Encounter Jesus

New York Times bestselling author of The Prodigal Prophet Timothy Keller explores how people are changed by meeting Jesus personally—and how we can be changed encountering him today. The people who met Jesus Christ in person faced the same big life questions we face today. Like most of us, the answers handed down to them didn’t seem to work in the real world. But when they met Jesus, things immediately started to change for them. It seems he not only had the answers—he was the answer. In Encounters with Jesus, Timothy Keller shows how the central events and meetings in Jesus’ life can change our own lives forever. "Keller's work belongs on the bookshelf of every serious Bible student." —Examiner "Keller has mined the gold from these texts of Scripture, and any Christian is bound to have their minds expanded and hearts stirred." —Grace for Sinners

His Eminence Robert Cardinal Sarah, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, recently commented on the fire at Notre Dame cathedral. He said, “the Church is only of interest because she allows us to encounter Jesus. She is only legitimate because she passes on Revelation to us. When the Church becomes overburdened with human structures, it obstructs the light of God shining out in her and through her. The Church should be like a cathedral. Everything in Her should sing to the glory of God. She must unceasingly direct our gaze toward him, like the spire of Notre-Dame pointed toward heaven.” Encounter Jesus! Transforming Catholic Culture in Crisis is a call to rebuild a Catholic culture that has wandered from her spiritual root system. In the West and the United States, the light that shined, starting in the Acts of the Apostles, has become dim and in some places extinguished. The specifics to what apostolic spirituality embodies will convict, challenge, and call the clergy, consecrated religious, and laity to take seriously what it means to be a catholic Christian. Just as architects design the rebuilding of the Notre Dame Cathedral, may this book serve as a blueprint for transformation in the culture of the church.

" ... an eight-week Bible study and video series that teaches and encourages you to walk with 'the' Jesus and not just 'a' Jesus."--Back cover.

In this eight-session LifeGuide® Bible Study, Douglas Connelly examines the stories of how eight people--among them a scholar, a failure, a blind man and an adulteress--found their lives changed forever when they met Jesus Christ. Looking at their lives can give you hope when you find yourself dealing failure or with an emptiness nothing in life seems to fill.

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). God, who existed from eternity, created the entire universe and everything in it through His Word. And God proclaimed this fact in the very first verse of the Bible. To receive all the blessings in heaven, one must believe in the first verse of the Bible, which proclaims, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6). Believing that the Creator God is alive is the first step of faith. Abraham is a representative person of faith who appears in Genesis. However, Jesus said about Abraham: “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad” (John 8:56). Abraham, a man of faith who lived about 2,000 years before Jesus came to this earth, met Jesus. We also meet Jesus Christ in the Words of Genesis. Jesus is the Son of God, the only begotten of God the Father. Jesus, the Word of life which was from the beginning, is the true light that came among us in the flesh according to the will of God the Father. When the true light came to this earth and shone in the darkness, the darkness fled in an instant. Jesus, who came “by water and blood” (1 John 5:6), offered “one sacrifice for sins forever” (Hebrews 10:12) with His body and eliminated all the sins of this world. Through this collection of sermons, I hope readers will meet Jesus Christ, who has saved us entirely from all sins and made us children of light. And I pray that you will receive all the blessings in Heaven through Him.

The Bible tells us, “Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations” (Genesis 6:9). Noah and Abraham both were the righteous before God. Even in seemingly hopeless circumstances, Abraham held onto God's promise and believed. Because of his unwavering faith, God counted him righteous. The Word of God speaks of Jesus, the Son of God “who came by water and blood” (1 John 5:6), and He completely blotted out all our sins. Can we genuinely hope and believe that Jesus, who walked the earth around 2000 years ago, fully paid for our sins? Jesus bore all our sins through His baptism. On the cross, as He shed His blood, He declared, “It is finished!” (John 19:30). Through His “one sacrifice of sin forever” (Hebrews 10:12), our sins were perfectly cleansed, leaving our hearts pure, like untouched snow. Those who place their faith in the Gospel of the water and the blood, are born again like Noah and Abraham by receiving the remission of sins. If you ever ponder whether you can be as righteous and blameless as Noah, understand this: Christians with sin weighing down their hearts cannot claim to be God's children. The answers you seek can be found within the pages of this book.

In Genesis, we encounter the same Jesus that Abraham met. As a result, we've received the remission of sins and experienced being born again. Through our belief in the Gospel of Truth, we've transformed into righteous individuals, the holy saints with circumcised hearts, and as such, we are God's children, blessed with eternal life. By walking alongside God throughout our lives, we too can bask in the rapture's glory, mirroring Enoch's experience. As God proclaimed, "The imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth" (Genesis 8:21). In response, we should set aside our own perceptions, placing trust in and adhering to God's Word. Such genuine faith truly pleases Him. Among believers, two distinct groups emerge: those solely devoted to God, and those who balance their worship between God and idols. The former group's faith lies in the God of Abraham, while the latter places trust in the God of Nahor. It's worth noting that Nahor's lineage revered both the teraphim and God. In present times, numerous Christians find themselves serving both God and wealth. Such a faith, aligned with the God of Nahor, can be termed as a pseudo-belief. Abraham pursued the Word, undeterred by uncertainties of his path. It's my genuine wish for each of us to lead lives of faith, reminiscent of Abraham, which resonate with God's pleasure.

Former High Ranking New Age Leader Exposes Demonic Schemes in New Age Practices In Authentic Awakening, Alan Strudwick tells the story of his conversion from a high-ranking New Age Leader to a passionate disciple of Jesus. Along the way, Alan exposes Satans strategy to infiltrate the church, and equips you with tools to resist the Devils schemes. From the age of 13 Alan Strudwick was chosen by a Hindu Guru to be an initiate and groomed to be a Key Leader in the New Age Movements infiltration of Western culture. Trained in the demonic spiritual practices of astral travel/projection, rebirthing, Eastern meditation, palm reading, tarot cards, spiritual guide visitations, hypnosis, levitation, Reiki healing, channeling, and more, he reached the highest echelons of the New Age Movement. But in a miraculous encounter with the Living God, Alans life was transformed forever! In Authentic Awakening, Alan shares his gripping personal journey, alerting you to the subtle and overt schemes the enemy is leveraging in your life. You will learn how to: Recognize demonic invitations that are disguised as New Age practices. Expose the "New World Order" agenda of the New Age Movement. See Yoga for what it is: a demonic gateway opening doors for spiritual attack. Identify Idolatrous Pagan Practices that have infiltrated Western civilization. Discern how Satan masquerades as an "angel of light" and avoid his snares. Walk in your authority in Christ and understand the "three heavens" identified in Scripture. Resist the deception of "New Age Christianity" which packages itself like Biblical Christianity. The enemy has a calculated plan to deceive and disciple you. Alan exposes Satan's "New Age" strategies so you can recognize his tactics, resist his snares, and walk in victory!

Encountering Jesus in the New Testament has been found in conformity with the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Encountering Jesus in the New Testament helps students further their personal relationship with Jesus Christ by growing in understanding of Jesus' historical, cultural, and religious background through an in-depth look at Scriptures. Answering the question, "Who is Jesus of Nazareth, the person people of faith call "Christ, the Son of God?," is a central focus of the text. In answering this question, the students will explore how the New Testament scriptures provide us with an answer.