In this powerful and eye-opening book, Charles Capps writes the true nature of Paul's thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan. You will learn how that sometimes a messenger of Satan may be assigned to you, what that means, and how to be delivered from such an assignment.
In 2 Corinthians 12: 7 Paul makes the extraordinary admission that he was given a 'thorn in the flesh'. Although we can never be sure what that torment was, many of us will know what it feels like to experience a painful problem which does not seem to go away. In this book R. T. Kendall explains what a thorn in the flesh is, why we have it, and what we should understand by it. Looking with compassion at the kinds of acute situation in which we may find ourselves - an unhappy marriage, difficult working conditions, loneliness, sexual misgivings or chronic illness, for example - he shows how the grace of God is sufficient whatever our thorn, and how it can lead us into unimaginable intimacy with Jesus.
It has been over twenty years since the publication of The Ragamuffin Gospel, a book many claim as the shattering of God’s grace into their lives. Since that time, Brennan Manning has been dazzingly faithful in preaching and writing variations on that singular theme – “Yes, Abba is very fond of you!” But today the crowds are gone and the lights are dim, the patches on his knees have faded. If he ever was a ragamuffin, truly it is now. In this his final book, Brennan roves back his past, honoring the lives of the people closest to him, family and friends who’ve known the saint and the sinner, the boy and the man. Far from some chronological timeline, these memories are witness to the truth of life by one who has lived it – All Is Grace.
"Besides Jesus, no one has kept me from despair, or taken me deeper into the mysteries of the gospel, than the apostle Paul." —John Piper No one has had a greater impact on the world for eternal good than the apostle Paul—except Jesus himself. For John Piper, this impact is very personal. He does not just admire and trust Paul. He loves him. Piper gives us thirty glimpses into why his heart and mind respond this way. Can a Christian-killer really endure 195 lashes from a heart of love? Can a mystic who thinks he was caught up into heaven be a model of lucid rationality? Can an ethnocentric Jew write the most beautiful call to reconciliation? Can a person who lives with the unceasing anguish of empathy be always rejoicing? Can a man's description of the horrors of human sin be exceeded by his delight in human splendor? Can a man with a backbone of steel be as tender as a nursing mother? If we know this man—if we see what Piper sees—we too will love him. Paul's testimony is a matter of life and death. Piper invites you into his relationship with Paul in the hope that you will know life, forever.
This paradigm-shifting book helps believers understand the process of being transformed by God's grace and truth, and challenges them to be a part of the process of discipleship in the lives of their fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Counseling One Another biblically presents and defends every believer's responsibility to work toward God's goal of conforming us to the image of His Son-a goal reached through the targeted form of intensive discipleship most often referred to as counseling. All Christians will find Counseling One Another useful as they make progress in the life of sanctification and as they discuss issues with their friends, children, spouses, and fellow believers, providing them with a biblical framework for life and one-another ministry in the body of Christ.
God's will is always to heal people, and this book proves it biblically. In this revised and expanded edition, Art Thomas unfolds down-to-earth arguments that are easy to read and understand. This will help you defend your own convictions about God's will to heal. With a new format and about 100 new pages of additional material, this book will be even more valuable to you as you grow in healing ministry. Part One: Eliminating Paul's Thorn in the Flesh What was Paul's "thorn in the flesh"? Was it a sickness or disease that God refused to heal? Was it an eye problem? Was it a demon? In this book, author Art Thomas tackles the matter of Paul's "thorn in the flesh" with clarity and faithfulness to Scripture. Part Two: Other Objections to God's Will for Healing We'll also look into some of the most classic objections to physical healing, including: Why isn't Everyone Healed? What about the Pool of Bethesda? What about All the Times God Afflicted People with Disease? What about King Hezekiah? What about Job? What about Jacob's Limp? What about Jesus' Hometown? What about Ananias and Sapphira? What about the Man at the Gate Beautiful? What about Timothy's Frequent Illnesses? What about Paul Leaving Trophimus sick in Miletus? What about God's Discipline? But Jesus was God! These questions have been used for years to argue that God does not always want to heal-a statement that is completely at odds with the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. Part Three: Ten Things Jesus NEVER Said about Healing Derived from Art's popular sermon of the same title found on YouTube, this section further removes common unhealthy ideas about healing ministry by showing that they are at odds with the life and ministry of Jesus. Jesus Christ healed every person who came to Him or called out to Him. He paid a very high price for healing, and He deserves to receive everything for which He paid. It is vital that we remove the "thorn" of doubt that skews our perspective of God. Get ready for some spiritual tweezers!
Solving the mystery of Satan's messenger Paul's enigmatic "thorn in the flesh" in 2 Corinthians has baffled interpreters for centuries. Many offer suggestions as to the identity of Satan's messenger; others despair that the puzzle is unsolvable. In Paul's Thorn in the Flesh: New Clues for an Old Problem, Kenneth Berding reopens the case. He follows a trail of clues that includes ancient beliefs about curses, details from Paul's letters, Jesus's own suffering, and the testimony of the earliest Christian interpreters. Berding offers twenty criteria—some familiar, others neglected—that any proposal must explain. While the usual suspects fall short, Berding suggests a new solution—one that satisfies all the evidence and gives us a fuller view of Paul. Far from an abstract puzzle, Paul's own suffering is relevant to Christians today. Paul's Thorn in the Flesh is an accessible study that casts new light on Pauline studies, first--century background, and theological and pastoral concerns.
Comprising the sermons preached by William Sloane Coffin while he was senior minister at the prestigious Riverside Church in New York City, The Collected Sermons of William Sloane CoffinThe Riverside Years captures the renowned preacher and social activist at work: ministering to American hostages in Iran, supporting AIDS awareness, and rallying his audiences to battle poverty and nuclear proliferationall the while celebrating marriages, baptisms, and Mothers Days and mourning the loss of loved ones, including his own son. In each of these brilliant and painstakingly crafted sermons, Coffin combined his deep love of Scripture and passionate commitment to peace and justice with his unparalleled gift for the spoken word. While also revealing the personal and pastoral dimensions of ministry, each sermon provides a powerful example of lifes well-accomplished mission: to challenge the conscience of a nation. For those who knew William Sloane Coffin, these sermons will be a treasured remembrance. For those who regret not knowing him, they provide the best of introductions. And for those who as yet have escaped Coffins influence, they are superb testimony to the great potential of ministry, the possibilities of hope and determination, and the remarkable power of one human voice.