Two women facing utter destitution embark on a seemingly random quest for sustenance...

"Thou shalt arise and have mercy upon Zion, for the time to favor her, yea, the set time is come. For Thy servants take pleasure in her stones and favor the dust thereof. So the heathen shall fear the name of the Lord and all of the kings of the earth Thy glory. When the Lord shall build up Zion, He shall appear in His glory." Psalm 102:13-16

People sometimes ask me, “Pastor, why do you keep going back to the land of Israel?” Because I love the land and I love her people.They are God's chosen people, a people of destiny. I go to Israel for two reasons.

One, I love her past. I love to look back and see the land where my Savior lived and walked and talked. I love to study the Bible on location. It causes the Bible to burst aflame in your hands.

Two, I want help in understanding the present and the future, because there is Bible prophecy yet to be fulfilled. Keep your eyes on Zion, God's holy land. As the Jew goes, so goes the world. The Jews are God's yardstick, God's outline, God's blueprint, for what He’s up to in the rest of the world.

The land of Israel, I believe, is the most important spot on earth. The most important city is not Washington or Moscow, but Jerusalem. The most important land, believe it or not, is not America but tiny Israel, about the size of New Jersey.

Photo courtesy: ©GettyImages/silverjohn

I’ve learned a great truth, and that is that Jesus is in the Bible, and Jesus is in history, and Jesus is in heaven, but—here’s the great truth—Christ lives in me.

Jesus’ disciples were way out in the sea, and Jesus was on the shore. But He saw them toiling and rowing. He never took His eyes off them.

Why is the thought life so important? Why did Solomon tell his son, “Keep your heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life?” Because the thought life controls the rest of your life.

God doesn’t just want to save you; He wants to transform you! 

We can live this coming year without fear if we apply four incredibly wonderful truths to our lives and root them deep into our hearts.

"Bread" in this prayer is really symbolic of any need you have. Do you have a need today? God delights to meet your need.

What does it mean to say that the Bible is the inspired word of God?