Bøger af John A Buttrick

"In time you must become the symbol of house Benhannon and let it soar over the houses of potentates," Silvia the Seer had been telling Daniel Benhannon often over the last few years and most recently about forty minutes prior to him taking to the air in the form of a giant falcon. He is given less than twenty-four hours to meet the demand or the coming storm she predicted would escalate into a full-scale war. Up until appearing in the sky over the city of Kyran, Daniel had only flown over the house of one potentate; the emperor of Zeutha. The Devine Imperative specified plural: houses and potentates, although did not specify the exact number of homes, nor did it give so much as a clue as to which rulers' residences he should overfly. Daniel had to wing it, choose where to go, and hope it was the correct choice and that his decision did not result in landing him in a pit he could not climb out of. Under the heavy influence of the Devine Imperative, Daniel is compelled to cast, Into-The-Wind, a Symphonic spell in which the Swirling of Events transports him like a leaf in the wind. He never knows the destination, only that the Music had in the past dropped him into perilous situations he barely survived. While facing certain military conflict with the Zeuthan Empire and working to fulfill the requirements imposed upon him, Daniel receives another Devine Imperative, "The Chosen Vessel must calm the world or millions will die," and has only months to do so with little more to go on than another Seer adding, "I see the Seardoon hovering above great upheaval." Little Alisiin, his adopted daughter, must be successful or the Chosen Vessel will not be able to calm the world. Daniel must fulfill all of the Devine requirements within the time frames while reaping the consequences, good and bad, of his past successes.

At eight winter's-old Alisiin Garow's isolated life begins to change after the Spell Surges from the Battle of Polen Tare reach the Village of the Border People. She is the seventh daughter of a seventh daughter and the Clairvoyan Nebba declares her Eppadoon, an agent of change. Alisiin is fated to face death at a young age with a glimmer of hope if she can rise above. If she dies, what was lost cannot be found, the falcon may not soar, and the nations will mourn. The weight of the world will be borne on the shoulders of a tiny girl.The victory at Polen Tare creates nearly as many problems as it solved. Daniel Benhannon sues for peace with the Zuethan Empire and achieves his goals through the Ra-Anan Accords. Powerful Nephilim within the empire launch plots and schemes to provoke him into violating the peace. The successful efforts to snuff out the flames ignited by his enemies in the end achieve their goals. The abduction of his daughter tempts him into endangering the lives of millions in the attempt to locate her.Imperial fleets cruise toward the Maiden Isles and a confrontation with the air and naval power of the Atlantan Guild, unless Daniel can convince Emperor El Zeuller to order his fleet of Majestic-class battlecruisers, Imperial-Grands, and a new fleet of swift and deadly vessels to change course.Daniel's uninhibited impulses lead him into accepting a challenge to the Justice-Mortis over the imperial palace in Zeuthans, but can a fight to the death prevent war or only postpone it.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches about attitudes toward prayer, charitable deeds, and our relationship to God and our fellow human beings. How do I live a life that is pleasing to Jesus? Where should I begin my study of the bible? I have been asked the questions many times by new converts to Christ. While there are many good places to begin such a study, the place I always suggest is Matthew; chapters, five, six, and seven. This is because we can learn directly from our Lord and Savior how He expects His followers to conduct themselves. The study is also a good reminder for people who are older in the faith.