Spiritual Growth Bible

Based upon powerful insights from the scriptural book of Ephesians, and seasoned with personal stories and practical wisdom, Defined challenges you to let the One who knows you best be the One who guides your heart the most. It’s time for all of us to live in the amazing light of His acceptance, abundance, and strength.

Christians today face a dilemma: In a world that seems to reject everything we believe, how do we walk closely with God without caving to pressure or alienating those we hope to reach? In this eye-opening new book, Chris Hodges provides a solution by examining the life of the prophet Daniel, who persevered in a corrupt culture that closely resembles our own — and emerged as an influential force in God’s redemptive plan.

Does the Bible feel confusing and complicated to you? Perhaps some of it feels familiar, but overall, does it feel impossible to navigate? Maybe you recognize the stories, but you just don’t know how they all fit together. Yet they do fit together. In her unique and remarkably listenable way, Angie Smith - best-selling author of What Women Fear, Mended, I Will Carry You, and Seamless - helps you tie together all the loose, disconnected threads you find in the Bible, weaving them into a beautifully crafted storyline.

People describe Jesus in a lot of different ways, but have you ever thought of Him as relaxed? This doesn't mean that Jesus didn't grieve or become angry, but the Gospels portray Him as never in a hurry to be anywhere other than where He was, trusting and obeying His Father. Could the same be said of you? Are you relaxed? You can be. We long to know peace, purpose, and contentment, but life's stresses, the world's discouragements, and our own striving for growth often get in the way.

Pastor and scholar Christopher Wright invites us to live a life in step with the Spirit by cultivating the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These nine chapters, each addressing a different fruit, each conclude with questions for contemplation or discussion. Feed on the Word of God, grow in Christlikeness, and live a fruitful life.

What does Bible study look like after inerrancy? Do you have to give up studying Scripture when you no longer believe in its literal interpretation? Can you still believe this book is sacred even while renegotiating your relationship to the church? In Knock at the Sky, Liz Charlotte Grant offers compelling answers to these questions and more in this deeply personal commentary on the book of Genesis.

In this groundbreaking work, author and healing evangelist David Hernandez takes you on an unforgettable journey to discover and experience the Spirit’s powerful presence throughout the entire Bible - from Genesis to Revelation.

World-renowned Jesus scholar Marcus J. Borg shows how we can live passionately as Christians in today's world by practicing the vital elements of Christian faith. For the millions of people who have turned away from many traditional beliefs about God, Jesus, and the Bible, but still long for a relevant, nourishing faith, Borg shows why the Christian life can remain a transforming relationship with God. Emphasizing the critical role of daily practice in living the Christian life, he explores how prayer, worship, Sabbath, pilgrimage, and more can be experienced as authentically life-giving practices.

"The Lord is my shepherd...." The words of this famous psalm have brought comfort to many - but what impact do they have on an actual shepherd? Best selling author and shepherd Phillip Keller draws on his firsthand experience to lead and prod listeners to the greenest pastures of discovery and coolest waters of fulfillment hidden in the psalm. This lively devotional commentary will show you how to experience Psalm 23 in a new way. See with the eyes, touch with the hands, and feel with the heart of our Lord - the Great Shepherd.

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.

Bible Bedtime Stories for Stressed Out Adults is a soothing version of the New Testament. As a special treat for you, the four gospel stories are spoken from Jesus’ perspective. Hearing Jesus tells his own story is an extremely powerful and reassuring experience. The calming music will soothe your soul. Relax, close your eyes, and rest as Jesus tells you his story and reads the Bible to you. As you focus on listening to him speak, the day’s tensions will vanish and you’ll experience a peace that surpasses all understanding as you sleep.

Pop culture and psychobabble tell us to make ourselves the center of the universe in order to be happy. Churches have communicated the false idea that God exists to give us all that we selfishly want. In this book, Max Lucado reminds us that it's not about us, it's all about God. It is through this shift in thinking that we can truly live an unburdened, happy life.

In The Bible Jesus Read, Yancey challenges the perception that the New Testament is more important than the Old. Writing with keen insight into the human condition and God’s provision for it, he sets off on a personal journey through the parts we most like to keep at arm’s length—Job, Deuteronomy, Psalms, Ecclesiastes, and the Prophets—and he asks us to bring our own questions, concerns, and our openness to the wonders of God.

The study of prophecy inspires elaborate timelines and speculation about which world leader might rise to power in the last days. But meanwhile, it’s far too easy to miss the significant prophetic signs contained in stories of biblical characters, in God’s creation, and in the lives and actions of today’s Israelis and Palestinians. This is your introduction to prophetic signs that God reveals in sometimes unexpected ways. He does not want us to miss the work he is doing to usher in the coming Kingdom.

Everyone who has a Bible should have a copy of What the Bible Is All About. In clear, concise language, it will give you an excellent overview and understanding of every book in the Bible while making it come alive as never before.

Everyone has problems. But throughout more than 45 years of studying God’s Word, Joyce Meyer has learned how to find the answer for every problem you face in the Bible–and she wants to share it with you. In Overcoming Every Problem, Joyce helps you gain the ultimate wisdom you need when challenges arise. No matter how big or how deep the pain of your situation, you’ll be encouraged and inspired to trust God for better days ahead.

Best-selling author and national radio host Dr. Andrew Farley is known to challenge legalistic and lifeless interpretations with his discerning take on controversial scriptures. In Twisted Scripture, Andrew skewers sacred cows and shatters destructive lies, bringing the undiluted truth about God's love and grace in a colorful and conversational look at the most controversial passages in the New Testament.

It's never too late for a new beginning. Look closely and you'll see that theme all through the Bible. Page after page, God delights in turning tragic endings into new beginnings. A childless woman conceives in her old age; a fearful, self-conscious shepherd becomes a leader of millions; and a prostitute becomes a wife and mother in the lineage of Christ. Every biblical fresh start reveals the amazing, awe-inspiring hope we have for our own new beginnings in God's plan for our lives.

It's time for the daughters of God to arise! Deborah, the Old Testament judge and prophetess, was filled with Holy Spirit revelation, employing divine wisdom and supernatural strategy to influence her world. She exemplified boldness, courage, and the heart of a true worshiper as she maintained balance in fulfilling her responsibilities. Deborah was an Old Testament example of a New Testament anointing that is available to all spirit-filled women. It’s time for the Deborahs of our time to arise, take their place, and step into their full potential!

The apostle Paul instructed the Philippians to be anxious in nothing and thankful in everything. And when he said everything - he meant everything. We can all agree that this is easier said than done. Disappointments and discontent may cause you to slip into dissatisfaction, and grumbling becomes a state of mind - gratitude seems impossible to find. However, what if this is the precise reason you lack the joy of a God-filled life? Instead of a reaction to when things are going well, what if gratitude is actually necessary to knowing the hope of our gracious God?