Transcript

The First Lifespring! Family Berean

Supporters who make donations totaling $1000 (or the equivalent value of satoshi) or more will receive the honored title of Berean.

We read of the Bereans in Acts 17:10-15. The key verse for our purposes here is verse 11b, which says, ”The Bereans were eager to hear what Paul and Silas said and studied the Scriptures every day to find out if these things were true.”

Our first Value-for-Value supporter to attain this level is Brother John of Canada. Thank you, Brother John of Canada for your many years of support and encouragement.

Producers

Distinguished Producer

Paul of Seattle

Associate Producer

Kirsty

Podcast Introduction

Today is Tuesday, so we’ll read from History. We’ll read 2 Chronicles 6-10.  I’ll have some comments after the reading. And of course I’ll have an “On This Date In Church History” segment for you, too. I’m calling today’s episode “We Are the Foreigners.”

Comments on 2 Chronicles 6-7

In chapter 6, we see that the Temple that King David first thought to build, but which God said he could not build because he had been a man of war, his son Solomon has now completed, as had been promised by God.

And there is a great time of sacrificing and dedication, lasting for seven days.

Can you imagine what a great time this was? How joyous the people must have been! 

And Solomon offered a great prayer of dedication, in which he asked the Lord that if the people ever stray from God, and suffer the consequences brought upon them by God as judgement, if they then rededicate themselves to Him, that He would forgive them. 

In chapter seven, God appeared to Solomon in the night and responded to his prayer. This was the second time that God appeared to him. The first time of course was when He asked Solomon what he wanted, and Solomon asked for wisdom, discernment, and understanding. And God said, ““I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a temple for sacrifices. 13“When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, 14if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 15Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. 16I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.”

Some might say, God made this promise to Solomon at this time about the people of Israel. It doesn’t apply to anyone else. Well, let us look back at Solomon’s prayer of dedication in chapter six, verses 32 and 33, he said, “In the future, foreigners who do not belong to your people Israel will hear of you. They will come from distant lands when they hear of your great name and your strong hand and your powerful arm. And when they pray toward this Temple, 33then hear from heaven where you live, and grant what they ask of you. In this way, all the people of the earth will come to know and fear you, just as your own people Israel do. They, too, will know that this Temple I have built honors your name.”

Beloved, we are the foreigners Solomon was talking about. And in God’s response to Solomon’s prayer, God began with the words, “I have heard your prayer.” God will honor his promise to heal the land of people who humble themselves.

I know I have talked about this promise time and time again on this podcast, but I believe it is important to emphasize it. We know from scripture that David and others repeated God’s promises many, many times. God’s promises must be repeated for our benefit, and though God does not need to be reminded, He never seems to mind when we do remind Him. I think that by repeating His promises to Him, we show that our hearts are sincere.

Yes, God’s promise is for us. And when Jesus was crucified, and the curtain in the Temple was torn from top to bottom, God sent the message that we do not need the Temple to be the place where God hears our prayers or where sacrifices are made. Jesus is our High Priest, and He was the final, lasting sacrifice. 

If we humbly confess our sins, if we turn to Him, He *will* heal our land. We have His promise on that.

Checking In

Today’s Bible Translation

Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 6-7 WEB; Ch. 8-9 CEV; Ch. 10 NIV

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Transcript

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Steve Webb 0:00
We show that our hearts are sincere.

Steve Webb 0:10
Coming to you almost live from Riverside, California. This is the Lifespring family Audio Bible and podcasting since 2004. I’m here Oh g god caster Steve Webb, welcome. It’s great to see you today. It’s great to be back. This is a daily show. We’re reading through the entire Bible in a year. I survived it. As promised, I am back with an almost live episode. I’m so glad you’re here in May I say it is good to be back. I’ll have a report for you later in the show. Today’s Tuesday. So we’ll read from history. We’ll read Second Chronicles six through 10. I’ll have some comments after the reading. I’ll have an on this date in church history. As I said, I’ll have a report and we have the very first Lifespring family Berean to talk about today. I’m calling today’s episode, we are the forerunners. The show notes page for today’s episode is at Lifespring media.com/s 12 e 272. My email address is Steve at Lifespring medium.com. Let’s get started.

Steve Webb 1:09
Second Chronicles chapter six. Then Solomon said, Yahweh has said that he would dwell in the thick darkness, but I have built you a house and home a place for you to dwell in forever. The king turned his face and blessed all the assembly of Israel and all the assembly of Israel stood. He said, bless it be Yahweh, the God of Israel who spoke with his mouth to David my father, and has with his hands fulfilled it saying, since the day that I brought my people out of the land of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel to build a house in that my name might be there. And I chose no man to be Prince over my people Israel. But now I have chosen Jerusalem that my name might be there. And I have chosen David to be over my people Israel. Now it was in the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel. But he always said to David, my father, whereas it was in your heart to build a house for my name, you did well that it was in your heart. Nevertheless, you shall not build a house, but your son who will come out of your body, he shall build the house for my name. Yahweh has performed his word that he spoke for I have risen up in the place of David, my father, and I sit on the throne of Israel as y’all way promised, and have built the house for the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel. There I have set the ark in which is you always covenant which he made with the children of Israel. And he stood before you always altar in the presence of all the assembly of Israel and spread out his hands. For Solomon had made a bronze scaffold, five cubits long and five cubits wide in three cubits high, and had set it in the middle of the court. And he stood on it and knelt down on his knees before all the assembly of Israel and spread out his hands toward heaven. And he said, Yahweh, the God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven or on earth. You who keep covenant and loving kindness with your servants who walked before you with all their heart, who have kept with your servant, David, my father, that which you promised him? Yes, you spoke with your mouth, and have fulfilled it with your hand as it is today. Now therefore your way the God of Israel, keep with your servant David, my father, that which you have promised him saying, There shall not fail you a man in my sight to sit on the throne of Israel, if only your children take heed to their way to walk in my law, as you have walked before me. Now therefore your way the God of Israel, let your word be verified which you spoke to your servant David. But Will God indeed dwell with men on the earth? Behold, heaven in the heaven of heavens can’t contain you how much less this house which I have built, yet have respect for the prayer of Your servant and to his supplication, Yahweh, my God, to listen to the cry and to the prayer which your servant prays before you, that your eyes may be open toward this house, day and night, even toward the place where you have said that you would put your name to listen to the prayer which your servant will pray toward this place. Listen to the petitions of Your servant, and have your people Israel when they pray toward this place. Yes, hear from your dwelling place, even from heaven. And when you hear, forgive, if a man sins against his neighbor, and an oath is laid on him to cause him to swear, and he comes in swears before your altar in this house, then hear from heaven, act and judge your servants bringing retribution to the wicked to bring his way on his own head and justifying the righteous to give him according to his righteousness. If your people Israel are struck down before the enemy because they have sinned against you, and they turn again and confess your name, and pray and make supplication before you in this house, then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel and bring them again to the land which you gave to them and to their fathers, when the sky is shut up, and there is no rain because they have sinned against you, if they pray toward this place and confess your name, and turn from their sin when you afflict them, than here in heaven and forgive the sin of Your Servants of your people, Israel, when you teach them the good way in which they should walk, and send rain on your land, which you have given to your people for an inheritance, if there is famine in the land, if there is pestilence, if there is blight, or mildew, locust or Caterpillar, if their enemies besieged them in the land of their cities, whatever plague or whatever sickness there is, whatever prayer and supplication is made by any man, or by all your people, Israel, who will each know his own plague and his own sorrow, and shall spread out his hands toward this house, then hear from heaven, your dwelling place, and forgive and render to every man according to all his ways, whose heart you know, for you. Even you only know the hearts of the children of men, that they may fear you to walk in your ways, so long as they live in the land which you gave to our fathers. Moreover, concerning the foreigner who is not of your people, Israel when he comes from a far country, for your great namesake, and your mighty hand, and your outstretched arm, when they come and pray toward this house, then hear from heaven, even from your dwelling place, and do according to all that the foreigner calls to you for that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your people Israel, and that they may know that this house which I have built is called by your name. If your people go out to battle against their enemies by whatever way you send them, and they pray to you toward the city which you have chosen, and the house which I have built for your name, then hear from heaven, their prayer in their supplication and maintain their cause. If they sinned against you, for there is no man who doesn’t sin, and you are angry with them and deliver them to the enemy, so that they carry them away captive to a land far off or near. Yet if they come to their senses in the land where they are carried captive, in turn again, and make supplication to you in the land of their captivity, saying, We have sinned, we have done perversely, and have dealt wickedly, if they returned to you with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity, where they have carried them captive, and pray toward their land which you gave to their fathers and the city which you have chosen and toward the house which I have built for your name. Then hear from heaven, even from your dwelling, place their prayer and their petitions, and maintain their cause and forgive your people who have sinned against you. Now, my God, let I beg you your eyes, be open, and let your ears be attentive to the prayer that is made in this place. Now therefore arise Yawei God into your resting place you in the ark of your strength. Let your priests your way God, be clothed with salvation, and let your saints rejoice in goodness, Yahweh God, don’t turn away the face of your anointed. Remember your loving kindness to David your servant.

Steve Webb 8:15
Second Chronicles chapter seven. Now when Solomon had finished praying fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering in the sacrifices and you always glory filled the house. The priests could not enter into your ways house because you always glory filled you always house. All the children of Israel looked on when the fire came down. And yeah, always glory was on the house. They bowed themselves with their faces to the ground on the pavement, worshipped and gave thanks to Yahweh saying, For He is good, for his loving kindness endures forever. And then the king and all the people offered sacrifices before Yahweh, King Solomon offered a sacrifice of 22,000 head of cattle and 120,000 sheep. So the king and all the people dedicated God’s house. The priests stood according to their positions, the Levites also with instruments of music of Yahweh, which David the king had made to give thanks to Yawei when David praised by their ministry saying, for his loving kindness endures forever. The priests sounded trumpets before them and all Israel stood. Moreover, Solomon made the middle of the court that was before you always house holy. For there he offered the burnt offerings and the fat of the peace offerings, because the bronze altar which Solomon had made was not able to receive the bird offering the meal offering and the fat. So Solomon held the feast at that time for seven days, and all Israel with him a very great assembly from the entrance of hate math to the brook of Egypt. On the eighth day, they held a solemn assembly, for they kept the dedication of the altar seven days and the feast seven days. On the 23rd day of the seventh month, he sent the people away to their tents, joyful and glad of heart for the goodness that Yahweh had shown to David, and to Solomon, and to Israel, his people. And thus Solomon finished you always house in the king’s house. And he successfully completed all that came into Solomon’s heart to make in your ways house and in his own house. Yeah, well, he appeared to Solomon by night and said to him, I have heard your prayer. And I have chosen this place for myself for a house of sacrifice. If I shut up the sky so that there is no rain, or if I command the Locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people, If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open my ears attentive to prayer that is made in this place. For now I have chosen and made this house holy, that my name may be there forever, and my eyes in my heart will be there perpetually. As for you, if you will walk before me as David your father walked, and do according to all that I have commanded you, and will keep my statutes and my ordinances, then I will establish the throne of your kingdom. According as I covenanted with David your father, saying, There shall not fail you a man to be ruler in Israel. But if you turn away and forsake my statutes, and my commandments, which I have set before you, and shall go and serve other gods and worship them, then I will pluck them up by the roots out of my land which I have given them in this house which I have made holy for my name, I will cast out of my sight, and I will make it a proverb and a byword among all peoples. This house, which is so high, everyone who passes by it will be astonished and say, Why has Yawei done this to this land into this house? They shall answer because they abandoned Yahweh, the God of their fathers who brought them out of the land of Egypt, and took other Gods worship them and serve them. Therefore, he has brought all this evil on them.

Steve Webb 12:21
Second Chronicles chapter eight. It took 20 years for the Lord’s temple and Solomon’s Palace to be built. After that Solomon had his workers rebuild the towns that Hiram had given him then Solomon said Israelites to live in those towns, Solomon attacked and captured the town of Weymouth soba. He ordered his workers to build the town of Tadmor in the desert and some towns in Hayworth where he could keep his supplies. He strengthened upper Beth Horon and lower Beth Horon. By adding walls and gates that could be locked. He did the same thing to the town of Bailiff and to the cities where he kept supplies, chariots and horses. Solomon ordered his workers to build whatever he wanted in Jerusalem, Lebanon, and anywhere else in his kingdom. Solomon did not force the Israelites to do his work. Instead, they were his soldiers, officers, army commanders, and cavalry troops. But he did make slaves of the Hittites, Amorites, pericytes, Hivites, and Jebusites who were living in Israel. These were the descendants of those foreigners. The Israelites did not destroy, and they remained Israel slaves. Solomon appointed 250 officers to be in charge of his workers. Solomon’s wife, the daughter of the king of Egypt, moved from the part of Jerusalem called David city to her new palace that Solomon had built. The sacred chest had been kept in David city, which made his palace sacred. And so Solomon’s wife could no longer live there. Solomon offered sacrifices to the Lord on the altar he had built in front of the temple porch. He followed the requirements that Moses had given for sacrifices offered on the Sabbath. On the first day of each month, the festival of thin bread, the harvest festival, and the festival of shelters. Solomon then assigned the priests and the Levites their duties at the temple, and he followed the instructions that his father the man of God had given him. Some of the Levites were to lead music and to help the priests in their duties, and others were to guard the temple gates and the storage rooms. The priests and the Levites follow these instructions. Exactly. Everything Solomon had planned to do was now finished from the laying of the temples foundation to its completion. Solomon went to EZ and Gerber and eLife to e to my towns on the Red Sea. Hiram sent him ships and some of his experienced sailors. They went with Solomon’s own sailors to the country of ofor and brought back more than 15 tons of gold for Solomon.

Steve Webb 14:54
Second Chronicles chapter nine, the Queen of Sheba heard how famous solemn and was so she went to Jerusalem to test him with difficult questions. She took along several of her officials, and she loaded her camels with gifts of spices, jewels and gold. When she arrived, she and Solomon talked about everything she could think of. He answered every question no matter how difficult it was. The queen was amazed at Solomon’s wisdom. She was breathless when she saw his palace, the food on his table, his officials, all his servants and their uniforms, and the sacrifices he offered at the Lord’s temple. She said, Solomon, in my own country, I’ve heard about your wisdom and all you’ve done, but I didn’t believe it until I saw it with my own eyes. And there’s so much I didn’t hear about, you are greater than I was told. your people and your officials are lucky to be here where they can listen to the wise things you say, I praise the Lord your God. He is pleased with you and is made you king of Israel. God loves the people of this country and will never desert them. So he has given them a king who will rule fairly and honestly, the Queen of Sheba gave Solomon more than four tons of gold, a large amount of jewels, and the best spices anyone had ever seen. In return, Solomon gave her everything she wanted even more than she had given him. Then she and her officials went back to their own country and high rooms and Solomon’s sailors brought gold, Juniper wood and jewels from the country of ofor. Solomon use the wood to make steps for the temple and palace and harps and other stringed instruments for the musicians. Nothing like these had ever been made in Judah. Solomon received almost 23 tons of gold each year not counting with a merchants and traders brought him the kings of Arabia and the leaders of Israel also gave him gold and silver. Solomon made 200 Gold shields that weighed over three kilograms each. He also made 300 smaller gold shields that weighed almost two kilograms. And he put these shields in his palace in forest Hall. His throne was made of ivory and covered with pure gold. It had a gold footstool attached to it in armrests on each side, there was a statue of a lion on each side of the throne. And there were two lion statues on each of the six steps leading up to the throne. No other throne in the world was like Solomon’s. Solomon’s cups and dishes and forest Hall were made of pure gold because silver was almost worthless in those days. Solomon had a lot of seagoing ships. Every three years he sent them out with Hiram chips to bring back gold, silver and ivory, as well as monkeys and peacocks. Solomon was the richest and wisest king in the world. Year after a year other kings came to hear the wisdom God had given him and they brought gifts of silver and gold as well as clothes, weapons, spices, horses and mules. Solomon had 4000 stalls for his horses and chariots, and he owned 12,000 horses that he kept in Jerusalem and other towns. He ruled all the nations from the Euphrates River in the north to the land of Philistia in the South, as far as the border of Egypt. While Solomon was King, there was silver everywhere in Jerusalem, and cedar was as common as the sycamore trees in the western foothills. Solomon’s horses were brought in from other countries, including Meuse, dry everything else Solomon did while he was king is written in the records of Nathan the prophet, a hydra the prophet from Shiloh and Edo, the prophet who wrote about Jeroboam, son of knee bat. After Solomon had ruled 40 years from Jerusalem. He died and was buried in the city of his father David, his son Rehoboam, then became king.

Steve Webb 18:42
Second Chronicles chapter 10. Rehoboam went to Shechem for all Israel had gone there to make him king. When Jeroboam son of nee bat heard this, he was in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon, he returned from Egypt. So they sent for Jeroboam and he and all Israel went to Rehoboam and said to him, your father put a heavy yoke on us, but now lighten the harsh labor and the heavy yoke you put on us, and we will serve you Rehoboam answered, come back to me in three days, so the people went away. Then King Rehoboam consulted the elders who had served his father Solomon during his lifetime. How would you advise me to answer these people? He asked? They replied, If you will be kind to these people and please them and give them a favorable answer. They will always be your servants. But Rio Boehm rejected the advice the elders gave him and consulted the young men who had grown up with him and were serving him. He asked them, What is your advice? How should we answer these people who say to me, lightened the yoke your father put on us, the young men who had grown up with him replied, The people have said to you, your father put a heavy yoke on us but make our yoke lighter. Now tell them my little finger is thicker than my father’s waist. My father laid on you a heavy yoke, I will make it even heavier. My father scourge deal with whips. I will scourge you with scorpions. Three days later Jeroboam at all the people returned to Rio bone, as the king had said, Come back to me in three days. The king answered them harshly, rejecting the advice of the elders. He followed the advice of the young men and said, My father made your yoke heavy, I will make it even heavier. My father’s scourge to you with whips, I will scourge you with scorpions. So the king did not listen to the people for this turn of events was from God to fulfill the word the Lord had spoken to Jeroboam, son of the bat, through a hijab, the Shiloh night, when all Israel saw that the King refused to listen to them. They answered the king, what share do we have in David, what part in Jesse sun to your tents, Israel, look after your own house, David, so all the Israelites went home. But as for the Israelites, who were living in the towns of Judah, Rehoboam still ruled over them. King Rehoboam set out at an IRA who was in charge of forced labor, but the Israelites stoned him to death. King Rehoboam, however, managed to get into his chariot, it escaped to Jerusalem. So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day.

Steve Webb 21:15
Well, beloved, let’s talk about chapters six and seven. In chapter six, we see that the temple that King David first thought to build but which God said he could not build because he had been a man of war, his son Solomon has now completed as had been promised by God. And there’s a great time of sacrificing and dedication lasting for seven days. Can you imagine what a great time this was, how joyous the people must have been. And Solomon offered a great prayer of dedication in chapter six in which he asked the Lord that if the people ever stray from God and suffer the consequences brought upon them by God as judgment, if they then rededicate themselves to him, that he would forgive them. And in chapter seven, God appeared to Solomon in the night and responded to his prayer. And remember, this was the second time that God appeared to him. The first time, of course, was when God asked Solomon what he wanted in Solomon asked for wisdom, discernment, and understanding. In here, in this second appearance, God said, I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a temple for sacrifices, when I shut up the heavens, so that there is no rain, or Command locusts to devour the land or ascend to plague upon my people, If my people who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. I’ve chosen and consecrated this temple, so that my name may be there forever, my eyes and my heart will always be there. And so as you know, you’ve you’ve heard me claim this promise If My people who are called by my name, et cetera. Some might say, God made this promise to Solomon at this time, about the people of Israel. It doesn’t apply to anybody else. Well, let’s look back at Solomon’s prayer of dedication in chapter six, verses 32 and 33. He said, In the future, foreigners who do not belong to your people, Israel will hear of you. They will come from distant lands, when they hear of your great name, and your strong hand and your powerful arm. And when they pray toward this temple, then hear from heaven where you live in grant what they ask of you. In this way, all the people of the earth will come to know and fear you, just as your own people Israel do. They too will know that this temple I have built honors your name, Beloved, we are the foreigners Solomon was talking about that is if you are not a Jew, if you’re a Jew, then that applies, obviously. But for those of us that aren’t Jews, for those of us that are Gentiles. We are the foreigners that Solomon was talking about. And in God’s response to Solomon’s prayer, God began with these words, I have heard your prayer. So God will honor His promise to heal the land of people who humble themselves. I know I’ve talked about this promise, time and time again on the show, but I believe it’s important to emphasize it. We know from Scripture that David and others repeated God’s promises many, many times right. God’s promises must be repeated for our benefit. And though God does not need to be reminded, he never seems to mind when we do remind him. I think that by repeating his promises to him, we show that our hearts are sincere. Yes, God’s promise is for us. And when Jesus was crucified, and the curtain in the temple was torn, From top to bottom, God sent the message that we do not need the temple to be in the place where God hears our prayers or where sacrifices are made. Jesus is our high priest, and he was the final lasting sacrifice. Beloved, if we humbly confess our sins, and if we turn to Him, He will heal our land. We have his promise on that. What do you think? Agree, disagree? Have a comment. Let me know Lifespring media.com/s 12 e 272, is where you can go leave a comment at the bottom of that page there. Now, Tomorrow is Wednesday. So we’ll read from the Psalms, we’ll read chapters 117 through 118.

Steve Webb 25:53
Well, I’ve been out for a few days, in case you haven’t noticed, while I was out quite a lot happened. So let’s get caught up on some of this stuff. If you’ve been around for much time at all, you know that we have associate producers we have executive producers to singer distinguished producers, all based on donation amounts and the highest level is that a Berean? When the total amount donated is $1,000, or over library and you say what is that all about? Well, we read of the Bereans and X 1710 through 15. And the key verse for what we’re doing here is verse 11. B which says, the Bereans were eager to hear what Paul and Silas said, and studied the scriptures every day to find out if these things were true. So in my mind, the title of Berean is the highest honor that can be bestowed. These are people that love the Bible that studied the scriptures. And beloved, isn’t that what this show is all about? Of course it is. So when someone is given $1,000 or more, I would like to bestow on them the title of Berean. And today, I’m really pleased to announce the first Lifespring family Berean men who reached the Berean level or to be called brother and women to be called Sister. Well, Brother John of Canada will forever be the very first Lifespring family Berean. He actually qualified on April 26, with his donation of $222, which brought his total to $1,138.16. But I didn’t notice it then. And in actuality is total is higher, but I wasn’t using the same accounting system when he first started giving. Regardless, Brother John of Canada is the OG Lifespring family Berean and John Cena note, there’s some personal stuff that I’ll leave out, but I would like to share some of it. Here we go. John said, I don’t believe we should be proud of our giving as it’s really all God’s money. And John, I agree with you. 100%. John continues, but at the same time, I’m happy to be a supporter, and I don’t mind you sharing my name. God has been good to us. And we believe in giving. And for me that tie this primarily to our church. And John, I agree with you 100% with that as well. And he continues, but also include some Christian ministries. Times are tight these days with rising prices for groceries and gas consuming much of our budget. So we’re sticking close to home and enjoying family time here yet he is good. Jehovah Jireh. God is our provider. I need to claim to that and trust that he’s got this. And to that brother John, I say amen. And John says thank you again, for your years of ministry and your many, many shows over the years, it certainly is a blessing. I’ve enjoyed probably all of your shows, perhaps not all the music shows your taste in some music is a little different than mine, lol. Totally understandable. I have a very eclectic taste. And he says from the original Lifespring to the hem story show, and inspiration for a short message I did a church actually where I use some him story ideas from your site and a book which he gave me the link to. And then he says and to your current shows with Mel and the family Bible show. Thank you so much for all you’ve done, Steve. It’s a real blessing and inspiration. My podcast feed has changed over the years. But your all shows feed has remained there. And yes, I still use an old podcasting app. Overcast has been my go to for years now. And change is hard. So I donate the old fashioned way. And he closes with this blessings again to you and Leanne and your family. Keep up the great work and I look forward to meeting you someday either on this side, or the other. Brother John of Canada. Yes. I look forward to meeting you too. I’m just so happy that you’ve been around for so long. Brother John, you truly have been a blessing to me. Your emails over the years have really encouraged me to keep going when sometimes it felt like I wasn’t reaching anybody. John you listened to God when he prompted you to write and I’m so thankful that you did. Your donations meant a lot to me cuz being able to pay the bills is always a plus the brother Your words have meant even more. Thank you. And God bless you.

Steve Webb 30:05
And we have a distinguished producer today as well. Paul of Seattle came in with his weekly $22.22 cent donation, and

Steve Webb 30:13
Kirsty came in with her monthly $20 donation.

Steve Webb 30:16
And then the lovely lady LeeAnn commented on the episode for numbers 21 through 24. Don’t be too eager. And she said, so I’m not sure if it says anything about us, meaning you and I, she said, but when you were reading the section with all the bees, my mind immediately flashed back to the days of our son’s childhoods. I thought of the Dr. Seuss book, beautiful blue baby baboon biking backwards. And she said, and you went to Sesame Street, I guess we’re just big kids at heart. Then of course, she says, I also wonder why it is that the Prophet was less amazed by the fact that the donkey was talking to him than he was by the fact that the donkey didn’t do what he wanted him to do. We as a people can be very strange sometimes. Thank goodness God continues to use us and work with us. Thank you, sweetheart for that comment. And yeah, I think we’re just big kids sometimes too.

Steve Webb 31:09
And Kirsty mentioned on the Hebrews one through four, the sweetspot episode, she said even though I’m not a surfer, I really got a lot out of this sweet spot analogy. Thanks, Kirsty. Thank you, too. I’m glad you did Surf’s Up!

Steve Webb 31:23
Boostagram. And then I got a boostagram from someone I haven’t seen before from the fountain app. This was @signsofnewgrowth, they sent in 3333 sats. Thank you for that. And they just said “Value for value-Lifespring Family Audio Bible.” Well, thank you. Welcome to the family. And God bless you.

Steve Webb 31:43
And several Lifespring family members reached out to say they were praying for me, and I thank each of you who wrote and or prayed for me. It really did mean a lot to me. And so I guess you probably want to report right about now, right? There it is. If you’ve been following along, you know that I was scheduled to have a cardiac ablation procedure this past Friday, the 27th of May, I was supposed to check into the hospital in LA at six o’clock in the morning. The procedure was to begin at about seven o’clock. And it was supposed to last about four hours and then six hours in recovery flat on my back. And I was to go home at about 7:30pm. So here’s what happened. Of course, the night before the procedure, I didn’t get much sleep, I got about two hours maybe. As I’ve said on the show, I trust the Lord, my life is in His hands and I’m at rest with that. I’m happy that I’m in his hands, there is no better place to be. But of course, I’m also human. And as I laid in my bed, I thought about the what ifs. Most of all, I thought of the lovely lady Leanne and how much we depend on each other. Our lives are so intertwined, the way we have built our life together, I do things for her, she does things for me. And I just got to wondering how how she would do some of the things that she now depends on me to do stuff like that. I kind of worried about her just in case, things went south. So I didn’t get much sleep. I think I got out of bed at a little after three o’clock. The navigation system on my phone said that the drive to La should take an hour and six minutes. So to be safe, we gave ourselves an hour and 20 minutes. Good thing because there was a couple of accidents on the way and we arrived at the hospital with about eight minutes to spare. And because of COVID restrictions, because of the tyrant Governor we have here in the state of California. Leann couldn’t go into the hospital. So we took a quick photo outside the hospital, and I was on my own. By the way, if you want to see that photo, it’s nothing special. But if you’d like to look at it, it’ll be on the show notes page. I spring media.com/s 12 e 272. Well, once I got checked in, I waited for nurse to take me back to the cath lab where they prepped me for the procedure. While I was in there in this little room on the gurney with the gown on with an opening in the back and nothing else on Well, I guess I had socks on. But the anesthesiologist came in to tell me that she’d be putting me under general anesthesia. And once I was out unconscious, they’d be putting a tube down my throat, which concern me a little bit because that meant my vocal cords would be involved. And for a guy who makes part of his living with his voice, that can’t help but make you have a little bit of a pause right. And as you can hear my voice isn’t quite right now, but I don’t think I had been told about that thing down the esophagus until this point. Anyway, after she left, the doctor who would be doing the procedure came in to tell me again what we what she was going to do. We had talked on the phone the week before, but she wanted to be sure that all of my questions were answered. So that was good. We probably spend 10 or 15 minutes together and she was very thorough and didn’t act like she was in a rush at all, which really helped to ease my tension. I mean, I wasn’t I wasn’t nervous. Like I said, I really truly I mean, my faith is in God. But still, you know, there’s the human part. So the talk with the doctor really helped. And by the way, her name is Dr. Nam, in AM. And so I was on the gurney. And when they wheeled me into the operating room, they were about, I don’t know, six or eight, people busily preparing all the equipment, there was a couple of computer monitors mounted about five or six feet high next to the table that they put me on. And there were all kinds of wires and tubes and instruments, it really looked like something out of Star Trek or something. It was it was crazy, really high tech stuff in there. All the people were talking to one another. They were talking to me asking what I do for a living and things like that. And you know, one person who asked me something, somebody else right after that would ask me something I didn’t know who to answer, because both both answers were kind of important. But at one point, they asked me what I do for a living. And when I told him that one of the things I do is voiceover work, I got the inevitable question. Whenever I tell people that I do voiceover work. The question is, can you think of what it might be? Anything we would have heard and be with all the hubbub, I forgot to tell him that just last week, I did a few commercials for a medical center in North Carolina. But I just said now, probably nothing here locally. Anyway, after being in the room for about 10 minutes or so while they’re doing all these things, the anesthesiologist who had come to talk to me earlier, put an oxygen mask over my face and said, This is just oxygen, take four deep breaths. And while you’re doing that, we’re going to put some medicine into your IV right now. Well, after the first deep breath, I felt the medicine come into the IV into my hand, and boy did it burn. And I thought to myself, I hope this goes away pretty quick. And the next thing I remember is waking up in the room they prepped me in, I think there was a nurse in there, maybe somebody else as well. And a few minutes after I woke up and I’m kind of groggy still, I must have been because my memories of this period are really hazy. But the doc came in, and she told me that everything went well. But there was a slight complication that meant I would have to be spending the night. Nothing to do with a heart. But they would have to observe me overnight, which was kind of a bummer. So I told you that I was really worried about the six hours on my back and recovery. I’ve got a bad back. And I don’t know that I tell you told you this. But three or four years ago, I had some stents put in my heart, three stents. Two of them were in the artery that they call the Widowmaker. And that artery was like 98%, occluded if I remember, right, but I had to spend the six hours on my back in there as well. And that was agony. And I was really worried about that. This time. I was more worried about that really, then even the procedure itself, because it was it was just horrific. It was horrible. Well, many of you prayed for me. And I’m telling you, I am so ecstatic to report that I had zero back pain this time around, zero, nothing, I can’t even tell you the six hours flew by, they had the the table on cabin inclined with my feet a little bit lower than my head. And the mattress was decent. And so it was great. So other than that little complication that they had, it went great. Now, by the way, the six hours in recovery is necessary to ensure that the site that they put the heart catheters into the body, they want to ensure that that doesn’t open up again, because they put these catheters into the vein, down by the groin, it’s called the vena cava. And it’s a really, really big vein. And they don’t want that to open up because you can bleed out in no time at all. So you have to be still while the body kind of seals that up a little bit. So after those six hours, they put me into a, I was happy to see it was a private room upstairs. In the nurses I had in the 18 hours or so that I was there were just really great. I even got to tell a couple of them about this show. So by the way, if you’re listening, if you are one of my nurses, thank you so much for your outstanding care, my best to each of you tell the whole floor that I said hi. So now how am I feeling? Well, I’m recording this on Monday afternoon. So the procedure was roughly 72 hours ago a little bit longer than that. Most of the time I’m resting my vocal cords as much as possible. As you can tell, they did get a little bit irritated by the tube that was down my esophagus. The doctor has given me a drug to help with that, which I had to take twice a day for 30 days. So there’s that I mean, it doesn’t hurt but as you can tell it doesn’t sound like it normally does. I hope it sounds better tomorrow because I’ve got a couple of commercials waiting for me to do. Before the procedure. The doc said that I could expect a little pain in the heart. But I’ve had none of that except a couple of times while I was watching the Indy 500 Yesterday when my adrenaline got to pumping in a couple to places in the race, and then it was just really very minor. But it really just confirmed that I do have to take the doctor’s parting orders seriously. Take it easy for the first week. Don’t do any exercise. Don’t push yourself. Don’t try to be hero and get back to normal right away, listen to your body, take it easy. Then next week, gradually increase your activities. So that’s what I’m doing. I feel pretty good, but I’m sort of weak. Like I said, I’m thankful that everything went according to plan except for that small complication. I’m thankful so much for your prayers. And I’m very thankful for Sean of San Pedro and his very sweet wife, Brittaney, who met LeeAnn at a coffee shop nearby the hospital to help the time go quicker for LeeAnn. They took time off work to do that. And so it was a very generous thing to do. Sean, Brittaney, from the bottom of my heart, I thank you. Oh, and one last thing. Before the procedure, I was beginning to wonder if I should even go through with it or not. It had been several weeks since the last time I’d had an AFib episode. And I know that people have been praying for me and even that the AFib would be healed so that it wouldn’t be necessary to even get the procedure. So because I was wondering, I asked the Lord for a confirmation either way, and God is so good. He really is. This past Wednesday night, I woke up at about 130 with a fit. Now normally, my AFib episodes lasts from eight to 12 hours. This time, was just over two hours, just enough to let me know that he heard my prayer. And I was to go ahead with it. So how cool is that? Isn’t God good?

Steve Webb 41:54
On this date in church history, May 31 1699. Alexander Cruden was born. He was the Scottish bookseller and compiler of prudence concordance, first published in 1737. And still a standard reference today for the King James Version of the Bible. Now, why did I bring this one to you? Well, because I used to be a Christian bookseller, I used to work for one of the biggest Christian bookstore chains in the country. And we sold a lot of credence concordances. It’s kind of taken a backseat to Strong’s but curtains is a good one. So it’s good to see a bookseller on this date in church history segment, Alexander Cruden.

Steve Webb 42:40
Let’s pray. Our Father, you are so good. You’re always there for us. And you hear us? We ask You, Lord for a worldwide revival, Lord, many have turned our hearts from you to pursue what they call science, reproductive rights, or their own lusts, or a myriad of other gods. Let them see, Lord that those things only lead to destruction. turn their hearts, Lord, use us. Raise up men and women who are unafraid, who are bold, filled with the power from the Holy Spirit, where we have failed you, Lord, we ask You to forgive us now. I feel this place. Wherever my voice is being heard right now, he’ll this place. May your blessings pour out on each one listening, and may the Holy Spirit give them direction and a passion for you and for your glory. Help each of us to accomplish the work you want us to do. Each of us has a mission, a calling or a purpose. And for those who have not yet found what that is, I pray that you would show them. Your timing, Lord, and your purpose is perfect. It’s never early and it’s never late. And I humbly ask that now would be the appropriate time to reveal that to them. Help each one to hear your voice and to know what you want them to do right now. Each of us has to take a step of faith, and we don’t know where to lead, but help each of us to take that first step. And then the next. And then the next. I pray this Lord in Jesus name, amen. If you have a prayer request or a praise, please go to prayer dot Lifespring media.com

Steve Webb 44:22
Did you know that most people find podcasts not by looking at a podcast directory or browsing around their podcast app? Most people find new shows to listen to because somebody told him would you please tell somebody about the Lifespring family Audio Bible today? If this shows a blessing in your life, don’t you want to share that blessing? Don’t do it for me do it for them. And comment on the show at Lifespring media.com/s 12 e 272. Email me at Steve at Lifespring media.com my very special thanks go to Kirsty Sean of San Pedro and Denise they did extra work to try and get the shows that I recorded in advance To get their part of the show’s done so that I’d be able to get them uploaded for you early. So thanks, guys for doing that extra work. God bless you guys. And for all of you that prayed for me before I went into the hospital and while I was in the hospital, I thank you for that. And I thank you for your donations. And very special thanks go to Brother John of Canada for being the very first OG Lifespring family Berean. And thank you for sharing your time with me today. It truly is a blessing to know that you’re there. I mean that from the bottom of my heart. Support the show with your time, talent or treasure, please go to Lifespring media.com/support. And until tomorrow, may God bless you richly. My name is Steve Webb. I need to rest my voice now. Thanks for being here. Bye

Transcribed by https://otter.ai