Category Archives: Posts

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IT WOULD HAVE BEEN #53

Remembering My Kathy

Today, May 8th, would have been our 53rd wedding anniversary. 

On this occasion, I am spending some quiet time. But I thought it might be a blessing for you to hear a teaching my Kathy did a number of years ago at a Women’s Advance in 2007.

 


I Thessalonians 4:13-18
But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

 

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JESUS CHRIST IS ALIVE!

God Raised Jesus Christ From the Dead and He's Coming Back!

Jesus Christ is alive! God raised him from the dead! And he is coming back!

This Sunday, March 31, Christians around the world will celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  God raised him from the dead.  The Bible is very clear that after his resurrection, he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God – he is God’s right hand man!

God has put all things (Himself excluded of course) under Jesus Christ. He is the head of the Body. He is lord of all people who have lived. He is our Lord and Savior!  It is only through believing in Jesus Christ that a person can gain salvation.

Romans 10:9
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

I Timothy 2:4 and 5
Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

It is stunning and remarkable when you consider that Jesus Christ did not establish an institution of higher learning, and yet all the schools of all times could never measure even close to his number of students. 

All the rulers who ever reigned, all the government bodies that ever sat, and all the military campaigns ever engaged, have not affected the life of mankind as powerfully and dynamically as Jesus Christ.

The Bible declares he was the Son of God who always did the Father’s will.  In his earthly life he carried out and completed God’s great plan of redemption and salvation.  One of the last things he said before laying down his life for all of mankind was, “It is finished!” 

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HAPPY NEW YEAR 2024

At the beginning of each New Year, most people are looking forward to a good year ahead. Many have “resolutions” or goals in hopes that doing certain activities will help them achieve a good or better year.  And we all cheer each other on by saying, “Happy New Year!”

As the New Year arrives, an old habit of mine is to look back on the past year and remember God’s blessings.  But sitting here today, on January 1, it is a bit more difficult for me to do that this year, in light of losing my wife just one month ago.

But, as I moved the sadness ever so slightly aside. I began reflecting on a number of things from this past year to tell God, “Thank You.”  It was indeed heartwarming and encouraging for me remembering some blessings I had forgotten.

Regardless of what kind of year you had, I would encourage you to take some time to reflect and then give God the thanks He deserves for His blessings to you in 2023.

And by the way, after pausing my recording of the His Word podcast for a few weeks, I’m back.  Below are links to the two most recent.

149 This Is Very Personal

150 Looking Back

Have A Wonderfully Blessed New Year!

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THE MAGI

Have A Wonderful Holiday Season!

Below are the links to a series I did on His Word podcast about the Magi (each under 5 minutes).
And a beautiful rendition of O Holy Night.

Enjoy!


Episode 85 The Magi – Part 1

Episode 86 The Magi – Part 2

Episode 87 – Part 3

Episode 88 The Magi – Part 4

Episode 89 The Magi – Part 5

Episode 90 The Magi – Part 6

God promised to send a savior, and He kept that promise.
God also promised to send Jesus Christ back to gather together all those who are born again, and He will keep that promise too.
The Lord Jesus Christ IS coming back!

Have a wonderful holiday season!

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I WILL SEE HER WHEN WE SEE HIM

My heart is shattered.  On December 2, my best friend and companion of 53 years passed away. My dear Kathy is asleep, awaiting the Return of Jesus Christ.

Years ago, I was out of town at a memorial service, and Kathy texted me the following: “There is no service that could ever be long enough, or good enough, to adequately and properly pay tribute to any person’s life. There’s no obituary or eulogy that could ever come close.  But you’re all there today because of the impact their life had on each one of you.”

Those words are so true, and that’s why this post is really more of an announcement.  

Kathryn Lynne Verdicchio was born January 21, 1953 in Columbus, Ohio. Kathy leaves behind her husband Mike, her children Emery Pace Archer and Michael (Jacey) Verdicchio, her grandchildren Ava, Betsy, and Ezra, five siblings, and nieces and nephews.

She married Michael Anthony Verdicchio in May of 1971. During their 52 and a half years of marriage, Mike and Kathy lived in 12 different states. They have been living in Arizona for the second time, since 1992. They traveled abroad to Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Croatia, and other places.

Kathy graduated from The Way College in 1981 with an associate’s degree in theology. Over the past 50 years, Kathy worked a number of part-time jobs, but her whole life was devoted to her family and to serving God’s people. Her love for God and His book, The Bible, was the most important thing to her in her life.

She was a most excellent cook, and many people over the years have enjoyed her food. She loved making food for people. She has been with mothers about to give birth, and with people in their final days, as well as everything in between.

Her favorite expression was, “God is good, always!” One of her favorite songs was, “Never Give Up.” She was a great example of trusting God in all situations, serving others with love, and practicing what she preached.

Her favorite verse was Ephesians 3:20 and 21: “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.”

A Celebration of Life service will be held 3:00 pm, December 15, 2023 at Chapel of the Chimes Garden Venue 7924 North 59th Avenue, Glendale, Arizona, with Rev. Steve Armstrong officiating. 

In lieu of flowers, do what Kathy would do – take someone out to lunch or bless them in another way in honor of Kathy.

God’s Word, the Bible, clearly declares that when someone dies, they neither go anywhere, nor know anything, nor do anything, until the Return of Jesus Christ.  That’s why God refers to those born again ones who have died as “asleep.”  When Jesus Christ returns, all born again ones will meet Jesus Christ in the clouds, and so shall we ever be with the lord.

Farewell, my beloved Kathy.  I will see you again when we all see him in the clouds.

I Thessalonians 4:13-18:
But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

I Corinthians 15:51-58:
Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall 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 shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.

But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

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THANKSGIVING 2023

So Much to be Thankful For!

This Thursday is Thanksgiving Day.  For us Christians, every day is a day to give praise and thanks be to our great big wonderful God!

And how thankful we are for the completed work of our Lord and Savior, the Son of God, Jesus Christ – for his sterling example of a son serving his Father and for his accomplishing and completing God’s plan of salvation and redemption for us.  What a savior!

And we’re very thankful for God’s wonderful and magnificent Word! Without a knowledge of His Word we would not know how good and great God is; we would not know all the great rights, privileges and abilities we have as born again ones; we would not know about the great future we all have!

Those are three things to be very thankful for every single day!

God’s Word tells us to be thankful. That’s not a request to try to be grateful, rather God says, “be thankful.”  In a recent podcast I shared something I did a number of years ago to help me to increase my gratitude toward God, called, How To Be More Thankful. 

Below are some links from previous posts.

Have a very blessed Thanksgiving Holiday – we all have much to be thankful for!

Some forgotten history of the pilgrims 

A Psalm for Thanksgiving 

What Washington and Lincoln said

Lots of history related to the pilgrims and Thanksgiving

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Check out His Word podcasts, all under 5 minutes!  You can access all of them right here. And, you’ll find links to share individual ones you think might bless someone.  There’s also a list of platforms you can use to subscribe, and it’s free.

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THE ORIGINS OF HALLOWEEN

Halloween’s origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in).  This marked the end of summer and the harvest, along with the beginning of the dark, cold winter.

Celts believed that on that night the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred, when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth.

In addition to causing trouble and damaging crops, Celts thought that the presence of the “other world” spirits made it easier for the Druids, or Celtic priests, to make predictions about the future, giving people a source of comfort and direction during the long, dark winter.

To commemorate the event, Druids built huge sacred bonfires, where the people gathered to burn crops and animals as sacrifices to their gods.

The only way, it seemed, for scared humans to escape this night of demonic activity, was to offer them things the demons might like – fancy foods and sweets. Or, in order to escape their fury, a human could disguise himself as one of them and thus be not recognizable to the demons on that night.

By A.D. 43, Romans had conquered the majority of Celtic territory. In the course of the four hundred years that they ruled the Celtic lands, two festivals of Roman origin were combined with the traditional Celtic celebration of Samhain.

The first was Feralia, a day in late October when the Romans traditionally commemorated the passing of the dead. The second was a day to honor Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit and trees. The symbol of Pomona is the apple and the incorporation of this celebration into Samhain probably explains the tradition of “bobbing” for apples that is practiced today on Halloween.

By the 800s, the influence of Christianity had spread into Celtic lands. In the seventh century, Pope Boniface IV designated November 1 All Saints’ Day, a time to honor dead saints and martyrs. Many believe the Pope was attempting to replace the Celtic festival of the dead with a related, but church-sanctioned holiday.

The celebration was also called All-hallows or All-hallowmas (from Middle English Alholowmesse meaning All Saints’ Day) and the night before it, the night of Samhain, began to be called All-hallows Eve and, eventually, Halloween. Later, in A.D. 1000, the Church would make November 2, All Souls Day, a day to honor all the dead.

It was celebrated similarly to Samhain, with big bonfires, parades, and dressing up in costumes such as saints, angels, and devils. Together, the three celebrations, the eve of All Saints, All Saints, and All Souls, were called Hallowmas.

You might want to read an interesting article titled, What is Halloween and should Christians celebrate it?

I recently recorded a podcast call, Halloween.  Here’s some of what I shared.

Over the course of history, those ancient ungodly pagan practices have changed and merged with our current western culture. Today costumes take the place of disguises and candy has replaced fruits and fancy foods.  For many, many people it’s just a fun holiday, but its pagan ungodly origins are in honoring death and the devil.

For those who love the One true God, it is very apparent that many of the visuals associated with halloween are not at all godly according to the Bible, His Word.  Witches, demons, sorcery, are an abomination to God.  And oh so many skeletons, which of course represent death. I saw one you could buy at home depot that was at least 14 feet high!  Is it inspiring to you to look at a skeleton?  It represents death, and His Word tells us the devil is the author of death.  Does this celebration promote God’s love, His goodness, or His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Not at all.  Does it lead anyone to receiving God’s free gift of eternal life?  No.  Instead, it very subtly, and sometimes very openly, promotes the work of our enemy, our adversary, the devil.

Some people may not like this podcast – that’s okay. I’m not here to tell you what to do or what not to do – I’m not trying to spoil anyone’s fun.  But here’s what His Word says about some  of these things, from the book of Deuteronomy, Chapter 18.

“…you shall not learn to follow the abominations of those nations.
There shall not be found among you anyone… 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…”

For me, personally, I don’t participate in Halloween – not at all – I don’t even give out candy – my porch light is off that night.  I certainly don’t view it as a holiday – holiday means holy day – it’s far from being holy!  And I don’t judge anyone who does participate  – but, I’m not at all shy to say why I ignore it.

Mike Verdicchio 2023

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Check out my podcast: His Word.  They’re all under 5 minutes, and at this link, you’ll find a separate link for each one, making it easy for you to copy/paste and share God’s Word with someone!  If you like “His Word” podcast, subcribe for free and never miss an episode.

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WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DIE?

It Was My First Podcast

Last year I started doing short podcasts (under 5 minutes) about “what God has to say about topics you might be interested in – not my words, but His Word.”  According to the stats, the most  popular, the one that continues to  have the most downloads is actually the very first one: “What Happens When You Die?”

So I decided to take some of the notes I used to record that podcast, and add more content to it here in this article. I hope it provides a little more understanding of what happens when you die, according to the Bible, His Word.

                            What Happens When You Die? #01

There are lots of opinions about what happens when a person dies: one goes to heaven, or goes to hell, or goes to purgatory, or comes back to live again as a butterfly, or…  

In His Word, God oftentimes uses a euphemism to describe death. The Scriptures many times refer to death with the word, “sleep.” So, what do you do when you are asleep? How much do you accomplish? How many projects do you get done?   Nothing, absolutely, nothing; you’re asleep!

Blunt And To The Point!

In the book of Ecclesiastes, a discussion about death is pretty blunt; no, wait!  It’s very blunt. In Chapter 9, it talks about the one event everyone will experience – the righteous and the wicked alike.  And that event is death.


Ecclesiastes 9:3
This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that      there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of   evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to   the dead.

The very next verse is also very blunt.


Ecclesiastes 9:4
For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion.

After those very startling statements, His Word goes on to say we ought to live our lives now, and live it with all our might, because we will do absolutely nothing when we go to the grave.  Nothing!  We will be asleep.


Ecclesiastes 9:5-10 (Bold type added for emphasis)
For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.

Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.

Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works.

Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment.

Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun.

Why?  Look at the next verse.


Ecclesiastes 9:10 (Bold type added for emphasis)
Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.

That’s It?  Forever asleep?

What? That’s it? It’s over?  Yes, at that moment it is over for us, for now.  But His Word also talks about what’s coming in the future – a time when those who are asleep will awaken.  Wow! Talk about being woke!

You may have thought that at death the good folks go to heaven and the bad folks go to hell. Hell, that place that burns and burns. (What  exactly is “hell,” according to the Bible?  That’s coming up in the next podcast so don’t miss it.)  

Spoiler Alert!

In the meantime, spoiler alert!  It would be very advantageous to confess or acknowledge the Lord Jesus – that he is lord of all people and believe in your heart God raised him from the dead. Why?  In doing so, at that moment, His Word says you are saved, born again! 

And for all those who are born again, both those living and those who have died, God has promised to send His Son from heaven to gather us together.  His Word says we will meet the Lord Jesus Christ in the clouds, and “so shall we ever be with the lord.”  And as it says in I Corinthians 15:  “Death is swallowed up in victory.”  

My oh my,  what a fabulous future awaits those who are born again.  On the other hand, for those who decide to decline this simple offer of salvation, for them, there is a day coming when there will be a very rude awakening.  Accept the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart God raised from the dead!

Mike Verdicchio 2023
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There are other “His Word” podcasts related to this topic, as well as articles and audio teachings on this site. Links to some of those are below.

His Word Podcasts (all under 5 minutes)

What Is Hell?

Are You Saved?

What is the Rapture?

Who Is In Heaven?

He Is Coming back

Is He Really Coming Back?

Audio Teaching
2/28/2022 Your Future (41:39)

Article
What Happens When You Die?

Access all His Word podcasts  at this link, they’re all under 5 minutes and you’ll find a separate link for each one, making it easy for you to copy/paste and share God’s Word with someone!

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IS THE BIBLE REALLY TRUE?

What's Your Standard For Truth?


Through the centuries, some have accepted the Bible as true while others have rejected it. Some misunderstand it, and as a result, wrongly apply it. And there are those who, because it contradicts the way they chose to live their lives, simply dismiss what is written as not true.

Awhile back, someone came up with the phrase, “What would Jesus do?” The intention of the phrase was to inspire Christians to follow Christ’s example. Here’s my Jesus question: “What did Jesus think about the written Scriptures?”

It’s very obvious in reading the Gospels that Jesus Christ was very familiar with the written Scriptures. He quoted from the Old Testament often. At times he asked those listening to him if they remembered what was written. He placed a very high value on the written Scriptures by saying, “Thy Word is truth.”

On one occasion, he asked a very intriguing question. In Matthew’s Gospel, in Chapter 22, he said, “… have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying…” That is a very powerful statement! Jesus Christ’s opinion of the written Scriptures was that it is God speaking to you!

According to Jesus Christ, the written Scriptures are not only true, but they are God speaking to you!  Therefore according to Jesus Christ, the Scriptures, (obviously rightly understood) are true words God is speaking to you. That was Jesus’ opinion of the Scriptures. What’s your opinion?

However, if the Bible, rightly understood, is not true, then what will be our standard for truth? Our own feelings? Our current culture? What someone else declares as true?

Our culture today does not promote seeking God’s truth. In so many areas it is a self gratification culture based on feelings and emotions: If it feels good, it must be right; do it! This works for me. I believe it, so it must be true. I need be true to myself. Worship whatever god feels right to you.

So much of our culture focuses on emotions and feelings, not on finding truth. And yet, Jesus Christ said the Scriptures are God speaking to you, and, it is the truth. He also said, “the truth shall make you free.”

Regardless of what anyone and everyone else decides to think and believe, that’s what the Lord Jesus Christ said. And by taking his position, you might find yourself in the minority. But, if you want to know the truth about who God really is and find out what He has to say, then why not put aside feelings, emotions and preconceived ideas and pursue a right understanding of the written Scriptures?

Is the Bible really true? Some may dismiss it as an old book. Some may say that much of it not really relevant for our day and time. Others believe it’s a good moral book, at least the parts that don’t conflict with their own personal beliefs.

It may not be the most popular opinion to have, but according to the Lord Jesus Christ, God’s Word, the written Scriptures, the Bible,  is the truth, and it is God speaking to you.

Mike Verdicchio August 2023

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Check out my podcast: His Word.  They’re all under 5 minutes, and at this link, you’ll find a separate link for each one, making it easy for you to copy/paste and share God’s Word with someone!

If you’d like a signed copy of my book, “What Does It Mean?  Click Here

Check out my YouTube Channel;  recent video zoom teachings and over a hundred (most under 2 minutes) inspiring and encouraging videos for practical Christian living.  “Like” them!   Subscribe!   Share!  Thank you!

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INDEPENDENCE DAY -2023

Our Christian Roots

The greatest Freedom ever extended to mankind is the freedom we have from the completed work of Jesus Christ. God gives those who believe in Jesus eternal life, which is freedom from death!

On Tuesday, July 4th, we celebrate the 247th anniversary of the United States of America. We are living in some very troubled times.  Having had the opportunity to travel to many other countries, I believe it is a great blessing to live in this country with all the freedoms that we have. Will the USA weather the ungodly storms we face today?  Many Christians pray that we can continue to keep the freedoms our US Constitution affords us. 

The following is a repost from last year.
In July of  1776 the American colonies declared their independence. In the late 1780s, the Constitution of the United States of America was ratified. That constitution included the Bill of Rights. 

Our Christian Heritage
There are those today who deny the Christian heritage of our country. Below is a link to a rather exhaustive article that examines that topic quite thoroughly. While a number of articles I have read in the past simply included some quotes as “proof” of our Christian beginnings, this article cites many sources, including authors, correspondences, and accurate historical facts. It includes a very interesting section of the much contested “separation of Church and State” debate.  

Take some time to read it. Below is most of the conclusion of the article. Here’s the link to the entire article.

Excerpt from the article, “Did America have a Christian Founding,”   by Mark David Hall, Ph.D.

Conclusions:

So did America have a Christian Founding? History is complicated, and we should always be suspicious of simple answers to difficult questions. As we have seen, there is precious little evidence that the Founders were deists, wanted religion excluded from the public square, or desired the strict separation of church and state. On the other hand, they identified themselves as Christians, were influenced in important ways by Christian ideas, and generally thought it appropriate for civic authorities to encourage Christianity.

What do these facts mean for Americans who embrace non-Christian faiths or no faith at all? Although the Founders were profoundly influenced by Christianity, they did not design a constitutional order only for fellow believers. They explicitly prohibited religious tests for federal offices, and they were committed to the proposition that all men and women should be free to worship God (or not) as their consciences dictate.

As evidenced by George Washington’s 1790 letter to a “Hebrew Congregation” in Newport, Rhode Island, the new nation was to be open to a wide array of individuals who were willing to assume the responsibilities of citizenship:

Yet it does not follow from this openness that Americans should simply forget about their country’s Christian roots. Anyone interested in an accurate account of the nation’s past cannot afford to ignore the important influence of faith on many Americans, from the Puritans to the present day.

Christian ideas underlie some key tenets of America’s constitutional order. For instance, the Founders believed that humans are created in the image of God, which led them to design institutions and laws meant to protect and promote human dignity. Because they were convinced that humans are sinful, they attempted to avoid the concentration of power by framing a national government with carefully enumerated powers. As well, the Founders were committed to liberty, but they never imagined that provisions of the Bill of Rights would be used to protect licentiousness. And they clearly thought moral considerations should inform legislation.

America has drifted from these first principles. We would do well to reconsider the wisdom of these changes.

The Founders believed it permissible for the national and state governments to encourage Christianity, but this may no longer be prudential in our increasingly pluralistic country. Yet the Constitution does not mandate a secular polity, and we should be wary of jurists, politicians, and academics who would strip religion from the public square. We should certainly reject arguments that America’s Founders intended the First Amendment to prohibit neutral programs that support faith-based social service agencies, religious schools, and the like.

Finally, we ignore at our peril the Founders’ insight that democracy requires a moral people and that faith is an important, if not indispensable, support for morality. Such faith may well flourish best without government support, but it should not have to flourish in the face of government hostility.

Link to the entire article:
Did America have a Christian Founding,”   by Mark David Hall, Ph.D.

May the light of God’s Word live in the hearts and lives of the people of the United States of America. God, please help us, for we certainly do need your help!. May God give us representatives who will indeed uphold the Constitution of the United States of America. 

Previous posts:

Independence Day 2019

Independence Day 2018