Daily Light

Rating:
Summary: Half of a good idea
Review: A devotional consisting of nothing but scripture seems like an excellent idea. When isolated verses are strung together out of context in order to form new paragraphs, however, the result is not as helpful as one would wish. Many of these paragraphs read quite clumsily and appear to have been forced. It would have been better just to have chosen 365 short selections from the Bible. The very strong fundamentalist slant here will not make everyone happy, either. The main theme here is salvation by The Blood Of The Lamb. The selectons here rarely explore much more than that. If you are looking for a good, simple devotional, try "Daily Strength for Daily Needs" by Mary Tileston. If you really want to explore a daily prayer program that uses mostly scripture, try Phyllis Tickle's "Divine Hours". From there, you may want to graduate to the Book of Common Prayer. Best wishes.

Rating:
Summary: An update of a classic
Review: Anne Graham Lotz's introduction to this small book of daily (morning and evening) devotionals is heart-warming and keys on what made the original of this little book first published in 1794 so widely used --- each morning's and evening's readings are a group of related Bible verses -- nothing more and nothing less. No fluff. And no huge chunk of time is need to get through each short serving. Yet, each day's reading will speak to the heart and mind of the Christian, and provide encouragement, or helpful directions for the day and for life. The last 50 pages or so are more topical in nature, for different subjects such as depression, salvaton and stress -- for anytime throughout the year. This is the one devotional book that will last a lifetime -- it's pure Scripture -- no poems or contrived stories, just God's Word -- timeless. This book is on a par with Oswald Chambers' classic devotinal book "My Utmost for His Highest" but does not include the additional thoughts for meditation that he includes. Chambers' book is great too for a simple daily devotional. The original volume of Daily Light was in the King James Version and this new edition uses the New King James Version, which makes it highly readable. I'm going to give a lot of these books as Christmas gifts to the people that I love.

Rating:
Summary: No Interpretation, Pure Scripture!
Review: First compiled by Samuel Bagster for family devotions in the 1790s, this is a sure classic! Daily Light is an excellant way to start and end the day by being in the Scriptures with a morning and evening devotion, everyday. Many devotionals have one verse then a page of man's writing that might not prove helpful. With no interpretation by mankind in Daily Light, you can't go wrong. Even the titles are from a Bible verse. Mr. Bagster presents a lifelong study of the Scriptures with so many relevant verses in this compilation. Although I have had my copy but a short time, I had to purchase copies for my wife and mother after they read in mine. The binding of the Essential Christian Library Series is attractive and should prove durable for many years of use. Daily Light will make an excellant gift for birthdays, holidays, weddings and graduations.

Rating:
Summary: This book will inspire you everyday of the year!!
Review: I absolutely love this book. It gives you day to day devotionals, and will encourage you to give everyday your best. I am very happy with this book and I have recommended it to all my friends and family.

Rating:
Summary: Daily spiritual food for people with hurried life-style.
Review: I found this little book by accident(or providence), and am so glad I did. I have purchased one as a gift, and will be giving copies to my family and friends as the year goes by. I love it that it is all scripture. I highly recomned this book.

Rating:
Summary: It never gets old!
Review: I have been reading from Daily Light once or twice daily for more than 5 years. I have given a copy to my mother and am about to buy one for my daughter at college. The daily devotional readings are taken directly from scripture, but are excerpts grouped around a theme. I recommend it for anyone who takes inspiration from God's Word.

Rating:
Summary: God to be to the Glory, with this Book
Review: I like the book, because the daily devotions come directly from The Holy Bible.

Rating:
Summary: A most excellent, timeless work
Review: I originally found a copy of this most excellent, and timeless work over 22 years ago in a used book store. I have read it every day since. It is pure scripture, a daily compilation of related verses based on a single theme verse. The Holy always speaks with new thoughts for the same page, no matter how often you read it over the years. It's a treasury of God's thoughts, second only to your Bible. I will continue to give it as a gift to beloved friends 'till the day of His Coming.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent book
Review: It seems to have the right scripture at the right time. I really like the format of the stream of consciousness feel the text has with scripture references footnoted rather than in the text.

Rating:
Summary: God's Word is Sufficient
Review: The contents are well described (with the exception of one review) as a brief series of morning/evening readings centered around a topic verse. The format of using the Bible to explain itself is precisely what is unique and useful about this volume. I may not gather the flow of each and every verse as it pertains to the topic (this is rare), but I AlWAYS understand the message from it that God wants me to have. I use this with my children in our family time together in the morning. It might be useful to know that Lilias Trotter, Biddy (Mrs. Oswald) Chambers and Francis and Edith Scaeffer (as well as the Billy and Ruth Graham family) also used this devotional in their private and family readings. Many have remembered special events by it (Francis Schaeffer's death date, for example) as the readings on those days Providentially corresponded to the events. I, too, have purchased copies for each of my children. I have found that this volume is delightfully non-denominational...like Scripture itself. IF there is any bias, it would be that the Bible's words are sufficient for their own interpretation. There are other devotional books that I treasure such as *My Utmost for His Highest* and *Morning and Evening* by C. Spurgeon. But now that I have read them, I use them more for reference during specific study. This little volume, updated by Anne Lotz remains my regular reading every year. Finally, this little guide is perfect for men to keep at work as it is brief, discreet (the front cover is blank), and a perfect size for keeping in the drawer of your desk at work or college. It makes personal devotional time DO-able!! It is purse-sized as well, for professional or on-the-go ladies! For practicality, compact size, lovely and durable leather binding, and the elimination of man's interpretation, I give this 5 stars. Good work Samuel Bagster and thank you, Anne!