Skip to main content

Review: NIV Spiritual Renewal Study Bible: Experience New Growth and Transformation in Your Spiritual Walk



This NIV Bible version contains notes written by Stephen Arterburn and David Stoop. Arterburn hosts a Christian counseling program and Stoop is a licensed clinical psychologist and appears as a co-host on the Arterburn program from time to time.  Together the publisher has compiled several helpful features for the reader follow in seeking spiritual renewal.  My comments will address those items only and leave the Biblical text commentary to the experts.  

The introductory section suggests starting with the Spiritual Keys Devotional Reading Plan (xv) which, to me, resembles a twelve step approach that use seven stages rather than the usual number.  Each Key provides two weeks of devotionals prompted by an accompanying Bible reading. The reading that follows is noted and leads to the next.  Both the Old and New Testaments are considered within each of the seven keys.  A serious reader can benefit from following this track.  That is not the only approach offered in this Bible.  There are character profiles interspersed throughout the text which are listed in a helpful index.  The index also includes an abbreviated list of readings that pertain to spiritual disciplines and a subject index with Biblical references that are related to each of the subjects.  Overall, this Bible provides those seeking spiritual renewal several options to use.  I found the recommended Spiritual Keys plan the most helpful.  The others were more of an overview or introduction in my view.  I would also recommend discussing your renewal progress with your pastor or other trusted person rather than attempting this alone.    

I received a hardbound copy for this review.  The dust jacket is attractive, and the book lays flat when it is opened or held.  The pages are substantial enough for marking, although highlighting markers can bleed through a little, or did for me anyway.   

Overall I can recommend this version to most readers.  Why only most?  Because some will prefer another translation. The notes in this Bible can be used with other translations though, in my opinion.  So pull up your preferred version alongside this one and use this one for its notes.  

Two other things need to be mentioned.  This Bible has an older edition that is available as well from an online site.  I do not know if any changes have been made to this one.  There is also an ebook version available which I did not view.  

This book was provided by the publisher to me in exchange for a review.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Review: The Little French Bistro by Nina George

Review: The Little French Bistro Nina George Crown 2017 I have to admit that I'm not a fan of romance novels, but I think this one goes beyond the boy meets girl idea.   By a bunch.   If adults had coming of age stories this one would fit there.   Marianne travels a road many people I know would love to, but fear taking the steps needed. And that is the basis of this book.   Taking the steps.   Joy, sorrow, whatever comes and keep on taking the steps.    I agree with many of the comments already made about George's ability to build wonderful characters, paint scenes that vibrate with energy, and tell a story too.   Her writing touches the heart and not in some sappy, maudlin way.   A place of real emotions and desire.   Speaking of desire---her intimate scenes are just that, intimate.   In body and mind.   And not for just spicing things up a bit.   She captures the true nature of intimacy...
1 comment
Read more

Review: Anatomy of the Soul

Anatomy of the Soul Curt Thompson. M.D. Salt River, an imprint of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. 2010 This is the most helpful,insightful book I’ve read in a long time. There’s advice, guidance, explanations and examples to illustrate discussion offered by the author. Best of all, for me anyway, it explains some of what I had suspected about how things work all along. Dr. Thompson links human anatomy and physiology to the spiritual part of our being throughout the text. We are fearfully and wonderfully made. And God uses His creation of the physical body in amazing ways. The author does a great job showing God’s wisdom found in research and the discoveries that science has made recently in neuroscience. Whether science wants to or not, it is describing the wonders of creation. Read this book. The text will require thought, evaluation, and time to go through. The author’s writing style is quite readable and he covers the material well. While this isn’t a how to or self help boo...
4 comments
Read more

Review: When God’s Ways Make No Sense by Dr. Larry Crabb

Review: When God’s Ways Make No Sense Dr. Larry Crabb Baker Books 2018 I chose this book because the title intrigued me.   When God’s Ways Make No Sense.    There have been plenty of times when that seemed truer than I’d like to admit.   Are we even allowed to say something like that?   Even if we think it.   So, an author willing to take on that topic had my attention. And mostly because I wanted his take on what to do about it? As it turns out Crabb pretty much gave away his case very early on in his book with a single scripture quote.   The basic idea is God is GOD and we are not.   His motives and actions are incomprehensible to mankind and He owes no explanation for them either.   Crabb admits near the end of his book that he is not a theologian which I knew going into this book, but his arguments are theology.   Or at least I think so.   I found his repeated circling the topic a bit frustrating. ...
1 comment
Read more