During the 2008 campaign, President Obama said he was willing to sit down for talks with Iran about its nuclear program "without preconditions." Given Iran's long record of delay when it comes to such negotiations, the president clarified early on in his administration that he would not wait indefinitely for Iran to come to the table and join the discussion. The president and our allies set September as the deadline for talks to begin.

When September arrived, Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad sounded a note of complete defiance. Taking a break from arresting and torturing his political opponents, Ahmadinejad declared "the nuclear issue is finished" and that "we will never negotiate on the Iranian nation's rights." Days later, Iran followed up by saying talks would be limited to a narrow list of topics of its own choosing. Notably absent from this list was its nuclear program. read more

4:02PM EDT 9/23/2009

Over the years I have accompanied thousands of people to the Holy Land. I am always thrilled to see people on these tours with their Bibles open, eagerly reading Old and New Testament passages that identify the very places they are seeing for themselves. I'll never forget an elderly gentleman in one group who kept peppering me with questions about biblical prophecy such as: "When Jesus returns, exactly where will He appear?" and "What else must happen before the Second Coming?"

His questions reflect an understanding about Israel that is so important for us as Christians to have. It is that everything God does on this planet, He does according to His dealings with Israel. read more

2:53PM EDT 9/23/2009

Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year observed by Israelis and in other parts of the world where Jews live. It marks the beginning of the Jewish calendar. The holiday calls for introspection, when Jews reflect on their lives and “repent for any wrongdoings" committed during the previous year. This act is called teshuvah. But you don’t have to be Jewish to repent for past sins. Yeshua will cleanse you from all unrighteousness if you ask Him to. Click below to learn more about this special day. read more

1:08PM EDT 9/18/2009

Though Jesus clearly said of His return to the earth, "Of that day or hour no one knows" (Matt. 24:36, NKJV), there are signs throughout Scripture that point to the second coming of the Lord. One of them is the increasing number of Jewish people who are coming to recognize Yeshua (Jesus) as Messiah, and another is the growing body of Messiah in the land of Israel itself.

The Messianic movement refers to the growing number of Jewish people who have become believers in Jesus, the Messiah of Israel. This movement began with the Jewish disciples, continued into the first four or five centuries and then was lost. After a terrible season of forced conversions during medieval times, more reasonable attempts to help Jewish people find Jesus began during the post-Reformation period. read more

1:05PM EDT 9/18/2009

An Oklahoma-based pastor and Bible teacher hopes to bolster Christian support for Israel by planting 1 million olive trees.

Curt Landry, founder of House of David Ministries in Fairland, Okla., launched My Olive Tree (myolivetree.com) in Israel to provide jobs for local residents while benefiting the Israeli economy. This fall, Landry will plant and dedicate some 2,000 olive trees in Israel, many in the region of ancient Gilgal. read more

12:55PM EDT 9/18/2009

Christians around the country and in Israel will pray together simultaneously during the sixth annual Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem (DPPJ) held October 4. The prayer initiative is a response to growing threats, terrorist attacks and international pressure aimed at Israel.

The event will take place in local churches in 175 nations, with more than 1,000 church leaders.

"The Bible declared it. Jerusalem has become a cup of controversy on the global stage," said Robert Stearns, who is co-chairman of DPPJ along with Jack Hayford, former president of the International Foursquare Church.   read more

11:33AM EDT 9/18/2009