(Part 3) Best devotional books according to redditors

Seeking God's Face. It has a devotional liturgy for everyday of the year, based around the church calendar. There is always a Biblical Song (Psalm), Bible reading, time of contemplation, prayer suggestions, prayer based on a Reformed Confession Article, and closing blessing. All the Bible verse are included, so you don't need to take an extra Bible.

The Practice of the Presence of God is a profound and practical little book. Rather than a primer on how to meditate, it's reflections on how one monk turned his entire life into a time of conscious, intentional fellowship with Christ.

It's written by a 14th-century Catholic monk, but it's perfectly in harmony with Evangelical Protestant and Eastern Orthodox practice.

Read it online or download it here, or order it in print or Kindle here.

I can't recommend highly enough the book Lessons on Faith by A.T. Jones and E.J. Waggoner. It's all about justification by faith and salvation. Also the little book Steps to Christ. If you have a kindle or don't mind reading from a screen, these are both available for free as an ebook/PDF.

You can get download free Advent devotions or have them emailed to you daily from:

• The RCA
  
• World Renew
  
• The Advent Project at Biola University
  
• The Lutheran Hour
  
  My family has used the RCA Jesse Tree devotions for many years, and I have had church friends who have used the others and spoken very highly of them.
  
  If I were wanting to buy a book of Advent devotionals, here are some I would consider (in no particular order):
  
  
• From Heaven by A. W. Towzer
  
• Advent for Everyone (2018): A Journey through Luke by Tom Wright
  
• God Is in the Manger: Reflections on Advent and Christmas by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, ed. by Jana Riess
  
• Celebrating Abundance: Devotions for Advent by Walter Bruggemann
  
  

I'm loving the devotion by Oswald Chambers

https://www.amazon.com/My-Utmost-His-Highest-Value/dp/1572937327

Strange that a legit question like this is so heavily downvoted when the 8 millionth TWSBI Eco on a keyboard shot gets at least +15.

Anyways, Bible paper is super thin, so I can't recommend any specific Bibles for fountain pen use. However, there is a series called Journiblbe. They are books like this one. Basically, you write out the verses by hand on one page, and on the other you can write your own notes, and the paper is very good quality.

J. Mark Bertrand of the Bible Design Blog does have a post on this here. He points out that the very expensive Allan journals he uses are fountain pen friendly and are the same paper from their Bibles, so if you are a Protestant you could always pick up an Allan Bible and give it a shot.

Possibly a great teacher for his time, as far as I'm concerned. I'm not prone to deifying my fellow man, though.

I am going to read this, as I find the idea fresh and interesting despite not being a Christian myself: http://www.amazon.com/The-Red-Letters-Sayings-Teachings/dp/1433501406

Toon for sure. Probably the most biographical of the bunch. Trueman, Ferguson, Oliver (ed.), Barrett and Haykin, Ferguson (1st chapter specifically)

I've got two books I try to read for Lent every year:

Abandonment to Divine Providence by Jean-Pierre de Caussade

This compilation called Meditations and Readings for Lent from St. Thomas Aquinas

I've been meaning to read Benedict XVI's Jesus of Nazereth books and may try adding the first volume to my reading list this year. I'm giving up video games, so that should create a little extra time for spiritual reading.

There is no "best" - but some are better than others. One of my favorites of late is Consuming Fire.

Humans are not given the wish of lasting happiness without also being given the power to make it true. You will have to work for it, however.

You also didn't put yourself into this situation without giving yourself everything you need to transcend it. You need to recognize the same Truth in all scriptures, instead of focusing on the different symbols and ways of pronouncing God's name. I was able to make such progress because I learned at a very early stage of my transformation the power of repetition and constant practice. "The well-practiced mind does not wander after anything else." Start with the books that You have already written for yourself. They are all love songs from Divinity to its friend, Man, and if you can discern the same esoteric truths in them then you will be well on your way.

For starters:

(The most ancient and most beautiful of all spiritual texts)
http://www.amazon.com/Bhagavad-Gita-Walkthrough-Westerners/dp/1608680142/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1375114419&sr=1-1&keywords=bhagavad+gita+walkthrough

(The most obscure yet thought-provoking of spiritual texts)
http://www.amazon.com/Tao-Te-Ching-Lao-Tzu/dp/1613822421/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1375114436&sr=1-4&keywords=tao+te+ching

(One of the newest yet most poignant and relevant spiritual texts)
http://www.amazon.com/The-Power-Now-Spiritual-Enlightenment/dp/1577314808

(One of the most truly humble, and therefore powerful, works of spirituality. Read this and understand that the idea of Christ is the same as the Atma in the Bhagavad Gita.)
http://www.amazon.com/Imitation-Christ-Thomas-Kempis/dp/1420926357/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1375114470&sr=1-3&keywords=the+imitation+of+christ

Remember that you can't change yourself, so don't get frustrated or try to force things. All you can do is cultivate your mind, cultivate your habits, and make space in your cluttered mind for Divinity to enter. It may take time, but have faith! You are living in an age that is finally starting to see man turn from fleeting worldly pleasures to lasting inner wisdom and peace. Your spiritual efforts will quite literally make the universe elevated and sublime.

There are some great devotionals out there.

Daily in His Presence by Andrew Murray
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1601424035/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_JOH-Ab4185KC4

Jesus Calling by Sarah Young
https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/jesus-calling-enjoying-peace-in-his-presence_sarah--young/254418/?mkwid=sy7WrwvwK%7cdm&pcrid=70112887752&pkw=&pmt=&plc=&gclid=Cj0KCQjw5-TXBRCHARIsANLixNy4iBFuw9bZ3KSzjs5u9YGw4fm-CaQIPaKTQ3apPmzZ3APKuOT9I6AaAmzEEALw_wcB#isbn=1591451884&idiq=1473260


I also have a video I did on my bible study page giving examples of how I pray and read the Bible, and go over my color code. If you want the link message me :)

I personally use this plan/journal:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1600062245/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

However, there are many good free guides:

https://www.navigators.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Discipleship-Journal-Bible-Reading-Plan-9781617479083.pdf

https://www.navigators.org/resource/bible-reading-plans/

Everyone likes to do it differently, but I think a plan where you read a bit of Old Testament and a bit of New Testament in parallel would be best.

My father has been using Sieze the Day (with Dietrich Bonhoeffer) for a few years now. Has anyone else had experiences with it? Would you recommend it? I'm interested in exploring different daily devotional options.

[Shameless self-promo - my recently released book]

40 Days with the Fathers: A Daily Reading Plan

>Take a journey through the first 400 years of Church History in only 40 days!

>Over the course of this reading plan you will read extracts and commentary on ten different early >Church texts from a selection of some of the most influential Church Fathers:

>Didache, Diognetus, Polycarp, Ignatius, Justin Martyr, Cyprian, Athanasius, Cyril of Jerusalem, >Ambrose of Milan, and Leo the Great.

>These people who came before us, those great men of faith, many of whom suffered persecution >and martyrdom to preserve the Church and Christ's mission, bridge the gap between the Bible and >the present day. They fill the void we sometimes wonder about when we get to the end of reading >Acts or the Epistles and think, “what happened next?” or “what happened to the Ephesian church after Paul left?” — well now you can read for yourself and see how God continued to grow His Church!

This would be a good book for a quote to open each meeting.

Be Not Afraid: A Book of Quotes for Catholic Men

Jordan Fisher Smith, one of the Lyme disease patients documented in Under Our Skin (a required film for Lymies!), is the only person who I am aware of who claims that he is “cured.” His treatment was long-term antibiotics, as well as Chinese acupuncture & herbs, supplements, a clean diet, exercise & proper sleep. Jordan’s struggle is partially described in a 2006 article for Backpacker—“Reality Bites: Lyme Disease”. In 2016 he said, “I was treated for 7-1/2 years and have been totally cured now for 8 years. There are others.”


Ally Hilfiger, designer Tommy Hilfiger’s daughter, wrote a (great!) book titled Bite Me, describing a nightmarish experience with Lyme that began in her childhood. She now refers to her health status not as “cured,” but instead, “managed.”


“Managed” is a term that resonates with me. I do not believe there is a cure for Lyme (if there were wouldn’t we know about it by now??), however I do know of people who find a “managed” place and are able live fulfilling lives. That is my goal, and I wish this for you too!


—————
FWD: The complexity of “managed” >>

💚 Thought I’d share something I just wrote to my sister. Sums up the reality that has unfolded in the past 6+ years while being treated for late-stage Lyme disease. As they say— take what you want and leave the rest:

“Oh ya there is definitely a ‘secondary lyme syndrome’ meaning lyme and/or lyme treatment will cause or enable other issues/ailments/diseases. It's a catch 22... like chemo, it can wreck you almost as much as the cancer. U just have to hope your immune system has been boosted enough after treatment to fight off anything new. Immune system will always be comprised tho because there is no ‘cure’ for lyme, the bacteria is always lurking even tho antibiotics can take care of a lot of it. U just have to try to eat clean, rest, no stress, take supplements, stay as healthy as possible so as not to allow the bacteria to take over again. Kind of like AIDS patients - they have to be really careful.”

So, there it is. Defend yourself against Lyme disease and if you suspect you have it, see a “lyme-literate doctor” to help nip it in the bud. 💚

Trusting God Day by Day

Power Thoughts Devotional

Everyday Encouragement and Hope

The President's Devotional

Sports Devotional Bible

The Grammar Devotional

I will be praying for you.

This hits home for me because right now I'm dealing with an increasing coldness in my own heart as well.

If I may give you some advice, others have given me?

• You desperately need fellowship with other believers. God's people have always been communal and we find our greatest encouragement and joy from being with one another.
  
  
• Try to read your Bible everyday, but give yourself grace if you don't.
  
  
• I would recommend that you get a simple, theologically sound devotional to read with your Bible. I would recommend either Comforts From the Cross or A Gospel Primer
  
  
• If you haven't already you MUST get out of that relationship. He is dragging you into sin and there is no evidence, based on what you said, that he is actually a believer. You need Christians around you who will exhort you on toward holiness and faith.

I can recommend some books.

For general theology:

• Being, Consciousness, and Bliss by David Bentley Hart
  
  
• On the Divine Names by Pseudo-Dionysius
  
  
• This argument and this other argument, which are some of the best out there for God's existence
  
  
• Summa Theologica by Aquinas
  
  
• The Last Superstition by Ed Fesser
  
  For living a Christian life:
  
  
• Way of the Pilgram
  
• The Life of Moses by Gregory of Nyssa
  
• Beginning to Pray by Anthony Bloom
  
  
• The Brothers Karamozov
  
  
• Centuries of Mediations by Thomas Trahearne
  
  For adjudicating between denominations:
  
  
• The Orthodox Way by Timothy Ware
  
  
• The Story of Christianity by David Bentley Hart
  
  
  Some essays and blogs:
  
  
• A blog, Glory to God for All Things
  
  
• Some essays, "Christ and Nothing", "Gods and Gopniks", "Daniel Dennett Hunts the Snark", and "Why Don't We Believe in Fairies"
  
  
  Do you need a denomination? Yes. All truths cannot be equally valid; therefore, some denominations must be closer to the truth than others. In the end, Christ teaches that the Church will be preserved throughout history. The question to answer for yourself is: what is the true Church? Obviously, I'm Eastern Orthodox and am convinced my Church is the fullest expression of Christianity, so read my comment as being spoken by a person from a particular group who has his own biases. Feel free to check out Orthodox Christianity if you start looking our way.
  
  Edited