CrossRoads Messages

08/09/2026

08/08/2026

Animals Have Souls
Nearly all pet lovers have asked the question, “Does our pets have souls?” Which can be answered through the hard work of study. The Bible does give clear truths which can answer the question – do animals have a soul?
Just what does the Word of God say?
To help understand a soul, let us take the human perspective. Humans are comprised of three parts according to Scripture. May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thessalonians 5:23)
Our body is our physical shell, and our spirit is the part which enables us to connect and commune with God. Our soul is where our will and emotions live. In a post from Bibles for America I read, “Our soul is our personality, who we are. With our soul we think, reason, consider, remember, and wonder. We experience emotions like happiness, love, sorrow, anger, relief, and compassion. We are able to resolve, choose and make decisions.”
People often use the term soul and spirit interchangeably, and how you use the word will determine what you believe regarding animals having a soul. Knowing the fact the soul is where our emotions flow out of, where you get the foundation of thinking, reason and making decisions, then yes animals have a soul.
Animals can think, reason, sense danger, enjoy happiness, sadness, and all of the things we mentioned in our understanding of the human soul - then common-sense points to animals having souls.
Every pet owner can tell the happiness their pet expresses when they return home from work or from a trip. You can also see that expression on their face when they recall what they had done was wrong. These are intentional emotions which flow out of their soul. Taking note how animals hunt, protect their young, mourn loss – all these emotions come from a soul. Taking time to looked at the word of God, will also show us animals have souls
God Gives Animals Souls
The Bible tells us that God created animals with a soul. In fact. For example, the Hebrew word for “soul” is [nephesh.] It is translated as “soul” 256 times in the Old Testament, and “creature, living being, life and lifeblood” other times. Genesis 1:20, 21, 24, 30; 2:7, 19; 9:12, 15, 16 provide a few examples where nephesh is translated as “creature” or “creatures.” Nephesh is used to refer to the life blood (Proverbs 28:17), a man’s appetite (Ecclesiastes 6:7), a person’s heart (Song of Solomon 5:6), a man’s hunger, and a person’s life (Proverbs 29:24). The soul in the Old Testament has the meaning of a “life force.” Nephesh refers to the essence of life, that which causes the body to function. Animals have a nephesh, and so do people. Creature and soul were interchangeable concepts.

Revelation 5:13 says, “And I heard every creature in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them saying, ‘To Him who sits on the throne and the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!’”
All animated creation now joins in the ascription of praise. The sea is meant literally; the apostle’s object being to include all animated beings wheresoever existing. It has been remarked that St. John’s exile at Patmos would render him familiar with the appearance of the sea, and account for its frequent use in the Apocalypse, both literally and symbolically. The things on the sea would signify, not merely ships with their inhabitants, but also those animals in the sea which are known to men by dwelling near the surface. “All things that are in them” serves to render emphatic the universality of the description, as in Exod. 20:11 and Ps. 146:6, “The Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is.” (Spence-Jones, H. D. M., ed. (1909). Revelation (p. 167). Funk & Wagnalls Company.)

From the Darby Bible – which was written in 1890, by John Nelson Darby. We read from Romans 8: 18-22, “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the coming glory to be revealed to us. For the anxious looking out of the creature expects the revelation of the sons of God: for the creature has been made subject to vanity, not of its will, but by reason of Him who has subjected the same, in hope that the creature itself also shall be set free from the bo***ge of corruption into the liberty of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans together and travails in pain together until now. (Darby, J. N. (1996). The Holy Scriptures: a new translation from the original languages (Ro 8:18–22). Logos Research Systems.)
The NIV says, ‘I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bo***ge to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.”
Catch what the Message Bible says, “The created world itself can hardly wait for what’s coming next. Everything in creation is being more or less held back. God reins it in until both creation and all the creatures are ready and can be released at the same moment into the glorious times ahead. Meanwhile, the joyful anticipation deepens.” (Peterson, E. H. (2005). The Message: the Bible in contemporary language (Ro 8:19–21). NavPress.)
Let us get some clarifications on key words.
First, “Creature” (κτίσμα ktísma) Stresses the result of which the product is creation. (Zodhiates, S. (2000). In The complete word study ) The study dictionary: New Testament (electronic ed.). AMG term every creature refers to all His works in all places of His dominion. Proverbs 103:22 says, “Praise be to the Lord, all His works everywhere in His dominion.” (Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., & Brown, D. (1997). Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (Vol. 2, p. 567). Logos Research Systems, Inc.)
From Bible Dictionary
“Creatures” as used in our Biblical text already looked at, are aspect of being alive [meaning an eternal creation]. The Greek term embraces ‘all flesh that is upon the earth.’ Gensis 9:16 says, “Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I [God] will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.” Therefore, any created being, humans included, brought into existence as a result of God’s power and authority. The Bible declares that the Redeemer God is the Sovereign Creator of all things. Through His might and power, He brought the universe into existence. (Genisis 1:3-34; Psalm 33:6)
Spiros Zodhiates, Th.D. writes: “All animals have souls. The soul comprehends both the spark of life and sentience. Without the soul, the flesh is dead, inanimate. That the soul is the spark of life. But the soul also includes the capacity of the senses which allow all sentient beings to relate to the world around them.
Man, though he has the added dimension of spirit, is sometimes thought of only as body and soul. [In reality] he is body, soul and spirit.” Dr. Zodhiates also writes “Like the spirit, the soul does not cease to exist after death.” (Sickness Why Healing How, Chapter 1, page 4 first paragraph)

The ESV Bible, Psalms 74:19 says, “Do not deliver the soul of your dove to the wild beast…” The Hebrew word for “soul” (נֶפֶשׁ nep̱eš) means the enter being with its thoughts and emotions. It is applied to both human and animals. (Baker, W., & The complete word study dictionary: Old Testament (p. 746). AMG Publishers .Carpenter, E. E. (2003).

Another key verse for truth is Proverbs 12:10, “Whoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast…” The Hebrew for life in this passage is the same Hebrew word (נֶפֶשׁ nep̱eš) translated as soul in Psalm 74:19. The great communitarian Matthew Henry tells us, [the righteous looks out for and takes care of the animals put under his stewardship] “because they are God’s Creatures.” In regard to the wicked [unsaved] who do not have a right heart “Their pretend kindness are only cover for purposed cruelties.” (Henry, M. (1994). Matthew Henry’s commentary on the whole Bible: complete and unabridged in one volume (p. 980). Hendrickson.)

The Holy Scriptures gives us clear teaching animals have souls. Our Biblical teaching Do Furry Friends Await Us (CrossRoads Messages) teaches we will see our beloved pets and other animals in heaven.

In Isaiah 11:6-10 we read of the Messiah's kingdom to come, that place where the righteous will enjoy the Lord's reign. (Commentary of the Old Testament; Isaiah 65:25; New Heaven and New Earth) "The wolf shall lay with the lamp, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child shall lead them. The cow shall feed with the bear; their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play near the cobra's den, the young child shall put its hand into the viper's nest. They will neither harm nor destroy on all My holy mountain, for the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord..."

In Revelation we read of Jesus and His army riding white horses when they come to defeat Satan and the beast. (Revelation 19:11-16) The armies with Jesus are those whom the Bible says are the "chosen and faithful followers." (Revelations 17:14; 19:8)

What we do have is the promise in Romans 8:20-21. First the fruit of sin; "For creation was subject to frustration."

At this present time, everything is subject to the consequences of Eve's and Adam's sin. Second, is the promise, "creation itself will be set free from its bo***ge to corruption [decay] and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God." Everything is going to be restored, us, this earth, heaven, animals, that include our pets. Romans 8:22 tells us that "whole creation has been groaning... right up to the present time" for its future glory. This denotes a hope of new life for all creation. (The New American Commentary; Daily Study Bible Series; Matthew Henry Commentary; The Pulpit Commentary; Bible Knowledge Commentary; Willmington's Bible Commentary)

08/08/2026

Do Furry Friends Wait For Us
Are There Animals In Heaven?

There is place of which nearly everyone believes exist, a place of which the beloved John wrote about. "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away..." (Revelation 21:1) Jesus spoke about the present heaven, the place where God resides and a place where there is much joy. (Luke 15:7)

How we feel about heaven, God and Jesus Christ determines how sensitive we are to the Holy Spirit. A heartfelt approach to studying the Biblical truth of heaven will set the focus of our thoughts and fill our hearts with anticipation. Understanding the truths of heaven not only breeds anticipation for the future, it lays down a foundation for us to find comfort when loved ones pass on. Heaven is a place of reunion. (2 Samuel 12:23) When Christians make it to heaven, they will receive a grand welcome. Is it possible there will be beloved pets in heaven? Let’s look with anticipation what the Bible does tell us.

Animals Have A Soul

The great Greek interrupter of the New Testament, Spiros Zodhiates writes, “All animals have souls. The soul comprehends the spark of life. It also determines the condition of character and the capacity for sensation or feeling. Without the soul, the flesh is dead, inanimate.” (Sickness Why? Healing How? – Page 3 - Spiros Zodhiates,Th.D)

There are a couple passages of Scripture we should grasp as we gain some understanding about God’s creation. “And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” Genesis 2:7 says, “then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.” Some Bibles translate “living creation” as “living soul.”

In an article titled, Do Animals Have Souls? What the Bible Says we read, “The Bible speaks about the soul right away. The translation “living soul” is two Hebrew words (חַיָּה ḥayyāh נֶפֶשׁ nep̱eš) referring to personality or desire of the soul. The Hebrew word for life in Genesis 1:30 is a word referring to all kinds animals and is parallel with birds of the air. Logos Research Systems, Inc.) Now the Hebrew word for “soul” (פֶשׁ nep̱eš) is a feminine noun meaning breath, the inner being with its thoughts and emotions. It encompasses the whole person and is also applied to animals.

In keeping with the theme of this message, just as people’s souls are the life of their thoughts and emotions so it is with animals. Just as you can see in people different personalities, any serious trainer or caretaker of animals can tell you each one has its own personality. When the soul leaves a person or animal their flesh is dead. Here is a truth known by those who walk with the Lord, God is the Author of life and the eternal Creator of everything. To be direct animals have a living soul just like people do.

The Bible records a power truth to the fact animals have a soul which has personality, expressions of feeling in life and loyalty. It is under a preoccupy Balaam’s Donkey. (Numbers 22:22-41) It is recorded history of Balaam, a “wicked prophet” for he knew God but walked in disobedience. During one of his times of living out his sinful nature Balaam was riding His donkey. The Bible says, “But God’s anger was kindled, …and the angel of the Lord took his stand as an adversary.” (Numbers 22:22) There are three recorded accounts of the donkey seeing the angle of the Lord on which the donkey took action to avoid him. (Number 22:23-27) On all three occasions, Balaam beat his donkey.
In Numbers we read of an amazing fact animals have a soul as referred to in this teaching. The Bible says, “Then the LORD opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, ‘What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?’” (Numbers 22:28) Balaam tells his donkey if he had a sword, he would have killed it. The Biblical account records the donkey saying, “Am I not your donkey, on which you have ridden all your life long to this day? Is it my habit to treat you this way?” (Number 22:30) The Bible says, Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, with his drawn sword in his hand. And he bowed down and fell on his face.”

There is going to be accountability on how we treat God’s animals. “And the angel of the LORD said to him, ‘Why have you struck your donkey these three times?’” (Numbers 22:32) The angel of the Lord continues with, “Behold, I have come out to oppose you because your way is perverse before me. The donkey saw me and turned aside before me these three times. If she had not turned aside from me, surely just now I would have killed you and let her live.”

We have read enough of God’s Word to conclude; animals have a soul and God is very much in watch over their lives. Yes, animals have souls

The Bible does not clearly state we will see specific pets or other animals we have been given stewardship over in heaven. The Bible does give us the character of God and His love for us. Jesus says that God gives "good gifts to those who ask...." (Matthew 7:11) We know that God is aware of our love for our pets and how important they are.

In 2 Samuel we read of the Lord sending the prophet Nathan to King David to give a divine message of correction. Nathan shares a parable of two men, one rich, one poor. The rich man has a large number of sheep and cattle. The poor man had one ewe of which the parable says was very special to him, it had slept in his arms, the ewe lamb was like a daughter to him. When the rich man wanted to prepare a meal to entertain guest, instead of using one of his livestock for food, the rich man took the ewe from the poor man and prepared it for eating. King David burned with anger because of the disrespect the rich man had for the love the poor man had for his ewe. Although Nathan was dealing with David's sin of adultery and murder. It is safe to say, God is aware of our love of the pets He has given us and their positive effect on our lives. What the New Testament does say is that God "richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment." (1 Timothy 6:17)

In Isaiah 11:6-10 we read of the Messiah's kingdom to come, that place where the righteous will enjoy the Lord's reign. (Commentary of the Old Testament; Isaiah 65:25; New Heaven and New Earth) "The wolf shall lay with the lamp, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child shall lead them. The cow shall feed with the bear; their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play near the cobra's den, the young child shall put its hand into the viper's nest. They will neither harm nor destroy on all My holy mountain, for the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord..." In Revelation we read of Jesus and His army riding white horses when they come to defeat Satan and the beast. (Revelation 19:11-16) The armies with Jesus are those whom the Bible says are the "chosen and faithful followers." (Revelations 17:14; 19:8)

There will be animals on this earth during the thousand years reign of Christ and there will be animals in the new heavens and on the new earth. (Isaiah 65:25) The Bible says God gives everything for our enjoyment, it would not be out of line to have blessed belief that God gave us pets for our enjoyment here on this earth, then our pets could very well be in heaven awaiting us in the new heavens and on the new earth.

What we do have is the promise in Romans 8:20-21. First the fruit of sin; "For creation was subject to frustration." At this present time, everything is subject to the consequences of Eve's and Adam's sin. Second, is the promise, "creation itself will be set free from its bo***ge to corruption [decay] and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God." Everything is going to be restored, us, this earth, heaven, animals, that could include our pets. Romans 8:22 tells us that "whole creation has been groaning... right up to the present time" for its future glory. This denotes a hope of new life for all creation.

One of God's greatest gifts for our enjoyment are animals, this is especially true of pets. Too often theologians have worked aggressively to prove a point, thus causing many to live with the uncertainty of the eternal state of their pets and the animals they took care of for the Lord. Just as there are Biblical theologians who say we will not see animals on this earth in heaven, there are just as many born-again theologians who feel they have revelation of animals in heaven, and we can have a hope to see our pets.

Just because we cannot find that one Scripture that clearly says our certain pets are in heaven is not evidence that animals down here vanish at death. Just as it is clear God created the moon, sun and stars and place each one in its proper order, (Psalm 8:3) we are not told specifically how He holds them in place.
We as Christians often miss-handle the truths that are clear, how do we expect the Lord to give us all the details about everything. For example - consider Christmas, we do not know the exact time of Jesus' birth. But we know that He was born of a virgin. Look at the mess of Christmas every year. There is no clear Scripture that says that animals on this earth do not go to heaven. However, there is clear Scripture that says Judas Iscariot is not in heaven. (Mark 14:21)

Consider this, if we believe that animals do not have a soul, it is easy to mistreat them, thinking there will be no accountability of our care of them. That is the same basis the old slave traders taught about their black slaves. In fact, many of the slaves had more faith in God and Jesus, than the so-called God-fearing plantation owners. True Christians take the high road, realizing the whole of creation is moaning for its redemption and the further time of a new heaven and new earth, that time of perfection forever. (Isaiah 65:25)

In Closing: Joni Eareckson-Tada writes in her book Heaven: Your Real Home that God would want to keep all his creatures. "Horses in heaven? Yes. I think animals are some of God’s best and most avant-garde ideas; why would he throw out his greatest creative achievements? … Isaiah foresaw lions and lambs lying down together, as well as bears, cows, and cobras; and John foresaw the saints galloping on white horses."

06/29/2026

To Christians:
Are You Fireworks or Eternal flames?
There's something magical about those brilliant colors exploding against the dark sky. But there's a problem with fireworks. They don't last. They go up, burst brightly, make some noise and disappear even as the “oohs and ahs” fade away. The same is true of many of the "fireworks" experiences in our lives. We fight and struggle for things that seem beautiful and alluring, but after we get them, their appeal disappears, just like fireworks. Maybe it's a shiny new car or speedboat. Maybe it's a big, impressive house. It might even be a promotion at work or a prestigious career.
So many of the things of this world are like fireworks. They promise happiness and fulfillment but can't deliver. TV commercials play on our emotions, making us believe that if we drive a certain kind of SUV or clean our floors with their super-efficient mop, we'll be happy at last. More often than not, all we feel is disillusioned.
If you've had enough of these "fireworks" experiences and the letdowns that follow, I challenge you to pursue the only thing in life that doesn't disappoint: a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. The astounding thing about loving God is that it actually gets better every day. Once you give your heart to Jesus, you'll have joy and contentment that lasts into eternity, and you'll never want to go back to "fireworks" experiences again. Pursue being an “eternal flame” Christian.

It was a torridly hot afternoon on July 3, 1938, when former Union and Confederate soldiers met to dedicate the "Peace Eternal in a Nation United" memorial on the Gettysburg, PA battlefield during the 75th Anniversary Celebration of the battle. President Franklin D. Roosevelt lit the eternal flame.

Probably the most well-known in the U.S., the eternal flame to commemorate President Kennedy in the United States lighted in 1963, was the first time in the world that an individual person was given such an honor.

Eternal flames exist nature as well, as by-products of natural gas deposits leaking through the ground. So, the question is raised: Are you a “fireworks” Christian, burning brightly, quickly, when emotions are high, but fizzling out as quickly when trials and temptations come? Or are you an “eternal flame” Christian that walks faithfully with God every day, all the days of your life as an authentic “light of the world?” (Matthew 5: 14)

"The Father … does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first-fruits of all He created.” (James 1:17-18)

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06/28/2026

“Medicine for America”
“Knowledge of God’s Word”
Proven in America’s History

Psalms 22:28 says, “for dominion belongs to the LORD and He rules over the nations.” The King James Bibles says, “…He is the governor among nations.”

The University of Houston, Political Science Department researched the sources our Founding Fathers used most frequently in forming our present system of government. From the pool of nearly 15,000 documents from our founding period, the researchers selected 3,154 documents they considered most significant to our Founding Fathers. After 10 years of investigation, the researchers determined that the Founding Fathers quoted heavily from three intellectuals. They were Montesquieu, Blackstone, and Locke.

However, the most interesting conclusion from the research was that the Founding Fathers were even more dependent upon the Bible than they were these three intellectuals. The Bible was quoted 4 times more than Montesquieu, 16 times more than Blackstone or Locke. Ninety-four percent of the quotes of the Founding Fathers were based on the Word of God. Thirty-four percent of those quotes were direct from Scripture and the remaining 60% were taken from quotes where they had used the Bible to arrive at their conclusions. The Book quoted most often by the Founding Fathers was Deuteronomy. The great theme of Deuteronomy is “Love and Obey.” Jesus, based His statement “If you love Me, keep my commandments” from the truths found in Deuteronomy.

So explicit was the Word of God in the lives of men in this nation’s early years, Charles Finney, the Billy Graham of the 1800’s, came to Jesus Christ by reading “Blackstone’s Commentaries on Law.” He unashamedly used Scripture, referring to chapter and verse for every principle of law he cited. For Tax Exemption for Churches our Founding Fathers looked to Ezra 7:24. And for the inscription on the Liberty Bell, the Speaker of the Pennsylvania Assembly asked that a portion of Leviticus 25:10 be used.

Medicine for America is Statesmen Who Know and Love God’s Word

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06/21/2026

The Signer's Declaration
Truths from the Signers of the Declaration of Independence

It has been well said, "If we do not know the foundation on which the Founding Fathers laid for this nation, then we as a nation have no understanding on what we are to be today, thus we are a nation that has no clear vision for tomorrow." (Author Unkown)

There is a lack of understanding of the Biblical truths on which the Founding Fathers of this nation laid our foundation. That ignorance has enabled this nation's values to drift off her course for which she was sent. Therefore, God's elect are to be prepared to give a testimony on how we believe God has raised up this nation, how He has blessed this country and how He will deal with us, depending on the choices we make.

There is a lot of historical facts about the belief's of the men who laid down the foundation of this country. This forth of July season it is good to gain an understanding of the heart of many of the men who signed The Declaration of Independence. Men who knew the Bible says "This is what the Lord says, Israel's King and Redeemer, the LORD Almighty: I am the First and the last; apart from Me there is no God." (Isaiah 44:6) Isaiah 45:5 says, "I am the LORD, and there is no other; apart from Me there is no God." In regard to Jesus being king, Pilate asked our Lord if He was the King of the Jews? Jesus said, "Yes, it is as you say," (Luke 23:3) Many of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, had a firm conviction, there is one God and Jesus is the King of kings. Two signers, John Adams and John Hancock on April 18, 1775 said, "We Recognize No Sovereign but God and no King but Jesus!"

On July 2, 1776, Congress voted to approve a complete separation from Great Britain. On July 4, the early draft of the Declaration of Independence was signed. Four days later, July 08, 1776 - members of Congress took that document and read it aloud from the steps of Independence Hall, proclaiming it to the city of Philadelphia, after which the Liberty Bell rung. The inscription around the top of the bell, a key truth found in Leviticus 25:10 - "...proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants." Compared to many war torn nations, we have independence, freedom and opportunity to pursue dreams. The turmoil in other nations, their struggles and multiple revolutions, have yet to see the stability and blessings that we have here in America, even considering this nation's many faults.

John Adams wrote to his wife in a letter about the day America declared her independence. He wrote, "This day will be the most memorable time in the history of America. ...it will be celebrated by succeeding generations..." Mr. Adams said, "The general principles the Fathers achieved independence were the general principles of Christianity." The Founding Fathers had a reverent fear of the Lord. A truth God still honors today. John Adams, concerning Independence Day celebrations said, "It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty." (Wall-Builders, David Barton)

The questions must be asked, does our school systems teach these historical facts? Do are youth live by the truths laid down by the signers of The Declaration of Independence? Does our government have the same convictions as our Founding Fathers? This fourth of July, do you live by the general principles of Christianity?

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06/21/2026

Separation of Church and State

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech…” (excerpt from Amendment I, U. S. Constitution)

If our United States Constitution actually commands Congress to protect the “free exercise [of religion]” and explicitly protects freedom of speech, how on earth did this phrase “separation of church and state” get such common usage? The phrase is not in the Constitution nor, according to the Congressional Record, was it ever even mentioned during the framing of that document in 1789.

The phrase is not Constitutional at all! It has been wrenched out of context from a private letter written in 1802, 11 years after the First Amendment was ratified. There was a widespread rumor going around at the time that one particular denomination was to become the official national religion. This concerned the other denominations a great deal since some had fled religious persecution by the official church of England. President Thomas Jefferson wrote to the concerned Danbury Baptist Association of Connecticut assuring them that under the Constitution the federal government would not, and indeed could not, establish a national Christian denomination. In other words, the United States Congress could not legislate that all Americans had to be Lutherans, or Episcopalians, or Baptists, or whatever.

It is clear from Thomas Jefferson’s letter that the “wall of separation” he spoke of was to be one-directional. This wall was to keep government interference out of the church and out of believers’ lives. It was never meant to keep the church, or believers in Jesus Christ, out of the federal government, states, municipalities or schools. It certainly was never intended to mean that believers could not speak of their faith openly, or pray openly in Jesus’ Name at public events.

The historical record clearly shows the Founding Fathers of our country truly had freedom of religion in mind when they framed our Constitution. The courts, media and special interest groups have convinced the American people that we must have freedom from religion in the public square. Nothing is further from the truth.

As a nation, we have been increasing the judicial and public approval and practice of shedding innocent blood of the littlest human beings, flaunting all sorts of abominations and sexual sins, forsaking our marriage covenants, calling good evil and evil good, and now pushing even the mention of God’s Holy Name out of public life under the false guise of “separation of church and state.” Are we still arrogant enough to think that the Lord will rescue us from our enemies time and time again? Perhaps we are that arrogant. But, maybe we’ll be surprised some day to find that His patience has run out.

The prophet Isaiah says, “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.” Are we willing to repent of our national sins and be forgiven and be spared God’s judgment?
“Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the Lord…” (Isaiah 55: 6, 7a)