Christmas 1863: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow—wife dead in fire (1861), son Charles shot in Civil War (November 1863)—heard church bells on Christmas morning and wrote "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day." For those struggling this Christmas—grieving, watching loved ones suffer, despairing over world—hear what Longfellow heard. Scripture: John 1:5 (Light in darkness) | Read more: nations4jesus.blogspot.com

Christmas 1944, Ravensbrück concentration camp (Germany): Corrie ten Boom and sister Betsie, imprisoned for hiding Jews in Netherlands, gathered with starving women to celebrate Christmas. Corrie wrote: "Christ's light shone in the darkest place on earth." Scripture: John 1:5 (Light in darkness) | Source: Corrie ten Boom, "The Hiding Place" | Read more: nations4jesus.blogspot.com

Episode Description:

Christmas 1904: Sundar Singh (15, Sikh family, Punjab, India) burned Bibles, threw stones at preachers—fierce opponent of Christianity. But empty inside, no peace.

December 18, 1904: Planned suicide by 5 AM train if God didn't reveal Himself. At 4:30 AM, bright light filled room— Find out what happens as you listen in today!

Source: Sundar Singh biographies | Read more: nations4jesus.blogspot.com

First Christmas-themed podcast! Amy Carmichael, Irish missionary to South India, 1895-1951, discovered young girls sold to Hindu temples and couldn’t ignore it. Hear how Preena, prayed to Jesus: "If You are there, save me!" 

Hear what happens and Christmas rescue that launched Dohnavur Fellowship

Scripture: Isaiah 61:1 | Source: Amy Carmichael biography, Dohnavur Fellowship | Read more: nations4jesus.blogspot.com

BREAKING: After 12 YEARS in Chinese prison, Pastor Zhang Shaojie is FINALLY FREE! Pastor Zhang: "Only global prayer kept me alive—without it, I could have been forcibly disappeared.”

When someone becomes a Christian in China, especially a pastor, they PREPARE FOR PRISON—it's not "if" but "when." 

Sources: Jesse Speaks (Facebook), Voice of the Martyrs, Open Doors World Watch List, China Aid | Read more: nations4jesus.blogspot.com

Last week an AI-generated artist named "Solomon Ray" tops Christian music charts with album Faithful Soul, sparking urgent debate about AI worship music. Can machines worship God? Christian artist Forrest Frank warns "AI does not have the Holy Spirit inside of it."

This episode examines why worship requires a worshiper, how AI erodes understanding of the Holy Spirit's role, and the danger of reducing worship to manufactured product.

While AI may assist creativity, it cannot replace Spirit-filled artists whose songs flow from real faith and genuine encounters with God. A call for biblical discernment as technology advances faster than wisdom.

Scripture: Psalm 103:1, Acts 16:25, Ephesians 5:18-19, 2 Timothy 3:5, John 4:23-24, 1 Corinthians 14:15

Read more: nations4jesus.blogspot.com

The true story of Squanto reveals God's sovereignty in suffering...slavery, loss of entire tribe and salvation in Christ! Squanto became "a special instrument sent of God" (Gov. Bradford), teaching them to farm, fish, and survive. Without him, the colony would have failed. Like Joseph (Genesis 50:20), Squanto was sold into slavery but God intended it for good—to save many lives.

Scripture: Genesis 50:20, Romans 8:28, Hebrews 13:3, Philippians 3:8 |

Sources: William Bradford's diary, Voice of the Martyrs, Open Doors | Read more: nations4jesus.blogspot.com

Twenty-five Christian schoolgirls were just kidnapped from their dormitory in Kebbi State, Nigeria—since I recorded this podcast, another 300+ children and 12 teachers have been kidnapped!

In just the first seven months of 2025, more than 7,000 Christians have been killed in Nigeria—that's 30 believers murdered every single day—making it the deadliest place on earth to follow Jesus.

It's systematic persecution that some are calling genocide, and the global church cannot remain silent.

Scripture: Hebrews 13:3, Ephesians 6:12, Matthew 16:18 | Sources: Open Doors World Watch List, U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, International Christian Concern, ADF International, Voice of the Martyrs | Read more: nations4jesus.blogspot.com

Something unprecedented is happening on college campuses—and it's accelerating faster than anyone expected. This week alone, 12,000 students gathered at NC State and Clemson with hundreds saved and over 150 baptized, while Greg Laurie's Utah event saw 2,100 professions of faith.

Gen Z—the most anxious, medicated generation in history—is filling arenas to worship Jesus, and the numbers are staggering: 110,000+ students reached, 16,000+ salvations, Bible sales up 41%, and for the first time in decades, young people are leading church attendance in America.

This isn't hype—it's a genuine move of God, and the question is: Will this awakening produce missionaries to reach the 3.3 billion who've never heard the Gospel?

Scripture: 1 Timothy 4:12 | Sources: UniteUS, TPUSA Faith, CBN News, Greg Laurie Harvest | Read more: nations4jesus.blogspot.com

Throughout American history, spiritual awakenings have occurred every 50 years: First (1730s-40s) with Edwards and Whitefield; Second (1790-1850) with Finney fueled abolition and missions; Third (1890-1910) with Moody reached cities; Fourth—Jesus Movement (1960s-mid-70s)—saw youth encounter Christ through Graham and Chuck Smith.

Now 2025, exactly 50 years later, signs point to a Fifth! Listen in to all that God is doing right now!

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 7:14 | Sources: ARDA, NPD BookScan, Sensor Tower, Pew Research 2024, Barna Group 2024, Joshua Project | Read more: nations4jesus.blogspot.com