WEBVTT 00:00:00.040 --> 00:00:04.740 When clouds clap and snowflakes dance, creation's throwing a praise party. 00:00:09.700 --> 00:00:15.420 Welcome to episode three of Lifespring Media's Verses We Missed. Podcasting since 2004, 00:00:15.880 --> 00:00:21.420 I'm your host, your OG Godcaster, Steve Webb. If you've been here before, thanks for coming back. 00:00:21.900 --> 00:00:27.000 If you're new, I'm so glad you joined us. This is the show where we rediscover the quiet, 00:00:27.060 --> 00:00:33.580 overlooked and surprising passages of Scripture, the ones that hide in plain sight. Each week, 00:00:33.790 --> 00:00:40.000 we'll slow down and explore one verse or a small passage that's easy to skip, yet rich with meaning. 00:00:40.820 --> 00:00:45.860 Whether it's a blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment or a hidden treasure buried in the Old or New 00:00:46.080 --> 00:00:51.540 Testament, these verses still speak if we're listening. If you love the Bible and want to 00:00:51.550 --> 00:00:54.360 see it with fresh eyes, this is the place to be. 00:00:59.340 --> 00:01:03.640 This week are verses from Psalm 148, verses 7 and 8. 00:01:04.500 --> 00:01:09.120 I chose these verses because many of us are entering a time when the weather can be very changeable. 00:01:09.720 --> 00:01:12.220 Maybe some of you are already experiencing that. 00:01:12.840 --> 00:01:16.460 Here where I live in Southern California, it's getting downright cold at night. 00:01:17.000 --> 00:01:22.200 The low tonight is expected to be all the way down to 52 degrees Fahrenheit. 00:01:22.800 --> 00:01:28.380 That's about 11 degrees Celsius. Okay, so those of you in colder areas don't hate me, all right? 00:01:29.080 --> 00:01:32.880 But you understand what I'm saying. The weather in the Northern Hemisphere is changing, 00:01:33.360 --> 00:01:37.400 and for those of you in the Southern Hemisphere, it's changing for you in the exact opposite 00:01:37.680 --> 00:01:43.820 direction. Let's take a look at Psalm 148 before I focus on our two verses, beginning at verse 1. 00:01:43.880 --> 00:01:52.080 Here we go. Psalm 148. Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord from the heavens. Praise Him from the skies. 00:01:52.760 --> 00:01:54.040 Praise Him, all His angels. 00:01:54.860 --> 00:01:56.540 Praise Him, all the armies of heaven. 00:01:57.120 --> 00:01:58.660 Praise Him, sun and moon. 00:01:59.220 --> 00:02:01.320 Praise Him, all you twinkling stars. 00:02:01.940 --> 00:02:03.160 Praise Him, skies above. 00:02:03.800 --> 00:02:06.120 Praise Him, vapors high above the clouds. 00:02:06.700 --> 00:02:12.920 Let every created thing give praise to the Lord, for He issued His command, and they came into being. 00:02:13.440 --> 00:02:15.640 He set them in place forever and ever. 00:02:16.120 --> 00:02:18.040 His decree will never be revoked. 00:02:18.320 --> 00:02:19.660 Now, here's our focus verses. 00:02:20.500 --> 00:02:25.500 Praise the Lord from the earth, you creatures of the ocean depths, fire and hail, snow and 00:02:25.760 --> 00:02:27.820 clouds, wind and weather that obey Him. 00:02:28.820 --> 00:02:29.640 And then we continue. 00:02:30.460 --> 00:02:36.520 Mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars, wild animals and all livestock, small 00:02:36.860 --> 00:02:41.660 scurrying animals and birds, kings of the earth and all people, rulers and judges of 00:02:41.660 --> 00:02:44.860 the earth, young men and young women, old men and children. 00:02:45.540 --> 00:02:49.540 Let them all praise the name of the Lord, for His name is very great. 00:02:49.940 --> 00:02:52.080 His glory towers over the earth and heaven. 00:02:52.500 --> 00:02:57.840 He has made his people strong, honoring his faithful ones, the people of Israel, who are 00:02:57.900 --> 00:02:58.460 close to him. 00:02:58.860 --> 00:02:59.520 Praise the Lord. 00:03:00.820 --> 00:03:04.780 I mean, come on, after hearing that chapter, how can you not praise the Lord? 00:03:05.580 --> 00:03:09.900 Beloved, may I suggest that you make it a point to mark that as a go-to when you're 00:03:10.200 --> 00:03:10.600 feeling down? 00:03:11.340 --> 00:03:12.520 Psalm 148. 00:03:13.300 --> 00:03:16.820 Okay, so let's look for some hidden treasure now, shall we? 00:03:17.760 --> 00:03:23.780 Psalm 148 invites us to look again at the world around us, not as background noise, but as 00:03:23.780 --> 00:03:24.880 a choir of worship. 00:03:25.780 --> 00:03:28.240 Thunder isn't just rumbling, it's rejoicing. 00:03:28.880 --> 00:03:35.460 Every gust of wind, every flake of snow, every flash of lightning is part of a cosmic celebration. 00:03:36.340 --> 00:03:39.920 When we learn to hear that music, our own worship changes. 00:03:40.900 --> 00:03:46.439 Today we'll uncover how weather itself declares God's glory and how tuning into nature's 00:03:46.460 --> 00:03:51.980 praise can recalibrate our hearts to sing along. Let's look again at verses 7 and 8. 00:03:52.640 --> 00:03:55.320 Praise the Lord from the earth, you creatures of the ocean depths, 00:03:55.840 --> 00:03:59.320 fire and hail, snow and clouds, wind and weather that obey Him. 00:04:00.900 --> 00:04:06.520 Well, when the writer wrote this psalm and when the Israelites sang it, they weren't just praising 00:04:06.820 --> 00:04:12.320 God with their voices. They were calling on all creation to join in. The heavens, the stars, 00:04:12.460 --> 00:04:18.220 the mountains, the animals, and yes, even the weather. It's easy to think of weather as random, 00:04:18.579 --> 00:04:26.300 unpredictable, or even bothersome. But Psalm 148 says otherwise. The stormy wind fulfills and obeys 00:04:26.340 --> 00:04:33.340 His word. Every drop of rain and bolt of lightning moves at God's command. Creation doesn't resist 00:04:33.520 --> 00:04:39.780 God's authority. It reflects it. Fire and hail, snow and mist, these are not accidents of atmosphere. 00:04:40.340 --> 00:04:42.760 They're instruments in the orchestra of creation. 00:04:43.480 --> 00:04:45.220 When the wind howls, it's not chaos. 00:04:45.740 --> 00:04:46.480 It's choreography. 00:04:47.400 --> 00:04:49.180 When weather rolls, it's not noise. 00:04:49.620 --> 00:04:52.220 It's a drumbeat in a greater rhythm of praise. 00:04:53.180 --> 00:04:53.920 Think about that. 00:04:54.940 --> 00:05:00.640 What if the very things we complain about, the gloomy skies, the storms that cancel plans, 00:05:01.600 --> 00:05:05.060 well, maybe they're actually moments of praise we've failed to notice. 00:05:05.860 --> 00:05:10.960 The next time rain hits your window or wind shakes your trees, don't rush to close it out. 00:05:11.540 --> 00:05:12.860 Pause and listen. 00:05:17.920 --> 00:05:21.960 All of creation is doing what it was made to do, glorify its creator. 00:05:22.580 --> 00:05:25.420 And you and I, we get to choose whether to join in. 00:05:26.060 --> 00:05:29.720 So when you see clouds rolling in, remember, they're not rebelling, they're obeying. 00:05:30.200 --> 00:05:34.800 And maybe that storm outside is an invitation, a reminder that every season, every change, 00:05:34.960 --> 00:05:40.140 every gust of wind fulfills His word. When clouds clap and snowflakes dance, 00:05:40.720 --> 00:05:45.880 creation's throwing a praise party. The psalmist wasn't being poetic for poetry's sake. 00:05:46.280 --> 00:05:52.180 He was describing reality. Every part of creation is tuned to the same key of praise. 00:05:53.000 --> 00:05:57.720 The waves don't need reminding to crash in rhythm. The wind doesn't need a song sheet. 00:05:58.010 --> 00:06:02.500 They already know their part. You and I are the only ones who can choose whether to join in. 00:06:03.100 --> 00:06:08.240 When storms roll through and skies darken, we can hear chaos or we can hear a choir. 00:06:08.940 --> 00:06:14.320 And when we add our voices, our gratitude, our awe, heaven and earth sing together. 00:06:15.280 --> 00:06:18.760 So the next time clouds gather and thunder rolls, don't rush to shut it out. 00:06:19.340 --> 00:06:20.040 Pause and listen. 00:06:20.860 --> 00:06:23.400 That's the sound of creation, worshiping its maker. 00:06:23.960 --> 00:06:26.480 Maybe that's our cue to lift our hearts and join the song. 00:06:27.480 --> 00:06:28.160 What do you think? 00:06:33.400 --> 00:06:35.600 Beloved, this is a value-for-value show. 00:06:36.100 --> 00:06:37.840 That means there are no advertisers here. 00:06:38.240 --> 00:06:39.140 No mattress ads. 00:06:39.620 --> 00:06:40.780 No meal kit discounts. 00:06:40.980 --> 00:06:41.200 No. 00:06:41.540 --> 00:06:43.340 Today's episode is brought to you by 00:06:43.980 --> 00:06:46.120 This is Just You and Me and the Word. 00:06:46.780 --> 00:06:47.980 If this episode blessed you, 00:06:48.270 --> 00:06:49.080 if it made you think, 00:06:49.500 --> 00:06:51.360 if it encouraged you or surprised you 00:06:51.520 --> 00:06:52.880 or stirred something in your heart, 00:06:53.300 --> 00:06:55.260 then I ask you to return some of that value 00:06:55.540 --> 00:06:57.300 in whatever way makes sense for you. 00:06:57.800 --> 00:06:59.480 Time, talent, or treasure? 00:07:00.320 --> 00:07:00.940 Time is simple. 00:07:01.500 --> 00:07:02.700 Tell somebody about the show. 00:07:03.080 --> 00:07:04.700 Share it with a friend who loves the scripture. 00:07:05.320 --> 00:07:07.160 Post an episode link on your socials. 00:07:07.560 --> 00:07:10.940 Help me grow the Lifespring family because that's what this is. 00:07:11.140 --> 00:07:11.500 It's family. 00:07:12.060 --> 00:07:13.880 If you're listening, you're part of it. 00:07:14.480 --> 00:07:16.660 You can also give time by reaching out. 00:07:17.080 --> 00:07:21.720 Send an email to me at steve at lifespringmedia.com and tell me what verse grabbed your attention 00:07:21.920 --> 00:07:22.060 lately. 00:07:22.660 --> 00:07:26.060 If there's a message that made you stop and say, wait, how did I miss that? 00:07:26.640 --> 00:07:27.440 Tell me about it. 00:07:27.500 --> 00:07:29.380 it may become some future episode. 00:07:30.060 --> 00:07:32.860 Talent is anything you're gifted in that could help the show. 00:07:33.540 --> 00:07:36.580 If you're artistic, musical, technical, design-minded, 00:07:37.150 --> 00:07:38.800 if something in you wants to contribute, 00:07:39.420 --> 00:07:40.560 I'd love to see what you got. 00:07:41.020 --> 00:07:43.260 Email me at steve at lifespringmedia.com. 00:07:43.360 --> 00:07:44.900 And then, of course, there's treasure. 00:07:45.800 --> 00:07:47.540 If you want to support the show financially, 00:07:47.900 --> 00:07:51.420 you can stream, sats, or boost using a podcasting 2.0 app. 00:07:52.120 --> 00:07:55.260 Find one at podcastapps.com, or you can give directly. 00:07:55.920 --> 00:07:56.440 Just visit 00:08:00.440 --> 00:08:02.360 and you'll see the options there. 00:08:08.820 --> 00:08:11.300 Well, so far the comments I've gotten from a few of you 00:08:11.330 --> 00:08:11.960 have been good. 00:08:12.360 --> 00:08:12.860 Thank you for that. 00:08:13.560 --> 00:08:15.060 Here's what Chase Jacobson said. 00:08:15.540 --> 00:08:18.280 The verses we missed sounds great and I enjoy it. 00:08:18.880 --> 00:08:20.900 And he also thanked me for starting a new season 00:08:21.100 --> 00:08:23.000 of the LifeSpring One Year Bible Rewind. 00:08:23.720 --> 00:08:24.960 So of course I have to ask you, 00:08:25.160 --> 00:08:26.020 Have you listened to it? 00:08:26.580 --> 00:08:29.400 That's a podcast where we read through the entire Bible in a year. 00:08:29.860 --> 00:08:32.000 After the reading each time, I give you a few comments, 00:08:32.280 --> 00:08:34.800 and then we have a On This Date in Church History segment, 00:08:35.400 --> 00:08:37.320 and sometimes we share prayer requests. 00:08:38.159 --> 00:08:42.300 Chase also asked me to run the LifeSpring Why Christmas show again this year. 00:08:42.539 --> 00:08:43.680 That's something to think about. 00:08:43.880 --> 00:08:44.660 What do you think, family? 00:08:45.100 --> 00:08:48.200 Would you like to hear more of the LifeSpring Why Christmas show this December? 00:08:48.700 --> 00:08:51.480 Let me know at stevelifespringmedia.com. 00:08:59.300 --> 00:09:06.760 and speaking of prayer let's have a closing prayer let's pray our loving heavenly father how we thank 00:09:06.790 --> 00:09:12.020 you for the richness of your word thank you for loving us enough to give us this way to get to 00:09:12.100 --> 00:09:16.880 know you our limited human minds will never be able to extract everything there is to know of 00:09:16.900 --> 00:09:22.600 you from its pages, but that's part of the wonder of it. Your word truly is alive and it thrills our 00:09:22.760 --> 00:09:28.060 hearts when you continually reveal more of yourself as we study and spend time with you through it. 00:09:28.420 --> 00:09:33.280 Thank you, Lord, so much for that. Lord, help us to hear you and see you through your creation. 00:09:34.040 --> 00:09:39.600 We don't worship the creation. We worship the one who brought it into being. Psalm 148, which we read 00:09:39.800 --> 00:09:46.860 today, tells us that. And Revelation 11 says, Worthy are you, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and 00:09:46.880 --> 00:09:52.340 power, for you created all things, and because of your will they existed and were created. 00:09:53.220 --> 00:09:58.100 And Father Romans 1.20 tells us, For since the creation of the world, his invisible attributes, 00:09:58.480 --> 00:10:04.220 his eternal power, and divine nature have been clearly seen, being understood through what has 00:10:04.420 --> 00:10:10.380 been made, so that they are without excuse. Lord, there are so many more that confirm this in your 00:10:10.560 --> 00:10:16.840 word. Help us to rejoice in you as we see what your hand has created. Father, help us walk with 00:10:16.860 --> 00:10:21.480 closer each and every day. We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen. 00:10:47.640 --> 00:10:47.760 Bye.