The Birth that Changed the World
Hymns, tinsel, decorations, and good cheer used to flood America’s public schools at Christmastime. Though these have all disappeared, one thing will never be erased.
Inspirational
Entering Eternity
Ask what figure symbolizes death in our culture and most likely you’ll hear a description of a specter whose glowing eyes peer through a black-hooded shroud, while its bony hand…
A Stranger in the Night
What better time of year than Christmas to relate a true story I heard on the radio in 1995. If you do not believe in angels, I strongly suggest you reconsider…
Erica’s Angels
It was bizarre to see myself lying on the floor of my allergist’s office. I lay at a slight angle in the narrow hallway, flanked on all sides by the clinic…
Zvi Sep/Oct 2009
Now we are approaching the most important holidays of the year: Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Many people in Jerusalem where I live are going to the rabbis asking for help…
Looking Back to See the Future
The mantra of the moment embraces the idea that we should never look back because all hope and promise are found in looking to the future. Or, to quote Satchel Paige…
Zvi Jul/Aug 2009
Believe it or not, many schoolchildren in Israel have never heard of the Holocaust. So when Holocaust Memorial Day draws near in the spring, schools look for survivors to come and tell…
Zvi May/Jun 2009
Now, after so many years have gone by, I cannot believe I am still alive. During the Holocaust of World War II, many people died before my eyes. I was brutally…
A Promise Kept
The passing of old friends often brings a mixture of sadness and relief to those of us left behind. Such was the case in the recent homegoing of a friend of more than half…
10 Good Reasons to Keep Looking Up
Discouraged? Feeling depressed because of personal or world events? Perhaps it’s time to take a little spiritual inventory. If you have truly been born again through faith in Jesus Christ…
What If There Had Been No Easter?
As Christians, we rejoice because Christ arose. But what if He had not? The world would be a different place indeed. And it’s not a pretty picture.
Actual or Absurd?
Cynical journalist H. L. Mencken (1880–1956) once said, “What I got in Sunday school…was simply a firm conviction that the Christian faith was full of palpable absurdities.” No doubt many today…
Zvi Mar/Apr 2009
Not long ago I met a group of ultra-Orthodox men in our neighborhood in Jerusalem. They have not caused any trouble lately. It has been quiet for two years. But now…
Who Is Responsible?
Several years ago singer Barbra Streisand publicly berated actress Patricia Heaton (Everybody Loves Raymond) for her adamant stand against abortion. Asked by Fox News’s Bill O’Reilly to comment, Heaton replied…
Invest in the Future
It seemed set in stone. Any family celebration that took place in my family took place at Mom’s house. For 50 years she directed every facet of every event, decided…
The Way We Are
The world in which we live is crazy. Sometimes it seems as though societies have gone totally mad. For example, on July 16, 2008, Israel returned four living, breathing terrorists…
Zvi Jan/Feb 2009
Some days you can plan what to do first and what to do second. Other days, things happen that you never expect. And so it was recently when my wife sent…
Merry Christmas 2008
Gone are the days of Studebakers, five- and-dimes, and the much-anticipated gifts of sweet, juicy oranges stuffed into Christmas stockings. But two important facets of the holiday will remain forever.
Zvi Nov/Dec 2008
We are approaching the great holiday of Christmas. At this time of year, people do not forget me. In fact, some of the ultra-Orthodox men to whom I have spoken about the Lord…
Zvi Sep/Oct 2008
A while ago I had a long conversation with our Arab neighbors here in Jerusalem. They came to me to convince me that they are holy people who are more humane than we.
Zvi Jul/Aug 2008
As it is written in Ecclesiastes 1:9, “There is nothing new under the sun.” And this is so. When I go to people who consider themselves good servants of God, they always ask me the same questions…
The Friends of Israel Turns 70
It’s difficult to believe that FOI has been around for 70 years. Well, maybe not so difficult when you learn how we began and what has undergirded our ministry to this day.
Zvi May/Jun 2008
Not long ago I was out walking, and four ultra-Orthodox men stopped me on the street. “Do you recognize us?” one asked. “I am not sure,” I replied. “We had a long conversation with you…
Extraordinary People
Sometimes special people cross our paths, showing us the best of what Christianity is all about. Let us introduce you to a few of these saints who have made a difference in life on this earth.
Why I Love Israel
And your eyes need to be there as well because the Jews are God’s people, and Israel is the land of destiny. Israel is God’s measuring rod and blueprint for what He is…
Zvi Mar/Apr 2008
I live in a neighborhood in Jerusalem where many Russian immigrants live. I have lived in this home 34 years, but many of them arrived recently and do not go to synagogue…
They Feared Man So Little Because They Feared God So Much
They were boiled in oil, tortured, and persecuted in the most heinous ways. But they endured because they understood an important, eternal truth that we should not forget today.
Making Melody in Your Heart
Being a believer in Jesus is not always easy. In fact, more often than not it brings persecution, trials of all kinds, and many deep valleys through which the child of God must walk.
Zvi Jan/Feb 2008
Our Muslim neighbors are doing all they can to begin a new war. If they succeed, it will not be the first time. I have lived in Israel 60 years…
From Bill Sutter’s Desk Nov/Dec 2007
When Halina entered the room, we immediately realized we were in the presence of someone special. Now 89 years old, Halina has logged 45 years of service with The Friends…
Tidings of Comfort and Joy
At this Christmas season, do you have joy? True joy comes from something you might not associate with it. But once found, it lasts forever.
Strength for the Journey
Jesus is, indeed, knowable. And He can bring us through the toughest times, give us peace like a river, and be an anchor for our souls—as this article demonstrates.
Zvi Nov/Dec 2007
In my lifetime I have had many surprises. But the greatest surprise came a few months ago. As most of you know, all of my family died during the Holocaust of World…
Zvi Sep/Oct 2007
I have lived in Israel almost 60 years, and I have never heard a good word spoken about those of us who believe in Christ. Usually, people here oppose us all…
Zvi Jul/Aug 2007
Where had they gone? For many months I had not seen the ultra-Orthodox from the Chabad-Lubavitch movement who were trying so hard to convince people that their late leader, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson…
Zvi May/Jun 2007
It seems that people come to Israel from the ends of the earth. We have many Arabs in our area of Jerusalem and also many Jewish people who consider themselves…
‘There Is a Fountain Filled With Blood’
William Cowper (pronounced Cooper, 1731–1800) was one of those enigmas of life where creative talent is torturously combined with introspection and melancholy. Cowper was the fourth of seven children born…
Saved by Amazing Grace: The Story of John Newton
Most people know him as the godly writer of “Amazing Grace.” But Newton’s life was far from godly before the Lord saved him and changed him forever.
Pulled into Heaven
Christians are not born; they are born again. No one is a Christian because of lineage, heritage, or parentage. Individuals become Christians when they realize they are sinners with no…
Road to Righteousness
Why can’t good deeds and the Law get you to heaven? If you think you don’t need Jesus, this article is especially for you.
‘O Worship the King’
Born in India, Sir Robert Grant (1779–1838) was the son of Charles Grant, an evangelical Scottish Christian. Charles Grant was known for his impeccable integrity and benevolence, as well as for serving…
Zvi Mar/Apr 2007
Many people are preparing for the coming days of Passover, April 2 through 10. For them it is most important to cleanse their homes of leaven and bring home much special…
The Certainty of Our Security
As the year turns, Americans find themselves moving into a new political reality. The operative word in most quarters is uncertainty. Where will the “new direction” take us? No one…
Every Page Looks the Same
October’s enormous military parade and cheering crowds in North Korea looked eerily familiar. A different time, a different place; but not much else has changed.
Zvi Nov/Dec 2009
Here in Israel, many people have no peace. Not only are we the victims of shootings and terrorism, but we are surrounded by countries that want nothing more than to destroy…
The Carols of Christmas
Many of us love the strains of the old, familiar songs of Christmas. And you may love them even more after you learn the fascinating stories behind them.
What Christmas is All About
Is there anyone who can tell me what is Christmas all about?” asks a beloved cartoon character. His friend quickly recites from Luke’s Gospel: “For there is born to you this day in the city…
Zvi Nov/Dec 2006
Living in Israel, we know what it means to fight for our lives. For 2,000 years my people dreamed of returning to Eretz Yisrael; and in the 1948 War of Independence, God answered our prayers…
Zvi Sep/Oct 2006
As we approach the great High Holiday of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, I like to go to the ultra-Orthodox section of Jerusalem to speak to the people there. As one who believes…
Zvi Jul/Aug 2006
I have lived in Israel 58 years now. And in Jerusalem, particularly in the ultra-Orthodox quarter, men do not speak with women or girls. Men must speak with men, and women with women, especially when…
Sixty Years From Now
While rummaging through some photos recently, I ran across a picture of the Corrie ten Boom tree of honor at the upper end of the Street of Righteous Gentiles at the Yad Vashem Holocaust…
Zvi May/Jun 2006
Many years ago new immigrants moved into our neighborhood in Jerusalem. One family in particular became special to us because they spoke about the faith. Yet they did not like people who believed…
Remarkable Rescuers
When the Nazis systematically exterminated 6 million Jews during World War II, not everyone stood by and watched. The State of Israel’s Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem, Yad Vashem, has recognized the efforts…
From Bill Sutter’s Desk Jan/Feb 2006
I was approaching the microphone to introduce Walid Shoebat as our prophecy conference speaker recently when a thought raced into my mind: The grace of God is a miracle! But for the grace…
Zvi Jan/Feb 2006
From time to time I go to the Orthodox to bring them the good news of the Lord. With them, you cannot finish a conversation in a few minutes. They are suspicious…
What’s So Special About Christmas?
When it comes to the holidays, and I’m asked to name a favorite, it’s not difficult. Thanksgiving is the day. It’s a time when the air is crisp and clear…
Zvi Nov/Dec 2005
This time of year Christians think about the birth of the Messiah. We know what the Bible teaches, and we understand who He is. But in Israel there is great confusion about the Messiah.
Zvi Sep/Oct 2005
In Deuteronomy 31 it is written, “Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lᴏʀᴅ your God, He is the One who goes with you.
From Bill Sutter’s Desk Jul/Aug 2005
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you. Peace be within your walls, prosperity within your palaces” (Ps. 122:6–7). Jerusalem. The very word stirs the hearts of Jews and Christians alike.
Zvi Jul/Aug 2005
It is written in Deuteronomy, “You shall not pervert justice;…You shall follow what is altogether just” (16:19–20). What organization on Earth should be the best example of this command? The biggest organization: the United Nations…
Zvi May/Jun 2005
Not long ago I got together with some of the men I served with in the army. We first met 56 years ago when we were young. And we served together in all of Israel’s…
From Bill Sutter’s Desk Mar/Apr 2005
Joyce Shoff found herself in a quandary. perhaps it’s one that is familiar to you too. She had a God-given love for the Jewish people and believed He wanted her to reach out to them…
Zvi Mar/Apr 2005
In Proverbs 13:3 it is written, “He who guards his mouth preserves his life, but he who opens wide his lips shall have destruction.” Today so many people curse at one another.
From Bill Sutter’s Desk Jan/Feb 2005
As services at the Jerusalem Assembly in Israel came to a close recently, I realized that those of us in attendance had witnessed the compelling truth of Galatians 3:28: There is neither Jew nor Greek…
Perfect Injustice: Jesus’ Trial Before Pilate
It was early in the day. Yet Governor Pontius Pilate, the Roman prefect, was already facing a busy docket. He really didn’t want to be bothered with the political intrigues of the Jewish high priest…
Zvi Jan/Feb 2005
Wherever you go in Jerusalem these days, you see many pictures of the late Rabbi Menachem Mendel schneerson of New York City, who led the lubavitch movement of Hasidic (ultra-Orthodox) Judaism for forty-four years.
The Greatest Gift
Tis the season to fight your way through crowded malls, spend every dime you have, and max out your credit cards trying to buy gifts for those you love…
Zvi Nov/Dec 2004
Here in Israel, one of the best places to meet people is at the clinic. They all sit around, waiting their turns to see the doctor; and…
From Bill Sutter’s Desk Sep/Oct 2004
Thus reads the headline on the brochure from Volunteers for Israel (VFI). Since VFI’s inception in 1982, more than a hundred thousand people from thirty countries have volunteered their time and energy to immerse themselves…
Zvi Sep/Oct 2004
But to my regret, this is not so. From time to time I visit the ultra-Orthodox at their synagogues, which they call “holy of holy.” But when I arrive there, even though I am Jewish…
From Bill Sutter’s Desk Jul/Aug 2004
The release of The Passion of the Christ earlier this year evoked much discussion and controversy within both Christian and Jewish communities. For the most part, Christians responded to the representation of Christ’s suffering…
Zvi Jul/Aug 2004
Everyone talks about the “road map” to peace. They say, “Peace, peace; when there is no peace” (Jer. 6:14). And there will be no peace until the Prince of Peace comes.
From Terrorist to Zionist
Bethlehem-born Walid Shoebat detested Jews. Not that he had ever spoken to one. But he had been so well indoctrinated with…
Zvi May/Jun 2004
Psalm 81 is a nice chapter in the Word of God. It begins, “Sing aloud unto God, our strength; make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob” (v. 1). Unfortunately, many of the people who…
Zvi Mar/Apr 2004
Not long ago I received a nice visit in our home from four men who considered themselves extremely pious. They believed they were fighting for justice and righteousness; and wherever they went…
Zvi Jan/Feb 2004
History has shown us that where there is no faith there is hate. So it was with Hitler when the Nazis in Germany sang, “Today Germany belongs to us. Tomorrow, the world.” Then came Saddam Hussein….
Zvi Nov/Dec 2003
As it is written in Ecclesiastes 11:1, “Cast thy bread upon the waters; for thou shalt find it after many days.” So it has been with me. Before I was married, I worked in a joinery…
Zvi Sep/Oct 2003
We are again approaching Yom Kippur, this most solemn of days, when people ask the Lord to forgive their sins. And what is more, they are so sure that when they come with their “sacrifices,” their sins…
Never Forget
From Masada to YadVashem to Arlington National Cemetery is a long road indeed. But how much has really changed? Less than you would think.
Zvi Jul/Aug 2003
The ninth day of the month of Av is drawing near (August 7). So the people of Israel come to the Western (Wailing) Wall, weeping night and day and reading the book of Lamentations, asking…
Zvi May/Jun 2003
When the weather is nice, many people come out on the streets; and we have nice conversations. In fact, you can meet people here from all over the world and hear many different languages spoken. Before…
Zvi Mar/Apr 2003
Despite all that is happening, people still come to Israel. Why? Because Israel is like an electromagnet, drawing people from all over.
Zvi Nov/Dec 2002
Where there is no faith, there is the tendency to hate. We see this every day as Arabs volunteer to become suicide bombers. And they wait eagerly to be called to do so. Those…
From Bill Sutter’s Desk Sep/Oct 2002
We are excited about the changes taking place on the Philadelphia Biblical University (PBU) campus for the incoming class at our Institute of Jewish Studies (IJS). These students will be the first to occupy…
Zvi Sep/Oct 2002
In Psalm 94 it is written, “O God, to whom vengeance belongeth, show thyself. . . . How long shall the wicked triumph?” (vv. 1, 3). Each day the situation in Israel brings more grief…
Zvi Jul/Aug 2002
I was riding home on the bus recently, and an ultra-Orthodox man was seated next to me, reading from the book of Psalms. He was reading chapter 96, the same chapter we had read…
Zvi May/Jun 2002
We live in a time when the eyes of all the world are looking on us. The Lord has chosen us, saying, “Yet now hear, O Jacob, my servant; and Israel, whom I have chosen…
Zvi Mar/Apr 2002
On March 28 our holiday of Passover, or Pesach in Hebrew, will begin. It is a holiday that celebrates our redemption from slavery in Egypt. But more important, Pesach teaches of our redemption from sin…
Zvi Jan/Feb 2002
First, I wish to express my sorrow to the many families who are suffering because of what happened in America on September 11. It was a terrible tragedy. We are familiar with tragedy in Israel…
Peace–Present and Promised
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men (Lk. 2:13–14).
Zvi Nov/Dec 2001
Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way, when ye were come forth out of Egypt; How he met thee by the way, and smote those behind thee, even all that were feeble behind…
Zvi Sep/Oct 2001
Almost every Jewish home here has a mezuzah nailed to the right doorpost of the front door. A mezuzah is a small receptacle that contains a piece of parchment on which is written Deuteronomy 6:4–9.
Zvi Jul/Aug 2001
The first time I received a Bible, I knew nothing about faith, especially about faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. It was 1948, during the War of Independence here in Israel.
The Friends of Israel Medical Clinic in Argentina
Alfredo Espinoza awoke one morning, dressed, and went to the medical clinic in Buenos Aires. The next time he saw his home was almost three weeks later. His family visited him and brought him food…
Zvi May/Jun 2001
The world has so many big countries. Russia has 6.6 million square miles of land; Canada has 3.8 million. Even Jordan has 57,354 square miles of land. We have only 7,850 square miles.
Zvi Mar/Apr 2001
Many people here live with horrifying memories of the Holocaust. They came here to find peace. But with the unrest in Israel today, the terrible fear they lived with in Europe has returned to them.
Zvi Jan/Feb 2001
We have a saying in Israel: Curses, like chickens, come home to roost. But a curse cannot rest where a blessing has been pronounced. Many rabbis today are making new laws, and they claim these…
Zvi Oct/Nov 2000
Many people come here to Jerusalem every year. As it is written in Isaiah 2:3, “for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.”
Zvi Aug/Sep 2000
The days are fast approaching when Jewish people all over the world will come to the synagogues for the holy day of Yom Kippur. Before this great Day of Atonement, many Orthodox people cluster around…
Zvi Jun/Jul 2000
Here in Israel, there is a new surprise every day. But never was I as surprised as I was recently when I took my wife to the hospital on the bus—and I have lived here…