Lament is how you live between the poles of a hard life and trusting God’s goodness. Lament is how we bring our sorrow to God—but it is a neglected dimension of the Christian life for many Christians today. We need to recover the practice of honest spiritual struggle that gives us permission to vocalize our pain and wrestle with our sorrow. Lament avoids trite answers and quick solutions, progressively moving us toward deeper worship and trust. Exploring how the Bible—through the psalms of lament and the book of Lamentations—gives voice to our pain, this book invites us to grieve, struggle, and tap into the rich reservoir of grace and mercy God offers in the darkest moments of our lives.
Discovering God's Mercy in the Scriptures is a winding, meandering journey through the Hebrew scriptures, interwoven with stories from the author's life and commentary. It is meant to be a personal and pastoral invitation to discover God's mercy. The author hopes that in showing how God has been merciful to him, the reader will also experience God's mercy and love.
Romans is a passionate letter written by Paul, a man completely captured by the beauty, mercy, and majesty of God and His glorious salvation. Paul wanted his readers, then and now, to know how amazing and all-encompassing this salvation actually is--that it's powerful, planned, eternal, free, and leads to a transformed life. In this 9-session study, walk through the Book of Romans, focusing on specific passages to discover that salvation doesn't just change your eternal future; it changes your present reality. Because of God's salvation, hope, peace, life, faith, trust, and endurance are yours. Learn that after God saves you, He invites you to join Him on His two-fold mission-- to sanctify and transform you into the image of Jesus and to send you out into the world to share the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ. Features: Leader helps to guide questions and discussions within small groups Personal study segments to complete among 9 weeks of group sessions Nine enriching teaching videos, approximately 25-30 minutes per session, available via redemption code printed in Bible study book for individual streaming access Benefits: Understand how the gospel saves, transforms, and sends you out on mission. Unpack the vastness of all you've been given by God in salvation through Christ and the empowerment of God's Spirit at work in you. Learn how real rest is found in God's presence and believing God's grace is for you.
Is the opposite of mercy justice? Can parents be biblical and merciful when their children misbehave? Is there an answer for parents who want to live the gospel but are grieved by harsh moralism on one side and permissive inaction on the other? Parenting with Mercy examines Jesus' command to his followers to show mercy like God shows mercy. We come to understand the essential nature of mercy in Christian parenting only by searching the Scriptures that teach us how our Heavenly Father is merciful. Parenting with Mercy is appropriate for new parents or seasoned parents alike. It can be used as a six-week group Bible study, for retreats, or simply for personal Bible study.
We are living in an extraordinary time: A Time of Mercy. But what is mercy? What does it mean to be living in a Time of Mercy? How can we receive God’s Mercy? And how should we respond? In Doors of Mercy, authors Fr. Jeffrey Kirby and Brian Kennelly answer these important questions. They act as your tour guides on a whirlwind tour of salvation history, from Adam and Eve to the coming of the Savior, and into the present day with the beautiful story of St. Faustina and the Divine Mercy message and devotion. You’ll discover the intricate stitching of a divine rescue plan that would not be stopped by anything. Across countless generations the Lord’s mercy acted as the lifeblood of this rescue plan, so that neither our own weakness, nor the devil himself, could thwart it. He would deliver us a Savior and a King of Mercy no matter what it took, one who would bring His Kingdom to the ends of the earth, and who would smash the very gates of hell. You’ll discover: -How the rebellion of Adam and Eve in the Garden affects our relationships with each other, with God, and with the world around us -Why God chose a rainbow as the sign of the covenant with Noah -The purpose behind Abram’s name being changed to Abraham -How the plagues in the time of Moses were not random but had symbolic meaning -How David’s Kingdom serves as a template, or blueprint, for the Church -The hidden meaning behind some of Jesus’s well known parables and why the Eucharist is the sign of the new and eternal covenant -How the Church and her saints have spread mercy throughout the centuries, with short biographies of Sts. Vincent, Camillus, Margaret Mary, Maria Goretti and more -The history behind St. Faustina’s visions of Jesus and the spreading of the Divine Mercy message and devotion -How you can continue Christ’s mission of mercy in your own life…
What Do the Five Points of Calvinism Really Mean? Many have heard of Reformed theology, but may not be certain what it is. Some references to it have been positive, some negative. It appears to be important, and they'd like to know more about it. But they want a full, understandable explanation, not a simplistic one. What Is Reformed Theology? is an accessible introduction to beliefs that have been immensely influential in the evangelical church. In this insightful book, R. C. Sproul walks readers through the foundations of the Reformed doctrine and explains how the Reformed belief is centered on God, based on God's Word, and committed to faith in Jesus Christ. Sproul explains the five points of Reformed theology and makes plain the reality of God's amazing grace.
Although the statement, "God moves in mysterious ways", is not a biblical statement, He really does move in mysterious ways! My stories will demonstrate how God truly does use the weak and foolish to confound the strong and the wise. He can't get more mysterious than that. You'll see God willing to and capable of using anyone. In Scripture, "when God says "Go," He is putting out an invitation to "Come with Me". Although I have come short of always doing the right thing, and have been far from perfect, both physically and spiritually, I determined to still chose to follow God regardless. Although I purposed to exercise great faith and attempted a close walk with God, I did not always trust God. I didn't always treat my wife in a way pleasing to God. My methods and priorities were not always correct. Despite all my "tonterias", God still chooses to use me. These stories are rich examples of God's love, mercy, forgiveness and power. My goal is that they provide hope and inspiration. These stories will give you a clear view of the "hand of God" moving behind the scenes. You'll learn to trust God even though outward circumstances dictate otherwise. You'll see how God uses what appears to be a hopeless life to actually advance His Kingdom. Be encouraged...He desires to use yours to do the same. Shalom I was born in Bisbee, AZ, and enlisted in US Navy 1972 as an Airman for six years. I married my High School sweet-heart, Gloria in San Diego, CA in 1972 and we are still married today, residing in Sierra Vista, AZ since 2016. We were blessed with three sons-Adam, Jason and Elijah. All three married, and we now have eight grandchildren between the three of them! I graduated from Berean Bible College, San Diego, CA in 1982, and Pastored/Assistant-Pastored off and on from 1982-2012. I have been active in fifteen "Short Missions Trips" to South and Central America; Africa; Romania; and Mexico. I have been a Christian for forty-three years with many failures under my belt. Currently I am attending Shiloh Christian Ministries with Senior pastors Erick and Raquel Villalvazo as our pastors and covering from 2016 to present. At the present, I am in the school of learning obedience, God's mercy, forgiveness and power. I have a strong desire to share my Journey with anyone that can relate with my story, so that they can be inspired, encouraged and be determined to get up when knocked down, to serve our LORD with vision and purpose.
The book of Luke has been described as one of the most beautiful books ever written, and Luke: The Good News of God's Mercy brings this beauty to life for teens as they study the life of Jesus and what Jesus can mean for their lives. Luke's Gospel deals with the issue of being open to God's work through Jesus. Luke shows us that God has made salvation available through Jesus' birth, life, death, and resurrection. In many ways, God's action through Jesus was unexpected, even for the Jewish people of the time. The salvation Jesus brings goes far beyond what people were looking for. It also makes demands on those who accept it. So we meet people in Luke's Gospel who are astonished by Jesus. They are struggling to understand what Jesus was offering them and how they should respond. In the Gospel of Luke, we make contact with a will other than our own. God shows that he is not a spectator-god who made a DVD of the universe billions of years ago and now sits back to watch. God has a loving plan; God makes things happen. It is this active, involved God who comes to Mary and tells her about his plan for her in Luke's Gospel. As we begin reading the Gospel of Luke, are we prepared to meet this God? Designed as a guided discovery, Six Weeks with the Bible for Catholic Teens introduces high school students to books of the Bible by integrating the biblical text with insightful questions to help youth discern what Scripture means for their lives today. The series provides students with a clear explanation of Biblical text, opportunities for prayer, and a means to enter into conversation with God.
More than fifty scholars, under R. C. Sproul, collaborated to produce this study Bible to help readers understand the great doctrines of the Christian faith. Published by Ligonier Ministries, trade distribution by P&R Publishing.
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.
