Events over the past few years have caused many informed observers to be concerned over the increased precariousness of our strategic horizon. In addition to natural disasters-such as Hurricane Katrina-and the continuing terrorist threats promising a major sequel to “9/11,” and the probability of rogue nuclear attacks of various kinds, anyone who is relying on smooth waters over the next 12-18 months is simply among the ranks of the under-informed.

The most-often quoted reference in the New Testament is the Book of Psalms. The psalms are not only unexcelled for being inspirational and comforting, they are also among the richest sources of prophetic insights in the entire Bible.

On our annual celebration of the birth of our once-proud republic, it is also fitting to pause for a nostalgic moment in recalling the celebrated document that created our nation’s freedoms and protections.

On May 23rd our Jewish friends will celebrate the Feast of Shavuot. The Book of Ruth is traditionally read on this holiday, also known as the Feast of Pentecost. For a number of reasons, this feast may have far more prophetic relevance than is commonly recognized.

It is often startling to discover how relevant the Book of Psalms is to our contemporary world today!

We have just returned from one of the most encouraging trips we’ve ever taken. We spent several weeks touring Australia and New Zealand and we were overwhelmed by the response!

The Book of Psalms is quoted in the New Testament more than any other book in Old Testament. Jesus said that the psalms spoke about Him (Luke 24:44) and they constitute irrefutable testimony to the Divine inspiration of the Scriptures.

Most reasonably informed Christians are well aware that many of the traditions that surround the Christmas holidays have pagan origins and very little correlation with the actual events as recorded in the Bible. However, most of us are surprised when we discover that some of what we have been taught about “Easter” is not only in error, but deliberately so!

In Hebrew, this book is called dibhere ha-yamim: the words concerning the days. The Jewish Bible regards the Old Testament as 22 books and Chronicles is counted as a single book. The Septuagint labels it Paraleipomena, Supplements (to I and II Kings). The Latin Vulgate refers to these books as Chromicon, from which we get our title, Chronicles.

As we consider instances of fulfilled prophecy, there is no more crucial example than the prophecies of the life of Jesus Christ. A central theme of the entire Biblical panorama is the actual presentation of the Coming One, the central person of all history whom the Hebrews call the Messiah:

We invite you to undertake a lifelong adventure, exploring the Word of God among an international fellowship without borders-neither intellectual nor geographic.

Every year we try to assess how well we are fulfilling the call of God. We look at all the possibilities and technologies that are at our disposal and then attempt to utilize them for the Kingdom.

The book of Ruth, a traditional reading at harvest time during the Feast of Weeks (Shavuot), is a book of only four brief chapters that is both a classic love story and also an essential book of prophecy.

The early settlers of America, who braved the privations of those incredibly difficult years, were a fabulous lot, indeed. We can hardly imagine the burdens they endured to make a new life for themselves in a new land. Their turning point began one Friday in the middle of March, 1621.

The first thing to notice about the Gospels is that they are skillfully designed; each one is tailored to suit its specific perspective. Matthew was a Jew, a Levite; he presents Jesus Christ as the Messiah of Israel-the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. This first book of the New Testament plunges right in to establish Jesus as the Meshiach Nagid, the Messiah the King.

In the year 1483 in Eisleben, Saxony, a baby boy was born to a poor coal miner. As he grew up and observed the poverty of his father, this boy, named Martin, chose to pursue a different vocation. He decided to become a lawyer and, in 1501, entered the University of Erfurt, where he excelled in his studies.

As we explore the track record of fulfilled prophecies in the Bible, it becomes evident that Scripture has portrayed-centuries in advance-the rise and fall of the major empires on earth. Often we find the Biblical record of historical events contradicted by traditional secular scholarship, only to have subsequent archaeological discoveries later vindicate the Biblical historical record.

The books of James and Jude are part of a section of the Bible known as the Hebrew Epistles (the other books are Hebrews, I & II Peter, and I, II, & III John). They were, in large measure, written to the Jews, and yet they have important lessons for us all.

Even while Americans focus on things like war, Iran, and high gas prices, its good to know that there are some positive things happening in America. For decades, conservatives have battled things like abortion, teen pregnancy, and a faulty education system.

Last month we began our inquiry of ''What Is Truth?'' by examining the boundaries of our reality. We touched on some of the bizarre discoveries of quantum physics, including the nature of hyperspaces and the discovery that our physical universe appears to consist of more than the three dimensions we commonly experience.

Last months issue of National Geographic magazine featured an article about a 1,700-year-old manuscript discovered in Egypt. The manuscript claims to tell the story of Christs last days from the point-of-view of history's most notorious traitor.

This is the classic question that Pilate posed rhetorically ...and rather cynically. And the very existence of truth is continuing to be trampled by pompous professors, prostituted politicians, and arrogant attorneys.

On April 1st, 1979, the Islamic Republic of Iran was born under the leadership of Ayatollah Khomeini. The Ayatollah returned to Iran at the end of the Islamic Revolution, after having spent 14 years in exile.

The Sermon on the Mount is the manifesto of our King and the platform of the Prince of Peace. And its the Law! It goes vastly beyond the Law of Moses. It is the Ten Commandments amplified and expanded.

This month we celebrate Easter. Whoops! Why do we label our most holy holiday with its pagan obfuscation? It is at this time that we celebrate the very Gospel itself: ''...how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; that He was buried; and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.''

President Bush's trip to India last month showcased that country's sizzling rise to become a top producer in the global marketplace: India has the second fastest-growing major economy in the world over the past 15 years and in recent years trails only China and the United States in its contribution to global gross domestic product (GPD) growth.

Who does not remember the old castle, Mickey clad in the sorcerers robe and hat, the psychedelic armies of brooms, and the relentless march of the Dukas symphony? Only when the castle was flooded did the sorcerer wake up and dry it with a spell. Mickey got off lightly with a swat of the broom. We may not be so fortunate.

The original birth of civilization began in the Middle East and migrated westward - to Greece, to Rome, and then to the nations of northern Europe. And, as Henry Luce so aptly quipped in 1941, ''The twentieth century was the American Century.''

It is difficult - but essential - to gain a perspective on the predicament facing the United States. We need to understand the precariousness of the dollar, the impossible debt burden we collectively face, and the emergent storm clouds on our financial horizon. First, the mountain of debt we are facing.

In Hebrew, rBdmB Bmidbar means ''in the wilderness,'' which is the real name of this book. The Greek translators called itavriqmo Arithmoi, and in Latin it was Numeri, because the translators focused on the two census takings at the beginning and the end of the wanderings. But its basically ''the wilderness wanderings.''