These days we are constantly being asked to identify our enemies and stand up against them. That is the way of the world, not the way of Jesus. The Jews were expecting their enemies to be vanquished by the Messiah, yet Jesus offered the way of reconciliation through self-giving love. We must follow Jesus.
Every December the world pauses, some willingly, some wearily, to tell the story that divided history in two. We call it Christmas, but heaven called it rescue day.
IC-814, the longest hijacking in aviation history, has a little-known miraculous Christmas story. Fredrick James, a follower of Jesus, was on the flight. When a church in New Delhi heard of the hijack they went to prayer. An intercessor friend of James also held vigil. This is the dramatic "behind the scenes" story of how God answered.
Making room for Jesus during the Christmas season is the most important thing we can do. During Advent and the Christmas holidays, slow down enough to breathe deeply, remember who we are, and stay connected to our spouse, we move in alignment with the pace at which God created us to live.
Christian, Islamic, and secular/atheistic perspectives and politics have shaped recent world history more than any other international movement. All three have produced widespread forms of antisemitism that have repeatedly intermingled, threatening the human rights of Jewish people. It is important that Christians understand the roots of antisemitism and resist it as an evil and an affront to God.
Two sharply contrasting views of Europe surfaced last week, one from Washington, the other from Brussels. These two visions imply very different futures for Europe and the wider world. We could be headed for an unwelcome geopolitical situation that will polarize the world into a values bloc and a power bloc.
What are we to make of children who profess faith in Jesus? Does it mean they are saved? Evidence from scripture supports the idea that we should present the gospel to young children, invite them to trust in Jesus, and accept their expression of faith.
At Christmas people are looking for connection. No more so than families with an incarcerated parent. It doesn’t cost much to give a gift, extend an invitation to church, or offer friendship. Such things can be a lifeline, and Prison Fellowship Angel Tree can help you provide it.
Every year Christmas seems to arrive faster, like a train thundering into the station before we’ve even packed our bags. We rush, we shop, we scroll and then sigh, "Did I really encounter Christ this Christmas?" That’s why we have Advent.
When a woman in a small village in southern Mexico heard verses from the New Testament in her language for the first time, she asked in amazement, “Does God understand Otomí?” The answer is yes, but millions of people in about 550 languages still do not know it.
Technology gives us unprecedented ways to collaborate as the global Church but it takes intentionality to use it for Kingdom purposes. During global Bible month the CEO of YouVersion Bible, with over 1 billion installs, notes that people walking closely with Jesus and investing in authentic relationships are what transforms the world.
Humans have a natural propensity to being judgmental. It is related to the knowledge of good and evil that we acquired. Is there a difference between judging and judgment? Yes there is, and its important that we explore it.
