Category: Illustrations and Research

Stories, news events, testimonies, history and more.

Interfaith Marriages On The Rise… And Failing More

According to the General Social Survey, 15 percent of U.S. households were mixed-faith in 1988. That number rose to 25 percent by 2006, and the increase shows no signs of slowing. The American Religious Identification Survey of 2001 reported that 27 percent of Jews, 23 percent of Catholics, 39 percent of Buddhists, 18 percent of… Continue reading Interfaith Marriages On The Rise… And Failing More

Worry, Prayer and Planning

Worry hurts you. Prayer inspires you. Planning prepares you. Worry is natural. Prayer is supernatural. Planning intertwines the natural (the world as it is) with the supernatural (the world as it could be and should be). Worry drains you. Prayer fills you. Planning fulfills you. Worry isolates you. Prayer connects you. Planning integrates you. Worry… Continue reading Worry, Prayer and Planning

Body, Soul and Spirit

The question is entertained often as to whether man is made of two parts (Body and Spirit/soul) or three parts (Body, Spirit, and Soul). While the answer may be truly far beyond our comprehension, I thought to outline my basic understanding of the makeup of man. It seems that the soul is that thing within… Continue reading Body, Soul and Spirit

The Definite Article

An interesting note about the Definite Article in the Greek text (actually in the Hebrew as well). A most amazing concept comes with the use of the Definite Article before the words ‘fatted calf’ in Luke 15:23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: The indication/concept/message… Continue reading The Definite Article

Seized of The Matter

The Security Council of the UN often ends resolutions with the obscure phrase, “remains seized of the matter”. Turns out that the entire body is not supposed to debate an issue that’s been seized by the Security Council. (Not that the United Nations is a role model for active problem solving… they often do their… Continue reading Seized of The Matter

Church Membership Facts

Approximate Distribution of U.S. Protestant and Other Christian Churches by size (excluding Catholic/Orthodox) ATTENDANCE # OF CHURCHES WEEKLY WORSHIPERS PERCENT 7-99 177,000 churches 9 million congregants 59% of all North American churches 100-499 105,000 churches 25 million congregants 35% of all North American churches 500-999 12,000 churches 9 million congregants 4% of all North American… Continue reading Church Membership Facts

Mantle Flow Can Move Mountains

The mantle holds special significance in scripture. Perhaps the following article of the “mantle” in nature would lend to some creative understanding of the power of the spiritual mantle? From http://futurity.org/earth-environment/mantle-flow-can-move-mountains/ Mantle that sinks at the plate boundary flows back up farther away, pushing on the crust and causing uplift and crustal motions detectable by… Continue reading Mantle Flow Can Move Mountains