Our beloved nation is melting down. The jettisoning of traditional Judeo-Christian values has seemed to erupt at warp speed. Lying, corruption, deception, betrayal, and greed are becoming the norm. Fear, rage, lawlessness, murder, suicides, drug and alcohol abuse seem out of control. The signs the Bible gives which characterize the last generation of human history are warning indicators. Could it be our world is coming under God’s final judgment? If so, then the time before Jesus returns for His followers is running out.
How, then, should we live? It’s critical that we be about His business.1 First and foremost, you and I, as followers of Jesus, need to know what we believe. Then we need to be willing to stand up for it and speak out about it. The apostle Paul wrote the Roman believers with deep conviction: I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.2 What is the gospel? The following is a summary of the gospel from God’s Word…
Everyone born into the human race is born with a sin nature, so that all are sinners.3
The consequence of sin is not only physical death, but spiritual death—separation from God now and in eternity.4
But God so loved the entire world of humanity that He sent His own Son, Jesus, into the world to die as an atoning sacrifice for our sin, so that whoever believes in Him will not perish separated from God, but will have eternal life.5
When we confess that we are sinners, ask God to apply the death of Jesus to our sin and forgive us, He will.6
Following the crucifixion of Jesus, God raised Him from the dead to give us new life here and life in Heaven when we die.7
When we respond and receive Jesus by faith into our hearts, He comes into us in the person of His Spirit, so that we are born again as children of God, forgiven of our sins, and receive eternal life.8
When we claim Jesus Christ by faith as our Savior and Lord, we pass from darkness to light, from the power of Satan to God, from death to life.9
And the gospel is this…
Jesus said, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’ 10
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved. Just the name of Jesus.11
If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.12
There is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all…13
Click here for printable PDF
So…do Jews need to be saved? Do Muslims also need to be saved? Do Russians, Iranians, Chinese and Hispanics need to be saved? Yes, they do. According to God’s Word, whatever their religion is, or is not, no one is exempt from being a sinner. Each one of us needs a Savior. Which is why God has given Jesus to be the Savior of the world.14
Yet how can they believe unless they hear? And how will they hear unless you and I tell them the Good News that God loves them?15 That regardless of what happens, they can have peace in their hearts at present and hope for the future?
That’s the gospel that Paul was talking about. And that’s the gospel we are to proclaim.
For His Glory,
1 Matthew 24:46
2 Romans 1:16
3 Romans 3:23
4 Romans 6:23
5 John 3:16
6 1 John 1:9; Ephesians 1:7
7 Romans 8:11
8 John 1:12; Ephesians 1:13-14; 1 Timothy 1:16; 1 John 5:11-13
9 Acts 26:18; 1 John 3:14; Romans 8:10
10 John 14:6
11 Acts 4:12
12 Romans 10:9-10
13 Romans 10:12-13
14 1 John 4:14
15 Romans 10:14
The five sessions for our new Bible study, Jesus Followers, were filmed in my father’s house in Montreat, NC. It is now empty, emphasizing that what he left behind was a legacy, not of possessions, but of the gospel. The above session is on worship and was filmed in the front yard that, even on a cloudy day, gives a spectacular view from the top!
My dear friends, JoAnn and Tom Doyle, flew to our AnGeL Ministries office to film two installments for JoAnn’s TV program, Flourish, that is viewed by tens of thousands of women in Iran. Rachel-Ruth, along with her youngest daughter and my granddaughter, Riggin, and I were blessed to engage in conversation that emphasized the legacy of faith through the generations.
What a blessing I was able to share with my youngest granddaughter, Riggin, as we enjoyed the Museum of the Bible together! Then I was given the privilege of speaking to several hundred people who gathered in the theater as part of the Museum’s Sunday Sermon Series. I praise God for the light of His unchanging Word that is displayed at the Museum with such excellence, as it shines in a world that is increasingly dark. John 1:5
Anne led thousands of women to study their Bibles and raise white flags of surrender to Jesus in Kyiv, Ukraine, 2005. Where are they now?
This Spring/Summer share Anne and Rachel-Ruth’s book with your family and friends as you prepare for the new study…
In the book, Anne and Rachel-Ruth offer a warm and inspiring glimpse into their family life, sharing stories that reveal spiritual wisdom and practical insight for raising the next generation of Jesus Followers.
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I. DEFINING IT
II. DECLARING IT
III. DEFENDING IT
In a pluralistic, politically correct, inclusive, tolerant society, what will you do to define, declare, and defend the Good News of the gospel?
This Bible study was prepared especially for the Spring 2022 Newsletter.
Please. Tell children that Jesus loves them! Then invite them to trust Him so Heaven can be their Home, too.
This Bible study was prepared especially for the Winter 2022 Newsletter.
How do you explain death to a child? Death is a difficult subject for anyone at any age. But it is especially difficult to explain to little children, which is one reason well-meaning adults sometimes make up fanciful stories to ease the pain. But without realizing it, these adults may find that they are like the ones Jesus rebuked, because their fanciful stories actually hinder little children from coming to the truth…from coming to Jesus.
Jesus loves little children! He singled out children for attention and affection, seated them on His lap, wrapped His arms around them, placed His hands of blessing on them, and rebuked misguided adults who sought to keep children away from Him.
I wonder…could you and I be hindering little children from coming to Jesus simply because we do not intentionally invite them to draw near to Him? Because with our adult words and adult ways we make it hard for them to come to Him? Is it possible that we may think they are too young to come to Him? Is the next generation being lost simply because people like you and me are neglecting our responsibility to make coming to Jesus easy and desirable for little children?
This unsettling thought has been reawakened by the writing and promotion of Jesus Followers: Real Life Lessons for Igniting Faith in the Next Generation. As I have participated in promotional interviews, I have heard the desperation of parents seeking answers and solutions. Again and again I have used the illustration of the 4 X 100 relay race that is won by the team that runs the swiftest and passes the baton the smoothest. As we run our race of faith, while gripping the baton of truth for ourselves as authentic Jesus followers, it’s imperative that we pass it smoothly to the next generation by our words and our actions.
But the 2016 Summer Olympics underscored another aspect of the race with which I wasn’t familiar. Our American men’s team was celebrating what they thought was the bronze medal when the scoreboard announced they had been disqualified because they had not transferred the baton within the passing zone. As I applied this to passing the truth that leads to faith in Jesus to the next generation, I wondered if the passing zone could be when our children are small and living within our homes. Certainly older children can also come to faith, but it can be harder to pass the baton to them, as many of you know.
Several years ago I wrote my first and only children’s book, Heaven: God’s Promise for Me. While the source is the Bible, I use whimsical poetry to describe what Heaven is like…how a young child can know for sure that it‘s his or her home and therefore have real hope for the future.
God used my three granddaughters to motivate me to write Heaven: God’s Promise for Me. They had gone through the loss of my beloved mother and their great-grandmother, Ruth Bell Graham. Her death was devastating to them and prompted many questions, some of which have no answers. But their mother—my daughter, Rachel-Ruth,—and I found that focusing beyond the grave helped ease their pain, comfort their fears, and enlarge their faith. Little did I know that this would be preparation for the sudden homegoing of my husband and their grandfather six years ago. Three years after he moved to Heaven, my father…their great-grandfather…moved also. Today, as I write this, I have received the shocking news that our dear friend and pastor, Ray Bentley, has gone to be with Jesus.
Three days after Pastor Ray’s death my daughter Rachel-Ruth had two back-to-back heart attacks that, without divine intervention, would have taken her life. I am so eternally grateful that I had led her to place her faith in Jesus when she was a child, and that she, in turn, had led her three daughters to place their faith in Jesus. Without question, at a moment of crisis, our trust in Jesus made all the difference. And the hope of being with Him in our heavenly Home lifted the burden of fear and grief.
Many of you, too, have experienced the death—or near death—of family members and friends during this past year, for which I am sincerely sorry.1 I believe Heaven: God’s Promise for Me will help you not only cope with your own grief, but also handle the difficult subject of death with the little ones whom you love. It is a simple, but effective tool for you to use in presenting the hope of Heaven. Yet even more than that, I pray it will help you be intentional about passing genuine faith in Jesus to the children to whom you read it. And that as a result, the children’s population in our heavenly Home will be dramatically increased! Rather than hinder little children from coming to Jesus, let’s take them by the hand, and lead them to the One who longs to gather them into His loving embrace now…and forever.
For His Glory,
1I have also written a book for adult readers, Heaven: My Father’s House, that may be an encouragement to you.
*In Mark 10:14, how did Jesus react to those who kept children from Him? What was His command?
*What was His warning?
On Saturday, January 8, a dear friend gave my family prime seats at the UNC men’s basketball game. I took this picture of Rachel-Ruth and her middle daughter, Sophia, at halftime. Within moments of this picture being taken, Rachel-Ruth began to have severe chest pains which were warnings of her two imminent heart attacks. The Holy Spirit, who is our Helper, was standing by to carry us through this crisis. How thankful I am that not only my daughter and my granddaughter, but every member of my family have placed their trust in Jesus. He walked through this valley of the shadow with us. A crisis is a crisis because it’s unplanned and unexpected. Put your trust in Jesus now so you will be prepared for whatever comes.
Friday morning, January 14, my daughter, Morrow, took this picture of Rachel-Ruth lying in her hospital bed as the sun came up. It was a visual reminder to…Sing of Your strength. In the morning I will sing of Your love; for You are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble. Psalm 59:16 A song of praise was in all of our hearts as she was released from the hospital that afternoon.
My dear friend and pastor, Ray Bentley, suddenly went to be with Jesus on January 4. One moment he was talking to his daughter; the next moment he was in Heaven, talking with Jesus. When I asked God, Why?, the Spirit seemed to whisper from Isaiah 57:1…The righteous perish, and no one ponders it in his heart…that the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil. Ray’s life and ministry were wrapped up in Biblical prophecy. I wonder…were his death and deliverance from this evil world a prophetic sign that Jesus is coming…quickly…at any moment…to deliver all of His children from this present darkness? I think so. The time is now to wake up! Clean up! Share the Gospel with young and old! Get ready to meet Jesus in the air!
The first week in December it was my privilege to speak once again to those gathered for United in Purpose. Nick Vujicic, a friend whom I had first met at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, was also a speaker. Along with my two daughters, Morrow and Rachel-Ruth, it was my joy to greet him once again.
Heaven is a real place. It’s where Jesus lives…a place He is preparing for those who love and trust Him. It’s a place of joy and love and hope—a place where all of God’s children, young and old, will live forever.
Engaging questions and Scripture references in the back of this book will help the reader reinforce the message that Heaven is God’s promise for each of His children. It’s a Home filled with love and joy and happiness—a place where we will be safe forever.
Anne’s inspirational words tell of the joys and comforts of Heaven in a beautiful rhyming text. Using engaging, familiar images, children will understand that Heaven is real and Jesus is waiting to welcome them there. This insightful, comforting book can be ordered as a board book for toddlers and as a hardback book that elementary children will enjoy. A special, personal keepsake is included in the back of the hardback book for children who RSVP to the heavenly Father’s invitation to live with Him forever.
“I can’t tell you how much your book has helped my children. My stepfather died this summer, and my four-year-old son kept asking if his grandfather was still in “the box”. It was so helpful to pull out your book and read it to him. And the visuals were amazing too. My son is excited about Heaven…knowing his grandfather, who was a believer, is there and that he will see him again one day. My 10-year-old daughter has also taken great comfort from your book. There is no fear for them.” —JG
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As I look into the months and years ahead, I wonder…Will things get better? Will we get back to whatever normal is? What will the future hold for my granddaughters, one of whom dreams of being an architect, one who dreams of being an international lawyer, and one who wants to be a superb hairstylist, make-up artist, and mom? Because you and I have no idea what the future holds, the best thing we can do for our children and our grandchildren is to teach them about the One who holds the future!
Often I am asked how my parents taught me and influenced my faith. It’s difficult to single out one or two things because everything they did, and all that they were, impacted me. Looking back, I remember my mother gathering almost everyone who was in the house for morning devotions. She would read a portion of Scripture, pray, then we were sent out into our day. I never enjoyed these times because they seemed to add to the pressure of trying to collect my books and papers, while getting my hair to look just right before dashing out the door to school. I always seemed short of time. BUT she taught me by her example the importance of daily Bible reading and prayer, preferably in the morning.
My father, on the other hand, was almost never with us at our early breakfast or when we rushed out the door in the morning. He led devotions at night. I loved it when he did because he would read a portion of Scripture, then would stop and ask questions. We would discuss it. He taught me by his example to not only read my Bible, but to think about what I was reading.
The example of both my parents has stayed with me all my life. To this day, I read my Bible and pray every morning, making the time to meditate on and think about what I am reading.
I am forever grateful for parents and grandparents who taught me about anchoring my faith in God’s Word by their words and also by their example. As a result, when I was a young girl I placed my faith in God’s Word that told me I was a sinner– that God’s Son had come to be my Savior—that through faith in Him I could be forgiven–receive eternal life—be born again into His family. My faith remains firmly fixed today in a world that is spiraling down at warp speed. I know that I am eternally secure whatever unfolds, whether cancer, death, COVID, war, sky-rocketing inflation, cancel culture, racial tension…and the list goes on. It’s this blessed assurance I’m safe forever that I want my granddaughters to have for themselves.
Understanding that there are many of you who did not have parents or grandparents who were strong in faith, my daughter, Rachel-Ruth, and I want to share with you some of the lessons we learned within our home. I’m also aware that you yourself may be a parent who feels you have failed in this regard. Our sincere prayer is that Jesus Followers: Real Life Lessons to Ignite Faith in the Next Generation, will be a resource for you as well as a source of rich blessing.
If you and I do not pass truth that leads to faith to the next generation, who will? Will sincere, authentic, vibrant faith die out in our generation? The answer is up to you and me. So plant your faith in the Word of God, then pass it on.
For His Glory,
*How many times does it say that those listed were commended by God, and why were they? Give phrases with verse numbers.
*Why do you think Abel was singled out for commendation? Compare Hebrews 11:4 with
Genesis 4:1-8 and Hebrews 9:22.
To celebrate my son-in-law, Steven Wright’s, incredibly successful season as head football coach, we shared a great meal together before I caught my granddaughters in the parking garage for a quick picture. Even though being a teenager today includes many challenges, each one has chosen to be a Jesus Follower, for which I praise God. L. to R. Bell, Sophia, and Riggin.
From the time he was the quarterback for the University of North Carolina football team until today when he holds the position of quarterback coach for the Tampa Bay Bucs (which includes being Tom Brady’s coach), Clyde Christiensen has been in our home and a beloved part of our extended family. God has used him to be a Jesus Follower role model for my children and grandchildren. (L. to R. my granddaughter Sophia, Rachel-Ruth, Morrow, Clyde, and I at the FCA Coaches Conference in Black Mountain, NC that Clyde helps lead every summer)
Joel Rosenberg is a best-selling author, publisher of All Israel News, and beloved friend. He invited me to give the keynote address at the Joshua Fund Gathering at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, DC. One aspect of Joel’s unique calling is to develop Jesus Followers of Jews first, and then Gentiles – Romans 1:16. I also had the joy of meeting with his wife, Lynn (top center), her mother (seated next to me), and the rest of her family who are all Jesus Followers.
Rachel-Ruth finished recording the audio version of our book, Jesus Followers, in three days! She praised God for His faithfulness….“I had bronchitis and didn’t even have a voice the day before I began reading. But the Lord miraculously gave me a voice strong enough to record the entire book! Rereading the book has me even more excited and thankful to God for how He led me to write each story! I had to stop reading several times because at times I got so teary! I pray that as you either read or listen to this book, God will use it in your life as a helpful resource that encourages you to pass on that legacy of faith to your kids and grandkids!!”
Dr. John Ankerberg’s television show is seen in all 50 states, plus 200 countries. It was my privilege to video tape multiple shows with him back in the Spring for Jesus in Me. He has invited me to return, this time with Rachel-Ruth, in order to tape shows for Jesus Followers. What a special privilege to do this together as mother and daughter. I am looking forward to the blessing I know it will be for us.
In order to instill truth that leads to genuine faith, parents and grandparents must be intentional. Using the metaphor of a relay race, Anne and Rachel-Ruth demonstrate how the baton of faith is passed from generation to generation through our witness, our worship, our walk, and our work. Within the framework of Anne’s exploration of biblical characters from Genesis 5, Rachel-Ruth tells family stories that will encourage, inspire, and motivate Christians to follow hard after Jesus and to develop their children and grandchildren into Jesus Followers.
In the midst of these Last Days, Anne and Rachel-Ruth share about impacting our world with our ongoing legacy. What will our children, grandchildren, friends, and neighbors remember about us when we are gone, either because of death or the return of Jesus? Will they remember that in these troubling days we brought Him glory because we shared the Gospel, lived an authentic life of faith, and stayed focused on Heaven? We pray that these messages will encourage you to do all you can to live in this ungodly world as one who leaves a godly legacy of the gospel, of authenticity, of faith and of hope whenever the time comes for you to leave.
Message 1 – A Legacy of the Gospel (Romans 1:1-17) AGL
Message 2 – An Authentic Legacy (Joshua 23-24; Judges 2) RR
Message 3 – A Legacy of Faith (Hebrews 11) AGL
Message 4 – A Legacy of Hope (Various) AGL / RR
Every day since she was a young girl, Anne has been reading Daily Light, the life-changing devotional of Scripture compilations given to her by her mother, Ruth Bell Graham. Published originally in 1794 by Samuel Bagster, this revised leather-bound edition of the revered classic, complete with gold-edged pages in the New King James Version, includes an introduction by Anne as well as a selection of more than 50 topical Bible readings that she compiled exclusively for this edition.
Anne’s daughter, Rachel-Ruth Lotz Wright, is leading an online women’s Bible study. You can join her live or review the recorded study on our website (click here to visit). Here is a personal note from Rachel-Ruth:
If there was ever a time to be in God’s Word it is now!! We are studying the second half of Genesis this year. I love the Old Testament! The Lord led me to go back to the beginning . . . where human history began. It’s been so encouraging to study the stories of His amazing grace, love, and faithfulness to not only Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but also to others on the periphery. We all need a word from the Lord. We are hungry to hear from Him.
Since we are online, God has given this Bible study wings to reach people all over our country and the world, including Russia, Lebanon, Germany, Belgium and Australia. Register in order to join us live on Tuesdays, at 12:15 ET, or in order to watch the recorded sessions on demand. God is speaking and we are learning to listen!
This study will meet through mid-November and then start up again in January 2022.
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