Devotionals

[Faith]

Does anyone know of a good devotional for women that isn’t like Sarah Young’s Jesus Calling books, where she claims to be receiving messages or inspiration from the Lord?
I’m looking for a good solid devotional written by someone who can give wise, thought provoking, Biblically based writing where the author doesn’t claim to be getting messages from God. Oh, and addresses issues I can personally relate to.

I’m Lutheran LCMS and doubt Sarah Young’s books are approved of. (I have several books of hers but just read something from a Lutheran pastor who frowns upon her books).

Is anyone familiar with Growing in Grace by Cheri Fuller and Jennifer Kennedy Dean? If so, does it fit my criteria?

 

[tango]

My wife used "Day by day with God" until the bookshop she used to get it from closed down and she couldn't find a local supplier. I think it's available as an online resource but not sure about physical availability outside of Europe. My wife wants a physical book rather than an online devotional, hence she doesn't use it. They used to offer a short free trial so perhaps you can try before you buy.

 

[Faith]

My wife used "Day by day with God" until the bookshop she used to get it from closed down and she couldn't find a local supplier. I think it's available as an online resource but not sure about physical availability outside of Europe. My wife wants a physical book rather than an online devotional, hence she doesn't use it. They used to offer a short free trial so perhaps you can try before you buy.

I, too, want an actual book rather than something online.

 

[Fritz Kobus]

This is probably your best bet and is Lutheran (Missouri Synod) and they do offer hard copy subscriptions. If you attend a LCMS church and sometimes other Lutheran Churches, they may have them free for the pick up every month.

Portals of Prayer - A Daily Devotional for all

Portals of Prayer

www1.cph.org

I like this one over the Wisconsin Synod's Meditations.

 

[Faith]

This is probably your best bet and is Lutheran (Missouri Synod) and they do offer hard copy subscriptions. If you attend a LCMS church and sometimes other Lutheran Churches, they may have them free for the pick up every month.

Portals of Prayer - A Daily Devotional for all

Portals of Prayer

www1.cph.org

I like this one over the Wisconsin Synod's Meditations.

My pastor recommended Portal’s of Prayer but it comes out quarterly. I’m looking for a year round book I can use in the years to come.

 

[Fritz Kobus]

This book has 365 daily devotions, but is probably not something produced on an annual basis. I read through it (I am not good at daily devotions so read it like a book) and it is pretty good. I would give you my copy as I got it free at a church.

Glimpses of God Seeing God in the Ordinary and the Extra-Ordinary​

Here is a link to it: Amazon.com

Or better yet, order direct from the ministry that produced it:

Glimpses of God - Loving Shepherd Ministries

loving-shepherd.org

 

[Faith]

This book has 365 daily devotions, but is probably not something produced on an annual basis. I read through it (I am not good at daily devotions so read it like a book) and it is pretty good. I would give you my copy as I got it free at a church.

Glimpses of God Seeing God in the Ordinary and the Extra-Ordinary​

Here is a link to it: Amazon.com

Or better yet, order direct from the ministry that produced it:

Glimpses of God - Loving Shepherd Ministries

loving-shepherd.org

No, but thanks. I ended up ordering a devotional by Max Lucado From Amazon. I might pick up Portals of Prayer from my church, if it’s free. Right now I’m back to using New Morning Mercies by Paul David Tripp. I bought it over the summer and tired of it quickly. The devotionals are pretty lengthy and wordy but my pastor recommended this one to me as well so I’m giving it another chance.

 

[Faith]

What are people’s thoughts about Sarah Young and authors like her who claim to be listening for God to speak to them (not audibly) and writing down what they claim God is saying? I don’t think she’s really getting messages from God.

 

[Lamb]

Have you looked at CPH.org (Concordia Publishing House) for devotionals?

Here is an article about Sarah Young

God Speaks To Us Through His Word And Sacraments -- Not Through Sarah Young's 'Jesus Calling'​

God Speaks To Us Through His Word And Sacraments -- Not Through Sarah Young's 'Jesus Calling'

A Confessional Lutheran Christian Blog without all the NONSENSE so common to Christianity today.

www.lutheranlayman.com

 

[tango]

What are people’s thoughts about Sarah Young and authors like her who claim to be listening for God to speak to them (not audibly) and writing down what they claim God is saying? I don’t think she’s really getting messages from God.

I'm not familiar with Sarah Young but it's worth being careful in general with people who claim they are receiving daily messages from God and sharing them in a for-profit medium.

To be clear, I believe that the gift of prophecy is real. It's just that there are an awful lot of snake oil salesmen (and women) out there who make lots of bold claims and have precisely nothing to back it up. One major problem with the sense of something "being prophetic" when shared in such a widespread format is that so many distinctions get blurred. If I believe God is giving me a message that's for you personally I might approach you (hopefully with an appropriate level of humility and privacy) and explain what I think God is saying. You then determine whether it confirms something you were already thinking, or wait for something else to confirm it, or conclude it's useless and discard it. The key thing is that the message is personal. Maybe the message is intended for a small group of people, or a specific church or similar. The crucial thing is that because it has a specific and limited scope it doesn't get the same significance as Scripture. If a "word from God" is intended for the body of Christ universally then logically it has the same weight as Scripture. Personally I'd be leery of someone who simply declared "God says...." without context.



I'm not familiar with this particular web site but it appeared on a Google search and much of what it said sounded like the kind of warnings I'd urge people to consider when dealing with unknown people claiming messages from God.

Jesus Calling by Sarah Young: A False Jesus? – Southern Evangelical Seminary

ses.edu

Another site that sounds warnings about it:

Jesus Calling – Really?

Share this article : 09/07/2016 Jesus Calling is a best-selling devotional read by thousands of Christians who find its content encouraging. Nevertheless, there seem to be several issues with this …

bewatchful.org

ETA: And another one. Maybe Sarah Young is worth avoiding...

Book Review and Serious Warning: Sarah Young’s ‘Jesus Calling’

Bob’s article contains a serious warning to Christians. Sarah Young, Ann Voskamp and others are actually teaching new age/eastern spirituality. There is a wealth of evidence to show that such…

thenarrowingpath.com

 

[Faith]

I‘d decided to stop reading Sarah Young’s books and the day or two after I made my decision we celebrated Christmas at our house. I opened up a package that I’d bought for myself months ago, and forgotten what it was. Yep, it was another Sarah Young book.

 

[tango]

It can happen. Still, fire is a good way to dispose of unwanted material. It gets rid of it and makes sure nobody else gets hooked by it. And it can be fun to watch.