THE ARMORY: Equipping Warriors of the Faith is a collection of more than 80 daily devotions with the theme of spiritual warfare. Author Andrew Boll explores how Christians are called on a daily basis to guard their own hearts against the darkness of temptation and doubt while striking out with the Sword of the Spirit - the Word of God - to free those who have been imprisoned by sin and unbelief.

Jeanne-Marie Bouvier de la Motte-Guyon (commonly known as Madame Guyon) was a French mystic and one of the key advocates of Quietism. Quietism was considered heretical by the Roman Catholic Church, and she was imprisoned from 1695 to 1703 after publishing a book on the topic, A Short and Easy Method of Prayer. Guyon believed that one should pray all the time, and that in whatever one does, one should be spending time with God.

A Table is Prepared.
"Though the Lord gave you adversity for food and suffering for drink, he will still be with you to teach you. You will see your teacher with your own eyes.
"Isaiah 30:20 (NLT)
Before you is not just another meal. It is no ordinary invitation to gather and eat, to fellowship. Before you is an opportunity to remember. The gift of life bears a price.
Freedom, liberty - experiencing the promise fulfilled, comes with a work that can only be unveiled by the Teacher. The Teacher, who, has made a place at the table for you to eat and be fueled to go out and work. The question is... Are you truly hungry?
Being so - You're invited, these next thirty days, to partake of a new confession, renewed encouragement, to face the challenges of walking in the image of Christ. The thoughts and meditations, prepared for you, are an everyday reminder. You can grow strong in the fuel of time spent with The Teacher. Or you can turn away weakened with the concerns of the world.

About the Contributor(s): Gregory S. Clapper is Professor of Religion and Philosophy at the University of Indianapolis and is Affiliate Professor of United Methodist Studies at Christian Theological Seminary. He has authored many articles and four books.

Jim Bell pens an inspiring piece as readers journey down the Emerald Isle through experiencing Irish folklore and unique cultural traditions. His book, A Year in Eire puts readers at the forefront of Ireland's rich lands with witty language and personal stories of motivation and encouragement, wisdom and inspiration. Bell captures the magic of Ireland through the eyes of many renowned Irish writers' inspiring messages that he blends into his very own. This book is a great devotional tool useful to any reader needing to be reminded of positive thinking via daily meditations while enjoying a poetic writing style.

2014 Reprint of 1962 Edition. Full facsimile of the original edition, not reproduced with Optical Recognition Software. Originally published as "Preacher and Prayer," this title is an established classic in the literature of prayer in the Christian tradition. Trained as a lawyer, but called to ministry, Bounds served as an Army chaplain during the Civil War. As far as prayer is concerned, Bounds practiced what he preached. His personal prayer regimen called him to prayer for three hours every morning. Bounds did not consider his time in prayer as idle time, but a time that was effective in changing the world through the power and grace of God. Read Bounds' "Power Through Prayer" to enrich your understanding of God's work in the world. "Power through Prayer" was written especially to convict, exhort, and encourage those who preach God's word that the secret of successful ministry is prayer and communion with the Lord. The book's twenty chapters have titles like "Men of Prayer Needed," "Our Sufficiency is of God," "Prayer, the Great Essential," "Examples of Praying Men," and "Heart Preparation Necessary." Characteristic of all books by this author, each chapter begins with one or more inspiring quotations from the writings of others who have realized the importance of prayer and its power to change the world. The simple clarion call to "Pray Pray Pray " rings throughout the book.

This heart searching best-selling classic is a book for every Pastor, Missionary, and devout Christian. It deals with the deep things of God and the riches of His grace.

A Different Kind of Christmas is a practical and inspirational study for the Advent season. Based on Mike Slaughter s popular book Christmas Is Not Your Birthday, this five-week study will empower your family and your church to reclaim the broader missional meaning of Jesus birth and experience a Christmas season with more peace and joy than any toy or gadget could ever bring. This comprehensive resource includes a 64-page Leader Guide containing everything needed to guide your group through the study. Inside you ll find five full session plans, discussion questions, and activities, as well as multiple format options and suggestions of ways to make the study a meaningful experience for any group. Sessions include: 1. Expect a Miracle 2. Giving Up on Perfect 3. Scandalous Love 4. Jesus Wish List 5. By a Different Road Help your church cast a vision for how Christians can experience the true joy of living and giving like Jesus beginning with the Christmas season and continuing as a lifestyle. Thisfive-week study helps participants see the traps and discontentment of consumerism and the call of God to live generously to fulfill God s mission in the world."

2013 Reprint of 1952 Newman Press Second Edition. Exact facsimile of the original edition, not reproduced with Optical Recognition Software. This is one of the great classical medieval English works of devotion. Little is known of the author except that she was a recluse who lived in a cell attached to the church of St. Julian at Norwich. In 1373 she received sixteen private revelations from the Lord, dealing with his Passion, the truths of the Faith and the advancement of her own spiritual life. The work reveals a mind that has penetrated deeply to the mysteries of the Catholic religion, both on its doctrinal and its personal sides. Julian of Norwich was a very spiritual, devout soul, deeply sensitive to the beauty of holiness and centered wholeheartedly on the love and service of God. Although the work attracted little attention when it first appeared, it has since become one of the most famous books dealing with divine communications ever written.

Paw Prints: Imprinting Into the Lives of Others is a collection of inspirational stories sure to warm the weary soul and bring a smile to tired hearts who are in need of a lift. Author Susan Safrit draws on her deep love for animals (especially dogs ) to demonstrate how the love of God and our love for each other can leave "paw prints" behind us. Examining themes of kindness, servanthood, healing, individual gifts and more in this inspirational book, Safrit compiles an assortment of important lessons that are equally ripe with biblical truth and whimsical charm. Wherever we are, we are never too far for gone for God to leave a mark on our lives-or for us to seize the opportunity to leave one with someone else

2013 Reprint of 1963 Edition. Full facsimile of the original edition, not reproduced with Optical Recognition Software. This is Merton's Guide to basic principles of Roman Catholic spirituality for lay and religious aspirants. With a simplicity of language and an intellectual candor that exemplify the purity of his vision, Merton here traces the basic principles of the spiritual life.

In the latest installment of "Liguori Wisdom Series," Sister Agnes Cunningham brings Christians closer to Jesus with excerpts from the writings of St Augustine. Each writing is paired with a Scripture quotation, reflection, a prayer and a spiritual activity for the day. St Augustine is one of the most influential Fathers of the Church and in his search for truth, St Augustine's writings and ponderings tells a wonderful story of conversion, reminding us of our own daily conversions.

The Church has rendered God safe. His wrath is a matter relegated to days of antiquity. It seems rare that we connect the brevity and frailty of this existence with His overflowing anger at sin. Unfortunately, having dispensed with His wrath we've also diminished His holiness and His majesty, and made the cross less necessary. This study invites the reader to take a second look at God and His wrath-and His Christ-through the eyes of Moses. Suitable for individuals or groups.

More Screams, Different Deserts is another invitation to join Sue on her adventures in cross-cultural living and biblical studies that have helped her along the way. With twenty-seven years of experience in cross cultural ministry, Sue realizes that joy and perseverance are essential for thriving in life and ministry. Her stories and insights encourage women to look to Jesus, our only hope wherever we live. Stories, ranging from one corner of the world to another, include discovering a forgotten museum, protecting her children from chocolate, visiting a camel market, and meeting wild pigs on a nighttime walk. God has been her refuge, and his Word held her steady when all she really wanted to do was run away and hide. Questions and resources at the end of each chapter will help readers think through personal application and find additional help.

Which would you rather attend-a boring lecture or a lively small group discussion?
How do you turn some quiet bump-on-a-logs into a lively small group discussion?
Ever attended a group and the leader tried to create a lively small group discussion and it went badly? (How embarrassing for her and painful for us. Awkward.)
If you believe discussion is the best way to lead a small group, this book is for you. In this practical book you will learn the skillful use of twelve types of questions that have groups talking.
Hi, I am Josh Hunt, the author of Good Questions Have Groups Talking. I have written more small group lessons than any human, living or dead. I write four lessons a week and have done so for years. I have written literally thousands of lessons.
In this book I will walk you through, step-by-step, how I write small group lessons that have groups talking. (My lessons are called Good Questions Have Groups Talking.) Here are some of the lessons we will cover:
Life exposure question. This question is about the student, not about the Bible. It gets everyone started talking and allows the small group to get to know one another. Example: state your name and where were you in the birth order of your family?
What does the text say? Ask these fast. They are not as interesting as the ones that follow. Still, you have to know what the text says before you can understand what it means.
What does the text mean? This is classic Bible study. We need to spend some time here, but not too much.
Jump-ball question. This is the heart of the discussion. Truth is often a mid-point between two extremes. Jesus said, "be careful not to do your acts of righteousness before men to be seen of them," and, "Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father who is in heaven" Question: are we to do our acts of righteousness publically so people can see?
What are ten ways we could apply this to our lives? Application questions are different from commitment. These are things you could do, not things you necessarily will do. Example: what are ten ways a man could express love to his wife?
How will it benefit me if I do? What will it cost me if I don't? These twin questions are based on this truth, explored at some depth in the book: it is always in our best interest to live the Christian life. God is good. Following Him is good. God is a rewarder. We cannot come to him unless we believe that. You must come to love the Christian life or you will never come to live the Christian life.
Commitment question: what do you want to do about what you heard today?
These are only half the questions discussed in the book. There are 12 types of questions in all that I explore.

In the introduction of The Pursuit of God, Samuel M. Zwemer says that this ..". is a book for every pastor, missionary and devout Christian. It deals with the deep things of God and the riches of His grace. Above all," says Zwemer, "it has the keynote of sincerity and humility." The Pursuit of God has become a true Christian classic. First published in 1948, the message is as new and vital and important today as it was then. If you'll look inside many of the Church bodies of today, you'll see exactly the same situation as that painted by Mr. Tozer. Upon publication, Tozer said, "This book is a modest attempt to aid God's hungry children so to find Him. Nothing here is new except in the sense that it is a discovery which my own heart has made of spiritual realities most delightful and wonderful to me."

"We are all dwellers in two kingdoms, the inner kingdom, the kingdom of the mind and spirit, and the outer kingdom, that of the body and the physical universe about us. In the former, the kingdom of the unseen, lie the silent, subtle forces that are continually determining, and with exact precision, the conditions of the latter. "To strike the right balance in life is one of the supreme essentials of all successful living. We must work, for we must have bread. We require other things than bread. They are not only valuable, comfortable, but necessary. It is a dumb, stolid being, however, who does not realize that life consists of more than these. They spell mere existence, not abundance, fullness of life." Ralph Waldo Trine was a philosopher, mystic, teacher, author and early mentors of the New Thought Movement. As an author Trine has far outsold other New Thought authors.

Watching someone you love self-destruct hurts. Praying for Your Addicted Loved One: 90 in 90 provides ninety devotions of strength, hope, and encouragement to families coping with addiction. Realizing you're not alone in your struggles brings comfort and confidence to face day-to-day challenges. The overall message of Praying for Your Addicted Loved One conveys hope to families caught in the cycles of addiction. The various stages of the disease: abuse, recovery, and relapse, take their toll on families. Hopelessness grabs a family's heart and wrings it out with each slip of clean or sober time. The verses in Jeremiah 30 and 31, the foundation of the book, offer promises of restoration and redemption. 90 in 90 reflects the 12 Step model of attending 90 meetings in 90 days. While your loved one attends meetings, you will read a daily devotional to lend spiritual support. "Today I pray for other lost addicts to find the hope of recovery. I pray the families reading this book will continue to have hope that an addict-any addict-can stop using drugs and find a new way to live. If there is one thing I can say to family members it is, never quit fighting. There is always hope. With hope, I, a once hopeless dope addict, am now a dope-less hope addict." Josh Cosby

"The present humble work is a Pastoral effort, flowing from love to the Lord's people, and a desire to honour His great name. It is an acknowledged fact, that many of the Lord's people are living far below their privileges; and are walking as men, not aiming simply at the Lord's glory. This is to be regretted; and while none but the Lord the Holy Spirit can produce the change we desire to witness, yet the means are to be used, and we must stir up their pure minds by way of Remembrance. In this little work, I aim to speak in the closet, in the cottage, in the kitchen, and even in the field, to the different classes of the Lord's family; endeavouring to draw them nearer to their God and gracious Father. My desire is to promote the power of godliness; and these little pieces are written to convince, comfort, and correct; to fan the flame of devotion, and to produce holiness of heart and life. To this end some degrees of sameness in the pieces, and a repetition of some important truths, appeared absolutely necessary. Habitual dependence upon God for all we need, acknowledging the hand of God for all we receive, and walking with God, notwithstanding all that may happen to us below, enter into the very vitals of genuine Christianity; and it is only while we are thus acting that we enjoy peace with God, and walk in the comforts of the Holy Ghost. That the Lord, who often uses weak things to confound the mighty, may bless this little work to thy good and His glory."

What kind of men were Jesus' disciples? What was it like to be with Jesus in Palestine? Why did some of the disciples find it so hard to understand Jesus? Who were the people who killed Jesus? Why did they do it? This book has been written to help you to answer these questions. It takes you right into Jesus' world so that you can hear his conversations with the disciples and watch the things they did. The stories of Jesus and the disciples in this book are told in different words from those you will find in your Bible, and background has been built in from other records of the time. For example, the Bible gives only the fact that one of the disciples was a Zealot; in this book the disciple is shown speaking and acting as we know Zealots spoke and acted. The story of the rich young ruler has been placed early in Jesus' ministry to show that he would not accept every man who wanted to be his disciple. The parable of the Good Samaritan has also been placed in the early period as an example of the informal way in which Jesus taught. That you may know what is from the Bible and what is added to make a complete story, Scripture references for each event are given in the back of the book. These references will help you to read and understand the Gospels. As you read what it meant to be a disciple of Jesus while he was on earth, you will see more clearly what it means to be one of his disciples today.

Only God is big enough to fill a human heart. So often the busyness and uncertainty of life crowd God out, leaving us with barren hearts. Truly joyful, abundant life is possible only one way-through personal spiritual revival. In Revive My Heart, author Catherine Martin presents nine weeks of daily personal devotions that will challenge you to experience the depths of God, His ways, and His character through prayer and consistent study of His Word. Exploring passages such as Psalm 119, Revive My Heart looks at the many aspects of spiritual revival. Through these daily quiet times you can gain spiritual depth, joy, and access to your heavenly Father's resources in times of trouble.

Illumination, in art, refers to the decoration of ancient sacred manuscripts and books with colored, gilded pictures. The illuminations in these ancient parchments often appeared as involved miniatures, decorative initials or ornamental border designs. The were intended to add beauty and reverence to the Holy text. The illuminations in this book are also designed to add beauty and awe to your devotional time as your draw closer to God.

In this book Paramahansa Yogananda offers prayers and affirmations that beginners and experienced meditators alike can use to awaken the boundless joy, peace, and inner freedom of the soul. Features more than 300 uplifting meditations, prayers, affirmations, and visualizations as well as introductory instructions on how to meditate.

Description: ""We tend to use words like miracle and mystery in the context of serendipity. In this frank and eloquent account of life transformed by cancer, Deanna Thompson explores these articles of faith as they are also wont to appear--on the hard edges of hope and the dark side of joy."" --Krista Tippett, from the Foreword Hoping for More is a story of a young religion professor with a stage IV cancer diagnosis and a lousy prognosis for the future. Amid the grief and the grace of her fractured life, this theologian--who is also a wife, mother, daughter, sister, and friend--searches for words adequate to express her faltering faith. More Anne Lamott meets Harold Kushner than the teller of a pious, God-saved-me-from-cancer tale, Thompson unpacks the messy realities that arise when faith and suffering collide. Told in shimmering prose, Hoping for More takes readers on an unsentimental journey through the valley of the shadow of cancer--beyond the predictable parameters of prayer, the church, even belief in life after death. What emerges is a novel approach to talking faith and accepting grace when hope is all you've got. Endorsements: ""Deanna Thompson's honest and faithful book shows how healing happens in community, and how blessing is found amid doubt and pain. This is a book of grace."" --Sara Miles Author of Take This Bread (2007) and Jesus Freak (2010) ""I learned so much by reading this book, as a pastor, friend, and mother. Thompson's insights are for everyone who has ever struggled with serious illness or loved someone who has, which means that this book is ultimately for everyone. If you have ever wondered, ""What do I say?"" or ""What do I do?"" this book offers wise counsel, with humor, intellect, and, most of all, grace. In Hoping for More, you get to eavesdrop on the intimate thoughts of someone worth listening to. In the end, Thompson's deepest theological insights are not about cancer but about life itself."" --Lillian Daniel Senior Minister, First Congregational Church UCC, Glen Ellyn, Illinois Author of This Odd and Wondrous Calling (2009) and Tell It Like It Is: Reclaiming the Practice of Testimony (2006) ""Thompson stands in her cancer with rare, radical awakeness to its bracing truth . . . and gives us a moving, life-lived testimony to the graciousness of grace."" --Serene Jones President of Union Theological Seminary ""In Hoping for More, Deanna Thompson presents her extraordinary journey of diagnosis and treatment of stage IV breast cancer. Thanks to her strong personal voice, reading this book is like listening to a friend tell you about part of her life over a cup of tea. Of the many miracles in this book is Deanna's ability to reflect on her faith, illness, and loved ones at the same time. She quietly offers a systematic theology enriched by living with cancer--making this book a valuable resource for those interested in the intersection of medicine and faith."" --Monica A. Coleman Associate Professor of Constructive Theology and African American Religions, Claremont School of Theology Author of Not Alone: Reflections on Faith and Depression (2012) About the Contributor(s): Deanna A. Thompson is Professor of Religion at Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota, and author of Crossing the Divide: Luther, Feminism, and the Cross. She lives with her husband and two daughters in St. Paul