Reading my books (a window)

[JeffR]

June 27, 2026 -- 125 days to go

Greetings one and all, I hope this endeavor here is deemed ok by all here, I just want to chart my progress through these books with a target date of October 31,i'll be using the countdown --- it may seem unlikely at the start that i'll reach the finish line for all or most, but we'll see, I love a good reading challenge, and i've so rarely succeeded so that with each new challenge it's more of a challenge, even superficial and inconsequential things can be a challenge for yours truly. There are 2 things in transit to me that will become a part of this William Jay's Morning and Evening Exercises, and 19 volumes of Puritan Treasures for Today. And I believe that perhaps the best method of doing this is to not record lengthy portions but only roughly about 10 minutes for each, and for those who know these resources well shall be able to see how much progress i'm making by comparing where I leave off on one day and where I pick up on the next day, and so on. I apologize for making innumerable pronunciation mistakes, and the odd coughing, and any unsavory coffee sipping sounds, besides that it'smy prayer that someone at least may be "fed" by something I read, these are some of the best books I have, and is about 0.004% into my rest of my life reading goals.

RHKJVSB

The plan here is to go through Gen. to Rev. with only the articles and devotional notes for each Bible chapter, and the Reformed confessions and catechisms at the back a few times by the end of October 2026, which is 125 days from the time I write, I shall be doing a lot of reading without recording, I just really want to have a record of some sort that will be a kind of evidence that I am indeed doing this and not just saying it, it's similar to wanting to be pinched when you think you're dreaming, and wanna see if you wake up from such a splendid reality that is too good.

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RST

from Ch. 8 -- How Do We Do Theology? Part 1 -- Spiritual Dynamics, Prologomena cites Van Til's An Introduction to Systematic Theology alot!! Of the Van Til in my library i'd rather tackle The Defense of the Faith instead though as a1st official Til book to read, although Bahnsen's Van Til's Apologetic looks like a real good intro to that man's contribution to theology. Last year I listened to some of his messages from Sermon Audio,he was way more lively than I thought he'd sound like, it's like as a writer he's dry, but as a lecturer he warm, funny and exuberant.

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"The theologian must constantly pray,'Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths' (Ps.25:4)."

William Perkins recommends to students of theology to carefully read and analyze 1) Romans 2) John 3) Genesis 4) Psalms and 5) Isaiah -- 3 to 5 as examples of key OT books, this is what my ESV Study Bible can be of use,and the commentaries of Calvin, Gill, Henry, and Poole could come in handy, but to record readings there would be like the Preacher preaching on Sunday on a unicycle. For Psalms down the road i'd love to get that 4 volume set by Ash, to accompany Spurgeon's Treasury of David.

I've read this Prologomena a number of times,just not much further, I need to be reading theology proper here in the very same mindset as this Prologomena sends me to, a place of zeal for what is best.

John Cotton

These sermons on Zechariah 12 are making me want to get back to Isaac Ambrose's Looking Unto Jesus, which I learned about when watching those Puritan Theology lectures of Beeke, along with Krummacher's The Suffering Savior. It's these kinds of devotional Puritan works that are most sweet to get into, instead of say a "nuttin' but the facts ma'am" kind of rigorous study of say eschatology. With these devotional classics I can be killing sin, in that Owen like manner, be killing sin, or it be killing you.

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Nick Needham

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Iain Murray

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Jay and Puritan Treasures aren't to be completed by Oct. 31 though, but they'll be a part of the daily readings. And when I say "my" books, I am actually in error, like Laban saying to Jacob all these are mine, all you see is mine, in that kind of way nothing here is mine, but has been given to me, only as I make them more and more a part of my practical living will they in any sense be thought of as "mine" but maybe a better term will be part-ownership.

There is room for more, I need to fit these into the daily readings, these also are to be completed before Oct. 31

Spiritual Refining by Anthony Burgess

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The Existence and Attributes of God by Stephen Charnock

Looking Unto Jesus by Isaac Ambrose

Communion With the Triune God by John Owen

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In audible i'm going through: Thomas Watson's A Body of Divinity and Jonathan Edwards' The Religious Affections, and 3 Bibles.

 

[JeffR]

June 28,2026 -- 124 days left

It is midnight when I post this, I want to use this thread as a kind of journal of my readings and stuff, if I'm going too off course, some kind souls here may steer me in the right direction, or any kind of help, but if not, that's alright, as my main difficulty is stick to it-iveness. I dislike my voice, so I may do more typing than what I did yesterday, and to number my entries throughout the day, as I come across things I want to make note of, I have zero experience with note taking, but am full of what could be good ideas, most of which linger on in memory from what's so far been read in the past.

12:07am
1. Nick Needham -- learning about the early heresies of Docetism and Ebionism --- I dunno if i'm really naive and am the last person on the globe who sees this,but the heresies in the early church seem to prove a demonic spiritual attack very clearly, on so many differing points, and that the Church is still going can only be seen as owing to God's might, and love for His bride. We have Ignatius of Antioch to thank for clearing up the Docetism stuff. see 1 John 4:1-3 /// Ebionites rejected Paul's writing, and stuck to OT laws like circumcision. /// Pews only came about in the 14th century, you were expected to stand // EC service had 3 scripture readings 1) OT 2) anywhere between Acts to Revelation and 3) Gospels // lectionaries introduced in the 3rd century -- a few years ago I spent mucho dollars on Feasting on the Word, it's a Lectionary, they plan out all the readings for the year, and have what I may with a tremble in my voice say were stale messages you might hear in a United Church where Liberalism has the sway over things, but the teachings there seemed ok, but as with most things I went on to read other things. /// Preaching was done in the seated posture!! Mat 5:1-2, Luke 4:20-23, and 5:3, John 8:2, Acts 16:13

1:15am
2. 27/366

inexcusibility of sin, tying in with Cotton /// ungodliness 1st table and 2nd table -- unrighteousness, the particulars -- in this order, else one misinterprets ... listening to 28/366 now, but whoa i've been feeling physiologically bad as of late, my whole body feels too heavy, and it feels like my limbs are getting ready to fall off, it's a medical thing, and this preacher sure convicts!! A sleep is coming soon for me as of 3am, and I see my pharmacist on Friday to learn how to take my meds, I don't always take them and that might be why i'm feeling so off, it's making me paranoid, but one thing is sure, I am a lost sinner without Jesus!!

 

[JeffR]

I have to step away from interactive internet use, I've never been a people person, but my reading preferences fit in perfectly here at Puritan Board. I just ordered what MUST be the last thing for a long time, Stephen Yuille's 3 volume Puritan devotional 90 Days With the Puritans, the image of it from RHB is too big of a file to share here, but we all know what they look like, if I can keep from marking them up with pen and highlighter I could give them away to either dad or anyone I may converse with in the future, which if that happens, it's God's doing, not mine. For whenever I use my vocal chords to communicate with others it is always very brief like Hi, and Good morning, and Have a nice day!!

I'm feeling a bit better since having some electrolyte beverages, when I saw my doc the other week he mumbled a few things and I caught the word electrolyte coming out of his mouth, as what I might be experiencing.

God is so good, if we knew more than we do now, we'd have less need of faith. I pray that all here will be experiencing more and more of His wondrous Grace that is ours through Jesus, our Lord and Savior. If I end up completing some volumes by Oct. 31, I should be back here to this very thread and share about it, and while I do that will be keeping my notes and stuff in a Google Document.