The Holy Spirit, as God's abiding presence to draw people to Christ, can cleanse wounds and bring love and hope into our hearts. Kerry Dearborn's insightful focus on the Holy Spirit transforming our moral imagination and putting us on the path of reconciliation with Jesus Christ is both profound and encouraging. Biblical analysis, historical surveys and references to acclaimed theological authors support Dearborn's nuanced yet practical application of imagination as a tool for awakening, recovery, and dissolving intellectual or psychological barriers that isolate us from God. She considers effectively how imagination can be connected to reality, and is able to delve deep into this vein of thought with startling clarity. Drinking from the Wells of New Creation provides spiritual guidance for dealing with oppression in society; an issue that affects people both within and outside the Christian faith. The acknowledgement of reconciliation as a creative process provides a fresh outlook and will excite those delving into both theological and psychological studies, as well as those seeking to understand God's unification of life, regardless of tribe, tongue and nation.

New Creation Millennialism is a creative new offering on the same topic as the author's seminal 1992 monograph After the Thousand Years: Resurrection and Judgment in Revelation 20. It introduces a powerful new interpretative approach to chapters 19-21 of the Book of Revelation. Its conclusion--that the thousand years of Revelation 20:1-10 begins at the glorious, world-shattering coming of Jesus Christ and has the new creation as its setting--flows from four observations about the literary design of Revelation: (1) John narrates ten or more visions of the glorious coming of Christ, making a simple chronological reading strategy impossible. (2) John gives clear verbal indications that he understands his vision of a devil-led attack by "Gog and Magog" upon the "beloved city" (Rev. 20:7-9 || Rev. 20:13-15) as representing the resurrection and final judgment of the devil and "the rest of the dead," who, like the devil, are to be incarcerated in the underworld "until the thousand years are ended" (Rev. 20:2-3, 5, 7). (3) John gives clear indications that the new creation and the coming to earth of the New Jerusalem (Rev. 21:1-2) attend Christ's coming in glory and are not to be assigned to a place after the thousand years of Revelation 20 (compare Rev. 19:5-9; 21:2, 9). (4) John offers multiple clues that the visions he narrates in Revelation 19-21 cover the same eschatological subject matter as those Isaiah narrated in the Isaiah Apocalypse (Isa. 24-27). This study not only solves the historically perplexing puzzles of Revelation 20 but also points to a new and radical theological understanding of the final fate of the unrepentant. Chapter 1 presents a new exposition of Rev. 19:5-21:8, demonstrating the elegance and explanatory power of the new creation millennialism interpretive paradigm. Chapters 2 and 3 lay out the insuperable difficulties that are faced by historic premillennialism and amillennialism, respectively. Chapter 4 presents a rebuttal to key amillennial arguments against the possibility of a premillennial reading of Rev. 20:1-10. The Conclusion sums up the gains made by the new creation millennialism approach and offers some theological reflections. An appendix introduces a number of ancient and modern interpreters of Revelation that have contributed to the new creation millennium interpretive paradigm.

Unveiling Mercy will do just that—unveil how the mercy of God in the Messiah is spoken of from the very opening Hebrew word of the Bible, all the way to the closing chapter of Malachi. By the end of the year, you will have entered the Old Testament through 365 new doorways, looked with fresh eyes at old verses, and traced a web of connections all over the Scriptures that you've never spotted before. You'll begin to see what one person meant when he described Hebrew words as "hyphens between heaven and earth." Reading the Bible in translation can be like "kissing the bride through the veil." Each of these 365 devotions is crafted so as to lift that veil ever so slightly, to touch skin to skin, as it were, with the original language. You do not need to know anything about Hebrew to profit from these meditations. They are not written to teach you the language of Abraham, Moses, and Isaiah, but to give you a taste of their insights, to expose you to their eloquence, to laugh with them at their winking wordplays, to un-English their idioms, and—most importantly—to trace their trajectories all the way into the preaching of the Messiah and the writings of his evangelists and apostles.

Live Like You Give a Damn! declares the very good news that God is raising up a new generation, largely outside the church, to bring impressive change to the lives of our neighbors locally and globally by creating innovative forms of social enterprise and community empowerment. The even better news is that those of us within the church can join this changemaking celebration and discover creative new ways God can use our mustard seeds to make a more remarkable difference than we ever imagined possible. In this book Tom Sine offers practical ways you can join those who are creating their best communities, their best world, and in the process their best lives. Sine shows that in a world changing at warp speed, following Jesus is a "design opportunity." It is not only an opportunity to design innovative ways to make a difference but also an opportunity to create lives with a difference, in the way of Jesus, that are simpler and more sustainable--and to throw better parties along the way. Why would anyone want to settle for less and miss the best? Review on Coffee House Contemplative hReview on Hearts on Minds Review on Book Saint .embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }

This book presents a unique collection of up-to-date applications of graphene for water science. Because water is an invaluable resource and the intelligent use and maintenance of water supplies is one of the most important and crucial challenges that stand before mankind, new technologies are constantly being sought to lower the cost and footprint of processes that make use of water resources as potable water as well as water for agriculture and industry, which are always in desperate demand. Much research is focused on graphene for different water treatment uses. Graphene, whose discovery won the 2010 Nobel Prize in physics, has been a shining star in the material science in the past few years. Owing to its interesting electrical, optical, mechanical and chemical properties, graphene has found potential applications in a wide range of areas, including water purification technology. A new type of graphene-based filter could be the key to managing the global water crisis. According to the World Economic Forum's Global Risks Report, lack of access to safe, clean water is the biggest risk to society over the coming decade. Yet some of these risks could be mitigated by the development of this filter, which is so strong and stable that it can be used for extended periods in the harshest corrosive environments, and with less maintenance than other filters on the market. The graphene-based filter could be used to filter chemicals, viruses, or bacteria from a range of liquids. It could be used to purify water, dairy products or wine, or in the production of pharmaceuticals. This book provides practical information to all those who are involved in this field.

Although the twentieth century has witnessed a thorough liturgical revival and renewal, the last ten years have exploded in diverse and conflicting styles, settings, and even media of corporate worship: traditional high-church liturgies, alternative worship for small communities, women church services, seeker services at megachurches, and more. Does this innovation portend a brave new liturgical world, or is it just dumbing down? For example, do megachurch services simply revive the old frontier revival and, in an effort to reach out, accommodate Christianity to the reigning consumer culture? One of today's most knowledgeable liturgical theologians and historians contemplates the future shape of liturgy. He believes that ritual systems--liturgy--express and inculcate a worldview, an implicit theology; and, he fears lest the community of faith gain the whole world and lose its soul. New Creation proposes the lines of a Christian culture or worldview, or way of life, that can inform liturgical renewal. Twelve erudite and earnest chapters further specify this counter-cultural matrix as it pertains to God, Christ, church, creation, world, worship, hospitality, culture, evangelism, prayer, and life itself.

Most evangelical Christians believe that those people who are not saved before they die will be punished in hell forever. But is this what the Bible truly teaches? Do Christians need to rethink their understanding of hell? In the late twentieth century, a growing number of evangelical theologians, biblical scholars, and philosophers began to reject the traditional doctrine of eternal conscious torment in hell in favor of a minority theological perspective called conditional immortality. This view contends that the unsaved are resurrected to face divine judgment, just as Christians have always believed, but due to the fact that immortality is only given to those who are in Christ, the unsaved do not exist forever in hell. Instead, they face the punishment of the "second death"--an end to their conscious existence. This volume brings together excerpts from a variety of well-respected evangelical thinkers, including John Stott, John Wenham, and E. Earl Ellis, as they articulate the biblical, theological, and philosophical arguments for conditionalism. These readings will give thoughtful Christians strong evidence that there are indeed compelling reasons for rethinking hell.

This thoughtful, practical guide shows readers a way through the minefield of condemnation and persecution faced by gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender Christians and helps foster a faith that is bulletproof—impervious to attacks, yet loving and savvy in its approach. Bulletproof Faith is filled with useful insights and proven spiritual practices that deflect attacks and enhance and strengthen faith by turning attacks into opportunities for spiritual growth. Praise for Bulletproof Faith "Gay and lesbian Christians are constantly demoralized and told they are not children of God. In Bulletproof Faith, Chellew-Hodge reassures gays and lesbians that God loves them just as they were created and teaches them how to stand strong, with compassion and gentleness, against those who condemn them." —Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu "It is an amazing truth that gay and lesbian Christians need to develop a bulletproof faith in order to survive the attack of other Christians. That, however, is the experience of many homosexual persons. Candace Chellew-Hodge has in this book committed herself to the task of making that survival a reality. I salute her and her work." —John Shelby Spong, author, Jesus for the Non-Religious "We know the Religious Right is wrong about same-sex relationships and it's time to move on. But how to withstand their relentless attacks and find lasting peace of soul? Candace Chellew-Hodge offers a practical guide. It met me right where I am. It will touch and help heal many others, too." —Daniel A. Helminiak, professor of psychology, University of West Georgia, and author, What the Bible Really Says About Homosexuality

God wants His children to enjoy His fullness. He wants His children to live in victory, and in a state of peace, joy, and love. Yet, this doesn’t all depend on God. It also depends on us. God does His part, but we need to do ours. This is a two-way road. As they say, it takes two to tango. Are we willing to dance with God? God’s part is to set up the spiritual well, meaning He is always available and accessible for us to engage in a real and meaningful relationship with Him. God is a personal and faithful God who wants to engage with His children. God provides Himself as the source of life, yet it is up to us to ‘plug’ into God. Want more of God? Then it is about how much we are willing to sacrifice, surrender and seek God. The Lord is always willing to meet with us, but our spiritual journey hinges on our desire, thirst and hunger for God.

On the occasion of the International Year of Mountains-2002, FAO and its partners undertook a large-scale assessment and global review of the current status and future trends of integrated and participatory watershed management. The overall objectives were to promote the exchange and dissemination of experiences in implementing watershed management projects in the decade from 1990 to 2000 and to identify the vision for a new generation of watershed management programmes and projects. This resource book represents a summary and critical analysis of the rich discussions and vast materials that emerged during the review, as well as the review's findings and recommendations. It presents the state of the art in watershed management, promotes further reflection and creative thinking and proposes new ideas and approaches for future watershed management programmes and projects. This publication has been written primarily for field-level watershed management practitioners and local decision-makers involved in watershed management at the district or municipality level. It will also be a useful source of information for other readers such as senior officers and consultants specialized in other areas, evaluators, policy-makers and students of watershed management