Search results for ""Inter-Varsity Press""

We all want a faith that won't let us down in times of trouble or loss, uncertainty or fear. A faith that can pull us through the worst - and best - times in our lives. This is the kind of faith that James writes about. It is the faith that we practice day by day. Studying James will help us grow a steadfast faith that can carry us through life. This revised Lifebuilder Bible Study features additional questions for starting group discussions and for meeting God in personal reflection, together with expanded leader's notes and a new "Now or Later" section in each study. This book contains nine studies and covers the Book of James, chapters 1-5.

Read more less

At times we are all tempted to ask, "What's the use?" We work and work as Christians and sometimes seem to get nowhere. That's how the original readers of Hebrews felt. Yet the author of this letter cheers for them to stay on track and never quit, so they can reach the finish line by the power of Jesus Christ. Through these studies in Hebrews, you will also find the encouragement you need to stay in the faith race. This revised Lifebuilder Bible Study in the new revised format features questions for starting group discussions and for meeting God in personal reflection, as well as new "Now or Later" section in each study.

Read more less

Catherine Campbell invites you to journey with her this year as she shares 365 Bible meditations that have touched her heart and changed her life. Using an eclectic mix of readings, character cameos and anecdotes, Catherine takes us across new terrain every day. As with life, some paths will be smooth and scenic, while others are steep and stony. The journey may be unpredictable, but the map is trustworthy and the Guide always present. As surely as winter blossoms into spring, and autumn eventually carpets summer lawns, God’s word will excite, challenge, heal and guide us in the year ahead. So, let’s walk together!

Read more less

Contentment may not be what we expect. It may be more profound than we imagine. But it is within easy reach of all of us. If anyone has a right to feel angry with life, then the author is a strong candidate. Having battled with lung disease from a young age, suffered at the hands of bullies, and, reluctantly, given up her much-loved teaching job, she has plenty to complain about. But she has made a point of exploring contentment. She has drawn particularly on Paul's letter to the Philippians. 'Contentment is something we can all catch hold of,' she believes, 'whatever circumstances we find ourselves in.' This is a message which we need to hear, whether we are lifelong sufferers, like the author, or facing deprivation or injustice of another sort. Or we may simply have fallen into bad habits. We cannot fail to be uplifted, and hopefully transformed, by the author's discoveries as we learn to buck trends within society and the church.

Read more less

In today’s culture we are often told it’s good to be bad, while holiness is associated with negative stereotypes or thought to be simply unattainable. How do we pursue holiness without being holier than thou? How can we be holy if we are all sinners? Should we even try? More Distinct invites you to unpick and explore what it truly means to be holy in our culture today. More Books are designed to help you carve out more time with God and apply the Bible effectively to your full and fast-paced life. The Revd Dr Calvin T. Samuel is Principal of the London School of Theology. He is also a Methodist minister and a presenter of The Daily Service and Prayer for the Day on BBC Radio 4.

Read more less

Jesus promises ‘life and life to the full’. So why do so many people walk away from faith – and not just teenagers but people who have been in church for years? The full life offered is one of genuine relationship with God and others, but has our tendency to fight vulnerability, mask weakness and hide disappointment cost us the real thing? Have we tried to keep it together, keep the faith, until we simply can’t do it anymore? Following Jesus should not require fronts: when we fully grasp the love of God towards us, in all our mess and sin and doubt, we experience the freedom that vulnerability, honesty, and sacrifice brings. That’s real life; life to the full. More Real explores how we can build lives on truth, and cultivate a real faith that lasts through the storms of life.

Read more less

God is good. 'Taste and see that the Lord is good,' the Psalmist writes (Psalm 34:8). And to those who called him good, Jesus said, 'No one is good – except God alone (Mark 10:18). Christopher Holmes explores the divine attribute of God’s goodness by offering a theological interpretation of the Psalter and engaging with the church’s rich theological tradition, especially Augustine and Aquinas. He contends that in the very depths of God’s being, God is goodness itself, and goodness is preeminent in God’s nature. Thus, he argues that God not only does good, as seen in the person and work of Jesus Christ, but that God is good such that the good that God does – and that God calls us to do – is anchored in the fullness of good that God is. Leading us in this journey through the Psalms and the church’s tradition, Holmes helps us to understand what it means to make that simple affirmation: God is good.

Read more less

The book of Ecclesiastes is probably best known for its repeated refrain that "everything is meaningless," or "vanity." However, a thorough reading demonstrates that this is not its final conclusion. Knut Heim's Tyndale commentary shows that the book is intellectually sophisticated, theologically rich, emotionally deep - and full of humor. While it is realistic about life, it is life-affirming and immensely practical. The Tyndale Commentaries are designed to help the reader of the Bible understand what the text says and what it means. The Introduction to each book gives a concise but thorough treatment of its authorship, date, original setting, and purpose. Following a structural Analysis, the Commentary takes the book section by section, drawing out its main themes, and also comments on individual verses and problems of interpretation. Additional Notes provide fuller discussion of particular difficulties. In the new Old Testament volumes, the commentary on each section of the text is structured under three headings: Context, Comment, and Meaning. The goal is to explain the true meaning of the Bible and make its message plain.

Read more less

You can be the match that ignites a great Bible discussion! You only need a few basic skills. This guidebook by Jack Kuhatschek and Cindy Bunch (both veteran discussion leaders and experienced Bible study creators) will show you: how to start a group how to decide what to study how to prepare to lead how to study the Bible how to use a study guide how to write your own questions how to lead the discussion how to evaluate the study Over 100,000 copies of this handbook (now revised and expanded from the original, Leading Bible Discussions) have been used by Bible study leaders and Sunday school teachers. Along with practical suggestions and the answers to common questions offered in each brief chapter, you'll find two appendixes: "Guidelines for Interpreting Scripture" and "A Sample Study." The resources section also leads you to more training guides, website references and study guides to use with your group. Here is the help you need to lead a great Bible discussion.

Read more less

Listen to God speaking life by the Spirit for the world The most popular modern English translation with study notes drawn from the million-selling Bible Speaks Today commentary series from IVP, and application questions for personal or group use. If you’re new to the Bible, the clear and helpful explanations will help draw you in to God’s word. If you are a Christian, you will find the NIV Bible Speaks Today useful for devotional reading and as a study Bible. It’s also great for helping small group leaders, teachers and preachers in preparing to explain and apply the Bible for others. Be equipped to apply the Bible to your life and to today’s world. Features include: · Complete text of the New International Version (British text) · Over 2,300 notes extracted from the Bible Speaks Today series to explain and apply the Bible text · Questions at the end of every note for personal or group use to help you understand and apply Biblical truths · Outlines that give a brief overview of each Bible book · Background and setting to provide the context to understand each book · Themes and relevance to apply the Bible to the contemporary world · Maps showing the locations of key Bible events · Parallel passages cross-referenced to identical or similar passages The Bible Speaks Today series was edited by Alec Moyter (Old Testament), John Stott (New Testament) and Derek Tidball (Bible themes), with contributors including Michael Green, Mary J Evans, Derek Kidner, Dick Lucas, Rosemary Nixon and many more.

Read more less

‘All Scripture is breathed out by God …’ (2 Timothy 3:16). From Paul’s epistles the divine inspiration of Scripture may be confidently affirmed, as well as its corollary attributes. However, on turning to Jesus and the Gospels, it is hard to find an explicit approach like Paul’s. Matthew Barrett argues that Jesus and the apostles have just as convictional a doctrine of Scripture as Paul or Peter, but it will only be discovered if the Gospels are read within their own canonical horizon and covenantal context. The nature of Scripture presupposed by Jesus and the Gospel writers may not be addressed directly, but it manifests itself powerfully when their words are read within the Old Testament’s promise–fulfilment pattern. Nothing demonstrates Scripture’s divine origin, divine authorial intent and trustworthiness more than the gospel of Jesus Christ. In the advent of the Son of God, the Word has become flesh, announcing to Jew and Gentile alike that the covenant promises Yahweh made through the Law and the Prophets have been fulfilled in the person and work of Christ.

Read more less

Few biblical topics are as important as mission. Mission is linked inextricably to humanity's sinfulness and need for redemption, and to God's provision of salvation in the person and work of Jesus Christ. This 'good news' of salvation must be made known. The saving mission of Jesus constitutes the foundation for Christian mission, and the Christian gospel is its message. This second edition of Salvation to the Ends of the Earth emphasizes the way in which the Bible presents a continuing narrative of the story of God’s mission – ranging from the story of Israel to the story of Jesus and that of the early Christians. At the same time, importantly, it provides a robust historical and chronological backbone to the unfolding of the early Christian mission. With regard to the latter, Paul and the General Epistles are incorporated with the Gospel with which they have the closest and most natural canonical and historical affinity: James and Hebrews with Matthew; 1 – 2 Peter and Jude with Mark; Paul’s letters with Luke–Acts; and 1 – 3 John and the Apocalypse with John. The chapter on the second-temple period has been moved to an appendix so as not to interrupt the flow of the presentation of the biblical story-line and theology of mission.

Read more less

There are many investigations of the Old Testament priests and the New Testament’s appropriation of such imagery to describe Jesus Christ. There are also studies of Israel’s corporate priesthood and what this means for the priesthood of God’s new covenant people. However, such studies are less frequently connected with one another: key interrelations are missed, and key questions are not addressed. Making two passes across the tapestry of Scripture, Andrew Malone traces these two threads and their intersections, with an eye to the contemporary relevance of both themes in both Testaments. Malone shows how our Christology and perseverance as God’s people are enhanced by the way the book of Hebrews depicts Christ’s own priesthood. Furthermore, Christians better understand their corporate identity and mission by discerning both the ministry of individual Old Testament priests and Israel’s corporate calling. Combining the various biblical emphases on priesthood in one place provides synergies that are too easily disregarded.

Read more less

In the midst of bad news, can there be any hope? The story of Ruth takes place when the Israelites are living in the Promised Land. But instead of obeying God, they are rebelling against his rule. When they cry for deliverance, God sends them a judge. The judge dies, and the people become even more corrupt than their ancestors. Brutality and immorality abound. We focus on an ordinary woman called Naomi and her family. We witness her joys and sorrows, but more importantly, God's amazing providence in her situation. The book of Ruth is written into a whirl of social, religious and moral chaos. It is a reminder that there is hope, that a remnant of true faith remains and that God continues to work in the lives of ordinary people. The book points forward to King David who would lead the people wisely. But ultimately it points to Jesus, the great Son of David - the hope of nations, the light of the world and the prince of peace. Part of the Food for the Journey series offering daily devotionals from well-loved Bible teachers at the Keswick Convention in an ideal pocket-sized format – to accompany you wherever you go.

Read more less

The Old Testament, particularly the Former Prophets, has frequently been regarded as having a negative attitude towards foreigners. This has meant that these texts are often employed by those opposed to the Christian faith to attack the Bible; and such views can be echoed by Christians. While the story of David and Goliath is cherished, other episodes are seen to involve 'ethnic cleansing' or 'massacre' and are avoided. David Firth's contention is that this view emerges from an established interpretation of the text, but not the text itself. He argues that the Former Prophets subvert the exclusivist approach in order to show that the people of God are not defined by ethnicity but rather by their willingness to commit themselves to the purposes of Yahweh. God's purposes are always wider than Israel alone, and Israel must therefore understand themselves as a people who welcome and include the foreigner. Firth addresses contemporary concerns about the ongoing significance of the Old Testament for Christians, and shows how opponents of Christianity have misunderstood the Bible. His reading of the Former Prophets also has significant ethical implications for Christians today as they wrestle with the issues of migration and what it means to be the people of God.

Read more less

New exegetical commentary on the Gospel of Mark for preachers, Bible teachers, non-specialists Mark wrote his Gospel to explain why and how Jesus is the Messiah and Son of God who fulfils God's promises as he proclaims and embodies the coming kingdom of God. Mark emphasizes Jesus's authority and also his suffering and death as God's will for his messianic mission. Eckhard Schnabel's commentary seeks to help today's Christian disciples communicate the significance of Jesus and the transforming power of the good news.

Read more less

‘This is an exceptional piece of biblical theology ... Preachers will find this work a rich source of sermon material and all who are interested in the Bible will be amazed at its unity.’ Evangelical Times Who shall ascend the mountain of the LORD?' (Psalm 24:3). This stimulating study explores the narrative context, literary structure and theology of Leviticus. Morales follows its dramatic movement, examines the tabernacle cult and the Day of Atonement, and tracks the development from Sinai's tabernacle to Zion's temple - and from the earthly to the heavenly Mount Zion in the New Testament. He shows how life with God in the house of God was the original goal of the creation of the cosmos, and became the goal of redemption and the new creation.

Read more less

When Andrew and Rachel found out that one, and then both, of their children had severe autism, their world was turned on its head. This is a book about surviving, and thriving, when something goes horribly wrong. It is a mixture of their story and God's story, and the way in which his has shaped theirs. With clarity and biblical insight, they share their experience of grief and worship, struggle and hope. As well as reflecting on the specific challenges of raising children with special needs, they speak to broader questions: the problem of suffering, building a marriage under pressure, fighting for joy, and trusting in God's goodness. This is not just for families and friends of special needs children, but for all who have been thrown a curve ball in life, and need to know how to lament, worship, pray and hope. [Award-winning title]

Read more less

The invitation to worship God is the highest privilege of human beings - a privilege squandered by sinful rebellion, but also gloriously restored to us through the death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ. Biblical worship is a response to God's revelation of himself, empowered by the Holy Spirit, which finds expression in every aspect of human life and experience. At the same time, there is a great deal of music and song in the Bible. Music is a wonderful gift of God in creation, and there is every reason to embrace its riches and harness its power responsibly for the glory of God and the blessing of his people. However, Christians have often been divided over the theology and practice of worship, with differing views about spiritual gifts, the place of liturgy, priorities attached to various functions of the church, the weight given to congregational and 'whole-life' worship, and the role and style of music. While many of these areas are touched on in John Risbridger's excellent exposition, his intention is not to court controversy, but simply to allow Scripture to speak, in the hope of establishing as much common ground as possible. He follows a loosely trinitarian structure, in which the main sections explore the connection between worship and the purpose of the Father, the supremacy of the Son and life of the Holy Spirit. Each section concludes with two chapters on the Psalms, in which we hear a variety of 'voices', and learn to join their distinctive song.

Read more less

Is 'newer' really 'better'? We often assume so, but if we do treat the past as inferior, we will ignore the legacy of history, and thus will find ourselves stranded on the tiny desert island of our own moment in time. In particular, this applies to Christian theology, which should be thought, and lived, corporately by the church down through the ages. The remedy to 'chronological snobbery' is, as C. S. Lewis put it, 'to keep the clean sea breeze of the centuries blowing through our minds'. Such is the motivation behind Michael Reeves' introduction to a selection of influential or significant Christian theologians. This accessible and informative volume covers the Apostolic Fathers, Justin Martyr and Irenaeus, Athanasius, Augustine, Anselm, Aquinas, Luther, Calvin, Owen, Edwards, Schleiermacher, Barth and Packer. Each chapter begins with a brief biography and some background, and then surveys each theologian's major work or works, gives a timeline for historical context, and ends with guidance for further reading. This book was previously available as two separate volumes (The Breeze of the Centuries and On Giants' Shoulders), but now repackaged together with a new chapter on J I Packer.

Read more less

The writers and chief actors of the Old Testament expressed a deep longing for the presence of God. This longing is symbolized through history in the Garden of Eden, the ark of the covenant and the tabernacle that housed it, the temple, and the ruins of the temple. In response to this longing, God shares his ultimate mission, in which his people play a part: the expansion of Eden - the temple of God's presence - to all peoples throughout the earth. The temple has always been a source of rich scholarship and theological reflection - but what does it mean for the church's ongoing mission in the world? Beale and Kim build a bridge from the world of biblical theology to our modern-day life. They help us to see clearly that the themes of Eden, the temple, God's glorious presence, new creation, and the mission of the church are ultimately facets of the same reality. Hence, from Eden to the New Jerusalem, God's people are his temple on the earth, the first-fruits of the new creation. God has always desired to dwell among us; now the church needs to follow its calling to extend the borders of God's kingdom and take his presence to the ends of the earth.

Read more less

How can we maintain an intimate relationship with God in a busy world? How do we read the Bible to feed our souls, rather than "professionally", looking for the next talk we have to deliver? How do we care for ourselves and avoid either burn-out or rust-out? Paul Mallard has written Staying Fresh for everyone involved in ministry, at whatever level that may be. While he acknowledges the importance of conviction and competence, his primary emphasis here is on character. He is passionate about the importance of integrity, of persevering in prayer and discipleship, of never giving up in our battle with sin and our service for Christ. "But even if you are not a leader and never aspire to be one,' he says, 'I hope that what you learn here will help you to maintain the freshness of young love."

Read more less

What does fruitfulness look like in our everyday lives? How can we serve God in the many, many hours of our waking time? Whether we are housewives or students, schoolkids or factory workers, sales assistants or retired, God can use us in many different ways. And that's not by adding new things to our much-to-do-about everything lists. Rather, it is about what happens when we let God show us how he wants us to respond in the places we find ourselves day by day - our frontlines, wherever they are. We don't need a high position, a university degree, or lots of money to have a significant impact for the Lord. What if, for now at least, the people God wants us to love and serve are the people we meet day-to-day? There are lots of stories in this book. They are all about followers of Jesus who have come to see the places and the people they encounter on their frontlines. They are testimonies that God still works powerfully, wondrously, and mysteriously through his people today.

Read more less

The books of 1 and 2 Kings cover the history of Israel from the last days of the united kingdom under David to the eventual fall of the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. Within these books, the deuteronomic code - 'doing what is right in the Lord's sight' - provides a framework by which monarchic history is measured. In the kings' cultic failures lies the apostasy of the nation and its eventual exile. This apostasy centres on Israel's commitment to worship YHWH exclusively, and to worship according to deuteronomistic norms within the Jerusalem temple as the locus of YHWH's covenant presence. To safeguard the kings' commitments, YHWH's prophets loom large in 1 and 2 Kings: they herald YHWH's purposes, warn of his judgment for apostasy and woo his people back to the full experience of covenant life. Lissa M. Wray Beal's valuable commentary examines the successes and failures of monarchy in the divided kingdoms. It works with the final form of the biblical text and pursues historiographical, narrative and theological questions, including the relation of each chapter's themes to biblical theology. While it focuses on theological and narrative concerns, the commentary gives due attention to complex historical issues. It seeks to provide a nuanced reading that is faithful to the text's message.

Read more less

The rise of the computer in the last few years has changed the world. It has also changed how we sin. And sadly, Christians seem to be as vulnerable as everyone else. The Bible says nothing about hacking or surfing the net or downloading copyrighted material. How can we walk as Jesus did when we sit in front of a computer screen? Norman Fraser shows that the Ten Commandments are as relevant to Silicon Valley as they were on the slopes of Mount Sinai, and show us how to behave in virtual reality as well as in the flesh. They tell us how we may love the Lord our God, with all our heart and with all our soul and with all our strength.

Read more less

One of the most difficult questions facing us today is that of the proper attitude toward possessions. In wealthy nations such as Britain and the USA, individuals accumulate much and yet are daily exposed to the plight of the poor, whether the homeless on their own city streets or starving children on their TV screens. What action should they take on behalf of the poor? What should they do with their own possessions? In Neither Poverty nor Riches Craig Blomberg asks what the Bible has to say to these issues. He avoids easy answers, and instead seeks a comprehensive biblical theology of possessions. Beginning with the groundwork laid by the Old Testament and the ideas developed in the intertestamental period, he draws out what the whole New Testament has to say on the subject and finally offers conclusions and applications relevant to the modern world. This is a book that all concerned with issues of poverty and wealth should read.

Read more less

With wisdom and sharp biblical insight, John White points to the life of Nehemiah, showing us a man of prayer and a man of action; firm leader and servant of his people; realist and visionary, and above all, man of God.

Read more less

Many books on the practice of prayer seem to be informed more by the experiences of their authors than by Scripture. However, the Bible not only teaches us about prayer, it also gives us many examples of prayer. It is God's Word to us, and it teaches us how to respond to that Word. Tim Chester's insightful exposition of this central aspect of Christian living is driven by the conviction that we need to reform not only our thinking and behaviour in the light of God's Word, but also our praying. Drawing on a wide range of biblical texts, he explores the foundations and the practice of prayer, and shows that how we understand prayer is necessarily bound up with how we understand the gospel, and God himself.

Read more less

An inspiring, thematic approach to the Book of Acts. Each theme is applied directly to modern church life, and to the relationship between the church and today's world. Themes opened up include church planting, evangelistic preaching, guidance, leadership and effective communication of the gospel in message and life-style.

Read more less

This groundbreaking classic, now reissued, gives a brilliant perspective on the cultural turmoil of the radical sixties and its impact on today's world, as reflected in the art of the time. It describes the social, historical and philosophical context of modern art and culture from a Christian perspective, including much valuable material on Western European art from the Renaissance onward. A respected jazz critic as well as Professor of Art History at the Free University of Amsterdam, Rookmaaker moves freely between the worlds of high culture, popular art and music and Christian faith.

Read more less

A doctrinal handbook for those who want to get an overall grasp of the main teachings of the Christian faith, divided into clear sections for reference and study, with full bibliographies.

Read more less