Today is the 26th day of September. Welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. Welcome back. Welcome back to the global campfire. It is awesome. It's a privilege for us to be together, right? Who would have thought?

I mean, in my lifetime,

when I was a kid, this would be science fiction to imagine.

Just in my lifetime.

And we get to be here together,

wrapped around the world as we are,

but very present to each other in spirit,

and we get to spend time each and every day.

That's pretty remarkable.

I'm grateful, grateful to be here with you today as we do what we do every day.

Take another step forward in our relationship,

our deepening relationship with the scriptures.

We are working our way through the book of Isaiah in the Old Testament and the letter to the

Ephesians in the new.

And so let's take that next step, Isaiah chapter 48, verse 12 through 50, verse 11 today.

Israel, my chosen people, listen to me.

I alone am the Lord, the first and the last.

With my own hand I created the earth and stretched out the sky.

They obey my every command. Gather around me, all of you, listen to what I say.

Did any of your idols predict this would happen? Did they say that my friend would do what I want done to Babylonia?

I was the one who chose him.

I have brought him this far, and he will be successful.

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