angels on assignment church

Angels on Assignment

by Koleman Parsley | Dec 1, 2019 | Angels & Demons

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Sermon description.

In this message, Pastor John Lindell shares an encouraging sermon titled, "Angels on Assignment." Join us as we study God's Word and learn awe-inspiring truth about who angels are and how God uses them to impact our lives. Our prayer is that this message would remind you of the reality of the supernatural realm and God's desire to strengthen and encourage you!

Scripture Reference

Sermon notes.

Colossians 2:18-19 NIV Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize. Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen, and his unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions. He has lost connection with the Head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow.

1st Angels worship God

Revelation 5:11 NLT Then I looked again, and I heard the voices of thousands and millions of angels around the throne and of the living beings and the elders .

Revelation 4:6-11 NLT In the center and around the throne were four living beings , each covered with eyes, front and back. The first of these living beings was like a lion; the second was like an ox; the third had a human face; and the fourth was like an eagle in flight. Each of these living beings had six wings, and their wings were covered all over with eyes, inside and out. Day after day and night after night they keep on saying, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty— the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come." Whenever the living beings give glory and honor and thanks to the one sitting on the throne (the one who lives forever and ever), the twenty-four elders fall down and worship the one sitting on the throne (the one who lives forever and ever). And they lay their crowns before the throne and say, "You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For you created all things, and they exist because you created what you pleased."

Revelation 5:11-14 NLT Then I looked again, and I heard the voices of thousands and millions of angels around the throne and of the living beings and the elders . And they sang in a mighty chorus: "Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered— to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing." And then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea. They sang: "Blessing and honor and glory and power belong to the one sitting on the throne and to the Lamb forever and ever." And the four living beings said, "Amen!" And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped the Lamb.

2nd Angels are warriors

Psalm 103:20-21 NLT Praise the Lord, you angels, you mighty ones who carry out his plans, listening for each of his commands. Yes, praise the Lord, you armies of angels who serve him and do his will!

Revelation 12:7 NLT Then there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and his angels.

Daniel 12:1 NLT "At that time Michael, the archangel who stands guard over your nation , will arise.

Daniel 10:13-14 MSG But I was waylaid by the angel-prince of the kingdom of Persia and was delayed for a good three weeks. But then Michael, one of the chief angel-princes, intervened to help me. I left him there with the prince of the kingdom of Persia.

Daniel 10:20 MSG "He said, 'Do you know why I've come here to you? I now have to go back to fight against the angel-prince of Persia , and when I get him out of the way, the angel-prince of Greece will arrive.

Judges 5:20 ESV From heaven the stars fought , from their courses they fought against Sisera.

3rd Angels protect us

Psalm 91:11-12a NLT For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go. They will hold you up with their hands...

2 Kings 6:15-17 NLT When the servant of the man of God got up early the next morning and went outside, there were troops, horses, and chariots everywhere. "Oh, sir, what will we do now?" the young man cried to Elisha. "Don't be afraid!" Elisha told him. "For there are more on our side than on theirs!" Then Elisha prayed, "O Lord, open his eyes and let him see!" The Lord opened the young man's eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire.

Matthew 18:10 NIV "See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.

4th Angels observe us

1 Peter 1:12 NIV It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.

Ephesians 3:10 NIV His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms,

Daniel 10:11a NIV He said, "Daniel, you who are highly esteemed ...

Daniel 4:13 ESV “I saw in the visions of my head as I lay in bed, and behold, a watcher, a holy one, came down from heaven.

Daniel 4:17a ESV The sentence is by the decree of the watchers…

Daniel 4:23a ESV And because the king saw a watcher,

1 Corinthians 4:9 NLT Instead, I sometimes think God has put us apostles on display, like prisoners of war at the end of a victor's parade, condemned to die. We have become a spectacle to the entire world—to people and angels alike.

1 Corinthians 11:10a NLT For this reason, and because the angels are watching ...

5th Angels give us directions from God

Acts 5:19-21 NLT But an angel of the Lord came at night , opened the gates of the jail, and brought them out. Then he told them, "Go to the Temple and give the people this message of life!" So at daybreak the apostles entered the Temple, as they were told, and immediately began teaching...

Acts 8:26 NLT As for Philip, an angel of the Lord said to him , "Go south down the desert road that runs from Jerusalem to Gaza."

6th Angels deliver God’s people

Acts 12:5-9 NLT But while Peter was in prison, the church prayed very earnestly for him. The night before Peter was to be placed on trial, he was asleep, fastened with two chains between two soldiers. Others stood guard at the prison gate. Suddenly, there was a bright light in the cell, and an angel of the Lord stood before Peter. The angel struck him on the side to awaken him and said, "Quick! Get up!" And the chains fell off his wrists. Then the angel told him, "Get dressed and put on your sandals." And he did. "Now put on your coat and follow me," the angel ordered. So Peter left the cell, following the angel .

7th Angels take us to heaven when we die

Luke 16:22-23 NIV "The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side . The rich man also died and was buried. In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.

Matthew 24:31 NIV And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.

Jude 9 NIV But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not dare to bring a slanderous accusation against him, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!"

8th Angels are agents of divine judgement

Acts 12:21-23 NIV On the appointed day Herod, wearing his royal robes, sat on his throne and delivered a public address to the people. They shouted, "This is the voice of a god, not of a man." Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down , and he was eaten by worms and died.

Matthew 13:49-50 NIV This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace , where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Revelation 16:8 ESV The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to scorch people with fire.

9th Angels bring messages from God

Daniel 8:15-16 NLT As I, Daniel, was trying to understand the meaning of this vision, someone who looked like a man stood in front of me. And I heard a human voice calling out from the Ulai River, "Gabriel, tell this man the meaning of his vision."

Acts 27:23-25 NIV Last night an angel of the God whose I am and whom I serve stood beside me and said , 'Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.' So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me.

10th Angels strengthen us

Luke 22:43 NIV An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him.

Daniel 10:17-18 NIV How can I, your servant, talk with you, my lord? My strength is gone and I can hardly breathe." Again the one who looked like a man touched me and gave me strength.

11th Angels appear to us without us knowing it

Hebrews 13:2 NLT Don't forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!

Hebrews 2:14 NLT Therefore, angels are only servants—spirits sent to care for people who will inherit salvation.

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Angels on Assignment

Angels on Assignment began in 1991 with a vision to help those in our community who were struggling to survive in tough economic times. The ministry continues because the need continues. Angels on Assignment is an all volunteer organization with volunteers from multiple area churches and the community.  Angels on Assignment is the signature ministry of the First United Methodist Church of Mount Vernon, Illinois, providing assistance for basic family needs — including rent, food, & utilities — for Jefferson County residents.

Information

1201 Broadway Street Mount Vernon, IL 62864

(618) 242-1108

In Psalm 91 we read about how God dispatches angels on our behalf – to protect us and guard us from harm. Much has been written and discussed about angels over the centuries. People have a fascination with them. We have even named cakes and baseball teams after them! But exactly who are angels? What are their duties? They are mentioned more than 300 times in the Bible and they present sometimes as warriors and sometimes as ordinary people. Join Pastor Gary for today’s study entitled, “Angels on Assignment.”

Your favorite preaching resources have a brand-new look. Faithlife Sermons and Faithlife Media are now Logos Sermons.

Angels on Assignment (Part 2)

The Bible includes hundreds of examples of how God uses angels to carry out His will. God has a whole host of angels that He can dispatch instantly to minister to us in our time of need. They are Angels on Assignment. In fact, God has angels right now that are on assignment to (1) speak to us, (2) minister to us, (3) deliver us, and (4) protect us.

INTRODUCTION

FIRST UNITED

Methodist church, angels on assignment, phone: (618) 242-1108, email: [email protected], 1201 broadway, mount vernon, il 62864, our services.

Have questions or want to talk to us?

Call 618-242-1108 and leave a message, and someone will call you back or you can e-mail us at [email protected]

Food Pantry

9:00-11:00 am

To receive food you must be a Jefferson County resident. You will have to sign in, give an address, and the number of people in your family. There are income guidelines posted so the client may verify their income before signing in for free food. A client may obtain food once every 4 weeks. Food sources include USDA, Midwest Foodbank, churches, food drives, and community contributions.

Thrift Store

12:00 pm - 5:00 pm

9:00 am - 12:00 pm

Want to come in?

The thrift shop, which is open to the public, receives donations of clothing, household items, and furniture that are resold to the public to help as many people as possible.

Every dollar made in the thrift shop goes back into our food pantry and financial assistance program to continue helping our community. Clients in need may request clothing vouchers and then are give some items free. Bag days are generally the last Friday of the month and anyone can come in and fill a bag full of clothing for a low price.

Looking to donate?

Thrift shop donations are important; they are sold and provide the funds for the Financial Assistance Programs and Food Pantry.  You can save our volunteers some time by remembering this about your donations:  All donations should be clean/gently used–if you are not wearing it/using it because of tears/stains/worn/broken then we will not be selling it either! Household items should be in clean/good condition and if small appliances–working.  Drop-offs may be made on Wednesday mornings, Thursdays, Friday mornings, and the first Saturday morning of each month.  Call 618-242-1108 for pick-up for larger items.

Angels on Assignment Donation Guidelines

 Angels Thrift Shop happily accepts the following new or gently used items:

Clothing (Men’s, Women’s, Teen, Children’s, Baby)

Scarves, jewelry, belts

Coats, hats, gloves, mittens

Games, toys

Housewares: dishes, glassware, serve ware, pots and pans, silverware, kitchen utensils, small appliances

Lamps, small rugs

Craft goods: knitting yarn, knitting needles, crochet thread, needles, needlework kits

Books, records, DVDs

Paper goods: cards, stationery, wrapping paper, gift bags,

Collectibles, antiques, knick-knacks, and other giftware

Domestics: linens, curtains blankets, comforters, tablecloths, draperies, etc

Luggage, backpacks

Home health items: shower seats, wheelchairs, canes, etc.

All items should be clean, useable, and free of dirt, stains, tears, in working order, etc.

Financial Aid

By  Appointment

To receive financial assistance from Angels on Assignment a person must be a Jefferson County resident for at least 6 months. Please call 618-242-1108 to make an appointment for an interview. When a client comes for that appointment they must provide information including their driver’s license, Social Security card, landlord’s information, utility, and other bills and income, if applicable. Financial help is available once every 6 months.

The Mission of Angels on Assignment is to honor God by serving those in need with care and dignity.

Angels on Assignment began in 1991 with a vision to help those in our community who were struggling to survive in tough economic times. The ministry continues because the need continues.

Angels on Assignment is an all volunteer organization with volunteers from multiple area churches and the community.  

Angels on Assignment is the signature ministry of the First United Methodist Church of Mount Vernon, Illinois, providing assistance for basic family needs — including rent, food, & utilities — for Jefferson County residents.

Entertaining Angels: Angels on Assignment

by Marilynn Chadwick

Have you ever wondered whether you’ve had an encounter with an angel? If so, you’re not alone. Over 80% of Americans believe in angels and over half feel sure they’ve been helped by an angel—even those who claim to be non-religious!  

But how are we as Christians to understand these supernatural beings? With all the misguided fascination with angels, it’s important for us to rely only on Scripture for our understanding of these mysterious beings.

The Bible describes angels as “ministering spirits” sent to serve “those who will inherit salvation” (Hebrews 1:14, NIV). If we have trusted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, God has assigned angels to carry out his will and minister to us. They’re always available to do God’s bidding, whether guiding, encouraging, and even protecting those of us “lined up to receive salvation” (Heb. 1:14 MSG). 

In the Bible, angels delivered important messages from God, helped his people fight enemies, and announced the birth of Jesus. The word for “angel” in the original Bible languages—Hebrew and Greek—simply means “messenger.”  

Sometimes these spiritual messengers take the form of humans, like the three angelic visitors who appeared to Abraham and Sara with a special message (Genesis 18:1-21). 

Other times they appear in full glory, like with Elisha, his servant, and the mighty angel army. These heavenly warriors far outnumbered the approaching enemy! You must read it to believe it (2 Kings 6:15-17)! 

Then in Revelation, the angel revealed the glorious message to the disciple John, who was so overcome by the awesome creature he fell face down at his feet. “Don’t worship me!” the angel told John. “Don’t worship me. I am a servant like you… Worship God!” (Revelation 22:9 ERV). 

Angels often do their work in secret because they want to draw attention only to the Lord. God, not the angels, is always the star of the show. But the Bible clearly reveals how God uses angels to carry out his purposes on earth. 

It’s possible that somewhere along the way, angels have ministered to us. Perhaps we experienced something unusual or unexplainable. Often in looking back, we may wonder whether we were assisted by an angel. 

This week, I’ll share several experiences that have caused me to reflect on this possibility of entertaining angels. If you follow Jesus, I imagine you, too, have stories of your own. If Hebrews 1:14 is true, then angels have been sent by God to minister to us—and most of the time, we were completely unaware of their presence!

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T he Angels designated veteran reliever Amir Garrett for assignment before Wednesday’s game with the Cardinals. Righty Davis Daniel has been recalled from Triple-A Salt Lake to take the vacated active roster spot. The move drops their 40-man roster count to 39.

Garrett pitched in six games for the Halos after they selected his contract in late April. The hard-throwing southpaw tallied 5 1/3 innings. He punched out 11 behind a huge 14.4% swinging strike rate but also walked five of the 24 hitters he faced. Garrett surrendered three runs on four hits, including a homer.

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Chuck swindoll, a strong angel, a strange assignment, part 3.

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Chicago White Sox' Castoff Now Making History For Los Angeles Angels

Brady farkas | may 14, 2024.

• Los Angeles Angels
• Chicago White Sox

After being designated for assignment by the Chicago White Sox earlier this season, veteran outfielder Kevin Pillar is now making history for the Los Angeles Angels.

Per Matt Birch of the Angels' media team:

With his 8th inning RBI single, Pillar has tied Joe Rudi for the most RBI (12) through his first eight games with the #Angels

With his 8th inning RBI single, Pillar has tied Joe Rudi for the most RBI (12) through his first eight games with the #Angels . https://t.co/vP9J876BGl — Matt Birch (@MattBirch12) May 14, 2024

Pillar went 2-for-4 with a homer and three RBI on Monday in the Angels 10-5 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals. He's now hitting .280 on the season, even after hitting .160 with the White Sox in 17 games. He's now hitting .400 through the eight games with the Halos.

Given that the Angels have dealt with so many injuries, including to Mike Trout, Pillar should have an opportunity to play every day for a while. If he continues to play well, he could even find himself as a trade candidate later this summer.

Over the 12 years in his career, Pillar has played with the Toronto Blue Jays, San Francisco Giants, Boston Red Sox, Colorado Rockies, New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta Braves, White Sox and Angels. He is most notable for his seven-year tenure with the Jays in which he was one of the top defensive outfielders in the league. He started 140 games or more in four consecutive years for Toronto and was part of two ALCS teams North of the Border (2015-2016).

Lifetime, Pillar is a .258 hitter with 110 homers. He's also close to multiple career milestones as he is just seven hits shy of 1,000 and one stolen bases shy of 100.

He had a career-high 21 homers back in 2019. He also had 88 RBI that year and received MVP votes.

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BRADY FARKAS

Brady Farkas is a baseball writer for Fastball on Sports Illustrated/FanNation and the host of 'The Payoff Pitch' podcast which can be found on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Videos on baseball also posted to YouTube. Brady has spent nearly a decade in sports talk radio and is a graduate of Oswego State University. You can follow him on Twitter @WDEVRadioBrady. 

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MLB trends: Three reasons why Jo Adell may be breaking out, and two ways Angels outfielder still needs work

Adell has put it together in 2024 for the first time in his major-league career.

There's no sugarcoating it: 2024 has been disastrous for the Los Angeles Angels . They opened the season with four wins in six games. Since then they are 11-26, and they've lost 19 of their last 25 games. Mike Trout is out for the foreseeable future , recent first round picks Zach Neto and Nolan Schanuel haven't impressed, and the roster is heavy on journeymen. Nothing resembling a plan is in place.

"Things are OK. It's not great," a hopelessly optimistic and possibly delusional Matt Moore said after allowing four runs and getting one out Monday ( via MLB.com ). "But it's early, and as a group I feel like we're starting to click a little bit. Hopefully we can get a nice roll going and get on a little streak."

As bad as the season has been to date, there are some positives for the Angels. Logan O'Hoppe looks like a building block behind the plate. Reliever-turned-starter José Soriano has been impressive. Veteran lefty Tyler Anderson  is having a nice bounceback year and may be pitching his way into trade value. Squint your eyes and there are some good things happening in Anaheim.

There's also Jo Adell , the erstwhile tippy top prospect who gave off serious Quad-A vibes prior to 2024. Adell was a consensus top-10 prospect in the game from 2019-20, though his various big-league stints did not go well the last few years.

Adell ran out of minor-league options this year, meaning the Angels would have to put him on waivers to send him back to Triple-A, and obviously they don't want to risk losing him for nothing. Besides, it doesn't seem like there's anything left for Adell to learn in Triple-A. He's done all he needs to do at that level. He needs to face MLB competition to continue his development.

"He's a different guy right now," manager Ron Washington said about Adell in spring training ( via MLB.com ). "And because he's going through this process, once the season starts, I think we might have the Jo Adell everybody wanted because now he has to be engaged ... He's feeling good about himself. He's working hard every day. So let's just wait and see where it goes."

Still only 25, Adell has been the Angels' best non-Trout hitter in 2024, slashing .248/.304/.505 with seven home runs in 113 plate appearances. He platooned with Aaron Hicks and Mickey Moniak  early on, but Hicks got released on May 1 and Moniak hasn't hit. Adell has taken over as the everyday right fielder and he's run with the opportunity.

Is this for real? Is Adell finally realizing the immense potential he showed as a prospect? Or is it an early-season mirage that will fade during the summer? Let's dig into Adell and see what about his game has stood out, and what should give you pause. 

Reasons to believe

1. He's improved his contact ability

This was Adell's single biggest issue prior to 2024. As well as he performed in Triple-A, Adell could not consistently get the bat on the ball against big-league pitching. His contact rates were among the worst in the game. Step 1 in becoming a productive player was always going to be making more contact, and Adell is doing that early in 2024.

To be clear, Adell has not turned into Luis Arraez . His contact rates have gone from ghastly to merely a bit below average. In his case, a bit below average represents a massive improvement. The man used to miss with 35.1% of his swings against fastballs! That is pretty much unplayable. If you can't get the bat on a fastball, you're going to have a hard time in this league.

"It's just being ready for my pitch in my location, and I think that ends up kind of shortening the swing just on a mindset," Adell told the Orange Country Register about his improved contact rates last week . "I'm definitely shorter to the ball and getting those pitches a little bit better. I'm definitely more so in the mindset of what I'm looking for and then being ready to get the barrel there."

One thing Adell has never lacked is power. His top end exit velocities were always very strong. Those improved contact rates do not come with a decline in exit velocity. If anything, Adell is hitting the ball even harder this season than in the past. Oftentimes hitters with sacrifice power to get a little more contact. Adell hasn't. He hitting the ball harder and more often.

2. His swing decisions are better

This goes hand in hand with the improved contact rates. Adell is getting the bat on the ball more frequently in part because he is swinging at better pitches. He's no longer chasing out of the zone excessively. He has not become passive -- Adell is still swinging at pitches in the zone at the same rate -- but he's not swinging at pitchers' pitches as much.

Adell's cut down on his chases while maintaining his aggressiveness within the zone and. Again, this is a case where he's gone from terrible to merely below average. His chase rate, both overall and against breaking balls, is higher than the league average. They are down considerably from 2020-23, however, so below average represents progress.

"I've kind of found out what's worked for me and getting those pitches to drive," Adell told the Orange County Register . "And I've done a good job of not missing those mistakes."

SEAGER is a great swing-decision metric cooked up by Rob Orr at Baseball Prospectus . It goes beyond chase rate vs. in-zone swing rate. It quantifies a hitter's aggressiveness against hittable pitches -- not every pitch in the zone is hittable! -- and also his ability to lay off anything the can't drive. (It's named after Corey Seager because he's the master at swinging at the right pitch.)

From 2020-23, Adell's SEAGER put him alongside late career Yuli Gurriel and fringe big leaguers like Bobby Dalbec and Pablo Reyes . His swing decisions were awful. This year though, Adell's SEAGER is among the best in the game. He's in the same range as Aaron Judge , Shohei Ohtani , Kyle Tucker , and several other of the game's top hitters. That's good company.

"I think it all goes back to my decisions in the box and what I'm choosing to swing at," Adell told MLB.com this past weekend . "In early May, I didn't do the best job of getting pitches that I can handle. And we went back and looked at that and refocused on getting those pitches to handle early in the count, and being ready to swing and being on the attack."

3. He's using the entire field

During the infield shift days, pulling the ball had something of a stigma attached to it, and I feel like that still lingers to some extent. Regardless, pulling the ball is the best way to generate power, and now pulled grounders and line drives don't get eaten up by the shift as often. Adell, prior to 2024, pulled the ball plenty. In 2024, he's spraying the ball all around.

Already this season, Adell has two opposite field home runs, equaling his season high from 2020-23. He is almost 20% of the way to his opposite field hits total from 2020-23. Adell still pulls the ball when the opportunity presents itself, otherwise he is using the rest of the field more often, and that's opened things up for him a bit. The big part of the field is available to him now.

"I think before this year, he was all pull. We challenged him in =spring training to use the right side of the field,"  Washington told the Orange County Register last month . "Hit some balls between first and second. Hit some balls in the right-center field alley, and he's taken to it. It's sort of opened up his offensive game. He's not just one dimensional. The results are starting to pay off."

Reasons to be skeptical

1. He still has a hole up and away

Two things are true. One, Adell has significantly improved his contact rates this season, even if they are still worse than the league average. And two, Adell has a giant hole up and on the outer half of the plate. The contact he's making is coming in one specific part of the strike zone. The 2024 heat maps are telling:

Up and away has been a career-long issue for Adell. He offers at pitches in that zone frequently but doesn't get the bat on the ball all that consistently. Anything middle-in, forget it. Adell will put a charge into it. Pitch him up and away though, and you'll get a swing and miss, especially with velocity. The pitch locations of Adell's seven home runs tell the story:

Make a mistake down and in, and you're going to pay. That is Adell's nitro zone. He has a giant -- and exploitable -- hole up and away though, and this league is unforgiving. Pretty soon opponents will shove up and away pitches down Adell's throat until he shows he can hit them, or at least be competitive and foul them away. 

2. He's doing most of his damage against lefties

Adell has done the majority of his damage against left-handed pitchers this season. He's a right-handed hitter, so he's supposed to mash lefties, but his platoon split is extreme:

Adell hasn't been bad against righties. It's a power-heavy league average OPS, more or less. Being average against same-side pitchers and bludgeoning opposite-side pitchers is a path to playing a real long time in this game. It is not unreasonable to think Adell's numbers against lefties will come back to Earth at some point though. Will he pick it up against righties to compensate?

All told, the good outweighs the bad with Adell. The hole up and away still exists and I'd like to see him do more damage against righties, but the contact rate and swing-decision improvements are very encouraging. Those were Adell's single biggest issues prior to his year and he looks to be making good progress there. Using the entire field is an added bonus. It wasn't imperative, but it can only help.

This is probably a make or break year for Adell, at least with the Angels. If he fails to establish himself this season, with the Angels being so bad and having so much outfield playing time available, it's hard to see how they stick with him in 2025. And so far, so good. Adell's improving the things he needs to improve. There are still holes in game, though not as many as there once were.

"For me, it's just getting there and looking for a pitch to hit and not looking to do too much. Just simplifying what I'm trying to do," Adell told the Orange County Register last month . "If they make a mistake, I'll be able to put one in the seats, but that's not the primary goal. I think that's shrunk the zone for me, and I've made better decisions. It's been more consistent, so I'm going to stay the course with that."

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Angels On Assignment (Ch. 13, pages 173-185)

This is a day of renewed spiritual activity! Strange things are happening! People are being awakened! Enemies of Christ are leaving the enemy camp and are moving over to God's side. New voices are being heard proclaiming the Good News. What we are seeing is evidence that an army from heaven is on the move!

I have heard many testimonies of people who were completely away from God; friends have talked to them, members of the family have talked to them, and others have prayed for them, but they stubbornly resisted God. They would appear to be the least likely ones to come to Jesus, but in God's great plan and purpose he sent word through a divine emissary which turned them around. It's happening in the sports world, the business world, the entertainment world, and the political world! People are turning to God and finding him real. The angelic hosts of heaven are on the move!

The whole study of angels is beautiful! The thirteenth chapter of Judges points out an exciting truth about them. "And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord; and the Lord delivered them into the hands of the Philistines forty years. And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren, and bare not."

In God's plan book, he had destined these forty years, but during this time, he prepared a family through which he could bring deliverance to the people.

"And the angel of the Lord appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, Behold now, you are barren, and bare not; but you will conceive, and bear a son. Now therefore beware, I pray you, and drink not wine or strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing; For, lo you will conceive, and bear a son; and no razor will come on his head; for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb; and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines. Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, A man of God came to me, and his countenance was like the countenance of an angel of God, very terrible; but I asked him not whence he was, neither told he me his name; But he said to me, Behold, you will conceive, and bear a son; and now drink no wine or strong drink, neither eat any unclean thing; for the child will be a Nazarite to God from the womb to the day of his death. Then Manoah entreated the Lord, and said, O my Lord, let the man of God which you did send come again to us, and teach us what we should do unto the child that will be born. And God hearkened to the voice of Manoah; and the angel of God came again to the woman as she sat in the field; but Manoah her husband was not with her. And the woman made haste, and ran, and showed her husband, and said to him, Behold, the man has appeared unto me, that came to me the other day. And Manoah arose, and went after his wife, and came to the man, and said to him, Are you the man that spoke unto the woman? And he said, I am. And Manoah said, Now let your words come to pass. How will we order the child, and how will we do to him? And the angel of the Lord said unto Manoah, Of all that I said to the woman let her beware. She may not eat of any thing that comes of the vine, neither let her drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing; all that I commanded her let her observe. And Manoah said to the angel of the Lord, I pray you, let us detain you, until we will made ready a kid for you. And the angel of the Lord said to Manoah, Though you detain me, I will not eat of your bread; and if you will offer a burnt offering, you must offer it to the Lord. For Manoah knew not that he was an angel of the Lord. And Manoah said to the angel of the Lord, What is your name, that when your sayings come to pass we may do you honor? And the angel of the Lord said to him, Why do you ask my name, seeing it is a secret? So Manoah took a kid with a meat offering, and offered it upon a rock unto the Lord; and the angel did wondrously; and Manoah and his wife looked on. For it came to pass, when the flame went up toward heaven from off the altar, that the angel of the Lord ascended in the flame of the altar. And Manoah and his wife looked on it, and fell on their faces to the ground" (Judges 13:1-20).

This is a beautiful story with truths which are up-to-date and pertinent for us today. God saw to it that the message brought by the angel came to pass.

Angels can take on the appearance of a person, but their image is not necessary for their presence to be there. In this story, the angel appeared so that he could be seen with the natural eyes.

The Bible tells us that the angels are God's messengers and they do his bidding. He gives the signals and calls out the orders to them. For this reason, when Manoah prayed, he said, "God, send the angel." This lesson plainly shows that we are not to pray to angels, nor can we command them to do anything! It also shows that the angel stayed quite some time with them and carried on conversation, even teaching them.

Angels are never to be worshiped. They are so ordained and created that there is no place in their entire being for praise or honor. They are called the hosts of the Lord, and their purpose is to serve the eternal God.

There are many beautiful passages throughout the Bible which relate stories of angels. Because Chrioni had been a part of many of these events, he told me some of these stories, and it made them come alive!

In Joshua 5:13,14, the children of Israel had just crossed over the Jordan and were ready to invade the promised land. Joshua went out ad saw a man with a sword in his hand and asked him if he was for the Israelites or for their adversaries.

If an angel were to tell believers today what he told Joshua, they would probably be depressed, because this angel said, "Wrong on both counts! I'm not with your enemies, and I'm not part of your army. I'm part of another army, and I have come with orders from God. Standing all around me and behind me in great and mighty columns, are myriad's of angels. You can't see them, Joshua, but there is a host of them, and I'm the captain!"

Because someone asked me if this scripture was referring to Jesus as an angel, I asked Chrioni and he said it was not, because he (Chrioni) was there as the captain of the host of the Lord. When Joshua fell on his face to worship, Chrioni told him to take off his shoes; "for the place whereon you stand is holy" (Joshua 5:15). This is the identical thing the angel of the Lord said to Moses from the burning bush! (Exodus 3:4-5).

Chrioni said that God, in his great plan, had it all mapped out. Jericho was the first city they came to, and with a great victory for God here, the other kings and armies would fear the Israelites and know that God was on their side when they saw a great miracle, so God sent Chrioni with a band of angels and with his orders for Jericho. God knew exactly how the city was going to be conquered!

If we could somehow reach back into time and take a look at God's battle plans for this angelic army, they would probably read something like this: "The children of Israel are our allies. They are going to march around those walls seven days, and the last day they will go around seven times. I have already given them their orders, so we are going to have to coordinate those with what we do here. The priests are to blow their trumpets and the people are to shout at a given signal. When you hear their shout, PUSH THE WALLS DOWN!"

Chrioni told me the angels took their positions on top of those walls, waiting for the shout! Israel didn't even know what was going on, but God did, and the angels did! They waited, and when they heard the shout, every angel who was there pushed with all his might and strength, and the great big thick walls went DOWN into the ground! Those walls were thick enough to build a house on, and if they had tipped over, or had been pushed over, there still would have been a wall, because they were about as thick as they were high! God said to the angels, "Push them down." And the Bible tells us that the walls went down "flat" (Joshua 6:20). They didn't even have to pick their way through cracks and rubble because the walls were pushed DOWN into the ground!

This was an act of the angels. I can visualize Chrioni looking at his orders and noticing a special condition God had made for one little part of this wall. When Rahab protected the two spies sent to observe the promised land, God made a promise to her and assured her that he would protect her and her family. I can just see Chrioni ordering some of his angels to go to that part of the wall and hold it up, while the others pushed down on the rest of the wall!

Someone told me recently that the actual excavation shows the walls were pushed down like an elevator shaft. Think of the pressure the angels put on them! I have also been told that in the archaeological findings of the diggings of old Jericho, there is still evidence of the wall where Rahab's house was. Hallelujah!

This really makes the Bible come alive to know that the angels who helped take care of Jericho are still around and are still working with us under the direction of the Holy Spirit.

God has an eternity full of angels. He is not left without resources, and even though he could do everything himself because he is God, he has angels and people working with him all the time.

The angel of the Lord kept Balaam from cursing Israel! Balaam was tempted to curse Israel for some money, but God told the angel not to let him do it. I can imagine Balaam trying to curse Israel, and every time he started, the angel turned his tongue around, and he blessed them instead. He probably said, "What's the matter with me, am I losing my mind?" Then he would again start to curse, and again it would come out a blessing!

He didn't realize there was a big angel standing there who was putting a different "record" in his mouth, and Israel was blessed! This was so much an order from God that he even made a donkey talk! It really frightened Balaam, and he tried to force the donkey to move, but the donkey was stubborn, so instead he turned around and said, "Balaam, haven't I served you well all these years?"

Why would God ever allow such a story to be put in the Bible? Because it happened! That donkey spoke because of the presence of God's angel, even though he didn't know how to speak!

Here are some scriptures to help us not only know and realize the validity of the fact that angels are with us, but that we might be aware of their presence, and know that we can expect God's help through this army from heaven.

An angel came to Zacharias and Elisabeth with the message that John the Baptist would be born (Luke 1:11-20).

The angel Gabriel came to Mary and told her that Jesus, the Son of God, was going to be born to her (Luke 1:26-35). That was God's plan unfolding right on time, as he had prepared, planned, and written down before he ever made earth.

Webmaster's Note: I found this very interesting that these two examples of angelic appearances to Zacharias and Mary are listed in this AoA book in this order, for their responses to an angelic visit are an important contrast between unbelief and faith. Zacharias was given a promise from God that was beyond his comprehension: he was to have a son in his old age (John the Baptist). It was hard to believe, so he asked God to give him confirmation [unbelief]. Apparently an angel speaking to him wasn't a big enough sign! God silenced him for nine months. When God silences the voices of unbelief, it is usually because their words could affect the outcome of a promise. When Zacharias saw God's promise fulfilled and he chose to name his son according to the command, against the wishes of his relatives, God loosed his tongue. Obedience against popular opinion will often reintroduce someone to personal faith. And that's a faith that goes against understanding. Mary was also given a promise beyond comprehension: she was to give birth to the Son of God. When she couldn't understand, she asked how it was possible since she was a virgin. Understanding a promise from God has never been the prerequisite to it's fulfillment. Ignorance asks for understanding; unbelief asks for proof. She stands apart from Zacharias because while being ignorant she surrendered to the promise. Her cry remains one of the most important expressions the Church can learn in this day - "Be it unto me according to your word." And so we have a choice: to stand in the shoes of Zacharias and lose our voice, or walk in the ways of Mary and invite God to restore to us the promises we cannot control. -Taken from Ch. 13 of "When Heaven Invades Earth" by Bill Johnson

He allowed just exactly the right amount of time, so that on a given day everything would be in readiness. Jesus presented himself as a sacrifice on the exact day that God intended for him to do it. It was definitely not something that God decided on just a few years before it happened!

He let Daniel take a look over his shoulder and said, "Daniel, I'm going to show you some of my plans. Israel is going to go into captivity for seventy years. When the seventy years are up, there is going to be a decree go out by a king to rebuild Jerusalem. If you would like to start counting and count 483 years, you will discover a man who hasn't even been born yet."

He told of the march of Alexander the Great, and about the four generals who would be taking over in place of his four sons because God had it planned that way. "But," he said, "At the end of 483 years, Jesus is going to give his life for the world. He is going to die, not for himself, but for the sins of the world!" Exactly on time, Jesus died for the sins of the world!

In everything God does, he is telling us he loves us, that he cares for us, that he wants us, and that he will help us!

An angel warned Joseph. "After they were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. 'Get up and flee to Egypt with the baby and his mother,' the angel said, ' and stay there until I tell you to return, for King Herod is going to try to kill the child'" (Matthew 2:13 TLB).

After Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River, the Word says, "Then Jesus was led out into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit to be tempted there by Satan. For forty days and forty nights he ate nothing and became very hungry. Then Satan tempted him to get food by changing stones into loaves of bread. 'It will prove you are the Son of God,' he said. But Jesus told him, 'No! For the Scriptures tell us that bread won't feed men's souls; obedience to every word of God is what we need.' Then Satan took him to Jerusalem to the roof of the Temple. 'Jump off,' he said, 'and prove you are the Son of God; for the Scriptures declare, "God will send his angels to keep you from harm," ... they will prevent you from smashing on the rocks below.' Jesus retorted, 'It also says not to put the Lord your God to a foolish test!' Next Satan took him to the peak of a very high mountain and showed him the nations of the world and all their glory. 'I'll give it all to you,' he said, 'If you will only kneel and worship me.' 'Get out of here, Satan,' Jesus told him. 'The Scriptures say, "Worship only the Lord God. Obey only him.'" Then Satan went away, and angels came and cared for Jesus" (Matthew 4:1-11 TLB).

In Luke 22:43 we also read that an angel from heaven came down and strengthened Jesus and ministered to him at the Mount of Olives in his hour of need.

Angels are mentioned throughout the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. In Genesis 24:7, God sent forth an angel to get a bride for Isaac. This was another part of God's plan. In Exodus 23:20 he sent "an Angel before you, to keep you in the way, and to bring you into the place which I have prepared." He sent his angels to clear the way in the going forth out of Egypt.

In Psalm 34:7, the Holy Spirit had David write these words, "The angel of the Lord encamps round about them that fear him, and delivers them."

Think of Daniel when he was thrown into the lion's den (Daniel 6:22). The king felt sure that Daniel would be eaten up and there would be nothing but scraps down there in the morning. The king didn't sleep that night, because he was tormented about the thoughts of Daniel being eaten by those vicious lions. He thought about the horrible thing he had done by throwing Daniel into the lion's den, so the first thing in the morning, he ran and looked in and cried out, "Oh Daniel, servant of the Living God, was your God, whom you worship continually, able to deliver you from the lions?" "Did he do it?" He really didn't expect an answer back, but he thought he would try anyway. "My God has sent his angel," he said, "to shut the lions' mouths so that they can't touch me" (Daniel 6:20,22 TLB).

The angels of God are mighty! Since they are performing the work of God, they are unlimited in power. If one single angel could do so much, think of what the hosts of heaven that are marching today can do! Think of what they can accomplish. In every case, as the plan of God was unfolding and another chapter was being opened, the angels of God became visible and brought messages, and in our day, people all over the world have had visits from visible angels.

This ought to tell us something. God isn't letting this world run down without his notice and his attention. Another chapter is unfolding! Jesus is about ready to come! Hallelujah! The greatest rescue mission ever accomplished in all of the universe is about ready to take place. He has his angels out working now. They haven't just appeared in rare instances, but reports are being received all over the country that angelic beings are being seen!

I was thrilled when a Christian brother, John Weaver, pastor of Christian Center, Bozeman, Montana, told about how he was visited twice by an angel. When he was visited the first time, the angel gave him instructions. He thought it was a dream and that people would laugh at him, but the angel met him two weeks later while he was driving his car on his way home from a fellowship meeting.

The car was moving, the doors and windows were closed, the front seat beside him was empty, when suddenly this angel sat down beside him. He talked with him a little, reminding him of the assignment God had given him. When Pastor Weaver said he would do what God had told him to, the angel moved out the way he came in, and even though the car was going about 50 miles per hour, he just vanished! If the angel who visited Manoah could step into a flame and disappear, why couldn't an angel step out of a moving car without being hurt!

The Bible tells us that God hasn't changed. The Word says that people have entertained strangers and were not aware that they were angels. You don't always know them when you see them, unless you happen to see them step into a fire and go up in a flame, jump out of a car when it's moving and not hit the ground, or wake you in the middle of the night, but they are around.

Not one of the angels have ever died. They have not decreased in strength, they are still mighty! They have been sent forth to help us, to provide and care for us, and to camp around us. Psalm 91:11 says he has given them charge over us. They come as fast as the command of God or the thought of God. They may appear as an ordinary man of the street, they may appear as a dim, almost invisible figure, or they may appear as distinct a person as you or I. But one thing you can be sure of, you can clearly distinguish the difference between the real angels and your imagination. You don't have to struggle to see them to know they are there. They will make it plain that they are real angels, if that is their mission.

The angels prepare the way for us just as they prepared the way for people in the Bible. God wants us to be aware of the fact that he is not helpless in a corner somewhere, but his angels have been sent forth with the assignment to take care of his people.

"After testifying and preaching in Samaria, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem ... But as for Philip, an angel of the Lord said to him, 'Go over to the road that runs from Jerusalem through the Gaza Desert, arriving around noon.'" (Acts 8:25-27 TLB). What was the purpose of the angel telling him to go over there? So he could meet the Ethiopian eunuch and introduce him to Jesus! God is doing the same thing today!

It would be exciting to see what the angels are doing right now in relation to your unsaved loved ones. You might think that nothing in heaven or earth could move them and turn them toward God, but there are angels out there tugging at them and following them along, because God wants them to be his. Angels are on special assignment from God to help you and your friends and relatives find him!

God loves us enough that he has prepared everything that we need for our deliverance and our help. He has sent his Holy Spirit to be with us, to teach us, and watch over us. The angels encamp around us! How can we lose?

Angels are on assignment today! Hallelujah!

Next: He is Coming Again!

Table of Contents | AoA Front Page | Sequel Book - Man Who Talked With Angels | Contact

Nolan Arenado's homer keys an 8-run rally in the 7th as the Cardinals surge past the Angels, 10-5

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- - Nolan Arenado homered and Matt Carpenter had a tying two-run single during St. Louis' eight-run seventh inning, and the Cardinals rallied from a four-run deficit for a 10-5 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Monday night.

Iván Herrera had two hits during the Cardinals' massive rally, and he capped it with a two-run single as St. Louis sent 14 hitters to the plate against the Angels' best relievers.

"It's great to see us rally, come back, have a big inning," said Arenado, who led off the seventh with only his third homer of the season. "The back end of their bullpen is pretty good, so we were happy to get those runs in and get the win."

Kyle Leahy earned his first major league victory for the Cardinals, who won back-to-back games after a seven-game skid. St. Louis is in Anaheim for only the third series in the franchises' history, and the first since May 2016.

"It's nice to win back-to-back games," Arenado said. "Feels like it's been quite some time, so hopefully we just keep that going."

Kevin Pillar had an early two-run homer and a late RBI single for the Angels, who have lost four of five during their homestand to drop to 5-15 at the Big A this season.

"Bad night," Angels manager Ron Washington said. "We had the best (relievers) we had in the bullpen in there (in the seventh). I really didn't see that coming. ... It was a surprise, because those guys have been good."

Leahy (1-1) pitched 2 2/3 innings of hitless relief to earn a postgame beer shower from his excited teammates. The 26-year-old reliever is a former 17th-round draft pick out of Division II Colorado Mesa.

"I have a lot of close friends that I've come up with on this team," Leahy said. "We have a lot of veteran leadership, and hopefully it all comes together here and we get on a roll."

After Kyren Paris doubled off Cards starter Matthew Liberatore for the second RBI of his career, Pillar extended his impressive start with his new team and put the Angels up 4-0 with a 362-yard line drive into the short porch in left.

Pillar has nine hits and 12 RBI in his last five games with the struggling team that picked him up after the White Sox designated him for assignment late last month. Pillar also tied Joe Rudi's franchise record for the most RBI in a player's first eight games with the Angels.

St. Louis managed only a single from Paul Goldschmidt in the first five innings against Jose Soriano . The Cardinals loaded the bases in the sixth, but Angels reliever Adam Cimber got Goldschmidt to ground into an inning-ending double play.

Cimber has been a bright spot in a dim Angels season, stranding all 15 of his inherited runners - but Cimber's first pitch of the seventh was blasted by Arenado, the native of Newport Beach who now lives in nearby San Clemente during the offseason.

St. Louis' next four batters singled against Cimber and Matt Moore (0-1). Shortly after Carpenter delivered a full-count single to make it 4-4, reliever Luis García came in and hit Goldschmidt with his first pitch to drive in Wynn.

"Up and down the lineup, guys did a really nice job of driving the baseball, getting their hits, and also taking their walks, which is a good sign," Cards manager Oliver Marmol said. "We did a little bit of everything."

Eight Cardinals scored one run apiece in the rally.

Niko Goodrum made two errors at third base in the ninth inning, allowing St. Louis to score two more runs.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Cardinals: Former Angels reliever Keynan Middleton is beginning a rehab assignment with Double-A Springfield. He strained his forearm early in spring training with his new team.

Angels: INF Luis Rengifo is taking grounders and could return from his viral infection Friday. ... INF Michael Stefanic has begun a rehab assignment in Arizona. He strained his quadriceps muscle in the first game of the Cactus League season.

Inconsistent left-hander and boyhood Cardinals fan Reid Detmers (3-4, 4.96 ERA) takes the mound for Los Angeles against Sonny Gray (4-2, 2.29 ERA), who gave up six earned runs to Milwaukee in his last start.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB

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