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Lifespring! One Year Bible

Steve Webb

This is the award winning podcast where Steve Webb, the O.G. Godcaster and host of the Lifespring! Family of Podcasts, invites you to join him as he reads through the entire Bible in a daily Sunday through Saturday, fifteen to thirty minute show. Each episode features a reading, followed by a short commentary.

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  • S12 · E335
    Today · 31 min

    S3E335 – Deuteronomy 23-25: Taking A Mulligan

    Transcript Podcast Introduction This is Monday, so we’ll read from the Law, Deuteronomy 23-25. That’s the reading for the day, but I’m going to call a mulligan on yesterday’s commentary. You know what a mulligan is? It’s a do over. I’ve never done this on the show, but I think this one is important. I’ll tell you why after the reading. So I’m calling today’s episode “Taking A Mulligan.” Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Steven Shircliff on Unsplash A Different Episode Brother Paul of Seattle commented on my remarks on yesterday’s reading, “1 John 4-5: The Prayer We Should Not Pray”, and what he said was important enough that I would like to take some time to respond. Listen to the episode for the comments. Today’s Bible Translation Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 23 CEB; Ch. 24 NKJV; Ch. 25 GNT Support This a value for value podcast. There are no advertisers because advertising=censorship. If you enjoy the Lifespring Family Audio Bible, decide how much value it brings to you. Only you can make that determination. Then put a number on the value and send it to me here: SUPPORT. Transcript Download .txt file. STEVE WEBB – 0:00 I’m going to do something today I’ve never done on the show. INTRO S12E341 – 0:11 Coming to you from Riverside, California, this is the Lifespring Family Audio Bible. And podcasting since 2004, I’m your OG Godcaster, Steve Webb. This is the daily show where we’re reading through the entire Bible in a year, which is almost over. This is Monday. So we’re going to read from the Law. We’ll read Deuteronomy 23 through 25. Now, that’s the reading for the day, but I’m going to call a mulligan on yesterday’s commentary. You know what a mulligan is, right? It’s a do-over. I’ve never done this on the show. But I think this one is important. I’ll tell you why after the reading. So I’m calling today’s episode, “Taking a Mulligan”. But before we start, I want to thank those of you who have sent a THE NEXT STEP email to me. Each email I’ve gotten has been very thoughtful and helpful. And I appreciate each one of you for doing that. But there are many more of you who have not yet written. And I sure do wish you would. If for nothing else, then for me to see exactly how much or how little interest there is in doing anything with this show in the future or any other show. Yes, I have decided that I can no longer produce the daily show. But if the interest is there, I will happily and willingly continue to podcast. But I need to know you’ll be there to listen, I want to hear from you. Even if you’ve never written in before, send that email to st***@*************ia.com, and in the subject line put “THE NEXT STEP”. And I’ll thank you very much for doing that. Now, the show notes page for today’s episode is at lifespringmedia.com/s12e341. And as I said, my email address is st***@*************ia.com. And yes, it is working. I’ve gotten some emails in to that address. So it’s working, Well, with all that preamble, I say it’s time to get started. How about you? Here we go. DEUTERONOMY 23 (CEB) – 2:01 Deuteronomy, chapter 23. (1) No man whose testicles are crushed or whose penis is cut off can belong to the LORD’s assembly. (2) No one born of an illegitimate marriage can belong to the LORD’s assembly either. Not even the tenth generation of such children can belong to the LORD’s assembly. (3) Ammonites and Moabites can’t belong to the LORD’s assembly. Not even the tenth generation of such people can belong to the LORD’s assembly, as a rule, (4) because they didn’t help you with food or water on your journey out of Egypt, and because they hired Balaam, Beor’s son, from Pethor of Mesopotamia to curse you. (5) But the LORD your God wasn’t interested in listening to Balaam. The LORD your God turned that curse into a blessing because the LORD your God loves you. (6) So don’t be concerned with their health and well-being as long as you live. (7) Don’t detest Edomites, because they are your relatives. Don’t detest Egyptians because you were immigrants in their land. (8) Children born to them are permitted to belong to the LORD’s assembly starting with the third generation. (9) When you are camped in battle against your enemies, guard yourself from every possible evil. (10) If an individual in the camp becomes polluted due to a nighttime emission, he must exit the camp area and not reenter. (11) When the next evening arrives, he must wash with water; and when the sun sets, he can come back to the camp. (12) The latrines must be outside the camp. You will use them there, outside the camp. (13) Carry a shovel with the rest of your gear; once you have relieved yourself, use it to dig a hole, then refill it, covering your excrement. (14) Do these things because the LORD your God travels with you, right in the middle of your camp, ready to save you and to hand your enemies over to you. For this reason your camp must be holy. The LORD must not see anything indecent among you, or he will turn away from you. (15) Don’t return slaves to owners if they’ve escaped and come to you. (16) They can stay with you: in your own community or in any place they select from one of your cities, whatever seems good to them. Don’t oppress them. (17) No Israelite daughter is allowed to be a consecrated worker. Neither is any Israelite son allowed to be a consecrated worker. (18) Don’t bring a female prostitute’s fee or a male prostitute’s payment to the LORD your God’s temple to pay a solemn promise because both of these things are detestable to the LORD your God. (19) Don’t charge your fellow Israelites interest—whether on money, provisions, or anything one might loan. (20) You can charge foreigners interest, but not your fellow Israelite. Do this so that the LORD your God blesses you in all your work on the land you are entering to possess. (21) When you make a promise to the LORD your God, don’t put off making good on it, because the LORD your God will certainly be expecting it from you; delaying would make you guilty. (22) Now if you simply don’t make any promises, you won’t be guilty of anything. (23) But whatever you say, you should be sure to make good on, exactly according to the promise you freely made to the LORD your God because you promised it with your own mouth. (24) If you go into your neighbor’s vineyard, you can eat as many grapes as you like, until full, but don’t carry any away in a basket. (25) If you go into your neighbor’s grain field, you can pluck ears by hand, but you aren’t allowed to cut off any of your neighbor’s grain with a sickle. DEUTERONOMY 24 (NKJV) – 5:20 Deuteronomy, chapter 24. (1) “When a man takes a wife and marries her, and it happens that she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some uncleanness in her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce, puts it in her hand, and sends her out of his house, (2) when she has departed from his house, and goes and becomes another man’s wife, (3) if the latter husband detests her and writes her a certificate of divorce, puts it in her hand, and sends her out of his house, or if the latter husband dies who took her as his wife, (4) then her former husband who divorced her must not take her back to be his wife after she has been defiled; for that is an abomination before the Lord, and you shall not bring sin on the land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance. (5) “When a man has taken a new wife, he shall not go out to war or be charged with any business; he shall be free at home one year, and bring happiness to his wife whom he has taken. (6) “No man shall take the lower or the upper millstone in pledge, for he takes one’s living in pledge. (7) “If a man is found kidnapping any of his brethren of the children of Israel, and mistreats him or sells him, then that kidnapper shall die; and you shall put away the evil from among you. (8) “Take heed in an outbreak of leprosy, that you carefully observe and do according to all that the priests, the Levites, shall teach you; just as I commanded them, so you shall be careful to do. (9) Remember what the Lord your God did to Miriam on the way when you came out of Egypt! (10) “When you lend your brother anything, you shall not go into his house to get his pledge. (11) You shall stand outside, and the man to whom you lend shall bring the pledge out to you. (12) And if the man is poor, you shall not keep his pledge overnight. (13) You shall in any case return the pledge to him again when the sun goes down, that he may sleep in his own garment and bless you; and it shall be righteousness to you before the Lord your God. (14) “You shall not oppress a hired servant who is poor and needy, whether one of your brethren or one of the aliens who is in your land within your gates. (15) Each day you shall give him his wages, and not let the sun go down on it, for he is poor and has set his heart on it; lest he cry out against you to the Lord, and it be sin to you. (16) “Fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor shall children be put to death for their fathers; a person shall be put to death for his own sin. (17) “You shall not pervert justice due the stranger or the fatherless, nor take a widow’s garment as a pledge. (18) But you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and the Lord your God redeemed you from there; therefore I command you to do this thing. (19) “When you reap your harvest in your field, and forget a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it; it shall be for the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. (20) When you beat your olive trees, you shall not go over the boughs again; it shall be for the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow. (21) When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, you shall not glean it afterward; it shall be for the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow. (22) And you shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt; therefore I command you to do this thing. DEUTERONOMY 25 (GNT) – 8:37 Deuteronomy, chapter 25. (1) “Suppose two Israelites go to court to settle a dispute, and one is declared innocent and the other guilty. (2) If the guilty one is sentenced to be beaten, the judge is to make him lie face downward and have him whipped. The number of lashes will depend on the crime he has committed. (3) He may be given as many as forty lashes, but no more; more than that would humiliate him publicly. (4) “Do not muzzle an ox when you are using it to thresh grain. (5) “If two brothers live on the same property and one of them dies, leaving no son, then his widow is not to be married to someone outside the family; it is the duty of the dead man’s brother to marry her. (6) The first son that they have will be considered the son of the dead man, so that his family line will continue in Israel. (7) But if the dead man’s brother does not want to marry her, she is to go before the town leaders and say, ‘My husband’s brother will not do his duty; he refuses to give his brother a descendant among the people of Israel.’ (8) Then the town leaders are to summon him and speak to him. If he still refuses to marry her, (9) his brother’s widow is to go up to him in the presence of the town leaders, take off one of his sandals, spit in his face, and say, ‘This is what happens to the man who refuses to give his brother a descendant.’ (10) His family will be known in Israel as ‘the family of the man who had his sandal pulled off.’ (11) “If two men are having a fight and the wife of one tries to help her husband by grabbing hold of the other man’s genitals, (12) show her no mercy; cut off her hand. (13-14) “Do not cheat when you use weights and measures. (15) Use true and honest weights and measures, so that you may live a long time in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. (16) The Lord hates people who cheat. (17) “Remember what the Amalekites did to you as you were coming from Egypt. (18) They had no fear of God, and so they attacked you from the rear when you were tired and exhausted, and killed all who were straggling behind. (19) So then, when the Lord your God has given you the land and made you safe from all your enemies who live around you, be sure to kill all the Amalekites, so that no one will remember them any longer. Do not forget! COMMENTS – 10:48 All right, so after reading those three chapters from Deuteronomy, it’s obvious that there were a significant amount of commentable things– Is that a word? commentable – commentable things – things about which I could comment about what we read today. But I got the following comments that I really do want to respond to. Now, I hope I don’t start a domino effect here by not commenting on today’s reading. But if you do have a question about anything in the reading, let me know and I will try to address it in an upcoming episode. In taking this mulligan on yesterday’s comments, I don’t mean to imply that I think I said anything or did anything wrong. I just didn’t make as complete a statement as I should have, which will become obvious here in a moment. So, let’s get to it. Brother Paul of Seattle commented on my remarks on yesterday’s reading, which was on 1 John 4 through 5 and the title was “The Prayer We Should Not Pray”. And I think his comment was important enough that I’d like to take time to respond. Now, one of the difficulties of reading through the Bible in a year and including commentary on each day’s reading is deciding what to talk about in the commentary. I mean, there simply is not enough time to discuss every important point, right? I suppose it could be done if the average show was maybe three hours long, as opposed to the twenty to twenty-five minutes this show normally is. But then who could devote twenty-one hours a week to listen. And it would just be humanly impossible for anybody to write that much commentary in that timeframe. What I try to do as I prepare each episode is to read through– this is, this is really kind of how I do each day. I read through the day’s reading. And I pick one or two highlights that sort of grabbed my attention. And I talk about those things. When necessary, I look at key words in the original language to help clarify the meaning of the passage. I often compare translations. I’ll read some commentaries to see what men smarter than me have said about the passage through the years. And of course, I ask the Holy Spirit for guidance. And then I write my notes. So that’s how I put the show together each day as far as the commentary goes. Now with that all said, let’s go through brother Paul’s comments. And by the way, I’m doing this to answer his questions, but I’m also thinking that if he has these questions, there are probably others that have the same questions. So that’s why I think this is important. Paul started off easily enough. He said, “Hi, Steve.” Hi, Paul. Then it gets interesting right away. He said, “1 John is confusing me.” Well, Paul, join the club. I mentioned in my commentary yesterday that there’s disagreement among commentators in regards to this passage I focused on, chapter 5, verses 16 through 18. In this case, the disagreement is closely related to the confusion that you talked about. So Paul continues, “There was something similar in an earlier chapter, but this time is around two things: number one…” And we’re going to take these one at a time. So here’s number one, “The sin that leads to death. I like the commentary that we should not pray for God to forgive unbelievers because that would be asking God to circumvent His sovereignty, but I thought I understood that those who are unbelievers are the ones who have sin that leads to death but believers do not. In the reading it states, ‘If you see another believer committing a sin that doesn’t lead to death, you should pray that God would give that person life.’ Well, if the sin of death was only reserved for the unbelievers, why would the scripture say, ‘if you see another believer…’? I have no answer, just wanted to bring it up, and maybe I totally missed the point.” Okay, so here’s what I say to that. This is, I think, where the confusion began, and I take the blame for it here. Because in an effort to get to my point that I kind of summed everything up with, I skipped explaining that passage. I posed the question of what is the sin that leads to death, but I never answered it. All I said was, “There is some disagreement among scholars.” I should have spent some time there. So let’s do it now. Let me read for you verses 16 and 17. “(16) If you see another believer committing a sin that doesn’t lead to death, you should pray that God would give that person life. This is true for those who commit sins that don’t lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I’m not telling you to pray about that. (17) Every kind of wrongdoing is sin, yet there are sins that don’t lead to death.” Okay, here we go. Since John is speaking of a believer here, he can’t be speaking of spiritual death, since he’s already said in 1 John 1:9, that if we confess our sins, God will forgive us. John said that in the first chapter. Well, when we come to Christ, we confess our sins, right? And he forgives us, all of our sins, past and future. (We’ll talk more about that in a moment.) So if John wasn’t talking about spiritual death, he must have been talking about physical death. Which begs the question that I asked yesterday and didn’t answer, what is the sin that leads to death? It would have made life a whole lot easier if John had spelled it out, wouldn’t it? One of the basics of doing Bible study is to let the Bible explain itself. So would have been great if John said, “…and here they are.” But he didn’t, so we have to look at other places in the Bible. Commentaries can be helpful, but those are just the words of men. The Bible is the Word of God. So is there something in the Bible that can help us understand this? The answer is, yes. In 1 Corinthians, the apostle Paul is writing to the church at Corinth about some serious problems there in the church. And one of the problems is allowing some sinful behavior in their midst, some very serious things. And then in chapter 11, he’s writing about how the Lord’s Supper or as some call it, Communion, is observed. Now listen to verses 27 through 30. Paul says, “So anyone who eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily is guilty of sinning against the body and blood of our Lord. That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking the cup. For if you eat the bread or drink the cup, without honoring the body of Christ, you are eating and drinking God’s judgment upon yourself. That is why many of you are weak and sick, and some have even died.” So in this case, some of the Corinthian church took the observance of the Lord’s Supper so lightly, that God disciplined them, some of them severely. Note that in the verse it says, “You are eating and drinking God’s judgment upon yourself.” It does not say The Judgment as in The Final Judgment. This is a chastening as a father does to correct an errant child. He’s not taking away their salvation. He’s correcting them and some of them even to the point of death. Wow. Hang on, don’t tune out, yet. Another example of a sin that leads to death, even of a believer, is found in Acts 5 when Ananias and Sapphira lied to the Holy Spirit, and they died instantly. They were part of the church, but they lied, and they paid with their physical lives. Now, listen, Beloved, I know this is a hard teaching. But from these scriptures, I think we have to conclude that a believer can sin in such a way that God decides that it’s better to end their earthly physical life, and just take them to heaven before they can do any more damage on earth. Now remember, for a believer – and this is who we’re talking about, we’re talking about believers – for a believer, physical death is not the end of the world. Paul said, “To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.” Beloved, we don’t own our own bodies. If we’re believers, God owns us. If we’re not believers, we’re owned by Satan. We, we belong to one or the other. We never belong to ourself. I know for some that’s a surprise. But you either belong to the devil or you belong to God. Now, if God owns us, our life is in His hands. Every moment we live is a gift from him. Our purpose on earth is to bring glory to Him. If we do sin to a point where that is no longer possible, he has the right to say, “Okay, time’s up.” Let me rush to say that this does not at all mean that every untimely death means that they have committed this kind of sin. We don’t know. Nor should we, that is exclusively God’s territory. So just because somebody dies early don’t think that, “Oh, they must have done something terrible.” No, sometimes things happen. Sometimes he allows things to happen just because we live in a fallen world. Does that help? Or does it just complicate things further? I hope it helps. Okay, brother Paul’s second point, Paul says, “Sin and believers. I think a similar thought was stated earlier in 1 John and it struck me then as well. From today’s reading, it said ‘We know that those who have been born from God, don’t go on sinning, rather, the Son of God protects them, and the evil one can’t harm them.’” Paul continues, “So, this also seems to not align with other scriptures or teachings I’ve heard. The one that stands out the most is Paul saying (and paraphrasing here), ‘The things I want to do I do not, and those I don’t I keep doing.’” Paul says, “I know in today’s commentary you also agreed that believers do sin, which let me just raise both my hands and feet and agree with my own life, but how do these types of statements in 1 John work with Paul’s, yours, and others?” Okay, so the point there is, it said here in 1 John, “We know that those who have been born from God, don’t go on sinning.” Okay, that’s the difficult part for Paul and for, well, making the Scripture align with itself. Here, John says you don’t go on sinning if you’re a believer. But Paul said in other places that we do still sin. And I’ve said it before we do sin, right? Let’s be real, we do. Let me read this verse to you from the New American Standard. It says, “We know that no one who is born of God sins; but He who was born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him.” Alright, so the main – I think that the main sticking point here is the beginning of the sentence, “We know that no one who was born of God sins.” But as Brother Paul said that contradicts quite a few other scriptures and Paul’s statement about his own sin. The solution really is quite simple. Are you ready? It’s not hard. Here it is. The key is in the verb tense in Greek. John is writing about a lifestyle, a habit of sin, the attitude of “I know it’s wrong, but I don’t really care and nothing and no one is going to make me stop. I’m going to do it today. I’m going to do it tomorrow and the next day, and I don’t care.” I think we can all agree that you can’t be a true follower of Christ and have that attitude, right? One who is truly born of God does not have that attitude. Does that put that to rest for you? So what John was saying was, somebody who was born of God doesn’t habitually sin, doesn’t make it a lifestyle. But he who was born of God – that’s referring to Jesus – he who was born of God keeps him and the Evil One does not touch him. Beloved, when we are in Christ, when He is keeping us, Satan has no power over us. He can’t touch us. Let me continue on with Paul here. “One more thing, a week or so ago in your commentary you said something like, ‘Did you know that Jesus talks about us with God? Basically, when we sin, God looks to Jesus and Jesus says (if we’re believers), ‘Don’t worry about that, I’ve got it covered.’” Paul continues. “So, the day before I heard this I made a very conscious decision to sin. When you said this it hit me about the personal, direct nature of Jesus’ separation (or sacrifice) for my sin. Not my sin as in everything I’ve done and will do, but ‘my sin I just did’: Jesus knows about it as it happens and still says, ‘I’ve got him covered, Father.’ I thought of it like somebody punching me in the face, repeatedly, in front of some authority and me taking it and saying, ‘Don’t worry about it Mr. Police officer, let me handle this.’ I know it is much more powerful than that,” Paul says, “but it’s just a silly little analogy that popped. All this to say, sinning happens because we’re in a fallen world and we need to take that to God through Jesus with the Holy Spirit, but making a conscious, multi-minute, multi-hour, or multi-day deliberate sins seems almost like spitting in the face of Jesus, then asking for forgiveness, and He still says to God the Father, “I got this.” That’s a pretty good analogy, Paul. And this is possibly, by the way, where the “sin that leads to death” idea might fit – might. Let me emphasize that again: might. If there were some time in a believer’s life that he or she got to the point where they were – to use Brother Paul’s words – making a conscious “multi-minute, multi-hour or multi-day deliberate sin,” perhaps at that point, God would say, “Time’s up. Come on home before you do any more harm to yourself or to those around you.” Now, I think that the average Christian, if there is an average Christian, struggles with sin. And when I say struggle, I mean that they hate that part of themselves, and they really don’t want to sin. But sometimes in weak moments, they sin anyway. And then – again, I’m talking about the average Christian, if there is an average Christian – I think they beat themselves up after they’ve sinned. And then they go to God, and they say, “Lord, I’m so sorry. I did it again. And I’m ashamed of myself. And I feel like I have no right to ask you to forgive me yet again. But I’m so sorry. And I beg you to forgive me anyway. Please, Lord, I am so sorry. Please forgive me.” Now, mind you, I’m just guessing that this is what the hypothetical average Christian does, because of course, I have no experience at all with this. And if you believe that I have a beautiful bridge I’d like to sell you. Brother Paul, and others who have questions, I hope I answered the questions for you. I hope I cleared things up a bit. As you can see, it took a while to explain it all which is why I kind of did a shorthand yesterday, which I guess I should not have done. What do you think? You have a comment? Let me know lifespringmedia.com/s12e341. Tomorrow is History Tuesday. We’ll read chapters 5 through 9. BOOSTAGRAM SHOUT-OUT – 26:28 Boostagram. Well, this isn’t really a boostagram because there’s no message with it. But I do want to acknowledge a 17,000 sat boost from Jay Moon, who used the Breeze app. Thank you very much, Jay Moon. I appreciate it. May God bless you richly. Thank you. ON THIS DATE IN CHURCH HISTORY – 27:03 On this date in church history, August 8, 1539, German reformer Martin Luther remarked in his sermon, “Reason does not know that salvation must come down from above. We want to work up from below so that the satisfaction is rendered by us.” Yeah, we want to do the work. No, we can’t, can we? So that was Martin Luther. And on this date in church history, August 8, 1852, the roots of the Baptist General Conference were planted in Rock Island, Illinois, when Swedish immigrant, Pastor Gustaf Palmquist, baptized his first three converts in the Mississippi River. PRAYER REQUESTS – 27:51 Prayer requests. I told you yesterday about my brother-in-law, Steve O’Brien, that he was in the ER with chest pains. Well, here’s an update. After taking a bunch of tests, they determined that he did not have a heart attack which is great. Praise the Lord. But they think he has at least one blocked artery in the heart. I’m recording this on Sunday afternoon about 5:30. And he’ll be transferred tomorrow, Monday, to the hospital where I had three stents put into my heart a few years ago. They’ll first do an angiogram to see if there truly are any blockages and where they are if they exist. Then they’ll decide if Steve will get stents which they’ll put in immediately or almost immediately, or if he’s going to need open heart bypass surgery. And that will be if there are more than three blockages. So that is what’s happening with Steve and as I record this, this – poor guy – this is his birthday today, today, Sunday. So soon as I stop recording, I’m going to call him up and wish him a Happy Birthday and kind of laugh a little bit, teasing. That’s the kind of relationship we have. We have no news on Kathi today. So, no news is good news. CLOSING PRAYER – 29:01 So let’s pray. Our loving heavenly Father, Lord, we thank You for Your Word, even the difficult passages. We just ask that you help us to understand them and trust you to be the sovereign God that you are. I know that in my life, every experience I’ve ever had with you confirms that there is no one who deserves my trust more than you. And I pray that you will continue to build my faith and the faith of every person listening right now. I know you will because you are the author and the finisher of our faith. We praise your name Lord. I pray now for Steve O’Brien that as the doctors and the rest of the medical team work on him that you would guide their hands and their decisions tomorrow. May there be no problems and I pray that Steve is able to get back to serving you quickly. Thank you for your loving care. We continue to pray for Kathi, I ask you Lord to bring healing to her body and I pray in Jesus’ name that the cancer drugs do as they’re intended. And may the side effects be minimal. Lord, give her strength I pray in Jesus’ name. Father, I pray that you bless the Lifespring family, and help each of us to please you today. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen. You know that prayer.lifespringmedia.com is the place to go if you have a prayer request or praise, right? Please do that. I’ll pray for you in my private prayer time and we’ll pray together right here on the show. OUTRO S12E341 – 30:31 If you have not sent “THE NEXT STEP” email to me, please do that. Let me know what you’d like to see me do after this podcast is over at the end of this month. I’ve had some really good ideas come in. And I’d like to know what you have to say. Maybe you’ll just say, “Steve, hang it up. You’ve given it a good run. See you later. Enjoy your life.” Or you might say, “Steve, I don’t want to see this thing go away. Do something.” Let me know. Talk to me. I need to know the level of interest. So everybody that is listening right now please do send an email. Send it to st***@*************ia.com with the subject line “THE NEXT STEP”. Comment on the show at lifespringmedia.com/s12e341. Thank you to the team Kirsty, Sean of San Pedro and Denise. You guys are invaluable. I love you. And I thank you for everything you do. Thanks to you guys who stream the sats every day. Thank you Jay Moon for the 17,000 sat boost today. If you find value in the show, please do support it by going over to lifespringmedia.com/support. You’ll see there are several different ways you can give and no matter how you give, I’ll thank you for it and I truly do believe God will bless you. Until tomorrow, may God bless you richly. My name is Steve Webb. Hey, Brother Paul, thanks again for that comment. Bye. Bye bye. See ya Transcribed by https://otter.ai Corrected by Denise Please rate or review the show by clicking the heart! The post S3E335 – Deuteronomy 23-25: Taking A Mulligan first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

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  • S12 · E334
    Yesterday · 13 min

    S3E334 – 1 John 4-5: The Prayer We Should Not Pray

    Transcript Podcast Introduction This is Epistles Sunday 1 John 4-5. I’m calling today’s episode “The Prayer We Should Not Pray.” Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Ball Park Brand on Unsplash Comments on 1 John 5 As in chapters 1-3, there are many great truths taught in today’s chapters. But chapter five, verses 16-18 need a closer look, I think. Let me read it to you again. “If you see another believer committing a sin that doesn’t lead to death, you should pray that God would give that person life. This is true for those who commit sins that don’t lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I’m not telling you to pray about that. 17 Every kind of wrongdoing is sin, yet there are sins that don’t lead to death. 18 We know that those who have been born from God don’t go on sinning. Rather, the Son of God protects them, and the evil one can’t harm them.” So what is this sin that leads to death, and the sin that does not lead to death? I read several commentaries, and as is often the case with these difficult passages, there is some disagreement among scholars. But let me give you my understanding of the passage in a somewhat simplified way. Which works since I’m a simple guy. To give these verses context, in this passage John is talking about prayer. He’s talking about how God hears the prayers of the believer, and how, if we ask according to His will, He will grant our prayers. But, then John includes this statement that I just read. So my understanding of what John was saying is this. If we see a Christian brother or sister sinning, we should pray for them, that God would forgive them. A person who is living for Christ, who loves the Lord, will sometimes sin. We all do. But since we *do* love God, the blood of Jesus covers that sin. And the Holy Spirit *will* speak to our heart and we *will* confess that sin to God and ask forgiveness. This is a sin that does not lead to death, because as we read in the last episode, God is faithful and just to forgive us when we confess. However, a person who rejects God, who has no relationship with Jesus, is already condemned to death. His sin is a sin unto death already. John is, in this passage, telling us that we should not pray that God would forgive them, because for God to do so would be asking Him to circumvent His justice. Scripture says that without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sin. Believers are covered by that blood, but those who reject Christ are not, so they cannot be forgiven, and we should not ask God to do so. We can, however pray that they would soften their hearts and come into relationship with God through Jesus so that *all* of their sins will be forgiven. Does that make sense? Today’s Bible Translation Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 4-5 GWT Support This a value for value podcast. There are no advertisers because advertising=censorship. If you enjoy the Lifespring Family Audio Bible, decide how much value it brings to you. Only you can make that determination. Then put a number on the value and send it to me here: SUPPORT. Transcript Download .txt file. Steve Webb 0:00 I’m a simple guy. Steve Webb 0:09 Coming to you from Riverside, California, this is the Lifespring family Audio Bible. How are you today? Podcasting since 2004? I’m your OG God caster Steve Webb. This is the daily show where we’re reading through the entire Bible in a year than today’s epistle Sunday. So we’ll read first John four and five, I’m calling today’s episode, the prayer we should not pray. You know, I’m thinking that since this is Sunday, you’d probably have some time to write an email to me. Yeah, you know, the email I asked you to send me about what you think I should do. As far as podcasting is concerned, once this season is over, you haven’t done it yet. Now’s a good time to do it. And I think I’ve got the email problem fixed. So go ahead and just send your email to Steve and Lifespring media.com. Put the next step in the subject line. I really do need to hear from you. I’m not kidding, I really need to hear from you. Today’s Show Notes Pages at Lifespring media.com/s 12, e 340. And let’s get started. Steve Webb 1:08 First, John, chapter four. Dear friends, don’t believe all people who say that they have the spirit. Instead, test them, see whether the spirit they have is from God, because there are many false prophets in the world. This is how you can recognize God’s Spirit. Every person who declares that Jesus Christ has come as a human has the spirit that is from God. But every person who doesn’t declare that Jesus Christ has come as a human has a spirit that isn’t from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist that you’ve heard is coming. That spirit is already in the world. Do your children you belong to God. So you have won the victory over these people, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. These people belong to the world. That’s why they speak the thoughts of the world, and the world listens to them. We belong to God, the person who knows God listens to us. Whoever doesn’t belong to God doesn’t listen to us. That’s how we can tell the spirit of truth from the spirit of lies. Dear friends, we must love each other because love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born from God and knows God. The person who doesn’t love doesn’t know God, because God is love. God has shown us His love by sending His only Son into the world so that we could have life through him. This is love. Not that we have loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the payment for our sins. Dear friends, if this is the way God loved us, we must also love each other. No one has ever seen God. If we love each other God lives in us and his love is perfected in us. We know that we live in him and he lives in us because he has given us His Spirit. We have seen and testify to the fact that the Father sent His Son as the savior of the world. God lives in those who declare that Jesus is the Son of God, and they live in God. We have known and believed that God loves us. God is love. Those who live in God’s love live in God and God lives in them. God’s love is reached its goal in us. So we look ahead with confidence to the Day of Judgment. While we are in this world, we’re exactly like him with regard to love. No fear exists, where his love is rather perfect love gets rid of fear because fear involves punishment. The person who lives in fear doesn’t have perfect love. We love because God loved us first. Whoever says I love God, but hates another believer is a liar. People who don’t love other believers whom they’ve seen, can’t love God whom they have not seen. Christ has given us this commandment. The person who loves God must also love other believers. Steve Webb 3:56 First John chapter five. Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Messiah has been born from God. Everyone who loves the Father also loves His children. We know that we love God’s children when we love God by obeying His commandments. To love God means that we obey His commandments. obeying His commandments is a difficult because everyone who has been born from God has won the victory over the world. Our faith is what wins the victory over the world. Who wins the victory over the world? Isn’t it the person who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? This son of God is Jesus Christ, who came by water in blood. He didn’t come with water only, but with water and with blood. The Spirit is the one who verifies this, because the Spirit is the truth. There are three witnesses the spirit, the water and the blood. These three witnesses agree. We accept human testimony. God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony that he has given about his son. Those who believe in the Son of God have the testimony of God in them. Those who don’t believe God have made God a liar. They haven’t believed the testimony that God has given about his son. This is the testimony. God has given us eternal life. And this life is found in his son. The person who has the Son has this life. The person who doesn’t have the Son of God doesn’t have this life. I’ve written this to those who believe in the Son of God, so that they will know that they have eternal life, we are confident that God listens to us. If we ask for anything that has his approval, we know that he listens to our requests. So we know that we already have what we asked him for. If you see another believer committing a sin that doesn’t lead to death, you should pray that God would give that person life. This is true for those who commit sins that don’t lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I’m not telling you to pray about that every kind of wrongdoing is sin. Yet there are sins that don’t lead to death. We know that those who have been born from God, don’t go on sinning, rather, the Son of God protects them, and the evil one can’t harm them. We know that we are from God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. We know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we know the real God, we are in the one who is real, His Son, Jesus Christ. This Jesus Christ is the real God and eternal life. Dear children, guard yourselves from false gods. Steve Webb 6:36 Again, just like chapters one through three, there are so many great things that I could talk about in these last two chapters of first, John, but let’s take a look at chapter five, verses six through 18. I think that we need to take a closer look at that. Let me read it to you again. If you see another believer committing a sin that doesn’t lead to death, you should pray that God would give that person life. This is true for those who commit sins that don’t lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I’m not telling you to pray about that every kind of wrongdoing is sin, yet there are sins that don’t lead to death. We know that those who have been born from God, don’t go on sinning. Rather, the Son of God protects them in the Evil One can’t harm them. So the question is, what is this sin that leads to death and the sin that does not lead to death? Well, I’ll tell you, I read several commentaries. And as is often the case with these difficult passages, there is some disagreement among scholars. But let me give you my understanding of the passage in a somewhat simplified way, which works since I’m a simple guy, to give these verses context, which is always important when we’re studying the Bible. In this passage, John is talking about prayer. He’s talking about how God hears the prayers of the believer, and how if we ask according to his will, he will grant our prayers. But then John includes this statement that I just read. So my understanding of what John was saying is this. If we see a Christian Brothers Sisters sitting, we should pray for them, that God would forgive them. A person who’s living for Christ who loves the Lord will sometimes sin, we all do, right. But since we do love God, the blood of Jesus covers that sin, and the Holy Spirit will speak to our heart. And we will confess that sin to God and ask for forgiveness. This is a sin that does not lead to death, because as we read in the last episode, God is faithful and just to forgive us when we confess, however, a person who rejects God who has no relationship with Jesus is already condemned to death. His sin is a sin unto death already, in my opinion, John is in this passage telling us that we should not pray that God would forgive them, because for God to do so would be asking him to circumvent His justice. Scripture says that, without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sin, believers are covered by that blood. But those who reject Christ are not so they can’t be forgiven. And we should not ask God to do so. We can, however, pray that they would soften their hearts and come into a relationship with God through Jesus so that all of their sins will be forgiven. Does that make sense? Tell me what you think. Go to Lifespring media.com/s 12 e 340. Leave your comment at the bottom of that page. Tomorrow is Monday. So we’ll read from the law, Deuteronomy 23 through 25. Huge boost Steve Webb 9:47 Thanks to Matt Bogart, who sent in a $50 donation today via Zell that’s been a Lifespring family member for a very long time. Thank you, Matt. And God bless you. Steve Webb 10:09 On this date in church history, August 7 1560, the Scots confession was ratified by the Scottish Parliament and it marked the triumph of the Reformation in Scotland under the leadership of John Knox. And on this date in church history, August 7 1894, James strong died he was the American Methodist biblical scholar and editor. His chief contribution to scholarship was as editor of the 12 volume Cyclopedia of biblical theological and ecclesiastical literature. That was the work that went on from 1867 to 1887, a 20 year job. He is also remembered as the compiler of Strong’s exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Pretty much every Bible student has a copy of Strong’s Concordance. Mine is on the shelf just about three feet from me right now. I’ve had it since the mid 80s. Steve Webb 11:09 Prayer requests. As I record this on Saturday morning, right now, I’m looking up at the clock, and it’s 10 minutes to 11. I just got word a little bit ago that my brother in law, Steve O’Brien is in the ER with chest pains. I guess he was there overnight, and they’ve run several tests on him and he might be transferred to the hospital where I had three stents put into my heart a few years ago, because they’re thinking that he might have a blockage or blood clot. Steve is the pastor of the church that I was at for over 20 years, and is the husband of Leanne’s older sister Laurie, and I love him like a brother. He’s even been on the Lifespring podcast a time or two. So we need to pray for Steve. And just an update on Kathy, she had a good night and so far is only experiencing a few aches and pains like a cold or the flu. And Dell wanted me to pass along that they very much appreciate your continued prayers. Let’s pray. Our Heavenly Father, we thank you for the forgiveness that we have through Jesus and we ask that you give us opportunities to share the good news with people you bring into our path. Give us the boldness to speak Lord and a heart of love as we share. I pray now for Steve O’Brien be with him in the ER and guide the doctors to find the problem with his heart and whatever else might be a problem. I pray God that you bring healing in Jesus name. And we continue to pray for Kathy and thank you for the mild side effects that she’s having. Again, we asked you to heal her and for the grace to accept your will. Father, I ask that you bless the Lifespring family today. I thank you for each one listening right now. Walk with him today, Lord in May they feel your presence with them wherever they are. I pray this in Jesus name, amen. If you’ve got a prayer request or a praise, you know what to do, go to prayer dot Lifespring media.com And tell me all about it right there. I’ll pray for you and my private prayer time, and we’ll pray together on the show. Steve Webb 13:07 Comment on the show and Lifespring media.com/s 12 e 340. Thanks to Matt Bogart for helping to support the show today. Thanks to the team Kirsty shot of San Pedro and Denise, thank you for inviting me into your life today. And I’ll see you here tomorrow. May God bless you richly. My name is Steve Webb. Bye Transcribed by https://otter.ai Please rate or review the show by clicking the heart! The post S3E334 – 1 John 4-5: The Prayer We Should Not Pray first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

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  • S12 · E333
    Saturday · 18 min

    S3E333 – Acts 19-20: Big Business

    Transcript Distinguished Producer Lifespring Family member Berean Brother Paul of Seattle Podcast Introduction Today is Gospel Saturday. We’ll read Acts 19-20. I’m calling today’s episode “Big Business.” Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Niels Steeman on Unsplash Comments on Acts 19-20 Thoughts on Acts 19 So Paul sort of stirred things up in Ephesus, didn’t he? There was a whole industry built around the worship of Artemis. The silversmith, Demetrius, had a financial interest in keeping people devoted to this false god, didn’t he? It was big business. What really caught my attention about this scene was when, during the confusion at the big assembly, it said in verse 32 that “Most of the people did not even know why they were there.” That even happens now at big demonstrations. There’s mass confusion, shouting and even violence, and many of the demonstrators don’t know why they’re even there. And some are there for their own vested interests. As it says in Ecclesiastes, “there’s nothing new under the sun”. Beloved, people don’t change. Circumstances change, but men and women are still the same. They needed Jesus in Paul’s time, and we need Jesus now. Thoughts on Acts 20 For me, the thing that stands out here in Acts 20 is where Paul says, “I want to finish the race that I’m running. I want to carry out the mission I received from the Lord Jesus; the mission of testifying to the Good News of God’s kindness.” Paul had already been on the receiving end of quite a lot of persecution, and the Holy Spirit told him that in every city imprisonment and suffering was waiting for him. Yet he was determined to run…and finish…the race. I want to have that kind of determination, too. Don’t you? When your race is over and you stand before God, don’t you want to hear the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” To me, that will be a glorious day, and I will do whatever it takes, go through any trial, to hear those words. What about you? As time winds down, and I believe we are in the final days, living for Jesus is not going to get any easier. We look at the news today and we see how persecution against believers around the world is growing. One of the most important things we can do is to decide, before persecution comes to us, what we will do when we look it in the face. That’s one of the reasons we’re told in scripture that we will face trials. God wants us to know that things aren’t going wrong when those times come. He wants us to know that it’s part of His plan. And He wants us to prepare mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Have you given any thought to what you will do if and when this kind of persecution comes your way? I pray it never does, but it is good to be prepared. Today’s Bible Translation Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 19 CEB; Ch. 20 GWT Support This a value for value podcast. There are no advertisers because advertising=censorship. If you enjoy the Lifespring Family Audio Bible, decide how much value it brings to you. Only you can make that determination. Then put a number on the value and send it to me here: SUPPORT. Transcript Download .txt file. STEVE WEBB – 0:00 Paul was determined to run and to finish the race. INTRO S12E332 – 0:11 Coming to you from Riverside, California, this is the Lifespring Family Audio Bible, And podcasting since 2004, I’m your OG Godcaster, Steve Webb. This is the daily show where we were reading through the entire Bible in a year. Today’s Gospel Saturday. We’ll read Acts 19 and 20. And I’m calling today’s episode, “Big Business”. Today’s show notes page is at lifespringmedia.com/s12e332. My email address is st***@*************ia.com. Monday is August 1, and on that show, I’m going to be making an announcement, so you’re not going to want to miss that episode. Just a heads up for you. Let’s get started. ACTS 19 (NIV) – 0:50 Acts, chapter 19. (1) While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples (2) and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” (3) So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?” “John’s baptism,” they replied. (4) Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” (5) On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. (6) When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. (7) There were about twelve men in all. (8) Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God. (9) But some of them became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way. So Paul left them. He took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. (10) This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord. (11) God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, (12) so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them. (13) Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, “In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.” (14) Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. (15) One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you?” (16) Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding. (17) When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor. (18) Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed what they had done. (19) A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas. (20) In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power. (21) After all this had happened, Paul decided to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia. “After I have been there,” he said, “I must visit Rome also.” (22) He sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he stayed in the province of Asia a little longer. (23) About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way. (24) A silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought in a lot of business for the craftsmen there. (25) He called them together, along with the workers in related trades, and said: “You know, my friends, that we receive a good income from this business. (26) And you see and hear how this fellow Paul has convinced and led astray large numbers of people here in Ephesus and in practically the whole province of Asia. He says that gods made by human hands are no gods at all. (27) There is danger not only that our trade will lose its good name, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited; and the goddess herself, who is worshiped throughout the province of Asia and the world, will be robbed of her divine majesty.” (28) When they heard this, they were furious and began shouting: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” (29) Soon the whole city was in an uproar. The people seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia, and all of them rushed into the theater together. (30) Paul wanted to appear before the crowd, but the disciples would not let him. (31) Even some of the officials of the province, friends of Paul, sent him a message begging him not to venture into the theater. (32) The assembly was in confusion: Some were shouting one thing, some another. Most of the people did not even know why they were there. (33) The Jews in the crowd pushed Alexander to the front, and they shouted instructions to him. He motioned for silence in order to make a defense before the people. (34) But when they realized he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison for about two hours: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” (35) The city clerk quieted the crowd and said: “Fellow Ephesians, doesn’t all the world know that the city of Ephesus is the guardian of the temple of the great Artemis and of her image, which fell from heaven? (36) Therefore, since these facts are undeniable, you ought to calm down and not do anything rash. (37) You have brought these men here, though they have neither robbed temples nor blasphemed our goddess. (38) If, then, Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen have a grievance against anybody, the courts are open and there are proconsuls. They can press charges. (39) If there is anything further you want to bring up, it must be settled in a legal assembly. (40) As it is, we are in danger of being charged with rioting because of what happened today. In that case we would not be able to account for this commotion, since there is no reason for it.” (41) After he had said this, he dismissed the assembly. ACTS 20 (GWT) – 5:51 Acts, chapter 20. (1) When the uproar was over, Paul sent for the disciples, encouraged them, said goodbye, and left for Macedonia. (2) He went through that region and spoke many words of encouragement to the people. Then he went to Greece (3) and stayed there for three months. When Paul was going to board a ship for Syria, he found out that the Jews were plotting to kill him. So he decided to go back through Macedonia. (4) Sopater (son of Pyrrhus) from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia accompanied Paul. (5) All these men went ahead and were waiting for us in Troas. (6) After the Festival of Unleavened Bread, we boarded a ship at Philippi. Five days later we joined them in Troas and stayed there for seven days. (7) On Sunday we met to break bread. Paul was discussing Scripture with the people. Since he intended to leave the next day, he kept talking until midnight. (8) (Many lamps were lit in the upstairs room where we were meeting.) (9) A young man named Eutychus was sitting in a window. As Paul was talking on and on, Eutychus was gradually falling asleep. Finally, overcome by sleep, he fell from the third story and was dead when they picked him up. (10) Paul went to him, took him into his arms, and said, “Don’t worry! He’s alive!” (11) Then Eutychus went upstairs again, broke the bread, and ate. Paul talked with the people for a long time, until sunrise, and then left. (12) The people took the boy home. They were greatly relieved that he was alive. (13) We went ahead to the ship and sailed for the city of Assos. At Assos, we were going to pick up Paul. He had made these arrangements, since he had planned to walk overland to Assos. (14) When Paul met us in Assos, we took him on board and went to the city of Mitylene. (15) We sailed from there. On the following day we approached the island of Chios. The next day we went by the island of Samos, and on the next day we arrived at the city of Miletus. (16) Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia. He was in a hurry to get to Jerusalem for the day of Pentecost, if that was possible. (17) From Miletus Paul sent messengers to the city of Ephesus and called the spiritual leaders of the church to meet with him in Miletus. (18) When they were with him, he said to them, “You know how I spent all my time with you from the first day I arrived in the province of Asia. (19) I humbly served the Lord, often with tears in my eyes. I served the Lord during the difficult times I went through when the Jews plotted against me. (20) I didn’t avoid telling you anything that would help you, and I didn’t avoid teaching you publicly and from house to house. (21) I warned Jews and Greeks to change the way they think and act and to believe in our Lord Jesus. (22) “I am determined to go to Jerusalem now. I don’t know what will happen to me there. (23) However, the Holy Spirit warns me in every city that imprisonment and suffering are waiting for me. (24) But I don’t place any value on my own life. I want to finish the race I’m running. I want to carry out the mission I received from the Lord Jesus—the mission of testifying to the Good News of God’s kindness. (25) “Now I know that none of you whom I told about God’s kingdom will see me again. (26) Therefore, I declare to you today that I am not responsible for the spiritual death of any of you. (27) I didn’t avoid telling you the whole plan of God. (28) Pay attention to yourselves and to the entire flock in which the Holy Spirit has placed you as bishops to be shepherds for God’s church which he acquired with his own blood. (29) I know that fierce wolves will come to you after I leave, and they won’t spare the flock. (30) Some of your own men will come forward and say things that distort the truth. They will do this to lure disciples into following them. (31) So be alert! Remember that I instructed each of you for three years, day and night, at times with tears in my eyes. (32) “I am now entrusting you to God and to his message that tells how kind he is. That message can help you grow and can give you the inheritance that is shared by all of God’s holy people. (33) “I never wanted anyone’s silver, gold, or clothes. (34) You know that I worked to support myself and those who were with me. (35) I have given you an example that by working hard like this we should help the weak. We should remember the words that the Lord Jesus said, ‘Giving gifts is more satisfying than receiving them.’” (36) When Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down and prayed with all of them. (37) Everyone cried a lot as they put their arms around Paul and kissed him. (38) The thought of not seeing Paul again hurt them most of all. Then they took Paul to the ship. COMMENTS – 10:27 So in Acts 19, Paul sort of stirred things up in Ephesus, didn’t he? There was a whole industry built around the worship of Artemis and the silversmith, Demetrius even had a financial interest in keeping people devoted to this false god didn’t he? It was big business. What really caught my attention about this scene was when during the confusion at the big assembly, it said in verse 32 that “Most of the people did not even know why they were there.” Well, that even happens now with big demonstrations, doesn’t it? There’s mass confusion, shouting and even violence. And many of the demonstrators don’t even know why they’re there. And some are there for their own vested interests as Demetrius was. Well as it says in Ecclesiastes, “there’s nothing new under the sun”. Beloved, people don’t change. Circumstances change, but men and women are still the same. They needed Jesus in Paul’s time, and we need him now. And then in Acts 20, the thing that stands out to me is where Paul says, “I want to finish the race that I’m running. I want to carry out the mission I received from the Lord Jesus; the mission of testifying to the Good News of God’s kindness.” Paul had already been on the receiving end of quite a lot of persecution. And the Holy Spirit told him that in every city imprisonment and suffering was waiting for him. Yet Paul was determined to run and to finish the race. Beloved, I want to have that kind of determination, too, don’t you? When your race is over, and you stand before God, don’t you want to hear the words “Well done, good and faithful servant.” To me, that’ll be a glorious day, and I’ll do whatever it takes. I’ll go through any trial to hear those words. I hope you feel the same way. And as time runs down, and I believe we are in the final days, living for Jesus is not going to get any easier. We look at the news today and we see how persecution against believers around the world is growing. And one of the most important things we can do is to decide before persecution comes to us what we will do when we look it in the face. That’s one of the reasons we’re told in scripture that we will face trials. God wants us to know that things aren’t going wrong when these times come. He wants us to know that it’s part of his plan, and he wants us to prepare mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Have you given any thought to what you’ll do when this kind of persecution comes your way? I pray it never does. But it is good to be prepared. What do you think? You have a comment? Let me know, lifespringmedia.com/s12e332. Tomorrow is Epistles Sunday and our reading will be 1 John 1 through 3. Boost. DISTINGUISHED PRODUCER SHOUT-OUT – 13:20 Lifespring Family Berean Brother Paul of Seattle sent in his weekly row-‘o-ducks donation of 22.22. Thank you, Brother Paul. You are today’s Distinguished Producer. Thank you, Brother Paul. And God bless you. BRYAN DUNCAN’S NEW PODCAST – 13:40 Interspersed in all my other activities, I’ve been working on my friend Bryan Duncan’s website for his new podcast Nutshell Sermons. It’s almost completely dialed in for this first iteration. It looks pretty good, I think. Stop on by and take a look at nutshellsermons.com. Right now he’s got eleven episodes up and he’s got over thirty more in the wings already. Here’s his first episode. It’s called Not Really A Preacher. EPISODE 1 OF NUTSHELL SERMONS – 14:04 Hi, it’s Bryan, your lunatic friend. Welcome to Nutshell Sermons. I’m not really a preacher. I don’t even play one on TV. But I have sat under a lot of sermons. Most of them are like three hours long, or at least they feel that way. And then I think to myself, “Wow, this could have been said in about two minutes.” I’m just a pragmatic guy sitting in the back row, trying to figure things out. Hey, I don’t claim to be an authority on biblical teaching or spiritual matters, but I like a song that Bonnie Raitt sings that says, “I ain’t no icon carved out a soap sent here to clean up your reputation.” I am, however, a believer in Jesus, that He has a plan for my life. But I’ve discovered there’s a lot of mental ping-pong going on every day trying to separate fact from fiction in following him. So I thought I would share my nutshell sermons with you. Take them with a grain of salt. SUBSCRIBE TO NUTSHELL SERMONS – 15:03 You can subscribe to Nutshell Sermons on your favorite podcast app and his is a value-for-value podcast. Take a look at nutshellsermons.com/support. ON THIS DATE IN CHURCH HISTORY – 15:23 On this date in church history, July 30, 1718, William Penn died. He was the English Quaker statesman and colonial leader. His frame of government for the American colony of Pennsylvania in 1682 established the structure for religious and political freedom in the colony. Penn’s best known writing is the ethically challenging “No Cross, No Crown” which he wrote in 1669. And on this date in church history, July 30, 1822, African-American clergyman James Varick was consecrated as the first bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. PRAYER REQUESTS – 16:10 For prayer requests, I do have an update on Kathi. She’s still at Loma Linda University Medical Center, and she’s doing well. After her blood transfusions, her hemoglobin count went up to 10. It’s been as low as four and normally is 10 and a half to 15. So she’s doing pretty well there. The doc has moved her from a liquid diet to soft foods, so that’s good. They just want to be sure that she can handle food without throwing up or losing blood again. They’re trying to be sure there is no more bleeding going on in her esophagus. Also, she’s supposed to have a physical therapy session today with the goal of walking around the nurse’s station. Thank you so much for your prayers for Kathi and Del. I really appreciate it, and they do, too. CLOSING PRAYER – 16:52 All right, let’s pray. Our heavenly Father thank You for Your word and for letting us know that we should be prepared for difficulties, And that when they come it isn’t because things have gone sideways. They’re expected. Strengthen us, Lord, when those times come and help us to remain faithful and focused on you. I thank you for having your hand on Kathi and Del, and for the Loma Linda medical staff. Please continue to strengthen her lord and bring healing to her body. And thank you, Lord for the Lifespring family. They have been a blessing to me and I pray God that you would really bless each one of them. I pray this in Jesus name, amen. If you have a prayer request or a praise go to – what is it? prayer.lifespringmedia.com. OUTRO S12E332 – 17:43 Comment on the show at lifespringmedia.com/s12e332. Send an email to me at st***@*************ia.com. Thanks to the team: Kirsty. Sean of San Pedro and Denise. Thank you to Brother Paul of Seattle for his weekly row-of-ducks donation. And thank you for letting me spend some time with you today. Support the show please at lifespringmedia.com/support. And until tomorrow, may God bless you richly. My name is Steve Webb. Bye. Transcribed by https://otter.ai Corrected by Denise Please rate or review the show by clicking the heart! The post S3E333 – Acts 19-20: Big Business first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

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  • S12 · E332
    Friday · 20 min

    S3E332 – Malachi 1-4: In the Valley

    Transcript Podcast Introduction Today is Prophecy Friday and our reading is the book of Malachi. I’m calling today’s episode “In the Valley.” Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Ana Filipa Neves on Unsplash Comments on Malachi Chapter 1 Malachi is another Old Testament prophet about whom we know very little. Here’s what we do know. His name means “my angel”. That’s about it. Judaic tradition holds that Malachi was from the tribe of Zebulun and that he did not live a long life. The message of the book of Malachi contains God’s charges against the people for the neglect of the rebuilt temple. You’ll remember that the prophets Haggai and Zechariah brought reproof for their neglecting to build the temple. In Malachi’s time, the temple had been rebuilt, but now it is neglected. In addition, God charges them with profaning the temple by their behavior while there. There was a period of 400 years between Malachi and the birth of Jesus. Before beginning this period of silence, God used Malachi to speak more about the coming Messiah, and He told the people that His coming was close. Four hundred years might sound like a long time, but in the scheme of things, it’s not. Chapter 2 The second chapter of Malachi ends with this: 17You have tired the Lord out with your talk. But you ask, “How have we tired him?” By saying, “The Lord Almighty thinks all evildoers are good; in fact he likes them.” Or by asking, “Where is the God who is supposed to be just?” Chapter 3 And God’s answer is in the first verse of chapter three: 1The Lord Almighty answers, “I will send my messenger to prepare the way for me. Then the Lord you are looking for will suddenly come to his Temple. The messenger you long to see will come and proclaim my covenant.” Who was the messenger the Lord Almighty sent to prepare the way? John the Baptist. The gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke all quoted this passage in pointing out that John’s coming was prophesied, and that it was to prepare the way for Jesus the Messiah. Notice again the words of the verse: I will send my messenger to prepare the way for me. Who was speaking? The Lord Almighty. Not another prophet. God Himself would come *to the Temple*, fulfilling the old covenant and establishing a new covenant. A New Covenant. That covenant was what we call the Good News, And then verses two through five speaks of the second Messenger judging and refining. This is referring to the second coming of Jesus. Most of the Old Testament prophets did not see the separation of the two advents, or comings of Jesus. I have used this analogy before. In looking at a mountain range from a distance, you can’t see the valleys between the peaks. The peaks are easy to see, and from a distance, they look as if they are the same distance away from you. But there could be, and actually usually is, miles between them, with a valley separating them. This is how the ancient prophets saw the coming of the Messiah. We live in the valley, beloved. The first peak, that of Jesus’ first coming, is behind us, and his second coming is still ahead. Also in chapter three is a very unique verse. God tells the people that they are guilty of cheating (or robbing from) Him. 8b ‘How?’ you ask. In the matter of tithes and offerings. 9A curse is on all of you because the whole nation is cheating me. 10Bring the full amount of your tithes to the Temple, so that there will be plenty of food there. Put me to the test and you will see that I will open the windows of heaven and pour out on you in abundance all kinds of good things. 11I will not let insects destroy your crops, and your grapevines will be loaded with grapes. What was unique? God said, “Put me to the test…” And it was a *command*. Test me. Give as I command, and I will pour out my blessings in abundance. Go ahead, try me. There is no other place in Scripture that compares to this. Chapter 4 And finally, the people are reminded to keep the Mosaic law as they watch for the Messiah. F.B. Meyer wrote the following in his commentary on Malachi. (Before I read it, I need to tell you that his use of the word “type” means “a foreshadowing”. “The ‘Sun of righteousness shall arise with healing in his wings’, verse two. At the end of the Old Testament, it is meet (or appropriate) that the sun should break out. The morning that broke on Paradise was clear enough. It was without clouds. But the sky soon became dark, and at last veiled, with only here and there a chink of blue sky left. All through the dark succeeding centuries there have been gleams of sunshine to let men know that the sun was shining still. Every precious promise, every solemn type, every holy life, that was bathed in supernatural beauty, was like a shining forth of the sun through the bars of human darkness and sin. But evidently more was in store than Old Testament saints had dreamed; and the time was coming when the reign of type, symbol, and parable would be succeeded by the clear vision of the face of God. “We live in the days of open vision. Let us go forth and exalt. We are to rejoice in every good thing He gives us. As the young calves of the early spring manifest their exuberant life in their caperings and gambols in the pastures, so let us give expression to our joy. Exult because of the clear shining of God’s love: exult because the darkness is past, and the true light now shines: exult because He is coming again, as surely as he came once. Wake up, my soul, take psaltry and harp and sing. The Bridegroom is at hand. Hark! Are those his chariot wheels reverberating through the air? Even so! Lord Jesus, come quickly!” Today’s Bible Translation Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 1-4 GNT Support This a value for value podcast. There are no advertisers because advertising=censorship. If you enjoy the Lifespring Family Audio Bible, decide how much value it brings to you. Only you can make that determination. Then put a number on the value and send it to me here: SUPPORT. Transcript Download .txt file. STEVE WEBB – 0:00 Go ahead and try me. INTRO S12E331 – 0:09 Like a bad penny, I’m back! Coming to you from Riverside, California, this is the Lifespring Family Audio Bible. And podcasting since 2004, I’m your OG Godcaster, Steve Webb. This is the daily show where we’re reading through the entire Bible in a year. Today’s Prophecy Friday and our reading is the book of Malachi. I’m calling today’s episode, “In the Valley”. Thank you so much for your patience yesterday and letting me take the day off. And I’ll have an update on Kathi’s condition later in the show. The show notes page for today’s episode is at lifespringmedia.com/s12e331. My email address is st***@*************ia.com. Let’s get started. MALACHI 1 (GNT) – 0:51 Malachi, chapter 1. (1) This is the message that the Lord gave Malachi to tell the people of Israel. (2) The Lord says to his people, “I have always loved you.” But they reply, “How have you shown your love for us?” The Lord answers, “Esau and Jacob were brothers, but I have loved Jacob and his descendants, (3) and have hated Esau and his descendants. I have devastated Esau’s hill country and abandoned the land to jackals.” (4) If Esau’s descendants, the Edomites, say, “Our towns have been destroyed, but we will rebuild them,” then the Lord will reply, “Let them rebuild—I will tear them down again. People will call them ‘The evil country’ and ‘The nation with whom the Lord is angry forever.’” (5) The people of Israel are going to see this with their own eyes, and they will say, “The Lord is mighty even outside the land of Israel!” (6) The Lord Almighty says to the priests, “Children honor their parents, and servants honor their masters. I am your father—why don’t you honor me? I am your master—why don’t you respect me? You despise me, and yet you ask, ‘How have we despised you?’ (7) This is how—by offering worthless food on my altar. Then you ask, ‘How have we failed to respect you?’ I will tell you—by showing contempt for my altar. (8) When you bring a blind or sick or lame animal to sacrifice to me, do you think there’s nothing wrong with that? Try giving an animal like that to the governor! Would he be pleased with you or grant you any favors?” (9) Now, you priests, try asking God to be good to us. He will not answer your prayer, and it will be your fault. (10) The Lord Almighty says, “I wish one of you would close the Temple doors so as to prevent you from lighting useless fires on my altar. I am not pleased with you; I will not accept the offerings you bring me. (11) People from one end of the world to the other honor me. Everywhere they burn incense to me and offer acceptable sacrifices. All of them honor me! (12) But you dishonor me when you say that my altar is worthless and when you offer on it food that you despise. (13) You say, ‘How tired we are of all this!’ and you turn up your nose at me. As your offering to me you bring a stolen animal or one that is lame or sick. Do you think I will accept that from you? (14) A curse on the cheater who sacrifices a worthless animal to me, when he has in his flock a good animal that he promised to give me! For I am a great king, and people of all nations fear me.” MALACHI 2 (GNT) – 3:21 Malachi, chapter 2. (1) The Lord Almighty says to the priests, “This command is for you: (2) You must honor me by what you do. If you will not listen to what I say, then I will bring a curse on you. I will put a curse on the things you receive for your support. In fact, I have already put a curse on them, because you do not take my command seriously. (3) I will punish your children and rub your faces in the dung of the animals you sacrifice—and you will be taken out to the dung heap. (4) Then you will know that I have given you this command, so that my covenant with the priests, the descendants of Levi, will not be broken. (5) “In my covenant I promised them life and well-being, and this is what I gave them, so that they might respect me. In those days they did respect and fear me. (6) They taught what was right, not what was wrong. They lived in harmony with me; they not only did what was right themselves, but they also helped many others to stop doing evil. (7) It is the duty of priests to teach the true knowledge of God. People should go to them and learn my will, because they are the messengers of the Lord Almighty. (8) “But now you priests have turned away from the right path. Your teaching has led many to do wrong. You have broken the covenant I made with you. (9) So I, in turn, will make the people of Israel despise you because you do not obey my will, and when you teach my people, you do not treat everyone alike.” (10) Don’t we all have the same father? Didn’t the same God create us all? Then why do we break our promises to one another, and why do we despise the covenant that God made with our ancestors? (11) The people of Judah have broken their promise to God and done a horrible thing in Jerusalem and all over the country. They have defiled the Temple which the Lord loves. Men have married women who worship foreign gods. (12) May the Lord remove from the community of Israel those who did this, and never again let them participate in the offerings our nation brings to the Lord Almighty. (13) This is another thing you do. You drown the Lord’s altar with tears, weeping and wailing because he no longer accepts the offerings you bring him. (14) You ask why he no longer accepts them. It is because he knows you have broken your promise to the wife you married when you were young. She was your partner, and you have broken your promise to her, although you promised before God that you would be faithful to her. (15) Didn’t God make you one body and spirit with her? What was his purpose in this? It was that you should have children who are truly God’s people. So make sure that none of you breaks his promise to his wife. (16) “I hate divorce,” says the Lord God of Israel. “I hate it when one of you does such a cruel thing to his wife. Make sure that you do not break your promise to be faithful to your wife.” (17) You have tired the Lord out with your talk. But you ask, “How have we tired him?” By saying, “The Lord Almighty thinks all evildoers are good; in fact he likes them.” Or by saying, “Where is the God who is supposed to be just?” MALACHI 3 (GNT) – 6:23 Malachi, chapter 3. (1) The Lord Almighty answers, “I will send my messenger to prepare the way for me. Then the Lord you are looking for will suddenly come to his Temple. The messenger you long to see will come and proclaim my covenant.” (2) But who will be able to endure the day when he comes? Who will be able to survive when he appears? He will be like strong soap, like a fire that refines metal. (3) He will come to judge like one who refines and purifies silver. As a metalworker refines silver and gold, so the Lord’s messenger will purify the priests, so that they will bring to the Lord the right kind of offerings. (4) Then the offerings which the people of Judah and Jerusalem bring to the Lord will be pleasing to him, as they used to be in the past. (5) The Lord Almighty says, “I will appear among you to judge, and I will testify at once against those who practice magic, against adulterers, against those who give false testimony, those who cheat employees out of their wages, and those who take advantage of widows, orphans, and foreigners—against all who do not respect me. (6) “I am the Lord, and I do not change. And so you, the descendants of Jacob, are not yet completely lost. (7) You, like your ancestors before you, have turned away from my laws and have not kept them. Turn back to me, and I will turn to you. But you ask, ‘What must we do to turn back to you?’ (8) I ask you, is it right for a person to cheat God? Of course not, yet you are cheating me. ‘How?’ you ask. In the matter of tithes and offerings. (9) A curse is on all of you because the whole nation is cheating me. (10) Bring the full amount of your tithes to the Temple, so that there will be plenty of food there. Put me to the test and you will see that I will open the windows of heaven and pour out on you in abundance all kinds of good things. (11) I will not let insects destroy your crops, and your grapevines will be loaded with grapes. (12) Then the people of all nations will call you happy, because your land will be a good place to live. (13) “You have said terrible things about me,” says the Lord. “But you ask, ‘What have we said about you?’ (14) You have said, ‘It’s useless to serve God. What’s the use of doing what he says or of trying to show the Lord Almighty that we are sorry for what we have done? (15) As we see it, proud people are the ones who are happy. Evil people not only prosper, but they test God’s patience with their evil deeds and get away with it.’” (16) Then the people who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord listened and heard what they said. In his presence, there was written down in a book a record of those who feared the Lord and respected him. (17) “They will be my people,” says the Lord Almighty. “On the day when I act, they will be my very own. I will be merciful to them as parents are merciful to the children who serve them. (18) Once again my people will see the difference between what happens to the righteous and to the wicked, to the person who serves me and the one who does not.” MALACHI 4 (GNT) – 9:19 Malachi, chapter 4. (1) The Lord Almighty says, “The day is coming when all proud and evil people will burn like straw. On that day they will burn up, and there will be nothing left of them. (2) But for you who obey me, my saving power will rise on you like the sun and bring healing like the sun’s rays. You will be as free and happy as calves let out of a stall. (3) On the day when I act, you will overcome the wicked, and they will be like dust under your feet. (4) “Remember the teachings of my servant Moses, the laws and commands which I gave him at Mount Sinai for all the people of Israel to obey. (5) “But before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes, I will send you the prophet Elijah. (6) He will bring fathers and children together again; otherwise I would have to come and destroy your country.” COMMENTS – 10:11 Malachi is another Old Testament prophet about whom we know very little. Here’s what we do know. His name means “my angel”, and that’s about it. Judaic tradition holds that Malachi was from the tribe of Zebulun, and that he did not live a very long life. The message of the book of Malachi contains God’s charges against the people for the neglect of the rebuilt temple. You’ll remember that the prophets Haggai and Zechariah brought reproof for the neglecting to build a temple and in Malachi’s time the temple had been rebuilt, but now it’s neglected. Also, in this book, God charges them with profaning the temple by their behavior while they were there. Now, there was a period of 400 years between Malachi and the birth of Jesus. And before beginning this period of silence, God used Malachi to speak more about the coming Messiah. And he told the people that his coming was close. Four hundred years might sound like a long time, but really in the scheme of things it’s not, is it? Now the second chapter of Malachi ends with this verse. (17) “You have tired the Lord out with your talk. But you ask, ‘How have we tired him?’ By saying, ‘The Lord Almighty thinks all evildoers are good; in fact he likes them.’ Or by asking, ‘Where is the God who is supposed to be just?’” God’s answers to these questions is in the first verse of chapter 3. Here’s what it says: “The Lord Almighty answers, ‘I will send my messenger to prepare the way for me. Then the Lord you are looking for will suddenly come to his Temple. The messenger you long to see will come and proclaim my covenant.’” Who was the messenger of the Lord Almighty sent to prepare the way? You got it. John the Baptist. The gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke all quoted this passage in pointing out that John’s coming was prophesied, and that it was to prepare the way for Jesus the Messiah. And notice again, the words of the verse “I will send my messenger to prepare the way for me.” Who was speaking? The Lord Almighty. I will send my messenger to prepare the way for me, not another prophet. God Himself would come to the temple, fulfilling the Old Covenant and establishing a New Covenant. A New Covenant. That covenant was what we call the Good News. And then right after that, verses 2 through 5 speaks of the second messenger, judging and refining. This is referring to the Second Coming of Jesus. You see, most of the Old Testament prophets didn’t see the separation of the two Advents, or Comings of Jesus. I’ve used this analogy before. In looking at a mountain range from a distance, you can’t see the valleys between the peaks, the peaks are easy to see. And from a distance, they look as if they’re the same distance away from you. You can’t see the difference between them. Oftentimes, usually, as a matter of fact, there are miles between peaks with a valley separating them. And this is how the ancient prophets saw the coming of the Messiah. They just looked at the whole picture and didn’t see that there was a separation between His first coming and his second coming. We, Beloved, we live in the valley. The first peek, that of Jesus’ First Coming is behind us. And his Second Coming is still ahead. Also, in chapter 3 is a very unique verse. God tells the people that they’re guilty of cheating or robbing from him. That’s in verse 8. And then in the second part of verse 8, God says, (8b) “‘How?’ you ask. In the matter of tithes and offerings. (9) A curse is on all of you because the whole nation is cheating me. (10) Bring the full amount of your tithes to the Temple, so that there will be plenty of food there. Put me to the test and you will see that I will open the windows of heaven and pour out on you in abundance all kinds of good things. (11) I will not let insects destroy your crops, and your grapevines will be loaded with grapes.” So what was unique about that? God said, “Put me to the test.” And not only that, the way he said it, it was a command. He said, “Test me. Bring your ties to the temple. Give as I command, and I will pour out my blessings in abundance. Go ahead and try me.” Beloved, there is no other place in Scripture that compares to this. Now moving on to chapter 4. Finally, in this chapter, the people are reminded to keep the Mosaic law as they watch for the Messiah. F. B. Meyer wrote the following couple of paragraphs in his commentary on Malachi. “In verse two it said, The ‘Sun of righteousness shall arise with healing in his wings’. At the end of the Old Testament, it is appropriate that the sun should break out. The morning that broke on Paradise was clear enough. It was without clouds. But the sky soon became dark, and at last veiled, with only here and there a chink of blue sky left. All through the dark succeeding centuries there have been gleams of sunshine to let men know that the sun was shining still. Every precious promise, every solemn type [or foreshadowing], every holy life, that was bathed in supernatural beauty, was like a shining forth of the sun through the bars of human darkness and sin. But evidently more was in store than the Old Testament saints had dreamed; and the time was coming when the reign of type, symbol, and parable would be succeeded by the clear vision of the face of God. “We live in the days of open vision. Let us go forth and exalt. We are to rejoice in every good thing He gives us. As the young calves of the early spring manifest their exuberant life in their caperings and gambols in the pastures, so let us give expression to our joy. Exult because of the clear shining of God’s love: exult because the darkness is past, and the true light now shines: exult because He is coming again, as surely as he came once. Wake up, my soul, take psaltry and harp and sing. The Bridegroom is at hand. Hark! Are those his chariot wheels reverberating through the air? Even so! Lord Jesus, come quickly!” So, yes, in Malachi, God gave a vision of the coming Messiah. In his first coming, he established the good news. And he’s given all these years between then and he is Second Coming to bring all the people into the Kingdom who will come. What do you think? Do you have a comment? Let me know go to lifespringmedia.com/s12e331. Tomorrow is gospel Saturday we’ll read Acts 19 through 20. Boost. ASSOCIATE PRODUCER SHOUT-OUT – 17:12 Kirsty is our Associate Producer today she came in with her monthly $20 donation. Kirsty, thank you. God bless you. ON THIS DATE IN CHURCH HISTORY – 17:30 On this date in church history, July 29, 1912, Clarence Jordan, the founder of Koinonia Farms in Americus, Georgia, was born. His Cotton Patch Gospel, published in four volumes from 1968 to ’73 paraphrases the New Testament except for the Book of Revelation, in the Southern vernacular and setting. It really is quite unique. PRAYER REQUESTS AND UPDATE – 18:02 All right, prayer requests and an update. Here’s the latest on Kathi. She is resting comfortably at Loma Linda University Medical Center, as I record this on Thursday evening. The bleeding that she had, and that caused the rush to the ER was in her esophagus. As of right now, they’re not sure what caused it, but it might be from acid reflux. Obviously, because of her cancer, she takes a lot of different medications and she can’t eat much. So that might be it. There’s not a lot of food in her stomach to kind of help absorb the medicine. Today, she was given two units of blood, and at last word, her red blood cell count was up. So that’s a good thing. It might even be possible for her to go home tomorrow. If not tomorrow, probably the next day. Now because she missed her first appointment to start the new cancer meds, they will probably need to do several retests before they can schedule a new start date. So thank you very much for your prayers and please keep them coming. CLOSING PRAYER – 19:01 Let’s pray. Our heavenly Father, Lord, we thank you for causing us to be born when we were, in the valley between the two comings of Jesus, to look back at the cross and know that it happened, and to look forward to the Second Coming when you come back to right all the wrongs and to reign on Earth for a thousand years, well, Lord that gives us an assurance and an anticipation of that day. Lord, I thank you for the doctors who helped Kathi with the latest episode and I ask again for her healing. Help her to regain her strength before she starts the new medications. I pray, Lord, that You would bless Kathi and Del and, also, – their daughters have been so helpful in everything and I just pray that You would bless them and their husbands. And Lord, I thank you for the Lifespring family. I pray that You would bless them. Keep them healthy, Lord, and keep them strong and hold them close to you. I pray this in Jesus name, amen. If you have a prayer request or a praise go to prayer.lifespringmedia.com I’ll pray for you in my private prayer time and we’ll pray together on the show. OUTRO S12E331 – 20:12 Comment on the show at lifespringmedia.com/s12e331. Send an email to me at st***@*************ia.com. Thanks to the team Kirsty, Sean of San Pedro and Denise. And another thanks to Kirsty for her donation today. I thank you, Beloved, for having me in your life today. And until tomorrow, may God bless you richly. My name is Steve Webb. Bye. Transcribed by https://otter.ai Corrected by Denise Please rate or review the show by clicking the heart! The post S3E332 – Malachi 1-4: In the Valley first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

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  • S12 · E331
    Thursday · 9 min

    S3E331 – Ecclesiastes 11-12: A Repeat

    Transcript Introduction Today is Poetry Thursday, and we’ll finish the book of Ecclesiastes by reading chapters 11-12. And I hope you’ll forgive me, but today I am just going to run a repeat of last year’s episode for this reading. As I record this, it’s about 8:30 at night, which means there is only 90 minutes before the show is due to publish, and this is the first chance I’ve had to be in the studio all day, which is highly unusual. So there is no time to produce a new episode for you today. The first thing this morning, I got a call from Del that Kathi was on the way to the Emergency Room. I won’t go into all the details, but suffice to say that she has been checked into Loma Linda University Medical Center with internal bleeding. We’ll know tomorrow. And then the Lovely Lady LeeAnn and I had to go out today to do our weekly rounds for the family business. Long story short, this is one of just a very small number of episodes this season that will be a repeat. Pray for Kathi, and I’ll see you tomorrow. Thanks for your understanding. Wrapping Up Ecclesiastes Chapter 11 began with a message that would not come from an old, jaded, cynical Scrooge-type man. He started with the advice that you should be generous with those in need, because your giving is like a farmer sowing grain. It will yield a return. And if you have the ability now, you never know when your fortunes may change and you may need someone else’s generosity. And then Solomon advised that the young should enjoy their youth, keeping in mind that God will be the judge of all that we do. So we should avoid evil. Chapter 12 says the young should keep the Creator in mind, because in our old age life becomes difficult. Our senses dull and our bodies become weak. And ultimately, we die. And at the very end of the chapter and the book, Solomon refers to himself in the third person and calls himself the Preacher. And he says that after observing all that he could, he wrote down the best words that he could; words of truth. Words that could hold you steady in the storms of life. Words that were given by God. Solomon’s Conclusion And his conclusion was this: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. Because God will judge every work, every act, whether good or evil. The Key to Lasting Happiness and Peace Beloved, the only true and lasting happiness and peace is found in knowing God and pleasing Him. Anything apart from that will only bring emptiness, heartbreak, spiritual bankruptcy and ultimately eternal separation from God. And as Christians, we know that the only way to truly know God is when we have a personal relationship with Jesus. Solomon didn’t know Jesus by name, but he came to know that God was his only hope, and I am sure that God credited his account in the same way as He did with Abraham because of that faith. My Discovery I’ll be 67 years old in a few weeks, and even though I have not lived my life with the same privileges as Solomon did, my experiences have taught me the same lessons. When I have gone my own way, veering from the path that I knew God would want me to travel, I have always found nothing but emptiness and sadness. It is only when I cling tightly to Him that I find that unshakeable peace, that joy which is independent of my circumstances, that *knowing* that everything will be alright. Abundant Life I hope you have found that marvelous truth in your own life. Jesus said, “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” That is what God wants for you. And so do I. Today’s Bible Translation Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 11-12 NKJV Support Please remember that this is a listener supported show. Your support of any amount is needed and very much appreciated. Find out how by clicking here. Transcript Download .txt INTRO S12E330 – 0:00 Coming to you from Riverside, California, this is the Lifespring Family Audio Bible. And podcasting since 2004, I’m your OG Godcaster, Steve Webb. This is the daily show where we’re reading through the entire Bible in a year. Today is Poetry Thursday. And we’ll finish the book of Ecclesiastes by reading chapters 11 and 12. And I hope you’ll forgive me, but today I’m going to run a repeat of last year’s episode for this reading. As I record this, it’s about 8:30 at night, which means there’s only about 90 minutes before the show was due to publish, and this is the first chance I’ve had to be in the studio all day long, which is very unusual. So the bottom line is, there’s no time to produce a new episode for you today. You’re saying, Steve, why what happened? Well, the first thing this morning, I got a call from Del that Kathi was on the way to the emergency room. I’m not going to go into details. But suffice to say that she has been checked into Loma Linda University Medical Center, which is closer to their home than City of Hope is and she has internal bleeding. We’ll know tomorrow, what exactly is going on. And then the Lovely Lady LeeAnn and I had to go out today and do our weekly rounds for the family business. Long story short, this is just one of a very small number of episodes this season that will be a repeat. Pray for Kathi, and I’ll see you tomorrow. Thank you for your understanding. And now here’s the episode. God bless you. Thank you for being here. TEASER – 1:24 Knowing that everything will be all right. INTRO S11E330 – 1:38 Lifespring Family Audio Bible episode number 330. This is the daily podcast where we’re reading through the entire Bible in a year. I’m Steve Webb. I’m your host. How are you? Are you doing well today? I hope so. We’re going to finish the book of Ecclesiastes today by reading chapters 11 and 12. OPENING PRAYER – 1:58 Let’s pray. Our Heavenly Father, thank you for the gift of life. Thank you for the senses you gave us to experience the world around us. We thank you for loving us and for giving us your word that we might know you. Above all, we thank you for your son, and the salvation he offers to all that will accept. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen. All right, let’s go. ECCLESIASTER 11 (NKJV) – 2:23 Ecclesiastes, chapter 11. (1) Cast your bread upon the waters, For you will find it after many days. (2) Give a serving to seven, and also to eight, For you do not know what evil will be on the earth. (3) If the clouds are full of rain, They empty themselves upon the earth; And if a tree falls to the south or the north, In the place where the tree falls, there it shall lie. (4) He who observes the wind will not sow, And he who regards the clouds will not reap. (5) As you do not know what is the way of the wind, Or how the bones grow in the womb of her who is with child, So you do not know the works of God who makes everything. (6) In the morning sow your seed, And in the evening do not withhold your hand; For you do not know which will prosper, Either this or that, Or whether both alike will be good. (7) Truly the light is sweet, And it is pleasant for the eyes to behold the sun; (8) But if a man lives many years And rejoices in them all, Yet let him remember the days of darkness, For they will be many. All that is coming is vanity. (9) Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, And let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth; Walk in the ways of your heart, And in the sight of your eyes; But know that for all these God will bring you into judgment. (10) Therefore remove sorrow from your heart, And put away evil from your flesh, For childhood and youth are vanity. ECCLESIASTES 12 (NKJV) – 3:54 Ecclesiastes, chapter 12. (1) Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, Before the difficult days come, And the years draw near when you say, “I have no pleasure in them”: (2) While the sun and the light, The moon and the stars, Are not darkened, And the clouds do not return after the rain; (3) In the day when the keepers of the house tremble, And the strong men bow down; When the grinders cease because they are few, And those that look through the windows grow dim; (4) When the doors are shut in the streets, And the sound of grinding is low; When one rises up at the sound of a bird, And all the daughters of music are brought low. (5) Also they are afraid of height, And of terrors in the way; When the almond tree blossoms, The grasshopper is a burden, And desire fails. For man goes to his eternal home, And the mourners go about the streets. (6) Remember your Creator before the silver cord is loosed, Or the golden bowl is broken, Or the pitcher shattered at the fountain, Or the wheel broken at the well. (7) Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, And the spirit will return to God who gave it. (8) “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher, “All is vanity.” (9) And moreover, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yes, he pondered and sought out and set in order many proverbs. (10) The Preacher sought to find acceptable words; and what was written was upright—words of truth. (11) The words of the wise are like goads, and the words of scholars are like well-driven nails, given by one Shepherd. (12) And further, my son, be admonished by these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is wearisome to the flesh. (13) Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all. (14) For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil. COMMENTS – 6:04 Chapter 11 began with a message that would not come from an old, jaded, cynical Scrooge-type fella that Solomon has sounded like during much of this book. He started chapter 11, with the advice that you should be generous with those in need, because you’re giving is like a farmer sowing grain, it will yield a return. And if you have the ability, now, you never know when your fortunes may change, and you may need someone else’s generosity. And then Solomon advised that the young should enjoy their youth, keeping in mind that God will be the judge of all that we do so we should avoid evil. Chapter 12 says that the young should keep the creator in mind, because in our old age, life becomes difficult. Our senses dull, and our bodies become weak. And ultimately, we die. And at the very end of the chapter in the book, Solomon refers to himself in the third person and calls himself The Preacher. And he says that after observing all that he could, he wrote down the best words that he could, words of truth, words that could hold you steady in the storms of life, words that were given by God. And his conclusion was this: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. Because God will judge every work, every act, whether good or evil. Beloved, the only true and lasting happiness in peace is found in knowing God and pleasing Him. Anything apart from that will only bring emptiness, heartbreak, spiritual bankruptcy, and ultimately, eternal separation from God. And as Christians, we know that the only way to truly know God is when we have a personal relationship with Jesus. Solomon didn’t know Jesus by name, but he came to know that God was his only hope. And I’m sure that God credited his account in the same way as he did with Abraham because of that faith. In a few weeks, I’m going to be 67 years old. And even though I’ve not lived my life with the same privileges as Solomon did, my experiences have taught me the same lessons. When I’ve gone my own way, veering from the path that I knew God would want me to travel. I’ve always found nothing but emptiness and sadness. It’s only when I cling tightly to him, that I find that unshakable peace, that joy, which is independent of my circumstances, that knowing that everything will be alright. I hope you found that marvelous truth in your own life. Jesus said, “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” That is what God wants for you, Beloved, and so do I. I invite your comments. Write to me at st***@*************ia.com. OUTRO S12E330 – 8:58 Our reading tomorrow will be the book of Malachi. Until then, may God bless you richly. I’m Steve Webb. Bye. Transcribed by https://otter.ai Corrected by Denise Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Aaron Burden on Unsplash Live Not by Lies: A Manual for Christian Dissidents By Rod Dreher / Sentinel Aleksandr Solzhenitzyn once noted that people often assume that their democratic government would never submit to totalitarianism—but Dreher says it’s happening. Sounding the alarm about the insidious effects of identity politics, surveillance technology, psychological manipulation, and more, he equips contemporary Christian dissidents to see, judge, and act as they fight to resist the erosion of our freedoms. 304 pages, hardcover from Sentinel. The post S3E331 – Ecclesiastes 11-12: A Repeat first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

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  • S12 · E330
    Wednesday · 16 min

    S3E330 – Psalms 137-139: The God Who Knows Me

    Transcript Podcast Introduction Today is Psalms Wednesday. We’ll read chapters 137-139. I’m calling today’s episode “The God Who Knows Me.” Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Ben White on Unsplash Comments on Psalm 139 I love the fact that God knows me intimately. To understand that He knows my desire to know and serve Him makes me feel good, as when a little boy is happy when his daddy is pleased with him. But to also understand that God knows my ugly, dark, sinful parts causes me to feel utterly amazed that He still loves me. He knows my heart, and He knows the weakness of my flesh. But as Psalm 136 said in it’s refrain: His steadfast love endures forever! 1 John 4:8 puts it this way: “God is love.” Knowing this, my heart swells with love and gratitude. And it makes me want to continue to try to please Him, to continue to persevere in my efforts to live a life more devoted to Him today than I did yesterday. Not because I’m trying to earn His favor…I already have it. There is nothing I can do to make Him love me more, or love me less. I just want to love Him because He loves me. And on those dark days when I fail Him to the point where I know I must have certainly brought Him grief, as the last verse in this chapter mentions, the shame I feel motivates me to humbly go to Him and ask forgiveness. And that is when I am most grateful for the promise we have in 1 John 1:9: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Every verse in this chapter is a jewel. Every verse confirms how good God is. How about this one: 5You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. “God is there behind me and in front of me, protecting me, surrounding me. And the most beautiful part of the verse, He lays his hand on me. When my boys were small, many were the times that when we were sitting next to each other, or when we were walking next to each other, I would lay my hand on their head or their shoulder. Just a loving touch to let them know that I was there and I love them. That’s what God does with us. Our loving daddy, or Abba in the Greek language. How can one read chapter 139 and not love God more? Today’s Bible Translation Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 137-139 ESV Support This a value for value podcast. There are no advertisers because advertising=censorship. If you enjoy the Lifespring Family Audio Bible, decide how much value it brings to you. Only you can make that determination. Then put a number on the value and send it to me here: SUPPORT. Transcript Download .txt file. STEVE WEBB – 0:00 Every verse in this chapter is a jewel. INTRO S12E329 – 0:10 From Riverside, California, this is the Lifespring Family Audio Bible. And podcasting since 2004, I’m your OG Godcaster, Steve Webb. This is the daily show where we’re reading through the entire Bible in a year. And how are you today? It really is great to see you. I mean that! I look forward to our time together every day. It’s Psalms Wednesday, and we’ll read chapters 137 through 139. And has been our custom, I’ll have a brief introduction to each chapter before reading them. I’m calling today’s episode, “The God Who Knows Me”. And I also have a personal prayer request to share with you today. Show Notes page for today’s episode is at lifespringmedia.com/s12e329. And I’d love to hear from you via email. You can send it to st***@*************ia.com. You ready? Let’s get going. INTRO TO PSALM 137 – 0:57 In Psalm 137, because of their turning from God and worshipping false gods, God has brought judgment on those who lived in Jerusalem and the surrounding areas. Babylon has come in and utterly destroyed Jerusalem, killing many men, women and children, and taken captive those who were not murdered. This Psalm is a lament. We don’t know when it was written exactly. And some people think that it was written after the return from Babylon and some think that it’s some years into the exile while still in captivity in Babylon. What we are certain of is that in the midst of the exile, the writer remembered how good it was in Jerusalem, and what the reason was for their exile. They missed Jerusalem and they were sorrowful that they had sinned in such a way that God had allowed them to be in this place. And they asked God to judge Babylon for the terribly cruel treatment that they had received. PSALM 137 (ESV) – 1:55 Psalms, chapter 137. (1) By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion. (2) On the willows there we hung up our lyres. (3) For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” (4) How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land? (5) If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill! (6) Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy! (7) Remember, O Lord, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem, how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare, down to its foundations!” (8) O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed, blessed shall he be who repays you with what you have done to us! (9) Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock! INTRO TO PSALM 138 – 2:54 The title of Psalm 138 is “A Psalm of David”. And many commentators write that having Psalms 137 and 138 next to one another is fitting. Psalm 137 mentioned how the psalmist was unable to sing in front of the heathen. But David says in 138, that even the kings of the nations will praise God. Charles Spurgeon wrote, “This psalm was wisely placed. Whoever edited and arranged the sacred poems, he had an eye to apposition or the placement next to each other, and contrast for if in Psalm 137 we see the need of silence before revilers, here we see the excellence of a brave confession. There is a time to be silent, lest we cast pearls before swine. And there’s a time to speak openly, lest we be found guilty of cowardly non-confession.” PSALM 138 (ESV) – 3:46 Psalms, chapter 138. (1) I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart; before the gods I sing your praise; (2) I bow down toward your holy temple and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word. (3) On the day I called, you answered me; my strength of soul you increased. (4) All the kings of the earth shall give you thanks, O Lord, for they have heard the words of your mouth, (5) and they shall sing of the ways of the Lord, for great is the glory of the Lord. (6) For though the Lord is high, he regards the lowly, but the haughty he knows from afar. (7) Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and your right hand delivers me. (8) The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands. INTRO TO PSALM 139 – 4:47 The title of Psalm 139 is “For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.” And as I’ve mentioned before, “For the Chief Musician” is thought to mean that it is written to God while others believe that it’s written to the temple music leader perhaps Asaph or Heman. This truly is a beautiful psalm. 2 Samuel 23:1 is right when it calls David, the sweet psalmist of Israel. PSALM 139 (ESV) – 5:13 Psalms, chapter 139. (1) O Lord, you have searched me and known me! (2) You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. (3) You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. (4) Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. (5) You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. (6) Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it. (7) Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? (8) If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! (9) If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, (10) even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. (11) If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,” (12) even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you. (13) For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. (14) I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. (15) My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. (16) Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. (17) How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! (18) If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you. (19) Oh that you would slay the wicked, O God! O men of blood, depart from me! (20) They speak against you with malicious intent; your enemies take your name in vain. (21) Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord? And do I not loathe those who rise up against you? (22) I hate them with complete hatred; I count them my enemies. (23) Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! (24) And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting! COMMENTS – 7:34 Commenting on Psalm 139, I love the fact that God knows me intimately. To understand that he knows my desire to know and serve him makes me feel good as when a little boy is happy when his daddy is pleased with him. But to also understand that God knows my ugly, dark, sinful parts causes me to feel utterly amazed that he still loves me. He knows my heart and he knows the weakness of my flesh. But as Psalm 136 said in its refrain: His steadfast love endures forever! Hallelujah. 1 John 4:8 puts it this way: “God is love.” Knowing this, my heart swells with love and gratitude. And it makes me want to continue to try to please him to continue to persevere in my efforts to live a life more devoted to him today than I did yesterday. Not because I’m trying to earn his favor. I already have it. There’s nothing I can do to make him love me more or love me less. I just want to love Him because He loves me. And on those dark days when I fail him to the point where I know I must have certainly brought him grief. As the last verse in this chapter mentions, the shame I feel motivates me to humbly go to him and ask for forgiveness. And that’s when I’m most grateful for the promise we have in I John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Every verse in this chapter is a jewel. Every verse confirms how good God is. How about this one: verse 5 says, “You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me.” Beloved, God is there behind us, and in front of us, protecting us, surrounding us. And the most beautiful part of the verse for me is he lays his hand on me. When my boys were small, many were the times when we were sitting next to each other, or when we were walking next to each other, I would just lay my hand on their head or on their shoulder, just a loving touch to let them know that I was there, and I love them. That’s what God does with us. He is our loving daddy or Abba in the Greek. How could anybody read this chapter and not love God more? What do you think? Do you have a comment? Let me know at lifespringmedia.com/s12e329. And tomorrow was Poetry Thursday we’ll finish the book of Ecclesiastes by reading chapters 11 and 12. Boost. ASSOCIATE PRODUCER SHOUT-OUT – 10:17 We have an anonymous Associate Producer today who sent a $100 donation in this morning, and Anonymous I thank you so very much, and may God bless you richly. I just wanted to give a shout out to Matt Bogart who followed me on the Fountain app. Matt is a longtime Lifespring family member. We broke bread together a few years ago, and Matt, I just want to say it’s so good to know that you’re still there. Say Hi to the family for me. God bless you. And, Beloved, if you are using the Fountain app, you can feel free to follow me too. I’ll follow you right back. And by the way, the Fountain app has a new feature that will stream sats to you while you listen to podcasts. I don’t know of any other app that pays you to listen to podcasts. And I think that’s pretty cool. Check it out at fountain.fm. And no, this is not a commercial. They didn’t ask me to talk about them. I just think that they’re a cool app. And they’re doing a lot to help move value-for-value into the mainstream. Go to fountain.fm and find out more. ON THIS DATE IN CHURCH HISTORY – 11:24 This is kind of a big day in church history. On July 27, 1516, future reformer Martin Luther preached for the first time against indulgences. As you probably know it was Luther’s posting of his 95 Theses against indulgences and other church abuses on the Wittenberg door that ultimately precipitated the Protestant Reformation. Yeah, big day, July 27, 1516. If you don’t know about the significance of Martin Luther and his 95 Theses, do some research. It’s an important part of church history. PRAYER REQUESTS – 12:05 Prayer requests. As I record this, it’s Tuesday afternoon. And I have to say I have a heavy heart today. I told you this past Thursday that Kathi’s oncologist had some bad news for them and asked her if she had her affairs in order. They are going to try a new treatment, as I said, but if it doesn’t work, well… Del and Kathi were supposed to be here right now. We were going to have a barbecue for them and spend some time together before she starts her new cancer treatments. Once they start, she’s going to have to be isolated from people for months, I guess, and I’m not really sure why. But we wanted to have a meal with them. Well, this morning, Del called to tell me that she’d had a really rough night last night and she didn’t feel up to driving down the hill. They live up in the Lake Arrowhead area in the Southern California mountains here. So, Beloved, please do continue to pray for Kathi and Del. Pray that the cancer will again go into remission or better yet that God would heal her. And after 50 years of marriage, Del relies on her for so very much. I think I’ve told you that he was diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment several years ago, and that’s not something that just goes away. It gets worse. So pray for them both, please. For those that don’t know, Del and I have known each other since we were in the seventh grade. And he’s the one who invited me to the church where I gave my heart to the Lord when I was a teenager. I love him like a brother, and it just hurts to see what they’re going through. I know that they’re in God’s hands, and both of them love the Lord. But it’s still hard to watch and not be able to fix it. I’m a fixer. It’s who I am. And so not being able to bring some kind of relief to them is just – it’s hard for me. But we can pray, and that’s not nothing. And James 5:16 tells us that the effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Kathi’s healing is not beyond the power of God. Perhaps her healing is not in God’s perfect plan. But until he reveals that to us, I am believing for a miracle. I hope you’ll join me in that. CLOSING PRAYER – 14:08 Let’s pray. Our heavenly Father it is nearly inconceivable, for me anyway, that you should know everything about me and yet love me. But you do. And Father knowing that makes me fall to my knees in worship. You are so patient and you are so kind. Thank you for your servant, David, and the words you led him to write in the Psalms so that we can learn how to praise you and honor you. And no matter what I will praise and honor You, Lord, because you deserve it. But Lord, I’m asking you to hear me now. Jesus said that we have not because we ask not, or we ask amiss, not according to your will. Lord, if my request is not in line with your will or your plan, please forgive me. But I’m asking you to heal both Kathi and Del. Heal Kathi, the cancer that’s been a part of her life for so, so long and bring clarity of thought to Del. You can do it with just a word from your mouth. I know that from my deepest being. And I’m asking you for that right now in Jesus precious name. Touch them, heal them. Bring a miracle into their lives, Lord, and everyone will know that it is you that did it. There will be no denying the fact that you are real, and you will be glorified. There is none like You Lord. I pray this in Jesus name, amen. If you have a prayer request or a praise, go to prayer.lifespringmedia.com. We’ll pray together on the show and I’ll pray for you in my private prayer time, prayer.lifespringmedia.com. OUTRO S12E329 – 15:45 Comment on the show at lifespringmedia.com/s12e329. Or send me an email at st***@*************ia.com. Thanks to the team: Kirsty, Sean of San Pedro and Denise. You guys are truly a blessing in my life. Thank you again to those of you who are streaming sats. Thanks to Anonymous for their donation today and for helping to bring this episode to you. And thank you for giving me the honor of being with you today. Support the show at lifespringmedia.com/support, please. And until tomorrow, may God bless you richly. My name is Steve Webb. Bye. Transcribed by https://otter.ai Corrected by Denise Please rate or review the show by clicking the heart! The post S3E330 – Psalms 137-139: The God Who Knows Me first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

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  • S12 · E329
    Tuesday · 27 min

    S3E329 – Nehemiah 1-4: A Man of Action

    Transcript Podcast Introduction Today is History Tuesday and we’ll begin the book of Nehemiah. Our reading will be chapters 1-4. Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Levi Meir Clancy on Unsplash Comments on Nehemiah 1-4 See if you agree with this statement: What matters to God should matter to us. When the book of Nehemiah was written, about a thousand years had passed since God had used Moses to lead the people out of their Egyptian captivity. A lot had happened in the passing years. There had been the time of the judges, but then the people begged to have a king, like the surrounding lands were, so God appointed Saul as their first king. To say the least, he turned out to be a disappointment, just as God had warned the people he would be. Then there was David, who certainly had his share of failures, but God called him a man after His own heart. After David was his son, Solomon, who built a Temple for the people to have a place to worship God. Then a long succession of David’s descendants followed Solomon, some of whom were godly men, some of whom were evil men who did not follow God. Eventually, because the people had turned their backs on God to worship false gods, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob allowed Jerusalem to be conquered by Babylon. The Temple was completely destroyed, as was most of the city and its walls. The people of Jerusalem and the surrounding area were taken captive to Babylon, where they remained for 70 years. After these 70 years, the people were given the chance to go home. But most had never been to Jerusalem. Babylon was their home, and only a small number of them chose to go to their homeland, about 50,000 out of about two or three million. We read in the book of Ezra how they rebuilt the temple. Nehemiah wrote his book about fifteen years after the period spoken of by Ezra. So in doing the math, it had been nearly 100 years since the return to the Promised Land by those who had been captive in Babylon. And the destruction of Jerusalem had taken place about 150 years earlier. But the walls of Jerusalem had still not been rebuilt. Nehemiah had never been to Jerusalem. He lived in the capital city of the Persians, Shushan, in what is now Iran. But he loved God, and he knew that Jerusalem was important to God. When he learned that Jerusalem’s walls had not been rebuilt, and that the people were struggling, Nehemiah was heartbroken. And He didn’t just feel bad about the situation, he did what he could do. He fasted and he prayed. And when he prayed, he came with an attitude of humility. He confessed the sins of himself, his family and the people. And he reminded God of His promise that if His people would return to Him, He would restore them. And one more thing. He asked God to bless him, that he might have favor with the king, because he was the king’s cupbearer. The bottom line is that Nehemiah was not satisfied just to feel bad about the situation in Jerusalem. No. He humbly wanted to be used by God to do something about it. What a marvelous example for us, beloved. Shouldn’t we have hearts that are tender to what God cares about? We need to be willing for God to move us to action, as Nehemiah was. God found in him someone who was deeply moved and altogether willing to do what was necessary. Oh, beloved, that we would be that kind of people. Look around you. Chances are very good that if you ask, God will show you where He can use you to make a difference. Today’s Bible Translation Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 1-2 NASB; Ch. 3-4 CEB Support This a value for value podcast. There are no advertisers because advertising=censorship. If you enjoy the Lifespring Family Audio Bible, decide how much value it brings to you. Only you can make that determination. Then put a number on the value and send it to me here: SUPPORT. Transcript Download .txt file. STEVE WEBB – 0:00 He knew that Jerusalem was important to God. INTRO S12E335 – 0:10 Coming to you from Riverside, California, one-time home of racecar-driving great, Dan Gurney and one of the great blues singers, Etta James and birthplace of future Baseball Hall of Famer, Dusty Baker, this is the Lifespring Family Audio Bible. And podcasting since 2004, I’m your OG Godcaster, Steve Webb. This is the daily show where we’re reading through the entire Bible in a year. And today’s History Tuesday, and we’ll begin the book of Nehemiah. We’ll read chapters 1 through 4. If you didn’t hear yesterday’s show, then you missed the Big Announcement. You might want to go back and listen to it. And for those of you who did hear it, please do send that email to me that I asked you about. It is really important that I hear from every single Lifespring family member. And if you’ve listened to the show more than once, you are a member of the Lifespring family. So please take just a moment and tell me your thoughts. Send that email to st***@*************ia.com and put “THE NEXT STEP” in your subject line. I’m calling today’s episode, “A Man of Action”. The show notes page for today’s episode is at lifespringmedia.com/s12e335. Are you ready? Let’s get started. NEHEMIAH 1 (NIV) – 1:21 Nehemiah, chapter 1. (1) The words of Nehemiah son of Hakaliah: In the month of Kislev in the twentieth year, while I was in the citadel of Susa, (2) Hanani, one of my brothers, came from Judah with some other men, and I questioned them about the Jewish remnant that had survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem. (3) They said to me, “Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.” (4) When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. (5) Then I said: “Lord, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, (6) let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you. (7) We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses. (8) “Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, (9) but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.’ (10) “They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand. (11) Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man.” I was cupbearer to the king. NEHEMIAH 2 (NASB) – 3:12 Nehemiah, chapter 2. (1) And it came about in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, that wine was before him, and I took up the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad in his presence. (2) So the king said to me, “Why is your face sad though you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of heart.” Then I was very much afraid. (3) I said to the king, “Let the king live forever. Why should my face not be sad when the city, the place of my fathers’ tombs, lies desolate and its gates have been consumed by fire?” (4) Then the king said to me, “What would you request?” So I prayed to the God of heaven. (5) I said to the king, “If it please the king, and if your servant has found favor before you, send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’ tombs, that I may rebuild it.” (6) Then the king said to me, the queen sitting beside him, “How long will your journey be, and when will you return?” So it pleased the king to send me, and I gave him a definite time. (7) And I said to the king, “If it please the king, let letters be given me for the governors of the provinces beyond the River, that they may allow me to pass through until I come to Judah, (8) and a letter to Asaph the keeper of the king’s forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress which is by the temple, for the wall of the city and for the house to which I will go.” And the king granted them to me because the good hand of my God was on me. (9) Then I came to the governors of the provinces beyond the River and gave them the king’s letters. Now the king had sent with me officers of the army and horsemen. (10) When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard about it, it was very displeasing to them that someone had come to seek the welfare of the sons of Israel. (11) So I came to Jerusalem and was there three days. (12) And I arose in the night, I and a few men with me. I did not tell anyone what my God was putting into my mind to do for Jerusalem and there was no animal with me except the animal on which I was riding. (13) So I went out at night by the Valley Gate in the direction of the Dragon’s Well and on to the Refuse Gate, inspecting the walls of Jerusalem which were broken down and its gates which were consumed by fire. (14) Then I passed on to the Fountain Gate and the King’s Pool, but there was no place for my mount to pass. (15) So I went up at night by the ravine and inspected the wall. Then I entered the Valley Gate again and returned. (16) The officials did not know where I had gone or what I had done; nor had I as yet told the Jews, the priests, the nobles, the officials or the rest who did the work. (17) Then I said to them, “You see the bad situation we are in, that Jerusalem is desolate and its gates burned by fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem so that we will no longer be a reproach.” (18) I told them how the hand of my God had been favorable to me and also about the king’s words which he had spoken to me. Then they said, “Let us arise and build.” So they put their hands to the good work. (19) But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arab heard it, they mocked us and despised us and said, “What is this thing you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king?” (20) So I answered them and said to them, “The God of heaven will give us success; therefore we His servants will arise and build, but you have no portion, right or memorial in Jerusalem.” NEHEMIAH 3 (CEB) – 6:38 Nehemiah, chapter 3. (1) Then Eliashib the high priest set to work with his fellow priests and built the Sheep Gate. They dedicated it and set up its doors, then dedicated it as far as the Tower of the Hundred and as far as the Tower of Hananel. (2) The people of Jericho built next to them, and Zaccur, Imri’s son, built next to them. (3) The children of Hassenaah built the Fish Gate; they laid its beams and set up its doors, bolts, and bars. (4) Next to them Meremoth, Uriah’s son and Hakkoz’s grandson, made repairs. Meshullam, Berechiah’s son and Meshezabel’s grandson, made repairs next to them, and Zadok, Baana’s son, made repairs next to them. (5) Next to them the people from Tekoa made repairs, but their officials wouldn’t help with the work of their supervisors. (6) Joiada, Paseah’s son, and Meshullam, Besodeiah’s son, repaired the Mishneh Gate; they laid its beams and set up its doors, bolts, and bars. (7) Next to them repairs were made by Melatiah the Gibeonite, Jadon the Meronothite, and the people of Gibeon and of Mizpah, who were ruled by the governor of the province Beyond the River. (8) Uzziel, Harhaiah’s son, one of the goldsmiths, made repairs next to them; and Hananiah, one of the perfumers, made repairs next to him. They restored Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall. (9) Next to them Rephaiah, Hur’s son, ruler of half the district of Jerusalem, made repairs. (10) Next to them Jedaiah, Harumaph’s son, made repairs opposite his house, and Hattush, Hashabneiah’s son, made repairs next to him. (11) Malchijah, Harim’s son, and Hasshub, Pahath-moab’s son, repaired another section and the Tower of the Ovens. (12) Next to them Shallum, Hallohesh’s son, ruler of half the district of Jerusalem, made repairs, along with his daughters. (13) Hanun and the people of Zanoah repaired the Valley Gate; they built it and set up its doors, bolts, and bars. They also repaired fifteen hundred feet of the wall, as far as the Dung Gate. (14) Malchiah, Rechab’s son, ruler of the district of Beth-haccherem, repaired the Dung Gate. He rebuilt it and set up its doors, bolts, and bars. (15) And Shallum, Col-hozeh’s son, ruler of the Mizpah district, repaired the Spring Gate. He rebuilt and covered it, and set up its doors, bolts, and bars. He also built the wall of the Pool of Shelah of the King’s Garden, as far as the stairs that go down from David’s City. (16) After him, Nehemiah, Azbuk’s son, ruler of half the Beth-zur district, repaired from the point opposite David’s tombs as far as the artificial pool and the Warriors’ House. (17) After him, the Levites made repairs: Rehum, Bani’s son, and next to him Hashabiah, ruler of half the district of Keilah, made repairs for his district. (18) After him, their relatives made repairs: Binnui, Henadad’s son, ruler of half the district of Keilah. (19) Next to him, Ezer, Jeshua’s son, ruler of Mizpah, repaired another section opposite the ascent to the armory at the Angle. (20) After him, Baruch, Zabbai’s son, thoroughly repaired another section from the Angle to the door of the house of the high priest Eliashib. (21) After him, Meremoth, Uriah’s son and Hakkoz’s grandson, repaired another section from the door to the back of Eliashib’s house. (22) After him, the priests from the surrounding area made repairs. (23) After them, Benjamin and Hasshub made repairs opposite their house. After them, Azariah, Maaseiah’s son and Ananiah’s grandson, repaired beside his house. (24) After him, Binnui, Henadad’s son, repaired another section from the house of Azariah to the Angle and to the corner. (25) Palal, Uzai’s son, repaired from the point opposite the Angle and the tower projecting from the upper house of the king at the court of the guard. After him, Pedaiah, Parosh’s son, (26) and the temple servants living on Ophel made repairs up to the point opposite the Water Gate to the east and the projecting tower. (27) After them, the people of Tekoa repaired another section opposite the great projecting tower as far as the wall of Ophel. (28) From the Horse Gate, the priests made repairs, each one opposite his own house. (29) After them, Zadok, Immer’s son, made repairs opposite his own house. After him, Shemaiah, Shecaniah’s son, the keeper of the East Gate, made repairs. (30) After him, Hananiah, Shelemiah’s son, and Hanun, Zalaph’s sixth son, repaired another section. After them, Meshullam, Berechiah’s son, made repairs opposite his own room. (31) After him, Malchiah, one of the goldsmiths, made repairs as far as the house of the temple servants and the merchants, opposite the Parade Gate, and as far as the upper room at the corner. (32) And between the upper room of the corner and the Sheep Gate, the goldsmiths and the merchants made repairs. NEHEMIAH 4 (CEB) – 11:47 Nehemiah, chapter 4. (1) When Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he became angry and raged. He mocked the Jews, (2) saying in the presence of his associates and the army of Samaria: “What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore things themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish it in a day? Will they revive the stones from the piles of rubble, even though they are burned?” (3) Tobiah the Ammonite, who was beside him, added: “If even a fox climbs on whatever they build, their wall of stones will crumble.” (4) Listen, God; we are despised! Turn their insults to us back on their heads and make them like plunder in a captive land. (5) Don’t forgive their iniquity or blot out their sins from your sight. They have thrown insults at the builders! (6) We continued to build the wall. All of it was joined together, and it reached half of its intended height because the people were eager to work. (7) But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the people of Ashdod heard that the work on the walls was progressing and the gaps were being closed, they were very angry. (8) They plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to create a disturbance in it. (9) So we prayed to our God and set a guard as protection against them day and night. (10) But in Judah it was said, “The carrier’s strength is failing, for there is too much rubble. We are unable to rebuild the wall!” (11) Meanwhile, our enemies were saying: “Before they know or see anything, we can be in their midst and start to kill them. We’ll stop the work!” (12) Now the Jews who were living near them came and said to us again and again, “You must return to us!” (13) So I took up a position in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall in an open area. Then I stationed the people by families, and they had their swords, spears, and bows. (14) After reviewing this, I stood up and said to the officials, the officers, and the rest of the people, “Don’t be afraid of them! Remember that the LORD is great and awesome! Fight for your families, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses!” (15) Then our enemies heard that we had found out and that God had spoiled their plans. So we all returned to doing our own work on the wall. (16) But from that day on, only half of my workers continued in the construction, while the other half held the spears, shields, bows, and body armor. Meanwhile, the leaders positioned themselves behind the whole house of Judah, (17) who were building the wall. The carriers did their work with a load in one hand and a weapon in the other. (18) The builders built with swords fastened in their belts, and the trumpeter stayed by my side. (19) Then I said to the officials, the officers, and the rest of the people, “The work is very spread out, and we are far apart from each other along the wall. (20) When you hear the trumpet sound, come and gather where we are. Our God will fight for us!” (21) So we continued the work, with half of them holding spears from dawn until dusk. (22) I also said to the people at that time, “Let every man and his servant spend the night in Jerusalem so that we can guard during the night and work during the day.” (23) Neither I nor my relatives, nor my servants, nor my bodyguards took off our clothes, even when they sent for water. COMMENTS – 15:00 See if you agree with this statement: “What matters to God should matter to us.” When the book of Nehemiah was written about a thousand years had passed since God had used Moses to lead the people out of their Egyptian captivity. And of course, a lot happened in the ensuing years. There had been the time of the judges, but then the people begged to have a king like the surrounding lands had. So God appointed Saul as their first king. To say the least he turned out to be a disappointment, just as God had warned the people that he would be. Then there was David who certainly had his share of failures, but God called him a man after his own heart. After David was his son, Solomon, who built a temple for the people to have a place to worship God. And then a long succession of David’s descendants following Solomon, some of whom were godly men, some of whom were evil men who did not follow God. And eventually, because the people had turned their back on God to worship false gods, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob allowed Jerusalem to be conquered by Babylon, and the temple was completely destroyed, as was most of the city and its walls. The people of Jerusalem and the surrounding area were taken captive to Babylon, where they remained for seventy years. Well, after these seventy years the people were given the chance to go home, but most had never been to Jerusalem. Babylon was their home, and only a small number of them chose to go to their homeland, about 50,000 out of two or three million. We read in the book of Ezra how they rebuilt the temple. And here Nehemiah wrote his book about fifteen years after the period spoken of by Ezra. So if we do the math, it had been nearly 100 years since the return to the promised land by those who had been captive in Babylon. And the actual destruction of Jerusalem had taken place about 150 years earlier. But here in Nehemiah’s time the walls of Jerusalem still had not been rebuilt. Well, Nehemiah had never been to Jerusalem. He lived in the capital city of the Persians, Shu Shan in what is now Iran, but he loved God. And he knew that Jerusalem was important to God. When he learned that Jerusalem’s walls had not been rebuilt, and that the people were struggling. Nehemiah was heartbroken. And he didn’t just feel bad about the situation. He did what he could do. He fasted and he prayed. And when he prayed, he came with an attitude of humility. He confessed the sins of himself, his family and the people. And he reminded God of his promise that if his people would return to him, he would restore them. And one more thing, he asked God to bless him, that he might have favor with the king because he was the king’s cup bearer, so he had access to the king. Well, the bottom line is that Nehemiah was not satisfied just to feel bad about the situation in Jerusalem. No, he humbly wanted to be used by God to do something about it. What a marvelous example for us, Beloved, shouldn’t we have hearts that are tender to what God cares about? We need to be willing for God to move us to action as Nehemiah was. God found in him someone who was deeply moved and all together willing to do what was necessary. Oh, Beloved, that we would be that kind of people. Look around you. Chances are very good that if you ask, God will show you where he can use you to make a difference. What are your thoughts? Have a comment? Let me know. Go to the show notes page at lifespringmedia.com/s12e335, and put your thoughts in there. Tomorrow is Psalms Wednesday, and we’re going to read chapters 140 through 142. And now, as the French say, it is time for le boost. SUPPORTER SHOUT-OUTS – 18:58 There are some people to thank today. Andy Baker came in today with a second row-of-ducks donation of $22.22 through Zelle. That’s two Mondays in a row. And Andy, you put a note on the donation today to see the email. Well, I looked high and low for it, and I couldn’t find it. So please resend it. And if you’d be so kind put donation in the subject line. And God bless you. Thank you so much. Boostagram. And then a couple of boostagrams came in this morning via the Fountain app from a guy who is practically in my backyard. Yucaipa is about 20 miles from the Lifespring Media Studios as the crow flies. And last I heard that’s where Wayne Henderson lives. Wayne has been a Lifespring family member almost from day one, and he’s created several podcasts of his own including perhaps his most popular one, the Packers Fan Podcast. Plus like me, he does voiceover work. His website is mediavoiceovers.com, if you’re interested. And if you’re a Green Bay Packers fan, check out packersfanpodcast.com. So this morning Wayne sent in two boostagrams, both of them a short row-of-ducks 222. On the first one, he said, “Keep up the great work Steve. Blessings.” And the second one says, “Steve, I just heard your big announcement. Thanks again for everything.” So I think he sent the first one at the beginning of the episode yesterday before he heard the announcement. And then he sent the second one. Wayne, thank you for everything. I appreciate your friendship over the years. And I thank you for the rows-of-ducks. God bless you, brother. And then Sir Jeremy of the Crooked Eye sent in two 1000 sat boosts using the Breeze app. He didn’t send a note with either one of his boosts. But I did want to say thank you, Sir Jeremy. God bless you. And then this came in. @walnutridge, sent in a baller boost of 33,333 sats through the Fountain app. And he said, “Thanks for your courage. I appreciate your daily episodes.” Well, thank you Walnut Ridge, I appreciate your boostagram. And thank you for your courage. God bless you. Really thanks to everyone who sent in donations and boostagrams today. They are very much appreciated. And I pray that God’s blessing will be on each one of you. Thank you so very much. STATUS OF THE LIFESPRING WEBSITE – 21:18 I got an email from Sean of San Pedro asking if I was going to keep the website up after the end of season 12. And I figured that since he asked, perhaps others are wondering about the same thing. The answer is: I have no plans to take lifespringmedia.com offline. At this point, of course, I’m not even sure if I’m through with podcasting. As I said in my announcement yesterday, that really is up to the response I get from the Lifespring family and your emails. You listening right now will have an enormous influence on that. I have asked every individual who listens to the show to weigh in on what they would like for me to do. If there’s a podcast that you’d like me to create. If you have an idea for a show, email me at st***@*************ia.com and let me know. As I said yesterday, I would be willing and happy to continue podcasting. But I just can’t do a daily show after this season of the Lifespring Family Audio Bible. But if there is something that you’d like to hear me do, let me know. And listen, I need to hear like I said, from every one of you, I’m– I’m really emphasizing this because there’s so many times where people hear these things and they say, “Yeah, I’ll get around to it.” And then they never do or they think well my– I’m just one voice I don’t really matter. Really your voice honestly, truly does matter. And even if you don’t have an idea for a show and just say, “Steve, you’ve had a good run, but go ahead and turn off the mic” or, “Steve, I don’t have a specific idea, but I just don’t want you to quit podcasting,” or whatever. Your voice matters. I need to know how much interest there is or isn’t. If the interest isn’t there, if I don’t hear from you, then I’ll just think, “Okay, well, it’s okay. It’s time to hang it up.” I am going to be taking your email all month long. But please don’t wait until the end of the month. I don’t want to have to be sifting through hundreds and hundreds of dozens or hundreds of thousands or whatever. I don’t want to do that. So please send it in while you’re thinking about it, like, right now. And please in your subject line put “THE NEXT STEP”, so it doesn’t get put into my spam folder. Now back to whether or not Lifespring Media will be taken down. If the interest isn’t there for me to do another show, I will watch what kind of activity I see at lifespringmedia.com in terms of downloads, so I’ve got the stats, of course. And if I see that people are still downloading the shows, I’ll keep the website up. But if it becomes a ghost town, I’ll have to take it down. And speaking to that, having a website up even when I’m not producing content is going to be an expense. Security software has to be maintained so that I can keep the constant barrage of hackers out. Then, yeah, it’s a WordPress website, so hackers are, are pounding on it all the time. They just do. They send bots out, and if you don’t keep your security software up-to-date, they’ll get in and then cause havoc and I don’t want that. So there’s that expense. Backup software licenses have to be maintained as do plugins and themes. And hosting for the website itself is an annual renewal. And there are monthly hosting fees for the nearly 3000 podcast episodes at lifespringmedia.com, not just for the hosting, but then for the download, for the bandwidth. All those things have charges. Just maintaining the website will be a constant part time job and a constant financial drain. I’m telling you all this just to say that donations will always be welcome. And as long as lifespringmedia.com sees traffic, I do hope to keep it going. So I hope that answered your question. CLOSING PRAYER – 24:45 We’re going to forego the On This Date in Church History, and I don’t have any prayer requests today. So let’s just have some prayer and we’ll get out of here. Our heavenly Father, Nehemiah saw that Jerusalem’s wall was something you cared about, and he asked you to help him build it. Father, if there is something in our sphere of influence, I pray that you would make us aware of it. And then Lord will seek your guidance in addressing the need. Make us like Nehemiah, Lord, for Your glory. I pray God that you would bless the family and as I seek Your will about whether to continue podcasting, if there’s something you want me to do, I ask you to make it clear as day speak to my heart and the hearts of the Lifespring family. And I pray that the emails will come in and be a firm confirmation of what you want for Lifespring Media and for me. I pray this in Jesus name, amen. If you have a prayer request or praise, go to prayer.lifespringmedia.com and fill out the form there. I’ll pray for you in my private prayer time and we’ll pray together here on the show, prayer.lifespringmedia.com. OUTRO S12E335 – 26:05 Comment on the show please at lifespringmedia.com/s12e335. Send me an email at st***@*************ia.com. And please, if you’re anything like me, you need to be reminded like over and over. So please remember to give some thought and prayer to the question of what you’d like to see me do this season and use the subject line, “THE NEXT STEP”. Thanks to the team: Kirsty, Sean of San Pedro and Denise. Thanks to those of you who are streaming sats and sending boostagrams and boosting. Thanks specifically to Wayne Henderson, Sir Jeremy of the Crooked Eye and Walnut Ridge for the boostagrams and Andy Baker for his donation. God bless you guys. And thank you, Beloved, for inviting me into your life today. It’s an honor and it’s a privilege and it’s a joy. If you’re thankful for the show. If you’re thankful for what the Lifespring Family Audio Bible has meant in your life this year. Please go to lifespringmedia.com/support and send a donation. And until tomorrow, may God bless you richly. My name is Steve Webb. Bye. SIGN-OFF – 27:04 Now available as a digital download. Transcribed by https://otter.ai Corrected by Denise Please rate or review the show by clicking the heart! The post S3E329 – Nehemiah 1-4: A Man of Action first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

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  • S12 · E328
    September 14 · 34 min

    S3E328 – Deuteronomy 20-22: There Are Two

    Transcript Podcast Introduction Today is Monday, so we’ll read from one of the books of the law. Deuteronomy 20-22. I’m calling today’s episode “There Are Two.” And I have an important announcement today. Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Aaron Burden on Unsplash Comments on Deuteronomy 22 Have you ever heard the phrase, “Fools rush in where angels fear to tread”? I don’t think I’m a fool, but if I am, so be it. Every so often, current events and/or cultural conditions can’t help but influence my commentary on the day’s reading. This is obviously not a political or a news show, and I do dislike participating in political speech on this show. As a matter of fact, I don’t think that what I’m about to say is political, because I’m only going to talk about what the word of God says. But some might want to paint today’s episode with a political label. Whatever. What I am about to talk about needs to be addressed, especially with what’s going on in our current culture. Genesis 1:27 So God created humans in his image. In the image of God he created them. He created them male and female. Genesis 1:31And God saw everything that he had made and that it was very good. (GW) Deuteronomy 22:5 A woman must never wear anything men would wear, and a man must never wear women’s clothes. Whoever does this is disgusting to the Lord your God. (GW) Now listen. I’m not a transphobe. I do not hate people of either sex if they disagree with me or Scripture. And I am certainly not afraid of them. That is what “phobia” means. You know that, right? The reason I’m talking about this today, my motivation, in everything I say on this show, is to explain the Scriptures in such a way that the true nature of God is revealed. I believe that when He is properly understood, people’s hearts will be changed and eternal lives will be saved. Failing that, my hope is that there will at least be understanding, and maybe even less antipathy. When these scriptures were written, it was common for men and women to wear clothes that were similar. Both sexes wore long robes, but with distinctive styles that differentiated between the sexes. Deuteronomy 22:5 was a command not to blur the lines between the sexes or to purposely dress in the manner of the opposite sex. You see, as Genesis 1:27 says, God created only two sexes. Male and Female. There is not a spectrum. It’s one or the other. Now, before you say, “But Steve, some people are born with the organs of both.” Yes, I know that’s true. But hear me. We live in a fallen world. We live in a world that is suffering the effects of sin. Ever since Adam and Eve sinned, all of creation has been under a curse. Romans 8:22 says, “All creation groans…” Every living thing on the planet is less than God intended it to be. Humans were not meant to die. Humans were not meant to be born with any kind of defects. There was not supposed to be any disease. Every system on the planet is not what God intended. The weather is not the way God intended. Earthquakes were not supposed to be something we worried about. Everything is broken. Sin ruined everything. Including how we think about ourselves and each other. Birth defects do happen, and when a baby is born with a defect, it is not because God made it happen. It is because of the condition of the world. Yes, God allows bad things to happen, but He is not the cause of bad things happening. Couldn’t He just step in and stop bad things from happening? Sometimes He does, but other times He doesn’t. God is sovereign, which means that He does what He does, and He answers only to Himself. But know this: His way is perfect. Deuteronomy 32:4 says, “He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he…” One day, everyone who has ever been born will see that and acknowledge that. So, back to the subject at hand. God says that it is wrong to dress in the manner of the opposite sex. Why? Because, for one thing, it is rebellion against God’s will. If he created you as a male, He wants you to be a male. If he created you as a female, He wants you to be a female. God truly does love you, and He has a marvelous plan for your life. He wants the very best for you. To reject that plan is really cutting off your nose to spite your face. As I have said many times on this show, God’s laws are not given to take our fun away. God is not a cosmic killjoy. He is a loving Father who knows what is best for us. But there is an Enemy. He is called Lucifer, Satan, the Devil, the god of this world and many other names in the Bible. His mission from the beginning of the creation, has been to pervert God’s creation and keep people from having a relationship with God. He takes what is beautiful and perverts it. What we are seeing in our culture today, with the blurring of sexual boundaries and distinctions is nothing new, as is evident by the fact that God talks about it in Deuteronomy 22. People today think they’re being progressive by advancing this agenda. They’re not progressive. They’re puppets of Satan himself. The Good News is that their sin can be forgiven. God said in Ezekiel 18:23, “Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign LORD. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?” And 2 Peter 3:9 tells us, “9The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” Repentance is turning away from, going in an entirely new direction. It is agreeing with God that I have sinned. That I want to begin living as He wants me to. That I acknowledge that His way is better than my way. But listen. I cannot do it on my own. It is impossible for me to live a perfect life. Only one man has ever done that. His name is Jesus. But Jesus is more than a man. He is also God. He is fully God and fully human, and He is the only way that I, or anyone else, can have a restored relationship with God. John 3:16-21 says, “16For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 19This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.” God loves you. And He loves you enough to give you free will. You must decide. The time is now. If you have not yet accepted the free gift of salvation that Jesus is offering you today, you can do it now. You may not have tomorrow. The Lovely Lady LeeAnn and I were reminded recently how quickly our lives could be snuffed out, with no warning. We were involved in a hit and run traffic accident, and believe me, there was absolutely no time to think about what was happening. We were driving along a street that we have been on literally thousands of times before, little more than two miles from our home. All of a sudden, there was a terrible crashing sound of metal against metal, our car shook, and I had to wrestle the steering wheel to keep control. LeeAnn screamed and I watched the car that had sideswiped us accelerate down the road in front of us. Praise the Lord, we were not hurt, but we could have been. Instead of rear ending our car, he sideswiped it. The point is, you never know how or when your life will be over. Will you make the decision now to follow Jesus? If you want to have a changed life….a changed eternity, let me lead you in a prayer where you will tell God that you want to turn from your sin, and that you want to follow Jesus. Will you pray with me? Once I publish this podcast, I don’t know who or where or when it will hear it. I still have episodes from almost 18 years ago at lifespringmedia.com. And I have no idea how many episodes are on hard drives all over the world. So whether you’re hearing this on the day I publish or days, weeks, months or years later, this invitation is for you to hear right now as you’re listening to my voice. Decide NOW that this is the day to have your eternity changed. Pray with me. “Dear Heavenly Father, I come to you now confessing my sins. I know that I have not lived the way I should, and I ask You to forgive me now. Thank you for sending Your son, Jesus, to take my sins upon Himself. Jesus, I’m asking You to be my Lord and my Savior now. Show me how I should live. Teach me. Help me to follow You. Thank you for hearing my prayer, Lord. I pray this in Jesus’ name, Amen.” If you prayed that prayer, welcome to the family. You might have felt like a weight was lifted from you, you might have felt some strong emotion, or you might have felt nothing. Whatever you felt, that’s ok. Our relationship with God is not based on emotions. Our relationship with God is based on His promise. God promised that anyone who accepts Jesus will be saved. If you accepted Jesus just now, you are saved, because God promised it, and He always keeps His promise. If you did just pray that prayer with me, I have a gift for you. It’s free. I want to send you a special edition of the New Testament called the New Believer’s Bible. All you have to do is send me a quick email with your name and address so I can mail it to you at my expense. This NT has hundreds and hundreds of notes in it by Pastor Greg Laurie of Harvest Church, written with new believers in mind. They’re meant to help you get a good start in your walk with God. When I get your email, I’m not going to put you on a list, and I’m not going to send you any spam. I would just like to send you this NT, and I would like to pray for you. And If you have questions, I’ll answer any that I can. st***@*************ia.com. GBY, and welcome to the family of God. Not to mention the ls fam! Today’s Bible Translation Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. Deuteronomy 20 and 22 GWT; Ch. 21 NLV Support This a value for value podcast. There are no advertisers because advertising=censorship. If you enjoy the Lifespring Family Audio Bible, decide how much value it brings to you. Only you can make that determination. Then put a number on the value and send it to me here: SUPPORT. Transcript Download .txt file. STEVE WEBB – 0:00 The time is here. Here it is. INTRO S12E334 – 0:10 From Riverside, California, this is the Lifespring Family Audio Bible. And podcasting since 2004, I’m your OG Godcaster, Steve Webb. This is the daily show where we’re reading through the entire Bible in a year. And today is August 1, the first day of the last month of season 12 of the Lifespring Family Audio Bible. And today, they’re just thirty more episodes. More about that a little bit later. Today is Monday. So we’re going to read from one of the books of the Law. We’re currently in the book of Deuteronomy, and we’re going to read chapters 20 through 22. I’m calling today’s episode, “There Are Two”. The show notes page for today’s episode is at lifespringmedia.com/s12e334. My email address is st***@*************ia.com. And I would love to hear from you. Let’s get started. DEUTERONOMY 20 (GWT) – 0:58 Deuteronomy, chapter 20. (1) When you go to war against your enemies, you may see horses, chariots, and armies larger than yours. Don’t be afraid of them, because the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, will be with you. (2) Before the battle starts, a priest must come and speak to the troops. (3) He should tell them, “Listen, Israel, today you’re going into battle against your enemies. Don’t lose your courage! Don’t be afraid or alarmed or tremble because of them. (4) The Lord your God is going with you. He will fight for you against your enemies and give you victory.” (5) The officers should tell the troops, “If you have built a new house but not dedicated it, you may go home. Otherwise, you might die in battle, and someone else will dedicate it. (6) If you have planted a vineyard and not enjoyed the grapes, you may go home. Otherwise, you might die in battle, and someone else will enjoy the grapes. (7) If you are engaged to a woman but have not married her, you may go home. Otherwise, you might die in battle, and someone else will marry her.” (8) The officers should also tell the troops, “If you are afraid or have lost your courage, you may go home. Then you won’t ruin the morale of the other Israelites.” (9) When the officers finish speaking to the troops, they should appoint commanders to lead them. (10) When you approach a city to attack it, offer its people a peaceful way to surrender. (11) If they accept it and open their gates to you, then all the people there will be made to do forced labor and serve you. (12) If they won’t accept your offer of peace but declare war on you, set up a blockade around the city. (13) When the Lord your God hands the city over to you, kill every man in that city with your swords. (14) But take the women and children, the cattle and everything else in the city, including all its goods, as your loot. You may enjoy your enemies’ goods that the Lord your God has given you. (15) This is what you must do to all the cities that are far away which don’t belong to the nations nearby. (16) However, you must not spare anyone’s life in the cities of these nations that the Lord your God is giving you as your property. (17) You must claim the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites for the Lord and completely destroy them, as the Lord your God has commanded you. (18) Otherwise, they will teach you to do all the disgusting things they do for their gods, and you will sin against the Lord your God. (19) This is what you must do whenever you blockade a city for a long time in order to capture it in war. Don’t harm any of its fruit trees with an ax. You can eat the fruit. Never cut those trees down, because the trees of the field are not people you have come to blockade. (20) You may destroy trees that you know are not fruit trees. You may cut them down and use them in blockades until you capture the city. DEUTERONOMY 21 (NLV) – 3:45 Deuteronomy, chapter 21. (1) “If a person has been killed and is found lying in a field in the land the Lord your God is giving you for your own and it is not known who killed him, (2) then your leaders and judges will go out and see how far it is to the cities that are around the dead man. (3) The leaders of the city that is nearest to the dead man will take a young cow from the cattle. The cow must never have been worked or pulled a plow. (4) The leaders of that city will bring the young cow down to a valley with flowing water, which has not been plowed or planted. They will break the cow’s neck there in the valley. (5) Then the religious leaders, the sons of Levi, will come near for the Lord your God has chosen them to serve Him and to bring good in the name of the Lord. Every question about what is right and every fight will be decided upon by them. (6) All the leaders of that city nearest to the dead man will wash their hands over the young cow whose neck was broken in the valley. (7) Then they will say, ‘Our hands have not killed him. Our eyes have not seen it. (8) O Lord, forgive Your people Israel whom You have set free. Do not put the guilt of killing a man who did no wrong on Your people Israel.’ And they will be forgiven from the guilt of the man’s death. (9) So you must take away the guilt of taking the life of a good man by doing what is right in the eyes of the Lord. (10) “When you go to battle against those who hate you, and the Lord your God gives them to you, and you make them go with you, (11) and you see a beautiful woman and have a desire for her as a wife, (12) bring her home to your house. There she will cut off all the hair from her head and cut her nails. (13) She will change the clothes she wore when you took her away, and stay in your house. She will have sorrow for her father and mother for one month. After that you may go in to her and be her husband and she will be your wife. (14) If you are not pleased with her, you should let her go wherever she wants. And do not sell her for money or act as if she were a servant because you have put her to shame. (15) “If a man has two wives, one loved and the other not loved, and both the loved and the one not loved have borne him sons, and if the first-born son belongs to the wife who is not loved, (16) on the day when the man divides what he has for his sons, he cannot make the first-born of his loved wife the first-born before the son of the wife who is not loved, who is the first-born. (17) He must respect the first-born, the son of the wife who is not loved, by giving him twice the share of all he has. He is the beginning of his strength and the right of the first-born belongs to him. (18) “If a man has a strong-willed son who goes against him and does not obey his father or mother and when they punish him he will not even listen to them, (19) then his father and mother will take hold of him and bring him to the leaders of his city at the gate of his city. (20) They will say to the leaders of his city, ‘This son of ours is strong-willed and goes against us. He will not obey us. He eats and drinks too much.’ (21) Then all the men of his city will kill him with stones. You must get rid of the sin from among you. All Israel will hear about it and be afraid. (22) “If a man has sinned and should be put to death and he is put to death and you hang him on a tree, (23) his body must not hang all night on the tree. You should be sure to bury him on the same day (for he who hangs is cursed by God). So do not make your land unclean which the Lord your God is giving you. DEUTERONOMY 22 (GWT) – 7:06 Deuteronomy, chapter 22. (1) If you see another Israelite’s ox or sheep out where it doesn’t belong, don’t pretend that you don’t see it. Make sure you take it back. (2) If the owner doesn’t live near you or you don’t know who owns it, take the animal home with you. Keep it until the owner comes looking for it. Then give it back. (3) Do the same if you find a donkey, some clothes, or anything else that another Israelite may have lost. Don’t pretend that you don’t know what to do. (4) If you see another Israelite’s donkey or ox lying on the ground, don’t pretend that you don’t see it. Make sure you help him get it back on its feet. (5) A woman must never wear anything men would wear, and a man must never wear women’s clothes. Whoever does this is disgusting to the Lord your God. (6) Whenever you’re traveling and find a nest containing chicks or eggs, this is what you must do. If the mother bird is sitting on the nest, never take her with the chicks. (7) You may take the chicks, but make sure you let the mother go. Then things will go well for you, and you will live for a long time. (8) Whenever you build a new house, put a railing around the edge of the roof. Then you won’t be responsible for a death at your home if someone falls off the roof. (9) Never plant anything between the rows in your vineyard. Otherwise, you will have to give everything that grows there to the holy place. This includes the crop you planted and the grapes from the vineyard. (10) Never plow with an ox and a donkey harnessed together. (11) Never wear clothes made of wool and linen woven together. (12) Make tassels on the four corners of the shawl you wear over your clothes. (13) A man might marry a woman, sleep with her, and decide he doesn’t like her. (14) Then he might make up charges against her and ruin her reputation by saying, “I married this woman. But when I slept with her, I found out she wasn’t a virgin.” (15) The girl’s father and mother must go to the city gate where the leaders of the city are and submit the evidence that their daughter was a virgin. (16) The girl’s father will tell the leaders, “I gave my daughter in marriage to this man, but he doesn’t like her. (17) Now he has made up charges against her. He says he found out that my daughter wasn’t a virgin. But here’s the evidence!” Then the girl’s parents must spread out the cloth in front of the leaders of the city. (18) The leaders of that city must take the man and punish him. (19) They will fine him 2¼ pounds of silver and give it to the girl’s father. The husband ruined the reputation of an Israelite virgin. She will continue to be his wife, and he can never divorce her as long as he lives. (20) But if the charge is true, and no evidence that the girl was a virgin can be found, (21) they must take the girl to the entrance of her father’s house. The men of her city must stone her to death because she has committed such a godless act in Israel: She had sex before marriage, while she was still living in her father’s house. You must get rid of this evil. (22) If a man is caught having sexual intercourse with a married woman, both that man and the woman must die. You must get rid of this evil in Israel. (23) This is what you must do when a man has sexual intercourse with a virgin who is engaged to another man. If this happens in a city, (24) take them to the gate of the city and stone them to death. The girl must die because she was in a city and didn’t scream for help. The man must die because he had sex with another man’s wife. You must get rid of this evil. (25) But if a man rapes an engaged girl out in the country, then only the man must die. (26) Don’t do anything to the girl. She has not committed a sin for which she deserves to die. This is like the case of someone who attacks and murders another person. (27) The man found the girl out in the country. She may have screamed for help, but no one was there to rescue her. (28) This is what you must do when a man rapes a virgin who isn’t engaged. When the crime is discovered, (29) the man who had sexual intercourse with her must give the girl’s father 1¼ pounds of silver, and she will become his wife. Since he raped her, he can never divorce her as long as he lives. (30) A man must never marry his father’s wife because this would disgrace his father. COMMENTS – 11:16 I’m going to talk about Deuteronomy 22 today. Have you ever heard the phrase “Fools rush in where angels fear to tread”? I don’t think I’m a fool. But if I am, so be it. You know, every so often current events and or cultural conditions can’t help but influence my commentary on the day’s reading. This is obviously not a political or a news show, and I do dislike participating in political speech on this show. And as a matter of fact, I don’t think that what I’m going to say is political because I’m only going to talk about what the Word of God says. But some might want to paint today’s episode with a political label. Whatever. What I’m about to talk about needs to be addressed, especially with what’s going on in our current culture. Genesis 1:27 says, “So God created humans in his image. In the image of God he created them. He created them male and female.” And dropping down just a couple of verses, Genesis 1:31 says, “And God saw everything that he had made and that it was very good.” Deuteronomy 22:5, that we read today says, “A woman must never wear anything men would wear, and a man must never wear women’s clothes. Whoever does this is disgusting to the Lord your God.” Now, listen, I am not a transphobe. I do not hate people of either sex if they disagree with me or with scripture, and I’m certainly not afraid of them. That is what “phobia” means. You know that right? The reason I’m talking to you about this today, my motivation on everything that I ever say on this show is to explain the scriptures in such a way that the true nature of God is revealed. I believe that when he is properly understood, people’s hearts will be changed, and eternal lives will be saved. Failing that, my hope is that there will, at least, be an understanding and maybe even less antipathy. Now, when these scriptures were written, it was common for men and women to wear clothes that were similar. Both sexes wore long robes but with distinctive styles that differentiated between the sexes. Deuteronomy 22:5 was a command not to blur the lines between the sexes, or to purposely dress in the manner of the opposite sex. You see, as Genesis 1:27 says, God created only two sexes, male and female. There is not a spectrum. It’s either one or the other. Now before you say, “But Steve, some people are born with the organs of both.” Well, yes, I know that’s true. But listen, we live in a world that is suffering the effects of sin. Ever since Adam and Eve sinned, all of creation has been under a curse. Romans 8:22 says, “All creation groans…” Every living thing on the planet is less than God intended it to be. Humans were not meant to die. Humans were not meant to be born with any kind of defects. And there was not supposed to be any disease. Every system on the planet is not what God originally intended. The weather isn’t even the way God intended it to be. Earthquakes weren’t supposed to be something we worried about. Everything is broken. Sin ruined everything, including how we think about ourselves and each other. Birth defects do happen. And when a baby is born with a defect, it isn’t because God made it happen. It’s because of the condition of the world. It’s because of sin, not the sin of the parents. It’s just the effect of everything on the planet. Creation groans, remember? Yes, God does allow bad things to happen, but he is not the cause of bad things happening. “Well, couldn’t he just step in and stop bad things from happening?” you ask. Well, sometimes he does. But other times he doesn’t. The thing we have to remember about God is he is sovereign, which means that he does what he does. And he answers only to himself. But know this: His way is perfect. Deuteronomy 32:4 says, “He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he…” Beloved, one day, everyone who has ever been born will see the truth of that and acknowledge it. So back to the subject at hand. God says that it’s wrong to dress in the manner of the opposite sex. Why? Well, because for one thing, it is rebellion against his will. If he created you, as a male, he wants you to be a male. If he created you, as a female, he wants you to be a female. God truly does love you and he has a marvelous plan for your life. He wants the very best for you. And to reject that plan is really cutting off your nose to spite your face. I’ve said it many times here on this show. God’s laws are not given to take our fun away. He’s not a cosmic killjoy. He is a loving Father who knows what is best for us. But there is an Enemy. He’s called Lucifer, Satan, the Devil, the god of this world and many other names in the Bible. His mission from the beginning of the creation has been to pervert God’s creation, and keep people from having a relationship with God. He takes what is beautiful, and he perverts it. What we’re seeing in our culture today with a blurring of sexual boundaries and distinctions is really nothing new, as is evident by the fact that God talks about it here in Deuteronomy 22. People today think that they’re being progressive by advancing this agenda. They’re not progressive. They’re puppets of Satan. The Good News is that their sin can be forgiven. God said in Ezekiel 18:23, “Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign LORD. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?” And 2 Peter 3:9 tells us, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but for everyone to come to repentance.” What is repentance? Repentance is turning away from or going in an entirely new direction. It is agreeing with God that I have sinned, that I want to begin living as he wants me to, that I acknowledged that his way is better than my way. But listen, I can’t do it on my own. It’s impossible for me to live a perfect life. Only one man has ever done that, and his name is Jesus. But Jesus is more than a man. He is also God. He is fully God and fully human. And he is the only way that I or anyone else can have a restored relationship with God. John 3:16-21 says, “(16) For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (17) For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. (18) Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. (19) This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. (20) Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. (21) But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.” Listen carefully. God loves you, and He loves you enough to give you free will. You have to decide. The time is now. If you have not yet accepted the free gift of salvation that Jesus is offering you today, you can do it now. The simple fact is you may not have tomorrow. The Lovely Lady LeeAnn and I were reminded recently how quickly our lives could be snuffed out with no warning. We were involved in a hit-and-run traffic accident and believe me, there was absolutely no time to think about what was happening. We were driving along a street that we’d been on literally thousands of times before just a little more than two miles from our home. When all of a sudden there was a terrible crashing sound of metal against metal. Our car shook and I had to wrestle the steering wheel to keep control. LeeAnn screamed and I watched the car that had sideswiped us accelerate down the road in front of us. Praise the Lord, we were not hurt, but we could have been, because instead of rear-ending our car, he sideswiped us. He missed rear-ending our car by just inches. The point is, you never know how or when your life will be over. When you make the decision now to follow Jesus? If you want to have a changed life, a changed eternity, let me lead you in a prayer where you’ll tell God that you want to turn from your sin, and that you want to follow Jesus, Will you pray with me? Now once I publish this podcast, I don’t know who will hear it, where they’ll hear it or when they’ll hear it. I still have episodes from almost 18 years ago up at lifespringmedia.com. And they get listened to. And I have no idea how many episodes are on hard drives all over the world. So whether you’re hearing this on the day that I publish it, or days, weeks, months or years later, this invitation is for you to hear right now, as you’re listening to my voice. Decide now that this is the day to have your eternity changed. Would you pray with me? Dear heavenly Father, I come to you now confessing my sins. I know that I have not lived the way I should, and I asked you to forgive me now. Thank you for sending your son Jesus to take my sins upon himself. Jesus, I’m asking you to be my Lord and my Savior, now. Show me how I should live. Teach me. Help me to follow you. Thank you for hearing my prayer, Lord. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen. If you prayed that prayer, welcome to the family. You might have felt like a weight was lifted from you. You might have felt some strong emotion. Or you might have felt nothing. Whatever you felt, that’s okay. Our relationship with God is not based on emotions. Our relationship with God is based on his promise. And God promised that anyone who accepts Jesus will be saved. If you accepted Jesus just now and you meant it, you are saved because God promised it and he always keeps his promise. Now, if you did just pray that prayer with me, I’ve got a gift for you. It’s free. I want to send you a special edition of the New Testament called the New Believer’s Bible. All you have to do is send me a quick email with your name and address so I can mail it to you at my expense. This New Testament has hundreds and hundreds of notes in it by Pastor Greg Laurie of Harvest Church written with new believers in mind, this New Testament with all these notes is meant to help you get a good start in your walk with God. Now, when I get your email, I’m not going to put you on a list, and I’m not going to send you any spam. I just want to send you this New Testament. And I would like to pray for you. And if you’ve got questions, I’ll answer anything that I can for you. Send that email to st***@*************ia.com. And God bless you welcome to the family of God. Not to mention welcome to the Lifespring family. If you have a comment on today’s show, let me know. Go to lifespringmedia.com/s12e334. Boost. SUPPORTER SHOUT-OUTS – 23:27 A donation just came in from a very, very long-time Lifespring family member from the UK. Robert sent in $10.42. Now I’m sure there’s a meaning with that number, but I’ve got to confess that I’m not getting it. Robert send me an email. Let me know. I think the first time Robert donated was way back in December of 2015. So Robert, thank you so much for being around for so long and for your support. God bless you. Boostagram. And I got a couple of boostagrams yesterday for episode 333. Actually, this boostagram came in from Sean of San Pedro the day before yesterday. He said in 3,333 sats and he said, “I just saw a reminder in the newsletter of the obvious episode number coming up tomorrow. Congrats on 333 shows this season and I’m on pins and needles for Monday’s announcement.” Well, Sean, you’re about to hear it. Thank you for that boostagram. And this morning, I got 3,333 sats from John and he said, “Boosting 3,333 while streaming 333 sats per minute for episode 333. God bless.” John, thank you for all those threes, and for the boostagram and the sats. God bless you. SHOW ANNOUNCEMENT – 24:50 Okay, so on the last couple of episodes I told you that I had an announcement to make today. The time is here. Here it is. As you know by now, this season of the Lifespring Family Audio Bible is going to be ending on August 31 of this year, just 30 days away. The announcement is this: season 12 will be the last season of the show. After that there will be no more new episodes of the Lifespring Family Audio Bible. And it may be, and I emphasize “may,” be the last episode of the podcast career that began when God called me to create the world’s first Christian podcast in late 2004. Let me explain, it truly has been one of my greatest joys to do as God called me to do all those years ago. If you want the details, you can find them on the About page at lifespringmedia.com. But the bottom line is that when God called me, he said just three words, “Proclaim my name.” And I’ve tried to do that on every episode that I have ever produced, whether for this show, or any of the other shows at lifespringmedia.com. But after these last two seasons of this show, producing a show a day for two years, with just a two month hiatus between the two seasons, I gotta say I’m tired, more than tired, really. I’ll be 68 this month. And sitting at this desk and behind this microphone for the many hours it takes to study, to write, to record, to edit, and to publish this show, literally every day for two years – well, it’s taken a toll on my health. I honestly cannot do a daily show anymore. Now let me hasten to say that this season, season 12, has been the best year I have ever had in podcasting. And it is you who have made it the best. We have had more back-and-forth. There has been more engagement than ever before. And it has been so exciting and so rewarding and thrilling and just heartwarming to get to know you. You’ve written notes of encouragement, and many of you have given donations to help pay the bills. There’s the Lifespring family team, Kirsty, Sean of San Pedro and Denise. This has been an amazing year. And I love you for all that you’ve done. And right now I’m asking all of you – that’s all – that’s every single person, all of you, whether or not you have interacted with me ever before. I’m asking you one more thing, just one. Have you got your ears on? I said that the August 31 episode may be the last episode of my podcast career. Whether it is the last episode depends on you. And when I say you, I don’t mean the collective you. I mean, you listening to me right now in August of 2022, you in your car right now, you doing chores around the house, you doing whatever it is you’re doing right now, I need this from you. If there is a podcast that you would like me to create, or if you have an idea for a show, email me at st***@*************ia.com. And tell me what you’re thinking, I am willing to continue podcasting, but I just can’t do it every day. Most podcasts are weekly, some a couple of episodes a week, some are one or two a month. Very, very few are daily shows. But if there is something that you would like to hear me do, please let me know. And listen, as I said, I need to hear from each and every one of you, every individual listening right now. Even if you don’t have an idea for a show, just say, “Steve, you’ve had a good run, but go ahead and turn off the mic.” Or say, “Steve, I don’t have a specific idea. But I just don’t want you to quit podcasting.” Or whatever. Just tell me what you’re thinking. I was talking with my friend Ron Ploof and his wife a couple of weeks ago, telling them that I was really in a quandary about whether to hang it up at the end of the season, and that I was thinking of asking the Lifespring family for your input and Ron’s wife said, “You could take their ideas and then do one idea one week and another idea the next week and so on. Sort of an ‘Ask Steve’ thing.” Well I liked that idea. Maybe I’ll do just that. But I don’t know. So even if you don’t think that your idea would be appropriate for a whole separate podcast of an indeterminate amount of episodes, maybe it would be good for one or two episodes. I mean, if you’re interested, chances are other people would be too. And the reason I want and need all of you to participate in this exercise is because I need to know how much interest is there. If there’s a lot of interest, great. But if there’s not a lot of interest, that’s okay, too. I’m at the time of my life where there are things I do want to do. LeeAnn has several projects that she’s been patiently waiting for me to do for her. And I’ve got some hobbies that I’ve put on the backburner for too long. I’ve got grandkids. I want to spend time with them. There are things I do want to do. But – this is a big “but” – as a servant of Jesus, my life is not my own. He bought me with a price. I belong to Him, and it is him that I willingly serve. If now is not the time to turn off the Lifespring Media microphone I will willingly and happily keep right on going along. I just can’t do the daily thing anymore, then I feel completely at ease with that decision. I believe the Lord has released me from that part of my call. But listen, Christians don’t retire. As long as God keeps us here, he has a job for us. I’ll always do something for the Lord. Maybe I’ll be a podcaster until I can no longer speak. Maybe only until August 31. But please tell me what you would like to see me do. Please make it a matter of prayer. Listen to the Lord and tell me what you come away with. I’m serious. Sometimes God speaks through godly people. And I truly do want to do whatever it is he wants my next step to be. So send an email to me it st***@*************ia.com. I’m going to be taking your email all month long. But please don’t wait till the end of the month. Also in your subject line put “THE NEXT STEP” so it doesn’t get put into my spam folder. So that’s it. That’s the announcement. This is the last season of the Lifespring Family Audio Bible and perhaps it’ll be the last podcast. I don’t know. I need to hear from you, st***@*************ia.com, subject line, THE NEXT STEP. ON THIS DATE IN CHURCH HISTORY – 31:37 On this date in church history, August 1, 1953, British literary scholar and Christian apologist, C. S. Lewis wrote in a letter on this date, “How little people know who think that holiness is dull. When one meets the real thing, it is irresistible.” PRAYER REQUESTS AND PRAISE REPORTS – 32:03 Prayer requests and praises. Here’s a praise for you. Kathi is at Del and Kathi’s daughter’s home and she has a strong appetite. So that’s great. It’s been a long time since she had any appetite at all. So praise God for that. CLOSING PRAYER – 32:16 Let’s pray. Our heavenly Father, Lord, we thank You for Your Word, and we thank you for teaching us. And I pray, Lord, that what we learned from Deuteronomy today, and my comments about it, would be received in the manner that it was given, in love. Your will for us is always for our benefit. And I pray that if there is anyone listening now that have not asked Jesus to be their Lord, that they would do that now. Thank you for continuing to bring strength to Kathi and I pray that you would complete her healing, and bless Christi and her husband for opening their house for Kathi, And be with Del as he’s up the hill by himself. And bless the Lifespring family. Lord, I pray that you would meet the needs that each one has. And Father, I asked you to speak to them about what you want me to do once this season is over. Give them your thoughts. Lord, I pray. I pray this all in Jesus’ name. Amen. If you have a prayer request or a praise, please go to prayer.lifespringmedia.com. OUTRO S12E334 – 33:22 Please do remember to give some thought and prayer to the question of what you’d like me to do once this season is over. And then email your thoughts to me at st***@*************ia.com with the words “THE NEXT STEP” in the subject line. Very important: THE NEXT STEP. Comment on this show at lifespringmedia.com/s12e334. And thanks to Kirsty, Sean of San Pedro and Denise, that group of people that I affectionately call The Team. Thank you very much to you sat streamers. It’s cool to have the early adopters in the Lifespring family. Thanks to Robert in the UK for your donation today and for being such a longtime Lifespring family member. God bless you. And beloved thank you for the honor of being with you today. I appreciate it. It’s good to see you. Are you glad the show is here? Has it been a blessing to you this year? If so, please send some support to lifespringmedia.com/support. Until tomorrow, may God bless you richly. My name is Steve Webb. Bye. Transcribed by https://otter.ai Corrected by Denise Please rate or review the show by clicking the heart! The post S3E328 – Deuteronomy 20-22: There Are Two first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

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  • S12 · E327
    September 13 · 15 min

    S3E327 – 1 John 1-3: They’re Talking About You

    Transcript Podcast Introduction Today is Epistles Sunday. Our reading will be 1 John 1-3.. Before I begin the chapters, I’ll have an introduction to John’s Epistles for you. Tomorrow is August 1st, and I will have an announcement to share with you on the show, so don’t miss it. I’m calling today’s episode “They’re Talking About You.” Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Thomas M. Evans on Unsplash Comments on 1 John 1-3 Chapter 1 John begins chapter one much like he did his Gospel. He refers to Jesus as the Word, and he affirms that the Word has existed from the beginning. And he says that he, John, personally saw and heard Him. He says that it is through Jesus that we can have a relationship with God, and that when we have that, we have a relationship with other believers…we truly are brothers and sisters. This is important because if we say we believe, and yet don’t love each other, we are fooling ourselves. And then at the end of chapter one we read one of the foundational truths of the Gospel. John writes in verse nine, “God is faithful and reliable. If we confess our sins, he forgives them and cleanses us from everything we’ve done wrong.” Of course, God sets a high standard for us, but He knows how weak and fallible we are. But because of what Jesus did on the cross, this forgiveness is available to all who believe. Chapter 2 And in the opening verses of chapter two, John continues this thought. And this one just blows me away. Did you know that you are a topic of conversation between Jesus and the Father? You are. And I am. Listen to this. John writes: I’m writing this to you so that you will not sin. Yet, if anyone does sin, we have Jesus Christ, who has God’s full approval. He speaks on our behalf when we come into the presence of the Father.” When you and I sin, Jesus looks at the Father and says, “Forgive him, Father. I already paid for that sin with my blood.” What better advocate could there possibly be? Such Good News! Of course, there are a lot of golden nuggets of truth in these first three chapters, but I’m going to leave you with that last one. Today’s Bible Translation Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 1-3 GWT Support This a value for value podcast. There are no advertisers because advertising=censorship. If you enjoy the Lifespring Family Audio Bible, decide how much value it brings to you. Only you can make that determination. Then put a number on the value and send it to me here: SUPPORT. Transcript Download .txt file. STEVE WEBB – 0:00 This one just blows me away. INTRO S12E333 – 0:09 Coming to you from Riverside, California, this is the Lifespring Family Audio Bible. And podcasting since 2004, I’m your OG Godcaster, Steve Webb. This is the daily show where we’re reading through the entire Bible in a year and the year is almost over. Today’s Epistle Sunday and our reading will be 1 John chapters 1 through 3. Before I begin the chapters, I’ll have an introduction to John’s epistles for you. And tomorrow is August 1. I’ll have an announcement to share with you on that show. So you might not want to miss it. I’m calling today’s episode, “They are Talking About You”. The show notes page for today’s episode is at lifespringmedia.com/s12e333. If you’d like to send me an email, I’d sure love to read it. Send it to st***@*************ia.com. And by the way, as you just heard, this is episode 333 of season 12. And I’ll have a little bit more to say about 333 a little bit later in the show. Let’s get started. INTRO TO EPISTLES OF JOHN – 1:05 1 John is one of three epistles or letters that are attributed to John the Apostle who also wrote the Gospel of John and the book of Revelation. He’s the disciple that is often called John the Beloved, because it’s thought that he’s the one referred to six different times in the Gospel of John as the disciple whom Jesus loved. He’s also the disciple who was with Mary at the foot of the cross and into whose care Jesus gave Mary. The letters were not written to a specific church, but were intended to be circulated around to all the churches, the epistle was written to help them and encourage them in their devotion to Jesus, and to remind them that false teachers would be around and to emphasize that their love of God and people, especially other believers, was of the utmost importance. 1 JOHN 1 (GWT) – 1:53 1 John, chapter 1. (1) The Word of life existed from the beginning. We have heard it. We have seen it. We observed it and touched it. (2) This life was revealed to us. We have seen it, and we testify about it. We are reporting to you about this eternal life that was in the presence of the Father and was revealed to us. (3) This is the life we have seen and heard. We are reporting about it to you also so that you, too, can have a relationship with us. Our relationship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. (4) We are writing this so that we can be completely filled with joy. (5) This is the message we heard from Christ and are reporting to you: God is light, and there isn’t any darkness in him. (6) If we say, “We have a relationship with God” and yet live in the dark, we’re lying. We aren’t being truthful. (7) But if we live in the light in the same way that God is in the light, we have a relationship with each other. And the blood of his Son Jesus cleanses us from every sin. (8) If we say, “We aren’t sinful” we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. (9) God is faithful and reliable. If we confess our sins, he forgives them and cleanses us from everything we’ve done wrong. (10) If we say, “We have never sinned,” we turn God into a liar and his Word is not in us. 1 JOHN 2 (GWT) – 3:13 1 John, chapter 2. (1) My dear children, I’m writing this to you so that you will not sin. Yet, if anyone does sin, we have Jesus Christ, who has God’s full approval. He speaks on our behalf when we come into the presence of the Father. (2) He is the payment for our sins, and not only for our sins, but also for the sins of the whole world. (3) We are sure that we know Christ if we obey his commandments. (4) The person who says, “I know him,” but doesn’t obey his commandments is a liar. The truth isn’t in that person. (5) But whoever obeys what Christ says is the kind of person in whom God’s love is perfected. That’s how we know we are in Christ. (6) Those who say that they live in him must live the same way he lived. (7) Dear friends, it’s not as though I’m writing to give you a new commandment. Rather, I’m giving you an old commandment that you’ve had from the beginning. It’s the old commandment you’ve already heard. (8) On the other hand, I’m writing to give you a new commandment. It’s a truth that exists in Christ and in you: The darkness is fading, and the true light is already shining. (9) Those who say that they are in the light but hate other believers are still in the dark. (10) Those who love other believers live in the light. Nothing will destroy the faith of those who live in the light. (11) Those who hate other believers are in the dark and live in the dark. They don’t know where they’re going, because they can’t see in the dark. (12) I’m writing to you, dear children, because your sins are forgiven through Christ. (13) I’m writing to you, fathers, because you know Christ who has existed from the beginning. I’m writing to you, young people, because you have won the victory over the evil one. (14) I’ve written to you, children, because you know the Father. I’ve written to you, fathers, because you know Christ, who has existed from the beginning. I’ve written to you, young people, because you are strong and God’s word lives in you. You have won the victory over the evil one. (15) Don’t love the world and what it offers. Those who love the world don’t have the Father’s love in them. (16) Not everything that the world offers—physical gratification, greed, and extravagant lifestyles—comes from the Father. It comes from the world, and (17) the world and its evil desires are passing away. But the person who does what God wants lives forever. (18) Children, it’s the end of time. You’ve heard that an antichrist is coming. Certainly, many antichrists are already here. That’s how we know it’s the end of time. (19) They left us. However, they were never really part of us. If they had been, they would have stayed with us. But by leaving they made it clear that none of them were part of us. (20) The Holy One has anointed you, so all of you have knowledge. (21) I’m writing to you because you know the truth, not because you don’t know the truth. You know that no lie ever comes from the truth. (22) Who is a liar? Who else but the person who rejects Jesus as the Messiah? The person who rejects the Father and the Son is an antichrist. (23) Everyone who rejects the Son doesn’t have the Father either. The person who acknowledges the Son also has the Father. (24) Make sure that the message you heard from the beginning lives in you. If that message lives in you, you will also live in the Son and in the Father. (25) Christ has given us the promise of eternal life. (26) I’m writing to you about those who are trying to deceive you. (27) The anointing you received from Christ lives in you. You don’t need anyone to teach you something else. Instead, Christ’s anointing teaches you about everything. His anointing is true and contains no lie. So live in Christ as he taught you to do. (28) Now, dear children, live in Christ. Then, when he appears we will have confidence, and when he comes we won’t turn from him in shame. (29) If you know that Christ has God’s approval, you also know that everyone who does what God approves of has been born from God. 1 JOHN 3 (GWT) – 7:12 1 John, chapter 3. (1) Consider this: The Father has given us his love. He loves us so much that we are actually called God’s dear children. And that’s what we are. For this reason the world doesn’t recognize us, and it didn’t recognize him either. (2) Dear friends, now we are God’s children. What we will be isn’t completely clear yet. We do know that when Christ appears we will be like him because we will see him as he is. (3) So all people who have this confidence in Christ keep themselves pure, as Christ is pure. (4) Those who live sinful lives are disobeying God. Sin is disobedience. (5) You know that Christ appeared in order to take away our sins. He isn’t sinful. (6) Those who live in Christ don’t go on sinning. Those who go on sinning haven’t seen or known Christ. (7) Dear children, don’t let anyone deceive you. Whoever does what God approves of has God’s approval as Christ has God’s approval. (8) The person who lives a sinful life belongs to the devil, because the devil has been committing sin since the beginning. The reason that the Son of God appeared was to destroy what the devil does. (9) Those who have been born from God don’t live sinful lives. What God has said lives in them, and they can’t live sinful lives. They have been born from God. (10) This is the way God’s children are distinguished from the devil’s children. Everyone who doesn’t do what is right or love other believers isn’t God’s child. (11) The message that you have heard from the beginning is to love each other. (12) Don’t be like Cain. He was a child of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did Cain murder his brother? Because the things Cain did were evil and the things his brother did had God’s approval. (13) Brothers and sisters, don’t be surprised if the world hates you. (14) We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love other believers. The person who doesn’t grow in love remains in death. (15) Everyone who hates another believer is a murderer, and you know that a murderer doesn’t have eternal life. (16) We understand what love is when we realize that Christ gave his life for us. That means we must give our lives for other believers. (17) Now, suppose a person has enough to live on and notices another believer in need. How can God’s love be in that person if he doesn’t bother to help the other believer? (18) Dear children, we must show love through actions that are sincere, not through empty words. (19) This is how we will know that we belong to the truth and how we will be reassured in his presence. (20) Whenever our conscience condemns us, we will be reassured that God is greater than our conscience and knows everything. (21) Dear friends, if our conscience doesn’t condemn us, we can boldly look to God (22) and receive from him anything we ask. We receive it because we obey his commandments and do what pleases him. (23) This is his commandment: to believe in his Son, the one named Jesus Christ, and to love each other as he commanded us. (24) Those who obey Christ’s commandments live in God, and God lives in them. We know that he lives in us because he has given us the Spirit. COMMENTS – 10:30 John begins chapter 1, much like he did his Gospel. He refers to Jesus as the word and that the word existed from the beginning. And he says that he, John, personally saw and heard him. He says that it’s through Jesus, that we can have a relationship with God. And that when we have that we have a relationship with other believers. We truly are brothers and sisters. And this is important because if we say we believe and yet don’t love each other, we’re fooling ourselves. And then at the end of the chapter, we read one of the foundational truths of the Gospel. John writes in verse 9, “God is faithful and reliable. If we confess our sins, he forgives them and cleanses us from everything we’ve done wrong.” If you’ve been listening to the show for very long, you’ve heard me quote that verse many times. And then in the opening verses of chapter 2, John continues this thought, and this one just blows me away. Did you know that you’re a topic of conversation between Jesus and the Father? You are! And so am I! Listen to this. John wrote, “I’m writing this to you so that you will not sin. Yet, if anyone does sin, we have Jesus Christ, who has God’s full approval. He speaks on our behalf when we come into the presence of the Father.” So when you and I sin, Jesus looks at the father and says, “Forgive him, Father. Forgive her, Father. I already paid for that sin with my blood.” Isn’t that a marvelous thing to hear? What better advocate could there possibly be than Jesus himself? That is such good news. Of course, there are a lot of golden nuggets of truth in these first three chapters, but, today, I’m just going to leave you with that last one. You can’t improve on that. You have any comments? Let me know. Go to lifespringmedia.com/s12e333. Our reading tomorrow will be Deuteronomy 20 through 22. Boost. EPISODE 333 PROMOTION – 12:34 So this is episode 333 of season 12. And what with Kathi’s health problems this week, I didn’t even think to create a special deal to mark the 333. It wasn’t until I saw the really cool newsletter that Kirsty sent out this week that I realized that I missed out. So by all means, donations of $3.33 or $33.33 or $333.33 or $3333.33 are all welcome. And I’ll announce them on the show. I can’t believe I missed it. But you know, there are priorities. Kirsty thank you for bringing it to my attention. ON THIS DATE IN CHURCH HISTORY – 13:23 On this date in church history, July 31, 1970, the complete New American Standard Version of the Bible was published on this date. The New American Standard New Testament first appeared in 1963. PRAISE REPORT – 13:44 I have a praise report about Kathi. Got some great news from Del this morning. Kathi is being released from the hospital today and I’m recording this on Saturday afternoon. Now, because of the stairs at Del and Kathi’s house, which she’s too weak to tackle right now, she’ll be going to stay with one of their daughters. And they hope to get an appointment set tomorrow, Monday, with City of Hope to start the new cancer treatments. And by the way, she started back on solid foods today, too. So good news all around. Praise the Lord and thank you for your prayers. CLOSING PRAYER – Let’s pray. Our heavenly Father, what a joy it is to know that Jesus intercedes for us with you father. Knowing that he is our intercessor brings a great deal of security and peace, and we thank you for that, Lord. And I thank you for your hand on Kathi. In Jesus’ name, I just ask that you would continue the healing. And I pray, Lord, that You would bless the Lifespring family today. Where there are needs. I pray that you work your perfect will in each life. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen. And if you have a prayer request or to praise just go to prayer.lifespringmedia.com. OUTRO S12E333 – 14:57 Comment on the show at lifespringmedia.com/s12e333. Send an email to me at st***@*************ia.com. Thanks to the team. Kirsty, again, thanks for that great newsletter you just sent out. Thanks to Sean of San Pedro for being so quick and having those chapters done even before the show was published many times. And Denise, thank you for all the work you do on correcting the transcripts. Thank you for making me a part of your podcast-listening day. I am honored and I don’t take it for granted. So thank you very much. And please do support the show at lifespringmedia.com/support. Please and thank you. Until tomorrow, may God bless you richly. My name is Steve Webb. Remember I have an announcement tomorrow. See you then. Bye. Transcribed by https://otter.ai Corrected by Denise Please rate or review the show by clicking the heart! The post S3E327 – 1 John 1-3: They’re Talking About You first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

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  • S12 · E326
    September 12 · 15 min

    S3E326 – Acts 17-18: Just Do Your Job

    Transcript Podcast Introduction Today is Gospel Saturday Acts 17-18. I’m calling today’s episode “Just Do Your Job.” Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Elaine Casap on Unsplash Comments on Acts 18 Something that struck me in today’s reading was in verse 5 and 6. Paul had told the Jews that Jesus was the Christ, and he was opposed and slandered. Other translations use the word “blasphemed” or “became abusive” or “insulted.” His response to this treatment was interesting. What do many of us tend to do today when people don’t accept our message? We try to change our approach. We try even harder to convince them that Jesus is who He said He is. But Paul shook the dust from his clothes in protest and said to them, “You are responsible for your own fates! I’m innocent! From now on I’ll go to the Gentiles!” He didn’t seem to fret over saving every last person he delivered the message to. Folks, we need to remember that our job is merely to deliver the message as faithfully and accurately as we can. It’s not our job to make them believe. We can’t. It’s the Holy Spirit who convinces. Yes, we must be prepared to give an answer when people ask questions, but we cannot bring about change in the human heart. Once we’ve delivered the message, our job is done. That’s not to say that we should take too casual an attitude about witnessing, however. Note that in verse 28, we’re told that Apollos “would vigorously defeat Jewish arguments in public debate,” and here is the key part of the verse, “using the scriptures to prove that Jesus was the Christ.” He defeated the Jews with the scriptures. Not his own human arguments, but with scripture. Very important. Scripture is the living Word of God. My own arguments are just the word of Steve, which isn’t worth much. But God’s Word? That’ll change someone’s eternity. Today’s Bible Translation Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 17 NCV; Ch. 18 CEB Support This a value for value podcast. There are no advertisers because advertising=censorship. If you enjoy the Lifespring Family Audio Bible, decide how much value it brings to you. Only you can make that determination. Then put a number on the value and send it to me here: SUPPORT. Transcript Download .txt file. STEVE WEBB – 0:00 Scripture is the living word of God. INTRO S12E325 – 0:10 Coming to you from Riverside, California, this is the Lifespring Family Audio Bible, and podcasting since 2004, I’m your OG Godcaster, Steve Webb. This is the daily show where we’re reading through the entire Bible in a year. What’s going on? Today is Gospel Saturday and we’ll read Acts 17 and 18. I’m calling today’s episode, “Just Do Your Job”. The show notes page for today’s episode is at lifespringmedia.com/s12e325. My email address is st***@*************ia.com. And I think it’s time we get started. ACTS 17 (NCV) – 0:44 Acts, chapter 17. (1) Paul and Silas traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia and came to Thessalonica where there was a synagogue. (2) Paul went into the synagogue as he always did, and on each Sabbath day for three weeks, he talked with his fellow Jews about the Scriptures. (3) He explained and proved that the Christ must die and then rise from the dead. He said, “This Jesus I am telling you about is the Christ.” (4) Some of them were convinced and joined Paul and Silas, along with many of the Greeks who worshiped God and many of the important women. (5) But some others became jealous. So they got some evil men from the marketplace, formed a mob, and started a riot. They ran to Jason’s house, looking for Paul and Silas, wanting to bring them out to the people. (6) But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some other believers to the leaders of the city. The people were yelling, “These people have made trouble everywhere in the world, and now they have come here too! (7) Jason is keeping them in his house. All of them do things against the laws of Caesar, saying there is another king, called Jesus.” (8) When the people and the leaders of the city heard these things, they became very upset. (9) They made Jason and the others put up a sum of money. Then they let the believers go free. (10) That same night the believers sent Paul and Silas to Berea where they went to the synagogue. (11) These people were more willing to listen than the people in Thessalonica. The Bereans were eager to hear what Paul and Silas said and studied the Scriptures every day to find out if these things were true. (12) So, many of them believed, as well as many important Greek women and men. (13) But the people in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God in Berea, too. So they came there, upsetting the people and making trouble. (14) The believers quickly sent Paul away to the coast, but Silas and Timothy stayed in Berea. (15) The people leading Paul went with him to Athens. Then they carried a message from Paul back to Silas and Timothy for them to come to him as soon as they could. (16) While Paul was waiting for Silas and Timothy in Athens, he was troubled because he saw that the city was full of idols. (17) In the synagogue, he talked with the Jews and the Greeks who worshiped God. He also talked every day with people in the marketplace. (18) Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers argued with him, saying, “This man doesn’t know what he is talking about. What is he trying to say?” Others said, “He seems to be telling us about some other gods,” because Paul was telling them about Jesus and his rising from the dead. (19) They got Paul and took him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said, “Please explain to us this new idea you have been teaching. (20) The things you are saying are new to us, and we want to know what this teaching means.” (21) (All the people of Athens and those from other countries who lived there always used their time to talk about the newest ideas.) (22) Then Paul stood before the meeting of the Areopagus and said, “People of Athens, I can see you are very religious in all things. (23) As I was going through your city, I saw the objects you worship. I found an altar that had these words written on it: to a god who is not known. You worship a god that you don’t know, and this is the God I am telling you about! (24) The God who made the whole world and everything in it is the Lord of the land and the sky. He does not live in temples built by human hands. (25) This God is the One who gives life, breath, and everything else to people. He does not need any help from them; he has everything he needs. (26) God began by making one person, and from him came all the different people who live everywhere in the world. God decided exactly when and where they must live. (27) God wanted them to look for him and perhaps search all around for him and find him, though he is not far from any of us: (28) ‘By his power we live and move and exist.’ Some of your own poets have said: ‘For we are his children.’ (29) Since we are God’s children, you must not think that God is like something that people imagine or make from gold, silver, or rock. (30) In the past, people did not understand God, and he ignored this. But now, God tells all people in the world to change their hearts and lives. (31) God has set a day that he will judge all the world with fairness, by the man he chose long ago. And God has proved this to everyone by raising that man from the dead!” (32) When the people heard about Jesus being raised from the dead, some of them laughed. But others said, “We will hear more about this from you later.” (33) So Paul went away from them. (34) But some of the people believed Paul and joined him. Among those who believed was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, a woman named Damaris, and some others. ACTS 18 (CEB) – 5:31 Acts, chapter 18. (1) After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. (2) There he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus. He had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla because Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. Paul visited with them. (3) Because they practiced the same trade, he stayed and worked with them. They all worked with leather. (4) Every Sabbath he interacted with people in the synagogue, trying to convince both Jews and Greeks. (5) Once Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself fully to the word, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. (6) When they opposed and slandered him, he shook the dust from his clothes in protest and said to them, “You are responsible for your own fates! I’m innocent! From now on I’ll go to the Gentiles!” (7) He left the synagogue and went next door to the home of Titius Justus, a Gentile God-worshipper. (8) Crispus, the synagogue leader, and his entire household came to believe in the Lord. Many Corinthians believed and were baptized after listening to Paul. (9) One night the Lord said to Paul in a vision, “Don’t be afraid. Continue speaking. Don’t be silent. (10) I’m with you and no one who attacks you will harm you, for I have many people in this city.” (11) So he stayed there for eighteen months, teaching God’s word among them. (12) Now when Gallio was the governor of the province of Achaia, the Jews united in their opposition against Paul and brought him before the court. (13) “This man is persuading others to worship God unlawfully,” they declared. (14) Just as Paul was about to speak, Gallio said to the Jews, “If there had been some sort of injury or criminal behavior, I would have reason to accept your complaint. (15) However, since these are squabbles about a message, names, and your own Law, deal with them yourselves. I have no desire to sit in judgment over such things.” (16) He expelled them from the court, (17) but everyone seized Sosthenes, the synagogue leader, and gave him a beating in the presence of the governor. None of this mattered to Gallio. (18) After Paul stayed in Corinth for some time, he said good-bye to the brothers and sisters. At the Corinthian seaport of Cenchreae he had his head shaved, since he had made a solemn promise. Then, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila, he sailed away to Syria. (19) After they arrived in Ephesus, he left Priscilla and Aquila and entered the synagogue and interacted with the Jews. (20) They asked him to stay longer, but he declined. (21) As he said farewell to them, though, he added, “God willing, I will return.” Then he sailed off from Ephesus. (22) He arrived in Caesarea, went up to Jerusalem and greeted the church, and then went down to Antioch. (23) After some time there he left and traveled from place to place in the region of Galatia and the district of Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples. (24) Meanwhile, a certain Jew named Apollos arrived in Ephesus. He was a native of Alexandria and was well-educated and effective in his use of the scriptures. (25) He had been instructed in the way of the Lord and spoke as one stirred up by the Spirit. He taught accurately the things about Jesus, even though he was aware only of the baptism John proclaimed and practiced. (26) He began speaking with confidence in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they received him into their circle of friends and explained to him God’s way more accurately. (27) When he wanted to travel to Achaia, the brothers and sisters encouraged him and wrote to the disciples so they would open their homes to him. Once he arrived, he was of great help to those who had come to believe through grace. (28) He would vigorously defeat Jewish arguments in public debate, using the scriptures to prove that Jesus was the Christ. COMMENTS – 9:18 Well, something that struck me in today’s reading was in verse 5 and 6 of chapter 18, Paul had told the Jews that Jesus was the Christ, and he was opposed and slandered. Other translations use the word “blasphemed” or they “became abusive” or “insulted” him. His response to this treatment was interesting to say the least. What do many of us tend to do today when people don’t accept our message? We try to change our approach. We try even harder to convince them that Jesus is who he said he is. But Paul did something entirely different. He shook the dust from his clothes in protest and said to them, “You are responsible for your own fates! I’m innocent! From now on I’ll go to the Gentiles!” Paul didn’t seem to fret over saving every last person he delivered the message to. Folks, we need to remember that our job is merely to deliver the message as faithfully and accurately as we can. It isn’t our job to make them believe. We can’t. It’s the Holy Spirit who convinces. Yes, we have to be prepared to give an answer when people ask questions, but we can’t bring about change in the human heart. Once we’ve delivered the message, our job is done. Now that is not to say that we should take too casually an attitude about witnessing. Note that in verse 28, we’re told that Apollos, quote, “would vigorously defeat Jewish arguments in public debate,” unquote. And then here’s the key part of that verse, quote, “using the scriptures to prove that Jesus was the Christ,” unquote. What did he do? He defeated the Jews with the Scriptures, not his own human arguments, but with scripture. That’s very important. Scripture is the living word of God. My own arguments are just the word of Steve, which aren’t worth much. But God’s word? Well, that’ll change someone’s eternity. What do you think? Have a comment? Let me know. Go to lifespringmedia.com/s12e325. Tomorrow’s Epistle Sunday, and we’ll read the book of 2 Peter. Boost! SUPPORTER SHOUT-OUT – 11:24 I just wanted to acknowledge a donation by Anonymous who sent in a $22.22 row-o’-ducks donation. Thank you very much Anonymous, and may God bless you richly. Thank you. You can also participate in the value-for-value method by supporting the show with time, talent or treasure by making a donation to support the show that comes to you seven days a week, rain or shine. It certainly isn’t free for me to create the show for you. And if it’s something that you look forward to each day, it would be awesome if you would return a portion of that value to me to help with the cost of producing the show. What is the show worth to you? Go on over to lifespringmedia.com/support. Take a look at that page, then pray about it and then do what the Lord leads, lifespringmedia.com/support. ON THIS DATE IN CHURCH HISTORY – 12:18 On this date in church history, July 23, 1825, Samuel Ajayi Crowther who was kidnapped earlier by Muslim slave traders from his Yoruba homeland in North Central Africa, was rescued by English missionaries and baptized into the church. And in 1864, he was consecrated as a missionary Bishop of the Niger territory. Wow, that’s quite a story. PRAYER REQUESTS – 12:49 Prayer requests. Some of you might be aware of and listen to the podcast I produce here at Lifespring Media for my former pastor who’s retired. The show is “In the Word with Mel Bennett”. Well, I got this email from him this morning. He said, “Just a note to let you know I haven’t sent any further podcasts. Had another procedure yesterday on both legs. Had three stents and two balloons in my left leg to open arteries that were clogged. And they checked my right leg and found the artery 100% clogged and could do nothing. We’ll keep watching it. Appreciate your prayers.” So we need to pray for my former pastor. And by the way, for those that might not know, when God called me to podcasting all those years ago, I didn’t have any of the necessary recording gear. So I asked Pastor Bennett, if I could use the church equipment. He didn’t know what a podcast was. Podcasting was brand new at the time. But he said that if God called me to do it, then of course, I could use the church’s microphones and whatever else I needed. So Pastor B was very instrumental in me even talking to you right now. He did send an episode about a week ago that I do hope to get produced and published by this coming Monday. I haven’t gotten to it yet because of my workload, including helping another friend of mine start his own podcast. And I gotta tell you, I’m really anxious to tell you about it. But we’ve got to get our ducks in a row first. So let’s pray for Pastor Bennett. CLOSING PRAYER – 14:11 Our heavenly Father, Lord as we seek to do your will and share the good news. Help us to deliver the message faithfully. Help us to be compassionate and loving, but then step aside and let you bring the harvest as you see fit. Help us to just be faithful to what you’ve called us to do. And Lord, now we pray for Pastor Bennett, that his healing would be quick and as easy as possible. I thank you for his presence in my life for the past thirty-five or so years, and I pray that you would be with him as he recovers. Touch him, Lord, in Jesus name. And I thank you for the Lifespring family and ask you to bless them. And I pray this in Jesus name. Amen. If you have a prayer request or a praise, go to prayer.lifespringmedia.com, and give me all the information you want me to have, and if you want to remain anonymous, you can do that too, prayer.lifespringmedia.com OUTRO S12E325 – 15:10 Comment on the show at lifespringmedia.com/s12e325. Send me an email at st***@*************ia.com. And thanks to Kirsty, Sean of San Pedro and Denise for all that they do. You guys are awesome. Thanks to Anonymous for their donation today and helping to bring the show to you. And thank you for meeting me here today. Are you glad the show is here? Are you getting something out of it? Then put something back in. Support the show at lifespringmedia.com/support. Until tomorrow, may God bless you richly. My name is Steve Webb. Bye. Transcribed by https://otter.ai Corrected by Denise Please rate or review the show by clicking the heart! The post S3E326 – Acts 17-18: Just Do Your Job first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

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    September 11 · 28 min

    S3E325 – Zechariah 8-14: There Is A Fountain

    Transcript Podcast Introduction Today is Prophecy Friday Zechariah 8-14. I’m calling today’s episode “There Is A Fountain.” Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Tony Mucci on Unsplash Comments on Zechariah 8-14 The Messiah is prophesied in chapter 6. There, He is referred to as the Branch, who will build the Temple of the Lord. What temple did Jesus build? The Church. We are the temple of the Holy Spirit, according to Paul in 1 Corinthians 6:19. And then in chapter 7, the Lord, through Zechariah, said that His people ignored Him, so He ignored them and scattered them among the nations. But in chapter 8 He once again said how much He loves them, and then makes nine more statements that demonstrate that love, so that they would not be discouraged by the punishment they had received because of their disobedience. And isn’t that how a loving Father disciplines his child? How terrible it is when a parent allows a child to lose hope, to doubt that he or she is still loved. Discipline should always be couched in love, and the child should always have that love reinforced. This is what God the Father has always done for us, His children. In verse 1 of chapter 12, we read, “The word of the Lord concerning Israel. A declaration of the Lord, who stretched out the heavens, laid the foundation of the earth, and formed the spirit of man within him.” This verse is confirming that the God who created all that is spoke this message, just in case there was any doubt about its veracity. The Supreme Being of the Universe has a message, and all who hear should listen. The bottom line of God’s message is that any nation that comes against Jerusalem will ultimately be soundly defeated. Any nation that comes against Israel is on a fool’s errand. They may triumph for a day, but the final outcome is sure. The chapter ends, of course, with a look forward to Jesus Himself, the fact that He would be pierced, and the mourning that would take place upon His death. Chapter 13 begins with the declaration of what would be the result of the piercing. It says, “On that day a fountain will be opened for the house of David and for the residents of Jerusalem, to wash away sin and impurity.“ Of course, being on this side of the prophecy and having knowledge of the New Testament and the work of Jesus, we know that this promise applies to all, not just to the house of David and the residents of Jerusalem, it applies to all who believe. The rest of the chapter speaks more to who this Messiah would be, and it ends with another beautiful promise, “I will refine them as silver is refined and test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, and I will answer them. I will say: They are My people, and they will say: Yahweh is our God.” Imagine. This God who created all that is says, “Steve is mine. Mike is mine. Suzie is mine.” Put your own name in there. You are His, if He is your God. What a privilege! Are you feeling bad today? Do you think no one loves you? Do you get no respect? YOU ARE HIS! Hallelujah! You. Are. His. That should thrill your heart. I know it thrills mine. The final chapter of Zechariah shows us a glimpse of one of the final chapters of man’s history on Earth. It talks about a last battle with those who are against God, and the resolution of the aftermath. Peace. Why did the Lord leave this message with us? So that, even when we are still in the midst of the turmoil and pain that we all must endure, our heart can have peace in the knowledge that we belong to Him and as such, we will be included in His victory and then have lasting peace. Sure, there are difficulties in life, but we mustn’t lose sight of the fact that they are temporary. Whatever situation we are in, it is only for a season. It is not permanent. God *is* permanent and unchanging. His promises never fail. And His promise is that victory is sure, and peace is secure. Rest in that, Beloved. Today’s Bible Translation Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 8-11 NIV; Ch. 12-14 HCSB Support This a value for value podcast. There are no advertisers because advertising=censorship. If you enjoy the Lifespring Family Audio Bible, decide how much value it brings to you. Only you can make that determination. Then put a number on the value and send it to me here: SUPPORT. Transcript Download .txt file. STEVE WEBB – 0:00 Our heart can have peace. INTRO S12E324 – 0:09 Coming to you from Riverside, California, this is the Lifespring Family Audio Bible, and podcasting since 2004, I’m your OG Godcaster, Steve Webb. This is the daily show where we’re reading through the entire Bible in a year. How’s your day going? Today’s Prophecy Friday. We’ll read Zechariah 8 through 14 which will finish that book. I’m calling today’s episode, “There is a Fountain”. The show notes page for today’s episode is at lifespringmedia.com/s12e324. That means we’ve got forty more episodes in this season. If you’d like to email me, you can send it to st***@*************ia.com. Let’s begin. ZECHARIAH 8 (NIV) – 0:48 Zechariah, chapter 8. (1) The word of the Lord Almighty came to me. (2) This is what the Lord Almighty says: “I am very jealous for Zion; I am burning with jealousy for her.” (3) This is what the Lord says: “I will return to Zion and dwell in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the Faithful City, and the mountain of the Lord Almighty will be called the Holy Mountain.” (4) This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Once again men and women of ripe old age will sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each of them with cane in hand because of their age. (5) The city streets will be filled with boys and girls playing there.” (6) This is what the Lord Almighty says: “It may seem marvelous to the remnant of the people at that time, but will it seem marvelous to me?” declares the Lord Almighty. (7) This is what the Lord Almighty says: “I will save my people from the countries of the east and the west. (8) I will bring them back to live in Jerusalem; they will be my people, and I will be faithful and righteous to them as their God.” (9) This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Now hear these words, ‘Let your hands be strong so that the temple may be built.’ This is also what the prophets said who were present when the foundation was laid for the house of the Lord Almighty. (10) Before that time there were no wages for people or hire for animals. No one could go about their business safely because of their enemies, since I had turned everyone against their neighbor. (11) But now I will not deal with the remnant of this people as I did in the past,” declares the Lord Almighty. (12) “The seed will grow well, the vine will yield its fruit, the ground will produce its crops, and the heavens will drop their dew. I will give all these things as an inheritance to the remnant of this people. (13) Just as you, Judah and Israel, have been a curse among the nations, so I will save you, and you will be a blessing. Do not be afraid, but let your hands be strong.” (14) This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Just as I had determined to bring disaster on you and showed no pity when your ancestors angered me,” says the Lord Almighty, (15) “so now I have determined to do good again to Jerusalem and Judah. Do not be afraid. (16) These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to each other, and render true and sound judgment in your courts; (17) do not plot evil against each other, and do not love to swear falsely. I hate all this,” declares the Lord. (18) The word of the Lord Almighty came to me. (19) This is what the Lord Almighty says: “The fasts of the fourth, fifth, seventh and tenth months will become joyful and glad occasions and happy festivals for Judah. Therefore love truth and peace.” (20) This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Many peoples and the inhabitants of many cities will yet come, (21) and the inhabitants of one city will go to another and say, ‘Let us go at once to entreat the Lord and seek the Lord Almighty. I myself am going.’ (22) And many peoples and powerful nations will come to Jerusalem to seek the Lord Almighty and to entreat him.” (23) This is what the Lord Almighty says: “In those days ten people from all languages and nations will take firm hold by one Jew by the hem of his robe and say, ‘Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you.’” ZECHARIAH 9 (NIV) – 4:04 Zechariah, chapter 9. (1) A prophecy: The word of the Lord is against the land of Hadrak and will come to rest on Damascus— for the eyes of all people and all the tribes of Israel are on the Lord— (2) and on Hamath too, which borders on it, and on Tyre and Sidon, though they are very skillful. (3) Tyre has built herself a stronghold; she has heaped up silver like dust, and gold like the dirt of the streets. (4) But the Lord will take away her possessions and destroy her power on the sea, and she will be consumed by fire. (5) Ashkelon will see it and fear; Gaza will writhe in agony, and Ekron too, for her hope will wither. Gaza will lose her king and Ashkelon will be deserted. (6) A mongrel people will occupy Ashdod, and I will put an end to the pride of the Philistines. (7) I will take the blood from their mouths, the forbidden food from between their teeth. Those who are left will belong to our God and become a clan in Judah, and Ekron will be like the Jebusites. (8) But I will encamp at my temple to guard it against marauding forces. Never again will an oppressor overrun my people, for now I am keeping watch. (9) Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. (10) I will take away the chariots from Ephraim and the warhorses from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be broken. He will proclaim peace to the nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth. (11) As for you, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will free your prisoners from the waterless pit. (12) Return to your fortress, you prisoners of hope; even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you. (13) I will bend Judah as I bend my bow and fill it with Ephraim. I will rouse your sons, Zion, against your sons, Greece, and make you like a warrior’s sword. (14) Then the Lord will appear over them; his arrow will flash like lightning. The Sovereign Lord will sound the trumpet; he will march in the storms of the south, (15) and the Lord Almighty will shield them. They will destroy and overcome with slingstones. They will drink and roar as with wine; they will be full like a bowl used for sprinkling the corners of the altar. (16) The Lord their God will save his people on that day as a shepherd saves his flock. They will sparkle in his land like jewels in a crown. (17) How attractive and beautiful they will be! Grain will make the young men thrive, and new wine the young women. ZECHARIAH 10 (NIV) – 6:44 Zechariah, chapter 10. (1) Ask the Lord for rain in the springtime; it is the Lord who sends the thunderstorms. He gives showers of rain to all people, and plants of the field to everyone. (2) The idols speak deceitfully, diviners see visions that lie; they tell dreams that are false, they give comfort in vain. Therefore the people wander like sheep oppressed for lack of a shepherd. (3) “My anger burns against the shepherds, and I will punish the leaders; for the Lord Almighty will care for his flock, the people of Judah, and make them like a proud horse in battle. (4) From Judah will come the cornerstone, from him the tent peg, from him the battle bow, from him every ruler. (5) Together they will be like warriors in battle trampling their enemy into the mud of the streets. They will fight because the Lord is with them, and they will put the enemy horsemen to shame. (6) “I will strengthen Judah and save the tribes of Joseph. I will restore them because I have compassion on them. They will be as though I had not rejected them, for I am the Lord their God and I will answer them. (7) The Ephraimites will become like warriors, and their hearts will be glad as with wine. Their children will see it and be joyful; their hearts will rejoice in the Lord. (8) I will signal for them and gather them in. Surely I will redeem them; they will be as numerous as before. (9) Though I scatter them among the peoples, yet in distant lands they will remember me. They and their children will survive, and they will return. (10) I will bring them back from Egypt and gather them from Assyria. I will bring them to Gilead and Lebanon, and there will not be room enough for them. (11) They will pass through the sea of trouble; the surging sea will be subdued and all the depths of the Nile will dry up. Assyria’s pride will be brought down and Egypt’s scepter will pass away. (12) I will strengthen them in the Lord and in his name they will live securely,” declares the Lord. ZECHARIAH 11 (NIV) – 8:43 Zechariah, chapter 11. (1) Open your doors, Lebanon, so that fire may devour your cedars! (2) Wail, you juniper, for the cedar has fallen; the stately trees are ruined! Wail, oaks of Bashan; the dense forest has been cut down! (3) Listen to the wail of the shepherds; their rich pastures are destroyed! Listen to the roar of the lions; the lush thicket of the Jordan is ruined! (4) This is what the Lord my God says: “Shepherd the flock marked for slaughter. (5) Their buyers slaughter them and go unpunished. Those who sell them say, ‘Praise the Lord, I am rich!’ Their own shepherds do not spare them. (6) For I will no longer have pity on the people of the land,” declares the Lord. “I will give everyone into the hands of their neighbors and their king. They will devastate the land, and I will not rescue anyone from their hands.” (7) So I shepherded the flock marked for slaughter, particularly the oppressed of the flock. Then I took two staffs and called one Favor and the other Union, and I shepherded the flock. (8) In one month I got rid of the three shepherds. The flock detested me, and I grew weary of them (9) and said, “I will not be your shepherd. Let the dying die, and the perishing perish. Let those who are left eat one another’s flesh.” (10) Then I took my staff called Favor and broke it, revoking the covenant I had made with all the nations. (11) It was revoked on that day, and so the oppressed of the flock who were watching me knew it was the word of the Lord. (12) I told them, “If you think it best, give me my pay; but if not, keep it.” So they paid me thirty pieces of silver. (13) And the Lord said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—the handsome price at which they valued me! So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them to the potter at the house of the Lord. (14) Then I broke my second staff called Union, breaking the family bond between Judah and Israel. (15) Then the Lord said to me, “Take again the equipment of a foolish shepherd. (16) For I am going to raise up a shepherd over the land who will not care for the lost, or seek the young, or heal the injured, or feed the healthy, but will eat the meat of the choice sheep, tearing off their hooves. (17) “Woe to the worthless shepherd, who deserts the flock! May the sword strike his arm and his right eye! May his arm be completely withered, his right eye totally blinded!” ZECHARIAH 12 (HCSB) – 11:07 Zechariah, chapter 12. (1) An Oracle The word of the Lord concerning Israel. A declaration of the Lord, who stretched out the heavens, laid the foundation of the earth, and formed the spirit of man within him. (2) “Look, I will make Jerusalem a cup that causes staggering for the peoples who surround the city. The siege against Jerusalem will also involve Judah. (3) On that day I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who try to lift it will injure themselves severely when all the nations of the earth gather against her. (4) On that day”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“I will strike every horse with panic and its rider with madness. I will keep a watchful eye on the house of Judah but strike all the horses of the nations with blindness. (5) Then each of the leaders of Judah will think to himself: The residents of Jerusalem are my strength through the Lord of Hosts, their God. (6) On that day I will make the leaders of Judah like a firepot in a woodpile, like a flaming torch among sheaves; they will consume all the peoples around them on the right and the left, while Jerusalem continues to be inhabited on its site, in Jerusalem. (7) The Lord will save the tents of Judah first, so that the glory of David’s house and the glory of Jerusalem’s residents may not be greater than that of Judah. (8) On that day the Lord will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that on that day the one who is weakest among them will be like David on that day, and the house of David will be like God, like the Angel of the Lord, before them. (9) On that day I will set out to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. (10) “Then I will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the house of David and the residents of Jerusalem, and they will look at Me whom they pierced. They will mourn for Him as one mourns for an only child and weep bitterly for Him as one weeps for a firstborn. (11) On that day the mourning in Jerusalem will be as great as the mourning of Hadad-rimmon in the plain of Megiddo. (12) The land will mourn, every family by itself: the family of David’s house by itself and their women by themselves; the family of Nathan’s house by itself and their women by themselves; (13) the family of Levi’s house by itself and their women by themselves; the family of Shimei by itself and their women by themselves; (14) all the remaining families, every family by itself, and their women by themselves. ZECHARIAH 13 (HCSB) – 13:33 Zechariah, chapter 13. (1) “On that day a fountain will be opened for the house of David and for the residents of Jerusalem, to wash away sin and impurity. (2) On that day”—this is the declaration of the Lord of Hosts—“I will erase the names of the idols from the land, and they will no longer be remembered. I will remove the prophets and the unclean spirit from the land. (3) If a man still prophesies, his father and his mother who bore him will say to him: You cannot remain alive because you have spoken falsely in the name of Yahweh. When he prophesies, his father and his mother who bore him will pierce him through. (4) On that day every prophet will be ashamed of his vision when he prophesies; they will not put on a hairy cloak in order to deceive. (5) He will say: I am not a prophet; I work the land, for a man purchased me as a servant since my youth. (6) If someone asks him: What are these wounds on your chest? — then he will answer: I received the wounds in the house of my friends. (7) Sword, awake against My shepherd, against the man who is My associate— this is the declaration of the Lord of Hosts. Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered; I will also turn My hand against the little ones. (8) In the whole land— this is the Lord’s declaration— two-thirds will be cut off and die, but a third will be left in it. (9) I will put this third through the fire; I will refine them as silver is refined and test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, and I will restore them. I will say: They are My people, and they will say: Yahweh is our God.” ZECHARIAH 14 (HCSB) – 15:11 Zechariah, chapter 14. (1) A day of the Lord is coming when your plunder will be divided in your presence. (2) I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem for battle. The city will be captured, the houses looted, and the women raped. Half the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be removed from the city. (3) Then the Lord will go out to fight against those nations as He fights on a day of battle. (4) On that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east. The Mount of Olives will be split in half from east to west, forming a huge valley, so that half the mountain will move to the north and half to the south. (5) You will flee by My mountain valley, for the valley of the mountains will extend to Azal. You will flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the Lord my God will come and all the holy ones with Him. (6) On that day there will be no light; the sunlight and moonlight will diminish. (7) It will be a day known only to Yahweh, without day or night, but there will be light at evening. (8) On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half of it toward the eastern sea and the other half toward the western sea, in summer and winter alike. (9) On that day Yahweh will become King over all the earth—Yahweh alone, and His name alone. (10) All the land from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem will be changed into a plain. But Jerusalem will be raised up and will remain on its site from the Benjamin Gate to the place of the First Gate, to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the royal winepresses. (11) People will live there, and never again will there be a curse of complete destruction. So Jerusalem will dwell in security. (12) This will be the plague the Lord strikes all the peoples with, who have warred against Jerusalem: their flesh will rot while they stand on their feet, their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongues will rot in their mouths. (13) On that day a great panic from the Lord will be among them, so that each will seize the hand of another, and the hand of one will rise against the other. (14) Judah will also fight at Jerusalem, and the wealth of all the surrounding nations will be collected: gold, silver, and clothing in great abundance. (15) The same plague as the previous one will strike the horses, mules, camels, donkeys, and all the animals that are in those camps. (16) Then all the survivors from the nations that came against Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the Lord of Hosts, and to celebrate the Festival of Booths. (17) Should any of the families of the earth not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of Hosts, rain will not fall on them. (18) And if the people[k] of Egypt will not go up and enter, then rain will not fall on them; this will be the plague the Lord inflicts on the nations who do not go up to celebrate the Festival of Booths. (19) This will be the punishment of Egypt and all the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Festival of Booths. (20) On that day, the words HOLY TO THE LORD will be on the bells of the horses. The pots in the house of the Lord will be like the sprinkling basins before the altar. (21) Every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah will be holy to the Lord of Hosts. Everyone who sacrifices will come and take some of the pots to cook in. And on that day there will no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the Lord of Hosts. COMMENTS – 18:35 In chapter 7, the Lord through Zechariah said that his people ignored him. So he ignored them and scattered them among the nations. But in chapter 8, he once again said how much He loves them, and then makes nine more statements that demonstrate that love so that they would not be discouraged by the punishment they had received because of their disobedience. And isn’t that how a loving father disciplines his child. It’s sad when a parent allows a child to lose hope and to doubt that he or she is still loved, isn’t it? Discipline should always be couched in love, and the child should always have that love reinforced. And this is what God the Father has always done for us His children. Now in verse one of chapter 12, we read the Word of the Lord concerning Israel, a declaration of the Lord who stretched out the heavens, laid the foundation of the earth and formed the spirit of man within him. That verse is confirming that the God who created all that is, spoke this message just in case there was any doubt about its veracity. The supreme being of the universe has a message and all who here should listen. And then the bottom line of God’s message is that any nation that comes against Jerusalem will ultimately be soundly defeated. Any nation that comes against Israel is on a fool’s errand. They may triumph for a day but the final outcome is sure. Chapter 12 ends, of course, with a look forward to Jesus himself, and the fact that he would be pierced and the mourning that would take place upon his death. And then chapter 13 begins with a declaration of what would be the result of the piercing. It says, “On that day a fountain will be opened for the house of David and for the residents of Jerusalem, to wash away sin and impurity.“ Now, of course, being on this side of the prophecy and having knowledge of the New Testament and the work of Jesus, we know that this promise applies to all not just to the house of David and the residence of Jerusalem. It applies to all who believe. And then the rest of the chapter speaks more of who this Messiah would be. And it ends with another beautiful promise. That promise is: “I will refine them as silver is refined and test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, and I will answer them. I will say: They are My people, and they will say: Yahweh is our God.” Imagine, Beloved, this God who created all that is, says, “Steve is mine. Mike is mine. Suzie is mine.” Put your own name in there. You are his, if he is your God. What a privilege! Are you feeling bad today? Do you think no one loves you? Do you get no respect? Well, listen, you are his! Hallelujah! You are his! That should thrill your heart. I know what thrills mine. The final chapter of Zechariah shows us a glimpse of one of the final chapters of man’s history on Earth. It talks about a last battle with those who are against God in the resolution of the aftermath: peace. So why did the Lord leave this message with us? So that even when we’re still in the midst of the turmoil and pain that we all must endure, our heart can have peace in the knowledge that we belong to Him. And as such, we will be included in his victory and then have lasting peace. Yes, there are difficulties in life but we mustn’t lose sight of the fact that they are temporary. Every situation we’re in, it’s only for a season. It is not permanent. But God is permanent and unchanging. His promises never fail. And his promise is that victory is sure, and peace is secure. Rest in that, Beloved. What are your thoughts? You have a comment? Let me know lifespringmedia.com/s12e324. Tomorrow is Gospel Saturday, and we’ll read Acts 17 and 18. Boost. ASSOCIATE PRODUCER SHOUT-OUT – 22:50 Our Associate Producer, today, is Timothy LaFontaine. He sent in his monthly $20 donation. Timothy, thank you so very much. God bless you, my brother. Thank you for supporting the show. VALUE-FOR-VALUE – 23:01 Beloved, as you know, the Lifespring Family Audio Bible is here for you every day of the week to help keep you on track to read through the entire Bible in a year. There are no advertisers, but expenses do need to be paid, and that’s where you come in. If you value the show, because it is helping you to stay in the word every day or because of the comments I bring to you on every show and the fact that I don’t compromise God’s word, then please support the show. Go to lifespringmedia.com and donate what you feel is equal to the value you receive from the show. Pray about it and do as the Lord leads, lifespringmedia.com/support. I’ll thank you and I believe God’ll bless you. ON THIS DATE IN CHURCH HISTORY – 23:49 On this date in church history, July 22, 1620, Pastor John Robinson and a band of Separatist Puritans from England who had taken refuge in the Netherlands left Holland for England on this day to emigrate to America. And this congregation afterward became known as the Pilgrims. And on this date in church history, July 22, 1849, Emma Lazarus was born. She was an American Jewish poet and essayist. In 1883, she authored the poem, “The New Colossus”, which is inscribed on the base of the Statue of Liberty. PRAYER REQUEST – 24:31 Well, I haven’t mentioned Kathi to you lately. If you’ve been around for a while, you know that Kathi is battling cancer. She’s had some surgeries – well she’s had several surgeries over the years, but recently she had a surgery, and Del took her to City of Hope today for a checkup. She’s not been doing well lately. She’s had to have a few blood transfusions over the last several weeks. And they had an appointment today with the oncologist and this is what Del told me. He said, “The oncologist told us today that he wants to stop the current hormone treatment. Her numbers have gone from 171 to 195.” And those are cancer markers, those – that’s not good for the numbers to be going up. Del continues, “He believes she’ll continue to deteriorate because the cancer is in the bone marrow.” There’s a new drug that was just approved by the FDA a few weeks ago. And it has some side effects, some hair loss, nausea, and susceptibility to infections and other things. So, Del said, “We have a choice to make. Stay on the current drug and slowly die. Or try the new drug with the hope of gaining some life back or dying sooner if it doesn’t work. The doctor said he’d take the risk with his own family.” So Del said they’re going to do the new drug. And the first infusion will be on the 28th for three hours, and then three weeks later for a one hour transfusion. And then every three weeks after, and the decisions on whether they continue or not, will be at three, six, nine and twelve months based on weekly labs. So I asked Del how she took the news. And he said, “She’s feeling very hopeful.” He said, “She’s been praying for a drug that works for her type of cancer.” And he said, “Naturally, we’re looking for her to go into remission.” And then I asked Del how he’s feeling. And he said, “Well, the doctor asked us, straight out of the box, if her affairs were in order.” He said “I’m okay, but overwhelmed by a lot of issues. And this has always been there. I’m taking it one day at a time.” So, Beloved, let’s not just pray here, but if you would remember to pray for Del and Kathi, just – throughout the next few weeks, I would certainly appreciate it. CLOSING PRAYER – 26:37 Let’s pray. Our Heavenly Father, we thank you so much for the redemption that you provided to us through Jesus. Thank you for being a loving Father who does not leave us doubting your love for us. Lord, I lift Kathi up to you and Del. As Kathi begins this new treatment, I ask that it’d be effective, Lord, and that the side effects will be minimal. Be with her now, Lord. I know she’s feeling discouraged. And I pray that you comfort both her and Del. And I pray that the Holy Spirit would be with him in a powerful way. May they lean on you as they have from the very beginning of this journey, ever since they learned of the cancer diagnosis all those years ago. You’ve brought them through so many trials, Lord, and I pray this in Jesus name, amen. If you have a prayer request or to praise, please go to prayer.lifespringmedia.com. And let me know about it. I’ll pray for you in my private prayer time and we’ll pray together on the show. OUTRO S12E324 – 27:39 Comment on the show at lifespringmedia.com/s12e324. Send an email to me at st***@*************ia.com. And thank you to Kirsty, Sean of San Pedro and Denise. I thank God for you every day. And thanks to Tim for helping to bring the show to you today with his support. And thank you for inviting me to join your day. Let’s do it again tomorrow. Are you glad the show is here? Are you getting something out of it? Then go to lifespringmedia.com/support. Until tomorrow, may God bless you richly. My name is Steve Webb. Bye. Transcribed by https://otter.ai Corrected by Denise Please rate or review the show by clicking the heart! The post S3E325 – Zechariah 8-14: There Is A Fountain first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

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  • S12 · E324
    September 10 · 10 min

    S3E324 – Ecclesiastes 9-10: No White Knuckles

    Transcript Podcast Introduction Today is Poetry Thursday. We’ll read Ecclesiastes 9-10. I’m calling today’s episode “No White Knuckles.” Design and Photo: Steve Webb Comments on Ecclesiastes 9-10 Last week when we were last in Ecclesiastes, at the end of chapter eight, Solomon had said that after setting his mind on understanding wisdom, after watching what happens here on earth, he concluded that it’s impossible for a man to understand it all. And this is coming from the wisest man that ever lived! At the beginning of our reading today began with the words, “So I considered all of this carefully, examining all of it: The righteous and the wise and their deeds are in God’s hand…” I’ve discovered that this is a good place to be. Before Jesus left this world he said, “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give you. I give you not as the world gives. Don’t be troubled or afraid.” If we try to make sense out of the world, as Solomon did, will become just like him. We will become cynical and jaded. Solomon spent many years in pursuit of the things the world tells us will bring happiness. And near the end, he threw in the towel, and he said, “It’s too much. I can’t understand.” When I was a few years, well, okay, when I was many years younger, during the Jesus Freak days…In the late 60s and early 70s, there was a popular bumper sticker around that said, “Let go and let God.” Like most bumper stickers, that’s overly simplistic, but it fits in our discussion here. When we’re willing to admit that we’re not in control, that it’s all in God’s hands, it becomes easier to let go and let God. One of the reasons Jesus came was to give us peace, which is good, since all the things that the world says will give His peace fall sadly short. It’s a good thing to remember that I’m not God, which is good because I don’t want that job. Today’s Bible Translation Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 9-10 NKJV Support This a value for value podcast. There are no advertisers because advertising=censorship. If you enjoy the Lifespring Family Audio Bible, decide how much value it brings to you. Only you can make that determination. Then put a number on the value and send it to me here: SUPPORT. Transcript Download .txt file. STEVE WEBB – 0:00 It’s too much. I can’t understand. INTRO S12E323 – 0:10 Right outta Riverside, California, this is the Lifespring Family Audio Bible, and podcasting since 2004, I’m your OG Godcaster, Steve Webb. This is the daily show where we’re reading through the entire Bible in a year. How’re you doing? Today’s Poetry Thursday. We’ll read Ecclesiastes 9 and 10. And I’m calling the episode, “No White Knuckles”. The show notes page for today’s episode is at lifespringmedia.com/s12e323. And my email address is st***@*************ia.com. Let’s get going. ECCLESIASTE 9 (NKJV) – 0:42 Ecclesiastes, chapter 9. (1) For I considered all this in my heart, so that I could declare it all: that the righteous and the wise and their works are in the hand of God. People know neither love nor hatred by anything they see before them. (2) All things come alike to all: One event happens to the righteous and the wicked; To the good, the clean, and the unclean; To him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice. As is the good, so is the sinner; He who takes an oath as he who fears an oath. (3) This is an evil in all that is done under the sun: that one thing happens to all. Truly the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil; madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead. (4) But for him who is joined to the living there is hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion. (5) For the living know that they will die; But the dead know nothing, And they have no more reward, For the memory of them is forgotten. (6) Also their love, their hatred, and their envy have now perished; Nevermore will they have a share In anything done under the sun. (7) Go, eat your bread with joy, And drink your wine with a merry heart; For God has already accepted your works. (8) Let your garments always be white, And let your head lack no oil. (9) Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your vain life which He has given you under the sun, all your days of vanity; for that is your portion in life, and in the labor which you perform under the sun. (10) Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going. (11) I returned and saw under the sun that— The race is not to the swift, Nor the battle to the strong, Nor bread to the wise, Nor riches to men of understanding, Nor favor to men of skill; But time and chance happen to them all. (12) For man also does not know his time: Like fish taken in a cruel net, Like birds caught in a snare, So the sons of men are snared in an evil time, When it falls suddenly upon them. (13) This wisdom I have also seen under the sun, and it seemed great to me: (14) There was a little city with few men in it; and a great king came against it, besieged it, and built great snares around it. (15) Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city. Yet no one remembered that same poor man. (16) Then I said: “Wisdom is better than strength. Nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, And his words are not heard. (17) Words of the wise, spoken quietly, should be heard Rather than the shout of a ruler of fools. (18) Wisdom is better than weapons of war; But one sinner destroys much good.” ECCLESIASTER 10 (NKJV) – 3:36 Ecclesiastes, chapter 10. (1) Dead flies putrefy the perfumer’s ointment, And cause it to give off a foul odor; So does a little folly to one respected for wisdom and honor. (2) A wise man’s heart is at his right hand, But a fool’s heart at his left. (3) Even when a fool walks along the way, He lacks wisdom, And he shows everyone that he is a fool. (4) If the spirit of the ruler rises against you, Do not leave your post; For conciliation pacifies great offenses. (5) There is an evil I have seen under the sun, As an error proceeding from the ruler: (6) Folly is set in great dignity, While the rich sit in a lowly place. (7) I have seen servants on horses, While princes walk on the ground like servants. (8) He who digs a pit will fall into it, And whoever breaks through a wall will be bitten by a serpent. (9) He who quarries stones may be hurt by them, And he who splits wood may be endangered by it. (10) If the ax is dull, And one does not sharpen the edge, Then he must use more strength; But wisdom brings success. (11) A serpent may bite when it is not charmed; The babbler is no different. (12) The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious, But the lips of a fool shall swallow him up; (13) The words of his mouth begin with foolishness, And the end of his talk is raving madness. (14) A fool also multiplies words. No man knows what is to be; Who can tell him what will be after him? (15) The labor of fools wearies them, For they do not even know how to go to the city! (16) Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child, And your princes feast in the morning! (17) Blessed are you, O land, when your king is the son of nobles, And your princes feast at the proper time— For strength and not for drunkenness! (18) Because of laziness the building decays, And through idleness of hands the house leaks. (19) A feast is made for laughter, And wine makes merry; But money answers everything. (20) Do not curse the king, even in your thought; Do not curse the rich, even in your bedroom; For a bird of the air may carry your voice, And a bird in flight may tell the matter. COMMENTS – 5:54 Last week when we were last in Ecclesiastes, at the end of chapter 8, Solomon had said that after setting his mind on understanding wisdom, after watching what happens here on earth, he concluded that it’s impossible for a man to understand it all, and this is coming from the wisest man that ever lived. And the beginning of our reading today began with the words: “So I considered all of this carefully examining all of it, the righteous and the wise and their deeds are in God’s hand…” Well, beloved, I’ve discovered that this is a good place to be. Before Jesus left this world, he said, “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give you. I give you not as the world gives. Don’t be troubled or afraid.” If we try to make sense out of the world, as Solomon did, we’ll become just like him. We’ll become cynical and jaded. Solomon spent many years in pursuit of the things the world tells us will bring happiness and near the end, he threw in the towel, and he said, “It’s too much I can’t understand.” When I was a few years – well, okay, when I was many years younger, during the Jesus Freak days – we’ve talked about this before – in the late 60s and early 70s, there was a popular bumper sticker around that said, “Let go and let God”. Well of course, like most bumper stickers, that’s overly simplistic, but it fits in our discussion here. When we’re willing to admit that we’re not in control, that it’s all in God’s hands, it becomes easier to let go and let God One of the reasons Jesus came was to give us peace, which is good, since all the things that the world says will give us peace fall sadly short. It’s a good thing to remember that I’m not God, which is good because I don’t want that job. What do you think? Let me know at lifespringmedia.com/s12e323. Tomorrow is Prophecy Friday and we’ll read Zechariah 8 through 14 which will finish that book. Boost. Boost. Boost. ON THIS DATE IN CHURCH HISTORY – 8:08 On this date in church history, July 21, 1829, Priscilla Jane Owens was born and she was an American public school teacher and hymn writer. She lived her entire life in Baltimore, where she taught for 49 years. She also published a number of articles and poems during her lifetime, including the hymn texts, “We Have an Anchor” and “Jesus Saves”. And on July 21, 1900, Albert Schweitzer received his Licentiate in theology. He later became famous as a musicologist, physician, and missionary. CLOSING PRAYER – 8:50 Let’s pray. Our heavenly Father, help us to let go. Help us to trust You, Lord. Help us to focus on the things you’ve called us to do and let go of the things that are out of our ability to control. Help us to “let go and let God” because we know in our minds that you are infinitely more capable than we are. But sometimes it’s so difficult to let go. Of course you know that about us, and that’s why you said in your word so many times, “Fear not”. Help us not to fear Lord, give us your peace and help us to trust in You. Lord, I thank you so much for the Lifespring family and I ask that you bless them today. In Jesus name, amen. The word tells us that we are to bear one another’s burdens. That means we’re supposed to pray for each other. So if you’d like to share a prayer request or to praise with the Lifespring family, there’s a place you can go. It’s at prayer.lifespringmedia.com. OUTRO S12E323 – 9:54 If you’d like to comment on anything you heard today, go to lifespringmedia.com/s12e323. Send me an email at st***@*************ia.com. Thanks to the team: Kirsty, Sean of San Pedro and Denise. And thank you for letting me be in your ears today. I appreciate it. Support the show at lifespringmedia.com/support. Until tomorrow, may God bless you richly. My name is Steve Webb. Bye. Transcribed by https://otter.ai Corrected by Denise Please rate or review the show by clicking the heart! The post S3E324 – Ecclesiastes 9-10: No White Knuckles first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

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  • S12 · E323
    September 9 · 18 min

    S3E323 – Psalms 134-136: Forever Is A Long Time

    Transcript Executive Producer John. Podcast Introduction Today is Psalms Wednesday. We’ll read chapters 134-136. I’ll have a brief introduction to the chapter before we begin reading. I’m calling today’s episode “Forever Is A Long Time” Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Gerhard Kupfer on Unsplash Comments on Psalm 136 You might remember that I’ve said more than once, “When the Bible repeats something, it’s usually because God wants us to remember it,” or words to that effect. See if you can pick up the important thought in this psalm. I have no doubt that it didn’t take long for you to figure out the important thought in Psalm 136. “…his steadfast love endures forever.” Our translation today was the ESV. Here’s how the NASB says it, “…His lovingkindness is everlasting.” The NIV says, “His love endures forever.” Many other translations say, “His mercy endures forever. That’s my favorite one. But however you say it, the phrase is repeated 26 times in this psalm. Twenty-six times! Do you think God has a message for us? God’s mercy is eternal. It will never cease. Forever is a long time, beloved. The original Hebrew word used here is “hesed”. It’s a beautiful word. Listen to what Michael Card said about it. Oh, to think that this God of hesed would take notice of you and me. How sad it is that some people reject this kind of love. I can’t help but believe that they just don’t know. Oh beloved, that we would be the kind of people who would be motivated to tell them. Michael Card is, among other things a singer and songwriter, with 19 number 1 singles. Today’s Bible Translation Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 134-136 ESV Support This a value for value podcast. There are no advertisers because advertising=censorship. If you enjoy the Lifespring Family Audio Bible, decide how much value it brings to you. Only you can make that determination. Then put a number on the value and send it to me here: SUPPORT. Transcript Download .txt file. STEVE WEBB – 0:00 It’s a beautiful word. INTRO S12E322 – 0:09 Is it that time again? Well, then, let’s go! Coming to you from Riverside, California, this is the Lifespring Family Audio Bible, and podcasting since 2004, I’m your OG Godcaster, Steve Webb. This is the daily show where we’re reading through the entire Bible in a year. What’s new? Thanks for being here. Today is Psalms Wednesday, and we’ll read chapters 134 through 136. I think you’re gonna like this episode. I’ll have a brief introduction to each book before we begin reading, and of course, I have some comments. But I’m calling today’s episode “Forever is a Long Time”. Today’s episode is at lifespringmedia.com/s12e322. My email address is st***@*************ia.com. Let’s begin. INTRO TO PSALM 134 – 0:50 Psalm 134 is very short. As a matter of fact, this introduction will probably take longer than reading the psalm itself. It’s the last in the series of fifteen Songs of Ascent. Charles Spurgeon’s interpretation of the song is that it’s early morning still dark, and the pilgrims who have journeyed to the temple to observe one of the festivals are now beginning their trek back home. They call to the temple priests and the Levites as they leave, and then they’re answered by the priests and the Levites, who call back to them with blessings. PSALM 134 (ESV) – 1:19 Psalms, chapter 134. (1) Come, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord, who stand by night in the house of the Lord! (2) Lift up your hands to the holy place and bless the Lord! (3) May the Lord bless you from Zion, he who made heaven and earth! INTRO TO PSALM 135 – 1:38 Psalm 135 has no title nor is there an author credited. In nearly every verse in Psalm 135 either quotes either the words or idea of another Old Testament verse or passage. Included are parts of four different Psalms, two passages each from Deuteronomy, Jeremiah and Exodus. PSALM 135 (ESV) – 1:58 Psalms chapter 135. (1) Praise the Lord! Praise the name of the Lord, give praise, O servants of the Lord, (2) who stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God! (3) Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; sing to his name, for it is pleasant! (4) For the Lord has chosen Jacob for himself, Israel as his own possession. (5) For I know that the Lord is great, and that our Lord is above all gods. (6) Whatever the Lord pleases, he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps. (7) He it is who makes the clouds rise at the end of the earth, who makes lightnings for the rain and brings forth the wind from his storehouses. (8) He it was who struck down the firstborn of Egypt, both of man and of beast; (9) who in your midst, O Egypt, sent signs and wonders against Pharaoh and all his servants; (10) who struck down many nations and killed mighty kings, (11) Sihon, king of the Amorites, and Og, king of Bashan, and all the kingdoms of Canaan, (12) and gave their land as a heritage, a heritage to his people Israel. (13) Your name, O Lord, endures forever, your renown, O Lord, throughout all ages. (14) For the Lord will vindicate his people and have compassion on his servants. (15) The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of human hands. (16) They have mouths, but do not speak; they have eyes, but do not see; (17) they have ears, but do not hear, nor is there any breath in their mouths. (18) Those who make them become like them, so do all who trust in them. (19) O house of Israel, bless the Lord! O house of Aaron, bless the Lord! (20) O house of Levi, bless the Lord! You who fear the Lord, bless the Lord! (21) Blessed be the Lord from Zion, he who dwells in Jerusalem! Praise the Lord! INTRO TO PSALM 136 – 3:56 You might remember that I’ve said many more times than once, when the Bible repeats something, it’s usually because God wants us to remember it or words to that effect. See if you can pick up the important thought in this psalm. PSALM 136 (ESV) – 4:10 Psalms, chapter 136. (1) Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. (2) Give thanks to the God of gods, for his steadfast love endures forever. (3) Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his steadfast love endures forever; (4) to him who alone does great wonders, for his steadfast love endures forever; (5) to him who by understanding made the heavens, for his steadfast love endures forever; (6) to him who spread out the earth above the waters, for his steadfast love endures forever; (7) to him who made the great lights, for his steadfast love endures forever; (8) the sun to rule over the day, for his steadfast love endures forever; (9) the moon and stars to rule over the night, for his steadfast love endures forever; (10) to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt, for his steadfast love endures forever; (11) and brought Israel out from among them, for his steadfast love endures forever; (12) with a strong hand and an outstretched arm, for his steadfast love endures forever; (13) to him who divided the Red Sea in two, for his steadfast love endures forever; (14) and made Israel pass through the midst of it, for his steadfast love endures forever; (15) but overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea, for his steadfast love endures forever; (16) to him who led his people through the wilderness, for his steadfast love endures forever; (17) to him who struck down great kings, for his steadfast love endures forever; (18) and killed mighty kings, for his steadfast love endures forever; (19) Sihon, king of the Amorites, for his steadfast love endures forever; (20) and Og, king of Bashan, for his steadfast love endures forever; (21) and gave their land as a heritage, for his steadfast love endures forever; (22) a heritage to Israel his servant, for his steadfast love endures forever. (23) It is he who remembered us in our low estate, for his steadfast love endures forever; (24) and rescued us from our foes, for his steadfast love endures forever; (25) he who gives food to all flesh, for his steadfast love endures forever. (26) Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever. COMMENTS – 6:26 I have no doubt that it didn’t take long for you to figure out that the important thought in Psalm 136 is “His steadfast love endures forever”. And that’s how it reads in the ESV or the English Standard Version. Here’s how the New American Standard says it: “His loving-kindness is everlasting”. And the NIV says, “His love endures forever”. Many other translations say, “His mercy endures forever”. That’s my favorite one. But however you say it, the phrase is repeated 26 times in this psalm. Twenty-six times. Do you think God has a message for us? God’s mercy is eternal. It will never cease. Forever is a longtime, Beloved. The original Hebrew word used here is “hesed”. It’s a beautiful word. Listen to what Michael Card said about it. MICHAEL CARD – 7:15 One of the newest Biblical Imagination Conferences we’re doing is on the Hebrew word “hesed”, which is an untranslatable word. It’s translated 169 different ways in six different English translations. So you can tell right away it’s a special word that nobody knows – ultimately knows what to do with. But it’s fundamentally “kindness”, “unexpected kindness”, “undeserved kindness”, “love”, “loyalty”, translated lots of other ways. But the word “loving-kindness” was invented in 1535 by Myles Coverdale to translate this one word, “hesed”, this untranslatable word. So the “Hesed” conference is a special one for me, because you have a chance to see people’s lights come on, in ways that I think the other conferences don’t, don’t do. And that is it strikes people on a personal level. Because when you start talking about this unique revelation of God – because it’s the word that God uses to define himself to Moses in Exodus 34 – God says, I am full of “hesed”, and I show “hesed” to 1000 generations. And when you see people, you see the lights come on, and they realize that the fundamental characteristic of God… I say it this way: you expect almightiness from God, you expect that he knows everything, you expect that… you expect these kinds of big things from the God of the universe, right, the God who speaks the universe into existence. But to me, one thing you don’t expect, I don’t think Moses expected or Abraham or any of the Old Testament characters expected – nobody saw this coming – that God was kind. And people begin to connect with that. And, and, and to see how wonderfully Jesus – who is the Son of God, who is the very image of God – Jesus incarnates this kindness. And something resonates, I think, in your own heart, because I think a lot of us are hungry, to experience kindness. And we’re hungry to express – to show God’s kindness. And so what happens at this “hesed” kindness conference is that people get in touch with this simple fact that God is kind. And that Jesus has come to reveal that kindness to us, this unexpected kindness. Though, though, I have no right to expect anything from him, God shows me his kindness. And that’s something that really gets people excited about delving into the Bible and trying to live it out. COMMENTS (CONT’D) – 9:59 Oh, to think that this God of “hesed” would take notice of you and me. How sad it is that some people reject this kind of love. I can’t help but believe that they just don’t know. Oh, Beloved, that we would be the kind of people who would be motivated to tell them. And by the way, the guy you just heard from, Michael Card, among other things, he’s a singer and songwriter with 19 number 1 singles. At the end of the show. I’ll share one of his most beautiful songs, which was an early hit for Amy Grant. What are your thoughts? Go to lifespringmedia.com/s12e322. And let me know. Tomorrow’s Thursday, Poetry Thursday. We’ll read Ecclesiastes 9 and 10. Boost. EXECUTIVE PRODUCER SHOUT-OUT – 10:52 Today’s executive producer is John and he came in with his monthly $50 donation. John, thank you so very much. God bless you, my brother. ON THIS DATE IN CHURCH HISTORY – 11:13 On this date in church history, July 20, 1922, Belle Harris Bennett passed away. She was a missions leader and social reformer of the American Southern Methodist Church. And in 1892, she helped to found the Scarritt College for Christian Workers which closed in 1988. The campus is in Nashville and it is now the Scarritt Bennett Center. CLOSING PRAYER – 11:43 Let’s pray. Our heavenly Father, El-Shaddai, God Almighty, we are so thankful for your “hesed” which endures forever. How we praise you. How we honor you and adore you. There is none like you and you’re more than worthy of all of our praise. Hallelujah, we praise You. We pray this in Jesus name, amen. If you have a prayer request or a praise that you’d like to share with the Lifespring family, please do go to prayer.lifespringmedia.com. OUTRO S12E322 – 12:17 Comment on the show and lifespringmedia.com/s12e322. Send me an email at st***@*************ia.com thanks to the team: Kirsty, Sean of San Pedro and Denise. And thanks to John for helping to bring the show to you today. And, by the way, that boostagram I talked about yesterday from Sean of San Pedro, the boostagram that was 4,321? Yesterday’s episode was 3-2-1. So when he said it, he said 4, as in “for”, for 321. So he send that boostagram in the amount of 4-3-2-1. I can’t believe I didn’t get that. Probably some of you did. And you’re thinking Steve, how could you not see that? He sent me an email to explain. Oh man, sometimes I’m so dense. Anyway, if you’re glad the show is here. If you are getting something out of it, please give something back. Go to lifespringmedia.com/support. Coming up is a song written by Michael Card. The name of the song is “El-Shaddai” which means “God Almighty”. The Bible has many names for God and this is one of them. Sidenote: One of the podcasts that I created back in the early days was called “Lifespring’s In Touch With God’s Character”. Each name of God reveals an aspect of who he is. And each episode of In Touch With God’s Character highlighted one of the names. You might want to check it out at lifespringmedia.com. Each episode is only about three minutes long. Now the song “El-Shaddai” was recorded by Amy Grant back in 1982. And at the 1983 GMA Dove Awards, which is a bit like the Christian Grammys, Amy’s recording won Song of the Year and Michael Card won Songwriter of the Year. In 2001, “El-Shaddai” was named one of the Songs of the Century by the RIAA. And I hope you like it. Until tomorrow, may God bless you richly. My name is Steve Webb. Bye. MICHAEL CARD SINGS “EL-SHADDAI” – 14:09 El-Shaddai, El-Shaddai [God Almighty, God Almighty] El-Elyon na Adonai [God in the highest, Oh, Lord] Age to age, You’re still the same By the power of the name El-Shaddai, El-Shaddai Erkamka na Adonai [We will love You, Oh, Lord] We will praise and lift You high El-Shaddai Through Your love And through the ram You saved the son Of Abraham And by the power Of Your hand Turned the sea Into dry land To the outcast On her knees You were the God Who really sees And by Your might You set Your children free El-Shaddai, El-Shaddai El-Elyon na Adonai Age to age, You’re still the same By the power of the name El-Shaddai, El-Shaddai Erkamka na Adonai We will praise and lift You high El-Shaddai Through the years You made it clear That the time of Christ Was near Though the people Failed to see What Messiah ought to be Though Your Word Contained the plan They just could not understand Your most awesome work was done Through the frailty of Your son El-Shaddai, El-Shaddai El-Elyon na Adonai Age to age, You’re still the same By the power of the name El-Shaddai, El-Shaddai Erkamka na Adonai We will praise and lift You high El-Shaddai El-Shaddai, El-Shaddai El-Elyon na Adonai Age to age, You’re still the same By the power of the name El-Shaddai, El-Shaddai Erkamka na Adonai We will praise and lift You high El-Shaddai We will praise and lift You high El-Shaddai Transcribed by https://otter.ai Corrected by Denise Please rate or review the show by clicking the heart! The post S3E323 – Psalms 134-136: Forever Is A Long Time first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

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  • S12 · E322
    September 8 · 33 min

    S3E322 – Ezra 6-10: It’s Not As Bad As It Sounds

    Transcript Podcast Introduction Today is History Tuesday, and we’ll read Ezra 6-10. I’m calling today’s episode “It’s Not As Bad As It Sounds.” Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Xan Griffin on Unsplash Comments on Ezra 10 In this chapter we find Ezra kneeling in front of the temple, tearfully confessing the sins of the people of Israel. And he is joined by a large crowd of men, women and children who also begin weeping bitterly. Why are they crying? Because they have disobeyed God by marrying foreign, or as some translations say, pagan women from the local area. Do you remember that God told them not to do this when they came into the Promised Land? Now they are truly remorseful for their sin. So what happens? Does Ezra suggest what they should do? No, one of the people, Shechaniah steps up and says, “Ezra, we have disobeyed God by marrying these foreign women. But there is still hope for the people of Israel, 3if we follow your advice and the advice of others who truly respect the laws of God. We must promise God that we will divorce our foreign wives and send them away, together with their children.” What do you think about that? Divorce their pagan wives and send them away? And the children? How could that be the right thing to do? Let’s explore this together. 1) Divorce was permitted in Israel, according to Deuteronomy 24:1. And Malachi 2:10-16 tells us that there were many who divorced their Jewish wives for pagan women. 2) God does hate divorce, according to Malachi 2:16, but it was allowed because the the hardness of people’s hearts, according to Jesus in Mark 10:5. 3) Some marriages were not allowed. Marriages between relatives were not permitted, for example. Any marriage of this type would be cancelled. So a marriage to a pagan woman, which was expressly forbidden by God, could also be dissolved. 4) The children were always allowed to stay with their mothers in this culture. 5) The husband almost certainly would be responsible for giving the woman and child adequate resources for their support. 6) It took many weeks for the process of talking to the affected families. Why? Because there were so many men who had married pagan wives, and they questioned them to see which wives had honestly and genuinely became believers in the God of Israel, and were willing to denounce their native beliefs. If the wife refused to accept the true God, they could not remain, and must be divorced. 7) A great many of the women *did* accept the God of Israel, because only about 114 of the men had to divorce their pagan wives. The men who divorced are listed from verses 18-44. One commentator calculated that only about one-half of one percent had to divorce. 8) Note that the divorces were based on the beliefs of the foreign wives, not their race. They would not forsake their native religions. God forbade the marriages in the beginning, not because of race, but because He knew that the children of Israel would be influenced to worship false Gods. As always happens, if the people had listened to God in the first place, when He told them not to marry these people, all of this heartbreak would have been avoided. He *always* has our best in mind when He gives His laws. Today’s Bible Translation Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 6 NLT; Ch. 7-8 WEB; Ch. 9-10 CEV Support This a value for value podcast. There are no advertisers because advertising=censorship. If you enjoy the Lifespring Family Audio Bible, decide how much value it brings to you. Only you can make that determination. Then put a number on the value and send it to me here: SUPPORT. Transcript Download .txt file. STEVE WEBB – 0:00 How could that be the right thing to do? INTRO S12E328 – 0:10 Coming to you from the Lifespring Family Studios in Riverside, California, this is the Lifespring Family Audio Bible. Podcasting since 2004, I’m your OG Godcaster, Steve Webb. This is the daily show where we’re reading through the entire Bible in a year. What’s new with you? Today is History Tuesday, and we’re going to complete the book of Ezra by reading chapters 6 through 10. I’m calling today’s episode, “It’s Not As Bad As It Sounds”. The show notes page for today’s episode is at lifespringmedia.com/s12e328. I’d love to hear from you send an email to st***@*************ia.com. Let’s begin. EZRA 6 (NLT) – 0:48 Ezra, chapter 6. (1) So King Darius issued orders that a search be made in the Babylonian archives, which were stored in the treasury. (2) But it was at the fortress at Ecbatana in the province of Media that a scroll was found. This is what it said: “Memorandum: (3) “In the first year of King Cyrus’s reign, a decree was sent out concerning the Temple of God at Jerusalem. “Let the Temple be rebuilt on the site where Jews used to offer their sacrifices, using the original foundations. Its height will be ninety feet, and its width will be ninety feet. (4) Every three layers of specially prepared stones will be topped by a layer of timber. All expenses will be paid by the royal treasury. (5) Furthermore, the gold and silver cups, which were taken to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar from the Temple of God in Jerusalem, must be returned to Jerusalem and put back where they belong. Let them be taken back to the Temple of God.” (6) So King Darius sent this message: “Now therefore, Tattenai, governor of the province west of the Euphrates River, and Shethar-bozenai, and your colleagues and other officials west of the Euphrates River—stay away from there! (7) Do not disturb the construction of the Temple of God. Let it be rebuilt on its original site, and do not hinder the governor of Judah and the elders of the Jews in their work. (8) “Moreover, I hereby decree that you are to help these elders of the Jews as they rebuild this Temple of God. You must pay the full construction costs, without delay, from my taxes collected in the province west of the Euphrates River so that the work will not be interrupted. (9) “Give the priests in Jerusalem whatever is needed in the way of young bulls, rams, and male lambs for the burnt offerings presented to the God of heaven. And without fail, provide them with as much wheat, salt, wine, and olive oil as they need each day. (10) Then they will be able to offer acceptable sacrifices to the God of heaven and pray for the welfare of the king and his sons. (11) “Those who violate this decree in any way will have a beam pulled from their house. Then they will be lifted up and impaled on it, and their house will be reduced to a pile of rubble. (12) May the God who has chosen the city of Jerusalem as the place to honor his name destroy any king or nation that violates this command and destroys this Temple. “I, Darius, have issued this decree. Let it be obeyed with all diligence.” (13) Tattenai, governor of the province west of the Euphrates River, and Shethar-bozenai and their colleagues complied at once with the command of King Darius. (14) So the Jewish elders continued their work, and they were greatly encouraged by the preaching of the prophets Haggai and Zechariah son of Iddo. The Temple was finally finished, as had been commanded by the God of Israel and decreed by Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes, the kings of Persia. (15) The Temple was completed on March 12, during the sixth year of King Darius’s reign. (16) The Temple of God was then dedicated with great joy by the people of Israel, the priests, the Levites, and the rest of the people who had returned from exile. (17) During the dedication ceremony for the Temple of God, 100 young bulls, 200 rams, and 400 male lambs were sacrificed. And 12 male goats were presented as a sin offering for the twelve tribes of Israel. (18) Then the priests and Levites were divided into their various divisions to serve at the Temple of God in Jerusalem, as prescribed in the Book of Moses. (19) On April 21 the returned exiles celebrated Passover. (20) The priests and Levites had purified themselves and were ceremonially clean. So they slaughtered the Passover lamb for all the returned exiles, for their fellow priests, and for themselves. (21) The Passover meal was eaten by the people of Israel who had returned from exile and by the others in the land who had turned from their corrupt practices to worship the Lord, the God of Israel. (22) Then they celebrated the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days. There was great joy throughout the land because the Lord had caused the king of Assyria to be favorable to them, so that he helped them to rebuild the Temple of God, the God of Israel. EZRA 7 (WEB) – 5:07 Ezra, chapter 7. (1) Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah, (2) the son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub, (3) the son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth, (4) the son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki, (5) the son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest— (6) this Ezra went up from Babylon. He was a skilled scribe in the law of Moses, which Yahweh, the God of Israel, had given; and the king granted him all his request, according to Yahweh his God’s hand on him. (7) Some of the children of Israel, including some of the priests, the Levites, the singers, the porters, and the temple servants went up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king. (8) He came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king. (9) For on the first day of the first month he began to go up from Babylon; and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God on him. (10) For Ezra had set his heart to seek Yahweh’s law, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel. (11) Now this is the copy of the letter that the King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, even the scribe of the words of Yahweh’s commandments, and of his statutes to Israel: (12) Artaxerxes, king of kings, To Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the perfect God of heaven. Now (13) I make a decree that all those of the people of Israel and their priests and the Levites in my realm, who intend of their own free will to go to Jerusalem, go with you. (14) Because you are sent by the king and his seven counselors to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of your God which is in your hand, (15) and to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose habitation is in Jerusalem, (16) and all the silver and gold that you will find in all the province of Babylon, with the free will offering of the people and of the priests, offering willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem. (17) Therefore you shall with all diligence buy with this money bulls, rams, lambs with their meal offerings and their drink offerings, and shall offer them on the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem. (18) Whatever seems good to you and to your brothers to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, do that according to the will of your God. (19) The vessels that are given to you for the service of the house of your God, deliver before the God of Jerusalem. (20) Whatever more will be needed for the house of your God, which you may have occasion to give, give it out of the king’s treasure house. (21) I, even I, Artaxerxes the king, make a decree to all the treasurers who are beyond the River, that whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, requires of you, it shall be done with all diligence, (22) up to one hundred talents of silver, and to one hundred cors of wheat, and to one hundred baths of wine, and to one hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much. (23) Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be done exactly for the house of the God of heaven; for why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons? (24) Also we inform you that it shall not be lawful to impose tribute, custom, or toll on any of the priests, Levites, singers, porters, temple servants, or laborers of this house of God. (25) You, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God that is in your hand, appoint magistrates and judges who may judge all the people who are beyond the River, who all know the laws of your God; and teach him who doesn’t know them. (26) Whoever will not do the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be executed on him with all diligence, whether it is to death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment. (27) Blessed be Yahweh, the God of our fathers, who has put such a thing as this in the king’s heart, to beautify Yahweh’s house which is in Jerusalem; (28) and has extended loving kindness to me before the king and his counselors, and before all the king’s mighty princes. I was strengthened according to Yahweh my God’s hand on me, and I gathered together chief men out of Israel to go up with me. EZRA 8 (WEB) – 9:44 Ezra, chapter 8. (1) Now these are the heads of their fathers’ households, and this is the genealogy of those who went up with me from Babylon, in the reign of Artaxerxes the king: (2) Of the sons of Phinehas, Gershom. Of the sons of Ithamar, Daniel. Of the sons of David, Hattush. (3) Of the sons of Shecaniah, of the sons of Parosh, Zechariah; and with him were listed by genealogy of the males one hundred fifty. (4) Of the sons of Pahathmoab, Eliehoenai the son of Zerahiah; and with him two hundred males. (5) Of the sons of Shecaniah, the son of Jahaziel; and with him three hundred males. (6) Of the sons of Adin, Ebed the son of Jonathan; and with him fifty males. (7) Of the sons of Elam, Jeshaiah the son of Athaliah; and with him seventy males. (8) Of the sons of Shephatiah, Zebadiah the son of Michael; and with him eighty males. (9) Of the sons of Joab, Obadiah the son of Jehiel; and with him two hundred eighteen males. (10) Of the sons of Shelomith, the son of Josiphiah; and with him one hundred sixty males. (11) Of the sons of Bebai, Zechariah the son of Bebai; and with him twenty-eight males. (12) Of the sons of Azgad, Johanan the son of Hakkatan; and with him one hundred ten males. (13) Of the sons of Adonikam, who were the last, their names are: Eliphelet, Jeuel, and Shemaiah; and with them sixty males. (14) Of the sons of Bigvai, Uthai and Zabbud; and with them seventy males. (15) I gathered them together to the river that runs to Ahava; and there we encamped three days. Then I looked around at the people and the priests, and found there were none of the sons of Levi. (16) Then I sent for Eliezer, for Ariel, for Shemaiah, for Elnathan, for Jarib, for Elnathan, for Nathan, for Zechariah, and for Meshullam, chief men; also for Joiarib and for Elnathan, who were teachers. (17) I sent them out to Iddo the chief at the place Casiphia; and I told them what they should tell Iddo and his brothers the temple servants at the place Casiphia, that they should bring to us ministers for the house of our God. (18) According to the good hand of our God on us they brought us a man of discretion, of the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel, namely Sherebiah, with his sons and his brothers, eighteen; (19) and Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari, his brothers and their sons, twenty; (20) and of the temple servants, whom David and the princes had given for the service of the Levites, two hundred twenty temple servants. All of them were mentioned by name. (21) Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from him a straight way for us, for our little ones, and for all our possessions. (22) For I was ashamed to ask of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy on the way, because we had spoken to the king, saying, “The hand of our God is on all those who seek him, for good; but his power and his wrath is against all those who forsake him.” (23) So we fasted and begged our God for this, and he granted our request. (24) Then I set apart twelve of the chiefs of the priests, even Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brothers with them, (25) and weighed to them the silver, the gold, and the vessels, even the offering for the house of our God, which the king, his counselors, his princes, and all Israel there present, had offered. (26) I weighed into their hand six hundred fifty talents of silver, one hundred talents of silver vessels, one hundred talents of gold, (27) twenty bowls of gold weighing one thousand darics, and two vessels of fine bright brass, precious as gold. (28) I said to them, “You are holy to Yahweh, and the vessels are holy. The silver and the gold are a free will offering to Yahweh, the God of your fathers. (29) Watch and keep them until you weigh them before the chiefs of the priests, the Levites, and the princes of the fathers’ households of Israel at Jerusalem, in the rooms of Yahweh’s house.” (30) So the priests and the Levites received the weight of the silver, the gold, and the vessels, to bring them to Jerusalem to the house of our God. (31) Then we departed from the river Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go to Jerusalem. The hand of our God was on us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy and the bandit by the way. (32) We came to Jerusalem, and stayed there three days. (33) On the fourth day the silver and the gold and the vessels were weighed in the house of our God into the hand of Meremoth the son of Uriah the priest; and with him was Eleazar the son of Phinehas; and with them were Jozabad the son of Jeshua, and Noadiah the son of Binnui, the Levite. (34) Everything by number and by weight; and all the weight was written at that time. (35) The children of the captivity, who had come out of exile, offered burnt offerings to the God of Israel: twelve bulls for all Israel, ninety-six rams, seventy-seven lambs, and twelve male goats for a sin offering. All this was a burnt offering to Yahweh. (36) They delivered the king’s commissions to the king’s satraps and to the governors beyond the River. So they supported the people and God’s house. EZRA 9 (CEV) – 15:08 Ezra, chapter 9. (1) Later the Jewish leaders came to me and said: Many Israelites, including priests and Levites, are living just like the people around them. They are even guilty of some of the horrible sins of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites. (2) Some Israelite men have married foreign women and have let their sons do the same thing. Our own officials and leaders were the first to commit this disgusting sin, and now God’s holy people are mixed with foreigners. (3) This news made me so angry that I ripped my clothes and tore hair from my head and beard. Then I just sat in shock (4) until the time for the evening sacrifice. Many of our people were greatly concerned and gathered around me, because the God of Israel had warned us to stay away from foreigners. (5) At the time of the evening sacrifice, I was still sitting there in sorrow with my clothes all torn. So I got down on my knees, then lifted my arms, (6) and prayed: I am much too ashamed to face you, Lord God. Our sins and our guilt have swept over us like a flood that reaches up to the heavens. (7) Since the time of our ancestors, all of us have sinned. That’s why we, our kings, and our priests have often been defeated by other kings. They have killed some of us and made slaves of others; they have taken our possessions and made us ashamed, just as we are today. (8) But for now, Lord God, you have shown great kindness to us. You made us truly happy by letting some of us settle in this sacred place and by helping us in our time of slavery. (9) We are slaves, but you have never turned your back on us. You love us, and because of you, the kings of Persia have helped us. It’s as though you have given us new life! You let us rebuild your temple and live safely in Judah and Jerusalem. (10) Our God, what can we say now? Even after all this, we have disobeyed the commands (11) that were given to us by your servants the prophets. They said the land you are giving us is full of sinful and wicked people, who never stop doing disgusting things. (12) And we were warned not to let our daughters and sons marry their sons and daughters. Your prophets also told us never to help those foreigners or even let them live in peace. You wanted us to become strong and to enjoy the good things in the land, then someday to leave it to our children forever. (13) You punished us because of our terrible sins. But you did not punish us nearly as much as we deserve, and you have brought some of us back home. (14) Why should we disobey your commands again by letting our sons and daughters marry these foreigners who do such disgusting things? That would make you angry enough to destroy us all! (15) Lord God of Israel, you have been more than fair by letting a few of us survive. But once again, our sins have made us ashamed to face you. EZRA 10 (CEV) – 18:06 Ezra, chapter 10. (1) While Ezra was down on his knees in front of God’s temple, praying with tears in his eyes and confessing the sins of the people of Israel, a large number of men, women, and children gathered around him and cried bitterly. (2) Shecaniah son of Jehiel from the family of Elam said: Ezra, we have disobeyed God by marrying these foreign women. But there is still hope for the people of Israel, (3) if we follow your advice and the advice of others who truly respect the laws of God. We must promise God that we will divorce our foreign wives and send them away, together with their children. (4) Ezra, it’s up to you to do something! We will support whatever you do. So be brave! (5) Ezra stood up and made the chief priests, the Levites, and everyone else in Israel swear that they would follow the advice of Shecaniah. (6) Then Ezra left God’s temple and went to spend the night in the living quarters of Jehohanan son of Eliashib. He felt sorry because of what the people had done, and he did not eat or drink a thing. (7-8) The officials and leaders sent a message to all who had returned from Babylonia and were now living in Jerusalem and Judah. This message told them to meet in Jerusalem within three days, or else they would lose everything they owned and would no longer be considered part of the people that had returned from Babylonia. (9) Three days later, on the twentieth day of the ninth month, everyone from Judah and Benjamin came to Jerusalem and sat in the temple courtyard. It was a serious meeting, and they sat there, trembling in the rain. (10) Ezra the priest stood up and said: You have broken God’s Law by marrying foreign women, and you have made the whole nation guilty! (11) Now you must confess your sins to the Lord God of your ancestors and obey him. Divorce your foreign wives and don’t have anything to do with the rest of the foreigners who live around here. (12) Everyone in the crowd shouted: You’re right! We will do what you say. (13) But there are so many of us, and we can’t just stay out here in this downpour. A lot of us have sinned by marrying foreign women, and the matter can’t be settled in only a day or two. (14) Why can’t our officials stay on in Jerusalem and take care of this for us? Let everyone who has sinned in this way meet here at a certain time with leaders and judges from their own towns. If we take care of this problem, God will surely stop being so terribly angry with us. (15) Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah were the only ones who objected, except for the two Levites, Meshullam and Shabbethai. (16) Everyone else who had returned from exile agreed with the plan. So Ezra the priest chose men who were heads of the families, and he listed their names. They started looking into the matter on the first day of the tenth month, (17) and they did not finish until the first day of the first month of the next year. (18-19) Here is a list of the priests who had agreed to divorce their foreign wives and to sacrifice a ram as a sin offering: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah from the family of Joshua son of Jozadak and his brothers; (20) Hanani and Zebadiah from the family of Immer; (21) Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah from the family of Harim; (22) Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah from the family of Pashhur. (23) Those Levites who had foreign wives were: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (also known as Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer. (24) Eliashib, the musician, had a foreign wife. These temple guards had foreign wives: Shallum, Telem, and Uri. (25) Here is a list of the others from Israel who had foreign wives: Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Hashabiah, and Benaiah from the family of Parosh; (26) Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah from the family of Elam; (27) Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza from the family of Zattu; (28) Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai from the family of Bebai; (29) Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth from the family of Bani; (30) Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh from the family of Pahath Moab; (31-32) Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon, Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah from the family of Harim; (33) Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei from the family of Hashum; (34-37) Maadai, Amram, Uel, Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhi, Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasu from the family of Bani; (38-42) Shimei, Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah, Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai, Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah, Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph from the family of Binnui; (43) Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah from the family of Nebo. (44) These men divorced their foreign wives, then sent them and their children away COMMENTS – 23:44 In chapter 10, today we find Ezra kneeling in front of the temple, tearfully confessing the sins of the people of Israel. And he’s joined by a large crowd of men, women and children who also begin weeping bitterly. And of course, if you’re listening, you know that they were crying because they’ve disobeyed God by marrying foreign or is some translation, say, pagan women from the local area. And I’m sure you remember that God told them not to do this when they came into the promised land. Now they’re truly remorseful for their sin. So when they’re doing this, what happens? Does Ezra suggest what they should do? No, one of the people Shecaniah steps up and says, “Ezra, we have disobeyed God by marrying these foreign women. But there is still hope for the people of Israel, (3) if we follow your advice and the advice of others who truly respect the laws of God. We must promise God that we will divorce our foreign wives and send them away, together with their children.” My goodness, what do you think about that? Divorce their pagan wives and send them away? And the children? How could that be the right thing to do? Well, let’s explore this together. Number one, divorce was permitted in Israel according to Deuteronomy 24:1. And Malachi 2:10-16 tells us that there were many who divorced their Jewish wives for pagan women. Number two, God does hate divorce according to Malachi 2:16. But it was allowed because of the hardness of people’s hearts, according to Jesus, in Mark 10:5. Number three, some marriages were not allowed. Marriages between relatives were not permitted, for example. Any marriage of this type could be canceled. So a marriage to a pagan woman, which was expressly forbidden by God, could also be dissolved. Number four, the children were always allowed to stay with their mothers in this culture, so sending them away with their mothers was the right thing to do. Which leads us to number five, the husband almost certainly would be responsible for giving the woman and child adequate resources for their support. Number six, it took many weeks for the process of talking to the affected families in this situation. Why? Well, there were so many men who had married pagan wives, and they questioned them to see which wives had honestly and genuinely become believers in the God of Israel, and who were willing to denounce their native beliefs. If the wife refused to accept the true God, they could not remain and they must be divorced. Number seven, many of the women did accept the God of Israel because only about 114 of the men had to divorce their pagan wives. The men who divorced are listed from verses 18 through 44. In one commentator calculated that only about one half of 1% had to divorce. And lastly, number eight, it’s important to note that the divorces were based on the beliefs of the foreign wives. It was not based on their race. These divorces happened because these women would not forsake their native religions. God forbade the marriages in the beginning, not because of race, but because he knew that the children of Israel would be influenced to worship false gods. And we know that happened. So, as always, if the people had just listened to God in the first place, when he told him not to marry these people, all of this heartbreak would have been avoided. Beloved, He always has our best in mind with his laws. What do you think? Let me know, go to lifespringmedia.com/s12e328. Scroll to the bottom of the page where you’ll find a box to put in your comments. Tomorrow is Psalms Wednesday, and we’re going to read chapters 137 through 139. Huge boost. MYSTERY EXECUTIVE PRODUCER SHOUT-OUT – 27:38 I just want to take a moment to thank those of you that stream sats faithfully every episode. I appreciate you very much. And in looking at the information on my lightning node, it appears that one of you is streaming like 500 sets a minute. And at today’s Bitcoin value, if the average show’s 20 minutes, that’s like $66 a month, and that puts that streamer at the Executive Producer level. So whoever you are, I’m going to call you the Anonymous Sat Streamer. And thank you for your support. God bless you. DONOR SHOUT-OUTS – 28:16 And a donation came in today via Zelle from Andy Baker, who sent a $22.22 row-of-ducks donation. Andy, thank you very much. And then he followed up his donation with a note. He said, “I drive a truck and read with my ears. I’m a former radio professional, so I very much appreciate your delivery.” Well, thank you, Andy. He said, “I’m a new Christian just baptized two months ago.” Praise the Lord for that. I’m so glad you’re part of God’s family, not to mention the Lifespring family. And he said, “Your show is really helping me find my way. Thank you. I found you through ‘No Agenda’.” Well, thank you for your courage and in the morning. And he said, “God bless you, the Lovely Lady and all supporters of the Lifespring family, you’re making a positive impact in a frightening world.” Well, Andy, thank you for your note and for your donation. We exchanged some emails afterward. And you know what I think about it being a frightening world. When we keep in mind that God is on the throne that he is the one that raises up presidents and prime ministers and kings and other leaders, then we don’t have to worry because this is part of God’s plan. Since we know the end of the book, we know that everything is going to be okay. So don’t be afraid. Yeah, there are a lot of unknowns and we don’t really know what life is going to be like. It’s okay because we are in God’s hands. He’s faithful. He loves us and He wants only good for us. So thank you, Andy, for your donation and helping to make this episode possible. God bless you. ON THIS DATE IN CHURCH HISTORY – 29:53 On this date in church history, July 26, 1603, James IV of Scotland became James I of England. He had been Scotland’s King since 1567. But when Elizabeth I of England died, James’ descent from Henry VIII made him the nearest heir to the English throne. Among his many acts affecting religious life in England was the royal order that led to the publication of the Authorised or King James Version of the Bible in 1611. And on this date in church history, July 26, 1933, Charles A. Tinley died. He was an African American clergyman and hymn writer. Born of slave parents and orphaned at age five, he taught himself to read and write, and he later studied theology and in 1885, was ordained to the Methodist ministry. As a writer of gospel songs, his most moving hymns include “By and By”, “Leave It There”, “Nothing Between” and “Stand By Me”. CLOSING PRAYER – 31:02 Let’s pray. Our Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your word and for what you teach us through it. You teach us about yourself and you teach us what we must do to please you. And if we’ve placed our faith in Jesus, we don’t need to earn your favor because you already see us as perfect. But we want to bring a smile to your face as a loving father smiles at his children. It is a joy to be yours, Lord, and I thank you for adopting us into your family. And Father, I want to thank you for the Lifespring family. I thank you for bringing us together around your word every day. And I pray today that you would bless each one. In Jesus name, amen. If you have a praise or a prayer request that you’d like to share with the Lifespring family, please go to prayer.lifespringmedia.com. OUTRO S12E328 – 31:55 I would love to hear your comments on the show go to lifespringmedia.com/s12e328. You can send an email to me at st***@*************ia.com. Thank you to the team: Kirsty, Sean of San Pedro and Denise. Kirsty sends out the newsletter every week. Sean of San Pedro does the chapters every day. And by the way, if you’re not using one of the Podcasting 2.0 modern apps that you can get at newpodcastapps.com you’re missing out because Sean of San Pedro, as I said, does the chapters and as you listen with one of these new apps, you’ll see the artwork change for each chapter. That’s just one of the fun aspects about Podcasting 2.0. And another aspect of it is transcripts. As you’re listening to the show. The words I’m saying are shown on the screen. It’s a little bit like closed captioning, if you’re familiar with that. And Denise corrects the transcripts for every episode. The corrected transcripts don’t show up on the stream just as a current limitation to the way that we do the transcripts. But if you want to see the corrected transcripts, they’re on the show notes page for each episode. Denise puts a lot of time and care into doing the corrections, and so Denise, I thank you. And thanks again to those of you who are streaming sats, it is so cool to have the early adopters in the Lifespring family. Thanks to Andy Baker for his donation today and for helping to bring this episode to you. And thank you for making me a part of your day. It is my privilege. Are you glad the show is here? Do you like seeing a new episode in your podcast app every day? Have you donated yet to the show? Pray about it would you? Ask the Lord what he would have you do and then go to lifespringmedia.com/support and do it. Until tomorrow, may God bless you richly. My name is Steve Webb. Bye. Transcribed by https://otter.ai Corrected by Denise Please rate or review the show by clicking the heart! The post S3E322 – Ezra 6-10: It’s Not As Bad As It Sounds first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

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  • S12 · E321
    September 7 · 18 min

    S3E321 – Deuteronomy 16-19: You Consulted A What?

    Transcript Podcast Introduction Today is Monday. We’ll read Deuteronomy 16-19. I’m calling today’s episode “You Consulted A What?” Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Drew Beamer on Unsplash Comments on Deuteronomy 18 One thing that comes through very clearly in this chapter of Deuteronomy is that dabbling in the occult is something that God will hates. That means playing with horoscopes, Tarot cards, numerology, Ouiji boards, or trying to contact the dead through seances or anything else. Some people consider this type of thing “just having fun”. But when you read this chapter of Deuteronomy, you see that God does not see it that way. There is a world that we do not see. The apostle Paul said in Ephesians 6:12 that “For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.” Beloved, the enemy of our souls and his demons really are out to destroy us. There is a spiritual battle, and the occult is one method they use to gain footholds in people’s lives. So the further you can stay away from these things, the better. Today’s Bible Translation Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 16 NIRV; Ch. 17 HCSB; Ch. 18 NASB; Ch. 19 ERV Support This a value for value podcast. There are no advertisers because advertising=censorship. If you enjoy the Lifespring Family Audio Bible, decide how much value it brings to you. Only you can make that determination. Then put a number on the value and send it to me here: SUPPORT. Transcript Download .txt file. STEVE WEBB – 0:00 Just having fun. INTRO S12E327 – 0:09 This is the Lifespring Family Audio Bible coming to you from Riverside, California. Podcasting since 2004, I’m your OG Godcaster, Steve Webb. This is the daily show where we’re reading through the entire Bible in a year. How’s your day going? Today’s Monday and we’re going to read Deuteronomy 16 through 19. I’m calling today’s episode, “You Consulted A What?” The show notes page for today’s episode is at lifespringmedia.com/s12e327. And my email address is st***@*************ia.com. Let’s get started. DEUTERONOMY 16 (NIRV) – 0:41 Deuteronomy, chapter 16. (1) Celebrate the Passover Feast of the Lord your God in the month of Aviv. In that month he brought you out of Egypt at night. (2) Sacrifice an animal from your flock or herd. It is the Passover sacrifice in honor of the Lord your God. Sacrifice it at the special place the Lord will choose. He will put his Name there. (3) Don’t eat the animal along with bread that is made with yeast. Instead, for seven days eat bread that is made without yeast. It’s the bread that reminds you of how much you suffered. Remember that you left Egypt in a hurry. Remember it all the days of your life. Don’t forget the day you left Egypt. (4) Don’t keep any yeast anywhere in your land for seven days. Don’t let any of the meat you sacrifice on the evening of the first day be left over until the next morning. (5) You must not sacrifice the Passover animal in any town the Lord your God is giving you. (6) Sacrifice it only in the special place he will choose for his Name. Sacrifice it there in the evening when the sun goes down. Do it on the same day every year. Be sure it’s the day you left Egypt. (7) Cook it and eat it. Do it at the place the Lord your God will choose. Then in the morning return to your tents. (8) For six days eat bread that is made without yeast. On the seventh day come together for a service in honor of the Lord your God. Don’t do any work. (9) Count off seven weeks from the time you begin to cut your grain in the field. (10) Then celebrate the Feast of Weeks in honor of the Lord your God. Give anything you choose to give as an offering. Do it in keeping with the blessings the Lord has given you. (11) Be filled with joy in the sight of the Lord your God. Be joyful at the special place he will choose for his Name. You, your children, and your male and female servants should be joyful. So should the Levites who are living in your towns. So should the outsiders and widows who are living among you. And so should the children whose fathers have died. (12) Remember that you were slaves in Egypt. Be careful to obey the rules I’m giving you. (13) Gather the grain from your threshing floors. Take the fresh wine from your winepresses. Then celebrate the Feast of Booths for seven days. (14) Be filled with joy at your feast. You, your children, and your male and female servants should be joyful. So should the Levites, the outsiders, and the widows who are living in your towns. And so should the children whose fathers have died. (15) For seven days celebrate the feast in honor of the Lord your God. Do it at the place he will choose. The Lord will bless you when you gather all of your crops. He’ll bless you in everything you do. And you will be full of joy. (16) All your men must appear in front of the Lord your God at the holy tent. They must go to the place he will choose. They must do it three times a year. They must go there to celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks and the Feast of Booths. No man should appear in front of the Lord without bringing something with him. (17) Each of you must bring a gift. Do it in keeping with the way the Lord your God has blessed you. (18) Appoint judges and officials for each of your tribes. Do it in every town the Lord your God is giving you. They must judge the people fairly. (19) Do what is right. Treat everyone the same. Don’t take money from people who want special favors. It makes those who are wise close their eyes to the truth. It twists the words of those who do what is right. (20) Follow only what is right. If you do, you will live. You will take over the land the Lord your God is giving you. (21) Don’t set up a wooden pole that is used to worship the goddess Asherah. Don’t set it up beside the altar you build to worship the Lord your God. (22) Don’t set up a sacred stone to honor another god. The Lord your God hates Asherah poles and sacred stones. DEUTERONOMY 17 (HCSB) – 4:33 Deuteronomy, chapter 17. (1) “You must not sacrifice to the Lord your God an ox or sheep with a defect or any serious flaw, for that is detestable to the Lord your God. (2) “If a man or woman among you in one of your towns that the Lord your God will give you is discovered doing evil in the sight of the Lord your God and violating His covenant (3) and has gone to worship other gods by bowing down to the sun, moon, or all the stars in the sky — which I have forbidden — (4) and if you are told or hear about it, you must investigate it thoroughly. If the report turns out to be true that this detestable thing has happened in Israel, (5) you must bring out to your gates that man or woman who has done this evil thing and stone them to death. (6) The one condemned to die is to be executed on the testimony of two or three witnesses. No one is to be executed on the testimony of a single witness. (7) The witnesses’ hands are to be the first in putting him to death, and after that, the hands of all the people. You must purge the evil from you. (8) “If a case is too difficult for you — concerning bloodshed, lawsuits, or assaults — cases disputed at your gates, you must go up to the place the Lord your God chooses. (9) You are to go to the Levitical priests and to the judge who presides at that time. Ask, and they will give you a verdict in the case. (10) You must abide by the verdict they give you at the place the Lord chooses. Be careful to do exactly as they instruct you. (11) You must abide by the instruction they give you and the verdict they announce to you. Do not turn to the right or the left from the decision they declare to you. (12) The person who acts arrogantly, refusing to listen either to the priest who stands there serving the Lord your God or to the judge, must die. You must purge the evil from Israel. (13) Then all the people will hear about it, be afraid, and no longer behave arrogantly. (14) “When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, take possession of it, live in it, and say, ‘I will set a king over me like all the nations around me,’ (15) you are to appoint over you the king the Lord your God chooses. Appoint a king from your brothers. You are not to set a foreigner over you, or one who is not of your people. (16) However, he must not acquire many horses for himself or send the people back to Egypt to acquire many horses, for the Lord has told you, ‘You are never to go back that way again.’ (17) He must not acquire many wives for himself so that his heart won’t go astray. He must not acquire very large amounts of silver and gold for himself. (18) When he is seated on his royal throne, he is to write a copy of this instruction for himself on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests. (19) It is to remain with him, and he is to read from it all the days of his life, so that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, to observe all the words of this instruction, and to do these statutes. (20) Then his heart will not be exalted above his countrymen, he will not turn from this command to the right or the left, and he and his sons will continue ruling many years over Israel. DEUTERONOMY 18 (NASB) – 7:35 Deuteronomy, chapter 18. (1) “The Levitical priests, the whole tribe of Levi, shall have no portion or inheritance with Israel; they shall eat the Lord’s offerings by fire and His portion. (2) They shall have no inheritance among their countrymen; the Lord is their inheritance, as He promised them. (3) “Now this shall be the priests’ due from the people, from those who offer a sacrifice, either an ox or a sheep, of which they shall give to the priest the shoulder and the two cheeks and the stomach. (4) You shall give him the first fruits of your grain, your new wine, and your oil, and the first shearing of your sheep. (5) For the Lord your God has chosen him and his sons from all your tribes, to stand and serve in the name of the Lord forever. (6) “Now if a Levite comes from any of your towns throughout Israel where he resides, and comes whenever he desires to the place which the Lord chooses, (7) then he shall serve in the name of the Lord his God, like all his fellow Levites who stand there before the Lord. (8) They shall eat equal portions, except what they receive from the sale of their fathers’ estates. (9) “When you enter the land which the Lord your God gives you, you shall not learn to imitate the detestable things of those nations. (10) There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who practices witchcraft, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, (11) or one who casts a spell, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls upon the dead. (12) For whoever does these things is detestable to the Lord; and because of these detestable things the Lord your God will drive them out before you. (13) You shall be blameless before the Lord your God. (14) For those nations, which you shall dispossess, listen to those who practice witchcraft and to diviners, but as for you, the Lord your God has not allowed you to do so. (15) “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your countrymen, you shall listen to him. (16) This is according to all that you asked of the Lord your God in Horeb on the day of the assembly, saying, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, let me not see this great fire anymore, or I will die.’ (17) The Lord said to me, ‘They have spoken well. (18) I will raise up a prophet from among their countrymen like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. (19) It shall come about that whoever will not listen to My words which he shall speak in My name, I Myself will require it of him. (20) But the prophet who speaks a word presumptuously in My name which I have not commanded him to speak, or which he speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.’ (21) You may say in your heart, ‘How will we know the word which the Lord has not spoken?’ (22) When a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not come about or come true, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him. DEUTERONOMY 19 (ERV) – 10:28 Deuteronomy, chapter 19. (1) “The Lord your God is giving you land that belongs to other nations. The Lord your God will destroy those nations. You will live where these people lived. You will take their cities and their houses. When that happens, (2-3) you must divide the land that the Lord your God is giving you. Divide it into three parts and choose a city in the middle of each part that can be a place of safety. You must also build good roads to these cities. Then whoever kills another person may run to the closest city of safety. (4) “This is the rule for someone who kills another person and runs to one of these three cities for safety: It must be someone who killed another person accidentally, not out of hatred. (5) Here is an example: A man goes into the forest with another person to cut wood. The man swings his ax to cut down a tree, but the head of the ax separates from the handle. The ax head hits the other person and kills him. The man who swung the ax may then run to one of these three cities and be safe. (6) But if the city is too far away, he might not be able to run there fast enough. A close relative of the person he killed might run after him and catch him before he reaches the city. The relative might kill the man in anger, even though he did not deserve to die because he did not mean to harm anyone. (7) That is why I commanded you to choose three special cities. (8) “The Lord your God promised your fathers that he would make your land larger. He will give you all the land that he promised to give to your ancestors. (9) He will do this if you completely obey his commands that I give you today—if you love the Lord your God and always live the way he wants. Then, when he gives you more land, you should choose three more cities for safety. They should be added to the first three cities. (10) Then innocent people will not be killed in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. And you will not be guilty for any such deaths. (11) “But suppose there is a man who hates his neighbor. That man might hide and wait to kill the person he hates. If he kills that person and runs to one of these cities of safety, (12) the elders in his hometown must send someone to get him and take him away from the city of safety. These leaders must hand him over to the close relative. He is a murderer and he must die. (13) Don’t feel sorry for him. He is guilty of killing an innocent person, and you must remove that guilt from Israel. Then everything will go well with you. (14) “You must not move the stones that mark your neighbor’s property. People put them there in the past to mark each person’s property. These stones mark the land that the Lord your God gave you. (15) “If someone is accused of doing something against the law, one witness is not enough to prove that the person is guilty. There must be two or three witnesses to prove that the person really did wrong. (16) “A witness might try to hurt another person by lying and saying that this person did wrong. (17) If that happens, both of them must go to the Lord’s special house and be judged by the priests and judges who are on duty at that time. (18) When the judges carefully ask their questions, they might find that the witness lied against the other person. If the witnesses tell lies, (19) you must punish them with the same punishment the other person would have received. In this way you will remove this evil from your group. (20) Other people will hear about this and be afraid, and people will not do evil things like that again. (21) “Don’t feel sorry about punishing someone who does wrong. If a life is taken, a life must be paid for it. The rule is an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, a foot for a foot—the punishment must equal the crime. COMMENTS – 14:11 Well one thing that’s very clear in chapter 18 of Deuteronomy is that messing around with the occult is something that God hates. That means consulting horoscopes, tarot cards, numerology, Ouija boards or trying to contact the dead through seances or anything else. Some people consider this as just harmless diversion, just having fun. But when you read this chapter of Deuteronomy, you see that God doesn’t see it that way at all. You see, Beloved, there is a world that we don’t see. The apostle Paul said in Ephesians 6:12 that quote, “For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places,” unquote. Beloved, The enemy of our souls and his demons really are out to destroy us. There is a spiritual battle and the occult is one method they use to gain footholds in people’s lives. So the further you stay away from these things, the better. What do you think? You think I’m right? You think I’m wrong? You think it’s just fun? Let me know, lifespringmedia.com/s12e327. Tomorrow is History Tuesday and we’re going to finish the book of Ezra. We’ll read chapters 6 through 10. Boost. BRYAN DUNCAN’S NEW PODCAST – 15:54 I mentioned to you the other day that I was helping a friend of mine get his own podcast started. Do you remember that? Well, we still have some work to do in terms of some back-office type stuff, but I can now announce that Brian Duncan’s podcast called Nutshell Sermons is now available on your favorite podcast app or at nutshellsermons.com. He’s already got several episodes available and most of them are less than two minutes long. The tagline of the show is “Insights from your friend on the back row”. It’s not a music show. As he puts it, it’s spiritual insights in two minutes and includes nutshell sermons, personal opinions, sarcastic humor and prayers you won’t hear in church. I guarantee that. So for some pithy comments from a very creative mind, check out Nutshell Sermons and as they say, hit that subscribe or follow button. And by the way if you want to check out his Twitter he’s @lunaticfriend2, that’s numeral 2, @lunaticfriend2. BRYAN DUNCAN SINGS – 16:51 …only for good. I know it’s gonna take some time to see. I know how you gotta freely turn to me. I know the space that I’m creating. I know the time that I will spend waiting. And I am the One who loves your every day. I’m the One who lets you throw your heart away. I’m making plans that aren’t fading. And I’m choosing you, and not trading. And I know the plans, the plans that I have for you are only for good. Only for good. Only for good. And I bring you hope… CLOSING PRAYER – 17:51 Let’s pray, shall we? Our heavenly Father, you are the Alpha and Omega, the creator of all that is. Our desire, Lord is to follow you and you alone. We love you and we worship you with all of our heart, soul and mind. There is no other. Hallelujah. We praise you. Hold us close Lord and help us to hear the Holy Spirit as He teaches us. I pray this in Jesus name, amen. OUTRO S12E327 – 18:23 Comment on the show at lifespringmedia.com/s12e327. Or send me an email at st***@*************ia.com. Thanks to the team: Kirsty, Sean of San Pedro and Denise, and thanks to the Lifespring family members who are streaming sats and boosting. You know who you are. And I appreciate you. God bless you. Thanks for letting me join you today. If you’d like to support the show, I would very much appreciate it. Go to lifespringmedia.com/support. Until tomorrow, may God bless you richly. My name is Steve Webb. Bye. Transcribed by https://otter.ai Corrected by Denise Please rate or review the show by clicking the heart! The post S3E321 – Deuteronomy 16-19: You Consulted A What? first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

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  • S12 · E320
    September 6 · 15 min

    S3E320 – 2 Peter 1-3: How To Identify A Counterfeit

    Transcript Podcast Introduction Today is Epistles Sunday. We’ll read the book of 2 Peter. I’m calling today’s episode “How To Identify A Counterfeit.” Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Marten Newhall on Unsplash Comments on 2 Peter 1-3 I’d like to just briefly touch on a couple of points made by Peter. First, the topic of false teachers. They were a problem in Old Testament times, they were a problem in the early church, and they are a problem today. False teachers are usually students of the human mind and human weaknesses, and they know what people like to hear. Their motivation is often for money, sometimes for power, and never for the benefit of the listener. Some false teachers have small followings, some have millions. How do you know if someone is a false teacher? A counterfeit? It’s not really that hard. You need to know what Scripture says. When you know the real thing well, counterfeits are easy to detect. This podcast is a good start in knowing the Bible, but it is no substitute for your actually applying yourself to deep, disciplined study on your own. Having a Bible teaching pastor is important, being a part of a good Bible study group is important, having trusted and godly friends is important. But nothing is more important that you actually getting to know the Word of God intimately yourself. As you study, pray and ask the Holy Spirit for guidance and wisdom. That is a prayer that is always answered. And the more you study, the more you will begin to understand, and the easier it will be to identify false teachers. And then the next point I’d like to discuss is the second coming of Jesus. I recently had a discussion with someone who said, “Yeah, right. Christians have been saying Jesus was coming back since the church began. They say, ‘Look at the signs,’ but nothing is any different today than it was then.” Doesn’t that sound just like chapter 3, verse 4 from our reading today? Here it is again: They will say, “Jesus promised to come again. Where is he? Our fathers have died, but the world continues the way it has been since it was made.” Peter was talking about what it would be like in the last days. He said they would laugh at you, and they would make that statement. But Peter reminds us that the world is different. It hasn’t always been the way it is now. He says, “But they do not want to remember what happened long ago. By the word of God heaven was made, and the earth was made from water and with water. 6Then the world was flooded and destroyed with water. 7And that same word of God is keeping heaven and earth that we now have in order to be destroyed by fire.” Beloved, Jesus is coming. I don’t know when, but I personally think it will be very, very soon. Today’s Bible Translation Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 1-3 NCV Lifespring! HymnStories The episode on Amazing Grace Support This a value for value podcast. There are no advertisers because advertising=censorship. If you enjoy the Lifespring Family Audio Bible, decide how much value it brings to you. Only you can make that determination. Then put a number on the value and send it to me here: SUPPORT. Transcript Download .txt file. STEVE WEBB – 0:00 Never for the benefit of the listener. INTRO S123326 – 0:10 Coming to you from Riverside, California, this is the Lifespring Family Audio Bible, and podcasting since 2004, I’m your OG Godcaster, Steve Webb. This is the daily show where we’re reading through the entire Bible in a year. How are you? Today’s Epistle Sunday, and we’re going to read the book of 2 Peter. I’m calling today’s episode, “How to Identify a Counterfeit”. The show notes page for today’s episode is at lifespringmedia.com/s12e326. And my email address is st***@*************ia.com. Are you ready? Let’s go. 2 PETER 1 (NCV) – 0:45 2 Peter, chapter 1. (1) From Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ. To you who have received a faith as valuable as ours, because our God and Savior Jesus Christ does what is right. (2) Grace and peace be given to you more and more, because you truly know God and Jesus our Lord. (3) Jesus has the power of God, by which he has given us everything we need to live and to serve God. We have these things because we know him. Jesus called us by his glory and goodness. (4) Through these he gave us the very great and precious promises. With these gifts you can share in God’s nature, and the world will not ruin you with its evil desires. (5) Because you have these blessings, do your best to add these things to your lives: to your faith, add goodness; and to your goodness, add knowledge; (6) and to your knowledge, add self-control; and to your self-control, add patience; and to your patience, add service for God; (7) and to your service for God, add kindness for your brothers and sisters in Christ; and to this kindness, add love. (8) If all these things are in you and are growing, they will help you to be useful and productive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (9) But anyone who does not have these things cannot see clearly. He is blind and has forgotten that he was made clean from these past sins. (10) My brothers and sisters, try hard to be certain that you really are called and chosen by God. If you do all these things, you will never fall. (11) And you will be given a very great welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (12) You know these things, and you are very strong in the truth, but I will always help you remember them. (13) I think it is right for me to help you remember as long as I am in this body. (14) I know I must soon leave this body, as our Lord Jesus Christ has shown me. (15) I will try my best so that you may be able to remember these things even after I am gone. (16) When we told you about the powerful coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, we were not telling just clever stories that someone invented. But we saw the greatness of Jesus with our own eyes. (17) Jesus heard the voice of God, the Greatest Glory, when he received honor and glory from God the Father. The voice said, “This is my Son, whom I love, and I am very pleased with him.” (18) We heard that voice from heaven while we were with Jesus on the holy mountain. (19) This makes us more sure about the message the prophets gave. It is good for you to follow closely what they said as you would follow a light shining in a dark place, until the day begins and the morning star rises in your hearts. (20) Most of all, you must understand this: No prophecy in the Scriptures ever comes from the prophet’s own interpretation. (21) No prophecy ever came from what a person wanted to say, but people led by the Holy Spirit spoke words from God. 2 PETER 2 (NCV) – 3:38 2 Peter, chapter 2. (1) There used to be false prophets among God’s people, just as you will have some false teachers in your group. They will secretly teach things that are wrong—teachings that will cause people to be lost. They will even refuse to accept the Master, Jesus, who bought their freedom. So they will bring quick ruin on themselves. (2) Many will follow their evil ways and say evil things about the way of truth. (3) Those false teachers only want your money, so they will use you by telling you lies. Their judgment spoken against them long ago is still coming, and their ruin is certain. (4) When angels sinned, God did not let them go free without punishment. He sent them to hell and put them in caves of darkness where they are being held for judgment. (5) And God punished the world long ago when he brought a flood to the world that was full of people who were against him. But God saved Noah, who preached about being right with God, and seven other people with him. (6) And God also destroyed the evil cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them until they were ashes. He made those cities an example of what will happen to those who are against God. (7) But he saved Lot from those cities. Lot, a good man, was troubled because of the filthy lives of evil people. (8) (Lot was a good man, but because he lived with evil people every day, his good heart was hurt by the evil things he saw and heard.) (9) So the Lord knows how to save those who serve him when troubles come. He will hold evil people and punish them, while waiting for the Judgment Day. (10) That punishment is especially for those who live by doing the evil things their sinful selves want and who hate authority. These false teachers are bold and do anything they want. They are not afraid to speak against the angels. (11) But even the angels, who are much stronger and more powerful than false teachers, do not accuse them with insults before the Lord. (12) But these people speak against things they do not understand. They are like animals that act without thinking, animals born to be caught and killed. And, like animals, these false teachers will be destroyed. (13) They have caused many people to suffer, so they themselves will suffer. That is their pay for what they have done. They take pleasure in openly doing evil, so they are like dirty spots and stains among you. They delight in deceiving you while eating meals with you. (14) Every time they look at a woman they want her, and their desire for sin is never satisfied. They lead weak people into the trap of sin, and they have taught their hearts to be greedy. God will punish them! (15) These false teachers left the right road and lost their way, following the way Balaam went. Balaam was the son of Beor, who loved being paid for doing wrong. (16) But a donkey, which cannot talk, told Balaam he was sinning. It spoke with a man’s voice and stopped the prophet’s crazy thinking. (17) Those false teachers are like springs without water and clouds blown by a storm. A place in the blackest darkness has been kept for them. (18) They brag with words that mean nothing. By their evil desires they lead people into the trap of sin—people who are just beginning to escape from others who live in error. (19) They promise them freedom, but they themselves are not free. They are slaves of things that will be destroyed. For people are slaves of anything that controls them. (20) They were made free from the evil in the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. But if they return to evil things and those things control them, then it is worse for them than it was before. (21) Yes, it would be better for them to have never known the right way than to know it and to turn away from the holy teaching that was given to them. (22) What they did is like this true saying: “A dog goes back to what it has thrown up,” and, “After a pig is washed, it goes back and rolls in the mud.” 3 PETER (NCV) – 7:26 2 Peter, chapter 3. (1) My friends, this is the second letter I have written you to help your honest minds remember. (2) I want you to think about the words the holy prophets spoke in the past, and remember the command our Lord and Savior gave us through your apostles. (3) It is most important for you to understand what will happen in the last days. People will laugh at you. They will live doing the evil things they want to do. (4) They will say, “Jesus promised to come again. Where is he? Our fathers have died, but the world continues the way it has been since it was made.” (5) But they do not want to remember what happened long ago. By the word of God heaven was made, and the earth was made from water and with water. (6) Then the world was flooded and destroyed with water. (7) And that same word of God is keeping heaven and earth that we now have in order to be destroyed by fire. They are being kept for the Judgment Day and the destruction of all who are against God. (8) But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: To the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years is as one day. (9) The Lord is not slow in doing what he promised—the way some people understand slowness. But God is being patient with you. He does not want anyone to be lost, but he wants all people to change their hearts and lives. (10) But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The skies will disappear with a loud noise. Everything in them will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be exposed. (11) In that way everything will be destroyed. So what kind of people should you be? You should live holy lives and serve God, (12) as you wait for and look forward to the coming of the day of God. When that day comes, the skies will be destroyed with fire, and everything in them will melt with heat. (13) But God made a promise to us, and we are waiting for a new heaven and a new earth where goodness lives. (14) Dear friends, since you are waiting for this to happen, do your best to be without sin and without fault. Try to be at peace with God. (15) Remember that we are saved because our Lord is patient. Our dear brother Paul told you the same thing when he wrote to you with the wisdom that God gave him. (16) He writes about this in all his letters. Some things in Paul’s letters are hard to understand, and people who are ignorant and weak in the faith explain these things falsely. They also falsely explain the other Scriptures, but they are destroying themselves by doing this. (17) Dear friends, since you already know about this, be careful. Do not let those evil people lead you away by the wrong they do. Be careful so you will not fall from your strong faith. (18) But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Glory be to him now and forever! Amen. COMMENTS – 10:14 Today I’d like to just briefly touch on a couple of points made by Peter. First the topic of false teachers. They were a problem in the Old Testament times, they were a problem in the early church, and they’re a problem today. False teachers are usually students of the human mind and human weaknesses, and they know what people like to hear. Their motivation is often for money, sometimes for power, and never for the benefit of the listener. Some false teachers have small followings. Some have millions. So how do you know if someone is a false teacher? A counterfeit? Well, thankfully, it’s not really all that hard. You need to know what Scripture says, When you know the real thing well, counterfeits are easy to detect. You don’t really need to study what the false teachers teach. All you need to study is the Real, you study the Word of God. This podcast is a good start in knowing the Bible, but it’s no substitute for you’re actually applying yourself to deep, disciplined study on your own. Having a Bible-teaching pastor is important. Being part of a good Bible study group is important. Having trusted and godly friends is important. But nothing is more important than you actually getting to know the Word of God intimately yourself. As you study, I suggest you pray and ask the Holy Spirit for guidance and wisdom. That is a prayer that is always answered. And the more you study, the more you’ll begin to understand, and the easier it will be to identify false teachers. And then the next point I’d like to discuss is the Second Coming of Jesus. One thing you’ll often hear when having discussions with people about the Second Coming is somebody will say, “Yeah, right. Christians have been saying Jesus was coming back since the church began. They say, ‘Look at the signs’, but nothing is really any different today than it was then,” they’ll say. Well, doesn’t that just sound like chapter 3, verse 4 from our reading today? Here it is, again: “They will say, ‘Jesus promised to come again. Where is he? Our fathers have died, but the world continues the way it has been since it was made.’” So remember, Peter was talking about what it would be like in the last days. He said they’d laugh at you, and then they would make that statement. But Peter reminds us that the world is different. It hasn’t always been the way it is, now. He says, “But they do not want to remember what happened long ago. By the word of God heaven was made, and the earth was made from water and with water. (6) Then the world was flooded and destroyed with water. (7) And that same word of God is keeping heaven and earth that we now have in order to be destroyed by fire. They are being kept for the Judgment Day and the destruction of all who are against God.” Beloved, Jesus is coming. Now, I don’t know when, but I personally think it’ll be very, very soon. What do you think? Let me know. Go to lifespringmedia.com/s12e326. Tomorrow’s Monday. We’ll read Deuteronomy 16 through 19. Boost! ON THIS DATE IN CHURCH HISTORY – 13:25 On this date in church history, July 24, 1725, John Newton was born. He was an Anglican clergyman and hymn writer. Master of a slave ship for 10 years before his conversion to Christianity in 1747, he later studied for Anglican ordination, and was appointed curate at Olney in 1764. There he became a friend of poet William Cowper, and together they published “Olney Hymns” in 1779, which included such well known hymns by Newton as “Amazing Grace” and “Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken”. It probably won’t surprise you to know that I did an episode of Lifespring HymnStories about “Amazing Grace”. If you’d like to listen to it, I’ll have a link on the show notes page. CLOSING PRAYER – 14:23 Let’s pray. Our heavenly Father, we thank you for teaching us from your Word about what is true. As we read and as we study, we pray that you would embed your truth into our hearts and our minds. Keep us from being deceived, Lord, and help us to help others who have been led astray. I thank you for the Lifespring family and I ask that you bless them today. And I pray this in Jesus name, amen. If you have a prayer request or to praise go to prayer.lifespringmedia.com. OUTRO S12E326 – 14:58 Comment on the show at lifespringmedia.com/s12e326, And send me an email at st***@*************ia.com. Thanks to the team: Kirsty, Sean of San Pedro and Denise. And thank you very much for inviting me into your day today. If you’re glad the show is here, please help support the show. Go to lifespringmedia.com/support. Take a look around, see what’s there, pray about it and then do as the Lord leads. Until tomorrow, may God bless you richly. My name is Steve Webb. Bye. Transcribed by https://otter.ai Corrected by Denise Please rate or review the show by clicking the heart! The post S3E320 – 2 Peter 1-3: How To Identify A Counterfeit first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

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  • S12 · E319
    September 5 · 17 min

    S3E319 – Acts 15-16: Breaking Up Is Hard To Do

    Transcript Distinguished Producer Lifespring Family Berean, Brother Paul of Seattle Podcast Introduction Today is Gospel Saturday Acts 15-16. I’m calling today’s episode “Breaking Up Is Hard To Do.” Design: Steve Webb | Photo: CHUTTERSNAP on Unsplash Comments on Acts 15 I’m always struck by the last scene in chapter 15. It’s in verses 36 through 41. Paul suggested to Barnabas that they go and see how well the followers were doing in the cities they had visited and preached in. Barnabas said, “Hey, let’s take my cousin, John Mark along with us.” Paul said, “Yeah, no. When things got tough in Pamphylia, he wimped out on us and took off. I don’t trust him.” This caused an argument between Barnabas and Paul. And according to the language in the original language, this wasn’t a calm disagreement. Have you ever seen a baseball team manager arguing nose-to-nose with an umpire? Red faced, voice raised, hands on hips? Maybe you’ve even seen a manager kick dirt on the ump? That seems to be the kind of argument Barnabas and Paul had. The word used for argument in our text can be literally translated as paroxysm. I had to look that one up. The definition of paroxysm is: a sudden attack or violent expression of a particular emotion or activity. Some synonyms are spasm, attack, fit, burst, outburst, eruption, explosion. These guys really got into it! And they split up. Barnabas took Mark and went to Cyprus. Paul and Silas went to Syria and Cilicia. What do we learn from this? Is it a good thing to have knock down, drag out fights with our brothers and sisters in Christ? Of course not. Jesus said, “(The world) will know you are mine by your love for one another.” In this instance, Paul and Barnabas struck out. They blew it. And I’ll bet that they both regretted it. And there is some evidence that I’m right on this, because we read in Colossians that Paul referred to Mark as “my fellow worker” and he vouched for him to the Colossian church. And then near the end of his life he asked Timothy to bring Mark with him. Barnabas, who’s name means “Son of encouragement”, and who is referred to as a “good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith”, spent time with Mark discipling him. How effective was Barnabas’ time with Mark? Sounds to me like it was very effective. Mark wrote what we know today as the Gospel According to Mark. The Bible does not sugar coat the humanity of the men and women we find it its pages. We see how God powerfully uses them despite their failings. What do we learn from the violent argument between Barnabas and Paul? That God’s grace is sufficient. If our heart is right, if we truly desire to follow God, when our flesh gets in the way, He will take a disaster and turn it around for His glory. That doesn’t mean that the next time you have a disagreement with a brother or sister you have license to punch them in the nose, though. Today’s Bible Translation Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 15 CEV; Ch. 16 ERV Support This a value for value podcast. There are no advertisers because advertising=censorship. If you enjoy the Lifespring Family Audio Bible, decide how much value it brings to you. Only you can make that determination. Then put a number on the value and send it to me here: SUPPORT. Transcript Download .txt file. STEVE WEBB – 0:00 Yeah, no, I don’t think so. INTRO S12E318 – 0:09 Coming to you from Riverside, California, this is the Lifespring Family Audio Bible, and podcasting since 2004, I’m your OG Godcaster, Steve Webb. This is the daily show where we’re reading through the entire Bible in a year. Today’s Gospel Saturday. We’ll read Acts 15 and 16. And I’m calling today’s episode “Breaking Up Is Hard To Do”. Gotta have some fun, right? The show notes page for today’s episode, is at lifespringmedia.com/s12e318. If you’d like to send me an email, I’d love to get it. Send it to st***@*************ia.com. Let’s begin. ACTS 15 (CEV) – 0:45 Acts. chapter 15. (1) Some people came from Judea and started teaching the Lord’s followers that they could not be saved, unless they were circumcised as Moses had taught. (2) This caused trouble, and Paul and Barnabas argued with them about this teaching. So it was decided to send Paul and Barnabas and a few others to Jerusalem to discuss this problem with the apostles and the church leaders. (3) The men who were sent by the church went through Phoenicia and Samaria, telling how the Gentiles had turned to God. This news made the Lord’s followers very happy. (4) When the men arrived in Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church, including the apostles and the leaders. They told them everything God had helped them do. (5) But some Pharisees had become followers of the Lord. They stood up and said, “Gentiles who have faith in the Lord must be circumcised and told to obey the Law of Moses.” (6) The apostles and church leaders met to discuss this problem about Gentiles. (7) They had talked it over for a long time, when Peter got up and said: My friends, you know that God decided long ago to let me be the one from your group to preach the good news to the Gentiles. God did this so they would hear and obey him. (8) He knows what is in everyone’s heart. And he showed he had chosen the Gentiles, when he gave them the Holy Spirit, just as he had given his Spirit to us. (9) God treated them in the same way that he treated us. They put their faith in him, and he made their hearts pure. (10) Now why are you trying to make God angry by placing a heavy burden on these followers? This burden was too heavy for us or our ancestors. (11) But we believe that we will be saved by the gift of undeserved grace from our Lord Jesus Christ, just as the Gentiles are. (12) Everyone kept quiet and listened as Barnabas and Paul told how God had given them the power to work a lot of miracles and wonders for the Gentiles. (13) After they had finished speaking, James said: My friends, listen to me! (14) Simon Peter has told how God first came to the Gentiles and made some of them his own people. (15) This agrees with what the prophets wrote, (16) “I, the Lord, will return and rebuild David’s fallen house. I will build it from its ruins and set it up again. (17) Then other nations will turn to me and be my chosen ones. I, the Lord, say this. (18) I promised it long ago.” (19) And so, my friends, I don’t think we should place burdens on the Gentiles who are turning to God. (20) We should simply write and tell them not to eat anything that has been offered to idols. They should be told not to eat the meat of any animal that has been strangled or that still has blood in it. They must also not commit any terrible sexual sins. (21) We must remember that the Law of Moses has been preached in city after city for many years, and every Sabbath it is read in our synagogues. (22) The apostles, the leaders, and all the church members decided to send some men to Antioch along with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Silas and Judas Barsabbas, who were two leaders of the Lord’s followers. (23) They wrote a letter that said: We apostles and leaders send friendly greetings to all of you Gentiles who are followers of the Lord in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia. (24) We have heard that some people from here have terribly upset you by what they said. But we did not send them! (25) So we met together and decided to choose some men and to send them to you along with our good friends Barnabas and Paul. (26) These men have risked their lives for our Lord Jesus Christ. (27) We are also sending Judas and Silas, who will tell you in person the same things that we are writing. (28) The Holy Spirit has shown us that we should not place any extra burden on you. (29) But you should not eat anything offered to idols. You should not eat any meat that still has the blood in it or any meat of any animal that has been strangled. You must also not commit any terrible sexual sins. If you follow these instructions, you will do well. We send our best wishes. (30) The four men left Jerusalem and went to Antioch. Then they called the church members together and gave them the letter. (31) When the letter was read, everyone was pleased and greatly encouraged. (32) Judas and Silas were prophets, and they spoke a long time, encouraging and helping the Lord’s followers. (33) The men from Jerusalem stayed on in Antioch for a while. And when they left to return to the ones who had sent them, the followers wished them well. (34-35) But Paul and Barnabas stayed on in Antioch, where they and many others taught and preached about the Lord. (36) Sometime later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s go back and visit the Lord’s followers in the cities where we preached his message. Then we will know how they are doing.” (37) Barnabas wanted to take along John, whose other name was Mark. (38) But Paul did not want to, because Mark had left them in Pamphylia and had stopped working with them. (39) Paul and Barnabas argued, then each of them went his own way. Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus, (40) but Paul took Silas and left after the followers had placed them in God’s care. (41) They traveled through Syria and Cilicia, encouraging the churches. ACTS 16 (ERV) – 5:45 Acts, chapter 16. (1) Paul went to the city of Derbe and then to Lystra, where a follower of Jesus named Timothy lived. Timothy’s mother was a Jewish believer, but his father was a Greek. (2) The believers in the cities of Lystra and Iconium had only good things to say about him. (3) Paul wanted Timothy to travel with him, but all the Jews living in that area knew that his father was a Greek. So Paul circumcised Timothy to please the Jews. (4) Then Paul and those with him traveled through other cities. They gave the believers the rules and decisions from the apostles and elders in Jerusalem. They told them to obey these rules. (5) So the churches were becoming stronger in their faith, and the number of believers was growing every day. (6) Paul and those with him went through the areas of Phrygia and Galatia because the Holy Spirit did not allow them to tell the Good News in the province of Asia. (7) When they reached the border of Mysia, they tried to go on into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not let them go there. (8) So they passed by Mysia and went to the city of Troas. (9) That night Paul saw a vision. In it, a man from Macedonia came to Paul. The man stood there and begged, “Come across to Macedonia and help us.” (10) After Paul had seen the vision, we immediately prepared to leave for Macedonia. We understood that God had called us to tell the Good News to those people. (11) We left Troas in a ship and sailed to the island of Samothrace. The next day we sailed to the city of Neapolis. (12) Then we went to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city in that part of Macedonia. We stayed there for a few days. (13) On the Sabbath day we went out the city gate to the river. There we thought we might find a special place for prayer. Some women had gathered there, so we sat down and talked with them. (14) There was a woman there named Lydia from the city of Thyatira. Her job was selling purple cloth. She was a worshiper of the true God. Lydia was listening to Paul, and the Lord opened her heart to accept what Paul was saying. (15) She and all the people living in her house were baptized. Then she invited us into her home. She said, “If you think I am a true believer in the Lord Jesus, come stay in my house.” She persuaded us to stay with her. (16) One day we were going to the place for prayer, and a servant girl met us. She had a spirit in her that gave her the power to tell what would happen in the future. By doing this she earned a lot of money for the men who owned her. (17) She started following Paul and the rest of us around. She kept shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God! They are telling you how you can be saved!” (18) She continued doing this for many days. This bothered Paul, so he turned and said to the spirit, “By the power of Jesus Christ, I command you to come out of her!” Immediately, the spirit came out. (19) When the men who owned the servant girl saw this, they realized that they could no longer use her to make money. So they grabbed Paul and Silas and dragged them to the public square to meet with the authorities. (20) They brought Paul and Silas before the Roman officials and said, “These men are Jews, and they are making trouble in our city. (21) They are telling people to do things that are not right for us Romans to do.” (22) The whole crowd turned against Paul and Silas. The officials tore the clothes off both men and ordered that they be beaten with rods. (23) They were beaten severely and thrown into jail. The officials told the jailer, “Guard them very carefully!” (24) When the jailer heard this special order, he put Paul and Silas far inside the jail and bound their feet between large blocks of wood. (25) About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing songs to God. The other prisoners were listening to them. (26) Suddenly there was an earthquake so strong that it shook the foundation of the jail. All the doors of the jail opened, and the chains on all the prisoners fell off. (27) The jailer woke up and saw that the jail doors were open. He thought that the prisoners had already escaped, so he got his sword and was ready to kill himself. (28) But Paul shouted, “Don’t hurt yourself! We are all here!” (29) The jailer told someone to bring a light. Then he ran inside and, shaking with fear, fell down in front of Paul and Silas. (30) Then he brought them outside and said, “Men, what must I do to be saved?” (31) They said to him, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved—you and all who live in your house.” (32) So Paul and Silas told the message of the Lord to the jailer and all the people who lived in his house. (33) It was late at night, but the jailer took Paul and Silas and washed their wounds. Then the jailer and all his people were baptized. (34) After this the jailer took Paul and Silas home and gave them some food. All the people were very happy because they now believed in God. (35) The next morning the Roman officials sent some soldiers to tell the jailer, “Let these men go free.” (36) The jailer said to Paul, “The officials have sent these soldiers to let you go free. You can leave now. Go in peace.” (37) But Paul said to the soldiers, “Those officials did not prove that we did anything wrong, but they beat us in public and put us in jail. And we are Roman citizens. Now they want us to go away quietly. No, they must come here themselves and lead us out!” (38) The soldiers told the officials what Paul said. When they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, they were afraid. (39) So they came and told them they were sorry. They led them out of the jail and asked them to leave the city. (40) But when Paul and Silas came out of the jail, they went to Lydia’s house. They saw some of the believers there and encouraged them. Then they left. COMMENTS – 11:21 You know, I’m always struck by the last scene in chapter 15. It’s in verses 36 through 41. Paul suggested to Barnabas that they go and see how well the followers were doing in the cities that they’d visited and preached in and Barnabas said, “Hey, let’s take my cousin John Mark along with us.” And Paul said, “Yeah, no. I don’t think so. When things got tough in Pamphylia, he wimped out on us and took off. I don’t trust him.” Well, this caused an argument between Barnabas and Saul. And according to the original Greek, this was not just a calm disagreement. Have you ever seen a baseball team manager arguing nose-to-nose with an umpire, red-faced, voice raised, hands on hips? Maybe you’ve even seen the manager kick dirt on the ump? Well, that seems to be the kind of argument Barnabas and Paul had. The Greek used for argument in our text today can be literally translated as “paroxysm”. And well, I had to look that one up the first time I read it, and it means a sudden attack or a violent expression of a particular emotion or activity. Some synonyms are spasm, attack, fit, burst, outburst, eruption, explosion. I mean, these guys really got into it! It’s funny. We don’t really think of our Bible heroes having these kinds of paroxysms, do we?. But anyway, what happened was they split up. Barnabas took Mark and went to Cyprus and Paul and Silas went to Syria and Cilicia. So what do we learn from this? Is it a good thing to have knockdown, drag-out fights with our brothers and sisters in Christ? Well, not generally speaking, no, it’s not. Jesus said, “The world will know your mind by the love you have for one another.” Well, in this instance, Paul and Barnabas struck out, if we want to continue the baseball parallel. They blew it. And I think that later on, they both regretted it. And there is some evidence that I’m right on this because we read in Colossians that Paul referred to Mark as my fellow worker, and he vouched for him in the Colossian church. And then near the end of his life, he asked Timothy to bring Mark with him. We do know that Barnabas, whose name means Son of Encouragement, and who is referred to as a good man full of the Holy Spirit in faith, spent time with Mark discipling him and it sounds to me like Barnabas’ time with Mark was effective. Why do I say that? Well, how about the fact that Mark wrote the Gospel According to Mark. The Bible doesn’t sugarcoat the humanity of the men and women we find in its pages. We’ve seen that as we read through the Bible this year, right? We see how God powerfully uses these people despite their failings. What do we learn from the violent argument between Barnabas and Paul? That God’s grace is sufficient. If our heart is right, if we truly desire to follow God, when our flesh gets in the way, God will take a disaster and turn it around for His glory. Now, that doesn’t mean that the next time you have a disagreement with a brother or sister you have license to punch him in the nose, though, so don’t do that. What do you think? Let me know. Go to the show notes page at lifespringmedia.com/s12e318. Scroll all the way to the bottom of the page and share your thoughts. Tomorrow is Epistle Sunday and we’ll read 1 Peter 4 and 5 which will finish that book. Boost! DISTINGUISHED PRODUCER SHOUT-OUT – 14:46 Our Distinguished Producer today is Brother Paul of Seattle whose weekly $22.22 cent donation came in. Row o’ ducks. Thank you, Brother Paul for that row o’ ducks. ON THIS DATE IN CHURCH HISTORY – 15:09 On this date in church history, July 16, 1937, in Eastern Germany near Weimar, the Nazis opened a concentration camp at Buchenwald. Over the next eight years before the camp was liberated by US soldiers in April of 1945 nearly 57,000 prisoners would die at Buchenwald. And on this date in church history, July 16, 1944, German Lutheran theologian and Nazi martyr, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, observed in a letter from prison, “One has to live for some time in a community to understand how Christ is formed in it.” And he was referring to Galatians 4:19, which says, “My children, I am again suffering labor pains for you until Christ is formed in you.” CLOSING PRAYER – 16:02 Let’s pray. Our heavenly Father, how we love you, Lord, You have given us blessings that we do not deserve, including other believers who have become our brothers and sisters. Most of the time, that’s a wonderful and enjoyable blessing. But sometimes like Paul and Mark, we have disagreements. Help us, Lord, to work through those times in a way that honors you, Lord. And help us even to appreciate the differences we sometimes have. You didn’t make us out of one mold. You made us with differences. Help us to work within those differences, when we agree that our ultimate goal is the same, to bring glory to you and to bring people to Jesus. I thank You, Lord, for bringing us together here in the Lifespring family. I pray that You would bless my brothers and sisters, I pray this in Jesus name, amen. If you have a prayer request or a praise, go to prayer.lifespringmedia.com. OUTRO S12E318 – 17:01 Comment on the show at lifespringmedia.com/s12e318. Send an email to me at st***@*************ia.com. Thanks to the team: Kirsty, Sean of San Pedro and Denise. And thanks to brother Paul of Seattle for helping to produce this show with his Distinguished Producership. And, Beloved, thanks to you for inviting me into your life today. Support the show at lifespringmedia.com/support. And until tomorrow, may God bless you richly. My name is Steve Webb. Bye. Transcribed by https://otter.ai Corrected by Denise Please rate or review the show by clicking the heart! The post S3E319 – Acts 15-16: Breaking Up Is Hard To Do first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

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    September 4 · 27 min

    S3E318 – Zechariah 1-7:The Lord Remembers

    Transcript Podcast Introduction Today is Prophecy Friday. We’ll read the first seven chapters of Zechariah. I’m calling today’s episode “The Lord Remembers.” Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Jeremy Bezanger on Unsplash Comments on Zechariah 1-7 Zechariah and Haggai were contemporaries. Both were called by God after the 70 year exile. Zechariah’s prophecy came two months after Haggai’s first prophecy. Where the prophecies of Haggai had primarily to do with the Temple, Zechariah’s were about the people. The language of Zechariah’s messages were very similar to that of the book of Revelation, with symbolism, types, and visions. Zechariah, which means “The Lord Remembers”, is a common name in the Old Testament, and we do not know much about the author of this prophetic book. We do know from the book of Ezra that he was the son of Iddo. In chapter one, God’s message to the people is, “Return to me, and I will return to you.” Were you able to see Zechariah’s reference to Jesus in these chapters? 1) In chapter 1, verse 11, He is the man who stood among the myrtle trees. 2) In chapter two, he is the man with a measuring line in his hand. Here, Jesus is going to measure the physical size of Jerusalem, because many are going to be added to the city because those who have been spread abroad like the four winds of heaven are being called back. Because of this, Jerusalem will increase. Then a second angel comes to Jesus and tells Him to tell Zechariah that Jerusalem will be like a city without walls because of the multitude of the population of people and livestock. But the people are not to be afraid of having no walls, because God will be their protector, like a wall of fire around them, and His glory will be in their midst. Beloved, this is a vision of what is to be. God is not just calling the Jews, but anyone who will put their trust in His Son. In verse 11 of chapter two, the Lord says, “Many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day, and they shall become My people. And I will dwell in your midst. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent Me to you.” This chapter is a call to all of us to rejoice in God’s plan and His promises. 3) In chapter 3, Jesus is referred to as the Branch. 4) We read again of the Branch in chapter 6. There, He is referred to as the Branch, who will build the Temple of the Lord. What temple did Jesus build? The Church. We are the temple of the Holy Spirit, according to Paul in 1 Corinthians 6:19. And then in chapter 7, the Lord, through Zechariah, said that His people ignored Him, so He ignored them and scattered them among the nations. There are several times in these chapters we read references to the Messiah. Remember, Jesus is the second person of the Trinity. He is the I AM. He has always been, and He will always be. He was at the creation, and He has always been active in the affairs of man. For Zechariah, or any of the prophets to have seen Him in visions is not surprising. I am looking forward to the day when I will see Him face to face. How about you? Today’s Bible Translation Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 1-5 NKJV; Ch. 6-7 NIV Family Pic From Our Visit L-R: Valarie, Penelope, the Lovely Lady LeeAnn, Steve, Tim Support This a value for value podcast. There are no advertisers because advertising=censorship. If you enjoy the Lifespring Family Audio Bible, decide how much value it brings to you. Only you can make that determination. Then put a number on the value and send it to me here: SUPPORT. Transcript Download .txt file. STEVE WEBB – 0:00 Return to me and I will return to you. INTRO S12E317 – 0:10 Well, hey there, hi there, ho there. Welcome! Coming to you from Riverside, California. This is the Lifespring Family Audio Bible, and podcasting since 2004, I’m your OG Godcaster, Steve Webb. This is the daily show where we’re reading through the entire Bible in a year. And yes, I’m back in the studios of Lifespring Media HQ. I’ll tell you a little bit about the trip later in the show. Today is Prophecy Friday. We’ll read the first seven chapters of Zechariah. I do have an On This Date in Church History for you and I’m calling today’s episode, “The Lord Remembers”. Today’s show notes page is at lifespringmedia.com/s12e317. Take note of that, you might need it later. My email address is st***@*************ia.com. I think it’s time we get started. Let’s go. ZECHARIAH 1 (NKJV) – 0:58 Zechariah, chapter 1. (1) In the eighth month of the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to Zechariah the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying, (2) “The Lord has been very angry with your fathers. (3) Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Return to Me,” says the Lord of hosts, “and I will return to you,” says the Lord of hosts. (4) “Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets preached, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Turn now from your evil ways and your evil deeds.” ’ But they did not hear nor heed Me,” says the Lord. (5) “Your fathers, where are they? And the prophets, do they live forever? (6) Yet surely My words and My statutes, Which I commanded My servants the prophets, Did they not overtake your fathers? “So they returned and said: ‘Just as the Lord of hosts determined to do to us, According to our ways and according to our deeds, So He has dealt with us.’”’” (7) On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to Zechariah the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet: (8) I saw by night, and behold, a man riding on a red horse, and it stood among the myrtle trees in the hollow; and behind him were horses: red, sorrel, and white. (9) Then I said, “My lord, what are these?” So the angel who talked with me said to me, “I will show you what they are.” (10) And the man who stood among the myrtle trees answered and said, “These are the ones whom the Lord has sent to walk to and fro throughout the earth.” (11) So they answered the Angel of the Lord, who stood among the myrtle trees, and said, “We have walked to and fro throughout the earth, and behold, all the earth is resting quietly.” (12) Then the Angel of the Lord answered and said, “O Lord of hosts, how long will You not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which You were angry these seventy years?” (13) And the Lord answered the angel who talked to me, with good and comforting words. (14) So the angel who spoke with me said to me, “Proclaim, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: “I am zealous for Jerusalem And for Zion with great zeal. (15) I am exceedingly angry with the nations at ease; For I was a little angry, And they helped—but with evil intent.” (16) ‘Therefore thus says the Lord: “I am returning to Jerusalem with mercy; My house shall be built in it,” says the Lord of hosts, “And a surveyor’s line shall be stretched out over Jerusalem.” ’ (17) “Again proclaim, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: “My cities shall again spread out through prosperity; The Lord will again comfort Zion, And will again choose Jerusalem.” ’ ” (18) Then I raised my eyes and looked, and there were four horns. (19) And I said to the angel who talked with me, “What are these?” So he answered me, “These are the horns that have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.” (20) Then the Lord showed me four craftsmen. (21) And I said, “What are these coming to do?” So he said, “These are the horns that scattered Judah, so that no one could lift up his head; but the craftsmen are coming to terrify them, to cast out the horns of the nations that lifted up their horn against the land of Judah to scatter it.” ZECHARIAH 2 (NKJV) – 4:10 Zechariah, chapter 2. (1) Then I raised my eyes and looked, and behold, a man with a measuring line in his hand. (2) So I said, “Where are you going?” And he said to me, “To measure Jerusalem, to see what is its width and what is its length.” (3) And there was the angel who talked with me, going out; and another angel was coming out to meet him, (4) who said to him, “Run, speak to this young man, saying: ‘Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls, because of the multitude of men and livestock in it. (5) For I,’ says the Lord, ‘will be a wall of fire all around her, and I will be the glory in her midst.’” (6) “Up, up! Flee from the land of the north,” says the Lord; “for I have spread you abroad like the four winds of heaven,” says the Lord. (7) “Up, Zion! Escape, you who dwell with the daughter of Babylon.” (8) For thus says the Lord of hosts: “He sent Me after glory, to the nations which plunder you; for he who touches you touches the apple of His eye. (9) For surely I will shake My hand against them, and they shall become spoil for their servants. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent Me. (10) “Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion! For behold, I am coming and I will dwell in your midst,” says the Lord. (11) “Many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day, and they shall become My people. And I will dwell in your midst. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent Me to you. (12) And the Lord will take possession of Judah as His inheritance in the Holy Land, and will again choose Jerusalem. (13) Be silent, all flesh, before the Lord, for He is aroused from His holy habitation!” ZECHARIAH 3 (NKJV) – 5:49 Zechariah, chapter 3. (1) Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to oppose him. (2) And the Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?” (3) Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and was standing before the Angel. (4) Then He answered and spoke to those who stood before Him, saying, “Take away the filthy garments from him.” And to him He said, “See, I have removed your iniquity from you, and I will clothe you with rich robes.” (5) And I said, “Let them put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head, and they put the clothes on him. And the Angel of the Lord stood by. (6) Then the Angel of the Lord admonished Joshua, saying, (7) “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘If you will walk in My ways, And if you will keep My command, Then you shall also judge My house, And likewise have charge of My courts; I will give you places to walk Among these who stand here. (8) ‘Hear, O Joshua, the high priest, You and your companions who sit before you, For they are a wondrous sign; For behold, I am bringing forth My Servant the BRANCH. (9) For behold, the stone That I have laid before Joshua: Upon the stone are seven eyes. Behold, I will engrave its inscription,’ Says the Lord of hosts, ‘And I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day. (10) In that day,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘Everyone will invite his neighbor Under his vine and under his fig tree.’ ” ZECHARIAH 4 (NKJV) – 7:30 Zechariah, chapter 4. (1) Now the angel who talked with me came back and wakened me, as a man who is wakened out of his sleep. (2) And he said to me, “What do you see?” So I said, “I am looking, and there is a lampstand of solid gold with a bowl on top of it, and on the stand seven lamps with seven pipes to the seven lamps. (3) Two olive trees are by it, one at the right of the bowl and the other at its left.” (4) So I answered and spoke to the angel who talked with me, saying, “What are these, my lord?” (5) Then the angel who talked with me answered and said to me, “Do you not know what these are?” And I said, “No, my lord.” (6) So he answered and said to me: “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ Says the Lord of hosts. (7) ‘Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain! And he shall bring forth the capstone With shouts of “Grace, grace to it!” ’ ” (8) Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying: (9) “The hands of Zerubbabel Have laid the foundation of this temple; His hands shall also finish it. Then you will know That the Lord of hosts has sent Me to you. (10) For who has despised the day of small things? For these seven rejoice to see The plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. They are the eyes of the Lord, Which scan to and fro throughout the whole earth.” (11) Then I answered and said to him, “What are these two olive trees—at the right of the lampstand and at its left?” (12) And I further answered and said to him, “What are these two olive branches that drip into the receptacles of the two gold pipes from which the golden oil drains?” (13) Then he answered me and said, “Do you not know what these are?” And I said, “No, my lord.” (14) So he said, “These are the two anointed ones, who stand beside the Lord of the whole earth.” ZECHARIAH 5 (NKJV) – 9:20 Zechariah, chapter 5. (1) Then I turned and raised my eyes, and saw there a flying scroll. (2) And he said to me, “What do you see?” So I answered, “I see a flying scroll. Its length is twenty cubits and its width ten cubits.” (3) Then he said to me, “This is the curse that goes out over the face of the whole earth: ‘Every thief shall be expelled,’ according to this side of the scroll; and, ‘Every perjurer shall be expelled,’ according to that side of it.” (4) “I will send out the curse,” says the Lord of hosts; “It shall enter the house of the thief And the house of the one who swears falsely by My name. It shall remain in the midst of his house And consume it, with its timber and stones.” (5) Then the angel who talked with me came out and said to me, “Lift your eyes now, and see what this is that goes forth.” (6) So I asked, “What is it?” And he said, “It is a basket that is going forth.” He also said, “This is their resemblance throughout the earth: (7) Here is a lead disc lifted up, and this is a woman sitting inside the basket”; (8) then he said, “This is Wickedness!” And he thrust her down into the basket, and threw the lead cover over its mouth. (9) Then I raised my eyes and looked, and there were two women, coming with the wind in their wings; for they had wings like the wings of a stork, and they lifted up the basket between earth and heaven (10) So I said to the angel who talked with me, “Where are they carrying the basket?” (11) And he said to me, “To build a house for it in the land of Shinar; when it is ready, the basket will be set there on its base.” ZECHARIAH 6 (NIV) – 10:53 Zechariah, chapter 6. (1) I looked up again, and there before me were four chariots coming out from between two mountains—mountains of bronze. (2) The first chariot had red horses, the second black, (3) the third white, and the fourth dappled—all of them powerful. (4) I asked the angel who was speaking to me, “What are these, my lord?” (5) The angel answered me, “These are the four spirits of heaven, going out from standing in the presence of the Lord of the whole world. (6) The one with the black horses is going toward the north country, the one with the white horses toward the west, and the one with the dappled horses toward the south.” (7) When the powerful horses went out, they were straining to go throughout the earth. And he said, “Go throughout the earth!” So they went throughout the earth. (8) Then he called to me, “Look, those going toward the north country have given my Spirit rest in the land of the north.” (9) The word of the Lord came to me: (10) “Take silver and gold from the exiles Heldai, Tobijah and Jedaiah, who have arrived from Babylon. Go the same day to the house of Josiah son of Zephaniah. (11) Take the silver and gold and make a crown, and set it on the head of the high priest, Joshua son of Jozadak. (12) Tell him this is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Here is the man whose name is the Branch, and he will branch out from his place and build the temple of the Lord. (13) It is he who will build the temple of the Lord, and he will be clothed with majesty and will sit and rule on his throne. And he will be a priest on his throne. And there will be harmony between the two.’ (14) The crown will be given to Heldai, Tobijah, Jedaiah and Hen son of Zephaniah as a memorial in the temple of the Lord. (15) Those who are far away will come and help to build the temple of the Lord, and you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me to you. This will happen if you diligently obey the Lord your God.” ZECHARIAH 7 (NIV) – 12:48 Zechariah, chapter 7. (1) In the fourth year of King Darius, the word of the Lord came to Zechariah on the fourth day of the ninth month, the month of Kislev. (2) The people of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regem-Melek, together with their men, to entreat the Lord (3) by asking the priests of the house of the Lord Almighty and the prophets, “Should I mourn and fast in the fifth month, as I have done for so many years?” (4) Then the word of the Lord Almighty came to me: (5) “Ask all the people of the land and the priests, ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months for the past seventy years, was it really for me that you fasted? (6) And when you were eating and drinking, were you not just feasting for yourselves? (7) Are these not the words the Lord proclaimed through the earlier prophets when Jerusalem and its surrounding towns were at rest and prosperous, and the Negev and the western foothills were settled?’” (8) And the word of the Lord came again to Zechariah: (9) “This is what the Lord Almighty said: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. (10) Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. Do not plot evil against each other.’ (11) “But they refused to pay attention; stubbornly they turned their backs and covered their ears. (12) They made their hearts as hard as flint and would not listen to the law or to the words that the Lord Almighty had sent by his Spirit through the earlier prophets. So the Lord Almighty was very angry. (13) “‘When I called, they did not listen; so when they called, I would not listen,’ says the Lord Almighty. (14) ‘I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations, where they were strangers. The land they left behind them was so desolate that no one traveled through it. This is how they made the pleasant land desolate.’” COMMENTS – 14:34 Did you know that Zechariah and Haggai were contemporaries? Well they were. Both were called by God after the Seventy Year Exile. Zechariah’s prophecy came two months after Haggai’s first prophecy. And where the prophecies of Haggai were primarily to do with the temple, Zechariah’s were about the people. And the language of Zechariah’s messages were very similar to that of the book of Revelation with symbolism, types and visions. Now, Zechariah, which means “the Lord remembers”, is a common name in the Old Testament. And we don’t know much about the author of this prophetic book. We do know from the book of Ezra that he was the son of Iddo. Now in chapter 1, God’s message to the people is: “Return to me, and I will return to you.” Did you happen to see Zechariah’s references to Jesus in these chapters? In chapter 1, verse 11, he’s the man who stood among the myrtle trees. In chapter 2, he’s the man with a measuring line in his hand. Here, Jesus is going to measure the physical size of Jerusalem, because many are going to be added to the city, because those who have been spread abroad like the four winds of heaven are being called back. So Jerusalem will increase. Then a second angel comes to Jesus and tells him to tell Zechariah, that Jerusalem will be like a city without walls because of the multitude of the population of people and livestock. But the people should not be afraid of having no walls, because God will be their protector, like a wall of fire around them, and His glory will be in their midst. Beloved, this is a vision of what is to be. God is not just calling the Jews but anyone who will put their trust in His Son Jesus. In verse 11 of chapter 2, the Lord says, “Many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day, and they shall become my people, and I will dwell in your midst, then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you.” This chapter is a call to all of us to rejoice in God’s plan and His promises. And then in chapter 3, Jesus is referred to as the Branch. And then we read again of the Branch in chapter 6. There he’s referred to as the Branch who will build the temple of the Lord. Let me ask you, what temple did Jesus build? He built the church. How’s that? Well, we are the temple of the Holy Spirit, according to Paul in 1 Corinthians 6:19. And then in chapter 7, the Lord through Zechariah said that his people ignored him, so he ignored them and scattered them among the nations. There are several times in these chapters that we read references to the Messiah. Remember, Jesus as the second person of the Trinity is the I AM. He has always been and he will always be. He was at the creation, and He has always been active in the affairs of man. For Zechariah, or actually any of the prophets, to have seen Jesus in visions is really not surprising when you look at it like that, right? Now, I myself am looking forward to the day when I’ll see him face to face. How about you? Have you got anything to say about these seven chapters. If you do go to lifespringmedia.com/s12e317. And tomorrow is Gospel Saturday, so we’ll read Acts 15 and 16. Boost! EXECUTIVE PRODUCER SHOUT-OUT – 18:05 Well, Roderick came in this past Monday with his monthly $50 donation, but I didn’t announce it on the show because I already recorded Monday show on Sunday afternoon. So this is the first chance I’ve had to acknowledge and thank Roderick for his $50 monthly donation, making him today’s Executive Producer. Thank you, Roderick, I appreciate you so much, and may God bless you richly. TRIP TO FLORIDA – 18:32 Well, let me tell you a little bit about the trip. This has been a long day. I’m recording this on Thursday afternoon, July 14, 2022. The Lovely Lady LeeAnn and I woke up this morning at two o’clock in Clermont, Florida, which is in the outskirts of Orlando. We woke up at two o’clock because we had a 5:55 flight out of Orlando International. We had to turn in the rental car, get checked in, find our way to the gate, all that stuff and Orlando’s a fairly big airport. So we wanted to have plenty of time. We got there in time and we got on the plane. It was a good flight. We had about a 90-minute layover at Dallas-Fort Worth airport. And then we landed at Ontario International at about 11:30 this morning, California time. We took Frontier Airlines to Florida and then we flew back on American Airlines. And, oh my goodness, flying Frontier was like taking a covered wagon compared to flying American. The Frontier seats were from the frontier days. They were very uncomfortable. They didn’t lean back at all. They were just rigid seats and the seat cushion, if you could even call it a cushion, was just really some sort of a thin–I don’t know what it was. But I have to tell you that after a four-and-a-half hour flight–which our flight to Florida was nonstop, so it was just four and a half hours sitting in that seat and that was very unpleasant. And the seat width was very sparse. So flying back, even though we were in coach, the seats felt luxurious in comparison to Frontier’s seats. Plus American had free in-flight movies, if you had your phone or tablet on you, and, of course, most everybody does these days. They had wi-fi on the plane that you could sign in to, and it didn’t connect to the internet. It was just the wi-fi on the plane. They had all of the movies and you could also listen to Apple Music, if you wanted to do that. If you weren’t already signed up for Apple Music, they’d give you a free trial period and after which, you know, they’d have the $9.99 a month charge–would begin. I didn’t listen to Apple Music, but I did watch a documentary on Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys called “Long Promised Road”. It was really well done especially if you’re a Beach Boys fan, like I’ve been since I was eight years old. I’m so much of a fan that I’ve seen the Beach Boys in person eight times, seven times when it was the original Beach Boys. And then once a few years back when it was the Mike Love version of The Beach Boys, which–I mean it was it was okay, but it wasn’t The Beach Boys. But that aside, I highly recommend, if you’re a Beach Boys fan, take a look at the movie, “Long Promised Road”. As a matter of fact, Brian Wilson and his wife, Marilyn, are executive producers on the film. So it’s not anything that’s sensationalized. It really tells the story of Brian Wilson. Last night, Wednesday night, in Florida we had a really, really great thunderstorm. Here in California, we don’t get them very often, so I love a good thunderstorm. Wednesday afternoon, there were a few summer showers. And then later on as it–as evening came around, we saw some flashes of lightning off in the distance, and before you knew it, the storm was here. It was on us, and it stayed around for, well, two or three hours, maybe longer. It was, it was really great. On Wednesday afternoon, my son Tim and I sat outside in their sort of gazebo that they built. And we had about a two or three hour conversation over some cold beverages. It was hot out there, and, of course, humid. That was probably 95 or so degrees, something like that. It was really hot. But we talked about life and his new baby girl and we talked about God and just a whole myriad of things. It was a great father-son time. LeeAnn and Tim’s wife, Val, stayed inside where it was cool and they had their time. So you’re probably wondering about Penelope, our new granddaughter, the reason we went to Florida for a two-day visit. I mean, all that way for just two days? Really? Yeah, really. It was worth it to hold her and to love her. She’s such a sweetie. I mean, she’s only a month old. There, there really isn’t a lot that she does besides eat and sleep and need diaper changes. But it was just so great to meet her and to hold her and to hug her and to love her and just hear her coo as she slept in my arms. It was just beautiful. I’m gonna have some pictures on today’s show notes page at lifespringmedia.com/s12e317. And then I’ll probably put in a few more pictures in next week’s newsletter, so be sure you’re signed up at news.lifespringmedia.com. To sum up the trip, I’d have to say that grandma and grandpa are in love with our newest grandchild. We love all five of our grandkids, of course, and we pray for each one of them and their moms and dads. It’s a big deal to me because I was raised as an only child until I was almost 10, so I came from a small family. And to see our family grow like it has is a completely new experience for me. I’ve got three sons and now three daughters-in-law and now five grandkids. This is just something I never even considered. I never, never even dreamed about having, what is approaching, now, a big family, so it’s wonderful! Now, LeeAnn comes from a family of five kids. She was number four, so she has only ever known a big family. But I’m loving it and God is so good and we are so very thankful. And thank you for being so patient with the pre-recorded shows. ON THIS DATE IN CHURCH HISTORY – 24:24 How about in on this date in church history? On this date in church history, July 15, 1802, Scottish-born colonial printer Robert Aitken died. It was his presses who produced the first American edition of the King James version of the New Testament, making it the first English Bible printed in America. So Robert Aitken definitely deserves a place in church history. PRAYER REQUESTS – 24:57 Prayer requests. This came in from Anonymous on Wednesday. Anonymous, I’ve been praying for you and these requests since you sent it in. As you know, this was my first opportunity to get it up on the show. This is Anonymous’ prayer request: For Magdalena’s soul to be free from worry, fear and concern, and Gianna to have health and happiness. And for Cordelia to be free from pain and suffering. Anonymous says “Dear God, give these women a healing cup from Jesus for them, and set them free from loneliness. Help them Oh God, and we pray for grief and healing relationships.” CLOSING PRAYER – 25:34 So, Beloved, let’s pray. Our Heavenly Father, we are so thankful that you remember. You remember the promises you make and you remember us and how much we need you. Father, help us to remember how much we need you. Knowing you and the love you have for us brings a peace to our hearts that is unshakable. As long as we remember to remember. We ask, God, that you would hold us close to you. And we pray for these women that Anonymous wrote in about. We do pray for Magdalena, to be free from worry, fear and concern, and Gianna to have health and happiness, and Cordelia to be free from pain and suffering. And we agree with Anonymous, God, please give these women a healing cup from Jesus and set them free from loneliness. We pray for their grief and we pray God that you would heal relationships. Lord, you are our healer, and we ask that you would bring healing to these women now. I thank you for Anonymous and her thoughtfulness in sending in these prayer requests. And I pray God that you would bless each one. I thank you, Lord, for the Lifespring family and I pray God that you would bless them today. I pray this in Jesus name, amen. OUTRO S12E317 – 26:48 Comment on the show at lifespringmedia.com/s12e317. Email me at st***@*************ia.com. Thanks to Kirsty, Sean of San Pedro and Denise. They had to do some extra work for me before I went on this trip. Denise did show notes and Sean of San Pedro did chapters. They always do a yeoman’s job and I really want to lift them up here and give them the props that they deserve. Kirsty, how’s the family doing with the COVID? Let me know. I’ve been praying for you. While I was gone, the people that are using the Podcasting 2.0 compliant apps continued to stream their sats and send boosts and I thank you guys for it, guys in the general sense. Maybe some of you are women. But I thank you. I thank you for your faithfulness. And I thank you, Beloved, for inviting me into your life today. And I pray that God will bless you. Support the show at lifespringmedia.com/support. And until tomorrow, may God bless you richly. My name is Steve Webb. Bye. Transcribed by https://otter.ai Corrected by Denise Please rate or review the show by clicking the heart! The post S3E318 – Zechariah 1-7:The Lord Remembers first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

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  • S12 · E317
    September 3 · 9 min

    S3E317 – Ecclesiastes 7-8: Trust

    Transcript Podcast Introduction Today is Poetry Thursday. Ecclesiastes 7-8. I’m calling today’s episode “Trust.” Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Ricardo Gomez Angel on Unsplash Comments on Ecclesiastes 7-8 I think that what we can take from Solomon’s teaching here in Ecclesiastes is that wisdom, money, power and everything else that man strives for does not bring happiness or understanding or peace. Solomon had it all. But at the end of his life he realized that what God does is far beyond man’s understanding. Notice that not once has he accused God of being unjust or unfair. He has said that some of the things he has seen are unfair, but he chalks that up to just what happens in this life. And he admits in the last two verses of today’s reading that we just cannot understand it. Some things we just need to leave in the hands of God. Our human heart doesn’t easily find that conclusion to be very satisfying, but if you don’t want to drive yourself crazy trying to figure out what is impossible for our puny, finite minds to grasp, then you really do have to come to grips with that reality. We need to trust that God truly does love us. And He does. We need to trust that God truly is holy. And He is. We need to trust that God is just. And He is. We need to trust that on the last day, God will set everything right. And He will. Today’s Bible Translation Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 7-8 CEV Support This a value for value podcast. There are no advertisers because advertising=censorship. If you enjoy the Lifespring Family Audio Bible, decide how much value it brings to you. Only you can make that determination. Then put a number on the value and send it to me here: SUPPORT. Transcript Download .txt file. STEVE WEBB – 0:00 Not once has he accused God of being unjust or unfair. INTRO S12E316 – 0:11 Coming to you from Riverside, California, this is the Lifespring Family Audio Bible, and podcasting since 2004, I’m your OG Godcaster, Steve Webb. This is the daily show where we’re reading through the entire Bible in a year. This episode is pre-recorded. I don’t know what I was thinking yesterday when I said I’d be back in time to produce this show for you at the regular time, but I should be back to do tomorrow’s show, Lord willing. Today is Poetry Thursday. We’ll read Ecclesiastes 7 and 8. I’m calling today’s episode, “Trust”. The show notes page for today is at lifespringmedia.com/s12e316. And my email address has not changed. It’s st***@*************ia.com. Send me an email. Let’s get started. ECCLESIASTES 7 (CEV) – 0:54 Ecclesiastes, chapter 7. (1) A good reputation at the time of death is better than loving care at the time of birth. (2) It’s better to go to a funeral than to attend a feast; funerals remind us that we all must die. (3) Choose sorrow over laughter because a sad face may hide a happy heart. (4) A sensible person mourns, but fools always laugh. (5) Correction from someone wise is better by far than praise from fools. (6) Foolish laughter is stupid. It sounds like thorns crackling in a fire. (7) Corruption makes fools of sensible people, and bribes can ruin you. (8) Something completed is better than something just begun; patience is better than too much pride. (9) Only fools get angry quickly and hold a grudge. (10) It isn’t wise to ask, “Why is everything worse than it used to be?” (11) Having wisdom is better than an inheritance. (12) Wisdom will protect you just like money; knowledge with good sense will lead you to life. (13) Think of what God has done! If God makes something crooked, can you make it straight? (14) When times are good, you should be cheerful; when times are bad, think about what it means. God makes them both to keep us from knowing what will happen next. (15) I have seen everything during this senseless life of mine. I have seen good citizens die for doing the right thing, while criminals live and prosper. (16) So don’t destroy yourself by being too good or acting too smart! (17) Don’t die before your time by being too evil or acting like a fool. (18) Keep to the middle of the road. You can do this if you truly respect God. (19) Wisdom will make you stronger than the ten most powerful leaders in your city. (20) No one in this world always does right. (21) Don’t listen to everything that everyone says, or you might hear your servant cursing you. (22) Haven’t you cursed many others? (23) I told myself that I would be smart and try to understand all this, but it was too much for me. (24) The truth is beyond us. It’s far too deep. (25) So I decided to learn everything I could and become wise enough to discover what life is all about. At the same time, I wanted to understand why it’s stupid and senseless to be an evil fool. (26) Here is what I discovered: A bad woman is worse than death. She is a trap, reaching out with body and soul to catch you. But if you obey God, you can escape. If you don’t obey, you are done for. (27) With all my wisdom I have tried to find out how everything fits together, (28) but so far I have not been able to. I do know there is one good man in a thousand, but never have I found a good woman. (29) I did learn one thing: We were completely honest when God created us, but now we have twisted minds. ECCLESIASTER 8 (CEV) – 3:49 Ecclesiastes, chapter 8. (1) Who is smart enough to explain everything? Wisdom makes you cheerful and gives you a smile. (2) If you promised God that you would be loyal to the king, I advise you to keep that promise. (3) Don’t quickly oppose the king or argue when he has already made up his mind. (4) The king’s word is law. No one can ask him, “Why are you doing this?” (5) If you obey the king, you will stay out of trouble. So be wise and learn what to do and when to do it. (6) Life is hard, but there is a time and a place for everything, (7) though no one can tell the future. (8) We cannot control the wind or determine the day of our death. There is no escape in time of war, and no one can hide behind evil. (9) I noticed all this and thought seriously about what goes on in the world. Why does one person have the power to hurt another? (10) I saw the wicked buried with honor, but God’s people had to leave the holy city and were forgotten. None of this makes sense. (11) When we see criminals commit crime after crime without being punished, it makes us want to start a life of crime. (12) They commit hundreds of crimes and live a long time, in spite of the saying: Everyone who lives right and respects God will prosper, (13) but no one who sins and rejects God will prosper or live very long. (14) There is something else that doesn’t make sense to me. Good citizens are treated as criminals, while criminals are honored as though they were good citizens. (15) So I think we should get as much out of life as we possibly can. There is nothing better than to enjoy our food and drink and have a good time. Then we can make it through this troublesome life that God has given us here on earth. (16) Day and night I went without sleep, trying to understand what goes on in this world. (17) I saw everything God does, and I realized no one can really understand what happens. We may be very wise, but no matter how much we try or how much we claim to know, we cannot understand it all. COMMENTS – 5:53 Well, Beloved, I think that what we can take from Solomon’s teaching here in Ecclesiastes is that wisdom, money, power, and everything else that man strives for does not bring happiness or understanding or peace. Solomon had it all. But at the end of his life, he realized that what God does is far beyond man’s understanding. Notice that not once has he accused God of being unjust or unfair. He has said that some of the things he has seen are unfair, but he chalks that up to just what happens in this life. And he admits in the last two verses of today’s reading, that we just cannot understand it. Some things we just need to leave in the hands of God. Now, our human heart doesn’t easily find that conclusion to be very satisfying. But if you don’t want to drive yourself crazy, trying to figure out what is impossible for our puny finite minds to grasp, then you really do have to just come to grips with that reality. We can’t understand the things that God does. We need to trust that God truly does love us, and he does. We need to trust that God truly is holy, and he is. We need to trust that God is just, and he is. We need to trust that on the last day, God will set everything right, and he will. What are your thoughts? Is it hard for you to just “Let go and let God”, as they say. Let me know. Go to lifespringmedia.com/s12e316. And tell me what you think. Tomorrow is Prophecy Friday. We will read the first seven chapters of Zechariah. Boost! ON THIS DATE IN CHURCH HISTORY – 7:46 On this date in church history, July 14, 1768, Scottish evangelist James A. Haldane, who founded the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel at Home in 1797, was born. Happy birthday, James. And on this date in church history, July 14, 1892, the Baptist Young People’s Union holds its first annual National Convention in Detroit, Michigan. CLOSING PRAYER – 8:19 Let’s pray. Our Heavenly Father, help us to trust in You. Help us to rest in you. Hold us close to you, Lord, You are our shelter, our rock, our provider. We need you more than we need life itself. And we praise You and we worship You. Lord, I ask that You would bless the Lifespring family today and I pray this in Jesus name. Amen. If you have a prayer request or a praise, please go to prayer.lifespringmedia.com. And I said this yesterday, but today I mean it. If all goes according to plan, I’ll be back in time to produce tomorrow’s show. So go ahead and send in your prayer request or praise if you want me to share it on the show, prayer.lifespringmedia.com. OUTRO S12E316 – 9:09 Comment on the show at lifespringmedia.com/s12e316. Do you find it hard to rest in God? Do you find it hard to trust that you will make things right? Tell me lifespringmedia.com/s12e316. Or send me an email at st***@*************ia.com. Kirsty, Sean of San Pedro and Denise, I thank you for your service and for your donation of time and talent. Beloved, thank you for inviting me into your life, today, and being patient with me being out of town. Support the show, if you would, please at lifespringmedia.com/support. And until tomorrow, may God bless you richly. My name is Steve Webb. Bye. Transcribed by https://otter.ai Corrected by Denise Please rate or review the show by clicking the heart! The post S3E317 – Ecclesiastes 7-8: Trust first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

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  • S12 · E316
    September 2 · 8 min

    S3E316 – Psalms 131-133: No Room For Pride

    Transcript Podcast Introduction Today is Psalms Wednesday. We’ll read chapters 131-133. I’m calling today’s episode “No Room For Pride.” Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Ben White on Unsplash Comments on Psalm 131 Psalm 131 is David’s song in which he declares that pride has no place in his heart. For someone with as many accomplishments as David had, it can be very difficult not to harbor pride or arrogance. We know from Scripture that David had at least one bout with pride, when he got into trouble with Bathsheba. To be sure, lust was a big part of his sin, but pride was at the root of his fall. He thought that he could get away with his sin with Bathsheba and the subsequent sin of the murder of her husband. But the cascading consequences of the first sin reverberated for many years. David learned the hard way that pride will inevitably wreak havoc on one’s life, and in this psalm he says that he has learned that it is much better to be content with God, and the blessings He brings to a contrite heart. Oh, beloved. Would that we would learn this lesson early in life, instead of spending wasted years in pursuit of glory, riches and power. A heart in pursuit of a vital, dynamic, deep relationship with God will always result in a life infinitely more fulfilled. It will be a life that leaves an eternal legacy. But even if we learn the lesson later in life, as David did, we know from this psalm that our heart can find peace with God, despite earlier failures. Coming to Christ, admitting that we need the forgiveness that only He can bring, is but the first step in laying down our pride. From that point on, He begins the work of making us a new person, the person He created us to be. Today’s Bible Translation Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 131-133 ESV Support This a value for value podcast. There are no advertisers because advertising=censorship. If you enjoy the Lifespring Family Audio Bible, decide how much value it brings to you. Only you can make that determination. Then put a number on the value and send it to me here: SUPPORT. Transcript Download .txt file. STEVE WEBB – 0:00 It can be very difficult not to harbor pride or arrogance. INTRO S12E315 – 0:11 Coming to you from Riverside, California, this is the Lifespring Family Audio Bible. And podcasting since 2004, I’m your OG Godcaster, Steve Webb. This is the daily show where we’re reading through the entire Bible in a year and this episode is pre-recorded, but I should be back for tomorrow’s show, Lord willing. Today is Psalms Wednesday. We’ll read chapters 131 through 133, and, of course, I’ll have an introduction before each chapter. And then at the end of the reading, I’ve got a few comments for you. I’m calling today’s episode, “No Room for Pride”. The show notes page for today’s episode is at lifespringmedia.com/s12e315. My email address is st***@*************ia.com. Let’s get going. INTRO TO PSALM 131 – 0:52 Psalm 131 is also one of the Songs of Ascent and this is one of David’s. Commentators think it may have been written when David was being hunted by King Saul or after David’s wife, Michal, accused him of vulgar, undignified behavior when he danced in celebration, when the Ark of the Covenant was returned to Jerusalem. In this Psalm, David denies any pride or ambition. Charles Spurgeon wrote, “It is one of the shortest Psalms to read, but one of the longest to learn. It speaks of a young child but it contains the experience of a man in Christ.” PSALM 131 (ESV) – 1:27 Psalms, chapter 131. (1) O Lord, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me. (2) But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me. (3) O Israel, hope in the Lord from this time forth and forevermore. INTRO TO PSALM 132 – 1:56 Psalm 132 was also a Song of Ascent, and even though no author is attributed in the title, a case for Solomon is the author can be made. James Montgomery Boice wrote, “Since Psalm 132, verses 8 through 10 are quoted in 2 Chronicles 6:41 and 42 as part of Solomon’s prayer at the dedication of the temple. This psalm probably dates from Solomon’s reign, even though the title does not identify it as Solomon’s Psalm.” PSALM 132 (ESV) – 2:24 Psalms, chapter 132. (1) Remember, O Lord, in David’s favor, all the hardships he endured, (2) how he swore to the Lord and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob, (3) “I will not enter my house or get into my bed, (4) I will not give sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids, (5) until I find a place for the Lord, a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.” (6) Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah; we found it in the fields of Jaar. (7) “Let us go to his dwelling place; let us worship at his footstool!” (8) Arise, O Lord, and go to your resting place, you and the ark of your might. (9) Let your priests be clothed with righteousness, and let your saints shout for joy. (10) For the sake of your servant David, do not turn away the face of your anointed one. (11) The Lord swore to David a sure oath from which he will not turn back: “One of the sons of your body I will set on your throne. (12) If your sons keep my covenant and my testimonies that I shall teach them, their sons also forever shall sit on your throne.” (13) For the Lord has chosen Zion; he has desired it for his dwelling place: (14) “This is my resting place forever; here I will dwell, for I have desired it. (15) I will abundantly bless her provisions; I will satisfy her poor with bread. (16) Her priests I will clothe with salvation, and her saints will shout for joy. (17) There I will make a horn to sprout for David; I have prepared a lamp for my anointed. (18) His enemies I will clothe with shame, but on him his crown will shine.” INTRO TO PSALM 133 – 4:01 The title of Psalm 133 is A Song of Ascents of David, and this is the last of the series of fifteen to be written by him. We don’t know the time or event of the writing, but perhaps it was when all of the tribes were once again reunited under David’s rule. Boice wrote, “It could date from the crowning of David at Hebron when the leaders of the nation were, for a time at least, of one heart in mind. See 2 Samuel 5:1 and 1 Chronicles 12:38 through 40.” PSALM 133 (ESV) – 4:32 Psalms, chapter 133. (1) Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! (2) It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes! (3) It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the Lord has commanded the blessing, life forevermore. COMMENTS – 4:58 Psalm 131 is David’s song in which he declares that pride has no place in his heart. For someone with as many accomplishments as David had, it can be very difficult not to harbor pride or arrogance. And we know from Scripture that David had at least one bout with pride when he got into trouble with Bathsheba. To be sure lust was a big part of his sin, but pride was at the root of his fall. He thought that he could get away with his sin with Bathsheba and the subsequent sin of the murder of her husband. But the cascading consequences of the first sin reverberated for many, many years. David learned the hard way that pride will inevitably wreak havoc on one’s life. And in this psalm, he says that he has learned that it is much better to be content with God and the blessings he brings to a contrite heart. Oh, Beloved, would that we would learn this lesson early in life instead of spending wasted years in pursuit of glory, riches and power. A heart in pursuit of a vital dynamic, deep relationship with God will always result in a life infinitely more fulfilled. It will be a life that leaves an eternal legacy. But even if we learned the lesson later in life as David did, we know from this psalm that our heart can find peace with God despite earlier failures. Coming to Christ, admitting that we need the forgiveness that only He can bring is but the first step in laying down our pride. And from that point on, he begins the work of making us a new person, the person he created us to be. What are your thoughts? Let me know at lifespringmedia.com/s12e315. Tomorrow is Poetry Thursday. We’ll read Ecclesiastes 7 and 8. Boost. ON THIS DATE IN CHURCH HISTORY – 6:51 On this date in church history, July 13, 1727, Count Nicholas Zinzendorf organized the Bohemian Protestant refugees on his land into the Moravian community of Unitas Fratrum, or United Brethren. CLOSING PRAYER – 7:14 Let’s pray, shall we? Our heavenly Father, Lord, like David, we ask that you give us a deep and lasting desire to be close to you, to follow you, to desire a true relationship with you. Show us how to prioritize time with you and make it our most important time of the day. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen. Well, Beloved, if all goes according to plan, I’ll be back in time to produce tomorrow’s show for you. So go ahead and send in your prayer request or praise, if you want me to share it on the show. Go to prayer.lifespringmedia.com. OUTRO S12E315 – 7:53 If you have a comment on today’s show, give it to me at lifespringmedia.com/s12e315. Send me an email at st***@*************ia.com. Kirsty, Sean of San Pedro and Denise, thank you for all you do. And thank you, Beloved, for inviting me into your life today. I look forward to seeing you tomorrow. Support the show please at lifespringmedia.com/support. And until tomorrow, may God bless you richly. My name is Steve Webb. Bye. Transcribed by https://otter.ai Corrected by Denise Please rate or review the show by clicking the heart! The post S3E316 – Psalms 131-133: No Room For Pride first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

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