When God Comes Down

Often our Advent/Christmas journey is focused on us our memories, feelings, relationships and experiences. This study puts the focus on Gods action in Jesus Christ. It encourages participants to think more deeply in terms of the biblical, theological and spiritual meaning of the Nativity, while still applying it to their own life experience.

When God Comes Down is a five-week study, providing one lesson for each week of Advent and one for Christmas. Each lesson includes a key Scripture, a brief reflection, discussion/reflection questions, a brief prayer, and a focus for the coming week. In this study, Harnish explores the meaning of the incarnation...God with us in human flesh. Often our Advent/Christmas journey is focused on us – our memories, feelings, relationships and experiences. This study puts the focus on God’s action in Jesus Christ. It encourages participants to think more deeply in terms of the biblical, theological, and spiritual meaning of the Nativity and to apply it to their own life experiences. The study looks at the stories of the primary biblical characters in the birth stories through whose lives the miracle of incarnation happened: Zechariah, Elizabeth, Joseph, Mary, and Jesus. Harnish also looks at a traditional character in nativity plays, one who is not mentioned in the Bible, the innkeeper. Through all these characters, he helps us claim for ourselves the reality of God's presence with us.

A fresh look at heaven invading earth, based on personal experiences with God's glory. To know God personally, says the author, is to experience His glory.

With so much attention given to the presentation aspect of modern worship services, is it possible that many people attending church today forget to focus on the primary purpose of actually being in God's presence? Pastor Steve Gaines and coauthor Dean Merrill (Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire) fear this is the case and call for a return to the core point of corporate worship in When God Comes to Church. The goal here is to "send people out the door saying not 'What a sermon!' or 'What great music!' but rather 'What a Savior!' . . . the only 'Wow!' in a church should be God." With that in mind, Gaines and Merrill write thoroughly about what attracts God to our worship gatherings--sincere prayer, repentance, unity, etc.--and warn against the worldly hindrances to pure worship such as legalism, liberalism, and fanaticism.

In stark contrast to the biblical skepticism of our modern age, Where God Came Down emphasizes agreementbetween the Bible and archaeology. Using Scripture as his primary ancient text and most crucial interpretive tool,author Joel Kramer examines the archaeological record for ten locations recorded in the Bible.What is the evidence that supports these sites as the actual biblical places?-is a question that Kramer seeks toanswer by analyzing five Old Testament sites and five New Testament sites.Does it matter to know if these sites are authentic?-is another critical question raised. Kramer responds witha resounding, Yes! It matters because the Bible is not a made-up account of antiquity, as many today claim.Instead, the Bible is a record of real events and actual places that can be traced through the course of centuries.Peeling back layers of dirt and time, Kramer expertly lays out the archaeological evidence for his chosen biblicalsites. But more than that, he carefully reveals the profound spiritual significance that ordinary, unimportantplaces became the setting where redemption's story played out on earth-the places Where God Came Down.

A Study Guide and a Teacher’s Manual Gospel Principles was written both as a personal study guide and as a teacher’s manual. As you study it, seeking the Spirit of the Lord, you can grow in your understanding and testimony of God the Father, Jesus Christand His Atonement, and the Restoration of the gospel. You can find answers to life’s questions, gain an assurance of your purpose and self-worth, and face personal and family challenges with faith.

In "When God comes to church," Raymond C. Ortlund Jr. explores what the Bible teaches about revival. He explains what God can do to revive his people and what we must do to prepare ourselves for revival. Ortlund's conclusions provide solid guidance for church leaders and lay people who long for renewal and revival from God.

The final book of the Bible, Revelation prophesies the ultimate judgement of mankind in a series of allegorical visions, grisly images and numerological predictions. According to these, empires will fall, the "Beast" will be destroyed and Christ will rule a new Jerusalem. With an introduction by Will Self.