“Fake News! That’s Fake News!” In a few short years, the phrase “Fake News” has earned a place in dictionaries, in national discourse, and in our daily lives. But Fake News is not new. Fake News began when people first interpreted the Bible to advance their own agenda. Commonly-held beliefs about what the Bible says regarding women, LGBTQ folks, slavery, immigrants, and Jews trumpets Fake News that is destroying people’s lives. What is the best way to counter Fake News? With the truth. To do so, Episcopal priest Elizabeth Geitz turns to the #1 bestselling book year after year—the Bible. Sexism, racism, anti-Semitism, and heterosexism are experiencing an alarming resurgence today. It is time for an accessible book that sets the record straight on what the Bible really says regarding the many “isms” affecting all of us. It is time for the Fake News about the Bible to come to a screeching halt. The 101 eye-opening reflections in Spiritual Truth in the Age of Fake News are a call to action for people of different faiths or no faith at all. This a must-read for anyone exhausted by the daily barrage of Fake News who is seeking the relief of the authentic.
This book offers a critique of common spiritual warfare practices including binding Satan, renouncing curses, spiritual mapping and exorcisms. Using Scripture, and Scripture alone, Pastor Jim Osman shows that true spiritual warfare is not a battle over territory, but a battle for the truth. The book is divided into four sections: Establishing Biblical Principles, Exposing Unbiblical Practices, Explaining Biblical Perspectives and Examining a Biblical Passage. A biblical approach to spiritual warfare recognizes the Bible as the sole authority, rejects unbiblical and man-made methods, and rests in Christ and His finished work for victory. Many in the modern spiritual warfare movement teach a methodology of spiritual warfare that is more akin to something you would find in a Harry Potter novel (renouncing curses and using prayer mantras to seize territory) than anything described in Scripture. Many of these practices reflect a theology built on anecdotes, experience, and interviews with demons rather than a sound exegesis of Scripture. Footnoted quotations of authors like Mark Bubeck, Neil T. Anderson, and others are compared against Scripture to show that modern spiritual warfare "experts" have abandoned the authority of Scripture and opted for man-made methods to wage spiritual battle. The chapters include a study of the three enemies that every Christian faces: the world, the flesh, and the devil. Pastor Osman answers from Scripture the questions: Can a Christian be demon-possessed? Is Christ's authority ours? and, What about exorcisms? One chapter includes a helpful discussion of the link between spiritual warfare and a believer's sanctification. The foreword is written by international conference speaker Justin Peters (justinpeters.org). This book is being published as an e-book as a fundraiser to finish the new church building of Kootenai Community Church (www.kootenaichurch.org) of which Jim is one of the pastors. All the proceeds go the building fund for the completion of that project. You can see regular updates at http: //www.truthorterritory.com .
Have you ever had anything weird or unusual happen to you? You are not alone. Most people use religion to explain anything supernatural that may have happened to them. The author did this, and he soon found out how wrong he was. Finding the truth is a very freeing experience. This book is about opening your mind and finding out the power you have in your beliefs. I bet you would be surprised at what you could do if you just change how you think. That's right--you control what you believe. When you uncover the power that you have in your beliefs, you could do almost anything. All you have to do is accept the fact that "truth is stranger than fiction."--Publisher description
The lyrical story of a woman's existential crisis, the end of seeking, and the willingness to lose everything to find true, lasting freedom. A combined off-the-beaten path India travel adventure, bittersweet romance, and deeply personal spiritual memoir, this book shares the profound, inexpressible grace of encountering one's spiritual teacher, or guru, and is an homage to the absolute faith and fearlessness required to be released from the shackles of suffering. Truth Seeker is the long-awaited follow-up to the spiritual travel adventure, The Adventures of Bindi Girl: Diving Deep Into the Heart of India (2012). PRAISE FOR TRUTH SEEKER "Erin Reese's excellent new book is a deep dive into the heart, dedication, and courage required while on the spiritual awakening journey. This book isn't merely about truth seeking; it's about truth finding. The book is far more than a journey into the spiritual cornucopia of India; it's an inspirational nudge into the deepest depths of your own heart. Do you have the courage? The dedication? I highly recommend this book to both glistening spiritual newbies and jaded old-timers. After reading I was left in a beautiful, resonant, heartfelt state. This alone is worth the price of admission." -J. Stewart Dixon, author of Spirituality for Badasses: How to Find Inner Peace and Happiness Without Losing Your Cool "So often overlooked on today's spiritual path is the mystical bond with a guru to support the journey to self-realization. Ramesh Balsekar was a laser beam of integrity and a fountain of peace. This book shows the transformative blessing of meeting such a master on one who is passionate and sincere. One that has the power to surrender." - Prajnaparamita, spiritual master, author of Wings of Freedom "If you read a lot of "spiritual" books, as I do, you can be filled to the brim with theory. Truth Seeker is what happens in one woman's life when the theories become fact in the day-to-day. There's romance - human-to-human and human-to-India - and courage and humor and an incredible degree of acceptance of life as it comes and where it is. And that might be the essence of those spiritual books, after all."-Victoria Moran, author of The Good Karma Diet, cofounder of The Compassion Consortium "With razor-sharp wit and breathtaking pace, Truth Seeker immerses readers in the India few travelers see-the authentic India in all its beauty and abomination. Equal parts love story, spiritual quest, and travelogue, Truth Seeker, ultimately, is an homage to India itself and the extraordinary teacher Erin Reese found-and lost-there. This book is exactly what many of us need right now-spiritual sustenance, a glimpse of the majestic potential of humans, and a good, hard laugh." -Lynn Braz, author of Flying Free: Life Lessons Learned on the Flying Trapeze "Erin Reese's Truth Seeker is a true gem! It relates both her journey through the land of India and her spiritual search culminating in spiritual awakening. As I read this beautifully written account, I could feel the heat, hear the sounds, and smell the scents of her Mother India. I could feel her emotions as she struggled along the way. I felt her devotion for her beloved guru. Her description of spiritual awakening is honest, clear, and genuine. To paraphrase Christ's words about his disciple Nathanael, "Here is a woman in whom there is no guile." -Marshall Davis, author of Experiencing God Directly: The Way of Christian Nonduality
Faced with unparalleled grief, will Jonah return to Elohim? Parents are looking for fiction that makes Christianity exciting for their kids. This series is the first Christian answer to Percy Jackson, the Kane Chronicles, the Secret Series, and other middle grade series packed with action and adventure. But the message is solidly based in Scripture, conveying that God is always in control. It has been a trying six months for Jonah, Eliza, and Jeremiah Stone. They have been grieving over the loss of their nephilim mother, who was murdered by Abaddon’s forces. As part angels, the siblings have been in school with other children of nephilim to hone their special powers In Truth Runner, Jonah has left Angel School and attempts to forget Elohim’s calling by moving back to his hometown and starting high school as a “normal” kid. But Jonah can still see fallen angels—and the evil they’re doing. When Jonah realizes the Fallen are attacking his friends without their knowledge, he is faced with a choice: continue to ignore it and forge his own path, or remember who he really is and fight for his friends. As Jonah’s story begins to resemble his Biblical character’s namesake, will he turn back to Elohim’s path for his life? Meets national education standards.
Christians trying to model their lives after Jesus may find that He gets buried under lists, rules, and formulas. Now bestselling author Randy Alcorn offers a simple two-point checklist for Christlikeness based on John 1:14. The test consists of balancing grace and truth, equally and unapologetically. Grace without truth deceives people, and ceases to be grace. Truth without grace crushes people, and ceases to be truth. Alcorn shows the reader how to show the world Jesus -- offering grace instead of the world's apathy and tolerance, offering truth instead of the world's relativism and deception. Grace or Truth…or Both? Truth without grace breeds self-righteousness and crushing legalism. Grace without truth breeds deception and moral compromise. Is it possible to embrace both in balance? Jesus did. Randy Alcorn offers a simple yet profound two-point checklist of Christlikeness. “In the end,” says Alcorn, “we don’t need grace or truth. We need grace and truth. And for people to see Jesus in us, they must see both.”
A collection of profound ideas from one of the great spiritual thinkers of our generation. In this authoritative work, readers will be brought to higher levels of awareness, control, and understanding. This book includes ten volumes of Dr. Hawkins’s core teachings that are most beneficial and relevant to today’s world, including his Map of Consciousness calibration process. The Wisdom of Dr. David R. Hawkins also includes one of Dr. Hawkins’s last lectures on the most valuable qualities for a spiritual seeker. Get ready to step off the ego path onto a more rewarding, fulfilling, and service-oriented journey of enlightenment.
Discover the Life-Changing Relevance of the Old Testament Pursuing Spiritual Authenticity The words of the prophets cut through the millennia, grab us by our shoulders, and shake us from our slumber. Like a bucket of ice water, they pour over us and shock us with the message that God still speaks and is calling us to radically authentic lives. The prophets address us right where we live and call us to fresh places of spiritual growth. Part of the Old Testament Challenge series, this teaching guide and resource book helps you craft eight messages on what the prophets have to say about spiritual authenticity. As never before, your congregation will discover God's plan for stripping away counterfeit life-patterns and replacing them with authentic Christian living. A Communicator's Toolkit for Teaching the Old Testament Having the right resources gives you a powerful edge in communicating the message of the Old Testament effectively in this media-driven, sensory-intensive culture. The Creating a New Community Teaching Guide helps you connect with minds, imaginations, and hearts. Designed to maximize your connection and impact, it is a communicator's toolbox for teaching your congregation lessons from the four-part Old Testament Challenge series. * Historical, cultural, and geographical backgrounds unlock the meanings of Bible passages. Transport your listeners thousands of years into the past so they can see, hear, smell, taste, and touch the ancient world. * Illustrations, humorous stories, and word pictures engage the imagination and emotions, bringing home the timeless message of the Old Testament with clarity and freshness. * Creative applications help listeners make the leap from learning Old Testament lessons to living the Christian life. The genius of this teaching guide is its flexibility. Customize your messages from a treasury of resources. This revolutionary tool provides up to sixteen categories of material for each message. No need to spend countless hours doing research---a wealth of ideas and resources lies at your fingertips! Creating a New Community Teaching Guide includes: * Creative Message Ideas * Heart of the Message * Heart of the Messenger * Historical Context Notes * Illustrations * Interpretive Insights * Life Applications * Narrative on Life * Narrative on the Text * New Testament Connections * On the Lighter Side * Pause for Prayer * Pause for Reflection * Quotable Quotes * Significant Scriptures * Word Studies Other Old Testament Challenge Teaching Guides 1---Creating a New Community: Life-Changing Stories from the Pentateuch (9 Sessions) 2---Stepping Out in Faith: Life-Changing Examples from the History of Israel (7 Sessions) 3---Developing a Heart for God: Life-Changing Lessons from the Wisdom Books (8 Sessions)
