This book is actually a 365 day devotional. There is a devotional for every day of the year. Dr. Gary Smalley, a marriage counselor who writes "the Love Language" series, has endorsed this devotional. He writes the foreward for this book. The twriter, Steven KSCott, includes a short list of acknowledgments for those who made this devotional possible. He starts out with a "Before You Begin This" prologue to suggest how readers use this book and get maximum benefit out of it. Each devotion starts out with a verse (s) from the Gospels. These words are the actual words of Jesus. The following paragraph in each devotion contains a paragraph. This paragraph is the body of the author's Scriptural interpretations of Jesus' words on the topic. He wraps up each devotion with further verses. These verses are more words of CHrist from the Gospels. Then the author includes a footnote reference of his other book The Greaest Words Ever Spoken and the pages he believes each reader should read to get maximum benefit out of each devotion. He ends with Notes from Bible verses. This author has written other Christian books and is part of the out of each devotion. He ends with Notes from the Bible. He has written other books and is part of the executive leadership of Knowing Him International.
This year-long devotional is actually like reading Jesus' words to you daily. I have been reading two devotionals each day until yesterday when I re-read two past devotionals. I find that the words that are not in bold, more a reflection of the author's theology. In one devtional, he shows that he has a sound understanding of Scripute for the most part. In his meditations, the body text and his own words, his own theology is revealed. In devitional for Jan. 8, the author confuses temptation and yielding to temptation. It is the yielding to temptation which is sin. The author mentions all the sins that could have been counted against the Christian: "The throughts that enter your mind or that flow out of your hear could all have been counted against you." We can't control what thoughts enter our mind but we can control if we will entertain them and let them flow out of our hearts. But in most things, his use of Jesus' words to stress repentance, trust and obedience are based on the Bible. Since I'm like anyone else and find the "trust and obedience thing" a daily struggle, all the references to both can be uncomfortable. The ferences to trust and obedience are frequent in these devotionals. I have read through two months of devotions, so I have a good feel for these devotions. The author avoids any controversial topics, maybe to keep the reader's focus on Jesus. I plan to continue to read through all these devotions, and re-read them. I found it annoying, however, that the author assumes every reader has access to his book The Greatest Words Ever Spoken.. I have never even heard about that book until I ordered this book and read the Introduction to these devotionals. Aside from these flaws, this is a devotional that I find make it easier to get into the Bible.
I strongly recomend this book for every Christian. This book is suitable for Christians at every stage of spiritual growth and development. It is also suitable for all Christians because of the avoidance of controversial social issues in the meditations. These devotions make it much easier to get into the Bible. Reading and studying Scripture daily is essential to spiritual growth. For this same reason I recommend this book of devotions for every pastor. Just remember that the meditations in the body of the text are not inspired, and the author does not claim that they are. If you are a non-Christian who wants to read these devotionals, repent of your sin and trust in Jesus as your Savior and LOrd. THen you can apply these words, every one of them, to yourself.
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I have received a complimentary copy of this book from Blogging For Books in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to give a positive review of this book.
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