There is a spiritual battle raging today over one nation unlike any other in history. That nation is Israel. It seems everyone has an opinion about Israel—politicians, journalists, influencers, podcasters, celebrities, and social media personalities. Sadly, one of the few places where many Christians are not hearing about Israel is from the pulpit. That silence has come at a tremendous cost. The issue of Israel has become a dividing line in the Church. Entire denominations, Bible colleges, seminaries, pastors, and Christian influencers are abandoning the biblical view of Israel and replacing it with theological systems that deny Israel’s future.

Bible prophecy is the one line of evidence God wrote down in advance so anyone could check it. About 28 percent of the Bible was prophecy when it was written, roughly 80 percent of it has already been fulfilled to the exact detail, and the fulfillment rate on everything past is 100 percent. That track record is what makes fulfilled prophecy the most compelling reason to trust that the Bible is from God. Anyone can write a religious book that tells you what to believe. Only One who stands outside of time can tell you what is going to happen a hundred, five hundred, a thousand years from now, and then have it happen exactly the way He said.

Yes, Christianity has emphasized the biblical message of grace for two thousand years, and the spread of the Church has been extraordinary. But that message is ours because it was passed down from the Jewish people. The Gospel was born in Israel. It was nursed and cradled by the Hebrew nation in the land promised to their ancestors. It was Jewish apostles who carried the Gospel to the ends of the earth. The first churches were established by Jewish missionaries. Our faith—from beginning to end—flows through Israel.

The story is so common that it almost seems inevitable: A college or university is founded as an expressly Biblical institution, but at some point it changes. Some might become completely secular; others may introduce liberal theology or progressive social policies. Harvard, Yale and Princeton are well-known examples; in fact, seven of the eight Ivy League schools in the U.S. were founded to train pastors but left behind that mission long ago. In the 1970s, Harold Lindsell sounded an alarm in his book The Battle for the Bible, in which he called out seemingly evangelical institutions that had abandoned the infallibility of Scripture. That abandonment, Lindsell argued, “always and ever opens the door to further departures from the faith.”

Although it remains a confusing and somewhat vague idea, across the Australian political spectrum we have recently seen the rise of a newly favored phrase: “social cohesion.” Because Australian politicians are now using it with such regularity, it is helpful to understand what it means to the ruling class, how they propose to achieve it, and how it is measured.

Both Cunningham and Smith are correct. We’ve got to have common sense. Just because a man says he is a woman doesn’t make it true. The human body testifies to that fact. The 30 trillion cells of the human body are either male or female. No amount of hormones or number of surgeries can alter the body’s cells and systems to effect a change from one sex to the other.

Nearly every post I make on social media receives at least some degree of negative interaction from unbelievers or Christians who have compromised on the truth of Genesis. But a recent post on my Facebook page exploded with hate. It was a short post (sometimes these short posts garner the most attention!), and it stated: "A gay 'marriage' is not a valid marriage."

President Donald Trump celebrated the move in a post announcing that Medicaid would no longer fund gender-transition surgeries or hormones for minors. “We are not going to pay for our innocent children to undergo these barbaric surgeries and practices,” Trump wrote, arguing that the procedures can cause irreversible harm. Trump also stated that pressure from his administration had already prompted dozens of hospitals across the country to discontinue such procedures and predicted that additional institutions would follow.

As we look at news developments in the Middle East, it seems that neither side is budging, and nobody knows for sure what is coming next. The regime in Iran is entirely indifferent to its country's economy and people. They would rather see a total implosion of their nation than wave the white flag of defeat. This mentality stems from the regime's eschatological position of Shiite Islam. They believe that their “Mahdi” will come at a time when the world is in utter chaos—and they revel in the idea that they can help usher in that chaos. How do you negotiate with people who hold to such a warped ideology?

If you were to ask the average person to elaborate on what it means to “normalize relations” with Israel, or what realistically takes place when a country becomes a signatory to the Accords, it’s doubtful that most would be able to confidently answer the question. So, what exactly do these agreements do, and why should we, as Christians, pay attention to them?

Israel is the epicenter of the world, Jerusalem the epicenter of Israel, and the Temple Mount—Mount Moriah—the epicenter of Jerusalem. The Temple Mount has frequently been the location of violent flashpoints—and today's tremors are just a faint foreshadowing of what's coming.

Pakistan is in it because it will mean billions of dollars will come their way. Turkey, who is already committed to NATO, is in it because they are desperate for respect and fealty within the Muslim world. The Saudis are in it because they feel it will be some sort of defense against Iran... All in all, no matter what the media says, this agreement isn’t worth the paper it was written on.

This week, millions of young Americans are heading off for their first semester in college. How many do you think will be taught that socialism - despite its 100% record of failure - is both practically and morally superior to capitalism? I’d guess maybe around 90% - and this despite the fact that America’s institutions of higher learning would be nonexistent without the economic firepower unleashed by our free market economy.

Disastrous open border policies have wreaked havoc across Europe and Western Nations. The globalist rhetoric that caused nations to open their doors in the name of “inclusion” and “acceptance” has had disastrous consequences—predominantly, and unsurprisingly, the undermining of national sovereignty. Nations have allowed themselves to be flooded with countless Muslim immigrants, not to build a better life, but to spread an ideology that revels in chaos, violence, and reshaping the fabric of societies.

Federal authorities arrested a California man near President Donald Trump’s scheduled event at his Rancho Palos Verdes golf course after investigators say he was carrying multiple firearms and tactical equipment, prompting a joint investigation involving the FBI, Secret Service, and local law enforcement.

Every evening the news seems to remind us that the world is moving closer to another major conflict. The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world's most dangerous flashpoints. Iran continues to threaten international shipping. Russia's war in Ukraine grinds on with no clear end in sight. China openly pressures Taiwan. North Korea expands its missile program while the Middle East remains a powder keg waiting for another spark. Military analysts debate troop movements, missile ranges, economic sanctions, and political alliances. Energy experts warn about oil prices. Economists worry about inflation and supply chains. But Christians should ask a different question.

When the waters grow rougher than we imagined, these truths remain: (1) our Guide is in the same boat with us, (2) He knows everything about the way ahead, (3) He is worthy of our trust, and (4) He has already defeated these waves. Even death is now survivable because Jesus is the victor.

Consider the love of parents, many of whom would jump in front of a car to save their disobedient children. It helps us understand God’s selfless love. This is the Good News: For those who trust in Jesus the Messiah, the punishment for all our sin was paid for on the cross—past, present, and future (Hebrews 10:14). “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).

Sex within the context of marriage is like drinking pure water from a clear well. But sexual sin is like drinking polluted water from a sewer. One will delight you and the other will destroy you. One is a river and the other is a swamp.

If God is important, then why do we give Him our leftovers? God certainly doesn’t want our leftovers. He makes that quite clear in Scripture. God said to Israel, “Cursed is the cheat who promises to give a fine ram from his flock but then sacrifices a defective one to the Lord. For I am a great king . . . and my name is feared among the nations!” (Malachi 1:14).

Abram’s integrity was strengthened as he chose to rely upon the “Possessor of heaven and earth” rather than men. He believed God was faithful and had no need to take what Sodom offered, not even a thread of a sandal strap!