Can we trust the Bible completely? Is it sufficient for our complicated lives? Can we really know what it teaches? And isn't it more important to focus on Jesus instead of the Bible?With his characteristic wit and clarity, Kevin DeYoung has written an accessible introduction to the Bible that answers important questions raised by Christians and non-Christians alike. This book will help readers understand what the Bible says about itself and the key characteristics that contribute to its lasting significance. Avoiding technical jargon, this winsome volume will encourage men and women to read and believe the Bible--confident that it truly is God's word.Free Study Guide by Pat Quinn.

    Evangelical Christians living in booming Austin, Texas, in the mid-1990s, they were respected leaders in their church and community. As Roger diligently worked his way up the high-tech corporate ladder, Penny kept a pristine home and coached similarly devout young women on how to be perfect wives. But on a windy March evening, this godly woman met the devil head-on. And when the police discovered her lifeless body—repeatedly bludgeoned with a lead pipe, then mutilated with a knife from her own spotless kitchen—they were shocked by the rage and savagery behind her slaying.The Good Wife is a startling true story of greed, hatred, betrayal, and an unimaginable murder—a tale of the dark decay that can be hidden behind a facade of saintliness when a marriage seemingly made in heaven descends into hell.

    It was along the James that British and Native American cultures collided and, in a twisted paradox, the seeds of democracy and slavery were sown side by side. The culture crafted by Virginia's learned aristocrats, merchants, farmers, and frontiersmen gave voice to the cause of the American Revolution and provided a vision for the fledgling independent nation's future. Over the course of the United States' first century, the James River bore witness to the irreconcilable contradiction of a slave-holding nation dedicated to liberty and equality for all. When that intractable conflict ignited civil war, the James River served as a critical backdrop for the bloodiest conflict in U.S. history. As he guides readers through this exciting historical narrative, Deans gives life to a dynamic cast of characters including the familiar Powhatan, John Smith, Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson, Benedict Arnold, and Robert E. Lee, as well as those who have largely escaped historical notoriety. The River Where America Began takes readers on a journey along the James River from the earliest days of civilization nearly 15,000 years ago through the troubled English settlement at Jamestown and finishes with Lincoln's tour of the defeated capital of Richmond in 1865. Deans traces the historical course of a river whose contributions to American life are both immeasurable and unique. This innovative history invites us all to look into these restless waters in a way that connects us to our past and reminds us of who we are as Americans.

    Borg & John Dominic Crossan reveal a radical & little-known Jesus. As both authors reacted to & responded to questions about Mel Gibson's blockbuster The Passion of the Christ, they discovered that many Christians are unclear on the details of events during the week leading up to Jesus' crucifixion. Using Mark's gospel as a guide, they present a day-by-day account of Jesus' final week of life. They begin their story on Palm Sunday with two triumphal entries into Jerusalem. The 1st entry, that of Roman governor Pontius Pilate leading Roman soldiers into the city, symbolized military strength. The 2nd heralded a new kind of moral hero who was praised by the people as he rode in on a humble donkey. The Jesus introduced herein is this new moral hero, a more dangerous Jesus than the one enshrined in the church's traditional teachings. The Last Week depicts Jesus giving up his life to protest power without justice & to condemn the rich who lack concern for the poor. In this vein, at the end of the week Jesus marches up Calvary, offering himself as a model for others to do the same when confronted by similar issues. Informed, challenged & inspired, we not only meet the historical Jesus, but meet a new Jesus who engages & invites us to follow him.

    He steadfastly refuses to give up their mum’s legacy, revealing that the family has given up something equally precious once before.Intrigued by their father's revelation, the sisters unite with the local community in their efforts to save the hotel - and in the process, help heal the fractures in the Harte family.SUMMER IN SORRENTOMaia Connolly never expected to find herself widowed at forty-five. Her beloved husband died unexpectedly while restoring their nineteenth century Italian farmhouse on a secluded hillside in Sorrento.Since his death, money is tight which is why Maia decides to open the farmhouse to tourists as summer accommodation.Uncertain of her business capabilities and even more of her hospitality skills, she is thrown in at the deep end when her first bookings appear and her new guests all arrive over the same week.First there’s Jacob, an attractive New Yorker of obvious Italian origin who has returned to the area to visit his ailing father. Clearly they don’t get on, as he refuses to stay in the family home in Naples. But what has caused their rift?Amelia, a shy twenty-something London girl is in Sorrento for a friend’s wedding. But she seems hesitant about her connection to the bridal party.Cal and Lori have returned to Italy for their ten-year anniversary in the hope of recapturing some of the spark lost from their marriage. Will the beauty and romance of Sorrento help them rekindle their love for each other?SUMMER AT THE HEARTBREAK CAFEIt's summer in Lakeview, and the community is getting ready for its busiest time of the year.The weather is warm, the days sunny and bright, and cafe owner Ella is looking forward to tidying up the patio area, dusting off the outdoor seating and welcoming the first of the summer tourists, whose arrival always manages to create some drama…

    Are you ready for a lift, a breath of fresh air? Do you need to get back on your feet? Do you want to feel excited about God again and have an encounter with Him that seems too good to be true? Then this book is for you! This book is a story of an amazing miracle that will show you how quickly God can turn something around for the good in just one minute! You’ll have the keys at your fingertips and impartation prayers for miracle activation in your life! You will learn how to retake your destiny and walk in the favor and blessings of the Father.

    A selection of confused teenagers. A play doomed for disaster. A distinctly below average teacher. Being a successful teacher is difficult, especially when you are not overly keen on doing any actual work.Still, the narrator of Thrift is undeterred as he lies and cheats his way through the Christmas term, hoping that he can save his career, and perhaps even earn himself a thoroughly undeserved promotion.

    Set high up a hillside overlooking the ocean, even David, her architect husband, falls in love with it. Determined that they should swap city for country, Dubliner Kate decides to try living her dream. Curiosity draws her to the ancient circle of standing stones at the end of the lane – stones that her elderly neighbour is strangely yet fiercely determined to keep everyone well away from. Little realising the grave danger she faces, Kate visits the stones at sunset and her life is set on a terrifying course that will bring her face to face with an ancient evil. As her dream of the country life rapidly turns into a nightmare, events at the cottage become more and more sinister. Why is the old lady so determined to keep people away? What does the Parish priest know that he isn’t telling her? Will Kate discover the secret to her personal haunting before it’s too late? Set in the ancient and atmospheric surrounds of rural Ireland in the winter time, this paranormal thriller will leave you reluctant to turn out the lights.

    But this . . . this not knowing the people I love . . . this is the hardest thing I can imagine. Beyond Tuesday Morning It will take the persistence of a tenacious man, the questions from her curious young daughter, and the words from her dead husband’s journal to move Jamie beyond one Tuesday morning. Remember Tuesday Morning A wall went up around Alex Brady’s heart when his father, a New York firefighter, died in the Twin Towers. Turning his back on the only woman he ever loved, Alex shut out all the people who cared about him to concentrate on fighting crime.

    When her cousin Mariko gets married, Lex will become the oldest single cousin in the clan. Lex has used her Bible study class on Ephesians to compile a huge list of traits for the perfect man. But the one man she keeps running into doesn’t seem to have a single quality on her list. It’s only when the always-in-control Lex starts to let God take over that all the pieces of this hilarious romance finally fall into place.

    Now the prison is being re-opened, but as a new generation of prisoners arrive to fill the cells, something evil is waiting in the shadows. Amanda Weir doesn't remember killing her children. All she knows is that she woke up with their bloody bodies in her arms. Sentenced to life in prison, she arrives at Hardstone and tries to adjust to her new life. All she wants is to forget her old self, and to find some way to live with what she did. After all, there's no way she could be innocent... There's something else at Hardstone, however. Something lost and alone, something angry. The ghost of a little girl has been spotted several times, and the prisoners have learned a valuable lesson: whenever the ghost is seen, anyone who looks into its eyes will be dead within a matter of days. But what does the ghost want, and exactly how far has its influence spread in the lives of the prisoners? The Prison is a dark horror story about a woman who finds herself facing the truth about her own past, and about a dead little girl who refuses to accept that her life is over.

    Indeed, many view religion in general, and Christianity in particular, as unfounded and unreasonable.Norman Geisler and Frank Turek argue, however, that Christianity is not only more reasonable than all other belief systems, but is indeed more rational than unbelief itself. With conviction and clear thinking, Geisler and Turek guide readers through some of the traditional, tested arguments for the existence of a creator God. They move into an examination of the source of morality and the reliability of the New Testament accounts concerning Jesus. The final section of the book deals with a detailed investigation of the claims of Christ. This volume will be an interesting read for those skeptical about Christianity, as well as a helpful resource for Christians seeking to articulate a more sophisticated defense of their faith.

    It recounts the history of Israel as it moved from no king, to the king it demanded, to the king God knew his people needed.But its greatest excitement lies not in the events and characters, but in the person they all point to. 1 Samuel presents us with a wonderful picture of Jesus. Seeing him in and through this Old Testament book enables us to see him with fresh color and texture, and see afresh what it means for us to follow him today as our Ruler and Rescuer. 1 Samuel is a book about ancient times, that speaks directly into ours.Written for people of every age and stage, from new believers to pastors and teachers, 1 Samuel For You can be used to:- READ: As a guide to this wonderful letter, exciting and equipping you to live out the truth in your life.- FEED: As a daily devotional to help you grow in Christ as you read and meditate on this portion of God's word.- LEAD: As notes to aid you in explaining, illustrating and applying 1 Samuel as you preach or lead a Bible study.

    She’s lethal, seductive, and as ruthless as any double-O. Her latest assignment is to track down a scientist suspected of selling secrets to the Russians. It’s a high-stakes, global escapade that takes an unexpected violent turn that shatters her life…and ultimately pits her against a billionaire industrialist with terrifying intentions. “Jolly & Preposterous Intrigue.” New York Times “A clever, high-spirited story.” Times Literary Supplement (London) “Exhilarating…it’s a winner!” Irish Times

    This guide helps readers study and interpret the Psalms.Bullock begins by exploring the nature, structure, and authorship of the Psalter. He examines the use of Psalms in worship, shows how psalmists used historical reflection to serve their theological purposes, and investigates different types of psalms. The book includes chapter objectives and outlines, sidebars, charts, and illustrations.