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Books > Humanities > Religion & beliefs > Christianity > Christian religious experience > General
It's hard to say that God is good when God isn't always what we
expect good to be. A good father wouldn't make it so difficult to
get to know him, would he? And if God is all-powerful, wouldn't he
ensure that we never suffered? Either our understanding of God is
incorrect, or our definition of good is inadequate. In a world that
is messy and a church that is imperfect, it's easy to let our faith
be lost. But that doesn't mean we have to lose God. It means we
must consider the fact that perhaps our idealized expectations are
just plain wrong. With transparency about his own struggles with
cynicism and doubt, pastor Luke Norsworthy helps frustrated
Christians and skeptics trade their confinement of God in an anemic
definition of good for confidence in the God who is present in
everything, including our suffering.
We are all addicted in some way. When we learn to identify our
addiction, embrace our brokenness, and surrender to God, we begin
to bring healing to ourselves and our world. In Breathing Under
Water, Richard Rohr shows how the gospel principles in the Twelve
Steps can free anyone from addiction - from an obvious dependence
on alcohol or drugs to the more common but less visible addiction
that we all have to sin. 'A must-read for any person who recognizes
the need to go "inward" on their soul's journey to question what
their relationship is with God, themselves, and others.' The Cord
'Rohr is a perfect writer on the subject of the 12 Steps. His
easy-to-read book is essentially a commentary on each of the steps,
with twelve chapters and a postscript that concisely tackles the
big religious questions of human suffering, suffering with which
addicts and their families are intimately acquainted. Jesus, Rohr
answers, is no stranger to suffering . . . This is a good book for
those in recovery from addiction and those who love them.
Publishers Weekly 'Richard Rohr continues to guide us to greater
wholeness . . . his books have helped countless souls, especially
those who struggle with issues of brokenness and seek
transformation.' National Catholic Reporter
This is the story of God whispering, "What no one wants, I
cherish." The daughter of a mail-order bride and a busboy from San
Francisco's Chinatown, Bonnie Gray grew up never truly feeling
beautiful or beloved. As an adult, she built her life to look
pleasant and ordinary, with a wonderful husband, two amazing boys,
and a thriving career. But despite these blessings, she still felt
the tugging emptiness of a missing piece. At 39, a long-forgotten
birth certificate in an old file cabinet sparked a curiosity Bonnie
couldn't ignore. Determined to uncover her family's secrets and
understand the home she was born into, Bonnie embarked on a quest
that would leave her forever changed. Returning to the culture,
places, and stories that shaped her, her search led her to
soul-shaking discoveries about her identity, human kindness and
what it truly means to belong. The profoundly moving journey of
learning to embrace our true worth, Sweet Like Jasmine celebrates
how God uses our unique and broken stories to create a beautiful
mosaic of His love, one life at a time.
Why are so many of us fighting the same old battles instead of
living the life God intends for us? It's time to learn how to use
the weapons God has already provided for us to find success in
every area of life. Unpacking the full armor of God described in
Ephesians 6, Linda Evans Shepherd offers insight into why we feel
resistance when we try to find and follow our purpose and shows us
how to break through our daily spiritual battles to live a
victorious life now.
Tim Harlow, senior pastor of Parkview Christian Church, helps Christians rediscover the passionate savior of the Bible who is still relevant today.
For years Christians have asked, "What would Jesus do?" But what if we asked a better, more illuminating question: "What made Jesus mad?"
As much as we love a gentle, sweet image of Jesus, that picture isn't complete. Jesus got deeply angry at times. That shouldn't surprise us--but who he was mad at, and why, might. Jesus was most angry with people whose attitudes got in the way of his purpose: to seek and to save the lost, to unite us with God's amazing love. So, when he saw hypocrisy, greed, judging, and lack of mercy coming from the hearts of people who supposedly followed God and as a result pushed people away from him, Jesus went into orbit. Do we feel the same way?
Whatever the problem--tolerating injustice, shunning sinners, or ignoring the least among us--What Made Jesus Mad? opens our eyes to the issues that most angered Jesus and that should anger Christians as we align our hearts with his and get back to actually following the Savior.
Who Are You? I am who God says I am. I can do what God says I can
do. I can become exactly what God says I can become. You are a
miracle. And that's exactly what this study is about-your true
identity. Who you really are. The culture will try to define you,
your past may try to label you, the enemy will seek to deceive you,
but no one has the authority to give you your name-your
identity-except your Father. And He says that your uniqueness is an
expression of His creative genius and is designed to reflect His
glory. Join Priscilla for eight weeks and begin to understand what
it means to be created in God's image and recreated in Christ's
image as His masterpiece. Once you discover who God says you are
and the spiritual inheritance that you have, you can start walking
in your true identity as a daughter of the most high King. You'll
spend your whole life either trying to be and become something you
were never meant to be, or discovering who you are in Him and
living up to that standard by the power of His Spirit within you.
You are His! And you were created for the purpose of reflecting
God's light to the world. Like all of God's miracles, your life
will leave a lasting impact if you'll simply be yourself,
surrendered to God, molded by His Spirit, and on mission for
Him.Defined Teen Girls' Bible Study Leader Kit includes a Bible
Study Book and one DVD with eight 15- to 20-minute video sessions.
The videos include a promotional segment and teaching sessions
featuring author Priscilla Shirer. The Kit also includes codes for
access to digital video downloads and additional resources from
Wordsearch Bible. Session topics: 1. Uniquely Created 2. Struggles
and Solutions 3. Vital Signs 4. Who You Are 5. What You Have 6.
Walk This Way 7. In Christ, On Purpose 8. Guarding Your Identity
Kit includes: Bible Study BookDVD with a promotional video and
eight 15- to 20-minute video sessionsCode for access to digital
video downloadsCode for access to additional leader resources
available from Wordsearch Bible online platform Features: Teaching
videos featuring author Priscilla Shirer, approximately 15-20
minutes each weekPersonal study opportunities for ongoing spiritual
growthPromotional videoSocial media assets for the group leader8
group sessions, 7 weeks of homework ALSO AVAILABLE Bible study
book, eBook, and digital leader kit available at
LifeWay.com/OvercomerResources
Kan eet teruggeëis word as heilige daad, deels met die wete dat jy nooit
geïsoleerd is nie, selfs al voel dit so?
Hedendaagse verbruikerskultuur vergeet die onsigbare, minag die ontasbare en
maak ’n bespotting van die geringe. Is daar ’n lewegewende alternatief vir hierdie
kultuur? Ons kan dit verander deur Christelike spiritualiteit en die keuse om
aandagtig en bewustelik te lewe. Jy kan dit doen by ’n tafel – jy kan ’n sinnelose,
bedwelmde bestaan ontkom en jy kan sien en hoor wat jy nooit sal sien en hoor
as jy slegs ’n gewone verbruiker bly nie. Begin deur bewustelik te eet. Kyk na jou
bord, asem die reuke in, kyk saam met wie eet jy, besef dat iets moes sterf vir
daardie kos om op jou bord te beland, hetsy ’n hoender of ’n wortel. Die tafel is
die verbindingsplek, met jouself, die natuur, met ander mense en met God. Kry
balans in alles – moenie te veel eet nie, moenie te min eet nie, eet van alles, eet
volhoubaar.
'Ustedes pueden impedir que yo sea un predicador con credenciales,
pero sere predicador de el corazon. No pueden quebrar mi voluntad,
no pueden detener a un huracan. Siempre estare alli. Ustedes deben
elegir, si desean un predicador colega o una espina clavada en el
pie.' Esta frase que emula al discurso del afamado medico Patch
Adams, ejemplifica el espiritu revolucionario de este libro. Dante
Gebel es conocido en gran parte del mundo hispano como un orador
capaz de trasportar a sus oyentes a las mas fascinantes historias y
lograr conducirlos por laberintos emocionales que van desde las
risas hasta las lagrimas. El Codigo del campeon nueva edicion
contiene la esencia de esos mensajes, sumado a las brillantes
historias que desafiaran tu vida radicalmente. Este es,
fundamentalmente, un libro escrito con pasion, dedicada a aquellos
que sufren de 'insatisfaccion santa', o como diria el mismo autor,
los que poseen una doble dosis de ambicion espiritual. 'No estoy
jugando-dice Gebel en el libro- no me gusta perder, me siento a dos
pulgadas del suelo, soy un mal perdedor. Esta es la liga mayor. La
mediocridad no me atrae, ser alguien del monton no es mi estilo,
voy por el campeonato.' Una obra literaria unica, que formara parte
de la historia de todos aquellos que desean marcar
significativamente este planeta. En resumen: El Codigo del Campeon
esta escrito para gente unica, decidida y radical."
A unique and validating look at the tension you feel between
disillusionment and a desire for truth, Searching for Enough helps
you see your doubt not as an emotion to fear but as an invitation
to be followed. Do you ever find yourself thinking, "I'm not
enough, and I'm never going to be. And I know I'm not supposed to
say this, but God's not enough for me either." Whether or not we
attend church, deep down we wonder if the biblical story of faith
is really enough for the complexity of the world in which we live.
We fill our lives with other things, hoping that maybe the next
experience or accomplishment will complete us. Yet with every goal
we reach, we still feel discouraged and anxious. In Searching for
Enough, Pastor Tyler Staton draws on ancient and modern insights to
introduce us, as if for the first time, to Jesus' disciple Thomas:
history's most notorious skeptic. Like Thomas, we are caught
between two unsatisfying stories: We want to believe in God but
can't reconcile his presence with our circumstances and internal
struggles. But what if there's a better story than shame? What if
there's redemption so complete that there's nothing left to hide?
What if there is a God who can heal your resentments, fears, and
loneliness in such a profound way that you feel whole? From a place
of spiritual companionship and deep authenticity, Tyler shows us
that it is not an empty tomb that will change our lives, but the
presence of the living God. Whether you are a distant skeptic, an
involved doubter, or a busy but bored Christian, Searching for
Enough invites you to find enough in a God who offers the only
promises that never disappoint.
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