10 Ergebnisse.

Ron Lavin writes, "The parables of Jesus pop our preconceptions and misconceptions, upset our equilibrium, and yet comfort us. They are wake-up calls -- each one is like a bucket of cold water thrown in our face." Indeed, the parables are some of the most intriguing and challenging passages in scripture because, Lavin tells us, they "invite us into a new world called the kingdom of God, where we live between the lightning (Jesus' first coming)...

We are not in control.That's the message sent to us by the great I Am. He has set all things in motion. He knows our beginning and our end. But still, we often forget and instead choose to walk through this life as though we determine our own steps, our own fates.We can appropriate what God has accomplished.The entire theme of the Bible can be summed up as God's rule over us for our own good. But one aspect makes his dominion unique: He has gi...

Ron Lavin says that we desperately need to re-examine and return to the basics of the Christian faith -- and what better source of inspiration is there than the word of God and the sacraments, God's holy pipelines from heaven?In the latest installment of his popular Another Look series, Lavin explores God's Word, baptism, and communion, and demonstrates that far from being meaningless rituals, they are extremely relevant for modern living. Wea...

Do we really want the "feel good, " "sugarcoated" Christianity that is being offered in so many churches and denominations today? I don't think so. Do we really want a faith that panders to our whims and the popular trends and fads of the day with little regard for the historic and classical Christian faith? I don't think so.... Can't we go forward with as well as go back to the first creed of Christianity? Yes! Yes! Yes! (from the Preface)Has...

The Lord's Prayer is undoubtedly the world's most well-known litany of petition and praise -- yet it is precisely because of its familiarity that we often recite it by rote and lose the power and depth of its spiritual yearnings. In this latest installment of the popular Another Look series, Ron Lavin brings the prayer to life with a fresh approach which reminds us that Jesus was teaching his disciples (and us) how to pray and how to live. The...

It's a lovely thought that throughone's congregation we can gain, and also give to each other, help in times ofdespair. Paul wrote to his Thessalonian Christians: "Therefore encourage oneanother ... encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you aredoing" (1 Thessalonians 4:18, 5:11). Ron Lavin illustrates this principleelegantly in the following chapters as he examines the passages in John'sgospel concerning the admonition not t...

Witness is a book that acts like a compass within these changing times. For Ron Lavin, individual Christians and congregations need to focus like a laser beam on their witness to Jesus Christ -- and his passion for witnessing comes out on every page. Lavin speaks a clear word in confusing times for many Christians about the power of the church's witness as the heartbeat of the church's life in the world today. Using a broad range of scripture ...

The Ten Commandments continue to provide both significant prohibitions and helpful invitations for living a moral and godly life in the 21st century. I did not post the Ten Commandments on my classroom wall, but they were imprinted more boldly onto my heart. (from the Introduction) Melvin Kieschnick Former Director of Parish Education Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod The Ten Commandments are universally acknowledged as God's blueprint for human ...

People Who Met Jesus is a book that will command the undivided attention of readers who yearn to know more of the significance of their relationship to the risen Lord. By delving in depth into the words and experiences of both well-known and cameo biblical characters, readers will come to a greater appreciation of the life-pervading influence of their relationship to the living Lord. (from the Introduction) Reuben T. Swanson Former Secretary E...

Ron Lavin provides an ideal resource for small groups who want to explore the Psalms, or for preachers who want to present an inspirational series of sermons. Discussion questions are provided at the end of each chapter, as well as a guide for leaders. Says Lavin: "Griping is one of the most insidious and divisive things into which we easily fall, while gratitude is the most productive of attitudes. The Psalms are filled with the battle betwee...