Words of Life

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem that first Christmas, an angel announced the good news to the shepherds living in the fields nearby. They were joined by a vast heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth to those with whom God…

As we prepare for Christmas, daily headlines remind us that we face a world of uncertainty, turbulence and conflict. Economies rise and fall, racial strife simmers in the streets and on college campuses, and refugees flee murderous Islamists in the Middle East and Africa. Darkness seems to be closing in,…

The profound historical and spiritual significance of the city of Bethlehem, and even of the name itself, is evident in the fact that Jacob buried Rachel in Bethlehem. Ruth and Boaz lived in Bethlehem, and David was born in Bethlehem. Yeshua could not have been born in any other city.…

Several years ago, I was scheduled to preach at a New Year’s ministry gathering on the future of the Pentecostal movement among new generations in the twenty-first century. Keeping with my custom, I had enjoyed turkey, toys, toddlers, and television during the holidays while entertaining our family. Now I was…

We arrive again at that time of year when the idea of Thanksgiving becomes so familiar that it is almost forgotten. The busyness of cooking, traveling, making arrangements for others, watching football and, more recently, shopping for Christmas tends to crowd out the actual idea of giving thanks. Add to…

Are the waves of anxiety crashing around you? For you, it may be an ominous surge, a torrent, threatening to inundate you. Or maybe it’s more subtle, like standing at a shore, understanding that there are unknowns out there in the depths, wondering if you might be overtaken any moment.…

In 1 Kings 19, the prophet Elijah does something extremely relatable. Discouraged, burned-out, and fearful for his life, he collapses in the presence of God and unloads. In verse 4 he declares, “I have had enough! Lord, take my life.” In verse 10 he elaborates on his despair, essentially saying,…

There’s a powerful parable I heard years ago. It’s the story of a man in Japan who walked to work ever day. Each day, he passed by a field where a farmer was clearing rocks from the field. The farmer picked, he dug, and then he carried the rocks to…

When I had to take a sabbatical from working and receive ongoing treatments at a Lyme center in Huntington, New York, I honestly felt like my life was taking many steps backward. In some ways, I felt like a teenager living at home again with my parents and relying on…

President Trump posthumously awarded Charlie Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom last week—on October 14, which would have been the freedom fighter’s 32nd birthday. Erika Kirk accepted the award on her late husband’s behalf. In her closing remarks, she said, “To live free is the greatest gift, but to die…