A Greater Sense Of Gods Presence

There is always a sound being emitted from the earth to the heavens and from the heavens to the earth - a divine exchange, if you will. It exists in the unseen realm in the form of energy patterns, waves, and particles, and while the great majority of it is not audible to our natural ear, we can perceive it because we are a part of it. God "hears" what we say, and I believe He has an ever-flowing answer that we need to be aware of and "tune into" with our spirit man in order to tap into the constant communion we may have with Him. We typically refer to it as "spirit to spirit, deep to deep," as does Scripture. "...that they may be one just as We are one: I in them and You in Me," Jesus prays in John 17 on our oneness with Him. Whether we are aware of it or not, our world as we know it would not exist without that ongoing exchange... "in Him all things consist." When God created our entire existence, He set it in motion by releasing His sound, His Word, "Let there be Light."

Begin each day with a sensory experience from God to you. Laine Lawson Craft's desire is to bring an intimate, daily encounter to you through the living word of God. Drawn from scripture, each of these 365 daily devotions includes a verse, an inspirational reading and a prayer starter. Discover how you can feel the presence of God, knowing that He can reach you from through all the five senses. Laine's interpretations and revelations are personal and transparent as she shares her heartfelt thoughts and daily inspirations in a daily devotional that can transform the way you approach each new day.

There is an appetite for God. And it can be awakened. I invite you to turn from the dulling effects of food and the dangers of idolatry, and to say with some simple fast: "This much, O God, I want you." Our appetites dictate the direction of our lives - whether it be the cravings of our stomachs, the passionate desire for possessions or power, or the longings of our spirits for God. But for the Christian, the hunger for anything besides God can be an arch-enemy. While our hunger for God - and Him alone - is the only thing that will bring victory. Do you have that hunger for Him? As John Piper puts it: "If we don't feel strong desires for the manifestation of the glory of God, it is not because you have drunk deeply and are satisfied. It is because we have nibbled so long at the table of the world. Our soul is stuffed with small things, and there is no room for the great." If we are full of what the world offers, then perhaps a fast might express, or even increase, our soul's appetite for God. Between the dangers of self-denial and self-indulgence is this path of pleasant pain called fasting. It is the path John Piper invites you to travel in this book. For when God is the supreme hunger of your heart, He will be supreme in everything. And when you are most satisfied in Him, He will be most glorified in you.

Now in Trade Paper! Theologian R.C. Sproul has the unique ability to take difficult Christian concepts and make them both fascinating and personal. In his first devotional, this popular author provides an intimate portrait of God's numerous attributes. In The Presence of God is divided into 15 sections, based on 15 distinct attributes of God that teach us how we can live more fully as children of God. Each brief reading contains a Scripture verse and a message of encouragement and wisdom from the pen of R.C. Sproul. If you're spiritually hungry for a devotion of substance, let R.C. Sproul take you In the Presence of God. Topics include: Knowing God Meeting with God Facing Life's Challenges with God Discerning God's Will Experiencing God's Best

Have you settled for far less of God than He wants to reveal? Do you feel close to God in your everyday life . . . or does He too often seem distant and silent? Maybe, like many Christians, you live somewhere between those two extremes. You occasionally sense God's presence, but at other times feel as if He's a million miles away. The wonder of closeness with God is available to you here and now. In The Presence, Alec Rowlands reveals the ways God makes His presence known, how you can prepare for it, and how experiencing it will transform everything. As you draw near to God—as you are consumed by His love and your life is rearranged by His grace—you'll find fulfillment, purpose, and an unmatched sense of adventure. If you're feeling a hunger for more of God, you are already on your way to discovering: He is good. He is powerful. He is here.

An essential feature of religious experience across many cultures is the intuitive feeling of God's presence. More than any rituals or doctrines, it is this experience that anchors religious faith, yet it has been largely ignored in the scientific literature on religion.Starting with a vivid narrative account of the life-threatening hike that triggered his own mystical experience, biologist John Wathey takes the reader on a scientific journey to find the sources of religious feeling and the illusion of God's presence. His book delves into the biological origins of this compelling feeling, attributing it to innate neural circuitry that evolved to promote the mother-child bond. Dr. Wathey argues that evolution has programmed the infant brain to expect the presence of a loving being who responds to the child's needs. As the infant grows into adulthood, this innate feeling is eventually transferred to the realm of religion, where it is reactivated through the symbols, imagery, and rituals of worship. The author interprets our various conceptions of God in biological terms as illusory supernormal stimuli that fill an emotional and cognitive vacuum left over from infancy. These insights shed new light on some of the most vexing puzzles of religion, like the popular belief in a god who is judgmental and punishing, yet also unconditionally loving; the extraordinary tenacity of faith; the greater religiosity of women relative to men; religious obsessions with sex; the mysterious compulsion to pray; the seemingly irrepressible feminine attributes of God, even in traditionally patriarchal religions; and the strange allure of cults. Finally, Dr. Wathey considers the hypothesis that religion evolved to foster reproductive success, arguing that, in an age of potentially ruinous overpopulation, magical thinking has become a luxury we can no longer afford, one that distracts us from urgent threats to our planet.Deeply researched yet elegantly written in a jargon-free and accessible style, this book presents a compelling interpretation of the evolutionary origins of spirituality and religion.

Why does God feel so far away? Why is my worship so empty? Has God left me? David Bowden knows these questions firsthand, having wrestled for years with God’s apparent absence and studying what the Bible says about it. In this new book, Bowden tackles the subject head-on, finding the key to understanding it in the Bible’s depiction of a God who is infinitely far from us, free to move where he wants, but who chooses to come near in the person of Jesus. A resource of encouragement for those who struggle with feeling God’s absence and a wake-up call to those who take God’s presence for granted, When God Isn’t There will forever change your understanding of why God sometimes seems to vanish and how he can be found again. Praise for the work of David Bowden “Awesome and inspiring.”—Blake Mycoskie, Founder and Chief Shoe Giver at TOMS Shoes “David brings a fresh, engaging and highly impactful approach to Scripture. His passion for the Word is both contagious and inspirational.” —Roy Peterson, President of American Bible Society

Fifteen years after its original publication comes a thoroughly revised edition of the Evangelical Dictionary of Theology. Every article from the original edition has been revisited. With some articles being removed, others revised, and many new articles added, the result is a completely new dictionary covering systematic, historical, and philosophical theology as well as theological ethics.

Do you long for something more in your relationship with God? The good news is that “something more” does not mean “doing more.” God is not waiting for you to get your spiritual life “right.” He wants to be with you right where you are. The real question is not “What does God want from you?” but “What does God want for you?” Sharon Jaynes understands what it’s like to have a “glory ache”—a longing to experience God’s presence on a daily basis. She also knows how easily working for God can get in the way of intimacy with God. And she’s discovered that we tend to make our faith journey much too hard. In A Sudden Glory, Sharon uses Scripture and story to help you erase the line between your “spiritual life” and your “daily life” as you enter the sanctuary of God’s presence even in the middle of your busy, messy day. Here you will find your eyes opened to moments of sudden glory in which the Creator assures you of His love as you live and move and have your being in Him. Here you will discover true freedom—the freedom of experiencing God in a deeper and more intimate way than ever before. Includes Bible study and discussion guide.