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30 Life Principles

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Charles Stanley lays out 30 Life Principles that can help you become more like Christ every day. This is accomplished through the power of His Holy Spirit, and through your own diligence and discipline. In this book, author Charles Stanley lays out 30 Life Principles that can help you in the process. You will learn: “God’s Word is an immovable anchor in times of storm,” “fight all your battles on your knees and you will win every time,” “God acts on behalf of those who wait for Him,” and much more. These principles are laid out as a study guide for use in individual devotional or group study―enough for every day of the month. By practicing these 30 Life Principles, you will be cooperating fully with the Spirit of God, and your life will grow into the likeness of Christ.

160 pages, Paperback

First published June 3, 2008

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About the author

Charles F. Stanley

555 books679 followers
Dr. Charles F. Stanley is the senior pastor of First Baptist Church Atlanta, founder of In Touch Ministries, and a New York Times best-selling author who has written more than fifty books, and has sold more than nine million copies. He demonstrates a keen awareness of people's needs and provides Christ-centered, biblically-based principles for everyday life.

Charles Frazier Stanley was born September 25, 1932, in the small town of Dry Fork, Virginia. The only child of Charley and Rebecca Stanley, Charles came into the world during a time when the entire nation felt the grip of the Great Depression. To make matters worse, just nine months later, his father Charley died at the young age of 29.

However, Charles refused to let the Great Depression or the difficulties of his life define him. Instead, like his father and grandfather before him, he clung to God’s Word and took up the mantle to preach the gospel to whoever would listen.

Dr. Stanley’s motivation is best represented by the truth found in Acts 20:24, “Life is worth nothing unless I use it for doing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about God's mighty kindness and love.” This is because, as he says, “It is the Word of God and the work of God that changes people’s lives.”

Dr. Stanley’s teachings can be heard weekly at First Baptist Church Atlanta, daily on “In Touch with Dr. Charles Stanley” radio and television broadcasts on more than 2,800 stations around the world, on the Internet at intouch.org, through the In Touch Messenger, and in the monthly, award-winning In Touch magazine.

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5 stars
208 (67%)
4 stars
63 (20%)
3 stars
28 (9%)
2 stars
7 (2%)
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1 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
Profile Image for Trey.
120 reviews51 followers
November 16, 2017
Wonderful. Short, potent lessons that emphasize intimacy and fellowship with God through: prayer, obedience, trust, persistence and love. Challenging at times, I found it difficult to accept some of the hard truths: chapter 7/dark moments, chapter 15/brokenness, chapter 19/holding too tightly to what you will lose, chapter 20/disappointments, chapter 26/adversity. Inevitable realities.
Each lesson has a quick message, followed by biblical exegesis, Q&A and a summary. One lesson for almost every day of the month, if you’d like - just like a monthly review of Proverbs. ‘30 Life Principles’ has become a staple in my daily reading. I hope the same for you.
Highly recommended.
Profile Image for Jack Hansen.
492 reviews37 followers
May 22, 2020
This paperback workbook outlines 30 principles for communing with God. In this process, using video online with a group of fellow Christians, citing scripture by chapter and verse, and applying each principle to our daily lives, this book engages us introspectively and outwardly by our fellowship and discussion. Charles Stanley writes this book for this purpose, A Study for Growing in Knowledge and Understanding of God, the subtitle of this book. I become closer to God as I read and study Stanley's gifted presentation on the logically sequenced principles over 30 chapters.
Profile Image for Sipho.
452 reviews51 followers
June 1, 2020
2.5 stars

This book was just okay.

It is a study on 30 Biblical principles for living life well. The author, Dr Charles Stanley, is almost 87 years old and has spent the majority of those years pastoring a church in Atlanta. As such, he is obviously well equipped to dole out advice on a life well-lived.

That said, there wasn't anything that was particularly new or groundbreaking. There were a few things I don't think I agreed with, and a few other principles I wish he could have expounded on more/better.

I don't regret reading this book (as it was pretty short as well) but I don't think Dr Stanley's wisdom was necessarily fully expressed here.
4 reviews
December 2, 2020
We used it as a devotional and Sunday school lessons with Rev. Ed preaching drawn from one of the 3 principles used each week. Definitely a serious study with much time needed to digest each principle. Heavily OT based.
Profile Image for Matt McCullough.
82 reviews
June 1, 2023
Great workbook by the late Rev. Dr. Stanley. It provides good insights into principles found in the Christian Bible that are applicable to our everyday lives. It's worthwhile to write in it and work through the sometimes challenging prompts.
Profile Image for Kim Bakos.
595 reviews13 followers
April 4, 2019
I've used the In Touch devotional for a while now, but have never done one of Charles Stanley's Bible studies. This one has thirty principles to guide the life of any Christian. The book is set up to tackle and focus on one principle per week, but I used it for nightly devotions and got through it in about 90 days.
It's been a long time since I did a deep dive into the Old Testament, so it was nice to be led there in most of the lessons in this book. I had forgotten how much of the OT applies to the believer today. Kudos to Dr. Stanley for taking me somewhere I hadn't been in years.
Although Dr. Stanley is the pastor of a Baptist church he never gets into specific doctrinal stuff that would make his material "Baptist". As someone who was raised in the Assemblies of God, there is nothing that I would take any issue with. It is just solid, Scripture-based study material to lead any Christian into a deeper understanding of God and what He wants from and for His children.
Profile Image for Judy.
8 reviews1 follower
April 6, 2016
I preferred the video/sermon lessons compared to the book but together they work
Profile Image for Karen.
236 reviews29 followers
October 4, 2017
Dr. Stanley's teaching is Christ-centered, Bible-based, balanced, challenging, and encouraging ... I thank God for him!
Profile Image for Royce Ratterman.
Author 13 books25 followers
May 18, 2023
Designed for new young Christians, this study guide lays a focused foundation for the 'student' for commencing their scriptural pursuits to build on this work with their further studies. Many topics are simplified into single examples, enabling the reader to expand on these highlights and, eventually, adding other avenues of biblical study and alternate applications for the topics covered in this work. Exegesis, Hermeneutics, Contextual Focus, Historical Settings, etc. can all be pursued as the student continues with their life of spiritual focus and growth.

-- Other works of interest:

Essential Christianity by Dr. Walter Martin

Basic Christianity by John Stott

The Holiest of All: An Exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews by Andrew Murray
(https://archive.org/download/theholie...)

World Shapers: A Treasury of Quotes from Great Missionaries
- Compiled by Vinita Hampton and Carol Plueddemann
Profile Image for Joy.
602 reviews33 followers
July 2, 2018
Great as a personal month-long day devotional bible study, or for a small group study. I've really grown & matured spiritually through Dr. Stanley's book, & I'm moving forward in my life, more confident of the direction I need to go, & letting go of what's been holding me back. Awesome, awesome, awesome book! I HIGHLY recommend this book for everybody.
Profile Image for Pam Brown.
178 reviews10 followers
July 12, 2018
I love Dr. Stanley's teachings, but I'm not fond of study guides. I wouldn't have bought this book if I realized it was a study guide. The best part is the table of contents, listing the 30 principles concisely. The rest of the book doesn't add much except blank space to write the answers to questions.
64 reviews
July 12, 2018
I love Dr. Stanley's teachings, but I'm not fond of study guides. I wouldn't have bought this book if I realized it was a study guide. The best part is the table of contents, listing the 30 principles concisely. The rest of the book doesn't add much except blank space to write the answers to questions.
Profile Image for Star Gater.
1,869 reviews59 followers
June 20, 2020
Loved the studies. Went on to buy the Life Principles Bible (not necessary). I do self-study, and this is a workbook and thought-provoking. Missed not having Dr Stanley personally to fellowship with, and for that matter anyone. I love and believe in the 30 Life Principles.
4 reviews
December 15, 2020
Very practical and inspiring, thank you Dr. Stanely

It went right into the Christian walk, very hearty and simple. I was manifestly changed, inspired and sharpened. Jesus be praised forever
Profile Image for AngelaGay Kinkead.
471 reviews2 followers
June 23, 2021
I was along for the ride with an adult Sunday School class. Didn't find it challenging as a text, and at times I really disagreed with the principles/exegesis, but I enjoyed the ensuing discussions among the class members. (Pastor alert!)
Profile Image for Maggie.
57 reviews
January 1, 2025
This is a great study. It took me some time to complete as there were many points to contemplate. I took time to really dig in to the concepts and lessons presented. Definitely recommend if you are interested in growing in your Christian walk.
1 review
February 16, 2018
The basics!

Great Biblical principles that every Christian should know and live by. Very well written And easy to digest. Greats for Daily devotion.
Profile Image for Gloria.
Author 19 books28 followers
November 2, 2018
One of the few books I've ever read non-chronologically. But I wanted some insight in certain areas of my life and Charles Stanley provided it. Thank you.
9 reviews2 followers
August 7, 2020
Oh I could read this several times a year to make sure all these principles become ingrained in my heart and faith. If I focused on these and I will try to, my faith will grow by leaps and bounds
Profile Image for Barbara Archie.
26 reviews3 followers
October 19, 2020
Dr Stanley always provides insiteful information on developing ones walk with Jesus.
Profile Image for Matthew Adams.
21 reviews1 follower
October 27, 2021
This book was OK. A little bit on the performative side of Christianity and bordering on prescriptive legalism, but worth reading and provided source material for earnest discussion.
28 reviews
April 8, 2022
Excellent material for an Bible Study.

This makes Christ return very real...plenty to think about.
I loved that he gave many Bible verses for cross referencing.
Profile Image for Ronald Marshall.
17 reviews
May 26, 2023
The Purpose of Life Principles

This book helps to retain the values presented in all of Charles Stanley's study Bibles. It sets forth standards of excellence for teaching. RM
Profile Image for Serge Pierro.
Author 1 book49 followers
May 7, 2014
Not surprisingly, Charles Stanley delivers yet another, highly inspirational book. This time he gives 30 Life Principles, and goes about presenting in the manner in which his readers have come to expect. Lots of great principles, backed up with concise summaries and useful instructional material. Due to the nature of the thirty principles, this book could be considered an excellent choice to be used as a daily devotional.

The only reason that I would give this four stars, instead of five, is that many of the pages have questions in which the reader has to research the answers. I would have loved to have seen this as more of an instructional book, instead of as a workbook.
32 reviews6 followers
May 14, 2012
If you are ready to venture into deep water as far as your spiritual walk with God, this book is an invaluable tool. Charles Stanley is such a wonderful guide, who always seems to know exactly what questions to ask that make you stop and think about where you are spiritually, as well as where you want to be. I can't wait to read it again.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews

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