Philip Ryken

To truly love someone, you have to know him. And to truly love God, we must know him too--not just that he exists, but who he is and what he is like. This exploration of God's unchanging character, as revealed in thirteen stories from the Bible, offers you this opportunity--to get to know him better and love him more. Each chapter focuses on a different attribute of God, how it influences your understanding of him, and how you can apply it to your daily life. This fresh look at God's character will help you discover, or rediscover, the God who is infinite and holy, all-knowing and all-powerful--the God who is truth and love. And as you draw nearer to him, you'll find that there is no endeavor more rewarding than this one.

In one systematic volume, James Montgomery Boice provides a readable overview of Christian theology. Both students and pastors will benefit from this rich source that covers all the major doctrines of Christianity. With scholarly rigor and a pastor's heart, Boice carefully opens the topics of the nature of God, the character of his natural and special revelation, the fall, and the person and work of Christ. He then goes on to consider the work of the Holy Spirit in justification and sanctification. The book closes with careful discussion of ecclesiology and eschatology. This updated edition includes a foreword by Philip Ryken and a section-by-section study guide. Both those long familiar with Boice and those newly introduced to him will benefit from his remarkable practicality and thoroughness, which will continue to make this a standard reference for years to come.

How can we grasp the significance of what Jesus Christ did for us? Might literature help us as we seek to understand the Christian faith? J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings has generated much discussion about the relationship between Christianity and literature. It is well known that Tolkien disliked allegory. Yet he acknowledged that his work is imbued with Christian symbolism and meaning. Based on the inaugural Hansen Lectureship series delivered by Philip Ryken, this volume mines the riches of Tolkien's theological imagination. In the characters of Gandalf, Frodo, and Aragorn, Ryken hears echoes of the threefold office of Christ—his prophetic, priestly, and royal roles. Guided by Ryken, readers will discover that they can learn much about the one who is the true prophet, priest, and king through Tolkien's imaginative storytelling. Based on the annual lecture series hosted at Wheaton College's Marion E. Wade Center, volumes in the Hansen Lectureship Series reflect on the imaginative work and lasting influence of seven British authors: Owen Barfield, G. K. Chesterton, C. S. Lewis, George MacDonald, Dorothy L. Sayers, J. R. R. Tolkien, and Charles Williams.

Everyone has questions about God and what matters most in life. When we ask those questions, we are asking about theology. Isn't talk about God really a guessing game? What good is the Old Testament? How can we have free will if God controls everything? The virgin birth. Really? What does an earthquake say about God? Is the Holy Spirit still at work in churches today? What did Jesus think about getting married? Does being a Christian mean having particular political views? While books about doctrine supply description and analysis of the classic questions of the faith, they often miss the contemporary questions on the minds of readers. This book fills that gap. Organized around the key topics of Jesus, the Bible, church, the Holy Spirit, evil, salvation and hope, the sometimes-provocative questions on these topics aim to ring true with the lived experience of real people. Even more, they look to inspire reflection, debate, disagreement, and above all, engagement in what the Christian faith is all about.

Come, Lord Jesus!' The hope of every weary believer who waits for this tired world to come to its consummation. The desire of every longing disciple who hungers to see everything made new. The expectation of every faithful Christian who longs to see Jesus face to face. In this world of pain, regret and brokenness, people regularly wonder about the future. Yet Christians find confidence in one secure truth: Jesus is coming back. Directing readers to this ultimate hope, Phil Ryken encourages Christians to live each day longing for Christ's return and anticipating the coming of his kingdom. This book overflows with engaging anecdotes, contemporary illustrations and insightful reflections on Scripture, offering readers a powerful reminder of the glorious future promised to all who trust in Christ and who long for his appearing.

You are not defined by who you are and what you do, but by who Jesus is and what he has done for you. With the gentle wisdom of an experienced pastor and preacher, Phil Ryken will help you discover the depths of God's grace and its implications for every part of your life. Because God has more grace for us in Jesus than we could ever imagine.

Most people are familiar with the â€~love chapter’ of the Bible, 1 Corinthians 13, yet Phil Ryken still has something new to say. He draws on the earthly life and ministry of Jesus to illustrate Paul’s several statements about what love is and isn’t. These aspects of love are then illuminated chronologically through the story of Christ’s advent, teaching, miracle working, sufferings, crucifixion, death, resurrection and ascension. Jesus never does anything without love. His love is everything the love chapter says that love should be. It is patient with sinners and kind to strangers. It does not envy or boast, but offers itself in humble service. It does not insist on its own way, but submits to the Father. It is able to forgive, trust, hope and persevere. This approach highlights the crucial truth that we are able to love only because Christ first loved us in this particularly profound, very real, and transformative manner.