From the Editor Mar/Apr 2021
When I became a Christian, I didn’t know much about Christianity. I didn’t know the New Testament or doctrine or what God expected of me as a believer. All I knew was that I finally understood Jesus was truly God and the Messiah of Israel who loved me so much He became the final sacrifice for my sin—and I loved Him.
A few weeks after I got saved, I was invited to a Bible study. Approximately 30 women sat in a circle discussing their “witnessing” experiences before the lesson began. Oh man, I thought. I don’t have a clue what they’re talking about. The former newspaper reporter in me instantly rose to the surface, and I started to ask questions. “What does witnessing mean?”
All eyes turned in my direction. They knew they had a live one! The teacher explained it means sharing your faith with others, telling them what you’ve experienced. “Oh,” I replied. “That makes sense. And when you have a number followed by a colon followed by another number, what does that mean?”
Yep. I knew nothing. “That,” she said, “is the chapter of the book of the Bible, followed by the verse.” I’d like to think I’ve come a long way in 40 years as a believer. But I certainly have not arrived. The Christian life is one of constant growth. God is in the process of conforming us to the image of His Son, and that journey takes us a lifetime.
God’s Word tells us what He expects from us: to read our Bibles, obey Him, pray without ceasing, yield to the control of the Holy Spirit, love one another, bear fruit for Him, tell others about Him, and be unified with our brethren—among other things.
This world is not our home. If we live by God’s values, we see that truth becoming clearer every day. The world is growing spiritually darker, which is why anti-Semitism and anti-Christian sentiment are growing stronger. These are the last days. How shall we then live? First Peter 4:7–11 has some answers, and they are the subject of this issue of Israel My Glory. We hope you enjoy it.
This issue also contains a special treat: an article by our former executive director, Elwood McQuaid, on page 24. And don’t forget to check out our new feature, “The Friends of Israel in Action” on page 10, where you can read about some of our exciting ministries around the world.
Have a blessed and happy Easter from all of us at The Friends of Israel!
Waiting for His Appearing,
Lorna Simcox
Editor-in-Chief
when will receive my first magazine.