history

Escaping the nunnery to follow Christ led to a life full of service alongside one of the most seminal figures in Christianity.

Saying you live in Sodom would be about like saying you named your kid Judas. Sodom is known most by its immorality. There has been considerable discussion about the nature of the sin which caused Sodom to be destroyed. But do we know anything about the city itself? Have there been any artifacts from this city? 

Where Is Sodom in the Bible? 

The city of Sodom is primarily found in the Book of Genesis, particularly chapters 18 and 19. It is often paired with Gomorrah, as both were destroyed as an act of God’s judgment. In Genesis 18, God reveals to Abraham his plan to focus upon the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham attempts to negotiate with God—asking if it can be preserved if even a handful of godly people are present. God agrees, but the problem is that no righteous individuals are found there. Genesis 19 is an explanation in story form of their wickedness. As that chapter closes, we read this: 

The sun had risen on the earth when Lot came to Zoar. Then the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire from the Lord out of heaven. And he overthrew those cities, and all the valley, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground. But Lot’s wife, behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt. And Abraham went early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the Lord. And he looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah and toward all the land of the valley, and he looked and, behold, the smoke of the land went up like the smoke of a furnace.

Sodom continues to appear throughout the Bible but not as a standing city. Instead, it is mentioned only as a reference point for Israel. Israel’s wickedness is often compared to that of Sodom—invoking a memory of God’s judgment upon that place. Jesus even mentions it to highlight the wickedness of Capernaum. Jesus says, “If the miracles I did for you had been done in wicked Sodom, it would still be here today.” 

Sodom, then, is known for its wickedness throughout the Bible. But what do we know of the city itself?

Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Apisit Suwannaka 

"The function of prayer is not to influence God, but rather to change the nature of the one who prays." - Søren Kierkegaard

All throughout history, people have turned to prayer to deal with tests and hardships. Men and women from all walks of life have found comfort, strength and guidance by lifting up their concerns to God.

Here is a collection of 10 prayers that reach for something more. Each reflects a deep desire to not only receive God’s blessings, but to become a blessing to others. And every one of them reminds us that God will make us able and ready to do that. 

Let’s allow these prayers to inspire us to grow in our faith and to live more like Christ.

Photo credit: ©Getty Images/FotoDuets

So how was it decided which books were put in the Bible and which ones weren't? If we believe the Bible is the inerrant word of God, we need to know how these books came about and how they came to us.

Archeologists recently discovered an ancient gold ring inscribed with the face of Jesus Christ in “almost new condition” among 30,000 other medieval archaeological objects in southeast Sweden.

Christian faith was integral to so many classic authors' writings. Deep and abiding faith can be seen in writers of both poetry and prose, and this list includes just a few of them. We hope it will inspire you to appreciate the writings of these authors to an even greater extend or maybe to pick up their works for the very first time!

Although some may think that it is difficult to connect with authors and writings from previous centuries, perhaps the connection of shared faith may serve to bridge that gap and help you see these writers in new ways. The famous Christian father Augustine said that "All truth is God's truth," and while the works of these authors are fiction, it holds true that we can glean insights into God's character, faith, and human nature by reading their portrayal of these things. We hope you enjoy reading this list.

Main image credit: ©Chris Bair/Unsplash

Of the thousands of green-clad parade-goers, marchers, and partiers today, few know about Patrick, the man for whom today’s holiday is named. Fewer still know of the man beyond the legend, who supposedly drove the snakes out of Ireland and certainly possessed an indomitable faith in Jesus Christ.

In 2006, Chuck Colson told St. Patrick’s story in a Breakpoint commentary. Here is Chuck Colson:

Shasta Bible College Professor Tom Meyer, also known as the "Bible Memory Man," recently wrote a book explaining how archaeological finds further validate the Bible.

Headlines bombard us with news about the devastation in Gaza—the staggering death toll, the increasing war and bloodshed, the innocent lives lost. People on both sides cry for an end to the violence and the pain.  

As Christians, we hear the news, and our hearts fill with compassion and anguish. Why is this happening? Why are people so eager to fight—and die—over this one small section of land?

Gaza, also called the Gaza Strip, is a thin piece of land of about 140 square miles located between Israel and Egypt. Roughly 2.3 million Palestinians live there, and it is a Palestinian territory. It is situated on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, with Egypt on its southwest and Israel on its east and north.

However, there is longtime animosity between Israel and Palestine. In 1947, the United Nations divided Palestine into an Arab and a Jewish state. This was to accommodate a post-World War Two desire for a Jewish homeland, but it came against the will of the local Arab population.

On October 7, 2023, the Islamic militant group Hamas killed more than a thousand people, mostly civilians, and took 250 others hostage in the deadliest attack in Israel’s history. Israel immediately declared war on Hamas, and as of this writing, more than 30,000 people have been killed.

Beyond a territory for present-day Palestine, the land is much desired by both groups. But there is also much biblical importance and history surrounding Gaza. Here are five biblical reasons by Gaza is important.

Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/pawel.gaul

Archaeologists in Israel have uncovered a 2,000-year-old coin that dates to a century before the birth of Christ and bears the name “Eleazor the Priest,” a biblical name that experts say most likely references a religious leader of the time.