Jesus came to our world on a search and rescue mission. It’s the most wonderful truth about Christmas.

Throughout His earthly ministry, Jesus emphasized searching for and rescuing lost sinners. He told a parable about a shepherd who had 100 sheep and left the 99 to search for one that was lost. When he found it, he rejoiced, put it on his shoulders, and carried it home. Jesus said, “I tell you that in the same way there will be … rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:7, NIV).
There was great rejoicing over what God did recently in Lithuania, a small Baltic nation formerly part of the Soviet bloc. Out of this country’s entire population of 3 million, less than 3,000 have been attending an evangelical church on a typical Sunday morning. We held our Crusade in the largest arena in the capital city of Vilnius, with seating for approximately 10,000 people. Considering the nation’s small number of believers, I wondered if the arena was too large.
No one is ever too old to come to Christ. On Saturday night, we saw a couple in their 90s come forward to seek forgiveness for sins and give their lives to the Lord. The Bible says, “The Lord … is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).
Following Lithuania, I traveled to India to preach four nights at our Crusade in Hyderabad, one of the largest cities in that country. The evangelistic outreach was planned and carried out in partnership with over 1,800 churches in the region. We experienced much opposition, and there was even a question as to whether I would be granted a visa that permitted me to preach. Radicals who opposed Christianity threatened mass demonstrations. The police even came out in force. We rejoice that at the last minute I was given the visa needed, and the demostrators failed to show.

Over 270,000 people attended during the four-day event, and thousands responded to the invitation at each meeting. Pray that the new believers will stand strong, grow in the Lord, and begin to share His love with others.
The wonder of Christmas is that “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15), but time is short. No one knows how long the door of salvation will remain open—the life of any person may end unexpectedly. And I believe there are many signs that the return of Christ is near. God wants lost people found and rescued before it is too late, and He calls us to remain faithful to this task. “The strayed you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought. … My sheep were scattered over all the face of the earth” (Ezekiel 34:4, 6, ESV).
That is why we proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ at every opportunity we have in every place possible. Throughout 2011, God has gathered a great harvest of hearts through BGEA Crusade events in cities across America as well as in Europe, Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, and Canada. Pray for upcoming Crusades in places like Japan on the one-year anniversary of the earthquake and tsunami, Ghana, Hungary, Bolivia, and American cities from Texas to the Great Lakes.
This December we will be taking the Gospel across Portugal and Spain, as well as the East African country of Zambia, with our World Evangelism Through Television project, My Hope. Pray that there will be a great harvest.
If you are anywhere near Charlotte, North Carolina, in the weeks of December leading up to Christmas, we invite you to experience Christmas at the Library. This is a fantastic opportunity for you and your family to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas. People visit the Billy Graham Library from all over the country and the world, and every day there are guests who tell us that they made life-changing spiritual commitments as a result of their visit. Pray that God will continue touching many hearts.
My father has just turned 93. He is doing well and had a wonderful birthday weekend surrounded by family. He joins me in thanking you for your continuing support of this ministry by your prayer and giving. We could not do without either.
May God richly bless you and your family this Christmas.
Sincerely,



Franklin Graham
President

New Hot Spot on Israel's Southern Border: Religious Fervor Increases in Egypt

by Sarah Ann Haves

As the world focuses on Iran’s race towards nuclear capability, Israel is turning its attention to the capabilities of Iran’s proxies in the Middle East Hezbollah in Lebanon; Syria; Hamas in Gaza; and, newly developed Islamic terrorist cells operating in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula. Reportedly, there are now up to 400 Al Qaeda-linked terrorist groups with full reign in the Sinai. This has developed since former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak’s regime ended and Egyptian authorities loosened their grip on the area. Some terrorist groups are trying to develop an Islamic zone in the Sinai.

In mid-November 2011, Israel’s Chief of General Staff, Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz briefed the Israeli Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee about the terrorist build-up in the south. He mentioned that, since the August 2011 terrorist attack on Israel’s southern city of Eilat, the IDF has changed its tactics. Israeli defense officials have added a brigade headquarters near Israel’s border with Egypt, and are trying to improve intelligence capabilities in the Sinai, which is proving difficult.

Gantz commented that the Sinai had become an area of global jihad, and a wide terrorist infrastructure is developing there, encouraged by radical groups in Gaza.

The attack on Eilat was considered a cooperative effort between operatives of the Palestinian Popular Resistance committees, and Salafist Islamists in Egypt. The attack bore the trademarks of Al Qaeda. In the meantime, a new terror group has developed in Egypt, this year, called al-Mujahedeen al-Takhfirin. It is responsible for the continued attacks on the gas pipeline that extends from Egypt into Israel and Jordan. This group also played a major role in the August 2011 attack on Eilat. The organization’s terrorist activities indicate that forces hostile to Israel are emerging during the current regional instability.

It is assumed by Israeli officials that the increase in global jihadist activities will continue where governments and leaders are uprooted; where there is a vacuum of central control in various countries in the Middle East. 

Recently, an American official met with the Muslim Brotherhood and claimed the U.S. would be willing to work with the group as it gained power in Egypt. This has concerned pro-Israel supporters who do not want to see the Brotherhood have greater influence in Egypt or in the rest of the region. 

Are We into Newspaper Eschatology?

One of the criticisms leveled against many prophetic ministers, is that we are propagators of "Newspaper Eschatology," meaning we line up certain events from the Scripture based upon current events. This is one of the main criticisms leveled against a well known prophetic minister Jack Van Impe. During his program, his wife will show clippings from news articles while Jack explains how it fits into what has been predicted in the future.

For those who may not be paying attention, there is ample evidence that we are living in the last days prior to the return of Christ. This is not a prophetic assumption, but is based upon hundreds of Old and New Testament Scriptures combined. Hebrew scholars note that Ezekiel 37 describes in detail a vision of Dry Bones that can absolutely apply to the events both during and after the Holocaust. The lineup of nations in the famed battle of Gog and Magog in Ezekiel 38-39, are in our time aligned in an Islamic coalition, making this vision of the prophet more possible in our time than at any other time in history. The restoration of Israel (Jer. 30:17-24; Joel 2:25), the reunification of Jerusalem (Ps. 102:16), the return of the Jews from foreign nations back to Israel (Isa. 43:6-6; Jer. 16:14-16), and the blossoming of the land to produce fruit that is sent around the world (Isa. 27:6) are all a part of the preparation of Israel for the return of the Messiah.

The fact is prophetic critics are often men who have their own agenda or hermeneutical process of interpreting the Scriptures.

There comes a moment in world history in which the events occurring in Israel, gentiles nations, and the church collide with the predictions of the time of the end. When newspapers are reporting events that clearly line up with the prophetic words of the Old Testament prophets, Christ and the Apostles, there should be no argument or criticism when ministers begin pointing out the amazing parallels of current events with Biblical narratives. Certainly a teacher/minister should never carry the parallels beyond the obvious and clear linking between prophetic verses and news article. Also, all prophetic ministers must take care to not advance speculation in a manner which seems to be their own spiritual prediction.

Some have suggested that comparing events of today with Biblical prophecies is mere "prophetic sensationalism." One of the definitions of "sensational" is "causing or intending to cause intense feelings, especially of curiosity, horror, etc." Over the years when revealing the actual prophecies related to the blossoming of the desert in Israel (Isa 35:1-7), the amazing occurrences at the Dead Sea (Ezek, 4) and the events related to the ravenous birds in northern Israel (Ezek 39), I have been accused of "sensationalism." I have difficulty in considering this intended negative statement, as actually being a negative statement, as everything God does and every fulfillment of His Word is in my opinion SENSATIONAL, as another definition of the word sensational is, IMPRESSIVE! Other definitions given to the word are, "amazing, dramatic, thrilling, revealing, spectacular, breathtaking," etc.

Does sensational describe the amazing pictures we see from the cosmos taken by the Hubble telescope? Does sensational describe the human body which is "wonderfully and fearfully made" (Ps. 139:14)? Can sensational describe how God restored the nation of Israel, bringing back the Jews to rebuild the waste places to make them a great army? Is it overkill to describe these events as sensational? What about the ministry of Christ in healing the sick and raising the dead? My father once preached a message called, "The Sensational Jesus of Nazareth," as every miracle Christ preformed was sensational!

If there were no facts or truth connecting the reports of events now unfolding with the predictions of the Biblical prophets, then modern prophetic teaching would never be sensational by the anti-rapture, anti-prophecy fulfillment groupies. The fact is prophetic critics are often men who have their own agenda or hermeneutical process of interpreting the Scriptures. There is the Kingdom Now group along with the Dominion or replacement Theology crowd. Then add the Preterists and the Amillennialists in the mix and we have a bowl of hodge podge, thick with ideas, all who firmly stand against the Pre-millennial coming of Christ, especially as it relates to the concept of a gathering together of the overcoming remnant prior to the seven year tribulation cycle.

In the time of Christ there were two groups: those who believed in him and those who did not, just as BC there were Biblical Jews or Gentiles. There were those, such as Anna and Rabbi Simeon who were anticipating the arrival of the Jewish Messiah and recognized him at the temple when he was an infant (Luke 2:25-37), and others who considered Christ a heretic. The skeptics were so intent of preventing Christ from influencing the multitudes that they went as far as to accuse him of working miracles through demon spirits (Matt. 12:24). It was also Christ that gave predictions of what would occur in one generation, including the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem (Matt. 24:-1-3; 23:36).

I wonder what the "Jerusalem Post News" would have written the day the Romans surrounded the Temple to overtake the Temple Mount platform. Let me imagine for a moment the headlines reading, the sensational prediction of the sensational Jesus of Nazareth is about to come to pass! Our headlines today could read, the sensational prophecies of the Bible are now coming to pass and prophetic sensationalists are now sensationalizing their predictions! For the skeptical and often critical observers of Biblical prophecy, you may intend to mock ministers such as Hal Lindsey, Jack Van Impel, myself or others through insulting our intelligence and insinuating that we know little or nothing about the Bible and the proper manner in which to interpret it. However, maybe you should read a few papers and compare 

One of the world's largest oil companies may bring down the very unstable war torn national government of Iraq

Exxon Mobil, one of the world's largest oil companies, has challenged Iraq's Prime Minister Maliki as the political leader of war torn Iraq, works to stop the growing regional separatism of his nation as it relates to the central government's control over territory and the oil rights of the different regions of Iraq. Iraqi Kurdistan, the oil rich region of Iraq, has signed an agreement with Exxon Mobil for billions of barrels of oil which could jeopardize Maliki's central government's authority and bring down the fragile power sharing coalition in Baghdad. 

The stability of Iraq's coalition government made up of Sunni Moslems, Shiites, and the Kurds is at risk of breaking up over the control of Iraq's greatest natural resource, oil. 

Jimmy's Prophetic Prospective on the News

The battle over the oil rights of war torn Iraq is setting the stage for a scenario that can be found in Bible prophecy for the last days. 

It has been known for a long time that the rebuilding of war torn Iraq would be paid for by the agreements for the oil rights to the massive oil fields in Iraq. Petroleum experts say that today's greatest source of oil can be found under the ground of this battlefield in the Middle East. Iraq's Prime Minister Maliki is doing a balancing act as he tries to stabilize his national coalition government but at the same time, reap the benefits for the sale of the oil rights across all of Iraq. Some say that Prime Minister Maliki is not up to the task of rebuilding his nation and making Iraq an economic powerhouse in this oil rich region of the world. 

The prophetic scenario found in Bible prophecy foretells of an appearance of a strong man who will bring Iraq to the economic center of the world. John, the writer of the book of Revelation, reveals the appearance of the Antichrist, that strong man, who will in fact head up the economic power base in Babylon which is modern-day Iraq (Revelation 13 and 18). Jeremiah and Isaiah see the rise of Babylon, today's Iraq, as the precursor to the return of Jesus Christ (Isaiah 13,14 and Jeremiah 50, 51.). Revelation 16:17-21 predicts the total destruction of Iraq which is Biblical Babylon, this oil rich nation that will come to power in the last days. Bible prophecy will indeed be fulfilled.

A leading rabbi in Jerusalem believes the temple will be rebuilt in his lifetime

In a documentary produced by my son, Jim Jr., a leading rabbi in Jerusalem says that he believes the next Jewish temple will be rebuilt on the Temple Mount in his lifetime and he says everything is ready to build that temple today. Rabbi Nachman Kahane, the rabbi who has guided many Jewish students of the Scriptures on the subject of the temple has been the main source of serious study and preparations to build the Jewish temple basically because that is what the Bible calls for from the religious Jews. 

In Rabbi Kahane's Yeshiva, which is a place of learning for Jewish young men, the rabbi trained all the leaders of this effort to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem and it was his students that started the Temple Institute who has accumulated all the implements for the next temple and train the men to operate that temple. 

Jimmy's Prophetic Prospective on the News

All the preparations have been made to rebuild the next Jewish temple in Jerusalem which is in essence a page out of Bible prophecy for the end of times. Twenty years ago I sat with Rabbi Nachman Kahane as he was beginning his quest to rebuild the Jewish temple in Jerusalem on the Temple Mount. Now twenty years later the rabbi believes that the temple will indeed be rebuilt in his lifetime. That is a quote from the rabbi on a documentary released on the subject that shows the rabbi plus many others who also agree that the temple could be standing in Jerusalem in the very near future. 

Rabbi Yehuda Glick, the former head of the Temple Institute, says even the priestly garments are ready and the temple will stand in full operation very soon. Rabbi Chaim Richman, who is the leading authority on the red heifer, says the temple will be built at the spot of the original site of the Garden of Eden which he says is the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. Rabbi Yoel Keren says that there will be a Jewish temple in Jerusalem that follows the details in Ezekiel 40-46 but first the Jewish people will build a less extravagant temple as they did when the Second Temple was rebuilt 2500 years ago. The priests have been trained, the implements made to operate the temple, even the Menorah, the seven branched candelabra, and there are ten stringed harps for the Levites to play as called for by King David in I Chronicles 23:5. 

With all preparations made for the next temple, Bible prophecy is about to be fulfilled.

Grace to Keep Going

As believers, we readily attribute our salvation to God’s grace, but what does “this grace in which we stand” mean to us now (Rom. 5:2)? How does it work out in everyday life, especially when we’re going through periods of trial or suffering?

1. The Lord’s grace releases His supernatural power within us so we can endure life’s hardships with a godly attitude. In fact, we’ll even be able to rejoice in what He is doing in us through the adversity.
2. Grace builds our confidence in the sovereign Lord. Nothing looks hopeless when we focus on Him instead of on our problems.
3. We discover the assurance of God’s sustaining presence as He walks with us every step of the way.
4. Because we’ve experienced His care for us, we are able to show empathy and love to others facing hard times.
5. During fiery trials, grace works to transform our character so that others can see Jesus reflected in us.

Difficulties in life are unavoidable. So we need a daily dose of God’s grace if we are to walk through trials with confidence that there is great reward on the other side. If we rely on our own strength, however, obstacles will appear insurmountable, leaving us discouraged and ready to give up.
Too often believers rely on Christ for their salvation but then try to go solo. If God’s grace was needed to save us, then logic says we would also need it for the rest of our days. Only through a continuous infusion of His sustaining power can we live a victorious Christian life.

Egypt's highest ranking Moslem cleric wants all Jews removed from Jerusalem

Ahmed a- Taib, the highest ranking cleric in Egypt and one of the most important clerics in the entire Sunni Arab world, has called on all Moslems who value their religion, to join him in his effort to stop the Judaization of Jerusalem. A- Taib has set up a special committee to prevent the progress of the Zionist plan to Judaize Jeruslaem and the Islamic cleric has called on all Moslem leaders to commit to using whatever sources that they have at their disposal to defend al Aksa Mosque on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. 

Jimmy's Prophetic Prospective on the News

The call by an Egyptian Moslem cleric to liberate the city of Jerusalem is a call to arms in the Islamic world but it is also a page out of Bible prophecy for the last days. 

The highest ranking Moslem cleric in Egypt and perhaps the entire Sunni Arab world has set in motion a plan to remove all Jews from the city of Jerusalem. Underneath the banner of a campaign to stop the Judaization of Jerusalem, Ahmed a- Taib has called on all Moslems everywhere to join his efforts to remove Jews from Jerusalem and to use every source at their disposal to achieve their goal. A meeting between A- Taib and the leaders of the Islamic terror group Hamas brought a strategy together for achieving their goal of a Jew free Jerusalem. This report is tangible evidence of how the prophetic scenario found in Bible prophecy is quickly approaching the fulfillment on each of the prophecies related to the city of Jerusalem. 

Zechariah 12:2 says that in the last days Jerusalem be the center of controversy. The Davidic Covenant found in II Samuel 7 reveals that the Lord will place the Jews in Jerusalem forever and there He will protect them from all of their enemies. Jesus Christ said that He would return to Jerusalem (Zechariah 14:4) and there build a temple where He will rule and reign forever (Zechariah 6:12-13). Jerusalem is the place where the Lord said that He would dwell among His people, the Jewish people, forever (Psalm 132:13-14). 

No Moslem cleric or anyone else for that matter can stop Bible prophecy from being fulfilled