There is great confusion and controversy over the doctrine of the Holy Spirit. Who is he, and what does he do? Is he some type of force? Is he an energy or a thing? Likewise, topics such as spiritual gifts, the baptism in the Spirit, and being filled with the Spirit tend to incite differing views and discord, even amongst the sincerest and most devoted Christians.Because of all this, some have hesitated to study or teach on the Holy Spirit. This is unfortunate, since the Holy Spiri...

Many of the problems plaguing the church today, such as apathy, conflict, spiritual pride, and spiritual abuse, stem from a poor understanding of who the church is in Christ and God's purpose for her. Whenever we don't understand the purpose of something, we are prone to misuse it. No doubt the newly founded churches in Ephesus and Asia Minor struggled with a lack of understanding as well and, therefore, were plagued with many of the same issues.Paul wrote the letter to the Ephesia...

How should we pursue spiritual maturity—becoming more like Christ? In Paul's epistle to the Philippians, one of the dominant themes is spiritual maturity. Throughout the epistle, he encourages them to pursue unity, to be faithful in suffering, to rejoice regardless of circumstances, to live as citizens of heaven, to have the mind of Christ, and to practice many other virtues—essentially calling them to be mature. Then, in chapter 3, he specifically exhorts them to imitate his pursuit of Ch...

In the Bible, every chapter includes sin and its consequences, except four—the first two chapters of Genesis, before the fall, and the last two of Revelation, after the creation of the new heaven and earth. The story of the Bible essentially abounds with the themes of sin and our need for salvation. Since sin permeates every aspect of the human existence, we must understand it and how God provides grace to deliver us from it, both for ourselves and to help others.In Hamartiology, o...

What is the Sermon on the Mount? In Matthew 5-7, Christ climbs a mountain with his disciples and from there gives his most famous sermon. He starts by describing those who are members of his heavenly kingdom (Matt 5:3-10). They are the poor in spirit, the mourners, the meek, those who hunger for righteousness, the merciful, etc. Those who are truly heavenly citizens don't just have a profession of faith but experience a faith that changes their life and character—they are new creations in ...

My story begins, as many stories do, beside a road that our characters have chosen to travel. For them the road they have chosen will lead to destinations that only destiny could have charted. Little did the travelers know that this spot would mark the beginning of their journey and they knew even less about hoe life's fickle twists and turns had brought them here. Life is that way and the kaleidoscope within which it is contained may twist and turn in infinite directions which offer the p...

Writing code is the easy part of your work as a software developer. This practical book lets you explore the other 90%—everything from requirements discovery and rapid prototyping to business analysis and designing for maintainability. Instead of providing neatly packaged advice from on high, author Gregory Brown presents detailed examples of the many problems developers encounter, including the thought process it takes to solve them.He does this in an unusual and entertaining fash...

I used to know it all; who was bound for heaven and who would be in hell, how the contradictions in the Bible all fit together when read with guidance from the Spirit and in keeping with our church's exact teaching. How to fix government, end war, and balance capitalism with community, what was true and what was false, how the world made sense and why it was fair. Then my sure answers became unacceptable. Now I know mostly little things; the love of family, the importance of children, the ...

Self-care is a powerful, evidence-based medicine for the mind.Mental health is the driving force behind every decision we make—how we live, work, and love. Many of us suffer from depression and anxiety, which impede our choices and quality of life, and despite the proliferation of prescription drugs, the numbers are growing across the globe. But there is another, proven way to achieve mental wellness, beyond antidepressants and talk therapy. Practicing psychiatrist...

Spanish remains a large and constant fixture in the foreign language learning landscape in the United States. As Spanish language study has grown, so too has the diversity of students and contexts of use, placing the field in the midst of a curricular identity crisis. Spanish has become a second, rather than a foreign, language in the US, which leads to unique opportunities and challenges for curriculum and syllabus design, materials development, individual and program assessment, and clas...

When Grace Manners takes up residence on Wittering Manor estate, she little realises working alongside eccentric Fraser Stratton will change her life. Grace has struggled to make ends meet and the little cottage on the estate is both a refuge and a workshop for her jewellery business. It's only when Grace uncovers the story behind a diamond brooch she inherited that she becomes drawn into a family secret that threatens to destroy what little she has left...

Don't just see the sights―get to know the people.Culture Smart! guides provide travelers with vital information about the values and attitudes of the people they will meet, and practical advice on how to make the most of their time abroad. Travelers to Poland in particular, a country in transition from its Communist past, need to be open-minded and well-informed.Today’s Poland is very much a mix of the old and the new, and the two are not ...