We are constantly told what God's plan is for us, from our Sunday school teachers to television evangelists with credentials as long as our arms. If that doesn't convince us, turn on the radio, and Christian music stations inundate us with what God can do in our lives if we only live a certain way. Before long, our heads are spinning with the enormity of it all. What do we do? Who do we believe? If we truly want to know how to live like Christ, we have only one set of directions. We call our instruction manual the Bible, and it gives us all the information we need to know on how to be like Jesus. This set of biblically-based essays will bring the messages of the Bible into the 21st century with examples from popular television shows and re-minders of old-time county fairs. Some you will laugh with, and others will open your eyes as they've never been opened before. May you learn about God's will for your life as you read through this book. I trust it will bless your soul.

We all know the jokes about lawyers. That's the first line of this book. It's true, too. We've heard them, but we also know we can't live without the rules that make up our world. God's rules are the same. When people try to live outside his sanctioned modes of behavior, society crumbles under its own weight, and bedlam ensues. We have to have an example of righteousness held high for others to emulate. We are that example, and the Bible is our handbook. Even so, it can be difficult to apply biblical principles to our 21st century lifestyle. How do we take stories from 2,000 years ago and make them fit into the computer age? That's what God and Discipleship for the Modern Christian is designed to do. From Jesus on the Flip Side (for those of us who grew up with vinyl) to Raggedy Ann Behind the Wheel (for the backseat drivers), we will be entertained and spiritually challenged by the essays included in this book. In addition, God will reveal himself to us as he never has before. We can count on it.

Education. Without it, we can't go very far in life. It opens doors, helps us achieve our goals, and with our degree in our pocket, we gain a leg up on others in our field. Discipleship is all about being educated in Christ. When we learn God's Word, and we put it into practice in our lives, we gain a leg up on the devil, and he is crushed under the power of the knowledge of Christ. God and Discipleship for the Modern Christian is designed to take a 2000-year-old book and place its lessons in a modern-day context. Each of these 23 essays is illustrated with passages from the Bible. Can a science fiction hero teach us about becoming stronger in God? In "Army of Steel" he can. How about humor? Does God enjoy a good time? Find out in "Laughing With God." Learn how to be a spiritual Spiderman in "Our Spiritual Exoskeleton." In "The Man Who Replaced Jesus," read about the importance of keeping Christ first in every part of our lives. In life, there are few things more important for worldly success than the time we spend sitting in a classroom. It's not always fun, but the results far outweigh the time we spend gaining our degree. With the Word of God, it is the same. The time we spend applying the lessons of the Word to ourselves will come back to us multiplied in success for Christ and his kingdom. Let the learning begin!

Spiritual advice.To whom do we turn? Our mother? Our pastor?We are advised to turn to the Bible, and no one can quibble about that suggestion. After all, we learn of the teachings of Jesus in that revered book.Yet, there are over twenty translations out there, and that's just in English. Which one do we pick? After all, the Bible characters we read about didn't write the tales in King James English or even New American Standard.If we don't speak ancient Hebrew, Greek, or Latin, how can we be sure just what the writers intended to say? How can we get the truth that God means for us to have? God and Discipleship for the Modern Christian is designed for exactly that. This set of essays brings God's message from 2,000 years ago into our modern language with examples from the 21st century.After reading this book, you will understand what discipleship means to the contemporary Christian as you never have before.May you get as much from these essays as I got from writing them.

Whom do we call Father? What we are really asking is to whom do we turn for advice? As importantly, do we follow that advice? In this sixth volume of God and Discipleship for the Modern Christian, we will look at ways to help us do exactly that. "Augmented for Jesus" compares the power of God to the Martian invaders in War of the Worlds. "Head-on Collision" lets us know the consequences of being just outside the will of God. "The Devil's Ambush" reveals the potholes the evil one sets up for us. "Waking Up to Jesus" is Peter's story. The cock crowed three times, and Peter's life was changed forever. These selections of illustrated truth drawn directly from the Bible, twenty-three essays in all, each one centered on finding the Father's will in your life, will open your eyes and help you see the written Word of God in ways you never thought possible. Let's reach out to God. Let's not only call him Father, let's treat him as if he really is our Father. Let's live our lives in a way that's pleasing unto him.

Featuring a brand-new cover design, this edition of N. T. Wright’s popular Following Jesus -- first published in 1995 -- includes a new preface in which Wright reflects on the book’s origin and significance for him personally and on its continued relevance to believers even though our global context has changed. Wright first outlines the essential messages of six major New Testament books -- Hebrews, Colossians, Matthew, John, Mark, and Revelation -- looking in particular at their portrayal of Jesus and what he accomplished in his sacrificial death. In the second part of the book Wright takes six key New Testament themes — resurrection, rebirth, temptation, hell, heaven, and new life in a new world — and considers their significance for the lives of present-day disciples.

Jesus came to change our world. During his lifetime he upset the entire Jewish hierarchy, and the Roman government lashed out at the changes he had made. Jesus did change his world. How does he continue to change the world today? Through those of us who claim to be his followers. That's what discipleship is all about. A definition of discipleship is the act of embracing and spreading the teachings of another. To do so, we have to understand those teachings and practice them in our lives. As we begin this series on God and Discipleship for the Modern Christian, we will see God's message to our world in a whole new light. The biblical lessons espoused by Jesus will come alive to us in the context of 21st century examples, and we will never be the same again. The first seven essays are built on the idea of God's Wishing Well, and what he wants for us to have from him. The final essays range from kicking out the devil to being a sneaky spy for Jesus. Jump in and have fun!