2019 Issues

News and Views

May 1, 2019

Religious Listen to audio In 2018, nearly 50 million more Christians were added in Africa, making it the continent with the most adherents to Christianity in the world, 631 million. In the U.S., from 1991 to 2014, the number of white Protestants declined by a third. More than half of U.S. Protestant congregations now have fewer than 100 members. Over the past half-century, 71 percent of growth in Catholicism has come from its Hispanic community. — From the book, “Future Faith: Ten […]

Today in Prophecy

May 1, 2019

Debt and Demographics “For the Lord God of hosts has a day of tumult and trampling and confusion in the valley of vision, a battering down of walls and a shouting to the mountains” (Isaiah 22:5 ESV). Listen to audio On January 8, 1835, politicians in Washington gathered to celebrate what then-President Andrew Jackson had just accomplished. A senator rose to make the big announcement: “Gentlemen … the national debt … is PAID.” That was the one time in U.S. history when […]

The Parable of The Fig Tree

May 1, 2019

May/June 2019 “Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel: Like these good figs, so will I regard the captives of Judah, whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans, for good” (Jeremiah 24:5).  Mark Davis  Listen to audio Matthew 24:32-44  “Now from the fig tree learn her parable: when her branch has now become tender and putteth forth its leaves, ye know that the summer is nigh.”1 Our Lord spoke this parable during the last week […]

A Faithful Wise Servant

May 1, 2019

Matthew 24:45-51 “Who then is the faithful and wise servant whom his lord hath set over his household, to give them their food in due season?” (Matthew 24:45 RV). by James Parkinson Listen to audio The question of whether “the faithful and wise servant” is an individual Christian or a group of Christians is not easily answered from Matthew 24 alone, but Luke 12 elaborates. We might expect Jesus to repeat important teachings several times in his ministry. Luke might give us […]

Practical Lessons from Matthew 24

May 1, 2019

May/June 2019 If ye know these things .. “God hath not given us the spirit of fear” (2 Timothy 1:7). by Timothy Thomassen Listen to audio Matthew 24 contains many prophetic insights into our Lord’s second advent. Bible scholars have studied and discussed this important prophecy for many years, sometimes coming to different conclusions. However, it contains practical lessons as well. Some are suggested here for consideration. “Tell to us, when these (things) shall be? And what the sign of thy presence […]