Transcript

Today's Bible Translation

Bible translation used in today's episode: Ch. 5-6 NLT, Ch 7-8 NIRV, Ch. 9 NCV

Associate Producer

Travis Blevins, Chase Jacobson

Podcast Introduction

It’s the History Tuesday, and we’ll read Nehemiah 5-9. I’m calling this episode “A Pure Heart and Honorable Intentions.“

Design: Jason Paschall | Photo: Midjourney

Summary

In Nehemiah 5, Nehemiah asks God to remember his good deeds and bless him. Is this request presumptuous? It's similar to the prayer of Jabez in 1 Chronicles 4:10, where Jabez asked God for blessings and received them.

In Jabez's case, it's noted that he was an honorable man, which suggests that his request wasn't inappropriate. Nehemiah, like Jabez, was also an honorable man, as evident in his selfless efforts to rebuild the city walls to honor God and help his people.

The key message here is that God understands our intentions and motivations. If our heart is pure and our actions are driven by honorable intentions, we can approach God with confidence and humility, asking for His blessings.

Listen to the episode for more!

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The Team

Lifespring Family Berean, Sister Denise: Transcript CorrectionMichael Haner: Podcasting 2.0 ChaptersLifespring Family Berean, Brother Scott Snider: Show ArtJason Paschall: Show ArtLifespring Family Berean, Sister Brittaney: Newsletter Publisher

Transcript

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Steve Webb 0:00God knows our heart. You cannot fool him.

Steve Webb 0:04It's the Lifespring! One Year Bible coming to you from Riverside, California. and I'm Steve Webb, your OG Godcaster. Podcasting since 2004. It's history Tuesday. and our reading today is Nehemiah five through nine. The website is Lifespringmedia.com. and there are over 3000 episodes over there for you to check out. Before we read, let's pray. Our Heavenly Father, we are so thankful for this time together. and I pray God that as we read today, you would touch us that you would teach us and that you would show us something that we can use in our lives today. We pray this in Jesus name, amen. Okay, are you ready? Let's begin.

Steve Webb 0:42Nehemiah chapter five. About this time, some of the men and their wives raised a cry of protest against their fellow Jews. They were saying, we have such large families, we need more food to survive. Others said, we have mortgaged our fields, vineyards and homes to get food during the famine. and others said, we have had to borrow money on our fields and vineyards to pay our taxes. We belong to the same family as those who are wealthy, and our children are just like theirs. Yet we must sell our children into slavery just to get enough money to live. We have already sold some of our daughters and we are helpless to do anything about it. For our fields and vineyards are already mortgaged to others. When I heard their complaints, I was very angry. after thinking it over I spoke out against these nobles and officials. I told them, You are hurting your own relatives by charging interest when they borrow money. Then I called a public meeting to deal with a problem. At the meeting I said to them, we're doing all we can to redeem our Jewish relatives who have had to sell themselves to pagan foreigners, but you are selling them back into slavery again, How often must we redeem them? and they had nothing to say in their defense? Then I pressed further, what you were doing is not right, should you not walk in the fear of our God in order to avoid being mocked by enemy nations. I myself as well as my brothers and my workers have been lending the people money and grain.