James Merritt - 52 Weeks with Jesus. Fall in Love with the One Who Changed Everything

James Merritts challenge to spend 52 weeks with Jesus is one of both great discipline and great delight. Your passion for Jesus will grow and your life will be transformed through the time you spend in his Word with 52 Weeks with Jesus .

Thom S. Rainer , president and CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources, author of I Am a Church Member and Autopsy of a Deceased Church

In 52 Weeks with Jesus , James Merritt gifts us with a rich, accessible guide to knowing Jesus more intimately that promises to change the way you see yourself, God, and others. This book will help you drink deeply of the living water, munch on the bread of life, and draw closer to the good shepherd than you ever have before. Read with cautionyoull walk away changed.

Margaret Feinberg , author of Wonderstruck and Fight Back with Joy

James Merritt is clear, on point, and writes with authority, wisdom, and compassion. In this book, he confronts the reader page after page with Jesus. Spending time in this book will surprise you, enlighten you, and just might change your life.

Russell D. Moore, president , Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, Southern Baptist Convention

Jesus may be the most misunderstood person in history, and part of the reason is that most people have never taken time to actually study his life and teachings, Christians not excluded. Its easy to forget that Jesus was not simply an idea or a topic to debate. Rather, he was a man who turned the world upside down by who he was, the things he said, and what he did. James Merritts 52 Weeks with Jesus is an accessible, digestible exploration of Christs sermons, stories, and miracles. It shatters myths, shakes assumptions, and is littered with surprising insights youve probably never considered. Thank you, Dr. Merritt, for painting a picture of Jesus that is true and textured and as graceful as the first-century Rabbi himself!

Tullian Tchividjian , pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church and author of One Way Love

52 Weeks with Jesus presents dozens of metaphors for Jesus and backs each one up with biblical references, commentaries, meditations, and prayers. I plan to gift it to others often.

Leonard Sweet , Drew University, George Fox University, Sermons.com

Scripture tells us that blessed is the man who delights in the Word of the Lord and meditates on it day and night. In 52 Weeks with Jesus , James Merritt provides a believer with a years worth of meditations on the Word made flesh. His observations on the life, ministry, and Lordship of Jesus are winsome, wise, and well written. Anyone who commits to spending 52 weeks meditating on our Lord will be blessed beyond measure for the effort.

Ed Stetzer , LifeWay Research

People often approach the biblical narratives of Jesus like a coroner dissecting a corpse, and then wonder why their relationship with Christ is so lifeless. In 52 Weeks with Jesus , Dr. James Merritt leads readers on a year-long journey to meet, experience, and fall in love with the most important person in history.

Andy Stanley , senior pastor, North Point Ministries

To know Jesus is to fall madly in love with Jesus. To understand who he is and what he did (and continues to do!) is to be awed and amazed. It will drive you to worship and then service in gratitude for such a great King. James Merritt helps us spend a year in devotional study of the Son of God. I read the book in a single sitting and was once again overwhelmed at the greatness and goodness of my Savior. So, spend a year and soak in this study. I am convinced you will never be the same.

Daniel L. Akin , president, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

This powerful new book offers a fresh look at Jesus, cutting through centuries of misunderstanding with utter simplicity. James Merritt deeply loves Jesus Christ, and in this book you learn why you should love and follow Jesus, too.

Albert Mohler , president, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Two thousand years ago, an unknown carpenter invited a few extraordinarily ordinary people to be with him. That invitation is still on the table, and has changed the world like none other. Now James Merritt has made it concrete and accessible to ordinary people in our day. I cant think of a better way to spend 52 weeks than to learn from this book how to spend them with Jesus.

John Ortberg , senior pastor, Menlo Park Presbyterian Church

One of the great ironies of our day is that many people find Jesus boring orat bestsentimental. No one in the Bible ever found Jesus boring. People either loved him or hated him; flocked to him in admiration or plotted his death. In this helpfully laid out study, James Merritt helps you see the real Jesusand youll likely have one of those two reactions. You might be surprised. You might be enraged. But youll at least know youve encountered the real thing.

J.D. Greear , pastor, The Summit Church

Gods Word transforms us. It transforms me. It transforms you. My co-laborer for the gospel, James Merritt, invites us to invest time daily in Gods Word and get to know Jesus. This resource is systematic, compelling, and filled with vivid illustrations. Through it you will find the Scriptures revealing Christ in a fresh way as you spend time with him each day.

James MacDonald , senior pastor, Harvest Bible Chapel, author of Vertical Church and Come Home

HARVEST HOUSE PUBLISHERS

EUGENE, OREGON

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Verses marked NIV are from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Verses marked NLT are from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Verses marked NCV are from the New Century Version. Copyright 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Verses marked NASB are from the New American Standard Bible , 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org)

Verses marked MSG are from The Message. Copyright by Eugene H. Peterson 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

Cover design by Dugan Design Group, Bloomington, Minnesota

Cover photo jasoncphoto / Fotolia

Published in association with the literary agency of Wolgemuth & Associates, Inc.

52 WEEKS WITH JESUS

Copyright 2014 by James Merritt

Published by Harvest House Publishers

Eugene, Oregon 97402

www.harvesthousepublishers.com

ISBN 978-0-7369-6101-1 (hardcover)

ISBN 978-0-7369-6502-6 (pbk.)

ISBN 978-0-7369-6103-5 (eBook)

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