Steve Webb 0:00 Now is the time. Steve Webb 0:09 Hello, this is the Lifespring family Audio Bible coming to you from Riverside, California and podcasting since 2004. I am your OG God caster Steve Webb. Today we'll read Ezekiel 19 through 24. And afterwards I'll have some thoughts to share with you. I'm calling today's episode, how many times? The show notes page for today's episode is at Lifespring media.com/s 12 e 184. You can email me at Steve at Lifespring media.com. Shall we begin? Steve Webb 0:41 Ezekiel chapter 19. Steve Webb 0:43 Take up a lament concerning the princes of Israel and say what a lioness was your mother among the lions, she lay down among them and reared her cubs. She brought up one of her cubs and he became a strong lion. He learned to tear the prey and he became a man eater. The nations heard about him and he was trapped in their pit. They led him with hooks to the land of Egypt. When she saw her hope unfulfilled, her expectation gone. She took another of her cubs and made him a strong lion. He prowled among the Lions for he was now a strong lion. He learned to tear the prey and he became a manager. He broke down their strongholds and devastated their towns, the land and all who were in it were terrified by his roaring. Then the nations came against Him, those from regions roundabout. They spread their net for him and he was trapped in their pit. With hooks, they pulled him into a cage and brought him to the king of Babylon. They put him in prison, so his roar was heard no longer on the mountains of Israel. Your mother was like a vine in your vineyard planted by the water. It was fruitful and full of branches because of abundant water. Its branches were strong fit for a ruler scepter it towered high above the thick foliage conspicuous for its height and for its many branches, but it was uprooted in fury and thrown to the ground. The East Wind made it shrivel, it was stripped of its fruit, its strong branches withered in fire consumed them. Now it is planted in the desert in a dry and thirsty land. fire spread from one of its main branches and consumed its fruit. No strong branches left on it fit for a ruler scepter. This is a lament and is to be used as a limit. Steve Webb 2:26 Ezekiel chapter 20. Steve Webb 2:28 In the seventh year, in the fifth month, on the 10th day, some of the elders of Israel came to inquire of the Lord, and they sat down in front of me. Then the word of the Lord came to me, Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel and say to them, This is what the Sovereign Lord says, Have you come to inquire of me, as surely as I live, I will not let you inquire of me declares the Sovereign Lord, will you judge them? Will you judge them Son of man, then confront them with the detestable practices of their ancestors and say to them, This is what the Sovereign Lord says, On the day I chose Israel, I swore with uplifted hand to the descendants of Jacob and revealed myself to them in Egypt. With uplifted hand I said to them, I am the Lord your God. On that day, I swore to them that I would bring them out of Egypt into a land I had searched out for them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the most beautiful of all lands. And I said to them, each of you get rid of the vile images you have set your eyes on, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am the Lord your God. Steve Webb 3:37 But they rebelled against me and would not listen to me. They did not get rid of the vile images they had set their eyes on, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt. So I said, I would pour out My wrath on them, and spread my anger against them in Egypt. But for the sake of my name, I brought them out of Egypt. I did it to keep my name from being profaned in the eyes of the nations among whom they lived, and in whose sight I had revealed myself to the Israelites, therefore, I led them out of Egypt, and brought them into the wilderness. I gave them my decrees and made known to them my laws by which the person who obeys them will live. Also, I gave them my Sabbath as a sign between us so they would know that I the Lord made them holy. Yet the people of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness. They did not follow my decrees, but rejected my laws by which the person who obeys them will live and they utterly desecrated my Sabbath's. So I said I would pour out My wrath on them, and destroy them in the wilderness. But for the sake of my name, I did what would keep it from being profaned in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out. Also with uplifted hand, I swore to them in the wilderness that I would not bring them into the land I'd given them a land flowing with milk and honey, the most beautiful of all lands because they rejected my laws and did not follow my Steve Webb 4:59 decrees and desecrated my Sabbath, for their hearts were devoted to their idols. Yet I looked on them with pity and did not destroy them or put an end to them in the wilderness. I said to their children in the wilderness, do not follow the statutes of your parents or keep their laws or defile yourselves with their idols. I am the Lord your God. Follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. Keep my Sabbath holy, that they may be assigned between us, then you will know that I am the Lord your God. But the children rebelled against me. They did not follow my decrees. They were not careful to keep my laws of which I said, the person who obeys them will live by them, and they desecrated my Sabbath's. So I said I would pour out My wrath on them, and spread my anger against them in the wilderness. But I withheld my hand and for the sake of my name I did what would keep it from being profaned in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out. Also with uplifted hand, I swore to them in the wilderness that I would disperse them among the nations and scatter them through the countries because they had not obeyed my laws, but had rejected my decrees and desecrated my Sabbath's and their eyes lusted after their parents idols. So I gave them other statutes that were not good, and laws through which they could not live. I defiled them through their gifts, the sacrifice of every firstborn, that I might fill them with horror, so that they would know that I am the Lord. Therefore Son of Man, speak to the people of Israel and say to them, This is what the Sovereign Lord says, in this also your ancestors blasphemed me by being unfaithful to me, when I brought them into the land I had sworn to give them and they saw any high hill or any leafy tree, there they offer their sacrifices, made offerings that aroused my anger, presented their fragrant incense and poured out Their drink offerings. Then I said to them, what is this high place you go to? It is called beyma To this day, therefore say to the Israelites, this is what the Sovereign Lord says, Will you defile yourselves the way your ancestors did and lust after their vile images? When you offer your gifts, the sacrifice of your children in the fire, you continue to defile yourselves with your idols to this day? Am I to let you inquire of me you Israelites? As surely as I live declares the Sovereign Lord, I will not let you inquire of me. You say we want to be like the nations like the peoples of the world who serve wood and stone. But what you have in mind will never happen. As surely as I live declares the Sovereign Lord, I will reign over you with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. And without poured wrath. I will bring you from the nations and gather you from the countries where you have been scattered with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. And without poured wrap. I will bring you into the wilderness of the nations and their face to face. I will execute judgment upon you, as I judged your ancestors in the wilderness of the land of Egypt. So I will judge you declares the Sovereign Lord, I will take note of you as you pass under my rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant. I will purge you have those who revolt and rebel against me. Although I will bring them out of the land where they are living, yet they will not enter the land of Israel, then you will know that I am the Lord. As for you people of Israel, this is what the Sovereign Lord says, Go and serve your idols every one of you. But afterwards, you will surely listen to me and no longer profane My Holy Name, with your gifts and idols. For on My holy mountain. The high mountain of Israel declares the Sovereign Lord there in the land all the people of Israel will serve me in there, I will accept them. There I will require your offerings and your choice gifts, along with all your holy sacrifices. I will accept you as fragrant incense when I bring you out from the nations and gather you from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will be proved holy through you in the sight of the nation's then you will know that I am the Lord. When I bring you into the land of Israel, the land I had sworn with uplifted hand to give to your ancestors. There you will remember your conduct and all the actions by which you have defiled yourselves, and you will love yourselves for all the evil you have done. You will know that I am the Lord when I deal with you for my namesake, and not according to your evil ways. In your corrupt practices you people of Israel declares the Sovereign Lord. The word of the Lord came to me, Son of man, set your face toward the south, preach against the South and prophesy against the forest of the Southland say to the southern forest here the word of the Lord. This is what the Sovereign Lord says. I am about to set fire to you and it will consume all your trees both green and dry, the blazing flame will not be quenched and every face from south to north will be scorched by it. Everyone will see that I the Lord have kindled it, it it will not be quenched. Then I said, Sovereign Lord, they're saying of me is that he just telling parables. Steve Webb 10:17 Ezekiel chapter 21. Steve Webb 10:20 The word of the Lord came to me, Son of man, set your face against Jerusalem and preach against the sanctuary. prophesy against the Land of Israel and say to her, this is what the Lord says, I am against you. I will draw my sword from its sheath and cut off from you both the righteous and the wicked, because I'm going to cut off a righteous and the wicked My Sword will be unsheathed against everyone from south to north, then all people will know that I the Lord have drawn my sword from a chief, it will not return again. Therefore grown son of man, grown before them with broken heart and bitter grief. And when they ask you, why are you groaning you shall say, because of the news that is coming, every heart will melt with fear and every hand go limp. Every spirit will become fate, and every leg will be wet with your end. It is coming, it will surely take place declares the Sovereign Lord. The word of the Lord came to me, Son of man, prophesy and say, This is what the Lord says. A sword a sword sharpened and polished, sharpened for the slaughter, polished to flash like lightning, shall we rejoice in the scepter of my royal son, the sword despises every such stick, the sword is appointed to be polished to be grasped with the hand. It is sharpened and polished, made ready for the hand of the Slayer, cry out in Wales, Son of man for it as against my people. It is against all the princes of Israel, they are thrown to the sword along with my people, therefore beat your breast. And what if the scepter which the Lord despises does not continue declares the Sovereign Lord. So then Son of man, prophesy and strike your hands together, let the sword strike twice, even three times. It is a sword for slaughter, a sword for great slaughter, closing in on them from every side, so that hearts may melt with fear in the fall and be many. I have stationed the sword for slaughter at all their gates. Look, it is forged to strike like lightning. It is grasped for slaughter, slash to the right hand sword, then to the left, wherever your blade is turned, I too will strike my hands together and my wrath will subside. I the LORD have spoken. The word of the Lord came to me, Son of man, mark out two roads for the sword of the king of Babylon to take both starting from the same country, make a signpost where the road branches off to the city. Mark out one road for the sword to come against Rabaa of the Ammonites and another against Judah and fortify Jerusalem, for the king of Babylon will stop at the fork in the road at the junction of the two roads to seek an omen. He will cast lots with arrows he will consult his idols he will examine the liver, into his right hand will come the lot for Jerusalem, where he is to set up battering rams to give the command to slaughter to sound the battle cry, to set battering rams against the gates to build a ramp to erect siege works. It will seem like a false omen to those who have sworn allegiance to him, but he will remind them of their guilt and take them captive. Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says. Because you people have brought to mind your guilt by your open rebellion, revealing your sins and all that you do. Because you have done this, you will be taken captive. You profane and wicked Prince of Israel whose day has come, whose time of judgment has reached its climax. This is what the Sovereign Lord says. Take off the turban, remove the crown, it will not be as it was, the lowly will be exalted and the Exalted will be brought low, a ruin a ruin, I will make it a ruin. The Crown will not be restored until he to whom it rightfully belongs shall come to him, I will give it and use Son of Man prophesy and say. This is what the Sovereign LORD says about the Ammonites and their insults, a sword a sword drawn for the slaughter, polished to consume and to flash like lightning. Despite false visions concerning you and lying divinations about you, it will be laid on the necks of the wicked who are to be slain, whose day has come, whose time of punishment has reached its climax. Let the sword return to its sheath. In the place where you were created in the land of your ancestry. I will judge you. I will pour out my wrath on you and breathe out my fiery anger against you. I will deliver you into the hands of brutal men, men skilled in destruction. You will be fuel for the fire. Your blood will be shed in your land, you will be remembered no more For I the LORD have spoken. Steve Webb 14:55 Ezekiel chapter 22. Steve Webb 14:58 The word of the Lord came to me. Son of Man, will you judge her? Will you judge this city of bloodshed, then confront her with all her detestable practices and say, This is what the Sovereign Lord says, You city that brings on herself doomed by shedding blood in her midst and defiles herself by making idols. You have become guilty because of the blood you have shed, and have become defiled by the idols you have made. You have brought your days to a close and the end of your years has come. Therefore, I will make you an object of scorn to the nations and a laughingstock to all the countries. Those who are near and those who are far away will mock you you infamous city full of turmoil. See how each of the princes of Israel who are in you uses his power to shed blood in you they have treated father and mother with contempt in you they have oppressed the foreigner and mistreated the fatherless and the widow. You have despised my holy things in desecrated my Sabbath. In you are slanderers who are bent on shedding blood. In you are those who eat at the mountain shrines and commit lewd acts. IN YOU ARE THOSE WHO dishonor their father's bed in you are those who violate women during their period when they are ceremonially unclean. In EU one man commits a detestable offense with his neighbor's wife, another shamefully defiles his daughter in law, and another violates his sister, his own father's daughter, and you are people who accept bribes to shed blood. You take interest and make a profit from the poor. You extort unjust gain from your neighbors, and you have forgotten me declares the Sovereign Lord, I will surely strike my hands together at the unjust gain you have made and at the blood you have shed in your midst, will your courage endure or your hands be strong in the day I deal with you? I the LORD have spoken and I will do it. I will disperse you among the nations and scatter you through the countries and I will put an end to your uncleanness when you have been defiled in the eyes of the nations you will know that I am the Lord. Then the word of the Lord came to me, Son of man, the people of Israel have become dross to me, all of them are the copper tin iron and lead left inside a furnace. They are but the dross of silver. Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says. Because you have all become dross I will gather you into Jerusalem, as silver, copper, iron, lead and tin are gathered into a furnace to be melted with a fiery blast. So I will gather you and my anger and my wrath and put you inside the city and melt you. I will gather you and I will blow on you with my fiery wrath and you will be melted inside her as silver is melted in a furnace so you will be melted inside her. And you will know that I the Lord have poured out my wrath on you. Again the word of the Lord came to me, Son of man say to the land, you are a land that has not been cleansed or rained on in the day of wrath. There is a conspiracy of her Princess within her like a roaring lion tearing its prey. They devour people take treasures and precious things and make many widows within her. Her priests do violence to my law and profane my holy things. They do not distinguish between the holy and the common. They teach that there is no difference between the unclean and the clean, and they shut their eyes to the keeping of my Sabbath's so that I am profaned among them. Her officials within her are like wolves tearing their prey. They shed blood and kill people to make unjust gain. Her prophets whitewash these deeds for them by false visions and lying destinations. They say this is what the Sovereign LORD says when the Lord has not spoken. The people of the land practice extortion and commit robbery. They oppress the poor and needy and mistreat the foreigner denying them justice. I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it. But I found no one. So I will pour out my wrath on them and consume them with my fiery anger, bringing down on their own heads. All they have done declares the Sovereign Lord as He killed chapter 23. The word of the Lord came to me, Son of man, they were two women, Daughters of the same mother. They became prostitutes in Egypt, engaging in prostitution from their youth. In that land, their breasts were fondled and their virgin bosoms caressed. The older was named a hola and her sister was a whole ABA. They were mine and gave birth to sons and daughters. A hola is a Marissa and a whole ABA is Jerusalem. Steve Webb 19:43 A hola engaged in prostitution while she was still mine. And she lusted after her lovers, the Assyrians warriors clothed in blue governors and commanders, all of them handsome young men, and mounted horsemen. She gave herself as a prostitute to all the elite Steve Webb 20:00 of the Assyrians, and defiled herself with all the idols of everyone she lusted after she did not give up the prostitution. She began in Egypt, when during her youth men slept with her, caressed her virgin bosom, and poured out their lust on her. Therefore, I delivered her into the hands of her lovers, the Assyrians for whom she lusted. They stripped her naked, took away her sons and daughters and killed her with a sword. She became a byword among women and punishment was inflicted on her. Her sister, a whole of us saw this yet in her less than prostitution, she was more depraved than her sister, she to lusted after the Assyrians, governors in commanders, warriors in full dress, mounted horsemen, all handsome young men, I saw that she too defiled herself. Both of them went the same way. But she carried her prostitution still further, she saw men portrayed on a wall figures of Chaldeans portrayed in red, with belts around their waist and flowing turbans on their heads. All of them looked like Babylonian chariot officers, natives of Cambodia. As soon as she saw them, she lusted after them and sent messages to them in Cambodia. Then the Babylonians came to her to the bed of love, and in their lust they defiled her. After she had been defiled by them, she turned away from them and disgust when she carried on her prostitution openly and exposed her naked body. I turned away from her in disgust, just as I had turned away from her sister. Yet she became more and more promiscuous as she recalled the days of her youth when she was a prostitute in Egypt. There she lusted after her lovers whose genitals were like those of donkeys, and whose mission was like that of horses. So you longed for the lewdness of your youth, when in Egypt your bosom was caressed, and you're young breasts fondled. Therefore a whole Oba This is what the Sovereign Lord says, I will stir up your lovers against you, those you turned away from in disgust, and I will bring them against you from every side, the Babylonians and all the Cambodians, the men of pecan and show in Cola, and all the Assyrians with them, handsome young men, all of them governors and commanders, chariot officers and men of high rank, all mounted on horses, they will come against you with weapons, chariots and wagons and with a throng of people, and they will take up positions against you on every side with large and small shields. And with helmets, I will turn you over to them for punishment, and they will punish you according to their standards. I will direct my jealous anger against you, and they will deal with you in fury. They will cut off your noses and your ears, and those of you who are left will fall by the sword, they will take away your sons and daughters, and those of you who are left will be consumed by fire. They will also strip you of your clothes and take away your fine jewelry. So I will put a stop to the lewdness and prostitution you began in Egypt. You will not look on these things with longing or remember Egypt anymore. For this is what the Sovereign Lord says, I am about to deliver you into the hands of those who hate to those who turned away from and disgust they will deal with you and hatred and take away everything you have worked for. They will leave you stark naked and the shame of your prostitution will be exposed. Your lewdness and promiscuity have brought this on you because you lusted after the nations and defiled yourself with their idols. You have gone the way of your sister so I will put her cup into your hand. This is what the Sovereign Lord says. You will drink your sister's cup, a cup large and deep. It will bring scorn and derision for it holds so much. You will be filled with drunkenness and sorrow, the cup of ruin and desolation. The cup of your sister's some area, you will drink it and drain it dry and chew on its pieces and you will tear your breasts I have spoken declares the Sovereign Lord. Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says. Since you have forgotten me and turned your back on me. You must bear the consequences of your lewdness and prostitution. The Lord said to me, Son of man, will you judge Oh Hola, hola. Hola. Then confront them with their detestable practices, for they have committed adultery and blood is on their hands. They committed adultery with their idols. They even sacrificed their children whom they bore to me as food for them. They have also done this to me. At that same time they defiled my sanctuary and desecrated my sabots. On the very day they sacrifice their children to their idols. They entered my sanctuary and desecrated it. That is what they did in my house. They even set messengers for men who came from far away and when they arrived, you bathe yourself for them. Applied eye makeup and put on your jewelry. You sat on an elegant couch with a table spread before it on what you had placed the incense and olive oil that Steve Webb 24:59 belonged to me. The noise of a carefree crowd was around her. Drunkards were brought from the desert along with men from the rabble. And they put bracelets on the wrists of the woman and her sister and put beautiful crowns on their heads. Then I said about the one worn out by adultery. Now let them use her as a prostitute for that as all she is, and they slept with her as men sleep with a prostitute. So they slept with those lewd women, oh, hola and Hola. But righteous judges will sentence them to the punishment of women who commit adultery and shed blood because they are adulterous and blood is on their hands. This is what the Sovereign Lord says, Bring them up against them and give them over to terror and plunder. The mob will stone them and cut them down with their swords. They will kill their sons and daughters and burn down their houses. So I will put an end to lewdness in the land, that all women may take warning and not imitate you. You will suffer the penalty for your lewdness and bear the consequences of your sins of idolatry. Then you will know that I am the Sovereign Lord. Steve Webb 26:06 Ezekiel chapter 24. Again, Steve Webb 26:09 In the ninth year, in the ninth month, on the 10th day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me saying, Son of man, write down the name of the day. This very day, the king of Babylon started his siege against Jerusalem this very day, and unrepairable to the rebellious house and say to them, Thus says the Lord God, put on a pot, set it on, and also pour water into it. Gather pieces of meat in it, every good piece, the thigh and the shoulder. Fill it with choice cuts, take the choice of the flock. Also pile fuel bones under it, make it boil well and let the cuts simmer in it. Therefore thus says the Lord God, Woe to the bloody city to the pot whose scum is in it and whose scum has not gone from it, bring it out, piece by piece on which no lot has fallen. For her blood is in her midst, she set it on top of a rock, she did not pour it on the ground to cover it with dust, that it may rise up fury and take vengeance I have set her blood on top of a rock that it may not be covered. Therefore thus says the Lord God, Woe to the bloody city. I too will make the pyre great. He bombed the wood, kindle the fire, cook the meat, well mix in the spices and let the cuts be burned up. Then set the pot empty on the coals that it may become hot and it's bronze may burn. That it's filthiness may be melted in it, that it's scum may be consumed. She has grown weary with lies and her great scum has not gone from her. Let her scum be in the fire in your filthiness is lewdness. Because I have cleansed you and you are not cleansed. You will not be cleansed of your filthiness anymore till I have caused my fury to rest upon you. I the LORD have spoken it, it shall come to pass and I will do it. I will not hold back nor will I spare nor will I relent according to your ways and according to your deeds. They will judge you says the Lord God. Also the word of the Lord came to me saying, Son of man Behold, I take away from you the desire of your eyes with one stroke, yet you shall neither more nor weep, nor shall your tears run down. sigh in silence, make no morning for the dead. Bind your turban on your head and put your sandals on your feet. Do not cover your lips, and do not eat man's bread of sorrow. So I spoke to the people in the morning and it evening my wife died. And the next morning I did as I was commanded. And the people said to me, will you not tell us what these things signify to us that you behave so? Then I answered them, the word of the Lord came to me saying, Speak to the house of Israel thus says the Lord God, behold I will profane my sanctuary. Your arrogant boast the desire of your eyes, the delight of your soul, and your sons and your daughters whom you left behind shall fall by the sword. And you shall do as I have done, you shall not cover your lips, nor eat man's bread of sorrow. Your turban shall be on your heads and your sandals on your feet. You shall neither more nor weep, but you shall pine away in your iniquities and mourn with one another. Thus Ezekiel is assigned to you, according to all that he has done, you shall do and when this comes you shall know that I am the Lord God. And you son of man, will it not be in the day when I take from them their stronghold, their joy in their glory, the desire of their eyes and on that which they set their minds, their sons and their daughters, that on that day, one who escapes will come to you to let you hear it with your ears. On that day your mouth will be opened to him who has escaped. You shall speak and no longer be mute. Thus you will be assigned to them and they shall know that I am the LORD Steve Webb 30:00 These chapters tell a sad, tragic and horrific story. They're not easy to read and even harder to contemplate. These were God's chosen people. He loved them. And he made a covenant with him to bless them for all generations if they would just follow His commandments. Time and again, they turned away from him and time and again, he told him that judgment would come upon them unless they repented and returned to him. Often they refused. So God was true to his word, and brought judgment, then they would repent, and he would forgive them and bless them. And the cycle repeated many times proving that God is a merciful God. Now, in these chapters, God's wrath has reached a crescendo. The messages he gave to Ezekiel were of utter destruction in shame. Now, if I was gone, I would have washed my hands of not only these chosen people, but of all mankind, I would have walked away and let them destroy themselves. That would seem a deserving end, don't you think? But thanks be to God that I am not God. Our God takes no delight in the death of the wicked according to what he said in his zeal. 1823. Now, keeping in mind what God said of himself in Malikai, three, six, I the Lord do not change. The explanation for the fact that any of us are still here can be found in first John 416, that says, and so we know and rely on the love God has for us, God is love. Now, this is a love that is impossible to grasp as a human being. We're far too finite, too limited, too flawed, to fully understand it. God is love. When I think of the love God poured out in creating a perfect and beautiful universe, where he created a perfect and beautiful and lush planet that was supremely suited for humankind to live and have fellowship with their God, only to have them break that fellowship by disobeying the one command he gave them. And then the centuries and millennia of the cycle repeating itself. I can only imagine the broken heart of God. Steve Webb 32:14 And yet. Steve Webb 32:16 And yet he made the greatest offering of love in all of eternity. God, the Father offered the life of his only begotten Son, for the redemption of any who would receive Him as their Lord and Savior. And the son Jesus Christ, who was with God from all eternity, willingly and lovingly gave Himself as it says in Romans five, eight, while we were yet sinners, all Beloved, if you have not yet responded to Jesus offer, now's the time. Today is the day of salvation. Jesus said, I stand at the door, knock, if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person in they with me. Steve Webb 33:00 He's knocking will you answer? He's done all the work. You have only to accept his gift, the gift of forgiveness of sin and eternity with Him. Steve Webb 33:12 Do you know where you'll spend eternity? Do you know that you'll go to heaven when you die? You can know you don't have to guess. You don't have to hope that all your good deeds will outweigh your bad. That is not what salvation is all about. Because all have sinned and fall short. One sin is enough to close the book on you. The wages of sin the Bible tells us is death. But Jesus took the punishment for my sins and for yours. He paid the price already. For anyone who has accepted him. Their account is marked, paid in full. Will you accept him now? You don't need to you can't make yourself good enough to accept him. He told the thief who was hanging on the cross next to him. Today you will be with Me in Paradise. Jesus will take you just as you are right now. Steve Webb 34:04 If you want your sins forgiven, if you want to know without a doubt that you will go to heaven when you die. If you want to know what real peace feels like, if you want to fill that hole in your heart, all you need to do is pray this simple prayer. Pray it with me, either out loud or in the quietness of your heart. Steve Webb 34:24 Dear Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, but I know that you died for me. Steve Webb 34:31 I asked you to forgive my sins. And I asked you to be my Lord and my Savior. Steve Webb 34:37 Come into my life and make me the person you want me to be. Steve Webb 34:43 Amen. Steve Webb 34:45 If you prayed that prayer, beloved, there is rejoicing in heaven right now. Congratulations on beginning a new life. Whether or not you feel any different makes no difference. If you met it in your heart when you prayed that prayer then you are a new person. Steve Webb 35:00 It isn't based on emotions or feelings. It is based on God's promise. Now, you're listening to the Lifespring family Audio Bible is a good way to get into the Bible. But I want to send you a very special edition of the New Testament called the new believers Bible. And I want to send it free, no charge. There are hundreds of notes in this New Testament that were written by Greg Laurie of harvest ministries, and it's published by Tyndale House Publishers. Harvest is the church that the lovely lady Leanne, and I call home and they made some copies of the new believers Bible available for me to be able to send you a copy. So if you prayed that prayer, please let me know. And I'll send you a copy again free of charge. Just send an email to Steve at Lifespring media.com with your name and address, your information will stay with me, I won't share it and I won't spam you. I just want you to have this to help you get started in your new life. Do you have any comments on the reading or what I've said today? I'd love to hear them. Go to Lifespring media.com/s 12 e 184. And leave a comment there on the bottom of the page. Our reading tomorrow will be Luke 17 and 18 Oost. Steve Webb 36:21 On this date in church history, march 4 1738 Moravian missionary Peter bowler advises John Wesley, preach faith until you have it and then because you have it, you will preach faith. That's good advice. And on this date in church history, march 4 1791. The Reverend John Hurt is appointed as the first chaplain and US Army history. He previously served as chaplain of the sixth Virginia infantry during the American Revolution. Steve Webb 37:02 Prayer requests and praises. Well, Kathy was back at the City of Hope today for tests, a PET scan and more chemotherapy. Her platelets are still low because the Chemo kills platelets. So they gave her a shot today, that's supposed to increase her body's ability to make more. And Dell said the numbers that indicate cancer in her body are down, which is good. Last time they did the test a couple of months ago, I think it was the number was 121. Today, the number was 79. And that's really good. And she's having to take less pain medication. So all in all, this is a day of praise. So let's keep her in prayer. Let's pray. Our heavenly Father, the Scriptures we read today were difficult, but Lord, they're there for a purpose. We see that you are a holy, just and righteous God who hates sin. But we also see that you're a patient God who is slow to anger, you're a God who gives ample chances to repent. And above all, we see that you are a God who loves us and has made complete forgiveness available to anyone who will put their faith in Jesus. The words thank you seen too weak to express the gratitude that you deserve. But they're all that I can come up with. So thank you, Lord. And thank you for the good report from Dell today on Kathy. It all seems so encouraging. And once again, I'm asking that you would complete Kathy ceiling. Continue, Lord to give her strength and relief from the pain and please give her health in Jesus name. I thank You, Lord for the Lifespring family. Bless them today. Encourage them, lead them, guide them, direct them, help them to respond to you where their needs, where their hurts, be their supply and their healer. If anyone prayed with me today and accepted Christ, help them as they begin their new life. Steve Webb 38:52 I pray this in Jesus name. Amen. Steve Webb 39:03 Hey, I've got an idea. Share the show. Comment on the show at Lifespring media.com/s 12 e 184. Email me at Steve at Lifespring media.com. And please support the show but Lifespring media.com/support Until tomorrow may God bless you richly. Thank you for being here. I'm Steve Webb. Bye Transcribed by https://otter.ai