09/13/2019 DAB Transcript

Isaiah 12:1-14:32, 2 Corinthians 13:1-14, Psalms 57:1-11, Proverbs 23:9-11

Today is the 13th day of September. Welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I am Brian and it is great to be here with you for the next step forward in the Scriptures, in life, in this week, in this month, in this year, all of that, the next step forward. So, we’ve been reading from the English Standard Version this week and as we head toward the weekend, we’ll read from the book of Isaiah today. Chapters 12 through 14.

Commentary:

Alright. So, we concluded second Corinthians today, this letter that the apostle Paul wrote to the church in Corinth. And, so, as we were going through second Corinthians it would be hard not to notice the Paul spent a lot of this letter defending himself. Like, he had been dealing with a lot of mixed messaging in the church from outsiders who were questioning his authority. And this is the early church, right? So, this is like going on in the early church as these churches are being founded. And we’ve kind of unpacked the back story to some degree. But for Paul, these people that were coming were boasting. Like, they were…they were bragging about who they were associated with, right, the super apostles in order to kind of bolster their own pedigree, which made Paul feel the need to boast himself about all that he had endured, all that he had gone through. So, like on the one hand you have this group of people who are…who are like, “you know, I was raised up under super apostles, right? Like, I walked with people who walked with Jesus.” On the other hand, you have Paul saying, “I suffered for Christ. Like, here’s what I’ve done.” He talks about his shipwrecks, his imprisonments, his stoning’s, his beatings, right, how he has to stay on the run from just about everybody. And, so, he concludes that if he, anyway, has anything to boast about it would be his own weakness and it would be the strength of Christ inside of him. We should…we should probably recognize that Jesus went through exactly these same kinds of scenarios, right, all the time. So often Jesus was accused of being like an agent of the evil one even…even the Pharisees, like the religious people, were saying like, “he throws out demons by the power of the demonic”. And lots of times He was asked to…to prove his authority, right, to give a sign. And lots of times He was questioned about who gave Him the right to do and say the things He was doing and saying. So, the apostle Paul was enduring very similar things. This is a very very similar time. But that invites us to zoom forward to our time and consider our own lives. Like, how would we respond if we were questioned about the things we do and say as it relates to our commitment to Jesus? Like, would anybody even notice? Are our lives daily being transformed? Are we being a channel of light and good news that changes the atmosphere and causes a reaction in our homes and workplaces? Or are we like the challenges of old? Are we running around looking for signs and proof and pedigree? Paul ended this letter today and we just read this by inviting some personal reflection. He said this, “examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith.” So, he didn’t say, “examine everybody else to see whether they are in the faith.” He said, “examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves.” He didn’t say, “test everybody else.” “Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? Unless indeed you fail to meet the test.” So, Paul is urging us to test ourselves whether Jesus is within us in such a way that…that the way we exist, like the way we are who we are is fundamentally changed because of Christ because of Christ within. This was like a mandatory paradigm shift for the apostle Paul and a radical departure from who he used to be. And, so, our lives should continually be reflecting the shift in an ever-increasing way. And Paul was…Paul is always been recognized throughout church history as living this way. Lots of people have all kinds of things to say about the apostle Paul and his thoughts. Like, I mean he’s very very direct…he’s a Pharisee…he’s very very direct and very dense and you have to seriously like peel back some of the things that he’s saying and get some context for why they’re being said. But Paul is recognized for being true to Jesus. His devotion to the Lord and sharing the truth have impacted the world and make up about two thirds of the New Testament, right? So, he is honored for living what he preached. He believed in what he taught so intense that he lost his life over it, right? He died a martyr’s death. Paul trusted in God for both his spiritual needs and his physical needs, and this is what he’s talking about when he’s inviting us to examine ourselves. So, let’s do that today. What would need to change? Like, repentance is nothing more than changing, changing your mind, changing from within. So, what would need to change if we want to actually walk this path? And I realize a question like that…I mean…I say it on purpose right here at the end so that it’s a question that we can carry into the day. That’s…this is the question I’m gonna be carrying into the day. This is the question that we need to carry into the day, but a lot of times the answer is the first thing that comes, right? Like, we could…we could throw up our hands and go like, “what would need to change for me to be more Christlike? Everything. You name it. I need to change.” Right? Which just basically is our way of talking ourselves out of even trying to change. So, rather than kinda getting bogged down in the details let’s just invite the Holy Spirit to show us something. Like what’s that one thing that seems to pop up now? Is it anger or lust or rage or jealousy or envy or any number of things? What would be one thing that would move us a step forward in the right direction today?

Prayer:

Holy Spirit, we invite You into that as we…as we close the books on this letter, Second Corinthians, and release it for another year. We ask that You bring the themes that the apostle Paul brought up in this letter to mind and to heart. And as we carry this question forward, what would need to change? What do I need to repent of? We invite You into that question. Come Holy Spirit, lead us into all truth we pray. In the name of Jesus, we ask. Amen.

Announcements:

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

Yesterday we mentioned something going on around here and that was the launch of our new Global Campfire logo and the whole line of Global Campfire things that we created over the course of the last…well…over the course of this year. And it started kinda with a…well I explained it all yesterday, it started with creating the look of this, but then it was like, “what things? Like, what…what are the things that we use in our lives that could be a constant reminder that we could use and that would remind us of the journey that we’re taking through the Scriptures and the fact that we’re part of a community doing this, going to the Scriptures this year. And I mentioned the daily…the Clean Kanteen Global Campfire edition yesterday, which is always met with great enthusiasm because we only do it a couple times in a year, but that also launched the entire Global Campfire line. And, so, there several things you can see in the Global Campfire section of the Daily Audio Bible Shop. For example, we have a Global Campfire candle. Now, before you’re like, “Yeah. Whatever. Whatever.” This is not just any candle. We worked really hard with scent makers, perfumers to get this candle to smell like a campfire because have you ever noticed how the aroma or the atmosphere in a room changes when you have a nice candle burning and it’s just flickering there, putting an aroma into the air and then when you walk into the room and you smell It the atmosphere is changed? And we talked about that when we talked about the aroma of Christ in Paul’s writings. And I can’t say that the Global Campfire candle is the aroma of Christ because…well…because…because it’s a spiritual truth and I’m not a hundred percent sure what Jesus actually smells like, but I will someday and so will you someday, at least if you plan on giving Him a hug like I do. But we weren’t trying…we weren’t trying to create a candle that was the aroma of Jesus, we were trying to create a candle that smelled like the Global Campfire and we worked pretty hard on that to get it right because, have you ever had a candle that smelled like a campfire before? And you might think, “while that might not even smell good”, but it does. It does. I love it. So, just kind of having that around and maybe when you’re listening to the Scriptures, or praying, this is a good thing. It’s a scent. It reminds you that you’re on this journey and that you’re in a relationship with the Scriptures and you’re being ever led forward. So, the Global Campfire candle is available.

We also have a Global Campfire Cowboy Cup. So, you know those cups, the tin cups that you see in old westerns? Cowboys would have them as part of their kit and they’d ride around and everybody had their own cup. And, so, we made some of these and the really beautiful. It looks fantastic with the Global Campfire logo on the side of them. And you can…yeah, you clip them to your backpack or use them out on the porch. Like, if you drop them, they’re not gonna shatter, they’re not made out of glass or porcelain. So, they will hold up to you knocking them off the table.

We also have Global Campfire pop sockets and those kinda came on my radar I guess a couple years ago because my wife and my daughter, China, before she was married, she was using one. Those are the little sticky things that you put on the back of your tablet or phone case, right, and it gives you a little handhold so that you can hold onto it, put it between your fingers. Those are called pop sockets and we have Daily Audio Bible Global Campfire pop sockets.

So, as you can see like, there’s just a couple things but they all just fit in different little places in life. All different kinds of lifestyles are in the Daily Audio Bible all over the world. So, we were just trying to create things that gave us a tangible sense that we were connected on this journey. And, so you can see all of the Global Campfire line at dailyaudiobible.com in the Shop in the Global Campfire section.

If you want to partner with the Daily Audio Bible, you can do that at dailyaudiobible.com. There is a link that lives on the homepage and I thank you humbly and profoundly for your partnership more than words can say. I’ve tried…I’ve tried and I’ve used lots of words over the years but really, humble gratitude, profound sense of thankfulness that we’re even here, that we’re even living at a time when this technology exists and that this whole thing that were doing just kind of grew up out of the dust of the Internet and became a community here. I’m profoundly grateful. So, thank you for your partnership and allowing it to live and continue. So, 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 or you can press the Hotline button in the Daily Audio Bible app, the little red button at the top and start talking, be connected immediately. And that’s it for today.

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’m calling to thank God for the opportunity to be at the family reunion last weekend. As a new listener, I’ve only been listening since March. I almost wanted to go to prove to myself that this is real. I mean, it’s so crazy that we are able to do this. And to meet Brian, to meet the family, to meet the team, to see everything that goes into a podcast, to see and meet the faces of you, the community who pray for each other, it was such an encouragement, and such a blessing. And I want to encourage all you new listeners that this is something that is very special that God is doing through the use of the Internet and the creativity and the vision that was given to Brian when this started. So, thank you Brian for everything you put into that. And while I’m on the matter of praise, I want to thank God for all of the positive momentum in my marriage. There’s so many of us out there hurting who are in situations that seem impossible. And I’ve been separated from my wife going on 11 months. There’ve been times where I have felt complete despair, but I’ve not given up hope. I’ve trusted in God and I’m beginning to see the reward. There’s still a long road ahead but I so appreciate your prayers and want to encourage all of you that there’s always something to be thankful for no matter what you’re facing. Bless you. This is Jarred the Encourager.

Windows of opportunity surround us each day
choices are chances to do things God’s way
is there healing or venom in the things that you say
help us sweet Jesus to do things your way
do you do unto others before they do you
do you render to Caesar the all that he’s due
do you humbly ask Jesus your strength to renew
are you really for God or is it all about you
storm clouds may gather but they will not prevail
God has all power and his word will not fail
Satan’s a liar a robber a thief
help us sweet Jesus with our unbelief
windows of opportunity surround us each day
choices are chances to do things God’s way
is there healing or venom in the things that you say
help us sweet Jesus to do things your way
mom was a Christian and daddy was too
they did all the good things that parents can do
sometimes we’d listen and sometimes we’d stray
but we always had chances to do things God’s way
jobs friends and family they all have their place
they all can add balance as we run the good race
but they also add tension and trials each day
help us sweet Jesus to do things your way
do you encourage your family do you uplift your friends
do you know that your jobs are just means to your ends
do you glorify Jesus and all that you do
are you really for God or is it all about you

blindtony1016@gmail.com. Once again, thank you Brian for this wonderful forum for God’s Holy Spirit to flow. Keep it flowin’ y’all. Lee from New Jersey, missed you this week brother and Victoria’s Soldier too. Hope you both are well. Know you’re in my prayers every day. Love you. Bye-bye.

Good morning family it’s Sunday, September 8th and I am about ready to go to church, I’m really excited to go to church, I love to go to church, it’s the highlight of my week. I get to serve today both as a host and in children’s ministry and always so so so excited about Sunday’s coming and how they are the beginning of a great week. But today my excitement is tempered with just…just horrible sadness. My friend has two children, a senior in high school and a sophomore in high school and on Friday the sophomore in high school who’s already struggling with school and life and God and his parents, found his father who had taken his own life and I’m just broken for these two children. There’s been struggles, you know, there was a divorce. And, so, I just can’t even imagine. So, I wanted to call you on Friday, but I didn’t have the words. So, I found some of the words and just beg you family to pray. The boy’s name is Jude and the senior girls name is Anya and they both have struggles Lord God. They’ve been through a lot and I just pray for them all the time but now Lord God it’s just gotten to the emergency status where these two young people now have to deal with the fact that their father couldn’t go on. So, thank you for agreeing with me family. I love you. Thank you, Brian and Jill. I enjoyed the Song of Solomon as I always do. And as always, this is a lifeline for so many. So, praise God that this is available. Praise God for this family and please cover the whole family with your prayers including the man who took his life. His mother is just devastated about this as well. Thank you, family. Love you. Goodbye.

Hey DAB family my name is Allie from Eugene Oregon and I’m calling for the first time. I’ve been a long-time listener and I am actually calling from Pune India and I’m just calling for prayer for safety and just health. I feel great so far, but I’ve been over here a couple times before and one time I got quite sick. So, just praying for health and wholeness and am also praying, I’m here on business with my team that’s based here in India. And I’m just really praying that God would bless my team members and let me really poor into them. I don’t believe any of them a Christian. So, I just pray that God would allow me to show the love of God to them. Thank you, guys and thank you Brian and family for this amazing ministry and thanks for this new call in button. It’s amazing. Thank you.

Hi this is Rebecca from Southhampton and I listen to the Daily Audio Bible kids. I learned about Jesus at school. Amen.

Hello dear Daily Audio Bible family. I’ve been listening for about a year and ½. This is the first time I’ve called in. My name is Carmen. I live in Germany and I’ve been living her for like 40 years. I started listening to the DAB when I was really down in the dumps. My husband left me for a woman who was like 30 years younger, which just was a really sock in the face. You know, there’s just too many details to go into. I was just very disappointed, very hurt, lost 25 pounds, couldn’t eat, was just a total mess. But I am back on my feet, I’m back to normal, I found joy again. My…my open wounds have turned to scars. I am learning patience, I’ve drawn much closer to the Lord again and He is strengthening me, and I’ve come to realize that His timetable is not mine and I have to trust and depend on Him. But listening to the Daily Audio Bible has just really helped me so much. It’s just carried me, and I am just so thankful for this, what Brian and Jill and the whole family, the team has created. It’s just a wonderful community and I feel like I know everybody, all the people that call in. I listen faithfully to the Chronological and to Brian’s regular reading. There are so many people I would love to pray for and name right now, but I just don’t even have enough time. I did hear a woman from Philadelphia in call in yesterday in a similar situation. So, I don’t know your name, but I will be praying for you as you seek wisdom to know God’s will just as I am also doing. I know that God can do anything, but I know that the other person is also responsible for what they choose to do. So, please just know everybody I love you. I’m so glad to have met you all and thank you for your prayers and I’ll be praying for you also.