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=Bitter as Wormwood, Sweet as Grace=

Once upon a time, in a sprawling modern city teeming with distractions and temptations, lived a man named Ethan. His story, one of betrayal, grace, and endurance, could be called '''Bitter as Wormwood, Sweet as Grace'''. Raised without the guiding hand of scripture, he sought fulfillment in the fleeting pleasures of the world. Ethan was successful by worldly standards—a high-paying job, an apartment in the city’s vibrant heart, and a lifestyle many envied. Yet, his heart was restless, his soul hollow.

Ethan’s evenings were often spent in dimly lit clubs, surrounded by a haze of alcohol and the laughter of strangers. Among these was a woman named Selena, alluring and charismatic, who embodied the "strange woman" described in the Proverbs. She spoke with words smoother than oil, drawing Ethan into a web of deceit and indulgence. Their relationship, though passionate, left Ethan more empty and guilt-ridden with each passing day. Still, he was blind to the truth, convinced that happiness lay in pursuing his desires.

One night, after yet another hollow encounter, Ethan walked home through the quiet city streets. A beggar, ragged and unkempt, called out to him. Ethan, feeling unusually generous, tossed a few bills into the man’s cup. The beggar smiled and said, “Thank you, friend. May God open your eyes to the truth.”

The words lingered in Ethan’s mind. For weeks, he could not shake the unsettling feeling that his life lacked meaning. He tried to ignore it, diving deeper into his pursuits, but the emptiness only grew.

One day, Ethan stumbled upon an old Bible in a secondhand bookstore. He bought it on a whim, intrigued by the mysterious pull it had on him. That night, he opened it to Proverbs and read:

: “For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil: But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword” (Proverbs 5:3-4).

The words struck him like a thunderbolt. They described his life with haunting precision. He continued reading, his heart racing as the truth of his sin became undeniable. For the first time, Ethan saw his life through God’s eyes: a life of rebellion and futility. He felt an overwhelming sense of guilt and despair, unsure of how to escape the pit he had dug for himself.

But as he turned the pages, he found hope:

: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Ethan fell to his knees, tears streaming down his face. In that moment, he understood the gospel—that Jesus Christ had paid the penalty for his sins, and that salvation was a gift received through faith alone. He believed in the Lord Jesus Christ and was eternally saved. A peace unlike anything he had ever known flooded his heart.

From that day forward, Ethan’s life changed. He left behind his old ways, breaking ties with Selena and the destructive lifestyle he once pursued. He immersed himself in the Word of God, seeking fellowship with a local church. However, his time there turned sour as he was betrayed by the church leaders, who called the authorities on him for his unwavering stand on scripture. They urged him to "turn the other cheek" and continue with them, but Ethan saw their hypocrisy and chose to leave. Alone and disillusioned, he found grace and truth through reading his King James Bible, relying solely on the Word of God to guide him. His heart, once restless, was now anchored in Christ.

Years later, the world began to change. Rumors of a global system emerged, where all commerce and participation in society required a mark—a mark that would signify allegiance to a new, godless world order. Ethan recognized the signs from the Book of Revelation. The mark of the beast was no longer a distant prophecy; it was becoming reality.

Governments declared that no one could buy or sell without the mark. The media lauded the system as the solution to the world’s problems, but Ethan knew the truth. He and other believers banded together, living in secret and relying on God’s provision. They encouraged one another with scripture, holding fast to the promise of Christ’s return.

One fateful night, as Ethan looked out over the city—now a dystopian maze of surveillance and oppression—he heard a knock at the door. It was his closest friend, Daniel, with news that authorities were raiding homes suspected of harboring Christians. Their small group would have to move again, fleeing into the wilderness to avoid capture.

Ethan packed quickly, his Bible his most precious possession. As they left under the cover of darkness, he whispered a prayer: “Lord, give us strength to endure. We trust in Your finished work of the cross.”

The story ended there, in the darkest hour of human history, with Ethan and his fellow believers trying to survive in a world ruled by Satan. The Great Tribulation had begun, with its horrors and fears of execution but death would only bring them faster to Jesus Christ.

[[Category:english]][[Category:fiction]]__FORCETOC__