November/December 2013

Inside View Nov/Dec 2013

Every time I visit Israel, I see the modern miracle of the Jewish people. No other nation has ever been exiled and returned to its homeland to become a nation again. First the Jewish people returned…

Map of the Middle East.

Eye on the Middle East Nov/Dec 2013

It was merely a handshake. But it was no ordinary handshake. It was one of a kind, seen by millions around the world. It was proclaimed as the event that sealed the deal that would alter the…

Silhouette of man speaking.

It Is About Religion

The day held a unique significance for Egyptian President Anwar Sadat as he sat in a reviewing stand accompanied by a host of political, military, and visiting international dignitaries. It was…

They Cry in Silence Nov/Dec 2013

U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) probably should have read Proverbs 17:28 before telling the world via Fox News in September that Muslims who shout “Allahu Akbar!” are no different from Christians…

Who Weeps for the Children?

It was a rather strange occurrence. The church was filled to capacity night after night to listen to Dr. J. Sidlow Baxter, one of the last great pulpit orators to have settled in the United States from…

The Biblical Bottom Line

I was watching a television talk show one evening that centered on a discussion between the host, a well-known skeptic, and a spokesman for the “evangelical” left. Political and social issues…

Shout, O Israel! God Loves You!

They are a minority. They always have been a minority. Moses, their first national leader, described them as “the least of all peoples” (Dt. 7:7); and that assessment remains true today…

Messiah

As we teach the Bible, we’re always surprised to learn how many people don’t realize that Jesus’ name is not “Jesus Christ.” The word Christ is English for the Greek word Christós.

If That Isn’t Love

It doesn’t take long for people to realize how much I love my little dog, Herbie. If I could, I’d take him with me everywhere. Herbie helped me understand how difficult it is for families to lose…

While We Were Still Sinners

I will never forget the day I visited the infamous Dandora Dump on the outskirts of Nairobi, Kenya. The stench overwhelmed me as I witnessed young children scouring smoking mountains of toxic…

The Greatest Gift of All

I still can’t believe I overslept on Christmas morning. I can’t believe any 8-year-old would oversleep on Christmas morning. I saw my father sitting near the Christmas tree, beaming with anticipation.

Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh

In 1857 Rev. John Henry Hopkins, Jr., popularized the wise men who brought their gifts to Jesus when he composed the well-known carol “We Three Kings of Orient Are” for a Christmas pageant…

We Beheld His Glory

At Christmas we celebrate what may be the single most remarkable and mysterious event in all of history—the incarnation of Jesus Christ. God sent his Son to be born of a virgin, that He…

The Love of God is Greater Far

In 1096 in the city of Worms, Germany, Rabbi Meir Ben Isaac Nehorai composed a lengthy poem, Hadamut, extolling God. Tragically, that same year the Crusaders came to the city and murdered…

How Much is ‘So’?

Psalm 103:11 is a marvel to meditate: “For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him.” Many people have expounded on this verse to show…

The Test of Knowing God

1 John 2:3–11: It is easy for someone to say, “I know God”; but what does that really mean? First John 2:3–11 provides three tests or evidences of what it means to know God and be in…

The Grace of God Part Seven

In Acts 20:24 the apostle Paul referred to his purpose in life: “that I may finish my race with joy.” The Greek word translated finish means “to fulfill” or to carry out “a required course in…

Israel in the News Nov/Dec 2013

Recent excavations near the southern wall of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem have unearthed a literal treasure trove, again confirming an ancient Jewish presence in the city. Led by archaeologist…

Zvi Nov/Dec 2013

On Friday nights, when Shabbat begins, many people go into the Old City of Jerusalem to pray at the Kotel, the Western Wall. Some seem to spend most of their lives there because they believe God hears them better when they are close to where the Temple once stood.