Partakers Christian Podcasts

Partakers Bible Thought 19 May 2022 - Daniel 8

Partakers Bible Thought

19 May 2022

 Daniel 8 - Worlds In Conflict

We are looking today at an intriguing piece of Scripture - Daniel 8! In Chapter 7, the prophet Daniel had a dream of 4 animals, which were a winged lion, a bear, a winged leopard and a beast.

v1-4 In the third year of the reign of king Belshazzar a vision appeared to me, even to me, Daniel, after that which appeared to me at the first. I saw in the vision; now it was so, that when I saw, I was in the citadel of Susa, which is in the province of Elam; and I saw in the vision, and I was by the river Ulai. Then I lifted up my eyes, and saw, and behold, there stood before the river a ram which had two horns: and the two horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher came up last. I saw the ram pushing westward, and northward, and southward; and no animals could stand before him, neither was there any who could deliver out of his hand; but he did according to his will, and magnified himself.

v27 I, Daniel, fainted, and was sick certain days; then I rose up, and did the king's business: and I wondered at the vision, but none understood it.

Here in Daniel 8, we look together at the bear, which is described here as a ram, and a winged leopard that is described as a goat. Unlike his previous two visions which occurred at night, this one occurs during the day. Daniel was transported in the Spirit to Susa, a major city of the Babylon & Persian empires. He sat down beside the Ulai canal, nine hundred feet wide and connected two large rivers so that boats could easily pass from one to the other. Spiritually seated by the river, he lifted up his eyes. He saw a ram, a male sheep, that had two horns, and as he watched, one of its horns became larger than the other.

Grab your Bible, and listen to the podcast to find out more about this intriguing and wonderful piece of Scripture!

Right mouse click or tap here to save this Podcast as a MP3.

Partakers Bible Thought 18 May 2022 – Spiritual Armor

Partakers Bible Thought

18 May 2022

17 He put on righteousness as his breastplate, and the helmet of salvation on his head; he put on the garments of vengeance and wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak. (Isaiah 59:17)

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full Armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full Armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled round your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should. (Ephesians 6:10-20)

To help His people resist satan and to fight spiritual warfare, God has designed spiritual Armor for Christians to wear during our constant battle with sin & temptation. That’s what Paul talks about in Ephesians 6! This Armor is what God wears according to Isaiah 59:17, when He goes out to battle!

Today we explore the Christian in Spiritual Armor, answering questions including: What is “Spiritual Armor?” How is it used by God to help the Christian believer? How is the Spiritual Armor “worn” by the Christian?

Listen or download the mp3 podcast to find out more about the Christian and your Spiritual Armor!

Click or Tap here to listen to or save this as an audio mp3 file

~

Partakers Bible Thought - Psalm 28

Psalm 28

1 To you, Yahweh, I call.
My rock, don’t be deaf to me; lest, if you are silent to me,
I would become like those who go down into the pit.
2 Hear the voice of my petitions,
when I cry to you,
when I lift up my hands toward your Most Holy Place.
3 Don’t draw me away with the wicked,
with the workers of iniquity who speak peace with their neighbours,
but mischief is in their hearts.

4 Give them according to their work,
and according to the wickedness of their doings.
Give them according to the operation of their hands.
Bring back on them what they deserve.
5 Because they don’t respect the works of Yahweh,
nor the operation of his hands,
he will break them down and not build them up.

6 Blessed be Yahweh,
because he has heard the voice of my petitions.
7 Yahweh is my strength and my shield.
My heart has trusted in him, and I am helped.
Therefore my heart greatly rejoices. With my song I will thank him.
8 Yahweh is their strength.
He is a stronghold of salvation to his anointed.
9 Save your people, and bless your inheritance.
Be their shepherd also, and bear them up forever.

Right mouse click or tap here to save this Podcast as a MP3.

Partakers Bible Thought - Psalm 103

Psalm 103

(read by Pammy)

103:1 Praise Yahweh, my soul!

All that is within me, praise his holy name!

 103:2 Praise Yahweh, my soul, and don't forget all his benefits;

 103:3 who forgives all your sins; who heals all your diseases;

 103:4 who redeems your life from destruction;

who crowns you with loving kindness and tender mercies;

 103:5 who satisfies your desire with good things,

so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

 103:6 Yahweh executes righteous acts,

and justice for all who are oppressed.

 103:7 He made known his ways to Moses,

his deeds to the children of Israel.

 103:8 Yahweh is merciful and gracious,

slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness.

 103:9 He will not always accuse;

neither will he stay angry forever.

 103:10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins,

nor repaid us for our iniquities.

 103:11 For as the heavens are high above the earth,

so great is his loving kindness toward those who fear him.

~~~~~~~~~~

103:12 As far as the east is from the west,

so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

 103:13 Like a father has compassion on his children,

so Yahweh has compassion on those who fear him.

 103:14 For he knows how we are made.

He remembers that we are dust.

 103:15 As for man, his days are like grass.

As a flower of the field, so he flourishes.

 103:16 For the wind passes over it, and it is gone.

Its place remembers it no more.

 103:17 But Yahweh's loving kindness is from

everlasting to everlasting with those who fear him,

his righteousness to children's children;

103:18 to those who keep his covenant,

to those who remember to obey his precepts.

 103:19 Yahweh has established his throne in the heavens.

His kingdom rules over all.

 103:20 Praise Yahweh, you angels of his,

who are mighty in strength,

who fulfill his word, obeying the voice of his word.

 103:21 Praise Yahweh, all you armies of his,

you servants of his, who do his pleasure.

 103:22 Praise Yahweh, all you works of his,

in all places of his dominion.

Praise Yahweh, my soul!

Right mouse click to save/download this Psalm as a MP3 file

Partakers Bible Thought - Psalm 95

Psalm 95

(read by Carol)

95:1 Oh come, let's sing to Yahweh. Let's shout aloud to the rock of our salvation!
95:2 Let's come before his presence with thanksgiving. Let's extol him with songs!
95:3 For Yahweh is a great God, a great King above all gods.
95:4 In his hand are the deep places of the earth. The heights of the mountains are also his.
95:5 The sea is his, and he made it. His hands formed the dry land.

95:6 Oh come, let's worship and bow down. Let's kneel before Yahweh, our Maker,
95:7 for he is our God. We are the people of his pasture, and the sheep in his care.
Today, oh that you would hear his voice!
95:8 Don't harden your heart, as at Meribah, as in the day of Massah in the wilderness,
95:9 when your fathers tempted me, tested me, and saw my work.
95:10 Forty long years I was grieved with that generation, and said, "It is a people that errs in their heart. They have not known my ways."

95:11 Therefore I swore in my wrath, "They won't enter into my rest."

Right mouse click or tap here to save/download this Psalm as a MP3 file

Partakers Prayers 12 May 2022 - COVID19 Corona Virus Pandemic

 

G'day! Today we are praying a prayer together concerning the Corona Virus / COVID19 Pandemic. I am sure each of us knows somebody who has contracted this virus, and quite possibly succumbed to it and died because of it. Come! Let's pray together!

O great God, as you know,
we are in the midst of this wretched COVID-19 global pandemic.
O Great Comforter,
embrace those grieving the loss of loved ones and wipe their tears.
We don’t know the right way to combat this pandemic,
but we know and trust that you do.
Therefore, give wisdom and courage to all those involved
in its treatment, prevention, cure and vaccine,
including our government and leaders.
May the vaccines be distributed diligently, justly, quickly and efficiently.
We thank you O God that they were prepared by wise people.
We thank you for all those caring for others during this time –
carers, nurses, medics and others.
May you O God, give them courage and wisdom.
Amen

Click or Tap here to listen to or save this as an audio mp3 file

Partakers Bible Thought - Psalm 19

Psalm 19

19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God.

The expanse shows his handiwork.

19:2 Day after day they pour forth speech,

and night after night they display knowledge.

19:3 There is no speech nor language,

where their voice is not heard.

19:4 Their voice has gone out through all the earth,

their words to the end of the world.

In them he has set a tent for the sun,

19:5 which is as a bridegroom coming out of his room,

like a strong man rejoicing to run his course.

19:6 His going forth is from the end of the heavens,

his circuit to its ends;

There is nothing hidden from its heat.

19:7 Yahweh’s law is perfect, restoring the soul.

Yahweh’s testimony is sure, making wise the simple.

19:8 Yahweh’s precepts are right, rejoicing the heart.

Yahweh’s commandment is pure, enlightening the eyes.

19:9 The fear of Yahweh is clean, enduring forever.

Yahweh’s ordinances are true, and righteous altogether.

19:10 More to be desired are they than gold, yes, than much fine gold;

sweeter also than honey and the extract of the honeycomb.

19:11 Moreover by them is your servant warned.

In keeping them there is great reward.

19:12 Who can discern his errors?

Forgive me from hidden errors.

19:13 Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins.

Let them not have dominion over me.

Then I will be upright.

I will be blameless and innocent of great transgression.

19:14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart

be acceptable in your sight,

Yahweh, my rock, and my redeemer.

 

Right mouse click to save this Podcast as a MP3.

Partakers Bible Thought - Guided by God to Serve - Acts 20

Acts 20 - Guided by God to serve…

1. Overview

Acts 20 breaks down into 3 sections.

• v1-6 - Paul in Macedonia and Greece
• v7-12 - Paul in Troas
• v13-39 - In this section, Paul says goodbye to the Ephesian leaders.
  

2. Guidance - How are Christians guided by God?

• Controlled by the Holy Spirit
• Convictions and Conscience
• Counsel and Circumstances
• Lessons from the past

3. Service

Paul’s Service - How did he serve

• Spiritual Gifts
• Words

Click or Tap here to listen to or save this as an audio mp3 file

Psalm Bible Thought - Psalm 99

Psalm 99

(as read by Sarah)

99:1 Yahweh reigns!
Let the peoples tremble.
He sits enthroned among the cherubim.
Let the earth be moved.
99:2 Yahweh is great in Zion.
He is high above all the peoples.
99:3 Let them praise your great and awesome name.
He is Holy!

99:4 The King's strength also loves justice.
You do establish equity.
You execute justice and righteousness in Jacob.
99:5 Exalt Yahweh our God.
Worship at his footstool. He is Holy!
99:6 Moses and Aaron were among his priests,
Samuel among those who call on his name;
they called on Yahweh, and he answered them.

99:7 He spoke to them in the pillar of cloud.
They kept his testimonies, the statute that he gave them.
99:8 You answered them, Yahweh our God.
You are a God who forgave them,
although you took vengeance for their doings.
99:9 Exalt Yahweh, our God.
Worship at his holy hill, for Yahweh, our God, is holy!

 

Right mouse click to save/download this Psalm as a MP3 file

Bible Thought 1 May 2022 – Jesus and the rich young ruler

1. Rich Young Ruler

Mark 10:17-22: As Jesus started on his way; a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good-except God alone. You know the commandments: 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honour your father and mother.'" "Teacher," he declared, "all these I have kept since I was a boy." Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!"

This story is in the three synoptic gospels, Matthew, Mark and Luke. Luke describes him as a wealthy ruler (Luke 18v18-27). Matthew describes him as a young man (Matthew 19v16-26). In Mark's account, he is simply a man (Mark 10v17-22). Put altogether that makes him a rich young ruler. He runs up to Jesus and falls on his knees before him. He wants eternal life, wants it now and so asks Jesus about it. When he calls Jesus a good teacher, Jesus responds "No one is good-except God alone."

Now Jesus could have been correcting the young man, but more likely Jesus was asking: "Do you know what you are saying and how close to the truth about me you are?" This young man had fully kept the commandments listed by Jesus (Mark 10v19). However when Jesus said to the young ruler that in order to follow Him, he would have to give up all his wealth in order to have treasure in heaven and eternal life, the man left disconsolate.

That was a step too far for the rich young ruler. He wanted his riches and also eternal life but Jesus said he couldn't have both. He remains the only man who left Jesus' presence sorrowful, and that due to putting his trust in his riches and wealth alone. Now riches are not necessarily wrong but they do make trusting fully in God very difficult (Mark 10v23).

I ask, who do you say this Jesus is? But further, what are you going to do with this Jesus and let Him do to you?

Click or Tap here to listen to or save this as an audio mp3 file