Download or read book In Pursuit of Love written by Rebecca Bender and published by HarperChristian + ORM. This book was released on 2020-01-28 with total page 284 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Through her own gripping story of escape from human trafficking, Rebecca Bender reveals the inner workings of the underground world of modern-day slavery and helps us learn how we can be a catalyst for change where we live. Born and raised in a small Oregon town, all-American girl Rebecca Bender was a varsity athlete and honor roll student with a promising future. Then a predator pretending to be her boyfriend lured her into a web of lies that sent her down a path she never imagined possible. For nearly six years, Rebecca was sold across the underground world of sex trafficking in Las Vegas. She was branded, beaten, told when to sleep and what to wear, and traded between traffickers. Forced into a dark sisterhood, Rebecca formed bonds with her trafficker and three other women, creating a false sense of family. During that time, God began revealing himself to her. And in the midst of her exploitation, she found the hope she needed to survive. After a federal raid, Rebecca escaped. Her life was forever changed as she felt the embrace of her heavenly Father guiding her to healing and wholeness. Rebecca soon began to use her own experiences to change the lives of others as she went back into the darkest places she had known--assisting FBI, VICE, and law enforcement across the country in some of their most difficult cases. Through Rebecca's incredible story of redemption, we remember that our past does not have to determine our destiny.

Download or read book The Universal Christ written by Richard Rohr and published by Convergent Books. This book was released on 2019-03-05 with total page 250 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From one of the world’s most influential spiritual thinkers, a long-awaited book exploring what it means that Jesus was called “Christ,” and how this forgotten truth can restore hope and meaning to our lives. “Anyone who strives to put their faith into action will find encouragement and inspiration in the pages of this book.”—Melinda Gates In his decades as a globally recognized teacher, Richard Rohr has helped millions realize what is at stake in matters of faith and spirituality. Yet Rohr has never written on the most perennially talked about topic in Christianity: Jesus. Most know who Jesus was, but who was Christ? Is the word simply Jesus’s last name? Too often, Rohr writes, our understandings have been limited by culture, religious debate, and the human tendency to put ourselves at the center. Drawing on scripture, history, and spiritual practice, Rohr articulates a transformative view of Jesus Christ as a portrait of God’s constant, unfolding work in the world. “God loves things by becoming them,” he writes, and Jesus’s life was meant to declare that humanity has never been separate from God—except by its own negative choice. When we recover this fundamental truth, faith becomes less about proving Jesus was God, and more about learning to recognize the Creator’s presence all around us, and in everyone we meet. Thought-provoking, practical, and full of deep hope and vision, The Universal Christ is a landmark book from one of our most beloved spiritual writers, and an invitation to contemplate how God liberates and loves all that is.

Download or read book In Pursuit of His Glory written by R. T. Kendall and published by Creation House. This book was released on 2004 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: One of America's great Christian leaders recounts the ups and downs of his 25 years as pastor of Westminster Chapel in London, England, and shares a message that can make a difference in the life of every reader.

Download or read book Hope to Die written by Scott Hahn and published by . This book was released on 2020-04-17 with total page 176 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As Catholics, we believe in the resurrection of the body. We profess it in our creed. We're taught that to bury and pray for the dead are corporal and spiritual works of mercy. We honor the dead in our Liturgy through the Rite of Christian burial. We do all of this, and more, because when Jesus Christ took on flesh for the salvation of our souls he also bestowed great dignity on our bodies. In Hope to Die: The Christian Meaning of Death and the Resurrection of the Body, Scott Hahn explores the significance of death and burial from a Catholic perspective. The promise of the bodily resurrection brings into focus the need for the dignified care of our bodies at the hour of death. Unpacking both Scripture and Catholic teaching, Hope to Die reminds us that we are destined for glorification on the last day. Our bodies have been made by a God who loves us. Even in death, those bodies point to the mystery of our salvation.

Download or read book Defending the Resurrection written by Ed James Patrick Holding and published by Xulon Press. This book was released on 2010-08 with total page 414 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Did Jesus rise from the dead? The question is one on which the truth of the Christian faith turns (1 Cor. 15). If Jesus did not rise, you may as well close down your church! In this volume, prominent Internet apologist James Patrick Holding and a team of Christian authors provide a series of essays defending the Resurrection as a historical event, taking on criticisms from every angle - from that which is scholarly to that which is plain lunacy! With this book, you'll be prepared to meet many of today's greatest challenges to the core event of the Christian faith. "Both the interested reader and especially the student of this subject should find many worthwhile discussions that are easily worth the price of the book." - from the Foreword by Dr. Gary Habermas

Download or read book The Death of the Messiah and the Birth of the New Covenant written by Michael J. Gorman and published by Wipf and Stock Publishers. This book was released on 2014-06-27 with total page 331 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this groundbreaking book, Michael Gorman asks why there is no theory or model of the atonement called the "new-covenant" model, since this understanding of the atonement is likely the earliest in the Christian tradition, going back to Jesus himself. Gorman argues that most models of the atonement over-emphasize the penultimate purposes of Jesus' death and the "mechanics" of the atonement, rather than its ultimate purpose: to create a transformed, Spirit-filled people of God. The New Testament's various atonement metaphors are part of a remarkably coherent picture of Jesus' death as that which brings about the new covenant (and thus the new community) promised by the prophets, which is also the covenant of peace. Gorman therefore proposes a new model of the atonement that is really not new at all--the new-covenant model. He argues that this is not merely an ancient model in need of rediscovery, but also a more comprehensive, integrated, participatory, communal, and missional model than any of the major models in the tradition. Life in this new covenant, Gorman argues, is a life of communal and individual participation in Jesus' faithful, loving, peacemaking death. Written for both academics and church leaders, this book will challenge all who read it to re-think and re-articulate the meaning of Christ's death for us.

Download or read book Your Best Life Now written by Joel Osteen and published by FaithWords. This book was released on 2007-09-03 with total page 270 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this remarkable New York Times bestseller, Joel Osteen offers unique insights and encouragement that will help readers overcome every obstacle in their lives.

Download or read book God Is a Gift written by Doug Reed and published by . This book was released on 2012 with total page 223 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Doug Reed uses important insights from scripture, the historical context of Jesus's day, and personal experience to prove God's fervent passion to give Himself to us. When we understand God's purpose, we begin to see His presence in places we thought He was absent. We come to know God not as one who occasionally visits but as one who abides, always giving His gift, even when we suffer defeat, weakness, and loss. God is a Gift is invaluable for overcoming fear and finding a life filled with God's presence. It reveals how grace revolutionizes our relationship with the Lord. Topics include understanding the New Covenant, living in the gift of righteousness, abundant life, worship, and intimacy with God.

Download or read book What Happens When Women Walk in Faith written by Lysa TerKeurst and published by Harvest House Publishers. This book was released on 2005-07-01 with total page 210 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What if the next big step God wants you to take is actually small? Stepping into the assignments the Lord has for us and pursuing the dreams He's placed in our hearts can feel overwhelming and exhilarating all at the same time. But walking in His will begins with our daily obedience to Him. Lysa TerKeurst knows what it means to walk by faith and encourages you to discover the deeply personal truths of God's Word for your calling. What Happens When Women Walk in Faith is filled with stories and Scripture that will help you apply practical, Biblical truths to your life and equip you to: Discover 5 phases of your faith walk and embrace the direction that the Lord is leading you. Identify one area where you can draw a line in the sand and take a step toward something new. Be prepared for God to use your small steps of faith to unleash His work and wonder in your life. No matter what God has called you to, you can take this first step!

Download or read book God Has a Name written by John Mark Comer and published by Thomas Nelson. This book was released on 2024-10-15 with total page 300 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What you believe about God sets the foundation of the person you will become. In God Has a Name, pastor and New York Times bestselling author John Mark Comer invites you to rethink many of the prevalent myths and misconceptions about God and weigh them against what God actually tells us about himself. After all, what you believe about God will ultimately shape the type of person you become. We all live at the mercy of our ideas, and nowhere is this more true than our ideas about God. The problem is many of our ideas about God are wrong. Not all wrong, but wrong enough to form our souls in detrimental and disheartening ways. God Has a Name is a simple yet profound guide to understanding God in a new light--focusing on what God says about himself in the Bible. This one shift has the potential to radically alter how you relate to God, not as a doctrine, but as a relational being who responds to you in an elastic, back-and-forth way. John Mark Comer takes you line by line through Exodus 34:6-8--Yahweh's self-revelation on Mount Sinai, one of the most quoted passages in the Bible. Along the way, Comer addresses some of the most profound questions he came across as he studied these noted lines in Exodus, including: Why do we feel this gap between us and God? Could it be that a lot of what we think about God is wrong? Not all wrong, but wrong enough to mess up how we relate to him? What if our "God" is really a projection of our own identity, ideas, and desires? What if the real God is different, but far better than we could ever imagine? No matter where you are in your spiritual journey, God Has a Name invites you to step into a fresh and biblically rooted vision of who God is that has the potential to alter your life with God and shape who you become.

Download or read book The Pursuit of Belief Christian Classics Collection written by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and published by Good Press. This book was released on 2023-12-16 with total page 20399 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Pursuit of Belief - Christian Classics Collection encapsulates an extraordinary confluence of theological inquiry, philosophical meditation, and literary artistry. This anthology traverses a vast temporal landscape, from the patristic period to the threshold of the contemporary, gathering a multitude of voices that have shaped Christian thought and the broader cultural legacy of humanity. It juxtaposes the divine comedy of Dante Alighieri with the existential musings of Friedrich Nietzsche, the transcendental reflections of Ralph Waldo Emerson with the spiritual allegories of John Bunyan, and the mystic insights of St. Teresa of Ávila with the practical Christianity of Charles M. Sheldon, showcasing an unparalleled range of literary styles and theological perspectives. The collection stands as a testimony to the enduring dialogue between faith and reason, individual belief and societal norms. The contributing authors and editors, drawn from varied epochs and geographies, reflect a rich tapestry of historical, cultural, and intellectual contexts. Figures like Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Leo Tolstoy stand alongside St. Augustine and Martin Luther, exemplifying the anthologys alignment with significant historical and literary movements. This diversity not only illuminates the multifaceted nature of Christian thought but also demonstrates how these varied voices contribute to a deeper, more nuanced understanding of the anthologys central themes. Such an assemblage encourages readers to discern the intricate relationships between faith, culture, and personal conviction across different periods and places. The Pursuit of Belief - Christian Classics Collection is an indispensable volume for those interested in the intersection of faith, literature, and philosophy. It offers readers the unique opportunity to engage with a wide array of perspectives and themes, encouraging a comprehensive exploration of Christian belief as both a personal journey and a collective experience. This anthology is not merely a scholarly endeavor but a voyage through time and thought, inviting readers to ponder profound questions and explore the myriad ways in which the pursuit of belief shapes our understanding of the world and ourselves. As such, it is highly recommended for students, scholars, and anyone with a keen interest in the historical and philosophical dimensions of faith.

Download or read book Living the Resurrection written by Eugene H. Peterson and published by Tyndale House. This book was released on 2014-02-27 with total page 160 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: God Made You for Resurrection Life Work. Food. Friendship. Does Jesus’ Resurrection mean something for them? Eugene Peterson answers with a resounding YES. Dive deep with Peterson into the Gospel stories of the Resurrection. Experience the wonder through the eyes of the biblical witnesses. Discover how the practices and perspectives of resurrection life transform your daily job, your daily meals, and your daily relationships. Peterson’s contemplations will move you from Easter Sunday to resurrection life. Living the Resurrection is perfect for reading and discussing with a group, where you can begin to share life—life to the full—the way God intended it.

Download or read book The Pursuit of God written by A. W. Tozer and published by DigiCat. This book was released on 2022-05-28 with total page 81 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Pursuit of God is a series of sermons by A.W. Tozer. They focus on fighting and staying clear from Satan while opening hearts and minds to the saving force of God.

Download or read book Sacred Fire written by Ronald Rolheiser and published by Image. This book was released on 2017-03-14 with total page 370 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When one reaches the highest degree of human maturity, one has only one question left: How can I be helpful?—TERESA OF ÁVILA Beloved author Ronald Rolheiser continues his search for an accessible and penetrating Christian spirituality in this highly anticipated follow-up to the contemporary classic, The Holy Longing. With his trademark acuity, wit, and thoughtfulness, Rolheiser shows how identifying and embracing discipleship will lead to new heights of spiritual awareness and maturity. In this new book, Rolheiser takes us on a journey through the dark night of the senses and of the spirit. Here, we experience the full gamut of human life, pleasure and fervor, disillusionment and boredom. But, as Rolheiser explains, when we embrace the struggle and yearning to know God we can experience too a profound re-understanding to our daily lives. “What lies beyond the essentials, the basics?” Rolheiser writes. “Where do we go once some of the basic questions in our lives have been answered, or at least brought to enough peace that our focus can shift away from ourselves to others? Where do we go once the basic questions in our lives are no longer the restless questions of youthful insecurity and loneliness? Who am I? Who loves me? How will my life turn out? Where do we go once the basic question in life becomes: How can I give my life away more purely, and more meaningfully? How do I live beyond my own heartaches, headaches, and obsessions so as to help make other peoples’ lives more meaningful? The intent of this book is to try to address exactly those questions: How can we live less self- centered, more mature lives? What constitutes deep maturity and how do we reach that place? And, not unimportantly, what constitutes a more adult, Christian discipleship? What constitutes a truly mature following of Jesus?” As the poet Rainer Maria Rilke suggests, “Live the questions now.” In Sacred Fire, Rolheiser’s deeply affecting prose urges us on in pursuit of the most holy of all passions—a deep and lasting intimacy with God.

Download or read book Friend of Science Friend of Faith written by Gregg Davidson and published by Kregel Academic. This book was released on 2019-11-19 with total page 304 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A scientist explores the harmony between Christian faith and science Though some Christians and many skeptics see science and Christianity as locked in a never-ending battle, geologist Gregg Davidson contends that there is tremendous harmony between Scripture and modern science. Many apparent conflicts arise when the Bible is interpreted apart from its literary and historical contexts, but when these are taken into account, most alleged clashes resolve. Proceeding from a belief that Scripture is inspired and without error and that God's creation should inform how we interpret the Bible, Davidson shows that Scripture and science need not disagree on issues like the age of the earth, Adam and Eve, Noah's flood, the origin and development of life, and numerous related topics. Rather, Christians can rejoice at how God's glory is revealed in both the Bible and the natural world.

Download or read book Growing Up written by Robby Gallaty and published by B&H Publishing Group. This book was released on 2013-11-11 with total page 231 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: If you are serious about being a disciple of Jesus Christ—really, truly serious—a discipleship group can help you achieve that goal. Jesus established this model for us by forming and leading the first discipleship group—and it worked. The men who emerged from that group took the gospel to the world and ultimately laid down their lives for Christ. Discipleship groups can create an atmosphere for fellowship, encouragement, and accountability—building an environment where God can work. In Growing Up: How to Be a Disciple Who Makes Disciples, Robby Gallaty presents a practical, easy-to-implement system for growing in one's faith. This guide offers a manual for making disciples, addressing the what, why, where, and how of discipleship. D-Groups, as Gallaty calls them, can teach you and others how to grow your relationship with God, how to defend your faith, and how to guide others in their relationships with God. Growing Up provides you with an interactive manual and resource for creating and working with discipleship groups, allowing you to gain positive information both for yourself and for others as you learn how to help others become better disciples for Christ.

Download or read book Be Still My Soul written by Elisabeth Elliot and published by Revell. This book was released on 2021-03-16 with total page 115 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In our can't-stop world, where we frantically move through our days with hardly a moment of true rest and reflection, it's hard to comprehend the thought of being still, of leaving our anxiety and worry and impatience in the capable hands of a loving God. But that's exactly what Elisabeth Elliot calls us to do. Using the title of one of her favorite hymns as her unifying theme, Elliot offers an inspiring collection of reflections on living the Christian life. Illustrating biblical concepts with her rich personal experiences as a missionary, mother, wife, widow, radio host, and internationally known public speaker, Elliot writes with clarity and elegance on topics at once timeless and timely. This lovely new repackaged edition is perfect for the busy times in which we live.