Experience a Lifelong Conversation with the Living God It's a life-changing conversation when you stop to think about it: Prayers and promises are your precious words to God, and God's to you! With the Smart Guide to the Bible: Prayers & Promises of the Bible you'll discover how the Bible teaches you to pray in each circumstance you face and what special promises God has for you in each situation. And, you'll be encouraged by the examples of those who prayed in the Old and New Testaments. In Prayers & Promises of the Bible you'll learn about topics such as: How to Pray Prayers in the Bible Trusting God What God Promises Different Types of Prayer How God Answers Prayer The Nature of God's Promises Smart Guide to the Bible is a series of simplified commentaries designed to uncomplicate God's word for everyday Bible readers. Every page contains handy features or learning aids like these: cross-references to other Scriptures brief commentaries from experts points to ponder the big picture of how passages fit with the entire Bible practical tips for applying biblical truths to life simple definitions of key words and concepts interesting maps, charts, and illustrations wrap-ups of each biblical passage study questions Whether you're new to the Bible, a long-time student of Scripture, or somewhere in between, you'll appreciate the many ways The Smart Guide to the Bible: Prayers & Promises of the Bible goes far beyond your typical Bible study tool. The practical, relevant helps on each page lead you to get the most out of God's word.

""Many of my ardent admirers would be roundly shocked and disturbed if they realized that everything I believe is thoroughly moral, thoroughly Catholic, and that it is these beliefs that give my work its chief characteristics.""

--Flannery O'Connor

Flannery O'Connor's work has been described as "profane, blasphemous, and outrageous." Her stories are peopled by a sordid caravan of murderers and thieves, prostitutes and bigots whose lives are punctuated by horror and sudden violence. But perhaps the most shocking thing about Flannery O'Connor's fiction is the fact that it is shaped by a thoroughly Christian vision. If the world she depicts is dark and terrifying, it is also the place where grace makes itself known. Her world--our world--is the stage whereon the divine comedy plays out; the freakishness and violence in O'Connor's stories, so often mistaken for a kind of misanthropy or even nihilism, turn out to be a call to mercy.

In this biography, Jonathan Rogers gets at the heart of O'Connor's work. He follows the roots of her fervent Catholicism and traces the outlines of a life marked by illness and suffering, but ultimately defined by an irrepressible joy and even hilarity. In her stories, and in her life story, Flannery O'Connor extends a hand in the dark, warning and reassuring us of the terrible speed of mercy.

What does the Bible have to say to you today? Take a closer look.

Once upon a time - in the twenty-first century, to be exact - a daring group of teenagers like you became serious about seeking the Truth and living it. Some had been taught the Bible since they were young, and others had never before opened the Word of God. What they had in common was a desire to draw nearer to the Lord of heaven and earth. "Take a Closer Look for Teens" was created for young people who see faith as more than a fairy tale. They see it as a reality that can change their hearts and their world. So open your eyes! See all God has in store for you!

If you could change one part of the criminal law, what would it be? In the 2nd volume of this successful series, the same question is put to a new selection of leading academics and practitioners. The first 9 chapters of the collection present their responses in the form of legal reform proposals, with topics ranging across criminal law, criminal justice, and evidence – including corporate liability, consent to bodily harms, prostitution, domestic abuse, drugs, economic crimes, defendant anonymity, appeal court structures, and the procedures of the Criminal Cases Review Commission. Each chapter is followed by a comment from a different author, providing an additional expert view on each proposal. Finally, the last chapter broadens the debate to discuss criminal law reform in general, exploring the systemic dynamics of centralisation, austerity, and politicisation. The collection highlights and explores the current reform debates that matter most to legal experts, with each chapter making a positive case for change.