All posts filed under: Main

El verso extraƱo en Hebreos que parece honrar el fracaso

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Cuando las personas reciben una palabra profĆ©tica de Dios o sienten que son llamadas a hacer algo, la respuesta suele ser sentarse y esperar a que Dios lo haga. Sin embargo, hay un verso extraƱo en el libro de Hebreos que sugiere que esta puede no ser la respuesta correcta. Es extraƱo porque parece promover el fracaso humano de manera inusual. Parece implicar que nuestros esfuerzos, incluso cuando cometemos errores, son loables. En el capĆ­tulo 6 de Hebreos, el escritor habla de los grandes hombres y mujeres de fe en la Biblia y nos dice que necesitamos seguir su ejemplo. “Para que no seĆ”is perezosos, sino imitadores de aquellos que por fe y paciencia heredan las promesas”, afirma el escritor (Hebreos 6:12, ESV). Dice que no debemos ser perezosos, que es como traduce la ESV la palabra griega “nōthros”. Otras versiones la traducen como negligentes o holgazanes. AsĆ­ que el escritor de Hebreos dice que necesitamos imitar a aquellos hombres y mujeres de tiempos antiguos que recibieron promesas de Dios pero no fueron perezosos en …

Painting of Jesus feeding the multitude by Lambert Lombard

CĆ³mo un milagro de lo insignificante se convirtiĆ³ en poderoso

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Se trata de una historia bĆ­blica que ha sido leĆ­da por literalmente cientos de millones de personas en todo el mundo. Pero muchos pasan por alto el punto principal, cĆ³mo Dios convirtiĆ³ lo insignificante en una poderosa muestra de poder y provisiĆ³n. Estoy hablando de la milagrosa alimentaciĆ³n de los cinco mil registrada en (Marcos 6:35-44). JesĆŗs habĆ­a estado enseƱando la mayor parte del dĆ­a, y ya era tarde en la noche y los discĆ­pulos se preguntaban quĆ© hacer con la multitud que se habĆ­a reunido. Cuando los discĆ­pulos sugirieron que deberĆ­an terminar la reuniĆ³n y dejar que buscaran comida, JesĆŗs dijo: “Dadles vosotros de comer”. DespuĆ©s de preguntarse si debĆ­an comprar la comida, JesĆŗs les preguntĆ³ quĆ© provisiones tenĆ­an entre ellos. DespuĆ©s de revisar, los discĆ­pulos lograron encontrar cinco panes y dos peces. Esa pequeƱa provisiĆ³n se multiplicĆ³ para alimentar a miles. En su artĆ­culo para Evangelical Focus, Antonio Cruz explica cĆ³mo JesĆŗs usĆ³ lo insignificante para realizar un milagro que serĆ­a leĆ­do por millones. “Los cinco panes mencionados eran de cebada, segĆŗn la …

Jaffa Gate, Old Jerusalem, Israel

Archaeology confirms the Bible’s description of Jerusalem during King David’s and Solomon’s reigns

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Over the years, liberals have tried to downplay both King David and King Solomon’s roles in the Bible by suggesting they were little more than tribal warlords and that Jerusalem itself was basically an insignificant hamlet. They believe the Bible exaggerated both the size and significance of Jerusalem and as well the importance of King David and King Solomon in Israel’s history. However, that theory took a heavy body blow, after a recent study of a section of the ancient wall that surrounds Old Jerusalem revealed that it is much older than originally thought, the Daily Mail reports. It was originally believed that King Hezekiah (715 BC to 686 BC) built this section of the wall to increase Jerusalem’s defenses, when “He rebelled against the king of Assyria and would not serve him,” (2 Kings 18:7 ESV). It was initially believed that this expansion was not only due to an impending threat of invasion but also to the rapid growth of the city from Jews fleeing the invading Assyrian army. However, a study of the …

Open Bible on dark background

Is the Bible ā€œHate Speechā€? Yes ā€¦ Maybe

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We have a neighbor who likes to go for coffee on Saturday morning. Usually, we know some other people, in the shop, and the conversations are friendly. In the coffee shop, there is a young ā€œmanā€ who works behind the counter and serves coffee, and ā€œheā€ wears a dress when he works. No one has told us about preferred pronouns, in this case, but notice that I have used quotation marks for words like ā€œmanā€ and ā€œhe.ā€ We have to be careful in our modern world when we write or speak publicly. It is generally understood, that the worker in the coffee shop has a masculine voice and other features. Most of us donā€™t want to get into an argument about ā€œTransā€ beliefs, and we talk about other things. We donā€™t want to go there. So, we all try to be polite, and there are some topics we donā€™t mention in our conversations. At the last neighbor meeting at the coffee shop, a friendly neighbor came in and saw us, so he joined us for …

Painting of the approach of the Simoom, by David Roberts and Louis Haghe (1846-1849).

Did a ‘simoom’ kill 185,000 Assyrian soldiers in 2 Kings?

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The Bible tells us that when Assyria’s King Sargon died, his son Sennacherib came to the throne. King Hezekiah of Judah took advantage of this change in government to break free from Assyria’s control, and “He rebelled against the king of Assyria and would not serve him” (2 Kings 18:7). At this point, Sennacherib besieged Judah and Jerusalem, to bring the country back under his thumb. However, Isaiah prophesied “Behold, I will put a spirit (Hebrew rĆ»ach) in him [Sennacherib], so that he shall hear a rumor and return to his own land, and I will make him fall by the sword in his own landā€ (2 Kings 19:7 ESV). Then we read several verses later, after surrounding Jerusalem, that Sennacherib was forced to withdraw after the Angel of the Lord killed tens of thousands of his men (2 Kings 19:35). We know from both the Biblical prophecy and archaeology, that shortly after his return to Assyria, Sennacherib was assassinated by his sons. However, when we look at Isaiah’s prophecy in the ESV, we see no hint …

Inside Iran's Parliament

Is a demonic angel, the Prince of Persia, influencing the government of Iran?

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As we watch events unfolding in the Middle East, it is clear that Iran is a major instigator of the problems involving attacks on Israel. Iran is believed to be providing both financial and armament support to several terrorist groups in the region, including Hamas (Gaza), Hezbollah (Lebanon), and Houthis rebels (Yemen). Even other Middle Eastern countries, such as Saudi Arabia, which was actually attacked by the Iranian-backed Houthis in 2019, are concerned about Iran’s growing influence in the Middle East. As I have mentioned in an earlier article, before 1935, Iran was commonly referred to by its ancient name Persia. In a recent Christian Post article, Jason Jimenez wonders if the issues we are seeing in Iran today are being instigated by powerful demonic forces that are influencing the country’s political leaders, whom even the Iranian people despise. Jimenez asks if the Bible’s description of a powerful fallen angel, who influenced Persia in its ancient past, is exerting itself once again? In Daniel 10, the prophet Daniel, who was living in Persia (verse one), …

Should we read any more into two odd coincidences, one that took place this year and the second 3,000 years ago?

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The four-horseman of the Apocalypse that the Apostle John saw being released on the world in his vision of the end times is perhaps one of his best-known apocalyptic references, other than the anti-Christ and the mark of the beast. With that in mind, many people in Britain, and around the world, were stunned to see video and images of a bloodied white horse and black horse charging through the streets of London, England on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. The horses were part of a group of seven horses in training with a British army cavalry unit. The animals were startled by a work project going on nearby, and four horses bucked off their riders. Five horses managed to escape. Three were recaptured soon after, while the remaining two, a black and white horse, charged wildly down the streets of London for another six miles before finally being corralled. Both were immediately taken to a vet and the army is reporting that both horses are recovering. What made this imagery particularly bizarre was the videos …

Frogs in the kettle: Christians in America

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Jeff King, the president of International Christian Concern (ICC), warned that Christians in America are like frogs in a boiling pot of water and seem blissfully unaware of their slowly changing environment. “Too many people are not aware politically, and they’re so used to thinking of how things were that they can’t figure out where these bubbles are coming from, not realizing they’re being cooked,” King said in a recent interview with the Christian Post. The ICC president noted that this growing persecution and censorship of Christians is on display in a recent court case involving a Texas teacher, Staci Barber. Barber, along with two other teachers, were allegedly reprimanded by their school principal for participating in a “See You At the Pole,” an international prayer event where students, teachers, and parents gather at the flagpoles of schools around the world to pray. These events typically take place before the start of the school day. The principal allegedly told the teachers that the Katy Independent School District, located near Houston, does not allow teachers to …

Individual waving Israeli flag at night in Jerusalem.

An old question: How much do you hate Israel?

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We all know that there is a struggle between the State of Israel and Hamas, a militant group that ‘was’ in control of the Palestinian territory of Gaza. ‘Was’ in control, because after a Hamas raid on Israel, the Israeli army attacked Hamas in Gaza. Iā€™m sure we all know something about this armed conflict, and I donā€™t need to add to the information in the news. Hopefully, this tragic war can come to a conclusion, and people in the region can return to their peacetime lives. You probably also know about the protests on college and university campuses, against the State of Israel. Some statements, made by some protesters, are scary and abusive. The police are involved, and they have arrested hundreds. One of the strangest claims about the recent protests is that some of the anti-Israel sponsors are Jewish. So apparently, wealthy Jewish people are supporting protesters who call for the end of the Jewish nation. This has been reported by journalists in many parts of the world. This link is from India: …

Iran's Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2016

Iran’s role in the end times

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When discussing Iran, we need to separate the views of the country’s citizens from those of its tyrannical leader. Iran is currently controlled by an Islamic fundamentalist, Ali Khamenei, who serves as the country’s Supreme Leader, an unelected position. Though there are elections in the country for the country’s legislature, the Supreme Leader decides who will serve as president and cabinet ministers and ultimately approves or disapproves of any legislation that is passed. As a hard-line extremist, Ali Khamenei is not only seeking to construct nuclear weapons, he has also called for Israel to be eliminated. Though most Iranians want to see an end to the tyrannical rule and have democracy restored in the country, they are oddly in agreement with Ali Khamenei’s desire for war with Israel, for different reasons though. In an interview with CBN, Lily Meschi of Iran Alive Ministries explains the difference. Lily was born in Iran’s capital city, Tehran, Faithwire reports. ā€œThe Iranian government is totally separated from the citizens,ā€ Meschi explained. ā€œThe Iranian people are not for the government; …

Las maldiciones generacionales #6: Perdonar a nuestros padres

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En Ɖxodo 20:4-5, la Biblia dice que la iniquidad de los padres pasarĆ­a a sus hijos hasta por cuatro generaciones. En publicaciones anteriores, hablamos de cĆ³mo la muerte de JesĆŗs en la cruz rompiĆ³ esta maldiciĆ³n (GĆ”latas 3:9-13). Pero romper la maldiciĆ³n no garantiza que estĆ© rota. De manera similar, el hecho de que JesĆŗs muriera por nuestros pecados no significa que todos estĆ©n salvados, y el hecho de que por sus heridas nosotros seamos sanados no significa que todos sean sanados automĆ”ticamente. Tenemos que luchar y creer para la salvaciĆ³n y la sanidad, y de la misma manera debemos hacer lo mismo para romper las maldiciones generacionales. Aunque JesĆŗs rompiĆ³ la maldiciĆ³n, hay una condiciĆ³n adjunta para que suceda: el perdĆ³n. En LevĆ­tico 26, Dios establece las bendiciones y castigos que pondrĆ­a sobre Israel si elegĆ­an vivir de manera injusta. Inicialmente, Dios los juzgarĆ­a con plagas, pestilencia y enfermedad, con la esperanza de que esto hiciera que la naciĆ³n se apartara de su iniquidad. Sin embargo, si Israel no respondĆ­a, enfrentarĆ­an el castigo final: …

Temple of Apollo at Delphi

The most important archaeological discovery related to the Apostle Paul?

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We have an interesting incident that took place in Acts 18:6-16 while the Apostle Paul was in Corinth. Things were getting heated after the Apostle convinced Crispus, the leader of a local synagogue and his family, to believe that Jesus was the Jewish Messiah. During that period, God actually spoke to Paul in a night vision, telling him not to be afraid but to stay in the city and keep preaching the Gospel. Eventually, several leading Jews in the city came together in a ‘united attack’ and dragged the Apostle Paul before the proconsul of Achaia, a man by the name of Gallio. Proconsul was the title used for the governor of an area or the mayor of a city. They accused Paul of causing Jews “to worship God in ways contrary to the law.” Luke actually quotes Gallio, who immediately recognized this was not a legal matter, but rather a theological one. ā€œIf you Jews were making a complaint about some misdemeanor or serious crime, it would be reasonable for me to listen to …

Columbine High School, Columbine, Colorado

Dealing with anger by forgiving a mass murderer who killed his sister

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Many remember the Columbine High School massacre that took place, in Columbine, Colorado on April 20, 1999, resulting in the deaths of 12 students and a teacher at the hands of Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold. Harris and Klebold committed suicide when police finally stormed the school. This year marks the 25 anniversary of the horrific mass murder that also saw 24 people injured. One of the survivors of that shooting was Craig Scott, now 41, who recently shared with the Christian Post how a missionary trip to Africa helped him deal with his anger and hatred by enabling him to forgive the two killers. Scott was in the library when he heard shots going off at the school and hid under a table. While under the table, he prayed to God for help dealing with the fear and felt impressed by the Holy Spirit that he needed to get out of the library. He ended up helping several students leave the library as well. Most of the killings ended up taking place in the …

Cigarette smokes in hand on a black background

That time I started smoking: Was I wrong?

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Ok, I donā€™t smoke, either tobacco or anything stronger, but there was a time when I started. I realize now that I learned one of the most important life lessons if I was willing to learn. I was raised in a strict religious family, and we knew that we could never do many things. In my lifetime, I never heard my father swear, and I heard a story at his funeral, that his coworkers annoyed him, just to get him to say some of those words. Apparently, he never did. When I lived in that family, I was walking home from school with my friends, one afternoon, and I saw something on the ground. We all looked closer, and we found a cigarette butt, still smoldering, which a smoker had just thrown to the ground. I looked closely, and then I had an idea; a small boy idea. A voice in my head said, ā€œI want to try that.ā€ So, I picked up that cigarette butt and put the business end between my lips, and …

JiDion, popular YouTuber

Influential YouTuber explains his decision to delete videos and follow Christ

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There has been a remarkable transformation in the life of a popular YouTuber, JiDion, who became a Christian probably sometime in 2023, Premier Christian News writes. He has over 7.7 million followers on his YouTube Channel and in October 2023, he deleted all his videos, except one. This meant 121 of his 122 videos were gone. Many of them had millions of views, with several exceeding 10 million. They were mostly prankster videos and his byline, before the deletion, basically described what he did. “I like messing with strangers…” JiDion wrote. JiDion deleted those videos because they conflicted with his decision to follow Christ. This decision comes complete with a new byline, “Retired menace. Full time follower of Jesus.” JiDion has since added two new videos, one of which explained his decision to delete the videos. “If I’m gonna truly give my life over to God, I gotta also take out the wickedness that I put into the world,” JiDion said. “As an influencer, I failed this generation horriblyā€¦I can’t be the way I was …

Iranian Shahed 149 drone

Greg Laurie suggests Iran’s recent attack on Israel was a fulfillment of Bible prophecy

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There is no doubt that things are heating up in the Middle East, just as the Bible predicted it would at the end of days before Christ’s return. While I look at Iran’s recent attack on Israel with over 300 ballistic and cruise missiles and drones on April 13, 2024, as more of a sign of things yet to come, others believe it’s the fulfillment of Biblical prophecy. While I may not necessarily agree with them, they may have a point. In a recent article on Harvest.org, Greg Laurie pointed out that with the formation of the nation of Israel on May 14, 1948, in a single day (Isaiah 66:7-9), “the prophetic time clock began to tick.” “I do believe the attack of Iran on Israel was a fulfillment of Bible prophecy,” Laurie writes. “A sign of the end times, according to Scripture, is the Jewish people will be regathered together in their homelandā€¦ That was not just a sign, that was a super sign.” “The Bible had more to say. Not only will the …

Seagulls flying over raging ocean

Fiercer than the storm

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By Andrew Hopkins

A while ago, I was flying back home from a mission trip to the Philippines. Itā€™s always exciting to see people come to Jesus and encounter His love. On the flight, we hit some kind of storm, and then came the turbulence. Heavy turbulence. I wish I could say I was Godā€™s man of power for the hour and commanded the storm to ceaseā€¦but that wasnā€™t the case. I was freaked out. I thought I was gonna die.

Rolled up dollar bills on a chess board

Can selling prophetic words lead to quenching the Holy Spirit?

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The greatest fear that Satan has is encountering people who are filled with the Holy Spirit, because they have the power to heal and deliver people from Satanic oppression. When the Pharisees accused Jesus of casting out demons by the power of a higher ranking satanic being, Beelzebub, Jesus responded that He was actually casting out demons by the finger of God (Luke 11:20). Matthew, citing this same incident, provides further illumination by telling us that the finger of God is actually the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:28). Christ is the source of our spiritual authority and the Holy Spirit is the source of our spiritual power. So if Satan wants to strip believers of their power, certainly one effective way of doing this would be by compromising their relationship with the Holy Spirit. The Apostle Paul provides one example of how we can do this when he warns, “Do not quench the Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 5:19 ESV). According to Thayer’s, the Greek word, ‘sbennumi’, means ‘to extinguish, quench a fire or things on fire.” Literally, …

Road circling back

Circling Back

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It was mid-fall, the prairie sky was growing dark and sleet was turning the highways into hockey rinks. I zipped up my jacket, started my 4Ɨ4, and steeled myself for the trip. I was circling back. ‘Circling back’ is an idiom from the 80s corporate world meaning ‘to avoid an unpleasant or unwanted topic’ by circling back and talking about this later, much later, or maybe never. In the military sense, it means ‘to reverse direction,’ when scouts would move ahead of the main force and then having spotted an enemy, they would circle back the same way they came and report what they saw. Sometimes to move forward, you have to go back. I was circling back to meet up with a group of people where fellowship was a challenge for all of us, me and them. As I traveled, I listened to Christian music and did lots of praying. For years, I felt like an outsider in this group. I felt like a Zebra and never knew if I was one of the …

Iranian ballistic missiles on display in 2012

Is the recent Iranian threats of an imminent attack on Israel, setting the stage for Armageddon?

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American intelligence is warning that Iran could attack Israel within the next 48 hours in retaliation for an Israeli missile strike in Damascus that killed an Iranian General and six other Iranian military officials, Israel365 News reports. Perhaps the most noticeable death was General Mohammad Reza Zahedi, who oversaw an elite unit within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard. Israel targeted the building, claiming that it was being used for military purposes. Iran, of course, has denied this. Many are convinced that Iran was behind Hamas’s invasion of Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Recently, Iranian social media accounts connected with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard have been posting videos of potential retaliation scenarios. This included images portraying a ballistic missile and a drone strike on Israel’s Haifa airport, with an accompanying caption asking followers what type of attack people would prefer. With Iran backing terrorist organizations in Gaza, Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon, the attacks could be launched from any of these locations. With growing concerns of an imminent Iranian strike, many speculate that this is setting the stage …

Western Wall, Jerusalem, Israel

Why is the world starting to hate Israel?

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It is estimated that there are just over 15 million Jews around the world today, with just over 50% of them living in the US and another 30% in Israel itself. From there, we see a dramatic drop-off with France, Russia, and Canada each having about 3%, rounding off the top five. With approximately 8 billion people living on the planet, Jews represent only 0.2% of the world’s population. Yet, despite their insignificant numbers, Jews have been targeted with a disproportional amount of hate. Since Hamas’s brutal invasion of Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, that hatred has surfaced with supporters of Palestine around the world chanting “From sea to sea, Palestine will be free,” which essentially calls for the elimination of the state of Israel despite its historical roots in the area. We also see examples of Jews living in other countries, who have nothing to do with what is happening in the Middle East, also being targeted. While the nation of Israel is blamed for much of the hate displayed today, it doesn’t explain …

A Roman milestone on the road between the Iberian cities of Bracara Augusta and Asturica Augusta

Was Jesus standing near a miliarium, when He said if they compel you to go a mile, go two?

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Most of the time when Jesus was teaching, the Lord was outside, and I often wondered if much of what He said was based on what He saw around him. When Jesus said, “See how the flowers of the field grow,” (Matthew 6:28), I suspect there was a field nearby. So, when Jesus told His disciples, ā€œAnd if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles,ā€ (Matthew 5:41 ESV), I wonder if they were actually standing within eyesight of an ancient Roman milestone. Referred to as miliarium, the columns were routinely made of granite or marble and were typically set up to mark the distance of 1,000 double Roman steps, approximately one mile today, on a road. Since people only traveled a few miles each day, these stones provided valuable information on how far they had journeyed. In addition to supplying the one-mile distance, the stone also had the name of the Roman Emperor responsible for the road’s construction and typically the military unit, overseeing the road’s maintenance. The stones often …

John Cooper performing with Skillet in 2017

Skillet frontman, John Cooper, facing death threats over the title of his book

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Things are definitely taking a negative turn for Christians in America, and it was perhaps best demonstrated by comments made by John Cooper in an episode of ‘Politically Rude,’ hosted by Abby Johnson, Church Leaders reports. Cooper, who is the lead singer for the Christian rock band, Skillet, recently published a book in November 2023 entitled, ā€œWimpy, Weak, and Woke: How Truth Can Save America From Utopian Destruction.ā€ The book focuses on the ā€œphilosophies behind utopian dreams that become dystopian nightmares, and presents a positive vision for how we can thrive and flourish.ā€ The book states that man’s solutions will not cure the raging ails of the world, and only God is the solution. In an interview with Church Leaders, Cooper added that the trouble started long before the book was printed and actually began when he released the title of the book. Initially, it resulted in “absolute hate and cussing” and people telling him to “go to hell.” This would have been fine because Cooper is used to this type of hate because of …

Richard Dawkins, 2008

Have you heard of the Atheist who is a Cultural Christian?

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Richard Dawkins is possibly the most famous Atheist in the world. He wrote a book titled ā€œThe God Delusionā€ and he often speaks in public. Recently in an interview, Dawkins identified himself as a Christian, specifically a ā€œCultural Christian.ā€ Apparently, the discussion was about how the Muslim celebration of Ramadan replaced the Christian Easter, as a public celebration in a prominent place in London. Dawkins stated that their country, Britain, was ā€œculturally Christianā€ and he identified himself as a ā€œCultural Christian.ā€ It sounds strange for the most outspoken Atheist in the world, to identify himself as any kind of Christian, but that is what happened. There is a story here, with a lesson for us. Richard Dawkins is a graduate and also served as a professor at Oxford University. He has been a critic of Creationism, the idea that God created the universe, and he advocates for evolution, without God, in biology. It seems that he disagrees with religion and a belief in God, but he likes the culture that grew from a belief in …

Old pickup truck on a farm

Holy Spirit on the move again, resulting in water baptisms in the back of pickup trucks at the University of Georgia

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Over the past year, we have seen the Holy Spirit moving on several university campuses across the US, resulting in hundreds of people being saved. But perhaps, one of the more intriguing spin-offs has been the number of students also getting water baptized. We have seen people being spontaneously water baptized at a lake at Alabama’s Auburn University and more recently in the water fountain at Florida State University. But certainly, this next story may top the list of unusual baptisms as dozens of people were baptized in tanks located in the back of pickup trucks at the University of Georgia on Wednesday, April 3, 2024, CBN reports. The university, which is based in St. Athens, GA, has a student population of just over 40,000. Between 7,000 and 8,000 students attended the faith event held at Stegeman Coliseum led by Jennie Allen and Jonathan Pokluda. Allen founded IF:Gathering and Pokluda pastors Harris Creek Baptist church in Waco, Texas. Allen has been organizing faith events, called Unite, at University campuses across the US since 2023. During …

The Western Wall in Jerusalem, with the Temple Mount and Dome of the Rock in the background.

Has the Temple Institute chosen the individual who will make the Red Heifer sacrifice?

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A recent photo published on the Temple Institute’s Facebook page has many speculating that a man has been selected to sacrifice one of the red heifers brought to Israel from Texas in 2022, Charisma News reports. The photo is of a young man standing outside the pen where the red heifers are being housed comes with the caption, “A KOHEN FIT TO PERFORM THE RED HEIFER CEREMONY!” The ash from the red heifer sacrifice is necessary for the purification ritual for priests working in the Temple (Numbers 19:1-11), and according to Jewish tradition are to be sacrificed at the age of three. The post goes on to explain that this individual, along with others, met the criteria for being accepted as a priest. The Temple Institute adds that it looks for the highest level of purity when deciding on its priests, and this includes never having been in contact with a dead person. This individual met these criteria by having been born at home and having “never set foot in a hospital or cemetery” (see …

ĀæQuĆ© le sucediĆ³ a Poncio Pilato despuĆ©s de la crucifixiĆ³n de Cristo?

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La mayorĆ­a de nosotros estamos familiarizados con el papel de Poncio Pilato en la crucifixiĆ³n de Cristo. DespuĆ©s de que Cristo fue presentado ante Ć©l, Pilato llegĆ³ a la conclusiĆ³n de que JesĆŗs no era culpable de los cargos presentados por los sumos sacerdotes y los oficiales (Juan 19:6), y estaba dispuesto a dejarlo en libertad. Como era tradiciĆ³n, en vĆ­speras de la Pascua, Pilato ofreciĆ³ liberar a un prisionero y en esta ocasiĆ³n eligiĆ³ a Cristo. Pero cuando la multitud, incitada por los sacerdotes judĆ­os, clamĆ³ por la liberaciĆ³n de BarrabĆ”s, Mateo escribe que Pilato, temiendo un motĆ­n, se lavĆ³ las manos del juicio y ordenĆ³ la crucifixiĆ³n de Cristo (Mateo 27:24-26). La crucifixiĆ³n de Cristo tuvo lugar en algĆŗn momento entre el 26/27 d.C. y el 36/37 d.C., cuando Pilato se desempeƱaba como gobernador. La mala relaciĆ³n entre Pilato y los judĆ­os Ocurrieron varias cosas al principio del gobierno de Pilato que lo pusieron nervioso con respecto a los judĆ­os que se habĆ­an reunido para exigir la crucifixiĆ³n de Cristo. SegĆŗn Josefo (AntigĆ¼edades …

Saint Basilā€™s Cathedral, Moscow, Russia

The Experience of a Lifetime!

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By Rick Renner

When our family first arrived in the former USSR, we disembarked the airplane to find Soviet soldiers standing all around the landing strip with machine guns in arm ā€” a brand-new sight for our family! Those soldiers tried to rush us along to leave the runway area and get inside the terminal.

A photo of the 1900 Oberammergau Passion Play portraying Jesus' entry into Jerusalem on a donkey

The world’s largest Passion play

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Oberammergau is a small town of 5,000 residents in Bavaria, Germany, and is best known for hosting the world’s largest Passion play, the Western Journal reports. It is held roughly every ten years or so because of a pledge that town citizens made in 1634 during the height of the devastating Bubonic plague that swept Europe, killing between and third and half of the population. The citizens vowed that if God spared their community, they would hold a Passion play every ten years and according to tradition, the village was largely spared despite people with the plague coming to the village. The Passion play typically involves 2,000 of the town’s residents as actors, singers, and production workers and can last between five and seven hours, with one break for lunch. Only people who are residents of the town and 20 years or older are allowed to participate. In preparation, for the performance men who are playing leading roles, often start growing their beards and hair on Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent, the previous year. …