We live in a special time in earth’s history. Today, preaching Bible truth is not so restricted like it used to be, when preachers were limited to preaching only in the Piedmont mountains or in small gatherings at night with covered windows, for fear of persecution. Today, the name of Jesus is being preached to large crowds from pulpits of immense churches, in downtown plazas, through Internet, radio and television. Almost everybody knows about Jesus—and yet, very few know Jesus. And the world has never been more void of His presence.

You may wonder why this is the case. It is because the Gospel was never meant to be only a theory, Jesus’ life was never meant to be simply a nice story, and His presence was never meant to be just a pretty picture on the wall. The Gospel is the power unto salvation, Jesus’ life is a demonstration of God’s loving character, and His presence is to be reflected in our lives.

The world may be full of presentations of Bible history, but what the world needs is a representation of God in the lives of His followers, in my life and in your life. The manifestation of God’s transforming power in our lives will convince many that they can be changed, too—and when we see so many familiar faces in heaven, we will humbly say: “It was worth it.”

I pray that the articles in this magazine may help you identify Jesus as your Friend, Teacher, Healer, Saviour, High Priest, and King.