Exodus 23:14-25:40, Matthew 24:29-51, Psalms 30:1-12, Proverbs 7:24-27
Today is the 6th day of February, welcome to the Daily Audio Bible I am Brian it’s great to be here with you today as we reach out our hand and twist the knob and throw open the threshold and walk into a brand-new shiny sparkly week. And most of the time when we throw the door open on a brand-new week, I say something similar because it’s a reminder. It’s in front of us. It’s the future. We are walking into it step-by-step day by day. And, so, what this week looks like, that story hasn’t been told. It’s for us to tell. And we will tell it with the actions of our lives, and we get to choose wisdom or foolishness. What would this week look like if we operated in wisdom every day in all of our interactions in all of our motivations. And let’s say like we did that last week and so now we’re going into this week, what if we continued that process? That would be us doing our part in collaborating in this great work of being transformed and sanctified. And, so, let’s choose wisely what we’re gonna do with this week. One of the things that we will do this week is that we will gather around the Global Campfire like this every day and take the next step forward. In the Old Testament, we are working our way through the book of Exodus. We have basically moved through the freedom, the freeing of the Egyptian slaves and they have left and gone into the wilderness. They are now at the mountain of God, or Mount Sinai, and God is beginning to give to Moses what will eventually become the law that establishes and governs this people who are former slaves who don’t know how to be anything but slaves. Now a culture is being developed in the desert. And, so, we have begun to see some of the statutes and rituals and customs and holidays and things that will shape this people. And, so, we’ll pick up where he left off yesterday. This week we will read from the Contemporary English Version. Exodus chapter 23 verse 14 through 25 verse 40.
Commentary:
Okay. So, in our reading from the book of Exodus today we have something that is very helpful, very informational and something that we need to consider when we are feeling impatient. So, the children of Israel…and we know who they are…these former slaves are at Mount Sinai where God is beginning to lay out what will organize and control this brand-new culture that is being established. We were already told from the Bible that when the slaves left Egypt, they didn’t go the shortest route into this land of promise and just move in. They hadn’t been battle tested and God carried them or lead them directly into the heart of the desert, a place where there’s like no way to survive, a place where they’re learning really important lessons about trust and dependence. There is some change, some fundamental change that has to happen inside of them so that their identity can shift away from slavery and away from Egypt and toward the future and freedom. This is the big shift. They don’t know how to be anything else. So, if we just pause right there and, you know, allow this to kinda become a mirror into our own lives we can think of the times when we felt like we’ve heard a promise or instructions about the way that we should go and we begin to move in these directions only to find out things are not easy, they’re very, very difficult, they’re very hard. Well, at that point, we often can throw our hands in the sky go like, “what the heck? I’m obeying. What is going on here? Why every time that I try to do the right thing and be obedient and be loyal and true, is it so hard?” And trust me I’m pointing this all out to us because I’m just as guilty. But can we just observe the fact that the wilderness was going to be hard no matter what and the wilderness is the pathway to the promised land in this story? And, so, when we move through the wilderness and things just get harder because we get obedient there may be some fundamental deep things that have to shift within us before we can move forward. And if there’s one thing that the Bible teaches us, and it teaches us a lot of things, but if there’s one core thing that we end up knowing very well from the Scriptures is that endurance is part of it. So, let’s kinda move back to Mount Sinai. These former slaves who are being remade into chosen people could very easily be thinking, “okay. We are clear of Egypt. God has done away with that problem. We are moving forward into this promise land if we could just find enough water and wonder why it’s taking so long.” In our reading today God says, “I will make the Hivites, Canaanites, and Hittites panic as you approach, but I won’t do all this in the first year because the land would become poor and wild animals would be everywhere. Instead, I will force out your enemies, little by little and give your nation time to grow strong enough to take over the land.” And, so, it can be incredibly helpful when we either feel like we’re in a wilderness season or we feel like we’re being obedient, but everything is completely difficult in every conceivable way. If we could just remember three words, “little by little.” That is how all growth happens, right? So, if you’re a parent and you’ve had a baby, you know, that…and maybe they’re grown or at least grown up from where they were, it happened little by little. Here we are in the second month of the year and so those of you are still holding true to all of the different New Year’s resolutions that you may have, maybe one of those resolutions is to drop a few pounds and to get strong. And if you’ve been going to the gym, well by now you…you are noticing the fruit of your efforts. But it was little by little. And if you achieve that goal, it still will be little by little, but you will get there if you do not faint, if you do not stop. And some of the core things that are being learned are discipline, self-discipline, control, the gaining of strength, moving into that strength, maybe a rewiring of why we go to certain things for comfort that aren’t going to ultimately be healthy for us. There’s all kinds of stuff that we’re learning all of the time, but when we have this instant gratification kind of concept, especially with God we’re missing the fact that even though we may know where we’re going, or we maybe even have a promise that we believe will be fulfilled we have to grow into that and be ready for that and it will happen little by little. And, so, as we’re facing some of those goals and objectives or challenges or hardships, remembering those words, little by little, that can be a rescue when we’re feeling pretty tapped out.
Prayer:
Father, thank You for this. Thank You for this story, for these examples, for how You’ve lead, Your people in days gone by. We see that You are comprehensive and so often we are simply focused on whatever the goal is when You are growing us up to be fully mature and strong, members who can carry Your authority in this world. Help us to remember that we pray. In the precious name of Jesus we ask. Amen.
Community Prayer and Praise:
Hello this is Landa from New York. I’m reaching out to the one woman in Canada. Today is February 2nd and she was…my heart just was so touched. She didn’t think anyone is really praying for her. And I want her to know just because you don’t hear your name or someone doesn't…you don’t hear it…like you think someone’s praying for you, believe me there are people out there that are praying for you. I pray for people all the time, lift them up and I don’t call in with that. And forgive me for that, but I wanted to let you know that you are so loved by Christ. And it’s like what we learned today, we’re in that wilderness and that’s when we grow, that is when we grow. And just lift your eyes up to Jesus, just lift them up and just have that faith knowing it’ll be OK, it’ll be alright. What does Jesus have for you? You sound like a wonderful person, and I want you to know that I love you and I’m praying for you. I just wish I could have remembered your name. I’m so sorry but you were from Canada. Thank you and I love you. Bye-bye.
Hi DAB this is Ken from New Hampshire. I’m calling for my bride Marylin. She’s going through a…a wilderness town right now. She’s…the devils beat her down and he's…he’s really pushing her face in the mud right now and I’ve done everything I know to do. I just know that she needs some people to come alongside her. She needs some prayer to help her lift her heart up to lift her eyes up, lift her gaze up Lord. So, I’m just going to pray right now and ask you to agree with me. Father in the name of Jesus I ask you to bless my bride, Marilyn. I ask you to lift her up from her wilderness experience right now, from…from where the enemy’s got her right now and I ask you for you to bless her, for you to give her a new perspective in her heart and in her mind God. And Lord, I thank you for this community that comes alongside and that helps each other. Thank you, Lord in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Hello this is Bobby from Spring Hill Tennessee. I wanted to lift up the lady in Canada who said she has the faith of a mustard seed. I want you to know that I’m praying for you and that things will work out, that you’re able to get your baby and that you’re able to…all your wants and needs will be met. I heard your prayer, so I know God has. So, I’m looking forward to hearing your praise reports in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Hi this is Marilyn from New Hampshire calling on Wednesday February 2nd and I just listened to Brian’s wilderness commentary and…which was amazing. And also, all the prayers today were about being in the wilderness, and I can really relate to that because I really feel like I’m there also. I’m in a really low spot. I’ve been a Christian for about 30 years, and I feel very dry. I want too…I’m stubborn, I feel like I’m resisting God. I know His word, but in my head…and I just really want to live a surrendered life. I think I can control it all and it doesn’t work that way. It's…just…I really need prayer. And I need prayer because I compare myself to everyone else and I like seem to never measure up because God doesn’t have enough for me. And when I compare myself to everyone else, I really lose Marylin. Like Marilyn’s not like even there ‘cause I’m looking at everyone else and their walk with God and my walk with God just seems pitiful. Anyway, I need prayer. Thank you for your prayers. I just need some faith, some…some…be closer to God. Anyway, I love you all. Thanks for your prayers. Bye-bye.
Jackie from Canada this is Soaring on Eagles Wings, your sister from Canada on February 2nd. I just heard you and your prayer request. You’re feeling so despondent. I…God isn’t answering your prayer, your business isn’t doing as you’d like it, you’ve been trying to get pregnant, and you haven’t. And it brought tears to my eyes when I listened to you because I sense your pain. Well, our Father says in Isaiah 65 verse 24, “before they call I will answer. While they’re still speaking I am here.” Abba Father, you’ve heard Jackie’s prayer request. You’ve seen her tears and you know and understand that pain in her heart. I pray that you would wrap your loving arms around her and draw her close to your bosom and so that she will remember that your word says you’re as near as the mention of your name, you will never leave her or forsake her. I pray that your Holy Spirit will warm her heart as He comforts her. Lord here her prayer request for having a child. I pray that you would grant her favor so that her womb will receive this gift from you, and she can rejoice and all her other prayers for her business and the loneliness she’s feeling oh God. Send her people around her who can…who will support her and stand with her and remind her of the goodness of God. You make all things beautiful in your time and I pray that you make all things beautiful in Jackie…in your time in Jackie’s life.