Podcasts about Assyria

After 200 years of idolatry, God finally allowed the northern kingdom of Israel to be destroyed and the people carried off by Assyria. Meanwhile, the southern kingdom of Judah was being ruled the young, foolish, idolatrous King Ahaz. After being defeated in battle by the Aramean Kingdom of Damascus, Ahaz decided to worship the gods of Syria rather than turning to God for help. He also sacrificed his son to Molech in the Valley of Hinnom southwest of Jerusalem. Then he turned to the Assyrians for help against Israel, Syria, and Edom, cutting up fixtures in the Temple to send to Assyria as tribute. Needless to say, God was not pleased. Apparently, neither were the people of Judah. Ahaz was buried in the City of David rather than in the tombs of the kings of his forefathers. Sharon's niece, Sarah Sachleben, has been battling stage 4 bowel cancer and the medical bills are piling up. If you are led to help, please go to GilbertHouse.org/hopeforsarah. Derek's new book War of the Watchers Book One: From Baal to Balfour is now available at Amazon in paperback and as a Kindle e-book! If you are looking for a text of the Book of 1 Enoch to follow our monthly study, you can try these sources: Parallel translations by R. H. Charles (1917) and Richard Laurence (1821)Modern English translation by George W. E. Nickelsburg and James VanderKam (link to book at Amazon)Book of 1 Enoch - Standard English Version by Dr. Jay Winter (link opens free PDF)Book of 1 Enoch - R. H. Charles translation (link opens free PDF) The SkyWatchTV store has a special offer on Dr. Michael Heiser's two-volume set A Companion to the Book of Enoch. Get both books, the R. H. Charles translation of 1 Enoch, and a DVD interview with Mike and Steven Bancarz for a donation of $35 plus shipping and handling. Link: https://bit.ly/heiser-enoch JOIN US IN ISRAEL (NOTE NEW DATES)! We will tour the Holy Land Oct. 25–Nov. 6, 2027 with an optional three-day extension to Jordan. For more information, log on to GilbertHouse.org/travel. Follow us!• X: @gilberthouse_tv | @sharonkgilbert | @derekgilbert• Substack: GilbertHouse.substacdk.com | SharonKGilbert.substack.com• Telegram: t.me/gilberthouse | t.me/sharonsroom | t.me/viewfromthebunker• YouTube: @GilbertHouse | @UnravelingRevelation | @thebiblesgreatestmysteries• Facebook.com/GilbertHouseFellowship Thank you for making our Build Barn Better project a reality! We truly appreciate your support. If you are so led, you can help out at GilbertHouse.org/donate. Get our free app! It connects you to these studies plus our weekly video programs Unraveling Revelation and A View from the Bunker, and the podcast that started this journey in 2005, P.I.D. Radio. Best of all, it bypasses the gatekeepers of Big Tech! The app is available for iOS, Android, Roku, and Apple TV. Links to the app stores are at www.gilberthouse.org/app/. Gilbert House T-shirts and mugs! New to our store is a line of GHTV and Redwing Saga merch! Check it out at GilbertHouse.org/store! Think better, feel better! Our partners at Simply Clean Foods offer freeze-dried, 100% GMO-free food and delicious, vacuum-packed fair trade coffee from Honduras. Find out more at GilbertHouse.org/store. Our favorite Bible study tools! Check the links in the left-hand column at www.GilbertHouse.org.

Text: 1 Kings 9-15; 2 Chronicles 7-11 Supplemental Text: The Fourth Thousand Years chapters 10-11 BYU Lecture 33: As the temple was being constructed, Solomon fortified his lands and conquered countries, expanding his kingdom into one of the great powers of the region, along with Egypt and Assyria. The tributes, tariffs and taxes brought tremendous wealth into his kingdom. Even Queen of Sheeba, from 1,400 miles to the south, made the long journey just to see if the news and rumors of Solomon's greatness were exaggerated. By the time she left, she exclaimed “the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard!” Solomon's reign was 40 years, most of which was spent in peace and prosperity. At the age of 49, Solomon has a vision of the Lord and is commended for his righteousness. But he is also warned to endure to the end, for if he turns from God and forsakes his covenants, all these great accomplishments will be lost. Sadly, due to his political mass marriages, his challenges with old age and finally his introduction of idolatry into Israel, all would soon be taken.   After Solomon's death, his son Rehoboam succeeds him as King. However, the prophet Ahijah promises Jeroboam, another leader of Israel, future kingship of 10 of the tribes. After Rehoboam is anointed king, the leaders of the other tribes meet to sustain him, but first ask an important question. Will he reduce the tax burdens Solomon had enforced on them? Rehoboam seeks counsel from the elders, who suggest a reduction, and he then seeks counsel from his peers – probably other aristocratic friends who enjoyed the rich life – who convinces him to increase the taxes. When told this, Jeroboam rebels against Judah and leads the other 10 tribes into secession. Thus in 920 B.C. Israel is split into 2 nations, “Israel” to the north and Judah to the south. Jeroboam is made king of Israel (northern 10 tribes) and he wickedly defies the Lord and leads the people into apostasy with false temples, golden calves and desecrated sacrifices.

After 200 years of idolatry, God finally allowed the northern kingdom of Israel to be destroyed and the people carried off by Assyria. Meanwhile, the southern kingdom of Judah was being ruled the young, foolish, idolatrous King Ahaz. After being defeated in battle by the Aramean Kingdom of Damascus, Ahaz decided to worship the gods of Syria rather than turning to God for help. He also sacrificed his son to Molech in the Valley of Hinnom southwest of Jerusalem. Then he turned to the Assyrians for help against Israel, Syria, and Edom, cutting up fixtures in the Temple to send to Assyria as tribute. Needless to say, God was not pleased. Apparently, neither were the people of Judah. Ahaz was buried in the City of David rather than in the tombs of the kings of his forefathers. Sharon's niece, Sarah Sachleben, has been battling stage 4 bowel cancer and the medical bills are piling up. If you are led to help, please go to GilbertHouse.org/hopeforsarah. Derek's new book War of the Watchers Book One: From Baal to Balfour is now available at Amazonin paperback and as a Kindle e-book! 

While the nation of Israel was going through their cycle of apostasy and repentance, there were other nations that were going through some pretty tough times. In this episode of Bible Backdrop, we're taking a step back from the narrative in the book of Judges and taking a look at what's happening in the wider world. We look at Egypt, Greece, Babylon, Assyria, and the Hittite empire. We discuss the phenomenon known as the Late Bronze Age Collapse and see how that event impacts these nations.If you are enjoying Bible Backdrop, please leave a 5 star rating and review. To get in touch with show, you can go to the e-mail mentioned in the episode.

In this Bible Story, King Hezekiah is saved from the clutches of death and is spared for another fifteen years. In this time, Hezekiah became friends with the leaders of Babylon. In an attempt to impress them, he showcases all of Judah's wealth. This story is inspired by 2 Kings 20 & 2 Chronicles 32:24-33. Go to https://www.BibleinaYear.com and learn the Bible in a Year.Today's Bible verse is 2 Kings 20:6 from the King James Version.Episode 151: Unlike his father who would protect the people of Judah, Manasseh would burn them as sacrifices to idols. Unlike his father who loved God and restored the temple, Manasseh showed his irreverence by erecting idols to false gods in the temple. God would not tolerate all of this abuse and irreverence and so He allowed him to be bound and taken prisoner by the King of Assyria. While there, Manasseh humbled himself and cried out to God. And God who is rich in mercy and steadfast love, received his prayer and restored his kingdom.Hear the Bible come to life as Pastor Jack Graham leads you through the official BibleinaYear.com podcast. This Biblical Audio Experience will help you master wisdom from the world's greatest book. In each episode, you will learn to apply Biblical principles to everyday life. Now understanding the Bible is easier than ever before; enjoy a cinematic audio experience full of inspirational storytelling, orchestral music, and profound commentary from world-renowned Pastor Jack Graham.Also, you can download the ⁠Pray.com⁠ app for more Christian content, including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.Visit JackGraham.org for more resources on how to tap into God's power for successful Christian living.Pray.com is the digital destination of faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store.Executive Producers: Steve Gatena & Max BardProducer: Ben GammonHosted by: Pastor Jack GrahamMusic by: Andrew Morgan SmithBible Story narration by: Todd Haberkorn Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The ancient story of Ahiqar follows a legendary wise man and royal adviser at the court of the Assyrian king Sennacherib. After adopting his nephew Nadan and teaching him a long collection of proverbs, Ahiqar is betrayed, falsely accused of treason, condemned to death, and forced to hide beneath his own house. His eventual return leads to a strange contest of riddles with the Pharaoh of Egypt and a final confrontation with the student who rejected his wisdom.Preserved in an ancient Aramaic papyrus from Elephantine and in later Syriac, Arabic, Armenian, Greek, Slavonic, and Ethiopic versions, the Tale of Ahiqar may be the oldest Mesopotamian story to survive beyond the disappearance of cuneiform culture. This episode explores the story's Assyrian background, its relationship to ancient Near Eastern wisdom literature, its memorable proverbs and insults, and the way traditional stories were used to form memory, judgment, and moral character.Topics include Ahiqar, Nadan, Sennacherib, ancient Assyria, Nineveh, Elephantine, Aramaic literature, Syriac literature, Mesopotamian wisdom, ancient proverbs, the Tale of Ahiqar, the Thousand and One Nights, ancient Egypt, Pharaoh, Assyrian court culture, and ancient Near Eastern storytelling.Music from the show: oldeststories.net/music (or search "Oldest Stories Music")Support the show:Books: https://a.co/d/7Wn4jhSDonate: oldeststories.netPatreon / YouTube members get bonus episodes: patreon.com/JamesBleckleyNo-AI readings of ancient texts: youtube.com/@osnightreading

"Then I said to them, "You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace." I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me and what the king had said to me. They replied, "Let us start rebuilding." So, they began this good work" (Nehemiah 2:17-18). During a war soldiers don't jump up from behind their protective barricades with hurt expressions and ask the other side, "Was it something I said?" The war is not personal. The same is true in spiritual battles Christians face—our enemy is raging against Christ in us. He is opposing Jesus and his church. Our response should be to suit up in spiritual armor, show up on the battlefield, and persevere for Christ. Opposition is part of the Christian life. It does makes life more difficult. We often need to be prepared to go the extra mile. Reaching the world with the truth and love of Christ will involve inconvenience and personal sacrifice. Sometimes God allows things to proceed relatively easily, as when Nehemiah makes his requests to Artaxerxes. But other times it is more of a struggle. In chapter 1, his anxiety leads him to pray. God paved the way for him. When things go well, we can get confident—since God is on our side, nothing can go wrong. Some Christian organizations have become enamored with success and lost their way. Or they make compromises, believing success is always God's way. But not Nehemiah. He knows there is opposition to his work. The rubble and burned gates were a sign that Jerusalem had been defeated. In ancient culture, this meant that Jerusalem's God had been defeated too. That was the disgrace. A rebuilt wall around the city would be a symbol that God was with them and had not, in the end, been defeated. Thus, he called on Israel to join him in rebuilding the wall to remove the disgrace. The phrase, "So, they began this good work," is more literally translated as "And they strengthened their hands for the good." Their starting point was to encourage each other to do this good work. In Ezra 4:4, it says that the opposition caused "their hands to weaken". Later, God changed the attitude of the king of Assyria so that he gave permission and provision for rebuilding. As a result, "their hands were strengthened" or "they were filled with joy" (6:22 NIV). Throughout Ezra-Nehemiah when Israel overcomes opposition, it is because of the things that God does and because the people encourage each other. None of them can go it alone. The same is still true today. We can expect to face opposition. Satan does not want Christians nor the church to succeed. One of his great strategies is causing us to think that we are alone. That we can go it alone. But God calls us to encourage one another. "Therefore, encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing" (1 Thessalonians 5:11). Take some time today to ask God whom you can encourage, whose hands you can strengthen, so that they can continue in the good fight. As you journey on, go with his blessing: May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever he may send you. May he guide you through the wilderness, protect you through the storm. May your day end with rejoicing at the wonders he has shown you. May you rest in his provision as he brings night, and then new dawn.

In this Bible Story, we return to the kingdom of Judah, where the wicked King Ahaz perished. In his place was Hezekiah - a young king whose righteousness was unmatched, not even by David himself. This story is inspired by 2 Chronicles 29-31 & 2 Kings 18:1-12. Go to https://www.BibleinaYear.com and learn the Bible in a Year.Today's Bible verse is 2 Chronicles 20 from the King James Version.Episode 149: As the armies of Assyria surrounded the kingdom of Judah, Hezekiah met with his men. As his men were brainstorming, they noticed a river on the map that gave water to the surrounding armies. The King ordered them to dam it and the armies of Assyria had nothing to drink. While Judah prepared for attack, Sennacherib sent men to taunt and divide the people of Judah. But Hezekiah, strong in faith, took his taunts and prayed to God for His intervention. And God answered by sending the Assyrian army away in shame.Hear the Bible come to life as Pastor Jack Graham leads you through the official BibleinaYear.com podcast. This Biblical Audio Experience will help you master wisdom from the world's greatest book. In each episode, you will learn to apply Biblical principles to everyday life. Now understanding the Bible is easier than ever before; enjoy a cinematic audio experience full of inspirational storytelling, orchestral music, and profound commentary from world-renowned Pastor Jack Graham.Also, you can download the ⁠Pray.com⁠ app for more Christian content, including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.Visit JackGraham.org for more resources on how to tap into God's power for successful Christian living.Pray.com is the digital destination of faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store.Executive Producers: Steve Gatena & Max BardProducer: Ben GammonHosted by: Pastor Jack GrahamMusic by: Andrew Morgan SmithBible Story narration by: Todd Haberkorn Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Open the Old Testament and you run into a problem nobody warns you about. Israel is supposed to worship one God. Yet the text keeps naming others. Baal. Asherah. The gods of the nations. So where did they all go, and when did Israel actually land on one God alone?Old Testament scholar Dr. Matthew Lynch of Regent College joins the Dig In Podcast to take that question apart. The standard scholarly story says monotheism showed up late, forged in the wreckage of the Babylonian exile. Dr. Lynch says that timeline is wrong, and he found the evidence hiding in a rare Hebrew word the prophet Isaiah used to humiliate the gods of the nations. What follows is a conversation about how the Bible does the work of lifting one God above every rival power, both the seen and the unseen.In this episode you will learn:The real difference between monotheism, monolatry, henotheism, and polytheism, and why those distinctions change how you read the Old TestamentWhy the Hebrew word Elohim is far wider than most readers realize, covering angels, the dead, and the God of Israel himselfThe standard scholarly account of how Israel slowly arrived at one God, and exactly where Dr. Lynch believes it falls apartThe rare term in Isaiah used to strip the gods of their dignity, a word that appears almost nowhere else in the entire Old TestamentHow Genesis 1, the Psalms, and Ezekiel each silence rival gods in completely different waysWhy the prophets aimed their fire not just at other gods, but at the empires of Assyria, Egypt, and BabylonWhat the Egyptian pharaoh Akhenaten reveals about whether Israel actually invented monotheismHow the unrivaled uniqueness of Israel's God sets the stage for everything the New Testament claims about ChristGuest: Dr. Matthew LynchAssociate Professor of Old Testament at Regent College, Vancouver, and co-founder and co-host of the OnScript podcast. His books include First Isaiah and the Disappearance of the Gods, Flood and Fury: Old Testament Violence and the Shalom of God, Portraying Violence in the Hebrew Bible, and Monotheism and Institutions in the Book of Chronicles, all available on Amazon.Connect with Dr. Lynch: https://www.regent-college.edu/faculty/lynch-matthewFirst Isaiah and the Disappearance of the Gods (Critical Studies in the Hebrew Bible Book 12)- https://a.co/d/0fZgv5hS Stay Connected:johnnyova.comhttps://www.youtube.com/@thejohnnyovaThe Revelation Reset on Amazon: https://a.co/d/hiUkW8H

Daily Dose of Hope July 27, 2026   Scripture: 2 Kings 19   Prayer:  Almighty God, Thank you for today and new week.  Thank you for providing for us, caring for us, and protecting us.  Over thousands upon thousands of years, you have taken care of your people.  We give you glory and praise, for who you are.  Thank you, most of all, for sending Jesus, who moved into our neighborhood so that we could begin to understand your love.  Wow.  There are no words to adequately thank you for the sacrifice that saved our lives.  Lord Jesus, we love you and we thank you.  Help us grow in holiness, continue to transform us so we can be a better reflection of you.  In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church daily Bible reading plan.  What a great summer in the Word it has been.  We have been working our way through 1 & 2 Kings.  There is so much substance in these books.  On the surface, you might not think so, but we learn a lot about God's intolerance for sin, but also his deep mercy for his people.  Our reading for today is 2 Kings 19.   In today's chapter, the Assyrians are just chomping at the bit to conquer Judah.  King Hezekiah and his leaders are grieving and pleading before the Lord.  They have put on ash and sackcloth.  Someone wanting to show a deeply repentant heart would often wear sackcloth, sit in ashes, and put ashes on top of his head. Sackcloth was a coarse material usually made of black goat's hair, making it quite uncomfortable to wear. The ashes signified desolation and ruin.    In an effort to seek Godly wisdom, they go to the prophet Isaiah.  Isaiah, not surprisingly, says that God will not allow the Assyrians to conquer them.  But the Assyrian king taunts them in a letter, asking how in the world they think their God can defeat the mighty Assyria.  Hezekiah's reaction is moving.  He takes the letter and lays it out before the Lord.  Humbly (key word there), Hezekiah asks the Lord to deliver them from the hands of the Assyrians.   And God answers.  God is responding to the Assyrians' letter with his own taunts.  He is quite clear that he despises the Assyrians' mockery and he will take care of them.  Judah will come out on top and it will be clear that God Almighty is the one who accomplished it.   Sure enough, an angel of the Lord ensures that 185,000 Assyrian soldiers die in their camp that night, so many that they must withdraw.  And then Sennacherib, the Assyrian king, is killed by his own sons.    Judah is the victor.  God has saved them.   There are certain things that really stand out to me in this chapter.  The first is that arrogance does not pay.  Assyria was so full of themselves that they did not and could not even conceive of anyone beating them.  Arrogance and pride will always lead to negative consequences.  Humility is difficult but this is what Jesus modeled for us.  Is there any arrogance or pride that needs to be rooted out of your life?   Second, I was so impressed and moved by how Hezekiah just laid everything out before the Lord.  He knew that Judah was weak and had no power.  But God has plenty of power.  He simply gave it to the Lord and asked for his help.  He surrendered it to God.  God hears and responds. How many of us have something we need to surrender to the Lord right now?   Blessings, Pastor Vicki  

Welcome to The Daily. Partner with us in Project23. Grab your Hosea Scripture Journal. Our text today is Hosea 12:1 Ephraim feeds on the wind     and pursues the east wind all day long; they multiply falsehood and violence;     they make a covenant with Assyria,     and oil is carried to Egypt. — Hosea 12:1 Some people are exhausted because they are spending their lives chasing things that can never satisfy them. "Ephraim feeds on the wind." What an image. They were trying to fill themselves with something that had no substance. Chasing things they thought would finally satisfy them, secure them, validate them, or give them peace. But in the end, they were consuming emptiness. And honestly, that sounds like modern life. People chase: more money, more success, more followers, more comfort, more experiences, more possessions, more attention, more productivity, more control. And the frightening part is this: some people actually achieve the "more" they were chasing, only to discover they are still empty when they get there. Because the soul, your soul, was never designed to feed on temporary things. That is why so many people today are emotionally exhausted. We live in a culture addicted to striving. We are constantly told: achieve more, earn more, optimize more, improve more, consume more, become more. But eventually, the human soul starts to collapse under the weight of endless pursuit. And underneath all that exhaustion is often a deeper spiritual problem. We are trying to get created things to give us what only God can give us. Peace. Identity. Worth. Rest. Security. Meaning. But "feeding on the wind" never works. Wind will not nourish you. And neither can all the striving. I have learned that exhaustion is sometimes a warning light on the dashboard of the soul. It reveals that we are trying to sustain ourselves on things that were never meant to carry the weight of our lives. That is why Jesus speaks so differently than the world. The world says: chase more. Jesus says: come to me. The world says: prove yourself. Jesus says: abide in me. The world says: work harder. Jesus says: rest in me. So if your soul feels exhausted today, stop trying to get more from the wind you are chasing. The first step toward peace is finally admitting that the life you are chasing is not actually sustaining you. So slow down. Turn toward God again. Open His Word. Pray honestly. Sit quietly. Surrender control. Rest instead of striving. Because the soul that feeds on God no longer has to live feeding on the wind. DO THIS: Identify one exhausting pursuit in your life that is not truly feeding your soul, and intentionally surrender it to God today. ASK THIS: What am I chasing that still leaves me empty? Where am I feeding on "wind" instead of God? What practical step would help me slow down and reconnect with God today? PRAY THIS: Father, I am tired of feeding my soul with things that cannot sustain me. Teach me to stop striving for what leaves me empty and help me find true rest, peace, and purpose in you. Amen. PLAY THIS: "Run To The Father"

Send us Fan MailKen Corkins and pastor Rocky Ellison continue Romans in season 18, episode 21, finishing Romans 9:14–33 from the Revised Standard Version. They discuss Paul's “therefore/what shall we say” style of arguing against a fictitious objector and explore whether God is unjust in choosing whom to show mercy and whom to harden, using Moses, Pharaoh, and the potter-and-clay image. Rocky notes these passages support Calvinistic predestination but finds “how dare you question God” unsatisfying, explaining his move to Methodist/Arminian free-will theology while still stressing God's mystery and goodness and the legitimacy of asking questions. They cover Paul's Old Testament citations (Hosea and Isaiah) with historical context about Israel's division and Assyria's conquest, and conclude with Paul's main point: Gentiles attain righteousness by faith, while Israel stumbles by pursuing law-based works; salvation comes down to faith in Christ.00:00 Welcome and Heatwave 00:44 Romans 9 Reading 03:48 Is God Unjust 05:38 Mercy and Pharaoh 09:13 Potter and Clay 15:01 Wrath and Calling 17:22 Hosea and Isaiah Context 23:28 Faith Not Works Finale 26:29 Closing Thoughts 27:53 Sign OffNEW!: Rate us at Podchaser  Find us at www.pondergmc.org. Feedback is welcome: PonderMethodist@gmail.com Music performed by the Ponder GMC worship team.Cover Art: Joe WagnerRecorded, edited and mixed by Snikrock 

PA595 Isaiah 9:1-21 mp3 In this message, Isaiah prophesies the great light that will arise on Galilee of the nations when the Child is born and the Son given Who will rule over the government and be called the Father of Perpetuity and Prince of Shalom. The northern kingdom, already severely decimated by Assyria, decides […]

PA597 Isaiah 10:16-11:2 mp3 In this message, since Assyria acted arrogantly against Yehovah Who used them as a weapon, and they will be consumed. He promises that a remainder of Israel shall return to their land in the righteous kingdom of God. He comforts Zion not to fear for the coming trouble. He prophesies what […]

Welcome to The Daily. Partner with us in Project23. Grab your Hosea Scripture Journal. Our text today is Hosea 11:10-11: They shall go after the Lord; he will roar like a lion; when he roars, his children shall come trembling from the west; they shall come trembling like birds from Egypt, and like doves from the land of Assyria, and I will return them to their homes, declares the Lord. — Hosea 11:10-11 Every person is searching for a place to belong. A home. An identity. A place of security, purpose, rest, and acceptance. The problem is that many people spend their lives trying to build that identity for themselves instead of receiving it from the Father. And in this chapter, the Father is calling his children home. Listen: "They shall go after the LORD… his children shall come trembling…" They are returning, but trembling. And why? Because returning to God often requires leaving behind the false identities we built to survive without Him. And that can feel terrifying. I remember a moment like that in my own life. When I finally left my mother's home for good as a teenager, I knew I could not continue living under the same dysfunction anymore. But at the same time, I also knew I was not fully prepared to survive on my own. Leaving meant uncertainty. It meant leaving behind whatever comfort and security I thought I had, even though much of it was unstable and unhealthy. It meant stepping into a world that felt much bigger than me. New responsibilities. New fears. New realities. But looking back now, I can see something deeper happening underneath it all. God was teaching me that true security would never be found in unstable people, self-reliance, or the false identities I was trying to build for myself. And many people are still trapped there today. Some people build an identity through achievement. Some through success. Some through relationships. Some through appearance, control, performance, politics, pleasure, or approval. But eventually those identities start collapsing under the weight of expectations they were never designed to carry. Because identity is not something we ultimately earn, achieve, or accomplish. It is something we receive from the Father. That is why this text feels so much like the prodigal sons. Returning home means laying down both self-reliance (the younger son) and self-righteousness (the older son). It means finally admitting that life apart from the Father cannot give us what we were searching for. God is still calling people home. Not to shame them. Not to humiliate them. Not to reject them. But to restore them. You were never made to carry your own identity alone. You were made to receive it from the God who calls you His child. So stop trying to build a false version of yourself strong enough to save you. Come home to the Father. Because that is where your real identity has been waiting all along. DO THIS: Identify one false identity you have been trying to build your life on, and surrender it honestly to God today. ASK THIS: What identity have I been trying to earn instead of receive? Where have I confused achievement with worth? What would it look like for me to come home to the Father again? PRAY THIS: Father, I am tired of trying to build my identity apart from you. Help me surrender false versions of myself and teach me to receive the identity, love, and purpose only you can give. Amen. PLAY THIS: "Homecoming"

Daily Dose of Hope July 24, 2026   Scripture: 2 Kings 18   Prayer:  Lord, our Lord, How majestic is your name in all the earth!  We magnify your precious and powerful name.  How often we forget how mighty you are.  You created all.  You created us.  Thank you, Lord, for who you are.  Most of all, thank you for loving us with all our flaws and brokenness.  In all we do, in who we are, help us to be more like you.  We pray for humility, mercy, and compassion.  Help us see others through your eyes.  In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church daily Bible reading.  We've been going through 1 & 2 Kings and it has been quite challenging, mainly because the content is heavy and disturbing.  Yesterday, we read about the demise of the Northern Kingdom.  Today, we get a bit of hope. Today's reading is 2 Kings 18.  Can we all breathe a collective sigh of relief that there is finally a good king who does what is right in the eyes of the Lord?  I mean, King Hezekiah even tears down the altars in the high places, which the other good kings do not do.  This guy is different, we can tell this from the start. But that doesn't mean he won't be challenged.  Assyria is literally breathing down his neck.  This is a great text and we get to see what happens on Monday!  But now, it's time for our going deeper time with Emmy Roberts.  Blessings, Pastor Vicki

In this Bible Story, we learn about the wicked King Ahaz. He rules Judah with idolatry and evil, and his twisted practices and unstable mind make Judah vulnerable to attack. This story is inspired by 2 Chronicles 28 & 2 Kings 16. Go to https://www.BibleinaYear.com and learn the Bible in a Year.Today's Bible verse is 2 Chronicles 28:22 from the King James Version.Episode 147: Every year, King Hoshea would send a tribute to Shalmaneser, king of Assyria, to protect them. One year however, he betrayed his allegiance by sending a plea to the king of Egypt begging for his help against his current masters. However, Assyrian spies found out before the message could arrive and their fate was sealed. Because of his rebellion, Shalmaneser raided Israel, uprooted its people, and imprisoned its king. After years of rebelling against God and ignoring His warnings, all were led back to Assyria as slaves.Hear the Bible come to life as Pastor Jack Graham leads you through the official BibleinaYear.com podcast. This Biblical Audio Experience will help you master wisdom from the world's greatest book. In each episode, you will learn to apply Biblical principles to everyday life. Now understanding the Bible is easier than ever before; enjoy a cinematic audio experience full of inspirational storytelling, orchestral music, and profound commentary from world-renowned Pastor Jack Graham.Also, you can download the ⁠Pray.com⁠ app for more Christian content, including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.Visit JackGraham.org for more resources on how to tap into God's power for successful Christian living.Pray.com is the digital destination of faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store.Executive Producers: Steve Gatena & Max BardProducer: Ben GammonHosted by: Pastor Jack GrahamMusic by: Andrew Morgan SmithBible Story narration by: Todd Haberkorn Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“Won’t you revive us again, so your people can rejoice in you? Show us your unfailing love, O Lord, and grant us your salvation.” (Psalm 85:6–7 NLT) July 2026 is an ideal time for reflection, for looking back at the 250-year history of our nation, and for celebrating God’s work in bringing us to this point. But it’s also a time to look forward and ask some sobering questions. So, here goes. What is the future of the United States of America? Are we doomed to go the way that so many other once-great nations have gone? Is America headed to the ash heap of history? Are our greatest days behind us, or could they still be ahead? Is there any hope for America? None of us can answer these questions with any certainty, but we know this much: America is not the superpower of the last days. The greatest nation on earth is conspicuous in its absence from the world stage in the end-times scenario given to us in the Bible. America is not the first, nor will it be the last, nation to rise and fall. Every nation’s days are numbered; America is no exception. The Bible introduces us to several formidable empires, countries, and cities. Egypt reigned supreme in the book of Exodus. Assyria played a key role in the history of Israel and Judah. Babylon led the people of Judah into captivity. Persia allowed them to return. Greece left an indelible mark on the world. Yet all these empires eventually learned the same lesson: There is no such thing as too big to fail. Perhaps the biggest cautionary tale from history is the Roman Empire, which provides the backdrop for the Gospels. Rome was once the mightiest empire on the face of the earth. But it collapsed internally before it was conquered externally. Historian Will Durant, in his book on Rome’s history, Caesar and Christ, said, “A great civilization is not conquered from without until it has destroyed itself within. The essential causes of Rome’s decline lay in her people, her morals….” That’s where the alarm bells start to sound for the United States. We as a country are diligent in guarding against our enemies on the outside, but we should be just as diligent in guarding ourselves from within. One stark difference between Rome and the United States is that our country was founded on Judeo-Christian values. Unfortunately, we’ve strayed from the original vision of our founding fathers, the vision that produced our nation. What was once “freedom of religion” has now become “freedom from religion.” We’ve succeeded in removing God from our schools, sporting events, public venues, and workplaces. And now we need God’s intervention. We saw many turn to the Lord after 9/11. Remember those packed churches and prayer vigils on street corners? Remember the members of Congress spontaneously singing “God Bless America”? These memories give me hope that there could be at least one more great revival in America’s future. The psalmist wrote, “Won’t you revive us again, so your people can rejoice in you? Show us your unfailing love, O Lord, and grant us your salvation” (Psalm 85:6–7 NLT). If we don’t have revival, I believe that judgment is inevitable. Peter Marshall, former chaplain to the U.S. Senate, once said, “The choice before us is plain: Christ or chaos, conviction or compromise, discipline or disintegration.” Let’s pray that our nation chooses wisely. Reflection question: What is your prayer for our nation? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known." All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie. Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As a Christian, you will face troubles, but do not lose faith. Take heart in the words of Hezekiah and remember, the Lord is your help and He fights your battles. -------- Thank you for listening! Your support of Joni and Friends helps make this show possible.     Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Become part of the global movement today at www.joniandfriends.org   Find more encouragement on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube.

2 Kings 16 & 17New King James Version: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20kings%2016%20-%2017&version=NKJV

Welcome to The Daily. Partner with us in Project23. Grab your Hosea Scripture Journal. Our text today is Hosea 11:5-7: They shall not return to the land of Egypt, but Assyria shall be their king, because they have refused to return to me. The sword shall rage against their cities, consume the bars of their gates, and devour them because of their own counsels. My people are bent on turning away from me, and though they call out to the Most High, he shall not raise them up at all. — Hosea 11:5-7 Some people are exhausted not because life is hard, but because they are trying to carry themselves through it alone. That is what we discover in this chapter. God keeps calling His people back, but they "refused to return." He wanted to help, lead, protect, and restore them. Yet they were too stubborn to accept the help they needed. And honestly, many of us do the same thing. We know how to perform. We know how to stay productive, stay busy, stay guarded, and keep moving forward. But we do not know how to surrender. So we carry everything ourselves—pressure, fear, shame, expectations, anxiety, disappointment, and pain. Over time, that weight becomes too much for us. We are crushed by it. But instead of opening up, we tighten up. We resist vulnerability and become more secluded. That is what pride looks like in real life. It's not always loud arrogance. Sometimes it's quiet self-preservation. The belief that we must try alone because others won't understand or won't help. Hosea says: "My people are bent on turning away from me." That word "bent" means inclined toward resistance. Some people become so used to handling everything on their own that they instinctively resist help—even from God. But the more we do this, the more we manage our image than heal our soul. I have watched pride do this to people for years. Men and women slowly isolating themselves emotionally, spiritually, and relationally because they do not know how to admit weakness. They would rather silently suffer than honestly surrender. But God is not standing at a distance, eager to shame you. In this chapter, God is calling you home. Not to expose you—but to remove the weight of isolation and pride that is crushing you. Maybe the exhaustion you feel today is not just physical or emotional. Maybe it is the exhaustion of trying to carry alone what God never asked you to carry. Surrender matters. The moment you finally tell the truth, something begins to break. The moment you ask for help, something begins to open. The moment you stop pretending, healing begins. And this is especially true in your relationship with God. Humility is not weakness in a believer's life. Humility is the beginning of letting the Father be your strength. So stop carrying everything on your own. Give it to God and return to his divine strength. Start by telling God honestly today where you are exhausted, overwhelmed, or pretending to be stronger than you really are. DO THIS: Tell God honestly today where you are exhausted, overwhelmed, or pretending to be stronger than you really are. ASK THIS: What am I trying to carry alone right now? Where has pride kept me guarded or isolated? What would surrender look like for me today? PRAY THIS: Father, I am tired of trying to carry everything alone. Help me stop resisting your care, surrender my pride, and trust you enough to let you help me. Amen. PLAY THIS: "Come Ye Sinners"

Daily Dose of Hope July 22, 2026   Scripture: 2 Kings 16   Prayer: Lord Jesus, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, We give you all the glory and praise.  Thank you for being a God who provides.  Thank you for being a God who heals.  Thank you for being a God who sees past our brokenness and invites us into relationship with you.  Help us, Lord, to grow more deeply in love with you every day.  More of you and less of me.  In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope daily Bible reading plan.  We have been working our way through both 1 & 2 Kings this summer and today's reading was 2 Kings 16.   In this chapter, the author's attention turns back to Judah, the Southern Kingdom.  Jotham's son, Ahaz, is abhorrently evil.  I can't help but wonder – his dad was pretty good and did the right thing, what happened to him?  Jotham had learned from his father's failings and tried to do better.  Ahaz seems to have taken an entirely different route.   King Ahaz, while he ruled in Judah, decided to follow the ways of the kings of Israel.  When he feels threatened by the kings around him, he doesn't turn to God but rather tries to bribe Assyria for protection.  He worships the Lord but also worships Baal, seemingly trying to cover all his bases.  He engages in child sacrifice and he destroys parts of the temple, even building a new altar.  He does what is utterly detestable in the eyes of God.  Thus, God allows him to be conquered by the pagan kings around him.    Judah may last a little longer than Israel but sin and evil are also finding their way to the Southern Kingdom.   Interestingly, this is the period when Isaiah enters the scene.  There are prophecies about the end of Judah during the reigns of these kings we have been learning about.  In Isaiah 7, God sends Isaiah to give Ahaz a sign.  This is where we get the Immanuel prophecy.  It basically says that Judah will see its demise and be conquered but God isn't done with them.  There will be redemption.  We know that redemption to be our Messiah, Jesus Christ.    It's so interesting.  In the midst of real tragedy, there is still hope.  The average person probably couldn't see it at the time, but we can see how God never stopped being part of the situation.    I think that might be something we need to hear right now.  Even when things seem really, really bad with all kinds of violence and immorality, God is still at work.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki          

John 7:37-52 Please turn to John chapter 7. We'll be considering verses 37-52 this morning. You can find that on page 1062. The context of chapter 7 has been the Feast of Booths - also called the Feast of Tabernacles. It was one of the three major festivals in the Jewish calendar, so there were lots of people in Jerusalem. Earlier in the chapter, Jesus appeared at the temple in the middle of the festival and began teaching. That caused a crowd to gather around him. And most of the crowd was amazed. They had heard of or seen Jesus' signs (or miracles)  but now they witnessed his teaching. In our text this morning, we will hear that it is now the end of the feast. Jesus called for people to come to him but, as you will hear, he received a mixed response. Some were intrigued but others all the more wanted to kill him. Reading of John 7:37-52 Prayer There's no doubt that water is THE foundation to our physical existence. Our bodies are made up of about 60% water. Without water, we cannot survive for more than a few days. Without water, crops cannot grow and animals cannot survive. But for us in our day and age, water is readily available. Even in drought situations, we manage pretty well. Farmers can pump water from the underground water table to water their crops. We can clean and store water from storm runoff. We can dam rivers and we can pump water from one region to another. The worst it gets here, is that we're told to only water our lawns on certain days. But if you lived in Jerusalem back in the first century, it was very different. They didn't have all the modern technologies to drill or store significant amounts of water. Given its geography high up in the mountains, Jerusalem didn't have any nearby rivers. The Kidron valley and brook were dry for most of the year. And so, the people really did rely on the seasons. They hoped and prayed for rain at certain times of the year. It's no wonder that Jesus used the concept of water to symbolize spiritual realities. Remember, we saw that first back in chapter 2 when Jesus turned water into wine, symbolizing his cleansing ministry. And again, we saw that in chapter 4, when Jesus told the woman at the well that she needed his living water and that when she drank it, she would never be thirsty again. He was speaking of the eternal life that she would receive through believing in him. Well, this morning we have a new spiritual reality symbolized by water. And that is the ministry of the Holy Spirit. He will be like rivers of living water flowing forth from our hearts. So, this morning we'll begin our time with that… with Jesus' teaching about the giving of the Spirit. That's verses 37-39. As we'll see in a minute, his analogy of water directly connects to what was happening at the Feast. And then second, we'll survey the responses to Jesus' teaching. That's verses 40-52. As you heard, out of people's hearts flowed very different responses to Jesus. That's where we are headed. #1 The Holy Spirit - the River of Living Water As we get into the verses about the Holy Spirit, let me first note that the Feast of Tabernacles was at the very end of the dry season. In fact, most years, it had not rained for months in the leadup to the festival. To be sure, Jerusalem did have a source of water. Their main source of water at the time was the Gihon Spring which they diverted into the Pool of Siloam. It was on the south side of the city about a third of a mile down from the temple. It was King Hezekiah about 700 years earlier who had a tunnel dug through the rock to reach the spring and divert the water to inside the city. Just a few years after he finished that, Assyria surrounded Jerusalem and attempted to cut off the supply lines, including water, but they did not know of the hidden water channel. And so, Jerusalem was able to endure. By the way, if you go to Jerusalem today, you can actually walk through Hezekiah's water tunnel. I did that several years ago with a friend. It's about 1/4 mile long and pretty narrow and the water is maybe 1-2 feet deep. At one point my friend snuck ahead, turned off his little flashlight and then, when I rounded a corner, he jumped out at me. I may or may not have been momentarily scared. Anyway, you end up at the Pool of Siloam - or a small portion of what remains. I'm telling you this because at the Feast of Booths, every day one of the priests would make his way down to the Pool of Siloam. Jewish literature records that he would dip a golden vessel into the pool, and he would make his way back to the Temple. The crowds would follow him as he passed through the lower gates into the temple area. Trumpets would sound as he ascended the temple steps. They would read from passages like Isaiah 12:3 which says, "with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation." That was our call to worship this morning. And then with great pomp, when the festival branches described in Leviticus 23 were waved, the priest would pour the fresh water onto the altar. A channel was made for that purpose, and it would drain to the base. The purpose of the water was a remembrance of God's provision of water in the wilderness. Remember, the Feast of Booths was about celebrating God's provision in the wilderness. That included water from the rock. God called Moses to strike a rock, and when he did, water flowed forth. Well, on the seventh day of the feast, Jewish literature also records that the water ceremony happened 7 times. 7 times the priest would fill the golden vessel from Siloam and return to the temple, and pour it onto the altar. By the seventh time, the water would have overflowed from the altar onto the temple floor. And while this was happening, the people were rejoicing, waving various branches while the trumpets sounded and the water flowed. It was on this day, the 7th day, called the great day, that Jesus stood up and cried out “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'” We don't know what time of day Jesus proclaimed these words, but the people would have had water on their minds. It was hot and dry. Likely it had not rained. Furthermore, they either anticipated the priests carrying the water to the altar or they just witnessed that event. They were thirsty - physically and spiritually. And Jesus cried out to them, calling them to come to him and drink. And not only would their spiritual thirst be quenched, but if they came and drank, rivers of living water, he said, would flow from them. The apostle John then adds a brief commentary that Jesus was referring to the Holy Spirit. Those who came to him would receive his Spirit, once he was glorified. Now, before we consider what that means for you and me, let me note 4 brief things. #1. Jesus quotes a Scripture which says, "Out of his heart [the one who believes] will flow rivers of living water." There's actually no single Old Testament passage directly matching the quote. However, several Old Testament texts parallel this idea. We read from Isaiah 44 earlier in the service. Verse 3 says, "I will pour water on a thirsty land" and then "I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring." Zechariah 14:8 was another one. It was also read during the Feast of Booths. It speaks of living water flowing out of Jerusalem. There are other passages like Ezekiel 47 and Isaiah 55 which are similar. In other words, the idea of living water connected to the Holy Spirit and salvation is very prevalent in the Old Testament. #2. Some Greek translators believe that the "rivers of living water" referenced here is the Holy Spirit being given out of Jesus' heart, not ours. They argue that phrase "whoever believes in me" is actually part of the invitation to drink and does not describe the one who has a river flowing from his heart. Honestly, there are some good arguments for that. Personally, I lean toward the translation we use. But I also think that even if this alternative is true, those who believe are still the recipients of the Holy Spirit. When we receive the Spirit, then our hearts will display forth the Spirit's ministry in us. So, in the end, I don't think it really changes the impact. #3. The third thing I want to point out. The fact that verse 39 says that the Spirit would be given after Jesus was glorified does not minimize the Holy Spirit's work in the Old Testament. No. From the very beginning in Genesis 1, the Spirit was present. He was hovering over the waters. He was at work in the hearts and minds of the remnant of God's people - true Israel. The Spirit directed people to look forward to the Messiah who would come. The Apostle Peter in 1 Peter 1 tells us that the Spirit of Christ was at work in the prophets who testified beforehand about Christ's sufferings and glory. What is the difference, then? The giving of the Holy Spirit mentioned in verse 39 is the outpouring of the Spirit to all peoples, not just Israel, but every tribe, tongue, and nation. Furthermore, as the Spirit dwells in his people, he now applies the finished work of Christ to us. So, the difference is in the scope of the Holy Spirit's work and the fulness of salvation being applied. I think that's important to understand. #4 - the last brief comment. And this is related. When verse 39 speaks of Jesus' glorification, I'm guessing you have in mind Jesus' ascension to heaven where he now reigns. That's true. However, John's Gospel includes Jesus' death and resurrection as part of his glorification. We're going to see this very clearly when we get to chapter 12. We will see that Jesus finally tells his disciples that his hour HAS come. And what is that hour? Jesus tells them it is the hour of his glorification. He must die in order to be raised. So, as we think of the ministry of the Holy Spirit, we need to understand that he is applying Jesus' full ministry including his atonement for our sin through his sacrifice and the hope and new life we have in his resurrection and ascension to glory. It is out of that fulness as the inaugurated King, that Jesus sends his Spirit to continue his ministry to the ends of the earth. Now, I know that's a lot of theology packed into those comments. Let me summarize it this way. Jesus' promise of his Spirit is an amazing promise and reality for you and me. Every single one of us is spiritually thirsty. Every single person in the entire world is spiritually thirsty. Not everyone recognizes it but we all long for meaning and purpose. We all experience pain and suffering. We all know the toil of work as a consequence of the fall. Those thing weigh on us every single day. And Jesus promises that when you come to him in belief, out of your heart will flow rivers of living waters. Through the ministry of the Spirit in you, the abounding grace of God in Christ will flow to you and from you. Your heart will display to others the transforming ministry of the Spirit. And others who likewise are given the Spirit will minister to you through him. To be sure, that does not minimize the impact of our remaining sin, nor does it minimize the realities of our suffering and grief in life. But what it does is give us an unshakeable foundation. Repentance from sin.  Hope in grief. Joy in suffering. Perseverance in trials. Through the Holy Spirit in us, we can live, not only with our eyes fixed on the cross and the redemption we have from our sin, but we can fix our eyes on our resurrected and glorified Lord. Through his Spirit, rivers of living water will flow. His ultimate sender is the Son, but the blessings of his ministry will flow from you to me and from me to you. It will flow between us and overflow to our community around us. An old song came to mind this week. A 1970's children's song. "I've got a river of life flowing out of me." Some of you are old enough to remember it. Do you remember the chorus? "Spring up, O well, within my soul; Spring up, O well, and make me whole; Spring up, O well, and give to me; That life abundantly" May that river of life, God's Spirit, abundantly minister in us and through us as we drink of the living waters of Christ. Amen? Divided Responses Now, we're not done. Here's where we are. Jesus made an astonishing offer. For those who come to him and drink, out of their hearts will flow the living water of God's Spirit. The question now is, how did the people respond? What did flow out of their hearts? Well for some it was curiosity, for another, it was an honest search. But for the priests and Pharisees, it was the exact opposite. Instead of rivers of living water, out of their hearts flowed hatred and bitterness. Let's consider those three categories in verse 40-52. (1) those intrigued by Jesus, (2) those who outright reject him, and (3) those honestly evaluating. That first group, those who are intrigued, find Jesus very interesting. He has interesting things to say. He's some kind of prophet. In verse 40, some said that he is THE prophet. That's a reference to Moses' prophecy in Deuteronomy that a Prophet would come after him. Others said, "This is the Christ." That may include some who truly believed. But we get the sense that it's just an external observation. After all, the apostle John does not use his favorite word, believe. He just notes that some "said" he was the Christ. I think we should also put the temple officers into this first category. Last week, we read that the chief priests and Pharisees sent the temple officers to arrest Jesus. These were Levites assigned to temple security. But notice that they did not arrest Jesus. And what was their reason? Verse 46, "No one ever spoke like this man!" They could not do what they were commanded to do because they were amazed by his teaching and authority. This first group is marked by an external recognition that Jesus is unique. He plays some important role in God's purposes. But they had yet to take the next step toward belief. I suspect some will. That brings us to the second group mentioned here - the chief priests and Pharisees. They are not intrigued by Jesus one bit. There is no possibility in their minds that he may truly be the Son of God. Their hearts are hard. Multiple times in these verses they react to even the suggestion that Jesus may be legitimate or the desire to consider his claims. And think about this: these were the very men who presided over the water ceremony at the feast. Some even participated in the water being poured out on the altar day after day, but they could not recognize the living water standing in their own temple courts Look at what they said to the officers that did not arrest Jesus. They said, "Have you also been deceived?" They then appealed to their own authority and they literally cursed the crowd. Verse 49, they said, "this crowd that does not know the law [you know, like they do] is accursed.” Think about the contrast between the hearts of the Pharisees and the hearts of those who would come to Jesus. Those who believe in Jesus are promised rivers of living water flowing from their hearts. Yet, out of the hearts of the Pharisees and chief priests came deceit and anger. And look how they responded to Nicodemus. Nicodemus was one of them. All Nicodemus wanted to do was judge fairly. But the Pharisees responded, "Are you from Galilee, too?" That's a classic ad hominem. They attacked Nicodemus for merely suggesting that Jesus deserved a fair hearing. They just wanted to kill Jesus. Rather than rivers of living water, out of their hearts flowed rivers of hate and self-serving unbelief. Out of some hearts will flow love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Those fruits of the Spirit, identified in Galatians 5, will flow forth from those who have been given the Spirit - those who believe. But out of the hearts of these so-called leaders of Israel flow self-idolatry, enmity, strife, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, and envy. Out of one flows fresh, clean water, spiritual water, that is life giving and quenches the soul, yet out of the other, stagnant, poisoned water that accuses and kills. Which brings us to the third response. I've already mentioned Nicodemus, but let's consider his response more thoroughly. In fact, I think Nicodemus was originally in that first category. He was intrigued. Back in chapter 3, as Coleman reminded us last week, Nicodemus had sought Jesus out at night. Something compelled Nicodemus to want to know more. But he didn't understand when Jesus told him he needed to be born again. He had yet to believe. But in these verses Nicodemus has moved from being intrigued to honestly desiring to evaluate Jesus' claims. He even defended Jesus, asking that he be given a fair hearing. We get the clear sense that Nicodemus was a man of integrity. Even though he was a teacher of Israel and part of the Sanhedrin, he wanted to know the truth. In verse 51, look what he says to his fellow Pharisees, "Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?" Do you hear his honest desire to know the truth? I want to remind you that John wrote his Gospel primarily for Jews of the later first century. John has been revealing who Jesus is as the Messiah. And he wants his readers to have an open heart and mind like Nicodemus. John wants his readers to give Jesus a hearing, as verse 51 says. Really, John wants them to believe, but at this point in the book, he just wants them to take a step forward and truly evaluate Jesus for who he is. As Coleman pointed out last week, some of you here are like Nicodemus and have an honest heart and seek to live a life of integrity. But you've yet to respond to Jesus calling to come to him and drink. Will you evaluate Jesus' claims and calling? You know, as we move forward in the Gospel of John, one thing that we'll see is that the two neutral responses to Jesus will go away - both the intrigued by Jesus' response and the honest search response. The temple officers will be forced to choose. And Nicodemus himself will be called to account. What will they decide? We'll find out in chapters 18 and 19. What will you decide? So where does that leave us? Well, Jesus is still standing and calling out, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink." The water that he gives will never run dry, because it is nothing less than the Holy Spirit, poured out from our risen and glorified Lord, applying all the riches of his death and resurrection to thirsty souls. And so, will you stand at a distance, intrigued but uncommitted? Will you be like Nicodemus, honestly seeking him out, but not yet willing to come to him and drink. Or will you drink of his life-giving stream? For those of you who have, the promise is yours: out of your heart will flow rivers of living water. The Spirit of truth and grace will flow in you and through you, forever. Amen.

This week Dylan Goldsmith brings the word as we continue our walk through the Minor Prophets with Nahum and its surprising sequel-like connection to Jonah. We trace Assyria's brutal history, Nineveh's brief repentance, and its eventual downfall, highlighting what this reveals about God's character—patient and compassionate, yet perfectly just. You'll be challenged to consider the cost of taking God's grace for granted, the reality of coming judgment, and the hope God offers as a refuge for those who trust in Him.Support the showWe are growing the Kingdom of God through the lives of everyday people by reaching UP to God, IN to Grow, and OUT to GiveJoin us on Sundays at 9:30 in person and online!FBC Nokomis Youtube: www.youtube.com/@FirstBaptistChurchofNokomisFBC Nokomis Facebook: www.facebook.com/firstbaptistnokomisFBC Nokomis Sermon Podcast: https://fbcnokomissermons.buzzsprout.com/share

Fr. Mike celebrates Day 200 of our journey by highlighting the relationship between Egypt, Assyria, and Israel according to the Lord's plan. We have a God who died for his enemies to make them his friends, and we see that foreshadowed in Isaiah, concerning the horrific acts of Assyria and Egypt. Today's readings are Isaiah 18-20, Nahum 1-2, and Proverbs 10:25-28. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

Sermon Outline: "A Table in the Wilderness" Preacher: Pastor Rhonda Davis I. Introduction: The Accusation of Unbelief The Wilderness Setting: Written by King David's chief musician Asaph, Psalm 78 serves as a historical reminder of Israel's behavioral cycles in the desert. Fresh out of Egyptian deliverance—having witnessed the ten plagues, the parting of the Red Sea, and being physically guided by pillars of cloud and fire—the people began to bitterly complain against God a mere three days into their journey. An Honest Question vs. An Accusation: In Psalm 78:19, the people ask, "Can God really prepare a table in the wilderness?" Pastor Rhonda noted that the word really transforms a seemingly innocent question into a toxic accusation dressed up as reason. It is the phrase used when a human heart has already decided the answer is "no," waiting around only to prove its own doubt correct. Covenant Over Anger: Despite their rebellion, God did not slam the door or cancel His covenant. Instead, He commanded the skies to open and rained down manna—the food of angels. God systematically spread a feast in front of the very people who were whispering against Him in their tents the night before. The Three Divine Tables Pastor Rhonda unpacked the three distinct tables God establishes throughout biblical history: 1. The Table for the Doubters (The Wilderness Table) The Purpose of the Table: The wilderness table is never a structural reward for individuals who possess perfect, unwavering faith. It is a table of pure grace, deliberately established right in the middle of your human doubting. The Goodness that Pulls: Relying on Romans 2:4, it is the unmerited goodness of God—not His anger—that gently leads broken, derailed, or disappointed individuals into true repentance. The Commitment of God: God remains infinitely more committed to your ultimate destiny than your lingering doubt is committed to keeping you away from His presence. As highlighted in Psalm 78:38-39, He stays full of compassion, frequently holds back His anger, and remembers that human beings are fragile, temporary flesh. 2. The Table for the Enemies (The Battlefield Table) The Blinded Army at Dothan: In 2 Kings 6, the King of Syria surrounded the prophet Elisha at Dothan with a massive host of horses and iron chariots. When Elisha's servant panicked, shouting, "What shall we do?", Elisha uttered the historic reality: "Don't be afraid. Those who are with us are more than those with them." The Spiritual Sight Shift: Elisha did not pray for his servant's natural eyes, but for his spiritual eyes to be opened. Instantly, the young man saw the surrounding mountains packed with the fiery chariots of God's angelic hosts. A Feast Instead of a Sword: After praying for God to strike the Syrian army with blindness, Elisha boldly walked into their ranks and led them directly into the capital city of Samaria. When the King of Israel eagerly asked, "Shall I kill them?", Elisha commanded him to serve them a massive feast of comfort food and water instead. The Victory of Mercy: This exact battlefield feast provides the historical background for Psalm 23:5 ("Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies"). It was not the edge of a sword that permanently stopped the Syrian invasions—it was an overwhelming act of covenant mercy. Pastoral Application on Stiff-Arming: Pastor Rhonda paused the message to deliver a deep word on forgiveness and breaking internal chains (Psalm 44:21). True forgiveness does not excuse the offender; it releases the victim from an emotional prison. She shared a transparent personal testimony of a spiritual son and backup worship leader who left her ministry years prior. Though she smiled outwardly, she spent years "stiff-arming" him to protect her own heart from being hurt again. After her late husband confronted her behavior, she broke down at the altar, embraced the man, repented of her coldness, and unlocked a deep, ongoing fellowship that persists to this day. 3. The Ultimate Table (The Salvation Table) Crushing the Enemy's Head: The framework for the final table was established in Genesis 3, where God promised that the seed of the woman would eventually crush the head of the serpent. Because Satan acutely understands this legal decree, he target-attacks human families with desperation and fear. Spread While We Were Rebellious: Reading from Romans 5:6-8, Christ did not wait for humanity to surrender, perfect their theology, or clean up their lives. He set out the bread and wine of the ultimate table at Calvary while we were actively operating as His lifestyle enemies. The Table of Communion: At the Last Supper, Jesus willingly broke bread, dipped from the same cup, and washed the feet of Judas Iscariot—the very man orchestrating His betrayal. He fully established a table in the literal presence of His enemy. Conclusion: The Mandate of the Church Jesus Is Better: Moving into corporate communion, Pastor Rhonda echoed the foundational theme of the Book of Hebrews: Jesus is structurally better than legalism, religion, and all earthly material goods. He is the express image of the living God. Prophetic Prophecy Declared: During a prolonged moment of corporate worship, a prophetic word was delivered over the room: “I have not brought you this far to leave you, says the Lord. You are hidden in the hollow of My hands, and I am preparing you to move like an arrow shot from a bow at the right time. You are the ones called to set My tables of mercy in the wilderness of this world.” The River in the Desert: Standing across the sanctuary, the congregation applied Isaiah 43:18-19, commanding all spiritual squatters of doubt to leave, completely releasing old bitterness against parents, employers, or former spouses, and taking communion with a fresh, childlike awareness of Christ's healing power. Scripture Index Here are the primary scriptures read, cited, or expounded upon during the service: Psalm 78:19 > "Yea, they spake against God; they said, Can God furnish [prepare] a table in the wilderness?" Romans 5:6-8 > "For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly... But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners [enemies], Christ died for us." Romans 2:4 (Referenced) – Knowing that the goodness of God leads human beings to repentance. Psalm 78:38-39 > "But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away... For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again."   2 Kings 6:16-17 > "And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha." Deuteronomy 31:6 (Referenced) – Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, He it is that doth go with thee. 2 Chronicles 32:7 (Referenced) – Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there be more with us than with him. Psalm 23:5 > "Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over." Psalm 44:21 (Referenced) – Shall not God search this out? For He knoweth the secrets of the heart. Revelation 3:20 > "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." Isaiah 43:18-19 > "Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert." Numbers 6:24-26 (The Benediction) > "The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace." "Thanks for listening! For more information, visit churchoftheharvest.com. Don't forget to follow us on Facebook and YouTube @cothcleveland.

When the northern ten tribes vanished into Assyria and the walls of Jerusalem were leveled to dust by Babylon, it wasn't a failure of God's power—it was the tragic consequence of an unfaithful people. If you feel like the cultural walls are breaking down around you today, this study of the Scattering of Israel reveals exactly how to find your spiritual anchor. Summary: In this sobering deep dive into 2 Kings 14–25, we look at the historical collapse of both Israel and Judah, tracing the long line of kings who ignored the warnings of the prophets until there was no remedy left. By analyzing these final chapters of the history of the divided kingdoms, we discover the tragic steps of apostasy and the beautiful moments of temporary restoration under righteous leaders. The Thistle and the Cedar: We analyze the pride of King Amaziah and how minor victories can trick us into overestimating our own strength, leading to devastating vulnerability. The Destruction of Nehushtan: We study King Hezekiah's bold iconoclasm, where he smashed the very bronze serpent Moses made because the people had turned a signpost into an idol. Learn to never confuse the means with the end. Psychological Warfare at the Wall: We break down Rab-shakeh's terrifying speech outside Jerusalem and why the best response to the modern world's mocking is often to "hold your peace" and let God fight your battles. Wiping the Dish: We confront the terrifyingly visual imagery of God wiping Jerusalem like a dish and turning it upside down, seeing how structural neglect leads to spiritual collapse. Finding the Book of the Law: We follow the 8-year-old King Josiah as he repairs the temple breaches, discovers lost scripture, and humbles himself before Huldah the prophetess to launch a total national restoration. The Babylonian Captivity: We witness the final fall of Zedekiah, the breaking of Solomon's pillars, and the carrying away of the temple vessels—realizing that even when we are scattered, the covenant is never completely forgotten. Call-to-Action: Hezekiah smashed a sacred relic because it started getting in the way of true worship. What is the "Nehushtan" or distraction in your life that you need to break to clear your view of the Savior? Let's build a meaningful dialogue in the comments. 

When You Have Nothing but God by Autumn Dickson This week, we find a righteous but imperfect man surrounded by legitimate reasons to be afraid. How do you respond when you've been backed into a corner? Let's talk about how Hezekiah responded. Hezekiah was a righteous king especially when contrasted with his wicked father, Ahaz. When Hezekiah rose to the throne, he threw out all of the idolatry and tore down all of the false places and altars of worship. He was reforming Judah, and he was helping them repent and turn back to the Lord. Assyria was a superpower in the ancient world. They had just dominated the northern kingdom of Israel, and they set their sights on Judah next. I am a firm believer that the Lord protects the righteous. It's one of the main themes of The Book of Mormon, and yet, we see something interesting happen here. Judah is not completely protected. Assyria is able to take some of their fortified cities, and Hezekiah responds by offering to pay them a tribute to go away. In order to afford the tribute required by Assyrian, Hezekiah strips the temple. It doesn't work. Assyria sticks around. One of the Assyrian commanders comes to the walls of the city and starts speaking in Hebrew so that the people of Jerusalem can fully understand the danger they're in. It's psychological warfare, and the people respond with silence as instructed by Hezekiah. Hezekiah responds differently this time. He covers himself in sackcloth and ashes and goes to the temple to pray to the Lord. He prays and tells the Lord, “They're mocking Thee. Show them who You are.” The Lord does. He slays 185,000 soldiers in the Assyrian army, and Sennacherib goes home to be assassinated by his sons. We get to see Judah change and repent at this particular period in time. There are many good details; let's cover a few. Detail one. The Lord allows Assyria to defeat some of the fortified cities in Judah. Judah was in the process of repenting. Hezekiah had torn down a lot of the idolatry, and this was incredible faith. Unfortunately, Judah had a long history of turning away from the Lord. Losing these cities was not an indication of the Lord being powerless. It was about discipline so that Judah could learn. I actually find it really poetic that the fortified cities were conquered, but Jerusalem remained. What was in Jerusalem? The temple. The kingdom of Judah was being stripped down to its center, specifically to that covenant relationship that it held with the Lord. I've seen this kind of repentance in my own life. I didn't actually recognize it until a couple of days ago as I sat in my car in a parking lot. There was once a time when the Lord dismantled huge parts of who I used to be in order to make way for more important things. Music used to be the most important thing in my life. I would drive down the highway, listen to some good country songs, and I always felt like I was on fire. It was such a strong feeling. So much of my identity revolved around music. There were a lot of reasons I was worried about getting married and starting a family, but I actually think music was a huge portion of those reasons. I didn't want to sacrifice music. Music was taken away from me. I stopped college to try and be a musician. I was working in the industry. I was entering competitions and playing small shows. I did it for months. Then it all collapsed a bit. I was surrounded by darkness, both within my own mind and in what I had surrounded myself with. After being separated from that dark period, I put up a barrier between me and music. It didn't touch me like it used to. I couldn't write anything anymore. It was too associated with darkness. As I sat in my car pondering this, I found myself bawling my eyes out that the Lord had taken it away. Only, I was bawling in gratitude not in despair. Music is powerful and wonderful and I don't think I'm done with it yet. However, it had become an idol to me. I needed it taken away because the Lord had something much more important in mind. If I had kept music, regardless of whether I was successful or not, I think it would have prevented me from fully stepping into more divine callings. I wouldn't have had room for these other things that the Lord wanted to give me. Would I have willingly chosen children or resented them? Would I have ever had time to bear my testimony in the capacity that I do now? Would I even have been able to enjoy my role as a wife as much as I do now if music hadn't been taken away from me? I can't totally be sure, but I think music would have robbed me of those things. I was that obsessed. It was an idol. I know that's not the case for other musicians, but it was for me. It would have kept me from some of the most important parts of my life. As I think about the beautiful life I've been given, it makes me sick to think that I could have missed it. The Lord stripped away all of these parts of me that felt so important, and He left just Himself and His covenant with me. With all of the problems I had accumulated combined with the music having been taken away, there wasn't much of me left. Just a covenant. And the Lord upheld that covenant. He somehow got me on a mission and gave me my family. He had to remove all of that other stuff so that He could build something better with nothing but the covenant protection He had given me. Detail two. Hezekiah goes from stripping the temple of riches to praying in it. Hezekiah originally tried to give money over to Assyria to get them to leave, and it didn't work. They camped outside of Jerusalem. He doesn't make the same mistake twice. Hezekiah receives a letter telling him, “Don't trust anyone who tells you that your God can save you. We've defeated so many other gods before you.” Hezekiah had overturned altars and torn down idolatrous images in Judah; he did all the things. Now he gets to prove how much he really trusts the God of his fathers. Hezekiah tells the Lord that the Assyrians have done all of these major feats of strength and power, but Hezekiah also acknowledges that it is only the power of mankind. He continues his beautiful prayer with this sentiment. 2 Kings 19:19 Now therefore, O Lord our God, I beseech thee, save thou us out of his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the Lord God, even thou only. He implores the Lord to show the Assyrians who the true God is. This isn't about saving his own skin anymore. Hezekiah's heart has turned towards God's glory. That is the result he wants: God's glory. God shows up with a whole lot of glory, and He shows Judah and the rest of the world who holds the real power. Hezekiah repented. He spiritually up-levelled. He went from knocking down idols to facing fear with nothing but his trust in God's covenants with Judah. He went from fear of losing his life and kingdom to simply wanting the glory of God. He stood to lose a lot in facing off with Syria, but he chose trust and it saved him. I testify that a covenant relationship with Christ is a powerful foundation. I testify that sometimes the Lord strips away parts of us that feel so important so that He can uncover that foundation and start anew with something more powerful. I testify that spiritually maturing means stepping into trust, and I testify that trusting in God saves us. It's not enough to keep the commandments and do the things. Hezekiah did the things, and they were SO important and necessary, but even that was not enough. Hezekiah still had to trust, and that was what turned the tides of Judah. It can turn the tide for you. Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR's 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award. The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – 2 Kings 16–25 – Part 2 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.

When and how was Israel conquered by the Assyrians? Why did God allow Assyria to invade and conquer Israel?

What if the most powerful religious leader in ancient Judah was the king's mother? Sister Heather Farrell walks us through 2 Chronicles and the queen mother whose name the record keeps even when it forgets everything else, and makes the case that the covenants have always traveled through the household and through family stories far messier than we'd like to admit.SHOW NOTES/TRANSCRIPTSEnglish: https://tinyurl.com/podcastOT230ENFrench: https://tinyurl.com/podcastOT230FRGerman: https://tinyurl.com/podcastOT230DEPortuguese: https://tinyurl.com/podcastOT230PTSpanish: https://tinyurl.com/podcastOT230ESYOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/00ytqfvXE48ALL EPISODES/SHOW NOTESfollowHIM website: https://www.followHIMpodcast.comFREE PDF DOWNLOADS OF followHIM QUOTE BOOKSNew Testament: https://tinyurl.com/PodcastNTBookOld Testament: https://tinyurl.com/PodcastOTBookBook of Mormon: https://tinyurl.com/PodcastBMBook WEEKLY NEWSLETTERhttps://tinyurl.com/followHIMnewsletter SOCIAL MEDIAInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/followHIMpodcastFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/followhimpodcastTIMECODE0:00 - Part 1 - Sister Heather Farrell1:15 Why would anyone love Chronicles?2:51 “Our eyes are upon thee”4:01 Bio6:40 Come, Follow Me Manual7:49 Chronicles 101: one book, not two (and its two obsessions)9:50 Hebrew Bible, Tanakh, and Torah10:55 The Chronicler as Mormon13:04 Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia–4 ways to conquer a people16:28 The last verse in the Hebrew Bible is about the temple17:47 Dolly, Mary, and a messy line22:23 Why do Kings and Chronicles tell the same stories?24:24 Solomon built two houses26:36 The Nauvoo parallel28:13 God accepts the dedication31:03 The verse that became a song33:33 The second covenant35:43 Official religion vs. household religion38:30 Easter happens at home (why we need fridge magnets)40:40 Asa tears down the high places and groves43:18 Asherah and why she is NOT our Heavenly Mother46:35 Asa's prayer48:20 Worthiness to ask for a miracle50:38 Spiritual storehouses (like grain but better)53:03 The hard verse is descriptive not prescriptive55:21 Asa's mistake58:13 The gebirah–the King's mother1:00:13 Bathsheba and why Kings always names the mother1:02:39 Covenant power that transfers through a woman1:05:13 A dynasty that runs on worthiness, not just blood1:06:12 Jumping Jehoshaphat1:08:37 “There is yet one man … but I hate him”1:09:47 End of Part 1 – Sister Heather FarrellThanks to the followHIM team:Steve & Shannon Sorensen: Cofounder, Executive Producer, SponsorDavid & Verla Sorensen: SponsorsDr. Hank Smith: Co-hostJohn Bytheway: Co-hostDavid Perry: ProducerKyle Nelson: Marketing, SponsorLisa Spice: Client Relations, Editor, Show NotesWill Stoughton: Video EditorKrystal Roberts: Translation Team, English & French Transcripts, WebsiteAriel Cuadra: Spanish TranscriptsAmelia Kabwika: Portuguese TranscriptsHeather Barlow: Communications DirectorSydney Smith: Social Media, Graphic Design "Let Zion in Her Beauty Rise" by Marshall McDonaldhttps://www.marshallmcdonaldmusic.com

Hosts Pastor Rico Basso and Pastor Lloyd Pulley Question Timestamps: Suzie, email (2:19) - Why did Jesus call out "my God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Chris, NY (4:40) - Were Syria and Assyria different empires? What are the differences between precepts and statutes? Eric, NJ (10:37) - What is the right way to go about getting married? Jim, email (14:55) - In Luke 8 Jesus heals two people, why does he tell the man to tell everyone about it, but tell the girl to keep it a secret? Ricardo, email (18:21) - How do we overcome doubt? Lynda, Facebook (24:03) - Why does 1 Corinthians 14 say women should keep silent? Luis, CA (34:33) - Do you believe the Rapture will happen? Where does the Bible mention the Rapture? Mark, NY (40:08) - How do you fight against beliefs people have in racism? Jerry, KY (48:47) - Can you explain the ability to speak in tongues? Alice, GA (53:15) - Why is the devil searching "waterless places?" Ask Your Questions: Call: 888-712-7434 Email: Answers@bbtlive.org

Welcome to The Daily. Today, I want to give a shoutout to Brian Long from Tullahome, TN. Thank you so much for your partnership with us in Project23. Grab your Hosea Scripture Journal. Our text today is Hosea 10:5-6: The inhabitants of Samaria tremble for the calf of Beth-aven. Its people mourn for it, and so do its idolatrous priests— those who rejoiced over it and over its glory— for it has departed from them. The thing itself shall be carried to Assyria as tribute to the great king. Ephraim shall be put to shame, and Israel shall be ashamed of his idol. — Hosea 10:5-6 It's amazing how attached we become to the things replacing God. Israel had built an idol, a golden calf, at Beth-aven, and over time, it became more than an object. It became security. Identity. National pride. A source of comfort and confidence. Then suddenly, it would be gone. "Carried to Assyria." The idol they trusted could not even save itself or Israel from Assyria. Think about all that wasted time and money. All the wasted worship—false worship at that. That's the irony of every idol. We spend our lives protecting things that were never capable of protecting us. And modern idols are no different. They are our careers, platforms, political identities, relationships, money, influence, entertainment, appearance, comfort, and control. They are the things we quietly attach our worth, hope, and security to. At first, idols feel powerful because they appear to deliver. They give temporary comfort, temporary success, and temporary affirmation. But eventually every idol reveals the same truth: What we choose to replace God cannot sustain us like God. That's why people panic when idols collapse. When the market drops. When the platform shrinks. When the relationship ends. When the career changes. When health declines. When public approval disappears. Suddenly, people feel lost because the thing that carries their identity is being taken away. That is Hosea's object lesson today. Israel mourned the loss of their idol because their hearts had become emotionally dependent on it. And yet we do the same. Whatever controls your peace often reveals what controls your worship. Pay attention to what devastates you most. Sometimes the deepest emotional reactions expose the deepest spiritual attachments. God often removes idols not to destroy us—but to rescue us. Because losing a false god may be the very thing that leads you back to the real one. So hold everything in your life with open hands. You cannot afford to lose the God who never leaves. He is the source of all things—worship and bow to Him today. DO THIS: Identify one thing that most controls your sense of peace, security, or identity, and honestly ask whether it has taken God's place in your heart. ASK THIS: What would shake me most if I lost it? What has become too important to me? Am I trusting God—or what He has given? PRAY THIS: God, expose every idol competing for my heart. Teach me to trust you above everything else and hold all other things loosely before you. Amen. PLAY THIS: "Christ Be All Around Me"

In Isaiah 18, Ethiopia responds to the growing threat of Assyria by sending messengers to seek alliances with surrounding nations. Yet Isaiah reminds Judah that its security does not depend on human plans, military strength, or political partnerships. The Lord is quietly watching, fully aware of the approaching danger, and prepared to act at the proper time. In this episode, Curtis and Sally discuss how fear can pressure us to react quickly and create our own solutions. Instead, God invites us to quiet our hearts, look for His direction, and listen for His voice. As we surrender our plans and trust Him through uncertainty, our faith grows and His faithfulness becomes a testimony to those around us. "You can make many plans, but the Lord's purpose will prevail." —Proverbs 19:21

A sermon preached by Rev. Ginger E. Gaines-Cirelli with Foundry UMC, July 5, 2026, sixth Sunday after Pentecost. “We Know Who We Are”series. Texts: Jeremiah 22:13–16; Luke 14:12–24   This weekend our nation marks 250 years since the Declaration of Independence. This is an occasion for celebration. It's also an invitation to reflection. Moments like this invite us to look backward with gratitude, to look honestly at who we have become, and to consider what kind of future is still possible. This year those reflections seem incredibly important. Ours is a nation of extraordinary gifts and extraordinary contradictions. We inherit remarkable democratic ideals alongside a history that has too often failed to live up to them. We are living through another season when many of us are deeply concerned about our common life. Because our nation is broken. We see division deepen, neighbors dehumanized, militarism, cruelty and violence normalized, power abused for personal gain, and disregard for the rule of law. Perhaps you'd describe our situation differently, but I can't imagine anyone would argue that everything's OK. And while it doesn't make it any better, I think it's helpful to remember that what's happening in our nation and world right now has happened many times before. If the prophet Jeremiah were to wander into our capital city he would feel right at home—surely to his dismay. Let me explain by telling you a story. Jeremiah is preaching in the final decades before Jerusalem falls to Babylon. Assyria has collapsed. Egypt and Babylon are competing for power. Judah is caught in the middle. The world order is shifting dramatically and it is a time of profound national anxiety—about security, identity, economic stability, and the future. In our text, Jeremiah is speaking not to the people, but specifically to the king, Jehoiakim. And he's none too pleased with what is happening. But to understand why you need some backstory. Jehoiakim's father, Josiah, had been one of Judah's finest kings. He wasn't perfect, but he loved God, took the covenant and the laws established during Moses' time seriously, and sought to govern with justice. As Jeremiah remembers him, he “judged the cause of the poor and needy.” Then Josiah died unexpectedly on the battlefield. It was a devastating national loss. The future suddenly felt uncertain. Egypt quickly asserted control over Judah, deposing one of Josiah's sons and installing another—Eliakim, whose name Pharaoh changed to Jehoiakim (a classic power play). Jehoiakim wasn't in an enviable position. He was set up to do the bidding of Pharoah, required to pay tribute, and anxious about survival for himself and his people. Maybe it was the pressure or maybe it was pure opportunism, but Jehoiakim made a choice. Rather than “judging the cause of the poor an needy,” he consolidated power, exploited labor, and built a magnificent cedar palace as a symbol of royal prestige. Jeremiah looked at that palace and didn't celebrate its magnificence but instead says, “Woe to him who builds his house by unrighteousness...” He asked a different question than everyone else. Not, “Isn't it impressive?” but, “How did it get built? Who paid the price? Who was harmed in the process?” And then this: “Did not your father eat and drink and do justice and righteousness?” This may seem a random question, but it reveals that Jeremiah's critique isn't about having wealth or a comfortable life. In other words, Josiah wasn't a monk. He enjoyed the ordinary gifts of life. The difference isn't that one king denied himself while the other indulged himself. The difference is that one understood leadership as doing justice and practicing right relationship, while the other understood leadership as entitlement. One king governed as someone who knew God, while the other governed as though power itself could save him. Jeremiah continues, clarifying his critique: “Your father judged the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well. ‘Is not this to know me?' says the Lord.  But your eyes and heart are only on your dishonest gain, for shedding innocent blood, and for practicing oppression and violence.” Again, the question Jeremiah asks it key: “Is not this to know me?” If someone asked you to finish the sentence, “To know God is...” what would you say? To worship regularly? To believe the right things? To pray? I imagine all of those can be valid answers. But Jeremiah offers this: to know God is to set your eyes and your heart on what God cares about; to attend to the needs of the most vulnerable, to use power wisely, generously, and compassionately, to treat workers with fairness, to do justice. Is not this to know me? In every age there is a dominant story about what will make things in your life “well.” There are temptations and pressures to sacrifice the good of the “we” for the benefit of only “me.” And in every age, God's faithful are called to offer a counter-testimony. And just to finish storytelling time, Jehoiakim made his choice. He went to a lot of trouble to try to make himself and Judah look strong. He builds his palace, projects confidence, accumulates wealth, uses forced labor. But within about twenty years, Jerusalem is destroyed. His dishonest gain and self-serving choices did not make things well. The palace doesn't save anybody—not the nation and certainly not the people. Jeremiah saw that writing on the wall. And his message to the king is one we need to hear again and again: A society cannot create security—a nation will never be great—while abandoning God's call to compassion and justice. There is no separating our love of God from care of our common life. John Wesley would agree wholeheartedly. He insisted there is no holiness but social holiness. He didn't mean that we're saved by activism. He meant what we discussed last week: that grace blesses me AND creates “we,” forgives me and sends “us.” Ours is not a private practice. Grace always creates community, reshapes relationships, and spills over into the way we use money, exercise power, welcome neighbors, and seek the common good. Personal holiness overflows into public holiness. That's one of the gifts of being United Methodist. Our tradition has never imagined that following Jesus ends at the sanctuary door. For more than fifty years we've had something called the Social Principles—not as a substitute for Scripture or as a party platform, but as a guide for Christian moral discernment. They are our denomination's attempt to ask, together, “What does faithful discipleship look like in the complexities of modern life?” And in 2024, our worldwide church thoroughly revised them. That revision wasn't simply updating language. It reflects the wisdom of the faithful from our whole denomination—disciples from Africa, Europe, the Philippines, the United States, and beyond—asking together how the Gospel speaks into economics, creation care, technology, war and peace, migration, human dignity, and public life. The principles guide our action and advocacy, but we don't pretend every faithful Christian will reach identical conclusions about every public question. We also refuse to pretend that the Gospel has nothing to say about public life. Our United Methodist Social Principles remind us we don't have to figure all this out alone. We inherit Scripture. We inherit tradition. We inherit the wisdom of Christians around the world. All helping us answer Jeremiah's question: What does it mean to know God? Jeremiah says that to know God is to care about what and who God cares about. Again and again Jesus shows us how to live that. He sits down at tables with all kinds of people. And in today' Gospel, while dining with a prominent Pharisee, he quietly begins rearranging everyone's assumptions about belonging. “Don't invite only the people who can return the favor,” he says. “Invite those who cannot repay you.” Then he tells a story about a banquet where the invitation keeps widening until there is room for everyone God longs to gather. ...the invitation keeps widening until there is room for everyone God longs to gather. The table is big enough. Grace is abundant enough. And everyone—from the richest to the poorest, from stranger to friend—is invited to be filled. And then things are well. As we celebrate our nation's birthday, the question before us is not simply what kind of nation we want to be, but what kind of people God is calling us to become. Christians have always loved their country best not by confusing it with God's reign, but by measuring every nation—including our own—against God's justice, God's compassion, and God's welcome. So we keep listening for Jeremiah's question, “Is not this to know me?” And we keep allowing Jesus to reshape our imagination around his table where there is always another place and the invitation keeps reaching farther than anyone expected. Friends, we're about to come to that table. Every time we gather here, we embody a different story from the one our world tells. The world teaches us to ask: Who deserves a place? Who has earned it? Who belongs? Jesus asks different questions: Who still needs an invitation? How can we make more room? And then he places bread in our hands and sends us back into the world to live the answer. Amen.   + + + Sending: This week, take one faithful public step. Maybe it is serving. Maybe it is giving. Maybe it is speaking up for someone whose voice is overlooked. Maybe it's inviting someone who wouldn't expect an invitation. Maybe it is reading a section of the Social Principles and asking where they challenge or deepen your own thinking. Not because the church is trying to tell you what to think, but because discipleship asks us to think faithfully about the world God loves. Just take one step. Because that's where holiness always begins. God in peace and power…

The Bible foretells a mysterious character called “the Assyrian” who seems to have a role in the end times war against Israel. Who is he?  What's odd is the Hebrew text of Micah 5:5–6 (and Isaiah 14:25, 31:8, and 52:4) lacks the definite article “the.” In other words, there is no “the Assyrian” in the Old Testament.  The Hebrew word Assur can referred to Assyria, its capital city, or its chief deity, who was the equivalent of the Sumerian/Babylonian god Enlil (called Ellil in Akkad), El of Canaan, Dagon of the Philistines, and Milcom of Ammon—and thus Molech, the netherworld god who demanded the sacrifice of children from his followers.  We believe the passages in Micah are an “already but not yet” prophecy, referring to the imminent conquest of the northern kingdom of Israel by Assyria, which occurred during Micah's lifetime in 722 BC, and a future return of Assur in the end times as the Destroyer, Abaddon/Apollyon, who is released from the abyss for five months to torment those without the seal of God on their foreheads.  Sharon's niece, Sarah Sachleben, has been battling stage 4 bowel cancer and the medical bills are piling up. If you are led to help, please go to GilbertHouse.org/hopeforsarah. Our latest book The Gates of Hell is available in paperback, Kindle, and as an audiobook at Audible! Derek's book Destination: Earth, co-authored with Donna Howell and Allie Anderson, is available in paperback, Kindle, and as an audiobook at Audible! If you are looking for a text of the Book of 1 Enoch to follow our monthly study, you can try these sources: Parallel translations by R. H. Charles (1917) and Richard Laurence (1821)Modern English translation by George W. E. Nickelsburg and James VanderKam (link to book at Amazon)Book of 1 Enoch - Standard English Version by Dr. Jay Winter (link opens free PDF)Book of 1 Enoch - R. H. Charles translation (link opens free PDF) The SkyWatchTV store has a special offer on Dr. Michael Heiser's two-volume set A Companion to the Book of Enoch. Get both books, the R. H. Charles translation of 1 Enoch, and a DVD interview with Mike and Steven Bancarz for a donation of $35 plus shipping and handling. Link: https://bit.ly/heiser-enoch JOIN US IN ISRAEL (NOTE NEW DATES)! We will tour the Holy Land Oct. 25–Nov. 6, 2027 with an optional three-day extension to Jordan. For more information, log on to GilbertHouse.org/travel. Follow us!• X: @gilberthouse_tv | @sharonkgilbert | @derekgilbert• Substack: GilbertHouse.substacdk.com | SharonKGilbert.substack.com• Telegram: t.me/gilberthouse | t.me/sharonsroom | t.me/viewfromthebunker• YouTube: @GilbertHouse | @UnravelingRevelation | @thebiblesgreatestmysteries• Facebook.com/GilbertHouseFellowship Thank you for making our Build Barn Better project a reality! We truly appreciate your support. If you are so led, you can help out at GilbertHouse.org/donate. Get our free app! It connects you to these studies plus our weekly video programs Unraveling Revelation and A View from the Bunker, and the podcast that started this journey in 2005, P.I.D. Radio. Best of all, it bypasses the gatekeepers of Big Tech! The app is available for iOS, Android, Roku, and Apple TV. Links to the app stores are at www.gilberthouse.org/app/. Gilbert House T-shirts and mugs! New to our store is a line of GHTV and Redwing Saga merch! Check it out at GilbertHouse.org/store! Think better, feel better! Our partners at Simply Clean Foods offer freeze-dried, 100% GMO-free food and delicious, vacuum-packed fair trade coffee from Honduras. Find out more at GilbertHouse.org/store. Our favorite Bible study tools! Check the links in the left-hand column at www.GilbertHouse.org.

Who is the Assyrian?The Bible foretells a mysterious character called “the Assyrian” who seems to have a role in the end times war against Israel. Who is he? What's odd is the Hebrew text of Micah 5:5–6 (and Isaiah 14:25, 31:8, and 52:4) lacks the definite article “the.” In other words, there is no "the Assyrian" in the Old Testament. The Hebrew word Assur can referred to Assyria, its capital city, or its chief deity, who was the equivalent of the Sumerian/Babylonian god Enlil (called Ellil in Akkad), El of Canaan, Dagon of the Philistines, and Milcom of Ammon—and thus Molech, the netherworld god who demanded the sacrifice of children from his followers. We believe the passages in Micah are an “already but not yet” prophecy, referring to the imminent conquest of the northern kingdom of Israel by Assyria, which occurred during Micah's lifetime in 722 BC, and a future return of Assur in the end times as the Destroyer, Abaddon/Apollyon, who is released from the abyss for five months to torment those without the seal of God on their foreheads.

Consequences Hosea 9-10 9 Rejoice not, O Israel! Exult not like the peoples; for you have played the whore, forsaking your God. You have loved a prostitute's wages on all threshing floors. 2  Threshing floor and wine vat shall not feed them, and the new wine shall fail them. 3  They shall not remain in the land of the LORD, but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean food in Assyria. 4  They shall not pour drink offerings of wine to the LORD, and their sacrifices shall not please him. It shall be like mourners' bread to them; all who eat of it shall be defiled; for their bread shall be for their hunger only; it shall not come to the house of the LORD. 5  What will you do on the day of the appointed festival, and on the day of the feast of the LORD? 6  For behold, they are going away from destruction; but Egypt shall gather them; Memphis shall bury them. Nettles shall possess their precious things of silver; thorns shall be in their tents. 7  The days of punishment have come; the days of recompense have come; Israel shall know it. The prophet is a fool; the man of the spirit is mad, because of your great iniquity and great hatred. 8  The prophet is the watchman of Ephraim with my God; yet a fowler's snare is on all his ways, and hatred in the house of his God. 9  They have deeply corrupted themselves as in the days of Gibeah: he will remember their iniquity; he will punish their sins. 10  Like grapes in the wilderness, I found Israel. Like the first fruit on the fig tree in its first season, I saw your fathers. But they came to Baal-peor and consecrated themselves to the thing of shame, and became detestable like the thing they loved. 11  Ephraim's glory shall fly away like a bird— no birth, no pregnancy, no conception! 12  Even if they bring up children, I will bereave them till none is left. Woe to them when I depart from them! 13  Ephraim, as I have seen, was like a young palm planted in a meadow; but Ephraim must lead his children out to slaughter. 14  Give them, O LORD— what will you give? Give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts. 15  Every evil of theirs is in Gilgal; there I began to hate them. Because of the wickedness of their deeds I will drive them out of my house. I will love them no more; all their princes are rebels. 16  Ephraim is stricken; their root is dried up; they shall bear no fruit. Even though they give birth, I will put their beloved children to death. 17  My God will reject them because they have not listened to him; they shall be wanderers among the nations. -- 10 Israel is a luxuriant vine that yields its fruit. The more his fruit increased, the more altars he built; as his country improved, he improved his pillars. 2  Their heart is false; now they must bear their guilt. The LORD will break down their altars and destroy their pillars. 3  For now they will say: “We have no king, for we do not fear the LORD; and a king—what could he do for us?” 4  They utter mere words; with empty oaths they make covenants; so judgment springs up like poisonous weeds in the furrows of the field. 5  The inhabitants of Samaria tremble for the calf of Beth-aven. Its people mourn for it, and so do its idolatrous priests— those who rejoiced over it and over its glory— for it has departed from them. 6  The thing itself shall be carried to Assyria as tribute to the great king. Ephraim shall be put to shame, and Israel shall be ashamed of his idol. 7  Samaria's king shall perish like a twig on the face of the waters. 8  The high places of Aven, the sin of Israel, shall be destroyed. Thorn and thistle shall grow up on their altars, and they shall say to the mountains, “Cover us,” and to the hills, “Fall on us.” 9  From the days of Gibeah, you have sinned, O Israel; there they have continued. Shall not the war against the unjust overtake them in Gibeah? 10  When I please, I will discipline them, and nations shall be gathered against them when they are bound up for their double iniquity. 11  Ephraim was a trained calf that loved to thresh, and I spared her fair neck; but I will put Ephraim to the yoke; Judah must plow; Jacob must harrow for himself. 12  Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the LORD, that he may come and rain righteousness upon you. 13  You have plowed iniquity; you have reaped injustice; you have eaten the fruit of lies. Because you have trusted in your own way and in the multitude of your warriors, 14  therefore the tumult of war shall arise among your people, and all your fortresses shall be destroyed, as Shalman destroyed Beth-arbel on the day of battle; mothers were dashed in pieces with their children. 15  Thus it shall be done to you, O Bethel, because of your great evil. At dawn the king of Israel shall be utterly cut off.

In this sermon from Nahum 1:9-15, Nahum applies God's character to the current situation of oppression from Assyria. We too must apply God's character to our life. We must forsake human wisdom and replace it with confidence in God's wisdom and plan.1. The Collapse of Human Plans (v9-11)2. The Comfort of God's Judgement (v12-14)3. The Confidence of God's Plan (v15)

Israel didn't collapse overnight.For more than two centuries, God patiently warned His people as they slowly shifted their trust from Him to politics, wealth, military alliances, cultural trends, and false gods that promised security but delivered nothing. By the time Assyria conquered Israel, the real tragedy had already happened—their hearts had been investing in things that were never capable of saving them.In this episode, we explore one of the most sobering chapters in 2 Kings and wrestle with a question that reaches far beyond ancient history:What are we trusting that can't ultimately hold us?Together we unpack why people continue pouring time, energy, and hope into things that eventually prove empty, how small compromises become life-shaping trajectories, and why Jesus' invitation to "come to me" offers something fundamentally different—not another demand, but a promise that our lives are not spent in vain.If you've ever wondered whether your efforts are leading somewhere meaningful, this conversation is for you.

Welcome to The Daily. Read more about our mission to teach every verse of the bible in what we call Project23. Grab your Hosea Scripture Journal. Our text today is Hosea 9:3-4: They shall not remain in the land of the Lord, but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean food in Assyria. They shall not pour drink offerings of wine to the Lord, and their sacrifices shall not please him. It shall be like mourners' bread to them; all who eat of it shall be defiled; for their bread shall be for their hunger only; it shall not come to the house of the Lord. — Hosea 9:3-4 Not all freedom is real freedom. Israel believed they were moving forward, but God says, "They shall return to Egypt." In other words, they were heading back into the slavery that God had delivered them from. What looked like progression was actually regression. That is how sin works. It feels like freedom at first, but over time, it enslaves. What starts as a choice becomes a habit, and what becomes a habit slowly turns into dependence. In the end, what felt like freedom becomes bondage. And it was because of their abuse of freedom that God says their religious practices and sacrifices would no longer please Him. Their connection with God was gone. While God had not moved, they had drifted into their own version of "freedom." You know this drift into freedom. You know it just like me. You go through the motions, but something feels off. You show up to church, but there is no sense of closeness anymore. You try, but it feels pointless. And here's the warning in these moments: The personal freedom you enjoy is leading you back into slavery. But here is the hope: you do not have to continue down that path. You can give up these "freedoms" for freedom in Christ. Turn now, before personal freedom hardens, before it worsens, before it begins to control you. Real freedom is not found in doing whatever you want. Real freedom is found with God, who provides ultimate freedom—freedom from sin. DO THIS: Identify one "freedom" in your life that may actually be forming a habit you do not want, and bring it honestly before God today. ASK THIS: What feels free but may be controlling me? Where have I drifted from God? What step can I take today to turn back? PRAY THIS: God, show me where I have mistaken bondage for freedom. Lead me back to you and into what is truly life. Amen. PLAY THIS: "No Longer Slaves"

Why does life feel so far from God right now? Nobody wakes up one morning and decides to walk away from him. It happens quietly. Slowly. A thousand small decisions that eventually add up to a place you never meant to end up. And then one day, you look around and cannot remember how you got here.In this sermon, Pastor Brandon opens with a jarring picture. Imagine waking up on July 5, the day after celebrating 250 years as a nation, only to find your family taken, your home gone, your voice silenced, and you marching in chains to a foreign land. That is exactly where the northern kingdom of Israel found itself under their last king, King Hosea (2 Kings 17:1 to 8). And Pastor Brandon walks us through what actually caused it, because it was not what most of us would guess.Israel did not fall because Assyria had a bigger army. Israel fell because Israel had spent hundreds of years drifting from God. King Hosea took the fall, but he was not the worst king. He was just the one holding the empty box after generation after generation had already eaten through it. He ate the last bowl of cereal, but he did not eat the whole box.Then Pastor Brandon pulls six steps straight from verses 7 through 23 that trace the downward spiral almost anyone can slip into if they are not paying attention. Forget the God who rescued you. Start imitating the culture around you. Trade the real God for whatever idols the world offers. Ignore the Word when it starts to correct you. Reject the covenant relationship God has extended to you. Refuse to repent when he calls you back. That path always ends the same place, in what he calls spiritual exile. Not that God stops loving you. But that you find yourself living far from the joy, peace, and freedom your soul was built for.And here is where the message takes a turn most religious talks never do. Pastor Brandon flips those six steps into the road home. Choose to repent. Embrace the covenant Christ purchased for you. Listen to God's Word until it stops being information and starts being transformation. Destroy the idols that compete for the throne of your heart. Imitate Christ. And remember God, not as a fact but as a daily rhythm.The pivot from avoidance to embrace is the whole gospel. It is not about staring at the Doritos you cannot eat. It is about a ribeye and mashed potatoes so much better in front of you that the Doritos disappear from your mind entirely. That is what Jesus is. Not a list of rules to avoid. A person to feast on. And the wildest promise of the New Testament is not just that Jesus shows you the way home. He is the way home. And when you trust him, he makes his home in you (John 14:6, John 14:23).If you have felt distant from God for a while and are ready to come home, this teaching is for you.

The Wrong Influence Hosea 7-8 when I would heal Israel, the iniquity of Ephraim is revealed, and the evil deeds of Samaria, for they deal falsely; the thief breaks in, and the bandits raid outside. 2  But they do not consider that I remember all their evil. Now their deeds surround them; they are before my face. 3  By their evil they make the king glad, and the princes by their treachery. 4  They are all adulterers; they are like a heated oven whose baker ceases to stir the fire, from the kneading of the dough until it is leavened. 5  On the day of our king, the princes became sick with the heat of wine; he stretched out his hand with mockers. 6  For with hearts like an oven they approach their intrigue; all night their anger smolders; in the morning it blazes like a flaming fire. 7  All of them are hot as an oven, and they devour their rulers. All their kings have fallen, and none of them calls upon me. 8  Ephraim mixes himself with the peoples; Ephraim is a cake not turned. 9  Strangers devour his strength, and he knows it not; gray hairs are sprinkled upon him, and he knows it not. 10  The pride of Israel testifies to his face; yet they do not return to the LORD their God, nor seek him, for all this. 11  Ephraim is like a dove, silly and without sense, calling to Egypt, going to Assyria. 12  As they go, I will spread over them my net; I will bring them down like birds of the heavens; I will discipline them according to the report made to their congregation. 13  Woe to them, for they have strayed from me! Destruction to them, for they have rebelled against me! I would redeem them, but they speak lies against me. 14  They do not cry to me from the heart, but they wail upon their beds; for grain and wine they gash themselves; they rebel against me. 15  Although I trained and strengthened their arms, yet they devise evil against me. 16  They return, but not upward; they are like a treacherous bow; their princes shall fall by the sword because of the insolence of their tongue. This shall be their derision in the land of Egypt. 8 Set the trumpet to your lips! One like a vulture is over the house of the LORD, because they have transgressed my covenant and rebelled against my law. 2  To me they cry, “My God, we—Israel—know you.” 3  Israel has spurned the good; the enemy shall pursue him. 4  They made kings, but not through me. They set up princes, but I knew it not. With their silver and gold they made idols for their own destruction. 5  I have spurned your calf, O Samaria. My anger burns against them. How long will they be incapable of innocence? 6  For it is from Israel; a craftsman made it; it is not God. The calf of Samaria shall be broken to pieces. 7  For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind. The standing grain has no heads; it shall yield no flour; if it were to yield, strangers would devour it. 8  Israel is swallowed up; already they are among the nations as a useless vessel. 9  For they have gone up to Assyria, a wild donkey wandering alone; Ephraim has hired lovers. 10  Though they hire allies among the nations, I will soon gather them up. And the king and princes shall soon writhe because of the tribute. 11  Because Ephraim has multiplied altars for sinning, they have become to him altars for sinning. 12  Were I to write for him my laws by the ten thousands, they would be regarded as a strange thing. 13  As for my sacrificial offerings, they sacrifice meat and eat it, but the LORD does not accept them. Now he will remember their iniquity and punish their sins; they shall return to Egypt. 14  For Israel has forgotten his Maker and built palaces, and Judah has multiplied fortified cities; so I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour her strongholds.

Help us expand our Muslim media project here: https://www.thinkingmuslim.com/membership Donate to our charity partner Baitulmaal here: http://btml.us/thinkingmuslimIn this episode of The Thinking Muslim, we sit inside the historic Al-Nuri Bimaristan in Damascus with Dr. Francesca Bocca-Aldaqre to explore one of the most remarkable institutions in Islamic civilisation.The bimaristan was not simply a hospital. It was a place of healing that understood the human being in their entirety, body, mind, and soul. At a time when much of the world had yet to develop humane approaches to mental healthcare, Islamic civilisation had already built institutions rooted in dignity, compassion, and holistic care.Together, we explore what made the bimaristan unique, from its patient-centred design and therapeutic environment to the waqf systems that sustained it for generations. We also reflect on what Syria has lost through war, what traditional Islamic approaches to healing can still offer today, and whether these institutions can once again play a role in rebuilding a wounded society.As Syria looks toward recovery, this conversation asks an urgent question: can true reconstruction happen without healing the people themselves?Here is Dr Francesca's profile if you wish to find out more about her: https://linktr.ee/francescaboccaIG: https://www.instagram.com/francescabocca Become a member here: https://www.thinkingmuslim.com/membership Or give your one-off donation here: https://www.thinkingmuslim.com/donate Listen to the audio version of the podcast:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7vXiAjVFnhNI3T9Gkw636a Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-thinking-muslim/id1471798762 Purchase our Thinking Muslim mug: https://www.thinkingmuslim.com/merch Find us on: X: https://x.com/thinking_muslim LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-thinking-muslim/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-Thinking-Muslim-Podcast-105790781361490 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thinkingmuslimpodcast/ Telegram: https://t.me/thinkingmuslim BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/thinkingmuslim.bsky.social Threads: https://www.threads.com/@thinkingmuslimpodcast Find Muhammad Jalal here:X: https://twitter.com/jalalaynInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/jalalayns/ Sign up to Muhammad Jalal's newsletter: https://jalalayn.substack.com Website Archive: https://www.thinkingmuslim.com Disclaimer: The views expressed in this video are those of the individual speaker(s) and do not represent the views of the host, producers, platform, or any affiliated organisation. This content is provided for lawful, informational, and analytical purposes only, and should not be taken as professional advice. Viewer discretion is advised. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we read about the critical moment when Assyria destroys the Northern Kingdom, and the ten northern tribes are exiled and assimilated among the nations. Fr. Mike explains how this moment and the foreign possession of Samaria is key in order to understand Jesus' encounter with the Samaritan woman in John 4. We also read about how the prophet Micah beautifully foreshadows the birth of Jesus. Today's readings are 2 Kings 17, Micah 5-7, and Psalm 140. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

In The Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis wrote, “Prosperity knits a man to the world. He feels that he is finding his place in it, while really it is finding its place in him.” That is a sobering warning. Prosperity can be a blessing from God, but it becomes dangerous when it begins to shape our identity. Wealth itself is not the problem. The danger comes when our possessions begin to speak for us—when they become a way of saying, Look how successful I am. Look how secure I am. Look how important I've become. That temptation is not new. We see it clearly in the life of King Hezekiah. Hezekiah's Moment of Testing Hezekiah was one of Judah's better kings. Scripture tells us he trusted in the Lord, removed idols, and led the people back toward faithful worship. When Jerusalem was threatened by Assyria, Hezekiah prayed, and God miraculously delivered the city. Around that same time, Hezekiah became gravely ill. Once again, God showed him mercy and extended his life by fifteen years. So Hezekiah had much to testify about. He had seen God's deliverance. He had received God's mercy. He had literally been spared from death. But then came a test. 2 Kings 20 tells us that envoys arrived from Babylon after hearing about Hezekiah's illness. They brought letters and a gift, and Hezekiah welcomed them. Verse 13 says, “And Hezekiah welcomed them, and he showed them all his treasure house, the silver, the gold, the spices, the precious oil, his armory, all that was found in his storehouses. There was nothing in his house or in all his realm that Hezekiah did not show them.” There was nothing he did not show them. Hezekiah had a golden opportunity to point these visitors to the God who had healed and delivered him. Instead, he opened his vault. When Wealth Becomes Our Testimony Hezekiah's failure was not that he had treasure. His failure was that he magnified what he owned rather than the God who gave it. His wealth became his testimony. Later, the prophet Isaiah came to Hezekiah and asked a piercing question: “What have they seen in your house?” Hezekiah answered, “They have seen all that is in my house; there is nothing in my storehouses that I did not show them.” Isaiah's response was sobering. The very wealth Hezekiah had displayed would one day be carried off to Babylon. It is a powerful warning for us. Hezekiah treated God's provision as a monument to his own success. He forgot that everything in his storehouses had first been entrusted to him by the Lord. Wealth becomes spiritually dangerous the moment we look at what we have and say, “Look what I built,” instead of, “Look what God has done.” The Better Boast Jeremiah 9:23 says, “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches.” That verse names three things people have always been tempted to trust: intelligence, influence, and wealth. We are drawn to whatever makes us feel strong, secure, or significant. But the next verse gives us a better boast: “But let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me.” That is the only boast that lasts. Not what we own. Not what we earn. Not what we build. Not what others think of us. Our true boast is that we know the Lord—the God of steadfast love, justice, and righteousness. Is Wealth Creeping Into Your Identity? So what does Hezekiah's story mean for us as modern-day stewards? First, we should ask whether wealth has begun creeping into our identity.  There is nothing wrong with enjoying God's provision. Scripture teaches us to receive His gifts with gratitude. But provision should lead us toward worship, humility, and generosity—not self-importance. When we begin to believe that our possessions prove our worth, success, or security, we are no longer simply using wealth. We are allowing it to define us. That is a dangerous place for the heart. What Are Your Possessions Pointing To? Second, we should ask what our possessions are pointing to. A home, a car, a vacation, a wardrobe, or a lifestyle can easily become a subtle way of saying, “Look at me.” We may not say it out loud, but our hearts can still use possessions to seek approval, admiration, or status. Faithful stewardship flips the script. Instead of saying, “Look what I have,” it says, “Everything I have has been entrusted to me by God.” That shift changes how we hold our possessions. We can enjoy them without worshiping them. We can use them without needing them to prove something about us. We can share them because they were never truly ours to begin with. Practice Hidden Faithfulness Third, we should practice hidden faithfulness. In Matthew 6, Jesus warns against doing righteous things in order to be praised by others. Whether giving, praying, or fasting, He calls His people away from performance and toward sincerity before the Father. That principle applies to stewardship, too. Faithfulness is not about being seen as generous, successful, disciplined, or impressive. It is about honoring God with what He has entrusted to us. Sometimes the healthiest stewardship happens quietly: a gift no one knows about, a sacrifice no one applauds, a wise decision no one sees, or a generous act that never becomes a story we tell about ourselves. Hidden faithfulness helps loosen the grip of pride. What Do You Have That You Did Not Receive? The apostle Paul brings all of this into perspective in 1 Corinthians 4:7 when he asks, “What do you have that you did not receive?” That question is a safeguard for the soul. Your income, abilities, opportunities, possessions, influence, and resources are all gifts. Yes, we work. Yes, we plan. Yes, we make decisions. But underneath every good thing we have is the kindness and provision of God. Wealth is a tool, not a trophy. It is a gift, but it is not our glory. So if we are going to boast, may we boast in the One who gave it all to us. On Today's Program, Rob Answers Listener Questions: My mom is 80, and since my dad passed away, she's mostly just signed whatever her longtime financial advisor puts in front of her. I've seen some red flags, including last-minute estate changes involving my brother and me and long-term care insurance she may not need. What warning signs should I watch for, and how can I help protect her while still respecting her wishes? We have a HELOC that matures about two years after our mortgage is paid off. The bank told us we should always keep a HELOC open because it can help protect against someone fraudulently borrowing against our home. Is that true, or is the bank just encouraging us to keep a product we don't need? I'm trying to understand how a trust works. If I buy a $1 million life insurance policy and put it in a trust, can I borrow from or withdraw money from that trust? How does that work, and how would I set one up? I'm 50 and getting a late start on retirement. I'm contributing enough to get my company's 6% match, have a small Roth from a previous job, and about $5,000–$6,000 in emergency savings. I have about $200 extra each month. Should I keep building my emergency fund, invest more for retirement, or do something else? Resources Mentioned: Faithful Steward: FaithFi's Quarterly Magazine (Become a FaithFi Partner) Our Ultimate Treasure: A 21-Day Journey to Faithful Stewardship by Rob West Wisdom Over Wealth: 12 Lessons from Ecclesiastes on Money Look At The Sparrows: A 21-Day Devotional on Financial Fear and Anxiety Rich Toward God: A Study on the Parable of the Rich Fool Find a Certified Kingdom Advisor® (CKA) FaithFi App Remember, you can call in to ask your questions every weekday at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. You can also visit FaithFi.com to connect with our online community and partner with us as we help more people live as faithful stewards of God's resources. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

An examination of the deepest level of the Ancient Mesopotamia iceberg, commonly labeled "Theories and Speculative Ideas." The video reviews each claim against primary sources from Sumer, Akkad, Babylon, and Assyria, including cuneiform tablets, excavation reports, and geological data, to demonstrate how historical method evaluates extraordinary claims.Coverage includes: Ancient Astronauts and the Annunaki: the origin of the theory in Zecharia Sitchin, what the Akkadian term actually means in Mesopotamian religion, and the evidential standards for alien contact claims. Great Flood myths: comparison of the Epic of Gilgamesh, Genesis, and other flood traditions with evidence for Persian Gulf and Black Sea inundations. Gilgamesh's tomb discovered in 2003: the Uruk excavation, the Iraq War interruption, and why no inscription links the tomb to the historical king. Hanging Gardens location: the case for Nineveh and Dur-Sharrukin, Archimedes screw technology by 700 BC, and why Babylon remains plausible. Nimrud Lens and Saturn's rings: what the 3x quartz lens can and cannot do, and the absence of telescopic astronomy in Assyrian records. Annunaki gold-mining slaves: the actual Mesopotamian creation motive of humans as laborers for the gods versus modern reinterpretations. Abraham from Ur: the biblical text, the Amorite migrations circa 2000 BCE, and the northern vs southern Ur debate. Sumerian King List long reigns: hundreds of thousands of years, symbolic numbers, and attempts at dynastic or calendrical readings. Sumerian origins: language isolate status, the Persian Gulf marsh hypothesis, and pre-flood settlement theories. Nibiru and the 12th planet: claims of hidden planets in tablets and the current state of translation work. 4.2 kiloyear event: climate data and its role in the fall of the Akkadian Empire alongside Gutian pressure. Structures beneath Eridu: the E-Abzu temple's 18 rebuild phases and what lies under ziggurat foundations. Linguistic fringe theories: proposed links between Sumerian and Turkic, Hungarian, Elamite, and Dravidian. Meluhha trade network: Indus Valley contacts, Neo-Assyrian memory loss, and claims of an Ethiopia-to-India empire. Nuclear war dark ages: why nuclear events leave unmistakable geological signaturesSumerian copper from Lake Michigan: sourcing from Cyprus and Iran versus New World contact hypotheses. Sacred marriage as genetic experiment: Ishtar priestess rituals and kingship legitimation. Ur III bala system as socialism: command economy, ration payments, and modern ideological projections. King List as doomsday calendar, Nam-Shub virus, 676 BC simulation, and Enki vs Enlil secret societies: modern fiction, numerology, and conspiracy narrativesThe purpose is not to ridicule speculation, but to show what counts as evidence in early Mesopotamian studies, where the limits of knowledge currently lie, and what kind of discovery would be required to reopen closed questions.Keywords: ancient Mesopotamia, Sumerian history, Akkadian Empire, Babylon, Assyria, Annunaki explained, ancient aliens debunked, Sumerian King List, Gilgamesh tomb 2003, Nibiru 12th planet, Hanging Gardens Nineveh, Nimrud lens, flood myth, 4.2 kiloyear event, Mesopotamia iceberg

The Bible didn't drop out of the sky. It was written by real people, in real places, surrounded by some of the most powerful civilizations the ancient world ever produced. Egypt. Babylon. Assyria. Their literature, their laws, their prayers, their creation stories. All of it was in the air when the authors of the Hebrew Bible sat down to write. And they weren't ignoring it.Dr. Christopher Hays is the D. Wilson Moore Professor of Old Testament and Ancient Near Eastern Studies at Fuller Theological Seminary. He holds a PhD from Emory, an MA in Egyptology from UCLA, reads six ancient languages, and is the author of Hidden Riches, the leading textbook on comparative study between the Old Testament and the Ancient Near East. In this conversation, he walks us through what happens when you place the Bible side by side with the texts of Israel's neighbors. From Mesopotamian prayers that sound like the Psalms to Egyptian wisdom literature that mirrors Proverbs to Assyrian propaganda that Isaiah turned on its head, this episode will reshape how you understand the origins of Scripture.In this episode you will learn:- Why the Old Testament is an Ancient Near Eastern text and what that means for how we read it- How Mesopotamian prayers called Dinger Shah Dibba incantations parallel the language of the Psalms- What the Enuma Elish and the Memphite Theology reveal about what Genesis 1 is actually doing- Why Egyptian influence on the Bible has been massively overlooked and what it teaches us- The striking connection between the Instruction of Amenemope and the book of Proverbs- How the Code of Hammurabi and ANE treaty forms reshape our understanding of the Mosaic Covenant- Why God functioning as the lawgiver in the Torah is a radical departure from ANE norms- How Isaiah used Assyrian imperial propaganda against the empire itself- Why Isaiah 24 through 27 is not apocalyptic and what it actually describes- How new archaeological evidence ties Isaiah 24-27 to the fall of the Neo-Assyrian Empire under Josiah- What it means that Scripture "breathes in" the surrounding culture and "breathes it back out" in a new formGet Dr Hayes Book:Hidden Riches: A Sourcebook for the Comparative Study of the Hebrew Bible and the Ancient Near East- https://a.co/d/0cBF0ZNK Fuller Faculty Page: https://fuller.edu/faculty/christopher-hays/Stay Connected with Dig InWebsite: https://johnnyova.comSubscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thejohnnyovaGet Johnny's latest book- The Revelation Reset: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DSHTP16Q

Today, the kingdom of Israel falls with finality as for the longest time they have denied the ways of the Lord that would make them distinct from the surrounding nations. After spiraling madly away from the Lord for decades, the Lord allows the king of Assyria to conquer Israel and deport it's people to foreign lands. In his quest to conquer nation after nation, Sennacherib sets his sights on Judah, and sends messengers to demand submission and to arrogantly proclaim Judah's impending doom. King Hezekiah turns to the Lord in his time of trouble, and speaks through the prophet Isaiah to bring good news to the king. 2 Kings 17 – 1:08 .  2 Kings 18 – 10:12 .  2 Kings 19 – 19:32 . :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by Bobby Brown, Katelyn Pridgen, Eric Williamson & the Christian Standard Biblefacebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

The ruling elites of ancient Israel were compared to cannibals eating the flesh of those they were supposed to protect. We continue with the prophet Micah's polemic against ancient Israel's ruling class, who apparently took advantage of the poor and downtrodden. For that reason, God told Micah to prophesy a day of judgment that would bring destruction on the rich and powerful. Because Micah used the phrase, “in that day,” we view this as an “already but not yet” prophecy—one that was fulfilled when Assyria conquered the northern Kingdom in 722 BC, and will be fulfilled again in the last days. Sharon's niece, Sarah Sachleben, has been diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer, and the medical bills are piling up. If you are led to help, please go to GilbertHouse.org/hopeforsarah. Our latest book The Gates of Hell is available in paperback, Kindle, and as an audiobook at Audible! Derek's book Destination: Earth, co-authored with Donna Howell and Allie Anderson, is available in paperback, Kindle, and as an audiobook at Audible! If you are looking for a text of the Book of 1 Enoch to follow our monthly study, you can try these sources: Parallel translations by R. H. Charles (1917) and Richard Laurence (1821)Modern English translation by George W. E. Nickelsburg and James VanderKam (link to book at Amazon)Book of 1 Enoch - Standard English Version by Dr. Jay Winter (link opens free PDF)Book of 1 Enoch - R. H. Charles translation (link opens free PDF) The SkyWatchTV store has a special offer on Dr. Michael Heiser's two-volume set A Companion to the Book of Enoch. Get both books, the R. H. Charles translation of 1 Enoch, and a DVD interview with Mike and Steven Bancarz for a donation of $35 plus shipping and handling. Link: https://bit.ly/heiser-enoch JOIN US IN ISRAEL (NOTE NEW DATES)! We will tour the Holy Land Oct. 25–Nov. 6, 2027 with an optional three-day extension to Jordan. For more information, log on to GilbertHouse.org/travel. Follow us!• X: @gilberthouse_tv | @sharonkgilbert | @derekgilbert• Substack: GilbertHouse.substacdk.com | SharonKGilbert.substack.com• Telegram: t.me/gilberthouse | t.me/sharonsroom | t.me/viewfromthebunker• YouTube: @GilbertHouse | @UnravelingRevelation | @thebiblesgreatestmysteries• Facebook.com/GilbertHouseFellowship Thank you for making our Build Barn Better project a reality! We truly appreciate your support. If you are so led, you can help out at GilbertHouse.org/donate. Get our free app! It connects you to these studies plus our weekly video programs Unraveling Revelation and A View from the Bunker, and the podcast that started this journey in 2005, P.I.D. Radio. Best of all, it bypasses the gatekeepers of Big Tech! The app is available for iOS, Android, Roku, and Apple TV. Links to the app stores are at www.gilberthouse.org/app/. Video on demand of our best teachings! Stream presentations and teachings based on our research at our new video on demand site! Gilbert House T-shirts and mugs! New to our store is a line of GHTV and Redwing Saga merch! Check it out at GilbertHouse.org/store! Think better, feel better! Our partners at Simply Clean Foods offer freeze-dried, 100% GMO-free food and delicious, vacuum-packed fair trade coffee from Honduras. Find out more at GilbertHouse.org/store. Our favorite Bible study tools! Check the links in the left-hand column at www.GilbertHouse.org.