Category: DAB Transcripts

Leviticus 1:1-3:17, Mark 1:29-2:12, Psalms 35:17-28, Proverbs 9:13-18

Today is the 16^th day of February. Welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I’m Brian. And it’s great to be here with you like it is every day as we continue to take steps forward through the Scriptures. And we began the Gospel of Mark yesterday, but we also concluded the book of Exodus. So, if you can believe it, we’ve already completed two books in the Old Testament and one in the new since we began our journey just, what, six weeks ago?

Commentary:

So, today in the Old Testament we will begin the book of Leviticus. And Leviticus is the third book of the Bible. The third book of the Pentateuch. And, of course, it was written for the children of Israel. We’re in the middle of the desert at this point in the story, and God is establishing the terms of the covenant between himself and the nation of Israel and He’s shaping the culture that will govern those people. It’s been about a year now since they’ve left Egypt and the law is being given. And as we pay close attention, we’ll see this sort of sub-theme or a theme that emerges out of the laws and statues. And that is that fellowship, intimacy, collaboration, relationship with God will come through holiness. Holiness is a huge thing. God tells them, I am holy, therefore you will be holy. And, of course, holy means being set apart. Being set apart to God. God is saying, if we’re going commune together and enjoy fellowship with one another, it will be through holiness. So, if you just read Leviticus at face value, you find a lot of blood in this book because there’s a lot of animal sacrifice in it. If you approach the Old Testament, a work inspired thousands of years ago, from the perspective of the culture you live in right now. Right? If you back read your culture into it, it’s going seem somewhat barbaric, maybe hopelessly antiquated, possibly irrelevant. It’s not, though. You may wonder why they would just start sacrificing animals and why God would want such a thing and to find the answer, we’ll have to go back to the beginning. Six weeks ago, we read the account of the Garden of Eden and Adam and Eve’s fall. And from that moment, all of mankind was separated from God and worthy of death, spiritually and physically. And when God came into the garden in the cool of the evening looking for Adam and Eve, they hid. And they eventually told God they were afraid because they were naked. What God does in that moment is telling. He covers them with the skins of animals. So, it was God who set this precedent of atonement and covering. It cost something to cover man and woman. It cost the life of an animal. And we live in a culture after Christ where atoning sacrifice is no longer required. However, we just read the account of the crucifixion in Matthew. Right? And this all goes along with what we were talking about just a couple of days ago as we moved into the season of Lent. These things represent something, to tie us and keep us focused on the story. So, we read in Matthew the account of Jesus death. It’s barbaric. It’s ugly. It’s bloody. And it’s terribly sad. The more that we fall in love with Christ, the more that we see Jesus at work in our lives, we realize that this didn’t happen to someone we don’t know. This happened to our closest friend and ally. Jesus’ sacrifice was once and for all. But the children of Israel do not have that luxury. God is showing the children of Israel that to cover their sin comes at a great cost, and requires the shedding of blood. It comes at a great price. So, we’ll see God sowing this into the fabric of the culture he’s establishing.  We’ll see the burnt offering, the grain offering, the peace offering, the sin offering, the trespass offering, and how they’re to be given. We’ll see the way things are to be consecrated and the consecration of priests and priests’ families. We’ll learn what is considered clean and unclean in this culture. And we’ll discover the different festivals or feasts that must be observed, and blessings and cursing’s, all against the backdrop of the absolute and utter holiness and sovereignty of the Lord. And maybe you’ve been on this path before. You’ve started to read your Bible at the beginning of the year and you get about to this point and this is kind of where you taper off because you’re thinking, I don’t really relate to this. Embrace it. You’re witnessing the establishment of a culture by a sovereign, holy, God revealing to a fallen man the great price of sin and its consequences juxtaposed against God’s holiness. And this is all happening in the harshness of desert wastelands, where there is no, you know, there is no fast food down the street that you can just drive through and get a meal. There is no shopping mall that you can just go get whatever supplies that you want or need. They didn’t have any way to re-supply. This is where we find ourselves, in the desert, as we begin the book of Leviticus. And today we’ll read the first three chapters of the book of Leviticus, beginning with chapter 1.

Prayer:

Thank You, Father, for Your Word. And thank You as we keep taking steps forward we encounter new books, new contexts, new things to learn about, new things to plant in the soil of our hearts. And, so, we’ve just gotten into the book of Mark. We’ve just begun the book of Leviticus. And we invite Your Holy Spirit to speak to us, to plant the fruit of the Spirit in our lives. We want a hundred-fold crop of the fruit of the Spirit. That’s what we’re asking for, but we know this will require our participation. You will provide the sun, You will provide the rain, You will provide the nourishment in the soil of our lives, but You also expect us to collaborate, to weed, to tend, to nurture. So, come Holy Spirit as we continue to move forward and deeper into Your word. Come Jesus, we pray. In Your name we ask. Amen.

Announcements:

dailyaudiobible.com is the website, it’s home base, it’s where you find what’s going on around here.

And what’s really immediate on the radar is that we will be heading toward Israel. I actually made a mistake. Part of the team is heading tomorrow, so we certainly do have to pray. I don’t have to leave until Sunday morning. But definitely prayers over this. There’s just a lot of moving parts, as I mentioned before. There’s jet lag that’s involved, there’s logistics that are involved, a lot of them. And there’s going be a lot of us involved. So, the prayers are for all of that - the transportation, technology, stamina, energy, health, all of this. And as I have mentioned, if you want to stay connected to this, then just get familiar with the Daily Audio Bible Facebook page, which is facebook.com/dailyaudiobible or the Daily Audio Bible Instagram page because we’ll be posting. Like, when we visit somewhere, we’ll be posting pictures of it.  If we have strong enough Internet, then we’ll even be posting videos. And then about halfway through the trip, we’ll be doing a Facebook Live from the Sea of Galilee area. So, I’ll be talking about all of this, but you’re going one way or the other. You’re going. I’m taking you in my suitcase. Whether this is virtual or you’re going in person, we’re going do this together, and it’s incredible to just watch the whole Bible begin to take shape as it’s rooted in its geography. So, it’s exciting that we can do this as a community and I’m looking forward to it very much.

The other thing that’s coming up on the radar is the More Gathering for women. And that will take place in early April. And we do this each year for the sisters in our community, and what a sisterhood it has become over the years. So, if you’re in a place in your life where you’re feeling there has got to be more than this, there’s got to be. I know there is, I can feel it, I just don’t know how to name it. I just don’t know what it looks like, what it’s shaped like, then the More gathering is for you. And you may think, well, I want to go but I don’t want to go alone, trust me. You will not feel alone. You will be among sisters from the Daily Audio Bible community. We all have this in common.  It’s an immediate recognition. Immediate. And lifelong friendships have been formed at the More Gatherings. Friends who have stayed together, who are continuing to be friends for years and years and years. It’s a beautiful thing. So, if that raises something in you, if that brings something up in you that you want to explore, then you can find out more about it at moregathering.com. And April will be here before you know it. Right? It was just New Year’s Day. Right? Just a couple of days ago? But, here we are, several books into the Bible and six weeks later. It just moves fast. April will be here before you know it. So, check it out. Make plans to come if you can. You won’t regret it - moregathering.com.

If you want to partner with the Daily Audio Bible and be a part of keeping the global campfire that is our community burning strong and bright, then thank you humbly and truly from our hearts for your partnership. We can’t do this if we don’t do it together. And what we’ve done, we’ve done together. Thank you for your partnership. There’s a link on the homepage of dailyaudiobible.com. If you’re using the Daily Audio Bible app, you can press the Dive button in the upper right-hand corner or, if you prefer, the mailing address is PO Box 1996, Spring Hill, Tennessee, 37174.

And as always if you have a prayer request or comment 877-942-4253 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:

Hi family. It’s Shannon from Texas and I’m calling because I’ve had Aliah __ on my mind and I just want to say, Aliah, we love you remiss you and hopefully you’ll call in soon and let us know what’s going on with you and hopefully everyone will say a prayer for Aliah. Also pastor Gene. I love you so much. You are my pastor. You are my friend. You mean the world to us. I’m praying for you. No one has…I know you know this…but no one has great victory without first having a trial. And also no one has joy without first having a trial. So, we’re going to see the victory. I’m not sure was going on but I can’t wait to hear your voice again. I love you very much and we miss you and we’re praying for you. I love you guys. Bye-bye.

Hi DAB family. This is __ calling from Sydney. I called for my first time last month for a prayer request about my health and my boyfriend. I have an update on that. My boyfriend and I broke up do to various reasons but I believe it was God’s plan for us, for it to able to happen because at the time I was able to meet, well actually, Mark S. from Sydney reached out to me, which was such a prayer, answered a prayer. And I was also able to connect with a few other DABbers in Sydney. And what’s amazing is that I was able to connect with a guy called Chris who has been listening for years and he turned out to be a husband to my favorite art teacher in high school. So, praise God for that and for the connections that God is showing me through this community. But I just want to continue to ask for prayer as I deal with this breakup. It ended very badly and I was very much hurt, what was spoke to me. And I know that God has a better plan for my life and I trust Him. And I also just want to thank you for Christie who also reached out to me in New York as I’ve been able to read some of her recommended books. That is helping me to get over this breakup as well. So, I just want to thank you all so much for your prayers. And I’m also praying for you all and I’m __ you to praise God and thank God as well for His faithfulness and continuing to pray and uplift each other. So, thank you so much. I will call in again. I __ and I hope you are well. And I’m praying for you. Thank you.

This is Lara B. from Southern Illinois and I’m requesting prayer. I’m going in next week for a heart catheterization. I’ve been having heart problems. And I’m a single parent. I have a 16-year-old I worry about every day and I just ask that you pray for me and my family. I called in about three years ago when my youngest son in Austin was hit by an Amtrak train. And God performed a miracle. He survived. And when he was on the tracks he heard a voice saying you will be okay. As I was waiting in his hospital room, broken and crying, I was listening to the Daily Audio Bible and I heard Sinner praying for my son and Drew from the Bay Area. Sinner, I have missed your voice. I look forward to your calls. I love to hear them. I haven’t heard from you for a while. There’s someone name David from Kansas. It kind of sounds like you. But I would love to hear from you Sinner. I also called in for my very best friend Cindy, who is fighting cancer. And God is working a miracle on her to. Her tumors have all gotten smaller with her treatments. Her and her devoted husband John are now regular listeners of the Daily Audio Bible and I am so blessed to have them as my friends. And I just requested that you pray for Cindy as she continues to do her treatments. I pray for all of you every time I listen, especially for Blind Tony. Thank you and have a good day.

Hi family this is Viola from Maryland. It’s been so long. How are you all doing? Brian and Jill God bless you. Brian, I’m behind, you know, because I’m still in school. And I just finished listening to January 27^th. But it’s all good. It means I can pray for people as I listen after the fact and I’m praying for you journeys Brian. I’m not sure who is traveling with you but I pray for journey mercies for both of you. I pray the blood of Jesus Christ on you and that every family you go to preach would touch their life and change their life. China, China, God bless you for what you do you know what that is. And I want to pray for those who are praying for my job loss. God bless you. I found a job. A good one. And Pelham, I am praying for you. I use myself as a point of contact for you and for those who are underemployed in the DAB community. Father Lord, I pray that you will open up doors for them and that You will cause them oh God even to find jobs oh Lord that will adequately provide for them and their families in the name of Jesus. Pelham I’m praying for your marriage. I pray Lord that You would strengthen that marriage. Whatever the devil is trying to do between you and Molly I cancel in the name of Jesus. And I’m also praying for you Jordan. __. And I just want to pray for you. I pray that God will strengthen and encourage you and come against any kind of depression and come against any kind of discontentment and I pray for calm and peace for you even if this is an on your life until God takes you out of it. And I want to give a shout out to everyone that I really miss you all. Blind Tony, God bless you. I’m praying for strength for you in the name of Jesus. Asia, God bless you. Join me family and praying for pastor Gene who has had some health challenges. And as I’m speaking right now she’s in the hospital and today is the 10^th of February. Father Lord I just pray for your daughter Gene. I pray that you would touch her body from the crown of her head to the soles of her feet. I pray that you would heal her in the name of Jesus, that you would __ …

I’m calling about your travel Brian. I felt we should all be praying as a group for you. And, so, you’re probably going to be on the plane by the time this one is getting aired, but I’d just like to say, dear Lord please watch over Brian, his family, and his extended family through the community of the Daily Audio Bible, that the travel will be safe and prosperous, not for anything but Your glory in the end Lord. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Yeah, this is Blind Tony with a message for those who feel their back is up against the wall, they can’t see their way out. You’ve got to walk on by faith. God is faithful and He will show up. He will bring you out. You got a hold on. Walk on by faith.

There were men in the Bible who were clearly God’s own
they were considered his friend and were intimately known
but still they had troubles, fears and great doubts
but they walked on by faith and God brought them out
Abraham believed and left his own land
He went all the way to Canaan led by God’s hand
And as soon as he got there, there was famine and drought
So he surged on through Egypt until God brought about
Then he returned and was surrounded by war
His nephew Lot got captured when five kings fought four
And right after that he got tested again
And even though God was still with him his problems didn’t end
He had problems with Hagar and Ishmael and Sarah too
God asked him to sacrifice his son Isaac just to prove his love was true
But though he had troubles fears and great doubt
He walked on by faith until God brought him out
Gideon was another one __ week in fear
Afraid of the Midianites but God still called him dear

You get a walk on by faith God will bring you out. blindtony1016@gmail.com. Alright. Thank you for your prayers, your love and your support. And, once again, I’d like to thank Brian and his family. Haven’t heard from Jill lately. I guess I’ll hear from her soon, when Brian goes to the holy land. Anyway. Thank you for this wonderful podcast for God’s Holy Spirit the flow. Keep it flown’ ya’ll. Alright. Bye-bye.

Exodus 39:1-40:38, Mark 1:1-28, Psalms 35:1-16, Proverbs 9:11-12

Today is the 15^th day of February. Welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I am Brian. It’s great to be here with you today to take the next step. So, yesterday was a big day - Valentine’s Day, we talked about the beginning of Lent, finished the book of Matthew yesterday, the first of the Gospels, which will lead us, of course, into the book of Mark when we get to our New Testament reading. So we’ll talk about that when we get there. But first, the law is being given in the wilderness with the children of Israel and Moses and we’ll pick up with that story. We’re reading from the Contemporary English Version this week. Exodus chapter 39 and 40.

Mark:

Okay. So, I mentioned at the beginning that we concluded Matthew’s gospel, which leads us, now, into Mark’s gospel. And we should probably say up front, Mark wasn’t one of the 12 disciples, he wasn’t an apostle. He was rather, mostly, a long-term disciple of Peter. And we first see him show up in the Bible in the book of acts, which, obviously, we haven’t gotten to yet. He’s also known as John Mark and he lived in Jerusalem and came from pretty well-to-do family. His mother’s name was Mary. She had a big house. She had a servant whose name was Rhoda. So, John Mark’s mother, Mary, was one of the earliest of believers and she opened her home to early believers. And church tradition holds that her home may have been the place of the upper room where the Holy Spirit was poured out on the early believers after Jesus ascension. Of course, that’s a church tradition that just goes way back. But it’s not explicit in the Bible, but John mark, or Mark, was around the gospel all his life, even as a boy. The apostle Peter was captured by Herod. And we’ll read about this story little further into the New Testament. And he was going to be executed by Herod who had put other Christians to death. And this seemed to be pleasing the people. So, we plan to execute Peter, but an angel came and sprung Peter from jail. And it was to John Mark’s house, to Mary’s large home, that Peter first came. And all the believers were there praying earnestly for Peter. And that prayer was answered by God, sending an angel to spring Peter from jail. So, Peter comes to John Mark’s house and Rhoda, the servant girl, comes to the door and sees him and slams the door in his face, basically, because she can’t believe it’s Peter. And that’s a story we’ll come to later, but it shows us a little bit about who Mark is. So, John Mark had been around the gospel his whole life. His cousin’s name was Barnabas, who was a dear friend of the apostle Paul. And Mark went with Barnabas and Paul on Paul’s first missionary journey. So, there is a long pedigree with Mark. And church tradition holds that Mark later became a disciple of the apostle Peter and traveled all around the countryside with him and served as an interpreter in Italy, and especially in Rome. And everywhere that Peter went, he was there to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. So, John Mark had heard Peter’s gospel over and over and over everywhere that they would go as Peter was evangelizing. And Mark recalls and remembers this because he’s heard it so many times. And he’s finally asked to write it down so people can remember the whole story that Peter’s giving everywhere that he goes. And, so, Mark eventually does. In a real way, what Mark could be recording is the gospel according to Peter. And most agree that Mark himself was the writer of Mark. There’s some speculation as to the time of its writing, but most scholars believe this…and this might sound surprising to you…but the first books, the first Christian writings preserved in the New Testament are the earliest letters of Paul and, perhaps, the letter of James. The gospel of Mark, being the first of the Gospels, so the first narrative of the life and ministry of Jesus, came later. About 10 or 15 years after Mark comes Matthew and Luke. And they’re a few years apart. And then about a decade, maybe even more, later, comes the gospel of John. So, we’re in the section of the New Testament known as the Gospels -  Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. And we’re about to enter the gospel of Mark, which is the first one. So, you may be like, yeah, I don’t care about all this stuff, just read the Bible, but this stuff is actually kind of important. Because when we can understand it, then we can begin to see how the gospel developed and spread. So, Mark is the first of the Gospels, then comes Matthew, then comes Luke, then comes John. And they’re spread out over a couple of decades. So, they’re written at different times and they’re also written to different audiences. So, their purpose is different. Mark is writing for the first time, the life and times of Jesus. And Mark’s gospel, more than any of the other Gospels shows the apocalyptic nature of some of Jesus teachings. We’ve already covered the apocalyptic worldview as we’ve talked before, but certainly will talk about it more in the gospel of Mark. Whereas the gospel of Matthew, that we just completed, was written for different purpose and to different people. Matthew was written to Jewish people and its intention was to show how Jesus connects to the Jewish story, how it’s the same story, how Jesus fulfills prophecy, and how Jesus fulfilled the law. If Matthew were being written to a Gentile audience, they wouldn’t even understand what was being talked about and they wouldn’t particularly care that Jesus was fulfilling prophecies from a different religion. However, Mark influences Matthew and Luke. Matthew, Mark, and Luke are known as the synoptic Gospels. And we’ll talk more about that along the way. But that means that they share a lot of the same stories and in a lot of cases they share exactly the same wording. Now, as it turns out, Greek scholars have examined the Greek of St. Luke, which is very educated and well written, contrasted with the Greek used in the gospel of Mark, and it’s very different. Mark’s gospel is written almost in like fifth grade elementary, like it’s written in very, very basic Greek. So, although Matthew and Mark use a lot of the material from Mark’s gospel, they’ll often make corrections to the grammar and expand the stories, as the traditions and stories about Jesus are collected through oral tradition. So, that’s kind of the lay of the land. What we’re going into as we go into the book of Mark is the first telling in written form in the New Testament of Jesus life and ministry. And we’ll see that it’s focus is on Jesus and his ministry. For example, there isn’t a birth story. Like, the Christmas story isn’t in the gospel of Mark. It begins with Jesus ministry. And so, we begin the second gospel in the New Testament in order, but the first gospel in the New Testament in time. Mark 1, 1 through 28.

Prayer:

Father, we thank You for Your word. We thank You for bringing us to this point. And as we enter into the gospel of Mark, we invite Your Holy Spirit. Jesus, it’s You that we seek. You are our Savior and it’s You that we are getting to know day by day through this process of sanctification. The Gospels, they give us the opportunity to follow along with You, hear the things You had to say, see the things that you did, all while modeling what humanity can look like, what humanity should look like, what it’s supposed to look like. And, so, we pay such close attention, because the Gospels introduce us to Your heart. And, so, as we move into this second gospel we continue to invite You to reveal Yourself to us through the power of Your Holy Spirit. Come, Holy Spirit. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Announcements:

dailyaudiobible.com is the website, it’s home base, it’s where you find what’s going on around here. So, check it out.

And it’s just a couple of days from now, day after tomorrow…hooo…I have a lot of packing to do…that we will be boarding the big plane and heading across the ocean and landing in Tel Aviv. And many of you from all over the United States and the world will also be making that journey as we prepare to pilgrimage together throughout the land of the Bible. So, I’ve been mentioning this for a couple of days, mostly asking for the community here to begin interceding and praying over every aspect of this trip that we’ll be journeying together. And we’ll be making it as interactive as possible. We do this every year. And, so, we’ll be posting pictures as were at places and videos, when the signal is strong enough. And, so, we’ll be doing as much as we can to connect everybody. And I’ll be talking about where we’ve been and what we’re doing on the Daily Audio Bible each day. But it is just a canopy of prayer that were raising up over this, over technology, over transportation, over safety, over stamina and health, over all of the aspects of moving a couple of busloads of people all over the land. So, if the Holy Spirit begins to move in you to pray as were there, then thank you. And if we come to mind while we’re there, then thank you for your prayers. And if you want to stay connected, I would recommend that you follow the Daily Audio Bible Facebook page, which is facebook.com/dailyaudiobible or follow us on Instagram. This is where we’ll be posting the most. And about halfway through the trip we’ll be doing a Facebook Live from the Sea of Galilee, not from the shores of the Sea of Galilee, but from where we’ll be staying at the Sea of Galilee. So, we’ll give more details as we get closer, but just wanting to pray for this in advance and keep on praying over it as we move through the land of the Bible. So, thank you for your prayers.

If you want to partner with the Daily Audio Bible. If what we’re doing here is bringing life to you, then thank you for your partnership so that it can exist and continue to bring light and good news into the world through God’s spoken word each day. There’s a link at dailyaudiobible.com on the homepage. If you’re using the Daily Audio Bible app, you can press the Give button in the upper right-hand corner or, if you prefer, the mailing address is PO Box 1996 Spring Hill Tennessee 37174.

And as always if you have a prayer request or comment 877-942-4253 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:

Good morning Daily Audio Bible family. It is February 8^th. My name is Barbie and I live in Mechanicsburg Pennsylvania and I wanted to call today for two specific sisters. I wanted to call for Salvation is Mine and for Melody from Canada. Ladies, I heard your prayers this morning. I heard your cries and I want you to know that you are so dear to my heart. And I am going to pray right now. Father, I pray for Salvation is Mine, that she rest in that promise, that she would hear Your voice calling to her, that You would open her eyes to see that You are with her, that she is not alone, that she is not invisible, that she is the only thing that You are looking at right now Lord. Comfort her and give her the strength that needs to move about her days, to be a light in her world, and the witness of Your glorious love. Father, I lift up Melody in Canada. The pain that she feels right now of wanting so deeply to have a career and to be a mother. And it hurts so much to want something that is being denied to you. Lord, I pray that you would give her just strength in knowing that this is for Your glory. We do not know what Your future plans are for her but in this time, as You call to her, I pray that she would respond, that her heart would be moved toward You, that You would use this time of rest to strengthen her for whatever is that You have in store for her and her future. Mold her into the woman that you are calling her to be and let her be strengthened by You Lord in this time. Give her a hunger and thirst for Your word for your company, that every…

Hey Daily Audio Bible. This is Paul from Houston and I want to pray for people as we’re going into Valentine’s Day next week. I want to pray for the folks that are brokenhearted, the people that are hurting from strained relationships. And I looked at Psalm 34:18, the Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. So, I want to pray now. God, You are sovereign. I don’t understand why we go through this pain, but let that heal our brothers and sisters who are hurting. God, You loved us so much that You would spare Your own Son, but He endured the pain and hurt of the cross to redeem all of us to You. Thank You Lord for revealing Yourself and Your love to each of us in an individual way. Help us to know You personally and to know how much You love each of us individually. Please fill us with Your love so that we can pour Your love out into others that are around us each day. Bring them to know You Father so that we can know that we were made in Your image and for a purpose that You put in us before we were even born. Jeremiah 1:5, before I created you in your mother’s womb I knew you. Help us to know You Father. Help us to love those who are hurting and difficult to love. Thank You for Your presence. Pour out Your spirit, Your love on these brothers and sisters this Valentine’s Day and may they know, Ephesians 3:18, how wide, how long, and how high, and how deep is Your love for them. I just thank You Lord for being with us all Lord. Please give people peace and seal Your love and Your Spirit toward them and to know You personally, Father. And thank You. Thank You for the opportunity. Paul from Houston. Have a great Valentine’s Day…

Hello this is Candace from Oregon. Salvation is Mine, our beautiful, beautiful sister from San Leandro California. Our hearts ache for you amidst all that you’re going through. 2017 was shockingly difficult for so many of us. And in your case, I feel proud of you and honored that you are my sister when I remember your many calls across this past year and how many times you valiantly withstood hardship. A year like that requires recovery time. Please, immerse yourself in the Psalms. Cry out to Your beloved Savior, Jesus. It was kind of a shock to hear you say that you feel invisible. You are not invisible to us. And the Lord, Your beloved, as you engraved on the palm of his hand. He longs for you to just look to Him, cry out to Him, weep, even be angry. Just come to Him. Come to Him every minute that you have that you can and just pour out your heart. He loves you so deeply. One time, after I’d lost my husband of 41 years, a month later, it was in April I think, I asked the Lord to forgive me for how angry I was. And He…I heard Him in my heart say to me…I don’t have to forgive you for that…I hate death to. So, just know that you can fellowship with Him in a deeper way, even more than ever. So, go there my sister. We love you. We are praying for you.

Hello there. This is JoAnn Marie. I’m calling from Southern California. Today is Thursday, February 8^th. I just heard Salvation is Mine. I heard you this morning. And I just want to give you a word of encouragement. I don’t know what’s going on in your life but about 10 years ago I had a semi-break down. I call it a breakthrough, but it was hell to go through. And God has totally seen me through the whole thing with my emotion, physical healing, finances. He just gave me help through other people. And one thing that you said, you’re struggling to keep it all together. You know what, it might be time not to keep it altogether and just continue to call out to God and let yourself have some of that time for healing for whatever it is that’s going on. But I do want to encourage you that God is with you He hears your call. If you can get the stamina up each day to praise Him no matter what it is you’re praying to Him as you praise Him, and it’s so good for your soul. Have a great day. And again, I’m praying for you Salvation is Mine. God is good. He is with you. Take courage. He will never leave you nor forsake you. Take care. bye-bye.

Bonnie, we heard you. I remember listening to your first call and telling us that your son was coming out of prison and asking for prayer for him. And Jacqueline we hear you. And others like Jacqueline who are screaming inside or so close to that, know that you are not alone even though it feels like that. I’ve been in a similar place myself. But you are not alone. And I know it’s no comfort right now, but God hears you, God ___ you and I pray, I’m praying so hard that He will give you…send you relief and surround you with people who will be an outlet for you where you can express even the feelings to get to the bottom of it and what’s going on. As well, I’ve got another comment Brian. Say, sometimes you leave on such a cliffhanger. Right? You get so into the story and suddenly you stop. It is like wait a minute I just can’t wait till tomorrow. I know that’s how it works but like today your reading along and then you finish on, look my betrayers here… And it’s like… No, you can’t stop now we need to know what happens next. Yeah, I know praise God. I’m getting into the Bible. It’s getting bad isn’t it? But yeah, thank you for your word again today. And it reminds us that, even though it’s a story that we’ve heard many, many times, it’s still relevant and it has relevance for us. All of these stories have relevance now as much as they did back then. This is Blessed by Him from Gloucester in the UK. I will run out of time probably. So, I’m just going to pray for a bit…but if I get cut off I get cut off. Have a blessed day wherever you are. Father God, we lift up Bonnie to You for her son. Thank you Lord that he’s coming out of prison and I pray Lord that you be at work in his heart and that he would want to come back to You and to read Sneezing Jesus and that You would be glorified in his life. Father God I lift up…

Hi DAB family this is Rhonda calling from the UK. I hope you are all doing good. Today I just wanted to pray for Pastor Gene. I heard that she’s in the hospital and I just pray Father Lord Almighty God that You touch her oh God with Your healing hand in the name of Jesus. We come against every attack of the enemy on our life and we pray Father Lord God that her suffering will stop and that she will begin to respond to treatment in the name of Jesus. I thank You Lord God tonight Lord God for Brian. Lord God I thank You for his ministry. I thank You for Jill. I thank You for China. I lift them all up on to Your throne of grace. I pray Your protection on Your call for them in Your life in the mighty name of Jesus. I pray Father Lord Almighty Father that You continue to use them for Your glory in the name of Jesus. Father Lord Almighty God I pray for those that are all over the world that are going through a lot of pain especially the cancer patient and in the midst of God I pray Father Lord Almighty God that You be with them and their family that You touch them and You heal them in the mighty name of Jesus. I pray tonight for Jacqueline oh God. I ask for the Lord Almighty God that You heal Jacqueline Almighty God. That she would know that she’s loved by You in the mighty name of Jesus. I pray for Sophie oh God. I lift her before Your throne of grace. I pray Father God that You make Your way for her where there is no way in the name of Jesus. I pray tonight also almighty Father Lord God also for __. For __ I ask Father Lord God that You bless her husband with a new job ___ that she desires in the mighty name of Jesus. Father Lord God we are just truly grateful for who You are and for what You are doing in each and every one of our lives Lord God. For those who pray regularly Father God I thank You Lord for their life, Blind Tony, Salvation is Mine, Daniel Junior, I thank You Father Lord God for Viola. Father Lord God I lift __ I lift them all before Your throne of grace and I speak blessing upon every member of this DAB community. I pray Father Lord…

Exodus 37:1-38:31, Matthew 28:1-20, Psalms 34:11-22, Proverbs 9:9-10

Today is the 14^th day of February. Welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I’m Brian. It is wonderful to be here with you. Happy Valentine’s Day for all of you lovers in the world. This also happens to be the first day in the season of Lent, but we’ll talk about that in a little while. What we’ve come here to do is to take the next step forward in the Scriptures. So, from the Contemporary English Version this week, Exodus chapter 37 and 38.

Commentary:

Okay. So, as I mentioned at the beginning, today is obviously Valentines day. So, shout out to all you lovers in the world. It’s definitely a day that we express and commemorate romantic love in the world. It just so happens that also today the season of Lent begins. And I talk about some of the seasons and some of the holidays, holy days, that are found on the Christian calendar because they present a rhythm. So, as we’re experiencing the rhythm of the Scripture in our lives every day, there’s also an ancient calendar that has a rhythm to it that’s intended to focus our heart on God and what God has done for us. So, if you celebrate Christmas, you’re celebrating a holy day that’s on the Christian calendar. If you celebrate Easter or Pentecost or St. Valentine’s Day or St. Patrick`s Day, like, these are commemorative days or holy days on the Christian calendar. There are also seasons. Advent would be a season, the season leading up to Christmas. Lent is the season leading up to Easter. So, we’re forty days out from Easter. So, let me pause here and just say, hey the Christian calendar isn’t in the New Testament. It’s not in the Bible. That’s not the point. And whether you’ve ever heard of Lent or not isn’t the point. Whether you have observed Lent in the past but you no longer do or you don’t even know what I’m talking about, like, that’s okay. At minimum, you’re going to get just a small little history context lesson and at most, you’re going to find something that’s rich and very meaningful and something that you begin to or continue to participate in.

So, Lent, probably you’ve heard of it. Probably it represents to you that, you know, you don’t eat candy bars or you don’t eat candy or you don’t eat sugar or you don’t do something. Whatever. You abstain from something for the season of Lent. And that alone is fine. If you’re used to eating a candy bar for lunch every day and you stop doing that, you break that rhythm, then everyday you’re thinking about that candy bar, thinking about what your normal rhythm is, you’re thinking about being a little hungry and needing a snack and it reminds you of the season that you’re in. But the purpose of Lent is to actually spend the forty days leading up to Easter understanding, like, fully trying to engage with what it cost to bring you spiritual freedom, salvation and eternal life. And we talked about this a couple days ago when we read through the crucifixion narrative in the gospel of Matthew. One of the things that we don’t do very well, that we don’t sit with very well, is lament. We very often skip over lament and move immediately toward grace and mercy, which are needed in endless supply for everyday, certainly. But we don’t consider the awful price of sin. We don’t actually focus our attention on what Jesus had to endure in order to make it easy for us. The kind of life that we experience spiritually came at tremendous sacrifice on our behalf by God. As the Scriptures tell us, while we were still His enemies, Jesus died for us. So, it’s a season to sit with that and begin to invite the Holy Spirit into that. Because sin still kills. Sin still destroys us. Sin is still a cancer that will eat us alive from the inside out. And, so, Lent is a season that comes every year and if giving up your afternoon candy bar is the thing, then that’s the thing. But the point isn’t giving up candy bars or any one thing. That tradition is as a reminder, a reminder that we are giving up everything. And in the season of Lent, we lament. We look back over our lives and allow the Holy Spirit to lead us back into places where we can see how sin has caused tremendous damage in our lives. And we begin to allow the Holy Spirit to lead us to the places that it still exists in our lives. And we invite the Holy Spirit to do the work in this season of restoring us as we move toward Easter. So, as we move toward resurrection and salvation, we actually apply ourselves and invite God’s Holy Spirit to do work inside of us. We’re saying, I’ll give up everything. I’m inviting you to re-order my life. What are the things that do not belong in my life anymore at all? Help me to rid myself and extricate myself from those things during this season. What are the things that are more important to me than they ought to be? Put them in my life where they belong. What are the things that are interfering with where we’re going together, Jesus? Show me those things. Show me how to get them out of my life or re-order them in my life so that they’re balanced properly in my relationship. My union with you is the primary focus of my life. If we use this season for that, then we will be joining in with a tradition that goes back all the way to the second generation of believers. So, the people that the apostles preached to? These are first generation believers. Their children, who grew up in the faith are the second generation. And there are early Christian writings from this time that talk about this. So, it’s an ancient Christian tradition, but it’s also one that will be being observed by millions of people around the world. And, as I say most every year that we get to this season and I do a little explanation of it, I didn’t grow up doing this. I grew up in the church, I grew up in a pastor’s home, but this isn’t something that we practiced. And you may be the same. And you may not want to do this, and that’s fine. There’s no commandment about it.  There’s nothing…it’s not like that. It’s not a command. It’s just an invitation to spend these forty days asking God the things that should be removed from your life, the things that should be re-ordered in your life. And then maybe you do some fasting or maybe you fast something so that every time you would normally turn toward that thing, that food, that activity, you are reminded of where your heart is focusing right now, where you are inviting God to work inside of you right now for these forty days, so that as we approach Easter, we have prepared our hearts and we enter into the Easter celebration fully aware of what it cost for us to even celebrate Easter. And what it means, what a monumental shift that happened in the world and in the human race because of Jesus death, resurrection and ascension.

Prayer:

So, Jesus, as we enter into this time, whether we’re actually going to observe Lent or whether we just focus our attention and affection right now, we open ourselves to You. And Lord, over this next period of time, we invite You, as we move toward resurrection day and our ultimate freedom from sin, we invite You to begin taking us back through our lives and showing us where sin has derailed us and to show us where the weeds of sin are still intertwined, the places that we still find ourselves deceived. The places that we’re continuing to allow this to grow within us. Holy Spirit, come. Show us how to cut that off. Show us how to remove that and burn it up in our lives, get away from it. And, Father, the places that are out of alignment in our lives because life is moving so fast that we just kind of have to patch it together as we go. The things that have fallen out of alignment. Things that are more important to us than maybe they ought to be, even though they’re good things. Or things that need more attention in our lives and should be elevated and paid more attention to. Re-order us, God. We want to move into Easter having truly contemplated what it cost to bring us to Easter. And we want to come into the Easter season in alignment with You so that we can fully embrace and rejoice in what Your victory has won. And as we move deeper, after Easter, into the springtime and new life flourishes around us, we want that to be what’s happening inside of us. So, come Holy Spirit in this season, we pray. In Jesus name. Amen.

Announcements:

Okay, so today begins Lent. This is known as Ash Wednesday. And you may be walking around the grocery store today or the gas station or wherever and see people with black smudges on their foreheads that are crosses. And you might even find that to be a little weird. I always did until I knew what was going on. Those are people who have gone to some sort of Ash Wednesday service and have had palm ash smudged on their forehead in the shape of a cross. It’s a way of representing sackcloth and ashes. It’s a way of representing repentance. It’s a way of representing lament and being public about it. And we see that tradition throughout the Scriptures. When you see someone like that, you’re seeing someone who is willing to humble themselves and look a little bit foolish to outwardly declare to the world, I am in a season of repentance. I repent from my sins. I am contemplating what it costs. What sin costs myself and my family and what sin cost ultimately and the sacrifice of Jesus. And I am declaring this openly even though I may look foolish. So, if you see someone walking around like that today, they are your brother or your sister. Pray for them. And if that sounds meaningful to you, find an Ash Wednesday service somewhere. Step out of your box. Move among brothers and sisters that you have never met. It’s a way of going public with your repentance. I mean, there’s no magic in this. Smear black on your forehead if that’s what you want and go out into the world. Whether they understand or not, you’re declaring your repentance. And you’re also declaring your allegiance. That’s what this is all about. Focusing our heart and our attention on what it cost to bring us our salvation and inviting the Holy Spirit to re-order our lives according to that salvation as we move into the celebration of the resurrection and our freedom.

Okay. dailyaudiobible.com is the website, it’s home base, it’s where you find what’s going on around here. So, check it out.

If you want to partner with the Daily Audio Bible, you can do that at dailyaudiobible.com. There is a link. It’s on the homepage. If you’re using the Daily Audio Bible app, you can press the Give button in the upper right-hand corner. Or, if you prefer, the mailing address is PO Box 1996, Spring Hill, Tennessee, 37174.

And as always if you have a prayer request or comment 877-942-4253 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:

Hey. Good morning you all. This is Cherry, Cherry Chase ,Cherry Pie. Just want to send a shout out to Salvation is Mine. I heard your message this morning. I also felt your pain. I do understand days when you feel like you’re trying to go on with your life but you really are actually screaming inside. I’ve been there, but I want to let you know Salvation is Mine, I’ve got your back, I’ve got you covered. I love you. Just keep pushing, because sometimes we have to do that solid scream and just keep going. God has your back. We’ve got your back. So, you’re going to be fine. I know you’re just going through little things. It’s hard when you’re in them yourself. But I’ve got you girl. I’m going try to encourage you. Every time I hear you call just smile. I want to hear that smile when you call in. You’re going to be fine. We all the through rough time. I love you and I’m asking God to pray for me as well. I am drifting off into my own things and it’s a big deal for me and it will put my finances where I needed. So, if you can guys, I’m asking you guys all pray for my new victory that I’m drifting out on life on my own business and just trying to sum up a little more money so that I can…everything will be taken care of. So, I’m asking you guys to over me with that. I love each and every one you guys. Keep continuing to pray for me and I’m going to keep continuing to pray for you guys. Love you guys. Have a great and wonderful and marvelous day.

Good morning family. I just wanted to say, bless you all, and we are listening and we are praying and we just wanted to say thank you so much for everything you share and this is Lara and Tom from Minnesota and just happy spring, want to stay positive. I just want to say that we are new to this series and we’ve been enjoying it immensely, but I just want to encourage each and every single one of you right now who are going through some pretty difficult times, I just want to lift you up. In Jesus’ name, I commit you to God, I commit your issues to God and just love them up in Jesus’ name. And I ask Father God, that Your will would be done and I pray a hedge of protection around these people Lord Jesus. And I pray Lord that Your guidance and Your wisdom and Your will would be done in their lives and I just plea the Lord Jesus on everyone Lord and a hedge of protection around them. Just bless them Lord and thank You so much for everything and thank You for what You’re doing in our lives. And we are touched with Your word God and how it shows us that every step of our lives has been directed, each day. And You know what we need before we even ask. Thank You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Hi family it’s his little Sharie again and I wanted to thank you Mark S. and the lady in Canada, I think your name might be B, if not, forgive me. You both pray for my book and I really appreciate that. And I also wanted to say that I’m praying for all of our prodigal’s. So many people have called in about their sons, daughters, family members, friends who are far from God. I am joining my faith with yours praying for God to arrest them and reveal Himself to them. I also wanted to read something that I wrote called, Now that You’re an Adult. And I pray that it will be an encouragement to everyone out there praying for a prodigal, especially moms and dads. My child, now that you are an adult, I reach down with the roots of my faith into the mountain of God’s faithfulness and I drink deeply of trust. I need it now more than ever. This is the gift your independence has given me, dependence on the God who promises to be faithful to each generation. I don’t know what your future holds, but I know that wherever you go and whatever you do God will pursue you. You will never be able to escape the invitation of His Spirit. You will never be beyond the reach of His grace. The battle rages for your heart and yet I know that all the schemes of the evil one are no match to God’s genius for redemption. I wish I could protect you from all the lies of darkness. I wish I could spare you the mistakes you will make and the resulting pain, but I can’t. I can only do one thing. Now that you are beyond my reach, I can surrender you to his.

Hi DAB family this is Joyful Noise from Southern California. I am sharing something and confessing to you all that this was laid upon my heart early in January, January 3^rd I think, to be exact, no maybe a little bit later. So, this is from a reading January 7^th. This is from a reading way earlier this year and it so inspired me. It spoke to me in a way that it hasn’t in the previous six years of been going to the Bible with this community and with Brian. And here is the story. And I want you guys to think about this and think about how we have a tendency to hide from God and we how have a tendency to deny his presence during times of trouble or we have a tendency to, you know, look around for him. But listen to what Abraham did. So, this is from Genesis 18. The Lord appeared to Abraham at the Oaks at Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance of the stent during the heat of the day. He looked up and he saw three men standing near him. When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of the tent to meet them, bowed to the ground and said, my Lord, if I have found favor with you please do a no go on past your servant. Let a little water be brought that you may wash your feet and rest yourself under the tree. I will bring a bit of bread so that you will strengthen yourself. This is why you have passed your servants way. Later you can continue on. Yes, there will be times you will be upset. And, so, what struck me in this reading on January 7^th was that, you know, God doesn’t just want us to kind of look around for Him, test the waters, think about maybe is He there, is He not there, where is His presence, but to run toward Him. And I was reminded of that again when I was rereading the prodigal son story. The father sees the son coming up the hill and runs towards him. So, that is how we are to respond to God when we feel His presence. So…

Hi. This is John and I’m calling from Cleveland Ohio. And I’m calling because of the faith that Blind Tony and Victoria and everybody else has shown me on the line…on the phone. And I have found myself praying along with you. I have a problem though, as a grandfather. I have a granddaughter who had been born with a herniated diaphragm. And what this does is it controls the area around the heart and lungs. There’s a hole in this area and it allowed the lower abdomen to let the liver and other parts of the body enter where her lungs are, crushing that area. And it wasn’t caught during pregnancy. So, this was a very complicated surgery and they had given her less than 10% chance to live. But we know as brothers and sisters in the Lord, that means nothing. And she lived and now she is 15 years old. The problem is, she’s now developing into a woman and the tissue is not growing along with her and again the diaphragm is torn open and these organs are again crushing her lungs. I need to ask the DABbers to pray along with me and to keep her in your prayers. Her name is Anessa Joy, known as AJ. And she may be flown by helicopter to the Cleveland clinic soon. They’re trying to stabilize her. And I just ask that everybody will keep her in your prayers. Thank you very much. Bye.

Hi this is Sharon The Victorious from Northern California. I pray for all of you. I really need your prayers. My husband’s back is so bad that he can barely walk and he still has to work. I pray for him to get better. I pray for my daughter who is bipolar and I think she’s using prescription drugs again. Things aren’t good. and I pray for her to get well. And I need a prayer for myself. I’m so depressed right now. I have found out that have glaucoma and cataracts in my eyes and I’m just going to turn 62. So, I go through a procedure on the 16^th of this month to have laser surgery for the glaucoma. I’m scared. I don’t want to go blind and I need your prayers. I’m so down right now. Please help me. Please pray for me. Please God, come into my heart and help me through all this. My husband and I are in a fight right down too and after 41 years of marriage…and we just had our anniversary. I pray for you and please pray for me and my family. Thank you. God bless you all. Thank you.

Exodus 35:10-36:38, Matthew 27:35-66, Psalms 34:1-10, Proverbs 9:7-8

Today is the 13^th day of February. Welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I am Brian and it is great to be here with you. We’re sneaking up on the middle of another month. And that just keeps happening because we keep taking steps forward. So, excited to take the next step forward with you today. And the next step forward today leads us back into the desert and the book of Exodus. We’re reading from the Contemporary English Version this week. Exodus chapter 35 verse 10 through 36, verse 38.

Commentary:

Okay. So, for the first time this year we encounter the story of Jesus death, His crucifixion and death. And when we talk about crucifixion or being nailed to a cross, we might have heard that so many times that what we’re talking about is lost. I mean, to nail a person alive, to nail them to wood, and raise them up in the sky, and humiliate them, to drive spikes. Right? Through hands and feet into wood. I mean, the cries of anguish, the torture, it’s completely barbaric. It’s inhumane. It’s almost impossible to comprehend. And that’s kind of the point. Humanity had become so inhumane that it not only did this to someone innocent, it did this to God in the flesh. So, if you remember back when we started this journey, just the second day of January, we read of the fall of man, the breach that was opened between humanity and God. And human beings took the knowledge of good and evil and tried to re-create their own version of what they shared with God. And, so, today we see just how far it went. Humanity, being so confused, was looking for God while executing God in a barbaric fashion. That’s how far humanity had fallen. And inhumane things, what we’re saying when we say inhumane is inhuman, not human, which is what the Bible has been beginning to tell us and will tell us all along. Life without God, human life without God, is not the kind of humanity God created. It’s one that has degenerated and devolved into an inhumane state, animal like. We see another picture of this in the book of Genesis, just prior to the flood, when God saw that everything in the heart of man had become evil and they were living like animals. We see this in the picture of Jesus passion, his crucifixion today. We see starkly what it was He came to do, to face this, to face humanity in all of its inhumanity, and to love it to death, which includes you and I. So, when we think thoughts or say words to the effect of, I just don’t feel God’s love for me, I just don’t feel it, we should be able to at least consider what we’re talking about here with Jesus death. And then consider exactly what else would God need to do. What other hoop are we setting up for Him to jump through to prove that He actually does love us. And it is our sin, it is our fallenness, our inhumanity that He took along with Him to that cross. He bridged that chasm that was opened up when mankind rejected God and went it’s on way. In a very real sense, the cross not only represents forgiveness for sins, it represents restoration to true humanity because human beings, in their natural created state in the beginning, were intertwined with God. There was no separation. There was no need to sacrifice animals and do all these rituals to keep the heart and mind focused. The connection was always, and always immediate, but when mankind rejected God and fell in the garden, humanity and divinity, so, God and people, were no longer joined in this way, they were separated. And we see how far things fell. Jesus came to restore the breach, to reconnect us so that we can be as we were created to be. This is what the cross brings us. This is the good news of the gospel, that through Christ, now and forevermore, we are reunited with God, humanity and divinity are reunited. We can forever be who we were created to be, as we were created to be. And man, that is not a small thing. So, as we contemplate what we’ve read today, our first encounter with Jesus death, His brutal execution, we should also meditate upon the implications, what it actually means, because it means more than us just being able say, Lord please forgive me for telling this lie, please forgive me for having that bad attitude and getting in a fight with my spouse. This is the reunification of God and mankind. This is the culmination of Emmanuel - God with us. And, so, may our hearts be turned in this direction today.

Prayer:

Holy Spirit, as we consider this, we ask You to make the realities deep truths planted deeply within us. Jesus, we thank You. And as we said yesterday, and as we will continue to say, words like thank you, this is what we have, this is how we communicate, but it falls so short. It’s so impossible for us to comprehend the kind of love on display in what we’ve read today. It’s so hard because we can experience it no other way outside of You. And, so, we thank You, but we ask, Holy Spirit, that You continue to sanctify us, so that our very lives, everything we do and say, everything we dream about, everything about us is actually honoring You and is the thank you, instead of just lip service. Come Holy Spirit. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Announcements:

dailyaudiobible.com is the website, it’s home base, it’s where you find what’s going on around here. So, be sure to check it out.

Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day. Tomorrow is also the beginning of the season of Lent. So, we’ll talk about that then, but I do want to mention the More Gathering for women. That’s an annual women’s event that we do up in the mountains of North Georgia, very, very beautiful place just about an hour outside of Atlanta. And we do it in the springtime, in April, when new life is beginning to come, the long winter is ending. And it’s a place for sisters to come together and explore this unceasing longing, this knowing that there is more, that there is more of God, there is more intimacy available, exploring the implications of what we just talked about, what it was that God did on our behalf, in this sacrifice. What does that actually bring into life as a human being? And how do I walk in that? How do I live in that? How does that become my normal? So, if you’re a lady and you’re asking yourself these kinds of questions, if you’re saying there’s got to be more than this, then the More Gathering for women is a way to begin that exploration. And  we’ve been doing this for years, so it’s very, very carefully crafted to not only give you some things to think about, teach some things, but also generous amounts of time to go and be silent, be in nature, talk to God, have the clarity to listen in uninterrupted space and time. I mean, because when do we ever really get that? Right? There’s always something to do, there’s never any shortage, always feeling like we’re behind. But to just give our hearts permission and take a couple of days and just simply allow God to speak things that we need to hear, but the clutter of life is keeping us too busy to even listen. If I’m talking to you, then come. Come this April. Tomorrow is St. Valentine’s Day, give a gift to your own heart. And guys, if that’s how your spouse has been feeling, if that’s how the one that you love has been feeling, then maybe this is a good time to send her. Maybe, rather than some chocolate, and the promise of your heart, maybe giving her her own heart back as she gives herself to God is what you’ve been looking for in your relationship. So, anyway, if that’s ringing any bells then you can check this out. moregathering.com is the place to go to get all of the particulars that you would want to know. All the questions are answered there. So, check that out. It’s coming up here. I know it might not seem like it, but it will be springtime so quickly. Time just has a way of moving and slipping through our fingers. But caring for our hearts is a essential. It’s one of the things we do least and one of the things that we cannot do without. The book of Proverbs, the book of wisdom, tells us that, above everything else, above all else, we need to guard our hearts, because all of the issues of life spring forth from it. So, moregathering.com is the place to check that out.

If you want to partner with the Daily Audio Bible in our common mission to be in community together as we take steps forward each day through the Bible, thank you profoundly, profoundly, and humbly. There’s a link on the homepage of dailyaudibible.com. If you’re using the Daily Audio Bible app, you can press the Give button in the upper right-hand corner or, if you prefer, the mailing address is PO Box 1996 Spring Hill Tennessee 37174.

And as always if you have a prayer request or comment 877-942-4253 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:

Well, hello from beautiful Cincinnati Ohio this is Daniel J. Junior. And I’m driving through our __ city right now and just on my heart to give you all a phone call. I just spent some time of my mom. Some of you may remember back in October/November that she had a bad…got sick…as we were flying down to Texas to visit my brother and wound up having to stay there for several weeks and I flew back to bring her back home and just got to see her and she is doing so well. I mean, not even needing a cane to walk around or a walker. And it’s almost as though things are back to where she was when she first moved back to Cincinnati last June. So, a praise report there. I just wanted to say how grateful I am to God for all of this. And joy is one of my words for this year. And, so, I was just celebrating all that God has been doing, not only in my mom’s life, but in all of our lives. And it’s definitely…I want to share that I am feeling so much conviction from the Scripture reading this year and even the commentary and the things that, Brian, that you’ve been sharing with us. And I guess one of the things on my heart recently is just how much I want for God to be enough for me. Just, I know that there’s moments when I feel like that implication that’s when I’m led into sin. And, so, really that’s my request for all of us. But I’m just so grateful to God for His work at all of our lives and grateful for this community and grateful for what you guys are doing, Brian and Jill, and all the team that’s working behind the scenes. God bless you all from beautiful Cincinnati Ohio. This is Daniel J. Junior. Make it a great day.

Hello Daily Audio Bible. This is Dwayne from Wisconsin. All praise, and glory, to our wonderful Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I’m calling in for a few the prayer requests. Bonnie from Virginia, you had called in a second time, and you had stated that __ your prayer request and I did. So, I’m sure many of the other DABbers did hear your prayer request about your son being released from jail. Just want to know, I’ve been praying since I heard…you called in a few months ago about it. I’ve been continually praying for you, and we pray that your son, when he is released, that he will turn toward God, that his faith will be strengthened, and that he will get his life turned back around. And I just ask, Bonnie, that you would please pray for my son, who has been jailed as well. He will be in for a couple more years yet. Tara from Maine called in about her mother and stage IV cancer. I just want to lift her up. And we pray that the doctors and medical staff will treat her and that the Lord’s hand will lay upon them, upon her, and give her healing, and give Tara and her family peace and comfort in this time of struggle. And Blind Tony, I want to lift you up in regards to your prostate cancer. We pray that the Lord lays his healing hand upon you, and guide you, and keep you safe, and give the doctors the knowledge they need to treat you. And also want to lift you up for the book that you’ve written, that will produce the dividends and the blessings that you so require to do. So, I want to lift this all up in Jesus’ name. Amen. And God bless.

Hello Daily Audio Bible family this is Shawnee from Phoenix. I haven’t called for a little while. It’s been pretty crazy. Over the last two years my husband has been having an affair, one that he does not admit is going on. I had a bad feeling last night and discovered that he was out at the affair woman’s apartment. So, I went to confront them and I got to her apartment, heard him talking to her, knocked on the door, and they wouldn’t come out. He has always denied this affair. He does not admit that it’s real, that is going on. But now that he knows that I know that I was there, it kind of changes things a little bit, a lot actually. So, I need, I’m in need of major prayer, and wisdom, discernment, about how to proceed, how to move forward. I’ve been promised and…so many…the women’s pastor had a dream that basically his sin will be exposed and that the cycle of sin will be broken and that he’ll come around and be restored. I’ve gotten so many words about this. And it’s been two years. So long. We have two boys, two and four. And I really need your prayers. I am worn and tired and I really know that God will do this, but when, how much longer? Why, why does my husband keep running? Why is he literally the prodigal? And when will he come back to God and back to his family? He likes to play house and be at home most of the time except for when it’s convenient to be with her. I just really need you prayers. Thanks so much.

Hello my name is Monnie. I’m here because I want to pray for sister that is struggling to get by. I don’t quite remember her name but I know she’s feeling really down and she’s called today and she’s been on my heart. So, God I pray for my sister who is struggling. I pray she finds hope, but more importantly, she finds You in the darkness. Sometimes Your hard to see. And, so, please shine Your light so much and hold my sister so tight that she will know that You are here. Your plan for us is more important than what we want. We love You. Amen. Sister, I want you to know that I love you and these tough times are hard to get through but you have a Father that can carry all of your stress and anxiety. Keep pushing my love. You are loved by many.

Good morning family. This is Jaden L. grandma. Today is Thursday, February 8^th and I just wanted to give you a little update on his status. He is doing okay. He’s going to his mom’s tomorrow night, Friday. He gets very edgy and he doesn’t want to leave because he’s abused verbally. It’s terrible. They have…and I’m calling this request for prayer for him…they have an appointment with his therapist and, as I said before, she is trying to make Jaden unstable. I don’t know, maybe the reason is to, you know, maybe get a Social Security check out of it. I don’t know. But she’s going to keep saying things that are damaging to his future and to him. So, I’m asking for prayer that the Lord would just be in that room, because He’s already there. He knows what’s going to be said and done and I pray for the therapist that’s going to be there, that he would be able to see through all of the things that she’s planning and going to say and just protect Jaden. He is so thankful because when I let him…we listen to the Bible study on…in the afternoons when he gets home from school and when I get home from work. He absolutely loves it. And I just covet your prayers for him. Yesterday, also, a little boy died in his class here in New York City. And, the little boy drowned he was playing on a little pond and tried to cross ice and, of course, the ice broke, and it wasn’t solid, and he drowned. So, it was also very distressing for him. So, I’m asking you to just keep uplifting him in prayer to protect him because his mom is, you know, I don’t know, I really have to ask for a lot of prayers…

Hi, this is Sonia calling from Tampa and I just heard the broadcast where Salvation is Mine was asking for prayer. I just want to let you know that I am praying for you. And, Lord I just ask that You look upon those that are brokenhearted, those that are feeling lonely, those that feel like there’s no direction or hope in their lives. Bless them with Your faith, those that would operate in obedience and love and in compassion Lord, and pour into their lives. Reveal yourself to them Lord, so that they may know that you are God Jehovah, Father. Salvation is Mine, there is nothing too hard for God. There are other people that are suffering from cancer like Linda, Maria, and other DABbers that are facing that ugly disease. And I command in the name of Jesus for it to be gone and for your body to be aligned with the word of God. Edwin, who has gone through a horrific divorce and his ex-wife is leaving his children asa pawn, I bind that spirit, and I command him to be the man that God has seen him to be, a mighty man of God. And there’s also the man that only had $100 in his account. There’s nothing too hard for God. I can recall many times that God had taken me through different journeys but in that journey, in that valley, somehow, He let me know how good He is and how great He is. You begin to declare the man that you are in Christ and you begin to declare that finances come your way. And in the name of Jesus, I know that all these things can be done. I love you family and God be with you.

Exodus 34:1-35:9, Matthew 27:15-34, Psalms 33:12-22, Proverbs 9:1-6

Today is the 12^th day of February. Welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I’m Brian. It is wonderful to be here with you today for the next step forward in the adventure that we are on. And what an adventure it is as we travel all of the pathways of the Scriptures this year - front to back - every word. And we’re well on our way into this journey. We’ll take the next step forward now. Dramatic things happening out in the desert with the children of Israel as they move toward idolatry, move back away from idolatry, as God has given the law and then Moses has broken the tablets that they were written upon when he comes down from Mount Sinai and sees what the people are doing. So, we’ll pick up with that story. We’re reading from the Contemporary English Version this week. Exodus chapter 34 verse 1 through 35 verse 9.

Commentary:

Okay. In the book of Matthew, Jesus has been sentenced to death. I know we know the story. I know that we’ve heard it a thousand times, but can we focus our attention here for a second. Jesus, God in the flesh, God with us has been sentenced by us to die. He brought light and life and good news. He showed humanity a picture of who it really is and what it should look like, which is what we are constantly saying in our faith. Right? To be Christ like. And yet, humanity sentenced him to die. And not just be executed, but to be utterly and completely humiliated. We’re  about to move into a season where that is something that is supposed to be contemplated and we should contemplate this because it’s a picture of just how far humanity has fallen just how backward the world is to the way we were created to be. So, it’s important for us to not just blaze through and go, yeah, that’s the story of the crucifixion, I’ve heard it a million times, like Jesus, our Savior, has been condemned to crucifixion. He has been beaten beyond recognition. His flesh is torn. He’s swollen. He’s in agony. This is our Savior and this, frankly, is what He was willing to do in order to rescue the species of which you and I are a part. This is what He was willing to do on our behalf. Do we have anyone else in our lives like that? This is important to consider the next time we’re turning to false things to give us life. Right? Because an idol doesn’t have to be a golden calf. An idol is anything that were going to give our heart in worship to thinking that it will give us life, that will bring us life. And Jesus told us He was the way, and the truth, and the life. And, so, we could talk about Moses, we talk about the proverbs, which is very important. We could rehash the Psalm, but can we stay with this today? Because this is what it cost. And can we imagine the confusion among Jesus friends? And can we imagine the torture in the soul of Jesus mother? Can we imagine the rejection that God felt in this moment? Those who had been created were willing to kill the creator. This is bigger than just a crucifixion story. It’s easy for us to say I am saved by grace, I can’t earn it, it’s a free gift, and then we just live into it without understanding, this cost God something. Our freedom that we take for granted cost something precious. And we so easily forget it,

Prayer:

So, Jesus, it’s hard to know what to say. So, it’s not about filling the room with words. Contemplating Your sacrifice on our behalf, the cost of sin, the price of redemption, when looked at full face leaves us speechless. Thank You would be the right thing to say, and we do. But that falls so short. So, Holy Spirit, come. Help us to contemplate the cost of our sin. Help us to become aware of the way that it’s eating us, that it’s killing us, that it’s estranging us. And as we contemplate Your willing sacrifice, we realize that this is the only way to get rid of it. And You were willing on our behalf. And, so, we choose some silence today to consider this, to contemplate this. And we ask you to help us stay in this, to stay contemplating this, because it changes our perspective. It snaps us back into reality. This was not easy for you. But You loved us. You loved us. Show us how to honor that with our very lives. Come, Holy Spirit. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Song:

Sweetly Broken  - Jeremy Riddle

To the cross, I look, and to the cross, I cling

Of it’s suffering, I do drink, of its work, I do sing

On it, my Savior, both bruised and crushed

Showed that God is love and God is just

At the cross, You beckon me

You draw me gently to my knees

And I am lost for words, so lost in love

I’m sweetly broken, wholly surrendered

Yeah, yeah, oh Lord

What a priceless gift, undeserved life

Have I been given through Christ crucified

You’ve called me out of death

You’ve called me into life

And I was under Your wrath

Now, through the cross, I’m reconciled

Ooh, and at the cross, You beckon me

You draw me gently to my knees

And I am lost for words, so lost in love

I’m sweetly broken, wholly surrendered

At the cross, You beckon me

You draw me gently to my knees

And I am lost for words, so lost in love

I’m sweetly broken, wholly surrendered

And in awe of the cross, I must confess

How wondrous Your redeeming love

And how great is Your faithfulness

At the cross, You beckon me

You draw me gently to my knees

And I am lost for words, so lost in love

I’m sweetly broken, wholly surrendered

At the cross, You, You’ve beckoned me

You draw me gently to my knees

And I am lost for words, so lost in love

I’m sweetly broken, wholly surrendered

Yeah, yeah, I’m broken for you

I’m broken for you, my Lord, yeah

Jesus, Your love is there

I am sweetly broken

Exodus 32:1-33:23, Matthew 26:69-27:14, Psalms 33:1-11, Proverbs 8:33-36

Today is the 11^th of February. Welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I am Brian. It’s great to be here with you at the threshold of a shiny and sparkly, new week out in front of us. And I’m excited to see where the Bible leads us in this new week. And I’m excited for the Holy Spirit to continue to do the work that has been begun through the word of God in our lives this week. So we’ll go back up to Mount Sinai where Moses is receiving the law up on top of the mountain. He’s been gone a while. The people are down below waiting for him. And we’ll pick up that story reading from the Contemporary English Version this week. Exodus chapter 32 and 33.

Commentary:

Alright, in the book of Exodus we have quite a bit of drama. So, Moses is on the summit of Mount Sinai and God is speaking to him, giving the laws to govern the people and shape the culture. The people are down below and they’ve already told Moses, we don’t hear God for ourselves, we want him to talk to you and you tell us because we’re afraid. And, so, he’s up on top of the mountain God, is doing that, shaping the culture, giving the law. And they get tired of waiting. Something, maybe something happened Moses. Maybe he’s not coming back down the mountain. After all it’s been a little over a month. And, so,  they pressure Aaron, who gives in and the next thing you know, there’s this wild craziness going on, worshiping this golden calf that was made in the desert, and they’re claiming the thing that they just made is what brought them out of Egypt. It’s heartbreaking. It’s also a bit indicting, because we’re taught to wait upon the Lord. Right? And we know this idea, this concept, but do we wait a month before we start turning to something else to give us life before we start thrashing around trying to navigate things on our own. And when we do that, do we not make things worse? Do we not just invite whole new categories of trouble in our lives? Of course, the people to repent and follow Moses once he comes down the mountain, but not before it’s just a tragic story. And we would do ourselves a pretty big favor if we would remember this story when we find ourselves waiting on the Lord, because we might find that the waiting is, at times, to show us where our hearts truly are. Right? We can give lip service all we want, but we remember the friendship of the Lord is for those who fear Him. And we get a good picture of this kind of friendship in our reading today between Moses and God, because Moses is speaking to the Lord saying I know you have said we are friends. And if we are friends and if you are pleased with me I want to see Your glory. So, Moses is saying I want to go deeper. I need to go further. If I’m going to leave this people, I will never be able to do it without You. Show me Your glory and as we. And in our reading from the book of Exodus today, God has agreed. He’s told Moses He’ll put him in this little cleft of a rock and guard his eyes and move past him and he’ll be able to see His glory and he’ll be able to see Him from the back. And this invites us to consider, are we waiting on the Lord so that he will come through for us and do what we’ve asked. Is God really just a way of fixing our problems and having some sort of order to life or do we want to see His glory. Which begs us to consider why we’re doing any of this in our spiritual lives. What is this about? To find success in life? To grow our congregations? To make the pain go away? Why do we seek a relationship with God? Is it for the benefits that we think we will get or is it because we are on a path to see His glory and to walk with Him and intimacy every step of the way until we not only see his back but we see him face-to-face? I want to see God in His glory, don’t you. And we first have to examine what we’re really after in this relationship, because it exposes the true nature of the relationship. And if the true nature of the relationship is that we can be protected, we can find success, we can walk with the Lord in His will and he will do nice things for us and keep us safe, then this is conditional love. I love you and I’m going to stay close to you because you will shower me with gifts, which obviously sounds a little more like a sugar daddy and a little less like the Almighty God, Creator of all things known and unknown, including the next beat of our heart, which is different. So, let’s take the story that we read today, apply it to our lives, and consider today, why am I in this? Why am I doing this? Because it’s a great opportunity to realign ourselves and invite the Holy Spirit to speak.

Prayer:

Holy Spirit, we invite You to speak to us and show us the areas in our lives that we’re not in alignment, we’re waiting on You to get something. We’re walking with You because of the promised benefit. And Lord, we acknowledge, we need the benefits of the relationship. We can’t do anything that isn’t going to turn into a disaster, eventually without You. So, yes, we need everything that You bring to the relationship, and we simply confess that we don’t have much to bring to the relationship besides our hearts. And somehow to You, that is the very thing that You want. Even as we read of the story of your betrayal and your trial in the book of Matthew, all of that was to reclaim our hearts and restore us into fellowship with You. So, we confess, without you we can do nothing and all we have is our heart to give, but that’s all You wanted. But we also confess that we haven’t loved You with our whole heart and we’ve waited and then made a golden calf gave our hearts in worship to something else. Forgive us Lord. We re-center ourselves in You. We seek You and You alone, not for what we’re going to get, but because you are the Almighty God. We want to grow in intimacy day by day. We want to see your glory. Come, Holy Spirit. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Announcements:

dailyaudiobible.com is the website, it’s home base, it’s where you find out what’s going on around here.

A few things going on around here this week. Wednesday is the beginning of the season of Lent. So, we’ll talk about that we get there.

And then Saturday, the 17^th, is when we will begin departing for the land of the Bible and making our way into the country of Israel. Some of you will be there in person and we will represent the entire community as we go through this pilgrimage. Others of you can certainly tag along. I mean you tag along with me wherever, well, wherever I carry the computer and the microphone, because we’re a community. So, wherever this is happening it’s happening together. So, I have plenty of room for everybody virtually in my suitcase. Just make sure you bring your toothbrush, some deodorant, you know, that kind of stuff. Sorry you have to ride along in the suitcase, but we’ll be going together, we’ll be talking about it every day -  what we did, where we are, what its meaning. And we will also be posting all kinds of pictures to social media - videos of the sites and places and regions that we’re visiting. So, make sure to follow us up on the Daily Audio Bible Facebook page facebook.com/dailyaudiobible and we’ll be posting to Instagram as well. So, you can follow along with the journey and kind of look in and see some of these places as we visit them. So, get ready for that. And then, one day, once where there, we’ll discuss when, but we always do a live broadcast about half way through the journey. Usually we’re near the Sea of Galilee at that point. And we just get the group together and kind of just share our experiences so far, but we’ll be on Facebook Living from the Sea of Galilee. So, stay tuned for those details. But like I mentioned yesterday, we need your prayers, we need your intercession. There’s a lot of moving parts to a pilgrimage like this, a lot. And we need everything to work, from technology, to health, to stamina, to transport, everything. So, if you would pray over this and raise a canopy of prayer over it, that the continues all the way through it, we’ll be most grateful indeed. So, those things are coming up. Pretty big. And we’ll discuss them as we get closer 

If you want to partner with the Daily Audio Bible in our mission to keep reading the word of God, fresh every day, and doing it in community, so that anyone, and everyone, no matter where they are welcome here. If that’s life-giving, then thank you for your partnership. There’s a link on the homepage at dailyaudiobible.com. If you’re using the Daily Audio Bible app, you can press the Give button in the upper right-hand corner or, if you prefer, the mailing address is PO Box 1996 Spring Hill Tennessee 37174.

And, as always, if you have a prayer request or comment, 877-942 4253 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 Daily Audio Bible family. This is Monica in Kentucky and I want to give a shout out to two of our brothers on the prayer line. One is Jordan in Michigan and the other is Byron in Florida. Jordan, every time someone calls and praise for you in your situation at the school, I’m also joining in prayer, but I’m also struck by how the possibility of you just being lonely in your walk in that atmosphere might be a problem. And I don’t know what age group you teach and if it’s even impossible, but I’m thinking of organizations that reach out to schools and try to get into the schools, like Fellowship of Christian Athletes or Child Evangelism Fellowship or even churches who partner with the urban alternative about trying to sponsor schools. And if you could be the faculty point person for some of those Christian organizations you might feel more encouraged and less alone in how your serving in your school. So, I just throw that out there is a possibility. The other situation, Byron in Florida, about your son, your special needs son, and the challenges you face and wanting to push, push, push and your confession that you realize that you are hoping that it would get easier. I just met a man who’s the father of an autistic child who has spent the last seven or eight years being one of his primary caregivers and having to overcome his own family background of work being how your valued. And he had to overcome that because his son cannot be a workaholic like his own father was and how his own father encouraged him to be and how he’s had to just surrender to God’s vision on how we get our values. And his son is valuable to him just because he’s his son. And that’s true for us as followers of Jesus Christ, where valuable as His creation and image bearers. And I just hope that that inspires you to love your son differently and to know that you have to surrender your son to the Lord. Anyway, hope all of that is an encouragement to you two fellas and I’ll be praying for you.

Hi this is Melody from Canada. My voice is a bit croaky today. So, hopefully it’s clear enough. I just heard the call from Liz, I believe in Oregon, from February 5^th, praying for your future husband. That filled my heart with so much joy because I prayed for my future husband. And, actually, a lot of other people did too and that’s what we need…faith…that other people are praying for him and saying that he must exist. And I remember saying to God I want to know and God’s just like you haven’t met him yet and he ended up being the first guy that I dated at the age of 30. And now we’ve been married for almost a year and ½ and it’s amazing. He’s the man that God had for me. And, so, Liz, I pray that for you. I pray for your future husband. And I pray for healing in your heart from all past wounds. My husband has __ so many of my wounds. And now I’m praying for my future children. There’s always something new to look forward to. But, bless you sister, thank you for calling. And, yeah, as far as the rest of you, it’s been really cool this year, I’ve felt that we weren’t connected to the DAB community before, I’ve been listening every day. Myself and my husband __ and my mom and sister-in-law. And so yeah, praise God for that. Thank you. Bye.

Our dear sister Pastor Gene from Bradenton Florida, this prayer is for you. This is Candace from Oregon. Oh, how I wish I was better at being able to connect. Meanwhile, we are going to pray together right now for the full and complete healing and restoration of your health that is yours in Christ Jesus our Lord. So, family let’s pray. Thank You, Lord, thank You that you have knit us together, we are Your body, we are Your bride, and You are the bridegroom, and You are preparing us to be presented to You, spotless and beautiful, day by day by day, as the work of the Holy Spirit continues among us. Lord we bring to You our sister, Pastor Gene. We know that You love her, You love her more dearly than we can imagine, and her precious family. Come around them right now Lord, assure them of who You are and that what You are doing, even though they can’t know what that is, that it is good, it is good beyond their wildest imaginings. So, comfort them and care for them, give them strength, and let pastor Gene look to You every minute of every day and find the light that’s truly life that you continually offer. Thank You Lord for Your healing power. And we claim that as well in an immediate way. In Jesus name and by the authoritative His life, death, and resurrection for us and for Gene we pray. Amen.

Hi everybody it’s Lisa the encourager. I wanted to pray for Chris from South Carolina who has been married for 29 years and possibly going forward with a divorce and she’s just praying for restoration and she just loves her husband. So, I didn’t know exactly what to say __ so I just asked the Lord, give me the words and I just started writing and this is the words He gave me. He sees us all from the shoreline of South Carolina to the outback of Australia, from the Statue of Liberty to the redwoods in California. He sees us. He is aware of your pain and emptiness and all your tears. Run to him, reach out to him, cry out to him, forever seek him with every bit of faith in your bones. Dear heavenly Father, I pray for Chris, Lord, as she is going through a very difficult time as she been married for 29 nearing years to her husband and she’s believing and asking for prayers God. And am praying for her Lord, that you will comfort her and show her Your love in so many ways that she will not seek anything but You God, and she will know that You love her. I pray for all of those in the Daily Audio Bible that are suffering with pain and emptiness and sorrow and anxiety. God, I just pray that they will find hope in You God, this year, and love in You, and comfort in You, and not look anywhere else but in you for all things God. I pray that we would all be restored in You and trust in You and have faith in You God and know that You’re there and have confidence in you God that you are there for each and every one of us and that you love us. And I pray all these things in your name. Amen.

Good morning Daily Audio Bible family. Praise the Lord for this podcast. Praise the Lord for Brian and Jill and the family and China. Praise the Lord for His word. Oh, my goodness, thank you, thank you, thank you Lord Jesus for your word. Thank you for making it relevant to my life. Thank you, Lord for Brian’s commentary and for the fact that his context, your speaking from then to now, and it makes sense and it helps. So, today what got me off my backside to call was it’s Tuesday, February 5, 2018. I’m calling today to just really, just bask in the glory of God and how He is so countercultural and how our cultures across the world have got it so wrong and as Brian has said in Sneezing Jesus over and over again - backwards backwards. Little by little, that will be ringing in my head all day today and hopefully throughout my week. Just little by little. I have all these big plans. I have these dreams. I teach high school English. And, so, I’ve got a goal and I’ve got outcomes and little by little. And in my life I’ve got goals and I’ve got dreams and I’ve got aspirations and I want to be used of God and I need to remember little by little. And as I wake up and I see the mountain ahead of me that I have to climb, little by little. So, praise the Lord. Praise the Lord for today. Praise the Lord for the stuff in front of me and then the stuff in front of that. Praise You Jesus that You will walk beside me and always hold my hand. Thank you, family, for who you are. Thank you for lifting up the prayers. We’ll never know how much __ go out and look to sanctify this world we’re in. So, praise the Lord, happy Tuesday, __ day. And each of you are loved.

Heavenly Father, thank You for another beautiful day to exist and abide. Thank You for showing Your power, for showing Your presence, and Your sovereignty. I pray that Your Holy Spirit will rest upon each and every member of the DAB family, that it will come and bring peace, that it will come and bring joy, and that You will flow through us so that we not only feel the love of God and know that love, but we also are able to express it and show it to others in Jesus’ name. Good morning everybody, hi, good afternoon, good evening, and good night. This is Jubilant Perseverance in Indonesia. Just calling to check in and give you all an update on my career trajectory. ___ . As I leave my current school assignment in Indonesia, I just started a new assignment with an amazing school in central America, the Caribbean region. And it’s crazy how similar the assignments are. I’ll have the opportunity to use all of the technology teaching skills I developed here and to continue working with students from preschool to high school, but this school has a heart for social justice and not only social justice, __ justice. And that really, really, excites me. I am beating back fear over how similar the job assignments are, even down to the person who is there currently, being more an engineer and not having an education background. So, that kind of feels strange, like déjà vu….

Exodus 30:11-31:18, Matthew 26:47-68, Psalms 32:1-11, Proverbs 8:27-32

Today is the 10^th day of February. Welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I am Brian. It’s great to be here with you today at the close of another week. And we just keep taking these steps forward and the weeks go by and we move our way through the Bible. It’s incredible, the rhythm that is established and the change that is available inside of ourselves as the Scriptures speak to us. So, we’re at the close of another week. And we’ve been reading from the Good News Translation this week, which is what we’ll do today. We’ll go back out to Mount Sinai where the first of the law is being given and we’ve seen ordinances put in place toward the priesthood, a group of people that are being set apart out from this people to continually tell the story so that they don’t forget and to minister before God. And also of a tabernacle, a portable temple, essentially. A place that will sit in the middle of the camp with all the tribes encamped around it so that God will meet with them and move around with them, will be with them wherever they go, wherever he leads them, right in the middle of it all. So, today Exodus chapter 30 verse 11 through 31:18.

Commentary:

Okay. So, in the New Testament, in the book of Matthew, we are moving through the story of Jesus’ last days. And we’re seeing how alone Jesus was in this. We’re seeing that He was abandoned by His friends, those who had walked with Him, those who had heard Him minister and saw Him heal. And they left.  They ran away. And Jesus was taken from the garden of Gethsemane, so this olive grove on the side of the Mount of Olives and back across the Kidron Valley and into Jerusalem, where the high priest’s quarters were. Ruins still exist today. And it’s one of the places that we will visit when we’re in the land of the Bible. And we’ll be heading off on that trip, whether virtually or in person, we’ll all be going together and we’ll be departing a week from today. But as we read through this story in Matthew, if it doesn’t make our hearts drop, like, if we can’t see this Jesus that we have come to know and love and have sought to be like. Right? To be Christ-like. We’re seeing what He’s going through and it’s so, so heartbreaking. That God, the Creator, would come to earth to rescue people and people reject Him outright.

In a few days, this coming Wednesday, the season of Lent begins. And we’ll talk about that when we get there. You may know all about it, you may know nothing about it. That’s all fine. We’ll talk about it when we get there. But one of the purposes of the season of Lent, this forty days leading up to Easter, is contemplation. Just to understand and try to allow it to sink in, what it cost. What the price of sin is. Right? So, in the Old Testament, the book of Exodus, we’re seeing rituals being laid out that include sacrifice. This is intended to show them what the price of sin is. But in Jesus, we see the awful, awful price that it cost to give us salvation, that is a gift that we cannot earn. So profoundly humbling to contemplate. So, yeah, the season of Lent is about that and it begins on Wednesday, but we’re right here right now in this story. And so just understanding what it was Jesus had to endure is humbling and we should be humbled by it.

Prayer:

Jesus, we are humbled. We are. Because we have run away and abandoned You, too. We have run and run and run in so many directions and You have still kept leaving to find us. And why You would value us individually so much is beyond comprehension. But it’s plain to see. Your word reveals to us Your heart toward us. And, so, what else can we say? Thank you isn’t enough. Like, words begin to fail completely in the face of what You endured on our behalf. You didn’t have to do this. It was love, and it’s reaching across time, beyond comprehension, and spilling into our lives and it should create in us a response of humble adoration and worship. And, so, that’s where we are.  We worship You.  It’s beyond our ability to grasp, what You endured. And when we look at our lives, it’s all because of Your sacrifice. And, so, we thank You, Jesus. Today, we just take these moments to thank You. And, Holy Spirit, we invite You because we want to spend this time in contemplation, to really appreciate what we take for granted so often. Come, Holy Spirit. We ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Announcements:

dailyaudiobible.com is the website, it’s home base, it’s where you find out what’s going on around here.

So, as I just mentioned, a week from today we’ll be leaving for the land of the Bible and be doing a tour there for the next couple of weeks. And I would ask in advance of the community that we all begin to pray over that. It’s a lot of work. It’s a grueling thing to be touring all day, maintaining Daily Audio Bible, everything from across the ocean. So, there’s a lot of component parts and just a lot involved. Absolutely breathtaking, beautiful to do and we’ll be working every day to make this as virtual as possible for those that are not actually there. So, you definitely want to follow the Daily Audio Bible Facebook page or Daily Audio Bible Instagram page. We will be posting from Israel a lot, but we’re going to need your intercession. And, yeah, it needs to start now and cover us all the way through - health, transportation, jet lag, fatigue - all of it. So, if it comes to mind, if the Holy Spirit begins to bring that up, thank you for your prayers over that as we pilgrimage to the land of the Bible with the intention of opening up the Bible and making it a real alive place that it is. So, thank you for your prayers.

If you want to partner with the Daily Audio Bible, if this is bringing life into your life, then thank you for your partnership in keeping it alive. There is a link that’s sitting on the homepage of dailyaudiobible.com. If you’re using the Daily Audio Bible app, you can press the Give button in the upper right-hand corner. Or the mailing address is PO Box 1996 Spring Hill Tennessee 37174.

And, as always, if you have a prayer request or comment, 877-942 4253 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:

Hi there. I am Peggy and I so appreciate DAB and appreciate the opportunity to hear Brian read the word so clearly because I have a hard time reading. It’s just difficult for me now. And I can’t carry a burden by myself. And, so, I am sharing it with you all. I’ve called several times through the years with a heart concern asking for prayer. I just want you to know that always grateful for those of you who will join the praying of the concerns of my heart. And know that I take the prayer time seriously and lift so many of you before the Lord. I thank you for joining me. And, I will say that I’m in my early 80s, and my husband was a minister, and died suddenly just a few months after he retired. We raised four children and now have 13 grandchildren. Last spring during a routine visit with my ophthalmologist for macular degeneration, I was given a shot. And I found, 12 hours later, through hard pain and in the middle of the night that my eyesight was gone in one eye and it will not be recovered. And it was such a shock and so sudden and so much pain with all that. And, anyway, good medical report one day and the next no sight in one eye and lots of adjustment. I was hospitalized in rehab and that had been home and on my own over the last eight months. And today by Dr. at the medical school said he thought the I should be removed. It’s been hurting him there’s no pressure in the eye which is not a good sign. The thought of going through that kind of surgery is horrid to me. Friends I don’t think I can do it. I am asking that God will keep my eye from deteriorating more, to keep my body from rejecting the eye. I’m frightened of surgery and I don’t want more pain. I’m sad. I just feel like I’m too old to go through that. Anyway, though I’m vital in many ways. Please join me in…

Hello DAB family it’s Akhim from Alberta Canada. I’m calling from my brother Blind Tony. I just heard you calling and asking for prayers with regard to your cancer on the podcast on January 30^th. Tony, your poetry has been a real, real an inspiration to me for the past few years. And I just pray for you my brother, that God’s will be done in your life. I know He’s the God our healer and He can do amazing things in our life. My brother, you’ve been so great to so many people through poetry. So, we just take heart and know that God is with you. Let’s pray. Father God, in Jesus name I thank you for my brother Blind Tony. You know his heart, You know his mind, and You know his spirit Lord. So, let Your will be done in His life. May You be with him and his family. Give him a living touch Lord. You know You are better than any doctor we can have Lord. And You can do exceedingly and amazingly more than we can think or even imagine. You can do quickly ___. So, I just pray for Tony, that You touch him and You heal them Lord with Your great hand. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. Hey brother. God with you. Thanks.

Hear me dear Lord as I go through this day
To glorify You in every single way
And not bring reproach by the things that I say
To believe in your word and just trust and obey
There’s darkness around me please give me more light
Let me know Father that everything is all right
Dispel all the shadows make everything clear
And when I get lonely God please linger near
Strengthen my faith God and let me shine bright
Knowing in all things that I’m truly alright
And when there is sadness Lord help me to smile
To believe and hope with the faith of a child
Dependent in all ways just like life is to the sun
Not my will Father but thy will be done

blindtony1016@gmail.com I’d like to thank everybody for their many, many prayers. And also, does anyone know anything about Bill B? I haven’t heard about brother Bill in a long time. And thank you once again, Brian, for this wonderful podcast for God’s Holy Spirit to flow. Keep it flown’ y’all. All right. Bye-bye.

Billy in Montgomery, Show Me God’s Love, Melissa in Alabama, Walta, Shantee in Detroit, Terri, Drew in the bay area. Salvation is Mine, Blind Tony, Pastor Gene. I am calling these names out because you guys have been on my heart, deeply, for all that you are going through. And when I am praying for you I am praying for myself, that God is going to claim the victory, that whatever it is we are all battling in this moment, God is in it, God will bring us through it. He is going to heal us from the top of our head to the soles of our feet. I want all of these prayer warriors that are a part of this DAB family to all come together and lift up all of those that have called in, all of those who have not called in. All of the names that have gone unspoken, know that your names are not unspoken. To all the new callers, you think you know what this is about. You have no idea. I have been listening to the DAB for 13 years, 13 years. And when I tell you I thought I was just joining something to listen to a podcast about God, I had no idea the connections that I would make. Living so far away in Munich Germany, I have found a family. I have found a deeper relationship with the Lord. Brian Hardin, you and your family, China with the chronological Bible, is just blowing it out the park. You guys have just no idea how wonderful this is. And to all the people behind the scenes, Sarah Jane in her entire staff, everyone that makes this happen. I pray prayers a blessing over you, prayers of your household. Victoria soldier I love you, Melissa and I Alabama, I…

Hi family. It’s Shannon from Texas. And I have a message for Jordan from Michigan. Is it Michigan? Jordan the teacher, I want to say LA. I don’t know which one. But Jordan, I love you so much. I’ve always listen to you and when you called in and prayed for my son to Jadrian, we just him Jay, I know Jadrian’s hard to say, it was so on point and so led by the spirit, everything that you said. And I was thinking about how you’re a teacher and how God has to be using you so mightily. I know He is. I’ve known from every time that you’ve called. And how it would’ve been so nice when my son was in school if he would have had someone like you. He really didn’t, not here we live now. The Lord told me just to take him out of high school and it’s kind of a long story but it was awful. We didn’t have anyone. And I know that the Lord can use you mightily. He is using you mightily. If you look at it every day like you were going in, and I know that you do this, you’re going into a ministry, and it is a ministry, and know that the enemy has come against you, come against your mind, tried to come against you in every way. But know that God has put you and ordained you and purposed you for this life, that you are being used mightily, and you can overcome this this feeling of it always being a battle. I know it feels like this right now, but if you just stay in him and keep pressing in, you will get past this and this will be a glorious life for you at the service for the Lord. This is your purpose, this is your passion, and this is God’s plan for you. So, just press in, don’t give up, we love you and we are praying for you.

Hi this is Lara calling from Lionel Lake Minnesota. I just wanted to say thank you everybody for this program. I am so, so, very, very happy I found this program. I do listen carefully to everything that everyone says and it just means so much to me. So, please keep sharing everything because you have no idea how much you impact others. So, bless you all and just know that God not only is listening, but other people are too. I wanted to say the purpose of my call is to encourage you all and also to let you know that I am struggling with my spiritual walk with God. And, so, that’s why I found this program, to help me finally just grow spiritually. And I have a son that I raised in the word of God when he was little and now he’s a 17-year-old child who’s really struggling to find his way in the world. And he’s kind of strayed from God’s word. He started doing that since he was 12 and he’s been living in a situation with custody shared. He lives with his dad and his dad is…let’s just say it’s not a very good environment for him. So, I pray…

Exodus 29:1-30:10, Matthew 26:14-46, Psalms 31:19-24, Proverbs 8:14-26

Today is the 9^th day of February. Welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I’m Brian. It’s great to be here with you. It’s fantastic that we can be on this journey together and we’ve come so far already into this year. And it’s wonderful that we can take the next step today. And that next step will first lead us out to Mount Sinai where the first of the laws are being given to this people that are being transformed from slave to God’s chosen people in preparation for the promised land. We’re reading from the Good News Translation this week. Exodus chapter 29 verse 1 through 30 verse 10 today.

Commentary:

Okay. So, we’re entering into the passion narrative as we mentioned yesterday. And Jesus shares his final meal with his friends, talks about betrayal, and then goes to Gethsemane. So, they would have crossed the Kidron valley and gone up the side of the Mount of Olives into the olive groves that were growing on the side of the Mount of Olives known as Gethsemane so that He can pray. So, obviously, this is a well-known story and we can recite the details of the story. But it’s important when we come to this not to just blow by it at all. This is the story of how it is our salvation came to be. So, if you’ve heard it a thousand times, then, you know, then a thousand more isn’t enough because there’s so much richness in it. Have you ever in your heart, in a trial that you’re going through with anxiety, depression, circumstance, loss of a loved one, loss in general, have you ever said something out loud or inside like, this sorrow in my heart is so great that it almost crushes me. Right? Does that describe that time? Maybe that time is now. I mean, we probably all know, to some degree, what that feels like. And isn’t it in those times we’re crying out? Right? We’re crying out to God. A lot of the Psalms would mimic how our emotions are churning and how we’re feeling. And in those times, we start to wonder where God went. Right? What’s going on here? And we’ll say things like, where are you? Where are you? And then that can turn into anger. Might be feeling abandoned in some way until we’re ultimately holding in our heart this sense that God doesn’t really understand how difficult it is to navigate this life on planet Earth. And then we get this subtle messaging, you are alone. You are on your own. There is no one coming for you. Echoes of the deception of Eden. None of it is true though, because those words, the sorrow in my heart is so great that it almost crushes me, are the words of Jesus as He’s facing what He’s about to endure. Or have we ever said words like, God, is there any way you can get me out of this? Yet, Jesus said that, too. Father, if it’s possible, take this cup of suffering from me, yet not what I want, but what you want. What I want to point out here is that, although we do go through difficult patches, that even feel like they are crushing our soul, and even though we get that sort of message in our mind that God does not understand, it’s not true. Jesus, for sure, knows what that feels like. And if Jesus is God, if Jesus is one with the Father, then God absolutely does know what that feels like. So, rather than getting further and further estranged from God and growing more and more bitter and angry, feeling like He does not get it, like He does not understand, we need to know that that’s a lie. That is a deception. And the intention is to get us estranged from God and isolated. Because when we’re isolated, we’re easy to take out. So, there is much for us in this story. It’s not just the Bible story we’ve heard since we were kids. This was not easy for Jesus, as we hear from his own communication, from his own lips. And, so, he does understand us, He does know exactly what it feels like, what we’re going through. And He will walk through it with us. Of that, there also is no doubt. He promised He would never leave or forsake.  And He hasn’t. And He won’t. And we should find a generous outpouring of hope because of that.

And then we’ve also been hearing from the lips of wisdom herself in the book of Proverbs. And what she claims today is that she was the first of all God’s creation. Right? The Lord created me first of all, wisdom says. The first of his works, long ago. I was made in the very beginning, at the first, before the world began. I was born before the oceans, when there were no springs of water. I was born before the mountains, before the hills were set in place, before God made the earth and its fields or even the first handful of soil. So, what we’re finding is that wisdom is something God created and then God used, more ancient than the world itself. And less we think, well, this ancient wisdom can’t be found anymore and I don’t know how to walk in it or even find it, she speaks to that. I love those who love me. Whoever looks for me can find me. I have riches and honor to give. Prosperity and success. What you get from me is better than the finest gold, better than the finest silver. I walk the way of righteousness. I follow the paths of justice. So, if wisdom is something we want to become intimate allies with and use as God does, then it can be found if we’ll look for it. If we’ll love it, it will love us back. And the first thing that we can see right from the Scriptures here is that wisdom walks the way of righteousness and follows the paths of justice. So, we can start there. We can walk the way of righteousness and follow the paths of justice in all of our dealings. We would be walking the same path as wisdom. We’re much more likely to encounter wisdom walking the same road than a different one. We need to be where wisdom is if we want to collaborate with wisdom. If we’re going to be where wisdom is not, we’re never going to encounter it.

Prayer:

Father, You have given us much. You have given us words and counsel for how to obtain and walk in wisdom, which we need desperately to navigate life. And You have shown us that you understand. You get it. You get it more than we get it. You have endured more human suffering than we have. You have seen what humanity is capable of at its worst, and still, still you didn’t abandon us. It’s us. We’ve been abandoning You all along and we can already see how that has taken shape in the Bible. It’s us. You haven’t left, we have. And we have blamed You for everything conceivable, things that You had nothing to do with. And we’ve taken the deception that we’re alone, that You’re not coming, and we ask your forgiveness. It’s hard, Lord, we confess, when things are bleak, when it does feel like our souls are crushed and our sorrow is overwhelming. It’s hard to see clear. And, so, God, we reach for wisdom and we reach for You, confessing, once again, no matter what, You are our only hope. There is no other. So, we put our hope, all of it, all of our trust, all of it, in You and You alone. You are the plan A and there is no plan B. We risk it all, our identity, our heart, our mind, our will, our body, our ambitions, our hopes, our dreams, our goals, everything, everything. We place our hope in You and You alone. And we ask, come Holy Spirit. Come, comforter. Come, comfort us and lead us into all truth. We ask this in the name of Jesus, Amen.

Announcements:

dailyaudiobible.com is the website, it’s home base, it’s where you find out what’s going on around here. So be sure to check it out.

Check out the Prayer Wall while you’re there. Maybe you have some things that you want to be prayed over or maybe you just kind of want to read through, be lead, and pray for people, and let them know that you’re praying for them. That brings comfort. That brings life. That brings us out of isolation. So, check that out. You can get to the Prayer Wall also using the Daily Audio Bible app by just pressing that Drawer menu in the upper left-hand corner. You’ll find the Prayer Wall in there. So, pray. That’s one of the things that fuels this community is that we pray for each other. We love one another well in that way. So, check that out.

Daily Audio Bible shop is also at dailyaudiobible.com. Of course, it’s also in the app. But there are resources in there like the Promise Land films, the Daily Audio Bible journal and writing utensils to just…I mean, you can see…this is how far we are in the year and we have quite a ways to go but we can see how much ground we’ve covered. And we cover enough ground that we begin to forget the ground that we’ve covered and what God was speaking to us in our hearts, into our situation. Write it down. Maybe you’re not a big journaler. I get it. But write it down somehow. Write it down in the Daily Audio Bible app. There’s a journal right in there. Or write it down with your own hand, which is beautiful, because it lasts for future generations to see God’s faithfulness in your family. But write it down. We’ve come this far in the Bible and how many times have we seen memorials being set up or things being written down so that it’s not forgotten? It’s one of the great traditions found in the Bible. So, there are resources available for that in the Daily Audio Bible shop as well. So, check it out.

If you want to partner with the Daily Audio Bible in keeping the global campfire that we share as a community burning strong, so that there’s always a light and warmth burning, no matter what time of day it is, no matter where you are in the world, no matter what is going on in your life, you can come here. No matter what, you can come here. It’s always happening. You come here and God’s word can be spoken over you. If that is meaningful to you, then thank you for your partnership. Because it can’t happen if we don’t do it together, so thank you, thank you. There is a link, it’s on the homepage of  dailyaudiobible.com. If you’re using the Daily Audio Bible app, you can get there by clicking the Give button in the upper right-hand corner or, if you prefer, the mailing address is PO Box 1996 Spring Hill Tennessee, 37174.

And, as always, if you have a prayer request or comment, 877-942 4253 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 Daily Audio Bible family. I hope you’re doing well. This is John calling from Bethlehem Pennsylvania. I wanted to call in this morning to let the woman that called in from Virginia, Bonnie, I wanted to let you know that I’m keeping your son in my thoughts and prayers. And also, Tara from Maine, you called in. It was your first time calling asking for prayer for your mom. I want to lift your mom up in prayer who was just diagnosed with stage IV cancer. So, Bonnie, heavenly Father, Bonnie’s son is being released from prison, Father, after being incarcerated. And Bonnie’s prayer, Father, and our prayer is that he is able to turn to You. Bonnie has given him a copy of the book Sneezing Jesus. And we know Father God that if he is able to open the pages of that book, he’s going to find You there waiting for him Father God. So, we just ask that he’s able to get home safe, he’s able to go to church, that he follows that path Father God and he becomes connected with You and finds a relationship with You and is saved Father God by your son, Jesus. And for Tara in Maine for her mother who lives a vibrant life Father God, we ask that she can continue to live as vibrant a life as possible through any suffering that she may have Father God but more importantly that you would be with her to keep her vivacious and vibrant so she continues to live her life in that manner in that way. We pray Father God over the treatment that she’s receiving and that we entrust you with all of her care that you’ll send…

God is good. Isn’t he amazing beyond words? And we have access to him every moment of every day or night. Ahhh…what a blessing. Brian, thank you and Jill for being obedient to God’s will and for making this community available to us DABbers. There was a new caller who spoke about not yet being acquainted with Jill. So, until Jill visits us again, I would encourage you to check out her album called ‘I Still Want More’. Quick thing about that…and I remember His little Shareef, as I recall, my husband and I were working on a puzzle while listening to Jill’s album and we both start belting out the songs and enjoying the moment. I was secretly enjoying the fact that my husband seems to be paying no attention when I’m playing the songs around the house but he actually was enjoying them. Anyway, check out the Daily Audio Bible shop for the album. I’m sure you will enjoy it. Candace, I was thinking of you and remembering how your dear departed husband used to love the 23^rd Psalm and how lovely you sing whenever you call in. I can’t do as lovely a job as you do, but I wanted to sing for you a stanza of song I learned as a wee child. So, hopefully this will bless you today. [singing] The Lord’s my Shepherd I’ll not want. He makes me down to lie in pastures green He leadeth me the quiet waters by. He lives. He lives. He lives. I know that my Redeemer lives. He lives. He lives. He lives within my heart. [singing ends] I do not remember how the rest of the lyrics in the tune tie in together but I promise I’ll track it down and when I do I’ll call back and sing it for you again. Okay.

Hi this is Patricia from Tucson. This is my first time calling. I am calling today requesting prayers for baby John. He was born with a heart condition. He’s already had multiple surgeries. Nothing seems to be working. His times are desperate. I’m sorry that’s my kids in the background. But if you could please pray for baby John. My note today was it’s going to be a defining day because they don’t know what else can be done for him because his little body is week. And, so, I ask for your prayers. And may God bless him and hopefully he’s able to stay here with us longer.

Hi this is Jazzy from New York. Firstly just, Brian, thank you for having Daily Audio Bible. It’s certainly been a lifeline for me for the past eight years or so and I’m so thankful. I started to listen at a young age. I’m still young but not as young as I used to be. And I’m just thankful that I really connected to this program. And I just wanted to…I just ask for prayer for a board exam that I’m going to take, probably within the next 30 days or so. I’m a medical student and I am in my fourth year. So, I am graduating next year. It’s been, you know, a bit of a journey for me, but thank God He has kept me and He has been faithful to me throughout every situation and circumstance. And He has truly turned my life around, always showing me His faithfulness and His grace upon my life and the life of those around me. So, I’m praying for favor and for divine breakthrough and overcoming spirit to tackle, completely tackle my step 2 board exam and my step 2 CS bboard exam. I also filed for an appeal for accommodations, special accommodations, double time for some learning challenges that I have. So, they, basically the organization that heads up all of the board exams ___ they are overseeing my case right now. So, I’m praying for a positive deliberation…

Hi Daily Audio Bible. This is Sharon of California. I said that I wanted to call myself the Rose of Sharon but I want to rethink that, take that back, because there’s only one Rose of Sharon and that’s Jesus. So, I’m just Sharon in California. But the reason for my call, I just heard Blind Tony’s request for prayer because of his cancers possible return. And Blind Tony I’ve been listening to the Daily Audio Bible for about three years. Last year was my first time listening all the way through the year and your calls, your poems, touch me. And I just want to say that your, of course everyone in this family is in my prayers all the time, but right now you are especially in my heart because I too had cancer, 20 years ago, thank God and I’ve been healed and I believe in all my heart that God is a healer. And I heard in your voice your resolve, your faith, and encouraged me. And I want you to know this. God is with you. And I will continue to pray for you and everyone on the Daily Audio Bible. Thank you, Blind Tony for your poems. You are a divine blessing. Bye for now.

Hi this is Melody from Canada. It’s February 2^nd and the woman who is a first-time caller about her mom’s cancer, I can’t remember your name, but I was really touched by your love for your mom. And I used to do home support for seniors and I saw some miracles. I saw some people live way longer than was expected and with more vibrancy than expected. So, I pray that for your mom. And I was also…for Madison, Joe’s daughter, I was in the hospital with depression and I caused so much heartbreak for my family, but God healed me. And, so, there’s hope for your daughter, there’s hope for your family. And keep walking in the light and a holding onto him. And Brian, thank you for your word on the wilderness. And I can really relate to that. And, yes, it is time to stop looking back and keep pointing forward. Thank you. Bye.

Exodus 28:1-43, Matthew 25:31-26:13, Psalms 31:9-18, Proverbs 8:12-13

Today is the 8^th day of February. Welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I am Brian. It’s great to be here with you today from the West Coast, from California. I’ll be heading back to the rolling hills of Tennessee today. What a great time last night. Thanks to everyone who came out to say hello at new life Church in Bakersfield. What a wonderful time being in and among community, seeing old friends, and meeting new. It was a joy. So, yeah, we have another travel day getting back to the rolling hills of Tennessee, but first we need to take the next step forward in our journey through the adventure that is the Scripture in our lives each and every day. So, we’re reading from the Good News Translation this week. And today we will read Exodus chapter 28 from our Old Testament reading.

Commentary:

Okay. Let’s just take a second, just catching ourselves up to where we are in the grand scheme of things in the Bible. In the book of Exodus, we are at Mount Sinai. The children of Israel crossed the Red Sea on dry ground. Right? The Egyptians have been pretty much crushed by the hand of God in order to set His people free. So, they’re in the wilderness. We’ve wandered around with them for a while, they’ve grumbled a bunch. We’ve talked about all that. But they’re in the wilderness being reshaped and reformed. Now there at Mount Sinai and God is beginning to give language to the expectations of this culture that is being formed. This is known as the law and we’re beginning to move through some of that. And we can find moving through the law to be tedious, in part, because were back reading our own culture in. And we’ve talked about that. And we’ve talked about not doing that. It can also be tedious because it’s very, very detailed. Not many people go to the library to get law books and just read laws for pleasure. But these are the laws that will shape the culture of the chosen people of God and lead them forward into the promise land and govern them in the promise land. So, it’s very important for them. It’s very important for us to follow along with the story. And we’ll find that, as we move through the law, so much of the cultures that we live in find their foundation here. So, yes, we’re reading about how to make priestly garments today and we may not find that mesmerizing, but we see that God is setting apart now, a section of the people to be priests. And their role will be to tell the story to the people, continually, of who God is, how they got where they are, and where they’re going. They will lead the people in the worship of God and they will also minister before the Lord. This is a new distinction for these people. They’ve only ever been slaves. So, this is all new for them and it will serve to shape and transform them.

In the book of Matthew, Jesus is now in Jerusalem and He’s not getting out. Like, He’s there for the final time. So, He’s sharing the good news of the kingdom, but we’re about to turn the corner and enter into the first account of the passion of Jesus, His betrayal, His arrest, His trial, conviction, execution, burial, resurrection. So, you know, we may know this story backward and forward and sideways, but we’re about to turn the corner in the book of Matthew and head into the story that changed the human race. So, let’s not lose our place in the story or skip ahead and say, yeah, I already know this. We’re about to move into the territory that changed everything.

In the Psalms, we have to notice that so many of these are heart cries and we can hold onto them. And we can notice and understand that they are serious and they are honest. And we can see in the Psalms that nothing’s been glossed over. Like, the Bible hasn’t been edited to be all nice and pretty and clean. The Bible contains all of the grit and dirt of life on this planet, all of the motivations of the heart, all of the emotions that we experience. So, right? I mean, if we read the Psalm again today, ‘Be merciful to me. Lord, I’m in trouble. My eyes are tired from crying so much. I’m completely worn out. I’m exhausted by sorrow. Weeping has shortened my life. I’m week from all my troubles. My bones even are wasting away. People close to me are treating me with contempt. Those who know me are afraid of me. When they see me in the street they will walk the other direction. Everyone has forgotten me as if I were dead. It’s like I’m something that has been thrown away.’ Right? That’s honest. The Bible isn’t inviting us to be fakers. We invite each other to be fakers. God’s not inviting us to do that. We’re doing that to each other. What God is inviting is our honesty, which means we have to be honest with ourselves and stop presenting to the world something that’s false. We have to get to the bedrock of who we are. We’re invited to be who we are. God is revealing who we really are. And part of that comes through being honest. And we find that desperate honesty in the Psalms, but it’s not just always an outpouring of pain. Often, when we see an outpouring of pain like we did in today’s Psalm, we’ll see the whole thing turn because there’s only one way to move away from those kinds of emotions, and that is to throw ourselves on God’s mercy, all in, risking everything. So, the psalmist turns. ‘My trust is in you Lord. You’re my God. I’m always in Your care. Save me from my enemies. Save me from those who want to persecute me. Look on me with kindness. Save me with Your constant love. I’m calling You Lord. Don’t let me be disgraced.’ So, the Psalms can speak out what we’re not really able to articulate. But we’ll also find some of the most beautiful outpourings of joy and worship and hope known to man in the Psalms.

And, of course, Proverbs. I mean, where we are now, wisdom is speaking for herself. And we’re going to find that one sentence from the voice of wisdom speaks volumes. So, for example, in today’s reading, wisdom speaking, ‘to honor the Lord is to hate evil. I hate pride and arrogance, evil ways and false words.’ In that one sentence we see things that we have got to stay away from if we want to walk in the path of wisdom. If we are going to walk the path of evil, then we will not honor the Lord. If we’re going to be proud and arrogant then we are not going to be walking in wisdom. If we’re going to try to walk in evil ways and speak falsely, if we’re going to be a liar, we will not be walking in wisdom. It’s clear, it’s concise, it’s one sentence. And it just leaves it there. It’s just the truth. We get to choose what we’re going to do with it. The truth has come into our lives. We get to choose whether were going to walk in wisdom or not. So, every day there’s something to feed us. Every day there’s something to challenge us. Every day there’s something there that we can reach out and grab that will pull us forward. This is how the Bible transforms us. It comes at us from every angle of life and touches everything as we make it a rhythm in our lives.

Prayer:

Father, we are so grateful for Your word. We are so amazed by what You can speak and what You have been speaking for thousands of years and our eyes and our ears and our hearts are open. We want to walk the path of wisdom. We have chosen to slow down and consultant wisdom. We have invited Your Holy Spirit, and we continue to invite Your Holy Spirit to lead us into all truth now. And now Lord, we’re asking for this to be more than just a devotional time. We’re asking for this to begin spilling out into our lives. We want to not be able to get You off our minds. These distractions, we’re starting to notice them now, these patterns, these things that we run to, these things that we run from, we’re beginning to see what we’re doing here, trying to find a way to make life work. But it’s not going to work without You. So, we acknowledge that. We don’t want to have You off of our minds. So, we invite Your Holy Spirit into everything that happens today, every conversation, every thought, every word, every deed, everything. We want You on our mind and in our hearts. Come, Holy Spirit, plant the words from Your word in our lives, bringing up a crop of the fruit of the Spirit and transforming us utterly and irreversibly. Come Jesus. We pray in Your precious name. Amen.

Announcements:

dailyaudiobible.com is the website, it’s home base, it’s where you find out what’s going on around here.

So, like I was saying, travel day back to the rolling hills of Tennessee today. Had a wonderful, but brief time here in California. So good to see you all. Thank you for coming out. And looking forward to the time that we can be together again someday.

I guess the next the next thing on the calendar for travel is Israel. We’ll be heading into the land of the Bible in about a week and a half. So, you definitely want to probably, at least, follow the Daily Audio Bible Facebook page. We’ll be posting every day, multiple times a day as we’re there. Of course, we’ll be talking about it on the Daily Audio Bible. We’ll be taking a group, of course, but we try to make this is interactive and virtual as we can. When we go there, we’re going there to immerse ourselves in the territory, the land of the Bible. And, so, we’ll be broadcasting the Daily Audio Bible from there, talking about what we’re seeing, what we’re feeling, what we’re doing so that, in every way possible, because this is like one of the things we’re trying to do every day, is make the Bible come alive. So, we’ll be posting pictures and videos and all kinds of stuff on social media so you can see what we’re seeing. So, facebook.com/dailyaudiobible will be the place to go for that.

If you want to partner with the Daily Audio Bible, if all of the rhythm that’s being established, if what it is that we do as a community together is bringing life and good news into your life, then thank you for your partnership. We can’t do this any other way. If we don’t do this together we can’t do it. And, so, thank you for your partnership, humbly. There is a link on the homepage of dailyaudiobible.com. If you’re using the Daily Audio Bible app, you can press the Give button in the upper right-hand corner. If you prefer, the mail, the mailing address is PO Box 1996 Spring Hill Tennessee 37174.

And, as always, if you have a prayer request or comment, 877-942 4253 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:

Good morning DABbers. I am a Burning Bush that will not be Devoured for the Glory of God and King. I’m calling into say a prayer for a few of our callers. Father God, we thank You and embrace You for Your holy and righteous. There is no like unto You God. We thank You God that You said we can go boldly before Your throne of grace and whatever we ask we will receive it. You will give it to us Lord. I pray for Blind Tony today God. I thank You for the gift that You have given to him, the gift of psalm, and just wisdom Father. God, I pray for his body right now. I pray that You will heal him in the name of Jesus from the inside out God. I pray that Father God whatsoever may be ailing him right now Lord that You will take it away in the name of Jesus Father and touch Him oh Lord with Your healing hands Father. I thank You Lord because You…Your word would not return to You God without accomplishing the purpose which You were sent. And, so, we just pray for divine healing his body. I pray that You continue to bless his ministry. God, I pray also for pastor Gene. God, You know what she’s been going through these past months and years. I pray that You bless her ministry. I pray that You cover her family Lord. I pray a hedge of protection around her God. I pray for our sister Viola. I praise You for her business. I thank You oh God for her family. Lord I pray that in the name of Jesus that no weapon formed against them will prosper in the name of Jesus. And God, I thank You Lord for Brian and his family. Thank you so much for China. God, I pray that you continue to protect their ministry. God, give them wisdom, give them courage. Lord I pray for healing in their family God. I pray that You will continue to strengthen them. Those parts that are strong, strengthen oh God, and those parts that are week, God I pray that You would just bring Your healing and revival in those parts of their lives. I thank You Lord in Jesus name. Amen. I love you guys.

Hello Daily Audio Bible family. This is Sheila from Massachusetts calling. When I was listening today I heard Jim from Southern New Hampshire. Jim, you are such an inspiration. To hear you start your call with, God invited you and your wife to embark on a journey. I was expecting something…you know…positive to come out of your mouth. And to hear you say that Kim was diagnosed with cancer, and that’s your journey, it just reminded me that God calls us into many things, not just happy things, but he calls us into trials as well. And He does so to grow our faith. And when He steps out of the way and things like this enter into our life, that they have a purpose and He knits all things for good. Brother, to hear you praise Him and to understand that your first response would be to fall back and rely on Him, that just…it really brought home to me that our God is so powerful and that if we live our lives with Him in our sites at all times, we can not only endure things, but, you said, that He showed His glory through this situation with you. He already has in your phone call and your sharing of that heart. I bless you and Kim, in Jesus name. And I’ll be praying for you. But brother, He did show His glory in the way that you honored Him with your phone call. Bye family.

Good morning Daily Audio Bible, sisters and brothers, my name is Linda and I’m a first-time caller. And I wanted to just reach out and ask the DABbers for their prayer for my daughter. She has been suspended from her job for drinking on the job. She’s an alcoholic and she doesn’t want to admit that she’s an alcoholic. This has been going on for two years now. She’s gone into one rehab and it hasn’t worked and I’m trying to get her into another rehab now. She’s not willing to go to rehab because she doesn’t like the studying and…but anyway DABbers I just need your prayer, that God could soften her hardened heart. She hasn’t been to church. She will sometimes listen online, but she hasn’t been to church. She’s just been trying to do everything on her own and I’ve told her multiple times she can’t do this on her own without the help of God. She has to bow down and be open and she’s just not willing to do that. So, I just asking for your prayer for my daughter, that she will accept this, this offer to go to counseling again, because at this point now I’ve been supporting her and I can’t do it anymore. And within the next 30 days, if she doesn’t have a job she’s also going to be homeless. And I’m…I need your prayers. Thank you so much. I pray each and every day for all the prayers that come in. And thank you DABbers.

Good morning everyone this is Salvation is Mine in San Angelo California. Today is the last day of January, January 31^st. God bless you all. I continue to ask for your prayers for my emotional and physical and financial health. Today, I’m just asking for God to, please be with me, please be with me, to help me emotionally because I do feel so broken and invisible to everyone around me and gone at this point. So, family would you please pray for me. I really need some help right now. I need help always, but I definitely need help right now. I’m just having a really hard time emotionally and it’s hard to get up and go to work and keep things together and put a fake smile on my face when all I’m doing inside is screaming. So, if you would please pray for me, I would really appreciate that. Thank you, family. This is salvation is mine in San Angelo California.

Hi this is Melody from Canada. I had to pause the January 31^st podcast at the place about being a friend of God, just like Brian did. And God really hit my heart because He is calling me to that and there are a lot of things in my life not happening right now. Like, I’m not getting called to teach, my clearance isn’t happening, my pregnancy is not happening. The other things that I want to happen are not happening and I have this time in my life and space where God is calling me to be intimate with Him and I am saying, nope, I want to be like everyone else and have a successful career and have children and just be busy with that. And like I’m running in every other direction possible. And I know that I said I really want to be a friend of God, but it’s hard for me to trust him, it’s hard for me to desire that. So, thank you for your prayers as He continues to work in my heart. And I really pray that I would be in awe of Him and desire to spend ___ and treasure this time of not being really busy. Thanks.

Happy New Year Daily Audio Bible family. This is Chardra calling from Maryland. Like I said, I wanted to wish everyone a happy new year. And Brian, Jill, I thank you guys so much for the time, the energy, and the sacrifice. I have to admit, every time that I call, when I hear the introductory message, I just feel like whatever I’m carrying is about to be dropped off and about to be laid down at the feet so I can just release every burden and every care that I have. But I also wanted to say that I’m praying for prayers that I hear on the Daily Audio Bible. I’m kind of playing catch up right now. As well as, I wish that you all would keep me in prayer as well. It seems like this multiple sclerosis is trying to give me a run for my money, but I do know who my Redeemer is. I know who I Healer is. And I’m just encouraged. And I just ask that you all will please just continue to pray for me because I know that the devil is already defeated and no weapon formed against me will be able to prosper. I love you guys. And please know, like I said, that I’m praying for the requests that are coming in, even those that don’t come over the air. Thank you. Bye.

Exodus 26:1-27:21, Matthew 25:1-30, Psalms 31:1-8, Proverbs 8:1-11

Today is the 7^th day of February. Welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I am Brian and it’s great to be here with you. It’s a bit of a travel day. I’ll be heading out to California for this evening. But we can talk about that in a little bit. Let’s dive in and take the next step forward as we move deeper into and through the Bible this year. We’re reading from the Good News Translation this week and we’ll pick up where we left off.  Exodus chapter 26 and 27 today.

Commentary:

Okay. So, Jesus told two stories, also known as parables, about the kingdom of heaven. One story about waiting for the bridegroom to arrive. There were ten young women waiting for the bridegroom and the other story was about a master who put three of his servants in charge of a pretty good deal of resources and asked them to use them wisely in his absence. And in these stories, some were able to enter into the presence of the king or the master and enjoy fellowship and the others weren’t. So, if we were to distill this down, what characteristics shape the people that were able to enter into the presence of the bridegroom or the master? Readiness, awareness, vigilance, preparedness, patience, risk, faithfulness, loyalty, wisdom. And there are probably other characteristics that we could name. So, there’s a famous passage of Scripture, of course, in the second story. The well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful. Right? You have been faithful in little, so I will put you in charge of much. Come in, enjoy my happiness, share in my happiness. We’re all longing to hear that. But are we aware? Are we vigilant? Are we prepared? Are we willing to risk it all? Remember just a few days ago we talked about friendship with God is for those who fear Him and how that requires risking it all, including our identity? These are the characteristics required to receive the ‘well done good and faithful servant’ in these stories. And, so, they are the characteristics that we need to cultivate and live into. And we won’t be able to do that without wisdom.

And wisdom is speaking today in our reading from Proverbs 8. I don’t mean, like, it’s speaking metaphorically. I mean, the voice of wisdom is speaking on behalf of herself today. And she’s saying…she’s everywhere calling out to anyone who will listen. And I refer to wisdom as ‘she’ because wisdom is referred to in the feminine in the book of Proverbs. So, she’s saying, I am everywhere. I’m trying to make myself heard. I’m on the hilltops. I’m at the roadways. I’m at the crossroads. I’m at the entrances to the cities. I’m calling out. I’m appealing to you. So, we’re being told that wisdom is available, but we will have to cultivate it. We will have to become friends. We will have to slow down enough to consider wisdom in our choices. But it is available.

So, if our lives are kind of swinging from chaos to chaos and we feel like we’re living upside down most of the time, we probably are. And we’re probably not exhibiting the characteristics that Jesus talks about in the parables that He gave describing His kingdom. And we’re probably not slowing down enough to cultivate and become intimate friends with wisdom. And we’re going to see, as we go forward from this point how wisdom speaks. Like, we should pay very keen attention to when we come to reading the Proverbs each day. And we even have a resource here at Daily Audio Bible called Daily Audio Proverb. It’s a chapter from the book of Proverbs going through the entire book of Proverbs each month to simply pour this unfiltered wisdom of the ages into our hearts and lives. But as we move through the book of Proverbs, we should pay attention. This is wisdom. And wisdom claims, in today’s reading, noting you want can compare with me. Alright, so, like, that’s either the truth or it’s not. But if we consider the things that we’re passionate about are the things that are pulling us in a lot of different directions because we’re trying to achieve them or gain them and then we consider wisdom and we realize we want these other things more than we want wisdom so we’re not willing to slow down and consider the path of wisdom, well, then we don’t want wisdom more than we want those things. And we are upside down. Nothing we want can compare with wisdom, and if we can live in an intimate relationship with wisdom, then we will be vigilant. We will be faithful. We will be aware. We will be prepared. We will understand how to risk. We will hear, ‘well done’. So, let’s begin to pay very keen and close attention to the words of wisdom found in the Proverbs, found from the lips of Jesus, and found in the lives of many of the people that we’ll meet along the way in the Bible. We’ll also meet a lot of people who ignore wisdom. And we can see, if we’re looking, where these paths lead. And we get to choose what path we’re going to walk. Is it going to be the narrow path that leads to life? Then we’re going to need wisdom to walk that path. So, the best thing we can do, right now, is commit ourselves to understanding and gaining wisdom more than gaining anything else because the counsel is, if we gain wisdom, we can gain anything.

Prayer:

Father, we thank You for Your Word. We thank You for the counsel of wisdom. We thank You this gift that You’re offering to us, that’s calling to us from everywhere and we’re ignoring it because we’re too busy, we’re too distracted, we’re too in the midst of all kinds of chaos when wisdom simply calls and calls and calls. We’re listening now. And, so, we pray the Psalm that we read today. We come to You, Lord, for protection.  Never let us be defeated.  You are a righteous God. Save us, we pray. Hear us.  Save us now.  Be our refuge to protect us. Be our defense. Save us. You are our refuge and defense. Guide and lead us as You’ve promised. Keep us safe from the trap that has been set for us. Shelter us from danger. We place ourselves in Your care. You will save us, Lord. You are a faithful God. So, Holy Spirit, we invite You to lead us into all truth. We invite You to help us be vigilant and pay attention to the voice of wisdom. Teach us how to follow her paths. Teach us how to listen to her counsel. Come, Holy Spirit. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Announcements:

dailyaudiobible.com is the website. Home base. It’s where you find out what’s going on around here.

I will be travelling from here all the way to the west coast and I’ll be speaking in Bakersfield, California this evening at New Life Church. So, looking forward to that very much. Been looking forward to it for a while. So, glad that the day has finally arrived. Looking forward to seeing you. Come out and say hello if you’re in the area. You can get the details at dailyaudiobible.com in the Events section. So, phone numbers, websites, maps, times. All that, you can find at dailyaudiobible.com.

If you want to partner with the Daily Audio Bible, you can do that at dailyaudiobible.com as well. Thank you, thank you, thank you for your partnership. So, there’s a link on the homepage. If you’re using the Daily Audio Bible app, you can press the Give button in the upper right-hand corner or, if you prefer, the mailing address is P.O Box, 1996, Spring Hill, Tennessee, 37174.

And, as always, if you have a prayer request or comment, 877-942 4253 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:

I love You Lord oh my strength for it is You who light my lamp. The Lord my God lightens my darkness for by You I can do anything. I can man against a troop. By You I can leap over a wall. I can face this day Lord. I can face that ever-growing to do list that I’m not sure what to do about and I can ask for help. You are my strength. You light my darkness. You’re my lamp and my guide. Help me focus on You this day to face the seemingly impossible tasks, what is before me. Your law Lord is perfect. It revives the soul. Your testimony Lord is sure, making wise the simple. Your precepts Lord are right rejoicing the heart. Your commandments Lord are pure and lightening our lives. The fear of You Lord is clean enduring forever. Your laws Lord are true and life altogether. Father God help me focus on what is true and just and honorable and all those things that we focus on your word today and keep my eyes where they should be. And please Lord keep me back from willful sin and presumptuous sins. Things, the habits I fall back on when I’m in trouble, when I’m stressed, those habits that I have that aren’t good, that keep me from the Lord, let them not have them lean over me, help me develop good habits, that I can reach for You, that I can rejoice, that I cannot be anxious about anything because I can talk to You and give them to You in prayer so that Your peace which passes all understanding covers me. By the words of my mouth and the lamentation of my heart in Your sight oh Lord my rock and my Redeemer. In Jesus name. Amen. Beloved by Him from Gloucester in the UK.

Good morning Daily Audio Bible family. My name is Shelley and this is my first time calling in. I’ve been listening to the Daily Audio Bible for about three months now. I was turned onto it from a cousin of mine who said You have got to check out this app, you will love it and I absolutely do. I just want to say that I’ve been listening to a lot of the prayer requests. Yesterday, I spent about four hours listening to everyone and I just want to pray for all of you, for those that are seeking promotions in your jobs and direction in your career such as myself. I’m seeking the Lord to remove me from place, my current place of employment, and give me the confidence, give me the confidence to venture out and use the skills that He’s given me and the talents. And I want everyone to know that you do have a purpose, and God is showing you your purpose and you just have to listen and stay in prayer. And I’ll be praying for each and every one of you and all of your prayers, your prayer request really touched my heart and I’ve been listening to everyone. And I can’t remember every name, but I just want to say I am praying for those who are heartbroken right now, who are going through issues with their family and the children, and those who are sad through divorce, I know how that feels, and those who have illnesses or health issues I currently suffer from vertigo and sometimes it really prohibits me from being well enough to do certain things, but the Lord, over the past year, has been slowly healing that and I’m thankful for Him doing that as well. And I want to just let everyone know that, just keep Your faith, keep praying, but God does answer our prayers. And sometimes I shake my fist and say Lord when are You going to answer this prayer? I’ve been praying every day and…

Hi DAB family this is Katie __ from Pennsylvania and I am just praising God so much today. Thank you, Brian, Jill, and family, for everything that you do. And I just pray for strength for your entire family. Family I just want to praise God, praise God for all that he has done in the last five years, six years even. In my life He started cleaning me up about five years ago, about, maybe five years ago. And I started a personal Bible study in the book of Job and I was being strongly convicted about my behavior at the time. I was living with someone I wasn’t married to and I had a lot of other problems. And after reading the book of Job I started to seek Him harder and I let go of that relationship. Praise God for strengthening me. And then I started to seek Him more, a personal study. And I was able to, through a friend, find out about this community and I’m so grateful, so grateful. This is my third year through the Bible with you and I just thank you. There have been a lot of other physical ailments along the way. There has been a possible pituitary tumor…

Greetings this is Deborah or Hope Never Failith in Northern California. I’m calling with a praise report. It’s a little overdue but I think it’s just beginning to sink in. After eight months I sold my second house. The mortgage closed a couple weeks ago. I received the profits, was able to pay off the debt that I owed, and I am now financially fit again. Thank you so much for everybody who prayed for me, especially Lisa the encourager. It meant a lot to me to hear somebody praying for me. Life is always a challenge and Hope never Failith has been my motto since I was 17. More than 40 years ago, you can do the math. Anyway, I was thrilled to hear that it was Brian’s word of the year. I look at hope as the same as trusting in God, where trusting that things will get better, where trusting that His plan for our life will unfold, where trusting that He’s going to love us always and take care of us. I pray that all of you seeing that peace that comes from hope and trust in the Lord. Thank You Brian and Jill. Thank You the entire DAB family. I pray for everyone daily. In Jesus name. Amen.

So, don’t You love how God works sometimes guys. I’m sitting here laughing. Just a couple days ago I listened to a call from a gentleman, I forget your name, I apologize, from Canada, who was in a hurry for an appointment, didn’t have time to pull over to help somebody that was stuck. Today, up in Saskatchewan, where we had a good blizzard going, I’m a mail carrier, I had an appointment like immediately after I was done work. And, so, I was hustling all day today. And wouldn’t you know, I look over and there’s this guy, his tires of just spinning away, and I looked at it and in that split-second decision I said, I don’t have time for this I’ve got to keep going. So, I turned away and I started walking away and like in that split-second I thought of your call and I had to turn back. I’m like okay, okay, I get it. See how the Holy Spirit’s moving. So, because of your call the other day, it made me aware to that moving, and I turn around. It took me like five minutes. I got the guy out. So, I thank you for your call. He thanks you, even though he didn’t know about you or your call. He thanks you for your call. Yeah, God’s moving people. We’ve got to be attentive to when He’s moving and say yes, which I reluctantly did today and here I am about 40 minutes early for my appointment. So, yeah, God’s funny sometimes. I love it. Love You guys. I Appreciate the call again. And we’ll talk to You again soon. Bye.

Good morning, it’s Beloved by Him from Gloucester in the UK. Father Jesus this is my second call of the morning. I called in __ the morning when I was in Gloucester. I’ve driven to work and listened to Wednesday, 31^st of January’s podcast and __ Brian. Thank You for wrestling with that piece of Scripture. Thank You… And thank You for sharing that with us. I’m going to have to spend plenty of time now getting my head around it and getting my heart in the right place for it. So, yeah. Guys if you haven’t listened to 31^st of January yet, listen to it. If you have listened to it, listen to it again and get our heads around it because that is what it’s all about isn’t it. Father God, thank You that we can be Your friend. Thank You that You want us to be Your friend. And Father God, help us to be a better friend. Help us make the time to get our heads around what it actually means to see You and get our hearts in the right place in our attitudes in the right place. In Jesus precious name. Amen. Thank you very much Brian as always. I hope you guys have a blessed day wherever You are. Bye.