Journey inside the pages of Scripture to meet a personal God who enters individual lives and begins a creative work from the inside out. Shaped with the individual in mind, Immersion encourages simultaneous engagement both with the Word of God and with the God of the Word to become a new creation in Christ. Immersion, inspired by a fresh translation--the Common English Bible--stands firmly on Scripture and helps readers explore the emotional, spiritual, and intellectual needs of their personal faith. More importantly, they ll be able to discover God s revelation through readings and reflections."

Journey inside the pages of Scripture to meet a personal God who enters individual lives and begins a creative work from the inside out. Shaped with the individual in mind, Immersion encourages simultaneous engagement both with the Word of God and with the God of the Word to become a new creation in Christ. Immersion, inspired by a fresh translation--the Common English Bible--stands firmly on Scripture and helps readers explore the emotional, spiritual, and intellectual needs of their personal faith. More importantly, they ll be able to discover God s revelation through readings and reflections."

It was the center of learning, commerce, wealth, and religion. Devoted to materialism, extravagance, luxury, and the pursuit of sensual pleasure, it was a privileged society. But, there was also injustice, poverty, andoppression. It was the great and ancient Babylon the center of the universe. And now wefind Babylon redux today in Western society. Consumer capitalism, a never-ending cycle of working and buying, a sea of choices produced with little regard to life or resources, societal violence, marginalized and excluded people, a world headed toward climactic calamity. Where are the prophets the Jeremiahs to lead the way out of the gated communities of overindulgence, the high rises of environmental disaster, and the darkness at the core of an apostate consumer society? Walter Brueggemann ascholar, a preacher, a prophetic voice in our own time challenges us again to examine our culture, turn from the idols of abundance and abuse, and turn to lives of meaning and substance."

In this follow-up to his popular book What Are We Hoping For? New Testament Images, Daniel J. Harrington extends his reflections on hope in the Scriptures. He draws us into the striking images of the psalms--the mountain, the sun, refuge, the kingdom, sheltering wings, the olive tree, and the shepherd--to lead us to the discovery that hope is the predominant image of the book of Psalms. Even in their darkest laments, the psalmists remind us that God hears us and will never abandon us. In these brief essays, Harrington opens up the language of forty psalms, explores their literary and historical context, and then ties the psalm to our reading as Christians whose ultimate hope is in Jesus Christ. As we read and reflect on the psalms with Harrington's guidance, we call to mind the ways we experience God and our hopes, both daily and for all time. Drawn into the world of the psalmist and discovering how our experiences often mirror theirs, we too will express our hope in God's love and mercy and in the coming of God's kingdom.

The Birth of the Church is Volume 2 of a continuing curriculum series highlighting New Testament characters responsible for leading the early church in its formation. Already adopted for use on the mission fields of North India, The Birth of the Church has proven to be a valuable tool in equipping the emerging churches and the training of its leaders. This curriculum which offers several weeks of study, is designed to deepen one's understanding of the Biblical characters God used to impact His Kingdom and establish His church. This book will equip present day readers to become the servants of the Most High God in today's world. Mary Ann Bishop is a Bible teacher, recording artist and conference speaker. Because of her heart for the lost, in 2000 she and her husband, David, founded White Harvest Trading Company and White Harvest Foundation, (www.whiteharvesttradingco.com) a ministry bringing hope to the unreached people of Southeast Asia. Presently David and Mary Ann work in China, Vietnam and Turkey providing business platforms for their partners who target people groups in these areas. Products from these groups are imported and sold in their store located in Pawleys Island, South Carolina. David and Mary Ann reside in Pawleys Island and are the parents of two children, Wesley and Elizabeth. Bruce Chandler teaches art classes, paints commissions as well as local and historical landmarks for prints. Bruce also paints murals for residences, churches and businesses, the largest of which is 79 feet long and located in Douglas Airport, Charlotte, North Carolina. The highest paintings are located in numerous Super Wal-Mart stores, and the most humorous can be found in a Litchfield, SC beach house. Bruce has illustrated four books, been featured in Craft and Design Magazine, and designed a painting for the cover of Seabreeze Magazine.

Perspectives on Our Father Abraham is a collection of thoughtful articles honoring Marv Wilson -- author of the seminal text Our Father Abraham -- on the occasion of his seventy-fifth birthday. Nineteen Jewish and Christian scholars here offer various studies related to the patriarch Abraham. Readers will profit from these engaging, even groundbreaking, studies of Abraham both in the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures and in other ancient and contemporary traditions. This book encompasses a uniquely broad range of traditions having to do with Abraham and brings Jews and Christians together in fruitful dialogue.

Ever since the first century, Christians have regarded Isaiah as a high point in the Old Testament prophetic literature. Its themes of messiah and suffering servant, deliverance from exile and new creation--to name a few--have been viewed as reaching particular fulfillment in the gospel. Then too, the impact of Isaiah on the church's language of worship and hymnology, and on the Western tradition of art and literature, is beyond measure. The book of Isaiah has also received more than its fair share of scholarly examination, with various theories of its origin and composition proposed. Originating in a 2008 Tyndale Fellowship conference on Isaiah, Interpreting Isaiah presents some of the most significant evangelical scholarship on Isaiah today. Essays on recent scholarship and the theology of Isaiah offer valuable overviews that bring readers abreast of current understanding. And more sharply focused studies in particular Isaianic themes and texts explore issues and exercise methodologies that will interest and reward diligent teachers and preachers of the Old Testament.

Ephesians - "The Mystery of God's Church - Our Identity, Our Walk, Our Warfare" - Precepts for Life Study Guide for the radio / tv broadcast series by Kay Arthur. In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul prays God will "open the eyes of their hearts" to know "what is the hope of His calling" on their lives. Learn how to walk in a manner worthy of this holy calling.

During the special Pauline Jubilee Year, Pope Benedict XVI used his Wednesday audiences as an opportunity to meet one of the most influential persons in the history of Christianity, Saint Paul. Meeting Saint Paul is the complete collection of these twenty-one papal reflections.

Jeremiah Part 1- "Return to Me" - Precepts for Life Study Guide for the Radio/TV broadcast series by Kay Arthur.
In the days of Jeremiah, Israel's spiritual condition was much like our nation's today. God chose Jeremiah to call people to turn from sin and idolatry and return to Him. Facing unbelievable opposition, Jeremiah warned the people that God's holy wrath that would soon be poured out.

Living for God's Glory - Precepts for Life Study Companion for the radio / tv broadcast series by Kay Arthur. God commanded us to glorify Him in our bodies, which He purchased through the blood of His Son. Know God and return to His glory through this life-changing study.

Over the past twenty-five years research on Paul's life and thoughthas yielded a wealth of new, sometimes controversial theories concerningsuch crucial questions as Paul's Jewishness and his relationto the Jesus tradition. This volume provides an excellent overviewof recent trends in Pauline studies and introduces fresh work onthe Thessalonian correspondence and Christianity.

Written by a distinguished scholar of the New Testament, thebook ranges widely over themes related to Paul, his theology, andhis role in the formation of the church. Of special interest arechapters that challenge the so-called "New Perspective" on Paul setforth by people like E. P. Sanders and James D. G. Dunn, thatdiscuss the importance of the Dead Sea Scrolls in reframing ourperspective on the Jewish backgrounds of Christianity, and thatrelate the Pauline understanding of justification to recent ecumenicalagreements.

Presenting cutting-edge New Testament scholarship in accessibleessays, this volume will benefit everyone interested in Paul, early Christianity, and the Jewish roots of both.

With a scholar's mind and a pastor's heart, Tom Wright walks you through Mark in this guide designed especially with everyday readers in mind. Perfect for group use or daily personal reflection, this study uses the popular inductive method combined with Wright's thoughtful insights to bring contemporary application of Scripture to life. This guide by Tom Wright can be used on its own or alongside his New Testament for Everyone commentary on Mark. 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.

Jeremiah Part 1- "Return to Me" - Precepts for Life Study Companion for the Radio/TV broadcast series by Kay Arthur.
In the days of Jeremiah, Israel's spiritual condition was much like our nation's today. God chose Jeremiah to call people to turn from sin and idolatry and return to Him. Facing unbelievable opposition, Jeremiah warned the people that God's holy wrath that would soon be poured out.

"Triumphant Return" is an upbeat, positive proclamation of the tremendous prophecies about the Second Coming and the awesome transformation of humanity that will unfold when Christ ushers in the Kingdom of God.
Key Features Include:
"- Christ's Triumphant Return- your role in the coming Kingdom of God.
- Why are the Rapture and the Second Coming under attack today?
- How should we understand the Bible's prophecies: Literal or symbolic? Past or future?
- The coming Millennial Kingdom of God- the key to understanding prophecy
- Historical evidence disproves the false theory that Revelation's prophecies were fulfilled in A.D. 70
- What did the Early Church believe about the Second Coming? The early Christians taught Christ's return will be literal, imminent, and premillennial.
- Fascinating new research about the remarkable prophecies pointing to the nearness of Christ's premillennial return
- Astonishing evidence the Muslim Koran acknowledges Israel's right to the Promised Land
- How should the promise of Christ's return transform your faith and daily walk with God?
"

Paul must often have felt like a mother duck guiding her ducklings to safety. He had seen the enthusiasm of the Colossian Christians but knew they had no idea of the dangers they would face. Longing for them to continue growing in faith, Paul--now stuck in prison--wrote to his young flock, affirming them, warning them of hazards and pointing them to King Jesus, the supreme one who was with them and at work in them. These eight studies on Colossians and Philemon will similarly guide us toward maturity in King Jesus, who is still at work in his people today. This guide by Tom Wright can be used on its own or alongside his New Testament for Everyone commentary on Colossians and Philemon. 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.

With a scholar's mind and a pastor's heart, Tom Wright walks you through Matthew in this guide designed especially with everyday readers in mind. Perfect for group use or daily personal reflection, this study uses the popular inductive method combined with Wright's thoughtful insights to bring contemporary application of Scripture to life. This guide by Tom Wright can be used on its own or alongside his New Testament for Everyone commentary on Matthew. 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.

Have you noticed how sometimes you have a story in the back of your mind that keeps coming up, even when you're talking about something else? In Ephesians, throughout its worship, prayers and instructions for living, Paul can't contain his joy and amazement at the larger story of God's plan to save us in Jesus the Messiah. These eleven studies from Tom Wright will help us see the significance of our role in God's grand narrative, and encourage us to live more fully as people who are lavishly loved by God. This guide by Tom Wright can be used on its own or alongside his New Testament for Everyone commentary on Ephesians. 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.

IF YOU COULD HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANTED, WHAT WOULD YOU CHOOSE? We dream of what we'd do if we won the lottery or happened onto some other financial windfall. Solomon, son of King David didn't need such luck -- the world was his for the taking. So what did he want more than anything? To "discern between good and evil." God blessed Solomon with the wisest of hearts and through the Smart Guide to the Bible Series: Solomon, you'll see how you, too, can be blessed with God's wisdom through his writings in Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon. Yes, "you" can make the choice for a wise heart from God.

Life in the Spirit Precepts for Life Study Guide for the radio / tv broadcast series by Kay Arthur. Be conformed to the image of Christ, as man was designed to be, through this powerful study of the Holy Spirit - His leading, filling, wisdom, intercession, righteousness, peace, joy and comfort.

The Crash Course series is an adult small group study series, produced in partnership with Christianity Today International, designed to give participants a thorough overview of a particular segment of Scripture or Bible topic in an engaging and thought-provoking way. - Solid Bible content - Easy-to-lead format - Creative and engaging discussion questions - Relevant life application

The letters of the Apostle Paul changed the world like no others before or since, and they continue to strike us afresh with their panoramic vision of human history and destiny.

Preeminent New Testament scholar and churchman N. T. Wright here offers a fresh perspective on the Apostle Paul's content and convictions. Wright ranks Paul as "one of the most powerful and seminal minds of the first or any century," endlessly engaging and perennially elusive. Yet, with recent research, Wright argues, we can now sketch with confidence a new and more nuanced picture of the Apostle and the radical way in which his encounter with Jesus redefined his life, his whole thought-world, his mission, and his expectations for a world made new in Christ. The result: a masterful, engaging, and enlightening portrait that situates Paul in his time and for our own.

Isaiah Part 2 - "Comfort For His People" - Precepts for Life Study Guide for the radio / tv broadcast series by Kay Arthur. Even as Isaiah warned about the awful consequences of sin, he also delivered God's message of consolation. Study how the Holy God will ultimately humiliate sin and exalt justice and righteousness. Explore the hope of the coming Messiah, His universal kingdom, justice and restoration