Each chapter analyzes an individual parable--identifies its theme, explains it in the light of the language and customs of the ancient world, and clearly interprets its meaning for us today.The William Barclay Library is a collection of books addressing the great issues of the Christian faith. As one of the world's most widely read interpreters of the Bible and its meaning, William Barclay devoted his life to helping people become more faithful disciples of Jesus Christ.

    If you live in divine health and prosperity, you won’t need a miracle to get healed or to pay your bills. If you can’t see the difference between the two, that may be one reason you only visit God’s best instead of truly living in it.Most Christians live in a place where it’s just a matter of time before there’s a crisis in their lives and they need a miracle. You might think it would be wonderful to go from miracle to miracle, but that means you’d also be going from crisis to crisis! Miracles are great when you need one, but you weren’t meant to continually get by on them. God wants to change where you live. Let Andrew show you how to live in God’s best today!

    He is admired and ridiculed, embraced and rejected. If you want to provoke controversy and emotional discussion, just mention His name.Jesus was inclusive when He welcomed all the weary and burdened to come to Him and experience the love of His Father. But He was not open-minded when it came to the truth. He stated that He was the truth. And this flies in the face of current politically correct thought.In Politically Incorrect Jesus, Joe Battaglia exposes the intellectual dishonesty of political correctness and presents Jesus as the model for embracing a counter-cultural faith, which empowers us to be salt and light. Be bold and stand firm in your faith when the culture demands you stand down.

    That much is indisputable. So, First-Wave feminists held rallies for women's suffrage. Second-Wave feminists marched for Prohibition, jobs, and abortion. Today, Third-Wave feminists stand firmly for nobody's quite sure what. But modern women—who use psychotherapeutic antidepressants at a rate never before seen in history—need liberating now more than ever. The truth is, feminists don't know what liberation is. They have led us into a very boring dead end.Eve in Exile sets aside all stereotypes of mid-century housewives, of China-doll femininity, of Victorians fainting, of women not allowed to think for themselves or talk to the men about anything interesting or important. It dismisses the pencil-skirted and stiletto-heeled executives of TV, the outspoken feminists freed from all that hinders them, the brave career women in charge of their own destinies. Once those fictionalized stereotypes are out of the way—whether they're things that make you gag or things you think look pretty fun—Christians can focus on real women. What did God make real women for?

    T. Wright, are the very echoes of a voice we dimly perceive but deeply long to hear. In fact, these questions take us to the heart of who God is and what He wants from us.For two thousand years, Christianity has claimed to solve these mysteries, and this renowned biblical scholar and Anglican bishop shows that it still can today. Not since C. S. Lewis's classic summary of the faith, Mere Christianity, has such a wise and thorough scholar taken the time to explain to anyone who wants to know what Christianity really is and how it is practiced. Wright makes the case for Christian faith from the ground up, assuming that the reader has no knowledge of (and perhaps even some aversion to) religion in general and Christianity in particular.Simply Christian walks the reader through the Christian faith step by step and question by question. With simple yet exciting and accessible prose, Wright challenges skeptics by offering explanations for even the toughest doubt-filled dilemmas, leaving believers with a reason for renewed faith. For anyone who wants to travel beyond the controversies that can obscure what the Christian faith really stands for, this simple book is the perfect vehicle for that journey.

    God created his children as sexual opposites, and designed marriage to be the context of erotic pleasure.  While the church has been mostly silent on the subject of sex, the world and the devil have attempted to make it their domain. The church has rightly proclaimed the biblical prohibitions on the misuse of sex, but it has failed to speak out on the godliness of erotic pleasure in the context of marriage. Out of the 66 books composing the Bible, one whole book is dedicated to promoting erotic pleasure—the Song of Solomon.  Michael Pearl takes his readers through a refreshing journey of the Biblical texts.  This sanctifying look at the most powerful passion God ever created will free the reader from false guilt and inhibition.  Michael Pearl says, “It is time for Christian couples to take back this sacred ground and enjoy the holy gift of sexual pleasure.” This material is intended for mature audiences.  Don’t read this book unless you are married, have definite plans to be married in the next few weeks, or are an older teenager whose parents have first read it and approve of you doing so. If you don’t think God meant for sex to be fun, this book is definitely for you!

    In our usual way of looking at things, hope is tied to outcome: "I hope I get this job" or "I hope my mother gets well." The Bible introduces us to a different kind of hope that has its source not in events but in the mercy of God, a lifeblood of compassion connecting our heart to God's heart and the heart of all creation. In five interwoven meditations, Mystical Hope shows how to recognize this hope in our own lives, where it comes from, how to deepen it through prayer, and how to carry it into the world as a source of strength and renewal. Mystical Hope is one of our series of Cowley Cloister Books: smaller format, gift edition books designed for meditative and devotional reading.

    I know hundreds of obscure nineteenth-century hymns by heart and have such razor sharp “modesty vision” that I can spot a miniskirt a mile away.Verily, verily I say unto thee, none of these highly specialized skills ever got me a job, but at least I’m all set for the end of the world. Selah. A story of mind control, the Apocalypse, and modest attire.Elizabeth Esther grew up in love with Jesus but in fear of daily spankings (to “break her will”). Trained in her family-run church to confess sins real and imagined, she knew her parents loved her and God probably hated her. Not until she was grown and married did she find the courage to attempt the unthinkable. To leave.In her memoir, readers will recognize questions every believer faces: When is spiritual zeal a gift, and when is it a trap? What happens when a pastor holds unchecked sway over his followers? And how can we leave behind the harm inflicted in the name of God without losing God in the process?By turns hilarious and heartbreaking, Girl at the End of the World is a story of the lingering effects of spiritual abuse and the growing hope that God can still be good when His people fail.Includes reading group discussion guide and interview with the author

    Still, so many couples stop short at happy and wonder why they feel unsatisfied. Rather than "you and me against the world," God calls each couple to the rich and meaningful mission of "you and me for the world."Aaron and Jennifer Smith, popular marriage bloggers at HusbandRevolution.com and UnveiledWife.com, transparently share their journey from a marriage in crisis to a marriage built on Christ's redemptive love. Through fresh biblical insight and intimate stories of their own struggles and victories, this book will guide you toward a God-centered, ministry-minded, and thriving marriage. In these pages you will . . .Discover the signature marks of a marriage after GodFind principles for building an unshakable marriage foundationLearn how to let God's story take the lead in your love storyRecognize the tools God has already equipped you with for a missional life togetherFilled with helpful illustrations, this thorough and practical book will empower you and your spouse to dream, decide, and do as you step hand in hand into God's ultimate purpose for your marriage.Your oneness is also meant for witness. God has purposed your remarkable, romantic, and redemptive relationship to be a powerful light to a dark and hurting world. This is your invitation to marriage as God intended--a life-saving, hope-inspiring, and transforming force of God's love.

    The "Essence" bestselling author of "Listening for God" reveals the timeless connection between today's women and their biblical sisters—and how to live a better life because of it.

    This book gives you the opportunity to surrender to God's presence and enjoy just being with Him.Find contentment, peace, and encouragement from practicing spiritual disciplines, and learn simple, tangible insights into practicing God’s presence in everyday life.

    Bestselling author Joyce Meyer brings powerful insight from the Scriptures and from her own experience to help you win over depression! You will discover how to walk by faith and not by feelings, the power of willful rejoicing, and the vital role of forgiveness. As believers, joy is not something we try to manufacture-it is something already within us waiting to be released. The victory over depression is yours through Jesus Christ. Rise up in His power and take back your position of joy and freedom today!

    Feathers from My Nest reveals a more contemplative and personal side of Beth, very much in the spirit of her Things Pondered.Feathers from My Nest is a collection of vignettes, as Beth reflects on items belonging to her daughters who have left the nest for college. As she ponders each item, rich in memories, Beth draws from its spiritual significance.This book not only tugs gently on the sentimental heartstrings of parents, it also reminds us all of the gift of grace children offer our lives every day.

    Whether it’s relationship drama, the constant pull of our sinful nature, a health issue, or any variety of unmet dreams, Jordan turns readers to God’s Word as the ultimate wilderness survival guide.Conversational and self-deprecatingly confessional in her delivery, this young writer finds ways to have fun with delicate subject matters, using wilderness analogies to great effect in chapters titled "Drink Plenty of Water," "Seek Shelter," and "Don’t Eat the Red Berries."

    He is, for example, a revelator, teacher, testifier, comforter, agent of the new birth, sanctifier, and sealer, to mention only a few of His roles. Unlike more inspirational explorations of the Holy Ghost, Robert L. Millet's The Holy Spirit focuses on the person of the Holy Ghost and examines His varied assignments in a way that is both spiritually strengthening and intellectually enlarging. Nothing has been written for decades about the Holy Spirit with so much breadth and depth.In The Holy Spirit, you'll find: Sound doctrine about the Holy Ghost that is in harmony with scripture and latter-day prophets. Personal experiences and inspiring stories from our history to help us both understand and draw upon the Holy Spirit in our lives. A helpful reference of prophetic teachings about the Spirit and His role in our lives.