Unexpected Bible Study Guide

It's possible to learn how to live with a faith that is so confident in God that it can't be shaken--even in the most unpredictable and chaotic times. In this five-session video Bible study (DVD/digital video sold separately), bestselling author and teacher Christine Caine invites you to move into a deeper intimacy with God than you have ever known--and let him heal your heart and take away your fear. Including video discussion questions, Bible exploration, and personal study material, Caine points out the way to developing a relentless faith so that the next time life throws you a curve ball--and life likely will--you will be able to navigate your way through, still living the adventure he planned for you...and maybe even a version of the adventure that's beyond what you could ever have imagined. Sessions include: Expect the Unexpected – Embracing God's control over our own. Unexpected People – Learning how to look and see what God is doing. An Unexpected Assignment – How God interrupts our carefully made plans and why. Unexpected Endings Bring New Beginnings – Focusing on what God has been up to in our lives. Unexpected Resurrection – Renewing our faith in the final hope. Many of us have been trained to fear the unexpected and want everything to be “under control,” but God wants us to anticipate the unexpected with a faith-filled perspective rooted in trust. He has never been taken by surprise. Designed for use with the Unexpected Video Study (9780310089322) sold separately.

New York Times bestselling author of The Prodigal Prophet Timothy Keller explores how people are changed by meeting Jesus personally—and how we can be changed encountering him today. The people who met Jesus Christ in person faced the same big life questions we face today. Like most of us, the answers handed down to them didn’t seem to work in the real world. But when they met Jesus, things immediately started to change for them. It seems he not only had the answers—he was the answer. In Encounters with Jesus, Timothy Keller shows how the central events and meetings in Jesus’ life can change our own lives forever. "Keller's work belongs on the bookshelf of every serious Bible student." —Examiner "Keller has mined the gold from these texts of Scripture, and any Christian is bound to have their minds expanded and hearts stirred." —Grace for Sinners

New York Times bestselling author Lysa TerKeurst unveils her heart amid shattering circumstances and shows readers how to live assured when life doesn't turn out like they expected. What do you do when God’s timing seems questionable, His lack of intervention hurtful, and His promises doubtful? Life often looks so very different than we hoped or expected. Some events may simply catch us off guard for a moment, but others shatter us completely. We feel disappointed and disillusioned, and we quietly start to wonder about the reality of God’s goodness. Lysa TerKeurst understands this deeply. But she's also discovered that our disappointments can be the divine appointments our souls need to radically encounter God. In It's Not Supposed to Be This Way, Lysa invites us into her own journey of faith and, with grit, vulnerability, and honest humor, helps us to: Stop being pulled into the anxiety of disappointment by discovering how to better process unmet expectations and other painful situations. Train ourselves to recognize the three strategies of the enemy so we can stand strong and persevere through unsettling relationships and uncertain outcomes. Discover the secret of being steadfast and not panicking when God actually does give us more than we can handle. Shift our suspicion that God is cruel or unfair to the biblical assurance that God is protecting and preparing us. Know how to encourage a friend and help her navigate hard realities with real help from God's truth.

What kind of people does God use to accomplish His work? Far from the children’s tales depicted in picture books and nursery rhymes, the men and women highlighted in the Bible were unnervingly real. They faltered. They struggled. And at times, they fell short. Yet God worked through them in surprising and incredible ways to accomplish His purposes. Scripture does not hide their weaknesses, caricature their strengths, or spin their stories as a display of human nobility. Instead, it describes these heroes of the faith with unflinching honesty and delivers an unexpected ending: “God is not ashamed to be called their God” (Hebrews 11:16). In Twelve Unlikely Heroes, pastor and best-selling author John MacArthur uses his deep knowledge of the Bible and history to take us back to see these three-dimensional men and women in their own times and cultures. In doing so, it becomes clear how their dramatic stories apply to us today. People who might at first seem foreign quickly become familiar and unforgettable—particularly as they reveal the true Hero behind every witness, the power counterbalancing every weakness, “the Author and Finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:1).

Describes the ways that Asian, African, and South American Christians interpret the Bible, especially the story of Jesus' life

Life is an unpredictable journey full of twists and turns. The good news is that while we don't always know what's going to happen, we can always trust that God uses everything in our lives as an invitation to rely on him more deeply and completely. In this five-session video Bible study, bestselling author Christine Caine shows that while most of us have been trained to fear the unexpected and want everything to be "under control," God wants us to anticipate the unexpected with a faith-filled perspective rooted in trust. He has never been taken by surprise. We can move from a life filled with fear, control, and feeling stuck to one full of hope, faith, and trust. In an age of upheaval, we can still expect our God to be good and do good. We can trust God in the unpredictable circumstances of life by anticipating, welcoming, and even embracing the unexpected. Sessions include: Expect the Unexpected Unexpected People An Unexpected Assignment Unexpected Endings Bring New Beginnings Unexpected Resurrection This pack contains one study guide and one DVD.

How would you characterize Jesus in his interactions with women? Gracious? Preachy? Aloof? Kind? Dismissive? Unexpected Love is an essential read for anyone eager to understand Jesus Christ’s true heart for women. We ache for a satisfying relationship with him and crave his healing touch. So did the women of the first century. Each approached him with something they wanted. They left with more than they could have imagined. Writer and teacher Julie Coleman carefully walks readers through the gospel narratives, offering evidence of a perceptive Savior deeply concerned about the women he met. Through vivid descriptions, thoughtful questions, and empowering applications, she brings a fresh perspective to these sometimes puzzling stories. Unexpected Love offers a compelling vision of a Savior who meets us where we are and will take us where we need to go. Discover his passion for women. What you read will impact your own relationship with him. You will fall in love with the dynamic, beautiful, and unexpectedly personal Jesus.

Although many people suggest that Christianity is declining, research indicates that it continues to be the world's most popular worldview. But even so, the Christian faith includes many controversial beliefs that non-Christians find hard to accept. This book explores 12 issues that might cause someone to dismiss orthodox Christianity—issues such as the existence of suffering, the Bible's teaching on gender and sexuality, the reality of heaven and hell, the authority of the Bible, and more. Showing how the best research from sociology, science, and psychology doesn't disagree with but actually aligns with claims found in the Bible, these chapters help skeptics understand why these issues are signposts, rather than roadblocks, to faith in Christ.