Steve Webb: He didn't say to do this when it's easy or
convenient or politically correct.
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. This is the first day
of the last week of episodes for season 13. and for the
Lifespring!, One Year Bible, yes, including today, there are
just seven episodes left. This week, we'll be bringing a close
to each of the seven books. We're now reading. Today's
epistle Sunday, our reading will be the tiny little book of Jude,
just 24 verses. and while it is short, we need to remember that
it's in the Bible for a reason. Its message is important. The
website is a Lifespringmedia.com. and you'll
have contact information as always at the end of the show,
before we read, let's pray. Our Heavenly Father, we love you and
we thank you for your work. and as we read today, we ask that
you bless us and that you would teach us. We pray this in Jesus
name. Amen. Okay, are you ready? Let's begin.
Like James, Jude was the brother of Jesus, or more accurately a
half brother. This epistle or letter was probably written to
Jewish believers. and he wrote to them about Jewish history,
angels and false teachers.
The book of Jude, I, Jude and writing this letter, I serve
Jesus Christ. I am a brother of James, I'm sending this letter
to you who have been chosen by God. You are loved by God the
Father, you are kept safe by Jesus Christ made more and more
mercy, peace and love be given to you. Dear friends, I really
wanted to write to you about the salvation we share. But now I
feel I should write and ask you to stand up for the faith. God's
people were trusted with it once and for all time. Certain people
have slipped in among you in secret. and long ago it was
written that they would be judged. They are godless people.
They use the grace of our God as an excuse for sexual sins. They
say no to Jesus Christ. He is our only Lord and King. I want
to remind you about some things you already know that the Lord
saved his people. He brought them out of Egypt. But later he
destroyed those who did not believe that some of the angels
didn't stay where they belonged. They didn't keep their positions
of authority. The Lord has kept those angels in darkness, they
are held by chains that last forever. On Judgment Day, God
will judge them. The people of Sodom and Gomorrah and the towns
around them also did evil things. They gave themselves
over to sexual sins, they committed sins of the worst
possible kind. They are an example of those who are
punished with fire. The fire never goes out. In the very same
way those dreamers pollute their own bodies. They don't accept
authority. They speak evil things against heavenly beings.
But not even Michael did that. He was the leader of the angels.
He argued with the devil about the body of Moses, but he didn't
dare to speak evil things against the devil. Instead, he
said, May the Lord stop you. But those people speak evil things
against what they don't understand. They're like wild
animals. They can't think for themselves. They do what comes
naturally to them. Those are the very things that destroy them.
How terrible it will be for them. They followed the way of
Cain. They rushed ahead and made the same mistake as balem did.
They did it because they loved money. They're like Cora, he
turned against his leaders. Those people will certainly be
destroyed just as Cora was there like stains that the meals you
share. They eat too much. They have no shame. They're shepherds
who feed only themselves. They're like clouds without
rain. They're blown along by the wind. They are like trees in the
fall. Since they have no fruit, they're pulled up so they die
twice. They're like the wild waves of the sea. Their shame
rises up like foam. They're like falling stars. God has reserved
a place of very black darkness for them. He will keep them
there forever. Enoch was the seventh man in the family line
of Adam. He gave a prophecy about those people. He said,
Look, the Lord is coming with 1000s and 1000s of His holy
ones. He is coming to judge everyone. He is coming to
sentence all and godly people. He will judge them for all the
ungodly acts they have done. They have done them in ungodly
ways. He will sentence ungodly sinners for all the bad things
they've said about him. Those people complain, they find fault
with others. They follow their own evil longings. They brag
about themselves. They praise others to help themselves. Dear
friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus
Christ said was going to happen. They told you in the last AES.
Some people will make fun of the truth. They will follow their
own ungodly longings. They are the people who separate you from
one another. They do only what comes naturally. They are not
led by the Holy Spirit. Dear friends, build yourselves up and
your most holy faith. Let the Holy Spirit guide and help you
when you pray. The mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ will bring you
eternal life. As you wait for His Mercy remain in God's love.
Show mercy to those who doubt, pull others out of the fire,
save them to others show mercy mixed with fear, hate even the
clothes that are stained by the sins of those who wear them.
give praise to the one who was able to keep you from falling
into sin, He will bring you into His heavenly glory without any
fault. He will bring you there with great joy, give praise to
the only God He is our Savior, glory, majesty, power and
authority belong to him, and give praise to Him through Jesus
Christ our Lord, give praise to the one who was before all time
who now is and who will be forever. Amen.
Isn't it amazing how a letter written more than 2000 years ago
sounds so current. Jude talks about the importance of standing
up for the faith. and never has it been more important to do
than it is today when Christianity is under attack as
it has not been in many years. and never, I believe as it has
been here in the United States. I've heard it said that
Christianity is always just one generation away from extinction.
If we don't share our faith with the next generation, there will
be no one to share the good news of a risen Savior. But of
course, we know that God has promised to always have a
remnant in each generation. So that isn't going to happen. But
that doesn't take away our responsibility to heed what
Jesus said just before He ascended into heaven. He said
all authority in heaven and earth has been given to me. So
you must go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them
in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Teach them to obey everything I've commanded you. and you can
be sure I am always with you to the very end. and of course, is
the Great Commission. and that's the job he gave to each of us.
He didn't say to do this when it's easy or convenient or
politically correct. He didn't give any opportunity or no
excuse, or a way out of doing everything we can to accomplish
this job. and we must do what Jesus said. In his epistle here
Jude spoke as others did about false teachers. But here Jude
talked about those who abused God's grace and excuse sexual
sin. That sounds vaguely familiar, doesn't it? Today,
they say, How could a loving God condemn me for who I love. This
is the way he made me, which addresses the point Jude made
about how they quote, do what comes naturally to them.
Unquote. Listen, it might come naturally to me to have multiple
women. But that is not God's plan. and I choose to follow
God's teaching about marriage, and I am joyfully faithful to
one wife. Jude encouraged the believers to remain in God's
love in this letter as well, to pray with a leading of the Holy
Spirit and to live lives that please God and praise Him for
who He is. and praise Jesus Christ, our Lord. Jude's message
was written to the early church and to the church of today and
the church of tomorrow without a doubt. Let me hear from you. If
you have a thought or a question about what we've talked about,
send to Boostagram or call the Lifespring family hotline or go
to the comments page or write an email. Tomorrow will be the law
Monday and we'll complete the book of Deuteronomy with
chapters 32 through 34
A 50,000 sat Boostagram came in from anonymous using the
podverse app. Anonymous says, "A couple of years ago, I had to
make some dietary changes for health reasons. I learned it
wasn't enough to eat more of the healthy stuff. I also had to
give up the unhealthy stuff, I think is probably the same for
the content we consume. This podcast doesn't just increase my
exposure to Scripture. It also reduces my exposure to content
that encourages fear, anger and sin. Thanks.", Anonymous says.
Well, Anonymous, thank you. That's very kind of you to say.
and it's also true that it isn't just enough to get more than
good food. That bad stuff does so much damage that it's
impossible to get healthy if you keep eating it even if you eat
more good food. This is something that I have learned
this last year. In about October or November of last year I began
eliminating processed foods and replacing them with non
processed foods, grass fed and finished beef pasture raised
eggs, raw dairy and organic fruit. and guess what so far I
have effortlessly dropped over 40 pounds. My arthritis pain
which I've had for many years is nearly gone. On, my digestion is
much better than it's been in years I sleep better, I no
longer have high blood pressure. Now it's typically about 10
points lower than a man my age is supposed to have. and I could
go on. I don't have food cravings, and I'm rarely hungry.
I realized that those seemingly harmless processed and fast
foods were slowly killing me. The foods I now eat are far more
nutritious and fulfilling. and on the rare occasion, when I do
eat junk, my body lets me know that it isn't happy. My stomach
is upset my blood pressure spikes and my thinking is not as
clear. This is a great parallel you've drawn for us anonymous,
thank you for that. We need to eliminate those things that
damage us spiritually. This is sort of the flip side to what
the Apostle Paul wrote in Philippians 489. Finally,
brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever
is just whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is
commendable. If there is any excellence. If there is anything
worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have
learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these
things, and the God of peace will be with you. So Beloved, if
there are spiritually unhealthy things that you're holding on to
thinking that it's no big deal, don't fall for that lie from the
enemy. It is a big deal. You cannot grow in the Lord if you
keep them in your life. Thanks again, anonymous. God bless you.
Jingle: Lifespringmedia.com/support
Steve Webb: Prayer requests and praises. You might remember the
prayer request from Brother Phil for a singer at his church by
the name of Dallas who has aphasia. Well, at the beginning
of September, he had an operation and a few days ago,
Phil said in this update, he said Hi Steve Dallas was in
church yesterday. He's communicating fine, it seemed to
me but I only had a chance to say hello and welcome him to
church. So let's praise the Lord Dallas seems to be on the mend.
Thanks for the update. Brother Phil, please give Dallas our
best the next time you see him. and then this came in from the
lovely lady Leanne, one of our son, Tim's longtime friends has
a very young son named Kai. He's three or four years old and
little guy has cancer. and he started chemotherapy this past
week. So let's pray for chi in his family. and I'm praising God
that my cold is nearly gone. You can still hear it a little bit
of my voice. But I feel so much better. and I hope to get my
laser eye surgery done very soon. All right, so let's pray.
Our Heavenly Father, we thank you for preserving your Word
through the centuries so that we can know the truth. There are so
many that tried to teach things that are false, but your word is
the standard, the plumb line. and when distortions are lined
up against it, the lies are revealed. We thank you for that,
Lord, Lord, give us discernment. and help us to be immersed in
your truth. Father, we thank you and we praise you for the good
report from Phil about Dallas. and we pray that you will
continue to use the gifts you've given him to communicate in
speech and in music. We thank You Father. and we lift up
little chi Lord, we ask you to heal him of this cancer, be with
him and his family as they go through this chemotherapy. and
we pray that you would keep them strong and help them to lean on
you use this time to teach chi and his family that you're
stronger than any disease, and that you are indeed our
provider. and now Father, I thank you for this the
Lifespring family. Thank you for bringing them here. You called
each one and I pray that You would bless them. Give us all a
thirst to know you better each day. Hold us close to you, Lord
and use us as you see fit. We pray this in Jesus name. Amen.
Beloved, we have one more time to pray together. this coming
Wednesday will be the last time you see the last episode is Next
Saturday, not Sunday, as I mistakenly said previously, so
if there is anything that you'd like to praise God for, or if
you have a request, let me know why this coming Tuesday at 5pm
Pacific so that I can get it on Wednesday's show.
As always, I invite your comments and your questions.
There are several ways to get in touch with me send to Boostagram
using a modern podcast app, or call the Lifespring family
hotline that plus 1-951-732-8511 Or if you've got a prayer
request or appraisal report go to prayer.lifespringmedia.com
and if you have a comment or a question, go to comment done
Lifespringmedia.com and of course you are always welcome in
my email inbox steve@lifespringmedia.com.
thanks to the team Sister Denise Michael Haner, Scott Snider and
Jason Paschall Elon sr Brittaney for their generous donations of
time and talent, Jason Paschall again did today's show art.
Beloved, it's been a joy to be with you today. Thanks for
inviting me along until tomorrow. May God bless you
richly. My name is Steve Webb. See you next time. Bye.
Lifespringmedia.com Bringing the message of hope, love and good
news since 2004