Showing results by narrator "David Heath" in All Categories

Power corrupts―as we've seen time and time again. People too often abuse their power and play god in the lives of others. Shady politicians, corrupt executives and ego-filled media stars have made us suspicious of those who wield influence and authority. Yet power is also the means by which we bring life, create possibilities, offer hope and make human flourishing possible. This is "playing god" as it is meant to be. With his trademark clear-headed analysis, Andy Crouch unpacks the dynamics of power that either can make human flourishing possible or can destroy the image of God in people.

Speaker and writer J. C. Ryle once said, "The man who hears the word of God and does it is the true Christian. He hears the call of God to repent and be converted, and he obeys it. He ceases to do evil and learns to do well. He puts off the old man and puts on the new. He hears the call of God to believe in Jesus Christ for justification, and he obeys it." In The True Christian, Ryle details many more ways in which Christians can be uncompromising in their biblical principles.

Dr. Beeke offers a heartfelt and solemn plea for families to return to Biblical, consistent, and passionate family worship. With pastoral insight and care, the author provides practical and valuable answers to the practice of family worship, and at the same time, addresses objections raised against it. In a world of impossible standards and idealism, this book is a helpful and motivating guide to implement or increase the depth of your family devotions.

Being a pastor is a complicated calling. Pastors are often pulled in multiple directions and must "become all things to all people" (1 Cor. 9:22). What does the New Testament say (or not say) about the pastoral calling? And what can we learn about it from the apostle Paul? According to popular New Testament scholar Scot McKnight, pastoring must begin first and foremost with spiritual formation, which plays a vital role in the life and ministry of the pastor. As leaders, pastors both create and nurture culture in a church.

As many have said, the church must always be reforming. It must continually move closer to a truer, more faithful expression of the gospel. The risen Christ’s powerful letters to the seven churches in Revelation are a guide to just that. Based on John MacArthur’s exposition of these letters, Christ’s Call to Reform the Church is a plea to the modern church to heed these divine warnings, to reform before it succumbs to the kinds of compromise and error that invite God’s judgment.

All chief executives want to deliver superior returns for their shareholders; however, only a few have been able to do so on a sustainable basis. Beliefs, Behaviors, and Results profiles how the best Fortune 200 CEOs have been able to outperform their peers and sustain superior shareholder returns by institutionalizing a set of beliefs and behaviors in their organizations.

The gospel is counterintuitive to humans. We are used to earning almost everything in our lives. In the book of Romans, Paul makes it clear that we cannot earn our way to God, in fact, even the “good” deeds we do are like filthy rags before the Lord. Listen to Paul as he teaches us that we are more sinful than we could every imagine, but also more loved than we could ever imagine.

Ever since the nation's most important secret meeting - the Constitutional Convention - presidents have struggled to balance open, accountable government with necessary secrecy in military affairs and negotiations. For the first 120 years, a culture of open government persisted, but new threats and technology have long since shattered the old bargains. Today, presidents neither protect vital information nor provide the open debate Americans expect.

Paul protests against the perversion of the Gospel. Many are teaching the Galatians that they can be justified by works, and, as a result, they’ve abandoned the truth. Listen to the book of Galatians and rest in the fact that we are justified by grace through faith.

God tells Jonah to preach repentance to Nineveh, a ruthless and idolatrous nation. Jonah, a prophet who does not like the Assyrians, wants Nineveh to be destroyed. Instead of following God’s call, Jonah rebels and sails the opposite direction, deliberately fleeing from God. Stubborn Jonah ends up in the belly of a fish. Listen to the story of this prophet as God disciplines him for his disobedience and teaches him that He loves all people, even the enemies of his chosen ones.

Much like the wisdom literature in the OT, James offers snippets of wisdom to Christians. The practical instruction he gives serves to motivate believers to be doers not just hearers of the word. His audience, Jewish Christians, is in the midst of social conflict in which they are seeking worldly advice instead of pursuing God's way. James' letter should inspire Christians today to seek divine wisdom in all situations while translating one's faith into practice.

A fire that doesn't burn, a sea that splits in two, bread from the sky. The second book of the Bible is a story of one miracle of God after another as He makes Himself known. Journey with Moses, an unlikely hero, as he leads the Israelites from a life of oppression to the wilderness classroom where they learn what it means to be God’s chosen people.

John Piper invites you to experience deeper intimacy with God through these thought-provoking and soul-enriching meditations. Whether you are just discovering the divine richness of Scripture or have long been a passionate student, you’ll find a deeper understanding of God and renewed insight for your journey.

Having robbed a temple, Pinch must hide his theft from the temple's priestess, his traveling companion, Lissa, who holds the secret that could make him the next king of Ankhapur.

John Bunyan's life was an exciting one. That's what he had wanted as a young man. He had left the security of his father's workshop to join the Parliamentary troops fighting against King Charles. There was no way he was going to settle for a boring life, but over time, the thirst for excitement was replaced with a longing for something more. A friend takes him aside in the heat of battle and asks him if he has a faith. And for the first time, John Bunyan hears about the only way to get to heaven, which is through the Lord Jesus Christ and his sacrifice on the cross.

Institutions remain essential to human flourishing. They are the means by which communities thrive, individual vocations are fulfilled, and society is changed for the good. As a result, we all need to learn how to work effectively within institutions. That is just what Gordon Smith provides. He unpacks the core of institutional intelligence - the wisdom of working effectively within an organization. At the same time, he explains how team leaders, directors, executives, board members, key stakeholders, and employees can avoid what is often their greatest source of stress on the job,

More than a Bible you listen to, the Pure Voice Audio Bible - New International Reader's Version: The Gospels is an experience that helps you enter into God's Word ... so God's Word can enter into you. Featuring a single voice, this digitally produced NIrV audio brings Scripture to life one...

When God led His people out of Egypt, His work in their lives was not complete. God had a plan to transform His people to be recognized as distinctively His. The Israelites were called to be set apart and to be holy, but living a life of holiness is no walk in the park. Follow the Israelites as they strive to live apart from sin by following a daunting list of regulations and laws.

While most of her peers were obsessed with their iPhones, Instagramming and Snapchatting their lives, and glued to streaming TV, 19-year-old Amy Crouch was growing up with minimal technology. In My Tech-Wise Life, she and her father, Andy Crouch, share how intentional and controlled use of modern devices, apps, and services has helped her avoid many of the negative experiences of her peers and cultivate positive experiences interacting with the real world. 

Joseph Alleine, a prominent Puritan pastor and theologian, describes the absolute necessity of dedicating one’s life to God and of understanding the distinction between true followers of Christ and those who simply claim a Christian faith. Throughout this devotional, Alleine contrasts the blissful eternity that awaits those who choose life in Christ with the endless suffering that awaits those who choose to ignore him.