What If What They Say Is True?


Book Description

Since much of the prophetic literature of the Old Testament is distant and difficult, preachers often neglect it in favor of more direct and easy-to-preach New Testament passages. But John Wurster maintains that for those willing to look a little more closely, these texts from the Revised Common Lectionary offer interesting and rich homiletical possibilities. His sermons listen to those ancient preachers and produce a fresh harvest of meaning for our time. They are full of penetrating insights that will be useful for sermon preparation or for study groups working on these often overlooked texts. These thoughtful sermons on the great prophetic texts bring the message of the prophets home to our own time. John Wurster is faithful to the biblical word, unflinching in his critique of our culture, and unceasing in his proclamation of the true word of hope. Thomas G. Long F.L. Patton Professor of Preaching and Worship Princeton Theological Seminary John Wurster's sermons give new and surprisingly fresh life to the ancient and sometimes jagged words of the Old Testament prophets. Wurster is true to the biblical texts and to the lived realities of everyday life. These are well-honed sermons about large issues -- life and death, God and grace, conflicts and questions, love and faithfulness, heaven and earth. Read them, meditate on them, and let God touch your soul. Dennis T. Olson Associate Professor of Old Testament Princeton Theological Seminary John W. Wurster is a graduate of Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas (summa cum laude) and Princeton Theological Seminary. Currently the associate pastor of Market Street Presbyterian Church in Lima, Ohio, Wurster is also a D.Min. candidate at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary. He has previously served congregations in Texas, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.




What If It's True?


Book Description

See the Bible come to life before your eyes as New York Times bestselling author Charles Martin uses his storyteller imagination to present the Bible as a novel to help you engage with your faith in new ways. Years ago, Charles Martin cracked open his Bible and began wrestling with a few fundamental questions: What if every single word of Scripture is absolutely true and I can trust it? How do I respond? Something in me should change, but what? How? This book is the result of that exploration. In What If It’s True? Martin brings key moments from the life and ministry of Jesus to life through his descriptive, novelistic words. This unique book: Fosters a stronger appreciation, love, and respect for Jesus Covers topics including rejection, sexual sin, generational curses, and forgiveness Draws on Old and New Testament references as well as cultural background information Includes a prayer at the end of each chapter Martin shares key moments from his own journey as a disciple—and bondservant—of Christ and a mentor to others. The result is an exploration of truth that will help you not just think differently but live differently—starting today.




Braving the Wilderness


Book Description

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • REESE’S BOOK CLUB PICK • A timely and important book that challenges everything we think we know about cultivating true belonging in our communities, organizations, and culture, from the #1 bestselling author of Rising Strong, Daring Greatly, and The Gifts of Imperfection Don’t miss the five-part Max docuseries Brené Brown: Atlas of the Heart! “True belonging doesn’t require us to change who we are. It requires us to be who we are.” Social scientist Brené Brown, PhD, MSW, has sparked a global conversation about the experiences that bring meaning to our lives—experiences of courage, vulnerability, love, belonging, shame, and empathy. In Braving the Wilderness, Brown redefines what it means to truly belong in an age of increased polarization. With her trademark mix of research, storytelling, and honesty, Brown will again change the cultural conversation while mapping a clear path to true belonging. Brown argues that we’re experiencing a spiritual crisis of disconnection, and introduces four practices of true belonging that challenge everything we believe about ourselves and each other. She writes, “True belonging requires us to believe in and belong to ourselves so fully that we can find sacredness both in being a part of something and in standing alone when necessary. But in a culture that’s rife with perfectionism and pleasing, and with the erosion of civility, it’s easy to stay quiet, hide in our ideological bunkers, or fit in rather than show up as our true selves and brave the wilderness of uncertainty and criticism. But true belonging is not something we negotiate or accomplish with others; it’s a daily practice that demands integrity and authenticity. It’s a personal commitment that we carry in our hearts.” Brown offers us the clarity and courage we need to find our way back to ourselves and to each other. And that path cuts right through the wilderness. Brown writes, “The wilderness is an untamed, unpredictable place of solitude and searching. It is a place as dangerous as it is breathtaking, a place as sought after as it is feared. But it turns out to be the place of true belonging, and it’s the bravest and most sacred place you will ever stand.”




All That I Say Is True!


Book Description

Read this book and discover for yourself things that can be accomplished through determination mixed with true goodness and kindness. There are those who believe that all the comfort things that came into Pat's life just fell into her lap or that she was just plain lucky. The good things that came to Pat were earned through the sadness of her youth. Her resourcefulness at finding a way to survive hunger; overcoming the cruelty of her Parents and Peers: lack of education: the incredible imagination developed in making something out of nothing to keep her mind and spirit alive and through the courage she displayed in making difficult changes necessary throughout her life to make it better....




Is it True What They Say About Freemasonry?


Book Description

For as long as there have been Freemasons, there has been a calculated effort to disparage and their practices. In this insightful text, masons de Hoyos and Morris explore the origins of the anti-Masonic mindset and delve into the falsehoods on which critics have based these perennial sentiments. Confronting opponents one at a time, the authors methodically debunk the myths that have surrounded Freemasonry since its establishment, investigating the motives and misconceptions that derive antagonists to spread deceit about Masonic traditions.




Leo Tolstoy


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RADICAL LIGHT


Book Description

This second book of the Real Magic series continues to explore the ancient Hermetic Teachings as “A mental art—the art of using consciousness itself as the tool for creating changes in consciousness.” What does the Hermetic axiom “as above, so below” really mean? The relationship between macrocosm (above) and microcosm (below) is the key to the Hermetic Teachings. Macrocosm refers to the Eternal Reality of Light; the realm of God. Microcosm is its reflection; a fragmentation of Light; the world of human existence and human ego. The core of the Hermetic Teachings for centuries has been focused on transforming the fragmented body of Light in human consciousness and uniting below with above.




On Manners


Book Description

Many otherwise enlightened people often dismiss etiquette as a trivial subject or—worse yet—as nothing but a disguise for moral hypocrisy or unjust social hierarchies. Such sentiments either mistakenly assume that most manners merely frame the “real issues” of any interpersonal exchange or are the ugly vestiges of outdated, unfair social arrangements. But in On Manners, Karen Stohr turns the tables on these easy prejudices, demonstrating that the scope of manners is much broader than most people realize and that manners lead directly to the roots of enduring ethical questions. Stohr suggests that though manners are mostly conventional, they are nevertheless authoritative insofar as they are a primary means by which we express moral attitudes and commitments and carry out important moral goals. Drawing primarily on Aristotle and Kant and with references to a wide range of cultural examples—from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice to Larry David’s Curb Your Enthusiasm—the author ultimately concludes that good manners are essential to moral character.