Ezra 4:24-6:22, 1 Corinthians 3:5-23, Psalms 29:1-11, Proverbs 20:26-27
Today is the 7th day of August. Welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I’m Brian. It’s great to be here with you as we kind of cross the first full week of this month, at least in numerical numbers. This is the 7th day of August, even though we’re in the middle of a week and this happens to be the 219th day of the year. So, well done for showing up today here around the global campfire where we just come in and allow God to speak to us through His word on His own terms. All we have to do is still ourselves, take a deep breath. Whatever has happened today or whatever is yet out in front of us to accomplish today, it’ll still be there, it’s not going anywhere, and our frantic attempts to keep up, they’re not really helping. But this will help - a deep breath, stepping away from it all for a little while, connecting to our spiritual lives, which is what we were talking about yesterday in first Corinthians, and just letting God speak. So, we’re reading from the God’s Word Translation this week. And today Ezra chapter 4 verse 24 through 6 verse 22.
Commentary:
Okay. So, in our reading from the book of Ezra today we continued to watch the taunts of the enemies of Israel and we continued to watch them try to disrupt and sabotage the work to rebuild God’s temple, right, with all of these letters going back and forth to the king and all this inspection etc. etc. Despite all of that, all the intimidation, the people continued to build. They knew that they were given permission to do it and they knew they were obeying God. And I guess that’s the lesson. We could just stop right there. There’s the lesson, right? We’re going to experience this kind of stuff. We’ll be disrupted, we’ll be taunted, we’ll be marginalized occasionally. These things will happen to us while we’re doing the work of God, something that he’s told us to do, something that we are building that we are supposed to be doing and that we are empowered to do, right? And just, if the intimidation won’t work then the attempts to delay things or to interfere, to just meddle in things, this is what happens and the process isn’t easy, but we are watching an example here in the Scriptures. It wasn’t easy for them. It’s not easy for us. The only differences between us and them are likely that they didn’t give up. We have to be steadfast when we know we are obeying God. And we know when we are obeying God that cannot be attached to specific outcome. It has to be total trust that we are obeying God and whatever happens is for his purposes whether we understand it or not, as we’ve been reading in first Corinthians. And this brings up something that we’re going to begin to see, that we cannot avoid, that will carry us through to the end of the year as we continue through the Scriptures, and that is this fact - endurance is required on the faith journey. And as we move deeper and deeper into the New Testament moving our way all the way toward the end of the last books of the Bible, we will see just how true that is. So, if you’re walking that path. You’re walking down a path that you believe God’s got you on towards something and it’s like everything’s going wrong, like nothing is easy…and man…I’m like speaking to myself because it’s been a year where nothing has been easy. Like, really almost to the point of comedy in my life where it’s like nothing…everything has to be contended for, and then it’s just part of learning to maintain. But we’re all walking through stuff at various times. And, so, I don’t think there’s anybody that doesn’t understand what we’re talking about here. If you’re on a path that God has asked you, then walk that path no matter my what might fall in the path. If the telephone pole falls down in front of you on the path then gotta walk around it like or you got a cut through it. The point is not that we get delayed. The point is that not that we don’t get diverted. The point is that we do not stop, that we continue forward. And if we’re slowed down significantly then we just have to try to make some progress. Every step forward is a step forward. So, be encouraged today and take the next step forward. You are not alone. But together as a community if we all take the next step forward then we’ve made huge strides forward in the kingdom.
Prayer:
Father, we invite You into that. We invite You into endurance and we invite You to help us to understand that this isn’t purposeless, and this isn’t Your anger or displeasure. Resistance is how we grow up. It has a way of dealing with all of the selfishness in us. It has a way of prying our grabbing hands and fingers loose from the world. So, come Holy Spirit 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:
Greetings Brain this is Tony from Germany and I heard your reading and your commentary today for August 3rd about gossip and one thing you said in there was, “let this be that day that we start, you start, yeah, I, August 3rd, 2019, I start in earnest to try as hard as I can to the grace of the Lord to not speak negatively about others even if it’s in frustration especially when it’s based on assumptions. And I will try earnestly not to be part of any problem like that. So, I do have role models that I see thankfully that are really good at not listening to gossip and not gossiping. So…and not making negative assumptions. They’re my role models and I ask the community to pray for me because I just feel that I will be a person that I will respect more if I can keep my mouth shut, you know. And if I have to voice of frustration, well I’ve got a nice chubby little kitty named Micah and I have the Lord, or I use my mentors and voice my frustrations with them and get their guidance. So, for anybody else who is going to be joining us can we just pray together for each other to go down on this road and to the grace of the Lord with time have more control over our words and keep them in line such that they are life-giving. Okay, thank you Brian, thanks for this. Bye. God bless everyone.
Good morning, Chucky from Colorado and Robert wanting to serve. I too got that Cancer diagnosis a few years ago and I want to share with you a Scripture that got me through that time. It was in second Corinthians 1 verses 9 through 11. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death but this happened that we might not love ourselves but our God __. He has delivered us from the deadly peril and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope, He will continue to do this as you help us by your prayers, and many will give thanks on our behalf in the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many. Be strong. I can tell you that my first prayer was Lord let me a good ambassador for you during this trial. And He gave me many opportunities to be a witness for him. He got me through. Cancer is not a death sentence. I encourage you to get a second opinion, especially if there is a university hospital nearby. But you are being prayed for and know that the prayers of many got me through. So, I encourage you, keep __ watch him work. Love you, know that I am praying for you and I got through stage III __ cancer __ years ago and I’m still cancer free. God bless you.
Hello family this is Rebecca from Nebraska and I’ve been a longtime listener, I don’t how many years, maybe eight years now or so and it’s been a long time since I’ve called in, but after listening to the podcast today about King Hezekiah and Manasseh, I don’t know how many times I’ve heard that story about King Manasseh. And today for some reason it was like I heard it again for the first time and I could not believe at the end of his life how much grace the Lord gave to him when he repented, king Manasseh, this evil wicked king. And I just felt the Lord really speaking about how powerful repentance is and simple prayer is and how powerful our prayers are. And I read this other quote from Max Macado recently that our prayers may be awkward our attempts may be feeble but since the power of prayer is in the one who hears it and not the one who says it our prayers make a difference. So, I love you all, am praying for you all. Today when I heard about the testimony of Walta, your son and your reunion, it just made me cry. And so, I’m so blessed by this community and your prayers and when you call in. So, I love you all. Have a good day.
The man was quite tipsy as he
walked on the street
very erratic like he had two left feet
he whistles a tune he stumbles and falls
he tries to get up but he can’t so we crawls
to a lamppost where he pulls himself up
but then he takes out a bottle and turns it straight up
he talks and he gestures to an invisible friend
he takes a few more steps and then he falls once again
is this a comedy or a tragedy you be the judge
because stereotyped images run deep and they don’t budge
that man will be a comedy unless he were your son
and in that case it would be a tragedy and to him you would run
and what about that girl that everybody hugs
who day after day sells her body for drugs
up on the sofa done on her knees
ready willing and able to please
she belongs on the trash pile with the scum of the world
but what if you were the parent of that little girl
we all are Gods children and he loves us all much
especially those who are rebellious and rough
because some haven’t fallen they run and then leap
straight into sin where they wallow real deep
but Christ doesn’t condemn you he’ll heal and restore
your sins are forgiven go sin no more
bring out a robe a ring kill the calf
my child has returned let’s party and laugh
not like most of us who say
let’s watch wait and see if he comes to his senses and lives righteous like me
he’s gonna need some rehab some probation too
cause you can’t expect complete restoration after all he put me through
stranded and bleeding alone on a ledge
surrounded by servants Christ was my hedge
he is the good shepherd left all the good sheep to rescue one bad one
his love is that deep
blindtony1016@gmail.com. Thank you, Brian and the Hardin family for this podcast for God’s Holy Spirit to flow keep the flow and y’all. Alright bye-bye.
Hello, this is Michael Jean Elmore from way out west and I’m calling in to thank God that old Prodigal called in. He called in for Demetrius and praying for Demetrius and talked to him and giving us a lot of update on himself. Thank you very much for calling in. We’re all praying for Demetrius and you Prodigal and just…just wonderful to hear your voice and that update. So, and I’m sure that you’re going to be very encouraging to Demetrius. You’re very encouraging to me. So, I’m sure you will be to him. And thank you all that call-in. I don’t call in very often, but I listen to it every weekend, pretty much. I might’ve missed a couple of them. But over the years I’ve come to love the weekend three-hour prayer program as much as the Bible reading. It’s just really been a real encouragement to me and thank you all for calling in and God bless you Prodigal and keep on keeping on. Adios.