Bittersweet Jesus in the First Person turns the basic premise of Christ's life on its head. Yahweh is in trouble; Christ is his instrument and man his salvation. Extrapolated from Answer to Job by Carl Jung, Bittersweet Jesus in the First Person is fictionalized version of the life of Christ. It addresses his missing years while making Mary a God, Judas a saint, Moses a visionary, Allah and Romulus contemporaries and the Jews heroic. Through the story's characters it weaves pagan, Christian, Islamic, Greek, Chinese and Hindu influences into Christ's experiences. The book, written in dialogue, reveals Christ's life through counseling sessions between the ex-priest counselor and his messianic patient. The shallowness of indoctrination, the dubious rationale behind skepticism and the fundamental premise of Christian thought are viewed through the prism of this ostensibly, psychologically handicapped man.

Sex. Race. Scripture. Sovereignty. The book of Ruth entails them all. So readers shouldn't be fooled by its age, says Pastor John Piper. Though its events happened over 3,000 years ago, the story holds astounding relevance for Christians in the twenty-first century. The sovereignty of God, the sexual nature of humanity, and the gospel of God's mercy for the undeserving-these massive realities never change. And since God is still sovereign, and we are male or female, and Jesus is alive and powerful, A Sweet and Bitter Providence bears a message for readers from all walks of life. But be warned, Piper tells his audience: This ancient love affair between Boaz and Ruth could be dangerous, inspiring all of us to great risks in the cause of love.

A personal memoir explores the intertwined natures of happiness and sadness, discussing how bitter experiences balance out the sweetness in life and how change can be an opportunity for growth and a function of God's graciousness.

Are winds of change, doubt, or grief swirling around you? Engaging author and teacher Jan Harrison shares how, when storms strike, you can depend on God's spiritual supplies— His promises, His Spirit, His ever-present help, and the treasures of His Word. After a storm of loss forever changed the landscape of Jan's life, her faith and years of Bible study were tested. In that journey, she discovered how God was and is able to fill her every need. Now, with compassion and courage, Jan will help you: stop living in fear of "what if" and be ready for life "even if" sense God's constant presence and gentle healing experience the transforming confidence and faith that only a storm can unveil Whether you or someone you care about faces a difficult season, the lifelines of God's promises will lead you to life and hope after the storm.

This book will examine some of the perspectives of reality that can help us realize the pattern of our recovery. In our notions of improvement there are elements of value and worth, which stress direction and evaluation. These elements are closely related to rationale, aim and goal. We call them wishes. Christianity does not just talk of desire. Appeal often falls short of action. The reality of healing through our faith is directed by divine action. Theologians write about concepts like covenant, sacrifice, depravity and vindication. And they put meanings in those terms which often escape the “man on the street.” We will look at some of these perceptions in our study of this reality. Love is demonstrated in our acts. Sometimes the Bible writers refer to this as ‘right-doing’ of loving response. Our love finds its convincing expression in good acts. Actions attract equivalence from others. Educators refer to this the contrast between cognition and affection.

The Book of Revelation has always been a mystery that is hard to understand, and therefore, most people just don’t read and study this last book in the Bible. In the summer of 2015, God Almighty put it into my mind and my heart that I should teach this great book to my Sunday school class and keep on schedule with the Baptist way and to teach it in the last of the summer quarter, which was only seven weeks! What, Lord? Seven weeks! It is impossible and how in the world could I, just a Baptist Sunday school teacher, teach this amazing and powerful book of End Times in so short of a time frame? I mean, Lord, television evangelists do weeks and weeks of series of this End Times book. I mean, Lord, they are knowledgeable in your Holy Word and have a staff of two hundred people at their beck and call for any reference. I mean, Lord, they have pictures. They have personalities that attract people. They are professional. Why me, Lord? You know I hardly even know how to turn on a computer, much less write a study of the last book of prophecy in just seven weeks!

There have been many books written about Johnny Cash, but The Man in Song is the first to examine Cash’s incredible life through the lens of the songs he wrote and recorded. Music journalist and historian John Alexander has drawn on decades of studying Cash’s music and life, from his difficult depression-era Arkansas childhood through his death in 2003, to tell a life story through songs familiar and obscure. In discovering why Cash wrote a given song or chose to record it, Alexander introduces readers anew to a man whose primary consideration of any song was the difference music makes in people’s lives, and not whether the song would become a hit. The hits came, of course. Johnny Cash sold more than fifty million albums in forty years, and he holds the distinction of being the only performer inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and the Gospel Music Hall of Fame. The Man in Song connects treasured songs to an incredible life. It explores the intertwined experience and creativity of childhood trauma. It rifles through the discography of a life: Cash’s work with the Tennessee Two at Sam Phillips’s Sun Studios, the unique concept albums Cash recorded for Columbia Records, the spiritual songs, the albums recorded live at prisons, songs about the love of his life, June Carter Cash, songs about murder and death and addiction, songs about ramblers, and even silly songs. Appropriate for both serious country and folk music enthusiasts and those just learning about this musical legend, The Man in Song will appeal to a fan base spanning generations. Here is a biography for those who first heard “I Walk the Line” in 1956, a younger generation who discovered Cash through songs like his cover of Trent Reznor’s “Hurt,” and everyone in between.

In several ways the present set of homilies continues an approach to preaching apparent in the more recent of my collections which the Paulist Press has graciously presented to the public. First, there is an ongoing struggle with Scripture. Three sets of such responsibilities cover the gamut of human living: (1) Love God above all else. (2) Treat every man, woman, and child like another self. (3) Touch the earth, the nonhuman, with unfailing reverence.

This commentary for preaching Matthew, a companion to WJK's successful Preaching the Gospel of Luke, Preaching the Gospel of John, and Preaching the Gospel of Mark, works through every passage of Matthew's Gospel with exegetical insight and a keen sensitivity to the demands of preaching. Stanley P. Saunders' commentary follows the biblical text, divided into passages. After each passage, a number of possibilities are presented for how to preach that text. He includes a wealth of creative and pertinent tips to help preachers apply Matthew's narrative to the lives of today's churchgoers.

The local pastor’s go-to resource for weekly sermon and worship planning. Each week’s entry consists of two pages, face-to-face. The pages include: 1. Preaching Themes -Fleshed out with brief, pithy nuggets of thought, idea jump-starters, or questions •These are designed to spur the preacher’s imagination and sermon development process •They will offer fresh, intriguing ideas •They will point the reader/preacher in a good direction; the reader takes it from there 2. Secondary or Parallel Themes -2 or 3 themes or streams of thought that are related to but separate from the primary theme offered. These might arise from different parts of the lectionary text. This may also include questions, or alternative ways of thinking about the primary theme. 3. Worship Helps •Gathering Prayer •Collect, Pastoral Prayer, Congregational Prayer, Responsive Reading, or some other liturgical element •Closing Prayer or Benediction Homiletical Topic Essays (3) These 700-word essays cover a variety of current and critical topics for the preacher. Each essay focuses on one particular topic. Topics could include the practice of preaching, sermon writing, current issues for the preacher, emerging trends in preaching, and emerging ideas or cultural trends that are important for the church and preacher. Essays are contributed by leading homileticians. Sermon Series Ideas This section will briefly outline and describe ideas for unique sermon series based on lectionary readings. Most if not all of these will come from non-NT texts, helping preachers to include a wider range of scripture in their preaching. (Many pastors preach primarily from NT passages almost exclusively.)