"You can choose to see a trial as a roadblock or an expressway. If you see it as a roadblock, it will obstruct your way. However, if you see it as an expressway, you can use it to learn and grow." "The gospel of Jesus Christ is the plan whereby we can become what God wants us to become. In fact, we become great people because of our trials, not in spite of them." This booklet reviews the nature, origins, and purposes of adversity and includes suggestions on how to patiently trust in the Lord and His eternal plan and how to use these trials to learn and grow stronger. You can benefit from your trials if you: Develop a relationship with God Let others help you Let God carry your burdens Trust that the Lord is in control and allow His will to be done Remember that everyone has challenges Let adversity make you a better person Live with integrity Be patient Make the best of your situation Serve others Keep a positive attitude Keep an eternal perspective

Joseph Woodward brings fresh perspective and real clarity, in a way that will renew your faith in the unfailing goodness of a magnificent heavenly Father. Your love for the Lord and your love of His Word will be perceptibly enhanced as you assimilate the timely and important message contained in this volume. As you begin to understand that it is not your heavenly Father that is arranging and setting in motion the bitter trials and tragedies in your life, your love for Him will immediately, naturally, and sweetly increase. There are many sources of severe trials, but your heavenly Father is not one of them. In "Understanding Trials, To Better Understand God," those sources, and how to close the door on many of them, are clearly revealed.

"Young people need someone who is crazy about them." - Walter Brueggemann "Originally authored by Francis Clark a hundred years ago, Ashley Denton has overhauled the first writing, taking care to update and revise the text to make it more readable for a modern audience of young people. The book will be especially helpful to youth pastors, student ministry leaders and parents of young people." -Robert E. Coleman (Author of Master Plan of Evangelism) "Francis Clark believed that Jesus was the embodiment of everything that young people longed for. The challenge of every generation is simply to give young people an accurate picture of Jesus Christ. Clark believed that if young people could just see the winsome personality of Christ, they would naturally be drawn to him, like a magnet is to metal." -Ashley Denton

The astonishing, Job-like story of how an existence filled with loss, suffering, questioning, and anger became a life filled with shocking and incomprehensible peace and joy. Vaneetha Risner contracted polio as an infant, was misdiagnosed, and lived with widespread paralysis. She lived in and out of the hospital for ten years and, after each stay, would return to a life filled with bullying. When she became a Christian, though, she thought things would get easier, and they did: carefree college days, a dream job in Boston, and an MBA from Stanford where she met and married a classmate. But life unraveled. Again. She had four miscarriages. Her son died because of a doctor's mistake. And Vaneetha was diagnosed with post-polio syndrome, meaning she would likely become a quadriplegic. And then her husband betrayed her and moved out, leaving her to raise two adolescent daughters alone. This was not the abundant life she thought God had promised her. But, as Vaneetha discovered, everything she experienced was designed to draw her closer to Christ as she discovered "that intimacy with God in suffering can be breathtakingly beautiful."

"A devastating attack upon the dominance of atheism in science today." Giovanni Fazio, Senior Physicist, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics The debate over the ultimate source of truth in our world often pits science against faith. In fact, some high-profile scientists today would have us abandon God entirely as a source of truth about the universe. In this book, two professional astronomers push back against this notion, arguing that the science of today is not in a position to pronounce on the existence of God—rather, our notion of truth must include both the physical and spiritual domains. Incorporating excerpts from a letter written in 1615 by famed astronomer Galileo Galilei, the authors explore the relationship between science and faith, critiquing atheistic and secular understandings of science while reminding believers that science is an important source of truth about the physical world that God created.

Continuing a Gold Medallion Award-winning legacy, the completely revised Expositor's Bible Commentary puts world-class biblical scholarship in your hands. A staple for students, teachers, and pastors worldwide, The Expositor's Bible Commentary (EBC) offers comprehensive yet succinct commentary from scholars committed to the authority of the Holy Scriptures. The EBC uses the New International Version of the Bible, but the contributors work from the original Hebrew and Greek languages and refer to other translations when useful. Each section of the commentary includes: An introduction: background information, a short bibliography, and an outline An overview of Scripture to illuminate the big picture The complete NIV text Extensive commentary Notes on textual questions, key words, and concepts Reflections to give expanded thoughts on important issues The series features 56 contributors, who: Believe in the divine inspiration, complete trustworthiness, and full authority of the Bible Have demonstrated proficiency in the biblical book that is their specialty Are committed to the church and the pastoral dimension of biblical interpretation Represent geographical and denominational diversity Use a balanced and respectful approach toward marked differences of opinion Write from an evangelical viewpoint For insightful exposition, thoughtful discussion, and ease of use—look no further than The Expositor's Bible Commentary.

Divided Nation: Cultures in Chaos & A Conflicted Church provides families and their churches biblical mandates to awaken and arise as influencers in today’s turbulent times. As Christian persecution increases, the Body of Christ needs to prepare to take a bold stand. Ken Ham, CEO and founder of Answers in Genesis-US, the highly acclaimed Creation Museum, and the world-renowned Ark Encounter, sounds the call for Reformation bringing God’s people back to the authority of the Word of God beginning in Genesis. Can the church regain a position of influence among this generation of “truth seekers” who reject God and His Word? To combat today’s chaotic culture and the conflicted church, Ham addresses five specific issues: There is no neutral position There is no non-religious position There are ultimately only two religions Creation apologetics How to think foundationally to develop a truly Christian worldview Make a stand for the soul of this generation. Divided Nation shines an empowering light on the struggle of the church to retain young believers. Glean from it the issues that must be addressed and find clarity amid the chaos of the culturally conflicted church. “Divided Nation is an excellent call to Christians, pastors and thinkers alike to return to the supreme authority of God’s Word and the God of all truth.” Jack Hibbs – Calvary Chapel: Chino Hills, CA

Scripture reveals a God who meets us where we are, not where we pretend to be. No More Faking Fine is your invitation to get honest with God through the life-giving language of lament. If you've ever been given empty clichés during challenging times, you know how painful it is to be misunderstood by well-meaning people. When life hurts, we often feel pressure--from others and ourselves--to keep it together, suck it up, or pray it away. But Scripture reveals a God who lovingly invites us to give honest voice to our emotions when life hits hard. For most of her life, Esther Fleece Allen believed she could bypass the painful emotions of her broken past by shutting them down altogether. She was known as an achiever and an overcomer on the fast track to success. But in silencing her pain, she robbed herself of the opportunity to be healed. Maybe you've done the same. Esther's journey into healing began when she discovered that God has given us a real-world way to deal with raw emotions and an alternative to the coping mechanisms that end up causing more pain. It's called lament--the gut-level, honest prayer that God never ignores, never silences, and never wastes. No More Faking Fine is your permission to lament, taking you on a journey down the unexpected pathway to true intimacy with God. Drawing from careful biblical study and hard-won insight, Esther reveals how to use God's own language to come closer to him as he leads us through our pain to the light on the other side, teaching you that: We are robbing ourselves of a divine mystery and a divine intimacy when we pretend to have it all together God does not expect us to be perfect; instead, he meets us where we are There is hope beyond your heartache, disappointment, and grief Like Esther, you'll soon find that when one person stops faking fine, it gives everyone else permission to do the same.

"I have learned to kiss the wave that throws me against the Rock of Ages." What does it mean to "kiss the wave?" These words, attributed to nineteenth-century British preacher Charles Spurgeon, speak to the Christian's only hope for perseverance in suffering. What if we can learn to experience the nearness of God in the midst of suffering? What if God intends to work through our trials rather than simply take them away? After living for more than a decade with a debilitating nerve condition in both arms, Dave Furman shows us that God, in his grace, always designs trials for our good—not minimizing the pain, but infusing significance into our suffering. Furman demonstrates that, even when tossed to and fro by stormy waves, God is near . . . and that makes all the difference in the world.

A New York Times Notable Book A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2012 A bold approach to understanding the American evangelical experience from an anthropological and psychological perspective by one of the country's most prominent anthropologists. Through a series of intimate, illuminating interviews with various members of the Vineyard, an evangelical church with hundreds of congregations across the country, Tanya Luhrmann leaps into the heart of evangelical faith. Combined with scientific research that studies the effect that intensely practiced prayer can have on the mind, When God Talks Back examines how normal, sensible people—from college students to accountants to housewives, all functioning perfectly well within our society—can attest to having the signs and wonders of the supernatural become as quotidian and as ordinary as laundry. Astute, sensitive, and extraordinarily measured in its approach to the interface between science and religion, Luhrmann's book is sure to generate as much conversation as it will praise.