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Tara Lee Cobble

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When do you know it’s time to stop drinking? (re-broadcast)

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Hey, Bible readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble, and I'm your host for The Bible Recap. Hello, I'm Pastor Jack Graham with today's episode of the Bible in a Year podcast.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 3: Why Reading the Whole Bible is Important (Interview with Lee McDerment)

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Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. Today we're going to be talking to Lee McDermott, pastor of New Spring Church in Greenville, South Carolina. If you listened to Prep Episode 2, you heard the story of how Lee challenged me to read the Bible all the way through and how it changed my life.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 6: Reading the Bible in Community

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Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. Have you ever watched the first round of the show American Idol? There are always a handful of contestants who are trying their best, but it's clear that they are on the wrong career path. If only they had someone in their life who'd be honest with them.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 1: Let's Read the Bible in a Year (Chronological Plan)

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Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. If you've ever closed your Bible and thought, what did I just read? The Bible recap is for you. And the good news is you're not alone. Lots of people struggle in their relationship with scripture. Most people who struggle try to stick to the Psalms and Proverbs because at least those make sense to them.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 2: How I Learned to Love (Reading) the Bible

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Hey, Bible readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble, and I'm your host for The Bible Recap. Today, I want to tell you how I got to this place, hosting this podcast and loving reading the Bible, because that wasn't always my story. And I figured if you and I are going to spend every morning having a conversation, it might be nice to hear a little bit about each other.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 6: Reading the Bible in Community

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Especially if you're new to reading scripture, it's tempting to draw quick conclusions, like we talked about in episode 5. One of the best ways to help yourself avoid this pitfall is to make sure you read or study the Bible alongside others. In some ways, this podcast can help with that, but it has its limitations. It's a one-way street.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 3: Why Reading the Whole Bible is Important (Interview with Lee McDerment)

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That's so good. I know you've touched on this a little bit in some of your answers previously, but can you just summarize why you think it's important to read through the whole Bible?

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 1: Let's Read the Bible in a Year (Chronological Plan)

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But at least you're curious and proactive enough to try to take a step toward getting some information. Otherwise, you wouldn't be here. And I'm glad you're here. You're not alone either. This is a place where you can ask your questions without fear of being shamed. Regardless of where you're coming from, the Bible Recap is here to help. So let me tell you who we are and how we'll help.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 6: Reading the Bible in Community

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You can hear from me, but you can't talk to me about where you're struggling or the things you're learning about God and His character. I'm going to try to preemptively answer any questions you have, but I'm going to miss some of them.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 2: How I Learned to Love (Reading) the Bible

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How had I been doing ministry without reading scripture first? If I hadn't read the Bible, I might be taking something out of context when I quote it. Or I might be saying something that actually contradicts the overarching story of scripture. Yikes. Lee's words put a holy fear in me. So I started the next day. I set out to read it for the first time all the way through.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 1: Let's Read the Bible in a Year (Chronological Plan)

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I'm using the royal we because it's mostly just me, Tara Lee Cobble. You can call me Tara Lee or even TLC since those are my initials. And I'll be here walking you through this every day. Here's how it works. Imagine yourself sitting down each morning with a friend who's read through the Bible several times. Also, imagine this friend is invisible and lives in your phone. That's me.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 6: Reading the Bible in Community

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And while I'd love to actually sit down with you and hear your thoughts on all of this, even a one-time coffee date won't do the trick because we're going to be doing this daily and hopefully for the rest of our lives. So here are a few things I'd suggest to help you with this. First, find another actual human to do this reading plan with you.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 3: Why Reading the Whole Bible is Important (Interview with Lee McDerment)

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And that's good. So talk to the person who doesn't yet have a relationship with God. Like what words do you have for those people who are listening or maybe trying to do this and trying to figure out is scripture true? Is God real? What words of encouragement do you have for them or words of challenge either way?

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 3: Why Reading the Whole Bible is Important (Interview with Lee McDerment)

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That's so good, man. That's, you know, I feel like that's good advice, not only for people who are questioning whether God is real or not, but even people who are professed believers, because like I said, my first trip through scripture was where the tension really mounted for me.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 2: How I Learned to Love (Reading) the Bible

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And I'll be honest, it was hard. But almost anything worth doing has some level of difficulty that you can't undercut. As I pressed on, the challenge was actually less about reading it or understanding it and more about accepting what I was reading and understanding. I didn't expect that part. I was seeing things about God that I'd never seen before. He was doing things that confused me.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 3: Why Reading the Whole Bible is Important (Interview with Lee McDerment)

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And if I hadn't pushed through that obstacle of really being frustrated when I was reading the first time to get through the second time reading through, to just keep going, to keep in it. And so I, you know, I talk to people all the time who are trying to pursue a relationship with the Lord, read your scripture, dig into church.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 3: Why Reading the Whole Bible is Important (Interview with Lee McDerment)

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And when they hit a wall, I tell them the good stuff is on the other side of this struggle. Like you've got to persevere through this struggle because that's where the good stuff is. Don't stop now.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 6: Reading the Bible in Community

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Surely you know someone else who's been a long-term passenger on the Bible reading struggle bus. Ask that friend to join in this with you. Maybe you can both read the plan and listen to the Bible recap daily, then get together once a week to talk about it. You can share your questions and discoveries and even the things you think I'm wrong about.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 1: Let's Read the Bible in a Year (Chronological Plan)

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You'll spend about 12 minutes each day reading that day's Bible verses. Then you'll open up your podcast app and we'll have an eight-minute conversation about what we both just read. I'll point out the things that I've learned about that particular passage on that particular day, but also through years of reading it. It's that simple. That's what we'll do together.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 3: Why Reading the Whole Bible is Important (Interview with Lee McDerment)

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Well, we're glad to have you. So why don't you tell us, when did you first read the Bible and what prompted you to read through it for the first time?

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 3: Why Reading the Whole Bible is Important (Interview with Lee McDerment)

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Well, Lee, we are so grateful for your time and your insight here today. I have zero doubt that the things that you've said have struck a chord in the hearts of every listener at some point, and probably is going to be used to change the trajectory of a lot of people's lives out there. Thank you for your time.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 3: Why Reading the Whole Bible is Important (Interview with Lee McDerment)

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I'm asking God to give weight to your words as they land on people's hearts and to bring those words to mind again when they encounter those struggles or when they feel disconnected and want to quit. So I'm praying that your words bear fruit. I'm praying that our listeners are encouraged the way that I was when you first challenged me in this way.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 3: Why Reading the Whole Bible is Important (Interview with Lee McDerment)

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And I look forward to seeing all of the fruit that comes from this conversation in the future.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 3: Why Reading the Whole Bible is Important (Interview with Lee McDerment)

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Amen. Wasn't that awesome? I love how much our experiences were so different, yet we both ended up at the same place of loving scripture. If you feel discouraged about Bible reading and you feel like you can't relate to his story or mine, take heart, because I believe you're going to land in this place too. I believe you are going to love the Bible too.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 6: Reading the Bible in Community

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Maybe you're a Christ follower and the person you want to do this plan with is someone who wouldn't consider themselves a Christian. That works too. There are lots of people who aren't Christians who listen to this podcast regularly. This could be a great way for them to lean in and learn about the God you love and why you find him so lovable.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 3: Why Reading the Whole Bible is Important (Interview with Lee McDerment)

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By the way, if you want a good tool for your time in the Word, download Lee's album, The Hour, which is great background music for prayer and Bible reading time. It has honestly become a staple in my life. I'm not kidding. I use it all the time. We'll link to it in the show notes. There's one other thing in the show notes that I want to point out to you, our Patreon family.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 2: How I Learned to Love (Reading) the Bible

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And I'm not just talking about Old Testament God. I'm talking about New Testament Jesus. In fact, most of my struggles happened when I got to the New Testament. That part was much more challenging for me. During that first year, I really had a hard time. I didn't like what I was seeing. There were a few passages that were especially challenging to me.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 1: Let's Read the Bible in a Year (Chronological Plan)

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If I've done the math right, this trip you and I take through the Bible together will be my 10th time doing this particular reading plan. And in our next prep episode, I'll tell you more about how I learned to love reading the Bible, because I didn't always. It took me a long time.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 3: Why Reading the Whole Bible is Important (Interview with Lee McDerment)

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We live in a world where most content is paid for by ads. Patreon works to find a way around that. It's a website and an app where content creators like us who want to offer free ad content can still keep the lights on. but it doesn't just support us, it's mutually beneficial. It offers commitment levels where listeners like you can get more content based on your level of monthly support.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 3: Why Reading the Whole Bible is Important (Interview with Lee McDerment)

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So in the end, it's a blessing to the content creators by helping them cover their cost, and it's hopefully a blessing to the supporters who especially value that content. We want to provide you with such great content for free that in turn, you might consider supporting us financially so you can get more of the content you love.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 3: Why Reading the Whole Bible is Important (Interview with Lee McDerment)

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We have things like a Facebook discussion group where you can discuss your highlights and questions, free bonus content each month, and even a Q&R hangout. It's easy to set up an account and you can unsubscribe or change your support level at any time. And if you haven't subscribed to the Bible Recap yet, do that now. It's just one click.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 3: Why Reading the Whole Bible is Important (Interview with Lee McDerment)

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Get ready to read through God's Word and love it because I promise you, He's where the joy is. I'm a big fan of the Dwell audio Bible app, not just because I'm an auditory learner, but because for thousands of years, people have engaged with scripture by hearing it. And listening is still one of the best ways to connect with God's word.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 3: Why Reading the Whole Bible is Important (Interview with Lee McDerment)

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We've partnered with Dwell to bring my daily recaps right into their app. Not only can you listen to each day's reading, but you can also hear my recaps right inside the app. If you're reading along with TBR in 2025, check out the Dwell audio Bible app. Look for it in the App Store or Google Play and get a free seven-day trial. Or click the link in the show notes.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 6: Reading the Bible in Community

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If you have a friend you want to do this plan with, screenshot this podcast, share it on social media, tag that friend or friends, plural, because it can be more than one person, and tag us in your post too. We're on Instagram and Twitter at TheBibleRecap. We also have a Facebook page called The Bible Recap Podcast that you can like and tag.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 1: Let's Read the Bible in a Year (Chronological Plan)

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So be sure you subscribe to this podcast today, because I have a feeling a lot of you are going to be able to relate to my story. Since this isn't my first Genesis to Revelation rodeo, I'll be able to speak from the vantage point of the whole meta-narrative so you can begin to see how it all fits together and understand why things happen the way they do.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 2: How I Learned to Love (Reading) the Bible

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And I took them to a mentor of mine as well as to Lee, and talking to them about it really helped me. That's one of the things I hope to offer as a part of the Bible Recap, to be the kind of guide to you that they were to me during my first few years of Bible reading. One of my mentors I took the questions to said, hey, this thing that bothers you, keep looking for that.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 6: Reading the Bible in Community

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And if you don't know anyone who would want to do this plan with you, I suggest joining our Patreon family. It's just $3 a month for the basic plan, which gets you into our Facebook discussion group. We have great conversations there and would love for you to be a part of them. We've linked all our social media and our Patreon in the show notes, or you can find it at thebiblerecap.com.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 1: Let's Read the Bible in a Year (Chronological Plan)

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Not that there won't be mystery involved, God can be super mysterious when he wants to, but overall, I think this tool will be really helpful to you in not just reading scripture, but loving reading it because you'll finally understand it. In case you can't tell, I'm not exactly an academic.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 2: How I Learned to Love (Reading) the Bible

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You might see it somewhere other than just in these one or two chapters. So the next year I decided, okay, I'm going to read it again and I'm going to look for who God is because that was the primary thing that was bothering me. So I asked God to give me a lens for that. I said, God, this is the book you've given us to reveal yourself to us. So help me see who you are in what I read today.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 1: Let's Read the Bible in a Year (Chronological Plan)

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I did not go to seminary, and I'll only occasionally mention what the original Hebrew might mean, and even then, chances are I'm going to mispronounce it. Overall, my approach in these recaps will be less like a scholarly Bible commentary and more like an overview and highlight reel rolled into one.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 6: Reading the Bible in Community

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Second, find or start a dGroup near you. dGroup is a ministry I started in 2009 with a handful of women in a living room. It has grown to more than 200 groups around the world. Women's dGroups, men's dGroups, military dGroups, Spanish-speaking dGroups. We even partnered with churches to be one of their options for home groups.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 2: How I Learned to Love (Reading) the Bible

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On that second trip through his word, when I was looking for him, I found him, and I fell in love with him. I began to see not just what he was doing, but why he was doing it, what his heart was behind it. And he answered that prayer to teach me about himself in a way that I felt like I was learning a whole different God than I'd heard about in church.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 1: Let's Read the Bible in a Year (Chronological Plan)

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What that means is, I'm less inclined to use big theological terms and more inclined to point to the character of God as it's revealed in that day's reading. I want to help you learn how to find and see and know God and his character more than anything else. I don't care if you never know what year the temple was built and destroyed and rebuilt and redestroyed.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 6: Reading the Bible in Community

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We've touched every populated continent, though I'm not sure exactly how many we're on right now. But we'd love to be in your home. Creepy, right? I know. And I should tell you, dGroup stands for discipleship group. We aren't focused exclusively on reading through the Bible in a year with the Bible recap, though lots of our members are doing this plan.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 2: How I Learned to Love (Reading) the Bible

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I realized that I'd only been seeing fractions of him, not the whole thing, and he was so much more beautiful when I saw the whole picture. That's one of the reasons why I love this chronological Bible reading plan we're doing together. And that's one of the reasons I want to encourage you to press through when it gets hard.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 1: Let's Read the Bible in a Year (Chronological Plan)

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Those are great details to be aware of, but they will never serve you like the personal knowledge of God. They will never bring you joy or sustain you in trials. They will never draw you in to spend more time with God out of sheer joy and delight. So each day, I'll be summarizing the overarching storyline so we can keep pace with the metanarrative,

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 3: Why Reading the Whole Bible is Important (Interview with Lee McDerment)

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At the time, I'd been in full-time ministry for a few years as a musician and a writer and a speaker, and Lee had mentioned that I should say very little on stage until I'd read the whole Bible. I was deeply convicted by the challenge to fill my head and my heart with all of God's words before attempting to say much about it on stage.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 6: Reading the Bible in Community

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We have lots of other spiritual disciplines that we put into practice when our communities meet each week. Bible study, scripture memory, accountability, prayer, service. If you want to hear more about this, I'll link to a podcast in the show notes where I talk more about dGroup. We'll also include a short trailer video to give you a basic idea of what we're about.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 6: Reading the Bible in Community

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Unfortunately, they have to make some big mistakes and in front of loads of people, no less, and only then will they hear the truth for the first time. I've made mistakes like this too. Just last month, a friend sought me out for some advice, and I made a few suggestions which she thought were great.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 2: How I Learned to Love (Reading) the Bible

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Because as someone who has felt alienated by it and stuck in it, as someone who has felt frustrated and confused and who really wanted to disengage because I was starting to not like God, hang in there because the good stuff is on the other side of that struggle. I promise.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 1: Let's Read the Bible in a Year (Chronological Plan)

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At the end of each episode, I'll point out something we saw about who God is. We call that section the God shot, which is basically our way of saying this is the picture of God and his character that we saw in today's reading. Yours will probably be different than ours because there is so much to see about God in each passage. By the way, this is not our application point or our to-do list.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 6: Reading the Bible in Community

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There will also be a link to our worldwide map so you can find or start a dGroup near you. Thank you so much for watching. At the risk of losing a few of you, or even perhaps a lot of you, I feel like this third point is the most important. Find a church. If you're not a member of a local church, let me encourage you to do the work to find a place and plug in there.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 2: How I Learned to Love (Reading) the Bible

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I grew up in a Christian home, and my first memory is my mom teaching me John 3.16, around the time I was three years old. Not long after that, my brother Jason asked me if I wanted to be a Christian, and he prayed with me to follow Christ with my life. I was probably only about four years old, so I had very little idea of what that amounted to.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 1: Let's Read the Bible in a Year (Chronological Plan)

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Or maybe they flip around in their Bible and try to find something relatable, but then they hit something confusing or off-putting and they can't seem to make sense of how it all fits together. Maybe they decide to start a Bible reading plan, usually at the beginning of a year when they're working on New Year's resolutions.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 2: How I Learned to Love (Reading) the Bible

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If you've been trying to piece this thing together, if you've wanted this or even just wanted to want it, if you feel the desire on some level but don't know if you have the tools, I'm here to help you with that, to walk through this with you, to hand you those tools along the way, to help you overcome this so that you can begin to recognize yourself as a child of God who knows Him and who is in an active, intimate relationship with Him.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 1: Let's Read the Bible in a Year (Chronological Plan)

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This is our to-behold list. We're looking for God in the God shot. Now, just a bit about the plan we'll be doing together. We'll be reading a one-year chronological plan. You can either print out your own paper copy from the start page of our website for free, or you can use a free app to help keep you on track.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 2: How I Learned to Love (Reading) the Bible

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The first step is to do what I did and ask Him for help. Or maybe you're here because you don't have a relationship with God and you're trying to figure out who He is. If that's you, you can ask Him for help too, even if you don't believe in Him yet. It's okay to ask with uncertainty. It's okay for it to feel a little weird and awkward.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 1: Let's Read the Bible in a Year (Chronological Plan)

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The app we use is called the Bible app by Life.Church, but it's also known as the YouVersion app. Since there are lots of different chronological plans on this app, be sure you search for the plan called The Bible Recap with Tara Lee Cobble. We've linked you to it in the show notes of this episode and on the start page of our website.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 6: Reading the Bible in Community

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But just a heads up, you won't find a perfect one. More and more lately, I've been meeting people who love God but who have been so wounded by the church that they've stepped away but still long for God and His Word. Don't give up on the church. God hasn't. And he hasn't given up on you either. He's walking with you in your pain and your questions.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 2: How I Learned to Love (Reading) the Bible

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No one will even know the prayer you pray in your head, asking Him to help you know if He's real. In our next episode, Prep Episode 3, I'm going to interview that pastor who challenged me to read through the Bible for the first time. I'm excited to hear his side of that story because honestly, I don't know what prompted him to ask me that question that day.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 1: Let's Read the Bible in a Year (Chronological Plan)

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By the way, if you're new to podcasting and don't know how to find show notes, do a web search of your particular podcast platform and the phrase how to find show notes. This is a lot of information. I would never expect you to remember it all, plus you're probably driving.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 6: Reading the Bible in Community

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When you've been truly hurt, he's angry at the wounds that have been cast your way, even if they've been done by others who love him or maybe just claim to. If that's you, I'd encourage you to look for a church with a gentle pastor, someone patient and kind. That kind of church home has been a balm to the soul of so many of my wounded friends.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 2: How I Learned to Love (Reading) the Bible

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He may not even remember the conversation or be aware of how much it changed my life. But stick around to find out. That episode is called Why Reading the Whole Bible is Important, and it features my good friend, Lee McDermott, who pastors New Spring Church in Greenville, South Carolina. If you haven't subscribed to the Bible Recap yet, do that now. It's just one click away.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 1: Let's Read the Bible in a Year (Chronological Plan)

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So the next time you're parked, just check out the show notes where you can download the Bible app as well as get the direct link to the plan we're using so you don't even have to search for it. And it's all free. You don't even have to buy a chronological Bible. In fact, we encourage you not to because it's probably laid out differently than the order of our plan.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 6: Reading the Bible in Community

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For those of you who prefer to watch a service from the comfort of your bed, I get it. That can be a necessary transition at times. But in the long term, it's not going to serve you well. And you can't really serve it well either. Your laptop can't visit you in the hospital. Your laptop can't mourn when you suffer loss. And you can't learn to die to self by serving your laptop.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 1: Let's Read the Bible in a Year (Chronological Plan)

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I love this plan we're doing, the chronological plan, because unlike the front-to-back plan or the plans that have you read a little of the Old Testament and a little of the New Testament each day, the chronological plan takes you through the story of Scripture as it happened. Our Bibles aren't laid out in that order, so this plan will occasionally have you flipping back and forth a bit.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 2: How I Learned to Love (Reading) the Bible

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Get ready to read through God's Word with me because I promise you, He's where the joy is. We've partnered with the Dwell Audio Bible app to bring my daily recaps right into their app. Not only can you listen to each day's reading, but you can also hear my recaps right inside the app. Look for it in the App Store or Google Play and get a free seven-day trial. Or click the link in the show notes.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 6: Reading the Bible in Community

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In the end, Laptop Church will probably just make you a little more self-focused. And I think we probably all need a little less of that. I know I do anyway. I need real people who love Jesus and who love me. Real community, not a screen for an hour on Sunday morning. Listen, you can do this plan alone. You totally can, and many will, and many will succeed at it.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 3: Why Reading the Whole Bible is Important (Interview with Lee McDerment)

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Well, I don't know who that camp pastor was, but I want to thank him because what he said to you obviously impacted you in huge ways, but in ways that trickle down to everybody you encountered in your own life, because those words that he said to you are so similar to words that you said to me when I was a traveling musician that made me want to read the Bible for the first time. Yeah.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 1: Let's Read the Bible in a Year (Chronological Plan)

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But again, you don't need to buy a chronological Bible to do this. The Bible app will tell you what we'll read each day. Or if you prefer, you can use the printable plan from our website, thebiblerecap.com.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 1: Let's Read the Bible in a Year (Chronological Plan)

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Then you can read each day's chapters on the app, or you can have the app read it to you, which will take about 12 minutes on average, or you can open your regular print Bible and read it there. That's what I do. In the Bible I'm using, most days' readings are about three pages long. By the way, you can read any version of Scripture you'd like.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 6: Reading the Bible in Community

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But it's going to be so much easier to stick to if you have at least one other human person alongside you in this. This will help you understand the scriptures and even God himself more if you do it alongside a community of believers, and especially as someone who is an active member and regular attender of a local church.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 3: Why Reading the Whole Bible is Important (Interview with Lee McDerment)

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Because you said something very similar to me. And I remember, I think it was like August one year when I was on tour in South Carolina and we were at the church and you had just given me a tour of the new church offices and things like that. And you said something very similar to me as what he said to you. And the next day was when I started reading through the Bible the first time. Wow.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 1: Let's Read the Bible in a Year (Chronological Plan)

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I happen to use the ESV, the English Standard Version, so that's the version I'll be referencing each day. I also want to say a bit about Bible translations because I know that can be confusing. There are a lot of different Bible translations, and it seems like everybody has a favorite. Some people prefer readability. Other people prefer precision. I think the ESV has a great mix of both.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 6: Reading the Bible in Community

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Then I said, before you act on my advice, would you mind if I ask someone else I know who's a professional and has actually dealt with this a few times before? She agreed, so I called the professional, I shared my friend's situation and my brilliant proposed solution. Without pause, the professional replied by saying something along the lines of, that is terrible advice, never do that.

The Bible Recap

Prep Episode 1: Let's Read the Bible in a Year (Chronological Plan)

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They launch out with ambition and zeal on January 1, but they begin to lose interest in a few weeks, and by mid-February, they've fallen off the wagon altogether. This was me too. It was like, okay, I've read through Genesis eight times, but nothing beyond that. Can you relate? Are you on track to being a Genesis scholar right along with me?

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If you don't even know where to start on your church search, we've linked to some helpful tools in today's show notes. Hopefully those will get the ball rolling for you. Maybe that's more than you signed up for. Maybe you want to get there, but you're not there yet. God is with you in that space.

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I still count that conversation as one of the most important ones of my life. If it weren't for him, I never would have launched DGroup, the discipleship and Bible study ministry I lead, which has now touched every populated continent and is even in Spanish. And I definitely wouldn't have started the Bible Recap because I never would have fallen in love with God and His Word.

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And that changed everything for me and increased my appetite as well. And so just the trickle down effect of that can't minister his words to you. And then all the people that are hearing this today and all the people they're going to impact throughout their life, that man has probably no idea how far reaching his words have been.

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Prep Episode 6: Reading the Bible in Community

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Or maybe you're here because you don't even know if you believe in God, and here I am asking you to join a church. Just like everything else I share, take the tools that are helpful to you. I'm not your spiritual authority. I'm just a woman who loves the Bible and has benefited richly from reading it alongside others. So I can't help but want the same for you. Can you blame me?

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Now, it's not necessarily the most readable translation, but I've chosen it over other translations that are slightly easier to read because it's a word-for-word translation. I bought it when I first started reading through scripture because I figured if I'm going to invest a year of my time reading the Bible, I want to get as close as possible to the original ideas God wanted to communicate.

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but I think most of us rarely understand what's happening when we first respond to Jesus. But I was in an environment that gave me every opportunity to learn. Church three times a week, Christian school, and even my summers and weekends were spent working in the Christian bookstore my family owns.

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And even if you can't start out reading in community, go ahead and start anyway by yourself because your enthusiasm will be contagious and someone will be drawn in by what you're experiencing. Also, ask God to bring you some real opportunities for biblical community. Ask him to lead the way and make the path smooth.

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The options that are sometimes slightly easier to process, like the New Living Translation or the New International Version, are often phrase-for-phrase translations, not word-for-word like the ESV. And some versions, like the message, for instance, are best read as commentaries because they're more of a retelling than a translation.

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So what struggles did you have? Because I had my own struggles the first time I read through. Were there any things that were difficult for you or challenging for you or made you want to quit or things like that? Because I know our listeners are probably going to encounter some measure of struggle their first time through, or even if this isn't their first time through.

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In the meantime, take advantage of our digital community where you can meet others who are like-minded and maybe even meet someone who lives in your area. Congratulations on finishing all our prep episodes. I am so excited to start this journey with you. If you haven't subscribed to the Bible Recap podcast and the Bible Recap reading plan on the Bible app, please do that now.

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Feel free to use whatever version you'd like or even change it up. One of the great things about the Bible app is that you can test out all kinds of versions for free. Then, once you find the one you want to use, I recommend getting a print Bible in that translation. I know this is a digital age, but when it comes to scripture, having a tangible Bible can often serve as a reminder to read it.

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So did you have anything that you recall that you want to share with us?

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We'd love to see you be all in. So check out our website, follow us on social media. I'd even love for you to follow me on social media. It's not creepy. We are the Bible Recap and I am Tara Lee Cobble. I'll spell that for you. T-A-R-A-L-E-I-G-H-C-O-B-B-L-E. This is gonna be your best year yet. I can't wait to jump into scripture with you because he's in there and he's where the joy is.

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You're less likely to forget the Bible exists if it's sitting on your dining room table instead of buried in a folder on the third page of your phone. Each day, we'll open the Bible app to see what we're reading, or you can use that printable reading plan on our site. Then you'll open up your Bible and read your chapters.

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When you're done, you'll open your podcast app and listen to the Bible Recap, where we'll talk about what you just read. Most episodes are about eight minutes long, but sometimes I get really excited and it's hard to shut me up. On the days that I do manage to keep it at about eight minutes, both your Bible reading and my Bible recapping will take most readers around 20 minutes a day.

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We've partnered with the Dwell Audio Bible app to bring my daily recaps right into their app. Not only can you listen to each day's reading, but you can also hear my recaps right inside the app. Look for it in the App Store or Google Play and get a free seven-day trial or click the link in the show notes.

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That's only 1% of your day and it will change everything. In addition to that, we've designed some tools to help you with this process. We have the podcast in book form, which is great if you're a visual learner. It's called The Bible Recap Book. It's a very polished version of the podcast content for all 365 days.

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We've also got a daily journal that is customized just for this reading plan, and it lays flat so you can write in it. We also have a daily study guide, which has about five questions per day. These questions are designed to not only help you learn more, but also to equip you with some new tools for studying scripture that you can carry with you forever.

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The daily journal and the daily study guide are both intended for you to use on your own. If you're doing the Bible Recap with friends or through your church, we also have a weekly discussion guide. It's a great tool for helping foster reflective conversation about what we've read each week.

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The questions in the weekly discussion guide are entirely different from the ones in the journal and the daily study guide, but they're all three designed to work together beautifully. To get your own copies or to see sample pages from each, click the store link at thebiblerecap.com. We truly believe these tools will not only help you stick with your Bible reading plan each day, but to love it.

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Or maybe you've never even ventured into the Old Testament at all because you're only comfortable with scripture after Jesus seems to show up on the scene. Maybe you didn't know he's actually throughout the Old Testament as well, that it's actually all about him. Some people are so perplexed by scripture that they just leave their Bible on the shelf and use a daily devotional instead.

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Prep Episode 2: How I Learned to Love (Reading) the Bible

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I started writing Bible studies in high school and college, and I had a real love for the things I did know about the Bible, but I'd never really read through the Bible. During college, I started on a path toward full-time ministry, and I made lots of friends traveling the world as a musician and a writer and a speaker. One of those friends was a pastor named Lee, who lives in South Carolina.

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Here's what I'm picturing for you this year. Picture yourself being drawn to God and his character instead of feeling alienated by the God of the Old Testament. Picture understanding his motives behind his actions instead of feeling confused or even frustrated by what he does.

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Prep Episode 6: Reading the Bible in Community

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I had to laugh at myself. The counsel I thought was so great that my friend also appreciated, the pro just dumped cold water all over it. And the suggestion she offered instead was brilliant. Suddenly, the gaps in my advice were glaringly obvious. Her wisdom was not only helpful to my friend, but to me as well. Sometimes that's what it's like to read or study the Bible on your own.

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Prep Episode 3: Why Reading the Whole Bible is Important (Interview with Lee McDerment)

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So of course, I'm incredibly excited for you to hear from Lee and catch his passion for the Word of God because it's definitely contagious. We did this interview over the phone, so it's not the best quality, but I promise you what it lacks in audio quality, it more than makes up for in wisdom quality and quantity. So let's jump into the interview now. Lee McDermott, welcome to the Bible Recap.

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Picture yourself actually hearing from God in his word and feeling closer and more intimate with him than you ever have before just because you've committed to spending the first 20 minutes of your day with him. If all you gain from this is one new insight about God, that might legitimately change the rest of your life and your relationship with him. I believe this is your year.

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I believe this is the year you read through the whole Bible and your relationship with God grows in joy and delight. I believe this is the year you gain freedom in areas where you've struggled as a result of delighting in him more. And I believe this is the year you learn to hear from God firsthand by reading his word instead of being confused or disengaged or only hearing from him secondhand.

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Let's do it, Bible readers. Click subscribe to this podcast today. Don't wait, jump in now, because I promise you, He's where the joy is. I'm a big fan of the Dwell audio Bible app, not just because I'm an auditory learner, but because for thousands of years, people have engaged with scripture by hearing it. And listening is still one of the best ways to connect with God's word.

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We've partnered with Dwell to bring my daily recaps right into their app. Not only can you listen to each day's reading, but you can also hear my recaps right inside the app. If you're reading along with TBR in 2025, check out the Dwell audio Bible app. Look for it in the App Store or Google Play and get a free seven-day trial. Or click the link in the show notes.

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struggling with doubt or or struggling even to believe that it was true um honestly hmm that's I I love how our stories are so different in that regard because I feel like a lot of our listeners maybe come out on your side of things for me it was and you and I've talked about this uh I the first time I finished reading through really had a hard time because I was like I don't know that I like this guy that I'm reading about I don't know like the the God that I read about um

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was hard for me to stomach in, in certain places. And so when I read it through the second time with a lens to just understand who he was and like who, like what he loves, what he hates, why he does what he does, like the motives behind his things, that was when I really fell in love with him. I didn't really have peace until after my second trip through scripture.

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Um, but I was so grateful. I had, you know, I had you and Kemper and a few other people in my life that were resources to me to bring my questions to in that time. And that's, that's kind of another thing I'm hoping this podcast will serve as a resource for our listeners who maybe don't have people like that in their lives.

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Um, is that, that, uh, the fact that you would answer a lot of my questions about the character of God was so helpful to me. And One of the things we're going to do in this podcast is every day sort of draw out the character of God as we saw it displayed in that day's reading.

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They figure, obviously I'm not capable of hearing from God firsthand, so I'll just hear from him secondhand. Don't get me wrong, some devotionals are great. I love some of the stuff by Spurgeon and Chambers, but a lot of the things we're consuming today are self-focused or fluffy, bordering on self-help. It's basically Tony Robbins in a prayer shawl, not that there's anything wrong with that.

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So that we're always looking for who God is in this and not getting lost in some of the minor details of things, which I think are easy to get tangled up in.

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I lived in New York City at the time, but I toured in the South regularly, and I remember one day at his church when he casually asked me if I'd ever read through the whole Bible. I replied with something like, "'I think I have. I've probably pieced it together over the years and covered the whole thing that way.'" His response to me changed the trajectory of my life in the best way possible.

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We are so excited to have you. Why don't you tell us a little bit about yourself?

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I'm not saying God can't speak to us directly through his word. He can and does all the time. But even in scripture itself, we see examples of other seasoned believers helping people understand his word. The Levites explains the law to the people. Philip unpacked prophecy for the Ethiopian eunuch. And Paul's letters are basically him teaching through Old Testament texts like a sermon outline.

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Yeah. And then making wise the simple, exalting the humble. That's such encouragement for anybody on this journey. And also, those things reveal to us something about God's character. The fact that He makes wise the simple. The fact that He exalts the lowly. That tells us something about His heart.

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Maybe you've tried it all and you wonder if you'll ever love reading the actual Bible or if you'll always just feel intimidated by it. Are you tired of losing steam after six weeks? Or maybe you've never tried to read through the Bible because you aren't quite sure if God is even real or which religion is right if he is real.

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He said, read it. Read the whole thing. Let your eyes fall on every word. Don't skip anything, not even the genealogies or the laws. He was so passionate about it, I was pretty stunned. He really seemed to love the Bible, not just believe it. Then he said, and I would encourage you to say very little on stage until you've read it all. Wow, that was the wake-up call I needed.

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Day 352 (1 Timothy 1-6) - Year 6

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Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. Our New Testament readers finished their 17th book today, and our full Bible readers finished their 56th book. Today and tomorrow, Paul is writing letters to the young new leaders of relatively young churches.

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He wants the believers in Ephesus to live in a way that is dignified and respectable, not only because it will hopefully keep them from being persecuted, but also because it's winsome to outsiders. He wants their lives to draw people into the faith, not repel them. Apparently, the men here are inclined to fight and be prideful, and the women are given to being flashy and arrogant and loud.

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So he tells them to reel it in. The extent of Paul's statements to the women here is fairly complicated to unpack, but here are a few things worth noting. First, the word silence means quietness. It doesn't refer to total silence. I've heard it described as more of a posture. It carries a tone of humility. This is positioned as the opposite of exercising authority over men.

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Second, to further complicate things, the Greek phrase used for have authority is only used in this one spot in the whole Bible, so we don't have anything else to compare it to. The perspectives and opinions on what Scripture teaches here are wide and varied. On one end, there's the belief that it doesn't matter what Scripture teaches because it's outdated and doesn't apply to us anymore.

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Then there's the belief that women can serve in any and all positions, or that women can serve in almost all ways as long as they're serving under the authority of the male, or women can't serve in any positions at all. Some say it's okay for women to teach about God as long as it's outside the church, or in the church but not on Sunday mornings.

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So you can see that there are many different ways these verses can be interpreted and applied. And the reality is, all but one of those options has to be wrong. But it's challenging, even among God-loving, Christ-exalting, Spirit-filled people to reach complete agreement on what Scripture says here. All that to say, we'll link to some resources from different vantage points in the show notes.

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We've tried to choose resources that address the topic with scripture and reasoning, not just subjective experience. And as for verse 15, where it talks about being saved through childbearing, there are lots of different takes on this as well. The primary one being that Christ was born to a woman, therefore, that's how salvation came to the world.

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But one thing all the viewpoints agree on is that Paul is not saying women are granted eternal life by having babies. That not only rules out a lot of women, but it's also contradictory to everything else Paul says about how salvation is granted to us. Chapter 3 gives us a list of qualifications for elders in the church. It points to character more than skill set.

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One of the things that's interesting to notice is which information he shares with both leaders and what is specific to just one leader. That can help us as we try to learn more about the context of each church's problems and or which instructions and counsel are universal to all churches. Timothy is one of the leaders of the church in Ephesus, which Paul planted.

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In fact, the only skill it lists is able to teach. Character is so important among leaders, and timing is important too. Paul says that when leadership is given too soon, it can evoke pride in the leader. He wants the church elders to be respected by insiders and outsiders alike. Then he talks about deacons, which is a gender-neutral term that means servant.

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It seems like Paul is establishing this as an official position in the church under the leadership of the elders. The requirements for them are still high, but not as high as the elders. Just like with anything else, increased authority means increased responsibility. In chapter 4, Paul leans on the good doctrine button again.

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The Ephesians are so used to worshiping multiple diverse gods that it likely feels normal to them to tack something else on to their worship of Jesus. They're prone to believing any kind of false teaching, whether it's blatantly wicked like pagan religion, or whether it's dressed in a Jesus costume but is really just the law rebranded.

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Some of the false teachers have a list of things they've commanded people to avoid, but Paul shakes his head at all of it and says as long as they can legitimately praise God for what they partake in, they're good to go. But it's not like we just live however we want. Paul says God's kids should train themselves for godliness. He says, be intentional about it.

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Bodily training is good, he says, but it's temporary. So while you may put some energy into aiming for a beach body, he says, put more energy into aiming for a beach heart or something. In verse 15, Paul says, practice these things, immerse yourself in them so that all may see your progress.

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This takes aim at any perfectionism in Timothy, because Paul is basically saying, you're going to start out slow, but you'll see improvement over time. This instruction will not only help keep Timothy humble, but it will encourage those around him too. By the way, in verse 10, Paul isn't making a statement of universalism. He says, God is the savior of all people.

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But if this statement meant everyone is saved, then why is Paul risking his life to share the gospel? Why is he enduring prison and persecution to share Jesus with people who don't even need to know him?

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There are a few different ways this verse can be interpreted to fit in with the rest of Scripture, but the one many scholars land on is that this verse is saying, God will save people from among every people group, and more specifically, the people he'll save are the ones who believe in him. In chapter 5, Paul continues to help Timothy walk in humility while creating order in the church.

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There were some issues in this church with widows, apparently. Some of the younger widows may have been taking advantage of the church's provision when they actually had other means of sustaining themselves. So Paul says, set up some boundaries around who the church will support. Don't just throw the bank account gates wide open without discernment.

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It has to be challenging to set up structure for caring for needy people in the church, so Paul is giving Timothy some wisdom and guidance on how to set up a system that honors God and the people of the church simultaneously. He tells Timothy to pay the people who lead the church, make sure they're well taken care of.

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Then he gives him instructions on how to rebuke people who persist in sin, but he adds that some sins are the kinds that don't really show up. They're internal more than external. They're slower to surface. He talks a lot about money and how to handle it in chapter 6. There's nothing wrong with money, he says. It's a blessing that should be used to honor God.

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He wants us to delight in the things he gives to us. Money isn't the problem. The love of money is. So Paul doesn't condemn their wealth or command them to get rid of it. Instead, he says, hold it loosely and view it rightly. It's not sturdy enough to set your hopes on. My God shot comes from this section too.

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Ephesus is the town where they worshipped so many false gods, specifically the goddess Artemis, that the silversmith union started a riot over the gospel. The Ephesians are so steeped in their culture of pagan worship that Timothy has a real battle on his hands when it comes to good doctrine and orderly practice. They are wheels off.

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In verses 6-7, he says, Godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world and we cannot take anything out of the world. He reminds us that being godly and content is the best setup imaginable. which should also serve to remind us that our obedience to God, any level of obedience we might have, it's not a claim ticket for our desires. Godliness and contentment.

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Is godliness enough for our contentment? Is knowing Christ sufficient for our joy? You already know what I think, but I'll say it again for the people in the back. He's where the joy is. Tomorrow, we'll be reading the short book of Titus. We've linked to a video overview for you in the show notes. It'll only take you eight minutes to watch. Out with the new, in with the Old Testaments.

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We finished the New Testament in 13 days and we'd love for you to plan to join us again or for the first time when we relaunch with Genesis 1. We're posting an episode today that will fill you in on all the new things, changes and additions that we have coming your way. So be sure to check that out. We'll also be posting our prep episodes again.

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So if you haven't listened to those or if it's been a year since you did listen, today is a great time to freshen up on those. We're so excited to launch back into this with you on January 1st. Thank you.

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Day 352 (1 Timothy 1-6) - Year 6

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So Paul's letter is bookended by his desire for them to have good doctrine. They're proud and unteachable, and to make matters worse, they want to be teachers and leaders. But good leaders are, first and foremost, good followers. You can imagine how intimidating this scenario could be for Timothy.

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He's the new guy in town, and he's younger than most of the church members, and here Paul is telling him to rebuke the locals who want to be leaders but who aren't even obeying the moral laws God laid out and who don't want to listen. But there's hope for these sinners yet. After all, God saved Paul. His story is a canvas on which God's mercy and patience shines.

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And that's his hope for the two men he hands over to Satan at the end of chapter 1, just like the guys in 1 Corinthians 5. Paul always aims for restoration and repentance. In chapter 2, Paul encourages them to pray for those in authority over them.

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Day 351 (Philippians 1-4) - Year 6

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Hey, Bible readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble, and I'm your host for The Bible Recap. Today in our New Testament plan, we finished book 16, and in our full Bible plan, we finished book 55. We first met the Philippians in Acts 16. Here's a quick refresher. Philippi is where Paul and Silas were arrested, and God used that to save their prison guard and his whole family.

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Day 351 (Philippians 1-4) - Year 6

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When they imprisoned him, he used it as an opportunity to share the gospel. In fact, there's a good chance his former prison guard is one of the people reading this letter. And now Paul is in prison again, probably in Rome at this point, and he's still singing the same tune, the gospel of Christ, all day long. He knows that his trials aren't without purpose.

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Trials can even cause our confidence in Christ to increase, he says. He doesn't know how things will shake out, but he's hopeful and trusting and surrendered. He gets pretty vulnerable with them and says, look, I'd rather just step over death and into the other realm and be with Jesus right now. But on the other hand, it's probably better for you guys if I stick around a little bit longer.

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So I'm guessing that's what he has in store, but I'm good with whatever. He encourages them to be strong in the face of persecution too, not to be frightened by it all. And in 129, he says something that none of us really want to hear. He says that not only has belief been granted to us, but that suffering has been granted to us. That's not really the prize I was hoping for.

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I'm more interested in the crowns. But he goes on to say how we should live in harmony in the midst of suffering. This is important because suffering can bring out the worst in you. It can prompt you to be short-tempered and selfish and live from a scarcity mentality. So Paul reminds them to count others as more significant, not equal, but better. He says to look to other people's interests.

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That's what Jesus did, after all. In this letter, Paul highlights God's work through Timothy and Epaphroditus. We met Timothy in Acts 16. He's the Gentile Paul had circumcised before he sent them to preach the gospel so that any Jews he encountered wouldn't be able to discredit him on that basis. Paul tells the Philippians that he wants to send Timothy to them soon.

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Day 351 (Philippians 1-4) - Year 6

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We'll read Paul's first letter to Timothy tomorrow. Speaking of circumcision, Paul warns them about the people who insist on circumcision because they're adding to the gospel. Paul says, look, as a Jew, obviously I'm circumcised and I can tell you it has zero impact on my relationship with God. In fact, my whole list of credentials means absolutely nothing compared to knowing Jesus.

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Day 351 (Philippians 1-4) - Year 6

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Everything I worked so hard for and everything that was given to me in my privilege, it's garbage. The word Paul uses here for garbage or rubbish would be a curse word in modern language. That's how strong the contrast is between what the world values and the all-surpassing value of knowing Jesus. And Paul says he knows Jesus, but he wants to know him more. He presses on. He leans in.

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Day 351 (Philippians 1-4) - Year 6

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Nothing about Paul is in neutral. He encourages them to kick things into gear too, because there have been some people in their church, it seems, who have walked away from Christ. Then Paul turns to thank and encourage those who have stood firm alongside him. He mentions two women who have been co-laborers with him in his ministry.

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Day 351 (Philippians 1-4) - Year 6

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And we don't know for sure, but they could be from Lydia's prayer group back in Acts 16. Or maybe one of them is even that formerly demonized girl. Jesus had a formerly demonized woman in his inner circle, so why not Paul too? Regardless, there is a rift between these two women, and Paul wants to help restore the relationship.

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Day 351 (Philippians 1-4) - Year 6

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He tells them to rejoice, to be reasonable, to be prayerful, and to be peaceful. These things are all tied together in one stream of thought. Rejoicing sets the tone. It arcs our heart toward God and His goodness. When that's our focus, we can move through life with reasonableness.

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Day 351 (Philippians 1-4) - Year 6

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It's also where they met Lydia, whose whole family converted to Christianity too. And it's also where they met a demonized girl and set her free from the demon and from slavery. Today, Paul writes an encouragement-filled letter to the church here. From day one, they've had a unique relationship with Paul.

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Day 351 (Philippians 1-4) - Year 6

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Another translation uses the word gentleness here, because if you've got a reasonable argument, you don't have to come across as hot-headed. You can be rational and gentle. And when you're aware of the nearness of the Lord, like Paul says in the next line, you know you don't have to strive after anything. He can be trusted to work on your behalf. So talk to him about what you need and want.

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Day 351 (Philippians 1-4) - Year 6

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Present your request to him. And the peace that comes from trusting him and talking to him and remembering his nearness, that peace will act like a bodyguard at the door of your heart and your mind. If anyone would have experience in this area, trying to present a reasonable argument and not be hot-headed, having peace in situations that call for anxiety, it's Paul. He's been through the ringer.

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Day 351 (Philippians 1-4) - Year 6

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And from that vantage point, he says, I've learned that there's only one thing that really matters. Whether I'm rich or poor or regardless of what challenges or blessings I face, with Christ, I can endure all things. He thanks them for helping provide for him in prison.

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Day 351 (Philippians 1-4) - Year 6

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They've sent financial relief his way, and he's grateful because in this day, prisoners have to rely on their friends for provision. There are some wealthy people in Philippi, like Lydia, but it's possible that some of the others may have been stretched to help send Paul resources. These people have repeatedly been extra generous to Paul in ways that other churches haven't.

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Day 351 (Philippians 1-4) - Year 6

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So he reminds them, just as you've provided for me, God is providing for you. My God shot was in 4, 8-9, where Paul says, Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

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Day 351 (Philippians 1-4) - Year 6

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If I put my thoughts through those filters, many of them will get stopped at the first one. Is this true? Lots of my thoughts are hypothetical problems or things I've created in my head, false fears. So I use the truth filter to block them out. They don't stand a chance against most of the other filters either. But the gospel of Christ meets every criteria of what Paul says to think about.

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Day 351 (Philippians 1-4) - Year 6

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True, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, praiseworthy. It is all of those things and more. That's why I'm so glad we're spending every day reminding our hearts to think about it.

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Day 351 (Philippians 1-4) - Year 6

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God gets it into our brains first, then into our hearts, where it can be pumped out through all our blood vessels into every square inch of our body, where it can take root and bear fruit in things like rejoicing and gentleness and prayer and peace. God is all those beautiful things, and by fixing our eyes and minds on who He is, our thoughts are filled with beauty. He's where the joy is.

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Day 351 (Philippians 1-4) - Year 6

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He planted this church and he's watched it grow and he's confident that God will finish what he started in them. He repeats this idea a few times in this short letter. In 1.6, he says, "...he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Christ Jesus."

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Day 351 (Philippians 1-4) - Year 6

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Tomorrow we'll be reading Paul's first letter to Timothy. It's six chapters long. We've linked to a video in the show notes to give you a quick overview, so check that out if you've got nine minutes to spare. We are so excited to announce the release of TBR's fourth Bible study in our Knowing Jesus series. It's called Knowing Jesus as God, a 10-session study on the Gospel of John.

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Day 351 (Philippians 1-4) - Year 6

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John the disciple was one of Jesus's inner circle, and he describes his time with Jesus in a way that just feels really up close and personal. Writing this Knowing Jesus series has been a labor of love for our team, and I believe this study is going to help you know and love Jesus more.

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Day 351 (Philippians 1-4) - Year 6

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Get a copy for yourself or your small group at amazon.com or bakerbookhouse.com or wherever you buy books, or click the link in the show notes.

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Day 351 (Philippians 1-4) - Year 6

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And in 2, 12-13, he says, He indicates that God is the one doing the good works through them and even creating the desire in them to do those things. And here's one important point of clarification. Paul's words to work out their own salvation is not a call to figure out how to save yourself. If you could do that, you wouldn't need a savior.

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Day 351 (Philippians 1-4) - Year 6

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The context here and in everything else he says helps clarify that he's talking about living lives that demonstrate the gratitude and awe we feel toward God for saving us. This is a nod to the process of sanctification, where God works in us to conform us to the image of his Son. The Philippians have already seen firsthand how Paul responds to being imprisoned.

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Day 355 (Hebrews 1-6) - Year 6

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Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. Today we have a mystery on our hands. We don't know for sure who wrote this book or who they wrote it to. There are a few credible theories like Paul or Luke or Barnabas or Apollos. All we know is that whoever it was ran in the same circle as the apostles.

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Day 355 (Hebrews 1-6) - Year 6

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Yes, Satan holds the power of death the way your dog holds its chew toy. It only has it when you let it, because ultimately you're the one in control of the chew toy. Everything Satan does, he does on a leash. And because of Christ's supremacy over all of that, you and I have been set free from the fear of death. Another thing that jumped out at me here is what the author says in 2.1.

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Day 355 (Hebrews 1-6) - Year 6

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We must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. It reminded me of a quote from D.A. Carson where he points to this kind of drifting. He said, "...people do not drift toward holiness. Apart from grace-driven effort, people do not gravitate toward godliness, prayer, obedience to Scripture, faith, and delight in the Lord.

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Day 355 (Hebrews 1-6) - Year 6

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We drift toward compromise and call it tolerance. We drift toward disobedience and call it freedom. We drift toward superstition and call it faith." We cherish the indiscipline of lost self-control and call it relaxation. We slouch toward prayerlessness and delude ourselves into thinking we have escaped legalism. We slide toward godlessness and convince ourselves we have been liberated. Yikes.

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Day 355 (Hebrews 1-6) - Year 6

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Chapter 3 says the Father appointed the Son to this role, and the Son fulfilled that role perfectly. And part of that role is the building of God's house, His church, and He dwells in us. Because of this, the author urges his audience to remain firm in the faith, because if we do, it's evidence that He truly lives in us.

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Day 355 (Hebrews 1-6) - Year 6

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Verse 14 says it like this, We have come to share in Christ if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. In other words, those who truly know God will continue to believe in Him. They will not fall away. And those who fall away are those who never truly knew Him. They have hearts of unbelief, not new hearts. Their hearts have been hardened by the lies sin tells.

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Day 355 (Hebrews 1-6) - Year 6

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The author begs his listeners to pay attention to their hearts to see which direction their hearts are moving. Are they getting softer or are they becoming hardened by sin? According to 4.2, just because we hear and agree with the truth doesn't mean we've believed it and accepted it at a heart level.

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Day 355 (Hebrews 1-6) - Year 6

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Christ's work was finished before the foundation of the earth, and because of his finished work, we can rest. And because of his finished work, we can approach the throne of the Father to pray with confidence. We don't have to be afraid. We are accepted, not reluctantly, but joyfully. He wants to help us and show us mercy. We have an open invitation to draw near to him.

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Day 355 (Hebrews 1-6) - Year 6

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But if we don't know who wrote it, then why was it canonized as scripture? The primary reason is that the early church fathers accepted it as scripture. We'll link to an article with more info on that in the show notes. It seems to be written to Jewish Christians, it references the Old Testament a lot, and it is a treatise on the supremacy of Christ, which is probably why it's a crowd favorite.

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Day 355 (Hebrews 1-6) - Year 6

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In chapter 5, the author makes some Old Testament connections that are rich. He connects Jesus to a priest named Melchizedek, who is just as mysterious as the book of Hebrews, if not more. If you weren't with us in the Old Testament, or if you were and you want a refresher on the significance of Melchizedek, check out the video and article we've linked to in the show notes.

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Day 355 (Hebrews 1-6) - Year 6

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The author begs them again to pay attention. He says at this point in their relationship with God, they should actually be teachers, but that they're still working on the basics. The problem is they haven't grown in discernment. They can hardly tell good from evil. They need to be trained and practice what they're learning.

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Day 355 (Hebrews 1-6) - Year 6

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He continues this line of thought in chapter 6 by saying, so let's do this. Let's get out of the Jesus crib and start learning how to walk. We've already laid the foundation here. You already know about repentance and baptism and the resurrection and eternal judgment. You've got the basics down. Now let's start building on those basics so you can actually grow up as a believer.

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Day 355 (Hebrews 1-6) - Year 6

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Then he goes into a section that has been the topic of much debate and confusion because it sounds like he's saying a person can lose their salvation. And if he's saying that, then he's also saying they can never repent and return to Christ. Yikes.

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Day 355 (Hebrews 1-6) - Year 6

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While there are some weighty warnings in this section that we want to pause and reflect on, we want to make sure we're reflecting on it rightly by seeing what it's actually saying. Like with all of Scripture, we interpret these verses through the rest of Scripture. This section about the person falling away is pointing to a person who does not know Jesus.

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Day 355 (Hebrews 1-6) - Year 6

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He has experienced Jesus like Judas did and maybe even affirmed that he believes in Jesus. But his heart hasn't been transformed. He's like land that received a lot of good rain, but still only yielded thorns, not fruit. The seed of the gospel fell on bad soil. He doesn't have a new heart.

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Day 355 (Hebrews 1-6) - Year 6

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The author goes on in the next verse to say, We speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things, things that belong to salvation. He makes a clear distinction here that the preceding verses aren't about them. They aren't about a person losing their salvation. They're about a person who never had it.

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Day 355 (Hebrews 1-6) - Year 6

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And for those people, there is literally nowhere else to turn because Christ has already been sacrificed and his sacrifice was final. So it's Jesus or nothing. But for the believer, verse 11 says they can have full assurance of the hope that is only in Christ, a hope that anchors our soul. We'll link to a few things in the show notes that may be helpful if you want to dig into this further.

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Day 355 (Hebrews 1-6) - Year 6

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My God shot was in chapter 5, where the author reminds us that God deals gently with the ignorant and the wayward. This isn't talking about a rebellious person raising his fist to God. This is talking about an uninformed person who doesn't know better or someone who has wandered off on accident. God shows mercy to his kids in both of those situations.

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Day 355 (Hebrews 1-6) - Year 6

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I love this because I spent a lot of my life being terrified that God was out to get me for any accidental sins I committed. I was worried that if I made a mistake or misunderstood His direction, I would ruin everything. I had this idea that God's will was like a target, and if I wandered off into the outer rings, I'd ruin my chance at having a happy bullseye life.

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Day 355 (Hebrews 1-6) - Year 6

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I have no idea where I got that idea. Not from Scripture, that's for sure. Scripture never talks about the center of God's will or the edges or the rings like it's some kind of skeeball in the sky. Instead, Scripture says God's Spirit lives in me and works in me according to His will. Philippians 2.13 says, It is God who works in you both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

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Day 355 (Hebrews 1-6) - Year 6

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It has its fair share of heavy lifting, but it's so worth it. Right out of the gate, the author is laying out rich theology. Jesus created the world. Jesus is the radiance of God's glory. Jesus is the exact imprint of the Father. Jesus sustains the universe at all times. Jesus purified us from our sins. Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father.

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Day 355 (Hebrews 1-6) - Year 6

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He's guiding me, convicting me, keeping me. Philippians 1.6 says, He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. He's not giving up. And when I'm ignorant and wayward, he's not shocked. He factored that in. What a relief. He's where the joy is. Did you know we have versions of the Bible Recap in other languages?

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Day 355 (Hebrews 1-6) - Year 6

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We're currently available in Spanish and American Sign Language, and our YouTube channel has the videos for both. Not only that, we have the Bible Recap book in Spanish, and our Spanish language podcast and reading plan are on the Bible app. The Spanish version is called La Sinopsis de la Biblia, and you'll need to adjust your language settings to Spanish before you search for it.

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Day 355 (Hebrews 1-6) - Year 6

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We hope to keep adding to this list so that more people can join us in reading, understanding, and loving the Bible more. Check out the language tab on our website, thebiblerecap.com for more info or click the link in the show notes.

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Day 355 (Hebrews 1-6) - Year 6

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I'm ready for the altar call, and we've only read four verses. The earth and the heavens will wear out someday, but Jesus will remain unchanged forever despite both of his homes being done away with and made new. The author tells his readers to not let all of this escape them.

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Day 355 (Hebrews 1-6) - Year 6

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God the Son came down to earth to live as a human, and God the Father has made everything subject to the Son who created it all at the Father's command, and he controls it all. Right now it doesn't look like everything is subject to him, but someday we will see his authority and control fully expressed. One of the ways we'll see that is when he deals with Satan, like 2.14 says.

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Day 355 (Hebrews 1-6) - Year 6

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It requires a little bit of unpacking, though. It says Jesus died so that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil. Here are two things worth pointing out. First, the word destroy means render powerless, so it's less annihilation and more shutting it down. Second, does the devil have the power of death? Isn't God in control of all that?

The Bible Recap

Day 348 (Acts 27-28) - Year 6

1.95

Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble, and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. If you're doing our New Testament plan, today we finished our 12th book, and if you're doing the whole Bible, we finished our 51st book.

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Day 348 (Acts 27-28) - Year 6

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We'll lose the boat, but we'll all live. So be encouraged. God is going to get us all to Rome, but a shipwreck is part of the journey. After two weeks of this nightmare, they're finally approaching land. They start to make preparations to go to shore by dropping anchors from a dinghy, but Paul tells them, nope, stay in the boat. They listen to him this time and cut the dinghy free.

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Day 348 (Acts 27-28) - Year 6

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Paul starts calling the shots on the boat, and they're actually listening to him. The next day, they shipwreck into the island of Malta, just south of Sicily. In the late 1960s, some divers found four anchors off the coast of Malta that date back to 1st century Rome.

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Day 348 (Acts 27-28) - Year 6

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The site where the anchors were discovered fits with the criteria listed in the text, so it's possible that these may be the anchors from Paul's ship. We've posted a photo and an article about this in the show notes.

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Day 348 (Acts 27-28) - Year 6

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The soldiers plan to kill the prisoners when they hit land before they're able to escape, but God has promised that no one will die, and he thwarts their plan via the compassion of Paul's guard, Julius. And just like God promised, they all survive.

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Day 348 (Acts 27-28) - Year 6

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As it turns out, the people of Malta are super nice, which isn't necessarily the response you'd expect when a bunch of prisoners crash land on your shore. They make sure everyone is taken care of. Paul dusts off his Boy Scout skills and starts a fire, but he forgets that the first rule of campfires is watch out for vipers.

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Day 348 (Acts 27-28) - Year 6

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A snake latches onto his hand, and the locals, who are steeped in Greek mythology, take it as a sign that he's evil, a murderer in fact. And well, they're not wrong. They say the Greek goddess Justice is making sure he doesn't get away unpunished. But meanwhile, the one true god Yahweh is like, I'm sorry, Greek goddess who? You must have the wrong number. This guy belongs to me.

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Day 348 (Acts 27-28) - Year 6

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Paul defended himself in front of King Agrippa and Governor Felix yesterday, and today we launch into the aftermath of that trial, where he's being transported to Rome to appeal to Caesar like he requested. He has to be taken there by sea, and the authorities are kind enough to let his friends travel with him, including our narrator Luke.

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Day 348 (Acts 27-28) - Year 6

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Paul shakes off the snake and starts working on some s'mores, and the people are astonished. After he doesn't even have so much as a swollen pinky, they decide that he is a god. Paul provokes such dramatic responses from people that either love him or hate him, and sometimes both in the same hour. He's invited to stay at the home of the chief official, and while he's there, he heals the man's dad.

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Day 348 (Acts 27-28) - Year 6

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This starts a domino effect with other sick people on the island, and Paul keeps healing them all. After about three months, when the worst part of winter has passed, they set sail again, heading toward Rome. When they arrive, they're greeted by friends, and Paul even gets to stay in his own cell, just him and his soldier.

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Day 348 (Acts 27-28) - Year 6

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Because of his high status as a prisoner and probably the fact that his soldier has really taken a liking to him, he seems to be granted a lot more freedom than most other prisoners in this day. He calls a meeting of the local Jewish leaders in Rome and explains his situation to them.

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Day 348 (Acts 27-28) - Year 6

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They say, we haven't heard anything negative about you, but we have heard bad stuff about the followers of Jesus that you're a part of. They'll listen on what that's all about. So they set up a day for him to tell everyone about it. And when seminar day comes, loads of people show up at Paul's prison cell to hear the truth. He talks from morning until night, as is his way.

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Day 348 (Acts 27-28) - Year 6

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Some of them believe and some don't. People can hear the same truth and respond differently. That's because it doesn't depend on how well we make our argument or present the facts. The Spirit has to open hearts to hear the truth. And Paul points that out to them and says, this is just like what Isaiah prophesied.

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Day 348 (Acts 27-28) - Year 6

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After attempting to share the message with the Jews first and being met mostly with rejection, he moves on to share the message with the Gentiles. You may notice that even though Paul has primarily been called to minister to the Gentiles, everywhere he goes, he always starts with the Jews first. We'll link to an article about it in the show notes. What was your God shot today? Mine was Julius.

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Day 348 (Acts 27-28) - Year 6

331.92

I saw God's provision through appointing this man to be Paul's centurion. Of all the soldiers, God made sure to give Paul the softy, the one who would eventually come to listen to him and even spare his life.

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Day 348 (Acts 27-28) - Year 6

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I bet after watching God speak to and through Paul, watching Paul humbly encourage even his enemies on the ship, watching him survive a snake bite and heal people for three months in Malta, he couldn't deny the truth. And he probably heard his fair share of late night sermons too.

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Day 348 (Acts 27-28) - Year 6

35.969

This is a bigger ship with sails and anchors, not a little fishing boat, and there are nearly 300 people on board. At this point, it's approximately 59 AD, roughly 30 years after Jesus rose from the dead, and it's autumn. The trip is taking them longer than it normally would because they hit some rough winds and have to reroute along the way.

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Day 348 (Acts 27-28) - Year 6

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We don't know for sure, but I bet God assigned Julius to be Paul's centurion, not just for Paul's sake, but for Julius' sake too. I hope he wasn't just impressed by Paul. I hope he came to know the saving faith of Christ. I love it when God reaches across enemy lines to show mercy and save those who oppose him. That's where he found all of us. And I'm so glad he did because he's where the joy is.

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Day 348 (Acts 27-28) - Year 6

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Tomorrow, we'll be reading the books of Colossians and Philemon. Together, they're just five chapters. We're linking to a nine-minute video overview for Colossians and a six-minute video overview for Philemon. So check those out if you have a chance. Do you have friends who know you've been reading through the Bible who talk about wanting to read alongside with you?

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Day 348 (Acts 27-28) - Year 6

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If so, we've got some info coming out on a few days that will help everyone. We'll be posting an episode called Prep for Next Year that will have some really important updates and changes, so be sure to listen to that. Plus, we'll also be releasing our six prep episodes again. If you jumped in with us for the New Testament but haven't listened to those yet, we'd encourage you to check them out too.

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Day 348 (Acts 27-28) - Year 6

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And if you were with us for the Old Testament, you could probably use a refresher, right? We think everyone could benefit from giving these a listen. So keep your eyes peeled for those six prep episodes, plus the episode called Prep for Next Year. You do not want to miss the info on our updates and changes. We've got some great things in store for you.

The Bible Recap

Day 348 (Acts 27-28) - Year 6

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Around this time of year, most of the shipping expeditions are halted because the weather is so bad on the seas in winter. Paul tells them, By the way, we don't have any evidence that this is a message from God. It could just be Paul speaking from experience. Either way, they don't listen to him. He's a prisoner after all. Sure enough, they hit a storm.

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Day 348 (Acts 27-28) - Year 6

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On day two of the storm, they start throwing the ship's cargo overboard, which probably includes exports like wheat. On day three of the storm, they start throwing their actual tools and maybe even parts of the ship itself overboard. They're getting desperate. The sky is dark and stormy for days, and they're feeling hopeless. And probably seasick, too, I'm guessing.

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Day 348 (Acts 27-28) - Year 6

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They haven't had anything to eat in days, but I'm not sure if that makes things better or worse. At one point, Paul stands up and says, I wish you would have taken my words to heart. But hopefully now that you've seen me give good advice, you'll listen to me. Especially because this new message is actually from an angel. He told me that no one is going to die.

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Day 347 (Acts 24-26) - Year 6

1.955

Hey Bible Readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for The Bible Recap. Yesterday, 470 soldiers delivered Paul to Governor Felix in Caesarea. Today, we pick up five days later when some of the authorities from Jerusalem have come to talk to Felix about Paul. They brought a spokesman-slash-lawyer named Tertullus with them.

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Day 347 (Acts 24-26) - Year 6

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Festus takes over after Felix, but even after two years, the issue with Paul has not cooled off at all. In fact, this is one of the first things that gets addressed when Festus comes into office. While he's in Jerusalem, the authorities say, Hey, Festus, have your people bring Paul up here so we can deal with this.

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Day 347 (Acts 24-26) - Year 6

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They want to do it this way because they've hatched another plan to kill Paul along the way. But Festus says... Nah, you guys just come back to Caesarea and we'll deal with it there. I've got a few empty seats in my chariot, so you can just hitch a ride back with me.

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Day 347 (Acts 24-26) - Year 6

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They come down a week or so later, make their case against Paul, and he maintains that he hasn't broken any laws, not Jewish law and not Roman law. Festus wants to keep peace with the Jews too, and certainly doesn't want to be evicted from office like Felix was, so he says, How's about we take you back to Jerusalem for trial, which the Jews would love? Paul says, hard pass.

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Day 347 (Acts 24-26) - Year 6

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Between the two of you, this is going nowhere, so I'm going to make an appeal to Caesar instead. As a Roman citizen, Paul is asking to be elevated to a higher court, one that, in theory, should weigh more in his favor. Festus agrees to his appeal. A few days later, King Herod Agrippa II comes to town.

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Day 347 (Acts 24-26) - Year 6

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While Governor Festus and King Agrippa are chatting, Festus lays out the whole story for him of what's happened with Paul, and Agrippa says, I want in on this too. Bring him out tomorrow so I can hear his side of the story.

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Day 347 (Acts 24-26) - Year 6

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The next day, they bring Paul out in front of Agrippa and some of the prominent leaders in town, and Festus introduces him by basically saying, everyone wants this guy to die, but I don't think he's done anything wrong. What should I do? This all sounds far too familiar, doesn't it? Paul opens by asking the king to be patient with him as he tells his story.

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Day 347 (Acts 24-26) - Year 6

191.861

Let's hope the king isn't sitting on an open third-story window while he talks. Paul tells the story about his days as a persecutor of the church, followed by his conversion. Near the end, Festus interrupts and tells Paul he's lost his mind. Paul has just given a beautiful explanation of the gospel, but Festus doesn't get it.

The Bible Recap

Day 347 (Acts 24-26) - Year 6

209.235

This reminds me of what Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 1.18, "'The word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing.'" Paul says, I'm not crazy, and the king knows it too. You believe all of this, don't you, King Agrippa?

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Day 347 (Acts 24-26) - Year 6

221.605

And maybe Paul was right, but King Agrippa probably feels like he's on the spot in front of the governor and the local leaders, so he says, whoa, whoa, I'm not sure I'm ready to convert just yet, Paul. Give me some time. And Paul says, as long as it takes, as long as it takes, because I want everyone who is here today to convert. I want everyone to know the God I know and love the God I love.

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Day 347 (Acts 24-26) - Year 6

241.4

My only hope is that it doesn't land you in prison too. They wrap things up, and as the king and governor and leaders are all discussing things afterward, they agree that Paul is innocent. And they say that timing is a shame because if Paul hadn't appealed to Caesar and King Agrippa had been allowed to decide his case, then he would have been set free.

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Day 347 (Acts 24-26) - Year 6

26.757

Tertullus starts off by flattering Felix, then launches into accusing Paul of starting riots and defiling the temple, neither of which he's done. Paul defends himself with the truth.

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Day 347 (Acts 24-26) - Year 6

260.123

But even in what seems like terrible timing, God is at work. And that's where I saw my God shot today. Even though Paul missed his chance at freedom, God is still directing Paul's steps according to his plan. We'll continue to see that, but even Paul sees it already. Today in 2622, he said, "'To this day, I have had the help that comes from God.'"

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Day 347 (Acts 24-26) - Year 6

281.167

Think about all he's been through, trial after trial, false accusations, character assassination, torture interrogations, beatings, shipwrecks, imprisonment, you name it. And even in all of that, he says he sees God's help every step of the way. Paul has his eyes set on eternity. He has his heart set on the glory of God.

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Day 347 (Acts 24-26) - Year 6

301.277

And he knows help looks very different with that mindset than if he were seeking his own good. He refuses to trade the temporary for the eternal. And even though the road is hard and lonely and frustrating, God equips him with all he needs along the way. God is our helper, and he's where the joy is. Does the term idolatry feel a little archaic to you?

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Day 347 (Acts 24-26) - Year 6

325.961

I've seen some of the ancient Baal and Asherah idols on display at Museum of the Bible, and it feels like nobody still does that, right? But we do, just in our own ways. We may not worship statues of false gods like we've seen all throughout scripture, but idolatry is still very real today in our world and in our lives. Ezekiel 14 says we can even take idols into our hearts. Yikes.

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Day 347 (Acts 24-26) - Year 6

351.995

I don't want that. So we built out a PDF with more info on how to identify idolatry in your own heart, and we'd love to share it with you. If you're interested in getting this resource for free, all you need to do is submit your email address at thebiblerecap.com forward slash idols, or click the link in the show notes.

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Day 347 (Acts 24-26) - Year 6

36.303

He says he goes to great lengths to live with integrity and that he has honored the ways of Yahweh, including everything written in the law and the prophets, which is the shorthand way of saying all the Hebrew scriptures, i.e. the Old Testament.

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Day 347 (Acts 24-26) - Year 6

47.992

Felix is pretty familiar with first century Christianity, or the way, as Paul calls it, possibly because he lives in Caesarea among prominent evangelists like Philip. He wants to hear more from Paul. So he tells the people who came down from Jerusalem that he'll make a decision later and sends them back home. In the meantime, he tells the soldiers to keep Paul in prison, but to be nice to him.

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Day 347 (Acts 24-26) - Year 6

67.288

Remember, in this day, prisons aren't required to care for you. Your friends have to do that. And sometimes prison guards even prevent the friends from doing that. Felix keeps calling Paul up to talk to him about the way, but it's never enough for him. He's also kind of hoping Paul is going to pay him a bribe so he can get out of prison.

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Day 347 (Acts 24-26) - Year 6

82.896

But even here, Paul maintains his integrity, sharing the gospel and obeying the rules. After two years, Felix leaves office unexpectedly. History tells us he was kicked out of office because he couldn't keep peace between the Jews and the Gentiles. So in order to make things less awkward with the Jews, he leaves Paul in prison.