1 Samuel 8:1-9:27, John 6:22-42, Psalm 106:32-48, Proverbs 14:34-35
Today is the 10th day of May, welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I’m Brian. It is wonderful to be here with you today as we gather around the Global Campfire and find a place, there’s all kinds of room. It’s cozy here. And we leave behind, for a little bit, the cares of this life all the things that are slumping our shoulders, all the things that are making us walk slow. We leave those things, the anxieties, the depression, all that stuff. We can go get it. Like if we’re worried it’s gonna go away and we really need this stuff, we can always go pick it back up. But we come in here, in a safe place, and allow God’s word to speak into our lives and maybe our perspective is changed and maybe we don’t need to carry some of that stuff anymore. Or maybe it looks different. But for now, this is where we are, we’re present here around the Global Campfire, taking the next step forward. And that next step, will certainly lead us to the last step where, where we left off and that brings us back into the book of First Samuel. And Samuels leadership is leading us to Israel’s first king. Today, First Samuel 8 and 9.
Commentary:
Okay, so there’s a couple things we need to talk about today. Let’s first go into first Samuel. I mean, we had a lot of details about Samuel’s early life and his childhood. And then, as he becomes an adult, like years go by in a sentence, but he is the final judge and now we have, we have drawn near to the end of Samuel’s life. And as I said, Samuel’s the final judge of Israel. We are transitioning out of the times of the judges and into the time of the monarchy. But Samuel’s plan was to just keep the judges going and he put his two sons in charge as co-judges, but they as the leaders of Israel came to Samuel, they told Samuel they don’t, they don’t act or walk in the ways that you walk. Like, basically we’re not taking them as, we don’t want them appointed as judges, we want a king. And that displeased Samuel, it was a rejection of God. God spoke to Samuel and said they’re not rejecting you. It’s me, they’re rejecting me as their king, but do as they say, give them a king. And so, we met this man named Saul today and we know very little about him, other than he was on a donkey chase when he came in contact with this seer. Samuel, who has an important message to give him from God. This is the set up and Saul will become this first king. And Saul, now as we move into this era of the monarchy, Israel’s first King Saul we’ll watch his story, but his story is a mirror into our own lives on so many levels. There’s a number of things for us to observe and learn from in the life of King Saul in the days ahead.
Now let’s flip over into John. Jesus has asked a question today and it, it’s a question that whether we speak it aloud or just think of it, it’s a question that is probably relatively familiar to us. The question is, what must we do to accomplish the deeds God requires? And since Jesus answers the question, it’s like so easy to go, oh great let me grab a pen. Like, I want to write this list down so that I’m making sure that I’m jumping through these hoops. But Jesus answers interestingly, and we must believe that Jesus answers truthfully. And so, the answer to the question is this: and I quote Jesus, “This is the deed God requires, to believe in the one whom he sent.” Like that’s it. That’s what He said. They interrupted him, like that’s what He said. And so, they countered then basically then show us some magic so that we might believe. What can You do? What can You show us to prove it? The backdrop for this is that Jesus had just fed thousands of people miraculously and then went back to Capernaum and the crowds have come from Capernaum and are asking Him this question and they’re saying show us what you can do because our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness. He gave them bread from heaven to eat, what can You do? And Jesus is like, are you kidding me? Like, what did I just do yesterday, besides give you bread to eat. But you guys are here after the wrong bread. I am the bread of life. The one who comes to me will never go hungry, and the one who believes in me will never be thirsty. But I told you that you have seen me, and you still don’t believe. And we can read the story in the Gospel of John and look at the people and go, guys, how could you miss this, how could you miss it. It’s right in front of your faces. How can you be so thick? Until we realize that part of this story is to let us look into our own reflection and realize that we have the same tendencies to do the same thing. I do believe, I will believe. Show me the magic, show me the signs, I need the signs. And we want to follow after those things, instead of simply believing, understanding that what we want is to see and then believe. But that’s not faith. Believing and it opening your eyes so that you can see that his faith. We also have to think about how we could love someone we don’t believe in. How do you have a relationship with someone you don’t believe in, which leads us to ask ourselves the question that we should be asking. Do we believe or are we setting our lives up in such a way that we are inviting God to continually prove Himself. Are we believing because we think that we can exchange our belief in trade for some sort of benefit, or some sort of sign? Basically, do we find ourselves in the position of the people who are questioning Jesus? These people aren’t being antagonistic, there just saying, show us what you can do and then we’ll believe. How often do we find ourselves in that position? It’s food for thought today.
Prayer:
And so, Holy Spirit, we invite You into that. Do we love You and follow You for what we think You’re going to provide for us? Or do we love you because even while we were your enemies You came to rescue us, displaying that You loved us first, and our love is a response. Come, Holy Spirit, and lead us into all truth, and lead us into the truth about our honest motivations here. And as we turn away from directions that are going nowhere, lead us on the narrow path that leads to life, lead us deeper into Jesus, we ask in his name. 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:
Hello DAB community. This is Mark, the baby doctor from Dayton Ohio. My wife and I have been listeners to the DAB since 2012. And it has been a really long time since I’ve called in. I’m recently retired, and I was just listening to the DAB, and I heard Lisa from the East Coast, also known as Philippians 4:6, call in about her cancer at the age of 36 with a really difficult prognosis. And also, God’s Chosen on that same episode also called in and prayed for her. I was deeply moved Lisa by what you said and your cancer. And as a physician and believer since 1978 I have come to strongly believe that healing still does occur today. And I was compelled in my heart to call and pray for your healing. I wanted to give you Lamentations 3:21 through 24. This I recall to my mind. Therefore, I have hope. The Lord’s lovingkindness indeed never ceases for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning, great is your faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, says my soul. Therefore, I have hope in Him. And Psalms 27:13 and 14, and yet I totally trust you to rescue me one more time so I can see once again how good you are while I’m still alive. Lisa, I command this cancer to be gone from your body. That you would receive healing. In Jesus name. Love you.
Hi, I’m gonna call myself Jenny the Quilter. I’ve been listening to the DAB for about 3 years now. And I put on my headphones and work away at a long arm machine every day. And I’ve been so grateful for Brian Hardin and everything that he does. And I wish that my first call was just me calling to say how thankful I am for this program. But like many people, I have something that I really desperately want you to pray for. A lady called in today, wanting us to pray for her son Shawn, who had a mass behind his eye and my daughter right now, is fighting what they are calling an ocular melanoma behind her eye. We’re trying to get appointments and dealing with the medical system. And I just want your prayers for everything to work out for the best. Like I said, I love this program. I love all of you. I pray for you every day.
Hello my DAB family. As I continue to pray for our incarcerated brothers and sisters, such as Tickny Bird, Robert Novaro, Samson Elvis, Kyarn Stanyels, Bruce Devise, Ricky White, Eugene Thomas and my son, Joel Polk. Just also keep me and my family in prayer as we were praying for charges to be dropped, lessened or reduced or my son to be exonerated. He received a stiff penalty. Unless there’s some type of redemption through retrial, appeals, he may spend decades incarcerated. But I do know that God has it in control. And I thank you DAB, Brian, Jill and staff, for all your support for this ministry. Gods got it all in control. I love you family, although I feel and the family feels as if we’re in suspended animation, we know that God’s got it. Love you, God Bless and have a great day.
This is Maximum Health Warrior it’s Wednesday, May 3rd. Please keep me in your prayers. I suffer from sever anxiety and depression all my life and I know I cast my cares to the Lord, for He cares for me. I know that brothers and sisters are suffering the same way and I know that Jesus says that He will restore me but somedays I doubt that. I feel like I’m two people. On some days I praise the heavens, I feel like I’m doing what God wants me to do. I’m on the path that God wants me to be. And on other days I’m paralyzed with fear. I overthink everything, every little thing. Like, would God want me to do this, would God want me to do that and if I don’t do this what will happen. And then I feel guilty for that. And it just compounds it. I know God doesn’t want me to feel this way. But sometimes I can’t help it. I, I could use your prayers. And also, I want to say to Blind Tony, thank you so much. Your poems, when I’m feeling down, I can listen to your poems, and I feel edified and restored. You don’t know how many people you’re touching with them, keep them up. Thank you, God Bless.
Hello, my DAB family, this is Unwavering from North Carolina, calling in to respond to Liza, Philippians 4:6. It was so good to hear your voice and I want you to know that I have continue to keep you on the alter. I thank God for just your encouraging words despite all that you are going through. And I am in agreement with you on your clarity and your courage as a fellow DABer called in. I just want to lift you up. Father God, we thank You for Liza. We thank You that she continues or to give You all praise, all honor for who You are in her life. And right now, I just bind the assignment of cancer to her. Lord, I thank You that she will continue to have a healthy immune system and that it is perfectly aligned with your will. Father God, I just decree and declare right now, that Liza will prosper that she will continue, Father God, to have full days ahead. We thank You for her 36 birthday. And Father God, we just believe that Lord, there is nothing to hard for You. You hung the twinkling stars, You set the radiant moon, You tell the ocean where to stop and start. There is nothing to hard for You. So, I just believe You God for Liza’s complete and total healing and restoration. In Your son’s mighty and matchless powerful name. We pray. Amen. Love you DAB family. And Liza, stay encouraged. We believe God.
Hello Daily Audio Bible. This is Candace from Oregon asking you to pray with me for my son, Micah. The very first time I ever called the DAB was March 22 of 2014. I had just began listening on January 1st of 2014. At that time, it looked like God had delivered my son from alcohol. But here we are in 2023 and yes, he has been sober now for two months but it’s because he put himself into a treatment program and has not been out in the world, real world yet. This is the second time in a year, he was also at the same treatment program last June. Please pray with me. Lord, thank You that I am with Your people. And we are holding hands together in prayer for Micah knowing that You can do anything. And we’ve seen You work in his life, time and again. I know Lord, that the day he passes away, he’ll go straight into your arms and that he believes in You. But meanwhile, You have a hope and a future for him on this earth as well. I pray that when he is released here in just a few days, that You give him strength like he’s never had before. That he has the courage to attend the meetings, AA. And hold on to his dreams. I pray that he treats You, relies on You. And has friends who encourage him to do this. We ask these things in Jesus name and for his sake.