Signs & Wonders Blog

Jesus warned in the last days, “…many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.” (Matthew 24:11) Among them are individuals who persist in setting dates for the Lord’s return. If only they would learn from the mistakes of others. 1n 1844, a Baptist preacher named William Miller predicted Christ would return on  October 22nd of that year. He based that on calculations from the Book of Daniel. Thousands of Millerites sold their possessions expecting to be removed from the earth, but nothing happened. That became known as the Great Disappointment and led to the formation of Adventist denominations. The Jehovah’s Witnesses have a history of unfulfilled prophecies. Watchtower founder Charles Taze Russell declared Christ returned invisibly in 1874 and the world would end in 1914. His successor Joseph Rutherford falsely predicted the Second Coming would occur in 1918 and then in 1925. The Watchtower later told their followers that 1975 would be the year of the Lord’s return. Again...

When Christian movies hit the silver screen nationwide, I make it a priority to go see them as soon as possible (but usually opt for matinees when ticket prices are lower). “Light of the World” premiered in theaters on September 5th. At the time, I was staying with a pastor and his family in the Buffalo area. Unfortunately, the movie wasn’t showing at the nearest theater there. Earlier this week, I took a train to Northern Virginia to spend a few days with my friend Jim . Since he’s a movie buff, we both went to see “Light of the World” this past Thursday. This animated story of Jesus is told through the apostle John. At the beginning of the movie, John, a young boy, is eager to assist his family’s fishing business. However, his father, Zebedee, faces the threat of being enslaved due to unpaid taxes. In his quest to bring the fish to market and raise the required funds, John inadvertently encounters the Messiah, whom his mother had spoken of. Eventually, John and his brother James dec...

One reason I’m thankful for being an American is religious liberty. The First Amendment of the Constitution guarantees our freedom of speech and to peaceably assemble. In recent years, there have been increasing threats to those freedoms. Some individuals resort to violence against those they disagree with. This past Wednesday, 31-year-old Charlie Kirk was assassinated while speaking at a public debate on the Utah Valley University campus. I hadn’t closely followed Charlie, but I now have a greater appreciation for his Turning Point USA organization. Their founder has become a martyr like Stephen in the book of Acts. The word martyr comes from the Greek word mártys, meaning “witness.” Since the resurrection of Jesus, many other believers died for their faith in Him. All the original twelve apostles were martyred except for John. The book of Revelation mentions Antipas in chapter 2, a group of martyrs in chapter 6, and the two witnesses in chapter 11. Protestants who were tortured and ...

This past Thursday night, I watched the first few minutes of the NFL regular season opener between the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles and the Dallas Cowboys. Just before the first play from scrimmage, Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter spat upon Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott. That resulted in a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against the Eagles and Carter’s ejection from the game. Most people consider spitting on someone offensive and disrespectful. It can transmit disease, cause personal harm, and disgust to the victim. It’s a form of assault and battery, which can lead to criminal charges, fines, jail time, probation, and a permanent criminal record. Spitting on public servants is treated as a felony. On the other hand, guests will pretend to spit on couples getting married in Greece as a form of good luck (I learned that from watching the 2002 movie “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”).  While walking to McDonald’s one morning, I stopped to minister to ...