Come to the Waters: Daily Bible Devotions for Spiritual Refreshment

by James Montgomery Boice

Good devotional material has the power to draw you into the very presence of God. Few Bible teachers make God seem as close as beloved pastor James Montgomery Boice. Each page of Come to the Waters includes a devotional reading drawn from Boice's sermons and writings, both published and unpublished, and a suggested biblical text, tracing themes of God's salvation and sovereignty throughout the scope of Scripture from Genesis to Revelation.

Genres: Devotional, Christian Living, Nonfiction

384 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2011

About the author

James Montgomery Boice was a Reformed theologian, Bible teacher, and pastor of Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia from 1968 until his death in 2000. He was also president and cofounder of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals, the parent organization of The Bible Study Hour on which Boice was a speaker for more than thirty years.

Reviews

[Stephen Hoogerhyde · Rating 4 out of 5]

Compiled from James Boice's commentaries, books, and unpublished sermons, this devotional book takes you through the Bible, from Genesis 1 to Revelation 22. Each devotional covers one page. As always with Boice, there is plenty of good solid meat here, and written in a very understandable way. And also in his typical fashion, he appeals to those who have not yet come to faith as well as to believers.

I recommend this a a great aid in systematically reading through the Bible in your devotional time!

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

James Montgomery Boice (1938-2000) was the Senior Minister of Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia for over thirty years. A notable Reformed thinker, the life and ministry of Boice has been influential and far-reaching in America Evangelicalism and beyond. Boice was a prominent protector of biblical inerrancy and the authority of Scripture, and his literary output continues to serve pastors and students. Boice is known for his lucid writing style, Reformed conviction, and gospel-driven application. Thus, the idea of having the 'best of Boice' presented as a daily devotional should be considered attractive to many.

Come to the Waters: Daily Bible Devotions for Spiritual Refreshment gathers together the finest expositional excerpts of James Montgomery Boice in short, palatable single-page readings. The title of the book is drawn from a hymn written by Boice in partnership with Paul Jones, which is included following the devotional. The compilation work of D. Marion Clark, Come to the Waters is organized both chronologically and canonically. That is, the reader is guided each day, from January to December, through the whole Bible, from Genesis to Revelation. Clark also included a Scripture index and a topical index for further reader adaptability.

To be completely honest, I've never been much of an enthusiast for the use of daily devotionals. Nothing against them. I just never really found them to be very helpful. That said, I've been an enthusiast of James Montgomery Boice since I initially discovered his 4-volume commentary on Romans several years ago. I've since read many more Boice books, including a number of his expositional commentaries. So, while Come to the Waters is a daily devotional, I can but help be excited about the opportunity to engage with Boice on a daily basis. My use of the volume was primarily through the topical index, which is extremely helpful and useful for reference. Still, I'm confident that any way that a reader chooses to interact with this book, the result will be the same-a better understanding and a deeper passion for Christ.

Come to the Waters: Daily Bible Devotions for Spiritual Refreshment by James Montgomery Boice is a devotional I can't help but recommend. I am grateful for the work of D. Marion Clark in bringing this volume together and look forward to using it often.

[Vnunez-Ms_luv2read · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very good book of devotionals. I loved the index which allowed you to find the devotional for whatever you were feeling, dealing with, etc. The devotionals themselves are well written, and the Bible verse was a blessing also. I would highly recommend this book to all. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC of this book in return for my honest review.

[Essie-Marie F. · Rating 3 out of 5]

He made some really good points, and said some things that encouraged me. However, it may be harder for some to understand the excessively wordy way things are worded. ALSO, there was one whole day dedicated to how the Word of God was like human sperm?! The heck?! Lemme tell ya, I was NOT ready for that one so early in the morning.

[Francis Lunger · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great daily devotional

This is the best devotional. Dr. James Boyce makes the Bible clear. Each day I look forward to reading it.

[Lily · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't really finish this, but I did make it about ⅔ of the way through. It was ok, but seemed to be directed more toward unsaved people (it included parts of many evangelistic sermons), who, honestly, would not be reading this book anyway.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Will definitely use this devotional again.

[Deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highly recommend this book. The book is written by James Boice and named after a hymn he collaborated on. The two aims of the book are to keep his legacy alive as the readings are based on sermons he preached, and to aid readers in studying the Bible. The book is written in the same order as the books of the Bible.
I have enjoyed reading this book and the insights into the various texts.
I was given this book by NetGalley and the publisher. This is my voluntary and impartial review.