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The Beliefnet Guide to Kabbalah
by Arthur GoldwagThis lively, easy-to-follow guide to Kabbalah introduces the ancient Jewish mystical tradition that has captured the interest of Hollywood stars and the general public alike. With celebrities like Madonna, Paris Hilton, Demi Moore, and Britney Spears announcing their fascination with Kabbalah, curiosity about this ancient Jewish mystical tradition continues to grow. The Beliefnet® Guide to Kabbalah is a highly informative, reader-friendly overview of Kabbalah, whose messages Moses is said to have received from God on Mount Sinai. A collection of speculations on the nature of divinity, the creation, the origins and fate of the soul, and the role of human beings in the world, Kabbalah’s meaning and messages have influenced Jews, Christians, and others alike—and intrigued scholars for generations. The Beliefnet® Guide to Kabbalah covers the essentials of Kabbalah’s history, sheds light on what Kabbalists believe (including their views on angels and demons and on the afterlife), and provides instructions on both traditional and contemporary meditative, devotional, mystical, and magical practices. Sidebars featuring key facts, anecdotes, and frequently asked questions add to the book’s scope and appeal. From the premier source of information on religion and spirituality, the Beliefnet® Guides introduce you to the major traditions, leaders, and issues of faith in the world today. From the Trade Paperback edition.
The Believer's Brain: Home of the Religious and Spiritual Mind
by Kenneth M. Heilman Russell S. DondaAbout 90% of people have faith in a supreme being, but our yearning for the divine, and whatever it promises, involves a large divergence in mental states and behaviors. Some adhere to doctrine, supplication, and fastidious religious practices; others have a strong sense they are part of something greater and more universal. However, all religious and spiritual paths are mediated by complex brain networks. When different areas of the brain are stimulated, a person can have a variety of experiences, but there is no specific ‘God spot’ where stimulation enhances religiosity or spirituality. Functional brain imaging shows that there are specific areas of the brain that ‘light up’ when subjects perform certain religious activities, but imaging only provides anatomic correlations, not functional explanations. The Believer's Brain takes a step beyond these singular methodologies, providing converging evidence from a variety study methods of how humans’ brain networks mediate different aspects of religious and spiritual beliefs, feelings, actions, and experiences. Although the book reveals how our brain is the home to the religious and spiritual mind, understanding this gift will not diminish our spirituality or our love or our belief in a supreme being, but will increase appreciation of the apparatus that mediates these mental states.
The Believer's Code: 365 Devotions to Unlock the Blessings of God’s Word (The Code Series)
by O. S. Hawkins365 Devotions to Unlock the Blessings in God’s WordGod’s Word is filled with blessings and insights that encourage, comfort, and bring joy. Delve into the riches of Scripture through The Believer’s Code, and find each day’s devotional, including Scripture, a daily reading, and a Code Word. The unique Code Words offer a challenge and practical suggestion to put your faith in action.All author royalties from the book are donated to Mission:Dignity to help pastors, their wives and widows in financial need in their declining years.
The Believer's Daily Renewal
by Andrew MurrayDaily devotional to help make the most of our quiet time with God.
The Believer's Journey: God's Path of Transformation
by Chris PalmerWinding through the uncertainties of life and weaving in among the weaknesses that plague you daily is a shining path. Your first step on this path is your first step away from the things you hate most about yourself, and your first step into the divine transformation your heart has been longing for. The Believer's Journey sets forth profound and revelatory truths that can teach you how to have your own walk with God instead of having to walk with Him vicariously through others. * Part I: Grasp what it means to be born again. Unlock essential truths about the identity of every believer in Christ. * Part II: Witness the journey of the Apostle Paul, who took these truths the distance. Explore the great apostle's map into the heart of God. * Part III: Detect how to partner with the Holy Spirit to grow a deep and unlimited relationship with God. By the time you are finished reading, reflecting, and incorporating these truths, your depth in the Spirit may never be the same. Let : God's Path of Transformation steer you along this sacred path.
The Believer's Walk with Christ: A John MacArthur Study Series (John Macarthur Study Series 2017 Ser.)
by John F. MacArthur Jr.What it means to walk with Christ&‘Walking&’is a rich biblical metaphor. Figures like Enoch, Noah, and Abraham are remembered because they walked with God. Evil kings are remembered because they didn&’t. All humanity is a parade one way or the other, and Christians must know the difference. The Believer&’s Walk with Christ plumbs nine New Testament passages to unfold this great theme and help us live in step with the Spirit. Written in John MacArthur&’s direct, accessible style, it is ideal for Bible study groups, church leaders, or individual believers who want to grow in godliness. MacArthur draws on a lifetime of scholarly and pastoral experience to demystify that process and explain clearly what Scripture says about it. He'll help you know what it means to grow in Christian maturity, and how to make it the mark of your life. About the series:This book is part of TheJohn MacArthur Study Series. It is comprised of chapters adapted from the bestselling MacArthur New Testament Commentary, which have been arranged thematically for the purpose of topical study. Accordingly, each chapter is designed to take the reader deep into a text of Scripture, while the volume as a whole addresses a specific biblical theme. This approach is ideal for anyone wanting to engage in a thorough study of what the Bible says about a given subject. It also serves as a valuable tool for pastors or Bible study leaders looking to teach a topical series.
The Believer's Walk with Christ: A John MacArthur Study Series (John Macarthur Study Series 2017 Ser.)
by John F. MacArthur Jr.What it means to walk with Christ&‘Walking&’is a rich biblical metaphor. Figures like Enoch, Noah, and Abraham are remembered because they walked with God. Evil kings are remembered because they didn&’t. All humanity is a parade one way or the other, and Christians must know the difference. The Believer&’s Walk with Christ plumbs nine New Testament passages to unfold this great theme and help us live in step with the Spirit. Written in John MacArthur&’s direct, accessible style, it is ideal for Bible study groups, church leaders, or individual believers who want to grow in godliness. MacArthur draws on a lifetime of scholarly and pastoral experience to demystify that process and explain clearly what Scripture says about it. He'll help you know what it means to grow in Christian maturity, and how to make it the mark of your life. About the series:This book is part of TheJohn MacArthur Study Series. It is comprised of chapters adapted from the bestselling MacArthur New Testament Commentary, which have been arranged thematically for the purpose of topical study. Accordingly, each chapter is designed to take the reader deep into a text of Scripture, while the volume as a whole addresses a specific biblical theme. This approach is ideal for anyone wanting to engage in a thorough study of what the Bible says about a given subject. It also serves as a valuable tool for pastors or Bible study leaders looking to teach a topical series.
The Believer: Encounters with the Beginning, the End, and our Place in the Middle
by Sarah KrasnosteinAn unforgettable tour of the human condition that explores our universal need for belief to help us make sense of life, death, and everything in between. <p><p> For Sarah Krasnostein it begins with a Mennonite choir performing on a subway platform, a fleeting moment of witness that sets her on a fascinating journey to discover why people need to believe in absolute truths and what happens when their beliefs crash into her own. Some of the people Krasnostein interviews believe in things many people do not: ghosts, UFOs, the literal creation of the universe in six days. Some believe in things most people would like to: dying with dignity and autonomy; facing up to our transgressions with truthfulness; living with integrity and compassion. <p><p> By turns devastating and uplifting, and captured in snapshot-vivid detail, these six profiles of a death doula, a geologist who believes the world is six thousand years old, a lecturer in neurobiology who spends his weekends ghost hunting, the fiancée of a disappeared pilot and UFO enthusiasts, a woman incarcerated for killing her husband after suffering years of domestic violence, and Mennonite families in New York will leave you convinced that the most ordinary-seeming people are often the most remarkable and that deep and abiding commonalities can be found within the greatest differences. <p><p> Vivid, unconventional, entertaining, and full of wonder, The Believer interweaves these stories with compassion and empathy, culminating in an unforgettable tour of the human condition that cuts to the core of who we are as people, and what we’re doing on this earth.
The Believing Brain: From Spiritual Faiths to Political Convictions – How We Construct Beliefs and Reinforce Them as Truths
by Michael ShermerSynthesizing thirty years of research, psychologist and science historian, Michael Shermer upends the traditional thinking about how humans form beliefs about the world. Simply put, beliefs come first and explanations for beliefs follow. The brain, Shermer argues, is a belief engine. Using sensory data that flow in through the senses, the brain naturally looks for and finds patterns - and then infuses those patterns with meaning, forming beliefs. Once beliefs are formed, our brains subconsciously seek out confirmatory evidence in support of those beliefs, which accelerates the process of reinforcing them, and round and round the process goes in a positive-feedback loop.In The Believing Brain, Shermer provides countless real-world examples of how this process operates, from politics, economics, and religion to conspiracy theories, the supernatural, and the paranormal. Ultimately, he demonstrates why science is the best tool ever devised to determine whether or not our belief matches reality.
The Believing Christian: Theology’s New Opportunities
by Lluis OviedoThis book offers an updated version of the credibility treatise as part of a fundamental theology. Focusing on practical arguments that make Christian faith interesting and positive for improving the quality of one's life and relationships, it shows how the Christian faith is beneficial for the individual, the family and society as a whole. The book draws from recent literature on religious coping; religion and resilience; religion and well-being; religion and human flourishing to make the case for Christian faith as a good choice. This book also addresses the most difficult challenges facing the Christian faith in our time, such as a secularising environments, struggles with science, a troubled past, or simply the problem of making faith a convincing life style. It's an important read for scholars of theology, faith, and non-belief.
The Believing Primate: Scientific, Philosophical, and Theological Reflections on the Origin of Religion
by Michael Murray Jeffrey SchlossOver the last two decades, scientific accounts of religion have received a great deal of scholarly and popular attention both because of their intrinsic interest and because they are widely as constituting a threat to the religion they analyse. The Believing Primate aims to describe and discuss these scientific accounts as well as to assess their implications. The volume begins with essays by leading scientists in the field, describing these accounts and discussing evidence in their favour. Philosophical and theological reflections on these accounts follow, offered by leading philosophers, theologians, and scientists. This diverse group of scholars address some fascinating underlying questions: Do scientific accounts of religion undermine the justification of religious belief? Do such accounts show religion to be an accidental by-product of our evolutionary development? And, whilst we seem naturally disposed toward religion, would we fare better or worse without it? Bringing together dissenting perspectives, this provocative collection will serve to freshly illuminate ongoing debate on these perennial questions.
The Believing Scientist: Essays on Science and Religion
by Stephen BarrElegant writings by a cutting-edge research scientist defending traditional theological and philosophical positions Both an accomplished theoretical physicist and a faithful Catholic, Stephen Barr in this book addresses a wide range of questions about the relationship between science and religion, providing a beautiful picture of how they can coexist in harmony. In his first essay, "Retelling the Story of Science," Barr challenges the widely held idea that there is an inherent conflict between science and religion. He goes on to analyze such topics as the quantum creation of universes from nothing, the multiverse, the Intelligent Design movement, and the implications of neuroscience for the reality of the soul. Including reviews of highly influential books by such figures as Edward O. Wilson, Richard Dawkins, Stephen Jay Gould, Francis S. Collins, Michael Behe, and Thomas Nagel, The Believing Scientist helpfully engages pressing questions that often vex religious believers who wish to engage with the world of science.
The Bell House: a sweeping novel of power and compassion from bestselling author Ruth Hamilton
by Ruth HamiltonThis heart-wrenching, moving and emotional saga full of twists and turns and highlighting the importance of love and understanding by the Sunday Times bestselling author Ruth Hamilton is a must - read for fans of Catherine Cookson, Dilly Court and Josephine Cox."I believe that Ruth Hamilton is very much the successor to Catherine Cookson. Her books are plot driven, they just rip along; laughs, weeps, love, they've got the lot, and they're quality writing as well" -- SARAH BROADHURST, RADIO FOUR"This book kept me enthralled to the very last page" -- ***** Reader review"A riveting read. Couldn't put it down." -- ***** Reader review"As always an impeccable story by Ruth, sadness, happiness and in between hilarious wit. A must read book which you will be loathe to put down." -- ***** Reader review"A truly superb book" -- ***** Reader review****************************************************************************WILL ONE FRIENDSHIP CHANGE THINGS FOREVER?Despite her strict 1950s Catholic upbringing, Madeleine Horrocks, doesn't understand why religion seems to force people apart. But her friend Amy has been brought up to believe that mixing with other religions results in eternal damnation, and when Maddy becomes friendly with George, a local, good-looking Jewish boy, Amy fears the worst. But as they grow up she, too, becomes friends with George, as well as with other young teenagers who meet secretly at the Bell House, an ancient place of burial.When a body is found in the nearby reservoir they all become threatened by tragedy and danger.Meanwhile, Father Sheahan, the whisky-soaked priest from the local church, has discovered that his secret past is catching up with him.Bigotry, lust and hatred have been so much a part of this community that it takes the combined forces of young and old - and particularly George's formidable grandmother Yuspeh - to bring everyone together and move forward positively.
The Bell Messenger: A Novel
by Robert CornukeA suspenseful yet touching story of a Civil war Bible that pops up again and again over a century and shapes the very history of the nation. This rich and involving historical and archeological thriller begins as a Union soldier, Tate, shoots a Confederate preacher known as the Bell Messenger and is bequeathed a worn Bible by the dying man. Tate's historical narrative parallels the contemporary story of John Brandon, who has just graduated college in 2000 and received the very same Bible, unearthed in a Saudi Arabian cave, as a gift. The potent history of this book is revealed as Brandon searches for its previous owners, along the way uncovering the existence of a mysterious cache of gold hidden during Old Testament times -- which brings shadowy figures hot on Brandon's heels, hungry for the gold and desperate to learn the new clues he possesses. As the past and present intertwine, the reader learns that this Bible has passed through many hands over the years. From the Civil War to the building of the Central Pacific Railroad, to the gang wars and the holding of Chinese slaves in nineteenth-century California, to the trenches of World War I, Brandon learns of the lives this Bible has saved, the deaths it has caused, and the history it has changed forever.
The Belle Meade Plantation Collection: To Whisper Her Name, To Win Her Favor, To Wager Her Heart, To Mend a Dream (A Belle Meade Plantation Novel)
by Tamera AlexanderSet during the Civil War at Nashville’s historic Belle Meade Plantation, Tamera Alexander portrays stories about enslavement and freedom, arrogance and humility, and the power of love to heal even the deepest of wounds.To Whisper Her NameAs Ridley Cooper seeks to make peace within himself for “betraying” the South he loved, Olivia Aberdeen is determined to never be betrayed again. To Whisper Her Name follows the journey of two wounded people and one fragile nation longing to find healing.To Win Her FavorA gifted rider in a world where ladies never race, Maggie Linden is determined that her horse will become a champion. But the one man who could help her—an Irishman far from home named Cullen McGrath—has vowed to stay away from thoroughbred racing for the rest of his life.To Wager Her HeartIn the new reality of the post-Civil War South a railroad man and a Southern Belle-turned teacher must find a way to work together to achieve their dreams. To Wager Her Heart is a sweeping Southern love story about a nation trying to heal and the courage of a man and woman to see themselves for who they truly are—and can be—together.To Mend a DreamExtending her beloved series in this sweet novella, Tamera Alexander offers readers the story of well-known character Savannah Darby, who would do almost anything to revisit her family home. When the new owner, Aidan Bedford, decides to redecorate his new house for his fiance, Savannah jumps at the opportunity.
The Belonging Project - Women's Bible Study Guide with Leader Helps: Finding Your Tribe and Learning to Thrive (The Belonging Project)
by Amberly NeeseDiscover true community. Has the pursuit of the “perfect life” left you feeling depleted, disappointed, dissatisfied, and disconnected? Are you tired of being lonely and left out at work, home, church, and online? Are you hungry for true community, deeper connection with God, and friendships that are greater than just “likes” on social media? Are you ready for real connections with those around you?In this four-week Bible study, Amberly Neese provides biblical and practical help for cultivating meaningful relationships that glorify God through an exploration of four “one another” sayings in the New Testament: Love one another Serve one another Build up and strengthen one another Forgive one anotherIn her trademark style, Amberly combines Bible study with delightful humor to create a refreshing and engaging experience that will encourage and equip women to pursue deeper relationships and true belonging.Other components for the Bible study, available separately, include a DVD.Bible Study Features: A shorter, four-week study is ideal for in-between or busy times. Accessible and friendly format. DVD features the amazing Amberly Neese, who masterfully combines solid Bible teaching and delightfully funny humor (in four 20-minute segments). Inspires and encourages women to pursue deeper relationships and true belonging for a more fulfilled, purposeful life. Helps women grow in their capacity to love, serve, and forgive. Study guide with leader helps includes group session guides, discussion questions, prayers, video viewer guides, and more.
The Beloved Community: How Faith Shapes Social Justice from the Civil Rights Movement to Today
by Charles MarshSpeaking to his supporters at the end of the Montgomery bus boycott in 1956, Martin Luther King, Jr., declared that their common goal was not simply the end of segregation as an institution. Rather, "the end is reconciliation, the end is redemption, the end is the creation of the beloved community." King's words reflect the strong religious convictions that motivated the civil rights movement in the South in its early days. Standing courageously on the Judeo-Christian foundations of their moral commitments, civil rights leaders sought to transform the social and political realities of twentieth-century America. In The Beloved Community, Charles Marsh shows that the same spiritual vision that animated the civil rights movement remains a vital source of moral energy today. The Beloved Community lays out an exuberant new vision for progressive Christianity and reclaims the centrality of faith in the quest for social justice and authentic community.
The Beloved Hope Chest: The Forgotten Recipe, The Courtship Basket, The Cherished Quilt, The Beloved Hope Chest (The Amish Heirloom Novels #4)
by Amy ClipstonThe final book in Amy Clipston&’s acclaimed Amish Heirloom series—and both a Publishers Weekly and ECPA bestseller!&“Clipston has woven hints of Mattie and Leroy&’s history throughout the first three books in this series, leaving her best novel yet to conclude this family&’s story of loss, love and hope.&” —RT Book Reviews, 4½ stars, TOP PICK!When Mattie packed her hope chest, she put away the heartache of her past. But as her daughters begin to unpack it, she discovers a healing more powerful than she ever hoped for.Mattie Fisher&’s three daughters know that she&’s been keeping a secret from them. With each item pulled from the beloved family hope chest, they&’ve discovered a new clue about their mother&’s past.But there&’s a reason Mattie has been keeping her history hidden, and she&’s not sure she&’s ready to reopen old wounds. Will dredging up the past change the way her children view her? Or her marriage to their father? And can she handle the pain of revisiting the memories that preceded the last few happy decades?Mattie&’s story is one of grief and learning to love again. But like the best things preserved in a hope chest, it's a story of love and redemption born out of heartache—and it's past time to share it.&“Clipston has written another heartwarming romance, with lifelike characters and a delightfully detailed setting.&” —Booklist&“A story of loss and healing, the latest in award winning author Clipston&’s Amish Heirloom series creatively balances love, restoration, and second chances with tackling tough issues.&” —CBA Market&“Clipston provides a deep, nuanced portrait of . . . grief and the challenges of trying to move forward in life while buried under pain, fear, anger, and confusion.&” —Publishers Weekly
The Benedict Option
by Rod DreherOur churches are beset by challenges. From the outside, they are beset by a rapidly secularizing culture. From the inside, they're being hollowed out by the departure of young people and a watered-down spirituality. Many believers are blind to it, and their churches are too weak to resist. Those who notice are often frightened, and wonder what went wrong and what they can do about these trends.The Benedict Option is a guide for Christians under siege - a strategy that draws on the authority of scripture and the wisdom of the ancient church. The goal: to embrace exile from mainstream culture and construct a resilient counterculture. In this visionary book, Dreher urges today's faithful to be new St Benedicts, building up local churches, creating new schools and taking up practices that can help them face today's world with confidence.Horrified by the moral chaos following Rome's fall, St Benedict - a sixth-century monk - retreated to the forest and created a new way of life. He built enduring communities based on order, hospitality, stability and prayer. His spiritual centres of hope saved not just Christianity but Western civilization.The Benedict Option is both manifesto and rallying cry for Christians who, if they are not to be conquered anew, must learn how to fight on culture war battlefields like none the West has seen for fifteen hundred years. It's for all mere Christians - Protestant, Catholic, Orthodox - who can read the signs of the times. Neither false optimism nor fatalistic despair will do. Only faith, hope, and love, embodied in a renewed church, can sustain us. These are the days for building strong arks for the long journey across a sea of night.
The Benedict Option: A Strategy for Christians in a Post-Christian Nation
by Rod Dreher<P>In a radical new vision for the future of Christianity, NYT bestselling author and conservative columnist Rod Dreher calls on American Christians to prepare for the coming Dark Age by embracing an ancient Christian way of life. <P>The light of the Christian faith is flickering out all over the West, and only the willfully blind refuse to see it. From the outside, American churches are beset by challenges to religious liberty in a rapidly secularizing culture. From the inside, they are being hollowed out by the departure of young people and a watered-down pseudo-spirituality. Political solutions have failed, as the triumph of gay marriage and the self-destruction of the Republican Party indicate, and the future of religious freedom has never been in greater doubt. The center is not holding. The West, cut off from its Christian roots, is falling into a new Dark Age. <P>The bad news is that the roots of religious decline run deeper than most Americans realize. The good news is that the blueprint for a time-tested Christian response to this decline is older still. In The Benedict Option, Dreher calls on traditional Christians to learn from the example of St. Benedict of Nursia, a sixth-century monk who turned from the chaos and decadence of the collapsing Roman Empire, and found a new way to live out the faith in community. For five difficult centuries, Benedict's monks kept the faith alive through the Dark Ages, and prepared the way for the rebirth of civilization. <P>What do ordinary 21st century Christians -- Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox -- have to learn from the teaching and example of this great spiritual father? That they must read the signs of the times, abandon hope for a political solution to our civilization's problems, and turn their attention to creating resilient spiritual centers that can survive the coming storm. Whatever their Christian tradition, they must draw on the secrets of Benedictine wisdom to build up the local church, create countercultural schools based on the classical tradition, rebuild family life, thicken communal bonds, and develop survival strategies for doctors, teachers, and others on the front lines of persecution. <P> Now is a time of testing, when believers will learn the difference between shallow optimism and Christian hope. However dark the shadow falling over the West, the light of Christianity need not flicker out. It will not be easy, but Christians who are brave enough to face the religious decline, reject trendy solutions, and return to ancient traditions will find the strength not only to survive, but to thrive joyfully in the post-Christian West. The Benedict Option shows believers how to build the resistance and resilience to face a hostile modern world with the confidence and fervor of the early church. <P>Christians face a time of choosing, with the fate of Christianity in Western civilization hanging in the balance. In this powerful challenge to the complacency of contemporary Christianity, Dreher shows why those in all churches who fail to take the Benedict Option aren't going to make it. <P><b>A New York Times Bestseller</b>
The Benefit of Doubt Workbook: How Confronting Your Deepest Questions Can Lead to a Richer Faith
by Craig GroeschelYour doubts are an invitation to a deeper faith.Have you ever felt alone in your doubts? Or like you're the only one with questions about your beliefs? If so, you're in good company. Many heroes of the faith struggled with doubt—including C. S. Lewis, Martin Luther, and Mother Teresa.The good news is that having doubts about your faith doesn't mean you're not a faithful follower of Jesus. In fact, doubt indicates a desire for authentic faith. Often, it is the struggle of confronting your doubts that will lead you to a greater understanding of what you believe—and a deeper faith.In The Benefit of Doubt Workbook, which accompanies the book of the same name, pastor and bestselling author Craig Groeschel draws on scriptural truths, biblical characters, and church history to lead you through your doubts. You'll dig deeper into some of the tough-to-answer questions that believers in Christ often ask, including:Why should I believe God is good?Why doesn't God answer my prayers?Why does God feel so far away?Why would God send people to hell?If you're ready to face and embrace your doubts, this workbook will provide you with thought-provoking questions and opportunities to understand your doubts and find deeper faith in the truth.This workbook is a companion to The Benefit of Doubt by Craig Groeschel. In each of the ten sessions, you'll examine a passage of Scripture that addresses common doubts, and then you'll get to assess your own beliefs about these topics.
The Benefit of Doubt: How Confronting Your Deepest Questions Can Lead to a Richer Faith
by Craig GroeschelGod can handle your difficult questions and use them to deepen your relationship with him."Am I the only one who has these doubts? What if my friends, family, or others find out I'm doubting--and even deconstructing--my faith in God? What is really true? Does it make me a bad Christian if I have doubts?" At some point, almost all of us have had questions about Christianity and doubts about God. We're afraid we might never find answers, yet we aren't sure if we are ready to abandon our faith altogether.Bestselling author and pastor Craig Groeschel has walked through the valley of doubt himself, and in The Benefit of Doubt, he shows us how asking questions, seeking answers, and wrestling with doubt can actually draw us closer to God. With his trademark humor, warmth, and lay-it-all-on-the-table style, Groeschel shares stories from his own life as well as the Bible to help us wrestle with--and find helpful answers to--the questions fueling our doubt:What should I do when I doubt God's goodness?Why doesn't God answer my prayers?Doesn't science disprove the Bible?Why would God only provide one way to heaven?Why believe in Jesus when his followers are such hypocrites?Why does God sometimes feel so far away? Doubt is an important part of deepening your faith, but that doesn't make it an easy process to walk through. If you're wrestling with doubts, this book, along with God's transformative power, will help you develop a richer faith, a deeper understanding, and a more authentic relationship with God.
The Benevolent Deity
by Robert J. Wilson IIIThe years following the Great Awakening in New England saw a great theological struggle between proponents of Calvinism and the champions of Christian liberty, setting the stage for American Unitarianism. The adherents of Christian liberty, who were branded Arminians by their opponents, were contending for the liberty of the mind and the soul to pursue truth and salvation free from prior restraint.The Arminian movement took shape as a major, quasi-denominational force in New England under the guidance of particular clergymen, most notably Ebenezer Gay, minister of the First Parish in Hingham, Massachusetts, from 1718 to 1787. Despite his ubiquitous presence in the history of Arminianism, however, Gay has been a historical enigma. Robert J. Wilson's purpose in this biography is to trace Gay's long and fascinating intellectual odyssey against the evolving social, political, and economic life of eighteenth-century Hingham as well as the religious history of the coastal region between Boston and Plymouth.
The Benny Cooperman Mysteries Volume One: The Suicide Murders, The Ransom Game, and Murder on Location (The Benny Cooperman Mysteries)
by Howard EngelThe first three mysteries in a beloved and acclaimed series featuring “one of the most enjoyable private eyes in crime fiction” (The Toronto Star). Benny Cooperman is a Canadian Jewish detective with flair, kinder and gentler than the average PI, and squeamish about violence. According to the New York Times: “In Benny Cooperman, the author has leavened the hard-boiled school of detective fiction with comedy and compassion. . . . Canada’s first and foremost private eye is well on his way to becoming a cherished national institution.” Donald E. Westlake adds: “Benny Cooperman is . . . a lot of fun to hang out with.” Collected here are the first three mysteries in the series by Howard Engel, “a born writer, a natural stylist . . . a writer who can bring a character to life in a few lines” (Ruth Rendell). The Suicide Murders: Myrna Yates shows up at Benny’s office asking him to check up on her husband, who she believes is having an affair. It seems like an open-and-shut case, until Benny finds out that the straying spouse has committed suicide. Still, something doesn’t add up: Chester Yates bought a ten-speed bicycle only two hours before he allegedly killed himself. The detective just may have a murder case on his hands, one in which the suspicions of a wife turn out to be much darker than anyone could have imagined. The Ransom Game: It’s February and Ontario is frozen—along with Benny’s private investigation business. That is, until Muriel Falkirk knocks on his door. Her boyfriend, Johnny Rosa, is missing. A decade earlier, Rosa had been involved in the kidnapping of an heiress. He was sent to prison and the ransom money was never recovered. Now Rosa’s out on parole, but he’s nowhere to be found—and it turns out Benny isn’t the only one on his trail. Murder on Location: Niagara Falls is crawling with Hollywood types who are making a movie. But Benny isn’t scouting for talent; he’s investigating the case of a woman named Billie Mason who’s gone missing from Benny’s hometown of Grantham, Ontario. Has she merely been bitten by the acting bug, or is a much more sinister force at play?
The Berenstain Bears 5-Minute Inspirational Stories
by Stan Berenstain w/ Mike Berenstain<P>The Berenstain Bears 5-Minute Read-Along Stories is the perfect companion for young readers at bedtime or anytime.<P> With classic stories from the Berenstain Bears Living Lights series, join the Bear family and all their friends in Bear Country as they learn how to be good friends, how to play fairly, where to find courage, and much more.<P> This oversize padded storybook is sure to become a lap time favorite for Berenstain fans, both young and old, as they read these stories in 5 minutes.