John Colwell presents a robust sacramental theology for Protestant churches. He maintains that a doctrine of the Trinity leads us to conceive of God's gracious engagement with his creation as one that is mediated through that creation. And this lies at the foundation for an understanding of the sacraments. Colwell further argues that the Church and Scripture confer context, definition, and validity on all other sacramental events. The final section reconsiders the seven Sacraments of the Catholic tradition in the light of the understanding of sacramentality developed earlier in the book: baptism, confirmation, the Lord's Supper, cleansing, healing, ministry, and marriage. Colwell discusses the Sacraments from an evangelical perspective but with a committed ecumenical intent.

God's presence among his people set him apart from ancient pagan gods. His presence on earth as God Incarnate split history in two. And today his presence is one of the most significant means of his goodness to us. Interweaving her story of faith and doubt amid suffering, Glenna traces the theme of God's presence from Genesis to Revelation and shows what it means for us in our own daily joys and struggles.

The promises of Scripture are easy to affirm when life is good, but it takes gut-level faith and courage to cling to them in moments of deepest despair. Chris's compelling account of his battle with multiple myeloma offers empathy, encouragement and hope to cancer victims and their families, and his triumph is a picture of the ultimate victory believers have over death because of Christ.

From the first verses of Genesis, the Spirit of God makes a dramatic appearance in the Bible. However, despite the importance of the Spirit in the Old Testament, it has been the focus of surprisingly little scholarship. In response, this volume assemblesa host of premier Old Testament scholars to address various aspects of the subject. Major thematic essays and studies of relevant biblical texts are arranged in eight main sections: orientation of the Ancient Near Eastern context; the Spirit and its relation to creation, wisdom, creativity, prophecy, leadership and the future, and finally the Spirit at Qumran.

For a century and a half, Charles Spurgeon's classic daily devotional on God's promises has comforted the hearts of God's people. For each day of the year, Spurgeon reflects on a specific promise of God from Scripture that strengthened his own heart in times of severe depression and suffering. In this volume, Tim Chester allows Spurgeon speak to a new generation—updating archaic words, shortening sentences, and using modern word ordering—while maintaining Spurgeon's passionate and pastoral voice. These devotional readings will propel modern Christians to renewed faith in the promise-making and promise-keeping God of the Bible.

Two-term governor of Tennessee Bill Haslam reveals how faith--too often divisive and contentious--can be a redemptive and unifying presence in the public square. As a former mayor and governor, Bill Haslam has long been at the center of politics and policy on local, state, and federal levels. And he has consistently been guided by his faith, which influenced his actions on issues ranging from capital punishment to pardons, health care to abortion, welfare to free college tuition. Yet the place of faith in public life has been hotly debated since our nation's founding, and the relationship of church and state remains contentious to this day--and for good reason. Too often, Bill Haslam argues, Christians end up shaping their faith to fit their politics rather than forming their politics to their faith. They seem to forget their calling is to be used by God in service of others rather than to use God to reach their own desires and ends. Faithful Presence calls for a different way. Drawing upon his years of public service, Haslam casts a remarkable vision for the redemptive role of faith in politics while examining some of the most complex issues of our time, including: partisanship in our divided era; the most essential character trait for a public servant; how we cannot escape "legislating morality"; the answer to perpetual outrage; and how to think about the separation of church and state. For Christians ready to be salt and light, as well as for those of a different faith or no faith at all, Faithful Presence argues that faith can be a redemptive, healing presence in the public square--as it must be, if our nation is to flourish.

Live intentionally and embrace abundant life! 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. The participant workbook includes five days of lessons for each week, combining study of Scripture with personal reflection, application, and prayer. It’s time to stop wandering and start living!