My Utmost for His Highest Journal

by Oswald Chambers, James Reimann (Editor)

Now gain even more inspiration from this best-selling devotional. The popular journaling format brings spiritual truth to life as the reader interacts with Chambers's thought-provoking wisdom. Today's updated- language version makes the author's lofty concepts accessible and easy to apply to real-life situations.

Genres: Christian, Devotional, Religion, Nonfiction, Theology, Faith

384 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Oswald Chambers was born to devout parents in Aberdeen, Scotland. At age 16, Oswald Chambers was baptized and became a member of Rye Lane Baptist Chapel. Even as a teenager, Chambers was noted for his deep spirituality, and he participated in the evangelization of poor occupants of local lodging houses. Oswald married Gertrude in May 1910, and on May 24, 1913, Gertrude gave birth to their only child, Kathleen. In 1915, a year after the outbreak of World War I, Chambers was accepted as a YMCA chaplain. He was assigned to Zeitoun, Cairo, Egypt, where he ministered to Australian and New Zealand troops, who later participated in the Battle of Gallipoli. Soon his wooden-framed "hut" was packed with hundreds of soldiers listening attentively to his messages. Confronted by a soldier who said, "I can't stand religious people," Chambers replied, "Neither can I." Chambers was stricken with appendicitis on October 17, 1917 but resisted going to a hospital on the grounds that the beds would be needed by men wounded in the long-expected Third Battle of Gaza. On October 29th, a surgeon performed an emergency appendectomy, but Chambers died November 15, 1917 from a hemorrhage of the lungs. He was buried in Cairo with full military honors. Gertrude, for the remainder of her life published books and articles for him edited from the notes she had taken in shorthand from his sermons. Most successful of the thirty books was, "My Utmost for His Highest", which has never been out of print and has been translated into 39 languages.

Reviews

[Dlora · Rating 4 out of 5]

My sister Luan gave my sister Dawn and me copies of this beautiful, leather-bound, gilt-edged book so we could read the daily devotionals and share our insights via email. I started later than they did and continued back to the beginning to catch the ones I had missed. I have just finished all 365 selections of about 500 words each. Scottish Oswald Chambers was a twentieth century Baptist preacher and after his death, his widow, who he affectionately called Biddy, transcribed and published books and articles edited from the notes she had taken in shorthand during the Bible College years and at Zeitoun. Most successful of the thirty books was this one, My Utmost for His Highest. I have very much enjoyed OC's use of metaphor, his insights, and call to base my spiritual life on Jesus Christ. My religious faith has been shaped and nurtured by a lifelong membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, so part of the intrigue of these devotionals for me was becoming familiar with a different type of religious jargon, or perhaps his word choices are unique to Oswald Chambers--"a life hidden in Christ," "the indwelling Holy Spirit," being "rightly related to God," "abandonment to God." I found myself thinking more deeply about what I believed compared with what OC was saying, and mostly finding congruence once I understood his terminology. One of my favorite insights concerned faith--"to believe is to commit," he said, so we must have faith in something to commit to. We have faith in Christ, not just have faith. It's the idea that faith implies action so we have to have faith in something that generates that action. In another reading, he talked also about the root of faith--we have faith in a person not in the reasons why, which strikes at the heart of why we believe even when we don't understand all the reasons for what we have been asked to do. I did enjoy my daily readings with OC--especially my email conversations with my sisters.

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

This devotional classic stands head and shoulders above most others in a veritable sea of available devotional books. It contains excerpts from messages preached to students at Bible Training College in London. His wife compiled these excerpts after his death in 1917. The amount of wisdom he displays in these readings is amazing. Just like any other resource, I don't agree 100% of the time, but I found this devotional tool to be invaluable in the the past year. I recommend this to anyone who is truly seeking the life with God.

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is at least the sixth time that I have read through Oswald Chambers's great book. And it still continues to amaze, confound, disturb, devastate, and inspire me.

This year, as I read each day's devotions, I was astounded at how much they went hand-in-hand with the material I was reading on spiritual formation, by Dallas Willard, Richard Foster, and others. While Chambers didn't always use the same words, the concepts were the same. And this is something that I really want to focus on more, in 2017.

As always, My Utmost gives great material to ponder each day, giving me something to think about on my daily drive to work, as I, well over a year ago, turned off the morning radio and began using the morning drive as meditation and prayer time. Each time I read through, there are some devotions that I remember well from past years. Other devotions seem fresh and almost take me by surprise. This book is almost as "alive" as the actual Scriptures from which it derives.

My Utmost for His Highest is a necessary read for anyone seriously into a devotional life.

[Graemme Boone · Rating 5 out of 5]

A FANTASTIC way to start your morning. Positive, daily, self-talk from GOD for you.

[NGNAOUSSI ELONGUE · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best devotional I ever read

[Jeanne Modisett · Rating 5 out of 5]

The very best devotional out there. No fluff, just the pure Word of God at its best. I loved the journal part so I could write down my thoughts at the time. Will reread over and over again.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

"My Utmost for His Highest", by Oswald Chambers, is a wonderful way to start the day. I have just completed using this Devotional/Journal in conjunction with reading the Bible in a Year. Each day the reader, starts off with Scripture, and then when the reading of the subject Scripture has been completed, Chambers utilized the Scripture and his vast experience in developing a personal devotion for that particular day. For the most part each devotional speaks freely so that the inexperienced reader can fully understand how the devotion is to help as well as steps to take in using these devotional in our everyday life. However, there were a few that were specifically aimed at the Preaching community, that of the Preacher and or Pastor.
I fully enjoyed utilizing this journal/devotional for the year 2010. Thank You Oswald Chambers for for experience and devotions.

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I tried. Gave it a second, third, even, well months worth of trying and I couldn't finish this book. It's olde language caused me to read and reread passages and look them up in different translations; and I didn't find it relevant all the time. I'm not saying there weren't gems in there, just that they were few and far between. I was really expecting something fantastic when I started using My Utmost as a study because of all the hype, but it fell short.

[Gary · Rating 2 out of 5]

Certainly made one think. Sometimes the reasoning and deductions made were tenuous at least for me. Some days I was overwhelmed with the devotional, others I was at a loss as to what the author was aluding. Mixed feelings, but certainly not one of my favorite devotionals or readings.

[tanisj · Rating 5 out of 5]

This man's insight into the Christian faith is amazing! The devotionals that his wife took from his sermons after his death challenge me to grow in my faith every day!

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

wonderful daily devotional

[Dr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful daily time with God's Word.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite devotionals. Chambers comments on Scripture are encouraging and thoughtful.

[Jeanine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finished off 2015 with this Journal Devotional. Every day God spoke His marvelous truths through His Word and the wise words of Oswald Chambers. This is a great way to begin each day!