WEBVTT 00:00:00.020 --> 00:00:07.120 he has been a man of integrity. It's the Lifespring One Year Bible Rewind, and coming to you from 00:00:07.320 --> 00:00:14.040 Riverside, California, podcasting since 2004, I'm Steve Webb, your OG Godcaster. This is the podcast 00:00:14.230 --> 00:00:19.260 that comes to you every day, and we're reading the entire Bible in a year. I'm so glad you're here. 00:00:19.540 --> 00:00:26.279 Welcome. The website is LifespringMedia.com. I usually have some lighthearted or silly observance 00:00:26.300 --> 00:00:30.560 for you right here in the opening seconds of the show, but this one is life or death important. 00:00:31.040 --> 00:00:35.560 It's National Sanctity of Human Life Day. We'll talk more about it a little bit later in the show. 00:00:36.080 --> 00:00:41.680 Today is Poetry Thursday, so we'll read Job 27 and 28. I'll have some comments and we'll learn 00:00:41.840 --> 00:00:46.760 what happened on this date in church history. Let's begin. Our Heavenly Father, Lord, as we open your 00:00:46.900 --> 00:00:50.820 word, we pray, God, that you would go before us, that you would prepare our hearts and that we 00:00:50.940 --> 00:00:55.760 would understand what you want us to learn. We thank you for your word in Jesus' name. Amen. 00:00:58.180 --> 00:00:59.520 Job chapter 27 00:01:01.060 --> 00:01:03.000 And Job took up his discourse again. 00:01:03.620 --> 00:01:06.600 As surely as God lives, who has denied me justice, 00:01:06.970 --> 00:01:09.140 the Almighty, who has made my life bitter, 00:01:09.760 --> 00:01:11.560 for while my spirit is still in me, 00:01:11.810 --> 00:01:13.780 and the breath from God is in my nostrils, 00:01:14.400 --> 00:01:16.480 my lips will not speak wickedness, 00:01:16.590 --> 00:01:18.520 and my tongue will whisper no deceit. 00:01:19.220 --> 00:01:21.680 I will never declare that you three are in the right. 00:01:22.140 --> 00:01:25.380 Until I die, I will not set aside my integrity. 00:01:25.380 --> 00:01:32.060 I will maintain my righteousness and never let it go. My conscience will not reproach me for as long 00:01:32.160 --> 00:01:39.480 as I live. May my enemy be like the wicked, my adversary like the unrighteous. For what hope does 00:01:39.480 --> 00:01:45.580 the godless have when he is cut off, when God takes away his life? Does God listen to his cry 00:01:45.740 --> 00:01:52.020 when distress overtakes him? Will he find delight in the Almighty? Will he call out to God at all 00:01:52.060 --> 00:01:58.700 times. I will teach you about the power of God. What is on the Almighty's mind I will not conceal. 00:01:59.640 --> 00:02:04.900 If you yourselves have seen all this, why in the world do you continue this meaningless talk? 00:02:05.680 --> 00:02:11.160 This is the portion of the wicked man allotted by God, the inheritance that evildoers receive 00:02:11.380 --> 00:02:17.879 from the Almighty. If his children increase, it is for the sword. His offspring never have enough 00:02:17.900 --> 00:02:23.820 to eat. Those who survive him are buried by the plague, and their widows do not mourn for them. 00:02:24.640 --> 00:02:30.380 If he piles up silver like dust, and stores up clothing like mounds of clay, what he stores up 00:02:30.380 --> 00:02:36.800 a righteous man will wear, and an innocent man will inherit his silver. The house he builds is 00:02:36.860 --> 00:02:42.880 as fragile as a moth's cocoon, like a hut that a watchman has made. He goes to bed wealthy, 00:02:43.020 --> 00:02:49.680 but will do so no more. When he opens his eyes, it is all gone. Terrors overwhelm him like a flood. 00:02:50.200 --> 00:02:55.520 At night a whirlwind carries him off. The east wind carries him away, and he is gone. 00:02:56.000 --> 00:03:02.100 It sweeps him out of his place. It hurls itself against him without pity, as he flees headlong 00:03:02.280 --> 00:03:07.620 from its power. It claps its hands at him in derision, and hisses him away from his place. 00:03:08.500 --> 00:03:14.840 Job chapter 28. Surely there is a mine for silver and a place where gold is refined. 00:03:15.440 --> 00:03:21.380 Iron is taken from the ground, and rock is poured out as copper. Man puts an end to the darkness. 00:03:22.180 --> 00:03:28.500 He searches the farthest recesses for the ore in the deepest darkness. Far from where people live 00:03:28.520 --> 00:03:35.139 he sinks a shaft, in places travelers have long forgotten. Far from other people he dangles and 00:03:35.160 --> 00:03:42.680 sways. The earth from which food comes is overturned below as though by fire, a place whose stones are 00:03:42.880 --> 00:03:50.760 sapphires and which contains dust of gold, a hidden path no bird of prey knows, no falcon's eyes has 00:03:50.920 --> 00:03:58.819 spotted it. Proud beasts have not set foot on it, and no lion has passed along it. On the flinty rock 00:03:58.840 --> 00:04:05.040 man has set to work with his hand. He has overturned mountains at their bases. He has cut 00:04:05.140 --> 00:04:10.800 out channels through the rocks. His eyes have spotted every precious thing. He has searched 00:04:11.160 --> 00:04:16.140 the sources of the rivers, and what was hidden he has brought into the light. But wisdom, 00:04:16.560 --> 00:04:22.520 where can it be found? Where is the place of understanding? Mankind does not know its place. 00:04:23.000 --> 00:04:29.720 it cannot be found in the land of the living. The deep says, It is not with me, and the sea says, 00:04:29.980 --> 00:04:36.560 It is not with me. Fine gold cannot be given in exchange for it, nor can its price be weighed out 00:04:36.560 --> 00:04:42.520 in silver. It cannot be measured out for purchase with the gold of Ophir, with precious onyx or 00:04:42.700 --> 00:04:49.420 sapphires. Neither gold nor crystals can be compared with it, nor can a vase of gold match its worth. 00:04:50.400 --> 00:04:56.120 Of coral and jasper no mention will be made. The price of wisdom is more than pearls. 00:04:57.160 --> 00:05:02.440 The topaz of cush cannot be compared with it. It cannot be purchased with pure gold. 00:05:03.580 --> 00:05:09.400 But wisdom, where does it come from? Where is the place of understanding? For it has been hidden 00:05:09.640 --> 00:05:14.500 from the eyes of every living creature, and from the birds of the sky it has been concealed. 00:05:15.340 --> 00:05:20.320 Destruction and death say, With our ears we have heard a rumor about where it can be found. 00:05:21.400 --> 00:05:27.400 God understands the way to it, and He alone knows its place. For He looks to the ends of the earth 00:05:27.820 --> 00:05:33.200 and observes everything under the heavens. When He made the force of the wind and measured the 00:05:33.370 --> 00:05:38.740 waters with a gauge. When He imposed a limit for the rain and a path for the thunderstorm, 00:05:39.580 --> 00:05:45.220 then He looked at wisdom and assessed its value. He established it and examined it closely. 00:05:45.520 --> 00:05:52.080 And he said to mankind, The fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil 00:05:52.480 --> 00:05:53.240 is understanding. 00:05:55.280 --> 00:06:00.940 Well, beloved, in these two chapters, Job begins quite a long soliloquy in response to 00:06:01.060 --> 00:06:02.500 what he's heard from his friends. 00:06:03.300 --> 00:06:06.800 It continues for five chapters, and he makes some excellent points. 00:06:07.480 --> 00:06:13.160 As Job began today, in essence, he said that no matter what, his friends' accusations against 00:06:13.230 --> 00:06:14.860 him will not wear him down. 00:06:15.560 --> 00:06:20.100 As long as he lives, he will maintain that he has been a man of integrity. 00:06:21.400 --> 00:06:25.120 Have you ever been in an argument or a debate with someone who just won't give it up, 00:06:25.500 --> 00:06:30.380 and you finally just say, OK, fine, have it your way, just to get them to let it go? 00:06:31.160 --> 00:06:36.300 Well, Job is not prepared to do that in this case, because the argument is over his integrity. 00:06:37.400 --> 00:06:42.719 One's integrity is worth defending, especially if the people attacking your integrity are people 00:06:42.720 --> 00:06:49.120 who matter to you. The last thing Job wants is to be thought of as unrighteous. In this translation, 00:06:49.210 --> 00:06:55.460 the word used is godless, but in the King James, it's hypocrite, and Job considers this to be the 00:06:55.630 --> 00:07:00.760 worst condition a person could be in. And of course, it was the religious hypocrites that 00:07:00.920 --> 00:07:06.680 Jesus spoke most loudly against. It should be said at this point, Job is seen as taking the 00:07:06.710 --> 00:07:12.700 upper hand with his friends. He's now taking the role as an instructor, and he's telling them how 00:07:12.720 --> 00:07:19.020 instead of defending himself. And so he tells them that he agrees with their point that the ungodly 00:07:19.140 --> 00:07:24.800 will be judged by God, and all their supposed gains will evaporate, and their sins against 00:07:25.060 --> 00:07:32.020 others will not stand. But he tells them that God's judgment is not always immediate, and that it can 00:07:32.140 --> 00:07:37.600 take time for their consequences to come down on them. And so the time that we see between when the 00:07:37.620 --> 00:07:43.920 unrighteous do their evil deeds, and when the consequences come, is really no time at all in 00:07:44.080 --> 00:07:50.180 God's perspective. We don't perceive time like God does. God is outside of time. But one thing is 00:07:50.300 --> 00:07:57.980 sure, sin always has consequences. God is just, and He will make things right. I'm so glad that 00:07:57.980 --> 00:08:03.620 this is true, because the world has seen an awful lot of ugliness, hasn't it? But the victims of 00:08:03.640 --> 00:08:10.240 that evil will be made whole. We're told in Revelation 21.4 that God will wipe away every 00:08:10.360 --> 00:08:17.080 tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. That's a promise that 00:08:17.260 --> 00:08:23.400 every believer can rely on. Throughout history, God has proven Himself faithful. He always delivers. 00:08:23.960 --> 00:08:29.699 He never fails. And this promise is made to those who put their trust in Him. It's a part of the 00:08:29.720 --> 00:08:34.159 gift that is offered to anyone who makes the choice to take a new direction in their life 00:08:34.560 --> 00:08:39.580 instead of the direction that inevitably leads away from God and toward the consequences of 00:08:39.780 --> 00:08:45.300 wrong choices in living for one's self instead of in the direction of the one who offers life. 00:08:45.980 --> 00:08:51.300 We all make wrong choices, but we don't have to face the consequences if we decide to accept 00:08:51.620 --> 00:08:57.360 God's gift that is made available through Jesus Christ, who lived his entire life without making 00:08:57.380 --> 00:09:04.260 one wrong choice. He was sinless. When we accept that gift that God offers, the Bible says that 00:09:04.340 --> 00:09:10.700 the perfection of Jesus is credited to us. It's a gift. We don't earn it. We can't earn it. 00:09:11.220 --> 00:09:17.280 We can only just receive it. And it's offered to every person, not just the good person or the bad 00:09:17.420 --> 00:09:23.120 person, not just the educated person or the uneducated person. It's not just for the rich 00:09:23.140 --> 00:09:29.240 or just for the poor. It's offered to all, because every one of us needs it if we want to see God. 00:09:30.080 --> 00:09:34.240 Jesus came that none would perish, but that all would have eternal life. 00:09:35.380 --> 00:09:38.880 What do you think? Tomorrow we'll read Jeremiah 7-11. 00:09:44.500 --> 00:09:47.300 Today's verse of the day is Job 27.4. 00:09:48.160 --> 00:09:52.600 My lips will not speak falsehood, and my tongue will not utter deceit. 00:09:53.100 --> 00:09:54.460 That's Job 27.4. 00:10:03.340 --> 00:10:07.280 Beloved, if the Lifespring One Year Bible Rewind has become an important part of your day, 00:10:07.800 --> 00:10:12.460 if you think this show has value, if you'd missed the show if it were no longer available, 00:10:13.080 --> 00:10:16.180 I need your support in the form of time, talent, or treasure. 00:10:16.460 --> 00:10:18.300 If you're praying for me, let me know. 00:10:18.760 --> 00:10:21.520 If you're spreading the word about the show, tell me what you're doing. 00:10:21.980 --> 00:10:25.700 If you'd like to create some art for the chapters that show up on your podcast player, 00:10:26.180 --> 00:10:26.660 send them to me. 00:10:27.340 --> 00:10:30.460 If you can support the show financially, that's most welcome too. 00:10:30.860 --> 00:10:34.480 Assign a number to the value you receive from the show, and then go here. 00:10:36.220 --> 00:10:38.240 Lifespringmedia.com slash support 00:10:39.080 --> 00:10:44.920 Value for value means the Lifespring One Year Bible Rewind can continue because you choose 00:10:45.020 --> 00:10:45.560 to participate. 00:10:45.640 --> 00:10:47.980 I really can't do this without your help. 00:10:49.900 --> 00:10:54.120 We're reading through the Word every day here on the LifeSpring One Year Bible Rewind, 00:10:54.660 --> 00:10:57.960 but sometimes a single verse deserves a closer look. 00:10:58.740 --> 00:11:04.660 In the final chapter of Romans, when the Apostle Paul is greeting some of the men who've helped him in his ministry, 00:11:05.220 --> 00:11:09.820 there's a signature that seems out of place, almost like it shouldn't be there. 00:11:10.280 --> 00:11:15.940 It's the voice of a man named Tertius, a man whose name simply meant number three. 00:11:16.780 --> 00:11:21.380 Why did the Apostle Paul pause his masterpiece to let a scribe speak? 00:11:22.420 --> 00:11:26.840 On the latest episode of Verses We Missed, we're looking at the man in the margins. 00:11:27.780 --> 00:11:33.880 Join me for episode 13 of Verses We Missed, because in God's kingdom, no one is invisible. 00:11:35.000 --> 00:11:37.840 Available now at verseswemissed.com. 00:11:38.540 --> 00:11:39.280 I'll see you there. 00:11:50.720 --> 00:11:53.900 On this date in church history, January 22nd. 00:11:54.680 --> 00:11:56.440 Now, this is going to be a little bit different today. 00:11:57.200 --> 00:12:01.040 While some secular calendars call today Celebration of Life Day, 00:12:01.540 --> 00:12:06.520 for the church, this date carries a much deeper historical and theological weight. 00:12:07.440 --> 00:12:12.380 On this date in 1525, Martin Luther married Catherine von Bora. 00:12:13.250 --> 00:12:17.560 Their marriage solidified the Reformation's shift away from clerical celibacy 00:12:17.970 --> 00:12:20.880 and established the model for the Protestant parsonage. 00:12:21.660 --> 00:12:28.900 And in 1527, the Radical Reformation saw its first martyr as Felix Montz was executed for his faith. 00:12:29.560 --> 00:12:35.100 The Radical Reformation was a 16th-century movement that sought a total return to the New Testament Church. 00:12:35.700 --> 00:12:40.800 They emphasized the separation of church and state and the belief that baptism should be 00:12:41.330 --> 00:12:43.020 reserved for adult believers only. 00:12:43.550 --> 00:12:48.360 But today is most widely recognized in our churches as National Sanctity of Human Life 00:12:48.430 --> 00:12:48.600 Day. 00:12:49.440 --> 00:12:55.520 It was originally proclaimed by Ronald Reagan in 1984, and the tradition continues today. 00:12:56.580 --> 00:13:01.120 In his 2026 proclamation, President Trump called on the nation to, quote, 00:13:01.380 --> 00:13:06.960 recognize that every human life is a gift, and to protect the God-given dignity of the most 00:13:07.420 --> 00:13:12.480 vulnerable among us. We're reminded of the ancient Christian conviction of the Imago Dei, 00:13:12.820 --> 00:13:18.000 that every life bears the fingerprint of the Creator. From the martyrs of the 16th century 00:13:18.120 --> 00:13:23.920 to the proclamation of 2026, today is a day to stand for the value of every soul. 00:13:32.220 --> 00:13:37.320 Beloved, in a world that often devalues the individual, Job reminds us that our integrity 00:13:37.880 --> 00:13:43.920 and our identity is found only in God. Today, this National Sanctity of Human Life Day, 00:13:44.420 --> 00:13:49.599 let's celebrate the gift of life and the even greater gift of grace that is freely offered 00:13:49.620 --> 00:13:56.420 to every person. Ephesians 2, 8-10 says, For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, 00:13:56.820 --> 00:14:02.480 and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works so that no one can boast. 00:14:03.000 --> 00:14:09.140 For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in 00:14:09.280 --> 00:14:16.299 advance for us to do. Until tomorrow, beloved, may God bless you richly. Thank you so much for being 00:14:16.340 --> 00:14:20.380 here and inviting me to be a part of your day. I'm Steve Webb. Bye. 00:14:24.440 --> 00:14:30.180 All the programs in the Lifespring Media family are made possible by your value for value support. 00:14:30.900 --> 00:14:36.800 Thank you. The Lifespring One Year Bible Rewind is a Lifespring Media production 00:14:37.110 --> 00:14:40.660 hosted by Steve Webb, the OG Godcaster since 2004.