In some of my Bible classes over the last several months I shared with you my joy in purchasing and using a new devotional book: Treasury of Daily Prayer. (I brought it in and showed one of the Sunday classes.) Pastor Olsen and I each picked one up from the Seminary Bookstore when we attended the Exegetical Symposium at the Ft. Wayne Seminary at the end of this last January.
We had both received pre-publication PR ... but neither of us had ordered it. Being frugal Lutherans (and knowing we would have to give answer to our wives as to why we allowed ourselves the temptation of entering the bookstore) ... we noticed that it was a good buy - discounted during the Symposium, I believe.
After giving it a ride back to Lansing TDP (Treasury of Daily Prayer) found a place in my home. Like everything else, however, ... exercise equipment, that new diet, books ... you have to USE it for a while to see how good it is ... or if it "works".
Folks, I love using it ... and it "works," through the attending power of the Holy Spirit, in terms of deepening your walk with Jesus in your daily life. When preaching on Sunday or in a Bible class or Confirmation class, I have often used something that I've read in TDP over the previous two weeks (about how long I can remember what I've read and where) in the message. It provides different orders of service IF you want to incorporate that into your quite time (QT) as well as providing daily Scripture readings, prayers, psalms, some hymn verses from our new hymnal - Lutheran Service Book, writings from our Confessions and other Church fathers. Here's the deal: it is amazingly flexible in how it can be used.
Concordia Publishing House states of TDP: "In today's busy times, God's people long for a richer, more intentional life of prayer and meditation on God's Word. Treasury of Daily Prayer presents an ordered collection of materials that guide daily prayer and devotions, and is appropriate for use by individuals, families, and small groups."
At the link immediately above there's also a Twitter button so that you can get daily tweets from Treasury of Daily Prayer. It's very encouraging to get them throughout the day. (I've been passing a number of them on to those who are following me on Twitter.) Also, at the site above, you can see a sample of what TDP is like by pressing the Take A Look Inside button. Give it a try.
I would recommend TDP for adults, and possibly for older teens ... who are interested in deepening their relationship with Jesus.
Blessings.
