In the Serenity prayer we are asking God for something we presumably cannot get on our own 'serenity', if you are seeking it then you know that you lack it; accepting these things I can not get on my own is a deep personal commitment, given that you are asking for them relates willingness which has direct meaning to acceptance, leading to the things I can not change. This leads to having some idea of those possible things, if I don't know of something that is beyond my recollection to understand then I wouldn't be asking for acceptance of uncontrollability in the first place. Then there is courage. Some amount of courage must exist for you to be humble enough to ask God for his guidance in changing those sinful behaviors that are known leading to wisdom of the unknown. Wisdom that can only be found thru Gods gracious teaching that has already been written down for all mankind in His Holy Bible, gaining knowledge of what Christ meant through his parables and sermons outline recovery from sinful behaviors. Know this simple fact, that with all knowledge, the Bible and this text will be meaningless unless you chose to change any of those sinful obstacles in your life that need to be changed in order for you to have a serene walk with God, I am totally convinced that all the solutions to all the worlds and your problems are found within God's Holy Scripture. There is no reason for compromise within Biblical truth, the first and most important lesson concerns professed belief over confessed faith, with professed belief we are able to question the reality of certain Biblical truths, this is thinking outside the book, whereas, in confessed faith I know without a doubt that ever word in the Bible is the word of God, therefore, no uncertain truths, this is thinking inside the book.
In February 1988, Jimmy Swaggart, the world's most watched televangelist, was caught consorting with a prostitute in New Orleans. This study examines Swaggart's rhetorical campaign to salvage his ministry in the aftermath of those actions. By analyzing his sermons, letters, and magazine articles the work seeks to discover the rationale that Swaggart offered his doctrinal community to justify the claim, I am worthy of forgiveness and continued support.Using Stephen Toulmin's model of informal argument as a tool to unlock the shared worldview of rhetor and audience, this study argues that Swaggart's overt stance, I am solely to blame for what I did, was not the conclusion his primary audience would reach. Using stories and doctrinal arguments, Swaggart successfully argued that he was not at fault for his actions, that his actions could accurately be blamed on other individuals, and that the entire ordeal would lead to an improved Swaggart. Yet because the arguments were part of the Pentecostal worldview shared by speaker and audience, many parts of the arguments were left unspoken. As such, they were completely missed by many outside observers.
Christians often feel they are faced with a choice: “Either I compromise my commitment to biblical authority, or I embrace male authority over women, as the Bible teaches.” Such a dilemma tends to prod Christians, often reluctantly, down one of two paths. One path involves relegating the Bible’s teaching to an antiquated past. Certain passages are labeled artifacts of a “patriarchal” culture and deemed irrelevant for today. The other path involves a doubling-down, in which Christians commit themselves to the Bible’s perceived teaching about male authority, and thereby set themselves over against a full commitment to equality. Untie the Cords of Silence shows through careful readings of relevant biblical passages that Christians need not go down either of these paths. It is possible to hold to both biblical authority and the full equality of men and women. In fact, doing so is the most logically coherent way of applying the Bible’s message to the Christian life. This book does not merely provide a way to tolerate the “problem” texts. Instead, it restores these texts to their rightful place as coherent, integrated parts of the Bible’s message of salvation and freedom in Christ.
We are here with you today." With those few words in August 1973, Sarah Chambers, her husband Richard, and their good friends Alice and Dick started a journey that took them far beyond anything they could possibly imagine. They explored the unseen realm of the spiritual world with their teacher "Michael." Along with good friend Eugene Trout, they created a new spiritual teaching - based in love - that helps people become more of who they truly are. The group kept transcripts of their meetings and those transcripts were copied and passed around to their friends and coworkers, then copied and passed to many others over the years. Volume 1 contains those transcripts - digitized, formatted for easier reading and edited to remove most real names. . . . "Why am I here?" someone asked one night. Michael answered, "To hear the words you didn't hear 2,000 years ago. Maybe this time, you will listen.
Following Jesus Christ presents unique challenges to disciples today. In our current climate of relativism, materialism, and consumerism, Christians are increasingly perplexed as to who they are and what following after Christ means today. Drawing on the Protestant tradition (in particular, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Martin Luther, and Adolf Schlatter) and findings from psychology, this book offers a fresh integrative interpretation of Jesus’s radical call into discipleship. This call is interpreted through a christological lens, as Jesus Christ in his role as Prophet calls us to self-denial, in his role as Priest invites us to cross-bearing, and as King demands us to follow him. Jesus’s call to discipleship challenges disciples to embrace various tensions by faith and to grow and even flourish in and through them. By denying themselves, they find their true self; by taking up their cross, they find real life; and by following Christ, they find the great friend and befriend the world as the community of disciples. This book is for Christians who seek to mature in intentional self-reflection and discover practical ways of living out Christ’s radical call into discipleship today.
In this booklet, Michael Barrett walks us through Colossians 3:1–17, a “text that is a classic example of how deep theology translates into the practices of life.” He explains that the more we understand the gospel and our completeness in Christ, the more we can enjoy and experience the gospel in our lives, demonstrating that our faith starts on the inside and shows itself on the outside. How Can We Live Our Faith from the Inside Out? is an insightful, pastorally written guide to living out our faith so that there is no disconnect between what we know and believe in our heads and hearts and how we evidence this truth in our daily lives. Contents: The Principle: The Hidden Life The Fact of the Hidden Life The Imperatives of the Hidden Life The Prospect of the Hidden Life The Procedure: The Seen Life Death to Sin Alive to Righteousness Series Description D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones once said that what the church needs to do most all is “to begin herself to live the Christian life. If she did that, men and women would be crowding into our buildings. They would say, ‘What is the secret of this?’” As Christians, one of our greatest needs is for the Spirit of God to cultivate biblical godliness in us in order to put the beauty of Christ on display through us, all to the glory of the triune God. With this goal in mind, this series of booklets treats matters vital to Christian experience at a basic level. Each booklet addresses a specific question in order to inform the mind, warm the affections, and transform the whole person by the Spirit’s grace, so that the church may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things.
A provocative and urgent analysis of the U.S.–China rivalry. It has become conventional wisdom that America and China are running a “superpower marathon” that may last a century. Yet Hal Brands and Michael Beckley pose a counterintuitive question: What if the sharpest phase of that competition is more like a decade-long sprint? The Sino-American contest is driven by clashing geopolitical interests and a stark ideological dispute over whether authoritarianism or democracy will dominate the 21st century. But both history and China’s current trajectory suggest that this rivalry will reach its moment of maximum danger in the 2020s. China is at a perilous moment: strong enough to violently challenge the existing order, yet losing confidence that time is on its side. Numerous examples from antiquity to the present show that rising powers become most aggressive when their fortunes fade, their difficulties multiply, and they realize they must achieve their ambitions now or miss the chance to do so forever. China has already started down this path. Witness its aggression toward Taiwan, its record-breaking military buildup, and its efforts to dominate the critical technologies that will shape the world’s future. Over the long run, the Chinese challenge will most likely prove more manageable than many pessimists currently believe—but during the 2020s, the pace of Sino-American conflict will accelerate, and the prospect of war will be frighteningly real. America, Brands and Beckley argue, will still need a sustainable approach to winning a protracted global competition. But first, it needs a near-term strategy for navigating the danger zone ahead.
“Disrobing Saint Michael, A father’s Journey” chronicles the personal journey of a Christian father, from childhood to adulthood. It recounts a life filled with great successes and great failures; surprises and disappointments; faith and fear. This chronicle shows the omnipresence of God guiding the affairs of this father, by His Word and by His Spirit. In the end, eternal and often illusive questions of purpose are answered and destiny becomes clear. Through this journey there is an unending conversation with an ever-present God who is glorified.
The wheat and the tares live together, but no matter how long a tare lives amidst wheat it will never become wheat, likewise the wheat will never become a tare. The day of harvest is coming and it is difficult to tell the difference between the wheat and weeds; not because the weeds try to blend in with the wheat but because the wheat envies the tares. Are we not made a new creature in the likeness of Christ? How is it that we who are made righteous defile ourselves with base, unholy, and unrighteous deeds. It is not enough to be a Christian in name, Christ is coming back and He knows the sheep from the goats.
Fred Rogers was one of the most radical pacifists of contemporary history. We do not usually think of him as radical, partly because he wore colorful, soft sweaters made by his mother. Nor do we usually imagine him as a pacifist; that adjective seems way too political to describe the host of a children's program known for its focus on feelings. We have restricted Fred Rogers to the realm of entertainment, children, and feelings, and we've ripped him out of his political and religious context. Rogers was an ordained Presbyterian minister, and although he rarely shared his religious convictions on his program, he fervently believed in a God who accepts us as we are and who desires a world marked by peace and wholeness. With this progressive spirituality as his inspiration, Rogers used his children's program as a platform for sharing countercultural beliefs about caring nonviolently for one another, animals, and the earth. To critics who dared call him “namby-pamby,†Rogers said, “Only people who take the time to see our work can begin to understand the depth of it.†This is the invitation of Peaceful Neighbor, to see and understand Rogers's convictions and their expression through his program. Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, it turns out, is far from sappy, sentimental, and shallow; it's a sharp political response to a civil and political society poised to kill.
World-renowned scholar Michael Gorman examines the important Pauline theme of participation in Christ and explores its contemporary significance for Christian life and ministry. One of the themes Gorman explores is what he calls "resurrectional cruciformity"--that participating in Christ is simultaneously dying and rising with him and that cross-shaped living, infused with the life of the resurrected Lord, is life giving. Throughout the book, Gorman demonstrates the centrality of participating in Christ for Paul's theology and spirituality.
What is it in our lives that have us caught in the web of confusion? The articles in this book come from the many different areas concerning life and the battles within. They cover everyday life with differing views and can bring to the front the source of our perceptions concerning God, and the troubling issues of our lives. While a few of the articles in this book speak to some argumentative issues, the content of them, as well as all of the other articles in this book, comes through the inspiration that God has given me for all of my writings. I'm not asking for everyone to agree with these articles, but I am asking that you give their content some consideration. God will adjust our hearts and align the boundaries of our convictions with His own, if we will allow Him. There is none of us that have everything right, but we all have something to offer. The life of a Christian can be complex when trying to measure up to standards that are unattainable. That's why it's important for us to understand our position in the order of God and His kingdom. Michael G. Abresch (Abe)
And the truth shall set you free... I know my family loves me. How? They communicate love through their words and actions. So if God loves me so much more than any person ever could, shouldn't I be able to see it? hear it? feel it? EVERYWHERE? If this is true, why are there so many people that don't? Untwisted Truth shares Michael's observations using his teaching experience and some musical satire to describe his understanding of God's constant loving communication. Perhaps getting to know the reality of God's omnipresent love is as simple as cleaning an eyeglass lens... Enjoy!
Upon This Rock I will Build My Church Jesus says in Matthew 16:18, "And I say also unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." It was this divine revelation of Jesus being the Christ (Messiah, Anointed One), Son of the Living God, which gave Peter access to the keys of the kingdom. It is by this same revelation that a young monk named Marin Luther would declare and understand that the just shall live by faith, thus beginning a reformation of the church. This book is designed to continue the process of reformation, as in the 16th Century, where a partial reformation began to take place. Martin Luther, who we now realize was a prophet in his own right, was given a doctorate of theology at the University of Wittenberg (Germany) by the Electon Frederick, Duke of Saxony. This degree Staupitius was conferred upon him in October 19, 18 Dr. Michael P. Sterling 1512. This divine revelation caused him to speak boldly against certain indulgences, such as one could buy a soul from purgatory for ten shillings and not a farthing less. This indulgence was prefabricated in pretense by Pope Leo X, who succeeded after Julius II. This Pope Leo X imposed such ridiculous practices on the pretense of raising money for war against the Turks. Martin Luther began to oppose the Pope, much like a latter day Amos, who came to Bethel and heralded against King Jeroboam, King of Israel, and Amaziah, the Priest of Bethel. This prophet, Martin Luther, began the genesis of reformation. Martin Luther also was the first to translate the New Testament into the German language, which was September 1522. He studied the works of Desiderius Erasmus who prepared important new Latin and Greek editions of the New Testament. Martin Luther also finished the Pentateuch in 1523, thus completing the entire bible and publishing it in 1530. As we examine history we find that Martin Luther was a step ahead of William Tyndale. His great defiance was enacted as he nailed the 95th Thesis of Contention to the Wittenberg church door, as he declared his intolerance against the Roman Catholic corruption on Halloween night 1517. Martin Luther died of natural causes although he was branded a heretic by the Catholic Church. William Tyndale was not so lucky, and was burned at the stake in the public square (1596). Upon This Rock, Revival of the Five-Fold Ministry 19 As we examine church history we see a clear picture of martyrdom. And in its wake men like John Wycliffe, who was called the morning star of the Reformation era, who 200 years prior criticized abuses and false teaching in the Catholic Church. Yes, John Wycliffe, a professor at Oxford University, was expelled from his teaching position by the Pope, who also after his death exhumed his bones and had them burned. This is the price of Reformation. Let us examine for a brief moment John Huss, using Foxes Book of Martyrs as our source. John Huss was chosen as the pastor of the Church of Bethlehem in Prague. He also held a position as the Dean of Students and Rector at the University. He along with John Wycliffe were known as the pre-reformers. His teaching and revelation upset the pope, and he was also burned at the stake like so many spirit filled saints of the time period. It is noted in historical data that John Huss was heard singing in the midst of the flames as he went on to glory.
Follow the incredible story of Pastor Michael Catt and his congregation as the Lord took this “typical Southern Baptist church” and turned it into a ministry center that reaches thousands of people, and has even challenged the Hollywood establishment with the locally produced, nationally syndicated movie, Facing the Giants.
Ronald Holland was a boisterous young man who worked in the logging camps and ran with a bunch of rowdies in the remote North Carolina mountains. It was the 1920s — the Prohibition era. But that didn't prevent Ronald and his pals from getting hold of all the liquor they wanted, which was a lot. Even after he married and his wife gave birth to a sickly daughter, Ronald devoted most of his spare time to frolicking with his gang of merry-makers. Then, a strange thing happened . . .
The United States has been the world's dominant power for more than a century. Now many analysts believe that other countries are rising and the United States is in decline. Is the unipolar moment over? Is America finished as a superpower? In this book, Michael Beckley argues that the United States has unique advantages over other nations that, if used wisely, will allow it to remain the world's sole superpower throughout this century. We are not living in a transitional, post-Cold War era. Instead, we are in the midst of what he calls the unipolar era—a period as singular and important as any epoch in modern history. This era, Beckley contends, will endure because the US has a much larger economic and military lead over its closest rival, China, than most people think and the best prospects of any nation to amass wealth and power in the decades ahead. Deeply researched and brilliantly argued, this book covers hundreds of years of great power politics and develops new methods for measuring power and predicting the rise and fall of nations. By documenting long-term trends in the global balance of power and explaining their implications for world politics, the book provides guidance for policymakers, businesspeople, and scholars alike.
This book is based upon Christ's words and tells you how you can know for sure that you are saved and will spend eternity in heaven. There are many false plans of salvation being taught by the great preachers of today which will not save you or prevent you from standing before Christ at the Great White Throne Judgement. When one stands before Christ at this judgement, they will be cast into the lake of fire for all eternity. Michael Bowen holds a Master's degree in English (Technical and Professional Communication) from East Carolina University. He is currently teaching college-level English composition at a community college and operates an IBM AS400 computer at a local hospital. He enjoys astronomy, martial arts, and reading.
...Leading the Way is a clear and urgent call to the Church to lead and not follow, to rediscover its biblical mandate and its voice and create a new society of justice, health and peace. [back cover].
As Christians, each of us is called to bring people together through the Spirit of God. By developing our inner character—our heart—we can have a greater role in other people’s lives, and others can have more significance in our own growth as leaders. Genuine influence is a deep summons to our most authentic selves—an exciting exploration that is often missing in our culture of quick fixes and easy advice. In The Influential Christian, Michael W. Andrews reveals how engaging in spiritual practices that exercise empathy allows us to cultivate influence in our personal, professional, and spiritual lives. Drawing upon God’s spiritual resources as we interact with other people, we build the integrity necessary to be empathic leaders. As readers will discover, building character is much more than completing a checklist of self-improvement initiatives—it’s a pilgrimage into the full meaning of being human and being Christian.
In late 2010, feeling a sense of self conviction and family moral responsibility, it was laid on Michael's heart to read the entire Bible from Genesis to Revelations. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, Michael gathered these writings as a result of his learnings. While many are blinded and have blurred vision, Michael will provide The Lens."But we are not disciples. The true question is whether or not we were striving for discipleship in the first place? We are nothing more than mere religious folk carrying out civil responsibility to satisfy the displeasure of our own conscious. If we were disciples, we'll all have the same answers; that is understanding." -Michael P. Bellamy
Revelation 5: 9, 10 Worthy is the lamb and they sang a new song saying, "You are worthy to take te scroll, and to open its seals, for you were slain and have redeemed us to God by your blood. Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us Kings and Priests to our God and we shall reign on the earth.
In 1998, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit called Allyson Michael D’Espyne to preach the Word. In obedience, he humbly accepted this calling. While walking with the good Lord on this epic journey, Allyson was surprised to find everything taken from him, including his Cadillac and his fancy clothes. God placed on him a spirit of torment, and Allyson felt as one wandering in the wilderness. This yoke of an ordeal stayed with Allyson for eleven years. Through that time, Jesus guided him across America, showing him all the things that mattered most to His Holy Father. One day in the spring of 2010, Jesus removed the spirit of torment and gave Allyson peace. Since then, Allyson’s life has changed from one of wandering to one of vivid, clear purpose in bringing the world to full knowledge of the Lord. Throughout all his years of trials and tribulations, Jesus renewed Allyson’s strength and allowed him to bear witness to the pitfalls of humanity. Today, he answers questions from people of all walks of life through the words of the risen Savior.
Biblical scholar Michael Rhodes argues that the Bible offers a vision of justice-oriented discipleship that is critical for the formation of God's people. Grounded in biblical theology, virtue ethics, and his own experiences, he shows that justice is central to the Bible, central to Jesus, and central to authentic Christian discipleship.
Get Real will give the reader a fresh understanding of both reality and mystery as seen from a theological and philosophical viewpoint. Ultimately, Hickey intends the reader to move beyond the perceived duality in order to establish that mystery is truly the home of all reality.
A memoir from a retired Irish priest and radio personality, that takes the reader on an enjoyable and humorous journey. Fr. Collins spent eighteen years in charge of the Bogside parish of Longtower during the Troubles.
Christian faith is continually challenged by the tension between certainty and mystery. A historic faith can seem threatened by the uncomfortable x that God continues to work in a rapidly changing culture. The Bartender is a fable about the messiness and unpredictability of lives being opened up to God through relationships characterized by deep listening and looking for the ongoing work of God in the world. The parallel and sometimes intersecting paths of two men on different spiritual journeys reveal how God seems to be present in the most scandalous of human dramas. When both men take risks that threaten their own religious sensibilities, they find new ways of living out the implications of their faith.
Musings about God, Faith and Life, seasoned with a touch of Irish witMusings from Michael provides an inspirational look at life and how the Scriptures apply to our lives today. Written over several decades by Father Michael Kennedy, this collection of spiritual insights is marked by loving humor, Irish wit, and a big dose of faith in God. This book examines lifes challenges and how the power of the Gospel applies to our world today. It is a thoughtful and insightful reflection on the human condition and how Gods grace provides for all our needs.A Practical and Spiritual Resource For Each Day of the Year! Covers Year B of the Catholic liturgical calendar, starting with the First Sunday of Advent Helps you prepare for upcoming Sunday mass through a related musing Can be used individually or within a group Bible study A source of reflection after Sunday services Musings nudge you to reflect on your faith and live your faith Includes extra topical musings for public and personal useThankfully, Father Michael has sorted through some of his most helpful musings and complied them in this most heart-warming book. He is a man whose love for all shows itself in his ministry and in many other ways in his life.Jack Quesnell (from the Foreword)
A newborn baby cries. Once separated from the womb, the newborn's immediate desire is to find intimacy. There is no greater human intimacy than a mother's womb. That separation from intimacy defines us. We crave intimacy for the duration of our lives. We are finite. We are mortal. We want to belong. We want to be a part of a family, a community, a group, and a nation. We want to be defined as not just who we are but to whom we belong. That is our desire to be intimate. Human relationships are finite and all end in separation, either by choice or circumstance. Most of us seek to hold on to as many people as possible for the sake of feeling loved and giving love. Intimacy defines us. Ultimately, there is only one relationship that outlasts our mortality. That relationship is with our Creator. That relationship is timeless and endless and can only be described as being "intimate with the Infinite." This collection of poems reflects my growth in seeking intimacy with the Infinite. As a son, brother, grandson, husband, father, and grandfather, I have learned to appreciate the multiple layers of intimacy in the family. These are all important links that help define who I am. I depend upon these relationships to give me peace, direction, and encouragement. I am reminded, however, that only one person can give me all that I need eternally and forever. Those are redundant terms but serve to emphasize this pursuit as extending timelessly. Peruse this collection for a personal assessment of what the Holy Spirit will tell you about yourself and why eternal life is not about living forever. Instead, it is about knowing Christ intimately and infinitely. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. (Jn 17:3)
Hardback Collector's Library Limited Edition, 2020. Amazon best-seller. 1 million sold. 80k+ baptized into Christ. Muscle and a Shovel is a raw and gritty true story about a pair of young newly-weds who move to the city to chase the American dream. In the process they're befriended by a man who turns their belief about God, their church, and their faith upside down! Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, Catholics, the Community Churches - none are spared when Truth is at stake and their new friend Randall isn't about to "candy coat" God's Word for the sake of "political correctness" or "religious tolerance." This story will grip you from opening to close and will stimulate your spirit on levels you didn't think possible. Get ready to fight or flee because Muscle and a Shovel is one of those rare books that will raise your heart-rate and your blood-pressure. You won't want to wait to share it with your friends or you'll want to dowse it in gasoline and set on fire! There'll be no middle ground. Many Christian reviewers have said, "This book will turn our current religious world upside-down!
Thank you for visiting our website. Would you like to provide feedback on how we could improve your experience?
This site does not use any third party cookies with one exception — it uses cookies from Google to deliver its services and to analyze traffic.Learn More.