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The Masonic Roundtable - Freemasonry Today for Today's Freemasons
This week, we sit down with Darin A. Lahners to explore the beginnings of his well-known series, What to Expect When You're Expecting: Worshipful Master's Edition. Drawing from his original reflections on preparing for the East, Darin discusses the nerves, doubts, hopes, and early lessons that shaped his first journey as Master. We trace the foundation he laid in that first piece (learning to relax, communicate, believe in oneself, plan with purpose, and invoke the blessing of Deity) and look at how those themes continue to resonate across his later writings. This conversation offers a candid look at leadership, expectation, and what it means to take on the Oriental Chair for the first time.
We're back recording for the first time since Chicago, and we're easing ourselves in with a cozy, slightly chaotic Q&A.We dig into some of the most common questions we receive about deity work, crystals, and the practical side of witchcraft. We explore what it really means to begin a relationship with a deity, why research is always the first step, and how reading mythology and history can help you understand the deeper context behind any spiritual connection. We talk about taking deity work off the pedestal, avoiding ego traps, and building practices that feel grounded instead of performative.We also get into modern approaches to offerings, from translating ancient traditions into everyday acts of care to understanding why correspondences like cinnamon and apples show up so often in spellwork. A listener question about moving countries turns into a surprisingly rich conversation about downsizing crystal collections, choosing the stones that matter most, and thinking about your tools in a more intentional way. And yes, somewhere in the mix, we settle the very serious question of which pasta shape we'd ride into battle.Join our Patreon for bonus episodes, magical downloads, and unhinged side quests: https://www.patreon.com/demystifymagicPre-order Molly's book Mundane Magic A Lazy Witch's Guide to Hacking Your Brain, Building a Daily Practice, and Getting Stuff DonePreorder Mundane Magic & Join the Virtual Book Tour: Celebrate the release of Molly's new book with an exclusive online event on Feb 21, 12 PM EST. Get behind-the-scenes insights, live Q&A, and your SIGNED copy shipped on release day.
In this fourth episode of the Narad Bhakti Sutra series, Swami Mukundananda narrates the astonishing story of Shree Bihari Ji in Vrindavan, where the Lord Himself appeared in court to testify for His devotee. This miracle reveals that deity worship is not about stone or ritual — it is a living connection with God when performed with sincerity. Swamiji emphasizes that what truly counts in devotion is bhav — the heartfelt sentiment of love for Krishna. He explains how saints and devotees across ages have experienced divine reciprocation through idols and sacred forms, because the Lord is all‑pervading and responds to genuine love. Even Krishna's cowherd friends and the gopis, who addressed Him playfully as “Kana” or even “lungar” (loafer), attained the highest spiritual states through their pure affection. For seekers, this episode highlights that devotion is not about external form but inner sincerity. By cultivating pure bhav in deity worship, one can experience Krishna's living presence, divine miracles, and ultimately liberation through His boundless grace. About Swami Mukundananda: Swami Mukundananda is a renowned spiritual leader, Vedic scholar, Bhakti saint, best‑selling author, and an international authority on the subject of mind management. He is the founder of the unique yogic system called JKYog. Swamiji holds distinguished degrees in Engineering and Management from two of India's most prestigious institutions—IIT and IIM. Having taken the renounced order of life (sanyas), he is the senior disciple of Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj, and has been sharing Vedic wisdom across the globe for decades.
In this Radio Feature, Rabbi Gary continues to discuss Hanukkah. This 1 minute episode will air on KKLA 99.5 in Los Angeles, beginning December 19, 2025, on Fridays during rush hour.Send us a text
“The Songs of Christmas” Luke 1-2The Song of Elizabeth“The Beatitude” Luke 1:42-45Praise to the Trinity- Numbers 6:24-26The Song of Mary“The Magnificat” Luke 1:47-55“O magnify the Lord with me” Psalm 34:3Hannah's Song at Samuel's birth- I Samuel 2:1-8The Song of Zacharias“The Benedictus” Luke 1:68-78- God has visited our earth!God is with us- “Emmanuel!"The Song of the Angels“Gloria in Excelsis Deo” Luke 2:13-14- Isaiah 40:5“Glory to God in the Highest"The Song of Simeon“Now let thy servant depart in peace.” Luke 2:29-32- Psalm116:15, II Corinthians 5:6-7Why do we sing so confidently and joyfully at Christmas?The History of Christmas- Luke 2:1-3-“a decree from Caesar Augustus"The Prophesy of Christmas- Luke 2:4-“Bethlehem” - Micah 5:2The Mystery of Christmas-“being great with child.”- The Virgin Birth- Luke 2:5-6- Isaiah 7:14The Humanity of Christmas- Luke 2:7-8- “swaddling clothes…manger…no room for them in the inn…shepherds abiding in the field by night.” Luke is the Gospel of Christ's humanity as well as His Diety.The Glory of ChristmasLuke 2:10-14- The Angel's Song- "The glory of the Lord has been revealed.”John 1:14-“And we beheld His glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth." The Deity of ChristmasLuke 2:11- “Christ the Lord.” The Baby in the manger is God in the flesh!The Necessity of Christ“Unto you is born this day,.a Savior” Luke 2:11, 15-16We are lost sheep.We need a Savior and a Good Shepherd to save us from our sins and its penalties. The Baby in the manger was born to go the Cross and shed His blood for us and our sins. I Corinthians 15:1-4, Romans 5:8, 6:23, 10:9-13When we become Christians and are saved, like Simeon, we are not only ready to live, but we are prepared to die.What greater gift could God give than His Son? “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow us all the days of our lives, and we shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Amen."
Sunday morning message from the pulpit of Falls Baptist Church
GOOD.GOD.GOSPEL.https://goodgodgospel.comHouse Church & Lifestage Events:https://www.churchproject.org/housech...Give to Church Project:https://www.churchproject.org/give
GOOD.GOD.GOSPEL.https://goodgodgospel.comHouse Church & Lifestage Events:https://www.churchproject.org/housech...Give to Church Project:https://www.churchproject.org/give
Harvest Bible Chapel Pittsburgh North Sermons - Harvest Bible Chapel Pittsburgh North
Introduction: John 17:3 – And this is eternal life, that they may know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. John 1:18 – No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known. I Want to Know God (John 1:1–3): The REALITY: Jesus is GOD. Colossians 2:9 – For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily. Zechariah 12:10 – And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced… Acts 20:28 – Pay careful attention to yourselves... to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. Hebrews 1:2 – But in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. The RESPONSE: FAITH in Jesus. Hebrews 11:6 – And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. How Can I Grow in Knowing Jesus? CONFESS with your mouth. Romans 10:9 – If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. HEAR the Word. Romans 10:17 – So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. KEEP His commandments. John 15:10 – If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANKHint: Highlight blanks above for answers! Small Group DiscussionRead John 1:1-3What was your big take-away from this passage / message?Why do you think the deity of Jesus is denied by so many cults? Why is that such a common point of contention?How would you explain the Trinity to a 7 year old?Define “faith”. Why do you think faith is the God-ordained way of knowing Him?What's your favorite dinosaur?BreakoutPray for one another. AUDIO TRANSCRIPT Stegosaurus.Nobody asks, so I'm just going to tell you.Game show host.And gray.Oh, oh, and what I want for Christmas.I just want to know God.Did you ever ask for something, like for Christmas or whatever, and somebody got you the genericversion?Has that ever happened to anybody else?Show of hands.You wanted something and you got the generic version?That happened to me when I was a kid.When I was a kid, they came out with this wacky thing.It was called a pogo ball.How many people show of hands remember the pogo balls?Okay, a few of you.One person in the first service did.Or about half of the first service's attendance.Remember what a pogo ball was?If you don't know, just imagine like a snowman with the head cut off.It was that kind of shape, right?And it had this hard plastic ring that went in between these two balls that were kindof fused together.And you were supposed to like stand on the plastic disc and squeeze your feet on thattop ball and then you would bounce on the pogo ball.And the pogo ball would let you jump almost as high as you could jump if you weren't ona pogo ball.But it was the hot item the one year.And I wanted a pogo ball.You know what my parents got me?The Saturn ball.Pogo balls, generic cousin.The Saturn ball.And not only was it actually not fun to use, but my family was making fun of me when Idid use it.So if I would jump on it, they'd be like, "Here we go on our Saturn ball, our Saturnball, our Saturn ball."And that really hurt my feelings.So the Saturn ball got thrown into a closet and it's probably still there until today.But look, I know we've had this conversation before.But there's just some things you can't go generic, right?Like ketchup.Altars.Oreos.The generic's not the same.Don't try to tell me that it is because you're just lying to yourself.But nothing has been made more generic than God.We live in a culture that is okay with the generic concept of God.But when you get specific, people get squirrely about that.You're like, when people say, "God bless America.""God bless America."You know, you can ask, "Well, which God?"Do you mean the God of the Bible, the one who created us, the one who judges sin, theone who commands us to repent and believe, the one who calls us to live our lives accordingto his wisdom?And it's like, oh no, not that God.But we're just okay with the generic concept.But you see, the problem with that line of thinking is God isn't a generic concept.In fact, God's not a concept at all.God is a person.God is a specific person.And as we enter into the Christmas season, you know, we know the Christmas story fromMatthew and from Luke, right?We know that version of the Christmas story well with the census, and Bethlehem and Maryand Joseph and angels and shepherds and manger and the star and the magi.Right?Well, Matthew and Luke sort of tell the story of the incarnation like looking over people'sshoulders, right?But we're going to be looking at the Gospel of John because his Christmas story is a littledifferent.In John's Christmas story, we are looking over God's shoulder.That's really the theme of the whole book of John.And we studied this some years back.But the theme of John is this, "The God of the universe has revealed himself by cominginto this world as a man to not just save you, but to have a relationship with you."That God wants you to know Him.In fact, this is what Jesus Christ was praying.John 17.3, Jesus said, "And this is eternal life that they may know you."The only true God in Jesus Christ, whom you have sent, eternal life.Nothing's more important than eternal life because you are either going to live foreverwith God or you're going to die forever apart from God.So what do you want for Christmas?The top of your list should be eternal life.And according to Jesus, that comes from knowing Him, from knowing God.And I do have to remind you that knowing about God is not the same as actually knowing God.You realize those are two completely different concepts.Knowing about God and knowing God.Not the same.Think of it this way.Imagine a young man comes to church, a single man.And he's been coming here for a while when all of a sudden one day he notices there isa beautiful young single woman.And he's like, "I don't think I met her, but who is that?"But he gets his friend.He's like, "He found out who that girl is."And his friend comes back with the information.And he says, "Oh, you asked about that girl.Here's what I know.She loves missions."She loves working with children.She enjoys traveling.And get this, she's a big Steelers fan.But she also loves rom-coms.Now if this friend goes back to the dude and gives this report on what this woman is like,do you think this man would be like, "All right, now that I have the information abouther, I am satisfied.Thank you.That is all."Is that the end of the story?No, you see, now that he knows about her, that makes him all the more want to know herpersonally.You see, that's how it is with God.That's how it is with Jesus Christ.The more you know about Him, the more you want to know Him personally.The fact should lead you to the relationship.How do I know God personally?Well John 1.18 tells us that no one has ever seen God, the only God who has at the Father'sside.He has made Him known.And folks, this is a fundamental truth.That the only way that we can know God is He has to make Himself known.And that's what we celebrate every Christmas that God has made Himself known because Hedid it in the most personal way possible.He showed up and introduced Himself.So look at John 1.Picking up in verse 1.We're just going to get the first three verses today.This might feel more like a Bible study than a sermon.But these are important truths that we're going to wrestle down here.John 1 says, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word wasGod.He was in the beginning with God.All things were made through Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made."Notice that John in introducing our Lord, He's using this word, "Word" a lot.Why does He use the word "Word"?Well He doesn't really explain that.But I promise you that the audience that He wrote to in the first century would have knownexactly what He was talking about.Because John primarily would have been writing to the Greeks and the Jews.The word "Word" in the Greek is "Logos."And to the Greeks, the Logos was like this impersonal force, this impersonal energy source.Because the Greek philosophers were like, "Look, all of this had to come from somewhere.The world didn't happen by accident.There has to be some force out there that's behind the structure of the earth.All logic and reason."They had this idea, it was an impersonal force, and they called it the Word, the Logos.So John is writing to the Greeks, and he goes, "Hey, you guys talk about the Logos, right?Did you know the Logos is a person?"It's not a thing, it's a person.It's a person that was with God.It's a person that was God, and it's a person according to John 1.14 that became fleshand dwelt among us.So that's how the Greeks would have heard this.Do you know how the Jews would have heard this?And we probably don't have to guess, right?When the Jews would have heard the Word Word, what would they have thought of?They immediately would have thought of the Law and the Prophets, what we call the OldTestament.You see, you go through the Old Testament over and over and over.The Word of the Lord came too.The Word of the Lord came too.The Word of the Lord came too.And all of the Law and the Prophets, it's known as the Word of God.So the Jews would have picked up on this concept immediately.You know what the purpose of words is?Words are to communicate something.Words are to be deliberately chosen and used to convey information to another person.That's what John's saying to the Jews.The Word became flesh.Jesus Christ is God's communication to man.A living, breathing Word.So God isn't some impersonal force.God's not a generic concept.According to God's Word, He is a person.And He has revealed who exactly He is in Jesus Christ.Let's just pause for a second and ask that you would pray for me as we do this littlestudy together that I would accurately represent God's Word.Let me pray for you to have a heart open to receive this absolutely essential truth thatGod is teaching us today.So let's pray.Father in heaven, we live in a culture that is fine to think of you in general terms.But to call you a person, a father, the sovereign of the universe, it's tough for some peopleto grasp.And I just pray Father today, especially over these next few minutes, that we would reallyhave our hearts and minds open to what it is that your Word wants to teach us aboutthe way that you've revealed yourself through your Son.It's in Jesus' name that we pray.Amen.So on your outline, I want you to write some things down.I want to know God.Here's where it starts.Number one, the reality.This is the reality.Jesus is God.Let's look at these verses here.Look at verse one again.He says, "In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, and the Word was God."In the beginning.Is that something familiar at all?That phrase, "In the beginning."Where have we heard that?Genesis 1-1, right?That's how the whole Bible starts.And John is starting in the same place.John is saying, by saying in the beginning, John is saying, "Before anything was created,the Word existed."The Word.And notice he says two things about the Word.First of all, the Word was with God.And secondly, the Word was God.First of all, let's talk about the Word was God.This claim is nothing less than Jesus Christ is Almighty God.This is all through the New Testament.If we were to just do a Bible study today looking at the verses of the New Testamentto talk about Jesus being God, we would be here long after the snow melted.But the New Testament is so full of this truth.For example, Colossians 2-9 says, "For in Him, in Jesus, the whole fullness of Deitydwells bodily."Most concise statement of Jesus' Deity is probably right here in John 1-14.It says, "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, gloryas of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."The Word became flesh and dwelt.That Word dwelt in the Greek is the word tabernacled.The Word became flesh and tabernacled among us.You heard the tabernacle?In the Old Testament, it was this portable structure that as Moses was leading the Israelitesout of Egypt, God told Moses to build this structure and it had this tent with the HolyPlace and the Holy of Holies.And this was the place where God's unique presence dwelt among His people.So when John says, "The Word became flesh and tabernacled among us," you know, if youwere in the Old Testament times, if you lived with Old Testament Israel and somebody said,"Hey, can you point to the place where God's unique presence lives on the earth?"You would point to the building, the tabernacle.You would say, "Yeah, God's unique presence on earth is right there."Fast forward to 2025 right now.If I were to say, "Can you point to the place where God's unique presence dwells on earth?"Where would you point?It's right here, right?Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit.The temple was just the permanent version of the tabernacle.This is where God lives.This is God's unique presence here.So what John is saying in John 1.14 is for about 33 years of earth's history, when youwould ask, "Where is God's unique presence on the earth?"You'd point to a man.That man's name is Jesus Christ.You would point to him and say, "Right there.That man is the unique presence of God on the earth.This is where he is."All right?Jesus is not an exalted angel.Jesus is not some special enlightened human.According to this verse, Jesus is the God.And every false religion denies this, by the way.And I can just tell you personally, you would be shocked at how many times I've had to havethis conversation with people over the course of my ministry, that people who actually say,Jesus never said He was God.You heard that argument?Jesus never said it.What the argument is this, that's something the church kind of came up with.We kind of, like some religions like us, we sort of hitched that idea onto Jesus.Did Jesus Himself, they say, "Oh, if you study the words of Jesus, He never said He was God."Well, do you remember back in Exodus chapter 3, God called Moses through the burning bush.You know, you're going to lead my people out of Egypt.You're going to lead them to the promised land.Do you remember Moses says to God, "Well, what if Israel asks who sent me?"What if Israel is like, "What is His name?"Do you remember in that moment, God told Moses what His name is?You remember?God told Moses His name is, "I am who I am."That's God's name.His name is, "I am."I love that.God didn't say to Moses, "My name is I was."Like Moses, like what's your name?And God's like, "Moses, I was.Oh Moses, you should have seen me back in high school.Oh Moses, I was so good looking and I was such a good athlete.Back in the day Moses, back in the day I was really something.No, he's not the I was.But nor did God tell Moses that he's the I will be."Right?Like Moses is like, "What's your name?"And God's like, "Well Moses, you tell the Israelites, I might not be nothing specialnow but I'm taking my vitamins and I'm drinking my milk and I'm doing my palates and I'm jumpingon my pogo ball and someday, someday I'm going to be something great.I will be."God's not the I was and he's not the I will be.God is, "He is I am."From eternity past, He is infinite, majestic holiness.He is the I am.And in eternity future, He will still be infinite, majestic holiness.He is the I am.You're like, "Well what does that have to do with Jesus?"Because Jesus repeatedly claimed that He is the I am.It's all through the gospel of John, what, like seven times.I am the bread of life.I am the light of the world.I am the way and the truth and the life.I am the good shepherd.I am the door.All through Jesus made this claim.John chapter 8, Jesus said before Abraham was, "I am."John chapter 10, Jesus said, "I and the Father are one."And in that moment the Jews picked up stones, they were going to kill them for saying that.Jesus says, "I did a lot of good works for which of them are you going to stone me?"And they said, "Oh no, you're making yourself out to be God the way you're talking."And you see, they knew exactly what He was saying.They knew exactly what He meant when He said, "I and the Father are one."Oh, and by the way, not only does the Bible say that Jesus is God, did you know that the Bible also says that God is Jesus?Here's what I mean.Look at Zechariah 12/10.This is before the incarnation, the Christmas story.This is before the baby in the manger story.This is Old Testament.Look at what God says.God says, "And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, a spirit of grace and please, for mercy, so that when they look on Me on Him whom they have pierced."Do you see how God identifies Himself?He identifies Himself as the one who was pierced and who was the one that was pierced.It's Jesus Christ on the cross.Do you see that?Do a little word study there.That's exactly what He's saying.They will look on the one whom they've stabbed.Right?It's also in the New Testament.God is Jesus.Look at Acts 20, for example.Paul says, "The Ephesians elders pay careful attention to yourselves to care for the church of God, which He obtained with His own blood."Who bought the church with His blood?He says God.You're like, "I thought it was Jesus that shed His blood."Well, Paul's saying that as Jesus shed His blood, that was God obtaining the church with His own blood.So Jesus is God, yes, and the Bible also says that God is Jesus.The word was God, but the Bible also says here that the word was with God.The word was with God.And in case you missed it, in case you didn't quite catch it in verse 1, verse 2, he just says the exact same thing.He was in the beginning with God.So somehow, Jesus is God, but being with God, somehow He is distinct from the Father.Like if I said to you yesterday, I was with my buddy Nathaniel, and I was my buddy Nathaniel.You would say, "Were you and Nathaniel smoking something? Like what was going on there?"That doesn't make sense, does it?How can you be with somebody and be somebody at the same time?But that's exactly what the Bible says about Jesus and His relationship with God.He's not only God, but He's also with God.And people want that explained all the time.Pastor Taylor had a couple of weeks ago, the little children back there had a Q&A thing with him.And one of the questions they were asking about, the trinity.And look, do you want to know about the trinity? Here's the reality.Nobody can figure that out. That's the truth.You can't do it.Because from the moment you were born, you've only ever known two things in your life.Your whole life, you've only ever known two things.And that's time and space.You can't fathom an existence outside of time and space.This is where we are.And now we have a God who lives and exists in rules outside of time and space.God is not bound by time and space.And somehow we think that we're going to be able to explain everything about Him.Here's what I know.The Word was with God and the Word was God.The Bible says God exists.He's one God, but He exists as three persons.Father, Son, Holy Spirit, Jesus is eternal, but distinct.And you don't have to explain it to believe it.I can't explain to you how my car works, but I believe that it does when I get in and drive it.Look at verse 3.He says, "All things were made through Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made."Okay, this is just theology 101. It's all through the Old Testament.God is Creator.And John here is saying Jesus is God, He's with God.And then John takes another step and says, "Jesus is Creator. He made all things."And somehow, again, the Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all involved in creation at the same time.You're like, "Can you explain that?"I just told you I could not explain that.But somehow God, the Father created through God the Son, and the Genesis tells us that the Spirit of God hovered above the waters.All three members of the Trinity were involved.And somehow Jesus is the agent of creation.The Bible says in Hebrews chapter 1 and verse 2 that in these last days, God has spoken to us by His Son,whom He appointed the heir of all things through whom also He created the world.Through whom He created the world.That's all John's saying here in verse 3."Every living thing gets life from something else.A tree, a dog, a woodpecker, you. You got life from something else.The only person who has never received life from someone else is God Himself."That's what John's saying, since Jesus already existed before creation,and because Jesus didn't get His life from something else, then He must be God.Those are the biblical facts about Jesus.And listen, even if you're sitting here today or listening to the podcast later or whatever,even if you don't agree with that, can we take an honest look at what the Bible says and stop trying to twist it?Oh, it doesn't really say that.The Bible overwhelmingly says that Jesus Christ is God in the flesh.That's the truth that you have to reckon with.He is God.So if you want to know God, number two, the response.The response. You want to know God? The response is faith in Jesus.The reality is Jesus is God. The response is we have to have faith in Jesus.You see, God took the initiative.God did His part in revealing Himself as Jesus, so the question is, what's my part in knowing Him?It's faith.Faith is the only way to know God.Oh, and speaking of generic,not only do people use the name of God in a generic sense,but you'll find that people use the concept of faith in a generic sense.There is a true biblical sense and definition of faith,but we live in a culture that just throws that word faith around all the time and uses it in all kinds of ways.Here's what I mean.Some people use faith like it means a wishful thinking.Faith is just wishful thinking.Like, well, I just kind of have faith that everything's going to work out.Like, what does that even mean?For some people, they think faith is just the way of the ignorant.Like, well, you believe in science.Or you believe in faith, rather. I believe in science.And they're condescending. You're just some, you know, backwoods, redneck, you're ignorant.I believe in science, but you have your little fairy tale faith.And still other people look at faith as some kind of ambiguous spirituality.You hear people say, I'm a person of faith.Do you know who else is a person of faith?Literally everybody.Everybody believes in something.What is your faith in?Because you can have faith in the wrong thing.So listen, my friends, God is not a generic concept and neither is faith.Faith is a specific disposition towards a specific person.That's why Hebrews 11.6 says without faith,it is impossible to please Him for whoever would draw near to God.That's the knowing God piece.Whoever would draw near to God must believe that He existsand that He rewards those who seek Him.It starts with obviously an acknowledgement of His existence,but it doesn't stop there. You have to seek Him.You have a responsibility.God took the initiative. He revealed Himself in Jesus.What is my responsibility in this relationship?Or how can I grow in knowing Jesus?I want you to draw these three things down.How can I grow in knowing Jesus?Letter A, you have to confess with your mouth.Romans 10.9 says, "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lordand believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.And you are not going to grow in your relationship with Himif you don't have one to begin with."So have you made that confession?Do you believe that Jesus Christ died on the crossto pay the penalty for your sins, that He rose from the deadto give you eternal life? Do you believe that?Because people have this idea that, well, we're all children of Godand a creative sense, yes, but not in the adoptive sense.Yes, we do all have a relationship with Jesus.The question is, do you have a good relationship with Himor a bad relationship with Him?You have to confess with your mouth.Ask to start there, letter B, you have to hear the Word.You have to hear the Word.Romans 10.17 says, "So faith comes from hearingand hearing through the Word of Christ."The only way your faith grows is through the Word of God.Because this is the only truly reliable source of informationabout Jesus, because this is the source of informationthat was given to us by God.You have to be in the Wordif you're going to know Jesus.Any relationship involves time and communication.And some people, they spend no time in His Word,no time praying His Word and reading and studying and meditating.And they spend no time at all in the Word.And then they wonder why they feel so distant.Relationships grow when time is spent together.You need to prioritize spending time and praying the Word of God.Finally, letter C, keep His commandments.Jesus says in John 15.10, "If you keep My commandments,you will abide in My love just as I have kept My Father's commandmentsand abide in His love."That's how you abide. It's through obedience.Now listen, if you're a Christian and you're in sin,sin is not going to end your relationship with Jesus.But you're obviously going to feel distant from Godif you have unrepentant sin.Any area of disobedience in your life that you refuse to deal with,you're going to feel distant.And that's not on God. That's on you.God hasn't gone anywhere. You have.So what is it in your life right now that you're like,"I know that this is what God wants me to stop doing,or maybe something God wants you to start doing,but you know exactly what it is.You need to turn from that sin.You need to obey whatever Jesus is calling you to.And you're going to enjoy the freedomthat repentance brings in your walk with Christ."This is what keeps people from coming to Christin the first place, by the way.Jesus will take you just as you are,but He won't leave you that way.Jesus wants to transform you.He wants to change you.Some people just don't want to be changed.Keep His commandments.The Word became flesh.God became a man.Our worship team would come back up.You know, I came to Christ when I was 20.And it's an amazing thing to grow up in a churchas a kid.All those days, all those yearssitting in the church, how little I really understood.But when I was led to Christ, it was this whole newworld, right?And I remember I was trying to understand.And I had this Bible that my parents got me.You know, some Bibles have the little story inserts,little devotional things that kind of build into the Bible.Well, this Bible had this story in it.And the story goes something like this.There was this farmer and his wife, it was Chris Paseeb,and the farmer's wife was going to church.And she asked her husband if he wanted to go with her.He goes, "No, I don't get that church stuff.It doesn't, that makes no sense to me.You know, I'm not interested at all, but you go have fun."Well, she went to church.And while he was home, he saw that there were birds trying to getinto his barn.This really bad deep freeze came over, kind of like,"What happened here?"And these birds were trying to get into the barn,seeking shelter from the cold.The farmer says, "Well, I can help those birds."So he goes, "I'll just go out and open the doorand let them in the barn."And when he went out, you know what birds do, right?They just kind of scattered everywhere.The farmer's like, "Well, that sure didn't help anything."So he thought, "Well, maybe if I just leave breadcrumbs,I can like guide them in there somehow."Didn't work.No matter what the farmer did, he couldn't get the birdsinto the barn to get shelter.And as the story goes, I don't think it's a true story,but as the story goes, he stood and lookedout the kitchen window, and he saw the birds back flyingaround the outside of the barn not able to get in.And the farmer thought to himself,"Those birds are going to die."And as badly as I want to save them,I don't know how I can get them into the barn.But then the farmer had a thought.The farmer thought, "You know, if I could become a birdfor like five minutes, I could approach them,they wouldn't be scared of me, I could speak their language,and I could show them the way that they could be saved."And right when he had the thought, the story goes,"Off in the distance, he heard the church's bells ringing."And that's when it connected.It's a dumb story.Admittedly, what I'm going to tell you as a young Christian,when I read that, that's what made everything click for me.Yes, that's the purpose of the incarnation,that God became one of us to save us.So what do you want for Christmas?I want to know God, not the generic knockoff,but the real person.Because knowing God is eternal life.We're going to have our elders and members of our prayer teamup front here.And in just a moment, Ashley's going to sing a song over you.And we're going to have a good old-fashioned altar call.You can stay in your seat, you can pray right where you are.But I want you to know there's people that are up here that would love to pray with youand for you.So as Ashley sings over you, we're going to invite youto come. Maybe there's somebody herethat today you're like, "You know what? I don't really know God. I know about Him.But I don't really have a relationship with Him.Today's the day. Today's the day that you can go from knowing aboutGod to knowing God. So please come.Our Father in Heaven, we thank Youfor the way that You have demonstrated Your holiness and loveby taking on flesh and blood.Father, I pray against all of the distractions. It's that time of yearthat there's more to do than we have time to do.And there's so many things buying for our attention.Father, I pray that we would take a realclose examination at the person of Jesus Christ and examine our own hearts.Are we truly walking with Him? Do we trulyhave a relationship with Him that we're spending timetogether and knowing and growing?Or are we just churchgoers?Father, I thank You. You've revealed Your heart. You want us to know You.You've done everything and have just simply called us to receivewhat You have accomplished.Father, thank You. We praise You and ask that You would continue to manifestYour goodness and presence in us by the power of Your Spirit through the wisdomof Your Word. We praise You in the name of JesusChrist, our Lord and Savior. Amen.
Sunday Morning 12/14/2025
The Masonic Roundtable - Freemasonry Today for Today's Freemasons
This week, we sit down with Darin A. Lahners to explore the beginnings of his well-known series, What to Expect When You're Expecting: Worshipful Master's Edition. Drawing from his original reflections on preparing for the East, Darin discusses the nerves, doubts, hopes, and early lessons that shaped his first journey as Master. We trace the foundation he laid in that first piece (learning to relax, communicate, believe in oneself, plan with purpose, and invoke the blessing of Deity) and look at how those themes continue to resonate across his later writings. This conversation offers a candid look at leadership, expectation, and what it means to take on the Oriental Chair for the first time.
An episode from East River Baptist Church, a conservative, independent body of King James Bible believers located on the Northeast side of Houston, Texas. East River Baptist Church's (ERBC) mission as an assembly is threefold:- To Exalt the Saviour! Eph. 3:21- To Edify the Saints! Eph. 4:16- To Evangelize the Sinners! Lk 24:47 What ERBC believes about the Scriptures: “We believe that the scriptures of both Old and New Testament are verbally inspired of God, that they are the supreme and final authority for faith and practice, and are preserved in the Authorized Version (KJV 1611) of the Bible. 2 Timothy 3:16. Psalm 12:6-7." What ERBC believes about God: “We believe in one God, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. That God is supreme in His person, absolute in His attributes, glorious in His perfection, and eternal in His being. 1 John 5:7." What ERBC believes about Jesus: “We believe in the Deity of Jesus Christ. His conception by the Holy Spirit, His virgin birth, His sinless life, His death on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins, His bodily resurrection, His exaltation at God's right hand, and His personal imminent, pre-millennial, and pre-tribulation return. Ephesians 1:7. ” What ERBC believes about man: “We believe that God created man in His image and likeness (a triune being: spirit, soul, and body) in a state of innocence's, but through temptation, he willingly transgressed, became dead in trespasses and sins. As a result, his posterity (all men) inherited a corrupt nature, are born in sin, and are under condemnation. Romans 5:12.” A message from ERBC to you:“If you are looking for a church in the Houston Texas area that preaches the Truth from God's Word, reach out to us at any time. We would love to hear from you at (281) 399-3030 or on our website https://eastriverbaptistchurch.com/ You may also write to us at:East River Baptist ChurchP.O. Box 983New Caney, TX 77357 Our video messages are also available for you at the following locations:YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/eastriverbaptistchurchFacebook -https://www.facebook.com/erbctexas Be sure to Subscribe to our channel and/or Like and Follow ERBC on Facebook so that you will be notified the next time we are live.Have A Blessed Day,East River Baptist Church” The KJV Bible Preaching Churches Podcast is directly supported by Doss Metrics LLC | Ministry Services based out of Cleveland Texas. If you have any questions regarding this podcast, or the churches hosted on the podcast, please reach out to us directly at dossmetrics@gmail.com or write to us at: Doss Metrics | KJV Bible Preaching Churches Podcast1501 McBride Rd.Cleveland, TX 77328 God Bless#KJV #BaptistChurches #BiblePreaching #KJVPreaching #KingJamesBible #ChurchSermons #ChristianPodcasts #BibilicalTeaching #EastRiverBaptistChurch #RogerHoots
An episode from East River Baptist Church, a conservative, independent body of King James Bible believers located on the Northeast side of Houston, Texas. East River Baptist Church's (ERBC) mission as an assembly is threefold:- To Exalt the Saviour! Eph. 3:21- To Edify the Saints! Eph. 4:16- To Evangelize the Sinners! Lk 24:47 What ERBC believes about the Scriptures: “We believe that the scriptures of both Old and New Testament are verbally inspired of God, that they are the supreme and final authority for faith and practice, and are preserved in the Authorized Version (KJV 1611) of the Bible. 2 Timothy 3:16. Psalm 12:6-7." What ERBC believes about God: “We believe in one God, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. That God is supreme in His person, absolute in His attributes, glorious in His perfection, and eternal in His being. 1 John 5:7." What ERBC believes about Jesus: “We believe in the Deity of Jesus Christ. His conception by the Holy Spirit, His virgin birth, His sinless life, His death on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins, His bodily resurrection, His exaltation at God's right hand, and His personal imminent, pre-millennial, and pre-tribulation return. Ephesians 1:7. ” What ERBC believes about man: “We believe that God created man in His image and likeness (a triune being: spirit, soul, and body) in a state of innocence's, but through temptation, he willingly transgressed, became dead in trespasses and sins. As a result, his posterity (all men) inherited a corrupt nature, are born in sin, and are under condemnation. Romans 5:12.” A message from ERBC to you:“If you are looking for a church in the Houston Texas area that preaches the Truth from God's Word, reach out to us at any time. We would love to hear from you at (281) 399-3030 or on our website https://eastriverbaptistchurch.com/ You may also write to us at:East River Baptist ChurchP.O. Box 983New Caney, TX 77357 Our video messages are also available for you at the following locations:YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/eastriverbaptistchurchFacebook -https://www.facebook.com/erbctexas Be sure to Subscribe to our channel and/or Like and Follow ERBC on Facebook so that you will be notified the next time we are live.Have A Blessed Day,East River Baptist Church” The KJV Bible Preaching Churches Podcast is directly supported by Doss Metrics LLC | Ministry Services based out of Cleveland Texas. If you have any questions regarding this podcast, or the churches hosted on the podcast, please reach out to us directly at dossmetrics@gmail.com or write to us at: Doss Metrics | KJV Bible Preaching Churches Podcast1501 McBride Rd.Cleveland, TX 77328 God Bless#KJV #BaptistChurches #BiblePreaching #KJVPreaching #KingJamesBible #ChurchSermons #ChristianPodcasts #BibilicalTeaching #EastRiverBaptistChurch #RogerHoots
An episode from Ranchero Drive Baptist Church, a Bible believing, Bible preaching church in Kerrville, Texas.What Ranchero Drive Baptist Church (RDBC) Believes: The ScripturesWe believe the scriptures are verbally inspired of God making them the supreme and final authority for our faith and practice, and are preserved in the KJV Authorized Version. GodWe believe in one God existing in three persons (The Holy Trinity): God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Existing without beginning and without end. JesusWe believe in the Deity of Jesus Christ, His virgin birth, His sinless life, His death on the cross to pay in full the debt for our sins, His resurrection, and His coming return. The Holy SpiritWe believe the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, one with the Father and the Son, the indweller of every believer to enlighten and seal each believer until the day of redemption of the body.ManWe believe that God created man in His image in a state of innocence, but through temptation, man transgressed and became dead in trespasses and sins. As a result, all men inherited a corrupt nature, are born in sin and are under condemnation. Security of the BelieverWe believe that those who, by faith, receive Jesus Christ as their personal Savior are born again of the Holy Spirit, are the children of God, are heirs and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ, are kept by the power of God and can know they are eternally saved forever! Last ThingsWe believe in the imminent, pre-tribulation, pre-millennial return of Christ. The Lord shall return for His church and rapture out the church at any given moment. The world will then enter into a seven-year period of tribulation that will end with the battle of Armageddon and the Second Advent of Jesus Christ. He will come as “King of Kings” and “Lord of lords”, and establish His kingdom that will last for 1,000 years. The Lord will then judge the living and the dead at the Great White Throne Judgement (which is different from the judgement Seat of Christ where the Lord judges the Church). After this, all the lost, Satan, death and hell are cast into the Lake of Fire, while the Lord and His saints enter into “Eternal Bliss”. You may write to Ranchero Drive Baptist Church at:801 Ranchero Road, Kerrville, TX 78028Have A Blessed Day,Ranchero Drive Baptist Church The KJV Bible Preaching Churches Podcast is directly supported by Doss Metrics LLC | Ministry Services based out of Cleveland Texas. If you have any questions regarding this podcast, or the churches hosted on the podcast, please reach out to us directly at dossmetrics@gmail.comor write to us at: Doss Metrics | KJV Bible Preaching Churches Podcast1501 McBride Rd.Cleveland, TX 77328 God Bless#KJV #BaptistChurches #BiblePreaching #KJVPreaching #KingJamesBible #ChurchSermons #ChristianPodcasts #BibilicalTeaching #EdThierbach #RancheroDriveBaptistChurch
An episode from East River Baptist Church, a conservative, independent body of King James Bible believers located on the Northeast side of Houston, Texas. East River Baptist Church's (ERBC) mission as an assembly is threefold:- To Exalt the Saviour! Eph. 3:21- To Edify the Saints! Eph. 4:16- To Evangelize the Sinners! Lk 24:47 What ERBC believes about the Scriptures: “We believe that the scriptures of both Old and New Testament are verbally inspired of God, that they are the supreme and final authority for faith and practice, and are preserved in the Authorized Version (KJV 1611) of the Bible. 2 Timothy 3:16. Psalm 12:6-7." What ERBC believes about God: “We believe in one God, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. That God is supreme in His person, absolute in His attributes, glorious in His perfection, and eternal in His being. 1 John 5:7." What ERBC believes about Jesus: “We believe in the Deity of Jesus Christ. His conception by the Holy Spirit, His virgin birth, His sinless life, His death on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins, His bodily resurrection, His exaltation at God's right hand, and His personal imminent, pre-millennial, and pre-tribulation return. Ephesians 1:7. ” What ERBC believes about man: “We believe that God created man in His image and likeness (a triune being: spirit, soul, and body) in a state of innocence's, but through temptation, he willingly transgressed, became dead in trespasses and sins. As a result, his posterity (all men) inherited a corrupt nature, are born in sin, and are under condemnation. Romans 5:12.” A message from ERBC to you:“If you are looking for a church in the Houston Texas area that preaches the Truth from God's Word, reach out to us at any time. We would love to hear from you at (281) 399-3030 or on our website https://eastriverbaptistchurch.com/ You may also write to us at:East River Baptist ChurchP.O. Box 983New Caney, TX 77357 Our video messages are also available for you at the following locations:YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/eastriverbaptistchurchFacebook -https://www.facebook.com/erbctexas Be sure to Subscribe to our channel and/or Like and Follow ERBC on Facebook so that you will be notified the next time we are live.Have A Blessed Day,East River Baptist Church” The KJV Bible Preaching Churches Podcast is directly supported by Doss Metrics LLC | Ministry Services based out of Cleveland Texas. If you have any questions regarding this podcast, or the churches hosted on the podcast, please reach out to us directly at dossmetrics@gmail.com or write to us at: Doss Metrics | KJV Bible Preaching Churches Podcast1501 McBride Rd.Cleveland, TX 77328 God Bless#KJV #BaptistChurches #BiblePreaching #KJVPreaching #KingJamesBible #ChurchSermons #ChristianPodcasts #BibilicalTeaching #EastRiverBaptistChurch #RogerHoots
An episode from East River Baptist Church, a conservative, independent body of King James Bible believers located on the Northeast side of Houston, Texas. East River Baptist Church's (ERBC) mission as an assembly is threefold:- To Exalt the Saviour! Eph. 3:21- To Edify the Saints! Eph. 4:16- To Evangelize the Sinners! Lk 24:47 What ERBC believes about the Scriptures: “We believe that the scriptures of both Old and New Testament are verbally inspired of God, that they are the supreme and final authority for faith and practice, and are preserved in the Authorized Version (KJV 1611) of the Bible. 2 Timothy 3:16. Psalm 12:6-7." What ERBC believes about God: “We believe in one God, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. That God is supreme in His person, absolute in His attributes, glorious in His perfection, and eternal in His being. 1 John 5:7." What ERBC believes about Jesus: “We believe in the Deity of Jesus Christ. His conception by the Holy Spirit, His virgin birth, His sinless life, His death on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins, His bodily resurrection, His exaltation at God's right hand, and His personal imminent, pre-millennial, and pre-tribulation return. Ephesians 1:7. ” What ERBC believes about man: “We believe that God created man in His image and likeness (a triune being: spirit, soul, and body) in a state of innocence's, but through temptation, he willingly transgressed, became dead in trespasses and sins. As a result, his posterity (all men) inherited a corrupt nature, are born in sin, and are under condemnation. Romans 5:12.” A message from ERBC to you:“If you are looking for a church in the Houston Texas area that preaches the Truth from God's Word, reach out to us at any time. We would love to hear from you at (281) 399-3030 or on our website https://eastriverbaptistchurch.com/ You may also write to us at:East River Baptist ChurchP.O. Box 983New Caney, TX 77357 Our video messages are also available for you at the following locations:YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/eastriverbaptistchurchFacebook -https://www.facebook.com/erbctexas Be sure to Subscribe to our channel and/or Like and Follow ERBC on Facebook so that you will be notified the next time we are live.Have A Blessed Day,East River Baptist Church” The KJV Bible Preaching Churches Podcast is directly supported by Doss Metrics LLC | Ministry Services based out of Cleveland Texas. If you have any questions regarding this podcast, or the churches hosted on the podcast, please reach out to us directly at dossmetrics@gmail.com or write to us at: Doss Metrics | KJV Bible Preaching Churches Podcast1501 McBride Rd.Cleveland, TX 77328 God Bless#KJV #BaptistChurches #BiblePreaching #KJVPreaching #KingJamesBible #ChurchSermons #ChristianPodcasts #BibilicalTeaching #EastRiverBaptistChurch #RogerHoots
Speaker: Rob BerrethScripture: Matthew 1:18-25Episode Overview:In Matthew 1:18–25 we encounter one of Scripture's most staggering claims: God became man while remaining God. This episode explores the incarnation not as a sentimental Christmas idea but as the jaw-dropping center of the gospel. We trace Matthew's account through the “why” and “who” of Jesus' birth—why the eternal Son had to take on true humanity and full deity to save us from our sins, and who He is as the promised Son of David and the supernaturally conceived Son of God. The result is not merely theological clarity but renewed wonder and worship at the God who entered our world to redeem it.Key Highlights:• The Purpose of the Incarnation: Why Jesus had to be both fully human and fully God in order to save His people from their sins.• Jesus as the True & Better Adam: How Matthew's language echoes Genesis, revealing Jesus as the reboot of humanity and the beginning of new creation.• Son of David, Not of Joseph's Loins: Why the emphasis on Joseph's lineage matters for Jesus' identity as the promised Messiah-King.• The Mystery That Should Stagger Us: Reflections on the incarnation as the supreme Christian mystery that overwhelms the mind and fuels worship.• Compassion in the Womb: How the conception of Christ displays the deep, costly mercy of God fulfilling His ancient promise from Genesis 3:15.• Wonder → Worship: How beholding Christ's incarnation leads us to adore the One who left glory to take on flesh for our redemption.Call to Action:As you listen, take time this week to slow down, reflect, and let the reality of the incarnation sink in. Ask the Lord to rekindle awe in your heart—wonder that leads to worship, humility, and renewed trust. Consider where you've grown familiar with the gospel, and invite God to restore a sense of holy amazement at the One who became flesh to save you.Redeemer Church211 Northshore Dr. Bellingham, WA 98226www.redeemernw.org
While the truth Pastor Bill just shared may sound like God is a selfish Deity, solely focused on His own glory and pleasure, it's essential to remember that God created the very concepts of glory and pleasure. He also created us and decided that saving us through His Son, Jesus, was the most glorious thing He could do. That should speak volumes to our hearts about the value that God places in each one of us. We chose sin, selfishness, and brokenness, but He still loved us enough to offer redemption.
An episode from Ranchero Drive Baptist Church, a Bible believing, Bible preaching church in Kerrville, Texas.What Ranchero Drive Baptist Church (RDBC) Believes: The ScripturesWe believe the scriptures are verbally inspired of God making them the supreme and final authority for our faith and practice, and are preserved in the KJV Authorized Version. GodWe believe in one God existing in three persons (The Holy Trinity): God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Existing without beginning and without end. JesusWe believe in the Deity of Jesus Christ, His virgin birth, His sinless life, His death on the cross to pay in full the debt for our sins, His resurrection, and His coming return. The Holy SpiritWe believe the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, one with the Father and the Son, the indweller of every believer to enlighten and seal each believer until the day of redemption of the body.ManWe believe that God created man in His image in a state of innocence, but through temptation, man transgressed and became dead in trespasses and sins. As a result, all men inherited a corrupt nature, are born in sin and are under condemnation. Security of the BelieverWe believe that those who, by faith, receive Jesus Christ as their personal Savior are born again of the Holy Spirit, are the children of God, are heirs and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ, are kept by the power of God and can know they are eternally saved forever! Last ThingsWe believe in the imminent, pre-tribulation, pre-millennial return of Christ. The Lord shall return for His church and rapture out the church at any given moment. The world will then enter into a seven-year period of tribulation that will end with the battle of Armageddon and the Second Advent of Jesus Christ. He will come as “King of Kings” and “Lord of lords”, and establish His kingdom that will last for 1,000 years. The Lord will then judge the living and the dead at the Great White Throne Judgement (which is different from the judgement Seat of Christ where the Lord judges the Church). After this, all the lost, Satan, death and hell are cast into the Lake of Fire, while the Lord and His saints enter into “Eternal Bliss”. You may write to Ranchero Drive Baptist Church at:801 Ranchero Road, Kerrville, TX 78028Have A Blessed Day,Ranchero Drive Baptist Church The KJV Bible Preaching Churches Podcast is directly supported by Doss Metrics LLC | Ministry Services based out of Cleveland Texas. If you have any questions regarding this podcast, or the churches hosted on the podcast, please reach out to us directly at dossmetrics@gmail.comor write to us at: Doss Metrics | KJV Bible Preaching Churches Podcast1501 McBride Rd.Cleveland, TX 77328 God Bless#KJV #BaptistChurches #BiblePreaching #KJVPreaching #KingJamesBible #ChurchSermons #ChristianPodcasts #BibilicalTeaching #EdThierbach #RancheroDriveBaptistChurch
The Masonic Roundtable - Freemasonry Today for Today's Freemasons
This week, we sit down with Darin A. Lahners to explore the beginnings of his well known series, What to Expect When You're Expecting: Worshipful Master's Edition. Drawing from his original reflections on preparing for the East, Darin discusses the nerves, doubts, hopes, and early lessons that shaped his first journey as Master. We trace the foundation he laid in that first piece (learning to relax, communicate, believe in oneself, plan with purpose, and invoke the blessing of Deity) and look at how those themes continue to resonate across his later writings. This conversation offers a candid look at leadership, expectation, and what it means to take on the Oriental Chair for the first time.
In the fifth installment of their seven-part Deity Series, the witches turn toward the Goddess in her season of fullness: the Mother, the Maker, the Manifestor, the one who turns raw possibility into living, breathing reality. She is the bright fullness of the moon, the heat of summer, the hum of productivity, and the heartbeat that keeps community alive.Laylla and Chelle explore the Mother not only as the ancient figure of fertility but as a far more expansive and dynamic archetype for today's witches. This episode looks at the Mother as a creator and nurturer. A maker of art, careers, kinship, knowledge, and paths; as the one who carries the Maiden's vision forward with commitment and devotion; and as the archetype who teaches us how to choose, shape, and sustain the lives we are building.They also examine the deeper historical roots of the Mother Goddess, from the earliest Venus figurines and Paleolithic mother symbols to the great goddesses of world mythology. The witches unpack how these ancient themes influence modern witchcraft and how the Mother archetype has evolved far beyond biological motherhood into a symbol of agency, of creation, and of strength.Whether you are raising children, raising a garden, raising a business, or raising yourself through another chapter of becoming, this episode offers tools, myth, and magical perspective for awakening the Mother within.So brew something comforting, settle in, and join us as we explore the sacred, complex, profoundly human power of the Mother as Maker.Modern Heathen Celebration of SunwaitGot a question? Send the witches a message here!Support the showWant to send us a letter? Witchy things to review?We have a mailing address!Back on the BroomstickPO Box 106Salem MA 01970Email: backonthebroomstick@gmail.comYoutube FacebookInstagramBack on the Broomstick Website
We explore the ancient Deity, LIlith...Goddess, demon or succubus? She is a powerful Goddess of Women and Women's rights as you will find out...she is sexy, wild, and applauds the chaos in our souls and all of our complexities. She is the original Wild Woman. We look at how we can connect with her, and her origin story. Plus a card read from Goddesses and Sirens by Stacey DeMarco and a card read from the Moon Goddess Oracle by Nicci Garacoa, Enjoy!
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In this episode, Scott and Deb share a very real, very recent experience from sacrament meeting—realizing that life had gotten “a little too horizontal.” Between family worries, recovery relationships, expectations, holiday pressure, and performance mentality, Scott found himself giving everyone his attention except the One who can actually heal him.Using the imagery of the cross—horizontal beam for our relationships with others and vertical post for our relationship with Deity—they explore what it really means to “strengthen the vertical.” They talk about John 15's invitation to abide in Christ, Doctrine and Covenants 6's call to “look unto [Him] in every thought,” the AA journey of surrender, and Deb's powerful campfire story about giving Christ what we most want to hide.If you're feeling stretched, noisy inside, or spiritually “untethered,” this conversation is an invitation to stop trying to achieve Jesus and instead learn how to receive Him—especially in the middle of the Christmas crazies.
Pastor Kurt takes a deep dive into Colossians 2:8-15, where Paul exposes the danger of teachings that appear deep but actually draw hearts away from Christ. In Jesus, the fullness of God dwells bodily, and through Him believers have been forgiven, made alive, and set free.
I'm just so thrilled about all the new Kālī content we've been putting out this past month, in the days leading up to Śyåma Kālī Pūjā, and the weeks after: First, in How To Get Possesed By Kālī we carefully explained what it is to be a paśu or anu, a discreet unit of consciousness (i.e an embodied soul or jīva) and then carefully pointed out why the ānavopaya is so suited for most of us, despite our pretense at high-flying non-dual philosophies! The ānavopaya assumes duality, individuality and the separate, external existence of God that can be invoked, evoked and experienced in the vigraha (image). We discussed how the goal of ānavopaya is a kind of immersion in the Goddess through worship and other techniques that can very well be understood as a kind of "possession" (aveśa) experience. Then, having explained all of that, we presented you with How To Get Started With Kālī Worship and also Who Is Kali? | & A Ritual to Invoke Her to kickstart your practice and for more seasoned practitioners, we even went over a A Left Hand Path Ritual for Kālī having given some nuance and context for it in Introducing The Left Hand Worship of KālīAnd for whatever reason if you're somehow not convinced about the power and importance of ritual worship in your spiritual life (because you're attached to some notion of non-duality or something, for instance), we make a case for it in The Essence of Tantra | & Why You Should Learn Pūjā. I think it's neat also that you can watch a demo of the whole pūjā (in an albeit abbreviated form) in Śyāmā Kālī Pūjā 2025. Of course, lectures like How To Say Grounded & Reasonable In Kālī Pūjā and The Two Extremes of Kālī Worshipadd further theoretical nuance to the very practice-oriented, anavopaya-esque discussions aforementioned and I am particularly fond of this year's Hallowe'en special Vampires, Kali and Christ | A Hallowe'en Special which was about yoginīs and what not but also touched upon some pretty deep themes regarding free will vs determinism ("my" will vs. "God's" will that is and if they can even be distinguished!).Anyway, in this class, I point out some distinctive features in Kālī pūjā like the ghost worship, jackal worship, cremation ground sacrifices, the transgressive offerings and animal/human sacrifice that give this pūjā and the Deity to whom it is offered its unique flavor! Jai Śrī Rādha-Rānī Ki Jai!Support the showLectures happen live every Monday at 7pm PST and again at Friday 11am PST Use this link and I will see you there:https://www.zoom.us/j/7028380815For more videos, guided meditations and instruction and for access to our lecture library, visit me at:https://www.patreon.com/yogawithnishTo get in on the discussion and access various spiritual materials, join our Discord here: https://discord.gg/U8zKP8yMrM
Division. Deity. Diligence. Dedication. Is your house built on the rock or are you grabbing rocks to try to grab control?
The Triple Goddess Called; She Wants to Update Her ResumeThe witches continue their series on Divinity in modern witchcraft with the first episode on the triple aspect of Goddess. They begin by discussing one of the most well-known frameworks in modern paganism: Maiden, Mother, Crone. They trace where this concept may have come from, how it became rooted in contemporary witchcraft, and why it still holds power for so many people. But they also look honestly at its limitations.In this episode focusing especially on the Maiden aspect, Laylla and Chelle talk about how titles once meant to empower now feel too narrow, too tied to childbearing, and too limited in their vision of womanhood, personhood, and divinity. They explore what it means to honor a Goddess who contains multitudes, and how we might reimagine these archetypes in ways that reflect lived experience, adult autonomy, creativity, sexuality, and identity beyond gender, fertility, or age.It's a conversation about myth, culture, and the shifting language of the sacred; and an invitation to rethink the Goddess not as a three-part story, but as a vast and evolving presence that grows with us.2025's Yule Winter Solstice Card Exchange is live! Send us a Holiday card and we'll send you one back!Back on the BroomstickPO Box 106Salem MA 01970Got a question? Send the witches a message here!Support the showWant to send us a letter? Witchy things to review?We have a mailing address!Back on the BroomstickPO Box 106Salem MA 01970Email: backonthebroomstick@gmail.comYoutube FacebookInstagramBack on the Broomstick Website
Mark 12 (NKJV)Andrew and Edwin talk about inspiration, the authorship of psalms, and an incredible prophecy about the Messiah from the pen of David.Read the written devo that goes along with this episode by clicking here. Let us know what you are learning or any questions you have. Email us at TextTalk@ChristiansMeetHere.org. Join the Facebook community and join the conversation by clicking here. We'd love to meet you. Be a guest among the Christians who meet on Livingston Avenue. Click here to find out more. Michael Eldridge sang all four parts of our theme song. Find more from him by clicking here. Thanks for talking about the text with us today.________________________________________________If the hyperlinks do not work, copy the following addresses and paste them into the URL bar of your web browser: Daily Written Devo: https://readthebiblemakedisciples.wordpress.com/?p=23534The Christians Who Meet on Livingston Avenue: http://www.christiansmeethere.org/Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/TalkAboutTheTextFacebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/texttalkMichael Eldridge: https://acapeldridge.com/
Episode 309 - The Error Of Basing Happiness On The Alleged Divinity Of The Human MindWelcome to Episode 309 of Lucretius Today. This is a podcast dedicated to the poet Lucretius, who wrote "On The Nature of Things," the most complete presentation of Epicurean philosophy left to us from the ancient world. Each week we walk you through the Epicurean texts, and we discuss how Epicurean philosophy can apply to you today. If you find the Epicurean worldview attractive, we invite you to join us in the study of Epicurus at EpicureanFriends.com, where we discuss this and all of our podcast episodes. We'll pick up this week at Section 11 of Part 5 of Tusculan Disputations. Here Cicero's student points out that Cicero has been contradicting himself in his own books as to the significance of the different positions on whether virtue alone is sufficient for happiness.[Cicero - Tusculan Disputations - EpicureanFriends Handbook](https://handbook.epicureanfriends.com/Library/Text-Cicero-TusculanDisputations/#xi_2)The heart of this argument is going to reveal how the line of non-Epicurean Greeks including Pythagorus/Socrates/Plato and the others listed here insist on finding the good only through their divinely-ordained reasoning of the mind:> Quote> > But the human mind, being derived from the divine reason, can be compared with nothing but with the Deity itself, if I may be allowed the expression. This, then, if it is improved, and when its perception is so preserved as not to be blinded by errors, becomes a perfect understanding, that is to say, absolute reason, which is the very same as virtue. And if everything is happy which wants nothing, and is complete and perfect in its kind, and that is the peculiar lot of virtue; certainly all who are possessed of virtue are happy. And in this I agree with Brutus, and also with Aristotle, Xenocrates, Speusippus, Polemon.https://www.epicureanfriends.com/thread/4815-episode-309-the-error-of-basing-happiness-on-the-alleged-divinity-of-the-human-m/
Tolstoy affirms that only the will of the Deity, who is not dependent on time, can make sense of any monumental event or series of events. Tolstoy acknowledges his belief in an omnipotent God, who determines the Way. This majestic being is something we can never come close to understanding. Even the most renowned, like Napoleon, cannot veer humanity in the direction they intend. This is because man acts in his limited time and sphere. Thus, historians who attribute grand events to so-called “Great Men,” are engaged in a vain pursuit. This outlook is not surprising given Tolstoy's affinity of Scripture, particularly the Wisdom literature of Job and Ecclesiastes. In analyzing the futility of attributing an effect to a purported cause, Tolstoy proffers that no command can be executed without an endless chain of proceeding orders. There is no such thing as a command that appears spontaneously. At best, we can say every command and event refers to a sliver in time that can only have influence over the fraction that comes after. Tolstoy suggests there is a general consensus that paramount decisions are made akin to the setting in motion of a clock -- such that a single command is often thought to govern a whole series of occurrences. For example, “Napoleon wished to invade Russia and did so in 1812.” However, Napoleon could never have commanded such a movement in one fell swoop. Instead, there were countless preceding missives and orders to his generals as well as the leaders of Vienna, Berlin and St. Petersburg. It is more accurate to say that events took on a direction that humanity, for some impossible to define reason, were ready to move in. The true reasons behind such movements are something only The Deity can comprehend. Tolstoy reflects that Napoleon was more of a natural adversary of England. Therefore, there was a greater chance of him coming up with a plan to invade England as opposed to crossing the Vistula River. Tolstoy posits that for any order to be executed -- in a philosophical sense – it is necessary that said order be possible. This is not only in the case in military endeavors, but in everyday transactions, for there are always a myriad of contingencies that could arise to prevent a command's execution. With respect to invading Russia, there would have been many directives that if analyzed soberly and in hindsight, would never have been possible. We have this false conception that an event is caused by a command because what occurred is looked at as a plan coming together. Yet for every directive executed there are an immense number unexecuted and forgotten. Thus, Tolstoy goes back to his theme -- that it is virtually impossible to attribute causes to grand historical events. Tolstoy then turns to wrestling regarding the nature of power in looking at how commands and directives play out between related events, that is between very close in time events. Tolstoy finds it important to understand the roles of those giving and taking orders. In most endeavors, there are small numbers giving orders and large numbers subject to them. In military life, army leadership resembles a cone where the thickest part, the base, consists of the rank and file. Here exists the domain of the soldiers, who are told where to march and who to kill. On the next level are the noncommissioned officers, who give commands to soldiers below and get into action less frequently. An officer like Andrei customarily participates even less in the battles, but commands more. At the top, there is the commander like Kutuzov or Napoleon, who rarely takes direct part in the action. Tolstoy feels there is similar relation of people (between the few who give orders and the majority who take them) in most common activities—including in agriculture and trade. It is this relationship which constitutes the essence of power. For example, while Napoleon may be given credit or blame for the way a particular battle turned out, All the people in the cone have a voice! When the overwhelming majority figuratively decide to swim in the same direction, that is where the greatest power lies. Thus, Napoleon guided people toward where they were already headed. Yet behind it all is a Deity, whose guiding influence we will never fully grasp.
Today's question, "How should I read the Bible?" is often asked by new believers, church going people who've never read the Bible and those questioning what they've heard about the Bible. It is often stated this way: ⁃ Which is the best Bible translation? ⁃ Where should I start as I begin reading? ⁃ What schedule should I follow? ⁃ Where can I find extra help and resources? And the often not asked question, but should be asked: ⁃ What are the essential things to remember? The Bible is the Word of God and is self authenticating, speaking to every generation. There are difficult parts and very clear parts. The Scriptures speak the Truth from God, and they are practical and very beneficial. Which translation? There is no perfect translation. Each translation works to capture what was originally written down to convey it's original meaning without translating word for word. 1. New International Version (NIV) - seeks to follow a literal translation 2. English Standard Version (ESV) - emphasizes word for word translation 3. King James Version (KJV) - a favorite for centuries - a language different than today's modern day language, and is easily memorized 4. New Living Translation (NLT) - seeks to convey the thoughts of Scripture versus a word for word translation - more easily understood 5. New King James Version (NKJV) - attempts to keep the text and rhythm of the King James Version but in more modern language Pastor shares an example of each translation using Matthew 5:17. Where to start? 1. Start with one of the Gospels (1 of the first 4 books of the New Testament) where we meet Jesus. Listen to what He says. 2. Matthew - written from a Hebrew perspective - Prophesied Messiah. 3. Mark - shortest of the 4 - speaks in dramatic terms and talks about the active Son of God - Mark offers lots of details. 4. Luke (and Acts) - Jesus as the Savior of the Nations - Luke has a heart for the desperate. 5. John - an insiders view of Jesus' ministry and teaching and covers what's not covered in the other gospels. John's focus is the Deity of Jesus Christ. What Schedule? 1. Find a time that works for you 2. Consider your season of life - and don't let the enemy trip you up or discourage you 3. A place to meet with God - it is beneficial to have a place to sit down and reflect on what God is saying in His Word. 4. Read a section of Scripture - important to listen to God as He speaks to us in sections: chapter, book. 5. Select a plan that will work: • Chapter a day, one book at a time • Gospel chapter and a Psalm every day • Bible in a year - 3+ chapters a day • Foundational books: Genesis, Exodus, Luke, Acts, John, Romans, Ephesians • Read a section of scripture out loud • Listen to the Bible with various platforms Where to find help? 1. Use a study Bible - each of the suggested Bible translations mentioned at the beginning have a study Bible available. 2. BibleGateway.com a great place to go to take a look at the Bible in a multitude of translations and also a great way to listen to the Bible - completely free. 3. AwakeUsNow.com we have everything available free of charge: Sunday services, Tuesday Bible class, Bible in a Year, TV and radio and podcasts. What are the Essentials? ⁃ Purpose - Read the Scriptures with the purpose of allowing God's word to be transformative in your life, for the purpose of wanting to encounter the Lord Jesus, the Heavenly Father and the Holy Spirit. ⁃ Approach the Scriptures with Prayer - talk to the Author, ask Him what He wants to say to you. Look at your time in God's Word not as a class assignment but a time to draw close and closer to Him. ⁃ Ponder what you are reading, think on what you are hearing God say to you in His Word. ⁃ Practice what you read and learn from the stories you read. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. God desires that we know Him, that we experience His goodness and forgiveness in Christ, that we experience the power of His Holy Spirit and that we be used by Him to be a blessing to others. He desires we share the news of the only One who can save. Jesus, our crucified, risen Lord who is coming back and coming soon. May we encounter Him daily in His Word. Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE. Check out this video series from our website: https://www.awakeusnow.com/whats-the-answer Join us Sundays https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app.
The Humiliation and the Glorification
THE GOSPEL OF JOHN: THE DEITY AND TEACHING OF JESUS CHRIST -"Love That Listens and Obeys"John 14:15-18 NKJVChrist's Bible Fellowship - Barrigada, Guam USASpeaker: Pastor Avery FerrerasSunday, November 23, 2025
How did the universe begin, or did it even have a beginning point? At least seven schools of thought exist in various religions in this world. They cannot all be right. Only one view is true at the expense of the others being false. One religious group even insists that because of evil abounding in this world, the Deity who created it must be evil. Others believe Ultimate Reality is both evil and good for a similar reason. Learn the various views, but most importantly, the correct one.Comparative religion website: www.thetruelight.net Ministry website: www.shreveministries.org The Catholic Project website: http://www.toCatholicswithlove.org (English & Spanish) Video channel: www.YouTube.com/mikeshreveministries All audio-podcasts are shared in a video format on our YouTube channel. Mike Shreve's other podcast Discover Your Spiritual Identity—a study on the biblical names given to God's people: https://www.charismapodcastnetwork.com/show/discoveryourspiritualidentity Mail: P.O. Box 4260, Cleveland, TN 37320 / Phone: 423-478-2843Purchase Mike Shreve's popular book comparing over 20 religions: In Search of the True LightPurchase Mike Shreve's new book comparing Catholicism to biblical Christianity: The Beliefs of the Catholic Church
Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed El' Deity Princey.
Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed El' Deity Princey.
Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed El' Deity Princey.
This episode we cover the first silver mine in Japan, as well as the way that this sovereign is approaching offerings to the kami and handling family matters. For more check out: https://sengokudaimyo.com/podcast/episode-138 Rough Transcript: Welcome to Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan. My name is Joshua and this is Episode 138: Offerings and Covenants A gentle summer breeze blew through the cherry-tree-covered hills of Yoshino valley. The royal residence, a kind of summer home for the royal family, normally somewhat quiet, was suddenly abuzz with activity. The regular groundskeepers and those who tended the site throughout the year mingled with servants sent from the capital to make it ready for a royal visit. Rooms were aired out and swept. Metal fixtures were polished. The kitchen was stocked and ready to go. It had been some years since the prince—now sovereign—had resided in the valley as an attempt to proclaim he had retired from the world. Now he was sitting at the top of the state government, but as such, he was more often than not living in the grand palace in Asuka, which he had renovated at the start of his reign. This, the Yoshino palace, was left as more of a vacation home—though "home" hardly did it justice given its majesty compared to the meager dwellings that otherwise surrounded it. And now there was a massive royal procession on their way. Sure, it was the sovereign and his queen, and only a handful of princes, but they would each need their own quarters and likely have their own household staff that would no doubt need to be fed and housed. In such a way a "simple" outing for the royal family was so often anything but for those who had to make it happen. And yet, such labor was much preferred to toiling in the fields, especially as the heat of the day started to rise, and the height of summer loomed large in the all-too-immediate future. Alright, so we are in the midst of the reign of Ohoama, aka Temmu Tennou, the brother of Naka no Ohoe, who came to power through the use of military force—purportedly used in self-defense—and the sovereign who would have a profound effect on solidifying the Ritsuryo state, as well as the Chronicles and the history of the archipelago as we know it. We've talked about Ohoama's ascension to the throne, and even his first year. We mentioned how, during his reign, he rewarded those who helped him, tweaked the rank system, and we talked a bit about what we know of the clothing and the material culture of the period. This episode, we continue looking at what occurred during Ohoama's reign. Specifically we'll be covering some of the ways in which Ohoama and his court were shaping the government and the structures of power to serve him and his family. This includes everything from ritual, such as making offerings to various kami, to the way that he seems to have centralized power to himself and his family, which would have lasting impacts through the Asuka and Nara periods. First, though, a tiny little digression about silver. We start in the 3rd lunar month of the second year since Ohoama ascended the throne, or the year 674 by the western calendar. We are told that Woshiumi no Miyatsuko no Ohokuni, the governor of Tsushima, the island that formed the main border between the archipelago and the mainland, reported that silver had been produced there for the first time, and sent in some as tribute. This is the first recorded instance of silver being produced in Japan. At this time, silver mining was mostly limited to finding a vein of silver on the surface and digging it out as far as one could possibly go into the rock and stone. Still, silver would eventually become an important resource for the archipelago. Tsushima would continue to produce silver through modern times. Granted, production was limited until new refining techniques were introduced from Joseon Korea in the 16th century. This was just as Ming dynasty deposits were declining, and as such, silver would become a major export from the archipelago to the mainland. Indeed, by the 17th century, it is said that Japan accounted for one quarter to one third of the entire world's silver production. For now, however, the discovery of native silver was certainly a good start, but the Yamato court wasn't switching to a silver coin currency just yet—rice and cloth were still the major currencies for tax and trade purposes. Still this find seems not insignificant, and clearly the chroniclers thought so as well -- as did the court. They granted Ohokuni, the governor of Tsushima, the rank of Lower Shoukin. The silver produced by the mine was offered to the various kami of heaven and earth, and presents were made to the high ministers and others of the rank of Shoukin and above. Now back to the Chronicles, and to the meat of what I'll be talking about this episode. On the 3rd day of the 8th lunar month of 674, we are told that the Royal Prince Wosakabe was sent to Isonokami shrine to polish up the divine treasures, at which point the sovereign made a rather spectacular decree: he declared that all of the precious things originally deposited in the sacred treasuries by the various houses should be returned to their descendants. This appears to be a reference to the long-standing practice by Yamato of demanding that those they had gained some level of hegemony over turn over their sacred objects for Yamato's keeping. We talked about this back in episodes 19 and 29, for example, when we talked about how Mimaki Iribiko, aka Sujin Tenno, and Ikume Iribiko, aka Suinin Tenno, had both requested treasures from Izumo and elsewhere, to be stored in the treasure house of Isonokami. We aren't told what all of these treasures were, but we can deduce that these were sacred treasures of the different houses and localities, much as the mirror, jewel, and sword were sacred treasures of Yamato. These were items that early on distinguished the elite class in the archipelago, and had come to be gathered in the divine store houses. You may recall how, early on, we saw mentions in the Chroncles that ships sent out to meet with others from different lands would place such treasures on a makeshift tree on the deck as a way of depicting who they were—who they represented. It would seem that these sacred objects came to represent the divine ancestors of the elites, and so eventually were associated with the idea of power and authority. As Yamato spread its influence, possibly as much through the spiritual authority of Mt. Miwa as through its economic and military capability, it seems to have demanded that the various lands that came under its sway place their sacred treasures in Yamato's storehouse—a powerful image of Yamato's authority. In a sense, this was a kind of hostage situation: recognize our authority, or your most sacred treasures, representing your ancestors, will be at risk . One wonders if this isn't part of the reason that we find buried caches of bronze ritual items, including weapons, bells, and other such things, perhaps as a means of keeping them safe from those who would steal them away. However, in the new era of the Ritsuryo system, those objects, while still considered divine and sacred, did not hold the same value as they once had. Perhaps I'm reading too much into it, but this really seems to me to be particularly illustrative of the idea that the cultural imaginary of state power and authority had shifted. Yamato's power and authority was no longer based on its role as a spiritual powerhouse as much as it was centered on the continental framework of a heavenly mandate and a system of laws and punishments. And so, the sovereign could return the sacred items back to their descendants, because to do so did not cost him anything, and at the same time would no doubt earn him goodwill. He could appear magnanimous and, in so doing, solidify his position as the supreme hegemon of this new state. In many ways this acknowledged the importance of the divine treasures to the people and to the kami while also no doubt reinforcing Confucian stereotypes of the benevolent ruler. More importantly, this shows how Ohoama was restructuring the rituals of the state. After all, he had the Jingikan, an entire governmental department dedicated to administering the various shrines and sacred rituals; so even if the sacred treasures were returned, they were still technically under the control of the state apparatus. We've already talked about the Daijosai, the Feast of First Fruits for a new reign, a central ritual to which Ohoama had added further pomp and circumstance. But as no less a scholar than Herman Ooms has written about, Ohoama also initiated the practice of ordering regular centralized offerings to not just one particular kami, but to several or even a number of kami, or shrines, at any given time. We see this in the following year, on the 23rd day of the first lunar month of 675, in an almost off-hand remark. Later, in the 10th month of 676 offerings were made to all of the "Ahimbe" kami of Heaven and Earth—that is all of kami that were part of the festival of first fruits held on the first day of the rabbit on the 11th lunar month. Offerings were also made to all of the Heavenly and Earthly kami on the second day of the year in 681. Of course, these offerings would not just be enriching the shrines of these various kami, but it would also reflect on the various uji connected to each of those shrines, as well. Another example of the court's involvement in these ritual innovations appears to be the worship of the deities at Tatsuta and Hirose. The first example of that is also in 675, in the 4th month of that year. Prince Mino and Saheki no Muraji no Hirotari were sent to the Wind-gods at Tateno, in Tatsuta. Aston notes that there is a litany to the Wind-gods mentioned in the Engishiki, a 10th century collection of information on various rituals of the time, so this practice seems to have taken hold, at least enough to persist over 3 centuries later. Also in the 4th month of 675, Hashibito no Muraji no Ohobuta and Sone no Muraji no Karainu were sent to worship the Oho-imi deity at Kahawa, in Hirose. The Oho-imi appears to be a "big abstinence" deity, whom Aston identifies with Waka'ukahime, responsible for food. Worship is again paid twice in the year 676, once in 677, then twice again in 679, continuing twice a year, almost exclusively in the 4th and 7th lunar months, through the end of the reign. Why were these particular deities chosen for special worship by the court? Ooms notes that these shrines were built downstream along the Yamato river, which, along with its tributaries, was responsible for the irrigation of the crops in the Nara basin. This mirrors, in some ways, the responsibility of rulers in the Yellow River and Yangzi river regions to help ensure the flow of the rivers while preventing devastating flooding – a very continental idea of the responsibilities of the sovereign, though expressed here with a particularly Japanese style. Indeed, Aston associates the deity at Hirose, with the deity of food. Likewise, the Wind-deities at Tatsuta were also related to helping to grow crops. After all, Tatsuta would have been situated near the break in the mountains that surrounds the Nara basin, where the Yamato River flows out towards the Kawachi plain. As anyone who lives near a mountain gap is no doubt familiar, those areas are notorious for channeling weather phenomena, including storms, which can bring rain, but could also bring terrible winds. So it does seem a natural point to pray for good weather for your harvest or otherwise, given the geography that made up the sovereign's world. We also have, in this reign, considerably more discussion of Ise than we've seen, previously. In 673 we have the Royal Princess Ohoku no Himemiko entering the Saigu, the Abstinence, or Purification, Palace, where she was to be purified before going to Ise, which she did in the 10th lunar month of 674. Ohoku is said to have been the first official Saiou, the unmarried royal princess sent to oversee shrine operations, of Ise Shrine. This is a practice we see at multiple shrines, although it's most prominent at Ise. The term for the position in general is Saiou, although at Ise the royal princess would also be known as the Saiguu, after the purification palace. Although Ohoku is said to have been the first Saiguu at Ise, this is muddied somewhat by some earlier mentions in the Chronicles. There are those who are said to have been sent as Shrine Princesses to Ise back in the time of Mimaki Iribiko and Ikume Iribiko, but the process was largely discontinued—or at least rarely mentioned—until this period. There are certainly several named individuals who are said to have served the Deity of Ise previously, starting with the presumably mythical Yamato Hime, who is credited with founding the shrine. There are also various royal princesses are noted as either having served or as having been made ineligible due to their indiscretions. However, those earlier mentions rarely go into the detail we see here —starting with the abstinence hall, where the would-be Shrine Princess must purify herself prior to approaching the shrine, a process that took some time. Certainly we first really see this put into action with Ohoku, and from that time the position of Saiguu or Saiou at Ise does appear to have been regularly filled. That Ohoku was actually the first "Saiguu" shrine princess appears to be confirmed by the "Fusou Ryakki", which states that the first Saiou was appointed when then Prince Ohoama, in the midst of the Jinshin war, made a prayer to Ise and offered the royal princess Ohoku no Himemiko in exchange for victory. In fact, a lot of the focus on Ise seems to stem from its apparent involvement, at the behest of either Ohoama or his consort, Uno no Sarara Hime, in the conflict. The following year we are told that the Royal Princesses Towochi and Abe proceeded to Ise Shrine as well, though presumably just for a brief visit. Towochi, you may recall, was Ohoama's daughter who had been married to Ohotomo, aka Koubun Tennou, whom Ohoama had defeated to take the throne. Abe was a daughter of Naka no Oe, half-sister to Ohoama's queen, Uno, and would eventually go on to marry the Crown Prince, Kusakabe. That gives you some idea of the position of those were going to the shrine. Princess Towochi herself would fall ill a few years later in 678. In fact, it was just as the sovereign himself was preparing to go pay a visit to the abstinence palace, perhaps so that he could also head out to Ise. The court had a divination to figure out when he would leave, officers had cleared the roads, and the public functionaries were in a line of procession when word came that Princess Towochi, suddenly took ill and died within the palace. This stopped everything in its tracks, and in that year there was no sacrifice made to the kami of heaven and earth. I suspect that this was in part due to mourning and in part due to the pollution more generally associated with death. Two weeks later, she was buried at Akaho, and Ohoama raised a lament for her. Later, in 686, we are told that the Royal Princess Taki, the Princess Yamashiro no Hime, and the Lady Ishikawa were all sent to Ise Shrine, though Princess Taki returned in less than a fortnight. Why all this focus on Ise? Remember that the Chronicles were begun in this era, and so the "truth" they would tell would be the truth that Ohoama and his immediate successors orchestrated. The focus on Amaterasu, her shrine at Ise, and the role of the sovereign as Heavenly Descendant was thus part of the overarching narrative that the Chroniclers tried to promote. Still, hints that the focus on Ise shrine may have been something largely created in this era, however, are scattered throughout the existing literature, despite the Chroniclers' best efforts. For one thing, it is fairly clear that early on, the focus in the Chronicles is on Mt. Miwa and the deity Ohomononushi, rather than Amaterasu. We also see the fingerprints of deities like Takami no Musubi, who in one story is the one who is actually responsible for sending the Heavenly Grandchild down to earth in the first place. It also seems telling that Amaterasu is not mentioned in earlier court rituals. Worship of Amaterasu by the royal family takes place at Ise shrine. Meanwhile, there are various rituals preserved within the traditions of the palace that include many other, seemingly older deities. I have also noted in the past how Ise shrine isn't even the primary shrine of Ise no Kuni. In fact, that is claimed by Tsubaki shrine, the shrine to Saruta Hiko no Ohokami, with a separate shrine to Ame no Uzume, who are both said to have met the heavenly grandchild on his descent. None of this is to say that Ise Jingu was brand new at the time of the Chronicles' writing —there does seem to have been a shrine on that spot for some time, though even the Chronicles suggest that it might have been moved from a shrine originally housed in the Nara basin. It is also possible, and even likely, that the rise of Ise and Amaterasu coincided with other trends at the time. Even if the Sun Goddess had not always been centered in Yamato ritual, she was not a new deity, and it may have been the case that her prominence, and that of her shrine in Ise had been growing in prominence before this time, and so the court was now adopting that popularity for themselves. Of course, Ohoama and Uno don't exactly spell out what they were attempting to achieve, beyond the unification of the archipelago, more broadly. How, exactly, their focus on Ise Shrine was meant to play into that I don't know that I could fully state, but it certainly seems to have allowed the sovereign to create a new cultic focus for kami worship with a story that touched on regions from Kyushu all the way to the eastern shore of the Kii peninsula. Given the decentralized nature of kami worship, I don't believe it was possible to completely rewrite all of the stories—hence the numerous and conflicting accounts given in the Chronicles. However, that is also what would have made it easier to hide newly fabricated—or perhaps simply exaggerated—stories in the mix. And of course, it wasn't necessarily that the Chroniclers were creating things out of whole cloth, but they were able to choose those things that people would remember and what would be lost and forgotten over time. They had to make the decision, for instance, which story they told was the "main" storyline, and which were listed as coming from "other books", implying a degree of separation from the truth. Through all of this, it certainly seems that propping up the royal family and its lineage was a central focus—even if that lineage was largely something that had recently been created. As a reminder, we see a lot heavier reliance at this point on royal princes as opposed to other elite families, and an actual or implied reliance, in particular, on the royal family, as that is where Ohoama was consolidating most of the power and authority. Kitayama Shigeo coined the term "Koushin Seiji" to refer to this idea of a consolidated royal—or imperial—family managing the affairs of state. Literally it is something like "Imperial Family Government". In Shigeo's concept this was specifically an autocratic authority executed by the sovereign, and those of his immediate family. Of course, writing in the post-war era, it is more than a little likely that Shigeo and others were looking at the concept of Tennou in the 20th century compared with many other world monarchs. In that vein, the Asuka and Nara periods do seem to have been one of the rare times—perhaps even the last time—that the sovereigns had such a direct hand in the government and the making and establishment of law and tradition. That said, not everyone ascribes entirely to the idea that Ohoama was a completely autocratic despot—after all, it was clear that there were still plenty of powerful families in the archipelago, and the Ritsuryo state itself was also being strengthened. Still, it does seem that Ohoama had brought his queen, Uno no Sarara, and his descendants into government. And they would not only assist him, but continue his work for the next generations, such that even though the histories would not be finished until well after Ohoama's death, they would still show his influence on events. The dedication of the royal family to work as one is perhaps most clearly demonstrated in the events of the 5th lunar month of 679. It was then that the sovereign, and his family, proceeded to the Yoshino Palace. Now Ohoama had plenty of offspring—among them 10 sons. And as long as he was around, there would be a certain amount of civility, but he knew all too well how things could break down after a sovereign's death. And so he brought them together and he made them enter into a pact, which we know as the Yoshino Covenant, or Yoshino no Meiyaku. Besides Ohoama himself, there were several others in attendance, presumably those who might stand to one day inherit the realm. These included his partner and queen, Uno no Sarara Hime, as well as her son, Prince Kusakabe, who would be named Crown Prince, only a couple of years later. It also included the Royal princes Ohotsu, Takechi, Kawashima, Osakabe, and Shiki. All of these individuals were made to swear an oath to support each other, even though they were all from different mothers, and they agreed. But so what? Why does it matter? It is all well and good that Ohoama brought them together for a bit of kumbaya in his old digs away from the capital, but was there anything really to this covenant. This covenant is significant in several ways. First off, it is clear that Ohoama was pulling in his family and trying to ensure they were onboard with what he was doing and what was planned. Furthermore, it set out a clear line of succession, something that had not really been done up to this point. We have ideas on what would have made a candidate eligible, but other than naming a particular crown prince there hasn't exactly been any clear process or rules of precedence for who would assume the throne. Here, though, we have a list that appears to be in order of precedence, since it otherwise may not seem to make sense, at least from a modern perspective. A key clue in the Chronicles is often the order of the names. The most important or highest ranking person is usually given first, and then names are typically given in descending order of precedence. There are clues that this is the case, but it becomes even more stark when we actually see reference to an individual's court rank or the size of their fief. Since this period brings about court rank even for royal princes, we have some of that, at least in later records. As such, there is the idea that this order was actually providing for a line of succession. As I mentioned, up to this point, the contest for the throne was a toss up with each monarch's death. Claims from competing princes were often considered equally valid until one proved their claim through a political or military victory. Ohoama appears to have been trying to add greater structure to this. Specifically, we see that Uno no Sarara's son, Kusakabe, is given pride of place. In fact, throughout the Chronicle it is typical that we see the Chroniclers designate a queen—a Kougou—that is considered the primary wife. This queen is almost always found to be the descendant of previous royalty, granting their child a doubly royal lineage, through both the maternal and paternal lines. There has been plenty of reason to doubt that this was actually the case, and it often seems like the Chroniclers stretched things more than a bit to make it all work out. However, now we are almost more concerned with the very *truth* that the Chroniclers were attempting to burn into the social consciousness rather than the historical facts, because that gives us direct insight into how the court of the day viewed succession and legitimacy.And that does lead to another possible thought: since the Chroniclers knew how things turned out it is possible that they were the ones ensuring that the order was as we have it. So we cannot definitively say that this exactly mirrors's Ohoama's idea, but it certainly seems in line with his history and intentions and helps set the stage for us, at least, regarding what would later transpire in regards to succession.. Getting back to the covenant, as I noted, the first person listed, after Ohoama and Uno no Sarara Hime, is Prince Kusakabe. He would be about 17 or 18 years old at this time, which is probably why he wasn't formally named Crown Prince until a couple of years later. He isn't the eldest son, however. Rather he was the second son. Ohoama's eldest son, Prince Takechi, was actually third in line. Takechihad been with his father helping to lead the troops during the Jinshin War. While he was some 8 years senior to Kusakabe, he was nonetheless a son of Amago no Musume, one of Ohoama's consorts from a powerful clan, but not a royal princess like Uno no Sarara, Kusakabe's mother. Between Kusakabe and Takechi, in the second place spot for succession, was actually Prince Ohotsu, whom we also mentioned during the Jinshin War. Ohotsu was likely 16-17 years old around this time. While he was the third eldest child, he, like Kusakabe, was the son of a Royal Princess, Princess Ota, daughter of Naka no Oe, giving him greater bonafides than Takechi, apparently. So, in the top three slots, we have: Ohoama's eldest son by a royal mother, Ohoama's second eldest son by a royal mother, and finally Ohoama's eldest son by a non-royal mother. Fourth in line, and the 4th eldest, presumably, though I don't know that we have an actual age for him, is Prince Wosakabe. He likely wasn't too young, however, as he had been given the task, previously, to polish the divine treasures in Isonokami's storehouse. It would appear that six of Ohoama's other sons didn't even get a mention. That includes Princes Naga and Yuge, born to another daughter of Naka no Ohoe, Ohoye no Himemiko. Then there is Prince Toneri, son of Royal Princess Nittabe, not to be confused with Royal Prince Nittabe, Ohoama's son by way of a daughter of Fujiwara no Kamatari. Finally there was Royal Prince Hodzumi, a maternal grandson of Soga no Akaye, and Prince Shiki, a full brother to Prince Wosakabe. Prince Toneri is particularly conspicuous in his absence. We know that he held the 5th rank, and two positions in government—that of Nagon, or Councillor, as well as the Minister of the Household, our Kunaikyou. This may be because he was not doing so well. We aren't told the story until the following year, on the 2nd day of the 7th lunar month of 680, when we are told that Prince Toneri took ill and was on the point of death. His half-brother, Prince Takechi, went to check on him, and a day later Toneri passed away. The way these are written it would be easy to believe that it all happened in a pretty short timeframe, but it is also just as likely that illness lingered, especially without modern medicine. So it is possible that Prince Toneri was too sick at the time of the original covenant, though there could be some other reason we weren't told. This doesn't necessarily hold for all of the others, though. For instance, we have the Princes Naga and Yuge mentioned in 693, well over a decade later, being granted the 2nd Broader Pure Rank at the same time that Prince Takechi is granted the 1st Broader Pure Rank. So we can at least see that they were ranked below Takechi. Similarly we see Prince Hodzumi likewise attained 2nd Broader Pure Rank at some point, and was still around to have his own fief and to receive houses to it in the following reign. Hozumi even ranked above some of the others were in Yoshino, and yet was not present. It is possible that the princes not mentioned, assuming they had not met with an untimely end that was not mentioned in the record somewhere, could have been too young or too junior at the time of the meeting. After all, when we look at the known ages of those who were there, we see that Prince Takechi may have been 25 years old, but Prince Kusakabe and Prince Otsu were just under 20, and it is unclear if others were older or younger than they were. There are two other princes who were part of the covenant who were not, perhaps surprisingly, sons of Ohoama. Rather they were his nephews, sons of Ohoama's brother, Naka no Ohoe. They were the princes Kawashima and Shiki. Kawashima is mentioned several times throughout the record. Kawashima's mother was from a high ranking noble family, but given that Kawashima was married to his cousin, one of Ohoama's daughters, that may have brought him closer to the family. He was about 22 years old at the time, too. We see him often teaming up with Prince Osakabe on various projects, including the project to compile together the history of the royal household. In fact, Prince Kawashima always precedes Prince Osakabe when they are mentioned together. That said, we have evidence of Kawashima only being awarded up to 3rd Greater Pure rank, below even that of some who were not present, such as Prince Hodzumi. His importance and impact, however, is noted through his numerous appearances in the record. In contrast, Prince Shiki has almost no mentions in the record. It doesn't help that there are two Princes Shiki, one born to Naka no Ohoye and one born to Ohoama. Their names are spelled differently, however, and although the first character of "Shiki" used in the Yoshino record matches neither name, the second character suggests that this was the son of Naka no Ohoye and not the Shiki that was brother to Prince Osakabe—though given that one followed the other in the record, there may have been some confusion on this point. And with all of that we have our apparent line of succession, as well as an idea of who the movers and shakers might be within the royal family. From Ohoama and Uno no Sarara, we have Princes Kusakabe, Ohotsu, Takechi, Kawashima, Osakabe, and Shiki. Six princes, four directly descended from the current sovereign, Ohoama, and two from the Naka no Ohoe lineage. Obviously, promoting the idea of a strictly patrilineal succession of father to son would have caused some problems for Ohoama's own legitimacy, not that anyone was going to gainsay him while he was on the throne. However, with Kusakabe they seem to have established that in a de facto format, at least. Furthermore it provided a blueprint for succession might fall to the other lines should the main line not work out. This put Prince Ohotsu as next in line, should anything happen to Kusakabe, followed by Takechi. That Kawashima may have had a shot over Osakabe and then Shiki is interesting as it suggests that it wasn't strictly about who descended from whom. We'll have to wait for Ohoama's death before we can fully appreciate how well this worked, of course. Throughout history, agreements and covenants amongst powerful interests are often only as permanent as long as all of the interests remain aligned with one another, whether through mutual benefit or threat of consequences. Once the power shifts, as it always does, those promises and treaties are almost always up for renegotiation, unless they are supported by some higher authority, whatever that might be. Following the royal family's off-site, they returned to the palace in Asuka. There they had a formal ceremony in the Great Hall, the Ohodono, where the six princes all demonstrated their allegiance and paid respects to Ohoama. Given the timing of this event, one can likely assume that it was a kind of public acknowledgement of the covenant and the agreement that they would all be working together as a united front on the project of the government. And with that, I think we can bring it to a close for now. There is plenty more about this reign to discuss before we move on, but we'll get there. Until then, if you like what we are doing, please tell your friends and feel free to rate us wherever you listen to podcasts. If you feel the need to do more, and want to help us keep this going, we have information about how you can donate on Patreon or through our KoFi site, ko-fi.com/sengokudaimyo, or find the links over at our main website, SengokuDaimyo.com/Podcast, where we will have some more discussion on topics from this episode. Also, feel free to reach out to our Sengoku Daimyo Facebook page. You can also email us at the.sengoku.daimyo@gmail.com. Thank you, also, to Ellen for their work editing the podcast. And that's all for now. Thank you again, and I'll see you next episode on Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.
In the third installment of our seven-part series on the Aspects of Deity, Laylla and Chelle meet the God as the Sage, the Elder, the Lord of Shadows.This is the God after the battle, after the passion, when the fields have been harvested and the world begins to rest. He is the Holly King, the wise face of the Horned God, the keeper of memory and mystery. In him lives the balance between power and surrender, action and reflection, life and death.The witches discuss His folklore and myth, how to know when the God is reaching out to you, and how to start working with a God.So light your candle against the long night, pour a cup of something your grandpa would appreciate, and join Laylla and Chelle as they follow the God into the deep woods of winter, where silence becomes a teacher and the old gods whisper in the dark.We have an Etsy Shop!Got a question? Send the witches a message here!Support the showWant to send us a letter? Witchy things to review?We have a mailing address!Back on the BroomstickPO Box 106Salem MA 01970Email: backonthebroomstick@gmail.comYoutube FacebookInstagramBack on the Broomstick Website
A Reason For Hope with Pastor Scott Richards! Sharing the Word one question of the heart at a time. Tags: The Afterlife, Antichrists, and The Deity of Christ
Should I work with a deity? Do I have to work with deities? How do I know if a deity wants to work with me?These are all questions I've been asked or I've seen asked more than almost anything else in the pagan and witchcraft communities. Over the last two months we've spent our time together on That Witch Podcast building a foundation of knowledge, reference, and context that's been preparing us for this very subject! So I'm very excited to share my thoughts and my experience on working with deities with you.Today's episode is meant to give you a well-rounded understanding to take whatever next steps feel right for you. After listening you may realize you absolutely want to work with a deity, or it may confirm that it's not the path for you—either way, awesome! This isn't a spiritual path that should be taken without deep resonance, reverence, and respect.→ If you listen to this episode and absolutely want to learn more about working with deities in your witchcraft and spiritual practice, I will be teaching a live deities workshop inside my membership, That Witch School! This will be available LIVE to Essentials and All-Access members only, and will be listed later for purchase to the public later this year on my website :)★|| T H E N E I G H B O R H O O D ||Watch full episodes on my YouTube channel!Join us in That Witch School
Bible Studies by Sister Maria Luisa Piraquive – Church of God Ministry of Jesus Christ Int'l
Bible Study: The Deity of Our Lord Jesus Christ - Movistar 4.0 (Part 1)Hosted by Sister Maria Luisa Piraquive, worldwide leader of the ChurchLocation: Bogota, ColombiaDate: August 31, 2025Church of God Ministry of Jesus Christ Internationalhttps://idmji.org/en#IDMJI #CGMJCI #SisterMariaLuisa #Piraquive #BibleStudy
In this episode, Swamiji reveals the profound significance of deity worship in Hinduism. While God is all‑pervading, devotees long for a tangible way to express love—offering garlands, food, and service to the Lord. Through powerful stories of Swami Vivekananda, Madhavendra Puri, and Ramakrishna Paramahansa, Swamiji illustrates how the deity becomes a living presence that accepts and reciprocates devotion. Listeners will learn why deity worship is not about stone or wood, but about the sentiments of the heart; how Shree Krishna personally responds to the love of his devotees; and why the ultimate practice is to install the Lord in one's heart through meditation. This episode uncovers the hidden secret of mūrti pūjā: it is a divine simulator preparing us to serve God eternally in His abode. About Swami Mukundananda: Swami Mukundananda is a renowned spiritual leader, Vedic scholar, Bhakti saint, best‑selling author, and an international authority on the subject of mind management. He is the founder of the unique yogic system called JKYog. Swamiji holds distinguished degrees in Engineering and Management from two of India's most prestigious institutions—IIT and IIM. Having taken the renounced order of life (sanyas), he is the senior disciple of Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj, and has been sharing Vedic wisdom across the globe for decades.
Start with a claim that won't let you shrug: the Father calls the Son God. We walk through Hebrews chapter 1 line by line to see how Scripture itself lifts Jesus above every created being, from angels to kings, and then crowns him with a righteous scepter. If angels refuse worship but Jesus receives it, what does that say about who he is and what he has done?We explore the rich language of radiance and exact representation, unpacking the ancient seal-and-wax imagery that shows the Son bears the very nature of God in human flesh. From identity flows mission: he upholds all things by his powerful word, makes purification for sins, and then sits down at the right hand of Majesty. That seated posture declares the work is finished and the King is enthroned. Along the way, we trace a web of Old Testament citations—Psalms 2, 45, and more—that anchor Trinitarian theology in the Hebrew Scriptures, not in later speculation.This conversation is for listeners who want sturdy, text-driven clarity: Jesus is not a created being, not merely a messenger, and not a rival deity. He is the worthy one whose name is more excellent than the angels, the rightful heir of David's throne, and the ruler with a righteous scepter who loves righteousness and hates lawlessness. For anyone under pressure or tempted to drift, Hebrews 1 offers more than comfort; it offers a captivating vision of Christ that fuels endurance, worship, and hope.If this deep dive strengthened your faith, follow the show, share it with a friend who loves careful Bible study, and leave a rating so more people can rediscover the power and beauty of Hebrews.Support the showThank you for listening!! Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the Bible Please prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve
In the second installment of our seven-part series on the Aspects of Deity, the witches turn their attention to the God in his middle face: the Oak King, the Father, the Warrior, and the beating heart of the Sun at its height. This is the God in his full maturity; strong-backed, green-crowned, and alive with the fierce joy of summer.Laylla and Chelle unpack where this Father/Warrior archetype comes from in modern witchcraft, tracing the Oak King's tangled roots through folklore, Wicca, the Horned God mythos, and the ever-evolving Wheel of the Year. From the midsummer battle with the Holly King, to his role as the wild consort of the Goddess, to his deep connection with the turning of the seasons, the witches explore how this bright, solar force shows up in myth and in lived witchcraft today.They also dig into the bigger question: what does sacred masculinity look like for witches who grew up with Christian Father-God baggage or pop culture's devil-horn stereotypes? The Oak King reminds us that strength can be tender, that passion can be holy, and that the body, sweating, laughing, loving, and alive is a temple all its own. He's the god of green forests and hot sun, the Witch-Father who guards the boundaries of the land and teaches us to walk them with courage.Join us for stories, lore, laughter, and a whole lot of leafy green energy as we meet the God in his middle face,; the Oak King in all his vibrant, responsible, moss-scented glory.Got a question? Send the witches a message here!Support the showWant to send us a letter? Witchy things to review?We have a mailing address!Back on the BroomstickPO Box 106Salem MA 01970Email: backonthebroomstick@gmail.comYoutube FacebookInstagramBack on the Broomstick Website
The more we organize opportunities for everyone to read Prabhupāda's books more thoroughly, more questions are answered, and the more we imbibe Prabhupāda's mood, it's inescapable—and we don't wonder about it. We know directly Prabhupāda has manifested himself as a spiritual hologram right in front of us and spoken to us directly and as intimately as possible—because that's the nature of books. They're miraculous. I'll just make one last point, which is that Śrīla Prabhupāda also wanted us to write. He wrote his books based on the tradition of all the ācāryas, and we're a sampradāya of the book. All ācāryas generally have written and left some literary contribution behind. Sometimes people feel reticent about writing, because they say, “Well, Prabhupāda wrote everything, so we shouldn't write anything.” But you could look at it a different way—and that is, if we don't write, how can we prove what we got from Prabhupāda? At one time, Prabhupāda criticized his colleagues from the other institution he was part of for some time, and asked, “Where are their books?” As Prabhupāda was producing more and more books, he asked, “Where are their books?” Maybe it's not well known, but Prabhupāda strenuously advocated that all of his followers should write. Did you know that? I'll just read you a quote and let Prabhupāda speak for himself. Are you up for this? There's a few here. I took out a few out of many more, just to give a taste. "Formally, all activities were performed in connection with Viṣṇu, but after Satya-yuga, there were symptoms of disrespectful dealings among Vaiṣṇavas. Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has said that a Vaiṣṇava is he who has helped others become Vaiṣṇavas. An example of one who has converted many others into Vaiṣṇavas is Nārada Muni—a powerful Vaiṣṇava who has converted others into Vaiṣṇavas is to be worshiped. But because of material contamination, sometimes an exalted Vaiṣṇava is disrespected by other minor Vaiṣṇavas. When great saintly persons saw this contamination, they introduced worship of the Deity in the temple. This began in Tretā-yuga and was especially predominant in Dvāpara-yuga. But in Kali-yuga, worship of the Deity is being neglected. Therefore, chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra is more powerful than Deity worship. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu set a practical example in that He did not establish any temples or Deities, but He profusely introduced the saṅkīrtana movement. Therefore, Kṛṣṇa consciousness preachers should give more stress to the saṅkīrtana movement—especially by distributing transcendental literature more and more. This helps the saṅkīrtana movement. Whenever there is a possibility to worship the Deity, we may establish many centers. But generally, we should give more stress to the distribution of transcendental literature, for this will be more effective in converting people to Kṛṣṇa consciousness." Okay, that's the preface. And now it gets to something more specific about writing. "It is certainly not good to write literature for money or reputation, but to write books and publish them for the enlightenment of the general populace is real service to the Lord. That was Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī's opinion, and he specifically told his disciples to write books. He actually preferred to publish books rather than establish temples. Temple construction is meant for the general populace and neophyte devotees, but the business of advanced and empowered devotees is to write books... ------------------------------------------------------------ To connect with His Grace Vaiśeṣika Dāsa, please visit https://www.fanthespark.com/next-steps/ask-vaisesika-dasa/ ------------------------------------------------------------
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