In every heart there is a longing to love and to be loved. In The Shepherd at the Crib and the Cross, meet Nissim—a shepherd boy whose name means “miracle” or “wonder.” Nissim’s hope for a Messiah is fulfilled when he encounters the love of the Christ-child at Bethlehem. When Nissim meets that Messiah once again at Calvary, will he be able to offer his gift of love in return?
Throughout history shepherds have been viewed as a simple and unassuming lot. Rediscover the story of Christmas through the eyes of one shepherd boy who longs to meet the Messiah. See how his dreams are fulfilled when he presents a lifelong gift to Our Savior.
A beautiful and vital exploration of the person and work of Jesus at a time when the church has lost sight of its first love Inspired by over seventy sermons preached by Simon Ponsonby, Amazed by Jesusfollows the life of Jesus from the crib to the cross, meditating on the resurrection, the promise that He will come again, and what this person and His life mean for us today. Emphasizing both the humanity and divinity of Jesus, Ponsonby showcases what is so amazing about Jesus, helping readers to renew their awe and wonder again. Marshalling the multifaceted names and descriptions of Jesus in Scripture-the King of the Jews, the Good Shepherd, the Lamb of God, the Living Water, the Bridegroom, and many more-this book reveals the one who is God come to us, to be God with us, to show God for us. Following Amazing, Ponsonby's poem penned in love as he rediscovered just how amazing Jesus is, Amazed by Jesushelps restore our vision of Jesus and expand it, so we can know Him better and see Him as He is. Jesus changed and is changing everything. This is a clarion call from Ponsonby to the church to return to our first love, to go deeper and truly experience the living water--a discovery that will impact the whole world.
Do you hear yourself saying the same things over and over to your kids? “Do you need help?” “Say thank you.” “Wait a minute.” In Don’t Forget to Say Thank You: And Other Parenting Lessons That Brought Me Closer to God, Lindsay Schlegel reimagines the common phrases we repeat as parents and applies them to our relationship with God. In doing so, she demonstrates how reflecting on our vocation as mothers can inform and illuminate our role as a daughter of God, drawing us closer to him. What if we took the statements we repeat to our children and apply them to ourselves? In Don’t Forget to Say Thank You, writer Lindsay Schlegel shares fifteen relatable phrases she frequently uses as a parent and how her faith and life changed when she envisioned God telling her these same things. When we start to hear the things we’re telling our kids as wisdom from God, it’s clear that the lessons we are trying to teach our kids are ones we also need to learn as children of the Most High. Asking her daughter, “Do you need help?” caused Schlegel to reflect on the importance of the Communion of Saints and reaching out for the assistance she needs. Telling her children, “Say you’re sorry” reminded her of the necessity of Confession and seeking forgiveness. And pleading that a toddler “wait a minute” while she looked for her crackers forced Schlegel to consider how she needed to have both more patience and more trust that God would take care of her. Schlegel invites us to apply the same lessons she learned to our own lives as parents and as children of God through reflection questions and a prayer at the end of each chapter. She also suggests saints to whom we can look for inspiration and guidance, reminding us that we are not alone as we strive to more accurately reflect the image of our heavenly Father.
Explore the Book is not a commentary with verse-by-verse annotations. Neither is it just a series of analyses and outlines. Rather, it is a complete Bible survey course. No one can finish this series of studies and remain unchanged. The reader will receive lifelong benefit and be enriched by these practical and understandable studies. Exposition, commentary, and practical application of the meaning and message of the Bible will be found throughout this giant volume. Bible students without any background in Bible study will find this book of immense help as will those who have spent much time studying the Scriptures, including pastors and teachers. Explore the Book is the result and culmination of a lifetime of dedicated Bible study and exposition on the part of Dr. Baxter. It shows throughout a deep awareness and appreciation of the grand themes of the gospel, as found from the opening book of the Bible through Revelation.
Aaron is fascinated by a remarkable star that shines in the night sky. Every evening it seems bigger and brighter and more wondrous. Perhaps it's sending me a secret message, he thinks. He even dreams of the star, a dream that leads him to a stable on a cold winter night. When he awakens, the dream is forgotten amid the hustle and bustle in Bethlehem. The streets are filled with people coming to register for the census. All the houses are filled with travelers, and when Aaron meets a man and his wife and their little donkey searching for a place to stay, there is not a room left in all of Bethlehem. Then Aaron remembers the stable in his dream and so becomes a part of the great miracle of Christ's birth. The creator of the international best-selling Rainbow Fish books offers a special Christmas gift for families to share. The die-cut cover, featuring Pfister's signature holographic foil-stamping, will attract the reader's eye and the simple, moving Nativity story will speak to their hearts.
In 1972, a young Franciscan friar named Murray Bodo wrote a unique book about the life of St. Francis of Assisi. Francis: The Journey and the Dream offered readers a unique combination of lyrical prose and brief, absorbing vignettes that inspired hundreds of thousands of people all over the world to contemplate the life of the famous saint and see him in a new way. Fifty years and over 200,000 copies later, this book still captivates people everywhere, and Fr. Bodo is still writing about St. Francis and the Franciscan way of life. His poetic style continues to draw readers in, and he himself continues to gaze in wonder at the saint who worked nearly his entire life to rebuild the church. This special anniversary edition includes a new preface in which Fr. Bodo reflects on a half century spent immersed in the Franciscan way.
A Life Lived and Laid Down for Friends reflects on the iconoclastic life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth. From the "riches in the rags" story of the nativity to his compassion-moved sacrifice to save his disciples, this book reflects on Jesus as first and foremost a spiritual teacher who embodied compassion. Pastor and author Don Erickson shows how the humility embodied by society's most vulnerable was, for Jesus, the benchmark for inclusion in God's kingdom. The book also looks at Jesus' approach to religious pluralism, a reality he experienced in ancient Palestine under Roman rule. It was an approach that evidenced Jesus pointing to expressions of compassion, rather than to mere faith. In addition, the book examines the story of Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection, offering a view that both asserts the centrality of the passion and bases it in historical context that avoids universalizing the story away. The crucifixion itself is shown to be a portrait of embodied, representative compassion that is salvific in its reach. Inspired by the powerful teachings of liberation theology, as well as a Buddhist-influenced approach to the Gospels, A Life Lived and Laid Down for Friends gives a fresh, poignant portrait of Jesus that defies Trump-America's resistance to Jesus' radically compassionate life and teaching.
