Seek to See Him

Seek to See Him
Author: April DeConick
Publisher: BRILL
Total Pages: 228
Release: 2015-12-22
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 9004313001

This monograph represents a critical juncture in Thomas studies since it dispels the belief that the Gospel of Thomas originates from gnostic traditions. Rather, Jewish mystical and Hermetic origins are proposed and examined. Following this analysis, the anthropogony and soteriology of Thomas are discussed. The Thomasites taught that they were the elect children of the Father, originating from the Light. The human, however, became unworthy of these luminous beginnings and was separated from the divine when Adam sinned. Now he must purify himself by leading an encratite lifestyle. He is to ascend into heaven, seeking a visio dei which will transform him into his original immortal state and grant him citizenship in the Kingdom.

Seek Him First

Seek Him First
Author: Jennifer Yates
Publisher:
Total Pages: 111
Release: 2018-05-19
Genre:
ISBN: 9781732337619

Do you struggle to have a consistent quiet time with God?Do you wonder how to know if you are hearing from God?Do you desire to know God's will for your life?Do you want to make a difference for the kingdom of God?Seek Him First has been written to show you exactly how you can seek God and find the direction you need for the journey. This book is for those who know God has a plan for their lives, but don't know how to make it a reality from day to day.¿Develop a consistent daily quiet time with God.¿Learn how to know when God is speaking to you and follow His plan for your life.¿Explore different strategies for Bible study.¿Discover ways to feed your soul and be satisfied.¿ Get on mission with the God of the universe and change your world.

The Gnostic New Age

The Gnostic New Age
Author: April D. DeConick
Publisher: Columbia University Press
Total Pages: 515
Release: 2016-09-27
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0231542046

Gnosticism is a countercultural spirituality that forever changed the practice of Christianity. Before it emerged in the second century, passage to the afterlife required obedience to God and king. Gnosticism proposed that human beings were manifestations of the divine, unsettling the hierarchical foundations of the ancient world. Subversive and revolutionary, Gnostics taught that prayer and mediation could bring human beings into an ecstatic spiritual union with a transcendent deity. This mystical strain affected not just Christianity but many other religions, and it characterizes our understanding of the purpose and meaning of religion today. In The Gnostic New Age, April D. DeConick recovers this vibrant underground history to prove that Gnosticism was not suppressed or defeated by the Catholic Church long ago, nor was the movement a fabrication to justify the violent repression of alternative forms of Christianity. Gnosticism alleviated human suffering, soothing feelings of existential brokenness and alienation through the promise of renewal as God. DeConick begins in ancient Egypt and follows with the rise of Gnosticism in the Middle Ages, the advent of theosophy and other occult movements in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and contemporary New Age spiritual philosophies. As these theories find expression in science-fiction and fantasy films, DeConick sees evidence of Gnosticism's next incarnation. Her work emphasizes the universal, countercultural appeal of a movement that embodies much more than a simple challenge to religious authority.

Seek First

Seek First
Author: Jeremy R. Treat
Publisher: Zondervan
Total Pages: 208
Release: 2019-04-09
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0310586038

FIND WHAT MATTERS MOST. BUILD YOUR LIFE AROUND IT. In an age of distraction, everyone is looking for something that gives purpose and perspective on life. Jesus says it's the kingdom of God. But the kingdom is not just another religious idea. Rather, God's loving reign brings clarity and coherence to all of life - identity, work, play, relationships, justice, character - in a way that is profound and practical. Seek First brings theology to the streets, giving a vision for the kingdom that will truly change your life. "Treat presents the message of the kingdom in a way that gives us a grander vision for life, whether in the workplace or on the basketball court." - CHRIS BROUSSARD, NBA analyst and sports broadcaster "Few books do as good a job as this one in showing us how giving up everything for Christ and his kingdom is the pathway to our greatest gain. Seek First is a gem!" - SCOTT SAULS, author and senior pastor, Christ Presbyterian Church "With insight and passion Treat reveals why we ought to reorient our lives and reprioritize our loves . . . practical and powerful." - MARIELLE WAKIM, editor, Los Angeles magazine "A prophetic and urgent note to the generations . . . a clearly written and much-needed book!" - KEVIN J. VANHOOZER, professor, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

Seek First the Kingdom - Bible Study Book

Seek First the Kingdom - Bible Study Book
Author: Christine Hoover
Publisher:
Total Pages: 192
Release: 2021-04
Genre:
ISBN: 9781087707785

As Christians, we live busy and harried lives, most often because we are eager and earnest to join with God in His work in the world. In the confusion and sheer volume of opportunities and ideas vying for our attention, we must constantly return to the words of Jesus to find our focus and purpose, for the truths He spoke, when believed and applied, lead to our flourishing. Using parables and stories, Jesus spoke most often of the kingdom of God as what matters--the ways of the kingdom, the values of the kingdom, and the cultivation of the kingdom here on earth in light of its fulfillment in heaven. In other words, the kingdom of God defines who we are and what we do as Christians. Many Christians don't have a working knowledge of the kingdom and their true citizenship in a way that affects their daily lives and decisions. Seek First the Kingdom cuts through the clutter of life with the words of Jesus, urging readers to stop, think, take notice, and reorient themselves solidly around the kingdom. Features: 8 weeks of personal study to complete between 8 group sessions Leader guide to help guide group meetings Benefits: Explore the kingdom of God in-depth, learning what the kingdom of God is, and how we enter it. Embrace the life Jesus offers us within the kingdom and the way we find joy as His subjects. Understand how the ways, values, and cultivation of the kingdom of God define who we are. Learn to confront our allegiances to idols and false kings, re-ordering our worship. Identify our places in the kingdom of God and how we can join in the work that God is doing here and around the world.

Finding God's Will

Finding God's Will
Author: Gregg Matte
Publisher: Baker Books
Total Pages: 231
Release: 2010-11-25
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1441224149

Pastor Gregg Matte writes, "God's will is not the needle in the haystack discovered only by 'Navy SEALs for Jesus'; it is actually the hay in the haystack to be found by every believer." This is great news for any Christian who has ever wondered about finding and living in the will of God. Through an extensive, intimate examination of God's encounter with Moses in the burning bush, Finding God's Will invites readers to shift their understanding of God's will from an event to be experienced to a process to live; God's will is what happens when we seek him. Readers will discover how to be on the lookout for their own burning bushes, how to focus on pleasing "Thee not they," and how to expect God's power as they seek his will. They may also be surprised to find that, as they seek a deeper relationship with God, his direction and guidance become clear. A life centered in God's will is a promise offered to every believer and every Christian can learn how to receive that gift.

Man Seeks God

Man Seeks God
Author: Eric Weiner
Publisher: Hachette+ORM
Total Pages: 317
Release: 2011-12-05
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1455505706

Bestselling author of Geography of Bliss returns with this funny, illuminating chronicle of a globe-spanning spiritual quest to find a faith that fits. When a health scare puts him in the hospital, Eric Weiner-an agnostic by default-finds himself tangling with an unexpected question, posed to him by a well-meaning nurse. "Have you found your God yet?" The thought of it nags him, and prods him-and ultimately launches him on a far-flung journey to do just that. Weiner, a longtime "spiritual voyeur" and inveterate traveler, realizes that while he has been privy to a wide range of religious practices, he's never seriously considered these concepts in his own life. Face to face with his own mortality, and spurred on by the question of what spiritual principles to impart to his young daughter, he decides to correct this omission, undertaking a worldwide exploration of religions and hoping to come, if he can, to a personal understanding of the divine. The journey that results is rich in insight, humor, and heart. Willing to do anything to better understand faith, and to find the god or gods that speak to him, he travels to Nepal, where he meditates with Tibetan lamas and a guy named Wayne. He sojourns to Turkey, where he whirls (not so well, as it turns out) with Sufi dervishes. He heads to China, where he attempts to unblock his chi; to Israel, where he studies Kabbalah, sans Madonna; and to Las Vegas, where he has a close encounter with Raelians (followers of the world's largest UFO-based religion). At each stop along the way, Weiner tackles our most pressing spiritual questions: Where do we come from? What happens when we die? How should we live our lives? Where do all the missing socks go? With his trademark wit and warmth, he leaves no stone unturned. At a time when more Americans than ever are choosing a new faith, and when spiritual questions loom large in the modern age, Man Seeks God presents a perspective on religion that is sure to delight, inspire, and entertain.

What Do You Seek?

What Do You Seek?
Author: Buckley
Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing
Total Pages: 158
Release: 2016
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 0802873952

Throughout the Gospels, Jesus teaches people and proclaims the kingdom of God. But that's not all. He also questions -- a lot. Jesus asks questions that challenge and unsettle. Questions that cut to the heart of human experience. Questions that -- like a plow plunging deeply into hard soil -- split life open. Distinguished theologian Michael Buckley in this book meditates on fourteen key personal questions that Jesus asks in the Gospel of John -- such questions as "What do you seek?" "Do you know what I have done to you?" "How can you believe?" "Do you take offense at this?" "Do you love me?" Readers will be challenged to new ways of thinking and living as they seek to follow Jesus.

Seeking a Familiar Face

Seeking a Familiar Face
Author: May Patterson
Publisher:
Total Pages: 178
Release: 1917-09-18
Genre:
ISBN: 9780996238021

Ever feel disappointed? Like your life isn't as fulfilling as you had always dreamed it would be? Are you laden down with responsibilities, feeling overwhelmed and empty, or maybe even a bit caged? You're not alone. Many people in the Bible felt the same way. Most had difficulties. Some felt stuck. Others were depressed. Afraid. Uncertain. And some just wanted to get closer to God. So they set out on life's grand adventure-seeking God-and encountered the One who fulfilled their longings and changed their lives forever. The same can happen for you. Seeking a Familiar Face guides you on the transforming journey of connecting with God, through simple, yet extraordinary ways. It doesn't matter if you are already seeking Him or just getting started, this book will encourage you to go a little farther toward locking hearts with God. in this book you will discover: - Engaging narratives from 10 biblical characters - Stories, humor, and practical ideas for seeking God - Thought provoking questions to discuss with a friend or group - Fresh hope for deepened intimacy with God

Seek Me with All Your Heart

Seek Me with All Your Heart
Author: Beth Wiseman
Publisher: HarperChristian + ORM
Total Pages: 321
Release: 2010-10-17
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1595549765

What would cause the Amish to move to Colorado, leaving family and friends behind? Some Amish are making the trek to Colorado for cheaper land. Others are fleeing strict bishops with long memories. For Emily Detweiler and her family, the move is more personal. Tragedy struck Emily in Ohio, shaking loose everything she believed was firm, including her faith. Her family took the bold step of leaving Ohio to resettle in a small Amish community in Canaan, Colorado, where they hope the distance will help erase painful memories. David Stoltzfus's family moved to Colorado for reasons he doesn't understand. But Canaan is turning out to be something other than the promised land they all anticipated. Fearing that a health condition will cut his life short, David plans to return home to Paradise, Pennsylvania, as soon as he can. But then he meets Emily, who stirs feelings in his heart despite his apprehension about the future. Emily's growing love for David surprises her, but she fears that he will find out the truth about her past and reject her. But what if the truth is that they are made for each other? And that God longs to give them the desires of their hearts if only they will seek Him first?