Ezra 1:1-2:70 , 1 Corinthians 1:18-2:5 , Psalms 27:7-14 , Proverbs 20:22-23
Today is the 5th day of August. Welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I am Brian. It is great to be here with you as we cross the threshold, step into a brand-new, shiny, sparkly week together and take the next step forward as we move through the Scriptures. We began Paul’s letter, first letter, to the Corinthians yesterday. We also concluded 2 Chronicles yesterday. Which brings us today to the…to the threshold of the book of Ezra. And we’ll be picking up the story where second Chronicles leaves off, with the children of Israel in exile in Babylon, having been carried off for their rebelliousness to God.
Introduction to the book of Ezra:
The book of Ezra covers a period of about 80 years and three different kings in Babylon: Cyrus the great, Darius, and Artaxerxes all who provide favor and cover for the Israelites who were returning to their homeland. Cyrus the great begins the process, literally wanting to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem for the worship of God. And about 42,000 Israelites who had been in exile in Babylon, crying and weeping for the day that God would restore them finally get to make the trip back under the leadership of Zerubbabel to rebuild Jerusalem. And, of course, when they get there they face all kinds of opposition both through intimidation of those who are living in the area, and political maneuvers and politics, but they stick to the task. And it’s a great reference point for us in our own lives as we stick to what we know God is calling us to do in life, regardless of the outside opposition we may face. So, we can embrace the book of Ezra as a metaphor for our own lives. And if we will, we’ll find ourselves in these pages, without a doubt. And, so, we begin. Ezra chapter 1 verse 1 through 2 verse 70. And we will be reading from the English Standard Version this week.
Prayer:
Father, we thank You for Your word. We thank You for the progress that we’re making through Your word. We thank You for the progress that we’re making in our lives because of Your word. We thank You for the progress of what You are doing inside of us. And as we step into this new week, Father, we invite You in every aspect of our lives. Holy Spirit, come. Lead us forward into all truth we pray. In Jesus’ name we ask. 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:
Good morning. This is Dennis from __ California. First of all, I just want to…I want to thank Brian. I just listened to today’s broadcast, on August 2nd, and the message was just so spot on for me and my family and my wife. We’re under attack with things that are, you know, just verbal at this point, or just unknown, the outcome is unknown. And allowing fear and things to creep into our lives, and worries, and anxieties. And just to listen to your message was so perfect for me and for her. So, we just ask for prayer that the reports we’re going to receive are going to be good ones, that God’s report is the best, that no matter what comes our way, that we can walk through it and prepare for it, and that we are able to get to the places that we need to be. So, I just asked for that. I just want to thank God in everything, no matter what’s going on, in the good and the bad and give him praise. And I’m going to thank Him at a time for a good word. So, if my DAB family, could you just please pray for my wife, Gina, and myself. And we’d really appreciate that. Love you guys. Thank you.
Hello DAB family this is __ from Southern California. I am calling in for several reasons. First and foremost I’ve got to thank Brian and Jill and the family for everything you do to connect us and invite us to the global campfire. I was traveling for three weeks out of country, in Spanish speaking country and through the course of many different things wasn’t able to necessarily listen in every single day as has been my custom and I really miss hearing your voices. Miguel from Santa Rosa, hey everybody what’s up? And Candice from Oregon, and His little Sharif, I haven’t heard from you. And Blind Tony and oh my goodness, Victoria Soldier, there’s so many, I could name all of you because I love you so much and I missed you. I really needed to bring you with me. So, thank you for this global campfire Brian. I’m sure there’s many moving pieces in the background that we don’t even know about so we can enjoy this. So, two thoughts. For those of you that haven’t yet contributed, perhaps you can think about that and how this affects our day we don’t have it, how it affects our day. And maybe go online and maybe make a little donation. I don’t know your situation but, my goodness, there’s so much sacrifice that goes into this incredible ministry. Perhaps that something you could consider today. The other thing I wanted to share is again, do the course of many events, I became conversational in Spanish in a very short time. And I was so sad coming back thinking, well, who am I gonna have conversations with? And I mean, I know some Spanish people but it’s not like I’m gonna say hey, can you talk to me for an hour every day. You know, it was just like the sad feeling that I was going to lose it. And then I found DAB in Espanol…on the app. So, for those of you, again, that speak different languages. And maybe English is not your first language or your native tongue…
Hi DABbers, this is Missy from the mid-west. Hey, I’m just calling with a praise report. I think it wasn’t that long ago that we read in Proverbs 19:17, that he who regardith the poor or lendith to the poor the Lord shall repay him. And I just have an awesome report on that. That situation just happened. We found ourselves needing to give more than we probably felt we could to someone in our family who would be defined as poor. But as I just wrote the check out, I just…I just did it and felt good about it. And I just didn’t worry about it. And…this was last week…and today, in the mail, I received something that is a seven of times value what I gave to that family member in an unexpected source. It’s not why we give and is not why I gave but it’s just struck me that God is so good and I just wanted to share that. So, give, because the Lord overflows giving back in whatever way He chooses.
Hello this is Judith from Reading in the United Kingdom. It’s the 3rd of August and I’m calling in response to Gavin from Alabama who called saying that his wife left about a year ago and he needs wisdom as to how to deal with it. And I’m going to be praying for you and I know that the Lord can give wisdom because he’s a promised that if we ask him believing that He will give wisdom that He will give that wisdom. So, I’ll be asking the Lord for wisdom for you. And I also thought of this verse. So, I will read it for this passage I will read it to you. It’s from 2 Corinthians 5 starting at verse 16. Therefore from now on we regard no one according to the flesh even though we have known Christ according to the flesh. Yet now we know him thus no longer. Therefore if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation. All things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God who has reconciled himself for us to himself through Jesus Christ and has given us the ministry of reconciliation that is that God was in Christ reconciling the world himself. Not __ to him and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. So, I’ll be praying for the ministry of reconciliation to you __ and a word of reconciliation that God is able to do that. Thank you for sharing your request and God bless you. Bye.