Beyond the Compass is designed to help readers hear the voice of God and, possibly, to see what has never been seen before through 21 days of reflection on short Scripture passages and related thoughts. Space is provided for the reader to record ideas and plans.

Description: For about the last fifteen years of his life, Thomas A. Langford pondered how grace is central to Christian theology. This book records his reflections and provides numerous gems of mature Christian insight. From beginning to end, the book is christologically focused. Grace is not something that God gives us; rather, it is the way God gives us himself. Grace is a person--God present to human beings. Grace is not a gift but rather a giver. Grace is Jesus Christ. The central contribution of this work is its personalization of grace, its sharp focus on God present in Jesus Christ. Because its focus on grace gives the reader such a clear and thematically developed entry point, this work is a great introduction to theology and the life of the church, the kind that pastors and parishioners would certainly benefit from confronting. Endorsements: ""Who better to teach us grace than one who so genially embodied, personified, and incarnated grace? . . . Langford] taught Christian grace in the manner of the great classical philosophers whom he so admired by embodying in his life that which he professed in his books, in the classroom, and in the pulpit. How appropriate that this manuscript was lying upon his desk when he died. What grace that we have it now. Grace, pure grace."" --from the foreword by William H. Willimon ""Reflections on Grace looks at grace from every facet of systematic theology. Methodists and Wesleyans will want to read and ponder these pages carefully, but the work reaches out to all Christian communions--Catholic, Orthodox, and evangelical. This grace-filled book can help any faithful and thoughtful Christian think deeper about and live more boldly in the constant grace of the Triune God."" --Alan G. Padgett, Methodist minister and Professor of Systematic Theology, Luther Seminary ""Tommy Langford exemplified what Methodism at its best should be. We can celebrate the publication of these last thoughts, as they demonstrate that Tommy was unafraid to change. May we learn from his example."" --Stanley Hauerwas, Gilbert T. Rowe Professor of Theological Ethics, Duke Divinity School About the Contributor(s): Thomas A. Langford (1929-2000) served the United Methodist Church and Duke University throughout his adult life. Langford was ordained a Methodist minister in 1952. He was the primary author of the United Methodist Church's ""Our Theological Task"" (1988) and a member of the World Methodist Council bilateral theological discussions with the Roman Catholic Church, the World Lutheran Federation, and the World Reformed Alliance. He was the author or editor of fourteen books including Intellect and Hope (on the thought of Michael Polanyi), In Search of Foundations (on English theology and culture), and the widely read Practical Divinity (theology in the Wesleyan tradition). This current book, Reflections on Grace, is the work that he had been writing during the last years of his life. Philip A. Rolnick is Professor of Theology at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN. He is the author of Analogical Possibilities: How Words Refer to God and Person, Grace, and God (2007) Jonathan R. Wilson is Pioneer McDonald Professor of Theology at Carey Theological College. He completed his PhD at Duke in 1989 under the supervision of Thomas Langford.

Leading a Sunday School class isn't easy. Sunday School teachers stay up late on Saturday nights preparing lessons, show up early at church every Sunday without fail, and often spend a large portion of their lesson focusing children's attention or mediating adult discussions. It's a commitment that requires dedication, sacrifice, and patience, but they faithfully serve every week because they know the eternal impact of their labors. Introducing a friend to the love of Christ, helping teenagers improve their self-worth, instilling biblical truth and God's love in the hearts and minds of little children-this is why they serve. Devotions for Sunday School Teachers 2 is a collection of short devotionals designed to challenge, uplift, and inspire Sunday School teachers and small-group leaders. Authors Stan Toler, John Baldwin, and David Graves use their varied Sunday School experiences to share words of comfort and offer guidance, insight, and even a little humor in order to help teachers renew their commitment to serve and rediscover the joys of teaching the children of God. Devotions for Sunday School Teachers and Devotions for Sunday School Teachers 2 are perfect for gift-giving and offer teachers opportunities to read, meditate, and pray for a short time on Sunday morning before class starts or use the included Scriptures and stories to supplement their own lessons.

Helps individuals and small groups focus and renew their spirituality during Advent.

Before "New Age" there was "New Thought," a philosophy that sought God through metaphysics and was wildly popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. American mystic and bestselling author RALPH WALDO TRINE (1866-1958) was one of the most significant writers on New Thought principles, and here, in this charming 1921 volume, Trine reveals some of the ideas that he found "true and valuable," including: . the power of intution, and the necessity of trusting it . why it's important to cultivate aloneness and silence . how to open to the vibrations of everything and everyone around us . the most vital lessons from the teachings of Jesus . and more. A commanding writer and a provocative philosopher, Trine was a man ahead of his time... and perhaps still is today.

Let Us Attend! A Journey Through the Orthodox Christian Liturgy is a guide to understanding the Divine Liturgy, and a vibrant reminder of the centrality of the Eucharist in living the Christian life. Every Sunday morning we are literally taken on a journey into the Kingdom of God. Fr. Lawrence guides everyday believers in a devotional and historical walk through the Orthodox liturgy. Examining the Liturgy section by section, he proves both historical explanations of how the liturgy evolved, and devotional insights aimed at helping us pray the liturgy in the way the Fathers intended. In better understanding the depth of the Liturgy's meaning and purpose, we can pray it properly. If you would like a deeper understanding of your Sunday morning experience so that you can draw closer to God, then this book is for you.

CROOK IN THE LOT ''Consider the work of God, for who can make that straight which He has made crooked'' (Ecclesiastes 7:3) One's lot consists of all the things in life that God has allotted to a person. So if one sees rough and painful happenings in life, looking to second causes first will but stir up fretting and fuming. But a look at the first cause will remind us that it is God that has caused the crook in our lot, If He is to work all things to our good, He at times must put a kink in our plans. ''A man's heart plans his way, but Jehovah fixes his step'' (Pro. 16:9). Observe: 1. Whatever crook there is in our lot, it is of God's making. He has decreed all things in our lives, else how could He make all things work to our good? Each one has been allotted certain things, each of us differently; yet so as to make them work together. If between two saints, good for both of them. If between an unbeliever and a believer, the unbeliever's life works to the good of the believer. 2. What God sees fit to mar, no one will be able to mend his lot. When the course of events cross our plans, and God has done it, then only God can unloose the knot in our plans. 3. Everyone's lot in this world has some crook in it. Complainers are apt to make odious comparisons. Everyone feels for himself, when he is pinched, though others do not see it. Only God knows the pain allotted to each. 4. The crook in the lot came into the world by sin. It is owing to the Fall that sin entered the world. This crook in our lot inseparably follows our sinful condition, till dropping this body of sin we enter Heaven's gates. There was no personal sin in Christ, yet He was humiliated and suffered for the sins of others. Allthis was decreed of Him. Why not in our lives also? Boston (1676-1732) was a Scottish Presbyterian minister and author.

There's nothing like seeing a rainbow after a particularly stormy time. It reminds us of the promises of God, and of his steadfast love -- even for harried moms. To be a mother often means being able to see through the clouds of life that threaten to overshadow God's abundant grace and mercy, and beholding the promise of God's rainbow. The devotions in Through the Clouds, each accompanied by a scripture verse and a prayer, are a perfect resource for busy moms who need to take a few quiet moments each day with the Lord. These brief meditations will encourage them to see the rainbows and remember God's promises -- no matter how much laundry is waiting!

Before "New Age" there was "New Thought," a philosophy that sought God through metaphysics and was wildly popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. American mystic and bestselling author RALPH WALDO TRINE (1866-1958) was one of the most influential writers on New Thought principles, and here, in this 1919 work, he lays out his understanding of the wisdom of balance, between mind and body, between living and making a living, between information and insight. Trine discusses: . how the subconscious mind connects soul and body . why thought is a force in everyday living . how to intergrate the lessons of Jesus in our lives . why we must achieve balance in the world as a whole as well as in ourselves . and more. With a scientific perspective and a thoroughly modern approach to problems as ancient as they are perplexing, Trine's attitude is still fresh and compelling.

In this book Ms. Moore shares stories from her childhood and the importance that prayer has played in her life as well as the many prayers that she has written over the years, it is her goal to tell everyone about prayer and what it means to her and how she hopes that families use these prayers.

"SPIRIT AND LIFE." Perhaps a presumptuous title, but the authors feel that this collection of songs will bring enthusiasm and vigor into any Sunday school or church service where it may be used, so that in the ordinary sense of the words the title is not an inappropriate one. We trust, however, that our songs will also bring the deeper, truer blessing of the SPIRIT AND LIFE: that abide in the words of Christ... -from the Preface Subtitled "A Collection of Songs for the Sunday School, Young People's Societies, Devotional Meetings, and Revival Services," this hymnal, dating from 1894, features a glorious selection of graceful, prayerful hymns, some written by the authors: . "How You Grow" celebrate children . "The Christmas Bells" rings with the sounds of the holiday . "There's a Light at the River" lends hope in difficult times . "In the Newness of Life" rejoices in the trust of Jesus . and many more. Complete with sheet music and lyrics, these beautiful songs continue to inspire faith and exult in the Lord. OF INTEREST TO: performers of devotional music AUTHOR BIO: EDMUND SIMON LORENZ (1854-1942) and DAVID ELIJAH DORTCH (b. 1851) wrote numerous books on church music; Lorenz founded the Lorenz Music Publishing Company of Dayton, Ohio.

Let the words of Trappist monk Thomas Merton lead you through the holy season of Lent and into Easter. The author was known for his journaling skills. With that in mind, the daily format includes an explanation of one facet of the season, followed by Mertons' writings, appropriate Scripture passages and a daily journal topic to encourage your own thoughts related to Lent and Easter.

Take the time to sit at His feet. The Bible contains numerous models of prayers offered to God by His people. Even Jesus prayed to His Father and spent significant time in solitude listening to Him. Yet it seems that today very few Christians actually spend time with the Lord. For many, prayer has been reduced to squeezing in a few seconds to give thanks before meals and listing requests at bedtime. Still, many Christians long to develop a disciplined and meaningful prayer life but find it difficult to know where or how to begin. In Simply Praying, Patsy Lewis leads readers on a transforming 52-week prayer adventure. With gentle guidance and insight, she provides practical prayer techniques that will transform their view of prayer and strengthen their relationship with the Lord. She addresses topics such as staying focused during prayer, letting go of emotional baggage, using Scripture to pray intentionally, and how to start or enhance a prayer journal that fits each individual's needs and style. Simply Praying encourages readers to run into Jesus' arms and sit at His feet the place where the pursuit of truth and an authentic relationship with God begins.

That the Book should be shunned by many because of its mysterious character is no wonder. It is one of the "devices" of Satan to get people to neglect a Book that foretells his casting as "Prince of the Powers of the Air," and the "God of this Age," out of the Heavenlies... -from The Book of Revelation The Reverend Clarence Larkin was one of the most widely influential thinkers on end-times prophecies of the early twentieth century, and his writings remain vital to appreciating the apocalyptic Christian thought that today enjoys widespread popularity. This 1919 book serves as a study guide for the Book of Revelation, the Bible's prophetic final chapter. Larkin explains the concepts of the Beast and the False Prophet, the Seven Seals and the Seven Trumpets, and the importance of the Book of Daniel in understanding the Rapture. Charts and illustrations depict the "Pale Horse Rider," "Daniel's Four Wild Beasts," "Egyptian Plagues Compared," and more. Also available from Cosimo Classics: Larkin's The Spirit World, Rightly Dividing the Word, and The Second Coming of Christ. American Baptist pastor and author CLARENCE LARKIN (1850-1924) was born in Pennsylvania, and later set up his ministry there. He wrote extensively and popularly on a wide range of Biblical and theological matters.

Prayer is sometimes like writing a letter to God.Before I write a letter, I imagine what I am going to say.The trouble is that I often think what I would like to write to folks or my friends or even to God, and then when I sit down to
write, all I can think of is the weather.Now, what about that letter to God?
We might say how we are feeling about life--
(This is just what I want to say to a friend).
We might bring to God our happiness in all that we are part of--
Food, shelter, warmth, care, love, responsibility.
We might tell how we are needed, for this is the great gift--
And we are needed because of the needs of others.
We might admit our puzzlement about life--
And very secretly, we would try to see what we have done wrong--
To think of going to those people and saying so--
We think it very secretly--but surely.
There are many things to write to God.

1897. A collection of prayers for daily use that were gathered from many sources, ancient and modern. It has historical interest, and the literary quality has been carefully considered, but the primary object is to nourish the spiritual life. As the design is to provide a brief selection for every day, in many cases a portion only of a long prayer is given, or it is condensed by omission, but alterations have been made as sparingly as possible.

1897. A collection of prayers for daily use that were gathered from many sources, ancient and modern. It has historical interest, and the literary quality has been carefully considered, but the primary object is to nourish the spiritual life. As the design is to provide a brief selection for every day, in many cases a portion only of a long prayer is given, or it is condensed by omission, but alterations have been made as sparingly as possible.

You see sin is slapping God in the face. It may be polished, cultured sin. Sin seems capable of taking quite a high polish. Or it may be the common gutter stuff. A man is not concerned about the grain of a club that strikes him a blow. How can He and I talk together if I have done that, and stick to it-not even apologized. -from "Why the Results Fail" What is prayer? Can humans influence God's will? Why does it seem that many prayers go unanswered? The mysteries of the communication between God and his faithful are explored in this 1904 guide to the power and puzzle of prayer: how God heeds our entreaties, the ideal spirit with which to pray, and even what prayer means in the grand scheme of The Universe. Those who pray will find this a source of comfort and enlightenment even today, a century after it was first published. American lay-preacher SAMUEL DICKEY GORDON (1859-1936) was a devotional speaker in high demand throughout the early 1900s, as well as a prolific author of inspirational works. His "Quiet Talks" series includes Quiet Talks on Power and Quiet Talks About Jesus.

This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishings Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the worlds literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone!

The book does not contain the opinions of the Author, nor quotations from other writers, but is based solely on the Scriptures, chapter and verse being given for every statement. The book is "Timely" in these days of Apostasy and denial of THE FAITH.-from the ForewordThe Reverend Clarence Larkin was one of the most widely influential Christian fundamentalists of the early twentieth century, and his writings remain key to appreciating the conservative religious thought that today enjoys widespread popularity. This 1920 work outlines the fundamental doctrines of Christianity as revealed by the Bible, from "The Mystery of Godliness" to "Election and Free-will." Numerous charts and illustrations explain "The Five Great World-Wide Kingdoms," "The Threefold Nature of Man," "The Satanic Trinity," and more.Also available from Cosimo Classics: Larkin's The Spirit World, The Second Coming of Christ, and The Book of Revelation.American Baptist pastor and author CLARENCE LARKIN (1850-1924) was born in Pennsylvania, and later set up his ministry there. He wrote extensively and popularly on a wide range of Biblical and theological matters.

O Earth, wrap me
in your leaves-
heal me.

Let me fall
on your Earthbreast-
feed me.

Sing to me
under the round nests
in your cedar trees. . .

Let my wounds
open
and empty

Into your wonderful
compost heap. . .

Let my wounds
become fertile
gardens and

Let me be.
Let me live
again.

IN 1924 a lengthy article appeared in the May 21 issue of The Golden Age magazine titled "A Bible for the Scientist." The article was revised and republished in the December 31 issue with the byline, "by W.E. Van Amburgh." This article asserts that the Great Pyramid at Giza was "Bible number one," and presents proofs FROM THE PYRAMID for Watchtower expectations, speculations and predictions for the dates 1789, 1874, 1914, 1925 and 1926. The publisher of The Golden Age magazine was the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, of which organization W.E. Van Amburgh was the Secretary-Treasurer for 43 years. Followers of The Watchtower Bible & Tract Society, called "Jehovah's Witnesses" since 1931, believe that in the year 1919 The Watchtower Bible & Tract Society was selected as God's sole channel of communication with man. These are some of the things that The Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society was teaching when Jesus selected them as his "faithful and discreet slave."

"How to Pray the Rosary as a Pathway to Contemplation" contains Scripture passages and beautiful art to use as an aid in meditating on the twenty mysteries of the rosary, which are Gospel events from the lives of Jesus and Mary. Inspired by Pope John Paul II's Apostolic Letter on "The Rosary of the Virgin Mary," this book gives instructions on how to pray the rosary for beginners to more advanced so that it becomes a "pathway to contemplation." This book also explains: . How to say the vocal prayers of the rosary . How to meditate on the mysteries . How to pray the rosary in a way to remain receptive to the highest form of prayer which is contemplation. . How to recognize the transition from meditation to contemplation from the teachings of St. John of the Cross and St. Teresa of Avila . Insights on prayer and the spiritual life from Carmelite spirituality, the Bible and the writings of the Saints. . Tips on saying the rosary as a family . How the rosary is a Biblical prayer The book has a short introduction by Fr. Donald Kinney, OCD, Rector of the Carmelite House of Studies in Mount Angel, Oregon. About the author: Kathryn Marcellino is a member of the Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites. She is a spiritual director with experience teaching formation lessons on Carmelite spirituality. Her website at www.CatholicSpiritualDirection.org offers instruction and resources on the Catholic religion, as well as offering spiritual direction and answering questions on the Catholic faith via e-mail. She is married to author and musician, Dennis Marcellino.Book Reviews: "This book contains a great, concise catechesis on contemplative prayer. It would be terrific for use in religious education programs." -- Lonnie Sorensen, OCDS, MinnesotaReview: "How to Pray the Rosary as a Pathway to Contemplation is a very kind book. I am not just saying kind in general terms. Kind as in very accommodating to those who have a genuine desire to pray the rosary. There are many books that teach the procedure of how to say the rosary but this one teaches about the disposition or motivation. This book is very easy to read and loving. I will promote it whenever I can." - Billie Vasquez, OCDS, president, Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Carmelite Community, Portland, OR

1905. A noble character, a kind, gentle disposition, pure thoughts, truthfulness and refinement are greater than wealth. The compiler of this volume has selected only those writings that can be read with propriety on the Sabbath. This well meaning book points out the evils of novel reading, saloons, bad thoughts and the benefits of righteous living and regular attendance of church on Sundays.

This volume rebuffs the notion that Lent is simply a time to "give up" something enjoyable. Instead it shows that Lent can be a time to identify obstacles between oneself and God, and to clear those obstacles away through activities and reflection.