Kirjahaku

THE GOOD AND BEAUTIFUL GOD is the first book in the Apprentice Series, which along with three other titles forms 'a curriculum for Christlikeness'. THE GOOD AND BEAUTIFUL GOD focuses on the character of God and how we can move into a life of intimacy with him. What we believe about God is of huge importance to our lives: the path to spiritual transformation begins here. Each chapter uncovers the narratives by which Jesus lived, and includes a 'soul-training' exercise to help embed this narrative into our minds, bodies and souls. Each chapter also includes questions that can be used for individual reflection or group discussion.

THE GOOD AND BEAUTIFUL LIFE is the second book in the Apprentice Series, which along with three other titles forms 'a curriculum for Christlikeness'. THE GOOD AND BEAUTIFUL LIFE introduces the reader to the kingdom of God and focuses on our inward character, dealing specifically with some of the most problematic vices: anger, lust, lying, worry, judging others and so on. Following the Sermon on the Mount, this book looks at the narratives behind these character flaws and replaces them with Jesus' narratives about life in the kingdom of God. Each chapter includes a 'soul-training' exercise to help embed Jesus' narratives into our minds, bodies and souls, along with questions that can be used for individual reflection or group discussion.

THE GOOD AND BEAUTIFUL COMMUNITY is the third book in the Apprentice Series, which along with three other titles forms 'a curriculum for Christlikeness'. THE GOOD AND BEAUTIFUL COMMUNITY focuses on helping us learn how to live as apprentices of Jesus in our ordinary, everyday lives. How do we live out Jesus' kingdom vision in our families? What impact will our lives with God have on our lives at work? In what ways can we change the world we live in? Each chapter includes a 'soul-training' exercise to help embed Jesus' narratives into our minds, bodies and souls, along with questions that can be used for individual reflection or group discussion.

'I noticed that single words from Colossians 3 began to bounce around in my mind, forming a new understanding of the gospel, and a new awareness of who I am, and who my brothers and sisters in Christ are.'Memorising a passage and studying it in depth can offer a deeper sense of the meaning of each word. James Bryan Smith has found Colossians 3:1-17 to be a rich resource for understanding what it means to have our lives hidden in Christ.Each of the thirty short chapters of this book bring out the main truth of just one word or phrase in this rich passage. You'll also find a simple daily practice to take up, reflection questions and a guide for five weeks of group discussion.

Turning to the Gospels, James Bryan Smith invites you to compare your ideas about with what Jesus himself reveals about his Father. Smith leads you through a process of spiritual formation that includes specific activities aimed at making these new narratives real in your body and soul as well as your mind. A Renovare and Willow Creek Resource.

Over 250,000 Copies Sold Train Your Soul to Know the God Jesus Knows"God wants me to try harder.""God blesses me when I'm good and punishes me when I'm bad.""God is angry with me."We all have ideas that we tell ourselves about God and how he works in our lives. Some are true--but many are false. James Bryan Smith believes those thoughts determine not only who we are, but how we live. In fact, Smith declares, the most important thing about a person is what they think about God. The path to spiritual transformation begins here.Turning to the Gospels, Smith invites you to put your ideas to the test to see if they match up with what Jesus himself reveals about God. Once you've discovered the truth in Scripture, Smith leads you through a process of spiritual formation that includes specific activities aimed at making these new narratives real in your body and soul as well as your mind. In The Good and Beautiful God, you'll find: Opportunities for soul training at the end of each chapterSpiritual practices that reinforce the biblical messages you learn on your mind and heart, Small group discussion questions with each chapter, facilitating complete and lasting change through community learning, and much more This deep, loving and transformative book will help you discover the narratives that Jesus lived by--to know the Lord he knew and the kingdom he proclaimed--and to practice spiritual exercises that will help you grow in the knowledge of our good and beautiful God.About the Good and Beautiful Series The Good and Beautiful Series includes four essential discipleship books from James Bryan Smith. Work through these proven Bible study resources individually or with a group to learn who God is, what it means to be a Christian, how to live in community, and how to address toxic self-narratives that hinder spiritual growth.

Finding the Good Life through the Sermon on the Mount"I have never met a person whose goal was to ruin his or her life. We all want to be happy, and we want it all of the time."So begins James Bryan Smith in The Good and Beautiful Life. The problem is, he tells us, we have bought into false notions of happiness and success. These self-centered decisions lead us further into the vices that cause ruin: anger, lust, lying, worry, and judging. Eventually we find ourselves living a beautifully packaged life of self-destruction.Following the Sermon on the Mount, this follow-up to The Good and Beautiful God guides us to look behind these character flaws and to replace our false beliefs with Jesus' narratives about life in the kingdom of God.The Good and Beautiful Series includes four essential discipleship books from James Bryan Smith. Work through these proven Bible study resources individually or with a group to learn who God is, what it means to be a Christian, how to live in community, and how to address toxic self-narratives that hinder spiritual growth.

In this Good and Beautiful Series book, James Bryan Smith helps us know how to live in relationship with others as apprentices of Jesus. "Apprentices of Jesus are not part-time do-gooders," he writes. "They live in continuous contact with the kingdom of God, and are constantly men and women in whom Christ dwells. They do not sometimes tell the truth, sometimes live sacrificially or sometimes forgive. There are myriad opportunities for us to impact the world in which we live."Yet many times we've gotten it wrong, tending to emphasize personal faith over social justice or vice versa. In these pages Jim Smith shows us how to bring spiritual formation and community engagement together, and then once again offers spiritual practices that root new, true narratives about God and the world in our souls. His insight and humility as a fellow learner with us will lead us to live in authentic ways as a good and beautiful community of Christ-followers, shining the light of the Spirit into every relationship.The Good and Beautiful Series includes four essential discipleship books from James Bryan Smith. Work through these proven Bible study resources individually or with a group to learn who God is, what it means to be a Christian, how to live in community, and how to address toxic self-narratives that hinder spiritual growth.

In six short chapters, James Bryan Smith zooms in on what Christ's work on the cross means about who God is and how we're to live as his people. A soul-training exercise included with each chapter and a discussion guide at the end makes this complement to The Apprentice Series perfect for groups. An Apprentice and Renovar Resource.

A Deeper Sort of DevotionalWords are powerful. They contain ideas and shape the way we see God, ourselves and all of reality. We're transformed, in particular, by God's Word, and by "the Word," the Logos--Jesus himself--as described by John in the first chapter of his Gospel.Memorizing and studying a passage in depth can offer a deeper sense of the meaning of each word. In this unique introduction to the hidden life in Christ, James Bryan Smith walks readers through a thirty-day immersion in Colossians 3:1-17. Each of the thirty short chapters of this book bring out the main truth of just one word or phrase of this rich passage. You'll also find a very simple daily practice to take up, reflection questions and a guide for five weeks of group discussion.The chapters are short in length, making this book an ideal daily devotional. Since there are thirty chapters, it could be used for a one-month introduction to the hidden life in Christ. Though brief in terms of length, each chapter tries to unearth some very deep truths. For those who have read and practiced the exercises in the Apprentice series, this book will be a helpful refresher as you continue your sacred journey.Each chapter also contains an exercise or practice ("Living into the Truth"), as well as an affirmation that summarizes the main point of the chapter and a written prayer designed to move you deeper into the truths of the Word. In addition, each chapter concludes with a few reflection questions that can be used either by individuals or in a group discussion. The only way to tell a story is to use words. May the words of Colossians 3 become a companion to you as God continues to write your story.

We are story-making people. We love reading stories—and we love hearing the personal stories of others. We need stories, or narratives, to make sense of our world. And those stories shape our lives. What is the story you have been told about the gospel? About God? About the Christian life? About Jesus? About the cross? About yourself? About heaven? Your answers to these questions will form a story that will determine how your life will go. The answers reveal your ability to trust, to love, to hope—and even your capacity for joy. Any story worth giving the power to shape our lives must pass a simple test: Is it beautiful, good, and true? If it is, then it is a magnificent story—and that is where transformation takes place. From James Bryan Smith, author of the bestselling book The Good and Beautiful God, comes this spiritual formation resource meant to help both individuals and groups understand the magnificent story of Christ in their lives. The field-tested material within includes spiritual practices at the end of each chapter and a group discussion guide. Uncover the true story of beauty, goodness, and truth that will satisfy the ultimate longings of your heart.

We are told, “Look out for yourself first” and “Nice guys finish last.” But following that path leaves us feeling isolated and anxious, and can even take us to a place of ruin. This is not a magnificent journey. There is a road to life in the unshakeable kingdom of God, but it's not an easy journey. "We cannot enter into the kingdom unless we take our cross and die to ourselves," writes author James Bryan Smith. "We often assume that this will be painful. And of course it is. But what is the alternative? I can, for example, choose to navigate my life, choose to live as I want, and aim at fulfilling all of my desires. This will result in that despair Kierkegaard wrote of, the sickness unto death. . . . The wisest choice, then, is to surrender." In The Magnificent Journey, the author shows us the better road, the road less travelled, but the road full of riches. Along the way he introduces us to new spiritual practices that will provide the sustenance we need for the deepest, most joy-filled journey of our lives—the journey into the heart of God.

Healing Our Toxic Self-Narratives to Experience True TransformationThe Christian faith is not only about belief and practices, it is also about the kind of people that we become. Yet some of the biggest barriers to our transformation come from our toxic self-narratives. These narratives shape the way we see ourselves and the way we interact in the world. God designed us with a deep longing in our souls to be wanted, loved, alive, and connected to God. Healing our souls requires more than knowing what God thinks about us. Our healing comes not through reason alone, but through revelation."The best practice I have seen in Christian spiritual formation" was Dallas Willard's endorsement of the Good and Beautiful series a decade ago. Now this fourth book in the series, The Good and Beautiful You, addresses the self-narratives that hinder spiritual growth and the desires of the soul that only God can satisfy. In The Good and Beautiful You, you'll find: How Scripture reveals the beauty and goodness of our own souls and how we long for healing that only God can provide, Spiritual practices that help us live into that reality, andA small group discussion guide to facilitate transformation in community.The Good and Beautiful You will serve as a welcome companion on your journey to discover who you truly are in Christ.The Good and Beautiful Series includes four essential discipleship books from James Bryan Smith. Work through these proven Bible study resources individually or with a group to learn who God is, what it means to be a Christian, how to live in community, and how to address toxic self-narratives that hinder spiritual growth.

The Christian faith is about much more than belief and practices - it's also about the kind of people that we become. Yet some of the biggest barriers to our transformation come from our own toxic narratives about ourselves, narratives that shape the way we see ourselves and the way we interact with the world. We are made with a deep longing in our souls to be wanted, loved, alive and connected to God. Healing our souls requires more than knowing what God thinks about us. Our healing comes not through reason alone, but through revelation. 'The best practice I have seen in Christian spiritual formation' was Dallas Willard's endorsement of the Good and Beautiful series a decade ago. Now this fourth book in the series, The Good and Beautiful You, addresses the self-narratives that hinder spiritual growth and the desires of the soul that only God can satisfy. James Bryan Smith reminds us how Scripture reveals the beauty and goodness of our own souls and how we long for healing that only God can provide. Complete with spiritual practices that help us live into that reality, The Good and Beautiful You will serve as a welcome companion on your journey to discover who you truly are in Christ.

The final title in the GOOD AND BEAUTIFUL series, centred on eleven key truths about ourselves

آیا می]خواهید از آرامشی دائمی برخوردار باشید؟ آیا دوست دارید قلبی لبریز از محبت داشته باشید؟ آیا در پی چنان ایمانی هستید که به مدد آن، همه چیز، حتی شکست]ها و خسارات را در پرتو حاکمیت خدا و برای خیریت خود ببینید؟ آیا جویای آن امیدی هستید که حتی در شرایط دلسردکننده هم با شکیبایی تاب می]آورد؟اگر اینها بیانگر زندگی]ای است که شما عمیقاً مشتاق آن هستید، این کتاب برای شماست. این کتاب خدای خوب و زیبا نام دارد، زیرا تمرکز آن بر صفات خداست و اینکه ما چگونه می]توانیم با خدا صمیمی باشیم. کتاب دوم در این سریِ شاگردسازی زندگی خوب و زیبا نام دارد که خواننده را با پادشاهی خدا آشنا می]کند و با سیرت باطنی ما سروکار دارد، به]ویژه با گناهانی که خرابی به بار می]آورند، مانند خشم، شهوت، دروغگویی، نگرانی، قضاوت کردن دیگران و غیره. این کتاب دوم با پیروی از موعظۀ بالای کوه مسیح به روایاتی که در پَسِ این رفتارهای گناه]آلود نهفته است توجه خواهد کرد (برای مثال، چه روایاتی در پَسِ عصبانیت نهفته است؟) و روایات عیسی دربارۀ زندگی در پادشاهی خدا را جایگزین آن روایات خواهد نمود. هر فصل این کتاب نیز تمرینی دارد که به خواننده کمک می]کند تا بتواند روایات مناسب را در زندگی خود پیاده کند. اما همۀ این چیزها با شناخت خدایی که عیسی می]شناخت و محبت کردن خدا با تار و پود وجودمان آغاز می]شود. این کتاب سرچشمه و بنیاد دو کتاب دیگر، و یا به سخنی، سرچشمه و بنیاد زندگی مسیحی است. شاید این تنها کتابی باشد که شما از این سری مطالعه می]کنید. اگر چنین است، دعا می]کنم که محبت شما نسبت به خدا زندگی]تان را منور سازد.