This Time-Tested Book Will Strengthen Your Faith, Drawing You Closer to God

This comprehensive book is for you if you seek a closer walk with God, whether you wonder how to fast or you've been practicing this spiritual discipline for years. As you learn the clear biblical reasons for fasting, you'll also be introduced to nine biblical fasts that God can use for specific physical and spiritual outcomes. These include:

· The Disciple's Fast--to free yourself and others from addictions to sin

· The Ezra Fast--to solve problems, inviting the Holy Spirit's aid

· The Saint Paul Fast--to bring clearer perspective and insight in critical decision-making

· The Daniel Fast--to gain a healthier life or healing

Each fast includes its purpose and biblical basis, why or when to practice this fast, and a practical step-by-step guide as you prepare for it.

Now included in the book are new stories from people who have found spiritual breakthroughs in fasting, study questions for individuals or groups, biblical references to fasting, a fasting glossary, and more.

Elmer Towns's Fasting for Spiritual Breakthrough has become must-reading as this powerful spiritual discipline of fasting has seen a revival among followers of Christ. Now Towns digs deeper into one of the most popular forms of fasting today, the Daniel Fast. With an emphasis on a healthy, simple diet, the Daniel Fast is named after the prophet Daniel who participated in a partial fast for spiritual purposes. Daniel was taken captive into Babylon when he was sixteen years old. The Babylonian king wanted the young prophet to help him administer his rule over the captive Jews--and he wanted to "Babylon-ize" Daniel, to make the young man of God more like him. The first step the king took in his campaign was to provide a sumptuous feast to tempt Daniel--food fit for a king-- basically fattening comfort foods. In response, the prophet refrained from the king's table, choosing instead to eat only vegetables and to drink only water. He honored God over the king. Dr. Elmer Towns introduces readers to the spiritual, physical, and mental basics of the Daniel Fast, coaching them through either a ten-day or twenty-one-day period of renewal, and he includes original Daniel Fast recipes created by executive chef John P. Perkins. Dr. Towns addresses practical questions, such as what to eat and when, as well as how to pray effectively. Readers will learn how to encounter God during their fast, how to worship through self-discipline, and how to pray for specific answers. They will also explore the role of weeping, repentance, and spiritual warfare in their life of faith. Daniel is a model to God's people of someone who chooses spiritual nourishment over bodily satisfaction, in The Daniel Fast for Spiritual Breakthrough, God's people can learn to follow his example.

Towns reveals the power of prayer in this fascinating look at the Lord's Prayer. Each chapter examines a line from the prayer, revealing power points for every believer desiring a more dynamic prayer life. Towns says: "What would you say if you were ushered into the throne room of God with only one minute to request everything you needed, but didn't know how to put it into words? The Lord's Prayer includes everything you need to ask when you talk to God . . . it is a model prayer that teaches us how to pray."

Pain is an enigma-a haunting reality-we all face. Whether the pain you are experiencing is chronic or the result of a new injury or illness, you have no doubt asked the Lord, Why? Why must I suffer? Why must the pain be so intense or so never-ending?

Elmer Towns confronted similar questions as he withstood the debilitating effects of cancer treatment. As he sought to find something precious in the enduring, Towns realized that pain can draw the mature believer into closer intimacy with God.

"Pain: The Divine Mystery" will help you look at your own suffering through the eyes of the Master Sculptor-He who has the highest purpose in place for your life. You will be challenged to examine your deepest fears, to discover God's part in your healing, and to pursue better overall health in the process.

You will find, as Towns did, that even pain can be endured when you have a purpose to live through it. As you seek to understand the "why" behind your own suffering, God will reveal much more than you can imagine: He will reveal Himself.

Illustrated Bible Survey introduces all the books of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. Based on more than thirty years of scholarly research and classroom teaching, editors Ed Hindson, Elmer Towns, and scholars from Liberty University provide a visually engaging, practical, readable, and insightful overview of God's Word and its eternal message. Ideally suited for undergraduate students, laymen, and pastors, this volume features: ; More than 200 full-color photographs, maps, charts, and illustrations ; Introductions to each book of the Bible, including background, date, author, outline, and message ; Introductory chapters on the themes of the Bible, how we got our Bible, and the people and places of the Bible ; Sidebars on the unique features, beneficial insights, and practical applications of biblical truths ; Study questions and recommended further reading ECPA Gold Medallion award winners Hindson and Towns draw from a lifetime of teaching more than 100,000 students. They represent quality evangelical scholarship, along with a passion to make the Scriptures come to life as they open windows of insight into the biblical text. This exciting survey highlights the key elements of the literature, history, archaeology, and wisdom of the biblical text with an eye on the practical application of its timeless truths, moral principles, and theological insights so desperately needed in today's world.

Vital, Practical Teaching on Biblical, Effective Fasting from the Topic's Leading Author Fasting is one of the most misunderstood spiritual disciplines in the church today. And in a society where we want for nothing, abstaining from something we want carries little appeal. Yet fasting isn't about lack--it's about drawing closer to God and resting in his abundance. In this essential, foundational handbook to biblical fasting, Elmer L. Towns, one of the leading authors on the topic, will help you discover the amazing spiritual benefits of prayer and fasting. Not only does he lay out a biblical overview, but he also gives you a practical, easy-to-implement plan and answers your questions about this spiritual discipline. But more importantly, you will encounter a powerful new way to experience God's presence, to listen to him, to worship, and to pray more deeply.

Join three seasoned church-ministry experts on an insider's tour of the most innovative churches today! Discover a dozen types of innovation, each with profiles of congregations that have implemented that innovation. This is more than a show-and-tell tour, however. Each chapter offers a solid take-away for church leaders on how to learn and apply the appropriate innovation profiled. The authors also offer scripturally based assessments of both the positive and negatives implications of implementing each innovation, providing guidance and wisdom. There are many ways to present the gospel, and this timely book will serve as a springboard for church leaders scratching their heads and asking themselves, "What should we do next?" By learning from a dozen different church types, church leaders can become more intentional about exploring new directions and reaching more of the world for Christ.

For those who have ever stumbled over what to say while praying or for those who want their prayers to be more effective, How to Pray When You Don't Know What to Say offers clear guidance on the importance of prayer, a vast array of ways to approach God, why some prayers are not answered, how to deal with doubts about God's ability to answer prayer, what not to do when praying, and more. In his encouraging style, Elmer Towns doesn't induce guilt about not praying; rather, he makes readers want to drop to their knees in anticipation of meeting with the God of the universe. By following Towns's lead, your prayer life will never be the same.

Shed a spiritual light on some of the biggest problems facing people today: the need to put the role of money in a proper perspective and to solve financial problems. Elmer Towns states at the outset that this is not the primary purpose of fasting and prayer. Instead, it is all about knowing God. It is not about withdrawing prayer on an as-needed basis from some spiritual ATM kiosk. It is about meditation, studying the Scriptures, and communing with God. When we fast and pray in faith, asking for God's help and provision, He begins to teach us how to become good stewards of what He has provided. Chapter topics include "Fasting to Learn Stewardship," "Why We Have Money Problems," and "A Faith Approach to Fasting for Money." Once we understand why we struggle with money problems, we can do something about it with this practical step-by-step guide.