Christian Books | Spirit & Truth

Language is a foundational building block that helps us relate to, communicate with, and understand the temporal and spiritual realities around us. This 52-week devotional explores crucial words and terms—and the truths they evoke—that help shape our lives and faith. This includes how they are used in Scripture, how we relate to them today, and how living by the godly principles behind these words can help us become better followers of Jesus Christ.

God is the greatest Author, and the words He chose to communicate with us are vital, tangible pulses within the Body of Christ. Join us for a year of meditating on the words from His Word in Words of Life!

God's Perfect Plan Sneak Peek

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It has often been said that being in a relationship with God is not a goal we attain or some destination we reach, but a journey that lasts our whole lives. This 52-week devotional is a portrayal of that God-led expedition, using explorations of Scripture, life experiences, and guided prayer to help illuminate the path.

The trek of life, however long it lasts, requires trust in a faithful God during the highs and the lows. Join us for a year of inspired traveling with Him through Journeys in Faith”!

We can find the inspiration to live for God and to see His influence in the world and in our lives through countless ways and means – even where we might not think to look! The purpose of this 52-week devotional is to encourage, inspire, and motivate you to pursue God’s presence and be mindful of His ways through anecdotes, Scripture, and guided prayer. God tells us that we will find Him if we seek Him with our whole heart. Join us for a year of seeking Him through Lessons Lived Out!

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Our peace is that we can work heartily unto the Lord now, knowing from reading the last chapter that we win! We believe that you will appreciate the perspective with which this challenging subject is approached, and we hope that you will find this presentation an accurate representation of God’s heart as it is revealed in His Word.

This 6-hour seminar provides information about the Creation – Evolution Controversy, showing that evolution, as defined in the seminar, is a religion and not a science. This conclusion is reached by examining a range of scientific perspectives. The arguments for evolution and creation are examined by comparing the beliefs of both models with the data in the world around us. The information presented should put an end to any confusion that a Christian may have about evolution while increasing their trust in the Biblical record of creation.

We believe that there is such a thing as absolute truth. We also believe that the very concept of absolute truth is under attack. Truth Matters is a series of teachings, by Dan Gallagher, in which he examines the existence of truth, seeks to discover what truth is, and learns what it means to walk in the light of truth.

Many Christians believe that when they die, they immediately go to heaven to be with Jesus. This seminar is designed to provide freedom in knowing what truly happens when we die. To understand the true nature of death, we must look to Scripture, not to religious traditions or worldly cultures. Scripture verses taken out of context over the years have led to the erroneous conclusion that the soul lives on after death. This seminar illustrates the biblical truth concerning death and resurrection.

A 26-hour presentation designed to give you a scope and understanding of the chronology and important events of the Old Testament, which is the foundation for understanding the New Testament.

As such, the teachings are full of practical keys to Christian living today. Genesis through Malachi is the same training manual that shaped the life of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Much biblical geography, customs, culture and history is set forth as many biblical characters come to life in this dynamic teaching.

This seminar presents the fundamentals of Christian beliefs and behaviors, as well as instruction in how to understand the Bible. “New Life in Christ” is a springboard for a new Christian to establish a basis in the blessings and responsibilities of being God’s child. The seminar closes with a prayer that encapsulates the point of the class, Philippians 1:9: “…that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight so that you may be able to discern what is best…to the glory and praise of God.”

Since its components began to be officially codified at the Council of Nicea in 325 AD, the “Trinity” has been a topic that has caused great confusion and uncertainty for many truth-seeking Christians. This seminar, by Don Snedeker, is filled with fascinating quotes from many Christians through the centuries who recognized that the Trinity has no biblical basis, and who stood firm against opposition and persecution for not believing it. Don aptly shows how critical it is for Christians to truly understand who Jesus Christ really is and what is his relationship to God, not only so they can make a rational defense of our faith, but so they can experience a relationship with God similar to that which Jesus had.

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Most Christians are blissfully unaware of the bloody history of water baptism, and that Christians have murdered other Christians for baptizing people the wrong way. But is there a right way to baptize? In this book, John Schoenheit examines the historic roots of baptism, and shows why, by the time of John the Baptist, baptism was an accepted practice in ancient Israel. He also examines the history of baptism in the Church, and shows the reasons why some people believe immersion is the correct method of baptism, while other people believe pouring or sprinkling is the preferred method. Also, he explains that water baptism was symbolic and pointed to a greater reality. Animal sacrifice pointed to the greater reality of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and similarly, the prophets, John the Baptist, and even Jesus, taught that water baptism pointed to the greater reality of baptism in the spirit. This book is more than simply a historic study. It reveals the heart of God in the water rituals of the Old Testament, the baptisms of John, Jesus, and the early Church, and then brings us into our modern times and shows what is acceptable, and what we should expect to see regarding baptism in our churches today.

“People” magazine, and many others, owe their successful existence to the fact that we human beings like to know about other people. Readers enjoy stories about famous (and even not so famous) people. The Bible is full of people whose lives, and even thoughts, are open before us. All of the drama of life is set before us in the Bible: love and hate, laughter and despair, hope and fear. The better we know the people of the Bible, the more interesting it is, the more fun it is to read, and the more we can learn as we read it. But the people of the Bible lived in a culture that was very different from ours. If we are going to know the people of the Bible, indeed, if we are going to understand the Bible itself, it is imperative that we learn something about the manners and customs of biblical times.

Imagine trying to understand modern culture without knowing how we dressed, what we ate, where we lived, and about the jobs that people worked at all day. Under those circumstances it would be easy to misunderstand something we said or did. Yet most people know very little about the daily lives of the thousands of people who fill the pages of the Bible, from Adam and Eve to the Apostle Paul. The Bible becomes much easier to understand, and a much more fun book to read, if we take the time to learn about the manners and customs of the biblical culture. The people of the Bible, and the lessons in it, become alive for us, hold our attention, and make sense.

When Samson said that the Philistines had “plowed with my heifer,” he was not in any way referring to cattle he owned. Just as our culture refers to girls in various ways, including “dolls, babes, chicks,” etc., so in the biblical culture young girls were sometimes referred to as “heifers.” Knowing that fact makes the passage understandable, and more fun to read. There are hundreds of examples in Scripture, where the meaning of a verse is clear if the custom is known. Understanding the manners and customs of the Bible can turn a frustrating session of Bible reading into a fun and meaningful session. Knowing biblical manners and customs can mean the difference between understanding and misunderstanding the Bible.

This book makes known many of the manners and customs of the people of Palestine. It covers many subjects, including the climate they lived in that affected their daily lives, the clothes they wore, the food they ate, the work that consumed their days, their love and marriage, the birth and raising of children, their funerals and mourning, and more. It helps people understand and enjoy the people of the Bible, and the Bible itself.

Most people are surprised to learn that the Bible is the world’s #1 bestselling book of all time. Despite the Bible’s tremendous popularity and the ageless wisdom it contains, many who pick it up for the first time soon become frustrated with it, primarily because it is not like most other books they read.

In addition to narrative, the Bible also contains poetry, genealogies, laws, and more–and while important, these varying genres can be a source of confusion for many first-time readers.

The overarching story of the Bible is told through the records of hundreds of colorful characters–real people with real life-sized problems, trials, and victories. The message of the Bible unfolds through its many dramatic stories and truly epic tales. There is most definitely a divine purpose portrayed through its pages, and it’s of vital importance for all mankind.

The purpose of this short book is to help you avoid frustration and confusion, and to connect you to the theme of the Bible so that you can “learn to enjoy the Bible.” Then hopefully you, like millions of others, will be able to gain inspiration, enlightenment, and a deeper spiritual relationship with its Author.

We all come into this world much like a blank slate, and we begin to write the things we experience and are taught upon the chalkboard of our lives. The way we think and behave, our internal belief systems and outlook on life are conditioned by the drawings on the chalkboard. Since part of what is drawn there is what we believe, it is imperative that we stop and consider why we believe it. This is the one and only life we have; therefore we owe it to ourselves to challenge our biases and to consider the deep questions about who we are, why we are here, and what our lives mean. These are the questions we must ask ourselves about the meaning and purpose of our existence. In this book, Dan Gallagher addresses some of the deep questions many people have when considering whether or not to follow Jesus. He addresses the three most common reasons why people reject the concept of God (or gods), which are: Science, Evolution, and Evil. He also looks into the Christian narrative concerning the existence of God, the condition of mankind, and the possibility of immortality, and shows that there are valuable arguments that one should consider before flat-out rejecting belief in the supernatural or a Higher Power. This book looks closely at the many factors involved as one explores a belief in the Divine. It gives attention to the various perspectives and worldviews commonly held today, and how they each attempt to explain the world around us from its creation to what we witness in our daily lives; and ultimately, it gives a solid argument for why the reader should consider Jesus.

It is not an exaggeration to say that there is no single subject that influences people as profoundly as sex. It takes up our thought life, dominates our dream life, and fills our fantasies. It has been the grand subject of literature, past and present, and now is the grand subject of our TV shows and movies as well. Hundreds of monthly magazines and thousands of books seem to cover every angle of sex and sexuality. It has been the subject of countless studies: What do women want? What turns them on? What do men like? How can you keep one? The list of questions goes on and on about women, men, singles, dating, relationships, married couples, and oh so much more.

Interestingly, in a society where there seems to be so much honest talk and openness about sex (indeed, nothing is concealed anymore), most people’s sexual relationships are less than fulfilling. The statistics indicate that the vast majority of men and women in the United States are doomed to a life of sexual frustration and failed relationships. But does that have to be the case? No, it does not. God created mankind and in His wisdom, He gave us a book with clear commandments and guidelines about how to live our lives as the sexual beings that we are. That book is the Bible. The Bible speaks volumes about proper and improper sexual behavior. God wants people to have wonderful and fulfilling relationships. Few things have the ability to wreck a life as quickly and completely as sexuality and sexual relationships gone awry. No wonder then that the Bible has so much to say about sex and sexual behavior—as always, our loving heavenly Father shows us the right path to walk to be able to live a blessed and fulfilled life.

Modern studies are uncovering facts about sexual relationships that the Bible has espoused for millennia. Too bad that the studies often involve real people who are cut and scarred from broken promises, busted relationships and lost love, much of which could have been avoided if the words in the Bible had been known and followed. Sex and Scripture covers, in clear everyday language, what the Bible says about sexual subjects. Topics covered include abstinence, marriage, adultery, prostitution, homosexuality, lust, pornography, masturbation, and boundaries in relationships. The Bible has answers for mankind’s questions and promises God’s blessings for those who seek, find, and obey.

Hearing from God Almighty. What could be more important than that? Through the ages, prophecy has been a primary way that people have heard from God. Nevertheless, prophecy is often misunderstood. The purpose of this book is to give Christians a basic understanding of prophecy by answering such questions as:

·What is prophecy?
·Is prophecy always about the future?
·Is all prophecy from God?
·Why do some prophecies not come to pass?
·Must I do anything to have prophecies about me come to pass?

This book sets forth some things to consider if you are given a prophecy, and also what you should know if you are going to prophesy to someone. The appendixes will give you a firm grasp of many important aspects of prophecy, such as the differences between the ministry of a prophet and the manifestation (sometimes called “gift”) of prophecy, how to tell a genuine prophet from a false one, what part dreams play in prophecy, and what revelation is and how it comes to the person prophesying. The book closes with a list of many examples of prophecy in the Bible to help you with further study.

This book gives biblical answers to the following questions: What is death? Is death a “graduation”? Is death a friend or foe? What is the “soul”? Where are the dead? Why does God use the metaphor of “sleep” to describe death? When will the dead awaken?

After laying the groundwork by answering these questions, the book deals with 14 sections of Scripture commonly used to “prove” that the “dead” are “alive.” With numerous references to other Christian books and magazines, the authors show how Greek philosophers shaped the current “evangelical” doctrine of the immortality of the soul, and they briefly point out how and why the Reformation failed to reform this pagan belief which is now even more firmly entrenched in Christendom.

This book addresses what is probably the number one question most people have about God: If He is a loving God, why is there such rampant human suffering?

This book shows biblically that God is not at all to blame, that the cause of all suffering is sin, and it shows whose sin. It shows why Jesus Christ is the fulcrum of history in this regard, and resolves the seemingly apparent contradiction between the nature of the Old Testament God and that of the New Testament God, which, of course are the same changeless God.

The book exposes the myth that God is totally in control of all that happens (which would make Him responsible for it) and shows that He and His Son Jesus Christ are doing all they can to intervene in the realm of Satan’s authority and help us. A chapter on faith shows what faith is and how it helps us to access the power of God. The book shows how God does test us for our benefit, though never by tragedy or affliction.

It explains what the “chastening” of God is and why it has nothing to do with anything like punishing us. The redemptive value of the proper response to suffering is also discussed. Letting God speak for Himself and seeing the truth of His Word about the subject of evil, sin, and suffering will help you grow immensely in love for God and His Son, in faith for their promises, and in hope of the final victory that is ours, enabling you to live with joy and peace, even in a “war zone.”

Clean air and pure water. All the land, even deserts, fertile and blooming. Pasturelands full of grazing animals. Rivers and seas teeming with fish. More than enough food for everyone. Starvation and hunger – distant memories. No crime and no war. Every weapon destroyed or converted for domestic use. Safety and security for everyone. Guaranteed justice for all. All animals living together peacefully, even the wolf and the lamb. Lions eating grass like cattle. New bodies for everyone, empowered by a new life force. No sickness or disease. The blind see, the mute talk, and the lame leap like deer. Too good to be true? Not if you take God’s Word for it. According to Jesus Christ, quoting from Psalm 37:11, the meek (those willing to believe God’s Word) shall inherit the earth. The biblical teaching that all saved people will live forever on a recreated and Eden-like earth has been virtually lost for modern Christians. Why? Because in the early centuries of the Christian Church, the doctrine of life on a new earth was replaced by the belief that “heaven” is an eternal dwelling place of those who are saved. The Christian’s Hope reaffirms in a straightforward yet well-documented way that the everlasting home of the saved will be on a lush and Eden-like Earth. It offers a biblically clear and vividly described glimpse of the glorious destiny that awaits every believer.

This book is a defense of the accuracy and integrity of the Bible. It examines and refutes many of the most common criticisms that have been raised against the Bible. It shows that the biblical text is reliable and the text can be trusted.

Part One: Important Questions that need to be Addressed

– Can we trust the Bible?
– Should we question the Bible?
– Isn’t God so mysterious that there is not much we can know about Him?
– Wasn’t the Bible passed down verbally from generation to generation before it was written?
– Does God talk to men?
– Didn’t the men God spoke to make mistakes?
– Hasn’t the text been copied so many times it is unreliable?
– Didn’t the original text have contradictions?
– Aren’t some of the books of the Bible lost or missing?
– Don’t the Bible and science oppose each other?
– Does archaeology support the Bible?
– Does history support the Bible?
– Do miracles happen?
– Doesn’t the Bible contain some false and even harmful teachings?
– Doesn’t the hypocrisy in the Christian Church show the Bible is not true?
– Don’t Christians disagree about even the most basic Christian truths?

Part Two: Important Points to Keep in Mind

– God is the Bible’s sole Author
– The Bible accurately foretells the future
– God will prove Himself
– What the Bible is
– Conclusion

Jesus of Nazareth posed this question to his followers nearly two thousand years ago, but the question still hangs in the air, requesting an answer from every person. Indeed, the question of the identity of Jesus Christ is the most important theological issue of all human history, because he claimed to be the human Son of the one true God. In ONE GOD & ONE LORD, the authors carefully re-examine the biblical evidence in light of modern textual research and a thorough survey of scholarly opinion. They argue that the biblically accurate answer to the question of his identity is provided by Peter, John, Mary, Paul and other first-century believers who unanimously proclaimed him to be “the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Building an impressive and compelling case for the unity of the biblical testimony concerning the true humanity of Jesus, “the last Adam,” the authors reveal the profound significance of the two aspects of his coming: suffering and glory. They seek a view of Christ that allows for a total appreciation of his steadfast obedience to God in the face of temptation, suffering and even a humiliating death. Vindicated by his resurrection, he entered into glory and now sits in a position of functional equality with God, analogous to the relationship of Joseph and Pharaoh in the Book of Genesis. ONE GOD & ONE LORD shows how the traditional view of Jesus Christ actually demeans both his accomplishments and his heroism by attributing to him “intrinsic deity” that essentially eliminates the possibility of either authentic temptation or failure.

Because the Gospel of John is often isolated and magnified to establish and fortify orthodox Christology, the authors explore in depth the unique depiction of Christ in “the Fourth Gospel”. They succeed in placing John’s testimony harmoniously and understandably within the margins of the prophetic portrait of the Messiah. This portrait had already been drawn out in detail in the Hebrew Scriptures and was then fleshed out in the Synoptic Gospels. Nowhere in this portrait is it clear that Messiah was “God incarnate,” “God the Son,” or a pre-existent divine visitor.

Appealing primarily to scriptural authority and logical reasoning, ONE GOD & ONE LORD also thoroughly examines the historical process by which traditional Christian orthodoxy came to be established. A combination of misguided Christian piety and pagan speculation are shown to be responsible for the intrusion of unbiblical concepts into basic Christian thought and doctrine.

ONE GOD & ONE LORD is challenging, but profoundly encourages both Christian devotion and a deep appreciation for the integrity of the Bible. It will reward the careful attention of the critic of Christianity, the new Christian, students of the Bible, pastors, teachers and scholars.

The subject of the Holy Spirit is one of the most misunderstood subjects in Christendom. Yet the gift of holy spirit is one of the greatest gifts God has given to mankind. Moses had it, and when he needed help administering the millions of Israelites, God took of the spirit that was upon Moses and gave it to the elders of Israel so they could rule with him. God gave His gift of holy spirit to the Judges of Israel, such as Deborah and Samuel. He gave it to kings such as David and Hezekiah. He gave it to prophets such as Elijah, Isaiah, and Daniel. John the Baptist had holy spirit from birth. Even Jesus was anointed with holy spirit before he started his ministry. Now we can walk in the power of holy spirit. This book will answer such questions as: o What is the difference between Holy Spirit and holy spirit? o Why is “holy spirit” sometimes referred to as “he” and other times referred to as an “it”? o What are the manifestations (sometimes called “gifts”) of holy spirit? o What is speaking in tongues, and why is it valuable for Christians? o What is “slain in the spirit”? This book shows that each Christian is sealed with God’s gift of holy spirit the very moment that he is saved. Furthermore, it shows that each Christian can manifest, outwardly show, that spirit in the nine ways spoken of in 1 Corinthians 12, including speaking in tongues. When we understand the gift of holy spirit and why God gave us such a wonderful gift, then we can take advantage of it in our lives. We can walk in the power of the holy spirit, and become more like Christ in attitude and action.

The Revised English Version® (REV®) is the New Testament version by Spirit & Truth. The Scriptures are inspired by God and are authoritative for Christian faith and practice. The REV is translated from an optimal equivalency perspective that seeks to be literal when possible but also functional where doing so gives the reader access to the meaning of the text that would otherwise be difficult to understand. In light of the theological nuances that go into Bible translation, the REV is translated so as to make clear many important biblical truths such as the free will of humankind, the gift of holy spirit, the human Messiah Jesus, the kingdom of God, and the state of the dead. Since the number of manuscripts, ancient documents, and artifacts that contribute to the knowledge of the original text is continually increasing, the REV seeks to reflect these discoveries and advancements in background and textual studies of the Bible.