Few people realize that polygamy continues to exist in the United States. Thus, world-wide attention focused on the State of Texas in 2008 as agents surrounded the compound of The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (FLDS) and took custody of more than 400 children. Several members of this schismatic religious group, whose women adorned themselves in "prairie dresses," admitted to practicing polygamy. The state justified the raid on charges that underage marriage was being forced on young women. A year later, however, all but one of the children had been returned to their parents and only ten men were charged with crimes, some barely related to the original charges. This book reveals the history, culture, and sometimes an insider's look at the polygamous groups located primarily in the western parts of the United States.
The contributors to this volume are historians, anthropologists, and sociologists familiar with the various groups. A legal scholar also addresses the legality of the Texas raid and a geneticist examines the paternity issues. Together, these authors provide a much needed understanding of the surprisingly large number of groups and individuals who live a quiet polygamous life style in the United States.

God made your heart for love, joy, peace, and wholeness. But pastors say that more than 90% of their congregations struggle with unforgiveness - and unforgiveness can make us forget what we were made for. What if the most pervasive sin of our day is invisible, hidden deep inside our hearts? What if it affects every aspect of our lives and relationships so quietly and insidiously that most of us miss it altogether? Bruce Wilkinson believes unforgiveness is that sin. Through the teachings of Jesus, The Freedom Factor reveals the link between our suffering and our unforgiveness. But it also shows how to forgive - for real and forever. The story doesn't have to end with the pain of our wounds. Whatever happened to us happened. But the God who made your heart has shown a way past the wounds, back to the life and love that we were made for - a path toward freedom.

Just because you feel like you're in bondage, it doesn't mean you have to stay there.

After reading this book, I will have the insight needed to rupture the enemy's grip on my life. I will gain the invaluable tools needed to fight in the spirit and take up my God-given authority as more than a conqueror in Christ Jesus.

Many believers are not victorious and not living lives of purpose and destiny because they don't understand the schemes and wiles of the devil.

Using powerful teachings, this book will unveil and expose the devil and his kingdom to the very core of his ministry, strategies, and weapons he uses against the church today.

The church has fallen asleep. We do not understand the things of the Spirit. We don't understand the enemy of our souls. He comes to kill, steal, and destroy using satanic strategies, game plans, and arsenals of weapons that he wants us to believe are nonchalant, easygoing, harmless, and unpredictable.

The church is not teaching and equipping believers to teach our hands to war in the spirit. In Psalm 144:1, David asked God, "Lord, teach my hands to war." Now, instead of our hands being taught to fight the good fight, we find ourselves in handcuffs--limited, depleted, and spiritually anemic.

This book will help you unlock your spiritual handcuffs so you can understand the works of the devil and expose him before he sets foot on the battlefield of your life. You will learn how to crush the head of the serpent in any season of your life, and how you can see him coming in the blind spots of your walk with the Lord.

It's time for believers to be trained, equipped, and become a spiritual army. It's time to fight and expose the so-called devil and his entrapments. We will rise up and take back what he has stolen from us once and for all in the unmatchable name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and our Savior. Jesus will be proud that He picked us for the ultimate battle.

This book will show you the importance of fighting the enemy in the spirit, and why being equipped with God’s warfare weapons is one of the most life-changing experiences of all.

Christians have an enemy who will do everything in his power to alter, edit, stop, delay, and abort their God-given destiny. Satan and his demonic kingdom have one purpose: to kill, steal, and destroy.

The enemy does not want our God-ordained prophetic destiny to be fulfilled in this very hour. This is why we need to pray like never before and arm ourselves with the arsenal of heaven like the ambassadors and soldiers of the Lord we are. Fire Prayers will equip you to pick up your weapons of warfare and fight the good fight of faith.

Filled with powerful teachings, Fire Prayers will equip you with a spiritual warfare arsenal that will leave Satan and his kingdom trembling and unable to manipulate, control, or dominate you; hinder your relationship with Jesus; or thwart your destiny.

Readers will learn:

• Prayer is the key for blocking the enemy’s attacks
• Why it is so important to fight the kingdom of darkness
• How they can live a life free of spiritual chains

Who are you becoming? That was the question nagging pastor and author John Mark Comer. By outward metrics, everything appeared successful. But inwardly, things weren't pretty.

So he turned to a trusted mentor for guidance and heard these words: 'Ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life. Hurry is the great enemy of the spiritual life.' It wasn't the response he expected, but it continues to be the answer he needs.

Too often we treat the symptoms of toxicity in our modern world instead of trying to pinpoint the cause. A growing number of voices are pointing at hurry, or busyness as a root of much evil. Within the pages of this book, you'll find a compelling emotional and spiritual case against hurry and in favour of a slower, simpler way of life.

A Year of Devotional Readings to Help You Abide in Him

Understanding God's heart is the key to understanding life. For, it is his heart that designed redemption through Jesus. From his heart sprang the beauty of world, the wonder of the universe, the creativity of all humankind, and a specific love for you. His heart is the blueprint of all human hearts, and knowing his heart reveals the origin of goodness and bounty he endowed to us.

In Knowing the Heart of God, 365 entries will take you closer to our vastly amazing and tenderly intimate God. You will encounter a daily instalment of encouragement and insight, guidance and wisdom to:

• Understand the heart of God and your own heart
• Discover the purpose of your heart's deep desires
• Unravel the dynamics between parents and children, husbands and wives
• Fight the spiritual battle for your heart
• Connect intimately with the Father each day

God longs for you to know his heart, to tap into his love and plans for you. He designed you to long for the same. Knowing the Heart of God will satisfy your hardwired need to know him and will take you? Day by day? Closer and closer to the God who loves you.

When Heaven seems silent, and God, indifferent . . . bring your disappointment, anger, questions, and broken heart.

Life can be disappointing—bitterly disappointing. Especially if you’ve been asking, or begging, for God’s help and your prayers go unanswered. Maybe you were taught that God loves you only to discover that when you really need Him, He’s not there.

In Why Doesn’t God Answer My Prayers? respected preacher and bestselling author Dr. Erwin Lutzer helps us see God’s love and guidance even when He seems to be silent. This biblical guide ministers to tender and hurting places as it thoughtfully considers:

• When the person you love isn’t healed.
• When the worst happens.
• When evil feels like it’s winning.
• When promises are unfulfilled.
• When the answer is disaster . . . and more.

As Lutzer delves into Scripture and reveals God's hidden purposes, readers’ hearts move from despair or despondence to hope and trust. Whatever your current position is to prayer—clenched fists, tear-stained face, heartache, or back turned—the truth of this book will transform you.

If you’ve ever in desperation mumbled the question, Does God even care? If you’ve left the faith, are losing your grip on faith, or know someone who has departed the faith, this book is for you.

We need to hear these encouraging truths, and we probably know someone else who needs them as well.

The price of procrastination is your life. Every day you wait to begin, you steal from your future self. The solution? Permission. With his signature energy and wit, New York Times bestselling author shares the four essential permissions of being remarkable so you can stop spinning your wheels and start living the life you were meant for.

Procrastination is the most expensive fear because the price tag is your life. Every day you wait to begin, you're stealing from your future self. The worst part? You know you're doing it, but you don't know how to stop.

The solution may surprise you. It's not willpower--it's permission. Everything you're waiting for has been waiting for you. Give yourself permission. Permission is what changed New York Times bestselling author Jon Acuff's life from one of discontent, floating aimlessly from job to unsatisfying job, to one that anyone would say is remarkable. Remarkable is when your actions match your intentions, when there is no gap between who you want to be and who you are. When you trade procrastination for permission, the result is a remarkable life.

In Procrastination Proof, Jon gives you permission--to dream, to plan, to do, to review. It's an easy, effective, and enjoyable four-step system that can be applied to your entire life, from your most mundane tasks to your most audacious dreams, so that you stop spinning your wheels and start making real progress.

The person with the greatest opportunity to change your life is you. You're not too old. It's not too late. Don't buy into the lie of later. Start now. You have permission to try, to risk, and to win...

Die wêreld het meer sonneblommense nodig mense wat hulle koppe na die Son toe draai, mense wat meer en meer soos die Son wil wees eerder as giftige ivies, stink Afrikaners, stekelrige kaktusse, knieserige rosies of klaende hangkop wilgers.

Transformasie begin as ons ons deel begin doen en verantwoordelikheid aanvaar om ons negatiewe gedagtes elke dag bewustelik by die alomteenwoordige Son te vernuwe. Ons moet onsself daagliks toewy in die bestudering van die Meester Sonneblom se lieflike kwaliteite en meer van die vrug van sy liefdevolle genadige gees te kweek deur ons gedagtes by hom te vernuwe. Om ou negatiewe gewoontes en denke af te breek vra baie herhaling en volharding.

Kom ons maak dit ons doel om elke dag 'n rapsie meer na Jesus se voorbeeld van christenskap en menswees te lyk. Met hierdie 260 sonneblom dagstukkies nooi Susan jou uit na 'n avontuur van sonsoek al agter die Son aan.

Geniet die sonneblomreis.

Do you know how to wage effective warfare against

our spiritual enemy, Satan? Spiritual battles are not

just for preachers or other spiritual leaders. Whether you

are a new believer or have known the Lord for many years,

you will inevitably experience the devil's attacks. But

you can learn how to protect yourself from them, take the

offensive, and fulfill what God has called you to do in life.

The principles in the Spiritual Warfare Self-Study Bible

Is jy altyd aan die hardloop tussen werk en gesin en vriende, sonder oomblikke van stilword en rus? Dit is ’n seën om voluit te lewe, maar om werklik ons beste lewe te hê, het ons oomblikke van rus nodig.

Vrede in jou hart inkleuboek laat jou gedagtes stil word terwyl jy die 40 ontwerpe inkleur, en die verse uit die Woord en aanhalings jou siel voed. ’n Addisionele 10 bladsye met kaartjies, boekmerke en etikette is ingesluit wat ook ingekleur en uitgedeel kan word.

Laat God se vrede oor jou spoel terwyl jy die rustige inkleur-oomblikke geniet.

War of Words, Getting to the Heart of Your Communication Struggles

We speak thousands of words every day.

Few things we do are more important. Underneath the normality of daily speech lies a great struggle—a war of words with high stakes and life-changing consequences.

With characteristic vulnerability and Christ-centeredness, Paul Tripp shows that the gospel can utterly transform the way we communicate. The Word made flesh offers us hope for our words—giving us the power to speak words that restore, words that heal, words that bring life. In our war, the Lord Jesus is the one who gives us the victory.

With the aid of personal assessments and discussion questions, use this incisive book to renew your reliance on your heavenly Father’s abundant grace and better pursue speech that honors Christ and benefits others.

Winning the war of words means never forgetting who we are. When we remember that we are what we are because of God’s mercy alone, we speak with gentleness and humility as God’s restorers

Expository Study of Psalm 23 Reveals the Beauty and Deep Theological Meaning behind a Familiar Part of Scripture

Psalm 23 is one of the most recognizable passages in the whole Bible. Though relatively short, this poetic depiction of God’s love epitomizes Christ’s goodness and provision as he leads his children. Even lifelong Christians will find fresh encouragement by closely studying these familiar words.

David Gibson walks through each verse in Psalm 23, thoroughly examining its 3 depictions of the believer’s union with Christ as sheep and shepherd, traveler and companion, and guest and host in The Lord of Psalm 23. Gibson provides canonical context for the Psalm’s beautiful imagery, inspiring praise and wonder as readers reflect on the loving Shepherd who meets every need.

• Rich Theology: Adapted from 3 engaging sermons by David Gibson
• Expository: Closely examines Psalm 23’s imagery and what it reveals about the relationship between Christ and his followers
• Uplifting and Informative: Encourages deep reflection on Christ’s provision, comfort, and eternal strength

With a Foreword by Sinclair Ferguson