10/16/2021 DAB Transcript

Jeremiah 28:1-29:32, I Timothy 1:1-20, Psalm 86:1-17, Proverbs 25:17

Today is the 16th day of October, welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I am Brian. It is wonderful to be here with you today as we do what we do every day take another step forward in the Scriptures on the journey that we are on this year through the entire Bible, through an entire year. So, let’s pick up where we left off. We’re in the book of Jeremiah, we’ve been reading from the New Living Translation this week, which is what we’ll do today, Jeremiah chapter 28 and 29.

Introduction to I Timothy:

Okay, so we certainly have some stuff to talk about there but we’re moving into our New Testament portion of our reading today. Which brings us to some brand-new territory. Another letter, another Pauline letter, this one is known as first Timothy, this is a part of a collection of letters in the New Testament, known as the Pastoral letters or the Pastoral epistles, which is a letter and these…these pastoral the pastoral letters first and second Timothy and Titus, these are different kinds of letters because they’re not letters specifically written to a congregation, to a church in a region or a city, with the specific intention that it would be read aloud to the congregation like…like the pastor or priest or president, they called the pastors in some churches back then, they would stand in front of the congregation and read the letter as if Paul were doing the speaking, as if he were there in spirit. We even see him in spirit and some of the letters, that was the idea that these are the words from Paul there being read by another voice, but in spirit. This is what Paul has to say. These Pastoral epistles are little bit different in that their personal letters. Now, the very fact that we still have them would give us an indication that they were read and passed around the churches, but they were intended to be to two people, Timothy and Titus. And it’s also worth noting that these, among biblical scholars, are some of these letters, these pastoral epistles are debated about whether Paul wrote them himself, or whether they were written in his name, not to deceive people, but to carry on the tradition, and some of that comes from other things that we’ve talked about before, it…it seems to some biblical scholars that some of the development in the church governance policies outlined here, may have been formed later than in Paul’s life and so there’s a question about whether these letters continue on the tradition of Paul but maybe weren’t actually written by Paul. Of course, nobody knows that, we don’t have any of the originals. So, there are plenty of scholars and plenty of believers who were just hold to the tradition that these are letters from Paul, written to two of his sons in the faith who had become pastors themselves to help them in the role of a pastor or priest, a leader of the congregation, but to also give them authority, like the authority of a letter from the apostle Paul, that’s going to carry some weight in the credibility for Timothy and Titus. So, we’ll get to Titus soon enough, but we have these letters to Timothy first and so just understanding who Timothy is. I guess, for starters, we have to understand that we’ve already heard this name before, we’ve already seen Paul sending Timothy to other churches in other letters. And via the evidence that we have in the Bible. Timothy really was a son in the faith and really did grow up in the shadow of the apostle Paul’s ministry and gospel. We first met Timothy in the book of Acts, the book of Acts tells us that his mother’s name was Eunice and that he had a grandmother and her name was Lois and they were early believers in the city of Lystra which is modern-day Turkey now. Paul introduced the faith in Lystra which we read about the book of Acts, but Timothy and family were part of the hearers who became disciples of Paul and believers in Jesus. And so, Paul mentored Timothy, raised him up as a spiritual father and calls him as much. And then Timothy traveled a lot with Paul, like we were just saying a second ago, we’ve seen Timothy’s name before, we see Timothy mentioned in six of Paul’s other letters and it seems like Timothy’s kind of the first go-to person to send people in, to send somebody in when he himself, Paul, can’t travel and so we see him serving the churches. So, from reading this letter, we understand that Paul is actually coming to the end of his ministry and he’s nearing actually the end of his life. Timothy’s now pastor of the church in Ephesus, and so first Timothy was written from father to son right, spiritual father to son to give guidance and counsel and it’s full of love. It’s a personal letter and so let’s dive in I Timothy chapter 1.

Commentary:

Okay, so I know we already talked about I Timothy and kinda moving into that territory and so not to like have so much talking today but there’s, it’s just hard to pass by this particular passage in Jeremiah because it’s one of the most famous passages in the Scriptures, and is probably one of the most memorized and quoted verses in all of the Bible throughout the world and it’s one of the places since it’s such a popular verse that we all know it. It’s one of the places that we really get an up close and personal look at why context is important as we move our way through the Bible. So, like altogether, let’s quote Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” And that is very good news, those are good words, they’re comforting and so super easy to understand why we would say them to ourselves or why we would say them to a friend who is discouraged or why they would be preached from a pulpit. It’s a verse in the Bible, it’s important, but it brings an enormous amount of comfort and encouragement. But out of its context, it’s a very promising verse but it’s an even bigger deal than maybe we ever realize when we’re just passing it around as words of encouragement. So, we…we have to understand that Jerusalem has been conquered but the Babylonians have defeated and conquered Jerusalem. They have been in the process of deporting people to the different territories in Babylon. The Hebrews have essentially watched their homeland and the lives that they knew deteriorate and vanish before their very eyes. Some families have been broken apart and sent to different regions, people have died and are no longer a part of the story. Family members are gone and nobody knows where they’ve gone and so will they ever be found; will they ever be seen again. And those people who have been displaced from their families have to find a whole new life. Things are pretty upside down. Jeremiah is in Jerusalem. He’s witnessing the deportation, he’s witnessing the tumult right, the disruption of it all. Meanwhile, there are people in exile in Babylon who are trying to find some kind of new normal and there are prophets in Babylon who are telling everybody just endure, this is going to be over within a couple of years and we’ll all be going home. Which is a super, super-duper encouraging prophecy that happened to be a false prophecy not from God at all. So, Jeremiah is in Jerusalem, and he writes a letter to the exiles in Babylon and it’s in that letter that the famous verse, Jeremiah 29:11 happens. It’s a sentence in a letter. It’s not a stand-alone thought, it can be a standalone thought, but it’s out of context with…with the letter that it is included in. And so, let’s go back to the letter because that will give us context for the verse. In the letter, Jeremiah, and he’s speaking to people who have been deported from their homeland right, we…that’s context. The people receiving this letter have been deported from their homeland and are trying, in whatever way to figure out what the new normal, and what life can be, while they grieve and lament and long and yearn to go home where they lived, where they were raised, where they were raising their families. Jeremiah says and I quote, “build homes and plan to stay, plant gardens and eat the food they produce, marry and have children, then find spouses for them so that you may have many grandchildren. Multiply, do not dwindle away and work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, for its welfare will determine your welfare.” Right, so if you receive this letter, then it doesn’t sound like this is going to be over in a couple of years, like the prophets were saying. In fact, quoting from the letter, “This is what the Lord says, you will be in Babylon for 70 years. But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you home again, for I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Okay in context, it’s a different story and it flies in the face of what the exiled prophets are saying about this being over quick. What the Lord was saying is you’re going to be there for a generation right, you’re going to be there for a while. So, if you’re trying to hunker down thinking this is gonna be over in two years and you’re just gonna do whatever it takes to survive, that would be a mistake. You need to plant roots. And this is a hard message for these people. This is not the message they want to receive, in fact they are trying to do everything they can to reject it and to reject Jeremiah for giving it, but in fact it is exactly what did happen. So, what the real message in this letter and the real message in context around this verse is a little different than the way that we quote it because we quote it to be comforting as if this is going to be like the prophets in exile. This is going to be a quick fix. When what God was saying is, I have sent you somewhere for a reason, you were warned for decades. You’re going to be there for a while. It’s not going to be a quick fix. It wasn’t a quick thing that got you into the mess that would allow the Babylonians to destroy you. It’s going to take a minute, it’s gonna take a generation, so you need to settle down and you need to settle in and you need to multiply. You need to try to thrive. You need to expand and not disintegrate. You need to plan on getting married and then you need to plan on finding spouses for the children that you have, this going to take a minute and you need to thrive. You need to grow, you need to increase and not decrease and so you’re gonna have to get on board with the program, you’re going to have to pray for the city that you’re in because that cities welfare is very, very much going to be tied to your own welfare. You’re gonna have to get with the program and you have permission to do well. You have permission to excel, you have permission to thrive. You may not want to be where you are. It’s going to take some time but you have permission to do well where you are while you’re waiting for the plans that I have for you to come to fruition. That is different and perhaps even more deeply comforting to our souls for those of us who are enduring and waiting for change that doesn’t seem like it will ever come. We can rest in the fact that it will because there are plans, but we can also have permission to do well right now, we can thrive as best as we can, right here right now where we are, while we’re waiting. And so, that gives us a little bit of a picture of context and why it’s often really, really important surrounding very, very quoted passages of Scripture because the message is even deeper than we thought and the hope is even greater. Certainly, we all want a quick fix. Who doesn’t want the quick fix? We all, just, what if we could just snap our fingers and make all of the things that we want to be moved out of our lives, out of our lives and just insert all of the good things. We’d do it, we want, but life doesn’t work that way and we know it. Everything moves in seasons. Everything takes time to develop. It’s a gift, actually, because we always have the chance to look at where were going and decide to repent to change our minds, to move in another direction before we hit the brick wall. And if anything, Jeremiah shows us this. There was plenty of time to change course, they didn’t change course, they were conquered and taken into exile. God has not forgotten or abandoned them, but they’re going to have to live out what they made for themselves, but rather than just feeling defeated and completely destroyed, they have been given permission to do well and so have we.

Prayer:

And so, Father, we invite You into that, those of us who are waiting. Lots of us are waiting for something to change, something in us, something in somebody we love, something in a situation that we have to deal with constantly, whether in community or at work. There’s always opportunity for us to endure, which is, much as we hate it, a good thing. But as we cry out to you and wait, we grow weary in our well doing and You’re giving us permission to strengthen ourselves, to smile again. Maybe we’re not right where we want to be and things aren’t how we would like them to be but this is a process and we are given permission to smile in it, to thrive in it, to follow you through it because you have plans. And so, come Holy Spirit and help us to do just that. We begin by relaxing not on a couch. We just, in our spirit, exhale all of the anxiety and stress that we’re just carrying around, looking for something to change. We can exhale and open our hands to You. Understanding that we’re following you, not the other way around. We’ve been impatient with You because You’re not moving quick enough, as if You’re following us. Instead, we open our hands and smile again in our souls, knowing that You have plans, it’s gonna be fine. We just have to keep putting one foot in front of the other. And we have permission to do well at it. Holy Spirit come into this we pray because we need it so bad. We need this to sink in so badly. So, help us we pray in the name of Jesus. 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.

Prayer and Encouragements:

Good morning, it’s the morning of October 12th. This is Lawrence from California. I want to leave this message for Kathy from Kentucky. Kathy, you called in on October 8th and I’m praying for you. Your message was so straightforward, so open, so honest, it went right to my heart. So, I’m asking the Lord that you get that job, that your money worries will be eased, that you’ll be able to get out of the house and not be lonely at times. And I hope very much that the Lord gives you the comfort of knowing that he lives in your house with you. And also, for myself, I want to wish you all the best, this is Lawrence from California, thank you everybody.

Good morning DAB family, God Bless you all. It’s been such a long time since I’ve called in. It’s just been a really rough few weeks for me. And, you know, it’s just been really rough. And, the weariness of my soul, but I’m hanging in there, hanging in there, I’m still listening. And I’m just trusting in God. You know, certain things still has not changed but God has given me the strength to just, just stay close to Him, clinging to Him and trusting in Him. And so, with that being said I’m calling in for Trent from Rockville, yes, you know, I thank God that the Lord put this person in your path, you know, as you were working in construction supervisor years ago. And how you asked him, what do you have to lose by going to church with your wife, praise You Jesus. Amen. You know, and now you believe he is still going to church today as a result of him going then. Thank You Lord, thank You. Victorious Soldier, I’m so sorry for your loss of your brother and know that you are being prayed for and the rest of my family. You know, life hits us and sometimes it knocks us down and the problem is not that we get knocked down, the problem is when we don’t get back up. So, I got knocked down really, really bad and my children are you know, separated from each other and from me. God, I am trusting God and as much as that has hurt me I am trusting in Him. And I want to ask everyone of us to trust in Him in our darkest moments because He’s there, He doesn’t leave us. I love you, Esther.

Hi, DAB family. This is Aussie Bear from Australia. I discovered this app two weeks ago today. And, it has been a life-changing. I love it, I tune in every day. Because I’m in Australia, we’re a day ahead so, I listen to Brian’s talk in the morning the day after he uploads it. And I listen to Jill and the Chronological Bible on the evening of the day it’s uploaded. So, that’s become my routine. And so, like it’s currently October 13th and it’s just after 6am. And, I’ve just finished listening to yesterday’s podcast and I just am blown away, I’m blown away by the reading each day. And I’m blown away by Brian and Jill’s messages that follow each reading. And then I’m blown away by the prayer. We all know that there is such power in prayer and it just hugs my heart to hear the love that comes out through all these voices around the world. And, already just after two weeks I feel apart of it. And I’m running out of time but quickly I just wanted to say I love, at the end of Brian’s messages each day, the I love you. I don’t hear I love you very often so that means everything. Cya.

Hi, everyone it’s Kristy from Kentucky. I wanted to call and let our sister Victorious Solider know how much that we love you and we are asking the Lord to wrap His arms around you and to comfort you in a way that only He can do. You are such a woman of excellence, such an example, we love you so much sister. Thank you for your prayers, thank you for your faith, thank you for the strength that you show in Christ, it blesses each of us. Also, I wanted to let Byron know that I’m praying. Byron for your wife. There’s so many of you, just want you to know that I’m praying for you as I listen along. I’m praying with every request I hear. And also, I wanted to ask if you would please pray for our precious Annette from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. I was so privileged to get a voice chat with her today and she scared. And Father, please, Father please, just touch and heal our Annette. Lord, Your beautiful daughter. Father, we just ask in Your precious name, heal her we pray in Your name. We love You, we love You Lord. Alright everyone, I just wanted to call because my heart was just saddened when I saw her. You know, it’s just hard and she’s just very sad. Please pray for that joy to be quickly infused back into our friend, along with God’s healing. I love you guys; I pray each of you are having a most blessed and lovely day today.

Hi guys, hey family, this is Janice calling from Phoenix area, Arizona. And I just wanted to say that I listen every day, I write you down in my book and I pray, pray, pray for you. Now, I’m asking you if you would help me pray for my best friend, I call her Smitty. We’ve known each other for 50 years and I brought her to the Lord. Smitty’s son Michael is in the grip of drugs. Michael has a family. Michael is trying to get cleaned. Michael is angry and he’s running from the Lord but, let’s just pray that God’s hand from heaven will follow him and eventually soften the man’s heart. So, Smitty and Michael are in California. Thank you all so very much. I love you so much, I can’t even stand it. If you don’t have it, The God of Your Story, that book is so fun to keep on track.

I’m calling with a prayer of encouragement. I just want to say, to whoever needs it, just stay strong in the Lord. And rejoice in your suffering and find that joy. The Lord is there with you and He will lift you up. Surrender yourself to the will of God. The only way that you can save your life is by losing it. So, whatever you’re going through, just fall into the Lord. Now, is the time to lean in. Now, is the time to acknowledge that you do not have the answers, that you cannot mark your steps but just give it up to God and let Him help you and let Him work for you. He wants to help you but He wants to be invited in. So, please, whoever needs to hear this, if anyone needs to hear this, I just would, you know, pray over you, the courage to find joy in your suffering and to lean into the Lord, that you would let the Lord your God, help you. I call upon Jesus and I pray in His name. Amen.

The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Saturday October 16, 2021 (NIV)

Jeremiah 28-29

Jeremiah Condemns Hananiah

28 One day in late summer[a] of that same year—the fourth year of the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah—Hananiah son of Azzur, a prophet from Gibeon, addressed me publicly in the Temple while all the priests and people listened. He said, “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘I will remove the yoke of the king of Babylon from your necks. Within two years I will bring back all the Temple treasures that King Nebuchadnezzar carried off to Babylon. And I will bring back Jehoiachin[b] son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and all the other captives that were taken to Babylon. I will surely break the yoke that the king of Babylon has put on your necks. I, the Lord, have spoken!’”

Jeremiah responded to Hananiah as they stood in front of all the priests and people at the Temple. He said, “Amen! May your prophecies come true! I hope the Lord does everything you say. I hope he does bring back from Babylon the treasures of this Temple and all the captives. But listen now to the solemn words I speak to you in the presence of all these people. The ancient prophets who preceded you and me spoke against many nations, always warning of war, disaster, and disease. So a prophet who predicts peace must show he is right. Only when his predictions come true can we know that he is really from the Lord.”

10 Then Hananiah the prophet took the yoke off Jeremiah’s neck and broke it in pieces. 11 And Hananiah said again to the crowd that had gathered, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Just as this yoke has been broken, within two years I will break the yoke of oppression from all the nations now subject to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon.’” With that, Jeremiah left the Temple area.

12 Soon after this confrontation with Hananiah, the Lord gave this message to Jeremiah: 13 “Go and tell Hananiah, ‘This is what the Lord says: You have broken a wooden yoke, but you have replaced it with a yoke of iron. 14 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: I have put a yoke of iron on the necks of all these nations, forcing them into slavery under King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. I have put everything, even the wild animals, under his control.’”

15 Then Jeremiah the prophet said to Hananiah, “Listen, Hananiah! The Lord has not sent you, but the people believe your lies. 16 Therefore, this is what the Lord says: ‘You must die. Your life will end this very year because you have rebelled against the Lord.’”

17 Two months later[c] the prophet Hananiah died.

A Letter to the Exiles

29 Jeremiah wrote a letter from Jerusalem to the elders, priests, prophets, and all the people who had been exiled to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar. This was after King Jehoiachin,[d] the queen mother, the court officials, the other officials of Judah, and all the craftsmen and artisans had been deported from Jerusalem. He sent the letter with Elasah son of Shaphan and Gemariah son of Hilkiah when they went to Babylon as King Zedekiah’s ambassadors to Nebuchadnezzar. This is what Jeremiah’s letter said:

This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says to all the captives he has exiled to Babylon from Jerusalem: “Build homes, and plan to stay. Plant gardens, and eat the food they produce. Marry and have children. Then find spouses for them so that you may have many grandchildren. Multiply! Do not dwindle away! And work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, for its welfare will determine your welfare.”

This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: “Do not let your prophets and fortune-tellers who are with you in the land of Babylon trick you. Do not listen to their dreams, because they are telling you lies in my name. I have not sent them,” says the Lord.

10 This is what the Lord says: “You will be in Babylon for seventy years. But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you home again. 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. 12 In those days when you pray, I will listen. 13 If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. 14 I will be found by you,” says the Lord. “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.”

15 You claim that the Lord has raised up prophets for you in Babylon. 16 But this is what the Lord says about the king who sits on David’s throne and all those still living here in Jerusalem—your relatives who were not exiled to Babylon. 17 This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: “I will send war, famine, and disease upon them and make them like bad figs, too rotten to eat. 18 Yes, I will pursue them with war, famine, and disease, and I will scatter them around the world. In every nation where I send them, I will make them an object of damnation, horror, contempt, and mockery. 19 For they refuse to listen to me, though I have spoken to them repeatedly through the prophets I sent. And you who are in exile have not listened either,” says the Lord.

20 Therefore, listen to this message from the Lord, all you captives there in Babylon. 21 This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says about your prophets—Ahab son of Kolaiah and Zedekiah son of Maaseiah—who are telling you lies in my name: “I will turn them over to Nebuchadnezzar[e] for execution before your eyes. 22 Their terrible fate will become proverbial, so that the Judean exiles will curse someone by saying, ‘May the Lord make you like Zedekiah and Ahab, whom the king of Babylon burned alive!’ 23 For these men have done terrible things among my people. They have committed adultery with their neighbors’ wives and have lied in my name, saying things I did not command. I am a witness to this. I, the Lord, have spoken.”

A Message for Shemaiah

24 The Lord sent this message to Shemaiah the Nehelamite in Babylon: 25 “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: You wrote a letter on your own authority to Zephaniah son of Maaseiah, the priest, and you sent copies to the other priests and people in Jerusalem. You wrote to Zephaniah,

26 “The Lord has appointed you to replace Jehoiada as the priest in charge of the house of the Lord. You are responsible to put into stocks and neck irons any crazy man who claims to be a prophet. 27 So why have you done nothing to stop Jeremiah from Anathoth, who pretends to be a prophet among you? 28 Jeremiah sent a letter here to Babylon, predicting that our captivity will be a long one. He said, ‘Build homes, and plan to stay. Plant gardens, and eat the food they produce.’”

29 But when Zephaniah the priest received Shemaiah’s letter, he took it to Jeremiah and read it to him. 30 Then the Lord gave this message to Jeremiah: 31 “Send an open letter to all the exiles in Babylon. Tell them, ‘This is what the Lord says concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite: Since he has prophesied to you when I did not send him and has tricked you into believing his lies, 32 I will punish him and his family. None of his descendants will see the good things I will do for my people, for he has incited you to rebel against me. I, the Lord, have spoken!’”

Footnotes:

  1. 28:1 Hebrew In the fifth month, of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar. The fifth month in the fourth year of Zedekiah’s reign occurred within the months of August and September 593 B.c. Also see note on 1:3.
  2. 28:4 Hebrew Jeconiah, a variant spelling of Jehoiachin.
  3. 28:17 Hebrew In the seventh month of that same year. See 28:1 and the note there.
  4. 29:2 Hebrew Jeconiah, a variant spelling of Jehoiachin.
  5. 29:21 Hebrew Nebuchadrezzar, a variant spelling of Nebuchadnezzar.
New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.


1 Timothy 1

Greetings from Paul

This letter is from Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus, appointed by the command of God our Savior and Christ Jesus, who gives us hope.

I am writing to Timothy, my true son in the faith.

May God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord give you grace, mercy, and peace.

Warnings against False Teachings

When I left for Macedonia, I urged you to stay there in Ephesus and stop those whose teaching is contrary to the truth. Don’t let them waste their time in endless discussion of myths and spiritual pedigrees. These things only lead to meaningless speculations,[a] which don’t help people live a life of faith in God.[b]

The purpose of my instruction is that all believers would be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and genuine faith. But some people have missed this whole point. They have turned away from these things and spend their time in meaningless discussions. They want to be known as teachers of the law of Moses, but they don’t know what they are talking about, even though they speak so confidently.

We know that the law is good when used correctly. For the law was not intended for people who do what is right. It is for people who are lawless and rebellious, who are ungodly and sinful, who consider nothing sacred and defile what is holy, who kill their father or mother or commit other murders. 10 The law is for people who are sexually immoral, or who practice homosexuality, or are slave traders,[c] liars, promise breakers, or who do anything else that contradicts the wholesome teaching 11 that comes from the glorious Good News entrusted to me by our blessed God.

Paul’s Gratitude for God’s Mercy

12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength to do his work. He considered me trustworthy and appointed me to serve him, 13 even though I used to blaspheme the name of Christ. In my insolence, I persecuted his people. But God had mercy on me because I did it in ignorance and unbelief. 14 Oh, how generous and gracious our Lord was! He filled me with the faith and love that come from Christ Jesus.

15 This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all. 16 But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life. 17 All honor and glory to God forever and ever! He is the eternal King, the unseen one who never dies; he alone is God. Amen.

Timothy’s Responsibility

18 Timothy, my son, here are my instructions for you, based on the prophetic words spoken about you earlier. May they help you fight well in the Lord’s battles. 19 Cling to your faith in Christ, and keep your conscience clear. For some people have deliberately violated their consciences; as a result, their faith has been shipwrecked. 20 Hymenaeus and Alexander are two examples. I threw them out and handed them over to Satan so they might learn not to blaspheme God.

Footnotes:

  1. 1:4a Greek in myths and endless genealogies, which cause speculation.
  2. 1:4b Greek a stewardship of God in faith.
  3. 1:10 Or kidnappers.
New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.


Psalm 86

Psalm 86

A prayer of David.

Bend down, O Lord, and hear my prayer;
answer me, for I need your help.
Protect me, for I am devoted to you.
Save me, for I serve you and trust you.
You are my God.
Be merciful to me, O Lord,
for I am calling on you constantly.
Give me happiness, O Lord,
for I give myself to you.
O Lord, you are so good, so ready to forgive,
so full of unfailing love for all who ask for your help.
Listen closely to my prayer, O Lord;
hear my urgent cry.
I will call to you whenever I’m in trouble,
and you will answer me.

No pagan god is like you, O Lord.
None can do what you do!
All the nations you made
will come and bow before you, Lord;
they will praise your holy name.
10 For you are great and perform wonderful deeds.
You alone are God.

11 Teach me your ways, O Lord,
that I may live according to your truth!
Grant me purity of heart,
so that I may honor you.
12 With all my heart I will praise you, O Lord my God.
I will give glory to your name forever,
13 for your love for me is very great.
You have rescued me from the depths of death.[a]

14 O God, insolent people rise up against me;
a violent gang is trying to kill me.
You mean nothing to them.
15 But you, O Lord,
are a God of compassion and mercy,
slow to get angry
and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.
16 Look down and have mercy on me.
Give your strength to your servant;
save me, the son of your servant.
17 Send me a sign of your favor.
Then those who hate me will be put to shame,
for you, O Lord, help and comfort me.

Footnotes:

  1. 86:13 Hebrew of Sheol.
New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.


Proverbs 25:17

17 Don’t visit your neighbors too often,
or you will wear out your welcome.

New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.


10/15/2021 DAB Transcript

Jeremiah 26:1-27:22, 2 Thessalonians 3:1-18, Psalms 85:1-13, Proverbs 25:16

Today is October 15th welcome to the Daily Audio Bible I am Brian it is wonderful to be here with you today. I guess pretty close to the center, right? Center of another of our months together as we continue our journey through the Scriptures this year. And we’ll pick up where we left off. That’s what we do every day. We’re in the book of Jeremiah and we’re reading from the New Living Translation this week. Jeremiah, chapters 26 and 27 today.

Commentary:

Okay, so we are continuing to journey through the book of Jeremiah, who is a biblical prophet prophesying from Jerusalem during the takeover of the Babylonian empire and the exile of the people to Babylon. Like tomorrow…in tomorrow’s reading we’re going to finally reach the famous…the…one of the most famous verses in the Bible, Jeremiah 29:11, right? “I know the plans that I have for you.” So, I’m just saying, have you been watching this whole story of Jeremiah? Are we watching this story even in today’s reading that leads up to that? Have we been hearing Jeremiah offer warning after warning pleading with the people to repent, to change their mind, to go in a different direction to return to God? So, for starters, they could have done that, right? And then they didn’t have to be in exile. They could have done what the Lord invited them to do, repent, return, come home, come back, remember how you got here in the first place, but they didn’t. And, so, in today’s reading, if…if we get the picture of what’s happening here, we’ll see just how hard it would’ve been for Jeremiah to do and it would also make sense why a mob formed with the intention to kill him. Jeremiah has been prophesying repentance for decades, a couple of decades now and they…I mean he began when things were peaceful and prosperous and now there’s a war but he’s…same message. And it seems like nobody’s listening. And, so, God tells Jeremiah to go to the temple. So, the holiest place within the holiest city. He’s to go there and say, and I’m quoting…I’m quoting from Jeremiah, “if you will not listen to me and obey my word I have given you, and if you will not listen to my servants the prophets, for I sent them again and again to warn you, but you would not listen to them then I will destroy this temple as I destroyed Shiloh the place with the tabernacle was located and I will make Jerusalem an object of cursing in every nation on earth.” You have to imagine a prophet…it’s like how do we modernize the context here? This is a prophet going to the most important place in a nation, so a nation’s capital, an important place to give a prophecy that…a prophecy to surrender, a prophecy that foretells the destruction of this important building or place. In this case we’re talking about the temple of God in the holy city of Jerusalem. So, in terms of biblical importance, there’s no more important place in the Bible and this in terms of a structure, a building. Jeremiah foretells that one possible outcome is going to be the destruction of the temple. Did…did Jesus not the same thing? Did He not get in the same trouble? Because you don’t speak against the Lord’s temple. That had been determined to be blasphemy or blasphemous. Ironically, Jeremiah prophesied…prophesied the destruction of the Temple and the temple was destroyed. Jesus talked about the destruction of the temple which happened to be the second Temple. It was rebuilt later, and it was also again destroyed. And, so, in Jerusalem there is no temple, there’s just a platform where it used to be, at least at this point and it is a highly contentious piece of real estate. Now we could be like, “what an awful thing the Lord asked Jeremiah to do. He’s set up to fail. How you go into the holy city into the holy site and…and talk about destruction without somebody getting’ mad?” So, it’s like God asked Jeremiah to do something that’s going to get him killed. Why, what’s the point? Well, we find the point right before God tells Jeremiah what to say, which is what we…we just read about the destruction of the temple. The verse before that God tells Jeremiah this. “Perhaps they will listen and turn from their evil ways, then I will change my mind about the disaster I am ready to pour out on them because of their sins.” So, in effect Jeremiah going into the holiest site in the holiest city and talking about its destruction was to tell the people about the outcome that was going to happen if they continue on the paths that they are walking, but there’s an alternative outcome. And if they would repent then He would change His mind about what’s gonna happen. In the end as we read, a mob formed with the intention of killing Jeremiah and there was a debate and in the end Jeremiah was spared and then he was invited to put a yoke on his neck and fasten it, sort of bind himself and go over to where a summit was happening in Jerusalem with King Zedekiah, the king of…of Judah in Jerusalem. But there were ambassadors from other countries there in Jerusalem from Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre, and Sidon. And Jeremiah was to speak in…in complete contradiction to what the other prophets were saying and he was to prophesy to all of them to surrender to Babylon instead of insisting on dying and to tell them that the other prophets were liars. So, yeah…Jeremiah had to step into a bunch of controversial stuff that is…who wants to do what he was asked to do? But he was the lone voice. He was the voice speaking for God offering a way out of destruction. And as it turns out nobody listened. And, so, exile did come. And we will continue that story tomorrow and encounter this famous passage, Jeremiah 29:11 in its context.

Prayer:

Father, we thank You for Your word. Each and every day there are new things for us to explore and mine and plant and cultivate and water and nurture. There’s no shortage of wisdom available to us that applies directly to the motives of our own hearts and our own thoughts and our own words. And, so, we are grateful. We are also grateful for these stories, these examples that show us what it actually looks like to live a life of faith. We can look at Jeremiah and when we begin to understand the context of the things that he’s facing and the kinds of stuff that he has do, we can understand, “okay, this person has to be willing to die. This person is completely sold out to this message whether he likes the job or not. He is obedient.” And, so, often when contrast that to our own lives we’re just looking for the easiest path to anything. And, so, Holy Spirit come. Help us to rewire the way we think things should go, that we might walk with You understanding that in any circumstance we can still walk in freedom, freedom that cannot be taken from us, identity that cannot be taken from us. Even if we are to be killed it can’t be taken from us. And that is our intimacy and relationship and trust in You. And, so, we want to hear these words. When people are invited to repent and change their mind in…in response to repentance You will also change the trajectory? Like, that we can collaborate and create a different outcome, that that is even possible and that that’s outlined over and over in the Scriptures, thank You for that because it’s time to make some changes. Holy Spirit lead us into the awareness of what needs to change and the confidence and self-control and ability to make the change as we surrender to You, and repent. We pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen.

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

Community Prayer and Praise:

Hello everyone in the Daily Audio Bible it’s been quite a few months since I called in last. My family and my husband and two small children and I moved across the country several months ago and it was in hopes of bettering our situation. And since we’ve gotten here things have just been extremely hard and our situation has gotten worse and worse. And it’s been really hard for me to find the motivation I guess to call in and I’m about 3 months or so behind on the readings and trying to catch up has been hard. My faith is really really struggling. I feel like my whole life I’ve just been kind of surviving through each hard season just waiting for things to get better even since my childhood. I just thought like hey if I could grow up then I…then I can make a better life. And I grew up and life just kept getting harder or it changed but stayed hard. And all the sacrifices we made to move across the country don’t even feel worth it anymore because things didn’t get better over here. And they’ve been getting worse and I’m just so exhausted. I’m just so exhausted of trying to survive through each season and I’ve been asking God for help for so long and it just doesn’t feel like He’s there. It doesn’t feel like He wants to help me. And I’m really struggling to hold on to my faith anymore and I’m honestly really struggling to find the point in my life anymore. And I just feel really defeated in every aspect like everything is against me and it’s really hard. So, I guess if you could pray for me and hope that I could see the course…

Good morning Daily Audio Bible community, To be a Blessing in California wanting to lift up Victoria Soldier. So, sorry for your loss. For Jesse and the challenges, you’re facing with your ADHD. As well As for Kathy from Kentucky. And the woman who called who’s at the last step of leaving her husband or resolving issues I should say around the domestic abuse and needing to find a place. I’m praying for you all. Praying for others as well. Just wanting you to know God is our refuge, He is our strong tower, that the righteous go in and they are protected. He keeps us He comforts us He upholds us. He blesses us, He looks upon us with tender love and He brings people into our lives. So, dear God I pray for everyone who is a part of this community. I pray especially for the ones that I mentioned and others who are in like circumstances. Dear God, will you please by Your Spirit draw into their lives, help them in making decisions, help them in being strong and receiving Your faith. And dear God that you would give them the hope and the courage and the strength that they need to move forward in all the activities you have before them. Love you much, folks. God bless you richly. To be a Blessing in California.

Hi, giving all praise glory and honor to my Lord and savior Jesus Christ who is the head of my life. This is Walking in the Wilderness in Georgia; Laura and I’m calling…I’m calling in to request prayer. I have a heavy heart this morning because my oldest who’s 34 who will shortly be 35 in a couple days is just so lost. And the only thing that gives me comfort is knowing that he has given his life to Christ many many years ago, raised in the church. He knows the Lord, but drugs and whatever chemical hormone imbalance in his brain is allowing him to walk a path that’s just not…that’s just not…it’s just conducive. And I have a granddaughter who’s 5, she just recently lost her mother at the age of 26. And my son, I thought this would be his bottom to get up and get his life right so that he can be the father to my granddaughter that he should be, that God has called him to be. And he’s just lost. He’s in and out of jail. He’s lost all of his friends because he’s burned bridges by stealing from them to, I guess continue his habits or whatever. And, so, I’m just asking for prayer for Christopher Nettles. I wasn’t going to say his name out loud, but you know what, I have to boldly…I have to boldly give him over to the Lord and I know that there is power in numbers. I’ve been lifting your children up and I pray that you lift my child up. Thank you, my DAB family. God bless. Peace.

Hello DAB family this is Sunset Cindy I’m calling October 10th and I wanted to give a praise report. Yesterday October 9th my prayer for my brother dairy Gary David aired. He’s homeless, drug addicted, we didn’t know where he was. Well, he called me this morning a day after you all prayed for him. Of course Jesus is in charge of his rescue. So, I’m very hopeful and very thankful. He’s still homeless. He said he's…he’s found a tent and a little propane heater, and he described his situation to me, and I said it’s going to get cold. We’re in the Pacific Northwest. And I said it’s going to get very wet and cold. And I told him that my DAB family was praying for him all over the world and he said thank you. And, so, I want to thank you and I want to praise and thank the Lord Jesus. He never takes His hands off his children. Love you. Bye.

Good morning, everybody it’s Susan from Canada God’s Yellow Flower calling, and I just heard James from the UK asking for prayer. So, let’s pray. Lord God James and his family are struggling. And I just pray your blessings upon them dear God. James’ plate is full to overflowing and he’s feeling very overwhelmed, and I pray dear God that You would just bring about peace and joy in his life. He has family concerns with his parents and his kids, and his wife. And I pray that You would be in the center of it all drawing them all together in Your love. I pray dear God that You would supply the strength and the wisdom that each and every one of them needs to overcome this difficult time. Be with them God in a very special way. Strengthen their faith and their love for You and each other in Jesus’ name I pray….

Hi this is Asia from Chicago. I know I haven’t called in in a while but I’m really struggling right now really, really, really, broke. So, yeah if you could just pray for a miracle. I just really…I know that God’s gonna provide for me but waiting on that is so hard and my anxiety is like crippling right now. So yeah, whoever hears this please pray for me. This is Asia from Chicago. Thank you, guys.

The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Friday October 15, 2021 (NIV)

Jeremiah 26-27

Jeremiah’s Escape from Death

26 This message came to Jeremiah from the Lord early in the reign of Jehoiakim son of Josiah,[a] king of Judah. “This is what the Lord says: Stand in the courtyard in front of the Temple of the Lord, and make an announcement to the people who have come there to worship from all over Judah. Give them my entire message; include every word. Perhaps they will listen and turn from their evil ways. Then I will change my mind about the disaster I am ready to pour out on them because of their sins.

“Say to them, ‘This is what the Lord says: If you will not listen to me and obey my word I have given you, and if you will not listen to my servants, the prophets—for I sent them again and again to warn you, but you would not listen to them— then I will destroy this Temple as I destroyed Shiloh, the place where the Tabernacle was located. And I will make Jerusalem an object of cursing in every nation on earth.’”

The priests, the prophets, and all the people listened to Jeremiah as he spoke in front of the Lord’s Temple. But when Jeremiah had finished his message, saying everything the Lord had told him to say, the priests and prophets and all the people at the Temple mobbed him. “Kill him!” they shouted. “What right do you have to prophesy in the Lord’s name that this Temple will be destroyed like Shiloh? What do you mean, saying that Jerusalem will be destroyed and left with no inhabitants?” And all the people threatened him as he stood in front of the Temple.

10 When the officials of Judah heard what was happening, they rushed over from the palace and sat down at the New Gate of the Temple to hold court. 11 The priests and prophets presented their accusations to the officials and the people. “This man should die!” they said. “You have heard with your own ears what a traitor he is, for he has prophesied against this city.”

12 Then Jeremiah spoke to the officials and the people in his own defense. “The Lord sent me to prophesy against this Temple and this city,” he said. “The Lord gave me every word that I have spoken. 13 But if you stop your sinning and begin to obey the Lord your God, he will change his mind about this disaster that he has announced against you. 14 As for me, I am in your hands—do with me as you think best. 15 But if you kill me, rest assured that you will be killing an innocent man! The responsibility for such a deed will lie on you, on this city, and on every person living in it. For it is absolutely true that the Lord sent me to speak every word you have heard.”

16 Then the officials and the people said to the priests and prophets, “This man does not deserve the death sentence, for he has spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God.”

17 Then some of the wise old men stood and spoke to all the people assembled there. 18 They said, “Remember when Micah of Moresheth prophesied during the reign of King Hezekiah of Judah. He told the people of Judah,

‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says:
Mount Zion will be plowed like an open field;
Jerusalem will be reduced to ruins!
A thicket will grow on the heights
where the Temple now stands.’[b]

19 But did King Hezekiah and the people kill him for saying this? No, they turned from their sins and worshiped the Lord. They begged him for mercy. Then the Lord changed his mind about the terrible disaster he had pronounced against them. So we are about to do ourselves great harm.”

20 At this time Uriah son of Shemaiah from Kiriath-jearim was also prophesying for the Lord. And he predicted the same terrible disaster against the city and nation as Jeremiah did. 21 When King Jehoiakim and the army officers and officials heard what he was saying, the king sent someone to kill him. But Uriah heard about the plan and escaped in fear to Egypt. 22 Then King Jehoiakim sent Elnathan son of Acbor to Egypt along with several other men to capture Uriah. 23 They took him prisoner and brought him back to King Jehoiakim. The king then killed Uriah with a sword and had him buried in an unmarked grave.

24 Nevertheless, Ahikam son of Shaphan stood up for Jeremiah and persuaded the court not to turn him over to the mob to be killed.

Jeremiah Wears an Ox Yoke

27 This message came to Jeremiah from the Lord early in the reign of Zedekiah[c] son of Josiah, king of Judah.

This is what the Lord said to me: “Make a yoke, and fasten it on your neck with leather straps. Then send messages to the kings of Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre, and Sidon through their ambassadors who have come to see King Zedekiah in Jerusalem. Give them this message for their masters: ‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: With my great strength and powerful arm I made the earth and all its people and every animal. I can give these things of mine to anyone I choose. Now I will give your countries to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, who is my servant. I have put everything, even the wild animals, under his control. All the nations will serve him, his son, and his grandson until his time is up. Then many nations and great kings will conquer and rule over Babylon. So you must submit to Babylon’s king and serve him; put your neck under Babylon’s yoke! I will punish any nation that refuses to be his slave, says the Lord. I will send war, famine, and disease upon that nation until Babylon has conquered it.

“‘Do not listen to your false prophets, fortune-tellers, interpreters of dreams, mediums, and sorcerers who say, “The king of Babylon will not conquer you.” 10 They are all liars, and their lies will lead to your being driven out of your land. I will drive you out and send you far away to die. 11 But the people of any nation that submits to the king of Babylon will be allowed to stay in their own country to farm the land as usual. I, the Lord, have spoken!’”

12 Then I repeated this same message to King Zedekiah of Judah. “If you want to live, submit to the yoke of the king of Babylon and his people. 13 Why do you insist on dying—you and your people? Why should you choose war, famine, and disease, which the Lord will bring against every nation that refuses to submit to Babylon’s king? 14 Do not listen to the false prophets who keep telling you, ‘The king of Babylon will not conquer you.’ They are liars. 15 This is what the Lord says: ‘I have not sent these prophets! They are telling you lies in my name, so I will drive you from this land. You will all die—you and all these prophets, too.’”

16 Then I spoke to the priests and the people and said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Do not listen to your prophets who claim that soon the gold articles taken from my Temple will be returned from Babylon. It is all a lie! 17 Do not listen to them. Surrender to the king of Babylon, and you will live. Why should this whole city be destroyed? 18 If they really are prophets and speak the Lord’s messages, let them pray to the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. Let them pray that the articles remaining in the Lord’s Temple and in the king’s palace and in the palaces of Jerusalem will not be carried away to Babylon!’

19 “For the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has spoken about the pillars in front of the Temple, the great bronze basin called the Sea, the water carts, and all the other ceremonial articles. 20 King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon left them here when he exiled Jehoiachin[d] son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, to Babylon, along with all the other nobles of Judah and Jerusalem. 21 Yes, this is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says about the precious things still in the Temple, in the palace of Judah’s king, and in Jerusalem: 22 ‘They will all be carried away to Babylon and will stay there until I send for them,’ says the Lord. ‘Then I will bring them back to Jerusalem again.’”

Footnotes:

  1. 26:1 The first year of Jehoiakim’s reign was 608 B.c.
  2. 26:18 Mic 3:12.
  3. 27:1 As in some Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac version (see also 27:3, 12); most Hebrew manuscripts read Jehoiakim.
  4. 27:20 Hebrew Jeconiah, a variant spelling of Jehoiachin.
New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.


2 Thessalonians 3

Paul’s Request for Prayer

Finally, dear brothers and sisters,[a] we ask you to pray for us. Pray that the Lord’s message will spread rapidly and be honored wherever it goes, just as when it came to you. Pray, too, that we will be rescued from wicked and evil people, for not everyone is a believer. But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one.[b] And we are confident in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we commanded you. May the Lord lead your hearts into a full understanding and expression of the love of God and the patient endurance that comes from Christ.

An Exhortation to Proper Living

And now, dear brothers and sisters, we give you this command in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ: Stay away from all believers[c] who live idle lives and don’t follow the tradition they received[d] from us. For you know that you ought to imitate us. We were not idle when we were with you. We never accepted food from anyone without paying for it. We worked hard day and night so we would not be a burden to any of you. We certainly had the right to ask you to feed us, but we wanted to give you an example to follow. 10 Even while we were with you, we gave you this command: “Those unwilling to work will not get to eat.”

11 Yet we hear that some of you are living idle lives, refusing to work and meddling in other people’s business. 12 We command such people and urge them in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and work to earn their own living. 13 As for the rest of you, dear brothers and sisters, never get tired of doing good.

14 Take note of those who refuse to obey what we say in this letter. Stay away from them so they will be ashamed. 15 Don’t think of them as enemies, but warn them as you would a brother or sister.[e]

Paul’s Final Greetings

16 Now may the Lord of peace himself give you his peace at all times and in every situation. The Lord be with you all.

17 HERE IS MY GREETING IN MY OWN HANDWRITING—PAUL. I DO THIS IN ALL MY LETTERS TO PROVE THEY ARE FROM ME.

18 May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.

Footnotes:

  1. 3:1 Greek brothers; also in 3:6, 13.
  2. 3:3 Or from evil.
  3. 3:6a Greek from every brother.
  4. 3:6b Some manuscripts read you received.
  5. 3:15 Greek as a brother.
New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.


Psalm 85

Psalm 85

For the choir director: A psalm of the descendants of Korah.

Lord, you poured out blessings on your land!
You restored the fortunes of Israel.[a]
You forgave the guilt of your people—
yes, you covered all their sins. Interlude
You held back your fury.
You kept back your blazing anger.

Now restore us again, O God of our salvation.
Put aside your anger against us once more.
Will you be angry with us always?
Will you prolong your wrath to all generations?
Won’t you revive us again,
so your people can rejoice in you?
Show us your unfailing love, O Lord,
and grant us your salvation.

I listen carefully to what God the Lord is saying,
for he speaks peace to his faithful people.
But let them not return to their foolish ways.
Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him,
so our land will be filled with his glory.

10 Unfailing love and truth have met together.
Righteousness and peace have kissed!
11 Truth springs up from the earth,
and righteousness smiles down from heaven.
12 Yes, the Lord pours down his blessings.
Our land will yield its bountiful harvest.
13 Righteousness goes as a herald before him,
preparing the way for his steps.

Footnotes:

  1. 85:1 Hebrew of Jacob. See note on 44:4.
New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.


Proverbs 25:16

16 Do you like honey?
Don’t eat too much, or it will make you sick!

New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.


10/14/2021 DAB Transcript

Jeremiah 23:21-25:38, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-17, Psalm 84:1-12, Proverbs 25:15

Today is the 14th day of October, welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I am Brian. It is wonderful to be here with you today doing what we do every day, one foot in front of the other right, and then we lean forward into that step and then we take it, the next step forward together. And that next step will be a continuation in the book of Jeremiah and the second letter to the Thessalonians. And of course, our next step forward in the Psalms and Proverbs as well, but we gotta begin with Jeremiah so, we’re reading from the New Living Translation this week, Jeremiah chapter 23 verse 21 through 25 verse 38.

Commentary:

Okay so, in our reading from the Psalms today, chapter 84, we get, just an incredible unique picture that’s almost obsessive in its longing for God, like there’s this craving, this reaching, this yearning that comes out of the poetry. And it’s not like these sentiments or this passionate deep rooted heartfelt desire isn’t in other places in the Bible, it’s just in Psalm 84, it’s just really apparent. Like, listen to these words. I long yes, I faint with the longing to enter the courts of the Lord with my whole being, body and soul. I will shout joyfully to the living God. There are portions of Scripture that we come to and move through every single year that always, always stop me in my tracks, are like signposts along the way that I’m used to seeing and this is one of them because we can get worked up in a powerfully passionate way or in a raging sort of way, we get ourselves worked up emotionally, really intensely, about something, but that intense sense of yearning or longing for an accomplishment or a person or whatever, it’s rarely associated with God. In fact, we can be obsessive and have a craving or a yearning and give that to somebody else and withhold it from God, which may not be idolatry, but it’s kind of moving in that direction. And if it’s moving in the direction even a little bit, well then, it’s not good and it’s not the right path. So, this Psalm is written by the descendants of Cora and what are they getting at here. I mean, we read the words to this song to be accompanied by a stringed instrument, we don’t necessarily see them being instructive. Like listen to these words, how lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of Heaven’s armies. I long yes, I faint with longing to enter the courts of the Lord with my whole being, body and soul. I will shout joyfully to the living God. Even the sparrow finds a home and the swallow builds her nest and raises her young at a place near your altar. O Lord of Heaven’s armies, my King and my God, what joy for those who can live in your house, always singing your praises. What would we call that? Like how are they getting into that place where they’re so given over. We would call these words worship. And, we’re just gonna have to acknowledge that worship indeed may be the music that you like and that you keep playing over and over, singing along with. Worship may be what you do on Sundays when you go to church and depending on which church you go to, what that looks like may be very different than…than many other places. Worship is different for lots of people so, we might consider worship to be how loud can I get, how sweaty and horse can I become in a song service. Worship can also be how completely still can I become, so that all the stuff that races through my head is calmed, is still, I am at peace. Like, the Bible says like a weaned child at his mother’s breast. How still can I become that I might wait upon the Lord, that I might become aware of his presence. And so, that can be styles of going about something, but these words here in this Psalm are describing a state of heart, unified and rooted in the body, right. I long yes, I faint with longing to enter the courts of the Lord with my whole being, body and soul. I will shout joyfully to the living God. So, this is like a completely engaged activity where we long and yearn and crave nothing else. Nothing else can give us life, nothing else can fill the emptiness. Nothing else can make empty the clutter and it’s not so much the style or the method it’s the heart, completely, deeply, passionately craving what God gives us. So, these descendants of Cora writing…writing this end up concluding that after you’ve experienced that there’s no going back. Everything else diminishes in the way that the words are written to express this are these: a single day in your courts is better than a thousand days anywhere else. I would rather be a gatekeeper in the house of my God than live the good life in the homes of the wicked. So, they’re saying I’d rather, if I could just be in that place, I would be a worker, I’ll clean the toilets. I don’t, just to be there is better than being anywhere else, to be in the presence of God is better than to be anywhere else doing anything else. Ironically, and the irony isn’t lost on me, I feel the irony every time I come to this passage. Ironically for all the loud, for all the jumping, for all of that, it’s really hard to see this kind of deep, completely obsessive yearning for God. And yet, we all know that being aware of God’s presence in and among us, becoming aware of that thing that never goes away and is always available, that sometimes we have to whip ourselves into a frenzy to even pay attention to, it’s always available. This is why the good news is the good news, that we can be in God’s presence without fear, as children calling him Poppa or Abba or Daddy or Father. This has been made available and we get so distracted right, with the blinking lights and the cardboard packaging and the bright colors of our culture, distracting us from something so profoundly good that words cannot describe it. So, as we continue to navigate our day, lets remember this. Let’s become aware of the presence of God. And let’s remember, let’s recall those times where we’ve had that longing and let’s follow that longing and give ourselves completely so that one day in the presence of God is better than the thousand anywhere else.

Prayer:

So Holy Spirit, we invite You into that, You can lead us deeper. Whether that means we get louder, whether that means we get quieter makes no difference, lead us deeper into our relationship with Jesus. Lead us into all truth, be a lamp for our feet and a light to our path through the Scriptures. And lead us on a path that gets us so lost in Your presence that we wouldn’t be able to find our way back if we wanted to, but we don’t want to. May we be more and more aware of Your presence. We ask in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Announcements:

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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.

Prayer and Encouragements:

Hey, this is PG from NC, I want to give a few shout outs and maybe a prayer or two. God’s Smile, and Peter, thank you for coming on and inspiring all of us, just listening to the two of you, you are so full of joy in the midst of physical challenges and difficulties, and you inspire us to do likewise. Victorious Soldier, we love you we care for you. We are praying for you and your family as you experience grief. Thanks again for inspiring us to, in the midst of our own losses, always remembering to pray for others in the process. Thank you for doing that. Tony Narrator, brother, thank you so much for praying for your mum and I we’re gonna pray that…that she will come to know Christ and that in the midst of her challenges, you see a gospel opportunity. Again, thank you for inspiring us. And to Mark the Teacher, thank you for openly providing us the opportunity to pray for your brother who’s lost in the Outback. So, let’s pray very quickly. Lord, today we pray for these needs, God we pray for Mark the Teacher’s brother-in-law. God, I pray that he will be found safe and sound. It’s not uncommon for him to go out, but we pray that he’ll be found. Lord, for Tony, God I pray that his mom would receive the gospel and hear the love of Christ in the midst of her circumstances. Lord, we pray for comfort for Victorious Soldier and her family. And God, we pray and contend for the miraculous in God’s Smiles life and we continue to do that and we pray this in Christ name, Amen. Thanks DAB family for praying along with me today. God bless.

Hello my Daily Audio Bible family this is Lib calling from the UK. I’m calling to please request for prayers for my friend. She’s my friend, Ada, who lost her dad suddenly, yesterday, Thursday, the 7th of October. She’s shattered. She’s heart broken and I am so far away and I honestly wish I could be there in this next second. With all that’s going on, it’s not possible. But I know that if each one of us embrace her in prayers and lift her up and her family. She was very close to her dad. So, when I spoke to her, she was completely, she’s completely shattered. And my hearts really goes out to her. And it’s so sad. So, please I ask anyone who can please pray for Ada and ask the Lord to console her, consoler her mom and her siblings. And, I don’t know, just lift her up in prayers everyone if you can. I am so grateful for all your prayers each time and how we pray for each other and how you are always there, someone is always there to pray. And, may the Lord bless each and every one of us. Bless each and every one of you, anyone who’s, a big thank you, for that. May God bless you all. And have a wonderful day.

Good morning, Daily Audio Bible peeps, this is Just John. And I’m calling today to be an encouragement. Sometimes I have trouble finding God. And thankfully I’ve been blessed with a camper and I’ve camped about 21 nights this year. And I’ve found him in so many ways, especially when I went alone. This morning I made a point to be out there in the park nearby and be there during the dawn, before the sunrise. I went for a short walk and especially looking to the East, where the sun was on its way up and the clouds were there and the beauty was indescribable. It was so easy to find God there. So, when you’re looking for God, do whatever you have to, to find Him. It’s so easy to find him outdoors especially before the sun rises and before the sun sets. And if you have time, wait for the sun to come up and wait for the sun to go down. But it was so beautiful. And I felt myself calling out to the Lord that I would eagerly trying to catch a glimpse of Him. So, that’s my message today for you. Look for Him, He can be found, it’s not hard.

Good morning DABers, this is Blessed One is AZ calling in with a praise report. I just want to mark today as 12 years, to the date, that I no longer am doing methamphetamines. I am free thanks to God’s love and support and I could not have done it without the love and support of my God and His many blessings and many favors. I’d like to give a shout out to my sister Sherrie also, who is walking this same walk with me. Thank You Lord Jesus for saving our life. Thank You O Lord Jesus for the Daily Audio Bible. Every morning I start my day with the Daily Audio Bible. Anyone out there who may be suffering from addiction, please just look to the Lord. Look to the Lord for your refuge. He will bring you out of the dark just as He did me. Thank you so much, Brian and Jill. I love you; I love the Daily Audio Bible and I hope everyone has a blessed day.

Hi, this is Verline from Alberta. I was listening to the podcast for today October 8th and heard a call from Jesse. He’s saying he’s not okay, and God I just want to pray for him right now. Lord, I just thank You for You, who You are. And, none of us are okay. Some of us look like it and maybe we’re okay in You but without You we’re not okay. And so, I just pray for Jesse. I pray that he will find the doctors wisdom in helping him but also, he will be able to find his peace in You and You will heal him physically and spiritually. And I just thank You for that God and I just want to lift him up to You tonight. In Jesus name, Amen.

Hello, my wonderful DAB family. This is Rosie also known as Great to be Free in Jesus. I’m calling in today with a prayer request. I just found out last night that one of my brothers is in the hospital with COVID or the flu and they don’t think he’s gonna make it. But we serve a God that has the last word. And I’m asking you to pray for him for healing. He’s a minister, he has been most of his life. And I don’t remember if I told you his name but it’s Vernon. And I would really appreciate all of your prayers for healing and I’m still praying for all of you, whether I call in or not, I’m still praying. And, I love you, my wonderful DAB family. Bye.

The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Thursday October 14, 2021 (NIV)

Jeremiah 23:21-25:38

21 “I have not sent these prophets,
yet they run around claiming to speak for me.
I have given them no message,
yet they go on prophesying.
22 If they had stood before me and listened to me,
they would have spoken my words,
and they would have turned my people
from their evil ways and deeds.
23 Am I a God who is only close at hand?” says the Lord.
“No, I am far away at the same time.
24 Can anyone hide from me in a secret place?
Am I not everywhere in all the heavens and earth?”
says the Lord.

25 “I have heard these prophets say, ‘Listen to the dream I had from God last night.’ And then they proceed to tell lies in my name. 26 How long will this go on? If they are prophets, they are prophets of deceit, inventing everything they say. 27 By telling these false dreams, they are trying to get my people to forget me, just as their ancestors did by worshiping the idols of Baal.

28 “Let these false prophets tell their dreams,
but let my true messengers faithfully proclaim my every word.
There is a difference between straw and grain!
29 Does not my word burn like fire?”
says the Lord.
“Is it not like a mighty hammer
that smashes a rock to pieces?

30 “Therefore,” says the Lord, “I am against these prophets who steal messages from each other and claim they are from me. 31 I am against these smooth-tongued prophets who say, ‘This prophecy is from the Lord!’ 32 I am against these false prophets. Their imaginary dreams are flagrant lies that lead my people into sin. I did not send or appoint them, and they have no message at all for my people. I, the Lord, have spoken!

False Prophecies and False Prophets

33 “Suppose one of the people or one of the prophets or priests asks you, ‘What prophecy has the Lord burdened you with now?’ You must reply, ‘You are the burden![a] The Lord says he will abandon you!’

34 “If any prophet, priest, or anyone else says, ‘I have a prophecy from the Lord,’ I will punish that person along with his entire family. 35 You should keep asking each other, ‘What is the Lord’s answer?’ or ‘What is the Lord saying?’ 36 But stop using this phrase, ‘prophecy from the Lord.’ For people are using it to give authority to their own ideas, turning upside down the words of our God, the living God, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

37 “This is what you should say to the prophets: ‘What is the Lord’s answer?’ or ‘What is the Lord saying?’ 38 But suppose they respond, ‘This is a prophecy from the Lord!’ Then you should say, ‘This is what the Lord says: Because you have used this phrase, “prophecy from the Lord,” even though I warned you not to use it, 39 I will forget you completely.[b] I will expel you from my presence, along with this city that I gave to you and your ancestors. 40 And I will make you an object of ridicule, and your name will be infamous throughout the ages.’”

Good and Bad Figs

24 After King Nebuchadnezzar[c] of Babylon exiled Jehoiachin[d] son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, to Babylon along with the officials of Judah and all the craftsmen and artisans, the Lord gave me this vision. I saw two baskets of figs placed in front of the Lord’s Temple in Jerusalem. One basket was filled with fresh, ripe figs, while the other was filled with bad figs that were too rotten to eat.

Then the Lord said to me, “What do you see, Jeremiah?”

I replied, “Figs, some very good and some very bad, too rotten to eat.”

Then the Lord gave me this message: “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: The good figs represent the exiles I sent from Judah to the land of the Babylonians.[e] I will watch over and care for them, and I will bring them back here again. I will build them up and not tear them down. I will plant them and not uproot them. I will give them hearts that recognize me as the Lord. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me wholeheartedly.

“But the bad figs,” the Lord said, “represent King Zedekiah of Judah, his officials, all the people left in Jerusalem, and those who live in Egypt. I will treat them like bad figs, too rotten to eat. I will make them an object of horror and a symbol of evil to every nation on earth. They will be disgraced and mocked, taunted and cursed, wherever I scatter them. 10 And I will send war, famine, and disease until they have vanished from the land of Israel, which I gave to them and their ancestors.”

Seventy Years of Captivity

25 This message for all the people of Judah came to Jeremiah from the Lord during the fourth year of Jehoiakim’s reign over Judah.[f] This was the year when King Nebuchadnezzar[g] of Babylon began his reign.

Jeremiah the prophet said to all the people in Judah and Jerusalem, “For the past twenty-three years—from the thirteenth year of the reign of Josiah son of Amon,[h] king of Judah, until now—the Lord has been giving me his messages. I have faithfully passed them on to you, but you have not listened.

“Again and again the Lord has sent you his servants, the prophets, but you have not listened or even paid attention. Each time the message was this: ‘Turn from the evil road you are traveling and from the evil things you are doing. Only then will I let you live in this land that the Lord gave to you and your ancestors forever. Do not provoke my anger by worshiping idols you made with your own hands. Then I will not harm you.’

“But you would not listen to me,” says the Lord. “You made me furious by worshiping idols you made with your own hands, bringing on yourselves all the disasters you now suffer. And now the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Because you have not listened to me, I will gather together all the armies of the north under King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, whom I have appointed as my deputy. I will bring them all against this land and its people and against the surrounding nations. I will completely destroy[i] you and make you an object of horror and contempt and a ruin forever. 10 I will take away your happy singing and laughter. The joyful voices of bridegrooms and brides will no longer be heard. Your millstones will fall silent, and the lights in your homes will go out. 11 This entire land will become a desolate wasteland. Israel and her neighboring lands will serve the king of Babylon for seventy years.

12 “Then, after the seventy years of captivity are over, I will punish the king of Babylon and his people for their sins,” says the Lord. “I will make the country of the Babylonians[j] a wasteland forever. 13 I will bring upon them all the terrors I have promised in this book—all the penalties announced by Jeremiah against the nations. 14 Many nations and great kings will enslave the Babylonians, just as they enslaved my people. I will punish them in proportion to the suffering they cause my people.”

The Cup of the Lord’s Anger

15 This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, said to me: “Take from my hand this cup filled to the brim with my anger, and make all the nations to whom I send you drink from it. 16 When they drink from it, they will stagger, crazed by the warfare I will send against them.”

17 So I took the cup of anger from the Lord and made all the nations drink from it—every nation to which the Lord sent me. 18 I went to Jerusalem and the other towns of Judah, and their kings and officials drank from the cup. From that day until this, they have been a desolate ruin, an object of horror, contempt, and cursing. 19 I gave the cup to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, his attendants, his officials, and all his people, 20 along with all the foreigners living in that land. I also gave it to all the kings of the land of Uz and the kings of the Philistine cities of Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, and what remains of Ashdod. 21 Then I gave the cup to the nations of Edom, Moab, and Ammon, 22 and the kings of Tyre and Sidon, and the kings of the regions across the sea. 23 I gave it to Dedan, Tema, and Buz, and to the people who live in distant places.[k] 24 I gave it to the kings of Arabia, the kings of the nomadic tribes of the desert, 25 and to the kings of Zimri, Elam, and Media. 26 And I gave it to the kings of the northern countries, far and near, one after the other—all the kingdoms of the world. And finally, the king of Babylon[l] himself drank from the cup of the Lord’s anger.

27 Then the Lord said to me, “Now tell them, ‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: Drink from this cup of my anger. Get drunk and vomit; fall to rise no more, for I am sending terrible wars against you.’ 28 And if they refuse to accept the cup, tell them, ‘The Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: You have no choice but to drink from it. 29 I have begun to punish Jerusalem, the city that bears my name. Now should I let you go unpunished? No, you will not escape disaster. I will call for war against all the nations of the earth. I, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, have spoken!’

30 “Now prophesy all these things, and say to them,

“‘The Lord will roar against his own land
from his holy dwelling in heaven.
He will shout like those who tread grapes;
he will shout against everyone on earth.
31 His cry of judgment will reach the ends of the earth,
for the Lord will bring his case against all the nations.
He will judge all the people of the earth,
slaughtering the wicked with the sword.
I, the Lord, have spoken!’”

32 This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says:
“Look! Disaster will fall upon nation after nation!
A great whirlwind of fury is rising
from the most distant corners of the earth!”

33 In that day those the Lord has slaughtered will fill the earth from one end to the other. No one will mourn for them or gather up their bodies to bury them. They will be scattered on the ground like manure.

34 Weep and moan, you evil shepherds!
Roll in the dust, you leaders of the flock!
The time of your slaughter has arrived;
you will fall and shatter like a fragile vase.
35 You will find no place to hide;
there will be no way to escape.
36 Listen to the frantic cries of the shepherds.
The leaders of the flock are wailing in despair,
for the Lord is ruining their pastures.
37 Peaceful meadows will be turned into a wasteland
by the Lord’s fierce anger.
38 He has left his den like a strong lion seeking its prey,
and their land will be made desolate
by the sword[m] of the enemy
and the Lord’s fierce anger.

Footnotes:

  1. 23:33 As in Greek version and Latin Vulgate; Hebrew reads What burden?
  2. 23:39 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Greek version read I will surely lift you up.
  3. 24:1a Hebrew Nebuchadrezzar, a variant spelling of Nebuchadnezzar.
  4. 24:1b Hebrew Jeconiah, a variant spelling of Jehoiachin.
  5. 24:5 Or Chaldeans.
  6. 25:1a The fourth year of Jehoiakim’s reign and the accession year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign was 605 B.c.
  7. 25:1b Hebrew Nebuchadrezzar, a variant spelling of Nebuchadnezzar; also in 25:9.
  8. 25:3 The thirteenth year of Josiah’s reign was 627 B.c.
  9. 25:9 The Hebrew term used here refers to the complete consecration of things or people to the Lord, either by destroying them or by giving them as an offering.
  10. 25:12 Or Chaldeans.
  11. 25:23 Or who clip the corners of their hair.
  12. 25:26 Hebrew of Sheshach, a code name for Babylon.
  13. 25:38 As in some Hebrew manuscripts and Greek version; Masoretic Text reads by the anger.
New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.


2 Thessalonians 2

Events prior to the Lord’s Second Coming

Now, dear brothers and sisters,[a] let us clarify some things about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and how we will be gathered to meet him. Don’t be so easily shaken or alarmed by those who say that the day of the Lord has already begun. Don’t believe them, even if they claim to have had a spiritual vision, a revelation, or a letter supposedly from us. Don’t be fooled by what they say. For that day will not come until there is a great rebellion against God and the man of lawlessness[b] is revealed—the one who brings destruction.[c] He will exalt himself and defy everything that people call god and every object of worship. He will even sit in the temple of God, claiming that he himself is God.

Don’t you remember that I told you about all this when I was with you? And you know what is holding him back, for he can be revealed only when his time comes. For this lawlessness is already at work secretly, and it will remain secret until the one who is holding it back steps out of the way. Then the man of lawlessness will be revealed, but the Lord Jesus will slay him with the breath of his mouth and destroy him by the splendor of his coming.

This man will come to do the work of Satan with counterfeit power and signs and miracles. 10 He will use every kind of evil deception to fool those on their way to destruction, because they refuse to love and accept the truth that would save them. 11 So God will cause them to be greatly deceived, and they will believe these lies. 12 Then they will be condemned for enjoying evil rather than believing the truth.

Believers Should Stand Firm

13 As for us, we can’t help but thank God for you, dear brothers and sisters loved by the Lord. We are always thankful that God chose you to be among the first[d] to experience salvation—a salvation that came through the Spirit who makes you holy and through your belief in the truth. 14 He called you to salvation when we told you the Good News; now you can share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

15 With all these things in mind, dear brothers and sisters, stand firm and keep a strong grip on the teaching we passed on to you both in person and by letter.

16 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal comfort and a wonderful hope, 17 comfort you and strengthen you in every good thing you do and say.

Footnotes:

  1. 2:1 Greek brothers; also in 2:13, 15.
  2. 2:3a Some manuscripts read the man of sin.
  3. 2:3b Greek the son of destruction.
  4. 2:13 Some manuscripts read chose you from the very beginning.
New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.


Psalm 84

Psalm 84

For the choir director: A psalm of the descendants of Korah, to be accompanied by a stringed instrument.[a]

How lovely is your dwelling place,
O Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
I long, yes, I faint with longing
to enter the courts of the Lord.
With my whole being, body and soul,
I will shout joyfully to the living God.
Even the sparrow finds a home,
and the swallow builds her nest and raises her young
at a place near your altar,
O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, my King and my God!
What joy for those who can live in your house,
always singing your praises. Interlude

What joy for those whose strength comes from the Lord,
who have set their minds on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.
When they walk through the Valley of Weeping,[b]
it will become a place of refreshing springs.
The autumn rains will clothe it with blessings.
They will continue to grow stronger,
and each of them will appear before God in Jerusalem.[c]

O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies, hear my prayer.
Listen, O God of Jacob. Interlude

O God, look with favor upon the king, our shield!
Show favor to the one you have anointed.

10 A single day in your courts
is better than a thousand anywhere else!
I would rather be a gatekeeper in the house of my God
than live the good life in the homes of the wicked.
11 For the Lord God is our sun and our shield.
He gives us grace and glory.
The Lord will withhold no good thing
from those who do what is right.
12 O Lord of Heaven’s Armies,
what joy for those who trust in you.

Footnotes:

  1. 84:Title Hebrew according to the gittith.
  2. 84:6 Or Valley of Poplars; Hebrew reads valley of Baca.
  3. 84:7 Hebrew Zion.
New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.


Proverbs 25:15

15 Patience can persuade a prince,
and soft speech can break bones.

New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.


10/13/2021 DAB Transcript

Jeremiah 22:1-23:20, 2 Thessalonians 1:1-12, Psalms 83:1-18, Proverbs 25:11-14

Today is the 13th day of October welcome to the Daily Audio Bible I am Brian it is fantastic to be here with you today, a joy to come around the Global Campfire together and continue moving day by day step-by-step week by week month by month on our journey through the Bible this year. Today will lead us back into the book of Jeremiah, which we’ve been working our way through. When we get to the New Testament, we will arrive at the doorstep to another letter known as second Thessalonians, and we’ll talk about that when we get there. But first, we’re reading from the New Living Translation this week. Jeremiah chapter 22 verse 1 through 23 verse 20.

Introduction to first Thessalonians:

Okay. So, as we mentioned at the beginning today we are moving into new territory…new territory now that we’ve reached the New Testament. We read first Thessalonians and so this is second Thessalonians. So, a letter to the same church in Thessalonica, the same church that…that emerged and evolved very rapidly under intense pressure and an intense persecution and Paul didn’t get to spend the kinda time that he wanted to spend with them. And, so, we saw that in the first letter that was written. Now we’re at the second letter. And it's…it’s safe to mention because it’s easy to know that this…this letter’s been debated for a very very long time among biblical scholars generally because there are…there are some nuances that aren’t in Paul’s other letters, some theological nuances. The tone is a little bit different. So, some people look and go, “well…this seems like it would be later.” There are other letters like this that are attributed to Paul that feel this way. Not because they don’t agree with what Paul’s theology is or that they’re not like they couldn’t have been written by Paul, but because it seems like development in the church is in the letters in a way that wasn’t maybe in Paul’s lifetime. And, so, there’s this speculation. Of course, none of us here were there. So, all of these things are speculation and there’s an awful lot to speculate about in the Bible. But one thing we can say about second Thessalonians, regardless of any kind of debate, it’s a fairy very ancient letter. The early church fathers affirmed the letter, quoted the letter in their own writings. So, this has been part of the story for a very long time. So, assuming that Paul wrote this letter in his lifetime, then what we’re seeing is Paul’s desire to clarify things that he didn’t have time to clarify and answer questions that…that are coming to him from the church and to offer correction when correction is needed, whether that be interpersonal correction in the church or whether there’s like incorrect doctrine happening. And that is the case in second Thessalonians. For example, Paul’s teachings in his letters, like it’s not like an ambiguous thing. The early church believed that the arrival of Jesus’s, His return was imminent, literally imminent, literally like in their lifetimes any day, any second. And, so, that would make certain people then, go “well…I’m gonna stop life as I have previously known it and wait because I’m ready, this could happen at any time.” And, so, what that would lead to is a people would stop working, quit their jobs, stop providing for themselves, stop being a contributor into the community, kind of lean on everybody else and live idly, which then led to boredom, which then led to gossip and meddling in other people’s business. And, so, Paul in this letter kinda lays it out, like, “yeah. You can’t leech off each other. That’s not how this works. If you don’t work, then I guess you don’t want to eat.” And another thing we’ll find this letter is…ahh…when you think about this, these are baby Christians in Thessalonica, and they didn’t have a lot of time to be poured into. And, so, they have what they have and they’re trying into live into their faith in they’re trying to be ready and waiting for Jesus’ arrival. And they get word, like communication comes in through the church that it already happened. Jesus came and they missed it, which is a horrible thing to say to a baby congregation of baby Christians. Like, “you missed it…ugh.” And, so, Paul, of course sets the record straight, that he didn’t say that he wouldn’t say that, it’s not true. And he really wants to encourage them. Again, he didn’t have a whole lot of time with them. They were persecuted from the get-go. They are still being persecuted and marginalized. They aren’t particularly wealthy enough to really defend themselves in any kind of social way. They don’t have a lot. They just have a lot a love and a lot of hope in Jesus. And, so, he loves them and wants to encourage them and encourage them to take the long view - Justice is belongs to God and God sees those who are faithful to Him. And justice in the end will prevail. And, so, we get this glimpse again. These letters really give us…since they’re like letters written to specific churches about specific things, we get this glimpse into what’s going on in the early church. And second Thessalonians gives us a view of baby Christians under fire trying to be faithful. And, so, we begin. Second Thessalonians chapter 1.

Prayer:

Father, we thank You. We thank You for the Scriptures. We thank You for this tangible gift that we can actually hold in our hands if we so choose. We thank You that no matter how murky or cloudy things get, we have a tangible gift. Even if technology fails, we have a tangible gift. We thank You for this technology that binds us together and has allowed us to be together every single day for these…well…almost 16 straight years. Thank You. Thank You for the Scriptures and the way that they speak into our lives in all the different nuances and complexions. Thank You for this letter, this second letter to the Thessalonians. Come Holy Spirit and speak to us. Thank You for this book of Jeremiah that we are working our way through. Come Holy Spirit and speak to us. Guide and direct our steps. Transform us. Change us we pray. In the name of Jesus, we ask. Amen.

Announcements:

dailyaudiobible.com is the website, it’s home base, of course. It’s where you find out what’s going on around here. And it’s good to know what’s going on around here. So, check it out.

Check out the different sections like the…the Daily Audio Bible Shop. There are a number of categories in the Daily Audio Bible Shop with resources in those categories that are for the journey that we are taking through the year together and through the Bible together. Things like the Daily Audio Bible Journal, which we have fashioned…well…over a couple of iterations to perfect. Things like the Black Wing pencils that are perfect for journaling with, that’s what I use to journal with. Written resources like the God of Your Story. Things to wear. Things to drink like the Daily Audio Bible Wind Farm coffee and tea and a number of different varietals that we will send fresh to you. You can even have them sent once a month, each month if you like. So, there are a number of resources that certainly…everything throws a little bit of a log on the Global Campfire, but they are designed and crafted for the journey that we are on together. So, check out the Shop.

If you want to partner with the Daily Audio Bible. If what’s happening here is life-giving and brings encouragement into your days, if being in community together working our way through the Scriptures is meaningful than thank you for your partnership. There is a link on the homepage at dailyaudiobible.com. If you’re using the app, you can press the Give button in the upper right-hand corner, or the mailing address is 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, that’s the little red button up at the top or you can dial 877-942-4253.

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

Community Prayer and Praise:

Good morning DAB family this is Denise Saved by Grace in California asking for prayer for my daughter Candace. She’s been having a…a really…I would say almost a Job type experience - losing a job, having to relocate, having to find a home, another job, just purchased a vehicle, and two weeks later someone hit the vehicle. And she’s just…just want to pray that God would just…strengthen her hope and let her…this test be her testimony and this mess she’s in become her message. Most gracious God, we thank You Father God for our circumstances. When Paul said count it all joy we don’t count the joy that the circumstances is that we’re in but we count the joy Father God knowing that You are there with us in each circumstance as I lift up my daughter and ask God that You would strengthen her…her heart and strengthen her hope. Give her a song of praise in her mouth even the midst of this. I pray for favor and every person that comes across her pathway Father that You would open doors that no man can shut and shut the doors Father God that You…that are not according to Your purpose and Your plan. And I come against the enemy in the name of Jesus, and I cancel all his assignments he has planned against her. And I pray the blood of Jesus over her. I thank You Father that this will be a wonderful mighty testimony of Your grace, Your mercy, and Your goodness over her life and that this will…

Hey loyal listeners this is Royal from the city of trees it’s the evening of October 7th and wow, today’s context from Colossians and Brian your insight was just so incredibly good. I just really needed to hear that. And you mentioned something at the end about throwing a log on the campfire and God gave me the idea of a acronym for that today so I don’t forget it. So, L is for love. Speak loving words of encouragement to others in the community. O is for obey what the Holy Spirit puts on our hearts when He prompts us to pray and when He prompts us to call in. And G is for gratitude to give back to this community and to this resource that has been such a huge blessing. So, here’s the log on the campfire as we pray. Loving Father lift up God’s Smile and cheeky Peter to You. Thank You so much for their chipper call. It was such a blessing to hear their song and their voices and their laughter. Just continue to bless them Lord. God, I lift up the mothers who are just…have heavy hearts for their sons, for Joel, Camille, and for Carolyn and Jeshua who’s in grad school. God I just ask that You would just left the darkness that’s over them. And Father I want to ask for You to give the warmest most peaceful hug to our dear sister Victoria Soldier to gather all Your children…

Howdy DAB family this message goes out to Jesse. I just listened to today’s podcast, the 8th of September and Jesse had called in. He said it was a new Christian. He said he called in a month ago or so about his fiancé and his father and that he was just struggling. And I just wanted to encourage him and let you know Jesse that all…all of us go through this, we all go through struggles. We all go through hard times but the beauty of it is Christ draws us nearer to Him through those struggles. So, continue what you’re doing. You said you're…you’re reading and you’re praying. So, keep up with that. If you haven’t found it, I definitely recommend the Daily Prayer. That’ll help. But just wanted to encourage you and let you know that we’re thinking about you Jesse. Love you bro.

Hi this is Kent from Washington, and I was really touched this morning when I heard Jesse’s call. And, so, I’m calling to pray for Jesse. Jesse said he was a new Christian and struggling with family issues and temptation and ADHD. So, God I pray that You will put Your hands on Jesse right now. Help him Father to continue strong in his new faith in You. Father help him to surround himself with a family of believers as well as the DAB that he can have people that he can talk to and that can encourage him. Father just help him to know that You are with him, and that Jesus is in his heart and that through You he can overcome anything. You give…give him strength Father. We thank You in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Good morning Daily Audio Bible this is Free and Forgiven in Florida. And first I wanted to say I’ve been listening for years and love this community. You all are such a blessing. Yesterday…well today’s October the 8th …yesterday I heard God’s Smile and Peter call in and you had me laughing and weeping at the same time, just such a joyful, joyful 2 minutes. Thank you for that. Jesse, you called in. You’re a new Christian. Welcome brother. I hear your struggles. I would encourage you to read Paul’s words in Ephesians 6:10-18. Put on the armor of God. We must wear the armor every day to fight against the evil one. And then the beautiful woman calling in encouraging us to stay close to the word of God and to read the word of God daily. It was perfect. That’s just what we all need to be reminded of. Thank you so much. I love you all. I’m praying with you every day. I spend every morning very early having my coffee and my breakfast and starting my day with you. Thank you so much Brian and Jill and your family and the team. You guys are changing the world. You’ve certainly changed my world. Again, Jesse we’re with you, praying for you, praying for your strength, praying for your healing, praying that you would draw closer to the Lord through His word…

Hello DAB family this is Vivian from Colorado. I’m a first-time listener I started January 1st suggestion of…from a from a peer on Facebook and I have to say that the Daily Audio Bible has changed my life. I’ve been a Christian for a long time. God’s been faithful for a long time, but I think He knew that I needed to start the DAB to Bible January 1st to really change my relationship with Him and draw closer than I’ve ever been. I meant to call in sooner. But my husband passed away July 18th after a short illness. He had been ill a long time and we had a very long and complicated situation, but this was unexpected at the same time. So, our son just turned 18 and he’s navigating that. But I just have to give a praise and shout out to God because He set me up to be in a place of peace. He gave me time with my husband, both in the last day, all day. I didn’t know that he was going to be gone midnight that night. And we were able to talk. We were able to able to talk about a lot of things and just spend time together and it’s a blessing that I didn’t know I needed. And God is so faithful. I’m so grateful and I’m grateful for the Daily Audio Bible. And I just thank you Brian and your family and everyone. And…and thank You Lord that You are such a blessing that You bless us 24/7. Amen.

The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Wednesday October 13, 2021 (NIV)

Jeremiah 22:1-23:20

A Message for Judah’s Kings

22 This is what the Lord said to me: “Go over and speak directly to the king of Judah. Say to him, ‘Listen to this message from the Lord, you king of Judah, sitting on David’s throne. Let your attendants and your people listen, too. This is what the Lord says: Be fair-minded and just. Do what is right! Help those who have been robbed; rescue them from their oppressors. Quit your evil deeds! Do not mistreat foreigners, orphans, and widows. Stop murdering the innocent! If you obey me, there will always be a descendant of David sitting on the throne here in Jerusalem. The king will ride through the palace gates in chariots and on horses, with his parade of attendants and subjects. But if you refuse to pay attention to this warning, I swear by my own name, says the Lord, that this palace will become a pile of rubble.’”

A Message about the Palace

Now this is what the Lord says concerning Judah’s royal palace:

“I love you as much as fruitful Gilead
and the green forests of Lebanon.
But I will turn you into a desert,
with no one living within your walls.
I will call for wreckers,
who will bring out their tools to dismantle you.
They will tear out all your fine cedar beams
and throw them on the fire.

“People from many nations will pass by the ruins of this city and say to one another, ‘Why did the Lord destroy such a great city?’ And the answer will be, ‘Because they violated their covenant with the Lord their God by worshiping other gods.’”

A Message about Jehoahaz

10 Do not weep for the dead king or mourn his loss.
Instead, weep for the captive king being led away!
For he will never return to see his native land again.

11 For this is what the Lord says about Jehoahaz,[a] who succeeded his father, King Josiah, and was taken away as a captive: “He will never return. 12 He will die in a distant land and will never again see his own country.”

A Message about Jehoiakim

13 And the Lord says, “What sorrow awaits Jehoiakim,[b]
who builds his palace with forced labor.[c]
He builds injustice into its walls,
for he makes his neighbors work for nothing.
He does not pay them for their labor.
14 He says, ‘I will build a magnificent palace
with huge rooms and many windows.
I will panel it throughout with fragrant cedar
and paint it a lovely red.’
15 But a beautiful cedar palace does not make a great king!
Your father, Josiah, also had plenty to eat and drink.
But he was just and right in all his dealings.
That is why God blessed him.
16 He gave justice and help to the poor and needy,
and everything went well for him.
Isn’t that what it means to know me?”
says the Lord.
17 “But you! You have eyes only for greed and dishonesty!
You murder the innocent,
oppress the poor, and reign ruthlessly.”

18 Therefore, this is what the Lord says about Jehoiakim, son of King Josiah:

“The people will not mourn for him, crying to one another,
‘Alas, my brother! Alas, my sister!’
His subjects will not mourn for him, crying,
‘Alas, our master is dead! Alas, his splendor is gone!’
19 He will be buried like a dead donkey—
dragged out of Jerusalem and dumped outside the gates!
20 Weep for your allies in Lebanon.
Shout for them in Bashan.
Search for them in the regions east of the river.[d]
See, they are all destroyed.
Not one is left to help you.
21 I warned you when you were prosperous,
but you replied, ‘Don’t bother me.’
You have been that way since childhood—
you simply will not obey me!
22 And now the wind will blow away your allies.
All your friends will be taken away as captives.
Surely then you will see your wickedness and be ashamed.
23 It may be nice to live in a beautiful palace
paneled with wood from the cedars of Lebanon,
but soon you will groan with pangs of anguish—
anguish like that of a woman in labor.

A Message for Jehoiachin

24 “As surely as I live,” says the Lord, “I will abandon you, Jehoiachin[e] son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah. Even if you were the signet ring on my right hand, I would pull you off. 25 I will hand you over to those who seek to kill you, those you so desperately fear—to King Nebuchadnezzar[f] of Babylon and the mighty Babylonian[g] army. 26 I will expel you and your mother from this land, and you will die in a foreign country, not in your native land. 27 You will never again return to the land you yearn for.

28 “Why is this man Jehoiachin like a discarded, broken jar?
Why are he and his children to be exiled to a foreign land?
29 O earth, earth, earth!
Listen to this message from the Lord!
30 This is what the Lord says:
‘Let the record show that this man Jehoiachin was childless.
He is a failure,
for none of his children will succeed him on the throne of David
to rule over Judah.’

The Righteous Descendant

23 “What sorrow awaits the leaders of my people—the shepherds of my sheep—for they have destroyed and scattered the very ones they were expected to care for,” says the Lord.

Therefore, this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says to these shepherds: “Instead of caring for my flock and leading them to safety, you have deserted them and driven them to destruction. Now I will pour out judgment on you for the evil you have done to them. But I will gather together the remnant of my flock from the countries where I have driven them. I will bring them back to their own sheepfold, and they will be fruitful and increase in number. Then I will appoint responsible shepherds who will care for them, and they will never be afraid again. Not a single one will be lost or missing. I, the Lord, have spoken!

“For the time is coming,”
says the Lord,
“when I will raise up a righteous descendant[h]
from King David’s line.
He will be a King who rules with wisdom.
He will do what is just and right throughout the land.
And this will be his name:
‘The Lord Is Our Righteousness.’[i]
In that day Judah will be saved,
and Israel will live in safety.

“In that day,” says the Lord, “when people are taking an oath, they will no longer say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, who rescued the people of Israel from the land of Egypt.’ Instead, they will say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, who brought the people of Israel back to their own land from the land of the north and from all the countries to which he had exiled them.’ Then they will live in their own land.”

Judgment on False Prophets

My heart is broken because of the false prophets,
and my bones tremble.
I stagger like a drunkard,
like someone overcome by wine,
because of the holy words
the Lord has spoken against them.
10 For the land is full of adultery,
and it lies under a curse.
The land itself is in mourning—
its wilderness pastures are dried up.
For they all do evil
and abuse what power they have.

11 “Even the priests and prophets
are ungodly, wicked men.
I have seen their despicable acts
right here in my own Temple,”
says the Lord.
12 “Therefore, the paths they take
will become slippery.
They will be chased through the dark,
and there they will fall.
For I will bring disaster upon them
at the time fixed for their punishment.
I, the Lord, have spoken!

13 “I saw that the prophets of Samaria were terribly evil,
for they prophesied in the name of Baal
and led my people of Israel into sin.
14 But now I see that the prophets of Jerusalem are even worse!
They commit adultery and love dishonesty.
They encourage those who are doing evil
so that no one turns away from their sins.
These prophets are as wicked
as the people of Sodom and Gomorrah once were.”

15 Therefore, this is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says concerning the prophets:

“I will feed them with bitterness
and give them poison to drink.
For it is because of Jerusalem’s prophets
that wickedness has filled this land.”

16 This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says to his people:

“Do not listen to these prophets when they prophesy to you,
filling you with futile hopes.
They are making up everything they say.
They do not speak for the Lord!
17 They keep saying to those who despise my word,
‘Don’t worry! The Lord says you will have peace!’
And to those who stubbornly follow their own desires,
they say, ‘No harm will come your way!’

18 “Have any of these prophets been in the Lord’s presence
to hear what he is really saying?
Has even one of them cared enough to listen?
19 Look! The Lord’s anger bursts out like a storm,
a whirlwind that swirls down on the heads of the wicked.
20 The anger of the Lord will not diminish
until it has finished all he has planned.
In the days to come
you will understand all this very clearly.

Footnotes:

  1. 22:11 Hebrew Shallum, another name for Jehoahaz.
  2. 22:13a The brother and successor of the exiled Jehoahaz. See 22:18.
  3. 22:13b Hebrew by unrighteousness.
  4. 22:20 Or in Abarim.
  5. 22:24 Hebrew Coniah, a variant spelling of Jehoiachin; also in 22:28.
  6. 22:25a Hebrew Nebuchadrezzar, a variant spelling of Nebuchadnezzar.
  7. 22:25b Or Chaldean.
  8. 23:5 Hebrew a righteous branch.
  9. 23:6 Hebrew Yahweh Tsidqenu.
New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.


2 Thessalonians 1

Greetings from Paul

This letter is from Paul, Silas,[a] and Timothy.

We are writing to the church in Thessalonica, to you who belong to God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

May God our Father[b] and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.

Encouragement during Persecution

Dear brothers and sisters,[c] we can’t help but thank God for you, because your faith is flourishing and your love for one another is growing. We proudly tell God’s other churches about your endurance and faithfulness in all the persecutions and hardships you are suffering. And God will use this persecution to show his justice and to make you worthy of his Kingdom, for which you are suffering. In his justice he will pay back those who persecute you.

And God will provide rest for you who are being persecuted and also for us when the Lord Jesus appears from heaven. He will come with his mighty angels, in flaming fire, bringing judgment on those who don’t know God and on those who refuse to obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with eternal destruction, forever separated from the Lord and from his glorious power. 10 When he comes on that day, he will receive glory from his holy people—praise from all who believe. And this includes you, for you believed what we told you about him.

11 So we keep on praying for you, asking our God to enable you to live a life worthy of his call. May he give you the power to accomplish all the good things your faith prompts you to do. 12 Then the name of our Lord Jesus will be honored because of the way you live, and you will be honored along with him. This is all made possible because of the grace of our God and Lord, Jesus Christ.[d]

Footnotes:

  1. 1:1 Greek Silvanus, the Greek form of the name.
  2. 1:2 Some manuscripts read God the Father.
  3. 1:3 Greek Brothers.
  4. 1:12 Or of our God and our Lord Jesus Christ.
New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.


Psalm 83

Psalm 83

A song. A psalm of Asaph.

O God, do not be silent!
Do not be deaf.
Do not be quiet, O God.
Don’t you hear the uproar of your enemies?
Don’t you see that your arrogant enemies are rising up?
They devise crafty schemes against your people;
they conspire against your precious ones.
“Come,” they say, “let us wipe out Israel as a nation.
We will destroy the very memory of its existence.”
Yes, this was their unanimous decision.
They signed a treaty as allies against you—
these Edomites and Ishmaelites;
Moabites and Hagrites;
Gebalites, Ammonites, and Amalekites;
and people from Philistia and Tyre.
Assyria has joined them, too,
and is allied with the descendants of Lot. Interlude

Do to them as you did to the Midianites
and as you did to Sisera and Jabin at the Kishon River.
10 They were destroyed at Endor,
and their decaying corpses fertilized the soil.
11 Let their mighty nobles die as Oreb and Zeeb did.
Let all their princes die like Zebah and Zalmunna,
12 for they said, “Let us seize for our own use
these pasturelands of God!”
13 O my God, scatter them like tumbleweed,
like chaff before the wind!
14 As a fire burns a forest
and as a flame sets mountains ablaze,
15 chase them with your fierce storm;
terrify them with your tempest.
16 Utterly disgrace them
until they submit to your name, O Lord.
17 Let them be ashamed and terrified forever.
Let them die in disgrace.
18 Then they will learn that you alone are called the Lord,
that you alone are the Most High,
supreme over all the earth.

New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.


Proverbs 25:11-14

11 Timely advice is lovely,
like golden apples in a silver basket.

12 To one who listens, valid criticism
is like a gold earring or other gold jewelry.

13 Trustworthy messengers refresh like snow in summer.
They revive the spirit of their employer.

14 A person who promises a gift but doesn’t give it
is like clouds and wind that bring no rain.

New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.


10/12/2021 DAB Transcript

Jeremiah 19:1-21:14, I Thessalonians 5:4-28, Psalm 82:1-8, Proverbs 25:9-10

Today is the 12th day of October, welcome to the Daily Audio Bible, I’m Brian, it is wonderful to be here with you today, doing what we do every day, taking the next step forward together and our next step will lead us back into the book of Jeremiah. We’re reading from the New Living Translation this week, Jeremiah chapter 19, 20, and 21.

Commentary:

Okay, so we concluded Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians, today, I Thessalonians. Which means that II Thessalonians is coming and we’ll begin that tomorrow. But as is generally, typical, there’s like lists of characteristics, things that get listed out that Paul’s summing things up with the need to be remembered. We talked about that we finished Colossians a few days ago. We looked at those lists and there's…there’s a list in I Thessalonians as well and it's…it’s a good one. And so, we’re obviously gonna review it. That’s what we’re supposed to do, that’s what the original receivers of this letter, they would’ve read this out loud in the congregations and they would’ve heard these lists. And maybe not characterize them as a list of behaviors or stuff to live into, but things to pay attention to. And so, we can do the same thing. We can go well, alright, hear give me the list and let me find out what I need to change, how I’m failing, and we can certainly read and go yeah, we got some work to do in this area. But what Paul is describing is what is supposed to be our normal way of things, what normal in the kingdom is supposed to look like. And so, we can review this and realize we’ve got some work to do. Or, you know, look at how we’re failing or we can also read this and understand this is what I am to be becoming. This is where my life is going. This is where I’m aiming and ultimately this is what sanctification will work out in me. This is how normal is supposed to look, this is what I am becoming. And so, let’s take a look. This is basically I Thessalonians chapter 5, then we begin with verse 12 and work our way through verse 22. This is where we find these characteristics. Honor those who are your leaders in the Lord’s work. They work hard among you and give you spiritual guidance. Maybe I should have named that number one. Number two: live peacefully with each other. Number three: warn those who are lazy, encourage those who are timid, take tender care of those who are weak. Number four: be patient with everyone. Number five: see that no one pays back evil for evil. Number six: always try to do good to each other and to all people. Number seven: always be joyful. Number eight: never stop praying. Number nine: be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. Number 10: do not stifle the Holy Spirit. Number 11: do not scoff at prophecies, but test everything that is said, hold on to what is good. And number 12: stay away from every kind of evil. And so, again we look at his list and go okay this is my list. This is my to do list, the you know, this is what I’m going to try by brute force, live myself into, and that, so that means self-discipline is a necessary part, having self-control is a necessary part of our faith journey. But we can also look at this list and I imagine that we all agree on these characteristics, like we’re all trying to move in this direction. So, to look at this list and go this is what normal is for a believer, helps us understand where we are headed in this life of faith as we surrender to the Lordship of Jesus and the guidance of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Prayer:

And so, Jesus, we ask for your help Holy Spirit. We need You in this. We read these things and realize that we’re failing in a lot of them and heap condemnation upon ourselves and self-loathing and hatred that we’re never going to measure up and then we realize we can never do this on our own without You. And so, we need You and the point isn’t to condemn us it’s to encourage us that there is a better life waiting for us. Available to us now, like now. So come, Holy Spirit, into this as we consider these things today. The places that are a leading edge of work for us, places that we need to more deeply surrender to You. Things we need to slow down on, things that we need to press into. Come, Holy Spirit, into all of this, leading us and guiding us. We ask in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Announcements:

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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.

Prayer and Encouragements:

Good morning family this is Trent from Rockville. I’m just gonna call in and give you a little story. I worked as a supervisor in construction years ago. Had a guy that was in the company, couldn’t get along with any supervisor, wanted to fight, and was pretty rough. They put him with me and I started talking to him about God. And, he said “Well my wife has been begging me to go to church.” And I looked at him and I said “what do you have to lose?” “Well, I don’t really want to go.” And I said, “well, what do you have to lose, really? To go spend one hour for your wife after all she does for you.” He went. On that Monday he came in, he said “it wasn’t so bad” he said, “I kind of really enjoyed it.” And, then he turned his life around and started going to church and as far as I know he still goes to church today. So, my prayer is that at least one of us, or everyone try to reach out and touch someone that doesn’t know God. And try to bring them closer to God. And I pray for all those that don’t know God, to please come to God. If we all come to God this would be the greatest world there ever was to live in. So, that’s my prayer and I ask for prayer for it too. And, I just want all ya’ll to know that I love you.

Good morning DAB family it’s the 7th of October at 9:15 AM this is Sarah from London. I hope you all are having a lovely, blessed week. Just praying that God is meeting each and every one of your needs. And I am just calling to say that I’m so, so sorry to hear about the loss of your brother Victorious Soldier. When I heard that my heart just really broke. It just shows the kind of person that you are even in the midst of your loss, a big loss as this, you still call in to pray for others. It just shows your heart and may God continue to send blessings your way. Cause you are such a woman of faith and I admire that. I’m just praying for God’s comfort upon you and your family during this very difficult time. May God be the strength of your heart. Just to let you know that I’m praying and I’m thinking of you and the family. I love you and I love you all DAB family.

Hey DAB fam, it’s Refined by the Fire in Ohio. Oh Brian, man, this passage in your commentary today for October 7th, oooh, just slices. You know I think we have all made a dish – whether we followed the recipe or tried to make it up, that went completely sideways and ended up in the trash and we ordered pizza or whatever happened. So, to compare that to our spiritual recipe and what are we choosing to whip up for the day and as much as I would love to say “Oh my gosh, I get up every morning and you know, I put on my armor and I grab those ingredients of the Spirit and I am ready to go.” The truth is that is not how that rules on a regular basis and instead I dig in the trash and I pullout those things that I shouldn’t be clinging to, and they seem so easy just to sprinkle over top of things and I just thank you for your words today. Thank you for the reading today and just gosh for just allowing the Spirit to do its work and I will be taking that with me through today and hopefully further but I do just thank you just for continuing to speak so. Love you guys all have a great day.

Hi this is Victorious Solider just calling to pray for some of the DABers. I want to pray for our precious Tony, it’s so good to hear from you Tony. I’m sorry to hear about your mom and the COVID. And we’ll pray for her that God will give her the victory. I want to also pray for Ransom Soul and her physical condition. She says her health is declining and her and her son and daughter is going through depression. I want to pray for them also. I want to pray for Susan from Canada and wanted to pray for Moreen, that she’s having some medical issues. I want to pray also for Bonnie who’s going through some challenges and Susan whose going through some challenges. Gracious Father, we come before You today, we just praise You, we just ask You to forgive us for any sin that we may have committed that is not pleasing in Your sight. Lord, we need You like a flower need rain. We ask You to touch those souls, Lord and those who are going through this Coronavirus Lord. We ask You to touch ‘em and we ask You to heal, we ask You to deliver, we ask You to give them life and save them Father. In the name of Jesus. We ask You to have Your way in the life of the DABers and Your people, You have Your way. In the name of Jesus, Lord, You have Your way. We thank You for the victory, we thank You that You’re an awesome God. We thank You that You’re a mighty God. We thank You that You’re a Holy God, that no other God is greater than You. And we thank that You’re a God that answers prayers and we thank You for the prayer. We thank You for the victory, we thank You for those coming out of the hospital being healed. We thank You Lord for the victory in the name of Jesus. And Lord, we give You the glory.

Hi, this is Bonnie from Virginia. I wanted to thank Susan who prayed for me and for Mark in Australia. Thank you so much for your prayer. And I also wanted to request you to continue praying for me because my both children are not following God, now a days. My daughter is married to a Hindu guy and she has stopped going to church. My son, has moved out and is living with his girlfriend and he’s also not following God or going to church. I raised them in Christian faith and along with the Christian surroundings or people but I don’t know what I missed. It really hurts because I always followed God. I was an orphan and grew up in an orphanage home so I used to feel that God is only the one that I have in my life and I walked in His path every day in my sorrow or happiness. And I tried to do the same thing for my children to lead them to trust in God, but I don’t know. Maybe, it’s the surroundings that they are now is diverting them from God. So, I would really, really, want to request you all to pray for me. I love listening to Daily Audio Bible. The minute I open my eyes I will just start listening to

The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Tuesday October 12, 2021 (NIV)

Jeremiah 19-21

Jeremiah’s Shattered Jar

19 This is what the Lord said to me: “Go and buy a clay jar. Then ask some of the leaders of the people and of the priests to follow you. Go out through the Gate of Broken Pots to the garbage dump in the valley of Ben-Hinnom, and give them this message. Say to them, ‘Listen to this message from the Lord, you kings of Judah and citizens of Jerusalem! This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: I will bring a terrible disaster on this place, and the ears of those who hear about it will ring!

“‘For Israel has forsaken me and turned this valley into a place of wickedness. The people burn incense to foreign gods—idols never before acknowledged by this generation, by their ancestors, or by the kings of Judah. And they have filled this place with the blood of innocent children. They have built pagan shrines to Baal, and there they burn their sons as sacrifices to Baal. I have never commanded such a horrible deed; it never even crossed my mind to command such a thing! So beware, for the time is coming, says the Lord, when this garbage dump will no longer be called Topheth or the valley of Ben-Hinnom, but the Valley of Slaughter.

“‘For I will upset the careful plans of Judah and Jerusalem. I will allow the people to be slaughtered by invading armies, and I will leave their dead bodies as food for the vultures and wild animals. I will reduce Jerusalem to ruins, making it a monument to their stupidity. All who pass by will be astonished and will gasp at the destruction they see there. I will see to it that your enemies lay siege to the city until all the food is gone. Then those trapped inside will eat their own sons and daughters and friends. They will be driven to utter despair.’

10 “As these men watch you, Jeremiah, smash the jar you brought. 11 Then say to them, ‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: As this jar lies shattered, so I will shatter the people of Judah and Jerusalem beyond all hope of repair. They will bury the bodies here in Topheth, the garbage dump, until there is no more room for them. 12 This is what I will do to this place and its people, says the Lord. I will cause this city to become defiled like Topheth. 13 Yes, all the houses in Jerusalem, including the palace of Judah’s kings, will become like Topheth—all the houses where you burned incense on the rooftops to your star gods, and where liquid offerings were poured out to your idols.’”

14 Then Jeremiah returned from Topheth, the garbage dump where he had delivered this message, and he stopped in front of the Temple of the Lord. He said to the people there, 15 “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘I will bring disaster upon this city and its surrounding towns as I promised, because you have stubbornly refused to listen to me.’”

Jeremiah and Pashhur

20 Now Pashhur son of Immer, the priest in charge of the Temple of the Lord, heard what Jeremiah was prophesying. So he arrested Jeremiah the prophet and had him whipped and put in stocks at the Benjamin Gate of the Lord’s Temple.

The next day, when Pashhur finally released him, Jeremiah said, “Pashhur, the Lord has changed your name. From now on you are to be called ‘The Man Who Lives in Terror.’[a] For this is what the Lord says: ‘I will send terror upon you and all your friends, and you will watch as they are slaughtered by the swords of the enemy. I will hand the people of Judah over to the king of Babylon. He will take them captive to Babylon or run them through with the sword. And I will let your enemies plunder Jerusalem. All the famed treasures of the city—the precious jewels and gold and silver of your kings—will be carried off to Babylon. As for you, Pashhur, you and all your household will go as captives to Babylon. There you will die and be buried, you and all your friends to whom you prophesied that everything would be all right.’”

Jeremiah’s Complaint

O Lord, you misled me,
and I allowed myself to be misled.
You are stronger than I am,
and you overpowered me.
Now I am mocked every day;
everyone laughs at me.
When I speak, the words burst out.
“Violence and destruction!” I shout.
So these messages from the Lord
have made me a household joke.
But if I say I’ll never mention the Lord
or speak in his name,
his word burns in my heart like a fire.
It’s like a fire in my bones!
I am worn out trying to hold it in!
I can’t do it!
10 I have heard the many rumors about me.
They call me “The Man Who Lives in Terror.”
They threaten, “If you say anything, we will report it.”
Even my old friends are watching me,
waiting for a fatal slip.
“He will trap himself,” they say,
“and then we will get our revenge on him.”

11 But the Lord stands beside me like a great warrior.
Before him my persecutors will stumble.
They cannot defeat me.
They will fail and be thoroughly humiliated.
Their dishonor will never be forgotten.
12 O Lord of Heaven’s Armies,
you test those who are righteous,
and you examine the deepest thoughts and secrets.
Let me see your vengeance against them,
for I have committed my cause to you.
13 Sing to the Lord!
Praise the Lord!
For though I was poor and needy,
he rescued me from my oppressors.

14 Yet I curse the day I was born!
May no one celebrate the day of my birth.
15 I curse the messenger who told my father,
“Good news—you have a son!”
16 Let him be destroyed like the cities of old
that the Lord overthrew without mercy.
Terrify him all day long with battle shouts,
17 because he did not kill me at birth.
Oh, that I had died in my mother’s womb,
that her body had been my grave!
18 Why was I ever born?
My entire life has been filled
with trouble, sorrow, and shame.

No Deliverance from Babylon

21 The Lord spoke through Jeremiah when King Zedekiah sent Pashhur son of Malkijah and Zephaniah son of Maaseiah, the priest, to speak with him. They begged Jeremiah, “Please speak to the Lord for us and ask him to help us. King Nebuchadnezzar[b] of Babylon is attacking Judah. Perhaps the Lord will be gracious and do a mighty miracle as he has done in the past. Perhaps he will force Nebuchadnezzar to withdraw his armies.”

Jeremiah replied, “Go back to King Zedekiah and tell him, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I will make your weapons useless against the king of Babylon and the Babylonians[c] who are outside your walls attacking you. In fact, I will bring your enemies right into the heart of this city. I myself will fight against you with a strong hand and a powerful arm, for I am very angry. You have made me furious! I will send a terrible plague upon this city, and both people and animals will die. And after all that, says the Lord, I will hand over King Zedekiah, his staff, and everyone else in the city who survives the disease, war, and famine. I will hand them over to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and to their other enemies. He will slaughter them and show them no mercy, pity, or compassion.’

“Tell all the people, ‘This is what the Lord says: Take your choice of life or death! Everyone who stays in Jerusalem will die from war, famine, or disease, but those who go out and surrender to the Babylonians will live. Their reward will be life! 10 For I have decided to bring disaster and not good upon this city, says the Lord. It will be handed over to the king of Babylon, and he will reduce it to ashes.’

Judgment on Judah’s Kings

11 “Say to the royal family of Judah, ‘Listen to this message from the Lord! 12 This is what the Lord says to the dynasty of David:

“‘Give justice each morning to the people you judge!
Help those who have been robbed;
rescue them from their oppressors.
Otherwise, my anger will burn like an unquenchable fire
because of all your sins.
13 I will personally fight against the people in Jerusalem,
that mighty fortress—
the people who boast, “No one can touch us here.
No one can break in here.”
14 And I myself will punish you for your sinfulness,
says the Lord.
I will light a fire in your forests
that will burn up everything around you.’”

Footnotes:

  1. 20:3 Hebrew Magor-missabib, which means “surrounded by terror”; also in 20:10.
  2. 21:2 Hebrew Nebuchadrezzar, a variant spelling of Nebuchadnezzar; also in 21:7.
  3. 21:4 Or Chaldeans; also in 21:9.
New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.


1 Thessalonians 5:4-28

But you aren’t in the dark about these things, dear brothers and sisters, and you won’t be surprised when the day of the Lord comes like a thief.[a] For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don’t belong to darkness and night. So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded. Night is the time when people sleep and drinkers get drunk. But let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation.

For God chose to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out his anger on us. 10 Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when he returns, we can live with him forever. 11 So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.

Paul’s Final Advice

12 Dear brothers and sisters, honor those who are your leaders in the Lord’s work. They work hard among you and give you spiritual guidance. 13 Show them great respect and wholehearted love because of their work. And live peacefully with each other.

14 Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy. Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone.

15 See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people.

16 Always be joyful. 17 Never stop praying. 18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

19 Do not stifle the Holy Spirit. 20 Do not scoff at prophecies, 21 but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. 22 Stay away from every kind of evil.

Paul’s Final Greetings

23 Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. 24 God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful.

25 Dear brothers and sisters, pray for us.

26 Greet all the brothers and sisters with a sacred kiss.

27 I command you in the name of the Lord to read this letter to all the brothers and sisters.

28 May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Footnotes:

  1. 5:4 Some manuscripts read comes upon you as if you were thieves.
New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.


Psalm 82

Psalm 82

A psalm of Asaph.

God presides over heaven’s court;
he pronounces judgment on the heavenly beings:
“How long will you hand down unjust decisions
by favoring the wicked? Interlude

“Give justice to the poor and the orphan;
uphold the rights of the oppressed and the destitute.
Rescue the poor and helpless;
deliver them from the grasp of evil people.
But these oppressors know nothing;
they are so ignorant!
They wander about in darkness,
while the whole world is shaken to the core.
I say, ‘You are gods;
you are all children of the Most High.
But you will die like mere mortals
and fall like every other ruler.’”

Rise up, O God, and judge the earth,
for all the nations belong to you.

New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.


Proverbs 25:9-10

When arguing with your neighbor,
don’t betray another person’s secret.
10 Others may accuse you of gossip,
and you will never regain your good reputation.

New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.