Top American political leaders and Christian ministers are reflecting on the life and legacy of former President Jimmy Carter who passed away over the weekend at the age of 100.

President-elect Donald Trump honored Carter by posting on Truth Social, “He did everything in his power to improve the lives of all Americans. For that, we all owe him a debt of gratitude.”

…Joe Biden has called for a national day of mourning for Carter on January 9th. Sunday night, he offered words of praise for his longtime friend saying, “Today, America and the world in my view lost a remarkable leader. He was a statesman and a humanitarian, and Jill and I lost a dear friend.”

Evangelist Franklin Graham expressed appreciation for President Carter’s attendance at the opening of the Billy Graham Library in Charlotte, NC in 2007, with a post on Facebook.

“He and my father Billy Graham had a close relationship… I know that his family would appreciate your prayers,” the younger Graham stated.

Pastor Greg Laurie, the senior pastor of the Harvest Christian Fellowship megachurch in California, posted about his encounters over the years with former President Carter.

“We must have respect for the presidency and those who serve in it, even if we do not always agree with their policies. Today, I honor the memory of President Jimmy Carter, a man who exemplified service, humility, and faith throughout his remarkable life,” Pastor Laurie said.

Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, the lead pastor of the influential New Season megachurch and president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference (NHCLC), has advised three US presidents over the years.

He said in a statement, “Above all, President Carter was a man of deep and abiding faith. His commitment to Jesus Christ was evident not only in his words but in his actions. He did not simply read the Gospel—he lived it. Whether teaching Sunday school well into his later years or advocating for the least of these, President Carter exemplified what it means to lift up Jesus in the public sphere without shame or compromise.”

Rev. Rodriguez continued, “In a world often defined by division and self-interest, President Carter stood as a reminder of the power of faith in action. His life challenges all of us to embrace humility, serve others, and reflect the love of Christ in all that we do.”

Meanwhile, historian Craig Shirley also released a statement with his own perspective on Carter’s passing:

“Though President Carter had an uneven presidency at best, his post-1980 public life was excellent. I interviewed him once about the 1980 campaign for a book and while not warm and fuzzy, he was helpful. In his post presidency, he built houses for the poor, traveled the world for peace winning the Nobel Peace Prize and wrote many books. He will not be considered a great president, but he was a great man. RIP President Carter.”
Sources:CBN News

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Scientists have finally deciphered an ancient Babylonian artifact and say its inscription points to the location of Noah’s Ark.

It has taken years to uncover the meaning of a 3,000-year-old clay tablet known as the Imago Mundi.

“This is the oldest map of the world, in the world,” said Dr. Irving Finkel, a British Museum curator and cuneiform expert.

The artifact has a script with wedge-shaped symbols called cuneiform and archeologists have been stumped for years as to its meaning.

But after months of intensive study, scientists now believe the carvings make clear references to the Bible.

“It has two sides, this is the front or ‘obverse’ and this is the back or the ‘reverse’ and the reverse consists of lots of lines of cuneiform in different ruled sections,” explained Finkel. “So it’s full of information, even though it’s a bit damaged.”

Finkel notes that the map shows ancient Mesopotamia, which is modern-day Iraq, surrounded by the “Bitter River.” The river represented by a double ring indicates the border of the Babylonians’ known world.

“This is a very important ring of water because it meant for the Babylonians, they had a sort of idea of the limits of their world where they lived in about the 6th century BC,” he said.

The map also contained a secret key to show travelers the route on the water they should take and what to look out for while on the way.

Finkel shares that one of the passages instructs travelers to go through “seven leagues to see something that is thick as a parsiktu-vessel.”

The term “parsiktu” is used to reference the size of a vessel needed to survive a great flood.

Then, Finkel notes, the artifact refers to “Urartu” and specific instructions on how to get there.

“To the fourth, to which you must travel seven leagues,” it reads.

Researchers believe that “Urartu”, which is also known as Ararat, is linked to an ancient Mesopotamian poem about a man and his family who landed an ark following a 150-day flood.

“The first place you come to is called ‘Urartu’, it’s drawn on the map. Now, the interesting thing about that is that in the Bible, Noah, in his Ark, landed on a mountain where the name is ‘Ararat’ and ‘Ararat’ is the Hebrew equivalent of the Assyrian ‘Urartu’. That’s quite a meaty thing, quite an interesting thing to think about because it shows that the story was the same, and of course that one led to the other but also, that from the Babylonian point of view, this was a matter of fact thing,” said Finkel.

He added, “If you did go on this journey, you would see the remnants of this historic boat which saved all the life of the world for the long-term future.”

The Babylonian version of the story closely follows the Biblical account of Noah’s Ark.

“In this account, the details are given and then God says ‘You have to do this, this and this’ and then the Babylonian Noah says ‘I did this, this and this. I’ve done it!’ ” Finkel explained. “And I made these structures as thick parsiktu vessel.”

According to the Babylonian version, the man fills his vessel with animals and ends up safely stationed at one of the peaks of Urartu, known as modern-day Turkey, after the flood.

“So, for the first time we can pronounce with authority, that if we were an ancient Babylonian we would know where to go to see the remains of that wonderful boat,” said Finkel.

Some researchers question whether the structure in Turkey is natural or created.

Dr. Andrew Snelling, a geologist from the University of Sydney who has studied the flood, previously said that Mount Ararat could not be the ark’s location, stating that the mountain did not form until after the flood waters receded, the Jerusalem Post noted.

The Babylonian artifact was discovered in the Middle East and was acquired by the British Museum in 1882, where it is currently on display.
Sources:BREAKING CHRISTIAN NEWS

http://theendtimeradio.com

Popular Bible app YouVersion says it has seen more people engage with the Bible this year than ever before, drawing closer to God through His Word and through prayer features on the app.

Developers of the Bible app point out the most popular verse from 2024 reveals that people have been seeking God’s comfort in tumultuous times.

This year, the most searched Scripture was Philippians 4:6. It reads: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

YouVersion Founder and CEO Bobby Gruenewald believes it shows that people are more likely to turn to God when they face anxiety and daily struggles.

“In many cases, our anxiety comes from holding onto worries that we aren’t meant to carry,” said Gruenewald. “To me, this verse being sought out the most this year is an illustration that our community is seeking God in prayer and choosing to trust Him to carry their burdens—and we’re seeing that supported in the data.”

The YouVersion app was designed to encourage and challenge people to seek God throughout each day. It offers a free Bible experience in more than 2,170 languages and has been installed on more than 875 million unique devices.

“I was just trying to figure out how to use technology to help people read the Bible more consistently. And just had enough faith to start, to try something, and of course, what we’ve seen God do is incredible. Our faith has grown, but in the very beginning had no idea what it was going to become,” Gruenewald previously told CBN News.

Praying for Peace

Seeking peace through God’s Word is not the only thing that has increased this year.

YouVersion also saw increased interest in prayer around the world.

The words “prayer” and “peace” were among the top in-app search terms this year and the app’s YouVersion Prayer features went up by 46% this year compared to last year.

The YouVersion’s Prayer Team volunteers responded to prayer requests in 20 languages and prayed for concerns involving finances, healing, family, marriage, and anxiety.

The group has partnered with 24-7 Prayer International to facilitate “an unbroken chain of prayer, every hour of the day and night” among churches in more than 65 countries.

This year, they saw a 37% increase in the number of 24-7 Prayer Rooms they’re supporting.

“Throughout 2024, we have seen a rise in the number of people dedicating themselves to night and day prayer in different nations around the world,” said Carla Harding, International Director of Products for 24-7 Prayer International. “Our hope is that through continual prayer, the global church would be ignited in the presence of God and carry His love with greater compassion and power to the communities around them.”

Global Trends

It was a good year for YouVersion for another reason–more people engaged with the Scriptures through their smartphones and tablets than ever before.

Every month of 2024 became the highest month in YouVersion for both app installs and daily use.

Across its Family of Apps—which includes Bible App, Bible App Lite, and Bible App for Kids—YouVersion saw an average of 11.2 million new device installs per month and about 14 million people engaging in the Bible every day.

Regional Momentum

YouVersion has also had a major impact in many countries around the world.

Bible engagement is growing at a fast rate in Central Africa (54%) and Eastern Africa (56%), compared to last year.

Countries like South Sudan (82%), Angola (68%), Mozambique (55%), Guinea (50%), Nigeria (35%), and Algeria (35%), saw a rise in daily Bible use in 2024.

YouVersion’s Bible App for Kids has also seen a big boost.

Nigeria, Senegal, and Cote d’Ivoire experienced the biggest engagement spikes among kids in Africa this year.

YouVersion is also seeing sustained growth in Latin America.

Many countries across the region saw a surge in daily Bible use, including growth in Nicaragua (107%), Venezuela (74%), Bolivia (52%), Honduras (50%), Cuba (45%), and Argentina (30%).

The Bible app is moving forward with plans to launch its first-ever Regional Hub in Belo Horizonte, Brazil in support of the roughly one million Brazilians opening the Bible App every day.

YouVersion’s goal for its Regional Hubs is to have a local team recruit content partners and churches to create a more authentic and regionally relevant Bible experience that helps people better connect with God’s Word on a personal level.

“It’s encouraging to see people throughout the YouVersion Community, in every region of the world, engage with the Bible at such high levels,” said Gruenewald. “These Bible engagement trends highlight the commonalities that can be found throughout the global Church—in the struggles we face and in our need for God.”

As CBN News reported, sales of physical, paper Bibles are also up 22% this year.

According to The Wall Street Journal,13.7 million copies were sold in the first 10 months of this year, compared to 14.2 million for all of 2023. Experts expect the total number to outpace last year once they tabulate November and December Bible sales.

Dr. John Plake, chief program officer at the American Bible Society, told CBN News why he thinks so many people, especially Gen Z, are engaging with the Word of God.

“They’re leaning into the Bible,” he shared. “They’re really trying to engage in their faith and they are kind of a bright hope for us as a young generation of American adults.”
Sources:BREAKING CHRISTIAN NEWS

http://theendtimeradio.com