The Value of Scripture in Our Lives

To be filled with the Spirit is to let the Word of God guide you and inspire you, the Crossmap website reprts today (July 5, 2025).  

It's peace for your anxious heart when the world is screaming. It's love that makes you patient when the world is testing you. It's wisdom to know your next step forward when the path ahead seems dark. It's courage to face the waves and step right in , knowing God will never let you drown.

When you've spent each day filling yourself with the Word of God, it is always present, written onto your very heart. You won't be searching for a hand to grab , a majical moment of affirmation; you'll know He is already there.

 Let the Word of God grow richly inside you. Pull up a chair, crack open the Bible, and let the Word of Christ move in, unpack its bags, and write itself upon your heart. 

Gallup Poll: Patriotism among Americans Reaches Record Low

According to a recent survey, patriotism in the U.S. has reached a record low, as fewer Americans than ever before consider themselves extremely or very proud of their country, the Christian Post website reports today (July 4, 2025).

In a survey released four days before Independence Day,Gallup asked Americans if they consider themselves   proud of their country.The data is based on responses from 1,000 U.S. adults between June 2--19 and had a margin of error of 4 percentage points. 

The 58% of Americans describing themselves as "extremely" or "very" proud o be an American constituted  new low for the 25 years that Gallup has asked the question. The share of Americans who described themselves as "very" proud to be American plummeted from 26% last year to a record low of 17% this year. 

Nineteen pecent said they are "moderately"proud , and 11% reported being"only a little" proud.About 9% said they are "not at all" proud.

Study: Marijuana Causes Heart Attacks, Stroke

A major new study has added to a growing body of research highlighting the health risks associated with marijuana use -- particularly its impact on heart function --reinforcing concerns long voiced by Christian medical professionals, the Christian Daily website reports today(July 3, 2025). 

The June 2025 study, published in the Journal of the British Medical Asssociation, found that daily marijuana users are 34% more likely to develop heart failure than non--users. 

Drawing on data from over 150,000 U.S. adults tracked over several years, the study also linked marijuana use with an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. 

Despite mounting clinical evidence of health risks, marijuana continues to gain legal and public acceptance in the U.S. and worldwide. Although it is illegal at the federal level, marijuana has been llegalized for recreational use in nearly half of U.S.states, contributing  to its growing normalization and widespread use.

Just Who Was behind Church Bombing in Syria?

More than a week has passed since the suicide bombing of an Eastern  Orthodox Church  in Damascus, Syria shocked the city, the Christian Today website reports today (July 2, 2025).At least 25 people died as a result of the attack and there is still some dispute about who bears ultmate responsibility for the atrocity. 

When Basher al--Assad's secular government fell late last year to al--Qaeda offshoot HTS, there were serious concerns about what this would mean for Syria's Christians and other minorities.

The day after the suicide attack, the government blamed a cell of so--called Islamic State, adding that it had arrested its members. However, IS has not taken responsibility for the attack -- althouh neither have they denied involvement.

A new Islamist group known as Brigade of Supporters of the Sunni says it was behind the attack. The group claimed the attack was in retaliation for residents in the area preventing a group of Muslims from broadcasting loud Islamic chants outside the church. 

"Christians are shocked and scared after what happened in Damascus. Open Doors calls for prayer for the church in Syria. Pray for peace of heart and for protection in the weeks to come."

God Opposes Gossip

Google defines gossip as "casual or unconstrained conversation or reports about other people, typically involving details that are not confirmed as being true," the Crossmap website reports today (july 1, 2025). Scripture has a long list of names for it:: slander, backbiting, betraying a confidence, whispering, and tale bearing. However you define gossip, the Bible clearly warns us of its destructive power. 

When we gossip, we break God's greatest commandment, the call to love one another. 

Gossip hurts our witness to the unsaved world. 

God holds us accountable for every idle word we say. Gossip will cause us to lose friends. One of the best ways o break the gossip habit, according to Chip Ingram in his Bible study, "Five Lies that Ruin Relationships," is to listen more and speak less. This is sound advice, srtraight from the Bible.

 

Survey: Most Americans Support Teacher--Led School Prayer to Jesus

 According to new data from the Pew Research Center, most Americans suppot allowing teachers to lead students in prayer    to Jesus in schools, the Christian Post website reports today (June 29, 2025).

The survey is based on responses collected from Pew's 2023--24 Religious Landscape Study, which sampled the opinions of 36,908 U.S. adults from July 17, 2023 to March 4, 2024.

Overall, 52% of Americans support allowing teachers to lead their classes in prayers that refer to Jesus, while 27% are strongly in favor of this idea. On the other hand, 46% of those surveyed oppose letting teachers lead their classes in such prayers, with 22% strongly opposing the idea,

Pride, Dignity and the Need for Jesus

Christians are called to speak truth, but always in love, with the aim  to build up, not tear down, the Christian Today website reports today (June 21, 2025).

Scripture is clear on sexuality: any expression outside God's design for one male and one female in covenant marriage is sin (Romans 1:26--27).These are not arbitrary rules, they are part of God's loving design for human flourishing.

Scripture never condemns human dignity. In fact, it proclaims it: we are all made in the image of God (Genesis1:27),fearfully and wonderfully formed (Psalm 139:14).

But dignity becomes distorted when it turns into deity. This is the pride that Scripture warns against (Genesis 3:5--6), the root of all sin: when we crown ourselves as the final authority on who we are, what truth is, and what love should look like. 

God's purpose is never to shame, but to heal and restore (John3:17). His conviction is not cruelty; it's kindness that leads to repentance(Romans 2:4).Jesus humbled Himself so that we might be lifted up (Philippians 2:6--8).

Jesus still sees,still loves, and still invites every person into His grace and truth (Revelation 3:20).