14 Best Handbooks, Religion Books

Do you know a teacher who you‚Äôd like to encourage? You’re not alone¬†but don‚Äôt worry,¬†because God has got you and them covered every day.

All the way from coloring inside the lines to calculus, teachers have given us the tools to thrive. Where would we be without them? However, a teacher’s job is often a difficult one and sometimes, anxiety and exhaustion become the norm. For those in need of a little peace and renewal, Max Lucado points to the teacher who offered just that. 

Pastor and bestselling author Max Lucado has created this handy prayerbook that is suited for gift-giving and written especially for those special people who inspire our students.

In Pocket Prayers for Teachers, Lucado shares verses and writings that contains:

• Prayers for inspiration and encouragement
• Prayers for clarity and creativity
• Prayers for love and patience
• Prayers for peace and protection
• Prayers for integrity and grace
• Prayers for strength and endurance

If you ever need to lift the spirits of your favorite teacher, Pocket Prayers for Teachers is the perfect guide to help you do so.

Read by the author. How much do you know about the end of the world?

In The 50 Final Events in World History, beloved and respected pastor Robert J. Morgan takes you on a journey through end-times prophecy, walking step-by-step through the end of the world to the dawn of the new kingdom of heaven.

Heard of worldwide pandemics? Weapons of mass destruction flashing through the air? Global water and air contamination? The nation of Israel restored after 2,000 years, encircled by hostile nations and buffered by the nation of Jordan? Air evacuations with machines having two wings? Threats from Russia and Asia? Extremism in Turkey? Clamor for globalization? Hand implants for commerce and security? The gospel penetrating unreached places? Violent persecution? Cascading wickedness? The world falling apart?

All of this is predicted in the book of Revelation. 

If you find yourself baffled and maybe even a little intimidated by end times and the book of Revelation, The 50 Final Events in World History will be a

• comprehensive yet easy-to-understand overview of the book of Revelation,
• resource you can turn to again and again,
• helpful tool that translates the events of Revelation both literally and sequentially, and
• guide to interpret present circumstances as well as future events.

Revelation is the Bible’s final words on the world’s last days. The key is understanding its simple sequence of events–one after another, clearly laid out­–the fifty final events in world history.

This is information we need to know now since we might soon be on the doorstep of event #1.

Maps, graphics, and Appendix 2: Revelation on a Napkin are included in the audiobook companion PDF download.

What would you give to have true contentment, joy without end, and lasting peace? Most of us would say, “Anything!” especially when we are dealing with the stormy pressures of life.

In 10 Principles for Studying Your Bible, Dr. Charles Stanley provides practical insight into God’s word by walking you through the highlights of his own personal Bible study. He states how you don’t have to go through life wondering if the next storm will be the one that washes your life out to sea.

In this book, Dr. Stanley will help you discover how to:

• Be faithful in prayer and have a heart for worship,
• Apply God’s promises to your life,
• Hide God’s word in your heart, and more!

God tells us that if we seek Him, we will find Him and when we uncover His truth, we gain clear direction for our lives and circumstances. Those who begin this journey into understanding the Bible quickly realize his word is a doorway to divine principles and life’s greatest blessings.

10 Principles for Studying Your Bible reveals how God has an answer for your greatest need, but it is only found in the study of His Word.

When you pray, are your thoughts all over the place sometimes? You’re not alone but don‚Äôt worry, because God has got this covered for us every day.

Max Lucado knows what it feels like to struggle with prayer. The sign-up sheet for Prayer 101 in the Bible contains some familiar apostles – the first followers of Jesus needed some prayer guidance, too.

In this brief book, pastor and New York Times bestselling author Max Lucado will help you direct your prayers to the Source of all hope and strength in Pocket Prayers, which contains 40 guided prayers and complementary scriptures for any situation.

In Pocket Prayers, this handy guide can serve as:

• A personal prayer book.
• An outreach tool for ministries and churches.
• Or a simple encouragement for those who struggle to pray.

God understands how difficult focusing can be sometimes, but He will always keep us on track with His love and guidance no matter what happens around Him.

Today, Pocket Prayers will help you let the conversation with God begin.

Answers to the most common questions and misconceptions about the Bible

Seven Things I Wish Christians Knew about the Bible is a short and accessible introduction to the Bible–its origins, interpretation, truthfulness, and authority.

Bible scholar, prolific author, and Anglican minister Michael Bird helps Christians understand seven important “things” about this unique book:

1. how the Bible was put together;
2. what “inspiration” means;
3. how the Bible is true;
4. why the Bible needs to be rooted in history;
5. why literal interpretation is not always the best interpretation;
6. how the Bible gives us knowledge, faith, love, and hope; and
7. how Jesus Christ is the center of the Bible.

Seven Things presents a clear and understandable evangelical account of the Bible’s inspiration, canonization, significance, and relevance in a way that is irenic and compelling. It is a must for any serious Bible reader who desires an informed and mature view of the Bible that will enrich their faith.

Accompanying tables and recommended reading are available in the audiobook companion PDF download.

Explore Answers to Life’s Most Important Theological Questions. Over 175,000 Copies Sold!

How do we know the Bible is God’s Word? What is sin and where did it come from? How is Jesus fully God and fully man? What are spiritual gifts? When and how will Christ return?

If you’ve asked questions like these, then systematic theology is no abstract term. It’s an approach to finding answers every Christian needs to know. The second edition of Bible Doctrine takes a widely used upper-level textbook on systematic theology and makes it accessible. Abridged from the second edition of Wayne Grudem’s award-winning Systematic Theology, Bible Doctrine covers the same essentials of the faith, giving you a firm grasp on seven key topics:

• The Doctrine of the Word of God
• The Doctrine of God
• The Doctrine of Man
• The Doctrine of Christ
• The Doctrine of the Application of Redemption
• The Doctrine of the Church
• The Doctrine of the Future.

You don’t need to have had several years of Bible college or seminary training to reap the benefits of Bible Doctrine. It’s easy to understand and packed with biblical answers to your most pressing theological questions.

This new edition now includes:

• New, thoughtful critiques of open theism, the new perspective on Paul, Molinism (or “middle knowledge”), “Free Grace” theology, and the preterist view of Christ’s second coming
• Completely revised, stronger chapter on the clarity of Scripture
• Completely revised, stronger chapter on creation and evolution. New discussion of how biblical inerrancy applies to some specific “problem verses” in the Gospels
• Additional material respectfully explaining evangelical Protestant differences with Roman Catholicism (with extensive interaction with the Catechism of the Roman Catholic Church), Protestant liberalism, and Mormonism
• Completely updated bibliographies
• All Scripture quotations updated from RSV to ESV
• An explanation of why monogenes in John 3:16 and elsewhere should be translated as “only begotten” rather than merely “only”
• An extensive discussion on the eternal submission of the Son to the Father
• A discussion of recent criticisms of the penal substitutionary view of the atonement
• Numerous other updates and corrections that have be prompted by letters and emails from people around the world and by interaction with the students Wayne has taught over the last 26 years both at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and at Phoenix Seminary

Study questions, resources, and appendixes are included in the audiobook companion PDF download.

A Proven Approach to Help You Interpret and Understand the Bible

Grasping God’s Word has proven itself in classrooms across the country as an invaluable help to students who want to learn how to read, interpret, and apply the Bible for themselves. This book will equip you with a five-step Interpretive Journey that will help you make sense of any passage in the Bible. It will also guide you through all the different genres found in the Bible to help you learn the specifics of how to best approach each one.

Filling the gap between approaches that are too simple and others that are too technical, this book starts by equipping readers with general principles of interpretation, then moves on to apply those principles to specific genres and contexts.

Features include:

• Proven in classrooms across the country
• Hands-on exercises to guide students through the interpretation process
• Emphasis on real-life application
• Supplemented by a website for professors providing extensive teaching materials
• Accompanying workbook, video lectures, laminated study guide (sold separately)

This fourth edition includes revised chapters on word studies and Bible translations, updated illustrations, cultural references, bibliography, and assignments. This book is the ideal resource for anyone looking for a step-by-step guide that will teach them how to accurately and faithfully interpret the Bible.

Accompanying visuals, assignments, and reference materials are included in the audiobook companion PDF download.

Is Reading the Bible the Fastest Way to Lose Your Faith?

For centuries, the Bible was called “the Good Book,” a moral and religious text that guides us into a relationship with God and shows us the right way to live. Today, however, some people argue the Bible is outdated and harmful, with many Christians unaware of some of the odd and disturbing things the Bible says.

How (Not) to Read the Bible tackles big questions like:

• Does the Bible degrade women?
• Is the Bible anti-science?
• How could a loving God command such violence in the Old Testament?
• Does the Bible endorse slavery?

Bestselling author Dan Kimball guides you step-by-step in how to tackle many of the real questions that people wrestle with when reading the Bible and how to make sense of many of the more difficult and disturbing Bible passages.

Filled with fun stories, insightful information, and responses to popular cultural objections, How (Not) to Read the Bible is a lifeline for anyone–Christians and doubters alike–who are confused or discouraged with questions about the Bible.

Yes, there are puzzling and disturbing Bible passages. . . But there are explanations!

*Accompanying images and reference tables are available in the audiobook companion PDF download.

Understanding the Bible isn’t for the few, the gifted, the scholarly. The Bible is accessible. It’s meant to be read and comprehended by everyone from armchair readers to seminary students. A few essential insights into the Bible can clear up a lot of misconceptions and help you grasp the meaning of Scripture and its application to your twenty-first-century life.

More than three quarters of a million people have turned to How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth to inform their reading of the Bible. This fourth edition features revisions that keep pace with current scholarship, resources, and culture. Changes include:

• Updated language for better readability
• Scripture references now appear only in brackets at the end of a sentence or paragraph, helping you read the Bible as you would read any book‚Äîwithout the numbers
• A new authors‚Äô preface
• Redesigned and updated diagrams
• Updated list of recommended commentaries and resources

Covering everything from translational concerns to different genres of biblical writing, How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth is used all around the world. In clear, simple language, it helps you accurately understand the different parts of the Bible—their meaning for ancient audiences and their implications for you today—so you can uncover the inexhaustible worth that is in God’s Word.

Find the encouragement and inspiration you need to transform your health for good with a daily guide to strengthen your mind, body, and spirit.

A companion to the number one New York Times best seller The Daniel Plan, this 365-day devotional provides the heartfelt insight you need to take your health to the next level. The Daniel Plan 365-Day Devotional builds on the top essential Рfaith Рthat has made The Daniel Plan doable and successful for thousands of people worldwide.

Motivational tips, Scripture passages, food for thought, and a special note from Rick Warren lead the way to transformation for the long haul. A dream team of spiritual, fitness, and health professionals, including Dr. Daniel Amen, Dr. Mark Hyman, and the Daniel Plan Wellness faculty will help you continue your journey toward whole health and wellness.

Ultimately, The Daniel Plan 365-Day Devotional will change your life in the areas of:

 

• faith,
• food,
• fitness,
• focus,
• and friends.

These are the five essentials you need to transform your body, mind, and spirit from the inside out.

If you’re looking for the right combination of inspiration and encouragement to achieve the healthy lifestyle you’ve longed for, you found it.

This new edition of Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem may be the most important resource you can own for helping you understand Scripture and grow as a Christian.

The most widely used resource of the last 25 years in its area, Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem has been thoroughly revised and expanded for the first time while retaining the features that have made it the standard in its field: clear explanations, an emphasis on each doctrine’s scriptural basis, and practical applications to daily life.

This audiobook (Part II) includes “The Doctrine of the Application of Redemption” (13 chapters), “The Doctrine of the Church” (10 chapters), and “The Doctrine of the Future” (4 chapters). Topics treated include common grace, election, the gospel call, regeneration, conversion, justification, adoption, sanctification, baptism, death, union with Christ, the church, grace, the Lord’s Supper, worship, gifts of the Holy Spirit, the return of Christ, the millennium, and much more.

Praise for the second edition:

“After a quarter century of remarkable usefulness globally . . . it remains remarkable. I thank God for this precious gift to Christ’s people worldwide.” – John Piper

“Stands out for its clarity and accessibility.” – Thomas R. Schreiner

With nearly 250 pages of new content and revisions that took several years, this new edition now includes the following distinctive features, making it even better:

• Updated, fuller analysis of several recent controversies within evangelicalism, including the eternal relationship between the Father and the Son in the Trinity, the question of God’s atemporal eternity, the role of women in the church, “seeker-sensitive” churches, miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit, and contemporary worship music.
• New, thoughtful critiques of open theism, the “new perspective on Paul,” Molinism (or “middle knowledge”), “Free Grace” theology, and the preterist view of Christ’s second coming
• Completely revised, stronger chapter on the clarity of Scripture
• Completely revised, stronger chapter on creation and evolution, including a longer critique of theistic evolution and an extensive discussion on the age of the earth
• New discussion of how biblical inerrancy applies to some specific “problem verses” in the Gospels
• Additional material respectfully explaining evangelical Protestant differences with Roman Catholicism (with extensive interaction with the Catechism of the Roman Catholic Church), Protestant liberalism, and Mormonism
• Completely updated bibliographies
• All Scripture quotations updated from RSV to ESV
• An explanation of why monogenes in John 3:16 and elsewhere should be translated as “only begotten” rather than merely “only” (this is a change from the first edition)
• New discussion on the impassibility of God
• An extensive discussion on the eternal submission of the Son to the Father, taking into account controversies in recent years
• A discussion of recent criticisms of the penal substitutionary view of the atonement
• Numerous other updates and corrections that have be prompted by letters and emails from people around the world and by interaction with the students Wayne has taught over the last 26 years both at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and at Phoenix Seminary

Part of the brilliance of Systematic Theology over the years has been its simplicity and ease of use. Each chapter follows the same structure. First, there is discussion of the doctrine being considered, such as justification or the Trinity or the deity of Christ. An explanation of that doctrine’s biblical support and possible objections follow. Personal application and key terms to know for personal growth are provided in the accompanying PDF. The accompanying PDF also includes a Scripture memory passage, references to other literature on the topic, and suggested hymns and worship songs.

If you are someone who thinks theology is hard to understand or boring, then this new edition of Systematic Theology will likely change your mind.

The appendixes referenced in both parts of the audiobook are available in the audiobook companion PDF download that accompanies part 2.

This new edition of Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem may be the most important resource you can own for helping you understand Scripture and grow as a Christian.

The most widely used resource of the last 25 years in its area, Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem has been thoroughly revised and expanded for the first time while retaining the features that have made it the standard in its field: clear explanations, an emphasis on each doctrine’s scriptural basis, and practical applications to daily life.

This audiobook (Part I) includes the introduction, “The Doctrine of the Word of God” (7 chapters), “The Doctrine of God” (12 chapters), “The Doctrine of Man in the Image of God” (5 chapters), and “The Doctrines of Christ and the Holy Spirit” (5 chapters). Topics treated include Scripture, the attributes of God, providence, the Trinity, creation, miracles, prayer, sin, atonement, Christ’s resurrection, the work of the Holy Spirit, and much more.

Praise for the second edition:

“After a quarter century of remarkable usefulness globally . . . it remains remarkable. I thank God for this precious gift to Christ’s people worldwide.” – John Piper

“Stands out for its clarity and accessibility.” – Thomas R. Schreiner

With nearly 250 pages of new content and revisions that took several years, this new edition now includes the following distinctive features, making it even better:

• Updated, fuller analysis of several recent controversies within evangelicalism, including the eternal relationship between the Father and the Son in the Trinity, the question of God’s atemporal eternity, the role of women in the church, “seeker-sensitive” churches, miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit, and contemporary worship music.
• New, thoughtful critiques of open theism, the “new perspective on Paul,” Molinism (or “middle knowledge”), “Free Grace” theology, and the preterist view of Christ’s second coming
• Completely revised, stronger chapter on the clarity of Scripture
• Completely revised, stronger chapter on creation and evolution, including a longer critique of theistic evolution and an extensive discussion on the age of the earth
• New discussion of how biblical inerrancy applies to some specific “problem verses” in the Gospels
• Additional material respectfully explaining evangelical Protestant differences with Roman Catholicism (with extensive interaction with the Catechism of the Roman Catholic Church), Protestant liberalism, and Mormonism
• Completely updated bibliographies
• All Scripture quotations updated from RSV to ESV
• An explanation of why monogenes in John 3:16 and elsewhere should be translated as “only begotten” rather than merely “only” (this is a change from the first edition)
• New discussion on the impassibility of God
• An extensive discussion on the eternal submission of the Son to the Father, taking into account controversies in recent years
• A discussion of recent criticisms of the penal substitutionary view of the atonement
• Numerous other updates and corrections that have be prompted by letters and emails from people around the world and by interaction with the students Wayne has taught over the last 26 years both at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and at Phoenix Seminary

Part of the brilliance of Systematic Theology over the years has been its simplicity and ease of use. Each chapter follows the same structure. First, there is discussion of the doctrine being considered, such as justification or the Trinity or the deity of Christ. An explanation of that doctrine’s biblical support and possible objections follow. Personal application and key terms to know for personal growth are provided in the accompanying PDF. The accompanying PDF also includes a Scripture memory passage, references to other literature on the topic, and suggested hymns.

If you are someone who thinks theology is hard to understand or boring, then this new edition of Systematic Theology will likely change your mind.

How do we know the Bible is God’s Word? What is sin and where did it come from? How is Jesus fully God and fully man? What are spiritual gifts? When and how will Christ return?

If you’ve asked questions like these, then “systematic theology” is no abstract term. It’s an approach to finding answers every Christian needs to know. Bible Doctrine Video Lectures takes a highly commended reference on systematic theology and makes it accessible to the average learner. Wayne Grudem covers the essentials of the faith, giving you a firm grasp on seven key topics:

• The Doctrine of the Word of God
• The Doctrine of God
• The Doctrine of Man
• The Doctrine of Christ
• The Doctrine of the Application of Redemption
• The Doctrine of the Church
• The Doctrine of the Future

Lessons are marked by clarity, strong scriptural emphasis, thoroughness in scope and detail, and treatment of such timely topics as spiritual warfare and the gifts of the Spirit. But you don’t need to have had several years of Bible school to reap the full benefits of Bible Doctrine Video Lectures–it’s easy to understand and packed with solid, biblical answers to your most important questions. All video lecture content is adapted from Systematic Theology Video Lectures.

Session Titles and Runtimes:

1 – Introduction to Systematic Theology ((6 min)

2 – The Authority and Inerrancy of the Bible (14 min)

3 – The Clarity, Necessity, and Sufficiency of the Bible (18 min)

4 – The Character of God: “Incommunicable” Attributes (8 min)

5 – The “Communicable” Attributes of God (15 min)

6 – The Trinity (10 min)

7 – Creation (12 min)

8 – God’s Providence (8 min)

9 – Prayer (11 min)

10 – Angels, Satan, and Demons (18 min)

11 – The Creation of Man (9 min)

12 – Man as Male and Female (10 min)

13 – Sin (10 min)

14 – The Person of Christ (10 min)

15 – The Atonement (11 min)

16 – Resurrection and Ascension (8 min)

17 – Common Grace (7 min)

18 – Election (11 min)

19 – The Gospel Call (8 min)

20 – Regeneration (7 min)

21 – Conversion (Faith and Repentance) (8 min)

22 – Justification and Adoption ( 12 min)

23 – Sanctification (Growth in Likeness to Christ) (9 min)

24 – The Perseverance of the Saints (Remaining a Christian) (8 min)

25 – Death, the Intermediate State, and Glorification (13 min)

26 – The Nature of the Church (15 min)

27 – Baptism (8 min)

28 – The Lord’s Supper (9 min)

29 – Gifts of the Holy Spirit (I): General Questions (11 min)

30 – Gifts of the Holy Spirit (II): Specific Gifts (11 min)

31 – The Return of Christ: When and How? (7 min)

32 – The Millennium (10 min)

33 – The Final Judgment and Eternal Punishment (11 min)

34 – The New Heavens and New Earth (7 min)

A comprehensive, easy-to-understand guide to the ins and outs of the Old and New Testaments.

Get a crash course in the most beloved book of all time–the bible. Simplifying the words and concepts of the Bible doesn’t have to be an overwhelming undertaking. From Exodus to the prophets and the Psalms and Revelation, Bible 101 gives you a basic overview of every part of this important book. Written in easy-to-understand language, Bible 101 offers a fascinating–and memorable–glimpse at the sacred stories, traditions, and doctrines that appear in the New and Old Testaments. No matter what your familiarity with the bible is currently, Bible 101 can help you understand the word of God.