There is a growing surge of books backing a movement toward the abolition of religion, especially Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

It is claimed in one of these books that prayer has been scientifically tested in blind tests and has failed.

I contend that the nature of answered prayer is such that no program of unbiased experimentation can test it. Jehovah is a God who sets His own terms and He must be approached on those terms. He cannot be told how He must respond.

Now without faith it is impossible to please him, for the one who approaches God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. Hebrews 11:6 NET Bible

If I had harbored sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. Psalm 66:18 NET Bible

Any test of the validity of prayer must actually include bias in the sense of a commitment on the part of the ‘experimenter’ to respond to God if He answers. I know this is unscientific. I sincerely appreciate science. But God has not called us to science and experimentation; He has called us to trust and obey Him.

Taste and see that the LORD is good. Psalm 34:8 NET Bible

[Note: before reading this, please review my “cavaet” under Pages in the column on the right.]>

Observations about Life Groups
The following are general observations on my part and are not intended to represent any specific people I know. Not every characteristic fits neatly and exclusively within a single life group.

1. Out of High School and into college (or the world)
1.1. New measure of freedom – sense of release from bondage
1.2. No longer forced to go to school – even if going to college, attendance is usually not mandatory.
1.3. Get a job – if going to college it may be part-time. But this job is not generally considered to be a career so little sense of loyalty to this (these) employer(s).
1.4. “Adult” – at least legally
1.5. Live with parents
1.6. Ready to live it up and/or change the world
1.7. Diversification of interests – now that they are free to choose, they begin to focus on the interests and activities they like, splintering themselves from groups that previously held them together.
1.8. Active lifestyle
1.9. If their commitment to the Lord is not their own, they will drop out of church. (second or third chair)
2. Out of College & on their own (single adults) – some high school-only grads may move relatively quickly into this group.
2.1. Real adulthood begins
2.2. Get or need full-time job – but can be flexible with it. It’s not a tragedy if they lose or leave it.
2.3. Make own decisions
2.4. Rent
2.5. Certain degree of flexibility
2.6. Available for short term missions (job permitting)
3. Marriage
3.1. Frequently able to maintain nearly the same activities as before marriage (just doing it together – hopefully)
3.2. Decisions shared with spouse (or should be)
3.3. Most activities are as a couple
3.4. Fewer activities with the guys/girls
3.5. Both spouses usually work
3.6. Rent, but hope for home of their own. May be saving for home.
4. Children Enter
4.1. Couples who have been able to continue much of their pre-marriage activity levels find those activities suddenly grind to a halt when they have children. It’s not that activity slows down. Rather, it increases and is re-directed towards the child or children.
4.2. Activity outside the home gets drastically cut.
4.3. Employment becomes more critical, while the family drops to a single or single and a half income.
4.4. The couple begins to adjust to family life.
4.5. More room is needed for the family.
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5. Variations (many of these tend to avoid the church)
5.1. Experimentation
5.1.1. Sex
5.1.2. Drugs
5.2. Living together
5.3. Children outside marriage
5.4. Divorce
6. General
a. Discovering the difficulties of adulthood
b. Relationships with parents
i. Carry-overs from youth