Transcript

Today’s Bible Translation

Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 11 NIV, Ch 12-13 NLV

Podcast Introduction

Today is Epistles Sunday, and we’ll read 2 Corinthians 11-13. I’m calling this episode “Take An Inventory.”

Comments on 2 Corinthians 13

2 Corinthians 13:5 says: 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.

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?

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Transcript

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Steve Webb 0:00
It’s good to ask God if there’s anything in us with which he’s unhappy.

Steve Webb 0:11
Hello there, this is the Lifespring one year Bible coming to you from Riverside, California in podcasting since 2004. I’m your og Godcaster. Steve Webb. This is the daily podcast where we are reading through the entire Bible in a year. Thank you for inviting me in today. It’s epistle Sunday. And we’ll read Second Corinthians 11 through 13. I’m calling this episode, take an inventory. And we’ll have a time of prayer. In case you missed it yesterday, I’m giving away a copy of the Jesus revolution book to three Lifespring family members this coming Saturday. To enter the drawing, all you have to do is send me an email at st***@*************ia.com with the words I want a Jesus revolution in the subject line, or send to boostagram With those words, the movie will be released this Friday. And if you want to see some trailers for it, go to Lifespringmedia.com slash Jesus revolution. Now before we get started, let’s pray. Our gracious heavenly Father, Lord, have we thank you so much for your word. And I pray God that as we read today, you would bless this time, touch our hearts, touch our minds, help us to make what we read a part of our daily lives. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen. Okay, let’s get started.

Steve Webb 1:26
Second Corinthians chapter 11. I hope you’ll put up with me in a little foolishness. Yes, please put up with me. I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him. But I’m afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpents cutting your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the spirit you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough. I do not think I am in the least inferior to those super apostles. I may indeed be untrained as a speaker, but I do have knowledge. We have made this perfectly clear to you in every way. Was it a sin for me To lower myself in order to elevate you by preaching the gospel of God to you free of charge? I robbed other churches by receiving support from them so as to serve you. And when I was with you and needed something, I was not a burden to anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied what I needed. I have kept myself from being a burden to you in every way, and will continue to do so. As surely as the truth of Christ is in me, nobody in the regions of a Kea will stop this boasting of mine. Why? Because I do not love you. God knows I do. And I will keep on doing what I’m doing in order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about. For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising then if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve. I repeat, let no one take me for a fool. But if you do, then tolerate me just as you would a fool so that I may do a little boasting. In this self confident boasting, I’m not talking as the Lord would but as a fool. Since many are boasting and the way the world does, I too will boast. You gladly put up with fools since you are so wise. In fact, you even put up with anyone who enslaves you or exploits you or takes advantage of you, or puts on airs or slaps you in the face. To my shame I admit that we were too weak for that. Whatever anyone dares to boast about, I’m speaking as a fool. I also dare to boast about are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham’s descendants? So am I Are they servants of Christ. I’m out of my mind to talk like this. I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the 40 lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was pelted with stones. Three times I was shipwrecked. I spent a night and a day in the open sea. I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles in danger in the city in danger. You’re in the country, in danger at sea and in danger from false believers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep, I have known hunger and thirst and often gone without food. I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else I faced daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches, who is weak, and I do not feel weak, who was led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn. If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. the God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised forever knows that I’m not lying. In Damascus, the governor under King everardus had the city of the dama scenes guarded in order to arrest me, but I was lowered in a basket from a window on the wall and slit through his hands.

Steve Webb 5:49
Second Corinthians chapter 12, I have to talk about myself, even if it does no good. But I will keep on telling you about some things I saw in a special dream, and that which the Lord has shown me, I know a man who belongs to Christ, 14 years ago, he was taken up to the highest heaven, I do not know if his body was taken up or just his spirit, only God knows. I say it again. I know this man was taken up. But I do not know if his body or just his spirit was taken up. Only God knows. When he was in the highest heaven, he heard things that cannot be told with words, no man is allowed to tell them. I will be proud about this man. But I will not be proud about myself, except to say things which show how weak I am. Even if I talk about myself, I would not be a fool because it is the truth. But I will say no more, because I want no one to think better of me than he does when he sees or hears me. The things God showed me were so great. But to keep me from being too full of pride, because of seeing these things. I’ve been given trouble in my body. It was sent from satan to hurt me. It keeps me from being proud. I asked the Lord three times to take it away from me. He answered me, I am all you need. I give you my loving favor. My power works best in weak people. I am Happy to be weak and have troubles so I can have Christ’s power in me. I receive joy when I am weak. I receive joy when people talk against me and make it hard for me and try to hurt me and make trouble for me. I receive joy when all these things come to me because of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong. I’ve been making a fool of myself talking like this, but you made me do it. You should be telling what I have done. Even if I’m nothing at all, I am not less important than those false Missionaries of yours. When I was with you, I proved to you that I was a true missionary. I did powerful works. And there were special things to see. These things were done in the strength and power from God. What makes you feel less important than the other churches? Is it because I did not let you give me food and clothing. Forgive me for this wrong. This is the third time I’m ready to come to you. I want nothing from you. I want you not your money. You are my children. Children should not have to help care for their parents. Parents should help their children. I’m glad to give anything I have even myself to help you. When I love you more. It looks as if you love me less. It is true that I was not a heavy load to you. But some say I set a trap for you. How could I have done that? Did I get anything from you through the men I sent to you? I asked Titus and the other Christian brothers to visit you. Did Titus get anything from you? Did we not do things that showed we had the same desires and follow the same plan? It may look to you as if we’d been trying to make everything look right for ourselves all this time. God knows in Soto’s Christ, that all this is done to help you. I’m afraid that when I visit you I will not find you as I would like you to be and you will not find me as you would like me to be. I am afraid I will find you fighting and jealous and angry and arguing and talking about each other, and thinking of yourselves as being too important in making trouble. I’m afraid when I get there, God will take all the pride away from me that I had for you. I will not be Happy about many who have lived in sin and done sex sins and have had a desire for such things and have not been sorry for their sins in turn from them.

Steve Webb 9:35
Second Corinthians chapter 13. This is my third visit to you. The Holy Writings tell us that when people think someone has done wrong it must be proven by two or three people who saw the wrong being done. During my second visit, I talked to you who have been sending in to all the others while I’m away, I tell you this again, the next time I come I will be hard on those who sin Since you want to know I will prove to you that Christ speaks through me. Christ is not weak when he works in your hearts, he uses his power in you. Christ’s weak human body died on a cross. It is by God’s power that Christ lives today. We’re weak, we are as he was, but we will be alive with Christ through the power God has for us. Put yourself through a test. See, if you belong to Christ, then you will know you belong to Christ, unless you do not pass the test. I trust you see that we belong to Him and have passed the test. We pray to God that you do no wrong. We do not pray this to show that our teaching is so great, but that you will keep on doing what is right. Even if it looks as if we have done much wrong. We cannot work against the truth of God. We only work for it. We are glad when we are weak and you are strong. We pray that you will become strong Christians. This is why I’m writing these things while I’m away from you. Then when I get there, I will not have to use strong words or punish you to show you that the Lord gives me this power. This power is to be used to make you stronger Christians not to make you weak by hurting your faith. Last of all, Christian Brothers goodbye. Do that which makes you complete, be comforted. Work to get along with others live in peace. The God of love and peace will be with you. greet each other with a kiss of holy love. All those here who belong to Christ say hello, may you have loving favor from our Lord Jesus Christ. May you have the love of God, may you be joined together by the Holy Spirit.

Steve Webb 11:45
In chapter 13, verse five, Paul said, put yourself through a test. See, if you belong to Christ, then you will know you belong to Christ unless you don’t pass the test. Beloved, 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’s good for all of us to take stock from time to time, don’t you think? Are we walking with the Lord as we should? Or have we drifted away? It’s good to ask God if there is anything in us with which he’s 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 I said it was good to be quiet before the Lord. Listen for his still small voice when you have this conversation with him. Charles Spurgeon wrote, now what is it to have Jesus in you? The true Christian carries the cross in his heart. And across 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, where in Jesus Christ daily walks. Beloved, sometimes we find it easy to see shortcomings in the people around us. Perhaps we would be better off if we spend time with the Lord, looking for areas in our own lives that don’t measure up. Is it time for an audit? When was the last time you took a spiritual inventory? When I was a retail store manager, we had to take a complete inventory of every item in the stores once a year, I’d say it’s much more important for us to take an inventory or audit of our spiritual health more than once a year. What do you think? Call the Lifespring family Hotline at plus 1951732 at 511 or send to boostagram. You can also go to comment.lifespringmedia.com and tell me what you’re thinking there. Tomorrow will be the law Monday and our reading will be Exodus 29 through 32

Jingle 14:15
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Steve Webb 14:21
Prayer requests. I was talking just a little while ago to my friend Ron Ploof, and he asked for prayer for a neighbor of yours the couple’s names are Matt and Amorina, and Amorina was recently told on her 37th birthday that she has breast cancer. And she lost a close friend to breast cancer just two weeks before, so she is of course quite frightened. We need to pray for Amorina. And sometimes it seems as if God chooses the most faith filled faith full people to go through what most people would consider to be excruciating trials. I think of Job, who is described in Job 1:1 as “a man of perfect integrity,  who feared God and turned away from evil.” I think of my friend Kathi who’s battled MS and cancer for over 30 years and I’ve never heard one word of complaint from her. To this very day, she still has a sweet spirit and she loves God. Well, LeeAnn, and I have another couple in our lives who we’ve known for about 25 years or so. Their names are Randy and Lori, really, really great people sweet and humble, godly people. They have three children, the first of which is now a 17 year old young man named Connor, who was born with Down syndrome. Conner was also born with numerous other physical challenges which have required many surgeries over the years and a few years ago, Randy and Lori went through the heartbreak of having to let him be placed in a 24 hour care situation because they were no longer able to give him the care that he needed at home. Well, several days ago, they received a phone call telling them that Connor had to be rushed to the hospital. Emergency surgery had to be done to stop some bleeding that was life threatening, and he’s now on a respirator under an induced coma. I’ll spare you the graphic details but Connor truly needs a touch from God. Lori has been posting daily updates on her Facebook page and I have to say each update brings tears to my eyes. Not just for the trauma Connor’s been enduring, but because Lori is so eloquent in expressing her love for Connor and her love and trust in the Lord. Jesus told the disciples in John 1633 that in this world, you will have trouble but take heart, I have overcome the world. The truth is, beloved, we live in a world that is suffering the effects of sin. When God created the world, the plan was that there would be no suffering. Genesis 131 says God saw all that he had made it it was very good. But sin corrupted the world when Adam and Eve sins in the brokenness continues to this very day. It affects everything and everyone including those have perfect integrity who fear God and turn away from evil. To again, quote, job one one. books have been written, countless sermons have been preached about why bad things happen to good people. So I’m not going to go into more of that today. Suffice it to say that we need to pray for Connor and his mom and his dad. I’ll just wrap up by saying that God has a plan for each person he places on planet earth. And he chose the perfect parents for Connor. Our time here is less than the blink of an eye in light of eternity, though, it seems to us in the here and now that it can feel like an eternity. When we see God face to face, when we are in His presence, Connor will be made whole and the trials will be forgotten. Let’s pray. Our loving perfect just in holy Heavenly Father, we come to you now trusting in who you are. We trust you because you have proven time and time again to be trustworthy. Every promise you have ever made has been and will be kept. The fact that you sent your one and only Son to die so that we would have eternal fellowship with you is proof of your boundless love for us. So we know that your heartbreaks when we suffer but there will be no tears when our time on Earth is over. Lord we pray for and Marina. I don’t know anything about her relationship with you or if she knows you, but I ask that you use this scary time for her to cause her to trust in you. Draw her and Matt to you. If they’ve not put their faith in Jesus, please bring someone into their lives who will compassionately share with them your message of salvation. And as she goes through whatever treatment is necessary for the cancer, we pray that you would call her heart bring healing to her body Lord, in Jesus name. And Father we bring Connor in Laurie and Randy before you now and we ask that you would be with them in a very powerful way. We ask that you would touch Connors body now and bring healings he lives in his hospital bed. Comfort Laurie and Randy give Connors medical team wisdom as they care for him to be glorified Lord in this situation. Let the people around Connor see your grace and love through Laurie and Randy. accomplish your will and each person in this situation. Hold Connor and his parents close to you, Lord, may they feel your loving arms, hold them tight. And I pray now for each one listening. I know that there are a myriad of difficulties in their lives and I pray that they would trust you and that you would make your presence known to them. Give them wisdom, Grace in healing, where finances are difficult be their supply Lord. We’re really Ships are strained or broken, bring reconciliation, where jobs are needed, bring employment. Whatever the challenge is, Lord, bring solutions. Make us grateful, Lord for the blessings in our lives. May we not take them for granted because we know that every blessing comes from you. Lord, I pray for those listening whose faith is weak. I pray that you would strengthen their faith. Like the father of the demon possessed boy said to Jesus in Mark nine, I do believe, but help my unbelief. We asked for more faith, Lord, I ask Lord, that you bless each one of us, make us more like Jesus. And we pray these things in Jesus name. Amen. Beloved, our next time of prayer will be this coming Wednesday. If there’s something you’d like us to pray with you and for you about go to prayer dot Lifespring media.com.

Steve Webb 21:02
Don’t forget the Jesus Revolution movie that I talked about in December will be released this Friday, and I’m giving away a copy of the book, Jesus Revolution. If you’d like to be in the drawing, be sure to send an email to me at st***@*************ia.com with the words I want a Jesus Revolution in the subject line or send me boostagram. I’ll be drawing three names a week from today, February 25 at 4pm Pacific time. I’ll announce the winners on Sunday the 26th. So if you want the book, send that email or send the boostagram Do it now while you’re thinking about it. Today’s show art is by Scott Snider. Thank you, Scott, and Thanks to Sister Denise Michael Haner, Jason Paschall and Brittaney, the rest of the team. But until tomorrow, may God bless you richly. My name is Steve Webb. See you next time. Bye. Lifespring media bringing the message of hope, love and good news since 2004 Boost

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