The most important words Jesus ever spoke were, "Follow me." But how are we to follow him in a divided world with so much bitterness, anger, and hate? How can we love God and love our neighbor as ourselves? We can do it the same way Jesus did: by taking the high road! In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told people to love their enemies, turn the other cheek, and go the extra mile. What he said can be summed up this way: "Take the high road." That's the road Jesus took. He was a high-road leader. His words and his actions made it clear he wants us to:
• Value All People
• Give More an We Take
• Embrace Authenticity
• Do the Right Things for the Right Reasons
• Place People Above Our Agenda
• Bring People Together in a World that Divides Best-selling authors John C. Maxwell and Chris Hodges show how every step of Jesus' walk on earth was on the high road, and they explain how you can take that same path.
Immerse yourself in the life of Jesus, and you will be equipped and inspired to take the high road in every situation, just like he did. When you do, you will be most like him. You will be salt and light in a world that desperately needs it.
Make Prayer Your First Response
How do you approach prayer? Do you worry you are not doing it "correctly"? Do you see it as an obligation to check off a to-do list? Do you think of it as a last resort-a kind of supernatural SOS when you need help?
In this Pray First audio Bible study, Pastor Chris Hodges shares proven ways to help you spend time in conversation with God-and enjoy every minute of it. You will gain tools to bring joy back into your time with God, explore prayers in the Bible, learn about fasting (an often overlooked discipline), and discover biblically grounded methods for making prayer a priority and not an afterthought.
Pray First is a revolutionary study for anyone who wants to experience a dynamic, intimate prayer life with God.
Sessions and run times:
- The Five P's of Prayer (21:00)
- The Lord's Prayer (20:00)
- The Prayer of Jabez (16:00)
- Praying the Names of God (18:30)
- My Prayer for You (17:00)
- Prayer and Fasting (21:00)
The Audio Bible Studies series provides a unique audio learning experience. Unlike a traditional audiobook's direct narration of a book's text, this audio Bible study includes high-quality, live audio sessions from the author that cover important Bible-based topics. These sessions will reflect the ambiance of the unique recording locations, immersing the listener into the teaching. While not required for the audio experience, these studies are designed to partner with the coordinating study guide, sold separately.
Read by the author.
Prayer is the lifeblood of the Christian faith--but many followers of Jesus still struggle to make prayer part of their daily lives. In Pray First, bestselling author and pastor Chris Hodges shows us how to make prayer a first response instead of a last resort.
Why is it that so many Christians find it difficult to develop a vibrant and exciting prayer life? Even though prayer is foundational to the Christian life, many are intimidated or uncertain about how to talk to God. Prayer feels quaint and old-fashioned to some, sacred and uncomfortable to others. It's not a lack of inspiration--there's plenty of that. And it's not that we don't realize prayer is important--we know it is. So, what's the issue?
Pastor Chris Hodges has spent years studying the prayers of the Bible and the models of prayer that the scriptures provide for Christians. Now, he shares the teachings and methods he's used to successfully help hundreds of thousands of people understand how to spend time in conversation with God--and enjoy every minute.
Pray First will give you the tools you need to:
- Bring the joy back into your time with God
- Take a journey through the prayers of the Bible, which reveal how to make prayer more personal and powerful
- Learn about fasting, an often overlooked but powerful discipline that's a vital companion to prayer
- Follow proven, biblically grounded methods for making prayer a priority, not an afterthought
Written in the personable, relatable, and always biblically based style that has become Hodges's hallmark, Pray First is a revolutionary how-to manual for anyone seeking a more dynamic, intimate prayer life with God.
A 21-day devotional and extra resources are included in the audiobook companion PDF download.
In this audio Bible study, Chris Hodges examines the dilemma facing all Christians today: how can we influence a world that rejects everything we believe while still standing for God's truth? Chris looks at the lives of Daniel and Jesus, showing how we can stand for our biblical beliefs without alienating those we want to reach. The goal is never about winning the argument but about winning hearts, and when we connect before we correct, we can respond to hard questions without compromising God's grace or truth.
Sessions include:
- In the World but Not of It (17:00)
- Identity Theft (17:30)
- You Are What You Worship (15:00)
- Who's the Boss? (16:00)
- Divided, Distracted, and Disturbed (17:00)
- What the World Needs Now (15:30)
Coordinating study guide available separately.
The Audio Bible Studies series provides a unique audio learning experience. Unlike a traditional audiobook's direct narration of a book's text, this audio Bible study includes high-quality, live audio sessions from the author that cover important Bible-based topics. These sessions will reflect the ambiance of the unique recording locations, immersing the listener into the teaching. While not required for the audio experience, these studies are designed to partner with the coordinating study guide, sold separately.
The Bible Study Source series provides a unique audio learning experience. Unlike a traditional audiobook's direct narration of a book's text, Out of the Cave includes high-quality, live audio sessions from the author that cover this important Bible-based topic. These sessions will reflect the ambiance of the unique recording locations, immersing the listener into the teaching.
In this five-session video Bible study, bestselling author and pastor Chris Hodges draws on the story of Elijah to show no matter how powerful, accomplished, or successful we may be, we can all still succumb to fear, doubt, despair, and hopelessness. In 1 Kings 18, we read how Elijah (whose very name means "Yahweh is my God") won renown for defeating the priests of Baal during the reign of King Ahab. But when the wicked Queen Jezebel sent a message vowing to take his life, the prophet fled into the wilderness and "came to a broom bush," where he "sat down under it and prayed that he might die" 1 Kings 19:4).
Elijah's story reveals that even when we're walking closely with God, we can still stumble and get lost in the wilderness of tangled emotions. But the good news is that we don't have to stay there! Like Elijah, we can become overcomers in Christ and press on to God-inspired victory. As Out of the cave reveals, God will provide rest for the weary, hope for the desperate, and balm for the aching soul.
Do you feel guilt and shame about negative thoughts and emotions and your inability to overcome them? Bestselling author and pastor Chris Hodges helps those struggling with depression find liberating solutions by drawing from the life of the prophet Elijah.
You might be asking, Should a Christian even be having these struggles?
Depression is the number one health issue in the world today, yet those who suffer are still sometimes stigmatized--especially followers of Jesus. Many assume God's peace, power, and protection should prevent us from ever feeling anxious, depressed, and afraid. But the Bible teaches otherwise, particularly in its depiction of the life of the Old Testament prophet Elijah.
In Out of the Cave, Chris Hodges uses Elijah's life to show us that everyone is susceptible to depression. Even when we're walking closely with God, we can still stumble and get lost in the wilderness of tangled emotions. But we don't have to stay there, because we serve a God who meets us in the darkness. Out of the Cave helps us
- remove the stigma of depression and realize we're not alone;
- understand the ways our temperament and view of God affect the way we handle depression; and
- learn a comprehensive approach to wellness-mind, body, and soul-from Elijah's journey.
With his trademark blend of Bible-based wisdom, practical application, and vulnerability in sharing his personal struggles, Hodges explores the causes of depression we can't change, the contributors we can conquer, and offers transformative hope and spiritual power to help us win the battle.
A Deeper Relationship with God is Closer Than You Think
Do you find yourself asking, "What do I do next? How do I stay motivated to grow deeper in my relationship with God when I feel complacent, intimidated, or confused? What can I do to get back on track when I hit a spiritual rut?" In What's Next?, bestselling author and pastor Chris Hodges offers a practical guide to all those looking for clarity and direction, and reveals the four steps to spiritual maturity.
Chris demonstrates how each step is part of both a linear path and a cycle leading to deeper levels of faith. No matter where you may be on the spiritual spectrum, What's Next? is the guide you need to find your next step, and discover the joy that comes walking the road of richer faith.
The Audio Bible Study series provides a unique learning experience. Instead of sitting down to watch a video teaching for Bible study, listen to the same quality Bible study content on the go! Whether you listen on your commute, while walking outside, or over a lunch break, you can access high-quality audio Bible studies wherever you are. Get the most out of the teaching by diving into the accompanying study guide (sold separately) to walk through reflection questions and individual Bible study to go deeper.
Bestselling author and influential pastor Chris Hodges offers Christians a practical guide for what to do next to deepen their faith.
The journey toward deeper faith and spiritual maturity is a lifelong pursuit, with plenty of stops and bumps along the way. Inevitably, there comes a point when Christians—new believers and veterans in the faith alike—find themselves asking, 'What do I do next? How do I stay motivated to grow deeper in my relationship with God when I feel complacent, intimidated, or confused? What can I do to get back on track when I hit a spiritual rut?'
In What's Next, Chris Hodges reveals the four steps to spiritual maturity: knowing God, finding freedom, discovering purpose, and making a difference. He shows how they are part of both a linear path and a cycle that Christians continue returning to at increasingly deeper levels as they grow. Accessible and clear, concise and profound, What's Next? is a trail guide leading to a deeper and more intimate relationship with the Father and the joy that comes from the journey.
We have real hope we're called to share. But how we share it makes a difference.
Christians today face a dilemma: in a world that seems to reject everything we believe, how do we walk closely with God without caving to pressure or alienating those we hope to reach?
In this eye-opening new book, Chris Hodges provides a solution by examining the life of the prophet Daniel, who persevered in a corrupt culture that closely resembles our own-and emerged as an influential force in God's redemptive plan. Full of scripture and seasoned with Hodges' candid personal insights, The Daniel Dilemma shows us that we can hold firmly to biblical beliefs without becoming obnoxious, insulting, or mad. We can stand strong while loving others well. Because standing for truth isn't about winning the argument; it's about winning hearts. And when we learn the secret of connecting before correcting, we discover that we can respond to today's hard questions without compromising grace or truth.
With fresh insights and practical ideas, Hodges encourages Christians struggling with our cultural reality to hold God's standards high and his grace deep-just as Jesus did, and just as his followers today are called to do.
What if God has had a plan for you since the very beginning?
The God of the universe has made you some big promises. He made them first in the Old Testament, but they remain at the core of his heart and have never changed. They're the key to your fulfillment and to his plans for you, both in this life and the life to come.
God wants to rescue you from bondage.He wants to deliver you from whatever holds you back.He wants you to discover his original intention for your life.And he wants you to be a part of a family that is making a difference.
In the ancient celebration of Passover, we find a picture of God's heart for us in the four cups of wine representing each of these core promises. Now, in Four Cups, Church of the Highlands pastor and New York Times best-selling author Chris Hodges reveals that, no matter where we are on our spiritual journey, these four cups of promise provide a simple, powerful, unforgettable way of reaching our potential and growing closer to God.
Steeped in Jewish history and tradition, yet breathing the transforming hope of Jesus on every track, Four Cups will help you move forward through the four stages of faith. Your thirst for more will finally be quenched - and you'll experience a wellspring of joy, hope, and purpose.
Fresh air is about to sweep into your life.
This powerful debut audio book from Chris Hodges will revive your spirit and show you how to be fueled by God like never before. Take a deep breath of fresh air... and experience what it means to live an "I get to" - not an "I've got to" - kind of life every day.
"Chris Hodges is being used by God in our generation to bring new insights and leadership to the church. Discover the powerful secrets of a God-breathed life and enjoy the fresh air of God's blessing." -Steven Furtick, Lead pastor, Elevation Church; Author of Sun Stand Still and The New York Times best-seller Greater
"Fresh Air explains how to experience a freshness in your life and relationship with God that you may not have realized was possible. Instead of a list of Christian how-to's or quick fixes, it takes readers inward, leading them on a spiritual journey of transformation from the inside out. Chris' personal experiences and humorous anecdotes make this book an engaging read. I recommend it!" - John C. Maxwell, Leadership expert, author, and speaker
