STEVE WEBB - 0:00  
How could that be the right thing to do?

INTRO S12E328 - 0:10  
Coming to you from the Lifespring Family Studios in Riverside, California, this is the Lifespring Family Audio Bible. Podcasting since 2004, I'm your OG Godcaster, Steve Webb. This is the daily show where we're reading through the entire Bible in a year. What's new with you? Today is History Tuesday, and we're going to complete the book of Ezra by reading chapters 6 through 10. I'm calling today's episode, “It's Not As Bad As It Sounds”. The show notes page for today's episode is at lifespringmedia.com/s12e328. I'd love to hear from you send an email to steve@lifespringmedia.com. Let's begin. 

EZRA 6 (NLT) - 0:48  
Ezra, chapter 6. (1) So King Darius issued orders that a search be made in the Babylonian archives, which were stored in the treasury. (2) But it was at the fortress at Ecbatana in the province of Media that a scroll was found. This is what it said:

“Memorandum:

(3) “In the first year of King Cyrus’s reign, a decree was sent out concerning the Temple of God at Jerusalem.

“Let the Temple be rebuilt on the site where Jews used to offer their sacrifices, using the original foundations. Its height will be ninety feet, and its width will be ninety feet. (4) Every three layers of specially prepared stones will be topped by a layer of timber. All expenses will be paid by the royal treasury. (5) Furthermore, the gold and silver cups, which were taken to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar from the Temple of God in Jerusalem, must be returned to Jerusalem and put back where they belong. Let them be taken back to the Temple of God.”

(6) So King Darius sent this message:

“Now therefore, Tattenai, governor of the province west of the Euphrates River, and Shethar-bozenai, and your colleagues and other officials west of the Euphrates River—stay away from there! (7) Do not disturb the construction of the Temple of God. Let it be rebuilt on its original site, and do not hinder the governor of Judah and the elders of the Jews in their work.

(8) “Moreover, I hereby decree that you are to help these elders of the Jews as they rebuild this Temple of God. You must pay the full construction costs, without delay, from my taxes collected in the province west of the Euphrates River so that the work will not be interrupted.
(9) “Give the priests in Jerusalem whatever is needed in the way of young bulls, rams, and male lambs for the burnt offerings presented to the God of heaven. And without fail, provide them with as much wheat, salt, wine, and olive oil as they need each day. (10) Then they will be able to offer acceptable sacrifices to the God of heaven and pray for the welfare of the king and his sons.
(11) “Those who violate this decree in any way will have a beam pulled from their house. Then they will be lifted up and impaled on it, and their house will be reduced to a pile of rubble. (12) May the God who has chosen the city of Jerusalem as the place to honor his name destroy any king or nation that violates this command and destroys this Temple.
“I, Darius, have issued this decree. Let it be obeyed with all diligence.”

(13) Tattenai, governor of the province west of the Euphrates River, and Shethar-bozenai and their colleagues complied at once with the command of King Darius. (14) So the Jewish elders continued their work, and they were greatly encouraged by the preaching of the prophets Haggai and Zechariah son of Iddo. The Temple was finally finished, as had been commanded by the God of Israel and decreed by Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes, the kings of Persia. (15) The Temple was completed on March 12, during the sixth year of King Darius’s reign.

(16) The Temple of God was then dedicated with great joy by the people of Israel, the priests, the Levites, and the rest of the people who had returned from exile. (17) During the dedication ceremony for the Temple of God, 100 young bulls, 200 rams, and 400 male lambs were sacrificed. And 12 male goats were presented as a sin offering for the twelve tribes of Israel. (18) Then the priests and Levites were divided into their various divisions to serve at the Temple of God in Jerusalem, as prescribed in the Book of Moses.

(19) On April 21 the returned exiles celebrated Passover. (20) The priests and Levites had purified themselves and were ceremonially clean. So they slaughtered the Passover lamb for all the returned exiles, for their fellow priests, and for themselves. (21) The Passover meal was eaten by the people of Israel who had returned from exile and by the others in the land who had turned from their corrupt practices to worship the Lord, the God of Israel. (22) Then they celebrated the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days. There was great joy throughout the land because the Lord had caused the king of Assyria to be favorable to them, so that he helped them to rebuild the Temple of God, the God of Israel. 

EZRA 7 (WEB) - 5:07  
Ezra, chapter 7. (1) Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah, (2) the son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub, (3) the son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth, (4) the son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki, (5) the son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest— (6) this Ezra went up from Babylon. He was a skilled scribe in the law of Moses, which Yahweh, the God of Israel, had given; and the king granted him all his request, according to Yahweh his God’s hand on him. (7) Some of the children of Israel, including some of the priests, the Levites, the singers, the porters, and the temple servants went up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king. (8) He came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king. (9) For on the first day of the first month he began to go up from Babylon; and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God on him. (10) For Ezra had set his heart to seek Yahweh’s law, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel.

(11) Now this is the copy of the letter that the King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, even the scribe of the words of Yahweh’s commandments, and of his statutes to Israel:

(12) Artaxerxes, king of kings,

To Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the perfect God of heaven.
Now (13) I make a decree that all those of the people of Israel and their priests and the Levites in my realm, who intend of their own free will to go to Jerusalem, go with you. (14) Because you are sent by the king and his seven counselors to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of your God which is in your hand, (15) and to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose habitation is in Jerusalem, (16) and all the silver and gold that you will find in all the province of Babylon, with the free will offering of the people and of the priests, offering willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem. (17) Therefore you shall with all diligence buy with this money bulls, rams, lambs with their meal offerings and their drink offerings, and shall offer them on the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem. (18) Whatever seems good to you and to your brothers to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, do that according to the will of your God. (19) The vessels that are given to you for the service of the house of your God, deliver before the God of Jerusalem. (20) Whatever more will be needed for the house of your God, which you may have occasion to give, give it out of the king’s treasure house.

(21) I, even I, Artaxerxes the king, make a decree to all the treasurers who are beyond the River, that whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, requires of you, it shall be done with all diligence, (22) up to one hundred talents of silver, and to one hundred cors of wheat, and to one hundred baths of wine, and to one hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much. (23) Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be done exactly for the house of the God of heaven; for why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons?

(24) Also we inform you that it shall not be lawful to impose tribute, custom, or toll on any of the priests, Levites, singers, porters, temple servants, or laborers of this house of God.

(25) You, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God that is in your hand, appoint magistrates and judges who may judge all the people who are beyond the River, who all know the laws of your God; and teach him who doesn’t know them. (26) Whoever will not do the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be executed on him with all diligence, whether it is to death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.

(27) Blessed be Yahweh, the God of our fathers, who has put such a thing as this in the king’s heart, to beautify Yahweh’s house which is in Jerusalem; (28) and has extended loving kindness to me before the king and his counselors, and before all the king’s mighty princes. I was strengthened according to Yahweh my God’s hand on me, and I gathered together chief men out of Israel to go up with me. 

EZRA 8 (WEB) - 9:44  
Ezra, chapter 8. (1) Now these are the heads of their fathers’ households, and this is the genealogy of those who went up with me from Babylon, in the reign of Artaxerxes the king:

(2) Of the sons of Phinehas, Gershom.
Of the sons of Ithamar, Daniel.
Of the sons of David, Hattush.
(3) Of the sons of Shecaniah, of the sons of Parosh, Zechariah; and with him were listed by genealogy of the males one hundred fifty.
(4) Of the sons of Pahathmoab, Eliehoenai the son of Zerahiah; and with him two hundred males.
(5) Of the sons of Shecaniah, the son of Jahaziel; and with him three hundred males.
(6) Of the sons of Adin, Ebed the son of Jonathan; and with him fifty males.
(7) Of the sons of Elam, Jeshaiah the son of Athaliah; and with him seventy males.
(8) Of the sons of Shephatiah, Zebadiah the son of Michael; and with him eighty males.
(9) Of the sons of Joab, Obadiah the son of Jehiel; and with him two hundred eighteen males.
(10) Of the sons of Shelomith, the son of Josiphiah; and with him one hundred sixty males.
(11) Of the sons of Bebai, Zechariah the son of Bebai; and with him twenty-eight males.
(12) Of the sons of Azgad, Johanan the son of Hakkatan; and with him one hundred ten males.
(13) Of the sons of Adonikam, who were the last, their names are: Eliphelet, Jeuel, and Shemaiah; and with them sixty males.
(14) Of the sons of Bigvai, Uthai and Zabbud; and with them seventy males.

(15) I gathered them together to the river that runs to Ahava; and there we encamped three days. Then I looked around at the people and the priests, and found there were none of the sons of Levi. (16) Then I sent for Eliezer, for Ariel, for Shemaiah, for Elnathan, for Jarib, for Elnathan, for Nathan, for Zechariah, and for Meshullam, chief men; also for Joiarib and for Elnathan, who were teachers. (17) I sent them out to Iddo the chief at the place Casiphia; and I told them what they should tell Iddo and his brothers the temple servants at the place Casiphia, that they should bring to us ministers for the house of our God. (18) According to the good hand of our God on us they brought us a man of discretion, of the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel, namely Sherebiah, with his sons and his brothers, eighteen; (19) and Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari, his brothers and their sons, twenty; (20) and of the temple servants, whom David and the princes had given for the service of the Levites, two hundred twenty temple servants. All of them were mentioned by name.

(21) Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from him a straight way for us, for our little ones, and for all our possessions. (22) For I was ashamed to ask of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy on the way, because we had spoken to the king, saying, “The hand of our God is on all those who seek him, for good; but his power and his wrath is against all those who forsake him.” (23) So we fasted and begged our God for this, and he granted our request.

(24) Then I set apart twelve of the chiefs of the priests, even Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brothers with them, (25) and weighed to them the silver, the gold, and the vessels, even the offering for the house of our God, which the king, his counselors, his princes, and all Israel there present, had offered. (26) I weighed into their hand six hundred fifty talents of silver, one hundred talents of silver vessels, one hundred talents of gold, (27) twenty bowls of gold weighing one thousand darics, and two vessels of fine bright brass, precious as gold. (28) I said to them, “You are holy to Yahweh, and the vessels are holy. The silver and the gold are a free will offering to Yahweh, the God of your fathers. (29) Watch and keep them until you weigh them before the chiefs of the priests, the Levites, and the princes of the fathers’ households of Israel at Jerusalem, in the rooms of Yahweh’s house.”

(30) So the priests and the Levites received the weight of the silver, the gold, and the vessels, to bring them to Jerusalem to the house of our God.

(31) Then we departed from the river Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go to Jerusalem. The hand of our God was on us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy and the bandit by the way. (32) We came to Jerusalem, and stayed there three days. (33) On the fourth day the silver and the gold and the vessels were weighed in the house of our God into the hand of Meremoth the son of Uriah the priest; and with him was Eleazar the son of Phinehas; and with them were Jozabad the son of Jeshua, and Noadiah the son of Binnui, the Levite. (34) Everything by number and by weight; and all the weight was written at that time.

(35) The children of the captivity, who had come out of exile, offered burnt offerings to the God of Israel: twelve bulls for all Israel, ninety-six rams, seventy-seven lambs, and twelve male goats for a sin offering. All this was a burnt offering to Yahweh. (36) They delivered the king’s commissions to the king’s satraps and to the governors beyond the River. So they supported the people and God’s house. 

EZRA 9 (CEV) - 15:08  
Ezra, chapter 9. (1) Later the Jewish leaders came to me and said:
Many Israelites, including priests and Levites, are living just like the people around them. They are even guilty of some of the horrible sins of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites.

(2) Some Israelite men have married foreign women and have let their sons do the same thing. Our own officials and leaders were the first to commit this disgusting sin, and now God's holy people are mixed with foreigners.

(3) This news made me so angry that I ripped my clothes and tore hair from my head and beard. Then I just sat in shock (4) until the time for the evening sacrifice. Many of our people were greatly concerned and gathered around me, because the God of Israel had warned us to stay away from foreigners.

(5) At the time of the evening sacrifice, I was still sitting there in sorrow with my clothes all torn. So I got down on my knees, then lifted my arms, (6) and prayed:

I am much too ashamed to face you, Lord God. Our sins and our guilt have swept over us like a flood that reaches up to the heavens. (7) Since the time of our ancestors, all of us have sinned. That's why we, our kings, and our priests have often been defeated by other kings. They have killed some of us and made slaves of others; they have taken our possessions and made us ashamed, just as we are today.

(8) But for now, Lord God, you have shown great kindness to us. You made us truly happy by letting some of us settle in this sacred place and by helping us in our time of slavery. (9) We are slaves, but you have never turned your back on us. You love us, and because of you, the kings of Persia have helped us. It's as though you have given us new life! You let us rebuild your temple and live safely in Judah and Jerusalem.

(10) Our God, what can we say now? Even after all this, we have disobeyed the commands (11) that were given to us by your servants the prophets. They said the land you are giving us is full of sinful and wicked people, who never stop doing disgusting things. (12) And we were warned not to let our daughters and sons marry their sons and daughters.

Your prophets also told us never to help those foreigners or even let them live in peace. You wanted us to become strong and to enjoy the good things in the land, then someday to leave it to our children forever.

(13) You punished us because of our terrible sins. But you did not punish us nearly as much as we deserve, and you have brought some of us back home. (14) Why should we disobey your commands again by letting our sons and daughters marry these foreigners who do such disgusting things? That would make you angry enough to destroy us all! (15) Lord God of Israel, you have been more than fair by letting a few of us survive. But once again, our sins have made us ashamed to face you. 

EZRA 10 (CEV) - 18:06  
Ezra, chapter 10. (1) While Ezra was down on his knees in front of God's temple, praying with tears in his eyes and confessing the sins of the people of Israel, a large number of men, women, and children gathered around him and cried bitterly.

(2) Shecaniah son of Jehiel from the family of Elam said:
Ezra, we have disobeyed God by marrying these foreign women. But there is still hope for the people of Israel, (3) if we follow your advice and the advice of others who truly respect the laws of God. We must promise God that we will divorce our foreign wives and send them away, together with their children.

(4) Ezra, it's up to you to do something! We will support whatever you do. So be brave!

(5) Ezra stood up and made the chief priests, the Levites, and everyone else in Israel swear that they would follow the advice of Shecaniah. (6) Then Ezra left God's temple and went to spend the night in the living quarters of Jehohanan son of Eliashib. He felt sorry because of what the people had done, and he did not eat or drink a thing.

(7-8) The officials and leaders sent a message to all who had returned from Babylonia and were now living in Jerusalem and Judah. This message told them to meet in Jerusalem within three days, or else they would lose everything they owned and would no longer be considered part of the people that had returned from Babylonia.

(9) Three days later, on the twentieth day of the ninth month, everyone from Judah and Benjamin came to Jerusalem and sat in the temple courtyard. It was a serious meeting, and they sat there, trembling in the rain.

(10) Ezra the priest stood up and said:
You have broken God's Law by marrying foreign women, and you have made the whole nation guilty! (11) Now you must confess your sins to the Lord God of your ancestors and obey him. Divorce your foreign wives and don't have anything to do with the rest of the foreigners who live around here.

(12) Everyone in the crowd shouted:
You're right! We will do what you say. (13) But there are so many of us, and we can't just stay out here in this downpour. A lot of us have sinned by marrying foreign women, and the matter can't be settled in only a day or two.

(14) Why can't our officials stay on in Jerusalem and take care of this for us? Let everyone who has sinned in this way meet here at a certain time with leaders and judges from their own towns. If we take care of this problem, God will surely stop being so terribly angry with us.

(15) Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah were the only ones who objected, except for the two Levites, Meshullam and Shabbethai.

(16) Everyone else who had returned from exile agreed with the plan. So Ezra the priest chose men who were heads of the families, and he listed their names. They started looking into the matter on the first day of the tenth month, (17) and they did not finish until the first day of the first month of the next year.

(18-19) Here is a list of the priests who had agreed to divorce their foreign wives and to sacrifice a ram as a sin offering:

Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah from the family of Joshua son of Jozadak and his brothers; (20) Hanani and Zebadiah from the family of Immer; (21) Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah from the family of Harim; (22) Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah from the family of Pashhur.

(23) Those Levites who had foreign wives were: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (also known as Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.

(24) Eliashib, the musician, had a foreign wife.
These temple guards had foreign wives:
Shallum, Telem, and Uri.

(25) Here is a list of the others from Israel who had foreign wives:
Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Hashabiah, and Benaiah from the family of Parosh;

(26) Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah from the family of Elam;

(27) Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza from the family of Zattu;

(28) Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai from the family of Bebai;

(29) Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth from the family of Bani;

(30) Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh from the family of Pahath Moab;

(31-32) Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon, Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah from the family of Harim;

(33) Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei from the family of Hashum;

(34-37) Maadai, Amram, Uel, Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhi, Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasu from the family of Bani;

(38-42) Shimei, Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah, Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai, Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah, Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph from the family of Binnui;

(43) Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah from the family of Nebo.

(44) These men divorced their foreign wives, then sent them and their children away 

COMMENTS - 23:44  
In chapter 10, today we find Ezra kneeling in front of the temple, tearfully confessing the sins of the people of Israel. And he's joined by a large crowd of men, women and children who also begin weeping bitterly.

And of course, if you're listening, you know that they were crying because they've disobeyed God by marrying foreign or is some translation, say, pagan women from the local area. And I'm sure you remember that God told them not to do this when they came into the promised land. Now they're truly remorseful for their sin.

So when they're doing this, what happens? Does Ezra suggest what they should do? No, one of the people Shecaniah steps up and says, “Ezra, we have disobeyed God by marrying these foreign women. But there is still hope for the people of Israel, (3) if we follow your advice and the advice of others who truly respect the laws of God. We must promise God that we will divorce our foreign wives and send them away, together with their children.”

My goodness, what do you think about that? Divorce their pagan wives and send them away? And the children? How could that be the right thing to do?

Well, let's explore this together.

Number one, divorce was permitted in Israel according to Deuteronomy 24:1. And Malachi 2:10-16 tells us that there were many who divorced their Jewish wives for pagan women.

Number two, God does hate divorce according to Malachi 2:16. But it was allowed because of the hardness of people's hearts, according to Jesus, in Mark 10:5.

Number three, some marriages were not allowed. Marriages between relatives were not permitted, for example. Any marriage of this type could be canceled. So a marriage to a pagan woman, which was expressly forbidden by God, could also be dissolved.

Number four, the children were always allowed to stay with their mothers in this culture, so sending them away with their mothers was the right thing to do.

Which leads us to number five, the husband almost certainly would be responsible for giving the woman and child adequate resources for their support.

Number six, it took many weeks for the process of talking to the affected families in this situation. Why? Well, there were so many men who had married pagan wives, and they questioned them to see which wives had honestly and genuinely become believers in the God of Israel, and who were willing to denounce their native beliefs. If the wife refused to accept the true God, they could not remain and they must be divorced.

Number seven, many of the women did accept the God of Israel because only about 114 of the men had to divorce their pagan wives. The men who divorced are listed from verses 18 through 44. In one commentator calculated that only about one half of 1% had to divorce.

And lastly, number eight, it's important to note that the divorces were based on the beliefs of the foreign wives. It was not based on their race. These divorces happened because these women would not forsake their native religions. God forbade the marriages in the beginning, not because of race, but because he knew that the children of Israel would be influenced to worship false gods. And we know that happened.

So, as always, if the people had just listened to God in the first place, when he told him not to marry these people, all of this heartbreak would have been avoided. Beloved, He always has our best in mind with his laws.

What do you think? Let me know, go to lifespringmedia.com/s12e328. Scroll to the bottom of the page where you'll find a box to put in your comments.

Tomorrow is Psalms Wednesday, and we're going to read chapters 137 through 139.

Huge boost.

MYSTERY EXECUTIVE PRODUCER SHOUT-OUT - 27:38  
I just want to take a moment to thank those of you that stream sats faithfully every episode. I appreciate you very much. And in looking at the information on my lightning node, it appears that one of you is streaming like 500 sets a minute. And at today's Bitcoin value, if the average show’s 20 minutes, that's like $66 a month, and that puts that streamer at the Executive Producer level. So whoever you are, I'm going to call you the Anonymous Sat Streamer. And thank you for your support. God bless you.

DONOR SHOUT-OUTS - 28:16  
And a donation came in today via Zelle from Andy Baker, who sent a $22.22  row-of-ducks donation. Andy, thank you very much. And then he followed up his donation with a note. He said, “I drive a truck and read with my ears. I'm a former radio professional, so I very much appreciate your delivery.” Well, thank you, Andy. He said, “I'm a new Christian just baptized two months ago.” Praise the Lord for that. I'm so glad you're part of God's family, not to mention the Lifespring family. And he said, “Your show is really helping me find my way. Thank you. I found you through ‘No Agenda’.” Well, thank you for your courage and in the morning. And he said, “God bless you, the Lovely Lady and all supporters of the Lifespring family, you're making a positive impact in a frightening world.” Well, Andy, thank you for your note and for your donation. We exchanged some emails afterward. And you know what I think about it being a frightening world. When we keep in mind that God is on the throne that he is the one that raises up presidents and prime ministers and kings and other leaders, then we don't have to worry because this is part of God's plan. Since we know the end of the book, we know that everything is going to be okay. So don't be afraid. Yeah, there are a lot of unknowns and we don't really know what life is going to be like. It's okay because we are in God's hands. He's faithful. He loves us and He wants only good for us. So thank you, Andy, for your donation and helping to make this episode possible. God bless you.

ON THIS DATE IN CHURCH HISTORY - 29:53  
On this date in church history, July 26, 1603, James IV of Scotland became James I of England. He had been Scotland's King since 1567. But when Elizabeth I of England died, James’ descent from Henry VIII made him the nearest heir to the English throne. Among his many acts affecting religious life in England was the royal order that led to the publication of the Authorised or King James Version of the Bible in 1611.

And on this date in church history, July 26, 1933, Charles A. Tinley died. He was an African American clergyman and hymn writer. Born of slave parents and orphaned at age five, he taught himself to read and write, and he later studied theology and in 1885, was ordained to the Methodist ministry. As a writer of gospel songs, his most moving hymns include “By and By”, “Leave It There”, “Nothing Between” and “Stand By Me”.

CLOSING PRAYER - 31:02  
Let's pray. Our Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your word and for what you teach us through it. You teach us about yourself and you teach us what we must do to please you. And if we've placed our faith in Jesus, we don't need to earn your favor because you already see us as perfect. But we want to bring a smile to your face as a loving father smiles at his children. It is a joy to be yours, Lord, and I thank you for adopting us into your family. And Father, I want to thank you for the Lifespring family. I thank you for bringing us together around your word every day. And I pray today that you would bless each one. In Jesus name, amen.

If you have a praise or a prayer request that you'd like to share with the Lifespring family, please go to prayer.lifespringmedia.com.

OUTRO S12E328 - 31:55  
I would love to hear your comments on the show go to lifespringmedia.com/s12e328. You can send an email to me at steve@lifespringmedia.com. Thank you to the team: Kirsty, Sean of San Pedro and Denise. Kirsty sends out the newsletter every week. Sean of San Pedro does the chapters every day. And by the way, if you're not using one of the Podcasting 2.0 modern apps that you can get at newpodcastapps.com you're missing out because Sean of San Pedro, as I said, does the chapters and as you listen with one of these new apps, you'll see the artwork change for each chapter. That's just one of the fun aspects about Podcasting 2.0. And another aspect of it is transcripts. As you're listening to the show. The words I'm saying are shown on the screen. It's a little bit like closed captioning, if you're familiar with that. And Denise corrects the transcripts for every episode. The corrected transcripts don't show up on the stream just as a current limitation to the way that we do the transcripts. But if you want to see the corrected transcripts, they’re on the show notes page for each episode. Denise puts a lot of time and care into doing the corrections, and so Denise, I thank you.

And thanks again to those of you who are streaming sats, it is so cool to have the early adopters in the Lifespring family.

Thanks to Andy Baker for his donation today and for helping to bring this episode to you.

And thank *you* for making me a part of your day. It is my privilege. Are you glad the show is here? Do you like seeing a new episode in your podcast app every day? Have you donated yet to the show? Pray about it would you? Ask the Lord what he would have you do and then go to lifespringmedia.com/support and do it.

Until tomorrow, may God bless you richly. My name is Steve Webb.

Bye.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai