[Darris McNeely] If you're a white, male and in your mid-40s, I've got some bad news for you. Studies show that the chances of you dying in that age group are greater than others. If you're of a particular ethnic group, Hispanic, perhaps black in that same age category is only slightly better for you. This is according to studies that have come out showing that the death rate of people, men, in those categories is higher than the average of the population.

Now, the reasons for that are because of injury and the predominant type of injury is suicide or addiction overdose, opioids in some cases. These are what studies are showing us and it's rather grim news for men in that category of America and the demographics going on today. When you stop and think about that, the better part of the situation is another study that I read that shows that people who have a spiritual element in their life, in other words, faith or a belief in the Bible and God in some way or fashion, they have a greater chance of avoiding death and those categories by suicide or other addictive type of behavior because of the element of faith in something substantial within their life, this is what other studies show about people who are going to a church, they believe in something beyond themselves, in other words, they have a faith. 

And so when we look at this and what is taking place in American society today, I think there's an obvious conclusion that we want to kind of draw here on Beyond Today as we look at our mission and what we are talking about with biblical truth, faith and a belief in God. Where's yours? What's it doing in your life? How deep is it? How strong is it? What are you learning as you watch and read and are involved with us here on Beyond Today? Are the truths of God's word impacting you, changing your life, giving you substance, hope and help and your present life and hope of a better one beyond this as well with the knowledge of God's plan and purpose of salvation?

We're living in a very interesting period of time in all nations but in America and particularly with a lot of pressures and problems and things that can in a sense get us into trouble. And the statistics show this every, every year. We get a lot of calls. We get a lot of contact on Beyond Today of people who are troubled looking for help, looking for understanding to avoid some of these destructive types of behavior such as suicide and other forms of addiction. 

We understand "Beyond Today" that belief in God and God's truth is the anchor and the foundation for so many of the solutions that can make our lives productive and transform our lives.

There's a scripture in Ephesians 2 that reveals a very critical key to this and it's a part of the mission and the message that we have on Beyond Today, is it talks about what God is doing as He is working His plan and His purpose out and a little known key of spiritual faith and understanding as it talks about Jesus Christ being the foundation upon which God has built has built His church and is building His plan and purpose. And all of this is described in Ephesians 2 beginning in verse 21 as a building joined closely together that grows to a holy temple in the Lord in whom you also built together for a house of God through the spirit.

It is the spirit of God, God himself dwelling within us. That is the foundation of what God is doing and when that is there, when God is beginning to live His life within us and help us with our problems and overcoming sins and behavior that can be destructive that we have that hope to climb out of some of the problems and some of the holes that life throws at us and we ourselves fall into.

Statistics and studies show these truths of the Bible that we point to and we seek to help people to understand. It's something for you to think about in your life where you are and what is driving you as you watch us here on Beyond Today and come to understand these essential core truths of God's word that are there to help us live a productive and successful life.

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