…With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying… Ephesians 6:18
As I look ahead into the new year and beyond, I wonder…is this the year of His return? In the next ten years, will the world experience the rapture of the church? The seven years of tribulation? The glorious return of Jesus? And the beginning of His millennial kingdom on earth? Everything seems to point to the reality of this possibility.
While we may not know what the new year holds, we are confident of Who holds it. So today, it seems very fitting to pray for the future.
Join me as we pray together**…
Lord of eternity,
You are the great I Am…the same yesterday, today, and forever.
As we embark on the new year, our apprehension is overcome by our expectation. Could it be that we are truly approaching the end of human history as we have known it? In the next ten years will we experience the beginning of Your Kingdom on earth? Are we soon to hear the trumpet blow, and the loud voice of the archangel calling us Home? The intense yearning in our hearts cries, “Yes. Please. Let it be so.”
God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. You rule over the nations. You are the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. While no one can understand Your ways, we are confident that You have a plan and are working it out for our good and Your glory.[1]
Yet we honestly confess: when Christ-followers are persecuted to the death; when gunmen open fire in churches; when religious leaders are not safe in their own homes; when floods, tornadoes, and storms ravage our land; when derogatory expletives and vicious name calling replace respectful debate and dialogue; when our political leaders put their own interests before the people’s; when our business leaders lie; when our spiritual leaders contradict Your Word; when our social leaders divide; when our allies become our enemies and our enemies become our allies…what’s going on? Where are You?
We are tempted to think You are…
Distracted…disengaged…disinterested,
Inattentive…inactive…impotent,
Out-maneuvered…out-moded…out-classed,
Unable…unaffected…
or even unaware of our fear… our helplessness…our confusion…our outrage. Why do You seem so small while our problems, disasters, and enemies seem so large? Help us to regain our focus.
God of our fathers. Lord of the nations. You are the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. No one can understand Your ways. We turn to You. We return to You. Now. “Are You not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in Your hand, and no one can withstand You.”[2]
Did You not establish us as one nation under God? Have we not pledged, “In God We Trust”? But now we find ourselves constantly bombarded with the shrill voices of those who demand we distance ourselves from You; that You are just one of many gods, if you are a god at all; that we cannot risk offending each other by calling on Your name. We hear the enemy insinuating that You are “not fixing this” because You can’t fix this. Our faith is being assaulted.
Our spirits rise up within us and seek to throw off the smothering cloak of spiritual oppression and political correctness. We shout Your Name. You are Yahweh. Jehovah–the personal God. The great I AM–the eternal God. The All-mighty–the Powerful God. You are Jesus. Savior. Immanuel. God with us, never to leave or forsake us. Your power has not been diluted or depleted over the ages. You are just as powerful…just as much in authority…as You were in Creation; in the deliverance of Your people from Egypt and in the parting of the Red Sea. You are the One who sends down the fire.[3] Who fells the giants.[4] Who makes wars to cease.[5] Who raises the dead![6]
As we look ahead into the New Year and even further ahead, we choose to place our trust in You. If “…the kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord,”[7] we trust in You. If “…the earth gives way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging,”[8]we trust in You. Though …”nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall…,”[9] we in trust You. When …”the wicked draw the sword and bend the bow to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose ways are upright…,[10]” we trust in You. We trust You. We trust You!
Now arise, O Lord God. Look on us, Your people who are called by Your name. Listen to us, as we cry out for the New Year. Do not reject us. Have pity on us.
We feel the encroaching evil. “See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples…”[13] Darkness and gloom are descending. Those who hate us are infiltrating us. Those who are dedicated to destroying us are all around us. Are You at the head of this army? Is this the beginning of the Day of the Lord? Have we tried Your patience and crossed the line into Your judgment? Are You holding us accountable for our sin and rebellion and defiance, for our profanity and blasphemy and idolatry? “You alone are to be feared. Who can stand before You when You are angry?”[14] Are You?
Light of the world. “Arise, shine” Your light into the darkness of our own hearts.[15] Most Holy God. You are righteous. You always do the right thing. We have done wrong. Your light reveals we are covered with shame because we know better. We have had generations of blessing and prosperity, yet we have refused to thank You and instead give ourselves credit for what has come from Your hand. We have agreed with those who contradict Your Word. We have turned away from Your truth and believed lies. We have treated life casually. We have destroyed our environment selfishly. We have passed by the needy uncaringly. We have demanded entitlements defiantly. We have not listened to those who have warned us of the consequences of drifting from You. Because we don’t know You, we don’t know ourselves, and wallow in the uncertain twilight of gender non-binary confusion.
And now, as we look into the New Year, we come face to face with a mess. What can be done to save us from ourselves? Even as the question reverberates in our minds, the answer is given: the solution to our spiritual and moral meltdown—to the restoration of the crumbling foundation of our nation—is not politics, nor the economy, nor health care, nor welfare or immigration reforms, nor free higher education, nor the court system, nor corporate or Wall Street regulation. You are the Answer. You are the Solution. Yet instead of turning to You, we seem to be turning farther and farther away from You. But not now. Now we turn back. We turn around. We re-turn to You. We run to You. We cling to You. We plead with You…
Turn to us! Draw near to us![16] If You do not help us, we will be defenseless. If You do not protect us, we will be exposed to danger. If You do not deliver us from evil, we will be overcome by it. If You do not have plans to give us hope and a future, we will slide into the past tense as a nation.[17] Into oblivion.
Father of all mercies. We believe that this is a year that You care for; that Your eyes are continually on it from the beginning to its end.[18] As You look on 2026 from January 1st to December 31st, we ask for what we know we don’t deserve. We ask for Your blessing. Please…
And now, God of grace, as we pray for the New Year, we ask bottom-line that You send down Your Holy Spirit in fullness. Ignite the fire of revival in our own hearts. Protect us. Defend us. Comfort us. Empower us. Equip us as we put on the full armor of God so that we can stand against the devil’s schemes…so that when the day of evil comes, we may be able to stand our ground…taking up the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God…and pray. With this in mind, we remain self-controlled and alert while we keep on praying until we prevail in prayer.[30] And we keep on watching expectantly. Is this the decade of Your return? We fervently hope so! Even so, come Lord Jesus…[31]
For the glory of Your great name…Jesus,
Amen
[1] Romans 8:28
[2] 2 Chronicles 20:6
[3] 2 Chronicles 7:1
[4] 1 Samuel 17:1-50
[5] Psalm 46:9
[6] 2 Kings 4:1-37; Luke 7:11-16; 8:40-42, 49-56; Ephesians 1:17-21
[7] Psalm 2:2
[8] Psalm 46:2-3
[9] Psalm 46:6
[10] Psalm 37:14
[11] Nahum 1:3
[12] 2 Chronicles 6:18
[13] Isaiah 60:2
[14] Psalm 76:7
[15] Isaiah 60:1
[16] James 4:8
[17] Jeremiah 29:11-13
[18] Deuteronomy 11:11
[19] 2 Chronicles 15:1-17
[20] 2 Chronicles 19:4-20:32
[21] 2 Chronicles 34:1-33
[22] 2 Chronicles 19:8-11
[23] Ezra 7:10
[24] 2 Timothy 2:15; 4:1-2
[25] 2 Chronicles 20:12
[26] 2 Timothy 2:21
[27] John 9:4
[28] Ephesians 6:19
[29] Ephesians 3:14-19
[30] Ephesians 6;10-18; 1 Peter 4:7
[31] Revelation 22:20
**This prayer has been adapted from one released January 1, 2016.
Would you take a moment to share your story with us? We’d be delighted to learn how this year’s Christmas Offering – Buy One/Give One – blessed both you and those with whom you shared during this gift-giving season.
A Message from Rachel-Ruth Lotz Wright
I love a fireplace! There is nothing like a chilly, cloudy day in the fall with college football on the tv, brownies in the oven and a crackling fireplace warming us up across from the couch. I love the way the fire smells, and I love the sound of the crackling and popping as the flames dance around – it screams cozy! But it doesn’t last forever. Sooner or later the flames start to die down and the embers lose their vibrant red orangey glow. Nobody wants to climb out from under their blanket and warm spot on the couch to add a log. We all side-eye each other and wait for someone to make a move to keep the fire going so we won’t have to. If one of us doesn’t make the sacrificial move to leave the squishy couch and add a couple of logs and pile up the embers, then the flame will die out and we will be left with a cold and much less cozy room.
As much as I love a fire, the one lit on September 10th with the horrific death of Charlie Kirk is one that I pray I will never let die! I pray that the fire would keep burning inside all of us to live boldly for Jesus! No more sitting on “the couch” of complacency. No more cozying up to the blanket of darkness by toying with evil and trying to push the boundaries of Biblical morality. No more waiting for someone else to fan the flame, to carry the logs, or to do the work. It is time for each of us to step up and live out our faith in public and in private…while there is still time!
Jesus is coming! And I believe Joseph’s words sum it up completely after his many years of suffering caused by his brothers. “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”1 The enemy, the devil, seemed to triumph in the horrific shooting and death of Charlie Kirk, because he meant it for harm. But God has brought miraculous good from it as only He can. Thousands of people have come to Christ, millions marched in the streets lifting up the name of Jesus, atheists are buying Bibles, people who have never stepped foot in church are now attending for the first time ever. God is moving! The flames of His Spirit are blazing into the hearts of people all over the world! I wonder, could this be the last great awakening before we see the clouds part and the King of glory descending to rapture His people? We are so close I can almost feel it.
So if you are like me and feel a fire has been lit inside of you to boldly tell others about Jesus, to live an uncompromising life completely surrendered to the Lord, to not waste time on frivolous stuff, to fully and unapologetically follow the Lord, then get up off of that “comfortable couch” and keep the flame burning! Don’t let the fire die out! Don’t let the embers cool off! As the days and months go by, fan the flame and keep spreading the love of Jesus to everyone around you while there is still time!
On September 10th, we were all stunned to learn that Charlie Kirk had been assassinated. One immediate reaction was that the threats from Charlie’s enemies would cause people to think twice before speaking out about their faith or values. Yet we have seen tens of thousands gathered worldwide to honor his life and legacy as they declare Christ is King. His widow, Erika, publicly said two days after his death that a fire had been lit in her and in the next generation—a fire to be bold and courageous as we all stand for Truth. Our challenge is to keep that fire burning…
DON’T BE AFRAID 2 Timothy 1:3-7
Click here for the Bible Study especially developed for this newsletter.
Rachel-Ruth spoke three times to a women’s conference at Cornerstone Chapel in Leesburg, VA. She challenged the hundreds of ladies gathered to live a godly life in this wicked world, using the Genesis examples of Noah, Jacob, and Joseph.
Anne and Rachel-Ruth filmed an eight-session video-driven Bible study curriculum at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, DC for their new book on Joseph. As they discussed the Scripture passages in a conversational format, God poured out His blessing. This picture is of their last session in front of a scene of the Sea of Galilee. The study will be released in April of 2026.
On September 11, Anne was invited to the dedication of the new Kenneth F. Kahn School of Law at High Point University. Her granddaughter, Sophia, who is Rachel-Ruth’s daughter, is an L1 student. Her very dear friend and former Chief Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court, Mark Martin, is the founding dean of the law school. He is pictured in the center, flanked by NC Appealate Court judges…and Anne. She was highly honored to be in such esteemed company.
Following the Alaska cruise, Anne and her daughter, Morrow, were flown by her brother, Franklin, to Port Alsworth and the Samaritan’s Purse Lodge. They were there during Operation Heal Our Patriots—each week during the summer 10 to 12 veterans and their wives come for marriage counseling, Bible study, fly fishing, kayaking, and bear watching. Anne and Morrow had the high privilege of bear watching with half of the couples before the week’s end when some were saved, renewed their marriage vows, and were baptized. Praise God!
When Joel Rosenberg invited Anne to teach the Bible in three sessions at his Epicenter Conference held on board a ship cruising the Alaska coast, she told him she almost didn’t have to pray about it since she had always wanted to see Alaska! But she did pray, and God gave her His blessing. Her publisher worked with Joel and arranged for the filming of her messages to be used in promotion for the rerelease of The Vision of His Glory. The conference itself, as well as making new friends, was a joy, as was giving Joel an advanced copy of the new book.
From now until December 31, 2025, when you buy any title, you will receive 1 additional copy of the same title for free to share with someone else.
Please click here or call our office 919.787.6606 to order.
The deadline to receive orders by Christmas is December 15th (domestic) and December 4th (international). Please call our office for all international orders at 919.787.6606. For details and a complete list of resources, click here.
If you would like to receive AnGeL Ministries’ full newsletter by email or postal delivery, click here to sign up for our free resources!
Are you one of the many readers who miss the blessing and lose your way in the book of Revelation? When you read of mysterious lampstands and sacred seals, worldwide earthquakes and trumpeting angels, monstrous beasts and miracle-working dragons—are you terrified? Do you long instead for the comforting poetry of the Psalms, or the simple stories in the Gospels, or the practical instruction of the Epistles? If so, it may be you have overlooked the primary purpose and blessing of the last book of the Bible which is clarified in the very first phrase of the very first verse: The revelation of Jesus Christ…. The primary purpose of Revelation is not prophecy. It is not to reveal the future. The primary purpose is to reveal Jesus!
This book was originally written to refocus the early church on Jesus in order to give hope when Christians were being fed to lions, nailed to crosses, burned at the stake and boiled in tar. It was written by a Christian who himself was suffering because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.1 It was written specifically to a generation of Christians yet to come who will experience what Jesus described as great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again.2
And this book was also written for you. While not being fed to lions, crucified, or boiled in tar, are you…or someone you know…suffering in some way? Have you been betrayed by a spouse? Slandered by a friend? Diagnosed with a deadly disease? Have you felt the sting of death as you stood at the grave of a loved one? Struggled with the constant pain of arthritis? Panicked over more bills than you have money to pay? Lost your job? Been persecuted for your stand on the truth of God’s Word and His Gospel?
At this very time, when our entire world seems to be teetering on the verge of war, when our streets are filled with anger and anarchy, when Christians and Jews around the globe are being persecuted in record-breaking numbers, when corruption and chaos have paralyzed political systems, when lies have been spun as truth, when spiritual darkness and oppressive deception blanket the nations, when wrong is judged to be right and right is judged to be wrong, when we wonder what our world is coming to, Revelation helps fix our eyes on Jesus. If you are tempted to question if there is any real hope for the future of your children and grandchildren, the book of Revelation gives us a glimpse ahead to the end of human history. Even when the worse conceivable nightmares become a reality, there is one splendid, shining, sure hope not only at present, but for the future…and His name is Jesus!
Pilate, the Roman governor who presided over the trial of Jesus, presented Him to the rioting mob that shouted for His crucifixion with these words, Here is your king. The book of Revelation presents the same King but One who has been transformed.
The One who entered Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, riding humbly on a donkey, is revealed to be the same King who returns to Jerusalem victoriously riding on a white horse!3
The voice that was silenced before His accusers thunders with the sound of many waters, drowning out all other voices.4
The tortured, mangled, bloodied prisoner on His way to execution is transformed into a King bathed in glory!5
The crown of thorns is replaced by many dazzling, golden crowns!6
The purple robe the soldiers mocked Him with as king of the Jews has become a robe of light, flashing like lightning in its brilliance!7
The hands that were bound and pierced now hold the book by which every person who has ever lived will be judged!8
The crowds that gathered in the courtyard of the judgment hall early Friday morning, jeering, Crucify Him! Crucify Him! are muted as the universe is filled with a roar of acclamation coming from the multitudes of thousands upon ten thousands as they shout…Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!9
Here is your King! The Revelation is glorious! i
i Adapted from Anne’s article, Behold the Man, originally written for Bible Study Fellowship
1 Revelation 1:9
2 Matthew 24:21
3 Revelation 19:11, 16
4 Revelation 1:15
5 Revelation 21:23
6 Revelation 14:14, 19:11
7 Revelation 4:2-3
8 Revelation 20:11-15
9 Luke 23:20; Revelation 5:11-12
Click here for the Bible Study especially developed for this newsletter.
Rachel-Ruth and I sat down with Ron and Lynette Lewis for a video podcast as we discussed a wide range of topics. We concluded with a clear Gospel presentation, and Rachel-Ruth led in a prayer to claim Jesus as Savior and Lord. Our conversation will be aired in the fall on Alkarma TV and Harvest India TV to a global audience reaching millions of young Muslim viewers.
While Rachel-Ruth and her daughter, Riggin, spoke at Maranatha Christian School, I had the privilege of sitting down with the pastor of Maranatha Chapel, Daniel Bentley, on the platform of the sanctuary for a video-taped podcast. Daniel is the son of one of our Board members, Vicki Bentley, who is also a very close friend. It was a joy to discuss the Scripture with him.
Once each quarter, our broader ministry team that includes AnGeL Ministries Board members, prayer teams as well as staff, gathers in our office lobby to be encouraged, informed and challenged by reports of all that God is doing through us. This May our update meeting coincided with the celebration of my birthday that included ice cream from a local creamery delivered in a truck! Everyone thoroughly enjoyed it!
While Rachel-Ruth and her daughter, Riggin, spoke at Maranatha Christian School, I had the privilege of sitting down with the pastor of Maranatha Chapel, Daniel Bentley, on the platform of the sanctuary for a video-taped podcast. Daniel is the son of one of our Board members, Vicki Bentley, who is also a very close friend. It was a joy to discuss the Scripture with him.
For Their Seminar Focused on: The Revelation of Jesus Christ
With a focus on Jesus Christ, Anne brings clarity and understanding to the book of Revelation. Experience the beauty of God’s divine plan with her revised and updated book, The Vision of His Glory, which received a gold medallion for excellence when originally published. Through a masterful exploration of the book of Revelation, she unveils God’s incredible blueprint for the future, offering clarity, hope, and reassurance.
Drawing from the apostle John’s powerful, eyewitness account, Anne highlights God’s unwavering love and faithfulness, even in the face of life’s trials. If you’re feeling weighed down by challenges, personal doubts, or the uncertainties of choosing faith, this book serves as a beacon, pointing to God’s ultimate authority and His purpose for your life.
With heartfelt passion and deep scriptural understanding, Anne walks readers step-by-step through the Revelation narrative, uncovering profound truths about God’s sovereign plan. Discover strength, encouragement, and the enduring hope that comes from trusting in God’s promises.
Don’t miss this opportunity to deepen your faith and grasp the fullness of God’s vision for your life by walking confidently in the light of His Word.
If you would like to receive AnGeL Ministries’ full newsletter by email or postal delivery, click here to sign up for our free resources!
June 18, 2025
When hiking or camping, one of the most important pieces of equipment to have is a compass. It guides a person to the desired destination with the needle that is set to align with the earth’s magnetic field north. No matter which way the compass is turned, the needle points north, and a person can adjust direction accordingly.
From time to time, a compass can get air bubbles or be exposed to extreme temperatures, interference from nearby electronics, or other magnetized objects. These can cause the needle to lose its magnetic pull to the north. When this happens, the compass needs to be reset.
The compass that has guided the United States of America to world prominence and prosperity, helping to navigate us through incredible challenges that have included a civil war and two world wars, has been our faith in God. He is the “north” on our “compass.” He is the Center-point. We were founded on Judeo-Christian principles. We are one nation, under God. Even our monetary currency declares, In God We Trust. But we seem to have lost our way. It’s time for a reset of our national moral and spiritual compass.
In olden days, when the nation of Judah also had lost her way, God raised up the prophet Isaiah to get the attention of the people. In Isaiah’s opening message, he thundered: Hear O heavens! Listen O earth! For the Lord has spoken. (Isaiah 1:2) It was time to pay attention to God’s Word. And what did God say? Ah, sinful nation, a people loaded with guilt, a brood of evildoers, children given to corruption! They have forsaken the Lord; they have spurned the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on Him. (Isaiah 1:4) God pinpointed the primary problem that had caused the nation to go off-course. It wasn’t political. It wasn’t environmental. It wasn’t social or racial. It wasn’t financial. The primary problem was sin. Rebellion against God. Defiance of Him. They had forsaken the God of their fathers. Judah needed a moral and spiritual reset.
God then issued to Judah a gracious invitation: “Come now, let us reason together,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.” (Isaiah 1:18) In order for Judah to reset her moral and spiritual compass, she had to acknowledge her sin and rebellion against God, then turn away from it and ask for His cleansing.
But with God’s invitation came a warning: “If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land; but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.” For the mouth of the Lord has spoken. (Isaiah 1:19-20)
As I pay attention to what God is saying, I believe His word to Judah through the prophet Isaiah is very relevant to us also. It’s time for us as a nation—both leaders and people– to acknowledge our sin and rebellion against Him, turn away from it, and ask Him for national cleansing. If we reject His timely invitation, we do so at our own peril.
The choice is ours. What will it be? Will we return to our faith in God? Or will we continue in rebellion against Him on a path that leads to our destruction? If every American’s choice is a reflection of yours, will we as a nation navigate our way out of the destructive course we are on? Join me as together we listen to and heed God’s Word, renew our faith in Him as we reset our compass, then follow His direction seeking to live a life that receives His blessing. As a result, may God truly bless America.
