For anyone who experiences a lapse of faith—here are the answers you seek. Faith is the most fundamentally important aspect of following Christ. Yet there are times in every believer's life when the inevitable question arises in the heart and works its way to the soul: If I really believe, why do I have these doubts? The question may have been planted by tragedy or trial. It may have been ignited by rejection or heartbreak. It may even be as simple as an intellectual burr that can't be shaken. If you or someone you know is asking this question, this book will bring help and hope to every heart in search of a deeper faith.
“It’s okay to doubt.” With these opening words of his introduction, Michael Babcock draws in skeptics and believers alike with the comforting assurance that their questions do not disqualify them from faith. Rather, he asserts, doubt is essential to faith because our doubts drive us to God. Readers will instantly relate to Babcock’s personal, casual tone as he deftly leads them on a journey between two dangerous extremes. On one side, he cautions readers against a fundamentalist attempt to wipe doubt away. On the other side, he guards against a contemporary tendency to make doubt a badge of honor. Penetrating insights into Bible stories and characters provide a solid scriptural foundation as Babcock describes doubt as a natural part of the human condition. Babcock leads readers to a wonderful conclusion: The only answer to doubt is an encounter with the living God.
Ortberg demonstrates how doubt is very much a part of faith and how uncertainty can lead to trust. "The beliefs that really matter," he writes, "are the ones that guide our behavior. We cannot hope without faith, and so we must not hope for something but someone--Jesus Christ.
Have you ever wondered... How Did God Do It? How did God perform the many miracles and supernatural events described in the Holy Bible - without violating the laws of physics and chemistry that He Himself put into place? And without conflicting with the basic tenets of Judaism and Christianity? This book proposes a theory that marries faith and rationality in a symphony of science and scripture....
Why doesn't God answer my prayers? If God is so powerful, why does evil exist? And if He is so good, why do we suffer? Nonbelievers, and even Christians, are often troubled by questions about suffering, doubt, failure, and unanswered prayer. Yet careful, compassionate answers are hard to find, in part because evangelicals have not taken the life of the mind seriously enough. The intellectual currents of our day are just too strong for simplistic responses. In Hard Questions, Real Answers, William Lane Craig doesn't offer trite phrases or pat answers-he offers honest insights gained from a life of study and ministry. Readers in the midst of doubt and confusion will find real answers to these perplexing questions and learn to stand on the only sure foundation for hope-God Himself. This expanded new edition includes chapters on abortion and homosexuality to help readers know how to think about these volatile social issues.
Do you feel like you're just waiting to find your purpose? Do you want to live like you were made for more? Many of us feel restless, and that might not be a bad thing. . . When our restlessness awakens our longing to be woven into God's story, it can launch us into living the life of purpose God designed for us. In this video-based small group Bible study (DVD/video streaming sold separately), Bible study teacher and author of Get Out of Your Head Jennie Allen helps you discover a practical plan to identify the loose threads of your life and how to weave them together for God's glory and purposes. Jennie uses the story of Joseph in the book of Genesis to explain how his suffering, gifts, story, and relationships fit into the greater tapestry of God’s narrative—and how our story can do the same. In this study you will: Explore practical ways to identify the threads of your life. Learn how to intentionally weave those threads together. Discover how your gifts, passions, places, and relationships aren’t random; they’re deliberate and meaningful. Speak the truth about your suffering: it’s possible it has produced the very thing you want to give back to the world. The Restless Study Guide engages the mind and heart through stories, Bible study from the life of Joseph, and Threads—a tool to help you see your own personal story and to uncover and understand the raw materials God has given you to use for his glory and purpose. What would happen if you spent the rest of your life running without reservation after His purposes for you? Designed for use with the Restless Video Study (9780879922374), sold separately
People have honest doubts and questions about God that deserve solid answers. How do we explain the Gospel of Jesus Christ in a way we can all understand? Ray Pritchard has updated this best-selling presentation of the gospel in a clear, straightforward way using simple language and clear Scripture references. An Anchor for the Soul is written with doubters, seekers, and skeptics in mind. In a clear, straightforward presentation, he answers questions such as: What is God like? How can I know Him? Who is Jesus and what did He do? What does it mean to be a Christian? Through stories and illustrations, Pastor Pritchard very personally, yet gently, challenges his readers with the Good News of Jesus Christ.
A New York Times bestseller people can believe in—by "a pioneer of the new urban Christians" (Christianity Today) and the "C.S. Lewis for the 21st century" (Newsweek). Timothy Keller, the founding pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, addresses the frequent doubts that skeptics, and even ardent believers, have about religion. Using literature, philosophy, real-life conversations, and potent reasoning, Keller explains how the belief in a Christian God is, in fact, a sound and rational one. To true believers he offers a solid platform on which to stand their ground against the backlash to religion created by the Age of Skepticism. And to skeptics, atheists, and agnostics, he provides a challenging argument for pursuing the reason for God.
The biggest barrier to faith is life itself. Divorce. Cancer. Infertility. Death. There are times in our lives in which God seems very far away. We don't understand His silence. We only feel the intensity of our pain and the echoing question of 'why?' The Bible declares that God is good, but can we still believe this when our lives are falling apart? In Keep Believing, Dr. Pritchard affirms what the Bible declares: that God is good and His mercy endures forever. This is true regardless of our moment-by-moment experience. God has provided comfort in our times of struggle and healing in our times of hurt through the balm of His Word. You believed in the light of day; will you still believe at midnight? Search the Scriptures with Dr. Pritchard for words of encouragement and hope. Put your confidence in the God who sorrowfully watched His Son suffer at Calvary for your benefit. Know that the same loving heavenly Father has everything completely under control. He is with you and longs to comfort you as you struggle through your hard times. Take a tell-tale look at your devotion to the Lord and His never-ending love and commitment to you in Keep Believing. You served God in the sunshine; will you now serve him in the shadows?
