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Transcript 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 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. Transcript Download .txt Please rate or review the show by clicking the heart! Experiencing God (2021 Edition): Knowing and Doing the Will of God By Henry & Richard Blackaby, Claude V. King / B&H Books Experience the book that has restored, reoriented, and renewed millions of people—now thoroughly updated with seven new chapters and dozens of additional stories! Whether you’re reading it for the first time or eager to encounter a fresh edition of the classic text you already love, you’ll not be the same when you finish it. 368 pages, hardcover from B&H.

Transcript 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. When God sends you, He will work miracles through you. It probably won’t be feeding the multitudes with five loaves and two fish, but it  could be. There are food ministries in churches all around the world that feed people. And most of these ministries operate with very little money, yet feed many, many people.  God told a somewhat introverted, hard working family guy from a southern California town to proclaim His name using a nearly unknown method of communication. And today that guy has spoken to people in nearly every nation on earth about the Good News. Beloved, that is a miracle. I know that guy. That guy is me, and I would NOT be my first choice to do what God has done through me. When I’m with a group of people, I’m usually the quietest guy in the room. I’m not the life of the party kind of guy. I don’t like being in the spotlight

Transcript Podcast Introduction In our reading today we will complete our catch-up chapters, caused by my little unscheduled stay in the hospital a couple weeks ago. We’ll read Lamentations 3-5 and Ezekiel 1-6. The title of this episode is “Visions.” 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. Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Ales Dusa on Unsplash Today’s Bible Translation Bible translation used in today’s episode: Lamentations Ch. 3-5 HCSB; Ezekiel Ch. 1-6 NASB 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. Transcript Download .txt Steve Webb 0:00I can only imagine that he must have been just absolutely terrified. Steve Webb 0:12And here we are, again, this is the Lifespring family Audio Bible coming to you from Riverside, California, podcasting since 2004. I’m your OG God caster Steve Webb. This is a daily podcast and we’re reading through the entire Bible in a year. How are you doing? It’s good to see you. Welcome. If this is your first time here, I’m really glad you stopped by and I hope you come back in our reading today we’ll complete our catch up chapter is caused by my little unscheduled stay in the hospital a couple of weeks ago. Today we’re going to read lamentations three through five and Ezekiel one through six. After the reading I’ll have some comments on Ezekiel chapter one. I’m calling today’s episode visions. And because of the length of today’s reading, and because I value your time, I’m going to keep my comments brief. The show notes page for today’s episode is Lifespring media.com/s 12 e 163. I always welcome your comments. And if you’d like to email me you can do that at Steve at Lifespring media.com. Alright, let’s get started, shall we? Steve Webb 1:14Lamentations chapter three. Steve Webb 1:17I am the man who has seen affliction under the rod of God’s wrath. He has driven me away and forced me to walk in darkness instead of light. Yes, he repeatedly turns his hand against me all day long. He has worn away my flesh and skin. He has shattered my bones. He has laid siege against me in circling me with bitterness and hardship. He has made me dwell in darkness like those who have been dead for ages. He has walled me in so I cannot escape. He has weighed me down with chains. Even when I cry out in plead for help. He rejects my prayer. He has walled in my ways with cut stones. He has made my pads crooked. He is a bear waiting in ambush Elian in hiding. He forced me off my way and tore me to pieces. He left me desolate. He strung his bow and set me as the target for his arrow. He pierced my kidneys with his arrows. I am a laughingstock to all my people mocked by their songs all day long. He filled me with bitterness satiated me with warm wood. He grounded my teeth on gravel and made me cower in the dust. My soul has been deprived

Transcript 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. Support This a value for value podcast. There are no advertisers because advertising=censorship. If you enjoy the Lifespring Family Audio Bible, decide how much value it brings to you. Only you can make that determination. Then put a number on the value and send it to me here: SUPPORT. Transcript Download .txt file. Steve Webb 0:00Remember the promises of God, they don’t change and he never fails. Steve Webb 0:12It’s the Lifespring! One Year Bible coming to you from Riverside, California and podcasting since 2004. I’m your OG Godcaster. Steve Webb. This is the daily podcast where we’re reading through the entire Bible in a year. It’s so good to be with you today. This is poetry Thursday, and we’ll read Proverbs two and three. I’m calling this episode, trust. Before we get started, let’s pray. Our gracious heavenly Father, how we thank You for Your Word, and we thank you for this time together. I pray, Lord, that You would teach us open our hearts, open our eyes and bless this time I pray in Jesus name. Amen. Okay, are you ready? Let’s get started. Steve Webb 0:55Proverbs chapter two, my son, pay attention to what I say. Remember my commands, listen to wisdom and do your best to understand. Ask for good judgment. Cry out for understanding. Look for wisdom like silver, search for it like hidden treasure. If you do this, you will understand what it means to respect the Lord and you will come to know God. The Lord is the source of wisdom, knowledge and understanding come from his mouth. He gives good advice to honest people and shields those who do what is right. He makes sure that people are treated fairly. He watches over his loyal followers. If you listen to him, you will understand what is just and fair and how to do what is right. You will gain wisdom and knowledge will bring you joy. Planning ahead will protect you and understanding will guard you. These will keep you from following the wrong path and will protect you from those who have evil plans. Such people have left the straight path and now walk in darkness. They enjoy doing evil and are Happy with the confusion it brings. Their ways are crooked, they lie and cheat. Wisdom will save you from that other woman, another man’s wife who tempts you with sweet words. She married when she was young, but then she left her husband. She forgot the marriage vows she made before God going into her house leads to death. She will lead you to the grave, all who hit her lose their life and never return. Wisdom will help you follow the example of good people and stay on the right path. Honest people will live in the land in those who do right will remain there,

Transcript 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.  Support This a value for value podcast. There are no advertisers because advertising=censorship. If you enjoy the Lifespring Family Audio Bible, decide how much value it brings to you. Only you can make that determination. Then put a number on the value and send it to me here: SUPPORT. Transcript Download .txt file. Steve Webb 0:00When you reject the essentials, you cannot honestly still be a Christian. Steve Webb 0:13Hi there, this is the Lifespring! One Year Bible coming to you from Riverside, California and podcasting since 2004. I’m your OG Godcaster. Steve Webb. This is the daily podcast where we’re reading through the entire Bible in a year. How are you? It’s Psalms Wednesday, and we’ll read chapters 66 through 68. Before reading each chapter, I’ll give you a short introduction. I’m calling this episode essentials. Being Wednesday, we’ll have a time for prayer requests, and I have a new segment on today’s show as well. The title of today’s show is a hint. Let’s get started with a prayer. Our heavenly Father, how are we thank you for this time. I thank You, Lord, for the Psalms. I thank You, Lord for the praises that it teaches us how to do and I asked you Lord today to just open our hearts, open our eyes and teach us I pray this in Jesus name. Amen. Are you ready? Let’s begin. Steve Webb 1:10The title of Psalm 66 is for the choir director of song, a psalm. This is the first psalm since Psalm 50 That is not credited to David, Daniel Cresswell, who lived from 1776 to 1844, and was a clergyman and mathematician wrote of Psalm 66. This Psalm is said to be recited on Easter Day by the Greek church. It is described in the Greek Bible as a Psalm of the resurrection, and may be understood to refer in a prophetic sense to the regeneration of the world through the conversion of the Gentiles. Steve Webb 1:47Psalms chapter 66. Shout happily to God all the earth, make music to praise the glory of his name, make his praise glorious, say to God, how awe inspiring are your deeds.

Transcript 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 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. Transcript Download .txt file Steve 0:00Hiram was not a Jew Steve 0:09Hello there. This is the Lifespring Family Audio Bible coming to you from Riverside, California, podcasting since 2004. I’m your OG God castors Steve Webb. This is a daily podcast where we are reading through the entire Bible in a year. Welcome. I’m glad you’re here today. Hope you’re doing well. Our reading today is first Kings five through nine and I’m calling the episode a diverse group. The show notes page for today’s episode is Lifespring media.com/s 12 e 160. You can email me at Steve at Lifespring media.com. Let’s begin. Steve 0:44First Kings chapter five. Steve 0:47King Hiram of Tyre sent his officials to Solomon when he heard that Solomon had been anointed king to succeed his father, Hiram had always been David’s friend. Solomon sent word to Hiram by saying, you know that my father David was surrounded by war, he couldn’t build a temple for the name of the Lord our God until the Lord let him defeat his enemies. But the Lord my God has surrounded me with peace. I have no rival at no trouble. Now I’m thinking of building a temple for the name of the Lord my God, as the Lord spoke to my father David, your son whom I will put on your throne to succeed you will build a temple for my name. Steve 1:25So order men to cut down cedars from Lebanon for me. My workers will work with your workers. I will pay you whatever wages you ask for your workers. You know, we don’t have any skilled lumberjacks like those from Sidon. Steve 1:38Hiram was very glad to hear what Solomon had said. Hiram responded, may the Lord be praised today. He has given David A wise son to rule this great nation. Steve 1:50Hiram sent men to Solomon to say I received the message you sent me. I will do everything you want in regard to the cedar and cypress logs. My workers will bring logs from Lebanon to the sea, and I will have them make them into rafts to go by sea to any place you specify. There I will have them take it apart and you can use them. You can pay me by providing food for my palace. So Hiram gave Solomon all the cedar and cypress wood he wanted. Solomon gave Hiram 120,000 bushels of wheat and 120,000 gallons of pure olive oil. Solomon paid Hiram this much every year. The Lord gave Solomon wisdom as he had promised, there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and they made a treaty with one another. King Solomon forced 30,000 men from all over Israel to work for him. He said a shift of 10,000 men to Lebanon for a month they would spend one month in Lebanon and two months at home at an IRAM was in charge of forced labor. Solomon had 70,000 men who carried heavy loads 70,000 Who quarried stones in the mountains, and 3300 for men who were in charge of the workers. The king commanded them to quarry large expensive blocks of stone in order to provide a foundation of cut stone for the temple. Solomon’s workmen, high rooms, workmen and men from Gable quarried the stone and prepared the logs and stone to build the temple. Steve 3:17First Kings chapter six, Steve 3:20Solomon began to build the Lord’s temple 480 years after Israel left Egypt. He began building in the month of zYv, the second month of the fourth year of his reign over Israel, the temple that King Solomon built for the Lord was 90 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 45 feet high. The entrance hall in front of the main room of the temple was the same length as the shorter side of the temple. It extended 15 feet in front of the temple. He also made latticed windows

Transcript 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, God’s power to provide, and God’s holiness. See the parallels here? Sure you do. Jesus fulfilled the Ten Commandments, living a perfect sinless life. So He could therefore be a sacrifice for me and for you, delivering us from sin and judgement, which brought us atonement and forgiveness.  I’ve only just scratched the surface of the symbolism found in the Tabernacle.. It’s a really worthwhile study if you want to dig deeper. Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Nick Scheerbart on Unsplash Today’s Bible Translation Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 37-38 WEB; Ch. 39-40 NCV 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. Transcript Download text file Steve Webb 0:

Transcript 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 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. Transcript Download .txt file Steve Webb 0:00If you want to be legalistic, it is impossible to please God. Steve Webb 0:12Hello there, this is the Lifespring family Audio Bible and I’m coming to you from Riverside, California, podcasting since 2004. I am your OG God caster Steve Webb. This is the daily podcast where we’re reading through the entire Bible in a year. I hope this is a great day for you. Welcome. In our reading. Today we’re going to complete the book of Galatians. With the reading of chapters four through six, and I’m calling the episode, I choose freedom. The show notes page for today’s episode is it Lifespring media.com/s 12 v 158. Let’s get started. Steve Webb 0:48Galatians chapter four. Steve Webb 0:50Children who are under age are no better off than slaves, even though everything their parents own will someday be theirs. This is because children are placed in the care of Guardians and teachers until the time their parents have said, This is how it was with us. We were like children ruled by the powers of this world. But when the time was right, God sent his son and a woman gave birth to him. His son obeyed the law so

Transcript 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 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. Transcript Transcript Right-click to download transcript Steve Webb 0:00let the light shine Steve Webb 0:09this is the Lifespring family Audio Bible coming to you from Riverside, California and podcasting since 2004. I have your OG God casters Steve Webb. This is a daily podcast and we’re reading through the whole Bible in a year. Welcome. I’m so glad you’re here. Today our reading is Luke seven and eight and I’m calling the episode, God alight. The show notes page for today’s episode is Lifespring media.com/s 12, e 150. Let’s get started. Steve Webb 0:41Luke chapter seven. Steve Webb 0:44When Jesus had finished everything he wanted to say to the people, he went to Capernaum they’re a Roman army officers valuable slave was sick and near death. The officer had heard about Jesus and sent some Jewish leaders to him. They were to ask Jesus to come and save the servants life. They came to Jesus and begged, he deserves your help. He loves our people and built our synagogue at his own expense. Jesus went with him. He was not far from the house when the office

Transcript 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=censorship. If you enjoy the Lifespring Family Audio Bible, decide how much value it brings to you. Only you can make that determination. Then put a number on the value and send it to me here: SUPPORT. Transcript Download .txt file. Steve Webb 0:00Come to grips with it. Steve Webb 0:09This is the Lifespring one year Bible coming to you from Riverside, California and podcasting since 2004. I’m Steve Webb, your og Godcaster. This is the daily podcast where we’re reading through the entire Bible in what a year. Yeah. I’m grateful to be with you today. Thank you. It’s prophecy Friday, and we’ll read chapters 47 through 52 of Jeremiah, which will complete that book. The title of today’s episode is, is there a limit to God’s patience? Before we read, let’s pray. Our gracious heavenly Father, we thank you for our time around your word today and we pray, Lord, that You would speak to our hearts and our minds. Teach us we pray in Jesus name, amen. Okay, are you ready? Let’s begin. Steve Webb 0:55Jeremiah chapter 47. This is the Lord’s message to the prophet Jeremiah concerning the Philistines of Gaza before it was captured by the Egyptian army. This is what the Lord says. A flood is coming from the north to overflow the land. It will destroy the Land and everything in it cities and people alike. People will scream and terror and everyone in the land will wail. Here the clatter of stallions hooves and the rumble of wheels as the chariots rushed by terrified fathers run madly without a backward glance at their helpless children. That time has come for the Philistines to be destroyed along with their allies from Tyre and Sidon. Yes, the Lord is destroying the remnant of the Philistines. Those colonists from the land of Crete, Gaza will be humiliated, its head shaved bald. Ashkelon will lie silent. You remnant from the Mediterranean coast. How long will you cut yourselves in morning? Now sort of the Lord, when will you be at rest again? Go back into your sheath rest and be still. But how can it be still when the Lord has said it on a mission for the city of Ashkelon and the people living along the sea must be destroyed? Steve Webb 2:11Jeremiah chapter 48. This message was given concerning Moab. This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel says, What sorrow awaits the city of Niebo. It will soon lie in ruins. The city of curio Fayoum will be humiliated and captured, the fortress will be humiliated and broken down. No one will ever brag about Moab again, for an Heshbon there is a plot to destroy her. Come they say we will cut her off from being a nation. The town of madmen two will be silenced the sword will follow you there. Listen to the cries from Hora Nam cries of devastation and great destruction. All Moab is destroyed. Her little ones will cry out, her refugees weep bitterly climbing the slope to lose faith. They cry out in terror descending the slope to Hora Nam, flee for your lives hide in the wilderness, because you have trusted in your wealth and skill you will be taken captive, your god key Marsh with his priests and officials will be hauled off to distant lands. All the towns will be destroyed and no one will escape either on the plateaus or in the valleys for the Lord is spoken. Oh that Moab had wings so she could fly

Transcript 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. Support This a value for value podcast. There are no advertisers because advertising=censorship. If you enjoy the Lifespring Family Audio Bible, decide how much value it brings to you. Only you can make that determination. Then put a number on the value and send it to me here: SUPPORT. Transcript Download .txt file. Steve Webb 0:00These are not just the thoughts of a wise man, but they’re from the mind of God himself. Steve Webb 0:12This is the Lifespring one year Bible coming to you from Riverside, California and podcasting since 2004. I’m your og Godcaster. Steve Webb. This is the daily podcast where we’re reading through the entire Bible in a year and it’s poetry Thursday, we’ll begin the book of Proverbs with chapter one. I’m calling the episode, God’s wisdom. Before we begin, let’s pray. Our gracious heavenly father have We thank You for Your Word, and that we thank you so much for the book of Proverbs. As we read through the book this year, I pray, Lord, that You would teach us I pray this in Jesus name, amen. Okay, you ready? Let’s get started. Steve Webb 0:55Proverbs chapter one. These are the proverbs of Solomon, the son of David and King of Israel. They will help you learn to be wise to accept correction and to understand why sayings. They will teach you to develop your mind in the right way. You will learn to do what is right and to be honest and fair. These proverbs will make even those without education smart. They will teach young people what they need to know and how to use what they have learned. Even the wise could become wiser by listening to these Proverbs, they will gain understanding and learn to solve difficult problems. These sayings will help you understand proverbs stories with hidden meanings, words of the wise and other difficult sayings. Knowledge begins with fear and respect for the Lord. But stubborn fools hate wisdom, refuse to learn. My Son, listen to your father when he corrects you. And don’t ignore what your mother teaches you. What you learn from your parents will bring you honor and respect like a crown or a gold medal. My son, those who love to do wrong will try to trick you. Don’t listen to them, they will say, Come with us. Let’s hide in beat to death. Anyone who happens to walk by, we will swallow them whole as the grave swallows the dying, we will take everything they have and fill our houses with stolen goods. So join us and you can share everything we get my son, don’t follow them. Don’t even take the first step along that path. They run to do something evil and they cannot wait to kill someone. You cannot trap birds with a net if they see you spreading it out. But evil people cannot see the trap they set for themselves. This is what happens to those who are greedy, whatever they get destroys them. Listen, wisdom is shouting in the streets. She is crying out in the marketplace. She is calling out where the noisy crowd gathers fools. How long will you love being ignorant? How long will you make fun of wisdom? How long will you hate knowledge? I wanted to tell yo

Transcript 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. He talks about how his enemies will be destroyed, but the king (David himself) will rejoice in God, and all who swear by Him, or who believe in Him, will boast for the mouths of the liars will be shut.  Those who trust in God will be vindicated, while their enemies will be shown to be liars, and they will be silenced. When God is on your side, what is there to worry about? Or as Paul said in Romans 8:31, “…If God be for us, who can be against us?” Support This a value for value podcast. There are no advertisers because advertising=censorship. If you enjoy the Lifespring Family Audio Bible, decide how much value it brings to you. Only you can make that determination. Then put a number on the value and send it to me here: SUPPORT. Transcript Download .txt file. Steve Webb 0:00That’s security, beloved. Steve Webb 0:09It’s a Wednesday edition of the Lifespring one year Bible coming to you from Riverside, California and podcasting since 2004. I’m your og

Transcript 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 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. Transcript Steve Webb 0:00too clever for his own good Steve Webb 0:09Hello, this is the Lifespring family Audio Bible coming to you right out of Riverside, California and podcasting since 2004. I’m your OG God Gaster. Steve Webb. This is the daily podcast where we’re reading through the entire Bible in a year. Welcome. I’m glad you’re here. Today, our reading is first Kings one through four, and I’m calling the episode, another pretender to the throne. Now I’ve got a quick question for you. Are you using Apple’s podcast app to listen to the show? I don’t use it. But I do have it on my phone. And the reason I ask is because yesterday morning, I got a notification that there was a new episode available. And I got

Transcript 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, they are forever removed from any presence of God. There truly is no hope of redemption.  As I said on yesterday’s show, we have a responsibility to tell people of God’s saving grace. They need to know that Jesus came to save them from that terrible, eternal fate. “16For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” John 3:16-18 How will they know unless we tell them? Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Verne Ho on Unsplash Today’s Bible Translation Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 33 NET; Ch. 34 NIRV; Ch. 35-36 ER

Transcript 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 Today’s Bible Translation Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 1-3 ERV 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. Please rate or review the show by clicking the heart! Experiencing God (2021 Edition): Knowing and Doing the Will of God By Henry & Richard Blackaby, Claude V. King / B&H Books Experience the book that has restored, reoriented, and renewed millions of people—now thoroughly updated with seven new chapters and dozens of additional stories! Whether you’re reading it for the first time or eager to encounter a fresh edition of the classic text you already love, you’ll not be the same when you finish it. 368 pages, hardcover from B&H. Transcript Right-click to download transcript

Podcast Introduction Our reading today is Luke 5-6, and I’m calling the episode “Let’s Go Fishin’.” Comments on Luke 5 Jesus’ first request of Simon didn’t require much faith from him, did it? He got into Simon’s boat, and asked Simon to put out a little way from the shore. That’s all He asked. “Take me out just a little way, Simon.” He wanted to speak to the people who had been pushing and crowding Him so they could hear the Word of God.  Picture the scene. Simon Peter (called Simon at this point in Luke’s gospel) and some other fishermen were by the lake with their two boats, washing their nets, after having been out all night try unsuccessfully to make their day’s catch. Jesus is being followed by a throng of people anxious to hear Him teach. And when He sees the boats, Jesus decides to get into one of the boats and speak to the crowd from a short distance away, using the water as a way to put some space between himself and the people, and also using the water as an acoustic aid so that more people can hear. The sound of his voice would carry as it bounced off the surface of the water. The fishermen were tired. They worked hard all night. And they were frustrated, because of the lack of anything to show for their work. And now Simon, the one that, as we get to know him, is most prone to emotional outbursts, is asked to stop cleaning his net and take Jesus out in his boat. We are not told what Simon’s reaction is when Jesus makes this request, but I can imagine that Simon was less than thrilled. I’ll bet that he was looking forward to going home to get cleaned up and grab some shuteye. And I doubt that he hid his frustration from Jesus.  Nonetheless, Simon takes Jesus out in the boat. And…he becomes a captive audience in the process. He has to listen to Jesus’ sermon. Don’t you just love Jesus? I don’t think that Jesus’ choosing to go out on Simon’s boat was an accident, do you? Luke does not tell us what Jesus said in his sermon, but after his message to the people, Jesus tells Simon to go out to the deep water and put his nets back out for a catch.  What’s happening here? Jesus is asking Simon to do something that requires more faith. And what does Simon do? He says, “Master (which is a term of respect for a person of high status), we worked hard all night and caught nothing! But at your word I will lower the nets.” So in a sort of backhanded way he says, “Sir, We’ve been at this all night. The fish aren’t here. We know this lake. We’ve been fishing it for years. We know what we’re doing. But ok. Fine. I’ll do as you ask.” Maybe it’s because Simon knew Jesus’ reputation. Maybe it’s because of what Jesus had said in his message to the people. Maybe it’s because of the way Jesus asked. Maybe it’s a combination of all those things. But Simon, against his “better judgement”, lowered his nets. Of course, the fish filled the nets and Simon had to call the other fishermen to come and help bring the fish in. And both boats were filled with fish. And then Simon fell down at Jesus knees. This is him acknowledging that Jesus is worthy of worship.  Jesus first approached Simon and asked for a little faith. And then a little more. And then more. I have discovered, beloved, that God often works like this. When I was very young in my faith, I used to think that living the Christian life would get easier as I grew older. I thought that once I learned to trust Him, life would get easier and easier. But I have learned that He asks for more and more faith. In a way, it *has* become easier to trust him, because He has *always* shown Himself to be trust *worthy*.  Peter found that when he took Jesus out a little way from shore, he got the benefit of hearing Jesus teach.  Then he found that when Jesus asked him to go into the deep water, he was richly rewarded with the catch of his life. He found that putting his faith in Jesus forever changed his life, and ultimately, his eternity. And Jesus is still asking us today. “Let’s go out into the deeper water.” What is your answer? Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Cassiano Psomas on Unsplash Today’s Bible Translation Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 5 NET, Ch. NKJV Support Please remember that this is a listener supported show. Your support of any amount is needed and very much appreciated. Find out how by clicking here. When you buy through links on this site, we may earn an affiliate commission, and you will earn our gratitude. Please rate or review the show by clicking the heart! Experiencing God (2021 Edition): Knowing and Doing the Will of God By Henry & Richard Blackaby, Claude V. King / B&H Books Experience the book that has restored, reoriented, and renewed millions of people—now thoroughly updated with seven new chapters and dozens of additional stor

Podcast Introduction Our reading today is Jeremiah 42-46, and I’m calling the episode “But You Promised.” Comments on Jeremiah 42 and 46 Thoughts on Jeremiah 42  Have you ever made a bargain with God? You’ve been in trouble or in some other hard place, and you said, “Lord, help me here and I will never sin again! I’ll devote my life to you!” And then the trouble passes, and you go right back to your old ways. Yeah. Most of us probably have done that, and let me say that it’s not a good thing to do. We may forget, but God doesn’t. Thankfully, God understands our foolishness and we have forgiveness in Jesus, but making a promise to God is still a serious thing. My suggestion is that you take your promises very, very seriously. In chapter 42 the people came to Jeremiah and said, “Please pray to the Lord your God for us. Pray that the Lord your God will show us what to do and where to go. Whether we like it or not, we will obey the Lord your God to whom we are sending you with our plea. For if we obey him, everything will turn out well for us.” So they made a promise that they would do whatever God told them to do, didn’t they? Let’s see how they followed through on their promise. But first, did you notice that in the first sentence, they said to Jeremiah, “…pray to the Lord YOUR God”? Isn’t that interesting? These were *supposed* to be God’s chosen people, and yet they didn’t say “pray to the Lord OUR God.” But when Jeremiah replied to them, he reminded them of this when he said, ”All right, I will pray to the Lord your God, as you have asked…”  Beloved, either He is our God or He isn’t. Either we follow Him or we don’t. Sure, we are weak and we fail, but if we are His, when we fall we get back up and, with His help, we try again. But that’s not what these people did in chapter 42. You heard what happened. They did NOT keep their promise to do whatever God told them to do. God told them to stay there in Babylon and not go to Egypt. He told them that he would bless them if they stayed and bring disaster on them if they went.  They said in essence, “Yeah. No. We’re going to Egypt. We don’t care what you tell us to do.” So they told it like it was when they referred to God as “the Lord YOUR God”, didn’t they? They had no intention of listening if what He said was not what they wanted to hear.  But God did keep his promise, and disaster came down on them.  Let’s not play games with God. Let’s understand that He truly does want to bless us, and let’s do our best to please Him so that He can.  Thoughts on Jeremiah 46  Don’t you sometimes wonder why God allows evil people to continue in their evil for so long? Doesn’t it sometimes seem like God isn’t even paying attention to what’s going on?  Well, of course He’s paying attention, and yes, He will bring justice. But as we have seen as we’ve been reading through Jeremiah, God sometimes uses bad people to do His will. Now, please DO NOT misunderstand me. I am not saying that God always causes evil people to do the things they do. Far from it. Most of the time, evil people do evil because they are evil. But sometimes, *sometimes* God brings punishment on those He loves through evil people, to bring those He loves back into relationship with Himself.  We’ve seen that God used Nebuchadnezzar to do that with His chosen people, haven’t we? But God always brings judgment to evil people. They do not get a free pass, ever. In chapter 46 we heard what judgment God had planned for Egypt. He was going to use the evil king Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon this time to bring Egypt down.  Nations and people can never escape the notice of God. He sees all the cruelty and injustice that man brings against man. He hears the cry of the innocents and the victims. And the day is coming when He will bring judgment  to those who do wrong. Perhaps in their own lifetime, perhaps when they stand before Him, but they will certainly know His judgment. Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Emiliano Vittoriosi on Unsplash Today’s Bible Translation Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 42-46 NLT 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. Please rate or review the show by clicking the heart! Experiencing God (2021 Edition): Knowing and Doing the Will of God By Henry & Richard Blackaby, Claude V. King / B&H Books Experience the book that has restored, reoriented, and renewed millions of people—now thoroughly updated with seven new chapters and dozens of additional stories! Whether you’re reading it for the first time or eager to encounter a fresh edition of the classic text you already love, you’ll not be the same when you finish it. 368 pages, hardcover from B&H.

Podcast Introduction Our reading today is  we will complete the book of Job 41-42, and I’m calling the episode “A New Beginning.” Comments on Job Alexander Maclaren wrote in his “Expositions of Holy Scripture” “The close of the book of Job must be taken in connection with its prologue in order to get the full view of its solution of the mystery of pain and suffering. Indeed the prologue is more completely the solution than the endings; for it shows the purpose of Job’s trials as being, not his punishment but his testing.” “So we have the grim thing lighted up, as it were, at the two ends. Suffering comes with the mission of trying what stuff a man is made of, and it leads to closer knowledge of God, which is blessed; to lowlier self-estimation, which is also blessed; and to renewed outward blessings, which hide the old scars and gladden the tortured heart.” I love that.  As gold is purified by fire, so a good man is tested and purified by trial.  Was it unjust for God to allow Satan to test Job?  We look at the miserable and painful events that came to Job and we feel pity for him. We think, “How could a loving God allow this?”  But God had the end in mind even before the enemy ever thought of attacking him. God knew the heart of Job. He knew that Job was a good man. He said to Satan, “Have you seen my servant Job?” My servant. God knew that Job loved Him, and would continue to do so even if everything was taken away from him. And He knew that in testing Job, Job would come to love and trust Him even more. I am quite sure that if we could ask Job today if he regretted going through the trial, his answer would be a resounding, “No!” If you belong to God, if you have given your heart to Him, if you have trusted Jesus and asked Him to be your Lord and Savior, don’t ever believe the lie that God is angry at you if you are going through hard times. He uses the fire to purify you and bring you into a more intimate relationship with Him. I’m not talking theory here, my friend. I’m talking from experience. My wife and I have had many heartbreaking and painful events come into our lives over that last several years, and I am here to tell you that both of us are closer to each other and closer to God than we have ever been. Our faith has been strengthened, and we have a much sweeter and richer understanding of the love and power and faithfulness of God than we ever did before.  The book of Job is one of the greatest gifts God ever gave to us, and I will be forever grateful to Him for it.  I hope you’ve gained more of an appreciation for this book, and will be encouraged if you are now going through the fire, or when you are tested by our Heavenly Father.  Twice in the first two chapters God referred to “my servant Job”. And then four times in two verses in this final chapter. I pray that God will say the same about you, and will say when you meet Him face to face, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.” Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Hansjörg Keller on Unsplash Today’s Bible Translation Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 41-42 CEV Today’s Music 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. Please rate or review the show by clicking the heart! Experiencing God (2021 Edition): Knowing and Doing the Will of God By Henry & Richard Blackaby, Claude V. King / B&H Books Experience the book that has restored, reoriented, and renewed millions of people—now thoroughly updated with seven new chapters and dozens of additional stories! Whether you’re reading it for the first time or eager to encounter a fresh edition of the classic text you already love, you’ll not be the same when you finish it. 368 pages, hardcover from B&H.

Some verses feel like they were written for the moments when your vocabulary fails—when you’ve prayed all you know to pray, and all that’s left is a quiet hope that God is still at work. In this episode of Verses We Missed, we sit with Ephesians 3:20 and listen to Paul stretch language to the breaking point as he points us to a God whose power and generosity are beyond measure. Today’s Reading Today’s reading is Ephesians 3:20 (ESV). Reading: Ephesians 3:20 Follow along here: Ephesians 3:20 (ESV) on BibleGateway. Commentary Paul doesn’t simply say, “God can help.” He piles word on top of word—able, then more, then far more, and finally “than all we ask or think.” It’s as if he’s reaching for the biggest sentence he can build, because ordinary language won’t hold the weight of what he’s trying to say. And notice where he locates the miracle: not only in what God can do “out there,” but in what God is already doing “in here”—“according to the power at work within us.” The same God who exceeds our prayers is also at work forming us, strengthening us, and teaching us to trust Him beyond the limits of our imagination. Verse of the Day Ephesians 3:20 reminds us that God is not constrained by our best request or our biggest idea. When you’ve reached the end of what you can ask—when you’ve hit the ceiling of what you can even think—God is still God. Let this verse reframe your prayers today: not toward anxiety, but toward awe. Value for Value If this episode encouraged you, would you consider supporting the show? Your prayers, shares, and financial support help keep Verses We Missed going and growing. Learn more about value-for-value and how to participate at Lifespring Media, and thank you for being part of this work. More from Lifespring Media If you’d like more Bible-centered listening, you can find the show page here: Verses We Missed at LifespringMedia.com. Chapters 00:00 Cold Open – When Words Run Out 00:59 Welcome to Verses We Missed 01:34 Reading Ephesians 3:20 (ESV) 03:15 The Prayer Behind the Verse 04:23 Nerd Nugget – Paul’s Turbo Word 05:20 Word Stacking & Mary Poppins 06:50 Ask or Think – Two Limits 07:45 The Power at Work Within Us 08:38 The Purpose: God’s Glory 09:25 Closing Prayer 10:14 Value for Value Support 11:45 Final Thought & Sign-off

Podcast Introduction Our reading today is Psalms 60-62, and I’m calling the episode “Be Quiet.” Comments on Psalm 62 “1 It is surely true that I find my rest in God.” NIRV I believe that the NASB is a better translation: “1 My soul waits in silence for God only;” NASB Sometimes, the very best thing we can do is come before God and…just…be quiet. FB Meyer wrote, “This is why God keeps you waiting. All that is of self and nature must be silence; one voice after another cease to boast; one light after another be put out; until the soul is shut up to God alone.” Our natural inclination when we are in great need is to *do something*. We feel that “if it to be, it is up to me”. But if we have that mentality, we are not putting our faith in God.  But David said, “1My soul waits in silence for God only; From Him is my salvation. 2He only is my rock and my salvation…” Beloved, there is no better place to go for deliverance from any circumstance, any hardship, any trouble. Throughout this psalm, David expresses his complete confidence in God. I like the way Spurgeon put it: “Observe how the Psalmist brands his own initials upon every name which he rejoicingly gives to his God – my expectation, my rock, my salvation, my glory, my strength, my refuge; he is not content to know that the Lord is all these things; he acts in faith towards him, and lays claim to him under every character.” Our confidence is well placed when we lean on Him. There, we can find complete and enduring rest. Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Andraz Lazic on Unsplash Today’s Bible Translation Bible translation used in today’s episode: Today’s Music 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. Please rate or review the show by clicking the heart! Experiencing God (2021 Edition): Knowing and Doing the Will of God By Henry & Richard Blackaby, Claude V. King / B&H Books Experience the book that has restored, reoriented, and renewed millions of people—now thoroughly updated with seven new chapters and dozens of additional stories! Whether you’re reading it for the first time or eager to encounter a fresh edition of the classic text you already love, you’ll not be the same when you finish it. 368 pages, hardcover from B&H.

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 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. Please rate or review the show by clicking the heart! Experiencing God (2021 Edition): Knowing and Doing the Will of God By Henry & Richard Blackaby, Claude V. King / B&H Books Experience the book that has restored, reoriented, and renewed millions of people—now thoroughly updated with seven new chapters and dozens of additional stories! Whether you’re reading it for the first time or eager to encounter a fresh edition of the classic text you already love, you’ll not be the same when you finish it. 368 pages, hardcover from B&H.

Podcast Introduction Our reading today is Exodus 29-32. Since it’s Monday, you know that this is one of the books of the Law. I’m calling today’s episode “It’s All Him.” Comments on Exodus 29-32 Oh my goodness. What a tremendous range our reading covered today. From the anointing of Aaron and his sons as priests, to the instructions for sacrifices, to God’s giving the tablets of the Law, inscribed with his own finger, to the abomination of the golden calf, to Moses’ interceding on behalf of the people. I hardly know where to focus my comments today.  I could talk about how Jesus is represented in establishing the priesthood, in the daily offerings, and in the different elements talked about in chapter 30, which were the altar of incense, the ransom each person was to pay at the census, the bronze basin, the anointing oil and the incense that was used in the tent (or tabernacle). All of these things pointed to Christ in a specific way.  I could talk about how God enables us for the work He calls us to, as He did Bezalel and Oholiab, and all the workers who were to help with the work.  Or I could talk about the significance of God delivering the Ten Commandments on tablets of stone. And, I could talk at some length about the shameful scene of the golden calf.  Beloved, as I sit here today reading these four chapters, I am dumbfounded at God’s infinite patience and love for us. I cannot fathom how or why our omniscient, righteous, holy God, knowing the path mankind would take, would nonetheless create us. Think of it. He created a perfect planet for us. He placed our first parents, Adam and Eve there, where there was no sickness, no death. Nothing was there that would cause harm. But because God wanted mankind to love Him of their own will, He gave them the ability to make the choice between right and wrong, knowing that they would make wrong choices. And you know the rest of the story.  Ultimately, God made a way, at great cost to Himself, for mankind to be reconciled to Him, if they would just believe in the Savior He, Himself provided.  This is a love that drives me to my knees, beloved. I can only offer up my feeble praise and worship. I have nothing of value to offer Him. He didn’t choose me because of anything I could do for Him. He is entirely self-sufficient. He doesn’t need us. But for some inexplicable reason, God wants to love us and be loved by us. The entire relationship between God and man is based on His infinite love.  Why would He put Himself through the heartbreak of seeing us rebel against him time and time and time again? Why would He give up the glories of Heaven, to live on the Earth as one of us, only to be mercilessly beaten and hung on a cross? Why would he? I honestly cannot begin to imagine this kind of love. All I can do is accept it, knowing that it cost Him so much I can never repay Him. And I offer Him my life, as broken as it is, to do with whatever He wants. Some people might say, “Isn’t that a scary thought, to offer your life, not knowing what He’ll do with it?” And my response is, “Whatever He does, He will do with love. Why should I worry? He loves me, and He is good.” Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Jack Sharp on Unsplash Today’s Bible Translation Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 29-30 GW, Ch. 31-32 NET 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. Please rate or review the show by clicking the heart! Experiencing God (2021 Edition): Knowing and Doing the Will of God By Henry & Richard Blackaby, Claude V. King / B&H Books Experience the book that has restored, reoriented, and renewed millions of people—now thoroughly updated with seven new chapters and dozens of additional stories! Whether you’re reading it for the first time or eager to encounter a fresh edition of the classic text you already love, you’ll not be the same when you finish it. 368 pages, hardcover from B&H.

Podcast Introduction Our reading today is 2 Corinthians 11-13, which completes the book. Yesterday I got ahead of myself and said we would be starting the book of Galatians today. That’s next Sunday. I’m calling today’s episode “Is It Time For An Audit?”  Comments on Chapter 13 Put yourselves through a test. See if you belong to Christ. Then you will know you belong to Christ, unless you do not pass the test. 2 Corinthians 13:5 NLV The apostle Paul was having some difficulties with some of the people in the church at Corinth, so he gave them this challenge. But it is good for all of us to take stock from time to time. Are we walking with the Lord as we should, or have we drifted away? It is good to ask God if there is anything in us with which He is unhappy. And we should ask Him to reveal it to us, so that we can confess it and ask for forgiveness. This is one of those times I talked about a few days ago when it is good to be quiet before the Lord, by the way. Listen for His still, small voice. Charles Spurgeon wrote, “Now, what is it to have Jesus Christ in you? The true Christian carries the cross in his heart; and a cross inside the heart, my friends, is one of the sweetest cures for a cross on the back. If you have a cross in your heart – Christ crucified in you, the hope of glory – all the crosses of this world’s troubles will seem to you light enough, and you will easily be able to sustain it. Christ in the heart means Christ believed in, Christ beloved, Christ trusted, Christ espoused, Christ communed with, Christ as our daily food, and ourselves as the temple and palace wherein Jesus Christ daily walks.” Sometimes we find it easy to see shortcomings in the people around us. Perhaps we would be better off if we spent time with the Lord looking for areas in our own lives that don’t measure up. Is it time for an audit? Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Darius Bashar on Unsplash Today’s Bible Translation Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 11-12 NIV; Ch. 13 NLV 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. Please rate or review the show by clicking the heart! Experiencing God (2021 Edition): Knowing and Doing the Will of God By Henry & Richard Blackaby, Claude V. King / B&H Books Experience the book that has restored, reoriented, and renewed millions of people—now thoroughly updated with seven new chapters and dozens of additional stories! Whether you’re reading it for the first time or eager to encounter a fresh edition of the classic text you already love, you’ll not be the same when you finish it. 368 pages, hardcover from B&H.

Podcast Introduction Our reading today is Luke 3-4, and I’m calling the episode “How To Resist Temptation.” Comments on Luke 4 Jesus gave us the perfect plan for when we are being tempted. Remember this, beloved. Jesus was fully human, as well as fully God. Jesus was a real man. So the temptations that Satan put before Him were real. These were not theoretical.  Jesus had flesh. And notice the very first temptation Satan put in front of Jesus. Jesus had been in the desert for forty days and had not eaten. He was hungry. The very first temptation was for Jesus to turn the stones into bread. Satan knew that Jesus was a man, so he went after the needs of His flesh. Some people can’t say NO to their flesh. I don’t think I need to say that the temptations of the flesh are more than just food, do I? The desires of the flesh are some of our most basic urges. Animals are almost completely controlled by this, but humans have the ability to exert control over these urges. And God’s Word is full of exhortations to do just that. We know that when we have the Holy Spirit in us, we can say no to the flesh. The next temptation was, what some have called the lust of the eyes. I read this more as the lust for power. Satan showed Jesus all the nations of the world at one time, and said He could have power and glory over them all if He would worship Satan. Some people have a ravenous desire for power. I think we have seen a lot of that since the pandemic began. Politicians and bureaucrats around the world have taken a level of control that no one would have believed possible before covid hit. Now they seem to be drunk with power.  The third temptation was to force God to do a miracle to save him. Or one might say, Satan tempted Jesus to twist Scripture. Some people crave signs and wonders. They’ll follow anyone who claims to have a supernatural power. And, some people do twist Scripture for their own gain, don’t they? The Antichrist will seem to have supernatural powers, and many will be fooled. So these were the temptations. What did Jesus do in order to overcome each one? He correctly applied and quoted Scripture. Yes, Satan quoted Scripture to Jesus, but he twisted and misapplied it. Jesus did not twist it, and He correctly applied it.  Beloved, this is why it is so important to know and memorize God’s Word. If you listen to this podcast every day, if it is your aim to go with me all the way through the Bible, that’s a great start. But unless you have a photographic memory, going through the Bible just once will not be enough. I pray that you will develop a life-long habit of reading through the Bible. I have a Bible that my great grandmother owned. There are notes in her Bible that show that she read the Bible through three times. But I have to think that this was not her only Bible. I would be shocked if she hadn’t read the Bible through many, many more times in her lifetime. She passed away before I was really a Bible student, so I won’t know that answer until I see her again in Heaven. I myself have recorded the entire Bible three times. And do you know what? Even now, I’ll read passages that seem completely new to me. I do not have the best memory, so it is incredibly important for me to keep reading. God gave us His Word so that we could learn it so well that it becomes a part of us. Ephesians 6:10-18 tells us:10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Notice, beloved, that all but one of the items spoken of here as the full armor of God are defensive in nature. The belt, the breastplate, the covering for the feet, the shield and the helmet. The only offensive item, the only weapon spoken of is the sword. A warrior’s primary method to overcome the enemy is with his weapon. The weapon in this passage from Ephesians is “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” A warrior must learn how to use his weapon if he wants to be victorious. If he doesn’t train with it, not only will he not be able to use it effectively, but the enemy can

Podcast Introduction Our reading today is Jeremiah 37-41, and I’m calling the episode “The Cowardly Mob.”  Comments on Jeremiah 38 In chapter 38, Shephatiah, Gedaliah, Jehucal and Pashhur, who were princes of Judah, did not like the message that Jeremiah was preaching:   “The Lord says, ‘Those who stay in this city will die in battle or of starvation or disease. Those who leave the city and surrender to the Babylonians will live. They will escape with their lives.’” 3 They had also heard him say, “The Lord says, ‘This city will certainly be handed over to the army of the king of Babylon. They will capture it.’” They told king Zedekiah, “This man must be de-platformed, for he is spreading misinformation.” Okay. That’s a very loose translation. Actually, what they said is even worse: “This man must be put to death. For he is demoralizing the soldiers who are left in the city as well as all the other people there by these things he is saying. This man is not seeking to help these people but is trying to harm them.” Was Jeremiah trying to harm them? Of course not. First off, Jeremiah was telling the people exactly what God told him to say. And the message God gave Jeremiah was their only hope of survival! How is this message harmful? It isn’t. And then, these princes, these paragons of truth, so full of courage, when the king wimped out and gave in to them, saying, “Very well, you can do what you want with him. For I cannot do anything to stop you”, didn’t even have the guts to shed Jeremiah’s blood. They wanted him dead, but they were too cowardly to do the deed. So they had him lowered into an abandoned cistern, where he would die of exposure, starvation or disease.  This is how the mob often works. Cowards. And what of Jeremiah? He was following God’s will implicitly, yet he was put in this terrible place. Yes, we heard that the Ethiopian official ultimately rescued him, but let’s not negate Jeremiah’s time in the pit. This was no picnic. It was dark, it was miserable. He was standing in a foul, disgusting muck for some period of time. Beloved, just because we are doing God’s will does not mean that we won’t have to stand in the slime from time to time. Don’t let anyone tell you that you’re out of God’s will when the situation is hard. I can tell you from personal experience that when you are doing your best to follow God’s leading, that is the time that the enemy attacks. That’s when friends will turn against you. That’s when your health might fail. That’s when finances go in the dumper. That’s when the most unexpected things happen. If you’re seeking God, fear not! Don’t be discouraged. Hang on to God. He is always faithful when circumstances look bleak.  In Jeremiah’s case, the Ethiopian, Ebed Melech come to the rescue and pulled him out. I can’t promise you’ll be rescued in the same way. But I do know that God is sovereign, and your circumstances are not beyond His control. He knows what you are going through, and He does use difficulties to strengthen you and shape you into the man or woman He wants you to be. Just because things get hard does not mean it’s time to give up. When things get hard, it’s time too look up! Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Umberto on Unsplash Today’s Bible Translation Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 37-41 NET Today’s Music 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. Please rate or review the show by clicking the heart! Experiencing God (2021 Edition): Knowing and Doing the Will of God By Henry & Richard Blackaby, Claude V. King / B&H Books Experience the book that has restored, reoriented, and renewed millions of people—now thoroughly updated with seven new chapters and dozens of additional stories! Whether you’re reading it for the first time or eager to encounter a fresh edition of the classic text you already love, you’ll not be the same when you finish it. 368 pages, hardcover from B&H.

Podcast Introduction Our reading today is  Job 39-40, and I’m calling the episode “The Voice of God.” Comments on Job 39-40 It’s easy to think of this scene with God’s awesome, booming voice rumbling and shaking everything around for miles as He speaks out of the storm. And maybe it did happen that way. He can be a fearsome God.  But I like what the commentator F. B. Meyer wrote: “Divine power and human ignorance. When the storm had ceased and the thunder was hushed, a voice spoke out of the golden splendor of the sky. Job had challenged God to answer him and now he is taken at his word. We recall Horeb’s ancient cave, where, after wind and earthquake, there came a sound of gentle stillness. “Gird up now thy loins,” said the Eternal to Job. In later years, under similar circumstances, the Spirit entered Ezekiel to strengthen him. Surely some such strengthening was forthwith given the patriarch! “A sublime series of questions is now addressed to him, not by a God of judgement and wrath, but by a Father arguing and pleading with his child and pointing out two things: first, the inability of mortal man to understand the way of God; and second, the minuteness and tenderness of God’s providence. Job had thought of him as remote, but he is near and is ordering all things wisely and lovingly. Can he forget his child?” Job had surely been through the wringer. He was weak of body, mind and spirit. I don’t see God coming at him with anger or judgement. He certainly didn’t need to intimidate Job with awesome displays of power. I agree with Meyer. I think He talked to Job as a loving Father, pointing out that the questions Job asked had answers that were beyond his understanding. This is an oversimplification, to be sure, but God’s answer, in its essence is, “I am God. You are not. Trust me.” God is saying, “Job, do you have faith in me? Then trust me.” Dark and painful times come to each of our lives. Sometimes we raise our eyes to Heaven and ask, “Why, God? Why?” And more often than not, all we get in reply is silence. ….  There is no revelation, no sudden insight that offers an answer. Just silence. And then, if you linger with God a while longer, you might hear His still, small voice say, “Do you trust me?” What do you say? I have learned to say, “With all my heart, Lord.” Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Steve Webb Today’s Bible Translation Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 39-40 CEV 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. Please rate or review the show by clicking the heart! Experiencing God (2021 Edition): Knowing and Doing the Will of God By Henry & Richard Blackaby, Claude V. King / B&H Books Experience the book that has restored, reoriented, and renewed millions of people—now thoroughly updated with seven new chapters and dozens of additional stories! Whether you’re reading it for the first time or eager to encounter a fresh edition of the classic text you already love, you’ll not be the same when you finish it. 368 pages, hardcover from B&H.

Podcast Introduction Our reading today is Psalms 57-59, and I’m calling the episode “On the Run.” Comments on Psalms 57-59 Introduction to Psalm 57 The title of this psalm is To the Chief Musician. Set to “Do Not Destroy.” A Michtam of David when he fled from Saul into the cave. Regarding “Do not Destroy”, Bible commentator Derek Kidner said: “This may well be a tune-indication: cf. Isaiah 65:8, where the phrase is identified as a popular saying (perhaps a snatch of vintage song), and borrowed to become a reassuring word from God. Yet notice also David’s instructions about Saul, ‘Destroy him not’ (1 Samuel 26:9).” So “Do Not Destroy” might be merely a notation giving the tune of the psalm, or a plea to God to protect David, or a statement of David’s intention to not destroy Saul. This psalm is another michtam, or golden psalm, indicating that this was a special, highly regarded psalm. But the word “michtam” literally means “an engraving, or sculpture,” so it could be that David actually engraved this psalm on the walls of the cave.  The cave was probably the one mentioned in 1 Samuel 22:1, when David was fleeing Saul. Introduction to Psalm 58 The title of this psalm is “To the Chief Musician. Set to “Do Not Destroy.” A Michtam of David.” Introduction to Psalm 59 The title of this psalm is “To the Chief Musician. Set to “Do Not Destroy.” A Michtam of David when Saul sent men, and they watched the house in order to kill him.” We read of this time in 1 Samuel 19:11-12 when Saul’s intention to kill David was revealed, and David had to run for his life. Comments on Psalm 58 When I read Psalm 58, I can’t help but think of politicians, and how they haven’t changed since David’s time.  David is most likely writing about the rulers or judges who were under King Saul and had passed judgement on him as a fugitive. But I’m pretty sure a politician is a politician, no matter what year it is. Unfortunately, humans are rarely able to wield power and influence without succumbing to the temptations dangled in front of them. There’s a reason term limits are good. In my opinion, EVERY public office should have term limits, elected and non-elected.  Humans are just so frail, in terms of the integrity needed to deal with power.  I am so glad that our true citizenship is a heavenly one. Sure, I am proud to be an American, as you should be proud to be a citizen of whatever country you are in. However, I am very much looking forward to the day when we no longer have to deal with earthly rulers, aren’t you?  Design: Steve Webb | Photo: S Migaj on Unsplash Today’s Bible Translation Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 57 HCSB; Ch. 58 NCV; Ch. 59 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. Please rate or review the show by clicking the heart! Experiencing God (2021 Edition): Knowing and Doing the Will of God By Henry & Richard Blackaby, Claude V. King / B&H Books Experience the book that has restored, reoriented, and renewed millions of people—now thoroughly updated with seven new chapters and dozens of additional stories! Whether you’re reading it for the first time or eager to encounter a fresh edition of the classic text you already love, you’ll not be the same when you finish it. 368 pages, hardcover from B&H.

Why does God conceal some things instead of explaining everything? Proverbs 25:2 answers that question in a surprising way. Rather than eliminating mystery, the verse reveals that divine mystery is part of God’s glory. At the same time, it invites believers to search the Scriptures with humility and curiosity. In this episode of Verses We Missed, we explore Proverbs 25:2 and a question many believers whisper in seasons of uncertainty: why doesn’t God explain more? Although the verse doesn’t remove the fog entirely, it does reveal something beautiful—mystery is not a flaw in the Christian life. Instead, it can be part of the glory of God, and our response to that mystery reveals something about us. You can explore more episodes in the series at Recent Episodes. This is a mid-week breath of Scripture and grace. The Glory of Hidden Things Proverbs 25:2 (ESV) Have you ever come to a passage of Scripture and thought, “Why didn’t God just say more?” Or have you walked through a season of life and found yourself saying, “Lord, I don’t understand what You’re doing”? There are moments when faith feels less like standing on solid ground and more like standing in fog. And yet, Proverbs 25:2 reminds us that the fog is not always a sign of God’s absence. Sometimes it is a reminder of His greatness. You can read this verse in other translations at ESV.org here: Proverbs 25:2 (ESV) “It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out.” One sentence. Two glories. God’s glory is seen in concealing. A king’s glory is seen in searching. However, these two are not at odds. Rather, they are designed to work together. This is a mid-week breath of Scripture and grace. Understanding the Context of Proverbs 25 Proverbs 25 begins a new section of the book. Verse 1 tells us these were proverbs of Solomon that were copied by the men of Hezekiah, king of Judah. In other words, this wisdom was preserved for leadership—for rulers, for responsibility, and for those who needed discernment. Therefore, it makes sense that the first proverb in this section sets the tone. It teaches that God’s glory is seen in concealing, while the glory of kings is seen in searching. As a result, the verse invites us to see wisdom as both received and pursued. What Does Proverbs 25:2 Mean? The meaning of Proverbs 25:2 is built around a beautiful tension: God is infinite, and we are not. Because God is the Creator, His wisdom is not merely larger than ours—it is of a different order. Consequently, there will always be truths that remain beyond our ability to fully comprehend. And yet, that does not mean God is unknowable. Instead, it means He is not exhaustively knowable. Therefore, we can know Him truly, even if we cannot know Him fully. Moreover, what He has revealed is enough for faith, obedience, and worship. So when Proverbs 25:2 says it is the glory of God to conceal things, it is not accusing God of being unclear. Rather, it is proclaiming that His greatness cannot be reduced to what we can immediately grasp. The Glory of God in Concealing The word “glory” speaks of weight, honor, splendor—the visible expression of greatness. And Proverbs 25:2 says something that may surprise us: God’s glory is seen not only in what He reveals, but also in what He conceals. That does not mean God hides truth to play games with His people. Instead, His concealment highlights His infinite wisdom and reminds us that He is God and we are not. In fact, this is what theologians have long called the incomprehensibility of God—not that God cannot be known, but that He cannot be fully known. As Romans 11:33 puts it, God’s judgments are “unsearchable” and His ways are “inscrutable.” However, unsearchable does not mean irrational, and inscrutable does not mean arbitrary. Rather, it means infinite. Therefore, mystery can steady us instead of unsettling us, because the God whose ways are beyond us is also the God who has clearly revealed His goodness in Christ. The Glory of Kings in Searching The second half of Proverbs 25:2 says, “but the glory of kings is to search things out.” In ancient Israel, kings were responsible for justice, discernment, and wise governance. As a result, they could not rule by impulse. They had to investigate, examine, and weigh matters carefully. This creates a beautiful truth for the Christian life: divine incomprehensibility does not cancel human responsibility. Because while God is infinite, He has also revealed real truth. Therefore, searching is not presumption—it is obedience. When you open your Bible and linger over a difficult passage, when you compare Scripture with Scripture, when you look up cross-references and ask honest questions, you are not putting God on trial. Rather, you are sitting at His feet. There is a difference between demanding, “Explain Yourself,” and praying, “Lord, teach me.” Proverbs 25:2 commends the second. Why God’s Mystery Helps Us Grow If God revealed everything instantly and effortles

Podcast Introduction Our reading today is 2 Samuel 15-19, and I’m calling the episode “A House Divided.” Comments on 2 Samuel 15-19 Reading chapters 15-19 is like reading an adventure novel, isn’t it? There’s the dysfunctional family, where the son of the king leads a national revolt, there’s raw ambition, betrayal, loyalty, sex, spies, murder, revenge and heartbreak. It’s all there. And it’s all real. These events really happened.  Where to begin? I think we need to talk about David. There are so many characters in these five chapters that we could talk about at length, but we have limited time, and David is the central character. He is the man God called, “…a man after my own heart…”. In chapter 15, after David had been told that Absalom was leading a conspiracy against him, David decided that it would be best for everyone in Jerusalem if he and his household fled the city. In this exodus, Zadok the priest and all the Levites joined David, bringing the Ark of the Covenant with them.  Did you notice that? What was the significance of the Ark? To these people, the Ark was the very presence of God. It stands to reason that when David found out that they had brought the Ark out of Jerusalem to be with him, he would be pleased to have it.  But that is not what happened. Verses 25-26: Then the king instructed Zadok to take the Ark of God back into the city. “If the Lord sees fit,” David said, “he will bring me back to see the Ark and the Tabernacle again. 26But if he is through with me, then let him do what seems best to him.” David had learned to trust God. He had also learned from the way God removed King Saul and put David in his place, that it would be foolish of him to try to hold onto the throne if God had decided that David should be replaced.  But David did not just resign himself to whatever the circumstances would bring. He made plans to counter Absalom’s attack, and God ultimately showed that he was not finished with David.  Through these five chapters, we see several examples of David’s humility. He told Ittai that since he and his kinsmen were guests in Israel they should not feel like they had to follow him, he publicly wept over Abasalom’s betrayal and told his army that they should deal gently with Absalom, he let Shimei harass him, he mourned Absalom’s death even to the point that his general, Joab, chastised him for making it seem that he cared more for this dead son than the ones who had fought so hard for him, plus several other acts of kindness. David knew that it was God’s grace that kept him on the throne. He truly was a man after God’s own heart. Design: Steve Webb | Photo: João Vítor Duarte on Unsplash Today’s Bible Translation Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 15 NLT, Ch. 16-17 ERV, Ch. 18-19 CEV Today’s Music 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. Please rate or review the show by clicking the heart! Experiencing God (2021 Edition): Knowing and Doing the Will of God By Henry & Richard Blackaby, Claude V. King / B&H Books Experience the book that has restored, reoriented, and renewed millions of people—now thoroughly updated with seven new chapters and dozens of additional stories! Whether you’re reading it for the first time or eager to encounter a fresh edition of the classic text you already love, you’ll not be the same when you finish it. 368 pages, hardcover from B&H.

Podcast Introduction Our reading today is Exodus 25-28, and I’m calling the episode “The God of Details.” Comments on Exodus 25-28 The first time I read these chapters, I was struck by the detail of God’s instructions. Nothing was left out. Everything that was to go into the tabernacle was intricately laid out, from the materials to use, to the measurements, to the design, to the placement of the items.  But of course, that God thought of every detail is not at all surprising, right? He is a God of details. Think of creation itself. Think of our solar system. If it were not for the details of how our solar system is laid out, life as we know it on Earth could not exist. If we were just a little closer to the sun, or just a little further, the temperature would not support life. If the Earth was not the size it is, gravity would be too great or not great enough. The examples I could give go on and on. Think of the incredible detail of our bodies. The way the cells work, the way our nervous system works, our brains, our muscles. Think of the details in a snowflake, and how, supposedly, no two snowflakes are alike. Details. There are nearly an infinite amount of details in our universe. And all of them work together.  Beloved, there is no way in the world that anyone could convince me that creation happened by chance. There are too many details for that. And I am not speaking as just a religious fanatic. I have a degree in biology. I know some science. I’m not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but I’m not completely ignorant about these things.  Let me switch gears for just a moment. I got to wondering about the materials that God told Moses to collect as offerings. What I found was interesting to me, so hopefully you’ll find this interesting, too. Gold: This represents deity. Gold cannot be made by man. It can only be made by God. The gold refers to the fact that Jesus is divine. Silver: Represents redemption. In Scripture, silver was always the money used for redemption. Joseph was sold for silver, as was Jesus. Silver speaks of the redemption that comes only through Jesus.  Bronze: Represents judgement. It has an extremely high melting point, so it was used in the altar where burnt offerings were made. Bronze speaks of the judgement that Jesus took upon Himself to atone for the sin of mankind.  The blue yarn represents Heaven, because it is the color of the sky.  The purple yarn is symbolic of Royalty. Jesus is the King of kings and Lord of lords. To make purple, you mix blue and red. The blue, as I said, speaks of Heaven, and red represents Sacrifice, blood and death. Thus, the purple speaks of the deity of Jesus and the sacrifice He made as man. He is, after all, God and Man. And as I said, the scarlet, or red yarn, is symbolic of the Sacrifice.  Fine linen is symbolic of the Purity and righteousness of Jesus, the spotless, pure, sinless sacrifice. Goat’s hair represents the sin offering. Goats were very common and were used for many things, including food, and dairy, their skins were used for clothing and carrying water, and their hair was used to make yarn for clothing. Goats were sacrificial animals, too. The yarn made from their hair was coarse and drab, which speaks of the humanity of Jesus. Rams skins, dyed red symbolize the substitutionary sacrifice. God provided a ram as the substitute for Isaac when God tested Abraham’s faith. And the ram’s skin was died red to show the sacrifice of the substitute. In the translation we read today, the next item required by God is manatee skins. The KJV says badger skins. Another translation says “another type of durable leather.” In other words, we don’t know exactly what the original Hebrew means. But we can surmise the meaning. It was to be an outer covering of a skin that was very durable and probably looked very nondescript, which speaks of Jesus’ humanity.  We are told in Isaiah 53:2 that “He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.” I’m going to speed things up here and just tell you the symbolism, and not go into detail. Not that the details aren’t interesting, to me anyway, but in the interest of time. So next on the list is Acacia wood. This speaks of the incorruptible humanity of Jesus. The Oil represents the anointing of the Holy Spirit. The Spices for the oil and incense represent a sweet smelling fragrance to God. So many details, with so much meaning. And you can be sure, we just scratched the surface. Our God is infinite in so many ways, isn’t He, beloved? Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Jan Tinneberg on Unsplash Today’s Bible Translation Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 25-28 HCSB 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

Podcast Introduction Our reading today is  2 Corinthians 9-10, and I’m calling the episode “Take Control of Your Thoughts.” Comments on 2 Corinthians 10 As we have mentioned before, there are those in the church at Corinth who did not recognize Paul’s authority as an apostle. Much of this chapter has Paul defending that authority. Not for his own benefit, but for theirs. What he has to say is important. After all, as an apostle he is bringing God’s message…and they should receive it as from God. In the first five verses of chapter 10, Paul is introducing this concept, and he mentions that this is a spiritual matter, a spiritual battle even.  “1By the humility and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you—I, Paul, who am “timid” when face to face with you, but “bold” toward you when away! 2I beg you that when I come I may not have to be as bold as I expect to be toward some people who think that we live by the standards of this world. 3For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:1-5 NIV For today’s discussion, I want to focus on the last part of that last sentence:  “…we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” Is that even possible? Can we really take our thoughts captive and make them obedient to Christ?  Before I begin to answer the question, let’s remember what Paul the apostle, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, wrote to his young protege Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:16:  16All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17so that the servant of Godmay be thoroughly equipped for every good work. Beloved, I believe that. I believe what Paul said there. I do believe that *all* scripture is the God-breathed Word of God. So if Paul was able to “…take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ”, I believe you and I can do it, too. First let’s understand why we would even want to do this. Paul was doing battle with worldly ideas…ideas that were counter to his mission. And this was a spiritual battle. Beloved, *we* are in a spiritual battle today. There are forces of darkness all around us that literally want to silence us, and even kill us. If you don’t believe that, then you’re not paying attention. The last thing Jesus did before He ascended to Heaven was to give the disciples (and by extension, us) a mission…a job. He said, “… go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Perhaps more than at any time in human history, certainly more than any time in my lifetime, people need to know the Lord. Freedoms are being eroded around the world. Globalists want to bring every person under subjection. But there is freedom in Christ. Kings and Prime Ministers and Presidents can subjugate our bodies, but they cannot control our minds and souls. When we belong to Christ, we are free. And the powers of this world hate that fact. They want to stop the Gospel. Don’t believe me? Just wait. You’ll see. The spiritual battle we are in is ramping up. It’s already in full swing in some parts of the world, with Christians literally being killed for their faith. According to OpenDoorsUSA.com, in 2021 4,761 Christians were martyred. And persecution against Christians has risen for 15 consecutive years. With the speed at which changes are happening in the world today, do you doubt that it can come to any nation? I don’t. Yes, we are in a spiritual battle, and each of us is called to engage. On yesterday’s show, I talked about putting on the full armor of God when we discussed resisting temptation. Obviously, that is an aspect of spiritual warfare which goes hand in hand with what Paul is saying in today’s scripture…”tak(ing) captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” So how do we do it? How do we take control of our thoughts?  First, we must be aware of when our thoughts are out of bounds, and then stop them. Romans 12:2 says, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” This cannot be done only through a mere act of will, but it can be done through the power of the Holy Spirit.  Our minds are wonderful things, but they can only focus on one thing at a ti

Podcast Introduction Our reading today is Luke 1-2, and I’m calling the episode “The Child’s Answers.” Comments on Luke 2 We’re obviously just a couple weeks past Christmas, but it’s always good to read the account of Jesus’ birth. But in reading such familiar chapters as these first two of Luke, we run the risk of not really hearing them, don’t you think? Every Christmas season, we hear these verses read. So can we find anything new? Is it important to see something new? I think the answer to that question is probably different for each person, because each of us has a completely unique walk with God. At my age, I’ve probably heard or read Luke 1 and 2 many hundreds, if not thousands of times. And I love it when God shows me something I haven’t seen before. Let’s see if this gives you a new insight. When Jesus was twelve years old and stayed behind in the temple, as Mary and Joseph were returning to Nazareth, we are told in Luke 2: 46 and 47, “46Then, after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. 47And all who heard Him were amazed at His understanding and His answers.” Verse 46 said Jesus was listening to them and asking them questions. Listening and asking. But 47 says those who heard him were amazed at His understanding and His answers. His answers.  What do you make of that? If He’s listening and asking, why is He giving answers?  In the past, when I read these or heard these verses, I never thought very deeply about this little vignette. I just thought of the boy Jesus as sort of just a smart, as in intelligent, 12 year old. Sure, He is God, but He’s also just a kid. I thought He was just asking good questions for a kid. But today, as I was thinking about this, it occurred to me that in listening to the rabbis, and asking them questions, the questions were more like the probing questions that a university professor might ask a classroom of grad students. Jesus wasn’t asking questions to gain understanding, he was asking questions to cause the rabbis to think deeper. Which would precipitate questions from the rabbis to Jesus, asking for clarification and direction, perhaps. Or hints, like a student might ask a professor. And I think the answers Jesus gave might have brought more questions to their minds than answers.  Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Mick Haupt on Unsplash Today’s Bible Translation Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 1 ERV; Ch. 2 NASB 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. Please rate or review the show by clicking the heart! Experiencing God (2021 Edition): Knowing and Doing the Will of God By Henry & Richard Blackaby, Claude V. King / B&H Books Experience the book that has restored, reoriented, and renewed millions of people—now thoroughly updated with seven new chapters and dozens of additional stories! Whether you’re reading it for the first time or eager to encounter a fresh edition of the classic text you already love, you’ll not be the same when you finish it. 368 pages, hardcover from B&H.

Podcast Introduction Our reading today is  Jeremiah 32-36, and I’m calling the episode “I Can’t Hear You.” Comments Thoughts on Jeremiah 35  The Lord had Jeremiah invite the Rechabites in for a little social activity, and He told Jeremiah to provide wine to them. When it was offered to them, they declined, saying that their ancestor Jonadab told them not to ever drink wine. In addition, they weren’t to build houses, plant crops or build houses to live in. So they had always refrained from doing any of those things. And then God told Jeremiah to tell the people of Judah and Jerusalem that they needed to learn a lesson from the Rechabites. They had no trouble following the command of Jonadab their ancestor, who was only a man. But the people of Judah and Jerusalem refused to follow the command of *GOD*! I’m sure you’ve heard the meme, “You had one job to do….” All they had to do was to not worship any other god but the one true God, and they couldn’t even do that, even when they were reminded by the prophets sent by God time and time again. And time and time again they were warned, “If you keep on in your rebellion, you will pay dearly”, to no avail.  So what does this mean for us? Will we have an excuse? I don’t think so. We have the written Word of God. And today with most of us having smartphones, we have it with us whenever we want to read it. Not to mention this humble podcast.  When we stand before God, will He be pleased with us?   Thoughts on Jeremiah 36 So God tells Jeremiah to write down everything He had told Jeremiah to say to the people of Israel, Judah all the other nations. God said that perhaps once they hear about the coming calamities, they will change their ways. If they do, God will forgive them and bless them. So Jeremiah has Baruch write everything down on the scroll as he dictates what God had told him. Skipping to the point I want to discuss…When King Jehoiakim heard Jeremiah’s friend and scribe, Baruch read what was written, he had the scroll burned in sections, as it was read. He didn’t like what he heard, and in essence he does what a petulant child who puts his fingers in his ears and cries, “Lalalalalah! I can’t hear you!” As if not hearing lets him off the hook. Of course such behavior is not at all effective for a child, and it didn’t work for Jehoiakim.  How foolish it is to ignore warnings and admonitions from God. In Jeremiah’s day, he was the bearer of the Word of God. Today, we have the entire Bible. We have the benefit of being able to study what it says, so that we know what will please, or displease God. So, of course, everyone who hears it automatically heeds what it says, right? Not so much. Like Jehoiakim, many choose to act as if it never existed. They ignore it. And that’s why the world is in such bad shape today. All we can do, beloved, is continue to live for the Lord and share the Good News whenever the Holy Spirit gives us the opportunity.  Design: Steve Webb | Photo: kyle smith on Unsplash Today’s Bible Translation Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 32 ESV, Ch. 33-36 NET 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. Please rate or review the show by clicking the heart! Experiencing God (2021 Edition): Knowing and Doing the Will of God By Henry & Richard Blackaby, Claude V. King / B&H Books Experience the book that has restored, reoriented, and renewed millions of people—now thoroughly updated with seven new chapters and dozens of additional stories! Whether you’re reading it for the first time or eager to encounter a fresh edition of the classic text you already love, you’ll not be the same when you finish it. 368 pages, hardcover from B&H.

Podcast Introduction Our reading today is Job 37-38, and I’m calling the episode “Somethin’ Else.” Comments on Job 37 Elihu talks of how he is frightened of the awesome power of God that he sees in thunder and lightening. If you have ever been in a storm like Elihu is talking about, it is truly awe-inspiring.  I am a southern California native. I’ve been here almost all of my life, except for two years, when I was seven and eight years old. We rarely have thunderstorms here, and when we do, they are nothing like the ones I have seen in other parts of the country. Here, they rarely last for more than a few minutes. They don’t go on and on with lightening flashes coming from all around. My son, Tim and his wife Val are living in Florida now, about 20 minutes southwest of Disney World. A couple months ago he made a video call from his phone while they were out shopping. A thunderstorm had already been going for about a half and hour, and the rain was just pouring down in buckets, with thunder and lightening happening probably two or three times a minute. Maybe more. It was crazy. We stayed on the call for about a half hour, and it was still going when we ended the call. We do not get that kind of weather here.  My point is, even if we did, seeing that kind of display is only a faint shadow of the power of God. Think of it this way. I don’t know if God used a Big Bang to bring the universe into existence or if it all just appeared the way it is, by His Word. It doesn’t really matter to me. But here’s the thing. Scientists say that the universe seems to be expanding in all directions, and they say it’s because of the explosion that they call the big bang. Imagine the power! And the explosion that is still in motion after all those years! And what was the cause of it? God’s Word. God said, “Let there be….” and WHAMMO! it happened. And it is still going. Yes, God’s power is somethin’ else. And yes, we should have a respect for His power, and a fear, even, if we do not have a relationship with Him. But get a hold of this concept. Even with all of this power, this God with infinite power and infinite knowledge, this God who is everywhere at once, who is outside of time and space, wants so much to have a relationship with us that He gave all of that up to inhabit a human body for 33 years and then suffer an excruciating death, and glorious resurrection in order to pay the price for our sin. If He would do that, then I don’t fear him like Elihu did. I worship Him. I adore Him. I owe everything to Him. And I look forward to the day when I see Him face to face, when I have no doubt that I will fall on my knees at His presence.  Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Clinton Naik on Unsplash Today’s Bible Translation Bible translation used in today’s episode: Today’s Music 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. Please rate or review the show by clicking the heart! Experiencing God (2021 Edition): Knowing and Doing the Will of God By Henry & Richard Blackaby, Claude V. King / B&H Books Experience the book that has restored, reoriented, and renewed millions of people—now thoroughly updated with seven new chapters and dozens of additional stories! Whether you’re reading it for the first time or eager to encounter a fresh edition of the classic text you already love, you’ll not be the same when you finish it. 368 pages, hardcover from B&H.

In this episode of Verses We Missed, we explore Matthew 11:12 and one of the most puzzling statements Jesus ever made. What did He mean when He said the kingdom of heaven “suffers violence”? Far from endorsing physical force, Jesus reveals the urgent, decisive nature of repentance. The kingdom does not drift quietly into history—and no one drifts quietly into it. You can explore more episodes in the series at Recent Episodes. This is a mid-week breath of Scripture and grace. No One Drifts Into the Kingdom Matthew 11:12 (NASB95) Have you ever noticed how easy it is to become spiritually familiar? We read. We listen. We nod along. But we don’t always respond. In Matthew 11:12, Jesus says something that has unsettled readers for centuries. You can read the passage in other translations at ESV.org here: Matthew 11:12 (NASB95) “From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and violent men take it by force.” That sounds intense. Almost disruptive. But Jesus is not describing aggression. He is describing urgency. This week on Verses We Missed, we slow down and examine the Greek verb biazetai—a word that has sparked centuries of discussion—and discover what it reveals about entering the kingdom of heaven. This is a mid-week breath of Scripture and grace. Understanding the Context of Matthew 11:12 When Jesus says, “From the days of John the Baptist until now,” He marks a hinge in redemptive history. For centuries the kingdom was promised. With John, it was announced. With Jesus, it was present. The long-anticipated reign of God was no longer distant—it had broken into history. And whenever the kingdom advances, it provokes a response. The Verb That Stumps Scholars The Greek word translated “suffers violence” is biazetai. It can carry the sense of being attacked—or advancing forcefully. The tension of the word mirrors the tension of the moment. The kingdom advances powerfully. And that very advance produces two responses: Resistance from those who feel threatened Urgent repentance from those who recognize their need Darkness resists light. But the desperate press in. The Violence of Repentance This verse does not teach political conquest or physical aggression. Jesus rebuked Peter’s sword. His kingdom does not advance through coercion. The “violence” here is directed inward. It is the violence of surrender. The force of repentance. The tearing down of pride and self-rule. No one drifts into salvation. No one wanders accidentally into the reign of Christ. Entering the kingdom requires decisive response. An Invitation to Respond If you have been spiritually curious but not surrendered, this verse invites you to move. Curiosity observes. Desperation acts. The door of the kingdom is open—but entrance requires repentance and trust in Christ. And if you already belong to Him, this passage gently asks: Have you grown comfortable? Has urgency faded into familiarity? The kingdom is still advancing. The question is whether we are pressing in. Final Thought From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven advances. Some resist. Others repent. But no one remains neutral. The kingdom of heaven is not entered by the curious. It is entered by the desperate.

Podcast Introduction Our reading today is Psalms 54-56, and I’m calling the episode “Say It Isn’t So.” Comments on Psalms 54-56 Introduction to Psalm 54 The title of this psalm is “To the Chief Musician. With stringed instruments. A Contemplation of David when the Ziphites went and said to Saul, ‘Is David not hiding with us?’” The Ziphites betrayed David to Saul twice. We read about these betrayals in 1 Samuel 23 and 1 Samuel 26. On both occasions, David was able to escape. This psalm probably refers to the episode in 1 Samuel 23.  Very few psalms give specific musical instructions like this one, which says, “With stringed instruments.” And the Hebrew word for Contemplation (maskil) might be better translated as Instruction. Introduction to Psalm 55 The title of this psalm is “To the Chief Musician. With stringed instruments. A Contemplation of David.” There was a time in David’s life when one of his sons, Absalom, tried to overthrow David as king. During this rebellion one of David’s most trusted men, Ahithophel, sided with Absalom. This psalm seems to have been written during this period of David’s life. However, in verse 15 David calls to God to send his enemies to Sheol (another word for Hell), when we know from other scriptures that David did not want harm to come to Absalom. So it is possible that this psalm is about another time in David’s life that we do not have record of. Introduction to Psalm 56 The title of this psalm is “To the Chief Musician. Set to ‘The Silent Dove in Distant Lands.’ A Michtam of David when the Philistines captured him in Gath.” “Set to ‘The Silent Dove in Distant Lands” is probably an instruction to sing this psalm to the tune of a song that was known at the time. Scholars do not know the precise meaning of the word michtam. It is possible that it refers to something made of gold, so in connection with a psalm, a michtam might be something so precious that it was to be engraved in gold.  We read of David’s capture by the Philistines in 1 Samuel 21:10-15. This was a difficult time for him when he was afraid and alone. He didn’t know if he would survive. Comments on Psalm 55 A psalm of David in which he has been greatly hurt by his enemies, especially one who had been a trusted friend and ally.  12 I would be able to take it if one who hates me were putting me to shame. I could hide from him. It is not one who hates me who has put himself up against me. 13 But it is you, a man like myself, one who has gone with me, my close friend. 14 We shared together. And we walked with the people in the house of God. This person is not identified, but it seems more than likely that it is Ahithophel, who was a trusted counselor to David. During Absalom’s revolt against his father, Ahithophel deserted David and supported Absalom. Not only did David have to deal with the heartbreak of his own son turning against him, but that of one who gave him counsel, helped him, and knew his idiosyncrasies, strengths and weaknesses.  20 He goes against those who were at peace with him. He has broken his agreement. 21 What he says is smoother than butter, but war is in his heart. His words are softer than oil, yet they are raised swords. Have you ever been betrayed by someone close to you? Someone you trusted? It’s a heartbreak unlike any other. But such is the condition of the human heart. Who can trust it? The first time it happened to me was when I was a young teenager, maybe 12 or 13 years old. I don’t remember my exact age, but a friend of mine who lived a few doors down from me, someone whom I had been friends with since about the fourth or fifth grade, broke into our garage when my family and I were out of town on a vacation. When we got home, I found that the tires on my minibike had been stolen. As it turned out, it was this friend and some other boys who had done the deed. I couldn’t believe it. I was crushed, and it took a long time to get over it. I couldn’t trust him. I’ve forgiven him in the intervening years, but we never spoke again.   But David knows who can be trusted: 22 Give all your cares to the Lord and He will give you strength. He will never let those who are right with Him be shaken. Yes, the betrayal of a friend cuts deep, but we do have Someone who will never let us down. Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Toa Heftiba on Unsplash Today’s Bible Translation Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 54 NET; Ch. 55 NLV; Ch. 56 ESV 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. Please rate or review the show by clicking the heart! Experiencing God (2021 Edition)

Podcast Introduction Our reading today is  2 Samuel 10-14, and I’m calling the episode “The Runaway Train.” Comments on 2 Samuel 11 In this account, we see how what we might consider a small sin begin a chain of sinful actions that, like a runaway locomotive, can cause terrible destruction and heartache. A seemingly small, insignificant sin can quickly spiral into a disastrous web of deceit and horrendous sins that affect the lives of more people than we could ever anticipate. Let’s climb on board the sin train with David for a moment and see what happens. As we have seen, David usually goes to war with his armies, but as chapter 11 begins, we see that this year, for some reason he decided to send Joab and the army out, while he stayed behind in the comfort of his palace. This could be considered his first sin, if he stayed behind because of laziness or complacency.  Next, he seems unable to sleep, so he goes to the palace rooftop and sees a woman bathing.  Two questions here. Why is he unable to sleep? Is he feeling guilty for not being with his army? Perhaps. Second question: why is Bathsheba bathing where she can be seen?  The train is picking up a little speed. What does David do? Instead of averting his eyes, as a married man of God should do, he watches her. Yes, it’s a natural reaction, because most men are undoubtedly attracted by the female form. And since he lingers there, watching the very beautiful (according to the text) Bathsheba, lust gets hold of David.  The train is speeding up even more. So David asks who this woman is. The train whistle is blowing. The train is going faster and faster.  Then a giant red signal light shines on the track. A messenger tells David that this is the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite. David runs the red light. Instead of stopping, David sent for her. The sin train is gathering more speed. Bathsheba came to David, and they had sex. Notice that there is no word of Bathsheba putting up any resistance. They are both culpable in this whole sequence of events. Faster and faster. When David finds out that she is pregnant, David knows that he is in trouble, so he calls Uriah back from the battlefield, thinking that Uriah will come home and have sex with Bathsheba. Then there would be the possibility that the father of the baby is Uriah. But Uriah is a better man than David, and refuses the comforts of home while his army brethren are fighting a war. So now David has Uriah placed in a hot zone where he is sure to die in battle. The train is at full speed and headed for a cliff. Notice, at this point David has pulled Joab, his general, into the web of deceit. Joab is forced to become an accessory to murder by sending Uriah into battle, and then leaving him there with no backup.  The consequences of this chain of events were many, and they could have all been avoided if David had stopped the train at any point along the way, but once we give in to our own desires, it can *feel* like there’s just no stopping.  That’s why in several scriptures we are told to flee from sin. At the first sign of temptation, the best advice is to flee from it. Don’t try to tough it out. If you’re a Star Trek fan, you’ve no doubt heard the phrase, “Resistance is futile.” Don’t play with sin. Flee from it. Had David gone back inside when he first saw Bathsheba, none of this would have happened. Flee from sin. Put as much distance between you and it as you can, as fast as you can.  Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Gary Doughty on Unsplash Today’s Bible Translation Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 10-12 NET; Ch. 13-14 NLT Today’s Music Jimmie Bratcher Today’s Song: Doctor, Doctor 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. Please rate or review the show by clicking the heart! Experiencing God (2021 Edition): Knowing and Doing the Will of God By Henry & Richard Blackaby, Claude V. King / B&H Books Experience the book that has restored, reoriented, and renewed millions of people—now thoroughly updated with seven new chapters and dozens of additional stories! Whether you’re reading it for the first time or eager to encounter a fresh edition of the classic text you already love, you’ll not be the same when you finish it. 368 pages, hardcover from B&H.

Podcast Introduction Our reading today is  2 Corinthians 6-8, and I’m calling the episode “Hop To.” Comments on 2 Corinthians 6 We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For He says: “In an acceptable time I have heard you,And in the day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 2 Corinthians 6:1-2 NKJV How marvelous! God calls us to work with Him! As God, He certainly does not need our help. God created the universe without us. Is there any doubt that anything He wants to do can be done without our assistance? Why does He invite us to work with Him? I think He does it for our benefit.  When my boys were young, I would sometimes ask them to “help” me do work around the house. When they were very young they would “help” mow the lawn. When I would change the oil in the cars, I would ask them to hand me tools. Today, all three of my boys have the confidence to work with their hands to do whatever they decide to tackle. Steven, my middle son, recently thanked me for teaching him this skill. He works as a finance manager at a local car dealership, so working with his hands is not required by his job. He was given a new desk for his office, and instead of waiting for his employer to hire someone to assemble the desk, he put it together himself. His colleagues marveled that he was able to do it on his own! But he needed the desk, so he put it together. In his mind, it was no big deal. But they said, “I could never do that.” So he thanked me for teaching him to work with his hands. Top Left to Right: Dad and Tim, Dad and Tim, Tim Steven Dad; Bottom: Tim In my own life, my dad taught me the same lesson. My dad was a bricklayer. He worked with his hands from a very young age. He could do just about anything. I started helping him on bricklaying jobs when I was about ten years old. I would stack bricks, mix cement, clean his tools, whatever he asked me to do. I did that off and on until high school, when I got a summer job as a lifeguard. When I was about eighteen and needed to earn more money, I got a summer job with the company my dad worked for so that I would have enough money that I would not have to work during the college school year. I paid for my own books, I paid the school fees, I had gas money, and whatever I needed. One day on the job, my dad said to me, “I learned a long time ago that when the boss asks you if you can do something say, ‘Yes!’, whether you know how to do it or not. You can always figure out how to do it later. Just tell him, ‘Yes’, and then go figure it out.”  My dad built a very good life for himself using that approach, my business is in it’s thirty-third year thanks to that mind-set, and I have passed it along to my boys.  And now, God has called us to work with Him. You’ll remember what Paul said in chapter 5 of 2 Corinthians, verse 20: “Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.” An ambassador is the representative of the one who sends him. His/her entire mission is to fulfill the agenda, the mission of the person or organization or organization for whom he/she is working. Any authority the ambassador has is *delegated* to him by his superior.  And this, as Paul said in verse 20, is the relationship we have been called to. What a privilege and responsibility! We are workers together with God.  Time to get busy! Hop to! Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Jametlene Reskp on Unsplash Today’s Bible Translation Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 6 NIRV; Ch. 7-8 NIV 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. Please rate or review the show by clicking the heart! Experiencing God (2021 Edition): Knowing and Doing the Will of God By Henry & Richard Blackaby, Claude V. King / B&H Books Experience the book that has restored, reoriented, and renewed millions of people—now thoroughly updated with seven new chapters and dozens of additional stories! Whether you’re reading it for the first time or eager to encounter a fresh edition of the classic text you already love, you’ll not be the same when you finish it. 368 pages, hardcover from B&H.

Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Katya Austin on Unsplash Podcast Introduction In our reading today we’ll complete the Gospel of Mark by reading chapters 15-16, and I’m calling the episode “He Is Alive!” Comments on Today’s Bible Translation Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 15 NCV; Ch. 16 ERV 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. Please rate or review the show by clicking the heart! Experiencing God (2021 Edition): Knowing and Doing the Will of God By Henry & Richard Blackaby, Claude V. King / B&H Books Experience the book that has restored, reoriented, and renewed millions of people—now thoroughly updated with seven new chapters and dozens of additional stories! Whether you’re reading it for the first time or eager to encounter a fresh edition of the classic text you already love, you’ll not be the same when you finish it. 368 pages, hardcover from B&H.

Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Brad Neathery on Unsplash Podcast Introduction Our reading today is Jeremiah 27-31, and I’m calling the episode “Take a Letter.”  Comments on Jeremiah 29 In chapter 29, God told Jeremiah to send a letter to those people who had been taken into captivity by Nebuchadnezzar into Babylon. In essence, God told the people to settle in because they were going to be there for a while. Seventy years to be exact. He told them to go ahead and build homes, plant gardens, have families. And pray that their new hometown would do well, because they will do well when it does. This was a letter of reassurance. God did not want his people to be discouraged or without hope. They were in a sort of time out because of their sins, but He was not abandoning them. In verse 11 he said, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.“ We also should be encouraged. God has not forgotten us. Jesus said in John 14:1-3, “Don’t be worried! Have faith in God and have faith in me. There are many rooms in my Father’s house. I wouldn’t tell you this, unless it was true. I am going there to prepare a place for each of you. After I have done this, I will come back and take you with me. Then we will be together.” I’m looking forward to that day, but until that day arrives, I’m settled in here for the long haul. Today’s Bible Translation Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 27-31 ESV 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. Please rate or review the show by clicking the heart! Experiencing God (2021 Edition): Knowing and Doing the Will of God By Henry & Richard Blackaby, Claude V. King / B&H Books Experience the book that has restored, reoriented, and renewed millions of people—now thoroughly updated with seven new chapters and dozens of additional stories! Whether you’re reading it for the first time or eager to encounter a fresh edition of the classic text you already love, you’ll not be the same when you finish it. 368 pages, hardcover from B&H.

Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Benjamin Child on Unsplash Podcast Introduction Our reading today is Job 35-36, and I’m calling the episode “The Giver of Songs.” Comments on Job 35 Elihu has thus far been no more help to Job than the others have been, and in this chapter Elihu accuses Job of being self-righteous. But he did say one thing that I especially liked in verse 10. Elihu said: He is the One who gives us songs to sing in the night. In our darkest hour, when all seems lost, when we turn to Him and are reminded of who it is that we rely on, with His power and grace and glory, we can sing songs of praise and worship because we know that God is on the throne. I know this because I have been there. I have lain in my bed in the middle of the night, and have felt His presence and poured my heart out to Him, and felt His peace settle over me. And it is in those times when He gives us songs to sing.  During Elihu’s discourse, Elihu pointed out some errors that he thought Job made in his statements, but he did not attack Job’s character unlike Job’s other friends. Job in his suffering did say some untrue things about God, and Elihu addressed those things. He reminded Job that God is God, and Job is not. That’s a good reminder, and one that I am all too glad to embrace. I don’t want the job! Today’s Bible Translation Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 35-36 ERV 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. Please rate or review the show by clicking the heart! Experiencing God (2021 Edition): Knowing and Doing the Will of God By Henry & Richard Blackaby, Claude V. King / B&H Books Experience the book that has restored, reoriented, and renewed millions of people—now thoroughly updated with seven new chapters and dozens of additional stories! Whether you’re reading it for the first time or eager to encounter a fresh edition of the classic text you already love, you’ll not be the same when you finish it. 368 pages, hardcover from B&H.

Podcast Introduction Our reading today is Psalms 51-53, and I’m calling the episode “A Love Song”.  Comments on Psalm 51 Oh my goodness what a beautiful prayer Psalm 51 is. And better than that it must’ve been a beautiful song, as the songs are. And for those of you who might be from the Jesus freak generation as I am, verses 10-13 might have sounded just a little bit familiar. Let me read them to you from the King James Version, which I much prefer for this Psalm. It goes,  Create in me a clean heart, O God;  And renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; And take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; And uphold me with thy free spirit.  Psalm 51: 10-12 KJV Ring a bell? If you thought of Keith Green, then you are correct. If you don’t know Keith Green’s music, I highly recommend you look him up on whatever your preferred music service is. Keith Green put music to these three verses, and literally every time I hear it I end up in tears. Keith went to be with the Lord in 1982 at the age of just 29. He was in a plane crash with two of his children and nine other people. https://youtu.be/BFe4r3qe1x0 So let’s talk about it. Psalm 51 is a song, a prayer even, of a man who loves God and longs to be in a right relationship with Him. It begins with David confessing that he is a sinner in need of forgiveness. He says, “Wash me and I shall be whiter than snow. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.” And then I love this,  13Then I will teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.”  Psalm 51:13 KJV Sounds like David had meaning of the Great Commission a thousand years before Jesus gave it, doesn’t it?  Jesus said, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. And teaching them to obey everything I have command you.” So that goes along with what David said in verse 13.  And then near the end of the Psalm David writes, O Lord, open thou my lips; And my mouth shall shew forth thy praise. For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: Thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: A broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. Psalm 51:15-17 KJV David knew and loved God, don’t you think? There’s no wonder he was called “a man after gods own heart” in I Samuel 13:14 and Acts 13:22.  Today’s Bible Translation Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 51 NIRV, Ch. 52 GNT, Ch. 53 NASB 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. Please rate or review the show by clicking the heart! Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Aachal on Unsplash Experiencing God (2021 Edition): Knowing and Doing the Will of God By Henry & Richard Blackaby, Claude V. King / B&H Books Experience the book that has restored, reoriented, and renewed millions of people—now thoroughly updated with seven new chapters and dozens of additional stories! Whether you’re reading it for the first time or eager to encounter a fresh edition of the classic text you already love, you’ll not be the same when you finish it. 368 pages, hardcover from B&H.

In this episode of Verses We Missed, we explore Zephaniah 3:17 and the breathtaking truth that God rejoices over His redeemed people with joyful singing. Spoken originally to Israel in a context of restoration after judgment, this verse reveals the unchanging heart of God—mighty to save, tender in love, and delighted in His people through the finished work of Jesus Christ. This is a mid-week breath of Scripture and grace. God Sings Over You Zephaniah 3:17 (NLT) Have you ever felt like God was disappointed in you? Like you’ve failed too many times… wandered too far… fallen short again? What if I told you that if you belong to Him, heaven is not sighing over you? It’s singing. This week on Verses We Missed, we slow down and sit with one of the most breathtaking verses in Scripture. You can also read the passage in other translations at ESV.org here. Zephaniah 3:17 (NLT) “For the LORD your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” This is a mid-week breath of Scripture and grace. Understanding the Context The book of Zephaniah is not light reading. It speaks of judgment, accountability, and the Day of the Lord. The prophet addresses Judah—covenant people who had drifted into idolatry and spiritual complacency. But chapter 3 turns toward restoration. After warning comes renewal. After discipline comes delight. And in the middle of that promise, we hear something astonishing: God rejoices over His restored people with singing. This promise was originally spoken to Israel. It is covenant language—historical, specific, and rooted in God’s faithfulness to His people. But what it reveals is the unchanging heart of God. The God Who Saves Zephaniah says, “He is a mighty savior.” This is not a hesitant rescuer. This is a victorious deliverer. For Israel, that meant restoration after exile. For us, through Jesus of Nazareth—the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world—it means rescue from sin, condemnation, and separation from God. The mighty Savior Zephaniah spoke of in shadow is fully revealed in Christ. The God Who Delights “He will take delight in you with gladness.” Not merely tolerate. Not reluctantly forgive. Delight. If you are in Christ, the Father does not see you as barely acceptable. He sees you clothed in the righteousness of His Son. And He delights. The God Who Quiets “With his love, he will calm all your fears.” Some translations say He will quiet you by His love. This is tender language. Intimate language. The kind of quieting that soothes anxiety and steadies trembling hearts. Because of Christ, your greatest fear—condemnation—has already been addressed. “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1) The God Who Sings “He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” The Sovereign Lord sings. Not sarcastically. Not reluctantly. Not quietly approving from a distance. He rejoices. If you belong to Him, the loudest voice over your life is not accusation. It is a song. An Invitation If you don’t yet know Jesus as your Savior, this joy can be yours. The same God who warns of judgment provides rescue through Christ. Jesus lived a sinless life, died as a substitute for sinners, and rose again in victory. “Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.” (Romans 10:13) You can begin that relationship today by placing your trust in Him. Final Thought Zephaniah begins with warning and ends with joy. Judgment is not God’s final word to His covenant people. Restoration is. And singing is. The God who saves… sings.

Podcast Introduction Our reading today is  2 Samuel 5-9, and I’m calling the episode “Follow the Directions.” Comments on 2 Samuel 5 Now that Saul is dead, God finally puts David on the throne. Remember, God first had David anointed King when he was a boy. Probably somewhere between 12 and 15 years of age. And we are told here in chapter 5 that David was 30 years old when he became king. Again, we see that God’s promises are always fulfilled, but not always immediately.  Also note that David still had to fight wars. Just because God promises something does not mean that life will be easy. On the contrary. Growth always comes during times of testing or trial. That is what develops our spiritual strength. With nothing to push against, we become weak and flabby. So don’t complain when life gets hard. Thank God for the trials, and ask Him to be with you and direct your steps through the difficulties. Trust His plan.  Chapter 6: This is a difficult story for some people. Why would God kill Uzzah for merely reaching out to steady the Ark of the Covenant, to keep it from falling off the cart? Let’s dig into this a bit. It’s hard for a lot of people to understand God’s reaction to Uzzah’s actions here, and we’re told that David became angry at God for doing this. So what happened? Why did God do this? Here are the thoughts of scholars. First off, when God gave His instructions to the Israelites on how they were to build the Ark, he was very clear about the most minute detail, including how it was to be transported and who was allowed to move it and who was allowed to touch it. It was never to be put onto a cart, but it was to be carried by Kohathites only. There were two poles that went through two loops on each side of the Ark, and these poles were to be placed on the Kohathite’s shoulders, bearing the Ark between them. No one but a priest was to touch the Ark, because the Ark had the very presence of God upon it. Remember, this all happened before the Messiah had come, and only the priests had direct access to God and only priests could perform the sacrifices that could cover the sins of the people. The Ark represented a holy and awesome (in the very real sense of that word) God, and God had made it very clear how it was to be honored, because it was a reflection on how they were to honor God Himself. So by putting the Ark on the ox drawn cart, they were guilty of transgressing God’s direct instructions. But why was Uzzah killed? Touching the Ark was a direct violation of God’s clear instruction. It could be that God saw the condition of Uzzah’s heart, that he didn’t have the proper attitude toward it. It had been in Uzzah’s house, after all for some time, and he might have become indifferent to it. We must not become indifferent to God. He. Is. God. The creator of all that is. The One who gives us life and sustains us. It could be that Uzzah had a cavalier attitude regarding God’s Word. He didn’t think it was important to sweat the details. Maybe his reaching out to steady the Ark reflected a lack of faith on Uzzah’s part, that God somehow needed his help. What we might want to draw from this is that we need to pay attention to what God says, and we should do all we can to be obedient to Him. Yes, He is loving and He is merciful. But He is also Holy, and it is important that we never forget that. It is His holiness and justice that requires payment for sin. It is His love that made a way for me and you to not have to make the payment for our sins. It is His holiness and justice and love that required the sacrifice of His Son in my place and yours. Because of His holy and just nature, he couldn’t just overlook the sin. It had to be dealt with. I’m thankful that God made a way for me to escape His wrath, and that He has offered that way, that gift, to anyone who will receive it. Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Adrien King on Unsplash Today’s Bible Translation Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 5-8 CEB; Ch. 9 NET 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. Please rate or review the show by clicking the heart! Experiencing God (2021 Edition): Knowing and Doing the Will of God By Henry & Richard Blackaby, Claude V. King / B&H Books Experience the book that has restored, reoriented, and renewed millions of people—now thoroughly updated with seven new chapters and dozens of additional stories! Whether you’re reading it for the first time or eager to encounter a fresh edition of the classic text you already love, you’ll not be the same when you finish it. 368 pages, hardcover from B&H.