Although we are all familiar with Joseph - from a legion of retellings of the Christmas story - he remains, for many, a shadowy figure about whom we know very little and who is rarely given much thought, if any. This beautiful meditative fable, imagined as it might be told by the archangel Gabriel, helps us to understand who Joseph was and how he might have felt about the part he was called to play in the Greatest Story Ever Told.Joseph and the Three Gifts follows Joseph from Nazareth to Bethlehem, in hiding in Egypt and a return to his carpentry in Nazareth as Jesus grows from boy to man to messiah. And it asks what Joseph might have done with the Magi's gifts of frankincense, gold and myrrh.A wonderful story for all ages, perfect for Advent, Christmas, Lent and Easter.
The publication of the King James version of the Bible, translated between 1603 and 1611, coincided with an extraordinary flowering of English literature and is universally acknowledged as the greatest influence on English-language literature in history. Now, world-class literary writers introduce the book of the King James Bible in a series of beautifully designed, small-format volumes. The introducers' passionate, provocative, and personal engagements with the spirituality and the language of the text make the Bible come alive as a stunning work of literature and remind us of its overwhelming contemporary relevance.
My Utmost for His Highest has been a proven, best-selling devotional for many years. Over the past century, Oswald Chambers’s writings have inspired countless people to drink deeply from the biblical truths that he so passionately championed. His words are simultaneously penetrating and invigorating, and they trigger something in your soul leaving you forever changed. The biblical thoughts and themes that Chambers delivers in this updated-language edition will resonate with you as you seek to grow your faith. We have also included the topical section
John Shelby Spong, bestselling author and Episcopal bishop of Newark, NJ, challenges the doctrine of the virgin birth, tracing its development in the early Christian church and revealing its legacy in our contemporary attitudes toward women and female sexuality.
"The perfect Christmas gift for anyone interested in the historical background behind the birth of Jesus of Nazareth." — Robert J. Hutchinson, author of The Politically Incorrect Guide to the Bible, The Dawn of Christianity, and Searching for Jesus. "Utterly refreshing and encouraging." — Eric Metaxas, New York Times bestselling author of Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy and Martin Luther "The best book I know about the Magi." — Sir Colin John Humphreys, Ph.D., author of The Mystery of the Last Supper Modern biblical scholars tend to dismiss the Christmas story of the “wise men from the East” as pious legend. Matthew’s gospel offers few details, but imaginative Christians filled out the story early on, giving us the three kings guided by a magical star who join the adoring shepherds in every Christmas crèche. For many scholars, then, there is no reason to take the gospel story seriously. But are they right? Are the wise men no more than a poetic fancy? In an astonishing feat of detective work, Dwight Longenecker makes a powerful case that the visit of the Magi to Bethlehem really happened. Piecing together the evidence from biblical studies, history, archeology, and astronomy, he goes further, uncovering where they came from, why they came, and what might have happened to them after eluding the murderous King Herod. In the process, he provides a new and fascinating view of the time and place in which Jesus Christ chose to enter the world. The evidence is clear and compelling. The mysterious Magi from the East were in all likelihood astrologers and counselors from the court of the Nabatean king at Petra, where the Hebrew messianic prophecies were well known. The “star” that inspired their journey was a particular planetary alignment—confirmed by computer models—that in the astrological lore of the time portended the birth of a Jewish king. The visitors whose arrival troubled Herod “and all Jerusalem with him” may not have been the turbaned oriental kings of the Christmas carol, but they were real, and by demonstrating that the wise men were no fairy tale, Mystery of the Magi demands a new level of respect for the historical claims of the gospel.
By all rights, insight, knowledge, and plain old common sense I should be dead. If past usage of beer, marijuana, and cocaine didnÆt do the trick, then certainly dilated cardiomyopathy should have. Instead, I am alive, clean and sober, and a functioning Catholic priest after finally overcoming addiction. For fifteen years I functioned as a sober priest before my heart gave out from the same heart disease that killed my father. Another miracle came my way, and I was blessed to receive a new heart. I could my blessings every day, every hour, every minute. How many of us have received a second, third, and fourth chance at life? IÆve been granted the blessing of faith, sobriety, a new heart, and a fulfilling ministry... much more than I deserve. This is my testimony to what can happen when a confused and bitter young man opens his life and spirit, and allows God and GodÆs people to do for him what he simply could not do for himself. Book jacket.
From two extraordinary talents, a beautifully crafted picture book for the Christmas season. The three wise men, or the three kings, are familiar figures in the Christmas tradition. Newbery medalist Linda Sue Park has taken the brief biblical references to the three as the starting point for a new story. In it we meet a boy who is learning his father’s trade; a man who gathers resin from certain trees; a merchant in the marketplace; and three strangers in brightly colored robes who are shopping for a gift for a baby. Illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline with exquisite paintings, this simple, moving tale of ordinary people involved in an extraordinary event brings new resonance to the well-known gift list of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Presents a family guide to the Bible that, told through historic art and artifacts, tells the stories of biblical characters and highlights their greater meaning for mankind.
