The Friends of Israel in Action Jan/Feb 2025
Ed Kohl, an award-winning Jewish author from Detroit, Michigan, has long been a prominent advocate for Israel…
CHRISTIAN LIVING
Why Should I Study the Book of Revelation?
The book of Revelation sparks widespread reactions. On the one hand, like a magnet, it draws readers seeking to…
The Path to Peace
Everyone faces discouragement. The Jewish patriarch Moses became so discouraged with the Israelites’ complaints for meat in the wilderness that he said…
The Wedding Dress
In 2017, tennis legend Serena Williams drew headlines when she reportedly paid $3.5 million for her wedding dress.1 As of 2023, a wedding gown costs…
Apples of Gold Jan/Feb 2025
From time to time, I enjoy long discussions with my Arab neighbors. They often speak to me hatefully. But we who believe in the Lord cannot respond with hate…
The Friends of Israel in Action Nov/Dec 2024
While war causes everyone caught in its throes to suffer, our actions in times of darkness reveal our character…
Answering the Call
Two millennia ago, God sent His Son, Jesus, on a mission of redemption that Jesus successfully completed on the cross at Calvary…
Did Jesus Promise to Do Whatever Christians Ask?
Many people misinterpret Jesus’ statements concerning His promise to do…
The Death of John the Baptist
The wine flowed freely throughout the lavish banquet hall. The occasion was the pagan birthday celebration of Herod Antipas…
The Legion of Martyrs
In the year AD 286, the elite Theban Roman legion of more than 6,600 Egyptian youths was dispatched to Gaul for action. The amazing fact about this…
Steadfast in Unity
We live in a changing, decaying, unraveling world. A general increase in lawlessness and crime, government regulations, high taxes, poor education, and a…
Learning to Get Out of God’s Way
After the children of Israel crossed over the Jordan River on dry ground, the Lord directed Joshua to enlist 12 men, one from…
Apples of Gold Nov/Dec 2024
Christmas is coming soon. So, many of the ultra-Orthodox tell me, “Have a great birthday!” They mean to insult me because they know I believe in Christ…
The Friends of Israel in Action Sep/Oct 2024
In the heart of Seattle’s bustling Pike Place Market, a moment of profound dialogue and revelation recently unfolded..
Safeguarding God’s Ancient Landmark
Not many know his name today, but Russell Kirk was a 20th-century American author, historian, thinker, and advocate of…
The Christian’s Walk
The writers of Scripture often used the word walk to describe the Christian’s conduct or manner of life. The apostle Paul instructed Christians to…
Are You Blessing the World?
In October 2000, two Israel Defense Forces reservists accidentally entered the Palestinian city of Ramallah…
Apples of Gold Sep/Oct 2024
I recently had an encounter that was hard even for me to believe. But as we say here in Israel, “When God wills it, anything is possible…
The Friends of Israel in Action Jul/Aug 2024
A few years ago, a young man named Dima traveled from Belarus to Poland to study at a university in Warsaw…
It Pays to Talk to the Right Person
You may recall my mother, the five-star kvetch, from the previous issue of Israel My Glory. She perfected the art…
Elwood McQuaid: In Loving Memory
For each generation, the Lord raises up the right leader for the times. That was certainly true of Elwood McQuaid…
One Thing I Do
Professional athletes devote their lives to the pursuit of a prize. They focus all their efforts on reaching their goals, putting aside all distractions…
Giving Thanks for the Unseen
Young children’s prayers are often sweet and simple. Many of us spoke such prayers during our own childhoods…
Apples of Gold Jul/Aug 2024
Many elderly people in Israel go door to door collecting money for blind children. Recently, I heard a knock on my door. When I opened it, two kind, elderly, ultra-Orthodox men…
The Friends of Israel in Action May/Jun 2024
In November, as one of the final phases of our Friends of Israel (FOI) Equip internship program, five FOI interns…
Conquering our Kvetching
My beloved mother was a five-star kvetch. This Yiddish term describes a habitual complainer—and my mother was…
Paul’s Testimony
Contending for the faith is not easy. It’s an unpopular, perilous, thankless job. It is more pleasant to be an appeaser than an opposer…
When the Walk Becomes a Crawl
Who among us hasn’t experienced both the mountaintops and gullies of life? Sometimes we know unspeakable joy, and other…
Apples of Gold May/Jun 2024
My Arab neighbors often come to my home to speak about spiritual matters. When they cannot answer my questions, they tell me they will…
The Friends of Israel in Action Mar/Apr 2024
Every day, The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry’s (FOI’s) field representatives actively develop relationships…
Why Do You Love Israel?
Picture this: A Jewish man who has embraced Jesus as his Messiah waves the flag of Israel and sings…
I’m Forgiven—Now What?
If you have placed your faith in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, you may be wondering about the practical implications…
Words of Warning
Life is full of warnings. The Internet, TV, and billboards bombard us regularly with warnings, telling us what to think, believe, and do…
Protecting Ourselves from the Enemy
I directed a pro-life crisis pregnancy center for several years. My staff members and I began each morning by…
Apples of Gold Mar/Apr 2024
Though we seek peace with our neighbors, we know it will not come easily. They call themselves righteous Jews while they tell me to keep quiet…
The Friends of Israel in Action Jan/Feb 2024
If you’re interested in volunteering with The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry (FOI), we now offer an outstanding program…
The Sweet Psalmist of Israel
Imagine an aging, frail King David (1 Ki. 1:1) reflecting back on his life—his mind flooded with moments of joy and sadness…
Paul’s Partners
The apostle Paul personally discipled several committed men who partnered with him in spreading the gospel. Most of them came to salvation in Christ during…
Faith Check
Every January 1, gym memberships, health foods, self-improvement plans, time-scheduling charts, and Bible-reading programs are in popular demand…
Apples of Gold Jan/Feb 2024
This week I went to the hospital for a doctor’s appointment. While there, I saw some of the hospital workers who remembered what I had shared…
The Friends of Israel in Action Nov/Dec 2023
The beautiful island country of New Zealand features lush volcanic hillsides, scenic mountain passes, hospitable people…
Holiness Today: The New Administration
God chose Israel to be a holy nation. He told the Israelites, “You shall be holy to Me, for I the LORD am holy…
Patterning Christlikeness
Many godly men and women in the Bible serve as examples for us of how to live for Christ. They trusted God’s…
The Beauty of Gratitude
My son Brian received his first pair of eyeglasses when he was 11 years old. As he tentatively tried them on…
Apples of Gold Nov/Dec 2023
Many immigrants live in the neighborhoods around us. Most of them have come from Russia. When we celebrated the Feast of Hanukkah recently…
Inside View Sep/Oct 2023
Recently, I have had trouble seeing clearly. My doctor attributes my struggles with vision to advancing cataracts, which must be removed…
The Friends of Israel in Action Sep/Oct 2023
From a rabbi dressed as Spider-Man to an Elvis impersonator at an Israeli wedding, some interesting characters have…
The Mind of Christ
In Philippians 2:3–4, Paul admonished Christians to live in spiritual unity with one another. Nothing was to be done within the church through selfish ambition…
The Help of His Countenance
A 5-year-old girl was enjoying a picnic with her family one day when she noticed a cluster of older girls yelling nearby.
Apples of Gold Sep/Oct 2023
People from nations all over the world come to visit Israel. It is written in Isaiah 34:1, “Come near, you nations, to hear” and in Isaiah 49:6…
The Friends of Israel in Action Jul/Aug 2023
This past winter was one of intense hardship for civilians in Ukraine. As the war between Ukraine and Russia has raged on…
Spiritual Unity
The 6th-century BC Greek storyteller Aesop, whose oral tales compose the famous Aesop’s Fables, has been credited with the origin of the…
Under the Shelter of His Wings
“You’ve got cancer.” The doctor’s words felt like a sucker punch. Surely he must have gotten my lab results mixed up…
Apples of Gold Jul/Aug 2023
The ultra-Orthodox often find new ways to attract new followers. Recently, they hosted a big, public meeting with a well-known rabbi. Like many rabbis, he felt he could convince…
The Friends of Israel in Action May/Jun 2023
We often hear the same questions asked at our Friends of Israel (FOI) prophecy conferences…
Doing the Right Thing
Within hours of Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin’s midgame cardiac arrest in January, sports writers, reporters, and analysts around the country prefaced their remarks with…
To Live is Christ
An old martyr once told his executioners, “You take a life from me that I cannot keep and bestow a life upon me that I cannot lose…”
Looking for Faith in All the Wrong Faces
If you were to ask me if I believe in the prosperity gospel, I would answer unequivocally, “No, of course not!”…
Apples of Gold May/Jun 2023
We live very close to our Arab neighbors, so we see each other almost every day. A few months ago I had a long conversation with some of them…
Inside View Mar/Apr 2023
At our farewell dinner for our Up to Jerusalem tour to Israel in October, I was touched by the comments of our Israeli guide. We honored him for skillfully leading…
Growing a Global Love for Israel
Last December the Israeli Government Press Office (GPO) invited me to the sixth annual Christian Media Summit…
The Friends of Israel in Action Mar/Apr 2023
Halina Ostik, who fought in the Polish Resistance during World War II, smuggled Bibles into the country under the…
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…
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…
How Do You Spell “Love”?
The “Joy” ship—what a misnomer! I thought. I had reluctantly returned to my unfittingly named Norwegian cruise ship…
Don’t Get Too Comfortable!
If we knew years ago what the world would look like today, we probably wouldn’t have signed up for what we face now…
Apples of Gold Mar/Apr 2023
It is written in Jeremiah 6:14, “‘Peace, peace!’ when there is no peace.” It is also written, “I will give you assured peace in this place” (14:13)…
The Friends of Israel in Action Jan/Feb 2023
We enter 2023 thanking God that more than 90 people have graduated from our Friends of Israel (FOI) Bridges program…
Finishing Without Regrets
When the apostle Paul sat in a cold, dark Roman prison, he chose his final words carefully as he took inventory of his life…
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…
Aidan’s Crucible
I barely recognized him. My grandson was no longer the 19-year-old kid I knew. He had lost weight and was lean, angular, and fit and carried himself with confidence…
Apples of Gold Jan/Feb 2023
The ultra-Orthodox are always looking for 10 men to form a minyan, a quorum necessary for synagogue prayer. So I wait outside the synagogue, watching them call people…
From the Editor Nov/Dec 2022
Christmas is around the corner. ’Tis the season for almost every made-for-television movie to overload us with house-decorating, tree-lighting, cookie-baking, and…
The Friends of Israel in Action Nov/Dec 2022
Last spring, the Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) telephoned Tim Munger, a Church Ministries representative…
The Fallacy of Fictionalism
Scott Hershovitz is a philosophy professor and director of law and ethics at the University of Michigan…
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…
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…
Apples of Gold Nov/Dec 2022
Through God’s miracles, the Jewish people have survived; and now we live in the Promised Land. At this time of year, we enjoy celebrating Hanukkah…
My Threescore and Ten
Birthdays, like mile markers, disclose the distance traveled but not the distance remaining on our lives’ journeys…
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…
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…
Apples of Gold Sep/Oct 2022
We recently enjoyed a most important holiday—the feast of Simchat Torah, Hebrew for “rejoicing over the Law.” Many of the Orthodox dance in the synagogues…
Pointing Our Kids to Truth
The COVID-19 pandemic did more than shed light on the science of infectious diseases in the modern era…
The Friends of Israel in Action Jul/Aug 2022
College campuses are notorious for their hostility toward the things of God. Such animosity deters some people…
A Memorial and a Name
I recently ran across a Pew Research study that sought to discover what Americans know about the Holocaust…
Shalom! Welcome to First Friday!
On the first Friday of every month, something unusual takes place in Richmond, Virginia. It’s a Shabbat (Sabbath) service where…
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…
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…
Apples of Gold Jul/Aug 2022
There are many ultra-Orthodox organizations here in Israel. Each one is filled with people who want to show how faithfully they work against those…
The Friends of Israel in Action May/Jun 2022
Nobody has enjoyed COVID-19 lockdowns. But even when the government makes leaving home impossible, God can still take…
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…
Apples of Gold May/Jun 2022
People in Israel are always trying to find something new and interesting. For a long time, the ultra-Orthodox Jews promoted as messiah a man from New York City…
The Healing Substance of Serving
The evangelical church today is divided. Some parishioners contend the church isn’t “woke” enough—not alert enough…
The Friends of Israel in Action Mar/Apr 2022
The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry (FOI) has launched an exciting new work called Encounter to expose Christians to the…