Do you know him that closely in this moment? Truly experiencing the love of God gives us a taste of his goodness and his love for us, but often those moments are fleeting. We get distracted by life. Our awareness and understanding fade while our longing to experience him that way again increases. In these pages you can begin to fill that longing by developing your capacity to receive and respond to God's love. Spiritual formation is the process through which one's inner self is opened to the work of the Holy Spirit, who forms us into the image of the Son. Here Richard Foster and Gayle Beebe, both experienced leaders in spiritual formation, introduce you to people from the past who have known God deeply. Each person helps you to grasp one of the seven primary paths to intimacy with God that have been developed throughout Christian history. Chapters are divided into sections, each segment surrounding a key figure and concluding with a reflection and prayer. This rich resource can guide you into the same deep intimacy with God, opening you to the Spirit's work of transformation.

    Their gripping adventure begins in the ancient city of Jerusalem and takes them to the very spot in Galilee where Jesus taught the multitudes to pray. Along the way they discover a Hebrew version of the Lord’s Prayer, preserved in secret by Jewish rabbis for over a thousand years. The richness of meaning that the Hebrew unlocks reveals a powerful message of spiritual growth for Jew and Christian alike. Join them on this provocative exploration of the Hebrew origins of the Lord's Prayer!"Both Jews and Christians could learn a great deal from this book... I highly recommend it!" Rabbi Levi Weiman-Kelman, Congregation Kol HaNeshama, Jerusalem"If you enjoy detective mysteries... this book is a veritable gold mine... as we discover hidden truths and marvel together with the authors..." Christine Darg, Exploits Ministry"I am so thankful to the Father for this book... I felt like I was on a spiritual journey with so many things confirmed and also revealed." James Thrash, NFL PlayerNehemia Gordon holds a Masters Degree in Biblical Studies and a Bachelors Degree in Archaeology from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Gordon has worked as a translator on the Dead Sea Scrolls and as a researcher deciphering ancient Hebrew manuscripts. He has been invited to speak in synagogues and churches around the world and has led groups of pilgrims and visitors on tours of biblical sites. A native of Chicago, Nehemia has made his home in Jerusalem, Israel since 1993.Keith Johnson earned his Masters of Divinity from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and has spent nearly two decades in Christian ministry. As an ordained Elder in the United Methodist Church, Johnson has served as pastor of Park Avenue Church in Minneapolis and as chaplain of the Minnesota Vikings. Johnson was also chosen as one of only 40 chaplains from around the world to serve the athletes of the 1996 Olympics Games in Atlanta. Keith lives in Charlotte, North Carolina with his wife and sons.

    Now, for the first time, L. Michael White, one of the world's foremost scholars on the origins of Christianity, provides the complete, astonishing story of how Christianity grew from the personal vision of a humble Jewish peasant living in a remote province of the Roman Empire into the largest organized religion in the world.Many take for granted that the New Testament is a single book representing God's coherent, unwavering word on Jesus and his church. A closer reading reveals not one story, but many. The New Testament is a collection of books -- the result of a variety of influences on a number of faithful but very human visionaries, preachers, and storytellers. The texts contain a wealth of biographies, histories, novels, letters, sermons, hymns, church manuals, and apocalypses, providing a spectrum of views of Jesus, his message, and his movement.Given this diversity of people, stories, and drastically different points of view, how did Christianity ever become what we know it as today? White draws on the most current scholarship to bring alive these ancient people and their debates, showing in depth how their stories were formed into what the world has come to know as the New Testament.Rather than reading the New Testament straight through in its traditional order -- Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and so on -- White takes a historical approach, looking at the individual books in the sequence in which they were actually written. He explores what these books divulge about the disagreements, shared values, and unifying mission of the earliest Christian communities. White digs through layers of archaeological excavations, sifts through buried fragments of largely unknown texts, and examines historical sources to discover what we can know of Jesus and his early followers.It is this early, hidden history that shaped Christianity as it grew from an errant, messianic movement to a state religion and then into a world religion that has lasted for over two thousand years. White shows how the early debates spurred the evolution of Christianity as we know it. He delves into the arguments over how to understand Jesus as both human and divine, the role of women in the church, the diversity of beliefs among Christian communities, the Gnostic influences, and the political disputes that raged over which books would ultimately be included in the New Testament. Complete with illustrations, photos, charts, and maps, From Jesus to Christianity presents the fullest picture yet of the beginnings of what became the most popular religion on earth.

    The result of Murray's passionate exploration of the issue of surrender: why it's seemingly impossible and yet completely necessary.

    The numerous charts illuminate the descriptive matter, and beautiful pictures show the ministry of angels and other heavenly beings. The prayer of the Author is that the Holy Spirit will use the book to free those who are entrapped in the net of 'Spiritism, ' and cause the curious and sorrowing to turn to the 'Word of God' for help, and the answer to their questioning."-From the Foreword.

    For that reason Martyn Lloyd-Jones gave a series of lectures at Westminster Chapel to help ordinary people understand and apply theology to their own lives. This book is the fruit of those lectures.Previously published in three separate volumes, they are now combined into one work-a complete systematic Christian theology. Among others, the book covers Christian beliefs about Scripture, the attributes of God, the life and work of Jesus, the Fall, redemption, the person and work of the Holy Spirit, the nature of the church, and last things. The book is written in clear language and contains guidance for application. Anyone who wishes to learn more about the great doctrines of the Bible but doesn't want to wade through lengthy academic works should read this book. God the Father, God the SonThis volume focuses on the very character of God and the life and work of his Son, including his eternal decrees, his attributes, original sin, redemption, the covenant of grace, and the Incarnation. God the Father, God the Son will help you to truly know God and his Word better. And in that pursuit, you can never go wrong. Because someday, somewhere, you will need to know-and share-the Truth with someone else. God the Holy SpiritThis volume explores in detail the person and vital work of the Holy Spirit. He is a divine and mighty power who is active in conversion, redemption, regeneration, sanctification, and the assurance of salvation. Martyn Lloyd-Jones also considers within these pages Pentecost, baptism of the Spirit, and the gifts of the Holy Spirit-all to give you a better understanding of this least-known member of the Trinity. The Church and the Last ThingsThis volume explores in detail two doctrines that bear great impact on your today and all your tomorrows: the nature of the church, and the doctrine of the last things. Here is perspective on the Bible's various references to the church, plus a study of unity, baptism, church government, and the sacraments-all according to Scripture. Martyn Lloyd-Jones also carefully considers the various views regarding Christ's second coming, what God's Word communicates about the last days, and the meaning of Jesus' return for ourselves as well as the world. It's important reading, not just for admirers of this great preacher, but for Christians everywhere.

    Along the way we will walk unknown passageways, known only to the prophets of old, as we search for the true location of the lost temples of Solomon and Herod. We will also lift a candle into the dim recesses of history and uncover secrets about the Ark of the Covenant and the gold Mercy Seat's prophetic obligation as it relates to the future Millennial temple."

    In Apologetics at the Cross, Joshua D. Chatraw and Mark D. Allen provide an introduction to the field, acquainting students and lay learners with the rich history, biblical foundation, and ongoing relevance of apologetics.Unique in its approach, Apologetics at the Cross presents the biblical and historical foundations for apologetics, explores various contemporary methods for approaching apologetics, and gives practical guidance in "how to" chapters that feature many real-life illustrations. With their respectful approach, which pays special attention to the attitude and posture of the apologist, Chatraw and Allen equip Christians to engage skeptics with the heart as well as the mind.Conversational in tone and balanced in approach, Apologetics at the Cross provides a readable introduction to the field of apologetics. Readers will be informed and equipped for engaging a wide range of contemporary challenges with the best in Christian thought.

    A noted Old Testament scholar offers this vivid look at Israel — its land, people, worship, lifestyles, and future — with special attention to questions about the current and future Israeli state.

    And yet, most of these treatments are unlikely to be read by many Christians today because of their length or scholarly nature. In God Is: A Devotional Guide to the Attributes of God, Mark Jones makes these rich theological insights accessible to the modern reader. With a specific focus on how each attribute is seen most fully in Jesus Christ, this meditative book will give Christians a clearer picture of the God they worship and serve, helping them love him more deeply and enjoy him more purely as they come to know him more fully.

    Ben Witherington, one of the top Jesus scholars, will have none of it. There were no secret Gnostic teachings in the first century. With leading scholars and popular purveyors of bad history in his crosshairs, Witherington reveals what we can—and cannot—claim to know about the real Jesus. The Bible, not outside sources, is still the most trustworthy historical record we have today.Utilizing a fresh "personality profile" approach, Witherington highlights core Christian claims by investigating the major figures in Jesus’s inner circle of followers: Mary the mother of Jesus, Mary Magdalene, Thomas, Peter, James the brother of Jesus, Paul, and the mysterious "beloved disciple." In each chapter Witherington satisfies our curiosities and answers the full range of questions about these key figures and what each of them can teach us about the historical Jesus. What Have They Done with Jesus? is a vigorous defense of traditional Christianity that offers a compelling portrait of Jesus’s core message according to those who knew him best.

    Inspired by the theologies of Irenaeus, Thomas Aquinas, and John Henry Newman, and rooted in a post-Vatican II context, Fr. Thomas Joseph White presents major doctrines of the Christian faith in a way that is comprehensible for non-specialists: knowledge of God, the mystery of the Trinity, the Incarnation and the atonement, the sacraments and the moral life, eschatology and prayer."Thomas Joseph White is one of the brightest and most articulate theologians writing today. This book is an intelligent and spiritually alert introduction to the principal themes of Catholic theology. Both beginners and serious academics will find much to savor in its pages" -- Bishop Robert Barron

    Hebrews means those who crossed over. It is written for every believer today, for we have crossed over from darkness to light and from doubt to faith. What once was a symbol has now become substance, for all the pictures of the Old Testament have found their fulfillment in Him. Hebrews takes us into the Holy of Holies as we come to Him as priests, lovers, and worshippers. We will never be same again when we absorb the light of God that shines from every chapter. He is our magnificent High Priest, greater than any sacrifice offered or prophet of old. He perfects our faith until we rise with Him into the heavenly realm of priestly ministry. Hebrews warns us of turning back into ritual and religion and forgetting all the treasures of our faith. Seeing Christ stirs us to enter into the full rest alone as our perfection before the Father. We must learn from Him and draw closer to Him in order to understand the depth of this book, for Jesus is the language of God and the theme of Hebrews. The Holy Spirit speaks through the Holy Word of God; His life giving expression comes through each verse, and receiving the Word of God changes us. The Book of James is rich with life changing revelation, a feast to strengthen us and keep us on course. James gives practical truths about what it means to be declared righteous by God. He offers many clear insights on faith and on walking in the truth. We might view the book of James as the New Testament Proverbs, for much of its writings speak of heavenly wisdom from God that transforms us. The book of James gives us the understanding of the power of faith to produce good works. Faith works!

    How can Yahweh be the same God as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ? What does genocide in the Bible have to do with the politics of the 21st century?Show Them No Mercy explores the Old Testament command of God to exterminate the Canaanite population and what that implies about continuity between the Old and New Testaments. The four views presented are:Strong Discontinuity – emphasizes the strong tension, regarding violence, between the two main texts of the Bible (C.S. Cowles)Moderate Discontinuity – provides a justification of God’s actions in the Old Testament with strong emphasis on exegesis (Eugene H. Merrill)Eschatological Continuity – a reading of the warfare narratives that ties them contextually to the book of Revelation and the Second Coming (Daniel L. Gard)Spiritual Continuity – incorporates the genocidal account into the full picture of the Old and New Testaments (Tremper Longman III)The Counterpoints series presents a comparison and critique of scholarly views on topics important to Christians that are both fair-minded and respectful of the biblical text. Each volume is a one-stop reference that allows readers to evaluate the different positions on a specific issue and form their own, educated opinion.

    Highly visible as a public teacher, preacher, and theologian, he nevertheless has remained nearly invisible as man and saint. What can be discovered about Thomas Aquinas as a whole? In this short, compelling portrait, Denys Turner clears away the haze of time and brings Thomas vividly to life for contemporary readers—those unfamiliar with the saint as well as those well acquainted with his teachings. Building on the best biographical scholarship available today and reading the works of Thomas with piercing acuity, Turner seeks the point at which the man, the mind, and the soul of Thomas Aquinas intersect. Reflecting upon Thomas, a man of Christian Trinitarian faith yet one whose thought is grounded firmly in the body’s interaction with the material world, a thinker at once confident in the powers of human reason and a man of prayer, Turner provides a more detailed human portrait than ever before of one of the most influential philosophers and theologians in all of Western thought.