Climbing the Sycamore Tree

Climbing the Sycamore Tree
Author: Ann Hagmann
Publisher: Upper Room Books
Total Pages: 160
Release: 2001-06-01
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0835812979

Warning: This book could change the way you live. "Although I've experienced what it's like to get overextended, I've never been poor without options or help," writes Hagmann. "My faith tells me that being a Christian must affect who I am and how I behave with my wealth. Christ has something to say about the way I live my daily life, from how I treat others to how I spend my money." Do you make everyday economic decisions that reflect your Christian faith and values? Or are you "living large" in a material world? Using the story of Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-9) as its inspiration, Climbing the Sycamore Tree is a 6-week study of faithful stewardship. Hagmann uses both scripture and consumer statistics to show how our buying habits often marginalize certain people and perpetuate systems that contradict good stewardship and love for God's creation. Following the experience of the tax collector Zacchaeus, the study seeks to deepen the link between the faith we profess and the lifestyle we live. Designed as a study for individuals or groups, Climbing the Sycamore Tree provides insight into how our economy functions and the connection between how we spend our money and spiritual formation asks provocative, discerning questions about our daily choices calls us to a path of simple everyday living that's in harmony with our Christian beliefs The study is divided into three sections of two weeks each. Each week's readings consist of five lessons and a group session that includes scripture, discussion questions, guides for reflection or activity, and prayer. Open yourself to transformation that more clearly reflects the daily living of the faith you profess!

Climbing Your Sycamore Tree

Climbing Your Sycamore Tree
Author: Funke Felix-Adejumo
Publisher: CreateSpace
Total Pages: 24
Release: 2014-10-17
Genre: Body, Mind & Spirit
ISBN: 9781502884329

Many successful people in life today can ascribe some of their achievements to the fact that they rode on the shoulders of those who had gone ahead of them.There are people who must put down their shoulders for you to ride on so that salvation can come to your house.Salvation is not just “being born again.” It is deliverance from sin, poverty, ill health, disfavour. As you go through this book prayerfully, the Lord will connect you to people that matter to your destiny.

Flipped

Flipped
Author: Wendelin Van Draanen
Publisher: Ember
Total Pages: 259
Release: 2003-05-13
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
ISBN: 0375825444

A classic he-said-she-said romantic comedy! This updated anniversary edition offers story-behind-the-story revelations from author Wendelin Van Draanen. The first time she saw him, she flipped. The first time he saw her, he ran. That was the second grade, but not much has changed by the seventh. Juli says: “My Bryce. Still walking around with my first kiss.” He says: “It’s been six years of strategic avoidance and social discomfort.” But in the eighth grade everything gets turned upside down: just as Bryce is thinking that there’s maybe more to Juli than meets the eye, she’s thinking that he’s not quite all he seemed. This is a classic romantic comedy of errors told in alternating chapters by two fresh, funny voices. The updated anniversary edition contains 32 pages of extra backmatter: essays from Wendelin Van Draanen on her sources of inspiration, on the making of the movie of Flipped, on why she’ll never write a sequel, and a selection of the amazing fan mail she’s received. Awards and accolades for Flipped: SLJ Top 100 Children’s Novels of all time IRA-CBC Children’s Choice IRA Teacher’s Choice Honor winner, Judy Lopez Memorial Award/WNBA Winner of the California Young Reader Medal “We flipped over this fantastic book, its gutsy girl Juli and its wise, wonderful ending.” — The Chicago Tribune “Van Draanen has another winner in this eighth-grade ‘he-said, she-said’ romance. A fast, funny, egg-cellent winner.” — SLJ, Starred review “With a charismatic leading lady kids will flip over, a compelling dynamic between the two narrators and a resonant ending, this novel is a great deal larger than the sum of its parts.” —Publishers Weekly, Starred review

Zacchaeus Come Down!

Zacchaeus Come Down!
Author: David Ajeigbe
Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
Total Pages: 54
Release: 2022-04-06
Genre: Juvenile Nonfiction
ISBN: 1639611940

The Jewish people were under Roman rule after being conquered in several wars. The Jewish people were burdened by several forms of taxation. Although the Jewish people did not like several taxes levied on them by their conqueror, they did not have any choice but to pay them reluctantly. There were some Jewish citizens who were working for the Romans to collect taxes from their brethren and submit them to the Romans. Those Jewish citizens (tax collectors) were collecting more taxes than they were turning over to the Roman government. As a result, they got very rich financially and held important political status with the Roman government. Therefore, the Jewish people hated the tax collectors. Zacchaeus was one of the richest tax collectors, and for that reason, the Jewish people hated him so much to the point that he did not feel free to mix together with the people of his society. None of the Jews wanted to associate or do anything with him; he was isolated with no friends. Zacchaeus heard about Jesus, and he was curious of what might happen if he could have a meeting with Jesus. He felt that Jesus might understand his plight, forgive him, and turn him to the right course. However, he realized that he was a man of small stature and it would be impossible for him to see Jesus amid the crowd. Zacchaeus was resourceful, and he went ahead of the crowd to climb a sycamore tree which was divinely placed by the side of the road where Jesus was to pass. Zacchaeus climbed the sycamore tree without being sure how Jesus would respond to him. He had the faith that Jesus would accept him. When Jesus came to the sycamore tree, He called Zacchaeus to come down. The call to come down was an indication to Zacchaeus that Jesus knew his plight, that He knew his sins and his loneliness. Jesus wanted Zacchaeus to come down from the sycamore tree and leave all his worries and sins behind because He had forgiven him. Jesus was accused by the Pharisees and the scribes for being a friend to Zacchaeus. However, Jesus declared that He came to the world to save sinners like Zacchaeus.

The Cost of Discipleship

The Cost of Discipleship
Author: Bonhoeffer Dietrich
Publisher: SCM Press
Total Pages: 288
Release: 2015-11-02
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0334053420

Perhaps Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s most radical book, this reading of the Sermon on the Mount has influenced many Christians throughout the world over the last 50 years.

Luke

Luke
Author: Arthur Just Jr.
Publisher: InterVarsity Press
Total Pages: 480
Release: 2003-02-19
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 9780830814886

For the church fathers the Gospels did not serve as resources for individual analysis and academic study. They were read and heard and interpreted within the worshiping community. Among such sermons on Luke that have survived, this ACCS volume includes selections from Origen and Cyril of Alexandria as well as church fathers who addressed exegetical issues in theological treatises, pastoral letters, and catechetical lectures.

Reforesting Faith

Reforesting Faith
Author: Matthew Sleeth
Publisher: WaterBrook
Total Pages: 226
Release: 2019-04-16
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0735291764

This groundbreaking walk through Scripture by former physician and carpenter Dr. Matthew Sleeth makes the convincing case that trees reveal more about God and faith than you ever imagined. “Christians looking to reconnect to the natural world will relish Sleeth’s passionate call to Christian stewardship of the Earth.”—Publishers Weekly Fifteen years ago, Matthew Sleeth believed that science and logic held the answers to everything. But when tragedy struck, he opened the Bible for the first time and was surprised to find that God chose to tell the gospel story through a trail of trees. There’s a tree on the first page of Genesis, in the first psalm, on the first page of the New Testament, and on the last page of Revelation. The Bible’s wisdom is referred to as a tree of life. Every major biblical character and every major theological event has a tree marking the spot. A tree was the only thing that could kill Jesus—and the only thing Jesus ever harmed. Reforesting Faith is the rare book that builds bridges by connecting those who love the Creator with creation and those who love creation with the Creator. Join Dr. Sleeth as he explores the wonders of life, death, and rebirth through the trail of trees in Scripture. Once you discover the hidden language of trees, your walk through the woods—and through Scripture—will never be the same.

The Cross in Christian Tradition

The Cross in Christian Tradition
Author: Elizabeth Dreyer
Publisher: Paulist Press
Total Pages: 276
Release: 2000
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 9780809140008

For the past two thousand years, the cross has been a powerful symbol of the Christian faith and an anchor of its symbol system. In this volume, a group of distinguished scholars delves into the theologies and spiritualities of the cross at select moments in the tradition. They examine biblical texts and commentaries, lectionaries, liturgical poetry, sermons, and theological spiritual treatises in: Paul, the early liturgy, Origen, Augustine and Bonaventure. Each chapter provides a window into how particular contexts influenced the interpretation of the cross and how the cross functioned in each unique historical moment. Originally presented at Saint Mary's College, these papers offer a fresh and distinctive approach to the literature on the cross. The authors' historical perspective points to the tradition as a transforming agent for theology and spirituality today. Contributors: - Elizabeth A. Dreyer - Jerome Murphy-O'Connor - Nathan D. Mitchell - Peter J. Gorday - John Cavadini Here is a book that will interest liturgists and Christian educators, university and seminary students and members of religious orders. Although scholarly in tone, can be read with profit by adult educated Christians as well. +

With God's Grace...

With God's Grace...
Author: Barbara Arbuckle
Publisher: WestBow Press
Total Pages: 127
Release: 2016-06-30
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 151274459X

With Gods Grace ... takes you into the lives of five women seeking the meaning of grace. Do you know what grace feels like? Is it real? How do you get it? Do you have to earn it? Starting as strangers, their stories became entwined weaving themes of childlike trust, healing and forgiveness. They bring you along in their soul-searching experiences to discover grace is real and how much God loves you. His gift is not one-size-fits-all but is specifically designed for the person receiving it. Through their trials, God reaches out with different paths of grace. In their cries for help, they dont always get what they ask for. But with overwhelming challenges God showers overwhelming grace. Along the way they offer reflections to explore grace in your own life. Once you start understanding how to look and ask for it, you will be astounded by Gods gift.