An angel appeared to Mary; three times an angel spoke to Joseph and angels communicated the message of Jesus’ birth to the shepherds. Obviously, these heavenly beings did not disappear after the first century! Even those of us who have never seen an angel most probably have been helped by them since they are “ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation” (Hebrews 1:14).
There was a time when those who believed in angels were thought of as misguided souls who existed on the fringe of society. …
I remember as a child shaking the Christmas gifts under the tree trying to imagine what might be inside. And now, as a father and more recently a grandfather, I enjoy watching the children take their turns guessing what is in the packages and then unwrapping their gifts with abandon.
Of course, not everyone shares such happy memories. Sometimes at a Christmas party, I’ll ask others to share their most memorable Christmas, whether happy or sad. I’ve heard delightful stories of unexpected reunions, idyllic settings, and generous gifts. I’ve also heard stories of deep hurt, …
“Stores Face Credit Crisis” read a headline in USA Today. The article went on to explain that struggling retailers will have to borrow money to purchase inventory for the Christmas season; but they might not be able to get the loans they need. Thanks to a jittery economy, many retailers will simply find it difficult, if not impossible, to survive the Christmas season even though this is the time of year they should be thriving.
The same financial challenges will also be experienced by their customers who are purchasing the goods. Given the recent …
There will be no Christmas Celebrations in Turkey, this year!
Rebecca and I visited Turkey (Asia Minor) this summer, where Paul spent most of his time planting churches. It is also where the famous Seven Churches of Revelation existed, which his why we toured the country, and when we visited all seven of these sites, we were dismayed at what we saw.
The Seven Churches of Asia Minor no longer exist. I am not talking about church buildings—I’m talking about congregations, the fact that there is no visible Christian presence of any kind in these …
Political correctness is destroying both Europe and America!
In 2000, my wife Rebecca and I had the privilege of enjoying the Passion Play in Germany. Recently we returned for this summer’s repeat performance. The Passion Play has been performed in Oberammergau since 1633, when the residents promised to put on a play about Jesus every 10 years if God would rid them of the plague. The plague ended, and their promise has been kept. Today the famous play attracts visitors from all over the world.
But there is a problem. The directors of the play have bowed to political correctness …
And so it was that with his hand on Lincoln’s Bible, our new president was sworn in to hold the most powerful office in the world. He assumes the presidency with a soaring approval rating and with the expectation that he will begin a new and significant chapter in American history. Back in 1963 Martin Luther King made his famous “I have a dream” speech to a large crowd on the Washington Mall never thinking that forty-five years later an African American would assume the presidency. No matter …
In May 2009, it was my privilege to be in Hungary with the European Leadership Forum, an organization dedicated to strengthening the Gospel witness in Europe. Evangelical scholars from various disciplines gathered to teach and train about 400 church leaders how to live out their faith in a secular world. I also taught a few seminars, but I benefited from those days much more than I contributed.
You must understand that Europe is very secular, very self-assured, and, for the most part, very opposed to the Gospel. These countries that have been influenced by …
I have a friend whose parents believed that if they bought life insurance, they would die the next day. They had a fatalistic attitude: prepare for death and you will die imminently; don’t prepare and you will live a long healthy life. The result of their philosophy was predictable: when they died, their children had no insurance money to cover the funeral. I’ve seen this attitude many times in my years of ministry, and later in this newsletter, I’ve chosen to give some Christian advice about death, dying and funerals to help others overcome it.
Imagine, if you will, a highway that connects Baghdad with Cairo and Jerusalem; a highway without tolls and borders! Imagine Israel leading the world in religious observance, without rivalry from any nation on earth. People could spend their money on personal and social projects, without a dime going toward defense!
A dream, you say? No, not a dream, but a future reality predicted by Isaiah the prophet. As you read his predictions, keep in mind that much of present-day Iraq is the ancient land of Assyria: “In that day there will be a highway from Egypt …
Sharing the Free Gift that Matters this Christmas… and a story to encourage you
“We don’t have gifts here. We have no money and there is nothing to buy in the stores. The best we can do is get together for a meal and sing carols—and make sure that the neighbors don’t hear us.”
How different Christmas is for my friend Victor Krutkow, whom Rebecca and I visited in Belarus several years ago! But in many countries of the world, whole populations will neither give nor receive Christmas presents.
Many Americans will also not give gifts this year—for lack of …
