God & Money
The popular musical Hello Dolly! had many memorable lines; but my favorite is this one: “Money,” said Dolly Levi, “pardon the expression, is like manure…
Biblical Studies/Theology
Behind the Book
Reading the book of Esther is like reading a novel filled with suspense. Chock-full of intrigue, heroism, pathos, and deception, it holds your attention from beginning to end…
Ahasuerus
King Solomon wrote, “The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, like the rivers of water; He [God] turns it wherever He wishes” (Prov. 21:1)…
Q: What Is God’s Providence?
Providence is God’s active care, control, and governance over everything in His created universe by His…
Mordecai
Occasionally, my second son and I dabble in the hobby of polishing rocks. With lots of time and patience, rough-hewn stones placed into a rock tumbler…
Esther
When I was a kid, watching the Miss America Pageant on TV was a big deal in our home. The competition symbolized everything we knew back then about beauty…
Haman
Villains! Where would literature, movies, or old-time radio serials be without them? From Sherlock Holmes’s Professor Moriarty to Peter Pan’s Captain Hook…
Let’s Nosh Some Hamantaschen!
A humorous quip describes most of Jewish history: “They tried to kill us. They failed. Let’s eat…”
Rejoicing in Christ
If anyone had a reason to ask, “Why me?” it was the apostle Paul. No one who followed Christ suffered more for the gospel than he did…
The Never-Ending Hatred
Imagine you’re on your way to Sabbath morning services at your local synagogue. For you, this is a day of tradition. It may…
God is Omniscient
Omniscience means having complete and unlimited knowledge and understanding of all things. No one fits this description but God…
Israel’s Beautiful Tomorrow
This world is not a pleasant place. Between global pandemics, social unrest, sky-rocketing costs, and rampant…
Facing Replacement Theology
Have the blessings God promised to the Chosen People of Israel been redirected to all believers in the church? Will the…
Paul’s Joy
Several years ago, we received a Thanksgiving Day card titled “Blessed and Grateful.” The sender wrote, “We hope your celebration of God’s blessings is…
The Rest of the Story
Christians around the world eagerly await the Christmas season, and my wife and I are no exception. One of our favorite activities this time of year is to take a…
5 Reasons Why Jesus Will Rapture His Church
How exciting was it when you knew your dad was on his way home when you were…
‘I Will Return’
Following a 2020 Democratic presidential debate, U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) approached Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), who reached out his hand to shake hers…
Keeping His Promises
Jesus’ Second Coming will bring to completion scores of prophecies in the Hebrew Scriptures, as well as many predictions and promises Jesus made…
Until He Comes
“I want your room cleaned up before I get home!” Sound familiar? Parents often leave directives like these for their children before leaving the house…
No Other Name
How can people hate someone who died for them? After all, the whole world celebrates heroes, people who selflessly “pay the ultimate price” for a noble cause…
The Moses Test
Remember Y2K, the colossal, highly anticipated computer catastrophe that was supposed to paralyze the universe the moment we…
The Hope for All Time
On December 25, much of the world will pause to celebrate Christmas. And though it is a well-documented fact that Jesus was not born on that date…
Q: What is the Judgment Seat of Christ?
In biblical times, a judgment seat (called the bema) was a raised platform erected at…
Introduction to Philippians
Christian leaders often create ministry strategies, only to discover God’s will is different…
Just a Closer Walk With Thee
Did you know people can be disciples of just about anything? Sports teams, fitness programs, and celebrities all have…
The Unlikely King
It was a scandal many find hard to stomach even today. The king God chose to govern His people committed adultery with another man’s wife…
The Richest Man on Earth
“Success is not final; failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.” These words of wisdom, falsely attributed to…
Solomon’s Temple
King Solomon’s reign has been called Israel’s Golden Age. Under him, the Israelites possessed almost all of the land God promised them…
When Everything Went Wrong
When people think of King Solomon, they usually recall his great wisdom and the magnificent Jewish Temple he built…
The Beginning of the End
God is not to be trifled with. He warned Israel’s kings not to worship other gods, and He meant it. Because He knows the end…
A Taste of Tomorrow
On October 25, 2021, shares of Tesla spiked almost 13 percent, surpassing the $1 trillion market cap and making the electric car company’s CEO…
The Importance of Knowing God
Apart from Jesus Christ, King Solomon was the wisest man who ever lived (1 Ki. 3:12). When he dedicated the Temple…
Q: What Will Our Resurrected Bodies Be Like?
Every human being will receive a resurrected body prepared for eternity…
The Curse
God made many promises that are now fulfilled and others yet to be fulfilled. But He always gets around to fulfilling them, no matter how long it takes…
Paul’s Final Words
Place yourself in the apostle Paul’s sandals: You are in a dungeon awaiting execution, knowing your fellow workers face great persecution from Roman officials…
Just a Closer Walk With Thee
People are lonely. Research studies show that today, Americans in particular have decreasing family sizes; fewer friends with…
From the Editor Jul/Aug 2022
When I was a student at Word of Life Bible Institute, a professor from Dallas Theological Seminary told me one of the main reasons people leave the mission field is because…
The Child and the Seed
It has been said the key to all Messianic prophecy hangs at the Bible’s front door and was given by God to that “old serpent, the Devil…”
The Continuing Conflict
Satan’s goal is to rule the world instead of God and have all humanity worship him (Isa. 14:12–14). Consequently, he has tried…
Q: Who Is An Overcomer?
People in sports know the name Nike. It’s a popular brand of footwear and gear identified by its logo: the swoosh…
The Fiery Red Dragon
All he wanted was a sugar apple. He didn’t know it would cost him his life. Muhamad Anwar, a 31-year-old fisherman, probably knew he was trespassing…
The Dragon’s Lair
There is a reason why Scripture calls Satan “the ruler of this world” (Jn. 12:31; 14:30; 16:11), “the god of this age” (2 Cor. 4:4), and “the prince of the power of the air…
Paul’s Personal Word
If we had written the apostle Paul’s last words, we might have chosen to conclude his final epistle with a testimony to his victorious, faithful ministry…
Just a Closer Walk With Thee
It happens almost every Sunday. When a church service begins, most of us aren’t quite ready to worship…
My Seven Chapters
Last summer I spoke at a family Bible conference. As I began preparing the messages for the ministry there, I decided to try something unusual…
3 Reasons Why I Support Israel
When I was a freshman in college, I learned a valuable lesson. My professor, Dr. Herb Hirt, told us never to read the…
From the River to the Sea
Throughout history, hatred of the Jewish people has surged and subsided but never disappeared. In the late 1800s..
5 Facts You Should Know About Israel
Have you ever wondered why the Jewish people have been scattered throughout the world more than any other people?..
Q: What is the Intermediate State?
The phrase intermediate state refers to the condition of people between death and the resurrection of their bodies…
Paul’s Triumphant Testimony
Are you prepared to die? The last words a person utters or writes when death is imminent are usually of great importance…
Just a Closer Walk With Thee
As a boy, I got a little anxious each Sunday morning when my parents stopped at a convenience store to buy mints…
From the Editor Mar/Apr 2022
If you’ve been a Christian for many years, you have probably taken communion hundreds of times. In fact, you probably know Jesus’ words…
An Outline of the New Covenant
A. It is made with the Jewish people (Jer. 31:31). B. It is different from the Mosaic Covenant…
7 Features of the Coming Jewish Kingdom
The prophet Isaiah provided a wonderful glimpse of the future…
‘With All Your Heart and With All Your Soul’
What started as a family moving from Canaan to Egypt to escape the ravages of a seven-year famine grew over time…
Israel’s New Covenant
When the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, the people of the United States were devastated. Official inquiries were opened…
How I Learned I Was Wrong
“Now, the New Covenant, that’s ours. That’s for us as Christians.” I can still hear myself speaking those words to my…
‘It Is Finished!’
It was 12 o’clock noon in Jerusalem, the time for the Passover sacrifices to begin. An unusual darkness covered the land (Mt. 27:45; Mk. 15:33)…
The Truth about Eutychus
It is common to hear people mention the Eutychus incident in Acts 20:6–12 to hint that some men preach too long…
Q: What is God’s Covenant Relationship with Israel?
God made eight binding covenants that are recorded in the Bible…
Preach God’s Word!
Knowing his life would soon end, the apostle Paul fixed his attention on completing his letter to young Timothy, his protégé and son in the faith…
Just A Closer Walk With Thee
If you learned $3 million dollars in gold lay buried somewhere in your backyard, would you try to dig it up?…
From the Editor Jan/Feb 2022
A few years ago, I watched a film about a man who never learned to read in school. His mother dies when he is young; and his father moves Stanley around…
The Bible: The Greatest Book Ever Written
Voltaire, the famous French philosopher once called the “prince of infidels,” reportedly said in 1776 that within 100 years…
Four Important Words
In explaining that we consider Scripture the ultimate authority for life, we often use the phrase verbal, plenary inspiration. The apostle Paul said…
Kingdom Now?
Of all the New Testament references to Old Testament Scripture, the verse that receives the most New Testament attention is Psalm 110:1…
When is a Wolf Not a Wolf?
All of us use figures of speech: “She’s the black sheep of the family” or “He had to eat crow” or “Behold, I send you…
Yesterday, Today, and Forever
It was a scam that worked for months. In 1849, William Thompson prowled the streets of New York City looking for…
The Confusion Cure
I once heard a preacher say if you summed up the Bible in a few words, those words would be from a garden (Gen. 1—2) to a city (Rev. 21—22) with a cross in between…
5 Keys to Unlocking Your Bible
When newborns enter the world, they depend on others for everything, particularly for nourishment…
Q: What Was Christ’s Self-Emptying?
The apostle Paul’s statement about Jesus in Philippians 2 has been misunderstood and misinterpreted over the centuries…
Preparation For Perilous Times
The apostle Paul was martyred during the rule of Roman Emperor Nero, an evil, diabolical man whose vicious cruelty…
God’s Guarantee to Us
One of the many Scriptures Sunday school teachers encourage their students to memorize is 2 Timothy 3:16. It is God’s guarantee to us that…
Just A Closer Walk With Thee
The late U.S. President George H. W. Bush famously hated broccoli. Some claim he mentioned the fact at least 70 times while…
Isaiah 52:13—53:12
Behold, My Servant shall deal prudently; He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high. Just as many were astonished at you, so His visage was…
Outline of Isaiah 52:13—53:12
I. THE Servant’s SUPREMACY (52:13–15) A. The Servant’s prudence (v. 13) B. The Servant praised (v. 13) C. The Servant persecuted…
The ‘Forbidden Chapter’
What joy was mine when I ministered in Israel for one month each year when I served as director of…
From the Root of Jesse
When my friend and colleague Steve Herzig lived in Chicago many years ago, he issued a challenge to some of his friends. The challenge seemed simple enough, but…
Q: Did Jesus Claim to Be the Messiah?
Many people say Jesus was a great teacher, even a prophet, but that He never claimed to be…
Christmas Is…
Christmas is a busy time of year. Everyone’s schedule seems to be full of holiday events. Getting together with family and friends. Singing Christmas carols. Buying…
God’s Awesome, Immutable Plan
In the 1980s, an action-adventure television series used a catchphrase that has long outlived the show: “I love it when…
Facing Perilous Times
In many of his epistles, the apostle Paul warned churches that in the last days, charlatans will emerge teaching erroneous, deceptive doctrines that cause…
Living for God
Nick Foles is an NFL quarterback. He became famous for leading the Philadelphia Eagles to their first-ever Super Bowl win in 2018 and was named…
Inside View Sep/Oct 2021
The Western church relies heavily on English translations of the original manuscripts of Scripture. Until John Wycliffe’s first complete translation in 1382…
Q: Is Today’s Increase in Knowledge a Sign of the Times?
The recent growth in world travel and technology has been remarkable…
Jesus on Sukkot
The events recorded in John 7 took place during the Feast of Tabernacles—the Jewish holiday of Sukkot: “Now the Jews’ Feast of Tabernacles was at hand…
Perilous Times Predicted
People who serve Satan may not realize what they are doing. But if they distort, oppose, twist, or deny the true gospel…
19 Characteristics of People in the Last Days
Self-love heads the list of sins because human nature is always selfish. All evil desires spring from this craving…
How to Obtain True Wisdom
Advice is cheap. Wisdom is rare. King Solomon said, “Happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who…
From the Editor Jul/Aug 2021
Who among us, at one time or another, has not questioned God? Why, Lord, did You let my baby die? Why didn’t You heal my child? Why do You allow Christians to…
Job: Misery’s Poster Child
Americans entered 2020 with great hope. The stock market, employment, and prosperity were at all-time highs…
Q: Who Is Satan?
Satan is not mythological. He is a real being who truly exists in the world (Job 1:6) and whose name means “accuser” or “adversary.” He possesses the attributes of…
About the Book of Job
A quick overview of the book of Job…
The Wrong Trifecta
After his wife’s death, C. S. Lewis kept a journal documenting his journey of grief. It was later published as A Grief Observed. One of the entries jolted me…
What Not to Say
I hung up the phone in shock. I had called looking for comfort, maybe some sympathy. A man who had been a pillar in my life and a spiritual father to me had passed away…
Can You?
It is never fun to be in God’s waiting room. If Job could speak with us, he probably would verify the difficulty of waiting on the Lord. Job’s story, told in the Bible book…