The Bible is the devotional book. Through it God ministers directly to our lives. Hence, no other book can supplant the Scriptures for the Christian who wants the character of Christ impressed upon him. Why then use any other devotional literature?
Devotional books have the quality of a testimony. Others have gone this way before and have recorded their experiences for our encouragement. Further, devotional books provide teaching. In them experience is compiled and principles are provided that help us walk more faithfully in the light of the Scriptures. Again, devotional books are a form of preaching. They declare the glory of God and provide a personalized exposition of the Word for the pilgrim’s use. We are urged to abandon our sins and to let God have his way in our lives. At its best, then, devotional writing is a sharing of the deep longings for the riches of Christ and a mutual rejoicing over what Christ does in the believer’s life.
Our Lord Jesus Christ knew the secret of devotional prayer. Apparently he felt it absolutely essential that he spend much time in prayer. The gospel records of his life show him not only the public figure declaring the truth but also the solitary figure engaging in prayer. The admonition of Jerome is helpful:
So take care of thy daily life and work that thou mayest bestow some time and leisure upon thine own soul. Let there be a study of the Divine Word, mingled with prayer and a solid meditation on eternal things, that by this leisure thou mayest balance all the business of the other time. But we say this not to withdraw thee from thy daily life, but that thou mayest learn, and there meditate, what an one thou oughtest to show thyself in thy daily life.
The following devotional books have been selected from a vast number. An attempt has been made to consider the variety of tastes among the users. The entries will thus need to be used selectively. There is here a lifetime of enriching reading for the serious Christian.
Devotional Classics
Scougal, Henry: The Life of God in the Soul of Man, 1677 (Inter-Varsity, $.60). Among the devotional classics, very few have such meaning for the modern reader as this book written by a young man of the seventeenth century who wanted to know God’s influence in his life. Other classics are: a Kempis, Thomas: The Imitation of Christ, 1441 (Moody, $.89).
Andrewes, Lancelot: Private Devotions, 1648 (Meridian, $1.95).
Athanasius: The Incarnation of the Word, 320 (Macmillan, $2.50).
Augustine: Confessions, 380 (Washington Square Press, $.45).
———Enchiridion, 421 (Allenson, $3.25).
Baxter, Richard: The Saints’ Everlasting Rest, 1650 (Sovereign Grace, $2).
Bonar, Horatius: God’s Way of Holiness, c. 1860 (Moody, $.39).
Bunyan, John: The Pilgrim’s Progress, 1678 (Moody, $.59).
———Grace Abounding, 1666 (Moody, $.39).
Calvin, John: Golden Booklet of the True Christian Life (Baker, $1).
———Thine is My Heart (edited by J. H. Kromminga; Zondervan, $3.95).
Drummond, Henry: The Greatest Thing in the World, 1894 (Revell, $1).
Edwards, Jonathan: Devotions of Jonathan Edwards (edited by R. G. Turnbull; Baker, $1.50).
Gordon, A. J.: In Christ, 1872 (Baker, $2.95).
Kierkegaard, Sören: Purity of Heart, c. 1850 (Fontana Books, $.35).
Law, William: A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life, 1728 (Westminster, $2.50).
Lawrence, Brother: The Practice of the Presence of God, 1692 (Revell, $.50).
Luther, Martin: Meditations on the Gospels (Westminster, $3.75).
McCheyne, R. M.: Memoirs, 1843 (Moody, 2 volumes, $.89 each).
Rutherford, Samuel: Letters, 1624–1661 (edited by F. E. Gaebelein; Moody, $4.95).
Spurgeon, C. H.: Morning and Evening, 1866–1868 (Zondervan, $3.95).
Tauler, John: Signpost to Perfection, 1350 (Herder, $3.75).
Taylor, Jeremy: Holy Living and Dying, 1650 (World, 2 volumes, $1.75 each).
Growing In Faith
Thomas, Major W. Ian: The Saving Life of Christ (Zondervan, $2.50). A stimulating study of the sanctifying power of Christ in the life of the believer. Among books which clarify the biblical teaching on Christian growth are:
Bonhoeffer, Dietrich: Letters and Papers from Prison (Macmillan, $1.45).
Chadwick, Samuel: The Path of Prayer (Christian Literature Crusade, $1).
Edman, V. R.: Out of My Life (Zondervan, $3.50).
Fitch, William: Enter into Life (Eerdmans, $1).
Green, Bryan: Christians Alive (Scribners, $2.95).
Griffiths, Michael C.: Consistent Christianity (Inter-Varsity, $1.25).
Guinness, Howard W.: Sacrifice (Inter-Varsity, $.60).
Houghton, Frank: Faith’s Unclaimed Inheritance (Inter-Varsity, $1.25).
Merton, Thomas: The New Man (Mentor-Omega, $.60).
Meyer, F. B.: Present Tenses of the Blessed Life (Christian Literature Crusade, $1.50).
Nee, Watchman: The Normal Christian Life (Christian Literature Crusade, $1.25).
Pike, Kenneth: With Heart and Mind (Eerdmans, $1.75).
Sauer, Erich: In the Arena of Faith (Eerdmans, $3).
Stibbs, Alan M.: Understanding God’s Word (Inter-Varsity, $.75).
Taylor, Mrs. Howard: Hudson Taylor’s Spiritual Secret (Moody, $.89).
Tozer, A. W.: Knowledge of the Holy (Harper and Row, $1.75).
Temptation
Lewis, C. S.: The Screwtape Letters (Macmillan, $1.95). This is the well-known collection of “letters” from Screwtape to Wormwood on the temptation of the Christian. Other works designed to help the Christian face the world, the flesh, and the devil are:
Babbage, Stuart Barton: Christianity and Sex (Inter-Varsity, $1.25).
Barnhouse, Donald Grey: Temptation and How to Meet It (Evangelical Foundation, Inc., $.10).
Bonhoeffer, Dietrich: The Cost of Discipleship (Macmillan, $1.45).
Durbanville, Henry: Three Deadly Foes (McCall Barbour, $.70).
Fitch, William: Enter into Life (Eerdmans, $1).
Hopkins, Hugh Evan: Henceforth (Inter-Varsity, $1.25).
Lewis, C. S.: The Four Loves (Harcourt, Brace and World, $3.75).
Owen, John: Temptation and Sin (Zondervan, $3.95).
Scroggie, William Graham: Tested by Temptation (London: Pickering and Ingles, 6s.).
Stott, John R. W.: Basic Christianity (Eerdmans, $1.25).
Thielicke, Helmut: Between God and Satan (Eerdmans, $2).
Van Ruler, A. A.: God’s Son and God’s World (Eerdmans, $2).
The Quiet Time
Anderson, J. D. C.: Quiet Time (Inter-Varsity, $.30). Anderson gives brief but helpful instructions on how to conduct personal devotions and discusses problems often faced in prayer and Bible study. There are many fine books in this area, including Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening (Zondervan, $3.95).
Baillie, John: A Diary of Readings (Scribners, $2.95).
Chambers, Oswald: My Utmost for His Highest (Dodd, Mead, $3).
Gaebelein, Frank E.: Looking unto Him (Zondervan, $3).
IVCF Guide to Campus Christian Life (Inter-Varsity, $3).
Kuyper, Abraham: Near to God (Eerdmans, $2).
Manley, G. T., and Oldham, H. W., eds.: Search the Scriptures (Inter-Varsity, $4.95).
Murray, Andrew: With Christ in the School of Prayer (Revell, $1.95).
Rees, Paul S.: Prayer and Life’s Highest (Eerdmans, $2).
Scroggie, William Graham: Method in Prayer (London: Pickering and Ingles, 6s.).
Speer, Robert E.: Five Minutes a Day (Westminster, $1.75).
Thielicke, Helmut: Our Heavenly Father (Harper and Brothers, $3).
Thomson, J. G. S. S.: The Praying Christ (Eerdmans, $3).
Whyte, Alexander: Lord Teach Us to Pray (Harper and Row, $2.25).
The Holy Spirit
Kuyper, Abraham: The Work of the Holy Spirit (Eerdmans, $5). This masterly work combines a life of deep devotion with the skill of the theologian. Kuyper’s volume can be used chapter by chapter as a worship exercise and as a reference volume on the Bible’s teaching about the Holy Spirit. The works below provide rich studies in this area:
Duncan, George B.: Be Filled with the Spirit (Moody, $.05).
Gordon, A. J.: The Ministry of the Spirit (Baker, $2.95).
Morris, Leon: Spirit of the Living God (Inter-Varsity, $1.50).
Murray, Andrew: The Spirit of Christ (Christian Literature Crusade, $4.50).
Owen, John: The Holy Spirit, His Gifts and Powers (Kregel, $3.95).
Pache, René: The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit (Moody, $3.50).
Thomas, W. H. Griffith: The Holy Spirit of God (Eerdmans, $2.25).
Torrey, R. A.: The Holy Spirit: Who He Is and What He Does (Revell, $3).
Great Literature
Great literature often assists us in the expression of our faith. Here are a few selections that might help you to compile a list of your own favorites:
Burns, Robert: “The Cotter’s Saturday Night,” Poems and Songs (Dutton, $2.15).
Donne, John: Sermons (Meridian, $1.55).
Eliot, T. S.: Complete Poems and Plays (Harcourt, Brace and World, $4.50).
Macdonald, George: An Anthology (Macmillan, $2.25).
Masefield, John: The Everlasting Mercy, 1923 (London: Sidgwick and Jackson, 6s.; and in his Poems, Macmillan, $10.50).
Milton, John: Paradise Lost (Rinehart, $.95).
Oxford Book of English Mystical Verse, 1917 (Oxford, $5).
Pascal, Blaise: Pensées, 1670 (Modern Library, $1.95).
Thompson, Francis: The Hound of Heaven (Morehouse, $.45).
Traherne, Thomas: Poetical Works (London: Dobell).
WILLIAM NIGEL KERR
Gordon Divinity School
Wenham, Massachusetts
