Who Are We to Judge? We have met the Pharisees, and they are...us. That's because we are all slaves to self-righteousness and judgmentalism. It's built into human nature. We set "the standard"--the list of do's and don'ts--to which others must adhere. Then we associate this predetermined behavior with righteousness and declare, "A 'Christian' wouldn't do that." In this book, John Fischer points out that Jesus defined the truth in such a way as to leave no one righteous--not one. We cannot be made right before God by being "better" than anyone else. Instead, by recognizing and laying aside the Pharisee in all of us, we can embrace the grace, gratitude, and joy of the spirit-filled life.

Designed to uproot Pharisaicalism from the evangelical church, this text is a guide for transforming it into a community of forgiveness, exemplifying Grace-full living. (Christian)

The NIV Application Commentary helps you communicate and apply biblical text effectively in today's context. To bring the ancient messages of the Bible into today's world, each passage is treated in three sections: Original Meaning. Concise exegesis to help readers understand the original meaning of the biblical text in its historical, literary, and cultural context. Bridging Contexts. A bridge between the world of the Bible and the world of today, built by discerning what is timeless in the timely pages of the Bible. Contemporary Significance. This section identifies comparable situations to those faced in the Bible and explores relevant application of the biblical messages. The author alerts the readers of problems they may encounter when seeking to apply the passage and helps them think through the issues involved. This unique, award-winning commentary is the ideal resource for today's preachers, teachers, and serious students of the Bible, giving them the tools, ideas, and insights they need to communicate God's Word with the same powerful impact it had when it was first written.

Live Strategically The decade of your twenties is full of important, stressful, maddening questions: What will I do? Who will I love? Where will I live? But maybe there’s a bigger question: Who am I? The fact is, the period of time between your teens and thirties will shape a lot of your character, your calling, and your view of the world. Authors Craig Dunham and Doug Serven (recent graduates of their twenties) explain that the difference between a twentysomething and TwentySomeone has to do with the questions we ask. Instead of asking, “What will I do?” twentysomeones need to ask “Who am I?”–the real question of the twenties. Full of personal experience and practical wisdom, TwentySomeone helps you make the most of your twenties while giving you the skills to handle common life experiences like singlehood, first jobs, getting married, having kids, and buying stuff. This is a guidebook that will help you discover who God is calling you to be.

Go to Jail! is a call for Christians worldwide to take the mission of Christ outside the walls of the church. "Dr. Bezanson provides a good model and keen insight into how a local church and its people can make a huge impact in the jail found near its own back yard. He brings out a sense of the amazing reality that occurs in God's kingdom as the battle rages for "guilty" and incarcerated people's souls and in the process some end up belonging to God." (Chaplain James Holder, AZ prison complex, Perryville) "...A life-changing and lifesaving story of caring people, who bravely follow their faith as they share God's word with those who have been forgotten. Thanks be to God for the servant hearts of Pastor Bezanson and the Amazing Grace Jail Pastors." (A grateful Mother of a former inmate) Rick Bezanson is the senior pastor of Amazing Grace Christian Church in Glendale, Arizona. During his tenure over six years the church has grown from worship attendance of 23 to over 170. He also implemented the planting of 5 jail churches in the Maricopa County jail complex and the commencement of Spanish worship at Amazing Grace. Rick recently received his Doctor of Ministry from Fuller Theological Seminary. His passion is for the outcast and disenfranchised. Go to Jail! is the culmination of many talks and training classes for pastors and laity interested in jail or prison ministry. He has found that prisoners are longing for transformation and are desperately in need of the words of Jesus. Remember, Jesus will equip the called. If you are considering this ministry, Jesus will bless you and equip you. Amazingly, you will be changed also as you bring Jesus' words to prisoners.

Why were sinners so attracted to Jesus yet repelled by the religious? It had everything to do with the heart of Jesus. They sensed that Jesus was for them--not against them. When broken, sinful people feel repelled by Christians, we must assess whether our hearts reveal the heart of God or reflect the heart of the Pharisees. Through this engaging study of Jesus's encounters with imperfect people, combined with real-life stories of ordinary people having Christlike impact, readers will learn how to show unshockable love toward those around them.

Gary Tyra's constructive study of the Sermon on the Mount seeks to revitalize discipleship by exposing and rooting out the modern incidence of Pharisaism (legalism, dogmatism, separatism, judgmentalism, etc.) among evangelical churches today.