But I need something more! For if I know the law but still can't keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! I realize that I don't have what it takes. I can will it, but I can't do it. I decide to do good, but I don't really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don't result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time. --Romans 7:17-20 (MSG) If you read this set of verses and say, "Wow that's me in a nutshell!" then welcome. You have found your people. Frequently as Christians, we fail, and we screw up. We are pegged as hypocrites because, well, we can be and oftentimes we are. Like anyone else in life, Christians have issues, and we don't always handle them right or well. Just because we carry the name Christian, it doesn't make us magically infallible. This mentality tends to leave us in a place of utter aloneness. Y'all, we were never alone to begin with! We don't have to stay in the place of hurt, harm, and hypocrisy! This book explains God's grace and sovereignty over our lives through some heavy and some normal life struggles, digging deep into the meaning of the hymn "His Eye is on the Sparrow" by Civilla Martin, changing our Sundays-only-Christian mentality into someone who's willing to plead with Christ and other Christians to change our character to be more like His.

Some pastors preach boring sermons. Some church music is dull. But here’s the thing: If Jesus had been boring, the disciples wouldn’t have followed him and the Pharisees wouldn’t have killed him. So if you’re bored, don’t waste another minute. If your church service feels like a failed pep rally that never leads to the actual game, then it’s time for you to follow Jesus onto the field where the opposition is real and the stakes are extraordinary. It will get messy. It won’t always be comfortable. But you’ll make a difference. And you’ll discover that nobody’s bored out there. Nobody.

Draws upon a wide range of historical sources to examine the factuality of the Old Testament, arguing that the Bible's stories are firmly based on fact and refuting evidence from modern scholars who claim otherwise.

If God exists, and really is a God of love, then why doesn't he stop the suffering and problems in our world? Roger Carswell is realistic enough to admit that there are things God reveals to us, and things he doesn't reveal. He argues that the starting point is to find out who God is, and figure out if he can be trusted - even if we don't have all the answers. 'God has not only been faithful to me, he has been overwhelmingly kind, incredibly merciful, consistently good and unbelievably patient,' says Roger. The author's own experience of suffering with depression, and other real-life stories that are included, make this a compassionate look at one of the toughest questions about the Christian faith. Moreover, our questioning need not be a barrier to entrusting ourselves to God.

Previously published: Sisters, Or.: Multnomah Publishers, c2000.

Your Mind Is Under Attack. Thousands of thoughts fly through our minds every day, many of them negative. And Satan knows how susceptible we are to these negative thoughts that leave us frustrated and feeling defeated. However, the time-honored practice of Christian meditation can help us find victory in these spiritual battles. Transforming Your Thought Life offers guided meditations and personal examples that will help you train your mind to stay grounded in God’s Word. Each chapter examines a particular kind of negative thought pattern and provides key Bible verses and prayers for standing strong against it. Day by day, as you hide God’s Word in your heart and mind, you will move closer to the heart and mind of God.

Jesus Christ is the most influential human to ever walk the earth. We've heard and seen so many depictions of Him that we think we know Him better than we actually do. If we took the time to really look at Him, we might be surprised at what we'd find. In 52 Weeks with Jesus, author and pastor James Merritt leads you on a transformational journey as he shares what he's learned over a lifetime of studying Jesus' life and ministry. As you join Dr. Merritt on this journey, you will come to know and encounter Jesus in new and surprising ways and be inspired anew to embrace His invitation, "Come, follow Me." Filled with practical applications and surprising truths, this book will help you more ably answer that ancient question that's as timely today as when it was first posed: "Who do you say that I am?"