In the News...

"Devil's Highway" at a Dead End
For the past 77 years, U.S. Route 666—the sixth tributary off U.S. Route 66—has plagued some of the residents and businesses along this dusty highway. June Merrett, owner of the Anasazi Restaurant and Lounge, had the doubly unfortunate address of "666 Route 666, Cortez, Colorado," but 15 years ago she prevailed upon the officials at city hall to change the number of her building to 640. "Why should we have the double devil?" she said in an interview with The New York Times.

While many of the residents along this 191-mile-long roadway say it's just a number, others are bothered by the number's association with the prophesied satanic "beast" of Revelation who will fight Jesus Christ at His second coming. "Here is wisdom," we read in Revelation 13:18. "Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666."

Politicians in New Mexico, Colorado and Utah–the three states Route 666 travels through—petitioned the federal government to change the highway's number. Route 666, the old "Devil's Highway," has been changed to Route 491.

Now, if it were only as easy to remove the influence of Satan from our society! To learn more about the Beast, the mysterious number 666 and the prophecies of Revelation—prophecies that may well come to pass in your lifetime —be sure to read our free booklet The Book of Revelation Unveiled.

Study Finds Sexually Active Teens More Likely to Suffer Depression
According to a study published June 3, 2003, by the Heritage Foundation (http://www.heritage.org), sexually active teens are two to three times more likely to suffer from depression than teens who are not sexually active. Even more troubling, sexually active teens are three to eight times more likely to attempt suicide.

Nearly two thirds of sexually active teenagers express regrets about having sex too early. This suggests, say the authors of the study, "that early sexual activity leads to emotional stress and reduces teen happiness." But some point out that teens who face depression first are then more likely to become sexually active as a way to find emotional or physical happiness, so a simple cause-and-effect relationship is hard to establish. But whichever is the causing factor, the depression and the continued sexual activity seem to "feed" each other in an unhealthy cycle.

God's Word reveals the way to peace of mind and true happiness. He reveals that sex within marriage is a source of great joy, but outside marriage it is sin and leads to emptiness and guilt. When we decide to live in accordance with God's laws, we begin to walk a path that leads to happiness and true peace.

If you struggle with sexual sin, guilt or depression, be sure to speak to a trusted, spiritually mature counselor—a pastor, parent or minister—who can help encourage you and guide you into a strong and healthy relationship with God, whose desire is that you should "have life, and . . . have it more abundantly" (John 10:10).