Podcasts about Hades

Pastor Marco teaches that the Transfiguration is far more than a dramatic moment in Jesus' ministry; it is a prophetic revelation of the resurrection, the rapture, and the coming kingdom. By placing the event at Caesarea Philippi—a center of pagan worship, false gods, and imperial power—he highlights the contrast between false saviors and the true Christ. Jesus' declaration that the “gates of Hades will not prevail” is grounded in His identity as the Messiah and fulfilled through His death and resurrection. The appearance of Moses and Elijah is central: Moses represents those who died in faith and were raised, while Elijah represents those who are taken alive, together forming a living picture of believers united with Christ. Jesus' transfiguration uses the same “metamorphosis” language Paul later applies to the resurrection, showing that what happened to Christ previews what will happen to His people.He further explains that the disciples' desire to build tabernacles reflects their belief that the kingdom had fully arrived, yet the Father's command—“Listen to Him”—clarifies that the cross must come before the crown. The Transfiguration reveals the “already, but not yet” nature of God's kingdom: it is present now through the Spirit and obedience to Christ, but will be fully realized at His return. Pastor Marco emphasizes that discipleship requires denying self, submitting to Christ's lordship, and living in readiness rather than spiritual sleep. The passage ultimately assures believers that whether they die in Christ or are alive at His coming, they will be transformed, gathered to Him, and share in His reign—making the Transfiguration a powerful promise of future glory and a call to faithful obedience today.

Contact us at: thewavecolumbus@gmail.com, or www.thewavecolumbus.com or daniel@thewavecolumbus.com ContentJohn 13:34 Love like Jesus love he is the standardRomans 5:5 We need the Holy Spirit to loveLOVE IS THE MEASURE OF THE CHURCH, not services, not our preaching or our songs Matthew 16:18 (NASB)“I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.”Jesus does not delegate the building of the Church. He claims it.“I will build My church.”The Church is not a human project, it is a divine work.Contact us at: thewavecolumbus@gmail.com, or www.thewavecolumbus.com or daniel@thewavecolumbus.com

Join us as we recap and chat about Once Upon a Time Episode 5x20 FirebirdDid you know Emma states that there's a record of her in Hancock County? This would imply that is where Emma and Pinocchio came through the wardrobe. This county is about 2 and a half to 3 hours north of our previous assumption for Storybrooke's location. So take any driving distances we've given in the last 200 hundred episodes and add about 2 hours to it.Wiki page for the episode:https://onceuponatime.fandom.com/wiki/FirebirdLinks, articles, and videos mentioned in this episode:Rya Kihlstedt IMDBJoin our Book Club and get access to exclusive content on PatreonFollow us on InstagramFollow us on TiktokFollow us on Bluesky

Paul and Matto pull apart all of the games that they've been playing this February, including Dragon Quest VII Reimagined, Hades, Monster Hunter Stories 3, and many more! Join them for Patched updates Follow the team on Twitter: Paul Matto Please visit www.player2.net.au for more awesome content, subscribe to the youtube channel and consider becoming a Player2 patron, www.patreon.com/player2au

Our voyage through unknown stars in the 31st century comes to an end as the Kingdom of Hades is located. How does this fare as a finale, and how does it compare to the original work?Covering the last two episodes of Ulysses 31, 'The Lotus Eaters' and 'The Kingdom of Hades'.

Deceiving Demon Aliens (1) (audio) David Eells – 2/22/26 From Donald J Trump's X account on Thursday, 2/19/26: Donald J. Trump has now instructed the Secretary of War, (Pete Hegseth) and other relevant Departments and Agencies, to begin the process of identifying and releasing Government files related to alien and extraterrestrial life, unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), and unidentified flying objects (UFOs), and any and all other information connected to these highly complex, but extremely interesting and important, matters. GOD BLESS AMERICA! There are many people convinced of “aliens” or “guides” that they feel are friendly to humanity, which is a strong delusion because all of the aliens are demons, as the Scripture says. Have you noticed that many of the Planet X / Nibiru researchers have fallen for what they read the ancients said about aliens showing up when Planet X did? They were deceived by demons as a type for our day and they worshipped them. We should not be deceived; they are again being released by God to deceive. Jud.5 Now I desire to put you in remembrance, though ye know all things once for all, that the Lord, having saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not. 6 And angels that kept not their own principality, but left their proper habitation, he hath kept in everlasting bonds under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. It is possible they will play the good alien / bad alien game to drive the multitudes into the camp of the so-called “good aliens,” but they are all demons. All angels good or bad can manifest as men according to scripture and in dreams and experiences of many. Fallen angels, as aliens, love to claim they planted us on this earth to destroy thoughts that God did this. Satanists are always liars, thieves, fornicators, adulterers, and pedophiles. They also sacrifice women and children. They are perverts because their father demands it. A group of 14 of these graduated from factions “every vile deeds” to satanists who persecuted us and lusted after our women. They took their women through rape and witchcraft. On a Sunday night the Lord spoke to me clearly that on Monday at 7:00 they planed on having an orgy and He was going to kill them all. I spoke to one who knew them who confirmed this plan of theirs. Their were 14 witnesses that these all fell dead at 7:00 am. Then one by one they disappeared in front of the witnesses. An angel told me that they had placed them near their homes around the country so it wouldn't look like a massacre, although there was not a wound on any of them. Others also from the faction died over time.  There are many witnesses that the demons of these people appeared as them in front of us, in a normal setting, to get us to accept them. But the Lord told us to rebuke or ignore them and not to give them permission to continue. They appeared perfectly as their victims whom we knew were dead. The human victims did not come back from the dead because they did not touch their money, wives, or vehicles and we did not give them permission. The satanist leaders demon came down our brother's dead end road with another in his truck to visit a factious couple at the end of the road and these two went in the couples house. Our brother saw them and he had a video camera on his own house pointed down the road they came in on. He found it working, as usual showing every vehicle coming down this dead end road, but the demons and their vehicle did not show up on the video. The brother called me and told me while this was happening, so I called across town to ask if that satanist's truck was where he left it when he died, and it was, so they were in a demon created vehicle just like it. I then asked a sister who had the gift Jesus had when he saw Nathaniel under the fig tree before meeting him. I asked her to look in the factious couple's house and she did and said no one was there. Our brother saw them go in the house but later when he looked the truck was gone and once again they were not on the video and this was the only way out, it was a dead end road. Some would think these were ghosts but they were not. We had another instance like this. Father was teaching us about impersonating demons or familiar spirits. So, we can see that demons can masquerade as people or aliens and their UFO vehicles. Some Christians have found themselves face to face with aliens and rebuked them in Jesus name and they disappeared. A Christian friend of mine, Col. S.C. worked in the military around the underground aliens and he told me, “David, those aliens are demons who can pass through walls effortlessly.” Concerning fake aliens: Inter-stellar space travel is not possible according to the laws of physics. These are interdimensional beings, demons from the second heaven, not Interplanetary travelers. So, let me share some revelations from some brethren, who have received warnings and dreams relating to this alien, aka demon deceptions.   Aliens Are Demons Manifested in Flesh G.C. - 06/15/10 (David's notes in red) In my dream, I was outside in a populated area, maybe in a park or something. It was nighttime and it seemed like any other summer night. All of a sudden, a lot of strange lights started appearing in the sky. First, it seemed like hundreds of shooting stars falling to Earth; then, as the light became more illuminated, the objects took the shape of spacecraft. The night sky was lit up like the Fourth of July! Everyone was shocked and amazed; from east to west, the sky filled with this armada of craft entering Earth's atmosphere. (What the ancients believed were aliens, who showed up during the time of Planet X, according to their writings, were in fact demons who are fallen angels and can take on the appearance of physical bodies, just like God's angels do in scripture. But the fallen angels do it for the purpose of deception. The Tribulation covenant could be made under the cover of catastrophes. Just as the Woman is going into the wilderness, there is a war in heaven and Satan and his fallen angels are cast to earth to deceive the whole world.  Rev.12:9 And the great dragon was cast down, the old serpent, he that is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world; he was cast down to the earth, and his angels were cast down with him. We also received a dream of a bright star falling from heaven and the confirming scripture Isaiah 14, where Satan is falling from heaven. Isa 14:12-13 How art thou fallen from heaven, O day-star, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, that didst lay low the nations! 13 And thou saidst in thy heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; and I will sit upon the mount of congregation, in the uttermost parts of the north; 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High. 15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to Sheol, to the uttermost parts of the pit.)  Satan deceives men into thinking he is God, and he is pleased with unregenerate, falsely called “good men,” which is the doctrine of the New Agers. 2Co.11:13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, fashioning themselves into apostles of Christ. 14 And no marvel; for even Satan fashioneth himself into an angel of light. 15 It is no great thing therefore if his ministers also fashion themselves as ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works. The Alliance is bringing about many good moral changes, but it appears they are complicit in this deception of the nations. Rev.18:23 and the light of a lamp shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the princes of the earth; for with thy sorcery were all the nations deceived. Back to the dream, I was very skeptical, even while seeing this with my own two eyes. I confidently told everyone, “Don't be fooled; it's a hologram!” (Which is one of the theories.) I thought these sights were just a crafty trick (which is true but not as a false vision) but then the ships started to get closer to the ground and they ultimately landed. By this time, I was starting to get bewildered; I didn't know what to think. I was really caught off guard. I thought for sure it was all some sort of illusion by the evil rulers of the world. (Is the Alliance in on the plan of “strong delusion”, which is according to God's will to separate the wheat from the tares? 2Th.2:8 And then shall be revealed the lawless one, whom the Lord Jesus shall slay with the breath of his mouth, and bring to nought by the manifestation of his coming; 9 even he, whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, (Can fallen angels perform lying wonders? Did we get to vote on joining the Galactic Federation?) 10 and with all deceit of unrighteousness for them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this cause God sendeth them a working of error, that they should believe a lie: 12 that they all might be judged who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. It appears in this dream the fallen angels' deception is so strong that God's people will be tested to see who really believes. Mar.13:22 for there shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and shall show signs and wonders, that they may lead astray, if possible, the elect.) Once the craft landed, the door opened and some humanoid beings walked out. Everyone was amazed and startled at the same time. I couldn't believe my eyes. Still believing this was a hologram, I ran over to the ship to touch it and realized it was real. (Satan and his angels are very technological, if they have to be, and have the ability to manifest and interact with the physical realm. They gave men atomic bombs and anti-gravity flying saucers.) I swallowed hard, realizing I was wrong, and I ran back to the crowd.  The humanoid beings dressed in Star Trek-type apparel were being led out by a blond-haired woman. (There is a woman who has introduced many to speaking and hearing from aliens. This is no different than a seance, which is speaking to aliens called familiar spirits.) I, being overwhelmed and slightly intimidated, ran up to her and began to rebuke her in my tongue language. (I often do this in dreams when I feel physically or mentally helpless against an enemy; it often gets me results.)  I thought for sure she would shrivel up in a puddle of goop, like something out of The Wizard of Oz. But, to my astonishment, she just kind of pushed me out of the way, without even acknowledging me. I was perplexed. (The answer to this is, when God sends a delusion to deceive the evil world, we cannot cast it down, nor should we try to. 2Th.2:11 And for this cause God sendeth them a working of error, that they should believe a lie: 12 that they all might be judged who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. As you can see, we only have authority to help the believers.) I watched the group of beings disperse into the crowd. It seemed like they had specific orders and didn't even stop to talk to anyone; they just went about whatever it was they were sent here for. I remember being surrounded by hundreds of people like me -- everyone just totally in awe of what they saw. After some time, I started to see the beings again, but now they did not look like humans. They had glass faces, like ice. It was like they were wearing a mask, but they weren't -- I could see through their heads and nothing was inside. (fallen spirits) They had hideous, clown-like faces with big smiles, like jack-o-lanterns. (Thinking these beings to be mere humanoids while in fact they are demon-possessed is more common than we think. But the whole world outside of Christ will be deceived and possessed.) They were now corralling people like cattle in different areas (FEMA camps). The adults were forced to separate from the children and were taken to a designated area. The children were all taken to another area and placed in long lines, all of which led into a large circus-like tent. (This alien disclosure will bring much confusion and distraction as well as cause some people to give up their faith in the One True God.) None of the children quite knew what was happening; they were all a little less concerned than the adults. I remember leaving the adult group and running over to see what was happening to the children. After seeing what was taking place, I immediately woke up.   I Met Satan :o) G.C. - 4/19/11 I would like to share a dream I had that confirms we should not fear Satan or evil. Evil is not as powerful as our minds sometimes imagine, and Satan is no different.  I dreamed that I was with an unknown person in this dream who I believe was an angel. I could tell he knew a lot more of what was going on than I did. I accompanied him everywhere he went. I was like an observer. Toward the end of the dream, we entered an elevator. This elevator took us deep inside the Earth. I was told we were going to Hell to see Satan. The ride took a long time and my mind was wondering about how Satan would really appear. I was thinking, “Would he be intimidating? Would he be scary? How would I react to seeing him?” Once we arrived at the very bottom, the door opened. I looked around and we were inside a very large, dark cave. Hell was just like I'd imagined it: Big, dark and cavernous. I looked out of the area we were in and looked out into the larger opening. I saw armies and very sophisticated weapons. There was violence taking place and fire was everywhere; it was almost like a war itself. One of the weapons spotted us as we came out of the elevator and fired a missile at us, but it missed and exploded against the wall. My companion, the angel, was never frightened; it was like he knew nothing could hurt him.  As he walked, I followed; he knew right where he was walking. He came to a door off in a dark corner of the cave. I realized this was Satan's office. Behind the door was the evil one himself. My heart was racing, not from fear but from the suspense. The angel I was with opened the door and there sat Satan in a chair behind a desk. But to my amazement, Satan was not a seven-foot giant with goat horns. He was a clown. Yes, a clown. And a cartoon clown at that. I was shocked and a little disappointed. I was expecting something more terrifying. Clearly the Lord is saying that Satan and his demons are putting on a false face but are not to be feared. Luk.10:17 And the seventy returned with joy, saying, Lord, even the demons are subject unto us in thy name. 18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan fallen as lightning from heaven. 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. The angel then revealed to me that Satan is planning something big for Earth. During our trip back up in the elevator, I saw all these green vines shooting up through the elevator shaft from Hell and they were headed straight to Earth. There were a lot of them, like something from Jack and the Beanstalk. But instead of reaching from Earth to the heavens, they were going from Hell to the earth above. Then I woke up. (According to the follow up dream that Father gave him recently, the vines represent the alien deception that satan is sending to earth from the pit of hell.) G.C. said, “Below is a continuation from the dream above from 2011 called. “I Met Satan”. It has the “green vines connection” where green vines were growing up from hell, and the angel told me, “Satan is planning something big for Earth.” Well, it seems the green vines finally made it to Earth and the plan is revealed....    Satan is Planning Something Big for Earth G.C. - 5/13/22 G.C. said, “For a little context, many years ago I worked for mortgage companies securing and repairing vacant foreclosures.”  I dreamed that my dad and I had been given a work order to secure and inspect a foreclosed home in Los Angeles, California. (Los Angeles means, “The angels.”) It was a big house in a nice neighborhood. It was owned by a black husband and wife in their 50's or 60's. (UFOs and aliens were big in the 50's and 60's. The black couple owning the house could represent that this is a house of sinners submitted to darkness.) (I gathered this information by looking at their family photos still left at the property.) I thought these folks looked very successful from the photos. It didn't make sense to me how they could lose their house to foreclosure. (Foreclosure means that they can't pay their debt so the house is taken back. The debt for our house has been paid by faith in Jesus. If it's not paid because there is no faith, then it belongs to the devil.) I thought maybe one or both of them died. But I wasn't sure. I just knew something was amiss. (When one loses one's house to the devil, their soul is his too.) We proceeded through the large house, taking photos with a camera I had rented at a local camera shop. These photos were to be provided to the bank. Then we walked into the basement and to our utter amazement, we saw a small alien infant tangled up in green vines that appeared to be growing from the floor of the basement. (And according to the previous dream, they came straight out of hell. This represents the alien deception.) The vines were attached to the wall and the infant was wrapped up in them. He had a large brown head with 2 large eyes. When we saw him and approached him he became aggressive and hissed at us. (The aliens/demons hate Christians.) I remember taking the rented camera and snapping pictures of him. Even though I was astonished at this, I was not overly distracted by it. I proceeded with my work at the property. My dad and I decided not to show the photos to anyone as it would become a distraction to the public. (Could this represent the Father hiding things from the wise and prudent and revealing them unto babes?) I knew people would not be ready to see this. I downloaded the photos, removed them from the camera and told my dad to return the camera to the shop.  Later, I sent my report and inspection photos to the bank. The next day, I was out and about and realized the whole world was aware of the alien we had found! They had our photos! They were in every publication and on every news station. I had no idea how this had leaked. (True Christians will recognize this Demon/Alien deception, while the rest of the world will swallow the lie, like the waters out of the mouth of the Dragon.) I assumed it was because we returned the camera and the camera shop found the photos on the device and released them. I knew we had discovered it, but no one would ever know our identity. I was ok with that, but I was a little disturbed by how and why they were released. The world was in a frenzy, to say the least. A few days had passed and I was sent back to the same home by the bank to remove the small area of vines growing in the basement. When I got back to the house, the alien child was gone, but the basement dining room was now absolutely full of green vines. (This will be a worldwide deception that will be ‘fed' to all the people.) The walls and ceiling were now covered. I was supposed to remove them, and it was a daunting task. Then, my dad showed up, and we were talking about the alien. The next thing I knew, I stumbled across the rented camera in the basement. I got so upset at my dad because he returned the case but not the camera. (Honestly, I was worried about the late fees. Lol) He said he forgot to look inside the case when he returned it. I realized something strange had happened. How did the world know of the alien if we never took the camera back? Who released the photos? Then I woke up. (2Th 2:8-12 And then shall be revealed the lawless one, whom the Lord Jesus shall slay with the breath of his mouth, and bring to nought by the manifestation of his coming; 9 even he, whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10 and with all deceit of unrighteousness for them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this cause God sendeth them a working of error, that they should believe a lie: 12 that they all might be judged who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.)   Visions of the Fake The Rapture Posted on 25 August, 2006 by Susan-Defenders Of The Faith  “For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” 2 Timothy 4:3-4 I have personally experienced what I believe John experienced in Rev.4:1-2 on many occasions, with my spirit being with The LORD and how my flesh, as well as John's, did not leave earth. Shortly thereafter, this is what I heard and what was seen during my vision. All television stations, radio news reports, and local churches were telephoning their parishioners, they were trumpeting locations throughout all major cities, instructing the followers of Christ where to go to be “raptured up to be with The Lord”. The TV showed the drama on every channel with people screaming, “It IS the Rapture, Praise God! Let us go to where God IS waiting for us so we will not be left behind in this unbearable tribulation! Quickly now, run!” Not only was this chant being heard from the media, but it was in the air everywhere, near and far.  Thousands upon thousands who previously had not come out of their homes for many days, due to fear of being outside from the foreign military stationed everywhere, in a frenzy, flocked to the appointed places where circular aircraft were positioned in the sky between the tallest buildings. (The demons have these space crafts and have given them to governments as crashed so they could reverse engineer them.) The military stood by, unusually silent and still as they let the masses pass, pressing onward to their predetermined destinations. It did not seem unusual to anyone to see such aircraft, and people were not in the least frightened by their being there. Mostly those confessing to be Christian and even those who did not confess to be a Christian believed it to be the army of The LORD our God, i.e., the Rapture. I could see myself making my way quickly to one of the closest locations to warn people, but my screams of “NO! – Don't Go! It Is NOT The LORD!” were lost as people disappeared under the faint laser type light beamed down from the whirling circular crafts while the sounds of “Here I am Lord, save me!” permeated above all else. (This represents people becoming captive to the Demon/Alien deception.) My heart was heavy with an overwhelming sadness, and my eyes streamed down tears as I grievously watched the great deception. As I looked up, I could somehow hear the horrific screams of those that had been deceptively “beamed up”, (Into the false light) but no one else appeared to hear them or their muffled cries of, “Forgive Me, Lord”, over the turmoil below. During this vision, the following Scripture came forth into my mind and is now seared forever upon my mind and heart. “Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.” Matthew 24:23-26 I share this information with you because it bears witness with everything I have received from the Lord Jesus Christ over the last ten years. UFOs are real. They are both man-made technology as well as demonic entities. The Lord has also confirmed to me by the testimony of others that some UFOs are living biological entities which are known to some in the UFO community as critters. It is my testimony that these are what the scriptures refer to as “lying signs and wonders”, as well as “wonders in the heavens.” Source: Republished from the eBook ‘UFO Dreams & Visions of Our Future' (PDF eBook)    Fully Vaccinated Easily Traced by UFO's  2/7/2023, Sister Gladys  Greetings, brothers and sisters,  I had a few dreams regarding these end times that I would like to share with you.    UFO Invasion of Earth I was in my kitchen, and it appeared that the roof was open because I looked up and saw the moon and sun were red. I went outside and saw UFOs, spaceships in different forms descending towards the earth. There were so many of them and they spread all over the earth. I suddenly heard something like the sound of a motorcycle and my two nieces disappeared. I knew in my spirit that those demonic UFOs had taken them. I fell asleep again, and I dreamed the second part of the first dream:   We went outside the house with my brothers, and we looked up to the sky, we saw UFO spaceships, one was a light green color, it was in the shape of a square, and it was descending towards our direction, it had some antennas, and it was taking pictures of us, I turned my back towards it so it would not see my face; that spaceship was seeking to take pictures of my face, I felt frustrated, in my spirit. I knew that they could easily trace the people and my brothers who were fully vaccinated with the Covid-19 shots; they could not trace me because I was and am not vaccinated. (A demonic imposed MRNA shot that changes your DNA and removes your resistance to disease.) We must watch and pray so we will not be deceived. Do not take the vaccines, and if you did, you must repent and ask the LORD JESUS to cleanse your blood and your DNA before it is too late. Do not take the final part of the mark of the beast from Revelation 13.  Watch & Pray so that you don't fall into temptation.    Spawns of Satan and Their Inevitable Destruction   10/3/2023, Olasubomi Williams Psalm 21:8-13, Psalm 24:7-10, Bel and the dragon 1:23-28, Daniel 12, 2 Timothy 3:1-17 Children, do not believe everything you see on your news, media, and entertainment. For these things are meant to bring fear and chaos into your life. Satan is a chaos bringer. He likes to cause chaos for my children for as much and as long as possible. Soon, the chaos in this world will cause Satan to reign and dominate your landscape, and you will see hell in all its glory. There will be no peace. Do not be deceived. Peace will be taken from the earth until I come. Anyone promising you peace is lying to you and does not wish well for your soul but rather destruction. Your souls are precious to me. You do not know how precious your soul is to me. When I breathe life into you, I made you mine. I placed my signature in you. My very essence is in you. Even after you fell, I still retained my essence in you.  However, Satan wants you to forget that and focus on his own agenda, which will cause you chaos and panic. If you have faith in me, and you are truly my own, you will see my blessings poured out in you like a well of water poured upon a man, so shall my love, joy, peace, patience, long suffering, gentleness, meekness, kindness, self-control, and temperance be poured upon you. My words shall be your fruits. The fruits are your behaviors and characters that reflect who you are as a person. This is why I say, by their fruit, you shall know them. If you eat and consume my fruits, you will have my attributes and see the way I see. This is why my servant David said, “I have tasted of the Lord and behold he is good”. I am good. Come to me and taste of me and see for yourself.  However, these spawns of Satan, in whom I will thoroughly wipe out from the face of the earth, have no fruits. They are barren entities and have no souls. They are soulless, heartless creatures who reflect their father satan whom in all senses is a deceiver. Satan is a master manipulator. He likes to manipulate the minds of men to rebel. He stirs up the heart of men to rebel against me and my followers. This is his common tactic. However, he has taken it up a notch now. He has now created agents with different mixings and different demonic races to create brand new species that are completely abominable to me. You call them aliens; I call them fallen ones and demons. These are demonic creatures with flesh, strange flesh. (They, like all angels, can appear in any form, including aliens.) They are not of me, and in the time of the end, many of these entities will come out and deceive mankind. (We have seen them taking on dead human forms to deceive. They also take on humanoid forms as aliens.) Do you think that everyone you see around you are humans? Think again. For without my Spirit, you will lie with strange flesh, and your human pattern will change. If you have lain with these beings in the past, it is time to come to me in prayer and fasting, for you have entered into a covenant with demons and fallen entities, and the only possible way to come out of it is by prayer and fasting. (We know a man who has done this and looks like he is dying. If you sleep with satanists their demons enter you.) But in the time of the end, there will be given no such grace, because you will know fully well who these beings are, and if you choose to sleep with them afterwards, then your salvation warranty will be null and void. (Jas 4:17) To him therefore that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.) There will be many of these demonic entities walking around the earth, bringing new technologies, breakthroughs, and devices to deceive mankind into a false enlightenment; an enlightenment of darkness and hell. Those who choose to accept these deceptive beings and welcome them into your abode will have a part to take in the lake of fire. You should not under any circumstances take in these fallen and soulless creatures. When I was with you, abiding by you, you did not welcome me, I who gave you life and gave my life for you, and I am with you at all times. But you want to welcome a stranger, a wicked entity whom you know nothing about, into your homes. You are quick to adopt and use technologies given to you by the fallen ones, but you will not study my words. I pity your very souls. Repent, and come out of mystery Babylon. Come out of Babylon and the teachings of Babylon. Out of the whore who has defiled herself with her abominations.  In the end, I will cast satan into the abyss, and I will destroy and wipe out every one of these strange flesh. They will be destroyed and cast into the lake of fire that burns for all eternity. Any man or woman who partakes in the abominations of strange flesh will also join them, and there will be no repentance for them. Come and taste of me and see that I, Yahushua ha Mashiach am good. Your King, your God and your very High priest. That is all, vessel.    The Mothership / Aliens 7/6/2021 Linda Hasche Luke 21:26-28 “People will faint from fear and expectation of the things that are coming on the world, because the celestial powers will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. But when these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is near!” DREAM Part 1: A huge “mother ship” appeared in the sky. I saw a massive number of people stunned and staring. I glanced at the mother ship, then looked away at the people. I saw ALL who stared at this ship have their eyes changed while going into some type of trans-like state. (demon possession)  The people were drawn to the ship to get onto it. I absolutely knew this was demonic and evil. I left and went inside a building to hide. I saw my brother James with his dog Cody. James also knew this wasn't good and didn't want to have anything to do with it. I then saw entities that were in the shape of a human coming after me. I then woke up. After getting up for a bit, I went back to sleep and back into the dream. DREAM Part 2: After all the people had gotten on the mother ship, I thought I was safe from the evil, but that was not the case. The entities were looking for ALL humans to capture them.  I was then in a house similar to what I grew up in, located in the city of St. Louis. My brother James was again in this part of the dream with his dog Cody. The entities were coming into the house with people who had been mind-controlled. I saw the eyes of these people had symbols in them rather than human eyes; they were totally mind-controlled.  My brother James chose to go with them because he was so ill and knew he couldn't make it on his own.  These mind-controlled people and the entities with them were trying to convince me that I needed to go with them too. I started SHOUTING, “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus!!!” Then I started speaking in tongues LOUDLY. Using the name of Jesus immobilized them. They all stopped as if frozen. I then started SHOUTING, “Father, send Your angels!!! Father, send Your angels!!!”  Then suddenly an angel of the LORD appeared in the doorway. All of the mind-controlled humans and the entities had to leave. Both the angel and I went outside. I saw small groups of people who had also hidden from the entities when the mother ship appeared. (Saved from the alien deception) They were ALL Christians, and they were all saved from the evil. I woke up. Interpretation/understanding: My brother James and his dog, Cody, both passed away last year (May 2020). My brother was very ill, but was strong in the LORD Jesus and ready to go be with Him. Many will pass away, and many have passed away in 2020 and 2021 who were also strong in the LORD, but the Heavenly Father chose (and will choose) to take people home to keep them from the evil to come (Isaiah 57:1-2). (Many have died from taking the VAX) The people who all stared at the mother ship and became “mind-controlled” are ALL of those who took the CV-19 death “jabs”; they will not be able to resist the frequencies that come from the skies, that will turn on the nano-particles that were injected into them. These people will become zombie-like. They will ALL want everybody to take the CV-19 death “jabs” and will be helping the entities (fallen angels/demons) try to convince non-jabbed people to take the death jabs.  The AMAZING part of this dream, when it looked like I was going to be captured: the name of JESUS caused the entities and mind-controlled people to stop and freeze. Also, the Heavenly Father sent an angel to protect me from planned harm.  ALL Christians who did not take the CV-19 death jabs were spared from the mind-control that was going to happen. Why the mother ship? Because fallen angels are behind ALL of these CV-19 death “jabs”. The “mother of all lies,” as the saying goes. These CV-19 death “jabs” are to ultimately turn all who survive the depopulation agenda to become satan's army to fight against Jesus, and these will WILLINGLY take “the mark of the beast”, which you will be able to see on the right hand or forehead  Are these CV-19 death “jabs” the “mark of the beast”? NO!! NO!! NO!!!  What are they then? They are “markers for slaughter” and for mind-control minions to take “the mark of the beast”, to ultimately become satan's human zombie army to fight the LORD Jesus. What are the “prized” mind-controlled people by Satan? Professing Christians who willingly took the CV-19 death jabs, who WILL also willingly take “the mark of the beast” unless they REPENT!!  What if you took the CV-19 death jabs? REPENT, REPENT and REPENT!!! Again, I say “REPENT!!!” Ask the Heavenly Father to forgive you for putting this fallen angel death juice into you, into “the temple of the Holy Spirit.” Ask Him to cleanse away ALL that was injected, to heal you and to protect you from ALL harm, in Jesus' name and by the blood of Jesus. Amen and AMEN!!! (Those who believe the Bible that we were healed by Jesus would not take the jab. 1Pe 2:24  who his own self bare our sins in his body upon the tree, that we, having died unto sins, might live unto righteousness; by whose stripes ye were healed. Exo 15:26…I will put none of the diseases upon thee, which I have put upon the Egyptians: for I am Jehovah that healeth thee.  What about people you know who took the CV-19 death jabs? Pray for mercy upon their soul. That they will experience the ramifications of the death jab, as the Heavenly Father allows, so they can see the evil of the jabs, repent and turn to Jesus. ONLY WHEN folks truly see how evil these jabs are, when it impacts them personally, can they turn to repentance. Most won't, but some will.    Alien Infiltrated 8/6/2023 - Alcidez A Torrez Shalom everyone, I want to share this dream. I know that there is much talk about the great deception of aliens that are nothing more than fallen angels, demons, and reptilians. This dream was in May 2023.  In my dream, I was in a small building and two agents, like government or FBI agents, were talking. One of them approached me and asked me something, but I don't know what he said. I was wondering why? I didn't pay attention because I was astonished to see his real face. It was really horrible; he had big black eyes all over, and his skin was kind of pale and gray. Then he understood that I could see his real face, and he approached the other FBI agent, but this one was human. He just worked with them and whispered in the agent's ear, but God, at that moment, allowed me to hear what he said. The non-human agent told him, “He can see me,” and the other agent just answered, “How?” Then he told him again, “He can see my face.” At that moment, I looked around, and there were more human people there, but none of them could see the real face of that agent, who was not human, and I felt a little frustrated, but I could see his face clearly; it was very ugly, similar to the aliens that appear in the movies. (We have seen peoples faces turn into the demon that possessed them. It is a form of discernment of spirits.) At that moment, I understood that somehow they use a mechanism to appear like human beings (All angels can appear human. We sometimes “entertain angels unawares.”), but God allowed me to see their true face, and they are really ugly. Then, at that moment, I woke up from my dream.   Spaceships/Aliens vs Fallen Angels!   A Dream & A Few Thoughts! 12/20/24 Elizabeth Marie  A few people have been asking me if I have heard ‘anything' from the LORD concerning what we are now witnessing in the skies….so I thought I would share this dream, and interpretation that I had on 7/20/24…. This dream was a bit bizarre to me (UFOs have never been anything that I studied or followed), so I did not post it. However, in the light of what is happening right now, in the skies, it does not seem so strange!  In this dream, I was outside with lots of people milling about. Apparently, there was some sort of school that was having classes outside. I was one of the teachers and was to start my class soon.  As I was getting ready, I noticed that the students were young adults who were gathering in front of me, ready for class. As I started teaching, I noticed something in the far distant sky…. some lights coming right towards me.  Before I knew it, the students had fled, and, instead, right above me, about 20 feet high, were some drones hovering in front. I remember thinking that they seemed too BIG to actually be drones, for they were the size of a small house. I then noticed that they were in a ‘V' formation, with one in the front (which I knew to be the leader), then two in the next row, then three in the next row, and so on. I don't remember how many there were… but at least 10. The body of these drones were RED and BLACK, half and half, and they looked very sinister. The front ‘leader' DRONE flew up right above my head. As I looked straight up, I saw a TRAP-TYPE DOOR OPEN! At this time, I realized that this wasn't actually a ‘DRONE,' but an ‘ALIEN SHIP!'  Suddenly I felt this tremendous SUCKING POWER coming upon me, much like a VACUUM that was trying to suck me up into the aircraft. I was able to stand up against its FORCE by jumping to the side, away from the SUCTION BEAM, and GRAVITATIONAL PULL. As I escaped, I then woke up!  INTERPRETATION:  I believe that this dream points to an ALIEN DECEPTION that is coming! We will be seeing out-of-this-world alien entities, ships, and strange occurrences in the skies, as well as ORB-TYPE phenomenon.  The ‘drones' in my dream were half black and half red. The LORD has shown me, from previous dreams, that this combination represents Satan's Kingdom and his demons. (Red and black colors are powerful symbols within anarchism) It is important to NOTE that no matter how ‘weird,' or ‘strange' it may get, any ALIEN-TYPE BEINGS that come are not from the LORD. They are from the FATHER OF LIES, Satan, who is a deceiver, and a master of manipulations, and deceptions. This means that it will be hard to discern if we are actually witnessing real ALIEN-TYPE encounters, or FAKE ones that come from human technology. Either way, we must remember that these are sent by Satan, and we must be very careful not to be DRAWN IN by their deceiving ways, and powers…. much like the sucking gravitational pull in my dream! We are to FLEE all evil, and any appearance of EVIL!!!  “…reject every kind of evil.” 1 Thessalonians 5:21  INSTEAD, we have been given ALL THE POWER of the NAME OF JESUS to REBUKE any such entities, or principalities of wickedness! Luke 10:19 “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” One question that can be asked is about the ALIENS vs. FALLEN ANGELS. In other words, are the ALIENS that are coming, actually FALLEN ANGELS…. or just some sort of wicked principalities? If we look at Revelation 12, it mentions a GREAT WAR in heaven where Satan and his angels battle against Michael and the HOLY ANGELS. Satan loses that war and is then cast down to the earth, along with his angels… (which are demons)  (Antichrist is a spirit and there are many “antichrists,” as John says in 1Jn 2:18 Little children, it is the last hour: and as ye heard that antichrist cometh, even now have there arisen many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last hour. 1Jn 4:3 and every spirit that confesseth not Jesus is not of God: and this is the [spirit] of the antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it cometh; and now it is in the world already.) Are the ANGELS that fall down with Satan, a type of FALLEN ANGELS, much like in the days of Genesis? (Yes) Are they what we call the ALIENS that come to invade Earth? (They can take on the appearance of aliens to deceive. They all deny the creation saying they planted man on the earth.) Or will they be cloaked in such deception that they will just ‘blend' in with humanity, and cause much destruction secretly? (Yes, that too) Only time will tell, as we see these prophecies unfold. I do not have any of those answers, but only a ‘glimpse' of what the LORD has shown me! However, I do believe that what we are experiencing in the skies could be a precursor to what is coming sometime in the future. Revelation 12:7-9 “And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.”   A Warning to the Prophets  7/25/2024 Alison Pound  This word was first spoken to me on Tuesday, 16 October 2018. All are impatient. All are looking for My appearing. I say soon – and you look now! But time is in My hands and it is not quite time for My appearance.  There is much yet to be done before I can come for you, My beloved.  There is much to be put right with the remnant who will remain. My prophets will have a pure voice before I come. Those (prophets) who do not become pure in voice will be removed. Yes, I will take them home! These are tough times! No compromise!  Eyes must be opened to deception. Anything remaining of the world in My prophets is going to make them weak. Those who do not know what My earth looks like and what My Word says about creation will be awakened to the truth soon. (The creation story has a perfect numeric pattern in it like the rest of the 66 books and no other book has. Aliens are liars who hate the creation story.) If they will not believe, I will remove them. Be assured, I am at work in many. Those who have theology in their heads and not My Word will be dealt with. Those who think I am coming to take them home before the great tribulation will be removed! I can no longer abide those who do not spend time before Me, studying and coming to the truth. There is not multiple truths, there is but one. It is not okay for one to say in My Name that I am coming before the tribulation and for another to say that I am coming after the tribulation. They must be of one mind – My Mind.  It is not okay for those ‘seeing' planets appearing in the skies and aliens coming to attack, to believe what NASA and scientists tell them about space. They are seeing these things in their dreams. I will tell you now, they are not from Me! They are not from Me! The enemy is creeping in. He has long had a foothold with My people because of this great delusion. But I am going to break this lie wide open. I am going to humiliate these godless scientists who are no scientists at all but paid liars.  The whole world is the playground for the enemy. It is his domain. And he has been deceiving the whole world from the beginning, when I kicked him out of heaven. Be assured that everything you read, watch on a screen, and hear from the governments and agencies of this world is lies, half-truths, and straight deception. Because the world is not of Me. I warned you to come out of the world, but you did not. I urged you to come up higher, to be delivered of your demons, to wash yourselves in repentance in the blood of the Lamb daily. But you did not!  And so you have believed all the things that were taught to you in school without question. You took them into adulthood and they became your belief system. When you were born again, you added Me into your belief system. But, My dear ones, the two do not mix. Because I Am not of the world. I Am Holy and the things of this world are profane.  If you will repent and be delivered of the lying spirits that you have unwittingly allowed in your lives, then I will tell you the truth. I will point out these truths to you in Scripture. They will become highlighted as you have never seen them before – because you will be able to see and to hear like never before.  It is not My desire that you be removed from this earth. Because you are My prophets. I need My mouthpiece. Yet I will remove you if you do not repent of speaking this mixture to the people.  PLEASE NOTE: If you believe wrong, then you will see and perceive wrong. Your dreams are corrupted because your belief system is corrupted. If you prefer to go on believing what agencies like NASA tell you, rather than what the Word of God says about what is above us, and continue to prophecy about those things; If you do not repent, then God will remove you. This is a very strong warning from the Lord God. I have had it sitting in my journal since 2018 when the Lord spoke it to me. It is time to publish. The Lord decides these things. I do not. A time of grace has been given to the prophets in order to put right what is not right.  That time is almost at an end. Every type of manifestation and deception is going to be unleashed. Strange spiritual wickedness in high places will manifest here in our skies and upon the earth. We are coming into that time Apostle Luke spoke of: 21:26 “Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.”   Dream: "Then Those Called Aliens Will Capitalize on the War"  10/3/2017 - Christopher Harris Dear brothers and sisters, I wanted to share a dream I had on Monday, the 2nd of October 2017. I woke up at 7 am and wrote this dream down as I believe it was from the Lord. In this dream, I was in a waiting room adjoining an office for auditions for a movie or acting role. There were movie producers with their door open, and they were speaking loudly. I overheard them talking and they were acting in a disgusting and vile manner. I heard them apply new age spiritual practices to their behavior, (In order to have a rosy picture of the future they have thrown out the book of Revelation, which also has that perfect numeric pattern in it.) supposedly to stop racism and predatory behavior, but they mocked at this and were only using it to justify their evil thoughts and deeds. They seemed to know this full well and were laughing about it and pretending to speak in a new age spiritual manner.  I saw Asian people from different nations in the waiting room, and the producers came out and were abusing them and threatening them under the guise of these new-age teachings. I don't know how to describe what they were saying, but it was very deceptive. They filmed themselves as they approached one of the young men seated to audition for an acting role. They put a coat hanger around his neck and started strangling him and threatening to kill him. He was hoping to be hired, so he was trying to laugh it off, but they were hurting him. They filmed this and laughed about using the footage for a project. The man's mother elbowed the producer away lightly but firmly and refused. Another young Asian man was having a seizure on the floor in the waiting room. The producers had ignored him for a long time. The woman was tending to him, and I went over and put my hands on him. He became still and opened his eyes. I tried to stop him from sitting up and hitting his head on a sharp corner. Then a young blond girl in a red dress, about 7 years old, came through the double wooden doors. She looked at me, and I smiled at her. She asked me, “Why did you smile?” I said, “You are very pretty.” She said, “Wow, oh really?” Then she walked past, and I was looking at something on the door. She had come there to audition for an acting role alone; her parents weren't there. She came up to my side and said, “Did you do this?”  She held out a Post-it note saying, “To Lana” and with writing about how they were going to explicitly sexually abuse her. She said, “This is my name!” She was distressed and worried, so I said, “These men are vile and disgusting”. (Those in Hollywood and the entertainment business, among other professions, are pedophiles and sexual perverts who use and abuse children, sacrificing them to satan.) She sighed as if she had been through a lot in her life and took my left hand and put her hand on my palm. I said, “What are you doing?” She didn't answer, but moved her thumbs on the palm of my hand, trying to read my palm. I took my hand away and said, “No, I can't let you do that. That is of the demons. Pray to God for the answer”. She closed her eyes and stood still with her hands together in prayer. Then the three producers from the office approached her from behind and were snickering to each other, playing off everything they did in a joking manner to justify it. One reached his hand out to touch her. I elbowed his hand away and said sternly, staring at them, “She is busy”.  They backed away and she opened her eyes and parted her hands, and the double wooden doors before us opened. At the end of the hall was an office with Teresa May (Prime Minister of Britain) standing there. It was her office. Lana told me to follow her and go to the left, and she would go to the right so we would not be seen. As I entered the room, I noticed on the right, there was a stand with news articles reporting events that hadn't happened yet. One spoke of war that would break out, and I felt it was very serious. Other people were in the office, busy on computers and laptops with headsets. I followed Lana, and she went ahead, seemingly invisible to them. I waited for a gap and went inside, crouching down to avoid their gaze. She motioned me to follow further, and I came to a congested area with multiple people, but I turned my head from their gaze, and they were unable to see me. Finally, I came into Teresa May's office, but she could not see me. Lana had crouched down by a bookshelf in the office, and she was weeping. I crouched down with her, and she whispered to me, crying and upset, “I have a secret, do you want to know?”  I looked at her and nodded. As she spoke, a book appeared before my eyes with the words she spoke written on the page, “They will kill all the children, they will kill all the men and women, all who prophesy or speak the law of God”. Then she said, distraught with tears in her eyes, “Are you one of these people?” I looked at her with love and said, “Yes, always, and forever!”  Then I wept about what will come, the murdering of those who prophesy or speak the law of God. My vision went black, but then the brightness and energy of the Lord filled my gaze, and I felt His love and peace as my sorrow was gone. Then my vision went black again, and I saw a vision of a town with war breaking out. I saw tanks, bombs, and troops destroying towns and people.  Then I heard a voice say, “Then those called aliens will capitalize on the war.”  Then I saw flying saucers flying over the partially destroyed town, firing weapons that looked like laser beams, seeking to further destroy and conquer, as if they had waited for the right time to attack. Then the dream ended. Interpretation: I believe the producers represent men in powerful positions abusing children and other innocent victims from other nations. They were using their positions and the deception of new-age spiritual concepts to disguise their actions, but they were vile and wicked. I believe they represented the new age spiritism/religion that will be used to justify and promote evil. The young girl dressed in red was innocent. Those wicked men were seeking to destroy her along with many other innocent children. I knew this was happening all over the world.  When she tried to read my palm, she quickly accepted my suggestion to pray to God, as if she knew instinctively how. To me, this shows the young generation will quickly grow in God if they are given the right influences.  When the double wooden doors opened, I believe the Lord was revealing what was going on in positions of power in the world. News was being written before it happened because the governments planned them in advance. Their plans were to destroy and kill Christians, all who prophesy and speak the law of God. This was written in the book that appeared before my eyes. When Lana asked whether I was one of those who prophesy and speak the law of God, I replied, “Yes, always, and forever!” My response took me by surprise because the courage of the Lord was with me as I boldly declared I was one of those they were seeking to kill. I cried for those who were going to suffer in what was coming. The love and energy of the Lord was with me, comforting me, even as my vision faded into black. I believe the Lord will be with all who are martyred for His name's sake, and they will be with the Lord in joy and peace forevermore. I believe my vision of the town with war breaking out revealed wide-scale war, which was the fulfillment of the news reports written in advance. The war that was planned and written before it even started.  Flying saucers further destroyed the towns. I believe these were not extraterrestrial aliens, but fallen angels, demons, appearing in the guise of aliens to deceive people. I believe these beings will be coming upon the earth because I have had many other dreams about them, including a week ago, when I saw many flying saucers in the sky and demons roaming the streets. I believe widespread Christian persecution is coming, and that we should prepare ourselves to stand firm in the Lord Jesus Christ unto death, refusing to deny His name and also refusing to accept the mark of the beast. I would appreciate your thoughts. May God bless you my brothers and sisters. Your brother in Christ, Christopher Scripture References:  And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. (Matthew 24:12)  Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake. (Matthew 24:9) And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. (Revelation 12:11)  Then the fifth angel sounded: And I saw a star fallen from heaven to the earth. To him was given the key to the bottomless pit. (Revelation 9:1) 14 saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” 15 So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released to kill a third of mankind. (Revelation 9:14-15)  So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth. (Revelation 6:8)

Saturday, 21 February 2026   But Jesus came and touched them and said, “Arise, and do not be afraid.” Matthew 17:7   “And He came, Jesus. He touched them, and He said, ‘You rouse, and you fear not'” (CG).   In the previous verse, after hearing the voice from heaven, the disciples fell on their faces and were greatly afraid. Matthew next records, “And He came, Jesus. He touched them.”   This is something seen elsewhere, in both testaments. When a person is presented with the presence of deity, it so overwhelms him that he falls to the ground in a stupor. But then, a comforting hand is presented to him –   “And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, for the men who were with me did not see the vision; but a great terror fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves. 8 Therefore I was left alone when I saw this great vision, and no strength remained in me; for my vigor was turned to frailty in me, and I retained no strength. 9 Yet I heard the sound of his words; and while I heard the sound of his words I was in a deep sleep on my face, with my face to the ground. 10 Suddenly, a hand touched me, which made me tremble on my knees and on the palms of my hands. 11 And he said to me, ‘O Daniel, man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for I have now been sent to you.' While he was speaking this word to me, I stood trembling.” Daniel 10:7-11   “When I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. 14 His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; 15 His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; 16 He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. 17 And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, ‘Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. 18 I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.'” Revelation 1:12-18   Along with touching them, it says, “and He said, ‘You rouse, and you fear not.'”   The words of Jesus and the familiarity of His voice would have brought them to their senses and let them know that, despite the terror the manifestation of the voice brought, they were safe in His presence.   Life application: The lesson for the disciples is the same as the lesson for us today. Though humans throughout the world and in an almost unlimited number of religions constantly talk about God in their regular conversation, there is no fist-bumping fellowship between the two.   Rather, the perfections of God in contrast to the imperfections found in man mean that we should rather be terrified of encountering Him on our own merits. It cannot be known how the voice from the Father occurred, but it struck terror in the hearts and minds of the disciples.   It is the same reaction as occurred at Mount Sinai when Israel heard the words of the Lord God when the Ten Commandments were spoken. At that time, their response to Moses was, “You speak with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die.”   Jesus is there to mediate between His Father and us. It is His perfection that allows this. Without that, there would only be horror at the majesty of God in relation to our own infinitely fallen state.   It is Jesus who restores harmony between the two. It cannot come about through Muhammad, Buddha, Krishna, Mary, or any other person or figure who is prayed to by the deceived people of the world. Without Jesus, there is only the expectation of judgment and condemnation. Thank God for Jesus Christ, who makes our restoration with God possible.   Lord God, how grateful we are for the giving of Your Son to bring us back to You. We praise You, and we will praise You forever and ever because of Him. Thank You for Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Douglas Graves, Maisie Briggs, Ray Calix, and Rossko from Pro Wrestling Ready talk PWR PRO and their journeys to pro wrestling.

In this episode, Fr. Harry and Fr. Anthony slow down over Christ's words in Matthew 16— especially the phrase “my Church”—to clarify that the Church is first Christ's possession and work, not ours. They trace how Orthodox ecclesiology comes into focus through text and context: Christ's confession, the meaning of rock (Petros/Petra), and the claim that the Church's “locus” is the faith revealed by the Father and preserved in the Church. Finally, they bring Caesarea Philippi into view as a charged setting—“the gates of Hades”—so that Christ's promise reads not as abstract poetry but as a Paschal announcement: hell will not prevail.

Press XJoin the Press X Discord: https://discord.gg/MAXtvmv2rwTopics:Virtual Boy Nintendo Classics is hereNintendo issues DMCA takedown on more Switch emulators https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/nintendo-issues-dmca-takedown-on-more-switch-emulators-but-at-least-one-is-fighting-back/Bloomberg reports PS6 launch could be pushed back and Switch 2 price could increase due to memory shortageHideki Sato, the designer of Sega hardware, dies at age 77 https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/hideki-sato-designer-of-segas-consoles-dies-age-75/Longtime Castlevania and Bloodstained creative force Shutaro Ida dies at age 52 https://x.com/ArtplayEN/status/2023213425707647237Koji Igarashi's personal statement https://x.com/KojiIGA/status/2023210325970129391Kristen Bell cast as Amy Rose in Sonic the Hedgehog 4 movie https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/sonic-4-kristen-bell-voice-amy-rose-1236508342/ Questions from Discord: Jtlawbass: What's a random game that you didn't ask for but got as a gift that you ended up loving? One Christmas my sister gave me Heroes of Might and Magic 2 because her husband thought I'd like it. He was right! I played so many hours of that game and got so much enjoyment out of a gift that I didn't ask for.What we're playing: Mary: Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn, Hades 2, Silksong John: Dragon Quest VII ReimaginedGreg: Marvel Rivals Brett L: Darwins Paradox demo, Shovel Knight, ReanimalBrett M: Final Fantasy VII Remake

With a very late recap on the Holidays, Brandon Sanderson and Dan Wells are back to chat about all things during Christmas and New Years. From gifts that they have been given, that they gave, and what its like having the family back home!Want to send me something to open?Dragonsteel EntertainmentATTN: AdamP.O Box 698American Fork, UT 84003Get your Wheel of Time updates here with the Bound and Woven newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/brandonsanderson/eye-of-the-world-campaignStay up to date by following my newsletter: https://brandonsanderson.us10.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=7d056bb7596a3e617f82004b2&id=fa68f14db0Interested in signed books and swag? Check here: https://www.dragonsteelbooks.com/You can also follow me on:Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@authorbrandonsandersonFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/BrandSandersonTwitter: https://twitter.com/BrandSandersonInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/brandsanderson/?hl=enTwitch: https://www.twitch.tv/mistbornbrandonFrequently asked questions: https://faq.brandonsanderson.com

Revelation 1:18 reveals that Jesus possesses the keys of death and Hades. How did He come to possess them? What happened between the Cross and the Resurrection? Today's recap focuses more light on this critical time period

Andrea Maderna, Ugo Laviano, Alex Camilleri, Antonio Bellotta, Alessandro De Luca e Giuseppe Colaneri si lanciano in tre ore abbondanti di chiacchiera sui loro videogiochi preferiti del 2025. L'elenco completo dei film di cui abbiamo parlato: Absolum, And Roger, ARC Raiders, BALL X PIT, Blue Prince, Clair Obscur Expedition 33, Dear Me I Was, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, Dispatch, Donkey Kong Bananza, Earthion, Elden Ring Nightreign, Fulcrum Defender, Ghost of Yotei, Hades 2, Hollow Knight Silksong, HORSES, Is This Seat Taken?, Khazan: The First Berserk, Kingdom Come Deliverance 2, Last Report, Lumines Arise, Mario Kart World, Monster Hunter Wilds, Old Skies, Once Upon a Katamari, The Roottrees are Dead, Simogo Legacy Collection, Split Fiction, Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon, To a T Buon ascolto! Soundtraccia: Odd Theme - Fabio Bortolotti / Outcast Magazine - Davide Tosini / Notti fotoniche - Fabio Bortolotti Vuoi darci una mano? Abbonati su Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/outcastvideo Fai acquisti su Amazon: https://amzn.to/3pGObEq Fai acquisti su Fusion Retro Books: https://fusionretrobooks.com/?ref=pzxtr4vyfzsy Usa il codice outcastlive su Epic Games Store. Compra le nostre felpe e magliette: https://outcastlive.threadless.com/ Supportaci su Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/outcast?ty=h Supportaci con PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=K9TL85M7PDN4Y

You're Not Called to Survive This Hour, You're Called to Overcome It • Sunday Service To give: www.ToddCoconato.com/give Website: www.PastorTodd.org There's a lie circulating in the body of Christ right now. It sounds humble. It sounds cautious. But it's unbelief dressed up in church language. The lie says: “Just hang on.” The lie says: “It's going to get darker and darker.” The lie says: “The devil is running wild and we're barely making it.” That is not the Gospel. Jesus did not shed His blood so you could limp into heaven barely alive. He did not rise from the dead so you could be tormented, confused, defeated, and spiritually fragile. You are not called to survive this hour. You are called to dominate it in the Spirit. Let's go to the Word. 1. You Were Created to Overcome, Not Coexist With Defeat 1 John 4:4 (NKJV) “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” 2. You Were Given Authority, Not a Victim Card Luke 10:19 (NKJV) “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” 3. You Are Not Called to Fear the Last Days There's so much fear preaching right now. Charts. Timelines. Panic. But Jesus never told us to fear the last days. Luke 21:28 (NKJV) “Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.” 4. The Righteous Are Bold Proverbs 28:1 (NKJV) “The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion.” 5. You Were Not Redeemed to Live in Bondage Galatians 5:1 (NKJV) “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.” 6. Faith Is the Victory 1 John 5:4 (NKJV) “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.” 7. You Have Resurrection Power Inside You Romans 8:11 (NKJV) “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” 8. You Are More Than a Conqueror Romans 8:37 (NKJV) “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” 9. The Kingdom Is Advancing Matthew 16:18 (NKJV) “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.” 10. The Gospel Is the Power of God Romans 1:16 (NKJV) “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes…” The answer to cultural chaos is not clever arguments. It's the Gospel. The Gospel carries power. Power to save. Power to heal. Power to deliver. Power to transform. When you preach Christ crucified and risen, heaven backs it. This is not the hour to shrink. This is not the hour to blend in. This is not the hour to whisper. It's the hour to believe the Bible again. Stop rehearsing what the enemy is doing. Start declaring what Jesus has done. You are not weak. You are not barely making it. You are not called to survive. You are filled with the Spirit of God. You carry authority in the name of Jesus. You are more than a conqueror.

This week, Jeff is hustling as an Uber driver for his kids and subtly suggests they buy Skyrim VR, Trevor finished Hades 2 and is caught between endgame content and some retro fun with Pokemon Fire Red, and Trevor pulls a fast one as the dealer during a game of Flip 7 for a good cause. Subscribe to the Podcast!   Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/new-dad-gaming/id1107330772 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/434cj9ksKBnX6aY2aBZ6Uw Others on Our Website: https://newdadgaming.com/ #podcast #podcaster #podcasting #fatherhood #gaming #dadgaming

Enjoy!! Recorded from GLOW 2/14/2026

"Rich Man Poor Man" is a series of three messages from Luke 16:19-31.Join us as we look at three important lessons from this passage when Jesus tells the account of a rich man who lived a luxurious life but then spent eternity in the torment of Hades compared to Lazarus, who was a poor man and suffered through life but spent eternity in heaven. Jesus uses this powerful passage to:* warn us about the deceitfulness of wealth (A Rich Man),* inspire us to show mercy to others (Have Mercy On Me), and* compel us to act before it is too late (A Great Chasm)! Join us at cefc.church.

Our Election in Christ (7)  (audio) David Eells – 2/15/26 I'm going to continue speaking today about election and talk about the children and the work of the Holy Spirit. It is the Spirit that giveth life; … (Joh.6:63). In the Book of Romans, we found out that before Jacob and Esau were even born, Jacob was called God's elect. (Rom.9:10) And not only so; but Rebecca also having conceived by one, even by our father Isaac— (11) for [the children] being not yet born, neither having done anything good or bad, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth, (12) it was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. (13) Even as it is written, Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated. Well, just as I'm sure you have questions, I had some questions, too, when I got this far in my revelation about election and predestination. What about the children? What about the babies? What about the doctrine of an “age of reason” that the Church has had for so many years? They say every child goes to be with the Lord, if they die before they reach the “age of reason,” and after that age, then they become accountable. Then it becomes their responsibility to accept the Lord and walk with the Lord. And so on. To me, that doctrine seemed contrary to election, according to everything I understood. I really wanted to know for myself, so I began to do some research. I decided to seek out how all of this fits together about children and election, but I want to remind you that both Jacob and Esau went past the stage of childhood; Jacob went on to manifest as a vessel of honor, and Esau as a vessel of dishonor. Neither one of them died as a child or as a baby. Let me share with you what I discovered. We know that, according to election, there are sons of God and sons of the devil, based on what God makes out of the clay and what a person becomes in their life (Romans 9:21). But, according to nature, I'd like to show you another teaching: (Heb.12:9) Furthermore, we had the fathers of our flesh to chasten us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of [our] spirits, and live? Some translations add in the word “our” to “Father of spirits” in this verse, but the word “our” is not in the ancient manuscripts of the Nestle's or Received Text, and there's no numeric pattern for that word to be there. He's the “Father of spirits,” as He's called elsewhere in the Bible. You may be questioning, “So is God the Father of our spirits or is He the Father of every spirit?” The answer can be found here: (Num.16:22) And they fell upon their faces, and said, O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and wilt thou be wroth with all the congregation? And another place says in (Num.27:16) Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation. That gives us two witnesses that He's “God of the spirits of all flesh.” When God breathed into Adam the breath, or the spirit, of life, the spirit that He gave Adam was a fresh, clean human spirit (Genesis 2:7), and I believe God gives everyone a fresh, clean human spirit. Now I want you to look at something that you may find surprising. Once you understand election and God's predestination of the elect, you can see how there are sons of God and there are sons of the devil. We've seen that the “wheat” are the sons of God and the “tares” are the sons of the devil. The wheat and the tares were sown in the earth, and in the parable of the wheat and the tares (Matthew 13:24,36-43), the earth was the hearts of men. Universally, the hearts of men are that “earth” in which God sows His seed and in which the devil sows his seed. But what about that heart before it manifested the seed of God or the seed of the devil? When Paul preached to the pagans at the Areopagus, he told them, (Act.17:24) The God that made the world and all [things] (The word “things” is not in the original; it was added by the translators.) therein, he, being Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; (25) neither is he served by men's hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he himself giveth to all life, and breath, and all [things]. Again, the word “things” is not in the original. “He giveth to all life, and breath.” The word there for “breath” is the Greek word pneuma, and it's the same word translated as “spirit” in other places in the New Testament. The words “breath” and “spirit” both come from the same word pneuma, which is where we get our word for “air.” As we read on down, we're going to see if this word “all” really means “all” because this word “all” has to be judged by its context in the rest of the Scripture. We read again this text without “things.” (Act.17:25) Neither is he served by men's hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he himself giveth to all life, and breath, and all; (26) and he made of one every nation of men (God made all men) to dwell on all the face of the earth, having determined [their] appointed seasons, and the bounds of their habitation (Everybody came from Adam according to (Act 17:26) and he made of one every nation of men… And, Eve is called the “mother of all living” in Genesis 3:20, so we know that everybody came from Adam and Eve, contrary to some doctrines of men.); (27) that they should seek God, if happily they might feel after him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us (That shows each person on this earth is individually responsible for seeking God, but not everybody will do that and they are going to be held responsible.): (28) for in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain even of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. Paul is agreeing with what those pagans were saying about us receiving our being in God. He's saying that it's true. (Act.17:28) For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain even of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. “We are also His offspring.” You know, Christians like to correct this theology and say, “For we are all children of God.” That's not true because we are not all children of God, but we are all His offspring in a way. Then Paul goes on to say, (29) Being then the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and device of man. (30) The times of ignorance therefore God overlooked; but now he commandeth men that they should all everywhere repent: (31) inasmuch as he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. Well, how are we all the “offspring of God”? (Joh.1:1) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (2) The same was in the beginning with God. (3) All [things] were made through him (He's talking about people, not things, which is not in the numeric pattern. The Greek word there is the adjective pas, and it simply means “all, the whole, every kind of.”); and without him was not anything made that hath been made. So the Word made everything; He made Adam. We can read a confirmation of this here: (Col.1:16) For in him were all [things] created, in the heavens and upon the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through him, and unto him. Everything was created through Jesus and for Jesus. He is the first-born of the creation of God. This is talking about from the very beginning of all creation. It all came to be because it was created through Christ. (Joh.1:4) In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And over in Proverbs it says, (Pro.20:27) The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord, Searching all his innermost parts. The Father created all things through Christ, and Christ was the medium through which the Father used to create all things and all men as in these texts. It was Jesus, the Son of God Who created all things and breathed into Adam. (Gen.2:7) And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life (Or the “spirit.” The Hebrew word there is neshamah and is translated as both “breath” and “spirit” in the Old Testament.); and man became a living soul. The Bible says that the first man, Adam, was a natural being. (1Co.15:44) It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual [body]. (45) So also it is written, The first man Adam became a living soul. The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. (46) Howbeit that is not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; then that which is spiritual. (47) The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is of heaven. (48) As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. His natural man came from the earth, but his spirit came from God. God breathed into Adam, and the breath, the Spirit, came out of God and went into man. Some theologians like to argue that the “breath of life” is the “breath of lives.” I'm not sure about that, but we know that in the loins of Adam, in the seed of Adam, was all mankind (1 Corinthians 15:21-22). And God breathed into Adam a fresh, clean, pure Spirit to be the spirit of man, but it wasn't long after this that instead of following after his spirit, man followed his flesh and corrupted himself on the earth. (Gen.6:12) And God saw the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth. (17) And I, behold, I do bring the flood of waters upon this earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; everything that is in the earth shall die. Adam started out innocent before God, but in following his flesh, he got further and further away from God, and Adam's children got further and further away from God, until God had to destroy them. Truly, nothing has changed; we're in the same position today. God gives the natural child a fresh, clean spirit, which is the breath of life that He breathes into them. With this spirit, they have an opportunity to follow their spirit, and your conscience is a part of your spirit, so when you're following your conscience, you are following your spirit. We have to choose. You can follow your conscience, or you can follow your flesh, and as we know, everybody follows after their flesh. (Joh.1:5) And the light shineth in the darkness; and the darkness apprehended it not. This sounds very much like what Peter said: (2Pe.1:19) And we have the word of prophecy [made] more sure; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a lamp (We've learned that the “lamp” is the “spirit of man,” according to Proverbs 20:27.) shining in a dark place (The “dark place” is your soul, which is your mind, will and emotions.), until the day dawn, and the daystar arise in your hearts. In the beginning, God gave Adam a “lamp” and it shined forth into his human nature, but Adam's offspring, who all started out the same way, began to follow after their flesh more and more, which corrupted their soul and eventually corrupted their spirit. If we follow after the flesh, the soul is going to be corrupted, and then when we follow our corrupted soul, our spirit will eventually be corrupted. Everybody starts out with a fresh, clean spirit, but they also start out with the corrupt nature that was passed down to them through their parents. “The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.” The last Adam, or Jesus, is the one who gives us a new spirit when we are born again and become a new creation. (2Co.5:17) Wherefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature: the old things are passed away; behold, they are become new. Jesus is the second Adam; He is the Father of a new, born-again creation because the first creation corrupted itself. Except for one thing, babies start out in the place of Adam because they are given a fresh, clean spirit from God, one that's not corrupted. However, their soul is corrupted because their parents passed on their blood. (Lev.17:11) For the life of the flesh is in the blood; and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh atonement by reason of the life. That gives the child a lot to overcome. The Bible says of God, (Exo.34:6) And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, the Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness and truth, (7) keeping lovingkindness for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin; and that will by no means clear [the guilty], visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, upon the third and upon the fourth generation. So we see that the sins of the parents are also passed down to the children from one generation to another generation and on and on. So, live holy. (Joh.1:6) There came a man, sent from God, whose name was John. (7) The same came for witness, that he might bear witness of the light, that all might believe through him. (8) He was not the light, but [came] that he might bear witness of the light. (9) There was the true light, [even the light] which lighteth every man, coming into the world. This should be turned around because the numeric pattern proves that the sequence is wrong. What it actually says is, “The true light was, which coming into the world, lighteth every man.” Jesus is the true light that “lighteth every man.” (12) But as many as received him, to them gave he the right to become children of God. As far as the new creation, Jesus' spirit is that new spirit that comes into every man as their lamp to show them the way. It shines in the dark place of their soul in order to dispel the darkness. You can see the same pattern repeated with babies. Like Adam at the beginning of creation, Jesus breathes into them the spirit of life, and they start out innocent when they are born, but they don't stay that way long. And the Bible doesn't teach that it has anything to do with some so-called “age of reason”; theologians have come up with that doctrine. What the Bible does say is, (Isa.53:6) All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way.... Well, in order to go astray, you had to have been with God in the first place. (Rom.3:9) What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we before laid to the charge both of Jews and Greeks, that they are all under sin (Of course, the Greeks weren't under the Old Covenant. Paul is talking about the New Covenant.); (10) as it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one; (11) There is none that understandeth, There is none that seeketh after God (He's talking about the Jews and the Gentiles.); (12) They have all turned aside, they are together become unprofitable; There is none that doeth good, no, not, so much as one. They all turned aside. Jews and Gentiles all turned aside. That means, in some way, they started out with God. In some way, babies start out with God. (Psa.58:3) The wicked are estranged from the womb: They go astray as soon as they are born, speaking lies. This says they start going astray from the time they are born, but at birth, they are with God. They go astray because they follow their fallen nature, instead of following after their fresh, clean spirit, which was given from God. They go astray following after their flesh and become more and more corrupt. If you have a clean spirit, but you follow after the flesh, your soul will die. (Job.36:8) And if they be bound in fetters, And be taken in the cords of afflictions; (9) Then he showeth them their work, And their transgressions, that they have behaved themselves proudly. (10) He openeth also their ear to instruction, And commandeth that they return from iniquity. (11) If they hearken and serve [him], They shall spend their days in prosperity, And their years in pleasures. (12) But if they hearken not, they shall perish by the sword, And they shall die without knowledge. (13) But they that are godless in heart lay up anger: They cry not for help when he bindeth them. (14) They die in youth.... “Their soul dieth” is what it literally says in the original Hebrew and your Bible should have a footnote explaining this. Strong's concordance is based on the Received Text and uses noar, which is a different Hebrew word altogether. (14) They die in soul, And their life [perisheth] among the unclean. (15) He delivereth the afflicted by their affliction, And openeth their ear in oppression. (16) Yea, he would have allured thee out of distress Into a broad place, where there is no straitness; And that which is set on thy table would be full of fatness. (17) But thou art full of the judgment of the wicked: Judgment and justice take hold [on thee.] (18) For let not wrath stir thee up against chastisements; Neither let the greatness of the ransom turn thee aside. Therefore, if a person were to listen to the Lord and follow after the Lord, their soul wouldn't die, but the natural process of degeneration sets in as soon as a person is born. They begin to go astray by following after their flesh, but the point is that they don't start out that way; they start out with the Lord. I don't think responsibility has anything to do with reaching an “age of reason.” I think that responsibility has more to do with the degeneration of the spirit than it does with reason. Children who are raised up with Godly parents, parents who discipline them and teach them the truth, don't become as corrupt as quickly as other children. Their conscience doesn't become as defiled as that of other children because discipline is a motivation to do what is right. It's a motivation to obey your conscience and obey your spirit, and not obey your flesh. If a child is raised with discipline, they don't become corrupted as quickly as a child who is not raised with discipline. Little children go bad and become evil very quickly without any discipline, and that's why I don't think that there is any particular age called the “age of reason,” where God imputes responsibility. It's not an age that makes you accountable; it's truth that makes you accountable. The more truth you go against, the more your conscience is defiled. The Bible is very plain: (Jas.4:17) To him therefore that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. That doesn't mention any particular age. “To him it is sin,” but where there was no law or, in other words, when they didn't know that what they were doing was sin, then sin was not imputed to them. (Rom.5:13) For until the law sin was in the world; but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Being held responsible has to do with knowledge; knowledge determines whether God imputes iniquity to you or whether He doesn't impute iniquity to you. Yet, knowledge must be incorporated to bear fruit. I believe that whether a child is raised with discipline or whether they're not raised with discipline, they end up in the same place. Eventually, what happens is that their soul and spirit become corrupt. At that time, they need to be born again. I can't say if there's any particular age for that because the Bible doesn't teach it. But somewhere during that time, I believe that a person whose spirit becomes corrupt must be born again; their spirit must be born again. Adam was pure before God when he was in his innocence, even though he was not born again. That was the natural birth that he had. It was when Adam got away from his innocence that he fell. God gave Adam a clean spirit and He gave Adam only one law, but still Adam failed. He followed the flesh and he fell away. Now there is a place of innocence from childhood on up because of ignorance. Let me show you that in the story of Abijah, the son of Jeroboam. Jeroboam was a wicked king over the northern 10 tribes, and he led Israel into apostasy. God had prophesied to him that he was going to be King over Israel (1 Kings 11:29-37; 12:20), but he led Israel in the wrong way (1 Kings 12:26-33; 13:33,34). When Jeroboam's son was sick, he asked his wife to disguise herself and go to the prophet Ahijah to see what was going to happen to their son. God spoke to Ahijah the prophet, who was blind, and told him that Jeroboam's wife was coming, and God gave Ahijah a word of prophecy for her. (1Ki.14:7) Go, tell Jeroboam, Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel: Forasmuch as I exalted thee from among the people, and made thee prince over my people Israel, (8) and rent the kingdom away from the house of David, and gave it thee; and yet thou hast not been as my servant David, who kept my commandments, and who followed me with all his heart, to do that only which was right in mine eyes, (9) but hast done evil above all that were before thee, and hast gone and made thee other gods, and molten images, to provoke me to anger, and hast cast me behind thy back: (10) therefore, behold, I will bring evil upon the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam every man-child, him that is shut up and him that is left at large in Israel, and will utterly sweep away the house of Jeroboam, as a man sweepeth away dung, till it be all gone. (11) Him that dieth of Jeroboam in the city shall the dogs eat; and him that dieth in the field shall the birds of the heavens eat: for the Lord hath spoken it. (12) Arise thou therefore, get thee to thy house: [and] when thy feet enter into the city, the child shall die. (13) And all Israel shall mourn for him, and bury him; for he only of Jeroboam shall come to the grave, because in him there is found some good thing toward the Lord, the God of Israel, in the house of Jeroboam. Here, this child's parents were some of the most wicked in all of Israel, yet there was something good in this child toward the Lord. I believe the Lord was saying that the child's spirit was still good. Do you remember what happened when the disciples wanted to know who was the greatest? (Mat.18:1) In that hour came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven? (2) And he called to him a little child, and set him in the midst of them, (3) and said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye turn, and become as little children, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven. (4) Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. What was Jesus talking about? Jesus was showing the disciples how a little child is submissive. In every case in the Gospels, it says “little child” (Mark 10:15; Luke 9:47) because, as you know, some older children are not submissive and trusting of their father; they're not clean on the inside. Another place of innocence is a child who is killed by abortion or dies from miscarriage. (Ecc.6:3) If a man beget a hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul be not filled with good, and moreover he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth (In other words, speaking of a miscarriage.) is better than he. So a man can live a full life, but not live in the goodness of the Lord, and not be a vessel of honor. This is saying it's better to have been born dead. (4) For it cometh in vanity, and departeth in darkness, and the name thereof is covered with darkness; (5) moreover it hath not seen the sun nor known it; this hath rest rather than the other: (6) yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, and yet enjoy no good, do not all go to one place? He's talking about death here, not about going to the same place in Sheol, because this man went to Hades and the child went to Abraham's Bosom, but they both went to Sheol (Luke 16:22-26). This shows us that God at least considers innocency among children or babies. Abijah was a small child and God did not impute iniquity to this small child. That leads me to believe the further we get away from birth, the more dangerous it becomes because we become more responsible as we acquire knowledge. Innocency is not based on some “age of accountability” or “age of reason,” as theologians have told us, because you can't find that in the Bible. Saints, God imputes iniquity with knowledge. (Jas.4:17) To him therefore that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. God showed His election through Jacob, who manifested a vessel of honor, and Esau, who manifested a vessel of dishonor. This is what they were elected to do. Although every child is born with a fresh, clean spirit, they also receive the nature of their parents, and so they have a choice to make. They can choose to follow after their spirit, or they can choose to follow after the nature of their parents. As we've seen, everyone chooses to go the way of the flesh, and then their soul becomes corrupt, and eventually their spirit becomes corrupt. When the spirit becomes corrupt, that child has to be born again to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. I haven't found that there is any particular age at which the spirit becomes corrupt for all mature differently. Some children are raised with discipline and are more conscientious, while others are raised with no discipline, and they become very corrupt, very quickly, but I do believe that when the spirit dies, that person is responsible before God, and they must be born again. Yes, we are given a fresh, clean spirit from God when we are born, but that spirit dies from following after the flesh, and it becomes corrupt. This is what I'm calling “death” here. It's not a physical lack of existence but the spirit becoming corrupt. When that happens, then we are held responsible. Jesus was the one who breathed into Adam the breath of life, and as the Scriptures tell us, (Joh.1:1) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (2) The same was in the beginning with God. (3) All things were made through him; and without him was not anything made that hath been made. (4) In him was life; and the life was the light of men. (Col.1:16) For in him were all things created, in the heavens and upon the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through him, and unto him; (17) and he is before all things, and in him all things consist. God the Father created everything through Christ. There is nothing created that wasn't created through Christ. Jesus breathed into Adam the breath of life, but the whole race of Adam fell and became corrupt. Then Jesus, the second Adam (1Corinthians 15:47), breathed again; He breathed His spirit of life into His new creation. And, did you know that you still don't have to follow your spirit after being born again? You can, once again, choose to follow your flesh. A born-again person has the opportunity to follow their spirit and go with God, or they can follow their fallen nature and go the way of the rest of creation. We were given a fresh, clean human spirit from God, like Christ's human spirit, but we have a fallen soul because “the life of the flesh is in the blood.” That means after we are born again, we must overcome the disadvantage of the fallen nature that was passed on to us through our parents. The apostle Paul explains to us about his battle against the fallen nature that was passed on to him. He says, (Rom.7:23) I see a different law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity under the law of sin which is in my members. (24) Wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me out of the body of this death? He wanted power over the body of death. Paul was a Christian, and he wanted to serve God. Do you know what God did to give Christians power over the body of death? He gave them the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Without the baptism of the Holy Spirit, a person doesn't have that power. I'll prove this to you: (Rom.8:7) Because the mind of the flesh is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can it be: (8) and they that are in the flesh cannot please God. (9) But ye are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God (that's the Holy Spirit) dwelleth in you. But if any man hath not the Spirit of Christ (that's your born-again spirit), he is none of his. Christ was man in that He had a human spirit, soul, and body. He was God in that the Holy Spirit dwelt in His spirit. (1:3) Concerning his Son, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, (4) who was declared [to be] the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness. This in turn affected His DNA. When we are born again, our human spirit is born again. The Holy Spirit comes to do three things. Jesus said, (Joh.16:14) He shall glorify me: for he shall take of mine, and shall declare [it] unto you. First, the Holy Spirit comes to give us the Spirit of Christ, which is our born-again spirit, our fresh, clean spirit. Second, as we follow the Holy Spirit, our soul becomes born again. If we bear fruit in the realm of the soul, we will receive a born-again body. This is the manifestation of Christ in you, spirit, soul and body. Even if you have the Spirit of Christ, if you don't have the Holy Spirit, you don't have power over the body. (Rom.8:9) But ye are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you. But if any man hath not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. If you don't have the Spirit of Christ in you, or, in other words, if you don't have a born-again human spirit, you don't belong to Him because Jesus had a born-again human spirit. (10) And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin (That's the situation Paul was in.); but the spirit is life because of righteousness. Before the disciples received the Holy Spirit, even though they had received their born-again spirit, they didn't have the greater power over the flesh. As Jesus said to them, (Mat.26:41) … The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. Did they have a born-again human spirit? Yes. Jesus told His disciples, (Joh.15:3) Already ye are clean because of the word which I have spoken unto you. You can't be clean without a born-again spirit, and they had a reborn spirit through the Word that was spoken into them. Paul says, “And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the spirit is life because of righteousness.” So here you have a born-again person who is born-again in their spirit, but they don't have the greater power over their body, “the body of death.” Paul was crying out, “Who shall deliver me from this body of death?” Christians didn't have the greater power over their “body of death” until they received the Holy Spirit. (Rom.8:11) But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwelleth in you (that's the Holy Spirit), he that raised up Christ Jesus from the dead shall give life also to your mortal bodies through his Spirit that dwelleth in you. People think this is talking about the resurrection of the dead, but Paul said, “shall give life also to your mortal bodies.” That's talking about this physical body. Where you had death in your mortal body and had no greater power over it, God gave you life through His Spirit that dwells in you. Paul is talking about two different spirits here. Most religions I've experienced teach that when you are born again, that's when you receive the Holy Spirit. Even the Pentecostal denominations say, “When you are born again, you receive the Holy Spirit, but when you are baptized in the Holy Spirit, you receive more of it.” Again, that's not what the Bible teaches. You can't find a place in the New Testament where the Christians didn't go on to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit as soon as they found out about it. It was never supposed to be optional, the way it is today. I'm not saying that a person is lost if they don't have the Holy Spirit because Paul said a person belonged to God if they had the spirit of Christ (Romans 8:9); they just didn't have the greater power without having the Holy Spirit of God. As a matter of fact, back in the Old Testament, we can find the same New Covenant promise of receiving the Holy Spirit, and one of the clearest places to see it is in Ezekiel. (Eze.36:24) For I will take you from among the nations, and gather you out of all the countries, and will bring you into your own land. (25) And I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean.... This is what Jesus did with His disciples. He told them, (Joh.15:3) Already ye are clean because of the word which I have spoken unto you. God gave them a born-again spirit through the Word. He said in (6:63) It is the spirit that giveth life; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I have spoken unto you are spirit, and are life. He spoke life into them. (Eze.36:25) And I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. (26) A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you (Theologians put a lowercase “s” here and I believe they're right. The word “spirit” here should be a lowercase “s” because it's talking about your human spirit.); and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. (27) And I will put my Spirit (They capitalized “Spirit” here, and they're right again. This is talking about the Holy Spirit.) within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes.... The Holy Spirit is power from God. (Act.1:8) But ye shall receive power, when the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and ye shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. In other words, the Holy Spirit is the power to be a witness by walking as Jesus walked (1 John 2:6). (2Co.3:2) Ye are our epistle, written in our hearts, known and read of all men; (3) being made manifest that ye are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in tables that are hearts of flesh. You see, it's how you live your life, not just what you say, that makes you a witness. (Eze.36:27) And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep mine ordinances, and do them. (28) And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God. As soon as the Church started, the baptism of the Holy Spirit came right along with baptism in water. How did the Church go so far astray as to think that people can live the Christian life without everything that God provided? It was never meant to be that way. We are commanded to be full of the spirit of God. (Eph.5:15) Look therefore carefully how ye walk, not as unwise, but as wise; (16) redeeming the time, because the days are evil. (17) Wherefore be ye not foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. (18) And be not drunken with wine, wherein is riot, but be filled with the Spirit; (19) speaking one to another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord. If you obey the corrupt nature that's been passed on to you genetically through your parents, you will begin to fall into corruption: first flesh, then soul, then spirit. The “death” is continually taking place because the more corrupt you become, the more dead you become. It's a spiritual death, not a physical death, but it ends in physical death because our spirit is our connection with the Holy Spirit. When our spirit is given to us at birth, it's clean and pure. In Hebrews (10:22,26,27; 11:15-17), the Bible talks about “defiling” your conscience. Your conscience is a part of your spirit, and it tells you right from wrong, but the more you disobey and ignore your conscience, it will become more and more quiet. Eventually, if we don't listen to our spirit, we come to the place where we don't hear it anymore, and that means we come to the place where we aren't led by it anymore. As a child grows up, they become more and more corrupt because they follow their flesh. I believe that the corruption process may be slower if you raise up a child in the way they should go (Proverbs 22:6; 23:13,14), but still they are going to fall into corruption. They will need to be born again because they don't have the Holy Spirit to empower them to follow their human spirit. The devil wants to take possession of our soul, which is our mind, will, and emotions, and he does this through our flesh. God wants to take possession of our souls, but the way He takes possession is through our spirit. So here we are with our soul, or in other words, our natural life, our nature, in the middle. We've been given a spirit, and we've been given flesh. As a born-again Christian, we have a decision to make: Are we going to follow the flesh and die, or are we going to follow the Spirit and live? If we follow the Spirit, we're following God. If we follow the flesh, we're following the devil. When a child is born, they don't have the spirit of God, so they don't have the ability to make a choice. They always follow the flesh, and they always die in their soul but less so with good parenting. When I say “die,” I'm talking about spiritual death while you are alive because you are held accountable when you know to do good. (Jas.4:17) To him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. Sin is imputed when you know what's right and what's wrong. (Rom.5:13) For until the law sin was in the world; but sin is not imputed when there is no law. The older a child gets, the quieter their conscience becomes because they get more and more used to disobeying and rebelling against it. And so they come to the place where they must be born again. Jesus is not saying that a little child must be born again. A little child doesn't have to be born again to enter the Kingdom because their spirit is not dead yet, but the older they become, the more corrupt their soul becomes, and then the more corrupt their spirit becomes until they must be born again in order to see the Kingdom of Heaven. A little child is very open to God. Their spirit is still alive. You can talk to them about God, and they understand, and they easily receive what you teach them, but if you don't teach them anything, they don't have that strength. We have to train our spirit to take the sword of the Spirit. (Eph.6:13) Wherefore take up the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, having done all, to stand. (14) Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, (15) and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; (16) withal taking up the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil [one]. (17) And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. The Word of God is our sword, Saints. Without the Word of God, your spirit is defenseless. You need to educate your spirit by putting the Word of God in there. When I was a little child in the Catholic Church, they told me certain things were wrong that weren't wrong, and so if I did them, my conscience smote me. Even when I was a little child, my conscience told me when I was doing wrong. The Bible tells us that this is true, and we are never supposed to go against our conscience but rather educate it. (Rom.13:5) Wherefore [ye] must needs be in subjection, not only because of the wrath, but also for conscience' sake. And here's another example: (1Co.10:25) Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, eat, asking no question for conscience' sake, (26) for the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof. (27) If one of them that believe not biddeth you [to a feast,] and ye are disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience' sake. (28) But if any man say unto you, This hath been offered in sacrifice, eat not, for his sake that showed it, and for conscience' sake: (29) conscience, I say, not thine own, but the other's; for why is my liberty judged by another conscience? (30) If I partake with thankfulness, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks? (31) Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. (32) Give no occasion of stumbling, either to Jews, or to Greeks, or to the church of God: (33) even as I also please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the [profit] of the many, that they may be saved. When I became born again, I had to re-educate my conscience according to the Word of God in order to have the sword of the Spirit. The sword belongs to the Spirit; it doesn't belong to the flesh. The Word of God empowers your spirit to win the battle against your flesh and the devil. (Eph.6:12) For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood (This is referring to fighting with physical weapons against physical enemies.), but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual [hosts] of wickedness in the heavenly [places]. Did you know that it's possible to have the baptism of the Holy Spirit but still not obey the Holy Spirit? Just because you have the Holy Spirit doesn't profit you. What matters is that you are walking in faith and obeying the Holy Spirit because, if you are not walking in faith, you're not going to get anywhere. People who are filled with the Holy Spirit walk closer to God. They have more faith, and they have power over the flesh. Jesus said, (Act.1:8) But ye shall receive power, when the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and ye shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. But you can offend the Holy Spirit and become reprobate, or rejected, by the Holy Spirit. (Eph.4:30) And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, in whom ye were sealed unto the day of redemption. How do you “grieve” the Holy Spirit? (Heb.6:4) For as touching those who were once enlightened and tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit, (5) and tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the age to come, (6) and then fell away, it is impossible to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. (7) For the land which hath drunk the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them for whose sake it is also tilled, receiveth blessing from God: (8) but if it beareth thorns and thistles, it is rejected (This is the Greek word adokimos and it means “failing to pass the test; unapproved; counterfeit”; or, in other words, “reprobated.”) and nigh unto a curse; whose end is to be burned. You grieve the Holy Spirit by not doing His works and therefore you don't bear any fruit. The ultimate end of this is reprobation. (Tit.1:15) To the pure all things are pure: but to them that are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but both their mind and their conscience are defiled. (16) They profess that they know God; but by their works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate. Did you know that just because you are filled with the Holy Spirit doesn't mean you are going to stay filled with the Holy Spirit? I know this is contrary to what many Pentecostal denominations teach, but if you look in the Book of Acts, you'll see that the same people who were filled with the Holy Spirit at Pentecost were later filled again with the Holy Spirit. (Act.2:4) And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. So they were filled with the Holy Spirit and then after Peter and John were released from prison, they prayed, (4:31) And now, Lord, look upon their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants to speak thy word with all boldness, (30) while thy stretchest forth thy hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of thy holy Servant Jesus. (31) And when they had prayed, the place was shaken wherein they were gathered together; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spake the word of God with boldness. The same people were refilled with the Holy Spirit. You ask, “David, why would somebody need to be filled with the Spirit more than once?” Jesus gives us the answer. He said, (Joh.7:38) He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, from within him shall flow rivers of living water. (39) But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believed on him were to receive. The power of the Holy Spirit flows out and is used up as we minister according to the command of Jesus. Notice, it's a river, not a pond. (Mat.10:7) And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. (8) Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons: freely ye received, freely give. I'm not saying that the Holy Spirit ever leaves you completely; I'm saying that it takes staying in fellowship with God to stay filled with the Holy Spirit. It's not just a one-time thing, like some Pentecostals believe. We just read, (Act.4:31) And when they had prayed, the place was shaken wherein they were gathered together; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. How can you be filled twice, unless you've been emptied once? If Jesus taught that out of your innermost being shall flow rivers of the Spirit,” then this power is imparted to the need around you. It has to come out, and then it has to be replenished. The point is that we have to maintain our relationship with God because, if we don't, we won't stay filled with the Holy Spirit. Even so, the gifts of God are without repentance (Romans 11:29). He won't take the gifts back. For instance, He won't necessarily take speaking in tongues back, but you may speak in tongues and yet not be filled with the Holy Spirit. A person has to stay filled with the Holy Spirit, as the Bible clearly teaches in Acts. The people who were preaching in Acts 2 were the same people who were filled with the Holy Spirit again in Acts 4. Personally, I believe you have the capacity to receive more of the Spirit when you are full of the Word of God. Jesus said, (Joh.6:63) It is the spirit that giveth life; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I have spoken unto you are spirit, and are life. Therefore, if you receive more of His Word, you will receive more of His Spirit. That's why Jesus breathed on the disciples and in (20:22) … saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Spirit, even though it wasn't manifested until Pentecost, when the rushing mighty wind came.” Most Pentecostal denominations believe that having the Holy Spirit makes you a shoo-in for the Kingdom of Heaven, but having the Holy Spirit doesn't make you immune to sin. Having the Holy Spirit is not what saves you. Some have the Spirit but don't serve Him.  Obeying the Holy Spirit is what saves you from sin. (Rom.8:11) But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwelleth in you, he that raised up Christ Jesus from the dead shall give life also to your mortal bodies through his Spirit that dwelleth in you. Life came out of Jesus. Life came out of His Words when He spoke. Life came out of Him when He laid hands on people. Life came out of His garment and healed the woman who touched Him. Life was in Him and that life was imparted to others, but that's not the case with a person who's not filled with the Holy Spirit. It's more difficult to walk with God, without being filled with the Holy Spirit. From the Book of Acts, you can see that the very foundation of Christianity is to repent, receive a born-again spirit, and then be filled with the Holy Spirit. The typology of the Temple in the Old Covenant makes this very clear. We are supposed to be temples “not made with hands” (2 Corinthians 5:1; Acts 7:47-49) or, in other words, without the works of man. (1Co.6:19) Or know ye not that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which ye have from God? and ye are not your own; (20) for ye were bought with a price: glorify God therefore in your body. When Solomon built the Temple, it represented the house “made without hands,” so there couldn't be the sound of tools, symbolizing man's works, while they were building it (1 Kings 6:7). After the Temple was built and they had sanctified it (1 Kings 8:1-9; 2 Chronicles 5:1-10), it still didn't have the Spirit of God in it. But when they had the dedication of the Temple, the Spirit of God came in the form of the Glory Cloud and dwelt in the Temple (1 Kings 8:10,11; 2 Chronicles 5:13,14). You see, the Temple was designed for the Holy Spirit to dwell in. What good was the Temple without the Spirit? I think in this regard, a lot of people are going to fall away because they will not obey the Scriptures and receive the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the power to do what you have to do. There were times when I just didn't think the Holy Spirit was there, but right when it was necessary, the power showed up and completely awed me. And no matter what situation we find ourselves in, the Holy Spirit can manifest Himself in us and enable us to walk as Jesus walked. The Lord also pointed out to me that it was Judah who dwelt in Zion. The name Judah means “praise,” and so Judah identifies the Spirit-filled people, the full-Gospel people. The name Judah separates us from the rest of Christianity, who haven't received the Holy Spirit. The northern 10 tribes of Israel went further astray and “missed the boat” many more times than the tribe of Judah. The northern 10 tribes worshipped the false “Christ,” the two golden calves which they set up. I believe that the Lord showed me this is a type for our day. The northern 10 tribes represent the non-Spirit-filled groups, and Judah represents the Spirit-filled groups, the ones who inhabit Zion. Zion was the city that escaped when Babylon conquered the people of God. A modern-day example of this is the Armenian genocide. The word “genocide” was first coined by historian Raphael Lemkin in 1943 to describe the systematic murder of the Armenians by the Ottomans. Only the Spirit-filled Christians escaped. They fled when they were warned because they believed in prophecy and they believed the prophets God sent to them, but many, many non-Spirit-filled Christians were killed. Some estimates are that as many as 1.5 million lost their lives in that holocaust. The Happiest People on Earth by Demos Shakarian, and John and Elizabeth Sherrill, published by Guideposts Magazine in 1975, tells the story of Demos Shakarian. His grandfather left Armenia for America when the Russian prophet Klubniken foretold that an “unspeakable tragedy” was coming to Armenia. Well, people, now the same thing is getting ready to happen in America, where most of the people who call themselves “Christian” have not yet been filled with the Spirit of God, and they're not giving any heed to all the prophetic warnings that another holocaust is coming. The Spirit of God makes you respect prophets and prophecies. The Spirit of God opens your eyes to dreams, visions, revelations, and the deeper things of the Spirit. We've seen that when the disciples needed more power from God to stand up to and endure the persecution they were receiving, they came together and prayed, and God filled them again with the Holy Spirit. Not only does every Christian need to be baptized in the Holy Spirit, but we also need to be continually baptized in the Holy Spirit. Amen.

But God! Ephesians 2:1-10 by William Klock Earlier this week Veronica and I watched an episode of the X Files that unintentionally had some pretty sound theology embedded in the story.  Agents Mulder and Scully were called to investigate some strange goings-on in a small town—as usual.  As it turned out, a guy cleaning out an abandoned storage locker found a genie.  And the genie gave him three wishes.  As you would expect, it didn't go well.  He wished to be able to make himself invisible so that he could spy on people.  And not being terribly bright, he prompted got killed crossing the street, because he was…invisible.  His brother claimed the genie and didn't fare any better.  His wish ended up blowing up his house with him in it.  And so Mulder ended up, unexpectedly, with the genie and three wishes.  And he asked the genie why the wishing thing always ends in disaster and the genie told him that it's because people are stupid and selfish.  So Mulder thought long and hard and in his best effort at altruism, he wished for world peace.  St. Paul would call it shalom.  And he went outside to discover that he was the only person left on earth.  Because the genie knew fallen human nature and getting rid of all of us was the only way to bring world peace.  Thankfully, Mulder had two more wishes so he could undo the first and set the genie free with the third. And I thought that St. Paul would probably have a bit of a chuckle at that.  Because Paul knew the same thing the genie knew: we are all sinners, idolaters who worship anything and everything but the God who created us and loves us.  And, like Agent Mulder, but unlike the genie, Paul also knew that there is no shalom without human beings in our rightful place.  Creation groans in eager longing for the day God will finally set us to rights, he says in Romans, Creation waits for the day when God restores us to our position as his stewards, to rule creation and to serve him in his temple.  That, Brothers and Sisters, is shalom, peace.  Creation can never be complete without us in our proper place—filling the vocation God created us for in the first place.  That's why God doesn't just “Deal with evil” like so many people want him to.  Like the genie, he'd just have to remove us all from creation—and that's not how creation is supposed to be.  This is why Paul practically shouts out ho de Theos, at the beginning of Ephesians 2:4: “But God!”  Because he knew that in setting creation to rights, God can and will, first, set us and our fallen, sinful hearts to rights—something no genie could ever do. And so far, in Ephesians 1, Paul has begun with a great shout of praise for what God has done in Jesus the Messiah and then he's told the Ephesians how he prays for them—that they would know, that they would understand this great story of redemption, the power behind it to renew creation, so that they can be part of this story that ends with the knowledge of the glory of God filling the earth.  Remember at the end of chapter one, closing his prayer for them, he wrote about the church, united with Jesus and full of the Spirit being the “fullness of the one who fills all in all.”  It's a prayer that God, that Jesus, that the Spirit, that the scriptures would form and shape them and truly make them the church.  And while we might miss the significance of Paul's language of filling and fullness and being all in all, it was not lost on the Ephesians.  This was temple language. It's the language of God coming to dwell with his people.  The way he did with Adam and Eve in the garden.  The story ever since has pointing in that direction.  The restoration of God's temple, the return of his presence, and God dwelling with his people forever.  This is what the Exodus was all about.  God rescued and created a people, he gave them a law to make and to keep them pure and holy, so that he could take up his residence in their midst—so that he could tabernacle with them.  It wasn't perfect.  The people needed to offer sacrifices repeatedly so that they could be purified by that blood.  A veil separated them from the direct presence of the Almighty.  But this model of new creation pointed forward to the day when God would set his people and his creation fully to rights.  The long exile, first from the promised land and the temple, then from the presence of God, primed Israel with hope for that coming day.  And now Paul's ready to explain to the church that they—that we—are the beginning of that fulfilment.  In us, God has established a new temple.  By the blood of Jesus he has purified us.  Through the gift of his Spirit he has taken up his dwelling in us.  He has begun the work of setting our hearts to rights.  And in that, he has made us the working model of his new creation and stewards of his good news—that we might, to use the language he used with Adam and Eve, that we might be fruitful and multiply, spreading the gospel, until the earth is filled with the knowledge of his glory. Brothers and Sisters, this is the story we need to inhabit.  Too often Christians have got it backwards.  We think the gospel story is a story of escape from creation—that in Jesus, God forgives our sins, so that someday he can take us away from earth and up to heaven to live with him.  But it's really just the opposite.  Through the blood of Jesus he has purified us and made us fit to be his holy temple, so that he can dwell with us.  Jesus is the model, Immanuel, God with us.  This is the story Paul wants to get across in Ephesians 2.  Ideally we'd cover the whole chapter all at once, but we'll have to break it into two halves.  This temple story will jump out at us in the second half.  The first half begins with our sin problem. How did these mostly Gentile Christians in Ephesus find themselves in this oh so Jewish story?  He writes beginning at verse 1, “Well, you were dead because of your offenses and sins in which you used to walk, keeping in step with the world's ‘present age'; in step, too, with the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit who is, even now, amongst the children of disobedience.” “You”—he's addressing them as Gentiles.  In verse 3 he'll link them with “us”—the Jews.  You were dead.  Because you walked—there's that great word peripateo again—you walked, you lived a life of offense and sin against God.  And we can't hear these two words sin and death together without it taking us back to Genesis.  And if we go back to Genesis 3 and Adam and Eve's choice to listen to the serpent's lie, not just to disobey God, but to reject their vocation as priests of God's temple and to try to become gods themselves, if go way back to the beginning of the story there, we should understand that sin and death aren't about God just setting up a bunch of rules and then condemning the people who disobey them.  Sin, and especially “offence”, are what we call it when human beings, created to bear God's image—that means to be his priests and his representatives in the temple, in creation—sin and offence are what we call it when we reject that vocation.  When we try to take the temple for ourselves.  And death is not an arbitrary punishment, but the natural result of turning away from the God who is the source of life.  That's why the wages of sin is death. And, of course, once humanity chose that path of disobedience and death it just snowballed.  Human culture and even those unseen powers that God had put in place to oversee the nations went horribly wrong.  The Jews called it the present evil age, because they lived in hope of the age to come when God would set creation to rights.  But the Gentiles had no hope.  They just went with the sinful flow.  We see it today as the world rejects Christianity.  Jeffrey Epstein and his cabal of degenerate, paedophile friends would have been right at home in pagan Greece or Rome and they're exactly what you get when a people rejects God.  The devil didn't just tempt the man and woman to reject God.  He and his cronies continue to steer and influence fallen humanity.  Paul will have more to say about this later when he writes about “principalities and powers”.  In our baptismal rite, we put this in terms of the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil. All these forces work together to keep humanity lost in idolatry and sin.  And so far as this goes, Paul is just restating the standard Jewish analysis of the Gentiles.  But then in verse 3 Paul goes on and writes, “We all used to live this way, in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of flesh and mind.  We, too—he means he and his fellow Jews—were by nature children of wrath, just like everyone else.”  Paul recognised that even though his own people had the torah, God's law, and were trying to live by it, they were suffering the same problem as the Gentiles.  The corrupt desires of flesh and mind had just as much a grip on Israel as they did the peoples of the nations.  The whole world, all of humanity was mired in darkness, Jew and gentile alike. And this where, at the beginning of verse 4 Paul interjects this powerful, earth shattering: “But God!”  Into the darkness, into the hopelessness, into the condemnation, into the death, God intervenes to bring light, to bring hope, to bring deliverance, to bring life.  “But God,” Paul writes, who is rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, he took us at the very point where we were dead through our offenses, and made us alive together with the Messiah.  Yes, by grace you are saved!” Israel knew about God's mercy and love.  The story they told of their history with God was full of mercy and grace.  And occasionally some gentile would hear that story and be drawn to it, because the God of Israel was unlike any of the other gods.  Zeus and Poseidon and Hades, Aphrodite and Artemis, people might believe all sorts of things about them, but no one ever believed that the gods loved them.  The gods served themselves.  If they sometimes showed favour to this person or to that city, it wasn't because of love; it was to further their own schemes and ambitions.  No Greek or Roman—no Egyptian or Persian, for that matter—would have ever said of their gods anything even remotely like what Paul says here of the God of Israel: that he is rich in mercy, that he loves us with a great love, or that he has shown us kindness.  Zeus and Hera, Osiris and Isis, they were all purely transactional.  If you did something good for them and you were lucky, they might do something nice for you.  We need to be careful, because Christians can fall into the same pagan way of thinking about God—making deals with him or treating him like a divine vending machine.  But Paul makes it clear that the God of Israel isn't like that.  Instead, he's full of mercy and love and kindness.  Yes, his purpose is to fill the earth with his glory, but he is glorious precisely because he is unlike the gods humans dream up.  He is full of mercy and love. And Paul reminds the Ephesians: By his grace, God has taken what he did for Jesus when he raised him from death, and has made it true of us.  If we are “in the Messiah”, then we are alive together with him.  He goes on in verse 6: “He raised us up with him and made us sit with him, in the heavenly places in Messiah Jesus.  This was so that in the ages to come he could show just how unbelievably rich his grace is, the kindness he has shown us in Messiah Jesus.”  This is how God reveals his glory.  Not merely with a show of strength or power, but by showing his grace. Again, what is true of Jesus is true of the church—of the Ephesians Christians, and of us.  And it's not just Jesus' resurrection, his being made alive again.  Paul has said that before.  But here he also stresses that Jesus' ascension is somehow true of us too.  God didn't just make us alive with Jesus the King; he's made us alive in order to sit us with the Messiah, with the King in the heavenly places.  So Jesus ascended to sit at the right hand of his Father.  He's the King and that's what kings do: they take their thrones and they rule.  But Paul is saying that if we are “in the Messiah”, then we're right there with him. The resurrection part of that, the being made alive with Jesus probably isn't too hard for us to wrap our heads around.  In Jesus, God has made us a promise.  Even though we'll die, because we are in the Messiah, he will raise us to life again just as he did with Jesus.  If we have any doubts, Paul would remind us that God has filled us with his Spirit to give us a taste of and downpayment on resurrection life with him.  That part I think we can pretty well wrap our heads around.  But what does it mean to be seated with him in the heavenlies? This is where we need to make sure we've got the story right.  Because if we understand the climax of the story as someday escaping from earth, as escaping our bodies, to live a sort of disembodied spiritual life forever in heaven, we're going to miss Paul's point.  Again, the story isn't about us going up; it's about God making us fit, through the death and resurrection of Jesus, to be his temple—so that he can come down—to us. Consider: Jesus has already done this.  Remember the end of Chapter 1, where Paul said that Jesus is the one in whom heaven and earth—all of creation—are summed up, are brought together, are unified, the way it was in the beginning: heaven and earth overlapping, God and human beings dwelling together.  That's how it began and that's the ending towards which God is taking history—to set his broken, sin-sundered creation to rights.  Jesus is the prototype, the signpost who points us to, who shows us what God's future will be like.  In him, God has joined our nature to his own.  In him, heaven and earth have been brought back together.  Think of that great Ascension Day hymns, “See the Conqueror Mounts in Triumph”: He has raised our human nature, on the clouds to God's right hand; there we sit in heavenly places, there with him in glory stand.”  Brothers and Sisters, Jesus is the temple in person.  And Jesus is the whole of creation—heaven and earth—in miniature. And what is true of him is equally true of those who are united with him by God's grace.  As we'll see in the second half of the chapter, the church—the Ephesian Christians and you and me—we are also that temple and if we have any doubts, all we need to remember is that God has come to dwell in us in the person of his Spirit.  And remember the goal, the one promised by the prophets so long before, the goal is for the knowledge of the glory of God to fill the earth.  The church is his means of making that happen.  He didn't just send his son to be the on-earth-as-in-heaven man, through his son and through his Spirit he has created a whole community of on-earth-as-in-heaven people to do just that: to live out in our lives, in our relationships, in our community heaven on earth—to be a people who show the world God's love and mercy and grace and kindness.  To be a working model of his new creation and to give the world a taste of that future right now.  To reveal the glory and the beauty and goodness of God in our lives and in our own proclamation so that everyone around us will know his glory and be drawn to him. This is then what Paul gets at in verses 8-10.  He writes, “For you have been saved by grace, through faith. This is not of your own doing; it is God's gift.  It isn't on the basis of works, so no one is able to boast.  You see, we are his workmanship, created in Messiah Jesus for the good works that he prepared, ahead of time, so that we should walk in them.”  What does he mean?  Well, Paul's reminding them that there was a time when Jews and gentiles were separated by the law, by torah.  God poured out his grace on Israel, set them apart with his law as a way to teach them how to love him and to love their neighbours, so that they could be a light to the gentiles—so they could make his glory known in the earth.  Israel failed in that mission, but God acted in grace again.  He gave his son to be the faithful Israelite and in Jesus, Israel's mission to witness the grace and glory of God was fulfilled.  And now these gentile Ephesians who have encountered the risen Jesus, who have heard the gospel, and been filled with God's Spirit—they've been united together with faithful Jews in Messiah Jesus.  In them, God's promises—all the way back to Abraham and even to Adam—are being fulfilled.  In them, God's glory is on display before the nations.  And there is no longer a need for the division that had been given by torah.  Now the Spirit is teaching them and enabling them to love God and to love each other for all the world to see.  In Jesus and the Spirit, God has made them a people who are fulfilling the very thing that torah was meant to do, not just because we keep a set of rules or live according to a certain moral code—there's a sense in which we actually do do that—but because, through Jesus and the Spirit we actually live out and put on display the new creation, God's future that is breaking into the world in the midst of the old. Paul puts it beautifully, but in a way we might miss in English translation, when he says that we—the church—are God's “workmanship”.  The Greek word is poiema.  We get our word “poem” from it.  The Greek word doesn't mean “poem”—maybe we could almost say it means “artwork”.  In the Old Testament it's often used to describe the creative work of God.  In other places it's used to describe things that are carefully and meticulously crafted for his use, like the garments of the priests or the vessels of the tabernacle.  Brothers and Sisters, we—the church—are God's carefully, purposefully, and wonderfully created masterpiece.  He's given his son and he's given his Spirit to craft, to create, to work us into something good—to restore his broken creation in us.  And, Paul sums up, God has done this work in us so that in our own lives and in the life of the church together, we can do such good work too.  Not doing good works to please him or to earn his favour.  That would be like going back to the pagan world of people doing things to manipulate the gods.  God is pleased by our good works, but he's created and enabled us to do good works as a way of showing his new creation to the world, a way of fulfilling the law he had given to Israel, as a way of loving him and loving each other—ultimately as a way to restore us to that vocation as his image bearers, to be the priests of his temple who steward his goodness and his good rule for the sake of creation. Brothers and Sisters, this is the story that God has written for us.  The story of our priesthood, reject and lost, but now restored through Jesus and the Spirit, a story of renewal and a story of hope—as it points us toward the day when God finishes his great work of bringing heaven and earth back together, of the day when he will return to dwell with us as he did in the beginning.  This the story that reminds what Jesus and the Spirit have made us.  It's the story that reminds us of our vocation as the church—that we're not just the people who long for things to be on earth as they are in heaven; we're the people who find our very identity in Jesus, the heaven-and-earth Messiah, and who are, ourselves, called to be the heaven-on-earth people—a people who reflect back to the world God's love and grace, his justice and goodness, who are by our very redemption witnesses of his faithfulness and, above all, his glory.  We are his workmanship.  May the world, by God's grace, see his glory in us and in our life together. Let's pray: Heavenly Father, our Collect today reminded us that without love, nothing we do is worth anything.  Fill us with your grace, that we might truly love.  Love you.  Love our neighbours.  Making us the heaven-on-earth people you intend for us to be, so that the world may see your glory on display in your church.  Through Jesus we pray.  Amen.

I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10 On the Lord's Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, 11 which said: "Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea." 12 I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man,[a] dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. 14 The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. 15 His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. 17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. 19 "Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later. 20 The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels[b] of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

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Saturday, 14 February 2026   Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.” Matthew 16:28   “Amen! I say to you that they are some of those having stood here who not they should taste death until if they should see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus told His disciples that the Son of Man is about to come in His kingdom, and then He will give each according to his practice. He next says, “Amen! I say to you that they are some of those having stood here.”   The Greek verb is a perfect participle. As can be seen, the NKJV fails to properly elucidate this, saying, “some standing here.” In fact, one would be hard-pressed to find a translation that accurately translates the verb. Instead, they rely on a present tense or present participle rendering. But Jesus' words indicate a completed action, the results of which are still present or relevant, “having stood here.” The same perfect participle is found in the same context in Mark 9:1. Combined with the words, “some...here,” this limits the scope of what is said to those present. Of those referred to, Jesus next says they are those “who not they should taste death.”   A new word is seen, geuomai, to taste. It is used figuratively here to indicate experiencing. It is aorist subjunctive, viewing the whole as a single completed event. In other words, these will not experience death, “until if they should see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”   The meaning of this is widely debated. Is this referring to the transfiguration? Does this speak of the resurrection? Is it the beginning of the church at Pentecost? Is it the destruction of the temple in AD70? Is it referring to the millennial kingdom? And so on. Each of these has its supporters. For example, some believe that Jesus' words in John 21:22 mean that John is still alive and he will be one of the two witnesses. One of several problems with that is that the two witnesses will be killed before the Son of Man returns. Further, Jesus' words in Matthew 16:28 are plural, indicating more than one person. One of many problems with the destruction of the temple view is that Jesus didn't return in AD70. If He did, other words of Jesus would be a complete failure, such as Matthew 24:27.   There is no record of such an event, something that would not be lacking. That is an unbiblical attempt by preterists to dismiss any future prophecy, including the restoration of national Israel as a literal, historical event.   The problem with the Pentecost view is that it was the Holy Spirit, not Jesus, who came upon the people in Acts 2. To conflate the meaning of one with the other is stretching the text like a rubber band, which will eventually snap. As for the resurrection view, as Jesus was not in a glorified state at the resurrection, that also seems to be a stretch of the intent.   The account that is noted next at the beginning of Matthew 17 follows in the same manner in all three synoptic gospels, which is a strong hint that tells us that the transfiguration is what Jesus is referring to. It is a kingdom foretaste for the benefit of the disciples. As it is recorded in the word, it is thus provided as a benefit for all.   This glorified state was then viewed by John when he received the book of Revelation, including Jesus' return in Revelation 19. For a fuller and more complete explanation of the details of Matthew 16, please continue reading the life application section of this commentary.   Life application: Chapter 16 of Matthew is a passage that petitions the Jews of the end times to consider who Jesus is based on their own history, comparing it to how He is portrayed in Scripture.   In verse 1, Jesus was approached by the Pharisees and Sadducees, who asked for a sign from heaven. As in Chapter 15, these types of men represent the same thinking and paradigm as the rabbis of Israel today. Jesus told them that they could read the signs in the sky, but they could not discern the signs of the times.   With the coming of the end times, the Jews of Israel would naturally be expected to understand the situation they are in, but they will be clueless about the matter. In verse 4, Jesus said that the generation was wicked and adulterous, something akin to what Peter calls the Jews who rejected Jesus in Acts 2:40. Jesus continued that no sign would be given to it, except the sign of the prophet Jonah.   As explained, the sign of the prophet Jonah is the destruction of the temple, it being a year for a day based on Jonah's proclamation, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.”   In the end times, the Jews will have to look to their Scriptures, understand that their temple was destroyed and they were exiled for rejecting Jesus, internalize this truth, and then have faith in Him based on that.   As an explanation of the doctrine of faith in the Messiah, in verse 5, the disciples went across the Sea of Galilee. As such, they crossed the Jordan because the Jordan runs through the sea. Being on the other (east) side signifies those who have not come through Christ to be saved. Jesus told them in verse 6 to take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees. They thought He was talking about bread. But He corrected them by recapping the miracles of feeding the five thousand and the four thousand.   These miracles, anticipating the salvation of Jews and Gentiles, testify to His being the Messiah. What He was warning them about was the doctrine of those false teachers, not about bread. Their doctrine is to be equated with the false doctrine of the rabbis and other law teachers of the end times who have returned to law observance, temple worship, etc. It is a warning that the end times Jews are not to follow those Satan-led examples. Faith in Jesus, as represented by the feeding of the masses, is what brings restoration with God.   In verse 13, it is noted that Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi. Caesarea is derived from Caesar. The idea of being a Caesar is the deification of the individual. He is attributed a god-like status. Philippi is from Philip, a lover of horses. But in Scripture, a horse is metaphorically used as a source of military pride –   “Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; But we will remember the name of the Lord our God.” Psalm 20:7   Abarim rightly defines Philippi with the lengthy paraphrase, They Who Lean On Their Military Complex. It is exactly the source of pride that Israel of today is heading towards. Their military superiority is their source of pride and is exalted to god-like status. This will only increase after the battle of Gogd/Magog.   It is in this prefigured end-times state that Jesus asks them who He is. The various answers are answers you could expect from Jews. Jesus was a prophet (or false prophet) or whatever. However, Simon Peter proclaims Him the Christ. What was Jesus' response? “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah.”   The same name that was acknowledged as the sign in verse 4 is now noted by Jesus. He is Simon (Hearer) Son of Jonah. In other words, he represents the Jews who have understood (heard) the sign of Jonah. To be a son signifies identity. The end times Jews who acknowledge Jesus as the Christ are “sons of Jonah,” because they have made the connection by understanding the sign. In essence, “We missed Him when He came, but we know now who He is.”   It is on this proclamation that Jesus will build His out-calling of those in the end times. They will receive the keys to the kingdom of the heavens, entering into the millennial reign of Christ. In verse 21, Jesus spoke of His destiny to suffer and die. Peter's words of admonishment stirred Jesus to turn His back on him, call him Satan, and tell him he was not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.   It is a warning to the end times Jews that they are to accept a crucified Savior as the role of the Messiah. Israel looked, and still looks, for a conquering Messiah, but His role as the crucified Messiah is what God highlights in Him more than all else.   From there, Jesus told the disciples the words about denying themselves and losing their souls in order to save their souls. The thought is "losing their souls (meaning their lives) in order to save their souls."  It is exactly what is seen in Revelation –   “Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.” Revelation 14:9, 10  &   “And I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the victory over the beast, over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God.” Revelation 15:2   In verse 27, it said, “For the Son of Man is about to come in His Father's glory with His messengers.” This is exactingly described in Revelation 19:11 –   “And I saw the heaven having been opened. And you behold! Horse, white! And the ‘sitting upon it' being called ‘Faithful and True,' and in righteousness He judges, and He battles” (CG).   Jesus is coming in His Father's glory. In Matthew 24, it notes that in the end times, He will send out His angels (Greek: messengers) to gather His elect.   The final verse of the chapter then said, “Amen! I say to you, that they are some of those having stood here who not they will taste death until if they should see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.” Again, this is exactly what occurs in Revelation. Some of the end times Jews will make it through the entire tribulation, not seeing death until they behold Jesus coming in His kingdom.   These things are gleaned from Matthew 16, forming a picture of what is coming in the future for Israel.   Lord God, how precious it is to know that You will not reject Israel, even when the whole world is imploding, You will be with them and carry them as a people through the tribulation and into the time promised to them so long ago. Thank You for Your covenant faithfulness, even to those of us who fail You constantly. Amen. Matthew 16   16 And having approached, the Pharisees and Sadducees, testing, they queried Him to show them a sign from heaven. 2And answering, He said to them, “Evening having come, you say, ‘Good weather!', for the heaven, it is red, 3and early, ‘This day... inclemency!', for glowering, the heaven, it reddens. Hypocrites! Indeed, you know to discern the face of the heaven, and the seasons' signs, not you can. 4Generation – evil and adulteress – it seeks a sign, and a sign – not it will be given it – if not the sign of Jonah the prophet.” And having left them, He departed.   5And His disciples, having come to the beyond, they overlooked to take bread. 6And Jesus, He said to them, “You behold, and you caution from the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”   7And they deliberated in themselves, saying, “Because not we took bread!” 8And Jesus, having known, said to them, “Why – you deliberate in yourselves, little-faithed? Because you took no bread? 9You grasp, not yet, nor you recollect the five loaves – the five thousand, and how many handbaskets you took? 10Nor the seven loaves – the four thousand, and how many hampers you took? 11How not you recollect that I spoke not concerning bread to you! Caution from the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 12Then they comprehended that not He said to caution from the leaven – the bread, but from the teaching – the Pharisees and Sadducees.   13And Jesus, having come to the allotments – Caesarea, the Phillipi, He entreated His disciples, saying, “Whom they say, the men, Me to be, the Son of Man?”   14And they said, “These, indeed, John the Immerser, and others Elijah, and others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”   15He says to them, “And you, whom you say Me to be?”   16And answering, Simon Peter, he said, “You, You are the Christ, the Son of God, the living.”   17And Jesus, answering, He said to him, “Blessed you are, Simon, Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood not it revealed to you, but My Father, the ‘in the heavens'.” 18And I also, I say to you that you, you are Peter, and upon this – the Rock – I will build My out-calling, and Hades' gates, not they will overpower her. 19And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of the heavens. And whatever, if you may bind upon the earth, it will be ‘having been bound' in the heavens. And whatever, if you may loosen upon the earth, it will be ‘having been loosed' in the heavens.” 20Then He enjoined His disciples that they should say to none that He, He is Jesus the Christ.   21From then He began, Jesus, to show His disciples that it necessitates Him to depart to Jerusalem and to suffer many from the elders, and chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and the third day be roused.   22And Peter, having clutched Him, he began to admonish Him, saying, “Propitious, to You, Lord! No, not it will be, this to You!”   23And, having turned, He said to Peter, “You withdraw behind Me, Satan! Snare, you are, to Me. For you think not these of God but these of men.”   24The Jesus, He said to His disciples, “If any, he desires to come after Me, let him disown himself, and he took his cross, and he follows Me. 25For whoever, if he may desire to save his soul, he will lose it. And whoever, if he may lose his soul because of Me, he will find it. 26For what it benefits a man if he may gain the whole world and he may lose his soul? Or what will he give, man, equivalent his soul? 27For the Son of Man is about to come in His Father's glory with His messengers. And then He will give each according to his practice. 28Amen! I say to you, that they are some of those having stood here who not they will taste death until if they should see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”

Happy Valentine's Day!Mrs Murray met the UK StrikeFans.com contingent and Badly WiredLamp (“and friends”) on Thursday to talk about the Cormoran Strike novels. Yesterday, Friday the 13th, Rowling tweeted about the secret she had told them — the title of Strike9:Nick Jeffery found the most likely source of the title Sleep Tight, Evangeline, assuming it is not an anagram, in six minutes:BadlyWiredLamp who was at the Rowling meeting congratulated Nick on twixter seven minutes later: “Well done for finding it Nick!” with a hand salute emoji. Which semi-confirmation from a witness suggests he is spot on.Even more impressive, Nick wrote up a flash post about The Whiskey Shambles and other ‘Evangeline' possibilities at the HogwartsProfessor weblog, ‘Sleep Tight, Evangeline – Title Release for Strike 9.' Nick and John will be discussing this news as well as the Psalter and Head of Persephone charms with miniature book, Tolkien, and mythology expert Dimitra Fimi this weekend for a post here next week. See her ‘Miniature Books in Children's Fantasy' to prepare for that conversation. Stay tuned!But it's Valentine's Day! John and Nick celebrate this Hallmark Holiday with a journey through the Cormoran Strike novels' V-Day celebrations and a discussion of the various Valentines and Cupid's in the story, with special emphasis on the Cupid and Psyche myth that Rowling has suggested is the series story template.That suggestion came the week after Hallmarked Man's publication in the first of her Public Service Announcements to “Robin and Strike fans:”This image came as a surprise even to Hogwarts Professor subscribers because, though we have been writing and talking about the Cupid and Psyche myth as one of the mythological templates behind the Strike series since early 2021, it was the first time Rowling had acknowledged this publicly. Since the September revelation of this connection by the author and the appearance of the head of Persephone at the end of her Strike9 clues Christmas Charm bracelet, Strike fandom is now on board with the idea. Which on-boarding Nick and John celebrate with this Hearts and Flowers conversation, in which:* Nick reviews the Valentines Day events in the Strike series, the importance of which makes 14 February to Serious Strikers what Halloween is to Harry Potter fans;* John discusses the post American Bar office scene in Troubled Blood that let the cat out of the bag about the Cupid and Psyche myth just beneath the Strellacott romance;* Nick updates that with Rowling's PSAs and charm pointers to the Trials of Psyche in Robin's story;* John lays out how and where Hallmarked Man features Valentine Longcaster, the character with the Cupid name, and a Valentine's Day conflict with dogs to Guard the Gates of Hell (from charting Parts Five and Six);* Nick journeys back to Cuckoo's Calling and explains how Lula Landry's death and Robin's first meeting with Strike are twist on Cupid and Psyche with Venus, Psyche, and Cupid, Hephaestus, and Ares all with their equivalents in Charlotte, Robin, and Cormoran;* John ups the ante of the conversation by bringing in Edmund Spenser and C. S. Lewis, two writers Rowling loves, both of whom wrote stories that turn on Cupid and Psyche, and suggesting that Galbraith, in using the Eros-Anteros distinction of those writers in the Strike series is answering allegorically the core question of human life: whether to focus the soul on the ephemeral body and its desires or on the noetic faculty of soul, the Heart, logos within us;* Nick and John then discuss Robin and Strike's individual relationships Cuckoo to Hallmarked in light of Cupid-False Cupid and taking turns going through the Strike novels with a look at the principal murder victim and murderer and their respective relationships;* John shares the Jungian interpretation of Cupid and Psyche as the mythic representation of feminine actualization, the chrysalis of female identity;* And more!Below are the links to posts on this subject mentioned in their back and forth and to a translation of the original myth. Happy Valentines Day — and stand by for more discussion of Sleep Tight, Evangeline, the Psalter and Persephone Charms, and all things Strike and Mythology with Dimitra Fimi.Links Mentioned in the Valentines Day Celebration Conversation:Rowling Points to Myth of Cupid and Psyche in order to Console Strike Fans Disappointed with Hallmarked Man (8 September 2025, Nick Jeffery)Nick shares the context of Rowling's tweet (fan disappointment!) and the background information about the illustration she chose for it.The Most Pleasant and Delectable Tale of the Marriage of Cupid and Psyche (Apuleius)A translation of the Silver Age Latin tale from Apuleius' Golden Ass.A Mythological Key to Cormoran Strike? The Myth of Eros, Psyche, and Venus (22 April 2021, John Granger)The first post to discuss Rowling's use of this specific myth within Cormoran Strike, it is essential reading and comes in four parts:* a discussion of Rowling's stated beliefs about the soul and how it is the focus of her story-telling,* a review of her psychological artistry in Potter and the post Potter novels and screenplays,* a synopsis of the Eros and Psyche myth, and* a point to point look at the parallels in the story thus far with speculation about novels to come.Robin's Two Perfumes: The Meaning of Philosychos and Narciso (9 June 2021, John Granger)The names of Robin's baseline perfume, Philosychos, and the one she and Strike choose at story's end, Narciso, both point less to the bedroom than to Robin's allegorical, psychological, and mythological role as Psyche in the series.Erich Neumann in his Amor and Psyche: The Psychic Development of the Feminine describes this discipline as a “prohibition against pity” which “signifies Psyche's struggle against the feminine nature.” …Psyche's last trial involves her having to confront death, a “marriage” to which she was condemned as a sacrifice at the story's start, a meeting she can only survive by transcending her feminine qualities of nurturing and pity. She must become, if only temporarily, a narcissist to pass through Hades and return to the world of the Sun and to Cupid. The myth, in Jungian lights, is about her transcending the accidental self, here her feminine and sexual relation to Eros or Cupid, for “ego-stability” leading to “individuation,” ascent to the greater, immortal Self.Robin as resident psychologist and loving soul is the Psyche-cipher of the Strike mysteries. She differs from the relatively passive Human Beauty of the myth in her active and determined “struggle against the feminine nature,” her “What. I. Do!” She not only wrestles with her desires for domesticity and maternity in her thinking but stands up to Strike-Cupid in their Valentine's Day Street Fight and demands his respect or at least more considerate behavior. But she is still struggling with her difficulty to be the narcissist rather than the Great Mother when circumstances and her heroine's journey of psychological individuation demand that.Reading Rowling as Myth Maker and Myth Re-Writer: A Conversation with Dr Dimitra FimiNick Jeffery and John Granger converse with Dr Dimitra Fimi about Harry Potter, Cormoran Strike, Tolkien, Jane Eyre, and the Mythological Artistry of J. K. Rowling, Hogwarts Saga to Hallmarked ManThe Hallmarked Man's Mythological Template‘Cupid and Psyche's importance for grasping the depths of Strike 8, from the “necessity” of the Silver Vault and the three men in Robin's life, to spaghetti carbonara and ‘Maid of the Silver Sea'Ink Black Heart: The Mythic Backdrop (10 September 2022, John Granger)What Rowling is depicting in Robin's journey through the events and mystery of Ink Black Heart include a trap set by Venus, one that takes Robin to a personal and professional underworld or hell, her survival and endurance of every temptation by her determination to be steely rather than empathetic, especially with respect to a certain “lame fellow” (!), and her re-surfacing from hell a changed person, one worthy of begrudging Venereal approval (or Zeus' intervention — Rokeby!).Ink Black Heart: Strike as Zeus to Robin's Leda and Cupid to Mads' Psyche (10 November 2022, John Granger)These traditional portrayals of the every person's human and divine aspects, soul and spirit as man and woman in dynamic, cathartic relationship — think Romeo and Juliet, Redcrosse Knight and Una, Cupid and Psyche — are perhaps, with her alchemical symbolism, sequencing, and coloring, Rowling's greatest literary ‘reach' and achievement in the Strike series, albeit one largely lost on her her vast reading audience. The deliberate conjunction-melange of archetypal psychology, mythology, and spiritual allegory in these novels is, especially in combination with her hermetic artistry, intertextual playfulness (Aurora Leigh!), and chiastic structures, testimony to the author being one of the most accomplished and challenging writers of the age in addition to the most popular (and least well understood, even by her fans).Hallmarked Man: Freemasonry and J. K. Rowling (7 February 2024, Nick Jeffery)The Royal Arch degree is unique in England for including the ceremony of “Passing the Veils” symbolising the path to enlightenment that a mason undergoes as he progresses in the craft. Given Peter Rowling's upward social mobility from working class apprentice to engineer and moving from the Bristol suburbs to middle class Tutshill, it isn't beyond reason to wonder if Peter might have been tempted by the social and career advantages that freemasonry might have offered him and exposed a young Joanne to some of the symbolism.Edinburgh, as well as being the home of the Grand Lodge of Scotland, is also home to if not the oldest lodge in the world, then at least the one with the oldest records. Lodge of Edinburgh (Mary's Chapel) No. 1 has minutes of meetings from 31st July 1599. There have long been arguments between this Lodge and the one in Kilwinning on the other coast of Scotland as to which is the oldest. (see IVº of the Rite of Baldwyn above)J. K. Rowling's ‘G-Spot' and ‘Triple Play:' The Lake & Shed Secret of Her Success (21 September 2024, John Granger)I want to try tonight to explain as succinctly — and as provocatively — as possible why I think Rowling's ‘Lake and Shed' metaphorical explanation of how she writes offers a compelling reason for both why she writes and why readers around the world love her novels the way they do. I call this her ‘G-Spot' and ‘Triple Play' because it is her point of singular genius, the defining quality that separates her from contemporary story-tellers, which involves ‘Shed' artistry of three particular literary tools, all subliminal, which work together to achieve her aims.The Hallmarked Man's Flood of Names, Characters, and Plots (22 September 2025, John Granger)Rowling's seven Shed tools — psychomachia, literary alchemy, ring composition, misdirection towards defamiliarization, Christian symbolism, mythology, and inter-intratextuality (writing about reading and writing) — are all about the transformation of the human soul by cathartic experience in the imaginative heart, i.e., our spiritual reorientation. These traditional tools alone don't do it, of course; her capacity for creating archetypal characters that we care about in profound fashion is what gives the tools their grip on the heart.But, if a writer uses these tools in his or her Shed, the game being played and its stakes are not in question. Everything Rowling has written to date, with greater or lesser success (largely dependent on her control of the final product, cough*Warner Brothers*cough), shares this aim. Her global popularity testifies that much more often than not she hits her target to the delight of her readers.I assume this was her aim in Hallmarked Man. It's early days on the full exegesis of Strike8 in light of Rowling's Shed tools, Lake springs, and Golden Threads, but there are encouraging signs. My third reading of the book included my first ‘Aha!' moments with respect to the mythological template of the series, the Shed tool Rowling was openly urging her readers to think about in her recent Cupid and Psyche tweet.Jungian Interpretations of ‘Cupid and Psyche:'* Erich Neumann: Amor and Psyche: The Psychic Development of the Feminine (A Commentary on the Tale by Apuleius)* Paul Diel: Symbolism in Greek Mythology: Human Desire and Its Transformations (A “psychological study of the symbols condensed in the fate of the mythological hero”)* Robert A. Johnson: SHE: Understanding Feminine Psychology (An interpretation based on the myth of Amor and Psyche and based on Jungian mythological principles)* Marie-Louise von Franz: Golden Ass of Apuleius: The Liberation of the Feminine in Man (originally A Psychological Interpretation of The Golden Ass of Apuleius)‘Tamspells' Point to Point Correspondence List of Events in the Strike-Ellacott Novels and the Myth of Cupid and PsycheThe list ‘Tamspells' made will be Nick and John's starting point in their upcoming conversation with her about how to see the myth beneath the surface of the storyCupid and Psyche Myth Highlights to Look for in Your Review at Home of the Strike Series:* Jealousy of Venus* Psyche's Wedding/Funeral March to Mountain Crag* Psyche Rescued by Cupid, stuck with his own arrow* Retreat to Hidden Castle, Love in Darkness* The Two Sisters* The Confrontation with Lamp and Knife* Psyche's Return Home; Death of Sisters (Pan cameo)* Psyche's Search for Cupid/Venus: Ceres Interview* Brought to Venus (Worry and Sadness)* First Trial: Seeds and Grains (Ant)* Second Trial: Wool from Golden Sheep (Reed)* Third Trial: Crystal glass for Black Stygian water (Zeus, Eagle)* Persephone Odyssey: Box for Beauty (Tower instructions)* Barley Cakes for Cerberus and Two Coins for Charon* Must ignore: “a lame man driving a mule loaded with sticks, a dead man swimming in the river that separates the world of the living from the world of the dead, and old women weaving.”* Meal in Underworld with Persephone* Return Trip, Falling to Temptation* Cupid intervention; intersession and deal with Zeus* Olympian Court Date* Marriage of Cupid and Psyche post Ambrosia, birth of PleasureStrike Novel Victim Eros Anteros Murderer Eros Anteros Cuckoo's Calling Lula Landry Evan Duffield Marlene Higson,Yvette Bristow, Guy Some, Jonah Agyuman John Bristow Alison Creswell Yvette Bristow The Silkworm Owen Quine Kathryn Kent Leonora/Orlando Elizabeth Tassel Michael Fancourt Owen Quine? Career of Evil Kelsey Platt Rock Band Leader Ray Williams, (Hazel Furley) Donny Laing Rhona Bunyan, hostage women Agnes Waite Lethal White Jasper Chiswell Ornella Seraphin, Kinvara Patricia Fleetwood Raphael Chiswell Kinvara Hanratty Ornella Seraphin Troubled Blood Margot Bamborough Paul Satchwell Roy/Anna Phipps Una Janice Beattie Steven Douthwaite/Diamond Dead Mother Dennis Creed Louise Tucker Agnes Waite Ink Black Heart Edie Ledwell Philip Ormond? Joshua Blay, Grant Heather Ledwell Gus Upcott Anomie/Paperwhite, Vikas BhardwajMorehouse Katya Upcott The Running Grave Daiyu Wace, Kevin Pirbright (Jacob) Louise Pirbright Abigail Glover Patrick, Baz Jennifer Wace The Hallmarked Man Tyler Powell Anne-Marie Morgan Chloe Griffiths/Jolanda Lindvall Ian Griffith Jolanda/Sapphire Rita Lindvall? This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hogwartsprofessor.substack.com/subscribe

Press XJoin the Press X Discord: https://discord.gg/MAXtvmv2rwTopics:“What's Your Favorite?” Pokémon commercial airs at the Super Bowl https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3O4ymaZ41QMario Tennis Fever debuts at 77 on Metacritic https://www.metacritic.com/game/mario-tennis-fever/PlayStation State of Play reaction https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0e5YEXtZu0Full games list: https://www.eurogamer.net/sony-state-of-play-february-2026-everything-announced Questions from Discord: Jtlawbass: What's a random game that you didn't ask for but got as a gift that you ended up loving? One Christmas my sister gave me Heroes of Might and Magic 2 because her husband thought I'd like it. He was right! I played so many hours of that game and got so much enjoyment out of a gift that I didn't ask for.What we're playing: Mary: Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn, Hades 2, Silksong John: Slitterhead (finished), Dragon Quest VII Reimagined, Super Bomberman CollectionGreg: Marvel Rivals Brett L: Dying Light: The Beast, Pragmata (demo) Brett M: Dragon Age The Veilguard (finished) Mafia: The Old Country (finished) BioShock: Burial At Sea (finished)

Matthew 11:20-24: 20 Then he began to denounce the cities where most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent. 21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22 But I tell you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. 23 And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 24 But I tell you that it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you.”

Enjoy!! Catch Michael Hades LIVE at GLOW 631 E. Colfax Ave. Denver, CO February 14th (RED PARTY)$5 coversee you there :)

Greek Gods | Paranormal Podcast In this Greek gods episode timed with the Winter Olympics, we explore the fascinating world of Greek mythology starting with the origin story of the three most powerful gods—Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades—who were born to the Titan Cronus and his wife Rhea during the Golden Age, though Cronus attempted to eat all his children after a prophecy warned he'd be overthrown by his sons, leading Zeus to eventually free his brothers and defeat their father. We discuss the 12 great Olympians including Zeus (the serial cheater who ruled the sky), Hera (his perpetually angry sister-wife and goddess of marriage), Athena (the brilliant goddess of wisdom who burst fully formed from Zeus's head), Dionysus (the fun-loving god of wine and theater who was gestated in Zeus's thigh after his mother exploded), and several compelling minor gods like Hecate (goddess of magic and crossroads) and Pan (the half-goat satyr god of wilderness). We share captivating myths including Hades kidnapping Persephone with pomegranate seeds that created the seasons, Prometheus stealing fire for humanity and suffering eternal punishment, and the tragic tale of Arachne, who challenged Athena to a weaving contest with devastating consequences.

00:00 Windows 11 & i48601:38 Component Class: Price Problems08:33 JJ's Car Repair16:20 Hollow Knight24:40 Baba is You31:27 Hades 235:15 Romance of the Three Kingdoms37:28 Shelved by Genre: The Hobbit40:50 Tamp that DG43:24 The Weather46:24 Anno Hideaki's Shin Godzilla55:15 Outro

What happens when your teenager gets caught playing a bootleg version of Balatro on school computers? Do you ground them, or are you secretly a little proud?

When the Lamb opened the first 4 seals, horses with riders were given authority to bring judgment upon the Earth. The riders will bring temporary peace, violence and war, poverty and famine, and Death and Hades. All of the false gods and systems of comfort will be eroded in devastating fashion by the 4 horsemen. Only in Jesus can one have lasting peace, an immovable foundation, and life everlasting. Have you come to know Him? Or will you face the wrath of the coming horsemen?

When the Lamb opened the first 4 seals, horses with riders were given authority to bring judgment upon the Earth. The riders will bring temporary peace, violence and war, poverty and famine, and Death and Hades. All of the false gods and systems of comfort will be eroded in devastating fashion by the 4 horsemen. Only in Jesus can one have lasting peace, an immovable foundation, and life everlasting. Have you come to know Him? Or will you face the wrath of the coming horsemen?

Revelation 6The Seven Seals[1] Now I watched when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures say with a voice like thunder, “Come!” [2] And I looked, and behold, a white horse! And its rider had a bow, and a crown was given to him, and he came out conquering, and to conquer.[3] When he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” [4] And out came another horse, bright red. Its rider was permitted to take peace from the earth, so that people should slay one another, and he was given a great sword.[5] When he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come!” And I looked, and behold, a black horse! And its rider had a pair of scales in his hand. [6] And I heard what seemed to be a voice in the midst of the four living creatures, saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius, and do not harm the oil and wine!”[7] When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Come!” [8] And I looked, and behold, a pale horse! And its rider's name was Death, and Hades followed him. And they were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by wild beasts of the earth.[9] When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. [10] They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” [11] Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been.[12] When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, [13] and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale. [14] The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. [15] Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, [16] calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, [17] for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?” (ESV)

In Matthew 16:18, Jesus declares a cosmic declaration of war at Caesarea Philippi, a site steeped in pagan history and symbolizing the spiritual stronghold of evil, where Mount Hermon stood as the false counterpart to God's holy mountain. By stating He will build His church on this rock and that the gates of Hades will not prevail, Jesus announces His divine mission to overthrow the fallen angelic powers that have ruled the nations since the rebellion of Genesis 6 and the Tower of Babel, fulfilling the Old Testament vision of God reclaiming the earth from demonic dominion. This victory is secured through Christ's death, resurrection, and ascension, which disarmed and disgraced the spiritual rulers, enabling the church to be equipped with apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastors to carry out the mission of evangelism as spiritual warfare. The church, therefore, is not merely a religious institution but the instrument of Christ's cosmic conquest, destined to one day rule with Him over the nations and judge the fallen angels, calling believers to live with eternal purpose, knowing they are part of a redemptive drama that began in Eden and will culminate in the restoration of all things.

"Rich Man Poor Man" is a series of three messages from Luke 16:19-31.Join us as we look at three important lessons from this passage when Jesus tells the account of a rich man who lived a luxurious life but then spent eternity in the torment of Hades compared to Lazarus, who was a poor man and suffered through life but spent eternity in heaven. Jesus uses this powerful passage to:* warn us about the deceitfulness of wealth (A Rich Man),* inspire us to show mercy to others (Have Mercy On Me), and* compel us to act before it is too late (A Great Chasm)! Join us at cefc.church.

and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades. – Revelation 1:18

Friday, 6 February 2026   Then He commanded His disciples that they should tell no one that He was Jesus the Christ. Matthew 16:20    “Then He enjoined His disciples that they should say to none that He, He is Jesus the Christ” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus explained to Peter what it meant to possess the keys of the kingdom of the heavens. Next, Matthew records, “Then He enjoined His disciples.”   A new word is seen, diastelló, to enjoin. It is from dia, through, and stelló, to set fast. Thus, the sense is to thoroughly set firmly. To enjoin, in a legal sense, means to prohibit someone from performing by issuing an injunction. This is just what Jesus is doing here. He is thoroughly ensuring “that they should say to none that He, He is Jesus the Christ.”   The emphasis is on Jesus. People have been hailed as the Messiah in Israel many times. This was probably true at Jesus' time as well. However, Jesus did not want this to be revealed at the time because it would distract from His ability to complete His ministry. If people wanted to suppose He was the Christ based on what He did, that was their choice.   Likewise, to proclaim Him the Christ without a full revelation of what that meant could be injurious to the very meaning of the word. Christ Jesus had to suffer and die as God's Messiah. To proclaim Him the Messiah before that occurred would lead to a great deal of confusion among the people when He was crucified.   However, afterward, that could become a part of the full confession of what it meant to be the Messiah. And this is exactly what Peter explained to the people in Acts 2 –   “Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, 31 he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. 32 This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. 33 Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear. 34 For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, 35 Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.”' 36 ‘Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.'” Acts 2:29-36   Proclaiming Jesus as the Messiah before the work of the Messiah was complete would be putting the cart before the horse. However, noting after the resurrection that Scripture actually taught that the Messiah would suffer, die, and yet not see corruption due to the resurrection, would allow the true meaning of what it meant to be the Christ to be fully expressed.   Life application: Quite often, we withhold information from others to avoid having setbacks in the process of completing whatever necessary things must be done. For someone to go ahead and pronounce a matter before the proper time will only cause problems. Something as simple as someone having access to a company speech before it is given, maybe for editing or uploading to a website, and then revealing its contents before it is released, may cause harm. Maybe the person has last-minute changes that need to be worked into it. It may be that he is going to appeal to a certain person or group and wants his words to be carefully spoken when the speech is given.   To reveal the content in advance may harm such things. It is the CEO's sermon to give. Revealing it without his permission is thus inappropriate. This is true with company board meetings, military engagements, etc.   If the president is going to attack another nation, say a nation called Aleuzenev, and the Congress were to find out about it in advance, it is certain that those in the opposing party, like the Marxist Representative COA from New York, would leak the details in an attempt to harm the military operation.   Such examples show us that it is important to keep what we know about unrevealed things to ourselves. When the time is appropriate, the information will get out as it should. There is nothing to be gained from being the first to reveal what should not be revealed.   God has a plan and a set timeline for His redemptive process to be complete. If He were to give the timing of the rapture in advance, for example, instead of getting out and telling others about Jesus, people would sit around doing nothing until that day. It would be harmful and unproductive. Wait, maybe that is not the best example. People do sit around all day doing nothing but speculating about the rapture. See! We need to focus on our duties, not on what others are doing. In the case of the rapture, let God accomplish His plan as He sees fit.   Lord God, help us not to be busybodies by sharing things without restraint. Rather, may we be the type of people who can be trusted with quietly and diligently doing our part as we await Your plan to unfold. The rapture will happen exactly when it should. Until that day, we have work to do. May we do it to Your glory. Amen.

Press XJoin the Press X Discord: https://discord.gg/MAXtvmv2rwTopics:Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase reaction https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88Ym9SCKFpc / https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260205421305/en/Latest-Nintendo-Direct-Partner-Showcase-Features-New-and-Classic-Titles-Coming-to-Nintendo-Switch-2-and-Nintendo-SwitchTomodachi Life: Living the Dream launches April 16 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_0kl1WiSPgNintendo Q3 financial results highlights https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2026/260203_3e.pdfSwitch is bestselling Nintendo hardware ever at 155.37M, Switch 2 at 17.37MMetroid Prime 4 did sell 1M units https://bsky.app/profile/stephentotilo.bsky.social/post/3me2qye4yks2sOverwatch 2 drops ‘2' as year-long narrative arc begins with 10 new heroes; coming to Switch 2 this spring https://www.gematsu.com/2026/02/overwatch-2-drops-2-as-year-long-narrative-arc-begins-with-10-new-heroes-coming-to-switch-2-this-springHorizon Hunters Gathering revealed as co-op action game for PS5 & PC https://blog.playstation.com/2026/02/05/announcing-horizon-hunters-gathering-guerrillas-new-co-op-action-game/PS5 shipments top 92.2 million https://www.gematsu.com/2026/02/ps5-shipments-top-92-2-millionBaldur's Gate TV series in the works at HBO with Craig Mazin helming https://deadline.com/2026/02/baldurs-gate-3-tv-show-craig-mazin-hbo-1236710583/ Questions from Discord: 

Elizabeth Baird Hardy, Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts Professor, the genius behind AppalachianInkling.com, Hunger Games expert, and author of Milton, Spenser and the Chronicles of Narnia: Literary Sources for the C.S. Lewis Novels, joined Nick and John to discuss the Charm Bracelet that J. K. Rowling posted on her Twixter home page as a Christmas gift to her readers. She said that that the thirteen charms on nine links were a set of clues about the next Strike novel, the ninth in a ten book series.In the first Part of Elizabeth, Nick, and John's conversation, they discussed Rowling's charm bracelet history, speculated about why she posted this picture when she did, decided to look at each charm on the bracelet for its stand-alone meaning and its place in the nine link set, and to read the whole series as if it were a ring composition, one reflecting a nine Part structure in Strike 9. They then made deep dives into the details of each charm: the heart shaped box containing a ‘You and Me' engagement ring, a golden diamond-laden egg, a foul anchor, two angels, and a Trojan horse.In this second Part of that conversation, the trio of Serious Strikers continue with the remaining charms on the bracelet, namely, a Jack-in-the-box, an Hourglass, a White Rose and Crocodile, a Corvid head, and a Psalter paired on the last link with the Head of Persephone. They share their thoughts, too, about the bracelet as a symbolic integer and its ring meaning.The notes below are in support of references they make mid-flight and to other resources of interest to Magic Charm Decoders! Enjoy.Thank you to all our subscribers with special gratitude and appreciations for our paid subscribers; you are the wind in our sails, the heat from our vents… Serious Strikers are reading Browning's The Ring and the Book, charting Hallmarked Man Part Six, and reviewing the Myth of Cupid and Psyche to look for parallels in the Strike-Ellacott series. See you soon!Jack-in-the-Box Charm* Rowling claims this as her favorite charm (Nick and John in the conversation mistakenly attribute this preference to the Psalter charm):* Badly Wired Lamp ID'd it* Is it a devil — or a Racoon?* The jack in the box toy, the 'Jack' being a devil, was invented in Germany in the 16th century as a mockery of the Roman Catholic doctrine of the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. * The shape of this charm, the golden circular center in the inside of the open box top, represents the transcendent spiritual realm and the square bottom with its four directions, the fallen world. The ‘jack' devil lives in the latter but is from the former.* The charm is the third latched object in the chain, the heart box and Trojan horse preceding it and the psalter at chain's end following it — which means the ring latch and center are latched objects with surprises inside. The two interior objects at center have deadly surprises and the beginning and end eternal life interiors. The symbolism here is of the human being and its capacity via choice for either spiritual perfection in sacrificial love (anteros) or consumption by individual desires (eros). The thing hidden inside, man's spiritual capacity or heart, is either light or darkness, the inside bigger than the outside. (John)* What is the Strike 9 connection, the analogue to the demonic Jack in the box? Is it RFM? Uncle Ted? Ilsa's husband Nick? Polworth?* The Jack's position is at the center of the bracelet and between the hourglass and the Trojan horse. So it's placed between cleverness and craftiness and things that we can control and bad surprises, but also time, because we can't control time. (Elizabeth)Hourglass Charm* tempus fugit ‘like sand in an hourglass'* memento mori* infinite symbol* The Strike series may be a collection of mystery-story genres, each one illustrating a unique type of story, different from all the others while keeping the same core of characters and overarching narrative (cf., Rowling's note in The Running Grave acknowledgements that that book was her “cult” book). The hourglass, then, may be Rowling's pointer to Strike9 being a suspense drama in which the good guys not only have a challenging mission (find and rescue the missing Robin, Strike, Lucy, Pat, whomever) but have to do it before a literal deadline arrives. The Ticking Clock plot device.* If the Jack at link five is the center of the bracelet ring of nine links, how does the hourglass mirror the Trojan horse? It's two parts? The deadline aspect? “Reveal the crazies inside before the hourglass empties”?White Rose Charm* White Rose of Yorkshire* The interior of the flower charm is a literal Turtleback or ring composition diagram.* White Rose of Dante: Paradiso Cantos XXXI and XXXIIThe true home of all the blessed is with God in the Empyrean, a heaven of pure light beyond time and space. Dante sees the blessed systematically arranged in an immense white rose: like a hologram, a three-dimensional image, the rose is formed from a ray of light reflected off the outer surface of the Primum Mobile (30.106-17). The queen of this white rose is the Virgin Mary, traditionally represented as a rose herself (see Par. 23.73-4). This celestial rose recalls large rose windows of Gothic cathedrals, many of which are dedicated to Mary. The image of the rose, often red, is also used to represent Christ or, in other contexts, earthly love. The white rose is symmetrically structured according to various criteria, including belief, age, and gender. One half of the rose, already full, holds those who, according to Christian tradition, believed in Christ to come (the blessed of the Hebrew Bible); the other half, with only a few seats still unoccupied, contains those who believed in Christ already come (saved Christians). Two gendered rows mark this division of the rose in two halves. In the row below Mary appear women of the Hebrew Bible (Eve, Rachel, Sarah, Rebecca, Judith, Ruth, and unnamed others); Beatrice is seated next to Rachel, on the third row from the top. Opposite Mary, John the Baptist heads a row of men containing Francis, Benedict, Augustine, and other Christian fathers. Mary is flanked by Adam (first man) and Moses on one side, and Peter (first pope) and John the Evangelist on the other. John the Baptist is flanked by Lucy on one side and Anna, the mother of Mary, on the other. While only adults are seated in the upper section of the rose, below a certain line the rose contains souls of blessed children, their precise location based not on their own merits (since they lacked the power of free will) but on predestination. As physical laws do not apply in the Empyrean, Dante's ability to see these figures is not diminished by distance (30.118-23; 31.76-8).* White Rose of Mockingjay (Hunger Games finale)The prevailing symbol of Catching Fire and the most meaningful token the Christ figure of the series gives Katniss is a pearl, the solid-light symbolism of which we've discussed before. I think Commander Paylor's name may be our last Madge-Pearl-Mags name reference in being a “pale orb.” That gold and pearls have a similar translucency and metaphysical correspondence with the ‘Light of the World' make the twin possibilities that much more rich — and Commander Paylor's ascending to Panem's Presidency that much more meaningful and appropriate.Katniss steps into the Garden with the Pearl's blessing (“on my authority”) and discovers roses of every possible color. There are red, of course, and “lush pink, sunset orange, and even pale blue.” She knows what she wants, though; the rose colored like light, the white rose, Dante's symbolic prelude to the beatific vision and transcendence. Just as she cuts the “magnificent white bud just about to open” “from the top of a slender bush” (ibid, p. 355), the manacled, “pale, sickly green” President Snow, our snake in the Garden, speaks.“The colors, are lovely, of course, but nothing says perfection like white.”Our story Satan, you recall, left her a white rose in District 12 in chapter 1 and dropped roses with the bunker buster bombs in Part 1 to terrify Katniss. Now we know why. He was taunting her with her end, that as a seeker's soul he knew her goal was perfection in Christ and taunted her with it, especially when he held Peeta-Christ and understood the cartharsis and chrysalis she would have to pass through to claim it herself. Now that she is in the inner sanctuary, the High Place, he tells her the truth she could not hear anywhere else, the final, ugly truth about the cause for which Katniss had sacrificed everything. Snow reveals, just as Peeta had told her at the story's start, that she was deceived by those she trusted. President Coin killed Primrose with a weapon designed by Gale.Having been to the Absolute center, the world navel, and taken away the beatific vision as a white rose, Katniss is no longer a seeker but the resolution of contraries, an androgyn of justice and mercy. She is above right and wrong now as the phoenix-mockingjay and hears the voice of the “murderer” on the Hanging Tree at last. She deceives President Coin at the Victors Meeting as something of an avenging angel; she becomes a murderer herself by assassinating President Coin. Peeta-Christ comes down from the tree as her savior once again and prevents her suicide via Nightlock by his out-of-nowhere intervention.* Why does the White Rose share the seventh bracelet link with a crocodile? Faerie Queene!Crocodile Charm* The Crocodile in Shed, crocodile skin handbags (Hallmarked Man) “Maybe the4 crocodile or whatever they're keeping in the shed's chewed its way out,” said Strike. “ (Chapter 22, p 176; center chapter of Part 2)* Crocodile entry, Cirlot's Dictionary of SymbolismCrocodile Two basically different aspects of the crocodile are blended in its symbolic meaning, representing the influence upon the animal of two of the four Elements. In the first place, because of it viciousness and destructive power, the crocodile came to signify fury and evil in Egyptian hieroglyphics (19); in the second place, since it inhabits a realm intermediate between earth and water, and is associated with mud and vegetation, it came to be thought of as an emblem of fecundity and power (50). In the opinion of Mertens Stienon there is a third aspct, deriving from its resemblance to the dragon and the serpent, as a symbol of knowledge. In Egypt, the dead used to be portrayed transformed into crocodiles of knowledge, an idea which is linked with that of the zodiacal sign of Capricorn. Blavatsky compares the crocodile with the Kumara of India (40). Then, finally, come the symbols of Inversion proper and of rebirth. (67)* Lyndy Abraham's Dictionary of Alchemical Imagery entry for ‘Crocodile:'Crocodile The mercurial *serpent or transforming arcanum in its initial chthonic aspect during the dark, destructive opening of the opus alchymicum. Like the *bee, the crocodile was classified as a serpent in te bestiaries of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The amphibious nature of the crocodile made it an apt symbol for the dual-natured *Mercurius. When Lepidus in Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra says, ‘Your serpent of Egypt is bred of your mud by the operation of your sun; so is your crocodile' (2.7.26-7), he is referring to the generation of gold in the earth, and the generation of the mercurial serpent through the heat of the secret *fire or ‘sun'. With the phrase ‘operation of your sun' Lepidus also alludes to the final law of the alchemical Emerald Table: ‘That which I had to say about the operation of the Sun is completed' (48)* Sandy Hope on Crocodile symbolismIsis Church crocodile in Faerie Queene: Book 5, Canto VIIBook V Canto vii. The speaker praises the virtue of justice and cites Osyris as an example of the just man. His wife, Isis, represented equity and to the Temple of Isis Britomart and Talus come to spend the night. Talus, however, is not allowed into the temple. Britomart enters and sees a statue of Isis with her foot on a crocodile. The temple is also full of the priests of Isis who are not allowed to drink wine as it leads to rebellion. Britomart sleeps under the statue of Isis and dreams that the crocodile comes alive and threatens the Goddess. The Goddess subdues the crocodile and it becomes meek and then impregnates the Goddess. She gives birth to a lion which conquers all other beats. Britomart awakes and tells her troubling dream to a priest. He tells her that the crocodile represents Arthegall, Isis represents Britomart, and the lion their son whom they will conceive. Grateful for the interpretation, Britomart leaves and comes to Radigund's castle. Radigund and Britomart battle, Britomart is wounded in the shoulder, and finally Britomart beheads Radigund. Talus enters the castle and wreaks carnage on the Amazon women inside. Britomart finds Arthegall dressed, like other, in women's clothing. she is shamed by the sight, and it is not quite clear whether her suspicions that Arthegall has been unfaithful are confirmed or refuted. She finds Arthegall some armour, arms him, and the rest in the castle. during this time Britomart rules as a princess and reforms the Amazon society so that women are restored to proper subjection to men. Finally, Arthegall leaves to complete his quest against Grantorto. Britomart lets him leave because she knows that his success in this quest is important to restore his ego. After residing further at the Amazon castle she finally leaves to help keep her mind off the absent Arthegall.* The Spenser Encyclopedia entry for ‘Church of Isis:' (408) Clifford DavidsonWhen Britomart spends the night in the temple, she sees a ‘wondrous vision' in which she participates first as a votary of Isis and then as the goddess herself. Her devotion to the statue causes her to become Isis in her dream: she is serving at the altar when she sees herself transformed into Isis but wearing the royal robe. The crocodile awakens, devours the flames which threaten to destroy the temple, and threatens to eat Isis/Britomart until it is driven back by her rod. Then it seeks her ‘grace and love,' she yields, it impregnates her, and from their union she gives birth to a lion. As the Priest explains, the crocodile is Osiris (the Egyptian god of Justice) who sleeps under the feet of Isis ‘To shew that clemence oft in things amis,/ Restraines those sterne behests, and cruell doomes of his' (22), and who shows thereby the proper relation of justice and judgment to equity. The Priest also explains to Britomart that the crocodile is Artegall, ‘The righteous Knight,' who will settle the storms and ‘raging flames, that many foes shall reare' and restore to her the heritage of her throne, and who will give her a ‘Lion like' son (23), the new British monarchy of the Tudors.The crocodile is a symbol both of guile and of a regeneration that will affect future history. As guile, its relation to Isis is reminiscent of Vice figures under the feet of triumphing Virtues in medieval art. An iconographic association between the crocodile in its demonic aspect and medieval saints' legends derives ultimately – significantly for Spenser – from the classical figure of Britomartis (Miskimin 1978). In Plutarch's Isis and Osiris 50, it is linked to Typhon, the enemy of justice and order, while in Renaissance iconographic tradition it is often symbolic of the need for prudence (for one must be prudent to avoid the wily crocodile). Cesare Ripa's Iconologia (sv Lussuria) shows the nude Luxury (or Lechery) seated upon a crocodile, an interesting analogy to its phallic sexuality in Britomart's dream. Yet along with these primarily negative associations, there are also positive ones in the crocodile's identification with Osiris/Artegall/Justice and in the implication that Isis/Britomart/Equity is incomplete without her partner. The image contains its own contradiction, unresolved by the Priest.* Troubled Blood and Faerie Queene: Where Britobart and Artegall are used as stand-ins for Robin and Cormoran:Troubled Blood features several embedded texts, the most important of which is never mentioned in the book: Edmund Spenser's Faerie Queen. Serious Strikers enjoyed the luxury of not one but two scholars of Edmund Spenser who checked in on the relevance and meaning of Rowling's choice of the greatest English epic poem for her epigraphs, not to mention the host of correspondences between Strike 5 and Queen. Elizabeth Baird-Hardy did a part by part exegesis of the Troubled Blood-Faerie Queen conjunctions and Beatrice Groves shared her first thoughts on the connections as well. Just as Lethal White's meaning and artistry is relatively unappreciated without a close reading of Ibsen's Rosmersholm, so with Strike 5 and Faerie Queen.Elizabeth Baird-Hardy* Day One, Part One: The Spenserian Epigraphs of the Pre-Released Troubled Blood Chapters* Day Two, Part Two: The Spenserian Epigraphs of Troubled Blood Chapters Eight to Fourteen* Day Three, Part Three: The Spenserian Epigraphs of Troubled Blood Chapters Fifteen to Thirty* Day Four, Part Four: The Spenserian Epigraphs of Troubled Blood Chapters Thirty One to Forty Eight* Day Five, Part Five: The Spenserian Epigraphs of Troubled Blood Chapters Forty Nine to Fifty Nine* Part Six: The Spenserian Epigraphs of Troubled Blood Chapters Sixty to Seventy One* Spenser and Strike Part Seven: Changes for the BetterBeatrice Groves* Trouble in Faerie Land (Part 1): Spenserian Clues in Troubled Blood Epigraphs* Trouble in Faerie Land (Part 2): Shipping Robin and Strike in the Epigraphs of Troubled Blood* Trouble in Faerie Land (Part 3): Searching for Duessa in Troubled BloodJohn Granger:* How Spenser Uses Cupid in Faerie Queen and Its Relevance for Understanding Troubled Blood* Reading Troubled Blood as a Medieval Morality PlayCorvid Charm* Rowling Twixter headers: 12 January 2016, 9 April 2017 (Nick)* Fantastic Beasts reference? The Lestrange Family Motto features a crow and the ‘Lost Child' of that series is named ‘Corvus'* Crow Symbolism per Cirlot, Dictionary of Symbols:Crow Because of its black colour, the crow is associated with the idea of beginning (as expressed in such symbols as the maternal night, primigenial darkness, the fertilizing earth). Because it is also associated with the atmosphere, it is a symbol for creative, demiurgic power and for spiritual strength. Because of its flight, it is considered a messenger. And, in sum, the crow has been invested by many primitive peoples with far-reaching cosmic significance. Indeed, for the Red Indians of North America it is the great civilizer and the creator of the visible world. It has a similar meaning for the Celts and the Germanic tribes, as well as in Siberia (35). In the classical cultures it no longer possesses such wide implications, but it does still retain certain mystic powers and in particular the ability to foresee the future; hence its claw played a special part in rites of divination (8). In Christian symbolism it is an allegory of solitude. Amongst the alchemists it recovers some of the original characteristics ascribed to it by the primitives, standing in particular for nigredo, or the initial state which is both the inherent characteristic of prime matter and the condition produced by separating out the Elements (putrefactio) … In Beaumont's view, the crow in itself signifies the isolation of him who lives on a superior plane (5), this being the symbolism in general of all solitary birds. (71-72)* Lyndy Abraham's Dictionary of Alchemical Imagery entry for ‘Crow:' (49)Crow, crow's head, crow's bill A symbol of the *putrefaction and *black nigredo which is the first stge of the opus alchymicum. The old body of the metal or matter for the Stone is dissolved and putrefied into the first matter of *creation, the *prima materia, so that it may be regenerated and cast into a new form. The Hermetis Trismegisti Tractatus Aureus said of this initial stage of death and dissolution in the work: ‘The First is the Corvus, the Crow or Raven, which from its blackness is said to be the beginning of the Art' (bk. 2, 235). In his Aurora, Paracelsus wrote that when the matter has been placed in the gentle heat of the secret fire it passes through corruption and grows black: ‘This operation they call putrefaction, and the blackness they name the head of the Crow' (55). Thomas Charnock likewise wrote of the putrefaction: ‘The Crowes head began to appere as black as Jett' (TCB, 296). In Zoroaster's Cave the matter produced during this stage is identified with the name of the process: ‘When the matter has stood for the space of forty dayes in a moderate heat, there will begin to appear above, a blacknesse like to pitch, which is the Caput Corvi of the Philosophers, and the wise men's Mercury' (80). According to Ripley the terms ‘crows head' and ‘crows bill' are synonymous: ‘The hede of the Crow that tokeyn call we,/And sum men call hyt the Crows byll' (TCB, 134) (see ashes). In A Fig for Momus Thomas Lodge listed the crow's head amongst other alchemical enigmas: ‘Then of the crowes-head, tell they weighty things' (Works, 3:69). When Face in Jonson's The Alchemist says that the matter of the Stone has become ‘ground black', Mammon enquires of him, ‘That's your crowes-head? And Subtle replies, ‘No, ‘tis not perfect, would it were the crow' (2.3.67-8).Psalter Charm* In ‘Charms, Psalms & Golden Clues: A brace(let) of clues for Strike 9,' Prof Groves discusses the psalm as charm:Charm first meant the incantation itself, and then the amulet that carried that incantation to protect the wearer and then – from the 19th century – the small ornamental trinkets, fastened to girdles, watch-chains and bracelets, that resembled those original, talismanic charms. This means that Rowling's clue-charm of a Psalm book (which can actually carry a sacred text) circles back beautifully to the original meaning of the word – in which a charm was an amulet carrying a holy text. These charms do not always hold texts but Rowling has confirmed that this one does: ‘The book is a psalm book and holds real, miniature psalms' I think this protective hinterland of charms make it likely that the specific psalm that such a psalm-book charm would carry would be the most comforting and talismanic of psalms – Psalm 23. This psalm famously describes the Lord's love as protective, even unto the valley of the shadow of death* John argues that, in addition to the 23rd Psalm, Psalm 90 (91 in Masoretic or KJV reckoning), the so-called ‘Soldier's Psalm' is at least as likely as an insert for this charm, which is to say, as a talisman a soldier might give a woman about to enter Hades to beg a gift from Persephone…The Head of Persephone Charm* Rowling's clarifying picture* Psyche's Last Task from Venus:One final task is then given to Psyche, one in which Psyche is commanded to bring back a bit of Persephone's beauty from the Underworld. In Greek mythology no living soul is meant to be able to enter the Underworld, let alone leave it, and so Aphrodite felt that she would be rid of Psyche once and for all. Indeed, it seemed that Aphrodite would be proved right, for Psyche's only idea about entering the Underworld was to kill herself. Before Psyche can commit suicide a voice whispers to her instructions about how to complete the task. Thus Psyche finds an entrance to the Underworld and is soon crossing the Acheron upon the skiff of Charon, and the princess even manages to gain an audience with Persephone. Persephone on the surface appears to be sympathetic to the quest of Psyche, but Psyche has been warned about accepting food or a seat in the palace of Hades, for both would bind her to the Underworld for all time. But eventually, Persephone gives Psyche a golden box, said to contain some of the goddess' beauty.* The Head of Persephone charm is paired with the Psalter on the ninth and last link; again, if the Psalm is 22 (23) or 90 (91), then the connection is an invocational prayer for help traveling through the “valley of death,” for protection from the “asp and basilisk,” the “lion and dragon.”* As above, note that the beginning, middle, and end of the bracelet feature clasped objects, with the Psalter being a codex that opens and Psyche's journey to Persephone is in pursuit of a “golden box” containing the means to otherworldly beauty. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hogwartsprofessor.substack.com/subscribe

and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades. – Revelation 1:18

#405Fishing Minigame CollectionNice Thinking2025.09.04Stephen Business is back! And he's attempting to make a meme into a reality. The clubhouse attempts to answer these (and other) questions:How many fishing minigames is too many fishing minigames?Is it okay to shoot fish with lasers?Who are those teenagers with emo hair in the Bentley?Should Stephen make something on the Playdate?Why do people go fishing?Does anyone actually like fishing?You can wishlist 'Blippo+' on Steam! - SteamFishingStephen McGregorGamingLydia kicked of this topic with a comment an episode, maybe this one?Revisiting Your GamesFishing Minigame Meme - RedditLydia learned about noodling from this youtube channel - Bon Appetit, YouTubeFeeding time at a Fish Hatchery is bonkers! - YouTubeLydia's nice list of games with fishing minigamesTales of Arise Pokemon Animal Crossing Stardew ValleyLegend of Zelda (many) SkyrimKirby The Forgotten Land Verdant Skies Spiritfarer Red Dead Redemption 2 Final Fantasy (many) Sonic Frontiers Far Cry 5Hades

Thursday, 5 February 2026   And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Matthew 16:19   “And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of the heavens. And whatever, if you may bind upon the earth, it will be ‘having been bound' in the heavens. And whatever, if you may loosen upon the earth, it will be ‘having been loosed' in the heavens.” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus proclaimed Simon Pétros, Peter. He also said that on the Rock, He would build His out-calling, noting that the gates of Hades would not overpower her. Now, still speaking to Peter, He says, “And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of the heavens.”   A new word, kleis, a key, is introduced. The word is used both literally and figuratively. In this instance, it is figurative. A key is what provides access. An example of that is seen in Isaiah 22–   “Then it shall be in that day, That I will call My servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah; 21 I will clothe him with your robe And strengthen him with your belt; I will commit your responsibility into his hand. He shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem And to the house of Judah. 22 The key of the house of David I will lay on his shoulder; So he shall open, and no one shall shut; And he shall shut, and no one shall open. 23 I will fasten him as a peg in a secure place, And he will become a glorious throne to his father's house.” Isaiah 22:20-23   Eliakim was given the key, meaning access, to the house of David. In Luke 11:52, Jesus refers to the key to knowledge. Again, the use is figurative to indicate access to knowledge. Jesus is giving Peter the keys to heaven. He next explains what that means, saying, “And whatever, if you may bind upon the earth, it will be ‘having been bound' in the heavens.”   Access to heaven is through faith in Jesus. That is something ahead at this time for Peter. Hence, the future tense, “I will give.” The seal of salvation based on that faith is the Holy Spirit. Peter is being told that he will be the one to bind, meaning prohibit, that which is prohibited in the heavens. That is seen with the use of the perfect participle, having been bound. Likewise, Jesus says, “And whatever, if you may loosen upon the earth, it will be ‘having been loosed' in the heavens.”   To loosen means to undo and thus to allow. Peter, along with the other apostles, was given the authority to make decisions concerning what was to be done or not done in the church, confirming that which was bound in heaven. It is not a sleight of hand to include the other apostles. Those who wrote the epistles are demonstrating the same authority.   Peter is singled out here as the first to bear this authority. But in what sense? The answer is found in Acts, where the establishment of the church is recorded. From there, its continued expansion is followed throughout its pages. Who first addressed the people of Israel after Christ's ascension at Pentecost? It was Peter, in Acts 2.   “Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Men and brethren, what shall we do?' 38 Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.' 40 And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, ‘Be saved from this perverse generation.' 41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.”   Again, in Acts 8, the message spread to the Samaritans. The people believed, just as those in Jerusalem, but something was missing. Therefore –   “Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, 15 who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. 16 For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.” Acts 8:14-17   And again, in Acts 10, the message was sent to the Gentiles, specifically Cornelius and his household –   “While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. 45 And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. 46 For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God.” Acts 10:44-46   What is the common element in each account? Peter was present to verify what had already been bound in heaven. The Spirit, the proof of salvation, was poured out on the Jews through Peter's evangelism. Salvation next went to the Samaritans, but the proof of that salvation awaited Peter's presence. Salvation then went to the Gentiles when Peter was instructed to testify to the work of Jesus.   God's plan of salvation was intended for all people. This is the intent of Peter's having been given the “keys” to what was bound in the heavens. The structure of Acts makes it clearly evident that the focus of the book is on Peter from Acts 1 through 12. However, the narrative then shifts to Paul in Acts 13-28. Those things Peter did are repeated through Paul in a precise and meticulously recorded manner.   Peter, being the apostle to the circumcision, verified what God had planned. He spoke the gospel, and he possessed the keys. However, Jesus' words in no way restrict that same ability and authority from any other person. It simply began with Peter's witness of the unfolding events in God's redemptive narrative.   Life application: Something quite common in Christianity is for people to claim they can “bind” a spirit, “loosen a prophetic word,” etc. When you hear this, don't be fooled that they are somehow super spiritual or possess some gift or authority that you don't. Such people are tossing out catch phrases that actually mean nothing.   We don't have such authority. The Bible is written. It is our guide and authority for what we are to do in the church. We don't need to witness proof of anyone's salvation. That is up to God to decide. Mormons claim they are saved. Jehovah's Witnesses do too. And yet, their doctrine is false, and their teachings are heretical.   We are to tell people about Jesus, pray for them when they have needs, rightly instruct them about the faith, and let God be God. Don't get caught up in goofy catchphrases that actually mean diddly. Be sound in your doctrine. That is sufficient. We don't need to impress others. We need to do what God has instructed us to do.   Glorious Lord God, may we not be like those who claim authority that we have no right to. The pope claims he sits in Peter's seat and has the authority to decide things he has no authority over. Help us to stick to Your word, in context, and not get misdirected by false teachings that profit nothing. Amen.  

Happy 10 Year Anniversary from your friends at Spirits! To celebrate, we're revisiting the subject of our first ever episode: Persephone and Hades. We look at the story through a decade of new experiences, life changes, and so much more. Thanks for joining us. Content Warning: This episode contains conversations about or mentions of racism, death, animal death, blood, pedophilia, abduction, sexual assault, misogyny, and incest. Housekeeping- Books: Check out our previous book recommendations, guests' books, and more at spiritspodcast.com/books- Call to Action: Send in those urban legend emails as you head home for the holidays!- Submit Your Urban Legends Audio: Call us! 617-420-2344Minneapolis Spotlight- Birchbark Books & Native Arts - Support a local Minneapolis small business by purchasing books or gift cards from Birchbark Books & Native ArtsFind Us Online- Website & Transcripts: spiritspodcast.com- Patreon: patreon.com/spiritspodcast- Merch: spiritspodcast.com/merch- Instagram: instagram.com/spiritspodcast- Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/spiritspodcast.com- Twitter: twitter.com/spiritspodcast- Tumblr: spiritspodcast.tumblr.comCast & Crew- Co-Hosts: Julia Schifini and Amanda McLoughlin- Editor: Bren Frederick- Music: Brandon Grugle, based on "Danger Storm" by Kevin MacLeod- Artwork: Allyson Wakeman- Multitude: multitude.productionsAbout UsSpirits is a boozy podcast about mythology, legends, and folklore. Every episode, co-hosts Julia and Amanda mix a drink and discuss a new story or character from a wide range of places, eras, and cultures. Learn brand-new stories and enjoy retellings of your favorite myths, served over ice every week, on Spirits.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jim Franks discusses Matthew 16:18—“And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.”

Wednesday, 4 February 2026   And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.  Matthew 16:18   “And I also, I say to you that you, you are Peter, and upon this – the Rock – I will build My out-calling, and Hades' gates, not they will overpower her” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus noted that Simon Bar-Jonah was blessed because it wasn't flesh and blood that illuminated his proclamation. Rather, it was the Father in heaven who did. He continues, saying, “And I also, I say to you.”   Jesus is going to illuminate more concerning what Peter said, expanding on it to ensure that what was said is highlighted and magnified. With that understanding, Jesus emphatically declares, “that you, you are Peter.”   The name Peter has already been seen and explained. It is a masculine noun, Pétros, meaning rock. It is generally a piece of a rock, like a small rock or stone, found along a path. Jesus continues with, “and upon this – the Rock – I will build.”   The word now is petra, a feminine noun signifying a mass of rock, such as a projecting cliff. HELPS Word Studies, citing Zodhiates, says, “(Pétros) always means a stone . . . such as a man may throw, . . . versus 4073 (pétra), a projecting rock, cliff" (S. Zodhiates, Dict).   Of this difference, Ellicott [et al] says, “it would seem clear that the connection between Peter and the rock (the words in the Greek differ in gender, πέτρος [Pétros] and πέτρα [petra], but were identical in the Aramaic, which our Lord probably used) was meant to be brought into special prominence.”   This conclusion may or may not be correct, but the basis for it is inane. The New Testament is written in Greek, not Aramaic. Therefore, the difference cannot be ignored or downplayed. There is obviously wordplay seen, but a definite distinction is being made between Pétros and petra.   As for what Jesus is talking about, there are several prominent views. One is that He is referring not to Peter, but to his proclamation: “You, You are the Christ, the Son of God, the living.” Others believe Jesus is referring to Himself as the Rock. Still others say that it is, in fact, referring to Peter, but without all of the later-added Roman Catholic baggage that has nothing to do with the simple pronouncement.   Further, what is lacking in Jesus' words is as telling as what He has stated. Jesus does not simply state, “and upon you I will build...” However, in the coming verse, Jesus will directly speak to Peter with words concerning his position and authority. Therefore, Jesus is not speaking of Peter in His words now.   Letting Scripture interpret Scripture, both testaments tell us who the Rock is. Again and again, in typology and in direct metaphor, the Lord is called the Rock. A couple of the many such examples –   “He is the Rock [tsur], His work is perfect; For all His ways are justice, A God of truth and without injustice; Righteous and upright is He.” Deuteronomy 32:4   “The Lord lives! Blessed be my Rock [tsur]! Let the God of my salvation be exalted.” Psalm 18:46   In the New Testament, Paul and Peter both refer to Christ in this way –   Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, 2 all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock [petra] that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. 1 Corinthians 10:1-4   Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, “The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone,” 8 and “A stone of stumbling And a rock [petra] of offense.” 1 Peter 2:7, 8   As such, the Rock is both the proclamation and the Person. Peter wasn't speaking about an ethereal concept. He was asked to identify who Jesus was. His proclamation is that of Jesus being the Rock, the Lord Yehovah, who is the Christ, whether Peter realized that or not. Jesus was thinking in human terms, but Scripture, and thus Jesus, is referring to God's means and mode of redemption.   This is all the more certain because the cornerstone is what Paul refers to as well. It is the setting stone of a foundation –   “For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, you are God's building. 10 According to the grace of God, which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. 11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 3:9-11   Jesus, probably pointing to Himself, acknowledging Peter's confession and what it means, said that He is the Rock. God's building is not set upon Peter. It is set upon Christ. This building is, as Jesus says, “My out-calling.”   It is a new word, ekklésia, an out-calling. It is derived from ek, from or out of, and kaleó, to call. Thus, it is an out-calling, a group of people called out for a particular purpose. This is the group that Paul calls “God's building” in 1 Corinthians 3:10. Jesus says that His people will be built upon Himself, “and Hades' gates, not they will overpower her.”   Another new word, katischuó, to overpower, is used. It is an intensification of ischuó, to have or exercise force. The prefix kata, down, thus gives the sense of overpowering. What is Jesus referring to here? Unfortunately, it is often claimed as a tool for effective evangelizing, as if saying, “We have the power to storm hell itself!”   That is great for sermons, but it has nothing to do with the intent. Gates have two purposes. The first is a defensive barrier that can be opened to allow people in. The second is containment, such as when the gates are shut to keep someone from getting out, a spy or a prisoner, perhaps.   The gates of Hades are gates of containment. Hades (Old Testament Sheol) is the place of the dead. It is where all humanity is destined to go, including saved believers at this time. This is made clear time and again in the New Testament. But a day is coming when the Lord's out-calling will be taken from there, and the victory Jesus refers to now is realized –   “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.' 55 ‘O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?' 56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 15:50-57   It is true that proclaiming the gospel will change a person's ultimate destiny, but it is not by our power that Hades' gates are overcome, but by the power of Jesus, the Subject of the gospel, who had already overpowered Hades' gates.   Life application: The Roman Catholic coopting of this verse to claim Peter is the first pope and that all popes after him have infallible authority to act and make decrees is utter nonsense. That assumes too much, and it lays hands on that which belongs to God alone.   If Peter were the “rock” spoken of here by Jesus, then it would mean he was the foundation of the church, as they claim. But Peter and Paul laid the same foundation, as noted above. This is then confirmed elsewhere –   “Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.” Ephesians 2:19-22   The “foundation” here is not speaking of the apostles and prophets, as if they are the foundation. Rather, it refers to their proclamation, which is Jesus. This is exactly what Jesus is referring to in Matthew 16. Jesus is the Chief Cornerstone, which is the basis of the foundation. He is also the entire foundation as proclaimed by God's messengers.   Sound theology always points to Jesus, not the Roman Catholic Church.   Lord God, thank You for our sure Foundation and Cornerstone, Jesus! We have a Rock, who is faithful and true, upon which our hope is grounded. Nothing, not even the gates of Hades, can separate us from You. Thank You that when we depart, it will not be forever from Your presence. Rather, a day is coming when we will be gathered to You forever. Hallelujah and Amen.

Permit me to share a story from my own experience that helps explain why it took me so long to preach a sermon series on the book of Revelation. When I was twenty-eight, I had been ordained as a minister of the gospel only a short time earlier and was serving as an interim pastor at Calvary Baptist Church, a congregation of roughly three hundred people. The church was struggling. Years of poor leadership decisions and the dismissal of one of its senior pastors had left it in a fragile state. I was young, inexperienced, and keenly aware that I had far more to learn than to offer. When Calvary eventually called its next senior pastorwhom I will refer to as Bobhe inherited both me and another assistant pastor. Less than a year into his tenure, Bob called me into his office to discuss my future. He asked what I hoped for in ministry, and I told him I planned to finish seminary and learn as much as I could from him, given his decades of pastoral experience. Then, without warning, he asked me what I believed about the rapture. Caught off guard, I answered honestly: I believed Christ would return for His people, but I was not yet certain whether that would be before, during, or after the tribulation. Bob paused, looked at me, and said simply, Well, thats a problem. It was a problem because Calvarys doctrinal statement treated a pre-tribulation rapture not as a point of discussion, but as a nonnegotiable. One passage often cited in support of that view is 1 Thessalonians 5:9For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. Yet the wrath Paul describes there is not the suffering believers endure in this world, but the final judgment reserved for the condemned. That conversation marked me deeply. It revealed how quickly the book of Revelationand the questions surrounding itcan become a test of loyalty rather than a call to faithfulness. And it helps explain why I approached Revelation for so many years with caution, hesitation, and no small measure of pastoral concern. Suffering (Tribulation) is a Part of the Christian Life (v. 9) What troubled me about Pastor Bob and the doctrinal statement Calvary Baptist Church has since removed is that this view is difficult to reconcile with Jesus own teaching on what Christians should expect as His followers. Jesus said plainly, You will be hated by all for my names sake (Matt. 10:22). And again, In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world (John 16:33). The apostles echoed the same expectation. Paul warned new believers, Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God just after he was stoned and left for dead outside of the city of Lystra (Acts 14:22). Peter likewise urged Christians not to be shocked by suffering, but to see it as participation in Christs own path: Do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you rejoice insofar as you share Christs sufferings (1 Pet. 4:1213). The word tribulation simply means affliction. In Revelation, tribulation is never portrayed as some vague or theoretical idea, but as a real and immediate experience for faithful believers.1It is the context of Johns exile, the churches suffering, and the cry of the martyrs. Tribulation is the setting in which the church endures, bears witness, and waits for Christs victory. Let me press this one step further. In Matthew 24, Jesus warned His disciples, And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains (vv. 68). Then He said, They will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my names sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come (vv. 914). Jesus then went on to prophesy about events we know with certainty occurred in AD 70: So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be (vv. 1521). History records that everything Jesus warned would happen did, in fact, occur. Roman soldiers under Titus breached Jerusalem, entered the temple, slaughtered priests while sacrifices were being offered, piled bodies in the sanctuary, erected pagan images, and offered sacrifices to Roman gods, including sacrifices to the emperor himself. The temple was dismantled stone by stone, fulfilling Jesus words: Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down (Matt. 24:2). John lived through those events. More than twenty years later, he wrote to seven churches not as a distant observer but as a participant: I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. The question to consider until we reach Revelation 6 is: What tribulation is John participating in? The persecution of Christians didnt end in AD 70. What began as local opposition has become global. Some regions where the gospel once flourishedsuch as North Korea and Nigeriaare now among the most dangerous for Christians. A challenging reality of the Christian life is that faithfulness to Jesus often leads to suffering. John introduces himself not as an exception, but as a fellow participant in this tribulation. Whatever view of the tribulation you currently hold, know that John and the first-century church were convinced they were living in itnot as a fixed or future timetable, but as a present season of suffering that began with Christs ascension and will end only with His return. Jesus Will Not Abandon the Christian in Life (vv. 9-16) When John received his visions, it was on the Lords Day. Before anything was revealed about Gods plan for the world, it was a day set apart for worship. Many believe this is the earliest technical use of the Lords Day to refer to Sundaythe day of Christs resurrection and the dawn of the new creation. What is most significant is that John hears from the Lord while worshiping the Lord. While in a state of worship, John hears a loud voice behind him like a trumpet. This recalls Sinai, where we are told, there were thunders and lightnings and a very loud trumpet blast, so that all the people in the camp trembled (Exod. 19:16). The trumpet-like voice commands John: Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches (v. 11). When John turns, he does not see a trumpet, but seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man (v. 12). Do not miss the significance: the lampstands represent the churches (v. 20), and Jesus stands in their midst. The Greek word mesos means among and in the middle. In other words, in the midst of tribulation and suffering, Jesus has not abandoned His people. This is the fulfillment of His promise: Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age (Matt. 28:20). The long golden sash Jesus wears is that of a priest (cf. Exod. 28:4; 29:5). His golden sash is not a fashion statement but a firm reminder that He is our great High Priest, who intercedes on our behalf as the One who advocates for all those He has redeemed through the shedding of His blood once and for all. As Hebrews 7 tells us, He holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them (vv. 2425). The hairs on Jesus head are white like the whitest wool, as Daniel describes the Ancient of Days: His clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames; its wheels were burning fire (Dan. 7:9). Here Jesus is identified with eternal wisdom and divine purityequal with the Father, yet uniquely the Son. He is the Everlasting One, and His wisdom is infinite. Jesus eyes are like a flame of fire. This does not mean He has literal beams shooting from His eyes any more than the sharp two-edged sword from His mouth is a literal sword (v. 16). His eyes blaze like fire, revealing that nothing escapes His sightno motive hidden, no deed overlooked, and no wound His people suffer that will go unnoticed. His knowledge knows no bounds. Our Saviors feet are like burnished bronze. There is no tiptoeing with Him. Our great High Priest and awesome King embodies unshakable strength as the One who will judge the nations with perfect justice and holy resolve. He is omnipotentsolid, sure, and infinitely strong. The voice of our Savior matches His divine wisdom, all-encompassing knowledge, and unequalled strength as Yahweh. When He speaks, He does so with pervasive power: For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authoritiesall things were created through him and for him (Col. 1:16). His wordevery wordcarries divine weight. Why does this matter in light of what John and the churches suffered? Why does this matter for your brothers and sisters in North Korea or Nigeria? Why does this matter for us today? It matters because in the right hand of the Divine Sonwho is infinitely wise, who sees His bride perfectly and completely, and who stands with omnipotent strengththe seven angels of the seven churches are held. Whether these refer to messengers who shepherd the churches or to angels with a particular charge, the point is unmistakable: His servants belong to Him. They are His, and they serve under His protection. We are told that Jesus not only holds the seven stars and stands among His churches, but that from His mouth comes a sharp, two-edged sword (see Heb. 4:12). There are no dull edges on this sword, because it is the Word of Godliving and powerful, with the authority to judge, cut, cure, wound, and heal. And if that were not enough, His face shines like the sun in full strength. What John sees is Jesus in His gloryholy, majestic, and awesome, worthy of all our worship. This Jesus is not the one often presented as safe, domesticated, or passive. This is the glorified Lord, whose word creates, sustains, and brings all things to account. Richard Phillips wrote of these verses: This vision does not show us what Jesus looks like but rather what Jesus is like,symbolically depicting his person and work. Biblically trained Christians organize the work of Christ in his three offices of Prophet, Priest, and King.2 With Jesus, there is No Need to Fear in Life or in Death (vv. 17-20) It is no wonder, then, that when John sees this Jesus, he falls at His feet as though dead (v. 17). The beloved disciple, who once leaned against Jesus chest during His earthly ministry, is now an old manweathered, worn, and wiser. Confronted with the risen and exalted Christ, John collapses in reverent awe. Yet it is this Jesus, standing in the midst of His church, who places the same right hand that holds His servants upon John. Johns response is both right and appropriate. It echoes Isaiahs encounter with the Holy One, in which he saw the Lord seated on the throne and heard the seraphim cry, Holy, holy, holy (Isa. 6:3). Isaiah responded in terror, Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts! (Isa. 6:5). Johns response also mirrors Habakkuks reaction before a holy God: I hear, and my body trembles; my lips quiver at the sound; rottenness enters into my bones; my legs tremble beneath me. Yet I will quietly wait for the day of trouble (Hab. 3:16). Throughout Scripture, when sinful people encounter Gods holiness, fear is the natural response. But notice Jesus response to Johns terror: Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades (vv. 1718). Fear not. Why? Because unlike Caesar, the Roman Empire, or any power that seeks to silence Christs church, Johnand all who belong to the true churchbelong to Jesus. He is the One who died to save John from his sins, the One who rose again to secure his salvation and resurrection, and the One who now holds the keys of Death and Hades. This is why Jesus can promise all who belong to Him: My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand I and the Father are one (John 10:2730). With Jesus, there is no need to fearnot in life, and not in death. Conclusion Let me leave you with three points of application in light of all that we have seen in these verses: First: Dont be surprised by sufferingfaithful Christians have always faced tribulation. If tribulation is the normal setting of the Christian life, then suffering is not a sign that something has gone wrong; it is often a sign that something has gone right. John does not present himself as an exception but as a partner in tribulation, reminding us that faithfulness to Jesus does not remove us from affliction but places us squarely within it. So when hardship comespressure tocompromise, opposition at work, isolation for following Christ, or quiet endurance no one else seeswe are not abandoned; we are walking the same path marked out by the apostles, the early church, and believers around the world today. Second: Find your security in Christ, not in your circumstances. Revelation does not calm our fears by minimizing danger but by revealing Christ. John is not comforted by explanations or timelines but by the presence and power of Jesusthe eternal Son, our great High Priest, the all-seeing Judge, the omnipotent King, and the living Lord who has conquered death itself. Fear loosens its grip not when life becomes safe but when Jesus becomes central, because the size of our fear is always tied to how clearly we see Christ. Third: Do not fear deaththe One who died and rose again holds the keys of life and death. Because this Jesus holds the keys of Death and Hades, nothingnot persecution, loss, or even deathhas the final word over those who belong to Him. The same hand that holds the stars touches His servants, and the same voice that thunders like many waters speaks reassurance to fearful saints. So we need not fear what tomorrow brings or what awaits us at the end. With Jesus, there is no need to fearnot in life, nor in death. 1 Revelation consistently presents tribulation not as a distant, isolated future event, but as the lived experience of faithful believersexpressed through imprisonment, martyrdom, deception, and violent oppositionbeginning in the first century and continuing until the final vindication of Gods people (Rev. 1:9; 2:910; 6:911; 12:17; 13:7; 17:6; 20:4). 2 Richard D. Phillips, Revelation, ed. Richard D. Phillips, Philip Graham Ryken, and Daniel M. Doriani, Reformed Expository Commentary (Phillipsburg, NJ: PR Publishing, 2017), 64.

Enjoy!! Next gig is February 14th @ Glow Lounge

Katy explores the opening vision of Revelation to counter the anxiety often associated with "End Times" theology, presenting the book as a discipleship manual for the present rather than a terrifying prediction of the future. Written to a persecuted church facing the terror of the Roman Empire, the text serves as an "apocalypse" or unveiling of spiritual reality, revealing Jesus as the central figure of history who offers hope instead of fear. The imagery of Christ—featuring white hair symbolizing ageless wisdom, bronze feet representing a steady foundation, and eyes of fire signifying purifying judgment—establishes His supreme authority over all earthly powers and empires. By declaring Himself the "First and the Last" and the holder of the "keys of death and Hades," Jesus assures believers that He has conquered the ultimate enemy, inviting them to replace the need for control with trust in His finished work. Ultimately, this revelation calls the church to witness as a non-anxious presence, fixing their gaze on the "Living One" who steadies the soul against the threats of the world.

Das emoções à flor da pele de Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 à atmosfera contida de Blue Prince; da alegria inabalável de Donkey Kong Bananza à melancolia épica de Hollow Knight: Silksong; da megalomania de Mario Kart World ao foco cirúrgico de Bananitro, abrimos a trilogia de podcasts de melhores do ano dando um passeio musical por 2025. 00:02:45 - “To The Wilder” de Death Stranding 2 00:18:12 - “Underground Theme (Latin Guitar)” de Mario Kart World 00:33:55 - “Jacinthe Battle Music” de Pokémon Z-A 00:41:24 - “Matriarch” de Rift of the NecroDancer 00:50:42 - “The End of Time”, de Hades 2 01:00:57 - “Westwardly Winds” de Blue Prince 01:15:36 - “Bilewater”, de Hollow Knight: Silksong 01:25:20 - “Lisrim” de Lies of P: Overture 01:33:10 - “2 DAM LOUD” de Bananitro 01:39:21 - “KIKIKAITAI”, de Urban Myth Dissolution Center 01:47:49 - “What If?” de The Alters 01:58:34 - “Libra, Creature of the Night”, de Elden Ring Nightreign 02:14:40 - “Unarchiver” de Skate Story 02:21:54 - “Apcher Valley” de Chronicles of the Wolf 02:28:44 - “Mayoi Uta”, de Silent Hill f 02:40:07 - “Nguvu ni Umoja” de Assassin's Creed Shadows 02:51:49 - “Breaking Through (Heart of Gold)” de Donkey Kong Bananza 03:00:01 - “Waiting” de Unbeatable 03:09:31 - “O Fado” de The Dice Gambit 03:20:00 - “Une vie à t'aimer”, de Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Contribua | Twitter | YouTube | Twitch | Contato

Welcome to Dev Game Club, where this week we begin a series on 1985's Ultima IV. After talking about the recent Defeating Games for Charity, we set the game in its time, talk about our encounters in the past with the series, and then dive into the manuals and the start of the game. Dev Game Club looks at classic video games and plays through them over several episodes, providing commentary. Sections played: The first couple of hours and the manuals  Issues covered: Defeating Games for Charity, the first pancake, our experiences with this series, an opaque franchise, mainlining a game, opacity being part of the point, performance characteristics of the PCs of the time, the importance of the manuals, entering the world as yourself, using the manual to reinforce the role-play, not requiring graphics, priming the player, describing the geography of different areas, imposing importance on a handful of pixels, the quest of the game, sublimating the quest of the game, a less traditional RPG experience, after reading the manual, the deep questions/dilemmas, tournament structure, choosing your most important virtue, getting the bard, series characters who can join your party, reflecting your beliefs, getting different dilemmas, the Venn diagram of virtues, the Tinker profession, symmetry in design, Buddhism and the Eightfold Path, countering the cultural zeitgeist, the Avatar and Hinduism, a deity's manifestation on Earth, finding your way into swamps, both hosts being poisoned and dying, death and rebirth, being unable to recruit early. Games, people, and influences mentioned or discussed: Dwarf Fortress, BioStats, KyleAndError13, Silksong, GreyFiery, Hollow Knight, Untitled Goose Game, Kaeon, Hitman, N0isses, Hades, Phil Salvador, MYST, RobotSpacer, Shadowgate, Unpacking, Kendrama, CalamityNolan, Splatoon 2, Typing of the Dead, Dark Souls 2, Nitro, Metal Gear Solid, Resident Evil, LostLake, Minecraft, Super Mario Bros Shuffler, Devil May Cry, MegaMan X, Belmont, NES, Atari 2600, Ultima Underworld, A Bard's Tale, Eye of the Beholder, Magic: The Gathering, LucasArts, Super Mario 64, Space Harrier, Gauntlet, Ghosts n' Goblins, Gradius, Super Mario Bros, Tetris, Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego, Spy vs Spy (series), Oregon Trail, King's Quest II, The Goonies, Gremlins, A View to a Kill, Rambo, Temple of Doom, The Empire Strikes Back, SEGA Master System, Sonic (series), Wizardry, Apple ][, Commodore 64, Civilization III, The Sims, Bill Roper, Warcraft, The Elder Scrolls: Morrowind, Reed Knight, Pool of Radiance, Dungeons & Dragons, Warren Spector, Ultima Adventures, Outcast, Fallout, Wasteland, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, Harley Baldwin, Richard Garriott, the Ramayana, Ed Fries, Benimanjaro, Kirk Hamilton, Aaron Evers, Mark Garcia.  Note: Because Ultima IV has very little music to speak of, I will be substituting music from later in the series in the openings to these episodes TTDS: 06:25 Next time: More Ultima IV Twitch: timlongojr and twinsunscorp YouTube Discord DevGameClub@gmail.com