S3E222 – 1 Timothy 1-3: Words of Advice

S3E235 – John 7-9: Who Decides?

Transcript PODCAST INTRODUCTION Today we will read John 7-9. I’ll have some comments after the reading, and I’m calling today’s episode “Who Decides?”   S12E234Art3000-man with puzzled expression [https://dzzggm57pi1og.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/22183346/S12E234Art3000.jpg]Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Ludovic Migneault on Unsplash COMMENTS ON JOHN 7-9 > But no one had the courage to speak favorably about him in public, for they were afraid of getting in trouble with the Jewish leaders. > > > John 7:13 NLT > Many among the crowds at the Temple believed in him. “After all,” they said, “would you expect the Messiah to do more miraculous signs than this man has done?” > > > When the Pharisees heard that the crowds were whispering such things, they and the leading priests sent Temple guards to arrest Jesus. > > > John 7:31-32 NLT >  So the crowd was divided about him. Some even wanted him arrested, but no one laid a hand on him. > > > John 7: 43-44 NLT > They asked his parents, “Is this your son, the one you say was born blind? Why can he see now?” > > > His parents replied, “We know that he’s our son and that he was born blind. But we don’t know how he got his sight or who gave it to him. You’ll have to ask him. He’s old enough to answer for himself.” (His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews. The Jews had already agreed to put anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Christ out of the synagogue. That’s why his parents said, “You’ll have to ask him. He’s old enough.”) > > > John 19-23 NLT So now I have a question for you. Do these passages sound familiar to you? Do they sound similar to anything that is happening today?  “Cancel culture” is not new, is it? The Pharisees were used to being in control of the public narrative. People were afraid to voice their opinions, if they differed from what the Pharisees taught. The people could see with their own eyes and hear with their own ears what Jesus did and what He taught, and some believed that He was who He said He was, but many were afraid to support Him, lest they be thrown out of the synagogue. But there was one in our reading today who had courage. > They asked the man who had been born blind another question: “What do you say about the man who gave you sight?” > > > The man answered, “He’s a prophet.” > > > John 9:17 GWT At this point in the narrative, the Pharisees have the interview with his parents, which we have already read. As you know, they said, “He’s old enough, ask him yourselves.” > So once again the Jews called the man who had been blind. They told him, “Give glory to God. We know that this man who gave you sight is a sinner.” > > > The man responded, “I don’t know if he’s a sinner or not. But I do know one thing. I used to be blind, but now I can see.” > > > The Jews asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he give you sight?” > > > The man replied, “I’ve already told you, but you didn’t listen. Why do you want to hear the story again? Do you want to become his disciples too?” > > > The Jews yelled at him, “You’re his disciple, but we’re Moses’ disciples. We know that God spoke to Moses, but we don’t know where this man came from.” > > > The man replied to them, “That’s amazing! You don’t know where he’s from. Yet, he gave me sight. 31We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners. Instead, he listens to people who are devout and who do what he wants. 32Since the beginning of time, no one has ever heard of anyone giving sight to a person born blind. 33If this man were not from God, he couldn’t do anything like that.” > > > John 9: 24-30 GWT > The Jews answered him, “You were born full of sin. Do you think you can teach us?” Then they threw him out ⌞of the synagogue⌟. > > > John 9:34 GWT This man refused to alter his answer just to mollify the Pharisees. And he paid a price, didn’t he? But did he really? > Jesus heard that the Jews had thrown the man out ⌞of the synagogue⌟. So when Jesus found the man, he asked him, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” > > > The man replied, “Sir, tell me who he is so that I can believe in him.” > > > Jesus told him, “You’ve seen him. He is the person who is now talking with you.” > > > The man bowed in front of Jesus and said, “I believe, Lord.” > > > John 9:35-37 GWT I would say that he gained everything. Beloved, “cancel culture” is happening more every day. You’ve heard me talk about it several times here on the show if you’ve been listening for very long. Here’s a very recent example. While the author does not specifically say that certain content should be de-platformed, they are “this” close to it. This is from the Brookings Institute, and the authors are Valerie Wirtschafter and Chris Meserole. The title of the article is “Policy recommendations for addressing content moderation in podcasts [https://www.brookings.edu/techstream/policy-recommendations-for-addressing-content-moderation-in-podcasts/].” It was published just a few days ago…April 18, 2022. Just the title gives you a clue as to their intent. Here it is again: “Policy recommendations for addressing content moderation in podcasts.” James Cridland and Sam Sethi of the Podland News podcast [https://www.podland.news/1538779/10478460-hello-to-spotify-s-new-curation-and-moderation-policies-goodbye-to-spotify-s-greenroom-creator-fund-and-facebook-s-podcasts] talked about it. “A great reckoning has arrived for content moderation in podcasts.” Oh really? Content moderation? Who’s going to do the moderating? This was the opening sentence in the article.  One sentence later, they say, “What speech should be permitted? What speech should be shared? And what principles should inform those decisions?” What speech should be permitted? Are you kidding me? All speech should be permitted. That’s what free speech is all about. If anyone’s speech can be disallowed, then there is no free speech. Free speech is not about, “You can say whatever you want as long as I agree with you.” Free speech guarantees the right to say whatever you want, whether anyone agrees with you or not.  Because if any speech is forbidden, it’s only a matter of time before YOUR speech is forbidden.  The article continues: “Debates over content moderation in podcasts hinge primarily on whether and how widely to share so-called “lawful but awful” content. Don’t you love that? Lawful but awful! Major podcasting apps—the applications commonly used on smartphones, tablets, and computers to listen and download to podcast episodes—already have policies and procedures in place to deal with blatantly illegal content. Spotify or Apple Podcasts won’t knowingly distribute an Islamic State recruitment podcast, since doing so would open them to prosecution for supporting a designated terrorist group. How podcasting apps should handle hate speech, misinformation, and related content that is legal but may have harmful societal effects is far less clear.”  Who is to say what “harmful societal effects” are? Who is going to call that? Specifically, a left-leaning proponent of the LGBT+ lifestyle would very probably say that this podcast would fall into under the “harmful societal effects” umbrella because I have read the Bible’s teaching on homosexuality and said that I believe the Bible. Continuing the article. This will be the last excerpt I share.  “Below the level of blatantly illegal content, the most popular podcasting apps face a daunting challenge. On the one hand, given the scale and reach of apps like Spotify and Apple Podcasts—each now enjoys more than 25 million monthly podcast listeners in the United States—their content moderation policies need to account for the societal harms that can result from the mass distribution of hate speech and misinformation.” Once again, who decides what is “hate speech and misinformation?” We have seen very recently that what is deemed “misinformation” one day becomes “information” the next, based on the whims of the CDC or Fauci or whomever.  We must be prepared, beloved. Christians are only a very, very short step away from being the next major target. I can see it very clearly. For example, when we plainly and boldly proclaim the Gospel, which says there is only ONE way to be saved, or when we plainly and boldly proclaim that ALL are sinners in need of the forgiveness that only comes through Jesus, we will be tried and convicted of hate speech.  Will you bend the knee to these people, or will you boldly stand for Jesus? The time is coming…No, the time is almost here when you will need to make a decision.  Remember the words of Jesus in Matthew 10:33: But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven. (NLT) We must stand before men, and bow the knee only before Jesus. Philippians 2:9-11 (NASB) 9For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. If you want to be sure that this show will continue to come to you no matter what Apple or any other podcast app decides should not be allowed, it is important to remember that it will always be available at LifespringMedia.com. That is the home base for the show. Not Apple Podcasts, not Google Podcasts. Not anywhere else. If the show stops updating in your podcast app with no warning from me, then some outside force has pulled the plug. Then what you do is go to LifespringMedia.com [http://LifespringMedia.com] to see if there are new episodes of the show. If there are, then you can subscribe from my website. You don’t need Apple or any other silicon valley company. Get an app from newpodcastapps.com [http://newpodcastapps.com]. Those apps use the podcastindex.org [http://podcastindex.org] podcast directory, and the whole idea…the impetus for the entire project was to preserve free speech. I could go on about this for a long time, but I’ll stop here. Just be aware beloved, that there are forces that want to silence us, and we must do all that we can to keep them from being successful in their efforts. But this is not new. Ephesians 6:12 says, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”  But 1 John 4:4 says, “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” TODAY’S BIBLE TRANSLATION Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 7-8 NLT; Ch. 9 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 [/support/]. [/support/] TRANSCRIPT Download .txt file. [https://d1uphahyf7mnoz.cloudfront.net/lsfb/LSFAB_S12-E234_otter_ai.txt] Steve Webb 0:00 If any speech is forbidden, it’s only a matter of time before your speech is forbidden. Steve Webb 0:13 And here we are, again, this is the Lifespring family Audio Bible coming to you from Riverside, California, 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 and I’m really happy you’ve invited me into your day today. We’re going to read John chapter seven through nine today, and I’ll have some comments after the reading. I’m calling this episode, who decides the show notes page for today’s episode is at Lifespring media.com/s 12 e 234. My email address is Steve at Lifespring media.com case you’d like to write, I love to hear from you. Let’s begin. Steve Webb 0:50 John, chapter seven. After this, Jesus traveled around Galilee. He wanted to stay out of Judea where the Jewish leaders were plotting his death. But soon it was time for the Jewish festival of shelters. And Jesus brothers said to him, leave here and go to Judea where your followers can see your miracles. You can’t become famous if you hide like this. If you can do such wonderful things, show yourself to the world. For even his brothers didn’t believe in Him. Jesus replied, now is not the right time for me to go. But you can go any time. The world can’t hate you. But it does hate me because I accuse it of doing evil. You go on? Well, I’m not going to this festival because my time has not yet come. After saying these things. Jesus remained in Galilee. But after his brother’s left for the festival, Jesus also went though secretly staying out of public view. The Jewish leaders tried to find him at the festival and kept asking if anyone had seen him. There was a lot of grumbling about him among the crowds. Some argued he’s a good man, but others said he’s nothing but a fraud, who deceives the people. But no one had the courage to speak favorably about him in public, for they were afraid of getting in trouble with the Jewish leaders. Then midway through the festival, Jesus went up to the temple and began to teach. The people were surprised when they heard him. How does he know so much when he hasn’t been trained? They asked. So Jesus told them, my message is not my own. It comes from God who sent me. Anyone who wants to do the will of God will know whether my teaching is from God, or is merely my own. Those who speak for themselves want glory only for themselves. But a person who seeks to honor the one who sent him speaks truth, not lies. Moses gave you the law, but none of you obeys it. In fact, you are trying to kill me. The crowd replied, your demon possessed, who’s trying to kill you. Jesus replied, I did one miracle on the Sabbath, and you were amazed. But you work on the Sabbath to when you obey Moses law of circumcision. Actually, this tradition of circumcision began with the patriarchs long before the law of Moses, for if the correct time for circumcising your son falls on the Sabbath, you go ahead and do it so as not to break the law of Moses. So why should you be angry with me for healing a man on the Sabbath? Look beneath the surface so you can judge correctly? Some of the people who lived in Jerusalem started to ask each other? Isn’t this the man they are trying to kill? But here he is speaking in public and they say nothing to him? Could our leaders possibly believe that he is the Messiah? But how could he be for we know where this man comes from? when the Messiah comes, he will simply appear, no one will know where he comes from. While Jesus was teaching in the temple, he called out, yes, you know me, and you know where I come from. But I’m not here on my own. The one who sent me is true, and you don’t know him. But I know him because I come from him, and he sent me to you. Then the leaders tried to arrest him. But no one laid a hand on him, because his time had not yet come. Many among the crowds at the temple believed in him. After all, they said, would you expect the Messiah to do more miraculous signs that this man has done? When the Pharisees heard that the crowds were whispering such things they in the leading priests sent temple guards to arrest Jesus? But Jesus told him, I will only be with you a little longer than I will return to the one who sent me. You will search for me but not find me and you cannot go where I am going. The Jewish leaders were puzzled by this statement. Where is he planning to go? They asked? Is he thinking of leaving the country and going to the Jews in other lands? Maybe he will even teach the Greeks. What does he mean when he says you will search for me but not find me and you cannot go where I am going. On the last day the climax of the festival Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds. Anyone who was thirsty may come to me. Anyone who believe leaves in me may come and drink. For the Scriptures declare rivers of living water will flow from his heart. When he said living water he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory. When the crowds heard him say this, some of them declared, surely this man is the prophet we’ve been expecting. Others said he is the Messiah. Still, others said, but he can’t be will the Messiah come from Galilee for the scriptures clearly state that the Messiah will be born of the royal line of David in Bethlehem, the village where King David was born. So the crowd was divided about him. Some even wanted him arrested, but no one laid a hand on him. When the temple guards returned without having arrested Jesus, the leading priests and Pharisees demanded, why didn’t you bring him in? We’ve never heard anyone speak like this. The guards responded. Have you been led astray to the Pharisees mocked? Is there a single one of us rulers or Pharisees who believes in Him? This foolish crowd follows him but they’re ignorant of the law. God’s curse is on them. Then Nicodemus, the leader, who had met with Jesus earlier spoke up is illegal to convict a man before he’s given a hearing he asked, they replied, Are you from Galilee to search the Scriptures and see for yourself. No prophet ever comes from Galilee. Then the meeting broke up and everybody went home. Steve Webb 6:31 John chapter eight, Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives. But early the next morning, he was back again at the temple. A crowd soon gathered at he sat down and taught them as he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd. Teacher, they said to Jesus, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. The Law of Moses says to stone her, what do you say? They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him. But Jesus stooped down and rode in the dust with his finger. They kept demanding an answer. So he stood up again and said, All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone. Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust. When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with a woman. Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn? You? Know, Lord, she said, And Jesus said, Neither do I go and sin no more. Gee, Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness because you will have the light that leads to life. The Pharisees replied, You are making those claims about yourself. Such testimony is not valid. Jesus told him, these claims are valid, even though I make them about myself, for I know where I came from, and where I am going, but you don’t know this about me. You judge me by human standards, but I do not judge anyone. And if I did, my judgment would be correct in every respect, because I am not alone. The Father who sent me is with me. Your own law says that if two people agree about something, their witness is accepted as fact. I am one witness, and my father who sent me is the other. Where is your father? They asked. Jesus answered, since you don’t know who I am. You don’t know who my father is. If you knew me, you would also know my father. Jesus made these statements while he was teaching in the section of the temple known as the Treasury. But he was not arrested because his time had not yet come. Later, Jesus said to them again, I am going away, you will search for me but will die in your sin. You cannot come where I am going. That people asked, Is he planning to commit suicide? What does he mean you cannot come where I am going? Jesus continued, You are from below, I am from above. You belong to this world? I do not. That is why I said that you will die in your sins. For unless you believe that I am who I claimed to be, you will die in your sins. Who are you? They demanded. Jesus replied, the one I have always claimed to be. I have much to say about you and much to condemn, but I won’t, for I say only what I have heard from the one who sent me and he is completely truthful. But they still didn’t understand that he was talking about his father. So Jesus said, When you have lifted up the Son of Man on the cross, then you will understand that I am he. I do nothing on my own, but say only what the father taught me. And the one who sent me is with me. He is not deserted. Me, for I always do what pleases Him. Then many who heard him say these things believed in Him. Jesus said to the people who believed in him, you are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. But we’re descendants of Abraham, they said, We have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean, you will be set free? Jesus replied, I tell you the truth. Everyone who sins is a SLAVE of sin. A slave is not a permanent member of the family. But a son is part of the family forever. So if the sun sets you free, you are truly free. Yes, I realize that you are descendants of Abraham. And yet some of you are trying to kill me because there’s no room in your hearts for my message. I’m telling you what I saw when I was with my father, but you are following the advice of your father. Our father is Abraham. They declared? No, Jesus replied, for if you were really the children of Abraham, you would follow his example. Instead, you’re trying to kill me because I told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham never did such a thing. Know, you are imitating your real father. They replied, we aren’t illegitimate children. God himself is our True Father. Jesus told him, if God were your Father, you would love me because I have come to you from God. I am not here on my own, but he sent me. Why can’t you understand what I’m saying? It’s because you can’t even hear me. For you are the children of your father, the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. So when I tell the truth, you just naturally don’t believe me? Which of you can truthfully accuse me of sin? And since I am telling you the truth, why don’t you believe me? Anyone who belongs to God listens gladly to the words of God. But you don’t listen because you don’t belong to God. The people retorted, you, Samaritan devil? Didn’t we say all along that you were possessed by a demon? No, Jesus said, I have no demon in me, for I honor my father, and you dishonor me. And though I have no wish to glorify myself, God is going to glorify Me. He is the true judge. I tell you the truth, anyone who obeys my teaching will never die. The people said, Now we know you’re possessed by a demon. Even Abraham and the prophets died. But you say, anyone who obeys my teaching will never die. Are you greater than our father Abraham, he died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are? Jesus answered? If I want glory for myself, it doesn’t count. But it is my father who will glorify Me. You say He is our God, but you don’t even know him. I know him. If I said otherwise. I would be as great a liar as you. But I do know him and obey him. Your father Abraham rejoiced as he looked forward to my coming. He saw it and was glad that people said, you aren’t even 50 years old. How can you say you’ve seen Abraham? Jesus answered, I tell you the truth. Before Abraham was even born, I am. At that point, they picked up stones to throw at him. But Jesus was hidden from them and left the temple. Steve Webb 13:40 John chapter nine. As Jesus walked along, he saw a man who had been born blind. His disciples asked Him, Rabbi, why was this man born blind? Did he or his parents sin? Jesus answered, neither this man nor his parents sinned. Instead, he was born blind so that God could show what he can do for him. We must do what the one who sent me wants us to do while it is day, the night when no one can do anything is coming. As long as I’m in the world, I am light for the world. After Jesus said this, he spit on the ground and mixed the spit with dirt. Then He smeared it on the man’s eyes and told him wash it off in the pool of Siloam. Silo means set, the blind man washed it off and returned. He was able to see his neighbors and those who had previously seen him begging asked, isn’t this the man who used to sit and beg? Some of them said, he’s the one other said, No, he isn’t. But he looks like him. But the man himself said, I am the one. So they asked him, How did you receive your site? He replied. The man people called Jesus mixed some spit with dirt, smeared it on my eyes and told me go to Siloam and wash it off. So I went there, washed it off and received my sight. They asked him. Where is that man? The man answered, I don’t know. Some people brought the man who had been blind to the Pharisees. The day when Jesus mixed the spit and dirt and gave the man site was a day of worship. So the Pharisees asked the man again, how he received his sight. The man told the Pharisees, he put a mixture of spit in dirt on my eyes, I washed it off. And now I see. Some of the Pharisees said, the man who did this is not from God, because he doesn’t follow the traditions for the day of worship. Other Pharisees said, How can a man who was a sinner perform miracles like these? So the Pharisees were divided in their opinions? They asked the man who had been born blind. Another question, what do you say about the man who gave you sight? The man answered, he’s a prophet. Until they talked to the man’s parents, the Jews didn’t believe that the man had been born blind and had been given sight. They asked his parents, is this your son? The one you say, was born blind? Why can he see now? His parents replied, We know that He’s our son, and that he was born blind. But we don’t know how he got his sight, or who gave it to him. You’ll have to ask him. He’s old enough to answer for himself. His parents said this, because they were afraid of the Jews. The Jews had already agreed to put anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Christ out of the synagogue. That’s why his parents said, You’ll have to ask him, he’s old enough. So once again, the Jews called a man who had been blind, they told him, give glory to God, we know that this man who gave you sight is the center. The man responded, I don’t know if he’s a senator or not. But I do know one thing. I used to be blind. But now I can see. The Jews ask him, What did he do to you? How did he give you cite? The man replied, I’ve already told you but you didn’t listen. Why do you want to hear the story again? Do you want to become His disciples to the Jews yelled at him. You’re his disciple. But we’re Moses disciples. We know that God spoke to Moses, but we don’t know where this man came from. The man replied to them. That’s amazing. You don’t know where he’s from, yet he gave me sight. We know that God does not listen to sinners. Instead, he listens to people who are devout and who do what he wants. Since the beginning of time, no one has ever heard of anyone giving sight to a person born blind. If this man were not from God, he couldn’t do anything like that. The Jews answered him, You were born full of sin. Do you think you can teach us then they threw him out of the synagogue? Jesus heard that the Jews had thrown the man out of the synagogue. So when Jesus found the man, he asked him, Do you believe in the Son of man? The man replied, sir, tell me who he is, so that I can believe in Him. Jesus told him, you’ve seen him. He’s the person who was now talking with you. The man bowed in front of Jesus and said, I believe, Lord. Then Jesus said, I have come into this world to judge blind people will be given sight, and those who can see will become blind. Some Pharisees who are with Jesus heard this. So they asked him, Do you think we’re blind? Jesus told them, If you were blind, you wouldn’t be sinners. But now you say we see. So you continue to be sinners. Steve Webb 18:23 Before sharing my thoughts with you, I’d like to reread some excerpts from today’s reading. In chapter seven, verse 13, we read, but no one had the courage to speak favorably about him in public, for they were afraid of getting in trouble with the Jewish leaders. dropping down to verse 31. Many among the crowds at the temple believed in him. After all, they said, would you expect them aside to do more miraculous signs than this man has done? When the Pharisees heard that the crowds were whispering such things they in the leading priests sent temple guards to arrest Jesus? Verse 33, so the crowd was divided about him. Some even wanted him arrested, but no one laid a hand on him. And then back up to verses 19 and 20. They asked his parents, is this your son, the one you say was born blind? Why can he see now? His parents replied, We know that He’s our son and that he was born blind, but we don’t know how he got his sight or who gave it to him. You’ll have to ask him. He’s old enough to answer for himself. His parents said this, because they were afraid of the Jews, the Jews that already agreed to put anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Christ out of the synagogue. So that’s why his parents said, You’ll have to ask him. He’s old enough. All right, so I have a question for you. Do these passages sound at all familiar to you? Do they sound similar to anything that’s happening? Oh, I don’t know. today. We’ve talked about canceled culture on the show before but it bears repeating today based on today’s reading. The Pharisees were used to being in control of the public narrative. People were afraid to voice their opinions if they differed from what the Pharisees taught. To the people couldn’t see with our own eyes and hear with our own ears what Jesus did and what He taught. And some believed that he was who He said He was. But many were afraid to support him, lest they be thrown out of the synagogue. But there was one in our reading today who had courage. In chapter nine, verse 17, we read, they asked the man who had been born blind. Another question, what do you say about the man who gave you sight? The man answered, he’s a prophet. So at this point in the narrative, the Pharisees have the interview with his parents, which we’ve already read. And as you know, they said, He’s old enough, ask Him yourselves. So picking up at verse 24. So once again, the Jews called the man who had been blind, they told him give glory to God, we know that this man who gave you sight is a sinner. The man responded, I don’t know if he’s a sinner or not. But I do know one thing. I used to be blind, but now I can see the Jews ask him, What did he do to you? How did he give you sight? The man replied, I’ve already told you but you didn’t listen. Why do you want to hear the story again? Do you want to become his disciples too? I love that. So what happened? The Jews yelled at him, you’re his disciple. But where Moses disciples, we know that God spoke to Moses, but we don’t know where this man came from. The man replied to them. That’s amazing. You don’t know where he’s from, yet he gave me sight. We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners. Instead, he listens to people who are devout and who do what he wants. Since the beginning of time, no one has ever heard of anyone giving sight to a person born blind. If this man were not from God, he couldn’t do anything like that. This was the reply from the man who was given sight. So then what happened? The Jews answered him, You were born full of sin. Do you think you can teach us? Then they threw him out of the synagogue? Well, this man refused to alter his answer just to mollify the Pharisees and he paid a price, didn’t they? But did he really? Starting in verse 35, Jesus heard that the Jews had thrown the man out of the synagogue. So when Jesus found the man he asked him, Do you believe in the Son of man, the man replied, sir, tell me who he is so that I can believe in Him. Jesus told him, you’ve seen him. He is the person who is now talking with you. The man bowed in front of Jesus and said, I believe, Lord. So I would say that he gained everything, wouldn’t you? Beloved, canceled culture is happening more every day. And I have a very recent example for you today. While the author of this article I’m going to tell you about does not specifically say that certain content should be de platformed. They are this close to it and I’m holding my fingers almost touching. This is from the Brooking Institute and the authors are Valerie vert Shafter and Chris Massar roll or miss Errol or something like that. The title of the article is policy recommendations for addressing content moderation in podcasts. It was published just a few days ago, April 18 2022. And just the title gives you a clue as to their intent. Here it is, again, policy recommendations for addressing content moderation in podcasts. James Cridland in SAM Sethi of the Portland news podcast, talked about it. Here, Sam Sam Sethi 23:24 talking about how platforms and their policies should be, I guess, restricting content and their discoverability, which is what it looks like Spotify is quietly doing here. She said, a great reckoning has arrived for content moderation in podcasts, what speech should be permitted and what speech should be shared? She says, and what principles should inform those decisions? I guess it’s time for the platforms to step up. Steve Webb 23:52 So a great reckoning has arrived for content moderation and podcasts. Oh, really? Content moderation. This was the opening sentence in the article. And then one sentence later they say, What speech should be permitted? What speech should be shared? What principles should inform those decisions? Are you kidding me? What speech should be permitted? All speech should be permitted. That’s what free speech is all about. If any one speech can be disallowed, then there is no free speech. Free speech is not about you can say whatever you want, as long as I agree with you. Free Speech guarantees the right to say whatever you want, whether anyone agrees with you or not. Because if any speech is forbidden, it’s only a matter of time before your speech is forbidden. Then the article continues. debates over content moderation and podcasts hinge primarily on whether and how widely to share so called lawful but awful content. Don’t you love that lawful but awful. The They continue. Major podcasting apps. The applications commonly used on smartphones, tablets and computers to listen and download. The podcast episodes already have policies and procedures in place to deal with blatantly illegal content. Spotify or Apple podcasts won’t knowingly distribute in Islamic State recruitment podcast, since doing so would open them to prosecution for supporting a designated terrorist group. How podcasting apps should handle hate speech, misinformation, and related content that is legal but may have harmful societal effects is far less clear. The wait a minute, who’s to say what harmful society effects are, who’s going to call that specifically a left leaning proponent of the LGBT plus lifestyle would very probably say that this podcast, the Lifespring family Audio Bible would fall under the harmful societal effects umbrella, because I’ve read the Bible’s teaching on homosexuality, and said that I believe the Bible. Let’s continue the article. This will be the last excerpt I share. Below the level of blatantly illegal content, the most popular podcasting apps face a daunting challenge. On the one hand, given the scale and reach of apps like Spotify and Apple podcasts, each now enjoys more than 25 million monthly podcast listeners in the United States. Their content moderation policies need to account for the societal harms that can result from the mass distribution of hate speech and misinformation. Well, once again, I asked who decides what is hate speech and misinformation. We’ve seen very recently that what is deemed misinformation, one day becomes information, the next based on the whims of the CDC or Fauci, or whomever, beloved, we must be prepared. Christians are only a very, very short step away from being the next major target. I can see it very clearly. For example, when we plainly and boldly proclaim the gospel which says there is only one way to be saved, or when we plainly and boldly proclaimed that all are sinners in need of the forgiveness that only comes through Jesus, we will be tried and convicted of hate speech. Well, beloved, I have to ask, Will you bend the knee to these people? Or will you boldly stand for Jesus, the time is coming. Now the time is almost here, when you will need to make a decision. Remember the words of Jesus in Matthew 1033. But everyone who denies me here on Earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven, beloved, we must stand before men, and bow the knee only before Jesus Philippians two nine through 11 says For this reason, also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on him the name which is above every name so that at the name of Jesus, every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth, and under the sun. And every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. So you heard in that article, how these people want to control what apps like Apple and Spotify and the other ones will allow you to hear? Well, if you want to be sure that this show will continue to come to you, no matter what Apple or any other podcast app decides should not be allowed, it’s important to remember that it will always be available at Lifespring media.com. That is the home base for this show. Not Apple podcasts, not Google podcasts, Steve Webb 28:35 certainly not Spotify, not Amazon, nowhere else. If the show stops updating in your podcast app with no warning from me, then some outside force has pulled the plug. And then what you do is you go to Lifespring media.com, just to confirm whether there are or are not new episodes of the show. If there are new episodes, then you can subscribe from my website. You don’t need Apple or any other Silicon Valley company. What I suggest you do, I’ve been talking about it. But here’s another reason. Get one of the apps at new podcast apps.com. Those apps use the podcast index.org Podcast Directory, they don’t use the apple directory. And the whole idea. The impetus for the entire project at podcast index was to preserve free speech. I could go on and on about this for a long time. But I’ll stop here. Just be aware that there are forces that want to silence us, and we must do all that we can to keep them from being successful in their efforts. But this is not new. Ephesians 612 says, For our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the rulers, against the authorities against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. But first John four four says you are of God little children and have overcome them because he who is in you is is greater than he who was in the world. The canceled culture we’re facing today, beloved is not new. It’s been around for 1000s of years. It just has a different face today. The technology may be different, but the aim is the same. Shut the people up. Well, my answer to that is greater is He that is in us than he who is in the world. Amen? Amen. All right, if you’ve got a comment, please go to Lifespring media.com/s 12 e 234. Scroll all the way to the bottom of the page and you’ll see a box there where you can put your comments in. I read them all and I reply, tomorrow, our reading is First Timothy four through six boost. Steve Webb 30:45 Well, if you believe in what I’m doing with the Lifespring family, Audio Bible, if you wanted to remain independent of outside forces that would silence the clear teaching of the Bible, then I need your support. There are costs to being independent. And if you think the show is valuable than I’m asking you to decide what that value is for you. And then go to Lifespring media.com/support. and donate that amount. And if you can donate time or talent, those gifts are very welcome as well. I need help with transcript correction and creating chapter art. Send me an email if you’re able to help with either one of those, but whether you support the show with time, talent or treasure, I thank you, and I think God bless you. Steve Webb 31:35 On this date in church history, April 23 1982, w Cameron Townsend died, he was an American missionary pioneer and founder of Wickliffe Bible translators. Since then, Wickliffe has translated the New Testament into more than 130 native languages, they do great work. Steve Webb 32:02 Let’s pray. Our Heavenly Father, we thank you for assuring us that the victory is already one. Jesus told us in John 1633 I’ve told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble but take heart I have overcome the world. Lord, though we’re still in the midst of skirmishes, you’ve already won the war. So even while we struggle against the enemy, we can have peace and we thank you for that assurance. We’re not alone. And the battle is already won. Help us Lord as we engage with the enemy. Give us wisdom to know when where and how to engage. And Lord, I ask that you bless the Lifespring family. My thank you for each one. I pray this in Jesus name, amen. If you’d like to share a prayer request or a praise, go to prayer dot Lifespring media.com. Steve Webb 33:00 Well, I’d love to hear your comments on today’s show. Go to Lifespring media.com/s 12 e 234. Email me at Steve at Lifespring media.com. Please help to support the show at Lifespring media.com/support. My thanks to Sean of San Pedro for doing the chapters for every episode and thanks to Kirsty for putting out the newsletter every week. How did you like the picture in this one? Sign up at news dot Lifespring media.com Until tomorrow may God bless you richly. Thanks again for sharing your day with me. My name is Steve Webb, fight the good fight. Bye Transcribed by https://otter.ai [https://dzzggm57pi1og.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/28152340/donate.png]https://lifespringmedia.com/support/ * * [https://dzzggm57pi1og.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/23123801/NULS_LSFB_RateTheShow.jpg]https://lovethepodcast.com/biblePlease rate or review the show by clicking the heart! The post S3E235 – John 7-9: Who Decides? [https://lifespringmedia.com/lifespring-one-year-bible-rewind/s3e235-john-7-9-who-decides/] first appeared on Lifespring! Media [https://lifespringmedia.com].

S3E234 – Hosea 1-7: The Unfaithful Bride

Transcript ASSOCIATE PRODUCER Timothy LaFontaine PODCAST INTRODUCTION Today we will read Hosea 1-7. I’ll have some comments after the reading, and I’m calling today’s episode “The Unfaithful Bride.” S12E233Art3000-bride looking out window [https://dzzggm57pi1og.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/21192446/S12E233Art3000.jpg]Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Cássio Jardim on Unsplash INTRODUCTION TO HOSEA Hosea is the first book in the group of OT books known as the Minor Prophets. They’re not called the Minor Prophets because they are less important than the Major Prophets (which we just completed with the reading of the book of Daniel). The reason they’re called the Minor Prophets is because these books are much shorter. These prophets probably preached just as much as the Major Prophets, they just didn’t write as much.  Of the twelve books in the Minor Prophets, nine of them were written before the captivity. The last three were written after the Jews returned to their own land.  The book of Hosea was the longest of the prophetic books written before the captivity. As he wrote, Israel was at its worst. The sinfulness of the nation had brought great judgment from God. Hosea himself was the first prophet who wrote down the messages God gave him. Tradition says that he was from Bethshemish, and of the tribe of Issachar. He had a long ministry. He prophesied long enough to warn the Jews of God’s coming judgment, and then see it take place and lament it. Hosea was alive at the same time as the prophets Isaiah, Amos and Micah.  COMMENTS ON HOSEA 1-7 We read in chapter one that God told Hosea to marry a prostitute. The Lord looked upon the Jews as an unfaithful wife, and He wanted Hosea to experience the heartbreak He felt when his wife betrayed the marriage vows.  There are few things in life that are as painful as learning that your spouse has been unfaithful. It can be more painful than the death of a loved one. Death from disease, an accident or old age hurts, but the one who dies had no choice in the matter. But an unfaithful spouse made an active decision to break the trust. That’s very hard to live with for the one who has been betrayed.  We don’t often think of God as being the victim of an unfaithful spouse, do we? But that is how He saw Himself in this period of history. But as we know, God is love. Instead of putting His people, His wife, away permanently, in chapter three we see His promise that He will take her back. And of course we know that the final chapter, the last great redemption is even now being played out. We know that Jesus came to make a bride for Himself, and that bride is the church. But God is not through with the Jews. They will have yet another chance to turn to God, and many will. In the book of Revelation, we see how that will happen. I’m not entirely happy with the way the first sentence of chapter 7 was translated in the New Living Translation, which is the version we read today. It read: I want to heal Israel, but its sins are too great. Samaria is filled with liars. Most other major translations are very similar to this one from the NASB: When I would heal Israel, The iniquity of Ephraim is uncovered, And the evil deeds of Samaria… As you can see, the NLT’s rendering of this verse is subtly different, but it does change the meaning. The NLT adds the phrase “but its sins are too great”. I looked at the original Hebrew for this verse, and that phrase is not there. There is only one sin that is too great, one sin that is unforgivable, and that is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, as we are told in Matthew 12:31.  God is always willing to forgive, if we are willing to ask Him and will turn from our sin. In the Old Testament, over and over God said to the people, “If you turn from your wicked ways, I will heal you.” What God was saying here in Hosea chapter seven was, “I was prepared to heal you, but you keep on sinning.” God looks at the heart. What He saw in the hearts of the Jews was an unwillingness to repent. They did not want to obey the Lord, they wanted to continue practicing evil. As long as that continued, He could not heal them. Only a contrite heart will see forgiveness. Only a heart that is willing to turn toward God. TODAY’S BIBLE TRANSLATION Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 1-7 NLT 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 [/support/]. [/support/] TRANSCRIPT Download .txt file. [https://d1uphahyf7mnoz.cloudfront.net/lsfb/LSFAB_S12-E233_otter_ai.txt] Steve Webb 0:00 God looks at the heart Steve Webb 0:09 Hello, this is the Lifespring family Audio Bible coming to you from Riverside, California, podcasting since 2004. I’m your OG God caster Steve Webb. I’m really happy we get to spend some time together today. That’s great. This is the daily show where we’re reading through the entire Bible in a year and today we’re going to read Hosea chapters one through seven. Before we start the reading. I’ll give you a short introduction to Hosea. Then after the reading, I’ll give you some comments. The show notes page for today’s episode is at Lifespring media.com/s 12 e 233. My email address is Steven Lifespring media.com. And with that, let’s get started. Steve Webb 0:48 Hosea is the first book in the group of Old Testament books known as the Minor Prophets. They’re not called the Minor Prophets, because they’re less important than the major prophets, which we just completed with the reading of the book of Daniel. The reason they’re called the Minor Prophets is because these books are much shorter. These prophets probably preached just as much as the major prophets. They just didn’t write as much of the 12 books in the Minor Prophets. None of them were written before the captivity. The last three were written after the Jews returned to their own land. The book of Hosea was the longest of the prophetic books written before the captivity. As Hosea wrote, Israel was at its worst, the sinfulness of the nation had brought great judgment from God. And Hosea was the first prophet who wrote down the messages God gave him. Tradition says that he was from Beth Shemesh, and of the tribe of Issachar. He had a very long ministry and he prophesied long enough to warn the Jews of God’s coming judgment and then to see it take place in lamented. And Hosea was alive at the same time as the prophets Isaiah, Amos and Micah. Steve Webb 1:58 Hosea chapter one. The Lord gave this message to Hosea son of BNI. During the years when Uzziah Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah were kings of Judah and Jeroboam, son of Joash, was king of Israel. When the Lord first began speaking to Israel through Hosea, he said to him, Go and marry a prostitute so that some of her children will be conceived in prostitution. This will illustrate how Israel has acted like a prostitute by turning against the Lord and worshipping other gods. So Hosea married Gomer, the daughter of Dibley, him and she became pregnant and gave Hosea a son. And the Lord said, named the child Jezebel, for I am about to punish King J. Hughes dynasty to avenge of the murders, he committed a jazz real. In fact, I will bring an end to Israel’s independence, I will break its military power in the jazz real Valley. Soon, Gomer became pregnant again and gave birth to a daughter. And the Lord said to Hosea, name your daughter, Lo, Ruhama, not loved, for I will no longer show love to the people of Israel or forgive them. But I will show love to the people of Judah. I will free them from their enemies, not with weapons and armies or horses and jury tears, but by My power is the Lord their God. After Gomer had weaned lo Ruhama, she again became pregnant and gave birth to a second son. And the Lord said, name him Lo, am I, not my people, for Israel is not my people, and I am not their God. Yet the time will come when Israel’s people will be like the sands of the seashore, too many to count. Then at the place where they were told you are not my people, it will be said, You are children of the living God. Then the people of Judah and Israel will unite together, they will choose one leader for themselves, and they will return from exile together. What a day that will be the day of jazz real when God will again plant his people in his land. Steve Webb 3:58 Hosea chapter two. In that day, you will call your brothers Am I my people, and you will call your sisters Ruhama the ones I love. But now bring charges against Israel your mother for she is no longer my wife and I am no longer her husband. Tell her to remove the prostitutes makeup from her face and the clothing that exposes her breasts. Otherwise, I will strip her as naked as she was on the day she was born. I will leave her to die of thirst as in a dry and barren wilderness. And I will not love her children for they were conceived in prostitution. Their mother is a shameless prostitute and became pregnant in a shameful way. She said I will run after other lovers and sell myself to them for food and water for clothing of wool and linen and for olive oil and drinks. For this reason, I will fence her in with thorn bushes. I will block her path with a wall to make her lose her way. When she runs after her lovers, she won’t be able to catch them. She will search for them but not find them. Then she will think I might as well returned to my husband for I was better off with him than I am now. She doesn’t realize it was I who gave her everything she has the grain, the new wine, the olive oil. I even gave her silver and gold, but she gave all my gifts to bail. But now I will take back the ripened grain and new wine I generously provided each harvest season. I will take away the wool and linen clothing I gave to cover her nakedness. I will strip her naked in public while all her lovers look on, no one will be able to rescue her from my hands. I will put an end to her annual festivals, her new moon celebrations and her Sabbath days all her appointed festivals. I will destroy her grape vines and fig trees. things she claims her lovers gave her I will let them grow into tangled thickets where only wild animals will eat the fruit. I will punish her for all those times when she burned incense to her images of bail when she put on her earrings and jewels and went out to look for her lovers but forgot all about me says the Lord. But then I will win her back once again. I will lead her into the desert and Speak tenderly to her there. I will return her vineyards to her and transform the valley of trouble into a gateway of hope. She will give herself to me there as she did long ago when she was young when I freed her from her captivity in Egypt. When that day comes, says the Lord you will call me my husband instead of my master. oh Israel, I will wipe the many names of bale from your lips and you will never mention them again. On that day I will make a covenant with all the wild animals and the birds of the sky and the animals that scurry along the ground so that they will not harm you. I will remove all weapons of war from the land all swords and bows so you can live unafraid in peace and safety. I will make you my wife forever showing you righteousness and justice, unfailing love and compassion. I will be faithful to you and make you mine and you will finally know me as the Lord. In that day I will answer says the Lord. I will answer the sky as it pleads for clouds and the sky will enter the earth with rain. Then the earth will answer the thirsty cries of the grain the grape vines and the olive trees and they in turn will answer jazz real God plants. At that time I will plant a crop of Israelites and raise them for myself. I will show love to those I called not loved and to those I called not my people, I will say now you are my people, and they will reply you are our God. Steve Webb 7:37 Hosea chapter three. Then the Lord said to me, go and love your wife again, even though she commits adultery with another lover. This will illustrate that the Lord’s still loves Israel, even though the people have turned to other gods and love to worship them. So I bought her back for 15 pieces of silver and five bushels of barley and a measure of wine. Then I said to her, you must live in my house for many days and stop your prostitution. During this time, you will not have sexual relations with anyone, not even with me. This shows that Israel will go a long time without a king or Prince and without sacrifices, sacred pillars, priests or even idols. But afterward the people will return and devote themselves to the Lord their God and to David’s descendent their king. In the last days they will tremble in awe of the Lord and of His goodness. Steve Webb 8:29 Hosea chapter four. Hear the Word of the Lord, oh people of Israel. The Lord has brought charges against you saying there is no faithfulness, no kindness, no knowledge of God and your land. You make vows and break them. You kill and steal and commit adultery. There is violence everywhere, one murder after another. That is why your land is in mourning and every one is wasting away. Even the wild animals, the birds of the sky, the fish of the sea are disappearing. Don’t point your finger at someone else and try to pass the blame. My complaint you priests is with you. So you will stumble in broad daylight and your false prophets will fall with you in the night. And I will destroy Israel, your mother. My people are being destroyed because they don’t know me. Since you priests refuse to know me. I refuse to recognize you as my priests. Since you have forgotten the laws of your God, I will forget to bless your children. The more priests there are, the more they sinned against me. They have exchanged the glory of God for the shame of idols. When the people bring their sin offerings, the priests get fed. So the priests are glad when the people sin and what the priests do the people also do. So now I will punish both priests and people for their wicked deeds. They will eat and still be hungry. They will play the prostitute and gain nothing from it for they have deserted the Lord to worship other gods. Wine has robbed my people of their understanding. They ask if piece of wood for advice. They think a stick can tell them the future. Longing after idols has made them foolish. They have played the prostitute serving other gods and deserting their God. They offer sacrifices to idols on the mountaintops, they go up into the hills to burn incense in the pleasant shade of oaks, poplars and terabit trees. That is why your daughter’s turned to prostitution and your daughters in law committed adultery. But why should I punish them for their prostitution and adultery? For your man are doing the same thing sinning with horrors in shrine prostitutes, or foolish people you refuse to understand? So you will be destroyed? Though you Israel are a prostitute. May Judah not be guilty of such things. Do not join the false worship at Gill gal or Beth Haven, and do not take oaths there in the Lord’s name. Israel is stubborn like a stubborn heifer. So should the Lord feed her like a lamb and a lush pasture? Leave Israel alone because she is married to idolatry. When the rulers of Israel finish their drinking Off they go to find some prostitutes. They love shame more than honor so a mighty wind will sweep them away. Their sacrifices to idols will bring them shame. Steve Webb 11:16 Hosea chapter five. Hear this you priests pay attention you leaders of Israel. Listen you members of the royal family judgment has been handed down against you for you have led the people into a snare by worshipping the idols at Misbah and Tabor you have dug a deep pit to trap them and Acacia Grove, but I will settle with you for what you have done. I know what you were like oh Ephram, you cannot hide yourself from me, oh Israel, you have left me as a prostitute leaves her husband. You are utterly defiled. Your deeds won’t let you return to your God. You are a prostitute through and through and you do not know the Lord. The arrogance of Israel testifies against her. Israel and Ephram will stumble into the load of guilt. Judah to will fall with them. When they come with their flocks and herds to offer sacrifices to the Lord. They will not find him because he has withdrawn from them. They have betrayed the honor of the Lord bearing children that are not his. Now their false religion will devour them along with their wealth. Sound the alarm and Guebuza blow the trumpet in Ramah raised the battle cry and Beth Haven lead on into battle warriors of Benjamin. One thing is certain Israel on your day of punishment, you will become a heap of rubble. The leaders of Judah have become like thieves so I will pour my anger on them like a waterfall. The people of Israel will be crushed and broken by my judgment because they are determined to worship idols. I will destroy Israel as a moth consumes wool. I will make Judah as weak as rotten wood. When Israel and Judah saw how sick they were, Israel turned to Syria to the great king there, but he could neither help them nor cure them. I will be like a lion to Israel, like a strong young lion to Judah. I will tear them to pieces. I will carry them off and no one will be left to rescue them. Then I will return to my place until they admit their guilt and turn to Me. For as soon as trouble comes. They will earnestly search for me. Steve Webb 13:21 Hosea chapter six. Come let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces. Now he will heal us. He has injured us now he will bandage our wounds. In just a short time he will restore us so that we may live in His presence. Oh that we might know the Lord. Let us press on to know Him. He will respond to us as surely as the arrival of Dawn Are they coming of rains in early spring? oh Israel and Judah What should I do with you asks the Lord, for Your love vanishes like the morning mist and disappears like do in the sunlight. I set my prophets to cut you to pieces to slaughter you with my words with judgments as inescapable as light. I want you to show love not offer sacrifices. I want you to know me more than I want bird offerings. But like Adam, you broke my covenant and betrayed my trust. Gilead is a city of sinners tracked with footprints of blood. Priests form bands of robbers waiting in ambush for their victims. They murder travelers along the road to check them and practice every kind of sin. Yes, I’ve seen something horrible and Ephram it Israel. My people are defiled by prostituting themselves with other gods. Oh Judah, a harvest of punishment is also waiting for you though I wanted to restore the fortunes of my people. Steve Webb 14:45 Hosea chapter seven. I want to heal Israel but its sins are too great. Samaria is filled with liars. Thieves are on the inside and bandits on the outside. It’s people don’t realize that I’m watching them their sin infill deeds are all around them and I see them all. The people entertain the king with their wickedness and the princes laugh at their lies. They are all adulterers always aflame with lust. They are like an oven that is kept hot while the baker is kneading the dough. On royal holidays, the princes get drunk with wine, carousing with those who mock them. Their hearts are like an oven blazing with intrigue. Their plot smolders through the night, and in the morning, it breaks out like a raging fire, burning like an oven they consume their leaders. They kill their kings one after another and no one cries to me for help. The people of Israel mingle with godless foreigners making themselves as worthless as a half baked cake. Worshipping foreign gods is sapped their strength, but they don’t even know it. Their hair is gray, but they don’t realize they’re old and weak. Their arrogance testifies against them, yet they don’t return to the Lord their God or even try to find him. The people of Israel have become like silly witless doves first calling to Egypt, then flying to his Syria for help. But as they fly about, I will throw my net over them and bring them down like a bird from the sky. I will punish them for all evil they do. What sorrow awaits those who have deserted me. Let them die for they have rebelled against me. I wanted to redeem them but they have told lies about me. They do not cry out to Me with sincere hearts. Instead they sit on their couches and wail. They cut themselves begging foreign gods for grain and new wine, and they turn away from me. I trained them and made them strong yet now they plot evil against me. They look everywhere except to the Most High, they are as useless as a crooked bow. Their leaders will be killed by their enemies because of their insolence toward me, then the people of Egypt will laugh at them. Steve Webb 16:54 In chapter one, we read that God told Hosea to marry a prostitute. He looked upon the Jews as an unfaithful wife and he wanted Hosea to experience the heartbreak he felt when his wife betrayed the marriage vows. There really are a few things in life that are as painful as learning that your spouse has been unfaithful, it can be more painful than the death of a loved one. Death from disease and accident or old age hurts. But the one who dies had no choice in the matter. But an unfaithful spouse made an active decision to break the trust. That’s very hard to live with, for one who’s been betrayed. We don’t often think of God as being the victim of an unfaithful spouse, Dewey. But that’s how he saw himself in this period of history. But as we know God is love. Instead of putting his people his wife away permanently. In chapter three, we see His promise that He will take her back. And of course, we know that the final chapter, the last great redemption is even now being played out. We know that Jesus came to make a bride for himself and that bride is the church. But God is not through with the Jews, they will have yet another chance to turn to God in many will. In the book of Revelation, we see how that will happen. Now in Hosea seven, I’m not entirely happy with the way the first sentence was translated in the New Living Translation, which is the version we read today. It read, I want to heal Israel, but its sins are too great. Samaria is filled with liars. Well, most other major translations are very similar to this one from the New American Standard. Listen, when I would heal Israel, the iniquity of FGM is uncovered in the evil deeds of Samaria. Well, as you can see, the New Living Translation is rendering of this is subtly different, but it does change the meaning. The New Living Translation adds the phrase, but its sins are too great. Well, I looked up the original Hebrew for this verse And that phrase is not there. There is only one sin that is too great, the one that is unforgivable, and that is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, as we’re told in Matthew 1231. God is always willing to forgive if we’re willing to ask him and we’ll turn from our sin. In the Old Testament, over and over, God said to the people, if you turn from your wicked ways, I will heal you. What God was saying here in Hosea chapter seven was, I was prepared to heal you but you keep on sinning. See, God looks at the heart. What he saw in the hearts of the Jews was an unwillingness to repent. They did not want to obey the Lord. They wanted to continue practicing evil. And as long as that continued, God could not heal them. Only a contrite heart will see forgiveness. Only a heart that is willing to turn toward God. I’d love to hear your thoughts go to Lifespring media.com/s 12 e 233 Min let me know our reading. Tomorrow will be John chapters seven through nine. Steve Webb 20:08 We have an associate producer today. His name is Timothy LaFontaine. And he came in yesterday with his monthly $20 donation. Timothy. Thank you, brother. God bless you. Thank you for helping to make this episode possible. Steve Webb 20:21 You too can help support the show with time, talent or treasure. If you’d like to donate time or talent, email me at Steve at Lifespring media.com and let me know what you’d like to do. And also correcting the transcriptions let me know. And monetary donations are always welcome. You can do that at Lifespring media.com/support. Again, Timothy, thank you, my brother, God bless you. Steve Webb 20:54 On this date in church history, April 22 1864. Bronze two cent pieces were imprinted with the words In God We Trust, making them the first American coins to carry that motto. The motto was designed to remind the union that the resolution of the American Civil War was in God’s hands. Steve Webb 21:23 Let’s pray. Our heavenly Father Lord, we do love you. We ask that you forgive us when we fail you. We want to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit when he corrects us. And we want to hear you say well done good and faithful servant when we see you face to face. Lord, I ask that you bless the Lifespring family today. I thank you for each one listening right now. And I pray Lord, that they would feel your presence in their life today. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen. Send your prayer requests and your praises in at prayer dot Lifespring media.com. I will pray for you in my private prayer time. And we’ll pray together on the show. Agreeing together as we lift up prayer requests is something that God asks us to do. So I look forward to hearing from you prayer dot Lifespring media.com. Steve Webb 22:17 Your comments on the show are always welcome. Go to Lifespring media.com/s 12 e 233. That’s the show notes page for today. Scroll to the very bottom of the show where you’ll find a box where you can put your comments. I’m always happy to get your emails to Steve at Lifespring media.com. My thanks to Sean of San Pedro for doing the chapters for every episode. And thanks to Kirsty for putting the newsletter together each week. You can sign up for that it news dot Lifespring media.com And thanks again to associate producer Timothy LaFontaine for helping to make this episode possible. You can help support the show to go to Lifespring media.com/support. Check it out. Think about it, pray about it, and then do his God leads until tomorrow. May God bless you richly. Thanks again for sharing your day with me. My name is Steve Webb. See you tomorrow. Bye Transcribed by https://otter.ai [https://dzzggm57pi1og.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/28152340/donate.png]https://lifespringmedia.com/support/ * * [https://dzzggm57pi1og.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/23123801/NULS_LSFB_RateTheShow.jpg]https://lovethepodcast.com/biblePlease rate or review the show by clicking the heart! The post S3E234 – Hosea 1-7: The Unfaithful Bride [https://lifespringmedia.com/lifespring-one-year-bible-rewind/s3e234-hosea-1-7-the-unfaithful-bride/] first appeared on Lifespring! Media [https://lifespringmedia.com].

S3E233 – James 4-5: Golden Nuggets

Transcript DISTINGUISHED PRODUCER Lifespring Family Berean, Brother Paul of Seattle. PODCAST INTRODUCTION Today is  Epistles Sunday James 4-5. I’m calling today’s episode “Golden Nuggets.”  S12E305Art1400-open hand stop [https://dzzggm57pi1og.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/02204242/S12E305Art1400.jpg]Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Nadine Shaabana on Unsplash COMMENTS ON JAMES 4 Some have said that James is a bit like the book of Proverbs because of the way nuggets of truth are presented. Let’s look at a few of them. James 4:2b – You do not have, because you do not ask. Prayer is a necessary part of the Christian’s life. If we want God to bless us, we must ask. Listen to Charles Spurgeon: “Remember this text: Jehovah says to his own Son, ‘Ask of me and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.’ If the royal and divine Son of God cannot be exempted from the rule of asking that he may have, you and I cannot expect the rule to be relaxed in our favor. Why should it be?” Also from Spurgeon: “If you may have everything by asking, and nothing without asking, I beg you to see how absolutely vital prayer is, and I beseech you to abound in it… Do you know, brothers, what great things are to be had for the asking? Have you ever thought of it? Does it not stimulate you to pray fervently? All heaven lies before the grasp of the asking man; all the promises of God are rich and inexhaustible, and their fulfillment is to be had by prayer.” James 4:3 – You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.  Contrast this with 1 John 5:14 – And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. James 4:4b – Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.  Beloved, we cannot have one foot in the world and one foot in God’s kingdom. Jesus said in Matthew 6:24, ““No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.” James 4:6b-7a – “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God.” Pride is at the center of sin. Pride caused the fall of Lucifer. Pride caused the fall of Adam and Eve, and thus our sinful nature. Is it any wonder that God opposes the proud? But when we humble ourselves before God, when we confess our sin, God pours out His grace. It isn’t as though our humility *earns* God’s grace, but when we are humble, we are acknowledging that we are in need of the grace that He so freely gives. Spurgeon: “Do you suffer from spiritual poverty? It is your own fault, for he giveth more grace. If you have not got it, it is not because it is not to be had, but because you have not gone for it.”  James 4:7b – Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Notice the text does not say, “…and he may flee from you.” or “…sometimes he will flee from you.” When we actively resist the enemy’s lies and temptations, we are *promised* that he will flee, though he will return to test our resolve. We can and we must resist him, in the name of Jesus,  as the already defeated foe he is. The Greek word translated as “resist” is a combination of two words: stand against. We are never conquered as long as we do not consent.  James 4:8 – Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. This is both an invitation and a promise. And it comes directly after the “resist and he will flee” promise. When we resist the devil, we can and we *should* draw near to God. It is not a sin to be tempted. Jesus was tempted in the desert, but He did not sin. When we have had an encounter with temptation, the best thing we can do is draw near to God for shelter and for strength. How do we draw near to God? In prayer, in worship and in praise. We learn to walk with God in our daily lives. We respond to His invitation to have an ongoing, daily, hour by our and minute by minute relationship with Him. We ask Him to guide our decisions and help us with our struggles. We thank Him for His blessings. In short, we live our lives with the awareness that He is always with us, and He delights in us. And we delight in Him. TODAY’S BIBLE TRANSLATION Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 4-5 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 [/support/]. [/support/] TRANSCRIPT Download .txt file. [https://d1uphahyf7mnoz.cloudfront.net/lsfb/LSFAB_S12-E305_otter_ai-correctedV1.txt] STEVE WEBB – 0:00 We can’t have one foot in the world and one foot in God’s kingdom. INTRO S12E305 – 0:11 Coming to you from 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. I’m so glad you’re here today. Thanks for joining me. Today is Epistle Sunday. We’re going to read James 4 and 5. I’m calling today’s episode, “Golden Nuggets”. The show notes page for today’s episode is at lifespringmedia.com/s12e305. I’d love it if you go by and leave a comment. My email address is st***@*************ia.com. Let’s begin. JAMES 4 (ESV) – 0:45 James, chapter 4. (1) What causes quarrels and fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? (2) You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. (3) You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. (4) You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. (5) Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”? (6) But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (7) Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (8) Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. (9) Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. (10) Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. (11) Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. (12) There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor? (13) Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— (14) yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. (15) Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” (16) As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. (17) So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin. JAMES 5 (ESV) – 2:52 James, chapter 5. (1) Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. (2) Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten. (3) Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure in the last days. (4) Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. (5) You have lived on the earth in luxury and in self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. (6) You have condemned and murdered the righteous person. He does not resist you. (7) Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. (8) You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. (9) Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. (10) As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. (11) Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful. (12) But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation. (13) Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. (14) Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. (15) And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. (16) Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. (17) Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. (18) Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit. (19) My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, (20) let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins. COMMENTS – 5:31 Let’s talk a bit about James 4. Some have said that James is a bit like the book of Proverbs because of the way nuggets of truth are presented. Let’s take a look at just a few of them. In verse 2b it says, “You do not have because you do not ask.” Beloved, prayer is a necessary part of the Christian life. If we want God to bless us, we have to ask. Listen to what Charles Spurgeon said, “Remember this text: Jehovah says to his own Son, ‘Ask of me and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.’” Spurgeon continues, “If the royal and divine Son of God cannot be exempted from the rule of asking that he may have, you and I cannot expect the rule to be relaxed in our favor. Why should it be?” Good question. He also said, “If you may have everything by asking, and nothing without asking, I beg you to see how absolutely vital prayer is, and I beseech you to abound in it… Do you know, brothers, what great things are to be had for the asking? Have you ever thought of it? Does it not stimulate you to pray fervently? All heaven lies before the grasp of the asking man; all the promises of God are rich and inexhaustible, and their fulfillment is to be had by prayer.” Is prayer important? I’d say it is. And then in verse 3, we read, “You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly.” To spend it on your passions. Well, let’s contrast this with 1 John 5:14, which says, “And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.” So if we ask for the wrong motivation, our prayers are not answered. But if we ask according to his will, he does hear us. And verse 4b, “Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” Beloved, we can’t have one foot in the world and one foot in God’s kingdom. Jesus said in Matthew 6:24, “No one can serve two masters for either he will hate the one and love the other or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.” Beloved, we have to ask ourselves, Where is my focus? Is my focus on the things of God or on the things of the world? And verses 6b and 7a, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God.” God opposes the proud. Pride is the center of sin. Pride caused the fall of Lucifer. Pride caused the fall of Adam and Eve, and thus our sinful nature. Is it any wonder that God opposes the proud? But when we humble ourselves before God, when we confess our sin, God pours out His grace. It isn’t as though our humility earns God’s grace. But when we are humble, we’re acknowledging that we’re in need of the grace that he so freely gives. Charles Spurgeon said this, “Do you suffer from spiritual poverty? It is your own fault, for he giveth more grace, if you have not got it, it is not because it is not to be had but because you have not gone for it.” Verse 7b, “Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” Beloved, notice that the text does not say “and he may flee from you” or “sometimes he will flee from you.” When we actively resist the enemy’s lies and temptations we are promised that he will flee, though he will return to test our resolve. We can and we must resist him in the name of Jesus as the already defeated foe that he is. The Greek word translated as “resist” is a combination of two words, “stand against”. Beloved, we are never conquered, as long as we do not consent. Then verse 8 says, “Draw nearer to God and he will draw near to you.” This is both an invitation and a promise, “Draw near to God” is the invitation and “He will draw near to you” is the promise. And this promise comes directly after the “resist and he will flee” promise. When we resist the devil we can and we should draw near to God. We have to understand it is not a sin to be tempted. Jesus was tempted after all in the desert, but he did not sin. When we have had an encounter with temptation, the best thing that we can do is draw near to God for shelter and for strength. Well, how do we draw near to God? We do it in prayer, in worship, and in praise. We learn to walk with God in our daily lives, we respond to His invitation to have an ongoing daily, hour-by-hour and minute-by-minute relationship with him. We ask him to guide our decisions and help us with our struggles. We thank him for his blessings. In short, we live our lives with the awareness that he is always with us, and he delights in us, and we should delight in him. What do you think? Let me know. Go to lifespringmedia.com/s12e305 and let me know. Tomorrow’s Monday, so we’ll read from the Law. We’ll read Deuteronomy 7 through 9. Boost. DISTINGUISHED PRODUCER SHOUT-OUT – 11:05 I want to thank Lifespring Family Berean Brother Paul of Seattle who came in with his weekly $22.22 donation. He’s our Distinguished Producer today. And thank you, Brother Paul of Seattle for helping to produce episode s12e305. Beloved, if you believe in what the Lifespring Family Audio Bible is all about, if the show has helped you in any way, whether in helping you to read the Bible on a more consistent basis, or helping you to understand Scripture a little better or in challenging you to walk closer to God, then please consider supporting the show with your time, talent or treasure. Go to lifespringmedia.com/support and see if what you find there makes sense to you, lifespringmedia.com/support. And whether you support the show with time, talent or treasure, I thank you and I think God will bless you. ON THIS DATE IN CHURCH HISTORY – 12:01 On this date in church history, July 3, 1756, John Wesley, the founder of English Methodism, wrote in a letter, “One who lives and dies in error or is in dissent from our church may yet be saved, but one who lives and dies in their sin must perish.” And on this date in church history, July 3, 1878, Lutheran Church Missouri Synod missionaries J. Friedrich Doescher and Frederick Berg established the Negro Lutheran Church in Little Rock, Arkansas, the first formal outreach to African-Americans made by Lutherans in the United States. CLOSING PRAYER – 12:44 Let’s pray. Our heavenly Father, you have given us everything we need. You have given us our life, you have given us your word, and you have given us the way to spend eternity with you. Thank you for those and countless other blessings. Your love for us is just immeasurable, and we praise you. We ask the Lord that you work closely with us today and we ask for your blessing. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen. Do you have a prayer request? Do you have a praise? Would you like to share it with the Lifespring family? Go to prayer.lifespringmedia.com? OUTRO S12E305 – 13:27 Comment on the show at lifespringmedia.com/s12e305. Email me at st***@*************ia.com. Thanks to Kirsty, Sean of San Pedro and Denise for everything you guys do for us. Thanks to Lifespring Family Berean Brother Paul of Seattle for his support of this show today. Thanks to those of you who faithfully stream sats and send boosts every single day. And thank you, Beloved, for inviting me into your day 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 [https://dzzggm57pi1og.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/28152340/donate.png]https://lifespringmedia.com/support/ * * [https://dzzggm57pi1og.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/23123801/NULS_LSFB_RateTheShow.jpg]https://lovethepodcast.com/biblePlease rate or review the show by clicking the heart! The post S3E233 – James 4-5: Golden Nuggets [https://lifespringmedia.com/lifespring-one-year-bible-rewind/s3e233-james-4-5-golden-nuggets/] first appeared on Lifespring! Media [https://lifespringmedia.com].

S3E232 – Psalms 99-101: Inside Outside

Transcript PODCAST INTRODUCTION Today we will read Psalms 99-101.   I’ll give a brief introduction to each chapter, and I’ll have some comments after the reading. I’m calling today’s episode “Inside Outside.” S12E231Art3000-man standing and looking out window [https://dzzggm57pi1og.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/19193007/S12E231Art3000.jpg]Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Max Harlynking on Unsplash COMMENTS ON PSALM 101 In chapter 101, verse 2, David wrote, “2I will be careful to lead a life that is without blame. When will you come and help me? In my own home I will lead a life that is without blame.” As I’ve already said before we read this chapter, wouldn’t it be great if leaders today made this their goal? Beloved, I believe that we need to pray that God would move in the hearts of our local leaders, our state or province leaders and our national leaders. No matter where you’re hearing this, pray for your leaders. When God gets hold of them, or moves new, godly people into their spots, we will begin to see changes for the good around the world.  Yes, I believe we are in the end times, but I would be delighted to be proven wrong. If God chooses to move on the hearts of people around the world, if we were to see a new and fresh awakening, a monumental revival, I would be thrilled beyond words. Grant it Lord, grant it. I Jesus’ name. But even if that doesn’t happen, we can still make that our goal. David said, “In my own home I will lead a life that is without blame.” Sometimes people live much different lives inside their homes than they do outside. They show a smiling, “everything is right with the world”, “Christian” facade to the world, but at home they’re the exact opposite. Don’t be that way, beloved. Don’t be a hypocrite. If you truly love the Lord, and but don’t act like it at home, then I would encourage you to take a hard look at why you act this way. Are you stressed because of work, or bills, or family problems? Have you taken your problems to the Lord and laid them at His feet, only to pick them up again? Maybe you need help from your pastor, or a trusted friend or a counselor. Listen, there’s nothing to be ashamed of. Everybody needs help from time to time.  Galatians 5:22-26 has a lot to say about how we should behave:  22But the fruit the Holy Spirit produces is love, joy and peace. It is being patient, kind and good. It is being faithful 23and gentle and having control of oneself. There is no law against things of that kind. 24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed their sinful desires to his cross. They don’t want these things anymore. 25Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26Let us not become proud. Let us not make each other angry. Let us not want what belongs to others.” Beloved, as we go about our days the Fruit of the Spirit should flow from us whether we are inside or outside of our homes. Jesus said that they will know we are Christians by our love for one another. Let’s pray that we will mature as believers to the point that people truly see Jesus in us. TODAY’S BIBLE TRANSLATION Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 99 NASB; Ch. 100-101 NIRV 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 [/support/]. [/support/] TRANSCRIPT Download .txt file. [https://d1uphahyf7mnoz.cloudfront.net/lsfb/LSFAB_S12-E231_otter_ai.txt] Steve Webb 0:00 I would be delighted to be proven wrong. Steve Webb 0:10 It’s Wednesday and this is the Lifespring family Audio Bible coming to you from Riverside, California podcasting since 2004. I’m your OG God cast your Steve Webb, welcome. This is the daily show where we’re reading through the entire Bible in a year and today we’re reading the Psalms. We’ll be in chapters 99 through 101. As has become our custom, I’ll give you a brief introduction before each Psalm and I’ll have some comments after the reading. Today’s title is Inside Outside. The show notes page for today’s episode is at Lifespring media.com/s 12 e 231. My email address is Steve at Lifespring media.com. I’d love to hear from you. Let’s get started. Steve Webb 0:52 Psalm 99 is another song that has no title or author attribution about Psalm 99 Commentator Derek Kidner wrote here after the carefree delight of Psalm 98 we recollect how exalted in holy he is, and how profound is the reverence we owe him. Steve Webb 1:11 Psalms chapter 99. The Lord reigns let the peoples tremble. He is enthroned above the cherub him, Let the earth shake. The Lord is great in Zion, and He is exalted above all the peoples. Let them praise your great and awesome name. holy is he? The strength of the King loves justice. You have established equity, you have executed justice and righteousness and Jacob, exalt the Lord our God and worship at his footstool. holy is he, Moses and Aaron were among his priests. And Samuel was among those who called on his name. They called upon the Lord and he answered them, he spoke to them in the pillar of cloud. They kept his testimonies and the statute that he gave them, oh Lord, our God, you answered them. You are a forgiving God to them and yet an avenger of their evil deeds. exalt the Lord our God and worship at His holy hill, for Holy is the Lord our God. Steve Webb 2:17 The title of Psalm 100 is a Psalm of Thanksgiving. And perhaps surprisingly, it’s the only Psalm with this title. I especially like what G Campbell Morgan said about Psalm 100. “It is jubilant with confidence for the whole earth as it contemplates the glory of that earth, when all its people are submitted to the reign of Jehovah.” Oh, beloved, won’t that be glorious? Steve Webb 2:44 Psalms chapter 100. Shout to the Lord with joy, every one on Earth. Worship the Lord with gladness, come to him with songs of joy. I want you to realize that the Lord is good. He made us and we belong to Him. We are His people. We are the sheep belonging to his flock. Give thanks as you enter the gates of his temple, give praise as you enter its courtyards. Give thanks to Him and praise his name. The Lord is good. His faithful love continues forever. It will last for all time to come. Steve Webb 3:20 The title of Psalm 101 is a Psalm of David. This all may have been written just after David became king. Listen to what Alexander McClaren wrote, “He had but recently ascended to the throne. The abuses and confusions of Saul’s last troubled years had to be reformed. The new king felt that he was God’s viceroy, and here he declares what he will strive to make his monarchy, a copy of Gods.” And James Montgomery Boice wrote this, “I was startled to find that Martin Luther had done an exposition of the psalm that ran to 80 pages. The reason I discovered is that he was deeply concerned about civil government, and wanted to expound the Psalm as a listing of qualities toward which every Christian Prince or magistrate should strive.” Beloved would that leaders today at all levels should aspire to this kind of administration. Steve Webb 4:17 Psalms chapter 101. I will sing about your love and fairness. Lord, I will sing praise to You. I will be careful to lead a life that is without blame. When will you come and help me? I will lead a life that is without blame in my house. I won’t look at anything that is evil. I hate the acts of people who aren’t faithful to you. I don’t even want people like that around me. I will stay away from those whose hearts are twisted. I don’t want to have anything to do with evil. I will get rid of anyone who tells lies about his neighbor in secret. I won’t put up with anyone whose eyes and heart are proud. I will look with favor on the faithful people in the land. They will live with me those whose lives are without blame will serve me. No one who lies and cheats will live in my house. No one who tells lies will serve me. Every morning I will get rid of all the sinful people in the land. I will remove from the city of the Lord, everyone who does what is evil. Steve Webb 5:19 In chapter 101 Verse two, David wrote, I will be careful to lead a life that is without blame. When will you come and help me? In my own home, I will lead a life that is without blame. As I’ve already said, before we read this chapter, wouldn’t it be great if leaders today made this their goal? Beloved, I believe that we need to pray that God would move in the hearts of our local leaders, or a state or province leaders and our national leaders. Beloved, no matter where you’re hearing this, pray for your leaders. When God gets a hold of them or moves new, godly people into their spots will begin to see changes for the good around the world. Yes, you’ve heard me say many times, I believe that we’re in the in times, but I would be delighted to be proven wrong. If God chooses to move on the hearts of people around the world. If we were to see a new and fresh awakening, a monumental revival, I would be thrilled beyond words, granted, Lord, grant it in Jesus name. But even if that doesn’t happen, we can still make that our Go. David said in my own home, I will lead a life that is without blame. You know, sometimes people live much different lives inside their homes than they do outside. They show a smiling everything is right with a World Christian facade to the world. But at home, they’re the exact opposite. Don’t be that way. Beloved, don’t be a hypocrite. If you truly love the Lord, but don’t act like it at home that I would encourage you to take a hard look at why you act this way. Are you stressed because of work or bills or family problems? Well, let me ask you this if you taken your problems to the Lord and laid them at his feet, only to pick them up again. Maybe you need help from your pastor or a trusted friend or a counselor. Listen, there’s nothing to be ashamed of. Everybody needs help from time to time. It’s okay. If you need help get it Galatians 522 through 26 has a lot to say about how we should behave. It says but the fruit the Holy Spirit produces his love, joy and peace. That is being patient kind and good. It is being faithful and gentle and having control of oneself. There is no law against things of that kind. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed their sinful desires to His cross. They don’t want these things anymore. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become proud. Let us not make each other angry. Let us not want what belongs to others. Beloved, as we go about our days, the fruit of the Spirit should flow from us whether we are inside or outside of our homes. Jesus said that they will know we are Christians by our love for one another. Well, let’s pray that we will mature as believers to the point that people truly see Jesus in us. I would sure like to hear what you think. Go on over to Lifespring media.com/s 12 e 231. Scroll to the bottom of that page. And then let me know what you’re thinking there’s a box there that you can put your comments into. Proverbs 19 will be our reading tomorrow boost. Steve Webb 8:35 We have an executive producer today. John came in with his monthly $50 executive producer donation. Thank you, John so much and God bless you. You know you can help support the show and ensure that it keeps coming to you every day by going to Lifespring media.com/support. And making a donation. You can sign up for a weekly, monthly or quarterly donation or just make a one time donation. It’s all about value for value supporting the show with time talent or treasure. If you get something from it in the measure that you receive it in an amount that means something to you. I can’t say what that is only you can for some people $5 might be a lot others can do more. Do what makes sense to you pray about it. Ask the Lord what he would have you do, then go to Lifespring media.com/support And do it all thank you and I think God will bless you for it. And John, thanks again brother for your support. God bless you. Steve Webb 9:42 On this date in church history, April 20 1759 George Frederick Handel passed away. He of course was the German born English composer of his religious compositions. The most famous are his Messiah oratory. Oh and several him Antunes including while shepherds watched their flocks by night, Joy to the world, and Thine be the glory risen, conquering sun. And on this date in church history April 20 1952, three years after the 1949 revolution that established the People’s Republic of China, evangelical leader, Watchman Nee was arrested by the Chinese government and imprisoned for trumped up charges of corrupt business practices. He spent nearly all of his last 20 years in prison. If you’ve never read Watchmen, the I highly recommend you pick up one of his books and do so. And Nee is spelled n-e-e. Watchman Nee. Steve Webb 10:49 Let’s pray. Our Heavenly Father, we thank you for psalms of praise like we read today. They teach us how to praise you and they remind us of all the things that you are and that you have done in the things that you do and will do. They remind us that you indeed are worthy of praise. We do have reason to shout joyfully and serve you with gladness. Hallelujah. Lord, we pray that you would raise up leaders around the world that would turn to you for guidance and for godly principles to rule by like David did. We pray for a revival the likes of which have never been seen, Lord, forgive us, Lord, for our failure to stand up for you and to be salt in light. Give us opportunities to share the gospel. Use us to bring glory to your name, and may the fruit of the spirit be shown in our lives. Lord, I thank you for each one who’s listening right now who you’ve brought into the Lifespring family. No one is here by accident. You’ve called them here. And I thank you for that. I pray that you would take what they hear on the show and use it for your kingdom. I pray God that you would bless each one in the Lifespring family today. And I pray this in Jesus name, amen. If you’ve got prayer requests or praises, go to prayer dot Lifespring media.com and fill out that form there. I’ll pray for you in my private prayer time, and we’ll pray together on the show. Steve Webb 12:17 Beloved, if you enjoy the show that I’ll bet you know somebody else who would also enjoy it, share the show, comment on the show at Lifespring media.com/s 12 e 231. Or email me at Steve at Lifespring media.com. Support the show if you would please it Lifespring media.com/support. Thanks to Kirsty for putting the newsletter together each week. You can sign up for that at news dot Lifespring media.com. And thank you to Sean of San Pedro for doing the chapters for every episode, they are donating time and talent and I’m so thankful for their help. And thanks again to executive producer John for his donation of treasure to bring this episode to you. Until tomorrow. May God bless you richly. It was great to see you today. My name is Steve Webb. See you tomorrow. Bye Transcribed by https://otter.ai [https://dzzggm57pi1og.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/28152340/donate.png]https://lifespringmedia.com/support/ * * [https://dzzggm57pi1og.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/23123801/NULS_LSFB_RateTheShow.jpg]https://lovethepodcast.com/biblePlease rate or review the show by clicking the heart! The post S3E232 – Psalms 99-101: Inside Outside [https://lifespringmedia.com/lifespring-one-year-bible-rewind/s3e232-psalms-99-101-inside-outside/] first appeared on Lifespring! Media [https://lifespringmedia.com].

S3E231 – 1 Chronicles 10-14: What’s In Your Heart?

Transcript PODCAST INTRODUCTION Our reading today 1 Chronicles 10-14, after which I’ll have some comments, and I have a very important clarification of my comments on Numbers chapter 5 from yesterday’s reading. I’m calling today’s episode “What’s In Your Heart?” S12E237Art3000-reaching out [https://dzzggm57pi1og.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/25204212/S12E237Art3000.jpg]Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Andrik Langfield on Unsplash COMMENTS ON 1 CHRONICLES 13 Because of what God does to Uzzah in chapter 13, I’m going to rerun my comments from s12e127, which was titled “Follow the Directions”, where we read about this same event in 2 Samuel chapter 6. If you were with me then, please bear with me. It doesn’t hurt to review sometimes, and new Lifespring Family members might not have heard it. It’s important, I think, to have a better understanding of why God reacted as He did. This can be a difficult story for some people. Why would God kill Uzzah for merely reaching out to steady the Ark of the Covenant (or Covenant Box in the Good News Translation that we read today), to keep it from falling off the cart? Let’s dig into this a bit. To some, God’s reaction to Uzzah’s actions here seems to be extreme, to say the least. David thought so, since we’re told that he became angry at God. So what happened? Why did God do this? Here are the thoughts of scholars. First off, when God gave His instructions to the Israelites on how they were to build the Ark, he was very clear about the most minute detail, including how it was to be transported, who was allowed to move it and who was allowed to touch it. It was never to be put onto a cart, but it was to be carried by Kohathites only. There were two poles that went through two loops on each side of the Ark, and these poles were to be placed on the Kohathite’s shoulders, bearing the Ark between them. No one but a priest was to touch the Ark, because the Ark had the very presence of God upon it. Remember, this all happened before the Messiah had come, and only the priests had direct access to God and only priests could perform the sacrifices that could cover the sins of the people. The Ark represented a holy and awesome (in the very real sense of that word) God, and God had made it very clear how it was to be honored, because it was a reflection on how they were to honor God Himself. So by putting the Ark on the ox drawn cart, they were guilty of transgressing God’s direct instructions. But why was Uzzah killed? Touching the Ark was a direct violation of God’s clear instruction. It could be that God saw the condition of Uzzah’s heart, that he didn’t have the proper attitude toward it. It had been in Uzzah’s house, after all for some time, and he might have become indifferent to it. We must not become indifferent to God. He. Is. God. The creator of all that is. The One who gives us life and sustains us. It could be that Uzzah had a cavalier attitude regarding God’s Word. He didn’t think it was important to sweat the details. Maybe his reaching out to steady the Ark reflected a lack of faith on Uzzah’s part, that God somehow needed his help. What we might want to draw from this is that we need to pay attention to what God says, and we should do all we can to be obedient to Him. Yes, He is loving and He is merciful. But He is also Holy, and it is important that we never forget that. It is His holiness and justice that requires payment for sin. It is His love that made a way for me and you to not have to make the payment for our sins. It is His holiness and justice and love that required the sacrifice of His Son in my place and yours. Because of His holy and just nature, he couldn’t just overlook the sin. It had to be dealt with. I’m thankful that God made a way for me to escape His wrath, and that He has offered that way, that gift, to anyone who will receive it. Jesus said, “…I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”  CLARIFICATION ON NUMBERS 5:27 Sean of San Pedro sent a 1000 sat boostagram and said, “Thanks as always! Your commentary is always helpful. I’m still a bit conflicted by the jealousy ceremony. It sounds like the special clay is very similar to a Plan B pill, but with the added effect of sterilization. Quite shocking.” Thanks for your boostagram, Sean. I’m really glad you sent it, because I should have addressed this in my commentary. You’re referring to Numbers 5:27, which in the Easy To Read Version that I read from said, “If the woman has sinned against her husband, the water will bring her trouble. The water will go into her body and cause her much suffering. Any baby that is in her will die before it is born, and she will never be able to have children.” However, in the original Hebrew, the phrase about the baby dieing is not there. Nowhere in the entire passage dealing with how they were to address whether or not a woman had been unfaithful or not is there any language having to do with the woman’s pregnancy or lack of pregnancy. Nothing. The only thing in the original Hebrew that sounds remotely like pregnancy is where it says that the “water that causeth the curse shall enter into her, and become bitter, and her belly shall swell…”, but this is not referring to pregnancy. It is a visible sign that she is guilty of unfaithfulness. The other sign is that she will be unable to conceive again. Remember that the ability to bear children was considered to be a sign of God’s blessing. And remember, too, that God was teaching the entire nation how important faithfulness to the marriage vows, and faithfulness to Him was.  If she conceived at some time in the future, then all would know that she was innocent. But if she did not, they would know that she had been unfaithful, and she was under God’s curse. This mistranslation by the ERV translators, as well as a few other Bible translators, is a very unfortunate mistake. It is not in the original language at all. That’s another reason that having multiple translations to compare is so important. And when there are questions, consulting an interlinear Bible is imperative.  I’m sorry I didn’t address this in my commentary yesterday, Sean. Thanks again for bringing it up.  TODAY’S BIBLE TRANSLATION Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 10-11 NCV; Ch. 12-13 GNT; Ch. 14 NIRV 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 [/support/]. [/support/] TRANSCRIPT Steve Webb 0:00 He is God after all. Well, hi there. This is the Lifespring family Audio Bible coming to you from Riverside, California, 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 and it’s so good to see you today. Are you doing are reading today’s first Chronicles 10 through 14 After which I’ll have some comments. And I have a very important clarification of my comments on Numbers chapter five from yesterday’s show, be sure to listen to that after my comments on today’s reading. I’m calling today’s episode. What’s in your heart? You’d like to leave a comment on today’s show, please go to Lifespring media.com/s 12 e 237. You can also email me at Steve at Lifespring media.com. Are you ready? Let’s go. First Chronicles chapter 10. The Philistines fought against Israel and the Israelites ran away from them. Many Israelites were killed on Mount Gilboa. The Philistines fought hard against Saul and his sons killing his sons, Jonathan Abinadab and Malka shuaa The fighting was heavy around Saul and the archers shot him with their arrows and wounded him. Then Saul said to the officer who carried his armor, pull out your sword and stab me. If you don’t these Philistines who are not circumcised will come and hurt me. But Saul’s officer refused because he was afraid. So Saul took his own sword and threw himself on it. When the officer saw that Saul was dead, he threw himself on his own sword and died. Sol Sol and three of his sons died, all his family died together. When the Israelites living in the valley saw that their army had run away, and that Saul and his sons were dead. They left their towns and ran away. Then the Philistines came and settled in them. The next day when the Philistines came to strip the dead soldiers, they found Saul and his sons dead on Mount Gilboa. The Philistines stripped Saul’s body and took his head and his armor. Then they sent messengers through all their country to tell the news to their idols and to their people. The Philistines put Saul’s armor in the temple of their idols and hung his head in the temple of Dagon. All the people in J. Besh Gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul. So the brave men of J. Bash went and got the bodies of Saul and his sons and brought them to J bash. They buried their bones under the large tree and J bash. Then the people of J. Bash fasted for seven days. Saul died because he was not faithful to the Lord and did not obey the Lord. He even went to a medium and asked for her advice instead of asking the Lord, this is why the Lord puts us all to death, and gave the kingdom to Jesse son, David. First Chronicles chapter 11. Then the people of Israel came to David at the town of Hebron and said, Look, we are your own family. Even when Saul was King, you were the one who led Israel and battle. The Lord your God said to you, you will be the shepherd for my people Israel, you will be their leader. So all the elders of Israel came to King David at Hebron, he made an agreement with them in Hebron in the presence of the Lord. Then they poured oil on David to make him king over Israel. The Lord had promised through Samuel that this would happen. David and all the Israelites went to the city of Jerusalem. At that time, Jerusalem was called jeebus. And the people living there were named Jebusites. They said to David, you can’t get inside our city. But David did take the city of Jerusalem with its strong walls and it became the city of David. David had said, the person who leads the attack against the Jebusites will become the commander over all my army Joab, son of the ruya led the attack, so he became the commander of the army. Then David made his home in the strong walled city, which is why it was named the city of David. David rebuilt the city beginning where the land was filled in and going to the wall that was around the city. Joab repaired the other parts of the city, David became stronger and stronger, and the Lord all powerful was with him. This is a list of the leaders over David’s warriors who helped make David’s Kingdom strong. All the people of Israel also supported David’s kingdom. These heroes and all the people of Israel made David King just as the Lord had promised. This is a list of David’s warriors. Just show BM was from the Hackman, ICT people. He was the head of the three David’s most powerful soldiers. He used his spear to fight 300 men at one time and he killed them all. Next was Lea aser one of the three Eliezer was dough dies son from the whole height people Eliezer was with David it passed Dammam when the Philistines came there to fight. There was a field of barley at that place The Israelites ran away from the Philistines. But they stopped in the middle of that field and fought for it and killed the Philistines. The Lord gave them a great victory. Once three of the 30 David’s chief soldiers came down to him at the Rock by the cave near a Dahlem. At the time the Philistine army had camped in the valley of her fame. At that time, David was in a stronghold. And some of the Philistines were in Bethlehem. David had a strong desire for some water. He said, Oh, I wish someone would get me water from the well near the city gate of Bethlehem. So the three broke through the Philistine army and took water from the well near the city gate in Bethlehem. Then they brought it to David, but he refused to drink it. He poured it out before the Lord saying, May God keep me from drinking this water. It would be like drinking the blood of the men who risked their lives to bring it to me. So David refused to drink it. These were the brave things that the three warriors did. A by Shai brother of Joab was the captain of the three by Shai fought 300 soldiers with his spear and killed them. He became as famous as the three and was more honored than the three. He became their commander, even though he was not one of them. But Neha son of Jehoiada was a brave fighter from cab zo who did mighty things. He killed two of the best warriors for Moab. He also went down into a pit and killed a lion on a snowy day. Binay a killed an Egyptian, who was about seven and one half feet tall, and had a spear as large as a weaver’s rod. But Neha had a club, but he grabbed the spear from the Egyptians hand and killed him with his own spear. These were the things Binay a son of Jehovah did did. He was as famous as the three. He received more honor than the 30 but he did not become a member of the three. David made him leader of his bodyguards. These were also mighty warriors, as they held brother of Joab l Hainan son of dodo from Bethlehem, Sham off the hero, right? He Lez the pillow night, Ira son of IK ash from Tekoa. A by ease or the Anima fight syba Chi that you should fight. I lie the whole height may arrive in a tougher fight. He led son of bayyinah than a tougher fight. If I send a ribeye from Libya in Benjamin banana the paratha night he arrived from the ravines of gay Ash ablv, Arbor, thight. Asma veth. The Behera might Elia the CHE Alba night, the sons of Heysham, the guest tonight, Jonathan, son of Shaggy, the heritage site, a Hiam, son of say, car, the heritage site, a lightful, son of earth, He further McCarthyite, a hija the peeler Knight has row the Carmelite nearby Son of ezbuy Joel, brother of Nathan midbar, son of hag Ray Zelich, the Ammonite Neha re the Bira thight, the officer who carried the armor for Joab, son of Zeruiah. Ira the birthright Ghareeb the birthright Uriah the Hittite is a bad son of ally, Adena son of shizer, the Reubenites who was the leader of the Reubenites and it’s 30 soldiers, Hainan son of may occur. Joshua fat the midnight Uzziah the Astra fight Shaimaa and Gentile sons of Hawthorn, the Aurora right, Judah al son of Shivraj Jolla, Judah ales brother the TOS ight, a Lyle the May of eight, Jeremiah and Joshua via l names sons IFMA, the Moabite, a Lyle Obed, and j as to the mosquito bites. First Chronicles chapter 12. David was living in Ziklag, where he had gone to escape from King Saul. There he was joined by many experienced reliable soldiers members of the tribe of Benjamin to which Saul belonged. They can shoot arrows and sling stones either right handed or left handed. They run to the command of AI easer in Joash, sons of Shemaiah from Libya. These were the soldiers GZ L and Pilet, sons of Asma. veth Barraca and GU from Anna, Thoth, Ishmael from Gibson, a famous soldier and one of the leaders of the 30 Jeremiah J. Hazel, Johanna and jhaza bed from Madeira l us I, Jeremiah, B Elia Shem, Araya and shefa Taya from Harith al Cana is Shi’a as a rel joeytsa and just Showbie him of the clan of Cora, Joe Isla and Zebedee, Jaya sons of Jerome from Vidor. These are the names of the famous experienced soldiers from the tribe of Gad who joined David’s troops when he was at the Desert fort. They were experts with shields and spears is fierce looking as lions and as quick as mountain deer. They were ranked in the following order easer Obadiah Eliab mish mana Jeremiah at high a Lyle, Joe Hainan, el ze bad Jeremiah and Mack ban I. Some of these men from the tribe of Gad were seeing your officers in command of 1000 men and others were junior officers in command of 100. In the first month of one year, the time when the Jordan River overflowed its banks, they crossed the river scattering the people who lived in the valleys both east and west of the river. Once a group of men from the tribes of Benjamin and Judah went out to the fort where David was, David went to meet them and said, If you are coming as friends to help me, you’re welcome here, join us. But if you intend to betray me to my enemies, even though I have not tried to hurt you, the God of our ancestors will know it and punish you. God’s Spirit took control of one of them. I’m a sigh, who later became the commander of the 30 and he called out David son of Jesse, we are yours, success to you and those who help you. God is on your side. David welcomed them and made them officers in his army. Some soldiers from the tribe of Manasseh went over to David’s side when he was marching out with the Philistines to fight King Saul. Actually, he did not help the Philistines for their kings were afraid that he would betray them to his former master Saul, so they sent him back to Ziklag. These are the soldiers for Manasa, who went over to David’s side when he was returning adna jhaza Bad Jedi al Michael jhaza Bad ally Hugh and Zillah phi in Manasa. They had all commanded units of 1000 men. They served David as officers over his troops because they were all outstanding soldiers. Later they were officers in the Israelite army. Almost every day new men join David’s forces so that his army was soon enormous. When David was at Hebron, many trained soldiers joined his army to help make him king in place of Saul as the Lord had promised. Their numbers were as follows Judah 6800 well equipped men armed with shields and spears, Simeon 7100, well trained men, Levi 4600 Men, followers of Jehoiada descendant of Aaron 3700 Men, relatives a doc enable young fighter 22 leading men, Benjamin Saul’s own tribe 3000 Men, most of the people of Benjamin had remained loyal to Saul II frame 20,800 Men famous in their own clans, West Manasa 18,000 men chosen to go and make David King is a car 200 leaders together with a man under their command, these leaders knew what Israel should do in the best time to do it. Zamberlan 50,000 loyal and reliable men ready to fight train to use all kinds of weapons nafed Ally 1000 leaders together with 37,000 men armed with shields and spears, Dan 28,600 Men, Asher 40,000 men ready for battle tribes east of the Jordan, Reuben Gad and East Manasa 120,000 Men trained to use all kinds of weapons. All these soldiers ready for battle went to Hebron determined to make David King over all Israel. All the rest of the people of Israel were united in the same purpose. They spent three days there with David feasting on the food and drink which their relatives had prepared for them. From as far away as the northern tribes of Issachar, Zebulun and Naphtali people came bringing donkeys camels, mules and oxen loaded with food, flour, figs, raisins, wine and olive oil. They also brought cattle and sheep to kill and eat. All this was an expression of the joy that was felt throughout the whole country. First Chronicles chapter 13. King David consulted with all the officers in command of units of 1000 men in units of 100 men. Then he announced to all the people of Israel, if you give your approval and if it is the will of the Lord our God. Let us send messengers to the rest of our people and to the priests and Levites in their towns and tell them to assemble here with us. Then we will go and get God’s covenant box which was ignored while Saul was king. The people were pleased with the suggestion and agreed to it. So David assembled the people of Israel from all over the country from the Egyptian border in the south to Heyworth paths and the North in order to bring the covenant box from Curiosity grm to Jerusalem. David and the people went to the city of baila that is to carry F grm in the territory of Judah to get the covenant box of God which bears the name of the Lord enthroned above the winged creatures at Hubin. adapts house they brought out the covenant box and put it on a new cart Uzza and Ohio guided the cart while David and all the people danced with all their might To honor God. They sang and played musical instruments, harps, drums, cymbals and trumpets. As they came to the threshing place of Caiden, the oxen stumbled, and does or reached out and took hold of the Covenant box. At once the Lord became angry with us and killed him for touching the box. He died there in God’s presence. And so that place has been called P res. Uzza. Ever since David was furious because the Lord had punished us in anger. Then David was afraid of God and said, How can I take the covenant box with me now? So David did not take it with him to Jerusalem. Instead, he left it at the house of a man named Obed Edom, a native of the city of Gath. It stayed there three months and the Lord blessed Obed Edom, his family, and everything that belonged to him. First Chronicles chapter 14, Hiram was king of Tyre, he sent messengers to David, he sent cedar logs along with them. He also sent skilled workers to build a palace for David. They worked with stone and wood. David knew that the Lord had made his position his king secure. He knew that he had made him king over the whole nation of Israel. He knew that the Lord had greatly honored his kingdom. The Lord had done it because the Israelites were his people. In Jerusalem, David got married to more women. He also became the father of more sons and daughters. Here is the list of the children who were born to him in Jerusalem. Their names were SHA MEWA show Babb. Nathan, Solomon iPAR, lsua, LP let Noga nee fig. Jaffa, Alicia Ma. B Eliana and Alisa let the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over the entire nation of Israel. So their whole army went to look for him. But David heard about it. He went out to where they were, the Philistines had come and attack the people in the valley of Irfan. So David asked God for advice. He said, Should I go and attack the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me? The Lord answered him go, I will hand them over to you. So David and his men went up to Baal Paradism. There, David won the battle over the Philistines. He said, God has broken through against my enemies, just as water breaks through a dam. That is why the place is called bale Paradism. The Philistines had left the statues of their gods there, so David gave orders to burn them up. Once more, the Philistines attack the people in the valley. So David asked God for advice again, God answered him, do not go straight up. Instead, circle around them, attack them in front of the Balsam trees. Listen for the sound of marching in the tops of the trees, then move out to fight. The sound will mean that I’ve gone out in front of you, I will strike down the Philistine army. So David did just as God had commanded him, he and his men struck down the Philistine army. They struck them down from Gibson all the way to geezer. So David became famous and every land, the Lord made all of the nations afraid of him. What was your thought when God killed Uzza in chapter 13, this can be a difficult story for some people. So what I’m going to do is go over my comments from Episode s 12, e 127, which was titled follow the directions where we read about this same event in Second Samuel chapter six. If you are with me, then please bear with me. It doesn’t hurt to review sometimes and new Lifespring family members might not have heard it. It’s important, I think, to have a better understanding of why God reacted as he did. So why would God kill us for merely reaching out to study the Ark of the Covenant or the covenant box in the Good News Translation that we read today? As it did it to keep the Ark from falling off the cart? Right? So why did God react that way? Well, let’s dig into it. To some God’s reaction to us his actions seem extreme to say the least, David thought so since we’re told that he became angry at God. So what happened? First off, when God gave His instructions to the Israelites on how they were to build the ark, he was very clear about the most minut detail, including how it was to be transported, who was allowed to move it, and who was allowed to touch it. It was never to be put onto a cart, but it was to be carried by Kohathites only. There were two poles that went through two loops on each side of the arc. And these poles were to be placed on the coat with heights shoulders bearing the arc between them. Now, no one but a priest was to touch the arc because the arc had the very presence of God upon it. Remember, this all happened before the Messiah had come in only the priests had direct access to God, and only priests could perform the sacrifices that could cover the sins of the people. The Ark represented a holy and an awesome God, and I mean awesome in the very real sense of that word, something that inspires or, or commands ah, and God had made it very clear how it was to be honored because it was a reflection on how they were to honor God himself. So by putting the ark on the ox drawn cart, they were guilty of transgressing God’s direct instructions. But why was as a killed? Well, touching the ark was a direct violation of God’s clear instruction. It could be that God saw the condition of us as heart, and that as it didn’t have the proper attitude toward the Ark or toward God, it had been in us His house after all, for some time, and he might have become indifferent to it. You know how that is, the more you are around something or around someone, the less impressed you are with him sometimes, well, we can’t become indifferent to God, He is God, after all, the creator of all that is the one who gives life and sustains it. And it could be that as I had a cavalier attitude regarding God’s word, he didn’t think it was important to sweat the details, maybe is reaching out to study the Ark reflected a lack of faith on us as part were that God somehow needed his help. So what we might want to draw from this is that we need to pay attention to what God says, and we should do all that we can to be obedient to him. Yes, he’s loving, and he’s merciful, but he’s also holy. And it’s important that we never forget that it is His Holiness and justice that requires payment for sin. And it is his love that made a way for me and you to not have to make the payment for our sins. It’s his holiness and His justice in his love, that required the sacrifice of His Son, in my place, and in yours. Because of His holy and just nature. He couldn’t just overlook the sin. It had to be dealt with. I’m just so thankful that God made a way for me to escape his wrath, and that he’s offered that way that gift to anyone who will receive it. Jesus said, I am the way in the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you haven’t accepted that gift yet, I’d like to hear from you. Write me an email at Steve at Lifespring media.com. If you got any questions about that, you have a comment? Let me know Lifespring media.com/s 12 e 237. Scroll to the bottom of the page and leave your comment there. Here’s your cue to boost. Well, I got a boostagram this morning from Sean of San Pedro. He said thanks. As always, your commentary is always helpful. I’m still a bit conflicted by the jealousy ceremony. It sounds like the special clay is very similar to a plan B pill, but with the added effect of sterilization. Quite shocking. Well, Sean, thank you for your booster. Gram. Brother, I’m really glad you said it. Because I should have addressed this in my commentary yesterday, you’re referring to numbers 527, which in the easy to read version that I read from yesterday said, if the woman has sinned against her husband, the water will bring her trouble, the water will go into her body and cost her much suffering. Any baby that is in her will die before it is born. And she will never be able to have children. All right. So that’s what it said in the easy to read version. But in the original Hebrew, the phrase about the baby dying, isn’t there. Nowhere in that entire passage that deals with how they were to address whether or not a woman had been unfaithful. Nowhere does it say anything about a woman’s pregnancy or lack of pregnancy. There’s nothing in the original language at all about that. The only thing in the original Hebrew that sounds remotely like pregnancy is where it says that the quote, water that causes the curse shall enter her and become bitter, and her belly shall swell. But this is not referring to pregnancy. It’s a visible sign that she’s guilty of unfaithfulness. And the other sign is that she’ll be unable to conceive again. Remember that the ability to bear children was considered to be a sign of God’s blessing. And remember, too, that God was teaching the entire nation how important faithfulness to the marriage vows and faithfulness to him was in drinking this water and looking for the sign of either guilt or innocence. God had to personally be involved in the outcome. There was nothing magic about the water or the things that they put into it. God Himself was going to intervene and either show her innocence by there being no ill effects or her guilt by making it so that she would blow it up in her stomach and have her womb be unable to conceive. So this is not something that would happen immediately. This is something that the people, the nation would be able to watch the effects on the woman. If she conceived at some time in the future, then all would know that she was innocent. But if she did not, they would know that she had been unfaithful, and she was under God’s curse. But again, I just want to make it clear. There is not one word in that section in the original Hebrew that had anything to do with a baby dying or with a spontaneous abortion or anything like that. This mistranslation by the easy to read version translators, as well as a few other Bible translators is a very unfortunate mistake. And that’s another reason that having multiple translations to compare is so very important. And when there are questions, consulting an interlinear Bible is imperative. You can find interlinear Bibles for free online. I’m really sorry, I didn’t address this in my commentary yesterday. So Sean, thank you for bringing it up. If you think this podcast is worthwhile, and you must since your time is valuable, and you’re spending some of it listening to the show, your donation of time, talent or treasure means I can keep producing the show for you. When you donate some of your treasure, it means I can pay a bill it means I can invest the time to study the Scripture so that the thoughts I bring to you are helpful and well thought through. And donating your time, talent or treasure is a way for you to encourage me to keep producing the show for you. It tells me that you think what I’m doing is worthwhile and it helps me to share the good news have arisen savior. In other words, your donation has a great deal of value to me. All I ask is that you give in proportion to the value you receive from the show. Take a look at Lifespring media.com/support. Pray about it, and then do as God leads you. When you do that. I’ll thank you and I think God will bless you. On this date in church history, April 26 1518, German reformer Martin Luther stated in his disputation of Heidelberg, Grace has given to heal the spiritually sick not to decorate spiritual heroes. And on this date in church history, April 26 1992 worshipers celebrated Russian Orthodox Easter in Moscow for the first time in 74 years. Every so often, I like to ask this question and new Lifespring family members might not have heard it. So here it goes. I’d like to know how you found the show. Did a friend tell you? Did you hear about the show on another podcast? Did you hear about it from a social media post somebody at church smoke signals? Let me know. Send me an email at Steve at Lifespring media.com and use the subject line. Here’s where I found you. Don’t be shy. send me that email. Let’s pray together. Our Father in heaven Lord, we thank you for mercy and grace. We do not we cannot earn it but you give it because Jesus paid the terrible price for our sins. Lord, let us never take that sacrifice lightly. May we ever remember that you are a holy and awesome God. We must always remember that you are God not to be taken lightly. And yet you’ve made us heirs with Christ if we’ve placed our faith in Him as our Savior. He even told us when we pray to say Our Father, so we can come to you with humble confidence and even call you ABA. We are to fear you, but not be afraid to come into Your presence. You delight in our offerings of praise and worship. And we do that now. We do worship you. And we do praise your name. And we do come to you together now praying in Jesus name. Amen. If you’ve got a prayer request or a praise, please let me know at prayer dot Lifespring media.com. I pray for you in my private prayer time and we’ll pray together on the show. It always brightens my day when I get a comment on the show. So please go to Lifespring media.com/s 12 e 237. And let me know what you thought about today’s show. You can email me at Steve at Lifespring media.com. And I’d like to thank Sean of San Pedro who’s doing a great job on the chapters you see on your podcasting 2.0 app. You do have one of those right? Don’t tell me you’re still using one of those old fashioned legacy apps are you come on, it’s time for an upgrade, go to new podcast apps.com and find one that looks interesting to you. And of course Kirsty is the official Lifespring family Audio Bible newsletter publisher. She makes sure that you get a new edition every week so you’ll know what the upcoming week’s readings will be. And if you want to read ahead and send questions to me ahead of time, I might answer your question on the show. Thank you Kirsty you for being our publisher. Both Kirstie and Sean truly help to make the show better. God bless both of you. Please remember to go to Lifespring media.com/support to help keep the Show coming to you every day. And until tomorrow, may God bless you richly. I have enjoyed our time together today. Thank you for that gift. My name is Steve Webb. See you tomorrow. Bye Transcribed by https://otter.ai [https://dzzggm57pi1og.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/28152340/donate.png]https://lifespringmedia.com/support/ * * [https://dzzggm57pi1og.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/23123801/NULS_LSFB_RateTheShow.jpg]https://lovethepodcast.com/biblePlease rate or review the show by clicking the heart! The post S3E231 – 1 Chronicles 10-14: What’s In Your Heart? 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