Joshua 13:1-14:1, Luke 18:1-17, Psalms 85:1-13, Proverbs 13:7-8
Today is the 16th day of April. Welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I am Brian. It’s great to be here with you today back in the rolling hills of Tennessee. Ah… Just kind of afterglow from the More Gathering. What a wonderful, wonderful time that we had. So well done ladies. You’re probably all getting home to well done. May all that was deposited into your life make positive and complete transformational change in everything that you do and touch from this day forward. And as a community, just know that you’re being prayed for. So, as we step into this day we will step into the next step. I think I said that wrong. We’re about to take the next step forward in our journey through the Scriptures this year. And this week we’re reading from the Contemporary English Version. And the next step forward is gonna take us back into the book of Joshua, where really the majority of the promised land has been conquered. I mean, some of the most powerful forces that could have and should have destroyed the armies of Israel have been defeated. And so that continues, but we’re starting to get into, okay, now we’ve got this land. What comes next? Joshua chapter 13 and 14 today.
Commentary:
Okay. In the Gospel of Luke, we have three stories that Jesus tells. One that shows how God is, one that shows how people are and one that shows how we should be. And in the book of Proverbs we have a bit of a riddle. So, in the Gospel of Luke, Jesus talks about a widow who keeps pestering the judge. And the judge is not particularly a good man, right? So, he’s a cynical, he’s seen it all, he doesn’t care anymore, he’s tired of people, he doesn’t fear God and he’s lost his faith in humanity. But this widow, she keeps coming every day, every day. Justice, give me justice. Be fair, be fair to me. And even though this judge doesn’t care, doesn’t care what God thinks and doesn’t care what anyone else thinks, he gives her what she asks for because he doesn’t want to be bothered by her anymore. And then Jesus says, look, look at how she got what she needed, what she wanted from a crooked, evil judge. Do you think God, the supreme sovereign good fair judge won’t protect his chosen ones who pray to him day and night? Don’t you think he’s gonna be concerned for them? He will surely hurry and help them. The question is will he find anyone on this earth who has faith. So, he’s telling a story showing how the Father is. And then he tells a story about the Pharisee and the tax collector praying. The Pharisee is pompous and looking down on everyone and just basically he’s praying a prayer that is glorifying himself. Then you have the tax collector. And you can see this guy, right? Hat in hand, won’t even look up at the sky standing off in the background, just trying to come into the presence of God, putting his hand to his chest, beating his chest knowing who he is. Knowing that he has no right to be in the presence of God but coming anyway and asking for mercy. Asking for pity, acknowledging who he is. According to Jesus, that’s the man. That’s the one who stood before God and was heard by God. That’s the one who pleased God. The Pharisee is a devout student of the Torah doing everything possible to live according to God’s law. That’s what Pharisee-ism was. Like, that’s who the apostle Paul was. But his heart was hard. Because his heart was arrogant because he thought he was doing it right. And he thought he was good and becoming righteous before God by brute force of obedience. And yet all of this pride was in his heart. And, so, we have two different postures of heart to consider. They’re at the extremes and we find ourselves somewhere in the middle. But we gotta wonder where our center point is. Which side of this equation are we on? And all we have to do is look at our lives. Are we looking down on people? Are we judging people? Are we constantly in that kind of mindset? Or are we humble? Do we remember where we’ve come from? Do we remember the grace and mercy that is offered to us and that we are consuming every day to stay alive?
And then there’s the little children, right? The little children who want to run around Jesus. I mean, they’ve been dragged to wherever Jesus is by their parents, obviously. They didn’t get up in the morning and just run off from their village to find Jesus. Their parents brought them. And, so, there’s kids and their playing like kids do when they get together. And they’re just running around and they wanna be near Jesus. And some of the parents are trying to bring the children to Jesus so he’ll bless them. And it’s the disciples who are like, no he can’t be bothered right now he’s doing important work. He’s got all this important adult stuff to do like healing people and all. He can’t be bothered right now. Jesus is like, hold up. Let the little children come to me. Are you kidding? Don’t try to stop them. You will never get into God’s kingdom unless you enter it like a child. You gotta put that one in your pipe and smoke it for a minute. You gotta think about what it was like to be a child. You gotta think about your own kids. And, I mean, I know we’re all over the map demographically and age wise and so adult children, small children, infants, but you gotta think about what it’s like to be around children. You can sit down with a kid, any kid. And once they’re not afraid of you anymore, have a conversation and it’s unbelievable the way that they think about the world. It’s so starkly possible, right? Everything is so possible. And everything is deeply interesting to them. And so simple. I mean, I’ve had, you know, quite a few kids in my my life. And I got a little guy now, Ezekiel. And I’m usually up early in the morning working on Daily Audio Bible and he wakes up and the first thing he does is come and be with me. And usually it’s the first thing that he does crawl up into my lap, whether I’m reading or busy or whatever. He just… Doesn’t matter. He’s just coming down rubbing his eyes from sleep climbing into my lap. And that actually happened a few minutes ago while I was recording and so the mic was on. So, let’s hear it from a child.
Brian: Hey little buddy
Ezekiel: Hi
Brian: How ya doing?
Ezekiel: Good
Brian: Whatcha been up to? You just looking like you’re a little tired.
Ezekiel: Yeah.
Brian: So, what are you gonna do today?
Ezekiel: Uh I don’t know.
Brian: You don’t know?
Ezekiel: No
Brian: Is it gonna be fun?
Ezekiel: Yeah.
Brian: So, I was wondering. What do you think about Jesus?
Ezekiel: Uh. Good
Brian: Good?
Ezekiel: Uh huh.
Brian: What do you think Jesus can do?
Ezekiel: Probably heal people
Brian: What do you think Jesus can’t do?
Ezekiel: Uh… I don’t know.
Brian: You think he can do anything?
Ezekiel: Yeah
Brian: What’s your favorite thing to do?
Ezekiel: Climb tree
Brian: Yeah?
Ezekiel: Yeah
Brian: That’s kind of a new thing for you, huh? You like climbing all of the sudden.
Ezekiel: Yeah.
Brian: Why do you like doing that?
Ezekiel: Cause.
Brian: It’s fun?
Ezekiel: Yeah.
Brian: Who made those trees?
Ezekiel: Jesus
Brian: Yeah?
Ezekiel: Yeah
Brian: How do you know that?
Ezekiel: I don’t know.
Brian: You just do?
Ezekiel: Yeah.
Brian: Who made you?
Ezekiel: Jesus.
Brian: oh
Ezekiel: And God
Brian: Yeah?
Ezekiel: Yeah.
Brian: Do you think God’s gonna take care of you in your life?
Ezekiel: Yeah.
Brian: Does he take care of you all of your days?
Ezekiel: Yeah.
Brian: You just know?
Ezekiel: Yeah, I do know.
Brian: You like it when it’s sunny or when it’s cloudy?
Ezekiel: Sunny.
Brian: How come?
Ezekiel: Cause it’s warm.
Brian: Oh, cause it’s more warm.
Ezekiel: Un huh.
Brian: Who made the sun.
Ezekiel: Jesus
Brian: You know when it rains that that’s watering the earth like watering all of the grass and flowers and plants?
Ezekiel: ee… No.
Brian: You didn’t know that?
Ezekiel: no
Brian: Yeah that’s how it works. You know how sometimes you have to put water on a plant and make it grow?
Ezekiel: Yeah.
Brian: That’s what the rain does for the whole world.
Ezekiel: Oh.
Brian: Who do you think sends the rain to the world?
Ezekiel: Jesus.
Brian: You think so?
Ezekiel: Yeah.
Brian: How do you know that?
Ezekiel: I don’t know.
Brian: You just know?
Ezekiel: Yeah.
Brian: So, if something scares you and you’re afraid, what do you do?
Ezekiel: Come to you.
Brian: You come to me?
Ezekiel: Yeah.
Brian: How come?
Ezekiel: Cause
Brian: Cause why?
Ezekiel: I don’t know.
Brian: And what do we do if you’re afraid?
Who do we talk to?
Ezekiel: Jesus.
Brian: Yeah, cause he makes those fears go away, huh?
Ezekiel: Yeah.
Brian: There anything else you wanna talk about?
Ezekiel: uhh yeah
Brian: What?
Ezekiel: I don’t know.
Brian: You don’t know? You just wanna keep talking?
Ezekiel: Yeah.
Brian: How are you growing so fast?
Ezekiel: I don’t know.
Brian: Is there somebody helping you grow up?
Ezekiel: Yeah
Brian: Who?
Ezekiel: Jesus
Brian: You think so?
Ezekiel: Yeah
Brian: You think the Lord is helping you to grow and grow and grow?
Ezekiel: Yeah
Brian: I think so too. Do you think Jesus will always take care of you?
Ezekiel: Yeah.
Brian: You do?
Ezekiel: Yeah.
Brian: Do you think he loves you?
Ezekiel: Yeah.
Brian: I know he does, buddy. And I know I love you too.
Okay. So, there you go. A little morning conversation with Ezekiel. And that would have been a different conversation had it been in the middle of the day when he was wide awake. He probably would have had more to say, but every time I talk to that kid, I’m reminded of the faith of a child because it’s exhibited in him not knowing how he knows something but knowing that he does know it. He doesn’t know what he’s supposed to know or what he’s not supposed to know. He just knows what he knows and he’s not sure how. And the world is a wonderful place of discovery. And he doesn’t have to be filled with anxiety because he knows there’s someone looking out for him. And that is embodied in his parents. That’s embodied in me as his father. He does. If he gets scared, he comes running to me. And normally I’ll tell him, I’ve got you buddy. I’ve got you. It’s okay. And normally we’ll talk to the Lord about it. Because I want him to know that. Because that’s what I do when I’m afraid. But I’ll tell you, Ezekiel’s got me beat on that. He’s got me beat badly on that. Because if he’s afraid and he crawls into my lap and I scoop him up into my arms and I squeeze him tight and I tell him it’s gonna be okay, he believes me. This is what it takes. This is what Jesus is talking about. And Jesus says you can’t be in the kingdom unless you have the faith of a child. And I think in part that’s because you can’t even see the kingdom if you don’t have the faith of a child. Man, when you’re looking through a child’s eyes, anything is possible. Anything. Anything can happen. May we remember this as we go into our day. Because if we would go through our day with the faith of a child, trying to have the eyes of a child, we’ll see the kingdom all around us.
Prayer:
So, Father, we invite your Holy Spirit into that. Give us the faith of a child. Help us to remember the faith of a child because I think we have it. It’s just been overgrown with adult things. It’s just been piled up. Too many people have shunned us away from all kinds of things, like the disciples shooing the children away. And we’ve been given the constant message, you are on your own. You are on your own. No one is coming for you. You’ve gotta step up. And we’ve forgotten how to innocently look at the world with wonder. And when we are afraid run to you. Come Holy Spirit. Let us remember what that’s like today. We ask in Jesus name. Amen.
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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:
My beautiful family, this is Pastor from Gene Bradenton Florida. Leaving work and hitting the shores…woowhoo… I’m so excited. Please join me in prayer. Father, we love You really thank You because Your good all the time, that You love us deeply, so deeply that You gave Your only son to die for us. We thank You. Father, we pray for our sister Diane O. B. And I pray, we pray, that You will heal her mom. We praise You for her stubborn love for You. Oh God, bless our sister. Heal our sister, that she me continue being a shower of joy to others. Father, we pray for our sister Asia and that baby G. We are believing for a miracle, that my sister and her husband will be able to welcome a new baby into this world and raise him in Your fear and admonition. Father, pray for our sister Gloria and her legal battle with her brother over their girls. Her mom has been away to care for her, but we stand with her in prayer asking for open doors. Father, thank You for Pelham and Molly and baby Anderson. Thank You for what You’re doing in their lives, in their marriage, in their souls, in their spirit. Help them to walk in holiness before You. Help them to dedicate their whole lives to You and in so doing I know that You are going to bless their marriage oh God. Father, I pray for MK. She’s entering a variety contest and she wants her participation to be Jesus centered. May it be to the glory of God the Father. And bless each one of my brothers and sisters listening Lord as we continue to pursue You together. You are worthy. And we love You Lord. Amen. This is Pastor Gene from Bradenton Florida. I love You guys. Bye.
Hello Daily Audio Bible family. This is Pam, Prosperous Pam, from the bay area. I just heard today’s call and I want to say, it’s April the 11th, and I heard two people on the call I just want to lift up in prayer. One person, she called and said it was her first time calling. She’s from Dallas and it sounded like Seeking, but I couldn’t really understand the name. But she said she was a first-time caller and that she had an ache in her heart and that, you know, that she’s been seeking God, you’re seeking the Lord for 20 years, and, I don’t know, it just spoke to my spirit because He’s there right with you. And I don’t have the Scripture because I’m very new to this calling in and speaking up now but God’s been blessing me so much for this past year. But I am also no children and I am 50 years old and I was married before but I’m not anymore. And, so, I just want to lift you up in prayer and just know I’m praying for you. And just, there’s a Scripture, oh I wish I knew it. There is a scripture in the Bible about even when we don’t feel God’s presence He’s there. He’s always there. And I’m just lifting you up in prayer and just don’t give up. Just know that there’s many of us standing in the gap for you. And I’m praying for that ache in your heart and that God knows everything. And that I lift you up in prayer right now. In the name of Jesus. Heavenly Father I pray that You just speak to her heart and just bring Your Holy Spirit comfort her and that she will have the victory, we have the victory in Jesus. Continue to look up to Jesus. And then the second thing is, there was someone who called in, her name, it sounded like Candy from Tulsa. And her family is under attack…
Hi this is Nicola and I’m calling from New York city. I’m calling to ask that you pray for my sister Rebecca. My sister has had chronic illness and pain since she was in middle school and her health has taken a turn for the worse recently. She has this thyroid issue that’s causing a lot of physical pain as well as making her clinically depressed, making it so she doesn’t want to live. She’s about to get married in two months and she has a lot in front of her and I’m praying that you please pray for her so that she can be cured and so that she can be happy and healthy, especially before her wedding. Thank you so much for all of you who pray. That really means so much to me. Thank you again. Bye.
Hi DAB family. This is Sam in Northern California. I’m calling about the More conference. I know there are lots of women who desire going that conference and were not able to go. You know, God knows the desires of your heart and He honors that. I also ask that God place a hedge of protection around the conference, and everything regarding the conference, the women, the equipment, everything. Men at home, I ask that you create a spiritual garden, so your wife can grow when she comes back, right? She’s coming back full of the Holy Spirit. She’s coming back shining bright and she needs a place to grow. So, please guys do not be the __ rain cloud guy, right? Encourage your wife when she gets back. I ask a lot of the guys I talk to, you know, do you pray with your wife? And they are like, yeah, yeah, I pray with my wife. You know, we’re in the same room and we pray with our minds. And I’m like no, no, do you like pray with your wife, do words come out of your mouth when you pray with your wife? And they look at me like a cow looking at the brand-new fence the first time. And there’s just…there’s this pause. Right? So, guys, please I encourage you, pray with your wife. You guys whose wives are there, at the More conference, when your wife comes back, right, just say hey, woman, let’s pray. And pray with your wife. Right? Just some guys I know it’s an everyday thing and there’s no problem and some guys it’s a challenge. So, see you guys. Enjoy the More conference. God, bless.
Hi Daily Audio Bible. I’m just calling anonymously today because I don’t really… It’s just a weird prayer request I have. I… How can I even begin? I’m just at a point in my life where… This is going to sound awful… And this is why I’m calling for prayer though… I’m just tired of my husband. Is that weird? I’m just tired. For me, I’ve dealt with 20 years of, 20+ years. of just a lot of arrogance and it’s just so hard for me now to take it anymore. He did become a Christian about eight years ago and that has definitely helped. And I know, I know all the Bible verses about, you know, loving others even when we do it wrong and all of that. And I looked at myself and looked at myself and it’s like, what am I doing, you know, how can I do things differently? I just need prayer. I need prayer. I just, I’m, oh gosh, I just…I just need prayer. I’m just asking you to pray that I can somehow get through this. You know, we are in our 50s and, you know, we should be able to make it, you know, another 20 years or so at least. But I just, my goodness. There’s just things that are just catching up to us that I’m having a hard time with. So, anyway, I just covet your prayers. Thank you. I love you all very much.