Book Description
Every moment of your life is like a page in a Where’s Waldo book. God is there, the Scriptures tell us—on every one of them. But the ease with which he may be found varies from one page to the next. God is closer than you think!
Download Description
Two works of art help John Ortberg think about the presence of God. One is Michelangelo Buonarroti's brilliant painting of God and Adam on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. God is close. His hand comes within a hair's breath of the hand of the man. It seems to say that God is closer than we think-he's here, now, today, accessible to all who will but "lift a finger." The second work of art is Martin Hanford's cartoon character Waldo. He is on every page of the Where's Waldo? books, but he can be difficult to find. In the same way, even though God is present on every page of our lives, he's often not easy to spot. In God Is Closer Than You Think, John Ortberg examines this frustrating paradox of the Christian life. "When it is so easy to 'see' God all around me (in trees, in birds, in nature) why is it so hard to feel his presence-especially when I need him most?" Ortberg helps readers discover the secret to living daily in the reality of God's most frequent promise in Scripture, "I will be with you."
Customer Reviews:
Outstanding!.......2007-07-27
Ortberg is a master. Next to his book, If You Want To Walk On Water, You've Got To Get Out of the Boat, this was as good as it gets for relating to God in our limited human minds. Ortberg has tremendous way of taking ordinary stories, humor and life experiences and making them clear pictures of what Scripture communicates. Excellent, excellent book.
Where's Waldo?.......2006-11-10
I purchased this book for a small group setting and it fit the bill perfectly. Ortberg has a way of uncovering truth and in this book, encourages you to find Waldo, a God who wants to be part of your everyday life. I enjoyed it personally, was challenged by it and found the group setting enhanced my learning. I do look for God differently now since I've read the book. He is closer than we think.
I would have kept the orginial jacket cover. It focuses you to the subject matter much better.
Not bad.......2006-09-23
This book is a pretty decent book if you are interested in a mostly narrative style of discussion on Christian Living. Entertaining, well written, and clear, I would recommend it if you are looking for this type of book.
Don't try so hard!.......2006-07-19
This is a very helpful little book on how to find God in your everyday life. The discussion of Martha & Mary is particularly astute. My only complaint about the book is that Ortberg tries way too hard to be funny and even hip. (This is the first book of his that I've read, so I don't know if he does this all the time or not; I suspect he does.) Humor should be natural, not forced, as it is in this book. His attempts to be hip are merely pathetic. For instance, he quotes the line "The jerk store called & they've run out of you" attributing it to a friend of his. He obviously has no clue it comes from a Seinfeld episode! Still & all, a good book, though, for a Christian at any level.
I Am Convinced!.......2006-04-14
Upon a recommendation from my pastor, I picked this book up and I was not disappointed. John Ortberg writes with a Max Lucado approach. Taking everyday things and making us realize that they too have a place in our spritual walk. He challenges us to look for God in everyday occurences. His premise, as indicated by the title, is that God is more active in our everyday walk than we give Him credit for. In turn, he challenges us to do our part in praying that God bring His Kingdom to earth.
Book Description
The story of the Bible is the story of God’s desire to be with his people. God is extending himself, stretching out to reach us and to fill our lives with his presence. Every moment of your life is like a page in a Where’s Waldo book. God is there, the Scriptures tell us, but the ease with which he may be found varies from one page to the next. God is closer than you think! A six-session guide to be used with the DVD curriculum.
Customer Reviews:
God Is Closer Than You Think Participant's Guide:.......2007-08-08
The product was great, I just ordered the wrong thing. Complete error on my part otherwise item was shipped in a timely matter.
I guess I am a below average Christian.......2007-05-04
Comments from commenter #2 crack me up. I have heard many folks refer to John Ortberg as "Dallas Willard Lite" or "Dallas for dummies." I have had the opportunity to spend time with both the author and his wife, and I find both his speaking and writing to be very refreshing to my mind, spirit and life. I find John's writing simple and practical. Is it Dallas Willard deep? No. However, it's more like a great message that you hear in a weekend service. One that you can see clearly how applicable it is. Also, for you to get the most out of this book, you need to have a sense of your own brokenness and fallenness. Otherwise, you will find it simple and for average or below average people.........which, if I recall, is the same peeps that Jesus TOTALLY hung out with and loved deeply. In fact, some of their names were Peter, James, John, Andrew, Thomas..............
Excellent Small Group Bible Study.......2007-01-06
Not sure what the other reviewers are talking about. I have been a Christian for years and am finding this study quite interesting. Ortberg is the moderator and is excellent at word pictures that stick with you. The study makes you dig into the Bible which is what you want in a small group. Studying on your own in between group meetings requires quite a bit of scripture look up and reading. There are great discussion questions. This study has definitely strengthened my walk with the Lord. Our entire small group really enjoys the DVD part and is getting alot out of the study. I highly recommend this for small group study.
Nothing but fun reading .......2006-10-06
This book is okay for fun reading. The observations offered by the author are slightly entertaining, and may be even quite insightful to the very easily-impressed and motivated readers. For example, using conductor and resistor as analogy is misrepresenting the physics and meaning of the scientific terms. The counterpart of conductor is insulator. Actually a resistor in an electrical circuit is the part that does all the work - that makes the light bulbs or pickle glow, for instance.
Using surfing as an example of overcoming failure is okay. However sidetracking to muse about sharks and dolphins is juvenile and distracting.
I suppose this book is targeted for the average person and below for marketing purpose
God Is Closer Than You Think.......2005-10-08
I believe I was mislead. I ordered the material. The description described that I would get the DVD, the Participant's guide and the hardcover book for the price of the item. When just the DVD arrived I felt disappointed.
Amazon.com
Naturalist and bioacoustics researcher Katy Payne stood near an elephant cage at a zoo and felt a strange "throb and flutter" in the air. When she later realized that the feeling was very like that caused by the lowest notes of a pipe organ, she embarked on a journey of scientific and personal discovery that took her to Africa to study how the huge mammals communicate. For years, she lived close to the elephants she loved, getting to know individuals and describing their long-distance infrasound "conversations." After her fifth such expedition, one third of the elephant population she was studying was killed in a planned cull by the Zimbabwean government. Whether or not you accept Payne's hypothesis that elephants are extraordinarily intelligent and capable of communicating with each other and with other species (including humans), you will find her descriptions of the animals compelling and compassionate. Her grief at the loss of her elephant friends is palpable, and she uses it to utmost effect in decrying not only the ivory trade, but the way in which humans have decided to live on the planet. --Therese Littleton
Book Description
Scientific discovery is not always the result of a careful accumulation of data or a measured consideration of the facts. Sometimes it takes a leap of imagination. Katy Payne, a naturalist and conservationist, took just such a leap and made an amazing discovery about how elephants communicate. And that was only the beginning of her adventure.
In 1984, Katy Payne visited the elephants at Washington Park Zoo in Portland. Oregon. She had been studying whale songs for the last fifteen years, and she was curious about the ways that elephants -- the largest living land mammals -- communicated with each other.
What Payne observed in her first week seemed, at the time, to be little cause for scientific excitement. But on her flight home, she flushed back to a childhood experience of singing in the church choir. Suddenly she realized that she had felt, in the presence of the elephants, a deep throbbing in the air just like the lowest notes of the church organ. Payne and two colleagues were soon able to show that elephants are powerful infrasound -- sound pitched too low for the human ear to hear -- in communication. This "silent thunder" allows elephants to intract over long distances.
This brilliant, unorthodox, nonlinearless was the basis of her discovery of infrasonic communication among elephant and is typical of Payne's work as a naturalist. It also infuses this deeply felt and observed book with an extraordinary spirit, Payne and her colleagues went on to do important field research on elephant communication in Kenya, Namibia, and Zimbabwe. But in 1991 the peaceful rhythms of their work were violently interrupted by a cull -- a planned killing -- that destroyed five of the elephant families they were studying. This destruction convinced her that all life is sacred. Payne determined to challenge the philosophies that support culling.
Silent Thunder is a natural history rich in ponderings about the animal world and how humans participate in it. It is also a passionate story of Payne's own spiritual quest as she turns an observant eye on her own role in this world and honors the holistic perspective of her indigenous friends, who became her teachers in Zimbabwe, Payne's courage and empathy shine through on every page, giving this unique combination of scientific journal and personal memoir an unforgettable emotional power.
Customer Reviews:
Marvelous Bush Stories About Elephant Communication.......2006-07-10
Did you know that elephants communicate with sounds that are below the range of human hearing? Similar to whales, they can speak over long distance with each other using infrasound. I can't help but wonder if their infrasonic vocalizations are what contribute to the palpable energetic vibrations I felt, sitting amongst the clusters of elephants in Northern Kenya.
Katy Payne is one of the elephant researchers in Amboseli Park, Kenya, that helped to discover the infrasonic rumbles of elephant communication (along with Joyce Poole and Cynthia Moss) during the late 1980's and early 1990's. She is also an eloquent writer with a passion for the elephants she studied for many years.
In Silent Thunder: In the Presence of Elephants, she shares some facinating stories of what it's like to be in the bush with wild elephants...and one gripping story of an encounter with a lion. Her personal accounts hint of her strong intuitive gifts, where she touches on her precognitive dreams. She stops short of using direct language on some of these topics, which left me longing to hear more of what the real Katy Payne is all about. But I applaud her for bringing up spiritual topics at all. It's unusual for a scientific researcher to make personal revelations. I found it refreshing that she did.
Jaya Schillinger
Matriarch of Sacred Elephants.net Blog
silent thunder is the new star wars.......2005-10-06
silent thunder has been the best book ever it teaches you about elephants and it is a great read. i wish that i could on the book but i can't i only rented it but finished it in one day. the charecters are great and it is really nice but not many people read it.
A Wonderful Writer with Tremendous Talent.......2003-06-12
Katy Payne is a wonderful writer with a tremendous talent for integrating life with her research. This book is about elephants, about Katy, about the men and women and societies that she meets in a wonderful pilgrimage. You experience her joys, her sorrows, her love for elephants, her research breakthroughs and the distress of the wildlife situation, especially within Zimbabwe. Katy also has a beautiful talent for gracefully understanding how other societies function and for developing a culturally sensitive learning posture. This is a great book. For those reviewers who want "more pictures," there are thousands in this book that Katy brings to your mind when you READ it. I learned a tremendous amount about elephant behavior/communication, wildlife biology and the lifestyle of a wildlife biologist in this book. Wonderful, wonderful work! Thank you Katy!
something is missing.......2001-06-23
I have not read the book yet, but I am very disappointed that she has not photos! Having read Joye Poole's book that lots of tremendous photos and Cynthia Moss's book that at least some black & white photos, I thought this book would have some also. As a photographer and elephant lover, I expected them.
Happy.......2000-05-13
FANTASTIC book. Can't believe it's on sale when I bought it for full-price! Definitely the thing for anyone who likes non-fiction. It's totally poignant and fascinating - not an easy combination.
Book Description
Rupert Sheldrake's theory of morphic resonance challenges the fundamental assumptions of modern science. An accomplished biologist, Sheldrake proposes that all natural systems, from crystals to human society, inherit a collective memory that influences their form and behavior. Rather than being ruled by fixed laws, nature is essentially habitual.
The Presence of the Past lays out the evidence for Sheldrake's controversial theory, exploring its implications in the fields of biology, physics, psychology, and sociology. At the same time, Sheldrake delivers a stinging critique of conventional scientific thinking. In place of the mechanistic, neo-Darwinian worldview he offers a new understanding of life, matter, and mind.
Customer Reviews:
Paradigm-shifting work.......2007-03-15
Sheldrake's opus shakes the axioms of causality underlying experimental science. Not many books have done that. Not many books can address metaphysical topics, suggest alternatives to the standard Aristotelian underpinnings of science or "naturalism," and do so plausibly without recourse to superstition.
Sheldrake, a biologist, examines the many anomalous phenomena that seem to cut against some very basic beliefs about "how things work." The book integrates observations from many different fields of endeavor from physics to biology to psychology. The scope of this work as as wide as it is deep.
If you have ever read Thomas Kuhn's "Structure of Scientific Revolutions," this book will resonate along the same lines for you. Well worth your time and money.
A Simple Idea Viewed from a New Perspective .......2005-12-07
Legendary managment guru W. Edwards Deming spoke frequently of "profound knowledge." Basically, this is knowledge that profoundly changes the way you think and releases new creative energies. See his book The New Economics.
Rupert Sheldrake's ideas about "morphogenetic fields" and "morphic resonance" must surely be that kind of knowledge. He begins with a fairly simple scientific concept and brings it into another creative universe. Many of us are familiar with "fields". For example, there are electomagnetic fields, gravitational fields, and quantum matter fields.
We know from Science that we are immersed in a sea of electromagnetic fields of numerous frequencies. Waves of energy pass through each other without interfering with each other. Matter is condensed energy. We can see that form of energy, however there is a lot of energy we cannot see.
Based on mathematical calculations, we also know that an infinite spectrum of energy waves is theoretically possible. Waves in infinite variety might be passing through each other continuously without noticeably interacting. Perhaps, the world we know is just one spectrum connected to many other spectrums we haven't seen yet.
We'd have worlds have within worlds, in other words: "baby universes", ten dimensions in "space time", "superstrings", "universe splits", and so forth and so on.
Author and physcist David Bohn famously explained it this way. "Everything material is also mental, and everything mental is also material. But, there may be more infinitely subtle levels of matter than we are aware of." This is where Sheldrake's morphogentic fields come into the picture, or big picture, it seems to me. The forms and physical properties that we see resonating throughout existence are developed by some kind of know-how or knowledge. Could it be that there are fields in Biology and Chemistry like the fields we recognize in Physics?
If I've got it right, Sheldrake's morphogenetic fields are mental or maybe spiritual fields that spread know-how and knowledge throughout creation. Maybe I've skipped a rung of the inner and outer worlds of existence, but I feel like I'm getting pretty warm here.
Sheldrake doesn't want us to just take his word for this, however. Theories in Science need to be tested. And, Sheldrake's already working on that. He proposes several experiments in the last few chapters of the book. Browsing Amazon, I see there's another book or two in publication about these experiments.
You might want to read this book with Out of Control by Kevin Kelly and/or Living Systems by James Grier Miller, which is what I did. Several reviewers of this book have mentioned "metaphysics". If you'd like to go in that direction as well, you might enjoy What is Process Theology by Robert B. Mellert or Process Theology: A Basic Introduction by Robert Mesle.
UNFORGETTABLE IDEAS.......2004-01-19
I read this book some years ago and find the ideas in it have stayed with me, as they go a long way toward filling some holes in our understanding of reality. Sheldrake's Morphic Fields mean living things communicate even when they are not in physical proximity. This explains some of his other research, such as psychic connections between human and animal. Read Sheldrake's book, Dogs That Know When Their Owners are Coming Home, a fascinating look at the human-animal bond.
But the idea that once a new technique is learned by part of the population, it is more easily learned by the rest is startling. Can it explain the rapid spread of computer literacy? Like the old joke in school, can we actually learn "by osmosis?" Sheldrake's examples of group behavior and generational learning in the animal world points exactly in that direction. What one generation learns can be passed to the next. What I learn can make it easier for you to learn. This is a radical idea!
I've recently read astronaut Dr. Edgar Mitchell's book, The Way of the Explorer, in which he presents his view of reality, based on years of research into psychic and spiritual pehonomenon. His view incorporates Sheldrake's ideas in that he accounts for knowledge that does not come from standard learning methods. Knowledge received from spiritual insight or received psychically is part of the natural but unseen web underlying our universe, according to Mitchell. All knowledge of past and present is available, but is not sought by most people, since they do not know or practice the techniques for tapping into that source and there are no currently accepted scientific theories to explain how it works. Sheldrake's Morphic Fields are one such explanation.
The Presence of the Past is an influential book that will continue to be consulted and discussed. Since reading it, I've had more reason to think Sheldrake is right and I've read nothing elsewhere that disproves his fascinating conclusions.
Hmm? am i really the first to give 5 stars?.......2002-08-05
I felt compulsed to write a 5-star review after seeing only 3 reviews, all of them giving 3 or 4 stars to this classic masterpiece. Hey, don't get it wrong! this is a superb book you can't put down once you've started. I have read it twice and intend to translate it into Estonian.
Although, yes, only maybe a quarter of orthodox biologists can stand Sheldrake's name, the implications of his theory - if correct - are enormous. It would thoroughly change our present understanding of the concept of memory, which means that we need new fields of science - physical semiotics, for example. It would push the "borders" of semiotics to include the very first particles after the BB. Followers of C.S.Peirce would drink lots of champagne and would celebrate the victory. It would also require a radical revision of the ideas of evolution.
So - yes, yes, this IS a popular half-science-fiction book, easily dismissed by orthodox scientists. However, several of Sheldrake's examples are convincing and his theoretizing makes sense. So, I prefer to keep Sheldrake's ideas in "Interesting unsolved cases" drawer. Sheldrake is very much like Ken Wilber. "Serious" philosophers don't call Wilber a philosopher, but an "interesting individual". I would take it as a compliment.
An excellent place to start.......2002-04-19
Sheldrake's ideas, while controverial are an excellent place to add to anyone's ongoing exploration of Metaphysics. I agree with a previous reviewer in that these ideas can be interpreted using old terminology. Instead I have found it better to synthesize Sheldrake's excellent works with David Bohm, and any other relevant source I can find. Where do these Morphic fields come from? That is the truly interesting question.
Book Description
While most Christians have an awareness of the third person of the Trinity, they have little experience of this personhood or power.
Experiencing the Holy Spirit shows readers how to welcome the Holy Spirit's presence into their lives and grow in intimate relationship with Him through hearing and obeying His voice; praying and walking in the Spirit; operating in His power, gifts, signs, and wonders; and receiving His anointing. Includes more than 50 interactive exercises.
Customer Reviews:
You must Experience It.......2001-03-08
This book is awesome! It is a great study guide for those who have doubts, questions or want to receive the Holy Spirit. This book brings so many things to the open and allow the reader to reflect on God's grace and Spirit. I would recommend this book to anyone who is earnestly seeking God's direction for their life.
Experience It for your self........2001-03-08
This book is totally awesome. It is a great study guide to opening your heart, mind and spirt to the Holy Spirit. It brings so many things to the open and allows you to experience what Christ gave us; the Holy Spirit. I would recommend this book to anyone who is earnestly seeking Gods direction for their life.
Book Description
For ten years author Bobbie Sandoz-Merrill swam with a pod of wild dolphins off the shores of her Hawaiian home as well as with other dolphins and whales throughout the world. In the Presence of High Beings is about her many remarkable healing experiences with these extraordinary beings.
Organized in three parts, the first phase of encounters offers a period of friendship during which she learns from the dolphins by observing how consistently they embody the six characteristics of the higher self.
During the second phase Bobbie suspects that the dolphins are attempting to communicate with her. Among other things, they create "bubble" drawings in the water, which is one of the dolphins' ways of reassuring Bobbie they are truly communicating with her. As a result, Bobbie opens to receiving their telepathic messages and is able to learn the dolphins' for how humans can release the chaotic world they are currently creating and manifest the world of their dreams. In the Presence of High Beings shares the dolphin's unique formula for rapidly attaining a high level of joy.
In the Presence of High Beings also includes a valuable guide on how to swim with dolphins and whales in the wild, new information on the lethal effects of sonar on dolphins and whales, and some unusual material about human healing with dolphin "tapping."
This book is filled with an abundance of useful information that can be applied to becoming a better person and a better humanity.
Customer Reviews:
Deep & Uplifting Teachings from our Cetacean Friends.......2007-07-16
Animal communicator Bobbie Sandoz-Merrill's book, IN THE PRESENCE OF HIGH BEINGS, describes her experiences swimming with dolphins and what she has learned from the playful dolphins she has met. Swimming with dolphins has been compared to "swimming in champagne distilled from joy," as dolphins who come to spend time with humans invariably express some of the very highest spiritual qualities we humans aspire to, such as: kindness, joyfulness, harmony, wisdom, honest telepathy, and grace. These incredibly compassionate and playful ambassadors provide us with an opportunity to see how intelligent beings can live together peacefully in a balanced way.
In addition to these powerful insights, Sandoz-Merrill provides us with the benefit of what she learned from her dolphin friends regarding how to manifest what we most desire. Dolphins send thoughts filled with dreams out to the future, preparing the way for what is desired to come through. Dolphins do what is necessary to show up on the path of their dreams, swimming out to meet them rather than assuming everything will just come through on its own. Dolphins focus only on what they desire with intense, clear intent. Dolphins actively attract their dreams, inviting and enticing them to come to them. Dolphins stay joyful, happy and playful while awaiting their dreams to arrive... living in accordance with their very highest ideals of love, joy, freedom, and grace.
I am eternally grateful to Sandoz-Merrill for sharing these profound insights and stories through this delightful book, which is as fun to read as it is transformative for all who read it with open hearts and minds. I give this book my highest recommendation for everyone interested in dolphins and improving the quality of life.
Truly a wonderful , compelling book.......2005-07-09
From years of personal experience and research, the author
takes us on a journey which is healing, enlightening,
down to earth- a gift to the planet. If you are interested
in dolphins, animal communication, healing, the environment,
and the strong yet delicate interrelationships of all consciousness, this book must be on your reading list.
I could not put it down! and found it a 5 star among books
and stories encompassing all of the above. Written by
a true seeker , for everyone.
Exactly how "high" are we talking about, here . . ........2005-05-29
I hate to be a turd in the punchbowl, but dolphins, while undoubtedly intelligent, have been observed committing murder and gang-rape in the wild. Of course, we judge these behaviors according to what they most resemble among human behaviors, so we may be a bit biased in our interpretation. None the less, that said, I'm not sure we can put the dolphins on the almost mystical pedestal that we often do! Of course, this doesn't mean that there aren't wonderful, caring, unbelievably civilized dolphins out there.
Book Description
Fee offers a fresh and in-depth exegesis of every Spirit text in the Pauline corpus. Part Two synthesizes the analysis presented in Part One into a coherent invitation to consider the Holy Spirit's crucial role in Pauline theology.
"Seldom does one find such a satisfying treatment of a theological topic so solidly based on serious and thorough exegetical analysis. In his study of the New Testament Fee recognizes and takes seriously the fact that Paul experienced the reality of the Spirit's empowering presence in his life and in the life of the church. Comprehensive in its scope, this scholarly volume speaks to pastors, students, and other church leaders as well as to the academic community. It is a good book that will do good."
-Bruce M. Metzger, Professor of New Testament, Emeritus, Princeton Theological Seminary
"Fee's book is the most comprehensive treatment available of Paul's understanding of the Holy Spirit, a topic that has rarely received sufficient attention in studies of Pauline theology. Fee's method is exemplary: he first analyzes Paul's statements about the Spirit, in each individual letter, then moves to a synthesis of Paul's general pneumatology. The result is a book that is deeply exegetical, doing justice both to the particularity of Paul's writings and to the fundamental unity of his vision for the Spirit's role in the life of the Christian community. Most importantly, Fee emphasizes insistently that the Holy Spirit must be experienced as a living presence within the church. That message is both faithful to Paul and urgent for the community of faith in our time."
-Richard B. Hays, Associate Professor of New Testament, The Divinity School, Duke University
"With the energy and care that is a trademark of his work, Gordon Fee here fills a significant gap in Pauline Studies. Both those who find talk about the Holy Spirit congenial and those who would happily marginalize it will be instructed by this book. Fee makes a genuine contribution as he examines Paul's letters in conversation with both the exegetical tradition of the academy and the pressing needs of the church."
-Beverly R. Gaventa, Associate Professor of New Testament, Princeton Theological Seminary
Customer Reviews:
God's Empowering Presence.......2006-02-21
It's a very good book, very detailed but hard to understand for new believers because of the term used in this book. I am not majoring in pastoral, and that's probably why I am having a hard time understanding. I got this book becaused I needed it for one of my class. It is worthy buying and keeping this book if you wish to deepened your knowledge about the new testament. Recommended.
Long and lengthy but worth the effort.......2004-12-17
Gordon Fee may be the outstanding new testament scholar in North America and this is most likely to be regarded as his finest work. Fee goes through the letters of Paul on a verse by verse basis locating passages that refer to the Holy Spirit. Fee carefully chooses other passages where he feels that the Holy Spirit is inferred and also is careful with his exegisis of passages that may refer to the Holy Spirit or to "the spirit" in a non-specific way.
This book provides a powerful study of Paul and also shows how we, as modern day christians, underestimate the power of the spirit in our lives. For Paul the Holy Spirit was a real and dominating prescence and this wonderful study elevates that part of Paul's writings to a new plane.
This book is huge but Fee is such an enjoyable writer that the time spent reading this book passes very quickly. If you are interested in Paul and/or the Holy Spirit then this book is indespensable.
Solid meat for the serious Christian.......2004-10-26
Dr. Gordon Fee is a rare human being: a marvelous scholar whose academic skill brings out the best of his Pentecostal beliefs. In my opinion, this book is a major contribution to New Testament scholarship. Fee explores each Pauline reference to the Holy Spirit (including references to each and every "spiritual gift," such as prophecy, speaking in tongues, etc.) without pushing any overt theological agenda.
Fee convinced me that the Holy Spirit was more real to Paul than I might have suspected from any catechism or the classic creeds. Under Fee's guidance, Paul's references to the Spirit reveal a present and experienced reality that forces us to adopt a higher view of the Spirit.
Understand the Holy Spirit in Paul's letters.......2002-02-23
God's Empowering Presence is not a small book, nor light reading. In developing an article for the Dictionary of Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements, Fee realized very little secondary literature existed on the topic of the Holy Spirit as seen in the letters of Paul of Tarsus. Because of the dearth of Pneumatological studies in general, no one had ever thought to write a text specifically focused on how Paul viewed the person and work of the Holy Spirit. So, Fee sought to remedy this. In doing so he realized that he could not simply make assertions without first having a firm foundation of Biblical analysis with which he could base his findings. Understanding that this had not been done in a way which focused on the broader understanding of the Holy Spirit in the Pauline corpus, he felt he had to create his own body of textual analysis which went through the various letters and analyzed verse by verse, use by use, Paul's understanding of pneumatology. It is this textual analysis which comprises the great bulk of God's Empowering Presence.
Having exegeted the great bulk of the Pauline Epistles, Fee then feels able to make some observations and conclusions about Paul's general pneumatology in the last 100 pages of this nearly 1000 page book. He concludes that the Spirit was for Paul more real and evident than we can possibly imagine in our day and age, that the presence of the Spirit was an assumed reality, because of which specific theological discussion is limited. But in the off hand remarks, asides, benedictions, and other such casual comments Gordon Fee is able to discover and lay out eight primary conclusions about Pauline pneumatology. These conclusions are not meant as simply academic points of interest, but are in keeping with Fee's profound pastoral sensitivity and seek to point out ways in which the modern church can regain some of the liveliness and fullness that is found in Paul's understanding of the Holy Spirit. If you don't care about the exegesis (though as a reference I can't imagine not caring) Fee has another book called Paul, the Spirit, and the People of God which consists of just his conclusions and insights.
Great book, but be ready to trudge through tons of stuff.......2001-09-26
This was the most excellent book I have read discussing the work of the Holy Spirit,and it's importance to the Christian. Fee caused me to do a lot of thinking about my previous beliefs. He challenged me. THe one problem with the book, and Fee admits as much in the introduction is that the first section of the book is absolutely exhaustive. Not only is it an exhaustive discussion of the Pauline texts dealing with the Spirit, but it will "exhaust" you in reading through it. However, don't let that stop you from reading this fantastic work. It could change your life and appreciation for the wisdom of GOd.
Book Description
The author shows contemporary spiritual seekers that when we meditate on these verses, our sense of time disappears and there is only now. They speak, if you're willing to know, and to see differently.
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CCEL Classics CD: works by Saint Augustine, John Calvin, John Donne, Julian of Norwich, Brother Lawrence, Martin Luther, Saint Teresa of Avila, Thomas Aquinas, Thomas a Kempis, John Wesley, and more!
Dr. W. Harry Plantinga
Manufacturer: Christian Classics Ethereal Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: CD-ROM
 Mariology
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General
| Christianity
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Luther, Martin
| ( L )
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Augustine, Saint
| ( A )
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ASIN: 1931848076
Release Date: 2006-12-15 |
Product Description
The most important spiritual writings of Christian history are available on this Classics CD by the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) at Calvin College. It contains 118 Christian classics, including three versions of the Bible, several commentaries, Bible dictionaries, readings, spiritual guides, sermons, poems and journals -- all in a convenient, searchable form. Books are available in HTML and PDF formats. The easy-to-use CCEL Desktop software powering the CD enables users to browse and print books and install additional books from the Web. The top-of-class search engine can search for words or phrases in books, in authors works or in the whole library. In addition, it can search for dictionary definitions of words and commentary or references to scripture passages. The interface is a Web browser. The CD is compatible with Windows 2000+, Macintosh 10.3+, and most Linux versions.
Amazon.com
The dinosaurs are dead; long live the dinosaurs. Extinct for 65 million years, dinosaurs have never been more popular. They have been riding a wave of public interest as their image changes from slow-moving monsters doomed to extinction to fascinating, frightening relatives of birds. In the Presence of Dinosaurs proclaims itself "the culmination of this paleontological paradigm shift"--and it is certainly a stunning sight.
Larry Felder's dinosaur paintings have near-photographic realism. The lighting and angles of view are those of the wildlife photographer, not the static diorama. When a Hydrotherosaurus (a close double for the Loch Ness Monster) catches a coelacanth, the line of sight is up the huge neck and apparently through a water-dotted lens. James Gurney, author of Dinotopia, reports: "When I saw the Pterandon courtship picture, I said, 'Yes, of course!'" Parasaurolophus bellowing at sunset, Coelophysis snaring prey as they run from a wildfire, Tricerotops at a waterhole; all the pictures are grippingly realistic and beautiful.
The text, by Felder's high school teacher John Colagrande, is also exceptionally vivid. It reads like a naturalist's exploration of a living world, not the catalogue of a museum: "Just as the wet season is winding down, and the rivers are at their highest, female phytosaurs take over the portions of the riverbank closest to the scrub cover of the flood plains as nesting areas." This is indeed "not an account of extinct animals so much as a celebration of life. It is a wildlife book whose subjects include dinosaurs." --Mary Ellen Curtin
Book Description
Prepare to forget everything you thought you knew about dinosaurs. Ferocious battles of lore played out by dimwitted, reptilian, lumbering monsters? Not true. IN THE PRESENCE OF DINOSAURS draws on the latest information from fossil records and studies of present-day wildlife to create an intimate account of the parentally attentive, agile ancestors of birds that roamed the earth millions of years ago. Here, in more stunning detail than ever before, is an evocative depiction of the lives of dinosaurs. From mating patterns and habitats to nesting colonies and physiognomy, IN THE PRESENCE OF DINOSAURS takes readers into the world of dinosaurs like a field guide, traveling from present-day Arizona to Connecticut, the Triassic to the Cretaceous. Throughout are 100 glorious, full-color painting by acclaimed dinosaur artist Larry Felder.
Customer Reviews:
Unique, informative, and gorgeous.......2007-06-26
When I bought the book, I bought it only because the illustrations were incredible. Half-way through I realized many of the dinosaurs had feathers, but they were so believably depicted I hadn't noticed. In the introduction, the author writes that a writer or artist can claim artistic license and get away with theories that a paleontologist couldn't propose without being laughed at. This book uses bits and pieces of evidence to piece together stories, portraying possible behaviors, habits, hunting tecniques, etc. This is NOT an encyclopedia; it shows the readers maybe's and might-have-beens, and does so admirably. Whether or not the information will eventually be proved or disproved, it makes ancient bones and dry reading come to life. Even if you have other dinosaur books, the pictures alone make "In the Presence of Dinosaurs" well worth buying.
A Review of Sorts...........2007-06-14
Any book this man writes will be amazing.
This is an odd "review," in that I have not read this book. I did an internet search for Mr Colagrande to see if he was still at Union High School. I just heard a story on NPR about great teachers, and immediately Mr Colagrande came to mind, as he always does when I hear people reminiscing about great teachers. He was my favorite teacher ever. He just had a way about him that made you want to learn and be a part of what he was teaching. I found a way to take many of his classes. Rocks and Fossils, Aeronautics, Geology, Ecology. I'd come in BEFORE classes to look at the fine powder from the bottom of the ocean using his microscopes. A buddy of mine, Gerhard Lindner and I once brought a 10 foot rocket we built into his classroom and left it before he arrived. It was the best high school fun ever. We had another teacher let us into his classroom way before classes started. WE put the rocket on his back lab table. We waited outside, and he walked down the hall to go into his classroom, and into his office in the back of the classroom. So, in he goes. He walks right past the giant rocket in the back of the room in clear view. There was a moment of disappointment, until 3 seconds later he slowly walked out of his office and stared at the rocket, mouth open. It registered in his subconscious I guess. ha ha ha!! That guy was GREAT!
I'm buying this book right now. Thank you Mr Colagrande. Thank you! Maybe I should say, "Captain my Captain!"
Bill Janis, class of 1979
Definitely The Greatest Dinosaur Book Ever Written!.......2006-08-14
Picture, if you will: Packs of tyrannosaurs, thundering across grasslands. A pair of Pteranodons, thirty feet acros, battling over a nesting site. Scores of Elasmosaurus, crawling out of the sea like massive turtles, to lay their eggs. All this and much more come alive with stunning detail in In The Presence Of Dinosaurs.
The book is orginized by ecosystems, each chapter covering notable animals in it. My favorites include Wandering Shores, Plains Dominion, and The Glens Of Hell Creek. The earliest come first, and the latest is last.
One thing i enjoyed is how some theories, like the dinosaurs being born with feathers but losing them later in life, are so ahead of their time. I think they only proved that in 2005!
The ilistrations are incredible. Some hard subjects, like the Phytosaurs in the water at sunset must have been very hard. No matter what anyone says, if you like dinosaurs, then you will love this book.
In the Presence of Dinosaurs.......2004-08-28
This is a truly beautiful book, elegantly written and stunningly illustrated. As a zoologist and paleoartist, I'm pretty critical, but Colagrande's science is solid, and Felder's art up-to-date and wonderfully realised. Occasionally his animals look a little top-heavy eg, Dilophosaurus (pp62-3) and Tyrannosaurus (pp156-7), and his backgrounds can have an unusually neat, parklike quality, and one or two feet don't seem to really make contact with the ground, but there is no doubting his mastery of his medium. The detail is exquisite, the settings imaginative, and colouration believable (none of Luis Rey's carnival animals!) My one real gripe, though, is that I wish there was an occasional burst of bright sunlight. Even on the pterosaur beach, there always is a darkness about the pictures. Shadows are always immensely, unnaturally deep. The world isn't always early morning, late afternoon, or just before a rainstorm. I'd love to see this talented artist throw some more light on his subjects now and then!
A beautiful addition to any dino-buff's library, none the less.
best illustrated dinosaur book available.......2003-11-17
If one book ever deserves the title best illustrated dinosaur book available" then it's In the presence of dinosaurs" by Felder/Colagrande. I have seen and red many books about dinosaurs now but this one is by far the most beautiful one. In no other dinosaur book you'll find paleo art of this size and quality! Felder must be a genius, every painting in this book (at least 100 !!) is comparable to a photo and really a work of art. No wonder that he appears in high-level" science and nature magazines and the world famous John Lanzendorf collection. The size, layout and composition of the book is very similar to the BBC-Walking with Dinosaurs" but instead of fuzzy renderings of computer animations it is filled with the incredible art work described above. Colagrande provides the narrative part of the book. Covering different periods of time within the Triassic, Jurassic and Creteaceous, very detailled he describes the typical inhabitants in their natural habits. His motives are taken from the careful observation of present wildlife, whereas the eye-poppingly paintings get an even more realistic meaning. Simply amazing! I warmly recommend this book to everybody interested in dinosaurs, kids and adults. Better you buy two, to keep one for you and the other to give as a present.
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