2 Chronicles 24:1-25:28, Romans 12:1-21, Psalms 22:19-31, Proverbs
20:8-10
Today is the 29th day of July welcome to the Daily
Audio Bible I’m Brian it’s great to be here with you as we continue our journey
through this week and push ourselves into the end of the week. And obviously we’ll
get there, one step at a time, day by day taking the next step forward together.
And our step today leads us back into the book of second Chronicles. We’re
reading from the New English Translation this week. Second Chronicles chapters
24 and 25 today.
Commentary:
Okay. Our reading for the book of Romans today, the letter
to the Romans is potent. It is, at least in…to me, one of the most potent clear
descriptions of what life is supposed to be looking like, what our postures and
motivations are supposed to be looking. Like we’re moving through the theology
of Paul and we’re understanding, like okay we’ve died to the law, we’ve been
resurrected with Christ, sin doesn’t have a claim to us, all of the things that
we’re discussing about the transformative nature of salvation, the things that
happen because we believe. We believe leave Jesus. And often when we acknowledge…when
we acknowledge to ourselves that we still struggle with plenty of things that
plague us from our history or our presence, and there are times that it feels
like, you know, we’re not being transformed without moving forward. Sometimes it
feels like we’re moving backward and what it this supposed to look like? And,
so, we can look at…at the things that are laid out in the New Testament as
essentially a new law that we have to live up to and the same result happens.
We realize we can’t make ourselves perfect. We have no power to do that no
matter what color prescription gets laid out about how we should be living.
It’s difficult for us to be perfect all the time. And yet there are postures of
our hearts that we do have a say in, right? And we do have a mind and although
it may play tricks on us we do have a say in what we are going to put into
action. And we have all kinds of thoughts swirling in our minds, but we do have
a say into what we going to then engage our body to participate in. So, we do
have control we just…we just can’t keep self-control 100% of the time. Paul
lays out today a picture of what this transformation process should be looking
like within ourselves and within the body, the body of Christ, the followers of
Jesus on this earth, what we’re supposed to be living into and what our lives
are supposed to be. And there are plenty lists like this found in the Bible. So,
you know, we’ll go back through this, but rather than going back through this
and looking at the ways that were failing and just kind of allow the
condemnation to descend upon us, so that we’re like, yeah, I can't…just I can't…I
can’t keep up with all this. Let’s look at what’s described here because what’s
described here will be what we want and what we’re going for. And we’ll also
see that we’re failing at it, but let’s at least ask ourselves, are we even
trying at these things? Because not trying, yeah that might be failing, but
trying to live in this direction, beginning to move toward these things slowly,
systematically, that is transformation, but we have to be participants in it. In
other words, we have to collaborate with what God is doing with in us by
surrendering to what He is doing within us rather than shutting it down and trying
to take control and being our own sovereign, which we probably know pretty well
leads us in ways we don’t want to go. So, let’s kinda look back over what Paul
is saying today. He says that we should present our bodies as a sacrifice, a
living one, like not one that’s, you know, gonna die and be burned up, a living
sacrifice, Holy y and pleasing to God. That’s where we start. And according to
Paul, that’s reasonable. So, it’s not beyond us, it’s the default, it’s the
reasonable thing that we should do in response to the love of God for us. We’re
told to not conform ourselves to this present world. In other words, to conform
ourselves and use the tactics and convictions of the world around us. Instead
of that we’re supposed to be being transformed by the renewing of our mind,
renewing of our mind. Re-new. New all over again of our minds. We’re actively
participating in this. We’re actively cooperating and collaborating and purging
the things in our minds that lead us in all kinds of directions, whether that
be in action or in stuff that we push down inside of us and hold their,
bitterness and rage and anger and jealousy and envy. When these things come up
into our minds and get triggered that’s when we capture them. We observe what’s
going on. We see where that is leading us. We surrender it to God, which is reasonable
and allow the renewing of our mind so that we are then awake and aware enough
to test and approve what the will of God is, what is good and well pleasing and
perfect. And that just gets us through the first two verses in Romans that we
read today. Paul goes on to tell us we should think more highly of ourselves. Then
well…then we should, and we shouldn’t be comparing ourselves to each other.
Rather, we should be sober about who we are and know that all that we have has come
from God. God is…I’m quoting Paul. “God has distributed to each of you a
measure of faith. For just as in one body we have many members and not all the
members serve the same function. So, we who are many, are one body in Christ
and individually we are members who belong to one another, and we have
different gifts according to the grace given to us.” So, Paul’s saying like,
yeah, this isn’t a game of comparison, this isn’t a game of being better than,
this isn’t a game of even measuring up, this isn’t even a game. All you have to
do is be. You have been gifted by God. Do that. Be that. So, Paul is like, if
the gift you were given this prophecy then do that, if it’s serving then do
that, if it’s teaching then do that, if it’s exhorting then do that, if it’s
giving and contributing then do that sincerely, if its leadership than do that
with diligence. If it’s being merciful, then do that with cheerfulness. There
are things that are true of you that have always been true of you that need to
be offered to God’s people and to the world, not so that you can be validated,
not so that you can compete or be better than somebody else, or that you can be
less than somebody else, so that you can be who you are. And do we not spend
most of our lives in a struggle in that direction just trying to be who we are
while being confronted with all of the pressures that are pulling us in a
million directions and pulling us apart so that we’re not whole. Paul’s saying
yeah, live…live your life as a living sacrifice. That’s a reasonable thing to
do in response to God who has come for you, who has come to rescue you. Be who you
are. Let the glory of the Lord shine through you as compared to no one else. And
then he goes on to say, love must be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil.
Cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another with mutual love showing
eagerness in honoring one another. Do not lack in zeal, be enthusiastic in
spirit, serve the Lord, rejoice in hope, endure suffering, persists in prayer,
contribute to the needs of the saints, pursue hospitality, bless those who
persecute you, bless and do not curse, rejoice with those who rejoice, weep
with those who weep, live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty but
associate with the lowly. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for
evil. Consider what is good before all people if possible, so far as it depends
on you. Live peaceably with all people. Is this not the life we’re invited into?
Is this not where we’re trying to go? Is this not who we want to be? Because this
is the description of what it looks like to be transformed. And we can look at
these things and see the places that we’re failing but we have to be fair and
say am I even trying? And let’s try with all of our might knowing that in our
own strength we cannot sustain perfection, we cannot sustain any of this. I
mean just get a bad night sleep and you can’t control your day. But can we look
at these things and know that they all have action involved. Like this is a
collaboration. We’re not just going to be able to sit on the couch and be
sanctified. The things Paul says are actions, things that we have to
participate in. Like be devoted, do not lack in zeal, rejoice, contribute,
bless and do not curse, rejoice, live in harmony, do not be haughty, do not be
conceited, do not repay anyone evil. You see, these things aren’t just gonna
happen. We have to do them. We have to try. We have to live in this direction
and read train ourselves, renew our minds, retrain the way that we react to
things. So if we’re used…if our default position is to strike back when we’re
struck, whether…whether physically or with words, if somebody is gonna bring
some kind of thing against us with words then we’re gonna strike back and take
them down with even harsher words. If that’s our default position we have to
catch ourselves in it and understand that we’re supposed to bless those who
persecute us. We’re supposed to bless and not curse. We have to try. We have to
retrain ourselves by opening ourselves to the renewing of our minds, the Holy
Spirit’s activity in our lives. So, we have to catch ourselves and remind
ourselves this isn’t the way I’m going. And, so, to go where I want to go I have
to do this differently. We have to re-train re-new, collaborate in the renewing
of our minds. And, so, there’s an awful lot here in just a few paragraphs from
Paul today that really…really affects the way we live. And let’s take that into
our day and ponder it.
Prayer:
And Holy Spirit we invite you into that, into that
pondering. In fact come Holy Spirit and reveal to us the places that we’re not
even trying, because that would explain so much, so much of the state of
affairs of our lives. Help us Jesus we pray. In your mighty name, we ask. Amen.
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And that’s it for today. I’m Brian I love you and I’ll be
waiting for you here tomorrow.
Community Prayer and Praise:
Good morning Daily Audio Bible community this is Diane Olive
Braun from Newburgh IN an encourager, one of many. It is 6:55 AM on July 27th
2021, and it is Tuesday and we have the story of how great great kings came
against Jehoshaphat. And he had several options, but he chose the right one, he
chose to stay in the presence of the Lord and to yield his will to the Lord and
to say we can’t defeat this vast army, we don’t know what to do but our eyes
are on You. Holy Spirit help us to remember this story of Jehoshaphat and how
he went to the Lord. He did not deliver himself. He trusted himself in the
hands of the Lord and that is the safest place to be. So, we trust ourselves in
your hands, we are your very own children. You are our very own God, and we
love You and we magnify You and we glorify You and we humble ourselves under Your
mighty hand…
Hi DAB family it’s James here from the UK it’s been a long
time since I’ve put in a prayer request but here I am and here I’m…this is what
I’m doing. I'm…I would really appreciate prayers for my family. In particular,
our family holiday is coming up. It’s been a really stressful year. And I know
it’s been a stressful year for so many people. But we are just loggerheads a
lot of times with our three teenagers and, you know, it goes…it moves…it
changes from a relationship with our kids where you can go on a holiday and you
know that people are going to be, you know, really having…having a great time to
one where, you know, this is going to be putting ourselves through quite some
ordeal. But I feel like this is a really important time for us to be together.
And, so, I’m just asking for prayers that we would be able to humble ourselves
in front of each other and allow ourselves just to be real, be natural, be
normal, but also be respectful and just rekindle a sense of family. And, so,
I’d really appreciate your prayers for that. Thanks. Thanks family.
Hey Brian, hey DABbers, hey happy family. I just wanted to
share…Oh my name is Mary and I’ve been listening now for maybe…well just
started at the beginning of the year and I just wanted to share that I had a
dream last night about the Global Campfire and how it’s like this constant
flame. And then I’ve thought Oh my gosh what a symbol of the Holy Spirit this Global
Campfire that we share together. So, I just wanted to share that because I
thought that that was a…a really nice God inspired dream that I had about just
how wonderful and we’re so blessed to have this community. So, Brian I just
thank you so much for doing this for all these years and for bringing us
together. No matter where we are in the world, we have this eternal flame of
this Global Campfire. So, I thought that was cool. Anyway, everybody have a
great day and we’ll see you around the Global Campfire. Bye.
Hey faith fam it’s Holly Heart. Career of Contrite Spirit I
really like the story you shared about helping someone both physically and
spiritually it helped…it brings me such joy when I can help people. I’m sure it
does you too. Dear Lord please watch over Jose and please let him get the help
that he needs. Joe the Protector. Dear Lord please watch over my brother Joe. He
needs help at his new workplace, which is full of non-believers Lord. Use him
to help save some of those fellow workers or clients. You have a purpose for
him in being there. Joe my husband’s also in the same kind of situation at work
and it is very difficult. I am praying for you both. Cindy from California.
Dear father please help Cindy heal the cause of her RSD. She cannot bear the
pain and needs you to comfort and to heal her. Thankfully Overcome. Congratulations
on making it an entire year. I’m glad that you have lots of people praying continually
for you and now I am one of them. Dear Lord please watch over Thankfully Overcome
and please help her continue on this path that she is on towards you. Zach. Dear
Lord please watch over Zach’s marriage. He needs Your guidance. They both need
to feel You’re loving touch so that they can treat each other the same way. Esther
from Orlando. Dear Lord, please help to guide Esther in her living situation.
Please help to alleviate the fear she’s having because with you Lord there is
no reason to fear Anonymous. Dear Lord, please watch over the anonymous caller
who said she needed a new beginning. She lost her husband brother and family
dog. So much pain. She is not in this pain alone Father. Her…she has a daughter
and two sons, and they also need healing and a new start. Please help bring
them Your divine peace. Please help her find a good career so that she can care
for her children and please help them find an exceptional living place. In
Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Good morning this is Emily in Minnesota. High DABbers. Brian’s
message today, oh, so great. Psalm 22 1 and 2. My God my God why have you
abandoned me. I groan in prayer but helps seems so far away. I cry out during
the day, but you do not answer and during the night my prayers don’t let up.
Lord Jesus thank you so much for hearing our cries, understanding our grief and
our pain and loss and suffering on…in this world. Things I’ve heard in the last
few years in my story from others I cannot imagine. There are no words. You’re
living out my worst nightmare. Our society is not comfortable with grief, loss,
lament. Our tears are better when wiped away around others. I’ve seen this.
I’ve learned to journey through my grief and lament one tear at a time at the
foot of the cross with a Father that knows earthy brokenness and suffering and
listens unconditionally when I know it and not. Please continue to lift up my
family through our losses. As most of you know, my parents are…my families out
of state and I have a brother who lost his wife to cancer with a young family
in November 2020. My parents are simultaneously diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and
dementia in the summer of 2019. I have another brother who is homeless and is
struggling with mental health or addiction out of state. And then I lost my son,
college freshman, to suicide spring of 2019. My own family is to choosing to
turn away from God in this time of loss but they know His presence and I
continue to pray. Thank you. Have a wonderful day.
