Jeremiah 2:31-4:18, Colossians 1:1-17, Psalms 76:1-12, Proverbs 24:21-22
Today is the 4th day of October. Welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I am Brian. It is great to be here with you today as we continue our journey through the Scriptures this year. And as we transition into this new month, we’ve been doing a little bit of transition as we close and open new books, so we concluded the book of Isaiah and began the book of Jeremiah yesterday while at the same time concluding Paul’s letter to the Philippians yesterday. So, we’ll continue our journey in Jeremiah but when we get to the New Testament portion of our reading, we’ll begin a new letter, Paul’s letter to the Colossians, but first we’re reading from the Christian Standard Bible. Jeremiah chapter 2 verse 31 through 4 verse 18 today.
Introduction to the book of Colossians:
Okay. So, as we just mentioned a little bit ago we’re entering another of Paul’s letters today. This is the 12th book, although not all of the writings in the New Testaments are books per se. This is the 12th distinct different writing that we’re encountering in the New Testament and it’s written by the apostle Paul to the Colossians. So, this city, Colossae wasn’t unfamiliar Paul. It was a city maybe a hundred miles from Ephesus. And Ephesus is a place that Paul spent a lot of time, several years. And archaeologists have found the ruins of ancient Colossae in the western part of what is now modern-day Turkey. But even though they’ve been identified, and this is true in lots of places in Israel as well, even though they’ve been…you know…there’s been like some preliminary digging and research there hasn’t been…like Colossae is not a ruin that you can go and get an interpreted visit to, but during Paul’s life Colossae wasn’t an abandoned ruin. It was a cultural stew, a lot of mingling of philosophical and religious ideas. And, so, a lot of that had kind of made its way as a part of the conversation into the Colossian church. And, so, Paul’s letter was written as a response. And just like Ephesians and Philippians, the letters that we’ve just recently concluded, Colossians for the most part is considered to be another of Paul’s letters that were written from prison in Rome while he was waiting…awaiting an audience…a trial before the Emperor. And this letter to the Colossians kind of…kind of breaks down into two sections. The first part of the letter is his doctrinal in nature. So, there are people who that come into the church who were teaching a form of angelic worship and other rituals. And Paul addressed this by basically reiterating that Jesus is supreme over everything, over all of creation. I mean, He wrote that the universe itself was created by and through Jesus and is sustained and continues to exist through His Lordship. So, he’s been pretty clear that worshiping lesser things, right? I mean, same story. Like we’ve been through the story so many times in the Bible and yet don’t we find ourselves turning to so many other things for life. So, it’s still a problem that we deal with today. But then Paul also addressed the circumcised versus uncircumcised controversy that…well…it seems to show up in most of the letters to different…to differing degrees. And this issue would find its way to Colossae and as usual, Paul shared his views about the matter. So, we have the benefit…like we’re reading these letters in succession…we have the benefit of a collection of Paul’s letters, so it allows us to see the different challenges and for that matter the different victories and encouragements of the early church because Paul's…well because the issues are common and Paul’s writing individual letters to a lot of people where a lot of the same territory is covered. The thing is, even though we can see this being common in the early church, these challenges are still with us in one form or another. So, as we read Paul’s letters, we can also experience growth and correction in our own lives, provided that we kinda understand the context of what’s going on. So, understanding the Colossians was written by a man awaiting a life or death judgment, like the other prison letters, allow them to carry some weight, some gravity. Colossians is a magnificent testimony to the Lordship of Jesus in our lives and…and because of that Lordship the implications, the overwhelming reality of what that Lordship offers to humanity, to all who believe. And, so, we begin. Colossians chapter 1 verses 1 through 17 today.
Prayer:
Father, we thank You for Your word and we thank You for bringing us into the conclusion of another week and we thank You for transitioning us this week into new territory, from Isaiah to Jeremiah, from Philippians to Colossians. Holy Spirit as we continue this territory through books of prophecy and these letters of the apostle Paul we ask that You would continue to be a lamp for our feet, a light to our path, that You would lead us on the narrow path that leads to life, that You would lead us into all truth as You promised. And, so plant these words that we’ve read deep into our lives today and may our hearts be fertile soil so that the fruit of the Spirit can grow freely. We pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Announcements:
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And one of the biggest things that we have ever offered, ever had to offer, one of the greatest resources that represents the Daily Audio Bible, probably the greatest resource that represents the Daily Audio Bible that I can even think of is what’s going on around here…and it’s got a name - The One Year Adventure with the God of Your Story. And I’ve talked about it for a couple of days. This is a…basically a written version of the kinds of things that we talk about every day here on the Daily Audio Bible as we reflect on what it is that we have read. And, so, I mean this was a desire probably showing up on my radar a decade ago, but not like a burning desire like this has gotta be done now, but it became that way and I talked all about that in the fireside chat a couple days ago. And once I started writing I thought, you know, this would be fairly…it’s gonna be time-consuming, but it’s gonna be a breeze, but it wasn’t a breeze. It was…it was hard-fought every single day because…just because you can say something doesn’t mean you can write it and trying to go back and work through, you know, 13 years of what you’ve said for every single given day and find a path and then rework that so that it reads instead of something that you would listen to became very, very long project, 600 days of writing. And I don’t mean like 600 days like over the course of, you know, 10 years. I mean 600 days over the course of two years. So, pretty much writing every day for two years on this…on this project and I gave it my all. I mean, this is something that represents us, this is something that came from us, this is what we do here as a community every day. And, so, I gave it my best. And I mean, I can truly say, yes, what we do on a the Daily Audio Bible, I don’t know why…I don’t know why that the Lord has allowed us to be here doing this but I’m very, very grateful and I’ve been at this for like 5000 days now. So, I’ve seen that what God is doing through it is very very fruitful and I believe that that will be true of the God of Your Story as well because reading it in written form as well as hearing it with your ear…like this is very strong stuff for the person who’s wanting to go through the Bible in a year, which is…which is what we do here at the Daily Audio Bible. So, as I’ve mentioned over the last couple of days it is a memorial to all that God has done in and through all of us as we’ve been a part of this community over the years. It represents us to the world and it is my prayer, my earnest prayer that everyone in this community will have it and that’s a tedious little thing to say because it can very…be easily construed like I want everybody to have it because it’s going to do something for me but it’ not. I have given myself to this project and I have given everything that we would sell through the Daily Audio Bible shop, everything is being given back to this community. Like, I am in this all the way because I am so grateful to even be here. So, the God of Your Story I think is a treasure, at least in terms of the Daily Audio Bible and the Daily Audio Bible community but is also a resource that is directly supporting the efforts of keeping this going every single day. And, so, it’s my prayer that everyone who’s listening to me can have a copy of this. It’s available at dailyaudiobible.com in the Daily Audio Bible shop. You can go to godofyourstory.com and it will take you there. As I mentioned yesterday, my other latest two books, Reframe and Sneezing Jesus, those are available for five dollars each, as many of them as you want while supplies last when you get the God of Your Story. And this is…this is as inexpensive as we’ll ever be able to make these resources. This is what it costs. I pray you will take advantage of that.
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As always, we’re a community, we’re just talking about this, we’re a community and yes we go through the Scriptures together every day, it’s the rhythm of our lives and we talk about it but we also pray for one another and it's…it’s another one of those things where you look at it and go, “how did this happen?” And yet brothers and sisters who are all over the world who may never, ever, ever share space like in the same room in this life reach out in Spirit and pray for one another and actually care about the stories. And, so, if you’re shouldering burdens that you shouldn’t be carrying by yourself, then reach out. If you’re using the Daily Audio Bible app, you can reach out as easily as just pushing the Hotline button, the little red button up at the top. Start talking. Or if you prefer to call the…I was gonna say the mailing address…the phone number is 877-942-4253.
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 evening family this is Michaela from Gloucester in the UK and it is Monday the 30th of September and I want to say a big thank you to Larry because…because you were lifting up and the lady from the UK who is going through a work issue and because I’m a lady in the UK going through a work issue. I kind of took that prayer for myself. But thank you for your prayers for Abby in London. And then thank you so much for your prayers about Christians in Europe and also for Brexit in the UK because I’ve been praying my hair out, scratching my head not knowing what to do with the whole situation and the only thing I have been able to do is pray and we do value your prayers so much. And…and yeah…Abby from London, if I’ve got your name wrong, I apologize but because I’ve been going through my own work issue I’ve…all…many of us if not all of us have been lifting you up in prayer and you are not alone and God is with you and He will get you through this. And I have a praise report myself. I had a big meeting this morning. So, that’s why Larry, your…your prayers really hit the spot because I needed that encouragement this morning and it went well, best possible outcome really. I still have a job and there’s still a lot of things I need to be working on, but I’ve got that opportunity. And, yes, and also another praise report. You guys prayed for a Bible study I was leading quite a few years ago now and one of the girls has been…she’s grown-up now…I think about 18, 19 now, but she’s been coming along to church regularly on a Sunday. So, thank you so much for your prayers for her. I hope you have a good day. Bye.
Hi this is Rachel. I wanted to pray for Carl. Dear God, please help Carl to feel Your love and to feel like he is important and that his life has value. Please help him to find his place and to be able to turn his life around and become, you know, more stable and on his feet. Please bless him financially, you know, let him know that You hear his prayers and that You are a true living God and not an empty, you know, an empty idol or something, that You do love him and You do care about him and You do answer prayer. So, please I want to lift Carl up. Please get rid of his depression, you know, just take it away completely and give him new life and a new Spirit and…and turn things around for him. And Carl I just want to let you know that there are, you know, listeners from the Daily Audio Bible that…that do pray, we do here your prayers. Sometimes they’re not aired after the…the readings and they’re aired in the community prayer, but we are still here and we’re listening and we’re praying for you.
Good morning Daily Audio Bible family this is B calling from Dublin. I’m a two-year listener I think on my third year now actually. I’ve never really called in as often as I would’ve loved to. And, so, this is maybe my third time of calling in. I just felt the need to first of all give a shout out and prayers to the people who call in so regularly and pray for us all, people like Biola from Maryland, Blind Tony, Victoria Soldier, Slave of Jesus, Pastor Gene. You know, I love you and I thank you for all the prayers that you pray for the community for individuals. I just want to encourage you that your labor of love has not gone unnoticed by God and I just feel in my Spirit this morning and this is why I’m calling, to pray over your lives an anointing of the ease, that you have an anointing of the ease over many projects and things and tasks that you may have to accomplish in the next couple of days, that you will receive peace from God and peace of God wherever you go and indeed in your lives nothing shall be missing, nothing shall be broken. Also, overall, Brian and Jill, I pray the same for you. You are the orchestrator of all of us coming together at this Global Campfire as you like to call it. So, thank you so much for answering the call of God, for obeying to put up the Daily Audio Bible. And thank you for allowing us to follow you as you follow Christ. Finally, I just wanted to say to everyone else, if I’ve not mentioned you it’s not because your less important, I just, you know, don’t…don’t remember all the names. But if you do have a connection to this family and you’ve fed from this family I believe you should give to this family…
Hi Daily Audio Bible family this is Prophetic Intercessor from North Carolina. I haven’t called in such a long time, but I’m determined to finish out the year strong with DAB. I was calling specifically to lift up caregivers. I was talking to an aunt of mine caring for her sister, which is another aunt and she was so weary and so tired and so downtrodden. And then this morning when I listened to the prayer…prayers on October 1st there was another lady who was talking about taking care of her 94-year-old mother. So, I just want to lift up caregivers this morning. Father in the name of Jesus I come before you to lift up every caregiver in the Daily Audio Bible community. I bring them before you now God and I ask that you would endow them with supernatural strength and comfort on today. God, I ask that the angels would be dispatched into their homes God, to breath a fresh wind of air through that home Lord that would bring encouragement, that would bring peace. God, in the name of Jesus I break off every spirit of heaviness of weariness of depression and oppression. And God, I pray that you would exchange that for your peace, exchange it for your strength, exchange it for your comfort. And where they’ve been failing in the hearts oh God, I pray that you would renew them Lord for you said in your word that they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall walk and not grow weary, they shall run and not faint. And God and I pull down eagles wings this morning to attach to their backside God. Send angels into their room God to breathe healing upon them, not only upon their loved ones but upon them God. I come against every manner of sickness and disease and I apply the stripes of Jesus Christ and I pray that the healing balm of Gilead would touch you today and touch your loved one from the crown of their heads to the soles of their feet. Be encouraged. Know that God is the lifter of her head and the strength of your days and He is your dwelling place in all generations. May the…
Hi guys this is Gerta calling from Germany again. I wanted to share a way way beautiful story with you. Today I went to the __. I took my bike and __ station and I fixed it there with a chain that it holds and nobody can take. And on the other side as I waited for the __ I saw a little man going down and doing something on a screw and I went over and asked him what he’s doing there. And he said, “I’ve seen it a few times.” And he’s all by himself. He really really really must be fixing it for me. And I thought that’s so lovely. And the issue was I knew the holder for the protection of the chain over the bike was one screw was lose and I thought, where do I get this screw and how it can affect said. And, so, I want to say thank you Jesus. God is taking care little little small things in unexpected moments where you don’t really think on it and I don’t really believe that somebody’s interested and still know how to fix it or because I didn’t want to buy 30 of 50 screw only to fix one. And, so, thinking about where do I get i? God takes care of little things. Trust Him in moments we don’t expect Him. So, okay thanks again for the program. I enjoyed it with the poems from Blind Tony and stay blessed. So, thank you. Have a wonderful time speak to you soon. Bye. Thanks, Brian for everything
Hi Daily Audio Bible family this is Megan from California just wanted to call and to thank you all for your prayers for my marriage. I’ve been just so blown away. I’m blessed. It’s still just an ongoing battle and struggle but I really feel the presence of the Lord and I just so appreciate you all lifting me up. I wanted to share an incredible story of the Lord’s love despite a very difficult destructive marriage. On the 27th of September my husband called me while I was listening to the Daily Audio Bible and as you know if you’re listening on the app it interrupts the DAB. And I took the call and it was really damaging conversation and really destructive. And, so, when the call ended it picked right back up. And September 27th, you know, we were reading through the passage in Ephesians of wives submitting to their husbands and husbands loving their wives and Brian’s commentary, I felt like he was speaking to me and it was just so encouraging when he says, you know why wives, we talked about husband’s being Jesus to their wives and then he says wives, you know, let’s think about sacrifice. I wrote it down. His commentary was so good. That’s what Jesus did for you. Not every woman in this world but you…you His desire and love compelled Him forward. He loved you that much. That’s how much you are loved and that’s how you are to submit to your husbands as you would to the Lord which does not mean you are supposed to be abused. That’s not how Jesus treats you. That’s not how you’re supposed to be treated. That’s not God’s intention for you. What’s being revealed here is that if your husband is loving you as Christ loved the church then you have a have to respond to that respectfully as you would to Jesus. And I just am so thankful for Brian’s commentary, for this app, and how does just this community’s love…