The Land and the Book

Why is the Bible so hard to understand? Sometimes it's the wording…and a modern translation can help. Sometimes it's the subject…and a commentary can help. Sometimes it's the cultural background…and that's when a trip to Israel can help! What if you can't take a trip to Israel? Is there a way to experience the context of the Middle East in our own home…a way to see the Bible in its context while still remaining in ours? This week's guest is Joel Kramer, Executive Director of SourceFlix, and he will show us a way to experience the culture of the Holy Land from the comfort of our own home!In our devotional time, we'll be traveling to Tekoa to look more closely at Amos, God's layman prophet.

Not everyone can travel to Israel, but everyone can experience - at least in part - what it's like to see some of the places where the events of the Bible took place. The Israel Ministry of Tourism recently released a 12-part series called The Bible Comes to Life that takes viewers to places like the Sea of Galilee, Capernaum, En Gedi and the Mount of Olives to help them visualize these strategic locations and the role each site played in the events of the Bible. The series is hosted by Omer Eshel, who just happens to be this week's guest!Then later in the program, we'll be traveling to Gath-hepher, a village just north of Nazareth that was the hometown of Israel's "other prophet from Galilee."

We thrive on information, and much of that information now comes to us digitally. Before there were iPads or Kindles—or before there were even printed books—there were manuscripts copied by hand and carefully preserved. This week’s guest, Mr. Chaim Bernard Spring, knows firsthand the skill required to produce and preserve those precious manuscripts. We’ll be talking with him about the importance of these ancient manuscripts for our understanding of the Bible.Later in the program, in our devotional time, we’ll be traveling to Gilgal…to learn three key lessons from the “rolling stones.”

Ever since 9/11, there's been a sense of tension between Islam and the West. Should we be concerned about the rise of Islamic fundamentalism, or is such fear nothing more than an irrational paranoia that many now label Islamophobia? Is Islam a religion of peace … and do Muslims and Christians worship the same God? What role should the church play in addressing these issues? This week's guest is Dr. Erwin Lutzer, and we will be talking with him about his latest book, The Cross in the Shadow of the Crescent, that directly addresses these questions!Then later in the program, get ready to hike down the Mount of Olives. We're on a journey of discovery to find Absalom's monument that he built to honor himself.

The Jewish feast of Shavuot is just around the corner…an event Christians know as Pentecost or the Feast of Weeks. This is one of the three annual feasts when God commanded His people to gather before Him; yet, most Christians know little about this event apart from its historical significance as the birth-date of the church. This week we hope to change your understanding of and appreciation for this festival that has importance for both the Jewish people and for the church.Our devotional time together will continue the holiday theme by following Moses up Mount Sinai to celebrate the very first Shavuot/Pentecost.

Our inbox and voicemail have filled to the brim with listener questions, so we're scheduling extra time on this program to deal with some of them. If you have questions, we hope to have answers!Later in the program, in our devotional time, we're hiking into the wilderness to ride a camel, visit a Bedouin tent…and talk about solitary prayers in lonely places.

With all the airline restrictions on luggage, it's sometimes hard to know what to pack, especially for a trip to Israel. But whatever else you pack, make sure to take along your sense of humor and a sense of anticipation of what God is about to do in your heart. This week's guest is a veteran traveler to Israel who always makes sure to pack his sense of humor and his pastoral heart. Dr. Doug Lyon has led multiple trips to Israel over the years, and we'll be talking to him about those trips and about some of the more unusual experiences he has had.Then later, in our devotional time, we'll be looking at Psalm 120 as we focus on prayers in lonely places.

Grab your guitar and harmonica, and join us out on the front porch for a wonderful conversation with Buddy Greene. Buddy is a singer, songwriter, guitarist, soulful harmonica stylist and traveler to Israel. Among his many songs, Buddy collaborated with Mark Lowry to write "Mary, Did You Know?" which has become a modern-day Christmas classic. He's performed with the Gaithers, appearing in numerous Homecoming gatherings from Carnegie Hall to the Citadel of David in Jerusalem.And as you're listening, get ready to do some hiking. We're following the prophet Jeremiah as he "acts out" God's message of waistbands and water! 

How would you respond if your brother was killed by a brutal regime bent on remaining in power at any cost? Dr. Hormoz Shariat responded by choosing to love the Muslims of Iran and share the Gospel with as many as possible. This week is part two of our amazing interview with a man who has been called "the Billy Graham of Iran."Then in our devotional time together, it's income tax time, and I'll be talking about how to prepare your "heavenly tax form." Listen carefully…because the filing deadline is approaching!

What comes to mind when you think of Iran? For many, the country represents the embodiment of the Islamic threat to Israel and the United States. From crowds of Iranians shouting "Death to America" to the country's stubborn refusal to curtail its nuclear ambitions, Iran appears to be the bastion of radical Islam. But God is at work in Iran in remarkable ways, and this week's guest will share good news of a revival taking place in that country. Dr. Hormoz Shariat has been called "the Billy Graham of Iran," and his goal is no less than to turn Iran into a Christian nation in this generation. Dr. Shariat joins us for a special two-week look at what God is doing in Iran today.Later in the program, in our devotional time, we will look at a postponed Passover in 2 Chronicles 30 to see why the phrase "better late than never" might indeed be true!

This weekend is Easter…resurrection Sunday! But what is it about this Sunday that makes it significant for our faith? What’s so special about Easter? Our guest this week will help us answer that important question.And then in our devotional time we are heading to the empty tomb to focus on the reality of the resurrection.

Passover begins in just a few days, commemorating one of God’s most significant events in history…an event that connects with the redemption of Israel from Egypt and the sacrifice of the ultimate Passover Lamb on Calvary. Yet, many have only the most basic of knowledge of this festival. Hopefully that won’t be the case after you listen to this program!Then later, in our devotional time, we’re heading to the Upper Room to watch Jesus celebrate His final Passover with His disciples.

Imagine what it’s like to live in Israel! Now, imagine what it’s like to live in Jerusalem! Now, imagine what it’s like to actually live in the Old City of Jerusalem…with a rooftop terrace overlooking the Temple Mount! This week’s guests have that apartment with a million dollar view…up on the roof. But more than that, they also have a very unique story to share that blends the arts with the Holy Land.And as you’re listening, be prepared for a hike. We’re heading to an overlook to view an unfinished palace…and a town that never amounted to a hill of beans! But trust me, you’ll will be encouraged by our time in God’s Word!

One of the unanticipated pleasures in traveling to Israel is getting to know some of the people who call that country home. Tourists travel from site to site, and that often leaves them with a distorted perspective of what it’s like to live in the land. That’s why getting to know the “living stones” can help correct our cultural nearsightedness. This week’s guest helps provide a perspective on the land that might otherwise go missing.Then in our devotional time together, I want to talk about “cistern prayers.” Ever heard of them? I think you will find this perspective on prayer to be unforgettable!

A photograph is a one-time snapshot of people, places and events frozen in an instant of time, but a movie is a series of pictures taken continuously over time. A movie allows people, places and events to grow, develop and change. We provide a lot of radio snapshots on this program - one-time pictures of what's happening in Israel. But this week we have a unique opportunity to turn a snapshot into a movie, so to speak, by talking with Eric and Terri Morey…a couple who've lived in Israel and watched it grow and develop for the past 30 years.Later in the program, in our devotional time, I want to take you to the best fishing spot in all Israel. And it's not where you might think!