Exodus 35:10-36:38, Matthew 27:35-66, Psalms 34:1-10, Proverbs 9:7-8
Today is the 13th day of February. Welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I am Brian and it is great to be here with you. We’re sneaking up on the middle of another month. And that just keeps happening because we keep taking steps forward. So, excited to take the next step forward with you today. And the next step forward today leads us back into the desert and the book of Exodus. We’re reading from the Contemporary English Version this week. Exodus chapter 35 verse 10 through 36, verse 38.
Commentary:
Okay. So, for the first time this year we encounter the story of Jesus death, His crucifixion and death. And when we talk about crucifixion or being nailed to a cross, we might have heard that so many times that what we’re talking about is lost. I mean, to nail a person alive, to nail them to wood, and raise them up in the sky, and humiliate them, to drive spikes. Right? Through hands and feet into wood. I mean, the cries of anguish, the torture, it’s completely barbaric. It’s inhumane. It’s almost impossible to comprehend. And that’s kind of the point. Humanity had become so inhumane that it not only did this to someone innocent, it did this to God in the flesh. So, if you remember back when we started this journey, just the second day of January, we read of the fall of man, the breach that was opened between humanity and God. And human beings took the knowledge of good and evil and tried to re-create their own version of what they shared with God. And, so, today we see just how far it went. Humanity, being so confused, was looking for God while executing God in a barbaric fashion. That’s how far humanity had fallen. And inhumane things, what we’re saying when we say inhumane is inhuman, not human, which is what the Bible has been beginning to tell us and will tell us all along. Life without God, human life without God, is not the kind of humanity God created. It’s one that has degenerated and devolved into an inhumane state, animal like. We see another picture of this in the book of Genesis, just prior to the flood, when God saw that everything in the heart of man had become evil and they were living like animals. We see this in the picture of Jesus passion, his crucifixion today. We see starkly what it was He came to do, to face this, to face humanity in all of its inhumanity, and to love it to death, which includes you and I. So, when we think thoughts or say words to the effect of, I just don’t feel God’s love for me, I just don’t feel it, we should be able to at least consider what we’re talking about here with Jesus death. And then consider exactly what else would God need to do. What other hoop are we setting up for Him to jump through to prove that He actually does love us. And it is our sin, it is our fallenness, our inhumanity that He took along with Him to that cross. He bridged that chasm that was opened up when mankind rejected God and went it’s on way. In a very real sense, the cross not only represents forgiveness for sins, it represents restoration to true humanity because human beings, in their natural created state in the beginning, were intertwined with God. There was no separation. There was no need to sacrifice animals and do all these rituals to keep the heart and mind focused. The connection was always, and always immediate, but when mankind rejected God and fell in the garden, humanity and divinity, so, God and people, were no longer joined in this way, they were separated. And we see how far things fell. Jesus came to restore the breach, to reconnect us so that we can be as we were created to be. This is what the cross brings us. This is the good news of the gospel, that through Christ, now and forevermore, we are reunited with God, humanity and divinity are reunited. We can forever be who we were created to be, as we were created to be. And man, that is not a small thing. So, as we contemplate what we’ve read today, our first encounter with Jesus death, His brutal execution, we should also meditate upon the implications, what it actually means, because it means more than us just being able say, Lord please forgive me for telling this lie, please forgive me for having that bad attitude and getting in a fight with my spouse. This is the reunification of God and mankind. This is the culmination of Emmanuel - God with us. And, so, may our hearts be turned in this direction today.
Prayer:
Holy Spirit, as we consider this, we ask You to make the realities deep truths planted deeply within us. Jesus, we thank You. And as we said yesterday, and as we will continue to say, words like thank you, this is what we have, this is how we communicate, but it falls so short. It’s so impossible for us to comprehend the kind of love on display in what we’ve read today. It’s so hard because we can experience it no other way outside of You. And, so, we thank You, but we ask, Holy Spirit, that You continue to sanctify us, so that our very lives, everything we do and say, everything we dream about, everything about us is actually honoring You and is the thank you, instead of just lip service. Come Holy Spirit. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Announcements:
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Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day. Tomorrow is also the beginning of the season of Lent. So, we’ll talk about that then, but I do want to mention the More Gathering for women. That’s an annual women’s event that we do up in the mountains of North Georgia, very, very beautiful place just about an hour outside of Atlanta. And we do it in the springtime, in April, when new life is beginning to come, the long winter is ending. And it’s a place for sisters to come together and explore this unceasing longing, this knowing that there is more, that there is more of God, there is more intimacy available, exploring the implications of what we just talked about, what it was that God did on our behalf, in this sacrifice. What does that actually bring into life as a human being? And how do I walk in that? How do I live in that? How does that become my normal? So, if you’re a lady and you’re asking yourself these kinds of questions, if you’re saying there’s got to be more than this, then the More Gathering for women is a way to begin that exploration. And we’ve been doing this for years, so it’s very, very carefully crafted to not only give you some things to think about, teach some things, but also generous amounts of time to go and be silent, be in nature, talk to God, have the clarity to listen in uninterrupted space and time. I mean, because when do we ever really get that? Right? There’s always something to do, there’s never any shortage, always feeling like we’re behind. But to just give our hearts permission and take a couple of days and just simply allow God to speak things that we need to hear, but the clutter of life is keeping us too busy to even listen. If I’m talking to you, then come. Come this April. Tomorrow is St. Valentine’s Day, give a gift to your own heart. And guys, if that’s how your spouse has been feeling, if that’s how the one that you love has been feeling, then maybe this is a good time to send her. Maybe, rather than some chocolate, and the promise of your heart, maybe giving her her own heart back as she gives herself to God is what you’ve been looking for in your relationship. So, anyway, if that’s ringing any bells then you can check this out. moregathering.com is the place to go to get all of the particulars that you would want to know. All the questions are answered there. So, check that out. It’s coming up here. I know it might not seem like it, but it will be springtime so quickly. Time just has a way of moving and slipping through our fingers. But caring for our hearts is a essential. It’s one of the things we do least and one of the things that we cannot do without. The book of Proverbs, the book of wisdom, tells us that, above everything else, above all else, we need to guard our hearts, because all of the issues of life spring forth from it. So, moregathering.com is the place to check that out.
If you want to partner with the Daily Audio Bible in our common mission to be in community together as we take steps forward each day through the Bible, thank you profoundly, profoundly, and humbly. There’s a link on the homepage of dailyaudibible.com. If you’re using the Daily Audio Bible app, you can press the Give button in the upper right-hand corner or, if you prefer, the mailing address is PO Box 1996 Spring Hill Tennessee 37174.
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And that’s it for today. I’m Brian I love you and I’ll be waiting for you here tomorrow.
Community Prayer and Praise:
Well, hello from beautiful Cincinnati Ohio this is Daniel J. Junior. And I’m driving through our __ city right now and just on my heart to give you all a phone call. I just spent some time of my mom. Some of you may remember back in October/November that she had a bad…got sick…as we were flying down to Texas to visit my brother and wound up having to stay there for several weeks and I flew back to bring her back home and just got to see her and she is doing so well. I mean, not even needing a cane to walk around or a walker. And it’s almost as though things are back to where she was when she first moved back to Cincinnati last June. So, a praise report there. I just wanted to say how grateful I am to God for all of this. And joy is one of my words for this year. And, so, I was just celebrating all that God has been doing, not only in my mom’s life, but in all of our lives. And it’s definitely…I want to share that I am feeling so much conviction from the Scripture reading this year and even the commentary and the things that, Brian, that you’ve been sharing with us. And I guess one of the things on my heart recently is just how much I want for God to be enough for me. Just, I know that there’s moments when I feel like that implication that’s when I’m led into sin. And, so, really that’s my request for all of us. But I’m just so grateful to God for His work at all of our lives and grateful for this community and grateful for what you guys are doing, Brian and Jill, and all the team that’s working behind the scenes. God bless you all from beautiful Cincinnati Ohio. This is Daniel J. Junior. Make it a great day.
Hello Daily Audio Bible. This is Dwayne from Wisconsin. All praise, and glory, to our wonderful Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I’m calling in for a few the prayer requests. Bonnie from Virginia, you had called in a second time, and you had stated that __ your prayer request and I did. So, I’m sure many of the other DABbers did hear your prayer request about your son being released from jail. Just want to know, I’ve been praying since I heard…you called in a few months ago about it. I’ve been continually praying for you, and we pray that your son, when he is released, that he will turn toward God, that his faith will be strengthened, and that he will get his life turned back around. And I just ask, Bonnie, that you would please pray for my son, who has been jailed as well. He will be in for a couple more years yet. Tara from Maine called in about her mother and stage IV cancer. I just want to lift her up. And we pray that the doctors and medical staff will treat her and that the Lord’s hand will lay upon them, upon her, and give her healing, and give Tara and her family peace and comfort in this time of struggle. And Blind Tony, I want to lift you up in regards to your prostate cancer. We pray that the Lord lays his healing hand upon you, and guide you, and keep you safe, and give the doctors the knowledge they need to treat you. And also want to lift you up for the book that you’ve written, that will produce the dividends and the blessings that you so require to do. So, I want to lift this all up in Jesus’ name. Amen. And God bless.
Hello Daily Audio Bible family this is Shawnee from Phoenix. I haven’t called for a little while. It’s been pretty crazy. Over the last two years my husband has been having an affair, one that he does not admit is going on. I had a bad feeling last night and discovered that he was out at the affair woman’s apartment. So, I went to confront them and I got to her apartment, heard him talking to her, knocked on the door, and they wouldn’t come out. He has always denied this affair. He does not admit that it’s real, that is going on. But now that he knows that I know that I was there, it kind of changes things a little bit, a lot actually. So, I need, I’m in need of major prayer, and wisdom, discernment, about how to proceed, how to move forward. I’ve been promised and…so many…the women’s pastor had a dream that basically his sin will be exposed and that the cycle of sin will be broken and that he’ll come around and be restored. I’ve gotten so many words about this. And it’s been two years. So long. We have two boys, two and four. And I really need your prayers. I am worn and tired and I really know that God will do this, but when, how much longer? Why, why does my husband keep running? Why is he literally the prodigal? And when will he come back to God and back to his family? He likes to play house and be at home most of the time except for when it’s convenient to be with her. I just really need you prayers. Thanks so much.
Hello my name is Monnie. I’m here because I want to pray for sister that is struggling to get by. I don’t quite remember her name but I know she’s feeling really down and she’s called today and she’s been on my heart. So, God I pray for my sister who is struggling. I pray she finds hope, but more importantly, she finds You in the darkness. Sometimes Your hard to see. And, so, please shine Your light so much and hold my sister so tight that she will know that You are here. Your plan for us is more important than what we want. We love You. Amen. Sister, I want you to know that I love you and these tough times are hard to get through but you have a Father that can carry all of your stress and anxiety. Keep pushing my love. You are loved by many.
Good morning family. This is Jaden L. grandma. Today is Thursday, February 8th and I just wanted to give you a little update on his status. He is doing okay. He’s going to his mom’s tomorrow night, Friday. He gets very edgy and he doesn’t want to leave because he’s abused verbally. It’s terrible. They have…and I’m calling this request for prayer for him…they have an appointment with his therapist and, as I said before, she is trying to make Jaden unstable. I don’t know, maybe the reason is to, you know, maybe get a Social Security check out of it. I don’t know. But she’s going to keep saying things that are damaging to his future and to him. So, I’m asking for prayer that the Lord would just be in that room, because He’s already there. He knows what’s going to be said and done and I pray for the therapist that’s going to be there, that he would be able to see through all of the things that she’s planning and going to say and just protect Jaden. He is so thankful because when I let him…we listen to the Bible study on…in the afternoons when he gets home from school and when I get home from work. He absolutely loves it. And I just covet your prayers for him. Yesterday, also, a little boy died in his class here in New York City. And, the little boy drowned he was playing on a little pond and tried to cross ice and, of course, the ice broke, and it wasn’t solid, and he drowned. So, it was also very distressing for him. So, I’m asking you to just keep uplifting him in prayer to protect him because his mom is, you know, I don’t know, I really have to ask for a lot of prayers…
Hi, this is Sonia calling from Tampa and I just heard the broadcast where Salvation is Mine was asking for prayer. I just want to let you know that I am praying for you. And, Lord I just ask that You look upon those that are brokenhearted, those that are feeling lonely, those that feel like there’s no direction or hope in their lives. Bless them with Your faith, those that would operate in obedience and love and in compassion Lord, and pour into their lives. Reveal yourself to them Lord, so that they may know that you are God Jehovah, Father. Salvation is Mine, there is nothing too hard for God. There are other people that are suffering from cancer like Linda, Maria, and other DABbers that are facing that ugly disease. And I command in the name of Jesus for it to be gone and for your body to be aligned with the word of God. Edwin, who has gone through a horrific divorce and his ex-wife is leaving his children asa pawn, I bind that spirit, and I command him to be the man that God has seen him to be, a mighty man of God. And there’s also the man that only had $100 in his account. There’s nothing too hard for God. I can recall many times that God had taken me through different journeys but in that journey, in that valley, somehow, He let me know how good He is and how great He is. You begin to declare the man that you are in Christ and you begin to declare that finances come your way. And in the name of Jesus, I know that all these things can be done. I love you family and God be with you.