The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Wednesday April 1, 2020 (NIV)

Deuteronomy 18-20

Offerings for Priests and Levites

18 The Levitical(A) priests—indeed, the whole tribe of Levi—are to have no allotment or inheritance with Israel. They shall live on the food offerings(B) presented to the Lord, for that is their inheritance.(C) They shall have no inheritance among their fellow Israelites; the Lord is their inheritance,(D) as he promised them.(E)

This is the share due the priests(F) from the people who sacrifice a bull(G) or a sheep: the shoulder, the internal organs and the meat from the head.(H) You are to give them the firstfruits of your grain, new wine and olive oil, and the first wool from the shearing of your sheep,(I) for the Lord your God has chosen them(J) and their descendants out of all your tribes to stand and minister(K) in the Lord’s name always.(L)

If a Levite moves from one of your towns anywhere in Israel where he is living, and comes in all earnestness to the place the Lord will choose,(M) he may minister in the name(N) of the Lord his God like all his fellow Levites who serve there in the presence of the Lord. He is to share equally in their benefits, even though he has received money from the sale of family possessions.(O)

Occult Practices

When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate(P) the detestable ways(Q) of the nations there. 10 Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire,(R) who practices divination(S) or sorcery,(T) interprets omens, engages in witchcraft,(U) 11 or casts spells,(V) or who is a medium or spiritist(W) or who consults the dead. 12 Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord; because of these same detestable practices the Lord your God will drive out those nations before you.(X) 13 You must be blameless(Y) before the Lord your God.(Z)

The Prophet

14 The nations you will dispossess listen to those who practice sorcery or divination.(AA) But as for you, the Lord your God has not permitted you to do so. 15 The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites.(AB) You must listen to him. 16 For this is what you asked of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly when you said, “Let us not hear the voice of the Lord our God nor see this great fire anymore, or we will die.”(AC)

17 The Lord said to me: “What they say is good. 18 I will raise up for them a prophet(AD) like you from among their fellow Israelites, and I will put my words(AE) in his mouth.(AF) He will tell them everything I command him.(AG) 19 I myself will call to account(AH) anyone who does not listen(AI) to my words that the prophet speaks in my name.(AJ) 20 But a prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods,(AK) is to be put to death.”(AL)

21 You may say to yourselves, “How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the Lord?” 22 If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true,(AM) that is a message the Lord has not spoken.(AN) That prophet has spoken presumptuously,(AO) so do not be alarmed.

Cities of Refuge(AP)

19 When the Lord your God has destroyed the nations whose land he is giving you, and when you have driven them out and settled in their towns and houses,(AQ) then set aside for yourselves three cities in the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess. Determine the distances involved and divide into three parts the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, so that a person who kills someone may flee for refuge to one of these cities.

This is the rule concerning anyone who kills a person and flees there for safety—anyone who kills a neighbor unintentionally, without malice aforethought. For instance, a man may go into the forest with his neighbor to cut wood, and as he swings his ax to fell a tree, the head may fly off and hit his neighbor and kill him. That man may flee to one of these cities and save his life. Otherwise, the avenger of blood(AR) might pursue him in a rage, overtake him if the distance is too great, and kill him even though he is not deserving of death, since he did it to his neighbor without malice aforethought. This is why I command you to set aside for yourselves three cities.

If the Lord your God enlarges your territory,(AS) as he promised(AT) on oath to your ancestors, and gives you the whole land he promised them, because you carefully follow all these laws I command you today—to love the Lord your God and to walk always in obedience to him(AU)—then you are to set aside three more cities. 10 Do this so that innocent blood(AV) will not be shed in your land, which the Lord your God is giving you as your inheritance, and so that you will not be guilty of bloodshed.(AW)

11 But if out of hate someone lies in wait, assaults and kills a neighbor,(AX) and then flees to one of these cities, 12 the killer shall be sent for by the town elders, be brought back from the city, and be handed over to the avenger of blood to die. 13 Show no pity.(AY) You must purge from Israel the guilt of shedding innocent blood,(AZ) so that it may go well with you.

14 Do not move your neighbor’s boundary stone set up by your predecessors in the inheritance you receive in the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess.(BA)

Witnesses

15 One witness is not enough to convict anyone accused of any crime or offense they may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.(BB)

16 If a malicious witness(BC) takes the stand to accuse someone of a crime, 17 the two people involved in the dispute must stand in the presence of the Lord before the priests and the judges(BD) who are in office at the time. 18 The judges must make a thorough investigation,(BE) and if the witness proves to be a liar, giving false testimony against a fellow Israelite, 19 then do to the false witness as that witness intended to do to the other party.(BF) You must purge the evil from among you. 20 The rest of the people will hear of this and be afraid,(BG) and never again will such an evil thing be done among you. 21 Show no pity:(BH) life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.(BI)

Going to War

20 When you go to war against your enemies and see horses and chariots and an army greater than yours,(BJ) do not be afraid(BK) of them,(BL) because the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt, will be with(BM) you. When you are about to go into battle, the priest shall come forward and address the army. He shall say: “Hear, Israel: Today you are going into battle against your enemies. Do not be fainthearted(BN) or afraid; do not panic or be terrified by them. For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you(BO) to fight(BP) for you against your enemies to give you victory.(BQ)

The officers shall say to the army: “Has anyone built a new house and not yet begun to live in(BR) it? Let him go home, or he may die in battle and someone else may begin to live in it. Has anyone planted(BS) a vineyard and not begun to enjoy it?(BT) Let him go home, or he may die in battle and someone else enjoy it. Has anyone become pledged to a woman and not married her? Let him go home, or he may die in battle and someone else marry her.(BU) Then the officers shall add, “Is anyone afraid or fainthearted? Let him go home so that his fellow soldiers will not become disheartened too.”(BV) When the officers have finished speaking to the army, they shall appoint commanders over it.

10 When you march up to attack a city, make its people an offer of peace.(BW) 11 If they accept and open their gates, all the people in it shall be subject(BX) to forced labor(BY) and shall work for you. 12 If they refuse to make peace and they engage you in battle, lay siege to that city. 13 When the Lord your God delivers it into your hand, put to the sword all the men in it.(BZ) 14 As for the women, the children, the livestock(CA) and everything else in the city,(CB) you may take these as plunder(CC) for yourselves. And you may use the plunder the Lord your God gives you from your enemies. 15 This is how you are to treat all the cities that are at a distance(CD) from you and do not belong to the nations nearby.

16 However, in the cities of the nations the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, do not leave alive anything that breathes.(CE) 17 Completely destroy[a] them—the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites—as the Lord your God has commanded you. 18 Otherwise, they will teach you to follow all the detestable things they do in worshiping their gods,(CF) and you will sin(CG) against the Lord your God.

19 When you lay siege to a city for a long time, fighting against it to capture it, do not destroy its trees by putting an ax to them, because you can eat their fruit. Do not cut them down. Are the trees people, that you should besiege them?[b] 20 However, you may cut down trees that you know are not fruit trees(CH) and use them to build siege works until the city at war with you falls.

Footnotes:

  1. Deuteronomy 20:17 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them.
  2. Deuteronomy 20:19 Or down to use in the siege, for the fruit trees are for the benefit of people.

Cross references:

  1. Deuteronomy 18:1 : Jer 33:18, 21
  2. Deuteronomy 18:1 : S Nu 18:8
  3. Deuteronomy 18:1 : S Nu 18:20; 1Co 9:13
  4. Deuteronomy 18:2 : Nu 18:20
  5. Deuteronomy 18:2 : Jos 13:14
  6. Deuteronomy 18:3 : S Ex 29:27
  7. Deuteronomy 18:3 : S Lev 1:5
  8. Deuteronomy 18:3 : Lev 7:28-34; Nu 18:12
  9. Deuteronomy 18:4 : Ex 22:29; Nu 18:12
  10. Deuteronomy 18:5 : S Ex 28:1
  11. Deuteronomy 18:5 : Dt 10:8
  12. Deuteronomy 18:5 : S Ex 29:9
  13. Deuteronomy 18:6 : S Nu 35:2-3; S Dt 12:5
  14. Deuteronomy 18:7 : ver 19; 1Ki 18:32; 22:16; Ps 118:26
  15. Deuteronomy 18:8 : Nu 18:24; 2Ch 31:4; Ne 12:44, 47; 13:12
  16. Deuteronomy 18:9 : Dt 9:5; 12:29-31
  17. Deuteronomy 18:9 : S Lev 18:3; 2Ki 21:2; 2Ch 28:3; 33:2; 34:33; Ezr 6:21; 9:11; Jer 44:4
  18. Deuteronomy 18:10 : S Lev 18:21
  19. Deuteronomy 18:10 : 1Sa 15:23
  20. Deuteronomy 18:10 : S Ex 7:11
  21. Deuteronomy 18:10 : S Lev 19:31
  22. Deuteronomy 18:11 : Isa 47:9
  23. Deuteronomy 18:11 : S Ex 22:18; S 1Sa 28:13
  24. Deuteronomy 18:12 : S Lev 18:24
  25. Deuteronomy 18:13 : S Ge 6:9; Ps 119:1
  26. Deuteronomy 18:13 : Mt 5:48
  27. Deuteronomy 18:14 : 2Ki 21:6
  28. Deuteronomy 18:15 : S Mt 21:11; Lk 2:25-35; Jn 1:21; Ac 3:22*; 7:37*
  29. Deuteronomy 18:16 : S Ex 20:19; Dt 5:23-27
  30. Deuteronomy 18:18 : S Ge 20:7
  31. Deuteronomy 18:18 : Isa 2:3; 26:8; 51:4; Mic 4:2
  32. Deuteronomy 18:18 : S Ex 4:12
  33. Deuteronomy 18:18 : Jn 4:25-26; S 14:24; Ac 3:22*
  34. Deuteronomy 18:19 : Jos 22:23; Ac 3:23*; Heb 12:25
  35. Deuteronomy 18:19 : S Ex 23:21
  36. Deuteronomy 18:19 : S ver 7; S Lev 19:12; 2Ki 2:24
  37. Deuteronomy 18:20 : S Ex 23:13
  38. Deuteronomy 18:20 : Dt 13:1-5; S 17:12
  39. Deuteronomy 18:22 : S Dt 13:2; 1Sa 3:20
  40. Deuteronomy 18:22 : 1Ki 22:28; Jer 28:9
  41. Deuteronomy 18:22 : ver 20
  42. Deuteronomy 19:1 : 19:1-14Ref — Nu 35:6-34; Dt 4:41-43; Jos 20:1-9
  43. Deuteronomy 19:1 : Dt 6:10-11
  44. Deuteronomy 19:6 : S Nu 35:12
  45. Deuteronomy 19:8 : S Ex 34:24
  46. Deuteronomy 19:8 : S Ge 15:8; S Dt 11:24
  47. Deuteronomy 19:9 : Dt 6:5
  48. Deuteronomy 19:10 : Pr 6:17; Jer 7:6; 26:15
  49. Deuteronomy 19:10 : Dt 21:1-9
  50. Deuteronomy 19:11 : S Ex 21:12; 1Jn 3:15
  51. Deuteronomy 19:13 : Dt 7:2
  52. Deuteronomy 19:13 : Dt 21:9; 1Ki 2:31
  53. Deuteronomy 19:14 : Dt 27:17; Job 24:2; Ps 16:6; Pr 15:25; 22:28; 23:10; Isa 1:23; Hos 5:10
  54. Deuteronomy 19:15 : S Dt 17:6; S Mt 18:16*; 26:60; 2Co 13:1*
  55. Deuteronomy 19:16 : Ex 23:1; Pr 6:19
  56. Deuteronomy 19:17 : S Ex 21:6
  57. Deuteronomy 19:18 : S Ex 23:7
  58. Deuteronomy 19:19 : Pr 19:5, 9; 1Co 5:13*
  59. Deuteronomy 19:20 : S Dt 13:11
  60. Deuteronomy 19:21 : ver 13
  61. Deuteronomy 19:21 : S Ex 21:24; Mt 5:38*
  62. Deuteronomy 20:1 : Ps 20:7; Isa 31:1
  63. Deuteronomy 20:1 : S Nu 14:9
  64. Deuteronomy 20:1 : S Dt 3:22; S 1Sa 17:45
  65. Deuteronomy 20:1 : Isa 41:10
  66. Deuteronomy 20:3 : 1Sa 17:32; Job 23:16; Ps 22:14; Isa 7:4; 35:4; Jer 51:46
  67. Deuteronomy 20:4 : 2Ch 20:14-22
  68. Deuteronomy 20:4 : S Ex 14:14; 1Ch 5:22; Ne 4:20
  69. Deuteronomy 20:4 : Jdg 12:3; 15:18; Ps 44:7; 144:10
  70. Deuteronomy 20:5 : Ne 12:27
  71. Deuteronomy 20:6 : Jer 31:5; Eze 28:26; Mic 1:6
  72. Deuteronomy 20:6 : 1Co 9:7
  73. Deuteronomy 20:7 : Dt 24:5; Pr 5:18
  74. Deuteronomy 20:8 : Jdg 7:3
  75. Deuteronomy 20:10 : S Dt 2:26; Lk 14:31-32
  76. Deuteronomy 20:11 : ver 15; 2Ki 6:22
  77. Deuteronomy 20:11 : 1Ki 9:21; 1Ch 22:2; Isa 31:8
  78. Deuteronomy 20:13 : Nu 31:7
  79. Deuteronomy 20:14 : Jos 8:2; 22:8
  80. Deuteronomy 20:14 : S Nu 31:11
  81. Deuteronomy 20:14 : S Nu 31:53
  82. Deuteronomy 20:15 : S ver 11; Jos 9:9
  83. Deuteronomy 20:16 : Ex 23:31-33; Nu 21:2-3; S Dt 7:2; Jos 6:21; 10:1; 11:14
  84. Deuteronomy 20:18 : S Ex 34:16
  85. Deuteronomy 20:18 : S Ex 10:7
  86. Deuteronomy 20:20 : Jer 6:6
New International Version (NIV)

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Luke 9:28-50

The Transfiguration(A)

28 About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James(B) with him and went up onto a mountain to pray.(C) 29 As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. 30 Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. 31 They spoke about his departure,[a](D) which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem. 32 Peter and his companions were very sleepy,(E) but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. 33 As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, “Master,(F) it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (He did not know what he was saying.)

34 While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and covered them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 35 A voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen;(G) listen to him.”(H) 36 When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept this to themselves and did not tell anyone at that time what they had seen.(I)

Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed Boy(J)

37 The next day, when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met him. 38 A man in the crowd called out, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child. 39 A spirit seizes him and he suddenly screams; it throws him into convulsions so that he foams at the mouth. It scarcely ever leaves him and is destroying him. 40 I begged your disciples to drive it out, but they could not.”

41 “You unbelieving and perverse generation,”(K) Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you and put up with you? Bring your son here.”

42 Even while the boy was coming, the demon threw him to the ground in a convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the impure spirit, healed the boy and gave him back to his father. 43 And they were all amazed at the greatness of God.

Jesus Predicts His Death a Second Time

While everyone was marveling at all that Jesus did, he said to his disciples, 44 “Listen carefully to what I am about to tell you: The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men.”(L) 45 But they did not understand what this meant. It was hidden from them, so that they did not grasp it,(M) and they were afraid to ask him about it.

46 An argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest.(N) 47 Jesus, knowing their thoughts,(O) took a little child and had him stand beside him. 48 Then he said to them, “Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.(P) For it is the one who is least among you all who is the greatest.”(Q)

49 “Master,”(R) said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we tried to stop him, because he is not one of us.”

50 “Do not stop him,” Jesus said, “for whoever is not against you is for you.”(S)

Footnotes:

  1. Luke 9:31 Greek exodos
New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Psalm 73

BOOK III

Psalms 73–89

Psalm 73

A psalm of Asaph.

Surely God is good to Israel,
to those who are pure in heart.(A)

But as for me, my feet had almost slipped;(B)
I had nearly lost my foothold.(C)
For I envied(D) the arrogant
when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.(E)

They have no struggles;
their bodies are healthy and strong.[a]
They are free(F) from common human burdens;
they are not plagued by human ills.
Therefore pride(G) is their necklace;(H)
they clothe themselves with violence.(I)
From their callous hearts(J) comes iniquity[b];
their evil imaginations have no limits.
They scoff, and speak with malice;(K)
with arrogance(L) they threaten oppression.(M)
Their mouths lay claim to heaven,
and their tongues take possession of the earth.
10 Therefore their people turn to them
and drink up waters in abundance.[c]
11 They say, “How would God know?
Does the Most High know anything?”

12 This is what the wicked are like—
always free of care,(N) they go on amassing wealth.(O)

13 Surely in vain(P) I have kept my heart pure
and have washed my hands in innocence.(Q)
14 All day long I have been afflicted,(R)
and every morning brings new punishments.

15 If I had spoken out like that,
I would have betrayed your children.
16 When I tried to understand(S) all this,
it troubled me deeply
17 till I entered the sanctuary(T) of God;
then I understood their final destiny.(U)

18 Surely you place them on slippery ground;(V)
you cast them down to ruin.(W)
19 How suddenly(X) are they destroyed,
completely swept away(Y) by terrors!
20 They are like a dream(Z) when one awakes;(AA)
when you arise, Lord,
you will despise them as fantasies.(AB)

21 When my heart was grieved
and my spirit embittered,
22 I was senseless(AC) and ignorant;
I was a brute beast(AD) before you.

23 Yet I am always with you;
you hold me by my right hand.(AE)
24 You guide(AF) me with your counsel,(AG)
and afterward you will take me into glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you?(AH)
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.(AI)
26 My flesh and my heart(AJ) may fail,(AK)
but God is the strength(AL) of my heart
and my portion(AM) forever.

27 Those who are far from you will perish;(AN)
you destroy all who are unfaithful(AO) to you.
28 But as for me, it is good to be near God.(AP)
I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge;(AQ)
I will tell of all your deeds.(AR)

Footnotes:

  1. Psalm 73:4 With a different word division of the Hebrew; Masoretic Text struggles at their death; / their bodies are healthy
  2. Psalm 73:7 Syriac (see also Septuagint); Hebrew Their eyes bulge with fat
  3. Psalm 73:10 The meaning of the Hebrew for this verse is uncertain.
New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Proverbs 12:10

10 The righteous care for the needs of their animals,(A)
but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel.

Cross references:

  1. Proverbs 12:10 : S Nu 22:29
New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

03/31/2020 DAB Transcript

Deuteronomy 16:1-17:20, Luke 9:7-27, Psalms 72:1-20, Proverbs 12:8-9

Today is the 31st day of March, welcome to the Daily Audio Bible, the last day of the third month of the year which means that we have completed, we are about to complete our first quarter of the year. So, and this is…this is…this is a big milestone. If you’re still…you…if you made it here, you can make it. The rhythm has been established in life. Now this is what we do. And we can do this for the rest of the year. And the territory, I mean the stuff that we have out in front of us, as if the Bible hasn’t been epic in its first quarter there’s a lot of fascinating things for us to explore together as we continue the journey. So, this is the 90th day or actually this is a leap year so this is kinda like the 91st day that we’ve been here together in the year. And, so, we just mark that. It’s like a little pile of rocks. We see often in the Bible, these little memorial stones or things set up, so you don’t forget, which is why we write things down. And, so, getting to this point the first quarter of the year, it’s just a little pile of rocks for this year. Well done. I am so glad we are on this journey together. So, let’s dive into that journey and finish well this third month of the year. We’re reading from the New International Version this week. Deuteronomy chapters 16 and 17 today.

Commentary:

Okay. The last thing that Jesus said in our reading from the Gospel of Luke today was, “truly I tell you”, right? I’m telling you the truth. “Some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.” It’s a big thing to say. Throughout so much of my life I read that phrase and thought, “well that’s not…how can that be true because the kingdom of God isn’t here? We’re like…we’re still waiting for Jesus return and then…and then whatever happens next, like somehow this is after what’s happening now is when the kingdom will come.” But as we’ve seen so explicitly clear from Jesus own lips out of the Gospels, the kingdom is within us, is among us, is happening. And, so, in light of that Jesus is simply saying, “tell you the truth. Some of you will have eyes to see and ears to hear. Before you taste death, you will see the kingdom of God.” That is still possible friends. Before I taste death, I pray that I will have eyes to see and ears to hear and see the kingdom of God. And I’m not talking about like some mystical vision kind of thing, I’m talking about that I have eyes to see and ears to hear. Like, don’t we all want this? And we’ve been kind of talking about this because one of the words over this year is…is “vision” and that means something specific. It is exactly what we’ve been talking about all year, eyes to see. Give me vision in this year of 2020 that I might see your kingdom and never be able to unsee it again. That is my prayer. But if it’s in and among us, if it’s sown in and Jesus uses a parable about a farmer planting his field, and then his enemies coming in and sewing all kinds of weeds in it and it all grows up together until the harvest. That’s how Jesus describes the kingdom of heaven, that it’s all mixed in. With all of the bad and the evil there is all of the good and light. If we want to see the kingdom of God, then we will be looking for the good and light in this world. And, so as we’re closing the first quarter of the year, like we are 25% through this year of 2020 already. And, as we know, it’s going to fly by and be Christmas before we know it. I mean there will be patches that seem like they stretch on forever and there’ll be patches that seem like they flew by. That’s how a year goes. But will we…will we gain eyes to see and ears to hear in this year? Where are we even supposed to be looking? I guess there are many things that we could look for but what we are ultimately looking for is the good, the good that is sustaining the world. Wherever we find that it is evidence of the kingdom. But we can also turn to Scripture. We could do a whole big thing, I suppose, but we can just…we can just consider the fruit of the Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit will be the kingdom of heaven in this world. So, wherever there is love, wherever there is joy or peace or long-suffering or kindness or goodness or faithfulness or gentleness or self-control, the Bible says there’s no law against any of that. That is evidence of the kingdom. And while we’re looking for that, because that’s really what we need to see, if we could have eyes to see, we would see God on the move. This planet would go dark. It would be done if it weren’t sustained by God. We would’ve never been here. It would have been over a long time ago. Where is the good that sustains our world and our people? That is where God is at work and He will continue to be at work whether we notice it, whether we have eyes to see or and He will use whoever is willing whether we understand it or not. He is the most-high God. He can do whatever he chooses, but we are invited into that story, into that dance of life, that collaboration of revealing the kingdom as Jesus did, because we are His body in this world, the body of Christ. Man, what if we all got eyes to see and ears to hear? Everything changes at that point. This is what we are struggling toward, but we’re just trying to find eyes to see and ears to hear. And we also have to look in our own lives. Is the kingdom, is the evidence of the fruit of the Spirit, is good within us? Where is that? And what is false within us? What is the mask that we just keep wearing and trying to perfect? How do we get eyes to see and ears to hear inside of our own self, what God is doing in the transformation process of our own hearts? It’s all happening. Like, this has always been happening. It’s always been available for those who have eyes to see and ears to hear. And it’s so fundamental to the message of Jesus.

Prayer:

Father as we go into the next quarter of the year, we have established a rhythm. We kind of know what’s going on now. We’ve acclimated ourselves to the Scriptures. We’re moving through together. And now as we move into this second quarter of the year, we’re asking what we’ve been asking for all along, eyes to see and ears to hear. Open our eyes that we might see You at work everywhere. It’s not hard to find. Our eyes have just been tuned in to find the evil and the things that might challenge us and make us uncomfortable. And yet, we can make up a life of our own and only lose it. And You’ve told us today in the Scriptures, but if we’ll give up all that, if we’ll give up all the façade, if we’ll give up our life, we’ll find ourself. You said, “what good is it for someone to gain the whole world and lose or forfeit their very self?” So, come Holy Spirit and give us eyes to see within and without what You are doing among and within us. We pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen.

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dailyaudiobible.com is the website, its home base, its where you find out what’s going on around here. It’s how…well it’s kind of where we stay connected or a launching pad to get connected.

So, be sure to check out the Community section of the website. And man, we have needed the Global Campfire burning for always but never more than now. We need each other. So, stay connected. And the Prayer Wall is there as well.

And for the last…well…I guess it hasn’t been quite a week yet, but each day we’ve been releasing a new chapter of the book Sneezing Jesus, which is really poignant for the times that we are in. And so glad to be doing this. Just so, so glad to be hearing how it’s landing in different lives around the world. I’m just so happy to be giving this to you like a soul care around the Global Campfire because we need soul care right now. Things are so disrupted. And that just kind of leads us down all kinds of dark thought paths. So, it’s just so important to keep our faith and to keep our focus on the only hope we have, which is the only hope we’ve ever had, which is to put our faith and trust in God, knowing that He…like we are utterly dependent on Him and to become aware of that. It’s so important. So, it’s been so nice to be able to release a chapter a day. And today’s chapter as we end of the month of March, one of the weirdest months…I think…one of the strangest…yeah…one of the strangest months I can ever remember. It just seems like so long ago it was like March 1st that we arrived back from our pilgrimage to Israel and then…yeah what a weird month it’s been. So, it’s so good to…to give this away. So, today’s chapters…today’s chapter is called Neighbors. So, in the Scriptures we’re…we’re told to love the Lord our God with all of our heart and all of our mind and all our strength and to love our neighbor as ourselves, which brings up like the poignant question, “then who is my neighbor? Like define that.” And that’s found in a story in the Gospels, the story of the good Samaritan. That’s specifically what Jesus was asked, “who is my neighbor?” And that is pretty poignant for the times that we are in. So, the chapter Neighbors explores Jesus discussion, the good Samaritan, using a backdrop of a personal story of getting stranded in the Mohave Desert like really, really in the remote Mohave Desert one summer day, many years ago where the temperatures were well, well above 100° and how people who I didn’t know and people that I would not have paid attention to any other way were neighbors to me. And I love this, I love this chapter and it's…it’s pretty, pretty funny story on reflection. It wasn’t so funny a story as it was happening but that’s kind of what happens in our lives sometimes. So, I’m super excited. I’ve been waiting for this chapter to come up. It’s one of my favorites in the book. So, that’s available in your Daily Audio Bible feed. So, if you’re using the Daily Audio Bible Apple or like the web player it just shows up, just an additional program along with the Daily Audio Bible as we work our way through this and just offer it, like I said, as a soul care, as some challenging encouragement in a time where we’re getting kind of pulled all over the place is common. This roots us in our faith. So, check it out.

If you want to partner with the Daily Audio Bible, thank you with all humility and everything in my heart. Thank you for your partnership. We couldn’t be here. We wouldn’t be here if we weren’t in this together. And, so, thank you. Thank you so much. There’s a link on the homepage of dailyaudiobible.com. If you’re using the app, you can press the Give button in the upper right-hand corner or, if you prefer, the mailing address PO Box 1996 Spring Hill Tennessee 37174.

And, as always, if you have a prayer request or encouragement, you can hit the Hotline button in the app, or you can dial 877-942-4253.

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