Showing results by narrator "Mark Christensen" in All Categories

Often disguised as something that would help him, evil accompanies Christian on his journey to the Celestial City. As you walk with him, you'll begin to identify today's many religious pitfalls. These are presented by men such as Pliable, who turns back at the Slough of Despond; and Ignorance, who believes he's a true follower of Christ when he's really only trusting in himself.

This is a short and honest account of how God demonstrated his exceeding great mercy to his unworthy servant John Bunyan. This story specifically tells how Bunyan was converted. John Bunyan was a companion of sin and was troubled by sin. He fought temptation and sin in his own strength and lost, and in despair, he gave up hope of ever finding God’s mercy; but the Lord Jesus Christ at last delivered him from the guilt and terror that so often and so viciously troubled him.

If the answer to prayer is so positively promised in scripture, why are there so many unanswered prayers today (often misinterpreted as a "no")? Scripture teaches us that answer to prayer depends upon certain conditions. Christ spoke of faith, of perseverance, of praying in his name, of praying in the will of God. But all these conditions were summed up in the one central statement: "If ye abide in me and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you."

Written four years after The Pilgrim's Progress, John Bunyan followed up with this second allegorical classic, which has touched hearts and minds of people for generations. The epicenter of this book is the town of Mansoul, its people (such as Conscience, Self-Denial, and Do-Right), and its gates (Eye-gate, Ear-gate, Mouth-gate, Nose-gate, and Feel-gate).

To have found God and still to pursue Him is a paradox of love, scorned indeed by the too-easily-satisfied religious person, but justified in happy experience by the children of the burning heart. Saint Bernard of Clairvaux stated this holy paradox in a musical four-line poem.

He who wants a correct understanding of holiness must first begin by examining the vast and solemn subject of sin. He must dig down very deep if he wants to build high. Wrong views about holiness are generally traceable to wrong views about human corruption. Practical holiness and entire self-consecration to God are not given adequate attention by modern Christians. The unsaved sometimes rightly complain that Christians are not as kind and unselfish and good-natured as those who make no profession of faith.

The life of Mr. Badman forms a third part to The Pilgrim’s Progress, but it is not a delightful pilgrimage to heaven. On the contrary, it is a wretched downward journey to the infernal realms. The author’s goal is to warn poor, thoughtless sinners, not with smooth words they can ignore, but with words that thunder against their consciences regarding the danger of their souls and the increasing wretchedness into which they are madly hurrying.

Repentance is not optional. It is not left to our choice whether or not we will repent, but it is an indispensable command. God has enacted a law in the High Court of heaven that no sinner will be saved except the repenting sinner, and he will not break his own law. No one can willfully continue in sin and expect to be covered by the blood of Christ. Even if all the angels stood before God and begged for the life of an unrepenting person, God would not grant it.

Prayer is the key that unlocks all the storehouses of God’s infinite grace and power. All that God is, and all that God has, is at the disposal of prayer; but we must use the key. Prayer can do anything that God can do, and since God can do anything, prayer is omnipotent. No one can stand against the person who knows how to pray, who meets all the conditions of prevailing prayer, and who really prays, and if they are willing to pay the price. The price is prayer, much prayer, much real prayer, prayer in the Holy Spirit.

God will exalt us when the time is right. We needn't try to promote ourselves; we needn't struggle for position. Let God put us where he wants us and let us be true to God. It is better for a man to be right with God, even if he holds no great earthly position. This study illustrates what Daniel did, and also what Daniel didn't do, which caught the attention of God and kings alike. Few are the men in history of Daniel's caliber, even though the principles he followed can be implemented by all. Are you ready to be a truly great man, one that will cause God and men to take notice?

Franz Liszt lived on Lake Como. Pliny and Virgil lived here in Roman times, and they called it the most beautiful place in the world. It hasn't changed. From the hills above the lake, you can see the Matterhorn in the distance. This is based on our larger book, Milan and the Italian Lakes. Here we zero in on the most popular of them.

Richard Baxter (1615–1691) preached “as a dying man to dying men.” He was devoted to God and was a faithful follower of Jesus Christ. Best known as the minister of Kidderminster in England, his love for God and others resulted in practically the entire town of Kidderminster turning to Jesus during Baxter’s ministry there.

Scarlet is a German Shepherd who worries in a way that dogs don't normally do. She oversees a farm of strange animals, with tricky chickens, laughing pigeons, and soldier pigs. But Scarlet begins to notice unsettling changes on the farm. One day, a migrating swift seeks shelter from a storm under the farmhouse roof. Hoping to ease her doggy mind, Scarlet asks the bird if, during its travels, it will search for something beyond the farm that doesn't change.

This full-cast audiobook, featuring 11 different voice actors, and narrated by Hillary Huber, take on the roles of the Tandem Players, a group of community theater actors that love their community theater almost as much as they love the sweet old landlady who gave them a home to perform their plays in over the years. But when she passes away, and the will that was to leave the Broadtown Theater to the acting troupe disappears, they don’t even have time to mourn their loss. Her son comes in like a wrecking ball....

From many hearts, there is rising a cry for more power - more power in our personal conflicts with the world, the flesh, and the devil, and more power in our work for others. The Bible makes the way to obtain this longed-for power very plain. The Bible tells us how, and the Bible was intended to be understood.

I want to tell you what perhaps the greatest Christian who ever lived (the apostle Paul) thought of the cross of Christ. Believe me, the cross is of deepest importance. This is no mere question of controversy; this is not one of those points on which people may agree to differ and feel that differences will not shut them out of heaven. A person must be right on this subject, or he is lost forever. Heaven or hell, happiness or misery, life or death, blessing or cursing in the last day - all hinges on the answer to this question: What do you think about the cross of Christ?

A Certain Sound is an introduction to the theology and practice of preaching the gospel in public. The audiobook is concise, gracious, and uncompromising. It is saturated with Scripture, church history, and practical experience. It is a handbook and encouragement for open air preachers. It is an apologetic for frontline evangelism. It is written for both individuals and study groups, pastors and laymen, open air preachers and Christians who evangelize. He who has ears to hear, let him hear this audiobook!

How to Bring Men to Christ sheds light on how to reach the lost with the gospel - not new light, but tested and true light. Reuben A. Torrey will show you how to use appropriate, applicable Bible passages to reach every kind of lost individual. Regardless of the angle the lost may use to try to justify why they remain in their sad condition, Torrey offers scripture passages and biblical principles that have proven to reach even the most stubborn of the unsaved. This is an excellent resource and training manual to equip individuals and groups to share the gospel with the lost.

We can't get away from the principle of reaping what we sow. If we sow good seed, we anticipate a great harvest. But if we sow weeds, we'll harvest no more than we sowed. The same is true spiritually and practically. If we want a reward in heaven, we must live for Christ. On the other hand, if we lie, cheat, swear, steal, get drunk, use drugs, or otherwise fulfill the lusts of the flesh, the reality is we'll pay the consequences both now and in eternity. No matter how much society tries to convince us otherwise, this law has proven to be true without fail.

A bold leader decided to follow Jesus' teachings, resulting in a powerful ministry that has his entire congregation serving the desolate, the hungry, and the sick. Through this obedience to scripture, his church grew from a small 250-member congregation to a thriving, life-filled body of Christ-followers that is active in an astounding 70 ministries today.