When our state lawmaker convene the 103rd General Assembly on January 11th, Democrats may immediately push for a Constitutional Amendment on Abortion, hoping to permanently enshrine abortion as a legal right in Illinois. The recent election revealed that abortion was...

As we reflect on 2021 and the various ways we were challenged, it is impossible not to be grateful for God's daily mercy and loving kindnesses that helped us get through the difficulties of life in this fallen world. At the same time, we have to wonder: Does praying for the state of Illinois accomplish anything? Why, even though there are many concerned Christians in prayer, is our state only progressing further down the path of rebellion and judgment? Does it matter?

Christmas is a time of reflection on the gift of Christ and the salvation that He provides through the cross. For generations, Americans have displayed nativity scenes in front of churches and in public settings. Yet, these displays have not gone without opposition. In Illinois, the Satanic Temple of Illinois constructed a display in the Capitol rotunda, near the nativity display. Despite their dark representation, the light of Christ remains on full display and the gospel is proclaimed.

Earlier this year, a Gallup poll announced that one in six Gen Zers identify as LGBT. That was a significantly higher number than ever reported in any previous years. Then, last month, a new survey released by Arizona Christian University reported that about 39 percent of 18 to 24-year-olds claim the label.

What is the joy of Christmas? I expect we are all familiar with the biblical account of the angel's announcement to the shepherds, "Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy. . . " But have we forgotten what those tidings were?

Like nearly every other aspect of Scripture, the birth of Jesus, the Messiah, has been questioned by theologians and supposed scholars. One famous scholar, Raymond Brown, states that Luke’s information is dubious on almost every score. This means that God was not able to communicate the basic historical facts regarding the birth of the Son of God. Is this how we want to start the story of Jesus – as if we are just trying to make things up, like a Joe Biden press conference? We certainly can have confidence in God’s Word even when we cannot line everything up with “secular” histories or the opinions of men.

More treasures can be found in the Christmas narratives than just the gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  The Christmas narratives are simply the Christmas stories found in Matthew chapters 1 and 2 and in Luke chapters 1 and 2. They make up THE Christmas story.  It is in these four chapters that we find from God’s Word a treasury of grace, wisdom, salvation, and hope that make up the wonderful and blessed story of Christmas. 

In the classic sitcom from the 1960s, Get Smart, the bad guys were from an organization called “Chaos.” The good guys, led by Maxwell Smart, were called “Control.”

Today, chaos is often prevailing over control. Only this isn’t a comedy, and the results are tragic.

We are experiencing a crime wave seldom seen in previous times in America.

In the midst of the intense national debate about transgender rights, transgender athletes, and transgender children, it is all too easy to lose sight of perhaps the most important issue of all. Specifically, if you support the medical transitioning of children, you are potentially supporting their chemical castration. What an absolute outrage. How dare any person of conscience advocate for this?