Faith

God Bless Georgia for Enacting the Heartbeat Law

God Bless Georgia.

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signed into law his state’s latest pro-life legislation Tuesday morning.

Known as the “Heartbeat Law,” it prohibits abortions after doctors can detect a viable heartbeat.

Governor Kemp kept his campaign promise by signing the bill, HB 481, officially titled the ‘Living Infants Fairness and Equality (LIFE) Act,’ that prohibits abortions in the Georgia after a heartbeat is detected (as early as six weeks into a pregnancy).  The law allows exceptions in the case of rape, incest, or if the life of the mother is in danger.

“Georgia is a state that values life,” Kemp said during the signing ceremony. “We stand up for those who are unable to speak for themselves.”

“Our job is to do what is right, not what is easy,” Kemp added. “We will not back down. We will always continue to fight for life,” he added.

Is God pleased? You be the judge, for it says in the ancient book of Isaiah, chapter 44, verse 24 –

Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer,
    who formed you from the womb:
“I am the Lord, who made all things,
    who alone stretched out the heavens,
    who spread out the earth by myself”

Amen.

Who’s Reading the Bible? More People Than You May Realize

Despite the onslaught of anti-Christian values pushed by the elite media outlets, radical activists, educators, and politicians, there is a ray of hope. A newly published annual survey found nearly half of all adults engage with the Bible at least three or four times a year on their own.

The “State of the Bible” study, conducted by the Barna Group and commissioned by the American Bible Society, found 48 percent of those in the United States engage — three or four times a year — by using, listening to, watching, praying or using Bible text outside of a church service.

I totally understand that simply reading the Bible won’t get you to Heaven, but it is the Word of God and therefore I’m hopeful that those are reading and “engaging” in the Word, will hear God’s voice and respond to His calling.

Significantly, the study shows that 21 million new people are looking to the Bible for wisdom and guidance this year. Also, 14.9 million people who were disengaged in 2018 have chosen to interact with the Bible in 2019.

Interestingly:

  • 16 percent of adults in America report using the Bible every day, while another 14 percent use it several times a week, according to the study.
  • 9 percent of the population use the Bible once a week, and 7 percent use it once a month.
  • 31 percent say they never use the Bible.

Barna observed that while the percent of adults who use the Bible at least three or four times a year has remained relatively stable since tracking began in 2011, the percent of adults who say they never engage with the Bible, 35 percent, has increased 3 percentage points since 2018 and 10 percentage points since 2011.

Other key findings:

  • 81 percent of Americans see the church as a place people can go for help.
  • 102.7 million adults interact with the Bible, often seeking practical advice for their modern lives.
  • Almost 60 percent of Americans believe that the message of the Bible has transformed their lives.

The survey found African Americans (69 percent) are the ethnic group most likely to use the Bible at least three to four times a year, compared to a smaller number of whites (44 percent) and Hispanics (52 percent).

Bible users are also more likely to reside in the South than they are in other regions of the U.S.

The researchers found little difference in Bible use by generation;  however those who were married are more likely to use the Bible than single adults.

Also, 21 percent of Bible users are unchurched. The survey also discovered 11 percent of skeptics are reading the Bible.

The study indicates that Bible engagement results in an increase in financial giving and in volunteerism.

In 2018, Bible-centered respondents recalled contributing $1,000 on average, while the Bible-disengaged gave $20 on average

 

 

 

Is America Becoming Godless?

No shock to me.

The number of Americans who identify as having no religion has risen 266 percent since 1991, to now tie statistically with the number of Catholics and Evangelicals, according to a new survey.

People with no religion – known as ‘nones’ among statisticians – account for 23.1 percent of the U.S. population, while Catholics make up 23 percent and Evangelicals account for 22.5 percent, according to the General Social Survey.

Those three groups now represent the largest the religious groups in America.

The survey has tracked a broad swath of American trends since 1972, offering comprehensive insight into the evolving face of religion over more than four decades.

As the ‘nones’ have ascended, the number of mainline Protestant Christians has fallen 62.5 percent since 1982, to now account for just 10.8 percent of the U.S. population, according to the survey.

The number of Catholics has gone up and down over the decades, cumulatively decreasing more than 4 percentage points from 27.3 percent in 1972.

Reasons?

  • The Mainline Protestant denominations are generally dead (don’t preach a personal relationship with the God of Creation and are void of the Holy Spirit).
  • Catholicism is cultural (and also generally void of a personal relationship with the Messiah and the infilling of the Holy Spirit).
  • More and more “Evangelical” churches won’t preach about sin and repentance like they did even 15-years ago.

People want the real deal. When we preach that Jesus died for our sins, was raised from the dead, is sitting at the right hand of the Father, and that the Father/Son/Holy Spirit are one, and that He is coming back to judge the world and take home His people, and that surrendering  to His will is your only safe option–PEOPLE RESPOND.

The apostle Paul recognizes this  when he says in II Corinthians 5:20, “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.”

Notice what Paul is saying there.  Not only is it true that he is an ambassador, but he implores, or pleads. with people to be reconciled to God, and he does so as if God were actually making that appeal through him.

And Paul was so committed to this that he was willing to go to prison for it–and did!

 

This Week on Hidden Headlines: Special Interview with Producer of “Unplanned”

In this Episode of Hidden Headlines I interview Unplanned movie producer, Joe Knopp, talking about Hollywood’s surprise hit.  The left is enraged that this movie had hit the big screen and is drawing an audience.

My challenge to the radical pro-abortion left: see the movie for yourself!

Also:
– The untold story of the immigration meltdown at our southern border.
– Why are Israel’s neighbors so upset with President Trump?
– Does the latest Democrat Presidential candidate have the right to judge Donald Trump’s relationship with God?
– Why is Chick-Fil-A is the target of airport concession hatred?

This week’s podcast can be heard here

More “Christ-O-Phobia” Aimed at Chick-Fil-A

This is not cool. In fact, this is fascist, frightening, and Christ-o-phobic.

The San Antonio City Council has approved a deal with the local airport that includes removing Chick-fil-A.

Councilman Robert Trevino said, “San Antonio is a city full of compassion, and we do not have room in our public facilities for a business with a legacy of angti-LGBTQ behavior. Everyone has a place here, and everyone should feel welcome when they walk through our airport.”

Note to Trevino, Chick-fil-A has no “legacy of anti-LGBTQ behavior.”

By the way, last week, Buffalo Niagara International Airport announced it was nixing plans to open a Chick-fil-A at one of its terminals after a local politician accused it of discrimination.

According to Chick-fil-A, their company’s “restaurants and licensed locations on college campuses welcome everyone. “Our corporate office and our more than 2,300 restaurants nationwide are equal opportunity employers and we have no policy of discrimination against any group. We do not have a political or social agenda and more than 120,000 people from different backgrounds and beliefs represent the Chick-fil-A brand.”

The San Antonio city council’s decision came one day after the Christian-haters at ThinkProgress reported that, in 2017, Chick-fil-A donated $1.65 million to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, as well as other smaller donations to the Salvation Army and Paul Anderson Youth Home.

Chick-fil-A does not deny making those donations. Why should they?  They’re all great charitable organizations.

The San Antonio city council isn’t protecting the LGBTQ community against persecution; rather they are persecuting Chick-fil-A for backing Christian-oriented youth and education causes.  Private companies should be able to give money to whomever they choose–right?

NO ONE has ever been denied service at Chick-fil-A because of their sexual orientation or any other characteristic that defines them.  But Chick-fil-A is being kicked out of the San Antonio airport because of the company’s support for Christian kids.

This may seem like a local problem, but it’s not.  Progressives will take note, and, in an effort to appease their anti-Christian supporters, will follow San Antonio’s example.