10/18/2021 DAB Transcript

Jeremiah 31:27-32:44, I Timothy 3:1-16, Psalm 88:1-18, Proverbs 25:20-22

Today is the 18th day of October, welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I am Brian. It is great to be here with you today. As we move forward, take the next step through the Scriptures, which is an everyday activity around here, around the Global Campfire. We will be continuing our journey through the book of Jeremiah; today, Jeremiah chapter 31 verse 27 through 32 verse 44.

Commentary:

Okay, so in our reading in I Timothy today we encounter criteria that Paul was putting in place for those in church leadership and he discusses two different functions. The role of the overseer or what we would now call Pastor and the office of the diaconate or deacons and their representations throughout the different denominations in the Christian faith are varied. Certainly, especially with deacons. So, I mean, pretty much no matter what church you go to, even if you were to go to a nondenominational church, it’s pretty likely that this reference, as well as a couple of other references in the pastoral epistles, are used as criteria for determining whether or not a person has the correct gift mix to do the task because it’s not an easy task. Like a pastor has to watch over the spiritual well-being and health of the community that they’ve been put in charge of before God on behalf of the Lord Jesus. So, we’re in a culture now that you can look really cool and you can look really cool and you can be really cool and you can be a pastor but and that’s fine, but behind it all, if that pastor it isn’t in the position, simply to be seen than it is a very, very difficult job. It is the job of a shepherd and so I Timothy lays out some criteria is to be examined and so let’s examine those because maybe you feel a call, maybe you’re a seminary student, or maybe you feel a call toward ministry in some kind of capacity. This is how you would self-gauge, like this is how you would begin a discernment process within your own heart. Understanding what you’re going to need to be able to fulfill that role, but also just for those of us who are a part of a faith community, it’s good to know what the Bible expects of our spiritual leaders. And so, according to I Timothy chapter 3, a pastor must be a man whose life is above reproach. He must be faithful to his wife. He needs to have self-control and have wisdom and live in wisdom. Have a good reputation. He needs to be hospitable. He needs to be able to teach. He can’t be a violent or over the top with wine or drink. He needs to be gentle, not quarrelsome and not be over obsessed with money. He needs to be able to manage and lead his family well and have children who respect and are obedient because they respect him. And he mustn’t be a brand-new believer because he might become proud and that’s easy enough, and then the devil could cause him to fall. And people outside the church need to have respect and speak well so that he won’t be disgraced and fall into a trap. And so, a pastor’s ultimate job is to shepherd the people and care for their spiritual health or well-being. The deacons, the office of the diaconate was given and we saw that formed the book of Acts when there was a problem with food distribution. So, the deacons are to care for the needs of people’s lives, of their physical lives and to care for the community itself. So, a Deacon is to assist the overseer or the pastor in caring for the people. And there were some criteria given for that office and those criteria are: a Deacon must be well respected and have integrity, they can’t be heavy drinkers, they can’t be dishonest with money, they have to be committed to the mystery of the faith, and they must be able to live with clear consciences, their wives to be respected and can’t be gossips or slanderers, they, the deacon needs to exercise self-control and be faithful in what they do and what their assigned to do, the deacon has to be faithful to his wife, he has to manage his households and take care of his family. And so, if you’ve ever wondered, like how do, you know, how do people get into ministry. There are any number of pathways, but at some point, those seeking ordained ministry are highly likely to encounter these particular passages in the pastoral epistles and they are highly likely to be used, in part, at least as a template for assessing a person’s life and their calling. And so, let’s pray for our spiritual leaders.

Prayer:

And Jesus, it is no small task to be called in the direction of lowering one’s self down below and low in service to be a servant leader, a caretaker of Your people. A stand-in on Your behalf. The physical representation of Your ministry in this world. It is no small thing. It is a worthy thing. It is a necessary thing, but it is no small thing. And so, we pray for those in spiritual leadership. We pray for our pastors and our deacons throughout the earth. It is an extraordinarily rewarding thing, but an extraordinarily challenging thing to fulfill this call and so we pray Holy Spirit that You would blow throughout the earth a refreshing wind into the souls of those who have been navigating some of the strangest times certainly of our lifetime, but some of the strangest times and just trying to figure out how to lead and care for and find new ways of doing those things while facing some really, really significant challenges in the world. So, we ask Holy Spirit for Your help, that You would strengthen our pastors, that You would strengthen the deacons throughout the earth, that You would encourage them and that You would use us to be encouraging vessels that we might give words of encouragement as well. Give them strength, give them honor and nobility and stamina, help them to fight cynicism and fatigue, we ask in your precious name, for the sake of your body in this world. Amen.

Announcements:

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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.

Prayer and Encouragements:

Good morning this is Darren from College Station and I am calling in regards to a lady who didn’t leave her name, but it aired on today’s podcast, the 15th of September. It was the first prayer requests played. Basically, she said that she was, had moved across country and made a lot of sacrifices, things have gone from difficult to remaining difficult. She said she was losing faith. I just wanted to encourage you that we all go through this. I’ve gone through different seasons in my life where things have gone from difficult to worse and it seemed like there was no point to having faith but that’s just a lie from the enemy. You need to recognize it as a lie from the enemy and denounce that lie and hold onto the truth that we find in Scripture and that will give you the strength to make it through. God doesn’t promise that things will get easy, but He promises to give us the strength to make it through. So, the only thing we can do is hold onto the truths that have been given to us but if we accept the lies from the enemy, then, then our faith will be weakened and I know I have done that in the past and I’m sure I’ll do it again in the future, but hopefully I can remind you and remind myself to rely on the truths that are in Scripture and to rely on the truths that we get from the Holy Spirit. Love you sis, chow.

Good morning, this is my first-time calling in. I’m gonna stay anonymous. I’m just coming this morning for prayer. I’ve been struggling with depression for the past, I want to say maybe six months, and it’s been getting worse every day. I have a loving family; 6 beautiful children and a husband that love me but inside I feel so empty and so alone. I feel like no one is there for me knowing that my family is but, it’s just been really hard on me lately to stay focused on my, in my ministry and…and as being a mother as well and a wife, it’s just been really hard for me. And I just come to ask for prayer that God may intervene in my life and strengthen me when I feel weak and to give me that strength that I need when the enemy is coming against my mind and telling me things that are not true. I know that there’s a praying church and I’m just asking for prayer. That you may just lift me up. Thank you and God bless.

Good morning, everyone, it’s Val in Vegas. Oh my gosh I love you DAB family. Hey, it’s the 15th of the month, your reporter here in Vegas, checking in, just calling to say I love you guys. All is well; it’s almost 30 days since my procedure and I feel amazing. I’ve seen my surgeon three times since then. She says that I’m healing perfectly, and I just wanted to say thank you guys or everyone because I don’t know, just I don’t know crazy, crazy, crazy, crazy, the devil. But I know the best thing always is to do is to share with your family so that they can pray for you and be specific right. Leave names guys, so that we can lift those people up. And so, let’s lift people up right now. Lord God, thank You for this amazing community. Lord, they are demolitions. O, I love everyone here at the DAB. God Lord, please bless Brian and Jill and China and little E Lord, O God Lord. Just give them the energy and strength that they need to continue to read the word to us and to share enlightenment with us Lord. O Gosh I love this community. Lord God, we pray right now for anyone that might be having any mental health issues. Lord, we know as the holidays come that people feel more burdened Lord and maybe more alone. And God, I gotta say, sometimes I feel like that myself. I pray for us that Your peace You bequeath to us Lord and that we have peace that passes all understanding and God most importantly just use us Lord. Use use to bring more people to the kingdom in your mighty name Jesus. Amen. You guys go out make a great weekend. I love you.

Hey, this is Mary calling from Virginia. And I wanted to call in and lift up a lady who called in asking for prayer. She moved across the country and she was just feeling defeated and discouraged. So Lord, I just pray for her this morning as she has just shared that she’s struggling, that her faith is struggling, that she’s struggling to see how Your working. Father, I pray that You would show her in a tangible way, how You’ve been holding her all along and that You’ve been walking with her through the struggles since she was a child. And God, I pray that You would renew the hope of her salvation. Lord, Your word says in Psalms 34:19 that many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivers them from all. So, God, may you be her deliverer. May You show her just in fresh and new ways that You are faithful. That You have never left her, never will You forsake her. Encourage her today, Lord. I pray against the enemy that would try to lie and discourage and make her feel defeated. Father, I pray that she would know that she’s victorious in You and that she is an overcomer by the blood of the lamb and the word of her testimony. And Lord, that You brought her this far as a testimony to Your goodness. Remind her that You’re her Abba Father, I pray in Jesus name. Amen. Be encouraged today.

This is Kathy from Kentucky. I called in a prayer request a couple weeks ago for a new job because I need extra money cause I’m lonely, board and broke. Well, yesterday I got a new job working in a shopping center for alcoholic addicts and homeless people. And I am very happy and today I listened and somebody was praying for me. I can’t remember your name but thank you. And I just wanted to give that praise report. I’ll post it on the DAB friends Facebook page. Thank you for praying for me. I’m, that’s it, thank you.

Good morning, Daily Audio Bible friends and family. I’ve never left a message before; this is Christy from Arizona. But I was so moved by the girl who left a message just today it was released. Moving across the country and sacrificing so much to do so and just your heart sweet daughter, your precious heart. I too, understand everything that you said. It just completely resonated with me and I want you to know that I reached that point about a year ago. That I will never forget just sitting outside in the cold, shaking, crying saying God, I can’t, I don’t get it, I don’t understand. Where are you? Why did you even create me? Why on earth am I even here? This doesn’t make any sense. So, everything you said, everything you shared just moved my heart to tell you and encourage you. There is hope. He is light and He is with you. And you’re about to have a breakthrough. I promise. He’s coming for you. He’s coming for you. His Spirit desires your heart more than anything in the world. He knows you. He sees you. He loves you. And you will have breakthrough. Just look for Him. Listen to His voice. Stay in His word. Keep catching up with your Daily Audio Bible. Keep getting your face in the word so that your heart can be open to it and He will move. And I can tell you I’m in a completely different place today because of Him and you will be too. Love you.