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Pleasure in Jesus

August 7, 2012

Imagine being able to enjoy what is most enjoyable with unbounded energy and passion forever. This is not now our experience. Three things stand in the way of our complete satisfaction in this world. One is that nothing has a personal worth great enough to meet the deepest longings of our hearts. Another is that we lack the strength to savor the best treasures to their maximum worth. And the third obstacle to complete satisfaction is that our joys here come to an end. Nothing lasts.

But if the aim of Jesus in John 17:26 comes true, all this will change. If God’s pleasure in the Son becomes our pleasure, then the object of our pleasure, Jesus, will be inexhaustible in personal worth. He will never become boring or disappointing or frustrating. No greater treasure can be conceived than the [ … ]

SNEAK PEEK: Greater DVD Participant’s Guide by Steven Furtick

August 6, 2012

Are you ready to open your imagination to the possibility that God has a vision for your life that is greater?

Click here to download the first chapter of Greater DVD Participant’s Guide now.

In the Greater DVD, Pastor Steven Furtick draws on the biblical story of Elisha to empower you to:
• Take a God-given dream from idea to reality
• Stretch your limited resources and abilities in ways you never thought possible
• Replace the images of yourself that keep you feeling stuck in the past
• Make a significant impact with your life starting today, rather than making endless plans for tomorrow that you never get around to

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The Someday Syndrome

August 6, 2012

Someday. One day. When. If. Then it’s over. When are we going to wake up
and realize this is life?

This is your life, right here, right now. Wherever you’re reading this page, feeling whatever you’re feeling, facing whatever you’re experiencing, Someday is right now. We’ll always be tempted to resort to the Someday Syndrome, but this mind-set robs us. Someday, when whatever we’re looking for happens, then we’ll start living. When everything settles down someday, then we can savor life. But things won’t settle down. Once we attain what we think we want—more money, a less hectic schedule, the right job—we’ll soon realize that it doesn’t fulfill us, and we’ll begin looking for the next big thing.

God did not design us simply to stand by and watch life pass as we wonder why we aren’t more fulfilled. [ … ]

SNEAK PEEK: How Nick Vujicic Met His Wife

August 2, 2012

Click here to read Chapter 3 of Nick Vujicic’s book Unstoppable.

There were times in his life when Nick Vujicic – author, motivational speaker, and the director of the nonprofit organization, Life Without Limbs – thought he would never have a wife. But on February 12, 2012 he married the woman of his dreams, Kanae.  In chapter 3 of his book Unstoppable, Nick shares the details of how he and Kanae met and fell in love, as well as encouragement and advice for anyone discouraged by love.

Read Chapter 3 of Unstoppable here.

SNEAK PEEK: Future Grace, Revised Edition by John Piper

August 2, 2012

Explore the stunning quality of God’s grace:  It never ends!

Click here to download chapter one of Future Grace.

In this revision of a foundational work, John Piper reveals how grace is not only God’s undeserved gift to us in the past, but also God’s power to make good happen for us today, tomorrow, and forever.

True life for the follower of Jesus really is a moment-by-moment trust that God is dependable and fulfills his promises.  This is living by faith in future grace, which provides God’s mercy, provision, and wisdom—everything we need—to accomplish his good plans for us.

Click here to download chapter one of Future Grace.

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The God of Change

August 2, 2012

In the everyday circumstances of life, the best choice so often seems to be the new thing—new career, new job, new wife, new car, new home, new city, new start. But our concept of newness goes about as deep as that new car smell—persuasive and delightful, but how long does it last? Invariably, when we want new, we play around with the outside while the inside stays the same.

Yet the outside isn’t the problem.

God doesn’t make all things new by changing the outside. He wants to remake the substance of our lives. When God summons a soul, it’s not a one-time event; He calls us to something new every day. We get all excited about self-improvement, but God doesn’t really seem to be in the improvement business. He prefers to get to the core of the problem. He [ … ]

SNEAK PEEK: The Girl in the Glass by Susan Meissner

August 1, 2012

Renaissance is a word with hope infused in every letter.

Click here to download the first chapter of The Girl  in the Glass now.

Since she was a child, Meg has dreamed of taking a promised trip to Florence, Italy, and being able to finally step into the place captured in a picture at her grandmother’s house. But after her grandmother passes away and it falls to her less-than-reliable father to take her instead, Meg’s long-anticipated travel plans seem permanently on hold.

Click here to download the first chapter of The Girl  in the Glass now.

Joy: A Conscious Choice

August 1, 2012

“Rejoice always.” —1 Thessalonians 5:16 (ESV)

Wow. I began to contemplate the meaning of this verse, as it was clearly a directive from God. In my contemplations, I thought about the fact that a joyful heart and a joyful spirit are clearly important to God, and the word “joy” is mentioned throughout all the books of the Bible. I had always been a “happy” person and generally saw the rosy side of things, but joy is clearly different than happiness. It is not based on circumstances, but on the presence, hope, and promises of God. Even when it feels as if we are being crushed by earthly troubles, we can remain joyful. If we keep our focus on God, our spirit cannot be trampled. Joy is a state of mind and a state of being. It reflects a conscious choice [ … ]