Human migration and the regulation of borders have become major issues in recent years. The 2015 migrant crisis in Europe, with the arrival of over 1 million asylum seekers and nearly twice that many illegal border crossings, brought about a clash of ideas on how to deal with the situation. Asylum applications topped 1 million…
We WATCH world events, as Christ commanded in Matthew 24:42. But what exactly are we watching for? The machinations of politics cause power to ebb and flow. Earthquakes, diseases, famines and wars come and go. Economies teeter on the brink of collapse until massive interventions (usually debt based) send markets rallying to new heights, preserving…
“Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God,…
How will the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians be settled? The world is still reeling from the heinous attack on the morning of the Last Great Day, an Annual Holy Day. Israel’s response has leveled much of Gaza. At this writing some of the hostages have been released, but the majority remain captive. Their…
BRICS is the acronym for the economic cooperation bloc comprised of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The term came into use among investors, as those nations were seen as having the most potential for growth. That idea turned into actual cooperation between governments, complete with high profile annual meetings. What it will become…
An event called the World’s Colombian Exposition opened in Chicago on May 1, 1893. It had taken many years of planning and an act of Congress to select the location for what is commonly called the “World’s Fair.” Nearly 50 nations maintained pavilions during the six-month long exhibition and over 27 million people attended. It…
It can be difficult to approach God when something is wrong. It is easy to be intimidated if a struggle is ongoing or a sin has recently occurred. Days go by, maybe even weeks, months or years. In many ways it is like a personal relationship that has fallen apart. The time that has passed…
The rainbow is an interesting choice for those who have tried to make it their banner of late. Is it a Freudian slip or an intentional affront? Either way there is an aspect to it that is quite appropriate. In the Bible story, the rainbow is the sign given that God will never again destroy…
“And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are…
Where does this concept of clean and unclean come from? Is it strictly ceremonial or practically applicable? Metaphorically, the concept of being cleansed is inseparable from Christianity. It is part of the plan of God from beginning to end. All four of the gospel accounts talk about the baptism of John. Mark 1:2-5 says, “As…
