This volume is a spiritual journey through five important Scriptures: Jeremiah 3:1, Mark 5:25-34, Luke 16:4, 1 Samuel 17:34-35, and Ezekiel 36:9. It demonstrates the cultivation of true assurance that Christians can sincerely have as believing Christians, if they trust in the work of Jesus Christ. In these pages, the Christian will find a spiritual feast in God’s love to the soul (that God is for you if you are a believer), and the soul reciprocates this to him, in service before Christ, to love him back, even into eternity. This coming of Christ to be near to his redeemed people is, in its highest and transcendent nature, seen in the incarnation of the Son of God. In this drawing near to them, he shows, by action, that he is God with us. And, he testifies that he is God for us, as Ezekiel, 36:9 says, “For, behold, I am for you, and I will turn unto you, and ye shall be tilled and sown.” God draws near to his people in Christ, to turn to them, to be for them, to till them and sow into them the glorious Kingdom of God. “What shall we say then to these things?” In the Father’s ordination of the work of redemption through Christ, even from before the foundation of the world, we find that the saint’s infirmities cannot wholly remove Christ’s love for them in their present weaknesses and fallen state, if they are truly redeemed. He does this as the great Shepherd of the sheep, the Shepherd of his people, whom he loved before the foundation of the world. Christ is the Spiritual David who was planned before the beginning of time to work and merit salvation in rescuing his lambs from the mouth of the lion and the paw of the bear. Sinners find that drawing near is to believe in him by faith, to draw great virtue from him in the Spirit. They come to understand that the way to receive the virtue of Jesus Christ is by touching him in faith, and in this they are resolved to follow Christ the King without reservation casting themselves on his infinite mercy in everything.

GROUP PARTICIPANT WORKBOOK - Imagine waking up every single day convinced that the twenty-four hours ahead of you are a precious gift to be used wisely. Now imagine that you know exactly how to spend them to be a force for God’s good. All too often we wander through life without appreciating the gift of every moment we’ve been given. The result? An unsatisfying life, missed opportunities to experience the joy of being in sync with God, and days marked with apathy instead of passion. Our time on earth is measured. We should want to make every moment count—not only because we aren’t guaranteed the next one, but also because this is exactly how our Savior spent His time here. How, then, do we walk out unwavering joy-filled faith every day, determined to let go of the things that keep us from experiencing abundant life and fulfilling the plans God has for us? The answers are found in following the footsteps of the One who lived fully, because He was determined that we might do the same. In this six-week study of Luke, we will follow the life and ministry of Jesus as we consider the choices He made on His way to the cross. We’ll intimately connect with a Savior who remained laser-focused on His mission to love the world. In return, we’ll receive a model for intentional living that we can replicate to ensure we are living each day to the fullest and making a difference for God’s kingdom. And together we’ll determine to embrace the abundant life we are promised in Jesus. It’s time to stop wandering and start living!

God still has a plan for you--not in spite of your past, but because of it! Do regret and shame over your failures, sins, and shortcomings make you wonder how you could ever be loved, much less used, by a holy God? Tracie Miles felt the same way until she discovered the path to healing, peace, and significance. She helps you recognize that God not only has a purpose for you, but He has prepared you for your divine purpose based specifically on the experiences of your past. Through her own story and stories from other women who have discovered God's purpose for their lives because of adverse experiences, Tracie helps you see how God can turn pain into purpose. You will find forgiveness and healing from the troubles of your past, discover the courage to step out of your comfort zone to help others find hope and strength, and be inspired to step into the beautiful future God divinely designed for you. "No matter what you've been through or what's been done to you, if you're still breathing, God isn't finished with you yet! Let Tracie Miles help you discover your calling and the way you are uniquely equipped to make your life count!" --Renee Swope, bestselling author of A Confident Heart and Proverbs 31 Ministries' radio cohost, "Everyday Life with Lysa & Renee"

Scripture reveals a God who meets us where we are, not where we pretend to be. No More Faking Fine is your invitation to get honest with God through the life-giving language of lament. If you've ever been given empty clichés during challenging times, you know how painful it is to be misunderstood by well-meaning people. When life hurts, we often feel pressure--from others and ourselves--to keep it together, suck it up, or pray it away. But Scripture reveals a God who lovingly invites us to give honest voice to our emotions when life hits hard. For most of her life, Esther Fleece Allen believed she could bypass the painful emotions of her broken past by shutting them down altogether. She was known as an achiever and an overcomer on the fast track to success. But in silencing her pain, she robbed herself of the opportunity to be healed. Maybe you've done the same. Esther's journey into healing began when she discovered that God has given us a real-world way to deal with raw emotions and an alternative to the coping mechanisms that end up causing more pain. It's called lament--the gut-level, honest prayer that God never ignores, never silences, and never wastes. No More Faking Fine is your permission to lament, taking you on a journey down the unexpected pathway to true intimacy with God. Drawing from careful biblical study and hard-won insight, Esther reveals how to use God's own language to come closer to him as he leads us through our pain to the light on the other side, teaching you that: We are robbing ourselves of a divine mystery and a divine intimacy when we pretend to have it all together God does not expect us to be perfect; instead, he meets us where we are There is hope beyond your heartache, disappointment, and grief Like Esther, you'll soon find that when one person stops faking fine, it gives everyone else permission to do the same.

With Playing God, Andy Crouch opens the subject of power, elucidating its subtle activity in our relationships and institutions. He gives us much more than a warning against abuse, though. Turning the notion of "playing God" on its head, Crouch celebrates power as the gift by which we join in God's creative, redeeming work in the world.

New York Times bestseller What is Jesus worth to you? It's easy for American Christians to forget how Jesus said his followers would actually live, what their new lifestyle would actually look like. They would, he said, leave behind security, money, convenience, even family for him. They would abandon everything for the gospel. They would take up their crosses daily... But who do you know who lives like that? Do you? In Radical, David Platt challenges you to consider with an open heart how we have manipulated the gospel to fit our cultural preferences. He shows what Jesus actually said about being his disciple--then invites you to believe and obey what you have heard. And he tells the dramatic story of what is happening as a "successful" suburban church decides to get serious about the gospel according to Jesus. Finally, he urges you to join in The Radical Experiment -- a one-year journey in authentic discipleship that will transform how you live in a world that desperately needs the Good News Jesus came to bring.