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Podcast Introduction Our reading today is Matt 8-10. After that I’ll have some comments. Then we’ll do our “On This Day In Church History” segment, and we’ll have a short time of prayer.  Thoughts on Matthew 10 32Everyone therefore who confesses me before men, him I will also confess before my Father who is in heaven. 33But whoever denies me before men, him I will also deny before my Father who is in heaven.Matthew 10:32-33 Those are the words of Jesus. Our Savior and our Lord. You know what "Lord" means, right? It means "one having authority and power over others". So if he said those words, it's critically important that we make a stand for Christ, publicly. People need to know that we are followers of Jesus.   Way back in the olden days, 1979, there was a song by a guy who went by the name of Gary S. Paxton. The name of  the song was Evidence. One of the verses said,  If you were arrested for being a ChristianWould there be enough evidence to help convict youIf they took you in front of a

Podcast Introduction Our reading today is Isa 18.22: Open Doors, Closed Doors. After that I’ll have some comments. Then we’ll do our “On This Day In Church History” segment, and we’ll have a short time of prayer.  Thoughts on Isaiah 22 Jerusalem As I said on the last Isaiah episode, Isaiah chapters 13-23 are prophesies against nations that have attacked and otherwise been troublesome for Israel and Judah.  So what's with chapter 22? This is a message about the destruction of Jerusalem. Unfortunately for them, Jerusalem and Judah at this point in their history had again turned from God. Because of this desertion, God would send no help when Babylon attacked. Jerusalem would try to make preparations for defense, but they refused to do the one thing that would halt the destruction: they would not return to the Lord. Shebna In the middle of the chapter, Isaiah spoke of Shebna, who served King Hezekiah as the administrator and scribe of the palace, both very high offices. Hezekiah was a good k

Podcast Introduction Our reading today is Job 7-8. After that I’ll have some comments. Then we’ll do our “On This Day In Church History” segment, and we’ll have a short time of prayer.  Thoughts On Job 8 My goodness gracious! What a terrible way to begin, when your “friend” is sitting there covered in ashes, with sores all over his body, having lost everything but his wife and his life. Talk about kicking a guy when he’s down. I’m wondering if there was some jealousy going on with these three friends. Job had been the richest guy around, with a wonderful family and an all-around good life. Maybe these guys were jealous of Job. And now that it’s all gone, maybe they’re feeling a bit smug. Maybe they’re thinking, “I knew it was too good to be true. I knew Job just lucked into that life. And now God is evening the score. Job thought he was so good. Ha! How does it feel to be down in the pits? Huh, Job?” So this guy, Bildad now says, “Your children sinned against God, so He punished them.”  Ok.

Podcast Introduction Our reading today is Psalms 9-11: Fear Not. After that I’ll have some comments. Then we’ll do our “On This Day In Church History” segment and we'll pray for some needs in the Lifespring Family. Thoughts on Psalms 11 Thoughts on Psalm 11 There was a time, before he was king, when David was being pursued by King Saul. And David's friends, though well intentioned, gave him advice not founded in faith. "Run away! Hide!" David's response was, "Why should I hide when I trust in God's protection? God is still on His throne. He sees what is happening to me, and He will deal with those who wish to do me harm. He knows I am His, and He will watch over me." Beloved, Family, have you noticed that everywhere you look we are being given another reason to be afraid? "There's a new variant, and it's worse than the last!" "ISIS is back!" "The Taliban is back!" "Joe Biden wants to steal your retirement!" "China!" "Russia!" "The Commie Left!" "The Nazi Right!" "We're all gonna die!

Podcast Introduction Our reading today is Joshua 11-15. We'll see the Promised Land delivered to the tribes of Israel. After that I’ll have some comments, and I'll share some Family comments. Then we’ll do our “On This Day In Church History” segment. Thoughts on Chapter 11 Here in Joshua 11 there are three things I wanted to focus on for just a moment.  Together We see in the first few verses that Israel's enemies banded together to defeat them. It didn't matter what their differences were, they knew that Israel had defeated every enemy they faced, so if they were to have any chance at all, they knew they had to fight Israel together.  We as Christians could learn from that. We have a common enemy, too. And that enemy is the enemy of man's soul. It's satan. And just as Israel had no prayer of defeating their enemies in the Promised Land without the help of God, we have no hope of defeating satan in our own lives without the help of that same God. Also, the world today is turmoil on a hundred

Podcast Introduction Our reading today is Genesis 8-11. After that I’ll have some comments. Then we’ll do our “On This Day In Church History” segment. Thoughts on Genesis 8-11: After the Flood Genesis 8 Noah, his family and all the creatures were on the ark for about a year before the earth was ready for them to come out. When the time was right, God told Noah to go out of the ark and take his family and all the creatures with him, so that they would be able to repopulate the earth. The first thing Noah did was worship God through sacrifice. He knew that God had delivered him, and that he owed God everything. He owed a debt he could never repay, and in this sacrifice he demonstrated his devotion and desire to please God. Noah had brought just seven each of the clean animals and clean birds on the ark, and to sacrifice any of them was very costly, but a sacrifice that is cheap is no sacrifice at all. God was pleased with the sacrifice and He said to Himself that He would never curse the earth

Podcast Introduction Our reading today is Romans. After that I’ll have some comments. Then we’ll do our “On This Day In Church History” segment, and we have a couple prayer requests. Comments On Romans 5 and 6 Where to begin? Entire books have been written in mining all the truths found in Romans. Whenever I sit down to try to come up with comments to share on any chapter of Romans, I feel like I’m trying to fill a cup from a fire hose. So you’ll have to forgive me if I don’t address the finer points. I have to grab just a tiny bit and go with that, in the hopes that you’ll thirst for more and do some studying on your own. Also, you are welcome to comment on the show notes page for this and every episode, or send comments to me at comment.lifespringmedia.com. Chapter 5 So for today’s discussion, I’m going to look at verse 6: “For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.” Let’s break that down. “For when we were still without strength…” How great is God’s

Podcast Introduction Our reading today is Matthew 5-7: The Sermon on the Mount. After that I’ll have some comments. Then we’ll do our “On This Day In Church History” segment, and we have a couple prayer requests. Comments Jesus had begun drawing large crowds by now. He taught in synagogues, he preaching the gospel of the kingdom of Heaven, and he healed all kinds of disease and sickness among the people. He became famous, and people are always drawn to famous people. In Jesus' case, they wanted to see miracles and hear him teach. So on this particular day, when Jesus saw the crowd, He walked up a mountain so that his voice could be heard by them, and once he found a place to sit, he began speaking. It was common in that day for teachers to sit, and students to stand, and we have other examples Jesus sitting while teaching. Matthew 13:2, 23:2, 24:3, Luke 4:20. Given the denseness of Jesus' message, there is no way to talk about every point in one episode of this podcast. But I do have a couple o

Podcast Introduction Our reading today is Isaiah 12-17. After that I’ll talk about a message of hope. Then we’ll do our “On This Day In Church History” segment.  Thoughts Isaiah chapters 13-23 are prophesies against nations that have attacked and otherwise been troublesome for Israel and Judah.  As I write this in mid-September 2021, the United States and the world have witnessed growing tyranny. Governments around the globe have slowly stripped away more and more rights, and have imposed mandates and restrictions at alarming rates. And it looks as though this trend will continue for the foreseeable future.  As a result, crime rates are up, suicides are up, alcohol and drug abuse is up. I could go on. Many people have lost hope. They see no way out, no light at the end of the tunnel.  Their despair is not hard to understand. When it seems as if the tyrants are in control, the future looks dark. A Message of Hope This feeling of hopelessness is part of the reason God gave Isaiah the pro

Podcast Introduction Our reading today is Job 5-6. After that I’ll have some comments on chapter six. I’ve been a bit long-winded on the last couple episodes, so today’s comments are shorter. Then we’ll do our “On This Day In Church History” segment, after which we have some prayer requests and praises. Thoughts on Job 5 Last week we read the beginning of Eliphaz’s remarks to Job, in which he basically said that obviously Job is suffering because there is some sin in his life, and God is punishing him.  In today’s reading, among other things, Eliphaz continues his oh-so-helpful-and-compassionate statements by saying how happy Job should be, since God is correcting him. And he concludes by saying that he and his friends are speaking from having studied these things for a long time, and that Job ought to just accept it. Well there you go. So much for flowers and a get well card. It’s amazing how hurtful some people can be when someone they know suffers some sort of calamity. Listen. When a friend

Podcast Introduction Our reading today is Psalms 6-8. After that I’ll have some comments on chapter six. I’ve been a bit long-winded on the last couple episodes, so today’s comments are shorter. Then we’ll do our “On This Day In Church History” segment. Thoughts This is the first of the seven Psalms of Confession: Psalms 6, 31, 37, 50, 101, 129, and 142. These Psalms are characterized by confession and humility before God. In this Psalm we see David asking God to withhold His wrath. David is in agony, both physically and spiritually. We can't tell if this pain is from an illness, because of the sorrow he feels for a sin he committed, danger from pursuing enemies, or perhaps a combination of these afflictions. It does seem that his health is leaving him as well as his confidence. Yet he’s still is sure that God will be the faithful One He always has been, and He will come to David's aid. As the psalm begins, we see David's repentance. As it ends, it is his confidence. When we are in similar circ

Podcast Introduction Our reading today is Genesis 4-7. After that I’ll address what some people see as difficulties in those chapters. We’ll do Our reading today is Joshua 6-10. After that I’ll have some comments on those chapters.. Then we’ll do our “On This Day In Church History” segment. Thoughts Thoughts on Joshua 5 and 6 When God tells you to do something, don't question Him. Even if you think doing it will make you look silly.  How crazy must the people in Jericho thought the Israelites were when they looked outside the walls on the first day, and saw the parade pass by. "What do those desert wanderers think they're doing? And what's with those strange trumpets?", they must've said.  And on the second day, "What? They're doing it again? That's weird." And so on for six days. Then, on the seventh day: "Oh for crying out loud. They're back. Oh well. They'll be gone soon."  "Wait. They're going around again. That's strange."  "And again?" And if you're one of the Israelites

Podcast Introduction Our reading today is Genesis 4-7. After that I’ll address what some people see as difficulties in those chapters. We’ll do a top ten. The reading is a bit long, and my comments on the top ten difficulties are longer than usual. So after that, we’ll go directly to our “On This Day In Church History” segment,, and then we’ll be finished for the day. Thoughts There are several passages and events in these four chapters that many people find difficult to understand. 1. Why did God not accept Cain's sacrifice? (Chapter 4) We are told in verse 3 that "3When it was time for the harvest, Cain presented some of his crops as a gift to the Lord. 4Abel also brought a gift—the best portions of the firstborn lambs from his flock." Why do you suppose that they brought gifts, or offerings? Could it be that God had instructed them to do so? We do know that very specific instructions were given by God to Moses for several different types of offerings. Is it difficult to expect that God, in t

Podcast Introduction Our reading today is Romans 3-4. After that I’ll have a comment or two about the chapters we've read. And I’ll tell you about my favorite spot. A place where I am both relaxed and invigorated, and how that feeling relates to today’s scripture. And then, there’s the “On This Day In Church History” segment. Thoughts on Romans 3-4 Do you have a favorite place? Someplace on the planet that you think about when you wish you could just get away from it all? Someplace where you are both relaxed and excited at the same time? For me, that place is a little campsite in the Yosemite wilderness. It’s a place nestled in where the Merced river takes a gentle 90 degree turn on its way down to the Yosemite valley. I love to sit, in my mind’s eye, just at that corner, amidst the pine trees, as the Stellar’s Jays call out and the occasional brown trout jumps out of the gently flowing water chasing a mosquito for dinner. Since it is in the wilderness, this spot is well away from the crushing cro

Podcast Introduction Our reading today is Matthew 3-4, after which I’ll have a gripe about something in one of our chapters, and then a close examination of a verse in another chapter. After than, there’s the “On This Day In Church History” segment, and we don’t have any prayer requests today, but given that today is 9/11, I think we should pray for our nation. We’ll do that at the end of the show. Thoughts on Matthew 3 John the Baptist's appearance here in Matthew chapter three is significant because God has not had a prophet on the earth since Malachi, who lived roughly around 400 BC.  God had been silent. He had left Israel to their own devices, and they had grown proud of themselves and their supposed observance of the Law, and they were insensitive to sin. Then, all of a sudden, out of the wilderness, comes this crazy looking guy dressed in a robe of camel’s hair with a leather belt. This outfit, besides being unusual, would have signaled to the people that this was a prophet, because they

Podcast Introduction Our reading today is Isaiah 7-11, after which I’ll have a gripe about something in one of our chapters, and then a close examination of a verse in another chapter. After than, there’s the “On This Day In Church History” segment. The scripture reading and my remarks are longer than usual today, so I’m going to keep everything else shorter than usual. Thoughts on Isaiah 8 Is It Understandable? Ok, I’m all for modern English translations as long as the new translation makes the text easy to understand, and it conveys the original meaning that was intended in the original language. But in the beginning of chapter 8 we have, what is to me, an excellent example of why we need to keep the older translations around.  At the beginning of chapter 8, God tells Isaiah to “Take a large piece of writing material and write on it in large letters: “Quick Loot, Fast Plunder.” It it me, or did you sort of say, “What?!?” when you heard that? I did not immediately grasp the meaning of that

Podcast Intro I just published the latest newsletter a few minutes ago. If you’re signed up for it and it hasn’t hit your inbox, check your spam folder. And then whitelist it. If you haven't signed up for the newsletter, you definitely should. Go to news.lifespringmedia.com. Our reading today is Job. Chapters 3 and 4, I’ll give you some of my thoughts on those chapters, and then, there’s the “On This Day In Church History” segment, and we will have some “Prayer Requests” at the end of the show. Thoughts On Job Job Chapter 3 One of the best indicators of one's strength of character, and relationship with God is how we deal with hardship. Do we collapse like a house of cards or do we rise up, steel ourselves, ask the Lord for wisdom and strength, and keep on keepin' on? How we react to circumstances is a choice. We decide. As chapter three opens, Job has just lost nearly everything; most of his wealth, his children and his health. And his wife has told him to curse God and die. He doesn't have

Podcast Intro Our reading today is Joshua. Chapters 1 through 5, I’ll give you some of my thoughts on those chapters, and then, there’s the “On This Day In Church History” segment, and we will have some “Prayer Requests” at the end of the show. Thoughts on Psalms 3-5 Selah is a word that is most found in the book of Psalms. Habakkuk is the only other book in which it appears, but only three times. Here in Psalms it occurs 71 times. But what does it mean? I would love to give you a definite definition, but the truth is that we don’t know! But here’s what scholars surmise. The Hebrew word calah seems to be related to selah, and it means “to hang” or “to measure or weigh in the balances.” Job says, when speaking of wisdom, “The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold” (Job 28:19). The word translated “valued” in that sentence is the Hebrew word calah. Job is saying that wisdom is beyond comparing even with jewels, and when weighed in the balance against

Podcast Introduction This is the daily podcast where we will read the entire Bible in a year. Today, we are going to read from the book of Joshua. Chapters 1 through 5, I’ll give you some of my thoughts on those chapters, and then there’s the “On This Day In Church History” segment. Introduction to Joshua Joshua is the man that God chose to lead the children of Israel into the Promised Land. Moses had brought them to the threshold, but because Moses had disobeyed God at a certain point along the way during their 40 years wandering in the wilderness, God did not allow Moses to enter the Promised Land. It was Joshua who would take up the mantle of leadership.  Thoughts On Today's Chapters Sometimes people will say, “God can’t save me. He can’t forgive me. I’ve lived a terrible life.” Or “God could never use me. You don’t know what I’ve done.”  In chapter two we read of the spies that Joshua sent into the town who stayed at the house of the prostitute, Rahab. We read how she hid them and sav

Podcast Introduction Since it’s Labor Day here in the United States, a holiday, this will be an abbreviated show. And beginning tomorrow, I’ll be switching up the format of the show a little bit. More about that tomorrow. This is the daily podcast where we will read the *entire* Bible in a year. Stick around, and before you know it, you’ll be able to say you’ve read the entire Bible, in the process, I hope you will be inspired, informed and maybe even entertained. Today, we are going to read from the beginning, the book of Genesis. Chapters 1 through 3, I’ll give you some of my thoughts on those chapters, and then, there’s the “On This Day In Church History” segment. Introduction to Genesis Genesis begins with an assumption. The assumption is that God exists.  How can we know God exists? I know He exists because of how He has worked in my life. I know how I was before I knew Him, and how I am since dedicating my life to Him. I am not the man I would have been if were not for God’s presence i