The Friends of Jesus


Book Description

America’s favorite inspirational novelist and #1 New York Times bestselling author paints vividly realized portraits of six of Jesus’ closest friends and companions, bringing biblical truths to life in this captivating continuation of her Life-Changing Bible Story series. In our everyday lives, friends are the people whom we spend the most time with, go through struggles with, and who know us best. Each of Jesus’ friends—Peter, John, Matthew, Judas, Mary Magdalene, and Lazarus—traveled with Jesus and were part of His daily ministry, and each has a compelling story to tell. There were some who would question or doubt Him…and one would even betray Him. Kingsbury brings these fascinating personalities to life in ways that will not only help bring you closer to the truths found in Scripture, but also to Christ. By combining valuable, instructive Bible study with compelling, insightful character sketches of Jesus’ companions, Kingsbury provides you with a deeper understanding of the scriptural teachings featuring these fascinating people. Emotionally powerful, thought-provoking, and soulful, The Friends of Jesus will help you to appreciate the Bible and understand how it applies to your relationships with the most important people in your life.




Made for Friendship


Book Description

God made you for friendship. Friendship is one of the deepest pleasures of life. But in our busy, fast-paced, mobile world, we've lost this rich view of friendship and instead settled for shallow acquaintances based on little more than similar tastes or shared interests. Helping us recapture a vision of true friendship, pastor Drew Hunter explores God's design for friendship and what it really looks like in practice—giving us practical advice to cultivate the kinds of true friendships that lead to true and life-giving joy.




Making Friends for Christ


Book Description

Making Friends for Christ is a guide for learning how to be a real friend. It offers practical, everyday ideas for touching the people God has already put into your life. You will learn how to be a good listener, overcome common barriers, and invest in relationships. You can turn your home into a place of ministry and effectively tell how Christ has changed your life. You can learn to pray in faith for your friends and family and join with other believers for support and encouragement.




Friends with Everyone


Book Description

Why can it be so hard to find good friends? How can we become better friends? What happens when conflict threatens to derail friendship?"Friending" is so easy on the surface level, but how do we really know who are friends are? God litters our lives with people who come alongside us. Not every friendship looks the same, feels the same, or lasts forever. Do we love the people He has placed in our lives? When we recognize Christ's love in our reflection, it begin flows through us and into our relationships. By tuning into His voice above all others, we are free to embrace the broad scope of people God has brought into our lives. Jesus lofted love above all else in His friendships, and I believe He challenges us to do the same. "Friends with Everyone" challenges us to see and love people as He does, and to embrace friendship with fresh perspective. When we love each other for who we are, the genuine and authentic friendships we crave enrich our lives with a renewed sense of community.




Character Matters


Book Description

Pastor, it’s time to turn down the noise and focus on what matters. Today’s pastoral world is packed with books, conferences, and seminars teaching you different techniques for being an all-star pastor, growing your church quickly, and changing the world. But the key to true success is much harder and much simpler. Pastors are called to be faithful, to have exemplary character, and to love Jesus. Without faithfulness, their ministry ends up harming others rather than helping them. Churches need pastors with sound doctrine and a sound life. Character Matters was written to help you slow down, cut through the noise and distractions, and focus on what matters—the fruit of the Spirit. Each chapter is a guided, biblical meditation on one aspect of each piece of the fruit of the Spirit. As you reflect and focus on the simple things that matter, you’ll see your heart change and your ministry follow, slowly, surely, and by the power of the Spirit.







Friend of My Heart


Book Description

How, when, and where can one meet this Friend of every heart? My guess is that there are as many ways of meeting him as there are human beings in the world. I have heard of people who met him unexpectedly in near death experiences, during illnesses, or at crossroads in their lives. Some of these people saw and heard him, while for others the experience was less direct but no less meaningful. For example, they heard his voice or sensed his presence in the words or deeds of a friend or a stranger. I have also read of people meeting him because they earnestly desired it. Whether we are conscious or not of wanting to meet him, I believe his wish for the encounter is always present, but he never forces himself upon us. I have always felt complete respect from him for my freedom, both inner and outer" (from Friend of My Heart). To open this book is to open yourself to the possibility of an extraordinary meeting. For this is the story of such a meeting, and it is one that can happen to anyone who wants it. The book begins as each of us must begin--with a declaration of hope, heartfelt longing, expectation. Gathered from more than twenty-five journals over twenty years, the messages in this book invite us to listen in the spirit of simplicity, openness, and faith, and then to be attentive to what stirs within. First comes the question: how, when and where can one meet this Friend of the heart? The answer comes from the author's experiences and the messages she has received inwardly. Made deaf by illness at the age of six, Claire Blatchford speaks to us about how to listen and how to hear from our own inner and outer lives. These are primary messages, put into the context of the author's life, that enable us, in the context of our own lives, to enter into a relationship with this Being who is the Friend of every heart. Friend of My Heart leaves us with the profound sense that we can all stand truly as our own selves in the presence of love. C O N T E N T S Foreword by Christopher Bamford Preface Meeting Right Here Hearing Listening More about Meeting Him Breathing Seeing When We Are in Pain Work with Him About Work Working with Others Work Within Working with the Dead Not Knowing and Going Naked A Final Posy







A Friendship Like No Other


Book Description

Live in the love of a God who desires a relationship with you. Throughout A Friendship Like No Other, renowned spiritual director William A. Barry, SJ, explores the premise that God wants to relate to us as a close friend. Barry has contemplated this idea—radical for many Christians—throughout his lifetime, and he explains that it actually traces back to the “developing revelation of God contained in the Bible.” A Friendship Like No Other offers three well-supported and practical sections: prayerful exercises to help lead you to the conviction that God wants your friendship; a close look at objections to this idea; and reflections on experiencing the presence of God and discerning those experiences. Brief, personal meditations are woven throughout. Grounded in biblical tradition and with a clear focus on Ignatian spirituality, this book offers a fresh, heart-changing approach to living joyfully in the freedom of the divine embrace.




The Friends of Jesus - Bible Study Book


Book Description

In this six-session study, Karen Kingsbury explores six people in the life of Jesus and the depth of friendship that is found with each one. After a life of loneliness, Simon the Leper discovered true friendship with Jesus and became a person full of gratitude. Martha is known for her busyness and work ethic, but she also learned to worship through her friendship with Jesus. Saturated in legalism, Jairus was a religious and synagogue leader who learned much more about his beliefs and what it means to value relationships over religion. Mary Magdalene came to personally know her Savior, Jesus. Her life then was marked by devotion as a friend and follower of Jesus. And, Peter, a man of both faith and failure, challenges the reader to step up after failure and become a person of obedience and commitment to Jesus. Finally, the Bible study closes with the life and friendship of John. This beloved disciple and friend of Jesus begins his journey with Jesus as one of the sons of thunder, but transforms into a man marked by humility and love. All six of these friends of Jesus bring a variety of experiences and examples that show the ups and downs of friendship - and remind us that true friendship is worth the time and commitment involved through those challenging and joyful times. Most of all, this Bible study reminds readers that Jesus is the greatest friend they could ever have. He is your Savior and your Lord, now make Him your friend. Sessions Topics Include: Simon the Leper: Gratitude Martha: Worship Jairus: Belief Mary Magdalene: Devotion Peter: Obedience John: Humility Features: Interactive teaching video approximately 25-30 minutes each week Biblically rooted and gospel-centered on the friends of Jesus Leader material (guides to questions and discussion with small group) Personal study segments in member book to complete between group sessions set up in daily format but can we used at the leisure of the learner Each week focuses on a friend of Jesus (Simon the Leper, Martha of Bethany, Jairus, Mary Magdalene, Peter, John) Includes excerpts from Karen Kingsbury's book The Friends of Jesus using storytelling to relate the scripture and characters Benefits: Focus on the gospel of Jesus and learn to recognize the power of forgiveness in forging real relationships Believe that your broken relationships can be the background for beautiful redemption Escape loneliness and enjoy deep friendship with Jesus Embrace Jesus as a friend, not only Savior and Lord Find new life in the fertile soil of friendship with Jesus and with others Overcome busyness and distraction by finding friendship at the feet of Jesus Trade sickness and shame for a second chance at a soul connection with others through Christ