There are numerous places in Scripture where God says that He will “send” or is said to have “sent” a disaster, a plague, pestilence, delusion, an evil spirit, a cruel and ruthless enemy army, ferocious man-eating wild animals, and other harsh judgments. Atheists use such passages to castigate the God of the Bible. Some theologians use such passages to present theological views of God that make Him appear to be harsh, unloving, and unfair. Other Christians avoid such passages altogether, believing that certain parts of the Bible are too difficult or irrelevant. However, an often neglected principle of Bible interpretation is found in the statement that "God is said to 'send' or to 'have sent' that which He merely did not prevent or hinder." When we understand this truth then we get a better picture of the God who is exactly like Jesus Christ.
In this book, Mike will provide a comprehensive introduction to Isaiah explaining the structure, style and various themes Isaiah addresses as well as several lessons developed from key passages in Isaiah's book.
The final book of the Bible, Revelation prophesies the ultimate judgement of mankind in a series of allegorical visions, grisly images and numerological predictions. According to these, empires will fall, the "Beast" will be destroyed and Christ will rule a new Jerusalem. With an introduction by Will Self.
For anyone who thinks that comfort is equivalent to pity and that it is only priceless to those who need an emotional crutch, best-selling author Warren Wiersbe applies the words of the prophet Isaiah to prove that God's comfort is no such thing. The word comfort actually translates "to repent" in Hebrew; our English translation, however, adds another dimension to the word since it originated from two Latin words meaning "with strength." With definitions and insights like this, the "pastor of pastors" and phenomenal author Warren Wiersbe continues to enliven the Scriptures as he weaves the words of Isaiah with historical explanations and thought-provoking questions for every chapter, creating a study guide that can be used in personal Bible study or with a group. With over 4 million copies of his "Be" series alone in circulation, he is a man who has given his life to a deep examination of the Word of God, to communicating it in such a way that the masses see its relevance for today.
The NIV is the world's best-selling modern translation, with over 150 million copies in print since its first full publication in 1978. This highly accurate and smooth-reading version of the Bible in modern English has the largest library of printed and electronic support material of any modern translation.
Many Christians believe that they have to understand everything about their faith for that faith to be genuine. This isn't true. There are many things we don't understand about God, His Word, and His works. And this is actually one of the greatest things about the Christian faith: that there are areas of mystery that lie beyond the keenest scholarship or even the most profound spiritual exercises. Sadly, for many people these problems raise so many questions and uncertainties that faith itself becomes a struggle. But questions, and even doubts, are part of faith. Chris Wright encourages us to face the limitations of our understanding and to acknowledge the pain and grief they can often cause. In The God I Don't Understand, he focuses on four of the most mysterious subjects in the Bible and reflects upon why it's important to ask questions without having to provide the answer: The problem of evil and suffering. The genocide of the Canaanites. The cross and the crucifixion. The end of the world. "However strongly we believe in divine revelation, we must acknowledge both that God has not revealed everything and that much of what he has revealed is not plain. It is because Dr. Wright confronts biblical problems with a combination of honesty and humility that I warmly commend this book." —John Stott
The first major translation of the Christian Scriptures from the originallanguages to be undertaken since the King James Version (1611), the RevisedStandard Version debuted in 1952 to simultaneous acclaim and condemnation fromAmerican Christians. Mainline Protestants and Roman Catholics lauded the newtranslation, while many evangelicals villified it.The RSV dramatically shaped the course of English Bible translation work in thelatter half of the Twentieth Century, and it remains the Bible of choice formany people. This Anniversary Edition features a clear new type setting thatreaders are certain to appreciate.
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER What do you do when God’s timing seems questionable, his lack of intervention hurtful, and his promises doubtful? Lysa TerKeurst unveils her heart amid shattering circumstances, inviting you to live assured when life doesn't turn out like you expected. Life often looks so very different than we hoped or expected. Some events may simply catch us off guard for a season, but others shatter us completely. We feel disappointed and disillusioned at best and overwhelmed and hopeless at worst. We quietly start to wonder about the reality of God’s goodness and why he allows us to suffer and experience grief and loss. Lysa TerKeurst understands this deeply. But after many tears, godly counseling, and prayerful seeking, she's also discovered that our disappointments can be the divine appointments our souls need to radically encounter God. In It's Not Supposed to Be This Way, Lysa invites us into her own journey of faith and, with grit, vulnerability, and honest humor, helps us to: Stop being pulled into the anxiety of disappointment by discovering how to better process unmet expectations and other painful situations. Train ourselves to recognize the three strategies of the enemy, so we can stand strong and persevere through unsettling relationships and uncertain outcomes. Discover the secret of being steadfast and not panicking when God actually does give us more than we can handle. Shift our suspicion that God is cruel or unfair to the biblical assurance that God is protecting and preparing us. Know how to encourage a friend and help her navigate hard realities with real help from God's truth, the Bible. Look for additional biblically based resources and devotionals from Lysa: Good Boundaries and Goodbyes Forgiving What You Can't Forget Uninvited You're Going to Make It Embraced Seeing Beautiful Again
