Book picks similar to
Christ in the Gospel by Joseph B. Frey
bible-and-biblical-studies
catholicism
daily-reads
devotional
Open and Unafraid: The Psalms as a Guide to Life
W. David O. Taylor - 2020
In reading it, we discover that we are never alone in our joys, sorrows, angers, doubts, praises, or thanksgivings. In it, we learn about prayer and poetry, honesty and community, justice and enemies, life and death, nations and creation. Open and Unafraid shows us how to read the psalms in a fresh, life-giving way, and so access the bottomless resources for life that they provide."David Taylor’s take is 'open and unafraid' alright. He really goes there, exposing himself before God in the most beautiful way. He might have called the book Naked, because if you don’t find your own self feeling a little exposed here, it might be time to take some armor off." -- Bono, from the Afterword"A book that you will want to read and read again, and yet again, in order to discover the wisdom of the Psalms that shows us how to walk in the life-giving way of Jesus." -- Eugene Peterson, from the Foreword"A winsome, accessible entry into the Book of Psalms…Connects the poetry of the psalms to real-life wonders and struggles." -- Walter Brueggemann, Columbia Theological Seminary"Taylor reads these biblical prayers with Dr. Seuss, rappers, and other poets, along with theologians and the daily news....Guides readers in tracing out patterns of holy speech that have the potential for healing our hearts and our communities." -- Ellen F. Davis, Duke Divinity School"I have always loved the psalms--for their defiant devotion, their deep joy, and their brutal yet beautiful honesty. And after reading this fantastic book about them, I love them even more." -- Matt Redman, worship leader and song writer"In these fraught and fearsome days, we need the psalms more than ever. And we need more faithful artists and thinkers like David Taylor to mine the infinite gifts the psalms offer across the ages." -- Karen Swallow Prior, author of Fierce Convictions
Lent for Everyone: Luke, Year C: A Daily Devotional
Tom Wright - 2009
Popular biblical scholar and author N. T. Wright provides his own Scripture translation, brief reflection, and a prayer for each of the days of the season, helping readers ponder how the text is relevant to their own lives today. By the end of the book readers will have been through the entirety of Luke, along with Psalm readings for each Sunday. Suitable for both individual and group study and reflection, Wright's Lenten devotional will help you make Luke's gospel your own, thoughtfully and prayerfully, and your journey through Lent a period of rich discovery and growth.
Theology of the Body In One Hour
Jason Evert - 2017
Through his Theology of the Body, St. John Paul II unveiled the beauty of God’s plan for human love. In 60 minutes, discover how the human body—in its masculinity and femininity—reveals who we are and how we are called to live.
Why the Church?
Luigi Giussani - 2000
He then describes the Church's developing self-awareness of its dual elements of the human and divine. Concerned with verifying the Church's claim to embody Christ, Giussani situates the locus of verification in human experience, arguing that a different type of life is born in those who try to live the life of the Church. Why the Church? is a seminal study that will engage both the scholar and the general reader.
The Hole in Our Holiness: Filling the Gap between Gospel Passion and the Pursuit of Godliness
Kevin DeYoung - 2012
Looking to right the balances, Kevin DeYoung presents a popular-level treatment of sanctification and union with Christ, helping readers to see what matters most—being like Jesus. He shows how one can be like Christ in being joined to Christ. The market is ready for DeYoung’s timely book, ready to avoid legalism and ambivalence, and they are ready for someone to articulate the inextricable relationship between grace and holiness.
Why Grace Changes Everything
Chuck Smith - 1994
Grace.. It's a word we all love to hear. But do we all know what it means? Without it, our lives are dry and dusty. But when grace comes, it transforms our lives into something rich and beautiful. With remarkable insight gleaned from his own life, Pastor Chuck Smith unfolds the mystery of grace and reveals the surprising truth: We can never grow in grace by our own efforts. True grace flows from the heart of the Father through the love of Jesus Christ. To know that God is for you, that He loves you, is the greatest source of security you will ever know. That is grace-and that is what makes life worth living.
Cruciformity: Paul's Narrative Spirituality of the Cross
Michael J. Gorman - 2001
This book breaks new ground by focusing on the source and nature of Paul's spirituality. Taking his cue from Paul's express desire to "know nothing but Christ crucified," Michael Gorman shows how Paul's personal experience of God constantly intersects with the story of the cross, an event that both reveals the cruciform character of God and shapes believers into a community of "cruciformity" (conformity to the crucified Christ). Expertly combining biblical studies and theological reflection, this noteworthy volume presents a model of the Christian life marked by faith, love, power, and hope.
The Smoke of Satan: How Corrupt and Cowardly Bishops Betrayed Christ, His Church, and the Faithful . . . and What Can Be Done About It
Philip F. Lawler - 2018
In The Smoke of Satan, veteran Catholic journalist Philip Lawler explains why the crisis is even more severe than when it first commanded headlines in 2002, and how the failure of Church leaders goes all the way to the Vatican. In this unflinching look at the crisis threatening the Church and her members, Lawler: --Shows how the sex-abuse scandal is not a question of pedophilia, but of homosexual activity within the clergy. --Explains how Catholic bishops have developed a habit of covering up serious problems, to avoid the serious divisions that have developed within the faith since Vatican II. --Demonstrates a catastrophic rupture in Church unity, causing a breakdown in morale and discipline among priests, bishops, and laity, paving the way for the current crisis. --Reveals the growth of a faction within the Vatican that is ready to make peace with secularism. --Details the charges in the explosive “Vigano testimony,”— and the efforts by Vatican officials including Pope Francis himself to ward off a thorough investigation. --Concludes with a program for reform, led by faithful lay Catholics, demanding a new policy of candor and a forthright proclamation of Church teaching. This crisis, brought about by the failures of corrupt and cowardly bishops and clerics, has been allowed to fester long enough. It is well past time for serious action to be taken at every level before more lives are ruined, more souls are lost, and more fractures divide the Church. In these pages, Lawler details the problems besetting the Church…and lays out a clear plan to overcome them in order that the Church and Her members may once again thrive and bring souls to Christ.
Jesus Is: Find a New Way to Be Human
Judah Smith - 2013
How would you finish that sentence?The subject is there, and so is the verb, but what comes next? Your answer could shed light on the path to becoming who you were made to be. In these pages, Judah Smith fills out that sentence again and again, each time further revealing the character of Jesus. He writes as if to a friend, revealing the Jesus that somber paintings and hymns fail to capture. With passion, humor, and conviction, he shows that Jesus is life. Jesus is grace. Jesus is your friend. Jesus is a new and better way to be human.
Christian Classics: Six books by Charles Spurgeon in a single collection, with active table of contents
Charles Haddon Spurgeon - 2011
All of GraceAll of Grace is a simple and eloquent presentation of basic salvation through grace alone. Spurgeon wants readers only to consume his work and ponder it, he asks nothing in return because he believes in the power of God to bring unbelievers to Him. Spurgeon brings the gospel to his readers with pointed illustrations, well-placed anecdotes, irrefutable arguments, heart-felt pleas, and above all else the plainly-spoken and rightly-applied word of God. This short and easy read is both a perfect introduction to salvation and an assurance of it for unbelievers and the saved alike.2. An All Round MinistryWhile Spurgeon is always, both stimulating and challenging, the context in which these addresses were given brought the best out of him and gave them unique quality. Full of biblical exposition, wise counsel, practical sanity and warm exhortation, they also sparkle with a delightful wit. Here is Spurgeon at his finest as a man with a pastoral heart par excellence.3. Commenting and CommentariesSpurgeon's classic lecture series, together with his complete annotated catalog of commentaries. Spurgeon's pithy remarks on the relative merits of various commentaries are both witty and instructive. This is a delight to read, as well as a valuable tool for Bible teachers seeking the most helpful resources.4. Eccentric PreachersA quaint collection of lectures about great preachers with unusual characteristics. Spurgeon said he wrote it in "self-defense."5. Morning and Evening: Daily ReadingOrganized by month, this devotional has a morning and evening meditation for every day of the year. Although these devotions are short in length, they are filled with spiritual goodness. In just a few sentences, Spurgeon is able to convey the wisdom of Scripture with eloquence and purpose. These daily messages provide Christians with the spiritual energy they need to begin and end each day. Spurgeon weaves a verse of Scripture into each devotion, helping readers draw deeper meaning out of the selected passages. This powerful devotional provides Christians with the spiritual nourishment required to strengthen their relationships with God. Readers will find themselves inspired by Morning and Evening: Daily Readings.6. Til He ComeThe father of the modern "mega-church," Spurgeon is most famous for his pastorship at London's Metropolitan Tabernacle, where he regularly preached to huge crowds. Till He Come is a collection of addresses centered on the Lord's Supper. Some were preached to the congregation at Metropolitan, while others were spoken to small groups of Christians Spurgeon hosted on Sundays to celebrate communion. The collection addresses a diverse range of scriptures, but all stick to the common theme of Jesus' symbolic last meal. It will prove helpful to anyone looking for further insight on this interdenominational practice and will encourage believers to "do this in remembrance of me."About the AuthorCharles Haddon (C.H.) Spurgeon (June 19, 1834 – January 31, 1892) was a British Baptist preacher, still known as the "Prince of Preachers". In his lifetime, Spurgeon preached to around 10,000,000 people, often up to 10 times a week at different places. His sermons have been translated into many languages. Spurgeon was the pastor of the New Park Street Chapel in London for 38 years. He was part of several controversies with the Baptist Union of Great Britain, and later had to leave that denomination. Throughout his life, Spurgeon suffered from depression and other mental illnesses. In 1857, he started a charity organization called Spurgeon's which now works globally. He also founded Spurgeon's College, which was named after him after his death.-Wikipedia
Beholding and Becoming: The Art of Everyday Worship
Ruth Chou Simons - 2019
Every day is an opportunity to be shaped and formed by what moves your heart…drives your thoughts…captures your gaze. Is it any wonder that where you direct your eyes and your heart matter in your day-to-day? We become what we behold when we set our hearts and minds on Christ and His redemption story here in the details of our daily lives. Not just on Sunday, not just on holidays, not just when extraordinarily hard or wonderful things happen…but today. Bestselling author and artist Ruth Chou Simons invites you on a new journey to Beholding and Becoming. With more than 850 pieces of intricate, original artwork, Ruth encourages you to elevate your gaze to the One who created all things. Today is an opportunity for God to demonstrate His love and His faithfulness in the midst of your mundane. No circumstance is too ordinary or too forgotten for Him to meet you there in worship. His transforming grace turns your “everyday ordinary” into a holy place of becoming.
A Catholic Woman's Book of Days
Amy Welborn - 2005
Unfortunately, we are often so busy that we fail to recognize and respond to this active presence. A Catholic Woman’s Book of Days offers daily meditations that clear a spiritual place—a time in our day when we can set our hearts on God. The meditations are brief, pointed, direct, and personal—and will connect you to God’s word and the Catholic faith.While a number of successful devotionals for women have been published for the general Christian market, A Catholic Woman's Book of Days is the first resource in the Catholic market featuring daily devotions and prayers for women. Written by Amy Welborn, the devotional entries are pointed and brief, and help Catholic women connect their everyday concerns with God's Word in the context of their Catholic faith. Each entry is introduced by a Scripture verse and followed by a one-sentence prayer. These devotions and prayers are sure to provide Catholic women with a dose of God's grace each day of the year.
Demons, Deliverance, Discernment: Separating Fact from Fiction about the Spirit World
Fr. Mike Driscoll - 2015
Mike Driscoll answers all these questions and more. Drawing on his experience as a priest and counselor, and on his research with exorcists, Fr. Driscoll clears up many popular misconceptions about demons and the spirit world and offers sound information and pastoral advice rooted in Catholic tradition, including:•What we know about demons from history, Scripture, and Church teaching•How to tell whether personal problems come from mental illnesses or demonic attacks•What exorcists actually do—and don’t do—when they help people suffering possession•Why homemade “deliverance ministries” are not a truly Catholic way to counter the influence of demons•Authentic prayers and practices that will make evil spirits flee—and invite God’s grace into your heartThe devil has designs on our soul and hosts of wickedness who want to win it for him. Know your enemy—read Demons, Deliverance, and Discernment and prepare yourself for the fight.
Kisses from a Good God: A Journey Through Cancer
Paul Manwaring - 2012
"Kisses from a Good God" recounts his journey from the first diagnosis, through the prayers of believing friends and family, his choice to undergo surgery, and to his ultimate healing victory."a""Kisses from a Good God" provides encouragement and challenges some commonly held beliefs. He removes shame from those who have been healed by the hands of doctors and surgeons rather than through prayer. Instead of simply encouraging you with practical, biblical truths, a clear line is drawn between faith and religionOCoand redefines victory through the eyes of a cancer survivor saved by God in the form of modern medicine.aaaIf you are now walking or have walked through a life-threatening illness or circumstance, or if you have watched a loved one endure, "Kisses from a Good God" relieves your body, soul, mind, and spirit of tons of unnecessary pressures and pain.aa"
What's Wrong With Religion
Skye Jethani - 2017
Figuring Out Faith?1- Everyone is Religion2- How Religion Ruins the World3- Getting Rid of Religion Doesn't Help4- God Doesn't Exist to Be Used5- ...& Neither Do You6- THE SOLUTION: Living WITH God7- The "Radical" Life Isn't What You Think8- The World Is A Perfectly Safe Place (Really)9- All You Need Is Love