by Martyn Iles A few years ago, I was helping a group of teenagers with some tutoring sessions. They would ask about everything, from English essays to science projects. As this practice grew, I wondered how we might make the best use of our time. So one evening I asked them, “What do you need help with the most?” After a long pause, one of them suddenly lit up as if she’d had the best idea of her life. That’s
People often challenge biblical (young-earth) creationists with comments along the lines of, “I don’t believe evolution, but couldn’t God have taken billions of years to create?” Some claim that an emphasis on six literal days, 6,000 years ago even keeps people away from the faith, so why do we focus on something that is not a salvation issue? It is not the timescale in and of itself that is the important issue, but whether the Bible actually means what it
Benjamin Netanyahu and the Middle East Because the relationship between Israel and the United States has become so secure during the first two years of President Donald Trump’s administration, it’s sometimes easy to overlook the fact that much of the world still opposes the tiny Middle Eastern democracy. Because of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s steady, strong, and conservative leadership of Israel, we take for granted that everything is stable within our closest ally’s borders. Not so. For the first time
Climate Change Summit – A Moral crisis? Last week, 4,000 participants from 140 nations gathered in Dubai for the annual World Government Summit. The 2019 Summit focused on “climate change.” That’s the refurbished name for “global warming.” I suppose they felt they needed to refocus the name for the crisis when the winters started getting colder and the amount of arctic ice started increasing. One of the featured speakers was the actor, Harrison Ford. I’m not certain whether it’s his
November saw two major earthquakes in the world. One was felt, the other wasn’t. A powerful 7.0 quake struck near Anchorage, Alaska, last week. In the three days following the earthquake, there were more than 1,800 aftershocks. Fortunately, it did not strike the city directly and it was centered more than 25 miles beneath the earth’s surface. There was no loss of life, but the images of the damage are breathtaking. But another, far stranger earthquake also took place in
Just over two months ago, the world watched as the United States opened its embassy in the city of Jerusalem. President Donald Trump was not only fulfilling a campaign promise, but he was, according to him, simply recognizing reality. Jerusalem is and has always been the capital of Israel. […] The ancient Bible prophets foretold that Jerusalem will become the focal point of the world. It is. We know the nations of the world will one day gather against it.
It seems like recently we reel from one tragedy to the next. We barely have time to collect our breath before we get the next “breaking news” alert on our cell phones that something else unthinkable has happened. Here in the United States, high-profile deadly incidents have come fast and furiously lately — and we usually never hear about the smaller ones. Just this year, Fort Lauderdale, Alexandria, Charlottesville, Antioch, Las Vegas, New York, and now Sutherland Springs. Each one
I describe Character as the only thing that goes in the casket with you. It’s the only thing that you take with you to the hereafter…. Character is returning extra change at the grocery store. Character is keeping appointments and being on time, honoring your commitments and honoring your word. Character is choosing the harder right instead of the easier wrong. Character is setting priorities that honor God, family, country, and then career….Character in marriage is working through the tough
Members of President Donald Trump’s cabinet are gathering for prayer weekly. Vice President Mike Pence and eight cabinet secretaries sponsor the sessions, which occur weekly in Washington. It’s led by the founder of Capitol Ministries, Ralph Drollinger, who started working on arranging the Bible study during the Trump team’s transition to the White House. Sponsors include Vice President Pence; Secretaries Betsy DeVos, Ben Carson, Sonny Perdue, Rick Perry, Tom Price and Jeff Sessions; EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt and CIA Director
A few months ago, “experts” predicted the North Koreans were four years away from building an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) capable of striking the U.S. mainland. On July 4, North Korea tested an ICBM that could reach Alaska or Hawaii, but not the mainland USA. There was some concern among the national security experts, but not alarm. After all, it was only Alaska and Hawaii. And maybe Seattle and Portland. And still three or four years to go before the
