The Night Watchman Blog Tour

Ray Quinn is a tough, quick-witted homicide detective in love with his partner, Trisha Willis. She gives Ray something to live for--something to hope in. Until a barrage of bullets leaves Trisha murdered and Ray crippled.

Struggling with his new physical disability and severe depression, Quinn turns to whiskey, scorn, and a job as a night watchman to numb the pain. But when a pastor and an exotic dancer are found dead in an apparent murder-suicide, the pastor's sister approaches Quinn for help.

Reluctantly, Quinn takes the case and is plunged into the perilous Orlando. Soon he discovers that, not only was the pastor murdered, but the case may be linked to his and Trisha's ambush. Torn between seeking revenge or responsibility, Quinn is thrust into the case of his life.

Author Mark Mynheir gives readers his most profound police thriller to date with The Night Watchman [first book in The Night Watchman Private Detective Agency Series]. Readers of all ages will devour this gripping murder mystery that bristles with tension and intrigue. In a taut cop-style all his own, Mynheir delivers an inside look at the thoughts, feelings, fears, and challenges police officers experience while investigating violent crimes and the lost souls who commit them.

Mynheir's descriptions of characters, scenes, and dialogue are delightful to read. It makes the reader really be "at the scene". Masterful and I can't wait to get more books in this series. This is one of the few books that I have read cover to cover with hardly any breaks.

Author Bio:
A detective with the Criminal Investigations Unit of the Palm Bay Police Department, Mark Mynheir investigates violent crimes and writes riveting Christian fiction. A U.S. Marine with a passion for martial arts and firearms training, Mark has worked on narcotics units, SWAT teams, and myraid high-risk situations. His four novels offer a realisic glimpse into the gritty world of law enforcement and the rarely seen raw emotions behind the badge. Mark lives in Florida with his wife and three children.

http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9781590529355&ref=externallink_mlt_thenightwatchman_sec_0414_01

Book Review: Latter-Day Cipher by LaTayne C. Scott

Award winning author LaTayne C. Scott has another hit with the suspense thriller Latter-Day Cipher. Scott takes the reader through an incredible journey of Mormon history. For this reviewer, it was a bit of deja vu having lived in Utah and being part of the Mormon church and culture for many years.

Scott brings to the Latter-Day Cipher many historically documented facts such as the Masonic links, Blood Atonement, and a gentle inside look at the hot topic in the news of polygamy. Has the media played a role in how the public perceives church tradition? As a reader you have the opportunity to take a look inside to how it began, developed, and why some will not give it up--and not for the reasons most people think.

Kirsten Young, a well-known and rebellious Utah heiress is found murdered in Provo Canyon. The strange markings carved into her flesh and the note written in 19th century code seems to cast a shadow on ancient Mormon laws. Already wary of outsiders, the last thing the Latter-Day Saints church needs is bad publicity.

Journalist Selonnah Zee is assigned to cover the story--and it quickly grows out of control. Within days, more victims appear in disturbing succession surrounded by symbols and clues.

Selonnah's cousin Roger has recently converted to Mormonism but his wife, Eliza is beginning to doubt the faith of her childhood. If something is really from God, she wonders, why does it need to be constantly revised? Might the murderer be asking the same question? And who might be the next victim?

Why did the murderer use the old Mormon Code based on Brigham Young's Deseret Alphabet? And what is the meaning of all the dead bodies carefully displayed and the strange markings? If you were an insider you knew it had to be covered up, but for Selonnah, a criminal justice graduate turned journalist, it became a puzzle to be mastered. Perhaps an answer is finally reached why the murderer and others like the old ways, but the church chose to be modernized.

This is definitely a page turner all the way to the surprising end.

At the back of the book are questions for study and insights brought out in this well written and fascinating book.

You can view a trailer of the book at www.latayne.com

Author's Bio

LaTayne C. Scott was a Mormon for ten yeas, attending Brigham Young University and working s a staff member for two of BYU's weekly magazines. After her conversion to Christianity, she authored thirteen published books and has also published articles, reviews, and poems. She is the recipient of Pepperdine University's Distinguished Christian Service Award for creative Christian writing. She is a full-time writer and lives in New Mexico with her husband. She has two adult children.

The Shack Author Denies Biblical Substitutionary Atonement

In a recent radio interview, The Shack author, Paul Young, told the interviewer he did not hold to the traditional view of the atonement in that he does not believe Jesus Christ bore the punishment (i.e., penalty) for man's sins when He died on the Cross (transcript).

He also stated, with regard to this topic: "I don't know if you're aware, but that's a huge debate that's going on in theology right now within the evangelical community." That debate, to which Young refers, is the new theology (or as we call it the new spirituality) that is entering Christianity through contemplative and emerging figures such as Brennan Manning, Brian McLaren, and Marcus Borg.

This "huge debate" states that a loving Father would never send His Son to a violent death on behalf of the sins of others. And while they do not deny that Jesus did physically die on a Cross, they insist that His death was not to be a substitutionary act wherein He was punished for our sins.

Rather, they say, He was killed by man, not for man. And he was a perfect model of sacrificial servanthood. As Episcopal new spirituality author, Alan Jones, states, "Jesus' sacrifice was to appease an angry God. Penal substitution was the name of this vile doctrine" (Reimagining Christianity, p. 168).

Contemplative proponent Brennan Manning, quoting Catholic mystic William Shannon, says: "[T]he god who exacts the last drop of blood from his Son so that his just anger, evoked by sin, may be appeased . . . does not exist" (Above All, pp. 58-59). Mystic Marcus Borg has this exact same view. He is opposes the doctrine of penal substitutionary atonement and sees the Cross as merely a metaphor for transformation in the mystical sense. 1 Brian McLaren shares this view (and indeed resonates with Borg) when he says that hell and the Cross are "false advertising for God." 2

The Shack, still at the top of the New York Times Best Seller list, is being heralded as one of the best Christian books ever. But as Lighthouse Trails and other concerned ministries have reported in a number of documented articles, The Shack is not a Christian book, and it should not be packaged, presented, and promoted as such.

While many who have read The Shack, tout that it has changed their lives, what these people do not understand is that the book appeals to people's senses; thus, the book is sensual. And because it makes people feel good, they assume (wrongly) that it must be from God. But The Shack is appealing to the carnal man and not the spiritual, and as the Bible warns, there is a "wisdom [that] descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish" (James 3: 15).

With this in mind, Lighthouse Trails has posted an article by free-lance writer, John Lanagan, who attended a large evangelical church meeting this past weekend in which The Shack author spoke. The church is presenting a series on The Shack and began the series by having Young address the congregation. It is not the intention of this report to single out this particular church but rather to warn believers of The Shack's interspiritual, panentheistic, and non-biblical theologies and the book's major impact on many many churches. Please click here to read this article.

We have also posted an article this week of a serious nature regarding the heightened involvement by Nazarene pastors worldwide with contemplative spirituality: "Nazarene General Assembly Welcomes Contemplative Spirituality--Nazarene Pastors Worldwide Invited."

In His grace,

Editors at Lighthouse Trails Research

www.lighthousetrails.com

www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com

www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog

Cruel and Usual Punishment: Nonie Darwish

The sympathy and genuine love that Ms. Darwish possesses for her people of origin, drives her to expose how they have been shackled by a 7th century religious zealotry which may ultimately lead to their own demise and that of the entire civilized world. Ms. Darwish, with much scholarly research, applies the yeoman's work to expose Islam as a skewed ideology which advocates pedophilia , slavery, subjugation of women, murder of homosexuals, and mayhem upon all infidels; fear, loathing and hate are sown and cultivated in the Koran, Hadith and Sharia, containing over 35,200 calls for death, decapitation, murder, and perpetrating fear and chaos upon non-Muslims.

The intolerable supremacist nature of Islam must be universally acknowledged both in the Muslim world as well as the Western world. No one will be safe until there is a total revolution calling for the absolute reformation of Islam. It is imperative for the victims who live under the ummah of Islam (women, children, dhimmis, homosexuals, and slaves) as well as the entire world and until such time there can be no conceivable way to transcend the violence that pursues the destruction of all beliefs outside of Islam.

Review by: Randy Settenbrino[Amazon.com reviewer]

Living The Love

Today's social media is a fun place to meet people, as well as experience them in different ways depending upon the venue that you meet. Today's spotlight blogger, Karla Meachem, I have known through several sites, but didn't get to see the love and charm she has until we were both on Twitter.com
Karla tweeters, "Good Morning" to everyone, and then over the next several hours tweet these really wonderful links. They would be anything from a great site to find puzzles for children, or pages of activities, movies that are family oriented, or wonderful outreaches in her area. So I thought, of course, that she was a home school mom. Wow, so not the case! She tells me that she just loves her kids and wants to keep them busy with fun and inventive things--and--shares the goods with everybody. How cool is that!My friend is recovering from recent surgery so we did this 365 Love Award through an interview. Below are Karla's statements about life, family, and her incredible gift to the world. Don't forget to leave a comment so she can read them.
"I am a firm believer that everyone has their own mission field (children included) - in our homes, our workplace and our community. Every person that we come into contact with is an opportunity to share the love of Christ. Our life should be a testimony to the One we love.

First and foremost, I enjoy being a mom; my kids are my top priority; and I am privileged to be a sahm (stay at home mom). Now that both kids are in school, I am enjoying a much more active role within our community.I am also our church secretary, as well as part of a church planting team. I especially love the outreach events that we hold in our community and surrounding areas.This summer we planned an outdoor concert and bbq. We had games for the kids, as well as treats (bubbles, tattoos, and chalk to take home with them).

We just recently started an event entitled "breakTHROUGH!". We will hold these events every 2 weeks! We are encouraging those who are struggling with life to come out to find encouragement, support and direction.

And we are also encouraging those who know Jesus already, to come out to be equipped to go to the next level with God! Praise & worship, a message and prayer...drawing closer to the heart of Jesus.

Just tonight, our church team went out to a community about 30 minutes away. The community has a yearly Christmas Light Tour. Their entire town participates; they have even won awards. Our church team went out tonight and offered free hot chocolate to those touring the community.

Later on in December, we are going caroling and handing out scotch tape to each home. We desire to touch people's lives in a unique, but special way. These events also help us to get the word out about our new church and give us a chance to meet people and wish them Merry CHRISTmas! (encouraging them to 'stick with Jesus!')

And yes, the children are included in these events; and are encouraged to participate...right from setting up for service, cleaning up after service and in between. :) (We meet in a school)

Yes, I do encourage my kids to help others. My daughter, who is almost 10, has a servant's heart. She is very aware of those that need a hand, both at school and around our community. My son is only 5, but is encouraged to help as much as he can and is eager to help when asked.

Both my kids have needed to grow up to be more independent than other kids their age, because they have grown up living with a mom that deals with daily chronic pain. They are amazing kids! A real BIG blessing in my life! I'm excited to see what God has planned for their lives!

My heart's desire is for people, both young and old to live a victorious life in Christ - to be all that God has called them to be!"Living the Love,

Karla

*************************************************************************

Empowering Christian Women was started as a place to organize my businesses to include my Christian faith, but it quickly blossomed into a new vision and passion to encourage Christian women to reach their complete potential in Christ. ECW is a work in progress, but it has stolen my heart.

Now, Empowering Christian Women is an online ministry, a place to share resources that have impacted my daily walk with Christ. ECW is a daily part of my life, an extension of who I am...or rather, who God is transforming me to be!She is also a contributing author of the recently released e-book entitled Mirror, Mirror...on the Wall, which is available for purchase at http://10women10commandments.com.

Karla has a heart and a passion for Christ. She is a firm believer in keeping God first; as she knows the empowerment (freedom and liberty) available to everyone through Christ.

Karla lives in Saskatchewan, Canada with her husband and two children; she can be reached at

empowered_life@yahoo.ca

http://EmpoweringChristianWomen.com

http://ChristianToysForGirlsAndBoys.com

Wet and Dry

This is indeed a beautiful day to know the Lord, to worship and adore Him, and to soak in His glory--the River. My personal Bible study has been in the Book of Joshua. When the children of Israel came to the Jordan River it was when the river was swollen to over flowing with bountiful water. The priests were sent into the water. Obedience to the Lord's command through Joshua brought a miracle--the water stopped flowing, the land became dry and the people were able to walk across for the second time in their history--on dry ground.

The thought occurred to me as I was teaching this that sometimes we think the dry ground we are walking on is a wilderness, when in fact it just might be God holding back the challenges and oppositions to your success so that you too can walk across the situation on dry ground. The key is for us to keep our focus on the Lord, on our purpose in the kingdom, and walking by faith and not by sight.

The next thing we should remember is that when we say we believe and submit to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior--don't look back to the old man--that old life style and things that we have given up except if you are witnessing to somebody about where the Lord has brought you. Hallelujah!

In Joshua 24:21-24,27 it states "Now therefore put away, said he, the strange gods which are among you, and incline your heart unto the Lord God of Israel. And the people said unto Joshua, The Lord Our God will we serve, and his voice will we obey. ... And Joshua said unto all the people, Behold, this stone shall be a witness unto us, for it hath heard all the words of the Lord which he spake unto us" it shall be a witness unto us; for it hath heard all the words of the Lord which he spake unto us. It shall be therefore a witness unto you, lest ye deny your God."

The Word of God declares that if we do not glorify and worship the Lord, the rocks will cry out in our place. Take a moment and give God all the praise and worship you have in you--let Him know that you will cry out to Him and refuse to give your place to a rock. And remember whether you are on dry ground or in the River--you are safe in the arms of the Lord your God.