Steve Webb 0:02 This is the Lifespring! One Year Bible coming to you from Riverside, California and podcasting since 2004. My name is Steve Webb. I'm your OG Godcaster. It Psalms Wednesday, and we'll be reading chapters 114 through 116. We'll also have an essential segment and praises in prayer requests. The website is Lifespringmedia.com. and I'll have contact information at the end of the show. This is the middle of the week. How's your so far? Are you walking close to God? We do have a lot to do today. So let's get started. But before we read, let's pray. Our Heavenly Father, we thank you for our time together today. and we thank You for Your Word. We thank you for the Psalms. I pray, Lord, that as we read today, you would touch our hearts and that you would teach us I pray this in Jesus name. Amen. Okay, are you ready? Let's begin. Steve Webb 0:55 Today, instead of sharing comments with you after I'm just going to give you a little bit of introduction, okay, so these three chapters we're going to read today, Psalms 114, through 116, are part of what is known as the Egyptian halau. Because they were sung as a part of the annual Passover celebration that Jews observed. Psalms 113 and 114. were sung before the Passover meal, and 115 through 118 were sung after the meal. well, when was Jesus crucified? Just before the Passover? What did he do the night before his crucifixion, he celebrated the Passover meal with His disciples. So therefore, it is highly likely that he sang the Psalms with His disciples on this his last night with them. both Matthew and Mark made mention in their gospels that quote, they sing a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives, unquote, which is where Jesus prayed to the Father asking, if it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done. Not mine, I'm quote. and then a little while later, after Jesus prayed, Judas Iscariot betrayed Him with a kiss. As we read today's Psalms together, beloved, listen carefully and try to imagine what must have been going through Jesus mind as he sang the Psalms. Steve Webb 2:22 Psalms chapter 114. When Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language, Judah became his sanctuary and Israel, his dominion. The sea, saw it and fled Jordan and turned back. The mountains skipped like rams, the little hills like lambs. What ails you? Oh, see that you fled? Oh, Jordan, that you turned back? Oh, mountains that you skipped like rams? Oh, little hills like lambs tremble, oh Earth at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob, who turned the rock into a pool of water, the flint into a fountain of waters. Steve Webb 3:04 Psalms chapter 115. Let honor be given to your name and not to us, oh Lord, not to us, because you are loving and kind and faithful. and why should the nation say where is their God now? But our God is in the heavens. He does whatever he wants to do. Their gods are silver and gold, the work of human hands, they have mouths but they cannot speak. They have eyes but they cannot see. They have ears but they cannot hear. They have noses but they cannot smell. They have hands but they cannot feel they have feet but they cannot walk. They cannot make a sound come out of their mouths. Those who make them and trust them will be like them. Oh Israel, trust in the Lord. He is their help and safe covering. Oh house of Aaron trust in the Lord. He is there help and safe covering you who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord. He is there help and safe covering. The Lord has remembered us and will make good come to us. He will make good come to the house of Israel. He will make good come to the house of Aaron. He will make good come to those who fear the Lord both the small and the great. May the Lord make your numbers grow both you and your children. May you be given good things by the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth. The heavens belong to the Lord, but he has given the earth to the children of men. The dead do not praise the Lord. Neither do those who go down into the quiet place. But we will give honor and Thanks to the Lord now and forever. Praise the Lord. Steve Webb 4:40 Psalm 116. and I love the Lord because He hears my voice and my prayers. I will call on him as long as I live because he has turned his ear to me. The strings of death are all around me. and the fear of the grave came upon me. I suffered with trouble and sorrow. Then I call Hold on the name of the Lord, oh Lord, I beg you saved my life. The Lord is loving and right. Yes, our Lord is full of loving kindness. The Lord takes care of the child like I was brought down and he saved me. Return to your rest, oh my soul, for the Lord has been good to you. For you, oh Lord have saved my soul from death, my eyes from tears and my feet from falling. I will walk with the Lord in the land of the living. I believe when I said, I am very troubled. I said in my fear, all men are liars. What should I give to the Lord for all the good things he has done for me, I will show him my Thanks for saving me with a gift of wine and praise his name. I will keep my promises to the Lord before all his people. The death of His holy ones is of great worth in the eyes of the Lord. For sure, I am your servant, oh Lord, I am your servant, the son of the woman who served you. You have set me free from my chains, I will give a gift of Thanks to you and call on the name of the Lord. I will keep my promises to the Lord before all his people in the holy place of the Lord. and in the center of you, O Jerusalem, praise the Lord. Steve Webb 6:18 What are your thoughts? Do you have comments or questions? Contact information is at the end of the show today, and tomorrow will be poetry Thursday, we'll read Proverbs 26 and 27. Steve Webb 6:29 This is number 16 in our series on the essentials of the faith, I hope you're learning something or enjoying the review of what we believe and why we believe what we believe. Today I'm going to look at the following. It is a privilege of all who are born again of the Spirit to be assured of their salvation from the very moment in which they trust Christ as their Savior. This assurance is not based upon any kind of human merit, but it is produced by the witness of the Holy Spirit, who confirms in the believer the testimony of God in His written Word. Okay, so that's a lot of words, isn't it? Let's take it a thought at a time shall we? It is the privilege of all who are born again of the Spirit. well, let's stop right there. In John chapter three, starting at verse one we read. Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, Rabbi, we know that you're a teacher come from God, for no one can do the signs that You do unless God is with them. Jesus answered him, Truly, truly I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus said to Him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born? Jesus answered, Truly, truly I say to you, unless one is born of water, and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God, that which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. So Beloved, this gives us the basis for the beginning of today's statement. All of us have been born once, haven't we? This is the birth of the flesh that Jesus referred to. But because of our sin nature, which we've talked about before on these essential segments, because of that sin nature, we must also have a spiritual birth. In Ephesians, two, one, the apostle Paul wrote this to the church and Ephesus, and you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked. So he was saying that before they believed they were spiritually dead because of their sins. Now, does that mean that the church was made up of a bunch of bad people, thieves and liars and murderers? well, probably not, though there may have been some, but there were probably also some virtuous people as well. People who paid their taxes on time obeyed the speed limit and helped old ladies across the street. Ball was talking to them to even they were dead in trespasses and sin. How could this be? well, in Romans 323, Paul gives us the answer he wrote, For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. So all of us, beloved, are guilty of sin, and all are thus spiritually dead. Jesus said that we must be born of the spirit of our first birth, the birth of the flesh made us children of Adam. and as we talked about previously, we therefore inherited his sin nature. So we need a second birth, a spiritual birth, which makes us children of God. So here's the first sentence again. It is a privilege of all who are born again of the Spirit to be assured of their salvation from the very moment in which they trust Christ as their Savior. Okay, so let's look at this part to be assured of their salvation. I've got some news for you. All of us are going to die someday, unless the Lord returns first. None of us have a guarantee of tomorrow. or even the next minute. So the question is, if you were to die today, would you go to heaven? Many people would answer that with, well, I hope so I'm a good person or something similar. well, the thing is, as we've already said, All have sinned and fall short of God's standards. But we can be sure that we will go to heaven. It doesn't have to be a guess. Listen to this from First John 511, through 13. and this is the testimony that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in His Son, whoever has the Son has life. Whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. Did you hear that? That you may know that you have eternal life. Listen to Jesus word in John 1028 and 29. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand. If you have put your faith in Jesus Christ, you have eternal life, you have it. Now, Jesus said it, you will never perish, you will never die. Sure our bodies will die. But I look at death as sort of a graduation. We'll close our eyes here and open them in heaven, in His presence, hidden that's a guarantee right out of the mouth of Jesus. Next, here's our opening sentence once more. It is the privilege of all who are born again of the Spirit to be assured of their salvation from the very moment in which they trust Christ as their Savior. Listen, when Jesus was crucified, there were two other men hanging on their own crosses on either side of him. We don't know their specific sins, they're often referred to as the thieves on the cross. Could be that they were just thieves. But it was not common for the Romans to give the death penalty to common thieves. They were probably some kind of hardened criminals. Now listen to Luke 2339 343, one of the criminals who were hanged railed at him saying, Are you not the Christ, Save yourself and us? But the other rebuked him saying, Do you not fear God since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? and we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong. and he said, Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom? and he said to him, Truly I say to you, today, you will be with Me in Paradise. So beloved, as soon as that criminal placed his faith in Jesus, even he had the assurance of salvation. All he did was believed that Jesus was who He said He is. That truly is the heart of the gospel. But good news. So my question for you is this. If you were to die today, would you go to heaven? Have you placed your faith in Jesus? Have you asked him to forgive your sins? Have you turned your life over to Him? If you're not sure that you've done that, would you do it now? You can mark this day is the day that your eternal address changed? How about it, make it official? If you have never made that decision, decide now, Scripture says that today is the day of salvation. Pray with me now. Ready? Pray with me. Lord Jesus, I know that I'm a sinner. I'm so sorry. and right now, I turn away from that sin. I am asking you to come into my life and be my Lord, my Savior, my friend, and my God. I'm putting my faith in you alone, Jesus to save me from my sins. Thank you, Lord, for loving me and calling me Your name I pray. Amen. well, hallelujah. Beloved, if you prayed that prayer and you meant it in your heart, put this date on your calendar as the day that you believed in Jesus. You are a new person beginning right now. Behold, the old is gone. The new has come. Scripture says that heaven rejoices when one comes to salvation and this is your day. If you prayed that prayer, I would love to send a new believers Bible to you at no charge. It's a special edition of the New Testament that has hundreds of notes in it written by Pastor Greg Laurie for new believers. All you need to do is email me to let me know that you prayed that prayer with me and where to send your copy. My email address is steve@lifespringmedia.com. I won't put you on have a list or give your information to anybody else. I just want you to have this to help you get a good foundation. Those notes are very helpful. Will you do that? steve@lifespringmedia.com Send me your address. Next week we'll finish the statement we'll pick up with this assurance is not based upon any kind of human merit, but it is produced by the witness of the Holy Spirit who confirms in the believer the testimony of God in His written Word. If you have any comments or questions I would love to hear from you. Contact information is at the end of the show. Steve Webb 15:33 Lifespringmedia.com/support Steve Webb 15:39 Praises and prayer requests, James in Norway said this note when he said a quick response to your comments on the Sunday praises and prayer requests. Dad's Apple Watch reading was indeed 2% or less. This week report shows 8% with a minor three hour AFib episodes, he reckons he overdid it again. The question now is whether to go for another round of ablation in September, or hope that the AFib just goes away before then. I'm praying for God to heal the heart. and he continues as for the word boss, it's just something I picked up in the 80s to poke fun at the 70s. If anyone is saying it in Norway these days, it's my fault. and Thanks again, Steve for helping us to pray and I'm glad your eyeball surgery went well. well, thank you James. For the boss note, we'll pray that the Lord will guide the decision on going for another round of ablation or better yet, as you said, a healing of your dad's heart. and speaking of my eyeball, I had my one week post op appointment with a surgeon yesterday and she said everything looks a okay. You might even say it looks badass. I don't have to wear the shield over my I want to go to bed anymore. and I can resume normal activities with no restrictions. Pretty cool, isn't it? Praise the Lord. I was putting three different kinds of eyedrops in four times a day. and now I'm only doing two different drops three times per day. and next week, it'll be twice a day and then done I think if I remember what she said, and it's written down somewhere. So anyway, I'm thanking the Lord. I have an appointment in September to see if I need a new glasses prescription so we can pray about that as well. and Brian said that Cassie is doing well she walked yesterday about a half a block plus the grandkids are over with four grandkids by the way with one of their daughters plus Cassie sister is over to visit to so Brian said it's a house full of estrogen. Cassie is tired out of course. But how great it is that she's living life again, isn't it? Praise the Lord. Let's pray. Our loving Heavenly Father, Lord, we praise You for being the God who hears us. You're not far removed from us. You're always closer than a brother. As David wrote, where can I go from your spirit? Where can I flee from your presence. If I go up to the heavens, you're there. If I make my bed in the depths, you're there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there, your hand will guide me. Your right hand will hold me fast. Hallelujah Lord, it is so good to know that you are always there. Thank you for being faithful. Thank you for being loving. Father, we thank you again that James and Norway's Dad is doing so well. and we ask you to bring complete healing to his heart or to give wisdom as to whether another round of ablation should be done. and we praise you once again for Kathi's progress What a joy it is to see the healing take place. We thank you for guiding Cassie to a skilled surgeon who would do the operation and for providing the insurance so that it could be paid for. and I thank you once again for bringing healing to my eye. As the healing progresses I humbly ask that You would give even better vision than I had before if it's your will. But Lord, I'm just thankful that I have any vision truly, I thank You. and Lord, I'm so thankful for the Lifespring family. Bless them, Lord out of the abundance of your love. We pray these things in Jesus name. Amen. Our next time of prayer will be this coming Sunday. If you have something you'd like us to pray with you or for you about, let me know contact information to just a couple of minutes Steve Webb 19:21 Thanks to Sister Denise Michael Haner Scott Snider, Jason Paschall and sister Brittaney for their donations of time and talent. God bless you guys. Thank you and Jason Paschall did today's show art, and Thanks to you, beloved, for bringing me into your day today. I'll see you tomorrow. Until then, may God bless you richly. My name is Steve Webb. By James Cooper 19:45 all the programs in the Lifespringmedia.com family are made possible by the generous gifts of people like you Transcribed by https://otter.ai