In times like these, we all need a word of encouragement. From pastor and best-selling author Max

Lukato comes the Max Lucato encouraging Word podcast with over 40 years of ministry and more than

145 million books sold in 50 languages. Max shares the greatest story ever told, the living

savior who brings hope for a lifetime through rich, biblical insight, heartfelt storytelling.

You'll be reminded that God is always near, always for you, and always in you.

Listen to the Max Lucato encouraging Word podcast, where hope meets your day.

Subscribe now wherever you get your podcast. Thank you for checking out this little teaser of the history of the papacy and church.

Here's a little taste of what's coming up soon on the History of the Papacy podcast.

In the 500s BC, the Persian Empire from the east rolled over the Neo-Babolonian Empire.

The Persian king Cyrus the Great gave the areas he conquered a fair bit of latitude on how they ran

themselves.

If a locality ran smoothly, the Persians were quite light-handed in their rule.

You pay your taxes, you don't be a pain in the neck,

and you can keep your language, religion, culture,

and much of your governmental administration.

We'll see that that became somewhat of an overall trend

that would add and flow in this particular area.

The Persians ran this show in this area for a few centuries until the rise of the Greek

Macedonians under Alexander the Great.

And that really gets in that way the Persians ran their empire. You pay the taxes.

And what the Greeks would say has bend the knee to them. Basically say that the Persian

empire had suzerainty over you, you got along pretty well.

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