During the second half of the nineteenth century, Great Britain was home to some of the greatest preachers, biblical scholars, and Christian writers in all of church history. Legendary names such as Charles Spurgeon, George Müller, Hudson Taylor, Catherine Booth, and George MacDonald stand out as giants of the church. Their predecessors, such as John Wesley and Matthew Henry, left them a rich tradition of biblical and evangelical excellence to follow. Americans R. A. Torrey and Charles Finney and South African Andrew Murray were cut from the same cloth.
From the classic writings of these revered saints, Lance Wubbels has edited and compiled the best of the best of their inspirational insights into this 365-day devotional. Verse by verse through the Gospel of John, readers will gain an unforgettable understanding of the life, words, and ministry of Jesus Christ. Here is a one-year devotional that is packed with profound biblical commentary, brilliant wisdom, and practical application that will enrich readers and be read for a lifetime.
This book is a 365-day devotional that progressively worked through the Gospel of John. Each day started with verses from John. The body of the devotion was taken from writings or sermons by well-known 1800s preachers and scholars. Many of the days were by Charles Spurgeon, Alexander Maclaren, and Joseph Parker, but there were also entries by S.D. Gordon, Andrew Murray, Alexander Whyte, George MacDonald, John Wesley, R. A. Torrey, Hudson Taylor, Matthew Henry, Charles Finney, Frances Ridley Havergal, Catherine Booth, and Adam Clarke.
Each day's devotion took about 2 or 3 minutes to read, though you might end up thinking about things they said throughout the day. Each entry stayed focused on the verses and on providing insights about the events or ideas expressed in them. If you prefer devotions that start with a cute story or take the verse out of context, then this might seem a little intense or dense. However, I don't think Christians will find any difficultly following what was written as they read like mini-sermons (not academic studies). I really enjoyed this devotional and hope the author does more along this style in the future.
I received an ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
This devotional is packed full of wisdom from some of world’s best preachers and teachers. From Charles Spurgeon to Hudson Taylor and many more, this book guides the reader through the gospel of John a little each day. The book opens with a brief biography of each contributor and the sturdy hardback cover makes for easy reading and bookmarking.
I received this book in September and have read each daily passage since, so my review is based off of my experience thus far. I’ve enjoyed this devotional because it covers one verse a day and the accompanying teaching is short enough to read before work in the morning yet full of knowledge so I learn something too. The wisdom inside is not a new-age take on the Bible. It sticks to the original Word of God from solid biblical teachers. Different versions of the Bible are used at times in the opening text, but I followed along with my King James Bible. This is definitely a devotional I will keep around for years to come.
This is a wonderful journey through the gospel of John. This devotional is compilation of some of the great preachers such as Charles Spurgeon, Joseph Parker, Alexander Maclaren, Joseph Parker, SD Gordon, Andrew Murray, Alexander Whyte, George Macdonald, John Wesley, RA Torrey, Hudson Taylor, Charles Finney, Matthew Henry, Frances Ridley Havergal, Catherine Booth, and Adam Clarke.
Tons of new insights into the ministry of Jesus through this fresh look at John’s account of it all. Made it a permanent addition to my early morning devotional resources.
Disclaimer: I received this book for free from the publisher in return for my honest opinion. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
When my copy of Day by Day through the Gospel of John: 365 Timeless Devotions From Classic Writers compiled and edited by Lance Wubbels arrived for me to review, I was surprised by the quality of the book. It is a beautiful hardcover book with a ribbon to mark one's place over the course of the year. As this is a devotional, I did not read it cover to cover but instead started reading it at the beginning when I received access on NetGalley and picked up with the appropriate day when the hardcover arrived in the mail.
The introduction by Lance Wubbels provides an excellent explanation of what this book is: "Verse by verse, following the biblical text consecutively through the life of Jesus Christ, here are 365 devotional readings packed with profound biblical commentary, sound wisdom, and practical application for a Christian's daily walk."
Starting with January 1st and John 1:1 the reader is taken through the Book of John with Christian leaders and writers such as Alexander Whyte, Charles Spurgeon, Andrew Murray, Charles Finnay, Catherine Booth, and others. There are many days that I found particularly wonderful to read including February 23 which addressed one of my favorite Bible Verses - John 3:16. Alexander Maclaren writes "that however little I may love or think about Him [God], it does not make one ounce of difference as to the fact that He loves me." This is a great reminder in the middle of winter and each and every day of our lives.
I love the fact that Day by Day through the Gospel of John makes available the writings of very important scholars, leaders, and writers that otherwise would be difficult to obtain or read. Each day I have enjoyed opening the devotional to read the Word of God in the Gospel according to John and a reflection by a classic writer. The ribbon attached to the book makes it so easy to mark my place as we move through the calendar year.
In addition to the daily reflections, there is an introduction by Lance Wubbels, short biographies of the classic writers and contributors, and the ribbon bookmark. These only add to the value of this beautiful hardcover edition.
Personally, I really do find that each day speaks to me and I hope that you will also find this to be true. The text of the book is easy to read and I found it lays flat on the table which makes it easy to read. I recommend this book for those seeking a new way to study the Bible, those who enjoy devotionals, and those looking for a gift for a loved one.
am not a big devotional fan, but there are a few out there that are really good and I do recommend. Today I have a new one that I recommend titled, Day By Day Through the Gospel of John complied by Lance Wubbels. The reason I recommend this is because it provides some great deep insights about the Gospel of John by some great Christian leaders and writers from church history, such as: Charles Spurgeon, Hudson Taylor, Matthew Henry, Andrew Murray, John Wesley, and a few others. The compiler included short biographies about the contributors to this book. Those that know me, know I enjoy reading church history and books from classical writers like these. You can never go wrong reading from them!
This is a 365 day devotional book, that goes through each verse from the Gospel of John and includes a daily reading from one of the classical writers mentioned above. Here are a few short snippets from the book:
You and I are meant to be the human lanterns carrying the Light, and letting it shine clearly, fully. The lantern must be kept clean and clear so the light within can be seen freely. The great thing is that when we live clean, transparent lives, the Light within may shine out clearly. We may live unselfish, clean, Christlike lives by His grace. ~ S.D. Gordon Life is a matter of degrees. Some have life, but it flickers like a dying candle. Others are full of life, bright and passionate, like the fire upon the blacksmith's forge when the bellows are in full blast. Christ has come that His people may have spiritual life in all its fullness. ~ Charles Spurgeon Dear friend, see that you seek the Father by Him alone. He is truth; clasp Him to your heart and by patient meditation and continual faithfulness, enrich yourself with all treasurers you have already received from Him. He is your life; cleave to Him, that the life-giving Spirit may make you victors over death, temporal and eternal. Know Him as a Friend, not as a mere historical person or with mere head knowledge, for to know a friend is something far deeper than to know a truth. ~ Alexander Maclaren
Day by Day Through the Gospel of John 365 Days in the Presence of Jesus Compiled and Edited by Lance Wubbels
This is the time of year when one has to look for a new devotional for the coming year. 365 Days in the Presence of Jesus is for whole a year ~ a whole year which is spent focused on the Gospel of John. This offers a unique perspective as the works of a variety of authors, preachers, and teachers are compiled in this book.
Now just to be clear every single verse is not addressed but some verses have several days of devotionals offering different viewpoints on it. I really like this as it makes one stop and think about what one can get out of these verses.
This book includes an introduction and an overview of the contributors so one has a passing familiarity with the authors. There is not an index or table of contents so if there are notes you want to go back to, be sure to mark the pages with a little tab (like a post-it tab or a ribbon). There is space at the margins for making quick notes and there are a couple of blank pages in the back so that you can mark down the dates (as the pages are unnumbered) that make an impact on you (or if you are like me just have a small notebook for your notes).
This would make an excellent gift for a new believer or for someone seeking as it is the Gospel of John. It would also make a wonderful couple's or family devotional to read together. I would highly recommend this devotional to any and all.
I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by Bethany House with no expectations except that I offer my honest opinion. All opinions expressed are my own.
Day by Day Through the Gospel of John: 365 Timeless Devotions from Classic Writers is a great book to discover authors that you may have never read, or revisit those who have been favorites for years. Traveling through the gospel of John, each day has a devotion from important voices from the past like Charles Spurgeon, Alexander Whyte, Alexander McLaren, R.A Torrey, Andrew Murray and many more.
The book opens with a section dedicated to brief biographies of the contributors, where you might just find people you’ve never heard of-I did! Beginning in John 1:1, each day begins with a scripture and one page reading by a different author. While the book moves through all of the gospel, some passages have more than one day devoted to it by multiple authors, and the insights each one brings was helpful to understanding the passage.
Good Bible teaching and writing never lose its relevancy, and this book doesn’t disappoint. The applications given in these devotions are just as practical as they were when they were first written. This would make a great companion to a study or devotional reading of John. Lightly edited, the language is readable and easily understood, making it a great family devotion to go through if you have elementary age kids or older.
What would God do in your life and family if you spent a year in the gospel of John? You can discover that by taking a walk Day by Day Through the Gospel of John: 365 Timeless Devotions from Classic Writers.
Thank you to Bethany House for providing threeladiesoflit.com with a complimentary copy for review.
What I most looked forward to in this devotional was seeing some of the writings from these influential men and women from our more recent times, as many I hadn’t actually read anything from before. While there is a smattering of each in this devotional, by and large the majority of the writings are from Charles Spurgeon, Alexander Maclaren, Joseph Parker, and S.D. Gordon. The beginning of the devotional gives the biographies and notable works of those quoted in this devotional, and their listing gives an idea of how often their writings will appear. This is something to be aware of before purchasing the devotional. With that in mind, the theology of this devotional can also be gauged by this as well. I loved how this was compiled because of a passion for remembering and learning from those men and women who have gone before us. I believe it is very important to glean what we can from those people, and I love that this has been compiled to see their insights and what they learned from the book of John. This is an easy 1 page a day devotional that covers the book of John over the expanse of a year. Generally, each devotional covers one verse. Sometimes, several days will take the same verse, with different perspectives by the different people. Overall, I enjoyed this devotional and will look forward to going through it more extensively in the future.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
Each day started with verses from John and followed with a portion of a study or sermon from Biblical teachers and writers like Charles Spurgeon and Alexander Maclaren as well as George MacDonald, John Wesley, Charles Finney, Catherine Booth and many many more. I have tons of different devotionals that a cycle through depending on what season in life I find myself in. This one was definitely different then others I have read before. I usually go for a lighter, encouraging, mother's heart, down in the trenches type or one that is more soul searching and thought provoking. This one I felt gave me the depth in a devotional that I was craving around this time of the year. I know this will be one I reach for time and time again. Even though the passages were fairly short it did require a lot of contemplation and investment. I have highlighted and even researched further from some of my daily reads just to grasp it even deeper. This is a meaty devotional and a must have for anyone who enjoys an in-depth study of God's word.
I don't know how many times in my life have I heard these words on a Sunday: "A reading from the Gospel of John..." So many times! What a blessing to have an in-depth study into the Gospel of John through this day by day devotional edited by Lance Wubbels. This book with words from Charles Spurgeon, Catherine Booth and John Wesley to name but a few is a resource for anyone seeking further study into God's powerful word. This book is not one to be read quickly but to be savored and studied and read yet again. We grow up with these words of wisdom read from a pulpit yet often it is a quiet moment of an evening when we take notice and hear it anew as though for the first time. I recommend this book with 5 stars. I received this book from the publisher with no obligation to review.
Starting with January 1, Lance Wubbles takes you through the Gospel of John day by day beginning at verse 1, chapter 1. Each day starts with a verse and follows with a reflection and commentary of the verse and how we can meditate and reflect on how it is relevant in our current life. Each day is written by different contributors, historically, some of the best, who offers commentary and wisdom. I throughly enjoyed the 365 daily readings on John.
This is a daily devotional that walks through the book of John over the course of a year. In addition to sharing the scripture passage of the day, the book features an excerpt of a notable work or sermon from great Christian thinkers like Charles Spurgeon and Alexander MacLaren. This is a lovely pairing of the gospel and practical thoughts for the modern day. I look forward to digging into this, come January. *Advance copy provided by the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
I enjoyed this book although it is meant to be read by day by day with great insight from impactful contributors. Here is my full review of this book over on my Youtube channel https://youtu.be/KH-94_TbZ0k
I received this book from Bethany House in exchange for my review, all opinions are my own.
This a great devotional to go through John. It has many writings from different teachers. I loved reading through all the different author’s writings. I highly recommend.