But Jesus says:

That's an illusion.

Because your life isn't stored in your barns.

Your life isn't stored in your bank account.

Your life isn't stored in your reputation.

Your life isn't stored in how much control you can exercise over the future.

Your life is in God.

And that brings me back to Zechariah.

Zerubbabel has been given an enormous task.

The temple must be rebuilt.

The mountain in front of him looks overwhelming.

And God's word to him is:

"Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit."

I need to hear that.

Because I can spend a lot of energy trying to make things happen.

Trying to manage outcomes.

Trying to get everything lined up just right.

Trying to build a big enough barn so that nothing unexpected can hurt me.

Maybe you know that feeling too.

If I can just get enough money.

If I can just get the right job.

If I can just get everyone to understand me.

If I can just fix this relationship.

If I can just get my health under control.

If I can just make sure my children are okay.

If I can just figure out what's coming next.

Then I can breathe.

Then I'll be safe.

Then I'll have peace.

But Jesus doesn't point us toward bigger barns.

He points us toward the Father.

And then he says something so tender:

"Don't be afraid, little flock."

I love that.

Don't be afraid, little flock.

Why?

Because you've figured everything out?

No.

Because you've accumulated enough?

No.

Because you've protected yourself from every possible loss?

No.

"Because it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom."

There it is.

Gift.

The kingdom is gift.

Life is gift.

Grace is gift.

God himself is gift.

And the Spirit is at work in us and around us in ways we cannot manufacture or control.

Not by might.

Not by power.

But by my Spirit.

Maybe that's the invitation today.

Open your hands.

Release your grip.

Let go of the illusion that everything depends on you.

You don't have to build a barn big enough to hold your future.

You don't have to possess enough to become secure.

You don't have to control everyone and everything around you.

You have a Father who delights to give you the kingdom.

And maybe the Spirit is whispering to us today:

You can breathe.

You can trust.

You can let go.

You are held.

Jesus tells us to look at the ravens.

Look at the lilies.

Look at creation itself.

God is present.

God is giving.

God is sustaining.

And you are worth far more to him than birds and flowers.

So maybe today we can stop measuring our lives by what we've managed to accumulate, achieve, or control.

Maybe we can open our hands.

Not by might.

Not by power.

Not by bigger barns.

But by the Spirit.

And maybe we'll discover that the life we've been trying so hard to secure has been gift all along.

That's the prayer I have for my own soul.

That's the prayer I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, and my son.

And that's the prayer I have for you.

May we loosen our grip.

May we trust the Spirit.

May we hear Jesus say again, "Don't be afraid, little flock."

And may we discover the joy of receiving the kingdom as gift.

May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

OTHER PODCASTS:

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One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible. Today is September 28th, and our readings are Zechariah 1–3 and Luke 11.

Zechariah brings us into a series of strange and beautiful visions given to a people who have returned from exile.

Jerusalem has been devastated. The temple is being rebuilt. God's people are trying to imagine what restoration might look like.

And into that uncertainty comes a word of hope.

God has not abandoned them.

God is returning.

God is restoring.

God is removing shame.

God is bringing his people into something new.

Then in Luke 11, Jesus teaches his disciples to pray.

He tells them to ask, seek, and knock.

He confronts religious systems that have become preoccupied with appearances while neglecting justice and the love of God.

And then Jesus says something that deserves our attention:

"Make sure that the light you think you have is not actually darkness."

That's a sobering invitation.

Because not everything we call light is light.

Religion can call something light that produces fear.

Tradition can call something light that keeps people in bondage.

Self-righteousness can feel like light while preventing us from seeing ourselves or our neighbor clearly.

Jesus invites us to turn our eyes toward the true light.

The light of God's love.

And when that light fills us, Jesus says our whole lives can become radiant.

So today, let's step out of the shadows.

Bring on the floodlights.

If all the world's a stage, then I want better lighting.

I remember hearing an actor say something like that once.

And I understand it.

When you're on a stage, you learn pretty quickly to find your light.

You can have the best lines.

You can give the best performance.

But if you're standing in the shadows, nobody can see what's happening.

So you find the light.

And maybe that's a good image for the spiritual life too.

Find the light.

Or perhaps more importantly, make sure the light you've found is actually light.

Because Jesus says something rather startling in Luke 11:

"Make sure that the light you think you have is not actually darkness."

That's worth sitting with.

Because apparently it's possible to become accustomed to darkness and call it light.

It's possible for religious traditions to become so familiar that we stop asking whether they actually look like Jesus.

It's possible to confuse certainty with light.

It's possible to confuse being right with light.

It's possible to confuse fear with light.

It's possible to imagine that a theology that leaves us frightened of God is somehow illuminating God.

And Jesus says:

Check the light.

Look again.

Because Jesus himself is the light by which everything else is seen.

He is the one who shows us what God is like.

And when we look at Jesus, what do we see?

We see him moving toward people.

We see him touching those others avoid.

We see him eating with those religion has excluded.

We see him forgiving.

Healing.

Restoring.

Setting people free.

We see him telling us to love our enemies.

We see him laying down his life rather than taking the lives of his enemies.

We see self-giving love.

This is the light.

And Jesus is confronting religious leaders in Luke 11 who have become very good at managing appearances.

Everything looks clean on the outside.

But Jesus says the inside tells another story.

They carefully tithe even the herbs from their gardens, but they ignore justice and the love of God.

That's darkness masquerading as light.

And I don't think Jesus confronts them because he hates them.

I think he confronts them because he loves them.

He wants them to see.

He wants them to wake up.

He wants the light to break through.

Zechariah gives us another beautiful picture today.

Joshua the high priest stands before God in filthy clothes.

And the Accuser is there.

Ready to accuse.

Ready to condemn.

Ready to define Joshua by what he is wearing.

But God rebukes the Accuser.

And then God says:

"Take off his filthy clothes."

And Joshua is given new clothes.

A new identity.

A new beginning.

That's light.

The Accuser says, "Look at him."

God says, "I have taken away your sins."

The Accuser points toward shame.

God moves toward restoration.

And Jesus shows us that this is the heart of God.

Maybe there are some dark corners in us today.

Fear.

Shame.

Resentment.

Religious ideas that have taught us to hide from God instead of running toward him.

Maybe we've mistaken some of those things for light.

Jesus invites us to open the curtains.

Bring on the floodlights.

Let the light of Christ shine into every corner.

Let him show us what God is really like.

Let him expose the false lights that have kept us afraid.

And let his love illuminate our lives.

Jesus says that when we're filled with light, our whole life becomes radiant, as though a floodlight were filling us with light.

I love that.

God isn't inviting us to spend our lives hiding in the shadows.

He's drawing us into the light.

Into freedom.

Into grace.

Into love.

And as our eyes become filled with the light of Christ, maybe we begin to reflect that light into the world around us.

So turn your face toward Jesus today.

Look at him.

Keep looking.

Let him show you the Father.

Let his love expose every false light.

Let his grace illuminate every shadow.

His light has come into our darkness.

And the darkness cannot overcome it.

Bring on the floodlights.

That's the prayer I have for my own soul.

That's the prayer I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, and my son.

And that's the prayer I have for you.

May our eyes be filled with the light of Christ.

And may our whole lives become radiant with the love of God.

May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

OTHER PODCASTS:

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One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible. Today is September 27th, and our readings are Haggai 1–2, Psalm 129, and Luke 10.

Haggai speaks to a people who have returned from exile but have lost their way. They are busy building their own lives while the temple remains in ruins.

So Haggai calls them back to their center.

Consider how things are going for you.

Pay attention.

Remember what matters.

And God tells them something they desperately need to hear:

"I am with you."

Psalm 129 is the prayer of people who have suffered and yet remain standing.

Then in Luke 10, Jesus sends out seventy-two disciples with a message of peace and healing. He rejoices that God's kingdom is being revealed, not simply to the powerful and learned, but to those who receive it like children.

And then a religious expert asks Jesus a question:

"Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?"

That conversation leads Jesus into one of his most familiar stories, the story we call the Good Samaritan.

But perhaps we've been standing in the wrong place in the story.

Before asking whether we're being good enough neighbors, maybe we need to recognize the Neighbor who has already come looking for us.

Jesus meets us in the ditch.

He sees us.

He comes near.

He binds our wounds.

He carries us.

He brings us home.

He is the neighbor we've all been waiting for.

Who is the hero of the story?

That's an important question.

Because when we read the story of the Good Samaritan, I think most of us immediately put ourselves in the role of the Samaritan.

Be a good neighbor.

Help people who are hurting.

Show mercy.

Cross the road toward the person in need.

And, of course, Jesus does invite us to become people of mercy.

He ends the story by saying, "Now go and do the same."

But before we rush too quickly to make ourselves the hero of the story, maybe we need to see something else.

Maybe we're the one in the ditch.

Maybe that's where the gospel begins.

Jesus says a man was traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho when robbers attacked him.

They stripped him.

Beat him.

And left him half dead beside the road.

A priest comes by.

He passes him.

A Levite comes by.

He passes him too.

Religion sees him lying there, but religion doesn't save him.

And then someone unexpected comes along.

A Samaritan.

Jesus says that when he sees the wounded man, he has compassion.

He moves toward him.

He kneels down.

He tends his wounds with oil and wine.

He lifts him onto his own animal.

He takes him somewhere safe.

He pays the cost.

And he promises to return.

Who does that sound like?

Jesus.

Jesus is the neighbor we've all been waiting for.

He's the one who finds us lying in the ditch.

He's the one who sees us.

He's the one who has compassion.

He's the one who comes near.

He's the one who binds up our wounds.

He's the one who carries us when we cannot carry ourselves.

He's the one who pays the cost.

He's the one who brings us home.

And that changes the way we hear this story.

Because the gospel isn't first about our ability to become the hero.

It's about discovering that we have been rescued.

It's about receiving mercy before we try to give it.

It's about being loved before we try to love.

It's about allowing Jesus to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves.

And maybe that's why the story of Mary and Martha follows immediately afterward.

Martha is busy.

She's working.

She's serving.

She's doing all the things that need to be done.

But Mary is sitting at Jesus' feet.

Listening.

Receiving.

And Jesus says Mary has chosen what is better.

That doesn't mean serving doesn't matter.

Of course it matters.

But we can become so busy trying to do something for Jesus that we forget what Jesus has come to do for us.

We need to sit at his feet.

We need to receive.

We need to let ourselves be loved.

We need to let him bind our wounds.

We need to remember that he is the Savior.

Not us.

Haggai speaks to people who have been busy building their own lives.

And God calls them back to the center.

"Consider your ways."

Maybe that's a good word for us today.

Consider your ways.

What are you building?

What are you striving to prove?

What are you trying to accomplish so that you can finally feel secure, loved, or whole?

Maybe Jesus is inviting us back to the center.

Back to his feet.

Back to the ditch where we first discovered mercy.

Back to the realization that before we ever became the neighbor to someone else, Christ became the neighbor to us.

He saw us.

He came near.

He had compassion.

And he loved us back to life.

And once we know that kind of mercy, something begins to happen in us.

We become merciful.

We cross the road.

We notice the wounded.

We stop.

We listen.

We bind wounds.

We make room.

Not because we're trying to become the hero.

But because we've encountered the One who is.

We love because we have been loved.

We show mercy because mercy found us.

We become neighbors because Jesus first became our neighbor.

He's the neighbor we've all been waiting for.

That's the prayer I have for my own soul.

That's the prayer I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, and my son.

And that's the prayer I have for you.

May we see ourselves clearly.

May we see Jesus clearly.

And having received his limitless mercy and love, may that same mercy begin to flow through us toward the world.

May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

OTHER PODCASTS:

Listen with Apple Podcast

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible. Today is September 26th, and our readings are Ezra 4, Psalms 113 and 127, and Luke 9.

Ezra tells us that the work of rebuilding has run into opposition. God's people have returned from exile and begun rebuilding the temple, but now resistance comes. The work becomes difficult, and eventually it comes to a halt.

Psalm 113 reminds us that God lifts the poor from the dust and the needy from the garbage dump.

Then Psalm 127 gives us an important word about all our building:

"Unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted."

And then we come to Luke 9.

Jesus sends the twelve out with very little to rely upon except God. He feeds a hungry multitude. Peter declares that Jesus is the Messiah. Jesus is transfigured before his disciples.

But running through it all is a surprising description of what it means to follow him.

"If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me."

Jesus is showing us another kind of life.

The world tells us to acquire, achieve, protect, and succeed.

Jesus says there is another way.

We find our lives by giving them away.

If you hang on to your life, making it about you, insisting on your own way, Jesus says you will eventually lose the very thing you're trying so hard to save.

That's a strange word for us.

Because the world tells us almost exactly the opposite.

Hold on.

Build more.

Achieve more.

Become more important.

Protect what you've accumulated.

Win.

Success becomes one of the great siren songs of our world.

And if we're not careful, it can become the siren song of the church too.

Big bank accounts.

Big churches.

Big platforms.

Big egos.

We can baptize all of it and call it blessing.

But Jesus points in another direction.

He says:

"What do you benefit if you gain the whole world but are yourself lost or destroyed?"

You can gain everything and somehow lose yourself.

Then Jesus says that if we want to follow him, we must take up our cross daily.

That's not exactly a winning strategy by the world's standards.

People carrying crosses aren't climbing ladders.

They're dying.

And yet Jesus tells us that this is somehow the road to life.

That's the great paradox of the kingdom.

We find our lives by giving them away.

Jesus said elsewhere that unless a kernel of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone.

But when it dies, something happens.

Life emerges.

A harvest comes.

The life released in death becomes resurrection life.

And resurrection life is different from the power of the flesh.

The flesh has to protect itself.

Prove itself.

Advance itself.

Resurrection life is free.

Free to love.

Free to serve.

Free to give.

Free to lose without being lost.

Because our life is already hidden with Christ in God.

Psalm 127 says:

"Unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted."

That's a good word for me.

Because we can spend our whole lives building.

Building careers.

Building ministries.

Building reputations.

Building security.

Building an image of ourselves that we desperately hope everyone else will believe.

And Jesus asks:

What if you gained all of it?

What if you actually succeeded at everything the world told you mattered?

Would you have found life?

Jesus doesn't come merely to make us more successful at the world's game.

He comes to set us free from the game.

He comes to awaken us to the life that is already ours in him.

That's resurrection.

That's freedom.

That's abundance.

So maybe today we need to turn down the siren song of this world.

Turn down the voices telling us that our lives are measured by what we accumulate, accomplish, or prove.

And turn up the music of heaven.

Listen again to Jesus.

"Follow me."

Follow me into the way of love.

Follow me into generosity.

Follow me into forgiveness.

Follow me into self-giving.

Follow me through the cross and into resurrection.

Because the life you're trying so hard to secure is already waiting for you in him.

Lose your life in his.

And discover that you haven't lost at all.

You've finally begun to live.

That's the prayer I have for my own soul.

That's the prayer I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, and my son.

And that's the prayer I have for you.

May we turn away from the siren songs of this world and hear instead the song of our Lord and Christ:

"Follow me, and you will truly live."

May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

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One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible. Today is September 25th, and our readings are Ezra 2–3 and Luke 8.

Ezra brings us into the story of a people coming home.

After years of exile, families return to Jerusalem. They rebuild the altar and begin laying the foundation of the temple.

And when that foundation is laid, something remarkable happens.

Some people shout for joy.

Others weep.

The sounds mingle together until no one can distinguish the shouting from the weeping.

Maybe that's an honest picture of life.

Joy and sorrow often occupy the same space.

Hope and grief can live together.

Then Luke 8 brings us several stories of people encountering Jesus in places of fear and desperation.

A storm threatens to overwhelm the disciples.

A man tormented and isolated among the tombs is restored.

A woman who has suffered for twelve years reaches through a crowd just to touch Jesus.

And Jairus comes pleading for the life of his daughter.

Then, while Jesus is still on the way, the news arrives:

"Your daughter is dead. There's no use troubling the Teacher now."

But Jesus has another word.

"Don't be afraid. Just have faith."

Today we are reminded that fear, despair, suffering, and even death do not get to speak the final word.

Jesus does.

"Why trouble the teacher?"

That's essentially what Jairus is told.

"Your daughter is dead. There's no use troubling the Teacher now."

Those are words of despair.

Words of hopelessness.

Words that say the story is over.

Jairus had reached out in faith.

He had come looking for Jesus because his little girl was dying.

He believed Jesus could help.

And Jesus was coming.

But then there was a delay.

Another person needed Jesus.

A woman who had been suffering for twelve years reached out through the crowd and touched him.

Jesus stopped.

He saw her.

He spoke with her.

And all the while, Jairus was waiting.

I wonder what that waiting felt like.

Every second mattered.

And then the message arrived.

Too late.

Your daughter is dead.

Don't bother Jesus anymore.

Fear and despair always want to have the last word.

They tell us:

It's over.

There's no hope.

Don't bother praying.

Don't bother hoping.

Don't bother reaching for Jesus.

Nothing can change now.

But Jesus hears the message too.

And he turns toward Jairus and says:

"Don't be afraid. Just have faith."

Jesus does not deny what has happened.

He doesn't pretend death isn't real.

He simply refuses to let death have the final word.

And then something beautiful happens.

Jesus enters the house.

But he doesn't turn this family's grief into a public spectacle.

He brings Peter, James, and John with him, along with the girl's father and mother.

And there, in that quiet and deeply personal place of grief, Jesus comes close.

I love that.

Because some pain is very private.

There are valleys in our lives that very few people ever see.

There are fears we carry quietly.

Losses we don't know how to explain.

Places where we wonder whether hope is even possible anymore.

And Jesus enters those places.

He comes near.

He takes the little girl by the hand.

And he says:

"My child, get up!"

Life speaks into death.

Hope speaks into despair.

Jesus has the final word.

Maybe that's what you need to remember today.

Your circumstances do not get the final word.

Your fear does not get the final word.

Your loss does not get the final word.

Your diagnosis does not get the final word.

Your failure does not get the final word.

Even death does not get the final word.

Jesus does.

Ezra gives us a picture of people standing among ruins and laying a new foundation.

Some are shouting.

Some are weeping.

And somehow both responses belong.

Maybe that's where you are today.

You can grieve what has been lost and still believe that something new can rise.

You can weep and hope at the same time.

You can stand among the ruins and listen for the voice of Jesus.

"Don't be afraid."

"Just have faith."

"My child, get up."

The hope we have is not that we will avoid every valley.

The hope is that Jesus meets us there.

He takes us by the hand.

And the One who is Resurrection and Life will have the final word.

That's the prayer I have for my own soul.

That's the prayer I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, and my son.

And that's the prayer I have for you.

May we meet Jesus in the valley.

May we trust him when fear and despair surround us.

And may we receive from him the hope of resurrection.

May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

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OTHER PODCASTS:

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One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible. Today is September 24th, and our readings are Ezra 1, Psalms 84 and 85, and Luke 7.

Ezra begins with an unexpected announcement.

God's people have lived in exile, far from home, but now Cyrus, king of Persia, announces that they may return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple.

After years of displacement, the journey home begins.

Psalm 84 gives voice to that longing:

"How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of Heaven's Armies."

The psalmist longs to be home in the presence of God.

Then Psalm 85 gives us another beautiful picture of restoration. Unfailing love and truth meet together. Righteousness and peace kiss.

And then we come to Luke 7.

Jesus encounters a Roman officer whose faith amazes him. He meets a grieving widow and restores her son to life. He reassures John the Baptist that God's kingdom really is breaking into the world.

And finally, Jesus sits at a table where an unexpected guest arrives.

A woman known in the community as a sinner kneels at his feet.

She weeps.

She washes his feet with her tears.

She dries them with her hair.

And she pours perfume over them.

Everyone in the room seems to know who this woman is.

But Jesus sees her differently.

He sees love.

He sees faith.

He sees a daughter who has been forgiven.

And he tells her:

"Your faith has saved you. Go in peace."

That's where today's readings seem to bring us.

Out of exile.

Toward home.

Out of shame.

Into peace.

God is singing a new song over his people.

And we are invited to sing along.

Everybody knew who she was.

At least they thought they did.

Luke tells us that a woman from the city heard that Jesus was eating at the home of Simon the Pharisee.

And Luke tells us that she was a sinful woman.

That's her introduction.

That's her label.

That's apparently what everybody knows about her.

She enters the house carrying a beautiful alabaster jar filled with expensive perfume.

And then she kneels behind Jesus at his feet.

She begins to weep.

Her tears fall on his feet.

She wipes them with her hair.

She kisses his feet.

And she pours perfume over them.

It's an extraordinary scene.

And Simon watches all of this.

But Simon doesn't really see her.

He sees her label.

He thinks to himself that if Jesus were really a prophet, he would know what kind of woman was touching him.

But Jesus does know.

He knows exactly who is touching him.

And he sees something Simon cannot see.

He sees her.

Not merely her past.

Not merely her failures.

Not merely the story the town has told about her.

He sees her.

And I think that's beautiful.

Because shame has a way of convincing us that the worst thing about us is the truest thing about us.

Shame says:

That's who you are.

Your failure is who you are.

Your mistake is who you are.

Your addiction is who you are.

Your divorce is who you are.

Your past is who you are.

Whatever people have whispered about you, that's who you are.

But Jesus doesn't see us that way.

He sees deeper.

He sees a beloved child.

He sees the image of God.

He sees someone worth receiving.

Someone worth defending.

Someone worth restoring.

And then Jesus says something remarkable.

He turns toward the woman and speaks to Simon.

"Do you see this woman?"

That's the question.

Do you see her?

Simon sees a category.

Jesus sees a person.

Simon sees contamination.

Jesus sees love.

Simon sees someone who doesn't belong at the table.

Jesus sees someone who has already found her way home.

And perhaps that's what forgiveness really is.

It's coming home.

Ezra begins today with exiles being told that they can go home.

The long exile is ending.

And Luke ends with another exile ending.

A woman who has been living beneath the weight of shame hears Jesus say:

"Your sins are forgiven."

And then:

"Your faith has saved you. Go in peace."

Go in peace.

Not go in shame.

Not go and spend the rest of your life trying to make up for everything you've done.

Not go and prove that you're worthy.

Go in peace.

Because forgiveness isn't something she has managed to extract from a reluctant God.

Forgiveness is the heart she discovers when she encounters Jesus.

And maybe some of us need to hear that today.

Maybe you've been carrying a name that Jesus never gave you.

Failure.

Unworthy.

Unclean.

Rejected.

Too much.

Not enough.

Maybe you've spent years imagining that God looks at you the way Simon looked at this woman.

But Jesus shows us the Father's face.

And Jesus looks at her with love.

He receives her.

He defends her.

He restores her.

And he sends her away in peace.

That's the new song.

The exile is ending.

You're being called home.

You are forgiven.

You are loved.

You belong.

Go in peace.

That's the prayer I have for my own soul.

That's the prayer I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, and my son.

And that's the prayer I have for you.

May we hear the voice of Jesus calling us out of shame and into the freedom of his love.

And may we go in peace.

May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

OTHER PODCASTS:

Listen with Apple Podcast

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible. Today is September 23rd, and today is a special day for me and for this community.

Thirteen years ago today, the Daily Radio Bible began.

What started with a microphone and a simple desire to read through the Scriptures together has become a daily gathering of people around the world.

And through all these years, the invitation has remained remarkably simple:

Come to the Scriptures.

Listen for the voice of Jesus.

Allow the Spirit to reveal the love of God.

And then go live that love in the world.

So thank you.

Thank you to everyone who has walked this road with me, whether you've been here for thirteen years or this is your first day.

Today our readings are Daniel 11–12 and Luke 6.

Daniel sees kingdoms rising and falling, conflict and upheaval, and things that are difficult to understand. Yet beneath all the turmoil is the promise that God remains faithful and that death itself will not have the final word.

Then Jesus brings us down to bedrock.

Love your enemies.

Do good to those who hate you.

Bless those who curse you.

Give without expecting anything in return.

Forgive.

Do not condemn.

Treat others the way you want to be treated.

These aren't merely beautiful ideas.

Jesus says they are a foundation upon which we can actually build a life.

And after thirteen years of gathering around these Scriptures together, perhaps the invitation is still exactly the same:

Dig deep.

Find the Rock.

Build your life there.

Go deep.

That's the invitation Jesus offers us today.

And after thirteen years of doing this together, I think it's still the invitation.

Go deep.

Jesus tells a story about two people building houses.

One person builds on the surface.

The other digs.

And digs.

And digs.

Until finally he reaches bedrock.

Then he builds his house there.

And when the storms come and the floodwaters rise, that house stands.

Not because the storm wasn't powerful.

Not because the person living in the house had everything figured out.

The house stands because of what is underneath it.

Jesus says this is what it looks like to hear his words and put them into practice.

And notice the words Jesus has just spoken.

Love your enemies.

Do good to those who hate you.

Bless those who curse you.

Pray for those who hurt you.

Give.

Forgive.

Be merciful.

Don't condemn.

Treat others the way you want to be treated.

That's the bedrock.

And sometimes I think we want something more complicated.

We want the right theology.

The right answers.

The right religious system.

The right arguments.

And those things can have their place.

But Jesus keeps taking us deeper.

Down beneath the words.

Down beneath appearances.

Down beneath religion.

Until we encounter him.

The Rock.

Paul says our life is hidden with Christ in God.

That's deep.

Deeper than our fear.

Deeper than our failure.

Deeper than our shame.

Deeper than the labels people have placed upon us.

Deeper even than the stories we sometimes tell ourselves about who we are.

There is Christ.

And our life is hidden in him.

Jesus looks at the poor, the hungry, the sorrowful, and the rejected, and he calls them blessed.

Why?

Because there is something deeper than their circumstances.

There is Someone underneath it all.

Christ.

Present.

Faithful.

Steadfast.

Love himself.

And thirteen years into this journey, that's what I keep discovering.

The point isn't simply to get through the Bible.

The point is to let the Bible bring us to Jesus.

To hear his voice.

To discover our life in him.

To allow his love to become the bedrock underneath everything else.

Because storms do come.

Floodwaters rise.

Things we thought were secure sometimes shake.

But there is a foundation beneath us that cannot be shaken.

The deep, deep love of God revealed in Jesus Christ.

So today, on this anniversary, I want to say thank you.

Thank you for digging with me.

Thank you for showing up day after day.

Thank you for being part of this community.

And let's keep going.

Let's keep digging.

Past the easy answers.

Past fear.

Past shame.

Past religion that tells us we have to earn what God has already freely given.

Let's dig until we find the Rock.

And then let's build our lives there.

In his love.

In his mercy.

In his forgiveness.

In his life.

Because Christ himself is our foundation.

And he is enough to hold us.

That's the prayer I have for my own soul.

That's the prayer I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, and my son.

And that's the prayer I have for you.

May we go deep.

And may we discover again that underneath it all, holding us, surrounding us, and sustaining us, is the love of God revealed in Jesus Christ.

May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

OTHER PODCASTS:

Listen with Apple Podcast

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible. Today is September 22nd, day 265 of our journey through the Scriptures, and there are just 100 days left in the year.

Our readings today are Daniel 9–11, Psalm 123, and Luke 5.

Daniel is carrying a tremendous weight. He looks back upon the ruins of his people and forward into visions of things he can barely comprehend. At one point, the sheer weight of it all leaves him without strength.

And then God meets him.

Daniel receives another touch.

"Don't be afraid," he is told. "You are very precious to God. Peace! Be encouraged! Be strong!"

And Daniel says that as these words are spoken, his strength returns.

Psalm 123 gives us another picture of dependence. The psalmist lifts his eyes toward God, looking for mercy.

Then in Luke 5, people come to Jesus carrying their own burdens.

There are exhausted fishermen with empty nets.

There is a man covered with leprosy.

There is a paralyzed man whose friends carry him through a roof.

There is Levi, the tax collector, sitting at his booth.

Again and again, Jesus meets people where they are and gives them something they cannot manufacture for themselves.

Healing.

Forgiveness.

Calling.

Belonging.

Strength.

Maybe that's the invitation for us today.

We don't have to manufacture what we don't have.

We can open our hands and receive another touch.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

Daniel was overwhelmed by what he saw.

The vision God had given him.

The enormity of what was behind him.

The uncertainty of what was ahead.

The ruins of the past.

The challenges of the present.

All of it left Daniel saying:

"My strength is gone. I can hardly breathe."

Have you ever felt that way?

You look ahead at something that seems impossible.

Or maybe you look behind you at something painful, something broken, something you wish had gone differently.

And you feel paralyzed.

Frightened.

Unable to move.

Maybe you can hardly catch your breath.

If you've ever been there, you're not alone.

Daniel was there too.

But then something beautiful happens.

Daniel says:

"Then the one who looked like a man touched me again, and I felt my strength returning."

He touched me again.

A second touch.

And then Daniel hears these words:

"Don't be afraid. You are very precious to God. Peace! Be encouraged! Be strong!"

And as Daniel listens, his strength returns.

I love that.

Daniel doesn't find the strength somewhere inside himself.

He doesn't grit his teeth and try harder.

He doesn't give himself a motivational speech.

Strength comes to him.

It is received.

God meets him in his weakness.

And maybe that's what some of us need today.

Another touch.

Maybe you've been walking with God for years.

Maybe you've experienced grace before.

Maybe you know what it is to be carried by love.

But today you're tired again.

That's okay.

Sometimes we need another touch.

Sometimes we need to hear again what we've heard before.

Don't be afraid.

You are precious to God.

Peace.

Be encouraged.

Be strong.

And when I turn to Luke 5, I see Jesus doing this everywhere he goes.

He meets Peter after a night of empty nets.

He touches the man with leprosy.

He speaks forgiveness to the paralyzed man.

He looks at Levi sitting at the tax collector's booth and says, "Follow me."

Jesus keeps moving toward people.

Touching.

Healing.

Forgiving.

Calling.

Restoring.

Giving people what they cannot give themselves.

Maybe you need that today.

Maybe the road ahead looks daunting.

Maybe the road behind carries shame or regret.

Maybe you're simply tired.

Open your hands.

You don't have to manufacture strength.

You can receive it.

Let Jesus meet you where you are.

Let him touch the place that is tired.

Let him speak again:

Don't be afraid.

You are precious to God.

Peace.

Be encouraged.

Be strong.

And maybe your prayer today can be very simple:

"Yes, Lord.

Thank you.

I receive your love.

I receive your peace.

I receive your strength."

Sometimes we need a second touch.

And sometimes a third.

And a fourth.

Grace keeps coming.

That's the prayer I have for my own soul.

That's the prayer I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, and my son.

And that's the prayer I have for you.

May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

OTHER PODCASTS:

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One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible. Today is September 21st, and our readings are Daniel 7–8, Psalm 137, and Luke 4.

Daniel sees strange and unsettling visions of kingdoms, beasts, violence, and earthly powers rising and falling. Yet in the middle of these visions, Daniel sees another figure, one "like a son of man," coming with the clouds of heaven. To him is given an everlasting kingdom, one that will never be destroyed.

Psalm 137 gives voice to the anguish of people living in exile. They sit beside the rivers of Babylon and weep as they remember Jerusalem. Their grief is raw, and so is their anger.

Then Luke takes us into the wilderness.

Jesus has just heard the Father declare, "You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy."

Now that beloved Son is tempted.

The temptation is about far more than bread. Jesus is offered power, spectacle, and control. He is offered the kingdoms of the world if only he will bow to another way.

But Jesus refuses.

He will not build his kingdom through domination.

He emerges from the wilderness and returns to Nazareth, where he tells us exactly what his kingdom will look like:

Good news for the poor.

Freedom for captives.

Sight for the blind.

Freedom for the oppressed.

The time of the Lord's favor has come.

Daniel saw kingdoms rise and fall.

Jesus announces the kingdom that will remain.

And he shows us what that kingdom looks like.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

Jesus is offered the kingdoms of the world.

That caught my attention today.

The devil takes Jesus up and shows him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.

And then comes the offer:

"I will give you the glory of these kingdoms and authority over them."

Just bow down.

Just play the game.

Use power the way power has always been used.

Dominate.

Control.

Take the throne.

Make people comply.

And Jesus says no.

That's important.

Because Daniel has just given us these strange visions of kingdoms that look like beasts.

They devour.

They crush.

They destroy.

That's what kingdoms can become.

And then Jesus walks into the wilderness.

The true Son of Man has come.

And he is offered the opportunity to become another beast.

He refuses.

Jesus will have a kingdom.

But it will not look like the kingdoms of this world.

And Luke doesn't leave us wondering what Jesus' kingdom will look like.

Jesus walks into the synagogue, opens the scroll of Isaiah, and tells us:

Good news for the poor.

Freedom for the captives.

Sight for the blind.

Freedom for the oppressed.

The Lord's favor.

That's his kingdom.

Jesus doesn't conquer by becoming a bigger beast.

He conquers by remaining human.

Fully human.

The true human.

The Son who lives in communion with the Father and refuses to turn power into domination.

And I think that's good news for us because we are constantly being invited to play the old game.

Win.

Control.

Prove yourself.

Get the upper hand.

Protect what's yours.

Make sure you're the one on top.

But Jesus shows us another way.

The way of the kingdom is not domination.

It is love.

It is liberation.

It is healing.

It is mercy.

It is good news for people who have spent their lives receiving bad news.

And notice where all of this begins.

Before the wilderness.

Before the temptation.

Before the ministry.

Before Jesus does anything.

The Father has already said:

"You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy."

Jesus enters the wilderness from belovedness.

He doesn't have to prove who he is.

He doesn't need the kingdoms of the world to validate him.

He already knows whose he is.

Maybe that's part of the invitation for us today.

The powers of this world will always offer us identities.

Successful.

Important.

Powerful.

Right.

Victorious.

But Jesus invites us into something deeper.

Beloved.

And when we know that we are beloved, we don't have to turn ourselves into beasts to survive.

We can follow Jesus.

We can choose love over domination.

Mercy over vengeance.

Service over control.

We can live as citizens of another kingdom.

A kingdom that Daniel says will never be destroyed.

A kingdom embodied in Jesus.

So when the kingdoms around you roar, remember who you are.

And remember whose kingdom you belong to.

You are beloved.

Follow the Son.

That's the prayer I have for my own soul.

That's the prayer I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, and my son.

And that's the prayer I have for you.

May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

OTHER PODCASTS:

Listen with Apple Podcast

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

OTHER PODCASTS:

Listen with Apple Podcast

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible. Today is September 19th, and our readings are Ezekiel 47–48 and Luke 2.

Ezekiel gives us a beautiful vision of a river flowing from the temple. Everywhere the river goes, life appears. Trees grow along its banks, fruit comes month after month, and even the waters of the Dead Sea become fresh. It is a picture of the life of God flowing outward, bringing healing and restoration wherever it goes.

Then Luke brings us to Bethlehem.

Jesus is born. Angels announce good news of great joy. Shepherds hurry to see the child and then tell everyone what they have seen and heard.

And amid all this activity, Luke tells us something quietly beautiful about Mary.

She treasured these things and pondered them in her heart.

Mary doesn't understand everything that is happening to her. She cannot possibly know where this story will lead. Yet she makes room within herself for mystery.

She stores these things in her heart.

Today we are invited to do the same.

There are things in our lives we cannot yet understand. There are hopes still unfulfilled, questions still unanswered, wounds still healing, and stories whose endings we cannot yet see.

We don't have to solve them all today.

We can hold them before God.

We can treasure what we have been given.

And we can trust that the God who sees us, knows us, and loves us is still at work in our story.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

She stored it in her heart.

That's what Luke tells us Mary did in the midst of miracle, mystery, and uncertainty.

There was the promise.

There was the fear.

There was the joy.

And there were things that simply didn't make sense.

Mary didn't explain them away.

She didn't deny them.

She didn't pretend to understand what she couldn't understand.

She held them.

She treasured them.

She stored them in her heart.

And I think there is something here for us.

God doesn't always give us explanations.

There are things in life that simply don't make sense.

Things that cause us to wonder.

Things that cause us to worry.

Things that hurt.

There are prayers that seem unanswered.

Dreams that haven't come to pass.

Losses we don't understand.

Relationships that haven't turned out the way we hoped.

Questions about our future.

Questions about ourselves.

Questions about God.

And maybe faith isn't always about finding an explanation.

Maybe sometimes faith looks like Mary.

We simply hold these things before God.

We store them in our hearts.

Mary did that when shepherds showed up with stories about angels declaring that her child was the Messiah.

She stored it away.

She did it again when Simeon spoke over Jesus in the temple and then told Mary that a sword would pierce her own soul.

She held that too.

And years later, when twelve-year-old Jesus remained behind in his Father's house, Luke tells us that Mary didn't understand what Jesus meant.

But again, she stored these things in her heart.

There was a willingness in Mary to let the story unfold.

She didn't have to know everything.

She didn't have to control everything.

She didn't have to understand everything.

She trusted that God was present.

She trusted that she was seen.

She trusted that she was known.

She trusted that she was loved.

And she trusted that somehow God's purpose was still unfolding.

Maybe that's where you are today.

What are you storing in your heart?

An unfulfilled hope?

A disappointment?

A loss?

A question?

Something beautiful that you don't yet understand?

Something painful that you wish you could understand?

You don't have to solve it today.

You can hold it.

You can bring it before God.

You can allow your heart to become a vessel for mystery, hope, pain, memory, promise, and faith.

And you can remember this:

You are seen.

You are known.

You are loved.

Paul says that we are God's workmanship. The Greek word is poiēma. We are God's workmanship, God's handiwork, God's poem.

Your story isn't finished.

God is still at work.

So perhaps today we can learn something from Mary.

Be willing.

Be available.

Hold the mystery.

Store these things in your heart.

And trust that the One who loves you is still writing the story.

That's the prayer I have for my own soul.

That's the prayer I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, and my son.

And that's the prayer I have for you.

May we, like Mary, store these things in our hearts, trusting that in God's time and through God's love, the story will be revealed.

May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

OTHER PODCASTS:

Listen with Apple Podcast

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible. Today is September 18th, and our readings are Ezekiel 45–46 and Luke 1.

In Ezekiel, we continue through the prophet's vision of restoration. Land is divided, honest measurements are commanded, offerings are described, and provision is made for worship among God's people. Running through these detailed instructions is a concern for justice, faithfulness, and a people being restored.

Then we turn the page to Luke, and suddenly we find ourselves standing at the dawn of something new.

An angel appears to Zechariah with news that Elizabeth will have a son. His name will be John, and he will prepare the way for the Lord.

Then Gabriel visits a young woman named Mary with an even more astonishing announcement. She will bear a son named Jesus, and his kingdom will never end.

Both Zechariah and Mary eventually find themselves singing.

Mary sings of the God who notices the lowly, fills the hungry, and remembers his mercy.

Zechariah sings of the tender mercy of God, through which the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us.

That is our invitation today.

Whatever darkness we may find ourselves sitting in, the morning light is coming.

God has not forgotten us.

His mercy is new.

His light is breaking through.

And we are invited to join the song.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

Because of God's tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us.

I love that image.

Every morning, the light breaks through the darkness of night.

And maybe every new morning is a kind of rehearsal.

A reminder of that great morning when the light of God's Son breaks fully upon us.

Zechariah sings:

"Because of God's tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us."

And what will this light do?

It will give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.

And it will guide us to the path of peace.

Zechariah has a song.

And it is a song worth singing.

But Mary has a song too.

She says, "How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! For he took notice of his lowly servant girl."

God took notice of her.

This young woman.

This lowly servant girl.

Someone the powerful people of the world might easily overlook.

But God sees her.

God's light shines upon the lowly.

His light breaks upon the humble.

It shines upon those willing to let God be God in them.

Those willing to believe that what God says he will do, he will do.

And something happens when our humble faith meets God's merciful morning light.

A song begins to rise.

That's what happened to Zechariah.

That's what happened to Mary.

And I think it can happen to us too.

Maybe you're feeling lowly today.

Maybe you're hungry.

Maybe you're carrying shame.

Maybe you're sitting in a darkness that seems reluctant to give way.

Maybe you feel unseen.

But the morning light from heaven is breaking upon us.

God sees you.

God has not forgotten you.

And when we begin to encounter this God of love, this God who sees us and meets us in our lowliness, a song can begin to rise within us.

Not because everything has suddenly become easy.

Not because all our questions have been answered.

But because the light has come.

Because God is with us.

Because his mercy is tender.

Because darkness does not get the final word.

So join Zechariah.

Join Mary.

Join all those who have dared to believe that God is good enough to take notice of the lowly and big enough to do what he has promised.

Let faith rise.

Let the morning light break through.

And let your song rise with it.

That's the prayer I have for my own soul.

That's the prayer I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, and my son.

And that's the prayer I have for you.

May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

OTHER PODCASTS:

Listen with Apple Podcast

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible. Today is September 17th, and our readings are Ezekiel 42–44 and Revelation 22.

Today we come to the final chapter of Revelation and one of the most beautiful images in all of Scripture.

Ezekiel continues his vision of the restored temple. He sees the glory of God returning, filling the temple with God's presence. The prophet falls facedown before the glory of the Lord.

Then Revelation 22 carries us beyond the temple into John's final vision of the new creation.

John sees a river.

It is the river of the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb. The tree of life grows beside it, bearing fruit, and its leaves are for the healing of the nations.

The curse is gone.

Night is gone.

And then comes perhaps the most astonishing promise of all:

"They will see his face."

The story that began in Genesis with humanity hiding from the face of God ends with humanity looking upon God's face without fear.

Today's devotion invites us to begin living into that reality now. As we look toward Jesus, the veils that distort our understanding of God and ourselves begin to fall away.

We see God more clearly.

And in seeing him, we begin to discover who we truly are.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

John sees a river called life.

It is crystal clear, radiant and transparent, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb.

And I love this image.

Because there is nothing murky here.

Nothing obscured.

Nothing hidden.

John invites us to look into those crystal waters and see something marvelous.

The glory of God.

And perhaps, reflected there, we begin to see something else too.

Ourselves.

Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians that as we behold the glory of the Lord with unveiled faces, we are being transformed into his image, from glory to glory.

I think that's part of what John is showing us here.

For so much of our lives, there are veils.

Things that obscure our vision of God.

Fear can be a veil.

Shame can be a veil.

Religion can become a veil.

Our wounds can become a veil.

Even distorted ideas about God can become veils that keep us from seeing clearly.

And when our vision of God becomes distorted, our vision of ourselves becomes distorted too.

We imagine God as distant, angry, disappointed, or reluctant to receive us.

And then we begin to imagine ourselves as unwanted, unacceptable, or unworthy of love.

But John says a day is coming when all the veils are gone.

"They will see his face."

Think about that.

The Bible begins with humanity hiding from the face of God.

And it ends with humanity looking into the face of God.

No hiding.

No shame.

No fear.

Just communion.

And when we finally see him clearly, I think we will discover something we have spent our whole lives learning to believe.

We belong.

We bear the family resemblance.

We are his.

But this isn't only a promise for some distant future.

Even now, the veil can begin to lift.

Every time we look toward Jesus, we see the Father more clearly.

Every time we sit with the Scriptures and allow Christ to open them to us, the water becomes a little clearer.

Every time we receive his love instead of hiding in our shame, we begin to see ourselves differently.

And slowly, sometimes almost imperceptibly, we are changed.

From glory to glory.

That's the beautiful mystery of transformation.

We don't become like Jesus primarily by staring harder at ourselves and trying to repair everything we think is wrong.

We become like him by beholding him.

By seeing the face of Jesus.

By discovering again and again that the face looking back at us is the face of love.

So come to the river.

Look into those crystal waters.

Let the veils fall.

See him.

And as you see him, may you also begin to see yourself as you truly are.

Loved.

Cherished.

A child of God.

Bearing the family resemblance.

That's the prayer I have for my own soul.

May I see with unveiled face.

That's the prayer I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, and my son.

And that's the prayer I have for you.

May we come to the river and see, and know, and reflect the glory of the Lord.

May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

OTHER PODCASTS:

Listen with Apple Podcast

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible. Today is September 16th, and our readings are Ezekiel 40–41, Psalm 128, and Revelation 21.

In Ezekiel, we are given a detailed vision of a restored temple. The prophet is led through gates, courtyards, rooms, walls, and sacred spaces. Everything is measured with care.

This temple represented the place where heaven and earth met, where God dwelt among his people, and where humanity approached the presence of God through sacrifice.

Psalm 128 offers a picture of blessing, flourishing, family, and peace.

Then Revelation 21 carries us into an entirely new vision.

John sees a new heaven and a new earth. The holy city descends from God, and a voice announces that God's home is now among his people.

There will be no more death, sorrow, crying, or pain.

And remarkably, John sees no temple in the city.

There is no longer a separate sacred building because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. There is no need for sun or moon because the glory of God illuminates everything, and the Lamb is its light.

The sacred space toward which the temple always pointed has opened wide.

God is making his home with humanity.

Today's readings invite us to trust God through seasons of change. Buildings change. Institutions change. Familiar patterns pass away. But the presence and faithfulness of God remain.

The Lamb is our temple.

The Lamb is our light.

And the One seated upon the throne declares, "Look, I am making everything new."

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

The story of sacrifice is finished.

That is what stands out to me in today's readings.

In Ezekiel, we are given a painstaking description of a temple.

There are gates, rooms, walls, courtyards, and exact measurements.

This is sacred space.

This is the place where heaven and earth meet.

This is where the presence of God dwells among the people and where broken humanity approaches God through sacrifice.

Every room matters.

Every measurement matters.

Every altar and sacred space belongs to a much larger story.

But it is a story that is always pointing beyond itself.

It is pointing toward Jesus.

Then John sees something entirely new.

A new heaven.

A new earth.

A new Jerusalem.

And he says, "I saw no temple in the city."

No temple.

No altar.

No sacred building separating the holy from the ordinary.

Why?

Because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.

Everything the old temple represented has been fulfilled in Christ.

The place where heaven and earth meet is Jesus.

The sacrifice is Jesus.

The presence of God among humanity is Jesus.

The light of the city is Jesus.

Even the sun and moon are no longer needed because the glory of God fills everything, and the Lamb is its light.

The old structures have served their purpose.

The signs have given way to the reality.

The symbols have given way to the One they were always pointing toward.

And this can be hard for us because we often become attached to the structures.

We become attached to the familiar.

We find comfort in the way things have always been.

But life changes.

Seasons change.

Our families change.

Our bodies change.

Churches and institutions change.

Sometimes the things that once gave us stability disappear.

But the faithfulness of God does not disappear with them.

God is not contained within the old structures.

God is making all things new.

And we are being invited to live in that newness.

Our life is not secured by holding tightly to everything that once was.

Our life is found in Christ.

The Lamb is our temple.

The Lamb is our light.

The Lamb is our life.

And your life has been woven into his.

Your story has been gathered into his story.

Your name is written in the life of the Lamb.

So when seasons change and familiar things pass away, we do not have to be afraid.

The One who held us in the last season will hold us in the next.

The One who was faithful yesterday will be faithful tomorrow.

The Lamb remains.

And he is making all things new.

That's the prayer I have for my own soul.

That's the prayer I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, and my son.

And that's the prayer I have for you.

May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

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One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible. Today is September 15th, and our readings are Ezekiel 38–39, Psalm 145, and Revelation 20.

Today we encounter some of the Bible's most mysterious and dramatic imagery.

Ezekiel tells of Gog and Magog, armies gathering for battle, and the defeat of forces that threaten God's people. Revelation 20 returns to Gog and Magog and gives us visions of the great serpent, final judgment, and the lake of fire.

These passages have generated centuries of interpretation, speculation, and debate. It can be tempting to approach them as puzzles to solve or timelines to master.

But Revelation tells us from the beginning that it is an unveiling of Jesus Christ.

Jesus is the heart of the story.

So rather than allowing fear, vengeance, or fascination with hidden details to dominate our reading, we are invited to look for the One who reveals the true nature of God.

Psalm 145 helps bring us back to that center. The Lord is merciful and compassionate, slow to anger and filled with unfailing love. He is close to all who call upon him, and his kingdom is everlasting.

Today we approach these mysterious passages with humility. We do not come pretending to understand everything. We come as listeners, seeking the voice of Jesus and trusting that all Scripture ultimately finds its meaning and fulfillment in him.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

Let's get the story straight.

Today we have read some mysterious passages.

Gog and Magog.

Armies and battles.

The great serpent.

Judgment.

The lake of fire.

These images are thick with mystery, symbolism, and sometimes confusion.

And it can be easy to lose sight of what the real story is.

When we read language about wrath and judgment, we can begin to focus on retribution. We see injustice and suffering in the world, and understandably, we want wrongs to be made right.

We want evil to end.

But if we are not careful, we can allow our own desire for vengeance to shape the way we imagine God.

We can take mysterious passages and load them with our anger, our fear, and our need to see someone punished.

And before long, we have made God in our own image.

But that is not the real plot.

John tells us that Revelation is an apocalypse, an unveiling of Jesus Christ.

The story is about him.

Jesus is the living Word.

He is the One who has the words of life.

He is the clearest and fullest revelation of who God is.

So even when Scripture feels mysterious or cryptic, we keep looking toward Jesus.

He is the key.

He is the center.

He is the heart of the story.

That means we approach passages like these with humility.

We do not come as people who have mastered every symbol or solved every riddle.

Even the early church treated Revelation with caution. They recognized that its imagery was mysterious and warned against using uncertain interpretations to construct rigid doctrines.

We come instead with open hands.

We listen.

We ask the Spirit to help us hear the voice of Jesus.

Paul described himself as a servant of Christ and a steward of the mysteries of God.

Not a master of the mysteries.

A steward.

And perhaps that is our invitation too.

We are not trying to win an argument or solve a mathematical code.

We are seeking a living Savior.

We are walking with our Rabbi.

We are listening for the One who set the hearts of the disciples on fire as he opened the Scriptures on the road to Emmaus.

Jesus is the unveiling of God.

He is the heart and hope of the story.

When we hold fast to him as the center, both the clear passages and the confusing passages begin to take on a different light.

We begin to see that the final word is not fear.

It is not violence.

It is not death.

The final word is Jesus.

The One who conquers through self-giving love.

The One who defeats death by entering into it.

The One who makes all things new.

That is the story I want to hold on to.

That is the voice I want to hear.

That is the Rabbi I want to follow.

That's the prayer I have for my own soul.

That's the prayer I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, and my son.

And that's the prayer I have for you.

May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

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OTHER PODCASTS:

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One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible. Today is September 14th, and our readings are Ezekiel 36–37, Psalm 110, and Revelation 19.

Today we are given one of Scripture's most extraordinary pictures of restoration and hope: Ezekiel standing in a valley filled with dry, scattered bones.

God asks Ezekiel a remarkable question: "Son of man, can these bones become living people again?"

Humanly speaking, the answer seems obvious. These bones are beyond repair. There is no life here. There is no future here.

But God sees something Ezekiel cannot yet see.

At God's word, bones begin coming together. Tendons and flesh appear. Breath enters them. What had been dead stands alive.

Ezekiel also speaks of God giving his people a new heart and a new spirit, replacing hearts of stone with hearts that are alive to God.

Psalm 110 looks toward God's victorious King, and Revelation 19 gives us another sweeping vision of that victory, culminating in the appearing of Christ.

Through all these images, we are being invited to see beyond appearances.

Death does not have the final word.

Failure does not have the final word.

Exile does not have the final word.

God is the God who brings life out of death. And in Jesus, the One who is Resurrection and Life, we discover that this new life is not something we achieve.

It is gift.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

People can get the wrong impression about God.

That's part of what I hear in Ezekiel today.

When people look at suffering, hardship, exile, and loss, they can begin to wonder whether God is really good.

Or perhaps whether God is good but simply isn't powerful enough to help when we really need him.

Ezekiel's people had plenty of reasons to wonder.

Their world had fallen apart.

They had lost their land, their city, their temple, their security.

Everything that once seemed permanent was gone.

And then God takes Ezekiel into a valley.

A valley filled with dry bones.

Not dying people.

Not sick people.

Bones.

Dry, scattered, dismembered bones.

There is no fixing this.

There is no program for making these bones try harder.

There is no religious technique that can restore them.

They are dead.

And God asks Ezekiel:

"Can these bones live?"

Ezekiel gives the only answer he can.

"O Sovereign Lord, you alone know the answer to that."

And then God speaks.

The bones begin to move.

They come together.

Flesh appears.

And finally the breath of God enters them.

They live.

Maybe this is what God wants us to see.

God's intention toward us is life.

And ultimately, if we want to know what God is like, we look at Jesus.

Jesus stands before the grave of Lazarus and says, "I am the resurrection and the life."

Jesus enters death itself.

And on Easter morning, death discovers that it cannot hold him.

This is who God is.

The One who brings life out of death.

The One who breathes into dry bones.

The One who replaces hearts of stone with hearts of flesh.

The One who meets us in the places where we've concluded that nothing can possibly change and says, "Watch what I can do."

And here's the beautiful thing.

The bones don't resurrect themselves.

They don't earn resurrection.

They don't prove that they're worthy of another chance.

They're bones.

God gives them life because God is the giver of life.

And that's grace.

Maybe there are places in your life today that feel like that valley.

Something has died.

Something has been lost.

Something looks beyond repair.

Don't confuse what you can see with everything God can see.

The valley of dry bones is not the end of the story.

Jesus is.

Resurrection is.

Life is.

So today, hear the question again:

"Can these bones live?"

Yes.

Because the One who is Resurrection and Life is here.

That's the prayer I have for my own soul.

That's the prayer I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, and my son.

And that's the prayer I have for you.

May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

OTHER PODCASTS:

Listen with Apple Podcast

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible. Today is September 13th, and together we continue our journey through the Scriptures with Ezekiel 33–35 and Revelation 18.

In Ezekiel, we encounter the prophet as a watchman, called to speak truth and invite God's people to turn toward life. We also hear a sharp word for Israel's shepherds, leaders who have cared for themselves rather than the people entrusted to them.

But God does not abandon the sheep.

God says he himself will search for them. He will rescue them, gather them, feed them, bind up the injured, and strengthen the weak. Ultimately, God promises a shepherd from the line of David who will care for his people.

Then Revelation 18 takes us back into John's vision of Babylon.

Babylon appears powerful, wealthy, and secure. Yet John announces that Babylon has fallen.

The systems of domination, exploitation, violence, and greed that appear so permanent are not permanent at all.

Today's readings offer us a striking contrast between two ways of being in the world.

Babylon consumes. The Shepherd gives himself for the sheep.

Babylon accumulates. The Shepherd provides.

Babylon uses people. The Shepherd searches for the lost, binds up the wounded, and carries them home.

And we are invited again to decide which kingdom will shape our lives.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

Babylon always looks impressive.

That's part of its power.

Revelation describes merchants, wealth, luxury, commerce, ships, kings, and people who have become rich from everything Babylon has to offer.

And then suddenly John says:

"Babylon is fallen."

It turns out that what looked permanent wasn't permanent at all.

And I think that's important for us to remember because Babylon isn't only an ancient city.

Babylon is a way of organizing the world.

It is a way of seeing people.

It measures human beings by what they can produce, what they possess, what they can contribute, and what can be extracted from them.

And Ezekiel tells us that even God's shepherds can begin behaving like Babylon.

Instead of feeding the sheep, they feed themselves.

Instead of strengthening the weak, caring for the sick, binding up the injured, and searching for the lost, they use the flock for themselves.

And God says, "Enough."

Then comes this beautiful promise:

"I myself will search and find my sheep."

I love that.

God doesn't simply send better instructions.

He comes looking for us.

And when we finally see Jesus, we discover what this Shepherd looks like.

Jesus says, "I am the good shepherd."

The Shepherd doesn't exploit the sheep.

He lays down his life for them.

That's the difference between Babylon and Jesus.

Babylon asks, "What can I take?"

Jesus asks, "What can I give?"

Babylon climbs upward.

Jesus descends.

Babylon protects itself through power.

Jesus gives himself away in love.

And perhaps that's one of the invitations in today's reading.

We live in Babylon, too.

We're surrounded by systems that constantly tell us what matters, what success looks like, who is valuable, and what we should pursue.

But we belong to another kingdom.

And we follow another King.

A Shepherd King.

One who searches for the lost.

One who binds up the wounded.

One who strengthens the weak.

One who lays down his life for the sheep.

So don't be afraid when Babylon shakes.

Don't be surprised when things that looked permanent turn out not to be.

Listen instead for the voice of the Shepherd.

He knows your name.

He has come looking for you.

And he is leading us home.

That's the prayer I have for my own soul.

That's the prayer I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, and my son.

And that's the prayer I have for you.

May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

OTHER PODCASTS:

Listen with Apple Podcast

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible. Today is September 12th, and together we continue our journey through the Scriptures with Ezra 1, Psalms 84 and 85, and Luke 7.

Today's readings are filled with the possibility of restoration.

Ezra opens with God's people being invited home after years of exile. Cyrus, king of Persia, announces that the people can return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple. What seemed lost is being restored. A new chapter is beginning.

The Psalms give voice to that longing for home. "How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of Heaven's Armies." And Psalm 85 speaks of restoration, forgiveness, peace, and the hope that God's glory will once again fill the land.

Then in Luke 7, we encounter Jesus moving toward people with extraordinary compassion. He heals the servant of a Roman centurion. He meets a grieving widow and raises her son. And finally, while eating in the home of a Pharisee, Jesus receives the extravagant love of a woman whose life has been marked by sin and shame.

Again and again, Jesus moves toward those others might overlook or keep at a distance.

The sick are welcomed.

The grieving are seen.

The outsider is honored.

And the sinner hears the words, "Your sins are forgiven."

Today we are invited to hear those words for ourselves and to discover the freedom that comes when forgiveness becomes more than an idea and we actually begin to live as people who know that we are loved.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

TODAY'S PRAYERS:

There is this extraordinary moment at the end of Luke 7.

Jesus is eating at the home of Simon the Pharisee when a woman enters the room.

Everyone seems to know who she is.

And everyone seems to know what she has done.

She comes to Jesus weeping. Her tears fall on his feet. She wipes them with her hair, kisses his feet, and pours perfume over them.

Simon watches all of this and thinks to himself, "If this man were really a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him."

But Jesus does know.

He knows her story.

He knows her pain.

He knows her sin.

And he doesn't move away.

That's important.

Because Simon sees a category.

Jesus sees a person.

Simon sees her past.

Jesus sees her.

And then Jesus tells Simon a story about two people whose debts have been forgiven. One owes a little. The other owes an enormous amount.

Neither can pay.

So the creditor forgives them both.

"Who do you suppose loved him more?" Jesus asks.

Simon knows the answer.

The one who had been forgiven much.

And suddenly we understand what is happening in this room.

This woman's tears aren't an attempt to earn forgiveness.

They're the response of someone who has encountered mercy.

She is singing a new song with her whole life.

The old song said, "You are what you've done."

The old song said, "You are your shame."

The old song said, "People like you don't belong here."

But Jesus gives her another song.

"You are forgiven."

"Your faith has saved you."

"Go in peace."

Maybe some of us need to hear that song today.

Because shame has a way of keeping us in exile long after God has opened the door and told us we can come home.

Ezra tells us it's time to come home.

The Psalms tell us that God's dwelling place is beautiful and that righteousness and peace have kissed.

And Jesus shows us what that homecoming looks like.

The outsider is welcomed.

The grieving are comforted.

The sick are healed.

And the sinner is forgiven.

So maybe today it's time to stop singing the old song.

The song of shame.

The song of fear.

The song that says you have to somehow earn your way back.

Listen instead to the voice of Jesus.

You are forgiven.

You are loved.

Go in peace.

And let that become the new song of your life.

That's the prayer I have for my own soul.

That's the prayer I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, and my son.

And that's the prayer I have for you.

May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

OTHER PODCASTS:

Listen with Apple Podcast

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible. Today is September 11th, and together we continue our journey through the Scriptures with Daniel 1 and 2 and Revelation 16.

Daniel and his friends find themselves living in Babylon, far from home and surrounded by a culture that wants to reshape their identity. They are given new names, new expectations, and a new way of life. Yet Daniel quietly resolves to remain faithful.

Then King Nebuchadnezzar has a troubling dream. None of Babylon's wise men can tell the king what he has dreamed or what it means. Daniel cannot do it either, at least not by his own wisdom. So he turns to God.

And the mystery is revealed.

Daniel's response is not self-congratulation. It is worship. Wisdom and power belong to God. God reveals what is hidden. God knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him.

The vision itself points beyond Babylon and beyond every human empire. Kingdoms rise and kingdoms fall, but Daniel sees a kingdom established by God that will endure.

Revelation 16 brings us again into the strange and sometimes frightening imagery of John's apocalypse, where the powers of this world are exposed and judged.

Through both Daniel and Revelation, we are reminded that empire does not have the final word.

God does.

And even when we cannot see what God is doing, we can trust the One who sees what is hidden and whose kingdom will not pass away.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

Daniel is living in a world he did not choose.

His home is gone. His country has been conquered. He has been carried into Babylon, given a Babylonian name, educated in Babylonian ways, and expected to serve a Babylonian king.

And then suddenly his life is threatened because the king demands the impossible.

Tell me my dream.

And then tell me what it means.

Daniel knows he cannot do this.

And I think that may be one of the most important things about Daniel.

He knows he doesn't have what it takes.

So Daniel gathers his friends and they pray.

And God reveals the mystery.

Daniel then stands before the king and says, essentially, "This isn't happening because I'm wiser than everybody else."

God is the revealer of mysteries.

I love that.

Because so much of life is a mystery.

We don't know what tomorrow holds.

We don't always understand what is happening around us.

We certainly don't understand everything that is happening inside of us.

And sometimes, like Daniel, we find ourselves living in circumstances we never would have chosen.

But Daniel reminds us that we don't have to understand everything in order to trust God.

And then comes this extraordinary vision.

Daniel sees the kingdoms of the world rising and falling. Gold gives way to silver, silver to bronze, bronze to iron.

Every empire looks permanent when you're living inside of it.

But none of them are.

Then Daniel sees a stone that is not cut by human hands.

And eventually that stone fills the whole earth.

The kingdom of God.

A kingdom that doesn't arise from human violence, human ingenuity, or human power.

It comes from God.

And Revelation is telling us something very similar.

Babylon will not last.

The kingdoms of this world will not last.

Fear will not last.

Violence will not last.

Death will not last.

But the kingdom of our God will.

So perhaps today you find yourself facing something you don't understand.

You don't know how it's going to work out.

You don't know what comes next.

You don't have the answer.

Daniel didn't either.

But he knew the One who did.

So we can loosen our grip on our need to understand everything.

We can pray.

We can trust.

And we can remember that behind all the kingdoms that rise and fall, behind all the confusion and uncertainty of our lives, there is a kingdom that cannot be shaken.

And there is a King.

Jesus.

That's the prayer I have for my own soul.

That's the prayer I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, and my son.

And that's the prayer I have for you.

May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

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One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible, where each day we journey through the pages of Scripture, seeking to encounter the living Word of God together.

Today we read Lamentations chapters 3, 4, and 5, along with Revelation chapter 15.

These are difficult passages. Lamentations gives voice to anguish, loss, confusion, and even questions about the character of God. Jeremiah speaks from within the devastation of Jerusalem, trying to understand what has happened to his people and where God is in the midst of it all.

But right there, in the middle of lament, we hear some of the most beautiful words in all of Scripture:

"The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning."

Today we wrestle honestly with the difficult images of God we encounter in Scripture while remembering that Jesus is the fullest revelation of who God is.

When our understanding of God becomes clouded by fear, suffering, or even difficult passages in the Bible, we look again toward Christ.

And there we discover the God whose faithful love never ends.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

What is God like?

The words we've read today in Lamentations are sobering. Disturbing, even.

The depth of pain and sorrow expressed by Jeremiah raises profound questions about God's nature.

Is God a capricious deity, much like the gods of Mount Olympus, inflicting suffering upon his people, making them eat gravel, leaving them devastated, and shutting out their prayers?

These descriptions can create uncertainty and fear in our hearts if we're not sure how to read them.

But Scripture invites us deeper.

It invites us to wrestle honestly with these raw emotions.

Jeremiah is telling God's story from within the devastation of siege and loss. He is describing what it feels like to stand among the ruins and believe that your suffering has come from the very hand of God.

And then something happens.

Jeremiah remembers.

"Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this:

The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.

I say to myself, 'The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!'"

And this is where we need to keep looking.

Because if we want to know what God is truly like, ultimately we look to Jesus.

Jesus is the fullest revelation of the Father.

When we wonder whether God is against us, we look at Jesus.

When suffering causes us to question whether God is good, we look at Jesus.

When even the Scriptures seem to present us with images of God that leave us afraid or confused, we look at Jesus.

Because in him we see the face of the Father.

God does not come in Christ to crush us or leave us abandoned in darkness.

He comes to deliver us from evil.

To heal.

To restore.

To reconcile.

To redeem.

Jesus is our lens. He is the one through whom we come to understand the character and heart of God.

So we don't have to deny the lament.

We don't have to pretend suffering isn't real.

Jeremiah certainly doesn't.

But neither do we stop there.

We keep looking until, beyond the ruins and through the tears, we see the face of Christ.

And there we discover the God whose faithful love never ends.

Whose mercies never cease.

Whose faithfulness is great.

And whose mercies are new every morning.

That's the prayer I have for my own soul.

That's the prayer I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, and my son.

And that's the prayer I have for you.

May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

OTHER PODCASTS:

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One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible. Today is September 9th, and this is day 252 of our journey through the Scriptures.

Today we enter into some difficult and powerful passages.

In Lamentations 1 and 2, we sit alongside Jerusalem in her grief. The city that once overflowed with life now sits alone, mourning all that has been lost. These chapters don't rush us past sorrow. They give grief a voice.

Obadiah turns our attention toward Edom and the consequences of pride, violence, and taking advantage of another's suffering.

Then Revelation 14 pulls back the curtain and gives us another vision. The Lamb stands on Mount Zion. Babylon, the great symbol of human empire, violence, exploitation, and domination, is declared fallen.

And suddenly lament gives way to hope.

The kingdoms we build do not last forever. The systems of violence, domination, and death do not get the final word. God's kingdom is coming, and the Lamb is making all things new.

So wherever you find yourself today, whether you are standing among the ruins of something you've lost or beginning to see signs of something new, there is hope.

Babylon falls.

The Lamb remains.

And the kingdom of God is coming.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

Babylon has fallen.

And out of the ashes comes hope.

Today's readings give us images of terrible loss. Jerusalem sits alone. The city that had once been filled with people is grieving. Her beauty is gone. Her people have been scattered.

Lamentations doesn't try to clean this up.

It lets people grieve.

Sometimes that's what faith looks like. Sometimes faith isn't pretending everything is okay. Sometimes faith is sitting among the ruins and telling the truth about what has been lost.

But then John gives us another picture.

"Babylon is fallen."

Babylon represents that old human way of organizing the world. Power. Domination. Violence. Exploitation. The endless attempt to secure ourselves at the expense of someone else.

John says that world is passing away.

And standing on Mount Zion is the Lamb.

That's where our hope is.

Our hope isn't that we can somehow repair Babylon well enough to make it last forever. Our hope is that God is making something new.

A new city.

A new creation.

A world where God dwells with humanity and every tear is wiped away.

Sometimes we look around at our lives, our families, our churches, or our world and see nothing but ruins.

But ruins are not the end of the story.

God brings resurrection out of death.

God brings reconciliation out of alienation.

God brings life out of places where we thought life could never grow again.

So don't be afraid of the ashes.

And don't let the ruins convince you that God has abandoned the world.

Lift your eyes.

The Lamb is standing.

Babylon is falling.

And the kingdom of God is coming.

May we learn to live even now as citizens of that kingdom. May we become people of peace, forgiveness, mercy, generosity, and love.

That's the prayer I have for my own soul.

That's the prayer I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, and my son.

And that's the prayer I have for you.

May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

OTHER PODCASTS:

Listen with Apple Podcast

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! Today is September 8th, and our journey through the Scriptures takes us into Jeremiah 42–44, Psalm 48, and Revelation 13.

In Jeremiah, the people ask the prophet to seek God's direction for them. They promise to obey whatever God says, whether they like the answer or not. Yet when Jeremiah tells them not to flee to Egypt, they reject the word they had asked to receive. Fear persuades them that they must secure their own future, even if doing so means abandoning the way God has placed before them.

In Revelation 13, John describes beasts, deception, coercive power, and the mysterious number 666. These images warn us about what happens when human power is magnified, worshiped, and treated as ultimate.

Psalm 48 gives us a different vision. God is our fortress and our security. We are invited to meditate on his unfailing love and to remember that God has not abandoned or separated himself from us.

Today's readings confront the ancient lie that we are alone and must save ourselves. They invite us to trust Emmanuel, the God who is with us, and to align our hearts with his kingdom of love rather than the fearful kingdoms we create for ourselves.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

We are told that 666 is the number of a man.

A great deal has been written about this mysterious number. Three sixes. A trinity of numbers, but an unholy trinity. It is humanity magnified, exalted, and worshiped. It is a beastly imitation standing in stark contrast to the Holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

We are told that wisdom is required to understand its meaning, and I do not pretend to possess that kind of wisdom.

But it seems to me that whether we are looking at the queen of heaven confronted by Jeremiah or the many-headed beast described by John, the result is much the same.

When humanity believes the serpent's lie of separation, destruction follows.

The people in Jeremiah's day refused to trust that God was with them. They would not believe that he would protect them, rescue them, and give them life. Believing themselves to be alone, they separated themselves from God's will and fled to Egypt, another land of exile.

The same pattern begins in the garden.

Adam and Eve believe the suggestion that God is withholding himself from them. They imagine that he is not truly with them or for them. They hide from the God who has never stopped seeking them, and they experience exile in the very garden where God desires to dwell with them.

This tragic pattern repeats itself through history.

In our blindness, we fail to recognize the presence of the Triune God of life. We believe ourselves to be alone, so we rely on the gods of our own making. We worship human strength, political power, control, violence, wealth, or whatever else promises to secure us.

And the result is always the same.

The serpent's strategy has not really changed. Seeds of doubt are planted:

God is not present. God is not with you. God is not for you.

Believing that we are alone and that God is indifferent, we attempt to construct a life apart from him, apart from the Triune life of love and flourishing that has always been offered to us.

But the psalmist tells us another story:

"O God, we meditate on your unfailing love."

Our God is like a fortified wall, a citadel, and a beacon. This is the story we will continue to tell to future generations.

God is not separate from you.

God is with you.

That is the truth.

So align your heart with his will, his purposes, and his kingdom rather than your own. Renounce the lie of separation embodied in the number 666, and worship Emmanuel, the God who is with us, the God who is love.

That is the prayer I have for my own soul. That is the prayer I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, and my son.

And that is the prayer I have for you.

May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

OTHER PODCASTS:

Listen with Apple Podcast

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! On this September 7th episode, Hunter guides us through 2 Kings 25, 2 Chronicles 36, Jeremiah 40–41, and Revelation 12.

Today we stand among the ruins of Jerusalem. The city has fallen. The temple is destroyed. The walls have been torn down. The people are killed, scattered, or carried into exile. Everything that once seemed secure has collapsed.

And yet Jeremiah remains.

The prophet who had warned of what was coming is still there among the broken walls and shattered lives. He does not seize the moment to gain power. He remains as a faithful witness to God.

Jeremiah shows us something about our own calling. When the world around us feels fractured, our task is not to join the struggle for domination. Jesus has shown us another way. The kingdom of God does not tear others down in order to rise. It enters the ruins, lifts up those who have fallen, and bears faithful witness to the love of God.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

Their worst nightmare has come true.

Everything they feared has happened.

Jerusalem has fallen. The temple is destroyed. The palace is gone. The walls have been torn down. People have been killed, scattered, and carried away.

They are living among the ruins.

And yet Jeremiah is still there.

His name carries the idea of one appointed or raised up by God.

Jeremiah had been thrown into a cistern and left for dead. He had been ignored, rejected, mocked, and imprisoned. He had warned the people about where their path was leading, but they refused to listen.

And now everything he warned them about has happened.

Jerusalem lies in ruins.

Yet Jeremiah remains.

That strikes me today.

Jeremiah does not remain so that he can say, "I told you so."

He does not stand over the ruins congratulating himself for being right.

He remains because God has appointed him to be there.

He remains as a witness.

And perhaps there is something here for us.

We live in a world that can sometimes feel as though the walls are coming down.

We see war.

We see division.

We see political fear and anger.

We see loneliness, addiction, poverty, injustice, and violence.

And sometimes we experience ruins much closer to home.

A marriage falls apart.

A diagnosis comes.

Someone we love dies.

A dream disappears.

A relationship breaks.

A future we imagined for ourselves suddenly seems impossible.

What are we supposed to do among the ruins?

The temptation is often to grab whatever power we can.

That is what Ishmael son of Nethaniah does in Jeremiah's story. In the instability following Jerusalem's destruction, he reaches for power through violence.

That is the way of the world.

When everything feels uncertain, seize control.

Protect yourself.

Defeat your enemies.

Make sure you come out on top.

But Jesus has shown us another way.

The weapons of our warfare are not the weapons of this world.

The world tears people down in order to lift itself up.

The kingdom of God lifts up those who have been torn down.

That is our calling.

We are not called to conquer the ruins.

We are called to remain faithfully within them.

To love.

To serve.

To listen.

To forgive.

To bind wounds.

To proclaim hope.

To bear witness to a kingdom that cannot be destroyed.

Revelation pulls back the curtain and shows us that there is a larger story unfolding. The dragon rages. The powers of accusation and violence do their worst.

But they do not win.

The Lamb wins.

And those who belong to the Lamb overcome not by becoming dragons themselves, but through the life and self-giving love of Christ.

So perhaps Jeremiah has something important to teach us today.

Remain.

Remain faithful.

Remain loving.

Remain present.

When others are scrambling for power, kneel beside the wounded.

When others are tearing people down, lift someone up.

When fear tells you to protect yourself at all costs, remember the One who gave himself away in love.

You have been appointed for such a time as this.

Not necessarily to rebuild everything yourself.

Not to control history.

Not to win every argument.

But to faithfully bear witness to Jesus right where you are.

Even among the ruins.

Especially among the ruins.

That's the prayer I have for my own soul. That's the prayer I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, and my son. And that's the prayer I have for you.

May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

OTHER PODCASTS:

Listen with Apple Podcast

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! On this September 6th episode, Hunter guides us through Ezekiel 33–35 and Revelation 12.

In Ezekiel, the prophet is called to be a watchman. His responsibility is to listen for the Word of the Lord and faithfully sound the warning. But Ezekiel cannot control what others do with what they hear. His calling is faithfulness, not control.

We also hear something remarkable about the heart of God. God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked. His desire is that people turn from paths of destruction and live. Even in passages filled with judgment, we are invited to see the God who desires life.

Then Revelation 12 pulls back the curtain on the conflict beneath the surface of history. We see the woman, the child, the dragon, Michael and his angels, and the great accuser cast down.

But how is the enemy overcome?

Not through greater violence. Not through domination or fear.

"They have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony."

Today's devotion reminds us that accusation is not the voice that gets the final word over our lives. The Lamb has overcome. In Christ, we are invited to step out from under shame and accusation and bear witness to the love that has set us free.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

There is an accuser.

And there is a Lamb.

Revelation 12 gives us a picture of the spiritual conflict beneath the surface of the world.

John sees a dragon, the ancient serpent, the one called the devil and Satan.

And John gives him another name.

The accuser.

He is the one who accuses God's people day and night.

That voice is familiar to many of us.

It is the voice that tells you that you are your worst failure.

It reminds you of what you did.

What you should have done.

What you said.

What you should have said.

It tells you that you are unworthy, unwanted, disqualified, and alone.

Accusation has a way of reducing us to the worst thing about us.

But Revelation tells us something astonishing.

The accuser has been thrown down.

And how is he overcome?

John tells us:

"They have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony."

The Lamb has overcome the accuser.

Jesus does not overcome through accusation of his own.

He does not defeat violence by becoming more violent.

He does not conquer evil by becoming evil.

The Lamb conquers by giving himself away in love.

The cross exposes the lie of the accuser because there we see what God actually thinks about humanity.

God does not abandon us.

God comes for us.

God enters our violence, our shame, our sin, and our death.

And he forgives.

He heals.

He restores.

He raises the dead.

This is why Ezekiel's words matter so much today.

God says, "As surely as I live, I take no pleasure in the death of wicked people. I only want them to turn from their wicked ways so they can live."

God desires life.

That is the heart revealed in Jesus.

The watchman sounds the warning because destruction is real. The paths we choose matter. Violence, pride, greed, hatred, and self-deception have consequences.

But warning is not the same as condemnation.

The warning is an invitation.

Turn and live.

Come home.

Step away from the road that is destroying you.

There is another way.

And this is where our testimony comes in.

"They have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony."

Our testimony is not simply the story of everything we have done right.

Quite the opposite.

Our testimony is that the Lamb has loved us.

The Lamb has found us.

The Lamb has forgiven us.

The Lamb has brought us out from underneath accusation and shame and given us a new identity.

We belong to him.

So when the accusing voice tells you that your failures define you, look to the Lamb.

When shame tells you that you should hide, look to the Lamb.

When fear tells you that God has abandoned you, look to the Lamb.

When your own heart condemns you, remember the testimony you have been given.

You are loved.

You are forgiven.

You belong.

The accuser does not get the final word.

Jesus does.

And his word over you is life.

So let us be faithful watchmen today.

Not angry people shouting condemnation at the world, but people who have seen the Lamb and can bear witness to another way.

Let our lives say:

Turn and live.

There is mercy.

There is forgiveness.

There is healing.

There is a God who desires life for his creation.

The Lamb has overcome.

That's the prayer I have for my own soul. That's the prayer I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, and my son. And that's the prayer I have for you.

May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

OTHER PODCASTS:

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One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! On this September 5th episode, Hunter guides us through Ezekiel 29–32 and Revelation 11.

Ezekiel speaks into a world dominated by powerful empires. Egypt appears strong and permanent, but the prophet reminds us that nations built upon violence, conquest, and human pride eventually pass away. Assyria, Egypt, Tyre, Ethiopia, and the other great powers all seemed invincible in their day. None of them were.

Against this backdrop, Ezekiel repeatedly marks time according to the captivity of King Jehoiachin. His very name carries a reminder that God upholds. Even while Jehoiachin remains imprisoned and God's people live in exile, God has not forgotten them.

Revelation 11 widens the horizon even further. The kingdoms that appear to rule the world do not possess the future. John hears the declaration that the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign forever.

Today's devotion is an invitation for anyone who feels trapped in a season of waiting, loss, or captivity. The circumstances that seem permanent are not permanent. Empires fall. Seasons end. Prison doors open. But the steadfast love of God endures forever.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

He is steadfast.

Ezekiel is marking time.

Again and again, he tells us where he is in the story by measuring the years, months, and days of King Jehoiachin's captivity.

Jehoiachin has been taken away to Babylon.

The king is in prison.

Jerusalem is broken.

God's people are scattered.

And Ezekiel is counting the days.

Maybe you know what that feels like.

Sometimes we measure our lives according to our own captivity.

It has been six months since the diagnosis.

Three years since the relationship ended.

Five years since the loss.

Ten years since the dream disappeared.

We remember when life changed, and without realizing it, we begin measuring everything from that moment.

Ezekiel does something like that.

But there is something fascinating about the name of this captive king.

Jehoiachin means something like, "The Lord will uphold."

Imagine that.

Every time Ezekiel marks another year of captivity, he speaks the name of a man whose very name bears witness to the steadfastness of God.

The Lord will uphold.

The circumstances seem to say otherwise.

Babylon appears to have won.

The great empires seem permanent.

Egypt looks powerful.

The gods of war appear to rule the world.

But Ezekiel looks across history and reminds us that these empires come and go.

Assyria comes and goes.

Egypt comes and goes.

Tyre comes and goes.

Babylon itself will come and go.

The kingdoms built through violence, fear, conquest, and domination eventually find their way into the grave.

But God remains.

He is steadfast.

He upholds.

And Revelation 11 gives us an extraordinary picture of where all of this is heading.

John hears loud voices in heaven declaring that the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ.

And he will reign forever.

That is the direction of history.

Not toward the endless reign of Babylon.

Not toward the endless reign of Egypt.

Not toward the endless reign of violence, fear, greed, or death.

History is moving toward Christ.

The kingdoms of this world will give way to the kingdom of our Lord and his Christ.

And his kingdom is unlike the kingdoms we build.

Jesus does not conquer through violence.

He conquers through self-giving love.

He does not climb over others to seize a throne.

He empties himself.

He kneels.

He serves.

He gives his life.

This is our King.

And this King is steadfast.

Maybe you're going through a hard time today.

Maybe you're measuring time according to the days of your captivity.

If so, remember Jehoiachin.

For more than thirty years he lived as a prisoner in Babylon.

Thirty years is a long time to wait.

But his story wasn't over.

Eventually a new king came to the throne of Babylon. Jehoiachin was released from prison. His prison clothes were removed. He was given new clothes, and a permanent place was prepared for him at the king's table.

What a picture of grace.

The prisoner is brought out.

He is clothed.

He is given a seat at the table.

That sounds a lot like the gospel to me.

God has not forgotten you in your captivity.

He is steadfast.

He will uphold you.

The circumstances you see today are not the whole story.

The powers that frighten us are temporary.

The grave is not permanent.

Death does not get the final word.

Christ does.

So live today in the light of the steadfast God of your salvation.

Trust his heart even when you cannot understand his timing.

Remember that he is holding you even when you feel like you are barely holding on.

His faithful love endures forever.

That's the prayer I have for my own soul. That's the prayer I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, and my son. And that's the prayer I have for you.

May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

OTHER PODCASTS:

Listen with Apple Podcast

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! On this September 6th episode, Hunter guides us through Ezekiel 33–35 and Revelation 12.

In Ezekiel, the prophet is called to be a watchman. His responsibility is to listen for the word of the Lord and faithfully sound the warning. But Ezekiel cannot control what others do with what they hear. His calling is faithfulness, not control.

We also hear something remarkable about the heart of God. God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked. His desire is that people turn from paths of destruction and live. Even in passages filled with judgment, we are invited to see the God who desires life.

Then Revelation 12 pulls back the curtain on the conflict beneath the surface of history. We see the woman, the child, the dragon, Michael and his angels, and the great accuser cast down.

But how is the enemy overcome?

Not through greater violence. Not through domination or fear.

"They have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony."

Today's devotion reminds us that accusation is not the voice that gets the final word over our lives. The Lamb has overcome. In Christ we are invited to step out from under shame and accusation and bear witness to the love that has set us free.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

There is an accuser.

And there is a Lamb.

Revelation 12 gives us a picture of the spiritual conflict beneath the surface of the world.

John sees a dragon, the ancient serpent, the one called the devil and Satan.

And John gives him another name.

The accuser.

He is the one who accuses God's people day and night.

That voice is familiar to many of us.

It is the voice that tells you that you are your worst failure.

It reminds you of what you did.

What you should have done.

What you said.

What you should have said.

It tells you that you are unworthy, unwanted, disqualified, and alone.

Accusation has a way of reducing us to the worst thing about us.

But Revelation tells us something astonishing.

The accuser has been thrown down.

And how is he overcome?

John tells us:

"They have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony."

The Lamb has overcome the accuser.

Jesus does not overcome through accusation of his own.

He does not defeat violence by becoming more violent.

He does not conquer evil by becoming evil.

The Lamb conquers by giving himself away in love.

The cross exposes the lie of the accuser because there we see what God actually thinks about humanity.

God does not abandon us.

God comes for us.

God enters our violence, our shame, our sin, our death.

And he forgives.

He heals.

He restores.

He raises the dead.

This is why Ezekiel's words matter so much today.

God says, "As surely as I live, I take no pleasure in the death of wicked people. I only want them to turn from their wicked ways so they can live."

God desires life.

That is the heart revealed in Jesus.

The watchman sounds the warning because destruction is real. The paths we choose matter. Violence, pride, greed, hatred, and self-deception have consequences.

But warning is not the same as condemnation.

The warning is an invitation.

Turn and live.

Come home.

Step away from the road that is destroying you.

There is another way.

And this is where our testimony comes in.

"They have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony."

Our testimony is not simply the story of everything we have done right.

Quite the opposite.

Our testimony is that the Lamb has loved us.

The Lamb has found us.

The Lamb has forgiven us.

The Lamb has brought us out from underneath accusation and shame and given us a new identity.

We belong to him.

So when the accusing voice tells you that your failures define you, look to the Lamb.

When shame tells you that you should hide, look to the Lamb.

When fear tells you that God has abandoned you, look to the Lamb.

When your own heart condemns you, remember the testimony you have been given.

You are loved.

You are forgiven.

You belong.

The accuser does not get the final word.

Jesus does.

And his word over you is life.

So let us be faithful watchmen today.

Not angry people shouting condemnation at the world, but people who have seen the Lamb and can bear witness to another way.

Let our lives say:

Turn and live.

There is mercy.

There is forgiveness.

There is healing.

There is a God who desires life for his creation.

The Lamb has overcome.

That's the prayer I have for my own soul. That's the prayer I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, and my son. And that's the prayer I have for you.

May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

OTHER PODCASTS:

Listen with Apple Podcast

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! On this September 3rd episode, Hunter guides us through Ezekiel 20–21, Psalm 11, and Revelation 8.

Today's readings confront us with difficult images of rebellion, violence, judgment, and a world experiencing the consequences of turning away from God. Ezekiel announces the coming sword, while Revelation gives us the frightening imagery surrounding the opening of the seventh seal and the sounding of the trumpets.

Yet right in the middle of these unsettling passages, Psalm 11 reminds us where our hope is found. The righteous Lord loves justice, and the virtuous will see his face.

Then something remarkable happens in Revelation. Heaven falls silent.

Before the Lamb, there is nothing left to say.

Today's devotion invites us into that silence and asks us to look again at the face of God revealed in Jesus. At Calvary, Christ enters into the violence and judgment of this world, not answering violence with violence but overcoming it through self-giving, radically forgiving love.

God's dream for creation is not destruction. It is reconciliation, restoration, and shalom. Even when the darkness around us seems overwhelming, we are invited to train our hearts to see what God sees and trust that Christ is making all things new.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

Terror and the sword, and the face of God.

How sobering these passages are.

Ezekiel cries out about the sword that is coming upon a world caught up in rebellion. Revelation gives us images of terror and judgment. The prophets will not allow us to pretend that violence, idolatry, injustice, and human rebellion have no consequences.

A world bent on destruction eventually experiences the fruit of its own way.

But before we despair, the psalmist speaks:

"The righteous Lord loves justice. The virtuous will see his face."

His face.

That is what God desires.

Relationship.

Communion.

Face to face.

God is not intent on destruction. God is intent on drawing his creation into the fullness of life with himself.

Yet our violence, pride, fear, and idolatry blind us to his face.

Then Revelation gives us this extraordinary scene.

The Lamb breaks the seventh seal.

And heaven falls silent.

There is awe.

There is mystery.

There is the recognition of everything that is unfolding.

Sometimes silence is the only appropriate response when we begin to see the depth of what God has done in Christ.

The psalmist asks, "Why do you say to me, 'Fly like a bird to the mountains for safety'?"

Where do we flee when the world seems overwhelmed by violence?

Where do we go when terror and the sword seem to surround us?

We fly to Christ.

We fly to Calvary.

That is our mountain of safety.

At Calvary, the Lamb of God enters completely into the violence of his rebellious creation.

And what does he do?

He does not strike back.

He does not answer violence with greater violence.

He stretches out his hands.

He forgives.

Through his self-giving, radically forgiving, co-suffering love, Jesus enters death itself and breaks its power from within.

This is the face of God.

Look at Jesus and see.

God's dream is not endless destruction.

God's dream is a world restored.

Humanity reconciled.

Creation healed.

Enemies becoming friends.

The broken made whole.

The lost brought home.

Shalom.

Jesus has come to accomplish this, and God's dream for his creation will not fail.

The darkness around us may be easy to see.

Violence is easy to see.

Fear is easy to see.

Division and despair are easy to see.

But faith trains our eyes to see something more.

Faith teaches us to see what God sees.

It teaches us to look at the Lamb and believe that his love is stronger than death.

Paul could see the day when Christ would be all and in all.

John could see a multitude gathered around the throne.

The prophets could see swords becoming plowshares.

They were learning to see God's dream.

And so must we.

Let us fix our eyes on Christ.

Let us train our souls to recognize his face.

Let us receive his peace, his joy, his forgiveness, and his life.

And then let us go into this frightened and divided world as ambassadors of his radically reconciling love.

Sometimes the appropriate response is simply silence.

To stand in awe before the Lamb.

To see his face.

To receive his love.

And then to become what we have received.

That's the prayer I have for my own soul. That's the prayer I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, and my son. And that's the prayer I have for you.

May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

OTHER PODCASTS:

Listen with Apple Podcast

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! On this September 2nd episode, Hunter guides us through Ezekiel 17–19 and Revelation 7.

Ezekiel gives us vivid riddles and prophetic pictures of Israel's history, its broken covenants, and the consequences of choosing its own way. Yet running through these difficult chapters is an important word about responsibility, repentance, and God's desire to bring life out of what appears hopeless.

Then Revelation gives us an extraordinary vision. John sees a multitude so vast that no one can count them, gathered from every nation, tribe, people, and language. They stand together before the throne and before the Lamb, dressed in white and singing the song of salvation.

Who are these people? And how did they get there?

Today's devotion invites us to see that they are not standing before God because they successfully hid their failures or managed to make themselves worthy. They have been washed, healed, and clothed by the Lamb. Their old coverings of shame, fear, reputation, and striving have been exchanged for the life of Christ.

This is our invitation too. We can stop hiding, stop striving to make ourselves acceptable, and receive the love that makes us new.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

Who are these people dressed in white?

And why does John take such care to describe them?

John looks and sees a vast crowd, far too great to count.

They come from every nation.

Every tribe.

Every people.

Every language.

They are standing before the throne and before the Lamb, dressed in white robes with palm branches in their hands.

And together they are singing:

"Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne and from the Lamb!"

But who are they?

One of the elders tells John that these are the ones who have come through great suffering. They have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb and made them white.

It is a strange and beautiful image.

They are dressed in white, but not because they managed to keep themselves clean.

They stand where they stand because of what the Lamb has done for them.

They once knew hunger and thirst.

Now they are satisfied.

They once knew tears and sorrow.

Now every tear is being wiped away.

They once knew what it was to feel exposed, vulnerable, ashamed, and alone.

Now they are sheltered.

They are known.

They belong.

They are loved.

And perhaps this is one of the great invitations of the gospel.

We spend so much of our lives trying to find something with which to clothe ourselves.

We clothe ourselves in our accomplishments.

We clothe ourselves in reputation.

We clothe ourselves in religion.

We clothe ourselves in being right.

We clothe ourselves in the approval of other people.

We try to cover the parts of ourselves that we fear others might see.

We hide our wounds.

We hide our failures.

We hide our shame.

We keep adding layers, hoping eventually we will feel safe.

But none of these garments can give us the life we are looking for.

The people John sees have let those old garments go.

They have come before God as they really are.

And the Lamb has done for them what they could never do for themselves.

He has made them clean.

He has given them life.

He has clothed them in himself.

That is why they sing.

Their song is not about what they have accomplished.

Their song is about what God has done.

"Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne and from the Lamb!"

This is good news for us today.

You do not have to hide.

You do not have to manufacture a version of yourself that you think God will finally accept.

You do not have to cover your shame with achievement, religion, success, or the approval of others.

You can come as you are.

The Lamb has stepped forward for you.

The Lamb has given himself for you.

The Lamb clothes you in his own life and love.

And notice who is standing there.

Every nation.

Every tribe.

Every people.

Every language.

This is the great family God is gathering.

The Lamb is not building a small tribe of people who look alike, think alike, speak alike, or come from the same place.

He is gathering humanity.

And together this innumerable multitude discovers what is true.

They are known.

They are sheltered.

They are loved.

Their hunger will not have the final word.

Their thirst will not have the final word.

Their suffering will not have the final word.

Even their tears will not have the final word.

The Lamb who stands at the center of the throne will be their Shepherd.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

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One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! On this first day of September, Hunter guides us through Ezekiel 15–16, Psalm 70, and Revelation 6.

Ezekiel gives us a painful and deeply personal picture of God's relationship with his people. The prophet reaches for the language of family, marriage, abandonment, betrayal, and heartbreak to describe Israel's wandering. These are difficult images, but they reveal that God is not cold or detached. He is the God whose heart is moved by the suffering, rebellion, and loss of his children.

Yet betrayal is not the end of the story. God promises to remember his covenant and restore the relationship that has been shattered.

Psalm 70 gives voice to the urgent cry of those who need rescue: "O God, come quickly to help me." Revelation 6 then confronts us with the violence, fear, injustice, and devastation present within the world.

Through all these passages, we are invited to see the persistent love of God. In Jesus, God enters our brokenness and bears its full weight in order to bring us home. The final word is not abandonment, revenge, or destruction. The final word is restoration.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

The weight of betrayal and the depths of God's love.

Ezekiel reaches for image after image to describe the heartbreak of God.

One metaphor is not enough.

He speaks of a parent who finds an abandoned child, cares for her, raises her, and gives her life. He speaks of a spouse whose love is rejected and betrayed. The language is harsh and unsettling because betrayal is harsh and unsettling.

But Ezekiel does not want us to imagine a distant God who is unmoved by what happens in the world.

He wants us to see the broken heart of God.

God is not indifferent to our wandering.

He is not cold in the face of human suffering.

He is not untouched by violence, exploitation, selfishness, or the ways we wound one another.

God loves.

And because God loves, God grieves.

The story Ezekiel tells is the story of a people who have received everything and then turned away from the One who gave it. They have forgotten their beginning. They have forgotten their rescue. They have forgotten the love that found them when they had nothing.

Yet even here, God remembers.

God remembers the covenant.

God remains determined to restore what has been broken.

That is the astonishing turn in the story.

The end is not bitterness.

The end is not endless vengeance.

The end is restoration.

It is a relationship made new.

It is a covenant remembered.

It is the wayward brought home.

The prophet strains to describe this love, but ultimately we must look to Jesus.

Jesus is God's love in flesh and blood.

He is the clearest picture of the heart of God.

In Jesus, God enters the full depth of our betrayal, rejection, violence, and shame. He does not remain at a safe distance. He comes near. He bears our wounds. He absorbs our hostility. He enters our death.

And from within it all, he brings resurrection.

This is the love that restores us.

It is not sentimental love.

It is not shallow approval.

It is the fierce, suffering, forgiving love of God that refuses to abandon his creation.

Revelation 6 gives us images of a world unraveling under the weight of conquest, violence, scarcity, death, and fear. It can feel frightening because it reflects so much of what we see around us.

But the Lamb is still at the center of the story.

The One who opened the seals is the One who was slain.

The Judge of the world is the Lamb who gave himself for the world.

That changes how we understand everything.

God's purpose is not to discard his creation but to heal it.

God's intention is not to surrender the world to death but to make all things new.

So when Psalm 70 cries, "O God, come quickly to help me," we can pray it with confidence.

God has come.

God is coming.

God is present even now, working within the ruins to restore what has been lost.

May we awaken today to the depth of this love.

May we see that we are not abandoned.

May we trust that our failures do not have the final word.

The final word belongs to the God who remembers, restores, and makes all things new.

That's the prayer I have for my own soul. That's the prayer I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, and my son. And that's the prayer I have for you.

May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

OTHER PODCASTS:

Listen with Apple Podcast

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! On this August 31st episode, Heather guides us through Ezekiel 12–14 and Revelation 5.

In Ezekiel, we encounter a people who have become resistant to God's voice. The prophet acts out the coming exile, carrying his belongings through a hole in the wall as a sign of what is to come. False prophets continue offering comforting illusions, while hidden idols have taken root within the hearts of the people.

Yet God continues to speak. Even amid rebellion and judgment, he calls his people to turn away from their idols and return to him.

Then, in Revelation 5, John sees a scroll sealed with seven seals. No one in heaven or on earth appears worthy to open it, and John begins to weep. But an elder tells him to look again.

When John looks, he sees the Lamb.

Jesus steps forward on behalf of a broken and rebellious world. Through his self-giving and forgiving love, he opens the way toward healing, restoration, and new creation. The sorrow of John's first look becomes the worship and new song of a countless multitude.

Today's devotion encourages us to keep looking. When our first look brings only grief, confusion, shame, or despair, we are invited to look again and see the Lamb who has stepped forward for us.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

At first look, you might weep.

But you need to look again.

We look for answers to the judgment that life is sure to bring, the rebellion that is present in every human heart, and the destruction that comes from our own selfish ways.

When we take that first look, we may weep because we cannot see an answer.

John could not see an answer either.

He wept because he recognized that he had no answer within himself. No one had been found worthy to open the scroll. No one had stepped forward on behalf of this broken and rebellious world.

John wept for himself.

He wept for his people.

He wept for the world.

But an elder stopped him and told him to look again.

In this second look, John would see the answer. And the answer was not what he expected.

The answer was the Lamb.

The elder said, "Stop weeping. Look."

The Lamb steps forward to take the scroll that represents the judgment this broken and rebellious world has brought upon itself.

He is not forced forward.

He is not pushed or compelled.

He steps forward willingly because of the love he has for his broken world and for broken people like you and me.

The Lamb is the only one who can answer the judgment we have brought into this life.

The scroll was nailed with him to the cross. There, he answered the accusations written against humanity.

He did not answer violence with greater violence.

He answered it with self-giving, radically forgiving, co-suffering love.

That is what we are invited to look at again.

Then John is told to take a third look.

In this third look, he sees all that the Lamb has accomplished by stepping forward.

He sees people from every tribe, language, people, and nation. Countless millions surround the throne, worshiping and adoring the Lamb.

So keep looking.

When you cannot see an answer through your tears, keep looking.

When your first look reveals only rebellion, judgment, suffering, and loss, look again.

You will see the Lamb.

He alone is the answer you are looking for.

He is the answer to your despair and shame.

He is the answer to your broken heart and your regrets.

He has stepped forward for you, out of love, to do what he alone can do.

And then look a third time.

You will see that the Lamb has stepped forward for countless millions of others, broken and rebellious people just like us.

He is making them new.

He is restoring their hearts.

He is drying their tears.

He is giving them a new song.

Worthy is the Lamb.

May God enable us to sing this new song today.

May he give us eyes to look, and look, and look again.

That's the prayer I have for my own soul. That's the prayer I have for my family and for you.

May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

OTHER PODCASTS:

Listen with Apple Podcast

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! On this August 30th episode, Hunter guides us through Ezekiel 8–11 and Revelation 4.

In Ezekiel, the prophet is given a troubling vision of what is happening within the temple in Jerusalem. The place intended for the worship of God has become filled with idolatry, corruption, and hidden practices. Ezekiel witnesses the glory of God departing from the temple as the people continue to place other things at the center of their lives.

Yet even in the midst of judgment and exile, God offers a promise of restoration. He promises to gather his scattered people, give them an undivided heart, and place a new spirit within them. Hearts of stone will be replaced with tender and responsive hearts.

Then, in Revelation 4, John is invited through an open door into the throne room of heaven. There he sees the true center of all reality. Around the throne are living beings, elders, flashes of lightning, and ceaseless worship. Everything is ordered around the One who sits upon the throne.

Today's devotion invites us to see what heaven sees. Christ is at the center of all things. When our lives become centered on lesser things, they drift toward confusion, anxiety, and disorder. But when Christ takes his rightful place at the center of our hearts, our priorities, and our affections, life begins to align with what is ultimately true.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

He is at the center.

Do you see it?

The vision given to John in Revelation places the throne of God at the very heart of heaven. Everything surrounds it. The living beings, the elders, the sea of glass, and the great chorus of worship are all arranged around the One who sits upon the throne.

At the center of what is, what has been, and what will forever be is God.

The problem is that we often lack the eyes to see what is truly real.

We live off-center.

Our lives begin to orbit around lesser things. We place our work, possessions, fears, ambitions, relationships, politics, pain, or need for approval at the center. These things may be important, but they were never intended to bear the weight of becoming the center of our lives.

When something other than Christ occupies the center, everything begins to feel disordered.

We become anxious.

We become confused.

We lose our sense of proportion and purpose.

Ezekiel sees this happening in the temple. The place that had been set apart for the worship of God had become crowded with idols. The people continued to participate in religious activity, but their hearts had moved far away.

Other things had taken the center.

But John is shown another vision.

He sees heaven as it truly is. Everything is properly ordered around the throne. Worship breaks out because all of creation recognizes the One at the center.

The living beings are covered with eyes. They see what is real. They see God in his beauty, holiness, goodness, and glory. Because they see, they worship.

John writes his vision so that we might see too.

Christ is at the center.

He is the center of creation.

He is the center of history.

He is the center of salvation.

He is the center of the life that God is restoring within us.

We do not make Christ the center by our effort or devotion. He already is the center. Our invitation is to awaken to what is true and allow our lives to become aligned with that reality.

When Christ is at the center of our hearts, affections, and priorities, worship begins to arise here and now.

Life starts to find its proper order.

Our fears no longer occupy the throne.

Our failures no longer define us.

Our ambitions no longer control us.

Our circumstances no longer determine whether God is near.

Christ is at the center, and we begin to participate in the joy, strength, and purpose of his life.

Ezekiel also gives us a promise. God will gather his people and give them an undivided heart. He will remove their stony and stubborn hearts and give them tender, responsive hearts.

That is what we need.

We need hearts that are no longer divided among a thousand competing centers. We need hearts made tender and whole by the Spirit, hearts that are able to see Jesus and respond to his love.

So today, may God give us eyes to see.

May we see Christ at the center of all things.

May our lives become aligned with heaven's true focus.

And may worship break out in our hearts, our homes, our relationships, and everything we do.

That's the prayer I have for my own soul. That's the prayer I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, and my son. And that's the prayer I have for you.

May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

OTHER PODCASTS:

Listen with Apple Podcast

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! On this August 29th episode, Hunter guides us through Ezekiel 4–7 and Revelation 3.

In Ezekiel, we encounter vivid and sobering signs of the judgment coming upon Jerusalem. Ezekiel acts out the siege of the city, revealing the consequences of violence, idolatry, injustice, and a people who have placed their confidence in something other than God. The warnings are difficult, but they call God's people to wake up and see the truth about the path they have chosen.

Then, in Revelation 3, Jesus speaks to the churches in Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. He calls the sleeping to awaken, encourages the faithful to persevere, and confronts those who have become comfortable and self-sufficient. The church in Laodicea believes it is rich and needs nothing, yet Jesus tells them that they cannot see their true condition.

Still, Jesus does not abandon them. He stands outside the door and knocks, inviting them to open their lives to him and share a meal as friends.

Today's devotion asks us to consider whether success, comfort, possessions, or self-reliance have quietly pushed Jesus to the margins of our lives. His knocking is not the sound of condemnation. It is the persistent invitation of love, calling us back into communion and the true riches of his presence.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

He stands at the door and knocks.

In the vision given to John, we meet Jesus outside the door of the church in Laodicea. The door has been closed from the inside by people who have become content with their own wealth and self-sufficiency.

They say, "I am rich. I have everything I want. I don't need a thing."

They believe they are thriving. They imagine that their success and resources are evidence that everything is well. But Jesus sees what they cannot see.

They are poor.

They are blind.

They are exposed.

Their wealth has blinded them to their need. Success and comfort have taken the place of communion with Christ. They have become so confident in what they possess that they no longer recognize the One standing outside the door.

It is a sobering picture.

This is not only a warning for churches. It is a warning for each one of us.

The seduction of self-reliance can quietly push Jesus away from the center of our lives. We begin to trust our own resources, abilities, achievements, intelligence, or reputation. We may even confuse outward success with inward health.

We imagine that we are living fully, while slowly exchanging the life of Christ for something far smaller.

But the beautiful thing in this passage is the persistence of Jesus.

He does not abandon the church.

He does not walk away in disgust.

He does not stop loving those who have pushed him outside.

He stands at the door and knocks.

Jesus continues to invite them into fellowship. He says that if anyone hears his voice and opens the door, he will come in and share a meal with that person as friends.

This is not the voice of rejection.

It is the voice of love.

Jesus wants to open our eyes. He wants us to see the depth of our need and the greatness of his grace. He wants to free us from the illusion that we can create life for ourselves.

The true riches are not found in what we possess.

The true riches are found in him.

In Christ, we are invited into communion, friendship, belonging, and the fullness of the life he shares with the Father and the Spirit.

Maybe there is a door in your life that has been closed to Jesus.

Maybe there is an ambition, fear, resentment, possession, relationship, or sense of self-sufficiency that has taken his place at the center.

Listen today.

He is still knocking.

His knocking is not an angry demand. It is a gracious invitation to return, to open the door, and to receive the life that only he can give.

Let him in.

Sit with him.

Receive the true riches of his presence.

That's the prayer I have for my own soul. That's the prayer I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, and my son. And that's the prayer I have for you.

May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

OTHER PODCASTS:

Listen with Apple Podcast

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! On this August 28th episode, Hunter guides us through Ezekiel 1–3 and Revelation 2.

In Ezekiel, we encounter an awe-inspiring vision of God's glory beside the Kebar River. Ezekiel sees living beings, wheels within wheels, flashes of fire, and a throne above the heavens. In the midst of exile, far from Jerusalem and everything familiar, God reveals that his presence has not abandoned his people.

Ezekiel is then called to speak God's Word to a stubborn and rebellious nation. His task is not to control how people respond, but to listen, receive the Word for himself, and faithfully speak what he has been given.

Then, in Revelation 2, Jesus walks among the seven golden lampstands, which represent the churches. He is present among his people, offering encouragement, correction, warning, and hope.

Today's devotion invites us to look for Jesus where he has promised to be found: among his people. Even when the church is imperfect, messy, or difficult, Christ has not abandoned it. He continues to walk among us, speak through his Word, and invite anyone with ears to hear what the Spirit is saying.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

Where do we find Jesus?

John gives us a clear answer in Revelation. Jesus is standing and walking among the seven golden lampstands, and the lampstands represent the seven churches.

Jesus is right in the midst of his people.

He is not confined to the walls of a building. He is not hidden in some far-off, unreachable place. He is here, among those who belong to him, even when that gathering is messy, imperfect, and complicated.

Seven is often the biblical number of wholeness and completion. So when John describes Jesus walking among the seven lampstands, we are being shown something larger than seven individual congregations in Asia Minor.

Jesus is present among the whole church.

He is present among all his people.

These churches are not perfect. Some have lost their first love. Some are enduring persecution. Some have compromised with the surrounding culture. Some are tolerating destructive teaching and behavior.

And yet Jesus is among them.

He has not walked away.

He comes with words of comfort, correction, warning, and promise. His presence is not passive. He speaks because he loves his people and desires their healing, faithfulness, and renewal.

Again and again, John tells us, "Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches."

That means more than simply hearing words.

It means tuning our hearts toward God. It means allowing his Word to address us, challenge us, correct us, and reshape the way we live.

This podcast is not simply about reading the Scriptures. It is about allowing the Scriptures to read us.

As we gather around God's Word, Christ is present. He meets us in the ordinary circumstances of our lives. He speaks into our fears, failures, hopes, relationships, and communities.

We do not have to work ourselves into a spiritual frenzy to find him.

He is exactly where we would expect him to be.

He is among his people.

He is present when we gather, when we listen, when we pray, and when we open ourselves to the transforming work of the Spirit.

Sometimes we may be tempted to withdraw from imperfect community. We may become disillusioned by the failures of the church or frustrated by the people around us.

But Jesus has not abandoned his people.

He walks among the lampstands.

He is present within the mess, offering comfort, strength, protection, loving correction, and joy.

So today, let us have ears to hear.

Let us look for Jesus among his people, not only among the polished and impressive, but among ordinary, wounded, complicated human beings who are learning to follow him.

Let us allow Christ to read us through his Word.

Let us receive his encouragement, correction, and love.

Jesus is here.

He walks among us.

That's the prayer I have for my own soul. That's the prayer I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, and my son. And that's the prayer I have for you.

May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

OTHER PODCASTS:

Listen with Apple Podcast

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! On this August 27th episode, Hunter guides us through Jeremiah 52, Revelation 1, and Psalms 143–144.

Jeremiah closes with the tragic fall of Jerusalem. The city is burned, the temple is destroyed, King Zedekiah is blinded, and God's people are carried into exile. It is a devastating picture of a king and kingdom brought low.

But our reading does not end in the ruins. Revelation opens with John's vision of Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the first to rise from the dead, and the ruler of all the kings of the world. This King has eyes like flames of fire, feet like polished bronze, and a voice like mighty ocean waves.

Today's devotion reminds us that Christ enters the ruins of our lives, gathers the exiles, and leads us home. The story does not end in captivity, fear, or defeat. Because of Jesus, it will end with a song of deliverance, freedom, joy, and love.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

It will end with a song.

Today, for the first time this year, we finished a book of the Bible. And Jeremiah ends with a song of exile and judgment.

We read of a king and a kingdom brought low.

Zedekiah is blinded. Jerusalem is reduced to rubble. The temple is burned, and the people are sent away from their home.

But the story does not end in ruin.

From the ruins of Jeremiah, we move into John's vision in Revelation. And in that vision, we see hope rising from the ashes.

Someone like the Son of Man emerges.

He is a King far greater than Zedekiah. His eyes are like flames of fire. A gold sash crosses his chest. His feet are like polished bronze refined in a furnace, and his voice is as mighty as ocean waves.

This is our King.

This is Jesus.

And this King gathers all the exiles.

He gathers the broken, the fearful, the defeated, and those who have known captivity in body, soul, or spirit. He seeks out those who have been crushed beneath the weight of ruins, those who have been scattered and long to find their way home.

To every exile, he offers a new kingdom and a new song.

It is not a song of despair, but a song of deliverance and hope.

The psalmist gives us the words:

"May there be no enemy breaking through our walls, no going into captivity, no cries of alarm in our town squares. Yes, joyful are those who live like this! Joyful indeed are those whose God is the Lord."

This is not simply the ending of today's Scripture reading. It is the ending of our story too.

Our lives, no matter how marked by ruin or exile, will end with a song that leads us forward into eternal life.

Our King has come, and there is none like him.

So let this song, the song of his love and freedom, take root in your heart. Grow more convinced and more devoted to its message.

His love sets us free.

And this love is not only for us. It is for the world.

For God so loved the world.

Whatever ruins you see today, do not mistake them for the end of the story.

Whatever exile you are experiencing, do not believe that you have been forgotten.

The risen King is gathering his people. He walks among us. His voice is like mighty waters, and his word to the frightened and fallen is still the same:

"Don't be afraid."

The story will end with a song.

That's the prayer I have for my own soul today. That's the prayer I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, and my son. And that's the prayer I have for you.

May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

OTHER PODCASTS:

Listen with Apple Podcast

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! On this August 26th episode, Hunter guides us through Jeremiah 50–51 and the short but powerful letter of 3 John.

In Jeremiah, we hear a sweeping prophecy concerning the fall of Babylon. The empire that once appeared invincible will be brought low. Its pride, violence, and oppression will not have the final word. God promises to remember his people, gather those who have been scattered, and bring them home.

Then, in 3 John, we meet two men who could hardly be more different. Diotrephes loves to be first. He uses his influence to control others, rejects correction, and spreads accusations. Demetrius, by contrast, is known for humility and truth. His life bears witness to the good news he carries.

Today's devotion invites us to consider which path we are choosing. Pride turns life inward and makes everything about us. Truth turns our attention toward God and sets us free. May we become humble pilgrims like Demetrius, growing in truth, walking in love, and discovering the joy Christ gives.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

Diotrephes and Demetrius could not be more different.

Diotrephes was known for speaking lies. He loved being the leader and wanted everything to revolve around him. He rejected the authority of others, spread accusations, and used his position to exclude people who would not submit to his control.

He loved to be first.

Demetrius was different.

He was a humble, traveling messenger who spoke the truth of the good news. His words brought freedom because that is what truth does.

John says that everyone speaks highly of Demetrius, and so does the truth itself.

That is an extraordinary description.

Demetrius did not need to promote himself. He did not need to grasp for influence or force others to recognize his importance. His life and character bore witness to the truth he proclaimed.

The truth will always point us away from ourselves and toward God.

Pride makes everything about us. It asks how we can be noticed, admired, obeyed, or placed first. It becomes defensive when questioned and threatened when others are celebrated.

But the truth revealed in Jesus leads us in another direction.

Jesus does not grasp for power. He empties himself. He kneels. He serves. He gives himself away in love.

This is the way of Demetrius, the way of the humble, truth-speaking pilgrim.

John's words invite us to examine our own hearts. Are we becoming defensive and controlling like Diotrephes? Do we need to be recognized, praised, or placed first? Or are we willing to walk quietly in truth, trusting that God sees us and that the truth itself will bear witness?

Truth does not need our pride to defend it.

Truth sets us free.

The good news directs our attention away from our small and anxious selves and toward the God who is love. It frees us from the exhausting need to prove ourselves. It gives us the joy of simply walking with Christ and bearing faithful witness to his life.

So let us choose the way of Demetrius.

Let us become humble, truth-speaking pilgrims, growing in the truth, being set free by the truth, and discovering the joy of God along the way.

May God give us the heart of Demetrius.

That's the prayer I have for my own soul. That's the prayer I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, and my son. And that's the prayer I have for you.

May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

OTHER PODCASTS:

Listen with Apple Podcast

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! On this August 25th episode, Hunter leads us through Jeremiah 37–39 and the letter of 2 John.

In Jeremiah, Jerusalem is surrounded by the Babylonian army while King Zedekiah struggles between fear, pride, and the truth God speaks through the prophet. Although Zedekiah repeatedly seeks Jeremiah's counsel, he remains unwilling to trust and obey what he hears. His fear of others and his desire to preserve his position eventually cost him his freedom, his kingdom, and even his sight.

Then, in 2 John, we hear an invitation to walk in truth and love. John reminds us that the life of Christ is not shaped by fear, pride, or anxious control, but by remaining rooted in the love and teaching of Jesus.

Today's devotion invites us to examine the voices guiding our lives. Pride and fear can leave us spiritually blind and imprisoned, but the love of God opens our eyes, frees our hearts, and enables us to walk in mercy, grace, and truth.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

Blinded by pride and fear, Zedekiah's fate stands as a stark warning for us all.

He could not hear or see the word of the Lord spoken through Jeremiah. Instead, he clung tightly to his own life, his position, and his fears. In the end, everything he was so desperate to avoid came to pass. His city fell, his freedom was taken, and his eyes were put out. He became a prisoner and was led away to Babylon, just as Jeremiah had faithfully warned him.

Pride and fear make harsh and cruel masters.

Zedekiah's story is one of gradually yielding himself to their grip. Again and again, he hears the truth, but he cannot bring himself to trust it. He wants Jeremiah's counsel, but he is afraid of what others will think. He wants deliverance, but he is unwilling to surrender control. He wants another outcome, but he cannot release the very things that are leading him toward destruction.

When pride and fear rule within us, we also begin to lose our sight.

We become prisoners of our own anxious striving, our need to control, our fear of being exposed, and our determination to be right. Pride tells us that we must preserve ourselves. Fear tells us that surrender is too dangerous.

Together, they can make us deaf to the voice of God and blind to the path of life that is directly in front of us.

But in today's reading from 2 John, we hear another way.

It is a way marked by grace, mercy, truth, and love.

John invites us to remain in the teaching of Christ and to walk in love. He reminds us to be diligent so that we do not lose what we have received. This is not a call to anxious religious striving. It is an invitation to remain rooted in the profound love God has for us and to let that love shape every step we take.

It is in God's love that we find sight.

It is in God's love that we find freedom.

It is in God's love that we discover the truth about God, ourselves, and one another.

As we root ourselves in the gospel, release our fears, and let go of our pride, we are freed from the blindness that once held us captive. We begin to see more clearly. We taste a deeper freedom. We become capable of receiving and sharing the love of Christ.

Zedekiah clung tightly to his position and lost everything.

Jesus shows us another way. He empties himself, gives himself away, and reveals that true life is found not in grasping but in surrender, not in control but in trust, and not in pride but in self-giving love.

So what voice will guide you today?

Will it be fear?

Will it be pride?

Or will it be the voice of the One who is grace, mercy, truth, and love?

May we recognize and reject the voices of pride and fear in our lives. May we walk in God's love, see with clear eyes, and experience the fullness of mercy and grace that is ours in Christ.

That's the prayer I have for my own soul. That's the prayer I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, and my son. And that's the prayer I have for you.

May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

OTHER PODCASTS:

Listen with Apple Podcast

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! On this August 24th episode, Heather joins us as we continue our journey through the Scriptures with Jeremiah 33–34, Psalm 74, and 1 John 5.

In Jeremiah, we hear God's promises of healing, restoration, and renewed joy spoken into a time of devastation and uncertainty. Even as Jerusalem faces destruction and the people struggle with broken promises, God declares that desolate places will once again be filled with songs of thanksgiving.

Psalm 74 gives voice to the pain of those who cannot understand what has happened around them. The psalmist cries out honestly, asking God to remember his people and act on their behalf.

Then, in 1 John 5, John repeatedly reminds his readers of what they can know. Yet this knowing is not about having every mystery solved or every belief perfectly organized. It is about knowing the love and presence of God deeply enough to trust him when life does not make sense.

Today's devotion invites us to hold uncertainty with humility, resist the desire to master God, and rest in what has been revealed to us in Jesus: God is love, we belong to him, and he is present with us even in our unknowing.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

What do you know?

John wants to make sure that you and I know a few things. Before he signs off on his letter, his parting words carry this refrain again and again:

We know.

But John is not telling us that we must know and believe all the right things so that our lives will finally make sense. Many people approach religion this way.

We think that if we try hard enough to understand all the right doctrines, believe all the right things, and do everything correctly, then life will make sense and everything will go well.

But that is simply not how life works.

There are too many things that happen in this world that do not make sense. We all face pain, disappointment, loss, confusion, and circumstances that cannot be neatly explained, no matter how much we think we know about God or how carefully arranged our beliefs may be.

John does want us to know some things.

But the things he wants us to know are the things that help us trust when life does not make sense.

John writes to us with the heart of a loving pastor. He calls us his children. He wants us to know what is true, not so that we can control life, explain every mystery, or win every theological argument, but so that we can trust God when our knowledge reaches its limits.

Know that God is love.

Know that you have fellowship with him.

Know that he is with you now, even in your unknowing.

John ends his letter with a tender warning: "Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God's place in your hearts."

Stay away from idols, child.

An idol can be more than a statue or a false god. Even our need for certainty can become an idol. Our theology, our interpretations, and our desire to explain everything can begin to take the place of trust.

Know what you need to know.

And one of the things we need to know is that not everything can be known.

So be careful about trying to nail down every mystery. Do not approach faith, theology, or the Bible as something that can be mastered and controlled.

When John tells us that he wants us to know, he is not inviting us to eliminate all uncertainty. He is inviting us into a journey of faith, one in which we must learn to live with mystery, paradox, and questions that do not yet have answers.

Faith is not certainty about everything.

Faith is trust in the One who is with us in everything.

So know what you need to know.

God is love.

You belong to him.

You have fellowship with the Father, Son, and Spirit.

And even when life does not make sense, you are not alone.

Live as a child of God, because that is what you are.

That's the prayer I have for my own soul. That's the prayer I have for my family, for my husband, my daughters, and my son. And that's the prayer I have for you.

May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

OTHER PODCASTS:

Listen with Apple Podcast

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! Today we journey through Jeremiah 31–32 and 1 John 4.

Jeremiah announces God's promise of restoration and a new covenant, one written not merely on tablets or pages but upon the human heart. Then John declares that God is love and that perfect love drives out fear.

Today's devotion invites us to awaken to the new work God has accomplished in Christ. We have not merely been repaired or given another set of rules to follow. Through Jesus, we have been reconciled, given a new heart, and drawn into the life and love of God.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

A new covenant.

A new heart.

A new hope.

Jeremiah speaks of a coming day when God will do something entirely new. The covenant will no longer be written only on tablets of stone or expressed through external laws and rituals.

God says, "I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts."

The life the covenant called for would finally be lived in perfection, not by us, but by Jesus.

Jesus, the spotless Lamb, lived the life of faithful love and obedience that Israel and all humanity had failed to live. Through his self-giving life, death, and resurrection, he reconciled us, weary and wandering exiles, back to God.

God does not simply patch up the old life.

He makes all things new.

He takes the hardened heart of Adam and gives humanity a new heart, a heart formed for fellowship, communion, and love.

Where shame, guilt, condemnation, and fear once ruled, God plants new hope.

This is not something we accomplish for ourselves. It is something God has done through Christ because of his everlasting love.

John says it plainly: God is love. Those who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.

God's perfect love has made a way for us to live free from condemnation, shame, and fear. As we abide in that love and participate in the life of Christ, we are transformed.

We begin to love as we have been loved.

Fear gradually loses its grip because perfect love drives out fear.

This is the good news of the new covenant. God's love has not simply been announced to us from a distance. It has been written upon our hearts. His life is present within us, giving us a new identity, purpose, and hope.

Awaken to that reality today.

You are not abandoned.

You are not condemned.

You have been drawn into the life of the One who is love.

That's the prayer I have for my own soul, that I would live in this love and allow it to drive out fear, condemnation, shame, and guilt. I pray that for my family, for my wife, my daughters, and my son.

And that's the prayer I have for you.

May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

OTHER PODCASTS:

Listen with Apple Podcast

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! Today's readings take us through Jeremiah 28–30 and 1 John 3.

Jeremiah confronts false promises while offering God's genuine word of restoration and hope to people living in exile. Then John invites us to behold the extraordinary love of the Father, who calls us his children.

Today's devotion asks us to consider what we see when we look at our lives. Do we see only sin, regret, shame, and failure, or can we allow the love of God revealed in Jesus to reframe our vision?

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

What do you see when you look at your life?

Do you see your sin?

Your regrets?

Your past?

Your shame?

Sometimes these things can grow so large in our vision that we struggle to see anything else. We begin to imagine that our failures tell us the deepest truth about who we are.

But John urges us to look again.

This time, he directs our attention away from ourselves and toward the love of God.

"See how very much our Father loves us," John says, "for he calls us his children."

What we behold makes a difference in who we become.

When we fix our eyes only on failure and shame, we become increasingly shaped by fear, condemnation, and regret. But when we behold God's love, we begin to see ourselves through the truth revealed in Christ.

You are a child of God.

This identity is not grounded in your success, religious performance, feelings, or ability to maintain confidence. It rests upon the steadfast character of God and the finished work of Jesus.

You did not earn your way into the family.

Love has been bestowed upon you.

Seeing yourself through the lens of this love begins to transform everything. You are freed from the lies of guilt and shame and invited to live as someone deeply and securely loved.

And when we know ourselves as beloved, we become free to love others.

So let the Word reframe your vision today.

Look again.

Do not allow your worst moment to become the final interpretation of your life. Behold the love of God. Behold Jesus. See yourself as the Father sees you, as his child, held and enfolded in love.

That's the prayer I have for my own soul. That's the prayer I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, and my son. And that's the prayer I have for you.

May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

OTHER PODCASTS:

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One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! Today we journey through Jeremiah 21, 24, and 27, Psalm 118, and 1 John 2.

Jeremiah speaks to people facing exile, upheaval, and the collapse of the world they once knew. Psalm 118 calls us to take refuge in the steadfast love of God, while 1 John warns against becoming consumed by the cravings of the world.

Today's devotion considers how the endless pursuit of pleasure, possessions, recognition, and achievement leaves us empty. Christ offers another way, a life that moves beyond the self and finds lasting meaning through humble love, service, generosity, and communion with God.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

Cravings. We all have them.

The world stirs up cravings for physical pleasure, possessions, pride, recognition, and achievement. But cravings are never satisfied for long.

They always demand more.

When we build our lives around them, we become stuck in an endless cycle. We crave, consume, experience a moment of satisfaction, and then find ourselves empty again.

The more we crave, the more hollow life can become.

John points us toward another way, one made possible by the presence of Christ within us.

Because Christ lives in you, you are not trapped inside a life centered entirely on yourself. You can participate in a life that moves beyond self-indulgence toward love, service, generosity, joy, and meaning.

The life of Christ breaks the cycle of craving, emptiness, shame, and despair.

And Christ's life in us is not always expressed through dramatic or spectacular accomplishments. More often, it appears through ordinary acts of love.

Being kind.

Sharing with someone in need.

Listening carefully.

Encouraging another person's gifts.

Offering your own gifts without needing recognition.

Choosing humility over pride.

These small and common expressions of love are signs of the life of Christ working within us. This is where true satisfaction is found, not in feeding every desire, but in participating in the self-giving life of Jesus.

The cravings of the world may be strong, but something far stronger is available to you.

Christ in you, your hope and your glory.

May you find your satisfaction in him today.

That's the prayer I have for my own soul. That's the prayer I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, and my son. And that's the prayer I have for you.

May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

OTHER PODCASTS:

Listen with Apple Podcast

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all.

John says this with beautiful simplicity. There is no shadow in God. There are no hidden motives or dark intentions concealed somewhere behind his goodness.

God is light.

And John insists that he has seen this light with his own eyes and touched him with his own hands. In Jesus, the nature of God has been revealed.

Yet many of us have learned to imagine that there are two sides to God. We hear that God is loving, but he is also just. God is merciful, but he is also holy. These statements can leave us with the impression that love and holiness are competing qualities, as though there is a darker side of God that Jesus protects us from.

But Jesus is not the good cop standing between us and an angry Father.

Jesus reveals the Father.

Everything that flows from God, including his holiness, righteousness, correction, and judgment, flows from perfect light and love. There is nothing hiding behind the back of Jesus.

This means we do not have to be afraid of bringing our darkness into God's light.

Bring the brokenness.

Bring the sin.

Bring the shame.

Bring the confusion and fear.

God's light does not expose us in order to humiliate or destroy us. His light exposes in order to forgive, transform, heal, and restore us to fellowship.

There may still be darkness in us, but there is no darkness in him.

Our darkness does not alter the character of God.

So let us step out of the shadows. Let us allow Jesus to show us who God truly is and, in doing so, to show us who we are becoming in him.

May we learn the ways of shadow-free believing and shadow-free living. May the light and love of God dissolve our fear and shame and teach us to see ourselves and others in the light of Christ.

That's the prayer I have for my own soul. That's the prayer I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, and my son. And that's the prayer I have for you.

May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

OTHER PODCASTS:

Listen with Apple Podcast

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! Today we journey through Jeremiah 45–47, Psalm 105, and John 21.

Jeremiah speaks into uncertainty, judgment, exile, and fear. Psalm 105 calls us to remember God's enduring faithfulness. Then, in John 21, we encounter the risen Jesus beside the sea, preparing breakfast for his disciples and restoring Peter after the anguish of his denial.

Peter may see himself as weak, ashamed, and disqualified, but Jesus sees something more. He sees Peter as loved, forgiven, and capable of feeding and caring for others.

Today's episode invites us to allow Christ's love to reshape the way we see our failures, ourselves, and the people around us.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

Love is rooted in God. God is love's source and origin. His love is not created by our response, our prayers, our attitudes, or the work we do for him. God loves because God is love.

Peter has failed terribly.

He denied Jesus three times. He abandoned the courage and loyalty he believed he possessed. I imagine that Peter carried a mountain of shame after that night. He may have seen himself as a fraud, a coward, and a failure.

But the risen Jesus comes looking for Peter.

Jesus prepares a meal for him. He sits with him. And three times, Jesus asks, "Do you love me?"

Jesus is not trying to shame Peter. He is chipping away at all the false ways Peter has come to understand himself. Peter sees his failure, but Jesus sees Peter's true life, hidden with God in Christ.

Peter is loved.

Peter is forgiven.

Peter belongs to Christ.

The rock Peter will become is quarried from the rock who is Christ himself. Peter's identity is not rooted in the worst thing he has done. His identity is rooted in Christ.

Then Jesus tells him, "Feed my sheep."

In other words, Peter must learn to see in others what Christ has already seen in him. The sheep will also fail. They will be afraid. They will hide. They will carry guilt and shame.

Peter is to feed them with the gospel he himself has received.

You are loved.

You are forgiven.

You belong to Christ.

And now, enough about Peter. Let's talk about you.

Maybe your failures have framed the way you see your life. Maybe shame has become the lens through which you understand yourself. But Jesus sees something in you that you may be struggling to see.

Your real life is hidden with God in Christ.

You are already loved.

You are already forgiven.

You are already being restored.

Let Christ chip away at everything that keeps you from seeing what he sees. Then offer that same love to the frightened, ashamed, and wounded people you encounter today.

Feed his sheep.

That's the prayer I have for my own soul. That's the prayer I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, and my son. And that's the prayer I have for you.

May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

OTHER PODCASTS:

Listen with Apple Podcast

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! Today is August 18th, and we are continuing our journey through the Scriptures with Jeremiah 26, 35–36, and John 20.

In Jeremiah, we encounter a king who attempts to silence God's message by cutting apart and burning the prophet's scroll. Yet the Word cannot be destroyed. What is burned is written again, and even more is added. Then, in John 20, we witness the resurrection of Jesus. The Living Word, rejected and crucified, emerges from the tomb in victory.

Today's readings remind us that neither human opposition, fire, violence, nor death can extinguish the purposes of God. What appears to have been reduced to ashes becomes the beginning of abundant life.

Settle in, open your heart, and let us listen together for the living Word of God.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

The Word cannot be extinguished.

In Jeremiah, we see the king take the scroll containing God's Word, cut it apart, and throw it into the fire. He believes that by destroying the scroll, he can silence its message. But the king can burn the pages without destroying the Word.

God tells Jeremiah to write it again.

And this time, even more is added.

Out of the ashes, the Word returns. It is rewritten, restored, and reaffirmed. Human resistance cannot stop what God is doing. The king may burn the scroll, but he cannot extinguish its source or frustrate its purpose.

Then we turn to John's Gospel and see the powers of darkness attempting to extinguish God's Living Word, Jesus Christ. They condemn him, crucify him, and consign his body to a grave. They believe that the story is finished.

But the cross and the grave cannot stop God.

Jesus enters fully into the fire of human judgment, violence, suffering, and death. Yet none of these things can hold him. He emerges from the tomb as the resurrection and the life.

What looked like an ending becomes a new beginning.

What appeared to be defeat becomes victory.

What had been reduced to ashes gives way to abundant life.

Jesus entered the fire and passed through death so that we might be brought into the much more of his life. He invites us to leave behind the ashes of despair, shame, fear, and defeat and awaken to resurrection hope.

The Word cannot be extinguished.

The life of Christ cannot be overcome.

And because his life is now at work in us, our failures and losses do not have the final word either.

That's the prayer I have for my own soul. That's the prayer I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, and my son. And that's the prayer I have for you.

May we rise from the ashes and enter more fully into the abundant life of Christ.

May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

OTHER PODCASTS:

Listen with Apple Podcast

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! Today is August 17th, and Heather is guiding us through Jeremiah 23–25 and John 19.

In Jeremiah, we hear sobering warnings against false shepherds and prophets who have misled God's people. Jeremiah is commanded to carry a cup of judgment to the nations, revealing the destructive consequences of violence, idolatry, injustice, and oppression.

Then, in John 19, we encounter another cup. Jesus stands before the powers of religion and empire and willingly enters into the suffering of the cross. He takes into himself the hatred, violence, betrayal, and brokenness of the world, not to return violence for violence, but to overcome it through self-giving love.

Today's devotion invites us to consider the story of these two cups. Jesus drinks the cup of human sorrow and wrath completely, declaring, "It is finished." In its place, he offers us the cup of his own life, filled with reconciliation, forgiveness, hope, and joy.

Settle in, open your heart, and let us listen together for the living Word of God.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

It's a story of two cups.

In our reading from Jeremiah today, the prophet is commanded to take a cup to the nations. It is a cup filled with wrath and judgment, intended for every nation and empire of the world.

The message is weighty and sobering. Jeremiah speaks of judgment against the evil, darkness, idolatry, violence, and oppression that have been poured out across the earth. Nation after nation, king after king, is called to drink from this cup. Their power will be shattered, and their lands will be left desolate.

The seriousness of evil and the reality of God's justice are on full display.

This cup of wrath cannot simply be ignored.

But then we turn to John 19, and we see another cup. This time, the cup is pressed into the hands of Jesus.

It is a cup filled with the senseless wrath of the crowd, the cold wrath of religion, and the merciless wrath of empire. It overflows with the violence, hatred, fear, and brokenness of humanity.

Yet, to our astonishment, God himself steps forward and willingly drinks from this cup.

Jesus absorbs into his own body all that is evil: every act of betrayal, every wound, every accusation, every expression of hatred, and every shadow of despair. He takes it into himself, and through his self-giving love, he overcomes it all.

He does not respond to violence with greater violence. He does not answer hatred with hatred. He receives the worst that the powers of this world can offer, and he exhausts their power through forgiveness, mercy, and love.

Jesus vanquishes not only the cup of wrath, but death itself. In doing so, he draws humanity into the life and love that he shares with the Father and the Spirit.

On the cross, Jesus declares, "It is finished."

The cup is fully drained.

And in its place, he offers us another cup, the cup of his own life. It is reconciliation for our separation, hope for our despair, forgiveness for our failures, and love for our hatred.

Through Christ, we are drawn into a new story. It is not a story ruled by wrath, violence, accusation, and death. It is the story of life restored, humanity reconciled, and creation made whole.

That is the cup offered to you and me. It is the cup of grace, forgiveness, thanksgiving, and joy.

He drank the cup of our sorrows so that we might lift up the cup of salvation.

Today, may we remember these two cups. Let us set down the old cup of our failures, fears, shame, and guilt. Let us lift high the cup of Christ's love and victory.

Let us live in the light of what Jesus has accomplished, knowing that he has drawn us into his own life.

That's a prayer I have for my own soul. That's a prayer I have for my family, for my wife and my daughters and my son. And that's a prayer I have for you.

May we taste and see the goodness of God, and may our lives overflow with gratitude and love.

May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

OTHER PODCASTS:

Listen with Apple Podcast

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible, where we journey through the Scriptures together, one day at a time.

In today's episode, we begin with the turbulent days of Judah's exile in 2 Kings 24, followed by Jeremiah's passionate call for justice and covenant faithfulness in chapter 22. We find encouragement and wisdom in Psalm 112, celebrating the blessings of those who walk in God's ways.

Our journey culminates in John 18, as we witness the arrest and trial of Jesus and are confronted with a powerful choice between two very different Jesuses: Jesus Barabbas, the insurrectionist, and Jesus the Messiah, who offers a radically different, self-giving way.

We are invited to reflect on which Jesus we choose to follow, not only in theory, but in the real, daily choices of our lives. The episode closes with time for silent reflection, heartfelt prayers for peace and unity, and the reminder that we are all held in the steadfast love of God.

So settle in as we read, meditate, and pray together, seeking to know, trust, and embody the way of Jesus, the One who is love.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

Two Jesuses stand before the crowd.

Pilate offers them a choice: Jesus the Messiah or Jesus Barabbas, the insurrectionist.

One is an agent of violence and revolt, seeking to overthrow his enemies by force. The other is the true King, the One who tells his followers to put away their swords, who chooses the path of suffering love, and who proclaims a kingdom that is not of this world.

This is the radical contrast at the heart of today's reading.

Jesus does not call us to rise up in violence, grasp for power, or secure our future by worldly means. He calls us instead to the self-giving, radically forgiving, co-suffering way of the cross.

His is a kingdom that is wholly other. It is marked not by domination or fear, but by resurrection life born out of sacrifice and love.

The crowd was tempted, and we are too, to choose the easier way, the seemingly practical way.

We hear the voices: "The Jesus way isn't realistic. That's not how the world works."

Even Scripture can be twisted to justify choosing Barabbas instead of the true King. It is telling that the Bible people of Jesus' day stirred up the crowd to choose the wrong messiah.

But Jesus stands before us today, as he did before Pilate, offering us another kind of kingdom.

He invites us into a life marked not by winning at any cost, but by loving self-sacrificially. He invites us out of the cycles of the world's kingdoms, out of violence, revenge, fear, and self-interest, and into his new and living way.

This is the only way out. It is the only way forward.

And it is a daily choice.

Will we embrace the self-giving, radically forgiving way of Jesus, or find reasons to excuse ourselves from it?

Will we choose the suffering, self-emptying King, or will we choose another Barabbas?

Today, I choose what the crowd did not.

I choose Jesus.

I choose the path he has shown, the way of surrender, trust, forgiveness, and love.

I choose his truth. I choose his life. I choose the God who is love.

That is the prayer I have for my own soul. That is the prayer I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, and my son.

And that is the prayer I have for you.

May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

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Jeremiah 18–20; Psalm 93; John 17

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! Today is August 15th, and we are on day 228 of our journey through the Scriptures.

Our readings take us through Jeremiah 18–20, Psalm 93, and John 17.

In Jeremiah, we enter the workshop of the potter, where the prophet watches clay being shaped and reshaped in the potter's hands. It is an image of God's patient and purposeful work among his people. Even when the clay is marred, the potter does not abandon it. He continues working, forming something new according to his wisdom and love.

Jeremiah also speaks honestly about the cost of his calling. He experiences opposition, rejection, and deep discouragement. His prayers do not hide his anguish, but even in his struggle, the word of God remains alive within him, like a fire he cannot contain.

Psalm 93 declares that the Lord reigns. His throne is established, his power is greater than the roaring seas, and his promises can be trusted.

Then, in John 17, we listen as Jesus prays. He prays for his disciples, and he prays for all those who will come to believe through their witness. That means Jesus is praying for us. He asks the Father to protect us, sanctify us in the truth, and bring us into the same love and unity that he shares with the Father.

Today's readings invite us to trust the hands of the Potter, rest beneath the reign of God, and receive the prayer of Jesus over our lives. We are being formed, we are being held, and we are being drawn into the love and life of God.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

OTHER PODCASTS:

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One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! Today is August 14th, and we are on day 227 of our journey through the Scriptures.

Our readings take us through Jeremiah 16–17, Psalm 96, and John 16. In Jeremiah, we hear both the weight of judgment and the promise of restoration. We are reminded of the emptiness of trusting only in human strength and invited instead to become like a tree planted beside the water, rooted deeply in the faithfulness of God.

Psalm 96 calls the whole earth to sing a new song and proclaim the goodness of the Lord. Then, in John 16, Jesus prepares his disciples for what lies ahead. He speaks honestly about grief, opposition, and uncertainty, but he also promises the coming of the Holy Spirit, the Advocate who will guide them into truth.

Jesus does not promise that his disciples will avoid trouble. He tells them plainly that they will face it. But he also assures them that trouble will not have the final word. "Take heart," he says, "because I have overcome the world."

Whatever you may be carrying today, may these readings remind you that you are not alone. The Spirit of God is present, Christ has overcome, and your life can remain rooted in the love and faithfulness of God.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

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TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Jeremiah 10–12; John 14

Click HERE to give!

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible-in-a-year podcast with 20-minute Scripture readings, Christ-centered devotion, and guided prayer. This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! On this 12th day of August, we journey through Jeremiah 10–12 and John 14 with Hunter, your Bible reading coach. In Jeremiah, we encounter the folly of idols, the faithfulness of the living God, and the prophet's struggle to understand what God is doing in the midst of injustice and suffering. Then, in John 14, Jesus draws his disciples into some of the deepest mysteries of our faith, revealing his union with the Father and promising the coming presence of the Holy Spirit.

Yet amid these profound mysteries, Jesus gives his disciples something remarkably simple: follow me. There is so much about God, life, and faith that we may not fully understand, but we are not required to have everything figured out before we walk with Christ. We are invited to trust his presence, receive his peace, and go where he leads. Today's devotion reminds us that faith is not ultimately about mastering every mystery, but about learning to hear the voice of Jesus and respond when he says, "Come, let's be going."

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

There are some things about God that are simply beyond us. In John 14, Jesus is speaking to his disciples about some of the deepest mysteries imaginable. He tells them that he is in the Father and the Father is in him. He tells them that the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, will come and live within them. He tells them that somehow, through the Spirit, they will participate in this life and love that exists between the Father and the Son.

That's a lot to take in.

And you can almost feel Thomas and Philip trying to keep up. They want more explanation. They want Jesus to slow things down and make everything clearer. Thomas says, essentially, "We don't even know where you're going." Philip says, "Just show us the Father and we'll be satisfied."

I understand that impulse. I think most of us do.

There are so many things about faith that we want explained. There are mysteries we want solved and questions we want answered. We want greater clarity about God, about ourselves, about suffering, about the future, about what God is doing in our lives.

But Jesus doesn't give his disciples a theological diagram that explains everything. Instead, he gives them himself.

He tells them not to let their hearts be troubled. He promises them his peace. He promises the Spirit. He reminds them that they are not being abandoned. And then, at the end of the chapter, he says something remarkably ordinary and practical: "Come, let's be going."

Come. Follow me.

There is something beautiful about that.

The mysteries are still mysteries. The disciples still don't understand everything. But Jesus is with them, and for now that is enough. They can follow him.

And maybe that is enough for us today too.

You don't have to understand everything before you follow Jesus. You don't have to solve every theological question or make sense of every circumstance in your life. There are things we may understand later that we simply cannot understand now.

But we can hear his voice.

We can receive his peace.

We can trust the Spirit who lives within us.

And we can follow.

Jesus says that he is the way, the truth, and the life. The way is not simply information about God. The way is a person. And as we follow him, we begin to experience the life he has promised us. We discover his peace, his strength, his joy, and his presence along the way.

So maybe today, instead of demanding an answer to every mystery, we can simply listen for the invitation of Jesus:

Come, let's be going.

Follow me.

That's the prayer that I have for my own soul. That's the prayer that I have for my family, for my wife and my daughters and my son. And that's a prayer that I have for you.

May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

OTHER PODCASTS:

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DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL

You are loved!

Episode Description

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form!

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Jeremiah 10–12; John 14

Click HERE to give!

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible-in-a-year podcast with 20-minute Scripture readings, Christ-centered devotion, and guided prayer. This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! On this 12th day of August, we journey through Jeremiah 10–12 and John 14 with Hunter, your Bible reading coach. In Jeremiah, we encounter the folly of idols, the faithfulness of the living God, and the prophet's struggle to understand what God is doing in the midst of injustice and suffering. Then, in John 14, Jesus draws his disciples into some of the deepest mysteries of our faith, revealing his union with the Father and promising the coming presence of the Holy Spirit.

Yet amid these profound mysteries, Jesus gives his disciples something remarkably simple: follow me. There is so much about God, life, and faith that we may not fully understand, but we are not required to have everything figured out before we walk with Christ. We are invited to trust his presence, receive his peace, and go where he leads. Today's devotion reminds us that faith is not ultimately about mastering every mystery, but about learning to hear the voice of Jesus and respond when he says, "Come, let's be going."

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

There are some things about God that are simply beyond us. In John 14, Jesus is speaking to his disciples about some of the deepest mysteries imaginable. He tells them that he is in the Father and the Father is in him. He tells them that the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, will come and live within them. He tells them that somehow, through the Spirit, they will participate in this life and love that exists between the Father and the Son.

That's a lot to take in.

And you can almost feel Thomas and Philip trying to keep up. They want more explanation. They want Jesus to slow things down and make everything clearer. Thomas says, essentially, "We don't even know where you're going." Philip says, "Just show us the Father and we'll be satisfied."

I understand that impulse. I think most of us do.

There are so many things about faith that we want explained. There are mysteries we want solved and questions we want answered. We want greater clarity about God, about ourselves, about suffering, about the future, about what God is doing in our lives.

But Jesus doesn't give his disciples a theological diagram that explains everything. Instead, he gives them himself.

He tells them not to let their hearts be troubled. He promises them his peace. He promises the Spirit. He reminds them that they are not being abandoned. And then, at the end of the chapter, he says something remarkably ordinary and practical: "Come, let's be going."

Come. Follow me.

There is something beautiful about that.

The mysteries are still mysteries. The disciples still don't understand everything. But Jesus is with them, and for now that is enough. They can follow him.

And maybe that is enough for us today too.

You don't have to understand everything before you follow Jesus. You don't have to solve every theological question or make sense of every circumstance in your life. There are things we may understand later that we simply cannot understand now.

But we can hear his voice.

We can receive his peace.

We can trust the Spirit who lives within us.

And we can follow.

Jesus says that he is the way, the truth, and the life. The way is not simply information about God. The way is a person. And as we follow him, we begin to experience the life he has promised us. We discover his peace, his strength, his joy, and his presence along the way.

So maybe today, instead of demanding an answer to every mystery, we can simply listen for the invitation of Jesus:

Come, let's be going.

Follow me.

That's the prayer that I have for my own soul. That's the prayer that I have for my family, for my wife and my daughters and my son. And that's a prayer that I have for you.

May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

OTHER PODCASTS:

Listen with Apple Podcast

DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL

You are loved!

Jeremiah 7–9; John 13

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! On this 11th day of August, we journey through the pages of Jeremiah 7-9 and John 13, guided by Hunter, your Bible reading coach. Together, we'll listen to God's words of warning and hope to His people through Jeremiah, reflecting on the call to obedience, repentance, and authentic worship. Then, we'll witness Jesus' act of humble service as He washes His disciples' feet, teaching us the importance of humility, love, and allowing ourselves to be cared for by Christ. As we seek renewal and realignment in our walk with God, today's reading and reflections will encourage us to receive His grace, lean into communion with Him, and extend love to others in the same spirit that Christ serves us. Settle in, open your heart, and let's draw near to the Living Word together.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

You have to get washed, and he has to wash you. You have to humbly accept Jesus's care over your life as he washes your feet. If you don't, Jesus says, you're going to miss him. You're not going to get him; you won't understand what he's all about.

There's a difference between union and communion. Peter and the twelve were united with Christ; they were one with him. But just like you and I, their feet got dirty because they walk in a world that is fallen and broken and dirty. Journeying through this life takes a toll on us, and our souls need to be drawn in over and over again to our life with him. We need to be realigned, renewed, refreshed. We need to be washed.

We need to come into communion with him again. So Jesus insists on cleaning our feet. When he cleans our feet, he's reminding us of who we are in him. You are his daughter. You are his son. You are one with him. Jesus insists on caring for us throughout our lives, washing our feet, reminding us of the intimate care and grace that's offered to us each and every day. It's a humbling thing for someone to wash our feet, but our souls are in need of the humbling reality of Christ serving us.

Our pride, like Peter's, wants to rise up and demand otherwise. "You'll never wash my feet," says Peter. The flesh, our pride, always refuses, but the presence of Christ humbles us and teaches us. In this moment, he teaches us who we are and what we are to become. We are chosen. We are in him. We have union with God, and we are to participate with him as servants of God. There is union and there is communion.

Our union has been forged through the life, death, and resurrection of Christ—Christ alone. Our communion is where we participate with him in who we now have become and join in on what he is now doing today. He continues to wash us even through this word, through what we're doing here right now. You may not have noticed this, but while we were hearing the word today, something else was happening, if you will. Christ was serving you, washing your feet. Ephesians 5 says we are washed by the cleansing of the Word. He's washing our feet as we listen to and respond to his word each day. Jesus says to you what he said to Peter: Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean.

The water of God's word washing our feet is going to be a part of our life together from here on out. Don't let your pride and flesh stand in the way of Christ serving you. And maybe next time when you come to the word, envision Jesus, the Creator of all things, washing your feet. Let it be a reminder to you that you are one with him and that we need him to renew, to restore, to clean us, and that we are loved. And let that love move beyond you into the world to others, so that you can love the way he loved and served you.

That's the prayer that I have for my own soul. That's the prayer that I have for my family, for my wife and my daughters and my son. And that's a prayer that I have for you.

May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

OTHER PODCASTS:

Listen with Apple Podcast

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible for August 10th. On day 223 of our journey through scripture, Hunter guides us through powerful passages from Jeremiah chapters 5 and 6, and John chapter 12. We witness a sobering call to repentance for God's people, a prophetic warning against their rebellion, and a vibrant scene of devotion as Mary anoints Jesus' feet. Together, we'll reflect on the deep contrasts between selfishness and sacrificial love, and Hunter will lead us in prayer, gratitude, and encouragement as we seek to let the fragrance of Christ fill our lives. Join us as we draw closer to the heart of God and one another.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

The fragrance of new life. When Mary walked into that room, she carried with her more than just an expensive jar of perfume. She brought the memory of her brother Lazarus—dead, buried, and then called out of the tomb by Jesus—back to life. There was a smell to that old grave that she could never forget, yet compared to the aroma of God's love—God's power to call forth life—nothing else could come close. The fragrance of resurrection and hope filled the house as Mary poured herself out in thanksgiving and love at the feet of Jesus.

But there are always other scents in the room—unseen, powerful, disruptive. For Judas, the only thing he could smell was his own ambition, his own love of money and self. The stench of his own flesh overpowered any sense of the grace and beauty right before him. The opportunity for devotion slipped by, traded for coins.

John tells us this story because he wants us to catch that fragrance again: Christ calls us from death to life. In every act of gratitude, every offering of ourselves, we participate in the sweet aroma of Jesus. When we live in response to his love, when we pour ourselves out at his feet, the room changes. The world takes notice—not of our goodness, but of the beauty of his gift and life within us.

So let us receive the offering of Christ's life, let gratitude fill our hearts, and let the fragrance of new life fill every space we enter. May we offer all we have—not for the sake of appearance or reward, but because we have been made alive. Christ has called us forth, unbound us, and given us his own life.

That's a prayer that I have for my own soul. That's a prayer that I have for my family, for my wife, and my daughters, and my son. And that's a prayer that I have for you. May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

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Jeremiah 3–4; John 11

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible for August 9th. It's Day 222 in our journey through the Scriptures. Today, your Bible reading coach Hunter invites you to join a global community as we read Jeremiah chapters 3 and 4, followed by John chapter 11. Together, we'll see God's faithfulness and mercy in the midst of Israel's unfaithfulness, and witness Jesus' miraculous power as he raises Lazarus from the dead. Along the way, we'll reflect on our own brokenness, the hope we have in Christ's resurrection life, and pray for God's peace, guidance, and presence to fill our lives anew. So grab your Bible, get outside if you can, and let's walk through the Word together—one step at a time.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

We need a better twin. Thomas, in those moments near the tomb of Lazarus, was full of good intentions and bold declarations. "Let's go too and die with Jesus," he said. But Thomas had to learn, like all of us do, that the best intentions and loudest proclamations do not overcome the reality of our brokenness, our captivity to the flesh, and the certainty of the grave. Our best efforts can't save us; we need someone who can do for us what we cannot do ourselves.

What we need is a twin superior to Thomas—a brother who will go before us, triumph over death, and reconcile us to God. We need someone who calls us out from the shadows of our old lives and into something altogether new. We need a brother who has emerged from the grave and draws us into his resurrection life. We need Jesus.

And that is precisely who we have. Thomas, uncertain as he was, would eventually come to see that Jesus truly is the friend who sticks closer than a brother, closer even than a twin. Jesus, our brother, is the one who overcomes our brokenness, our slavery, our inevitable end in the grave. He does what we cannot: he calls us by name and invites us out of the tomb, into the light, and into his life.

The prayer of my heart today is that I will truly see, understand, and experience what Christ has done—that I will participate, now and always, in his risen life. To come out from the grave clothes and step freely into the new life Jesus offers. Jesus is our brother. Because of him, the grave is not the end; new life has already begun, and it is ours.

That's my prayer for my own soul. That's my prayer for my family—my wife, my daughters, my son. And that is my prayer for you. May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

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Jeremiah 1–2; John 10

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible for August 8th! Join Hunter as we journey through Day 221 of our year-long trek in the Scriptures. Today, we'll read from Jeremiah chapters 1 and 2, hearing the prophet's calling and the challenging words spoken to a wandering people, and then turn to John 10, where Jesus reveals himself as the Good Shepherd who calls his sheep by name and offers them abundant life. In this episode, you'll be invited to reflect on God's story of rescue, experience encouragement for your day, and join in heartfelt prayers for yourself, your loved ones, and the world. Whether you're a long-time listener or tuning in for the first time, settle in as we open our hearts to the living Word and discover what it means to follow the Good Shepherd today.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

The story of God. I hope this story of God catches you. Jesus comes to teach us how to live in God's story. It's the story of a good and loving shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep. He invites us to live in that story. He tells us very plainly here that he gathers his sheep. He gathers them in through the gate and brings them into his sheepfold. He rescues the sheep from danger, and he brings them under his care.

Then he calls out the sheep from the sheepfold by name. He knows them by name. We're told that he walks ahead of the sheep, leading them out into the world. The sheep follow him because they know his voice. They run from any other voice because they've learned to depend on the shepherd. He says, my sheep listen to my voice. I know them and they follow me. Just like sheep, the shepherd Jesus is our source of life.

He's rescued us, called us out into the world by name, and gifted us. So we walk out with the shepherd, letting him lead us each step of the way.

Jesus is teaching us in this story how to live in his story of life, abundant life, to participate with him. In this story of rescue, there's danger. There's a thief that wants to steal and kill and destroy the flock. And when we learn to live in the story of God, by the power of God, we will experience deliverance from this thief who wants to kill us. And it will be the Good Shepherd who delivers and protects us. And because of him, we will experience a rich and satisfying life under his care. Jesus says, the thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy. I came that they might have life and have it abundant.

He wants us to learn how to live there. And the only way we can is to gather under his care, hear him call us out by name into the world with purpose, understanding what he's made us for, We must learn to depend on him each step of the way as he leads us, following his voice each day, training our souls to hear him, because he is a good shepherd who has laid down his life for us, who knows us by name. He's called us out into this pasture, this world, and he's given us purpose. We are invited to participate with The Good Shepherd, sharing his message of abundant life. You and I are invited into the story of God. Rejoice in him today, our Good Shepherd. Listen to his voice and follow him out into your day, out into this world, sharing his message of life.

That's the prayer that I have for my own soul. That's the prayer that I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, my son. And that's the prayer that I have for you. May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

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Zephaniah 1–3; John 9

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible, where we journey together through the pages of Scripture and warm our hearts by the fires of God's love. In today's episode, join Hunter, your Bible reading coach, as we explore Zephaniah chapters 1 through 3 and John chapter 9. We'll witness God's call to repentance and restoration, the powerful healing of a man born blind, and reflect on how Jesus—the light of the world—opens our eyes to God's true nature of love and mercy. Settle in for a time of prayer, encouragement, and renewed perspective as we remember that we are God's beloved children, invited to walk in His joy and peace each day.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

He opens our eyes to see who God really is. What was God going to do with a human race that's incapable of seeing? God, being good, came in person to shine his light into our darkness. The light of the world stood before a blind man, took the dust of the earth, spit upon it, and remade what was once incapable of sight. God's power was shown in this healing—this man truly saw the light.

And yet there is still so much that keeps us all in the dark. Lies imprison us—even good Christian folks. Lies about God: that we are separate from him, that he is distant and angry, ready to strike because of our past, eager to judge us or our parents, ready to make an example of us. Blinded to the true nature of God, we've convinced ourselves he is mainly about retribution instead of restoration, that he is primarily a judge instead of a Father.

So often, even our religion blinds us to who God really is. We paint all our fears and anxieties onto the face of God, and so we do not see—even when the light is right in front of us. Are you tired of the darkness? Let Jesus open your eyes to who God truly is.

Remember the words to Philip: Show us the Father and we will be satisfied. And Jesus answered, "Philip, have I been with you all this time, and you still don't know me? When you see me, you see the Father. I and my Father are one." There is no shadow side behind Jesus. Do you see him reaching out and healing those others think are cursed and condemned? Do you see him loving the poor, the unlovely, the outsider? Do you see his self-giving, radically forgiving, co-suffering love? Then what you see is what you've got: you've got the light of the world.

Let Jesus open your eyes to who God is and who you already are in him. Let him show you. Let him open your eyes and see.

That's a prayer I have for my own soul. That's a prayer I have for my family, for my wife and my daughters and my son. And that's a prayer I have for you. May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

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Habakkuk 1–3; John 8

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible, where we journey together through the pages of Scripture to discover the heart and life of God. On this August 6th episode, we delve into the powerful words of the prophet Habakkuk, wrestling with questions of suffering, justice, and God's plan in the midst of turmoil. We'll also explore John 8, where Jesus' radical mercy is on display as he offers forgiveness to a woman caught in adultery and powerfully declares himself the light of the world. Join Hunter, your Bible Reading Coach, for a time of spiritual reflection, encouragement, and prayer as we seek to encounter the living Word and remember the truth of God's deep love for each of us.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

Who are you? That was the question so many demanded an answer for. The people who encountered Jesus—some were fearful of who he might be, others were threatened by his claims, and many simply could not see him for who he truly was. Sometimes it's not just a matter of not seeing, but of not being ready to listen to Jesus's answer to that deepest question. Sometimes lies—lies that fuel our fears, that feed our pride, that cast the face of God in the shadow of our own anxieties—keep us from receiving the healing that awaits us. Lies can blind our hearts, closing us off from the truth that is standing right before us.

So what did God do, seeing humanity caught in the darkness of deceit and estrangement? He came. He came in love and showed us the way of love—self-giving, radically forgiving, co-suffering love. Jesus says, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man on the cross, then you will know that I am he… I do nothing on my own but only what the Father has taught me." When we look at the one lifted up on the cross, we see the answer to the question, "Who are you?" We see what the woman caught in adultery saw—the one who stoops into the dust of our shame and brokenness to write something new, the one who does not condemn but comes to save, for we were already condemned. We see the one who will take away the sin of the world, the one who has included us into the life he shares with the Father.

When we see him, our hearts are invited to listen—to truly hear the answer. The prayer of my soul today is that I will hear Jesus's answer to the question, "Who are you?" That when I look at the cross, I will see love. Because that's who he is. That's the prayer that I have for my own soul. That's the prayer I have for my family, for my wife, for my daughters, and for my son. And that is the prayer that I have for you.

May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

OTHER PODCASTS:

Listen with Apple Podcast

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to the August 5th episode of Daily Radio Bible. On this 218th day of our journey through the Scriptures, Hunter invites listeners from around the globe to gather and warm their hearts by the fire of God's love. In today's readings, we witness King Josiah's remarkable reforms in 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles, including his renewal of the covenant, the purging of idolatry, and a historic celebration of Passover. We then turn to John 7, where Jesus reveals himself as the source of living water during the Festival of Shelters, declaring the fulfillment of prophetic promises and inviting all who are thirsty to come to him. Join Hunter as we explore these transformative moments in Scripture and enter a time of prayer, reflection, and encouragement, remembering that no matter where you are, you are loved.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

Rivers of living water. As the Festival of Shelters reached its height, the priests poured out water on the altar, a symbol drawn from the prophets: a promise that one day, God would pour out his Spirit on all people, quenching the thirsty and reviving the dry and weary. In the context of this ancient ritual, Jesus stands up and declares with authority and longing: "Anyone who is thirsty may come to me. Anyone who believes in me may come and drink, for the Scriptures declare rivers of living water will flow from his heart." All the anticipation, all the longing embedded in the festival's water ceremony—Jesus claims it is fulfilled in him.

He does not come to make a name for himself, or to satisfy the expectations of his brothers or the crowds longing for fame or power. His purpose is deeper—his mission is to pour out the Spirit, the true living water, into the lives of all who would come to him. Jesus is concerned with what the Father desires: to seek, to save, to invite humanity into the fellowship he shares with the Father and the Spirit.

This river is not merely for our refreshment. Christ's living water flows through us and into the world—to heal, to bring hope, to bear fruit. If we receive him, if we trust that the Scriptures find their meaning in him, we find that he, in turn, finds meaning in us—and not just us, but all people. The Spirit he pours out is abundant and free, life that cannot be constrained or manufactured, but must be received.

Let us come to Jesus, the source of living water. Let us allow his Spirit to flow in and through us, bearing fruit and offering life to a thirsty world. Let us not seek to be noticed or praised, but let our lives be channels of mercy, compassion, and blessing—evidence of his abiding presence and love.

That is a prayer I have for my own soul. 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.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

OTHER PODCASTS:

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2 Kings 22; 2 Chronicles 34; John 6

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible for August 4th, day 217 in our journey through scripture. Join your Bible reading coach Hunter as we unite from around the world to reflect on God's Word and the love that holds us together. In today's episode, we delve into the story of King Josiah's rediscovery of the lost Book of the Law in the temple, explore his deep repentance and the spiritual renewal of a nation, and move into John chapter 6 where Jesus reveals himself as the true bread of life. Together, we'll meditate on what it means to recognize God's presence at work—sometimes hidden in plain sight—and to find ultimate satisfaction in him. Settle in as we open our hearts, seek understanding, and renew our faith in the living Word.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

The living Word, hidden in plain sight. For generations, the Word of God was lost among God's people—lost, tragically, in the very place you'd expect to find it: the temple. It was there, but no one was looking. No one was listening. Eventually, King Josiah would find it, and with it, a deep awareness of God's presence and his own need for mercy. In our reading from John, we encounter a similar pattern: Jesus, the living Word, is right among his people in the synagogue, but still seems hidden from them. They watch miracles unfold before their eyes—the feeding of the multitudes, healings, signs—and yet they do not see or believe. Only God reveals God.

Miraculous signs point to Jesus as the one who truly satisfies, the bread of life come down from heaven. But so often, we can lose sight of him amid the ruins of our own lives—our painful pasts, our self-centered paths. Even among God's own people, we can miss him, as if he's hidden in plain sight. We chase after perishable things, obsessing over what fills our bellies, our desires, our plans. Yet Jesus gently calls us to fix our gaze upon him, to seek what only he can give: true, eternal life.

If we take our eyes off ourselves, even for a moment, we might see the one who is standing before us—the one who can truly fill us. Jesus calls us to trust him, to rely on him rather than our own strength. Like Peter, who, when confronted by the miraculous catch of fish, fell to his knees acknowledging his need for grace; like Josiah, who, upon finding the Word, tore his clothes and sought God's mercy—so we too are called to humble ourselves, to see what has always been waiting for us.

Are you seeing the Word of God that is right before you? The God who provides, who is merciful, who has come down for you? He is not hidden from you. He longs to satisfy you with his bread.

May you find the living Word right in front of you today. May you take and eat, and be truly satisfied. That is the prayer I hold for my own soul, for my family, and for you. May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

OTHER PODCASTS:

Listen with Apple Podcast

Nahum 1–3; John 5

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to the August 3rd episode of the Daily Radio Bible. Today's conversation focused on day 215 in the Journey Through the Scriptures, inviting listeners from around the world to gather around the Word in search of Jesus, the true source of life. The discussion explored readings from Nahum chapters 1–3 and John 5, delving into themes of justice, restoration, and the love of God. One concept discussed was how Scripture points not just to law or judgment but directly to Jesus, who was present with love and healing even when unrecognized. A key theme that emerged was the invitation to let God's love reshape hearts and minds, setting aside the burdens of control and rule-keeping for a living relationship with Christ. The episode concluded with communal prayers, encouragement, and an affirmation that no matter where you are on your journey, you are deeply loved by God.

Welcome to the August 3rd episode of the Daily Radio Bible. Today's conversation focused on day 215 in the Journey Through the Scriptures, inviting listeners from around the world to gather around the Word in search of Jesus, the true source of life. The discussion explored readings from Nahum chapters 1–3 and John 5, delving into themes of justice, restoration, and the love of God. One concept discussed was how Scripture points not just to law or judgment but directly to Jesus, who was present with love and healing even when unrecognized. A key theme that emerged was the invitation to let God's love reshape hearts and minds, setting aside the burdens of control and rule-keeping for a living relationship with Christ. The episode concluded with communal prayers, encouragement, and an affirmation that no matter where you are on your journey, you are deeply loved by God.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

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2 Kings 21; 2 Chronicles 33; John 4

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome, dear friends, to the August 2nd episode of the Daily Radio Bible. I'm Hunter, your Bible reading coach, and I'm grateful to spend this time with you as we journey together through God's Word. Today, we turn our hearts to the stories of King Manasseh and Amon from 2 Kings 21 and 2 Chronicles 33—stories of failure, repentance, and grace—before joining Jesus at Jacob's well in John chapter 4. We'll witness a Samaritan woman's thirst for living water and discover Christ's mercy and acceptance that quenches our deepest needs. Come let the scriptures guide us to the One who is the Living Word, and let's open our hearts to the life that only He can give.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

He knows everything, and he loves us just the same. Are you thirsty? He knows. And you have a kind and merciful Savior who's making a point of pursuing your heart to give you the water that will quench your desperate thirst. So drink well of that water. Remember that your Messiah is kind and he pursues your heart. Knowing everything you've ever done and loving you just the same. Live in the light and joy of him and drink well.

Thirsty? This woman was, and she was willing to admit it. She wasn't too proud to admit that she was thirsty. Yes, teacher, give me this water, she said. She knew that she was dying of thirst, that unless something changed, she would die. After five husbands, she was dying inside. But Jesus offers her this living water. Water that truly satisfies. Jesus mercifully offers those who are dying of thirst living water, relief from the endless cycle of sin and shame, sin and shame, sin and shame, relief from our past, forgiveness. She says, he told me everything I've ever done. And although these words were not written, you could complete the statement with these words: And he loved me just the same. It was this radical acceptance and forgiveness from a kind and merciful Messiah that delivered her from her desperate thirst.

That's a prayer that I have for my own soul. 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.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

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Isaiah 65–66; Psalm 62; John 3

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to Daily Radio Bible! On this first day of August and day 214 of our journey through the scriptures, Hunter, your Bible reading coach, guides us through a rich set of passages: Isaiah 65 and 66, Psalm 62, and John chapter 3. In today's episode, we reflect on God's steadfast love, His plans for restoration, and the call to spiritual renewal. Hunter offers encouragement from God's Word, leads us in prayer, and reminds us of the transformative power of being known and loved by God—no matter what's in our hearts. Stay tuned for times of scripture, reflection, and community as we begin a new month together, grounded in the assurance that we are deeply loved by God.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

He knows and loves us, even before we speak. There's a comfort and a deep transformation that comes from realizing this truth. We often carry the fear that if people saw into our hearts—if they saw our selfishness, our brokenness, our shame—they would turn away. And to have those things exposed before God himself can be a terrifying thought. But with Jesus, it is different. He is not surprised by what is within us. There is nothing hidden from him, and yet he does not recoil. Instead, he welcomes us and begins the work of making us new.

When we understand, as John did, that Jesus knows us completely and loves us fully, that changes everything. It's the start of something new being created within us—a renovation of the heart. God moves in with his transforming love and begins to craft something beautiful where fear and shame once held sway. The beginning of hope is not found in us hiding our true selves, but in believing we are already known and already loved.

May God convince us more and more of his knowledge of us, and of his love. May that experience not undo us, but instead begin a new creation in us—a newness shaped by his grace and presence. He is recreating hearts and writing a new story, one where his love is the foundation and the future.

That is the prayer that I have for my own soul. That is the prayer I have for my family, for my wife, for my daughters, for my son. And that is the prayer I have for you. May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

OTHER PODCASTS:

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Isaiah 63–64; Psalm 107; John 2

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible for July 31st. Today, Hunter, your Bible reading coach, guides us through Isaiah 63 and 64, Psalm 107, and John 2, exploring the consistent themes of God's faithful love, even in the midst of doubt, suffering, and uncertainty. Join us as we reflect on questions of belonging, God's presence in our lives, and the unending hope found in the stories of scripture. We'll spend time in prayer together, find encouragement for our journey, and remember that no matter what, we are loved.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

Have you ever felt like you don't belong to the Lord? Maybe you've questioned whether God is really involved in your life or wondered if he truly loves you, sees you, and knows what you're going through. These are not thoughts unique to you—they echo through the hearts of God's people across the ages. Isaiah voices this longing and ache at 13:43: "Sometimes it seems as though we never belong to you, as though we have never been known as your people."

The people in Isaiah's day knew the stories—how God miraculously delivered Israel from Egypt, parting the sea and bringing them into a land of rest and abundance. They remembered his acts of faithful love. Yet, even surrounded by these stories, they struggled to see God's hand in their own circumstances 14:07.

David, too, recounted the Lord's rescue and provision, and in Psalm 107 he draws this conclusion: "Those who are wise will take all this to heart—They will see in our history the faithful love of the Lord" 14:22. Both Isaiah and David, through Scripture, challenge us to look back, to consider our own lives and the sweep of God's dealings with his people, using eyes of wisdom and faith. Patterns emerge: forgetfulness, distrust, rebellion—a tendency to go our own way and find ourselves lost, powerless, wondering where God is amid all the trouble 14:47. But the story doesn't end there.

There is a greater, more hopeful, and triumphant theme woven through it all: God's faithful love. This love never ceases. The prophets, the psalmists, all of Scripture urge us to remember who we are and whose we are—to "remember ourselves into the story of God," the story we've been placed into by him. This story is not about our failure, but about his relentless, redemptive love, a love that lifts and carries us "through all the years" 15:54.

Isaiah reminds us, "In all our suffering, he also suffered, and he personally rescued them. In his love and mercy, he redeemed them. He lifted them up and carried them" 15:41. Even when we don't feel like we are his, even when we feel abandoned or alone, the truth remains: He is with us 16:03. This is the truest thing and it is the final thing—the faithful love of the Lord never ceases.

Today, let these words settle deep in your soul: God's presence is with you, his good news is for you, and his love endures for you. May this truth give you joy, hope, and peace 16:38.

That is a prayer that I have for my own soul. That is a prayer that I have for my family—for my wife, my daughters, my son. And that is a prayer that I have for you. May it be so 16:58.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

OTHER PODCASTS:

Listen with Apple Podcast

Isaiah 60–62; John 1

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible for July 30th, 2025. Join Hunter, your Bible reading coach, as we journey together through Isaiah chapters 60 to 62 and John chapter 1. In today's episode, we'll encounter powerful themes of light overcoming darkness, God's promise of restoration and joy for His people, and the calling of the first disciples as they seek—and find—what their hearts long for. As Hunter guides us through scripture and reflection, we're invited to consider: What are we truly looking for, and how might God be finding us in every season, whether it's a time of upheaval or new beginnings? Settle your heart for a time of prayer, scripture, and encouragement as we remember that in all circumstances, God's presence is with us, and we are deeply loved.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

We tend to find the things that we're looking for. It's a truth about life, and it's a truth that echoes throughout the scriptures we read today. The Pharisees went out to the desert searching for answers, but their searching wasn't about finding the Messiah—they were securing and protecting their own interests. They found what they were looking for, but they missed who they should have seen. John the Baptist, in contrast, was looking for someone, the One. And the disciples, too—so eager for the Messiah spoken of by Moses and the prophets—found what their hearts longed for.

If you follow after this One, if you keep your eyes on Him, you're going to see things far beyond anything you ever anticipated. Jesus told Nathanael that because he believed, he'd see even greater things: heaven opened, angels ascending and descending on the Son of Man—the very stairway between heaven and earth. What if that's what your soul most deeply longs for? The connection, the hope, the forgiveness—everything written in your spirit—answered in Him?

And here's the beautiful twist: just as you find Him, He finds you. He saw Andrew trailing behind, He saw Simon—right into him, through him, to the identity and destiny Simon had not yet seen for himself. He renamed him, reimagined him. He called Nathanael a man of integrity before Nathanael knew what was happening. When you look for Him, believe in Him, you'll see more than you expected. You'll be seen. You'll be known. You'll be given new life, new identity, new destiny.

He is looking for you, friend. Sometimes we fear being truly seen, but in Jesus, to be seen is to be named and loved and changed. That's what it means to follow Him into life. That's my prayer for myself today: that I would keep my eyes on Jesus, find what I'm truly looking for, and be changed. It's my prayer for my family—my daughters, my son—and it is my prayer for you.

May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

OTHER PODCASTS:

Listen with Apple Podcast

Isaiah 57–59; Psalm 103; 2 Peter 3

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! On this July 29th episode, Hunter walks with you through Day 210 of our journey in the Scriptures. Today's readings include Isaiah 57–59, Psalm 103, and 2 Peter 3, focusing on themes of repentance, God's mercy, and the hopeful promise of new life. We'll reflect on the powerful call to "soul talk"—reminding ourselves daily of God's goodness—and join together in prayerful gratitude. Whether you're a longtime listener or joining for the first time, settle in as we open our hearts and minds to the transforming truth found in God's Word.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

Give your soul a good talk. Every day, our souls need reminding. In Psalm 103, the psalmist says, "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name." Then he runs down a list, as if checking off reminders to his own heart: remember, soul, what He has done for you. Remember, He heals, forgives, redeems, crowns you with love, satisfies you, renews your strength, vindicates the oppressed, and makes His ways known.

When you speak to your soul like this, something happens—your gaze shifts. The focus moves off yourself and onto Him, off your failures or successes, and back to what God has done and who He is. This is what gospel talk is: speaking the good news, the truth of God's mercy, grace, and love, right into the roots of your life.

Every day, we need this soul talk. We need to rehearse the gospel, to remind ourselves, to speak these truths not only to our own hearts but over each other—over our families, our friends, our churches, our coworkers. Turn your discouragement, your fear, your shame into opportunity for gospel talk: list out the ways God has shown you mercy and grace. Write them down. Reread Psalm 103. Make it your habit, letting the good news work its way deep in you.

This is a prayer I have for my own soul. It's the prayer I have for my family, for my wife and my daughters and my son—and it's the prayer I have for you.

May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

OTHER PODCASTS:

Listen with Apple Podcast

Isaiah 53–56; 2 Peter 2

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible for July 28th, day 209 of our journey through the Scriptures. Today, we begin in Isaiah, exploring chapters 53 through 56, passages rich with prophecy, hope, and the promise of restoration. From there, we turn to Second Peter, chapter 2, which offers a sobering look at false prophets and the enduring truth found in God's word. Together, we reflect on God's invitation to come to Him in our thirst and brokenness, discovering His everlasting love and generous grace. Join us for readings, reflections, and heartfelt prayers as we seek to walk in God's joy and remember—above all—that we are loved.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

Are you thirsty? Are you hungry? Then come to God. Don't come in ignorance or with a sense of doom, fearing what you'll hear Him say. Instead, come with your ears wide open, because what you'll hear are God's words of love—a love that will never fail. Isaiah 55:3 says, "Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen, and you will find life." He offers to make an everlasting covenant with you, to give you all the unfailing love He promised to David. See how rich and generous the gifts of God are for the hungry and thirsty, for the broken? It's beyond what we can imagine.

So often we close our ears to God because we fear. We fear His words of judgment and rejection. But Isaiah calls us to open them wide. Verses 7 and 9 remind us—turn to our God, for He will forgive generously. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are His ways higher than our ways, and His thoughts higher than ours. His ways and His thoughts are far beyond ours—so much grander, so much kinder than we could ever dream.

And the generous food that He gives to the hungry—food that opens eyes and minds to His heart and His ways—is His Word. Isaiah 55:11 says, "It is the same with my word. I send it out and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it." All of this becomes an everlasting sign of His power and His love.

So look up, thirsty one, and see what God has done. He has sent the final Word—His Son. Open your ears wide and hear God's answer to your thirst, your hunger, your brokenness. It's Jesus, the living Word. Come with your ears wide open. Listen, and you will find life.

That's the prayer I have for my own heart, for my soul. That's the prayer I have for my family—for my wife, my daughters, and my son. And that's the prayer that I have for you. May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

OTHER PODCASTS:

Listen with Apple Podcast

Isaiah 50–52; Psalm 92; 2 Peter 1

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to the July 27th episode of the Daily Radio Bible. On this 209th day of our journey through the Scriptures, Hunter, your Bible reading coach, invites you to warm yourself by the fires of God's love and discover the living word that points us to Christ. Today, our readings take us through Isaiah 50-52, Psalm 92, and 2 Peter 1, where we encounter declarations of hope, justice, and a call to courageous faith rooted in the unshakeable love of God. As Hunter reflects on Peter's confidence from the Mount of Transfiguration, you'll be encouraged to trust in God's promises, experience His love, and find renewed courage for your journey. Join us as we listen, pray, and remember together: you are loved.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

Need a confidence boost. Peter's experience on the Mount of Transfiguration filled him with confidence. He recalled that experience here in our reading in Second Peter, verse 19, when he says, because of that experience, we have even greater confidence in the message we proclaim by the prophets. Hearing the voice of God built his confidence. What he heard was God's declaration of love for his son. God's voice broke out and said, this is my Son, whom I love. With him, I am well pleased. Listen to him.

Peter is still drawing confidence from this word, this declaration of God's love for his Son. Peter is drawing confidence from this experience because there he was awakened to the love of God. In John 17, Jesus is speaking to the Father and he says, I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me. This was starting to happen for Peter, this realization that God loved him just as he loved Jesus the Son. And this truth would begin to take hold and take root in Peter's life. It was this knowledge and experience of God's love that gave him confidence to move forward.

Have you experienced the love of the Father? Experiencing His love transforms us from the inside out. It gives us confidence. It gives us courage to move forward. If you're feeling unconfident, that's okay. Just listen to the words proclaimed over Jesus: you are God's child and you are loved. That seed will take some time to grow in your life, just as it did with Peter. But allow the Holy Spirit to nurture this reality in your life and grow.

That's the prayer that I have for my own soul. That's the 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.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

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Isaiah 46–49; 1 Peter 5

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible for July 26th. On today's episode, we journey through Isaiah chapters 46 to 49 and 1 Peter 5, exploring God's ongoing faithfulness in the midst of ruins and exile. Together, we'll hear words of hope—that God hasn't forgotten you, that your name is inscribed on His hands, and that even in seasons of destruction, He is at work bringing forth something new. Join Hunter, your Bible Reading Coach, as he guides us in reflection, encouragement, and prayer, reminding us to stand firm in God's grace and to trust in His unfailing love.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

Return to the ruins. Sometimes God calls you back to the ruins, but don't let those ruins fool you. God has not forgotten you. Out of the ruins, he's raising up something new, and you don't want to miss it. Don't miss it by running or despairing at the destruction you see. God is bringing you back to do something new, to reveal his grace to you and to reveal Himself to you.

This was Isaiah's message. They were exiled, but they were not forgotten. Like a note that he can't afford to lose, Isaiah tells us that God has written your name on the palm of his hand. Isaiah 49:16: "See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands, always in my mind." God has not forgotten your name. He has your name in his mind, always in his mind, because he is about to do something new.

Peter tells us, "My purpose in writing is to encourage you and to assure you that what you are experiencing is truly a part of God's grace to you." So stand firm in this grace. God may be returning you to the ruins, but don't despair at the destruction you see. God's about to reveal something new, his grace, himself. So return to whatever ruins God may be calling you to. Don't despair at what you see, but be assured and encouraged that he is with you, and you can stand firm in the grace that he offers you right now, this very moment. So stand firm. He's about to do something. He has not forgotten.

He's exactly where you are. Your name is on his hand. And the prayer of my own heart today is that I will listen and that I will trust a God who meets me at life's lowest, in the darkest, among the ruins, that he does not desert me, that he is not repelled by me. No, he's never abandoned me. He was with me all along. Then I'll begin to see and understand and experience this grace more and more. That's a prayer that I have for my own soul. That's a prayer that I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, and my son. And that's a prayer that I have for you. May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

OTHER PODCASTS:

Listen with Apple Podcast

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible for July 25th. Join your Bible reading coach, Hunter, as we continue our journey through the Scriptures—covering Isaiah chapters 43 through 45 and 1 Peter chapter 4. Today's readings remind us of God's unwavering love, His promises of redemption and restoration, and the pitfalls of idol worship. We'll reflect on how trusting God, the true source of life, leads us away from illusions and into genuine faith. Together, we'll seek transformation through prayer, gratitude, and the encouragement to love and serve one another. Settle in for soul food that nourishes, encourages, and reminds you that you are deeply loved.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

Will we feed on ashes, or feast on the daily bread God gives? Isaiah paints the vivid picture of a person seeking life from the work of their own hands, trusting an idol and, in the end, feeding only on ashes. It is a haunting image—the soul famished and unsatisfied because it tries to draw sustenance from something lifeless, something that cannot save or satisfy. The tragedy is not just the futility, but the blindness that comes with pride and self-reliance—the inability even to ask, "Is this idol I'm holding in my hand a lie?"

But thanks be to God, Jesus has shown us a better way. In his own moment of deep hunger in the wilderness, confronted with the temptation to turn stones into bread, he refused to be sustained by what he could make for himself. Instead, Jesus relied wholly upon the Father, looking to the Source of life itself. He declared, "Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God."

In this, Jesus leads us to worship not what our hands have made, but the living God who is the Maker of all things. There is no other God—none beside him. He is not a god of our own creation, but the God who creates and sustains the universe, the One who brings forth bread from the earth.

This is echoed even in the humblest of Jewish prayers: Blessed are you, O God of the universe, who brings forth bread from the earth. Jesus himself prayed and taught us to pray, "Give us this day our daily bread"—reminding us that we never look to idols or to self-reliance for what we need. Our hope, our sustenance, our life is found only in him.

The prayer of my heart today is simple—that I will turn from the ashes of self-reliance and see with clear eyes the God of the universe who gives true bread, true life. May I, and may we all, be faithful to pray as Jesus taught, seeking our daily bread from the Source of it all—trusting that He knows, He sees, He provides.

That's a prayer that I have for my own soul. That's a prayer that I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, and my son. And that's a prayer that I have for you. May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

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Isaiah 40–42; 1 Peter 3

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible, where we journey together each day through the Scriptures. In today's episode, Hunter guides us through dramatic moments from Isaiah 36 and 37, revealing the challenges faced by King Hezekiah as the Assyrian army threatens Jerusalem. We'll also reflect on the hope and triumph found in Psalm 76, and discover the message of enduring faith and joy in trials from First Peter chapter one. Join Hunter as he encourages us to trust in God's faithfulness through the hard seasons, find joy beyond our trials, and root our lives in the life-giving Word. Settle in for a time of scripture, reflection, and prayer as we renew our hearts in God's presence today.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

There are trials ahead, but there is strength for the trial and joy beyond that. First Peter 1:6 says, so be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. Trials are certain, and sometimes the little while doesn't seem that little. We all go through trials. No one is exempt. We all face hard times, really hard times. We've all gone through a pandemic, for crying out loud. And yet our hope lies in the promise of hope and even joy beyond that.

Unfortunately for many of us, the trials of this life can lead to despair and defeat. The walls of our souls begin to crumble under the weight. Hezekiah was tempted to crumble in fear, to accept defeat. He could see the circumstances and the outcomes of all those other kingdoms. They had crumbled when facing the overwhelming terror of the Assyrian king and his armies. But instead of crumbling, Hezekiah turned to God. He didn't go to Egypt for help. He didn't try to manipulate his way out by surrendering or offering some tribute. He didn't give in to despair. No. Instead he trusted God, and God gave him the victory. But that victory took some time.

Isaiah told him that it would take three years, but to hold on because there would be joy ahead. He let him know that the first year would be hard, very lean. The people would eat only what grows up by itself. The second year it would be a little easier. They would eat what sprang up from the first growth. But in the third year, they would see a breakthrough. In that third year, they would plant crops and harvest them. They would tend vineyards and eat their fruit. And those who escaped the ravages of the siege, who endured the hard times and had gone through the trials, would put roots down in their own soil. They would grow and flourish.

There it is. We're all going to go through hard times, but there's strength available in the trials. And beyond that, there's joy. It may take some time. It may take a season or several seasons, but if we lay out our hearts before God and trust him, we can find the strength we need. If we believe him that these trials are for a season, then we can find joy. Our roots will grow down into the soil of his faithfulness, and we will flourish.

That's a prayer that I have for my own soul. That's a prayer that I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, my sons. And that's a prayer that I have for you. May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

OTHER PODCASTS:

Listen with Apple Podcast

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to the July 23rd, 2025 episode of the Daily Radio Bible. I'm Hunter, your brother and Bible reading coach, coming to you from the beautiful Oregon coast. Today, we continue our journey through the Scriptures, reading from 2 Kings 20, Isaiah 38 and 39, Psalm 75, and 1 Peter 2. Together, we'll open our hearts to receive from the God who is love, reflect on the nature of lasting change in our lives, the importance of craving spiritual nourishment, and lift our voices in prayer for ourselves, our families, and our world. So grab your Bible, settle in, and let's draw near to God's Word as we discover his faithfulness and mercy afresh.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

Change requires work. Change of appetites, change of habits. Changing the things we turn to instead of turning from. It's going to take some work, and that's going to take some time. You might be sick and tired of your way of doing things. Maybe you're just exhausted with yourself.

If so, Peter tells us right here that getting rid of the things you want to change isn't going to be enough. If we just remove it, when the troubles come, when we're stressed out, we're going to go right back to where we've been and do the things we've done before. No, simply stopping what you're doing doesn't bring about the change that you want. It's not just stopping, no. It will also require starting to crave something new. The answer is never just to get rid of the old, to sweep the cupboards of all the junk food.

No. You've got to change your diet and begin craving something altogether different: the pure spiritual milk of God's Word. It requires a total change of diet. We must replace it and not just remove it. We need to assume a childlike heart and crave the pure spiritual milk of the Word. The Word is Christ. To draw from Christ our nourishment, our comfort, our life.

Peter says become like a baby in that regard—totally dependent upon him. Peter says if we do that, we will begin to experience change, real change, from the inside out.

So let's do that. Let's continue to show up here each and every day to train our souls, to partake of God's food, his milk, his bread, to be dependent upon him for our very breath. It's not just about getting rid of things—it's about him, finding our life in him, learning something new altogether as we come to him, the source of our true nourishment and life.

That's the prayer that I have for my own soul. That's the prayer that I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, my son. And that's the prayer that I have for you. May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

OTHER PODCASTS:

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Isaiah 36–37; Psalm 76; 1 Peter 1

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible, where we journey through scripture together, exploring its relevance and hope for our daily lives. On this 22nd day of July, join Hunter, your Bible reading coach, as we read from Isaiah 36 and 37, Psalm 76, and 1 Peter 1. Today's episode takes us through the dramatic threats against Jerusalem, Hezekiah's prayerful response in the face of overwhelming odds, and God's miraculous deliverance. We'll reflect on finding strength amid trials and discover encouragement from Peter's letter, reminding us that even in challenging seasons, joy and the unshakable love of God await all who trust in Him. Settle in as we seek wisdom, comfort, and renewal for our souls together.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

There are trials ahead, but there is strength for the trials, and joy beyond it. reflects on the certainty that we all face hard times—none are exempt, as life brings us troubles, losses, even seasons when God's presence feels distant or absent. In these moments, the natural response is to despair, to feel the weight of circumstances pressing in. The soul, like the walls around Jerusalem, can feel as though it's crumbling.

But the stories in today's readings remind us: when trials come, we are not left without hope. Hezekiah, faced with threats and overwhelming odds, did not turn to alliances or manipulations, or give in to fear. Instead, he turned to God—laying before him the great burdens, the threats, and the uncertainties. He waited, and trusted, even as the temptation to abandon hope was real and strong.

The word through Isaiah came: the victory would come, but it would take time. It would be a process. The first year would be lean, on the edge of survival; the second, a bit easier, and then, in the third year, flourishing would come—roots would go down deep, and those who endured would see the fruitfulness and restoration of God. This is a pattern for us as well—trials are for a season, even when that season feels long. If we trust God in the waiting, letting Him carry our burdens, turning our hearts to Him instead of away, we find the strength we need for today—and the joy that is promised for tomorrow.

points out that it's easy for despair to have the loudest voice in the face of hardship. Yet the invitation from God is to let our roots grow down in the soil of His faithfulness—a reminder that even in seasons of suffering or confusion, God's love and presence are not removed from us. Like David addressed his own soul in the Psalms—Why so downcast, O my soul? Have faith in God—we are invited to speak truth to our own hearts, to keep showing up, opening ourselves again to God's promises.

Living in this way forms and shapes us. It makes us resilient, able to flourish in whatever season comes, anchored in God's steadfast love and faithfulness. This is the prayer for today: that our souls would receive strength for today's trial, and have hope for the joy to come. That even in our emptiness, surrender, and weakness, we are being filled, strengthened, and united with Christ, where our true joy is found.

That's a prayer has for his soul, for his family, and for you. May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

OTHER PODCASTS:

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2 Kings 18–19; 2 Chronicles 3; James 5

One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible for July 22nd, day 202 in our year-long journey through the Scriptures. In today's episode, Hunter guides us through some powerful passages: we'll hear the story of King Hezekiah's faith and courage in Second Kings, the intricate details of Solomon building the temple in Second Chronicles, and words of encouragement from James chapter five. As we reflect on what truly sets God's people apart, we'll see how trust in God makes all the difference, empowering us to face challenges with hope and confidence. Join us for a time of Scripture, prayer, and encouragement, as we are reminded to place our trust in the one who is the ultimate difference maker.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

The ominous question Hezekiah hears from King Sennacherib was, why should you be any different? In other words, why should you expect any other outcome than the one everyone else gets? Sennacherib had a track record, and if you're looking for a track record to prove your own impending doom, you'll have no trouble finding it. Your own Sennacherib will surely show up to tell you that you're no different either.

But King Sennacherib had a problem because King Hezekiah was different. In 2 Kings 18:5, we see that Hezekiah trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after his time. The difference was that God had anointed him. God's presence was with him. Instead of rolling over and defeated, as some might, Hezekiah rolled with his anointing and into the presence of the Lord.

Second Kings 19:14 says, after Hezekiah received the letter from the messenger and read it, he went up to the Lord's temple and spread it out before the Lord, and Hezekiah prayed. He asked his God, the only God, the God of Israel, to listen, to bend down, to deliver. He asked God to show Sennacherib and Israel that God's people are not like everyone else, and that he is a God like no other. In verse 19, it says, "Now, O Lord our God, rescue us from his power. Then all the kingdoms of the earth will know that you alone are God."

God did that very thing. He proved to Hezekiah and King Sennacherib and all the kings of the earth that he alone is God. He answered the question that was crashing in on Hezekiah's heart. The question was, what makes you think you are any different?

The difference was God. Our God is the difference maker, and he's come to make a difference in your life. He's come to live and abide in us as we live in him. It makes all the difference in the world. We are able to face those accusations of our own personal Sennacherib and all those that come to terrify us. We can roll with our anointing and into the presence of God, drawing close to the one who is the difference maker, the one who gives us victory. So draw near to the one who makes the difference.

Find your strength in him. When you hear the words, "what makes you any different?" respond like Hezekiah and roll into the presence of the Lord. Place those accusations at his feet. Ask him to show you what the difference is once again so that you might stand up, stand strong and see the victory that he alone can bring.

That's the prayer that I have for my own soul. That's the prayer that I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, my son. And that's the prayer that I have for you. May it be so.

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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One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to the July 20th episode of the Daily Radio Bible. Today, Heather invites us to join in community with people around the world as we journey through the Scriptures, seeking to encounter Jesus, the true source of life. Our readings cover 2 Chronicles 29–31, where King Hezekiah leads a powerful restoration of worship, cleanses the temple, and calls the people back to God with humility and renewed devotion. We conclude with James 4, reflecting on humility, overcoming inner conflicts, and drawing near to God. As we listen, Heather encourages us to clear out the "junk" from our own hearts and to come before God with honesty and humility, trusting in His grace and guidance for this new day.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

He humbled himself before the Lord. In Hezekiah, we see a king unlike so many before him—one who earnestly seeks God, choosing humility and obedience over pride and neglect. When Hezekiah takes the throne, his first act isn't to pursue power or personal gain, but to reopen the temple and call people back to worship. He sees that the altar, meant for the presence of God, has become cluttered—full of junk, forgotten things, and memories of unfaithfulness. It took sixteen days for the Levites to clear it out, to purify the space, to make it ready once again for true worship.

And so it is for us. Humility before God isn't something that just happens; it requires intention, effort, and honesty about the things in our lives that have piled up over time. Disappointments, resentments, fears—these are the things that gather in the corners of our hearts and keep us from an open and honest relationship with God. We might be tempted to ignore them, to let the clutter gather, but God gently calls us to begin the work of clearing it out.

James tells us, "Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor." We don't have to be stuck in the patterns of the past. God invites us each day to come close, to bring him the mess, to let him help us clear away what divides us from him. This isn't just about feeling better; it's about being renewed, restored, and able to receive the encouragement, peace, and presence of Christ. The same God who restored the temple through Hezekiah is able to restore us as we humble ourselves and seek him.

Let this day—this moment in Scripture—be a turning point, an act of humility where we invite God to do a new work in us. May we choose to bow our hearts, clear out the junk, and receive God's mercy and grace. As we come boldly before his throne, let us trust that he will help us, heal us, and use us for his purposes.

That is my prayer for myself, for my family, and for you. May it be so.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

OTHER PODCASTS:

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One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! On this July 19th episode, Hunter leads us through another step in our year-long journey through scripture. Today, we'll read from 2 Kings 17, 2 Chronicles 28, Psalm 46, and James 3, exploring stories of Israel's exile, Judah's struggles under King Ahaz, the hope and refuge found in God, and the wisdom and peace offered through Christ. Hunter reflects on how God's love transforms our hearts, the challenges of taming our words, and the invitation to live as peacemakers, filled with the Spirit. Stay with us for scripture, reflection, and prayer as we seek to be shaped by the living Word of God.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

When he tames our heart with his love, our lives are changed. It's as if we've been reborn. We begin to live a different kind of life.

James is contrasting two different kinds of life here. There is the Spirit-filled life, evidenced by a heart that's being tamed by his love. And there is the heart of the flesh. James points to something as simple and mundane as the tongue and our words. And he shows us that this little tongue of ours simply cannot be tamed. It can't be controlled. It often controls us. It creates circumstances in our lives that are simply beyond or out of our control.

It's a flame of fire, he says, and that fire finds its source in hell itself. He tells us that if we could control the tongue, we'd be perfect. But alas, we can't even control this tiny little tongue of ours. And we are not perfect. We can't even affect the change we want in something as simple as the use of our words. It's as futile as trying to draw fresh water from a salty spring, James says. But in Christ, our heart is tamed by his love, and we begin to participate with that love. And we begin to learn to draw from the refreshing springs of Christ, his presence with us and in us daily.

We experience something completely different in Christ. We can learn to have wisdom that is pure and peace loving. We can learn to be gentle. We can learn to yield to others, to show mercy, to be sincere, to not show favoritism. We can learn to be peacemakers. A life tamed by his love in the end will yield a harvest of righteous living. James is describing in such beautiful detail here what the Spirit-filled life looks like. And that life is possible if we want it.

It's not possible on our own effort, but it is possible when we are captivated, tamed by the love of God. So let us look into the face of Christ and see the One who is love itself. Let us behold the manner of love that has been poured out on us. Unqualified, unconditional, fully received, fully embraced. Let us live in this love of his and let us participate with the Spirit's work by offering that love to others, even today.

That's the prayer that I have for my own soul. 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.

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.

OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com

We are reading through the New Living Translation.

Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible

Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured

OTHER PODCASTS:

Listen with Apple Podcast