The Life in the Spirit Study Bible

Discover the Biblical Foundations of Life in the Spirit
The Life in the Spirit Study Bible will help guide you into a Christ-centered, righteous and Spirit-led lifestyle. Previously titled the Full Life Study Bible, this new edition includes updated and expanded notes, a new word study feature, and a new interior to meet the needs of Spirit-filled Christians today. In a culture that requires believers to depend strongly on God and his Word, this Bible will help you cultivate a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ and the person of the Holy Spirit as the source of the Church's power.

Features Include:
Themefinders: 12 icons located by Scripture passages tell at a glance which theme a given passage addresses.

Themes include:
1. Baptized in/Filled with the Holy Spirit,
2. Gifts of the Holy Spirit,
3. Fruit of the Holy Spirit,
4. Healing,
5. Salvation,
6. Witnessing and more.

Study Notes: Updated and expanded, extensive notes offer insights that help you understand and apply the Scriptures.

Articles: 77 articles address a wide variety of topics surrounding life in the Spirit.

Word Studies: This brand-new feature sheds light on the meanings of key words in their original Greek and Hebrew contexts.

Charts: 5 custom-designed mega-charts visually portray:
1. "Old Testament Prophecies Fulfilled in Christ,"
2. "The Kingdom of God Versus the Kingdom of Satan,"
3. "The Gifts of the Holy Spirit,"
4. "The Work of the Holy Spirit,"
5. "The Last Days of History."

Plus:
1. Book introductions
2. In-text maps and charts
3. Full-color map section
4. Concordance
5. Words of Christ in red
6. Subject and Themefinder indexes
7. Reading plan
8. Tables of content for articles, maps and charts

Wonderful as it is to be saved for all eternity, we also long to walk with the Lord today. We want to hear his voice, know his heart, receive his gifts, and participate in what he is doing. We desire what the early church had that Jesus promised would be ours as well: lives lived in the intimacy, vision and power of his Spirit.

Based on the common underpinnings of Pentecostal and charismatic traditions, the Life in the Spirit Study Bible is designed as an important Biblical resource for all Christians, regardless of church background, who long to deepen their connection with the Holy Spirit. If you are hungry for greater intimacy with Jesus . . . if what you’ve read in the Bible suggests amazing possibilities for your personal relationship with God . . . if you long to experience the message, faith, devotion and power described in the book of Acts . . . then this study Bible will help you build a bedrock of spiritual understanding and faith for living a down-to-earth life equipped with the presence of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit.

Millions of Christians around the world continue to discover what it means to walk in the Holy Spirit’s power and presence. If that is your desire, the Life in the Spirit Study Bible will prove a valuable companion in your spiritual quest.

First published as the Full Life Study Bible, the Life in the Spirit Study Bible has enjoyed a stunning international appeal. Working together, Zondervan and Life Publishers continue to spread the message of this Bible worldwide. All author royalties go directly to missions for the purpose of translating it into other languages. At the time of this printing, well over one million copies have been printed in nine non-English languages, and the process of translation is underway for 24 other languages.

The New International Version (NIV) is today’s most read and most trusted English Bible translation. Since its release in 1973, the NIV has sold over 160 million copies. The goal of the NIV translation team was to produce a contemporary translation whose accuracy, clarity and literary quality would make it ideal for public and private reading, teaching, preaching, memorizing and liturgical use. Today the NIV is accepted by more denominations than any other translation and is supported by a library of reference resources unmatched by any other translation.

How to Use the NIV Life in the Spirit Study Bible
The Life in the Spirit Study Bible is designed to help you gain a more thorough understanding of thetruths of God’s Word, whereby you may grow in love, purity and faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ (1Ti 1:5).

The special features and study helps of the Life in the Spirit Study Bible are the following:
Sectional headings
The entire Bible contains sectional headings within the Bible text in order to help you more easilyunderstand the subject and content of each section. NOTE: the standard New International Versionsectional headings have been altered for this particular edition of the NIV. When two or morepassages of Scripture are nearly identical or deal with the same event, this “parallel” is noted atthe sectional headings for those passages. Identical or nearly identical passages are noted with“pp.” Similar passages—those not dealing with the same event—are noted with “Ref.”

Cross-reference system
The center-column cross-reference system is designed to help you connect one text of the Biblewith others that have a similar theme. By using this system, difficult or obscure passages areclarified by Scripture itself. Cross-references are indicated by raised light italic letters. A corresponding letter in the center-column under the designated verse is followed by a list of appropriate Scripture verses.
When a single word is addressed by both text notes and cross-references, the bold NIV textnoteletter comes first. The cross-references normally appear in the center column and, when necessary, continue at the bottom of the right-hand column preceding the NIV text notes. The NIV cross-reference system resembles a series of interlocking chains with many links.The head, or organizing, link in each concept chain is indicated by the letter “S” (short for “see”).The appearance of a head link in a list of references usually signals another list of referencesthat will cover a slightly different aspect of the concept or word being studied.
The lists of references are in Biblical order with one exception: If reference is made to a verse within the same chapter, that verse (indicated by “ver”) is listed first. If an Old Testament verse is
quoted in the New Testament, the New Testament reference is marked with an asterisk (*).

Study Notes
The study notes at the bottom of nearly every page are written from a Pentecostal perspectiveand with the belief that the full message, standard and experience testified to by Christ and the apostles are forever valid and available for his people today.

The study notes fall into five classes:
(1) Expositional. The notes explain the meaning of words and phrases of many important
passages in the Word of God.
(2) Theological. The notes define and explain the great doctrines and truths of the Bible,
summarizing the Bible’s teachings about baptism, forgiveness, perseverance, repentance, salvation,
sanctification, etc.
(3) Devotional. The notes emphasize the importance of maintaining an intimate and devoted
relationship with God—the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit—through faith, obedience,
prayer and the many means of grace.
(4) Ethical. The notes direct you to unreservedly commit yourself to God’s kingdom and his
righteousness. They emphasize the importance of Biblical principles of self-denial, godly conduct,
following Christ, separation from sin, discernment of good and evil, and obligation to God
and others.
(5) Practical. The notes present useful information on the believer’s daily walk. They contain
practical instruction about healing, the baptism in the Spirit, bringing up godly children, spiritual warfare, overcoming worry, resisting temptations, etc.xiv

The study notes provide extensive Scripture references (usually in parentheses) that confirm
comments made in the notes and help you in further in-depth Bible study. If the Scripture referencein parentheses is from the same chapter, it will normally appear first in the list, with thesymbol “v.” or “vv.” Next will come Scripture references from the same book, usually without mention of the book’s name. Last in the parentheses are passages from other Bible books, given in Bible book order. In many cases, other notes and articles are also cross-referenced.
Articles
The articles deal with important subjects more comprehensively than do the notes. They usuallyappear in close proximity to one of the major texts related to the subject of the article. For a complete list of the articles, see the Table of Contents for Articles on p. viii.
The articles, like the study notes, provide extensive Biblical references in parentheses. In the
articles, the name of each Bible book, in Bible book order, is usually given for each reference. If there is no book mentioned before a Scripture reference, it means that that reference is found in the same book as the previous reference.
Introductions
Each book of the Bible has an introduction, which includes
(1) an outline of the book;
(2) an explanation of the book’s background and historical setting, including information about the author, circumstances and date of writing;
(3) a statement about the original purpose of the book;
(4) a survey of its contents;
(5) a list of the book’s special features and emphases; and
(6) a suggested reading plan for covering the entire Bible in two years (one year for the OT and one yearfor the NT).

Careful reading of the introductions will help you understand each book and its applications
more fully. At the end of each introduction, space is provided for you to write personal
notes on that book.

Themefinders™
On many pages of this Bible you will see one of 12 symbols in the margin, next to a vertical line.Each of these symbols represents a specific theme of importance in the Pentecostal tradition.They are:
The symbol informs you which theme is contained in accompanying verses; at the bottom of
each vertical line is a Bible text, directing you to the next text on that particular theme.
Charts
The NIV Life in the Spirit Study Bible contains various charts that will help you at a glance to
learn more about the Bible and its teachings on such topics as the ministry of Jesus, the kingdomof God versus the kingdom of Satan, the last days of history, the gifts of the Holy Spirit, etc. See the Table of Contents for Maps and Charts on p. ix for a list of these charts.
1. Baptized in ⁄ Filled with the Holy Spirit
(Begin at Exodus 31:1–6)
2. Gifts of the Holy Spirit
(Begin at Exodus 35:30–35)
3. Fruit of the Holy Spirit
(Begin at Genesis 50:19–21)
4. Healing
(Begin at Genesis 20:17–18)
5. Faith that moves mountains
(Begin at Genesis 15:3–6)
6. Witnessing
(Begin at Exodus 10:1–2)
7. Salvation
(Begin at Genesis 12:1–3)
8. Second Coming
(Begin at Psalm 98:8–9)
9. Victory over Satan and demons
(Begin at Genesis 3:15)
10. Overcoming the world and worldliness
(Begin at Genesis 19:15–26)
11. Praise
(Begin at Exodus 15:1–21)
12. Walking in obedience and righteousness
(Begin at Genesis 5:22)
xv

Word Studies
Significant words have been highlighted in call-out boxes throughout the Scripture text. The
words are explained in light of their original Greek or Hebrew contexts.

Maps
A number of maps have been included within the Bible text to help you understand where the
events written about in the Bible occurred. See the Table of Contents for Maps and Charts on
p. ix for a list of these maps. At the back of this Bible are 16 full-color maps.

Subject Index
The subject index directs you to the most important notes and articles on the many topics and
great doctrines of Scripture. Under each entry in this index, you will find texts of the Bible that have notes on that particular subject. Articles and introductions are also included in this index.

Themefinder™ Index
The Themefinder Index at the back of this Bible lists the Scripture passages assigned to the 12
key themes described earlier in the Themefinder section. Under each pertinent Themefinder you will find the passages in the order in which they are linked.
Reading Plan
The Reading Plan outlined in the back gives you the flexibility of choosing a method of readingthrough the Bible either in one year or in two years. The reading plan found at the end of each book introduction follows the two-year design, listing Old Testament readings for one year and New Testament readings for the second year.

Concordance
A concordance, compiled and edited by John R. Kohlenberger III and Edward W. Goodrick, is included to help you find Bible verses quickly and easily. By looking up key words in a Bible verse,you can find a verse for which you remember a word or two but not its location. For example, if you wanted to find out where the Bible says that the Word of God is “sharper than any doubleedged sword,” you could look up either “sharper,” “double-edged” or “sword” in the concordance
and find that the verse is located at Heb 4:12.

We trust that you will receive a rich blessing from using the NIV Life in the Spirit Study Bible. It is our prayer that your knowledge of God’s Word, your experience of the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, and your daily walk with Christ in truth and righteousness will increase through your use of this Bible.

http://www.zondervan.com/Cultures/en-US/Product/ProductDetail.htm?ProdID=com.zondervan.9780310922421&QueryStringSite=Zondervan

Reformation Manifesto

Reformation Manifesto
Your Part in God's Plan to Change Nations Today
by Cindy Jacobs
Length: 238 Pages Our Price:

God is raising up New Revolutionaries within His Church to bring about a New Reformation! The Leaders or Captains of these New Revolutionaries have been exposed to the greatest Shift in the work of God that has occurred in centuries. These new revolutionaries want more than revival of what is and have diligently prayed and are working for what God in His Word has promised. They seek the work of His Spirit in this generation with such magnitude that nations are changed and the tide of darkness and the stench of hell and death are cleansed from their cities and nations. These New Revolutionaries are the ones who reject the spirit of religion and passionately embrace the truth and power of God's Word to change what is by into what God desires, a reformation of every village, town and city in the nations of the earth. Our God rejecting world has been imposing their way on the earth and people of God long enough! Now is the time for The New Revolutionaries to bring about a New Reformation!!

These New Revolutionaries embrace many streams of God's work but are more interested in the work God is doing and wants to do than being a part of a particular fellowship, organization or denomination!
By The Equipper

The Material below is from the publisher and The Arsenal Book Store

What is the problem? We have the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives, and yet societies are deteriorating around us. How could there be roughly two billion Christians on the face of the earth today and the major problems of sin, poverty, and disease still plague the plant? Why haven't we figured out solutions to these problems?

The church is at a crossroads - we are in a place of comfort and complacency while the Enemy is making progress - and God is calling His church to a radical change. Revival is no longer enough; we need to reform our nations as well in order to answer the true purpose of the Great Commission. Either the church will respond to God's call, or there will be rapid deterioration.

The prayer movement has been laying the ground for change for many years, and now is the time for believers to step out in faith and be transformed into reformers. This movement of God in the church is as important as Martin Luther's call for reformation was, waking up the sleeping church to hear the voice of God and seeing lives, churches, and even nations changed.
Cindy Jacobs gives a visionary, prophetic call to the church that must be understood and answered.

Table of Contents
Foreword by C. Peter Wagner
Introduction
Chapter 1: Personal Reformation
Chapter 2: Connecting the Generations
Chapter 3: Discipling Nations
Chapter 4: The Just Cause
Chapter 5: Teaching Nations
Chapter 6: Who's the Judge?
Chapter 7: Putting the Government Upon His Shoulders
Chapter 8: Reversing the Genesis Curse: Biblical Economics
Chapter 9: Legislating in the Heavens: Reformation Intercession
Chapter 10: Costly Grace
Selected Bibliography
Acknowledgment
Endnotes
Index

Endorsements
1. The book you have in your hands has the potential for igniting the fuel for some crucial booster rockets which will measurably advance the kingdom of God in our generation.
C. Peter Wagner, Presiding Apostle, International Coalition of Apostles

2. The paradigms of the body of Christ would not have been sufficiently transformed twenty, ten, or even five years ago to accept and act on the information The Reformation Manifesto contains. However, the church is now ready for books on reforming cultures and nations.
Dutch Sheets, Senior Pastor, Freedom Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado

3. Cindy Jacobs has brought forth the research and revelation to bring reformation to the church. This Reformation Manifesto gives divine directives for the church to fulfill Christ's command for us to pray and work for His kingdom to be demonstrated in every nation and His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Bill Hamon, Bishop of Christian International Ministries Network

4. Finally, more than a despairing assessment of eroding social and moral conditions! Cindy found the mind of God in a strategic plan that directs the body of Christ in practical considerations which will return our nation and the nations of the world to hope!
Jim Hennesy, Pastor, Trinity Ministries, Cedar Hill, Texas

About the Author

Cindy Jacobs is one the most visible leaders of the modern prayer movement, calling for intercession, repentance, and renewal as she travels worldwide. She and her husband, Mike, are the founders of Generals International, working to achieve social transformation through intercession and prophetic ministry. Cindy has written several bestselling books, including Possessing the Gates of the Enemy and The Voice of God. Her television program, God Knows, is seen in the U.S. on the God Channel as well as around the world. She travels and speaks internationally to hundreds of thousands each year in churches and large conferences. Cindy and Mike are the parents of two grown children and reside in Dallas, Texas.

The Arsenal Bookstore 1-888-563-5150 © Copyright 2008. All Rights Reserved.
________________________________________
Other Materials From Cindy Jacobs


Societal Reformation & Transformation
by Cindy Jacobs

Many people talk about transforming their cities and nations; yet few know the practical, biblical steps to bring change. Cindy shares stories from successfully transformed cities and offers strategies for transforming your city or nation. If you long to be a groundbreaking reformer, this series is for you.

Titles Include (4 Disc Series)

1. We are called to Disciple Nations
2. Aspects of Transformation
3. Redeeming the Nations
4. Restoring Governments
5. Biblical Justice
6. Economy, Business and the Power to get Wealth
7. Transformation through the Miraculous


God's Call For Reformation
by Cindy Jacobs


In this powerful teaching, Cindy explains that in order to bring transformation to a nation, we need to deal with the ideological strongholds that are operating in its society. Additionally, it is essential for people to renew their minds according to the mind of Christ. This is God's call for Reformation. Titles included:

1. Call to Uproot Idols of False Ideologies

2. Call to Influence Society

Cindy's Web link

http://www.generals.org/store/display.php?cartid=200807203868358&zid=1&lid=1&psku=S10020&mode=sp

Miracle Workers, Reformers, and the New Mystics

I have always looked for the out working or manifestation of God and His power among people. I spent the first 20 years of my life looking in all the wrong places and then Jesus rescued me from my own searching and transferred me out of the kingdom of darkness and transferred me into the Kingdom of light! Colossians 1:9-14.

Throughout church history God has used a wide variety of people to work among people in miraculous ways. He demonstrates His majesty among us in every generation. The people He uses are not the one we would have picked. Their methods and teachings do not always satisfy us, but one thing they do that we all long for is that they allow themselves to be vessel of His glory, power and mercy to whosoever will say yes to God.

They seem often to operate with reckless abandonment and in the process manage to offend our sense of how, when and through whom God should operate. We should all remember the story of Balaam's donkey in Nu 22:21-35 before we get upset at whom God is using.

I want to recommend that you buy and read this book. Talk about it with other believers in and followers of Jesus the Messiah. May it stir within you and them the hunger for all that God has for you and this generation, so that you cry out even as the prophet Isaiah did in Chapter 6:1-8 of Isaiah, when he was in the temple and the Lord revealed Himself to him , ‘Here I am Lord, send me!’

The book Miracle Workers, Reformers, and the New Mystics
By John Crowder, published by Publisher: Treasures Media Inc. Covers 70 such people whom God used and stirred the hunger in those around them for all that God has for each generation.

Book Overview
Every era has produced extreme spiritual forerunners who have accessed the atmosphere of heaven, demonstrating miracles, signs, wonders and supernatural experiences in their lives. Beginning with the first century apostles, the extraordinary report of God’s kingdom has passed like a baton to the early Desert Fathers, the Christian mystics of the Dark Ages, right up through the healing revivalists and prophetic voices of the past century.

But God has reserved the greatest wave of his Spirit for a radical, postmodern generation that will walk the earth in these last days. The stories of long-forgotten saints are an arsenal for this hour. Fiery men with divine encounters and heavenly visitations. Their individual lives serve as a blueprint for an entire company of warriors who will wear those same ancient power mantles, perform the same bizarre feats and achieve even greater exploits to bring in the end-time harvest of souls.

What will be the characteristics of this new generation of mystics? In this timely work, John Crowder offers a fresh perspective on the miracle workers and visionaries of the past, linking their spiritual DNA to the breed of dread champions that is now picking up that baton.
Who are the New Mystics? They are Joel’s Army. Jacob’s Generation. The Spotless Bride. The Overcoming Church.

The emerging church is throwing off the grave clothes of religion and picking up a dynamic interface with the spiritual realm. Their hearts are aflame with a burning desire for Jesus Christ. And they will not just talk about Him. They will display His power.

The New Mystics contains more than 70 photos, illustrations and biographies of men and women whose lives have demonstrated the phenomenal throughout the ages. Let their stories inspire you to join their ranks as part of this coming revival generation.

The full text of the Bible verses refered to above are listed below.

Col 1:9-14
9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. 10 And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. NIV

Nu 22:21-3521 Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey and went with the princes of Moab. 22 But God was very angry when he went, and the angel of the LORD stood in the road to oppose him. Balaam was riding on his donkey , and his two servants were with him. 23 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, she turned off the road into a field. Balaam beat her to get her back on the road. 24 Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow path between two vineyards, with walls on both sides. 25 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she pressed close to the wall, crushing Balaam's foot against it. So he beat her again. 26 Then the angel of the LORD moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn, either to the right or to the left. 27 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam, and he was angry and beat her with his staff. 28 Then the LORD opened the donkey's mouth, and she said to Balaam, "What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?" 29 Balaam answered the donkey , "You have made a fool of me! If I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now." 30 The donkey said to Balaam, "Am I not your own donkey , which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?""No," he said. 31 Then the LORD opened Balaam's eyes, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown. 32 The angel of the LORD asked him, "Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? I have come here to oppose you because your path is a reckless one before me. 33 The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If she had not turned away, I would certainly have killed you by now, but I would have spared her." 34 Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, "I have sinned. I did not realize you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now if you are displeased, I will go back." 35 The angel of the LORD said to Balaam, "Go with the men, but speak only what I tell you." So Balaam went with the princes of Balak. NIV

Isa 6:1-8
6:1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. 3 And they were calling to one another:
"Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty;the whole earth is full of his glory."
4 At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.
5 "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty."
6 Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 With it he touched my mouth and said, "See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for."
8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?"
And I said, "Here am I. Send me!" NIV

You can purchase this book at your local Family Christian Stores or online at the Arsenal book site link below.

The Arsenal Book Store online at http://www.arsenalbooks.com/
click on Holy Spirit, Spiritual Gifts, & the Supernatural
AngelsHoly SpiritSpiritual Gifts The Supernatural in the left hand column

When the menu opens click on The Supernatural

PAGAN CHRISTIANITY

Every once in a while I find books that really challenge my thinking. The book below is certainly doing it. You will run to the Word of God repeatedly as you read this book, as Acts 17:11 tells us to.

The Material below is from George Barna's web site with a link at the bottom of the page.

Have you ever wondered why we Christians do what we do for church every Sunday morning? Why do we "dress up" for church? Why does the pastor preach a sermon each week? Why do we have pews, steeples, choirs, and seminaries?

This volume reveals the startling truth: most of what Christians do in present-day churches is not rooted in the New Testament, but in pagan culture and rituals developed long after the death of the apostles. Coauthors Frank Viola and George Barna support their thesis with compelling historical evidence in the first-ever book to document the full story of modern Christian church practices.

Are we really doing church "by the Book?"
Why does the pastor preach a sermon at every service?

Why do our church services seem so similar week after week?

Why does the congregation sit passively in pews?

Not sure? Pagan Christianity makes an unsettling proposal: Most of what present-day Christians do in church each Sunday is rooted not in the New Testament, but in pagan culture and rituals developed long after the death of the apostles. Authors Frank Viola and George Barna support their thesis with compelling historical evidence and extensive footnotes that document the origins of our modern Christian church practices.

In the process, the authors uncover the problems that emerge when the church functions like a business organization rather than the living organism it was created to be. As you reconsider Christ's revolutionary plan for His church - to be the head of a fully functioning body in which all believers play an active role - you’ll be challenged to decide whether you can ever do church the same way again.

One of the surprise bestsellers of the year has been Pagan Christianity: Exposing the Roots of Our Church Practices by George Barna and Frank Viola. In this well-researched study you will find out why churches do what they do, including aspects such as clothing, preaching, worship habits, staffing, buildings, seminary training, and more. Surprisingly few of today’s church practices are drawn from the Bible. http://www.barna.org/FlexPage.aspx?Page=Resource&ResourceID=309

The Remnant: Restoring Integrity in American Ministry

The Remnant: Restoring Integrity in American Ministry
by Larry Stockstill

No greater message is needed in todays Churches and to God's leaders than this one.The material below is from the publisher's web site.

God is issuing a call to bring integrity back to American Christianity. The foundational truths in this book will show the way. In this book, Larry Stockstill challenges readers with principles for turning our nation around to integrity and commitment and precluding the judgment of God. There is a new breed of pastors and laypeople who are asking the tough questions: * Where has the glory of God gone in the American church? * When did the simple, pure gospel of the Savior become about "me," "my," and "mine"? * What happened to the transparency and integrity that marked the church for centuries?

To each reader, God is saying, "I want to start with you." Allow this book to shake you to the core and reorganize your family, your ministry, and your future.

Powers of Darkness

Powers of Darkness
Principalities & Powers in Paul's Letters
By Clinton E. Arnold

The last two decades have witnessed a vast upsurge in occult activity. Scores of popular books have warned Christians of the dangers and urged them to do battle against these spiritual forces. Few books, however, have developed a careful biblical theology on demons, principalities and powers.

Clinton Arnold seeks to fill this gap, providing an in-depth look at Paul's letters and what they teach on the subject. For perspective, he examines first-century Greek, Roman and Jewish beliefs as well as Jesus' teaching about magic, sorcery and divination. Arguing against many recent interpretations that have seen principalities and powers as impersonal social, economic and political structures, Arnold contends that the New Testament view is that such forces are organized, personal beings which Jesus defeated at the cross and will bring into full subjection at his return.

In his concluding section Arnold suggests practical ways in which Christians today can contend with the forces of evil.

Features & Benefits
includes subject index, author index, and an index of biblical references
includes bibliography looks at Paul's letters and what they say about the issue
looks also at Jesus' teachings discusses past and present beliefs offers practical help for dealing with such things today

Table of Contents
AbbreviationsPrefaceIntroduction

Part I: First-Century Belief in the Powers

1. Magic and Divination

2. Greco-Roman and Oriental Religions

3. Astrology

4. Judaism

5. The Teaching of JesusPart

II: Paul's Teaching on the Powers

6. What Are the Powers?

7. The Defeat of the Powers at the Cross

8. A New Kingdom and Identity for Believers

9. The Influence of the Powers on Believers

10. Christ and No Other

11. Spiritual Warfare

12. Christ's Final Defeat of the Powers

Part III: Interpreting the Powers for Today

13. Reality or Myth?

14. The Powers and People

15. The Powers and Society

Conclusion: Contending with the Powers

Notes

Selected Bibliography

Author Index

Index of Biblical Passages

Subject Index

Desire: The Journey We Must Take to Find the Life God Offers

What are your deepest desires? If money and resources were unlimited as long as you fulfilled the deepest longing of your heart, what would you do?

What are the passions God has put within you that go deeper than just meeting your natural physical desires?

How will you discover them and what will you do once they become clear to you?

God's Word says in Jeremiah 29:11
In the NIV it sates it as follows;
11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future

The Amplified states it this way;
11 For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.

God has created us as a threefold being, for we are created in His image:
1. Spirit
2. Soul (mind, will and emotions)
3. Body

Deep within our Spirit are the God desires. These are often clouded by our soul which suffers under the penalty of sin until we are saved and then must be renewed by the Word of God so that once again we are more like God then our sinful self.

This life long quest or journey to be conformed into His image and become full of His light and fullness can be fulfilled as we discover the Desires he has placed within us.

John Eldgidge's book Desire will help you to fulfill that God given Desire and Plan you were created for.

John's gift of weaving truth and story together will stir-up the life of God within you as he weaves his story and unfolds God's truth for you in this delightful book.

Do not put off purchasing, reading and absorbing these truths. God is waiting to release His desires and passion in your life!

Desire: The Journey We Must Take to Find the Life God Offers
by John Eldridge
The material immediately below is from the authors site.
http://www.ransomedheart.com/ministry/default.aspx

'Can we find a life filled with passion, without being overwhelmed by it?
In Desire John Eldredge writes, "There is a secret set within each of our hearts. It is the desire for life as it was meant to be." Yet how do we uncover our desires and learn to decipher them? As John says, "We all share the same dilemma--we long for life and we're not sure where to find it. We wonder if we ever do find it, can we make it last?...We must journey to find the life we prize. And the guide we have been given is the desire set deep within, the desire we often overlook or mistake for something else or choose to ignore. The greatest human tragedy is to give up the search."
Many good people have been told that the path to a holy life requires us to kill our hearts' desires. And call it sanctification. But in this re-release of one of John's most inspiring works, we discover that God is the author of our deepest desires. He has given us desire, and he loves to fulfill our hearts' desires. For as the Psalms declare, "Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart" (37:4).

God is calling to you through the desires of your heart.

How You Respond Will Set The Course for The Rest Of Your Life.'

The Publisher has this to say.

'In Desire, formerly titled The Journey of Desire, John Eldredge writes of the journey people must take to find the life they prize. And the guide that has been given to all is the desire set deep within, the desire often overlooked or mistaken for something else or even ignored.

"Contrary to what you may have heard in church, desire is the key to the Christian life," says John Eldredge. "When we lose desire, we lose passion for God-and everything else. This book will unlock your God-given passions and desires so that you can find the life God meant you to live.

In this groundbreaking book, Eldredge invites readers to acknowledge the significance of desire, abandon resignation, and embark on an adventure he calls "our heart's most important journey."

Chapter Excerpt: http://www.thomasnelson.com/consumer/additionalinfo.asp?ISBN=0785288422&productid=13184&TopLevel_id=200000&dept_id=0&type=chapter
Ransomed Heart Ministries Website: http://www.ransomedheart.com/

ISLAM AND TERRORISM

Today, Christians need to know more about Islam and terrorism. I recently spent some time with a young Christian leader from Pakistan and ask him to recommend some materials that would give a clear understanding of this issue. The materials below are the ones he has recommended. Please see the website of the author for additional information and materials he has written.

ISLAM AND TERRORISM
by Mark A. Gabriel, Ph.D., 2002
http://www.markagabriel.org/

Islam has been veiled in a vast sea of misinformation for too long! Never before has one book contained such valuable information about the Islamic faith, beliefs and traditions as well as historical and political insights. Dr. Mark Gabriel shares the truth and tells you everything you need to know and understand about Islam and why the United States has become the target of Islamic terrorism.

In Islam and Terrorism you will learn:
1. How Muhammad practiced holy war and why it continues today
2. Why the verses about jihad cancel out the verses about tolerance, causing contradictions in the Quran
3. What Muslims believe about earning your way into Paradise (heaven)
4. Which radical teachings in black market books are being read by the Islamic terrorists of today
5. Why the United States has become the target of Islamic terrorism

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Foreword by J. Lee GradyIntroduction

SECTION I: MY STORY
Disillusioned at Al Azhar
The Egyptian Prison
A Year Without Faith

SECTION II: THE ROOTS OF TERRORISM IN ISLAM
Core Beliefs of Islam
Holy War in the Quran
Misinformed by the Media
Human Rights Under Islam

SECTION III: FOLLOWING MUHAMMAD'S EXAMPLE
Arabian Culture
Muhammad Declares Jihad
The Ultimate Goal of Islam
The Three Stages of Jihad
When Lies Are Justified
Muhammad's Use of Mosques

SECTION IV: THE DEVELOPMENT OF MODERN JIHAD
Forefathers of Terrorism
The Founding Father of Modern Jihad
The Philosophers of Jihad
Recruiting for Holy War
Inspired by Iran
Treachery Between Terrorists
Al_Jihad Prepares and Attacks
Justice Loses, Quran Wins
Jihad Bleeds Out of Egypt
New Strategy: Attack the West

SECTION V: MUSLIMS AND THE GOOD NEWS
The False Christianity Presented to Muslims
Bringing the Gospel to Muslims
Challenges for Muslim Converts
Epilogue

Notes

Glossary

Bibliography

AUTHOR PROFILE
Dr. Mark A. Gabriel was able to quote the entire Quran by the time he was twelve years old. Raised in Egypt--in the midst of a breeding ground of Islam terrorists--he spent his formative years deep inside the confines of Muslim influence. His own family disowned him after he converted to Christianity and tried to kill him several times. He escaped his homeland and now resides in the United States. As a reflection of his new life in Christ, he chose a Christian name to replace his Muslim name.

BOOK SPECIFICATIONS
234 pages, paper.ISBN 0884198847
Islam Expert Answers Challenges
http://bibleprobe.com/MarkGarbriel-Introduction.htm

Dr. Mark A. Gabriel's Other Books

Islam and the Jews
Jesus and Muhammad
Islamic Terrorist
Culture Clash

Grow Your Church From The Outside In

Grow Your Church From The Outside In

There are nearly 100 million unchurched people in the U.S. Do you know how to connect with them in ways that will lead to faith-based life transformation?

In this practical and user-friendly volume, author and researcher George Barna explores the world of the unchurched. Based on research his company conducted among several thousand unchurched people, Barna describes who the unchurched are and how we might most easily and appropriately connect with them. Using additional research he conducted among churches that have had great success in attracting and retaining unchurched people, Barna also outlines perspectives and effective strategies for churches that wish to reach those who avoid churches.

More than 80% of the current growth registered by Protestant churches is biological or transfer growth – very little of the growth comes from penetrating the ranks of the unchurched. Once you understand the values, attitudes, beliefs, religious practices, demographics, life goals, and spiritual expectations of the unchurched, you will have a better chance of relating to them in meaningful ways. Let Grow Your Church From the Outside In be your guidebook in that process.

This book was formerly titled, Re-Churching The Unchurched

Table of Contents

CHAPTER 1- The Crowd Waits for You

CHAPTER 2- Sizing Up the Unchurched

CHAPTER 3- Why People Avoid the

Church CHAPTER 4- A Demographic Profile of the Unchurched

CHAPTER 5- Values, Attitudes, and Lifestyles

CHAPTER 6- The Faith of the Unchurched

CHAPTER 7- What the Unchurched Want From a Church

CHAPTER 8- Getting Their Attention

CHAPTER 9- Twelve Misconceptions About Ministry to the Unchurched

CHAPTER 10-How Churches Minister Effectively to the Unchurched

CHAPTER 11- Making a Commitment to a Vision of the Church

Book Excerpt found at
http://www.barna.org/FlexPage.aspx?Page=Excerpt&ProductID=230

Transformational Discipleship and Spirit Filled Resources for Discipleship

The following resources and text can be found @http://discipleship.ag.org/index.cfm
These resources are a result of the AG Commission on Discipleship.
These resources can be purchaed@ http://www.gospelpublishing.com/store/startitem.cfm?item=020270


Transformational Discipleship by Charles Crabtree

Recognizing the crisis facing the church in America, Crabtree gives motivating insights and practical applications for:

• Making small groups biblically sound and Sunday School classes relational
• Establishing and sustaining the ultimate church growth mode
Building faith and enthusiasm for discipleship in your church
• Creating an effective church between SundaysHardcover, 176 pages


Transformational Discipleship Teaching DVD



Item Number: 26TW0955
Transform discipleship in your church with the help of this easy-to-use teaching DVD. Transformational Discipleship comes to life as author Charles Crabtree shares his heart about discipleship and adds further insights and practical application for each of the ten chapters.

Designed for group or individual use, this DVD will spark discussion and motivate Small group leaders
Sunday School teachers - Discipleship directors - Pastoral staff 10 Sessions-10 minutes each

The New Believers Handbook
Get new believers off to a great start with this guide for the first weeks of their spiritual journey.

Short chapters share insights on topics like prayer and being filled with the Holy Spirit as well as suggested daily Bible readings from the Book of Mark.

Adapted from Now What?

A Guidebook for New Christians.


The New Believer’s Friend Handbook
Mentor’s companion book. Includes the dos and don’ts for spiritual parenting, lesson outlines for each chapter of The New Believer’s Handbook, and full text and answers to study questions.








Seven Practices for Every Follower of Jesus
In Seven Practices for Every Follower of Jesus, Thomas E. Trask gives basic disciplines believers can apply to grow in faith and personal effectiveness in helping fulfill the mission of the church.

Topics include:
Be Faithful in Prayer
Read and Study God’s Word Daily
Share Message of Christ with Nonbelievers
Depend on the Spirit in Daily Life
Continue to Grow and Disciple Others
Support Missions
Serve the Poor and Suffering

Nothing’s Too Hard for God Small Group Discussion DVD
Bring the Nothing’s Too Hard for God theme into your Sunday school, small groups, or mid- week services with our Small Group Discussion DVD hosted by Scotty Gibbons. This powerful DVD offers eight separate discussions built on the topics of forgiveness, loneliness, broken relationships, illness, fear, financial need, loss, and addiction. Each topic is depicted through true-life stories of individuals who struggled before discovering—nothing’s too hard for God. Each story is presented in a 10-14 minute video with planned pauses for discussion and group interaction. Our DVD comes with a separate CD of printable files containing questions and notes for leaders. Each story corresponds with eight campaign postcards, print ads, TV ads and Radio ads.
DVD contains 8 discussion videos and separate CD with printable notes for leaders.
DVD also includes navigation for playing testimonies only, without studio discussion segments.

Connections Small Group Studies (Downloadable)
These topical studies are the perfect way to start discussion and change lives in your church.

Each downloadable study features interactive questions, insightful notes, and inspiring points that will get your group talking.

Plus, the downloadable format offers a simple, inexpensive way to meet the needs of your small groups. $1.99 per lesson



Relationships Poster: “Love God/Love Others” (Free Downloadable)
Have you ever heard it said that discipleship is all about relationships? This visually stunning poster expresses the importance of our relationship with God and with others.

This FREE resource is available for downloading in various sizes and includes a version with Scripture (Matthew 22:36-40) and without. Can be used in a variety of ways, including websites, bulletins, newsletters, banners, posters, and more.



Discipleship Solutions Kit From brand-new believers to mature Christians, this kit offers something for everyone in your church:
• Transformational Discipleship with Teaching DVD
• The New Believer’s Handbook with Friend Handbook
• Two sample small group and Bible studies
• God’s Word for Today and Bible Reading Guide (sample backdated issues)


Small Groups and Discipleship Initiatives http://discipleship.ag.org/index.cfm

Discipleship is more than an important program in the church. It is the great priority found in the Great Commission. It is the ultimate proof of effective ministry and genuine church growth. It is the will of God and the desire of Jesus. It is the foundation of a stable faith and the means of rich and rewarding relationships with God and man.

The answer to all the challenges facing the church today is a Spirit-filled laity who is not ashamed of the gospel and loves the Lord 24/7. The Commission on Discipleship is committed to putting dynamic and relevant resources into the hands of every church leader. This website is the portal to all of the Assemblies of God resources for discipleship.

Small Groups – Welcome to the world of the Assemblies of God small groups! Small Groups have the potential of creating dynamic disciples through nontraditional means and ministries. This site gives church leaders wonderful ideas and resources to help address local situations, it provides opportunities to study other churches with effective small groups, and it includes a discussion forum for the exchange of discipleship and small group ideas.

Personal Bible Study and Devotions – A daily discipline with God and His Word for the purpose of gaining a greater intimacy with Christ and His truth. This may also include family devotions.

Pre-Conversion Discipleship – The process of intentionally establishing relationships with pre-converts in order to lead them to Christ. It views discipleship as a process, not an event; with each step that brings someone closer to becoming "a fully devoted follower of Christ" part of that process.

New Convert Care – An intentional ministry of linking spiritual mothers and fathers with babes in Christ for the purpose of spiritual guidance and protection of a new believer’s life.
http://discipleship.ag.org/index.cfm

We Build People – A values-driven philosophy (not a program) designed to help the pastor, his leadership team and the local congregation to respond to Christ’s call to "make disciples."
http://discipleship.ag.org/Discipleship/index.cfm