1 Samuel 8:1-9:27, John 6:22-42, Psalms 106:32-48, Proverbs 14:34-35
Today is the 10t day of May, welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I am Brian. It is a pleasure and an honor to be here with you today. I’ve just sitting here around the campfire throwing logs on and the fires always burning. And, so, whatever’s been going on, maybe it’s been a hectic week, maybe there’s just a lot of things swirling around. This is a chance, right now, to unplug from all that. It will be there if you want to pick it back up. This is chance unplug from all that and just exhale and inhale and calm ourselves and just kind of move away into this other place where the word of God can just be spoken over us and give us what we need. So, we’ve been reading from the book of first Samuel, which is the story of Samuel. And in yesterday’s reading, Samuel fully is in control. He’s the leader of the Israelites and has led the people back into covenant with God and God alone. So, we pick up the story. First Samuel chapters 8 and 8 today and we’re reading from the New International Version this week.
Commentary:
Okay. So, in the book of John, Jesus has some things to say that expose our motives and expose our fears as well. So, Jesus as miraculously fed a horde of people. And then the disciples sailed back to Capernaum, Jesus walks across the lake on the water to Capernaum. And the next day no one can find Jesus. And they find him in Capernaum and when they do they’re like, when did you get here, rabbi? And Jesus response is, very truly I tell you – so, like, what I’m saying is the truth – you’re looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and add your fill. Then He kind of unpacks the motives underneath it all. Do not work for food that spoils but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. Work in this case means useful activity. So, to boil this down, Jesus is saying, you’ve been chasing trying to find where I went, not because of what God is doing, but because I fed you, not because of who I am, because your belly is full and you want more. Don’t chase me down so you can get another meal. Chase me down because you can have eternal life, which once again begs the question that we have asked several times as it’s been brought up in the Scriptures, why are we doing this? Are we trying to be in a relationship with Jesus because of what we think he’s going to do or provide or be for us? Or are we so in love that it will be eternal, that we’ll be in love forever and experience forever, eternally, eternal life? These are important questions because when we’re pursuing Jesus because of what we can get, right, that our bellies are full or that this obstacles removed from our path or this relational discord is broken apart or whatever, whatever why ever we would follow Jesus in terms of a benefit for ourselves, then that’s turning Jesus into Santa Claus. And we have to think of this in terms of all the relationships that we have or have had. When you’re in a relationship with somebody because of what you can get out of the deal, that’s not true love, that’s simply trying to acquire something. When we look around us and we see that taking place we would say that this person is using this other person to get something. That’s not true love. It may be true work. It may be a lot of work but it is for one goal, to obtain or achieve something through this other person. So, it doesn’t have anything to do with actual, authentic, deep, loving relationship. And Jesus is telling people that’s what you’re doing, doing all this work, chasing me down for what you think you might be able to get out of me. And the people respond. What is it that we need to do then in order to do the work God requires? Such a beautiful question because they’re essentially saying, okay, I’m hearing what you’re saying, what is it that I should be doing? And Jesus responded. The work of God is this – so, work again, means useful activity. So, what you need to do, Jesus is saying, this is going to be underwhelming because we keep thinking it’s in this big grandiose things, hoops and levers that we need to jump through and pull. Jesus said the work of God is this, to believe in the one He has sent. And that’s it. And the people are like, okay, great, give us a sign. And as an example, they said, you know, God gave our ancestors mana to eat in the wilderness. And Jesus just fed them. So, we see why the come up with this example. And Jesus is like, look, Moses isn’t the one that gave you the bread from heaven, the manna, it was God, it was my Father who gave the bread from heaven. And they’re like, okay, give us that bread then. Very similar to the woman at Jacob’s well when Jesus was talking about eternal water. And she’s like…I want…give me that…I want that. And Jesus response brings the whole thing back around, I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. And what He’s saying here is this is bigger than physical water and physical food, right? This is bigger than your physical aspirations or objectives. Are you trying to get the things that you think that you need by chasing me? What I can give you is spiritual food and drink that can satisfy the unrest and deep, deep longing of your soul. And once you experience that then you are chasing after what you can get out of the deal. When you are content and centered in God all of these other things become so much less important because they are in their proper perspective. So, some things to think about again. Why are we doing this? Because if we haven’t fallen in love with God and understood our absolute desperate need for the Father’s presence in our life, sustaining our life, then we’re not going to be satisfied. We’re going to be moving from quick fix to quick fix. We’re going to be chasing after one meal to the next but we will still be hungry, we will still have the longing, we will still have the discontent, we will still have the anger, we will still have the anger turned inward that we would call depression, we’re still going to have the anxiety because we’re still going to believe that, if we can’t chase Him down and jump through the hoops and pull the levers then we’re not going to get fed and we’re not going to be full. And, so, we’re chasing quick fix after quick fix. And Jesus is saying there’s one fix that fixes it all, for always. Believe me. I first loved you. I loved you before you even knew who you were. I want to be in an intimate friendship with you. This is the only thing that’s going to satisfy that longing that never goes away. I am the bread of life, not I am the bread of stomach, right? I am the bread that fills your life from within. You never have to be hungry or thirsty. You can always be satisfied. Don’t chase me for what you think you need right now. Come to me to be full from within forever.
Prayer:
Jesus, we know this. We understand this, but we don’t always practice this. Usually, we are like these people. Usually we are pursuing and trusting and banging on the doors of heaven to get something moved or fulfilled or achieved or fixed. And there’s nothing wrong with that. You love for us to be in fellowship, in relationship. But you are essentially saying, running to me to get something fixed when we’re not really in a relationship with each other doesn’t make any sense. And, so, we come. We come to you humbly. We come to you hungry and thirsty for what You and only You can fulfill and fill within us, the longing of our souls to be reunited with You because that’s where all of this comes from, all of the discontent of our lives. We think that if we could just get that thing or achieve this goal then we’d be fulfilled and content but it won’t work. We’ll just continue to chase after the next thing. When You are saying, if we come to You and believe You, the longings of our souls can be filled. And, so, we come, Holy Spirit, and ask that you well up from within us and give us site to see and ears to hear. And we pray this in the name of Jesus. 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:
Hey, what’s up everybody? It’s Miguel from Santa Rosa and I’m calling in for prayer this morning as I am calling in feeling like a man down…if I can be quite honest. You guys already know about a prayer request I left last week for my mom, for my family who is feeling the effects of the absence of my mom. And there is some progress there. So, thank you for praying. She is looking at hopefully being back home by the end of this week before Mother’s Day. So, thank you, but please keep on praying that this would be so. You know, I’ve taken a lot of hits over the past week. And it’s been with that part of my family, it’s been financially, I took some huge hits. It just…it hurts…it hurts pretty bad. And my marriage has taken some huge hits to. And it’s just hit after hit after hit after hit and it’s hard, really hard, the moment right now. I know the victory is coming. I know that to be true, but just…in the moment it hurts. And so, please pray for me family. I just…I’m a man down right now. So, thank you all. I appreciate it. And we’ll talk again soon and give glory to God. All right. Bye-bye.
Hi everyone. This is GG from Gainesville. I haven’t called in a while because I’ve been doing really well. I still face some health challenges but I’m emotionally stronger because my relationship with God is growing and he is really my rock right now. I’m just really proud right now. But I’m calling to ask for prayer for my family. My dad is having a lot…a myriad of issues from liver cancer to anxieties to __. So, just a real miracle that his life would be restored to health and that we would have faith and trust in God and keep bringing all our fears to him. And that dad would be able to sleep at night because he keeps having this issue with vomiting. And I think the next thing I ask for prayer is my sister is taking NCLEX for nursing. She’s doing really well, but just so that she will have peace at the exam and also wisdom on what job she should take and when. And another sister has been trying to have a baby for many years now. She’s tried three times with her own eggs, in vitro, and it didn’t work out. And now she’s trying somebody else’s eggs. So, just that her, TB and Taylor, they’re married, and that they would have joy but also that their joy will be set in Jesus, no matter what happens that she would have a baby, that that would happen. And lastly, I just want to leave you with a verse from Psalm 55 verse 16. As for me, I will call upon God and the Lord should save me even if I…
Hey everybody. It’s Margo from Australia. I’ve just been listening to the podcast from May 7th and I just want to make a comment about Brian’s fantastic commentary at the end. But first of all, I just want to say, quickly say, thank you so much Sherry from British Columbia for just helping to clarify my recent call. I would hate to think anyone thought that I was suggesting a Christian should divorce a non-Christian. No, no, no, certainly not. My call was more of a, I guess, a warning, sort of get out will you can type thing to those who are yet married. So, thank you Sherry for clarifying. But, yeah, look May the 7th, I loved Brian’s comment about when Jesus said you want to be well and also about how we need to do our part. And it reminded me of a call, I called in a little while ago with some advice for those suffering depression and anxiety. And I thought, I just want to reiterate those three points I made because in 19 years, I am now doing so, so well. I am having very few low moods. And I really think, I finally learned that the keys for me, and hopefully for you, number one is pray. Prayer is extremely important but you must praise Jesus daily. It brings you closer to him, you feel His peace full. Number two is immerse yourself in the word and for me DAB has been a key factor in that. I’ll often listen to it twice or more in a day. The more I spend time in the word basically the happier I am. And number three is quoting Scripture out loud, spit it in the devil’s face like a statement. It’s spiritual warfare and I’m sure I’ve mentioned before the Scripture in 2 Timothy, God has not given me a Spirit of fear but of love, power, and a sound mind. And one key thing is you’ve got to do these things consistently, not just when you’re feeling down. Do them in the good times as well so that you build up a really good habit. Any…
Hey Guys. This is Melina and I’m calling from Kentucky. I’ve listened off and on for about two years and I just finished the May 8th audio podcast. I have so many things to say but all I can really say is my bones are rotting. Everything that Brian said, I haven’t listened for several weeks, and I turned it on today and he hit a homerun for me. I know that God wanted me to hear this today. And just from the depths of my soul, you all, I just need your prayers and I need God to just guide me through whatever it is that I’m searching for, I’m looking for. And I just need to come back to Him. I just need help. It just means the world to me to be able to turn this podcast on and hear exactly what I needed to hear at exactly the time that I needed to hear it. I love you guys __. I love how so many people in this world that are hurting and need help, so many people, and I almost feel selfish for asking for these prayers for me Lord, but I know that they’re needed. I thank everyone so much and God bless you. Bye.