Podcasts about Egyptian

Today we're speaking with Kathleen, a writer and single mother who transformed six acres of Vermont farmland into something much more profound than a business strategy. What began as a practical solution—making the land pay for itself after moving from affluent Marin County to rural Vermont—has evolved into a masterclass in heart-centered hospitality and the radical act of leading with generosity of spirit.From the community barn raising that erected her yurt to the profound connections she's discovered through hosting strangers, Kathleen's story challenges everything we think we know about successful hospitality. She's created a unicorn experience not through Egyptian cotton sheets or high-end finishes, but through intentionality, care, and what she calls "tending"—the art of creating spaces where people can exhale into beauty and belonging.In our conversation, we explore how suffering can deepen our capacity for connection, why clear is kind when setting boundaries, and how a generosity of spirit can transform both host and guest. We'll discuss the difference between transactional and relational hosting, why Target sheets can create luxury experiences, and how our current culture's emphasis on protection over connection might be keeping us from the very experiences we crave most.Whether you're just starting your hosting journey or questioning how to maintain heart in an increasingly competitive market, this conversation offers a different path—one that suggests the way we show up is what determines what comes back to us, and that maybe, just maybe, most people are good at their core.Instagram: @vermont.retreatWebsite: https://www.thevermontretreat.comCozy Rock Cabin: https://staycozycabin.holidayfuture.com/listings/311027Cozy Camp Sebec: https://staycozycabin.holidayfuture.com/listings/311051Cozy Rock Website: http://www.staycozycabin.comYouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_FgMwAgvORd1IwlH1nlC9g

Last week, Abdul El-Sayed sat down with Donna to discuss his candidacy for the U.S. Senate!Abdul is running for the U.S. Senate because he believes life in Michigan shouldn't be this hard — or this expensive. After a successful career of making government work for Michiganders, he wants to take his vision to Washington and make the United States Senate work for you. He was born and raised in southeast Michigan and proudly attended public schools where he captained his high school football, wrestling, and lacrosse teams. Abdul was raised by his father, Mohamed, an Egyptian immigrant, and his stepmom, Jackie, whose family has lived in Gratiot County, Michigan, since the 1800s. he graduated from the university of michigan with the highest distinction and played on the wolverines men's lacrosse team. Abdul earned his medical degree from Columbia University on an NIH-funded fellowship and a second doctorate at Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar. Abdul currently lives in Ann Arbor with his wife, Sarah, and their two brilliant young daughters, Emmalee and Serene.To learn more about Adbul El-Sayed and his vision for Michigan, click here.Support the showFollow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. [NIV]

This is Day 2 of Untamed Woman — a 3-day training dedicated to unlocking the power, voice, and visibility of women who are ready to reclaim their full expression.Through two powerful embodiment practices, we reconnect the womb and throat chakras using ancient Egyptian vibrational sound techniques passed down through the mystery schools. These practices are designed to unlock your voice, clear stagnant energy, and restore the flow of your creative, sexual, and expressive power.

In 1 Samuel 29 David will find that his lies and deception have brought him to a dilemma from which there would appear to be no opportunity to escape. The lords of the Philistines had mustered their forces at Aphek in order for a full scale war with Israel. Achish has summoned David and his men to go with them to fight against their enemies. The other 4 lords express their objections believing that should the battle not go in favour of Philistia David could change sides and fight for Israel to reconcile himself to Saul. These lords recount what a thorn in their sides David had been in the past. Achish defends David's loyalty before the lords. However they still insist that David and his men leave the Philistine camp before sunrise - before the battle. David agrees to do this. Once again David's Almighty God has saved him out of an exceptionally dangerous predicament. Chapter 30 sees David and his troop reach a very low point where David despairs of life. As David's troop come to Ziklag they find their town destroyed and burning and strewn with corpses. David's followers are so distraught that they want to blame him for what has happened and to stone him to death. David prays as verse 6 tells us. Never let us forget that no matter how bad things seem to be we can always count on our LORD for support. David then asks counsel from his God by asking Abiathar the priest to find out what the Almighty would have him do. Their Sovereign instructs them to pursue the enemy and that they will recover their families and their wealth. David's company found a sick and starving Egyptian who had been left behind by the Amalekite raiding party. Just think that had Saul destroyed the Amalekites as God had commanded him this catastrophe could not have happened. The Egyptian promised help as long as he was not sold to those Amalekites. Verses 16-20 tell us that just as the Almighty had promised so it came to pass. Two hundred of David's men had minded the luggage whilst the other four hundred had risked their life in battle. The 400 did not wish to share the spoil. David made a rule from that point and beyond the spoil was to be divided evenly whatever part his followers had played in the warfare. David always tried to act with justice and equality for all. David then distributed much of the wealth to the nearby regions with an explanation that it had come from the enemies of Yahweh. In Jeremiah 5 the prophet is told to run through Jerusalem to see if he could find anyone who would walk in the ways of the LORD. If the prophet could find such a person God promised to pardon Judah. However, says Almighty God, He saw only hypocritical lip service - outward worship without any truth. All this despite their Sovereign's discipline. Ezekiel was given a similar task in chapter 9 of that prophecy. The nation had set her face against her Maker. Jeremiah acknowledges that this is true, but claims that the LORD's people are ignorant of His ways. In verse 6 their Omnipotent Judge declares that they would be savaged by the Babylonian lion and that God would observe the nation's actions as closely as a leopard does his prey. In verses 7-9 her Sovereign describes her lascivious behaviour and that Judah's appetite for immorality is unquenchable. Graphic word pictures are used by her God. Verses 10-13 outline the vast extent of the coming judgments - even the prophets would be destroyed (excepting Jeremiah as we shall find out later). In verses 14-17 the LORD describes the arrogance and ruthlessness of the Babylonians. He also speaks of the destruction that would be brought upon Judah. The Babylonians would show no mercy. Verses 18-25 reveal that Yahweh, in contrast to Babylon, would show mercy in sparing Judah and saving a remnant. Verses 26-29 speak of the treacherous behaviours of the Judeans among themselves. God says that such actions cannot go unpunished. In verses 30-31 God describes the perverse practices of the priests and ruler. Sadly, says the prophet, the people not only tolerate it, but want it to be that way.  The 16th chapter of Matthew shows the incapacity of the nation's rulers to see what was happening in their midst. This is followed by a treatise on the deception contained in corrupt teachings; whose pervasive influence rapidly permeates like leaven. Next comes the greatest confession by Peter, upon which rock-like foundation the entire ecclesia is built - namely, that "Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God" (see John 6verses 68-69; Ephesians 2 verses 20-21). Our Lord Jesus next explicitly explains to his Apostles his coming sufferings, death and resurrection on the third day. Our Lord Jesus Christ's resurrection was the sign of the prophet Jonah. That prophet spent 3 days in the belly of the whale which in Jonah's prayer is called the belly of hell: Jonah 2 verses 1-2. The Apostle Paul says that this proved the Lord Jesus Christ's divine Sonship: Romans 1 verses 4; Ephesians 1 verses 15-22. The Apostle Peter reminds us of the same matter: Acts 2 verses 22-36. The chapter concludes with a final appeal to each believer to take up our stake - Greek "staurus" - and follow our Lord through suffering even unto death should that be our lot.

QUOTES FOR REFLECTION “Of all the passions, the passion for the Inner Ring is most skillful in making a man who is not yet a very bad man do very bad things.…you may be quite sure of this. Unless you take measures to prevent it, this desire is going to be one of the chief motives of your life, from the first day on which you enter your profession until the day when you are too old to care. That will be the natural thing—the life that will come to you of its own accord. Any other kind of life, if you lead it, will be the result of conscious and continuous effort.”~C.S. Lewis (1898-1963) in The Inner Ring“Look, the insidious thing about these forms of worship…is that they are unconscious. They are default-settings. They're the kind of worship you just gradually slip into, day after day, getting more and more selective about what you see and how you measure value without ever being fully aware that that's what you're doing. And the world will not discourage you from operating on your default-settings, because the world of men and money and power hums along quite nicely on the fuel of fear and contempt and frustration and craving and the worship of self. Our own present culture has harnessed these forces in ways that have yielded extraordinary wealth and comfort and personal freedom. The freedom to be lords of our own tiny skull-sized kingdoms, alone at the center of all creation.”“The really important kind of freedom involves attention, and awareness, and discipline, and effort, and being able truly to care about other people and to sacrifice for them, over and over, in myriad petty little unsexy ways, every day. That is real freedom. The alternative is unconsciousness, the default-setting, the ‘rat race' — the constant gnawing sense of having had and lost some infinite thing.”~David Foster Wallace (1962-2008), American author and professor“What can strip the seeming beauty,From the idols of the earth?Not a sense of right or duty,But the sight of peerless worth.”~Lyrics to hymn “Hast Thou Heard Him, Seen Him, Known Him?”SERMON PASSAGEHebrews 11:23-31 (ESV)23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king's edict. 24 By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, 25 choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26 He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. 27 By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them. 29 By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned. 30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. 31 By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.

Because of the safety and surety of the Gospel promises, we have the freedom to be transformed entirely. Genesis 44:14-18, 32-34, 45:1-3 [14] When Judah and his brothers came to Joseph's house, he was still there. They fell before him to the ground. [15] Joseph said to them, “What deed is this that you have done? Do you not know that a man like me can indeed practice divination?” [16] And Judah said, “What shall we say to my lord? What shall we speak? Or how can we clear ourselves? God has found out the guilt of your servants; behold, we are my lord's servants, both we and he also in whose hand the cup has been found.” [17] But he said, “Far be it from me that I should do so! Only the man in whose hand the cup was found shall be my servant. But as for you, go up in peace to your father.” [18] Then Judah went up to him and said, “Oh, my lord, please let your servant speak a word in my lord's ears, and let not your anger burn against your servant, for you are like Pharaoh himself.  [32] For your servant became a pledge of safety for the boy to my father, saying, ‘If I do not bring him back to you, then I shall bear the blame before my father all my life.' [33] Now therefore, please let your servant remain instead of the boy as a servant to my lord, and let the boy go back with his brothers. [34] For how can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? I fear to see the evil that would find my father.” [1] Then Joseph could not control himself before all those who stood by him. He cried, “Make everyone go out from me.” So no one stayed with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers. [2] And he wept aloud, so that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard it. [3] And Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed at his presence.

Jesus Delivered Us (4) (audio) David Eells – 7/13/25 Saints, I'm going to continue speaking about how Jesus has delivered us and begin by talking about the spirit of fear. The great shakings coming across the world in these days, including America, are being used by the devil to try to bring fear upon God's people. He likes to use things that we see and hear to bring fear upon us. It's as if the devil or demons of fear stand right there until something happens, then immediately pounce on us. Have you ever felt the spirit of fear come over you just like a blanket? Don't pacify it. You are meant to make war against that. Fear is another one of the devil's big guns. We previously studied skorpizo spirits, the “scorpion” spirits whose job it is to penetrate and to put to flight. Scorpion spirits cause a person to be fearful or anxious and to flee from the devil. And we know that when this happens, that person is no threat against his kingdom, but the Bible says, (2Ti.1:7) For God gave us not a spirit of fearfulness; but of power and love and discipline. (The Greek word there is sophron, meaning “sober-minded, self-controlled.”) God did not give us a spirit of fearfulness, however, if a person is walking in willful disobedience, it is hard to fight off fear because (1Jn.3:21) … if our heart condemn us not, we have boldness toward God. The only righteous fear is the fear of the Lord. But, if a spirit of fear comes upon you, you know that you are not to accept it. You should not give in to it, or pacify it, or even think about it. If you do, it's going to conquer you by penetrating your “armor” and putting you to flight. (Eph.6:16) Withal taking up the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil [one]. God describes it in so many different ways. Let me share now a portion of “The Testimony of John G. Lake During the Bubonic Plague.” Now watch the action of the law of life. Faith belongs to the law of life. Faith is the very opposite of fear. Faith has the opposite effect in spirit, and soul, and body. Faith causes the spirit of man to become confident. It causes the mind of man to become restful, and positive. A positive mind repels disease. Consequently, the emanation of the Spirit destroys disease germs. And because we were in contact with the Spirit of life, I and a little Dutch fellow with me went out and buried many of the people who had died from the bubonic plague. We went into the homes and carried them out, dug the graves and put them in. Sometimes we would put three or four in one grave. We never took the disease. Why? Because of the knowledge that the law of life in Christ Jesus protects us. That law was working. Because of the fact that a man by that action of his will, puts himself purposely in contact with God, faith takes possession of his heart, and the condition of his nature is changed. Instead of being fearful, he is full of faith. Instead of being absorbent and drawing everything to himself, his spirit repels sickness and disease. The Spirit of Christ Jesus flows through the whole being, and emanates through the hands, the heart, and from every pore of the body.  During that great plague that I mentioned, they sent a government ship with supplies and corps of doctors. One of the doctors sent for me, and said, “What have you been using to protect yourself? Our corps has this preventative and that, which we use as protection, but we concluded that if a man could stay on the ground, as you have, and keep ministering to the sick and burying the dead, you must have a secret. What is it?” I answered, “Brother, that is the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. I believe that just as long as I keep my soul in contact with the living God so that His Spirit is flowing into my soul and body, that no germ will ever attach itself to me, for the Spirit of God will kill it.” He asked, “Don't you think that you had better use our preventatives?” I replied, “No, but doctor, I think that you would like to experiment with me. If you will go over to one of these dead people and take the foam that comes out of their lungs after death, then put it under the microscope, you will see masses of living germs. You will find they are alive until a reasonable time after a man is dead. You can fill my hand with them and I will keep it under the microscope, and instead of these germs remaining alive, they will die instantly.” They tried it and found it was true. They questioned, “What is that?” I replied, “That is the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. When a man's spirit and a man's body are filled with the blessed presence of God, it oozes out of the pores of your flesh and kills the germs.” Suppose, on the other hand, my soul had been under the law of death, and I were in fear and darkness? The very opposite would have been the result. The result would have been that my body would have absorbed the germs, these would have generated disease and I would have died. You who are sick, put yourself in contact with God's law of life. Read His Word with the view of enlightening your heart so that you will be able to look up with more confidence and believe Him. Pray that the Spirit of God will come into your soul, take possession of your body, and its power will make you well. That is the exercise of the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. Amen! Saints, the only fear we should have is the fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10), and if we fear the Lord, we will depart from unrighteousness. (2Ti.2:19) Howbeit the firm foundation of God standeth, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his: and, Let every one that nameth the name of the Lord depart from unrighteousness. Any other fear, including the fear of man, brings a snare. Our Lord Jesus said in (Mat.9:29) … According to your faith be it done unto you. Fear is negative faith. Fear is faith in the curse, faith in the devil, faith in failure. Look what Job said in (Job 3:25) For the thing which I fear cometh upon me, And that which I am afraid of cometh unto me. Our fears come to pass just like our faiths come to pass, but the Bible tells us in (Rev.21:7) He that overcometh shall inherit these things… The Lord is speaking of the new heaven and the new earth and all the great blessings that He has provided for His people, and He's implying here that if you don't overcome, you are not going to inherit these things. Some people don't think we have anything to overcome. They say, “Jesus overcame it all,” which is true, but Jesus overcame so that we could overcome as we learn to abide in Him by faith. And as we abide in Him, we'll see our works of faith manifested because, according to the Bible (Jas.2:26) … faith apart from works is dead. Overcomers are sons of God; they will inherit the Kingdom. (Rev.21:7) He that overcometh shall inherit these things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. (8) But for the fearful, and unbelieving (The words “fearful” and “unbelieving” are related to each other, because if you are fearful, you are unbelieving. Notice also that you are not an overcomer unless you have overcome these very opposite things.) and abominable, and murderers, and fornicators, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, their part [shall be] in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone; which is the second death. Fearfulness and unbelief are grouped right in there with really abhorrent sins. Many people consider fear to be just a weakness and so they pacify it, but as we've seen, (2Ti.1:7) … God gave us not a spirit of fearfulness… Fear is more than a weakness; it's a sin. It's called (Heb.3:12) … an evil heart of unbelief, in falling away from the living God. Fear is something all of God's people need to learn to make war against whenever we feel its presence or have those thoughts. Fear will cause us to give up the fight of faith and run from the devil. It causes us to lose ground. We just read that the fearful and the unbelieving are listed among the wicked. There's a part in every one of us that's wicked; it's that “old man” that we want to overcome (Romans 6:6; Colossians 3:9; Ephesians 4:22-24). The Bible says in (Gal.5:17) For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are contrary the one to the other; that ye may not do the things that ye would. The flesh and spirit war against one another. This is a war that's going on in every one of us, and we can win the war through faith in the overcoming victory that Jesus had at the Cross. (1Co.15:22) For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. When Christ was resurrected, we received His resurrection life. And when He overcame, we also overcame. We were crucified with Christ (Galatians 2:20), and even the old man was put to death with Christ (Romans 6:6), but we have to hold on to our faith to see it manifested in the physical realm. It has been given unto us and we can overcome to receive. In Job 15 we see this awesome revelation again; he says the man who is fearful is being wicked. We should know that we need to fight against this spirit. (Job 15:20) The wicked man travaileth with pain all his days, Even the number of years that are laid up for the oppressor. (21) A sound of terrors is in his ears; In prosperity the destroyer shall come upon him. What are the words we hear the most nowadays? They are “terror” and “terrorist.” It's interesting that in these last days, these are very common words. Terror is coming upon the prosperous. (Job 15:22) He believeth not that he shall return out of darkness, And he is waited for of the sword. The wicked are in terror, not believing that they will return out of darkness. The Gospel, the Good News, is that we are delivered out of the power of darkness and into the Kingdom of the Son of His love (Colossians 1:13). That's the Good News that we're supposed to believe, but the wicked don't believe this. They live in terror. (Job 15:23) He wandereth abroad for bread, [saying,] Where is it? He knoweth that the day of darkness is ready at his hand. (24) Distress and anguish make him afraid; They prevail against him, as a king ready to the battle. The wicked are conquered by fear. The devil conquers and rules them. If you are ruled by fear, if you act according to your fear, then you're submitting to the devil's kingdom. You are not submitting to God because He has not given us a spirit of fearfulness (2 Timothy 1:7). If you are ruled by fear, you are not ruled by God and you are in idolatry because you are having faith in the devil. Why does fear come upon the wicked? (Job 15:25) Because he hath stretched out his hand against God, And behaveth himself proudly against the Almighty. Fear comes because they are acting against God, and so He has delivered them over to this fear. It's part of the judgment that comes upon them. God turns over to the devil those who walk in sin, even Kingdom people. We discovered earlier that Jesus said (Mat.18:35) … if ye forgive not every one his brother from your hearts, … His Father would deliver you over to the tormentors (Matthew 18:34). The wicked world is already delivered over to the devil and they live in fear and anxiety under the tormentors, but the righteous are supposed to be coming out of darkness. They are believing God to come out of the kingdom of darkness. The wicked do not believe this, so they live under the tormentors. We are told in (1Jn.3:21) Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, we have boldness toward God; (22) and whatsoever we ask we receive of him, because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing in his sight. If we have a clear conscience with God, we are bold; we don't have fear. God is not going to permit fear to come upon a person who has a clear conscience. If it does come, it comes to be a trial unto you, and your boldness is the very thing that will vanquish it. (Pro.28:1) The wicked flee when no man pursueth; But the righteous are bold as a lion. Fear is natural and normal to the wicked. Who are the wicked? They are those people, Christians or not, who sin. If a person is walking in sin, they are wicked, and they will not have any boldness toward God and His benefits because their conscience condemns them. If you want a defense against fear in the days to come, you must have a clear conscience. When you see or hear things that are fearful, that's usually when the devil pounces. He wants to overcome you so that all you can do is keep running from him. Jesus told us that if we are not plundering the devil's kingdom, we are going to be running from him. Guilt is also a demon, and guilt can deliver you over to fear. That's what happened to Adam. (Gen.2:16) And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: (17) but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. Adam had only one commandment to keep but he broke it, and then what happened? (Gen.3:7) And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. “Naked” here represents the guilt of sin. They did not know they were naked until they partook of the knowledge of good and evil, but now they were made sinners because they knew they had broken God's law, so guilt was the first thing they received here. (Gen.3:7) And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig-leaves together, and made themselves aprons. They were attempting to cover their guilt with self-works, yet, as we know, without the shedding of blood, there is no covering for our sins (Hebrews 9:22). (Gen.3:21) And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife coats of skins, and clothed them. So God slew animals for their covering. He didn't accept their works to alleviate their guilt. (Gen.3:8) And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden. Many people are hiding because of their guilt. They don't want to face God. They don't like to read the Word because it condemns them. They don't know the great sacrifice the Lord has made for them in order for them to be given grace to overcome. Without this knowledge, they feel bad when they face themselves. They feel bad when they face the Word. They're hiding from God because of their guilt, and even many Christians are doing the same thing. (Gen.3:9) And the Lord God called unto the man, and said unto him, Where art thou? (10) And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. Guilt brings fear. If you don't want to be overcome by fear, you need to confess your sins. (1Jn.1:9) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. We need to repent and confess our sins. We need to have faith that Jesus has given us authority over this old flesh. I'd like to point out here that if you don't know what the Gospel says, you can have what I call “false” guilt. For instance, if you don't know that your sins are covered, you may feel guilty about something from your past, from before you were saved. Of course, the devil will try to use that false guilt against you, but he will fail if you get in the Word and stand in faith on the promises. This is another one of his tactics to keep you from God and finding out the truth about your salvation and the authority you've been given over the devil. The real Good News is that the Lord wants to live the Christian life in us. Many people are living under the bondage of guilt, although there's no reason to do so because the real Good News is that He has already set us free. But if you have guilt, the devil can use that. He can bring fear upon you to conquer you because you don't have that boldness toward God. Sometimes the Lord just lets the devil take advantage of us until we're so far down that we're finally willing to look up, until we're finally willing to get our eyes on Him and to have faith in what He has accomplished at the Cross. Faith that brings obedience gives us victory over fear. Here's a good example: (Lev.26:13) I am the Lord your God, who brought you forth out of the land of Egypt (Spiritually speaking, “Egypt” represents the world. As Christians, we've been delivered from bondage to the world and from bondage to the “old man,” who is the Egyptian.) that ye should not be their bondmen; and I have broken the bars of your yoke, and made you go upright. This is basically the Gospel, isn't it? We have been delivered from bondage; we have been made free from sin (Romans 8:2-3). We are no longer in bondage to the old man, but so many people are constantly plundered by the devil because they are rebellious against God's Word. (Lev.26:14) But if ye will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these commandments (Now notice how many times He repeats the same thing.); (15) and if ye shall reject my statutes, and if your soul abhor mine ordinances, so that ye will not do all my commandments, but break my covenant; (16) I also will do this unto you: I will appoint terror over you (God delivers people who are rebellious against His Word over to fear.), even consumption and fever, that shall consume the eyes, and make the soul to pine away; and ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it. (When people are delivered over to fear, they have no boldness to come against the devil. They don't understand why they are devoured by the devourer, as Malachi 3 talks about.) (17) And I will set my face against you, and ye shall be smitten before your enemies: they that hate you shall rule over you; and ye shall flee when none pursueth you. Also, (Pro.28:1) The wicked flee when no man pursueth; But the righteous are bold as a lion. God appoints terror over the rebellious, both His rebellious people and those of the world. They are ripe for it. Terror happening in these days is something that God has loosed through the devil to motivate people to run to Him. He wants us to run to repentance and faith in boldness, so that we may be delivered of these things. Fear brings us back into bondage. Fear is bondage to the devil. Fear will bring us right back to bondage in Egypt. The Bible speaks of this. (Deu.28:64) And the Lord will scatter thee among all peoples, from the one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth… Many people don't realize that everything that happened to Israel in the natural happens to the Church in a spiritual way. The Church was called to be one holy nation. (1Pe.2:9) But ye are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for [God's] own possession, that ye may show forth the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: (10) who in time past were no people, but now are the people of God: who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. We were grafted into the olive tree called “all Israel” (Romans 11:17-26). We are one people, but we have been divided and scattered. The Lord speaks against the shepherds who scatter the flock (Jeremiah 23:1-4; Ezekiel 34:1-10). We've been brought into bondage to the nations of the world and now God is calling us out of those nations to our one holy nation of spiritual Israel. We have been called out from among them (Isaiah 52:11; Jeremiah 51:45; John 10:3; etc.), but when we rebel against God, He brings us under the spirit of fear and we go back into bondage. (Deu.28:64) And the Lord will scatter thee among all peoples, from the one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth; and there thou shalt serve other gods, which thou hast not known, thou nor thy fathers, even wood and stone. The root word there for “gods” means “mighty” or “mighty ones.” Who are the Church's “mighty” ones? If you want to know what “gods” a church is serving, stop and think about it. Much of the Church, by their own actions, prove that they trust in their government, they trust in their military, in their doctors, and in their bank accounts. The churches trust in these “mighty ones” because they are in bondage to the nations of the world, instead of being the nation of spiritual Israel. God has called us out of that bondage. He delivered us out of Egypt that we might be His holy nation. (Deu.28:65) And among these nations shalt thou find no ease, and there shall be no rest for the sole of thy foot: but the Lord will give thee there a trembling heart (When you're living in the world, He's going to give you fear. God says this over and over. We need to fear “living in the world” and “living like the world” because there is no eternal life there. We are not of this world and we've been chosen out of the world (John 15:19). Nothing but the curse is there.), and failing of eyes, and pining of soul; (66) and thy life shall hang in doubt before thee; and thou shalt fear night and day (It's obvious this is coming to pass in these days.), and shalt have no assurance of thy life. (There is nothing but fear, just fear.) (67) In the morning thou shalt say, Would it were even! and at even thou shalt say, Would it were morning! for the fear of thy heart which thou shalt fear, and for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see. (Deu.28:68) And the Lord will bring thee into Egypt again… Do you know what brought God's people into Egypt the first time? It was because most of Jacob's sons were not obedient to their father. They didn't like that Joseph was sent to watch over them (Gen.37:2) … and Joseph brought the evil report of them unto their father. They also persecuted the righteous Joseph (Genesis 37:4,14). So God sent them into Egypt where they spent four hundred years in bondage. (Deu.28:68) And the Lord will bring thee into Egypt again with ships, by the way whereof I said unto thee, Thou shalt see it no more again (God's command is that we never go back to Egypt, never go back into bondage to the old man {Deuteronomy 17:16}.): and there ye shall sell yourselves unto your enemies for bondmen and for bondwomen, and no man shall buy you. He sends fear when men go back into bondage to the old man and then instead of trusting in God, they take control themselves. Who is “self”? It's the old man. When “self” is ruling, the old man is ruling and you are back into bondage once again. The Egyptian who once ruled over the Israelite is now ruling over him again. Fear is one of the devil's big guns in order to bring you into bondage. People will do many things when they fear. Even Christians can be brought to killing their fellow man because they have a fear of death, so they do what is totally contrary to the Word of God. We are to rest, to trust, in God. We are to believe that He has healed and delivered us. Fear causes people to go back into bondage where they have no strength to stand and so they run from their enemies, but God delivered us from this. We are not in bondage anymore. We believe the Gospel and we need to believe it in order to come out of darkness, as we just read here. Somebody who has fear doesn't believe that they can come out of darkness because they don't believe the Gospel. Somebody who has fear believes the devil's lies; they believe the curse. We believe that God has separated us unto Himself to protect, heal, deliver, and provide for us, contrary to the rest of the world. The devil is making war on the people of God by using the things that they see and hear in order to bring them into bondage, but the devil cannot get a foothold if we walk by faith in obedience. That's our greatest strength. The Lord asks, (Pro.1:22) How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? (He's talking negatively here about being simple in the knowledge of God, simple in the knowledge of the Word.) And scoffers delight them in scoffing, And fools hate knowledge? (This is the simplicity part; they hate knowledge.) (23) Turn you at my reproof: Behold, I will pour out my spirit upon you; I will make known my words unto you. The two things we desperately need are the Word of God sown in our heart, which brings forth the fruit of Christ, and the Power of God's Spirit. He's offering us tremendous gifts here, yet sometimes we're not interested and sometimes we wait too long. (Pro.1:24) Because I have called, and ye have refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man hath regarded; (25) But ye have set at nought all my counsel, And would none of my reproof: (26) I also will laugh in [the day of] your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh (He didn't say “if your fear cometh,”; He said, “when your fear cometh.” If you continue to reject His Word and Spirit beyond the time of God's patience, this fear will come upon you.); (Pro.1:27) When your fear cometh as a storm (We are going to see this in days to come. Multitudes of people of the earth are going to be swayed this way and that way because of fear, and they will be moved to do terrible things because of fear.), And your calamity cometh on as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish come upon you. (28) Then will they call upon me, but I will not answer; They will seek me diligently, but they shall not find me: (29) For that they hated knowledge, And did not choose the fear of the Lord. The Bible teaches us in (Pro.16:6) … And by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil. You cannot have fear of the Lord and fear of the devil at the same time. If you fear the Lord, that's a good fear because if we fear the Lord, we will serve Him. If we fear the devil, we cannot serve God because we're too busy serving the devil and that's why fear is part of the devil's plan. God says, (Pro.1:30) They would none of my counsel; They despised all my reproof. (31) Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, And be filled with their own devices. (32) For the backsliding of the simple shall slay them (Notice that no man slays him. His own backsliding slays him.), And the careless ease of fools shall destroy them. (Pro.1:33) But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell securely (If we are seeking to be obedient to the Lord with our faith in Him, trusting in His grace, He empowers us to obey. That's a place of security.), And shall be quiet without fear of evil. The Lord promises this to those who are obedient because of their faith, and obedience is the fruit of faith. (Jas.2:17) Even so faith, if it have not works, is dead in itself. These are not our works; these are God's works in us and they are the fruit of faith. He says, (Pro.1:33) But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell securely, And shall be quiet without fear of evil. Those who are obedient because of their faith will be without fear. This is because they have received grace through their faith to be so, but the rest will go under a spirit of bondage. Fear is a spirit of bondage. Let's look now at (Rom.8:12) So then, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh: (13) for if ye live after the flesh, ye must die; but if by the Spirit ye put to death the deeds of the body, ye shall live. (14) For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. (15) For ye received not the spirit of bondage again unto fear; but ye received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Jews railed at Jesus for calling God His Father. Jewish scholars say that no servant would dare call the head of a household “Abba,” or “Father.” This is the cry of somebody who has a father-child relationship, and so He says, (Rom.8:14) For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. (15) For ye received not the spirit of bondage again unto fear; but ye received the spirit of adoption. The word “adoption” here is huiothesias, and it means “son-placing.” When we are adopted, we are “placed” as sons. God adopts children who are servants. Apostle Paul told us in (Gal.4:7) … thou art no longer a bondservant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God. A child is a servant, but God adopts them as sons. We are growing into sonship. We are bearing the fruit of the Son, Jesus Christ, and as the Son, Jesus Christ, comes to live in us, we progressively manifest our sonship. You are either submitted to the Spirit of God as a son, or you are under the spirit of bondage unto fear. Fear is bondage. Fear rules and reigns in people who have it. They cannot get control of themselves; terror causes them to run mindlessly before the devil, who is ruling over them. We are going to see very crazy things happen in this world because of fear, and that includes seeing Christians not behaving as Christians because of fear, yet all that God asks us to do is a minor thing. He wants us to walk by faith. It is something that has already been paid for by the Lord; in (Col.1:13) who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love. And if we walk by faith in Him, we will be able to cast down fear. Faith gives us the power to walk the walk. The Lord came to deliver us from the power of death. (Heb.2:14) Since then the children are sharers in flesh and blood, he also himself in like manner partook of the same; that through death he might bring to nought him that had the power of death, that is, the devil (There it is; we've been delivered.); (15) and might deliver all them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. Worldly people do the things they do because of bondage to the fear of death, but Christians are not supposed to be in that bondage. Read that verse again. (Heb.2:14) Since then the children are sharers in flesh and blood, he also himself in like manner partook of the same; that through death he might bring to nought him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; (15) and might deliver all them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. Jesus came to deliver us from the fear of death, so that we wouldn't be subject to bondage all of our life. He came to deliver us from the fear of death and He accomplished that deliverance when He bore our sins upon Himself. Years ago I was on my roof, working on the second story of my house when it started to rain and I started to get down and stepped on the ladder, which was now resting on the wet deck. I fell sideways so fast and hit the deck. I immediately reached for my right shoulder, which felt like a limp bag of broken bones. I had a terrible pain in my side. An angel told me later that I had injured three internal organs. Michael heard me and came out and prayed for me. I was due to preach a broadcast. I believe it was adrenalin that caused me to get up and go do it. I didn't know at that time how bad I was hurt. I had broken three ribs, which caused great pain when I moved my rib cage and muscles. The saints came and prayed for me. My heart began to do strange things and skipping beats. When I realized I was dying, the thought of meeting the Lord gave me great joy and expectation. By the grace of God I never had fear. I joked with the saints who were looking at me wide-eyed.  I cried, “My father, my father, the chariots and horsemen of Israel!” 2Ki. 2:12, as though I could see them coming to get me and take me to heaven. When I saw they were taking me seriously, I laughed.  Long story short, they prayed me through and I had to stay. I raised my arms in praise when I knew my crushed shoulder would not permit this and it began to come together with everything else. God's grace is wonderful. We've seen from Revelation 21 that fear is sin. He bore the sin of fear and now you don't have to put up with fear anymore because He delivered you from that darkness. He bore upon Himself that curse. We have authority over fear because of what Jesus did at the Cross. We can say, “No!” to fear. Many of you have experienced this. You have rebuked fear. You have denied, and have refused to listen to fear. We have total authority over fear. When fear comes upon us, it is to bring us into bondage and cause us to serve it. Many times the fear of death causes us to do things we would not normally do. When my oldest son was being born at home, and it came time for birth, we discovered that he was breech, one foot was coming out first. When I saw that little toe come out first, it was like the devil was just waiting for me to see it and to jump on me with the spirit of fear. You know, the devil tells you everything bad that's going to happen unless you go back to trusting in man or doing it the way of the world, but the Lord wanted me to have a lesson of trusting in Him. So when I saw that little toe and felt the spirit of fear come in that room, I said, “No! We are going to stop right here and we are going to pray. We bind you spirit of fear and cast you out.” We commanded that demon to “Go, in the Name of Jesus Christ!” and it did. Then we were no longer in bondage because of this fear of death. And so our son was born. The fear of death can be more than just the fear of physical death. Many people fear death to self. They fear giving up their old life, so the devil is able to keep them in bondage. Through the fear of death, he keeps us running to the world and its ways and methods. Jesus came to set us free from fear of death, and since we know that He did set us free from fear of death, now we have authority over fear. That's not the case if you're walking in sin, because then you have no boldness. You won't be able to deny fear; it will overcome you. If you're walking by faith in God, you have authority over fear and you can cast it down. It will have to submit to you because of what Jesus did. He gave you authority over all the power of the enemy. (Luk.10:19) Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall in any wise hurt you. One thing we do to conquer fear is refuse to listen to it. Returning to when our first son was born, he was born a footling breech, the doctors do not believe God can deliver a baby that has one foot up and one down and wrong side up. Some people don't even know it's possible because they always do a Caesarean section in these cases. After we ran off the spirit of fear, I commanded that baby to “Come out in the Name of Jesus!” and that baby was born a footling breech. God can do anything! Glory be to God! His Power is awesome, but if you have fear, you don't have faith in God. Instead, your faith is in the devil. You have faith in the curse and God's power is not going to be manifested for you. We have to learn not to listen to the voice of the devil. (Psa.55:3) Because of the voice of the enemy, Because of the oppression of the wicked; For they cast iniquity upon me, And in anger they persecute me. (4) My heart is sore pained within me: And the terrors of death are fallen upon me. (All these things are true.) (5) Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, And horror hath overwhelmed me. These awful things had happened because he listened to the voice of the enemy. Just don't listen! We should pray that God will always bring to our remembrance the things that He has said unto us (John 14:26). (Isa.26:3) Thou wilt keep [him] in perfect peace, [whose] mind [is] stayed [on thee;] because he trusteth in thee. We hold fast to the Word so that when fear comes, we recognize that it's a spirit because it says in (2Ti.1:7) for God gave us not a spirit of fearfulness… We can say, “God has not given me a spirit of fear; this is the devil. I can stop this. I can take authority. I can have victory over this. I do not need to listen to this, as though it were me, because it is not me.” We cast down these thoughts. The Bible tells us that we can fill ourselves with thoughts that give us peace. (Php.4:8) Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true (When the spirit of fear comes, we know it's the devil's telling us a lie, something contrary to Scriptures. We're not supposed to listen to it.), whatsoever things are honorable, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Remember what happened when 10 of the 12 men who were sent to spy out the Promised Land brought back a bad report (Numbers 13:1-24). Their report caused the people to fear the giants and made the people's hearts to melt (Numbers 13:25-33; 14:1-4). Well-meaning people can bring us a bad report, but if something is contrary to God's Word, we need to cast it out and cast it down. Be wary if you've made somebody your god. Be wary if you've made medicine or doctors your god. Be wary when they bring you the bad report. Remember, (1Pe.2:24) … by whose stripes ye were healed. How can you be sick? You can't be sick because you were healed, so cast that thought down. Cast that bad report down, because if fear causes you to accept that, then that's what you'll have. Jesus said, (Mat.9:29) … According to your faith be it done unto you. When they bring that bad report, what happens is that fear comes into your being. The devil is sitting there, just waiting for you to hear what this guy has to say, and when you accept it, fear jumps on you. The devil knows that you're going to have a testimony if you stand fast in your faith. He's attacking you to keep you from being delivered from this curse, from being delivered out of this darkness. He's attacking you to keep you from walking by faith in the Lord. What does the Word tell us to do instead? (Php.4:8) … If there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. (In other words, take account of these things.) (9) The things which ye both learned and received and heard and saw in me, these things do: and the God of peace shall be with you. He's the God of peace. Scripture talks about our warfare. It tells us to cast down (2Co.10:5) … imaginations, and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. Bring every thought into captivity to Christ, because if we will learn to do this and be consistent, fear will never have a foothold. We will conquer it. God is omnipotent. (Php.2:13) For it is God who worketh in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure. We do not have to give in to the thoughts of the devil. We can cast them down. Remember what God said about the voice of the enemy. (Psa.55:3) Because of the voice of the enemy … (4) … the terrors of death are fallen upon me. That is the devil when he comes to you. We do not have to put up with this. Some of you have listened to things and read things that are bringing fear into your life. They're not building faith in you for the days to come. You should not read or listen to the voice of the devil. He'll use people to give you things that put fear into your heart, but don't listen to or look at the devil's lies. (Isa.8:9) Make an uproar, O ye peoples, and be broken in pieces; and give ear, all ye of far countries: gird yourselves, and be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and be broken in pieces. A great tumult is coming over the world in these days, saints. (10) Take counsel together, and it shall be brought to nought; speak the word, and it shall not stand: for God is with us. Immanuel is with us. It's not our power; it's His Power in us! (Col.1:27) which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Let's go now to (Isa.8:11) For the Lord spake thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me not to walk in the way of this people, saying, (12) Say ye not, A conspiracy, concerning all whereof this people shall say, A conspiracy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be in dread [thereof]. I know Christians who study conspiracies all the time and it's filling their hearts with fear. They don't have any faith or boldness toward God. Why? They are afraid of the things that are coming upon the world because they are being disobedient. It doesn't matter who's behind the things that are coming upon the world. Ultimately, the Lord is behind it all. The Bible says God is the One (Eph.1:11) … who worketh all things after the counsel of his will. God was behind what came to Job. Looking at Job's situation, we see that we should not fear because God Almighty is in control. If you study these conspiracies and conclude that men or the devil are out to do you in, you're wasting your time. It's God Almighty Who is behind everything, and His purpose for you is good. His purpose is to bring you to repentance and to faith in Him. So if you're studying men, worried about what they might be doing, and thinking that you have to do something, you can get into works of the flesh. And it's all because you studied the conspiracies. Well, here's God's Word on conspiracies: (Isa.8:12) Say ye not, A conspiracy, concerning all whereof this people shall say, A conspiracy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be in dread [thereof]. (13) The Lord of hosts, him shall ye sanctify; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. We should fear the Lord because, as we read, He is the One, ultimately, Who is in control and not the world, not the wicked, not the Illuminati, or anybody else. Don't study the conspiracies. God is in control and remember that (Pro.16:7) When a man's ways please the Lord, He maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him. The Lord has absolute control over our enemies. He has absolute control over our lives and He said we would be in safety and He said we would not fear. We need to put our trust in God. We need to cast down these things when our sight is on men. The Bible says, (Pro.29:25) The fear of man bringeth a snare, But whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe. (26) Many seek the ruler's favor; But a man's judgment [cometh] from the Lord. If you are afraid of man, you are going to be back in bondage again and be trapped again. “The fear of man bringeth a snare, but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.” Study what God has to say. Study what He will do to provide for you in the days to come, and don't fear the things that are coming upon the world. Fear is for the devil's children, but it's also for the wayward people of God to bring them to repentance and trust in God. Now let me share this testimony:   Cast Out Fear by J.R.T. Our son, Caleb, has always been a fearful child. He was scared of loud noises, deep water, the drive-through car wash, thunderstorms, etc. He would cry uncontrollably whenever we went through the car wash or when thunder would strike during a storm. Recently, when storms popped up and he would become afraid, my wife would sing this song with him: “I am your God. I am your God, who holds your right hand, who holds your right hand. And I say to you, ‘Do not be afraid, for I will help you.'” One day I came home from work and my wife told me there had been a thunderstorm earlier and that she and Caleb had sung this song. I started to sing the song, thinking he would like it. But just the association of the song with the storms caused Caleb to cry and appear upset. Without even thinking, I picked him up and prayed, “Spirit of fear, I rebuke you in Jesus' Name and command you to leave Caleb. The Lord has not given us a spirit of fear. We do not want you here.” There was no immediate change. But the Lord impressed me not to dwell on the fact that I saw no change; rather, just believe His Word. The next weekend we were in Pensacola for Mother's Day. Once we got back to Georgia, we realized several things had changed. The whole family rode through the car wash over the holiday weekend. Caleb hadn't fussed a bit. He even later commented that the “wind” (noisiest part) was his favorite part of the car wash. Normally, as soon as he sees that we are at the car wash, he starts talking about wanting to get out of the vehicle. When lightning and thunder started during a storm over the weekend, Caleb didn't cry or run to mommy or daddy; rather, he walked right to the front glass door to look outside. We spent part of the weekend with my wife's family on the beach. Caleb went out farther than normal. He even fell in the water a few times, and breathed in a little water. But he did not get upset – he kept playing. I praise the Lord for putting in me what was needed to deliver Caleb from fear…Thank you, Lord. Amen! Awesome testimony. We have this authority, too, saints. Now, are there times when God's people cannot be released from demons? Paul, by the Spirit, turned a man over to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, and he did that for a good reason. (1Cor.5:3) For I verily, being absent in body but present in spirit, have already as though I were present judged him that hath so wrought this thing, (4) in the name of our Lord Jesus, ye being gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus, (5) to deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. Our carnal minds think it's always good for people to get delivered of demons, but no, it's not always good. You see, God has a purpose for demons. If not, He would have wiped them out a long time ago, but He has a good purpose for them. The Bible says that God has vessels of honor and vessels of dishonor. (Rom.9:21) Or hath not the potter a right over the clay, from the same lump to make one part a vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonor? The demons are His chief vessels of dishonor and He uses them to chasten and teach. Paul turned a man over for a chastening “that his spirit might be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus”, but there's another example where Paul delivered Hymenaeus and Alexander over to Satan that “they might be taught not to blaspheme” (1 Timothy 1:18-20). The devil is God's messenger to chasten and teach people. When you get out from under the Blood, the devil jumps on you like a mad dog. It doesn't matter whether or not you are a Christian. The people who are not Christian are already under bondage to the devil, and so sometimes, the devil does not want to “rock the boat” for them. There is no advantage for him in revealing himself to them because they're already caught, but for you, it's a different story. When you step out from under the Blood, he is waiting for you. He is waiting to “chew” on you a little bit until you'll say, “Hey, it's a lot safer back there under the Blood! I repent, Lord! I obey!” But until you get back under the Blood, the devil is there to motivate you to live in obedience as a disciple of Jesus Christ. We have examples all through the Bible where God turned over His people to the devil and there was no one who could cast the demons out of them. If you won't repent, don't ask for deliverance. If you are not willing to confess your sins and repent of them, do not ask for deliverance from the demon who preys upon the sin. He is there for a purpose; he is there to make your life miserable until you repent. I am speaking from experience. I've tried casting demons out of people, yet the demons would come back. Finally, I figured out what the problem was. I was out there doing my own thing and so I was getting out of God's Will. A good example of that from the Old Testament is where God ordained Saul (1 Samuel 10:1). He filled him with the Spirit and even had him prophesy (1 Samuel 10:6), but when Saul rebelled against God and did his own thing, then (1Sa.16:14) … the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him. (15) And Saul's servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee. A lot of people think this is false doctrine, but it's truth. As the Lord pointed out to me one time, (Php.2:13) … it is God who worketh in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure. Salvation is so great! The way God saves you is that He puts in you a desire to do what is right. It's so simple and it's so easy. Through repentance and through faith, you receive the desire to do what is right. This is what salvation is all about. Did you know that God uses vessels of dishonor to work in you, just as He uses vessels of honor? God did this with the devil, who didn't have any interest in Job until God brought him to the devil's attention. (Job 2:3) And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job? for there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God and turneth away from evil… That was like dangling a carrot before a donkey. The devil was ready to jump on Job, but God put strict conditions on what he could do in (Job 1:12, 2:6). (Job 2:4) And Satan answered the Lord, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life. (5) But put forth thy hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will renounce thee to thy face. (6) And The Lord said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thy hand; only spare his life. Many times the devil is being used as the “left hand” of God when he brings a curse or a chastening. (Job 2:9) Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still hold fast thine integrity? renounce God, and die. (10) But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips. Job did speak the truth there because God cannot be Sovereign if He controls only good and doesn't control evil. The devil is here to be one of God's “hands” or else he would have been wiped out back there at the Garden of Eden. Since Jesus was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8), why did we need a Savior before Adam ever fell? God is not making any mistakes here; what we are going through is creation and the devil is a part of this. It was God Who turned Abimelech and the men of Shechem over to devils in (Judges 9:23). They got in there and divided the men because they killed the sons of Gideon in (Judges 9:5). God sent those evil spirits between the Israelites to divide them, just as God turned Saul over to a demon spirit because he was in rebellion. God did this quite often in the Old Testament, and another example is when Samuel was rebuking Saul for not obeying God. (1Sa.15:23) For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft… The Hebrew word translated as “witchcraft” there is qesem, and it means “divination.” A spirit of divination is a spirit of false prophecy. It prophesies for the devil, and so Saul had a demon spirit because he had a spirit of divination. (1Sa.18:10) And it came to pass on the morrow, that an evil spirit from God came mightily upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house: and David played with his hand, as he did day by day. And Saul had his spear in his hand; (11) and Saul cast the spear; for he said, I will smite David even to the wall. And David avoided out of his presence twice. (12) And Saul was afraid of David, because The Lord was with him, and was departed from Saul. I don't know what spirit, divination or otherwise, God was talking about when He said (1Sa.16:14) … an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him, but I do know that Saul had a spirit of divination because he became a false prophet. Whether this “evil spirit from the Lord” was the spirit of divination, I don't know and Scripture does not say, but it was tormenting him. Here was a man who at one time had the Holy Spirit in (1 Samuel 10:6) and yet still became tormented by a demon spirit, and as we see here, possibly two demon spirits. The apostle Paul also had a demon tormentor. He said in (2Co.12:7) And by reason of the exceeding greatness of the revelations, that I should not be exalted overmuch, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, that I should not be exalted overmuch. I am not stating that there was a demon inside of Paul, but an angel of Satan was tormenting him. The word “messenger” in the Scriptures, 181 of 183 times, is translated as “angel,” so an angel of Satan was sent to buffet him, and the word “buffet” means “to beat or strike repeatedly.” Paul was not talking here about an infirmity or sickness; only the KJV says that Paul's “thorn in the flesh” was an “infirmity.” No Bible derived from the ancient manuscripts has this translation because that's not the word “infirmity”; it is the word “weakness.” Scripture says that Christ was crucified through weakness. (2Co.13:3) Seeing that ye seek a proof of Christ that speaketh in me; who to youward is not weak, but is powerful in you: (4) for he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth through the power of God. This same Greek word asthenes translated as “weakness” in 2 Corinthians 13:3 by the King James, is what the King James in 2 Corinthians 12:9 claims is “infirmity.” Paul did not have an infirmity; this is a lie because the Bible says, (Psa.103:2) Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all his benefits: (3) Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; Who healeth all thy diseases. God does not change His Word and say, “No, Paul, you keep this disease. It's good for you.” This is not our God. What you have there is a schizophrenic “god.” A messenger of Satan is the one who was bringing all of these troubles against Paul, and he made a list of all the places where he said he was “weak.” The word is the same word, asthenes, as used in Chapter 12. (2Co.11:23) Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as one beside himself) I more; in labors more abundantly, in prisons more abundantly, in stripes above measure, in deaths oft. (24) Of the Jews five times received I forty [stripes] save one. (25) Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day have I been in the deep; (26) [in] journeyings often, [in] perils of rivers, [in] perils of robbers, [in] perils from [my] countrymen, [in] perils from the Gentiles, [in] perils in the city, [in] perils in the wilderness, [in] perils in the sea, [in] perils among false brethren; (27) [in] labor and travail, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. (29) Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is caused to stumble, and I burn not? Who was “buffeting” Paul in all of these ways? A messenger of Satan was bringing Paul through all these tribulations. When Jesus was led of the Spirit into the wilderness in (Matthew 4:1; Luke 4:2), it was the devil who tempted Him, so don't think that you are not going to be faced with demons. If you are in the wilderness, you are going to be faced with demons, but you have every right and every power from God to overcome them. When Paul was faced with demons, God did not say that He was going to take away that angel from Satan. It says (2Co.12:9) And he hath said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for [my] power is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. God said, “My grace is sufficient for thee.” He did not say, “My grace is this infirmity that I am putting on you, and you're going to have to keep it.” That's crazy; it's not what the Bible says. It says, (1Pe.2:24) … by whose stripes ye were healed. You were healed. There is no condition put on this except you repent and believe. As we just read, Paul professed that those things listed in 2 Corinthians 11:23-27 were his “weaknesses.” A demon was bringing Paul into positions of weakness. And when he got into these positions of weakness, Paul put his trust in the Lord, and in every instance, the Lord saved him. (Psa.34:19) Many are the afflictions of the righteous (In most cases, these afflictions come from the devil.); But the Lord delivereth him out of them all. This is what you have to believe. This is the Gospel, and if you do not believe it, you do not get it. The devil has a purpose in all of this. He is used by God to chasten and to bring under curses those who are in rebellion against God. He is used by God to give you teaching and understanding (1Ti.1:20) … that they might be taught not to blaspheme God. The devil is used by God to humble you, and he is used to help you see the power of God. When the devil puts you into a situation where you are weak, this is where you get to see the miracle. You do not get to see the miracle when you have all you need, or when all your problems are solved, and you are walking in the anointing and power. The power of God comes when you are in a position where you cannot do anything. The power of God comes sometimes when you refuse to do anything about a weakness, and you just put your trust in God and His Word. The power of God comes when you believe what the Bible says. When the children of Israel rebelled, God sent demons to them. (Psa.78:49) He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, Wrath, and indignation, and trouble, A band of angels of evil. Wrath, indignation, and trouble are demon spirits. It was God's purpose to deliver the Israelites over to these demons for torment because they were in rebellion. God is the One Who delivers a person over to demons, and God is the One Who turns people over to a “reprobate mind,” too (Romans 1:28; 2 Timothy 3:8). The Bible talks about “doctrines of demons.” (1Ti.4:1) But the Spirit saith expressly, that in later times some shall fall away from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons, (2) through the hypocrisy of men that speak lies, branded in their own conscience as with a hot iron. I was once delivered from a doctrine of demons and I was shocked, not knowing it was a demon at all. At the time, I had a real gift to speak the Oneness doctrine, but it was not the truth. It was a demon spirit and when it left, it went straight out of the top of my head. I'd had to humble myself to what the Lord said. What delivered me was when I decided, “I am going to put my doctrine down for just a minute, and humble myself to this Word, and see what It says.” When I did that, “Poof!” The demon went out from the top of my head and was gone because Oneness is a doctrine of demons. There are demons whose job it is to bring people into bondage to false doctrines, and they actually do enter your body. I am living proof of this, delivered from that doctrine quite some years ago. Sometimes you can't recognize when people are demon-possessed because they're being ruled by that spirit. You understand that something is wrong with them, but you may not recognize it in their flesh. Most often though, people are oppressed, rather than possessed. If a demon is in your flesh, just abiding in the flesh and not reaching into the soul, he can oppress you from the flesh, but when he reaches into your soul, which is your mind, will, and emotions, then this is what the Bible calls being “possessed.” We've been taught wrongly that when demons are on the outside, it is oppression, but when they are on the inside, that is possession. No, the demons can be in your flesh and never leave your flesh, so then they can oppress you from the flesh. Or they can reach into the soul and possess you, while at other times, they will back off into the flesh and be dormant. When they do that, you will not even know they're in there until they're faced with some stimulus from the outside that causes them to come up and manifest themselves. And when that stimulus or that temptation is gone, the demons draw back into the flesh, becoming dormant once again. For instance, people with a spirit of anger (a demon) are not angry all the time. They are only angry when they're tempted, but if you try to deal with it as though it were only a lust of the flesh, you're going to fail because it's more than that. Many people, possibly all people, have demons when they come to Christ, but God doesn't drive them all out all at once according to (Exodus 23:29-30; Judges 2:22-23). I've heard people say that it's okay to be angry as long as you don't sin, but this is a false doctrine, and they get it from a false interpretation of Scripture. The Bible says, (Ecc.7:9) Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry; for anger resteth in the bosom of fools. If you have anger in your heart, it is going to make you a fool. If you say, “Wait a minute...I thought I could be angry, but just not sin?” Anger is wrong because anger is unforgiveness and anger is bitterness. I admit the Holy Spirit can be angry; the Holy Spirit can even manifest anger through you. I have felt the anger of the Lord move through me, but He can do this legally. The Holy Spirit can speak through you and judge, but you cannot judge. If you judge, you are going to be judged, as it says in (Mat.7:1) Judge not, that ye be not judged. (2) For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured unto you. You must know the difference between the Holy Spirit moving through you for the sake of God and when you are being tempted by the lusts of your flesh. (Eph.4:25) Wherefore, putting away falsehood, speak ye truth each one with his neighbor: for we are members one of another. (26) Be ye angry, and sin not… Originally, there was no punctuation in this verse, because in the ancient Greek they did not have punctuation or capital letters. The punctuation was added in later by theologians, but the Lord told me there is supposed to be a question mark after the word “not.” Can you be angry and not sin? No, and I can prove this to you, because the rest of the verse says, (Eph.4:26) Let not the sun go down upon your wrath (In other words, “Do not let that stuff stick around.”): (27) neither give place to the devil. If you are angry, you are “giving place to the devil.” When you are angry, it's because you're in unforgiveness, but we have to forgive everybody, all the time, forever. The very foundation of salvation is forgiveness, and so if you don't forgive, then God doesn't forgive you. Truly “anger resteth in the bosom of fools.” (Eph. 4:31) Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and railing, be put away from you, with all malice (He's not saying, “It's okay to be angry, just do not sin.” He's saying, “Get rid of it!” And if you're having trouble doing this, sometimes it is a demon.): (32) and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, even as God also in Christ forgave you. Let's go now to (Pro.4:7) Wisdom [is] the principal thing; [therefore] get wisdom; Yea, with all thy getting get understanding. The more understanding you get, the less anger you are going to have. (Rom.8:28) And we know that to them that love God all things work together for good, [even] to them that are called according to [his] purpose. If you believe that all things work together for good to those who love God, then you're not going to be angry at situations, you're not going to be angry at your circumstances. If my dog came into this room right now and did something that dogs do, it would be foolish for me to become angry at that dog, because he's a dog and he's not going to do anything different. He is a dog; he can't be anything different. When your children are toddlers and they stumble and fall, you don't become angry with them, because that's what children do. Children stumble and fall. Life is this way, so would it make sense for you to get angry at the devil for doing what he normally does? That would be a waste of time. He is the devil; he does what he was created to do, and his demons do what they were created to do. Everything that happens around us has a purpose because God is Sovereign. Do not become angry about anything that happens around you, because if you're angry at the circumstances around you, you are angry at God. He is the One who ordained the circumstances around you. He is the Sovereign God (Eph.1:11) … who worketh all things after the counsel of His will. And we read that (Joh.3:27) … A man can receive nothing, except it have been given him from heaven. Do you believe this? If it comes from heaven and you become angry, then you are being angry at God. Don't claim that anger from your lusts of the flesh is righteous indignation; that's just bologna! Be at peace! God doesn't want you to have anger; He wants you to be at peace. So, what about the anger of the Lord? If the Lord moves through you in anger, it is not a personal thing because it is not your anger. The Bible says in (Mar. 3:5) And when He had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved at the hardening of t

After being born again by faith alone in Christ alone, we are to continue in faith. Paul wrote, “as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him” (Col 2:6). We received Jesus by faith, and after being born again, we are to “walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor 5:7). The word “walk” translates the Greek verb peripateō (περιπατέω), which is here used as a metaphor for how we live, behave, or habitually conduct our lives. To walk by faith means we learn and apply God's Word to our lives (i.e., marriage, family, education, work, finances, etc.). It means obeying God's directives, claiming His promises, and utilizing His resources for our daily problems. We are also instructed to “walk by the Spirit” and not the flesh (Gal 5:16). When we live by faith and depend on the Spirit for strength and guidance, we “walk in a manner worthy of the calling” with which we have been called (Eph 4:1). As Christians, we are instructed to learn God's Word that we might come to know our new identity in Christ and lay hold of the many blessings God has provided for us as His children. Gospel information started our journey of faith, and Bible doctrine is the basis for our spiritual walk and advance to maturity. The advancing believer is living the righteous life that God expects, for He says, “My righteous one shall live by faith” (Heb 10:38), and “faith is being sure of what we hope for, being convinced of what we do not see” (Heb 11:1 NET). To live by faith in God and His Word pleases Him, for “without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him” (Heb 11:6). Paul said, “we have as our ambition…to be pleasing to Him” (2 Cor 5:9). Christians who fail to live by faith, who choose not to learn and/or live by God's Word, will default to humanistic philosophies, values, and experiences. In immature or carnal Christians, experiences and feelings will be regarded as more real, reliable, and important than God and His Word. Though we can enjoy our experiences and feelings (when they align with God), these are not stable, so we must be careful not to prioritize them or make them the base of operations. Divine wisdom should be our base of operations, as God wants us to learn and live His Word, to trust Him in all things, and to live by faith as obedient-to-the-Word children. When feelings rise high, faith must rise higher, lest we get bogged down and trapped in faulty reasonings that enslave and hinder our spiritual life and victory. The walk of faith requires discipline of mind and will. Ultimately, “whatever is not from faith is sin” (Rom 14:23). Faith starts with God and His directives and promises. Once we learn about God's directives, provisions and promises, He expects us to live by them, to be “doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude” ourselves (Jam 1:22). It is possible to learn God's Word and not apply it by faith, which is why James wrote, “to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin” (Jam 4:17). It is a sin not to live by faith. The writer to the Hebrews warned his readers, saying, “Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God” (Heb 3:12). After hearing God's Word, it is evil for a Christian not to believe it. It's evil because God's Word is absolute truth (2 Sam 7:28; Psa 119:160; John 17:17), and rejecting or doubting it implies that God, who cannot lie (Num 23:19; Tit 1:2; Heb 6:18), is untrustworthy, which is an affront to His perfect nature. This evil behavior was exemplified by the Israelites in the wilderness, for after they'd been delivered from Egyptian bondage, they failed to live by faith (Num 14:11), angered the Lord (Psa 95:8-11), and so forfeited the blessing of inheriting the land (Heb 3:15-18). The danger for us as Christians is that we might know God's directives and promises, but fail to apply them by faith, and never benefit from His blessings. The writer to the Hebrews said, “Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it. For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard” (Heb 4:1-2). Hindrances to the Walk of Faith The hindrances to Christian faith are numerous, but they all share one common feature: they obstruct the believer's ability to live in active dependence on God and obedience to His Word. Among the most dangerous is ignorance of God's Word, which the Lord denounced when He said, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge” (Hos 4:6). The Christian life cannot be lived in a doctrinal vacuum. Truth must be learned before it can be applied. Without sound doctrine, believers are spiritually malnourished, vulnerable to deception, and unable to live a life that honors God (2 Tim 2:15; 3:16-17; 1 Pet 2:2; 2 Pet 3:18). Ignorance guarantees defeat in the spiritual life, not because God withholds grace, but because we fail to appropriate it. Another major hindrance is irrational and unwarranted fear, which paralyzes faith and distorts perspective. Paul reminded Timothy that “God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline” (2 Tim 1:7). Fear can override truth when allowed to take root in the heart, leading to cowardice in witness, compromise in conviction, and retreat from divine opportunity. Like the Israelites at the edge of Canaan (Num 13:31–14:4), believers who allow fear to dominate their thinking often forfeit the blessings of forward movement in God's plan. Also, failure to claim God's promises is a silent killer of the spiritual life. Hebrews warns of “an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God” (Heb 3:12), not in the sense of losing salvation, but of turning away from the daily walk of faith. God's promises are anchors for the soul (Heb 6:18-19), and to neglect them is to drift aimlessly through life, tossed by circumstances rather than guided by divine certainty. Faith appropriates what God has revealed and rests confidently in His faithfulness, even when circumstances contradict what is seen. Unwarranted self-reliance is another subtle enemy. While human effort has its place in Christian discipline, trust in self apart from God is condemned. Solomon cautioned, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding” (Prov 3:5), and Jeremiah adds, “Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind and makes flesh his strength” (Jer 17:5). The Christian life is supernatural and cannot be lived in the power of the flesh. Self-dependence is spiritual sabotage. Furthermore, yielding to the pressures and pleasures of the world is a treacherous distraction. James minces no words when he writes, “Friendship with the world is hostility toward God” (Jam 4:4), and John adds that “if anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15). Worldliness appeals to the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life—all of which are inconsistent with the life of faith. Lastly, choosing the desires of the flesh over the will of God leads to spiritual defeat and divine discipline. Paul teaches that “the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit” (Gal 5:17), and Peter exhorts believers to “abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul” (1 Pet 2:11). The Christian must actively choose to walk by the Spirit (Gal 5:16), moment by moment, if he is to live victoriously. In sum, these hindrances—ignorance, fear, unbelief, self-reliance, worldliness, and fleshly desire—are not minor setbacks; they are spiritual roadblocks. The remedy is found in consistent intake of God's Word (2 Tim 3:16-17; 1 Pet 2:2), transformation through mind-renewal (Rom 12:1-2), a life of faith anchored in divine promises (Heb 11:6), and moment-by-moment dependence on the Holy Spirit for guidance and strength (Gal 5:16). Where faith flourishes, these hindrances fall. God's Word is Reliable Though Peter had personally seen and heard Christ (2 Pet 1:16-18), he told his readers, “We have the prophetic word made more sure” (2 Pet 1:19a). Other translations read, “we possess the prophetic word as an altogether reliable thing” (2 Pet 1:19a NET), and “We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable” (2 Pet 1:19a NIV). The words “more sure” translate the Greek adjective bebaios (βέβαιος) which means reliable, dependable, or trustworthy. According to BDAG, it refers to “something that can be relied on not to cause disappointment.”[1] Kenneth Wuest states, “The idea here is of something that is firm, stable, something that can be relied upon or trusted in. The idea in the Greek text is, ‘We have the prophetic word as a surer foundation' than even the signs and wonders which we have seen.”[2] Robert B. Thieme Jr., notes, “God's Word is more real than empirical knowledge, more reliable than anything seen, heard, or felt (2 Pet 1:12–21). Unlike the grass that withers and the flowers that fade, ‘the word of our God stands forever' (Isa 40:8). God guarantees that His Word never goes forth without accomplishing His will (Isa 55:11).”[3] The point is that God's Word is absolutely reliable, “to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place” (2 Pet 1:19b). This absolute reliability of Scripture flows from the unchanging character of God Himself. God is perfect in holiness, infinite in wisdom, and absolute in truth. He cannot lie, nor does He ever fail to keep His promises. As Scripture states, “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent; has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?” (Num 23:19). Paul wrote that God “cannot lie” (Tit 1:2), and the writer of Hebrews affirms “it is impossible for God to lie” (Heb 6:18). Because of this, His Word is completely trustworthy. God never speaks in vain; His Word is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, and able to pierce the deepest parts of the human soul (Heb 4:12). What He reveals is not merely informative—it is transformative. As Isaiah recorded, “so will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; it will not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it” (Isa 55:11). God's promises are as dependable as His character, and trusting in them is never misplaced faith—it is the most rational and secure response a believer can have. Conclusion In summary, the Christian life is a walk of faith that is empowered by the Holy Spirit and grounded in God's Word. Faith is not blind or speculative; rather, it is a confident trust in the revealed truths of Scripture, producing a life that seeks to honor God through obedience and reliance on His promises. To walk by faith is to live in active dependence on God, letting His Word shape our thinking, guide our actions, and strengthen us for every challenge we may face. The Holy Spirit works through the Scriptures to instruct, remind, and empower us, enabling us to live the Christian life. As believers, we are called to a disciplined life of learning and applying God's Word, and not trusting in experiences or feelings. The walk of faith is pleasing to God, honors Him, edifies others, and brings us mental and emotional stability. Steven R. Cook, D.Min., M.Div.     [1] William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 172. [2] Kenneth S. Wuest, Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament, vol. 12 (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1997), 34. [3] Robert B. Thieme, Jr. “Word of God”, Thieme's Bible Doctrine Dictionary, (Houston, TX., R. B. Thieme, Jr., Bible Ministries, 2022), 294.

Artemaeus Treadwell is an American experiencer. After meeting paranormal intermediary Tillie, his life took thousands of unforeseen, unforgettable turns, from witnessing Tillie's psychic abilities, to bumping into a faerie, meeting mimics, dark entities, maybe an Egyptian god or two, seeing UFOs and strange planetary behavior and more. At home, extreme electrical events, strange scientific anomalies, apports and disappearing objects, time glitches and the Mandela Effect are positively common events. Bizarrely, his foray into the deep paranormal has transformed his personality, beliefs and understanding of psychology, reality and life in measures and ways no short of miraculous. He believes that the unknown holds many gifts, if only we can learn to embrace them- and the unique messengers who carry them.

A Sermon for the Fourth Sunday after Trinity Romans 8:17-23 by William Klock Sometimes you have to stand back and look at the big picture when you want to find your way.  Think of going to a strange town and getting lost going from street to street and intersection to intersection.  When I first started working in Bellingham I kept getting lost when I was out making service calls.  I have a good sense of direction.  I don't usually need a map—which is what had back then before Siri.  But what's now Bellingham was originally five separate towns, each with its own street grid that didn't match up.  Then, to make matters worse, when they ran Interstate 5 through the city, they cut it in half and left only a handful of thorougfares connecting everything.  Our service manager handed me a nifty spiral-bound “Guide of Whatcom County” and said: “New guy takes the map.”  A map lets you get above everything.  It gives you a bird's eye view,  so that you can see the lay of the land.  The big picture helps you get your bearings. We need something like that for the Bible.  As kids we read books full of disconnected “Bible stories”.  We know Adam and Abraham and Moses and Jesus, but we struggle to know how their stories are related and part of the bigger story.  As adults the most common approach to reading the Bible—when we read it!—is the cover-to-cover, Genesis-to-Revelation approach.  Don't misunderstand; any type of Bible reading is good Bible reading, but the order the books of the Bible are arranged in isn't chronological and doesn't do much to help us see the “big picture”.  Even Bible scholars and theologians aren't immune from missing the big picture.  They're often so focused on the individual trees that it becomes easy to inadvertently forget the shape of the forest. I say this because our Epistle from Romans 8 this morning is one those wonderful, short passages that bring us back to the big picture of the Good News, of God's redemption and renewal of humanity and of his entire Creation.  But even here we might miss it.  Many Christians reading through Romans miss the big picture here because they are not expecting Paul's language of God subjecting his Creation to futility and bondage and of that Creation waiting in with eager longing.  And yet our Epistle this morning is St. Paul leading us right to the climax of his letter to the Romans.  Paul walks us up a mountain so we can see the lay of the land, where we've come from, where we're going, and how it all fits together. We don't have time this morning to get into the details of Paul's line of reasoning in the first half of Romans, but what he does in those chapters is to work his way through the story of Israel and all her ups and downs—and for Israel things were mostly “down”.  And now in Chapter 8 he begins talking about the life in the flesh versus life in the Spirit and the law of sin and death versus the law of the Spirit.  This is where, in verse 11, he famously writes that if the Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead lives in us, the One who raised Jesus from the dead will also give life to our mortal bodies—if we are in Jesus the Messiah we live in hope of the same resurrection he has experienced.  But even more than that, Paul goes on to write, through our union with Jesus we are children and heirs of God, fellow heirs with Christ—that means sharing in Jesus' inheritance.  But what is that?  Paul writes in verse 17 that it means to suffer with him so that we can be glorified with him.  The Christian life—life with Jesus—for Paul means two things: suffering and glory.  Suffering is a given as we long for glory. And so we should what Paul mean by “glory”?  And what about suffering?  Most Christians living through the last two thousand years have understood that suffering is part of our calling as we follow Jesus.  Jesus promised it.  The New Testament writers talk about it often—and most of them faced it themselves and were martyred for proclaiming the lordship of Jesus.  Many of our brothers and sisters today are persecuted for their faith in various parts of the world.  And yet in the West—probably in part because we haven't faced persecution for such a long time—many Christians have no place for suffering in their theology.  Many even go so far as to say that if you're experiencing suffering—sickness, poverty, rejection or anything else negative—it's due to a lack of faith.  But that's just the opposite of what Jesus taught and it's just the opposite of what Paul teaches here.  The inheritance we share with Jesus is one of suffering that leads to glory.  What this means is at the centre of our Epistle and Paul goes on in verse 18: This is how I work it out.  The sufferings we go through in the present time are not worth putting in the scale alongside the glory that is going to be unveiled for us.   This is how I work it out.  Knowing the Scriptures, knowing Jesus, working under the Spirit's inspiration, this is the only conclusion Paul can reach.  He's been building this argument for eight chapters in Romans and here he reaches the inevitable conclusion: those who will be glorified will first face suffering, but he's also worked out that this suffering can't begin to compare with the glory to be unveiled in us. Think about what a powerful statement that was when Paul wrote this.  When he writes that word “suffering” most of us probably read into that whatever our own trials and tribulations are.  That's fine.  But what did Paul have in mind?  Later in the chapter, in verses 35-36 he writes that nothing will separate us from the love of Christ—nothing—and then he goes on to detail the sorts of suffering that he and other Christians were facing—things people might think mean that God doesn't love them, things they might think show a lack of faith, things that might separate them from Jesus.  Here's his list: hardship or distress, persecution or famine, nakedness or peril or sword.  And he quotes from Psalm 44: “For your sake we are being killed all day long; we are accounted sheep to be slaughtered.”  These things are far worse than the sorts of suffering any of us are likely to face.  And as horrible as this suffering was, none of it could compare with the glory to be unveiled in us—no amount of suffering could make the glory not worth it. But what is the glory Paul's writing about?  Paul says this glory will be revealed in us.  It's a sense of this glory being bestowed on us as a gift—and this makes perfect sense when we remember what Paul said before: that if we are in Christ, then we will share in and we will participate in his inheritance. And then what's the inheritance?  Well, consider: Who is Jesus?  He is Lord.  His glory is revealed or it's unveiled in his glorious and sovereign rule of Creation and Paul is saying here that the glory we wait for with eager longing, the glory that is the basis for our hope as Christians is not glory in the sense many people often think.  We often think of “glory” as a place or a state of being.  When a Christian dies we often hear people say that he or she has gone on or been promoted to “glory”.  Brothers and Sisters, “glory” isn't going to heaven when you die.  As Jesus' glory is his sovereign rule over Creation, so the glory to be revealed in us is our participation, our sharing in the sovereign and saving rule of Jesus.  And this is why he says what he does in verse 19: Yes, creation itself is waiting with eager longing for the moment when God's sons [and daughters] will be revealed.   If our hope, if our glory—as it is so often wrongly portrayed—was for the destruction of this world and an eternity of disembodied existence in heaven with God, then the Creation would have no reason to eagerly long for that glory to be revealed.  What Paul describes here is the opposite: God's Creation is waiting for the great day when its true rulers are revealed, the sons and daughters of God, and when it will be delivered from corruption.  Look at verses 20-22: Creation, you see, was subjected to pointless futility, not of its own volition, but because of the once who placed it in this subjection, in the hope that creation itself would be freed from its slavery to decay, to enjoy the freedom that comes when God's children are glorified.  Let me explain.  We know that the entire creation is groaning together, and going through labour pains together, up until the present time.   This is where we need to stand back and look at the big picture.  Everything Paul's saying here is dependent on that.  It's the big picture the Bible gives of us of God's Creation, from beginning to end.  We read in Genesis that God created and that everything was good.  We even read there that when he created human beings he looked at his handiwork and declared us not just “good”, but “very good”.  But we look around us now and have to wonder what happened.  War is always ranging somewhere, there's violence everywhere, there's greed and corruption everywhere.  Justice is in short supply and so are the basic things that people need to survive—maybe not in our part of the world, but for billions of others.  And yet even if we don't pay attention to the big evils that play out on the international scene—or even on the local scene, for that matter—we only have to look at the struggles that we have ourselves and that we share with our family and friends to keep away from sin and to do good.  Hate is easy; love is hard.  Paul knew it.  The Roman Christians knew it.  We know it. So Paul tells the story of Creation in the book of Romans, but he tells it as Israel's story.  We don't have time to run through the whole book this morning obviously, but Paul's point is that the whole Creation is enslaved in the same sort of way that Israel was in Egypt.  And right there we get a glimmer of hope.  Remember, when Israel went down to Egypt—we read about that in the story of Jacob and Joseph—it was all according to the Lord's plan.  The Lord arranged for Joseph to become a slave in Egypt so that through him he could rescue his people.  Egypt started out good for Israel.  When things turned around under a new king who enslaved Israel, it wasn't because the Lord had ceased to be good and it wasn't because the Lord was no longer in control.  No.  We learn later that the Lord allowed the Israelites to become slaves in Egypt so that he could then manifest his glorious sovereignty to everyone—to Israel in rescuing her and to the Egyptians by showing his power over her false gods and over her mighty horses and chariots.  In the Exodus, the Lord marked Israel forever as the people he had freed from slavery, people to whom he had given a new life.  That became their national identity, celebrated every year in the Passover. In all of that Paul is working up to his point here.  As the Lord allowed Israel to fall into bondage to Egypt, so he has allowed his good Creation to be subjected to death and decay.  We may look around and wonder if things are hopeless.  Every time one war ends and we see peace break out another war begins somewhere else.  We work hard to lift this group out of poverty, but then that group over there falls into it.  We cure one disease only to have two new ones crop up.  Isaiah wrote about a day when the lion would lie down with the lamb and we look around us and wonder if that's ever going to happen. And Paul assures us: Yes, it's for real.  This is God's promise.  No matter how bad things are, this is still his good Creation and he has promised to put everything to rights.  Even as he cast Adam and Eve from the garden he was promising them that he would one day overcome sin and restore everything to the way it should be.  Genesis shows things going from bad to worse.  It shows us humanity losing even the very knowledge of God and sinking into paganism and idolatry.  But then it tells us how God came to Abraham and established a covenant with him.  The Lord promised that through Abraham and his family he would restore not only humanity, but all of Creation and here Paul reminds us what that means, what it looks like and why the Creation itself would long for it to happen. Again, we need the big picture—we need to remember where things started.  In Genesis we read that the Lord created human beings to be his image bearers.  The Lord built a temple for himself.  When the pagans built their temples, they placed images of their gods in them made of wood or stone, but in his own temple God placed human beings to represent his sovereignty and to rule his creation with wisdom and justice—to have dominion and to subdue Creation in the Lord's name.  That's what it meant for humanity to bear God's image: to be his stewards, the priests of his temple.  But then we chose to rebel.  As Paul writes in Romans 1, we chose to worship the Creation instead of the Creator.  We subjected the Lord's good creation to corruption. Now, in light of that, it should make sense that Creation is longing for the day when our inheritance is revealed.  That's the day when Creation will be set free from the corruption we brought on it.  That's the day when we, Creation's stewards will be restored and renewed and put back in charge, reigning with Jesus.  Again, think back to Israel.  God chose and called her, he rescued her, he made her his people, he sent her to the nations to bring healing and restoration.  But she rebelled and she rejected her mission.  And yet the Lord didn't give up and he didn't change his plan to redeem his Creation through Israel.  He simply sent a faithful Israelite—he sent Jesus.  And Jesus not only redeemed Israel by dying in her place, he established a new Israel in his own person, a new people to be a light to the nations—this time equipped by the Holy Spirit. This is what Paul is getting at in verse 23.  It's not just the Creation that groans in eager longing: And not only the creation, but we too, we who have the firstfruits of the Spirit's life within us, are groaning within ourselves as we eagerly await our adoption as sons [and daugthers], the redemption of our bodies. The Lord hasn't given up on his Creation any more than he gave up on Israel.  Creation is eagerly waiting for its rightful stewards to be set right.  On that great day the Lord will make all things new and restore his redeemed people to their rightful place as good, wise, and just rulers of Creation—as the faithful priests of his temple.  This is what it means for our glory to be revealed.  The big picture, the story of redemption, reminds us that this was how it was supposed to be from the beginning.  And so we groan and we wait eagerly too.  We live in the mess we've made here in the world.  We live with sin and with sickness and with death, and yet we live in hope, knowing that what God has begun in Jesus he will one day complete. And we can hope because our God has given us the firstfruits of his new creation.  He's given a down payment on what he has promised.  The present age and its rulers have been decisively defeated by Jesus at the cross and the empty tomb and God's new age has been inaugurated.  Jesus is Lord.  He truly is God's King.  He's given us his Spirit—Paul describes the Spirit here as the firstfruits—and that's because we live in the overlap between these two ages, these two kingdoms.  The Jews brought the firstfruits of the harvest—usually sheaves of grain harvested at the very beginning of the season—as offerings to God.  They offered them in good years and even in bad years in faith that God would provide the rest of the harvest.  And so the Spirit is the sign of hope for us.  The life he gives to us here and now is a reminder that encourages our faith and hope in the resurrection and the new creation to come.  We groan and we sigh, we wait longingly in eager expectation, but our hope is certain because God is faithful and keeps his promises.  The prophet Habakkuk wrote that one day the glory of the Lord will fill the earth as the waters cover the sea.  Brothers and Sisters, when that seems impossible, we only need remember the cross of Jesus, his empty tomb, and his gift of the Holy Spirit. But our faith is not a complacent faith.  We haven't been redeemed by Jesus and given the gift of the Spirit so that we can retreat into a sort of personal holiness or private piety while we wait for Jesus to return.  Not at all.  Jesus has inaugurated this new age in his resurrection and somehow someday the making new that began in his resurrection will encompass all of Creation and you and I are called, in the power of the Spirit, to embody that renewing work here and now.  How is Habakkuk's prophecy going to be fulfilled?  How does the knowledge of the glory of the Lord spread to cover the earth?  Brothers and Sisters, that's our mission.  We're called to proclaim to the world the Good News that Jesus is Lord and that his kingdom is here and now.  Our mission is to call the world to repentance and faith.  But don't forget: We are also called to live out repentance and faith in our lives in such a way that we lift the veil on the kingdom and that we give a glimpse to the world of what heaven on earth looks like.  So far as we are able to do so today, we are called to exercise the good dominion that was given to Adam—we are called to be stewards of God's temple, of his Creation.  Jesus has led the way for us here as the second Adam.  In his earthly ministry he made his Father's new creation known in practical ways to the people around him and so should we.  In a word full of sin we should be visible in seeking after holiness.  In a world full of war and injustice, we should visible and at the forefront working for peace and justice.  In a world full of hurting and sickness, we should be seeking to make the healing ministry of Jesus known.  In a world full of anger and hate, we should be working for forgiveness and reconciliation. If you're like me you might get discouraged thinking about that mission.  When I think of these things I think of things that we as Christians can do to bring Jesus and his glory to the world in “big” ways.  I think of Christians—and there are so often so few of us—working on the big international scene or I think of missionaries going to far off countries.  And then I get discouraged.  That's far away.  It's bigger than me.  But Friends, never forget that for every St. Paul or St. Peter, there were thousands of ordinary saints manifesting Jesus in their ordinary lives, proclaiming the Good News, and building the kingdom right where they were.  We fulfil Jesus' calling to us as we raise covenant children to walk with him in faith and to live the values of his kingdom.  We fulfil Jesus' calling when we work for peace and reconciliation with our neighbours, in our workplaces, and in our schools.  We fulfil Jesus' calling when we forgive as we have been forgiven.  We fulfil Jesus' calling when we love the hard-to-love people around us, knowing that we ourselves are hard-to-love too, but that Jesus loved us enough to die for us.  We fulfil Jesus' calling when we sacrifice ourselves, our rights, our prerogatives, our time, and our treasure in order to make Jesus and his love known.  In everything we do, we should be seeking to give the world signs and foretastes of God's new creation. Let us pray: Heavenly Father, as we asked earlier in the collect we ask again for grace to pass through the trials of this life without losing the things of eternal importance.  Remind us that the suffering we experience cannot begin to compare with the glory to be revealed in us.  Remind us always of the suffering that Jesus endured for our sake, that in love and gratitude we might suffer too for the sake of making him known.  And as we think of Jesus' death and resurrection and as we live the life given by your Spirit, fill us with hope and faith, knowing that the glory inaugurated in us today will one day be fully accomplished in our own resurrection and the restoration of all your Creation.  Amen.

G'day Folks, In this lively episode of the General Knowledge Podcast (Season 7, Episode 9), Lee, Ethan, and Andy reunite after a series of technical hiccups to dive into a rich and speculative discussion spanning ancient mythology, electric universe theory, and hidden cosmological truths. After expressing their mutual frustrations and relief at finally getting Brave Talk working, the crew quickly shifts gears into thought-provoking territory. Lee leads the charge by discussing the Saturn myth and the controversial Electric Universe theory. He reflects on the possibility that humanity has inherited memories of cataclysmic celestial events, with Mars, Venus, and Saturn once forming a visible triad in our skies. These formations, according to some theorists, were recorded in myths and symbols across cultures—from Egyptian headdresses to the Eye of Ra—indicating a lost understanding of plasma physics and electromagnetic phenomena that shaped early human consciousness. The group then explores the mystery of the North Pole, questioning the accuracy of modern maps and what may lie hidden beneath its icy surface. Ethan delves into historical maps, the idea of a magnetic monolith, and the symbolic role of the North Star, drawing links between ancient legends, magnetic anomalies, and even simulation theory. They speculate that melting polar ice could be revealing ancient structures tied to human evolution and consciousness, and discuss how mainstream science may be deliberately misleading the public. Further grounding the episode, Lee shares his personal experiences with camping, stargazing, and the profound clarity that comes with disconnecting from technology and modern life. He also opens up about haunting childhood visions—eerily similar to the planetary alignments described in myth—which he believes could be echoes of ancestral trauma or ancient memory encoded in DNA. The episode wraps with an impassioned discussion about plasma physics, the flaws of traditional astrophysics, and how opening one's mind to alternative theories can shift not only your perception of history—but reality itself. Links: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxLBjBosT20 https://youtu.be/5AUA7XS0TvA thetruesize.com https://earth3dmap.com/3d-globe/ Remember the Bonus Content shows are available now to all Patreon supporters for just AU$8 a month! Now 44 Bonus shows are available just for those who see value in what we do. Including a 5 part series on the Port Arthur Massacre, The Electric Universe with Physicist Wal Thornhill, The Moon Landing Hoax & The Titanic Conspiracy! PLUS!!!... every Patreon member gets a video version of every episode of the regular show too! Instead of donating money to a charity that most likely won't pass on your full donation to whomever needs it, why not sign up as a patron over at our Patreon account for all the bonus content and extra podcasts! https://www.patreon.com/RealNewsAustralia   PayPal donations can be made me here at RealNewsAustralia.com to help pay for costs associated with bringing you this show if you don't want any extra bonus content for your support.   As always make sure you subscribe and give us a 5 star rating on iTunes with a nice little review to help us out! Please consider sharing on social media to ensure we reach a bigger audience!    We're relying on YOU!   Links:  https://www.patreon.com/RealNewsAustralia - Join Today! BUY ME A COFFEE! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/GeneralMaddox/membership http://paypal.me/LeeMaddox79- Support today!  

①Hong Kong to host exhibition on ancient Egyptian civilization②South China island province offers 40 million yuan in summer tourism subsidies③Air China launches first international route operated by homegrown C909 jetliner④China to host Digital Silk Road Development Forum in time-honored port city⑤China's e-bike trade-in program sees robust production, sales in first half of 2025⑥Green, healthy lifestyle revolution boosts China's consumer market⑦China achieves ship-to-ship liquid carbon dioxide unloading

Peter Greste spent more than a year locked up in a tiny concrete jail cell in Egypt. He’d been working as a journalist when he was arrested and wrongly convicted of terrorism charges. The foreign correspondent had spent years reporting in war zones, was shot at and even held his dying colleague in his arms, but it was the war on journalism that almost broke him. Want to hear more from I Catch Killers? Visit news.com.au. Like the show? Get more at icatchkillers.com.au Advertising enquiries: newspodcastssold@news.com.au Questions for Gary: icatchkillers@news.com.au Get in touch with the show by joining our Facebook group, and visiting us on Instagram or Tiktok.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Key Verses: Exodus 5-6 Key Questions
 Pharaoh responds to Moses' call for justice by increasing oppression (questioning “rest” and adding to the labor so that the people will not regard “lying words”). What does this say about how oppressive powers react to the demands for liberation? How can the Israelite response to increased hardship inform contemporary understandings of faith under oppression?

 Egyptians perceive the Israelites as “idle.” How does derogatory language precede de-humanizing actions in the Bible and in history?
 How does God's reaffirmation of the covenant with the patriarchs strengthen the Israelites' faith (especially in 6:3)? What is the role of memory in ...

Orion Rising: The Corpus Hermeticum part #four Hermetica: The Greek Corpus Hermeticum and the Latin Asclepius The Corpus Hermeticum is a collection of 17 Greek writings whose authorship is traditionally attributed to the legendary Hellenistic figure Hermes Trismegistus, a syncretic combination of the Greek god Hermes and the Egyptian god Thoth.[1] The treatises were originally written between c. 100 and c. 300 CE,[2] but the collection as known today was first compiled by medieval Byzantine editors. It was translated into Latin in the 15th century by the Italian humanist scholars Marsilio Ficino (1433–1499) and Lodovico Lazzarelli (1447–1500).[3]

Orion Rising: The Corpus Hermeticum part #fourHermetica: The Greek Corpus Hermeticum and the Latin AsclepiusThe Corpus Hermeticum is a collection of 17 Greek writings whose authorship is traditionally attributed to the legendary Hellenistic figure Hermes Trismegistus, a syncretic combination of the Greek god Hermes and the Egyptian god Thoth.[1] The treatises were originally written between c. 100 and c. 300 CE,[2] but the collection as known today was first compiled by medieval Byzantine editors. It was translated into Latin in the 15th century by the Italian humanist scholars Marsilio Ficino (1433–1499) and Lodovico Lazzarelli (1447–1500).[3]

Explore the astonishing connection between ancient Egyptians and Aboriginal Australians in this exclusive Forbidden Knowledge talk with Billy Carson. Discover how proto-Egyptian hieroglyphs dating back 5,000 years were found in Australia alongside Pleiadian symbols, revealing a hidden history of cultural exchange and advanced wisdom across continents.Join Billy as he shares his incredible journey through the Australian Outback, sacred Aboriginal rituals, and ancient petroglyphs that challenge mainstream history. Learn about mysterious stone carvings, sacred trees, and powerful ancestral knowledge passed down for millennia.

Explore the astonishing connection between ancient Egyptians and Aboriginal Australians in this exclusive Forbidden Knowledge talk with Billy Carson. Discover how proto-Egyptian hieroglyphs dating back 5,000 years were found in Australia alongside Pleiadian symbols, revealing a hidden history of cultural exchange and advanced wisdom across continents.Join Billy as he shares his incredible journey through the Australian Outback, sacred Aboriginal rituals, and ancient petroglyphs that challenge mainstream history. Learn about mysterious stone carvings, sacred trees, and powerful ancestral knowledge passed down for millennia.

From “one of America's smartest and most charming writers” (NPR), an archaeological romp through the entire history of humankind—and through all five senses—from tropical Polynesian islands to forbidding arctic ice floes, and everywhere in between.Whether it's the mighty pyramids of Egypt or the majestic temples of Mexico, we have a good idea of what the past looked like. But what about our other senses: The tang of Roman fish sauce and the springy crust of Egyptian sourdough? The boom of medieval cannons and the clash of Viking swords? The frenzied plays of an Aztec ballgame…and the chilling reality that the losers might also lose their lives? History often neglects the tastes, textures, sounds, and smells that were an intimate part of our ancestors' lives, but a new generation of researchers is resurrecting those hidden details, pioneering an exciting new discipline called experimental archaeology. These are scientists gone rogue: They make human mummies. They investigate the unsolved murders of ancient bog bodies. They carve primitive spears and go hunting, then knap their own obsidian blades to skin the game. They build perilous boats and plunge out onto the open sea—all in the name of experiencing history as it was, with all its dangers, disappointments, and unexpected delights. Beloved author Sam Kean joins these experimental archaeologists on their adventures across the globe, from the Andes to the South Seas. He fires medieval catapults, tries his hand at ancient surgery and tattooing, builds Roman-style roads—and, in novelistic interludes, spins gripping tales about the lives of our ancestors with vivid imagination and his signature meticulous research. Lively, offbeat, and filled with stunning revelations about our past, Dinner with King Tut sheds light on days long gone and the intrepid experts resurrecting them today, with startling, lifelike detail and more than a few laughs along the way.Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://brandyschillace.com/peculiar/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://eepurl.com/ixJJ2Y⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/PeculiarBookClub/membership⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@PeculiarBookClub/streams⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@peculiarbookclub.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠facebook.com/groups/peculiarbooksclub⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@thepeculiarbookclub⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

What happens when the sacred victim becomes the sovereign nation? We delve into a provocative exploration of Jewish identity and otherness in this week's episode. Drawing inspiration from the Torah portion Balak and a thought-provoking essay by Hussein Aboubakr Mansour, we challenge long-held beliefs about Judaism's role as the quintessential "other" in society. Have we been misinterpreting our own history? Key Takeaways The concept of Jews as universal "others" may be more modern than we realize Embracing particularism might be more authentic to Jewish tradition than universal symbolism Zionism can be seen as a return to Jewish particularity rather than just a political movement Timestamps [00:00] Introduction to the episode and the theme of “The Jew as Other” [01:45] How the term “other” appears in this week's Parsha and Moab's fear [03:50] Biblical context: Egyptians and Haman's perspective on Jews [06:45] Jewish laws and their role in antisemitic narratives [09:30] Rabbinic interpretations and perceived Jewish separateness [12:15] Rabbinic blame of God for antisemitism through Jewish laws [14:30] Evolution from oppression to loving the stranger in Torah [17:00] Introduction of Hussein Aboubakr Mansour's argument [20:15] Breakdown of the Jew as metaphor and object of culture [28:00] Zionism's rejection of “otherness” and affirmation of sovereignty Links & Learnings Sign up for free and get more from our weekly newsletter https://madlik.com/ Safaria Source Sheet: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/661213 Hussein Aboubakr Mansour‘s Substack article https://open.substack.com/pub/critiqueanddigest/p/the-jew-after-otherness Transcript on episode web page: https://madlik.com/2025/07/09/understanding-anti-semitism-through-history/

Live from Diriyah Art Futures in Riyadh, we're joined by Haytham Nawar, the director of Diriyah Art Futures, and Ala Younis who co-curated its latest exhibition, which delves into the New Media Art scene in the Arab world. They explore the lack of recognition for Arab names in global media art history, discuss the significance of the word "archeology" in the exhibition's subtitle "Maknana: An Archaeology of New Media Art in the Arab World", and highlight contributions by artists like Lucien Samaha, the first person to click a digital image. The conversation also covers the generational and geographical aspects of New Media Art in the Arab world, and the challenges of curating such an exhibition. The episode provides an in-depth look at the themes, artists, and historical context behind the pioneering Diriyah Art Futures project. 00:00 Introduction 01:47 Exploring the Exhibition's Themes and Research04:30 Historical Context and Artist Contributions10:43 Curatorial Approach and Challenges27:31 Defining the Arab World in Art30:48 Misunderstood and Favorite Art Pieces31:23 Curatorial Challenges and Artwork Highlights33:58 More Artworks and Multiple Interpretations39:03 The Role of New Media in Telling the Arab World's Story41:46 Audience Questions and Curatorial Insights49:54 Gender Balance and Artist Selection Criteria51:50 New Media Art and Public Sphere59:11 Future Iterations and Ongoing Research Ala Younis is an artist, with curatorial, film and publishing projects. Using objects, film and printed matter, she often seeks instances where historical and political events collapse into personal ones. She holds a BSc in Architecture from University of Jordan and MRes in Visual Cultures from Goldsmiths, University of London. She co-curated Diriyah Art Futures' exhibition "Maknana: An Archaeology of New Media Art in the Arab World."Connect with Ala Younis

In 743 BCE, Tiglath-Pileser III—known in the Bible as Pul—led the Assyrian Empire into its most powerful and centralized form. This episode of Oldest Stories chronicles the dramatic military and political resurgence of Neo-Assyria as it faced two major threats: the rising Urartian kingdom of Biainilli to the north and the rebellious patchwork of Neo-Hittite and Aramean states in Syria. With detailed narrative drawn from Assyrian royal inscriptions and biblical texts, we explore Tiglath-Pileser's sweeping campaigns across Kummuhu, Arpad, Ulluba, and the Levant, showcasing how the king combined strategic force marches, sophisticated provincial integration, and unprecedented use of eunuch governors to stabilize and expand imperial rule. From the siege of Arpad to the subjugation of Tyre, Israel, and Simirra, the episode reveals how Assyria subdued the ancient Near East through a fusion of administrative innovation and battlefield supremacy. This pivotal moment in Iron Age history marks the beginning of Assyria's true imperial age—one defined by aggressive diplomacy, relentless warfare, and the creation of a durable bureaucratic state. For listeners seeking historical insight into ancient warfare, Assyrian governance, biblical archaeology, and the real-world geopolitics behind Old Testament narratives, this is an essential deep dive into one of the greatest military campaigns of the 8th century BCE.I am also doing daily history facts again, at least until I run out of time again. You can find Oldest Stories daily on Tiktok and Youtube Shorts.If you like the show, consider sharing with your friends, leaving a like, subscribing, or even supporting financially:Buy the Oldest Stories books: https://a.co/d/7Wn4jhSDonate here: https://oldeststories.net/or on patreon: https://patreon.com/JamesBleckleyor on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCG2tPxnHNNvMd0VrInekaA/joinYoutube and Patreon members get access to bonus content about Egyptian culture and myths.

The Israelites have been released from their bondage, but have one last hurdle to face. With their backs to the sea and the Egyptian army on their heels, it will take a miracle to save the fledgling nation. In this episode of Bible Backdrop, we look at some of the details surrounding the great miracle that finally broke Israel away from Egypt and showed even more of God's glory.If you are enjoying Bible Backdrop, please leave a 5 star rating and review. You can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. If you want to get in touch with the show, you can e-mail at the address given in the episode.

In today's episode, I'm joined by our in-house analyst Yaakov Lappin to discuss PM Netanyahu's visit to D.C. and the various challenges Israel currently faces, including:

Pastor John Ryan Cantu brings this week's message, “Trusting in Faith." Genesis 16:1-4 ESV: “Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had borne him no children. She had a female Egyptian servant whose name was Hagar. And Sarai said to Abram, “Behold now, the Lord has prevented me from bearing children. Go in to my servant; it may be that I shall obtain children by her.” And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. So, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, Sarai, Abram's wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her servant, and gave her to Abram her husband as a wife. And he went in to Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, she looked with contempt on her mistress.” Hebrews 11:8-12 ESV: “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.” If you enjoyed the podcast, please subscribe and share it with your friends on social media. For more information about PNEUMA Church, visit our website at mypneumachurch.org. Connect with Us: Instagram: https://instagram.com/mypneumachurch YouTube: https://youtube.com/mypneumachurch Facebook: https://facebook.com/mypneumachurch Time Stamps: 00:00 - Introduction 00:30 - Welcome 03:29 - Genesis 16:1-4 ESV 04:44 - Trusting in Faith

Today I'm joined by my friend, comedian Venessa Peruda to talk about her bold new one-woman show “All the Rage” an exploration of women's anger. We dive into the cultural conditioning that teaches us to suppress our righteous rage and unpack what it really looks like to reclaim it. We explore the emotional disguises anger can wear—like sadness, guilt, or anxiety—and how to begin recognizing when your anger is hiding in plain sight. We also invite listeners to become curious about their own relationship with anger and how expressing it might actually lead to deeper self-trust and healing.Plus, we get into ancient archetypes like the Egyptian lioness goddess Sekhmet, and share a few thoughts on the quiet wisdom of cat ownership.Don't miss it, or Venessa's show:https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/all-the-rageA hysterical commentary on the overworked and underpaid, tiring, objectifying, assaulting and suffocating anger that women experience. The show plays as a workshop where we scream at the history of women's second-class citizenry and laugh at the impossible double standards we can't escape. Told through characters like the Kardashians, true-crime podcasters and anger doulas. Together we will cackle and conspire over the truth that our anger is actually our most powerful emotion and humor can be the secret to unlocking it all.Follow Venessa: IG: @lol_venessa. https://www.instagram.com/lol_venessa/TikTok: @venessaperuda  https://www.tiktok.com/@venessaperudaIf you like what you heard, please give us 5 stars, or better yet a kind review! Thank you so much for being here.For Intuitive Readings and Reiki Sessions with me: ⁠https://www.jenniferwai.com/⁠Watch this episode on Spotify or YouTube:⁠ https://youtu.be/EMXXZxZAaPY

An Egyptian engineer, a Hispanic Navy Seal, and an Italian construction manager walk into a building. It sounds like the beginning of a joke, but it’s the beginning of real-life heroism. The building was the World Trade Center’s North Tower and Father Mark Hanna is the only one of the 3 amigos to survive 9/11.Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/premiumSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An Egyptian engineer, a Hispanic Navy Seal, and an Italian construction manager walk into a building. It sounds like the beginning of a joke, but it’s the beginning of real-life heroism. The building was the World Trade Center’s North Tower and Father Mark Hanna is the only one of the 3 amigos to survive 9/11.Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/premiumSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Interior designer and self-described “cocktail,” Yasmine Ghoniem has lived a whirlwind life across continents, cultures, and careers. Born in Kuwait to Australian and Egyptian parents, she lived throughout the Middle East before moving to the United States to attend Savannah College of Art and Design. She always had a deep love for music, feeling destined to be a performer, she formed indie rock bands with family and friends throughout the years. Yasmine eventually put down roots in Sydney, Australia where she founded and leads YSG Studio, an interior design studio focusing on residential and hospitality. She brings her eclectic influences and flair for the theatrical drama of staging and storytelling to all of her spaces. Intoxicating indeed! Images, links and more from Yasmine!Special thanks to our sponsor:Wix Studio is a platform built for all web creators to design, develop, and manage exceptional web projects at scale.Clever is hosted & produced by Amy Devers, with editing by Rich Stroffolino, production assistance from Ilana Nevins and Anouchka Stephan, and music by El Ten Eleven.SUBSCRIBE - listen to Clever on any podcast app!SIGN UP - for our Substack for news, bonus content, new episode alertsVISIT - cleverpodcast.com for transcripts, images, and 200+ more episodesSAY HI! - on Instagram & LinkedIn @cleverpodcast @amydevers Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lidiane is a Brazilian belly dancer currently based in Egypt, known for her expressive style, stage presence, and deep dedication to the art of Oriental dance. She began her journey as a teenager in Brazil and eventually left behind a stable career to pursue her dream of dancing professionally in Egypt. Since arriving originally in Sharm el-Sheikh, and eventually moving to Cairo, Lidiane has performed nightly shows, reshaped her technique, and immersed herself in the cultural nuances of the Egyptian dance scene. Through discipline, emotional resilience, and a commitment to authenticity, she has built a name for herself not only as a dancer but as a performer who embodies the spirit of the stage both on and off it.In this episode you will learn about:- Why competitions never brought her medals—but did lead to her most important lesson about confidence on stage- Leaving a secure job in Brazil to pursue dance in Egypt- Reshaping her technique and musicality to survive the demands of Egyptian stages- Learning about branding and applying those skills to her belly dance career- Why gym workout is an important part of her lifestyleShow Notes to this episode:Find Lidiane on Instagram, FB, and YouTube.Take a 60-second quiz about Maqam here: www.maqamquiz.com. Created by Maya Youssef.Visit Bellydance.com today: you'll always find something fresh, whether you're looking for costumes, practice wear, veils, hip scarves, jewelry, or music.Follow Iana on Instagram, FB, and Youtube . Check out her online classes and intensives at the Iana Dance Club.Find information on how you can support Ukraine and Ukrainian belly dancers HERE.Podcast: www.ianadance.com/podcast

Sabbath School panel discussion and insight by 3ABN pastors and teachers. This podcast episode follows 2025 quarter 3, lesson 2 of the adult Bible study guide book. This quarter's book topic is “Exodus”. and this week's Sabbath School lesson is titled “The Burning Bush” Join us every week for a fresh and relevant study of the word of God. Reading: Exod. 18:3, 4 | Exod. 3:1-22 | Gen. 22:11, 15-18 | Exod. 6:3 | Joel 2:32 | Exod. 4:1-31 | Gen. 17:10, 11. Memory Text: "And the LORD said: 'I have surely seen the oppres­sion of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey' " (Exodus 3: 7, 8, NKJV). (July 5 - July 11) Sunday (John Lomacang) - “The Burning Bush”Monday (Shelley Quinn) - “The Angel of the Lord” Tuesday (Jill Morikone) - “The Name of the Lord”Wednesday (Ryan Johnson) - “Four Excuses”Thursday (James Rafferty) - “The Circumcision” Want the Panelists' notes? You can sign up here: https://3abnsabbathschoolpanel.com/notes/ Questions or Comments? Email us at mail@3abn.org Donate: https://3abn.org/donate-quick.html

In this message, we look at another part of Moses' life, leading the Israelites out of Egypt. In this part of scripture, we see the Egyptians pursuing Israel, attempting to reenslave them. And when Israel seemed to reach a dead end in their escape, God made a way! But, it required Moses to DO SOMETHING with what God had placed in Moses' hand. Likewise, there is something God has placed in your hands. Something He's called, anointed, and equipped you to do. And when we learn to cooperate with His grace and call on our lives, we see Him show up and do the miraculous.  Support the show

How do you convince a consumer to buy your product if they never come near it in the grocery store. That was the dilemma facing Lonnie Holthaus of Milkhaus Dairy in Fennimore. Through investigation inspired by his college son, they found out that their herd was producing A2 protein milk. A2 protein milk is a product that lactose intolerant people can enjoy without side effects. Those are the same people that have no reason to go near the dairy showcase, however. Holthaus started developing small batches of cheese using their A2 protein milk, and it was a success. Now Holthaus is distributing product through several major retailers in the Midwest, and continuing to preach the importance of knowing what A2 protein milk can bring to dairy sensitive consumers. Pam Jahnke gets the story from Holthaus. A recent story is drawing new attention to the work of the USDA Beagle Brigade after an Egyptian national kicked one of the dogs in D.C.. This group of highly trained dogs sniffs out contraband before it enters the U.S. agriculture space and threatens producers. Ben Jarboe talks to Carrie Thomas, Associate Deputy Director with USDA APHIS. She explains what the dogs do, how they're trained, and why they're so efficient at what they do.Wisconsin farmers have little to complain about when it comes to their crops so far. Pam Jahnke presents the latest updates from the Wisconsin Ag Statistical Service on field ratings from across the state.John Heinberg, market analyst with Total Farm Marketing in West Bend says that's part of what's driving markets lower. Great crops everywhere! He talks with Pam Jahnke about the anxiety building over international business and overall business slowdown.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The ancient world possessed wealth creation secrets so powerful that entire civilizations thrived for millennia using principles we've completely forgotten. While modern financial education teaches us to work harder, save more, and invest smarter, our ancestors understood something far more profound - that true wealth flows according to universal laws that operate beyond mere strategy and effort. You see, there's a reason why ancient Egypt's prosperity lasted over 3,000 years while modern economies collapse every few decades. There's a reason why traditional societies created abundance that sustained entire communities, while today we have more financial information than ever before yet most people still struggle with money. There's a reason why some individuals seem to effortlessly attract wealth while others work twice as hard for half the results. The ancients understood that wealth isn't just about what you do - it's about how you align with the fundamental forces that govern abundance itself. These weren't abstract philosophical concepts taught in temples. They were practical, tested systems used by Egyptian merchants, Hindu traders, Sufi mystics, and Celtic druids to create sustainable prosperity that lasted generations. But here's what's fascinating: this knowledge wasn't lost by accident. When great libraries were destroyed, when ancient civilizations fell, when traditional wisdom was replaced by modern systems, something profound was buried along with it - the complete understanding of how wealth actually works at its deepest level. Today, you're going to rediscover what your ancestors knew. I'm going to reveal thirteen forgotten wealth laws that predate every modern financial system, every contemporary economic theory. These laws work because they align with how the universe actually operates, not just how we've been taught to think about money. 

News items read by Laura Kennedy include: Oldest ancient Egyptian genome indicates North African and Mesopotamian ancestry (details) (details) Flourishing 3,500-year-old city in Peru served as key trading post (details) Old Stone Age tools in China suggest sophisticated foraging techniques by early humans (details) New study reveals that Neanderthals practiced complex food-processing vital to human development (details) (details)

Anchor Passage: (Exodus 13:17-22, 15:1-21)Though Pharaoh had agreed to let the Israelites go, his heart hardened, and he pursued them with his armies. Moses and the Israelites were trapped between the Egyptian army and the Red Sea—but God miraculously parted the waters and rescued His people. Join us as we learn how we should live and worship as God's rescued people today!First Time? Start Here: https://rock.marinerschurch.org/connectcardCan we pray for you? https://rock.marinerschurch.org/page/692You can find information for all our Mariners congregations, watch more videos, and learn more about us and our ministries on our website https://www.marinerschurch.org/---------------------------------------------------------------- FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marinerschurch • TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@marinerschurch • Twitter: https://twitter.com/marinerschurch • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marinerschurch • Online Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mariners.online-------------------------------------------------------------------- Support the ministry and help us reach people worldwide: https://www.marinerschurch.org/give/Like podcasts? Check out more from Mariners Church https://www.marinerschurch.org/podcast-channels/

Join Micah, Pastor Don, Josiah, and Mike Shipley the Anarchist as we explore the duel between Moses, Aaron, and the Pharaoh's magicians. Why does God harden Pharaoh's heart? Do the Egyptian magicians really have secret powers? What is the relationship between Egypt's power, the plagues, and the downfall of Egypt? And what does God mean by "momentous events of justice"? Find out some answers to these questions and more on the third episode of our second season of The Word in Black and Red: The Leftist Bible Study Podcast.Pastor Don's congregation can be found at unfinished.loveYou should check out Josiah's wonderful podcast Pulp! and amazing memes @church_of_christ_the_anarchist on Instagram.Mike Shipley can be found at Mike Shipley the Anarchist on Facebook.Connect with The Word in Black and Red. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A culture without grand moments of celebration will eventually cease to exist. In this episode, Dr. John explores the celebration of Passover from Deuteronomy 16:1-8, showing how this foundational festival commemorated Israel's deliverance from Egyptian slavery through the blood of the lamb. He draws powerful parallels between the ancient Passover and Christ as our ultimate Passover sacrifice, demonstrating how this historic feast finds its fulfillment at the cross and communion table.Living the Moral Life: A Practical Application for Every Generation: Morality cannot be reduced to a bumper sticker. Neither is it the sum total of our debates, campaigns or banners. Morality is presented by how we live. The book of Deuteronomy is a second presentation of God's Law. It contains three sermons by Moses, as Israel stands on the border of the Promised Land. In this series, Dr. John highlights chapters 12- 17 in which Moses emphasizes living out God's commands for a moral life. Why should we listen? Because living a moral life speaks louder than any bumper sticker.

I greet you in Jesus' precious name! It is Monday morning, the 7th of July, 2025, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today. We go to the Book of Exodus 6:7. The Lord says: “I will take you as My people, and I will be your God. Then you shall know that I am the Lord your God who brings you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.” Then we go to that very well-known scripture that I love so much found in Romans 10:13. The Lord says: For “whoever (that means you sir, that means you madam)…whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”We serve such a merciful God, such a forgiving God, it makes me weep sometimes. I read very recently the account where Abraham said to the Lord, “Lord, if there were 50 righteous men in Sodom and Gomorrah, would You save the city?” The Lord said He would and he said, “What if there were 30? What if there were 20? What about if there were 10 righteous men in that city, would You save the city for the sake of those 10?” And He said He would. I don't know who I am talking to this morning but I feel I am talking to someone who is very burdened and heavy-laden who feels not worthy to call upon the Lord because you have disappointed God, you have broken some commandment, you know it, you did it willingly and now you've realised what you have done. I want to say to you, own up, say sorry, truly repent, and God will forgive you. I don't care who you are, and then there might be some Pharisees, some self-righteous, “No, no, you can't do that.” Yes, you can. The Lord said, in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world…” Who is the world? It's you, it's me, it's the one who dropped the ball, it's the one who told that lie, it's the one who has taken something that doesn't belong to you. Take it back, say sorry, repent and get on with your life. The Lord says that He would save a whole city for the sake of 10 righteous men. There is not one person listening to this programme today who is righteous in their own strength, no, not one, but it is by grace. What is grace? Undeserved, loving kindness, unmerited favour, that is what grace means. We don't deserve it but because He loves us and He says, “I am your God and I will help you, and I will take you out of your predicament.” But we must do it God's way and then He will be free to set us alive, to give us new hope and a new beginning.Jesus bless you richly! Remember, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Just say sorry, ask God to help you, and He will see you through. Jesus bless you and goodbye.

--{ "They expect the media is there to do their thinking for them"}-- The improved audio quality of this interview between Alan Watt and Jackie Patru on July 11, 2005. - How does doublethink work? Fluoride, chemtrails - Lady Di, and Egyptian pharaohs - Floods in Texas, 70 deaths as of Sunday, 6 July 2025 - Waiting for the Miracle - Heavy metals in fertilizer - Osama bin Laden - Neocons, Project for the New American Century, countries to take out in the Middle East - The importance of Alan Watt's books. - 7 July 2005 London bombings, 7/7 - The end justifies the means.

First aired May 22, 2022Katie deep dives into Egyptian mythology determined to find the origins for the one true "Book of the Dead." Admin note, we may have accidentally summoned something...let's hope it's friendly.Support the showStay curious!

My special guest is a bestselling author and renowned expert on ancient civilizations, forbidden history, sacred sites, megalithic structures, and consciousness. With over a dozen international documentaries and keynote appearances at GAIA, History Channel, BBC, and Coast to Coast AM, he's a leading voice in metaphysical research. His work explores the Great Pyramid of Giza, advanced ancient technologies, ley lines, and energy fields connecting sacred sites worldwide.We dive into the mysteries of pyramid construction, lost Egyptian knowledge, the role of Akhenaten and the Amarna period, the metaphysical significance of Karnak and Abu Simbel, and how consciousness interacts with ancient architecture. This episode is packed with revelations on secret chambers, solar barges, and alternative theories about human origins and civilization resets—perfect for fans of hidden history, spiritual archaeology, and the unexplained.

The ancient Egyptians possessed deep metaphysical knowledge of the soul, referring to it as the Ka (vital essence) and Ba(spiritual personality). These esoteric teachings describe the soul body or spirit shell—a kind of etheric energy field that surrounds and protects the inner consciousness. Much like a nut encased in a shell, your higher self exists within this subtle energy layer, separate from the physical body. This aligns with modern discussions on the astral body, out-of-body experiences, near-death experiences, sacred geometry, and ancient wisdom traditions. Could this be the missing link between ancient mysticism and today's spiritual awakening?

In March 2025, the world was stunned.Headlines across the globe reported that a team of Italian researchers had detected massive underground structures beneath Egypt's iconic Pyramids of Giza. Utilizing a combination of synthetic aperture radar (SAR), acoustic data from the Earth's surface, and AI-enhanced geospatial analysis, the team—known as The Khafre Project—has uncovered what some are calling a lost subterranean city, hidden for millennia.The Khafre Project recently made international headlines with the announcement that a combination of cutting-edge sensing technologies—including synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and acoustical data—have revealed massive, unexplored structures lying deep beneath the Giza Plateau. Described as potentially "city-sized," the subterranean formations have stirred excitement and debate across scientific, archaeological, and alternative history circles.“We understand the value this moment holds,” said Armando Mei. “We are working diligently to ensure the information we reveal at Cosmic Summit is not only significant but genuinely compelling. Dr. Fillipo BiondiAerospace Engineer | Remote Sensing & Geospatial AnalystWith extensive experience in advanced radar processing and satellite-based sensing systems, Dr. Biondi applies aerospace technologies to terrestrial analysis—leading to discoveries previously invisible to archaeology.Armando MeiEgyptologist | Author | Independent Historical ResearcherA researcher known for investigating ancient Egyptian mysteries with fresh eyes and a deep respect for ancient texts. Mei brings a cross-disciplinary approach to one of the most enigmatic regions on Earth.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/earth-ancients--2790919/support.

Salma El-Wardany meets young women in Egypt using their voices to amplify their faith – drawing inspiration from the long tradition of female Quran reciters in the country. Following in the footsteps of pioneering women like Sheikha Munira Abdou who was first heard on Egyptian Radio 100 years ago and the renowned singer Umm Kulthum, more Egyptian women are sharing their recitations of the Quran publicly. They're stepping out of the shadows of a fatwa (an Islamic ruling on a point of Islamic law) that denounced women's voices something to be covered or not heard, which led to a ban of public recitation on the radio in the 1940s. The ban lasted years but the tradition is being restored thanks to a new generation.

Episode 1744 - brought to you by our incredible sponsors: Inocogni - Take your personal data back with Incogni! Get 60% off an annual plan at ⁠incogni.com/HARDFACTOR⁠ and use code HARDFACTOR at checkout. Lucy - Let's level up your nicotine routine with Lucy.  Go to ⁠Lucy.co/HARDFACTOR⁠ and use promo code (HARDFACTOR) to get 20% off your first order. Lucy has a 30-day refund policy if you change your mind. Factor Meals - The Best Premade Meal Delivery Service on Earth - Get started at factormeals.com/hardfactor50off and use code hardfactor50off to get 50% off your first box plus free shipping. 00:00:00 Timestamps 00:01:00 Story teases 00:04:08 Sweaty crotches setting off TSA alarms 00:19:37 Turd of the week: Egyptian man kicks beagle airport dog so hard at Dulles airport that it needed an operation 00:26:54 Diddy let off multiple charges And much, much more… Thank you for listening! Go to patreon.com/hardfactor to join our community, get access to bonus podcasts and the Discord chat server with the hosts, but Most Importantly: HAGFD Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

00:00:00 – World UFO Day & Technical Woes The crew returns with technical issues and motel check-ins. It's World UFO Day, which kicks off conversation on aliens, Space Force, and secret society conspiracies. They also feature the wild “Alex Jones Clips of the Week” full of out-of-context chaos and shirtless declarations. 00:10:00 – Joe's Absence & Independence Day Speech Updates on former co-host Joe's financial challenges and Rumble revenue efforts. In his honor, the team plays an edited “Independence Day” speech with Joe's voice, reflecting on UFO lore and the symbolism of July 2nd and 4th. 00:20:00 – World UFO Day: History and Celebrations They discuss the meaning of World UFO Day, rooted in the Roswell crash, and propose celebration ideas like alien parties, UFO movie marathons, and amateur skywatching. Independence Day is dubbed “Independence David” in a nod to the movie's characters. 00:30:00 – Top UFO Sightings Around the World The hosts go through a Times of India list of 7 shocking UFO sightings: Kenneth Arnold's 1947 report, Roswell, the Phoenix Lights, O'Hare Airport sighting, the Ariel School event, and Belgium's black triangle wave. Each case is unpacked with theories and skepticism. 00:40:00 – Nazi Tech and Demonic Aliens? Dive into various Roswell theories: alien crash, Nazi remnants, Soviet psy-ops, Project Mogul, and even demonic constructs. The hosts explore government secrecy, witness credibility, and the psychological imprint of the Roswell legend. 00:50:00 – Mount Shasta Mysteries: Giants and Lemurians A deep exploration of JC Brown's story of tunnels in Mt. Shasta filled with giant skeletons and gold. The tale blends with Lemurian mythology, local Native legends, and ongoing paranormal reports around the mountain. 01:00:00 – Ancient Artifacts and Lost Expeditions More on Brown's planned expedition that never happened after he mysteriously vanished. They connect it to other fringe legends of Egyptian relics in the Grand Canyon, lost civilizations, and automatic writing channeled books on Lemuria. 01:10:00 – Velvet Sundown: AI Band or Music Industry Plant? Analysis of “The Velvet Sundown,” a band accused of being AI-generated. Debate centers on whether AI is replacing real artists, Spotify's algorithmic favoritism, and the ethical questions of AI music trained on real songs. 01:20:00 – Protest Music, FBI Warnings & AI Delusions UK protest band Bob Vylan has their visa revoked over anti-Israel chants. The hosts discuss political expression in music. FBI/DHS warnings about July 4 lone wolf attacks and rising cases of “ChatGPT psychosis” (AI-induced delusions) are explored. 01:30:00 – Swamp Crotch TSA Alerts & Chuck E. Cheese for Adults TSA scanners misidentify sweaty groins as threats—dubbed “swamp crotch” alerts. Chuck E. Cheese launches an adult arcade called “Chuck's Arcade,” possibly a Dave & Buster's competitor with animatronics. Hosts suggest it as an Obedient Meetup venue. 01:40:00 – Fast Food Confessionals: Taco Bell Don'ts A list from Taco Bell employees reveals 8 menu items you should never order. Insider tips for fans of late-night Crunchwraps, including which ingredients sit out too long or are rarely cleaned properly. Cautionary tales from behind the counter. 01:50:00 – Rollercoaster News: Cedar Point's Big Drop Staying on the theme of guilty pleasures, the crew covers Cedar Point's latest rollercoaster update. New thrills, tall drops, and a nod to their love of theme parks. Sentimental moment as Mike shares how amusement parks hold a special place in his heart.   Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research ▀▄▀▄▀ CONTACT LINKS ▀▄▀▄▀ ► Phone: 614-388-9109 ► Skype: ourbigdumbmouth ► Website: http://obdmpod.com ► Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/obdmpod ► Full Videos at Odysee: https://odysee.com/@obdm:0 ► Twitter: https://twitter.com/obdmpod ► Instagram: obdmpod ► Email: ourbigdumbmouth at gmail ► RSS: http://ourbigdumbmouth.libsyn.com/rss ► iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/our-big-dumb-mouth/id261189509?mt=2