12/15/2016 DAB Transcript

Micah 1:1-4:13 ~ Revelation 6:1-17 ~ Psalm 134:1-3 ~ Proverbs 30:1-4

Today is the 15th day of December.  Welcome to the Daily Audio Bible.  I am Brian.  It is great to be here with you, 10 days out from Christmas and moving rapidly through some of the shorter minor books of prophesy in the Bible.  We’ll continue to move through them rapidly here for the next several days.  Today we’ll begin the book of Micah.  

Introduction of a New Book (Old Testament)

Micah was a prophet who was contemporary with Isaiah so he seemed to have the same kind of voice in the king’s life as Isaiah had.  Pretty much everything else we know about Micah is found in the book of Jeremiah, that he prophesied during the days of King Hezekiah of Judah and that he was from the town of Moresheth.  

Micah’s prophetic book speaks directly against leaders who have led the people away from God and of the corruption that is involved in that. False prophets, rulers and priests had misled the people and because of that, judgment would fall, but Micah is not just a book of judgment and doom.  It is also hopeful and speaks of the restoration of God’s people and reiterates a message running through the entire Bible, that God’s judgment is certain and if we step out of his grace we’re certain to feel it.  But after judgment comes restoration.  So through the prophet Micah we see a clear line in the sand as we so often do.  God lays out his requirements for justice, obedience and loyalty, but he also shows what happens when those requirements are not heeded.  

And so we begin the book of Micah, chapter 1 verse 1 through 4 verse 13 today, reading from the English Standard Version.  

Prayer

Father, we thank you for your word.  We thank you for its counsel, its comfort, just the rhythm of it brings an order to our lives that we are so grateful for.  So yeah, we’re moving through a lot of territory really quickly in one of the busiest seasons of our lives, this final season of the year, it’s always a little chaotic, and so we invite your Holy Spirit to help us stay present and hear.  Sometimes we’re listening for things that you might want to say to us right now, but sometimes you’re inviting us just to allow it to wash over us and blanket us and warm us around this global campfire that we share as a community here.  So Holy Spirit, we invite you to do whatever you want to do through your word and in our lives.  We sit here in awe of you, worshipping you in this season, this season where we’re longing for your second arrival.  We’re longing for all to be made right, but we’re also realizing that we play a role in this and that you have given us permission and authority to make things right and it begins in our hearts and moves into our homes. Help us.  Holy Spirit, come.  May we be your hands and feet in this world on this day.  We pray this in the mighty name of Jesus, the Risen Lord. Amen.  

Announcements

Www.DailyAudioBible.com is home base.  It’s the website.  It is where you find out what is going on around here.  

1.      So today is going to be the last day for the calls for the holiday greeting calls that we’ve been talking about for about a week. Yeah, so you need to get them in today. Today is the last day.  I mean, you can call them in, but they won’t be part of the Christmas Party that we’re cooking up that is the annual event.  So get your calls in today.  (877) 942-4253 is the number to dial, which is, of course, the prayer request line, so just don’t call in Christmas wishes combined with prayer request stuff inside of the same call.  If you have a prayer request, that is wonderful.  We are a community that loves each other very well.  Just make that a separate thing from the Christmas thing.  Alright? That’s my one request about that. And today is the last day, so make sure you get your calls in.  In fact, let me grab my little handy piece of paper here and give you all the numbers. So (877) 942-4253, that is the number for the Americas.  If you are in the UK or Europe:  44, 20-3608-8078.  And then if you are in Australia or the lands down under:  61, 3-8820-5459 is the number to call.  You can use any of those for these holiday wishes or prayer request calls.  Alright? So today is the last day.  

2.      The Daily Audio Bible Christmas Box.  We are scraping the bottom of the barrel on that as well, so grab them while we’ve got them at www.DailyAudioBible.com in the Shop.  

3.      The More Gathering for Women is coming up this April 6-9 in the Southern Appalachian Mountains of north Georgia just outside of Atlanta in this lovely location.  Man, new life will be springing forth and that is exactly what will happen at the More Gathering.  But we make advance registration available this time of year and through the end of the year so that you can take advantage of it.  It makes for the most unique of all Christmas gifts, so check it out.  Send the woman in your life away for a few days with God.  Yeah, with nothing riding down, no responsibilities and obligations, that is a treasure.  So check that out at www.DailyAudioBible.com as well and take advantage of preregistration or advance registration.

If you want to partner with the Daily Audio Bible, that can be done at www.DailyAudioBible.com.  Thank you. This is how everything works.  It works because we’re a community.  It works because we love what we get to do together in having this rhythm of the scriptures.  It works because we do it together.  It’s only ever been that way, so here at the end of the year, if the Daily Audio Bible and the community here has been life-giving to you, then thank you for your partnership and being life-giving back into the community.  The link is on the home page.  If you use the app, you can push the More button in the lower right-hand corner.  If you prefer, the mailing address is P.O. Box 1996, Spring Hill, TN 37174.

And, as always, if you have a prayer request or comment or, today, holiday wishes, (877) 942-4253 is the number to call.  

And that’s it for today.  I’m Brian. I love you.  I’ll be waiting for you here tomorrow.  

Community Prayer Requests and Praise Reports

Hello Daily Audio Bible.  This is Jimmy in Georgia.  I’d like to call in a request today.  It’s my first time calling.  I’d like to call in a request for my wife and I.  We’re having some marital problems.  They are serious, any  marital problem is serious and I feel that it needs prayer, that we can work these things out and continue a great life.  I’ve got a great wife.  She has just been the most awesome wife in the world and I really love her.  I just appreciate your prayers.  Thank you very much.  

Hi Daily Audio Bible family.  It’s James, the teacher in LA.  I want to respond to Paul in Barcelona.  Paul, I know I’ve actually emailed to you or talked to you through the forums years ago now, but I remember you because there are not a whole lot of people with the DAB who are also specifically working with Muslims overseas like I once did. I understand your frustration, not just specifically with Daily Audio Bible, but with western Christianity, western Christians.  I’ve got to say, since being back here in the States these last few years, I’ve begun to feel very convicted that I’m not moving in full obedience to Christ although I’m not sure what it would look like for me to move in full obedience to Christ right now.  And that is what I’m asking you for prayer for, family.  How do I respond to Christ’s commands with regard to forwarding the gospel in my life?  I feel like my heart has become very out of touch with Christ the last year or so since becoming a parent and I’ve blamed sleep deprivation and all sorts of things, but I think I’ve just gotten lazy and I’m not sure where to start or where to re-start, if you will.  So please pray for me, family.  I pray for you guys every day and I love you, even when I’m lazy and I don’t remember everybody’s names.  I’m not so diligent.  I pray that I become as amazing as some of you are.  I love you guys.  Bye.  

Hello to all my beautiful sisters and brothers in our community around the world. This is Dawn from New York calling with I what I hope will be a word of encouragement for all of us.  You know, sometimes when I listen to the prayer requests, especially the weekend, to the Community Prayer, wow, it can seem overwhelming when we hear all the heart-aching situations that people are living with, the loneliness, the pain, the family struggles.  Oh my goodness!  You know, every one of us has burdens that we carry and every family has its own unique blend of dysfunction.  I know mine does.  We all do. I had an especially tough day yesterday and I’m grateful to God for scripture this morning and the Holy Spirit encouraging me with some scripture that I want to share with you.  This is my reach out hug to all of you and a prayer for all of us through scripture.  I pray you’ll be encouraged.  This is Ephesians chapter 3:14-20.  For this reason I bow my knees before the Father from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being so that Christ may dwell in your heart through faith, that you being rooted and grounded in love may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.  Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever, amen.  God bless everybody.

Good morning Daily Audio Bible.  I’m calling for Jordan today from Michigan.  I heard you this morning.  It’s the 12th of December and you sounded so down and I’m so sorry.  I just want to pray with you and lift you up.  Father God, I ask a special blessing on Jordan today. I ask that you would heal his heart, mind, body and spirit.  Lord, you say in your word that all things work together for good for those that love the Lord and are called according to his design and purpose.  Lord, we pray that over Jordan.  Help him to know that in his heart and to cast all his anxieties on you because he cares for you and that we live by faith and not by sight.  Lord, give him the strength he needs.  In Jesus’ name, amen.  Jordan, my son is a teacher and I know he struggles too sometimes and I guess I just feel a special tug on my heart to your heart because my son is a teacher.  So I just pray for all the teachers today.  Jordan, don’t give up.  Hang in there.  We love you. Someone is praying for you. Goodbye family.  Have a great day.  Amen.  

Good morning Daily Audio Bible friends.  I’m a first time caller.  My name is Mary.  I’m calling from Melbourne, FL and I want to mention some prayers for some people. Bonnie, I heard your prayer about your son, Vivek, and we are praying for you.  And I know that he is having a hearing on the 21st of December, so we will be praying.  I also want to pray for Jordan in Detroit and also Alex in Gainesville and all of our college students and people that are starting careers.  Praying that God will be with you.  Don’t give up.  He is there. You’re young and you’re learning how to put God in your life and keep him there, so be strong and have faith in our Lord.  I also want to pray for David.  I believe you live in the Carolinas.  You have had trouble with your stomach.  Have not heard from you for a while.  I pray that you would call in and let us know how you’re doing.  Pastor Gene, we’re praying for you always and every day that God will continue to be with you and lift you up and give you strength as you continue your job.   I’d like to also say thank you to David from Kansas.  David, you are such a blessing.  You pray for people and you really do touch our hearts, so thank you so much. Michaela from UK, I have not heard from you for a while.  Also Mike from Santa Clarita.  Mike, you touch my heart.  You have such a heart for God when you pray.  I hope that you will continue to pray in because you really have messages for people and you do bless our hearts.  Pelham, it was so good to hear from you.  When I first started listening in January of this year, I think you had lost a child and now it’s true.  I was looking at my notes that you’re going to be having a baby in the next couple of weeks.  We pray that all is well.  I’d also like to say thank you to Brian and Jill.  Finding the Daily Audio Bible has been such a blessing and it touches my heart.  I pray for all of you, that God will be with you, that we will all trust in him.  Don’t ever forget that he brings us joy, so trust him every day.  Family, I love you.  I’m running out of time.  God bless you.  Have a great day.  Bye.  

Good morning.  This is Joelle from Colorado and today is December 12th and this is a holiday greeting for everyone in the DAB family.  I just wanted to say thank you.  Thank you so much for your fellowship, for being a resource that moves my heart and brings me closer to the word, that teaches me about prayer and struggle and gives me insight which has been incredibly valuable to me in my first year of listening. So I love each of you.  I pray for many of you and I don’t know what I would do without this amazing community and resource.  So Merry Christmas to each of you and your families.  To people who are struggling at this time to feel a sense of belonging and support, extra love to you.  And to people who are feeling the many blessings that God gives, thank you for sharing them with us.  To Jill and Brian and everyone, SarahJane and Natalie who is planning the More Retreat, everyone who works for DAB or in service of the partnership, thank you. And I love you and look forward to being part of this community next year and in years to come.