Some people say, “You are what you eat.” I think it’s more true to say, “You are what you read.”
What do you spend your time reading? The Sports section? Novels? Fashion magazines? News or stock reports? These are okay. Certainly they are much better than gossipy or trashy options that are available. In fact, you could even read these things with Jesus!
But sadly a lot of Christians find more joy (or relaxation) in entertainment reading than they do in reading the Bible. It’s much easier to read the Bible with Jesus than anything else!
And second to the Bible there are many inspiring and helpful Christian books we can read. My favorites are the time-tested and Spirit-anointed classics of Christian devotion. God uses these books to renew our souls and bring us great delight in drawing closer to him and serving him.
For instance, in William Law’s masterpiece from 1728, A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life, he writes:
If you will stop here and ask yourself why you are not so devoted as the primitive Christians, your own heart will tell you that it is neither through ignorance nor inability but purely because you never thoroughly intended it… If [devotion to Christ] generally existed among Christians it would change the whole face of the world (Westminster John Knox Press:1955, p. 22).
O, my friend, I hope these words stir a longing in your heart: Yes, I want Jesus to be my First Love as he was for the Apostles! I want God to use me to bring his kingdom into the world all around me!
William Law shows us how to use our ordinary, everyday life to please God. This life is available for you and me today!
My Top 5 Classics of Christian Devotion introduces you to the five books that God has most used to help me become more like Jesus. “You are what you read!” So pick up one of these books and “Taste and see that the Lord is good” (Psalm 34:8).
In Reading the Classics of Christian Devotion I explain my passion for reading the old spiritual books and why they are so helpful for us. And I provide a longer list of the books God has used to form me more into the image of Christ.
Soul Shepherding helps pastors and all kinds of ministry leaders grow in a deeper intimacy with Jesus Christ in order that they may be more fruitful in their ministry to others. And one pastor may reach thousands of people! Sometimes these ministry leaders need counseling to work through personal or relational issues inhibiting their growth in Christ. Other times they need spiritual mentoring. Often they can’t afford to pay much or anything toward the care they need. We are thankful for the donors who subsidize this ministry!