Those near Jesus told Bartimaeus, “Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you” (v. 49). Some other translations say, “Cheer up!” In other words, your negative words or attitude can block God’s favor. Bartimaeus had an attitude of expectancy, and that was a vital factor...

The story of a blind man named Bartimaeus is a beautiful illustration of how to unleash more of God’s favor in your life…even when your situation appears hopeless. One minute this man was begging along the roadside, just as he had done for much of his life. But in a...

In 2012, I traveled to Jerusalem to seek a location for a Christian Zionism Museum. Through the museum, my plan was that the accounts of Christians who played crucial roles in helping to promote, defend, support, and establish the modern State of Israel could be told,...

I had the privilege of meeting Corrie ten Boom before she died and hearing her story first-hand.  She told me that she dreamed of her family's home being restored as a witness of their love for God's Chosen People. After her death, I flew to the Netherlands to visit...

After graduation, I joined the Army and was shipped off to spend 14 months in East Asia on a mountain the Koreans called Wong Tong Nee. Early one morning as I wandered around the mountain, I felt the overwhelming presence of God settling over me. Joy, unspeakable and...

Hannah, wife of Elkanah, a Kohathite of the tribe of Levi, must have felt a great sense of despair when, month after month, she remained barren. Hannah might have felt that by not bearing a child with Elkanah she lacked status and merit in his eyes. She cried out to...