First Religion

The Book of Genesis describes the birth of the world and how God created Adam and Eve - but the portrayal of life in the Garden of Eden and the events that followed is short on detail…What if we could hear the story in Adam's own words? To know what it felt like to become conscious as God breathed his spirit into lifeless clay, to understand the wonder that Adam felt as God taught him about the world and how to live in it, to feel what it was like to be so blessed as to walk in the Garden of Eden at God's side?

Are you ready to embark on a journey through time, explore the foundations of faith, and uncover the history that shapes our beliefs today? Look no further than 1st and 2nd Chronicles, the ultimate gateway to understanding the epic story of Israel and Judah, their triumphs, trials, and the enduring power of their legacy. You will encounter the heroic reign of King David, the wisdom of Solomon, and the heartfelt prayers and reforms of King Hezekiah and Josiah.

Why must everything be so black and white? Like many of us, Derwin Gray is weary of the racial divide in our society. He longs to see hurts healed, wrongs corrected, and trust replace distrust. The good news is that the Bible has a lot to say about how to heal our persistent racial divides. In this book, popular Bible teacher Derwin Gray walks us through Scripture, showing us the heart of God—how God from the beginning envisioned a reconciled multiethnic family in loving community, reflecting his beauty and healing presence in the world. This message is central to the gospel itself.

Want to clear out the noise and fuzz regarding Christian dating? Want to ensure finding the right one? Want to put God first before anything else? Christian dating has become so weird in the last couple of years, totally understandable. The world is getting worse, and finding the right partner seems like an impossible mission. There are so many misconceptions, rules, and lies that have made dating difficult for Christians when it shouldn't be hard at all.

We need direction for every decision—where to go to college, whom to marry, where to go to church, which job to take, what ministries to be involved in, how to handle our finances, how to handle broken relationships, and so many other things. Seek Him First has been written to show you exactly how you can seek God and find the direction you need for the journey. This book is for those who know God has a plan for their lives, but don’t know how to make it a reality from day to day.

Step into the captivating world of ancient kings, where power, betrayal, and divine intervention shape the destiny of nations. "1st & 2nd Kings" is not just a historical account – it's a riveting narrative that brings to life the epic struggles and triumphs of legendary rulers. Each chapter unveils the drama of kingdoms rising and falling, of prophets confronting monarchs, and of courage amidst adversity. From the illustrious reigns of Solomon and David to the riotous times of Elijah and Elisha, this book offers a panoramic view of the tumultuous journey of Israel and Judah.

The little mountain hamlet of Bryson City, North Carolina, offers more than dazzling vistas. For Walt Larimore, a young "flatlander" physician setting up his first practice, the town presents its peculiar challenges as well. With the winsomeness of a James Herriott book, Bryson City Tales sweeps you into a world of colorful characters, the texture of Smoky Mountain life, and the warmth, humor, quirks, and struggles of a small country town.

Diana Oestreich, a combat medic in the Army National Guard, enlisted like both her parents before her. But when she was commanded to run over an Iraqi child to keep her convoy rolling and keep her battle buddies safe, she was confronted with a choice she never thought she'd have to make. Torn between God's call to love her enemy and her country's command to be willing to kill, Diana chose to wage peace in a place of war. For the remainder of her tour of duty, Diana sought to be a peacemaker—leading to an unlikely and beautiful friendship with an Iraqi family.

In The Christmas Letters, Magrey deVega invites you to hear about the miracle of Christ’s birth from those who first told the story. The letters in the New Testament, known as the Epistles, contain the first attempts by the church to understand and celebrate the mystery of the Incarnation. They point us to the origins of what we believe about Jesus, fully human and fully divine. By spending time with these holy, ancient words this Advent, you’ll come to know the meaning of Christ’s coming like never before.

Embark on a journey through the Book of Genesis, the foundation of the Bible, with Joseph Lumpkin's in-depth study. This deep exploration offers a complete history of the timeless stories of creation, humanity, and their divine purpose.

A first-of-its-kind, pro-life-focused, Christmas Devotional from Rev. Jim Harden, M.Div., CompassCare CEO. Christmas is a time of vision, a time to consider the landscape of human life, what it means, and why it’s valuable. The mental image of Christmas is the nativity, the crude circumstances that surrounded the moment when God reinforced the dignity of humanity by clothing Himself as one. But He did not stop there. For the joy set before Him, He invaded the dungeon of our sin-dimmed world with the light of His presence, to transfer us into His kingdom of light.

Many individuals are not aware that there is a God. I am here to tell you, there is truly a God. God found me broken, in pain, and fragile. I almost lost my life at the hands of a violent partner in 2018 and then, after that, I was sexually assaulted as an adult-keep in mind I had been sexually assaulted by two individuals when I was eight. However, God spoke to me and told me to remember to never give up. And, because of my faith in God, I did not give up, and I will never give up.

Featuring Bible verses for many of life's questions, it will guide you through various Christian living from worship and loving your neighbor to fear and vulnerability. Drawing on their own experience of the Christian life, well-known TV personalities, Church leaders, and mentors, David and Carrie Grant offer compassionate insight and wisdom, alongside contributions from other trusted Church leaders and writers, for anyone seeking to follow Jesus and be His disciple but unsure where to start.

God instructed me to write during my Sabbath days. To journal and share what he shares with me about his rest and other things. Each of the 26 parts in this book are written in three chapters: the Parable, the Plain and Simple, and the Revelations. The “Parable” chapter is the “milk,”the most basic, the story given to me by the Holy Spirit for that Sabbath’s part. “The Plain and the Simple” is the “plant” of the Sabbath’s part, the simple and plainly written words—and “The Revelations” are the writings of the revelations of the Holy Spirit. Each part contains “Milk,” “Plant,” and “Meat.”

Rather than contain vague references to the words and actions of "the LORD" and "God" within the text, The First Seventy offers both seasoned readers/listeners of the Bible and those new to the text a spiritual explanation that can be discussed, debated, and incorporated into each individual's moment-to-moment life. Weaving direct quotations from the Bible into a fluid narrative, The First Seventy: A Retelling Commentary, Creation - The Ten Commandments retells and explains the interconnected story that spans the first seventy chapters of the Bible.

If you have made the decision to walk in relationship with God, you may be wondering what that actually looks like? Why should I go to church? What sort of Bible should I read? How do I pray? In this book, we will go over some of the First Steps every Christian should make in their relationship with God.

John W. O'Malley gives us the most comprehensive account ever written of the Society of Jesus in its founding years, one that heightens and transforms our understanding of the Jesuits in history and today. Following the Society from 1540 through 1565, O'Malley shows how this sense of mission evolved. He looks at everything—the Jesuits' teaching, their preaching, their casuistry, their work with orphans and prostitutes, their attitudes toward Jews and "New Christians," and their relationship to the Reformation.

A retrospective look into the beginning is always beneficial for a challenging voyage of faith. As we embark on a transformative journey of rediscovery, we delve into ‘Remembering Your First Love.’ In this exploration, you uncover the profound significance of your initial encounter with Christ and reignite the flames of passion and devotion that once burned brightly within your soul. Through biblical insights and spiritual guidance, you can reconnect with the awe, wonder and fervent love that characterized your early walk with God.

Sir David the Bard, or David, was an ex-temple worker for the Mormon church. Being an active member for 50 years, he married six times and bore 13 children while completing nearly two masters' degrees at BYU. This is a compilation of his rants, raves, funny stories, and crazy experiences being an ex-Mormon in a totally dominant Mormon society. His views may seem unbelievable, but they are actually true and really happened to him.

This two-part book was compiled and edited by Mary Baker Eddy, the church’s founder. Part I (“The First Church of Christ, Scientist”) describes the building of The Mother Church Extension in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1906. Writings by Mary Baker Eddy and newspaper articles from across North America detail this significant architectural achievement and the rapid growth of Christian Science as a movement.