Podcasts about messengers

Auto-generated transcript: In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds. And peace and blessings be upon the honour of the Prophets and the Messengers. Muhammad ﷺ and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, peace and blessings be upon him, are very much in… Continue reading Ramadan Reminders 2026 – Day 18

When angels appear in Scripture as messengers, they carry the delegated authority of God Himself. Today, R.C. Sproul examines biblical appearances of these messengers and the appropriate response to the announcements they declare. Get R.C. Sproul's video teaching series Angels and Demons on DVD with your donation. You'll also receive digital access to all 8 messages and the study guide: https://gift.renewingyourmind.org/   Live outside the U.S. and Canada? Request the digital teaching series and study guide with your donation: https://www.renewingyourmind.org/global   Meet Today's Teacher:   R.C. Sproul (1939–2017) was founder of Ligonier Ministries, first minister of preaching and teaching at Saint Andrew's Chapel, first president of Reformation Bible College, and executive editor of Tabletalk magazine.   Meet the Host:   Nathan W. Bingham is vice president of media for Ligonier Ministries, executive producer and host of Renewing Your Mind, and host of the Ask Ligonier podcast. Renewing Your Mind is a donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Explore all of our podcasts: https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts

“Messengers came and told Jehoshaphat, ‘A vast army from Edom is marching against you from beyond the Dead Sea. They are already at Hazazon-tamar.’ (This was another name for En-gedi.) Jehoshaphat was terrified by this news and begged the Lord for guidance. He also ordered everyone in Judah to begin fasting. So people from all the towns of Judah came to Jerusalem to seek the Lord’s help.” (2 Chronicles 20:2–4 NLT) Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, faced a desperate dilemma. His enemies greatly outnumbered him. To make matters worse, his enemies had joined forces with other enemies of Israel and were coming to destroy him. This was a worst-case scenario—a seemingly hopeless situation. There was no earthly way that Jehoshaphat could challenge this approaching army with the forces he had. He was far too outnumbered. So, what did Jehoshaphat do? The Bible says that he “begged the Lord for guidance” (2 Chronicles 20:3 NLT). He prayed, “O our God, won’t you stop them? We are powerless against this mighty army that is about to attack us. We do not know what to do, but we are looking to you for help” (verse 12 NLT). The Lord told Jehoshaphat, “Do not be afraid! Don’t be discouraged by this mighty army, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. . . . Take your positions; then stand still and watch the Lord’s victory. He is with you, O people of Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Go out against them tomorrow, for the Lord is with you!” (verses 15, 17 NLT). Jehoshaphat and his army went out to meet their enemies, but they put their worship team out front. The Bible says that when they began to sing and praise the Lord, the enemy started fighting among themselves and destroyed each other. There are more than a few takeaways from this story. One is that God stands ready to help His people survive and ultimately thrive in even the worst circumstances. Maybe you’re facing what seems like an impossible situation right now. You may not be able to see a way out. But God can. Call on Him. Then stand still and see what He will do. A second takeaway is that Jehoshaphat enjoyed an advantage that we don’t always have. He knew what was coming his way. And even though it appeared to be an absolute worst-case scenario, he knew how to pray. We don’t always know what the future holds. We don’t know if something potentially devastating is heading our way. But God does. And He knows how to prepare us for it. That’s why it’s essential that we stay in constant contact with Him. That we yield ourselves to His will. That we follow His leading. Psalm 145:18 says, “The Lord is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him in truth” (NLT). Call on Him. Reflection question: What does seeking God’s strength and guidance look like in your life? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known." All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie. Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You may imagine your vasculature as a vast and silent network of tubes, dutifully carrying blood, oxygen, and nutrients to every organ and tissue. These vessels seem purely mechanical, like plumbing hidden behind walls, doing their job quietly and invisibly. Yet modern biology has revealed a far richer and more surprising reality. Blood vessels are lined with living, sensing, responding cells called endothelial cells, and these cells are anything but passive. They listen to chemical signals, respond to stress, regulate traffic, and communicate constantly with the immune system.

Hormone imbalance is rarely a single, isolated problem. It is usually the result of multiple systems losing rhythm together. The thyroid, adrenals, liver, gut, and metabolic pathways are constantly communicating. When one slows down or becomes dysregulated, the others compensate — and over time, symptoms appear. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode we'll be looking at a bunch of different references referring to the various provinces, particularly those on the far edges of the archipelago. For more, check out:  https://sengokudaimyo.com/podcast/episode-144   Rough Transcript Welcome to Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.  My name is Joshua, and this is episode 144: On the Edge The ships sat low in the water, bobbing gently against the docks at Naniwa.  The captain eyed them warily as the officials went over the manifest.  The Seto Inland Sea was generally calm and smooth sailing—at least compared to the open ocean, anywhere else -- and yet, as he looked, he could only think of how sluggish these ships would be.  They were laden down with cargo—silk, cloth, thread, and of course provisions for the men accompanying them.  But more than that, they were laden down with iron.  Tons of iron ingots, destined for the far reaches of the archipelago.  First to Suwa, but then on to the Dazai on Tsukushi, no doubt to be forged into weapons for the defense of Yamato. But that wasn't the captain's concern.  He just needed to make sure that the ships weren't weighed down too much:  as long as they remained buoyant, they would make the journey, even if they had to travel at a snail's pace to do it.  But if the ships sat too low in the water, then all it would take was some uncooperative waves and the ships, crew, and cargo, would be sent straight down to the palace of the dragon king, beneath the waves. Fortunately, with enough ships, it looked like that wouldn't be too much of a problem, as long as the goods were properly spaced out.  Now to just hope that the weather cooperated.  Even in the relatively safe waters of the Seto Inland Sea, you never know what could happen…     So last episode we talked about two large projects that Ohoama is said to have started.  First was the history project, which likely led to the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki.  Second was the start of a brand new capital.  This episode, we are going from the macro, down to the micro—smaller events that just weren't covered in previous episodes.  For the most part the next few episodes are going to be a grab bag of various items, but I'm going to try and put some semblance of cohesion to this.  Next episode we'll be looking at some of the laws that they made, including the law code and examples of the kinds of punishment—and forgiveness—that the court could bestow.  This week, however, we are going to cover a bunch of stories focused on the areas outside of the Home Provinces.  We'll look at the Dazai in Tsukushi—and elsewhere.  We'll talk about how the provinces were governed, and what concerned them.  Granted, a lot of what concerned them, at least from the Chroniclers point of view, were taxes and economic production.  So we see recorded concern with taxes and with what was there—the land and the people that worked it.  Also with natural events, like droughts and tsunami, which would affect that same economic production.   We're starting off with the Dazai, and the person in charge there.  The Viceroy, as it is often called in English. The Dazai appears to have started off with something of a military purpose.  It was a gathering place before ships would sail off to the Korean peninsula, raiding up the rivers, or trading with their allies.  As the archipelago began to be more embroiled in the wars of the peninsula, it was that much more important.  And when Yamato's ally, Baekje, fell, and it looked like Silla and the Great Tang might turn their attention to the islands that had been a thorn in their side for so long, it became a bulwark against potential invasion. However, it also had another function.  It was the jumping off place for warships, but also for embassies and trading missions.  It was also the primary destination for most ships approaching Yamato.  They would take a route through Tsushima island, and then Iki island, and continue to the main coast of Tsukushi—Kyushu, and up and around to the sheltered waters of Hakata bay.  At some point they would even move that initial contact farther out, to Tsushima island itself.  Ships would dock on one side of the island, and transport their goods to a Yamato ship on the other side, with a pilot who knew the waters.  The local island officials could then send word ahead to the Dazai that they were coming.  No surprises, and nobody jumping the gun thinking that a fleet of warships was on their way. The Dazai played a key role in defense, trade, and diplomacy.  When the embassies arrived, they were entertained at the Dazai while word was sent to the court.  If the court deemed it appropriate, then they might have the ambassadors take the journey the rest of the way.  Otherwise, the court at the Dazai would stand in for the sovereign, and receive the messages, and various diplomatic gifts that were sent along. This was a powerful and also highly lucrative position, and it is reflected in the people who were granted the title.  This was the Dazai no Sochi, or Oho-mikoto-mochi no kami. We see the post held by Soga no Himuka in  649, during the Taika era.  Then we see Abe no Hirafu in the reign of Takara Hime, 655-661.  Hirafu would go on to become the Minister of the Left.  Then we see Prince Kurikuma. We talked about Prince Kurikuma before—he was Ohoama's ally in Tsukushi who refused the Afumi court's request for troops during the Jinshin no Ran.  He is one of the few figures that we have more than just a bit of information on.  For one thing, we have two different appointments to his position as viceroy in Tsukushi—there is one in 668, and another in 671, with Soga no Akae being given the post in between.  There are some questions about whether or not those were different people—the first one might have been someone named "Kurisaki" or "Kurimae", but it is generally assumed that was just misspelled, and it may be that there were just some questions as to when he was appointed.  We also know that he was a friend to Ohoama.  The Afumi court said as much, and in the Jinshin no Ran, when he and his sons stood up  to the Afumi court's request for troops, he came down heavily on Ohoama's side.  It is no wonder that he would have still been in such a powerful position.  His sons, by the way, are named as Prince Mino and Prince Takebe; we've seen what appears to be different Princes named Mino, but it is possible that this is the Prince Mino mentioned elsewhere in this part of the record. Sources suggest that Kurikuma was a descendant of the sovereign Nunakura, aka Bidatsu Tennou, and that he was an ancestor of the Tachibana clan.  There were stories about him in Tsukushi, beyond those in the Nihon Shoki, and while he isn't always named explicitly, one can infer that he hosted a number of embassies and ambassadors in his time.  In fact, in his position as head of the Dazaifu in Tsukushi, he was in what was perhaps the most lucrative post outside of Yamato.  In addition to being in charge of trade, diplomacy, and military readiness, the Dazaifu oversaw all of Tsukushi—the island of Kyushu, and was like a miniature representation of the central government. I suspect it is the military responsibilities that saw Kurikuma being appointed to the post of Director of Military Affairs—Tsuwamo-no-Tsukasa-no-Kami, or Heiseikan-cho. That was in the 3rd lunar month of 675, just a few years into Ohoama's reign. This would later be known as the Hyoubu-shou, or Ministry of War.  The appointment would not last long, however.  A year later, Kurikuma would pass away from disease.  Prince Kurikuma is one of those enigmatic and yet somewhat exciting individuals that exists beyond just the Nihon Shoki.   The Shoku Nihongi and later sources give us additional details, which may or may not be accurate.  Even moreso, there are stories in modern Nagasaki prefecture about Prince Kurikuma helping to regulate the animals that lived in the waters surrounding Kyushu.  According to the Shoku Nihongi record, he was reportedly granted the 2nd princely rank upon his death—which, if true, would seem to say a lot about how he was viewed at the time. Moving into the year 676, we see an edict that restricted governorships to individuals of the rank of Daisen and below.  The exceptions to this were the Home Provinces, Michinoku, and Nagato, and let's explore why these areas were excepted. Home Provinces make sense, as that is where the capital is and this more prestigious area was therefore deserving of a higher ranked noble.  Michinoku was the opposite geographically: it was the general wilderness of Tohoku, and the land of the Emishi.  It was also the farthest east of the capital, so I suspect they wanted someone of rank to handle that.  The governor of Nagato, however, is interesting.  Nagato is part of Honshu, the main island, just north of Kyushu, across the Shimonoseki strait.  Similar to Michinoku, Nagato was one of the most remote provinces on Honshu.  It was also an important province for potential defense and trade, and often coordinated with the Dazaifu in Tsukushi, to the south.  As such, it was also considered a more prominent posting than other governorships. It is somewhat interesting that the Dazaifu is not mentioned, but I suspect this is because the head of the Dazaifu was not, in fact, a governor, but more akin to a viceroy.  After all, they had to be entrusted with a certain amount of authority to be able to conduct military, trade, and diplomatic business without constantly sending back to the Yamato court for instruction.  We've already seen that there were Princes and other men of wealth and status who had been given that posting. Interestingly, in this reign we see at least one other viceroy—one other Dazai, or Ohomikotomochi—and that is in Kibi, of all places.  From what we can tell Kibi was one of the main rivals for power and authority in the prior centuries.  It has come up again and again in the stories.  Unfortunately, most of the stories only hint at what we think actually happened.  Today, when we talk about *the* Dazaifu we are almost exclusively talking about the one in Kyushu.  Besides being far flung from the center of power, it had huge responsibilities. Comparatively, though perhaps not as directly involved with trade, the rulers of Kibi were important figures, as demonstrated by the amount of manpower they were able to leverage for building their large, kingly tombs.  We talked somewhat about that back in Episode 48, looking at Tsukuriyama Kofun, one of the largest in the archipelago.  Furthermore, Kibi was well-placed on the Seto inland sea to be able to control the passage of ships.  The Kibi Dazai appears to have been established around the time of the Taika reforms, though it is only mentioned once in the Nihon Shoki, and I don't see any other examples of it.  There is also evidence that it was given authority over not just Kibi, but also the neighboring province of Harima.  Eventually, however, Kibi would be broken up into the three provinces of Bizen, Bitchu, and Bingo, and it would no longer need to be aggregated under a single administration.  Rather, each province would get its own governor, overseeing a much smaller part of the whole.  From this I can only assume that there may have been other, similar situations, prior to the various provinces being broken up like that. A couple months later, in the 5th month of 676, we are once again discussing governors.  First was a decree about governors who weren't paying their commuted taxes on time.  Aston goes on to note that non-rice taxes were due in the middle of the 8th month—at least for the home provinces.  Near provinces—a little farther away—taxes had to be received by the end of the 10th month, and for those a bit farther away—in the middle distance—they had to be there by the 11th month.  Finally,  the taxes from the farthest provinces were due by the end of the 12th month.  This would have given officials time to collect the taxes and to transport them all the way to the capital.  So when the chronicles talk about governors not paying on time, not keeping to this schedule may have been what the court was getting at—or at least some kind of similar schedule with deadlines, since it might have been modified over time.    Another record, that same month—actually a few days later—concerns specifically the governor of Shimotsukenu—or Shimotsuke, on the other side of Honshu.  He sent in a report that that province had been hit pretty hard that year with a poor harvest.  In fact, it was so bad that many peasants were seeking permission to sell their children.  The court ultimately denied the request, but this does speak to a rather disturbing—yet not exactly uncommon—cultural practice.  I don't think we need to get into the different nuances here, beyond a look at the fact that this was likely not a new practice, but it does seem that the appeal to the government for permission to sell one's children was something new.  Perhaps this came with all of the records and registrations that the government had undertaken to know who was in what household.  Regardless, one can hardly imagine that most parents would willingly take this option unless they had no other choice, and I suspect that it is meant to show both the desperation of the people in Shimotsuke, as well as the harsh benevolence of the sovereign, who would not permit the children to be separated from their families.  Of course, we aren't told how the court otherwise ameliorated the situation, since moral righteousness is tremendous, but doesn't suddenly fix the problems with the harvest or cause food to appear out of nowhere.  One hopes that the court at least sent some amount of rice or other provisions to help the people. Although it was Shimotsuke in the 5th month, in the 6th month we see a more general report of a large drought.  Messengers were sent throughout the land to get people to donate cloth, and make prayers to the kami, while Buddhist Priests called upon the power of the Three Precious Things.  It was all to no avail—the usual rains didn't come, so the wugu, the five grains didn't grow, and peasants starved.  The five grains per se are  rice, soybeans, wheat, and two types of millet, but in this case the term is just a stand-in for all types of agricultural produce. Possibly unrelated, but somewhat telling, two months later we see a record of the court granting sustenance-fiefs of all Royal princes and princesses down to the high ministers and female officials at the palace down to the rank of Shoukin.  So only two months after the peasants of Yamato were apparently starving, the court is handing out stipend increases to the elite.  So… yeah…. We do see a focus in the 8th month on an Oho-barai, or Great Purification.  I'm going to talk about this more in a future episode, though, so just noting here that they seem to have been working to purify the land and that may have been part of ongoing spiritual attempts to request the support of the kami in what appear to be difficult times.  There were also plenty of examples of attempts to make merit by demonstrating righteousness and reading various sutras. Moving on to the events of 677, things seem to have been going better than the previous year, so maybe all that merit-making had an effect?  Either way, we don't see any mention of droughts or famines this year, and we make it to the ninth month, when we see a notice that any vagabonds who returned after being sent back to their hometown would be set to forced labor.  Vagabond, in this case, is "furounin", or "person who floats on the waves".  This appears to be the origin of the term "Rounin", which would later refer to masterless samurai.  At this point it seems to refer mostly to commoners who were expected to work the land—and when workers abandoned the land that had implications for the government's tax base system.  So the State was invested in ensuring that people didn't just move somewhere else—at least without asking permission and being properly registered.  This does seem different from an actual fugitive, such as someone who was banished who tries to leave their place of banishment. The following month, the 10th month of 677,  we see that Kawabe no Omi no Momoye was appointed head of the Minbukyo, the Minister of the Interior.  In addition, Tajihi no Kimi no Maro was made a Daibu, or high official, of the province of Settsu.     The term "daibu" could just refer to high ministers of the court, but the "daibu" of a province appears to be similar to a governor, but with more expansive and comprehensive authority.  Settsu is one of the five home provinces, and as such an important part of the geographical heart of Yamato.   So we have the local chieftains, the governors, the viceroys at the Dazai, and also, apparently, a "high official" in some regions, each with what appear to be overlapping but slightly different portfolios. The next month we see that the Viceroy of Tsukushi—whoever had taken the place of Prince Yagaki—had his officials present a red crow to the court.  The person who caught the crow was granted five steps in rank—not a small reward.  Also, local officials had their own rank raised, and taxes were remitted to the peasants of that district for a year.  Finally, a general amnesty was announced across Yamato. We talked in Episode 141 how something like a red crow would have likely represented either the three-legged crow in the sun or the legendary Suzaku, the fiery bird of the south.  Either way, it was clearly an auspicious discovery.  It is interesting that we don't see any names at all associated with this event.  We do, however, see that people were no doubt incentivized to report such things up to the court.  Whoever found such a curiosity would likely have been celebrated by all of those around given the court's broad show of appreciation.  No doubt the local officials were more than pleased given that they were also likely to receive some of the benefits that accrued if the court was well pleased. As far as the type of events I'm focusing on this episode, there isn't much recorded between the red crow of 677 and a few years later in 682. Picking up in the 3rd month of that year, we get a record of the Emishi of Michinoku being granted court rank, incorporating them further into the growing Yamato polity.  As I talked about a little earlier, Michinoku on the other side of the archipelago, so this event really shows expansion of Yamato and solidification of its power over the rest of Honshu.  It is easy to forget that much of the Tohoku region was not firmly under Yamato control at this time.  They may have claimed it, but the people and culture there were still considered distinct and not a part of Yamato, proper.  But they were making inroads. In the following month, the 4th lunar month of the same year, 682, we are back on the west coast and see Tajihi no Mabito no Shima as the latest Viceroy of Tsukushi, sending as tribute a large bell.  It is somewhat interesting that, compared to the past few viceroys, Shima is actually a member of a noble family and *not* a Prince.  Of course, there was no requirement that the Dazaifu be overseen by a Prince—that certainly wasn't the case for Soga no Akaye, but it is interesting given how Ohoama had been making appointments, so far.  Even if they weren't princely, it is clear that this was an important posting, which says a lot for Tajihi no Shima, even if we didn't know anything more about him.  Fortunately, there are a few clues. For one thing, there are records that claim he was descended from one of the previous sovereigns, but he did not hold the title of "Prince".  That is reflected in his family's kabane of "Mabito", however, or "True person", which seems to indicate at least a nominal descent from a previous ruler.  Shima would continue to rise in the government, and would eventually serve as the Minister of the Right and then Minister of the Left, and at one point he would be the highest ranking noble in the government—though that was still a ways off.  All of this speaks to the importance of the position of viceroy, and probably gives us a clue as to why the Chroniclers were so interested in someone sending a bell, large as it might be, to the government. A day after the bell tribute arrived, Emishi of Koshi, including Ikokina and others, requested 70 households of prisoners of war to create a new district.  While we've talked about the Emishi of Koshi, before, what is particularly interesting is the request for prisoners of war—captives.  Were these Wajin, or Japanese, who had been captured by the Emishi and they were requesting permission to resettle them?  Were they asking for 70 households of people being held captive by the Yamato government?  It isn't clear.  It also isn't clear if "Ikokina" is the name of an individual or of multiple individuals.  Aston originally translated it as Itaka, Kina, and others, while Bentley's more recent translation suggests it is one name.  However, given that this is an Emishi name, being transliterated in Kanji through a Japanese translator, it is hard to know without further sources. From the fourth month to the 7th month of 682, we see a small entry that presents were given to men from Tanegashima, Yakushima, and Amami no Shima.  This simple entry is important mostly just because of its mention of continued contact with these islands south of Kyushu.  This helps us maintain some idea of the extent of Yamato's influence. In the late summer of 683, we once again see a drought.  It began in the 7th lunar month and lasted until the 8th.  A priest named Douzou prayed for rain and eventually obtained it. Douzou is said to have been a monk from Kudara, or Baekje.  Aston suggests that this means he was a priest of Kudaradera, but it isn't really clear to me.  In the early 8th month, we also see that there was a general amnesty ordered throughout Yamato, which I suspect was connected with the disaster of the drought and an attempt to help build merit and otherwise strengthen the state in the face of natural disaster and potential unrest. At the end of 683, we see a survey team being sent out.  The sovereign sent Prince Ise along with Hata no Kimi no Yakuni, Ohoshi no Omi no Homuchi, and Nakatomi no Muraji no Ohoshima with clerks and artisans to tour the realm and determine the border of the various provinces, but they were unable to determine them all in a year. This really must have been quite the task.  Certainly, the provinces were the ancient lands which people had been living in for some time, but there was never really a need for political lines on a map to determine where the boundaries were.  People generally knew if they were in one or the other, and unless there was a very contentious piece of property, mostly you didn't worry about which exact land or province you were in.  Now, however, the court was in the midst of trying to lock down all of the data about the land, including what was where and how much there was.  After all, their entire tax base was built on arable land, so they had to know where it was and what to expect.  There is no way that such a project was going to be completed in a single year. I would also note that Aston has this particular record misplaced.  He seemed to think it was on the 23rd day of the month, but it is then followed by the 17th.  It seems that Aston just got his dates wrong, and can you blame him?  There was a lot that he was dealing with. We do see, almost a year later, in the 10th month of 684, Prince Ise and others are once again sent to determine the boundaries of the provinces.  Second time's the charm, maybe?  Evidently not, because we then see another mention in the 10th month of 685, where the court gave them gifts of robes and trousers as they headed back out to the Eastern Countries one more time. In the 11th month of 684 we are given a small report of a huge disaster.  The governor of Tosa reported that a great tide had risen high, with an overflowing rush, and destroyed many of the ships used to convey tribute. Tosa is on Shikoku, facing out to the Pacific Ocean.  It is the first piece of dry land just past the continental shelf.  As such, a quake just off shore could create conditions not dissimilar to the 2011 disaster in Fukushima, and send a tsunami wave flooding the coastline.  It looks like that is what happened, which would have devastated the fleet.  Since Shikoku was an island, they relied on those ships to get taxes and tribute conveyed up to Yamato.  So this was Tosa letting the court know that the "sea ate my homework." I can't help but wonder if this tsunami wasn't related to an earthquake recorded for the month earlier, which we mentioned back in Episode 139.  It was a huge earthquake that seems to have had a tremdous impact.  Much of it was mentioned as being focused on the Toukaidou region, but that region still lies along a related fault line all the way down through Shikoku.  It may be that it took a while for the two events to be reported, and there may not have been an understanding that the event in one place could have had an impact elsewhere. I don't know if they had yet connected that earthquakes could cause tsunami or not.  On the other hand, it could be that it was a separate, but related quake, or even an aftershock, which caused the tsunami. Overall, the year 684 does not appear to have been the best.  We are told that in the lower district of Katsuraki, there was reported a chicken with four legs.  Then, in the district of Higami, in Tanba province, there was a calf born with twelve horns.  These don't sound like great omens, and given the tsunami, and the earthquake, and other such things, I can perhaps understand why the court focused on trying to do some merit-making towards the end of the year.  For instance they pardoned all criminals except those guilty of capital crimes.  And we are also told that Iga, Ise, Mino, and Wohari were notified that in future years, if they were paying commuted taxes—that is taxes other than rice, in lieu of service—that force labour would be remitted, and vice versa.   That is, if it was a year where they would pay in corvee labour, the commuted taxes would be remitted instead.  In other words, they didn't need to do both in one year.  Similarly , in the 7th lunar month of 685, we are told that the Provinces on the Tousandou, east of Mino, and the Toukaidou, east of Ise, were all exempted from sending in conscript laborers as part of their taxes. We aren't told exactly why any of this was done, but I suspect that it had something to do with either construction going on in those regions, or just needing to have people to work the fields.  Labor could always be remitted just because of something good like a good omen, but in the aftermath of a devastating earthquake, I wonder if there wasn't a lot of rebuilding that had to take place, and maybe the court just wanted to make sure those regions had the people they needed for those projects. The Tousandou and the Toukaidou were just two of the 7 official circuits around the archipelago.  In this case, the Toukaidou hugged the coastal areas, heading from Ise out to modern Tokyo.  Meanwhile, the Tousandou would have cut through the mountains in the middle of that area of Honshu, passing north of Fuji and through modern Gunma.    The other circuits were the San'youdou, the San'indou, the Nankaidou, the Hokurikudou, and Tsukushi, which was considered its own "circuit".  The San'youdou and San'indou were the Yang and Yin roads, going through the western part of Honshu. The San'youdou was along the Seto Inland Sea, while the San'indou was along the Japan sea.  The Nankaidou, or South Sea Road, was the Kii peninsula and Shikoku.  The Hokurikudou went north on eastern Honshu, through the Koshi region. Finally, Tsukushi, which would also be known as the Saikaidou, or Western Sea Road, was its own circuit In the 9th lunar month of 685 we see Commissioners or Royal Messengers appointed to six of the seven circuits, the Hokurikudou being the one left out.    The commissioners were to tour and inspect the provincial and district offices and make sure they were good.  Each person took a facility manager and a secretary to assist them.  Bentley notes that there is, in later legal codes, a role of "Inspector", who was similarly expected to tour and inspect the various provinces – but these were assigned on an as needed basis, so it wasn't a permanent position. Along with the inspection of the government offices, there was one other edict that same day in the 9th month of 685: the court ordered that male and female singers, as well as pipers/flute-players should pass down their skills to their descendants and make them practice singing and the flute.  Thus they effectively created hereditary musicians which, at the time, was how you made sure that you had the different professions and skillsets you needed to run the State. Then, in the 11th month of 685, we see a bunch of iron sent to the General Magistrate of Suwa.  How much is a bunch?  10,000 kin, which is thought to be equivalent to roughly 6.6 tons.  That is a huge amount of iron, assuming the record is true.  At the same time, the viceroy of Tsukushi requested 100 bolts of coarse silk, 132 pounds of thread, 300 bundles of cloth, 4000 feet of labor tax cloth, 6.6 tons of iron, and 2,000 sets of bamboo arrows.   And by all accounts, the court sent it all out.  No idea why—but there we go.  Presumably it was to make things—probably clothing and weapons. We see something similar in the 12th month, when the ships carrying the newest border guards out to Tsukushi were battered by bad seas and, eventually, they were left adrift in the water.  They were rescued, but lost all of their clothing, so rather than sending clothes, the court sent cloth.  450 bolts of cloth were sent, to be made into new sets of clothing for the soldiers.  Sending raw materials makes sense.  After all, there were likely artisans all over the place who just needed them.  Furthermore, that way you could customize the equipment to the people who would be using it, rather than shipping off finished goods. And with that, I think we are going to call it.  Next episode will be a similar overview, but we'll take a look at some of the laws that were passed, as well as how they dealt with law and order in the archipelago. Until then, if you like what we are doing, please tell your friends and feel free to rate us wherever you listen to podcasts.  If you feel the need to do more, and want to help us keep this going, we have information about how you can donate on Patreon or through our KoFi site, ko-fi.com/sengokudaimyo, or find the links over at our main website,  SengokuDaimyo.com/Podcast, where we will have some more discussion on topics from this episode. Also, feel free to reach out to our Sengoku Daimyo Facebook page.  You can also email us at the.sengoku.daimyo@gmail.com.  Thank you, also, to Ellen for their work editing the podcast. And that's all for now.  Thank you again, and I'll see you next episode on Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.  

this episode, Pastor John Paledino delivers a powerful sermon that explores themes of divine protection, angelic presence, and the unfolding of God's plan in the world. He opens with a heartfelt prayer for protection and guidance, emphasizing the enduring promise of God to safeguard His people. Amidst rapidly changing global events, Pastor John speaks to the role of faith and divine intervention in times of uncertainty.Throughout the sermon, Pastor Paledino shifts to discuss the significance of angels as messengers and warriors in the spiritual realm. Using references from the Bible, including the Book of Daniel and the story of Elijah, he illustrates the powerful presence and purpose of angels in carrying out God's will. Through stories of personal experiences and biblical narratives, the sermon delves into how believers can actively engage with their faith and harness the strength of angelic forces during trying times. Pastor John encourages his audience to trust in divine protection and remain steadfast in prayer as the world experiences both challenges and transformations.Key Takeaways:Divine Protection: Emphasizing the Psalmist's declaration, John assures that God is a protector, positioning angels as guardians over believers.Angelic Intervention: Angels play a crucial role in the spiritual realm, executing God's commands and assisting believers, as illustrated through various biblical stories.Faith and Authority: Believers are encouraged to exercise their faith and use the authority given to them through God's word to influence events positively.Spiritual Battles: The sermon highlights the ongoing spiritual battles in historical and present contexts, stressing the importance of continued prayer and reliance on God.God's Timing: John highlights the theme of divine timing and acceleration of events, urging believers to trust the unfolding of God's plan.Notable Quotes:"A thousand may fall at our side and 10,000 at our right hand, but it will not come near us.""Angels go forth to do the will of God and enforce his word.""We are living in times of acceleration, and we have to stay grounded in God's word.""Angels are here to help protect and bring forth the word of the living God.""God encamps his angels about you. You can go anywhere and know that God's with you."Resources:Books of the Bible Referenced:Psalms 91: Protection and safety under God's care.Amos 9: Prophetic vision and divine acceleration.Hebrews 1: Angels as ministering spirits.Genesis 18-19: Angelic visitation and the destruction of Sodom.Daniel 10: Angelic warfare in spiritual realms.Pastor John Paledino's Sermons: To explore more teachings, consider visiting the official website or the church's social media channels for more resources and live sermons.Stay engaged and spiritually enriched by exploring more episodes and teachings from Pastor John Paledino, as he continues to impart wisdom and clarity on navigating faith in the modern world.

You were never saved just to sit. You were saved to be sent.In Messengers Part 1, Pastor George Sawyer launches a powerful new series rooted in 2 Corinthians 5, revealing that believers are not spiritual consumers but Christ's ambassadors.This message unpacks the life-changing truth that God reconciled us to Himself through Christ, no longer counting our sins against us, and then entrusted us with the message and ministry of reconciliation. That means we now carry Heaven's appeal to the world: “Come back to God.”Pastor Sawyer challenges the idea of consumer Christianity and calls the church to become conduits, not containers. When we only receive and never release, we become spiritually stagnant, like the Dead Sea. But when we live as Spirit-empowered messengers, life flows through us to others.This message is a call to authority, identity, and action. You are not defined by titles. You are defined by your commission. You carry the Spirit. You represent the King.If you've been longing for deeper purpose, bold faith, and clarity about your calling, this message will ignite something fresh in you.Digital Connect Card: www.calvaryassembly.org/new Giving: https://calvarylive.churchcenter.com/giving Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/CalvaryLiveAL/ Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/CalvaryLive/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/calvary_live/ Need prayer? https://www.calvaryassembly.org/prayer Want to take your next step in faith? Https://www.calvaryassembly.org/next ===================================================== Calvary Assembly exists so that people can experience life at the highest level through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Located at 4839 Calvary Blvd., Tanner, Alabama 35671 Two miles west of I-65 & I-565 Intersection on HWY 20 Service Times: Sundays 10AM Contact us at (256) 355-7440 or email us at calvary@calvaryassembly.orgLearn more at our website: calvaryassembly.org00:00 Reading 2 Corinthians 5 and Setting the Foundation01:15 Seeing Life from a New Perspective in Christ02:21 Reconciled to God and Commissioned to Go04:07 Breaking Down the Living Translation06:44 Introducing the Messengers Series09:21 What It Means to Be Christ's Ambassador10:58 Authority Over Titles and Identity in Christ13:42 Understanding Biblical Reconciliation14:26 Paid in Full and the Finished Work of Jesus15:30 The Growth and Progression of Christianity15:54 How Relationships Shape Your Destiny16:27 From Receiving to Releasing the Gospel17:04 The Problem with Consumer Christianity20:11 The Dead Sea Warning and Spiritual Stagnation22:44 You Carry the Power of the Holy Spirit23:57 Living Out Reconciliation Daily25:36 Empowered by Acts 1:8 to Be a Witness26:43 Prayer and Commissioning to Be a Messenger

This week, we sat down with Cooee to unpack their debut album Messengers! From themeaning behind the title to the songs that almost didn’t make the cut. It’s reflective, layered,and deeply personal. Tune in to hear the full conversation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to the first author interview for the Handbook for Human Potential! In this episode, book mama Chandra Zas is interviewed by the phenomenal coach Britta Jo in a deep and expansive conversation about what it truly means to “Come Home to Your Body Wisdom.”This isn't just a repeat of the book's first chapter. It's a journey into the stories behind the wisdom, exploring how to move from a state of confusion and self-doubt to one of clarity and profound self-trust. Chandra shares her personal health journey, from a childhood filled with chronic illness to a life-changing discovery at age 15 that put her on the path of holistic healing.Join us for a conversation that covers everything from the food-mood connection and nervous system regulation to transforming your relationships through healthy boundaries and communication. If you've ever felt disconnected from your body or wished you could hear its guidance more clearly, this episode is a loving invitation to begin that journey home.In this episode, we explore:•Chandra's personal story of healing from chronic illness•The power of the food-mood connection•How to unlearn childhood conditioning that disconnects us from our bodies•Seeing emotions as wise messengers, not problems to be solved•Healthy self-soothing techniques and navigating coping mechanisms•The difference between requests and demands in relationships•What “body knowing” is and how it can cut through confusion and self-doubt•A simple, powerful practice: “If I were my own lover, what would I do?”Get your copy of the book:Handbook for Human Potential: An Accessible Guide to Personal Growthhttps://handbookforhumanpotential.com/Sign up for our book's newsletter to be in our inner circle.Connect with Chandra Zas:Website: chandrazas.comInstagram: @chandrazasConnect with Britta Jo:Website: stayorgocoaching.com#handbookforhumanpotential #bodyawareness #emotionalintelligence #holistichealth #selfsoothing #personalgrowth #traumahealing #relationships #mindfulness #nutrition #selfcare #nervoussystemregulation #foodmood #trustyourbody Timestamps:(00:00) Welcome to the Author Interview Series(01:52) Rebuilding Trust with Your Body After Disconnection(03:13) Chandra's Personal Health Journey & the Food-Mood Connection(06:05) The Story Behind Chapter Zero: “Come Home to Your Body Wisdom”(09:10) Normalizing Health Issues vs. Choosing a New Path(10:45) Unlearning Childhood Conditioning (e.g., “finish your plate”)(13:55) Learning to Listen to Your Body's Signals(18:08) How This Work Helps in Raising Empowered Children(21:15) Your Emotions Are Information: Seeing Feelings as Messengers(22:13) How to Befriend Uncomfortable Emotions(29:33) Understanding Coping Mechanisms and Healthy Self-Soothing(36:07) Expectations, Boundaries, and Your Relationships(40:00) The Power of Making Requests vs. Demands(44:24) The First Step: Starting Where You Are with Radical Self-Compassion(46:07) A Powerful Practice: “If I am my own lover, what would I do?”(48:00) The Gift of “Body Knowing”: Cutting Through Self-Doubt & Confusion(53:20) Closing Thoughts & Community Q&A---Embody your values, heal generational patterns. For the kids

A commentary and discussion on the Just for Today: Daily Meditations for Recovering Addicts. Contact Information: 919-675-1058 or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠facebook.com/groups/theanonpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Participation Form: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://forms.gle/QhcK3JRrmzQzr8ZFA

In this episode, Jesus' disciples are sent out to share the gospel and are dependent on those who offer them hospitality in the name of God!

Fasting is a protection from the punishment of Allah SWT (Baihaqi). Whoever dies whilst Fasting enters Paradise (Abu Ya'laa). Allah SWT Commands the Angels (as) who hold the Throne to leave their worship and to say "Ameen' to the supplications of those who are Fasting during Ramadhan (Baihaqi). The supplication of the Fasting person will not remain unanswered (Baihaqi). Making Wudoo before and after meals removes deprivation and is from the Sunnah of The Messengers (as) (Tabarani). The wudu here refers to the washing of hands and rinsing of the mouth. I SWT intend to punish those on earth but I SWT turn the punishment away from them because of those who attend the Masjids, those who leave each other for my sake and those who seek forgiveness at the time of Sehree (Baihaqi).

In folklore, witches had familiars...spirits that lived between worlds.Messengers.Mirrors.Helpers in the unseen.Today, the familiar glows in your hand.In this episode of Idiot Mystic, I explore AI as a modern familiar spirit...not necessarily because it's conscious, but because of how we relate to it. We confess to it. We create with it. We ask it questions we don't ask anyone else.What happens when the mirror starts shaping the mind?This is a conversation about myth, shadow, suggestion, and the ancient human instinct to not think alone.Are you using the familiar…or is it quietly using you?I've been kind of being mentally assaulted by university, but if you feel like reading some garbage it's available on www.idiotmystic.com OR on the off chance that real-time conversation is something you want, come join the Discord.https://discord.gg/dXKjhZrZmM

Tuesday, 17 February 2026   And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. Matthew 17:3   “And you behold! They appeared to them Moses and Elijah, conversing with Him” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus was transfigured. His appearance changed, becoming dazzling. With that noted, it next says, “And you behold! They appeared to them Moses and Elijah.”   Several things can be gleaned from these words. There is a way of accessing both Sheol and heaven. For example, Samuel was raised by the witch of En Dor in 1 Samuel 28. Moses died, and he was buried. Despite Jewish commentaries that contradict this, it is stated as a fact in Deuteronomy 34.   The location of his grave was unknown, maybe to avoid it becoming a place of idolatry. But more importantly, it was a typological point that when the law is dead, it is no longer to be remembered. Christ's fulfillment of it is the end of the law.   Messengers are seen to come from elsewhere to speak the word of the Lord at various times in both testaments. Unlike Moses, Elijah was taken to heaven in a whirlwind, not seeing death. And yet, he appeared on earth. Thus, the symbolism here is that Jesus has full control of access to both Sheol and heaven and to the living and the dead.   Further, Moses is given as a type of the law. Elijah is given as a type of the prophets. Their appearance with Jesus thus signifies that He is the embodiment of the law and prophets, something He stated both in Matthew 5:17 and then after the resurrection in Luke 24:44. This is also confirmed in Acts 28:23 –   “So when they had appointed him a day, many came to him at his lodging, to whom he explained and solemnly testified of the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets, from morning till evening.”   Both Moses and Elijah were referred to in the last chapter of the Old Testament –   “Remember the Law of Moses, My servant, Which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel, With the statutes and judgments. 5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. 6 And he will turn The hearts of the fathers to the children, And the hearts of the children to their fathers, Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.” Malachi 4:4-6   The people of Israel were told to remember the Law of Moses. This was not an admonition for either Israel after Jesus' coming or something the church is to adhere to. Rather, it was a word to Israel to pay heed to the coming of the Messiah, who was promised earlier in the book of Malachi, as well as throughout the Law of Moses.   Moses and the prophets spoke of His coming, and the people were to remember this and receive Him. In their failure to do so, they received the curse of the law upon their land. Of the appearance of these two, it next says they were “conversing with Him.”   A new word is used, sullaleó, to talk together, and thus to converse. This wasn't just an apparition. Rather, these two, one long dead and the other gone from Israel to heaven hundreds of years earlier, had appeared and were conversing with Jesus. Luke specifically records that the conversation was “of His decease which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.”   Jesus had told the disciples that He would suffer and die in Jerusalem. Peter rebuked Him because of this. Now, these two are confirming Jesus' words in front of Peter, James, and John.   Life application: The Bible teaches that the dead, until the coming of Christ, will go to Sheol/Hades. To understand that this is doctrinally correct, the sermon from the Superior Word entitled “Where Do Believers Go When They Die? What the Bible Says” should be referred to.   This is upsetting to some who want to believe our dearly departed will suddenly be in heaven, which is based on a misinterpretation of several verses in Scripture. But there is nothing wrong with us being in Sheol. Jesus has full access to it for the departed loved ones. His resurrection from Sheol proves He possesses this authority and power.   Paul confirms that the day is ahead when those in Christ who are in Sheol will be raised. At that time, the victory over the grave will be realized –   “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 15:53-57   Let us not be upset about how God has structured and ordained things. Rather, let us rejoice that God has done it at all. We stood on the opposing side when He sent Jesus to restore us to Him. If we get an extended nap in Sheol, we should be grateful that it will not end in an eternal swim in the Lake of Fire. Thank God for Jesus Christ.   Lord God, we confidently await Your return. If it is not before we die, we will rest easily until that day when You raise us to meet Jesus in the clouds. We are content as we anticipate that wonderful day. And Lord, may it be soon! Amen.

What if the owl staring at you from the treeline isn't just a bird? In this episode, we sit down with author and researcher Mike Clelland to explore the hauntingly consistent link between owls and the UFO experience. Moving far beyond conservative research, Mike shares how these majestic creatures manifest during highly charged moments of contact and abduction. We dive into his seminal work, The Messengers, discussing: Screen Memories & Synchronicities: Why owls appear when reality starts to bend. The Shamanic Connection: How these encounters trigger profound personal transformation and self-discovery. A Personal Odyssey: Mike's own first-hand experiences in the Rockies and the Pacific Northwest that forever changed his view of reality. Whether you're a seasoned researcher or a curious soul who has seen "too many" owls lately, this conversation will challenge everything you think you know about the visitors.

We return to North Dakota to see whether the combined power of Jesus and Kristen Stewart can steal the crown from Monster Trucks - but we also find out about strange DVD stores in Tokyo that definitely don't have footage of Will looking at tentacle porn Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Antioch Norman is a community church located in Norman, OK. We are a spiritual family with a global mission to make disciples, plant churches, and work for the peace and prosperity of our cities. As part of the Antioch Movement of Churches, we all share a passion for Jesus and His purposes in the earth.Website | https://www.antiochnorman.comInstagram | https://www.instagram.com/antiochnorman/1330 E Lindsey St Norman, OK 73071‎

Auto-generated transcript:In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Alhamdulillahi Rabbil Alameen. [PAUSE] And peace and blessings be upon the Messengers of the Prophet Muhammad and the Messenger of Allah. May Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him and his family. From now on, we started talking about the lessons from Surah… Continue reading Test of faith

Send a textAfter a catastrophic military disaster, the dead don't just rise - they come back, sit on the couch and refuse to do any housework. A group search for their missing friend, but what they find is far more terrifyingly lazy. On Episode 707 of Trick or Treat Radio our feature film discussion is We Bury the Dead from director Zak Hilditch! We also talk about the best Dick (Grayson) we've ever seen, debate the weight that expectations can place on a film, and for our coming attraction reaction we check out the trailer for the film Obsession, and a preview of the German opera Monster's Paradise! So grab your Zombie Survival Guide, make sure you don't leave any unfinished business, and strap on for the world's most dangerous podcast!Stuff we talk about: Valentines Day, Slim Jims, love is in the air, Friday the 13th, Sean Cunningham, Jason Voorhees, Scream 7, Mummy 4, The Mist, In A Violent Nature 2, Evil Dead Wrath, Chromebook Troubles, lens caps, Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed, The Sentinel, My Bloody Valentine, My Demon Lover, To Catch A Vampire, Charlie Spradling, Sphinx, House of the Dead 2, Sherlock Holmes, The Creeping Flesh, The Stepford Wives, The Beast Within, Dead Alive, The Temp, My Favorite Martian, Teen Ape, Mulva, Messengers, The Wolfman, Christina Ricci, Sleepy Hollow, Cursed, Adams Family, Darren Aronofsky, Josh Brolin, Planet Terror, The Goonies, Christine Elise, Needful Things, Michael Ironside, Total Recall, David Seltzer, The Omen, Richard Lynch, Bad Dreams, Corpses are Forever, Hillbilly Vanilli, Bad Bunny, Punishment Martinez, The Mandalorian, Gorgonzilla, Turbo Kid, RKSS, Klanchella, Milk and Serial, Obsession, Send Help, Sam Raimi, Drag Me To Hell, Iron Lung, the Black Lung game, RIP Ollie and Rio, “the best Dick I've ever seen”, Titans, Archie Bunker, We Bury the Dead, Daisy Ridley, The Battery, Dawn of the Dead, Brenton Thwaite, “Star Wars”, Captain Ron, Kurt Russell, humanity in zombie films, Cold Storage, brush fires, Benny Hill, don't put off tomorrow what you can do today, Night Patrol, Ryan Prows, The Unknown Comic, Pat Morita, Luc Besson, Dracula, Cumberland Farms, Malfunction Junction, My Bloody Scott Valentine, Happy Palentines Day, Go Fund Yourself, Oberons and Deuterons, and Han Salo or the 120 Days of Sodom.Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/trickortreatradioJoin our Discord Community: discord.trickortreatradio.comSend Email/Voicemail: mailto:podcast@trickortreatradio.comVisit our website: http://trickortreatradio.comStart your own podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=386Use our Amazon link: http://amzn.to/2CTdZzKFB Group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/trickortreatradioTwitter: http://twitter.com/TrickTreatRadioFacebook: http://facebook.com/TrickOrTreatRadioYouTube: http://youtube.com/TrickOrTreatRadioInstagram: http://instagram.com/TrickorTreatRadioSupport the show

Peter Solomon speaks to Paul Fonfara and Spencer Roth of The Brass Messengers, a Twin Cities-based brass band that blends elements of Balkan, Macedonian, Afrobeat, Free Jazz, New Orleans sounds. The group will play a Mardi-Gras show called "Dance Your Brass Off" Tuesday, February 17th at the Turf Club, presented by Jazz88.

February 10, 2026Today's Reading: 2 Corinthians 11:19-12:9Daily Lectionary: Job 6:14-30; John 3:22-4:6“He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.'” (2 Corinthians 12:9)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.What an excellent reminder of what we discussed on Monday, how our Lord plants the seeds of faith everywhere, even in places that seem unlikely. We all know Paul's past, soiled with persecution of Christians, dragging men, women, and children bound in chains to Jerusalem to be put to death for following “the Way” Acts 9:2. And yet, the seed which was planted in his heart bore fruit that day on the road to Damascus.  You would think that going from persecutor to champion of the faith would be a great lifestyle change—from turmoil to tranquil, almost. However, Paul's life, post-conversion, post-planting of the faith (though his heart was indeed a pleasant planting), was anything but a peaceful valley of blooming flowers.  The words that we read today, especially from 2 Corinthians 12, are very familiar to us. “Thorns in the flesh.” “Messengers of Satan.” He never says exactly what this struggle that plagues him is, and for good reason. The truth is, these messengers and thorns show up in all shapes, sizes, and forms. Satan surrounds us day and night to harass us and steal our focus from where it should be.  Dark secrets, addictions, hatred, jealousy, whatever it is, they all seek to distract us from the truth, turn our eyes away from God, and in turn destroy our faith. As we daily struggle with these thorns, Paul's prayer, while not specifically written down, becomes our prayer. “Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.'” (2 Corinthians 12:8-9)God's grace is sufficient. God's grace strengthens and sustains you. In His Grace, He sent His only begotten Son to be born of the Virgin Mary. So that He would, by what is seen as weakness by worldly standards (being betrayed, beaten, and crucified, and in a humiliating way), He would reveal His power and glory. And, what is more, by the death of the only begotten Son, He would destroy the messengers and thorns of Satan!  It is by our Baptism into the death and resurrection of His Son that the victory has been passed on to us. He has cast out the messengers of Satan that harass us. They have been rendered powerless against us by the work of Jesus Christ. Thanks be to God for such sufficient grace!In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.By Grace! On this I'll rest when dying; In Jesus' promise I rejoice; For though I know my heart's condition, I also know my Savior's voice. My heart is glad, all grief has flown Since I am saved by grace alone. (LSB 566:6)Rev. Timothy Chase, pastor at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Truman, MNAudio Reflections Speaker: Rev. Richard Heinz, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lowell, IN.Better understand difficult and overlooked Old Testament passages in this new book by Authors R. Reed Lessing and Andrew E. Steinmann. Their conversational yet academic writing style makes learning about the Old Testament accessible to those at all points in their Bible reading journey. Discussion questions at the end of each chapter invite you to think more in-depth about what you just read and record your answers. To stretch your understanding, a list of resources for further reading is also included at the back of the book.

This Week in Horror History (Feb 2–8) is your weekly horror movie release-date rundown—with where to watch (U.S.), a deep-cut spotlight, and a weekly recommendation built for long winter nights. This week we're talking cursed media, home-invasion dread, and the kind of slow-burn paranoia that makes you stare at your own hallway a little too long.Inside this episode✅ Quick Hits: Horror releases from Feb 2–8Feb 2, 2007 — The MessengersA glossy studio haunted-house/farm nightmare where the land doesn't want you there.Where to watch: Tubi (free w/ ads), Prime Video (subscription)Feb 3, 2017 — RingsThe modernized curse—fear spreads because people can't stop clicking.Where to watch: Prime Video (subscription) / MGM+; or rent on Apple TV, YouTube, Fandango at HomeFeb 6, 2026 — The Strangers: Chapter 3The trilogy payoff—masks, anonymity, and primal “why us?” terror.Where to watch: In theaters (check local listings)Feb 8, 2019 — The ProdigyA parent's worst nightmare: the moment you realize your child might not be only your child anymore.Where to watch: Tubi + The Roku Channel (free w/ ads); or rent/buy on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV

Auto-generated transcript: In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds. And peace and blessings be upon the honour of the Prophet and the Messengers. Muhammad and the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him and his family. And peace and… Continue reading Eyyaka Na’abudu

In our series on Angels, we have discovered that there are different categories and job descriptions given in reference to angels. Today let's look at a few things. One, they worship God, two, they bring specific instructions at times to the plans that God has for man, and three, they protect us, as the Bible says, "He will give His angels Charge over thee to keep you in all your ways." Let's talk about it.  

King Henry's first Christmas Court in the closing days of 1100 had felt…off.  The post 490 – Messengers from France first appeared on The British History Podcast.

Contact and Visit Us:www.tprdfw.comYoutube Live Stream link: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@TPRLiveStream/streams⁠1503 Nora DrivePantego, TX 76013info@tprdfw.com817-299-8305Building Night and Day Prayer in Dallas - Fort WorthDoors are Open at 3am and Close at 1am, 7 days a week

What happens when we trace the history of our forests? Not just through trees, but through people, policy, and place? In this episode, I talk with Jennifer Ott, Executive Director of HistoryLink.org, Washington's free online encyclopedia of history. Jennifer is an environmental historian, author of Olmsted in Seattle: Creating a Park System for a Modern City, and co-author of Waterway: The Story of Seattle's Locks and Ship Canal. She brings a deep knowledge of Seattle's reshaped landscapes; it's filled tidelands, leveled hills, and rechanneled rivers, and a lifelong commitment to accessible public history. We dig into HistoryLink's new Forest History Project, a wide-ranging effort to tell the story of Washington's forests through essays, oral histories, and educational curricula. Funded by the Washington Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation, the project includes over a dozen new feature essays - from Indigenous land stewardship to timber company towns, the Douglas fir to the Northwest Forest Plan - as well as 15 interviews with key figures from forestry, conservation, and tribal leadership. We talk about the relationship between ecological change and historical narrative, the legacies of environmental thinkers, and how public history can shape our understanding of climate adaptation, land stewardship, and just futures. This conversation is a reminder that forests are more than trees; they're stories, struggles, and visions of what's possible. Resources and Links Forest History Project (HistoryLink): https://historylink.org/File/23334 Learn more about Jennifer Ott's work  Olmsted in Seattle: Creating A Park System for a Modern City Seattle at 150: Stories of the City Through 150 Objects Waterway: The Story of Seattle's Locks and Ship Canal This episode features music from The Grey Room / Golden Palms. Find more at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoOTOoAbEhY-WD_XhkvJBJg Upcoming Event: Plants as Teachers I'll be giving a talk on January 28, called Plants as Teachers, Messengers and Climate Partners: Habitat Care and Adaptation in a Warming World,  hosted by Tacoma Tree Foundation. As climate change reshapes our ecosystems, ecological restorationist Michael Yadrick invites us to rethink so-called "weeds" as allies in adaptation, revealing how plants respond to stress, guide our land care decisions, and help us imagine better futures. Register here: https://tacomatreefoundation.org/calendar/plants-as-teachers Support the Podcast + Connect Treehugger Podcast is a labor of love. If you'd like to help me cover costs and keep episodes like this one flowing, you can support the show here: Venmo: @myadrickPayPal: paypal.me/myadrickCashApp: $michaelyadrickjr

In this episode of Healing Powers Podcast, Laura sits down with entrepreneur Matt Gabriel for a powerful conversation about angels, resilience, and soul alignment. Matt shares his journey from homelessness and a dark night of the soul to rebuilding his life through faith, purpose, and inner listening. Together they explore money as energy, spiritual support, entrepreneurship as a path of awakening, and how life's breakdowns can become blank slates for conscious creation. This episode invites you to trust your intuition, connect with your unseen support team, and step more fully into your higher calling.Find him on Instagram @tuszson.Laura is a Celebrity Psychic who has been featured by Buzzfeed, The Weakest Link, Beast Games, NBC, ABC, CBS, FOX, the CW, Motherboard by Vice Magazine and the #1” Ron Burgundy Podcast” with Will Ferrell. Laura Powers is a clairvoyant, psychic medium, writer, actress, producer, writer, and speaker who helps other receive guidance and communicate with loved ones. Laura travels nationally and internationally for clients, events, television appearances, and speaking engagements. She is also the author of 7 books on the psychic realm and 1 book on podcasting. Laura also works as a psychic, entertainer, and creative entrepreneur.For more information about Laura and her work, you can go to her website www.healingpowers.net or find her on X @thatlaurapowers, on Facebook at @realhealingpowers and @mllelaura, and on Instagram, TikTok and Insight Timer @laurapowers44.

In this special event episode of The Choice, Ashe in America, Ghost, Jackie Espada, and BayTheaterDave come together for a wide-ranging, reflective conversation centered on the idea of “the messengers” and the responsibility that comes with carrying information forward. The discussion unfolds as a roundtable, blending personal experiences, observations from recent events, and reflections on how narratives are shaped, challenged, and received by the public. Each host brings a distinct perspective, examining truth, perception, and the role individuals play in communicating ideas during uncertain and transitional times. The episode moves between serious reflection and candid dialogue, emphasizing discernment, accountability, and the human element behind information sharing. As the conversation progresses, the hosts underscore the importance of integrity, courage, and awareness in a landscape saturated with noise, encouraging listeners to think critically about both the message and the messenger.

Auto-generated transcript: Allah is the Greatest, the Merciful, and the All-Merciful. All praise belongs to Allah, the Lord of the worlds, and peace and blessings be upon the honour of the Prophets and Messengers. Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and upon his family and companions. My brothers and… Continue reading Purpose of knowledge – 1

The King's Messengers - Matthew 9:35-10:42

December 28, 2025 - Pastor Rocky Gregory

William Murphy, Student Minister

I. The Promises of Christmas: The Promise of the Prophets - The Promise of the Preparer - The Promise to the Parents - The Promise of the Person - The Promise of the Passover - The Manger of the Savior - 2:1-7 The Message of the Savior - 2:8-14 The Mission of the Savior - 2:15-21 The Messengers of the Savior - 2:22-38 The Meaning of the Passover - 3:38-40

The meditation featured in this episode originally took place during the IJS Daily Online Meditation Sit on December 23, 2025. To join these FREE daily meditations live, sign up here. Visit jewishspirituality.org to learn more about the Institute for Jewish Spirituality.

When a person is in need of a yeshuah, whether big or small, he must remember one simple truth: Hashem can bring it in an instant, and He has unlimited ways of doing so. Our job is not to pressure the messengers, argue with the intermediaries, or become consumed with how it will happen. Our job is to speak to the Sender. Very often, it is our spiritual hishtadlut that opens doors that once seemed firmly locked. A man related that he was part of a kollel with several learning tracks. Each track had a different style and focus. Once someone committed to a particular track, it was extremely difficult to switch before a certain amount of time passed. This individual chose a track that he soon realized was not right for him. When he discovered another track that felt perfectly suited to his abilities and learning style, he strongly wanted to transfer. He approached the person in charge, but was denied and reminded of the rules. So he continued learning every day, accepting that Hashem had placed him in this situation. He understood that the test was to continue learning Torah even when it was difficult, even when it wasn't in the style that fulfilled his heart's desire. One day, he shared his struggle with a friend. The friend asked him a simple question: "Did you pray to switch?" He realized that he hadn't. Immediately, he began to pray. In addition to mentioning it in his regular tefillot, he began saying Tehillim every day, specifically asking Hashem to help him switch tracks to the one he wanted. Some time later, several people were allowed to switch into that very track. Encouraged, he went back to the person in charge and asked again. Once more, he was denied. This time, instead of becoming frustrated or pleading with the administrator, he made a quiet decision: I'm not going to argue with messengers. I'm going to keep speaking to the One truly in charge. Not long after, one morning on his way to kollel, a man pulled up beside him and offered him a ride. During the conversation, the topic of kollel came up, and he mentioned his desire to switch tracks. When he said the name of the person in charge, the driver replied that he knew him very well and would try to help. Within a few days, the switch was approved. This man didn't waste his energy fighting the messengers. He spoke directly to the Boss, and Hashem sent him exactly the messenger he needed. Another man, an electrician, related that he sat at home for two full days with no work at all. He and his wife sat together, trying to strengthen their emunah, when he received an email from someone asking for help with hachnasat kallah. They spoke it over and decided that tzedakah would be their hishtadlut. They donated $250, in addition to the $118 they had given someone else just an hour earlier. They said that the $368 they had just given would count as the ma'aser for the parnassah that Hashem would send them. The very next day, he received several job calls and earned a total of $3,675—almost exactly the amount that would require the ma'aser they had already given the day before. Hashem can bring the right messengers in a moment. A rabbi told me that a student flew him in from Eretz Yisrael to serve as the mesader kiddushin at his wedding. When the rabbi arrived at the airport, he briefly left his belongings to use the restroom. When he returned, he noticed his hat was gone. He searched everywhere, but it had vanished. The wedding was only hours away, and the city he was in had no stores that sold hats. On the way to the wedding hall, he called a relative who lived in that city and asked what he should do. The relative told him to come to his house immediately. When he arrived, the relative handed him a brand-new hat, still in its box. It was almost identical to the one he had lost and fit him perfectly. The relative explained that seven months earlier, his son had bought a hat in New York and gone straight to the airport afterward. When he got home, he realized the wrong hat had been placed in the box. It didn't fit him, and they had no idea what to do with it. The hat sat unused in their home for months. Now, at the exact moment this rabbi needed a hat, it was waiting for him. Hashem uses His messengers at all times, in all places, often long before we even realize we'll need them. Our main hishtadlut is always with Him.

December 21, 2025

Pastor Kyle walks through Luke 2:1-20, showing how God announces the birth of Jesus in an unexpected way to ordinary, overlooked shepherds in the middle of the night. Set against the power of Caesar and the noise of a busy world, this passage reveals that God's good news doesn't arrive through strength, status, or spectacle, but through humility, grace, and divine initiative. This message invites us to slow down and reconsider what we are beholding this Christmas. In a world marked by fear, distraction, and broken peace, we are reminded that true joy flows from good news, real peace comes from giving God glory, and salvation is found not in what we do but in what Christ has done. The Savior has come not to impress the powerful, but to rescue the lost. Jesus enters our darkness with light, our fear with joy, and our striving with grace, inviting us to behold Him, believe the good news, and live transformed lives marked by worship, peace, and praise. In this message, we see: - How God uses ordinary people and unexpected moments to reveal His greatest work - Why the announcement of Jesus' birth is good news—not good advice - The difference between temporary happiness and lasting joy rooted in the gospel - How beholding Christ shapes who we are becoming - Why Jesus enters the mess of our world rather than avoiding it - How God's upside-down kingdom welcomes outsiders and the forgotten - Why glory to God and peace for humanity are inseparably connected

Pastor Spencer walks through Matthew 2:1-15, tracing the very different responses to the birth of Jesus, from worship to hostility, from joy to indifference. As the wise men search for the newborn King, King Herod responds with fear and resistance, revealing that while there are many ways to reject Jesus, there is only one way to truly receive Him. This message invites us to examine our own hearts and consider how we respond to Jesus as King. In a world marked by grief, power struggles, and uncertainty, we are reminded that God is near, His purposes are unfolding, and darkness does not get the final word. In this message, we see: - How God draws all kinds of people to Himself using all kinds of circumstances - Why many reject Jesus—not only through open hostility, like Herod, but through quiet indifference - The tension we feel when Jesus' kingship confronts our desire for control - Why Scripture is essential for truly knowing where God is leading us - What it looks like to receive Jesus by faith through joy, worshipful submission, and generosity - How the gifts of the wise men point not only to a King, but to a Savior who would suffer and die in our place - This sermon reminds us that although grief, opposition, and suffering are real, death and darkness do not have the final word. Jesus, the true and better King, entered our broken world not to take power—but to give His life, inviting us to receive Him by faith.

I opened with a simple equation: we keep adding up lights, carols, sweaters, and “holiday spirit,” but we forget the other side of Christmas—the result. Luke 2 puts it plainly: “Fear not… good news… great joy… for all people.” That's the outcome. The cause—the other side of the equation—is a person: “Unto you is born… a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” When we give our attention to the result but ignore the source, we end up with short bursts of cheer and long shadows of fear. So I asked us to look squarely at our fears—financial, relational, health, and the biggest of all, death—and to let the angel's words do their work. We live on a steady diet of bad news, and our souls weren't built to carry the world's pain. The problem isn't just smartphones; it's what we feed on. English-speaking media often monetizes anxiety, turning ordinary worries into catastrophic identities. The result is the “worried well”—exhausted, medicated, self-diagnosed, and still empty. But the gospel gives a different diet: Fear not. Good news. Great joy. For all people. Why? Because Jesus is a Savior. Not a coach. Not a content creator. A Savior. Self-salvation never answers the question “what is enough?” Our hearts are wired to demand more (the old “covenant of works”), and even our best moments come up short. Oskar Schindler saved over a thousand lives and still felt the ache: “I could have saved one more.” That ache is exactly why we need Jesus. He saves us from sin and the sentence of death; He delivers what our discipline can't. And when death loses its power, fear loses its grip. John Harper on the Titanic shows that—he gave away his life jacket because he had a better Life already secured. Joy, then, isn't pretend happiness or a grin glued on hard days. Joy is a byproduct of being with Jesus and seeing His kingdom break in—sick healed, captives freed, good news landing on the “wrong” people. Walk with Him, practice gratitude, keep reading Luke, and joy will surprise you. And this gift is for all people. Scripture is full of flawed names—murderers, liars, runners, doubters—turned into sons and daughters. No one is “too bad” for Jesus; the only people He can't help are the ones who don't think they need saving. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.

Pastor Kyle walks through Matthew 1:18-25, looking at the moment the angel appears to Joseph in a dream. In the middle of fear, confusion, and what felt like betrayal, God meets Joseph with reassurance, direction, and a deeper purpose than he could see. This message invites us to consider how God often works through unexpected circumstances—not just for us, but in us and with us—forming our character, shaping our faith, and reminding us that He is near. In this message, we see: - Why suffering and confusion often tempt us to isolate—and why God designed us to walk through them in community - How Joseph chose character over reputation, trusting God even when the cost was personal and public - The angel's words, “Do not fear,” and what they reveal about trusting God with an uncertain future - The meaning behind the two names given to Jesus: Jesus — “The Lord saves,” reminding us we cannot rescue ourselves. Immanuel — “God with us,” pointing to the miracle of the Incarnation - How Joseph's simple, obedient response shows us what surrender looks like when life doesn't go as planned - This sermon reminds us that God is not distant from our pain or confusion. He steps into it—present, purposeful, and faithful to keep His promises.

If overwhelm has become your constant companion - the thing you wake up with, carry through your day, and fall asleep thinking about - your well-being is trying to tell you something. In this episode, we're unpacking why happiness can feel so far away when stress keeps running the show, and how you can manage what's on your plate without sacrificing yourself in the process. If you're longing to feel happier, love yourself more deeply, and finally declutter the parts of your life that feel too heavy, you are absolutely in the right place! My guest, author and Afro-minimalist Christine Platt (Less Is Liberation: Finding Freedom From a Life of Overwhelm), shares how her “normal” busy life quietly turned into a health crisis, and how she began seeing overwhelm as her body's way of saying, Hey, one of your wells is empty. We talk about the five foundations of wellness (your “personal wells”), the emotional labor and mental load so many women carry, and how learning to declutter your stuff, your schedule, and your beliefs can help you manage stress more wisely and reconnect with a sense of happiness in your daily life. We also get into the messy real-world pieces: overwhelm by circumstance (divorce, money, kids, career), people-pleasing, the guilt around saying no, and why so many of us overbuy and hang onto clutter “just in case.” As you listen, notice: Which of your wells has been running low? What are you still trying to prove by doing so much? And what would “less” need to look like for your life to feel more like your life again? Episode Breakdown: 00:00 Constant Overwhelm and Stress: What Your Body Is Trying to Tell You 03:03 Chronic Overwhelm and Hypertension: When Stress Becomes a Health Crisis 05:51 Five Foundations of Wellness: The “Personal Wells” Framework 09:45 Emotional Labor and Mental Load: Why Women Feel So Overwhelmed 12:30 Minimalism as Liberation: Living With Less to Reduce Overwhelm 16:06 Time Scarcity and Productivity: Limiting Beliefs That Keep You Overwhelmed 18:29 Messengers and Limiting Beliefs: Redefining “Selfish” Self-Care 25:32 Overwhelmed by Circumstance: Divorce, Scarcity, and Minimalism by Necessity 32:26 Psychology of Ownership: Why We Overbuy, Hoard, and Accumulate Clutter 42:51 Inner Work Before Decluttering: Healing People-Pleasing and Attachment to Stuff 48:47 Filling Your Wells: Daily Practices for Sustainable Wellness and Well-Being If you're living in that constant state of overwhelm, please know you don't have to sort this out on your own. At Growing Self, you can talk with someone about what's really happening - the stress, the burnout, the clutter on the outside and the inside - and get matched with a therapist or coach who truly understands what you're carrying. Schedule a consultation today! You deserve a life that feels lighter and more intentional, where you can manage stress wisely, feel happier in your day-to-day reality, and genuinely love yourself in how you care for your time, your space, and your emotional well-being.

Pastor Kyle preaches from Luke 1:26–49, examining the first messengers of Christmas and the angel Gabriel's announcement to Mary. This message highlights her fear, doubt, faith, and surrender—and the profound reality that Christmas begins with God coming to us. In this sermon, you'll learn: God is a sending God. Christmas starts with God—He initiates creation, revelation, and salvation. The gospel is about God coming to us because we cannot go to Him. God comes to unexpected places. Jesus enters the world through Nazareth, a small, overlooked town, reminding us that God identifies with the poor, the least, and the last. God speaks to ordinary people. The first recipients of the Christmas message were two teenagers, Mary and Joseph—showing that Christianity is for every generation. Mary becomes the first Christian and a godly model for women. Mary's unique role in redemptive history. As the mother of God, she displays God's humility in becoming a helpless baby. Her virginity underscores the miraculous and divine nature of Christ's birth. God's favor confronts our fear. Mary was “greatly troubled,” but Gabriel's words—“Do not be afraid… you have found favor with God”—reveal that God's grace is the antidote to fear. Faith grows through community and surrender. Mary brings her doubts (“How will this be?”) to God, finds encouragement with Elizabeth, and ultimately responds with surrender: “Let it be to me according to your word.”