Christian life & Growth

a proverbs driven life

A Proverbs Driven Life is about the wisdom God has given us in the Book of Proverbs. By this wisdom we can learn how to live in light of what is really true about ourselves, one another, and this wonderful yet deeply flawed world. Ultimately, therefore, this is a book about life lived for God in the light of divine truth. It’s about life as God intends for us to live it. Proverbs offers an infallible guarantee that a Proverbs-driven life will result in spiritual and practical blessings. But it is vitally important to remember that the goal of Proverbs is not finding earthly prosperity or even wisdom itself. The goal of Proverbs is to grow ever closer to the God Who is Wisdom.

A quest for more: living for something bigger than you

Is Christ the center of your life? Is He really your Source, your Motive, your Goal, and your Hope? Is it possible that your Christianity may, in fact, exclude Christ? Paul David Tripp expertly traverses the deepest recesses of the human heart and compassionately invites fellow Christian travelers to journey with him into God’s bigger kingdom…It is within this purpose-driven framework, this quest for more, that Tripp compels believers to see beyond the worldly deception of personal achievement, success, and materialism, and to break free from being too easily satisfied with a mediocre walk with Christ. Instead the author invites committed sojourners to a life characterized by an unyielding passion that pursues God simply for the pleasure of His glorious company, and in the process effects eternal change in a hurting, hopeless world.

Active spirituality: grace and effort in the christian life

In this series of letters addressed to a young Christian, Brian Hedges contends that life in Christ involves both: trying and trusting, running and resting, dependence on grace and disciplined effort. Learning this balance is one of the keys to living a healthy Christian life. So, pull up a chair, settle in, and read over the shoulder of Chris, a struggling young adult trying to find a church, live a chaste life, overcome discouragement, and develop a plan for spiritual growth, all while learning to rest in the finished work of Jesus.

broken-down house: living productively in a world gone bad

Sin has ravaged the house that God created. This world sits slumped, disheveled, in pain, groaning for the restoration that can only be accomplished by the hands of the Builder. The bad news is that we are living in the midst of the restoration process. The good news is that the divine Builder will not relent until His house is made new again. Someday you will live forever in a fully-restored house, but right now you are called to live with peace, joy, and productivity in a place damaged by sin. Emmanuel lives here with us, and He is at work returning His house to its former beauty.

christ formed in you: the power of the gospel for personal change

This is a book about spiritual formation, the “grace-driven developmental process in which the soul grows in conformity to the image of Christ.” The acid test of all spiritual formation is this: Are you becoming more like Jesus? Are the contours of your character being shaped by His image, formed in His likeness? This ongoing transformation is possible for you. You can become more and more like Jesus Christ. But there is only one way: through your increasing understanding and application of the gospel. That’s what this book is about.

christian living in the home

Building a strong family is a challenge in the best of times. How much more when marriage is being redefined, biblical approaches to discipline are under constant fire, and “family values” is more a campaign slogan than a personal priority of elected officials. The family is in trouble today. Stable homes have become a quaint anomaly, rather than the norm. To check the erosion of the home and family as the basic unit of society, Jay Adams calls us to a careful understanding and application of Scriptural principles. Christians will find this volume full of practical, biblical advice on Christ-centered family living, communicating with family members, family guidance and discipline, living with an unbelieving spouse, and many other areas. Pastors, counselors, and study groups will value this work for its insight, clarity, and faithfulness to God’s Word.

Godliness through discipline

Here is a practical booklet for anyone who wants to become a more godly person. In it Jay Adams shows clearly that, while there is no such thing as instant godliness, genuine and lasting holiness is indeed possible. Beginning with Paul’s instruction in 1 Timothy 4:7, “You must discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness,” Adams explains how godly living can become second nature for the person who truly desires to be Christlike.

Guiltless living: confessions of a serial sinner captured by the grace of God

Through captivating stories, edgy humor, and shocking confessions, Ginger Hubbard drops the act and gets real in this brutally honest look at the seldom admitted, rarely talked about sins of the heart. Removing her “good Christian” mask, Ginger opens the dark chapters of her heart in order to share about the glorious grace of God toward repentant sinners. Get ready to laugh. Get ready to cry. Get ready for a deeper, more authentic relationship with Jesus Christ. This is what real Christianity is all about.

idols of the heart: learning to long for god alone

Do you feel discouraged, even defeated, in your battle against habitual sin? Are you dismayed or surprised by the situations that bring out your fear, anger, or distress? Elyse Fitzpatrick delves into the heart of the problem: deep down, we’re all idol-worshippers who put our loves, desires, and expectations in God’s place?and then suffer the consequences of our misplaced affections. Yet God loves his people and can use even our messy lives and struggles for his glory. Fitzpatrick shows us how to better search and know our hearts, long for our gracious Savior, and resist and crush our false gods. Includes questions for further thought.

lies women believe and the truth that sets them free

We have all experienced defeats and failures, trouble and turmoil. We have all experienced a selfish heart, a shrewish spirit, anger, envy, and bitterness. And we ache to do things over, to have lives of harmony and peace. In this book, DeMoss exposes those areas of deception most commonly believed by Christian women:*Lies about themselves: I should not have to live with unfulfilled longings.*Lies about sin: I cannot walk in consistent victory over sin.*Lies about their marriage: If I submit to my husband, I will be miserable.*Lies about their emotions: I can’t control my emotions.*Lies about their circumstances: I just can’t take it anymore.

lies young women believe and the truth that sets them free

Ever since Eve, women have been swallowing Satan’s lies—and so have their daughters. Best-selling authors DeMoss and Gresh team up to expose twisted messages about God, guys, appearance, and other falsehoods our media-driven culture feeds young women. Their insights will equip your 13- to 19-year-olds to liberate themselves from deception and embrace God’s truth.

Prophet on the run: a devotional commentary on the book of jonah

Originally preached in Israel, this warm-hearted devotional commentary is meant for every Christian who wants to apply the lessons of Jonah in a practical way. Like us, Jonah often lived inconsistently. He knew that God cannot be escaped—yet he tried to escape. He knew that God is merciful—yet he tried to limit His mercy. The Lord took hold of Jonah and forced him to come to Him. What we think about God determines how we live, like Jonah we must learn God’s mercy.

reservoirs of strength: lessons from the book of james

The epistle of James opens with a command to count it all joy when we face life’s trials. But how can we speak of joy when difficulties bring so much sadness? In Reservoirs of Strength, Gerald M. Bilkes surveys James’s letter and directs us to eight quiet streams that can strengthen us when things get hard: the truth of God, the lordship of Christ, the friendship of God, the wisdom of God, the grace of God, the will of God, the justice of God, and the ear of God. If the weight of the world has worn you down, come study the book of James and find an inspired map to reservoirs of strength in testing times.

respectable sins: confronting the sins we tolerate

Whatever happened to sin? Have we become so preoccupied with the major sins of our society that we have lost sight of our need to deal with our own more subtle sins? Jerry Bridges returns to his trademark theme of holiness and addresses a dozen clusters of specific “acceptable” sins that we tend to tolerate in ourselves and others, such as jealousy, anger, pride, unthankfulness, and judgmentalism. Bridges writes not from a height of spiritual accomplishment, but from the trenches of his own battles with sin. In his admonitions, he offers a message of hope in the profound mercy of the gospel and the transforming grace of God as the means to overcoming our subtle sins. This all-in-one curriculum set includes Respectable Sins in its entirety as well as a study guide. There are wide margins for taking notes, and at the end of each session, you’ll find discussion questions that will help you overcome your struggles with these “tolerable” sins. This nine-week curriculum can be done on your own or in a small group.

The practice of godliness

How can you develop godly character? “Godliness is more than a character trait,” says bestselling author Jerry Bridges. “It is a foundational spiritual quality that makes the entire Christian life dynamic, effective, and pleasing to God.” Growing in godliness is a twofold process. It involves an ever-deepening devotion to God and developing a character that is steadily transformed into His likeness.

the twin pillars of the christian life

The twin pillars are effective prayer and disciplined Bible study. This book includes thought-provoking introductory articles, short summaries of the most pertinent Bible principles, and homework questions designed to lead to a comprehensive grasp of these essential disciplines.

trusting god even when life hurts

Does trusting God come easily to you—until adversity strikes? Amid troubles and tribulation, do you sometimes doubt whether he really cares? Exploring three essential truths about God—his complete sovereignty, his infinite wisdom, and his perfect love—Bridges shows you how to rely on God implicitly in every circumstance.

whiter than snow: meditations on sin and mercy

“Whiter Than Snow is music for the sinner’s soul. In fifty-two personal, creative, and sometimes poetic devotionals, Paul Tripp responds to Psalm 51 the way a jazz musician improvises on a familiar tune. In making this sweet music, Tripp makes King David’s confession our own, helping us get honest about our sin and opening our hearts to the mercy of Jesus.” (Philip Graham Ryken)

truth applied: ministry monographs for modern times

“Many a preacher, having been given little or no warming that the way of application runs through rough terrain, has stubbed his toes on the rock of application.” Too often, a sermon flounders on a preacher’s failure to make a good connection between a message originally delivered to God’s people a millennia ago and the congregation in the here and now. Jay Adams has long been concerned for the art and science and passion of preaching. In this book he offers a cogent, biblical philosophy of application, together with practical suggestions about how the busy preacher can readily implement it. Truth Applied explains what “application” means, why it is necessary, how it is derived from Scripture, and how the Holy Spirit influences it. The book is liberally sprinkled with examples. It is guaranteed to make you reconsider your present theory and practice of application.

war of words: Getting to the heart of your communication struggles

An important and biblical book about our words and our God. Few of us really think about the power, the blessing, the gift, the effect, and the danger of our words. This book will make you think before you speak. Best of all, it will make you think of Him before you speak.

Attitudes of a transformed heart

This book is about being “transformed by the renewing of your mind,” and not being “conformed to this world” (Romans 12:2). Your heart is what you are on the inside. It is what you think, your motives, and your desires. Transformed heart attitudes such as a high and proper view of God, humility, love, and gratitude are a grace-work of God in the life of Christians as they learn from the Scriptures a biblical view of God, man, and sin. Maturing in godly heart attitudes requires grace from God as well as work on our part for our minds to be transformed to think God-honoring thought and to truly discern unbiblical philosophies.

crucifying morality: the gospel of the beatitudes

Christianity is not moralism. Christianity is not religiosity. Jesus was crucified because we are committed to saving ourselves by our religious stamina and moral efforts. The Beatitudes in their simplicity are not commands to be followed, principles to live by, or attitudes to adopt. They profile people who have crucified their own morality in Jesus death, resurrection, and rule.

Crucifying Morality walks through Matthew 5:1-12, where Jesus doesn't prescribe what ought to be in order to experience God s grace, but describes what is true of people who understand the grace of God.

Counsel from the cross

To aid churches in ministering to broken and hurting people, the authors of Counsel from the Cross present a counseling model based on Scripture and powered by the work of the wonderful counselor, Jesus Christ. Through careful exegesis and helpful case studies, they demonstrate how to provide consistently biblical, gospel-centered counseling and explain why it is important to do so.

Humility: The forgotten virtue

Explains what Scripture means by pride and humility and helps readers to diminish destructive pride and increase true humility in their lives.

becoming a titus 2 woman

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This book has challenged mature Christian women to mentor younger wives and mothers. This expanded version includes valuable Appendices that will give the mentoring relationship eternal significance.

Grace abounding to the chief of sinners

This is a short and honest account of how God demonstrated His exceeding great mercy to His unworthy servant, John Bunyan.
This story specifically tells how Bunyan was converted. John Bunyan was a companion of sin and was troubled by sin. He fought temptation and sin in his own strength and lost, and in despair he gave up hope of ever finding God’s mercy; but the Lord Jesus Christ at last delivered him from the guilt and terror that so often and so viciously troubled him.
In addition to this, a short account of Bunyan’s call to the work of the ministry is told, along with the trials and trouble he encountered – including some of the difficulties he faced while in prison.
This is all taken from his writings and is now published for the encouragement and support of others who are weak and tempted and need strength and hope and victory in Jesus.

the enemy within: straight talk about the power and defeat of sin

Why do I keep on sinning? This book takes dead aim at the heart of ongoing sin. Drawing from two masterful works by John Owen, Kris Lundgaard offers insight, encouragement, and hope for overcoming the enemy within.

how can i change?

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How Can I change? Read about victory in the struggle against sin.

mining for wisdom

A Twenty-Eight-Day Devotional Based on the Book of Job

There is perhaps no greater story in the Bible than that of Job and his trials. Life may not have treated you as harshly, but everyone can relate to it to some degree and many people turn to it in times of suffering in the hope of finding answers to their many questions: 'Why does God allow suffering? Why does it have to be me? What is the purpose of it all? When is it going to end?' In this twenty-eight-day devotional study, Derek Thomas takes us through Job's trials, and how he deals with them, pointing us to the main message of the book. It is about wisdom -- not the wisdom of man, but the wisdom of God, and thus shows us how, despite any suffering God may call us to go through, we can live our lives to his glory.

face to face, Vol. 1

praying the scriptures for intimate worship

This effective, powerful guide is organized into three months of daily prayers that will teach readers to pray Scripture back to God. Dr. Kenneth Boa's personalized adaptations of Scripture turn Bible passages into prayers that bring you face to face and heart to heart with God.

face to face, vol. 2

praying the Scriptures for spiritual growth

Face to Face: Praying the Scriptures for Spiritual Growth helps you turn your devotional times into a daily experience of transformation. Adapting and personalizing select Bible passages, Dr. Kenneth Boa offers you a refreshing and encouraging way to "renew your mind" as you meditate on and pray about: the attributes of God, the works of God, my relationship with God, the character I want to cultivate, my relationship with others.

a steadfast heart

Although never our personal choice, it is frequently God's plan that his children walk through storms and difficulties. Using the picture presented in Psalm 57, readers will discover the secret of experiencing God's presence and comfort in trials and will grow in their appreciation of his purposes in their lives.

why does god allow war?

Does God care about the sin and suffering in the world today? Why doesn't he bring an end to war and violence?

When our lives seem shattered by personal tragedy, is there any answer? Is there any place to which we can turn to find hope and peace and true happiness whatever our circumstances?

The ringing affirmation of this book is that there is indeed an answer-an answer that is rooted in the reality of God himself, and in what he has done and will do for those who know and love him.

Dr. Lloyd-Jones wrote this book at the outbreak of the Second World War to a people on the brink of despair. It's message, however, is universal and remarkably relevant today as we seek to understand the crises of our own times. Yet readers will find that the truth it contains is a help for those in the midst of any tragedy, whether personal or national.

suffering: eternity makes a difference

How hard it is to see God's goodness in the face of tragedy and suffering! Feeling abandoned, we cry out to him, question him, turn away from him, perhaps even curse him. It may seem like he's cheated us we've done our part following him, but he's let us down.

Paul David Tripp helps hurting people see their circumstances from an eternal perspective. Gently uncovering the wrong motives, faulty reasoning, and misguided conclusions that can blind us to the truth of God's love and goodness, Tripp focuses us on the grand picture of eternity. His compassionate approach and scriptural advice will help bring strength and hope to grieving souls.

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Hard times come for all in life, with no real explanation. When we walk through suffering, it has the potential to devastate and destroy, or to be the gateway to gratitude and joy.

Elisabeth Elliot was no stranger to suffering. Her first husband, Jim, was murdered by the Waoroni people in Ecuador moments after he arrived in hopes of sharing the gospel. Her second husband was lost to cancer. Yet, it was in her deepest suffering that she learned the deepest lessons about God.

Why doesn’t God do something about suffering? He has, He did, He is, and He will.

Suffering and love are inexplicably linked, as God’s love for His people is evidenced in His sending Jesus to carry our sins, griefs, and sufferings on the cross, sacrificially taking what was not His on Himself so that we would not be required to carry it. He has walked the ultimate path of suffering, and He has won victory on our behalf.

This truth led Elisabeth to say, “Whatever is in the cup that God is offering to me, whether it be pain and sorrow and suffering and grief along with the many more joys, I’m willing to take it because I trust Him.” Because suffering is never for nothing.

a shelter in the time of storm

meditations on God and trouble

Fifty-two meditations on Psalm 27 instruct and encourage believers to worship God through the ups and downs of life.

Psalm 27 is a psalm of trouble and worship, of difficulty and beauty, of the evil of people against people, and of the mercy of God.

Because of its honesty about life in this fallen world, Psalm 27 speaks into the life of every believer. At the same time it places joyful and self-sacrificing worship right next to the trouble that is the psalm's background theme. This juxtaposition makes Psalm 27 unique, interesting, practical, challenging, and encouraging.

it's not fair

finding hope when times are tough

When people complain about their lot in life, thinking God is not treating them as he should, they need to read It's Not Fair! This book comes alongside people right where they are and moves them to a place where they can finally rest in God’s attributes of omniscience, omnipotence, love, and justice through the use of sound biblical encouragement.

discontentment: why am i so unhappy?

You're unhappy, and you can't put your finger on why. The most confusing thing is that you're a Christian--you never thought you'd have to deal with this! It couldn't be a heart problem . . . a sin problem . . . could it?

If you're a Christian, you may not have considered contentment to be related to your unhappiness. But unless you can say you trust God everywhere he puts you and are happy with whatever he gives you, by definition you are not content! And when that happens, you are left with a major cause of unhappiness.

Lou Priolo helps you identify discontentment in your life through first analyzing the level of your contentment. What's more, he helps you move forward, describing what true biblical contentment is and laying out Scripture's own directions for cultivating it.

Deception: Letting go of lying

Do you struggle with deception? How do you define what deception is? Does it involve only straightforward, spoken lies, or can deception describe many actions that people take (and don't take)? Is it possible to stop being a liar by not telling lies anymore—or must something else be put in their place instead?

In this convicting booklet, Lou Priolo attacks the sin of deception by uncovering it in all its subtle forms. He examines the various ways that deception can turn up and backs his definitions with biblical examples, then helps each reader to recognize his own specific style of lying. You will come away from this booklet with a clear plan for combating deception—not by merely resisting the temptation to lie, but by becoming a teller of the truth instead.

forgiveness: I just can't forgive myself

Sally, a Christian, laments having an abortion years ago. "I know the Lord has forgiven me, but I just can't forgive myself." What would you say to her?

Maybe you yourself have struggled with "self-forgiveness" and wonder how to deal with feelings of guilt. Why is self-forgiveness such an attractive notion? What, if anything, does the Bible say about it?

Robert D. Jones identifies five possible assumptions behind the longing for self-forgiveness. In the process, he pinpoints a deeper problem--and a deeper solution to ongoing guilt. By dispelling a number of misconceptions, Jones clears the path to a joyful realization of complete forgiveness in Christ.

self-image

This helpful booklet addresses the issue of self-image from a biblical perspective, defining both what self-image is and what it isn't. Readers are encouraged to make a list of their inferiorities--the areas of their lives they believe to be inadequate--and then to classify those inferiorities as inaccurate, accurate but not sinful, or accurate and sinful. The author then provides biblical guidelines to help correct the inferiority judgments in each of these categories.