Religion

Embark on the most rewarding and illuminating journey of your life, with this step by step guide to mastering internal reflection

One of the many names the Bible ascribes to the Devil is the Prince of the Power of the Air (Eph. 2:2). While it's easy to overlook such details, this ominous title communicates far-reaching implications. Its various meanings and ties will lead to profound potentials that help expose the sweeping extent of the Devil's hand in our time. Fascinating things you will read about include: ¿ Fowl and what they teach us about the spirit realm. ¿ Satan and the manipulation of storms, tornadoes, lightning, and other atmospheric phenomena. ¿ The Industrial Revolution, the end-times explosion of knowledge, and the Age of Ever-Learning. ¿ How demons impart wisdom and why some technologies thrive in certain eras and not others. ¿ How scripture demonstrates two distinct forms of supernaturalism: Overt and Covert. ¿ You'll also explore spiritism, necromancy, electricity, urbanization, modern technology, Bible technology, unexplained orbs of light, cities ...AND MORE!¿¿One of the objectives of this book is to give the reader an opportunity to shed any feeble beliefs they may have about Satan. You might even say that this study does an "about face," and travels one hundred and eighty degrees in the opposite direction. Scripture doesn't present any sort of weak presence on the part of the Devil, so we have no excuse to hold beliefs reflective of such things. Satan is alive and well in the twenty-first-century-and working!

REESE’S BOOK CLUB PICK * NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER“A beautiful love letter to nature and the world around us.”—Reese Witherspoon (Reese’s Book Club September ’24 Pick)THE PERFECT GIFT FOR NATURE LOVERS, BIRDERS, AND GARDENERS, WITH ORIGINAL COLOR ART THROUGHOUT * USA TODAY BESTSELLER * NATIONAL BESTSELLER  * INDIE NEXT PICKFrom the beloved New York Times opinion writer: a luminous book that traces the passing of seasons, both personal and natural.In The Comfort of Crows, Margaret Renkl presents a literary devotional: fifty-two chapters that follow the creatures and plants in her backyard over the course of a year. As we move through the seasons—from a crow spied on New Year’s Day, its resourcefulness and sense of community setting a theme for the year, to the lingering bluebirds of December, revisiting the nest box they used in spring—what develops is a portrait of joy and grief: joy in the ongoing pleasures of the natural world, and grief over winters that end too soon and songbirds that grow fewer and fewer.Along the way, we also glimpse the changing rhythms of a human life. Grown children, unexpectedly home during the pandemic, prepare to depart once more. Birdsong and night-blooming flowers evoke generations past. The city and the country where Renkl raised her family transform a little more with each passing day. And the natural world, now in visible flux, requires every ounce of hope and commitment from the author—and from us. For, as Renkl writes, “radiant things are bursting forth in the darkest places, in the smallest nooks and deepest cracks of the hidden world.”With fifty-two original color artworks by the author’s brother, Billy Renkl, The Comfort of Crows is a lovely and deeply moving book from a cherished observer of the natural world.

"The Dhammapada is the most widely read Buddhist scripture in existence, appreciated by both Buddhists and non-Buddhists. This classic text of teaching verses from the earliest period of Buddhism in India conveys the philosophical and practical foundations of the Buddhist tradition. The text presents two distinct goals for leading a spiritual life: the first is attaining happiness in this life (and in future lives); the second goal is achieving spiritual liberation, freedom, and absolute peace. Many of the key themes of the verses are presented in dichotomies or pairs: for example, grief and suffering versus joy; developing the mind instead of being negligent about one's mental attitude and conduct; virtuous action versus misconduct; and being truthful versus being deceitful. The purpose of these contrasts is very simple: to describe the difference between what leads to desirable outcomes and what does not. This accessible translation combines Gil Fronsdal's personal knowledge of the Buddhist path with his rigorous attention to detail, bringing forth the original Pali text for seekers of all levels"--

Witness what the gods do after dark in the fourth volume of a stylish and contemporary reimagining of one of the best-known stories in Greek mythology from creator Rachel Smythe."I don't always get to do as I please."The rumor mill of Olympus is constantly churning, but Persephone and Hades are all anyone can talk about. With the constant gossip creating intense pressure on the pair, they decide to slow down their budding romance and focus on sorting out their own issues first.But that's easier said than done.Hades struggles to find support in his personal life, with Zeus trivializing his feelings and Minthe resorting to abusive patterns in their relationship. And while Hades tries to create healthier boundaries where he can-like finally putting a stop to his sporadic, revenge-fueled hookups with Hera-he still feels lonely and adrift.Persephone feels equally ostracized as her classmates shun her for her connection to Hades, and she can find no refuge at home, with Apollo constantly dropping by unannounced and pushing his unwelcome advances. And on top of it all, the wrathful god of war, Ares, has returned to Olympus to dredge up his sordid history with the goddess of spring, threatening to surface Persephone's dark and mysterious past and ruin her tenuous position in the land of the gods.Despite agreeing to take it slow, Persephone and Hades find themselves inextricably drawn toward each other once more amid the chaos. The pull of fate cannot be denied.This edition of Rachel Smythe's original Eisner-winning webcomic Lore Olympus features exclusive behind-the-scenes content and brings the Greek pantheon into the modern age in a sharply perceptive and romantic graphic novel.This volume collects episodes 76-102 of the #1 WEBTOON comic Lore Olympus.

I have gathered together in this book numerous ideas which Allâh, the provider of intellect, has enabled me to profit from as day succeeded day, [and year succeeded year] and circumstances altered, permitting me to understand the vicissitudes of fate and to control its fluctuations, to the extent that I have devoted the larger part of my life to it. I have chosen to master these problems by study and contemplation rather than throw myself into the various sensual pleasures which attract most souls on this earth, and rather than amass unnecessary wealth. I have gathered together all my observations into this book in the hope that the Almighty may allow it to benefit whichever of His servants He wishes who has access to [is capable of understanding] my book, in the matters over which I have slaved, devoting all my efforts to them and reflecting at length upon them. I hope that it will be well received, and I present it with good intentions and blessings [with a good heart].This book will benefit a person more than financial treasures and possessions of property, if he meditates upon it, and if Allâh enables him to make good use of it. As for myself, my hope in this enterprise is to win the greatest reward from Allâh, since my intention is to help His servants, to remedy whatever is corrupt in their character, and to heal the sickness of their souls. I beseech the assistance of Allâh [Almighty, we wish only for God, the best of defenders].Ibn Hazm Al Andalusi

Enoch "walked with God; then he was no more for God took him."The Book of Enoch is a pseudoepigraphal work (a work that claims to be by a biblical character). The Book of Enoch was not included in either the Hebrew or most Christian biblical canons, but could have been considered a sacred text by the sectarians. The original Aramaic version was lost until the Dead Sea fragments were discovered. This is a compilation of several separate works, most of which are apocalyptic. Its oldest portion is the "Apocalypse of Weeks," written shortly before the Maccabean uprising of 167 BC against the Seleucids. The Ethiopic Book of Enoch is called a "pseudepigraphical work," meaning one that is not included in any canon of scripture, outside of even the Apocrypha. The only complete extant version is an Ethiopic translation of a previous Greek translation made in Palestine from the original Hebrew or Aramaic. The Book of the Watcher, tells the story of fallen angels from Gen 6:1-4 that took wives, created the Nephilim, and taught advanced technology to mankind, ultimately leading to the great flood and their destruction. The Parables of Similitude, is an apocalyptic book about the Son of Man and the Ancient of Days. These ancient prophecies of Jesus are directly in line with what we find in the Bible, and are remarkably similar to The Book of Revelation. The Book of the Courses of the Heavenly Luminaries is a detailed account of the stars and their functions. The Dream Visions is the prophecy of all human history, from the creation of mankind all the way to the end times and the final judgement. The past, present, and future are foretold in grand detail. The prophecy of weeks is similar to the prophecy structure in the book of Daniel. The Noah Fragments is the untold story of Noah from the Bible. We learn more about his mission to save all humanity and the struggles of his father Lamech and his grandfather Methuselah. Finally, included herein are all known fragments of The Book of Giants. Each work is independent, but all the works are bound by a common theme: the punishment of the wicked and the blessedness of the righteous.

An update to the bestselling book from Franciscan Father Richard Rohr In the revised and updated edition of Falling Upward, Richard Rohr seeks to help readers come to terms with the two halves of life. In this book, Rohr teaches us that we can't understand the meaning of "up" until we have fallen "down." More importantly, Rohr describes what "up" can look like in the second half of life. Most of us tend to think of the second half of life inchronological terms, but this book proposes a different paradigm. Spiritual maturity is found "when we begin to pay attention and seek integrity" through a shift from our "outer task" to the "inner task." What looks like falling down can be experienced as falling upward--and is not necessarily connected with aging. This new edition focuses on practical guidance that you can use to live a life of love and meaning in a world of suffering and challenge. Falling Upward is an invitation to living the gospel and a call to ongoing transformation. Gain a spiritual perspective on the "the common sequencing, staging, anddirection of life's arc" and learn how to bring forth your gifts in the second half of life Grapple with difficult feelings, fears, and emotions associated with "great love and great suffering" Learn how we "grow spiritually much more by doing it wrong than by doing it right" Understand why so many of us resist falling into the second half of life Readers of Rohr's previous works and those new to the remarkable teachings of this Franciscan priest will find comfort and inspiration in this guide to lifelong spiritual growth.

From Choctaw elder Steven Charleston comes this new collection of more than two hundred prayerful meditations on the Spirit Wheel, the mystery that dwells behind and within creation. Charleston guides readers through the four hallmarks of Native spirituality - tradition, kinship, vision, and balance - to find the Spirit who loves without exception.

"There is a war on masculinity, and everywhere we look-on every front we hold sacred-we can see the painful reminders of this collapsing order. The chaos and crisis we are experiencing today should be a signal for men everywhere to rise up; to fight to preserve our way of life by once again walking the ancient paths. But this isn't a journey that need be taken alone. This is a call to all men to be what they truly are. Both dangerous and good. Lovers and fighters. Lions and lambs. Both philosophical and practical, this guide dispenses essential advice on how to be a whole man, from tyranny-proofing your home to wooing the right woman. Through anecdotes of his time in the military, interviews with other men, and practicums at the end of each chapter, Lovell teaches the virtue of balance-navigating the tension between violent warrior and romantic poet-and guides men through each mental and physical change they must make to embody the ancient spirit of a real man."--

Continuing the work she started in bestseller Return to Love, spiritual guide Marianne Williamson leads us toward the light by revealing the inspiring guidance of the mystic Jesus.

Our new favorite trope: Childhood friends. To enemies. To lovers. In a chemistry-filled debut romance.Daniel Rosenberg and Liyah Cohen-Jackson's last conversation-fourteen years ago at summer camp-ended their friendship. Until they find themselves seated next to each other on a plane, and bitterly pick up right where they left off. At least they can go their separate ways again after landing... That is, until Daniel's marketing firm gets hired by the Chicago museum where Liyah works as a junior curator, and they're forced to collaborate with potential career changing promotions on the line.With every meeting and post-work social gathering with colleagues, the tension (and chemistry) between Daniel and Liyah builds until they're forced to confront why they broke apart years ago at camp. But as they find comfort in their shared experiences as Jews of color and fumble towards friendship, can they ignore their growing feelings for each other?With sexy charm and undeniable wit, Rachel Runya Katz's sparkling debut, Thank You For Sharing, proves that if you're open to love, anything is possible."[An] excellent, multilayered look at the experiences of Jews of color in this deftly woven story...Katz successfully portrays how romance meets real life in this terrific debut." - Library Journal (starred review)"Rachel Runya Katz's Thank You for Sharing is a magical love story. This is a poignant, sharp and sexy romance with the kind of complex, big-hearted characters and emotional honesty readers will adore. I loved it!" - Carley Fortune, New York Times bestselling author of Every Summer After"This book wrapped a fist around my heart and refused to let go. Gorgeously written, with two magnetic leads, an irresistible group of friends, and a warmth that radiates from every page. Rachel Runya Katz is a true talent." - Rachel Lynn Solomon, New York Times bestselling author of The Ex Talk"Impossible to put down! A delicious pressure-cooker-style slow burn of a romance, Thank You for Sharing contains the greatest 'only one bed' scene I've ever had the pleasure of reading. Not only is the romance delightful, but Rachel Runya Katz handles the complexity of grief and trauma with the tenderest of touches, creating a safe, welcoming space for her characters and readers alike. I have no doubt that readers will fall head over heels for Liyah and Daniel!" - Alexandria Bellefleur, bestselling, Lambda award-winning author of Written in the Stars and The Fiancée Farce

"Former Southern Baptist pastor and Christianity Today editor-in-chief Russell Moore calls for repentance and renewal in American evangelicalism American evangelical Christianity has lost its way. While the witness of the church before a watching world is diminished beyond recognition, congregations are torn apart over Donald Trump, Christian nationalism, racial injustice, sexual predation, disgraced leaders, and covered-up scandals. Left behind are millions of believers who counted on the church to be a place of belonging and hope. As greater and greater numbers of younger Americans bleed out from the church, even the most rooted evangelicals are wondering, "Can American Christianity survive?" In Losing Our Religion, Russell Moore calls his fellow evangelical Christians to conversion over culture wars, to truth over tribalism, to the gospel over politics, to integrity over influence, and to renewal over nostalgia. With both prophetic honesty and pastoral love, Moore offers a word of counsel for how a new generation of disillusioned and exhausted believers can find a path forward after the crisis and confusion of the last several years. Believing the gospel is too important to leave it to hucksters and grifters, he shows how a Christian can avoid both cynicism and complicity in order to imagine a different, hopeful vision for the church. The altar call of the old evangelical revivals was both a call to repentance and the offer of a new start. In the same way, this book invites unmoored and discouraged Christians to step out into an uncertain future, first by letting go of the kind of cultural, politicized, status quo Christianity that led us to this moment of reckoning. Only when we see how lost we are, we can find our way again. Only when we bury what's dead can we experience life again. Only when we lose our religion can we be amazed by grace again"--

One of the world's great spiritual teachers offers a new proclamation of the power of the cross to transform human history

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'Allyson Shaw has built a monument in words to the thousands persecuted as witches in Scotland. A fascinating and necessary book.' Peter Ross'It's summer. I stand where perhaps Ellen stood, in this ground thick with new thistle and long grass. She would have ken this coast in all weathers: in the summer when it was as gentle as a lake and in the winter, with the high winds and stinging salt spray.'A moving and personal journey, along rugged coasts and through remote villages and cities, in search of the traces of those accused of witchcraft in seventeenth-century Scotland.In Ashes and Stones we visit modern memorials and standing stones, and roam among forests and hedge mazes, folklore and political fantasies. From fairy hills to forgotten caves, we explore a spellbound landscape.Allyson Shaw untangles the myth of witchcraft and gives voice to those erased by it. Her elegant and lucid prose weaves together threads of history and feminist reclamation to create a vibrant memorial. This is the untold story of the witches' monuments of Scotland and the women's lives they mark. Ashes and Stones is a trove of folklore linking the lives of contemporary women to the horrors of the past, a record of resilience and a call to choose and remember our ancestors.'A compelling and intimate pilgrimage across Scotland' Helen Callaghan

Whether we interpret Scripture or culture, it matters what we do, not just what we think or feel. How do we live with our interpretation, and how do we live it out? This book helps us understand how culture forms us as political actors, moves us aesthetically, shapes the rhythms of our lives, and connects (or disconnects) us from God and neighbors we are called to love. The goal is to be equipped to engage culture with greater fluency and fidelity in response to the triune God.This short, accessible introduction to the conversation between theology and culture offers a patient, thoughtful, and theologically attuned approach to cultural discernment. It helps us grow our interpretive skill by training our intuition and giving us a slower, more deliberate approach that accounts for as much of the complexity of culture as possible. The book explores 5 dimensions of culture--meaning, power, morality, religion, and aesthetic--and shows how each needs the others and all need theology. Each chapter includes distinctive practices for spiritual formation and practical application. Foreword by Kevin J. Vanhoozer.

A talented teacher unpacks the riches of traditional Christian spirituality for Christians burdened by the guilt and anxiety of introspective, in-my-heart spiritual techniques. Phillip Cary explains that knowing God is a gradual, long-term process that comes through the gospel experienced in Christian community. The first edition has sold over 17,000 copies. The expanded edition includes a new afterword that offers further insights since the first edition was published over ten years ago.

Journey into the world of Ayahuasca and healing. A mysterious and powerful plant medicine with curative powers that is drunk as a tea during a sacred ceremony, Ayahuasca has been known to change people's lives dramatically. But what was once a healing experience practiced only by Indigenous South Americans - and sought out by the adventurous few - has, in the past fifty years, become increasingly popular around the world.Hachumak, a Peruvian medicine man, has been practicing traditional healing arts in his country for more than twenty years. His unique approach is based on ritualistic simplicity and highlights the essence of the Art, which includes the borrowed forces from Nature. In this remarkable book, he shares his knowledge and experiences to broaden our understanding of this powerful medicine and protect it from misuse and exploitation.Whether you are among the uninitiated and curious, or a seasoned journeyer, you will gain a deeper understanding of what shamanism is and how and why it works, as well as its possibilities and limitations. Hachumak reveals his own path to becoming a shaman and explains how a well-crafted Ayahuasca ceremony unfolds when run by an experienced curandero. He describes in detail what to expect - both physically and psychologically - while under the guidance of the sacred plants.With Hachumak as our experienced and trusted guide, Journeying Through the Invisible offers a new and healing way of seeing ourselves and the world around us.

A practical starting point for Christians to share the hope of Jesus with Muslims.Since September 11th, 2001, relationships between Christians and Muslims have been defined by fear. Increasing violence in the Middle East has caused Islam to be associated with persecution and terrorism and has led many Christians to view Muslims as the enemy. But the Bible provides clear instruction to move past fear and share the Gospel with all peoples, including Muslims. Every Christian can be an ambassador of Christ to Muslims, even without becoming an expert on Islam.In Sharing Jesus with Muslims, Fouad Masri encourages Christians to set aside fear, excuses, and differences and share the good news of Jesus. Rich with stories and conversation starters, the book gives readers tangible and respectful ways to initiate friendships and minister to the felt needs of Muslims.Sharing Jesus with Muslims serves as a step-by-step guide for effective witnessing, and includes:Conversation startersInsight into Muslim culture, including do's and don'tsBiblical responses to issues relevant to IslamStories with practical application from Masri's forty years of ministry to MuslimsDiscipleship materials for ministering to MuslimsVoid of judgement or guilt trips, pastors, ministry leaders, and everyday Christians will find their relationships with Muslims enhanced by the principles in this book. Pick up Sharing Jesus with Muslims and discover the joy of serving and relating to Muslims.

Moving on is not a one-time decision. It's a way of living.

The last few decades have witnessed a stunning resurgence of philosophical interest in God and theology. Although much of this renaissance is focused on the rationality of theistic belief apart from evidence, there is a gathering movement in philosophical circles to re-establish natural theology's legitimacy in explaining God's existence.

New York Times bestselling author Lysa TerKeurst helps readers stop the dysfunction of unhealthy relationships by showing them biblical ways to set boundaries---and, when necessary, say goodbye---without losing the best of who they are.