Why Intentional Preteen Ministry?

article by site founder, Connie Rice

Do things seem out of control and upside down in America and around the world? For those of us old enough to remember the “Twilight Zone” television series, it seems as if we are stuck in one of those episodes. How did we arrive at a place where public servants and trusted institutions reveal themselves to be corrupt, where actual crime is ignored but law-abiding citizens are treated as criminals, where barbarism as well as the intentional harming of children is defended, where death is promoted and even celebrated, where courage is required just to share facts, where Christians are being persecuted around the world with no media coverage, where words are redefined to mislead people, and wars and threat of wars are all around? Does peace seem to be a distant concept while anxiety and stress rule the day? Does all hope appear to be lost?

God did not leave us alone with no way of understanding what is happening. He provided a Savior, making a way for all who would believe to be reconciled to Himself so heaven could be our eternal destination. I didn’t grow up attending church, so wasn’t familiar with hymns, but I’ve discovered how powerful the lyrics are in so many of them. This one has been really encouraging to me in recent times:

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus

O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There’s light for a look at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.

Through death into life everlasting
He passed, and we follow Him there;
O’er us sin no more hath dominion
For more than conqu’rors we are!

His Word shall not fail you, He promised;
Believe Him and all will be well;
Then go to a world that is dying,
His perfect salvation to tell!

Lyrics & music by Helen Howarth Lemmel (1863-1961)

Jesus’ sacrificial death and resurrection conquered both sin and death. Oswald Chambers wrote that those who fear God do not have to fear anything else – not man, not evil, and not even death:

“The remarkable thing about God is that when you fear God, you fear nothing else, whereas if you do not fear God, you fear everything else.”

Oswald Chambers

God also gave us the Bible, His revealed Word, with prophecies of what to expect during the end times. We can know what is really true because the Creator of it all has told us not only what has occurred in the past, but what will happen in the future. Those who know the Bible know that prophecies are being fulfilled and that things are lining up for the return of Jesus Christ. Much of the Bible is prophecy. Some of it has been fulfilled exactly as prophesied. Some of it has not yet happened, but God means for us to see the signs so we will be prepared. This is the time to seek truth, which means to seek Jesus, because He is the way, the truth, and the life.

“The Lord looks from heaven; He sees all the sons of men.
From the place of His dwelling He looks on all the inhabitants of the earth;
He fashions their hearts individually; He considers all their works.

No king is saved by the multitude of an army; a mighty man is not delivered by great strength.
A horse is a vain hope for safety; neither shall it deliver any by its great strength.

Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His mercy,
To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.

Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield.
For our heart shall rejoice in Him, because we have trusted in His holy name.
Let Your mercy, O Lord, be upon us, just as we hope in You.”

Psalm 33:13-22

“’Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.’ Thomas said to Him, ‘Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?’”

Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me’.”

John 14:1-6

America has pretty much rejected God and His ways. How is that going for us? Most people recognize that God’s blessings have been on both Israel and America in previous times, but don’t realize that His blessings are contingent upon obedience to His commands. Unfortunately, the history and science being taught over recent decades rejects biblical teachings and has become so biased that highly educated people develop a belief system that is far from God’s ways. These same people gain influence in our government, our media, educational, scientific, and medical institutions, etc.), drawing the culture further from the ways of God. The prince of this world (Satan) has cleverly and gradually directed our nation away from life and wholeness (God’s creation) toward death and destruction with the intentional killing of defenseless and innocent human life in abortion, intentional killing of the elderly and/or sick in euthanasia, addiction (loss of a productive life and many times life itself), destruction of families, loss of committed fatherhood, increased violent crime, loss of hope and meaning in life resulting in despair leading to suicide, etc.

“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain. Yes, and if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. For the same reason you also be glad and rejoice with me.”

Paul’s encouragement to believers in Philippians 2:12-17

At the same time, we see the love of God manifesting itself through His calling people to Himself and continuing to restore and transform lives. On a 12-minute video in “Stories of Us” from Prager University, Adrienne Johnson explains, “Why I am No Longer an Atheist”. There are so many other powerful testimonies of God revealing Himself to those who seek Him with their whole heart and answer His call in their life. Some of these amazing stories include that of atheist doctor, Greg E. Viehman, former women’s studies professor and lesbian, Rosaria Butterfield, former Muslim and author of “Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus”, Nabeel Quereshi, and Jewish businessman turned Christian missionary and author of “Betrayed”, Stan Telchin. Former newspaper investigative reporter, Lee Strobel, and former cold case detective, J. Warner Wallace, both used their career skills to try to prove Christianity wrong, but instead discovered that it was true. Both ended up not only accepting Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, but gave up their careers to became evangelists to point others to the truth. Lee Strobel’s journey resulted in his book, “The Case for Christ” , which was made into a movie and he has written numerous books and Bible studies since, even some for preteens. J. Warner Wallace’s chronicled his journey as well in his book, “Cold Case Christianity” and has written other books and Bible studies since – as well, as some for preteens.

“We must warn the nations of the world that they must repent and turn to God while there is yet time. We must also proclaim that there is forgiveness and peace in knowing Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.”

Billy Graham

We may not ever write a book or become well-known, but may our words and deeds point people to the One who can fill them with supernatural peace and strength for today and where they can find hope for tomorrow. May we continuously strive to allow Him to transform us more and more into His likeness and praise Him for who He is and all He does. To God be the glory! Forever and ever. Amen.

© Constance Rice 2024

article by Connie Rice, site founder

Unfortunately, many people today are unaware of the extensive evidence that supports the Flood of Noah. In this case, ignorance is not bliss. If we don’t believe or trust the biblical account, it keeps us from asking critically important questions: “Why did God destroy people with a worldwide flood?” and “Did He say anything about a future judgment that would have an effect on humanity all over the world?” Let’s see how the Bible answers these questions and then look at some of the recent evidence (including a presentation and a film) that explores some of the evidences.

“The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. The Lord regretted that He had made human beings on the earth, and His heart was deeply troubled. So the Lord said, ‘I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them’. But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. This is the account of Noah and his family. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God. Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth. Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence. God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways. So God said to Noah, ‘I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth. So make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out.”

Genesis 6:5-14

“Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, ‘Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation’. For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you,  as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures. You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.”

2 Peter Chapter 3

Multiple areas of research support the biblical account of Noah’s Flood; various areas of evidence are provided by ICR (Institute for Creation Research) in their article, “Worldwide Catastrophic Evidence Is Everywhere”; one link is provided below for each area, but many other sources for each area are available:

1. Tectonic plates and “Ring of Fire” volcanoes point to the biblical Flood account and “fountains of the deep” opening up as described in Genesis.
2. Geological “anomalies” exist all over the world like polystrate fossils, hoodoos, wave rocks, petrified forests, “missing layers” (ie. Grand Canyon), that can’t be explained by uniformitarianism (based on Lyell’s idea that the present is the key to the past and that processes have been relatively static throughout earth history) –
3. Fossil graveyards encompassing huge areas that include dinosaur, marine, mammal, and bird fossils all jumbled together (ie. Morrison Formation); a huge dinosaur kill zone covers 14 states in America as well as part of Canada and Mexico).
4. The eruption of Mt. St. Helens in 1980 showed that huge geological changes can happen very quickly in a catastrophic event, including rapid erosion, thick stratified layers, and a canyon system was carved quickly after a small earthquake less than two years later – including one that was 1/40th the size of the Grand Canyon.
5. DNA evidence – females backed up through moms, grandmothers, etc. to one woman who has been named Mitochondrial Eve; males have been backed up through dad, grandads, etc. to one man who has been named Y-Chromosome Adam.
6. Mutation evidence – the work of Dr. John Sanford‘s research shows that mutation rates using actual scientific data rather than assumptions previously used are much higher than supposed; evidence points to a timeline that is in line with the biblical account and shows that humans will eventually have too many mutations and become unable to reproduce (human extinction).
7. Noah’s Flood set the stage for the Ice Age – evaporations of warmer oceans from volcanic eruptions and ash in the atmosphere prevented warming from the sun, causing the snow and ice to not melt as it would have during what were normally warm seasons.
8. “Living Fossils” – numerous creatures and plants found alive today that were also in the fossil record, relatively unchanged (although some were larger in size) – ie. coelacanth fish, Gingko tree, dragonflies, horseshoe crab, and many more.
9. “Cambrian Explosion” – creatures found in the earliest fossil record are found fully formed, some with complex features.
10. Soft tissue in dinosaur fossils – researchers are finding non-mineralized bone, intact blood vessels & cells, bone cells, stretchy tissue, etc. – even fragile collagen.
11. Carbon 14 found in dinosaur fossils, coal, diamonds, etc.; because of its decay rate, if things were really more than 10,000 years old – there would be no Carbon 14 left to measure.
12. Flood stories all over the world – Nick Liguori researched flood legends and documented some of them in his book, “Echoes of Ararat: A Collection of Over 300 Flood Legends from North and South America”, (found so many that he published only two continents and will have to write sequels to cover the rest).

There is also an ABC article, “Evidence Noah’s Biblical Flood Happened, Says Robert Ballard: an acclaimed underwater archaeologist, explains the evidence”.

There is a “Creation Fellowship Santee” 1-hour presentation on evidence for Noah’s Flood from Dan Biddle, PhD, founder of “Genesis Apologetics” and technical producer of the new 2-hour film on Noah’s Flood that will be in theaters Weds & Thurs, March 20 & 21: see the trailer for “The Ark and the Darkness”. Bring anyone who is curious about existing evidence. God is trying to reach as many people as possible in these last days. May the Holy Spirit soften people’s hearts to the truth and open their minds to His amazing message of salvation to all who will believe and turn from their sin and turn to Christ. To repeat one of the verses above:

“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”

2 Peter 3:9

© Constance Rice 2024

article by site founder, Connie Rice

Have you ever thought about how our expectations affect our attitudes and even our actions? This concept is very close to me. As I grew in my relationship with Jesus as an adult through sermons, worship music, prayer, Bible studies, and reading the Bible, I was able to see that the expectations of people in my life as well as my own expectations had resulted in disappointment and even misery at times. Our expectations can be unrealistic or based on faulty perceptions, so being reflective in this area is a worthy endeavor. I found that it was only through adjusting my way of thinking to what God says in His Word that I was able to develop reasonable expectations – of my family members, of other relationships, of myself, of God, and in all aspects of this life.

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Romans 12:1-2

Renewing our mind is a continual process and requires us to partner with the Lord in His transformational work in us. This transformational work can be painful and it is always humbling. However, becoming more like Jesus and living in obedience to Him is worth it because it brings us supernatural peace and strength, as well as an understanding of who we are in His eyes which helps us to be secure in our identity. We know we are His beloved and that the pain we all endure in this life is never wasted. Not only does He let us know that we are accepted and loved by Him through what He has already done for us with the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ, but He also gives us His power to obey His commands – leading to a clear conscience, His blessings, and hope for eternity. God calls us to meaningful Kingdom work and service to others , which fills us with both joy and a sense of purpose. Our relationship with Him becomes stronger as we lean in to Him through life’s difficulties.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.  In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love.  Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.”

1 Peter 1:3-9

If we’re living according to unreasonable or false expectations, our focus will tend to be on ourselves and keeps us in a self-centered mindset. This can harm relationships of those close to us and can drag us into unnecessary conflict. If we are unhappy, we tend to see the other person or even God as the cause of our lack of happiness. Unfortunately, many marriages have broken up because of unrealistic or false expectations held by one or both parties. Our culture perpetuates this focus on ourselves while God’s Word tells us just the opposite – to love God with all of our heart, mind, strength, and soul and to love our neighbor as ourselves. I had always assumed that the command to love our neighbor was a brotherly love, but it actually translates to unconditional love – a sacrificial love that puts the true good of that person above our own. This is a very high calling and does not come naturally to any of us. Our natural tendency is to want what we want when we want and do what we want. We want to be in control. The Bible teaches that we are to die to ourselves – God knows that as long as we are self-focused, we will miss out on much of the blessings He has for us in this life and that we are harmed in the process. Jesus was counter-cultural in His time and in present culture, His teachings are still counter-cultural. I remember someone in my life whose favorite books were “You Pack Your Own Chute” and “Looking Out for Number One”. That mindset was reflected in his narcissistic attitudes and treatment of others.

“But to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek; but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.  For there is no partiality with God.”

Romans 8:8-10

I have personally experienced how insidious pride can be and how easy it is to deceive ourselves in this area. This is an important topic in Scripture. The Got Questions article, “What does the Bible say about pride?“, gives examples and context. One of the methods used by Satan with is with the meaning of words – we see it all the time now. Take a word that people think of as a positive trait and then redefine it to promote something that goes against God. In the instance of pride, add another use of the word to what God clearly defines as sin to keep people from being as concerned about the actual sin itself. A parent telling a child that he or she is proud of him or her is accepted as being a very positive thing. That is not the same as the sin of pride and should have a different word altogether, but using the same word for both things succeeds in confusing people about the seriousness of the sin of pride. The spiritual war we are in is real and the battle is raging. Satan knows his time is short and wants to keep as many people as possible trapped by sin so they either have no motivation to seek God or if they do recognize Jesus as their personal Savior, cause them to not recognize or to rationalize their sin. Since Jesus is both Savior and Lord, this deception can keep people from being obedient to His commands. 

“For the wicked boasts of his heart’s desire; He blesses the greedy and renounces the Lord. The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God; God is in none of his thoughts.”

Psalm 10:3-4

The enemy has a lot of other tools as well, but causing us to focus on ourselves can be one of his most effective ones. Jesus teaches just the opposite and people who obey Him have learned by experience that His way brings harmony instead of conflict, inner peace instead of depression and despair, joy even when circumstances are difficult, and a sense of community and purpose in this life. Even some of His followers may still tend to suffer from depression, so we need to take every thought captive, stay in God’s Word, pursue community within the body, and consciously choose to keep a short lifeline to the Lord. I find it helpful to visualize an actual line connecting myself to Jesus, and keeping it as short of a distance as possible. A dear friend lost her father as a teen and found comfort by visualizing herself sitting in Jesus’ lap. God is near to those who seek Him and we can trust His Word to help us have reasonable expectations.

“In everything, we should look to God and trust Him (Proverbs 3:5–6). His promises are absolutely sound, and our expectation that He will fulfill His Word is called faith. We can expect God to do exactly what He says He will do (2 Corinthians 1:20; Joshua 21:45; Psalm 77:8; 2 Peter 1:4). When based on God’s Word, our expectations will never fail to be met. ‘The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy’ (Psalm 19:7).”

quote from “Got Questions” article, “What does the Bible say about expectations?”

© Constance Rice 2024

article by site founder, Constance Rice

How can mere mortal humans even come close to understanding an eternal, all-knowing, all-powerful, omnipresent, holy God? It is only as we acknowledge Him as the Creator of the universe and all life and recognize that He is the ultimate source of all truth, wisdom, love, and goodness that we can even come close to understanding Him. Since His mind is infinite and ours is finite, there is no way we can fully understand Him and His ways. Fortunately for us though, He has chosen to reveal Himself through what He has made so that all will know that He exists. Atheism is foolish because it denies what has been obvious to all of mankind from the beginning – that there is a Creator. In the book of Romans, there are harsh words for those who deny His existence and rebel against Him. We see the results in our present culture.

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.”

Romans 1:18-32

Not only has God revealed Himself in what He has made (general revelation), but He has also revealed Himself through His Word, the Bible (special revelation). Men were chosen by God to write what He wanted through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. We are each responsible for whether or not we read what God has revealed to us (which teaches us who God is, who we are, how to live, gives us needed discernment so we are not deceived. and provides prophecies for what is to come so we will understand what is going on and have the assurance of good prevailing over evil in the end). Sadly, American Christians as a whole do not take this seriously even though most families have multiple Bibles sitting in their homes. Not knowing Scripture makes us vulnerable to believing Satan’s lies and being deceived. It also can cause us to be fearful and anxious when events happen that are out of our control. The result is that we may seem no different from those the world who do not know Jesus, which not only negates our witness for the Lord, but can block God’s blessings in our own lives. 

“Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them. For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. Therefore He says:

‘Awake, you who sleep,
Arise from the dead,
And Christ will give you light’.“

Ephesians 5

We’re not sure when Satan first rebelled against God, but we do know there has been an epic spiritual battle between good and evil since God created the first humans, Adam and Eve. Satan deceived them then and he and the fallen angels who follow him still try to deceive as many as possible to this day. How does he do this? He uses the gift of free will that God gave humans – humans are capable of choosing to follow God’s way or to try to live out of their own wisdom. Unfortunately, when people reject God’s ways, they make themselves (many times unknowingly) vulnerable to being used by the existing evil forces. Thus, man is capable of great evil, as we have seen numerous times in history. We see those influences at work now.

• Doubting the truth of God’s Word – Satan used this with Adam & Eve and it remains his primary tool because it’s effective.

“Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, ‘Has God indeed said, You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?”

Genesis 3:1

• Doubting God’s goodness and blaming Him for the evil perpetuated by Satan and his demonic realm.

“For I proclaim the name of the Lord: Ascribe greatness to our God. He is the Rock, His work is perfect;
For all His ways are justice, A God of truth and without injustice; Righteous and upright is He.”

Deuteronomy 32:3-4

• People thinking that their wisdom and ways are better than the One who created them.

“Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.”

James 1:16-18

• Believing lies about themselves that lead to condemnation instead of responding to God’s conviction of sin in their lives that lead instead to restoration.

“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”

Romans 8:1-8

Lifting up pride as a virtue when it destroys relationships and separates us from our Creator instead of seeking Him with a humble heart and choosing to trust in Him for salvation and to be in fellowship with Him.

“And He said, ‘What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man’.”

Jesus’ words in Mark 7:20-23

Blaming other people (or groups of people) for things that are wrong in our lives instead of choosing to trust God, recognizing that everyone on this planet is struggling in some way and that God uses trials in our lives to grow us, cause us to draw closer to Him, humble us, or empower us to come beside someone else going through a similar struggle. He doesn’t waste any pain.

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

Jesus’ words to His apostles before leaving for heaven John 16:33

Not learning from previous history, setting the stage for the repeat of horrific events. Communism can begin with socialist promises to deceive people into voting for a change in government, but the result was that in only one century, 100 million people were killed by their own governments (link to chart below by ResearchGate found here). 

• Another issue is not recognizing that no system of government is perfect, but that the system put in place by America’s founding fathers improved the lives of its citizens more than any other previous system. The biblical foundation was a big part of its design and pulling away from the biblical foundation of our nation opened the door for more corruption, which is what we’ve seen in recent years. The answer is not to move toward tyranny, but to return to the biblical foundation that gained God’s blessings rather than His judgment as He pulls His protection from a rebellious nation.

• Believing that sexual immorality is freedom when the opposite is true. This lie directly contradicts God’s ways and brings with it increases in disease, broken relationships, abortion, fatherless homes, men who avoid responsibility, women full of pain & resentment, and harms the culture at large.

“Now the body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.  And God both raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by His power.  Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not!  Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her?  For ‘the two’, He says, ‘shall become one flesh’. But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him. Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.  Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

1 Corinthians 13b-20

Believing that our identity is found in anyone or anything other than our Creator – sadly, this has been a brilliant strategy of the enemy and most effective in separating people from God and bringing conflict within families. The article, “Your Identity in Christ: How God Sees You” by Brittany Yesudasanfor CRU may be helpful to read.

We can understand God because He chose to reveal Himself to us both through His Creation and through His Word, the Bible. However, we can never fully understand Him this side of heaven (frankly, this gives me more peace since I need Him to be bigger than me), He has given us all we need to know so we can trust His plan, adjust our beliefs to His, and seek Him with all of our heart, mind, strength, and soul. We can trust in Jesus Christ for our salvation and study the Bible to learn how we can give glory to and serve our awesome Lord and Savior. We also can have access to His peace and even joy in the midst of life’s challenges, knowing that God is sovereign and will make all things right for those who love and obey Him. That is our life adventure. It seems that when things are really difficult, God reveals even more of Himself to those who lean in to Him for help – which allows us to understand Him and His love for us even more. For those who think their sin is too much, God offers hope and mercy if we turn from our sins and turn to Him. His plan is way better than ours. After all, He created us and knows what we need and what will bring us fulfillment. To Him be the glory!

“Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near.
Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts;
Let him return to the Lord, and He will have mercy on him;
And to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.”

Isaiah 55:6-7

© Constance Rice 2023

article by site founder, Connie Rice

We seem to have reached a place where even the most basic facts are turned upside down, where narratives prevail and facts are censored, where life is not valued, where barbarism is celebrated, where those fighting violence are accused of being aggressors, where the innocence and safety of children are under attack, and where trust has been betrayed. Things around us don’t make any sense. The world is becoming more volatile than most of us can remember. God did not want us to be unaware of what is going to happen as He moves closer to judging evil once and for all. We are watching the end times unfold before our eyes at a fast pace and are seeing what the Bible prophesied. Billy Graham described it:

“The Bible tells us that the state of the world will grow darker as we near the end of the age.”

Billy Graham

“The end will come with the return of Jesus Christ…That is why a Christian can be an optimist. That is why a Christian can smile in the midst of all that is happening…We know what the end will be: the triumph of the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Billy Graham

Jesus is coming for His people – this is referred to as the Rapture. The term itself is not in Scripture, but “Got Questions” offers a helpful 3-minute video explaining this biblical event and the various views of its timing. They believe there is more Scriptural support for the Rapture happening before the seven year Tribulation period begins. If so, then it could happen at any time. Some Bible teachers think that the Rapture and the 2nd coming of Christ are the same event (John Piper of “Desiring God”). Some think it will happen halfway through the Tribulation (mid-trib view). Although tribulations (troubles/trials) are a part of life on this earth, the final tribulation period will be worse than any time in all of human history. An interesting 5-min video is found from “Verse by Verse Ministry”. We see precedence in Scripture of God removing faithful followers out of an area before His judgment on evil falls (ie. Noah from the Lord’s Flood judgment, Lot from destruction of Sodom & Gomorrah). Other helpful resources are found on the “End Times Prophecy” page of this website.

“But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are [d]asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.”

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

“Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I tell you a [m]mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 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.’ O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?’ The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”

1 Corinthians 15:50-58

The message of Jesus coming back for His children has always given me hope in the midst of this world’s challenges, but I never believed that it would happen in my lifetime. There were many dark times in history when believers thought He would surely come back, but the time was not yet right. Now here we are considering the possibility that we might actually be the raptured generation. Jesus’ last words before His ascension back to heaven deserve our attention:

“And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen’.”

Matthew 28:18-20

The closer we get to Jesus through reading His Word (the Bible), prayer, obedience to His commands, and serving in His Kingdom as He equips and calls us to do, the more we see His guidance, provision, and blessings in our lives. The challenges of this world do not affect us the same way. As we lean in to Him through life’s difficulties, He sustains us and uses them to help us grow, be less self-focused and prideful, and become more willing to come beside others in their time of trials as well as to share His amazing offer of eternal salvation to all who will believe. We are able to rest in Him and have access to the supernatural peace, strength, and joy only available through Him. The prince of this world (Satan) only offers counterfeits that do not satisfy. We still have a sinful nature, but are no longer comfortable with our sins so seek help from the Holy Spirit to live a life pleasing to the Lord. We are in the lifelong process of sanctification, a transformation where we strive to be more like Christ. As we confess our sins and ask for forgiveness and for help to not repeat our mistakes, He cleanses us and gives us a fresh start. He also surprises those who fully trust in Him with unexpected blessings and opens our eyes to a taste of heaven in the process.

 “Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, ‘Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?’ Jesus answered and said to him, ‘If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.  He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me. These things I have spoken to you while being present with you.  But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.  You have heard Me say to you, ‘I am going away and coming back to you’.”

John 14:22-28

“Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4:4-7

This is why Christians should have no fear of death – we don’t seek death because God determines when our life begins and when it ends, but our souls are secure because we know that in death, we will be with our precious Savior and reunited with those who went before us. We understand that Jesus will fight evil once and for all and be victorious. All those trusting in Him for salvation will enjoy a new heaven and a new earth where evil, sickness, death, and sadness will no longer exist. We won’t even have to contend with our own sinful nature any more – now that’s something to look forward to!

“Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

Jesus’ words to the faithful church in Revelation 3:10-13

The Bible offers numerous prophecies about the end times and what to expect beforehand. We are told to be aware of the times and that believers will recognize when the time is close. We are seeing some of these:

• Israel is a nation and most of the Jews in the world now live there with even more moving there
• Increased persecution of believers (not reported in most news sites, but go to Christian news sites)
• Evil will rise (especially with intense attacks on children – confusion, abuse, sexualization, trafficking)
• Gospel spreading to utmost places
• People having dreams & visions and coming to Christ
• More awakenings and revivals
• Increased apostacy of churches
• A mark will be needed to purchase food/goods (governments/banks moving toward digital currency)
• Powerful forces with goal of global governance
• Lawlessness will increase
• Families members will turn against each other

Scripture tells us that those who are with the Lord and waiting for the end of the Tribulation on earth will seek justice and rejoice over evil being destroyed once and for all. Most of us enjoy movies where justice prevails and evil is stopped. Perhaps God put that in us just as He put in us a sense of fairness, a need for relationships, and a desire for our lives to have meaning. We have no need to fear because He knows all things and only He is perfectly just, able to judge the deeds, thoughts, & hearts of each person. Is the Rapture is imminent? If so, then God chose us to be here during this time. Regardless of when He takes us home, we should stay focused on Jesus and continue to faithfully obey and serve Him. We should pray for God to help us see people as He does, and love them as He does so that we will be motivated to share our faith with so others can be saved and have access to Jesus’ peace in the midst of trials, and look forward to heaven too.

© Constance Rice 2023

article by site founder, Connie Rice

We are watching the effects of the decline of Christian influence in western civilization and for anyone paying attention, it is both concerning and frightening. However, anyone who knows God’s Word realizes that much of these things were prophesied to happen in the end times. The spiritual battle that has been underway since the beginning is intensifying as the prince of this world (Satan) knows his time is short. Unless people know true history, they will not recognize the dangers ahead and are vulnerable to being deceived. We must learn from past historical writings, including the Bible, as it gives an historical account from the beginning of the creation of the world as well as reveals what is to come. “Is the Bible True?” is a 5-minute video from previous skeptic, Randall Niles of “All About God” . The Bible is also the source of all truth and right and lays out God’s plan of salvation for all of mankind through His Son with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus was victorious over sin and death. Those who choose to trust in Him for their salvation, confessing their sins, asking for forgiveness, and surrendering their lives to Him can share in His victory over sin and have eternal life in heaven with Him. This world will no longer be our home, but we have will have access to His supernatural peace, strength, comfort, and joy – even in the midst of any challenges this world can throw at us. We no longer have to live in fear or confusion or in bondage to sin.

“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” 

quote credited to writer and philosopher George Santayana, but others have stated similar thoughts

“If the Bible is truly God’s Word, then we should cherish it, study it, obey it, and fully trust it. If the Bible is truly the Word of God, then it is the final authority for all matters of faith, practice, and morality. If the Bible is the Word of God, then to dismiss it is to dismiss God Himself.”

quote from “Got Questions” article, “Is the Bible Truly God’s Word?”

Western Civilization came about as a result of people trying to live according to the Judeo-Christian principles of accountability to the holy God who made a way for mankind to live in harmony with Him and each other. This was motivated by their fear of God, their belief in Jesus Christ for salvation, and their obedience to His commands. When people obey Jesus’ commands, it results in their transformation into more of His likeness and in their loving and serving Him and others. Western civilization governments were created to maintain protection and security for their respective populations with respect for all people because it was accepted that each person was made in the image of God and was therefore due dignity.

“I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”

Acts 20:35

“In our western civilization we have the glorious example, the great standard of perfection and the teachings of the Christ to guide us. He acts for us as Mediator between our personality and our Soul.”

Ed Bach, British medical doctor who gave up career to research natural remedies and treat people for free in 1930s

The Judeo-Christian belief system led the way for nations to have freedom of speech, individual property rights, equal opportunity, the rule of law, civil discourse, and peace between different people groups. Did it always work that way? No – because each person has a sinful nature and free will. Some will choose to reject God and His commands. They will cave to their own sinful desires and thus break the harmony, destroy civil discourse, and/or choose to steal or commit violence against others. Laws were put in place to prevent those people from harming the person or property of others so that peace and security could be maintained for moral, law-abiding citizens. A great (albeit long) resource to understand this is “Epoch: The Rise and Fall of the West” by Kevin Swanson, author, pastor, & founder of “Generations”. America’s founding fathers understood that Judeo-Christian values were needed for a representative government to survive:

“Had the people, during the Revolution, had a suspicion of any attempt to war against Christianity, that Revolution would have been strangled in its cradle… In this age, there can be no substitute for Christianity… That was the religion of the founders of the republic and they expected it to remain the religion of their descendants.”

Congress, U. S. House Judiciary Committee, 1854 – reference from “Wallbuilders”.

“Suppose a nation in some distant region should take the Bible for their only law book and every member should regulate his conduct by the precepts there exhibited. . . . What a Eutopia – what a Paradise would this region be!”

John Adams – 2nd U.S. President, signer of the “Declaration of Independence“ & “Bill of Rights”, judge, & diplomat.

Let’s take a look at what the world used to be like thousands of years ago. Before God chose a people unto Himself, the world was made up of various pagan religions and practices. Merriam-Webster defines paganism as:

• “spiritual beliefs and practices other than those of Judaism, Islam, or especially Christianity: such as
  • the spiritual beliefs and practices of ancient polytheistic religions
  • the beliefs and practices of contemporary religions or spiritual movements based on ancient paganism”

When God gave instructions to His people, He specifically warned them not to follow pagan practices:

“When you come into the land which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominations of those nations. There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For all who do these things are an abomination to the Lord, and because of these abominations the Lord your God drives them out from before you. You shall be blameless before the Lord your God. For these nations which you will dispossess listened to soothsayers and diviners; but as for you, the Lord your God has not appointed such for you.”

Deuteronomy 18:9-14

Child sacrifice is mentioned numerous times in Scripture as a pagan practice that God abhors. Is there a difference between pagan child sacrifice and abortion? Pagans were trying to appease their god(s) and those who support abortion defy God and believe that the intentional taking of the most helpless and innocent human life is somehow a positive thing for women. Think about that. Anyone reading this post was allowed to be born. Abortion prevents people from having the life that we take for granted. Statistics reveal almost all abortions are of healthy babies and healthy moms. Females were designed to be nurturers and protectors of their offspring, so how has Satan been so effective at detaching women from their own children, even causing some to protest for the right to terminate the lives of their babies to the time of birth? And this at a time when so many couples cannot conceive a child because of infertility issues. Having been someone who was coerced to abort my first child and the resulting numerous issues it caused me and then having heard similar stories from other women (including recent disclosures by Brittney Spears and former Pussycat Doll, Kaya Jones), it’s clear that there are two casualties of abortion – one dead and one wounded – even if a number of the wounded haven’t yet made the connection. It’s why I make myself available to take other women through a post-abortion healing Bible study to find true healing and freedom.

 “one of the most agonizing things I have ever experienced in my life.” 

quote from Brittney Spears from her memoir in reference to her abortion

“Bald eagle eggs are protected under federal law, but there is no federal law protecting children from abortion. Will Witt takes to the streets to find out if people in Los Angeles would sign a petition to protect eagle eggs, along with a petition to protect babies in the womb.”

Description for Prager U 3-min video, “Is an Eagle Egg More Valuable Than a Baby?”

Forces in Europe and now America have been pushing God and His Word out of the mainstream for many years. It should come as no surprise that there would be more selfishness along with a rise in corruption, greed, crime, sexual immorality, depression, addiction, destruction of families, abortion, and abuse of all kinds – even the sexual abuse of children, which can only be described as evil. We are now seeing more heinous crimes being committed – mass killings, beheadings, machete attacks, family members killing each other, etc.. These are not the actions of a civilized society. These are the actions of people who have no fear of God and seek after their own selfish goals, regardless of who is harmed in the process. Our only hope is that people would wake up to the fact that there is a God in the heavens, that nothing is hidden from Him, that He is the source of all that is true and good in this world, and that He will judge evil in His time.

“Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in abundance. Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live.”

Isaiah 55:2-3a

“Now therefore, listen to me, my children, for blessed are those who keep my ways.
Hear instruction and be wise, and do not disdain it. Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors for whoever finds me finds life, and obtains favor from the Lord;
but he who sins against me wrongs his own soul; all those who hate me love death.”

wisdom is speaking in first person in Proverbs 8:32-36

“The Impact of Christianity: What if Jesus Had Never Been Born?” – “Faithfacts” offers “an historical look at the importance of the Christianity—putting aside matters of theology or faith” expands on each of the following areas:

• Impact on the Value of Human Life
• Compassion and Mercy
• Marriage and Family
• Education
• Government of the People
• Science
• Free Enterprise and the Work Ethic
• Art, Music, Literature“

Whether or not our culture continues this regression into paganism or turns to the One who offers life eternal and can sustain us through this life’s trials depends mostly on individuals, one heart at a time, when we begin to realize that something is terribly wrong. The Lord waits for us to recognize our need for Him so we will repent and surrender our lives to Him. Our Creator knows us and what we need better than we do. We tend to equate surrender with giving up, and in a sense that’s true here. We give up control and rest in His sovereignty. In His grace, He gives us the peace and strength we need to persevere. John Piper writes about this in his devotional, “The Great Exchange”, on the “Desiring God” website. Another helpful resource is an article by “Got Questions”: “What are some Bible verses about surrender?”.

“But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is Christ therefore a minister of sin? Certainly not! For if I build again those things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”

Galatians 2:17-20

“At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, ‘Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me. But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!

Matthew 18:1-7

The recent moves in several states to legislate abortion until the full-term birth of a baby and our national and some state governments and medical institutions’ promotion of irreversible mutilations and harmful injections for minors don’t bode well for the future of our nation. Our only hope from returning to paganism is to repent of these crimes against the most innocent among us who are precious in the eyes of Jesus, to cry out for God’s mercy, and do all we can to pray for and stand up in defense of children.

“Deliver those who are drawn toward death, and hold back those stumbling to the slaughter.
If you say, ‘Surely we did not know this’, does not He who weighs the hearts consider it?
He who keeps your soul, does He not know it? And will He not render to each man according to his deeds?”

Proverbs 24:11-12

“If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

the LORD’s words to Solomon in 2 Chronicles 7:14

© Constance Rice 2023

article by site-founder, Connie Rice

We have recently seen some groups, individuals, and even some government officials vilify pro-life pregnancy centers across the nation, verbally, by damaging facilities, and even through legislation in some areas. The narrative is that the centers are “deceptive” and “harmful” and must be shut down because they don’t refer for abortions. Why is this? I thought it was good for women to have a choice. Unless someone has had personal experience with what goes on in these centers, they may think that this vitriol is somehow deserved. I’ve had personal experience with three different centers over the past 29 years. I only wish I had found one of these centers when I faced my own crisis pregnancy in 1980 – the son that God later revealed to me that I was carrying would be 42 years old now.

These organizations are entirely donor-supported and carry very limited staffing. Most of the positions are filled by volunteers fully committed to helping women face unplanned pregnancies – with encouragement, prayer, a listening ear, material support (ie. maternity clothing, diapers, baby clothes & supplies), and free classes in parenting and life skills, etc.). They also offer studies to help women find hope & healing after having had an abortion and referrals for other forms of available support. They believe that human life is a precious gift from God that should be protected, and they are willing to use their time, efforts, and money to stand in the gap for the youngest and most vulnerable of humans – those in the womb who have no voice and no defense. The “Charlotte Lozier Institute” has fact sheets based on available data and one of these has 2019 data about pro-life centers. A 47-min press conference can be viewed as well.

With medical technology and imaging, we now know far more about human development in the womb than was known when abortion became a political issue early in the 70s. This was the only medical intervention (before recent transgender drugs and surgeries) that interfered with the natural development of a healthy person – the intentional killing of a tiny human. Statistics show that in 95% of all abortions, the moms and babies are both healthy. We now know all the stages of pregnancy and that a baby’s heart is beating at 6 weeks (usually before the mom knows she’s pregnant) and at 10 weeks, that all of his or her major structures are already formed (arms, legs, toes, and organs). With recent technology, parents are even able to sign up for an app where they can see the development stage of their child throughout the entire pregnancy. Recent research shows that fetal pain exists by about 15 weeks of gestation. The Bible acknowledges the distinct human life of babies before their birth.

“For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb.
I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well.
My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them.”

Psalm 139:13

Many are not aware of the history of abortion in America before the 1970s. Although in recent decades, the idea of feminism and abortion seem intertwined – that if someone is a feminist, then they are naturally pro-abortion. However, pro-life feminists exist today and the most well known of early feminists (Elizabeth Cody Stanton, Susan B Anthony, Alice Paul, & Lucretia Mott) were staunchly pro-life.

“When we consider that women are treated as property, it is degrading to women that we should treat our children as property to be disposed of as we see fit.”

quote from early feminist, Elizabeth Cady Stanton

“Abortion is the ultimate exploitation of women.”

quote from Alice Paul, who drafted the original version of the Equal Rights Amendment

The narrative from the pro-abortion side of the debate has changed over time. At first, they said that abortion should be legal to save women from the dangers of “back-alley abortions” and deadly “coat-hanger abortions”. The narrative changed to that abortion should be “safe, legal, and rare”. The original Roe vs. Wade decision was limited to abortion before the child was viable (able to live on its own outside of the womb) or in the life or health of the mother. The follow-up case of Doe vs. Bolton that expanded the newly discovered “right to privacy” (not stated or guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution) and adjusted the term “health of the mother” to cover any reason with no limitations regarding viability.

What we are seeing now, especially since the overturning of Roe vs. Wade, is the pro-abortion side arguing for laws to protect killing unborn children up to the point of birth and even once the baby has been born if he or she miraculously survives the attempt to abort them (providing “comfort care” while they die from lack of medical attention). Tragically, our culture has convinced many that abortion is a form of “health care” and use terms that avoid the humanity of the unborn (product of conception, blob of tissue, etc.).

Something else that people may not know is that many of the women involved in pro-life centers are the surviving victims of abortion themselves. They have suffered in various ways – I knew one volunteer whose abortion left her unable to have another child, I knew many for whom the “choice” was pushed on them by someone else (including me). Many women regret their decision and want to keep other women from suffering as they have. They want women to know that hope and healing from the guilt of taking the life of one’s own child is possible through the incredible grace and mercy of our loving Savior, Jesus Christ. Many women, like myself, have already experienced His forgiveness and were not aware that He offers more healing beyond His forgiveness.

Many do not realize that a previous abortion affects so many other important areas of our lives and relationships (emotional, mental, physical) in negative ways, and that a post-abortion study brings these things into the light so the Lord can restore us more than we imagined possible. That is why I make myself available to take other women through the healing process that brought me so much peace and freedom, as a volunteer through a local pro-life pregnancy center. More and more centers are now offering Bible studies to men who have been involved in a past abortion decision so they can find freedom through Jesus as well.

The more we learn about abortion and those who promote it, along with the more we learn about the pro-life centers – the more clearly we see this as a battle between life and death. God is the Creator of life and the source of all that is good. Satan is the destroyer of life and seeks to destroy all that is good. Men and women are different, no matter how the world tries to blur the distinctions. Women have been given the amazing role of bringing forth life and have also been given the gift of being able to nurture that life. Abortion cannot be for their good because with it, they are fighting against the very nature of who they are.

Satan has done a great job of convincing women that somehow abortion is for their benefit, but that is a dreadful lie. Bringing a new life into the world and being that innocent child’s protector and nurturer is more rewarding than any career could ever be. It isn’t easy, which is why our culture should promote sex within marriage and not continue to make sexual activity outside of marriage the cultural norm. Studies continue to show that children do best when they have both parents (mother and father) who provide a home in which their children can grow and thrive. A “National Review” article, “Children Do Better When Raised in Intact Two-parent Homes” discusses the issue.

All one really has to do is look objectively at the results of our culture after decades of pushing abortion, divorce, sex without boundaries, and the focus on self and pleasure while trying to eliminate the natural consequences of our actions. Unfortunately, healthy, intact families are no longer common. Of course, every family has a certain element of dysfunction because we are all flawed people, but with weddings in which the couple has decided to honor God in their relationship and with their vows, there’s something so beautiful and pure that is missing in other weddings. The same is true in hospitals when someone dies or at their funerals – if the person trusted in Jesus as their Lord and Savior, there is hope for a reunion along with grief, but a lack of the despair that is present many times when the person and their surviving loved ones do not know the Lord. Death is an intrusion – God created a perfect world, but sin, sickness, evil, and death entered the world as a result of Adam and Eve’s disobedience. For the believer, death is a transition from this life to the next; Jesus sustains us through the trials of this life and in the next, we live forever in His presence in heaven, where no sickness, evil, or death will exist. He gave His life to give us freedom from the bondage of sin and the promise of eternity with Him – our lives belong to Him and He deserves our complete surrender to His will. That is where we find true freedom and the peace that only He can offer.

Pro-life centers have no financial motivation, unlike abortion providers. They exist and offer compassionate support when a woman needs it most – along with material support and helpful classes to help them to get through a difficult time in their own lives. Their services are entirely free, with no strings attached. Those who oppose them must not have spoken to any of their clients, who generally have glowing testimonies of the help they have received. They offer more for free than any other organization offers for a fee. If pro-life centers are not allowed to exist, the losers will be the women who need a helping hand at a challenging time in their lives so they can have real choices – not just the choice to abort their child. If you’d like to know more of what they do, I’d encourage you to do your own research. Women (and men) can benefit from the services provided by pro-life centers. Every precious child that is born is celebrated and it’s not unusual for clients to come back and visit with their child even when they no longer need services. We should do all we can to support pro-life centers, who are valuable assets to every community.

© Constance Rice 2023

article by site founder, Connie Rice

I’ve heard numerous people say that they wish they had a strong faith and wondered why they didn’t experience God’s peace and strength or sense of purpose in their lives as other Christians seem to have. As a result, some have walked away from church and even Christianity because they prayed a prayer that God didn’t answer the way they expected or they think that He isn’t faithful because a promise He gave in the Bible didn’t happen in their life or they were challenged with questions they couldn’t answer, etc. Several things can block God’s blessings in our lives and cause our faith to be weak. My faith walk was strengthened through a Bible study my husband and I were in about 25 years ago called “Experiencing God” by Henry Blackaby and Claude V. King. I just finished going through a revised version of that study again (with a couple of other ladies this time) with the added benefit of powerful videos with Blackaby’s son and grandson. We can trust the truth of the Bible:

“But when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. And one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question to test Him. ‘Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?’ And He said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets’.”

Jesus’ answer to a question in Matthew 22:37-40

Recent research has shown that “51% of adults claim to have a biblical worldview. However, extensive testing through the American Worldview Inventory indicates that just 6% of the adult population actually has one.” This may be key to understanding why so many self-proclaimed Christians do not experience God’s power or guidance in their lives and do not realize how their actions and attitudes may be preventing God’s blessings. It’s so sad that many young Christians have been deceived by the world into believing that they can be sexually active or live together outside of marriage and still expect that God would bless their relationships. That’s just one example.

“For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness.”

1 Thessalonians 4:3-7

“Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”

1 Corinthians 6:18-20

Bible illiteracy: God has revealed Himself and what is true in His Word. Because He is our Creator and the source of all wisdom, truth, and all that is good, we can trust Him and heed His warnings to minimize the challenges in our lives. Life on earth is full of challenges and trials, but our own poor decisions, attitudes, and reactions can make things harder than they have to be. Bible illiteracy in America contributes to the problems we see in our culture and increases the level of hypocrisy that can negatively affect unbelievers who are watching. Without knowing God’s Word, we are vulnerable to believing lies and can fall prey to deception. Satan has had thousands of years to observe humans and learns our weaknesses in order to exploit them. He masquerades as and “angel of light” and can make things sound good and desirable even when they lead to evil. That’s why the New Testament cautions us many times to not be deceived.

“Every word of God proves true; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.
Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you and you be found a liar.”

Proverbs 30:5-6

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time He may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To Him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

1 Peter 5:6-11

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

2 Timothy 3:16-17

Doubting the truth of the Bible: This began with the serpent (Satan) in the Garden of Eden and continues to this day with indoctrination of Darwinian Evolution and skepticisms of historical events recorded in the Bible, even as recent research and discoveries refute them, including:

• lack of transitional fossils (should be multitudes of them if Darwinian Evolution were true according to Darwin himself)
• incomprehensible complexity of DNA
• no such thing as a simple cell (each cell in the human body has more information than numerous sets of encyclopedias)
• what had first been thought to be junk DNA have since been shown to have purpose
• soft tissue found in more and more dinosaur fossils
• Mt. St. Helens eruption – showed that geological features could be formed quickly by catastrophic events
• supposed examples of human evolution have not held up over time – the image of supposed transition of primate to human is about half all apes and the rest all human; just in my lifetime, Neanderthal depictions went from being a hunched over hairy brute to someone you would see today
• there is only one human race – human genome research has found that 99.9% of DNA between different people groups is identical, that
• All women were traced back to one woman through Mitochondrial DNA and all men were traced back to one man through the Y-chromosome
• evolutionist ideas of junk DNA and vestigial organs have not held up
• numerous archaeological discoveries – Dead Sea Scrolls showed that our modern translations of the Old Testament are accurate; walls of Jericho did fall down; statue of what appears to be the biblical Joseph found in a tomb in Goshen (where Pharaoh allowed his family to live); when look in different time, numerous evidences of the Exodus are found; Mt. Ebal curse tablet, ossuary of James (Jesus’ brother), and stone giving reference to Pontius Pilate, are just a small sampling.
• fulfilled prophecies in Scripture show us that the Bible is divinely inspired and that we can also trust prophecies that have not yet occurred to come to pass.

Pursuit of riches or pleasure: Our culture as a whole has not been seeking after God, but have instead been seeking after more of a self-centered approach with worldly priorities. Since each person has a sinful nature that tends to be selfish, it is easy to live this way and rationalize our sins. I remember a book in the 70s called “Looking Out for Number One” that promoted narcissistic goals rather than choosing humility and caring for others as taught by Scripture. Before I knew the Lord, these kinds of worldly messages influenced my thinking and attitudes, making it more difficult for others to get along with me. Many marriages and other relationships have been destroyed because of pride and pointing fingers at the the other person’s faults while making excuses for our own. Pride is now being lifted up in our culture as good and honorable when God’s Word tells us that it is actually destructive and evil. Scripture repeatedly warns against the sin of pride and encourages and blesses humility instead.

“Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble’.”

Proverbs 30:5-6

“And He said, ‘What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person’.”

Jesus’ words in Mark 7:20-23

“You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, ‘He yearns jealously over the spirit that He has made to dwell in us”? But He gives more grace. Therefore it says, ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you.”

James 4:3-10

As we study biblical prophecies that are still to be fulfilled in the books of Revelation, Daniel, Ezekiel, and others, we see more and more of the circumstances lining up for those prophecies to be fulfilled. Nobody knows the hour or the day that Jesus will call His children home and remove the Restrainer from this world (Christians have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit with God’s goodness), but we know that in only a few years, things described in the prophecies have been lining up very quickly. I’m praying daily for a revival of God’s people and for another great awakening of historic proportion in America and around the world. We’re beginning to see that as reported in Christian news sites, which is so exciting!

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil. Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; He will surely do it.”

1 Thessalonians 5:16-24

Some think our nation is presently under judgment for our rebellion against God and we know from the Bible that unless individuals, churches, and leaders repent, cry out for God’s mercy, and turn from their evil ways to follow Him and His commands, things could continue to get worse. Even in the midst of judgment, God always preserves His faithful remnant. We cannot say whether or not the Lord will turn America around – all is subject to His will and timing. However, we can make the most of the time He gives us by seeking Him in His Word, in prayer, and through studies like “Experiencing God” while choosing to serve Him and share truth with others so they can also know the Lord and join Jesus with us when He comes.

“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.”

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18

© Constance Rice 2023

article by site founder, Connie Rice

What is an apostate church? According to the article, “What is apostasy and how can I recognize it?” from “Got Questions”, there are two main types of apostasy: “(1) a falling away from key and true doctrines of the Bible into heretical teachings that claim to be ‘the real’ Christian doctrine, and (2) a complete renunciation of the Christian faith, which results in a full abandonment of Christ.” A number of churches seem to have turned away from the truth plainly taught in God’s Word. Why is this? Perhaps they don’t want to offend others or they seek approval from the world. Perhaps they’ve focused on some of God’s attributes or specific teachings to the detriment of His other attributes and teachings, leading them to create God in their own image. Perhaps those deceived by Satan have infiltrated church leadership, intentionally or unintentionally. Perhaps church leaders have taken Scripture out of context or were influenced by the world’s ideas when interpreting various passages. Perhaps some have not noticed that pride has become an issue for them and do not humble themselves before their Maker. Perhaps they doubt the truth of God’s Word because of the world’s teachings and base their understanding of good and evil on man’s ideas instead.

“Salvation is far from the wicked, for they do not seek Your statutes.
Great are Your tender mercies, O Lord; revive me according to Your judgments.
Many are my persecutors and my enemies, yet I do not turn from Your testimonies.
I see the treacherous, and am disgusted, because they do not keep Your word.
Consider how I love Your precepts; revive me, O Lord, according to Your lovingkindness.
The entirety of Your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever.”

Psalm 119:155-160

But if God has given us His revealed Word in Scripture and has repeatedly commanded His people to obey His commandments and brought judgment to those who continually turn away from them , then shouldn’t we pay attention to it? Throughout Scripture, God’s love and mercy are evident in the many chances He gave His people. And when leaders genuinely humbled themselves, repented of their sin, and turned back to God, at times He relented or delayed judgment on them. Is it time for church leaders to humbly seek the Lord and make sure they are obeying Him and accurately teaching the whole counsel of God to their congregations?

“Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous! For praise from the upright is beautiful.
Praise the Lord with the harp; Make melody to Him with an instrument of ten strings.
Sing to Him a new song; Play skillfully with a shout of joy. For the word of the Lord is right,
And all His work is done in truth. He loves righteousness and justice;
The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. By the word of the Lord the heavens were made,
And all the host of them by the breath of His mouth. He lays up the deep in storehouses
He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap; Let all the earth fear the Lord;
Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. For He spoke, and it was done;
He commanded, and it stood fast. The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing;
He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect. The counsel of the Lord stands forever,
The plans of His heart to all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,
The people He has chosen as His own inheritance. The Lord looks from heaven;
He sees all the sons of men. From the place of His dwelling He looks
On all the inhabitants of the earth; He fashions their hearts individually;
He considers all their works.”

Psalm 33:1-15

Will apostate churches and their leaders be held accountable before the Lord for leading people astray? The Bible warns that leaders and teachers are held to a higher standard for the influence they have. This should have a sobering effect on all church leaders and teachers:

“My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.”

James 3:1

Are individuals responsible to check Scripture to make sure they are being taught solid doctrine?

“If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself.“

1 Timothy 6:3-5

Godliness is repeated in the above verse, so what does that mean? You can see the definition according to the article, “What is Godliness?”, by NavPress and reprinted on Bible.org that may help in our understanding.

“For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error. While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage.”

2 Peter 2:18-19

When the teachings of church leaders keep people from recognizing the seriousness of their sin, it can keep people separated from God’s promises and blessings which instead may cause them to rationalize their sin. In some cases, it may even encourage them to celebrate their sin before a holy God. It’s only through Scripture that we understand what sin is and what pleases or displeases God. He is the source of all that is good and is the ultimate judge between good and evil. Beginning with Adam & Eve in the Garden, people have attempted to determine what is good and what is evil for themselves. We see this now all around us in the world. Humans’ sinful tendencies lead them to reject God and His teachings and determine their own way, even for many who confess Jesus as their Savior. This is actually rebellion and can keep people from experiencing the love, acceptance, and sense of purpose that God offers. As our Creator, Jesus knows exactly what we need to equip us for the path He has created each of us to walk. It requires that we agree with Him about what sin is and repent of anything that He calls sin.

“The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble;
And He knows those who trust in Him.”

Nahum 1:7

“Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.”

James 1:13-18

Even when people are rebelling against Him, our merciful and loving God longs to bring them back to the center of His will so He can show them the way of salvation through believing in Jesus Christ’s victory over sin and death on the cross. As people trust in His guidance, He is able to care for them, meet their needs, and bless them. The book of Psalms helps us understand God’s heart:

“Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and He delivered them out of their distresses.
And He led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city for a dwelling place.
Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness.
Those who sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, bound in affliction and irons—
Because they rebelled against the words of God, and despised the counsel of the Most High,
Therefore He brought down their heart with labor; they fell down, and there was none to help.
Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and He saved them out of their distresses.
He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and broke their chains in pieces.
Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!“

Psalm 107:6-15

My prayer is that churches will be faithful in the teaching of God’s Word, even though Scripture says that in the last days there will be even more apostasy. Therefore, believers need to know God’s Word for themselves. This allows them to discern solid doctrine from false teaching and find a church that is faithful to what God has revealed. The Bible mentions how the Bereans went to the Scriptures to make sure what they were being told was true:

“Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so. Therefore many of them believed, and also not a few of the Greeks, prominent women as well as men.”

Acts 17:10-12

People who have agreed with what God says about sin and who acknowledge and repent of their own sins regularly are able to enjoy fellowship with the Lord and live out the unique life He created for each of them. There is nothing in the world more precious than that, but it is so hard to help people understand who haven’t experienced life with the hope, supernatural peace, strength, and more that Jesus shares with those who have surrendered completely to Him. The song. “Nobody” by Casting Crowns expresses it well. One of the song’s verses is here:

‘Cause I’m just a nobody trying to tell everybody
All about Somebody who saved my soul
Ever since You rescued me, You gave my heart a song to sing
I’m living for the world to see nobody but Jesus
I’m living for the world to see nobody but Jesus“

Some of lyrics to Casting Crowns song, “Nobody” as listed on lyrics.com

Those who understand will continue to share with people because the consequences are eternal, and want as many as possible to go with us in the Rapture. Chronologically, it is the next event on the prophetic calendar – we will meet Jesus in the air and be removed from this world in an instant. Heaven will be more amazing than our finite minds can imagine, but the Tribulation on earth that follows the Rapture will be more horrific than people can imagine because evil will progress unrestrained for seven years. The Rapture also signals the end of the Church Age. God will fulfill His promise to restore His chosen (Jewish people) and give them and others one last opportunity to trust in Jesus for their salvation before He brings judgment on evil and on those who have rejected Him. Not only does He win in the end, but as long as any of His children are still here on earth, He walks with them and guides them through any and all trials they face. The victory is His – praise Jesus! He is worthy of all praise!

© Constance Rice 2023

article by site founder, Connie Rice

How likely is it that a war or even a battle would be won if those in said war or battle were unprepared and/or unaware? Soldiers endure a time of intense training and learn the enemy’s tactics before being sent into battle. God has told us through His Word that we are in the midst of a spiritual battle between good and evil and He shows us how to be prepared. God is the source of all that is good. Satan rebelled against God and is the prince of this world. He is the antithesis of God, so is the source of all that is evil. His tactics haven’t changed that much since he deceived Adam and Eve in the garden because they are quite effective. God teaches us the enemy’s tactics so we can have victory in this life. Satan has a number of names in Scripture – “destroyer, evil one, deceiver, father of lies, wicked one, tempter, ruler of this world, god of this age, murderer, serpent, devil, (accuser) of God’s people), “, etc., but he can masquerade as an “angel of light” and promote counterfeits to God’s truths to confuse people and draw them away from their Creator.

“Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.”

James 1:12-18

“2 Corinthians 10:4-5 discusses the warfare of spirit, saying ‘The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ’. The most important battle we will fight is not physical or mental. It is the spiritual warfare we undergo as devoted followers of God when the strength and conviction of our faith are continuously tested. In this battle, we face not only external forces but the thoughts and passions within ourselves that may stray from the path of righteousness. ”

quote from article, “Spiritual Warfare Scriptures” , from “Bible Study Tools”

Of course, if we do not surrender our lives to the Lordship of Christ, read the Bible, humbly seek the Lord, have a healthy fear of the Lord, choose to obey His commands, and seek help from the Holy Spirit, we will still be both unprepared and unaware. If we trust in Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior, He gives us the Holy Spirit so we can have access to supernatural power to live the life He has set before us. Therefore, we cannot be demon-possessed. Our souls are secure for eternity – that is the hope of heaven. However, we can still make ourselves vulnerable to the lies and deceptions of this world (even allowing our own sinful tendencies to deceive us). “Got Questions” addresses self-deception in their article, “What does the Bible Say About Self-Deception?” Satan and his minions observe our weaknesses and capitalize on them so he can put us in bondage to sin (defined by God) in order to prevent us from experiencing and serving God.

“When we allow others’ perceptions of us, or even our perceptions of their perceptions, to control how we live, we are enslaved, we become entrenched in the ways of this world and do not live as citizens of heaven, which is another kind of Kingdom altogether.”

Francis Chan

Because of God’s love for us, He made a way for us to be free from the control of sin – through trusting in Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross and His subsequent resurrection, overcoming both sin and death. His Word is the foundation of all that is true, so knowing our Bible provides us with much needed discernment and perspective in living a life of victory and purpose. The dark forces of this world attempt to keep people from knowing their Creator by bringing doubts about His existence and doubts about the truth of the Bible. These attempts and others are also used on believers to cause them to disregard their faith or walk away from it. We see this clearly in the Creation vs. Evolution debate, the intentional destruction of the family on many fronts, and now with causing people to question their own identity. Our identity is found in Jesus – we are His beloved and He has made each of us unique with individual gifts, personalities, and characteristics – He doesn’t make mistakes, but has made each of us for a purpose. The “Crosswalk” article, “Your Identity in Christ – 14 Things God Says of You List” by Whitney Hopler explains this.

“Therefore He [Jesus as our high priest] is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.”

Hebrews 7:25

Some people are intimidated by reading their Bible or have started and gotten stuck in some of the “begats” listings of generations. “The Bible Project” offers a 7-min video overview of each Bible book that can provide helpful context. My suggestion is to begin reading in the book of Psalms to gain insight into God’s glory, majesty, and sovereignty. Then read the book of Proverbs (book of wisdom written by Solomon). Then read the book of John to understand the gospel (good news of salvation through Jesus). From there, read the whole New Testament, but stop before reading the book of Revelation. Knowing the Old Testament is critical to making any sense of Revelation so read the whole Old Testament chronologically (in the order things happened). History is His Story and stories tend to be best followed in the order they occur. There are chronological Bibles, but there are also free reading plans online that can be accessed or printed. After reading all of the New Testament again (also chronologically), then read the book of Revelation. A resource that may prove helpful for older kids, teens, and adults is “Revelation for Kids” (the 3-lesson overview is free). “The Prophecy Pros Podcast” (30-min) can help align current events with Bible prophecy, using all of the Bible for interpretation and avoiding speculation.

“There is tremendous relief in knowing that His love to me is based at every point on prior knowledge of the worst about me.”

J. I. Packer

In addition to reading our Bible every day (reading it over and over again until Jesus takes us home), we should also put on the whole Armor of God each day to help us be victorious in the midst of spiritual warfare. This is explained in Scripture:

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints – and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.”

Ephesians 6:10-20

© Constance Rice 2023

article by site founder, Connie Rice

Things around us can change at a sometimes dizzying pace and confusion seems to prevail in so many things. In recent days, the attacks on truth and reality are coming from every direction. What can a person to hold on to? God has provided the answer for us if we’ll only look. He is sovereign over everything, does not lie, is all-powerful, all-knowing, is just, is holy, is good, and He knows us better than we know ourselves and even with our flaws, still loves us enough to have His only Son come to earth and willingly die to pay the penalty for our sins. God has revealed Himself to us through His Word, the Bible. How sad that so many ignore the very thing that would help them to better understand Him as well as our world and our place in it. How tragic that some miss the abundant life Jesus has for them as well as live without His peace and joy because of assumptions they have made about what His Word teaches. What does God say through the psalmist about Scripture?

“The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul.
The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.
The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes.
The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever.
The decrees of the Lord are firm, and all of them are righteous.
They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb.
By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward.
But who can discern their own errors? Forgive my hidden faults.
Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me.
Then I will be blameless, innocent of great transgression.”

Psalm 19:7-13

Do we really think that this life is all there is? Then why do we hope for something more? Why do we seek justice and fairness? Why do we want our lives to mean something? Why do feel guilt? Why do we want others to be honest with us and feel betrayed when they are not? From a materialistic, evolutionist, atheist perspective – there is no answer for any of this. We fool ourselves if we do not acknowledge the existence of God. He has revealed Himself through His amazing Creation. Previous generations all over the planet recognized a Creator by what He had made. We fool ourselves if we think He is okay with our rebellion against Him and/or His Word. Or that we can live any way we want and expect Him to bless us. God created time, so is Himself outside of it. He created the material world and each of us, so has the authority to dictate policy. As the source of all that is good, only He can define what is good and what is evil. Out of His love for us and His compassion and mercy, He gave us the Bible so we could know Him and understand the way of salvation He has provided for us through Jesus Christ’s sacrificial death and glorious resurrection. We ignore or reject His revealed Word (the Holy Bible) at our own peril eternally as well as hinder our lives on earth, even for those who profess Him as Lord yet live according to their own wisdom. Psalm 96 does a good job of explaining God’s majesty:

“Oh, sing to the Lord a new song! Sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, bless His name; Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day. Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples. For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the Lord made the heavens. Honor and majesty are before Him; Strength and beauty are in His sanctuary. Give to the Lord, O families of the peoples, Give to the Lord glory and strength. Give to the Lord the glory due His name; bring an offering, and come into His courts. Oh, worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness! Tremble before Him, all the earth. Say among the nations, ‘The Lord reigns; the world also is firmly established, it shall not be moved; He shall judge the peoples righteously’. Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and all its fullness; let the field be joyful, and all that is in it. Then all the trees of the woods will rejoice before the Lord. For He is coming, for He is coming to judge the earth. He shall judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with His truth.”

Psalm 96

When we live according to the teaching of God’s Word and keep Him in first place in our lives, trusting Him to guide us according to His perfect will, we experience personally His love, mercy, grace, compassion, provision, peace, strength, power, joy, and faithfulness. Even though the path is difficult and this world is broken because of sin, through trusting in the saving power of Jesus, we know our eternal future is secure. The more we know our precious Savior, the more we see that obeying His commands are not burdensome, especially since He gives us the power to obey through the gift of the Holy Spirit. Some commands can seem impossible (“Be holy as I am holy”, “Love your enemies”, and “Do not be anxious for anything”), and they are without His power. How incredible that He shares His power with us so we can walk with Him along our journey in this life with our sin no longer being a huge obstacle that is impossible for us to overcome. God’s Word and our adherence to it provides a firm foundation in our lives even when everything else is shaky and confusing. God never changes and is sovereign over the affairs of people and nations. There is so much comfort in that.

“God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?”

Numbers 23:19

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.”

James 1:17

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”

Hebrews 13:8

“Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures. So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”

James 1:12-22

Without a working knowledge of God’s Word, we are vulnerable to the lies and deceptions of the world, which is under the influence of Satan, the prince of this world and “father of lies”. He is a master of deception and is a murderer. God is the author of life and the source of wisdom, truth, and goodness. He has given us the gift of free will – may we use that freedom for our good (recognizing that His commands are for our good and His glory), and also for the good of others. If things seem to be falling apart in your life or if the crazy things going on around us are disturbing to you, perhaps God is trying to get your attention so you will get to the end of yourself, repent of your sins and turn to Jesus so He can save you. If things always seem to go well for you, is it be possible that Satan doesn’t see you as a threat? If we have a relationship with our Savior, it should change us. Others should be able to see Jesus in us. We are His ambassadors to a lost and dying world and from the fulfillment of biblical prophecies lining up all over the world, there may not be much time left before Jesus comes for His own. The tribulation will be horrific and we don’t want anyone to have to endure it. Hope is found in Jesus alone.

“Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.”

Jesus’ words in John 8:43-44

“Jesus answered them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed’.”

John 8:34-36

“There is no neutral ground in the universe. Every square inch, every split second is claimed by God, and counterclaimed by Satan.”

C.S. Lewis

A firm and unchanging foundation is found in the Bible. God wants us to know Him, know what is true, and even to know what to expect in the future so we can be prepared. He seeks to bless those whose hearts are turned to Him. Those who read the Bible, study it, meditate on it, choose to obey it, and trust in Jesus alone for their salvation will have His peace that cannot be found in this world, grow in their relationship with their loving Creator, and have hope for the future in heaven with Him for eternity – where evil, sadness, and pain will not exist. Praise God – to Him be the glory!

© Constance Rice 2023

article by site founder Connie Rice

God has revealed Himself in such a way that man has no excuse for not believing in His existence. Not only is His majesty, genius, and power clearly evident in what He has made, but His love and mercy are also clearly evident as we study His Word. It’s no wonder that Satan has attacked the Bible so strongly, trying to cause people to reject or doubt its truth. He did that beginning with Adam and Eve and has been deceiving ever since. Unfortunately his efforts have been effective in more recent times, even in the minds and hearts of professing Christians. The idea that things were created without God and just happened over time (Darwinian Evolution) is one example. Whenever we see confusion, division, and conflict, we know Satan is behind it. He seeks to destroy all that is good and offers counterfeit answers to deceive people. Psalm 19 proclaims God as the Creator of the heavens, the earth, and all life, and that His ways are the path to wisdom:

“The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork.
Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night reveals knowledge.
There is no speech nor language here their voice is not heard.
Their line has gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.

In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun, which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
And rejoices like a strong man to run its race.
Its rising is from one end of heaven, and its circuit to the other end; and there is nothing hidden from its heat.

The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple;
The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes;
The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
Moreover by them Your servant is warned, and in keeping them there is great reward.

Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults.
Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me.
Then I shall be blameless, and I shall be innocent of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.”

 When nations and cultures are ignorant of God’s Word, they are vulnerable to Satan’s lies and deceptions (which many times includes a message that is mostly true so it is more difficult to discern). The spiritual battle that has existed since Satan’s rebellion against God has become more intense because he knows his time is short. Nobody knows exactly when Jesus is returning for His children (referred to as the Rapture) and so we have no way of knowing for sure that it is imminent. However, we are seeing much of biblical prophecy fall into place at a fast rate. The farther a nation moves away from God and His Word, the more we see an increase in self-centeredness & pride, corruption, immorality, confusion, lack of respect for human life, destruction of the family, increased anger, and violence. We must be closer than ever to Jesus’ return because of the level of delusion and confusion being foisted upon people from the highest levels of government and institutions. Romans 1:16-32 predicted our present circumstances:

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘The just shall live by faith’. The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles. Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.

Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error. Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.”

For those interested in learning about biblical prophecy, there are a few sources that may be helpful. They use Scripture to support their conclusions rather than offering speculation that can make this topic more confusing. The “Prophecy Pros Podcast”, Amir Tsarfati’s videos, and author of “Foreshadows”, Steve Miller.

God created order and teaches unity, love, and grace. Unfortunately, people can have a tendency toward holding on to only some of God’s characteristics, but He is also holy and just so He must punish sin (disobedience to Him). As our Creator, God determines what is good and what is evil. Jesus came to earth as the embodiment of God to die for the sins of mankind so that we can be free from the bondage of sin and have the power to be obedient to His commands. He conquered death and provided a way for us to live forever with Him. He also served as an example of how we are to live during our short time on earth. He even heals broken people so they can partner in His Kingdom work. When man begins determining those things for himself is when things go really wrong because what one man determines to be good will be different from what someone else determines to be good,. We need a standard by which all of mankind is subject. God provided just that in His Word. Those in the Old Testament tried doing what was right in their own eyes numerous times, but it ended badly for them every time as they ended up facing God’s judgment. Since God is the source of all that is good and loves us, He has provided a way for us to discern good from evil by providing and protecting His Word throughout the centuries. It is up to us to read, study, and apply it’s principles.

“In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”

Judges 21:25

“The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken. The voice said, ‘Cry out!’ And he said, ‘What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all its loveliness is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades because the breath of the Lord blows upon it; surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever’.”

Isaiah 40:5-8

We’ve heard it said that some people tend to look at the world through rose-colored glasses, implying that they are optimistic and focus on the positive. Similarly, the same seems to apply with what we believe about Creation and human origins. “Answers in Genesis” uses the example of people having different glasses with which they see the world, which can be influenced by what they believe about Creation. It might be an interesting endeavor to compare where each worldview leads:

Darwinian Evolution	Creator God (as revealed in a plain reading of the Bible).
Materialistic processes created all.	God is the Creator – eternal, all-powerful, all-knowing, omnipresent, not bound by time or space.
Big Bang – planets, matter, & natural laws result.	God created the world out of nothing (ex nihilo) – He created space, time, and matter as well as the heavens & natural laws.
Primordial soup developed with gases & chemicals.	God created the sun, the moon and the stars.
First living cell appeared (can’t explain how).	God created plants, animals, and people – all fully mature, able to reproduce, with each reproducing after its kind.
All life began with simplest life form & evolved to become more complex using mutations & natural selection.	God breathed life into the first human.
Man evolved from a line of ape-like creatures.	God created man unique from the rest of Creation, in His image, with a moral conscience and the ability to reason, worship, create, and seek purpose in life.

“Humans and Apes: Tracing Our Roots to Adam” – excellent discussion podcast with actual evidence, history, & biblical foundation for a plain reading of Genesis from “Generations” by Kevin Swanson with researcher, author, & speaker, Dr. Terry Mortenson of “Answers in Genesis”.

Recent research in so many areas support the biblical account and do not support the idea of Darwinian evolution – especially Dr. John Sanford’s work on genetic entropy (mutations), the incredible complexity found in the human genome, Carbon 14 being found in dinosaur fossils, coal, and diamonds, the amazing design and characteristics of animals, and soft tissue being continually found in dinosaur fossils. There are more and more scientists who recognize that the biblical account better explains all we see and there are so many incredible resources available now. This website offers many of them, but it is a challenge to keep up with so many great new ones being offered in our present day. People have answers at their fingertips that reveal the truth of the Bible – the only issue is whether or not they will consider the massive amount of evidence and seek the Lord, cry out for forgiveness, and turn from their sins. Time may be short. As Billy Graham used to quote from 2 Corinthians: “Today is the day of salvation”.

“We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For He says: ‘In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you.’ Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”

2 Corinthians 6:1-2

The Lord of all Creation loves you and wants to know you personally. He created you for a purpose and wants to guide you so that your life will be fulfilled and blessed. Isn’t that a wonderful thing? Our life on earth is not easy because Satan rules this world, but our hope is in heaven and Jesus sustains us while we’re here so that we are never alone and do not need to fear man.

© Constance Rice 2023

article by site founder, Connie Rice

For anyone out there who is confused, fearful, disillusioned, overwhelmed, or shocked by recent events or ideologies and the unexpected level of evil being exposed – Jesus is the answer. Beginning with the fall of man as Adam and Eve were deceived by the serpent, a spiritual battle has been going on – God vs. Satan, good vs, evil, light vs darkness. Imagine the level of regret Adam and Eve must have had as they looked back on the angel guarding the entrance into the Garden of Eden where they did not realize what they had until it was gone – fellowship with their Creator, peace, plenty of food, animals all around who all ate plants (nothing to fear), etc. The realization that they would now have a life that included hardship, pain, and death must have been a rude awakening to them. This is interesting to contemplate as the only thing God commanded Adam not to eat was from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil – they were allowed to eat from the tree of life. God gave humans the gift of free choice, but many times the choices we make are not for our own good or for the good of others. Through Adam and Eve’s disobedience, sin and death entered and corrupted the world and man has been helpless to save himself ever since. God always warns before judgment comes and His Word has warned us too.

“The Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed. And out of the ground the Lord God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.”

Genesis 2: 8-9

“Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, ‘Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

Genesis 2:15-17

“So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.”

Genesis 3:24

Satan (the serpent in Genesis) has had thousands of years to study the human race. Although he cannot read our thoughts as God can, he can identify each person’s weaknesses and adapt his temptations and deceptions to draw us away from the very One who created us, loves us, and even died for us. We can be discontented with what we have and be tempted to turn instead to what appears to be a better way, but in reality is not better. Satan is the prince of this world. He is busy doing all he can to keep people from accepting God’s free gift of salvation made possible through Jesus’ death. If a person does accept God’s gift of salvation, then the enemy (Satan) does all he can to derail us, discourage us, deceive us, tempt us, or cause us to doubt that God is good and that His Word (the Bible) is true. This is the essence of the unseen spiritual war that rages. It is up to us to know God’s Word so that we can avoid deception and draw near to God in obedience so we can have access to the power of the Holy Spirit so we can stand firm in the face of temptation and spiritual attacks. God tells us how to be victorious in Ephesians 6 – notice that with the shield of faith, we can quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one, so we do not need to be afraid of the enemy if we are trusting in the Lord and obey Him:

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the [b]wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints – and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak”

Ephesians 6:10-20

“And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the [a]course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

Ephesians 2:1-10

In America, the majority of people (sadly, even Christians who say they love Jesus and respect the Bible) are biblically illiterate. Most do not make reading the Bible a priority. Churches and Christian universities have failed to stress the importance of knowing our Bibles, resulting in parents not seeing the importance of modeling that importance to their children. Because of this, we should not be surprised by the rising incidences of evil since so many people are deceived by the enemy’s lies – we see a sense of false compassion encouraging people to defy God’s clear teachings in multiple areas of the culture (abortion, divorce, sexuality, education, politics, etc.). Al Mohler recently wrote an article for “Crosswalk” on this topic: “The Scandal of Biblical Illiteracy: It’s Our Problem”. What we have been witnessing is the decline of Western Civilization and a return to paganism and demonic influences, which bring about God’s judgment. It was Christianity that created Western Civilization, which lifted up the value of human life and motivated people to care for those who were sick or in need. The promotion of a death culture (abortion, euthanasia, etc.) is not from God because He is the author of life. The confusion we’re seeing in young people regarding their sexuality (even to point of thinking they can change their biological identity) is not from God. He made them male and female and this is confirmed through biological science – either XX or XY) is the author of order and not confusion. Those who perpetuate these ideas are not from God.

“This is the book of the genealogy of Adam. In the day that God created man, He made him in the likeness of God. He created them male and female, and blessed them and called them Mankind in the day they were created.”

Genesis 5:1-2

“For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.”

1 Corinthians 14:33

“But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate, that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing, which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen.”

1 Timothy 6:11-16

We are entering a time of hostility toward God and His followers in America that we haven’t seen in recent history, so this may come as a shock to many. We are seeing people becoming hostile toward those who hold to a biblical worldview. There are so many around the world who have experienced much stronger persecution for their faith. We need to go to Christian news websites to learn about not only that, but the amazing work Jesus is doing around the world – both exist at the same time, just as Scripture foretold.

“But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, [b]unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith; but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was. But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra—what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

2 Timothy 3:1-17

This life is full of struggles, but the hope of a Christ-follower is not in this world. Hope is found in Jesus. He is the only answer. God works in individual ways with each person (He is endlessly creative), but in my life – God allowed me to reach the end of myself (in a time of desperation, when I finally realized that I was powerless to fix my situation) – that was when I cried out to the Lord for help and He met me right there. Is He waiting for you to figure out that you need help? that you need Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior? I pray that you would cry out to Him as I did and find Him right there. When we repent of our sins and ask for forgiveness, He is faithful to forgive them and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. He doesn’t stop there: He also offers us a new life filled with His purpose, His peace, His strength, and yes – even His joy in the midst of chaos, until He comes back for us in the Rapture or until our time on earth is done. Either way, we will be able to spend eternity with Him in heaven, where there is no evil, sickness, pain, or death – only goodness. We won’t even have to fight our own sinful nature any more – praise God! This is truly a blessed hope. To better understand, check out the “Got Questions” article, “What is the Blessed Hope?”

© Constance Rice 2023

article by site founder, Connie Rice

Most of us are familiar with the line, “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus”, referencing the “The New York Sun’s” response to a little girl’s inquiry in 1897 about whether or not Santa Claus exists, someone who is good and eternal and has gifts for those who believe. In our present culture of confusion, fear, immorality, corruption, violence, efforts to cancel those who have a message different from a particular narrative, and evil seemingly rising up all around, people may question whether or not a loving God really exists. Life can be very difficult in a broken world. Some try to escape harsh realities through entertainment, alcohol, drugs, pleasure, ambition, withdrawal, or even things that tend to be more positive (sports, family excursions, etc.). I believe that those of us who have come to know God through trusting in Jesus for salvation and follow Him in obedience can answer those who, like Virginia, might be asking whether or not someone who is good, eternal, and has gifts for those who believe really exists.

“In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins..”

1 John 4:9-10

“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

Romans 5:1-11

He has revealed Himself through all He has made and wants us to recognize our need for Him and our need for the gift of salvation that He freely offers to those who believe. He is a personal God and so responds to each person in ways that are personal and designed specifically to them. The “Got Questions” article, “How Does God reveal Himself to Us?” explains this well. At times, God allows challenges in our lives to get our attention. We tend to just let one day turn into another unless something jolts us out of our routine or security or comfort zone, and shows us that we don’t have the answers or power we need and that is what it takes for us to reach out to God for help. If we take the time and effort to really look at what God has made and the incredible design and complexity that exhibit His genius, it leaves us in awe. That’s why Satan attacks the biblical account of Creation as well as the Flood of Noah, which clearly shows how serious sin and evil are to God. Satan knows that if he can cause people to doubt those areas, he can deceive them into thinking that they can somehow be accountable only to themselves in this world and they can ignore, rationalize, or even celebrate their sin. Sadly, many have bought that lie and have turned away from their Creator. They will have missed out on the greatest relationship they could ever experience and miss being in awe of who He is and recognizing that they will one day stand in judgment before a holy God. God is love as well as patient, merciful, and forgiving, but He is also perfectly just and holy, so He must judge sin (as He alone defines it to be).

“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.”

2 Peter 3:9-13

When we really look closely at what God has made, we see that the idea of one creature turning into another over time is utterly ridiculous. When I was young, the public school system taught Darwinian Evolution as a theory (actually, it doesn’t even measure up to a theory). Although I did not attend church or know what the Bible taught (outside of biblical values that were taught by my parents), I was able to critically evaluate what was actually being taught and rejected it, seeing that it made no sense in light of what I could see in the animal kingdom and in humans. Therefore, this issue was never a stumbling block for me. A number of years ago, public schools began teach Darwinian Evolution as a fact instead of a theory (even though discoveries since are better supported by the biblical account), so this issue has been a stumbling block for many. Unfortunately, even some in the faith community became convinced that science had somehow proven long ages and/or some form of evolution. Actually, the scientific method involves testing of a proposed hypothesis and the results of repeated testing either support or falsify the proposed hypothesis. Science textbooks continually change based on the discovery of new evidence. Evolutionary proponents conflate observational science (which can be tested) with historical science (which cannot be tested) and then attribute the term “science” to their interpretations of the evidence. What results is a particular narrative and then the work of any scientist not in alignment with that narrative is effectively excluded from the conversation and their reputations and sometimes their careers are intentionally damaged (combination of cancel culture and propaganda). The film, “No Intelligence Allowed”, by Ben Stein exposes this.

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools,”

Romans 1:18-22

After praying for years that the Holy Spirit would move in a mighty way to draw people to the Lord, for a revival of God’s people, and for another Great Awakening of historic proportion in our nation and around the world, it seems that it may be God’s timing to do just that (many others have been praying similarly). As this is written, there have been accounts of tens of thousands of people drawing near to God. So far, these have been in Christian universities, high schools, and youth groups, which would be classified more as an outpouring of God’s Spirit on His children that could bring a spiritual revival of God’s people. I pray this continues and spreads and that a new great awakening will follow as happened when God drew those caught up in the hippie culture to Himself in the late 60’s & 70’s of the 20th Century. Perhaps we are on the crest of it as God has orchestrated the timing of “Jesus Revolution” film, which is an excellent and powerful film on that movement in Southern California (in theatres this week at the time of this post). In that time, God used Chuck Smith and Lonnie Frisbee to reach young people with the love and truth of Christ and were used by Him to help so many in find peace, joy, community, and purpose, along with the power to overcome the sins, hurts, and addictions that were destroying their lives. Greg Laurie was saved through this ministry and went on to pastor Harvest Church and create numerous “Harvest Crusades” (huge gatherings of people seeking after the Lord). I was privileged to attend some of these.

“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”

Romans 8:1-8

God is always working, but America as a culture has been pushing Him away, seeking after their own path(s). As our nation has moved farther away from Him and deeper into sinful ways, His blessings have been withdrawn and judgment is falling on us. As He has done so many other times in history, I pray that He would do a mighty work in helping people discover that only by accepting His free gift of salvation through Jesus and choosing to obey Him (understanding that His ways are for our good and that His plan is perfect), can we experience a meaningful personal relationship with our Creator that brings not only brings His peace, His strength, and His joy, but also a deep sense of purpose as He allows us to join Him in His Kingdom work.

“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written:

“For Your sake we are killed all day long;
We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”

Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:31-39

God wants that none should perish and wants to have a personal relationship with each person and blesses those who seek Him with their whole heart, mind, strength, and soul. Still not sure if a loving God exists? Sincerely seek Him and find out. When I cried out to Him for help and surrendered my life to Him and His purposes, He made Himself known and I seek Him every day through His Word and prayer. I have discovered that there is no better plan than the one He has purposed for each of us. This life entails struggles and we’ll suffer because Jesus suffered, but He sustains us through it all with supernatural peace, strength, and joy – all with a clear conscience! As some of the infomercials have said, “but that’s not all!” God also gives us hope – knowing that we look forward to an eternity in heaven with Him, with no sin, no evil, no pain, no sickness, & no death. Getting back to Virginia’s letter – Santa Claus was actually based on a real person in Asia Minor. St. Nicolaus was a good man (but still a flawed human being) who gave gifts anonymously to those in need in obedience to teaching of Jesus Christ. How amazing is it that we are able to have a personal relationship with the One He was trying to reflect? The gift of salvation is free to us, but it cost Jesus Christ everything – He deserves all praise and glory. Yes, Virginia, there is a loving God!

© Constance Rice 2023

article by site founder, Connie Rice

Most thinking people would agree that morality exists, but where does it come from? If one has rejected the existence of God, then there isn’t really an objective standard. There is certainly no mechanism for the development of morality through Darwinian evolution. Recent claims suggest that each person can determine what is moral or immoral, but would that provide a solid foundation for any society? What one person might think burglary, rape, etc. is good for them, those things are definitely not good for the other people affected or for society in general. Historically, most laws within societies are rooted in a some sort of a moral determination. As our culture attempts to remove God and His Word from society and tries to redefine morality according to its own carnal wisdom of the moment, we see increases in crime, corruption, addiction, despair, broken families, and other societal ills well as the recent incidence of a cancel culture that diminishes freedoms that had previously been protected by adherence to the Constitution. America was founded on principles found in Scripture and the balance of powers created by our founders reflect their understanding of the sinful nature of humankind.

“Had the people, during the Revolution, had a suspicion of any attempt to war against Christianity, that Revolution would have been strangled in its cradle… In this age, there can be no substitute for Christianity… That was the religion of the founders of the republic and they expected it to remain the religion of their descendants.”

Congress, U. S. House Judiciary Committee, 1854 – reference from “Wallbuilders”

“Power always thinks… that it is doing God’s service when it is violating all His laws.”

John Adams, 2nd President of the United States of America from “A-Z Quotes”

As stated in the Declaration of Independence, American citizens have inalienable rights given by their Creator and the role of government is to protect those God-given individual freedoms. The Constitution was ratified by the states as the supreme law of the land only after the Bill of Rights was included with the first 10 Amendments as a safeguard to prevent American citizens from tyranny. All political leaders are required to give an oath to uphold the U.S. Constitution. In recent times, unelected bureaucrats in powerful government agencies, the expanded use of Executive Orders, and corruption are taking us ever farther away from our Constitution and bringing us to a dangerous crossroads. Thomas Jefferson’s and James Madison’s insightful words seem to have been prophetic:

“When all government …in little as in great things… shall be drawn to Washington as the center of all power; it will render powerless the checks provided of one government on another, and will become as venal and oppressive as the government from which we separated.”

Thomas Jefferson

“We have staked the whole future of our new nation, not upon the power of government; far from it. We have staked the future of all our political constitutions upon the capacity of each of ourselves to govern ourselves according to the moral principles of the Ten Commandments.”

James Madison

Our rejection of God and His Word has America facing the very real threat of joining other great empires in the dustbin of history. Scripture teaches that all wisdom comes from the fear of God, who is sovereign over the affairs of men and nations. Our nation is pursuing a fool’s errand that could lead to our demise.

“The future and success of America is not in this Constitution, but in the laws of God upon which this Constitution is founded.”

James Madison

“From where then does wisdom come? And where is the place of understanding?
It is hidden from the eyes of all living, and concealed from the birds of the air.
Destruction and Death say, ‘We have heard a report about it with our ears.’
God understands its way, and He knows its place.
For He looks to the ends of the earth, and sees under the whole heavens,
To establish a weight for the wind, and apportion the waters by measure.
When He made a law for the rain, and a path for the thunderbolt,
Then He saw wisdom and declared it; He prepared it, indeed, He searched it out.
And to man He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom,
And to depart from evil is understanding’.”

Job 28:20-28

I’m old enough to remember when people, even of differing political affiliations, shared a respect for God and the Bible, and loved America with its freedoms. They sought to engage in civil discourse with respect for other people when they disagreed. With honest debate, the best ideas rise to the top. The idea of protecting one narrative while silencing those who disagree is completely foreign to most Americans and is indicative of tyrannical forces at work. The attempts to silence debate and promote one view on various topics as the only “acceptable view” has been unheard of in my lifetime. In my generation especially, there was a refutation of racial discrimination and opportunities grew for every people group. We made every effort to implement the dream of Martin Luther King Jr.:

“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.”

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Throughout my life, there was a basic trust in government leaders, media, education, and medical institutions – that they were looking out for the good of our country and its citizens. There was a respect for law enforcement and most Americans were law-abiding, tax-paying, hard-working citizens who weren’t looking to the government for support. I never dreamed that in only one lifetime, our culture would turn on law enforcement, release violent criminals on society, force people to stay in their homes, prevent people from attending religious services, not allow family members to be with their dying relatives, force an experimental drug on people as a condition of going to school or work or to travel, and to kill healthy, defenseless babies in the womb up until birth (biological fact – nothing happens after conception to make a human; the child already has a unique DNA, distinct from its mother). It is shocking that our schools, institutions, and even our government leaders would also deny other known biological facts to purposefully sexualize and confuse little children (to the point of maiming them for life). When I was was growing up, the whole of society made every effort to protect children and their innocence. Now, children are targets and are suffering unnecessarily and unfairly as a result. God will hold them accountable.

“But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.  Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!“

Jesus’ words in Matthew 18:6-7

“And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”

Jesus’ words in Matthew 10:28

We have evidently been the proverbial “frog in the pot”, trusting that our leaders shared the same traditional values that have made our country strong for centuries. Those of us who have been oblivious to the takeover of our institutions are responsible and I am crying out to the Lord for forgiveness for being too busy to recognize much of it before it got to dangerous levels. I pray for salvation of our leaders, that they would too cry out to the Lord for forgiveness and turn from their ways that bring harm to others. I pray for justice and protection for the children – they deserve to grow up feeling safe, secure, cared for, and to be shielded from the seediness and evils of this world.

“For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man.”

Jesus’ words in Mark 7:21-23

“Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery’, ‘You shall not murder’, ‘You shall not steal’, ‘You shall not bear false witness’, ‘You shall not covet’, and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.”

Romans 13:8-10

Let’s consider what our nation would look like if we actually followed the moral code that God put in place for us to follow (keeping in mind that even when we are intentional about obeying God, we will never be completely obedient this side of heaven because of our sinful nature – no person is perfect, and therefore no culture, country, government, business, church, or family will be either – something our founding fathers understood well):

Leaders: Leaders in all areas of society (family, government, business, education, church, etc.) would fear God, being acutely aware that they will stand before Him to give an account for how they have handled their power and influence. They would seek God with all their heart, mind, strength, and soul so that they could lead with wisdom, truth, and grace. This would minimize corrupting influences that arise when people cave in to their sinful desires (greed, sex, lust for power, etc.).

Sexuality: Sexual activity outside of marriage between one man and one woman would be minimized. If people actually lived the way God commands, there would very little divorce, pornography, adultery, abortion, single-parent homes (except if widowed and then the church would come beside the family). People would find their deepest needs met through their relationship with God and would seek to live out the life that He created each of them to live. Nobody would need to try to “find” their identity because they would understand who they are in Christ and have access to the incredible peace, joy, strength, and sense of purpose that God made available to every person He has created.

“But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them.”

Ephesians 5:3-7

Marriage would be a lifetime commitment between a godly man and a godly woman as a three-fold relationship, with God in first place. Each of them would seek the Lord and follow Him individually and as a couple. The husband would love his wife as Christ loved the Church, even to the point of sacrificing his life for her, and cherishing, providing for, and protecting her, knowing that God will not answer his prayers if he mistreats his wife. The wife would provide insight and help while respecting her husband as the ultimate authority in the home, recognizing that he is the one responsible before God as the spiritual leader of the family and for how he handles his household. Because their deepest needs are met by the Lord, they wouldn’t need to place unreasonable demands on each other or have false expectations, but would see their spouse as a blessing to share life’s inevitable challenges and joys.

“‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.’ This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.”

Ephesians 5:31-33

Parenting: God holds parents responsible for the spiritual upbringing of their children.

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”

Deuteronomy 6:5-7

Children would have both a mother and a father who would parent them with love, compassion, and would teach them the ways of the Lord until they could develop their own relationship with their Creator and Savior. They would be valued, protected, and brought up in the wisdom of the Lord, learning to put God first and to think of others more than themselves. Parents would not frustrate their children and children would respect, honor, and obey their parents and authority. Parents would be godly examples that boys and girls could emulate. Boys would learn what it is to be a godly man and girls would learn what it means to be a godly woman. Children would learn to be productive members of society and appreciate the importance of their particular contributions (giftedness, skills, experiences, talents) that would benefit their families, communities, and societies at large. They would be brought up to value the family bond, learn to take responsibility for their mistakes, and seek to bring honor to the family.

“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ‘Honor your father and mother’—which is the first commandment with a promise— ‘so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth’. Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.”

Ephesians 6:1-4

Education: The Ivy League universities begun in America were founded to provide an understanding of Scripture. This is evident in their mottos (scroll down page). Education is not a responsibility given to the federal government by the Constitution.

Differences in various people groups: Since all humans are made in the image of God, each person would have respect and consideration for his fellow man, reaching out to help those in need. There would be no reason for discrimination or racism, since the only race according to Scripture is the human race. The only distinction the Bible makes is between those who follow God and those who don’t. Each person would be equal under the law and would have equal opportunity to work toward their particular goals in life.

“When God created mankind, He made them in the likeness of God. He created them male and female and blessed them. And He named them ‘Mankind’ when they were created.”

Genesis 5:2

Crime: The vast majority of people would not commit crimes against other people or their property. If they did succumb to temptation, they would face consequences so that they could be rehabilitated into productive members of society. Communities would be safe for families, without fear of attack on their person or property from criminals. There would be equal justice for all.

“Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint; but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction.”

Proverbs 29:18

Work ethic: People would work hard to support themselves and their families. They would do all of their work to the glory of God, always doing their best. Godly people working for godly leaders would create healthy work environments and higher productivity.

“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”

Colossians 3:17

Poverty: Religious institutions and individuals would be encouraged to reach out to meet the needs of their congregants and communities (this is already done by many of them). Addressing poverty was not a responsibility given to the federal government by the Constitution.

“Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and He will reward them for what they have done.”

Proverbs 19:17

So – how have the recent attempts to remove God and His Word from our society been working out for us as a nation and a society? Those in power get to determine what they think is right and then force citizens to comply or be punished. That is mob rule and is exactly what our founding fathers warned against and why they rejected a strict democracy and purposefully created a representative government with checks and balances and a Constitution with a Bill of Rights.

“Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide.”

John Adams

We need our political leaders to once again strive to represent their electorate and recognize that they and other leaders will be accountable to God for how they choose to use their power and influence. God is the Creator of the world, of us, and as such determines morality just as the inventor of a game would determine the rules of the game. He has told us what is good and what is evil, and has even placed it on our hearts so that we instinctively know when our ways are not right. God is patient, but we know from the past that His patience does not last forever. In the end, He will defend the righteous and judge those who do evil – according to His definition; not man’s. Since the Lord is perfectly just and omniscient (all-knowing) – only He can be the rightful judge. Those who reject His existence and try to play God may find success in this world for a time, but they only fool themselves. May they recognize their need for a Savior and cry out to Jesus for mercy before that time.“

” I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.”

Jesus’ words in John 5:30

“Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.”

James 4:7-8

© Constance Rice 2023

article by site founder, Connie Rice

To many of us, the world seems upside down and in some ways, at war with reality itself. It seems as if a line in the sand is being drawn and people may not be able to avoid choosing a side. Things that have been known and understood by all cultures for almost two millennium are being challenged, and people are being told not to believe their own eyes or even proven biological and scientific facts. For people old enough to remember the “Twilight Zone“ TV show, it’s like being in one of the episodes. Similarities to the book, “1984” by George Orwell has caught the attention of people familiar with his writings. Those who know Scripture are able to recognize the spiritual battle that is raging around us. It’s sad that biblical illiteracy is so high, because many will be deceived by the dark forces that are increasingly at work in this world. Nobody knows exactly when Jesus will return for His followers and God could certainly choose to turn things around now as He has turned around other dark times in history. However, we are seeing more things converge on a global scale recently that were foretold in Scripture and we are told to be aware of the signs of the times. For those who may not know where in the Bible to look may find a “Crosswalk” article by Dr. Roger Barrier helpful: “Signs of the End Times and Knowing When the End Is Near”. God has revealed Himself, told us what is true and how we should live, as well as what to expect before Christ returns. The 30-minute “Prophecy Pros Podcast” audio discussions may also help those who seek to better understand the times we are in through the lens of Scripture prophecy.

“Your word, Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens.
0 Your faithfulness continues through all generations;
You established the earth, and it endures. Your laws endure to this day, for all things serve You.
If Your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction.
I will never forget Your precepts, for by them You have preserved my life. Save me, for I am yours“

Psalm 119:89-94

Since most news sources do not really cover it, many people may not be aware of the high level of persecution currently being experienced by Christians around the world or how the tiny nation of Israel has been miraculously protected. Its existence as a nation state is itself a fulfilling of biblical prophecy. Once Jesus takes the Church (all of His followers), evil on earth will no longer be restrained. As disturbing as that sounds, it is important for us to consider because people will need to choose sides before this happens – will we choose God and salvation through Jesus or will we choose to hold onto our own sin? God is the source of all good and Satan is the “deceiver of the world” and “father of lies” who promotes evil. Have we come to grips with the seriousness of our own sin before a holy God? How will we answer the all-knowing Judge when we stand before Him? He is a merciful God who gives us the freedom to choose, but our choice has eternal consequences. Will we be like Esau who gave up his inheritance for a bowl of stew, satisfying a current, temporary desire, but giving up something far more valuable in the future?

“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that He may send the Messiah, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus. Heaven must receive Him until the time comes for God to restore everything, as He promised long ago through His holy prophets. For Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything He tells you. Anyone who does not listen to Him will be completely cut off from their people.’”

Acts 3:19-23

Scripture tells us the God has placed eternity on our hearts and that we all have a sense of right from wrong. As our Creator, He gets to define what is right and what is wrong. One of Satan’s lies is that we can decide that for ourselves. Another lie is that we can find our identify outside of Jesus – we can trust Him because He created us and He loves us so much that He voluntarily came to earth as a baby, endured hardships on earth, and after living the perfect life that none of us could, suffered greatly and laid down His life so that the penalty of death for the sins of all mankind would be paid. This made it possible for all mankind, through Him, to no longer have to be controlled or condemned by sin. Jesus knows us better than we know ourselves and He also knows the future and what we need in order to be ready for what’s around the corner. He created time and so is not bound by it. More importantly, He made it possible for those who turn from their sins and trust in Him for salvation to have a righteous standing before God – not because of our own righteousness, but because we are covered by Jesus’ righteousness.

“And the Lord God said, ‘The man has now become like one of Us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.’ So the Lord God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. After He drove the man out, He placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.”

Genesis 3:22-24

God created a beautiful paradise for His first man and woman (male and female) to enjoy. They enjoyed fellowship with their Creator on a daily basis. Everything they needed was there and they had nothing to fear. Because God wanted them to choose to love and trust Him, He placed one tree in the garden and commanded Adam that they were not to eat from it. Eve was deceived by Satan (as the Serpent) and both of them disobeyed God’s command, bringing evil, death, sickness, and brokenness into the world. How much regret must they have had when they no longer could live in the paradise that God had created for them to enjoy? After all God had done for them, they did not trust and obey Him. It reminds me of the song, “You don’t know what you got ’til it’s gone”. All of us at one time or another have felt rejected and betrayed. Our tendency is to react in kind because of our sinful nature, but God continues to have open arms for anyone who draws near to Him. Even with world broken from sin, there is still much beauty to behold that can take our breath away.

“We must also recognize the priority of beauty in every human heart. Part of what it means to be made in the image of God is that we yearn for things that are genuinely beautiful. Even the most hardened secularist marvels at a sunset or stands breathless at the edge of the Grand Canyon. Augustine explained in his Confessions that every human heart is directed to beauty. The problem with the sinful human heart is that we can be bought off by something less than beauty. Of course, Augustine also pointed to the fact that the human craving for beauty was not mere sentiment. Rather, true beauty reveals an objective origin and source of beauty, God Himself. Our longing for beauty ultimately reveals our desperate need for God.”

Excerpt from article by R. Albert Mohler: ‘Will Beauty Save the World‘?”

Those of us who have cried out to God for His help and forgiveness have found Him waiting; we understand His amazing love and mercy firsthand and that nothing else on earth is as valuable or precious as a personal relationship with our Creator. He is so patient with those who have placed their trust in Him and choose to follow His path. Not only does the Lord provide us with the power and the desire to turn from the sins that separate us from Him, but He also knows that we will inevitably fail and fall short in our efforts. He offers restoration to all who genuinely ask. His grace is truly sufficient.

“But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of His blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance He had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— He did it to demonstrate His righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.”

Romans 3:21-26

People can begin a relationship with Jesus without knowing the Bible, but He reveals Himself through His Word. If we are not intentional about reading the Bible regularly, Not only are we in danger of being deceived, but we will miss out on knowing Him at a much deeper level. The more we know Him and walk with Him, trusting His plan for our lives, the more we get to experience His faithfulness so that we look forward to being with Him forever. Life on earth is hard, but Jesus, who understood suffering very well, walks with us through life’s challenges. God is going to create a new heaven and a new earth and no evil, deception, death, illness, or sadness will be there. Which side of the line in the sand will we stand? As for me, my only regret in choosing to accept God’s gift of eternal salvation through Jesus was that it took me so long; I felt like I’d wasted many years. Maintaining a clear conscience, having daily fellowship with my Creator, spending time with Him in His Word, resting in His love, and being part of His Kingdom work bring joy as well as a sense of identity and purpose that the world cannot offer. There are rocky times ahead for us all as evil rises, but when our hope is in the Sovereign One, we can be filled with His peace that the world cannot take away and can also look forward with anticipation to eternity with the One where hope is found.

© Constance Rice 2022

Article by site founder, Connie Rice

Most people are thankful for numerous things in their lives – maybe for their family, friends, provision, career, etc. It’s appears that the more thankful people are, the less unhappy they tend to be. There are also those who don’t see the blessings in their lives, but only see the struggles or things they don’t like, and thus are not very thankful. In either case, it may be helpful to look to Scripture to see not only what our Creator says about thankfulness, but to whom we should be thankful.

“Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come before Him with thanksgiving and extol Him with music and song.

For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods.
In His hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to Him.
The sea is His, for He made it, and His hands formed the dry land.

Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for He is our God and we are the people of His pasture, the flock under His care.

Today, if only you would hear His voice,
‘Do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah, as you did that day at Massah in the wilderness,
where your ancestors tested Me; they tried Me, though they had seen what I did.

For forty years I was angry with that generation; I said, ‘They are a people whose hearts go astray,
and they have not known My ways.’ So I declared on oath in My anger,
‘They shall never enter My rest’.”

Psalm 95

When we read the Bible consistently and repeatedly throughout our lives, it becomes quite clear why we should be thankful and to whom. However, that does not mean that it is always easy to act on or remember to be thankful in times of struggle. It requires intentionality and a continual effort to maintain our relationship with our amazing Savior, Jesus Christ, allowing the Holy Spirit to teach and transform us through the Bible. We have the promise of heaven for those who have submitted to Christ here, but life here on earth is the domain of the prince of this world (Satan). As a result, we are surrounded by the curse of a broken world – sickness, death, evil, heartbreak, addiction, greed, corruption, confusion, lies, deceit, immorality, arrogance, lack of respect for life, etc. – which can result in people having a lack of hope, which can result in despair. Each of us has our own sinful nature to contend with as well, and can be more of a problem to ourselves and those around us than we would really care to admit. Jesus came to earth and endured pain, mockery, torture, and murder because He knew we were incapable of saving ourselves and that our sin separates us from the very thing that we so desperately need – hope through a relationship with Him and the power to turn from the sin that can so easily control and deceive us.

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil.

May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The One who calls you is faithful, and He will do it.”

1 Thessalonians 5:16-24

We are saved by God’s grace because of His amazing love for us. Our hope is in Him. The more we allow God’s Word to penetrate our minds and hearts, the more clearly we see Him for who He is and how deserving He is of our worship and obedience. This cannot help but increase our awe of the One who loves us and offers us a way of salvation in spite of our flaws and sinful attitudes and behaviors. Jesus’ voluntary sacrifice on our behalf cost Him everything to the point of death on a cross.

“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.“

Colossians 3:1-17

It is no wonder that the farther our culture moves away from God and His Word, the worse things become. It’s curious that modern American society has more material comforts than in previous times, but despair, depression, addictions, etc. are increasing. Some look to escape from reality and some seek to redefine reality for themselves. The phrase, “looking for love in all the wrong places” seems to fit here. Jesus is the answer – Scripture tells us that through Jesus, we have access to the peace of God and joy that the world cannot offer. Our identity, purpose, and how we should live are found in the Bible.

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”

Philippians 4:4-9

At some point (maybe not that far down the road), the evil will rise to the point that God’s final judgment will be upon our world. Each of us has to get to the end of ourselves and recognize our need to seek God’s wisdom, which He has graciously provided to us in the Bible. It is no wonder that the farther our culture moves away from God and His Word, the worse things become. If people do not expect to stand before Him in judgment, they would tend to rationalize evil against their fellow man – perhaps even convincing themselves that they are doing it for the greater good (past history is a good teacher here). At some point (maybe not that far down the road), the evil will rise to the point that God’s final judgment will be upon our world. Each of us has to get to the end of ourselves in order to recognize our need for God’s wisdom, which He has graciously provided to us in His inspired Word.

“You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

See to it that you do not refuse Him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused Him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from Him who warns us from heaven?

At that time His voice shook the earth, but now He has promised, ‘Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens’. The words ‘once more’ indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.”

Hebrews 12:25-29

It can be easy for us minimize our sin or even refuse to acknowledge it, but God is merciful and powerful and can help us turn from it. He is holy, so we need to be cleansed of our sin through trusting in Jesus Christ for our salvation and asking for His mercy and forgiveness. Partnering with the Lord and allowing the Holy Spirit to help us grow to be more like Christ and give us the power to say no to sin is a lifelong pursuit and worthy of our efforts. As we place all of our trust in Him, we will begin to experience the extent of God’s faithfulness and understand the psalmist’s words because we will have discovered the same thing for ourselves.

“Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
Worship the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs.
Know that the Lord is God. It is He who made us, and we are His;
we are His people, the sheep of His pasture.

Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise;
give thanks to Him and praise Hs name.
For the Lord is good and Hs love endures forever;
His faithfulness continues through all generations.“

Psalm 100

Having a thankful heart, counting our blessings instead of focusing on what is not to our liking, helps us to be more content – which in turn, gives us a better attitude and perspective. That makes life easier for us and for those around us. We will still fail at times because we can never be perfect this side of heaven, but we can allow the Holy Spirit to help us be the best person, spouse, parent, child, relative, friend, employee, boss, etc. we can be and be quick to ask for forgiveness from God and others when we do fail. A clear conscience is a wonderful thing – it only comes when we are obedient to God’s teachings and do not deceive ourselves into thinking our that sin does not matter to Him (and as the Lord of all, He defines sin, not us). So, to whom should we be thankful?

“For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; He is to be feared above all gods.
For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the Lord made the heavens.
Splendor and majesty are before Him; strength and joy are in His dwelling place.

Ascribe to the Lord, all you families of nations, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name; bring an offering and come before Him.
Worship the Lord in the splendor of His holiness. Tremble before Him, all the earth!
The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved.

Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let them say among the nations, ‘The Lord reigns!’
Let the sea resound, and all that is in it; let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them!
Let the trees of the forest sing, let them sing for joy before the Lord,
for He comes to judge the earth.”

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.
Cry out, ‘Save us, God our Savior; gather us and deliver us from the nations,
that we may give thanks to Your holy name,
and glory in Your praise.’
Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting.”

1 Chronicles 16:25-36

As our forefathers discovered hundreds of years ago when they first arrived in America, – thanks be to God, who is sovereign over all. Michael Medved explains the history of the first Thanksgiving in one of the “5-Minute Videos” on “Prager U”. The more we know the Lord, the more our hearts will overflow with thankfulness for His love, mercy, and grace and for the supernatural peace, strength, power, and joy that He makes possible for us in this life while awaiting His promise of being with Him and other believers in heaven. – not just once a year as we celebrate Thanksgiving, but every day of every year.

© Constance Rice 2022

Article by site founder, Connie Rice

“Follow the Light” has become a bit of a cliché, but how do we generally respond when the lights go out when it is dark? Don’t we look for a flashlight, find a candle to light, or follow a light we see farther away so we can see. Blind people generally rely on the eyes of another person or a trained dog to guide them. Interestingly, the Bible uses the concept of light and darkness to contrast good and evil repeatedly. Our world is broken and evil causes much pain and suffering. The prince of this world is Satan, but God is sovereign over everything. We are given the choice to follow the light or to be in darkness.

“I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them;
I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth.
These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.”

Isaiah 42:16

From the beginning, God had a plan to provide a way of salvation for people because He knew we couldn’t save ourselves and that our sin separated us from Him. Those in the Old Testament were saved by their faith in the promised Messiah. Jesus Christ came into the world as fully human and fully God, living the perfect life that humans are unable to live. He came to sacrifice His life for the sins of all mankind and rose on the third day, victorious over both sin and its penalty of death. Jesus is heaven now and beckons us to His light.

“We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete. This is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all.  If we claim to have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth.  But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar and His word is not in us.

1 John 1:3-10

Those who place their trust in Jesus Christ for salvation will not only have eternal life in heaven with Him, but can live in His light here on earth – even in the midst of darkness. Through the Holy Spirit that indwells believers, we have access to the power to say no to sin in our lives and to reject darkness with its many other Ds (see below) and choose God’s way instead. Life on earth is hard for everyone, but we have a Savior who wants to walk with us through challenges, growing us into His likeness along the way. The lists below compare the contrast between living in darkness or following the light:

Even though we have access to the light as believers, we need to continually choose to follow it. Our sinful nature will still try to take us down paths that are rooted in selfishness, lust, greed, etc. In order to follow the light, we need to be intentional about humbly seeking the Lord with our whole heart, mind, strength, and soul. We also need to read His revealed Word (the Bible) every day and reread it repeatedly throughout our lives so that we do not fall prey to Satan’s tricks and lies or to our own sinful tendencies.

Below are names of Satan and a partial list of the names of Jesus (alphabetical listings) given in Scripture. It’s a worthwhile exercise to review them:

After reading through the contrasts between darkness and God’s way and Satan and Christ, perhaps it can help those who do not yet believe understand why believers in Jesus want so desperately for others to find and follow the light themselves. As people understand what is at stake eternally (eternity in heaven with Jesus or eternity in hell without Him), they are more motivated to share the gospel (good news) with those they care about. This is literally the most important decision we can make in our lives. Hopefully, “Follow the Light” won’t be dismissed as a mere cliché. Those who are still unsure are challenged to pray and ask the Lord to reveal Himself to you – with expectation and without doubting. He wants to know each person He has created and to have a personal relationship with them.

“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in Me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in M will never die. Do you believe this?’ ‘Yes, Lord’, she replied, ‘“’I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world’.”

John 11:25-27

“To the Jews who had believed Him, Jesus said, ‘“’If you hold to My teaching, you are really My disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

John 8:31-32

We don’t have to live in darkness – we can seek the light, Jesus Christ. He can open our eyes to see the truth and bring us into His marvelous light. He will transform and bless us on our journey. It’s not an easy or comfortable path, but we are never alone when we keep our lifeline close to our wonderful Savior. He will help us while we’re here until He comes back or takes us home to heaven.

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in Me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with Me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.’ Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?’ Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me’.”

John 14:1-6

“Then Jesus told him [Thomas], ‘“’Because you have seen Me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed’.”

John 20:29

© Constance Rice 2022

article by site founder, Connie Rice

Is anyone else disturbed by the level of evil being revealed in recent times? There has been a spiritual battle since the beginning, but it seems to have intensified in recent times. Maybe the powers of darkness are just not hiding as much. As individuals and even whole nations reject God and move farther and farther away from His teachings, their rebellion brings about God’s judgment and Satan is able to influence and deceive more and more people – even Christians, due to their ignorance of God’s Word. Many have accepted Darwinian Evolution as true and have turned from God, perhaps without the understanding that we are all condemned before a holy God. It is only through His love, mercy and grace that we are able to stand before Him without fear. When people humbly seek the Lord, repent of their sins, and choose to trust in His Son, Jesus, for salvation, God is faithful to forgive them. For those who think they might be beyond God’s mercy, consider that He forgave David of his adultery and subsequent murder against the woman’s husband because David fully repented of his sin. A more modern example is the case of Jeffrey Dahmer, who committed heinous crimes against boys and later came to understand through Creation science ministry that God was real and then turned to Him in repentance. “Generations” has a half-hour podcast with audio footage from Dahmer in a 1994 NBC interview.

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar and His word is not in us.”

1 John 1:9-10

“It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister.  The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before.  For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you His Holy Spirit.”

1 Thessalonians 4:3-8

God offers us a new life because as our Creator, He knows what we need more than we do and He knows what lies ahead and how to prepare us. It’s amazing that Jesus gave His life so that we could live in heaven when we die, but even more so that He allows us to enjoy a personal relationship with Him and ensures that we will never be alone while on earth. Jesus didn’t stop there – He sent us the Holy Spirit so that we could have access to supernatural power that enables us to choose not to be controlled by the sins that so easily deceive and entrap us in this world. What kind of love is this?

“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through Him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life!”

Romans 5:6-10

Some of the people who have rejected God have risen to major positions of influence in America and throughout the world, and have been actively working to move nations, government agencies, educational entities, institutions, media, and corporations toward humanistic, materialistic principles that do not consider human life as having intrinsic value. This is not a new concept to students of history, but for decades, students have been subjected to biased revisions resulting in them not having an accurate understanding of those who lived in previous generations or of past events. The 20th Century experienced numerous instances of those with an atheist, evolutionary worldview and a thirst for power who added together, murdered an estimated 100 million people and oppressed their surviving citizens. America was a source of good in the world and so many of our brave men and women sacrificed (some with their very lives) to prevent this from happening in America and have also come to the defense of people around the world so they could also live free from oppression. When America upheld godly principles and honored God, we experienced His blessings. Increasingly, our nation has thumbed their nose at Him and His teachings, evidently believing the lie that His ways restrict them. Actually, the opposite is true. He offers true freedom.

“For the word of the Lord is right and true; He is faithful in all He does. The Lord loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of His unfailing love. By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of His mouth all their host. He gathers the waters of the sea as a heap; He puts the deeps in storehouses. Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him! For He spoke, and it came to be; He commanded, and it stood firm. The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He frustrates the plans of the peoples. The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom He has chosen as His heritage! The Lord looks down from heaven; He sees all the children of man; from where He sits enthroned, He looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth, He who fashions the hearts of them all and observes all their deeds.”

Psalm 33:4-16

Let’s say someone does not believe in God and as such, rebels against or ignores His commands. This person rejects the moral standard that Scripture clearly teaches and believes that this earthly life is all there is. Loving our fellow man as also made in God’s image is replaced with a mentality of survival of the fittest. Should we be surprised at the level of selfishness, corruption, sexual activity without boundaries, oppression, and policies based on models rather then actual data because that can then be used to manipulate people? Biblical values have provided the foundation for healthy societies, marriage, and children. If human life is not valued, abortion, euthanasia, and even genocide and depopulation begin to be promoted as cultural solutions.

“He went on: ‘What comes out of a person is what defiles them. For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come – sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and defile a person’.”

Jesus’ words in Mark 7:20-23

“For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.”

John 3:17-21

History is repeating itself with the rise of global elitists who seek to control the world. This time, however, technology has progressed to the point that makes possible what previous power hungry leaders could not have even imagined (outside of science-fiction writers). So many have bought the lie that Darwinian evolution is true and that there is no God. As a result, they have rejected the One who created them and denied His power, not realizing that by doing so – they have actually joined forces with Satan against all that is good. There’s a reason why adventure stories about good vs. evil have captivated the hearts and minds of people – life on earth is a huge adventure story and there is an epic spiritual battle going on. We need to make sure we choose the side of good, which comes from God. He has not been silent, but has allowed many things to shake us up to get our attention. Life isn’t easy for anyone and suffering is part of this world – we can suffer on our own or we can suffer with our Savior right beside us and experience His peace and strength as we lean in to Him.

“Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, He cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over Him. The death He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life He lives, He lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to Him as an instrument of righteousness. For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.”

Romans 6:8-14

We need to choose wisely whose side we are on. A line in the sand is being drawn. The Lord wants to reveal Himself to people and have a personal relationship with each one. Will we turn to Him and away from our sins, crying out for mercy and forgiveness, or will we continue to reject Him? Angels are ready to rejoice in heaven to celebrate each and every person who chooses to follow Jesus, the only One through whom we can be saved.

 “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Jesus’ words in Luke 15:8-10

Things have also been bleak during previous times in history and God has turned things around. If enough people repent and turn to Him, He may do that again. It seems that there are many people of money and influence around the world working together to control the rest of the population according to their visions of utopia. Instead of following God, they try to be God and worship the creation rather than the Creator. Those who know God’s Word understand that there will be a one-world government at some point, so this could very well be the beginning of the end. We don’t need to despair or be anxious, but we should be ready for Him and draw near to the Lord through His revealed Word and prayer and choosing to obey, trust, and serve Him until He takes us home.

“For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.”

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18

“I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Jesus’ words in John 16:33

© Constance Rice 2022

article by site founder, Connie Rice

Reality, according to the Cambridge Dictionary, is “the state of things as they are, rather than as they are imagined to be” and is based on truth. It seems that our culture is rejecting both reality and truth. Life is difficult, so it is understandable that people may want to try to escape reality. That is why movies have been popular – to forget about our problems for a short while. That can be healthy, but not if we attempt to defy reality or use means of escape on a regular basis. If we expect that everything in our lives should be good or that we should have comfort and security, that perspective can create disappointment, discouragement, fear, and/or confusion. Add to that some people’s expectation that everyone is inherently good, and the world just doesn’t make sense. When evil affects us and others, we can become shocked, fearful, disillusioned, withdrawn, easily deceived, and/or cynical and bitter. A biblical worldview helps us know who we are and why we exist. It explains the existence of evil with each person having free will and that we are sinful beings bent toward selfishness. This is evident even in the youngest of humans and part of the role of parents is to help children choose to think of others.

“For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”

Jesus’ words in Mark 7:21-23

We are in a spiritual war, but our battle is not against those who think or act differently – our battle is with Satan (the devil, the adversary, the serpent, the dragon, the evil one, the father of lies, …) and the spiritual forces of darkness that are so prevalent in this world.

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.”

Ephesians 6:10-13

Satan knows his time is short and his lies, deceptions and acts of evil are becoming increasingly evident. He tempts people to sin, to doubt God and His Word, and encourages people to throw off the healthy boundaries that God has put in place to help people develop healthy families, cultures, and governments. Ignorance of or rejection of God and His commands results in people’s worldview being influenced by spiritual darkness – dimming of conscience, living out of own wisdom, being prideful, having lack of accountability, etc. The farther away from God and His Word people get, we see:

• Sexual immorality – rationalizing, justifying, & even celebrating the same sexual sins that brought God’s judgment in past history and have contributed to the downfall of whole civilizations.
• Children not as protected– removal of innocence (regarding sexual activity & violence), child abuse (physical, emotional, & sexual), destruction of families, fatherless homes, focus on social, science, & historical indoctrination rather than academic instruction (evolutionary teaching – that they are just animals rather than uniquely & lovingly created in the image of God), and recently to instill fear with climate change and disease and to intentionally attempt to confuse them (lifelong consequences).
• Narratives vs. facts – one-sided narratives are replacing civil discourse and the search for truthful facts; institutions that once celebrated their diversity of thought now actively shut down debate. “Cancel culture” is simply a new term given to previous moves in history to implement tyranny.
• Human life devalued – abortion at will (now expanding throughout pregnancy & even after birth), euthanasia being expanded & pressured, removal of life-saving care, genocide, depopulation, etc.
• Lack of civil discourse – more conflict between individuals, people groups, & leaders.
• Drug abuse & addiction – has increased exponentially and governmental forces are now accommodating and encouraging drug abuse.
• Pride celebrated – throughout Scripture, God answers and blesses those with humble hearts and rejects those who are prideful.
• Identity questioned – people have chromosomes in every cell of their body that are either all XY or all XX; this determines whether they are male or female; this cannot be changed.
• Increased tyranny – rising levels of corruption is resulting in tyrannical behavior in governments of previously free countries.
• Declining religious freedom – lack of respect against those with religious convictions to the point of legal actions taken; increased religious persecution around the world.
• Video games – more and more young people spend time outside of reality, which if not moderated, can result in their having more difficulty coping with the inevitable trials of life.
• Metaverse – the next level of escapism where people create whole alternate realities that have no basis in actual reality; people would live out alternate lives online.
• Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Transhumanism – those who don’t know God look to more and more ways to live longer or strive to find a way through technology to live forever (God placed eternity on our hearts, but it was meant to cause us to seek Him); these people have risen to places of power and influence and do not see humans as inherently valuable because they are made in God’s image, but seek to “improve” humanity as the next step in what they see as evolutionary progress.

“Moreover, I notice that throughout the earth justice is giving way to crime, and even the police courts are corrupt. I said to myself, ‘In due season God will judge everything man does, both good and bad.’ And then I realized that God is letting the world go on its sinful way so that He can test mankind, and so that men themselves will see that they are no better than beasts.”

Solomon’s words in Ecclesiastes 3:16-18

To keep things in perspective, it’s important to consider that our lives on earth are very short in light of eternity. Francis Chan has a 2-minute great illustration of this on his site, “Crazy Love“. What we believe and do while on earth affects our eternity and should cause us to consider serious possible consequences. God has revealed Himself through Creation, through His Word (the Bible), through Jesus Christ (God incarnate), and through the supernatural transformations He has accomplished in the lives of those who trust in Him for salvation and obey His commands. John the Baptist, Jesus, and the apostles all made it clear that repentance is necessary for us to be right with God. It might not be the answer we want to hear because we want what we want and can delude ourselves into thinking that we know best. In the Old Testament, we find a phrase repeated each time God’s chosen people faced His judgment – “and the people did what was right in their own eyes”. This perspective describes our present culture, but is not pleasing to God and sets us up for His judgment. Proverbs 9:10 tells us that “the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom”. It’s not like we haven’t been told – here are just a few examples of the need to repent of our sins and seek God’s mercy:

“John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.”

John the Baptist’s teachings in Mark 1:4-5

“Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel’.”

Jesus’ teachings in Mark 1:14-15

“And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that His Christ would suffer, He thus fulfilled. Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets long ago.”

Peter’s teachings in Acts 3:17-21

“Or do you presume on the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. He will render to each one according to His works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, He will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.”

Paul’s teachings in Romans 2:4-8

Spiritual darkness can really fool people into thinking that they are following something positive, something compassionate, and/or even something loving. However, Jesus tells us that Satan masquerades as an “angel of light” (explained in an article on Billy Graham Evangelistic Association’s website). Believers are repeatedly warned in the New Testament to not be deceived, so we are at risk of following lies that may on the surface sound good, but result in bringing in more problems or evil. Many believers and whole churches have already been deceived – mostly those who have rejected the inerrancy of Scripture. God’s Word provides us with the discernment we need as we seek the Lord.

“Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.”

Jude 3-4

Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; for ‘All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever.’ And this word is the good news that was preached to you.”

1 Peter 22-25

Jesus is our Creator and knows the future, so He is more capable of directing our lives than we could ever be. He has all the answers, and as our Creator, knows what will bring each of us the most satisfaction and purpose in life. This life is hard and Scripture teaches that this world is not the home of God’s children, so our focus needs to be on Jesus, our living hope.

“Under the system of Jewish laws, the high priest brought the blood of the slain animals into the sanctuary as a sacrifice for sin, and then the bodies of the animals were burned outside the city. That is why Jesus suffered and died outside the city, where His blood washed our sins away. So let us go out to Him beyond the city walls (that is, outside the interests of this world, being willing to be despised) to suffer with Him there, bearing His shame. For this world is not our home; we are looking forward to our everlasting home in heaven.”

Hebrews 13:11-14

“And He said to all, ‘If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me.  For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of Me and of My words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when He comes in His glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God’.”

Jesus’ words in Luke 9:23-27

Is it time to seek God with your whole heart, mind, strength, and soul and repent of your sins, humbly asking Him for mercy and forgiveness? Is He waiting for you to figure out that you need Him and the eternal salvation that He freely offers through your believing in Jesus Christ as His only Son and Jesus’ death on the cross and Resurrection. Victory was His in overcoming both sin and death. He invites us to live forever in heaven with Him – a place He is preparing for us where there is no sin, sickness, death, or sadness. The signs of the times are revealing that we could be very close to Jesus’ return. As Billy Graham repeated from 2 Corinthians 6:2b, “Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation”. 

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away. But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left. Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.”

Jesus’ words in Matthew 24:35-42

Rejecting reality has dangerous consequences. God created a perfect world with amazing plants and animals, and then created the first man and woman in His image. He gave them capabilities that are unique to humans as well as a desire for relationship and to live a life of meaning. God gave the first humans responsibility and freedom to enjoy the garden with only one command – not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Eve was deceived by the serpent (Satan) and both she and Adam chose to disobey God’s command, bringing sin, death, pain, sadness, and decay into the world. Sometimes we don’t know how good we have it until it’s gone. Our Creator has revealed Himself through His inspired Word, so that we could know Him and choose to follow Him. It is not easy, but having freedom from the power of sin & fellowship with our Creator while on earth with His supernatural peace, joy, and strength is worth our effort while we await our future with Him in heaven.

“Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory He will give us later. For all creation is waiting patiently and hopefully for that future day when God will resurrect His children. For on that day thorns and thistles, sin, death, and decay—the things that overcame the world against its will at God’s command—will all disappear, and the world around us will share in the glorious freedom from sin which God’s children enjoy. For we know that even the things of nature, like animals and plants, suffer in sickness and death as they await this great event. And even we Christians, although we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, also groan to be released from pain and suffering. We, too, wait anxiously for that day when God will give us our full rights as His children, including the new bodies He has promised us—bodies that will never be sick again and will never die.”

Romans 8:18-23

© Constance Rice 2022″