Living Ministries

In The Interior Castle, Carmelite nun, mystic, and patron saint of Spain Teresa of Ávila uses the metaphor of a giant crystal castle to explain her theory of the soul and the various stages it passes through as it progresses towards God. Beginning in the outer rooms, where demons are fought and vices are purged, the soul must reach the inner chambers, where it will enter betrothal and intimate union with God. Prayer is central to the journey, as the soul is guided by its practice and each phase represents a different category of devotion.

Hailed by many as the best modern book on Christian spirituality, Celebration of Discipline has helped more than one million seekers discover a richer spiritual life infused with joy, peace, and a deeper understanding of God.

Throughout the New Testament, the apostles draw on the book of Exodus as a book of types concerning the believers' corporate experience of God's salvation. Paul speaks of "our Passover, Christ" (1 Cor. 5:7). He says that Israel was "baptized...in the sea", that Israel ate the "same spiritual food", and that Israel "drank of a spiritual rock which followed them", which rock "was Christ" (1 Cor. 5:7; 10:2-4). The Lord Jesus similarly says that He is "the living bread which came down out of heaven", the fulfillment of the manna in the wilderness (John 6:51).

Recovering Redemption. What does it mean? Recovering: Getting back, restoring. Redemption: God’s plan of salvation, the gospel. Because we have a tendency to drift from the gospel, we must be reoriented back to the gospel. We must recover a right understanding and application of the gospel. We must see that the gospel is the fuel for salvation and sanctification and the panacea to fix all things. The heart of the problem is the problem of the heart. The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?

The Christmas season is often one of the busiest and most stressful times of the year, and it’s easy to lose sight of what makes it special. Helping us refocus on what’s truly important, well-known pastor and author John Piper leads readers through twenty-four short meditations on Advent. The devotionals - drawn from Piper’s extensive preaching and teaching ministry - lead readers to ponder afresh the birth of Jesus, Israel’s long-awaited Messiah and the Savior of the world.

In this life-study, Witness Lee presents the Epistle to the Hebrews as God's speaking in Christ the son, who is now in the heavens as our minister and our high priest, ministering to us the heavenly life, grace, authority, and power and sustaining us to live a heavenly life on Earth. He is the Christ now, the Christ today, and the Christ on the throne in the heavens, who is our daily salvation and moment-by-moment supply.

The healthy Christian life is one of continuing spiritual, emotional, and relational growth. But so many of us feel stuck or stagnated at one stage of the journey. It's not always clear to us where or why we are stuck, making it difficult to take the next step on our journey of the soul. That's where Bill and Kristi Gaultiere come in. After decades in private practice as counselors and therapists, they have developed a unique model for growing in grace.

The Bible is clear that women as well as men are created in God's image and intended to serve him with their lives. But what does this look like for women in the church? Helping church leaders think through what a Bible-centered women's ministry looks like, this collection of essays by respected Bible teachers and authors such as Gloria Furman, Nancy Guthrie, and Susan Hunt addresses a variety of topics relevant to women.

Edwards gives his usual thorough treatment as he examines the difference between common grace and saving grace, demonstrates the nature and qualities of saving grace, and emphasizes how the principle of grace is from the Spirit of God. Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) is a towering figure in American history. A controversial theologian and the author of the famous sermon Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, he ignited the momentous Great Awakening of the eighteenth century.

Today’s challenges can make a fulfilling marriage seem like an impossible dream. Yet God delights in doing the impossible if only we would ask! Stormie Omartian shares how God can strengthen your marriage as you pray for your husband concerning key areas in his life. You will be encouraged by Stormie’s own experiences, along with the Bible verses and sample prayers included in each chapter. Join the millions of women who have been blessed by this life-changing look at the power of a wife’s prayers.

Although the language of the Gospel of John is simple, this book is deep and profound. In this life study, Witness Lee shows that the Bible is a book of life and building and that the Gospel of John also is focused on life and building. The Gospel of John reveals that in Christ, the Word of God is life; that he came that man may have life; and that he himself is life. Furthermore, this gospel shows that Christ is the bread of life; that he has the water of life; that he gives life to man; and that he even lives in man as life.

On the night of November 5, 2006, the Barrick family was driving home from church when their van was struck by a drunk driver. Fifteen-year-old Jen suffered multiple skull fractures and severe brain trauma and was not expected to survive the night. But against all odds, she did. As she lingered in a coma, doctors warned that if Jen ever woke up, she would be cursing and screaming in confusion due to her brain injuries. Instead, after five weeks she opened her eyes and began praying and praising God.

In The Story of Everything, Jared Wilson takes listeners on a journey that starts before the creation of the world and ends after everything has been made new. Wilson shows us that the gospel isn't just a ticket to heaven, but God's incredible and unstoppable vision for all of creation. Looking at God's redemptive plan for humanity, this audiobook will help you understand what the gospel means for your life, your home, your pets, your hobbies, and more.

Best-selling author Jerry Brides ( The Pursuit of Holiness, The Discipline of Grace, The Bookends of the Christian Life, and many other books) asks perhaps the most fundamental question of existence: "Who am I?" He then turns to scripture to unpack for the Christian eight clear, interlocking, illuminating answers.

For years, Christians have been asking, "If you died tonight, do you know where you would go?" It turns out that many believers have been giving the wrong answer. It is not heaven. Wright outlines the present confusion about a Christian's future hope and shows how it is deeply intertwined with how we live today. Wright asserts that Christianity's most distinctive idea is bodily resurrection, and provides a magisterial defense for a literal resurrection of Jesus. Wright then explores our expectation of "new heavens and a new earth".

Many Christian families have never experienced the joys and benefits of family worship. But as Donald S. Whitney makes clear, the daily worship of God by families at home is a practice rooted in the Bible and common throughout Christian history. How can people unfamiliar with family worship lead it in their own homes? How do busy households in today's culture recover faithfulness in family worship? This practical book shows you how simple and easy it can be.

It isn't easy being a guy today. Maybe it never has been easy, but today the challenges to guys who want to be holy, who want to honor God with their minds and bodies, seem tougher than ever. You live at a time and in a culture that seems given over to sex. Perhaps you have only just begun looking at pornography or perhaps you've been doing so for many years. No matter your situation, this short guide will help you to discover God's plan for sex and sexuality.

Fear is the devil's favorite tool in the toolbox of schemes he uses to destroy God's good plan for you. He uses it to hold you back and prevent progress in your relationships, career, and more. In Do It Afraid, Joyce Meyer explains that fear is everywhere and affects everyone. It rules many people, but it doesn't have to rule you any longer.

Gospel workers are called to be both/and people: both patient and urgent, both confident and humble, both dependent on God and committed to hard work, both theologically driven and practically wise, and more. Often, these requirements feel as though they’re in tension. But this book shows that rather than leaning one way or the other, or seeking to strike a balance, authentic gospel ministry is found in pursuing both/and. To settle for less puts ourselves and our churches in danger.

What will heaven be like? Randy Alcorn presents a thoroughly biblical answer, based on years of careful study, presented in an engaging, audience-friendly style. His conclusions will surprise listeners and stretch their thinking about this important subject. Heaven will inspire listeners to long for heaven while they're living on earth.