I often refer to the Higher Life movement here because their writings can definitely deepen my love and commitment to God. But I also realize there are hazards involved. I don't believe in "the second blessing" which is the foundation of so much of it. The slogan "Let go and let God" doesn't help me in the slightest.
It may be a blessing that I can't read much any more because of the deterioation of my eyes, and another hindrance is that many of my books are still in storage anyway because when I moved a few years ago they got disorganized and my favorites got mixed with my whole collection in a way that discourages the great effort needed to sort through them. Plus I need someone to bring them from the storage unit and that means imposing on others.
So I'm without those books I've usually depended on to rekindle my Christian life, which I'm realizing is probably a blessing because it throws me back on the scripture plus nothing.
It IS all there in scripture. It's in the Sermon on the Mount, it's in the Beatitudes, it's in Proverbs, it's in the Song of Solomon, it's in the Psalms, but it's everywhere in scripture really. It's in Jesus' teaching to bear the cross and die to ourselves. If we actually obeyed that at every moment it applies to our situation instead of complaining and falling into self pity, we'd deepen our spiritual life in a very short time. If you turn the other cheek when insulted, if you go the extra mile when put upon by others, that can only build you up in your Christian life. There are many hymns that can deepen our love of God too, but we don't really need anything but scripture, we just need to obey what is given us there. And there is plenty of scripture that gives such an exalter view of God and Christ if we spend time pondering those passages we should escape very soon rom our superficial acceptance of the gospel we so easily fall into even if we started out our Christian life on a much more passionate note.
Not to reject devotional writings and hymns and that sort of thing though. If they are good they are like good preachers' commentaries on scripture and we need it all. They can condense themes from scriptrure in a way that truly lifts the spirit.
So as usual I'm giving myself advice here.
