First impressions stick with us. Paul's first impression of the Thessalonian Christians was an especially powerful one: The gospel message he preached grasped their hearts and minds, and transformed their lives. That memory moves Paul to write to the young church that's bubbling with a sense of the power of the living God. These studies seek to open our lives to that God who leaves a lasting impression also on us. This guide by Tom Wright can be used on its own or alongside his New Testament for Everyone commentary on 1 & 2 Thessalonians. It is designed to help you understand Scripture in fresh ways under the guidance of one of the world's leading New Testament scholars. Thoughtful questions, prayer suggestions, and useful background and cultural information all guide you or a group more deeply into God's Word. Discover how you can participate more fully in God's kingdom.

Life is about choices. How should we lead our families? How should we manage our finances? How should we handle relationships? God's Word provides the answers. The book of Proverbs contains the greatest collection of wisdom ever recorded, written by one of the wisest men who ever lived. This study takes a fresh look at Proverbs and offers practical insights for making sound choices in every area of life.

The Wiersbe Bible Study Series explores timeless wisdom found in God's Word. Based on Dr. Warren W. Wiersbe's popular "BE" series, each study provides topical, relevant insights from selected books of the Bible. Designed for small groups, this ten-week study features excerpted commentary from "Be Skillful," engaging questions, and practical applications, all designed to help you connect God's Word with your life.

In every age people have felt certain that the book of Revelation described events in their time. As nations arm themselves for war, we think of Armageddon. As evil rulers grow in power, we look for the antichrist. As the powers of darkness threaten to overwhelm us, we cry, "Come, Lord Jesus " Amid the uncertainties of our age, Revelation assures us of the ultimate triumph of God.

The word hospitality brings to mind tables filled with cookies and pots of good coffee. Offering food to friends is a wonderful ministry indeed, but the biblical concept of hospitality is much deeper and more significant. In these studies by Patty Pell, you'll discover the Old Testament call to hospitality as the distinguishing feature of those who are in relationship with God, the outward-focused expression of the grace and provision that one has received from God. In the New Testament the extension of life, provision and protection is expanded as Jesus unpacks image after image of the kingdom of God in the language of host and guests. Come and discover God's call to hospitality.

2009 Christianity Today Merit Award winner 2009 Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) Christian Book Award winner The Old Testament books of wisdom and poetry carry themselves differently from those of the Pentateuch, the histories or the prophets. The divine voice does not peal from Sinai, there are no narratives carried along by prophetic interpretation nor are oracles declaimed by a prophet. Here Scripture often speaks in the words of human response to God and God's world. The hymns, laments and thanksgivings of Israel, the dirge of Lamentations, the questionings of Qohelet, the love poetry of the Song of Songs, the bold drama of Job and the proverbial wisdom of Israel all offer their textures to this great body of biblical literature. Then too there are the finely crafted stories of Ruth and Esther that narrate the silent providence of God in the course of Israelite and Jewish lives. This third Old Testament volume in InterVarsity Press's celebrated "Black Dictionary" series offers nearly 150 articles covering all the important aspects of Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Psalms, Song of Songs, Lamentations, Ruth and Esther. Over ninety contributors, many of them experts in this literature, have contributed to the Dictionary of the Old Testament: Wisdom, Poetry & Writings. This volume maintains the quality of scholarship that students, scholars and pastors have come to expect from this series. Coverage of each biblical book includes an introduction to the book itself as well as separate articles on its ancient Near Eastern background and its history of interpretation. Additional articles amply explore the literary dimensions of Hebrew poetry and prose, including acrostic, ellipsis, inclusio, intertextuality, parallelism and rhyme. And there are well-rounded treatments of Israelite wisdom and wisdom literature, including wisdom poems, sources and theology. In addition, a wide range of interpretive approaches is canvassed in articles on hermeneutics, feminist interpretation, form criticism, historical criticism, rhetorical criticism and social-scientific approaches. The Dictionary of the Old Testament: Wisdom, Poetry & Writings is sure to command shelf space within arm's reach of any student, teacher or preacher working in this portion of biblical literature. Tremper Longman III and Peter E. Enns edit this collection of 148 articles by 90 contributors on Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Lamentations, Ruth and Esther.

In eight studies, Douglas Connelly looks at the "I Am" statements of Jesus. In the midst of friends' grief, a crowd's hunger and followers' fear, Jesus made some bold claims: "I am the Resurrection." "I am the Bread of Life." "I am the Way." His claims are still true in our grief, fear and uncertainty. These studies help us see Jesus more clearly and live with hope and confidence because of who he is.

About LifeGuide Bible Studies We're updating and revising our bestselling LifeGuides to make them even more effective for small group Bible study! New features of the revised LifeGuides include special options for group activities, additional questions for personal reflection, a "Now or Later" section with practical follow-up activities for use after the study or between sessions, expanded and improved leaders' notes and an attractive, redesigned format for easier reading. These Bible studies will help you build a foundation of confidence in God's love for you and equip you to respond to his love by loving others.

When it comes to knowledge of the Bible, many people know bits and pieces, favorite stories and characters, but they don't know the story that is really one story in Scripture. Robbie Castleman will help you put the story of God and his people together so that you'll know how all the parts and people fit, and the stories within the story will make more sense. To study the story of Scripture from Genesis to Revelation in twelve studies is an adventure that will simply make you want to take the trip again.

We all want a faith that won't let us down in times of trouble or loss, uncertainty or fear. A faith that can pull us through the worst--and best--times in our lives. This is the kind of faith that James writes about. It is a faith that we must practice day by day. These studies by Andrew and Phyllis Le Peau on the teaching of James will help us grow a steadfast faith that can carry us through all the ups and downs of life.

Rediscover this powerful collection of praise, prayer, and worship Our God is extraordinary. A loving Savior. A caring Comforter. A tenderhearted Father. The One who has pursued our hearts at any cost. The book of Psalms celebrates the love story between creation and its Creator. It's a story that shares the remarkable attributes of God, and our joyous response to all that He is. This study guide explores the book of Psalms, a collection that continues to be the definitive devotional, prayer book, and hymnal for every believer. The Wiersbe Bible Studies Series explores timeless wisdom found in God's word. Based on Dr. Warren W. Wiersbe's popular "BE" series, each study provides topical, relevant insights from selected books of the Bible. Designed for small groups, this eight-week study features selected commentaries from BE Worshipful and BE Exultant , engaging questions, and practical applications, all designed to help you connect God's word with your life.

Many Christians who know and love the Bible think they know the apostle Paul. He's a theological master, a pastoral mentor, a spiritual adviser and a missionary hero. Yet just when we think we have him in our grasp, he slips through our fingers. At the point where we suppose we have finally understood him, Paul again confounds us. But he also beckons us to explore God's ways more deeply. Michael Bird suggests that if the Paul we claim to know looks and sounds a lot like us, it's probably a warning light that we don't know him as well as we think we do. But if we let Paul be Paul, allowing him to speak for himself in his language, on his terms and for his purposes, then we stand a chance of meeting him anew. Introducing Paul is an animated and penetrating survey of Paul's life and teaching. It covers all the basics students need, while offering new insights with a light touch. Blending life and study, Bird aims to get us excited about reading Paul's letters, sharing his gospel and living the Christian life the way he thought it should be lived. For beginning students and laypeople, Introducing Paul is a valuable entrance into the contemporary study of Paul.

When you need to know how to do something, a manual is the best place to start. 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus might be called "the Teacher's Manual," because so much of what they contain is about the kind of teaching that Christian leaders should--and shouldn't--be giving. Just as Timothy and Titus needed help to lead their young churches well in the midst of powerful cultural forces, we need guidance for correct leading and living in our own context. These studies on Paul's letters point us in the right direction. This guide by Tom Wright can be used on its own or alongside his New Testament for Everyone commentary on 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus. It is designed to help you understand Scripture in fresh ways under the guidance of one of the world's leading New Testament scholars. Thoughtful questions, prayer suggestions, and useful background and cultural information all guide you or a group more deeply into God's Word. Discover how you can participate more fully in God's kingdom.

"I'll never grow up." Sometimes we all feel a little like Peter Pan. We'd rather be children, free of obligations and responsibilities. Sometimes we even feel that way about our Christian lives. The writers of 1 & 2 Peter and Jude understand how difficult it is to grow into maturity. As Carolyn Nystrom leads us through these letters, we see how God provides direction and comfort when we travel dark roads. And we discover what it takes to be mature in Christ. This revised LifeGuide Bible Study features additional questions for starting group discussions and for meeting God in personal reflection, together with expanded leader's notes and a "Now or Later" section in each study.

These five Old Testament books, traditionally known simply as "the Scrolls," are among the most neglected parts of the Christian Bible. In Judaism, the Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes and Esther were eventually adopted as lectionary readings for five of the major festivals. In Christian tradition, however, no consensus has emerged about their proper use. Each book presents particular difficulties with regard to how it relates to the rest of Scripture and how it should be understood as the Word of God for us today. InFive Festal Garments Barry Webb offers a Christian interpretation of these problematic writings. He allows each book to set its own agenda, and then examines each in relation to the wider Old Testament and to the New Testament gospel with its basic structure of promise and fulfillment. In this way, Webb presents fresh and illuminating perspectives on these five "festal garments" of love, kindness, suffering, vexation and deliverance.

We're updating and revising our bestselling LifeGuides to make them even more effective for small group Bible study

New features of the revised LifeGuides include special options for group activities, additional questions for personal reflection, a "Now or Later" section with practical follow-up activities for use after the study or between sessions, expanded and improved leaders' notes and an attractive, redesigned format for easier reading.

Beginning with the new guides Miracles and Pleasing God (released in February 1999), all new LifeGuides will be presented in the new format. In addition more existing volumes will be revised every year to ensure that all our LifeGuides continue to be effective Bible study resources for the twenty-first century.

Heaven is often hard for us to picture, but these eight studies provide us with a biblical perspective on heaven -- something richer and more exciting than what we could ever imagine.

The life of Nehemiah is an inspiring testament to the power of determination. Years after Jerusalem's defeat by Babylon, the Jewish people returned to their land, only to discover a city left in ruins. Surrounded by enemies, Nehemiah finds himself tasked with an overwhelming charge: To rebuild the walls of his beloved city. This Bible study examines Nehemiah's remarkable journey from the everyday to the extraordinary, and explores the unique power found in perseverance. The Wiersbe Bible Studies Series explores timeless wisdom found in God's word. Based on Dr. Warren W. Wiersbe's popular "BE" series, each study provides topical, relevant insights from selected books of the Bible. Designed for small groups, this eight-week study features selected commentaries from "BE Determined," engaging questions, and practical applications, all designed to help you connect God's word with your life.

From the author of the ever popular author of A Scots Gospel comes a gospel written in Glasgow's distinctive vernacular. With the author's characteristic enthusiasm and sense of the dignity of this most beautiful of all stories, the drama unfolds-from the joy of the birth of Jesus, to the tragedy of his betrayal, and the joy of the resurrection. This is a book to be read out loud and quite simply enjoyed

Acclaimed author Percival Everett will take an atheist's-eye-view of the little-known "Jefferson Bible," the third president's response to the King James Bible.

Percival Everett's novel Erasure won the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award, and his most recent, "A History of the African-American People Proposed] by Strom Thurmond, as told to Percival Everett and James Kincaid A Novel]" ruffled many Confederate feathers.

At the inauguration of the year 2020, Christian prophets unanimously recognized that the Church was not merely entering a new year or season, but an entirely new era. To align with God and His purposes for this new era, it is vital that every Christian is aware of God’s directives, so they can move in sync with His Spirit in the coming days.

In BB35, globally recognized prophet and bestselling author Patricia King offers a prophetic plumb line—a prescient standard for believers to walk in Kingdom success.

Uniquely presented through short, reflective readings, with accompanying prayers of activation and devotional insights, Patricia shares how to walk vigilantly and victoriously in this new era.

Includes prophetic words on…

• Cultural reformation.
• Increased supernatural visitation.
• Escalated miracles.
• The fear of the Lord.
• The call to consecration.
• A breakthrough era.
• The days of awe.
• Great shakings: wars, rumors of wars, natural disasters, and plagues.
• Divine wisdom and the counsel of God.

Es incuestionable que el ser humano fue creado para tener creencias; a estas creencias le llamamos doctrinas. El cristiano, tambien debe conocer y declarar su doctrina o creencias. La Biblia es el texto base para la doctrina del creyente. Cualquier declaracion de ensenanza o doctrina debe estar basada en lo que la Escritura dice. Lo que tu crees define lo que eres, y como resultado determina lo que haces. La doctrina biblica es entonces, la base para nuestra practica. 'Panorama Doctrinal' es un compendio de la ensenanza biblica sobre la cual debe vivir el creyente. Esta guia presenta 12 temas (La Biblia, la Trinidad, Dios - Padre, Dios - Hijo, Dios -Espiritu Santo, los Angeles, Satanas, el Hombre, el Pecado, la Salvacion, la Iglesia, y los Eventos Futuros). Cada tema esta explicado de una manera comprensiva y clara, para que el estudiante conozca, en base a declaraciones doctrinales y apoyo biblico, las ensenanzas biblicas que definen su fe. El creyente que conozca esta guia estara capacitado para defender su fe, y estara preparado para vivir la vida cristiana en base a lo que la biblia dice que debe practicar. 'Panorama Doctrinal' es el libro # 4 de la serie 'Perfeccionados', que consta de 12 manuales de estudio; cada libro debe ser acompanado de su CD correspondiente en PowerPoint para ser usado por el instructor. 'Perfeccionados' esta dividido en dos partes: La primera consta de cuatro clases, y recomendamos que sean ensenadas a todos los miembros de la iglesia local, como su programa de discipulado cristiano. El segundo esta compuesto de ocho clases (que son la continuacion de las cuatro anteriores); estos manuales estan disenados para utilizarse como libros de texto para su instituto o capacitacion biblica local, de esta manera, al cursar las doce clases, se completaria el programa de discipulado capacitador. 'Perfeccionados' ayudara a tu Iglesia a lograr el proposito de Jesus con la Gran Comision.

La Biblia es el manual para la vida del cristiano. Sin el conocimiento de ella, seria imposible que sepas su mensaje, y mucho menos entender la forma de vida que Dios desea que tu vivas. 'Panorama Biblico' puede ser una herramienta util para que conozcas el mensaje de este manual divino. Esta obra presenta una sobrevista de cada libro de la Biblia de una manera sencilla. Cada libro se presenta con el siguiente formato: un resumen breve, el marco historico, tema, proposito, texto clave, bosquejo, contenido, y algunas declaraciones para aprendizaje y aplicacion. Cada punto le ayudara a conocer el contenido del mensaje biblico, pero mas especificamente los puntos del resumen breve, el marco historico y el contenido; estos le brindaran una informacion con la que usted conocera claramente lo que Dios ha comunicado. Las explicaciones presentadas, aunque resumidas, se exponen para que conozca lo que Dios, en su divina inspiracion, declaro en cada libro en particular. 'Panorama Biblico' es el libro # 3 de la serie 'Perfeccionados', que consta de 12 manuales de estudio; cada libro debe ser acompanado de su CD correspondiente en PowerPoint para ser usado por el instructor. 'Perfeccionados' esta dividido en dos partes: La primera consta de cuatro clases, y recomendamos que sean ensenadas a todos los miembros de la iglesia local, como su programa de discipulado cristiano. El segundo esta compuesto de ocho clases (que son la continuacion de las cuatro anteriores); estos manuales estan disenados para utilizarse como libros de texto para su instituto o capacitacion biblica local, de esta manera, al cursar las doce clases, se completaria el programa de discipulado capacitador. 'Perfeccionados' ayudara a tu Iglesia a lograr el proposito de Jesus con la Gran Comision.