April 3rd, 25: Micah and the Levite: A Story of Idolatry and the Search for Freedom
Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Judges 17-18; Psalm 89; 2 Cor 3 Click HERE to give! Get Free App Here! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on 'The Daily Radio Bible' for a daily 20-minute spiritual journey. Engage with scripture readings, heartfelt devotionals, and collective prayers that draw you into the heart of God's love. Embark on this year-long voyage through the Bible, and let each day's passage uplift and inspire you. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible podcast! In today's episode, Hunter, your Bible reading coach, guides us through Day 93 of our journey through the Bible with insights and reflections that inspire and uplift. We'll delve into the book of Judges, starting with chapters 17 and 18, where we encounter the story of Micah and his self-made religious icons during a time when "everyone did what was right in their own eyes." Hunter ties this narrative to our lives today, highlighting how we often try to write our own life letters, forgetting the freedom and identity found in the new letter God has imprinted on our hearts. Next, we'll be lifting our spirits with the enduring message of Psalm 89, a psalm that praises the Lord's unfailing love and the covenant with David. Finally, we shift to Second Corinthians chapter 3, where Paul enlightens us on the transformative power of living by the Spirit and the new covenant, which gives life and freedom. Throughout this episode, Hunter emphasizes the power of gratitude, the importance of being grateful, and the profound truth that we are loved, free, and belong to God. Join us as we pray, reflect, and find encouragement together in today's reading. Don't forget to check in with yourself and foster an attitude of gratitude as we go forward in God's joy. Let's embark on this day with open hearts, ready to embrace the blessings that surround us. TODAY'S DEVOTION: God has written a new letter on our hearts. Imagine, for a moment, that your life could be summed up in the form of a letter. What would it say? In 2 Corinthians 3, Paul speaks to this idea, suggesting that our lives are a letter written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God. And it's this new letter that transforms everything about us. The old letter, the law, though glorious in its time, was temporary. It was etched in stone and was meant to guide but not to last forever. Contrast that with the new letter written on our hearts—it is life-giving, everlasting, and penned by the very Spirit of God. This scripture gives us a profound sense of freedom. It declares to us that we are loved, we are free, and we are His. Too often, like Micah from the book of Judges, we try to craft our own letters—our own narratives—building idols out of our ambitions and desires, doing what seems right in our eyes. Yet, these pursuits only lead to blindness, exhaustion, and dissatisfaction. They never satisfy and certainly never set us free. But God's new letter does the opposite. Permanently inscribed on our hearts, it helps us stand before God with confidence. Because through this letter, we know our true identity. We are no longer defined by what we can accomplish or create ourselves, but by the love and freedom granted to us by God. This knowledge gives us the confidence and peace our hearts yearn for. Live today knowing that God has set you free through His Spirit. Embrace the truth of the letter He has written on your heart. You are loved, you are free, and you are His. Let this truth be the anthem of your life—an anthem that leads you to live boldly in the confidence and identity God has lovingly penned for you. 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. 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