Job 16:1-19:29, 1 Corinthians 16:1-24, Psalm 40:1-10, Proverbs 22:1
Today is the 25th day of August, welcome to the Daily Audio Bible, I am Brian. It is great to be here with you today as we do what we do, which is put one foot in front of the other and take the next step forward together. We are working our way through the drama of the book of Job and we’re in the middle of an argument basically between Job and his friends. Job has experienced a tragedy that he believes he is innocent of or innocent of deserving. This kind of judgment he wants to speak to God and his friends are kind of telling him that he doesn’t really want that because he’s only getting what he deserves. And so, it’s the back and forth and so we’ll pick up that story. Job 16 through 19 today.
Commentary:
Okay so in the book of Job today we really got a pretty good glimpse of Job’s heart like, how broken, how hopeless, just how completely distraught he is. And we can read the words, you know, if we’ve never experienced that kind of pain or…or it’s a distant memory or something and we just move past it. But if we…if we linger in what he saying man it's…it’s very, very deep and very, very painful and he wants answers that he can’t get and if we’ve ever felt like that then we can commiserate with what’s being spoken out of the Bible, commiserating with us back. We only are faced with questions we, we want answers, I do anyway. I mean gosh, the thing about questions is that when you get an answer, you have another question, usually right. Sometimes the answer is not enough. You need a follow-up question, and that only leads to more questions and so he’s kind of keep having questions and this is kind of where Job is, he wants an answer. He has asked the questions, he has friends there who are trying to give him the answers which bring up more questions and bring up more answers that he doesn’t agree with or that he already knows, like he already knows all this stuff. The answer he’s looking for is elusive. It’s beyond him because he believes the only one that has it is God. And he cries out to God, where is that answer. And in these times, and we do all face them, to varying degrees in different seasons in our lives. We can keep asking the questions because it doesn’t matter what we start with, we can start with any topic and start asking questions and we will eventually get to where nobody knows the answer anymore. The irony is, we cannot…like we don’t like that situation or that feeling at all, but that really is kind of the beginning of faith right because if you already have the answer, and you already know then you’re not reaching in faith. You are already holding the answer like you are already, you already have what you were looking for. Faith forces us to reach beyond into the mystery, or sometimes answers aren’t as clear as just an answer. There’s a whole lot going on and that’s hard. It’s hard, like if Job’s friends were there and they start talking about the mysteries of God. It’s a different kind of conversation but Job’s looking for answers and they’re trying to give answers and in so many ways with Job being so committed to his innocence, they’re starting to speak to their own fears and their own situations and the things that they think that they know which is human, which is what we do too in these kinds of situations. In the end, Job cries out and he says something very famous in the Scriptures, but also one of those riveting moments in the book of Job, and in response to his friend’s counsel, I mean he’s just basically going, I know what you’re saying. I know all this stuff it’s not giving me what I’m looking for but I know that my Redeemer lives and he will stand upon the earth, at last, and after my body has decayed, yet in my body, I will see God. I will see Him for myself. I will see him with my own eyes and it’s an overwhelming thought. Job doesn’t have answers. So, this declaration that is so riveting is spoken in faith and sometimes it’s when the answers aren’t there that faith begins and that is, that is a decent thing to meditate upon today.
Prayer:
So, Holy Spirit come into that, we want certainty, we…we might say we want the life of faith, but truly we would prefer certainty in most situations, especially tragic ones, and yet faith is out beyond what we think that we know and out beyond what we can control. And so, Holy Spirit come and help us locate where our faith is, help us look at the different circumstances and situations in our lives and be able to see clearly whether we really are reaching beyond in faith or if we are just doing everything, we can to achieve certainty. Come, Holy Spirit, we pray in the name of Jesus we ask. 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.
Prayers and Encouragements:
Hey family this is Pepper from Missouri enjoying a sunny morning. I just called because at the end of today’s reading which is August 20th, I believe your name was Julie. Wanting just one person to pray. Honey, we may not always call you out or any single person out but trust me there is a community of prayer covering you. There are people that never ever get on this app, they just simply write your name, your prayer request and then go pray for you. There are people that are behind that will catch up to this prayer and pray for you at a later time. There are just so many people, you will be so covered. This is not just for Julie; this is for anyone who doubts. Call in your prayer request, write them on the Prayer Wall. Write them on the DAB Friends Groups, there are people, that’s what we want to do. We are brothers and sisters in Christ and we want to pray for you. Like Brian said today, sometimes, you just have to stop praying about yourself and your needs and your dramas and start praying for others. It really does help. It has helped my depression immensely. There is truth in praying for other brothers and sisters. Love you family and I’ll continue to pray for each and every one of you.
Hi, I’m Cindy from California. And I have previously called before. I have RSD, it’s a nerve damage condition, it’s chronic pain and it’s getting worse. I went to my doctor yesterday and he said it’s spreading on my legs and my arms. I just want all of you to please pray. I just feel that the only one who can heal, right now it’s God. And I’m so blessed to have this family, my DAB family, Brian, you’re amazing. I want God to please listen to all of us. This pain is unbearable, it feels like needles, it’s burning all over my body. I have two angels in my life. My son, Christian and my angel Cathy. I just, please pray for this pain to go away. It’s getting so bad. I just hide in the bathroom; I pray for all of you. For us to, God to heal us. He is our Savior, He is our doctor, the doctor said it’s spreading I know He’ll stop the spreading. I love you all. Thank you, Brian. You’re a blessing to all of us. God Bless all of you.
Good morning DAB family thank you so much for your prayers, this is Praying Mama from SoCal. And I just wanted to thank you for your prayers over my daughter. And the thoughts and the things that she wrote in her journal. There was so many things that we were able to talk about. It was exposed and I think just exposing it was a big deal because it kind of lessens the just that darkness that can come over someone. She’s is coming out and having some hope for the future. And I know it’s because of your prayers and your love. I appreciate it so much. And for all those that are going through so much with their kids and their thoughts and just being delivered from just that darkness. Deja, thank you so much for your prayers and all of those DABers that prayed. She’s on a journey now in her 3rd year of college and she is going forward which is awesome and with hope I’m praying over those that she meets this year, those that she surrounds herself with. I moved her into her college dorm and met some praying mamas around her too and some other girls that are reaching out. So, thank you so much for your prayers and just knowing that my heart was just overwhelmed with thankfulness that I know that I can call this beautiful family. God bless all of you. Praying for you as well. And very thankful, thank you Brian and Jill again for this amazing campfire and this Global Campfire and family. God Bless you.
Hello, this is Carmen from Canada. I called back in the beginning of June after my son had passed away suddenly, my 22-year-old and I continue to struggle with…with his death. I’m finding it very difficult, as a Christian and having other Christians I know, well close family member in particular, and sort of the attitude that I should be getting better by now or okay because I need to just accept that he’s in a better place and that I’ll see him again and all of those things. And while I do believe those things, it’s still very hard for my…for my child to be gone and to know that, you know, that seeing him again in another place, it’s a very foreign concept that I have no true experience with even if in faith I believe it. I’m also young enough that it’s gonna be a long time, assuming I live to an old lady, before I get to see my child again, so, there’s that as well. And the way in which he died was also very sad and tragic and no family should have to go through that, so I guess I’m just asking for prayer for myself and I’ve heard others calling in speaking of death in their family, just for peace and for an understanding of sort of how…how to deal with that and how to have those feelings of hope and grief at the same time and how to just navigate that. I covet your prayers, thank you.
Hi DAB family, it’s Tom here calling from the UK and I’m just calling with a praise report because I called last week with an eye condition called recurrent corneal abrasions and it was really affecting me with lots of pain and really affecting my vision, so I called in to ask for prayer and I also had my godson’s baptism to attend and at that point, when I called and I was contemplating getting a flight back to England because my eye was so bad and by an absolute miracle, it was healed. I did end up going to the emergency department because I needed to see a doctor about it but I know that in the waiting room of the emergency department, my eye healed and it had gone from being red, swollen, and streaming to absolutely normal and even the triage nurse had to ask me which eye I had the complaint in, whether it was the left or the right because it had completely healed so well. So, I was able to attend my godson’s baptism and I’m just thanking Jesus for his healing. And also, to Dr. John, I’m praying for your vision as well. I can tell you first hand, that Jesus heals and I’m believing and I’m praying that Jesus will heal your vision and you will no longer have any problems with your eyesight. Thank you everyone. God bless.
Hi, this is Alta Lee Maxwell, Abiding in Jesus calling on the 20th of August. Really lifting up this precious child, that asked for her grandmother to be healed. That is so sweet and you know that’s how I got interested in spiritual things, I was going to a cultic church but I asked my Sunday school teacher to pray for my granddad and he got better. You know, God is so faithful. Then this young man mentioned his grandmother how she was so ill that she had done so many amazing things to raise money for pastors and hospitals and wow. Oh, Father just lay your hand on this precious mother and give peace and victory. And for the lady who is so anxious. She said she should go back home. Oh Lord, just hug her for me Lord. Just hug her, give her a big bear hug from you Lord. Take all the anxiety away and just hold her and just give her, give her your amazing love Lord. In the Father, Son, Holy Spirit. And there will be a lot of people praying for you lady, not just me. Lots of people listen to this, more than you could ask or think. So, expect God to hold you and you to feel it. In the might name of Jesus, Amen. Think. So, expect God to hold you your sealant the mighty name of Jesus. Amen