Spiritual Growth Bible

A woman's longing to present herself as physically beautiful is universal. Beauty is extolled throughout the Bible as complementing God's plan for women's lives. There are currently no books that examine the beauty practices of biblical women, the plants and products God created to accent their beauty, and the spiritual roots of feminine rituals. Beautiful women abound in the Bible: Queen Esther, the bride of Solomon, Delilah, Rachel, Sarah, and more. Their beauty was a gift from God, and God also supplied the many foods, spices, and oils that perfected each woman's appearance.

With so many responsibilities and distractions vying for our attention, too many of us have built unhealthy cycles of rest. As a result, we burn ourselves out, striving and straining against God's intent for our lives. We can only sustain a life of purpose if we learn to truly rest. In Soul Rest, Curtis "CZ" Zackery reveals how our misaligned view of rest has its roots in an identity that is out of rhythm with God. This thoughtful reflection on rest calls us to the hard work of self-examination, helping us move towards a purposeful and sustainable life with Jesus.

Our culture is self-obsessed - in our schedules, in our relationships, and especially online. (Can you say selfie?) But in this near-narcissism, people are less content than in decades past. Why? Because we forgot the joy that comes from putting others first. Doing so requires us to live alert, listening for "heart drops", hints from those in our lives who need a helping hand or a generous dose of encouragement. Living alert lifts our own spirits, showing us that blessing others blesses us even more.

In Believing Jesus, Bible teacher and author Lisa Harper retraces the steps of the apostles in the book of Acts, while throwing in a few of her own crazy adventures along the way. The disciples didn’t have much of a road map after Jesus ascended to heaven, but God’s grace and spirit filled in the gaps as they moved forward. It required their willingness to risk everything to establish a new community that would change the future world.

How did we get the Bible? And why does it matter? History reveals that Scripture can be used for both life-giving and destructive purposes. Discovering the Bible’s origins makes all the difference for fostering redemptive interpretation of Scripture. Bringing together both historical criticism and theology, this investigation examines ancient scribal culture through the lens of faith. What we find is a divine-human collaboration that points to the character of God and the value of human agency.

Bishop, Bible scholar, and best-selling author N. T. Wright here provides a series of case studies on how to apply the Bible to the pressing issues of today. Among the topics Wright addresses are the intersection of religion and science, why women should be allowed to be ordained, what we get wrong and how we can do better when Christians engage in politics, why the Christian belief in heaven means we should be at the forefront of the environmental movement, and many more.

Jim Cymbala—New York Times best-selling author and long-time pastor of The Brooklyn Tabernacle—has been watching the pressing need for back-to-the-basics spiritual leadership among Christians, and he's seen so many churches come to defeat because so many leaders forget this one truth: Your church is not your church. It's Christ's church. In order for his church to flourish, we have to minister his way.

In St. Peter's Basilica, a man sits in a confessional asking forgiveness for a murder he's about to commit. And a young priest begins a desperate journey to stop him....It's only the beginning of a ruthless race among the world's most powerful to find a rumored cache of sacred texts inscribed with the story of Creation as told by Abraham. This account, on tablets of clay, predates the Bible by a thousand years and could be one of the most important discoveries of all time.

In Jesus, the One and Only, Beth Moore introduces you to an intimate God in an up-close and personal portrait of the life of Jesus the Messiah. This is far more than just a work on the life of Christ. Jesus, the One and Only is a romance, and you are invited to become part of it. As He has done in the past, God will use Beth's words to woo you into falling in love with Jesus of Nazareth.

The Toddler's Bible contains 101 "bite-size" Bible stories your toddler will love! Designed to engage your child's interest in the people and events of Scripture. Spoken in simple language your toddler will understand. Now updated with bright, colorful narration to capture your child's imagination. Includes Bible lesson and character value indexes to help parents select stories easily.

If you have asked yourself any of these questions, or others, you are not alone. The Bible Blueprint divides the entire Bible chronologically into six easy-to-listen parts. It provides a basic understanding of the Scripture as a complete story that links all the various books together. It gives an overview of each book, touching on highlights and some of the amazing and significant events in each, without the listener getting bogged down in the more difficult sections.

The greatest revolution of all time was about to begin.... When Pontius Pilate ordered the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, he thought he was putting an end to the Jewish uprising that had been threatening the authority of the Roman Empire. What Pilate didn't realize, however, was that the real revolution was just getting started.

In today's social media-saturated world, the word influence conjures up images of beautifully curated Instagram feeds or women who lead from the stage and have thousands of followers. It's measured by the number of likes and shares and how well we can get people to imitate us. Influence has almost become synonymous with fame and power, and if we're honest, many of us long to have it. But in its purest form, influence is simply the capacity to affect change on someone. It is the ability to impact others for a certain purpose.

Men of the Bible takes a close-up look at 52 men in Scripture - complex flesh-and-blood characters whose strengths and weaknesses often seem strangely similar to our own. Heroes and villains, sinners and prophets, commoners and kings....their dramatic life stories provide us with fresh perspective on the unfolding story of redemption. Though our culture differs vastly from theirs, the fundamental issues we face in relation to God and the world remain the same. We still reach for great dreams and selfish ambitions. We wrestle with fear and indecision....

The first person ever to complete the perilous 10,000 mile journey across the inscrutable desert landscape of the Middle East, Bruce Feiler, a fifth generation Southern Jew, embarks upon a quest to reconnect with the stories of the Bible, and uncover fresh answers to profound questions.

Thomas Keating was a Cistercian monk who founded the worldwide 'Contemplative Outreach', teaching people the art of meditation. Following upon Open Mind, Open Heart, which presents a profound formation in Christian prayer, this book demonstrates the contemplative dimension of Christian worship. Here Father Keating recovers the deeper sense of the liturgical year and shares a theological and mystical perspective on the major feasts of the annual cycle.

Does a day without difficult news seem out of reach? Does this world seem topsy turvy at best, toxic at worst? Max Lucado’s signature storytelling and biblical insights provide strength and encouragement amid the current chaos. In Be Strong and Courageous, today's headlines and the truth of Scripture intersect in compelling fashion. Max offers a fresh look at the story of Elijah the prophet, showing listeners how they can stand firm day by day in the face of turbulent times, regardless of the challenging circumstances they may face.

We aspire to freedom but often resign ourselves to an existence trapped in uneasiness and dread. Is there any way to shed such heaviness and reignite hope for deliverance? In Traveling Light, Eugene H. Peterson urges us to listen to an expert on freedom, Paul, whose letter to the Galatians reminds us of the realities of life in Christ, freely given to all.

Many Christians experience times of doubt and uncertainty. At various times we can ask: Does God love me? Am I really a Christian? And even, is there a God at all? This short, understandable book unpacks the difference between good and bad doubt and shows us where it comes from and how to deal with it in ourselves and others. It explains clearly and simply the liberating reality of what the Bible tells us about doubt, assurance, and the Christian life.

When it comes to prophecy, how can we discern if the words being spoken are true, false, or wrong? God is calling his people to press into a higher realm of revelation, so that the words they share come from Heaven, not from their flesh, soul, or other sources. Hank Kunneman is a trusted father and mentor in the prophetic community. In this landmark book, he teaches you to speak prophetic words that carry thunder from Heaven’s Throne Room! Learn to communicate messages from God with precision and accuracy - carrying the father’s heart as you carry his secrets.