Recommendations based on "Lord, Give Me a Heart for You"

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The author of The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry calls us to rediscover the path that leads to a deeper life with God.“One of the most important books I have read in a decade . . . If we would all follow in this way, our lives would change and the world would change.”—Jennie Allen, author of Get Out of Your Head and Find Your PeopleWe are constantly being formed by the world around us. To be formed by Jesus will require us to become his apprentice.To live by what the first Christian disciples called a Rule of Life—a set of practices and relational rhythms that slow us down and open up space in our daily lives for God to do what only God can do—transforms the deepest parts of us to become like him.This introduction to spiritual formation is full of John Mark Comer’s trademark mix of theological substance and cultural insight as well as practical wisdom on developing your own Rule of Life.These ancient practices have much to offer us. By learning to rearrange our days, we can follow the Way of Jesus. We can be with him. Become like him. And do as he did.

The Heart of the Story will help you see God’s Word in a new and inspiring light. In the Bible’s seemingly disconnected stories, you’ll discover one grand, unfolding epic – God’s story from Genesis onward – and your own life-story contained within it.“To understand the Bible,” says author and pastor Randy Frazee, “you need bifocal lenses, because two perspectives are involved. The Lower Story, our story, is actually many stories of men and women interacting with God in the daily course of life. The Upper Story is God’s story, the tale of his great, overarching purpose that fits all the individual stories together like panels in one unified mural.”In this new edition, Randy dives deeper in the Upper and Lower stories and shows how both perspectives will open your eyes to the richness and relevance of the Bible. Illuminating God’s master-plan from Genesis to our daily lives, The Heart of the Story will encourage you to experience the joy that comes from aligning your stories with God’s.

From the revered teacher and bestselling author of such classic Christian works as Mere Christianity and The Screwtape Letters comes a collection that gathers the best of C. S. Lewis’s practical advice on how to embody a Christian life. The most famous adherent and defender of Christianity in the twentieth century, C. S. Lewis has long influenced our perceptions and understanding of the faith. More than fifty years after his death, Lewis’s arguments remain extraordinarily persuasive because they originate from his deep insights into the Christian life itself. Only an intellectual of such profound faith could form such cogent and compelling reasons for its truth. How to Be a Christian brings together the best of Lewis’s insights on Christian practice and its expression in our daily lives. Cultivated from his many essays, articles, and letters, as well as his classic works, this illuminating and thought-provoking collection provides practical wisdom and direction Christians can use to nurture their faith and become more devout disciples of Christ. By provoking readers to more carefully ponder their faith, How to Be a Christian can help readers forge a deeper understanding of their personal beliefs and what is means to be a Christian, and strengthen their profound relationship with God.

For years, Christians have argued, debated, and fought one another while "speaking the truth in love," yet we are no closer to the grace-filled life Jesus modeled. Biblical scholar and popular podcast host of The Bible for Normal People, Jared Byas casts a new vision for the Christian life that's built not on certainty, but on the risk of love.A biblically-based Christian life is not grounded in having all the answers but in a living relationship. This ultimately shifts our focus from collecting the "right" answers to loving others deeply and authentically. With stories and insights drawn from his years as a pastor, professor, and podcast host, Jared Byas calls us back to the heart of the Bible: that truth is only true when it's lived out in love.In a refreshing voice that's both witty and profoundly revelatory, Jared unpacks the concept of truth, its meaning, and why we so often fight over it. He makes a compelling case for how what we believe is less important than how we believe it and that, more than anything else, telling the truth in love is about following Jesus.For anyone who has ever felt forced to choose between truth and love, acceptance and rightness, this book offers a path forward beyond truth wars and legalistic religion to a love that matters more.

How do art and faith intersect? How does art help us see our own lives more clearly? What can we understand about God and humanity by looking at the lives of artists?Striving for beauty, art also reveals what is broken. It presents us with the tremendous struggles and longings common to the human experience. And it says a lot about our Creator too. Great works of art can speak to the soul in a unique way.Rembrandt Is in the Wind is an invitation to discover some of the world's most celebrated artists and works and how each of them illuminates something about God, people, and the purpose of life. Part art history, part biblical study, part philosophy, and part analysis of the human experience, this book is nonetheless all story.From Michelangelo to Vincent van Gogh to Edward Hopper, the lives of the artists in this book illustrate the struggle of living in this world and point to the beauty of the redemption available to us in Christ. Each story is different. Some conclude with resounding triumph while others end in struggle. But all of them raise important questions about humanity's hunger and capacity for glory, and all of them teach us to love and see beauty."The artists featured in these pages—artists who devoted their lives and work to what is good, true, and beautiful—remind us that we can, and should, do the same." —Karen Swallow Prior, author of On Reading Well

WINNER OF ECPA’S CHRISTIAN BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD • NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The author of The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry calls us to rediscover the path that leads to a deeper life with God. “One of the most important books I have read in a decade . . . If we would all follow in this way, our lives would change and the world would change.”—Jennie Allen, author of Get Out of Your Head and Find Your People We are constantly being formed by the world around us. To be formed by Jesus will require us to become his apprentice. To live by what the first Christian disciples called a Rule of Life—a set of practices and relational rhythms that slow us down and open up space in our daily lives for God to do what only God can do—transforms the deepest parts of us to become like him. This introduction to spiritual formation is full of John Mark Comer’s trademark mix of theological substance and cultural insight as well as practical wisdom on developing your own Rule of Life. These ancient practices have much to offer us. By learning to rearrange our days, we can follow the Way of Jesus. We can be with him. Become like him. And do as he did.

Central to the Christian life is the practice of prayer. But what, theologically speaking, is going on when we pray? What does prayer have to do with religious belief and action? Does prayer make a difference? Prayer: A Guide for the Perplexed addresses these and other key questions regarding the Christian theology of prayer. Beginning with Evagrius of Ponticus's 'On Prayer', Ashley Cocksworth finds in this early document a profound expression of the 'integrity' of the experience of prayer and theological thought. Seeking throughout to integrate systematic theology and the spirituality of prayer, individual chapters explore the meaning of some of the core doctrines of lived Christian faith – the Trinity, creation, providence, and the Christian life – as they relate to the practice of prayer. Complete with an annotated bibliography of sources on prayer to promote further reading, this volume appeals to academics and general readers alike.

Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins forever changed the world of publishing with their phenomenal Left Behind series, which has sold more than 65 million copies. Now they are teaming up again to bring to life the glorious, dramatic story of Jesus Christ, told through the eyes of the Gospel writers— Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. What Left Behind did for the Book of Revelation, The Jesus Chronicles will do for the Gospels. Luke never met Jesus. Unlike the other Gospel writers, he never witnessed Jesus perform miracles or heard Him impart the Word that healed the souls of so many. No, his was a belief built on faith alone, like that of believers today. And his Gospel, filled with the stories of the LordÂ's divinity, speaks to the hearts of Christians everywhere. In LukeÂ's Story, we follow him as he rises from Greek slave to university-educated physician. Along the way, he meets Saul of Tarsus, a formidable Hebrew debater who becomes both LukeÂ's role model and greatest competitor. Luke is intrigued but skeptical when he hears tales of a man named Jesus who purportedly performs great miracles of healing. But the dramatic story of the conversion and redemption of Saul, now called Paul, and the miraculous healing of one of his own patients by prayer, irreversibly changes LukeÂ's spiritual life. He pledges himself to Christ and makes the life-changing choice to write a Gospel based on years of interviewing believers about their conversions and listening to stories of the LordÂ's life from those who knew Him—most important, His mother, Mary. Luke wrote his Gospel to appeal to women, nonbelievers, and the disenfranchised. The result is scripture rich in the miraculous stories of Jesus that touches people all over the world today.

When the Hits Just Keep On Comin’ There are small hits: The car won’t start. You lose something valuable. It’s raining on your five-hundred-person outdoor event. And there are big hits: She’s diagnosed with cancer. You’re being laid off. They’re getting divorced. Regardless of magnitude, each trial causes us to ask, “Lord, do you really care?” Tony Evans bases his resounding, “Yes, He does!” on a thorough analysis of John 11. While interacting with Martha and Mary, who were reeling from news of their brother’s death, Jesus’ words and actions have much to say to us today. Before, during, or after you’re assaulted by doubt, pain, confusion, disappointment, or grief, this powerful book will help you zero in on Christ to ensure that no crisis of any kind will ever shipwreck your faith. “I Need a Miracle.” You’re in over your head. The hits just keep coming. Maybe you could handle this if you knew God cared. But right now? Well…you’re not really sure. Catastrophe, sickness, loss, and other unexpected trials and setbacks can make you doubt that God is good or wants your best. But He is good. And He does care. Tony Evans reveals this truth in a new way through an eye-opening study of John 11. As you delve into the miracle of Jesus raising his friend Lazarus from the dead, you will find a pointed message for your own life and specific circumstances. Lingering, crippling doubts, fears, and disappointments have no rightful place in your life. Look up and take heart. God really does care. More than you could begin to imagine. INSIDE LEFT FLAP “Wake up, O L ord !... Why do you ignore our suffering and oppression?” —Psalm 44: 23-24 Questioning God is nothing new. Since biblical times men and women have entertained doubts about His heart, His attentiveness, and His intentions. We demand answers to our cries of Why, God? and How long do I have to endure this? God is not put off or intimidated by your questions. He wants you to be real with Him. But He also wants to be real with you. And that means assuring you that He cares. In hard times and sickness, in fear and confusion, in pain and disappointment. It matters not what you face, but, rather, whom you choose to face. As you seek His comfort, you’ll also find His challenge. Jesus cares too much to leave you where you’re at. So the question is yours to answer: Will you believe Him for life beyond what you’ve ever experienced? Story Behind the Book As senior pastor of the 7,000-member Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship, Tony Evans knows when his flock is struggling, he knows the Truth, and he knows how to convey it in a life-changing way. This book is based on a series of messages that he originally gave in 2004 entitled, “Lord, Do You Really Care?” Combining it with another series he delivered on “The Caring Christian” in 2003, this book makes the powerful compassion of Christ applicable to any believer struggling with any crisis.

Philip Yancey probes the very heartbeat of our relationship with God: prayer. What is prayer? Does it change God's mind or ours or both? This book is an invitation to communicate with God the Father who invites us into an eternal partnership through prayer. Polls reveal that 90 percent of people pray. Yet prayer, which should be the most nourishing and uplifting time of the believer's day, can also be frustrating, confusing, and fraught with mystery. Writing as a fellow pilgrim, bestselling author of What's So Amazing About Grace? Philip Yancey probes such questions as: Is God listening? What should I pray for? If God knows everything, what's the point of prayer? If my prayers go unanswered, is there something wrong with my faith? Why does God sometimes seem close and sometimes seem far away? How can I make prayer more satisfying? In this powerful classic of spiritual insight and investigation, Yancey tackles the tough questions about the mystery of prayer and, in the process, comes up with a fresh new approach to this timeless topic. "I have learned to pray as a privilege, not a duty," writes Yancey, and he invites you to join him on this all-important journey.