Billy Graham spoke these words Mar 23, 2008. The following is an adaptation.

      “Jesus Christ died on an old rugged cross for our salvation. Among all the emblems of the world, the cross is admired with awe and wonder. But we do not worship that cross; we worship the living Christ.
       “The history of the cross goes back long before Christ came. It was the Romans who used it on a massive scale to execute people. The victim was fastened to the cross by cords, or his hands were nailed, and he was left to die. Even with the heat of the sun, the pull of the body and the torture the victim had endured prior to his crucifixion, it sometimes took a week to die on a cross. It was one of the most terrible, painful ways to die.
       “Christians started to use the cross as a symbol of Christianity. And every time the Gospel is proclaimed, those who hear the message and receive Christ as Savior come to faith by way of the cross.
       “Think of the cross for a moment, and of Christ's suffering. Those nails through His hands and feet were driven by you and me. We all had a part in the death of Christ because of our sins.
       “In that terrible time of the agony, a shadow came between God the Father and God the Son. You see, God is a holy and righteous and pure. He cannot even look upon evil or sin. And in that instant, He could not look upon His Son.
       “Christ had never known sin, never told a lie, and never had an evil thought, but all of the filth and dirt from your life and mine descended on Him. None of us will ever understand the mystery of that moment. It was God's great love for each of us that allowed His Son to take that suffering.
       “You and I have sinned against God. We have broken His laws. God told Adam that if he broke God's law, he would surely die (Genesis 2:17). He sinned anyway. We have all deliberately rebelled against God. But God would not be just and righteous and holy, if He came along and patted us on the back and said, "You're forgiven." We either had to die for our own sins, or somebody who was qualified, had to die for us. That Person was Jesus Christ, and He volunteered to die in our place.
       “God had given Jesus an assignment, and in the Gospel of John, Jesus said, "I have finished the work which You have given Me to do," (John 17:4). We wonder why He didn't feed everybody and heal everybody. He could have done it. He healed some people and fed some who were hungry, and He did that out of compassion. But His real work was the cross; there He was dealing with eternity.

       “Your body will go to the grave one day, but your soul--the part of you that lives forever--will live on. Where will you spend eternity? Heaven or hell? That will be decided by what you do about the cross, because from the cross, Christ is asking you to repent of your sin and receive Him as your Lord and Savior. Let your life be a changed one, through Christ!
       “Do you know Christ? Do you know the forgiveness of the cross and the power of Christ's resurrection? Are you forgiven? Have you received new life? I am asking you to make your commitment to Christ today. God will help you, if you are willing.”
       To learn more, please visit our page: “How to become a Christian”. 

Here’s the link: https://kathyveer.com/become-a-christian

References:
Adapted from: http://www.elijahlist.com/words/display_word/6281

       When we think of big-time drug dealers, we 

usually picture messed up, stringy haired, young 

people. But now, meet Alice Johnson. She was raised in a Christian home with parents that spent their lives helping others. So we’d want to ask, “Why is a nice lady like you doing stuff like that.” Yes, she DID know better.
      Something undoubtedly went wrong because Alice found herself being forced to marry when in her teens. She went on to have five children while living in poverty, yet managed to find a good job at 

Fed-Ex where she stayed for ten years. At the same time, she discovered gambling and through wrong associations she later became a “telephone mule” for a large cocaine-peddling outfit.
       They say it never rains; it pours. For Alice, things went from bad to worse. According to FaithWire writer/editor Tré Goins-Phillips who reported Miss Johnson’s story on CBN.com, she ended up losing her job, was in the middle of a divorce, her debts were multiplying, and she lost one of her sons. It was then that she fell into a drug-running scheme, handling phone calls, connecting drug dealers to each other.
       So, the fateful day came when she was caught and arrested. The judge heard her plea, knowing she was a first time offender. He heard her admit she was wrong, acknowledging the seriousness of her crime, yet according to the law, she was sentenced to life in prison. Even murderers--at times--do not receive a sentence as harsh as that. Alice felt like her life had come to an end but God wasn’t finished with her yet.
       Alice spent two decades behind bars but she remained productive, even though she had plenty to be angry about. She worked to get her GED and became a GED instructor. Next, she became an 

ordained minister after an amazing faith transformation. Then, she began to minister to her fellow

inmates and has carried on the work of a prison reform advocate since her release.
       Eventually, an unlikely person got involved in Alice’s situation. Kim Kardashian heard about Miss Johnson’s sentence and teamed up with none other than President Donald Trump who made the 

decision to not only commute her judgment but give her a full pardon (which expunged every trace of her crime that hindered her path).
       Trump announced, “. . . And she has been so outstanding and I’m so proud of you and we are giving Alice a full pardon. I just told her. We didn’t even discuss it . . . you were out there in the audience last night [at the Republican national Convention] and I asked the folks if you could bring Alice over and we’re going to give a full pardon; we’re going to do it right now; that means you have been fully 

pardoned; that’s the ultimate thing that can happen. That means you can do what ever you want in life and just keep doing the great job you’re doing . . .”
       That story came out in 2018. But there’s been an update. Many news outlets have been reporting Alice’s new position given by President Trump as Pardon Czar. Jordan Green at USA Today said, “On Feb. 20, [2025] Trump announced Johnson's appointment . . . Johnson is set to advise Trump on cases like her own where people convicted of nonviolent crimes were sentenced to life in prison . . . Johnson said she will step down from her position as CEO of her Memphis-based nonprofit, Taking Action For Good, which she founded upon her release. She has expressed confidence in the president's commitment towards this initiative. Johnson believes that advocating for those incarcerated is her purpose and intends to do her role without partisan or political influence.

       "I'm very, very excited to be placed in this role," Johnson said in an interview with The Arizona Republic. "I'm honored by the president that he would place his trust in me to carry out these duties for him, to help him fulfill his mission and his promise to the American people. He really is a president for all people, including those who are considered the least in the community, those who we don't see, who are incarcerated, and those who are seeking a second chance in life."
       When first pardoned in 2018, she stated, “[I’m] Free in body next to President Trump but free in mind next to Almighty God . . . I always remembered that God knew my name even in my darkest hour but I never thought a President would.”
       We all want to hear “well done” from time to time. It’s especially rewarding when it comes from the leader of the free world. It is eternally rewarding when God will say to His own one day, “ . . . Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord,” (Matthew 25:23; KJV).
       Thank you Lord, oh God of second chances!

       For years, many people scoffed at the idea that Noah’s Ark was actually a real thing. But clues have turned up over and over again pointing to a boat-like structure lying two miles from the Turkey-Iran border. It’s size and estimated date of origin provides some good evidence that this may be the original Noah’s ark. But, since the Bible is the inerrant word of God, we can wholly trust the story of the Great Flood, and how God saved Noah and his family in an ark from the rains that destroyed the world.
       Today, we bring you an exciting story about the Ark Encounter. The Ark Encounter is a Christian theme park that opened in 2016 and is located in Williamstown, Kentucky. It features a life-size Noah’s Ark that presents the history of the Bible in a family-friendly environment.
       The founder of Answers in Genesis, Ken Ham, heads the organization behind Ark Encounter. He was raised in a Christian home by a father who was unapologetic about his faith in the inerrant Word of God. Ken was blessed to have such an upbringing. Growing up in Australia, he was surrounded by a pagan culture where Christians are few. Ken’s father became Ken’s legacy. And that’s how Ken Ham became deeply involved in ministry; a ministry that has had great impact in our world.
       Ken encountered the teaching of evolution for the first time, in school, when he was thirteen. He went home to his father and said, “They’re teaching about ape men and evolution and millions of years. What’s the answer to all of this?” Ken’s dad said, “I don’t have answers to the millions of years or the ape men, but I know this: this is the Word of God, and when you start from the Word of God, you go there and you make sure you’re understanding it correctly, letting it speak to you, [through] the grammatical, historical, interpretive method . . . and if you’re sure of what Scripture is saying, and there’s still this contradiction or question out here, then you don’t question God’s Word, you question man’s word.”
       Ken Ham went on to form a Christian apologetics organization called Answers in Genesis. He also opened the Creation Museum and the Ark Encounter. These are fantastic places to visit and wonderful for the whole family to explore.
       People have always had a curiosity about Noah’s ark. They have wondered, “What was the real Noah’s ark like? How many animals did the ark carry? Was there a global flood? Here are answers from the Ark Encounter website:
        “The Ark Encounter in Northern Kentucky is a life-sized reconstruction of Noah’s ark. was a massive ship, built at God’s command, that saved Noah, his family, and representatives of every kind of land-dependent, air-breathing animal from the global flood that took place over 4,300 years ago.
       “The ark was 510 feet long, 85 feet wide, and 51 feet high (Genesis 6:14–16) and it housed the several thousand animals God brought to Noah. The global flood lasted about one year. The ark came to rest on the “mountains of Ararat” (Genesis 8:4), and Noah’s family, with all the animals that were saved from the flood, eventually spread throughout the world.

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       “Why did God tell Noah to build the ark? The Bible explains, ‘Now the earth was corrupt in God's sight, and the earth was filled with violence. And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. And God said to Noah, "I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth.’ (Genesis 6: 11-13; ESV).
       “Ever since Adam's sin, the world had grown increasingly more rebellious. Because of the corruption and violence, God said he would destroy man and all land-dwelling, air-breathing animals on the earth. But Noah found favor with God (Genesis 6:8), so God had mercy on mankind by saving righteous Noah and his family from the impending judgment upon the earth.”
       There’s so much to see at Ark Encounter. Besides tours, they offer classes, camps, home school materials, VBS showcases, daily activities depending on the season of year, events for women’s groups, men’s groups, conferences, Gospel music weekends, and so much more. It’s a place that’s truly “bigger than imagination”. It would be well worth it to plan a trip there and see the Bible come alive in a very unique way.

References:
https://arkencounter.com/noahs-ark/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ark_Encounter
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_Ham
http://biblegeekgonewild.com/2014/03/04/ken-ham-shares-his-testimony/
(Published 2012)
https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/travel-stories/how-archaeologists-hunting-noahs-ark-made-incredible-discovery-at-boatshaped-mound-dating-back-to-biblical-times/news-story/96504e902c6e68dfe51bbc83a35496e5

       In the beginning, God first created light, (Genesis 1:3). It was a major part of His grand design and it’s a window on the universe. The light of the sun also warms the earth and the people upon it, it makes things grow, and it enhances the artistry of everything around us.
       Light not only illuminates all we see with our eyes, but God’s light of truth illuminates our minds and our hearts because He, Himself is light. “This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all,” (1 John 1:5, ESV).
       Man in his natural state is dead in his sins but when a person becomes a born-again Christian, his spiritual eyes are opened. “And you [He made alive when you] were [spiritually] dead and separated from Him because of your transgressions and sins,” (Ephesians 2:1). It is then that a radical transformation occurs. “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (II Corinthians 5:17; TLB).
       A Christian grows in his faith by meditating on God’s word. “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path,” (Psalm 119:105; KJV). With God’s word lighting the way, we can be sure-footed about our steps through life. And if we stumble, we always have the Lord at our side to help us back up. Even in the tough times, He is always there to lead and to guide us by the light of His truths.
       We all grow at a different pace but at some point, we become ready to share the light we have been walking in. The Bible calls us children of light: “For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don’t belong to darkness and night,” (I Thessalonians 5:5; NLT). We must radiate that light just like a lamp on a stand. “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven,” (Matthew 5:14-16; NKJV).
       The secret to applying this Scripture to your life is found in a key part of this passage: “. . . that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven,” (Vs 16b).
       God’s light will shine through you and me as we care for one another, as we exercise forgiveness, and as we encourage each other, loving our neighbors as ourselves. Jesus said, “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these,” (Mark 12:30, 31; NKJV).
       In this life, though we only see and understand in part, there is a new world coming where darkness will be ruled out once and for all. “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known,” (I Corinthians 13:12; KJV).

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       As Christians we have so much to look forward to. Isaiah prophesied, “No longer will you have the sun for light by day, Nor will the moon give you light for brightness; But you will have the Lord as an everlasting light, And your God as your glory,” (Isaiah 60:19; NASB).
       Many years ago, Isaiah saw into the far distant future to a time when John the revelator was 

describing the new Jerusalem. Its walls were made of precious stones, its gates were housed with pearls, and its streets were made of gold that shone like glass. “But I saw no temple in it [the city], for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light,” (Revelation 21:22, 23; NKJV).
       The Bible is filled with many word-pictures of God as light. The majesty of His splendor will be 

awesome to behold. But for now, as we live out our days here on earth, it’s good to know that we can experience a little bit of His power and glory as He pours Himself out upon us. And because we accept Him as our Savior, He then comes to live inside of us. Do you know Him? Visit: https://kathyveer.com/become-a-christian.
 
References:
https://www.biblestudytools.com/topical-verses/bible-verses-about-light/
https://www.thepottershouse.org/daylight-saving-time-and-how-light-illuminates-the-bible/

       Actor, producer, and director, Denzel Washington has been making mainstream headlines lately. He has taken a major step of faith: he was recently baptized (at 69 years old) and received his Minister’s license through the Church of God in Christ, New York.
       Jesse T. Jackson at ChurchLeaders.com reports that before the baptism, Bishop William Armstead asked Washington if he believes in Jesus Christ and if he will obey his commandments. Washington responded in the affirmative to both questions.
       Denzel said, “In one week I turn 70 . . . It took a while but I'm here . . . If [God] can do this for me, there’s nothing He can’t do for you. The sky literally is the limit,” reports Tamantha Ryan at PageSix News (MSN).
       Washington has made about 50 movies in his 40 plus year career. He has received three Golden Globe Awards, one Tony, two Academy Awards and so much more. In 2020, The New York Times ranked him as the greatest actor of the 21st century.
       Born and raised in New York, he was the son of an ordained Pentecostal Preacher; his mother--a true woman of faith--owned a beauty shop. She was the greatest influence in Denzel’s life, and they remain close to this day.
       Even though Denzel grew up in a Christian home, there were problems. The devil attacks everyone on this planet, especially believers. Denzel was definitely influenced by the wrong kinds of people in life. To add to his trials and tribulations, his parents divorced. He explained to Maya Khamala at GoalCast.com, “"My parents were like night and day . . . She's urban, raised in Harlem. My father was just this spirit-filled man until the day he died, a country boy raised on a farm in Virginia . . . They say opposites attract but my parents grew apart. I was 14 when they divorced."
       It was a challenging time, and it further undermined Denzel’s ability to follow God and succeed in His ways. So, it was then that his mother wisely placed him in a private prep school: Oakland Military Academy in New Windsor, New York. Denzel believed that decision changed his life. It ultimately prevented him from going to prison like many of his friends had done.
       In an interview by Dotson Rader at Parade.com, Denzel--at the age of 20--said, “I’ve felt the hand of God on my life, no doubt about it. I remember sitting in my mother’s beauty parlor in Mount Vernon, N.Y., on March 27, 1975, and in the mirror I kept seeing this woman looking at me . . . I was doing so bad in school, and this woman said, ‘Somebody give me a piece of stationery! I’m having a prophecy!’ I still have that piece of paper. ‘You’re going to speak to millions of people,’ she said to me. ‘You’re going to do great things!’ And I thought, ‘Yeah, right. When’s that going to start? On Monday? I’m flunking out of school.’ . . . Later on, I asked my mother, ‘Who was that woman?’ She said, ‘It’s Ruth Green, one of the elder sisters in the church, who’s been known to have the gift of prophecy.’ . . . That fall I started acting.”
       People who know Denzel Washington know that he is a devout Christian and doesn’t apologize for it. But he admitted, “. . . I accepted it, I definitely experienced it, but I wasn’t ready to live it . . .”

       Denzel certainly has struggled with that “walk of faith” that Christians experience. He confessed giving his life to Christ on three separate occasions. When Denzel was close to 60 years old, his mother encouraged him by telling him he would do good by a lot of people, but he had to do good the right way. Denzel said, “I don’t drink anymore. I don’t do any of those things . . . I’m all about the message to the degree that I know it, and I’m unashamed and unafraid to share it.”
       Washington has continued to grow in his walk with God. Like all of us, he has stumbled and fallen, but he has also gotten back up and has kept on fighting the good fight.
       The Bible says, “Fight the good fight of the faith [in the conflict with evil]; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and [for which] you made the good confession [of faith] in the presence of many witnesses,” (1 Timothy 6:12; AMP).
       When I meet Jesus on that glorious, awesome day, I want Him to say, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.” Isn’t that what you want, too? Then put God first.

References:
https://churchleaders.com/news/502924-movie-icon-denzel-washington-gets-baptized-and-receives-his-minister-license.html
https://www.msn.com/en-us/entertainment/celebrities/denzel-washington-gets-baptized-and-becomes-a-minister-after-saying-religion-is-not-fashionable-in-hollywood/ar-AA1wkvoA
https://www.goalcast.com/2020/09/10/denzel-washington-father-broken-relationship-mother-lessons/
https://web.archive.org/web/20060411214059/http://www.parade.com/articles/editions/1999/edition_12-12-1999/Denzel_Washington
https://www.beliefnet.com/columnists/idolchatter/2020/07/denzel-washington-on-coming-to-christ-i-was-filled-with-the-holy-ghost-and-it-scared-me.html [Jun 30, 2020]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denzel_Washington

     This would be a good place to end the story, but there’s one more twist that shows just how amazing God is. Jonathan returned with his “shofar” (horn) to this same spot, years later after he had been in ministry. He found the same rock where he was saved and celebrated that decision as he spent time with the Lord. Later, he was telling his congregants about it, and they informed him that this particular spot had been dedicated to Satan and was a meeting place for witches. The rock was their altar! Suddenly, Jonathan remembered some graffiti he saw there that said, “No Jew shall enter these sacred grounds.” Jonathan said, “For 2000 years, you [Satan] haven’t wanted Jews to come to Jesus, (because he knows when that happens, that’s it for him) . . . Too late Satan. It’s

      There’s been a lot of “buzz” lately about an independent film, 

released July 4th of this year called Sound of Freedom. It is based on a true story and was created and produced to expose the evils of sex-trafficking, going on in this country and around the world
  The film depicts the incredible true story of former federal government agent, Tim Ballard, turned vigilante who quits his job and 

embarks on a dangerous mission to rescue hundreds of children from sex traffickers.
       In a CBN interview, Tim Ballard explains, “Nobody was talking about human-trafficking and I was telling people these stories of things I was coming across and no one believed me. And it was like, ‘These are real kids.’
       “And really it was my wife on this . . . she grabbed me by the 

collar and said, ‘I will not let you jeopardize my salvation.’ [the 

actress during this scene said, ‘You quit your job and you go and rescue those kids.’] . . . I really put it into perspective: why are we here on this earth?
       “And then we jumped in and the operation--as the movie depicts--was extremely successful . . . it was actually bigger than Sound of Freedom was able to show.
       The star, Jim Caviezel, (the actor who played Jesus in The Passion of the Christ), explains, “It is the fastest growing international crime network that the world has ever seen. It has already passed the 

illegal arms trade and soon it’s going to pass the drug trade.”
       The horrors of what is happening to these children and adults alike can hardly be grasped. The website, Human Trafficking Research states that individuals are exploited “. . . through threat or use of force, coercion, abduction, fraud, and/or deception . . . and include the practices of forced labor, debt bondage, domestic servitude, forced marriage, sex trafficking, child sex trafficking, and the recruitment and use of child soldiers . . .”
       There are also reports about people being used for organ harvesting, adrenochrome collection through torturous fear tactics, and medical experimentation. But of course there is push back among the elites who say such ideas are no ore than conspiracy theories. Even so, many are talking about these issues and more of these operations are coming to light each day in spite of the “woke”.
       And just to show how “woke” our society has become, Wikipedia reports that, “Sound of Freedom was completed in 2018 and a distribution deal was made with 20th Century Fox. However, that studio was purchased by the Walt Disney Company, which shelved the film. The filmmakers reportedly spent years trying to get the distribution rights back from Disney and take it to theaters.
       “[Producer] Verástegui approached Angel Studios with the release rights. Angel presented the film to an online group of 100,000 investors in its past projects called the Angel Guild, which gave it a "yes" vote within days. On March 30, 2023, Variety reported that Angel Studios had acquired the worldwide distribution rights . . . On May 12, it received a release date of July 4, 2023.”