Isaiah 30:12-33:9, Galatians 5:1-12, Psalms 63:1-11, Proverbs 23:22
Today is the 19th day of September. Welcome…welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. It is great to be here with you today and every single day, actually, every single day of my life to be here with you for the next step forward as we continue this rhythm that is life in the Scriptures. So, today we are reaching pretty much the center of the book of Isaiah. So, we have…well when we finish today’s reading, we will have reached the middle of the book and then when we reach the New Testament we will continue our journey through Paul’s letter to the church in Galatia. We’re reading from the New English Translation this week. Isaiah chapter 30 verse 12 through 33 verse 9 today.
Commentary:
Okay. So, we have reached kind of the center of the book of Isaiah and the book of Isaiah can seem difficult to follow if we’re trying to read it like this kind of cohesive story like a narrative story because it seems like the books jumping all over the place. He’s talking about all kinds of different things to all kinds of different people and that’s because he is. This is not a single narrative story. The book of Isaiah is this collection of the utterances of God through Isaiah. So, they don’t all happen at the same time. They didn’t all happen for the same reason and they weren’t all spoken to the same people. But certainly, as a collection we can see an arc. Isaiah certainly does predict some pretty troubling times, but the messages eventually begin to turn toward hope and restoration. And we experienced some of that today. In fact, Isaiah gives us a clear path spoken thousands of years ago landing right in our lap today, clear paths that we can choose. So, just take a deep breath for a second and listen to this because we could all stand to hear this, but for some of this…some of us…this is just like a life raft. “For this is what the Master, the Lord, the Holy One of Israel says. If you repented and patiently waited for me you would be delivered. If you calmly trusted in me, you would find strength.” So, what is…what is essentially being said here? Calm down, return to God, and find rest and in that rest, we’ll again discover our strength. Of course, the alternative to that is something that we can also choose. So, continuing the passage, “but you are unwilling. You say no, we will flee on horses, so you will indeed flee. You say we will ride on fast horses. So, your pursuers will be fast.” So, basically, we have two paths, one that leads to quiet confidence and strength in God and one that relies on our own strength and will never allow us to outrun whatever it is that is chasing us. If we follow that path, then we’re given a picture of where it will lead. 1000 will scurry at the battle cry of one enemy soldier. At the battle cry of five enemy soldiers you will all run away until the remaining few are is isolated as a flagpole on a mountaintop or a signal flag on hill. And you can see that imagery in your mind, a lonely flagpole on a mountaintop. So, here we are. What path are you going to choose today? The first path is to take a deep breath, take a long exhale, repent, return, rest. You are not in this alone. You are not alone. You are not abandoned. In fact, take a deep breath. That’s the proof. You wouldn’t have the breath of life in you if God were not willing to sustain you. Or we can take that same breath and whip ourselves up into hyperventilation because we are so full of anxiety and running running running and we can’t get ahead, right? We’re fleeing, but we can get ahead because our pursuers are fast as Isaiah says. So, what is your path of choice today?
Prayer:
Father, the correct path is clear and that is the path we want to walk, the one that is calm, the one that is serene. And that doesn’t mean that there aren’t things that are gonna happen that are gonna disrupt us, but it is from within that we are walking with You and observing these things that are happening. But these circumstances that come against us, they cannot penetrate to where we are in relationship. We want that, but it does require our surrender. It requires our continual returning to You, and we do that, we repent, we return to You, we come back to You, we are sorry, forgive us Father, but at the same time we know that this kind of repetitive for us, this is kind of a big circle for us. We do come back to You, we do, re-center ourselves in You, but then the world seems to blow us away, like the circumstances of life seem to blow us off the path and then we have to return again. Help us to understand that that’s okay. We just invite Your Holy Spirit to help us become more aware because a lot of times we become aware when things have gotten out of control. Help us to become aware that we’re getting blown away before we do so that we can once again anchor ourselves in You and walk this path that You’ve set before us. Come Holy Spirit we pray. In the mighty name of Jesus, we ask, expectantly. 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:
Dear heavenly Father, I pray that You will be with Jay of Nashville. Thank You so much for placing him on my heart these past few days to lift him up before You, asking that You would draw close to him and that You would be the God of all comfort that we know that You are, but especially now at this time when Jay is experiencing deep loneliness. Dear Jesus, You know that is like, being in the midst of a crowd and being lonely, people not understanding who You are or what You are all about, people deserting You when You thought they had Your back. And, so, God I’m just praying that You would send Your Holy Spirit in a mighty way, that You would fill Jays’ heart and mind with thoughts of You, bring Your word to life for him, bring the right people into his life who will be an encouragement and help him on his walk with You. And Father when those temptations come to go back to ways and do things that he knows exactly where they will end up. Father I pray that You will raise a standard against that desire and implant within his heart Your desire. Help him to be a blessing to other people, to find ways to nourish and be nurtured that will glorify You and will keep him and his eyes focused on You. I praise You God for doing that and thank You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
I’m Seeker of Northern California and I wanted to thank first of all, thank Jill and Brian and China and the amazing super support team of the Daily Audio Bible. What a blessing you are all of us. This ministry has been such a powerful force to show obedience and learning and fellowship. Thank you. And my love to all the regulars who call in to pray. I love you guys. It’s so amazing to hear you and to be inspired to be a prayer warrior. I pray for each person who calls. I’ve been listening for about five years and I pray for each one who calls and try to imagine them in their facets of their prayer, of their need. My prayer request is for my daughter who’s a law enforcement officer in a large California city. As you can imagine, her job is tremendously difficult and last April she left her husband of 14 years, with whom they together, they have wonderful 4-year-old son. And she only says that she’s been unhappy, and they’ve grown apart and she won’t explain more, and she doesn’t wish to be pressed about it. Her husband is devastated and he’s a good man. We love him very much. We’re devastated. So, I beg your prayers for healing. My husband and I have been praying daily for healing for her and for her husband and for her son. So, please pray for him for this little family. We ask this in Jesus’ name. Thank you all.
Hello, my name is Susan I’m calling from Canada and I need prayer for my son and I. My son who’s 40 has stage IV cancer. It’s a very rare and advanced cancer. He’s on clinical trials to see if that will help him. He has had four surgeries in less than a year and he’s also battling a horrible stubborn infection. So, I pray for his healing and we also need the strength and the stamina to go through this together. He is a wonderful man who loves the Lord. He is very ill, and I have had to do things for him that no mother should ever have to do for their son. So, just pray for healing for him and strength and courage and trust for us both. Thank you.
[singing starts] From the highest of heights to the depths of the sea. Creations revealing Your majesty. From the colors of fall to the fragrance of spring. Every creature unique in the song that it sings. All exclaiming, indescribable, uncontainable, You placed the stars in the sky, and You know them by name. You are amazing God. All powerful, untamable, You see the depths of my heart and You love me the same. You are amazing God. You are amazing God. [singing stops] Father God, thank You so much for the beauty of Your creation. Thank You so much for the night sky, all of the stars, it’s indescribable, it’s beautiful, it’s magnificent, I pray Lord that You would open our eyes to see the glory all around us. We lift up Lord our family, our friends, our neighbors, our colleagues who don’t know You, who see these things but haven’t joined up those dots yet. May they see these things Lord, the beauty of the ocean, the beauty of the night sky, the beauty of a new born baby, and know that it was You that created it. May they see You Lord, and may Your name be praised. In Jesus’ name, Amen. This is Michaela from Gloucester currently here on the south coast. Bye.
Hey DABber family its addicted Olia from Minnesota. Just wanted to call in…and had little bit of a slip last week. I am now back today 4. I don’t know. It’s a struggle but it was kind of cool. I almost…I was so close to using the other day and I just decided to listen to the community prayer, and I heard a couple people praying for me and just like that my craving one away. Yeah, just amazing, that these strangers, you guys are praying for me just showing love. I’m really learning what that means. So, thank you.
Have I not commanded you to be strong and courageous? Do not be discouraged for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Hello Daily Audio Bible. I’m a first-time caller. I’ve been listening for over a year. My name is Maria from Colon Michigan, magic capital of the world and today I need your help. I’ve been alone now for five years. I was forced to divorce my husband because he wanted me to join him in bisexual relationships. All I have had is my mom and dad. Yes, I’ve been lonely but that has been all I needed. Just after the divorce he died. I took that really hard. I now have fresh news that my mom has cancer. Her name is Danny Smith. I don’t know how to do this. I don’t know how. How do I? I have no friends and I am alone besides when Ian with them. I will not cry when I’m in front of her. But when I’m alone it’s hard. Wednesday we go in and learn what kind of cancer and treatment options. Please say a prayer. And by the way, before this I was too shy to make call. God bless you all and I have been praying for you.