The “Pale Blue Dot.” Have you seen the picture? A truly beautiful photograph… It’s amazing to realize how tiny the earth is in comparison with the vastness of our solar system — not to mention the universe! To Dr. Carl Sagan this photograph revealed that humanity, the earth, and life itself are all insignificant given the scale of the cosmos. We’re just a tiny blip on the canvas of nature. So he suggested we find meaning and purpose by exploring space, searching for extraterrestrial lifeforms, and colonizing remote planets. Of course this begs the question: how can space exploration (a hopelessly too large task) give meaning?

“If you abide in My Word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:31-32 NKJV) Imprisonment often means incarceration, but being confined to a jail cell is only one definition of imprisonment.

The tongue is like a tiny spark, James said, that sets a forest on fire. “It is a world of wickedness. . . it can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself. . . It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison” (James 3: 5-8).

You and I must be careful what we say. And how we say it. The mouth that praises God on Sunday must not be the mouth that curses candidates on Monday…

Men need a mission. Men’s ministries that involve only sharing feelings and didactic teaching, will not hold men’s interest for long. Men are wired to DO. They need objectives and goals - a MISSION. How about a call for them to be disciple makers and leaders in their families, in their church bodies, and in their communities and government?

I have found many Scriptures that direct us to pray for the people who are in authority over us. I discovered that when we are obedient to pray for our leaders, we step into a biblical principle that will bring peace to our lives, as well as our family, friends and neighbors.

“I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth.” 1 Timothy 2:1-5 NLT

Jesus said He would build His church upon this foundation—the Spirit-revealed knowledge of Jesus written upon the hearts of His people. God builds the church by revelation knowledge “precept upon precept,” stone upon stone—it will be His building. Psalms 127:1 puts it this way, “Unless the LORD builds a house, the work of the builders is useless. …” Can you think of a better foundation for God to build His church than Spirit-revealed knowledge of His Word?

They gathered in the small boarding house on Market Street. They sat down in high-backed wooden chairs around a simple wooden table. There was no air-conditioning to sooth the summer heat. In the descending rays of late afternoon, a candle was their light. To them was given the awesome responsibility to craft a declaration; the “power to begin the world over again.”

Christian Groups Announce Merger to “Help Shape Future” of U.S. Politics as Elections Loom

The ending of a story is crucial in determining the meaning of the story. If Romeo had simply not panicked and committed suicide, both he and Juliet would have gone on to live happy, joy-filled lives. If Gollum had not bitten the ring off of Frodo’s finger and fallen into the fires of Mt. Doom, the dark Lord Sauron would have regained the ring and the unquenchable power that went with it.

As humans, it is very important for us to understand history and where we fit into it. Every one of us has a basic need to know the meaning of the story of history.

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Our faith builds when we experience God’s grace through fellowship with Him. The more we know our heavenly Father, the more faith we have in Him. Faith grows in direct proportion to the amount of time spent in His presence.

My parents were building a brick wall.

They carefully placed a string, with a small weight attached to the end, from the top to the bottom where the wall was going to be.

It was measured and precisely straight.

As a child, I used to love going on road trips with my grandparents. Whenever we entered the lobby of a new hotel, I’d collect the little travel brochures for all the local sights. They didn’t cover every detail of the attraction, but they would usually give a pretty good feel for what it was like. What happens to people when they die? God’s Word provides a brief brochure-taste of eternity, to spur us here on earth.

“If you strike me down I will become more powerful than you can possibly imagine!” These

famous scripted words were spoken by Obi Wan Kenobi in the original Star Wars. Darth Vader

accepts the gambit, plunging his former friend and mentor into the afterlife, which in the film is a

vague and undefined existence. Kenobi appears to be “at one with the force,” while

simultaneously retaining his individuality and the ability to speak to Luke, appearing in ghost-like

form. Of course, this is just a movie — but the philosophy resembles eastern worldviews that

seek the same goal of “becoming one with the universe.”

How should Christians go about voting in Runoff Elections?

In the Old Testament, many large cities had walls surrounding them to provide protection from enemies. When part of the wall was broken down, the city was vulnerable to attack. Brave soldiers were needed to risk their lives by literally standing in the broken wall’s gap to turn back the enemy.

Today, “standing in the gap” is a term used by people familiar with warfare prayer and intercessory prayer.