In recent years, however, that picture of Jesus has come under widely publicized attack from sources ranging from critical scholars to Internet pundits to popular historians and others. The new portraits of Jesus seem persuasive. You can’t help but wonder … Did Christianity merely copy its beliefs from earlier mythology? Did the church suppress alternate gospels? Did Jesus never die on the cross or rise from the dead for sinners? Is the New Testament hopelessly riddled with errors? New York Times bestselling author Lee Strobel helps you separate truth from media hype, sound scholarship from bias, and fact from speculation. Digging below the surface, this book provides credible, informed answers to today’s most pressing questions about Jesus.

    Dwarves are mystical craftsmen, humans are big and strong, and halflings breed explosively, but none of them can match elves for sheer magical firepower.Angrod Veneanar is a young elf. He’s nearing the end of a long apprenticeship and looking forward to going home. As a nobleman he loves wine and women—he doesn’t care at all about shadow conspiracies, forgotten magics, or long-lost royal heirs. Unfortunately, there is a prophecy, and it looks like he’s in it.Now he’s on the run. Accused of murder, what seems like the entire kingdom wants him dead. He has knights, mages, and even arcane assassins on his trail. Worse, something is riding in his head and threatening to take over his body.To survive, Angrod must use all his skill in weapons and wizardry. He must find new allies and uncover fresh strength. And if he is to stand a chance of defeating his greatest enemy, he must rediscover a master spell that’s been lost for centuries. If he doesn’t, he’s just going home—to die.

    Whether you feel restless or satisfied right now, Jim Cymbala believes that God has more for you. In this new book, he'll help you find out how to access the 'more' God intends---more peace, real joy, and a deeper sense of purpose. As you open yourself up to the 'more' of God, you will also discover your unique work assignment---the one thing God is calling you--and no one else--to accomplish for the sake of his work in the world.

    . . . A tour de force and a profound show of faith.” ( O, the Oprah Magazine)   In what are billed “culture wars,” people on the political right and the political left cite Jesus as endorsing their views. But in this New York Times-bestselling masterpiece, Garry Wills argues that Jesus subscribed to no political program. He was far more radical than that. In a fresh reading of the gospels, Wills explores the meaning of the “reign of heaven” Jesus not only promised for the future but brought with him into this life. It is only by dodges and evasions that people misrepresent what Jesus plainly had to say against power, the wealthy, and religion itself. But Wills is just as critical of those who would make Jesus a mere ethical teacher, ignoring or playing down his divinity. An illuminating analysis for believers and nonbelievers alike, What Jesus Meant is a brilliant addition to our national conversation on religion.

    Now Father Jonathan peels back the layers of questions that arise when someone asks, "Why me?" in response to human suffering. With an accessible voice and calming pastoral guidance, Father Jonathan leads readers through each step of suffering---from doubt and anger to healing and acceptance. The Promise comprises three parts, each addressing a step in the process of healing. Part 1, "God on Trial," speaks to doubts and anger that arise when we suffer and poses tough questions such as "Does God even care?" and "Why should we trust a God who allows innocent suffering?" Part 2 takes the reader on a journey of finding emotional and spiritual healing from suffering. In part 3 Father Jonathan introduces the five "Principles for Freedom-Living." From living your personal vocation to a step-by-step guide for sketching a plan for your spiritual life, the freedom principles are practical and easily applied to everyday life. Together these five principles have the power to transform what would otherwise be useless suffering into a means of great sanctification and personal fulfillment. While pulling back the layers of philosophy and theology that surround human suffering, Father Jonathan offers not only a deeply spiritual answer but also a practical one to this most fundamental of human questions: Why do we suffer? The Promise not only addresses how to understand and live with suffering, but also poses the toughest question regarding our relationship to God: Why do we suffer under a benevolent God? Father Jonathan delves into how we can heal from the spiritual, emotional, and even physical scars left behind by suffering. The Promise offers five principles for living a free life, or a life free of the fear that God is not there for us, and offers comfort and hope to those experiencing hard times.

    Prepared by some of the world's leading scholars, the series provides an exposition of the New Testament books that is thorough and fully abreast of modern scholarship yet faithful to the Scriptures as the infallible Word of God.

    Join her as she traces the Christmas narrative through the stories of Zechariah and Elizabeth, Mary, the journey to Bethlehem, and the visit from the Magi. These stories open conversations around connections of the Gospel stories to the Old Testament, the role of women in first-century Jewish culture, the importance of Mary’s visitation and the revolutionary implications of Mary’s Magnificat, the census and the stable, and the star of Bethlehem and the flight to Egypt.The book provides a rich and challenging learning experience for small groups and individual readers alike. As part of a larger four-week study that is perfect for Advent, it includes a DVD and a comprehensive leader guide.

    It offers readers multiple ways to significantly deepen, enlighten, and enrich their running experiences. * Introduces a unique and bold new treatment of the topic of running * Offers multiple ways to think about and appreciate the running experience * Explains why running is so satisfying and why it has the power to transform lives * Gives practical advice for how the reader can improve his or her own running * Full of vivid firsthand accounts illustrating the high adventure of running * Running can evoke spiritualism and mindfulness; it can teach fundamental lessons about goals, self-awareness, and self-improvement; it can be a transformative existential experience. The Tao of Running goes beyond the standard training and racing advice found in other running books, and guides runners to a wider understanding of how running fits into their own aspirations, goals, and life philosophy. It also offers readers lots of practical advice on getting the most out of running. Readers will gain a greater appreciation for the rewards and possibilities inherent in running and will significantly deepen, enlighten, and enrich their running experience. Extreme sports

    Join Gary Inrig at the feet of Jesus and experience His parables as though for the first time. In The Parables, you'll feel as though you can smell the odors of Jewish villages, feel the dust of Galilean roads, and hear the voice of the Savior putting you into His stories.  You’ll be encouraged by what you learn about yourself and God.

    Drawing on real-life stories from the Bible (David, Joseph, Mary, and Martha) and the present day, he writes to help you:* Move past the feelings of crisis: panic, fear, paralysis, and overcontrol.* See God in your circumstances--even when he doesn't seem to be there at all.* Make peace with doubt, which can actually be an expression of faith.* Find hope through the redemptive power of community.* Ask the right questions in order to find real, satisfying answers.* Explore the relationship between shattered dreams and true spiritual transformation.

    She explores the idea of Paul not as the founder of a new Christian religion, but as a devout Jew who believed Jesus was the Christ who would unite Jews and Gentiles and fulfill God’s universal plan for humanity. Eisenbaum’s work in Paul Was Not a Christian  will have a profound impact on the way many Christians approach evangelism and how to better follow Jesus’s—and Paul’s—teachings on how to live faithfully today.

    Providing basic faith understanding, this book will help the user experience Christianity as attractive and inviting, not distant, difficult, or foreboding. (separate leader's guide9780687089284)

     Did you know that 40% of bariatric surgery patients regain weight within 5 years of having weight loss surgery? When it comes to long-term weight-loss surgery success, you've got to get a handle on your emotions and motivation. The food will always be there, and it’s not about knowing WHAT to eat, but instead, transforming your relationship with food. This is why conquering your MINDSET is essential. If you are not in the right head-space, you can slide backward and enter the danger zone of regaining weight. Unfortunately, the cravings, emotional impulses, and habits to eat whatever and whenever still pop up after surgery. Even with the knowledge of what to eat, you will also need to learn how to manage yourself and your mindset around food. Fancy meal plans won’t help you if you haven’t tackled the most difficult part of having weight loss surgery; your brain! After investing so much time to get your body where you want it, is having the wrong mindset worth the risk of sabotaging all you've worked hard to achieve? In Bariatric Mindset Success, you will be guided by Kristin, a professional psychotherapist and a successful gastric sleeve post-op patient through her most coveted weight loss surgery success strategies. She’ll guide you through the WLS basics as well as advanced mindset, motivation, and emotional techniques to help you stay focused and on track through the ups and downs of life. You’ll gain practical tools and techniques to create lifestyle habits that keep you focused on WLS success for life, not just in the short term. Also, she gives you tools to handle friendships and relationships after weight loss surgery in addition to giving you a compass for living your best life, beyond the weight loss. Ready to get started? Scroll up to the top of the page and click on the “Add to Cart” button.

    Their life together is full of rows and recriminations and when Alun is involved in a vicious fight and imprisoned, estranged from her own family a desperate Sheryl is forced to turn to the Powells. At first reluctant to help, they agree to take in little Caitlin whilst Sheryl seeks work in Cardiff. But Sheryl soon spirals into a life of unhappiness and despair. Until one fateful day, seven-year-old Caitlin takes off for Cardiff in search of her mother. As night falls and the police continue to look for the young girl, Sheryl fears she will never see her beloved daughter again ...

    The wonderful inventions we now cannot live without—fromhigh-heels to tea-bags, pencils to x-rays, each story is an amazing mix of luck and a whole lot ofperseverance and hard work.Imagine what our hot summers would be without ice-lolly? The horrors of never tasting potatochips!What would we do without our quick-fix Superglue? We hardly give a thought to the manylittle things we use every day. Don’t you think it’s time we learnt about a few stories of origin?Where do they come from? Who invented them and how?Learn about 51 fascinating stories of inventions in a book blending adorable, simple illustrationswith lively text bursting with facts. Who knows, you might accidentally come up with an inventionone day too