Christian megachurch leader Greg Laurie recently appeared on psychologist Jordan Peterson’s podcast, where he gave the professor-turned-cultural commentator a powerful presentation of the Gospel.

“When everything’s said and done, what’s more important than the afterlife?” the California-based pastor asked Peterson. “What’s more important than where we spend it? According to the Bible, I believe there’s a literal heaven, a literal hell, and I believe we choose in this life where we will spend the afterlife.”

Laurie added he’s going to spend eternity in heaven “not because I’ve lived a good life — because I failed in many ways — but because Christ laid His life down for me on the cross.”

“Coming back to Abraham, and what a picture, the son was willing to go and be sacrificed by the father,” the pastor continued, referring to the Old Testament story of Genesis 22. “[Isaac] knew what was going on: ‘Hey, Dad, where’s the sacrifice?’ ‘My son, God will provide for Himself a sacrifice.’ But Isaac made that sacrifice, too. The Son Jesus made that sacrifice for us, because He knew there was no other way that we could reach God, no other way we could satisfy the righteous demands of God. So Heaven isn’t for good people, as it’s often said; heaven is for forgiven people.”

The conversation between Peterson and Laurie stemmed from the 71-year-old minister opening up about the death of his son, Christopher, who passed away in 2008 as a result of a tragic car accident.

He described that day in July of 2008 as the “worst” day in his life. Nevertheless, Laurie said he is not without hope — because of his faith in the redemptive work of Jesus.

“I believe I’ll see my son again, because he believed in Jesus,” Laurie explained. “He won’t be in heaven because I’m his dad; he’ll be in heaven because he put his faith in Christ and he had that relationship. He’s a part of my future as well, so that gives me hope. But, also, I realize that God can allow these things in our life. I don’t know why. I can’t explain it. I don’t even try to explain it.”

Peterson, author of the new book, “We Who Wrestle With God: Perceptions of the Divine,” admitted to Laurie he struggles to intellectually reconcile a desire to perfect the earthly world with the knowledge the Christian life is heavily weighted toward considering eternity.

The famed psychologist and podcast host asked, “How do you reconcile, in your own mind, the insistence that part of the Christian moral pattern is to perfect the world and to raise the material up to the heavenly with the notion of the afterlife and immortality?”

Laurie referenced 2 Corinthians 12:2-4, in which the Apostle Paul wrote about experiencing a “third heaven,” as well as the thief on the cross next to Jesus, Who promised the man, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with Me in paradise” (Luke 23:42-43, NIV).

The pastor explained he has felt closest to God — and His promises of eternity — through life’s trials.

“God made a lot of promises,” said Laurie. “I’ve put those promises to the test, including the worst thing of all, to lose a child. And I’ve seen how God had come through for me. If He hadn’t come through for me after my son died, I would have given up preaching, for sure. Why carry on? But He came through for me.”
Sources:faithwire

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For as long as Prestonwood Baptist Church Pastor Jack Graham can remember, he’s loved the Bible — a connection nurtured during his childhood as he sat on his grandfather’s knee, listening to the Scriptures.

“The Bible has always been a part of my life, and I’m very grateful for that,” the 74-year-old pastor told The Christian Post.

“As a child, I revealed in those great stories of adventure in the Old Testament, whether it was David and the giant or Daniel in the lion’s den. Then, ultimately, I realized that the story was all about Jesus. Jesus stepped out of the pages of Scripture and into my life. From the beginning, like Timothy, since my childhood, I’ve had the privilege of knowing and loving the Scriptures.”

That childhood foundation shaped not only Graham’s faith but also his calling as a pastor and teacher. A prolific author, he’s served two terms as president of the Southern Baptist Convention, the largest Protestant denomination in the United States. His teachings are broadcast through PowerPoint Ministries, reaching audiences nationwide and globally. In October 2022, he launched the “Bible in a Year with Jack Graham” podcast, which quickly gained popularity, surpassing 60 million downloads.

But for Graham, his latest book, The Jesus Book, represents the culmination of his life’s work.

“If I had never written another book, this is the one book that I’m glad I was able to write, because it basically covers the message of my life; certainly the message of the Christian faith, the Word of God, the testimony of Christ,” he said. “It is everything to me. My whole life’s goal is to stand on the truth of God’s Word and to proclaim it and, of course, live it.”

In his book, Graham recounts his formative years — a nod to the enduring influence of his grandfather’s storytelling — and how, decades later, that connection to Scripture came full circle during a visit to Oxford, where he held fragments of the Gospel of Matthew, the oldest manuscript of the New Testament.

“As I held those pieces of papyrus, my mind flashed back to learning to read by reading the Bible,” he said. “For me, it wasn’t ‘Dick and Jane’; it was Moses, Daniel, Joseph and Jesus. The Bible has been such a treasure in my life.”

At its core, The Jesus Book is an invitation for readers to encounter Jesus in Scripture, Graham emphasized, adding that the Bible isn’t just a historical artifact or a set of moral guidelines, but a living breathing testimony of God’s plan for redemption.

“The more you read your Bible, the more you know who Jesus is,” he said. “And the more you know Jesus, the more you love and serve Him.”

Through stories, teachings and practical advice, the pastor said his book aims to demystify Scripture for those who feel intimidated or unsure about how to approach it. The book’s subtitle, “Reading and Understanding the Bible for Yourself,” he said, captures his goal of empowering readers to approach the Bible with confidence.

“The story of the Bible is clear because it has one central theme,” he said. “That theme is redemption, salvation. There’s one central person in the Bible: God, in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself. It’s the story of redemption. And that redemption story is a scarlet thread, that runs through the Bible, from Genesis in the Old Testament all the way through to the New Testament. When you understand the basic themes of the Bible and what the Bible is all about, then it’s not that hard to understand.”

“If a person will make the effort and intentionally read God’s Word and hear God’s Word and ask the Holy Spirit to explain it and interpret it to them, they will understand it,” he reiterated.

At a time when biblical literacy is at an all-time low, Graham stressed that the Bible’s relevance is timeless. His ministry emphasizes the transformational power of Scripture, he said, citing studies that show regular Bible engagement drastically reduces destructive behaviors while increasing spiritual growth.

“People assume that [the Bible] is a religious book without relevance, and it is an antique or an ancient book that has no application for their lives,” he said. “They approach the Bible as though they would approach any book of history or book of archeology. But you have to start by recognizing that the Bible is the Word of God, and that because it’s the Word of God, there is a message for you today.”

In The Jesus Book, Graham also addresses common mistakes, such as approaching Scripture haphazardly or misunderstanding its central message.

“Bible study methods are important, and we talk about some of those methods as you look at a passage of Scripture, how to summarize the passage, how to assess its content and context,” Graham said. “There is a chapter on protecting yourself from bad Bible reading. There’s a lot of people who misinterpret the Bible because they don’t understand its central content.”

One of the key topics in The Jesus Book is developing a biblical worldview. At a time when truth often seems relative and cultural values ​​shift rapidly, Graham urges Christians to see the world through the lens of Scripture rather than allowing culture to dictate how they interpret the Bible.

“Jude 3 says we are to earnestly contend for the faith, and that reminds us that with all the worldviews that we hear and see out there, with so many lies in the culture, so many lies we tell ourselves, the only way to overcome this attack on truth is using truth to support our faith and our beliefs,” he said.

“In a world that is filled with unbelief, we should graciously, but yet forcefully, understand our Bible and proclaim this message without apology,” he added. “In the culture today, it’s important that we give reasonable evidence for the faith, and that we proclaim Scripture with confidence and certainty and conviction. And when we do that, the Word of God works, and there’s power in the Scripture to counteract all the works of darkness.”

With over 50 years of ministry service, Graham said he’s convinced that pastors and church leaders play a crucial role in encouraging a love for Scripture.

“When you preach the Bible, it creates an appetite for things of God, for the truth,” he said. “It’s like eating a meal; you have to try it: ‘taste and see that the Lord is good.’ I’ve always believed pastors should give a proclamation of the Scriptures so that people can understand it; explain what the Bible says, but also illustrate it and apply it to people’s lives.”

Through his book, Graham said his prayer is that readers will encounter Christ through the Bible and learn how to encounter the Scriptures as a living, breathing testimony of God’s plan for redemption.

“ Luke 24 reminds us that Jesus is present in Scripture,” he said. “My prayer is that every Christian would encounter Christ in the Bible and experience His living presence in His Word. He is called the Living Word of God. So He has given us His book, the Bible, and it is true and trustworthy.”

The Jesus Book is now available everywhere books are sold.
Sources:Christian Post

http://theendtimeradio.com

അടുത്തവര്‍ഷം സോഷ്യല്‍ സെക്യൂരിറ്റി ആനുകൂല്യങ്ങളില്‍ രണ്ട് പ്രധാന മാറ്റങ്ങള്‍ പ്രഖ്യാപിച്ച് യു.എസ്. 2025മുതല്‍ 70 ദശലക്ഷത്തിലധികം ആളുകള്‍ക്ക് സോഷ്യല്‍ സെക്യൂരിറ്റി അഡ്മിനിസ്‌ട്രേഷനില്‍ നിന്ന് പ്രതിമാസ ആനുകൂല്യങ്ങള്‍ ലഭിക്കാന്‍ തുടങ്ങും. എങ്കിലും, സപ്ലിമെന്റല്‍ സെക്യൂരിറ്റി വരുമാനത്തിന് (എസ്എസ്‌ഐ) യോഗ്യതയുള്ള ചില സ്വീകര്‍ത്താക്കള്‍ക്ക്, ഈ സോഷ്യല്‍ സെക്യൂരിറ്റി പേയ്‌മെന്റുകളില്‍ ചിലത് സാധാരണ തീയതികളില്‍ മെയില്‍ ചെയ്യപ്പെടില്ല.

65 വയസ്സിനു മുകളിലുള്ള താഴ്ന്ന വരുമാനമുള്ള വ്യക്തികള്‍, വൈകല്യമുള്ളവര്‍, അല്ലെങ്കില്‍ പ്രത്യേക സാമ്പത്തിക സാഹചര്യങ്ങളില്‍ കുട്ടികള്‍ എന്നിവരെ സഹായിക്കാന്‍ രൂപകല്‍പ്പന ചെയ്ത ഒരു സാമ്പത്തിക പരിപാടിയാണ് എസ്എസ്എയുടേത്.

സോഷ്യല്‍ സെക്യൂരിറ്റി അഡ്മിനിസ്ട്രേഷന്‍ സപ്ലിമെന്റല്‍ സെക്യൂരിറ്റി വരുമാനം (എസ്എസ്‌ഐ), റിട്ടയര്‍മെന്റ്, സര്‍വൈവര്‍, ഡിസെബിലിറ്റി ഇന്‍ഷുറന്‍സ് (ആര്‍എസ്ഡിഐ) എന്നിവയ്ക്ക് ഓരോ മാസവും അഞ്ച് സെറ്റ് പേയ്മെന്റുകള്‍ നല്‍കുന്നു.

അവര്‍ സപ്ലിമെന്റല്‍ സെക്യൂരിറ്റി ഇന്‍കം (എസ്എസ്‌ഐ) പ്രോഗ്രാമിന് യോഗ്യരാണെങ്കില്‍, അവര്‍ക്ക് അവരുടെ ജനനത്തീയതി പരിഗണിക്കാതെ തന്നെ മാസത്തിന്റെ ഒന്നാം തീയതി പ്രതിമാസ പേയ്മെന്റുകള്‍ ലഭിക്കും. വിരമിച്ച തൊഴിലാളികള്‍, വികലാംഗര്‍ എന്നിവര്‍ക്ക്, അവര്‍ ആദ്യം ആനുകൂല്യങ്ങള്‍ തേടിയ തീയതിയെ ആശ്രയിച്ച് പേയ്മെന്റുകള്‍ ലഭിക്കും. 1997 മെയ് മാസത്തിന് മുമ്പ് ക്ലെയിം ചെയ്ത അവകാശികള്‍ക്ക് അവരുടെ ആനുകൂല്യങ്ങള്‍ മാസത്തിന്റെ മൂന്നാം തീയതിയും, മെയ് 1997 ന് ശേഷം ക്ലെയിം ചെയ്തവര്‍ക്ക് രണ്ടാമത്തെയും മൂന്നാമത്തെയും നാലാമത്തെയും ബുധനാഴ്ചകളില്‍ ആനുകൂല്യങ്ങള്‍ ലഭിക്കും. മാത്രമല്ല, വാരാന്ത്യങ്ങളോ അവധിക്കാലമോ അടിസ്ഥാനമാക്കി ഈ നിശ്ചിത തീയതികള്‍ മാറിയേക്കാമെന്നത് ഓര്‍ത്തിരിക്കേണ്ടത് പ്രധാനമാണ്.

സോഷ്യല്‍ സെക്യൂരിറ്റി പേയ്മെന്റ് ഷെഡ്യൂള്‍ 2025 അനുസരിച്ച്, ജനുവരി, ഫെബ്രുവരി മാസങ്ങളിലെ പതിവ് പേയ്മെന്റ് തീയതികള്‍ ഒരു പരിധിവരെ പരിഷ്‌ക്കരിക്കും, SSI ഗുണഭോക്താക്കള്‍ക്ക് അവരുടെ ആനുകൂല്യങ്ങള്‍ ജനുവരി 31-നും മാര്‍ച്ച് 1-ന് ഫെബ്രുവരി 28-നും ലഭിക്കും. ഈ മുന്‍കൂര്‍ പേയ്മെന്റുകളുടെ കാരണം, ഒരു സാധാരണ പേയ്മെന്റ് തീയതി അവധി ദിവസങ്ങളിലോ വാരാന്ത്യത്തിലോ വന്നാല്‍, ഗുണഭോക്താക്കളുടെ സാമ്പത്തിക ബഡ്ജറ്റുകളെ ബാധിക്കാതിരിക്കാന്‍ SSA അത് മുന്‍ പ്രവൃത്തി ദിവസത്തേക്ക് പുനഃക്രമീകരിക്കും. 2025-ലെ പേയ്മെന്റ് ഷെഡ്യൂള്‍ അടിസ്ഥാനമാക്കി 2025-ലെ സോഷ്യല്‍ സെക്യൂരിറ്റി പേയ്മെന്റുകളുടെ ആദ്യ മാസങ്ങളിലെ സ്ഥിരീകരിച്ച തീയതികളാണിത്.

ഒക്ടോബര്‍ 10-ന് പ്രഖ്യാപിച്ച 2.5 ശതമാനം ജീവിത ചെലവ് ക്രമീകരണം (COLA) ഇതിനകം തന്നെ ഈ സാമൂഹിക സുരക്ഷാ ആനുകൂല്യങ്ങളില്‍ ഉള്‍പ്പെടുത്തും.
Sources:azchavattomonline.com

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