Book Review: Praying the Bible

I digested this book in three days!  How could I read it that quickly?  It's just that good and it's only 100 pages long.  Donald Whitney gives a simple and sublime method of praying scripture in this book.  Considering 2 Timothy 3:16, he instructs readers to view each verse of a Psalm as God speaking.  The reader can respond to it in prayer just like you would respond to any other person in conversation.  Then Witney directs readers to go on to the next verse and repeat the process.  He even gives suggestions on how to handle more challenging verses like Psalm 58:6 and how to adapt the prayer model to a group setting.  If your prayer life is as dry as a popcorn fart or you mind is as distracted in prayer as monkeys running through a forest, then pick up this book asap!

Book Review: A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23

This is an older book, but I really relish reading it.  I grew up around cattle, not sheep.  While they are both livestock, they are managed a little differently.  Keller's book is full of insight into the beloved 23rd Psalm.  It's broken into 12 chapters, devoting two chapters to each verse in the poem.  The reader with really meditate on this Psalm.  It also gave me insight to other passages in the Bible that discuss the Shepherd/sheep relationship.  I highly recommend it as background reading for John 10 in which Jesus tells His followers "I am the good shepherd."  Pick up a used copy at a garage sale and enjoy!

Devotional for Hymn Lovers

I’ve heard a few people say they prefer traditional hymns to modern worship music.  If you are one of those people then I might have the perfect devotional for you.  The One Year Book of Hymns is a collection of 365 songs, one for each day of the year.  In addition to the lyrics, the editors recount a short testimony from the hymn’s author.  Often it explains the circumstances surrounding the inspiration for the hymn.  Each daily reading ends with a verse or short passage from the Bible for further meditation.  If you’re a hymn lover, check it out!  You can pick up a used paperback copy on Amazon for less than $5 including shipping.