Podcast Introduction Since today is Tuesday we’re going to read from one of the books of History. Today we’ll read 1 Kings 14-18. After the reading I’ll have some comments. I’m calling today’s episode “ Anbody In There?” Comments on 1 Kings 17 In chapter 17 we were introduced to Elijah, who as we will come to see, is a significant figure in the OT, and his appearance in 1 Kings 17 is the first mention of him. We are not given any background, no genealogy, nothing other than the fact that he was a Tishbite, who was one of the settlers of Gilead as it says here in the WEB version, or the NIV says he is from Tishbe. TISH-bee What I want to talk about today is found in chapter 18. A lot of great things happened in this chapter. The main event is that Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal to prove their god was real. Elijah had a lot of faith!  This is not the sort of thing that I would encourage anyone to do, but the people of Israel were at a critical juncture. They had so turned from God that something dramatic needed to be done. So this not-really-a-contest was set up, and all morning long the 450 prophets of Baal cried out to (let’s face it) NOTHING, to send down fire to consume the offering.  And then at noon, Elijah begins making fun of them. Now, most translations are very restrained in the way they render verse 27. The World English Bible translation that we read today has it this way: “Cry aloud; for he is a god. Either he is deep in thought, or he has gone somewhere, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he sleeps and must be awakened.” But that isn’t entirely accurate. We get a hint of the more accurate translation in the English Standard Version: “Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.” And the Complete Jewish Bible renders gets even closer: "Shout louder! After all, he's a god, isn't he? Maybe he's daydreaming, or he's on the potty, or he's away on a trip. Maybe he's asleep, and you have to wake him up." Relieving himself. On the potty. Guess what. What he really said there is this: “Maybe he’s taking a dump.”  Don't let anyone tell you that God doesn't have a sense of humor! So Elijah had some fun with them. Gutsy guy, right? He’s facing down 450 false prophets, and he’s making fun of their gods. Gotta love that. And then when it was time for God to show Himself to be the God of Israel and all creation, Elijah had the sacrifice and the wood and the altar drenched three times. The water ran off the altar and filled the trench that Elijah had dug around the altar. And after Elijah prayed, God not only sent fire to consume the offering, but the wood and the stones and the dust and all the water in the trench. I love it when God answers prayer in abundance, don’t you? So many times we think small when we pray. We forget that nothing is too great for God. We forget that He has no limits.  Next time you have a need, remember what He did the day He proved himself to the prophets of Baal and the entire nation of Israel. What do you think? Comment below. Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Tim Mossholde on Unsplash Today's Bible Translation Bible translation used in today's episode: Ch. 14-15 NASB; Ch. 16-17 WEB Support This a value for value podcast. There are no advertisers because advertising equals censorship. If you enjoy the Lifespring One Year Bible Rewind, decide how much value it brings to you. Only you can make that determination. Then put a number on the value and donate here: SUPPORT. The Team Transcript Correction: Lifespring Family Berean, Sister DenisePodcasting 2.0 Chapters: Lifespring Family Berean, Brother Sean of San Pedro and Lifespring Family Berean, Brother Michael HanerShow Art: Lifespring Family Berean, Brother Scott Snider and Lifespring Family Berean Jason PaschallNewsletter Publisher: Lifespring Family Berean, Sister Brittaney

38m

Apr 02, 2024

Podcast Introduction Since today is Monday we’re going to read from one of the books of the Law, otherwise known as the Pentateuch. Today we’ll read Leviticus 4-6. After the reading I’ll have some comments. I’m calling today’s episode “Tend the Flame.” Comments on Leviticus 4-6 In chapter 4, did you notice that the sins for which the sin offerings could be made were unintentional or without knowledge? That's right. If you sinned by accident, you could receive forgiveness through the sin offering. But if you sinned in rebellion against God, the Law of Moses offered no forgiveness. The penalty was death. Only unintentional disobedience or sins committed out of impulse. In chapter 5, the trespass (or guilt) offering is covered. This offering differs from the sin offering in that restitution is required plus a 20 percent penalty in the trespass offering, and confession is required. In chapter 6:1, notice the text says , “If anyone sins and is unfaithful to the Lord..." and then goes on to describe things done against or to a neighbor. So when we sin against one another, we are sinning against the Lord.  And did you notice also in chapter 6, verse 9, the Lord told Moses that for the burnt offering, the fire was never to be allowed to go out? Do you know why? It's because the fire that was burning on the altar was ignited from heaven. In chapter 8, which we will read next week, we read, " Fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the fat portions on the altar." So by their sacrifices being consumed by this fire, it was a sign of God's acceptance.  And just as the priests were to attend to this fire that was ignited by God Himself, we should attend to the fire ignited by the Holy Spirit in us. Our devotion to God, our commitment to prayer and praise, to doing those things that please Him, will wane if we neglect our relationship with Him. This is one of the reasons that Paul wrote in Hebrews 10:24,25, "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching." How is your fire doing, beloved? Is it strong and healthy, or is it just an ember? Does the fire need to be fanned to bring it back? Give it the attention it needs. Don't neglect it. Your thoughts? Comment below. Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Amin Hasani on Unsplash Today's Bible Translation Bible translation used in today's episode: Ch. 4 LEB; Ch. 5 NKJV; Ch. 6 NIV Support This a value for value podcast. There are no advertisers because advertising equals censorship. If you enjoy the Lifespring One Year Bible Rewind, decide how much value it brings to you. Only you can make that determination. Then put a number on the value and donate here: SUPPORT. The Team Transcript Correction: Lifespring Family Berean, Sister DenisePodcasting 2.0 Chapters: Lifespring Family Berean, Brother Sean of San Pedro and Lifespring Family Berean, Brother Michael HanerShow Art: Lifespring Family Berean, Brother Scott Snider and Lifespring Family Berean Jason PaschallNewsletter Publisher: Lifespring Family Berean, Sister Brittaney Transcript Transcript not corrected.

27m

Apr 01, 2024

Podcast Introduction Since today it is Sunday we read from one of the Epistles. Today we finish the book of Ephesians. We’ll read chapters 4-6. After the reading I’ll have some comments. I’m calling today’s episode “ Shields Up.” Comments on Ephesians 6 In chapter six, Paul mentioned that we are in a battle against the rulers, against the authorities,  against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil  in the heavens. Sometimes it looks as if we are battling people, but the fight is deeper than that. We are in a spiritual battle. So how do we fight things in the spiritual realm? I’m glad you asked, because Paul told us what our weapons are. He talked about the full armor of God. The pieces are truth, righteousness, readiness, faith, salvation, the Word of God and prayer. When we are equipped with these things, we cannot be defeated by the enemy. That’s not to say that the battle will be easy. It will not. But we cannot avoid the battle. The enemy brings the battle to us. His attacks are vicious, because the stakes are high. He would like nothing more than us to surrender…to lay down our weapons, because doing so will render us useless to God and to those to whom God would have us go to make disciples and bring along in the faith. Remember what our mission is, brothers and sisters. Just before Jesus ascended into Heaven, He gave that mission to us. He said, “Go, therefore, and make disciples  of   all nations,  baptizing  them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you.” And He gave us this promise, “And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”  So beloved. We’re in this thing. And with Him with us, who can be against us?  Your thoughts? Comment below. Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Aldebaran S on Unsplash Today's Bible Translation Bible translation used in today's episode: Ch. 4 NKJV, Ch. 5-6 HCSB Support This a value for value podcast. There are no advertisers because advertising equals censorship. If you enjoy the Lifespring One Year Bible Rewind, decide how much value it brings to you. Only you can make that determination. Then put a number on the value and donate here: SUPPORT. The Team Transcript Correction: Lifespring Family Berean, Sister DenisePodcasting 2.0 Chapters: Lifespring Family Berean, Brother Sean of San Pedro and Lifespring Family Berean, Brother Michael HanerShow Art: Lifespring Family Berean, Brother Scott Snider and Lifespring Family Berean Jason PaschallNewsletter Publisher: Lifespring Family Berean, Sister Brittaney Transcript Transcript not corrected.

18m

Mar 31, 2024

Podcast Introduction Since today is Saturday we’re going to read from one of the Gospels. Right now we are in the book of Luke. We’ll read chapters 13-14. After the reading I’ll have some comments. Stick around, too for our prayer time. I’m calling today’s episode “Once and For All and Over and Over." Comments on Luke 13 1At that time some people were there who told Jesus that Pilate had killed some people from Galilee while they were worshiping. He mixed their blood with the blood of the animals they were sacrificing to God. 2Jesus answered, “Do you think this happened to them because they were more sinful than all others from Galilee? 3No, I tell you. But unless you change your hearts and lives, you will be destroyed as they were! 4What about those eighteen people who died when the tower of Siloam fell on them? Do you think they were more sinful than all the others who live in Jerusalem? 5No, I tell you. But unless you change your hearts and lives, you will all be destroyed too!” Luke 13: 1-5 NCV Let's break this down, shall we? Some people told Jesus about a heinous act of Pilate where Galilean worshippers were murdered, and in His reply, Jesus reminded them of the eighteen people who died when the tower of Siloam (sye-LOH-uhm) fell on them. For both of these events, Jesus asked them, "Do you think this happened to them because they were more sinful than all others from Galilee?"  People sometimes think that good things should happen to "good" people, and bad things happen to "bad" people. Of course, we know from our reading of the book of Job that that is not always how it works, but Jesus used this opportunity to remind them of this truth.  After He asked the question, He immediately answered, "No, I tell you." Listen to this quote from Spurgeon: “It is true, the wicked man sometimes falls dead in the street; but has not the minister fallen dead in the pulpit? It is true that a pleasure-boat, in which men were seeking their own pleasure on the Sunday, has suddenly gone down; but is it not equally true that a ship which contained none but godly men, who were bound upon an excursion to preach the gospel, has gone down too?”  So He turned the question from "Why did this happen?" to "How does this apply to me?". He said, "Those Galileans didn't die because they were worse sinners than all the other Galileans." In saying this, Jesus was not saying that they were less guilty of sin, either. The fact is, all are guilty. Romans 3:10 says, "There is no one righteous, not one." Twice in his statement, Jesus said, "But unless you change your hearts and lives..." Or to look more at the original Greek, Jesus said "...unless you repent..." In the Greek, He mentioned two kinds of repentance. He talked about a "once and for all repentance" in verse 5, and in verse 3 He referred to a "continuing repentance". Both kinds are necessary.  When we first accept Jesus as our Savior, we repent once and for all. But as we've said so many times before, we are imperfect. We sin. And that's where the continuing repentance comes in. In that case, we don't repent because we have lost our salvation, but because we love Him. He said, "If you love me, you will keep my commandments." So when we sin, we repent. We ask His forgiveness, and we turn from that sin. Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Tommy Kwak on Unsplash Today's Bible Translation Bible translation used in today's episode: Ch. 13 NCV; Ch. 14 CEB Support Please remember that this is a listener supported show. Your support of any amount is needed and very much appreciated. Find out how by clicking here. When you buy through links on this site, we may earn an affiliate commission, and you will earn our gratitude. Links Mentioned On the Show Kathi Brixey Lifespring! Podcast Interview "Faith Personified" Del Brixey Lifespring! Podcast Interview  "How To Have Power, Potential, and Passion In Your Marriage” The Team

19m

Mar 30, 2024

Podcast Introduction Since today is Friday we’re going to read from one of the prophetic books of the Bible, and we are currently in the book of Ezekiel. We’ll read chapters 7-12, and after the reading I’ll have some comments. I’m calling today’s episode “Don’t Push It.” Comments on Ezekiel 7-12 The message that God gave to Ezekiel would have been difficult to deliver and difficult to hear, wouldn’t it?  If you’ve been listening for a while, you no doubt remember that we recently read about the building of the tabernacle and of the temple, and God's very specific instructions on the various sacrifices and other activities that were to take place in these places. Here in Ezekiel, it is truly sobering to hear how far the people had fallen. It's actually a testament to God's grace to see for how long He waited to take action against them, don't you think? But the people, in their sinful and fallen state, instead took God's inaction as indifference and absence.  Ultimately, as we heard in chapter 11, God's presence was withdrawn from the temple because of Israel's worship of other Gods, and the behavior that came with it. How tragic. Let this be a lesson to us, beloved. Just because we seem to be getting away with sin, we must not be fooled. Don't assume that God doesn't care. I'm sure you have heard the old saying, "Give him enough rope to hang himself." Well, let Israel's fate constantly remind us that there is no getting away from God's attention. Beloved, at the end of my life and stand before God, I don't want to know that I got there by the skin of my teeth. Instead, I want to hear him say, "Well done, good and faithful servant." How about you? Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Tommy Kwak on Unsplash Today's Bible Translation Bible translation used in today's episode: Ch. 7-12 CEB A Mighty Fortress Is Our God Link Reawaken Hymns Video Support This a value for value podcast. There are no advertisers because advertising equals censorship. If you enjoy the Lifespring One Year Bible Rewind, decide how much value it brings to you. Only you can make that determination. Then put a number on the value and donate here: SUPPORT. The Team Transcript Correction: Lifespring Family Berean, Sister DenisePodcasting 2.0 Chapters: Lifespring Family Berean, Brother Sean of San Pedro and Lifespring Family Berean, Brother Michael HanerShow Art: Lifespring Family Berean, Brother Scott Snider and Lifespring Family Berean Jason PaschallNewsletter Publisher: Lifespring Family Berean, Sister Brittaney Transcript Transcript not corrected.

26m

Mar 29, 2024

Podcast Introduction Since today is Thursday we’ll read  Proverbs 5-6.   and after the reading I’ll have some comments. I’m calling today’s episode “No Longer A Slave." Just a heads up if you are listening to this with children. Solomon's teaching on adultery is very closely tied to the concept of pornography, and I will be discussing that topic in this episode. If you don't want tender ears to hear, now would be a good time to skip forward a few minutes. Comments on Proverbs 5 Solomon’s teaching on adultery in chapter 5 is especially timely in today’s world of easy to access pornography. Remember, Jesus said that if you even look at a woman with lust in your heart, you have committed adultery with her. So if you think that you’re ok in this department just because you haven’t had an actual, physical adulterous affair, think again. And ladies, this applies to you as well. Let’s be honest here, folks. Pornography is everywhere today. Seems like every time you turn around your eyes are confronted with sexual images. I'll get to that in just a moment.  Concerning hardcore porn, with the covid lockdowns, it has been estimated that online porn sites are seeing double the traffic they had before the lockdowns. Before covid, porn use was already an epidemic, but now it is truly its own pandemic.  You might be saying, "But Steve, I don't look at that stuff. I don't look at hardcore porn." Glad to hear it. But you don't have to be looking at hard core images of people doing the deed if the images you see cause you to lust. For you, it's porn. Let's be frank. Men, especially are aroused through the eyes. But women can be, too. Advertisers know that, and they use it, don't they? May I suggest an easy way to short-circuit their efforts? This is something that I have been doing for years. I have made a covenant with myself, with my wife and with God, that when I am confronted with provocative advertisements, I will not look at it. I avert my eyes.  Now, back to the hard core stuff. The internet is a marvelous tool. Except when it's misused. Unfortunately, it is all too easy to find pornography if you're looking for it. And sadly, Christians are not immune to the lure. A few years ago I found a study done by Proven Men Ministries in conjunction with the Barna group that revealed the fact that in some data sets, Christian men view porn more than non-Christian men. And Christian women are viewing porn, too. Beloved, this study shows that even Christians can be caught up in porn. So what's the big deal? Porn is just a victimless vice, isn't it? Is it? One of the world's most used porn websites has been investigated for allowing child porn on their platform. Wouldn't you call them victims? And many of the people in these videos are not willing participants. They are actually victims of modern day slavery. Yes, actual slavery. The children and young people in these videos are victims, beloved. And the damage being done to them emotionally and spiritually is real. This damage is, in many cases, permanent. Their lives are destroyed, and for what?  Make no mistake. Pornography is evil. It is not a victimless crime. There are very real consequences. Beloved, listen to Solomon's advice here in Proverbs. There are consequences to your behavior. You may think it’s a harmless diversion. You may think that it’s secret. But there are very real victims, and it won’t remain a secret. Porn has a way of permeating your life, and if you don’t quit it, there are victims even closer to you than the people in the videos. Yourself, your spouse, your children, your friends.  Scientists have found that pornography actually changes the brain. And not in a good way. The Guardian reported that, "The Cambridge University neuropsychiatrist Dr Valerie Voon has recently shown that men who describe themselves as addicted to porn (and who lost relationships because of it) develop changes in the same brain area – the reward ...

14m

Mar 28, 2024

Podcast Introduction In our reading today we’ll read Psalms 72-74, and after the reading I’ll have some comments. I’m calling today’s episode “Persist.” Comments on Psalms 72-74 Introduction to Psalm 72 This psalm is entitled "A Psalm of Solomon", but translating from the Hebrew into English can be a bit inexact at times. This is one example. Some translations render the Hebrew here as "A Psalm for Solomon", and still others as"A Psalm to Solomon." As a matter of fact, nearly every psalm with this title can be translated in one of these ways.  So how does one decide which word to use when there are multiple possibilities? You look at the context. What does the surrounding text say? Or I suppose in the case of the title of a psalm, what does the psalm say? Which translation makes the most sense? In the case of Psalm 72, a case can easily be made for any one of these uses, which is of course why different Bible translations render it differently.  Some commentators look at this psalm as being written by David for his son, and about his son Solomon, and about his future descendent, the Messiah. So their translation of the title is "A Psalm for Solomon", or even "A Psalm to Solomon." Other commentators believe that the most logical translation is "A Psalm of Solomon." The final verse of this psalm is, "The prayers of David, the son of Jesse, end here." Many scholars think that Solomon compiled Book Two of Psalms, and wrote this psalm as an ending of psalms that were primarily written by David. Book Two is made up of Psalms 42 to this one, Psalm 72. You will notice was we read it, that the subject of the psalm is not David, but Solomon partly, but it is certainly applicable to the Messiah. Introduction to Psalm 73 This psalm begins Book 3 of the Psalter. The title of this psalm is "A Psalm of Asaph". Asaph was a musician and singer during the times of both David and Solomon. In addition to his musical talents, 1 Chronicles 25:1 and 2 Chronicles 29:30 tell us that Asaph was also a prophet.  As we read through this psalm, notice the pronouns. In the first section Asaph talks about what will happen to the ungodly. In these verses, the dominant pronoun is "they". From verses 13-17 the dominant pronoun is "I" as he describes how troubled he is about this situation until he discovered the cure for his trouble. Verses 18-22 find the focus now on God, and the dominant pronoun is "You." Finally in the closing verses he confesses his faith in God and the assurance he has that he will spend eternity with Him. And the dominant pronouns here are both "You" and "I."  Introduction to Psalm 74 This psalm is entitled "A Maskil of Asaph." Some translations render it as "A Contemplation of Asaph." We've talked about what a maskil is before, so I won't belabor it now. This is a psalm of sorrow upon the destruction of the sanctuary. The actual time of the psalm is not known, because was the temple was destroyed by the Babylonians, and then later during the reign of Antiochus Epiphanes. And then there is a third possibility: Asaph was thinking back to when the tabernacle was destroyed in Shiloh (1 Samuel 4). The Hebrew word for sanctuary here in this psalm is also used for the tabernacle in Exodus 25, Leviticus 12 and 21, and in Numbers 10 and 18. You might be wondering about how Asaph is a possibility when these events happened hundreds of years apart. Commentator James Montgomery Boice explains, in reference to this psalm referring to the destruction by the Babylonian or Antiochus Epiphanes: Either this is a later Asaph, which is not unlikely since the name might have been perpetuated among the temple musicians, or, more likely, the name was affixed to many psalms produced by this body of musicians. We know that the ‘descendants of Asaph’ were functioning as late as the reign of Josiah (2 Chronicles 35:15).” Comments on Psalm 73 In Psalms 73 today, we see a man who at first seems to be complaining...

22m

Mar 27, 2024

Podcast Introduction In our reading today we’ll read 1 Kings 10-1, and after the reading I’ll have some comments. I’m calling today’s episode “How To Stay Faithful.” Comments on 1 Kings 11 In chapter 11, we saw that Solomon wandered from God because he loved many foreign women. He had 700 wives of royal birth, and 300 concubines. This went against Deuteronomy 17:17 which says, “The king must not have many wives. If he does, they will lead him astray.”. The fact that he married Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, and Sidonians made it even worse. Compare this with Solomon's prayer upon the completion of the temple. That prayer was sincere, and Solomon loved the Lord and his people at that time. What happened? He took his eyes off God. He is affections went toward his wives. Which is why it is important to pay attention to your relationship with God. If you love God today, that is wonderful. But, let Solomon be an example to you. Take seriously the importance of maintaining the relationship. There's a joke about the wife who asks her husband if he loves her. He says, “I told you a loved you the day we got married. Until I tell you otherwise, nothing has changed." The reason that is funny to us is that we know that it’s patently ridiculous. Love in a marriage should always be restated and reinforced. So just because you love God today does not mean you should or can relax. God isn't going anywhere, but your heart will probably wander if you don’t maintain the relationship.. How do you maintain your relationship with God? In many of the same ways that you do with people you love. You spend time with them. You care about what they care about. You tell them you love them, and more important than telling them is demonstrating it in a thousand different ways. You prioritize time with them, meaning that you set aside certain times to be with them. You talk with them. You share your heart with them. You find out what what matters to them. God has shared his heart with us through his Word, the Bible. Your listening to this show is a great start in hearing God's heart, but I hope it also gives you a thirst to want to read and study it on your own. At the end of the show I sometimes ask you,”What do you think? " That's not a rhetorical question. I want you to think about what God is saying to you as a result of each day’s reading. You can and should spend time with God in prayer. Prayer should be a conversation. Take turns. You talk, then you listen, then you respond, then you listen, etc. The Holy Spirit will speak to you. Also, scripture tells us that when two or more are gathered together in his name, he is there in the midst of them. So another way to spend time with God is to go to church. Go to Bible studies, serve in a ministry of some sort. Make God the center of your life, and be faithful about it. If you are married, serve God as a team. If you are single, the apostle Paul said that is a better way because your affections aren't split between your spouse and God. But, he acknowledges that not all can live that way, and marriage is okay. But when you are looking for a spouse, be sure they have a solid, real relationship with Jesus. You don't want to be drawn away like King Solomon was. What do you think? Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Grant Ritchie on Unsplash Today's Bible Translation Bible translation used in today's episode: Ch. 10 NIRV, Ch. 11 NIV, Ch. 12-13 NLT Support This a value for value podcast. There are no advertisers because advertising equals censorship. If you enjoy the Lifespring One Year Bible Rewind, decide how much value it brings to you. Only you can make that determination. Then put a number on the value and donate here: SUPPORT. The Team Transcript Correction: Lifespring Family Berean, Sister DenisePodcasting 2.0 Chapters: Lifespring Family Berean, Brother Sean of San Pedro and Lifespring Family Berean,

31m

Mar 26, 2024

Podcast Introduction In our reading today we’ll read Leviticus 1-3. Before starting the reading, I’ll give you a brief introduction to Leviticus, and after the reading I’ll have some comments. I’m calling today’s episode “Three of Five." Comments on Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Markus Spiske on Unsplash Today's Bible Translation Bible translation used in today's episode: Ch. 1-2 ESV; Ch. 3 LEB Support This a value for value podcast. There are no advertisers because advertising equals censorship. If you enjoy the Lifespring One Year Bible Rewind, decide how much value it brings to you. Only you can make that determination. Then put a number on the value and donate here: SUPPORT. The Team Transcript Correction: Lifespring Family Berean, Sister DenisePodcasting 2.0 Chapters: Lifespring Family Berean, Brother Sean of San Pedro and Lifespring Family Berean, Brother Michael HanerShow Art: Lifespring Family Berean, Brother Scott Snider and Lifespring Family Berean Jason PaschallNewsletter Publisher: Lifespring Family Berean, Sister Brittaney Transcript Transcript not corrected.

13m

Mar 25, 2024

Podcast Introduction In our reading today we’ll read Ephesians 1-3. After the reading I’ll have some comments. I’m calling today’s episode “United.” Comments on Ephesians 2 I don’t know about your upbringing, how your parents and extended family and others around you treated you, but I’ve been around long enough to know that when a child is taught from his earliest years that he is really something special, that child begins to believe that he really is above everyone else. He believes that he is better, that he is entitled. Over the years I have met and gotten to know a few people who were famous, who had adoring fans all around the world. Some of these people began to believe that they were as special as their fans thought they were. (By the way, for those of you who have listened to my podcasts for years, don’t even try to guess who I might be talking about. The artists that I’ve had on my shows are dear friends of mine and each of them are wonderful human beings.) You have probably met or known someone who thought much higher of him-or-herself than they should.  In chapter 2 of Ephesians, Paul was talking to Gentiles, non Jews. Remember, Paul was raised as a Jew. It was common then for Jews to believe that they were better than non Jews because they were God’s chosen people. It’s easy to imagine how that might cause one to think pretty highly of one’s self, right? God gave *us* the promise! God speaks to *our* prophets! Etc, etc, etc.  But Paul explained in verses 11-22 that anyone who believes in Jesus can be reconciled to God and become fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God. This idea was a hard pill for some of the Jews to accept, and it was a glorious revelation for many Gentiles, of which I am one. There is no longer Jew and Gentile. No longer the privileged and outcast. No longer black and white. In Christ, we are all one.  Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Rolf Schmidbauer on Unsplash Today's Bible Translation Bible translation used in today's episode: Ch. 1-2 CEV; Ch. 3 NKJV This a value for value podcast. There are no advertisers because advertising equals censorship. If you enjoy the Lifespring One Year Bible Rewind, decide how much value it brings to you. Only you can make that determination. Then put a number on the value and donate here: SUPPORT. The Team Transcript Correction: Lifespring Family Berean, Sister DenisePodcasting 2.0 Chapters: Lifespring Family Berean, Brother Sean of San Pedro and Lifespring Family Berean, Brother Michael HanerShow Art: Lifespring Family Berean, Brother Scott Snider and Lifespring Family Berean Jason PaschallNewsletter Publisher: Lifespring Family Berean, Sister Brittaney Transcript Transcript not corrected.

15m

Mar 24, 2024

Podcast Introduction In our reading today we’ll read Luke 11-12. After the reading I’ll have some comments. I’m calling today’s episode “No Vacancy.” Comments on Luke 11 24  “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and finding none it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ 25 And when it comes, it finds the house swept and put in order. 26Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there. And the last state of that person is worse than the first.” Luke 11: 24-26 ESV "When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person". Jesus is showing that demons can come and go from people. They look for people to inhabit. But take note, when a person gives their life to Jesus, the Holy Spirit comes to live in them. In John 14:15-17 Jesus said,  “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, (Or Advocate, or Counselor) to be with you forever, 17even the Spirit of truth,(Or the Holy Spirit) whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you." And in 1 Corinthians 6:19, Paul said, "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God?" So the believer, the Christian, the one who has asked Jesus to forgive them and be their Lord, has the Holy Spirit in them, right? And the Holy Spirit does not share space with demons! They cannot take up residence in a Christian. No way. No how. Now, notice in this account that Jesus is giving that He says, “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and finding none it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’" So at some point, for some reason, the demon left the person. And it looked around for some other place to occupy, but it found no place as well suited as the former place, so it returned. And since the place was empty, without Jesus, he moved back in. Listen, you can't be on the fence. Either Jesus is in you, or He isn't. Jesus said in Matthew 12:30, "Whoever is not with me is against me...". An agnostic is just as lost as an atheist.  You've probably heard the phrase, "Nature abhors a vacuum." Where there is space, it wants to be filled. I remember my first computer back in the late 80s, early 90s, had a 120 Mb hard drive. Yes, megabyte. Not gigabyte, and certainly not Tb. After I used the computer for several months, the hard drive filled up. So I got a really spacious 350 Mb drive. "This thing is so big it'll never fill up," I foolishly thought. Today I have a 1 Tb drive in my iMac. For reference, there are 1,000 megabytes in a Gb. And 1,000 Gb in a Tb. So a Tb is one million times larger than a Mb. So compared to that 120 Mb hard drive I started off with, the 1 Tb drive in my computer should be just fine, shouldn't it? It'll never fill up. Well, wait a minute. I'm not done. The 1 Tb drive in my iMac is nearly full. Plus, I have another 4 Tb drive connected to my computer. Which gives me 5 Tb. That should be enough. Right? I'm not finished. I have another 8 Tb drive connected, too. That's 13 Tb. That's 13 million Mb! And all of my hard drives, all 13 million Mb are almost all used up! I need to buy MORE disc space! Out of all that space, I have only a total of 435 Gb available space. That's less than half of a Tb.  Nature abhors a vacuum, and according to what this story from Jesus tells us, that applies in the spiritual realm, too. Either the Holy Spirit lives in you, or you've hung out a "Vacancy" sign for a demonic tenant. I'm not saying that every non Christian will have an experience like an Exorcist movie, but of course the way the enemy works, he usually likes to inflict damage a little at a time. Sort of like termites. They can get into the wood framing of a house and be there for m...

29m

Mar 23, 2024

Today's Bible Translation Bible translation used in today's episode: Ch. 1-6 NASB Podcast Introduction It’s Prophecy Friday, and we’ll read Ezekiel 1-6. I’m calling this episode “Wheels Within Wheels.” Design: Jason Paschall | Photo: Midjourney Comments on Ezekiel 1 Regarding the visions that Ezekiel saw in chapter one, I have to say that it is hard to envision what he describes. Don't you think? I can only imagine that he must have been terrified. The storm, the four beings (which some commentators say are angels) with the four faces and wings and hands and legs, and eyes. Nothing like these beings had ever before been seen by a human, that we know.  We have seen all sorts of strange creatures, thanks to Hollywood special effects. But Ezekiel had absolutely no frame of reference.  And then the wheels within wheels. It's sort of a wonder that Ezekiel was able to put any of this into words, but then again, he was given the words to write by the Holy Spirit. But still, imagine how dumbfounded he must have been at these visions. And the sounds he heard! Sounds like tremendous waterfalls and the tumult of an army camp. Have you ever stood close to a large waterfall? It's almost deafening. And the sound is unrelenting. It makes you feel so small and insignificant. Such enormous power. And then, over the beings and the wheels, above them all, was something like a throne that looked like a kind of jewel, with a man sitting on the throne. But His appearance was like no ordinary man, and the radiance around the throne was unlike anything seen on earth. Who was the man? We know Him as Jesus. We generally think of Him as He appeared on earth. But think of it. His time here was just a flash of time, but for all of eternity past, present and future, except for those 33 years, He is in this place which our words are unable to describe adequately. We think of Him kind of like a buddy or big brother, but seeing Him like this...I think we would just have to fall on our faces. And of course, we know that when we do see Him at some point in the future, that is precisely what we will do.  I can't wait. Support This a value for value podcast. There are no advertisers because advertising equals censorship. If you enjoy the Lifespring One Year Bible Rewind, decide how much value it brings to you. Only you can make that determination. Then put a number on the value and donate here: SUPPORT. The Team Transcript Correction: Lifespring Family Berean, Sister DenisePodcasting 2.0 Chapters: Lifespring Family Berean, Brother Sean of San Pedro and Lifespring Family Berean, Brother Michael HanerShow Art: Lifespring Family Berean, Brother Scott Snider and Lifespring Family Berean Jason PaschallNewsletter Publisher: Lifespring Family Berean, Sister Brittaney Transcript Transcript not corrected.

23m

Mar 22, 2024

Podcast Introduction Our reading today is Proverbs 4. I’m calling today’s episode “It’s Worth It." Comments on Proverbs 4 The father is now teaching not just his son, but his children. This lesson is intended for all of his offspring. Would that every parent had this wisdom to impart these lessons to every one of their children. But sadly, it seems as if wisdom is in very short supply, and has been for at least the last three or four generations. And yes, I include mine. The lessons in this chapter, if well taught and well learned, would go very far in preventing the kind of near insanity that we see around the world today.  Want an example? How about this: Trading freedom for "safety" is anything but wise. I think Solomon would  even call it foolish. Here in America, the land of the free and the home of the brave, our forefathers knew that freedom was infinitely better than safety. But somewhere along the way, we forgot to pass that lesson on.  In verse 5, Solomon wrote the words his father, David said to him, "Acquire wisdom! Acquire understanding!" The Hebrew word Qana, that in our translation here is Acquire, means "to buy" or "purchase". Not that you can actually exchange money for wisdom, but the idea is that gaining wisdom will come with a cost. And making that exchange is a good thing.  Also, acquiring something in this sense does not usually happen by accident, but by a conscious decision. You *decide* to acquire it. You go after it. You work for it.  Wisdom is not something that just happens. We like to think that wisdom comes with age, but if you look around you don't have to look to far to see old fools, do you?  Where is wisdom to be found? Before I answer that, let's think about where it is not to be found. It is not to be found "within" yourself. You'll often hear people say, "What does your heart say?" Or "Follow your heart!" What does the Bible say about the heart? "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" Jeremiah 17:9. This is one of the biggest blunders of modern times! Most of the problems we see today are a result of foolish people following their hearts. And by foolish, I mean it in the sense of the book of Proverbs. A fool is one who rejects wisdom.  Of course you know that I'm going to say that the greatest source of wisdom available to us is the Bible. David said to Solomon in verse 5, "Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth." Beloved, the Bible isn't just the words of David and Solomon and Moses and Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, and all the other men who held a pen and wrote the words. The words came out of the mouth of God. When we decide to acquire wisdom, when we remember and hold fast to His words, we will be rewarded.  Imagine if, instead of pooh-poohing the Bible, as has been done for the last several decades, if people clung to what is in the pages of the Bible...imagine how different the world would be. It boggles the imagination. But listen, the world is changed one person at a time. One life at a time. And each of can, with the Holy Spirit's guidance, bring change to someone in *our* world. That's what Jesus last commandment was before He ascended to Heaven. He said, "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20teaching them to observe all that I commanded you..." David told Solomon, "Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth." Let us not forget or turn away from the words of Jesus' mouth.  Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Scottsdale Mint on Unsplash Today's Bible Translation Bible translation used in today's episode: Ch. NASB Support This a value for value podcast. There are no advertisers because advertising equals censorship. If you enjoy the Lifespring One Year Bible Rewind, decide how much value it brings to you. Only you can make that determination.

13m

Mar 21, 2024

Podcast Introduction In our reading today Psalms 69-71. I’m calling today’s episode “Stand Up.” Comments on Psalm 69 This is a psalm which is especially applicable to today, and will become even more so as we approach the Last Days. David began this psalm asking God to save him, and he writes about how utterly miserable he feels: "I am tired of crying. My throat is hoarse. My eyes are exhausted with waiting for my God." In verse 4 he reveals the reason for his misery: "More numerous than the hairs on my head are those who hate me for no reason. My treacherous enemies, those who would destroy me, are countless. Must I now give back what I didn’t steal in the first place?" Beloved, David is being attacked without cause. Does that sound familiar? You thought cancel culture was a new phenomenon?  Why do they hate him? v7: I am insulted because of you. v9: Because passion for your house has consumed me, the insults of those who insult you have fallen on me! They hated David because David loves the Lord, because he lives his life for God. And as if it isn't bad enough that strangers hate him, even his brothers have rejected him. v8: I have become a stranger to my own brothers, an immigrant to my mother’s children. I've heard so many stories of families being divided over conflicting beliefs, and you probably have too. But just as David was committed to the Lord, we must also be. When we are attacked, we should cry to God for his protection. vv17-18: Don’t hide your face from me, your servant, because I’m in deep trouble. Answer me quickly! Come close to me! Redeem me! Save me because of my enemies! And David did something that might surprise you. vv30: I will praise God’s name with song; I will magnify him with thanks... David knew that this kind of hatred was not unique to him. He encouraged others who are hated without cause: Let the afflicted see it and be glad! You who seek God—let your hearts beat strong again because the LORD listens to the needy... Jesus said in Matthew 10:11-12:  “Happy are you when people insult you and harass you and speak all kinds of bad and false things about you, all because of me. 12Be full of joy and be glad, because you have a great reward in heaven. In the same way, people harassed the prophets who came before you. Don't be afraid of cancel culture, beloved. Courageously proclaim the Good News. Stand before men, kneel before God. Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Jakob Owens on Unsplash Today's Bible Translation Bible translation used in today's episode: Ch. 69 CEB; Ch. 70 NKJV; Ch. 71 GNT Support This a value for value podcast. There are no advertisers because advertising equals censorship. If you enjoy the Lifespring One Year Bible Rewind, decide how much value it brings to you. Only you can make that determination. Then put a number on the value and donate here: SUPPORT. The Team Transcript Correction: Lifespring Family Berean, Sister DenisePodcasting 2.0 Chapters: Lifespring Family Berean, Brother Sean of San Pedro and Lifespring Family Berean, Brother Michael HanerShow Art: Lifespring Family Berean, Brother Scott Snider and Lifespring Family Berean Jason PaschallNewsletter Publisher: Lifespring Family Berean, Sister Brittaney Transcript Transcript not corrected.

16m

Mar 20, 2024

Podcast Introduction In our reading today 1 Kings 5-9. I’m calling today’s episode “A Diverse Group." Comments on 1 Kings 5-9 King Hiram had been friends with King David for many years. Note that Hiram was not a Jew, but it does appear as if he had become a believer in the one true God…as a result of his long friendship with David. And David arranged for King Hiram to be the supplier of lumber and some of the labor for the temple. It’s interesting to note that the Tabernacle, the temporary dwelling place of God, had been built only by Jewish hands. But the Temple was to be built by Jewish and Gentile hands, which is appropriate because the Temple really is a type, or example of the church, which is made up not of buildings but of individual believers of every ethnic and national background. And also, every believer, whether Jew or Gentile, is the temple of God, as the Holy Spirit dwells in each one of us. (1 Corinthians 6:19). Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Gareth Harper on Unsplash Today's Bible Translation Bible translation used in today's episode: Ch. 5-6 GWT; Ch. 7-9 NIRV Support This a value for value podcast. There are no advertisers because advertising equals censorship. If you enjoy the Lifespring One Year Bible Rewind, decide how much value it brings to you. Only you can make that determination. Then put a number on the value and donate here: SUPPORT. The Team Transcript Correction: Lifespring Family Berean, Sister DenisePodcasting 2.0 Chapters: Lifespring Family Berean, Brother Sean of San Pedro and Lifespring Family Berean, Brother Michael HanerShow Art: Lifespring Family Berean, Brother Scott Snider and Lifespring Family Berean Jason PaschallNewsletter Publisher: Lifespring Family Berean, Sister Brittaney Transcript Transcript not corrected.

37m

Mar 19, 2024

Welcome to the newest show in the Lifespring! Media family of podcasts! Every week host Steve Webb will bring you great value for value music for your enjoyment. Support the show and stream sats, boost and send boostagrams! The sats will automatically switch to the artists wallets when playing their songs. How cool is that? Use a modern podcast app from podcastapps.com to support the show and the music: Fountain Podverse Podfans Curiocaster Podfriend Podcast Guru Podcast Addict More will certainly be added! Music on Today's Show Bryan Duncan: I’d Like To Thank You (For One Thing) Vertigo Kidd: Pirate Radio City Beach: Pour Over Mosquito Virtual: Melancia Geoff and The Tonewheels: Step Kick Cody Canyon: Dreams Of You LifePoint Music: This Is The Good News Jeremy Oliveria: Looking For You (Feat. Kellin Quinn) Amber Sweeney: Finding Your Way Allen C. Paul: Sergio’s Serenade Jimmie Bratcher: Get Out The Boat 2023 LIVE The Doerfels: Don’t Forget Me

54m

Mar 18, 2024

Podcast Introduction In our reading today we’ll complete the book of  Exodus by reading chapters 37-40.  I’m calling today’s episode “Jesus In the Tabernacle.” Comments on the Tabernacle As we close the book of Exodus, I think it's important to talk about the significance of the Tabernacle. Given the fact that God gave Moses such intricate detail about how it was to be constructed, we can see how important the Tabernacle was to God and therefore, His people. Why was it so important? It represented the very presence of God. His presence was there in a tangible way. And this was where the Ark of the Covenant was. This was where sacrifices were made for the sins of the people. This is where the priests did their ministries. The Tabernacle was the center of the spiritual life for the children of Israel. It is where they could draw near to God, and at the same time be reminded that He is Holy. But more than that, the Tabernacle was a picture of the coming Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth.  How so? First, the name itself points to Jesus. Tabernacle means dwelling place. And when Jesus came to earth, He truly was Immanuel, which means God with us, or God dwelling with us. There were eight main parts of the Tabernacle. First was the enclosure around the Tabernacle, which was made of linen curtains. This illustrated the separation between God and man, caused by sin. This separation shows our need for Jesus the Messiah. The second part of the Tabernacle was the door. There was only one entrance, one door to the Tabernacle. The fact that there was a door showed that God wants us to come near to Him. And in John 10:9, Jesus said, "I am the door." Inside the outer court, the first thing you saw was the bronze altar for burnt offerings. The priests would offer sacrifices for the atonement of sin, or for giving thanks, worship or praise. Animals used in the sacrifices were bulls, goats or lambs. Jesus is the Lamb of God, the once and final sacrifice. The next object in the outer court of the Tabernacle was the bronze basin, which the priests used each day for cleaning themselves before meeting with God. The sacrifice Jesus made for us cleanses us from all unrighteousness. At the back of the outer court was an enclosed tent, called the Holy Place, where only a priest could enter. Inside the Holy Place was a curtain which divided it into a front half and a back half. The back was the Holy of Holies, or Most Holy Place, or Inner Sanctuary.  Inside of the Holy Place were three more objects that pointed to Jesus. There was the table, with the showbread, or the Bread of the Presence. There were twelve loaves of bread, which were an offering to God. The bread represented God's presence with mankind, His provision for us, and that He is our source of life. Jesus said in John 6:35, "I am the bread of life..." Also in the Holy Place was the golden lampstand, which provided light in the space, and represented the light of God's presence. In John 8:12, Jesus said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." Another object in the Holy Place was the altar of incense. Sacred incense was burned there all day and all night, and it represented the prayers of the people rising up as a sweet fragrance to God. 2 Corinthians 2:15 says, "Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God..." And behind the veil, in the Most Holy Place, where a priest could only enter once a year to bring a sacrifice which would atone for the sins of the people, was the Ark of the Covenant. Inside the Ark was Aaron's rod, which represented God's grace to deliver. Also in the Ark was a jar of manna, which showed God's power to provide. And lastly, the stone tablets upon which God wrote the Ten Commandments, which showed God's holiness as we relate to Him and mankind. So, the three things represented in the Ark of the Covenant were God's grace to deliver,

26m

Mar 18, 2024

Podcast Introduction In our reading today we’ll complete the book of Galatians with the reading of chapters 4-6. I’m calling today’s episode “I Choose Freedom.” Comments on Galatians Paul’s biggest concern with the Galatian church was that some believed the teaching of the false teachers who were saying that it was necessary to follow the Mosaic Law. In chapter 5:2-4, Paul answered that teaching very succinctly. "2I, Paul, promise you that Christ won't do you any good if you get circumcised. 3If you do, you must obey the whole Law. 4And if you try to please God by obeying the Law, you have cut yourself off from Christ and his gift of undeserved grace.” Paul was saying that by attempting to follow the Law, they would actually be denying the message of the Gospel, and therefore denying Christ. Attempting to please God by following the Law is the exact opposite of placing your faith in Jesus. In following the Law, or "Legalism", it is impossible to please God, because it is impossible to follow the whole Law. Our only hope of salvation is in Jesus.  Paul said in verse one of chapter five, “Christ has set us free! This means we are really free. Now hold on to your freedom and don't ever become slaves of the Law again.” There are those who will wholeheartedly agree with Paul here because they are not Jews. But these same people have adopted their own list of laws. Don't drink, don't smoke and don't go with girls who do. You get the idea. There are denominations within Christianity that have adopted, if not officially, certainly culturally, a whole host of forbidden activities. I know this because I have been involved with a few of them in my 50ish years as a Christian. You couldn't go to a movie theater. You couldn't go bowling. You couldn't drink alcohol. You couldn't smoke. Women were required to wear dresses to church. Men had to wear a suit and tie. You absolutely could not wear shorts to church.  Which of those "laws" was biblical? Oh sure, you can give me reasons why some of these restrictions might make sense, but you can't show me any scripture that supports even one. And I could have made the list much longer. With the same findings in reference to being scriptural. And this legalism was just about as effective as the Jewish legalism.  Don’t let legalism separate you from the freedom Jesus gave His life to gain for you. But don’t use that freedom to slap Him in the face, either. In chapter six Paul listed the things that the flesh would have us do, and the things that God’s Spirit grows in us. In other translations, these attributes are called the fruit of the Spirit.  Remember, Beloved. Fruit grows naturally. An apple tree grows apples because that’s what an apple tree does. The tree doesn’t have to strain to grow them. They just grow.  The same is true for the fruit of the Spirit. If you belong to Jesus, the Holy Spirit is in you, and you will begin to show these fruit in your life. As the Spirit of God matures you, you will just naturally display the fruit of the Spirit. You will become  loving, happy, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled. If you don’t see these attributes growing in you, it’s time to take a close look at your relationship to Him.  Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Luca Upper on Unsplash Today's Bible Translation Bible translation used in today's episode: Ch. 4-6 CEV Support This a value for value podcast. There are no advertisers because advertising equals censorship. If you enjoy the Lifespring One Year Bible Rewind, decide how much value it brings to you. Only you can make that determination. Then put a number on the value and donate here: SUPPORT. The Team Transcript Correction: Lifespring Family Berean, Sister DenisePodcasting 2.0 Chapters: Lifespring Family Berean, Brother Sean of San Pedro and Lifespring Family Berean, Brother Michael HanerShow Art: Lifespring Family Berean,

17m

Mar 17, 2024

Podcast Introduction In our reading today is  Luke 9-10.  I’m calling today’s episode “You Gotta Be Kidding.” Comments on Luke 9 12Late in the afternoon the Twelve came to him and said, “Send the crowd away so they can go to the surrounding villages and countryside and find food and lodging, because we are in a remote place here.” 13He replied, “You give them something to eat.” They answered, “We have only five loaves of bread and two fish—unless we go and buy food for all this crowd.” 14(About five thousand men were there.) But he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.”15The disciples did so, and everyone sat down. 16Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke them. Then he gave them to the disciples to distribute to the people. 17They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. Luke 9:12-17 NIV The NKJV has a very good translation of verse 10: "And the apostles, when they had returned, told Him all that they had done. Then He took them and went aside privately into a deserted place belonging to the city called Bethsaida." Jesus had sent the apostles on a ministry outing, and when they got back they gave him a report. And Jesus wanted to take them someplace where they could get some alone time. He was known to go off alone from time to time after ministering to the people, so I think He wanted to show them the benefits of getting away.  But the crowd found out where they were, so they followed them. And of course, Jesus ministered to them. He taught them, and He healed them. How could he do anything else? And when it began to get late, the apostles suggested to Jesus that He should send them away to find food and shelter, since there was nothing for such a large crowd in this deserted place.  I can just imagine Jesus' reaction when they came to Him with this suggestion. I'll bet he got just a hint of a mischievous smile on his face as he said to Himself, "Time for another lesson." And He said to them, "You give them something to eat.”  And I'll bet Peter thought... No. I'll bet Peter *said* something like, "Are you out of your mind?!? Look at all those people! There are thousands of them!" The apostles told Jesus they had five loaves and two fish. And I think Jesus, with that same mischievous smile said, "So what's the problem? That's plenty!" And He had the apostles seat the crowd in groups of fifty. I'll leave it up to you to think about what reactions the apostles had to this. And you know the rest of the story. Jesus took the loaves and fishes, said a prayer, blessed them, and distributed the food to His disciples to give to the crowd. And the leftovers filled twelve baskets. I want to go back to Jesus' statement, “You give them something to eat.”  Jesus is in the process of teaching the apostles that He will work through them. Remember that just before this time outside of Bethsaida, Jesus had sent them on a ministry trip where they had preached and healed people. Without Him being there.  And now this.  They brought the five loaves and two fish to him. We aren't told here in Luke, but I think after Jesus offered His prayer of blessing, He broke only the loaves and fish and handed just that amount to the disciples. And the miracle happened in their hands as they went out in faith to feed the crowd.  Jesus was teaching the disciples that when God sends you, He will work miracles through you. Beloved, if you have been here very long you have heard me say that God does not change. And that's not just me saying that. In Malachi 3:6 we read, “For I the Lord do not change..." Hebrews 13:8 says, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." There are many verses that confirm the fact that God is unchanging. So since that is true, beloved, I want to repeat what I said a moment ago.

24m

Mar 16, 2024

Today's Bible Translation Bible translation used in today's episode: Ch. 1-5 HCSB New Lifespring! Family Bereans Brother Howie and Sister Ann Podcast Introduction It’s Prophecy Friday, and we’ll read the book of Lamentations.. I’m calling this episode “Alas.” Design: Scott Snider | Photo: Raychel Sanner on Unsplash Comments on Lamentations Introduction to Lamentations First, let’s talk about the name: Lamentations. In Jewish tradition, the first word of a biblical book is often the name that is used as its title. So the Hebrew title of Lamentations is eikhah, which means “Alas” or “O how.” The Septuagint and other Greek manuscripts refer to it as Thrēnoi, which means “Dirges,” or Thrēnoi Hieremion, which means “Dirges of Jeremiah.” The English translation of thrēnoi is Lamentations.  The book of Lamentations is traditionally held to have been written by the prophet Jeremiah as a sort of appendix to his book of prophetic writings. As David and others wrote many sacred songs of joy, these are sacred songs of lament, or sadness.  Jeremiah is expressing his sadness at seeing his prophecies fulfilled. Though he was ill-treated by his countrymen when he delivered God’s message to them, he is nonetheless heartbroken at the destruction that he sees come upon them.  He wrote these songs, or odes, when he saw the destruction of Judah and Jerusalem by the Chaldean army and the falling apart of the Jewish state…both the government and the body of Jewish believers. This might be referred to as a dirge for Jerusalem. Thoughts on Lamentations You may have noticed that this book ended on a down note: 19You, Lord, are enthroned forever; Your throne endures from generation to generation.  20Why have You forgotten us forever,  abandoned us for our entire lives? 21Lord, restore us to Yourself, so we may return;  renew our days as in former times, 22unless You have completely rejected us and are intensely angry with us. Lamentations 5:19-22 HCSB We're more used to David in the Psalms. When he wrote of his times of trial, he usually said something like, "But you Lord, are my comfort and strength. I will praise you." Or even the book of Job ended with God restoring him. Lamentations doesn't give us the same comfort. Verse 21, the second to the last verse of chapter five says, "Lord, restore us to Yourself, so we may return; renew our days as in former times..." which does sound like something David would have written, but verse 22 says, "...unless You have completely rejected us and are intensely angry with us." So the reader of Lamentations is left with the question, "Lord, what is your response?" Interestingly, in Jewish liturgical use, or in Temple or Synagogue, I've read that it was common practice, when reading Lamentations, they would end the reading with verse 21, instead of ending with the uncertainty and lack of comfort of verse 22.  Obviously, I do not have the mind of God. I don't know why He inspired the writer of Lamentations to end like this. What I do know is that God made a way for us to know that we will not be completely rejected by God. We can know that we are forgiven for all of our sins when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. We are not left wondering if we will be restored or rejected. Jesus said in Matthew 10:32, "...everyone who will acknowledge Me before men, I will also acknowledge him before My Father in heaven." So Jesus Himself will vouch for us to the Father. Beloved, we are not left wondering what our fate will be. We can have complete and total confidence that we are at peace with God. How wonderful is that? This a value for value podcast. There are no advertisers because advertising equals censorship. If you enjoy the Lifespring One Year Bible Rewind, decide how much value it brings to you. Only you can make that determination. Then put a number on the value and donate here: SUPPORT. The Team

29m

Mar 15, 2024

Today's Bible Translation Bible translation used in today's episode: Ch. 2 ERV; Ch. 3 NASB Associate Producer Howie Podcast Introduction It’s Poetry Thursday, and we’ll read Proverbs 2-3. I’m calling this episode “Trust.” Design: Jason Paschall | Photo: Jamie Street on Unsplash Comments on Proverbs 2-3 Thoughts on Proverbs 2 Chapter 2 encourages us to pursue wisdom, because in so doing we will come to know God. If that is not a worthy endeavor, I don’t know what is.  Much of the teaching seems to be directed at one of Solomon’s sons, so the teaching is especially applicable to a young person just starting out in life, but the lessons (as noted earlier) are good for everyone. Thoughts on Proverbs 3 Proverbs 3:5: Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. Here’s a guy who could very easily be tempted to lean on his own understanding, but he had evidently learned that it’s better to “trust in the Lord with all your heart.” Let’s face it, sometimes it is *so* hard to trust God with our whole heart. Sometimes the bills pile up and we don’t see any way out. Sometimes we’re misunderstood or mistreated. Tragedy strikes us or our family. We lose our job.  Bad things happen, even to good people. And sometimes we look up and say, “God. Are you there? Do you see what I’m going through? Why don’t you help me? I need you now!” And sometimes it seems as though our prayers are not heard. It seems as if God has turned a deaf ear. Beloved, those are the times when we tend to lean on our understanding. Right? We take the wheel. I mean, after all something’s got to be done! We’ve all been through times like that, haven’t we? But it’s when life gets hard that God is giving us an opportunity to grow. Hang in there. Remember the promises of God. They don’t change, and He never fails. Never. Even in the darkest times of my son’s illness several years ago, the Lovely Lady LeeAnn and I never gave up on God. And slowly but surely, Steven recovered. At every turn, we prayed and we praised.  I don’t know what you’re going through right now, and I don’t know what God’s plan is for you, but I do know that trusting in Him with all your heart is infinitely better than leaning on your own understanding. This a value for value podcast. There are no advertisers because advertising equals censorship. If you enjoy the Lifespring One Year Bible Rewind, decide how much value it brings to you. Only you can make that determination. Then put a number on the value and donate here: SUPPORT. The Team Transcript Correction: Lifespring Family Berean, Sister DenisePodcasting 2.0 Chapters: Lifespring Family Berean, Brother Sean of San Pedro and Lifespring Family Berean, Brother Michael HanerShow Art: Lifespring Family Berean, Brother Scott Snider and Lifespring Family Berean Jason PaschallNewsletter Publisher: Lifespring Family Berean, Sister Brittaney Transcript Transcript not corrected.

14m

Mar 14, 2024

Today's Bible Translation Bible translation used in today's episode: Ch. 66 GWT; Ch. 67 NLV; Ch. 68 GWT Podcast Introduction It’s Psalms Wednesday, and we’ll read chapters 66-68. I’m calling this episode “Essentials.” Design: Jason Paschall | Photo: Midjourney Comments on Psalm 66 This psalm opens with a call to all the earth to praise God because of His awesome (in the truest sense of the word...awe-inspiring) deeds. It even gives a sample of what should be said to God: “How awe-inspiring are your deeds! Your power is so great that your enemies will cringe in front of you. The whole earth will worship you. It will make music to praise you. It will make music to praise your name.” All of this is true, of course. God is worthy of the praise of the whole world. Most of this psalm gives various reasons to give him worship, and one can't help but say "Yes!" and "Amen!" as we read them. But the last five verses are a bit different:  16Come and listen, all who fear God, and I will tell you what he has done for me. 17With my mouth I cried out to him. High praise was on my tongue. 18If I had thought about doing anything sinful, the Lord would not have listened ⌞to me⌟. 19But God has heard me. He has paid attention to my prayer. 20Thanks be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or taken away his mercy from me. Psalm 66: 16-20 God's Word Translation The psalmist said, "If I had thought about doing anything sinful, the Lord would not have listened ⌞to me⌟." And he was right. Have you ever thought about the fact that God is not obligated to listen to every prayer? Proverbs 28:9 says, "He who turns away his ear from listening to the law, Even his prayer is an abomination." Job, when speaking of the wicked says in Job 27:9, "Will God hear his cry when trouble comes upon him?" Sometimes God will listen to the prayer of an unbeliever, if the prayer is in alignment with His will. There are many examples of this in the Bible. But an unbeliever should have no expectation that God will hear them. But for Christians, listen to Hebrews 4:14-16: "14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."  And there are many other promises for believers concerning prayers. It is because of God's great mercy and grace that He invites us to come to Him. Yes, let us come to Him in confidence, but also with reverence and awe, knowing that Jesus paid a tremendous price to bring that mercy and grace to us.  This a value for value podcast. There are no advertisers because advertising equals censorship. If you enjoy the Lifespring One Year Bible Rewind, decide how much value it brings to you. Only you can make that determination. Then put a number on the value and donate here: SUPPORT. The Team Transcript Correction: Lifespring Family Berean, Sister DenisePodcasting 2.0 Chapters: Lifespring Family Berean, Brother Sean of San Pedro and Lifespring Family Berean, Brother Michael HanerShow Art: Lifespring Family Berean, Brother Scott Snider and Lifespring Family Berean Jason PaschallNewsletter Publisher: Lifespring Family Berean, Sister Brittaney Transcript Transcript not corrected.

25m

Mar 13, 2024

Podcast Introduction Our reading today is 1 Kings 1-4. I’m calling today’s episode “Another Pretender To the Throne.” Comments on 1 Kings 1-2 Once again we see a member of David’s family trying to grab the throne.  Adonijah knows that David is near death, and he thinks that by being proactive he can take the throne. He knows that Solomon is the one chosen to succeed David, and once David dies it will be too late because Solomon will immediately become king. Solomon was God's choice to become king. So Adonijah, too clever for his own good, gathers all of his brothers (except Solomon), Joab (the general of the army) and Abiathar (the high priest) and all the other men of Judah to his coronation party. He figures that with all of these men in attendance he’ll have the throne. But the prophet Nathan is a wise man, and he short circuits Adonijah’s plan by letting Bathsheba know what’s going on. There is good evidence that Bathsheba was David’s most loved wife, and she had no problem getting immediate access to David to let him know what was happening. So David told them what to do to squash Adonijah’s plan and make Solomon king post haste. Once Adonijah heard that Solomon was crowned, he rightfully feared for his life, but Solomon showed him grace. King David is dead. Long live King Solomon. David was king for forty years, many of them turbulent. And on his death bed, he gave his young son words of advice. We’re not sure how old Solomon was when he became king, but some scholars believe he might have been as young as twelve years. Others think he was in his twenties. I tend to go with the second opinion. Either way, David told him to stay close to God and follow his commands so that his kingdom would be lasting. And then David give Solomon some directions about some specific people. Joab, who had killed innocent men; the family of Barzillai, who had given David shelter when he was being pursued by Absalom; and Shimei, who had cursed David even though he knew that David was God’s anointed king. Because of our limited time, I’m not going to talk about these folks, but about Adonijah’s request to have Abishag the Shunammite as his wife. Why did Solomon have Adonijah killed for this request? You remember that Adonijah had tried to snake the throne away from Solomon before David died, right? Do you also remember that Abishag was the young girl that had been brought to David to keep him warm? She was his concubine. Sort of a second level wife. We’re told in 1 Kings chapter 1 that David did not have sexual relations with her, but she was his concubine and they had slept together. Adonijah made this request as a play for the throne yet again. He thought that if he could have one of David’s wives as his, this would give him a step up to usurp the throne.  Bathsheba must have known that this was an outrageous thing for Adonijah to ask. Why didn’t she reject Adonijah’s request out of hand? Maybe she thought this would be a way to assuage Adonijah’s disappointment over losing the throne. More likely though, is that she wanted Solomon to know what Adonijah was thinking. She was warning Solomon. And Solomon saw right through Adonijah’s scheme. As long as Adonijah lived, Solomon was in danger, so he ordered Adonijah’s death that very day. Remember that in chapter one, Solomon said, “Adonijah must show that he is a man of honor. If he does that, I promise he will not lose even a single hair from his head. But if he does anything wrong, he will die.” Solomon was God’s chosen king. These were formative years for Israel. God’s plan for Solomon and his chosen people was going to be fulfilled. Had Adonijah accepted God’s will, his fate would have been different, but he chose his own path which was diametrically opposed to God. Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Jarrod Reed on Unsplash Today's Bible Translation Bible translation used in today's episode: Ch. 1-2 NCV; Ch. 3-4 GWT

31m

Mar 12, 2024

Podcast Introduction Our reading today is Exodus 33-36. I’m calling today’s episode “Alone.” Comments on Exodus 33 Chapter 33 begins where chapter 32 left off, immediately after the people made the golden calf. The Lord is angry, and tells Moses to quickly leave this place. And he tells Moses that He will not go with them, but will send an angel to go with them instead, because, "you are a stiff-necked people, and I might destroy you on the way." There are two things I would like to talk about in this short scene. 1) Do you think God really was considering whether or not to destroy them when He said, "...I might destroy you on the way."? Did He really need to remove Himself from their presence so He wouldn't destroy them in a fit of anger? Would He have wiped them out because they built a golden calf and worshipped it?  I remember when my sons were just young boys. There were times when I would catch one or more of them doing something they knew they shouldn't do. Sometimes I would discipline them on the spot. But other times, I would send them to their room. And with a stern look and firm tone, I would say, "I'll be in to deal with you later." And then when they were very young, they'd trudge off to their room, crying all the way. The waiting for the other shoe to drop was sometimes worse than whatever punishment might come. Beloved, God was not surprised when the people built that golden calf. When we sin, it doesn't shock God. But He does want us to learn to obey His Word. So I believe that He said He "might destroy them on the way" so that they would think about what they had done, and know that God does not take their sin lightly. 2) God did not remove His presence from them to restrain Himself. He had no intention of wiping them out. Their sin was not going to change God's plan for the redemption of mankind! No, in removing His presence from them, He was testing them. Up to this point, God had been with them in a very close way. He was in the midst of them, rescuing them from Pharaoh and beginning their journey to the Promised Land. And He promised to protect them along the way and bring them victories as the took the land. God was with them visibly with the pillar of cloud in the daytime and the fire at night. Now He said, "I will send an angel before you, and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite. 3 Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey." What was the test? What if their response to this new arrangement was, "OK. Cool. We can live with that."? What would that say  about them? It would say that as long as they got the goodies, they didn't care about God!  But to their credit, they mourned when they heard God was withdrawing from them. Commentator Martin Lloyd-Jones put it this way: “To be given every other blessing is of no value if God is not with you. What is the value of Canaan? What is the value of milk and honey? What is the value of having possessions, if God was not with them? They saw that the realization of the presence of God, having this fellowship and company, was infinitely more important than everything else.” Beloved, every believer, every Christian has an even greater presence of God than a pillar of cloud or fire. We have the Holy Spirit living in us! God is with us in a very real way! Can you imagine if He was to withdraw from your life? Think of it. Imagine how bleak life would be. Imagine the loneliness. The hopelessness. It's a terrifying thought. And this, dear one, is why we must share the Good News. Non believers, though they do not have the Holy Spirit living in them, do benefit from living in a world where God's influence is all around. They may not acknowledge Him. They may not be aware of Him. But God is here, and He truly does restrain a great deal of evil. And the entire world benefits from God's presence. But when a non believer dies,

39m

Mar 11, 2024

Podcast Introduction Our reading today is Galatians 1-3. I’m calling today’s episode “Ultimate Truth." Comments on Galatians 1 Paul opens the letter by establishing that he is an apostle, chosen not by men, but by Jesus Christ Himself and God the Father. Those are some pretty impressive bona fides, wouldn’t you say? He’s not doing this to impress them, but to answer the charges brought against him by those who made their way into the Galatian church who were questioning his qualifications. After this, Paul expresses his amazement that they have allowed themselves to be sidetracked to a different Gospel (or Good News) such a short time after becoming believers. He says, “7There is no other message that is the Good News, but some people are confusing you. They want to change the Good News about Christ. 8 We told you the true Good News message. So anyone who tells you a different message should be condemned—even if it’s one of us or even an angel from heaven! 9 I said this before. Now I say it again: You have already accepted the Good News. Anyone who tells you another way to be saved should be condemned!” Other translations say “cursed” or “anathema”. Those are strong words. And I’m sure you noticed the part where Paul said, “even if it’s one of us (who tells a different Gospel) or even an angel from heaven!” Beloved, over the years there have been, and there now are, people who try to change the Good News. Many of them are great salesmen. They often bring a message of love and sunshine and prosperity. And they even sprinkle their message with snippets of scripture. And so did Satan as he tempted Jesus in the desert. And another message that is popular today is, “Well, listen. There are many ways to interpret scripture. There really isn’t an absolute truth. My truth is this. Maybe your truth is that. That’s cool. Whatever your truth is, is ok.” It is unfashionable to say today, but there *is* black and white. There is such a thing as truth. If "your truth" differs from "the truth" it is opinion. And false.  I’m here to tell you that Scripture is clear. There is no equivocation, no waffling, no wishy-washiness, no gray in the Good News message. God’s truth is absolute.  Confusion comes only from Satan. God is the author of Truth, not confusion. If you want to know the truth, spend time with God. Get to know what the scriptures say. Study them. Pore over them. Meditate on them. If you have questions, pray to ask for wisdom and seek godly guidance if need be. We have the benefit of over 2000 years’ worth of literature to help us. If you are unsure of the teaching of one man or resource, use a variety of resources. But the best way to discern true from false is to study the real thing.  Do you know how to tell the difference between counterfeit money and real money? Study what real money looks like. Then when you see counterfeit, it’s usually obvious. It’s the same with God’s Word. Study it. Get to know what the Bible teaches, and then when you hear false teaching, it will stand out like a sore thumb. We live in an age where information is easy to get. Use that to your benefit. But with everything, use discernment. Anything that contradicts the teaching of Scripture…throw it out.  If you diligently search the scriptures, you will be rewarded with a clear understanding of what the Good News is. God wants you to use all the mental capacity He gave you. Christianity is not about checking your intelligence at the door. As the author of all truth, as the creator of all that is, God is not afraid of your questions or doubts. There are answers, and God will reveal all that He wants you to know if you diligently seek Him. That’s not to say the He will reveal all the mysteries of the universe to you, because not everything is knowable by man, but you can be sure that of the things that man can know, there are clear and absolute answers.  Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Brett Jordan on Unsplash ...

20m

Mar 10, 2024

Podcast Introduction Our reading today is Luke 7-8. I’m calling today’s episode “Got A Light?” Comments on Luke 8 Jesus speaking: 16“No one lights a lamp and then hides it in a clay jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, they put it on a stand. Then those who come in can see its light. Jesus is saying here that when you have a light, you let the light shine. Of course, in this chapter Jesus is speaking in parables. In this parable He is saying that when you have the truth of who He is, it is your responsibility to share that truth, you don't hide it. Whenever God gives you the opportunity to share the Good News, He expects you to grab that opportunity. If you saw someone running toward a cliff, you wouldn't just let them go, would you? I read an article today about the president of Gateway Seminary. His name is Jeff Iorg. Since I'm not sure about the pronunciation of his last name, I'll just call him Jeff. He was speaking at a meeting of church leaders, and his message was that evangelism has an "image problem". I won't go into the whole article, but the crux of his message was this: The Christian polling company known as Barna Research, who does really good work, has found that there is a large gap or contradiction among Christians when it comes to evangelism. Statistics indicate that most Christians believe sharing the Gospel is an important part of being a Christian and they feel equipped to share the Gospel adequately, but still almost half of millennial Christians and 20 percent of Boomers think it is wrong to share one’s Christian faith with someone of another faith with the intention of converting them. “We imagine evangelism positively, until it turns personal and then the image turns much more negative,” Iorg said. He added that though practical strategies are important, they cannot substitute for spiritual methods to bridge the gap in evangelism understanding. “Tricks and techniques are not going to change the way we’re evangelizing in metro communities or in any communities,” Iorg said. “We’re not going to close this gap by arguing with someone, showing someone a video or helping them to rethink it. “You’re going to change their minds through the Word, prayer and the Holy Spirit."  Beloved, it's gratifying to me that Jeff and I agree. This is the message that I've been convinced of since I started the Lifespring! podcast. It's the message God gave me when He called me. “You’re going to change their minds through the Word, prayer and the Holy Spirit." Debating rarely works. Jesus said in John 6:44, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them..." Beloved, our job certainly is to make disciples of all nations, but conversions don't happen by debating or clubbing people over the head. People don't come to the Lord by shaming or insulting people. How did Jesus win souls? First, He loved them. And then, once they knew that He cared about them, and they were receptive to Him, He said, "Go and sin no more." Of course, that's an over-simplification, but you get what I'm saying. When He was speaking to those who needed Him, He gave them love, not condemnation.  “You’re going to change their minds through the Word, prayer and the Holy Spirit." Shine your light. Love people. Pray for them. Share the message. And let God do the work.  Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Julia Gnot on Unsplash Today's Bible Translation Bible translation used in today's episode: Ch. 7 GWT, Ch. 8 NIRV Support This a value for value podcast. There are no advertisers because advertising equals censorship. If you enjoy the Lifespring One Year Bible Rewind, decide how much value it brings to you. Only you can make that determination. Then put a number on the value and donate here: SUPPORT. The Team Transcript Correction: Lifespring Family Berean, Sister DenisePodcasting 2.0 Chapters: Lifespring Family Berean, Brother Sean of San Pedro and Lifespring Family Berean,

24m

Mar 09, 2024

Today's Bible Translation Bible translation used in today's episode: Ch. 47-49 NLT, Ch. 50-52 HCSB Podcast Introduction It’s Prophecy Friday, and we’ll read chapters 47-52,of Jeremiah, which will complete the book. I’m calling this episode “Is There A Limit To God’s Patience?” Design: Scott Snider | Photo: Matt Artz on Unsplash Comments on Jeremiah 47-52 In the book of Jeremiah, much of what we read was God warning the people of coming judgement, and does not make for fun reading, does it? But imagine how difficult it was to be in Jeremiah’s shoes, being the one chosen to deliver these messages. No wonder he is known as the weeping prophet. It’s so much better to talk about the love of God, His faithfulness, His love, His forgiveness, His grace. But for there to be forgiveness and grace, there must be a turning away from sin. There must be repentance. And often, the people who were under judgment showed that they had no interest in following the will of the Lord. In Genesis 6:3 God said, “My Spirit will not contend with man forever.” God is patient, but He does not wait forever. This is true for nations, and it is true with individuals. It would be a good thing for each of us, if there is something in our life that we know is not pleasing to God, to come to grips with it and ask for forgiveness and His strength to leave it behind…to get it out of our life.  How terrible it would be to continue to ignore His pleading to turn to Him. How terrible it would be to come to the end of God’s patience.  Support This a value for value podcast. There are no advertisers because advertising equals censorship. If you enjoy the Lifespring One Year Bible Rewind, decide how much value it brings to you. Only you can make that determination. Then put a number on the value and donate here: SUPPORT. The Team Transcript Correction: Lifespring Family Berean, Sister DenisePodcasting 2.0 Chapters: Lifespring Family Berean, Brother Sean of San Pedro and Lifespring Family Berean, Brother Michael HanerShow Art: Lifespring Family Berean, Brother Scott Snider and Lifespring Family Berean Jason PaschallNewsletter Publisher: Lifespring Family Berean, Sister Brittaney Transcript Transcript not corrected.

43m

Mar 08, 2024

Today's Bible Translation Bible translation used in today's episode: Ch. 1 ERV Podcast Introduction It’s Poetry Thursday, and well begin the book of Proverbs with chapter 1. I’m calling this episode “God’s Wisdom.” Design: Scott Snider | Photo: Ave Calvar on Unsplash Comments on Proverbs 1 The book of Proverbs was written by King David’s son, Solomon. Solomon is commonly thought of as the wisest man, and the richest man who ever lived. His wisdom was a gift from God as a result of the prayer he made upon his ascension to the throne at the death of his father, David. Instead of asking for wealth or victory over his enemies, or power, he prayed a simple prayer asking for wisdom to lead God’s people. God was so pleased by Solomon’s prayer that He not only granted him great wisdom, but He gave Solomon the things he could have asked for but didn’t.  The book of Proverbs is primarily a collection of short, often just single sentence teachings, or nuggets of truth. They are thoughts and ideas that God revealed to Solomon. Remember, it has long been the belief by orthodox Christianity that the Bible was written by men as they were inspired by the Holy Spirit. So these are not merely the thoughts of a wise man, but they are from the mind of God Himself.  The first chapter’s introduction tells us that these proverbs will benefit anyone who heeds their teachings, and anyone who does not is a fool who will come to destruction. It tells us that we will learn wisdom if we put them into practice in our own lives.  It also introduces a character who will be recurring throughout the book. And that is the personification of wisdom as a woman. In verse 20 we see Wisdom shouting in the streets and marketplace, chiding those who refuse to listen to her teaching and encouraging those who will, to listen. This a value for value podcast. There are no advertisers because advertising equals censorship. If you enjoy the Lifespring One Year Bible Rewind, decide how much value it brings to you. Only you can make that determination. Then put a number on the value and donate here: SUPPORT. The Team Transcript Correction: Lifespring Family Berean, Sister DenisePodcasting 2.0 Chapters: Lifespring Family Berean, Brother Sean of San Pedro and Lifespring Family Berean, Brother Michael HanerShow Art: Lifespring Family Berean, Brother Scott Snider and Lifespring Family Berean Jason PaschallNewsletter Publisher: Lifespring Family Berean, Sister Brittaney Transcript Transcript not corrected.

7m

Mar 07, 2024

Today's Bible Translation Bible translation used in today's episode: Ch. 63 HCSB; Ch. 64 NLT; Ch. 65 ERV Podcast Introduction It’s Psalms Wednesday, and we'll read chapters 63-65. I’m calling this episode “Safe In God’s Strong Hand.” As always with the Psalms, I’ll give you a brief introduction before reading each chapter, and I’ll end the reading with some comments. Design: Scott Snider | Photo: Aaron Burden on Unsplash Comments on Psalms 63-65 Introduction to Psalm 63 The title of this psalm is A Davidic psalm. When he was in the Wilderness of Judah." Commentators have two primary ideas as to when David wrote this psalm. Many believe that it was before he became king of Israel. Others believe it was when David was fleeing Absalom. Other commentators thing the psalm was written when King Saul was pursuing David. Charles Spurgeon said that the very early church father, John Chrysostom (kri-SOSS-tum), who lived from a.d. 347 to a.d. 407, "tells us that among the primitive Christians it was decreed and ordained that no day should pass without the public singing of this psalm.” Introduction to Psalms 64 The title of Psalm 64 is "For the choir director: A psalm of David." David is pleading with God in the psalm. We have no information as to when the psalm was written. Introduction to Psalms 65 The title is "For the choir director. A Davidic psalm. A song." It's rare for a psalm to have both Psalm and Song in the title. Charles Spurgeon had this to say, "The Hebrew calls it a Shur and Mizmor, a combination of psalm and song, which may be best described by the term, ‘A Lyrical Poem.’ In this case the psalm may be said or sung, and be equally suitable.” This psalm does not tell us when or why it was written, but with its message of thanksgiving and praise and referencing flocks and grains, some think the psalm was written for a harvest festival. Thoughts on Psalm 63 Psalm 63 begins with a declaration of devotion. “God, you are my God; I eagerly seek you.” Scholars believe that this was written by David during the time that Absalom was pursuing him. This is a time when David had been betrayed by those he trusted, he feared for his life, and he felt all alone.  And yet, this is a beautiful psalm of devotion and praise.  God, you are MY God! I will have no other. God, YOU are my God!  God, you are my GOD! I much prefer verses 3 and 4 in the KJV, because in 1974, Calvary Chapel’s Maranatha! Singers had a song called Thy Loving Kindness, based on these verses. I can’t read these verses without hearing the song in my head. Thy loving kindness is better than life. My lips shall praise Thee. Thus will I bless Thee. I will lift up my hands unto Thy name. This was the first album of the worship music of the Jesus movement, and the songs from this album were sung for years and years by churches and youth groups around the world. I still have my copy of the vinyl album from 1974. But I digress. We were talking about David’s psalm, weren’t we? He says that at night as he lies on his bed, he meditates on the Lord. Remember, this is during the time that Absalom is after him, to kill him. But instead of worrying about that, David meditates on the Lord. How many of us lie in bed and worry about the bills, whether we’ll be able to keep our jobs, or if our kids will be okay, or on and on and on?  1 Peter 5:7 says, “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.” Easier said than done, I know, but when we put this in context with the way we started… God, you are my God…the focus shifts from us to Him. And then, we can, like David, meditate on the Lord. Dropping down to verse 8, David says, “Your right hand holds on to me.” The right hand, in Scripture, represents the hand of strength. And so David is saying that God’s strong hand holds on to him. He is safe, and nothing can take him from God’s strong grip. That’s security, beloved.

11m

Mar 06, 2024

Podcast Introduction Our reading today is 2 Samuel 20-24, which will complete that book. I’m calling today’s episode “Forgiven and Forgotten." Commentary on 2 Samuel 22 Chapter 22 is David’s wonderful song of praise to God, whom he had served his entire life. As David wrote this, he included the highs and the lows from his life. How God had delivered him from his enemies, and how he was blessed. He gave praise for who God is and how incomparable He is. He acknowledged that God was his source of…everything. Did any particular part stand out to you? The section from verses 21 to 25 certainly did to me. 21You are good to me, Lord, because I do right, and you reward me because I am innocent. 22I do what you want and never turn to do evil. 23I keep your laws in mind and never turn away from your teachings. 24I obey you completely and guard against sin. 25You have been good to me because I do right; you have rewarded me for being innocent by your standards. 2 Samuel 21-25 CEV Wait, what? David was not blameless, was he? He was an adulterer, a schemer, a murderer. How could he say he was innocent? Because God had forgiven him. In 2 Samuel 12:13, Nathan the prophet told David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die.” Beloved, When God forgives, He forgets. He no longer holds it against you. It is as if it never happened. David wrote in Psalm 103:12, “12As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.” Beloved, David put his faith in God, and he trusted God’s mercy, and he was called the friend of God.  So what does that mean for us? It means that when we remember our sins, it is only in our memory, not God’s, if we are in Christ. If you have confessed your sins to God and if you have trusted Jesus as your savior, you can join David in this song and say, “You reward me because I am innocent.”  Beloved, I can guarantee that that is the best news you will hear all day! Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Fabrizio Conti on Unsplash Today's Bible Translation Bible translation used in today's episode: Ch. 20-22 CEV, Ch. 23-24 NCV Support This a value for value podcast. There are no advertisers because advertising equals censorship. If you enjoy the Lifespring One Year Bible Rewind, decide how much value it brings to you. Only you can make that determination. Then put a number on the value and donate here: SUPPORT. The Team Transcript Correction: Lifespring Family Berean, Sister DenisePodcasting 2.0 Chapters: Lifespring Family Berean, Brother Sean of San Pedro and Lifespring Family Berean, Brother Michael HanerShow Art: Lifespring Family Berean, Brother Scott Snider and Lifespring Family Berean Jason PaschallNewsletter Publisher: Lifespring Family Berean, Sister Brittaney Transcript Transcript not corrected.

28m

Mar 05, 2024