2010 is just around the corner.  A new year.  New beginnings.  A fresh start.  There are so many opportunities with a new year.  To begin again . . . or just begin.  And if one of your beginnings is a desire to start your new year drawing closer to God, what a great time to begin a new daily devotional.  In the month of December, Laridian has released 5 new devotional titles: two from popular preacher and teacher John MacArthur, a new devotional for women, written by women of faith, a heart challenging compilation of select readings from John Calvin’s Commentary of the Psalms and Daily with the King: A Devotional for Self-Discipleship. 

To me, you can’t go wrong with John MacArthur.  His teaching is always sound, insightful and purposeful.  And these two volumes of Daily Readings from the Life of Christ are no exception.  Daily Readings from the Life of Christ, Vol. 1 follows Jesus’ first year of ministry.  From his public baptism and start of his ministry, through His teaching with parables, John MacArthur walks us daily through the first 13 chapters of Matthew and Jesus’ earthly ministry.  I can’t think of a better teacher in the ways of God and the Christian life than our Savior.  Even though many entries are stories Christians know by heart, there is new learning and revelation each time we meditate and study God’s word.  Circumstances of life change, and though God’s word never does; how God uses His word to touch us and teach us in those circumstances is always new and refreshing.

Daily Readings from the Life of Christ, Vol. 2 goes deeper into the miracles of Jesus and his confrontations with the Jewish leaders by focusing on the Gospels of Matthew and John.  I especially enjoyed the days covering the calling of the Disciples and their commission.  MacArthur gives at least one day to each disciple, giving insight into who each man was and how each man’s character traits were chosen and used by Jesus.  It is interesting to see how Jesus used men with characteristics just like mine and people I know, both good and “bad”, to bring about the spreading of his gospel and the furthering of his kingdom.  For example, my 10 year old son can inundate me with questions.  Sometimes I think he spends his day trying to think of questions to ask me, but when I read the account of Jesus’ calling of Peter, I realized in reading that paragraph, that Peter was a lot like my son.  He is described as “constantly asking questions . . . and though many were superficial and immature . . . self-centered and off the mark . . . .”Jesus used Peter’s questioning as opportunities to train him in leadership.  To be the leader of the apostles he intended Peter to be.  As a parent, I have learned, that reacted to in the proper manner, my son’s questions can be an opportunity for me to mold him into a proper leader (a character trait he naturally exhibits).  Will he be a Peter?  Only the God who has called him to himself can answer that, but I now better understand how my reactions to his questions can train him, having either a positive or negative impact on the man he will become.

I can’t leave this review without touching for just a moment on Daily Seeds from Women Who Walk in Faith.  As I skimmed through the pages while preparing this for PocketBible, I was drawn to the stories of the women in this devotional.  As a daughter, wife, mother and friend, there is much I can learn from these women who have experienced life’s trials and joys and the lessons they have to share. 

As this new year approaches, there are many ways we can begin anew.  No beginning will enrich your life more than a new beginning with the Savior.  So whether you have resolved to begin a daily quiet time with God, or are looking for a new devotional to continue your existing quiet times, I highly encourage you to take a look at what’s new from Laridian.

When it comes to “Word Study” as it relates to the Bible, I consider myself a lightweight. But what I lack in expert opinion I hope to make up for by simply opening each of the word study tools we offer and telling you what they can do for you. Trust me, it won’t be too technical!

My Word Study “go-to” book is the Amplified Bible. I always have a copy of it installed on my current device, along with my preferred English translation. I don’t normally use the Amplified for devotional reading but it is great for comparing with another translation and the place I start when I want to understand a verse better, even before I consult a commentary.

The Amplified uses a unique system of brackets, parantheses and italics to define and expand key words and phrases right in the Bible text. For example, John 3:3 in the Amplified says: “Jesus answered him, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, that unless a person is born again (anew, from above), he cannot ever see (know, be acquainted with, and experience) the kingdom of God.” The key words here are expanded in such a way that you come away with a fuller understanding of what Jesus was saying to Nicodemus without having to consult a dictionary.

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When I lived in Virginia, I was blessed to be in a church and under the tutelage of a man on fire for God. He remains to this day my favorite Pastor and as I have moved and traveled in the years since, I still miss being taught by him. His style of breaking down scripture, verse-by-verse and phrase-by-phrase—really dissecting God’s word and all its meaning helped me to grow more than I had before in my Christian walk. His style is a lot like that of pastor and author, John MacArthur. And though I can’t hear the pastor that I love, I can continue my study of the Bible in the same manner through MacArthur’s Study Bible Notes.

MacArthur’s verse-by-verse dissection of Scripture lets me study the Bible the way I want to—in-depth, serious study. From the beginning with an article on “How to Study Your Bible,” through the use of over 50 Bible maps, charts and diagrams, book introductions and outlines and, of course, MacArthur’s own words giving detailed descriptions and explanations of each verse in every book, I can truly dig deep and understand the context of God’s Word. To me, studying God’s word is much more than a morality speech, or a feel good sermon. To study God’s word is to truly seek out the meanings and truth behind it, to help me grow—closer to the Author of Scripture and stronger in my Christian walk. MacArthur’s Study Bible Notes is an excellent text that is everything needed to dig deep into God’s word in one complete volume and is probably (in my opinion) one of the best study Bibles out there.

Laridian offers nine study Bibles ranging in price from $14.99 to $39.99. Here is some key information on our top-selling study Bibles to help you in choosing the one that is right for you:

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As you spend quiet time with God, studying His Word, do you ever wish for a better understanding? Seek to really KNOW what God is saying in the passage, and how you can better apply it to your life? I do. I am often not satisfied with merely reading, but need to truly understand what is being said. This can mean not only finding out the original Greek or Hebrew of the text, but also understanding in what context it was originally written, who it was originally written to, and in what circumstance the receivers were in that they needed those particular words at that particular moment in time. Incorporating the Bible Knowledge Commentary into my study times; gives answers into the background information of a book or passage and insight into the original text.

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A good Bible dictionary is a foundational tool in every Bible study library. But how do you know a good Bible dictionary when you see one?

If your idea of good is thorough, detailed articles, that may lead to a different conclusion than someone who prefers a dictionary that is brief and to-the-point. There is also publication date to consider in choosing a dictionary. Because of recent archaeological discoveries, “older” is not always “better” when it comes to Bible dictionaries.

Laridian offers five Bible dictionaries ranging in price from free to $39.99. Here is some key information on each to help you in choosing the dictionary that is right for you:

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I’ve read through the entire Bible in a year (more than once, in case you’re wondering ☺). It is a life-changing habit. But sometimes I feel rushed. I want depth. God’s Word is so rich, I’ve often thought of picking out a verse and pondering it for a long time…like a year. That’s the idea of The One Year Walk with God Devotional. Author Chris Tiegreen focuses in on Romans 12:2 where Paul challenges us to “be transformed by the renewing of our mind.” And then uses other key passages of Scripture to encourage us to want to be transformed and to show us how.

Tiegreen suggests that “being transformed” requires that we leave behind our faulty human reasoning – how we naturally think, feel and make decisions. And learn to think God’s way. It is a process. A process that is expedited with a daily dose of God’s Word: to remind us of the results of trying to do things our way and to encourage us to seek and follow the wisdom of God instead. That’s where The One Year Walk with God excels.

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We are releasing two new devotionals for the beginning of the new year. I’m excited about these because they are two of my recent favorite devotionals. Both A Godward Life and Taste and See are written by John Piper. Unlike most of the devotionals that we publish, these are not 365 day devotionals. A Godward Life is 120 readings and Taste and See is 140. Together they get you most of the way through the year.

A word of warning: don’t read these devotionals if you are comfortable being comfortable. One of my favorite most annoying reads was another book by John Piper titled Don’t Waste Your Life. Piper has a penchant for challenging me most where I least wish to be challenged. These two devotionals are more of the same, only in smaller, daily doses.