We live in an age of skepticism. Our society places such faith in empirical reason, historical progress, and heartfelt emotion that it’s easy to wonder: Why should anyone believe in Christianity? What role can faith and religion play in our modern lives? In this thoughtful and inspiring new book, pastor and New York Times bestselling author Timothy Keller invites skeptics to consider that Christianity is more relevant now than ever. As human beings, we cannot live without meaning, satisfaction, freedom, identity, justice, and hope. Christianity provides us with unsurpassed resources to meet these needs. Written for both the ardent believer and the skeptic, Making Sense of God shines a light on the profound value and importance of Christianity in our lives.
Ever since the Great Commission was given to the church, most have either closed their eats to the clear command to go, or they have closed their eyes and hearts to the needs of the world. As a result, over 2,000 people groups are still unreached, lost, and without hope.However, in every age, there have been ordinary individuals who have dared to believe God's word, stepped out in faith, and have impacted and influenced their generation for Christ.Look What God Can Do introduces the reader to 13 of these heroes of the past. Although this book is a mission's education tool and discussion starter on many topics related to cross-cultural missionary training, its main purpose is to challenge and inspire the reader to finish the task of reaching every people group with the Gospel of Jesus Christ in this generation.Jess Jennings has been a youth pastor and pastor. The Jennings family lives in the southern Philippines and has done church planting and community development since 1993 among rural and tribal Filipinos.In 2004, Jennings founded Nehemiah Teams, a mission organization focused on young people finishing the Great Commission. Visit www.nehemiahteams.com to learn more.
Does it ever feel like life is out of control? Could you use the reminder that God is in control? When tragedy strikes, people desperately search for answers. Believers and unbelievers alike find themselves turning to God. Bestselling author and pastor Max Lucado tells us that though it may not be quick or painless, God will use this mess for good. In this booklet, Max Lucado will help you: Find courage to never give up during turbulent times Trust God to help you through all of life’s trials Remember that God will use every painful circumstance for good Scriptures for Your Turbulent Times also included.
A book on God’s greatness that helps you to trust him, grow in faith and live confidently. What’s the secret to truly trusting God so that we can rest easy at night? How can we have the same faith and confidence as David who said: “In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety” (Ps 4:8)? The answer lies in focusing on God’s greatness. When we consider God’s greatness, we usually tend to think about what God can do. However, this book explores 12 things that God can’t do. They all express aspects of his nature and character which we can embrace with relief, celebrate with joy and worship with awe. You will marvel both at God’s otherness and at how he became one of us in the person of Jesus. Read this book to grow in faith, live with confidence and rest easy at night, trusting in the God who never sleeps.
There has never been a more critical time in world history for the church to obey the Great Commission. Technology, research, and resources make finishing this Task a reality in our generation. "Want to" is needed more than "how to." Inspiration many times leads to initiative. This generation needs heroes that will inspire and lead them to give up their small ambitions and selfish pursuits to follow Christ to the unreached and hard to reach. Look Who God Can Use introduces you to ten of these ordinary and extraordinary individuals whom God used mightily to lead their generation. The purpose of this book is to help you look back, learn from the past, and understand the kind of person God uses. In understanding this, it is my prayer that you will find your place and play your part in this Great Epic of making disciples of every people group.
Human beings were created to reflect the image of God—but only to a limited extent. Although we share important attributes with God (love, mercy, compassion, etc.), there are other qualities that only God possesses, such as unlimited power, knowledge, and authority. At the root of all sin is our rebellious desire to be like God in such ways—a desire that first manifested itself in the garden of Eden. In None Like Him, Jen Wilkin leads us on a journey to discover ten ways God is different from us—and why that’s a good thing. In the process, she highlights the joy of seeing our limited selves in relation to a limitless God, and how such a realization frees us from striving to be more than we were created to be.
If you are a man who feels that spiritual growth is at times frustrating--you are not alone! Most men find spiritual growth overcomplicated and the needed discipline beyond their reach. But it doesn't need to be that way. In Called to Act: 5 Uncomplicated Disciplines for Men, author Vince Miller provides a simple understanding of five core spiritual disciplines that will ignite a lifelong journey of spiritual development. Leave the ranks of the hesitant and stuck, and join a movement of men.
Is anxiety “un-Christian”? Many Christians believe the answer to this question is yes! Understandably, then, many Christians feel shame when they are anxious. They especially feel this shame when well-intentioned fellow believers dismiss or devalue anxiety with Christian platitudes and Bible verses. Rhett Smith, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, helps us understand anxiety in a new way. Rhett argues that, rather than being destructive or shameful, anxiety can be a catalyst for our spiritual growth. Using Biblical thinking and personal examples, Rhett explains how anxiety allows us to face our resistance and fears, understand where those fears come from, and then make intentional decisions about issues such as career, marriage, money, and our spiritual lives. Allow this book to challenge your view of anxiety, and allow God to use your anxiety for good.
Scripture reveals a God who meets us where we are, not where we pretend to be. No More Faking Fine is your invitation to get honest with God through the life-giving language of lament. If you've ever been given empty clichés during challenging times, you know how painful it is to be misunderstood by well-meaning people. When life hurts, we often feel pressure--from others and ourselves--to keep it together, suck it up, or pray it away. But Scripture reveals a God who lovingly invites us to give honest voice to our emotions when life hits hard. For most of her life, Esther Fleece Allen believed she could bypass the painful emotions of her broken past by shutting them down altogether. She was known as an achiever and an overcomer on the fast track to success. But in silencing her pain, she robbed herself of the opportunity to be healed. Maybe you've done the same. Esther's journey into healing began when she discovered that God has given us a real-world way to deal with raw emotions and an alternative to the coping mechanisms that end up causing more pain. It's called lament--the gut-level, honest prayer that God never ignores, never silences, and never wastes. No More Faking Fine is your permission to lament, taking you on a journey down the unexpected pathway to true intimacy with God. Drawing from careful biblical study and hard-won insight, Esther reveals how to use God's own language to come closer to him as he leads us through our pain to the light on the other side, teaching you that: We are robbing ourselves of a divine mystery and a divine intimacy when we pretend to have it all together God does not expect us to be perfect; instead, he meets us where we are There is hope beyond your heartache, disappointment, and grief Like Esther, you'll soon find that when one person stops faking fine, it gives everyone else permission to do the same.
Look What God Can Do is a book that everyone needs to read. As believers, we know that God is almighty and powerful; but we sometimes lose sight of that when going through trials and tribulations. Look What God Can Do is a strong reminder that God will bring us through every situation and circumstances, not only once, but over and over again. I've often heard the saying, "The Lord will make a way," as a reminder to have faith in what God can do; but I was excited to hear what God has already done. Daniel Wright III (Minister at Restoration Family Center and Entrepreneur) It is an honor to be associated with the initial offering of a new writer. A new writer steps onto the scene, and the world takes notice of their style and content. Erica has a straightforward style, born of her experiences with God, herself, and others. Very rarely is experience vague. Life experiences hit you right between the eyes, and you have no choice but to respond. Normally, it hurts. Erica teaches us that we can experience life's experience with God the Father who is the author of life itself, Jesus Christ who is the example of one who trusted in God's providence, and the Holy Spirit who empowers us with His presence. Therein lies her content. Everyone with breath faces the seemingly arbitrary circumstances of life. Luck, happenstance, and coincidence have no substance. To face life this way is to be tossed back and forth with no grounding. Erica teaches us that life has meaning and purpose. By her stripes, we learn that God actually is a part of our daily lives. Those who follow Jesus understand that all things work together for our good and God's will. Thank you, Erica, for teaching us that faith is the content of life that allows us to face life's trials. You teach us that suffering, doubt, and rejection have meaning and purpose. The meaning and purpose are God's way of molding and shaping His people. Your story actually is the story we all live. Avery C. Brown, D.D. A.M.E (Presiding Elder, Zion Church Denomination) This book tells the story of faith and hope. My goal is that every reader will read this book and no matter where they are in life, to have faith and trust in God and to understand that God loves each of us the same. There is no one that cannot experience his love and his presence. We all have a testimony; this one is mine. When I was given the prophesy by my first Spiritual Father Pastor James Armstrong of New Harvest Christian Center that I would someday write this book, I felt it would happen in two years; but no. God allowed me to experience and live what I was to write. It took twelve years of going through various life trials where God just stretched my faith and me right down to where faith is all I had. I began using nothing but biblical stories. But God showed me through Pastor Dorian Daniels that this is your story, so tell it. This is my testimony of What God Can Do; and I know that whatever God has done for me, he can do for you. I am so excited for our future!
