Active Faith

The Final Exam

A few days ago, as I loitered at the gym in an impossible attempt to acquire muscles at this advanced stage of life, an adolescent girl of Asian descent interrupted my pretense to join me in conversation. She had learned that I had taught classes at a local university where she planned to attend and wanted “my take” on the institution. Always amenable to take a break from exercise, we proceeded to converse about the value of education and how it impacts the work ethic and performance of the individual upon graduation.   The chalkboard Jesus used parables to teach […]

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Franklin Graham: The Eternal Peril of Progressive Christianity

For decades, a war has been raging against Biblical Christianity that goes under the seemingly innocent name of “progressive Christianity.” It has cropped up in the halls of seminaries, infiltrated the pulpits of thousands of churches and been propagated by a godless liberal media. It is bent on casting doubt and undermining the foundational principles of God’s Word. Many of the Apostle Paul’s letters were written to churches that were experiencing serious doctrinal errors. One of his sternest was penned to the church in Galatia, which is part of modern-day Turkey. In it, he launched into a stern rebuke for […]

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Intentionality and Participation

For a 16-year-old boy nuzzled in such a confined location as Key West, Fla., it was indeed an adventure to travel “all the way” north to Jacksonville during the summer of 1964. Particularly if it involved the “Pony League” Baseball State Tournament where our team was considered one of the favorites. After winning the first game, we were pitted against Fort Myers, a squad we were supposed to handle easily, yet despite my offensive contribution, we were defeated in extra innings. As we awaited in the locker room the next game of the loser’s bracket in a double elimination affair, […]

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Hope Against Hope

I think a lot about hope. You could say it is the most defining word in my life. I run an organization called OneHope, and I coauthored a best-selling book with hope as a central value. My favorite quote is from St. Augustine, “Hope has two beautiful daughters: their names are Anger and Courage. Anger at the way things are, and Courage to see that they do not remain as they are.” What happens when no amount of anger or courage will seemingly change the reality of the present situation? I wake up every morning with two vicious realities: people […]

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Will the Music Go Silent in Kiev?

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that “the greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the 20th century” was the collapse of the Soviet Union.  Now, in 2022, Putin is moving hard to “reclaim,” as he would see it, an important part of Russia – neighboring Ukraine.  Thus, the fallout from the Communist atheists’ disastrous takeover of Russia in 1917 continues to this day. In many ways, Putin is following in Lenin’s and Stalin’s footsteps. How this story will end, no one knows. But there is an angle that ought to be considered. There are millions of devout Christians in Ukraine, and they […]

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Franklin Graham: Pray for Ukraine

As I write this, the greatest military conflict in Europe since World War II is raging in Ukraine, as fighting with Russian forces continues across a nation the size of Texas, with 44 million people. It has been a brutal conflict, with thousands killed and many more injured. The bloodshed has led to a humanitarian crisis with more than 3 million refugees fleeing into Poland, Moldova, Romania and other European countries. More than 2 million others have been displaced within Ukraine. We have been responding in the Name of Jesus Christ. The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association has been on the […]

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Easter and Passover

As I age, words take on newer meanings. The words stay the same, but the conditions and applications change. When I now think of Easter, I no doubt remember Passover. As a kid, I remember perhaps being in third or fourth grade, and my daily ritual was to go to school and then after school in Detroit, I would walk to Hebrew school. (In Miami Beach I would also walk to the synagogue, and it was across the street from my school. There were basketball courts in the park between the two schools, and I honestly can’t remember if I […]

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First Love

It is time for the church, the Bride, to come back to a revelation of first love.  I write this with affection and value to you, church of South Florida, the eklesia. I thank the Father for you, who has stood firm and stayed planted in a dry and weary land where at times it seems there is no water. You, church of South Florida, have endured. This is no small thing. Unity across borders, boundaries and denominations has strengthened you. The Father is so proud. Unity will always command His blessing.  However, beloved, in the midst of enduring, in […]

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Easter Hope

These are very trying times. But the ultimate problem is the threat of death. Despite all of life’s difficulties, Jesus has taken the sting out of death. After a bee stung a boy one day, his young brother was frightened as the insect continued hovering around him. But his father told him not to worry – there was only one stinger in that bee, and his older brother had already received it. Jesus is our older brother, and He has taken the sting of death upon Himself. As the Apostle Paul would say, “Oh death, where is thy sting?”   […]

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The End of All things Is Near

“The end of all things is near. Therefore, be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray” (1 Peter 4:7). Peter wrote these words for the persecuted believers in the cities and rural areas who lived in the Roman provinces of Pontus, Galatian, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia (1:1-2), the area which is the modern-day Turkey. These gentile Christians broke from the immoral lifestyle and idolatry of their communities, and in response, they experienced the dishonor of being physically and verbally abused (4:1, 3-4). The situation of women and slaves was especially precarious since they were expected to follow the […]

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