Jesus Christ did not die on the cross so you and I could have a nice day. Ministers and teachers who water down the gospel of Christ in order to make it more popular and appealing may be leading their fun-loving audiences down the road to eternal punishment. This book is John MacArthur's unflinching, unapologetic treatise on the modern tendency to alter the true message of Christianity in order to meet the whims and desires of a culture hoping for nonconfrontational messages, easy answers, and superficial commitments. Too many people just want a Madison Avenue Jesus to make them well, make them happy, and make them prosperous. But Jesus Christ isn't a personal genie. He is the Savior. He died in agony to satisfy the wrath of a holy God and to forgive the sins of humankind. Faith in Him demands a willingness to make any sacrifice He asks. The hard truth about Christianity is that the cost is high, but the rewards are priceless: abundant and eternal life that comes only from faithfully follwing Christ.

There is no user-friendly, seeker-sensitive Gospel. There is only the truth. Let John MacArthur personally guide you deeper into the biblical truths of Hard to Believe?truths that triumph over the world's false view of Christianity. In this workbook, pastor, teacher, and best-selling author John MacArthur takes you step by step through each main idea of his insightful and sometimes shocking new book, Hard to Believe. These interactive lessons reaffirm that watered-down Christianity is really no Christianity at all, and that true faith must be defended in a cynical yet tolerant world regardless of the cost. Jesus instructs would-be Christians to deny themselves, take up their crosses daily, and follow Him. It is a tremendous journey filled with pain and sacrifice, but one that ultimately leads to a joy beyond measure?because the reward is eternal life. The Hard to Believe Workbook includes a six-part study guide for every chapter plus special features, including key quotations from the book; daily prayers, Bible readings, and study questions; notes and answers for discussion leaders; and much more. Short of having Pastor MacArthur in your living room or Bible study class, the Hard to Believe Workbook is the best way possible to fully experience his life-changing insights into the high cost and infinite value of following Jesus.

Hard to Believe! is the game-by-game story of the 2008 World Champion Philadelphia Phillies. Each game is captured in incredible detail combined with numerous photos and interviews that make this THE book on the Phillies drive to the World Series.

"As men and women have come to Bernard for spiritual counseling and advice, he's learned patterns of behavior that are repeated time and again. After almost four decades of preaching, teaching, and counseling, he's seen that while every situation is unique, people's behaviors and consequences are amazingly consistent. With this in mind, Bernard has developed a ... system for understanding how couples relate to each other. Maturity, decisiveness, consistency, and strength--these are the four things [Bernard feels that] women want and need most from a man"--

Examines the emergence and spread of three types of complements from the Middle English period to the present day

In this historical crime thriller from a “master of the genre”, a dead body reopens a 20 year old murder case, triggering a detective’s PTSD. On a perfect summer evening in 1954, sixteen-year-old Nancy Denton walked into the woods of her hometown of Whytesburg, Mississippi. She was never seen again. Two decades later, Sheriff John Gaines witnesses a harrowing discovery: A young woman has been unearthed from the riverbank, her body perfectly preserved, yet she bears evidence of a brutal ritualistic killing. Nancy has come home at last, but her return does not bring closure to her family, or to the citizens of Whytesburg. What really happened to the beautiful and vivacious Nancy? And why do her friends refuse to talk? As Gaines closes in on the truth, he is forced to not only confront his own demons, but to unearth secrets that have long remained hidden. And that truth, so much darker than he could ever have imagined, may be the one thing that finally destroys him. “Near-poetic . . . the kind [of thriller] that will give the reader chills as he realizes he’s reading an exploration into the mystery that is the human mind, pointing out that real-life devils live among us.” —New York Journal of Books “Voodoo and murders and gothically imposing southern dynasties?what’s not to like? Genuine chills, fearsomely speedy page-turning, and real humor [make for] an enjoyable read.” —Observer “A southern-gothic thriller in the tradition of William Faulkner. Readers will find themselves immersed in a decaying and disturbing atmosphere . . . a powerful read for fans of James Ellroy and Andrew Vachss.” —Booklist

What is the role of the will in believing the good news of the gospel? Why is there so much controversy over free will throughout church history? R. C. Sproul finds that Christians have often been influenced by pagan views of the human will that deny the effects of Adam's fall. In Willing to Believe, Sproul traces the free-will controversy from its formal beginning in the fifth century, with the writings of Augustine and Pelagius, to the present. Readers will gain understanding into the nuances separating the views of Protestants and Catholics, Calvinists and Arminians, and Reformed and Dispensationalists. This book, like Sproul's Faith Alone, is a major work on an essential evangelical tenet.

NOMINATED FOR THE 2002 HUGO AND LOCUS AWARD When J.R.R. Tolkien created the extraordinary world of Middle-earth and populated it with fantastic, archetypal denizens, reinventing the heroic quest, the world hardly noticed. Sales of The Lord of the Rings languished for the better part of two decades, until the Ballantine editions were published here in America. By late 1950s, however, the books were selling well and beginning to change the face of fantasy. . . . forever. A generation of students and aspiring writers had their hearts and imaginations captured by the rich tapestry of the Middle-earth mythos, the larger-than-life heroic characters, the extraordinary and exquisite nature of Tolkien's prose, and the unending quest to balance evil with good. These young readers grew up to become the successful writers of modern fantasy. They created their own worlds and universes, in some cases their own languages, and their own epic heroic quests. And all of them owe a debt of gratitude to the works and the author who first set them on the path. In Meditations on Middle-earth, sixteen bestselling fantasy authors share details of their personal relationships with Tolkien's mythos, for it inspired them all. Had there been no Lord of the Rings, there would also have been no Earthsea books by Ursula K. Le Guin; no Song of Ice and Fire saga from George R. R. Martin; no Tales of Discworld from Terry Pratchett; no Legends of Alvin Maker from Orson Scott Card. Each of them was influenced by the master mythmaker, and now each reveals the nature of that influence and their personal relationships with the greatest fantasy novels ever written in the English language. If you've never read the Tolkien books, read these essays and discover the depthy and beauty of his work. If you are a fan of The Lord of the Rings, the candid comments of these modern mythmakers will give you new insight into the subtlety, power, and majesty of Tolkien's tales and how he told them. Meditations on Middle-Earth is a 2002 Hugo Award Nominee for Best Related Work.

Meet Rufus Valasay. As a member of Les Croyants des Trois, a powerful clan of telepaths and healers, he is sworn to protect the ordinary world of the Moyenne. But now, with his memory gone and danger approaching, Rufus has nothing to go on but his passionate feelings for the only person he can trust . . . Make Me Remember He wakes in the cold streets of Edinburgh-no name, no memory, nothing but the certain fear that he has made a terrible mistake and left someone in danger. But should he trust the stranger with the blue eyes and blonde hair who offers him a warm place to stay? With a name like Fabian Fair, how could he not? Her quick smile, her lush curves, and the kindness in her voice stir a hunger he can't ignore. At least he hasn't forgotten how to bring a woman exquisite pleasure. Or-alarmingly-how to read her deepest thoughts . . . With each caress and soulful kiss, his memory returns, making him wish he could forget again. For he is no ordinary mortal, but a Croyant, a magic man, and the danger he faces is very real. Someone is coming for him, someone who will harm anyone to get to him and his kind. But he doesn't intend to make the same mistake twice, or let go of his only reason to believe . . .

Does Christianity Have Good Answers for the Really Tough Questions? Dr. R. C. Sproul believes it does. In this book, the founder of Ligonier Ministries deals with the most common objections to the truths of the Christian faith, including: Has science disproved the existence of God? Will non-Christians who never hear of Christ go to hell? Is it narrow-minded and bigoted to believe Christ is only one way to God? Why do people need God when life is going smoothly? Isn't Christianity just a crutch for people who can’t handle life’s pressures? Is heaven real or just "pie in the sky"? Do Christians have a good answer to evil and suffering? How does the church explain all its hypocrites? Reason to Believe is no collection of pat answers and proof texts. It addresses each objection in a separate chapter—rigorously and biblically—and includes a special capsule summary that gives the kernel of each argument. This is a superb resource for those in visitation and calling programs, and a must for anyone who wants to do more than scratch the surface of Christian truths.