Mostrando resultados por "Joy Adamson" en Todas las categorías

These straightforward, short, and profound Advent readings have been edited from talks given by much-loved Bible teacher Dr. R.C. Sproul, helping listeners to benefit from his enduring insight and wisdom. They delve into the details of the Christmas story and reflect on how these impact our lives now, combining scholarly detail with heartwarming application.

The wonder and awe of the Christmas season can easily get overshadowed by lights, tinsel, bows, and paper—not to mention last-minute trips to the mall and visits to the in-laws. In all the hustle and bustle, we often lose sight of what’s most important. This book of daily passages for the month of December by best-selling author Paul David Tripp will help you slow down, prepare your heart, and focus on what matters most: adoring our Savior, Jesus.

Come, let us adore him. This beloved Advent refrain captures the heart of the season. Advent is for adoring Jesus. It is a season of preparation to ready our hearts for the glory of Christmas Day as we celebrate the coming of the eternal God in our frail humanity. These 25 short devotional readings from John Piper aim to help you keep Christ at the center of the Advent season.

Christmas should be a time of joy and celebration. But in the hurriedness of December, sometimes we find ourselves sacrificing a sacred pace for hustle, leaving us feeling more stressed than blessed. What if you approached this Advent more open to the things of God? What if you decided to be expectant that God would move in your midst? What if you made room for the true joy found in the coming of our king?

During Christmas, homes are filled with good food, welcoming family, and lively cheer. Streets are lined with lights and sprinkled with snow. Amid this season of beauty, even Christians can become distracted, keeping Jesus at an unintentional distance. How can Christians effectively prepare their hearts for the arrival of their King and worship him the way he deserves? O Come, O Come, Emmanuel by Jonathan Gibson presents a 40-day devotional liturgy guiding listeners through Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany—helping them keep their eyes fixed on Christ.

Even people who are not professing Christians think they are familiar with the story of the Nativity. Every Christmas, displays of Jesus resting in a manger populate lawns and churchyards, and songs about shepherds and angels fill the air. Yet despite the abundance of these Christian references in popular culture, how many of us have examined the hard edges of this biblical story? Timothy Keller takes listeners on an illuminating journey into the surprising background of the Nativity.

Delight in God’s wonderful gifts of grace with this Advent devotional for Christmas. Just as with opening the doors of an Advent calendar day by day, this Advent devotional will build your anticipation for Christmas so that you can fully absorb and enjoy its central gift—Jesus Christ. Reflecting on a few short verses each day, this devotional examines the wonderful gifts of grace that we receive through the coming of Christ and belief in his gospel.

We are made for community. Deep within the heart of people is a longing to both know others and be known by them, and groups ministry has the opportunity to meet these needs in every church. Groups are an art, not a science. There's no one-size-fits-all formula for designing transformational groups that God uses to mold people into the image of Christ together.

Infertility is the profoundly wounding experience of many couples, often leading to feelings of despair and shame as they grapple with shattered dreams and unanswered questions. But God does not leave them alone in their pain. The Creator and Redeemer of life has not forsaken the infertile, but has called and equipped them to participate in his church, kingdom, and mission.

Let the songs of the first Christmas turn your heart toward God’s glory. During the holidays, the musical tunes of the season are everywhere. Their nostalgic melodies warm our hearts. But, the original Christmas songs are different; they lift our hearts to a holy God. They reveal the greatness, glory, and goodness of our savior. Taking us beyond quaint imagery and feel-good lyrics, the Advent songs of the Bible unfold God’s redemptive plan for the world and his eternal purpose for the ages.

The first Christmas sermon preserved in church history was preached by St. John Chrysostom in AD 386, in which he declared, "Behold a new and wonderful mystery!" In this volume, the Christian literary writers of the Chrysostom Society reflect on Advent and Christmastide as a bright and meaningful season of anticipation and glory. Through forty-two readings from the first Sunday of Advent through Epiphany, contributors prepare us in watchful waiting for the coming of Jesus.

Although arguably one of the simplest aspects of Christianity, prayer is also perhaps the most neglected, overlooked, and malnourished part of the average Christian’s day and life. While praying quickly before food and with a congregation on Sunday and for an ailing relative may be common enough, J. C. Ryle truly, and with palpable heartfelt and genuine care, pushes those of faith to see their lack of serious prayer for the spiritual health crisis that it is.

Music is everywhere at Christmas - chart toppers, carols, children's tunes. Alistair Begg takes us to four songs that were sung by people at the very first Christmas (and his favorite carol). In this short, winsome book, a teenage girl, a respected priest, a group of angels, and an old man bring listeners to the heart of Christmas, showing them the joy and peace that comes from meeting a baby who lay in the food trough and changed eternity.

Christians know that daily Scripture reading is an essential spiritual discipline. But sometimes opening the Bible day in and day out can feel like a burden rather than the joy and gift that it is. Spending even a few minutes reflecting on the truths found within God's word can strengthen your faith, help you resist sin, and inspire you to live for the eternal, unshakable kingdom of God. In the Everyday Gospel devotional, Paul David Tripp provides a roadmap for listeners who want to spend a full year in God's word.

Getting to know that special someone naturally involves learning about family and friends, education and athletics, favorite pastimes, and your hopes and dreams. Ideally, you'll talk about life's best moments and worst, the brightest places in your background and the darkest. But what about God? What is his role in your relationship? What do each of you believe about him, and how do you understand his dream for marriage-for your marriage?