Zechariah 9:1-17, Revelations 17:1-18, Psalm 145:1-21, Proverbs 30:32
Today is the 26th day of December, welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I am Brian. It is great to be here with you today, probably overly full bellies from yesterday. Trying to figure out what happened to our systems. Big day of like exchanging things. Oh, after holiday sales and all of that. So, well, welcome to the post-Christmas festivities here around the Global Campfire, it’s always kind of the same. It’s a peaceful place, God’s word is spoken here, straight from the Scriptures. No matter what’s going on in our lives, we can come in here and be here together. There’s no time that anybody is listening alone, and we have this place to re-center ourselves in the word of God and be oriented to God through his word, so that we know how to live our lives. And so, let’s take that next step, post-Christmas step, that leads us back into the book of Zechariah. Today we’ll read Zechariah chapter 9.
Commentary:
Okay, so, it’s the day after Christmas, right, so a lot of laying around but then a lot of also, I don’t know, visiting people are still around or just feeling tired from all of it. Maybe exhausted. It’s been an exhausting month. We’ll have leftovers today. Maybe exchange some gifts. Maybe today’s the day that family leaves and heads back to whatever state they’re going to, or maybe today’s the day you leave and you’re on your way back. But it’s today, like Christmas comes and then boom it’s over and our hearts start slowing moving away from the Christmas season and we start focusing on what’s to come. Slowly move away from what was and looking forward to the New Year. And what we just read in the book of Proverbs today, offered us wise counsel that it must inform us as we move forward. If you have acted like a fool by exalting yourself or if you’ve been scheming, put your hand over your mouth. So, no matter how we have conducted ourselves over the last couple of days, it’s not likely that we haven’t exhibited or encountered pride. We notice this in the overinflated versions of ourselves that we portray, that kind of curated versions that get put out there online. In fact, the last couple days, we’ve been around a lot of people probably that we’re not always around and maybe we’ve endured hours of conversation with people that we love that just compare themselves to everything: gifts, careers, spouses, kids, choices. Maybe we’ve made people that we love endure hours of us doing that kind of posturing. Proverbs is saying hey, why don’t you try this other path. Why don’t you shut your mouth. Why don’t you put your hand over your mouth. That’s ancient wisdom from thousands of years ago, so this has been going on for thousands of years among the human race. And it can seem harsh at first, put your hand over your mouth, but it’s freeing. We’re being given permission that we don’t have to do the game, we don’t have to play the comparison game, we don’t have to play the gossip and slander game. According Proverbs, that only makes us look like a fool and we don’t have to do it. We can…we can bite our tongue and leave those prideful words inside. They don’t need to be born into the world, we’re allowed to be who we are and we’re allowed to do that honestly. And that doesn’t have to be gained by comparison. We don’t have to go into this new year false. The word for next year is truth. Not only to explore the truth of the Scriptures, but to actually walk with the mirror in front of our face and see just how much false that we allow. We don’t have to go into the New Year false. We’ve been given permission to be true. We don’t have to go into the new year falsely inflated. I mean, we’re probably going into the New Year wanting to lose a few pounds. Maybe we can lose a little pride and a little arrogance while we’re losing a few pounds. We’ve learned all year that our identity can only be found by embracing the long-suffering mercy of God. And we’re nothing compared to that. But compared to each other, there is no comparison, we’re children of God. We don’t have to pose. We don’t have to hide. We don’t have to curate. We don’t have to present this image of spirituality in ourselves, it’s like what we hope to be, but it’s not what we are. It’s foolishness, it won’t get us anywhere. We’re wearing a mask, it’s not true. Let’s be true and grow in maturity and be who we are. When we were reading through Paul’s letters, he told us that we are all invited to reflect the glory of the Lord upon the earth. Think about that. We get to be ourselves and be true with nothing to hide as we reflect the glory of the Lord upon the earth. Hey, that’s a good New Year’s resolution. Let’s write that one down for the New Year and let’s live into it.
Prayer:
And Holy Spirit, come into that we pray, lead us into all truth, lead us away from what is false, not only the things that we need to avoid, but the things that are within us that need to not be there. Holy Spirit come, lead us forward in all truth as we humble ourselves before You and pray this in the name of Jesus. 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:
Hi siblings, this is He Knows My Name. And I’m calling to pray for Manita’s son, Lucas who had an accident at work and he’s now, according to the doctors, blind. Father in Heaven, I wish to commit him to Your hands. Your son Lucas, Father, he was not born blind. Father, You give sight to the blind. You make the lame to walk. You make the deaf to hear, the dumb to speak. Nothing is too difficult for You to do. And Lord, You are more than able. I pray, oh Father God, You will please restore the sight of Lucas to the glory of Your most Holy name. Father, please work Your miracle in his life. Oh Lord, will You stand in the congregation of Your truth and You testify of Your goodness, oh Father. May You please meet me him at this point of need. Wherever else he feels pain or discomfort, Father, may You take the pain away. May You provide the finances that is needed. That he would receive the proper medical attention that he deserves. Pray oh Lord, that You will use him as a point of contact to reach out to every other person out there that has one or one kind of deformity or another due to accident, due to sickness or anything, anything at all Father. Will You stretch Your hands over them. May You heal them, oh Lord, from head to toe. And make them whole, oh Father, as You make whole, the son who came back to tell You thank You. It will come back to glorify Your name, to thank You, to testify to Your most holy name. The wonderful works, oh Father. May You make him whole. In Jesus mighty name. I’ve prayed with thanksgiving and adoration. Amen. He is healed in the mighty name of Jesus. He will see again. Thank you.
Good morning, DAB. My name’s Andrea. I’ve called in a few times for my son and his friend Ethan. But I need prayers. I just got a bad report from a doctor. I had a couple of ultrasounds to try and figure out what was going on in my abdomen. And I was blindsided by the information. I’m not gonna name it, cause I’m not claiming this. But I would appreciate any sort of prayers for complete healing for my body. I will be going to an OB/GYN soon to find out if there is a course of action here. But I’m standing on God’s word that I’m healed by the blood of Jesus. But I’m asking for prayers. I’m also asking for continued prayers for my daughter, Reign. That she would come home to Jesus. And I pray for everyone here. And I hope everybody has a really good holiday. And may God bless you and keep you. Thank you.
Hello, this is Dabs from Hampshire in the UK. And this prayer message is for Susan, God’s Yellow Flower and her son Keith. I just wanna pray for you both. Dear Lord Jesus, we pray that You will be with Keith and his mum, Susan, over these coming days and weeks. With this return of the cancer. Lord Jesus, we pray that You will give both Susan and Keith a renewed sense of peace. A renewed sense of strength and courage, knowing that You’ve been with them throughout this journey that Keith has been on. And that You will continue to be right by their side each and every day. And I pray Lord, for complete healing. Healing over Keith, we pray. I just pray Lord, that You will be with them both over Christmas. And You will just give them a sense of peace. Sending much love and prayers. Bye bye.
Hello my DAB family, this is Mark Street from Sydney, Australia. Today is Friday, the 23rd of December. And just wanting to call in and pray for Susan, God’s Yellow Flower and Keith, her son. Susan, I just want to pray for you. I don’t have any words of wisdom but I just want to pray for you. Dear Heavenly Father, You’re a parent to all of us. We know that You hurt so much when we fall away. So, we lift up Susan and Keith to You, Lord. She is hurting so much for her son Lord, and You know that _ Lord. Lord, Your way is the best way. Lord, heal Keith again and bring him back _. ___But Lord we do know, that Your will is best. Lord, comfort Susan. Let this be a wonderful season for Susan and Keith and her family. That they will feel your love. Bring them a happy season, a prosperous season for health, as well, Lord. In Your name, I pray. Susan, I know I’m one of many, but I ____Love you all.