Daniel 7:1-28, 1 John 1:1-10, Psalms 119:153-176, Proverbs 28:23-24
Today is November 30th. Welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I am Brian. It’s great to be here on a day where we’re ending a week and ending the month at the same time. And, of course, is the final day of the 11th month of the year, leaving only one month left in this year and one month left in our journey through the Scriptures this year. Today is the 334th day out of 365. And from the Old Testament we will move back into the book of Daniel, which we’re working our way through now and then we get to the New Testament we will be reunited with somebody that we got to know pretty well during this year, John. But we’ll talk about that when we get there. First, we’re reading from the New International Version this week, which is today. Daniel chapter 7.
Introduction to first John:
Okay. As we move forward into our New Testament reading, as I mentioned at the beginning, we’re being reunited with somebody that we know and we got to know him in the Gospels as one of the disciples of Jesus, John. And, so, we’ll begin the first of three letters that are attributed to the apostle John. Ironically, this letter that we’re about to read makes no mention at all of who it’s from and it does not even specify at all who it’s addressed to. So, it be would easy enough, like other books in the Bible, for example, the book of Hebrews, to conclude that this is an anonymous letter. We don’t know. But church fathers in the second century, so just like about 50 years after this letter was written attributed the letter to John the evangelist and neither the letter nor its author were disputed when the New Testament was canonized, so when it was organized into the accepted New Testament that we have today. It’s only been in more recent centuries that scholars have begun to ask questions as sciences develop. For example, stylistic or language differences between the gospel of John and these letters, the epistles of John. Part of the reason for not addressing the letter to a specific group of people may have been that it was intended to be circulated to many people throughout many churches. It’s possible that the first readers were familiar enough with…with John that he didn’t need to introduce himself in the letter. So, he would’ve known the people that he was writing to and was overseeing their churches and they knew who he was. It’s also possible that those who were receiving the letter weren’t identified in case the letter fell into the wrong hands, so in order to protect the people from additional persecution. This first letter or this first epistle of John was probably written from Ephesus and it was probably very late in John’s life. Most scholars would date the letter around the mid-90s and some even into the early 100s and John was writing this letter for one reason, he was addressing false teachings. Some of the earliest forms of teachings that we…we would now call Gnostic teachings had become a part of the conversation, especially this early view known as a Docetic view or Docetism, that Jesus wasn’t really actually a human being in the same way that we are flesh and blood, but simply appeared to be that way. Or another earlier teacher, Cerinthus who taught that the spirit of Christ, the divinity, the God parts of Jesus actually united with the human part of Jesus when He was baptized. And, so, He was divine from that point all the way through to His crucifixion when this divine spirit, then departed this fleshly Jesus. So I'm…it's…it’s not so hard in our day and age to understand that there are various and very diverse views of the Christian faith all influenced by all kinds of things, tying being one of them. But we get a glimpse here looking backward to the early formation of the church in that early time and see that all kinds of questions were being asked and all kinds of theories were being put forward. John though, even though he’s like a late in his life, is still alive and is in a unique position here, a position of authority because he was there, like he had been there, he was a part of Jesus inner circle. He had been with Jesus from the beginning of his ministry. So, although any number of things could be thought about Jesus, John…John was there, he saw it. So, he could dispel a falsehood about Jesus, basically because he had an eyewitness account. And that’s pretty much what he does here in verse John. But beyond just denouncing a false teaching, the letter offers contrasts, ways to test the postures of our heart in these matters while encouraging us forward and assuring us of our salvation because that was the heart of the matter here. All of these differing opinions in all of this discussion, which continues until today, confused people about where they were with God. And, so, as we as we finish this 11th month of our year let’s reunite with an old friend. The last we heard of him…well…we learned about him and in the synoptic Gospels and the Gospel of John…told the story of Jesus life for the final time. Now some time has passed, the church is beginning to form, and we get to hear from him again. And, so, we begin. First John chapter 1.
Prayer:
Father, we thank You for another week in Your word and…and…and we thank You for another month in Your word. And as those two endings come together on this day, we are grateful, we are thankful, You have brought us through 11 months every single day and transformation is profoundly visible as we look inside. And, so, we’re thankful because it works, Your word is alive and is powerful and does reach down to the level of our identity and speaks truth to us there. And, so, we are so eternally grateful that You are, that You are raising us up so that we live with boldness and confidence, not only about who we are, but about who You are, which is so vastly more important because without You we can do nothing. And, so, we take this moment here at the end of a week and the end of a month just to offer our worship, just to offer our thanks, to offer our love. We thank You Father for Your presence in our lives at all times and we invite Your Holy Spirit now to continually make us aware of Your presence, and we pray these things in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.
Announcements:
dailyaudiobible.com is the website and that’s home base, certainly where you find out what’s going on around here. And it’s Christmas time. So that’s what going on around here
And we’ve released the Daily Audio Bible family Christmas Box for 2019 and I’ve been sharing about that for last couple of days. So, you have a sense of what’s in there - a number of brand-new resources. In fact, this Christmas Box is full of things that have pretty much never been in a Daily Audio Bible Christmas Box before. And, so, super excited about it. It’s very…I don’t know…kind of comprehensive…it just touches all the…a lot of different areas of our lives in this Christmas Box. So, excited about it. Check it out at dailyaudiobible.com. In fact, in the Daily Audio Bible shop there is a Christmas section and it’s got few Christmas related items in it, including the Christmas Box but also the Daily Audio Bible Christmas cards for 2019 and our own Christmas album that came out of our community called Family Christmas. So, you can get all those things or look at them anyway at dailyaudiobible.com in the Shop.
If you want to partner with the Daily Audio Bible, then I humbly thank you with all of my heart for your partnership. We wouldn’t exist…we would not exist if we were not in this story together. And, so, I'm…I’m deeply grateful that we are. There is a link on the homepage at dailyaudiobible.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.
And, as always, if you have a prayer request or comment 877-942-4253 is the number to dial or you can press the Hotline button in the app, which is the little red button of the top.
And that is it for today. I’m Brian I love you and I’ll be waiting for you here tomorrow.
Community Prayer and Praise:
Hello wonderful prayer warriors out there. This is Vonnie from Northern California calling out to the woman from the Pacific Northwest. I’m sorry I didn’t get your name, but the Lord knows your name. You have been left by your husband with five children and my heart breaks for you. This is a very lonely time, very uncertain time. And dear Lord I pray for my friend in the Pacific Northwest. Lord Jesus please give her a freedom from fear, give her Your piece because You have promised to be the husband to the widow, the husband to the woman who’s alone and we trust You first to be our security, to be our safety, to be our intimate provider and protector. And I ask You to supply every need. Please do not allow her home to be taken. But we pray together that You would bring that man back to his senses. God, please reach out to him and minister to his hurting heart that is defying You and everything that he knows to be right and take away this desire for something that’s not of You. Bring him back to You God. I just ask in Jesus’ name that You’d break the enemy’s hold. Bring him back to his wife and family in Jesus precious name.
Good morning DAB family this is Married and Alone. I’ve been a listener for about four years, but this is the first time I’ve ever called with a prayer request. So, how do you fit 20 years of hard egg into a two-minute audio clip? My husband suffers from intimacy anorexia which is the active withholding of emotional, physical, and spiritual intimacy from a spouse. And as a result, he has withheld love from me for our 20-year marriage. And instead they replace it with criticism and blame and they control you with anger. And if it weren’t for my Lord, I would have no self-esteem at all, but I know…I know God is with me, His grace and His mercy always there for me. And while my husband says I’m unlovable my Lord tells me He loves me. And while my husband makes me feel ugly my Lord tells me I’m beautiful. And, so, I thank God for…for that. I’m still recovering from the last verbally abuse session and haven’t been able to speak to my husband for a week. And, so, I know that that conversation needs to happen because Thanksgivings coming. So, pray for me that I would have the wisdom to say what I need to say and just hold us up in prayer. More to come. Married and Alone. Thank you DAB family. Love you.
What is peace? Is it a piece of cake, delicious gluten-free chocolate fudge cake? Is it a part of a puzzle? Are there are many different pieces that make a bigger picture? Don’t we all want peace? Then why do I fight to get my own way? Why do I strive to get the latest things? Why do I struggle against myself and the world? Why do I contend with those around me? I see the conflicts being waged worldwide, the discontent, the nonstop fighting, the suffering and death. Where is peace? Peace is not worrying about my family. Peace is not worrying about the future. Peace is not worrying about money. Peace is not worrying what people think. Peace is not worrying what to do. I want peace more than a delicious slice of gluten-free cake. I want the whole picture. I want the missing piece. I want to be complete. I want to find peace. Peace is a man named Jesus, a man who walked this earth and showed us how to live, showed us what it is to be human and paid the ultimate price for us our Prince of peace. Peace is choosing joy, celebrating the small things, reveling in the presence of our God and His blessings. Peace is living in expectation of His provision, trusting in His mercy and grace. Peace is sharing our thoughts and feelings with our Father and with our Prince and with our advocate. Peace is being grateful for what we have, it’s learning to be content, it’s remembering who I am, a daughter of the King. I want that peace from God, the peace that surpasses all understanding. The piece that will guard my heart and mind. So, I will trust in the Lord with all my heart and I will love the Lord with all of myself.
Hi this is Jack in Wisconsin. Heard today in the prayer section of a woman who’s going through a divorce. She’s got five kids. I just wanted to let you know that I’m going to be praying for you and I’m really thinking of you. I have the perspective of this situation in that I was an unfaithful husband. And I am in the process of trying to put my marriage back together again with God’s grace and help. I am in repentance and I’m desperately trying to win the heart of my wife back, but it may not work. So, I would covet your prayers in return, that my wife’s heart opens and softens to me. Especially as we enter the holiday season it’s particularly hard. And again, for the woman, I just want you to know that I’m going to be thinking and praying for you and your family intently. And thank you for sharing. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Good morning Daily Audio Bible family this is his beloved and California. I just want to say happy Thanksgiving and I’m just so thankful for you, each of you, my family. It’s amazing. I just love and adore. And this is the beginning of my day every day and thank you to Brian and Jill for creating this amazing family here on earth that we are so connected in Spirit. Shanna from Oklahoma, when you called and said you got your job for…with the…calling in with a praise report and you said you might have shed a tear you opened the email, I shed a tear when I heard you got a job. I was so happy for you. I’m praying for you. So, that made me happy. Patricia from New Orleans, I love you call in. And keep calling in. You’re in my daily prayers for healing and also for your family situation. I looked up what you told us to look up and I am praying for you. Please pray for my son’s girlfriend Jenna’s mother who is not doing well with her cancer. And her daughter went home to be with her and take care of her. And I just ask for you to cover her in prayer. Also please pray for me. My mind is playing tricks on me with a recurring infection I’m getting. And, of course, I’m thinking the worst thing possible. So, I was up all night. Please pray for healing of my mind body and spirit in this and that the Lord would just heal me up and all would be well in that situation. I love all of you. Thank you, prayer warriors who call in. You know who you are, the staples here. God bless you all.
Hi, I’m calling, I’ve called many years ago and now is the first time in a long time. I’m going to call myself Finding Great Comfort. I want to thank this community because I can reach out in prayer to you. My heart is heavy as I lift this prayer. Lord God Almighty intercede for my daughter Colene. She needs your healing, sober mindedness, and courage to do the right things for herself, her family, and her children. Intercede Lord by your mighty grace for mothers like her suffering and causing suffering. I ask all these things in the name of Jesus Christ who came, lived, died, rose again, and lives and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. I ask your mercy, your grace and restoration. As we finished up first Peter today it says love covers a multitude of sins. To love deeply. Loving deeply means that we are stretched beyond our understanding. And here we are Lord. I ask for your grace and your mercy. At this time of Thanksgiving I am thankful for family and even the sufferings of grace. Please cover us and restore us in Jesus’ name. Amen.