Visar resultat för..."Desiring God"

John Piper Explores the Ultimate Source and Object of Pleasure, Satisfaction, and Lasting Joy“God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him.” This simple but powerful statement has been a cornerstone of John Piper’s ministry for nearly 40 years. Laying out the principles behind this “Christian Hedonism” Desiring God has proved to be a source of rich theological insight for countless readers through the years, guiding them to the fullness of joy found in Christ.In this foundational work, John Piper addresses profound questions about the purpose of life and the human pursuit of pleasure. Drawing wisdom from Scripture and insights from church history, Piper challenges the belief that believers must sacrifice joy in order to please God. Instead, finding delight in God does not diminish his glory; rather, it magnifies it and fulfills the deepest desires of our souls. Explains Christian Hedonism: Human life should be a pursuit of godly pleasure Written by John Piper: Desiring God, first published in 1986, became a cornerstone of Piper’s teaching and ministryWise Theological Insights: Delves into Piper’s famous statement that “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him”

Learn how to quiet your inner critic, confront chronic anxiety, and relax into God's perfect presence.Do you truly experience the promises Jesus gave to those who follow him—the benefits of peace, freedom, and love? The fact is that many of us struggle with a gap between what we believe about God and how we encounter him in our everyday lives. We don't want our faith to be merely conceptual—we want to experience it viscerally—and yet we often come up against one or more of these major gaps:  I believe God loves me, but I don't feel it.I believe God is with me, but I don't see him.I thought I'd be further along in my spiritual progress by now. In The Expectation Gap, Steve Cuss—pastor and founder of the leadership organization Capable Life—offers tangible tools for engaging with God in a deeper, more soul-satisfying way. You'll unveil harmful expectations and patterns that keep you spiritually stuck so that you can replace them with habits and practices that will lead to a more vibrant faith life."This is the most helpful book I've read in my thirty-five years of ministry when it comes to recognizing, naming, and bridging the gap between what we believe about God and what we experience from God." —Christine Caine, founder of A21 and Propel Women

What is Christian wisdom for living in the twenty-first century? Where is it to be found? How can it be learnt? In the midst of diverse religions and worldviews and the demands and complexities of our world, David Ford explores a Christian way of uniting love of wisdom with wisdom in love. Core elements are the 'discernment of cries', the love of God for God's sake, interpretation of scripture, and the shaping of desire in faith. Case studies deal with inter-faith wisdom among Jews, Christians and Muslims, universities as centres of wisdom as well as knowledge and know-how and the challenge of learning disabilities. Throughout, there is an attempt to do justice to the premodern, modern and postmodern while grappling with scripture, tradition and the cries of the world today. Ford opens up the rich resources of Christianity in engaging with the issues and urgencies of contemporary life.

What is Christian wisdom for living in the twenty-first century? Where is it to be found? How can it be learnt? In the midst of diverse religions and worldviews and the demands and complexities of our world, David Ford explores a Christian way of uniting love of wisdom with wisdom in love. Core elements are the 'discernment of cries', the love of God for God's sake, interpretation of scripture, and the shaping of desire in faith. Case studies deal with inter-faith wisdom among Jews, Christians and Muslims, universities as centres of wisdom as well as knowledge and know-how and the challenge of learning disabilities. Throughout, there is an attempt to do justice to the premodern, modern and postmodern while grappling with scripture, tradition and the cries of the world today. Ford opens up the rich resources of Christianity in engaging with the issues and urgencies of contemporary life.

A look at the inspirational lives of ten Black women of faith Do the names Elizabeth Freeman, Nannie Helen Burroughs, or Charlotte Forten Grimké ring any bells? Have you ever heard of Sarah Mapps Douglass, Frances Ellen Watkins Harper, or Maria Fearing? What about Sara Griffith Stanley, Amanda Berry Smith, Lucy Craft Laney, and Maria Stewart?While these names may not be familiar to you, these women lived faithful and influential lives in a world that was filled with injustice. They worked to change laws, built schools, spoke to thousands, and shared the Gospel all around the world. And while history books may have forgotten them, their stories can teach us so much about how we can live today.Praise for Carved in Ebony"What a gift this book . . . will be to you! Jasmine has a way of teaching you a history lesson you never knew you needed, while pointing you to a God who deeply cares for his children."--JAMIE IVEY, bestselling author and host of The Happy Hour with Jamie Ivey podcast

"We encourage you to read this book, asking great things from God." —David Platt and Francis Chan, best-selling authorsOur appetites dictate the direction of our lives—whether it be the cravings of our stomachs, the passionate desire for possessions or power, or the longings of our spirits for God. But for the Christian, the hunger for anything besides God can be an archenemy, while our hunger for God—and him alone—is the only thing that will bring victory.Do you have that hunger for Him? As John Piper puts it: “If we don’t feel strong desires for the manifestation of the glory of God, it is not because you have drunk deeply and are satisfied. It is because we have nibbled so long at the table of the world. Our soul is stuffed with small things, and there is no room for the great.” If we are full of what the world offers, then perhaps a fast might express, or even increase, our soul’s appetite for God.Between the dangers of self-denial and self-indulgence is this path of pleasant pain called fasting. It is the path John Piper invites you to travel in this book. For when God is the supreme hunger of your heart, He will be supreme in everything. And when you are most satisfied in Him, He will be most glorified in you.

Your guide to deep, life-changing prayerPrayer isn't a place for us to be good or right. It isn't a place for us to perform or prove our worth. It's a place for us to be honest, present, and known--a place for us to offer ourselves and receive God.Spiritual formation experts Kyle Strobel and John Coe want to show you what you've been missing when it comes to prayer. In this down-to-earth and practical book, they show you how to ● pray within the forgiveness Christ offers● pray as one beloved of God● pray as a way to open your heart to the truth of yourself● pray in a way that moves beyond clichés to discover where prayer becomes realThrough prayer, you can delight in the experience of being fully known and fully loved. Each chapter ends with prayer projects or practices to help you see a difference in your prayer life, starting now.

John Piper's bestselling book on missions draws on key biblical texts to demonstrate that worship is the ultimate goal of the church and that proper worship fuels missionary outreach. Piper offers a biblical defense of God's supremacy in all things, providing readers with a sound theological foundation for missions.This 30th anniversary edition of a contemporary classic, now in paperback, incorporates insights from the author's refined thinking over the past 10 years. Used extensively as a textbook for missions courses and a resource for ministries, Let the Nations Be Glad! provides a passionate plea for God-centeredness in the whole enterprise of world evangelization and explores the role of prayer and spiritual warfare. The book is essential reading for those involved in or preparing for missions work. It also offers enlightenment for students, pastors, youth workers, campus ministers, and all who want to connect their labors to God's global purposes.

'A grace filled, God filled book of truth and wonder and the glorious mystical experience of faith.' Stan Grant'Inspiring and engrossing' Richard Glover'A trustworthy and encouraging blueprint for Christians everywhere' Anthony FisherThe first Christians confronted a cultural environment vastly more hostile than today's. They had no powerful backers, very little money and numbered no more than a few hundred. Yet they revolutionised the ancient world and spread their movement far and wide.There is a deep, pervasive crisis of meaning and purpose across all Western societies today. Greg Sheridan encourages us to listen to the voices of the early Christians and emulate their commitment, integrity, resilience and smarts. He shows how early Christians built communities, met persecution with courage and grace, dispensed universal mercy during plagues, pioneered equality for women, and redefined the nature and purpose of the human experience, always with Jesus Christ at the centre of their lives.He also charts the journeys of modern Christians who live by those same values today: Leila and Danny Abdallah, who met great suffering with great forgiveness, young people making a radical commitment to faith, country pastors, and Christians inspired to welcome and help the homeless. He profiles cultural leaders who communicate Christianity with great effect, including Marilynne Robinson, Jordan Peterson, Bishop Robert Barron, Pastor Mark Varughese, former US Vice President Mike Pence and Dallas Jenkins, the creator of The Chosen television series.It's a powerful and inspiring message of what living Jesus-centric lives, seeing God in every human being, and finding access to the transcendent can mean for ordinary people. It could once again transform our fractious, polarised world.'This book is deeply encouraging for Christians, and perhaps thought-provoking for secularists.' Sydney Morning Herald 'A wonderful mix of historical observation, social commentary and moving interviews' Michael Bird'A clarion call to return to the raw, revolutionary faith of the early church' Russell Evans

Discover How to Flourish as an Artist in the Church. Over 150,000 Copies Sold.God is interested in your art and your heart. The Heart of the Artist, now in an updated second edition, deals head-on with issues every person in an arts ministry faces, including:Servanthood versus stardomExcellence versus perfectionismHandling criticismJealousy and envyManaging your emotionsThe spiritual disciplines of the artistAnd much moreEach chapter includes provocative questions for group discussion and personal action steps for individual application. Somewhere between pride and self-abasement lies true humility--just one aspect of the balanced character God wants to instill in you as a musician, a technical media artist, or other creative person involved in ministry.The Heart of the Artist will give you a better understanding of yourself and your unique place in the body of Christ. You'll find wisdom and encouragement that can help you survive the challenges and reap the rich joys of a ministry in the creative arts.

Time-Tested Strategies for True Transformation.Nothing is more frustrating than knowing you want to change—and need to change—but repeatedly fail to change. You've made commitments and set goals. You've resolved to do something about the issue—whether you want to lose weight, read the Bible more, overcome an addiction, or get out of debt. Yet, so far, nothing has worked, and you wonder if you're even capable of change.If this sounds like your story, then it's time to change the way you think about change.In The Power to Change pack (which includes the book and the accompanying workbook), pastor Craig Groeschel, author of Winning the War in Your Mind, blends biblical wisdom with up-to-date psychology to help you learn how to master the habits that lead to true change. In each chapter and section, you'll gain practical tools that will help you:Evaluate how you view yourself, how you view God, and the real reasons you do what you do.Discover how to master small habits that lead to big change.Employ the reap-sow principle to change the trajectory of your future.Lean on God's power—instead of your willpower—as the true cause of lasting change. The Power to Change pack offers you a clear path with practical tools, exercises, spiritual insights, and applications to help you live the life that God created you to experience. It's time to rely on a greater power source than your will and determination. It's time to actually change.This pack includes: The Power to Change book.The Power to Change Workbook.

Time-Tested Strategies for True Transformation.Nothing is more frustrating than knowing you want to change—and need to change—but repeatedly fail to change. You've made commitments and set goals. You've resolved to do something about the issue—whether you want to lose weight, read the Bible more, overcome an addiction, or get out of debt. Yet, so far, nothing has worked, and you wonder if you're even capable of change.If this sounds like your story, then it’s time to change the way you think about change.In The Power to Change pack (which includes the book and the accompanying workbook), pastor Craig Groeschel, author of Winning the War in Your Mind, blends biblical wisdom with up-to-date psychology to help you learn how to master the habits that lead to true change. In each chapter and section, you'll gain practical tools that will help you:Evaluate how you view yourself, how you view God, and the real reasons you do what you do.Discover how to master small habits that lead to big change.Employ the reap-sow principle to change the trajectory of your future.Lean on God's power—instead of your willpower—as the true cause of lasting change.The Power to Change pack offers you a clear path with practical tools, exercises, spiritual insights, and applications to help you live the life that God created you to experience. It's time to rely on a greater power source than your will and determination. It's time to actually change.This pack includes: The Power to Change bookThe Power to Change Workbook

Raw, real, and relatable, this book is your guide to navigating life's fires. Bianca Olthoff is here to show that our struggles and hardships may be the fire that refines us instead of destroys us, brings us hope instead of despair, and leads us right into the arms of a God who loves us. Play with Fire, the debut book by popular speaker and teacher Bianca Juarez Olthoff, is the reminder that God isn't waiting until you have more resources or a spouse or a job so he can use you. He's ready to use you now.Using the mythical creature, the Phoenix, which was also referenced by early church leaders, she parallels this story with God's work in her own life, highlighting the beauty of reinvention with fire as both the impetus and the method for change. Olthoff reminds us that we serve a God who is redemptive and can take the worst situations and use them for His glory.Play With Fire is a Bible-infused message that will help women discover:The way out of the middle is moving forwardThe personal and powerful nature of the Holy SpiritThe power and sacrifice of transformationThe unique calling and purpose of life involves transformation With Olthoff's distinct style, strong storytelling gifts, and powerful bible teaching, Play with Fire will remind readers that God has huge dreams for them. In Bianca's words, "He's whispering in the wind and speaking through the fire and shouting in silence the extraordinary dream He is birthing in you. His dream for you is far greater than the dream you have for yourself. It's not your identity or income or influence that will make this happen. Like Zechariah 4:6 says, "'It's not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the Lord." It's time to play with fire. Study guide and video study also available.

Jesus tells us that the greatest commandment is to “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” But how many of us know what this looks like in daily life? Does loving God mean going to church, tithing, having regular prayer times? Is it a feeling in our hearts?A few years after Chuck Colson became a Christian, he realized that the more he learned about God’s love for him, the more he wanted to know how to love God. This book is the masterpiece Colson wrote after searching Scripture, history, and his own difficult experiences to answer his deepest question. He discovered that loving God is obeying God—rarely easy, sometimes inconvenient, often painful, and entirely satisfying. When we love God, we know the pleasure of living out our true calling.Billy Graham considers Loving God “one of the most spiritually satisfying books I have ever read.” Joni Eareckson Tada refers to it as “the complete volume on Christian living.” With fascinating stories and engaging theological insights, Loving God has been bringing people closer to Jesus for over thirty years. In this hour of opportunity for the church and for our own spiritual lives, Loving God will inspire you to love God with your whole being. It’s what you were created to do.