12/29/2020 DAB Transcript

Zechariah 14:1-21, Revelation 20:1-15, Psalms 148:1-14, Proverbs 31:8-9

Today is the 29th day of December welcome to the Daily Audio Bible I’m Brian it is a joy it is an honor it is a privilege to be here with you today as we come around the Global Campfire, settle in for the next step forward. Obviously, the steps forward are only a couple. Today we will conclude the second to the last book in the Old Testament. We’ve been reading from the book of Zechariah for the last several days. Tomorrow we will enter into the book of Malachi, which is the final book in the Old Testament, and it will be the final book that we engage with this year. Of course, that’s tomorrow, that’s not now. That’s what’s in the future. We are here in the book of Zechariah and today we will read the final chapter of Zechariah, chapter 14. And we’re reading from the New Living Translation this week.

Commentary:

Okay. So, as we navigate between the holidays between Christmas and New Year’s day and then start a new journey on New Year’s day into a brand-new year together, I think we were talking about it yesterday…just…we get contemplative. We start thinking about…we start thinking about the new year and what it’s gonna look like and what’s gonna happen and what we’re gonna do, what our goals are, and that’s where New Year’s resolutions come from. And they’re great. That’s good. It’s important. It’s just important to pay attention to where the focus is. Most of our New Year’s resolutions are self-focused, because we need to work on ourselves and that’s fine but if that’s all there is, if there is nothing outwardly focused then we’re only focusing on ourselves. And it was the Psalms yesterday that was encouraging us. “The Lord delights in those who fear Him, who put all of their hope in his unfailing love.” And, so, just talking it through yesterday. It was…like it was put this at the top of our New Year’s resolution list. What…what would be like if the goal is to become the Lord’s delight? What would it look like if the resolution was to put all of our hope in his unfailing love next year? We can have the “lose 20 pounds” and “get in shape” and all of the other kind of stuff that we have but what if that was at the top of the list, that we do is roll out of bed every morning and become aware of His presence and put all of our hope in His unfailing love as move through the day? That could change the year in a hurry. Today, today is outward focused as well, if we’re just looking into the Scriptures for things that might point the way and escort us into the new year then one of the places that we’ve turned often and from the beginning of our journey through the Bible is the Proverbs, the voice of wisdom coming from the Proverbs. And, so, this is what the voice of wisdom coming from the Proverbs said in our reading today. “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves. Ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless and see that they get justice.” And I think that is…is so in line with the teachings of Jesus that we as believers we can…can look at these words and say, “yes, I agree with that.” It gets really hijacked in…into a political arena really quickly when we start talking about how. Ironically, like the Proverbs doesn't…it doesn’t say like this is where your vote should be or, you know, this is where your…your prayers should be. The voice of wisdom seems to be giving advice, giving wisdom that is actionable for everybody. “Speak for those who cannot speak for themselves.” That’s something to do. “Ensure justice for those being crushed.” That’s something to do. “Speak up for the poor and helpless and see that they get justice.” That’s something to do. And I mean, we’re not too far removed from a pretty volatile political environment that we had throughout this year and we’re…I mean I don’t even know if we’re really removed. We’re like still kind of moving through. And the proverb is talking about justice in society or what we would more politically call social justice. And that’s just like these buzzwords. They just immediately take us away from our own personal responsibility or are at least own personal awareness of what the Bible is saying. And we might think, “gosh, can we just…can we be done with politics for a while?” We certainly can and should. The Bible’s not making a political statement. That’s the thing. The Bible’s not being political it’s being human. It’s showing human beings how they should behave and care for and live among other human beings. And this matters as we go into the new year because we have almost completed the entire Bible. How many times has it been that we have heard that God is a just God? How many times have we seen this sentiment, that this is His desire, justice is His desire, that he is just? So, we can just go, “well…God is just and He’s just gonna bring justice and I’m gonna watch it happen.” Or what we can understand what the Bible has been telling us the whole year, the same Spirit, the Spirit that raised Christ from the dead indwells us. That God’s Spirit inside of us. And if God is a just God and we are dying to ourselves so that it is no longer we who live, but Christ who lives in us, then we have to pay attention to the things that God cares about because those are the things we are being transformed into. We’re supposed to be in action here. We’re supposed to be the light of the world, the salt of the earth, the hands and feet of Jesus. Like, it’s our hands on behalf of God, the Spirit of God within us that can bring these blessings to the earth, blessings to the poor and helpless, justice to those who have no voice, revealing God’s kingdom that Jesus claimed. And I believe it. I think you believe it…that Jesus claimed was here and among us and within us, that we’re not waiting for something to happen. We are the thing that’s supposed to happen. We are a part of an ongoing story, revealing the kingdom of God as we wait for his return and the fullness of the kingdom to be made perfect. So, as we approach a new year it's…it’s worth taking like several giant steps back away from all of the rhetoric and just inviting the Holy Spirit to show us what that means for us not for everybody else, not what everybody else is supposed to be doing and not what all…every leader is supposed to be doing, what we are supposed to be doing.

Prayer:

Father, we invite You into that because change that happens on a macro level begins with change that happens on a microlevel. It…for things to change around us, things have to change within us. And we can’t change ourselves. We’ve…we tried all kinds of things and we can…we can get a little bit down the road but without Your transformative power in our lives we’re not gonna get very far. But You are utterly sanctifying us, setting us apart is holy. You…You are transforming us into Your likeness. And we are sorry for the ways that we have fought You on this. So, come Holy Spirit and plant these words from Proverbs in our lives today and let them be something that we contemplate and think about, meditate upon, carry with us into the new year. Come Jesus we pray. In Your mighty name, we ask. Amen.

Announcements:

dailyaudiobible.com that is home base, it’s the website, it’s where you find out what’s going on in a virtual community like this one. And there’s usually something or another going on.

And we are definitely preparing to flip over and have a fresh new beginning to a fresh brand-new year. And, so, we’re getting ready for that indeed. And welcome to all who are here in the in-between, this week between Christmas and New Year’s where, yeah, we’re thinking some of the deeper thoughts. Maybe we have some time off work and we can just begin to feel our soul again inside of us. Like it’s been a crazy. And, so, this little bit of downtime gives us some time to think that maybe it’s time for some changes and maybe spirituality is a place to start and maybe the Bible would be a good place to start. Welcome. We’re gonna go on an adventure that’s epic and that is an understatement. So, yeah, we’re getting’ ready to set sail again, but we who have been here throughout this entire year of 2020 together, learning to endure a lot of things and observe a lot of things, we’re here finishing, finishing strong, finishing well that we might begin strong and well in the new year. So, yeah, no matter whether you’ve been here all year or whether you’re just kinda check…checkin’ in and getting’ ready for the new year, be aware.

Be aware of the website, dailyaudiobible.com. All of the things at the website can pretty much be accessed in the Daily Audio Bible app. And the Daily Audio Bible app can be gotten wherever you get apps, you know, like the Apple App Store, or the Android app…app store. Wherever you get apps search for Daily Audio Bible, and download that app. It’s free and it really is hand in glove with the experience of going through the Scriptures, is definitely the best experience as we move through the Scriptures. And in this coming year will…will grow to be even better as we never stop…we never stop developing and making it the portal into the community that we share together. So, check that out.

If you want to partner with the Daily Audio Bible in these final days of this year then I thank you humbly, deeply, profoundly. There is 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 mail, the mailing address is PO Box 1996 Spring Hill Tennessee 37174. And I would say if you want that receipt, like a tax-deductible receipt for 2020 just make sure that’s postmarked by the 31st of December. Those of the rules that we have been given. And I thank you for your partnership.

And, as always, if you have a prayer request or encouragement you can hit the Hotline button in the app, which is the red button up at the top, you can’t miss it. Press that and you share from anywhere in the world, or you can dial 877-942-4253. That’s the number for the Americas. If you are in the UK or Europe 44-20-3608-8078 is the number to dial. And if you are in Australia or the lands down under 61-3-8820-5459 is the number to dial.

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:

Hello DAB family this is Vonnie in Northern California. This morning, it’s the Christmas eve eve and listening to all the wonderful prayers and encouragement, words of encouragement and hope given to Quiet Confidence over and over. And my heart is just so full of gratitude for the body of Christ, for gratitude…with gratitude for the way that the family of God just rallies around. God is using the family to…to fulfill His promises to draw near to the brokenhearted. And I am just…I’m just so grateful for the body of Christ. I can’t even tell you. I’m so thankful for this podcast. I’m so thankful for the Hardin family and…and for all of you who call in, all of you who from all over the world it…just…it…where the Lord’s hands and feet and mouthpieces for blessing and encouragement and hope. I…I just want to say thank you and I want to say thank you Lord for the way that you work through your people. Thank you so much God. May everyone have a wonderful Christmas and new year and let’s keep…keep it up everybody. Thank you so much for…

Good morning Daily Audio Bible community with Brian Hardin at six…close to seven…I don’t remember exactly what time it is in the morning central time December 23rd 2020. I don’t know Brian. How can you bring this so succinctly? What does it matter about any gifts or non-gifts? People get sorrowful at Christmas time because they had such horrible Christmases, depression. I say shalom shalom everybody. Shalom shalom. Jesus came to us. Emmanuel came to us. Shalom. Pretty soon we’re going to celebrate His birth. And I…I want to hang in there. In two days, shalom. Whatever it is, shalom. Peace on earth goodwill toward men. Hallelujah. Thank you, Brian for bringing us. There is no way, no way we can thank Jesus enough for His gift to be with us. [singing starts] Emmanuel Emmanuel [singing stops]. Shalom shalom. I love you.

Hi this is Galena from Atlanta I just heard a praise report from Alina the Jesus Worshiper and I’m so thankful for this answered prayer. I’ve been praying for you Alina. I remember you welcomed me to DAB community back in June and you suggested that we would pray for one another and I’ve been praying for you and I’m so glad that God answered these prayers. I’m thankful for this community, that we can pray for one another. I’m still single but you know what when Brian was reading about Rebecca earlier this year, I just had this vision that this is what God wanted me to be, just to be where I am not to be looking for any one but just stay by the well and just serve the living waters to whoever comes. And, you know, a few weeks after a friend of mine called and said that she saw camels in her things and that they were…there were camels in each room in my house. And I haven’t shared that vision with anybody. So, I’ve just got to believe that God is bringing something good and big into my life this coming year. So thankful everybody. Just pray for me. I know this can be hard for people who are single, this time of the year. So, Merry Christmas everybody. Thank you.

This is Deborah. I call myself Sheltered in Maine because I usually think I am but not today. It’s the 23rd of December actually no it’s the 24th and I have to put my mini–American Eskimo down this morning. She’s almost 12. And it’s not that I don’t see life passes stages by stages. It’s just that she’s been the closest thing to me for the last 12 years almost through all these things that I’ve been through, which they’re all okay now. But she was there through all the upheaval. And tomorrow…well no…sorry…today…I have to say goodbye and it grieves me and I love her and I’m so sorry that she has to go. Just wanted to share that with you because I know that you understand that. God is still so omnipresent even in this time and I’m grateful…I’m grateful for her and I’m really extraordinarily grateful for Him. Love you all. Blessings. Merry Christmas.

Good morning DAB family this is Eyes of a Dove in Snoqualmie Washington and I’m driving on the freeway at five in the morning and I gotta tell you guys, the Lord saved my life. I mean coffee in one hand and steering with the left hand and there’s a couple of spinouts because of the, I guess, black ice on the freeway. And right before my incident happened because the road looked dry, you know. I was thinking why did they spin out? Were they on their phones? And then I had this thought of…like…I saw this scene of me dying in this reck and I wouldn’t be able to see my kids or my Billy and I just asked the Lord to protect me and then right then I hit some black ice and I’m all over the road, like four lanes with one hand. And my…somehow, I did not like seize the wheel and panic or hit the break which is normally what I would do. But I just somehow…it’s like God had control of my hand and got me out of that and my car is fine and I’m still heading to work. I just haven’t been that close in a very long time to totaling my vehicle and I believe that the Lord had his hand on me this morning. And I just want to give thanks to the Lord for being alive this morning and calling in. And I’m just wishing you all a very Merry Christmas as I calm down. I’m just trying to calm down. I love you guys. Thanks for being my family and my friends and for praying for Izzy and Braden. There’s so much to be grateful for and be alive for. I love you guys.