A timely study of the troubling links between religion, morality, and sex and the tendancies of secular institutions to use religion to regulate sexual life.

Most evangelical Christians have a reasonable grasp on the Bible, especially the New Testament. The challenge is applying the principles taught by Jesus in making decisions. We are all taught to love our neighbor and put others interests ahead of our own. Does this mean we can never consider our own interests? Do we need to give everything away? When competing in sports or business, do we need to let our competitor win if we truly love them? Do we need to give others whatever they ask of us? How do we prevent ourselves from being taken advantage of? Is there sin within the church itself? Why has God set the world up the way He has? What is the purpose of evil and temptation? Why do our survival needs force us to be selfish? These are the questions this book attempts to answer.

Christians know that God loves them, but can easily feel that he is perpetually disappointed and frustrated, maybe even close to giving up on them. As a result, they focus a lot—and rightly so—on what Jesus has done to appease God’s wrath for sin. But how does Jesus Christ actually feel about his people amid all their sins and failures? This book draws us to Matthew 11, where Jesus describes himself as “gentle and lowly in heart,” longing for his people to find rest in him. The gospel flows from God’s deepest heart for his people, a heart of tender love for the sinful and suffering. These chapters take readers into the depths of Christ’s very heart for sinners, diving deep into Bible passages that speak of who Christ is and encouraging readers with the affections of Christ for his people. His longing heart for sinners comforts and sustains readers in their up-and-down lives.

For the last twenty years, John Corvino--widely known as the author of the weekly column "The Gay Moralist"--has traversed the country responding to moral and religious arguments against same-sex relationships. In this timely book, he shares that experience--addressing the standard objections to homosexuality and offering insight into the culture wars more generally. Is homosexuality unnatural? Does the Bible condemn it? Are people born gay (and should it matter either way)? Corvino approaches such questions with precision, sensitivity, and good humor. In the process, he makes a fresh case for moral engagement, forcefully rejecting the idea that morality is a "private matter." This book appears at a time when same-sex marriage is being hotly debated across the U.S. Many people object to such marriage on the grounds that same-sex relationships are immoral, or at least, that they do not deserve the same social recognition as heterosexual relationships. Unfortunately, the traditional rhetoric of gay-rights advocates--which emphasizes privacy and tolerance--fails to meet this objection. Legally speaking, when it comes to marriage, "tolerance" might be enough, Corvino concedes, but socially speaking, marriage requires more. Marriage is more than just a relationship between two individuals, recognized by the state. It is also a relationship between those individuals and a larger community. The fight for same-sex marriage, ultimately, is a fight for full inclusion in the moral fabric. What is needed is a positive case for moral approval--which is what Corvino unabashedly offers here. Corvino blends a philosopher's precision with a light touch that is full of humanity and wit. This volume captures the voice of one of the most rational participants in a national debate noted for generating more heat than light.

This book reveals the key component we need to enter into God's kingdom, which consists of a love that unites the human family with God. Where the hearts of man will not strive, if love is not emphasized or put into practice in our lives, surely suffering and gloom will follow as a result of sin. But as for the power of love, it will turn people's hearts to their redeeming Savior, who will set them free from the bondage of sin. What the world needs now is a love that is above the means of the power of sin, and this is a love that leads to eternity is one that God alone can effectively impute in our lives. The reality that sin causes are evidently seen and portrayed in our everyday lives, whether displayed outright in our physical actions or in the back of our minds. The problems of sin exist, and the solution is won by the love that Jesus offers to humanity. This gift called love is flamboyant and unique in every way. It keeps the human heart from being corrupt and it protects the inner soul from being shackled by sin.

It's easy to stand in the crowd, but it takes courage to stand alone… Ghandi Malcom O'Rourke didn't want to want the gift his father had given him, but Ivy Clearwater is not someone he can ignore—even if everything inside him warns him to let her go. Except Ivy has plans of her own and is ready to fight for Mack. Whatever the cost. He's been taken hostage and there is no one else to save him. She ignores the voice telling her to wait for backup and goes into the danger zone to pull him out. She must fight for her life and the live of her captor turned lover. Lives are lost and Ivy is left dealing with the aftermath of what she had to do to save Mack's life. She retreats home, vowing to nurse Mack back to health. But her lover has other ideas. Mack's ready to settle the score with his father, no matter the cost. SIN will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay. SIN SERIES: Book 1 – Payment for Sin Book 2 – Atonement Within Book 3 – Declaration of Love Search Terms: sexy hero, hot and steamy, romance, ageless romance, Scottish romance, outlander, FICTION / Romance / Contemporary FICTION / Romance / New Adult FICTION / Romance / Romantic Comedy F, sexy, sport romance, hired wife, fake girlfriend, happily ever after, sweet love story, bully romance academy romance, bully romance, coming of age romance, bully romance dark romance, bully romance high school, bully romance college, bully romance reverse harem, new adult romance, contemporary romance

Abandon dead, dry, religious rule-keeping and embrace the promise of being truly known and deeply loved. Jefferson Bethke burst into the cultural conversation with a passionate, provocative poem titled "Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus." The 4-minute video became an overnight sensation, with 7 million YouTube views in its first 48 hours (and 23+ million in a year). Bethke's message clearly struck a chord with believers and nonbelievers alike, triggering an avalanche of responses running the gamut from encouraged to enraged. In his New York Times bestseller Jesus > Religion, Bethke unpacks similar contrasts that he drew in the poem--highlighting the difference between teeth gritting and grace, law and love, performance and peace, despair, and hope. With refreshing candor, he delves into the motivation behind his message, beginning with the unvarnished tale of his own plunge from the pinnacle of a works-based, fake-smile existence that sapped his strength and led him down a path of destructive behavior. Along the way, Bethke gives you the tools you need to: Humbly and prayerfully open your mind Understand Jesus for all that he is View the church from a brand-new perspective Bethke is quick to acknowledge that he's not a pastor or theologian, but simply an ordinary, twenty-something who cried out for a life greater than the one for which he had settled. On this journey, Bethke discovered the real Jesus, who beckoned him with love beyond the props of false religion. Praise for Jesus > Religion: "Jeff's book will make you stop and listen to a voice in your heart that may have been drowned out by the noise of religion. Listen to that voice, then follow it--right to the feet of Jesus." --Bob Goff, author of New York Times bestsellers Love Does and Everybody, Always "The book you hold in your hands is Donald Miller's Blue Like Jazz meets C. S. Lewis's Mere Christianity meets Augustine's Confessions. This book is going to awaken an entire generation to Jesus and His grace." --Derwin L. Gray, lead pastor of Transformation Church, author of Limitless Life: Breaking Free from the Labels That Hold You Back

In God Loves People, But He Hates Sin, Mark Allen examines the most important questions that define a spiritual life, from "What is sin?" to "Does eternity exist?" to "Is there a heaven?" Each essay is accompanied by Bible verses that answer the questions the author poses in each of the sections. As a witness to God's love, he is focused on insuring that the information provided thoroughly examines each topic, encouraging all to explore God's place in their lives. Those who are not certain about what sin is will be able to delve deeply into what it is and how it affects our lives and our personal relationships with both others and God. How do we approach our lives? There are daily events that we see and ignore, but should we? If we are not intimately involved in passing God's love to others, then how can we avoid sin? As believers, living in God's love is to be conscious of what we do and who we are in his love. God Loves People, But He Hates Sin answers the spiritual questions that face believers every day while encouraging them to embrace their relationships with God to conquer sin through love and understanding. "You will find in reading this book that God's love is unconditional, but He does not have to love what we do." "You are what God designed you to be - a man or a woman."

In this gripping follow-up to Love Lies Beneath, #1 New York Times bestselling author Ellen Hopkins’s “fabulous, sex-filled masterpiece of mystery and romance” (Library Journal, starred review), beautiful, wealthy Tara Lattimore's story continues when her sinful past threatens to derail her current marriage—and her sanity. Tara thought she was finally settling down when she married the handsome Dr. Cavin Lattimore. Just as she was willing to overlook his gambling habits, she discovers his secret meetings with Sophia, his gorgeous ex-girlfriend and his son Eli’s occasional girlfriend. Life gets even more complicated when Tara’s niece, Kayla, starts hooking up with Eli. In a matter of weeks, Tara has reluctantly gone from rich, single San Francisco professional to Lake Tahoe housewife managing her niece’s whiplash moods, while resisting her stepson’s tantalizing sexual advances. Adding to the family drama is her younger sister, Melody, who’s having a serious marital breakdown, which means she might know something about her husband Graham and Tara’s brief dalliance years ago. As Tara’s fragile trust in her family teeters, timed with the arrival of certain people from her past, she also can’t shake the feeling that someone’s watching her. Baiting her. Tara has always considered herself a tough, self-made woman after surviving a childhood defined by poverty, abuse, and neglect. For years, she suffered from the sins of others. She committed a few of her own. Now she wonders if the misdeeds of her past are about to catch up with her—and if she can ever outrun them.