1 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:13,480 Speaker 1: Life Audio. Hello, thank you for listening to your Daily 2 00:00:13,520 --> 00:00:17,119 Speaker 1: Bible Verse, the podcast that examines one verse each day 3 00:00:17,520 --> 00:00:20,160 Speaker 1: to learn more about God and his will for us. 4 00:00:20,400 --> 00:00:22,959 Speaker 1: I'm your host, Jennifer Slattery, and after the short word 5 00:00:22,960 --> 00:00:26,000 Speaker 1: from our sponsors, we'll continue with our Lent series, God 6 00:00:26,040 --> 00:00:29,080 Speaker 1: Meets You in the Wilderness with a discussion on John 7 00:00:29,240 --> 00:00:45,480 Speaker 1: eighteen thirty six. Today's Bible Versus. John eighteen thirty six, 8 00:00:45,840 --> 00:00:48,959 Speaker 1: Jesus said, my kingdom is not of this world. If 9 00:00:49,000 --> 00:00:51,840 Speaker 1: it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest 10 00:00:51,960 --> 00:00:55,160 Speaker 1: by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from 11 00:00:55,240 --> 00:01:00,880 Speaker 1: another place. Lent and Wilderness seasons often reveal the war 12 00:01:01,000 --> 00:01:04,280 Speaker 1: raging within us. These moments invite us to sit in 13 00:01:04,360 --> 00:01:07,680 Speaker 1: the chaos and uncertainty, to seek God in our confusion, 14 00:01:08,280 --> 00:01:12,520 Speaker 1: and to wrestle with him until our breakthrough comes. It 15 00:01:12,560 --> 00:01:16,679 Speaker 1: invites us to trust that victory will come, not because 16 00:01:16,840 --> 00:01:21,400 Speaker 1: we are strong, powerful, or strategically wise, but because in 17 00:01:21,480 --> 00:01:27,160 Speaker 1: our discomfort and uncertainty we encounter our victorious Savior, the 18 00:01:27,240 --> 00:01:31,440 Speaker 1: King of the Jews and Gentiles, the commander of Heaven's armies, 19 00:01:31,520 --> 00:01:35,040 Speaker 1: the one who conquered death, hell and the grave. For us, 20 00:01:35,360 --> 00:01:39,720 Speaker 1: for you, This was the message the Lord spoke into 21 00:01:39,720 --> 00:01:42,520 Speaker 1: a friend's heart while she walked through a painful season 22 00:01:42,520 --> 00:01:46,600 Speaker 1: that felt relentless and destructive. As she sought God's guidance 23 00:01:46,640 --> 00:01:51,160 Speaker 1: the relationship storm that threatened to sever a deeply valued connection, 24 00:01:51,800 --> 00:01:55,480 Speaker 1: she began recognizing how unhealed wounds from her past were 25 00:01:55,520 --> 00:02:00,480 Speaker 1: distorting her present perspective. However, that realization left her anxious 26 00:02:00,800 --> 00:02:04,960 Speaker 1: and disoriented. She told me, either God is ignoring me, 27 00:02:05,240 --> 00:02:09,400 Speaker 1: or I can't hear him above the noise in my head. Meanwhile, 28 00:02:09,400 --> 00:02:12,080 Speaker 1: the enemy of her soul used that inner turmoil to 29 00:02:12,120 --> 00:02:16,720 Speaker 1: plant doubts about God's heart and his promises. Two kingdoms 30 00:02:17,080 --> 00:02:21,200 Speaker 1: were battling for her soul. I imagine you've been there. 31 00:02:22,360 --> 00:02:25,840 Speaker 1: I have, and when we land in that unsettling place, 32 00:02:26,520 --> 00:02:30,320 Speaker 1: we often respond much like the people in John eighteen. 33 00:02:30,800 --> 00:02:34,960 Speaker 1: This moment occurred in the early morning hours before Christ's crucifixion, 34 00:02:35,000 --> 00:02:38,480 Speaker 1: Before the moment he would defeat sin and the grave. Forever, 35 00:02:39,280 --> 00:02:43,280 Speaker 1: Jesus knew his victory was secure. His kingdom could not 36 00:02:43,840 --> 00:02:48,640 Speaker 1: be shaken. He was and always will be humanity's sovereign king. 37 00:02:49,720 --> 00:02:53,280 Speaker 1: But the others in the story didn't know that they 38 00:02:53,320 --> 00:02:56,440 Speaker 1: were stuck in the messy middle between life and death, 39 00:02:56,840 --> 00:03:03,720 Speaker 1: darkness and light, confusion and clarity's point. Jesus had spent 40 00:03:03,800 --> 00:03:07,600 Speaker 1: an intimate, yet anguished evening with his disciples, preparing them 41 00:03:07,600 --> 00:03:12,000 Speaker 1: for the chaos ahead. They'd watched their strong and confident leader, 42 00:03:12,040 --> 00:03:15,960 Speaker 1: the one who calmed storms, healed lepers, and freed the demonies, 43 00:03:16,560 --> 00:03:21,800 Speaker 1: fall faced down in deep anguish. Then came what must 44 00:03:21,840 --> 00:03:28,080 Speaker 1: have felt unthinkable when the authorities arrived. Jesus refused to 45 00:03:28,160 --> 00:03:34,520 Speaker 1: fight the disciples powerful leader appeared to surrender, bound and 46 00:03:34,600 --> 00:03:39,320 Speaker 1: taken before the Jewish authorities. He seemed defeated. The religious 47 00:03:39,400 --> 00:03:43,920 Speaker 1: leaders meanwhile, doubled down. Threatened by what they could not control, 48 00:03:44,520 --> 00:03:48,840 Speaker 1: they chose self reliance over grace, and death over life. 49 00:03:49,240 --> 00:03:52,880 Speaker 1: Then there was Peter, before the wilderness. He felt certain 50 00:03:52,920 --> 00:03:56,160 Speaker 1: of his faith, but when confronted with a beaten and 51 00:03:56,280 --> 00:04:00,520 Speaker 1: seemingly helpless Jesus, Peter could not reckon and style that 52 00:04:00,600 --> 00:04:04,400 Speaker 1: image with the miracle working Messiah he had followed. Fear 53 00:04:04,920 --> 00:04:11,360 Speaker 1: overwhelmed him. His response was distance denial that nearly destroyed him. 54 00:04:12,000 --> 00:04:16,200 Speaker 1: Next we meet Pilot, another powerful man with trained armies 55 00:04:16,400 --> 00:04:20,080 Speaker 1: at his command. His city was crowded with nearly three 56 00:04:20,440 --> 00:04:24,880 Speaker 1: million passover pilgrims, many resentful of Roman rule and capable 57 00:04:24,920 --> 00:04:29,000 Speaker 1: of rioting at any moment. For Pilot, this situation threatened 58 00:04:29,000 --> 00:04:33,080 Speaker 1: his position, his livelihood, and his future, so he responded 59 00:04:33,120 --> 00:04:36,280 Speaker 1: through avoidance. He washed his hands of the matter, choosing 60 00:04:36,279 --> 00:04:41,040 Speaker 1: political safety over truth. Finally, we come to John, who 61 00:04:41,080 --> 00:04:45,839 Speaker 1: called himself quote the disciple whom Jesus loved. Hold on 62 00:04:46,080 --> 00:04:52,039 Speaker 1: to that description. It's important that identity tethered John's overwhelmed 63 00:04:52,040 --> 00:04:56,960 Speaker 1: heart to the one he knew, listened to, learned from, trusted, 64 00:04:57,440 --> 00:05:01,800 Speaker 1: and loved. Just chapters early, Jesus had warned him that 65 00:05:01,880 --> 00:05:06,200 Speaker 1: hardship would come, but also that hardship would not have 66 00:05:06,279 --> 00:05:10,200 Speaker 1: the final say, that authority belonged to Jesus, God the Son. 67 00:05:10,400 --> 00:05:15,279 Speaker 1: His victory was certain. Was John's confidence rooted in his 68 00:05:15,400 --> 00:05:18,520 Speaker 1: identity as one deeply loved by God. Did that true 69 00:05:18,520 --> 00:05:23,760 Speaker 1: strengthen him to remain nearby, watching from a distance despite 70 00:05:24,040 --> 00:05:31,280 Speaker 1: fear and confusion, as Jesus was abused, harassed, mistreated. Scripture 71 00:05:31,360 --> 00:05:34,760 Speaker 1: doesn't tell us, but we can learn from every person 72 00:05:34,839 --> 00:05:39,279 Speaker 1: in this story because when wilderness seasons come, we often 73 00:05:39,320 --> 00:05:42,960 Speaker 1: respond in similar ways. We power up like the Pharisees 74 00:05:43,200 --> 00:05:48,919 Speaker 1: withdraw like Pilot, run like Peter. Yet the battle between 75 00:05:49,240 --> 00:05:54,520 Speaker 1: two kingdoms within us and around us invites another response. 76 00:05:55,480 --> 00:05:59,640 Speaker 1: To remain, to fix our gaze on the one who 77 00:05:59,720 --> 00:06:07,400 Speaker 1: has already declared I am king, My kingdom reigns. This 78 00:06:07,520 --> 00:06:11,880 Speaker 1: lent prayerfully consider how these kingdom conflicts might be impacting 79 00:06:11,920 --> 00:06:16,040 Speaker 1: your faith. Where are you tempted to withdraw, to shut down, 80 00:06:16,880 --> 00:06:21,480 Speaker 1: to take control through self reliance? Ask God to help 81 00:06:21,680 --> 00:06:30,160 Speaker 1: you remain, to wait, to trust because goodness is coming, 82 00:06:30,400 --> 00:06:36,560 Speaker 1: break through is coming. Victory has already been one. The 83 00:06:36,600 --> 00:06:40,760 Speaker 1: battle between kingdoms may feel fearce, but King Jesus remains 84 00:06:40,800 --> 00:06:44,919 Speaker 1: on the throne. His kingdom cannot be shaken, and he 85 00:06:45,480 --> 00:06:51,200 Speaker 1: is fighting for you. Let's pray, Holy Father, you are 86 00:06:51,240 --> 00:06:55,440 Speaker 1: the God who reigns over every kingdom, a kingdom of 87 00:06:55,520 --> 00:06:59,480 Speaker 1: darkness trying to defeat us, trying to hold us captive 88 00:06:59,760 --> 00:07:03,880 Speaker 1: by fear, by deception, by anger, by pride, the kingdoms 89 00:07:04,040 --> 00:07:08,599 Speaker 1: around us, whether that's at work in our family systems, 90 00:07:09,120 --> 00:07:14,440 Speaker 1: in the world at large, everything we encounter. You reign supreme. 91 00:07:14,480 --> 00:07:17,240 Speaker 1: We are not defeated, we are not helpless, we are 92 00:07:17,280 --> 00:07:20,440 Speaker 1: not alone. We are empowered by the one who is 93 00:07:20,600 --> 00:07:24,000 Speaker 1: Lord over all, and we praise you for that. You 94 00:07:24,040 --> 00:07:27,080 Speaker 1: are fighting for us. You are leading us every moment 95 00:07:27,400 --> 00:07:32,320 Speaker 1: to increased freedom, to increase joy, to increased thriving life, 96 00:07:32,320 --> 00:07:35,600 Speaker 1: and we praise you for that. That is why Jesus came. 97 00:07:36,680 --> 00:07:40,600 Speaker 1: He came to break everything that holds us captive so 98 00:07:40,640 --> 00:07:45,320 Speaker 1: that we could live in wide open spaces. That's what 99 00:07:45,400 --> 00:07:49,600 Speaker 1: we crave. And Lord, we are choosing to turn to 100 00:07:49,680 --> 00:07:53,239 Speaker 1: you in our doubt, in our confusion, in our fear, 101 00:07:53,320 --> 00:07:57,360 Speaker 1: in our anger, when we're overwhelmed, whatever's going on within us, 102 00:07:57,360 --> 00:08:02,360 Speaker 1: when we're celebrating, when we're joyful. In each moment, Teach 103 00:08:02,480 --> 00:08:06,080 Speaker 1: us to turn to you. Remind us to turn to you. 104 00:08:06,240 --> 00:08:10,360 Speaker 1: Increase our ability to sense your presence, Increase our ability 105 00:08:10,440 --> 00:08:14,880 Speaker 1: to recognize your voice, and give us the strength, the courage, 106 00:08:14,960 --> 00:08:19,440 Speaker 1: the desire to follow. However you lead when we struggle 107 00:08:19,480 --> 00:08:23,120 Speaker 1: to obey, remind us of your heart. Remind us of 108 00:08:23,160 --> 00:08:27,560 Speaker 1: your promises and your character. Remind us that you, who 109 00:08:27,640 --> 00:08:31,680 Speaker 1: willingly gave us your son that we might live, will 110 00:08:31,840 --> 00:08:34,920 Speaker 1: also along with him give him all things. You have 111 00:08:34,960 --> 00:08:38,880 Speaker 1: given us every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms through 112 00:08:38,880 --> 00:08:41,720 Speaker 1: our faith in Christ. Jesus as a pray for those 113 00:08:41,760 --> 00:08:45,920 Speaker 1: who don't yet know your son, who don't yet know 114 00:08:46,080 --> 00:08:50,440 Speaker 1: what life is like, walking in alignment with him, walking 115 00:08:50,800 --> 00:08:58,240 Speaker 1: empowered by him, walking comforted and strengthened and changed by him. Lord, 116 00:08:58,280 --> 00:09:04,240 Speaker 1: reveal yourself, Reveal your ways, Reveal your truth. Lovingly draw 117 00:09:04,360 --> 00:09:08,440 Speaker 1: all of us closer to you into a deeper relationship 118 00:09:08,920 --> 00:09:12,880 Speaker 1: with you, the one who knows everything about us, everything 119 00:09:13,160 --> 00:09:17,000 Speaker 1: that hinders our freedom, everything that holds us captive, that 120 00:09:17,080 --> 00:09:22,080 Speaker 1: weighs us down, that stalls our steps, that negatively impacts 121 00:09:22,080 --> 00:09:26,600 Speaker 1: our relationships. All of those things you know, and you 122 00:09:26,640 --> 00:09:28,840 Speaker 1: have the power to do something about every one of 123 00:09:28,880 --> 00:09:38,800 Speaker 1: our concerns, every one of our challenges. You love us tenderly, faithfully, powerfully, fiercely, eternally, 124 00:09:39,559 --> 00:09:42,160 Speaker 1: and we praise you for that. We lean into that, 125 00:09:42,200 --> 00:09:47,120 Speaker 1: we yield to your love, to your ways, because your 126 00:09:47,240 --> 00:09:52,200 Speaker 1: ways always stem from your love. And it is in 127 00:09:52,240 --> 00:09:55,120 Speaker 1: the name of your son, our Savior, Jesus Christ, who 128 00:09:55,520 --> 00:09:58,400 Speaker 1: came to earth to set us free. It's in his 129 00:09:58,520 --> 00:10:00,440 Speaker 1: name that we pray. Emmen.