Foreign hello good people.

Welcome to Daily Bible Refresh with Dr.

Brad Miller brought to you by Voice of God Daily.

We come to you every day with a reading of the Holy Scriptures.

We utilize the Revised Common Lectionary which is three year cycle to read through the entire Bible.

We're in year C in the Epiphany season.

We read the Bible in a way that is understandable.

We read just the New Testament lesson only in the message translation.

Relatable.

We offer you a couple of points to ponder and applicable and we give you an action step.

We have a prayer and we do all of that in under 10 minutes.

Here is our reading for today, selected for this very day from 1 Corinthians 14 verses 26:40 reading from the Message so here's what I want you to do.

When you gather for worship, each one of you is to be prepared with something that will be useful for all.

Sing a hymn.

Teach a lesson.

Tell a story.

Lead a prayer.

Provide an insight.

If prayers are offered in tongues, two or three is the limit, and then only if someone is present who can interpret what is saying.

Otherwise, keep it between God and yourself and no more than two or three speakers at a meeting with the rest of you listening and taking it to heart, take your turn.

No one person is taking over.

Then each speaker gets a chance to say something special from God and you all learn from each other.

If you choose to speak, you're also responsible for how and when you speak.

When we worship the right way, God doesn't stir us up into confusion.

He brings us into harmony.

This goes for all the churches.

No exceptions.

Wise must not disrupt worship talking when they should.

Listening, asking questions that could be more appropriately asked by their husbands at home.

God's Book of the Law guides our manners and customs.

Here, wives have no license to use the time of worship for unwarranted speaking.

Do you, both women and men, imagine that you're a sacred oracle determining what's right and wrong?

Do you think everything revolves around you?

If any one of you thinks God has something for you to say or has inspired you to do something, pay close attention to what I have written.

This is the way the Master wants it.

If you won't play by these rules, God can't use you.

Sorry.

Three things then to sum this up.

When you speak forth God's truth, speak your heart out.

Don't tell people how they should or shouldn't pray when they're praying in tongues that you don't understand.

Be courteous and considerate in everything.

A profound and interesting lesson.

Today's reflection is a challenging 1 from 1st Corinthians 14:26 3, 40.

It's all about helps us to think deeply about matters of power and inclusion and authentic worship.

Here's a few points to ponder.

Let's provide a contextual understanding that is this passage reflects the cultural limitations of this time in biblical times, particularly regarding women's roles as progressive Christians.

We must acknowledge that Scripture often carries both eternal wisdom and time bound cultural assumptions.

Paul's words about women's silence reflect first century patriarchal culture, not a divine mandate.

Today we celebrate the voices and leadership of people of all genders, men and women, in worship and ministry.

Another point is sacred disruption.

While Paul seeks to create order, notice that he begins by affirming that everyone has something to contribute.

Each one of you is prepared for something that is useful for all, he says.

This radical inclusivity suggests that authentic worship should amplify diverse voices and experiences, even when it challenges traditional power structures.

A third point is harmony versus Uniformity.

Paul's concern for harmony shouldn't be confused with a demand for uniformity.

The text describes a vibrant participatory worship where many voices contribute through different gifts.

True harmony comes not from silencing voices, but from creating space where all can share their gifts respectfully.

Here's your action step for the day.

Identify a voice or perspective that has been marginalized in your faith community and take some concrete step to amplify that voice.

That might mean stepping back to create a space for that voice to be heard.

Or if you are typically a one who's in a position of power, maybe stepping back from that position of power to share that gift.

Or let someone else step forward who may have felt somehow suppressed or silenced.

Consider organizing a gathering where multiple voices can share their experience of faith and justice.

Several things to think about today.

We're going to pray in just a moment, but I did want to remind you that we have a Bible study resource for you as a gift from voiceofgodaily.com, our gift to you is the ABC 1235 Bible Study Guide.

It's a simple process that you can utilize in your life in your home to make your Bible study as straightforward as ABC 12 3.

You'll find it at Voice of God daily, along with the transcripts and the episodes of close to 800 episodes of the daily Bible Refresh.

Let's pray.

Oh God, you are the divine source of all voices.

We confess.

We often use Scripture to silence rather than to amplify to exclude rather than embrace.

Help us to hear the voices that have been muted including our own when we've been told to be quiet.

Grant us wisdom to know when to speak and when to listen, when to step forward and when to create space for others.

Guidance in creating communities where harmony doesn't mean sameness or for order doesn't mean oppression where worship means everyone has a voice and the spirit of liberating love.

Amen.

Well it's always a joy to be with you here on the Daily Bible Refresh with Dr.

Brad Miller.

It just hope that you would join me again tomorrow and bring a friend this time.

We gather almost every day.

We drop our episodes before 6am each Eastern Time and we would love to have you with us to join this community of folks who are reading the Bible every day.

Until then until tomorrow.

Remember that God's loyal love doesn't run out.

His merciful love hasn't the dried up it's created new every morning.