In today's Church, we see the world beginning to filter in as people bend to the pressures of this life. But in the Scriptures, Jesus calls us to do something radical--to come and die. As we die to our flesh, we will live with the eternal reward found only in Him. But what does that kind of death look like? In Come and Die, Pastor Joshua West explores the Scriptures and extrapolates verses to show just what Christ means when He tells His followers to "take up your cross and follow Me." Are you brave enough to accept His call, or will you continue to live this shallow, empty life that holds no eternal meaning or reward?
Everyone experiences times of sadness, trials, and pain. But what happens when grief and depression seem so overwhelming that we feel like giving up? As the founder of World Challenge, Inc., David Wilkerson worked with troubled people of every type: students, parents, alcoholics, delinquents, businessmen, pastors, teachers, and drug addicts. In this hopeful and encouraging book, Wilkerson examines the universal problem of discouragement. He shows readers how to let God heal their wounds, restore their faith, and give them genuine, lasting peace.
This challenge to lay one's life down for the gospel uses personal stories to consider why people are drawn to those willing to sacrifice themselves for others. It examines Jesus' paradox--that giving away one's life is the only way to find it--and calls readers to follow Him unreservedly.
Many Christians acknowledge that they love Jesus but are disillusioned about their spiritual condition. They come to Christ to drink from the well of his new life, yet find that their thirst remains. Why has the Christian life not met their expectations for spiritual growth and how can they satisfy this craving for their Christian walk to have a deeper impact? Do you desperately yearn for a deeper relationship with God? Clive Calver —pastor, preacher and longtime church statesman —can relate. As a young preacher and fairly new Christian, he felt deeply frustrated in his efforts to experience spiritual transformation. Then it dawned on him that Jesus ' death on the cross achieved two things: how to die and how to live. Crucified love was God 's gift to us; resurrected life with Christ was his purpose for us. For far too long we have been presented with a version of the Christian faith that majors on what we get rather than on what we give. The cross has been portrayed as the place where Jesus died for us and where we receive from him but rarely as the location of our joint crucifixion with him. The uncomfortable truth is that Jesus calls us to share his cross. "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me" (Matthew 16:24). Fortunately, we don 't have to be some kind of a "Super Christian" to allow God 's power to work through us. Calver shows how a number of ordinary believers have discovered the paradoxical fulfillment of the crucified life as they die to self and serve God and other people. By "dying to live," you too can know the joy of resurrection.
A Godward Life is the first of three devotional volumes by John Piper, each feature 120 vignettes that focus on the radical difference it makes when we choose to live with God at the center of all that we do. Scripture-soaked and touching on the issues which most affect our lives today, A Godward Life is a passionate, moving, and articulate call for all believers to live their lives in conscious and glad submission to the sovereignty and glory of God.
Not a Fan has already called more than one million readers to consider the demands and rewards of being a true disciple--moving from fan to follower in their relationship with Jesus. After years of serving God, pastor and bestselling author Kyle Idleman had a startling revelation: for too long, he had been living as a fan of Jesus; someone who tried to make Christianity seem as appealing, comfortable, and convenient as he possibly could to others. Idleman decided something had to change--he needed to embark on the journey of becoming a completely committed follower of God, not just a fan. Fans want to be close enough to Jesus to get all the benefits, but not so close that it requires sacrifice, while followers are all in and completely committed to Christ. Not a Fan gives you the tools you need to determine exactly where you stand when it comes to your relationship with Jesus. No matter where you are in your walk with Christ, Not a Fan calls you to consider the demands and rewards of being a true disciple. With frankness and a touch of humor, Idleman invites you to: Examine your relationship with God Determine if you're following Jesus or just following the rules Pray the way Jesus prayed Start truly living for the one who gave his all for you This expanded and updated version of Not a Fan also includes a new introduction and an entirely new chapter about how to practically live out the book's core message. Join Idleman as he challenges you to take an honest look at your relationship with Jesus and discover what it really means to be a follower.
By anchoring your understanding of productivity in God's plan, What's Best Next gives you a practical approach for increasing your effectiveness in everything you do. There are a lot of myths about productivity--what it means to get things done and how to accomplish work that really matters. In our current era of innovation and information overload, it may feel harder than ever to understand the meaning of work or to have a sense of vocation or calling. So how do you get more of the right things done without confusing mere activity for actual productivity? Matt Perman has spent his career helping people learn how to do work in a gospel-centered and effective way. What's Best Next explains his approach to unlocking productivity and fulfillment in work by showing how faith relates to work, even in our everyday grind. What's Best Next is packed with biblical and theological insight and practical counsel that you can put into practice today, such as: How to create a mission statement for your life that's actually practicable. How to delegate to people in a way that really empowers them. How to overcome time killers like procrastination, interruptions, and multitasking by turning them around and making them work for you. How to process workflow efficiently and get your email inbox to zero every day. How to have peace of mind without needing to have everything under control. How generosity is actually the key to unlocking productivity. This expanded edition includes: a new chapter on productivity in a fallen world a new appendix on being more productive with work that requires creative thinking. Productivity isn't just about getting more things done. It's about getting the right things done--the things that count, make a difference, and move the world forward. You can learn how to do work that matters and how to do it well.
Do we have the wrong map for the Christian life? Life's inconveniences, disappointments, and trials can leave us confused, cynical, and eventually bitter. But the apostle Paul traces out the path of dying and rising with Jesus—what Paul Miller calls the “J-Curve”—as the normal Christian life. The J-Curve maps the ups and downs of daily life onto the story of Jesus. It grounds our journeys not in some abstract idea but in union with Christ and his work of love. Understanding our lives in light of the J-Curve roots our hope, centers our love, and tethers our faith to Christ.
Now with a fresh cover! The nearly 200,000-selling Grace Walk has helped thousands of believers leave behind the "manic–depressive" Christian walk: either running around trying to perform to be acceptable to God—or thinking they've failed Him again and wondering if they'll ever measure up. Living the grace walk gets Christians off this religious roller coaster. Using his own journey from legalism into grace, Steve McVey illustrates the foundational, biblical truths of who believers are in Jesus Christ and how they can let Him live His life through them each day. As they experience their identity in Jesus Christ, Christians will come to know "Amazing Grace" as not just a song but as their true way of life.
" Abundant life can be yours. "But in order to live, you first have to die (Matthew 16: 25). The fact is, if you have nothing worth dying for, you have nothing worth living for. You may never have to make the ultimate sacrifice, but you "are "called to daily give up something of this earthly existence to pursue the amazing life Jesus promises to His followers. In "To Die For, "Ryan Dobson shatters common misconceptions about dying to self, spelling out the realities of the deadly spiritual battle each of us faces. He provides clear guidelines for making life-and-death choices daily and deals with how to overcome the emotional struggles that accompany both failure and success. The End of Life as You Know It... ...Is the Beginning of Life as You Need It Why do I feel so dead when God promised me life? You had such expectations. Such hopes. Such plans. But life isn't working out the way you thought it would. "Jesus" answers the void with abundant LIFE. But to get it, you have to "die"--die to self and the quick fixes of this world. Fact is, if you have nothing worth dying for, you have nothing really worth "living" for. In "To Die For," Ryan Dobson passionately demonstrates what it means to" die to self. "We may never face a physical death for our faith...but we're called to daily deny ourselves doses of this earthly existence. And to pursue the amazing LIFE Jesus promises. Don't settle for average. Get a LIFE... ...It's to die for. Story Behind the Book One of the main reasons I wrote this book is because I see people today as bored--we are bored with life. There's nothing that's truly worth dying for, which means there's nothing worth living foreither. I see people just filling their lives with diversions, running from one thing to the next. I want to give people the adventure that God has given me. I have truly found something in my life worth fighting for--and worth dying for. I am willing to fight and, if necessary, die for my faith in Christ. It has not made my life a downer--but has filled my life with adventure.
