The scream of terror from an American hostage being beheaded sent yet another shudder around the world that is already reeling from shock after shock as volcanoes of violence erupt everywhere.

A minority say that all this evil proves there cannot be a god but they fail to see that the depravity of the human heart is the starting point of the Christian gospel (good news). The very existence of evil confirms the truth of what God reveals in the Bible when He says, “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Who can know it? I, the LORD, search the heart.” [ Jeremiah 17:9-10 ] Every time an atheist locks his door or sets a security alarm he confirms God’s diagnosis of the human heart!

The optimism of the starry eyed humanist who placed his confidence in human nature, has been fatally flawed because he ignored the consequences of man’s fall from grace through his disobedience to God. Without any ambiguity the Bible declares the bad news that, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” There is no other explanation for human wickedness that approaches the credibility of that given by Scripture. But then it continues to immediately proclaim the following good tidings of great joy, “Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” [ Romans 3:23-24 ]

Recently terrorists were asked to, “be merciful”. The truth is that we all need the mercy of God but He can only grant us this because the Lord Jesus Christ has paid the price for our ransom with His own blood. It is all through this sacrifice that by His grace, He can give us the forgiveness we don’t deserve.

Millions globally have shown they believe God answers prayer. Why not pray now? “God, be merciful to me a sinner!” [ Luke 18:13 ]

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