Episode 791
Deep Listening: A Call to Engage with Spiritual Wisdom | 791
The central theme of today's discourse revolves around the exploration of divine wisdom as articulated in First Corinthians 2:6-16. We delve into the profound notion that true wisdom, as imparted by God, transcends the surface-level insights disseminated by contemporary experts and societal elites. Instead, this wisdom often emerges from the margins, challenging us to engage with diverse perspectives and experiences that may be overlooked by conventional narratives. Moreover, we emphasize the significance of embodied spirituality, which is cultivated through personal relationships and lived experiences rather than mere intellectual pursuits. This episode invites listeners to reflect on their spiritual journeys, urging them to practice deep listening and to embrace the unexpected manifestations of divine wisdom that may arise from unfamiliar voices and contexts.
The "Daily Bible Refresh" is presented each day by Rev. Dr. Brad Miller who has a goal of speaking a bit of the bible into two million ears (one million people) in three years (2025-2028).
He is the author of "The A, B, C-1,2,3 Bible Study Guide" Free to you by clicking HERE.
Brad served as a local church pastor for forty years and has a background in radio and podcasting. Moreover, he is a life-long student of The Bible.
He believes in the words of Jesus that “scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21)
The "Daily Bible Refresh" is available seven days a week by 6:00 am ET. The episodes are no longer than ten minutes long and are...
- Understandable: A reading from the New Testament (usually the Gospel) selected from the Revised Common Lectionary using "The Message" translation.
- Relatable: You will have a couple of "points to ponder" from the text which will relate to your life
- Applicable: Every episode includes a way you can take action based on the reading
- A recommended resource to help you go deeper in biblical study and spiritual direction.
- A prayer for your day.
A companion resource to the Voice of God Daily Podcast is the “ABC Bible Study Guide” available by clicking HERE.
The "Daily Bible Refresh" is available every day at VoiceofGodDaily.com on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and all major podcast directories.
You can help Dr. Brad attain his goal of getting a bit of the bible into two million ears by subscribing to "Daily Bible Refresh" on Apple Podcasts, leaving a five-star rating, and writing a review. More importantly please share with your network of family and friends about the "Daily Bible Refresh".
Please make listening to the "Daily Bible Refresh" a part of your daily life.
Remember… “All scripture is God-breathed and useful”(2 Timothy 3:16)
Takeaways:
- This episode emphasizes the importance of understanding spiritual wisdom beyond popular or fashionable narratives.
- We are reminded that true divine wisdom often emerges from marginalized voices and experiences, not just from established experts.
- The podcast encourages listeners to engage deeply with diverse perspectives to uncover hidden spiritual insights.
- Paul's teachings highlight the value of embodied spirituality and experiential learning in our spiritual journeys.
- Listeners are invited to practice deep listening and reflect on unexpected voices that may challenge their assumptions.
- The episode concludes with a prayer that seeks courage to embrace wisdom from surprising places and voices.
Links referenced in this episode:
Companies mentioned in this episode:
- voiceofgoddaily.com
Transcript
Hello good people and welcome to Daily Bible Refresh with Dr.
Speaker A:Brad Miller.
Speaker A:This is the show where we offer you a daily reading of the Bible using the Revised Common Lectionary.
Speaker A:We're in Year C, the Epiphany season and Daily Bible Refresh is brought to you by voiceofgoddaily.com the home of the ABC 123 Bible Study Guide.
Speaker A:Here we like to live the Bible Lectionary in a way that is understandable and that we read from the New Testament the message version of the Bible relatable.
Speaker A:We offer you a couple of points to ponder and applicable.
Speaker A:We give you an action step to take.
Speaker A:We have a prayer.
Speaker A:We do all of that in under 10 minutes.
Speaker A:Our reading for the day is from First Corinthians 2:6, 16.
Speaker A:Reading from the Message we of course have plenty of wisdom to pass on to you once you get your feet on firm spiritual ground.
Speaker A:But it's not popular wisdom, the fashionable wisdom of high price experts that will be out of date in a year or so.
Speaker A:God's wisdom is something mysterious that goes deeper into the interior of his purposes.
Speaker A:You don't find it lying around on the surface.
Speaker A:It's not the latest message, but more like the oldest.
Speaker A:What God determined is the way to bring out the best in us.
Speaker A:Long before we ever arrived on the scene.
Speaker A:The experts of our day haven't a clue about what is this eternal plan.
Speaker A:If they had, they wouldn't have killed the Master of the God designed life on a cross.
Speaker A:That's why we have this scripture text.
Speaker A:No one's ever seen or heard anything like it.
Speaker A:Never so much as imagine anything quite like it, what God has arranged for those who love Him.
Speaker A:But you've seen and heard it because God by His Spirit has brought it all out in the open before you.
Speaker A:The Spirit, not content to flood along on the surface, dives into the depths of God and brings out what God planned all along.
Speaker A:Whoever knows what you're thinking and planning except you yourself.
Speaker A:The same with God, except that he not only knows what he's thinking, but he lets us in on it.
Speaker A:God offers a full report on the gifts of life and salvation that he is giving us.
Speaker A:We don't have to rely on the world's guesses and opinions.
Speaker A:We didn't learn this by reading books or going to school.
Speaker A:We learned it from God who taught us person to person through Jesus.
Speaker A:And we're passing it on to you in the same firsthand, personal way.
Speaker A:The unspiritual self, just as it is by Nature can't receive the gifts of God's spirit.
Speaker A:There's no capacity for them.
Speaker A:They seem like so much silliness.
Speaker A:Spirit can be known only by spirit, God's spirit and our spirits in open communion.
Speaker A:Spirituality alive.
Speaker A:We have access to everything God's spirit is doing and can't be judged by unspiritual critics.
Speaker A:Isaiah's question is there anyone around who knows God's spirit?
Speaker A:Anyone who knows what he's doing has been answered.
Speaker A:Christ knows and we have Christ spirit.
Speaker A:Wow, what a powerful section of scripture here.
Speaker A:It's really talking about divine wisdom that goes deeper below the surface.
Speaker A:And today we're going to explore what Paul says here about spiritual wisdom and a divine understanding that we can come to know in a contemporary context.
Speaker A:So here are some points to ponder.
Speaker A:This is about going beyond a colonial view of knowledge.
Speaker A:Paul challenges the high priced experts and fashionable wisdom of his day, reminding us to question dominant narratives and power structures in our time.
Speaker A:This invites us to examine how Western colonial and privileged perspectives have shaped our understanding of spirituality and of God.
Speaker A:True divine wisdom often emerges from the margin, from those whom society's experts might overlook or dismiss.
Speaker A:This wisdom doesn't lie around the surface, but requires deep engagement with diverse voices and experiences.
Speaker A:Another point is about embodied spirituality.
Speaker A:Paul speaks of learning person to person through Jesus, and he highlights the importance of embodied experiential spirit spiritual spirituality over a mere intellectual understanding.
Speaker A:This challenges both rigid and fundamentalism and pure rationalism.
Speaker A:Progressive Christianity recognizes that our spiritual journey involves our whole selves, body, mind and spirit and is deeply connected to our lived experiences and those of our community.
Speaker A:This wisdom isn't found just in books or schools, but in lived relationship with God and with others.
Speaker A:One more point, radical inclusivity.
Speaker A:This passage has sometimes been used to create an us versus them mentality between spiritual and unspiritual people.
Speaker A:But a reading of this really suggests something different.
Speaker A:The Spirit's wisdom is available to all, diving into the depths of God to reveal divine love and justice.
Speaker A:This wisdom often manifests itself in surprising ways through nature, through marginalized voices, through social movements for justice.
Speaker A:It's not about just spiritual elitism, but about opening ourselves to divine wisdom wherever it appears.
Speaker A:Here's your action step.
Speaker A:Practice deep listening.
Speaker A:Choose one voice or perspective you normally wouldn't encounter in your spiritual journey.
Speaker A:This might mean reading something of a theological or from a different culture than your own, or attending a service in a religious tradition that's a little bit different than your own, or having a meaningful conversation with someone whose Spiritual perspective is different or may challenge you.
Speaker A:I mean, maybe you even want to journal.
Speaker A:But what surprises you?
Speaker A:Any new understandings of divine wisdom that can emerge?
Speaker A:We're going to pray in a second, but just a reminder that we have a resource for you.
Speaker A:It's called the ABC123 Bible Study Guide and it's really, it's right there for you.
Speaker A:It helps you to make your own personal Bible study as easy as ABC.
Speaker A:1, 2, 3.
Speaker A:You can find it at our website, voiceofgod daily.com along with all the back catalog of the of of our podcast, the Daily Bible Refresh and the other resources, including the transcripts of our of our messages.
Speaker A:Here's our prayer for today.
Speaker A:Oh God, you're the source of all wisdom.
Speaker A:We confess that we often look for you in comfortable, familiar places.
Speaker A:We acknowledge our tendency to provide and to be privileged.
Speaker A:Have certain voices while ignoring others.
Speaker A:Help us to dive deeper than a spiritual level that a spiritual level than a surface level.
Speaker A:Open our hearts to wisdom that might make us uncomfortable but leads us toward greater truth and justice.
Speaker A:Grant us the courage to question our assumptions and the humility to learn from unexpected teachers.
Speaker A:May your spirit guide us into deeper communion with you and with other global communities.
Speaker A:Remind us that your wisdom often appears in surprising places and through unexpected voices.
Speaker A:And give us the grace to listen deeply and the courage to act on what we learn in a spirit of love and transformation.
Speaker A:Amen.
Speaker A:What a great joy it is to be with you, my friends.
Speaker A:My name is Dr.
Speaker A:Brad Miller and from Voice of God Daily.
Speaker A:That is our website and this is the Daily Bible Refresh.
Speaker A:We're here with you every morning before 6:00am Eastern Time.
Speaker A:We invite you to come and be a part of this daily Bible study that is both understandable, relatable and actionable.
Speaker A:And to invite a friend to be with us.
Speaker A:I'll be here.
Speaker A:My name is Dr.
Speaker A:Brad Miller.
Speaker A:Until tomorrow.
Speaker A:Remember that God's loyal love doesn't run out.
Speaker A:His merciful love hasn't dried up.
Speaker A:It's created new.
Speaker A:Every morning.
