Desire is the throbbing pulse of human life. What we long for determines the scope of our experiences, the depth of our insights, the standards by which we judge, and the responsibility with which we choose our values. One of the greatest Christian thinkers and writers on spiritual formation today, Dr. James Houston thoughtfully examines what is at the core of every human soul: a longing for intimacy with God.

The Desire: Satisfying the Heart

Religion & Spirituality

Houston, James M.

Christian Books & Bibles

David C. Cook

In this important volume, Dr. James M. Houston explores the nature of happiness and the world's supposed answers. Then he holds Christ up as the definitive example of truly fulfilled happiness. One of the greatest Christian thinkers and writers on spiritual formation today, Dr. James Houston thoughtfully examines what is at the core of every human soul: a longing for intimacy with God.

The Fulfillment: Pursuing True Happiness

Dr. James Houston does not see the nature of prayer as a dreary exercise or a skill to be mastered, but rather as a valuable chance to deepen your friendshiop with God. How you pray is often determined by how you perceive God. It is "a matter of theology and ethics, both thinking and doing." Be led into the depths of essential spiritual formation by one of the great spiritual mentors of our time and know God on a deeper level.

The Prayer: Deepening Your Friendship with God

“I believe in the Creator, for by His Word all things were made, all things hold together and all things have meaning and purpose.”  Those words of the creed are truer than we may realize. Human existence makes no sense without the Creator God, and all of our perceptions and philosophies hinge on our understanding of and relationship to the Creator. Now, with the guidance of one of the world’s foremost Christian thinkers and writers, you can more fully appreciate your role in the world and your responsibilities to your Creator. The Creator is the fourth in a series of books by Dr. James Houston on developing greater intimacy with God. Through clear and compelling examinations of Scriptures, Dr. Houston reveals that there can only be meaning in life if there is a Creator of life, and the future of the earth depends on how we live and serve our Creator. We were created for the purpose of relating intimately to our Creator. And knowing how is crucial to our spiritual growth.

The Creator: Living Well in God's World

Mentoring is a major topic in today’s self-help industry. Unfortunately, the world has gotten the mentoring relationship exactly wrong. In fact, secular ways of treating one another—including individualism, stoicism, and even psychotherapy—can be soul-destroying rather than soul-fulfilling. There is a better way—one that is biblical, challenging, and brilliantly put forward by one of the world foremost Christian thinkers and writers, Dr. James Houston. In The Disciple, the fifth in his series on developing greater intimacy with God, Dr. Houston offers a stimulating guide for believers who desire to be true disciples of Jesus Christ. By understanding our relationship with God more fully, we can learn how to look to Christ for guidance, answers, and fulfillment. And we can in turn see and bring out the best—the essential Christian identity—in each person we come in contact with. Through clear and compelling examinations of Scriptures, Dr. Houston exposes the mentoring approaches to avoid, and opens the way instead to an authentic and energizing Mentor/disciple relationship with God. Above all, you will learn how to humbly seek Christ, who alone can lead you to whole personhood.

The Disciple: Following the True Mentor

This commentary uniquely combines a verse-by-verse exposition of the Hebrew text of selected Psalms with a history of their interpretation in the Church from the time of the apostles to the present. / Bruce K. Waltke begins the collaboration by first skillfully establishing the meaning of the chosen psalms through careful exegesis in which each text is interpreted in light of its historical backgrounds, its literary form, and the poet’s rhetoric. James M. Houston then exposits each text’s relevance in conjunction with the Church’s interpretation of it throughout her history. To further the accuracy of this interpretation, he commissioned fresh translations of numerous Latin and Middle English texts. / The authors’ purpose in creating this volume was not merely to produce a masterful commentary. Rather, they wished to aid in enriching the daily life of the contemporary Christian and to deepen the church’s community. Waltke and Houston here bring together the two voices of the Holy Spirit ― heard infallibly in Scripture and edifyingly in the Church’s response ― in a rare and illuminating combination.

The Psalms as Christian Worship: An Historical Commentary

Waltke, Bruce K.

Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

The Psalms as Christian Lament, a companion volume to The Psalms as Christian Worship, uniquely blends verse-by-verse commentary with a history of Psalms interpretation in the church from the time of the apostles to the present. Bruce Waltke, James Houston, and Erika Moore examine ten lament psalms, including six of the seven traditional penitential psalms, covering Psalms 5, 6, 7, 32, 38, 39, 44, 102, 130, and 143. The authors -- experts in the subject area -- skillfully establish the meaning of the Hebrew text through careful exegesis and trace the church's historical interpretation and use of these psalms, highlighting their deep spiritual significance to Christians through the ages. Though C. S. Lewis called the "imprecatory" psalms "contemptible," Waltke, Houston, and Moore show that they too are profitable for sound doctrine and so for spiritual health, demonstrating that lament is an important aspect of the Christian life.

The Psalms as Christian Lament

Moore, Erika

Two respected scholars explore the heart of the Psalms
Following in the style of their companion volumes, The Psalms as Christian Worship and The Psalms as Christian Lament, Bruce Waltke and James Houston now explore the depths of Christian praise. Each volume uniquely blends verse-by-verse commentary with a history of Psalms interpretation in the church from the time of the apostles to the present. 
Since praise is the essence of the book of Psalms, Waltke and Houston have narrowed the focus to Book IV of the Psalter (Psalms 90-106), which magnify God and proclaim him king. To give voice to the psalmist, the authors (carefully) translate and explain each psalm and summarize its theological message. This is followed by listening to the voice of godly churchmen whose comments have stood the test of time. The Psalms as Christian Praise is ideal for anyone seeking to better understand the praise of Israel as found in the Psalms and how Christians also use these Psalms in worship.

The Psalms as Christian Praise: A Historical Commentary

Eerdmans

Winner, 2007 World Guild Best Leadership/Theoretical Book Pastor and teacher Jim Houston reviews the insights he has gained over his years of teaching, counseling and mentoring Christians. He passes on what he has come to regard as pivotal concerns for leading a faithful Christian life in current society and culture. This is an advanced discipleship book for those who want to learn from someone with mature spiritual insight who has gone before them. If you are interested in Christian maturity, faithfulness, spiritual formation, and life, and want a guide through the "currents and eddies" of our society and culture, this book is for you.

Joyful Exiles: Life in Christ on the Dangerous Edge of Things

Are we ready for the opportunities and challenges facing the aging church? Now is the time for the church to offer ministry to its increasing numbers of seniors and to benefit from ministry they can offer. In this book James M. Houston and Michael Parker issue an urgent call to reconceive the place and part of the elderly and seniors in the local church congregation. Confronting the idea that the aging are mostly a burden on the church, they boldly address the moral issues related to caring for them, provide examples of successful care-giving programs and challenge the church to restore broken connections across the generations. Cowritten by a noted theologian and an expert in the fields of social work and gerontology, this interdisciplinary book assesses our current cultural context and the challenges and opportunities we face. The authors show us that seniors aren't the problem. They are the solution.

A Vision for the Aging Church: Renewing Ministry for and by Seniors

Parker, Michael

IVP Academic

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