Throughout the centuries, the Letter of James has proved to be an excellent refresher course in what it means to live the Christian life. It is only a few pages long. It can be read out loud in twenty minutes. It is very direct and extremely practical. Several themes run through the Letter of James and make clear what his burden is. He writes about suffering and joy, riches and poverty, faith and works, the tongue and speech, and about wisdom and folly. In a word, he writes about the heart and life of the Christian believer. James's bƒte noire is false and hollow piety; pious platitudes are anathema to him. Faith that does not issue in good works, a holy life, concern for the needy, and a disciplined use of the tongue, is for James no faith at all. As with other volumes in the Let's Study series, the value of Let's Study James is enhanced by the Group Study Guide which follows.

If Romans is, humanly speaking, the most impressive of Paul's letters, then Ephesians is probably the most elegant. In its opening doxology blessings cascade down upon the reader. In its closing verses the smell of the battlefield lies heavily in the air and through the smoke of war we see Christians, fully clad in the armour of spiritual warfare, still standing. From beginning to end Ephesians sets before us the wonder of God's grace, the privilege of belonging to the church, and the pattern of life-transformation the gospel produces. In Let's Study Ephesians Sinclair Ferguson skillfully leads us through this wonderful letter, explaining its teaching with masterful simplicity and showing its importance and relevance to the church today.

Paul's letter to the churches of Galatia seems to burst on the reader like a sudden storm. The issues it raises still generate controversy, even after two thousand years of church history. In large measure this is because what was at stake when Paul wrote was the gospel itself. The question of whether human works were to play any part in the justification of sinners had to be answered clearly if the fledgling Christian movement was to prosper. And Paul was determined to answer it with total clarity. This explains the vigour and energy of his language, and the impact the letter has had down the centuries. Derek Thomas explains the issues dealt with in the letter and refutes the contentions of the so-called 'new perspective' on Paul. His book is an important addition to this expanding series of study guides.

because it is written in a style that appeals to the imagination, deals with people's lives, is easy to read, and wholly enjoyable. Through his narratives Luke portrays Jesus vividly and makes him accessible for anyone who seriously reads his Gospel.

Peter's great themes of grace and salvation in Christ, godly living, and comfort in suffering, echo down the ages to the present day. William Harrell's fresh and lively treatment of 1 Peter shows that these themes are as relevant to the church today as they were in the first century. We, too, need to hear of the greatness of the salvation accomplished by Christ and to heed the call to consecrated and orderly living, to endurance in suffering, and to vigilant service. As with the earlier volumes in this series, the value of the exposition is enhanced by the Group Study Guide which follows. 'The whole unfolding Let's Study series is a must for every Christian home that is serious about getting to know the Word.' Covenanter Witness William W. Harrell is a minister in the Prebyterian Church in America. He has served as the pastor of Immanuel Presbyterian Church in Norfolk, Virginia, from 1981 to the present.

'When John Mark wrote out his "good news" about Jesus two thousand years ago, his Gospel was a completely new kind of book. No one had ever written one before. In fact no one would have known what a Gospel was...What made the Gospel of Mark unique was this: it was not written merely as the memoir of Jesus as a great man, not even as the greatest man who had ever lived. Rather it was meant to persuade its readers that Jesus was the Son of God...Who is Jesus of Nazareth? What is the good news (gospel) about him?...This book presents us with Mark's answer.'

'Given the relationship between Paul and the Thessalonian Christians, it should not surprise us that his letters to them throb with tenderness and care...here, as perhaps nowhere else in his letters, we see how the apostle loved his converts and laboured to lead them on in the faith. This should make every serious Christian, and especially every responsible Chrisitan leader, turn with eagerness to the text of the letters that await us.' From the Introduction by Andrew Young.