Do you ever wish you understood the Bible better? Almost everyone does. Mature believers and new believers. Young and old. Those who have read the Bible for years and those just starting out. This book, How to Understand the Bible: A Simple Guide, will help you gain an overall perspective on the flow and meaning of Scripture. It addresses questions like: <ul>
<li>What is the Big Picture of the Bible?</li> <li>What About Bible Translations?</li> <li>How Should We Understand the Stories of the Old Testament?</li> <li>How Should We Interpret What the Prophets Had to Say?</li> <li>How Should We Understand the Teachings of Jesus?</li> <li>What Was Jesus Teaching in the Parables?</li> <li>How Can We Hear God’s Voice in Scripture?</li> <li>What are the Proper Ways to Apply Scripture to Life Today?</li> </ul>
… and much more. Knowing the Bible better is about knowing God better. And then we are better able to handle the hard realities of life and to realize the love and truth of God.

How To Understand the Bible: A Simple Guide

Religion & Spirituality

Lawrenz, Mel

Christian Books & Bibles

WordWay

What can we do to keep the joy in Christmas? The Christmas season can be your time for personal spiritual renewal. A time of joy and celebration. In this daily devotional for the month of December pastor and author Mel Lawrenz provides insight and inspiration that keeps Christ in Christmas. Each daily reading unpacks the meaning of words like joy, peace, Immanuel, shepherd, Magi, Mary, star, flesh, virgin, counselor, prince, manger, and more.
What Readers Are Saying…
"What a great devotional! This could be used at any time during the year, but these Scriptures at Advent make it come alive. Even more importantly, it addresses 'What does this mean to you?'"
"It was wonderful to have a new Christmas devotional every morning. My morning Bible time was enhanced with these readings."
"Simply amazing collection of thoughts to make the true meaning of Christmas very plain. This devotional will help put us in the right frame of mind to celebrate Jesus' birthday with all the awe and blessings it represents."
"In today's fast-paced society it is refreshing to have a devotional that is focused on the true meaning of Christmas. I plan to read this when I feel spiritually unbalanced throughout the year. Of course, it will now before my 'go to' Advent devotional every December!"
"Informative yet fascinating, meticulous yet simple. It is truly a joy to read this Christmas devotional as you literally become a part of the story of Jesus as it unfolds into the story of Christmas, the true reason for the season. Anyone reading this will truly be blessed!!!"

Christmas Joy: A Devotional

DISCOVER HOW YOU CAN FIND FREEDOM FROM GUILT AND SHAME Do any of the following apply to you? <ul>
<li>I need forgiveness from God, but I don’t know how to find it.</li> <li>It’s only a matter of time before people find out I’m not good enough.</li> <li>I am disconnected and lonely.</li> <li>How can I figure out when I am guilty and when I am innocent?</li> <li>I don’t think I’m worth being loved.</li> <li>I don’t want to be so angry, jealous, and judgmental.</li> <li>I need to have a stronger connection with God.</li> </ul>
If these statements sound familiar to you—you are not alone. Even the most emotionally healthy people today experience degrees of the anguish brought on by shame and guilt. The heavy burden of shame and guilt can often keep us from connecting with others and enjoying the freedom of living in Christ. In Overcoming Guilt and Shame Dr. Daniel Green and Dr. Mel Lawrenz discuss the many ways in which guilt and shame both subtly and overtly manifest themselves in our lives. Using pastoral counseling and illustrative psychological case studies, they uncover the causes of and healthy responses to shame and guilt. Daniel Green (Ph.D., University of Arkansas) is clinical director of New Life Resources, Inc. in Brookfield, WI. Mel Lawrenz (Ph.D., Marquette University) is minister at large for Elmbrook Church in Brookfield, WI, and director of The Brook Network (www.thebrooknetwork.org).

Overcoming Guilt and Shame

Lawrenz Ph.D., Mel

Green Ph.D., Daniel

Jesus is intriguing enough as a historical figure, but he is much more than that. Jesus the Messiah is the source of grace and truth, forgiveness and confrontation, power and wisdom and life. No wonder the apostle Paul said: “I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead” (Philippians 3:10-11). 
Knowing Him is a set of devotional readings focusing on why Christ came, and what he accomplished for humanity through his sacrificial death and triumphant resurrection. 
FROM THE INTRODUCTION, "TO THE READER" 
The life and teachings of Jesus are worth a lifetime of study, contemplation, and application. So too his death and resurrection. Jesus made it very clear that he had a purpose in coming, and that this purpose would be fulfilled at the time when he was betrayed, handed over to the authorities, killed, and raised from the dead. 
And so for centuries in the spring of the year, around the time of the Passover, Christians have turned their attention to the accounts of the suffering of Jesus, and of his astonishing resurrection from the dead. 
The apostle Paul said: ““I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead” (Philippians 3:10-11). 
In his book, The Cruciality of the Cross, P. T. Forsyth said: “Christ is to us just what his cross is. All that Christ was in heaven or on earth was put into what he did there . . . You do not understand Christ till you understand his cross.” 
Emil Brunner said: “He who understands the cross aright... understands the Bible, he understands Jesus Christ.” (The Mediator). 
And in The Truth of God Incarnate, Stephen Neill said “the death of Christ is the central point in history; here all the roads of the past converge; hence all the roads of the future diverge.” 
May these short readings give you the opportunity to reflect on the truth about what God did for the human race in Christ. 
—Mel Lawrenz

Knowing Him: Devotional Readings About the Cross and Resurrection

Worship & Devotion

At one time or another we all will all experience loss and grief. It may be the death of someone close, a divorce, the loss of a job, a miscarriage, a chronic illness, an injury, or any number of traumatic events. Life After Grief offers an understanding of the experience of loss and grief, and lays out pathways of healing for those who are hurting, and advice for those trying to help those who mourn. The authors address questions like: <ul>
<li>• What is happening to me?</li> <li>• Why is this happening to me?</li> <li>• How long will this take?</li> <li>• Where is God in all this?</li> <li>• What can I do to help myself?</li> <li>• How can I turn from being a victim to becoming a survivor?</li> </ul>
Getting through grief is not just about answering questions, however. Those who grieve need ways to cope, ways to hold on, ways to know they are not alone. And they need ways to find the comforting presence of God. The book also deals with the severe forms of loss we call trauma. Life After Grief also offers practical ways to move through the process of grieving, like: <ul>
<li>• Tension-reducing strategies.</li> <li>• Strategies for staying present-focussed.</li> <li>• Strategies for changing troublesome thoughts.</li> </ul>
Life After Grief not only offers a lifeline for those who mourn, but also provides an understanding of the dynamics of grief to friends and family helping the person dealing with loss. Mel Lawrenz (Ph.D., Marquette University) is minister at large for Elmbrook Church in Brookfield, WI, and director of The Brook Network (www.thebrooknetwork.org). Daniel Green (Ph.D., University of Arkansas) is clinical director of New Life Resources, Inc. in Brookfield, WI.

Life After Grief: How to Survive Loss and Trauma

Self-Help

Death & Grief

Do you ever wish you understood the Bible better? Almost everyone does. Mature believers and new believers. Young and old. Those who have read the Bible for years and those just starting out. This book, How to Understand the Bible: A Simple Guide, will help you gain an overall perspective on the flow and meaning of Scripture. It addresses questions like: <ul>
<li>What is the Big Picture of the Bible?</li> <li>What About Bible Translations?</li> <li>How Should We Understand the Stories of the Old Testament?</li> <li>How Should We Interpret What the Prophets Had to Say?</li> <li>How Should We Understand the Teachings of Jesus?</li> <li>What Was Jesus Teaching in the Parables?</li> <li>How Can We Hear God’s Voice in Scripture?</li> <li>What are the Proper Ways to Apply Scripture to Life Today?</li> </ul>
… and much more. Knowing the Bible better is about knowing God better. And then we are better able to handle the hard realities of life and to realize the love and truth of God. WHAT READERS ARE SAYING "Clear, easy to read, great explanations... and in everyday language. It provides a 'big picture' of the Bible and how I can understand it better. It's a resource I'll refer to quite often... and encourage others to also. This is a MUST READ!” "This is a GREAT resource for ANYONE. If you are new to reading the Bible or if you've been reading it for years ... there's good information in this book for you." Rarely have I seen a book take something as misunderstood as the Bible and make it so simple to understand. It is clear, concise, interesting and well written. It's gave me both an explanation of all aspects of the Bible and the encouragement to approach God's word with confidence.

How to Understand the Bible: College Edition

"An urgent call…" —Os Guinness What is a human being worth? That is the opening question in this new book by Mel Lawrenz which explores the meaning of human dignity and its connection with the Christian gospel and mission. Human dignity is a widely-held ideal, but there is much confusion over what it means. Is it simply autonomy—the supposed right that people have for complete self-determination? Is it good behavior? Is human dignity the basis for protection for all people, especially the vulnerable, founded on the reality that people are created in the image of God? Lawrenz speaks to the issue of dignity not just as a philosophical topic, but as an everyday reality. This is “a time for dignity” because of the many indignities that diminish people, whether abuse, illness, aging, injustice, terrorism, economic crises, etc. The mandate of the gospel requires specific commitments to recognizing and respecting human worth—all carried out in obedience to Jesus Christ. <ul>
CONTENTS <li> What is a Human Being Worth?</li> <li> Slap in the Face: The Insults of Indignity</li> <li> Restoring Dignity</li> <li> The Mandate of the Gospel</li> <li> The Dignity of Jesus</li> </ul>
ENDORSEMENT
"The dignity of the person is the bedrock of any society with a human face. But if the last century witnessed some of history's greatest violations, the coming century may well prove worse. A Time for Dignity is an urgent call…. Followers of Jesus must not fail to rise to the challenge of the hour."
—Os Guinness, author and social critic EXCERPT
Despite all the painful circumstances of life that can make us feel incomplete, or less than fully human, most people do not give up the hope that they have some worth, some dignity. Illness makes us less than whole. Aging diminishes the body and oftentimes the mind. Abusive relationships violate. Loss and trauma fracture people’s lives like earthquakes that weaken the whole structure of life. Unemployment and under-employment rob people of a sense of purpose. Many who have a job work for managers who treat them like gears in a machine. Yet most people hope that there is something higher about personhood that cannot be taken away. Most people want to hold their heads up.

A Time for Dignity: Crisis and Gospel Today

Los días previos a la Navidad constituyen una oportunidad extraordinaria para crecer en el conocimiento de Jesús, el Cristo, quien se denominó a sí mismo como el camino, la verdad y la vida. En muchas ocasiones Jesús les dijo a sus seguidores los motivos por los que había venido. La gente común no suele hablar de esa forma. Aunque tengamos un sentido de propósito en la vida, no decimos que hemos «venido al mundo» con una misión especial. Jesús dijo que llegó para cumplir la Escritura: «No piensen que he venido a anular la ley o los profetas; no he venido a anularlos sino a darles cumplimiento» (Mt. 5.17). Dijo que vino a predicar y proclamar: «Vámonos de aquí a otras aldeas cercanas donde también pueda predicar; para esto he venido» (Mc. 1.38). Dijo que vino a sacarnos de la oscuridad: «Yo soy la luz que ha venido al mundo, para que todo el que crea en mí no viva en tinieblas» (Jn. 12.46). Puesto de pie ante Poncio Pilato, Jesús dijo: «Eres tú quien dice que soy rey. Yo para esto nací, y para esto vine al mundo: para dar testimonio de la verdad» (Jn. 18.37) Dijo que vino a dar vida: «Yo he venido para que tengan vida, y la tengan en abundancia» (Jn. 10.10). Y si todo eso no fuera suficiente, dijo que llegó con el fin de servir y darse en sacrificio: «Porque ni aun el Hijo del hombre vino para que le sirvan, sino para servir y para dar su vida en rescate por muchos» (Mc. 10.45). Hay distintas formas de contemplar la realidad transformadora de la venida del Hijo de Dios. En este devocional consideraremos veinticinco palabras o frases claves asociadas con el nacimiento de Jesús. Pensaremos en alegría, paz, Emanuel, pastor, sabios, María, estrella, carne, virgen, consejero, príncipe, pesebre y más. En cada una de estas palabras se encierra un tesoro. Puedes leer el texto de forma diaria o seguir el ritmo que prefieras. Si comienzas el primer día de diciembre, terminarás el día de Navidad, pero en realidad puedes hacer las lecturas en cualquier momento durante la temporada navideña. Dios te bendiga al acercarte más a Cristo este año.

Alegria de Navidad

Sometimes we know exactly what to pray, and sometimes it seems hard to find the right words. That is not unusual. That is why Christians have been writing prayers to support each other for centuries, based on the values and the standards we find in Scripture. In Prayers for Our Lives author and pastor Mel Lawrenz offers 95 different prayers to be used in times of distress, on special occasions, and as daily patterns. For instance: <ul>
<li>Morning Prayers</li> <li>Evening Prayers</li> <li>Mealtime Prayers</li> <li>For the Family</li> <li>For Worship</li> <li>When We Are Ill</li> <li>When We Are Discouraged</li> <li>For Faith and Salvation</li> <li>When We Are Tempted</li> <li>For Friends</li> <li>For the Nation</li> <li>When Someone Gets Married</li> <li>Praise to Christ the Lord</li> <li>Thanks for a Major Achievement</li> <li>When We Need Guidance</li>  <li>and dozens more</li> </ul>
You can use these prayers in private times, in a group, for a special occasion, or in church. Or adapt them as you see fit. ENDORSEMENT "Mel writes with disarming honesty, and each prayer is like a cry of the heart. Here child-like simplicity meets sage-like wisdom, all of it spoken so intimately that living breath still seems to fill each word. Lifelines indeed." —Mark Buchanan, author, pastor, professor

Prayers for Our Lives: 95 Lifelines to God for Everyday Circumstances

Dozens of prayers for kids to use for every day, difficult days, and special days. What could be more important than giving our kids the tools to keep them connected to God? Kids are wired to have faith. And prayer is the way they (and we) make our bond with God strong. Kids don’t need simplistic prayers. They need to be inspired to use the minds and hearts God gave them to speak specifically about every circumstance of life. Prayers include… A Mealtime Prayer – A Prayer to Start the Day – A Prayer to End the Day – Before You Read the Bible – When You are Sad – When You are Afraid – When You are Lonely – When You’ve Lost a Friend – When You Are Being Bullied – When You are Confused – When You Have Done Wrong – When You Accomplished Something Good – When Your Father is Not Doing Well – When Your Mother is Not Doing Well – When Someone You Love is Ill – On Your Birthday – To God Our Father – To Jesus the Son of God – To God the Holy Spirit – When Someone You Love Has Died – When Your Pet Is Ill – At Christmas Time – Thanks for Your Mother – Thanks for Your Father – Thanks For Your Family – Prayer for Faith – Prayer for Hope – Prayer for Love – Before Going to Church – When You Have to Say Sorry – About School – For the Beginning of the School Year – For the End of the School Year For ages 7 to 12, approximately. More info at www.BookOfPrayersForKids.com A word to the kid who has this book… Our great God in heaven loves every person he ever created. And he wants to hear from us! We can call out for God’s help, thank God for good things, seek his love when we have done wrong. But sometimes we wonder how to pray. The 50 prayers here are for everyday use. Prayers to start the day, end the day, mealtime prayers, prayers for when we are ill, confused, lonely, or happy. Prayers for family, for friends, for school. And may others. Don’t stick this book on a shelf! Put it in your backpack, beside your bed, at your dinner table—wherever you can reach for it! Use the prayers. Talk to God!

A Book of Prayers for Kids: ways to talk to God every day

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