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Abundant Living: 364 Daily Devotions
The business of life is to live and to live well. But in this day and age we know almost everything about life except how to live it. We can dissect life and explain its parts and then fail to put it together again in such a way that it becomes a coordinated, harmonious whole. Through the vibrant writings of E. Stanley Jones, discover not only how God desires more for us than we could ever think or imagine, but freely gives us that abundant life of body, mind, and spirit.
Abundant Living, the sequel to Victorious Living, continues the journey toward extraordinary life through trusting God and self-surrender. Written in 1942 by one of the greatest Christian leaders of the day, experience this classic devotional with a new foreword by Leonard Sweet.
386 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 1990
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134 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
March 28, 2012
We've been reading this together a little bit every day and its been changing our lives. E. Stanley Jones was one very wise and understanding man not only spiritually but emotionally and mentally as well. He was a real Dr. for the soul. No wonder both Ghandi and Roosevelt were close friend of his! Our relationship with and understanding of God has grown so much through this little devotional.
December 31, 2021
A thinking person's year long devotional meant to develop a more positive faith
I spent the past year reading through E. Stanley Jones' year-long devotional commentary, Abundant Living. Like most books in this genre, each day's one-page reading consists of a scripture or two, a thoughtful commentary or modern-day parable to reinforce the scriptural point, and a concluding prayer. Abundant Living was first published in 1942. My edition was updated and edited by the well-known inspirational co-author/ghost writer, Dean Merrill and was re-published by Summerside Press in 2010. There are numerous Bible translations used for each scripture reference. E. Stanley Jones was known to prefer the Moffatt translation, a translation favored by modernists and mainline Protestants in the 20s and 30s.
E. Stanley Jones was a famous, early 20th Century mainline Protestant missionary to India who wrote dozens of devotionals and books including the classic, "The Christ of the Indian Road." He was influenced by modernists and positive-thinkers, and embraced what to me appears to be a rather large-tent version of evangelical Christianity. He was a close associate of many famous people of his era including Gandhi, and was once voted by Time Magazine as the greatest missionary of his time. He wrote "Abundant Living" as a kind of daily guide meant to move the reader along into an improved, more spiritually positive version of themselves.
What I liked about this devotional was that the messages were simple yet profound. Jones was a gifted writer and his use of illustrations and modern parables gave me much inspiration for my own sermonizing. Jones knew how to get to the point of a scripture and to make that point clear. He covers many interesting topics and as an educated Pentecostal, I embrace his positive approach to miracle healing and the medical science connecting emotions and unforgiveness with illness. His emphasis on faith as a factor in all Christian living is also refreshing.
My problem with this devotional and with E. Stanley Jones in general was that much of the tone was geared toward self-improvement by self-effort. The word "sin" only came up once in this year-long journey, "hell" had a minor mention, and "salvation" seemed to be more about making good life choices than with dealing with the reality and bad-fruit of man's fallen nature. In other words, Jones is not very "Christ-like" in his topic focus as Jesus Christ preached more about sin, hell, and salvation than anything else.
One anachronism left in this edition by Merrill was Jones' vain efforts to prevent war between Japan and the US (this was written in 1941) by getting both sides to the diplomatic table and staying there. Jones, as a clergymen respected by both Americans and Japanese, had a role in this largely ignored aspect of WWII history. While his efforts in this direction failed, he nonetheless mentions them throughout the year long reading in this devotional. Jones was a pacifist and several daily devotionals are dedicated to the idea that all war is sin. One wonders how a Jewish survivor of the Holocaust or a Chinese survivor of the Rape of Nanking would feel about his pacifism. Jones chased after windmills on this issue and it must have been a shock to see this published for the first time in the months after Pearl Harbor. His peacekeeping efforts revealed a bit of the self-importance Jones attached to himself in those difficult days.
Nonetheless, there is still much spiritual meat here for a hungry soul to chew on. I've read this once and may pick it up again sometime for another year's reading. If you can tolerate and overlook Jones' sometimes modernist tendencies, you will still find much to enjoy in this devotional. And its positivity is a good thing as all those who embrace Philippians 4:4-8 will readily agree.
Be blessed, people!
I spent the past year reading through E. Stanley Jones' year-long devotional commentary, Abundant Living. Like most books in this genre, each day's one-page reading consists of a scripture or two, a thoughtful commentary or modern-day parable to reinforce the scriptural point, and a concluding prayer. Abundant Living was first published in 1942. My edition was updated and edited by the well-known inspirational co-author/ghost writer, Dean Merrill and was re-published by Summerside Press in 2010. There are numerous Bible translations used for each scripture reference. E. Stanley Jones was known to prefer the Moffatt translation, a translation favored by modernists and mainline Protestants in the 20s and 30s.
E. Stanley Jones was a famous, early 20th Century mainline Protestant missionary to India who wrote dozens of devotionals and books including the classic, "The Christ of the Indian Road." He was influenced by modernists and positive-thinkers, and embraced what to me appears to be a rather large-tent version of evangelical Christianity. He was a close associate of many famous people of his era including Gandhi, and was once voted by Time Magazine as the greatest missionary of his time. He wrote "Abundant Living" as a kind of daily guide meant to move the reader along into an improved, more spiritually positive version of themselves.
What I liked about this devotional was that the messages were simple yet profound. Jones was a gifted writer and his use of illustrations and modern parables gave me much inspiration for my own sermonizing. Jones knew how to get to the point of a scripture and to make that point clear. He covers many interesting topics and as an educated Pentecostal, I embrace his positive approach to miracle healing and the medical science connecting emotions and unforgiveness with illness. His emphasis on faith as a factor in all Christian living is also refreshing.
My problem with this devotional and with E. Stanley Jones in general was that much of the tone was geared toward self-improvement by self-effort. The word "sin" only came up once in this year-long journey, "hell" had a minor mention, and "salvation" seemed to be more about making good life choices than with dealing with the reality and bad-fruit of man's fallen nature. In other words, Jones is not very "Christ-like" in his topic focus as Jesus Christ preached more about sin, hell, and salvation than anything else.
One anachronism left in this edition by Merrill was Jones' vain efforts to prevent war between Japan and the US (this was written in 1941) by getting both sides to the diplomatic table and staying there. Jones, as a clergymen respected by both Americans and Japanese, had a role in this largely ignored aspect of WWII history. While his efforts in this direction failed, he nonetheless mentions them throughout the year long reading in this devotional. Jones was a pacifist and several daily devotionals are dedicated to the idea that all war is sin. One wonders how a Jewish survivor of the Holocaust or a Chinese survivor of the Rape of Nanking would feel about his pacifism. Jones chased after windmills on this issue and it must have been a shock to see this published for the first time in the months after Pearl Harbor. His peacekeeping efforts revealed a bit of the self-importance Jones attached to himself in those difficult days.
Nonetheless, there is still much spiritual meat here for a hungry soul to chew on. I've read this once and may pick it up again sometime for another year's reading. If you can tolerate and overlook Jones' sometimes modernist tendencies, you will still find much to enjoy in this devotional. And its positivity is a good thing as all those who embrace Philippians 4:4-8 will readily agree.
Be blessed, people!
January 5, 2012
A devotional sitting at an interesting midpoint between conventional Christianity and New Thought, written by a Christian theologian who studied extensively with (and was strongly influenced by) Gandhi. If you can read past the language of the time and, there are gems to be found here.
mclane-lagrave-wash-ton-archives
December 20, 2020PART OF THE V MCLANE ARCHIVES. Originally published/ copyright 1942.
My dad's old red hardback copy signed by Victor Walter McLane. I'm sure this is the copy he took with him after withdrawing from college classes while waiting to be drafted into armed forces WWII, 1943-4. He referrs to it in his journals of those years.
PART OF THE V MCLANE ARCHIVES.
I have another copy, 1942, a red hardback, formerly owned by Margaret Olive Washington LaGrave
inscribed:
"To my dear sister Olive at Christmas, 1969.
Hulda(?) (Signature not clear)
My dad's old red hardback copy signed by Victor Walter McLane. I'm sure this is the copy he took with him after withdrawing from college classes while waiting to be drafted into armed forces WWII, 1943-4. He referrs to it in his journals of those years.
PART OF THE V MCLANE ARCHIVES.
I have another copy, 1942, a red hardback, formerly owned by Margaret Olive Washington LaGrave
inscribed:
"To my dear sister Olive at Christmas, 1969.
Hulda(?) (Signature not clear)
February 25, 2022
I do not remember where I came across this book, but had decided to use it as one of my devotional books for this year. After quite a few days of devotions blaming people for their illnesses because of their emotions or thoughts, I put it in the give-away pile.
September 15, 2021
It had some really good points, however, it did seem a bit dated. Considering when it was written , it has held up over test of time. Read it decide what you can learn from it, and apply it to your life.
January 1, 2018
I have had this book for years. I always started a year with plans to do daily devotionalsvand like other resolutionsci would stop after a couple months. 2017 completed. I plan to review this in 2018 but take my time with the personal reviews the author wants you to do on your journey with Chirst.
May 29, 2025
very cool christian psychological insights
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews