1 Samuel 12:1-13:23, John 7:1-30, Psalm 108: 1-13, Proverbs 15:4
Today is the 12th day of May welcome to the Daily Audio Bible I’m Brian it is a joy and a privilege and an honor to be here with you today as we move through the center of a week together. It’s been quite an adventurous week in the Scriptures. We’ve kind of changed eras in the Old Testament. We now have a king in Israel, the very first king to unite the tribes together under one ruler. The prophet and priest and final judge of Israel Samuel has anointed this king and his name is Saul and we’re starting to get glimpses of Saul. He…he is an imposing figure according to the Bible, a very handsome man, taller than anybody else. So, he looks the right part. He looks like a king. He…like he fits the imaging that they’re looking for but he kinda has an Achilles’ heel that we’re beginning to see, and he’s really, really concerned about what people think. And that’s okay, like to be aware, but he’s like really trying to find his identity. Like, he’s kind of afraid, kinda timid in that area, which is a difficult characteristic to carry with you if you’re…if you’re a king, like if you…the power of life and death is in your hand and you lead a nation. So, let’s dive back in. Let’s continue our journey as we get to know Saul because in getting to know Saul, we also see a mirror and we can see a lot of these different characteristics in our motives and some of the things that we do. And Saul then becomes an example to us, a teacher to us that shows where the pathways go. So, we’re reading from the Voice Translation this week. First Samuel 12 and 13 today.
Commentary:
Okay. So, in the book of first Samuel we’re…we’re nearing the end of…of Samuel’s life. And, so, he’s brought all the people together to basically…like he’s basically putting himself out there saying, “if I have anything against anyone…if anyone has anything against me let’s settle this. Like, let’s get all of our accounts in order. I don’t want anything between me and anybody else.” And the people absolve him. They say, “you’ve never done anything wrong to us.” And, so, he’s clear and he’s clean and so we’re kind of seeing a resolution of Samuel’s life and ministry kind of moving its way to a conclusion, even as king Saul begins to establish his reign. And, so, they’re working together. Samuel’s the prophet, Saul’s the king. There’s some situations going on with their enemy the Philistines. There’s a battle that’s gonna happen and the Israelites are very outnumbered, and Samuel’s supposed to come offer a sacrifice and we…we just read all this. In the end it’s king Saul that does the sacrifice and just like that, Samuel arrives, and the kingdom is stripped away from Saul. So, it’s like, it’s going to take some time for Saul to lose his grip on the kingdom. And he’s gonna basically be losing his grip on his mind in the process. But this is the beginning of the end, even as it just gets going. Saul was afraid of the circumstances. He was outnumbered by an army. He was afraid of his reputation. The people were slinking off away from the battle lines while they waited for Samuel. We already saw Saul hiding in the baggage at his…at his coronation as King. So, we’re really seeing these characteristics emerge. There…there just right there in front of us in the story and we can sort of see why things are beginning to fray for Saul. What we…I mean…we see a number of different kinds of behaviors and situations here but what we’re ultimately talking about is the fear of man. Like, Saul is exhibiting that he fears man more than he fears God and God’s instructions to him. And there’s plenty right there just in that one concept alone for us to do some examination of our own hearts and lives because what we fear, like what we revere and fear, this creates our motivations, which eventually creates our actions, which eventually creates our life. And, so, as we continue this journey through First Samuel and the story of Saul, let's…let’s do the work. Let’s consider, let’s examine ourselves, let’s observe ourselves. How are we being pulled in different directions? What is causing that? What are we afraid of? What is pulling us toward situations where we are compromised because we’re afraid of what people are gonna think or what it’s gonna look like?
Prayer:
Holy Spirit, we invite You into that because yes, indeed it is important that we pay attention to the needs of others around us, that we are aware, like that we’re not just self-absorbed and only paying attention to ourselves in complete selfishness. Yes, our impact on others does matter just like their impact on us does matter. But this is deeper than that. This is where our allegiances, this is who we’re going to obey, this is who we fear. And often, and we have to confess, often it’s anything but You. Often like what we were talking about from Proverbs yesterday, often we’re not slowing down enough to even pay attention to what we’re fearing or where our allegiances are. We’re just…life is moving so fast; we’re just trying to get everything done and communication is so fast that we are almost only ever reacting when…we don't…it doesn’t have to be that way. We can choose another path, which is exactly what You came to show us Jesus, is that there is another path, a narrow one. Help us find it Holy Spirit, we pray. In the name of Jesus, 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:
Hello this is Catherine from Maryland calling for a couple of things today. Number one, Walta I join you in praying for the people of Chad for the challenges in Africa with Bocca Huran or other conflicts or other instigations of conflicts and we just pray for peace. We pray for provision, we pray for calm, and for protection, especially for all the Christians there and…and peace across…across faiths. So, I join you in that and then I wanted to say it was great to hear your voice Alexander son of Annette Allison. We have heard of you over the years and have been praying for you. And I…I…I love hearing you I loved hearing your story about the funny Sneezing Jesus Brian story. And…and you…you definitely sound like your mom, you have the…her same laugh. So, anyway, it was wonderful to hear from you. I think you are now out if…if I remember some of the prayers directly. So, we just pray for you too as…in your reentry and…and every day to come…
Hi, I’m calling for Maya, from Palm Springs California. You called in seeking guidance and wisdom concerning your unplanned pregnancy. And hon, I just want to let you know people are praying for you. I heard this on the community prayer for DAB. And yeah, you know, when these kind of things happen it changes your whole life. And, so, you just have to be open to that. So, whether you choose to keep the child and raise the child yourself or whether you put the child up for adoption, having children is a precious and a valuable thing and something to be very, very highly regarded. Maybe the most important thing or highly regarded thing that’ll ever happen in your life. And of course, I would encourage you not to…not to terminate the baby, of course. So, sweetheart, just want…just want to let you know that people are praying for you, that the Lord would give you great wisdom and peace. And you…yeah…you are not alone in this. Alright, God bless you sweetheart.
Good morning Daily Audio Bible family. It’s Mother’s Day. It’s a beautiful day. Thank you, God for giving so many of us the privilege of being a mom and I lift up all the women who want to be a mom and haven’t…haven’t been able yet, like Hannah. I pray that you would bless their wombs. And that you would give them children Father God. And also, all the…the moms that have lost their kids and that are really hurting today and the moms that are dealing with kids that maybe are in a place of struggle, that you would speak to those kids in those places and bringing them out of the darkness into your marvelous light and let it be a blessing to them. Because you’re the one…you’re the one true God and God you’re amazing because you’re like a mom and dad all together, cause wherever we hurt you’re there for us to love us, to be stern like a dad and loving like a mom. And I’m also lifting up all of the people that are dealing with kids on the autism spectrum today, that it may be really hard for you and your kids may not be able to show up the way that you would like but just…I want you to know that they love you and they appreciate you and you are amazing even if they can’t say it. So, I love you all. Blessings to those daughters and sons that are watching over their moms that are not able to care for themselves. God bless you moms, Treasured Possession.
Good morning siblings it’s your little sis His Little Cherry in Canada and I’m praying for a Pew…a pew…haha…pew, pew, pew. It’s not even the 4th today. Sorry. Let’s begin again, shall we? I’m praying for a few people this morning. And first of all I’m grateful to Mike in North Carolina for calling in and just revealing or exposing the elephant in the room, which is in the Old Testament, is it not so cringey when God commands the annihilation of the people in the promised land including men, women, children and animals. I don’t have an answer that for that. I don’t have any argument that will settle that question. I mean my three-pound brain has trouble with these cosmic issues. But what I do know is that I’ve decided to trust Daddy’s heart. Scripture tells us that God was in Jesus reconciling the world to Himself. So, Jesus is the revelation of God’s heart. His motivations from the very beginning has been to give Himself to save us, to sacrifice Himself so that we can have internal life. And that was His motivation every step of the way. So, I don’t understand it, but I believe that…that in Gods big brain, much bigger than three pounds He figured it all out. And Jesus died for each one of those people that were killed in the Old Testament as much as He died for me.
Hey y'all this is momma Dee from Indiana calling in. And I’m just listening on this cloudy rainy Mother’s Day. I’m just listening to the prayers from this past week, and I was just really touched by Tamika. Lord, I just ask You right now in Jesus’ name, Lord I just lift Tamika up to You. I don’t know what has gotten her into the situation. I don’t know what has happened, but Lord she’s touched my heart and I know that she is somebody that You love so dearly and so desperately Lord. And, so, I just ask You Lord to touch her. I ask You to touch her situation Lord. I ask You Lord Jesus to bring in the funds, to bring in the finances, to bring in the change that is needed in her life. And Father You know exactly what that change looks like. And, so, Lord, I just ask You to do it right now in Jesus’ name. You are a supernatural God, and You can turn everything on a dime. And Father God I’m just believing and You right now in the name of Yehshua Hamashiach to do just that, to touch her in Jesus mighty name. And Lord, I also want to lift up the man who is sitting in the hospital with his wife. I think her name was Jesse and he’s just wanting her to…he’s believing in supernatural healing and wanting to be able to enjoy their grandchildren some more. And Lord, I ask You to touch her body, her mind in Jesus’ name. Just touch her. I ask You to bring new life. I ask You to bring health and healing to her Father God so that she can enjoy…joy the grandchildren, the grandchildren can enjoy her, and that she can be there to teach those sweet grandchildren Father God about You, to grow up…that they will grow up and love You through her example. Father God, we just love You and we praise You in Jesus’ mighty name. Amen.