But Christ didn't just rise from the dead. He ascended to Heaven.We hear the stories about Peter and John and all the heroes of the New Testament, and they're unstoppable Christians--fearless and bold. And sometimes we wrongly assume that they just got that way. That Christ died for their sins, and bam! They're instantly changed! On the contrary, the disciples were actually quite cowardly in their actions after the Resurrection.It wasn't until after the Ascension that they were on fire for Christ. So, what happened during the forty days? Something happened.There's more written about Christ's ministry before his death than the events that happened after his Resurrection, but when we look at Ascension, we begin to see that there's power in small details. We begin to see that something happened after the Resurrection--something happened to transform the lives of believers and make them more than followers.Looking at what happened after the Resurrection, and further at the Ascension of Christ, we start to see what happened to transform the followers--and in seeing this we might just be transformed ourselves.Something did indeed happen during the forty days. Jesus was not done teaching.

    

    First diagnosed with bi-lateral retinoblastoma at the age of seven months, she had feared blindness since childhood. Ironically, the treatment that had saved her life as a baby was responsible for the radiation- induced cancer that again threatened her life as an adult. Now a wife and mother of two young sons, she faced her greatest challenge. Five major surgeries within the space of five months left her physically and emotionally devastated-- and completely blind. Yet during that horrendous time, Kris discovered moments of spiritual strengthening that became holy places in her life-- places where she could feel the purifying, transforming power of Christ that enabled her to survive and to learn how to live in a world of darkness. Compelling, honest, and at times humorous, her story and the insights she gained will help others find hope and healing in the midst of their own trials.

    You'll come to understand that the Holy Spirit is who God is and what God does as the Trinity. And you'll learn how to prayerfully embrace this gift that created the church and become empowered to live out holy love and friendship in the world."Hauerwas and Willimon are among the most reliable teachers of the church. Ours is a time when faithful teaching is urgent in the church that is compromised, bewildered and domesticated. This study by these trustworthy teachers on the Holy Spirit is a robust affirmation of the way in which core claims made concerning God's Spirit matter concretely in the life of the church. This book is an invitation to fresh learning, to repentance, and to the recovery of missional nerve." -Walter Brueggemann, Columbia Theological Seminary"For too long many Christians have neglected the Holy Spirit; some even fear the Holy Spirit. Hauerwas and Willimon challenge them to rediscover the Comforter, the Advocate, for the renewal of the Christian church and the world. This is a welcome and much needed corrective to common Christian forgetfulness of the Spirit." -Roger E. Olson, Foy Valentine Professor of Christian Theology and Ethics, George W. Truett Theological Seminary, Baylor University"The Holy Spirit is too often considered the junior partner of the Trinity. Therefore, this book by two eminent churchmen is a cause for celebration, reminding us of the importance and vitality of an orthodox view of God's Spirit." -Tony Jones, author of Did God Kill Jesus? andtheologian-in-residence at Solomon's Porch in Minneapolis. He teaches theology at Fuller Theological Seminary and United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities."When these two long-time theologian-friends and disciples of Jesus, gather in a room to write, you can be sure that you will hear a sound of a rushing mighty wind, feel the heat of holy fire, and be ignited by dynamite on the page as you read. Whether it be theTrinity, Pentecost, holiness, or the last things, this is not just another book, this is literary bread from heaven fed to you by anointed servants of the Holy Spirit. Take, eat and be filled with the Spirit of Christ!" -Luke A. Powery, Dean of the Chapel and Associate Professor of Homiletics, Duke UniversityThis engaging and accessible pneumatological overview, written by two leading voices of theological wisdom and church renewal, is a rich collaborative discussion, which weaves together poignant and wide-ranging doctrinal insight (from the historic creeds, to the Wesleyan heritage, to contemporary Pentecostalism), punctuated by perceptive liturgical applications, fresh biblical expositions, memorable testimonial observations, and passionate pastoral appeals - all driving toward the earnest prayer of its authors, "Come, Holy Spirit!" -Rickie D. Moore, Associate Dean of the School of Religion, Professor of Old Testament, Lee University

    The latest LDS scholarship is reflected in its brief, thoughtfully considered footnotes, although the focus is always on the text itself—its wording, structure, and interconnections—allowing the book’s sacred message to be heard anew. The Maxwell Institute Study Edition, produced by believing scholars, is ideally suited to both new readers of the Book of Mormon and also those who know the book well and have loved its teachings and testimony of Christ for many years.

    Through complete access to Nibley's correspondence, journals, notes and papers, Petersen has painted a portrait that reveals the man behind the legend. Starting with a foreword written by Zina Nibley Peterson (the author's wife and Nibley's daughter) and finishing with appendixes that include some of the best of Nibley's personal correspondence, the biography reveals aspects of the tapestry of the life of one who has truly consecrated his life to the service of the Lord.

    And all religious beliefs are "crutches" hindering the free locomotive efforts of an advancing humanity. There are no problems related to human progress and happiness in this age which any theology can solve, and which the teachings of freethought cannot do better and without the aid of encumbrances.

    Boyd adds another counterintuitive and provocative thesis to his corpus. While conservative scholars and pastors have struggled for years to show that the Bible is without errors, Boyd considers this a fool's errand. Instead, he says, we should embrace the mistakes and contradictions in Scripture, for they show that God chose to use fallible humans to communicate timeless truths. Just as God ultimately came to save humanity in the form of a human, God chose to impart truth through the imperfect medium of human writing. Instead of the Bible's imperfections being a reason to attack its veracity, these "problems" actually support the trustworthiness of Christian Scripture. Inspired Imperfection is required reading for anyone who's questioned the Bible because of its contradictions.

    It will be used in reference to those countries and districtswhich, in historic times, have been at one time or other mainly of Celticspeech. It does not follow that all the races which spoke a form of theCeltic tongue, a tongue of the Indo-European family, were all of the samestock. Indeed, ethnological and archaeological evidence tends toestablish clearly that, in Gaul and Britain, for example, man had livedfor ages before the introduction of any variety of Aryan or Indo-Europeanspeech, and this was probably the case throughout the whole of Westernand Southern Europe. Further, in the light of comparative philology, ithas now become abundantly clear that the forms of Indo-European speechwhich we call Celtic are most closely related to those of the Italicfamily, of which family Latin is the best known representative. Fromthis it follows that we are to look for the centre of dissemination ofAryan Celtic speech in some district of Europe that could have been thenatural centre of dissemination also for the Italic languages. From thiscommon centre, through conquest and the commercial intercourse whichfollowed it, the tribes which spoke the various forms of Celtic andItalic speech spread into the districts occupied by them in historictimes. The common centre of radiation for Celtic and Italic speech wasprobably in the districts of Noricum and Pannonia, the modern Carniola,Carinthia, etc., and the neighbouring parts of the Danube valley. Theconquering Aryan-speaking Celts and Italians formed a militaryaristocracy, and their success in extending the range of their languageswas largely due to their skill in arms, combined, in all probability,with a talent for administration. This military aristocracy was ofkindred type to that which carried Aryan speech into India and Persia,Armenia and Greece, not to speak of the original speakers of the Teutonicand Slavonic tongues. In view of the necessity of discovering a centre,whence the Indo-European or Aryan languages in general could haveradiated Eastwards, as well as Westwards, the tendency to-day is toregard these tongues as having been spoken originally in some districtbetween the Carpathians and the Steppes, in the form of kindred dialectsof a common speech. Some branches of the tribes which spoke thesedialects penetrated into Central Europe, doubtless along the Danube, and,from the Danube valley, extended their conquests together with theirvarious forms of Aryan speech into Southern and Western Europe. Theproportion of conquerors to conquered was not uniform in all thecountries where they held sway, so that the amount of Aryan blood intheir resultant population varied greatly. In most cases, the familiesof the original conquerors, by their skill in the art of war and acertain instinct of government, succeeded in making their own tongues thedominant media of communication in the lands where they ruled, with theresult that most of the languages of Europe to-day are of the Aryan orIndo-European type. It does not, however, follow necessarily from thisthat the early religious ideas or the artistic civilisation of countriesnow Aryan in speech, came necessarily from the conquerors rather than theconquered. In the last century it was long held that in countries ofAryan speech the essential features of their civilisation, theirreligious ideas, their social institutions, nay, more, their inhabitantsthemselves, were of Aryan origin.

    They were distracted, discouraged, and ready to throw in the towel. But the prophet Haggai reminded them they could find courage in the God who had never left them.Sometimes the landscapes of our lives feel wrecked, with our hope and purpose in shambles. We too get distracted and discouraged. However, God's presence and promises give us courage to press on and trust Him with our story.In this 7-session study on the Book of Haggai, learn to walk confidently in your calling, stay motivated despite opposition, and courageously invest your life in God's purposes, trusting Him for results you may never see in this lifetime.Features: Leader guide to lead discussions within small groupsPersonal study segments to complete between 7 weeks of group sessionsEnriching teaching videos, approximately 25 minutes per session, available for purchase or rentBenefits: Defeat discouragement through God's presence, people, and Word.See beyond your current circumstances to a future hope.Learn to trust God more than your feelings.

    It is literally a gift - a gift of God's power. While carefully maintaining the sacred confidentiality of the temple ordinances, this book provides scriptural correlations which will open up rich new areas of understanding. Once you read this inspired information, you will be better informed about the scriptural authority and symbolism of the sacred ordinances. You will be better prepared and motivated to apply scriptural symbols in your life and strive to become more like Christ. Within these pages are more than twenty scriptural symbols which correlate with the temple service. The central focus of these symbols is found in Brigham Young's oft-quoted statement of the ceremony's ultimate purpose: to enable recipients to pass by the angelic sentinels who guard the entrance to God's kingdom as they "walk back to the presence of the Father." Endowed from on high teaches that revelation occurs during the endowment, that promises are required before blessings are granted, that covenants are the channels through which blessings flow, and that the Lord is voluntarily "bound" when we obey His commandments. This is a unique and reverential guide to growth in the most sacred of all areas of our relationship with the Savior and our heavenly Father. Reading and pondering Endowen From On High will be a choice experience for all Church members.

    Taking your relationship to the next level requires attention and effort. Even people in great marriages face challenges and encounter difficulties. What tools can you place in your hands to build the marriage you desire?In The 21 Undeniable Secrets of Marriage, best-selling author and communicator, Dr. Allen Hunt, shares the life-giving principles that are necessary for success in your relationship.Utilizing his decades of experience with couples, Dr. Hunt shares real-life wisdom and help for your marriage. He shows how:• The Secret of Purpose nourished one couple through the highs and lows of a 65-year marriage.• The Secret of The Little Things proves to be the greatest predictor of the health of your marriage as it draws directly from the wisdom of St. Therese de Lisieux.• The Secret of Ages and Stages provided the foundation for a couple's 82-year marriage, the longest of its time.The 21 Undeniable Secrets of Marriage will equip you and your marriage to begin moving toward all that God hopes and desires for your relationship.

    As a bishop, counselor, and parent. Kevin Hinckley has watched the painful process of rebellion occur over and over as he has worked to help those who are scarred by sin come back. From a foundation of gospel-based concepts and clinical experience, he identifies things parents can do to avoid the heartache of rebellion and offers help and hope to parents of children who have already strayed. Sharing experiences from other parents, he shows how to teach children to rely on divine guidance as they confront the challenge of growing up in a world that seems bent on their destruction. This book presents practical solutions and profound insights that will help any parent fulfull this most sacred of all responsibilities.

    In this easy-to-use reference guide, Kevin Conner clearly presents the richness of scriptural truth to assist Christians in understanding the use of signs and symbols in God's Word.

    But are those a Christian’s only options? The Voting Booth presents a third path for a new generation of Christians seeking to love both God and their neighbor. Written as a fictional dialogue between Christian, a confused voter, and three spirits of cultural engagement—Exodus, Exile, and Incarnation—The Voting Booth addresses many of the questions being asked by those struggling to follow Christ in our post-Christian age like: -How do I respond to those who view Christian faith as oppressive? -Why has Christianity become so political? -What role does fear have in Christian cultural engagement? -How should I interact with neighbors of other faiths? -Have Christians lost the “Culture War”? -How should I think about voting as a Christian? -What is the role of the Church in the culture? With engaging writing and surprising twists, The Voting Booth will challenge your assumptions and leave you with a new way of imagining your place in the culture. What others are saying about "The Voting Booth" "As an immigrant-turned-citizen facing only my second chance to vote in a presidential election, I am troubled by the options presented. Opinions from Christians abound, complete with blogs and Bible verses, but no clear path emerges. Skye’s allegory tale succinctly— if also slightly simplistically— represents the two dominant paradigms of Christian response: the call to escape, and the call to engage. He then offers a third perspective rooted in the incarnation. While the tale stops short of instruction, it is abounding in wisdom. This is an accessible read that provides a thoughtful way to name and evaluate the subconscious grids that undergird our approach to political engagement or disengagement. Best of all, it offers us a way to reflect on our perspective, posture, and purpose in a Christ-shaped way." -Glenn Packiam, Pastor at New Life Downtown "Skye Jethani is one of the most clear-headed, sober voices writing on faith and culture today. The Voting Booth raises questions many Christians wrestle with and provides answers that challenge and delight. In a time of political unrest and cultural upheaval, we can't afford to ignore what this book has to say." - Jonathan Merritt, author of Jesus is Better Than You Imagined; contributing writer for The Atlantic “In a creative and compelling way, Skye Jethani has written yet another book that pushes the American church in the right direction. His uncanny ability to put his finger up to the wind and chart the right direction forward is a huge help to our community as we navigate the increasingly treacherous waters of the secular west.” - John Mark Comer, pastor for teaching and vision at Bridgetown Church and author of Loveology. "In The Voting Booth, Skye Jethani beautifully crafts a dialogue between ‘Christian' and three personified postures we can take toward our culture. Eye-opening and thought provoking, Skye clearly illuminates the dominant but destructive attitudes that have dominated the American church for the last 100 years, and then shines a light on a better way. Highly recommended!” - Phil Vischer, creator of VeggieTales, What’s In The Bible, and The Phil Vischer Podcast.