Showing results by publisher "Blackstone Publishing" in Religion & Spirituality

In Defenders of the West, the author of Sword and Scimitar follows up with vivid and dramatic profiles of eight extraordinary warriors—some saints, some sinners—who defended the Christian West against Islamic invasions. Discover the real Count Dracula, Spain’s El Cid, England’s Richard Lionheart, and many other historical figures whose true and original claim to fame revolved around their defiant stance against jihadist aggression.

This two-volume expositional commentary on one of the Bible’s most powerful books integrates rigorous scholarship and clear communication. Boice not only explains the meaning of the text verse by verse and section by section, he relates the text’s concerns to the world in which we live, the life of the church, and the realities of the Christian life. Based on messages preached at Philadelphia’s world-renowned Tenth Presbyterian Church, The Gospel of Matthew displays Dr. Boice’s hallmark blend of thoughtful interpretation and contemporary insight for daily living.

As the adopted son of two cult leaders, Benjamin Risha was raised to someday assume a place of leadership in the Tony and Susan Alamo Christian Foundation with the Bible, and his parents’ interpretation of it, as his guide. He believed the prophecies of his adoptive mother and father. However, when none of it happened, and the foundation slid from bucolic communal lifestyle to insufferable criminality that included absolute obedience to the Alamos, Benjamin knew he had to escape.

Picking up where he left off in his electrifying Letter to the American Church, Eric Metaxas renews and deepens his call to believers not to “practice” their faith but to live it—heroically and with joy. Invoking famous but misunderstood words of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, he shows that God’s answer to evil is “religionless Christianity”—the rejection of religiosity and the embrace of a living and active faith, one that consumes the whole person and affects every aspect of his life. The awakening of this faith will bring revival, a “new birth of freedom,” and a renaissance of Christian culture.

Does God stare down at us in unyielding disapproval? No, says author Robert Henderson. God's gaze toward us is one of kindness and love. "Understanding his heart and expression", he adds, "changes everything." God is ready to pour out his unmerited favor on his children. It is up to us to receive it. Always keying in on Scripture, global apostolic leader Robert Henderson shows how accessible the grace of God really is.

Throughout history, folklore, and mystery, tales have circulated of massive stones being moved through the air effortlessly, seemingly by means of sound. Bizarre? Well, yes, it is. That doesn’t negate the fact that sound was, and still remains, the key to the construction of the pyramids of Egypt, Stonehenge, the stone figures of Easter Island, and the massive stones at Baalbek, Lebanon. Were they the work of ancient humans, of equally ancient extraterrestrials, or of both?

For those who have the intention but lack the lifetime it would take to study the entire history of spirituality, this extraordinary compendium is a great gift. Joshua David Stone has gleaned the essentials from vast research, as well as intuitive information, and woven them into a simple and engrossing exploration of self-realization.

Forest bathing is a gentle, meditative practice of connecting with nature. Simply being present with all of our senses, in a forest or other wild area, can produce mental, emotional, and physical health benefits. It is a simple, accessible antidote to our nature-starved lives and can inspire us to become advocates for healing our relationships with the more-than-human world. This book is both an invitation to take up the practice of forest bathing and an inspiration to connect with nature as a way to help heal both the planet and humanity.

In these stormy times, loud voices from all fronts call for revolution and change. But what kind of revolution brings true freedom to both society and the human soul? Cultural observer Os Guinness explores the nature of revolutionary faith, contrasting between secular revolutions such as the French Revolution and the faith-led revolution of ancient Israel.

A deathbed promise leads a daughter on an incredible journey to write about her grandfather who was a famous war hero. But this journey had a terrible destination: the discovery that he was a Nazi war criminal.

An intelligent, strong-willed woman, Susanna Wesley suffered much in a male-dominated world while she prepared her children to succeed in it. Her fiery, independent spirit is evident as Arnold Dallimore sets the mother of Methodism within her culture and time in England. Though Samuel Wesley figures prominently in his wife's story, as do John, Charles, and the other children, the story remains fixed on Susanna. Excerpts from Susanna Wesley's letters and writings of her husband and children are included.

Ahmed Rashid, called “Pakistan’s best and bravest reporter” by Christopher Hitchens, brings the shadowy world of the Taliban and its impact on Afghanistan and the Middle East and Central Asia into sharp focus in this modern classic. Rashid offers an authoritative account of the Taliban’s rise to power, its role in oil and gas company decisions, and the effects of changing American attitudes toward the Taliban. He also describes the new face of Islamic fundamentalism and explains why Afghanistan has become the world center for international terrorism.

Discover a story of healing and personal transformation. Marlena’s childhood was full of contradictions. Her father was both a heroic doctor for people with leprosy and an abusive parent. Her Mennonite missionary community was both a devoted tribe and a controlling society. And Marlena longed to both be accepted in Paraguay and escape to somewhere new. In Nothing Bad Between Us, follow Marlena’s journey as she takes control of her life and learns to be her authentic self, scars and imperfections included.

For more than 70 years, the crash at Roswell and its ensuing controversies and cover-ups have been investigated, and yet despite continually mounting evidence there are still disbilievers. Roswell: The Ultimate Cold Case is Carey and Schmitt’s final and commanding word on the case in which they declare victory once and for all.

Romans: An Expositional Commentary, Vol. 1 discusses the full impact of justification by faith alone. Boice uses stories and hymns to present the thoughts of Paul in a poetic form and provides word studies based on the Greek text to add meaning and enrichment to Paul’s words.

In The Lakota Way, Joseph M. Marshall III shares his own story and many others imparting the wisdom of the Lakota culture. These stories express the heart of his Native American philosophy and the 12 core qualities that are crucial to the Lakota way of living: bravery, fortitude, generosity, wisdom, respect, honor, perseverance, love, humility, sacrifice, truth, and compassion. Rich with storytelling, history, and folklore, The Lakota Way offers a fresh and compelling outlook on spiritual and ethical living.

Emeritus Pope Benedict commands both adulation and unremitting criticism. In this second volume of Peter Seewald’s authoritative biography, the story runs from the Second Vatican Council (1965-68) that shaped Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger’s conservative ideas about the role of the Catholic Church, through his short, scandal-ridden papacy and unprecedented resignation. Volume two introduces listeners to the Pope Emeritus living in the Vatican Gardens, contemplating the future of the church and his controversial legacy within it.

For author Jennie Blonde, witchcraft is, in and of itself, comforting. Sure, there are not-so-comfortable parts as well—working with the shadow, coming face to face with that which holds you back. But for Jennie, witchcraft is about connecting with nature, your higher self, and with something beyond—a deity, deities, Spirit, the universe—and being comfortable with your true self in all aspects of your life.

In this powerful audiobook, pastor, professor, and leading cultural apologist Voddie Baucham explains the sinister worldview behind the social justice movement and how it has quietly spread like a fault system, not only through our culture, but throughout the evangelical church in America. He also details the devastation it is already wreaking - and what we can do to get back on solid ground before it’s too late.

The Portal explores how meditation and mindfulness will unlock your power, grow your compassion for those around you, and awaken your thirst for change. Sharing personal stories from six people who healed their lives through meditation, as well as compelling insights from some of today’s most innovative thinkers, The Portal shares a vision for humanity transformed.