Podcasts about Kings

Unlock the secret to making miracles part of your everyday life. Autumn Miles and guest Abby Trivett, author of "The Power of Suddenly," explore how faith in God brings breakthrough, healing, and hope. They discuss biblical miracles, God's timing, practical ways to strengthen your faith through gratitude and community, and why revival is happening today. If you're waiting for answered prayers, battling challenges, or longing for a fresh encounter with God, this episode will encourage you to believe again. Discover how the God of "suddenly" is still working today—and how His miraculous power can transform your story.

It's a familiar scenario. A man is driving his family on vacation; let's say they're going from Chicago to California. His wife gently points out to him that she just saw a sign saying, "Welcome to Kentucky." OK, Kentucky is definitely not between Chicago and California. Repeatedly, the Mrs. suggests that Mr. stop and ask directions. Then she says that four-letter word, "I think we're lost." Oh, will he stop and ask for directions? No! Maybe it's something in the male chromosome. Like most men, he's too proud to admit he's lost, and he's probably not going to be getting to California. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Lost But Proud." When it comes to our eternal destination, I think most of us hope to end up in heaven. But do you know what will keep a lot of people from ending up where they hope to? Pride. The kind that's just too proud to admit you're lost - that you can't get there on your own. There's a powerful picture of this in our word for today from the Word of God. It's a story I love. It's in 2 Kings 5:1. It's the story about a Syrian general named Naaman who discovers that he has the incurable disease of leprosy. None of his victories, none of his fame can help him. So he accepts advice to go to the prophet Elisha in Israel who prescribes something that is not Naaman's idea of how you get well. The prophet says, "Go wash yourself seven times in the Jordan River, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed." Naaman is furious! He says, "I thought he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy." The general had brought money to pay for a cure, but the prophet wouldn't take the money. See, Naaman had his own idea of how he could get cured. It just wasn't God's idea. It wouldn't work. Finally, "he went down" the Bible says "and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young man." Naaman would go on dying until he swallowed his pride and did it God's way. You and I go on carrying the death penalty for our sin until we swallow our pride and come to God His way. Which is to lay aside all of our attempts to get to Him through our own goodness, through our religion, through our spiritual connections, and we just go to the cross of Jesus and let Him wash away our sins. And let me tell you, only Jesus can. He said, "No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6). That's because there was only one way to pay your death penalty. Somebody had to die, and Jesus did. We're drowning and we can't possibly swim to God. Our only hope is Jesus, the Rescuer. It's in abandoning every other hope of heaven and grabbing Him like He's your only hope, because He is your only hope. Don't let your pride make you miss heaven; being too proud to admit you've never really given yourself to Jesus even though everyone thinks you have, too proud to come to your spouse's faith, too proud to lay aside depending on your religion. Please, let this be your Jesus-day. If you're ready to finally put your total trust in Jesus to forgive you, to rescue you, tell Him that now where you are. Tell Him, "Jesus, you are my only hope. Only You died for my sin. I admit I am lost. You came back from the dead, you can come into my life. You came to find me, and I am Yours from this day on." If that's where your heart is at, then our website ought to be your next stop online. That's what it's all about is making sure your sins are forgiven and you're ready to live and ready to die, and you've got Jesus. It's ANewStory.com, will you check that out? If you're too proud to admit that you need Him, you will never end up in heaven. Pride can literally cost you your soul.

Last time we spoke about autumn battle of Changsha. In late September and early October 1941, the Chinese commander Chen Cheng focused on Yichang, a crucial Yangtze stronghold whose loss would threaten China's position and the approach toward Chongqing. Chen Cheng's plan tightened a ring around the city while Chinese forces blocked Japanese reinforcement routes, including efforts to cut retreat lines at places like Jingmen and Dangyang. The battle's pressure was intensified by shifting momentum elsewhere. As the Japanese situation around Changsha became unstable—strained by supplies, exhaustion, and mounting casualties—the Japanese command began to withdraw north. Chiang Kai-shek used this to accelerate Chinese priorities, ordering rapid capture of Yichang within a tight deadline. Inside Yichang, the defense turned tragic as Japanese troops faced encirclement, heavy artillery barrages, and desperate street fighting.    #213 Blood, Rain, and Flags: The Last Struggle Around Yichang Welcome to the Fall and Rise of China Podcast, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about the history of Asia? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on history of asia and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel where I cover the history of China and Japan from the 19th century until the end of the Pacific War. While the struggle around Changsha occupied one half of the battlefield, another contest of equal consequence was taking shape farther west at Yichang. The two operations were not separate stories. They belonged to the same campaign, and each influenced the fate of the other. If Changsha was the city whose danger was plain to every observer, Yichang was the stronghold whose importance weighed most heavily on the calculations of commanders. In the autumn of 1941, the outcome in one place could not be understood without the other. For Chen Cheng, Yichang was more than a military objective. It was a wound that had never closed. The city stood on the Yangtze at a point of major strategic value, tied not only to communications and transport but also to the defense of the river approach toward the wartime capital. When Yichang had fallen in June 1940, it had done more than alter the front line. It had left behind humiliation. Three Japanese divisions—the 3rd, 13th, and 39th—had seized the city after twelve days and nights of intense fighting. At five in the afternoon on June 11, a unit of the Japanese 13th Division under Tanaka Seiichi had broken in from the southeast. Chinese troops of the 18th Army under Peng Shan and Luo Guangwen's 18th Division fought a savage close-quarters battle inside the city for a full day and night, while Japanese forces of the 3rd and 39th Divisions pressed from the north. At four in the afternoon on June 12, with Deng Ping's battalion covering the withdrawal, the Chinese finally pulled out and Yichang was lost. Men in high command do not always remember defeat in the same way as the men who fight through it. Soldiers tend to remember heat, hunger, the dead, or the exact corner where a friend fell. Commanders also remember those things, but they remember something else as well: failure recorded in the language of responsibility. Chen Cheng could not forget that twenty Chinese corps had been beaten by three Japanese divisions. At the time, Li Zongren had commanded the operation. Now the chance to erase that old disgrace seemed to be passing into Chen Cheng's own hands. On September 20, he received two telegrams, one from the Military Commission and one from Chiang Kai-shek himself. From that point onward, Yichang dominated his thoughts. By September 23, the Military Commission approved Chen's request to transfer the 33rd Army Group of the Fifth War Zone into the Sixth War Zone for the coming attack. On paper, his position seemed powerful. He now had fourteen divisions at his disposal. Yichang itself was held only by Uchiyama Eitaro's 13th Division and the Hayabuchi Detachment, together amounting to roughly sixteen thousand men. Even granting the usual Japanese superiority in training, firepower, communications, and local tactical cohesion, the Chinese possessed absolute numerical advantage. By September 28, the Chinese units had reached their attack positions, and Chen Cheng set his operational design in motion. The forces on the right bank were to attack first and pull the main body of the Japanese 39th Division southward. The 33rd Army would strike toward Jingmen and Dangyang in order to cut off the enemy's routes of retreat and reinforcement. Once these movements took hold, Yichang itself would be enclosed and crushed. Li Jilan's 94th Army, Li Yannian's 2nd Army, Song Kentang's 32nd Army, and other formations advanced according to plan. On paper the arrangement had clarity. On the ground it had resistance. The Japanese defended from strong fieldworks, and progress came slowly. Earthworks, wire, trenches, and mutually supporting positions transformed every apparent advance into hard labor. The Chinese pushed forward, but not with the speed Chen Cheng wanted. Even a favorable comparison of troop numbers could not cancel the fact that an entrenched Japanese force, once determined to hold, could impose a terrible price on assault. By October 1, Japanese troops outside Yichang began withdrawing into the city proper. Chen Cheng responded by ordering all troops to complete the encirclement. At last the operation seemed to be reaching the decisive stage. The city was tightening under pressure. The ring was nearly closed. Yet at that very moment time began pressing harder on both sides. On October 2, both Chen Cheng outside the city and Uchiyama inside it received telegrams that sharpened the crisis. The message sent from the Japanese 11th Army headquarters in Wuhan informed Uchiyama that the famous Tokyo Asakusa Art Troupe was coming to Yichang to comfort the front-line troops. The Expeditionary Army Headquarters in Nanjing had decided that, for political reasons, the troupe could not be turned back merely because combat conditions were dangerous. Their purpose was morale. That such a message could arrive at such a time reveals much about Japanese wartime culture. Appearances, spirit, ritual reassurance, and the emotional theater of endurance still had to be maintained even when military reality was worsening by the hour. The telegram that Chen Cheng received was very different. Chiang Kai-shek's order stated with brutal directness: the Japanese in northern Hunan had begun to withdraw, and Chen was ordered to spare no effort to capture Yichang within three days. Chen stared at the message for a long time. There was no need for explanation. He understood at once what Chiang meant. The battle for Yichang had already consumed days of hard fighting. Chinese units had suffered substantial losses. But the essential fact stood over every map and every order: if Japanese forces disengaging from northern Hunan reached Yichang in time to reinforce it, then all the effort already expended might amount to nothing. The battle had become not only a contest of strength, but a race. At nearly the same time, the command post of the Japanese 11th Army at Yueyang was confronting the other half of the same problem. On the night of September 30, the headquarters was brightly lit as Chief of Staff Isamu Kinoshita arranged reports, reconnaissance findings, and field messages before the army commander. The Japanese still possessed a valuable advantage: they had access to Chinese communication codes. But such intelligence could not solve every operational problem. It could not conjure food where there was none, restore exhausted bodies, or stop the battlefield from changing shape. By then the Japanese situation around Changsha had become increasingly unstable. The Hayabuchi Detachment, after entering the city, was entangled in fierce urban fighting with the Chinese 6th Provisional Division of the 79th Army. By the evening of September 30, neither side had eliminated the other inside the city. Outside Changsha, the Japanese 3rd, 4th, 6th, and 40th Divisions had assembled and kept major Chinese forces at bay. One element of the 3rd Division had even moved south by truck to Zhuzhou, fifty kilometers away, and occupied the abandoned city. Yet these outward signs of success concealed a serious weakness. The Japanese rear was fraying. Ammunition and food were running low. Divisions operating that deep in hostile territory could not sustain a prolonged campaign under such conditions. More than ten days of uninterrupted movement and fighting had also produced rising non-combat casualties. Men were collapsing from fatigue along the march. Sickness increased steadily. Units that had looked formidable on the offensive were beginning to wear thin from inside. At the same time, Chinese remnants from earlier defeats, new reinforcements, and formations that had regrouped after being thrown back were all watching for signs of weakness. Even if the Japanese divisions in Hunan still had the strength to fight several more actions, another question overrode everything else: Yichang. Yichang was not simply another point on the map. It was a strategic stronghold on the Yangtze and one of the key places from which Japan threatened Chongqing. The city also carried institutional memory. After its capture in June 1940, the occupying troops had initially been ordered to withdraw for rest and reorganization. But Imperial General Headquarters had reversed that decision almost at once and demanded that Yichang be held after all. Troops already on the road had to turn back and retake a city that had been burned, stripped, and rendered difficult to occupy. Among those who had insisted most strongly that Yichang must be retained was Anami Korechika, then vice minister of the army. Now Anami faced the consequence of that earlier insistence. However attractive the gains in Hunan might appear, Yichang could not simply be sacrificed. Uchiyama's 13th Division was not strong enough to hold indefinitely without relief. Anami looked at Hunan on the map—a rich province, beautiful and militarily tempting, much of it seeming almost within reach. But strategy does not reward attachment. With great reluctance, he gave the order to retreat. On the morning of October 1, all Japanese divisions received the reversal instructions, and at four in the afternoon they began moving north. For Xue Yue, this altered the entire meaning of the campaign. Since the beginning of the battle, he had known frustration, disappointment, and anger. Whatever private calculations he may have made about Chiang Kai-shek's strategic direction, Chen Cheng's political influence, his own mistakes in the earlier phase of operations, or the rivalries that had long poisoned Republican military life, none of those feelings prevented him from seeing the opportunity now before him. Once the Japanese turned north, pursuit was no longer merely a matter of salvaging dignity. It became an operational necessity tied directly to Yichang. His staff quickly drafted a pursuit order defining routes, timings, and methods. The document explicitly called for tracking and pursuing, interception, flanking movement, ambush, and surprise attack. This was not to be a ceremonial following of a retreating enemy at a respectful distance. It was meant to be pressure—enough pressure, if possible, to delay Japanese movement back toward Hubei. Two hours after Xue issued the order, another telegram arrived from Chongqing. Chiang Kai-shek instructed that since the enemy which had advanced into northern Hunan had begun retreating toward Yueyang on the night of October 1, the Ninth War Zone was to exploit their fatigue, pursue boldly, seize Yueyang if possible, sabotage the Wuyue Railway, and launch attacks, ambushes, and fierce strikes along the retreat route to prevent the Japanese from regaining their former defenses or shifting quickly toward Wuhan. The purpose was stated clearly: to facilitate the operations of the Third, Fifth, and Sixth War Zones. Xue Yue understood the message at once. The support provided by the Third and Fifth War Zones had been limited and often symbolic. The operation that truly mattered now was Chen Cheng's assault on Yichang. Pursuit in Hunan was not simply retaliation for the threat to Changsha. It was an attempt to buy time in blood, mud, and delay. He adjusted the pursuit deployment and ordered commanders at every level to go forward and supervise their units in person. Autumn rain began to fall over northern Hunan. Hills disappeared in mist and drizzle. Along the roads leading north moved Japanese soldiers under the Rising Sun flag; behind them and beside them, often through fields, villages, and broken country, moved Chinese troops under the Blue Sky, White Sun, and Red Earth flag. Their uniforms differed, their languages differed, their causes differed—but the exhaustion in their faces must often have looked terribly alike. Both armies moved through damp air, hunger, uncertainty, and the constant expectation of another clash. The pursuit, however, revealed the limits of Chinese strength as well as its persistence. On October 2, the battered remnants of the Chinese 74th and 26th Armies cleared battlefields along the Liuyang and Laodao Rivers and found no Japanese left there. The 74th withdrew to Liling to regroup. The 26th halted at Changle Street for replenishment. Yang Sen sent the whole 27th Army Group after the retreating enemy. Ou Zhen's 4th Army attempted to intercept the Japanese 40th Division, but the Japanese maneuvered skillfully and escaped. Ou Zhen pursued them north of the Miluo River for three days, reached the Changshui River, and found the south bank empty. The 20th Army tried to cut off the Japanese 6th Division at Fulipu. At first they could not even locate the enemy, but they did collect large amounts of matériel left behind. Deputy Commander Xia Jiong remarked, with rough optimism, that the Japanese were still "steaming hot" and would certainly be caught. His men ran hard, crossed the Miluo River, and finally did catch a rearguard. Yet the Japanese, intent only on getting away, adopted what Chinese accounts described as a low-key method of not retaliating and not becoming decisively engaged. After crossing Gaoqiao they withdrew into their previous defensive area, and Xia could do little more than stop, rest, and continue to watch them. The 58th Army intercepted more than two thousand Japanese troops near Guanwang Bridge. For a moment it seemed a major clash might erupt. Instead the Japanese fled, leaving behind large quantities of supplies. The Chinese followed them as far as Taolin and then halted when it became clear that the enemy had regained strong ground. These episodes were frustrating, but they were not meaningless. They showed that many Chinese formations had been too badly mauled in the earlier phase of the campaign to sustain relentless offensive pressure. They also showed that the Japanese, though in retreat, were still disciplined enough to avoid disastrous entanglements while shedding matériel to gain speed. The Chinese units that struck hardest during this phase were not those most damaged at the beginning of the battle, but fresher formations such as Xia Chuzhong's 79th Army and Fu Zhongfang's 99th Army. Xia's men ambushed the Hayabuchi Detachment and nearly destroyed it, killing two of its three battalion commanders. Fu's 99th Army fought a series of clashes with the Japanese 3rd and 6th Divisions and with the Hirano and Araki Detachments. The Japanese, eager to keep moving, absorbed losses rather than pause for extended battle. The 99th Army captured so much matériel that transporting it became a problem in itself. On October 4, a squad leader of the 197th Division even shot down an aircraft with machine-gun fire. Yet even here success had limits. By October 9, the entire Japanese force in northern Hunan had crossed the Xinqiang River and reoccupied its original positions. Chinese attacks achieved nothing decisive. The river once again became, in military imagination, almost a fixed frontier. As gunfire subsided in Xiangbei, all attention turned toward Yichang. The encirclement of the city was completed at noon on October 4. Chen Cheng ordered a general offensive to begin at four in the morning on October 6. Outside the city, Li Yannian's 2nd Army held fast against the Japanese 39th Division, which was trying to come in from Jingmen. Altogether, the Sixth War Zone had committed fourteen divisions—more than one hundred thousand men—to the operation. What followed was the familiar but always arresting spectacle of a great battle gathering itself. Small detachments moved forward to cut wire and destroy fortifications outside the city. Artillery officers adjusted their fire with care. Ammunition boxes changed hands continuously. Telephone operators hurried back and forth laying lines. Engineers worked with picks and shovels. Trucks forced their way down crowded roads with horns blaring. Boats were requisitioned along the riverbank, and dark-skinned boatmen weathered by the Yangtze wind moved among soldiers and officers. Behind the assault units stood medical stations under Red Cross flags, waiting for the wounded they knew were coming. All the machinery of battle was in motion. Inside Yichang, meanwhile, another scene unfolded that could only exist in wartime Japan's peculiar mixture of militarism and performance. At the field hospital of the Japanese 13th Division on the campus of Mingde Middle School, wounded soldiers wrapped in white bandages stood, sat, lay on stretchers, or leaned on medical orderlies in the yard watching entertainers from home perform while the dull rhythms of artillery sounded in the distance. The Asakusa Art Troupe had been founded in the mid-1920s and had made its name by combining modern popular elements with traditional stage culture. It had first won over ordinary audiences and then, as its reputation rose, gained acceptance among official and elite circles as well. After the outbreak of the Sino-Japanese War, it was gradually folded into the machinery of wartime propaganda, performing works meant to praise sacrifice, glorify the empire, and strengthen morale. When the delegation of more than thirty members arrived at the 11th Army headquarters in Wuhan, the army added a military band of more than twenty men to accompany them to Yichang. But by the time they reached the city, the battle had already drawn close. They could not visit forward positions. Instead they performed for the wounded. The last performance featured heavily made-up young men and women dancing a popular folk number. As the dance continued, the women bowed and invited medics and wounded men who could still move to join them. Kimono and military uniform mixed. Smiles appeared beside bandages. Music from the home islands drifted out beneath the sound of an approaching siege. Then war interrupted the scene completely. Before dawn on October 6, Chinese artillery opened on Yichang with a deafening bombardment, and the cries of attack rolled over the city. As day came up, the troupe members watched stretchers being rushed into the field hospital where they had only recently performed. One of the sixteen-year-old twin geisha sisters, Mihoko, asked the troupe leader Akizuru through tears whether they would ever be able to return to Tokyo. Qiuhe, the famous dance artist in her fifties, answered gently that they would. General Anami, she said, was leading brave troops there and would arrive in the next few days. The child must pray. The reassurance was human, but it was also part of the wartime language of consolation. Outside the city, reality was harsher. For two days and nights the fighting remained severe. The Japanese fell back toward the edge of the city and resisted with desperation. The Japanese 3rd Air Regiment in Hankou committed itself heavily to the defense, flying sortie after sortie over Yichang. Aircraft came so often that some made four round trips in a single day. On the morning of October 8, a unit of the Chinese 94th Army crossed by boat from the west bank, bypassed the Gezhouba area, and landed at the northern end of Huangcaoba. Advancing south along the embankment, it established positions on the Yangtze side only about half a kilometer from the city. This foothold effectively dominated Japanese positions west of Yichang. Mortar rounds crossed the water. Heavy and light machine guns pinned the defenders outside the walls. At the same time, the 9th Division of the 32nd Army and part of the 99th Army pressed inward as well. The ring tightened. October 9 was grave for both sides. The Japanese withdrawal from northern Hunan had by now produced a relief force. Anami assembled elite troops from several divisions into a rapid deployment column for Yichang. For the Chinese Sixth War Zone, however, victory seemed very near. Inside the city the Japanese situation was increasingly desperate. Casualties were severe. The field hospital yard was filled with groaning wounded. Uchiyama summoned support personnel, medics, cooks, ordnance repairmen, and any wounded men still capable of firing. He armed them all and formed an improvised reserve. Then, while this force was assembling, he heard the sound of a trumpet. One of the band members, still practicing as if battle had not reached its climax, reminded him that the more than twenty members of the 11th Army band were also soldiers in uniform. He added them as well, creating a special unit of 388 men. Hundreds of sacks of rice were taken from storage and piled around division headquarters as fortifications. Uchiyama then turned to Chief of Staff Akinaga and said, "Let's not believe any miracles will happen." The line was bleak, but lucid. It meant that there would be no rescue through wishful thinking. If they lived, it would be because they held long enough. If they died, they would die without pretending that destiny had cheated them. Outside the city, Chen Cheng faced a different but equally harsh pressure. On October 2, Chiang Kai-shek had ordered Yichang taken within three days. On the 4th, Chen requested an extension until the 8th; Chiang agreed, but warned that because the Japanese were retreating from northern Hunan, the city must be captured by then or all previous effort would be wasted. Chen launched the general assault on the 6th, but fierce resistance on the ground and in the air slowed him. By the 8th, the city still had not fallen. He requested another extension, asking to take Yichang by October 10. This time Chiang sent no reply. Chen understood the silence. It meant that no political room remained behind him. At 2:30 in the morning on October 10, the Sixth War Zone opened another general offensive. One hundred and forty artillery pieces joined the bombardment. Shells fell across every part of the Japanese defenses until the repeated flashes made it hard for the gunners to tell what had not yet been hit. Then the infantry went in. Men shouted and surged forward like water breaking through a barrier. Hidden Japanese machine guns cut them down in wave after wave, but more men followed behind. The dead piled on the approaches so thickly that nationality itself seemed to vanish in blood and mud. Under that fire, dawn rose red. Uchiyama watched the sunrise from the highest building in the city, the three-story Yichang Bank. After the war, he told a reporter that the sky, the earth, and even the Yangtze had all seemed red to him, as if the river itself were carrying the blood of Chinese and Japanese alike. According to a later Japanese account, messages reached him from every side that morning reporting collapse. Roughly 5000 men were estimated killed or seriously wounded. At eight o'clock Uchiyama went down to the operations room. Waiting there were his chief of staff and senior officers. At that moment the final ritual of battlefield defeat began. A farewell telegram to Anami Korechika was read aloud. Nearby stood the regimental flag of the 104th Regiment, entrusted to Captain Izumi Shigeru before the regiment's complete destruction. Uchiyama then took the 13th Division's own flag—the imperial military color—and laid it over the regimental flag. Officers and men wept, removed their caps, and bowed their heads. Uchiyama's hands trembled so badly that it took him three matches to set the flag alight. In Japanese military culture, burning a flag was among the sternest rites of defeat. The flag could not be allowed to fall into enemy hands. To destroy it was to acknowledge annihilation while presenting that annihilation as a final offering to the imperial state. When the flags had burned and places for seppuku had been chosen, the farewell message remained. It declared that all officers and soldiers had done their utmost for the empire in the final struggle, that military flags, confidential documents, and imperial edicts had been burned, and that it was deeply regrettable that overseas Chinese and the delegation in Yichang had also suffered this fate. Uchiyama then added one final sentence in red pencil: the soldiers of the empire had fulfilled their duty and died for their country amidst the heroic cries of "Long live the Grand Marshal!" At 8:50 the clerk began encoding the telegram. Then Uchiyama said quietly to the officers waiting to die: "Please wait a little longer." The words postponed death by minutes. There was still the narrow possibility that communication mattered, or that the battle had not yet reached its absolute end. Chief of Staff Akinaga summoned his adjutant, Sakata Ryūshirō, and ordered that if the division commander and chief of staff died before the telegram was sent, Sakata was to form a suicide squad, break out by any means possible, and report the division's fate to 11th Army headquarters. At ten in the morning, the Japanese 39th Division attacking from Jingmen launched a new assault under Anami's strict orders against Li Yannian's 2nd Army. One regiment used poison gas to break through part of the Chinese line and reached the outskirts of Yichang. Chen Cheng personally directed the Chinese response, using elements of the attacking force and the 2nd Army to surround and beat back the thrust. By two in the afternoon, only the Dongshan Temple line remained intact among the different sectors of the Japanese city defense. Chinese troops had penetrated the city and were fighting bitterly in the streets, moving steadily toward division headquarters. At four in the afternoon, more than 2000 Japanese rapid deployment troops from northern Hunan reached the northeast approaches of Yichang and at once joined the relief effort. Chen Cheng threw reserves in to block them, and both sides locked in combat six kilometers outside the city. As dusk fell, the Chinese assault units in the city had also suffered terrible losses. Chen Cheng ordered them to regroup, replenish, and launch a final attack after dark. Then, at seven in the evening, almost as the order was issued, a violent gale rose and torrential rain began to fall. Such heavy rain was unusual in the Yichang area in October, and to men who had been living for days under the pressure of siege, death, and deadline, it must have seemed uncanny. The Chinese attacked through the downpour, but progress was painfully slow. At the same time, more than ten thousand Japanese troops arriving from northern Hunan reached the outskirts, fought for over two hours in the rain, and finally broke into the city, linking up with what remained of the 13th Division. At eleven that night, Chiang Kai-shek ordered the attack on Yichang halted and instructed the Chinese troops to return to their original defensive positions. The battle ended not in a clear verdict, but in exhaustion. One elderly resident of Yichang, Huang Jupu, later left a memory of the aftermath more vivid than any headquarters summary. He recalled that the heavy rain began at nightfall on the twentieth day of the eighth lunar month—October 10 in the Gregorian calendar—and continued into the next afternoon. Rainwater soaked the corpses lying in the streets until the water became a deep brownish-red pool more than two feet deep before it drained into the Yangtze and changed the river's color. The next day, he said, both sides sent corpse-collection teams into the streets under Red Cross flags. They pushed carts and worked separately, avoiding conflict, though sometimes they spoke to one another when trying to identify bodies. The Japanese recovery party included Chinese helpers and local residents. They turned corpses over, looked at clothing and weapons, and tried to determine nationality. Some bodies were naked, perhaps stripped wounded, which made identification harder. Since Chinese and Japanese could resemble one another, neither side wanted to take the wrong dead, fearing that a mistake would disturb the heroic souls to whom each army believed it owed proper burial. In the end, Huang remembered, it was the people of Yichang who pooled their money to bury many of the dead north of the city. Later an unmarked stone was raised there, with a bowl of rice and a stick of incense set before it. That image does something military history often fails to do. It restores weight to the end of battle. Armies issue attack orders, counterattack orders, pursuit orders, and retreat orders. Staff officers mark arrows on maps. Commanders calculate reinforcement and delay. But after all of that comes the business of soaked bodies in the street, identification, carts, shallow graves, and local people forced to do what armies can no longer fully do for their own dead. Seen as a whole, the operations in Hunan and Hubei during these weeks form one connected historical drama. The Japanese advance toward Changsha was real and dangerous, but it failed to produce decisive strategic gain. The battle strained the Chinese defense badly. Some units collapsed. Others improvised and recovered. The city was entered, contested, and then fought over again. Behind the forward line, Chinese forces such as Yang Sen's 27th Army Group harassed Japanese communications and supply, turning depth into vulnerability. At the same time, Chen Cheng's offensive against Yichang transformed what might otherwise have remained a local success for Japan in Hunan into a strategic dilemma. Once Yichang came seriously under threat, the Japanese command could not continue to treat the Hunan offensive as self-contained. It had to weigh possession against preservation, momentum against strategic necessity. That calculation compelled the retreat from northern Hunan. The retreat in turn changed the meaning of Xue Yue's operations. Pursuit became valuable not mainly because it might recover wounded pride or even because it might damage the retreating enemy, but because every hour of delay imposed on Japanese units moving north was another hour in which Yichang might fall. Yet Yichang did not fall. That fact is central, but it must be interpreted carefully. Chen Cheng had numerical superiority and fought with determination, but numbers alone could not cancel the difficulty of assaulting a fortified Japanese position under air attack and against fanatical resistance. Time worked against him. Every day lost increased the chance that Japanese relief would arrive from Hunan. Chiang Kai-shek's increasingly urgent telegrams reflected strategic logic, but they could not abolish battlefield reality. Men still had to cross open ground, cut wire, silence guns, and survive fire. Inside Yichang, Uchiyama's defense reveals the same pressure from the opposite side. He understood that his task was simple in principle and terrible in practice: hold until relief arrived. That necessity drove him to arm cooks, medics, repairmen, musicians, and wounded men. It drove him to build fortifications from sacks of rice. It brought him to the point of burning flags and preparing for ritual death while still delaying the final act long enough to see whether rescue might come. The presence of the Asakusa Art Troupe inside the besieged city sharpened the tragedy. They had been sent for morale and appearance, as if cultural performance might reassure an empire already growing anxious about the costs of war. Instead they became trapped witnesses to near-annihilation. The young girl asking if she would ever return to Tokyo cuts through all rhetoric. It is the ordinary human question that waits behind every doctrine of heroic sacrifice. In the end, neither side obtained everything it sought. Japan failed to turn its push into Hunan into a decisive result. China failed to retake Yichang despite concentration of force and a window of opportunity that for a time seemed very real. But that does not mean the campaign resolves into stalemate in any empty sense. It revealed important truths. For China, it showed both weakness and development. Weakness appeared in broken lines, uneven coordination, exhausted pursuit, and the inability to convert superiority in numbers into victory at Yichang. But development appeared too: a greater ability to coordinate war zones, to pressure Japanese rear areas, to force the enemy into strategic compromise, and to sustain resistance under conditions that would once have threatened outright collapse. For Japan, the campaign exposed the narrowing gap between aggressive offensive action and dangerous overextension. Japanese divisions could still strike hard, move with speed, and defend with ferocity. Their aircraft could still exact terrible cost. But logistics, fatigue, sickness, and the obligation to rescue threatened positions like Yichang increasingly limited what offensive success could mean. The deepest memory of the campaign may belong not to generals, however, but to the smaller figures history often notices only in passing: the soldier chewing dry ration without water; the wounded man who blew himself up rather than submit; the old beggar who revealed a depot; the band member still practicing trumpet in a city preparing for death; the frightened girl from the troupe; the townspeople who buried the dead after rain washed blood into the Yangtze. These are not decorative details. They are what make the history real. The autumn of 1941 in Hunan and Hubei was not one clean victory, nor one clean defeat. It was a season in which pressure in one sector altered decision in another, in which tactical success did not always yield strategic reward, and in which endurance itself increasingly became a form of power. That is why the campaign matters. It shows a war whose balance had begun to change, not dramatically or conclusively, but perceptibly. China still suffered, improvised, and fell short. Japan still advanced, struck hard, and held important ground. Yet the margin between them was no longer what it had been in the earlier years of the war. History moved that autumn not by omen or destiny, but by the hard materials of war: supply, timing, weather, command, fatigue, communications, morale, and blood. In Hunan and Hubei, all of those forces converged. They carried armies north and west, into cities and out again, across rivers, through rain, and finally into memory. I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. As Chinese pressure tightened, Japan's wider situation around Changsha deteriorated—fatigue, supply strain, and losses accumulated. When the Japanese began retreating north, relief efforts turned Yichang into a desperate struggle marked by shifting fronts, poison gas, street fighting, and heavy bombardment. Chiang Kai-shek demanded a deadline, forcing Chen into final assaults that ultimately failed to secure a clean victory.  

Today's Scripture passages are 1 Kings 12:21 - 13 | 2 Chronicles 11 | Mark 13:1-23.Read by Ekemini Uwan.Get in The Word with Truth's Table is a production of InterVarsity Press. For 75 years, IVP has published and created thoughtful Christian books for the university, church, and the world. Our Bible reading plan is adapted from Bible Study Together, and the Bible version is the New English Translation, used by permission.SPECIAL OFFER | As a listener of this podcast, use the code IVPWORD40 for 40% off and free shipping on any IVP resource mentioned in this episode at ivpress.com.Additional Credits:Song production: Seaux ChillSong lyrics written by: Seaux Chill, Ekemini Uwan, and Christina EdmondsonPodcast art: Kate LillardPhotography: Shelly EveBible consultant: JM SmithSound engineering: Podastery StudiosCreative producers: Ekemini Uwan and Christina EdmondsonAssistant producer: Christine Pelliccio MeloExecutive producer: Helen LeeTo reach the IVP podcast team, please use this form.Disclaimer: The comments, views, and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the host and/or the guests featured on the podcast and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of InterVarsity Press or InterVarsity Christian Fellowship.

Titus 3:1-2 (ESV)Andrew and Edwin discuss Paul's reminders to Titus and the Cretan Christians about how to live as citizens and neighbors among the Cretans. Read the written devo that goes along with this episode by clicking here.    Let us know what you are learning or any questions you have. Email us at TextTalk@ChristiansMeetHere.org.    Join the Facebook community and join the conversation by clicking here. We'd love to meet you. Be a guest among the Christians who meet on Livingston Avenue. Click here to find out more. Michael Eldridge sang all four parts of our theme song. Find more from him by clicking here.   Thanks for talking about the text with us today. ________________________________________________ If the hyperlinks do not work, copy the following addresses and paste them into the URL bar of your web browser:  Daily Written Devo: https://readthebiblemakedisciples.wordpress.com/?p=26371The Christians Who Meet on Livingston Avenue: http://www.christiansmeethere.org/ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/TalkAboutTheText Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/texttalk Michael Eldridge: https://acapeldridge.com/ 

What happens when you build your life on someone else's vision instead of God's calling for you?In this episode of When the Scriptures Become Real, we dive into 1 Kings 12 and the story of Jeroboam, a man who borrowed the fears, strategies, and dreams of others instead of trusting God's promises. We'll explore how chasing someone else's definition of success can lead to compromise, anxiety, and spiritual failure.If you've ever compared your life to others, felt pressured to copy someone else's path, or wondered if you're pursuing God's dream or someone else's, this episode is for you.

Today's chronological Bible readingincludes Nahum 2-3 and 2 Kings 22.Visit www.listentogodsword.org for our daily Bible reading schedue, answers to Frequently Asked Questions, and more.If you're benefiting from this daily podcast, please take a moment to rate and review it, and share it with a friend as well. Questions or comments, email us at info@listentogodsword.org. We'd love to hear from you.The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible, BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee. This text of God's Word has been dedicated to the public domain.

The Leo solar eclipse may bring chaos at the top—but for ordinary people, it may be an opportunity to reclaim personal and collective power.In this episode, Emily and Krista explore why solar eclipses are traditionally connected to leadership and hierarchy, what this eclipse could reveal about political power, and why the energy may feel more like community, self-worth, and new beginnings for the rest of us.They also discuss how eclipse effects may unfold over time, why breakups and changing desires could surface, and how to move through eclipse season without feeling inactive or powerless. From journaling and divination to spending time near water and intentionally trying something new, this is a guide to receiving the eclipse's energy instead of trying to control it.CHAPTERS0:00 Why Eclipse Season Feels So Intense0:22 Welcome to the Leo Solar Eclipse2:15 Where the Eclipse Will Be Visible6:46 The Start of Something Monumental7:53 Why the United States May Still Feel the Effects10:59 How Long the Eclipse Effects May Last11:57 Leo, Leadership, and Washington, D.C.15:51 Why Solar Eclipses “Take Out the Kings”16:20 Fresh Starts, Self-Worth, and Breakups17:15 Chaos at the Top, Community Below20:05 Why Political Leaders May Fear Collective Power21:21 How to Work With Eclipse Energy23:50 Divination, Learning, and Letting Go27:00 The Upcoming Venus RetrogradeWhat are you already feeling from this eclipse season? Are you noticing a fresh start, changing relationships, political instability, or a stronger pull toward community?Follow The Alchemist Inkwell for grounded conversations about astrology, spirituality, magic, and what it all means in real life.Safety note: Never look directly at a solar eclipse without properly certified eclipse glasses.

Interestingly, we saw a few foreshadows of Jesus in our last episode, as a child who was meant to be king was swept away from a murderous monarch only to emerge victorious later. Today we'll examine the rule and reign of Joash, that child who became king of Judah. It seems that early in his reign he sought to repair the temple, and no wonder! He grew up in the temple from infancy into early childhood. When the work stalls, the make a plan, but later, the wealth of Judah will be handed over to King Hazael, that same servant who murdered his king after Elisha prophesied would rule over Aram. Later, in 2 Kings, we'll briefly cover two of Israel's evil kings, Jehoahaz and Jehoahash. 2 Chronicles 24 - 1:08 .  2 Kings 12 - 7:27 .  2 Kings 13 - 12:34 .  Psalm 119:161 - 18:47 .  :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.facebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

Daily Dose of Hope August 3, 2026   Scripture: 2 Kings 24   Prayer:  Lord Jesus, How thankful I am that we live on the other side of the cross and that your grace is incredibly abundant. And yet, I know that you still allow me to experience the consequences of my behavior; there is still accountability. Lord, help me grow to reflect you more and to gradually live a life characterized by your holiness rather than my own inclination to sin. More of you, less of me. Amen   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope church daily Bible reading plan.  We are almost done with 2 Kings after a summer of learning about the divided kingdom, the various kings, and the exile.  Starting Wednesday, we will be deep diving into Genesis and Exodus.  Hope you will stay with us for that.  Emmy Roberts has agreed to keep up our Friday going deeper discussion.  I've loved my chats with her and I hope you do too.   For hundreds and hundreds of years, God warned his people: Obey the covenant, do not worship other gods, do not neglect the poor. And with just a few exceptions, the people disobeyed. There were judges and prophets sent to warn the people. In fact, there was no shortage of warnings. Yet, the people continued to turn away from God, to be influenced by the culture around them, and to follow the ways of the pagans.   In today's Scripture, 2 Kings 24, we see God lifting his hand of protection. His people have not held up their end of the covenant and he is finally allowing them to experience the consequences of their actions. It's hard to read and yet, we know it had to happen for the next stage of the journey to occur.   Let's talk a little bit about the invasion.  When Nebuchadnezzar invaded Judah, King Jehoiakim became his vassal for three years. To be a vassal meant that Judah was subject to Babylon and under its control.  For some context, Nebuchadnezzar came against Jerusalem because the Pharaoh of Egypt invaded Babylon. In response, Nebuchadnezzar defeated the Egyptians and then he pursued their fleeing army all the way down to the Sinai (that's why in verse 7 it mentions that the Egyptian ruler does not come out of his country again – he's been thoroughly defeated).  On the way back, Babylon conquers Jerusalem, who had been loyal to the Egyptian Pharoah.   There will be two more invasions.  In fact, the siege on Jerusalem takes about one year.    King Jehoiachin follows Jehoiakim and not surprisingly, he is also evil.  He actually surrenders to Nebuchadnezzar, hoping to appease him in some way.  But that doesn't happen.  King Jehoiachin is taken captive and sent back to Babylon, as are thousands of Jerusalem's best and brightest.  All the wealthy and skilled people are exiled into Babylon and the treasures found in the Temple are carried off as well.  Jerusalem is impoverished of resources and skill.  Among the captives was the prophet Ezekiel, who wrote his book of while in captivity in Babylon.   Since Nebuchadnezzar has now completely humbled Judah, he puts a king on the throne whom he was pretty sure would submit to Babylon. He chose the uncle of Jehoiachin, and called him Zedekiah.  Shocking, he also did evil in the eyes of the Lord.  By this point, God is done.  The Scripture says he finally cast them out from His presence.   The final line of the chapter says that Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.  I think we learn more about that tomorrow, in the final chapter.    And once again, we learn that sin has consequences.  God has a tolerance for just so much, and then he is done.  And he is sovereign so he can and will do anything among the nations to make his plan unfold.  We see this here.  Now I don't know about you, but I am incredibly thankful for living on the other side of the cross.  We know grace.  That doesn't mean that sin still doesn't have consequences though.  How have you seen this in your own life?   Tomorrow is the end of 2 Kings.  This should be interesting.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki      

In this episode of The Royal Report I discuss what the roles of veterans such as Zach LaVine and Domantas Sabonis will be on the young and rebuilding 2026-27 Sacramento Kings.

Has the Church lost something essential? In this powerful message from 1 Kings 18 and Matthew 13, we're challenged to return to one of the most important foundations of our faith—the altar. As Elijah rebuilt the broken altar before God sent fire from heaven, we're reminded that lasting revival always begins with repentance, surrender, and wholehearted devotion to Jesus. In a culture filled with compromise, distraction, and spiritual drift, God is still asking the same question: "Where are the Elijahs?" This sermon is a call for believers to rebuild what has been neglected, renew their passion for Christ, and become people who pursue God's presence above everything else. Whether you've drifted in your faith, become spiritually complacent, or simply desire a deeper relationship with Jesus, this message will encourage you to return to the cross—the altar where restoration begins. In this message you'll discover: Why Elijah rebuilt the altar before revival came How spiritual compromise happens one small step at a time The purpose of the altar throughout Scripture Why God still calls His people to repentance The connection between surrender and spiritual renewal How Jesus became our ultimate altar through the cross What it means to live with holy passion in today's culture Scripture References 1 Kings 18 Matthew 13:52 Acts 2 Revelation 3 Hebrews 7:25 2 Corinthians 5:21 Psalm 47 Psalm 95 2 Samuel 6 If this message challenged or encouraged you, we'd love to hear from you in the comments. Share what God is speaking to your heart, and don't forget to like, subscribe, and share this message with someone who needs encouragement today. At Mosaic Church, our mission is to create fully devoted followers of Jesus by helping people experience God, connect in community, discover their purpose, and serve others. #Revival #ReturnToTheAltar #Elijah #ChristianSermon #MosaicChurch

In this Bible Story, Josiah becomes King over Judah at eight years of age. However he clings to the wisdom of God, and becomes beloved as the righteous king of Jerusalem. He restores the temple and repentes on behalf of the people. This story is inspired by 2 Kings 22 & 2 Chronicles 34:1-32. Go to https://www.BibleinaYear.com and learn the Bible in a Year.Today's Bible verse is 2 KIngs 22:8 from the King James Version.Episode 153: As Josiah finished reading the scroll of God to the people, he cried out to God on their behalf and led them in making a covenant to God. After the people went home, he ordered Hilkiah and his men to banish any remaining priests of Baal they could find. Josiah even went to the forests to tear down the high places that generations of kings had erected there! Josiah did great things for his people to lead them back to their God.Hear the Bible come to life as Pastor Jack Graham leads you through the official BibleinaYear.com podcast. This Biblical Audio Experience will help you master wisdom from the world's greatest book. In each episode, you will learn to apply Biblical principles to everyday life. Now understanding the Bible is easier than ever before; enjoy a cinematic audio experience full of inspirational storytelling, orchestral music, and profound commentary from world-renowned Pastor Jack Graham.Also, you can download the Pray.com app for more Christian content, including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.Visit JackGraham.org for more resources on how to tap into God's power for successful Christian living.Pray.com is the digital destination of faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store.Executive Producers: Steve Gatena & Max BardProducer: Ben GammonHosted by: Pastor Jack GrahamMusic by: Andrew Morgan SmithBible Story narration by: Todd Haberkorn Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Heavenly Kingdom, having recently killed kings three and four of its founding five – and misplaced the fifth – attempts to solve its acute leadership shortage. To that end, the Heavenly King turns to his own blood, promoting his brothers – both military novices – and handing supreme military authority to the upjumped royal harem-staffing administrator. Meanwhile, up his own backwater Jiangxi creek, the one man of Great Qing capable of destroying the rebels is finally handed a paddle by his enemies' infighting... and promptly goes home to bury his father. Two governments, two indispensable men, and one season in which both of them simply choose to walk away.Time Period Covered:1856–1857 CE Major Historical Figures:TaipingHong Xiuquan, the Heavenly King [1814–1864]Shi Dakai, the Wing King [1831–1863]Hong Renfa, the Peace King [d. 1864]Hong Renda, the Blessings King [d. 1864]Meng De'en, Chief of Staff [d. 1861]Chen Yucheng [1837–1862]Li Xiucheng [1823–1864]Yang Xiuqing, the East King [d. 1856]Wei Changhui, the North King [d. 1856] NienZhang Luoxing, Lord of the Alliance [1811–1863]Li Zhaoshou [d. 1881] QingThe Xianfeng Emperor (Aisin-Gioro Yizhu) [r. 1850–1861]Zeng Guofan [1811–1872]Zeng Guohua [1822–1858]Hu Linyi [1812–1861] Major Works Cited:Kuhn, Philip A. "The Taiping Rebellion" in The Cambridge History of China, Vol. 10.Michael, Franz, and Chung-li Chang. The Taiping Rebellion: History and Documents, Vols. I & II.Platt, Stephen R. Autumn in the Heavenly Kingdom: China, the West, and the Epic Story of the Taiping Civil War.Spence, Jonathan D. God's Chinese Son: The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom of Hong Xiuquan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join us for a workshop on Isaiah. For more information email TheScripturesAreReal@gmail.comJoin us for fantastic content on our Patreon website: https://www.patreon.com/c/EnlightenEdgeEDU . This week on Patreon we will show you many of the key places we talk about and tell you details of the stories of the fall of Jerusalem and Israel. This week we are finishing the story of the Kings of Israel and the Fall of Judah.Join us for an incredible cruise with amazing spiritual momentum where you hear from Elaine Dalton, myself, Jasen Wade, Kirby Heyborne, Jenny Oaks Baker, Nathan Pacheco, and more. During July you can get $250 off for the second person, and $50 of for each person with the discount code KERRY. Go to https://www.goanddotravel.com/momentum-27-west-2 and join right away!In this episode Kerry mentions an episode of the Twenty Something podcast. You can find it at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xAyP7_i-4M. In this episode Kerry and Lori Denning explore the story of the Book of Esther. They explore the literary elements that help us understand the book and its themes. They look at how Esther goes from being depicted as passive to active and can be our own story. They look at the role of God in the book, and also how the book shows how you can move forward given whatever your circumstance as you just take advantage of whatever is given you and trust in God. They also look at the difficulty of being religious and faithful in the midst of people who are upset with us for our views. Then Kerry and Justin Top, a military chaplain who teaches other chaplains, explore what happens when we don't see the miracles we are praying for. Or how we may feel when we see others experience miracles but they don't. They discuss how we feel when that happens and provide some ideas for how to think about it and how not to think about it. They also explore the notion that sometimes the struggle we go through when we don't see miracles is a form of grace that we need even more than the miracle. Then Kerry and Julianne explore the same topic, looking at the scriptures are lives of prophets to help us understand this difficult and painful element of all our lives. They also delve into the fact that we all sometimes see some miracles but not others in our lives. They discuss that miracles are related to faith, but when we don't see miracles it is not because we don't have faith.We are grateful for our executive producers, P. Franzen, J. Parke, D. Watson, B. Van Blerkom, the Dawsons, M. Cannon, M. Rosema, B. Fisher, J. Beardall, D. Anderson, M. Zitar, J. Edwards, A. Dixon, T. Cottrell, and H. Umphlett, and for all our generous and loyal donors. We are also very grateful for all our Patreon members. We are so thankful for Beehive Broadcast for producing the podcast and for Rich Nicholls, who composed and plays the music for the podcast.

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE:  2 Kings 21; 2 Chronicles 33; John 4 Click HERE to give! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome, dear friends, to the August 2nd episode of the Daily Radio Bible. I'm Hunter, your Bible reading coach, and I'm grateful to spend this time with you as we journey together through God's Word. Today, we turn our hearts to the stories of King Manasseh and Amon from 2 Kings 21 and 2 Chronicles 33—stories of failure, repentance, and grace—before joining Jesus at Jacob's well in John chapter 4. We'll witness a Samaritan woman's thirst for living water and discover Christ's mercy and acceptance that quenches our deepest needs. Come let the scriptures guide us to the One who is the Living Word, and let's open our hearts to the life that only He can give. TODAY'S DEVOTION: He knows everything, and he loves us just the same. Are you thirsty? He knows. And you have a kind and merciful Savior who's making a point of pursuing your heart to give you the water that will quench your desperate thirst. So drink well of that water. Remember that your Messiah is kind and he pursues your heart. Knowing everything you've ever done and loving you just the same. Live in the light and joy of him and drink well. Thirsty? This woman was, and she was willing to admit it. She wasn't too proud to admit that she was thirsty. Yes, teacher, give me this water, she said. She knew that she was dying of thirst, that unless something changed, she would die. After five husbands, she was dying inside. But Jesus offers her this living water. Water that truly satisfies. Jesus mercifully offers those who are dying of thirst living water, relief from the endless cycle of sin and shame, sin and shame, sin and shame, relief from our past, forgiveness. She says, he told me everything I've ever done. And although these words were not written, you could complete the statement with these words: And he loved me just the same. It was this radical acceptance and forgiveness from a kind and merciful Messiah that delivered her from her desperate thirst. That's a prayer that I have for my own soul. That's a prayer that I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, my son. And that's a prayer that I have for you. May it be so. TODAY'S PRAYERS: Lord God Almighty and everlasting father you have brought us in safety to this new day preserve us with your Mighty power that we might not fall into sin or be overcome by adversity. And in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose  through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen.   Oh God you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth and sent your blessed son to preach peace to those who are far and those who are near. Grant that people everywhere may seek after you, and find you. Bring the nations into your fold, pour out your Spirit on all flesh, and hasten the coming of your kingdom through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.   And now Lord,  make me an instrument of your peace.  Where there is hatred let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon.  Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope.  Where there is darkness, light.  And where there is sadness,  Joy.  Oh Lord grant that I might not seek to be consoled as to console. To be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love.  For it is in the giving that we receive, in the pardoning that we are pardoned, it is in the dying that we are born unto eternal life.  Amen And now as our Lord has taught us we are bold to pray... Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our tresspasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not unto temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Loving God, we give you thanks for restoring us in your image. And nourishing us with spiritual food, now send us forth as forgiven people, healed and renewed, that we may proclaim your love to the world, and continue in the risen life of Christ.  Amen.  OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation.   Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL  

Today's Scripture passages are Proverbs 24 | 2 Chronicles 9:29 - 10 | 1 Kings 12:1-20 | 1 Thessalonians 5:12-28.Read by Christina Edmondson.Get in The Word with Truth's Table is a production of InterVarsity Press. For 75 years, IVP has published and created thoughtful Christian books for the university, church, and the world. Our Bible reading plan is adapted from Bible Study Together, and the Bible version is the New English Translation, used by permission.SPECIAL OFFER | As a listener of this podcast, use the code IVPWORD40 for 40% off and free shipping on any IVP resource mentioned in this episode at ivpress.com.Additional Credits:Song production: Seaux ChillSong lyrics written by: Seaux Chill, Ekemini Uwan, and Christina EdmondsonPodcast art: Kate LillardPhotography: Shelly EveBible consultant: JM SmithSound engineering: Podastery StudiosCreative producers: Ekemini Uwan and Christina EdmondsonAssistant producer: Christine Pelliccio MeloExecutive producer: Helen LeeTo reach the IVP podcast team, please use this form.Disclaimer: The comments, views, and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the host and/or the guests featured on the podcast and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of InterVarsity Press or InterVarsity Christian Fellowship.

2 Kings 20-21

Part of the "Friends and Family" series.   If you're new to King's, make sure to text "Kings" to 94000. We'd love to hear from you! Head to kings.news for upcoming events, sermon schedules, and current announcements! Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | kingschurchoh.com

Reading by Deborah Volosin ---   2 Kings 20-21   https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Kings%2020-21&version=ESV&interface=print

Mike McCoy 7-26-2026 PM As Brother Mike continues to look at the Kings, we will take away some practical applications for our life. Crossville First Free Will Baptist Church www.crossvillechurch.com

Resilient Faith : Faith in Seasons of Drought - 1 Kings 17:1-16 by First Pres Kingwood

What makes secondhand books so irresistible? Kate and Laura celebrate the joy of used bookshops, their favourite places to shop, literary finds and the thrill of unexpected discoveries. There's also an interview with W. B. Gooderham, author of Dedicated To, a book that explores the touching, funny and sometimes heartbreaking messages that can be found in the handwritten dedications tucked inside secondhand books. Whether you're a devoted secondhand book hunter or simply love hearing readers talk about books, this episode is a celebration of literary serendipity, book collecting, and the enduring pleasure of finding exactly the right book when you least expect it.Book list and linksBookshopaholics: The Paperhound • Episode #139‘Owner of Vancouver's eclectic MacLeod's Books marks 50 years of serving bibliophiles',John Mackie for the Vancouver SunThe Second Shelf bookshop (now in online form)Aphrodisiacs in your Garden by Charles ConnellThe Transitive Vampire by Karen Elizabeth GordonThe Complete Polysyllabic Spree by Nick HornbyThings I Learned on the 6.28 by Stig AbellGriffin Bay Bookstore, San Juan islandEpisode #51: Barnabees BookshopSkoob booksDedicated to, compiled by W.G. GooderhamThe Diary of a Nobody by George and Wheedon GrossmithThe Secret Diary of Adrian Mole and The Growing Pains of Adrian Mole by Sue TownsendWise Children by Angela CarterArabella by Georgette HeyerHouse of Niccolo and Game of Kings by Dorothy DunnettJudd Books, BloomsburyTimecodes00:00 Welcome and a pod milestone00:48 Secondhand book-hunting03:01 Browsing vs. buying07:58 Secondhand treasures11:52 Kate's love of books about books16:23 Dream bookshops17:18 Our favourite places to buy secondhand20:42 Patreon Break21:50 Kate meets W.B. Gooderham23:43 Skoob books and inscribed editions27:22 How Wayne's collecting began28:41 Dedicated To: The forgotten friendships hidden stories and lost loves found in secondhand books30:50 Releasing Books Back32:09 To inscribe or not to inscribe33:07 Diary Of A Nobody by George and Wheedon Grossmith37:32 Adrian Mole Editions38:39 Wise Children39:51 Pnin – a collection that took Wayne years to assemble41:28 Bookshelves and Umberto Eco's library44:04 Laura shares some of her favourite used-book haunts47:54 Why secondhand books matter49:08 Episode wrapSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ireland distorts the economic data, again. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fr Chris Borah 1 Kings 3:3-14Psalm 119;121-136Romans 8:26-34Matthew 13:31-33, 44-50

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

Learning How to Pray When You Don't Know What to SayHave you ever known that you needed to pray, but you could not find the words?Sometimes pain is too deep, pressure is too heavy, and our thoughts are too scattered to form the “perfect” prayer. But prayer does not begin with perfect words. Prayer begins when we turn our hearts toward God.In this message, Pastor Joe Moss II uses the story of King Hezekiah in 2 Kings 20 to teach us what prayer really is—and what it is not. When Hezekiah received devastating news, he turned his face toward the wall, cried out to God, and wept bitterly. God responded, “I have heard your prayer, and I have seen your tears.”This message will help you understand:• Why you do not need impressive language to pray• How God understands your tears, silence, and groaning• Why prayer is relationship, not performance• How to pray without trying to control God• Why prayer should lead to obedience and action• How prayer becomes the first habit in the POWER framework• How to use the simple prayer framework: Recognize, Reveal, Request, and ReleaseYou may not know what to say, but you can always know where to turn.Whether you are an athlete facing pressure, a parent carrying concern, a leader feeling overwhelmed, or someone simply trying to hold life together, this message will encourage you to turn toward God honestly.Before you panic, pray.Before you perform, pray.Before you respond, pray.Before you allow a moment to become your identity, pray.God hears your prayer.God sees your tears.God understands your silence.And God is still present in the process.Join Pastor Joe Moss II and Make God Famous Church for this powerful message on learning how to pray when you do not know what to say.Main Scripture: 2 Kings 20:1–6Supporting Scriptures: Romans 8:26–27, Psalm 62:8, Matthew 6:5–13, Luke 22:39–44, Philippians 4:6–7Make God Famous ChurchFormation, not just information.We train people how to live with God every day.#MakeGodFamous #Prayer #LearningToPray #Faith #ChristianEncouragement #Hezekiah #POWERHabits #BlessBody #PastorJoeMoss #MGFC

Sometimes we spend our lives searching for something God has already placed within us. In this episode, we explore David's final charge to Solomon in 1 Kings 2:1–4. As Solomon prepares to step into leadership, David reminds him that lasting success will not come from talent, position, or power alone. It will come from strength of character, obedience to God's Word, faithfulness to His covenant, and the courage to walk in His ways. This conversation challenges us to recognize that we may already possess the gifts, experience, wisdom, and calling needed for the next season. The question is not simply, “What do I need to gain?” but, “Will I faithfully use what God has already given me?” Discover how spiritual direction produces lasting character, how obedience protects your purpose, and how a life aligned with God can create an eternal legacy. You already have it. Now walk in it.

The sermon examines the fall of the Northern Kingdom of Israel through the lens of 2 Kings 17, illustrating how God repeatedly sent prophets as warning signs to call His people to repentance. Despite numerous warnings from figures like Elijah, Amos, and Hosea regarding their idolatry and rebellion, Israel hardened its heart and refused to turn back to God. The preacher emphasizes that God's patience and mercy are intended to lead to repentance, not to condone sin, and warns modern believers against ignoring spiritual convictions. By comparing the nation's gradual descent into corruption with personal choices, the message urges listeners to heed divine warnings before reaching a point of no return. Ultimately, the historical account serves as a sobering reminder that rejecting God's word leads to inevitable judgment and exile.

The ANTIDOTE to HURRY is TRUST in the LordPsalm 46:1-3 NETAlso see 2 Kings 18-19 and Isaiah 36-37Hurry REVEALS  a DISORDERED soul.Psalm 46:4-72. Hurry is  LYING about who REIGNS.Psalm 46:8-113. Hurry REFUSES rest in God's REIGN. 

Praise News! It's our starting point in 2 Kings 6-7, where we're tasked with keeping our faith strong. We need to believe that amazing wonders and significant changes come from God, because with God, anything is possible.

Praise News! It's our starting point in 2 Kings 6-7, where we're tasked with keeping our faith strong. We need to believe that amazing wonders and significant changes come from God, because with God, anything is possible.

Brother Mark Esteves | 1 Kings 17:1-7 The sermon explores the spiritual lessons derived from Elijah's time at the Brook Cherith, framing it as a season of divine preparation rather than punishment. It emphasizes that God often leads believers into quiet, isolated periods after significant victories to foster patience, intimacy with Him, and trust in His provision through unexpected means. The preacher illustrates these points with personal anecdotes about parenting and ministry challenges, highlighting how silence and waiting develop spiritual maturity. Key themes include learning to wait for God's instructions, finding strength in solitude, and trusting God when familiar sources of comfort disappear. Ultimately, the message encourages perseverance during hidden seasons, assuring listeners that God is actively working beneath the surface before leading them into their next assignment.

A preview of Saturday's New Mexico United match against Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC as The Kings of Chaos look for vengeance against one of their regional rivals.

Special Guest:  @MauLerYT   @DarkTitanEnterprises  For the Super Chat Square Ups, they are on  @NerdroticLive  on Mondays at 11 AM Central Time To RSVP for theContinue reading

- Eddie Gonzalez, Cousins with Tracy McGrady and Vince Carter

D-Lo & KC talk Zach LaVine and Eddie Gonzalez joined the show.

D-Lo & KC wrap up their conversation with Eddie Gonzalez and then talk about Michael B. Jordan.

D-Lo & KC spend hour three talking Kings and the Western Conference.

D-Lo & KC spend hour four talking Kings, DeMar DeRozan and more.

Eddie Gonzalez joined the guys to talk Spider-Man, WNBA and NBA.

Kings and Pelicans are TRYING but its just not WorkingBusiness Inquiries DaDojoProduction@gmail.com Insta https://www.instagram.com/senseink/

Bill Monroe JR of billmonroeoutdoors.com Opening day on Buoy 10! Big kings and HUGE coho! // Northwest Outdoor Report Brought to you by 3riversmarine.com! // Dave Johnson of KitsapMarina.com Neah Bay big king madness and the state of the ocean salmon quotas. // Really? Where? The hottest report we’ve heard and the techniques you need to succeed!

2 Chronicles - Kings Who TriedReadings this week:2 Chron 22 & 232 Chron 242 Chron 262 Chron 292 Chron 30For more information, please see the Reading Plan

Today's chronological Bible readingincludes Isaiah 66 and 2 Kings 20-21.Visit www.listentogodsword.org for our daily Bible reading schedue, answers to Frequently Asked Questions, and more.If you're benefiting from this daily podcast, please take a moment to rate and review it, and share it with a friend as well. Questions or comments, email us at info@listentogodsword.org. We'd love to hear from you.The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible, BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee. This text of God's Word has been dedicated to the public domain.

Hiii GGB :) Burnout isn't new—even Elijah experienced it. In this episode, we unpack 1 Kings 19 and discover how God meets us in our exhaustion, speaks in the quiet, and restores us when we feel like giving up. DON'T. GIVE. UP!!!!!! TEACHING BEGINS AT 22:14 ❤️ We love you so much. Jesus loves you more. — Ang & Ari ORDER OUR BOOK!  You can order our new book "Out of the Wilderness- 31 Devotions to Walk with God Through Your Hardest Seasons" at https://www.girlsgonebible.com/book  JOIN US ON GGB+

2 Kings 14:18-29