Last week we embarked on a study in Ephesians 1, which so clearly and powerfully shows us how God as a Trinity works out our salvation. God the Father planned and predestined his redeemed for adoption as sons! What a grand and glorious truth that is! And his plan entailed sending his Son, Jesus to carry out the work of redemption.

The Christian faith is monotheistic – that is – we believe in only ONE God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. We can say “Amen” to the Shema of Deuteronomy 6:4, “Sh'ma Yisrael Adonai Eloheinu Adonai Ecḥad - "Hear, O Israel: the LORD is our God, the LORD is One."

In perhaps the most ridiculous use of Artificial Intelligence thus far, the P.E.T.A. organization (People For The Ethical Treatment Of Animals) has decided to do a “Vegan Rewrite” of the Biblical book of Genesis. While this may seem like satire, I assure you this is not a “Babylon Bee” article.

The federal government’s Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) recently released its report on the behavioral health of “lesbian, gay, and bisexual” adults. In it they admit that those who identify as LGBTQ “are more likely than straight adults to use substances, experience mental health conditions including major depressive episodes, and experience serious thoughts of suicide.” Unfortunately, the authors of this report blame stress "caused by stigma, discrimination and harassment..." and ignore how engaging in unnatural, sinful sexual activities play a significant part in this mental health problem.

In the midst of so much bad news about our disintegrating culture nowadays, sometimes there is a bright light that appears to cheer us up. This is potentially one of those moments. U.S. Representative Doug Lamborn (R-CO) has introduced a "Life Resolution" declaring that children in the womb are living people who are protected by the 14th Amendment.

I grew up as a “Cashew.” For those who are unfamiliar with that term, a "cashew" is a person with one Catholic parent and one Jewish parent. Though in my case, neither of my parents practiced their respective faiths very often. I distinctly remember when I was a child, my mother taking me to church a couple of times on Christmas Eve for midnight Mass. On Jewish holidays, I’d sometimes go over to a cousin’s house the day after Yom Kippur to “break the fast” (even though we never actually fasted…but that was not brought up).

There is a terrible proposal in Springfield being shopped around right now behind closed doors – a bill to legalize assisted suicide in Illinois. Just days before the General Assembly adjourns, certain members are trying to rush a measure through so the Governor can sign it into law.  Even with their supermajority, far-left legislators know very well that if "We, the People" could actually see their bill, it would likely kill their chances to pass the bill. Hence, they are keeping the bill under wraps by secretly rounding up the votes for assisted suicide first and then unveiling the legislation for the rest of us to see right before an 11th-hour vote. This is Illinois.

One of the greatest activities in which a person can participate in is this world, is prayer. Far from being a dull or boring exercise, we must recognize prayer for what it really is, an audience with God Himself! Perhaps you may not think of prayer in this way. Perhaps for you, it is a tedious endeavor, but it shouldn’t be. The reality is, it is the greatest privilege and honor to be able to pray to the Lord.

There is something rotten in the Illinois General Assembly. Dozens of Illinois Democrats are cosponsoring House Bill 1596, titled, “The Children And Family Services Act,” a bill that will expunge every occurrence of the pronouns “he,” “she,” “his,” and “her” from existing laws pertaining to children. Wherever the law formerly stated, “he or she,” or “his or her” it now says, “the minor,” or “the child,” or “the applicant,” or “the member.”

Our world seems to be getting darker by the minute. At the time this article is being written, there have been 496 shootings, and 19,375 overall violent crimes this year in the city of Chicago alone. These are simply staggering numbers. According to the Chicago Police crime statistics website, the violent crime rate in the city is up 45 percent from last year, and 95 percent from the year before.

On March 10th, Governor J. B. Pritzker decreed that he was proclaiming that day, “Abortion Provider Appreciation Day.” In his Tweet cheerleading his fanatical abortion agenda, he thanked abortion clinic staff and volunteers who provide the "critical and lifesaving work" of destroying innocent pre-born human life.