Suffering
Sometimes life just hurts. Out of nowhere, death, illness, unemployment, or a difficult relationship can change our lives and challenge everything we thought we knew—leaving us feeling unable to cope. But, in the midst if all this pain and confusion, we are not alone. Weaving together his personal story, pastoral ministry experience, and biblical insights, best-selling author Paul David Tripp helps us trust God in the midst of suffering. He identifies traps to avoid in our suffering and points us instead to comforts to embrace. This raw yet hope-filled book will help you cling to God’s promises when trials come and move forward with the hope of the gospel.
Teach us to pray
One of the most basic and vital dimensions of the Christian life is the practice of prayer. Frequently our prayers begin with a petition or request, so the content of our prayers is informed by our circumstances. But what if the opposite were true? What if we allowed our prayers to inform our lives? What would our lives be like if prayer altered our living and began to shape the contours and content of our daily experiences? Gordon Smith invites us to learn three movements of prayer―thanksgiving, confession, and discernment―in order to be formed and transformed by prayers that seek God’s kingdom “on earth as it is in heaven.” Whether you are a beginner in the life of prayer or further along, this small book is a resource for deepening your prayer practice.
THE CALL TO JOY & PAIN
Embracing Suffering In Your Ministry by: Ajith Fernando The title says it all – The Call to Joy & Pain is a call to take up at the same time two gifts from the Lord, joy and pain. The author Ajith Fernando is eminently qualified to present this study. He is the national director of Youth for Christ in war-torn, disaster ridden Sri Lanka. Also, he ministers to the urban poor of his country. Opening with Colossians 1:24-29, “I rejoice in my sufferings…”, Fernando explains that today’s church is interested in a therapy of suffering but he has found that what we need is a theology of suffering – we must learn to joyfully face the cross. The Call to Joy & Pain message has four parts: Suffering and Joy are Basic to Christianity; Suffering Brings Us Nearer to Christ; Our Suffering Helps the Church; and, Servants of the Church. This is not a message for the faint of heart comfort lover. This is the “meat” of the Word, as the Apostle Paul would put it, and needs a reader willing to follow the Holy Spirit’s leading. “…we must not miss the demonstration of unflinching belief in the sovereignty of God that looks at every trial in a positive light.” (pg. 50). With many illustrations from the author’s own life, and from other Christians past and present, this is a clear, incisive presentation, with a strong reliance on Scripture. The Call to Joy & Pain is interesting and easy to read, providing much food for meditation, devotion, and worship. It has definitely helped my personal Christian growth. I believe readers will find it useful for both personal reading and for group use.
THE DIVINE MENTOR
by: Wayne Cordeiro Do You Have a Sacred Enclosure Around the Roots of Your Soul? Think about what you deal daily. Maybe you suffer the wear and tear of long commutes and even longer work days. Or you find yourself juggling endless e-mails, phone calls, and text messages. Noise. Chatter. Crowds. Politics. Talk radio. Television. Bills. Worries. Responsibilities. Deadlines. Endless chores. Demanding children. Relational bruises. Life wears on us. We can’t evade most of it, and that’s not really the solution anyway. What we need to do is protect the most important part of us… that deep down, soulish part of life that links us with our Creator. In The Divine Mentor, you will discover how to enjoy a dynamic, vital, and intimate relationship with God as you learn to hear Him speak daily through the Bible. You’ll embark on an adventure that will introduce you to His handpicked mentors, men and women who may save your health, your marriage, your ministry, and your future.
The Family Life of Christian Leader
Anyone involved in Christian ministry knows how challenging it is to balance ministry and family responsibilities. Many demands pull leaders in different directions—making it easy to neglect one or the other, often without even realizing it. Writing from decades of counseling and personal ministry experience, Ajith Fernando points Christian leaders back to the most important aspect of their lives: their relationship with God. He then offers practical guidance for responding to real-life situations in the home, including disciplining children, dealing with disappointment, loving one’s spouse, and pursuing joy. This book presents Christian leaders with a healthy and God-centered understanding of family that leads to a flourishing home.
THE FATHER HEART OF GOD
by: Floyd McClung So many deep emotional wounds are caused by earthly fathers who don’t know how to love…or who just aren’t there. However, as you come to know your Father God for who He really is the heavenly Father for whom no problem is too great or too insignificant you will experience the healing power of His love. From the scripture and from his real life experiences on three continents, Floyd McClung freshly illustrates the lavish affection that flows out of God’s heart. He gently shows you new ways to respond to your Father’s love and… – Overcome disappointment – Break down barriers of pride and independence – Win over insecurity – Restore broken relationships – Be a father or mother in the Lord for others
THE HOUR THAT CHANGES THE WORLD
by: Dick Eastman A classic book with a 21st century challenge. More than two million Christians around the world have revitalized their prayer lives through the step-by-step plan of prayer outlined in this book. You’ll be challenged to spend one hour each day in prayer by dividing the hour into twelve five minute “points of focus,” such as praise, waiting, confession and scripture praying. In this special 25th anniversary edition of The Hour That Changes the world, Dick Eastman also extends an invitation for believers everywhere to help from continuos walls of prayer in their communities? saturating neighborhoods and nations with nonstop, focused intercession. Wheter you join a wall of prayer or simply apply the twelve points plan, this book will transform your prayer life. As Joni Eareckson Tada writes in the foreword, “Through these pages the Lord Jesus catapulted me into a whole new dimension of joy…Dick Eastman’s book is arguably the most significant book on prayer written in modern times.”
THE JESUS I NEVER KNEW
What On Earth Are We Missing? by: Philip Yancey What happens when a respected Christian journalist decides to put his preconceptions aside and take a long look at the Jesus described in the Gospels? How does the Jesus of the New Testament compare to the ”new, rediscovered’ Jesus — or even the Jesus we think we know so well? Best-selling author Phillip Yancey says, ‘The Jesus I got to know in writing this book is very different from the Jesus I learned about in Sunday school. In some ways he is more comforting; in some ways more terrifying.’ Yancey offers a new and different perspective on the life of Christ and his work — his teaching, his miracles, his death and resurrection — and ultimately, who he was and why he came. Relating the gospel events to the world we live in today, The Jesus I Never Knew gives a moving and refreshing portrait of the central figure of history. With a willingness to tackle difficult questions, Yancey looks at the radical words of this itinerant Jewish carpenter and asks whether we are taking him seriously enough in our own day and age. From the manger in Bethlehem to the cross in Jerusalem, Yancey presents a complex character who generates questions as well as answers; a disturbing and exhilarating Jesus who wants to radically transform your life and stretch your faith. The Jesus I Never Knew uncovers a Jesus who is brilliant, creative, challenging, fearless, compassionate, unpredictable, and ultimately satisfying. This honest book will help you discover a different Jesus from the flannelgraph Sunday school figure, the sweetly smiling Victorian Savior, and all the cultural clichés that have tamed Jesus and kept him in comfortable religious boxes. According to Yancey, ‘No one who meets Jesus ever stays the same. In the end I found the process of writing this book to be a great act of faith-strengthening. Jesus has rocked my own preconceptions and has made me ask hard questions about why those of us who bear his name don’t do a better job of following him.’
The Meaning of Marriage
“Incredibly rich with wisdom and insight that will leave the reader, whether single or married, feeling uplifted.” —The Washington Times Based on the acclaimed sermon series by New York Times bestselling author Timothy Keller, this book shows everyone—Christians, skeptics, singles, longtime married couples, and those about to be engaged—the vision of what marriage should be according to the Bible. Modern culture would have you believe that everyone has a soul mate; that romance is the most important part of a successful marriage; that your spouse is there to help you realize your potential; that marriage does not mean forever, but merely for now; and that starting over after a divorce is the best solution to seemingly intractable marriage issues. But these modern-day assumptions are wrong. Timothy Keller, with insights from Kathy, his wife of thirty-seven years, shows marriage to be a glorious relationship that is also misunderstood and mysterious. The Meaning of Marriage offers instruction on how to have a successful marriage, and is essential reading for anyone who wants to know God and love more deeply in this life. Look out for Timothy Keller’s latest book, The Songs of Jesus.
THE PLEASURE OF HIS COMPANY
by: Dutch Sheets There’s just something about people who are close to God. Through the ups and downs of life, they remain secure, hopeful. If you want a more rewarding spiritual life, if you want the pleasure of knowing your Creator’s heart, this soul-lifting book is for you. Learn from Dutch Sheets as he shares his life lessons for cultivating an intimate relationship with God. Each of the thirty short chapters reveals a simple practice or biblical mindset that will help draw you away from the noise of life and into the Lord’s peaceful presence. With profound insights from the Bible and stories you won’t soon forget, The Pleasure of His Company is like a spiritual mentor, showing you simple ways to enjoy God more.
THE POWER OF A PRAYING® LIFE
Finding the Freedom, Wholeness, and True Success God Has for You by: Stormie Omartian Stormie Omartian has led millions to pray—parents, wives, husbands, women, teens, and kids. Each of her best-selling books have opened up the mystery of prayer and helped readers approach God with confidence and experience His power. With transparency and biblical depth, Stormie now shares what it means to connect with God in a deep and meaningful way through every circumstance that presents itself. With warmth and wisdom, Stormie helps readers understand how they can make their life work—with prayer. This book is for everyone who wants to: • live free of guilt and fear • experience and share forgiveness • stand strong in the face of temptation • know God’s love • grow in faith, and much more In 30 short chapters, Stormie helps every reader find the freedom, wholeness, and success they want as they discover the simple steps to powerful prayer.
THE PRODIGAL GOD
by: Timothy Keller Newsweek called New York Times bestselling author Timothy Keller a “C.S. Lewis for the twenty-first century” in a feature on his first book, The Reason for God. In that book, he offered a rational explanation for why we should believe in God. Now, in The Prodigal God, Keller takes his trademark intellectual approach to understanding Christianity and uses the parable of the Prodigal Son to reveal an unexpected message of hope and salvation. Within that parable, Jesus reveals God’s prodigal grace toward both the irreligious and the moralistic. This book will challenge both the devout and skeptics to see Christianity in a whole new way.