Hello good people.

Welcome to Daily Bible Refresh.

My name is Dr.

Brad Miller, here to offer you a fresh take on the daily reading of the Bible.

We use the Revised Common Lectionary.

We're in Year C, the Epiphany season, and we like to read the Bible by taking an approach where it is understandable, relatable and applicable.

We make it understandable by reading from the New Testament only.

We read from the message translation of the Bible and we make it relatable by offering you a couple of points to ponder, to think about and applicable.

We give you an application point.

It's all brought to you by our website Voice of God Daily, and we do so usually in under 10 minutes or so.

Here is your New Testament Scripture reading for today from 1st Corinthians, 14th chapter verses 1 through 12 reading for the Message Prayer Language Go after a life of love as if your life depended on it, because it does.

Give yourselves to the gifts God gives you.

Most of all, try to proclaim his truth.

If you praise him in the private language of tongues, God understands you, but no one else does, for you are sharing intimacies just between you and Him.

But when you proclaim his truth in everyday speech, you're letting others in on the truth so they can grow and be strong and experience his presence with you.

The one who prays using a private prayer language certainly gets a lot out of it, but proclaiming God's truth to the church in its common language brings the whole church into growth and strength.

I want all of you to develop intimate intimacies with God in prayer.

But please don't stop with that.

Go on and proclaim his clear truth to others.

It's more important that everyone have access to the knowledge and love of God in language everyone understands than that you go off and cultivate God's presence in a mysterious prayer language.

Unless, of course, there is someone who can interpret what you are saying for the benefit of all.

Think friends, if I come to you and all I do is pray privately to God in a way that only he can understand, what are you going to get out of that?

If I don't address you plainly with some insight or truth or proclamation or teaching, what help am I to you?

If musical instruments flutes say our harps aren't played so that each note is distinct and in tune, how would anyone be able to catch the melody and enjoy the music?

If the trumpet call can be distinguished, will anyone show up for the battle?

So if you speak in a way no one can understand, what's the point of opening your mouth.

There are many languages in the world and they all mean something to someone.

But if I don't understand the language, it's not going to do me much good.

It's no different with you.

Since you're so eager to participate in what God is doing, why don't you concentrate on doing what helps everyone and the church?

This passage is really about love and action that by making the faith accessible and meaningful to everybody.

And we will explore this message from Paul about making our faith accessible and meaningful.

Here's a couple of points to ponder.

There is the radical inclusivity point here.

That is, it matters that everyone is included.

Paul's message about speaking in understandable language isn't just about words.

It's about accessibility.

In our modern context, this challenges us to examine how we might unintentionally exclude others through religious practices, vocabulary, or traditions.

True love means making our faith communities welcoming and comp.

And comprehensible.

A second point is that community is about community over individual experience.

While personal spiritual experiences are valuable, Paul emphasizes that building up the community takes precedence.

This is a progressive understanding that challenges the modern tendency towards individualistic spirituality.

And our faith journey isn't just about personal enlightenment.

It's about creating collective transformation.

One more point.

It's about the purpose over performance.

Paul uses the metaphor of musical instruments playing distinct notes to emphasize clarity of purpose.

In our contemporary context, this invites us to examine whether our religious practices serve to actually help others or just to maintain tradition.

Are you more concerned with the performance of religion or its transformative purpose?

Here's your action step for the day.

Identify one way your faith community might be unintentionally excluding others.

This could be through language or practice or traditions.

And take some action, some initiative to suggest or implement some concrete change that makes your community more accessible.

Maybe it's through inclusive language or guidelines or more translations or materials that are more accessible or establishing a welcoming community.

Or maybe even a committee that helps newcomers understand the practices of your community.

We'll have a closing prayer just a minute, but I just wanted to let you know that we've created a resource to help you do your own personal Bible study.

It's called the ABC123 Bible Study Bible Study Guide.

And indeed it just it makes really a Bible study as easy as ABC.

1, 2, 3.

You can find out all about it at our show Notes, which are@voiceofgod daily.com it's also where you can find the complete back catalog of the Daily Bible refresh over 700 episodes.

We usually come to you every morning before 6am Eastern time.

Let's pray.

Loving God we confess that sometimes we get caught up in our own spiritual comfort zones, forgetting that your love speaks all languages and crosses all barriers.

Help us to communicate your radical love in ways that everyone can understand.

Give us courage to examine our practices and wisdom to make changes that welcome all.

Remind us that true spirituality isn't about personal enlightenment alone, but about building communities of care and understanding.

Guide us in making our faith spaces, places where everyone can find belonging and meaning.

In the spirit of inclusive love, we pray.

Amen.

It's been great to be with you.

My name is Dr.

Brad Miller, and this indeed is the Daily Bible Refresh.

We're all about helping you to make helping the scriptures to become relatable and understandable and applicable in your life.

We'll see you again tomorrow morning.

Until then, remember that God's loyal love doesn't run out.

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