Give yourself unto reading. The man who never reads will never be read; he who never quotes will never be quoted. He who will not use the thoughts of other men’s brains, proves that he has no brains of his own. You need to read … Paul cries, “Bring the books” — join in the cry.
I’ve been reading daily, a Charles Spurgeon devotional called Morning and Evening (you can download it from the Google Play store).
One verse, accompanied by deep insights.
Reading through his words any time of the day, I’m struck by the wealth of wisdom he spills… especially, remembering he had little formal education.
So when I read that his quote above, I connected the dots.
Charles tore through pages of books – about six books per week. And by the end of his life, he amassed a library of over 7,000 books.
To groom your spiritual life – and other areas of life – getting deeper and stronger in the Christian faith we profess, you’ve got to be a Young Professional who will “give yourself unto reading.”
I hope to answer the cry of Paul to “Bring the books” by sharing this list with you.
Here are 12 books that will engage your head and heart.
They’ll help you understand the principles of the Christian faith and strengthen your spiritual growth. Read, study, get inspired, and grow.
The Bible is the Number 1 book on Spiritual Growth. We’ve previously shared some Bible reading plans (https://blog.ypfonline.org/bible-reading-plans-to-help-you-with-your-bible-study/) that will help you study your bible this year.
But I know the struggle to dig deep into Bible study. The times when I flipped through the pages of the Bible like a newspaper.
Picking information … That left me more confused than transformed.
Thanks to the Holy Spirit. And to a book like this that gives practical tips on how to inductively study the Bible. It’s time to move from shallow Bible reading to studying, understanding, and applying the Truth in this Book.
Don’t settle for only the meals your pastor prepares and feeds you. Be like the Berean Christians who “searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.”
Excerpt: When you know what God says, what He means, and how to put His truths into practice, you will be equipped for every circumstance of life.
Download Here:— HOW TO STUDY THE BIBLE
2. The Secret Place (Pastor W.F. Kumuyi)
He that dwelleth in the Secret Place of the Most High…
Many Christians recite this psalm over and over again without giving much thought to what this secret place is, and how to dwell there.
No secret place, no spiritual growth. In this insightful book by a seasoned teacher of God’s word, you’ll discover how to dwell in God’s secret place. This is where your spiritual growth journey begins.
Excerpt: “…Jesus said to the man, ‘when you leave this place, go and buy a Bible and start reading it, because that is the way to eternal life.”
Download Here:— THE SECRET PLACE
3. Mere Christianity (C.S. Lewis)
Clive Staples Lewis was regarded as one of the most influential Christian apologists, an intellectual giant of the twentieth century and arguably one of the most influential writers of his time.
Mere Christianity got adapted from a series of BBC radio talks made between 1941 and 1944 is considered a classic of Christian apologetics.
In this book, he discusses various topics about the Christian faith.
Excerpt: Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make any sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of – throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself.
Download Here:— MERE CHRISTIANITY
4. Has Christianity Failed You? (Ravi Zacharias)
If you’ve nursed some concerns about the Christian religion – what it in the 21st century Church compared to what God’s word says it should be – then this book is for you.
Filled with stories, insights and scriptures to help give us a fresh perspective on Christianity. Written by another Christian apologetic.
Excerpt: I think the reason we sometimes have the false sense that God is so far away is because that is where we have put him. We have kept him at a distance, and then when we are in need and call on him in prayer, we wonder where he is. He is exactly where we left him.
Download Here:— HAS CHRISTIANITY FAILED YOU?
5. Desiring God: Meditations Of A Christian Hedonist (John Piper)
All men seek happiness. And they search for it everywhere and in everything.
In this book, John Piper shares how he – and you – can possess true happiness in God.
Excerpt: God has made us to be conduits of his grace. The danger is in thinking the conduit should be lined with gold. It shouldn’t. Copper will do.
Download Here:— DESIRING GOD
6. How You Can Be Led By The Spirit Of God (Kenneth Hagin)
Every Christian needs to be led God’s spirit. This book is filled with counsel and experiential accounts from the scripture on how God leads His people.
Excerpt: Put spirit first. Become more spirit-conscious, more conscious of the inward man. Realize that you are a spirit being and that you became a new creation created by God in Christ Jesus. It will help you grow—spiritually.
Download Here:— HOW YOU CAN BE LED BY THE SPIRIT
7. The Kneeling Christian (An Unknown Christian)
How far can a Christian go without bended knees? This brilliant book teaches the what, why, how, and other questions you may have about prayer. It will drive you on your knees to PRAY.
Excerpt: God wants me to pray. The devil does not want me to pray, and does all he can to hinder me. He knows that we can accomplish more through our prayers than through our work. He would rather have us do anything else than pray.
Download Here:— THE KNEELING CHRISTIAN
8. Rediscovering The Kingdom: Ancient Hope for Our 21st Century World (Myles Munroe)
Written by a 21st-century pastor, Dr Munroe, this book unveils the reality and the power of the Kingdom of God. You’ll discover the keys that will make the Kingdom work wonders in your life.
Excerpt: Kingdom citizenship is a spiritual reality, but it is also a mentality. As believers, we already have the Spirit of God, but we need to learn the mind and the heart of God.
Download Here:— REDISCOVERING THE KINGDOM
9. The Pilgrim’s Progress (John Bunyan)
Another great classic. If you haven’t read this book, grab it and read. If you have, read it again! Both books 1 and 2.
From this allegory, you’ll see how this pilgrim travelled, dealing with lots of oppositions along the way, till he arrived at the city of God.
Excerpt: This hill, though high, I covet to ascend;
The difficulty will not me offend.
For I perceive the way to life lies here.
Come, pluck up, heart; let’s neither faint nor fear.
Better, though difficult, the right way to go,
Than wrong, though easy, where the end is woe.
Download Here:— PILGRIM’S PROGRESS
10. God’s Generals (Robert Liardon)
You glean so much from the lives of those who have travelled the road before you. Robert helps us learn from so many of these generals through these books he put together. Have you read any? The reformers, revivalists, etc.
Excerpt: Today our nations and societies are ripe for another reformation. Are you one who has the thread of God running through you? Or are you more concerned with how you would look to others if you obeyed God, more concerned with popular opinion? Are you one struggling to climb a political, religious ladder, hoping to be recognized? Are you more comfortable staying isolated with your Christian friends and churches, or do you dare to be the extended hand and voice of God in the earth, at whatever cost? I hear the voices of the multitudes crying, even pleading for reformation and change.
Download Here:— GOD’S GENERALS
11. Victory in Spiritual Warfare (Tony Evans)
So many Christians know how to sit with Christ and Walk in the Spirit. But how to STAND – putting on the whole armour of God and defeating the enemy – their feet wobble here. This book explains why and how to be fully dressed for victory in spiritual warfare.
Excerpt: When Christ died, we died with him. When Christ arose, we arose with him. When Christ was seated at the right hand of the Father, we were seated with him. In other words, we were made to function in union with Christ. You are not fighting for victory—you are fighting from victory. This battle has already been won.
Download Here:— VICTORY IN SPIRITUAL WARFARE
12. Finishing Strong (Steve Farrar)
It’s one thing to start the Spiritual journey. It’s another to continue and finish. Starting this heart-stirring book, Steve shares some life stories that made my heart bleed… and drew tears from my eyes.
May you draw practical biblical wisdom and keys that will help you FINISH WELL.
And you will. We will.
Excerpt: The very gates of hell cannot make us stumble unless we choose to remove ourselves from His protection and power.
Download Here:— FINISHING STRONG
I’m sure lessons from this book will shape your spiritual life.
Before you run off to grab these books and read, here is one more advice from Charles Spurgeon:
“Master those books you have. Read them thoroughly. Bathe in them until they saturate you. Read and reread them… digest them. Let them go into your very self. Peruse a good book several times and make notes and analyses of it. A student will find that his mental constitution is more affected by one book thoroughly mastered than by twenty books he has merely skimmed. Little learning and much pride comes from hasty reading. Some men are disabled from thinking by their putting meditation away for the sake of much reading. In reading let your motto be ‘much not many.’”
Have you read any of these books? Share your lessons with us!
Which other books influenced your spiritual growth? We would love to read them too.
