It’s the most wonderful time of the year! As we prepare to celebrate during this happy season, this week’s program takes us back to the very first Christmas. The Old Testament prophecies and New Testament context converged in this time to create an incredible account of the virgin birth that fulfilled the divine Messianic expectations and made a way for us to have a relationship with the Lord. This program is bursting with encouragement and reassurance that God loves you more than you could ever imagine, and the proof lies in the details of the first Christmas!

Hanukkah is almost here! We’re continuing our discussion this week with Steve Herzig, vice president of North American Ministries here at The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry. Steve grew up in an Orthodox Jewish home and brings a personal perspective to the Jewish holidays. This week he shares his memories of celebrating Hanukkah growing up and how he observes Hanukkah now as a believer in Jesus the Messiah. His conversation with Chris is a lot of fun and a great encouragement for all who believe in Jesus too. We hope you enjoy Hanukkah in a new way this year!

Hanukkah and Christmas fall on the same week this year—and this week we are talking about all things Hanukkah! We welcome Steve Herzig, vice president of North American Ministries here at The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry, to the program. He and Chris discuss everything from how to pronounce “Hanukkah” to the inspiration it provides for Jewish people today to why Jesus celebrated this Feast of Dedication in the New Testament even though it’s not mentioned in the Old Testament. Enjoy this week’s festive chat, and discover fascinating facts you never knew about Hanukkah!

Happy Thanksgiving, friends! You might know about this favorite holiday’s American roots, but did you know just how much Thanksgiving connects to Israel and the Jewish people? Chris teaches about the surprisingly long list of similarities between Jewish culture and customs and our current holiday celebrations on this Thanksgiving-themed show. Enjoy taking some time this weekend to listen and discover how the Pilgrims saw themselves in the Jewish people’s plight, the biblical blessings and offerings of thanksgiving, and why God cherishes our thankfulness so much!

The votes are in! A familiar face is returning to the premiership in Israel: Benjamin Netanyahu—the longest-serving prime minister who last held the title just last year. But why have Israelis gone to the polls five times in four years? What does Netanyahu’s return to power mean? And what does the future hold for Israelis? Chris shares the answers to your election questions on this week’s show to explain the complicated, messy, yet beautiful process of politics in Israel, the only democracy in the Middle East!

Hear from the front lines of Israel’s emergency care! Don Sharpe, our guest on this week’s program, is saving lives in Israel. A Magen David Adom volunteer from Alberta, Canada, Don is the first international paramedic trained to provide volunteer EMS care in the Holy Land. Tune in to find out how Don became a Magen David Adom volunteer in Israel despite living halfway across the world, stories from his service in the Holy Land, and how he plans to use his expertise from EMS care in Israel back home in Alberta!

God is blessing The Friends of Israel’s ministry Down Under! You won’t want to miss this week’s interview with Deane and Margaret Woods, who recently retired from 18 years of ministry in Australia. Through their faithful service, a new generation of Christian servants are serving the Jewish community and changing lives with God’s love. Tune in for their stories of starting our Australian ministry from the ground up and passing the baton to those God has called to keep proclaiming His Word in Australia and New Zealand!

Jesus’ epic showdown with a demon-possessed man put His power and identity on display in the book of Luke. Though the confrontation fits into just a few verses, it shows us Jesus’ Messianic ministry and ability to free people both from demons and from sin. He does the same thing today for all who believe on Him, so we should share about our Savior with those around us today! Join us this week for the conclusion of our study on the Holy One of God!

You won’t be surprised to know Jesus is the Holy One of God, but you might be surprised to learn who else is called a Holy One of God. You might also be surprised that those who called Jesus the Holy One were the apostle Peter… and satanic demons. What does this title for Jesus tell us about our Savior? Join us for part 1 of our 2-part series on the Holy One of God for another biblical perspective on Jesus the Messiah!

You might be familiar with King Solomon’s wisdom and wealth, but did you know that his reign over Israel gave us a picture of an even greater Kingdom to come? Timothy Rabinek, our Field Ministries representative in Poland, wrote about the parallels between the two kingdoms in Israel My Glory magazine. He joins Chris on our show this week to share how these kingdoms are marked by judgment, wisdom, peace, and the Temple. Tune in to learn how studying Solomon’s kingdom can prepare your heart for the glory of God’s Millennial Kingdom!