Showing results by publisher "Zondervan" in Religion & Spirituality

“I want to believe, I want to have hope, but....” Pastor and author Craig Groeschel hears these words often and has asked them himself. We want to know God, feel his presence, and trust that he hears our prayers, but in the midst of great pain, we may wonder if he really cares about us. Even when we have both hope and hurt, sometimes it’s the hurt that shouts the loudest. Can God be good when life is not? You long to know that even in overwhelming reality, you can still believe that God is good.

You are NOT who you think you are. In fact, according to best-selling author Craig Groeschel in Altar Ego, you need to take your idea of your own identity, lay it down on the altar, and sacrifice it. Give it to God. Offer it up. Why? Because you are who God says you are. And until you’ve sacrificed your broken concept of your identity, you won’t become who you are meant to be. When we place our false labels and self-deception on the altar of God’s truth, we discover who we really are as his sons and daughters.

A candid companion to the best-selling guide for women, The Good Guy's Guide to Great Sex gives you suggestions for a fulfilling sex life for both you and your wife, whether you're just starting out or simply want to make your sex life what you've always hoped it would be and aren't sure how to get there.

In Reclaimed, author and cultural critic Andy Steiger explores the trend toward dehumanization that underlies our fraught times. People on both sides of the political aisle and from all walks of life share a deep desire for better understanding, justice, and human dignity. Yet we're uncertain how to achieve these aims. Steiger points to Jesus as the basis for rediscovering our common ground and our shared humanity.

Most pastors and leaders are godly, wonderful people that don't abuse their sheep. They shepherd their flocks gently and patiently. But we can't ignore the growing number who do not. We need gentle shepherds now more than ever, and in Bully Pulpit, seminary president and biblical scholar Michael J. Kruger offers a unique perspective for both church leaders and church members on the problem of spiritual abuse, how to spot it, and how to handle it in the church.

For decades, cold-case homicide detective J. Warner Wallace investigated the causes behind deaths and murders, chasing one lead after another for months as he attempted to solve the case. Several of these cases remain open, unsolved mysteries.

We all need more energy, the vitality that helps us stay motivated, focused and productive in life. We know we receive energy from good nutrition, along with working out, adequate sleep and maintaining positivity. But there is another major source for the energy we need: having the right kinds of relationships with others. Not the ones that drain us, but the ones that refuel us.

Best-selling author and former atheist Lee Strobel investigates the nettlesome issues and doubts of the heart that threaten faith, including doubt, the problem of pain, and the existence of evil. This updated edition features two all-new chapters, an updated list of recommended resources for further study, and a new discussion guide.

Safe People will help you discover why good people can get tangled in bad relationships, how to avoid repeating your own mistakes, and how to pick safe, healthy people for the friends you make and the company you keep. In Safe People, Drs. Henry Cloud and John Townsend teach you that being with an unsafe person can be damaging to your confidence, your trust in others, and even your health. You'll learn that you have the power to surround yourself with accepting, honest, and safe people who draw you closer to being the person God intended you to be.

From best-selling author and counselor Dr. John Townsend, Boundaries with Teens is the expert insight and guidance you need to help your teens take responsibility for their actions, attitudes, and emotions and gain a deeper appreciation and respect both for you and for themselves.

Pause for a moment and ask yourself what your life would be like if it were completely without fear? If you did not fear death. If you did not fear life and what it might bring. If you did not fear any man, or woman, or any living creature. Would you live differently? In this unique work of never-before-published teaching, Dallas Willard revolutionizes our understanding of Psalm 23 by taking this comfortably familiar passage and revealing its extraordinary promises: "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.... I will fear no evil."

Your 40-day guide to experiencing more passionate, persistent, intimate communication with God. Do you pray as often and as bravely as you want to? Are you looking to strengthen your relationship with God and experience a deeper, more intentional prayer life? Mark Batterson, New York Times best-selling author of The Circle Maker, is here to teach you all about a new, life-changing way to pray. There's a way for all of us to experience a deeper, more passionate, persistent, and intimate prayer life.

Birmingham, Alabama, has lost all power. Its streets are jammed with cars that won’t start, and its airport is engulfed in flames from burning planes. All communications—cell phones, computers, even radios—are silent. Every home and business is dark. Is it a natural disaster, a terrorist attack, or something far worse?

Deep within you lies the same faith and longing that sent Peter walking across the wind-swept Sea of Galilee toward Jesus. In what ways is the Lord telling you, as he did Peter, "Come"? Out on the risky waters of faith, Jesus is waiting to meet you in ways that will change you forever, deepening your character and your trust in God. The experience is terrifying. It's thrilling beyond belief. It's everything you'd expect of someone worthy to be called Lord.

Best-selling author Philip Yancey tackles questions Christians often wonder but seldom ask aloud. In his illuminating exploration, he uncovers true, real, and lasting hope in the midst of your darkness that will produce an even stronger faith than you had before.

Successful people confront well. They know that setting healthy boundaries improves relationships and can solve important problems. They have discovered that uncomfortable situations can be avoided or resolved through direct conversation. But most of us don't know how to have difficult conversations, and we see confrontation as scary or adversarial.

Many pastors struggle to translate their theological beliefs into fruitful ministry in the places they are called to reach. It’s not enough to simply know what to believe (theology), or on the other hand, how to do ministry (methodology) - they need something in between. They need help thinking about ministry in a culture that no longer believes Christianity is a force for good, let alone the source of ultimate revealed truth in the person of Christ.

Here is a portrait of Jesus that in some ways will affirm what traditional Christianity has always understood about him...and, in other ways, upend it altogether. Award-winning author Mark Clark delves into the person and work of Jesus of Nazareth: his parables and miracles, his controversial challenge of discipleship and obedience, his seemingly insane claim to be God, and what his death and resurrection (if they did happen) actually mean.

What if we actually have the ability to break free from the pitfalls of impulsive decisions and develop positive, godly habits? What if becoming the person you want to be starts now, before you make a decision? Craig Groeschel—author of Winning the War in Your Mind—will empower you to put into action seven life-defining pre-decisions that will help you overcome the daily temptations, distractions, and influences that constantly bombard us.

In this updated and expanded edition of Sacred Pathways, Gary Thomas details nine spiritual temperaments and - like the Enneagram and other tools do with personality - encourages you to investigate the ways you most naturally express yourself in your relationship with God. He encourages you to dig into the traits, strengths, and pitfalls in your devotional approach so you can eliminate the barriers that keep you locked into rigid methods of worship and praise.