Large enough to read. Compact enough to carry. This NIrV Giant Print Compact Bible features a truly giant print size yet is perfectly proportioned in a handy compact Bible. It seamlessly provides ease of reading in a convenient size to carry anywhere. The New International Reader's Version (NIrV) makes this a perfect Bible for new and early readers of English. The easy-to-read translation, along with the giant print size, provides a smooth reading experience for anyone. The New International Reader's Version (NIrV) of the Bible is based on the bestselling New International Version (NIV) but is written at a third-grade reading level, making this translation ideal for those just learning to read or learning English as a second language. Features: Complete text of the easy-to-read New International Reader's Version (NIrV) Single-column format Presentation page for gift giving Black-letter edition Satin ribbon marker Stained page edges Leathersoft cover lays flat when open Exclusive Zondervan NIrV Comfort Print (R) typeface 12-point print size

Can you really trust in hope? Does hope sometimes feel like a risk that isn't worth taking? Bestselling author, journalist, and former atheist Lee Strobel proves that hope is real, the true Source of our hope, and why we can trust it. In The Case for Hope, Lee Strobel pairs his trademark investigative style with an uplifting message of the hope found in Jesus Christ. Strobel will walk you through why holding on to hope is so crucial, why we can trust in the hope of Jesus Christ, and how that hope can change our lives for the better. Strobel will take you on a journey to discover: how to find hope in a hopeless world the source of real hope the hope of a transformed life hope for today and beyond hope that transcends doubt the hope of heaven hope for every person With more than 14 million books sold, Lee Strobel has already helped millions delve deeper into their faith and examine more deeply the how and the why of what they believe. Whether as a gift of encouragement during a difficult season, a reminder of our true hope at Christmas or Easter, a baptism or new member gift at church, or as a self-purchase when you need a lift in your faith, The Case for Hope is sure to inspire and ignite hope in the hearts of all who pick up this book.

Conversations matter. Yet, recently, good conversations about faith have been increasingly squeezed out of the public sphere. Seeking to reopen the debate, Justin Brierley began to invite atheists and sceptics on to Premier Christian Radio to air arguments for and against the Christian faith. But how has ten years of discussion with atheists affected the presenter's faith? Reflecting on conversations with Richard Dawkins, Derren Brown and many more, Justin explains why he still finds Christianity the most compelling explanation for life, the universe and everything. And why, regardless of belief or background, we should all welcome the conversation. 'Beautifully written, brilliantly argued, Justin's book will thrill Christians and challenge atheists.' R. T. Kendall, author and pastor 'Justin has that happy knack of being able to get people of diametrically opposed opinions debating the big issues.' John Lennox, Professor of Mathematics, University of Oxford

Revival is not a thing of the past. It’s happening now! Since May of 2016 Deeper Fellowship Church in Orlando, Florida, has experienced a move of God with numerous healings and supernatural encounters. This outpouring of the Spirit bears many hallmarks of historic revivals that have taken place in the past four hundred years. Pastor William McDowell challenges you to believe that if revival is happening anywhere, it can happen everywhere. Physical, emotional, and spiritual healings are taking place today. The people of God are passionately pursuing Him, and He is responding.

Interwoven with stories of God working in miraculous ways, It’s Happening captures biblical truths about experiencing revival and God’s presence. Position yourself to join in the move of God that is already happening, and be a catalyst in spreading it. Stop waiting for revival and start seizing it.

There are many things that make up a great leader. The ability to motivate, to see the big picture, to delegate. But perhaps just as important, if not more so, is the leader's emotional intelligence (EQ). How we feel impacts how we lead, and how those we lead feel about themselves when they're around us affects how well they follow our leadership. It follows then that if we want to be the most effective leaders, we must be emotionally mature.

In this practical book, church leadership expert Aubrey Malphurs shows church and ministry leaders how to assess, understand, and improve both their own EQ and that of their followers, so that they can inspire the very best in their churches and organizations.

Only you can do what He sent you to do. Throughout the Bible, God sent people like Joseph, Deborah, David, Jesus and Paul to accomplish His purposes on the earth. You, too, were born with a divine and distinct assignment to make a difference. Yet most of us have trouble recognizing what that actually is--let alone living it out day-to-day. Filled with practical insights and tangible takeaways, this book will help you discern how the Lord has uniquely equipped you--and for what purpose. You'll also learn how to master and maximize your gifts and discover how to joyfully carry out His call on your life each and every day. You were created to become a force of change in the lives of others--to reform, transform, ignite hope, solve problems, and bring healing and deliverance. It's time to find and fulfill the reason you are here. "A masterpiece of a book. LaJun and Valora will teach, train and equip you to hear from heaven and do the will of God for your life. This is a must-read."--JOE JOE DAWSON, ROAR Apostolic Network "The insight and strategies you will receive in this book are tools that will change your life."--ANDREW TOWE, author, The Triple Threat Anointing

Today is the day you choose . . . which game you want to win, which prize you want to collect, which priorities you want to set. It's a thrill to win at checkers or Clue or Trivial Pursuit. You sweep aside the other players and you "own" the board. It's also a thrill to win a promotion at work ... the new house you wanted ... that sports car you've always eyed. But just like the game cards, the tokens, and the timer, those prizes are temporary. When the game is over, they all go back in the box. Games can cast a powerful spell, says bestselling author John Ortberg. But the wisest player remembers that the game is always going to end. So what can we take with us to the kingdom of God? Only the love we have for Christ, the love we have for each other, and our own souls. While it's not bad to be good at chess or Risk-or the game of life on Earth-we can't allow it to get in the way of what really matters. Using his humor and his genius for storytelling, Ortberg helps you focus on the real rules of the game and how to set your priorities. When the Game Is Over, It All Goes Back in the Box Participant's Guide helps explain how, left to our own devices, we tend to seek out worldly things, mistakenly thinking they will bring us fulfillment. But everything on Earth belongs to God. Everything we "own" is just on loan. And what pleases God is often 180 degrees from what we may think is important. In the six sessions you will learn how to: Live passionately and boldly Learn how to be active players in the game that pleases God Find your true mission and offer your best Fill each square on the board with what matters most Seek the richness of being instead of the richness of having You can't beat the house, notes Ortberg. We're playing our game of life on a giant board called a calendar. Time will always run out, so it's a good thing to live a life that delights your Creator. When everything goes back in the box, you'll have made what is temporary a servant to what is eternal, and you'll leave this life knowing you've achieved the only victory that matters. Sessions include: When the Game Is Over It All Goes Back in the Box Keeping Score Where It Really Counts Resign as Master of the Board Calling or Comfort? Choose Your Move Wisely Playing the Game with Greatness and Grace The Kingdom Has One More Move Designed for use with When the Game Is Over It All Goes Back in the Box DVD 9780310808244 (sold separately).

How can we love our neighbors amid so much division and hurt? Loving your neighbor as yourself would be easy if your neighbors were all people you understood, people you agreed with, people like you. But what about playground bullies, colleagues, refugees, online adversaries? They're all our neighbors, and Jesus said to love them. Every one. But how? Lauren Casper believes the key is the lost art of empathy, stepping into other people's shoes and asking what if?-what if it were my child? What if it were me? Casper helps us discover how to identify our blind spots and tune our hearts to the stories around us; seek and extend forgiveness with grace and humility; and engage in diverse and meaningful relationships. Following these steps will enable us to connect in simple but life-altering ways, to respond to conflict with grace, bring about needed change, and shine God's unconditional love into a dark world.

He's inviting you to sustained and unquenchable love. Jesus is worthy of a love that burns in the likeness of His love for us. But threats to our passion for Him come with the storms and setbacks we face. With vulnerable perspective and insight, Dana Candler shares her own battles with keeping first love and how the Lord breaks in with vital truth and fresh desire to her soul--and how He yearns to do the same for you. Discover how to overcome the enemies of holy passion and tangibly experience His love. When you do, He will consume your heart with thriving joy, delight and passion for Him, burning bright all your days. "First Love equips you to say yes to God's invitation to a life marked by confident trust, deep-rooted joy and a love that overflows and impacts all that you do!"--JODIE BERNDT, bestselling author, Praying the Scriptures for Your Children "This book will strengthen your confidence in the One who never starts a fire and walks away."--BOB SORGE, bestselling author, Secrets of the Secret Place "I pray every reader of this book will be encouraged to live from the secret place of prayer so that they may also stand in the peace of God."--HEIDI G. BAKER, Ph.D., co-founder and executive chairman of the board, Iris Global

Gary Thomas, one of this generation's most trusted writers about the spiritual life, explores what it means to build a life of true pleasure - one that will liberate your spiritual life, marriage, family, community, and outreach. Many Christians assume "pleasure" and "sin" are synonymous. Others define godly pleasure so narrowly that they drastically minimize the powerful and holy role that pleasure can play in their lives. Still others feel guilty even thinking about how to build a life of pleasure. For all of them, Pure Pleasure provides an entirely new paradigm. It invites Christians to embrace a life of true pleasure as a pathway to obedience, worship, and service. Building on his bestselling books Sacred Pathways, Sacred Marriage, and the ECPA Gold Medallion-winning Authentic Faith, Gary Thomas takes readers to a new level of faith by providing a theological and inspirational framework to help them cultivate the kind of life that pleases God. Abounding with spiritual insights and practical exercises, this book invites you to shake off the shackles of misunderstanding about sin, provides the freedom to approach life in Christ with new wonder and joy, and challenges you to experience life as God meant it to be: overflowing with pleasure. Also available: Pure Pleasure small group video study and study guide, Spanish edition, and more.

Each of us has a soul story to tell - the unique story of how we experience God throughout our lives. Kate Nicholas expertly takes you on a journey through the various stages of your life, helping you to see your soul's story as an adventure full of meaning and purpose, connecting your tale with the great sweeping arc of God's eternal narrative. As you identify the main themes of your life that connect past and present, you will be able to understand your life as a coherent whole. At the end of this reflective and practical process, you will have the tools to step out and tell your own story with confidence. Point others to Jesus as you are empowered to share the good things God has done for you. Content Benefits: Soul's Scribe helps you to make sense of your life story and gives you the confidence to effectively share your testimony with others. Encourages you to look back over your life and see where God has been at work, guiding your paths, and working out his plans Each chapter provides food thought about God's narrative, how it relates to you and how you experience God in the world at different stages of your life Helps you identify the main themes of your life that connect past and present to help you to understand your life as a coherent whole Provides you with the tools to step out and tell your own story with confidence Enables you to see your own life as an adventure, full of purpose and meaning Draws on scripture and developmental psychology Implements methods used by professional communicators Ideal for anyone who wants to see the bigger picture of their journey with God Perfect for anyone who wants to tell their story more effectively to others Binding - Paperback Pages - 256 Publisher - Authentic Media

*Entirely rewritten and re-filmed for a more focused and deeply personal study of the most-loved verse in the Bible-John 3:16. In this updated classic Bible study (video streaming included), bestselling author and pastor Max Lucado pulls back the curtain on his favorite Bible passage to move you to a profound awareness of God's limitless love, His incalculable sacrifice, and the certainty of His offer of eternal life. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." This passage is a twenty-six-word parade of hope. A verse brief enough to write on a napkin or memorize in a moment...and solid enough to weather 2,000 years of storms and questions. With deeply personal accounts of the way this verse shaped Max's own faith journey, this study will reveal the gospel story surrounding the promise and unpack God's plan of restoration from the human problems of sin and death. If you know nothing about the Bible, the promise of John 3:16 is where to start. This video study guide has everything you need for a full Bible study experience, including: The study guide itself-with discussion and reflection questions, video notes, and a leader's guide. An individual access code to stream all five video sessions online (you don't need to buy a DVD!). It's time to live as if you've been "born again", as if you've already been redeemed. It's time to live into the promise, to trust it-so much that this message of God's unending love overflows from you to the world. Watch on any device! Streaming video access code included. Access code subject to expiration after 12/31/2027. Code may be redeemed only by the recipient of this package. Code may not be transferred or sold separately from this package. Internet connection required. Void where prohibited, taxed, or restricted by law. Additional offer details inside.

Through beautiful prose and meditations, Caryll Houselander depicts the intimately human side of Mary, Mother of God, as an empty reed waiting for God's music to be played through her. Lovingly bringing Our Lady down off her time-honored, ancient pedestal, Houselander shares her insightful and beautiful vision of Mary on earth, Mary among us, Mary as a confused but trusting teenager whose holiness flowered with her eternal "Yes." With profound theological teachings and appealing imagery, "The Reed of God" is a spiritual classic written in the mystical tradition of Julian of Norwich.

Overthrowing Your Empire of Noise
Noise. It's everywhere. Televisions blaring out commercials. Opinions shouted over the radio. The Internet and its unlimited distractions. All of the tasks and choices that you know don't really matter. Always intensifying, becoming a deep part of our everyday cycle, our now hurried lives.
But often God speaks to us in the stillness. When Elijah needed to hear from God, God sent a fire, a quake, and a huge wind. But God wasn't in the fire. He wasn't in the quake. He wasn't in the wind. God was in the whisper. But the noise hides the whisper.
Life is a dangerous place when we are stripped of our ability to hear God clearly.
During His time here on earth Jesus Christ was a master of noise. He balanced time healing, teaching, and feeding the multitudes with regular periods alone with His Father. "Static Jedi" takes a look at the life of Jesus to help you master the noise and distractions and live in clarity.

A Journey to Break Free

Forgiving others doesn’t just grant you peace. It gets you right with God. This book will help you understand the importance of the mandate in God’s Word to forgive others and teach you what steps to take to totally forgive.  Forgiving others totally is a core message of the gospel. Jesus forgives us completely and unconditionally, and we are to do the same. But how do we make the choice to let go of the unforgiveness in our hearts?

Are you holding on to bitterness or unforgiveness toward someone who has wronged you? Are you feeling a lack of freedom and peace in your spirit because of it? It’s time to get right with God by letting go of the past and releasing both the people and the pain. In this forty-day devotional based on R. T. Kendall’s best-selling work Total Forgiveness, you will find inspirational readings to guide you into a new place of peace and joy.

Ceremony as therapy Formal ceremonies seem to be universal in human experience, addressing something very deep and basic in the human psyche. They tap into that vast subconscious reservoir of wisdom and strength that every human being possesses. To these qualities ceremonies add their own understandings of life and of God. They emphasize the presence of God in all things. The important transitions in our lives inevitably create anxietyeven happy transitions, such as weddings. We move from the familiar to the unknown. Our role in the community may change, which means that we will be treated differently. Sometimes it is our own sense of who we are that changes. We seek to live differently. All of these changes have an anxiety of their own. Ceremonies use the languages of the heartmetaphor, poetry, meditation, music, liturgy, and dramato address those anxieties. Bypassing the sterility of logic and analysis, a ceremony evokes the power to affirm and to heal that straightforward rational communication cannot touch. A ceremony has the quality of set-apartness. Something special is happening! Words spoken in a ceremony will have much more impact than those same words would have in a more ordinary context. A ceremony brings new perspective to things with which we struggle. Many ceremonies enlist the support of one's community. The leader often represents one's spiritual tradition, and other members of the community may be present. Even if the ceremony is done in the privacy of one's home or of a therapist's or pastor's office, others are present in the participant's imagination. Ceremonies also involve God, whose presence is acknowledged and whose blessing and support are assured. The ceremonies presented here are down-to-earth and practical. They can easily be adapted to many situations, and can stimulate the reader to create his/her own ceremonies to meet the unique needs of the persons to whom he/she ministers. Some of the ceremonies in this book are for use in a public place: weddings funerals a ceremony for grieving Others are more private, for use in a pastor's/therapist's office or in one's home: adoption funeral for an aborted baby support for a rape survivor the commitment to stop smoking addressing children's phobias leaving home forgiving another person forgiving oneself and more This book is a first! Not just a discussion about ceremonies, but a collection of ceremonies addressing a wide variety of situations! It will be innovative and insightful reading for pastors, therapists, and others for whom the languages of analysis and logic are not enough.

Pastor Mark Driscoll answers the one question you need to ask: Who am I in Christ? Being a Christian can be like driving in a foreign city. You try living on the straight and narrow but instead take a wrong turn onto the wide avenue of sin and temptation. In the process, you become discouraged and condemned, limping along in your faith-or giving up altogether. But this isn't the real Christian life. You can make a U-turn. Pastor Mark Driscoll knows that underlying our struggles in life is the issue of our identity. "The fundamental problem we have in this world," he says, "is that we don't understand who we truly are-children of God made in his image-and define ourselves by any number of things other than Jesus. Only by knowing our false identity apart from Christ in comparison to our true identity in him can we finally deal with and overcome the issues in our lives." Who are you in Christ? Among other things: You are a saint You are blessed You are saved You are afflicted You are heard You aren't what's been done to you but what Jesus has done for you. You aren't what you do but what Jesus has done. What you do doesn't determine who you are. Rather, who you are in Christ determines what you do. These are fundamental truths that Pastor Mark explores in depth throughout Who Do You Think You Are? Finding Your True Identity in Christ.

In this ten-lesson study guide, bestselling author Dr. David Jeremiah shows Christians why it is critical in these perilous times to focus more on who they are than simply what they do. In his previous book, Is This the End?, Dr. Jeremiah walked readers through the many cultural and spiritual challenges that are rapidly increasing in this divisive world. Although Jesus made it clear that no one knows the day or the hour of his return, many have been wondering if the end indeed is near.Regardless of whether this time is just around the corner or far in the future, the days are challenging to say the least. Many are wondering what will happen next and how Christians are going to be prepared for the societal onslaught that is building against many people of faith. A Life Beyond Amazing answers these questions as Dr. Jeremiah unpacks spiritual principles that help believers develop a strategy for life. He reveals that though human answers have failed them, God has given his wisdom-the ability to do the right thing without a precedent-for these days.In addition to cultural application and important updates on crucial issues, this study guide explores nine qualities of character that will carry believers forward. Three of these have to do with their relationship with themselves; three deal with their relationships with other people; and three of them focus on their relationship with God. Each lesson also includes:An outline of the main subjects and Scriptures covered during the lessonAn overview of Dr. Jeremiah's teaching on the topic being studiedApplication questions to help individuals and small groups delve into the BibleA Did You Know? section that adds a point of interest to the lesson

Do we have anything in common with the bad guys of the Bible? The sins of wrath, idolatry, and abuse of power are closer to us than we think. How do we guard against them? We learn not only by following moral exemplars-we also need to look at the warnings of lives gone wrong. In this fictionalized narrative, JR. Forasteros reintroduces us to some of the most villainous characters of Scripture. He shows us what we can learn from their negative examples, with figures such as Cain, Jezebel, King Herod, Sampson and Delilah, and even Satan serving as cautionary tales of sin and temptation. Forasteros vividly tells their stories to help us understand their motivations, and his astute biblical and cultural exposition points out what we often miss about their lives. We soon discover that we might have more in common with these characters than we would like to admit. Take a fresh look at the scoundrels of Scripture, and find sound pastoral guidance here to walk the path of righteousness.

This volume considers two authors who represent different but complementary responses to social injustice and human degradation. The writings of Walter Rauschenbusch and Dorothy Day respond to an American situation that arose out of the industrial revolution and reflect especially-but not exclusively-urban life in the east coast of the United States during the late nineteenth and first half of the twentieth century. Although these two authors differ greatly, they both reacted to the extreme social inequality and strife that occurred between 1890 and the beginning of World War II. They shared a total commitment to the cause of social justice, their Christian faith, and an active engagement in the quest for a just social order. But the different ways they reacted to the situation generated different spiritualities. Rauschenbusch was a pastor, writer, historian, and seminary professor. Day was a journalist who became an organizer. The strategic differences between them, however, grew out of a common sustained reaction against the massive deprivation that surrounded them. There is no spiritual rivalry here. They complement each other and reinforce the Christian humanitarian motivation that drives them. Their work brings the social dimension of Christian spirituality to the surface in a way that had not been emphasized in the same focused way before them. They are part of an awakening to the degree to which the social order lies in the hands of the people who support it. Both Rauschenbusch and Day are examples of an explicit recognition of the social dimension of Christian spirituality, and a radical acting out of that response in two distinctly different ways.