Proof The Bible Is True

Heading to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in June had become an annual tradition for a group of camping friends and me. That’s the only time the species of firefly Photinus carolinus, the only known synchronous fireflies in the western hemisphere, puts on a not-to-be-missed show.   The darker the night, the more spectacular the experience. On this particular evening, we were in luck. The new moon was just a pale sliver in the eastern sky as my friends and I crossed the footbridge that leads across Jake’s Creek from Elkmont campground.     We made our way up [More]

If you’ve never read any of Harold Hills books (How To Live Like A Kings Kid, How To Be A Winner, How To Live In High Victory and others) then you’re in for a treat, if you have read them read them again as a refresher. Using examples from his own life experiences he shows how living like a kings kid can be bring blessings and deliverance by being a doer of the Word and not a hearer only. In his books, written in an easy reading and even humorous style, he brings to life Bible verses by showing how [More]

International (MNN) – “We believe prayer is powerful, prayer is effective, and that people’s prayers here in the United States make a difference in the lives of children around the world.”   Ask Matt Parker of Kids Alive International what he believes is vital to their ministry efforts in 15 countries around the world, and he’ll respond with one word: Prayer.   “We believe that it is God alone who transforms lives forever. And so we are committed as an organization to keeping Jesus Christ right at the heart of everything that we do – every children’s home that we run, [More]

Do you have an extra Bible you’re not using? How about a Bible study or maybe a book on spiritual growth you’ve just finished. That Bible, study and book are welcomed resources to thousands of people around the world. Here’s an opportunity to send your Bible or books as missionaries through Christian Resources International. Read More: Become a book missionary through Christian Resources International – Mission Network News

“Interesting survey. Later in the article the Pres. of Barna lists what he believes are the 6 tenets of this new moral code.”  Admin A major nationwide study has revealed that biblical morality in America is b eing escorted out of all facets of society, while a new moral code has been ushered in to take its place. Research recently conducted by the Barna Group surveying 1,000 participants across the nation shows that the broader culture in the United States is confused between the difference of right and wrong, with many Americans showing an increasing concern over the declining moral [More]

VOM’s Dr. Jason Peters recently shared stories of Christians facing Islamic extremists with Andrew Hess of ChurchLeader’s Podcast. They discussed the current state of persecution around the world, and specific ways that we can pray and support those who are experiencing persecution. Peters noted that in ISIS-controlled areas of the Middle East, Christians can “either convert to Islam or they can stand for Christ and lose everything they own, or maybe even their life.” When asked about the graphic photos and testimonies that often accompany persecution stories, Peters responded, “This is our family. We need to know their stories; we [More]

Have you ever received an encouraging note while you were going through a difficult time? It is refreshing to know that someone cares enough to send a card. Now you can write directly to families of Christian imprisoned for their faith to let them know they are not alone. Add your personal note to VOM’s new “Never Alone” cards, which include Genesis 39:20–21 in Arabic, Farsi and Chinese. VOM workers will then deliver these notes to the families of prisoners. The “Never Alone” cards are offered in sets of 25 or 100 at low cost. It’s a great project for [More]

When Pope Francis met with Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb on Monday, he told him that “our meeting is the message.” So precisely what kind of “message” was Pope Francis attempting to convey? Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb is the Grand Imam of Cairo’s Al-Azhar Mosque, and some have described him as “the highest figure in Sunni Islam.” The Daily Mail said that the meeting between these two men was a “historic bid to reopen dialogue between the two churches,” and as you will see below, this is yet another in a long series of attempts by Pope Francis to build bridges between Catholicism [More]

If they hate Jesus, they’ll hate you—and they certainly hate Jesus. I’m talking about the American Left and its unyielding war on Christianity. And so is my good friend Matt Barber. In his fiery new book, Hating Jesus: The American Left’s War on Christianity, Barber reveals how secular progressives are waging an unrelenting fight against Christianity in America. Perhaps more importantly, he explains how Christians can fight back. “Just a few short decades ago, a church-going man who publicly supported the right to life, backed laws protecting marriage and spoke freely of Christ’s love for fallen man would be universally [More]

When was the last time you heard a sermon about hell? Just think about that for a moment. Once upon a time in America, preachers all across the land regularly unleashed fiery sermons that directly confronted people with the reality of heaven and hell. But today, that has completely changed. In fact, there are some very well-known ministers in this country that purposely avoid ever using the word “hell” because it might offend someone. It turns out that “happy church” can be a very lucrative business model, and many people seem to love the “me first” prosperity gospel that has [More]

I was recently interviewed on The Rebel Media (starting around the 24:12 mark of this video). The following introduction is from The Rebel Media’s “Cultural Wars with Tiffany Gabbay”: Christians are the MOST persecuted people on earth: These stories will SHOCK you You won’t  see much mainstream media coverage or liberal celebrities raising awareness of this tragedy like they did with Darfur. We’re talking about Christians, the most persecuted group in the world. The Middle East is the cradle of Christianity, yet ancient Christian communities spanning from Iraq, Syria, Libya and beyond have been decimated by genocide and displacement. Secretary of State John [More]

Author of “Frequency,” Robert Morris says God communicates in many ways, and he will discuss how we learn to hear the voice of God.  cbn.com

By Philip Irvin “Irrelevant: Not related to or influencing the matter at hand.” This seems like a good word to describe it. The Washington State Human Rights Commission enacted a transgender bathroom law. It is so extreme that I, as an anatomical male with a full beard, am entitled to shower with your 7-year-old daughter at…

A part of Christian eschatology is the conviction and belief that evil will intensify in the last days (Cullmann, “Eschatology and Mission in the New Testament,” Theology and the Christian Mission, 46). This began at the Day of Pentecost when the church was born and continues until today. There have been times of relative peace and times of the intense manifestation of evil, but there is little doubt in the minds of many that the situation in the world is not getting better. It seems especially intense at the moment. The good news of the kingdom preached by Jesus came [More]

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, in a commencement speech to graduates of Hillsdale College, called for more action, more faith and more fights for freedom, asking them bluntly: If not you, then who? “I am of a different time,” he said, Mediaite reported. “Today there is much more focus on our rights as citizens and what…

“Duck Commander” Phil Robertson spoke with SiriusXM host Stephen K. Bannon on Breitbart News Daily on Wednesday, talking about Torchbearer, a forthcoming documentary on how America’s Founding Fathers understood that turning to God in obedient faith is essential to the United States—or any country—flourishing as a just, prosperous, and peaceful nation. Lamenting America’s turning its back on God and biblical truth, Robertson pronounced, “If you look around, the frustration you see coming out of America … is fundamentally being fueled because depravity has become mainstream. Murder is mainstream. We slaughter our own children. We prance around and parade our own [More]

“You can find his book on Amazon and other online book sellers.”  Admin Kenneth Bae has held the hand of God. The American Christian missionary — who spent over 700 days as a captive of the North Korean communist regime — says the Holy Spirit held his hand through an “interrogation” exercise. He saw “something sparkling like gold dust” before hearing the voice of God explain: “The Holy Spirit is holding your hand. You are not alone.” Bae’s new book, Not Forgotten, is a powerful and unique look at his time in North Korea, from his arrest over running a [More]

How does six-plus hours of Bible study on a Friday night sound to you? As someone who works at a ministry dedicated to serving persecuted Christians, the first time I heard of Secret Church, I assumed it was an underground church simulation. Maybe you’ve participated in something similar. You know – meeting in a “secret” location, under the cover of darkness, singing softly so “authorities” don’t hear, possibly getting “raided” by other church members dressed up in fatigues… that’s what I thought Secret Church was. And while those simulations are valuable to help us understand how Christians worshipped behind the [More]

Brother “Samuel” leads a media minibstry in Pakistan, reaching out to Muslims with the gospel of Christ. It isn’t always a popular message: Samuel has been threatened, his staff has been beaten and his office has been attacked. Charges under Pakistan’s blasphemy law are a constant threat. But God is at work! Muslims are accessing ministry resources and meeting Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Listen as Samuel shares the challenges of serving Christ in Pakistan—”anything can happen at any time”—and how he constantly re-commits himself and his family to the ministry that God has called them to, whatever the [More]

“I’m tired,” my son John complained, “And I have a bad headache.” “Have you had enough water to drink today?” I inquired. It’s my usual response, for I know (and my kids forget) that a lot of headaches and much of what feels like exhaustion comes from poor hydration. We don’t always feel thirsty; what we feel are the side effects of not having had enough fluids. As he went to get a glass of water, and then, surprised at how good that felt, drank another, I turned my attention back to reading my Psalms for the day. Next up [More]

My laptop ended up in the computer hospital this week. It’s never good when you tell your computer doctor what’s going on and he says, “I’ve never heard that before.” It sounds like such a simple thing to be without your computer for several days, but for someone who uses it for the family business and writes full-time, it’s major. I had to get creative to meet my obligations. My blog for Guideposts was due a few hours after my computer went haywire. As panic set in, I realized I could type the story in an email on my iPad mini. [More]

A U.S. missionary who was sentenced to fifteen years of hard labor in North Korea, and served in a labor camp for two years before ultimately being freed, is speaking out about his experience and how his missionary work was deemed a “threat” to the atheist government. “They (the prosecutors) said, ‘You attempted to overthrow the government through prayer and worship’ and they really took prayer as a weapon against them,” Kenneth Bae told CBS News this past week. “One of the prosecutors told me that I was the worst, most dangerous American criminal they had ever apprehended since the Korean War,” he recalled. [More]

Whether or not the United States is still a Christian nation has been debated by politicians and Christian leaders alike — from U.S. President Barack Obama to the Southern Baptists Convention’s (SBC) Dr. Russell Moore. “Whatever we once were, we’re no longer just a Christian nation,” Obama told CBN News while campaigning for the presidency in 2007. “We are also a Jewish nation, a Muslim nation, a Buddhist nation, a Hindu nation and a nation of nonbelievers.” Moore recently gave his own take on the issue, clarifying that the question can be asked and answered from two distinct standpoints. Read [More]

Semse Aydin’s husband, Necati, was one of three Christian men martyred for their faith and ministry in Turkey. The next day, on national TV in Turkey, Semse offered forgiveness to her husband’s killers, along with the widow of one of the other martyrs. Listen to VOM Radio this week as she shares how the Holy Spirit enabled her to forgive, and how God has sustained her and her two children since she gave Necati to Jesus. You’ll also hear how Necati dealt with family members who were still Muslims, and how he went to meet with his killers, even though [More]

One of the great privileges of my life is interviewing Christians who have faced persecution. To be able to sit down with these brothers and sisters, drink tea and simply ask questions to explore their faith and their relationship with Jesus is a source of great joy to me, as well as a spur to my own faith and walk with Christ. Recently I interviewed John Short, a Christian who was detained in North Korea after he left gospel tracts outside a Buddhist temple. In the course of our conversation, Mr. Short said something that I’ve never heard before, or [More]

When I joined a missions organization in 2003 intending to go overseas as a 24-year-old, people didn’t understand. They asked me why. They told me there were plenty of people who needed help in the U.S. They wanted to know why I was leaving my job at the newspaper. It didn’t make sense to them, because it wasn’t a safe choice. But I knew I’d been put on earth for a reason that was bigger than my own comfort. So I went. In those two years, I learned about sharing the gospel in front of a crowd or one-on-one. I [More]

When we say largest megachurches in the world, Americans are likely to immediately think of the Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas—which boasts of some 43,500 people attending its services weekly—or Potter’s House in Dallas. However, Leadership Network’s Warren Bird, an expert when it comes to the subject of megachurches, recently released a research showing that Christian churches with the largest attendance are not located in the United States but in Asia and Africa. In an article on the Leadership Network’s website, Bird named the Yoido Full Gospel Church in Seoul, South Korea as the most attended Christian church in the [More]