Reaching Beyond Faith

Reaching beyond Faith: A Modern Mind Reads the Koran takes the reader beyond the realm of pure faith to explore the Koran from an essentially non-pietistic point of view and in social, historical, geographic, and above all, human contexts. Its 14 chapters, using some 800 verses from the Koran, take a critical look at a wide range of issues: from the audience the message of the Koran was meant for to the role of humans in the compilation of the Koran itself, from the nature of God’s speech to the human side of the life of the Prophet of Islam, from jihad to crime and punishment, from the Koran’s call to piety to the place of women in society, from the magnificence of God’s creation to the insignificance of man. The rationale of such an exploration should be rather obvious. Although the state of the human mind that read the Koran some 1400 years ago may still be evidenced in many parts of the Muslim world, most modern Muslims today will be mortally offended if someone were to tell him or her that their minds harked back to those ancient times. To them, it is impossible to ignore the epochal strides made in human knowledge and circumstance since Mu?ammad was first inspired to say: Read!

To reach beyond the breach means to look beyond the trouble in your life by faith. In Hebrews 11:1, it says, "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." For example, a breach could be anything that comes against you. It may have happened six months ago; nevertheless, I'm hoping for what hasn't happened, and I'm sure that it will be manifested in my life. Therefore, I look beyond what the situation looks like and call those things that be not as though I already have it. Two years ago, I was diagnosed with melanoma cancer of the eye. That is a scary breach. Nevertheless, I put my trust and faith in God that my healing is already done according to his Word in 1 Peter 2:24. I encourage anyone who has a breach in your life to find the promise in God's Word and speak it daily and you will have what you say by your faith.

Throughout recorded history mankind has attempted to define perfection. This always has been a most perplexing task, almost as difficult as attaining perfection once the term has been defined. One of the most vexing problems facing the perfectionist has been how to elevate themselves above matter, especially the body, in order to emulate their god-model. Reaching Beyond: Chapters in the History of Perfectionism highlights the concept of perfection in primitive man, in both Old and New Testaments, and in a variety of perfectionist individuals and movements throughout Christian history, including the Montanists, the Medieval Apocalyptist, Joachim of Fiore; the rationalist, Thomas Aquinas; a leading Eastern Orthodox mystic, St. Symeon the New Theologian; Calvin and his followers; early modern Puritans and later primitivists; and the Pentecostals, who strive for both purity and preparation. In short, this book is a study of the human perfectionist impulse and its motivations. In certain cases, perfectionism is a reaction against limitation, inadequacy, incompleteness and evil-a rejection of comfortable, popular religion. In other instances, perfectionism is a more positive effort, a striving after holiness or knowledge, a preparation for the parousia or a quest for a return to primitive religious roots.

It's amazing that the way you think about yourself changes the way you think about the and fired because of their attitude. Successful executives credit their attitude for what they have achieved. You can change the world around you just by changing your attitude about life, your family and your career. Discoveries like these and many others led Jim Mathis to speak to thousands of people on how to improve relationships on the job and at home. Sharing what he knows about people, performance and productivity has opened new doors of increased revenues for business organizations. You, too, will benefit from your exposure to these ideas and want to pass them along to your friends and associates. You have the opportunity! You will find many ideas and resources that will empower, enlighten and energize you. Reaching Beyond Excellence is your passport to excellence and success. You will discover high-impact ideas that will elevate your career beginning today! Jim's unique hands-on approach to life and work is written from his fify years of life experiences. Every year, Jim invests hundreds of hours in changing lives and motivating people to outdo themselves in performance and productivity.

From the depths of childhood trauma, Elizabeth Kinsella is rescued by Audrey and Robert Langmuir, a professional couple from Vancouver. They become her adoptive parents and provide her with the family security she craves. They encourage her to follow in their academic footsteps. One evening, her life begins to unravel. A series of strange events endanger her life. This follows the appearance of an unusual lunar phenomenon. The release of Audreys controversial book also makes an explosive impact. It challenges conventional religious doctrines and faiths, resulting in catastrophic upheavals throughout the world. Audrey is forced into hiding, leaving Elizabeth to venture alone in the world, fearful of her future. As societal tensions mount, Elizabeth is targeted by a secretive fanatical cult. This group has reason to believe she has a part to play in the fulfillment of an ancient prophecy. The prophecy declares that the world is ready for the new spiritual leader, to be revealed. Amidst this background of unwanted publicity, Elizabeth is increasingly mystified by her lovers reckless behaviour. Jack Cyrus becomes obsessed with creating a godless society, which will permanently reset the future. When Jack engages in deception, the truth is slowly revealed. He is involved in more than mere research. His ideals have become darker and more sinister. In dealing with his betrayal, Elizabeth joins forces with his colleagues to confront him about his true intentions. Ultimately, Elizabeth must choose to accept his radical beliefs to keep him close, or expose his treachery to the world. Once she steps inside Jacks world, she must draw upon a special gift from her disturbing childhood to conquer the man with manipulative control over her destiny. As the world-wide spiritual phenomena climaxes, they both become entwined in an ultimate test of faith. A transformational miracle is the eventual outcome.

Reaching Beyond Mediocrity shows the path to overcome major personal struggles in your Christian life. The first four chapters identify the foundations for using the principles from God's Word foundational to overcome all sorts of temptations. The other chapters use these principles to overcome the most challenging spiritual issues troubling Christians: anxiety, pride, lust, anger, and depression.Here are some basic questions that most Christians ask but never get answered! We answer them here.Why am I not spiritually growing anymore? What should I expect?One area of my life holds me back. How can I break through this?I want to grow but just do not know what to do next. What steps should I take?d2 levelsI feel bad about where I spiritually am right now. I am not sure anything can help me. Should I feel this way?I want to disciple others but do not know where to start or what to say. Can you make some suggestions?I have heard how God blesses others through His Word, but it is not often that way with me. Are there any special things to help me grow in my quiet times with God?

If white Americans could reveal what they really think about race, without the risk of appearing racist, what would they say? In this elegantly written and innovative book, Paul Sniderman and Edward Carmines illuminate aspects of white Americans' thinking about the politics of race previously hidden from sight. And in a thoughtful follow-up analysis, they point the way toward public policies that could gain wide support and reduce the gap between black and white Americans. Their discoveries will surprise pollsters and policymakers alike. The authors show that prejudice, although by no means gone, has lost its power to dominate the political thinking of white Americans. Concentrating on the new race-conscious agenda, they introduce a method of hidden measurement which reveals that liberals are just as angry over affirmative action as conservatives and that racial prejudice, while more common among conservatives, is more powerful in shaping the political thinking of liberals. They also find that the good will many whites express for blacks is not feigned but represents a genuine regard for blacks, which they will stand by even when given a perfectly acceptable excuse to respond negatively to blacks. More crucially, Sniderman and Carmines show that the current impasse over race can be overcome if we remember what we once knew. The strongest arguments in behalf of equality for black Americans reach beyond race to the moral principles that give the issue of race itself a moral claim on us.

In a groundbreaking comparison between the Biblical and Hindu traditions, Reaching Beyond the Religious reveals a wisdom that transcends time, culture and creed, and which has the power to transform the way we think about religion in the 21st century. Dispelling the idea that we can create our destinies by tapping into the power of our intentions, the book flips the paradigm on its head and challenges our basic assumptions about the world, God, and the human enterprise. Weaving between mythology and reality, East and West, the book unearths seven universal wisdom themes from across the religious spectrum and maps these onto the complexities of modern day life. From Genesis, Job and the Hindu god, Shiva, to the dramatic Presidential campaigns of Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama; from the life stories of Biblical Patriarchs and Hindu icons to those of contemporary greats such as J.K. Rowling, Michael Jordan, and Warren Buffett, this is a book that charts the teachings of the past onto the present while exploring humankinds most pressing and difficult questions. Supported by compelling examples taken from nature, pop culture, and religious text; prepare to be enlightened, entertained, and inspired by Reaching Beyond the Religious.