"Our sworn enemy goes by many names. Scripture calls him our "adversary" who prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. He "doth seek to work us woe"--and our testimonies and lives hang in the balance. Yet Christians are often ignorant of his plans, power, and even presence, and are easily caught off guard. Are we taking Satan seriously? Do we know how to stand firm against the prince of this world? Here, respected pastor-scholars shine the light of Scripture on our ancient foe, identifying who he is, explaining how he operates, exposing his deceit, and celebrating his final demise. They will equip you to more fully understand the war we are engaged in and how you can "resist the devil" in the power of Christ"--From publisher's description.

In this special seasonal edition, bestselling author Robert J. Morgan shares the incredible stories behind traditional holiday hymns of faith, including Christmas, Easter, and more. Is there a festive season of the year that is complete without one of your favorite hymns? Not only do hymns connect you to great memories, but they also reveal the faith of those who lived throughout history. As Robert Morgan explored the stories behind some of the best-loved hymns, he found fascinating accounts of tribulations, triumphs, struggles, and hope—ordinary people who connected with God in amazing ways, sharing their experiences through song. Included inside this special edition are: 150 devotional-style stories with the words and music to each hymn Includes hymns for holidays including Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, and more Jagged edged paper, giving it a classic feel Includes a complete hymn index by title, first line, and songwriter Perfect for use as a daily devotional, teaching illustration, or for song leaders and music ministers Discover the inspiration behind your favorite hymns. Find new favorites as you relate to the people whose walk of faith led them to write these classic songs of praise. Share these stories with your family, friends, and church, and find more depth and meaning as you worship God through song.

"Our sworn enemy goes by many names. Scripture calls him our "adversary" who prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. He "doth seek to work us woe"--and our testimonies and lives hang in the balance. Yet Christians are often ignorant of his plans, power, and even presence, and are easily caught off guard. Are we taking Satan seriously? Do we know how to stand firm against the prince of this world? Here, respected pastor-scholars shine the light of Scripture on our ancient foe, identifying who he is, explaining how he operates, exposing his deceit, and celebrating his final demise. They will equip you to more fully understand the war we are engaged in and how you can "resist the devil" in the power of Christ"--From publisher's description.

Although temptation is a common and well-acknowledged part of the human experience, few realize the truth behind temptation and fewer still know how to defeat it. Tempted and Tried will not reassure Christians by claiming that temptation is less powerful or less prevalent than it is; instead, it will prepare believers for battle by telling the truth about the cosmic war that is raging. Moore shows that the temptation of every Christian is part of a broader conspiracy against God, a conspiracy that confronts everyone who shares the flesh of Jesus through human birth and especially confronts those who share the Spirit of Christ through the new birth of redemption. Moore walks readers through the Devil's ancient strategies for temptation revealed in Jesus' wilderness testing. Moore considers how those strategies might appear in a contemporary context and points readers to a way of escape. Tempted and Tried will remind Christians that temptation must be understood in terms of warfare, encouraging them with the truth that victory has already been secured through the triumph of Christ.

In a day when society has in many ways placed itself under Satan’s rule, when Satanism is flourishing in Western nations, when certain branches of the church are preoccupied with “deliverance ministries,” and when others deny the devil’s existence, Fighting Satan is a sober, practical perspective on this vital subject. Joel R. Beeke states, “We must know our enemy. We must know how to withstand him and what spiritual weapons to take up against him. We must defeat him by faith through lives that bear fruit and spread the truth.” With questions for reflection and discussion at the close of each chapter, Fighting Satan is ideal for group and individual Bible study. Table of Contents: Part One – Knowing the Enemy: The Personality and History of Satan 1. Satan in the Bible 2. Satan in Church History, Today, and the Future Part Two – Knowing Satan’s Weaknesses: Fighting Him Defensively and Offensively 3. Building an Unyielding Defense 4. Building an Attacking Offense Part Three – Knowing Satan’s Strategies: His Devices and Their Remedies 5. Satan’s Strategies and Skill 6. Confronting Four Major Strategies of Satan Part Four – Knowing Satan’s Defeat in Our Personal Lives, Churches, and Nations 7. Our Challenge as Believers 8. Our Challenge as Church Members 9. Our Challenge as Citizens

"Who do you say that I am?" This question that Jesus asked of his disciples, so central to his mission, became equally central to the fledgling church. How would it respond to the Gnostics who answered by saying Jesus was less than fully human? How would it respond to the Arians who contended he was less than fully God? It was these challenges that ultimately provoked the Council of Nicaea in A.D. 325. In this volume covering the first half of the article in the Nicene Creed on God the Son, John Anthony McGuckin shows how it countered these two errant poles by equally stressing Jesus' authentic humanity (that is, his fleshliness and real embodiment in space and time) and his spiritual glory or full divinity. One cottage industry among some historical theologians, he notes, has been to live in a fever of conspiracy theory where orthodox oppressors dealt heavy-handedly with poor heretics. Or the picture is painted of ancient grassroots inclusivists being suppressed by establishment elites. The reality was far from such romantic notions. It was in fact the reverse. The church who denounced these errors did so in the name of a greater inclusivity based on common sense and common education. The debate was conducted generations before Christian bishops could ever call on the assistance of secular power to enforce their views. Establishing the creeds was not a reactionary movement of censorship but rather one concerned with the deepest aspects of quality control. Ultimately, what was and is at stake is not fussy dogmatism but the central gospel message of God's stooping "down in mercy to enter the life of his creatures and share their sorrows with them. He has lifted up the weak and the broken to himself, and he healed their pain by abolishing their alienation."

Athanasius, one of the most influential church fathers in history, records in his Life of Antony of Egypt the story of another extremely influential figure of early Christianity. Albert Haase's paraphrase of this important work gives us access to a masterwork of spiritual formation, that we too might know God as richly as Athanasius did.

Renowned pastor-theologian Gregory A. Boyd tackles the BibleÕs biggest dilemma. Ê The Old Testament God of wrath and violence versus the New Testament God of love and peaceÑitÕs a difference that has troubled Christians since the first century. Now, with the sensitivity of a pastor and the intellect of a theologian, Gregory A. Boyd proposes the Òcruciform hermeneutic,Ó a way to read the Old Testament portraits of God through the lens of JesusÕ crucifixion. Ê In Cross Vision, Boyd follows up on his epic and groundbreaking study, The Crucifixion of the Warrior God. He shows how the death and resurrection of Jesus reframes the troubling violence of the Old Testament, how all of Scripture reveals GodÕs self-sacrificial love, and, most importantly, how we can follow JesusÕ example of peace.

Your enemy is strong. The battle is real. Prepare for victory. Fear, discouragement, loneliness, anger, temptation. These struggles are common to every human. Yet not all circumstances or negative emotions originate within. They could be the result of a willful, coordinated assault of Satan. In When the Enemy Strikes, best-selling author Dr. Charles Stanley explores the often-overlooked reality of spiritual warfare?the tactics used by Satan to taunt, confuse, slander, and harm. Your adversary wants to crush your will, delay your promise, hinder your destiny, destroy your relationships, and lead you into sin. Dr. Stanley reveals how you should respond. The most important component of warfare, says Dr. Stanley, is the supremacy of God?both His sovereignty and His power. Practically, this means the battles you face are ultimately allowed by God to bring you to a place of greater reliance on Him. His strength crushes the enemy. This is a world of conflict between good and evil, of powers beyond the merely human. The battle is unavoidable, but take heart! God has given you the strength to stand.

Profound reflections on the cross that help you to meditate on and marvel at the sacrificial love of Jesus. This book can be used as a devotional, especially during Lent and Easter. These profound reflections on the cross from David Mathis, author of The Christmas We Didn’t Expect, will help you to meditate on and marvel at Jesus’ life, sacrificial death, and spectacular resurrection-enabling you to treasure anew who Jesus is and what he has done. Many of us are so familiar with the Easter story that it becomes easy to miss subtle details and difficult to really enjoy its meaning. This book will help you to pause and marvel at Jesus, whose now-glorified wounds are a sign of his unfailing love and the decisive victory that he has won: “He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5) This book can be used as a devotional. The chapters on Holy Week make it especially helpful during the Lent season and at Easter.