Matthew Henry explains how to effectively communicate with God and the people around us. -- back cover.

From the award-winning author of When You Don't Know What to Pray comes a bold and life-transforming book that will help readers develop a vibrant relationship with God. Linda Evans Shepherd tells readers that a fulfilling prayer life is more than just regularly talking to God or checking items off a prayer list. God loves us so much that he wants us to draw close enough not only to talk but also to listen. Shepherd shows readers how to develop a dialogue with God, continually seeking him out and seeing him at work in our lives. Steeped in Scripture and personal stories of answered prayer, this book also includes sample prayers and action steps for readers to put into practice immediately.

This year, experience a closer relationship with God than ever before. All of us long for God’s presence, and we sense it—occasionally. But there are times when it seems like something’s missing . . . deep encounters with him, certainty that we have heard his voice, and a palpable experience of his presence every day. Like no other writer can, Chris Tiegreen draws us deeper into real intimacy with our intensely relational God. This deluxe LeatherLike edition of The One Year Experiencing God’s Presence Devotional will cultivate your sense of God’s presence in your life, help you learn to recognize his voice, and deepen your trust that he is “always ready to help” (Psalm 46:1, NLT) in every situation.

There is an appetite for God. And it can be awakened. I invite you to turn from the dulling effects of food and the dangers of idolatry, and to say with some simple fast: "This much, O God, I want you." Our appetites dictate the direction of our lives - whether it be the cravings of our stomachs, the passionate desire for possessions or power, or the longings of our spirits for God. But for the Christian, the hunger for anything besides God can be an arch-enemy. While our hunger for God - and Him alone - is the only thing that will bring victory. Do you have that hunger for Him? As John Piper puts it: "If we don't feel strong desires for the manifestation of the glory of God, it is not because you have drunk deeply and are satisfied. It is because we have nibbled so long at the table of the world. Our soul is stuffed with small things, and there is no room for the great." If we are full of what the world offers, then perhaps a fast might express, or even increase, our soul's appetite for God. Between the dangers of self-denial and self-indulgence is this path of pleasant pain called fasting. It is the path John Piper invites you to travel in this book. For when God is the supreme hunger of your heart, He will be supreme in everything. And when you are most satisfied in Him, He will be most glorified in you.

After many years of writing in her prayer journal, missionary Sarah Young decided to be more attentive to the Savior’s voice and listen for what He was saying to her. The result was Jesus Calling, a collection of personal reflections based on Jesus’ own words of hope, guidance, and peace found in the Scriptures. Through these messages, countless people have been encouraged to experience a deeper relationship with the Lord as they also learn to listen for His voice in the pages of the Bible. In Experiencing God’s Presence, the first study in the Jesus Calling Bible Study Series, you will be encouraged to lay down your cares and just spend time each day with your heavenly Father. As you follow the Lord’s instruction to “be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10), you will encounter His peace, be filled with His strength, gain a new perspective on your situation, and experience the full life that only He can provide. Each of the Jesus Calling Bible Studies include devotional readings from Jesus Calling, selected passages of Scripture for reflection, Bible Study questions, and additional questions and activities to help you apply and live out the material. This study can be used for personal reflection and Bible study or in a small-group setting.

In these pages, Murray discusses the fact that union with Christ allows you to become perfect in God's sight. As you abide in God's presence, you will blossom into perfection. Begin now to serve God with a perfect heart, and He will do in you all that He has done in Christ Jesus.