04/28/2020 DAB Transcript

Today is the 28th day of April welcome to the Daily Audio Bible I’m Brian it’s great to be here with you today. Wow…just a couple more days left in this month. What an interesting month it has been. So, let’s take the next step forward in the Scriptures. And today we will…well…we will continue the story of Gideon one of the judges of Israel and we’re reading from the book of Judges. So, this week we’re reading from the Common English Bible. Today Judges chapter 8 verse 18 through 9 verse 21.

Commentary:

Okay. So, I guess…I guess if there was like some sort of theme that would emerge from today’s reading, it’s gotta be injustice. So, we concluded the story of Gideon the judge today and the way the story ends gives us significant clues into the times of the judges, like how things had become in Israel, how tribal it had become and disunified things had become. So, after this triumph over the Midianites they want Gideon to be their king, their supreme leader. He doesn’t want it, doesn’t want it for his family. He basically knows how it goes with Kings and trying to hold onto power at this time in the world. And, so, while Gideon is the judge for 40 more years than there’s peace around the land and soon as He dies then everyone begins to go back to worshiping Baal again. I mean Gideon had a big family, 70 sons. And one of his sons was a son from a concubine in Shechem. His name was Abimelech who was like basically, “you know, if my dad didn’t want to be king, I do.” Like, “and do you want 70 judges now. Gideon’s dead. You want 70 judges, or do you want one king?” And the result is that all of Abimelech’s brothers are murdered so that Abimelech has this claim. Like, you see how barbaric of a time this is.

But we can move forward a thousand years as we flip to the book of Luke and see that barbarity still exists because we’re seeing Jesus hanging from a cross, which is a very barbaric way to be executed, giving His life in so many ways to put an end that. And, you know, barbaric things still exist in our world today as we well know. So, just in today’s reading along, we can look back thousands of years and see the state of mankind and zoom all the way through the New Testament and then get all the way to where we are today and see that the struggles just look different. They’re still heart issues. They’re still the problems that have always existed when we try to do life separate from God. So, whether it be from the Old Testament or the New Testament or from yesterday, when we drift, when we walk away and we turn to false comforters and walk the path that leads us away from the narrow path, then destruction does come, which is what Bible says. But…but Jesus removed the separation allowing us to unite with God. If there was ever a time for us to…like…for that to finally catch flame within us it’s now.

Prayer:

Father, we invite you into that. We keep trying to trust you until what we see seems as if it’s going in a different direction and so we take the reins back and trust ourselves when you are often counterintuitive. You often force us into a place of faith because it is perhaps like the most important…I don’t know…muscle that we need to be able to live in this world. And yet it’s the one we’re not continually exercising. It gets use when there’s no other choice. You’re inviting us to flip that around and understand that faith is what leads us forward, our complete and utter trust in you for all things knowing that you are the author and finisher of our faith, that you are the author and finisher of our lives, and our lives with you never end. And, so, we get so obsessed about momentary things when there is forever together with you. Help us to have the eyes of faith today we ask in the name of Jesus our Savior. Amen.

Announcements:

dailyaudiobible.com is the website, its home base, its where you find out what’s going on around here.

There is another update to the app to the most recent additions which were a couple weeks ago, major update to the app. And, so, after week one, we kind of had sort of a game plan. I mean, when you release something, there’s always gonna be something that goes wrong and like maybe 20% of people were experiencing some certain kinds of issues. So then dividing that in half got us another version out last week. And now there is another version, which is 1.1.70. And that should pretty much take care of just about all of the problems that we’ve seen crop up, some of those little pesky things like certain days not appearing or that kind of thing. Looks like we’ve got these issues mostly ironed out, which is pretty remarkable based on how much new technology was put into that last major update. So, yup, if you haven’t updated yet, update to the latest version of the app as we continue to grow and expand together.

If you want to partner with the Daily Audio Bible, thank you. That’s how any of this is even happening. It’s how there even is an app to update, that’s how there even is a website to go to, that’s how there is…even is a Prayer Wall like, that we have been in this together for these years, day by day, step-by-step, just being faithful. And, so, thank you…thank you for your partnership. We wouldn’t be here if we weren’t in this together. So, there’s a link on the homepage at dailyaudiobible.com. If you’re using the 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 encouragement you can hit the Hotline button in the app, the little red button at the top or you can dial 877-942-4253.

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:

My DAB Family this is __ in __ Africa and I’m just phoning in to thank everyone who prayed today and just shared. It’s Friday the 24th of April. It touched my heart so, so much. This community is so authentic and so special because I personally don’t find this authenticity in churches. We are all so busy almost just walking around with a mask on and not…not being our true selves and not showing our brokenness and this community allows us to…to feel vulnerable and to phone in to…to share our hearts and that is that is real and that’s authentic, that is…it’s beautiful and I want to thank each and every one of you. I want to thank especially Saria. Thank you so much for phoning in. I’m so proud of you. You said you were proud of Brian and China. I’m proud of you that you’re listening to DAB at such a young age. You said your 10 ½. I think it’s so amazing and God loves you and I just want to encourage you to continue listening. It was so wonderful to hear your voice and just, yeah, I love you and just take care of yourself and…and stay in God’s word. And just thank you again Brian and the whole Hardin family. Thank you for your love. Thank you for your faithfulness and doing this every day. You’re helping people in ways you can even begin to imagine. I just thank you so much and God bless all of you.

Good afternoon family it is Friday the 24th of April and it is the first day of Ramadan. So, yeah, let’s pray. Father God thank You so much that we can come together and pray for…and pray for all things but to pray for Muslims, that we can be united to this, that we are the body of Christ and that we be brought together in unity so that the world will know the love of Christ because of how it’s displayed in us. Father God, thank You for all of the Muslims who have relationships with Christians whether they be neighbors, friends, work colleagues. Thank You, Lord that those links exist, and I pray You’ll be helping us to be shining examples of You. Help us to be good ambassadors, help us to display Your love and so that Muslims would be able to see Jesus in us and be curious and want to know more. And Father God thank You that Jesus Esa is an important figure to Muslims. And we pray Lord that they know to experience a revelation of Jesus during this time of prayer and fasting, that they would come to know who Esa really is and that they can have a relationship with Him. Father God we pray Your protection over Muslims who are celebrating Ramadan at this time. I pray Lord You’d be giving them wisdom as they might have to celebrate it a bit differently than normal in the current crisis. In Jesus’ holy and precious name…

Good afternoon Daily Audio Bible this is Tracy Baker calling out of Arlington Texas. Blessed be, Blessed be. I know we’re in strange times right now with this COVID virus but fear not, fear not. God has just given us a little time out. I know a lot of us don’t understand what…what or why this is going on but it’s not for us to understand. Trust him. He’s got this. You know, like I said, a little time out. Give us time to take a breath, get back to the basics. So, it’s…it’s…it’s rough, don’t get me wrong. It’s rough. I can’t get out to play tennis like I want to but I’m fine, I’m happy, I’m…I’m…I’m blessed to be here, you know, as it is. But I called in. I haven’t called in a while and my bad, but I am listening every day. I don’t know if I could live without this thing. Brian, where was this 20, 40, 50 years ago? Do you know how much a difference this could be made…have made in people’s lives, if I could have had this 20 years ago? For those of you young people, you guys are blessed to be a part of this. This will make a life changing difference in your life. Real quick the sister who called on the 20th, oh, oh, oh, oh I love you for that. You’re in…you’re in pain but what you’re doing helps others and God’s got you. So, fear not. Love you all.

Hello Daily Audio Bible family this is Rebecca Joy from Illinois calling for the first time ever due to God’s prompting in my heart, which I cannot ignore any longer. I have been a listener of Daily Audio Bible ever since I was a kid, but this is the first year that I decided to go to the whole Bible on my own accord. And so far, I’ve been keeping it up. I decided to call and because of the prompting of three different women. The first one was a woman from the 20th of April who called in suffering from extreme emotional distress. The second is from today’s reading, Mother Lioness with her two daughters that she is struggling with, and finally another woman who called in from Florida just breathlessly asking for prayer. And…oh man I…I need a…I just needed to call in. So, dear God, I am no stranger to emotional distress whether it be anxiety, depression, anything…just fear in general and I can tell that all of these women are in such fear right now and it can be such a lonely thing to be in. But I pray that You would just lay Your hands on them and that they would know…they would know that they don’t have to be strong enough. Everything that You offer to them is right there and You are strong enough. I pray for the woman in emotional turmoil, that she would find peace, that she would hold on. I pray for Mother Lioness, that she would know that You have her daughters in Your hands. You have a good plan even though she can see it right now. And I pray for that woman in Florida. I pray whatever she needs let her be with You. Be blessed.

Hey Daily Audio Bible family, To Be A Blessing in California. Hope this finds everyone doing well. I am in the process of waiting to see what a new work organizational chart is going to look like and am trying not to project my fears on my position being demoted or eliminated. The whole organization is going through a process of looking at what it’s going to be like in the future. So, it brings up all kinds of old stuff. But I don’t want old stuff to get in the way. I wanted to throw myself on the floor and have a temper tantrum. And God is sweetly singing, God will take care of you in my mind. And, so, I know that that will take place, and He is. He always has. So, I need prayer to just be more than being an adult about this because the temper tantrum to being an adult, that just masks pouting and upset inside. I’d like to have Jesus show up in the meeting and in the midst of coronavirus and all that everyone is going through, you know, I’m just…my heart breaks for people. It might be you who’s listening who has lost a job or a family member or you’re sick yourself. So, know I’m praying for you and know that I thank you for your prayers.

This is Caribbean Joy saying hi to you from the dark side of the tiny, tiny island of St. Martin in the Caribbean. I have been a listener for many years and have encouraged many others to listen as well. One of my greatest joys is to learn that family and friends have become listeners as well and that they are enjoying it. I have also encouraged people in different languages, for example I have a chat group that is called friends of DAB and that is…those are my English friends, and I’ve also encouraged friends to listen in the Spanish language and also in French. __ [speaking Spanish] I’d also like to give a shout out to one of my special, special encouragers here on DAB which is Victoria Soldier. I love to listen to you, and you are really an encourager. May God continue to bless you. Thank you Brian and I guess I have to say goodbye now. Bye-bye until the next time.