Even the disciples were sometimes guilty of asking Jesus some pretty dumb questions. This book is comprised of a collection of messages focusing on questions that various people asked the Lord and his profound responses. Many of the basic truths of Christianity are confirmed and supported in what Jesus said as he answered these "stupid questions". Background information in the scripture context is also highlighted to further reveal the messages contained in the words of Christ.

Popular author and columnist Winn Collier invites readers to hear Jesus's persistent questions, to allow them to penetrate the soul, and to be called to the untamed life that Jesus offers.

Atheists pose some of the most ridiculous and annoying questions imaginable: Does the Christian God already know if the world is going to end by human hands or natural causes? Does the Christian God know the exact date and time the sun will die? If a boy gets hit by a meteorite next week, wouldn't the Christian God have known about its trajectory for millions of years and yet failed to move the boy 10 feet out of the way? If every human on Earth died, would the Christian God continue to keep Saturn orbiting the sun? ______ More of a debate primer than a literary work of scholarship, this book gets into the mind of the atheist by revealing the absurdity of their faulty logic and tactics in their attack on Christianity. Formatted in an easily digestible list of questions, paraphrased from real-life atheist dialog across the web, this work is not only amusing, but also informative. With this book, Christians now have the ammunition to defend Faith with a secret preview of the arguments that comprise the outlandish philosophy of atheism.

Who is Jesus Christ? You've never met him in person, and you don't know anyone who has. But there is a way to know who he is. How? Jesus Christ-the divine Person revealed in the Bible-has a unique excellence and a spiritual beauty that speaks directly to our souls and says, "Yes, this is truth." It's like seeing the sun and knowing that it is light, or tasting honey and knowing that it is sweet. The depth and complexity of Jesus shatter our simple mental frameworks. He baffled proud scribes with his wisdom but was understood and loved by children. He calmed a raging storm with a word but would not get himself down from the cross. Look at the Jesus of the Bible. Keep your eyes open, and fill them with the portrait of Jesus in God's Word. Jesus said, "If anyone's will is to do God's will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority." Ask God for the grace to do his will, and you will see the truth of his Son. John Piper has written this book in the hope that all will see Jesus for who he really is and will come to enjoy him above all else.

We all fear that the depression will never lift, the disappointment will never stop, the pain will never leave. Here in the pits, surrounded by steep walls, we wonder if our gray skies will ever brighten. Though these unprecedented and challenging times may bring a load of uncertainty and fear that feels too heavy to bear, God gives us this promise: You'll Get Through This. In You'll Get Through This, pastor and New York Times bestselling author Max Lucado traces the story of Joseph as told in the book of Genesis. The Bible tells us that Joseph was tossed into a pit by his brothers, sold into slavery, wrongfully imprisoned, forgotten and dismissed. Yet Joseph's story is proof that we can flourish even in this broken world. On his darkest days, Joseph may have thought that the sun would never shine again, but God ultimately used these hardships for a greater purpose. Whether you find yourself in the pit of financial downturn, job loss, health crisis, or relationship stresses, God has a plan and a path forward designed just for you. Max reminds readers God doesn't promise that getting through trials will be quick or painless, but he does use our mess for good. In this book, Max will help you: Find comfort in the knowledge that you are God's child and God cares deeply for you Remember that God is near you and has never left you Look for hope in each hardship that you face Lean on your loving community in challenging times Take courage that God will restore even the most painful circumstances and use them for good Each copy of You'll Get Through This includes thoughtful questions for reflection designed to give you a chance to dive deeper into the hard yet hopeful story of Joseph's perseverance. With the compassion of a pastor, the heart of a storyteller, and the joy of one who has seen what God can do, Max explores the story of Joseph and the truth of Genesis 50:20: what Satan intends for evil, God redeems for good.

Belief can exist in isolation, but faith requires a relationship Why wade in the shallows of belief when you can plunge into the depths of faith? Belief involves a different way of thinking, but faith brings about a new way of living. It grows through direct experience and a close relationship, both of which come as you follow Jesus. As Christians we often talk about developing a “personal relationship” with Christ, but instead of pursuing a relationship, we pursue knowledge. We are tempted to place confidence in our definite, settled beliefs, which offer a pale substitute for the daily adventure of an honest relationship with Jesus. In What Matters Most, Leonard Sweet presents a challenging and compelling approach to belief that is joined by dynamic engagement with God. You are invited to explore the uncharted regions of faith by following Jesus, completely on his terms. Once you begin, you will never go back to mere belief.

Rethinking Catholic Theology: From The Mystery of Existence to the New Creation provides readers with an intelligent, informed, critical grasp of at least the central truths of the Catholic/Christian tradition. It aims to help readers to rethink more deeply these essential truths, and moreover, in what specific ways the understanding of the Catholic faith has changed and/or remained the same since Vatican II. The first part centers on Jesus Messiah and the mystery of existence. It delineates how his life, death, resurrection as “transformed physicality,” and ascension usher in the kingdom of God and best answer the questions: Who am I? Who are we? Where did we come from and where are we ultimately headed? What is the meaning of it all? The second part focuses on how Pentecost, the Trinity, the Church, the Scriptures, the Sacraments, Christian life itself, Mariology, the Communion of Saints, and Christian mysticism shed light on the mystery of existence. It demonstrates how the church flows intrinsically and naturally from the person of Jesus Christ and how the Scriptures and the sacraments likewise arise intrinsically and naturally from the church. Part three stresses considers various views of afterlife mainly from the Judeo-Christian tradition. It raises difficult after-death questions, such as individual and general judgment, the intermediate state, the nature of the soul after death, Limbo, and Purgatory. Finally, it outlines the idea of Jesus’s Second Coming and considers such concepts as Deep Incarnation, and the New Creation.

Preliminary Material /W. Nicol -- Introduction /W. Nicol -- Chapter One: The Source-Critical Separation of the Sērmeia Traditions and their Johannine Redaction /W. Nicol -- Chapter Two: The Character of the Sēmeia Traditions /W. Nicol -- Chapter Three: The Johannine Redaction of the Sēmeia Traditions /W. Nicol -- Index /W. Nicol.

The founding of the early Christian Church had as much to do with politics and intrigue as it did with theology and religion. This history and the documents uncovered at the Nag Hammadi site in Egypt have formed the basis of some of the most interesting and mysterious questions today. Was Mary Magdalene a disciple of Jesus? What role did Jesus mother Mary play? What does the Gospel of Thomas tells us? Enter The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Gnostic Gospels. Expert author J. Michael Matkin has provided easy and understandable overviews to all these major works and more. With chapters discussing each of the major and minor documents found at Nag Hammadi, the book also includes an overview of Gnosticism and its most influential people. Readers get an easy, understandable view of the early Church, these relatively new documents, and their meaning to modern religion and philosophy today.