Showing results by narrator "Mark Smeby" in All Categories

There is an Enemy among us. You may know who he is, but you may not know what he is about. Do you know how he wages war? Do you know how he targets you specifically? He's the Villain who wants to change your story in the hopes you live isolated, powerless, discouraged, and defeated. If you're weary from the struggle and ready to experience life as God intended, this book will help you explore the tactics of Satan, equip you to overcome spiritual battles, and remind you of the victory already secured through Jesus.

Whether we wrestle with anxiety, harmful thoughts about ourselves, or mental spirals that hold us back from spiritual growth and healthy relationships, many of us wish we could control our thoughts rather than let them control us. As the senior pastor of one of the largest churches in America, bestselling author Kyle Idleman has seen the power of right thinking transform lives, including his own. In Every Thought Captive, Kyle points us to the tools we need to get our thoughts into submission so we can live a fuller and more joy-filled life.

When your biggest superpower is also your most critical weakness, it helps to have a manual on how to control it. Entrepreneurs are creative, bold thinkers and risk-takers capable of great accomplishments. At the same time, for every success story, there is a counter story of an epic collapse caused by a lack of a moral compass, values, or proper guidance. Jeff Hays knows the highs and the lows having ridden that rollercoaster many times in his life and career and provides a much-needed user’s manual for entrepreneurs everywhere and the people in their work and personal lives.

In a defensive and divided era, how can followers of Jesus reveal a better way of living, one that loves others as God loves us? How can Christians be the kind of people who are known, as Proverbs puts it, to "turn away wrath"? Scott Sauls' compelling new book shows Christians how to become people of "a gentle answer" in a politically, relationally, and culturally fractured world by helping listeners grow in affection for Christ, who answers our hostility with gentleness.

Frustrated and disillusioned with his life as a Christian motivational speaker, Michael Yankoski was determined to stop merely talking about living a life of faith and start experiencing it. The result was a year of focused engagement with spiritual practices - both ancient and modern - that fundamentally reshaped and revived his life. By contemplating apples for an hour before tasting them (attentiveness), eating on just $2.00 a day (simplicity), or writing letters of thanks (gratitude), Michael discovered a whole new vitality and depth through the intentional life.

Do you want to see change in your life—but don't know how to get there? In this thoughtful devotional, Kyle Idleman invites you to address that behavior or thought pattern using three key elements: You Awaken to the reality of your spiritual condition; you see yourself and your need for a Savior with brutal Honesty; and this realization leads to Action as you follow Christ's example.

A twenty-five year veteran of children’s ministry in the local church, pastor Steve Adams has ministered to families in multiple churches, from tiny church plants to his present position at Saddleback Church. In this book, Steve applies the revolutionary insights of the Purpose Driven Church to children’s ministry and leads listeners on a journey of discovery, showing them how to develop an intentional ministry process that moves children toward spiritual health while building a healthy ministry environment for those who work with kids.

Throughout history we have tried to make sense of the world that we inhabit and how we can navigate through the tension of all that is good and broken in this life. Yet most of our attempts to avoid loss simply lead to greater anxiety—an unresolved fear that we will eventually lose what we most love and need. Weaving a rich tapestry of Christian tradition and personal illustrations, Hyun offers Christianity as a true and compelling vision for life that faithfully points the way through loss to true beauty.

Most books for men on how to defeat lust and improve their relationships with the women in their lives preach a plan for trying harder, thinking better, and battering their behavior into submission. The problem with this approach: No matter how strong we are today, the battle continues tomorrow, and nothing ever seems to change in the long run. In Beyond the Battle, author and pastor Noah Filipiak shows you why symptom-based behavior management approaches offer short-term solutions.

In The Gospel at Work, Sebastian Traeger and Greg Gilbert unpack the powerful ways in which the Gospel can transform how we do what we do, releasing us from the cultural pressures of both an all-consuming devotion and a punch-in, punch-out mentality - in order to find the freedom of a work ethic rooted in serving Christ. You'll find answers to some of the tough questions that Christians in the workplace often ask: What factors should matter most in choosing a job?

In twenty-five years of pastoral ministry, Scott Sauls has come alongside countless individuals and communities through weary seasons and circumstances. From his own seasons of regret, hurt, and fear--including battles with anxiety and depression--he knows what it's like to be unfinished and on the mend under Jesus' merciful, mighty healing hand.

This reimagining of the mega-selling Action Bible explores 230 stories of biblical heroes across seven dynamic attributes of God’s story.

How is the health of your soul? Is the deepest part of you flourishing—or is it languishing and gasping for air? Life lately has been filled with exhausting challenges: personal loss, political division, economic turmoil, faith deconstruction, and isolation. And our soul feels it.

Writing with humor and candor out of his own experiences, and incorporating Scripture, literature, and accounts of others who have doubted, Dominic Done argues that not only is questioning normal, it is often a path toward a rich and vibrant faith. Rather than viewing trust and doubt as incompatible, When Faith Fails provides listeners with a way to wrestle and ask questions while growing ever closer to God.

The tough questions kids eight to 12 ask about faith, Jesus, and Christianity are investigated and answered in this 365-day devotional that uses the historical facts and theological truths found in The Case for Christ to help young listeners develop their faith and understand what it means to be a Christian. Each day’s reading also includes reflection questions, helping kids think through what their faith personally means to them.

Unlock the cultural obsession with high-stakes robberies in Heist, a collection of the world's greatest real-life break-ins. From the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum's famous art heist to the disappearance of the Marie Antoinette watch, these 100% true stories will have you on the edge of your seat--and double checking the locks on your doors!

In an age of distraction, everyone is looking for something that gives purpose and perspective on life. Jesus says it's the kingdom of God. But the kingdom is not just another religious idea. Rather, God's loving reign brings clarity and coherence to all of life - identity, work, play, relationships, justice, character - in a way that is profound and practical. Seek First brings theology to the streets, giving a vision for the kingdom that will truly change your life.

Groundbreaking leaders share a passionate commitment to achieving their vision that borders and sometimes crosses the line into obsession. All In shows how obsession, if properly focused and managed, is both necessary and productive. Advances in any endeavor almost always depend on a small group of individuals who are completely consumed by the goal they’re pursuing. When these leaders and their teams are successful, everyone benefits from their singular focus and relentless drive.

In this daily devotional from Louie Giglio of Passion City Church, you're invited to rekindle your relationship with the God of the universe—the One who acts as your sun and shield. The One who never withholds. The One who restores, strengthens, and directs your path. He is the God of all grace, and He has called you to walk with Him into eternal glory, as a son or daughter of God.

The journey toward deeper faith and spiritual maturity is a lifelong pursuit, with plenty of stops and bumps along the way. Inevitably, there comes a point when Christians - new believers and veterans in the faith alike - find themselves asking, "What do I do next? How do I stay motivated to grow deeper in my relationship with God when I feel complacent, intimidated, or confused?" In Now What?, Chris Hodges reveals the four steps to spiritual maturity: knowing God, finding freedom, discovering purpose, and making a difference.