Instruments In The Redeemers Hands

In many ways, the church today has more consumers than committed participants. We see church merely as an event we attend or an organization we belong to, rather than as a calling that shapes our entire life. Many of us would be relieved if God had placed our sanctification in the hands of trained professionals, but that simply is not the biblical model. God's plan is that through the faithful ministry of every part, the whole body will grow to maturity in Christ. All of his children are called into ministry, and each of them needs the daily intervention this ministry provides. God uses people, who need change themselves, as instruments of change in others. Tripp explains how his work follows an "all of my people, all of the time" model. If you followed the Lord for a thousand years, you would still need the ministry of the body of Christ as much as you did the day you first believed. This need will remain until our sanctification is complete in Glory

What does it take for lasting change to take root in your life? If you've ever tried, failed, and wondered what you could do differently, you need to read How People Change. In the book, biblical counseling experts Timothy S. Lane and Paul David Tripp explain the biblical pattern for change in a clear, practical way you can apply to the challenges of daily life. But change involves much more than just a biblical formula: you will see how God is at work to make you the person you were created to be. That powerful, loving, redemptive relationship is at the heart of all positive change you experience. A changed heart is the bright promise of the gospel, but many of us wonder if we'll ever see lasting change take root in our lives. When the Bible talks about the gift of a new heart, it doesn't mean a heart that is immediately perfected, but a heart that is capable of being changed. Jesus's work on the cross targets our hearts, our core desires and motivations, and when our hearts change, our behavior changes. How People Change targets the root of a person: the heart. When our core desires and motivations change, only then will behavior follow. Using a biblical model of Heat, Thorns, Cross, and Fruit, Paul David Tripp and Timothy S. Lane reveal how lasting change is possible. You don't need to be stuck anymore. In Christ, you are a new creation. The old has gone and the new has come. Includes a foreword by David Powlison.

This ebook edition contains artwork adapted from the print edition to fit the digital format. "My hope is that this volume will help you to see the Savior more clearly, to understand his grace more deeply, to confess your struggle more honestly, to worship him more fully, and to find in these meditations the motivation to continue to follow the Savior even when he’s leading you into unexpected and hard places.” —Paul David Tripp Best-selling author Paul David Tripp invites you into his personal reflections on his experience of God’s ever-present grace through the ups and downs of his life. He shares his celebrations, disappointments, cries for help, confessions, and confusions in the form of 120 meditations that were written over many years through various joys and struggles. Vulnerable yet pastoral and wise, these meditations in the form of verse showcase how God’s amazing grace intersects with the mundane, unexpected, messy, and beautiful moments of everyday life.

Everyone needs help from time to time, especially in the midst of painful circumstances and difficult trials. In this short book, a highly respected biblical counselor and successful author offers practical guidance for all Christians—pastors and laypeople alike—who want to develop their “helping skills” when it comes to walking alongside hurting people. Written out of the conviction that friends are the best helpers, this accessible introduction to biblical counseling will equip believers to share their burdens with one another through gentle words of wisdom and kind acts of love. This book is written for those eager to see God use ordinary relationships and conversations between ordinary Christians to work extraordinary miracles in the lives of his people.

The architects of the sexual revolution won over the popular imagination because they knew the power of story. They drew together radical new ideologies, often complex and hard to grasp, and melded them into the simpler structure of narrative. Crucially, they cast narratives that appealed to the moral instincts of ordinary, decent people. This moral vision overwhelmed the church and silenced its faltering apologists. The author argues that if Christians still believe they have have good news in the sphere of sexual ethics, then two big tasks lie ahead. Our first priority is to work out what has gone so badly wrong, both in our understanding and application of what the Bible teaches and the way we have presented our case to the non-churched. And then we must offer a better story, one that fires the imagination with such force that people will say, 'I want that to be true.' This book offers a confident, biblically rooted moral vision which needs to be shared with prayer and courage.

Gain a knowledge of counseling methods that are practical and consistent with Christian theological convictions. What do the Scriptures say about counseling? What is the biblical basis for using Scriptures in counseling? What does it mean to think biblically about counseling-related issues? At the root of this book is the confidence that Christ and his Word are not only sufficient for effectively handling the personal and interpersonal challenges of life but are superior to the resources found in the world. The practice of psychological counseling is a ministry and should not belong only to the realm of humanistic and secular theories of the mind. Written to pastors, elders, deacons, seminary students, and laypeople; well-known pastor John MacArthur and contributors present a system of biblical truth that brings together people, their problems, and the living God. This kind of counseling is based on the convictions that: God's Word should be our counseling authority. Counseling is a part of the basic discipling ministry of the local church. God's people can and should be trained to counsel effectively. Counseling: How to Counsel Biblically provides biblical guidelines to counsel people who are struggling. The contributors represent some of America's leading biblical teachers and counselors, including: Ken L. Sarles, David Powlison, Douglas Bookman, David B. Maddox, Robert Smith, William W. Goode, and Dennis M. Swanson.

The Left Hand of God by Paul Hoffman is the gripping first instalment in a remarkable trilogy. "Listen. The Sanctuary of the Redeemers on Shotover Scarp is named after a damned lie for there is no redemption that goes on there and less sanctuary." The Sanctuary of the Redeemers is a vast and desolate place - a place without joy or hope. Most of its occupants were taken there as boys and for years have endured the brutal regime of the Lord Redeemers whose cruelty and violence have one singular purpose - to serve in the name of the One True Faith. In one of the Sanctuary's vast and twisting maze of corridors stands a boy. He is perhaps fourteen or fifteen years old - he is not sure and neither is anyone else. He has long-forgotten his real name, but now they call him Thomas Cale. He is strange and secretive, witty and charming, violent and profoundly bloody-minded. He is so used to the cruelty that he seems immune, but soon he will open the wrong door at the wrong time and witness an act so terrible that he will have to leave this place, or die. His only hope of survival is to escape across the arid Scablands to Memphis, a city the opposite of the Sanctuary in every way: breathtakingly beautiful, infinitely Godless, and deeply corrupt. But the Redeemers want Cale back at any price... not because of the secret he now knows but because of a much more terrifying secret he does not. The Left Hand of God is a must read. It is the first instalment in a gripping trilogy by Paul Hoffman. Imagine if Phillip Pullman's His Dark Materials met Umberto Eco's Name of the Rose. Fans of epic heroic fiction will love this series. Praise for Paul Hoffman: 'This book gripped me from the first chapter and then dropped me days later, dazed and grinning to myself' Conn Iggulden 'Tremendous momentum' Daily Telegraph 'A cult classic . . .' Daily Express

Updated with Discussion Questions and Two Bonus Chapters When you say “I do,” you begin the journey of a lifetime— and you have dreams of that journey being perfect. But it won’t take long for expectations of the perfect marriage to fade away in the struggles of everyday life. A long-term, vibrant marriage needs to be grounded in something sturdier than romance—it needs the life-changing power of the gospel. In this rebranded edition of What Did You Expect?, popular author and pastor Paul David Tripp encourages couples to make six biblical commitments to the Lord and to one another. These commitments, which include a lifestyle of confession and forgiveness, building trust, and appreciating differences, will equip couples to cultivate thriving, joy-filled marriages built on Christ.

Good and Angry, a groundbreaking book from David Powlison, shows readers how anger is more than a problem to solve. Anger is our complex human response to what we perceive as wrong in a complex world, thus we must learn how to fruitfully and honestly deal with it. Powlison undertakes an in-depth exploration of the roots of anger, moral judgment, and righteous response by looking in a surprising place: God’s own anger. Good and Angry examines God’s desire for justice and his anger, which doesn’t devolve into manipulation. Rather, God’s anger is good and redemptive, and it causes him to step into our world to make wrongs right, sending his own Son to die so we can be reconciled. In this book full of practical and biblical help, Powlison sets readers on a path toward a faithful and fruitful expression of anger, in which we return good for evil and redeem wrongs. Powlison investigates how God is our model for change and our power for change. Good and Angry helps people who struggle with irritation, complaining, or bitterness explore how to respond constructively when life goes wrong. You, your family, and your friends will all be glad that you read this book.

How do you love with no love in return? How do you love when no one notices or cares? Best-selling author Paul Miller tackles these tough questions at the heart of our struggle to love head-on. Drawing from the book of Ruth, A Loving Life offers the help we need to embrace relationship, endure rejection, cultivate community, and reach out to even the most unlovable around us as we discover the power to live a loving life.

The Soul of the Apostolate was the favorite book of Pope St. Pius X. This book shows how prayer is the soul of every apostolic work and is absolutely critical for apostolic success. Explores all the proved methods of developing and maintaining the interior life amid the bustle of daily activity. This excellent book will help you to understand the economy of salvation, as well as the many dead-ends that we fallen creatures tend to follow. A critically important introduction to the spiritual life! This important book has been recommended by Pope St. Pius X and his successor, Pope Benedict XV. Pope St. Pius X said, "If you desire that God should bless your apostolate and make it fruitful, undertake everything for His glory, saturate yourself and your devoted fellow-workers with the spirit of Jesus Christ, animating yourself and them with an intense interior life. To this end, I can offer you no better guide than The Soul of the Apostolate by Dom Chautard, Cistercian Abbot. I warmly recommend this book to you, as I value it very highly, and have myself made it my bedside book."

Paul David Tripp expertly traverses the deepest recesses of the human heart and compassionately invites fellow Christian travelers to journey with him into God's bigger kingdom. Readers will be encouraged, excited, and motivated by hope as they learn how to set aside their "little kingdom" attachments—which can expertly masquerade within the church as Christian activism, legalism, emotionalism, formalism, creedalism, and externalism—in favor of God's expansive and soul-freeing eternal quest. Tripp demonstrates through sound, biblical principles how humanity is made by God to transcend far beyond the mere physical realm, and humans are likewise created to be "glory junkies;" those whose visionary lives are governed by God's grand purposes rather than existing only within their narrow, self-interested confines. Tripp shows Christians how to "transcend" through daily, moment-by-moment practical methodology that transforms individuals into the image of Christ. Within this purpose-driven framework, Paul David Tripp compels believers to see beyond the worldly deception of personal achievement, success, materialism to break free from this ungodly fulfillment that is too easily satisfied with a mediocre walk with Christ. Instead the author invites committed sojourners to a life characterized by an unyielding passion that pursues God simply for the pleasure of his glorious company and, in the process, affect eternal change in a hurting, hopeless world.

Change doesn't happen overnight for the Christian. Growth is a lifelong journey. In the How People Change Facilitator's Guide, Paul Tripp and Tim Lane help group leaders guide participants in understanding the underlying motivations for their actions, giving them specific, practical help in changing long-standing patterns of behavior in order to grow in love for God and others. Each of the twelve lessons includes directions on how to guide a small group through the study guide, extra content, homework discussion, relational application, illustrations, group discussion guide, and "Make It Real" life applications. Designed to be used along with the How People Change Study Guide and video seminar, this small group study can be used in church-wide training, small group, Sunday school, youth group, or one-on-one discipleship settings.

The series Beihefte zur Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft (BZAW) covers all areas of research into the Old Testament, focusing on the Hebrew Bible, its early and later forms in Ancient Judaism, as well as its branching into many neighboring cultures of the Ancient Near East and the Greco-Roman world.

The here and now is simply not able to bear the weight of our expectations. We’ve lost an eternal perspective, and it hurts us every day. Job disappointment, relationship struggles, and quiet feelings of disillusionment all signal that something is not quite right. Life only makes sense when you realize that all of the situations, locations, and relationships of your life were not designed to be a final resting place for your hopes and dreams, but tools of preparation for a destination to come. Living without eternity puts pressure on the here and now to be what it cannot be and to deliver what it cannot deliver. Countless people deal daily with the frustration of a life that has no “forever.” In Jesus Christ the hope of eternity is restored and, with it, a radical new way of understanding and facing the normal struggles of life in a world broken and waiting for restoration.

Every honest Christian knows the need for change. But how to get there? How do young adults move forward from struggles both big and small? And how does our faith in God affect our everyday thoughts, feelings, and actions? In this six-session small group resource for students, participants have the opportunity to reflect on one particular area in their lives and then to learn more about how God changes us to become more like Jesus. All of us struggle to love God and those around us, but God has promised to keep working on us. And God always keeps his promises. The change his gospel produces will make your life and your relationships truly beautiful. This self-contained resource with leader's notes will encourage small group participants to understand and apply a biblical view of change to their lives and relationships. Real Change for Students is based on the CCEF model of change from David Powlison's course, Dynamics of Biblical Change. The easy-to-use six lesson format and included leader's guide encourages students toward an honest discussion of their own struggles while providing an understanding of how a relationship with Christ brings change. Topics addressed include understanding how we typically respond to trouble and pressure; how the cross of Christ brings comfort, help, and change; and how we can grow to be like Christ in the hardest circumstances. Within this small group resource are biblical insights, discussion questions, and a personal change project to help young adults seeking to change negative patterns and live by faith in all circumstances. While the study material is designed for young adults within small groups, it can also be used for one-to-one discipleship study. Rooted in Scripture, Real Change for Students draws on the established CCEF "Three Threes" model of change in simplified form to help young adults better understand biblical change and grow to be more like Jesus in everyday life. *Note: The homework for each session is available for download here should students wish to share it with the leader.

The epic story of Thomas Cale—introduced so memorably in The Left Hand of God—continues as the Redeemers use his prodigious gifts to further their sacred goal: the extinction of humankind and the end of the world... To the warrior-monks known as the Redeemers, “the last four things” represent the culmination of a faithful life. Death. Judgment. Heaven. Hell. The last four things represent eternal bliss—or endless destruction, permanent chaos, and infinite pain. Perhaps nowhere are the competing ideas of heaven and hell exhibited more clearly than in the dark and tormented soul of Thomas Cale. Betrayed by the girl he loves but still marked by a child’s innocence, possessed of a remarkable aptitude for violence but capable of extreme tenderness, Cale will lead the Redeemers into a battle for nothing less than the fate of the human race. And though his broken heart foretells the bloody trail he will leave in pursuit of a personal peace he can never achieve, a glimmer of hope remains—the question even Cale can’t answer: When it comes time to decide the fate of the world, to ensure the extermination of humankind or spare it, what will he choose? To express God’s will on the edge of his sword, or to forgive his fellow man—and himself?

Relationships are messy. In this deeply insightful book by Paul David Tripp and Timothy S. Lane, readers are presented with the power of grace to redeem and restore relationships. Through straightforward language, the authors walk through the relational disappointments we all suffer by offering deep, Christ-centered thought and broad counseling experience. Relationships dwells on fresh hope and practical answers, exposing deeper issues that keep relationships less than they are designed to be. Christ showed us nothing matters more to God than how we love one another, yet so many of us settle for too little in our relationships. This invaluable resource convincingly testifies God's power to restore relationships by working within the following: Resolving conflicts Turning tough conversations to positive conversations Expressing and sharing real love that comes from forgiveness; Maturing casual relationships into deep friendships Applauding strengths instead of dwelling on weaknesses Making way for honesty without being mean or unkind Rather than presenting new or sophisticated techniques to make relationships flourish, the authors instead focus on the basic character qualities that can only be formed in the heart by the gospel. This book is not a simplistic how-to manual on relationships, offering lists to check off from theoretical procedures based on someone else's idea of a model relationship. Rather, it is about the life-changing work of Christ and the power and wisdom God graciously uses to redeem relationships. We are called to be people of great character so when we do come in contact with the world, our character shapes and influences those around us. Even though relationships are messy, God uses them to rescue us from ourselves.

Teenage hassles that disrupt parents? lives? Or prime opportunities to connect with, listen to, and nurture our kids? Paul Tripp uncovers the heart issues affecting parents and their teenagers during the often chaotic adolescent years. With wit, wisdom, humility, and compassion, he shows parents how to seize the countless opportunities to deepen communication, learn, and grow with their teenagers.

One of the greatest and best-loved spokesmen for the Faith here sets out the Church's beautiful understanding of marriage in his trademark clear and entertaining style. Frankly and charitably, Sheen presents the causes of and solutions to common marital crises, and tells touching real-life stories of people whose lives were transformed through marriage. He emphasizes that our Blessed Lord is at the center of every successful and loving marriage. This is a perfect gift for engaged couples, or for married people as a fruitful occasion for self-examination.