Because of Bethlehem/He Chose the Nails Study Guides with DVD


Book Description

In Because of Bethlehem, a four-session video Bible study, Max Lucado explores how the One who made everything chose to make himself nothing and come into our world. Jesus' birth gives us the promise that God is always near us, always for us, and always within us--and that we no longer need to have marks on our record. In He Chose the Nails, a five-session video Bible study, Max continues by examining the gifts that Christ gave at his crucifixion. These include not only the gift of the cross, but also the gift of the thorns, the nails, and the empty tomb. The cross is rich with God's gifts of grace, and as we unwrap them, we will hear him whisper, "I did it just for you." Because of Bethlehem sessions include: God Has a Face (16:00) Worship Works Wonders (18:00) God Guides the Wise (14:00) Every Heart a Manger (17:30) He Chose the Nails sessions include: He Chose to Be One of Us (15:00) He Chose to Forgive Us (16:00) He Chose to Invite Us into His Presence (15:00) He Chose to Love Us Forever (16:00) He Chose to Give Us Victory (18:00) This pack contains one Because of Bethlehem Study Guide 9780310687054, one He Chose the Nails Study Guide 9780310687269, and one DVD 9780310687849 that houses video for both studies.




Because of Bethlehem (with Bonus Content)


Book Description

For some, Christmas is a time of excitement, celebration, and quality time with loved ones. For others, it's full of loneliness, grief, and loss. Join New York Times bestselling author Max Lucado as he unwraps the enduring promises of Christmas and discovers a lifetime of hope, all because of one baby born in Bethlehem. It's easy to lose sight of the remarkable story of Christmas. We forget that a king ordered a census, Joseph was forced to travel, Mary bounced on a donkey's back, the hotel was full, the hour was late, and the event was one big hassle. Yet, out of that hassle, hope was born. In Because of Bethlehem, Max invites us to look at the Christmas story from a different perspective. He reminds us that Christmas is about more than a pretty tree with presents piled up underneath it. Christmas begins what Easter celebrates: the child in the cradle who goes on to become the King on the cross. Because of Bethlehem, we have a place on earth and a Savior in heaven. In the midst of your hectic Christmas season, Max will give you the encouragement, advice, and tools you need to: Rekindle your connection to the Christ of Christmas Receive the promises of the Christmas season Lay down your endless Christmas to-do list and trust what Jesus has already done Heal your heartache by embracing the God who is always near you, always for you, and always with you Each copy of Because of Bethlehem will also include an Advent Devotional Guide designed to help you reflect on the miracle of Christ's birth and the promise of his return. As you curl up in a comfortable spot and take a closer look at the wild and wonderful story of Bethlehem, may you find enduring faith for all seasons of your life. No matter what this season holds for you, rest in the truth that the promise of Christmas has the power to bring you a lifetime of hope and healing.




He Chose the Nails


Book Description

The wood. The thorns. The nails. Christ's sacrifice has defined the very essence of mankind's faith for the past 2000 years. And now, Max Lucado invites you to examine the cross, contemplate its purpose, and celebrate its significance with He Chose the Nails. With his warm, caring style, Max examines the symbols surrounding Christ's crucifixion, revealing the claims of the cross and asserting that if they are true, then Christianity itself is true. The supporting evidence either makes the cross the single biggest hoax of all time, or the hope of all humanity




Because of Bethlehem Bible Study Guide


Book Description

In the Because of Bethlehem video Bible study (DVD/digital video sold separately), bestselling author and pastor Max Lucado guides you through the Advent season to its source at an unassuming stable in Bethlehem... No one expected the Messiah to come the way he did. Yet the way he came was every bit as important as the coming itself. The manger is the message. Because of Bethlehem, God knows what it's like to be human. Because of Bethlehem, when we talk to him about tough times, he understands. He's been there. He's been here. Because of Bethlehem, we no longer have marks on our record...just grace. In the midst of your hectic Christmas season, this 4-session Bible study with Max will: Revive your wonder that the One who made everything chose to make himself nothing for us. Rekindle your connection to the Christ of Christmas who offers lasting hope. Help you lay down your endless Christmas to-do list and receive what Jesus has already done. Heal your heartache by embracing the God who is always near you, always for you, and always in you. For some, Christmas is a time of excitement, celebration, and family, while for others it is a time of loneliness, grief, and loss. No matter what this season holds for you, the promise of Christmas will bring you a lifetime of hope. The Because of Bethlehem Study Guide includes video notes and discussion questions, Bible exploration, an individual application activity, and an Advent practice to complete between meetings. Sessions include: God Has a Face Worship Works Wonders God Guides the Wise Every Heart a Manger Designed for use with Because of Bethlehem/He Chose the Nails Video Study (9780310687849), sold separately. The DVD is a two-disc set for Christmas and Easter.




You'll Get Through This


Book Description

We all fear that the depression will never lift, the disappointment will never stop, the pain will never leave. Here in the pits, surrounded by steep walls, we wonder if our gray skies will ever brighten. Though these unprecedented and challenging times may bring a load of uncertainty and fear that feels too heavy to bear, God gives us this promise: You'll Get Through This. In You'll Get Through This, pastor and New York Times bestselling author Max Lucado traces the story of Joseph as told in the book of Genesis. The Bible tells us that Joseph was tossed into a pit by his brothers, sold into slavery, wrongfully imprisoned, forgotten and dismissed. Yet Joseph's story is proof that we can flourish even in this broken world. On his darkest days, Joseph may have thought that the sun would never shine again, but God ultimately used these hardships for a greater purpose. Whether you find yourself in the pit of financial downturn, job loss, health crisis, or relationship stresses, God has a plan and a path forward designed just for you. Max reminds readers God doesn't promise that getting through trials will be quick or painless, but he does use our mess for good. In this book, Max will help you: Find comfort in the knowledge that you are God's child and God cares deeply for you Remember that God is near you and has never left you Look for hope in each hardship that you face Lean on your loving community in challenging times Take courage that God will restore even the most painful circumstances and use them for good Each copy of You'll Get Through This includes thoughtful questions for reflection designed to give you a chance to dive deeper into the hard yet hopeful story of Joseph's perseverance. With the compassion of a pastor, the heart of a storyteller, and the joy of one who has seen what God can do, Max explores the story of Joseph and the truth of Genesis 50:20: what Satan intends for evil, God redeems for good.




The Blazing Center Study Guide


Book Description

What Do You Revolve Around? All the planets of your life—from your labor and leisure to your thinking and feeling—are held in orbit by the greatness, gravity, and blazing brightness of Jesus Christ at the center of your life. When He ceases to be the center, the planets of your life fly into confusion, sending a hundred things out of control. Pastor John Piper’s powerful teaching is recorded during an intimate retreat for youth leaders and students onto three The Blazing Center DVDs. With the study guide, this is an ideal package for adult and youth Sunday school classes, small groups, retreats, classrooms, and families. Discover surprising insights about the reality of sin, how your love for God is really revealed, and how only joy in Him will sustain you through times of suffering. God Is the Blazing Sun at the Center of Reality Everything revolves around Him. And as the most valuable and glorious person who exists, God is loving, not conceited, when He calls us to worship Him. His pursuit of glory and our pursuit of joy are not at odds—because God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him. This study guide is designed to be used in a ten-session, guided group study that focuses on The Blazing Center DVD set: Lesson 1—Introduction to The Blazing Center Lesson 2—The Blazing Center: A Personal Story Lesson 3—The Blazing Center: Is God Vain? Lesson 4—Pursue Your Joy: Isn’t That Hedonism? Lesson 5— Pursue Your Joy: God Commands It! Lesson 6—True Love: Duty or Delight? (Part 1) Lesson 7—True Love: Duty or Delight? (Part 2) Lesson 8—Suffering: For the Joy Set Before You (Part 1) Lesson 9— Suffering: For the Joy Set Before You (Part 2) Lesson 10—Review and Conclusion Complete with Scripture and key quotations for reflection, penetrating questions, and five daily assignments per week, this study guide will help you place God at the center of your life. When God is the blazing sun at the center of your solar system, all the planets of your life come into proper orbit. Leader’s guide included! Story Behind the Book “The greatest news in all the world is that there is no final conflict between my passion for joy and God’s passion for His glory. The knot that ties these together is the truth that God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him. Jesus Christ died and rose again to forgive the treason of our souls, which have turned from savoring God to savoring self. In the cross of Christ, God rescues us from the house of mirrors and leads us out to the mountains and canyons of His majesty. Nothing satisfies us—or magnifies Him—more.” —John Piper




Unshakable Hope


Book Description

What feels shaky in your world? Maybe you feel hurt by the past, disappointed by the present, or worried about the future. If so, there is hope. For every problem in life, God has given you a promise. In the New York Times bestselling book, Unshakable Hope, Max Lucado unpacks 12 of the Bible’s most significant promises, equipping you to overcome difficult circumstances by keeping your focus on the hope found in the promises of Scripture. Whether it’s heart disease or cancer, job failure or addiction, natural disasters or family disasters, mass murders or mental illness, there are so many reasons to be overwhelmed and hope can feel hard to come by. Now more than ever, we need the definitive declarations of our mighty and loving God. In this book, you will be reminded that God’s promises are irrevocable because: God is unchanging God is faithful God is strong God cannot lie What is your life built on—the circumstances of life or the promises of God? The answer to that question changes everything. Join Max as he takes a closer look at Scripture’s unbreakable promises and shows you how to live with unshakable hope.




Because of Bethlehem


Book Description

Max Lucado loves Christmas. Let the sleigh bells ring. Let the carolers sing. The more Santas the merrier. The more trees the better. He loves it because somewhere someone will ask the Christmas questions: What's the big deal about the baby in the manger? Who was he? What does his birth have to do with me? And the answers he's found give us all hope. God knows what it's like to be a human. When we talk to him about deadlines or long lines or tough times, he understands. He's been there. He's been here. Because of Bethlehem, we have a friend in heaven. And Christmas begins what Easter celebrates. The child in the cradle became the King on the cross. Because of Bethlehem, we have a Savior in heaven. These are the heart shaping promises of Christmas. Long after the guests have left and the carolers have gone home and the lights have come down, these promises endure. Let's turn on the lamp, curl up in a comfortable spot, and look into the odd, wonderful story of Bethlehem. Max has found a lifetime of hope. We will too.




Treasuring God in Our Traditions


Book Description

God is the treasure of our lives. He is part of everything we do, think, act, and say-literally, he is a part of us. This precious heirloom of Christ himself must be passed on to future generations. But how? Treasuring God in Our Traditions presents the importance of passing along Christ-centered traditions and a Bible-saturated legacy in Christ to future generations. Noël Piper helps her readers recognize how the "everyday" routines of life and the "especially" celebrations of holidays and dates can be practically passed down to future generations. When parents and grandparents seek to pass along the treasure of God to their children and grandchildren, they will develop and deepen their love for him. When family traditions are rooted in the Bible, the next generations will see that the greatest treasure that anyone can have is the treasure of God.




The God Who Is There


Book Description

It can no longer be assumed that most people--or even most Christians--have a basic understanding of the Bible. Many don't know the difference between the Old and New Testament, and even the more well-known biblical figures are often misunderstood. It is getting harder to talk about Jesus accurately and compellingly because listeners have no proper context with which to understand God's story of redemption. In this basic introduction to faith, D. A. Carson takes seekers, new Christians, and small groups through the big story of Scripture. He helps readers to know what they believe and why they believe it. The companion leader's guide helps evangelistic study groups, small groups, and Sunday school classes make the best use of this book in group settings.