A dark power has usurped the throne and schemes to extend its corruption throughout the Land. The last city of free men and a mountain rumored to be the home of the Dwarves are all that stand in his way. Unknown to both, a far older power works to restore the rightful King to the throne through a young man who must overcome foes without and fears within. The Power of the Promise is that which leads to the defeat that occasions victory. The future is at stake as the Hamar, dread servants of the Dark One, set out to destroy the Land's Deliverer and with him the last hope of the Land. Will the Last Promise be enough for the free peoples to win through to the Day of Deliverance?

The Scripture readings for Year C of the Common Lectionary (Revised) pair the Gospel of Luke, rich in its unique stories surrounding Jesus’ birth, Jesus’ care for the marginalized, and parables at once beloved and profound, with Old Testament and epistolary testimony to life-imparting faith in God’s promises. Bruce Taylor’s homiletical proclamation through the first half of Year C expounds the gospel’s summons to live today in hopeful reliance upon all that God has pledged to those who trust the Bible’s testimony to God’s faithfulness. Like his previous collections of sermons for the Sundays and feast days of the Christian year, the penultimate volume in this veteran preacher’s second journey through the lectionary is theologically rich, sacramentally oriented, and ecumenically sensitive, celebrating the church’s unity and community as witness to Christ’s living presence in the world. The sermons, including representative story sermons, speak as powerfully to clergy as to laity, to seminarians as to parishioners, evoking ardent commitment and lives characterized by gratitude, grace, hospitality, humility, and love. This book will be a welcome addition on the bookshelf or, better, on the desk and nightstand.

Paradoxes have become characteristic of the world we live in - poverty and privilege, empire and oppression, migration and enclaveseeking, war and peace, justice and injustice, reconciliation and revenge. During the 2016 Societas Homiletica annual conference held in South Africa, these paradoxes served as a rediscovery of the calling of preachers to deliver the promise that lies within life's contradictions. A divine promise brought forth by the grace of God and the gospel of Christ - embodied in and through us by the Spirit of Christ. This promise may take many forms and calls for discernment and often interrupts the status quos in surprising, shocking ways. It is a promise that interrupts, in order to comfort.

Katerina Koci charts the development of the promised land motif, starting from its biblical roots and examining its reception over the centuries until the present day. As her cornerstone, Koci uses Hans-Georg Gadamer's claim that there are two complementary paths towards understanding and knowledge: science and art. Thus, to be faithful to the creed of the great hermeneutist, Koci ventures into both topics, arguing that while science sets out historical-critical analysis of the promised land motif in the Hebrew Bible and its later receptions, art enriches the interpretation with its literary illustrations. This volume places particular focus on American contexts, since the concept of the promised land is so deeply intertwined with American religious-political mythologies, and with the art of John Steinbeck and Walter Brueggemann in particular. By discussing artistic interpretation in biblical hermeneutics, the context and reception of Genesis 15.7 and Exodus 3.8 in the Hebrew Bible and New Testament, and the history of the promised land motif and its interpretations, Koci argues that artistic receptions of biblical motifs are crucial for biblical scholarship in opening new hermeneutical and thematical horizons.

Christians who otherwise love each other and work together on shared projects and causes nonetheless often disagree on the subject of baptism. Should infants be baptized, or is baptism for believers only? What exactly does baptism mean? What happens, if anything, when someone is baptized? Which is better -- sprinkling or immersion? These disagreements are disheartening to some and confusing to many. The sacrament of baptism from a Reformed perspective is clearly and thoughtfully outlined in this useful book. James Brownson explains the scriptural basis, the theological underpinnings, and the practical implications of this particular element of the faith. Organized into thirty brief, tightly focused chapters -- each of which centers on a key question -- and enhanced by thoughtful discussion questions, The Promise of Baptism will be an important resource for pastors, students, and laypersons seeking to better understand this sacrament that lies at the heart of the church's life. A sampling of key questions addressed: What is a sacrament, and how does it differ from an "ordinance"? What's the relationship between baptism and being "born again"? How do the sacraments bring God's grace to us? Can someone be "saved" without being baptized? Can someone be baptized without being saved? Does baptism take the place of circumcision as the mark of the new covenant? What is "confirmation" or "profession of faith," and what is its relationship to baptism? What happens after baptism?

DIVDIVA special three-in-one edition of Caroline B. Cooney’s riveting Vampire’s Promise Trilogy/divDIV In Deadly Offer, Althea hates high school. In middle school, she had a group of friends to hang out with. She was on the softball team, took gymnastics, and won ribbons for horseback riding. But high school is horrible for Althea. She doesn’t make the cheerleading squad. Her group of friends splits apart to form new cliques, and Althea is left to sit alone at lunch. That is, until she discovers a vampire living in the attic tower of her family home. A vampire who can make her dreams come true: a spot on the cheerleading squad; popularity; a boyfriend. All the vampire wants in return is a small sacrifice, and Althea is in too deep to back out now./divDIV In Evil Returns, Devnee hopes her new room in an attic tower will make her romantic—beautiful, popular, and even happy. But the tower feels inexplicably creepy, especially because its windows are tightly shuttered. On Devnee’s very first night in her new room, weird things start to happen. A disembodied hand appears outside her window. Devnee’s shadow detaches from her body and starts wandering the edges of her new room by itself. On her first day at her new high school, Devnee finds herself intensely wishing her life were different. And when someone—something—arrives in her tower room to make that wish come true, Devnee’s best intentions at starting a new life take a dark turn./divDIV In Fatal Bargain, there is a creepy, shuttered attic tower in the town’s run-down, old, abandoned mansion, and it’s the perfect place to have a spooky party. At least, that’s what Randy thinks when he invites his five friends for a night of scary fun. But the night gets more terrifying than anyone anticipated when Roxanne feels a long sharp fingernail brushing her bare neck, with no one near enough to touch her. Then Randy sees a shadow gathering—a cape without a person inside. Lacey immediately senses the presence of a vampire in the tower. She doesn’t understand how, but she knows it in her bones, in her soul, as if from another life in an ancient time: Vampire./divDIV/div/div

"He will revive us after two days; He will raise us up on the third day That we may live before Him. Hosea 6:2 This one of the most relevant books you will read this year. What does it mean to be the "end-time people" and to live during the "Third Day"? Author Bruce D. Allen describes his five-year revelation about the Promise of the Third Day and you fit into His incredible plan. You will be amazed at the opportunity God has given you to move in His supernatural ways. Your life can become a miracle! You will be able to recognize the hand of God in your life and the lives of those you love. Based on biblical history, current events, and personal experiences, the Promise of the Third Day will inspire you to become the person God destined you to be. Today is the morning of the Third Day.

William Barclay explores the doctrine of the Holy Spirit as presented in the Old Testament, the Gospels and the book of Acts. This reissue of an older Westminster Press title makes a welcome addition to the highly popular William Barclay Library series. The William Barclay Library is a collection of books addressing the great issues of the Christian faith. As one of the world's most widely read interpreters of the Bible and its meaning, William Barclay devoted his life to helping people become more faithful disciples of Jesus Christ.