In 2 Corinthians 12: 7 Paul makes the extraordinary admission that he was given a 'thorn in the flesh'. Although we can never be sure what that torment was, many of us will know what it feels like to experience a painful problem which does not seem to go away. In this book R. T. Kendall explains what a thorn in the flesh is, why we have it, and what we should understand by it. Looking with compassion at the kinds of acute situation in which we may find ourselves - an unhappy marriage, difficult working conditions, loneliness, sexual misgivings or chronic illness, for example - he shows how the grace of God is sufficient whatever our thorn, and how it can lead us into unimaginable intimacy with Jesus.

With the vote to bless same-sex marriages, the Episcopal Church becomes the largest U.S. denomination to officially sanction same-sex relationships. Homosexuality has become a flashpoint at the intersection of religion, family, and politics. A Thorn in the Flesh: How Gay Sexuality is Changing the Episcopal Church tells the story of how homosexuality has been used to further conservative political agendas, both here and abroad. It describes how African and Asian churches have been drawn into a conflict that began in the United States in the Episcopal Church, and raises vital questions of whether people with different understandings of authority and truth can live in harmony. This provocative book is not a history of the movement for gay inclusion, nor a history of the movement for a new, conservative Anglican church in the Americas. Instead, it is a comparison of the conservative and the liberal parts of the church. There are those, such as the Church of England, who have conservative theological orientation and are most likely to oppose fully including gays and lesbians in the church. Hall, also, explores the rapid changes that have happened in Western society in the past fifty years that have led to the acceptance of same-sex marriage and homosexuality. This change has not come easily and even after nearly four decades, gay marriage remains a politically divisive issue in the United States and England.

In this powerful and eye-opening book, Charles Capps writes the true nature of Paul's thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan. You will learn how that sometimes a messenger of Satan may be assigned to you, what that means, and how to be delivered from such an assignment.

"Abide in Me." John 15:4 Do you yearn for life-giving, intimate communion with God? The Abide Bible is designed to help you experience the peace, hope, and growth that comes from encountering the voice and presence of God in Scripture. Every feature in Abide is designed to teach and develop Scripture-engagement habits that help you know the power and spiritual nourishment of abiding in Christ. Created in partnership with Bible Gateway and the Taylor University Center for Scripture Engagement, The Abide Bible's features include articles, book introductions, and practical Scripture engagement prompts based on five ways of engaging deeply with the Bible: Praying Scripture Pattern your prayers after biblical texts, personalizing the prayer and gaining language for the thoughts and emotions you want to express. Picture It Place yourself in a biblical narrative as a bystander or participant in important events. Journaling Focus and reflect on Scripture and its meaning for your life, opening yourself to God's voice as you ponder. Engage Through Art Consider a classic piece of art--photograph, sculpture, painting--and let it deepen your meditations on scriptural truths. Contemplate Follow the church's longstanding practice of reading, meditating on, praying, and contemplating a passage of Scripture in order to experience God's presence through the words of the Bible. Features include: Line-matched, single-column Scripture text Thomas Nelson's exclusive NKJV Comfort Print(R) 9-point type size Smyth-sewn binding lays flat in your hand or on your desk Two satin ribbon markers

Joan Richardson enjoyed the anonymity of being "Joanie" on the contemporary Christian radio show known as Man Alive! The nationally and internationally syndicated program aired for nearly nine years, from 1975-1984. Man Alive! was the tool of God's workmanship as two people, Mike and Joanie, became one through both marriage and ministry. A powerful turning point in her life occurred at a Kathryn Kuhlman meeting in 1974: ..".We stood at our places as she continued, when a deep audible male voice spoke to me. The sound came from behind or above me; not from a man, this was a supernatural moment. He said, 'She is not going to be living much longer; I am going to give you her mantle.' Lacking preparation to hear these words, at first I resisted. I could not accept that the evangelist had not much longer to live. Stunned, I thought, 'How can that be? Of all people, why would God choose me? With my history?' His words astonished me. I nearly heard myself respond, 'No! No!' At the moment, I wasn't sure... was it an angel? Was it the voice of God? Immediately after He spoke, Miss Kuhlman announced, 'I have something to tell you....'" Only those closest to Joan knew her amazing story until now. Though her struggles through life have been great, she has met them with persevering faith. Joan's ongoing and progressive victories over the ravages and devastation of mental illness are inspirational. From start to finish, as you read A Thorn in My Flesh, the God who watches over her will amaze you.

"Besides Jesus, no one has kept me from despair, or taken me deeper into the mysteries of the gospel, than the apostle Paul." —John Piper No one has had a greater impact on the world for eternal good than the apostle Paul—except Jesus himself. For John Piper, this impact is very personal. He does not just admire and trust Paul. He loves him. Piper gives us thirty glimpses into why his heart and mind respond this way. Can a Christian-killer really endure 195 lashes from a heart of love? Can a mystic who thinks he was caught up into heaven be a model of lucid rationality? Can an ethnocentric Jew write the most beautiful call to reconciliation? Can a person who lives with the unceasing anguish of empathy be always rejoicing? Can a man's description of the horrors of human sin be exceeded by his delight in human splendor? Can a man with a backbone of steel be as tender as a nursing mother? If we know this man—if we see what Piper sees—we too will love him. Paul's testimony is a matter of life and death. Piper invites you into his relationship with Paul in the hope that you will know life, forever.

F. F. Bosworth's earnest prayer was that many thousands would learn to apply the promises of God's Word to their lives through his book, Christ the Healer. Bosworth offers an astonishing discussion of healing, based on the premise that Jesus redeemed us from our diseases when he atoned for our sins. This classic on healing, first released in 1924, has sold more than 500,000 copies and continues to enrich and inspire new readers every day. This revised and expanded edition includes a brand-new foreword and epilogue on the remarkable life and healing of the author himself, written by his son.