Ryan&Amber2013
Puritan Board Senior
I am looking to buy a good Devotional and I was going to see what you recommend. Beeke's milk and honey looks good as it is organized and there is a flow. What has been your Favorite?
Your Favorite Devotional?
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ChananBachiyr
Puritan Board Freshman
My favorite has been Robert Murray M'Cheyne's Bible Reading Calendar. It covers the OT once and the NT & Psalms twice in 1 year; therefore, it's extensive, but a blessing.
Thanks for posting Dr. Beeke's, I'm going to check that out!
Thanks for posting Dr. Beeke's, I'm going to check that out!
Ask Mr. Religion
Flatly Unflappable
I like Spurgeon's Morning and Evening and Tabletalk delivered to my inbox each morning via:
https://www.biblegateway.com/newsletters/
https://www.biblegateway.com/newsletters/
Parakaleo
Puritan Board Sophomore
I have used this a little, but not on a regular basis. It's a devotional, amplified translation through the Psalms that is very technical yet beautiful.
Also, Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible is freely available online and is full of devotional gold. It might take you three years, but it would be a wise investment.
Also, Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible is freely available online and is full of devotional gold. It might take you three years, but it would be a wise investment.
reaganmarsh
Puritan Board Senior
I also grew up on Chambers' My Utmost for His Highest and I would not recommend it. While Chambers has some good devotional thoughts and some helpful insights into Scripture, he is coming from the "deeper life" perspective and is constantly beating you down. I grew up thinking I just needed to abide more and trust more to overcome indwelling sin, and that there was another plane to reach spiritually once I got those things right. Definitely not what Rom 7, Col 3, Eph 6 portray as the normal Christian life. And definitely not a Rom 8, Eph 2, Php 2, Heb 12 perspective of fixing our eyes on Jesus. Chambers is spiritually unhealthy and decidedly not Reformed. You'll be wise to steer clear.
Spurgeon's Morning and Evening or his Faith's Checkbook are solid. There's also a book someone gave me years back entitled Spurgeon's Devotional Bible which is great! There's a collection of excerpts from Luther entitled Faith Alone which is solid. Hendrickson has an interesting 2-vol series called Day by Day with: the ECF (vol 1) and Calvin (vol 2). I enjoyed those books. D.A. Carson has an excellent 2-vol set entitled For the Love of God, which is available online in PDF for free. Some folks take a study Bible and read through it systematically for a year; for example, when the ESV Study Bible was first released, someone came up with a reading plan to complete it in 12 months (Tim Challies? I can't remember).
But I really like Pastor Law's suggestion of reading Matthew Henry. You could read Matthew Poole after Henry, and JFB next. From there you might read a sermon per day from Spurgeon, Flavel, Brooks, etc.
It should go without saying, but just in case: read the Bible first, last, and more than anything else. In its light, we see light.
Spurgeon's Morning and Evening or his Faith's Checkbook are solid. There's also a book someone gave me years back entitled Spurgeon's Devotional Bible which is great! There's a collection of excerpts from Luther entitled Faith Alone which is solid. Hendrickson has an interesting 2-vol series called Day by Day with: the ECF (vol 1) and Calvin (vol 2). I enjoyed those books. D.A. Carson has an excellent 2-vol set entitled For the Love of God, which is available online in PDF for free. Some folks take a study Bible and read through it systematically for a year; for example, when the ESV Study Bible was first released, someone came up with a reading plan to complete it in 12 months (Tim Challies? I can't remember).
But I really like Pastor Law's suggestion of reading Matthew Henry. You could read Matthew Poole after Henry, and JFB next. From there you might read a sermon per day from Spurgeon, Flavel, Brooks, etc.
It should go without saying, but just in case: read the Bible first, last, and more than anything else. In its light, we see light.
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RamistThomist
Puritanboard Clerk
Jock Purves, Fair Sunshine
Samuel Rutherford, Letters
Samuel Rutherford, Letters
Calvin's Golden Booklet of the True Christian Life has provided a lot of solace and encouragement to me over the years.
reaganmarsh
Puritan Board Senior
That's one I've heard of recently, but not read. How is it laid out? Day-by-day?
It's not day by day. It's divided into five chapters, and each chapter into numerous short sections
. So a reading plan could be devised. It was originally part of the Institutes. It's very warm and pastoral- an amazing little book, really. Amazon sells it.
. So a reading plan could be devised. It was originally part of the Institutes. It's very warm and pastoral- an amazing little book, really. Amazon sells it.
reaganmarsh
Puritan Board Senior
Ms. Tanner,
That looks terrific. I'll have to pick up a copy. Thank you for taking time to reply to my question!
That looks terrific. I'll have to pick up a copy. Thank you for taking time to reply to my question!
Steve Curtis
Puritan Board Senior
Beeke also compiled a simple yet thoughtful devotional entitled, 365 Days with Calvin, which my wife and I went through a while back and which I recommend.
Private worship is essential, and whatever means you have to pursue it is worthwhile. That said, I've generally avoided the devotional genre and made readings from the scriptures or something "one off" from the Bible. An example would be the NIV Application commentary -- I worked through Dr. Duguid's work on Ezekiel every morning earlier this year. This type of work remains doxological, and at the same time immerses you in the text and offers sound academics. I see few subject-oriented works (49 Days to a Powerful Prayer Life!) that keeps one grappling with God and flowing with love toward Him. Some older writers do well, Richard Baxter, Henry Scruggle, Richard Sibbs, are examples.
arapahoepark
Puritan Board Professor
I like Matthew Henry's commentaries and I like especially JC Ryle's Expository Thoughts on the Gospels.
Atraveler
Puritan Board Freshman
I really enjoy Valley of Vision. I own the book, but you can read it for free on "The Banner of Truth" website and possibly subscribe via RSS feed. VoV is a collection of Puritan prayers that cover a wide array of topics, and I think that you will find them edifying.
Ryan&Amber2013
Puritan Board Senior
You all have really good input. Thank you all for the advice, and Rev. Reagan this is very wise. I decided to saturate myself in the Bible using the references, using the Bible to interpret itself, and I purchased a simple devotional that is only a few paragraphs a day dealing with heartfelt encouragement for the Christian life. It is called "In Green Pastures" by J.R. Miller, my favorite practical Christian writer. Here is the link if you're interested https://www.amazon.com/Green-Pastur...-fkmr1&keywords=j.r.+miller+in+green+pastures. Thank you so much again!
I'll second two of the suggestions above but urge you to combine them. Spurgeon's Morning and Evening is excellent and conclude your devotion by praying one the Valley of Vision prayers. Also it goes without saying but can't be repeated enough, Scripture takes the priority in any devotion.
Pilgrim
Puritanboard Commissioner
That's part of a whole series of "365 Days with" books by Day One Publications that consists of extracts from various writers. There are several volumes of Spurgeon, and they have at least one volume of John Newton as well.
Pilgrim
Puritanboard Commissioner
Spurgeon and Ryle are excellent. I also like J.R. Miller's devotionals, but I haven't read from them regularly.
Although it may not be reflected in some modern versions of it, M'Cheyne's reading calendar is separated into "Family" and "Private" portions to be read each day.
The "Thoughts for Personal/Family Worship" notes in the Reformation Heritage KJV Study Bible are excellent for these purposes as well.
What works for you may depend on how much time you have. Devotionals typically have you read one page per day or one page in the morning and one in the evening.
Although it may not be reflected in some modern versions of it, M'Cheyne's reading calendar is separated into "Family" and "Private" portions to be read each day.
The "Thoughts for Personal/Family Worship" notes in the Reformation Heritage KJV Study Bible are excellent for these purposes as well.
What works for you may depend on how much time you have. Devotionals typically have you read one page per day or one page in the morning and one in the evening.
ChananBachiyr
Puritan Board Freshman
I think that is a wonderful idea as Matthew Henry's commentary is one of my favorites along with John Gill's exposition.
Stope
Puritan Board Sophomore
Agreed! This is always a blessing!
Jerusalem Blade
Puritan Board Professor
The Psalms
Edit: I should add: and the rest of God's Scripture.
Edit: I should add: and the rest of God's Scripture.
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Ryan&Amber2013
Puritan Board Senior
The Psalms. That is great.
reaganmarsh
Puritan Board Senior
Me too, brother. Chambers was my first devotional book; I read him daily for over 10 years. And he does have some nuggets of gold from time to time. What I was trying to say above, however, is that he is coming at the Christian's daily walk -- i.e., our growth and perseverance in grace (=sanctification) -- from quite the opposite standpoint as the Bible does. He's right on the money when he asks soul-searching questions or confronts our failure to live holy lives or to abide in Christ. We might say that his diagnosis is generally right, but his remedies are generally wrong. The reformed view of sanctification (I'd argue that this is the biblical view) is massively different from Mr. Chambers' deeper life view.
I hope that makes better sense of my words above; they weren't intended to throw your comment in your face, and I hope that's not what I communicated.
Grace to you, brother.
Ryan&Amber2013
Puritan Board Senior
That was very Christ-like Mr. Reagan.
reaganmarsh
Puritan Board Senior
To the OP: I'll second our sister's comment above, too -- Ryle's Expository Thoughts woukd be an excellent devotional read. My intern gave me a book as a birthday gift which I've enjoyed dipping into, and plan to read through in 2017. It's comprised of daily selections (1-2 paragraphs each) from William Gurnall's Christian in Complete Armour. Such a rich volume should make for an edifying start to each day.
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