Growing More Like Jesus

Includes sixty Bible verses accompanied by stories and notes for parents.

The Bible teaches that the goal of the Christian life is to become like Jesus—for our own personal growth and for the sake of others. Every believer needs to ask three big questions: What do I believe? What should I do? And who am I becoming? In Think, Act, Be Like Jesus, bestselling author and pastor Randy Frazee helps readers grasp the vision of the Christian life and get started on the journey of discipleship. After unfolding the revolutionary dream of Jesus and showing how our lives fit into the big picture of what God is doing in the world, Frazee walks readers through thirty short chapters exploring the ten core beliefs, ten core practices, and ten core virtues that help disciples to think, act, and be more like Jesus Christ. This compelling new book can be used in conjunction with the 30-week all-church Believe campaign or read separately as an individual study. Either way, readers will deepen their understanding of what it means to not just know the Story of God, but to live it.

The heart of the biblical understanding of idolatry, argues Gregory Beale, is that we take on the characteristics of what we worship. Employing Isaiah 6 as his interpretive lens, Beale demonstrates that this understanding of idolatry permeates the whole canon, from Genesis to Revelation. Beale concludes with an application of the biblical notion of idolatry to the challenges of contemporary life.

How Are Your Finances Shaping Your Heart? Jesus knew that how we think about money shapes our character. Our approach can make us more like him—full of contentment, purpose, and freedom—or it can cause a tragic separation from God and the joy he offers. We need a firm foundation for faith and finances. In True Riches, John Cortines and Gregory Baumer invite us to experience four transformations in our financial lives, moving from pride to gratitude so that we see everything as a gift; coveting to contentment so that we spend wisely; anxiety to trust so that we save appropriately; and indifference to love so that we give extravagantly. Full of scripture, personal stories, and practical application, True Riches offers a clear path away from the empty pursuit of wealth and into more intimate relationship with God. All author proceeds donated to charity.

In the last sermon he ever preached, John Stott echoed the Apostle Paul when he said that God’s greatest desire and plan for us is to become like his Son, Jesus Christ. BUT HOW? Stott prayed daily that God would bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit in his own life; a prayer clearly answered and evident in his Christlikeness. Chris Wright, a close friend of John Stott, reflects on all nine qualities that the Apostle Paul includes in the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians. He shows how they are rooted in the character of God, first revealed in the Old Testament, and modelled and taught by Jesus. With applications to encourage biblical growth with depth, and questions at the end of each chapter, this is an ideal resource for preachers, study groups and personal reflection. Many people rightly stress the importance of the gifts, power and ministries of the Holy Spirit, but easily neglect Paul’s command to live and walk by the Spirit and cultivate the fruit that only he can bear in our lives. Paying close attention to the beautiful and robust qualities that Paul includes in the fruit, and seeking daily to cultivate them with God’s help, is surely one way we can become more and more like Jesus.

Grow Like Jesus is the first book to delve into Luke 2:52, "And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man."—a verse that spans the gap between Jesus the child and Jesus at the start of his ministry—and unpack its lessons in ways that are simple to understand but deep enough to drive meaningful changes in a person’s life. While we don’t know if Jesus performed miracles while living in Egypt, if he caught fireflies at night as a kid or if he went to sleepovers with his friends, we can be sure he wasn’t just hanging around eating lentils and pomegranates. Based on Luke 2:52, we know he was growing in four specific areas: wisdom, stature, favor with God, and favor with people. In other words, he grew intellectually, physically, spiritually and socially. As it turns out (and it shouldn’t come as a surprise) continual growth in these four areas will prepare us for success in life as followers of Christ—the type of success that allows us to know God and make him known; in other words, real success. The practical, applicable and accessible knowledge of Grow Like Jesus is perfect for anyone new to a faith in Christ or looking to breathe new life into their existing faith.

Elizabeth George, author of the bestseller A Young Woman After God’s Own Heart (more than 300,000 copies sold), now shows teen women how to make prayer a part of their busy lives. From her own journey through the Bible and the lives of others, Elizabeth shares the difference prayer makes in everyday life. She provides step-by-step guidance and ideas for experiencing an exciting prayer life, highlighting how to— make prayer a reality establish a regular time for talking with God pray from the heart for daily needs improve relationships through prayer Teen girls will grow to know God in a very real way as they develop an active, personal, and meaningful prayer life! Great for Sunday school, youth group studies, and individual reading. Rerelease of A Young Woman’s Call to Prayer

How would Jesus have us act in today's world? Living Like Jesus explores eleven basic yet profound ideals that spell the difference between nominal Christianity and the incredible power of the authentic gospel. Ronald Sider challenges us to reexamine our commitment and return to the basics of faith, exploring the impact this will have on our relationships--with God, others, the church, our society, and our world.