Transcript

Today's Bible Translation

Bible translation used in today's episode: Ch. 35-36 ERV

Podcast Introduction

This is Poetry Thursday, and our reading is Job 35-36. The title is this episode is “It’s Not My Job“.

Design: Scott Snider | Photo: Jed Owen on Unsplash

Comments on Job 35-36

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!

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Steve Webb 0:00God is on the throne.

Steve Webb 0:09Coming to you from Riverside, California, this is the Lifespring one year Bible in podcasting since 2004. I'm your og Godcaster. Steve Webb. We do this podcast every day. And we're reading through the entire Bible in a year. And this is poetry Thursday. Our reading today is job 35 and 36. The title of the episode is, it's not my job. Now, before we read, let's pray. Our Heavenly Father, we thank you for our time together here around your word. And I thank you so much for the book of Job. It's always been one of my favorite books. And I pray that as we read today, you'll teach us touch our hearts, touch our minds, touch our spirits. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen. Okay, let's begin.

Steve Webb 0:56Job chapter 35. Eli, you continue talking and said, job, it is not fair for you to say I am more right than God. Because you also ask him, Where is the use of trying to please you? What good will it do me if I don't sin? Job, I want to answer you and your friends here with you. Look up at the sky. Look at the clouds which are so much higher than you. If you sin, it does not hurt God, even if your sins are too many to count that does nothing to God. And if you're good, that does not help God. He gets nothing from you. Job. The good and bad things you do affect only other people like yourself. If people are being hurt, they cry out and beg for protection from those who hurt them. But they forget to say where is God, the one who made me, he is the one who gives us songs to sing in the night. He is the one who makes us smarter than any animal on earth and wiser than any bird. Or if evil people ask God for help, He will not answer them because they are too proud. God will not listen to their worthless begging God all powerful will not pay attention to them. So job God will not listen to you when you say that you don't see him. You say you're waiting for your chance to meet with him and prove that you're innocent job thanks that God does not punish evil and that he pays no attention to sin. So he continues his worthless talking. Everything is said shows he does not know what he's talking about.

Steve Webb 2:24Job chapter 36.

Transcript

Today's Bible Translation

Bible translation used in today's episode: Ch. 51 NIRV, Ch. 52 GNT, Ch. 53 NASB

Podcast Introduction

Today is Psalms Wednesday, and we’ll read 51-53. The show title is “A Clean Heart.” We’ll also have a time of prayer.

Design: Jason Paschall | Photo: Paul Cowan on Shutterstock

Comments on Psalms 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, 

10Create in me a clean heart, O God; 

And renew a right spirit within me.

11Cast me not away from thy presence;

And take not thy holy spirit from me.

12Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation;

And uphold me with thy free spirit. 

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. I would love to play the song for you but the copyright laws prevent me from doing it.

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." 

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,

15O Lord, open thou my lips;

And my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.

16For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it:

Thou delightest not in burnt offering.

17The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit:

A broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

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. 

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Steve Webb 0:00to Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation

Steve Webb 0:11coming to you from Riverside, California, this is the Lifespring one year Bible and podcasting since 2004. I'm your og Godcaster. Steve Webb. This is the daily podcast where we'll read through the entire Bible in a year. And today in Psalms, Wednesday, we'll read chapters 51 through 53. I'm calling this episode a clean heart. Being Wednesday, we'll also have a time of prayer. Before we read, let's pray. Our gracious heavenly Father, we thank You again for the Psalms, what a blessing they are. And I pray, Lord, that You would teach us that you would touch our heart and give us something that we can take away for our lives today. I pray this in Jesus name, amen. Okay, let's begin.

Steve Webb 0:56Psalms chapter 51. God, show me your favor in keeping with your faithful love.

Transcript

Today's Bible Translation

Bible translation used in today's episode: Ch. 5-8 CEB, Ch. 9 NET

Podcast Introduction

Today is History Tuesday, and we’ll read 2 Samuel 5-9. The show title is “No One Said It Would Be Easy.”

Design: Jason Paschall | Photo: Zac Ong on Unsplash

Comments on 2 Samuel 5-6

Thoughts 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. 

Thoughts on 2 Samuel 5

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.

Transcript

Today's Bible Translation

Bible translation used in today's episode: Ch. 17-19 NLV; Ch. 20 NASB

Associate Producer

Jørn Rune Reinertsen

Podcast Introduction

Today is the Law Monday, and we’ll read Exodus 17-20. The show title is ˆFear Not.”

Design: Jason Paschall | Background: Ignitermedia.com

Comments on Exodus 20

Let’s focus on verse 2 of chapter 20, which says, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.”

God spoke these words, and the entire Ten Commandments, to Moses, who was to take them to the people. And God Himself wrote these 10 laws on two stone tablets. It was not Moses who wrote on the tablets, it was God.

Let’s break this sentence down, shall we? There is a tremendous amount of information that we can glean from these words.

"I am the Lord your God…” God is asserting his authority, his right, to establish the Law to which you must be bound. The reason you must be obedient to this Law is that 1) God is the Lord, Jehovah, self-existent, independent, eternal, and the source of everything that is. Therefore, He has the absolute right to rule. 2) He was their God, in covenant, or agreement with them. They agreed to this arrangement. 

“...who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.” Therefore they were bound to obey Him out of gratitude, because He delivered them out of terrible slavery into a liberty they had never known. He redeemed them, and in doing so He had even greater right to rule them. They owed Him their service, their very lives. 

Jesus redeemed us, beloved. And we owe Him our lives, and our service, as well. He freed us from the bondage of sin and death. Out of gratitude and love, we owe Him our very best in all we do. 

The relationship we have with God through Christ is not the same as the one established on Mount Sinai. The people were terrified when they heard the thunder and saw the smoke. They told Moses that they did not want to face God. But Jesus said in John 15:15, “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.” And in Mark chapter 3 Jesus said we are his brothers, if we do God’s will.

Beloved, if we follow Jesus, God is not a God to be terrified of like the children of Israel were when they heard the thunder and saw the smoke at Mount Sinai. Yes, we should have a healthy respect and awe, but not the kind of terror that comes from the uncertainty of an irrational, unreasonable, unpredictable force. God can be surprising, but He has revealed Himself to us through His Word, and we know above all, that He is love, according to 1 John 4:8.

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Transcript

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Transcript corrected by Sister Denise

Steve Webb 0:00I have called you friends.

Steve Webb 0:09Coming to you from Riverside, California, this is the Lifespring! One Year Bible, 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 The Law Monday. We'll read Exodus 17 through 20. And I'm calling today's episode "Fear Not." After the reading and my thoughts on the reading. I've got a couple of comments to share with you today. But before we read, let's pray. Our heavenly Father, how we thank you again for our time together around your Word and we ask, Lord, that you bless this time. Teach us, touch our hearts, and show us how we can apply today's reading to our lives today. I pray this in Jesus' name. Amen. All right, are you ready to begin? Let's go.

Transcript

Today's Bible Translation

Bible translation used in today's episode: Ch. 4-5 NIRV

Podcast Introduction

This is Epistles Sunday, and we’ll read 2 Corinthians 4-5. The show title is ˆThe Time Has Come.”

Design: Scott Snider | Photo: Egor Myznik on Unsplash

Comments on 2 Corinthians 5

Today I’m going to focus on the seventh verse of chapter 5, which just happens to consist of only seven words: We live by believing, not by seeing.

You know, there comes a time in each person’s life where they just have to make a decision. Given the facts that can be known, and accepting that there are some things that cannot be known, we just have to decide and move forward.

I have someone in my life who has a tremendous amount of knowledge about the Word of God, he’s well read, he’s listened to some of the world’s best teachers, he says he believes, and yet he cannot rest in his faith. He continues to have doubts, because there are things of God that he cannot understand. 

My first response is, “Of course you can’t understand it all. God is infinite. We are finite. It would be a small god indeed if we could have perfect understanding of him.” 

Thankfully, God has loving patience. He allows circumstances in our lives that cause us to have to trust Him, and when we see how He was present in those circumstances, our faith grows. 

When our son Steven nearly died, God showed the Lovely Lady LeeAnn and I once more that He is trustworthy. Today, Steven is physically healthy, and he’s doing well in his career. 

My wife and I felt God's presence during Steven’s crisis, and we knew that whatever happened, He would not desert us. It would have been easy to look at circumstances and fall apart. Steven came within a hair’s breadth of dying. During those hours that he was in the operating room, my wife and I certainly were afraid for Steven, and we shed many tears as we cried out to God to spare him, but we didn’t doubt that God had Steven in His hands. And we knew that his being in God’s hands was the very best place that he could be. LeeAnn and I were willing to accept God’s will for Steven and for us, because we were living by believing, not by seeing.

Beloved, there are countless times in each of our lives where we cannot see what lies ahead. We don’t know what God is doing in a given situation. All seems lost, or the way forward is unknown. That is where faith comes in. We live by believing, not by seeing.

Philippians 4:6 and 7 says, “6Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

“The peace of God, which transcends all understanding…” All of the knowledge in the world, all of the “seeing” in the world, will not bring such peace. To have this peace, the peace of God, we need to decide to believe. Put the "need to know" away. You can’t know. Do your due diligence, to be sure, but then, make the decision and let the peace of God guard your heart and mind. He has made promises galore in regards to his love and protection. 

Decide to believe. Rest in God's peace. Live as God guides you.

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Transcript

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Steve Webb 0:00We just have to decide, and move forward.

Steve Webb 0:10This 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 hey, how are you? So good to see you today? This is a pistol Sunday,

Transcript

Today's Bible Translation

Bible translation used in today's episode: Ch. 13 NIRV; Ch. 14 CEV

Associate Producer

Anonymous, Michael Haner

Podcast Introduction

This is Gospel Saturday, and we’ll read Mark 13-14 The show title is ˆA Lingering Aroma.”

Design: Jason Paschall

Comments on Mark 14

You know that fragrances, aromas, smells, can have an enormous effect on us, right? One of the greatest things about the Christmas season is the smell of the Christmas tree in the house. It brings back memories of Christmases past, and it just gets me into the Christmas spirit.

The smell of the classic version of Old Spice after shave takes me back to when I was a little boy and watching my dad shave. 

The Lovely Lady LeeAnn has a favorite perfume that whenever I catch a whiff of it, it makes me think of her. 

As I was reading this chapter, which I have read many, many times, something occurred to me that I’ve never thought of before. It was when Jesus was in the home of Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised from the dead, and his sisters Mary and Martha. 

You may remember an earlier time when Jesus visited their home. Jesus was speaking and Martha was busy being a hostess, probably preparing a meal, making sure everyone was comfortable and keeping the house in order. Mary was sitting at Jesus’ feet, hanging on every word. Martha finally complained to Jesus that Mary wasn’t doing her fair share of the work. Jesus said, “Calm down, Martha. It’s ok. Don’t worry about the little things. Concentrate on what is important.” 

Here in our chapter today, Jesus knows that his crucifixion is literally just hours away and he has come to visit his beloved friends one last time. And Mary, from a deep love for this man who has been such a good and true friend, pours an expensive and sweet smelling perfume on His head. From the account of this scene in John’s gospel, we see that it must have run down all the way to His feet, because she wiped His feet dry with her hair.

Some of the other guests who saw this got upset at this. They said, “We could have sold the perfume for more than 300 silver coins and given the money to the poor!” And they said some nasty things to her. 

But Jesus told them to leave her alone. He said, “She has done a beautiful thing for me. 7 You will always have the poor with you. And whenever you want to, you can give to them. But you won't always have me here with you. 8She has done all she could by pouring perfume on my body to prepare it for burial. 9You may be sure that wherever the good news is told all over the world, people will remember what she has done. And they will tell others.”

Now here’s the part that I’ve never thought of before. Back then, people rarely bathed. So there is every possibility that Jesus still had the aroma of that sweet perfume on Him when He was taken to be tried in front of the Sanhedrin, when He was then taken to Pilate, and when He was beaten, and when He hung on the cross.

I can imagine Him catching the aroma during the beating. When he was hanging, in agony, on the cross. You know that there was a part of Him that remembered this beautiful, loving sacrifice that Mary made for him, and the love and admiration in her eyes when she poured it on His head and wiped His feet with her hair. And I think it made Him think of His love for her, and for you and for me. I think it helped to give Him comfort in the darkest hour anyone has ever experienced.

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Steve Webb 0:00Don't worry about the little things.

Steve Webb 0:09It's the Lifespring one year Bible coming to you from Riverside, California and podcasting since 2004.

Transcript

Today's Bible Translation

Bible translation used in today's episode: Ch. 22-24 NLV; Ch. 25-26 ESV

Podcast Introduction

This is Prophecy Friday, and we’ll read Jeremiah 22-26 The show title is ˆTime To Decide.”

Design: Jason Paschall | Photo: Leehu Zysberg on pixabay.com

Comments on Jeremiah 26

1 In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came from the Lord: 2 “Thus says the Lord: Stand in the court of the Lord's house, and speak to all the cities of Judah that come to worship in the house of the Lord all the words that I command you to speak to them; do not hold back a word. 3 It may be they will listen, and every one turn from his evil way, that I may relent of the disaster that I intend to do to them because of their evil deeds. 4 You shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord: If you will not listen to me, to walk in my law that I have set before you, 5 and to listen to the words of my servants the prophets whom I send to you urgently, though you have not listened, 6 then I will make this house like Shiloh, and I will make this city a curse for all the nations of the earth.’”

Jeremiah 26:1-6 (ESV)

A prophet of God is one who speaks what God has told him to say. Prophecy is not only telling what will happen. Prophecy is delivering God's message. Here in chapter 26, God gave a very specific message to Jeremiah, and He told Jeremiah to speak "... all the words that I command you to speak to them; do not hold back a word."

Given the message that Jeremiah was to deliver, it took quite a lot of courage to do this. He was to go to the Temple court. This was a large area where a lot of people gathered. By all accounts, Jeremiah seems to have been a quiet man, a retiring man, not a man who relished the limelight. 

And in His instructions, God told Jeremiah, "It may be they will listen, and every one turn from his evil way, that I may relent of the disaster that I intend to do to them because of their evil deeds." When God said, "It may be that they will listen," He knew, of course, how His message would be received, but He wanted Jeremiah to deliver the message with a hopeful heart. He wanted Jeremiah to communicate to the people in a way that told them that their future was in their hands, not as if the decision to bring judgement was a foregone conclusion.

So Jeremiah obediently followed the Lord's instructions. To the letter. 

And when the people heard the message, they "... laid hold of him, saying, “You shall die!'" And the text says, "And all the people gathered around Jeremiah in the house of the Lord."

This was an angry mob. They were bent on killing him because they didn't like his message. Even the priests and prophets said, “This man deserves the sentence of death, because he has prophesied against this city..." They seem to have thought that Jeremiah was a traitor. They thought that he was against Jerusalem.

And Jeremiah made his case to the officials and all the people. He said, "“The Lord sent me to prophesy against this house and this city all the words you have heard. 13 Now therefore mend your ways and your deeds, and obey the voice of the Lord your God, and the Lord will relent of the disaster that he has pronounced against you." 

Jeremiah restated exactly what the Lord told him to say. He didn't soften his words. He didn't try to make it any easier to hear. He faithfully delivered the message. Do you think that was an easy thing to do? In the face of an angry mob who had just threatened his life? 

And he went on to say, " But as for me, behold, I am in your hands. Do with me as seems good and right to you. 15 Only know for certain that if you put me to death, you will bring innocent blood upon yourselves and upon this city and its inhabitants, for in truth the Lord sent me to you to speak all these words in your ears.”

I don't think Jeremiah spoke defiantly in his defense.

Transcript

Today's Bible Translation

Bible translation used in today's episode: Ch. 31-34 NLT

Associate Producer

James from Norway

Podcast Introduction

This is Poetry Thursday, and we’ll read Job 31-34. The show title is ˆLook Away.”

Design: Jason Paschall | Photo: Jeremy Perkins on Unsplash

Comments on Job 31

There are so many things I could say about our reading today, but I want to focus for a few moments on chapter 31. Job’s youngest accuser, Elihu showed up for the first time in chapter 32, be he’s going to  be with us until chapter 37, so we’ll talk about him next week.

But chapter 31 records Job's words to his accusers. In it, Job lists many different sins that a person could be accused of, and he tells how he is not guilty of any of them.

He starts with one of a man's most common sins: looking with lust at a young woman. How many men can say that he has not done that? He says that he made a covenant with his eyes not to do that. I remember reading that Billy Graham, in all his travels made a similar covenant with his eyes. He would always avert his eyes to the ground when he was in a place where a pretty woman was around. This is a good strategy.

Job asks if he has lied or deceived anyone, and then challenges God to weigh him on the scales of justice.

Job goes on and on, saying that if he has done any of these things, then let one calamity or another happen to him if he has done wrong.

Beloved, it probably goes without saying, but Job was a better man than me. I am far from the paragon of virtue that he was, and I would never say the things he said, because I would expect a righteous God to take me up on the challenges. And I would be left in a heap of hurt.

Except that I wouldn't. Why? Because God sees me as clean. Spotless. As righteous as Job...and even more so. How could this be? Because I have been declared righteous in God's sight. Not by my good works, because as Paul said, my most righteous acts are as filthy rags. But because of what Jesus, my Lord and my Savior has done for me. He gave Himself so that I could be made clean and guiltless. Once I accepted His free gift of salvation, all of my sins were cast as far from me as the east is from the west. I am no longer that wretched soul who had no hope. Now I have the assurance that when the time for me to stand in front of the truly righteous Judge of all mankind, I will be declared worthy to enter eternity with Him, because I belong to Jesus.

If you do not have that kind of confidence, you can have it now. All you have to do is accept Jesus into your heart today. If you want to do that, pray with me right now. Just say these words, either out loud, or quietly.

Dear Jesus, I admit that I am a sinner. I know that I have fallen short of your perfection, and I know that I need your forgiveness. Please, Lord. Come into my life right now. I know that you lived a perfect, sinless life, and that you are the Son of God. I know that you are at the Father's right hand, and that I need you. Please save me now. Help me to be the person you want me to be from this time forward. Thank you for saving me. In your name I pray. Amen.

A sinner's prayer

If you prayed that prayer with me, then this is the most important day of your life. Congratulations. Whether you feel any different now than you did when you started listening to this podcast, or not, the Bible, which is God's perfect Word, tells us that you are now a new creature in Christ. Old things have passed away, and all things are new. 

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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 0:00He's not guilty of any of them.

Steve Webb 0:09This is the Lifespring one year Bible c...

Transcript

Today's Bible Translation

Bible translation used in today's episode: Ch. 48 GWT, Ch. 49 NIV, Ch. 50 CEB

Podcast Introduction

This is Psalms Wednesday, and we’ll read chapters 48-50. The show title is ˆThe Motivation Is Love.”

Design: Jason Paschall | Photo: Zac Durant on Unsplash

Comments on Psalms 50

God, who "owns the cattle on a thousand hills" does not find pleasure in the sacrifice of bulls or rams or (in our modern time) money. What He desires is our heart, our devotion, our thanks, our praise, our "us". He wants a people who acknowledge Him for who He is, and what He has done for us. He wants us to desire to know Him, not go through religious motions with no heart. 

I am deeply in love with my wife, the Lovely Lady LeeAnn. Of all the people on Earth, she is the one who gives me a reason to get up in the morning. She is my world. I still tell her multiple times a day that I love her. But more than that, I still look for ways to show her that I love her. Not because she requires it, but because I love to make her happy. And I would never dream of doing something that I know would make her unhappy, even though, sometimes I do. And when I become aware that I have disappointed her, I try to be quick to apologize.

LeeAnn works outside the home. Most of the time, I do my work from home. On the days when she has to leave early in the morning, I usually get out of bed to make breakfast for her. I don't do this because I have to, or because it's an obligation. I do it because I love her, and it helps to make her day just a little bit better. 

The relationship I have with my wife is a type, an example, of the relationship God wants to have with us. He desires that we love Him. That we tell Him so. That when we do things for Him, it's because of love, not because it's a requirement. As I find joy in doing things to make LeeAnn happy, God wants us to find joy in the things we do for Him. 

Think of all He has done for us, before we even knew Him! He gave us the gift of life. He gave us a beautiful planet on which to live. He gave us music. He gave us sunshine. He gave us rain. He gave us puppies and kittens and the giggles of children. And He gave us His Son, who so selflessly gave His life so that we could have fellowship with God for all eternity.

For the life of me, I cannot understand people who reject such a God as this.

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Steve Webb 0:00What He desires is our hearts, our devotion, our thanks, our praise, our us.

Steve Webb 0:14It's the Lifespring one year Bible and coming to you from Riverside, California, 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 Psalms Wednesday, we'll read chapters 48 through 50. The title of this episode is the motivation is love. Now being Wednesday, this is supposed to be our praises and prayer requests day, but I'm going to push it back a day. As you know, I usually record a day ahead. So this show normally would be recorded on Tuesday. But I'm actually recording the show on Monday because the Lovely Lady LeeAnn and I are going to be spending Tuesday with some lifelong friends, Mark and Karen. I told you a little bit about Mark just recently, well, they live in the Palm Springs area a little over an hour away. And there's an aerial tramway just outside of Palm Springs that takes you from the desert floor, up to an elevation of 8516 feet into the mountains, which are covered in snow right now. There's a couple of restaurants up there. And of course, there are beautiful views. So needless to say,

Transcript

Today's Bible Translation

Bible translation used in today's episode: Ch. 1-2 HCSB, Ch. 3-4 NASB

Podcast Introduction

This isHistory Tuesday, and we’ll read 2 Samuel 1-4 and the show title is “David Takes the Throne.”

Design: Jason Paschall | Photo: Igniter Media

Comments on 2 Samuel 1-4

2 Samuel 1

The man who brought the report of Saul’s death to David made a terrible miscalculation, didn’t he? As we read at the end of 1 Samuel, Saul fell on his own sword because he didn’t want to fall into the hands of the Amalekites. This soldier must have thought that David would be pleased to meet the one who killed Saul, since it was widely known that Saul had been pursuing David for so long. But remember, David had no desire to harm Saul, and considered him to be the Lord’s anointed.

So when David heard that this man killed Saul, he had him executed right there on the spot.

David’s grief over Saul and Jonathan is genuine and deep, as evidenced by the song he wrote and his tearing of his clothes and the mourning, weeping and fasting he and his men did.

2 Samuel 2

In chapter two, we see one of the reasons that David is called “a man after God’s own heart.” He sought God’s direction when Saul was trying to kill him. That’s not surprising. But now that Saul is dead, now that the threat is gone, he doesn’t forget his need of God, and he continues to seek God’s will.

Beloved, we must remember to keep God at the center of our life in good times as well as bad.

So God tells David to go to Hebron, which is a priests’ city and one of the cities of refuge. There he is anointed by the Judahite men as King of the tribe of Judah. 

But Ish-bosheth, a son of Saul and the nephew of Abner, is made king of the rest of Israel. And this sets up the so-called contest between David’s men and Ish-bosheth’s men. 

Abner wants to keep the throne in the family. He wants Ish-bosheth to be king over Judah as well as the rest of the 12 tribes. Everyone knows that David is God’s anointed king, and David has proven that he is willing to wait until God brings it about in HIs own time. But Abner has his own plans.

So he proposes a contest to the general of David’s army, Joab. In order to save face, Joab accepts the challenge. Things got out of hand, and the contestants end up killing each other. This causes the armies on both side to engage, and before you know it a total of 20 of David’s men and 360 of Abner’s men are dead, including the young nephew of David, Asahel, at the hand of Abner.

So now, Israel is a divided kingdom. There is the tribe Judah, the house of David, and the rest of Israel which is under the house of Saul.

2 Samuel 3

In chapter three, Ish-bosheth made a bad mistake. He forgot who really put him in the throne. It was Abner who made it possible for him to take the throne. It was Abner’s cunning and strength as a leader who put him there. Ish-bosheth was not a leader, and he severely misjudged the consequences of accusing Abner of sleeping with Saul’s concubine. 

Abner’s response was basically, “How dare you accuse me of this! I served your father well. I kept you from defeat at David’s hands. I put you in the throne, and now I’m going to take you out of it. I will make sure that David becomes King of all Israel.”

Ish-bosheth was shocked. He was speechless, because he knew he was powerless against Abner. 

And Abner went to David and proposed to ally himself with David. Of course, David agreed.

When Joab, the general of David’s army heard about the agreement, he was not happy and said as much to David. He rightfully didn’t trust Abner, and thought Abner had come to David as a spy. And he murdered Abner.

And because David was an honorable man, he mourned for Abner and gave him a proper funeral.

2 Samuel 4

In chapter four, when Ish-bosheth heard about Abner’s murder, things really begin to fall apart quickly for him. He lost all control,