Joshua 16:1-18:28, Luke 19:1-27, Psalm 87:1-7, Proverbs 13:11
Today is the 18th day of April, welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I’m Brian. It’s great to be here with you today, around the Global Campfire in the springtime, at least here in the northern hemisphere. And watching everything come back full force here in the South, in the rolling hills of Tennessee. And I trust that it is a beautiful, beautiful day, wherever you may be. It’s always a beautiful day here, around the Global Campfire together, each day and find a place to be together soon, just know that we’re together. There is never a time that we’re listening that somebody else isn’t so, it’s fantastic that we can gather again and take another step forward. And our next step is at the very point where we left off, as it is every day. And so, we are moving back into the Book of Joshua today. And we’re kind of reading through the different allotments of land now, so there was a lot of battle and conquest. The children of Israel were attacked a couple times by many of the different kings in the region and they won. And so, they were able to take over massive pieces of the land, in short order. But there is still plenty left to do at this point. We’re sort of reading through the boundaries for the different tribes of the children of Israel as they move into their inheritance in the Promised Land. So, today, Joshua chapters 16, 17 and 18.
Commentary:
Okay, so, yesterday, we were talking about Jesus arriving in the Jordan Valley, moving through Jericho and the blind man crying out desperate enough to disrupt the crowd, even though he was further being marginalized. And that his cry got the attention of Jesus that cry, “Lord, have mercy upon me,” is a cry of the heart that the Lord hears. And so, Jesus stopped everything he was doing, restored his site we talked about that, opening our eyes to see what is going on and how we are here to put back together what is broken, instead of continuing to break things further. Now, we’ve kind of gotten through town, we’re still in Jericho today was, maybe got to the middle or to the other side of the town. And there’s a tax collector he, he is kind of, marginalized by the marginalized. Like, he’s a Hebrew but the people paid him, he’s Jewish but he’s a tax collector on behalf of Rome and so he’s a traitor and so he’s already marginalized is Hebrew and he’s marginalized by his fellow Hebrews as a tax collector. But he wants to see Jesus while He’s passing through, he wants to see what’s going on. And the problem is he’s just a little guy. He’s just a little guy and can’t see over the crowd and he can’t get close. And so, he runs ahead and climbs a tree, which is funny in and of itself. So, here’s this little guy who is a tax collector and so, may have financial resources, but doesn’t have a lot of community, marginalized by his own people for his work. He’s a sinner. For some reason, when I think about this story and Jesus is kind of walking through Jericho, He still has the weight of the world, like He, He still has to go to Jerusalem and die. But He’s moving through Jericho and He’s healed the blind man and I can just see Him walking through Jericho with this crowd of people all around Him. And He looks up and sees this guy in a tree and it’s Zacchaeus and He knows it. And I just picture with a smile on His face cause He’s looking up at this tree. Saying, you need to come down bud. You need to come down because I’m coming to your house, which actually disrupted the crowd that was escorting Jesus through Jericho, waiting to see what He would say or what He would do. They were, they were all of a sudden displeased. They’re trying to figure out if Jesus is the Messiah and is about to you know, sound the battle cry and rally the troops. And here He is going to a tax collector’s house to be the guest of a sinner. Which is what they say, I quote from Luke, “He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner, they grumbled.” Which, once again, shows the disconnect from the people and what Jesus was doing. He said what He had come to do was to heal the brokenhearted and set the captive free. He said He had come to seek and save what was lost and He’s just doing what He said He came to do, but it doesn’t fit their paradigm. And we’ve seen crowds turn on Jesus before and in short order, we’re going to make it to Jerusalem and we’re gonna see the crowds turn on Him again. They’re going to be Hosanna to the son of David as He comes into Jerusalem, and like a couple of days later they’re gonna be like, crucify Him, crucify Him. Which helps us to at least take a glimpse of the fact that we can get caught up in the mob mentality and be doing the same kinds of things, breaking things, instead of putting them back together. Ironically with the disruption that’s going on Zacchaeus doesn’t seem to be paying all that much attention to the commotion that’s all around. He found that he was in the presence of somebody like nobody he’s ever met before. And so, he’s sitting there in his house with Jesus, realizing this is a whole other thing going on. And he says, and I quote from Luke, “I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much.” This is Zacchaeus, who’s marginalized by the marginalized, agreeing to give up the only power that he has in his, his vocation and in his money and to give it back any ill-gotten gain, to give it back to the people who need it. And Jesus responds to that, that statement, that commitment, is that salvation has come to this house. So, the displeasure of the people for watching Jesus go and have a meal with a notorious sinner, juxtaposes against the fact that Zacchaeus has completely repented, and his life is different. He was restored. And that gives us another opportunity as the Bible is prone to do, to look at ourselves in the mirror. Because we can be following along in the crowd, following Jesus where He’s leading, a part of the crowd. And I don’t mean like, a part of the crowd in Jericho, I mean like a part of the faith journey of fellow brothers and sisters who are following Jesus. And so, we can be in the crowd of people following Jesus and then we make all kinds of assumptions and statements about what Jesus does and what Jesus does not do and who He does not for sure do it with. But again, Jesus was not unclear about what He was doing: healing the brokenhearted, setting captives free, seeking and saving what was lost. And that’s still what He’s doing, thankfully or what, what would our stories be, if he hadn’t come to heal our broken hearts and set us free from captivity, and seek us out and save what was lost? He did this for Zacchaeus, despite the displeasure of the people who are following along in the crowd with Him. He will still do that, despite our displeasure. So, we have to kind of think about who may be inadvertently being marginalized by us, by our tribe, who is the notorious sinner, who are the notorious sinners, that all we want is for God to judge, for God to rise up and retaliate. What if He retaliates by pursuing them their entire lives as He has done for every single one of us? What if we took up our cross and followed Him.
Prayer:
And Holy Spirit, come, into this. We’re all guilty of all kinds of things. We aren’t deserving of a moment, a nano second of Your attention. That we are here at all, is a gift, and a grace, and a mercy upon us. And that You have sustained us, reveals Your patience and endurance for us. And we, we’ve grown accustomed to expecting that. And somehow, we’ve grown accustomed to thinking that we don’t have to follow Your way, that we don’t have to actually imitate You, that we don’t have to do what You were doing. And yet, all of these examples that have been memorialized in the New Testament, in the Gospels, are there to teach us how to be, by following Your example. So, that brings up all kinds of things for us to think about today, we invite Your Holy Spirit to help us think about them today. Keep this upon our minds, as we interact with life and the world today. We pray, in the name of Jesus, we ask. Amen.
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And that’s it for today, I’m Brian, I love you and I’ll be waiting for you here, tomorrow.
Prayer and Encouragements:
Hi, DAB Family, it’s Veronica, going by Hopeful. I’m calling with such a heavy heart today. I know this might sound trivial cause there are so many other needs here, but I’m grieving today. I had called about my husband and I being childless and how we had prayed for us to make peace with this. Then, everything fell into place for us to pursue fertility treatment. And somehow, almost by a miracle, we were able to go through with the treatment, only to find out yesterday that it simply did not work. We have traveled out of the country for this procedure and endured all the shots, medications. Only to be left empty handed, yet again. It’s hard for me not to feel like I’m cursed with a barren womb. I’ve asked the Lord to help me more times than I can count. Our hearts are crushed is an understatement. The tears of disappointment will not stop this morning. And please pray for my husband, Anthony. I know he’s in much pain as I am. Please pray for our marriage. I’m so tired of crying over this same situation. I don’t even know what to pray for anymore, other than, please pray for our hearts to heal and for us to allow the Lord to direct our steps as to what to do, going forward. Thank you DAB and God Bless all of you. Bye Bye.
Good morning, Daily Audio Bible, my name is Melissa. I’m calling from California. I’m calling cause an online friend, someone I’ve never met, but I had tremendous respect for, has committed suicide. Ashley was this beautiful woman who saved cats and kittens and shared their storied online. She arranged their adoptions; she got them healthy and ready to move on to their forever homes. She was always very honest about her depression and her mental illness. She was always very forthright in the fact that her father had committed suicide. And on April 6th she committed suicide, and my heart is shattered. I don’t know how to process this because she is such a beautiful woman and so much for so many. So, I pray for her mom as she goes through this terrible ordeal. I pray for the pets that she left behind. I pray for all of us who were touched by her, in the smallest of ways, in the largest of ways. And I pray for anyone who is dealing with suicidal thoughts. God be with you. God bless you. Amen.
Hi, it’s Audrie from Marino Valley and I just wanted to check in with all of you and let you know how things are going. I know there are so many of you that have been praying for me and my son, Christian. And I feel that it’s important to let you know how things are going along the journey. It is by God’s grace simply, that is it. Your prayers and being faithful to the promises that God has given, me especially, that keep me moving forward in this season of my life. It’s not easy. And so, therefore, asking for prayers always. But seeing God do His good work and what He promised years ago, is more than I can explain to you without just great joy. Keep praying and thank you. We covet your prayers and, and I want you to know, I do pray for those of you that call in and even those that don’t, that haven’t called in, in a long time. We pray for you always. Hi, it’s Christian. I’m still sober and that’s what I’m gonna remain to be, is sober for the rest of my life. Because I owe it my kids and to God, first and foremost and for getting me out of that lifestyle. And anybody’s that listening that is struggling with addiction, keep fighting for sobriety. It changes your life. It’s a blessing and yeah, DAB on fellow DABers. Thank you. God bless you. We’re praying for you, each and every one of you. Thank you, Brian, for this platform.
Good evening, friends, this is Wind and Water. Wanted to pray and lift up Ashley from California who just asked for help through a season, her son is sick, and she just needs hope. She wants to push through and just humbly seek You and to grow and for Your will to be done, Father. And I just pray for that in Ashley’s life and I pray for her son, please heal. And Father, I also want to lift up Little Pinguin from South Africa. Praise God that she is back with Jesus and it’s a lot because of what Brian does and because of the whole DAB community. So, thank you for that. And welcome back Little Pinguin. She just prays for her country of South Africa, that there are so many people fleeing, and they could do the work that needs to be done there. And she just prays for maybe a change of heart in those people. And also, she prays for her boyfriend, who has been abused and who has differences with his father, Father. And Abba, I just pray that You would bless him, though her. Help her to be a good influence and Father, help healing to come about. And finally, I want to join with God’s Chosen from Georgia in praying over all DABers. Thank You Jesus, for this community. We pray for healing, restoration, reconciliation, and redemption. And Father, God, we ask for Your Shalom. It’s Jesus Holy Perfect and Precious name we pray. Amen.
Hello, this is Manita from Lomberg. Hello my siblings. I love you guys, my family. I’m so thankful for Brian and Jill and China. I started with Brian many years ago. And I wanna thank you, Brian, for leading me back into the word of God. God uses you tremendously, to minister to me in your readings and your powerful words and prayers, thank you. And I’ve been wanting to thank Ezekiel. Thank you, Ezekiel, for joining your family on April Fool’s Day. That was really amazing. Thank you so much, your family is amazing, Ezekiel. You are amazing. I was so surprised on April 1st when other family got together and, for the reading of the word of God. That was, that was powerful. I just wanted to thank you; I’m praying for you Ezekiel. You continue to grow in ways, favor of God. I’ll be listening to you forever, you know, until the Lord comes and picks up His church. Thank you so much, everyone for your prayers and encouragement. You guys are the best. I love you guys. This is an encouragement for those that are behind, hang in there and continue to listen. Don’t get ….