Bailout!

The Great Recession has led to great economic distress in our nation. Many financial companies had overextended themselves, and if they were left to handle the situation on their own, many would have gone bankrupt. The United States government felt that the bankruptcy of many such companies would cause more damage than it was worth, and so it began “bailing out” these corporations. Billions upon billions of dollars have been given to these companies to keep them functioning to this day.

One could argue whether such bailouts were really a good idea or not and whether it was really worth it for the American taxpayers. On the other hand, can we all not look back in our own lives and find times when we were “bailed out”? It is unlikely that we received millions or billions of dollars in our “bailouts” in life, but were we not relieved that thanks to someone’s intervention, we did not have to suffer the consequences of some of our actions?

That, essentially, is what a bailout does: it either provides a cushion to soften some dire consequences or it removes them altogether.

While we can understand and appreciate the value of bailouts in our physical lives, what about in our spiritual lives?

If we stop and think about it, the spiritual consequences of our actions are often dire. The Bible clearly reveals that we have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:10-23, Ephesians 2:1-3, Titus 3:3-5). The spiritual consequences of such sin is quite clear: death (Romans 6:23). On account of our sin, all of us deserve to suffer the consequence of eternal separation from God, the Author of Life, and eternal torment for our misdeeds (2 Thessalonians 1:6-9). On top of all this, there is nothing that we ourselves can do to “make up” for or atone for our sins. If God had left us on our own, our fate would have been far worse than mere bankruptcy!

Yet thanks be to God, for He has provided us with a “bailout!” In His great love for us, He sent His Son Jesus Christ to show us the way to live, to die on the cross for our sins, and to be raised in power on the third day (1 Corinthians 15:1-3, 1 John 2:6). Because of His sacrifice, we can be reconciled to God through His blood (Romans 5:6-11). He suffered the consequences of our sin so that we would not have to (2 Corinthians 5:20-21). We did nothing to deserve any of this, yet God freely accomplished it so that we could be saved (Ephesians 2:4-9, Titus 3:6-7).

As with all “bailouts,” however, there are terms that must be satisfied. These terms do not mean that we somehow “earn” the bailout, but if we do not meet the terms established, we will not obtain the benefit. God’s terms for the “bailout” involve our own death to sin (Romans 6:1-2) and obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:22). We are to no longer live for ourselves; instead, we are to live to glorify God and to serve His purposes (Galatians 2:20). We begin our service by believing in Jesus, confessing His name, repenting of our sins, and being immersed in water for the remission of our sins (Romans 10:9-10, Acts 2:38).

You may not have obtained a billion dollars in the economic bailout, but God extends you a bailout offer of much greater value. Change your ways today, obey God, and be saved!

Ethan R. Longhenry

A Most Challenging Command

To him therefore that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin (James 4:17).

How do we define a “good, moral person”? Much of the time, a “good, moral person” is defined more by what they are not doing than what they are doing. “Good, moral people” do not get drunk, do not kill other people, do not steal (at least that much), do not lie, and avoid many other sins. They are “good neighbors” because they mostly keep to themselves and do not bother “us.”

In the New Testament, priests and Levites would, by common confession, be considered “good, moral people.” In fact, in the eyes of many, they were quite holy: they worked for God, perhaps even in the Temple. They worked quite diligently to avoid contracting any form of uncleanness.

Yet, when Jesus tells us the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37), the priest and the Levite in the story do not turn out to be that “good.” They are the ones who saw the man beaten up by robbers but did nothing to help him. In so doing, they failed to prove to be “neighbors” to that man, and thus violated the command to “love your neighbor as yourself” (cf. Leviticus 19:10, Luke 10:27).

But the priest and the Levite were “good, moral people!” They would surely have been morally outraged had they seen the robbers beating up the man. They might even have complained about how terrible times were– you cannot even go from Jerusalem to Jericho in peace! Nevertheless, as unpalatable as it may be, the priest and Levite are just as condemned as those robbers who beat up the man in the first place. Sure, the priest and the Levite did not actively hurt the man– yet, when presented with the opportunity to do good to him, they failed to do so. Instead, the “dirty half-breed” Samaritan proved to be more righteous than they!

The New Testament makes it clear that for those who wish to serve Jesus Christ, it is not sufficient to just avoid evil: we must also do what is right. It is not enough to “abhor evil”; we must also “cling to what is good” (Romans 12:9). We are incomplete if we only avoid the works of the flesh; we must also develop and manifest the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:17-24). James 4:17 goes so far as to declare it sin to fail to do what is good. Since the New Testament never provides any indication that there is a hierarchy of sin, failure to do what is good is just as bad as actively doing what is wrong!

What, then, are these “good things” that we should be doing? We need to be praying for all men (1 Timothy 2:1-4). We need to show love, mercy, and compassion to all people, even those who hate us and who stand against us (Luke 6:27-36, 1 John 4:7-21). As we have been forgiven, we must forgive others (Ephesians 4:32). As we have opportunity, we ought to do good for all people, especially those in the household of faith: we may do so through financial benevolence, giving of our time, and/or using our talents for their benefit (Galatians 6:10, James 1:27). In all things we must imitate our Master, and be willing to serve and be a blessing for others, even without reward (1 Corinthians 11:1, 1 John 2:6).

This is a most challenging command for even “mature” believers. It would be much easier if all we had to do was avoid committing acts of sin! Nevertheless, we have all been called to die to self and live for Christ (Galatians 2:20): that requires us to take on the mind of Christ and to serve others as much as it requires us to renounce self and the desires of sin. Let us not prove disobedient to this charge, but instead to do good whenever we have opportunity!

Ethan R. Longhenry

The Unseen Reality

The situation seemed dire.

The prophet Elisha had helped the king of Israel three times now. The Aramaean king was very distressed that he could not get the advantage against Israel, and he had learned that Elisha was the source of the problem. A good part of the army of the Arameans now surrounded Elisha and his servants.

One of Elisha’s servants saw the great army of the Arameans. What were they going to do? The city of Dothan was not that large, and Elisha surely did not have that many men.

Elisha, however, was not disturbed. When the servant informed Elisha of the matter, he simply responded, “do not fear; there are more that are for us than there are for them.”

Surely the prophet was mad! There before them was the army of the Arameans, with horses and chariots no less, and all that could be found were a few servants of Elisha. How could it be that there were far more on the side of Elisha than on the side of Aram?

And Elisha prayed, and said, O LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha (2 Kings 6:17).

We have here narrated the events of 2 Kings 6:8-17, and they serve as important reminders for us in our own lives. We live in a day and age that focuses almost exclusively on what can be perceived: in the eyes of many, if it cannot be seen, smelled, touched, felt, or heard, it does not exist to them.

Human beings, however, are fallible and limited: while we have great brains and brainpower, the brain is a finite organ, and without a doubt there are realities beyond its ability to perceive. There are many animals who have more developed senses than humans, and as humans increase their technological abilities, more and more of the universe can be perceived than ever before. The Bible reveals for us, however, that there is a reality within our own that we do not perceive: the spiritual world in our midst. We see this with the servant of Elisha: where there seemed to be nothing there appeared chariots of fire. Reality had not changed– the servant’s perception changed!

We can be confident, then, that all around us right now is a spiritual reality that is left unseen to human eyes. We may not know exactly what is around us, but that does not mean that it is not there. Nevertheless, this reality is left hidden from our eyes; this is not some trick of God, but the presentation of the opportunity to believe without having seen (cf. John 20:29).

Right now you may be in the presence of angels, God Himself, or perhaps even a host of flaming chariots. A mere glimpse of this reality would leave you awestruck. The challenge posed to us is to live our lives always realizing by faith that this spiritual reality is in our midst (Hebrews 11:6). We must live as if we are always being seen, for indeed we are always being seen, and all that takes place will be exposed (Luke 8:17).

Now is the time to believe in the unseen reality. If you wait, the unseen reality will be made manifest, and it will be too late (Matthew 25:1-13). Believe and obey God today!

Ethan R. Longhenry

Finding Freedom

Recent events, particularly in north Africa, have been quite compelling. Autocrats who have ruled for decades have been seriously challenged and even toppled within weeks. People are rising up throughout north Africa and in the Arab world, seeking greater freedom. Much has already changed in Tunisia and Egypt; in Bahrain, Yemen, Libya, and Algeria, things will likely never be the same. Other countries suffering under oppressive regimes in Africa and Asia have been inspired to seek change and freedom in their own lands.

Such events demonstrate the universality of the human desire for freedom. People want to be free to make their own determinations; they do not want to have their ideas and life’s direction imposed on them from some autocratic government. Oppressive governments may persevere for a time, but when the time is right, people will stop fearing the government and will seek after a greater level of freedom.

Yet even if humans enjoy freedom from governmental interference in their lives, such does not mean that they are truly “free.” Even if all of the oppressive regimes of the world collapse, and representative democracy flourishes around the world, people will still not be truly free, for they still suffer from the oppression of the Evil One (cf. Acts 10:38).

We wage a war for freedom that has eternal significance. It is ongoing, greater than all of these conflicts we see in the world today, and it involves everyone, whether they understand it or not. The oppressive power is the god of this world, Satan, who has enslaved all people under the bondage of sin and death (Romans 6:16, 23, Ephesians 6:12). Freedom from this oppressive bondage only comes through Jesus Christ, as it is written:

For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made me free from the law of sin and of death (Romans 8:2).

Those who overcome the powers of darkness through Jesus will receive eternal life and glory (Romans 8:17-18, Revelation 12:11). This victory can only be accomplished when one places their trust in Jesus, seeking to follow His path, doing His will, setting aside the paths of darkness which leads to death (Romans 8:1-11). If we have been set free from sin and death in order to serve the Lord and have eternal life, then we have found true freedom, whether we live in a democracy or under a dictatorship. This freedom cannot be taken away from us unless we voluntarily give it up (Romans 8:31-39)!

Ultimately, these recent events again prove the wisdom of God in Isaiah 40:6-8: the governments and artifices of man are like the grass of the field– here today, gone tomorrow. It is amazing how quickly they can fall apart even though they were oppressive and seemingly strong and impregnable. Nothing man can create– no form of government, no ideology, no philosophy– will endure, but the word of God will remain forever. We have the opportunity to be truly free, having been born again to a living hope through the imperishable seed of the Word of God, no longer enslaved to the devices of Satan or the traditions or philosophies of man (Colossians 2:8-9, 1 Peter 1:3, 22-25). Let us find that which is freedom indeed and serve the Risen Christ!

Ethan R. Longhenry

Why the Church Matters

If you pay attention to the headlines and the “talking heads,” you would get the impression that the church is in trouble. More and more people seem to be leaving churches, seeking out their own “spirituality.” Signs everywhere encourage you to “go the church of your choice.” Many churches seem to be outdoing each other, trying to appeal to you, accommodating your every want. Plenty declare that the church is irrelevant and unnecessary today: in their minds, you can serve Christ without being part of a church. Are these people right? Has the church been made irrelevant in the twenty-first century?

When we turn to the New Testament, however, an entirely different picture emerges. God sets forth many reasons why the church remains important after two thousand years.

The church matters because it represents the Body of Christ. The image of the church as a body is found in Romans 12:3-8 and 1 Corinthians 12:12-28; this body is identified as the body of Christ in Ephesians 1:22-23; 5:23-33 and Colossians 1:18. God chooses this image for good reason: only those who are part of Christ’s body have a share in Jesus, and outside of the Body of Christ there is no life! Just as we recognize that no physical creature can exist without a body, so we must understand that we cannot have spiritual life without being part of Christ’s body!

Furthermore, since Christ is the Head of the body (Ephesians 1:22-23), and the body must follow all the dictates and purposes of the head, so the church must follow the will of Christ in all things.

Therefore, the church matters because it must be the pillar and support of the truth, as Paul tells Timothy in 1 Timothy 3:15. A church that does not reflect the “one body,” “one faith,” “one Lord,” and “one baptism” of Ephesians 4:4-6 is not serving Christ and following His direction. Any organization that does not follow Christ and the Apostles in all that they preached and practiced does not belong to God or Christ, and will be uprooted on the last day (Matthew 15:13). While it may be fashionable to promote attending the “church of your choice,” we instead should promote attending the “church of God’s choice” so that we may be saved!

The church matters because it is part of God’s plan (Ephesians 3:10-11). God’s manifold wisdom is made known through the church! In the church, all men (and women) can be one through Jesus Christ, no matter their color, social status, previous affiliations, or any other mark of identification (Galatians 3:28)! Everyone is welcomed to become part of something greater than themselves, to serve God’s eternal purpose, and to have a share in the inheritance of the saints!

While Americans especially may value the “Lone Ranger” mentality, and believe that they can go at it all by themselves and “raise themselves up by their own bootstraps,” God exposes this as folly. Going at it alone only makes us easier prey for the Adversary that roams about (1 Peter 5:8). Such is why God intends fellow believers to share in association with one another in order to encourage one another and to build each other up in love (1 John 1:5-7, Ephesians 4:11-16, Hebrews 10:24-25). Fellow Christians are to be there to share in life’s ups and downs, and then you also can build others up during their ups and downs.

Does the church always live up to God’s intentions for it? No, it does not, since it represents fallible people who still fall prey to sin and worldly temptations (1 John 1:8-10). Yet such is the condition of anything that involves people!

Nevertheless, what other religious organization has been as inclusive from the beginning? Where else can hope and encouragement both for life today and for life eternal be found? Where else can someone find complete acceptance and warmth for no other reason than that they are fellow human beings and able to partake in the same spiritual blessings?

Unfortunately, too many people see various churches at their worst, and then believe the entire concept irrelevant. We ask you to please consider God’s intentions for the church, and consider joining us as we seek to live up to God’s intentions, promoting God’s truth in the community while showing great love, care, and compassion for one another and all men (Galatians 6:10). As part of the Venice church of Christ, you will find acceptance no matter who you have been or what you have done, and you can have a share in God and the encouragement of fellow believers if you seek to become more like Him. Please join us in serving God today!

Ethan R. Longhenry

Your Talents

Imagine that you have been given $2,000, and you are charged to take it and make more money. How would you do so?

Would you go and try to find ways to invest it? Would you use it to buy some tools or some other resources so that you could work and make money with them? Would you buy property and hope that it would increase in value? At the very least, would you not put it in a savings account at a bank and make interest on it?

What do you expect would happen to you if you did nothing with the money at all? What if you went and spent it on things that did not lead to profit? If the $2,000 were whittled away to nothing, what could be done?

We can see clearly the consequences of how people handle worldly wealth– some impoverish themselves by irresponsible living, and others take opportunities provided to them and become successful in life. The difference is rarely seen in terms of natural abilities; the difference involves what one chooses to do with that which one has been given.

Jesus provides this same scenario in Matthew 25:14-30 and Luke 19:12-27. In these stories, three servants are given sums of money: either a talent or a mina. In each story, two servants take the money and use it profitably, making two to ten times more money than the original sum given. Likewise, each story presents one servant who did nothing with the money at all, and simply gave back to his master that which he received. In both instances, that servant is punished (in Matthew, he is even cast into the outer darkness!), and the purpose of the story is made clear:

“I say unto you, that unto every one that hath shall be given; but from him that hath not, even that which he hath shall be taken away from him” (Luke 19:26).

Should we say that Jesus is just enriching the already rich? By no means! The stories are not really about money– they are about the gifts that God has given us. God has given to each person gifts according to their measures and abilities (cf. Romans 12:6-8). He does not expect everyone to be able to accomplish the same amount or to be exactly alike: diversity of talents and specialties is expected in the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12-28)!

What God does expect is for us to put our talents to use for His Kingdom! In Luke 16:8, Jesus upbraids the “children of light” because they are not wiser than the “sons of this world.” We have plenty of examples of people who have come from relative poverty and have become quite rich because they were willing to use the gifts they had to make money, yet how often are we willing to put our gifts to use for God? What would happen if we applied our talents and energies to promoting God’s Kingdom as much and as often as people of the world apply theirs to gaining money? How much more like Christ would we be, and how many more people would we attract to the faith (Matthew 5:13-16)?

We would never take money and just sit on it. Why do we take the gifts God gives us and let them rot away? God expects us to take what He has given us and use it to advance His will (1 Peter 4:10-11). If we are found to have wasted the talents God has given us, not only will we “have not,” but even that which we “have”– our soul– will be cast into the outer darkness (Matthew 25:30)! What, then, will you do with your talents?

Ethan R. Longhenry

Servanthood

But Jesus called them unto him, and said, “Ye know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. Not so shall it be among you: but whosoever would become great among you shall be your minister; and whosoever would be first among you shall be your servant: even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:25-28).

Subjecting yourselves one to another in the fear of Christ (Ephesians 5:21).

We live in a power-hungry world. People who have power try to hold onto their power. People who feel disenfranchised, oppressed, or otherwise without power seek to obtain power through persuasion, influence, and when necessary, force. This desire for power is certainly expressed in terms of nation-states, but power games can play out in any aspect of or relationship in life: at work, at home, in schools, among friends, and so on and so forth. It is easy to see why many people seem to look at everything in terms of power–who has it, who does not have it, and why.

Jesus knew that this was the case. He saw it even among His disciples, who often jockeyed amongst themselves to see who would be “greatest” in His Kingdom (cf. Matthew 20:20-24). The world may operate according to such principles, but Jesus made sure that the disciples understood that it would not be so in His Kingdom! Instead, the one who serves– the one who goes so far as to humiliate himself and become a slave– is the one who is great in God’s Kingdom (Matthew 20:25-28)!

Believers, then, are called to servanthood. When we declare that Jesus is Lord, by necessity, we are declaring that we are not lords (cf. Acts 2:36); if we declare that we believe that Jesus is the Lord, we must understand that such means that He has all authority and we are His servants (Matthew 28:18, Romans 6:17-18). Whatever authority or power we might possess is not really our own but given to us by the Lord to accomplish His purposes (e.g. Ephesians 5:22-33, 1 Peter 5:1-5).

This is a radical declaration that is intended to transform the life of every believer in Jesus Christ. Whereas there might be power plays out in the world, no such thing should exist within the church, His Kingdom (Colossians 1:13, 24). Instead, believers are to submit to each other out of reverence for Christ, who came to serve and not to be served (Ephesians 5:21, Matthew 20:28). Believers are not to attempt to figure out how to one-up one another, or how to control the congregation, but instead in humility must seek ways to serve one another and how to build up the congregation (Philippians 2:1-4, 1 Corinthians 14:26). This same spirit of humility and service should also be evident in the Christian’s marriage, family, employment, and in every other aspect of life (Ephesians 5:22-6:9).

Servants entrusted as stewards of God’s purposes: such is how Jesus speaks of believers in a parable in Matthew 24:45-47, and it is to this that we should aspire. We do not have the power; Christ does, and we serve Him. Let us seek to serve one another and all men in all humility, proving to be good stewards of God’s varied grace, and not allow pride and the quest for power to distract us from His purposes!

Ethan R. Longhenry

Unplanned Consequences

The girl heard the news and began to sob. She could feel all of her dreams and expectations for life changed on account of the unplanned consequences of her fornication.

When the drunk finally regained consciousness and the news of his actions and upcoming trial were brought to him, he was dumbfounded. He could never have imagined the unplanned consequences of his drunk driving.

The children were no longer the same. Happy and bright young boys and girls were now moody, depressed, and restless teenagers. The parents mourned the unplanned consequences of their divorce.

Such stories, while heartbreaking, represent common themes in our current society. How many people, had they recognized the unplanned consequences of their deeds, would have acted differently? How often is the old adage repeated, “hindsight is 20/20?” Sadly, this is how sin works: sin tempts us with fleeting pleasures without betraying the terrible consequences (Hebrews 3:12-14, 11:25).

Christians understand that sin has unplanned consequences, and such is part of the reason we must so strongly proclaim God’s truth so that more can be delivered from the darkness of sin and be transferred to the Kingdom (Colossians 1:13). We sympathize with people living with unplanned consequences for sin, having been lost in sin and without hope ourselves (Titus 3:3-8).

Do we deceive ourselves, however, into thinking that unplanned consequences only come upon people in such situations? Should we also not consider how our own actions and attitudes may have unplanned consequences?

What if, as Christians, we choose to spend more time with worldly associates and less time with fellow Christians? Sure, there is nothing intrinsically wrong with spending time with people of the world, and if we are to promote the Gospel in this world, we must have such association at times (1 Corinthians 5:9-10, Matthew 5:13-16). Yet we are told to prefer one another and to consider fellow believers as brothers and sisters, as dear or more dear than physical family (Romans 12:10, Matthew 12:46-50). The unplanned consequences could involve one falling away on account of the bad influence (1 Corinthians 15:33), a spiritual weakening for the same reason, or seeing the same trend in one’s children who are never as faithful as they ought to be.

What if, as Christians, we frequently choose social or sporting events, television shows, minor ailments, or any other reason over assembling with the saints? While we may not be violating the letter of Hebrews 10:24-25, we certainly violate its spirit. The unplanned consequences of such preferences could include a lack of encouragement or even discouragement of other Christians, spiritual laxity and weakening, and a negative pattern established for our children.

What if, as Christians, we can only complain and speak negatively of Christians and the church? Such is against Philippians 4:8 and James 5:9. Furthermore, the negative consequences can include further sliding into spiritual weakness, discouraging those with whom you communicate to the point of spiritual weakness and apostasy, and children who understandably want little to nothing to do with such a source of negativity in their own lives and in the lives of their parents.

While unplanned consequences of sin in life can often be endured, we must always be sober minded and strive to avoid difficulties when possible. Why should we even flirt with the possibility of becoming spiritually discouraged, impacting others negatively for their faith, or even being a reason for the eventual unfaithfulness of children? Let us determine to do away with unplanned consequences and follow God today!

Ethan R. Longhenry

Who Am I?

Who am I? Who are you?

How would we answer these seemingly simple questions? We might begin by answering with our names. But are we really just a name? Other people may have the exact same name, but they’re not us. We would not be any different if we had a different name. So, who are we? We may then define ourselves in terms of our relationships: we are part of a country, race, ethnic group, and/or culture. We are husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, children, etc. of others. We could also answer according to our careers, hobbies, interests, or other desires. While such information may shed some light on who we are, it does not actually get to the heart of the matter. If we take away all the relationships, careers, hobbies, and interests, what is left? Who is it that remains?

As you can probably figure, the answer to this question is not as easy as it might seem. The question of “Who am I?” along with its close cousin, “Why am I here?” have been asked by plenty of people for thousands of years. You would think that with such a basic question and so many intelligent minds considering the matter for so long that we would finally understand who we are and why we are here. Yet the matter is as confusing and difficult now as it was in the past!

Many different answers to these questions are offered. Some, based on a scientific belief system, would say that we are simply animals better developed than all others, and our purpose, if we have one, is to reproduce and have even more human beings. Others will think of humans as more special than that, and believe that our purpose is to lead good lives and help others when possible. Some exotic religions believe that we can be reduced to our life force, and we are here to gain knowledge and wisdom so that we can either be reincarnated as a more advanced creature or be a drop in a great ocean of eternal consciousness. Are we to believe that we are just advanced animals? Is our purpose only to reproduce, do some nice things, or to work on self-fulfillment? Or is there a better way for us to understand who we are?

The Bible has revealed who man is and why man is here. The Bible establishes that man is part of God’s creation, yet remains quite special: he is the only creature created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27). Yes, man is told to go and multiply and subdue the earth (Genesis 1:28), but that was not God’s whole purpose for man. Man was also made to recognize God as his Creator, to love Him, and to serve Him (Romans 1:18-21, 1 John 4:7-20, Romans 6:16-23). In so doing, man can gain the resurrection of life through the Son, Jesus Christ, so that he may be fully restored to God (John 5:28-29, 1 John 1).

Many have disputed these claims from the Bible throughout the years, but when we consider ourselves, we see that the claims make sense. We of all creatures are creatures of learning– without any nurturing and instruction, human children will not grow up and function. We have very few instincts; we must learn to survive. Should we believe that our learning ends at adulthood? This is part of the way God created us, so that we could recognize our dependence upon Him to establish how we should live our lives. It is not within a man to direct his own steps– the way he thinks is right leads to death (Jeremiah 10:23, Proverbs 3:5-7, Proverbs 14:12).

Let us soberly consider who we are and why we are here. Can we really trust ourselves to answer these questions accurately? We humans have failed ourselves too many times. Let us instead trust in God the Creator, who has revealed Himself in Jesus Christ, and love and serve Him today!

Ethan R. Longhenry