On August 14th, our Jewish friends will observe Tisha B'Av ("The Ninth Day of Av"). This is a special day of mourning, since on this day four tragedies occurred:

This month and next, we will be wrapping up our series on Private Worship: The Key to Joy. I pray the Lord has used these articles to encourage you and provide you with practical steps to experiencing His joy through worship.

In the not-too-distant future, wars will be fought over natural resources. Last year China consumed nearly half of the world's cement, 2/3 of total world consumption of copper, nearly 1/3 of the world's coal, and 90% of the world's steel (plus huge quantities of nearly every other commodity).

We have just returned from the most impressive trip we have ever taken: an inside look at Israel's security and their battle against terrorism! Our trip included briefings by top-level leaders from the Shin Bet, the Mossad, and the Israel Defense Force. This was all arranged by Shurat HaDin, the Israel Law Center.

Last month, we shared a little about spiritual warfare and its connection to worship. We said that if we are going to learn to worship on a daily (and deeper) basis, then we must be knowledgeable in the art of warfare.

The current issue of Scientific American includes an article that details the pursuit by physicists of the nature - and ostensible stability - of the "constants" of our physical reality. The velocity of light, c; the constant of gravitation, G; the mass of the electron, me, etc., all have been assumed to be the same at all places and times in the universe.

Hal Lindsey called it "the greatest betrayal of Israel committed by any American president in history."

Six years ago we experienced a practical test of our epistemology (the study of knowledge, its scope and limits): the apparent threat of a widespread computer calendar "bug" known as "Y2K." Was it real or an imaginary tempest in a teapot? Among many misinformed, the debate continues to this day. In many ways, the entire issue was a "laboratory course" in the use of our epistemological tools.

Spiritual warfare? What does this have to do with learning to worship the Lord on an intimate basis?

The dispute over Iran's nuclear program has held a prominent place in the news in recent months - and for good reason. It is a considerable threat to our national security and will most likely have disastrous consequences in the Middle East.

An electromagnetic pulse (EMP), triggered by a high-altitude detonation of a nuclear weapon, poses a considerable threat to our national security and is one of a small number of weapons that could be used to bring the whole of America to its knees. An EMP attack would strike what has become the United States' Achilles heel - its relatively unprotected, yet vital, technological infrastructure.

It is tragic that the most blessed book of the Bible is also the one most overlooked or ignored! The mere mention of its name results in fear and apprehension among the uninformed. It intimidates the uninitiated, and many regard it as unfathomable - too difficult to understand.

One hundred years ago, Albert Einstein published a series of papers that would transform the way we see the universe. Scientists call 1905 Albert Einstein's annus mirabilis, or year of wonders.

It is ironic that Jesus’ opening imperative in His “Olivet Discourse” is “Take heed that no man deceive you.” This is His command, but it begs a question of means: “How do we avoid that?” There seems to be more conjectures and misunderstandings over this passage than almost any other in the New Testament.

Why is worship the single most important thing a Christian can learn to do? This is the subject we have been exploring over these past several months.

Q: Easter this year fell on March 27, 2005. Passover falls on April 23-24, 2005. Why is there an entire month between Easter and Passover this year? Aren't they theoretically connected?

“One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple.” (Psalm 27:4)

In the currently popular trend toward mysticisms of various sorts, Jewish mysticism has become popular among many, and this series of articles has been a response for the serious Bible student. In this series we have been reviewing the origin of Talmudic Judaism, the emergence of the Kabbalah of Jewish mysticism, and the derivation of Hasidism which was spawned by it.

Since last summer, we have been exploring the subject of worship and have found it to be one of the most important things a Christian can learn to do. A.W. Tozer said of worship, “Worship is important because it’s the reason Christ came; the reason He was crucified; and, the reason He rose again.”

After Jesus resurrection, why did people always seem to have difficulty recognizing Him? We cant help but notice something strange about Jesus post-resurrection appearances.