Customer Reviews

Quiet Time Bible Guide: 365 Days Through the New Testament and Psalms

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4 star:		(1)
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I don't claim to be an expert on devotional guides, but I have been so frustrated with the ones I have found in the past. Generally, they give you one Bible verse (usually out of context - my pet peeve of ALL time) and a short anecdote which may or may not be applicable. Honestly, most devotional guides leave me feeling flat and far from the Lord. But...

InterVarsity Press' Quiet Time Bible Guide is amazing! I have never seen another devotional in quite this format. Instead of skimping on the Scripture to provide a cute story, the QTBG goes straight to God's Word. Not only does it take you step-by-step through the New Testament and the Psalms, it helps you develop critical thinking and analysis of Bible texts. This is NOT for the flabby-minded! But developing your mind for God is so important for us every day Christians, not just for theologians and pastors.

The format of the QTBG is simple and wonderful. You begin each day with a brief synopsis of the chapter you will be studying. Next, you enter a section entitled "Warming Up to God". I love this section because so often I am guilty of rushing through my devotional time with little thought about the One I am supposed to be "devoting" myself to! Not so with the QTBG. After you spend a few minutes directing your thoughts toward the Lord, you read that day's Bible chapter. Then, you begin the real work. In "Discovering the Word", you are given several questions about the context, message, meaning, and purpose of the chapter you have just read. Get ready to exercise those brain cells! Once you have thoroughly examined your Scripture, you move on to "Applying the Word". In this section, you examine your own life through the dual lens of God's Word and His Spirit. So important! A quiet time may make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside, but if it doesn't affect your life and your walk with the Lord, it is just a waste of time. Last but not least, the QTBG leaves you with "Responding in Prayer" - a simple sentence giving you a thought to pray over and allowing you to once again focus your heart on the Lord.

I absolutely love the Quiet Time Bible Guide, but then I've never seen an InterVarsity Press book I haven't loved. They are such a wonderful resource for Christians who want to reach into the Bible and pull out all the treasure contained within. I am in debt to the IVP for helping me become closer to the Lord through their wonderful Bible Guide. Buy it!!

I have thoroughly enjoyed reading the Bible with this guide in hand...it provides questions for each Scripture passage that really cause me to think and study the Bible. The questions are thoughtfully written and truly enhance my understanding of each passage via the "inductive method" of Bible study that InterVarsity largely endorses. By reading each Bible passage, then working thru the questions, I have discovered many truths I had not fully realized before during years of study. This has really caused me to look forward to quiet times each day. Thank God!

I really like the concept of this book, but it didn't work well for me. I found some of the questions too simple; I was looking for a study guide with more depth. However, I found that the questions and the format worked well when my teen and I were studying the Bible together. For that reason, I'd give the book four stars.