"A powerful, biblically grounded study that reveals profound connections between Old Testament Scripture and the coming Messiah, . . . this book is unique and impactful! Don't miss it!" --Doris Swift, host of the Fierce Calling Podcast and author of Surrender the Joy Stealers: Rediscover the Jesus Joy in You While the stories of Jesus in the New Testament may feel like familiar friends, the ancient tales of the Old Testament can seem daunting and distant. But fear not, for within these sacred pages lies a treasure trove waiting to be discovered--a promise that echoes from the beginning of time to the humble cradle in Bethlehem. In Tracing His Promise, Donna Amidon invites you on a transformative journey through twenty-five key stories, unraveling the intricate tapestry of God's redemptive plan. Through her gentle guidance, you'll witness how Jesus is not confined to the Gospels alone but weaves his presence throughout the entire Bible, even in the most unexpected corners of the Old Testament. Amidon blends rich theology, heartwarming anecdotes, and practical wisdom that will not only deepen your faith but also illuminate the interconnectedness of Scripture. With each turn of the page, you'll find yourself drawn closer to the heart of God's story, finding renewed peace and hope for today. But the journey doesn't end there. With engaging discussion questions, captivating artwork, and printable ornaments for an enriching Advent activity known as the Jesse Tree, you'll be equipped to foster meaningful family traditions, ensuring that the story of Jesus is passed down from generation to generation--a precious heirloom of faith.
"Walking on Hidden Wings is a historical romance set in the 1920s and highlights the daring adventures of a New York City socialite who exchanges her glittering gowns for a pair of coveralls and pilot goggles. Disguised as a flamboyant barnstormer, she travels throughout rural New York in hopes of unearthing clues behind her husband's murder. A gentleman linked to her past unexpectedly appears with information that shines a haunting light on everything she once accepted as truth. Danger pursues as she hunts for answers that stretch from grave to sky"--
"When a group of quirky "golden girls" retire on a never-ending round of cruises, they dub themselves the Shippers because they're all about relationships. Boss matchmaker, Emily Windsor, crafts an intricate battle plan as her unwilling targets, hostess Lacey Anderson and handsome director Jonathan King, dig in their heels. The Shippers may sneak around with walkie talkies and orchestrate "coincidental" meetings, but the couple rebuffs every outlandish plot. They've already tried and failed at romance. No need to repeat a voyage that's doomed from the start. It's rough waters ahead as the matchmakers chart the young people's course to true love, all while inadvertently tracking down a group of drug smugglers who threaten to ruin their floating home-sweet-home. Fans of toe-curling kisses and belly-shaking hilarity willl enjoy this vacation for their soul"--
"Coal miner Joshua Morgan managed to do the impossible - he broke away from the stranglehold of the iron-fisted Barton family and the Company Store, to whom all the miners in the Appalachian Mountains are indebted. But it cost him the life of his young daughter, who was run down by a posse led by Thomas Barton while coming to collect Joshua's payment to the store. Five years later, a sweet but slow-witted young girl lands on his doorstep, and Joshua's desire to protect her from the clutches of the Bartons increases his thirst for vengeance. Joshua sets out to discover where the girl came from in order to take down the Barton family once and for all. His journey leads him to the truth about the day his daughter died, a reality he finds hard to accept. But when confronted by Thomas Barton himself, Joshua is forced to rethink the dark lies brewing in his heart. If he broke away, could Thomas have also? Despite his misgivings, can Joshua join forces with a man he once despised to free the miners from the tyrannical Barton family and forge a future of peace for both the young girl and himself?"--
Too many people allow their negative attitudes to swindle them out of experiences and opportunities that life has to offer. Staying Positive in a Negative World is for people who are tired of melancholy and despair. Combining biblically based principles with personal stories and historical examples, Roger Campbell has created an encouraging guide for spiritual growth and a helpful resource for counseling. With compassion and insight, Campbell helps readers see that God is at work even in the darkest times.
"If you know or love a teen, you know comparison is the world they live in. Invite your teen to hear what Jesus has to say about living me-free in a measure-up world. Teen Comparison Girl is a book that helps teen girls identify the ways they are prone to compare and allowing the enemy to distract them from the purposeful me-free life Jesus desires for them. It's a Bible Study with quizzes and evaluations to help you spot your own comparing tendencies with practical tools for developing a me-free mindset"--
This volume is a verse-by-verse and section-by-section exposition of the pivotal epistle from the apostle Paul to the church at Ephesus. Chafer focuses on how this letter is a revelation of God's plan in and for the church. He further points out its close relationship to other Pauline letters. In a concept developed nowhere else in the New Testament, Paul, in Ephesians, speaks of "the heavenly places" as the realm of redemption. Chafer reveals it is with this theology that Paul offers practical exhortations to Christians in their daily lives.
"When a new customer brings in a badly damaged violin, it is exactly the sort of challenge Siobhan Walsh craves. The man who brought it in is not. He's too close to the painful past that left her heart and her faith in shambles. Matt Buchanan has had a rough start as worship pastor at Pursuers Church. A car accident on his way into town left him with a nearly totaled truck, a sprained ankle, and an heirloom violin in pieces. When he takes it to a local repair shop, he's fascinated with the restoration process-and with the edgy, closedoff woman doing the work. As their friendship deepens and turns into more, the history of the violin itself reveals more about their current problems than they could have ever expected. It may be more than they can overcome. ~~~ On the nineteenth-century frontier, a gruesome tomahawk attack wiped out most of Deborah Caldwell's family. Her greatest solace after the tragedy is the music from her father's prized violin. Given her horrendous scars, she'd resigned herself to a spinster's life until a soft-spoken local farmer proposes marriage. Levi Martinson's gentle love starts to chip away at her hardened heart, until unexpected, devasting details about the attack are revealed, putting their love-and Deborah's shaky faith-to the ultimate test. ~~~ Full of forgiveness and the message that no one is too damaged for God's healing touch, the final book in the split-time Sedgwick County Chronicles will thrill fans of Rachel Hauck, Lisa Wingate, and Kristy Cambron"--
Sue Edwards's Bible studies have enlightened, encouraged, and equipped women with meaningful devotion, biblical principles, and timeless life lessons. Here she offersa timely and provocative study of the book of Daniel. Join Sue as she looks at the life and lessons of Daniel and his companions, who, like so many believers today, faced increasingly challenging choices between their love and commitment to God and the often aggressive hostility of the godless culture in which they had been placed. Sue's intelligent and insightful exposition of the book of Daniel and its historical and cultural setting, combined with her practical and timely instruction in the daily application of the message and lessons of Daniel, make this an indispensable guide to women of faith in our rapidly changing cultural environment.
Walking with those who walk with God brings a sense of presence that warms our hearts, slows our pace, eases our tensions, clears our minds, and inspires our actions. An intimate account of W. Phillip Keller's inner thoughts, God Is My Delight is a spiritual autobiography that explores the work of the triune God in the author's life--and how that same God is at work in our lives as well. Writing in the warm, inviting tone loved by his millions of readers, Keller reveals what he has learned about God as his Father, Jesus as his Friend, and the Holy Spirit as his Counselor and Guide. He takes the reader on a spiritual journey as he recounts his own experiences as a young boy in boarding school, his adult years wandering far from God, and finally the circumstances that brought him into the loving embrace of his Father. Opening up his heart to nurture the souls of others, Keller encourages the reader toward a greater intimacy with God and provides practical steps that Christians can take toward a closer walk with their Savior.
""Another Christian renounces the church and Christ." "Former Christian music star turns her back on faith." "I kissed Christianity goodbye." Headlines like these are becoming common. It seems like the most popular trend in faith circles lately is to deconstruct, then deconvert. Joshua Porter knows that story from the inside out. He was raised in the tangles of American evangelical Christianity, and the church he knew was conservative, fundamentalist, and politicized. It feared culture, music, art, Dungeons & Dragons, Harry Potter, and anything else that was slightly suspect. This foundation of dread and fear was full of holes he nearly fell through . . . and out of faith altogether. His story put him on the road to deconversion--but that isn't where he ended up. Despite his years of being surrounded by disaffected former Christians and living large in the punk rock lifestyle, Porter now finds his faith closer to the historic Christian tradition than ever. This book is more than Porter's own story. It also invites those who may be in the deconstruction process themselves to consider the perspective of someone who was tempted to leave his faith--yet stayed. And it provides theological insight and pastoral support to those who worry that everyone is bailing out on the church"--
Using six essential statements by Jesus in the Upper Room Discourse of John 17, Don Hawkins traces the key principles of disciple-making to their most basic source--the concepts and practices of Jesus himself. The pattern laid down by Christ is a practical, workable one. This is not simply another list of vital topics for the growing Christian. Rather, it is a divinely inspired, Christ-centered outline actually modeled by Jesus. Master Discipleship Today is a practical "how-to" tool for pastors, group leaders, and individual Christians who want to further their own growth in the faith and lead others to a deeper level of discipleship. This is a revised and expanded edition of the book formerly titled Master Discipleship. This edition is updated to include the Christian Life Coaching model of discipleship.
With Millennial and Generation Z women coming of age in our churches and society, new approaches to women's ministry are required to meet their distinct needs. Drawing on decades of experience ministering to women, authors Sue Edwards and Kelley Mathews explain how their Transformation Model can energize women's ministry for all generations and in multiple settings. Individual chapters are devoted to applying the Model, which is centered on Scripture and building relationships, to ministry in the local church, the college campus, and cross-culturally in missions. Organic Ministry to Women is packed with practical advice and real-life illustrations of how to implement the principles of the Transformation Model. Edwards and Mathews also profile numerous leading women's ministers like Jen Wilkin, Priscilla Shirer, and Jackie Hill-Perry, drawing wisdom and inspiration from their lives and ministries. Helpful appendixes provide additional resources including sample job descriptions for ministry leaders, a Bible study lesson, and a training guide for small group leaders. A revised and expanded version of New Doors in Ministry to Women, this updated edition takes into account the latest cultural and ministry trends and is an invaluable resource for current and future leaders in ministry to women. "As a mentor of young women both in the corporate world and the church, I've discipled women in a variety of settings--the local coffee shop, the boardroom, my kitchen table, via video chat, and the typical Sunday school classroom. Except for the latter, how I minister looks nothing like how my grandmother did women's ministry. The postmodern woman no longer fits into a simple and neat, descriptive box. She juggles more than her predecessors and craves, even demands, authenticity. Organic Ministry to Women is a much-needed resource helping pastoral leaders transform their methods of discipleship from the antiquated ways of their youth to what's relevant and needed for the postmodern woman today." --Karla D. Zazueta, discipleship leader, blogger, and author
Real answers for the tough questions today's Christians face Whether you want to grow in your own understanding of Christianity or need trustworthy responses to the questions of friends, Dan Story has the answers. Defending Your Faith helps Christians see that their faith is reasonably and intelligently grounded on objective, verifiable evidence. And it equips readers to share these answers with family, friends, and coworkers who have questions about Christianity. Story's book has filled a valuable niche in apologetics for the past twenty years. He has helped countless readers answer confrontational questions such as: - How do I know that God exists? - Can I trust the Bible? - Why is there evil and suffering in the world? - Is God an environmentalist?>In this revised and expanded edition, Dan Story goes even further. With the latest apologetic evidence and tactics, he not only answers those age-old questions but also deals with new challenges to Christianity that have emerged over the last two decades, including the ubiquitous presence of social media. He also responds head-on to the new breed of vocal, aggressive, man-on-the-street atheists. With culturally relevant strategies and a firm foundation of truth, Defending Your Faith will challenge you to share your faith with others while knowing that you are not alone as you witness for Christ.
"Although we were created for loving, intimate relationships, we've lost our understanding of how to find and maintain them. Andrea Gurney wants readers to discover more authentic connections that aren't made of wishes, so she equips us with practices from psychology, biblical truths, and lessons from relationship science. She also helps us examine our developmental history, including how cultural and familial messages take root in our psyches. Together, these tools craft a solid foundation on which lasting love can be built"--
Hearing the story of the first Christmas and decorating the Christmas tree are two beloved holiday traditions. This book enhances both! The Night Jesus Was Born tells the story of Jesus' birth and includes six press-out ornaments that your child can hang on the family Christmas tree as the book is read. Sure to become a treasured part of the holiday season!
When his son was diagnosed with a disabling mental illness, John F. Baggett experienced a journey of grief unlike any other--a grief for the loss of all his son would never be and that he, as a father, would never experience. Through that difficult period he learned that grief--by whatever definition and for whatever reason--can be a time of momentous spiritual struggle: it is no smooth sailing even for faithful Christians. How then can believers navigate the struggles of faith that so often accompany personal tragedy?Finding the Good in Grief is both a practical and inspirational guide that teaches readers to learn, change, and grow through their grief. In five stages, Baggett demonstrates how to: Trust God and rely on othersChoose reality instead of illusionResist the temptation to get stuckRecognize moments of graceDiscover new meaning and purposeFinding the Good in Grief will help CHristians successfully negotiate faith struggles that often accompany the different stages of grief and will encourage them to find and develop spiritual resources to survive their darkest days of emotional turmoil. Most of all, it will guide them to understand that God does have the power to transform events of radical suffering and to use them for good in our lives.
Five years ago, Keelyn's armed, mentally ill stepfather took her family hostage in their house in rural Colorado. Authorities blamed the father's frequent hallucinations about a being named Lucent. But peace is hard to maintain when the memory returns . . . in the flesh. Lucent is back, and he's no hallucination.
Do our images of "one God in three persons" reflect God well? Throughout history, Christians have pictured the relationships between Father, Son, and Holy Spirit through analogies. Such illustrations--some from the West but also from Latin America, Asia, Africa, and other places--come laden with theological ramifications that the church has rejected (heresies) or embraced (doctrines). In Three in One, William David Spencer shares a lifetime of insights from teaching within the global church, bringing fresh images and analogies of the Trinity to deepen our theological vocabulary. Drawing from his extensive teaching in geographically and culturally diverse contexts and his artist's passion for evocative words and visuals, Spencer offers readers a rich, multifaceted, and practical exploration of the Trinity. Alongside historical and contemporary theology and biblical studies, he considers the strengths and shortcomings of various analogies used to explain the Trinity, such as: LightWaterThe Celtic knotThe totem poleMusical harmoniesThe human bodyThe familyReaders of Three in One will gain a personal understanding of the Trinity as well as tools for teaching about the Trinity in adult and children's ministry contexts.
Verity Hatherleigh has a mind of her own--but her impulsive actions do not impress her viscount papa. When she gets into one scrape too many, he sends her off to the wilds of Scotland to rethink her headstrong ways. Anthony Jardine relished his role as curate, but his new duties as laird of Dungally aren't always to his liking. Though he thought his new inheritance would be a blessing, somehow he's finding nothing but trouble on these estates. And the intelligent, compassionate, feisty lass who was sent to rusticate in his territory is one of the biggest problems. He's falling in love with her, but she doesn't share the faith that's his foundation--not to mention he's been lying to her about who he really is. For the truth-loving Verity, that may be unforgivable. The tangled web these two have woven may spell disaster for their happiness--and for the tenants of Dungally.
Prayer can be an intimate connection to God, and taking time to reflect on the character and nature of God is vital to our spiritual growth. Combining the two will open exciting new vistas of worship for every believer. In this unique book, Rosemary Jensen offers 31 prayer devotionals designed to direct thoughtful meditation on the attributes of God. Combining Bible study with focused prayer will enrich your personal devotional and worship time. Each devotional highlights one of God's attributes and structures prayer suggestions around the ACTS acrostic, representing the four different essentials of prayer-Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication. Significant Scripture references are included to direct the reader's thoughts to focus on each attribute. Attributes studied include: Accessibility. Creator. Eternality. Justice. Personality. Sovereignty.
In this classic series from one of the most creative and articulate expositors of the twentieth century, each volume of the Ironside Expository Commentaries features clear, easily grasped outlines and a vivid writing style; and scholarship that has stood the test of time without losing its relevance.
"To be an effective Christian leader in a secular business, that leader must first be an effective disciple of Christ. Why? Because transformed lives transform cultures. To become the kinds of Christian leaders we need today, leaders need to become the kinds of disciples Christ has called all Christians to be-devoted to the fundamentals of Christian belief and practice. As a lifelong business leader who's experienced the highs and lows of management at multiple multimillion-dollar organizations, Preston Poore has decades of practicing what he's now preaching. Through the Discipled Leader, Poore desires to fan the flames of worn-out Christian leaders who need to be reminded of their first love and deepest calling"--
"She helps others manage their desperate lives--but who will help her? Clinical psychologist Camille Brooks isn't put off by the lifestyle of her hoarding clients. After all, she lost her mother to the crippling anxiety disorder. She'll go a long way to help others avoid the same pain and loss. Despite Camille's expertise, her growing audience for her Let in the Light podcast, and the national recognition she's gaining for her creative coaching methods, there are some things she isn't prepared for. A client who looks far too much like her mom catches her off guard. And the revelation that she's also hoarding something sends her spinning. Can she stand to let the light into her own life with the help of a friend who wants to stand by her for life and the God who created and loves her? Or will she find that defeating her demons proves too much to bear?"--
The relationship between Israel and the church is a long-standing debate in Christian theology, and Romans 9-11 are the most important chapters for understanding it. How one interprets these chapters determines how one understands biblical theology, how the New Testament uses the Old Testament, and how the old and new covenants are related. To help readers draw their own conclusion, four leading scholars on this issue present a case for their viewpoint, followed by a response and critique from the others. Michael Vlach argues for a future mass conversion and a role for ethnic Israel in the church. Fred Zaspel and Jim Hamilton present a case for a future mass conversion that does not include a role for ethnic Israel. And Benjamin Merkle contends that Romans 9-11 promises neither a future mass conversion nor a role for ethnic Israel. General editor Andrew David Naselli helpfully sets the debate in its larger biblical-theological context in the introduction, while Jared Compton provides a useful summary of the views and interactions at the end of the volume. --
Somewhere between "Jesus Loves Me" and high school cynicism, the childlike acceptance of pat answers about faith is lost--often forever. But while many parents find this transitional period daunting, they don't want their kids to leave the Christian faith just because they didn't get good answers to how prayer works or whether dinosaurs were on Noah's ark. Honest Answers is a discussion book to help parents tackle the God questions that make them sweat. This isn't the place to come for pat answers that will make their kids nod, smile, and disconnect. Janelle Alberts and Ingrid Faro know that when tweens start asking questions, they're already old enough to understand the answers. They're determined to equip parents with the language, theology, permission, and confidence to join in the discussion--and to learn how to offer deeply doctrinal answers in 140 characters or less. The tween years present an incredible opportunity to build trust with kids and to keep them coming back to their parents for answers rather than finding other sources. With the tools and conversational tips here, mom and dad can engage in a hopeful conversation and help their children build a Christian faith to hold them steady their whole lives.
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