The Magnificent Church

Start this book off right with this introduction. Leaders with an Apostolic anointing are paving the way to greatness. The new season of the spirit is being prepared for the leaders. Leaders will be confronted by these mature, faithful prophets who will announce with great authority and force that position changes are imminent. True Apostles must now show their authority. "True Apostolic IS Coming" rang out from Heaven as I began to write this sermon. The prophetic message that said, "Apostle come forth" was given to me several months ago. I had no idea what was in store for me. Our apostolic mission will be upon us before we know it, therefore we need to gain a strong grasp on it now." This sort of apostolic leadership is exemplified by Samuel. None of the Lord's teachings were lost, and he did not ask for food from the people." Samuel's life and work have essential features that the Lord wants to pass on to the apostolic leadership that will shortly arise. If we dig deep into Samuel's story, we'll uncover important insights that will help us prepare for this leadership role and minister to the Father's heart. Scripture tells us that when the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus to take up residence within Him, a voice from above confirmed the truth of what had just happened. 2 Corinthians 6:19 An angelic voice proclaimed, "Thou are my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased." Then the Holy Spirit descended on him in the form of a dove. Similar to the disciples hearing the confirming voice proclaiming Jesus to be God's Son whose words were eternal while seeing the Lord's transfiguration, Apparently, the attesting voice from above indicates that something can be taken for granted as factual. When we have a greater grasp of the apostolic, the more likely it is that we can continue this amazing work without being overwhelmed by its intensity and strength. Praise be to God if we are able to faithfully carry out this important duty with character and honesty. The Lord did not allow a single word of Samuel's to be lost. What a powerful demonstration of the closeness and trust between the Lord and those in authority over Him! As Samuel matured, the Lord was by his side, and nothing he said was lost.

From early basilicas to medieval cathedrals, from churches in rural Africa to today's award-winning designs, this stunning volume reveals the different approaches to faith across the centuries, shifting architectural styles, and the effect of history on Christianity. Encompassing various Christian beliefs, from Catholic and Protestant to Baptist and Calvinist, the buildings include stone and wooden structures; ones that have been knocked down and rebuilt, or even moved from one location to another; and churches cut into rock.

Between 1650 and 1750, four Catholic churches were the best solar observatories in the world. Built to fix an unquestionable date for Easter, they also housed instruments that threw light on the disputed geometry of the solar system, and so, within sight of the altar, subverted Church doctrine about the order of the universe. A tale of politically canny astronomers and cardinals with a taste for mathematics, "The Sun in the Church" tells how these observatories came to be, how they worked, and what they accomplished. It describes Galileo's political overreaching, his subsequent trial for heresy, and his slow and steady rehabilitation in the eyes of the Catholic Church. And it offers an enlightening perspective on astronomy, Church history, and religious architecture, as well as an analysis of measurements testing the limits of attainable accuracy, undertaken with rudimentary means and extraordinary zeal. Above all, the book illuminates the niches protected and financed by the Catholic Church in which science and mathematics thrived. Superbly written, "The Sun in the Church" provides a magnificent corrective to long-standing oversimplified accounts of the hostility between science and religion.

The Magnificent Century, the second volume of Costain's A History of the Plantagenets, covers Henry III's long and turbulent reign, from 1216 to 1272. During his lifetime Henry was frequently unpopular, unreliable and inconsistent. Yet his reign saw spectacular advancement in the arts, sciences and theology, as well as in government. Despite all, it was truly a magnificent century. "Combines a love of the subject with factual history. . .a great story." —San Francisco Chronicle A History of the Plantagenets includes The Conquering Family, The Magnificent Century, The Three Edwards and The Last Plantagenets.

Prayer and Praises are significant part of Christianity and in Christendom since the very beginning of time on the subject of relationship with God. Take the spiritual vitamin because when life gets rough the rough gets life, but when you pray and praise you will overcome and overtake whatever comes your way. The mountain can be moved with prayer and praises by faith in the Lord. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! Jesus had overcome the world.” He has done His part, do your part by serving, praying and praising the Lord God Almighty. He hears us when we pray and praise; He knows us inside out and outside in. This book will help you very greatly in your relationship with God through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

In the year that the English monarchy was abolished, the Prince of Wales's governor posed the poignant question: what was it that made kings different from their subjects? The answer to him was obvious, and the word that described it was 'ceremony'. From crown wearing in the Middle Ages to the jubilees of modern times the English Monarchy has always used the rituals of majesty to command the affection and loyalty of its subjects. This important and original book is the first to examine properly the ceremonial world of an English sovereign. In an age when the king still healed the sick and took his meals in front of a crowd of spectators, a sovereign's ability to carry off this public role could be as important to his success as his command of the army or management of parliament. Charles II lived through the period of the greatest political change England has ever known, witnessing revolution, regicide and restoration. At just 16 he was cast into exile. A poor relation at the court of the young Louis XIV and then the creature of Philip IV of Spain, he knew what it was to wrestle for recognition. This was his apprenticeship. With The Restoration Charles brought the lessons of exile home. The country was soon rocked by plague and fire, and his brother's conversion to Catholicism would bring it once again to the brink of civil war. In the crisis that developed Charles used the rituals of royalty to help save the very institution of hereditary monarchy. Using a huge range of unpublished primary material, and painting a vivid and detailed picture of the daily life of one of England's most charismatic monarchs, Anna Keay's brilliant 'ritual biography' radically reappraises Charles II as The Magnificent Monarch.

We are story-making people. We love reading stories—and we love hearing the personal stories of others. We need stories, or narratives, to make sense of our world. And those stories shape our lives. What is the story you have been told about the gospel? About God? About the Christian life? About Jesus? About the cross? About yourself? About heaven? Your answers to these questions will form a story that will determine how your life will go. The answers reveal your ability to trust, to love, to hope—and even your capacity for joy. Any story worth giving the power to shape our lives must pass a simple test: Is it beautiful, good, and true? If it is, then it is a magnificent story—and that is where transformation takes place. From James Bryan Smith, author of the bestselling book The Good and Beautiful God, comes this spiritual formation resource meant to help both individuals and groups understand the magnificent story of Christ in their lives. The field-tested material within includes spiritual practices at the end of each chapter and a group discussion guide. Uncover the true story of beauty, goodness, and truth that will satisfy the ultimate longings of your heart.