Resources Falling in Love with God — Every human heart longs to love and be loved. But even the most satisfying human relationships pale by comparison to a personal relationship with God, which starts with prayer, hearing God’s voice, solitude and silence and meditation on the Word. Our souls—which integrate our minds, our will, our bodies and our relationships—desperately yearn to recapture the idyllic intimacy Adam and Eve enjoyed with God in the Garden of Eden. A powerful paradigm for the divine love that refuses to let us go is found in The Old Testament story of the prophet Hosea and his wayward wife Gomer. Set in the eighth century B.C. when the Israelites were lost in sin and idolatry, it serves as the nexus for Falling in Love with God, by Bob Hostetler. Hosea had been told by God to marry Gomer, a prostitute who betrayed him by bearing two children who were not his. Through this story of extravagant mercy and grace, we experience the scandal of God’s unconditional love for us. For Hostetler, gratitude for God’s faithfulness and remembering His good gifts are central to falling in love with God. If our love of God is to be genuinely heartfelt, we need to accept our sinfulness, acknowledge His constant care and generosity and admit our insatiable need for the One we so often ignore and neglect. AVAILABLE ONLINE and at local Christian bookstores. God’s Word An interdenominational team of Biblical scholars has succinctly assembled the 2011 NIV Study Bible, making the Word of God easily accessible to the average reader. More than 20,000 study notes clarify words and concepts, interpret difficult passages and present parallels between other people and events in the Bible. Using three unique symbols—trowel, seedling and character—this translation cites references to archaeology, personal application and the traits of a person or a group of people. Other notable features include: 1. Introductions consist of content outlines, themes and the theological significance of the text. 2. Text notes allude to alternative translations, the meaning of Hebrew and Greek words, Old Testament quotations and readings in ancient Biblical manuscripts. 3. A cross-reference system (indicated by raised letters) can be used to explore concepts as well as specific words. 4. A lengthy concordance 5. 90 full color maps include ancient reconstructions of Jerusalem, Damascus, Rome, Corinth, Ephesus and Philippi. 6. Includes more than 70 charts and models of covenants, sacrifices and festivals, Jewish sects and major archeological finds and two full-color time lines. 7. Essays on Wisdom literature, the minor prophets, the synoptic Gospels and the letters of the New Testament. These also probe the ethics of war and describe the 400 year period between the Old and New Testaments, a time of political oppression and great cultural change. Dr. Rodney J. Decker Baptist Bible Seminary, Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania, rates this translation high on accuracy and clarity, naturalness (communication via the language used), and appropriateness for its intended audience. He describes the it as a versatile Bible that can be used for preaching, reading, Bible studies and children’s ministries. I’ll Stand for Christ probes the doctrinal themes of salvation and holiness through the passionate writings of William and Catherine Booth. It brings together articles and excerpts from the early War Cry, the Salvationist and selected books by the Founder. Catherine Booth’s writings explore being born again, repentance and faith, while William Booth examines the personal assurance of salvation, the role of salvation in The Salvation Army’s social service programs and the need for Salvationists to be soul-winners. The primary focus of this book is on the power of the Spirit to transform hearts and minds through repentance and faith. In an era when people are struggling to identify what they stand for and the moral landscape of society seems to be built on shifting sand, Christians can find in I’ll Stand for Christ a solid resource for moral, societal and spiritual leadership. AVAILABLE ONLINE THROUGH www.Salvos.org.au Published by the Australia Southern Territory. AVAILABLE ONLINE and at your local Christian bookstores. The War Cry | JUNE 2013 7