Spiritual Darkness in America

G. Thomas Sharp • April 1, 2016

Jesus warned His listeners in Matthew 24:37-39 that the nonchalance and spiritual darkness of the Antediluvian Age would repeat itself just prior to His second coming (and this is why Biblical study of the Flood of Noah is so very important today).  The antediluvian people had become so desensitized by their self-interests and fleshly attractions until they were blinded to the many indications of coming judgment. Indeed, they were blind, and blind to the fact that they were blind—and that is hopelessly tragic!

This is just an observation, but I think it will reveal to those of you who have your ear on the ground just exactly what I am talking about. I was viewing the evening news this past week and was inundated with the following information (all in a span of about 15 minutes): an apparent murder of a young lady who was left in a shallow grave, the increased need for additional American help in the resistance against Isis, 22 inches of rain falls in in one day in the Houston, TX, accompanied by serious flooding in the downtown area, continued daily earthquakes in northcentral Oklahoma, a 7.8 earthquake in Ecuador, hundreds killed, followed by several aftershocks measuring above 6 pt. on the Richter scale, continued terrorism and isolation of Israel—and it goes on and on and on! Question: is all of this just a part of the normal climate of life?

The believing community in America is now facing what is probably the most momentous and potentially dangerous Presidential election in our 240 year history, which is reflected by America’s present unredeemed youth—most of which are labeled “millennials,” and who, for the most part, are in unparalleled favor of total socialism as the American way of life going forward. So it appears we are always just a generation away from complete atheism.

I am reminded of a series of quotes that I read some time ago that were recorded in David Barton’s book, “ Original Intent ” (I may have used these quotes a couple years ago, if I did please forgive me for the repetition). Nevertheless, then Governor of North Carolina, Samuel Johnston (1788), during their ratification of the U.S. Constitution, said:

“Those who are Mahometans [his spelling], or any others who are not professors of the Christian religion, can never be elected to the office of President or other high office, but in one of two cases: First, if the people of America lay aside the Christian religion altogether, it may happen. Should this unfortunately take place, the people will choose such men as think as they do themselves. Another case is if any persons of such descriptions should, notwithstanding their religion, acquire the confidence and esteem of the people of America by their…conduct and practice…they may be chosen.”

In this same vein, Richard Spaight, a signer of the U. S. Constitution, said:

“As to religion…no sect is preferred to another. Every man has the right to worship the Supreme Being in the manner he thinks proper. No test is required. All men of equal capacity and integrity are equally eligible to offices…I do not suppose an infidel, or any such person, will ever be chosen to any office unless the people themselves be of the same opinion.”

Finally, James Iredell, U. S. Supreme Court Justice (appointed by George Washington), said:

“But it is objected that the people of America may perhaps choose representatives who have no religion at all, and that pagans and Mahometans [his spelling] may be admitted into office…But it is never to be supposed that the people of America will trust their dearest rights to persons who have no religion at all, or a religion materially different from their own.”

May God have mercy on us all!  G. Thomas Sharp

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NS-29 Launch
By Matt Miles May 22, 2025
As many of you may know, I appreciate space. Not space around me, although the older I get the more I appreciate that as well. The things in the heavens fascinate me and have for a large chunk of my life. I love working with our telescopes, allowing people to see for themselves objects that the Lord made on the 4th day of history. When I was younger I followed our Space Shuttle program, and over the years I have had the opportunity to see a couple of those shuttles around the country. Now it is great to see all the renewed interest in exploring the heavenly creation. I know most of it is for evolutionary reasons, yet over and over again something is discovered that points to the trustworthiness of God’s Word. After all, we are to study His creation as Genesis 1:28 states. On a recent trip to El Paso, it occurred to me that Blue Origin’s launch facility is in west Texas somewhere. After some quick searching I realized we were within an hour and half of it, and there was a rescheduled launch window during the time of our meeting. So, with some persuading of my colleagues, we arose early one morning to make the launch. We made it with just minutes to spare. It was spectacular! The whole launch to just beyond the Karman Line (space boundary, 62 miles/100km) and return of the rocket and capsule is about ten minutes total. While Blue Origin is best known for its New Shepherd rocket that carries paying customers to space and back with the biggest windows ever in a capsule, this NS-29 launch was purely experimental with a payload of instruments to measure simulated lunar gravity. Even though it was not a Saturn V, Space Shuttle, Starship or Falcon launch, it was great to hear and feel a launch for the first time, from blast off to the sonic boom return. It has piqued my desire to see a bigger launch now. As I began to reflect on what I experienced, the Lord reminded me of His design. Earth, our home planet, is so well designed for life. There is literally nowhere in all the universe like it. Yet He gave us the ability to discover creation beyond it. The only reason we can launch rockets and do space exploration is because He set it up in an orderly way. Physics works because He established it to work in a predictable fashion. As much as we may never understand everything in the universe from our position here, it works on an ordered reality that is reinforced by God’s Word. This is what drove Sir Isaac Newton in his understanding of physics. He wrote, “The motions which the planets now have could not spring from any natural cause alone but were by an intelligent Agent.” Evolutionists may come up with theories about the origin of things in the heavens, but over and over again they are being shown through experimentation and observation to be wrong. The Lord set the order of everything in the beginning and sustains it by His Word (Hebrews 1:3). So as you look to the heavens tonight, gaze into the depths of space and observe the different facets the Lord placed up there for our eyes (Genesis 1:17). Peer through a telescope at the lesser light of the moon with marvel and anticipation of further human study in the coming years. Check out the amazing observations being made by the James Webb telescope from deep in space. All of these place a perspective of how awesome our Creator is and how much we depend on Him. Our design becomes more and more obvious with every discovery, yet in our universe we appear so minuscule and fragile. Thanks be to God that His infinite focus has, is and always will be here on us! Blessings.
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