2 Kings 16:20; Acts 41, Psalm 20, Proverbs 5
Today is the 29th day of June, welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I am Brian it is great to be here with you today as we take the next step forward together on our journey through the Scriptures this year that next step forward will land us back in the book of 2 Kings in the Old Testament and the Book of Acts in the new, and so let’s dive in today. 2 Kings, chapters 15 and 16.
Commentary:
Okay, so in the Book of Acts today we have a really fantastic opportunity to look and observe something and talk about something and that something is the name of Jesus. We hear that said, often in the name of Jesus. We even pray that way here around the Global Campfire every day, so it’s something that we should be familiar with the name of Jesus. There’s power in the name of Jesus, right, we sing this there’s power in the name of Jesus to break every chain. So, we have this awareness and yet the name of Jesus gets used all the time in all kinds of ways even to curse something, or as a curse. So, it’s like is there power in the name of Jesus when we’re just exasperated and we say it as a curse? Is there power in the name then? We see in the Book of Acts today are seven sons there called the seven sons of Sceva because Sceva is a high priest, so there’s seven sons of a high priest, high ranking people here, respected people here probably educated people here at least educated in God’s law to some degree. So, these are not people who are just like farmers who have decided they’re going say the name Jesus. They have been observing Paul and his companions using the name of Jesus. And when they use the name of Jesus. Things happen. People are delivered. People are set free from oppression, miracles, the miraculous happens around that name when it is used by these people especially the Apostle Paul. So, the seven sons of Sceva see this and they begin using the name of Jesus to try to set people free from oppression. The oppression of the enemy of the demonic, as it’s laid out in the Book of Acts. And so, they go to do this kind of exorcism in the name of Jesus and so there in there and they’re saying in the name of Jesus, we command you to depart and it doesn’t work. They use the name of Jesus. And it doesn’t work so what can we say about that like if we step back. There’s power in the name of Jesus to break every chain and yet were watching people use the name of Jesus and nothing happens. So, what could be said? There’s power in the name of Jesus, but not without Jesus, right. So, Paul is able to look at somebody and say okay in the name of Jesus Christ stand up and walk because he can see that their faith is in collaboration with the spirit of Christ within him. In other words, Jesus is present in that scenario and the scenario with the seven sons of Sceva, they don’t know Jesus and the demon who responds and then there jumped and beat up and run out of the house naked and bleeding. The demon says I know Jesus and I know Paul but I don’t know who you are and that’s that’s sort of the deal. When Paul is saying in the name of Jesus depart from this person, the spirit of Christ is that Jesus, it’s not just His name His spirit is present, the authority is there. It’s not Paul it’s not Paul’s authority. It’s Christ His presence, taking authority, enforcing that which is oppressing someone to to depart. What ultimately happens in the story we read today is that the name of Jesus becomes a revered name. It descends upon the people. This respect after hearing the story about the high priests’ sons people respect the name of Jesus and the sorcerers’ people who have incantations and spells to try to accomplish some of this work. They’re burning up their spell books etc. etc. because the name of Jesus accomplishes what they’re trying to accomplish by witchcraft and they turn to the Lord. We use the name Jesus a lot as we said when we started talking about this a few minutes ago but if we examine sometimes were using it like it’s an incantation like we can say this name, and that has to make things change. But if the spirit of Christ isn’t in that thing, if it’s not something that Jesus wants to do, then we can’t make him do it because we called his name like we rubbed a genie bottle and then the genie was forced to come out of the bottle and grant our wishes, we are invited to collaborate with the spirit of Christ within us and the spirit of Christ within us is to increase even as we decrease so that we are moving about the earth as ambassadors for Christ, and other words doing the things that Jesus wants to do and that’s worth rolling around in our mind today, kind of meditating on that, inviting Jesus into that. How are we using his name and what are we expecting? Are we expecting that we can call upon his name and he appears like a genie or are we attempting to collaborate with the spirit of Christ in this world being a light in the darkness?
Prayer:
So, Jesus that’s we invite you into that and as we move through this day. We invite your Holy Spirit to come minister to us revealed to us the ways of your kingdom and the use of your authority. We ask this in your name. Amen.
Announcements:
dailyaudiobible.com is home base it’s the website it’s where you find out what’s going on around here. And we’ve been talking about what’s coming up and it’s a week from tomorrow. The Daily Audio Bible Long Walk that takes place every 7th of July and I mentioned bunch of stuff that I’ll keep mentioning until we do it. It’s just our own little internal community holiday. It’s a day that just lands us pretty close to the center of the year a really really good time to regroup, after the first six months of the year. Yeah, a day to regroup and just look back at where we’ve come from and where were going and to invite God into that conversation, is a good thing and so now go somewhere beautiful and go for a Long Walk with God giving ourselves permission to have time not to be always feeling rushed, and behind in its amazing what that can do just set aside a day and it’s not for chores. It’s not for catch up. It’s not for anything. It’s actually to just be with God and be in his creation and drink in all the healing that it offers to just be with no agenda other than to enjoy a day and so that is that is the Long Walk and that is coming up a week from tomorrow. And we do this, it’s very private and individual we do this alone, but we do it together. So, on the Daily Audio Bible Facebook page we’ll post a post for the Long Walk next week and then when you go on your long walk picture or a video or whatever wherever you go and post it into that post, then we will have windows into each other’s lives. And the beauty of God’s creation all over the world on the same day that is so much fun. So, that is coming up on the 7th of July a week from tomorrow. There is a resource available that we have created that pairs perfectly with the Long Walk. It is called Heart: A Contemplative Journey and it’s a prayer and musical journey really just to pray and invite God into all of the different emotions that we’ve probably been feeling and then just to allow music to kind of wash through and into that as we contemplate as we just go further in silence and consideration. And so, that is available wherever you get your music, wherever you purchase your music. So, for example it’s not on Apple music but it is on the iTunes store. You can’t stream it but you can purchase and that is really because to make it stream able means, I’ve said this. It’s weird because it’s a prayer and musical journey and the prayers once there separated from the whole thing. It’s just odd. And that’s I have to do it if you going to stream it so you can purchase it at the iTunes shop or a Google play or wherever you get your music just search for my name Brian Hardin or Heart: A Contemplative Journey and you can download that in advance of the Long Walk.
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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.
Prayers and Encouragements:
Grace and peace Daily Audio Bible family this is RJ Running for Jesus out of Connecticut. Just listen to the prayer from Lonnie Always Praying you spoke about your son, 39 years old, saved but has walked away drinks consistently every day in his body and his life, you see, is wasting away. This prayerless this request that you requested to prayer really touched me because his story is so similar to mine even so much that my RJ actually stands for Robert as well. Robert John so lift this brother up. I was one who alcohol or drugs. I’m 54 now and it took me all the way to the age of 38 to come back to the Lord. So, I’ll continue to lift them in my prayers. I just want to encourage you to let you know that God is able. He can do exceedingly abundantly above all that we can ask or think. We are praying for him, you’re praying for him and I know someone prays for me and I know without a doubt that our prayer the effectual fervent prayer of the righteous availeth much. So, you be encouraged let not your heart be weary in well doing, faint not and you will reap in due season. God saved me, brought me back like the prodigal son, He’ll bring your Robert back as well. To God be the glory, grace and peace to you. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
Good morning DABers, I just wanted to calling this morning to tell you how excited I am thinking about the Long Walk. I did a Long Walk, actually with a Bible study group years ago and I was so discouraged as I went on that Walk because I was like okay God, I’m not sure how this really works. But I’m going to try and listen to you, or I’ll talk to you and once again I’m not exactly sure how does this work. Some I’m like Lord, do You want to talk and I’ll listen or do I talk and you listen or do we just talk back and forth to each other and I was just kind of confused, I’d never really done anything like that before and so I was actually a little discouraged and I was walking along, thinking nothings happening here. Yeah, whatever. So, I was walking back home and I’m kinda kicking some rocks it wasn’t a waste of time certainly, because I was still in nature. But as I was walking along all of a sudden, the Lord spoke to me in my mind and said, “Or, you could be quiet and I could be quiet and we could just be together.” So, as I contemplate a Long Walk this July 7th I’m almost on the verge of tears with excitement, thinking how God will speak this time. Anyways, love you all and pray you’ll have a wonderful day today and beautiful July 7th walking with God.
Hi, this is John. I began listening to the Daily Audio Bible pretty recently and listening is a way to I guess sort of may be maybe stay engaged and cling to God better and a difficult season. The last couple of years have have been really really difficult and but but God used a lot of that to kind of bring me back into the fold and bring me back into his family, but these this last year, in particular has just been so unbelievably difficult as more and more things have happened both around me and in my heart and now it is it is getting harder and harder to stay engaged. I feel like I am I’m getting further away from God, now and it’s not what I want, but I’m just so exhausted and there are so many people around me hurting and I want to I want to love them well and to show Christ to them, but I’m just I’m just so tired.
Good morning this is Sally in Massachusetts and I am always amazed by God’s grace. I am so thankful to be part of this family. I am so thankful that God is at work around the world it’s so wonderful to hear your praises and prayers and encouragements. I haven’t called in for a long time but I listen daily and pray with you and for you and praise the Lord with you, what a wonderful Psalm we had today reminding us of the greatness of our wonderful Lord and I would just lift up this morning Psalm in prayer. I pray for Duane and I just pray for God’s encouragement and strength to you and how I pray for Nicholas and Mason that their hearts will be drawn to our great and holy God of love and mercy and I would pray Father for Kingdom Daniel Seekers son Daniel as well and his daughter and his other children Lord we pray your mercy and your power for them and we think of all the children, Lord, who are not walking in your ways. We just pray God for sons and daughters for grandchildren that their hearts will be turned to you. We just praise You that You are near to those who call upon you and so we call upon you, and I would lift up prayer this morning for a friend named Diana. She is in the hospital seriously ill with COVID pneumonia and clots in her lungs. She needs God’s mercy and grace and healing and salvation. So, I would ask you please to be praying for Diane and I just thank the Lord that He is with us He is for us. I thank Him for each of you and pray for grace and strength. Thank you again, Brian and Jill and all the team that make this wonderful podcast possibly. And we praise our glorious Lord.
Daily Audio Bible this is Laura Lee in Bointen Beach. I would like to pray for everyone in the building, the families of people in the building that collapsed in Surfside very close to us. Heavenly Father as you give us Your word for comfort, you’ve also given us Your word that these birth pains, disasters, Jesus talked about them as birth pains before Your coming. And as they get more and more as a woman giving labor we need to continually lean on You, look to You for comfort because it said it will be like nothing that the world has ever seen before and there was a flood before and He said it would be worse than that so as the world experiences the suffering without You, Lord, we can give them the hope of knowing where they will go when they do die, so we never know our last day we never know our last breath but the Lord has known since before we were even conceived our first and our last day here. Help us to help those who don’t know you. Help us to be a light, helpful, hopeful and pointing to Jesus the author and finisher of our faith that they might join us in eternity in the new heaven and the new earth, the restoration of all things, come Lord Jesus, we love You, we’re waiting for you. We want to see You.