As leader of the Jerusalem church, what words of encouragement would James write to these persecuted Christians? Perhaps a little surprisingly, his key message was: faith works. Genuine belief inevitably transforms our speech, suffering, compassion for the poor, humility, prayers, priorities, and, frankly, every other aspect of life. In 5 chapters James introduces and briefly touches upon a whole variety of issues that concern the new believers. In a simple, forthright style he urges them to live out their faith, knowing that God's grace is sufficient for every trial and that there is a value and purpose to their suffering. James' own life illustrated this message. He had grown up with Jesus and was naturally sceptical about his brother's Messianic claims. But a post-resurrection encounter with Jesus revolutionised his life. He was transformed from a vocal critic into a key leader of the early church and prime mover in the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15).

A flowing stream cuts its own channel. ---Major W. Ian Thomas, founder of Torchbearers International Over the past sixty years, Stuart Briscoe s life stream has cut a very deep channel. Thousands of sermons preached. Hundreds of thousands of airline miles flown. Seven continents visited. Thousands of church members added and eight churches planted. More than forty books authored. A lifetime of touching his audience with plainspoken, accessible Bible teaching. Now Briscoe looks back over his years to share his accumulated wisdom, with the point that every life matters---and everyone has a significant part to play in the grand cosmic flow of the Spirit. With a reputation built in the twentieth century, Stuart Briscoe has a fresh, vibrant message for twenty-first-century Christians. It is a vision of what one person can be and do, what God can call a single person to accomplish in his name. Flowing Streams is sage. It is poignant. It is Stuart Briscoe s legacy."

General editor Lloyd J. Ogilvie brings together a team of skilled and exceptional communicators to blend sound scholarship with life-related illustrations.

The design for the Preacher's Commentary gives the reader an overall outline of each book of the Bible. Following the introduction, which reveals the author's approach and salient background on the book, each chapter of the commentary provides the Scripture to be exposited. The New King James Bible has been chosen for the Preacher's Commentary because it combines with integrity the beauty of language, underlying Hebrew and Greek textual basis, and thought-flow of the 1611 King James Version, while replacing obsolete verb forms and other archaisms with their everyday contemporary counterparts for greater readability. Reverence for God is preserved in the capitalization of all pronouns referring to the Father, Son, or Holy Spirit. Readers who are more comfortable with another translation can readily find the parallel passage by means of the chapter and verse reference at the end of each passage being exposited. The paragraphs of exposition combine fresh insights to the Scripture, application, rich illustrative material, and innovative ways of utilizing the vibrant truth for his or her own life and for the challenge of communicating it with vigor and vitality.

General editor Lloyd J. Ogilvie brings together a team of skilled and exceptional communicators to blend sound scholarship with life-related illustrations.

The design for the Preacher's Commentary gives the reader an overall outline of each book of the Bible. Following the introduction, which reveals the author's approach and salient background on the book, each chapter of the commentary provides the Scripture to be exposited. The New King James Bible has been chosen for the Preacher's Commentary because it combines with integrity the beauty of language, underlying Hebrew and Greek textual basis, and thought-flow of the 1611 King James Version, while replacing obsolete verb forms and other archaisms with their everyday contemporary counterparts for greater readability. Reverence for God is preserved in the capitalization of all pronouns referring to the Father, Son, or Holy Spirit. Readers who are more comfortable with another translation can readily find the parallel passage by means of the chapter and verse reference at the end of each passage being exposited. The paragraphs of exposition combine fresh insights to the Scripture, application, rich illustrative material, and innovative ways of utilizing the vibrant truth for his or her own life and for the challenge of communicating it with vigor and vitality.

We all want joy for ourselves and for those we love - naturally. But often it eludes us. Joy in the Bible if far greater, more robust, than happiness. It persists through the hard times. We're even encouraged to rejoice in God 'always'. Joni Eareckson Tada knows more than most what this joy looks and feels like. Severely disabled and confined to a wheelchair since a diving accident in her teens, she knows the defiant 'yet' of Habakkuk - in spite of everything life throws at her, she can rejoice! With trusted teachers Michael Baughen, Alistair Begg, Don Carson, Peter Maiden, Paul Mallard, Alec Motyer, John Risbridger, Derek Tidball and others by your side, discover how the Bible (Nehemiah, Habakkuk, John, Romans, Galatians, Philippians, 1 Peter and 1 John), not just the Psalms, can help us find joy, whatever life throws at us. An undated 30-day devotional with teaching and practical application for people like us in the real world today.

Recognizing that men and women face unique spiritual needs, these 365 convenient, concise, and uplifting devotionals help readers focus each day on God's priorities. Each day's selection includes a key NLT Scripture verse, a devotional reading, and a suggested Bible passage for further study.

Be Renewed
Love. Joy. Peace. Patience. All of us desire to exhibit these qualities in our lives. But what does it mean to “live by the Spirit”? The fruit of the Spirit is the result of the inner workings of God, but it is also a product of our response and understanding. It comes from obedience as well as dependence.
In this studyguide, Stuart Briscoe invites you to study more deeply how believing and behaving affects one another. Using passages from both the Old and New Testament, Briscoe offers us a deeper understanding of the nine fruits of the Spirit in Galatians, giving us encouragement and insight into what it means to live as Christ did.

These are the very real stories of how and why five refugees escaped from genocide in south Sudan and Darfur, made their way through Egypt and smuggled into Israel, the only country their Islamic government prohibited them from entering. In desperation they fled across the border anyway, with nothing but the clothes on their backs. No food No money. No papers. No possessions. Just thankful to be alive.

Matthew was the most popular Gospel in the early church, widely read for its clear emphasis on Jesus' teaching. Drawing on its use as a teaching or discipleship manual, Craig Keener expounds Matthew as a discipleship manual for believers today. In his skilled hands, this first-century text becomes as relevant and contemporary as information downloaded from the Internet, while it challenges us with its divine perspective on how life ought to be lived. In this clear, incisive commentary, readers will find an introduction with background material concerning authorship, date and purpose, as well as a summary of important theological themes. A passage-by-passage exposition follows that focuses on understanding what significance the Gospel of Matthew had for its original readers in order to see its relevance for the church today. Students, pastors, Bible teachers and everyone who wants to understand the message of Matthew for the church will benefit from this excellent resource.

Who Is Stealing Your Time?
Each day, there are things you know you have to do. Then there are things you really ought to do, plus things you desperately want to do. But how do we find time for it all? Stuart Briscoe, former senior pastor of Elmbrook Church in Brookfield, Wisconsin, presents an outstanding commentary on evaluating our priorities so that the concerns of this world do not rob us of our valuable time. Prioritizing our lives isn't easy, particularly when we consider the conflict that can arise between doing what is good and being comfortable, popular, and profitable. But Briscoe calls Christians to boldly address any areas of selfishness and to begin to see life through kingdom eyes. When we do, our priorities will change to focus on goodness, righteousness, and truth.
"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness."
--Jesus (Matthew 6:33 )
It sounds great in theory to seek God's kingdom first, but is it really feasible? So many things rob your precious time that you wonder if you can afford to bump everything else in your life to secondary status.
But this is not about prioritizing. This is a matter of heart. While you long for harmony in your harried schedule and significance amidst the busyness, God yearns to give them to you. Stuart Briscoe's insights will guide you to the focused, fulfilling life you long for. Because once you begin seeking the Lord before all else, all else simply falls into place.
What are you waiting for? You have no time to waste.
Story Behind the Book
Stu Briscoe travels more than he is home, so time is a premium for him and his wife, Jill. He has found that the only way to stay focused on his life and ministry is to put first things first and not allow those things that attempt to steal his time to succeed. Upon further study, he has discovered that the right approach to managing his time and priorities is really to put the right things first. By putting God's kingdom first and seeking His will, everything else falls naturally into place.

Nearly 15,000 units sold of the Food for the Journey series since its launch

In Luke's vivid narrative, Jesus comes into Galilee proclaiming "good news to the poor . . . freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind." More than any other Gospel, the Gospel of Luke shows Jesus' great concern for the downtrodden, the oppressed and the marginalized--including women and children and even those outside the house of Israel. Darrell Bock shows why Luke's Gospel is "tailor-made" for the world we live in--a world often divided along ethnic, religious, economic and political lines. After all, the Jesus portrayed by Luke is a source of unity for his disciples and for believers from every walk of life. Tax collectors, Roman soldiers, prostitutes, city officials, religious leaders, widows and fishermen were among the diverse group brought together in the early Christian church. Bock's dual focus on understanding what Luke wanted to communicate to his original readers and on how that message is relevant for today makes this an excellent resource.