The Reverend Andrew Murray Devotional Reader presents longer devotional and reader quality readings from more than 275 of the most insightful chapters of 31 of this anointed late South African minister’s best-loved classics on the “higher life” in Christ. Longer chapters are divided in two, producing 365 substantive daily readings, averaging two pages or so in length. The readings proceed chronologically across the span of more than fifty-five years of Rev. Murray’s ministry, and capture the very best of his best spiritual insights, systematically, across the full range of his topical emphasis areas. Selected chapters are lightly abridged, and lightly edited—replacing some antiquated words—but never paraphrased, so as to faithfully present Murray’s words and voice. The resulting year with this profoundly distinctive and beloved man of God promises to powerfully help us grasp the “full salvation” that he discovered and then evangelized within the Church to such broad acclaim.
About REV. ANDREW MURRAY
A Christian mystic and evangelical of South Africa’s Dutch Reformed (Presbyterian) Church, and a leading voice in the broader worldwide Higher Life and Holiness movements, Reverend Andrew Murray, D.D., wrote over two hundred books and tracts on what he called the higher, deeper, or more Spirit-filled Christian life. Although he died in 1918, over thirty of Rev. Murray’s devotional-quality classics are still in print in dozens of the world’s languages, and widely read across the Christian spectrum. Tens of thousands of reviews of these classics—found posted on the websites of various internet booksellers—consistently produce five-star ratings, and are typically accompanied by statements that express the profound effect of spiritual force or anointed quality of Rev. Murray’s insights. Mature Christians who read Rev. Murray for the first time often express gratitude to God for having used this humble late minister to make a key difference in their spiritual life, with many even describing a more marked transformation into a much higher, richer life in Christ.
About the Editor and Author
Dr. David Belt, since 2008, has served as Professor, Regional Security and Intelligence Studies, at National Intelligence University in Washington DC—the graduate institution for the seventeen U.S. intelligence agencies. He develops and leads courses, and supervises graduate-level research, in the social analysis of strategic-level security issues in the Broader Middle East and North Africa region, including Turkey and Iran. Previously, David served as Assistant Professor, National Security Studies, National Defense University, Washington DC. In a former naval career, Captain Belt served twenty-six years on active-duty in high-risk operational, combat, and executive leadership positions in the U.S. Navy’s Special Operations Officer community.
A personal note: I was—in the words of Jesus—“born again” at the U.S. Naval Academy in 1981. In the subsequent three decades of frequent military moves, I studied God’s Word, studied theology at seminary, and volunteered in over a dozen churches and eight local and international ministries across the Christian spectrum. Along the way, the Lord blessed my feeble obedience with many memorable faith-building experiences. Yet, throughout, I remained under the conviction that my inner life was somehow lacking—that I was not progressing in the way that God had intended. After 33 years in this strangely unfulfilled spiritual state, God used both a moment of crisis, and Rev. Andrew Murray, to lead me to first believe in, and then to continually experience, the markedly higher, more Spirit-filled Christian life. My aim here is to share it with you.
Andrew Murray (1828 - 1917)
Brother Andrew Murray was a well-known writer/preacher in South Africa who ministered amongst the Dutch Reformed churches. His writings now are widely accepted by modern evangelicals and he is published more than ever in his life-time.Some of his better known books titles are: "Abide In Christ", "Absolute Surrender," and "Humility." His burden for the body of Christ were teachings on the abiding Spirit of Christ in the believer, the life of faith with God daily, and the life of intercession and prayer in the Church.
Andrew Murray was possibly the strongest spokesman of the Philadelphian age to expound the Body's necessity to abide in Christ, like the Apostle John before him.
Murray was born into a family of four children in the then remote Graaff-Reinet region (near the Cape) of South Africa. Educated in Scotland, which was followed by theological studies in Holland, Andrew returned to his native land to work as a missionary and minister. Given the daunting task of ministering to Bloemfontein, a remote region of 50,000 square miles and 12,000 people beyond the Orange River, Murray already began to sense the need to for the "deeper Christian life".
Though successful in preaching and bringing many to Christ, Murray found many of his greatest lessons in the School of Suffering, as will all who follow in the path of obedience.
Andrew Murray was one of four children born to Pastor Andrew, Sr., and Maria Murray. He was raised in what was considered to be the most remote corner of the world - Graaff-Reinet, South Africa. Educated in Scotland and Holland, in 1848 Andrew, Jr., returned to South Africa as a missionary and minister with the Dutch Reformed Church. His first appointment was to Bloemfontein, a territory of nearly 50,000 square miles and 12,000 people.
Andrew and his brother John had been in close contact with a revival movement in Scotland, an evangelical extension of the ongoing Second Great Awakening in America. He prayed for the same sort of awakening for the church in South Africa and wrote, "My prayer is for revival, but I am held back by the increasing sense of my own unfitness for the work. I lament the awful pride and self complacency that have till now ruled my heart. O that I may be more and more a minister of the Spirit." (J. du Plessis, The Life of Andrew Murray)
In 1860, revival did come to the churches of Cape Town, South Africa, and subsequently spread to surrounding towns and villages. Even remote farms and plantations felt the impact as lives were changed. Where once the churches had not been able to find one man ready to be a leader for God, the revival raised up 50 in Murray's Cape Town parish alone. There were more conversions in one month in that parish than in the whole course of its previous history. (Leona Choy, Andrew Murray: Apostle of Abiding Love)
Greatly concerned for the spiritual guidance of new converts and renewed Christians, Andrew Murray wrote over 240 books. His writings reflect his own longing for a deeper life in Christ and his prayer that others would long for and experience that life as well.
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