Non-Fiction Books

"A revealing look into the life, spiritual journey, and writings of the popular yet controversial 19th-century novelist, George MacDonald. Michael Phillips unveils the life and times of his literary mentor in this portrait of a great writer of faith, setin the Scottish land he loved"--Provided by publisher.

Destiny Junction is a small town, not unlike any other small town in America. As its name implies, however, it becomes the place where many people's lives meet destiny. Through one young lady's obedient Christian life and the work of the Holy Spirit subsequent to her murder, the lives of many people in the town of Destiny Junction are transformed. This is their story...a story about life...and what it means...or what it ought to mean.

For many years, best-selling author Michael Phillips assumed he clearly understood the life of Jesus. Though Jesus was in truth his Savior, and even his Lord, Phillips felt challenged to understand more of the remarkable life lived two thousand years ago in Palestine. Then came a crisis in his spiritual pilgrimage when circumstances forced him to open the book of his life in a new way, and delve more deeply into the fundamental why of Jesus' life. Challenged to discover the New Testament imperative for his life, Phillips takes a fresh look at the Bible to find out what is the essence, the foundation, of spirituality. Boiled down. The raw reality of the gospel. No frills. No excess baggage. No trite little phrases learned in Sunday school or youth group. He discovers a key that gives validity to an entire life's purpose and perspective as a Christian for right now. Not in some grandiose, far-reaching way . . . but the link between belief and practice, between eternity and now, between Christianity as a world religion, and Christianity as a practical guidebook for going about the business of life in the trenches. For if ever a man walked in harmony between ultimate purpose and the next five minutes, that man was Jesus Christ. And that key to Jesus' life was obedience.

A devotional study by bestselling novelist and devotional writer Michael Phillips, identifying 120 commands of Jesus from the gospels. This is a large 6 x 9 edition of The Commands, published in a smaller format in 2012, with identical content. Jesus often introduces the subject of obedience with the tiny but eternally significant word if . He recognizes that there are always two paths—obedience and disobedience. He commands obedience. But many will not obey. This obedience is a natural outgrowth of love: If you love me you will obey my commandments. (John 14:15) He who has my commands and keeps them, he it is who loves me. (John 14:21) If a man loves me, he will keep my word. (John 14:23) You are my friends if you do what I command you. (John 15:14) Jesus is well aware of the games people play with spiritual things. He wants none to mistake what it means to be his follower. Many will claim to love him. Many will pretend to love him. Many will talk about loving him. Many will analyze what it means to love him. However a Christian is distinguished and defined by one, and only one, thing: Obedience. Obedience to the Commands of Jesus is a daily, moment-by-moment choice. We make it over and over. We are continually making it. It is a progressive and ongoing choice that defines what it means to love Jesus and be his follower. In 2012, as he released The Commands of Jesus for the first time, author Michael Phillips wrote: For over 40 years, I have been seeking more deeply to understand, and hopefully to live by, the commands of Jesus. One of the eventful crossroads in this journey took place 40 years ago a week alone in a motel room with no book other than my New Testament. I had gone away specifically for the purpose of determining exactly what commands the New Testament laid upon us. Beyond all the doctrine and theology, what were we simply told to DO. The list that resulted has literally formed the cornerstone of my spiritual outlook ever since. A year and a half ago I embarked on what can only be called the project of a lifetime to distill these years of prayerful reflection into a concise book on the commands of Jesus. That book is now complete. It is simply called The Commands. It represents my attempt to focus the prism of God's light in such a way as to illuminate a few powerful sayings that a Man said some 2000 years ago during the time He walked among us. When God stepped onto the planet, everything changed. That change is still transforming lives today. In one sense, this book has been 40 years in the making as God has deepened, refined, and continually focused the single prayer of my heart, Father, make me like Jesus. I can say without reservation that this is THE most important book I have ever compiled.

A personal odyssey toward bold thinking faith by best selling author Michael Phillips