Sermons & Devotionals by Classic Devotionals

Excerpts from 'Devotional Classics' edited by Richard Foster and James Bryan Smith Benedict of Nursia (480-543) Introduction to the Author Christianity became the official state religion early in the 4th century and with this new status began an unfortunate secularization of the Church. When the Chr... Read More

Excerpts from 'Devotional Classics' edited by Richard Foster and James Bryan Smith Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153) Introduction to the Author Bernard of Clairvaux was one of the greatest leaders in the history of the Church. He was an eloquent speaker and considered by many to be one of the holiest... Read More

Excerpts from 'Devotional Classics' edited by Richard Foster and James Bryan Smith Brother Lawrence (1611-1691) Introduction to the Author Born to a poor family in Lorraine, France, Nicholas Herman (later known as 'Brother Lawrence') grew up to become a soldier and a household servant. He never rece... Read More

Excerpts from 'Devotional Classics' edited by Richard Foster and James Bryan Smith C.S. Lewis (1900-1963) 1. How much of myself must I give? This is the question we all ask when we first come to Christ. This is the 'ordinary self' talking. The 'natural' person we are asks how to preserve life as we ... Read More

Excerpts from 'Devotional Classics' edited by Richard Foster and James Bryan Smith Catherine of Genoa (1447-1510) Introduction to the Author Catherine was born into a prominent religious family; her father was the viceroy of Naples and two of his family had been popes. In 1463 she married Guiliano A... Read More

Excerpts from 'Devotional Classics' edited by Richard Foster and James Bryan Smith Dallas Willard (1935-) Introduction to the Author Dallas Willard was born in Buffalo, Missouri in 1935. He has taught philosophy at the University of Wisconsin and the University of Southern California (current positi... Read More

Excerpts from 'Devotional Classics' edited by Richard Foster and James Bryan Smith Deitrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945) Introduction to the Author Bonhoeffer was born into a family of seven children in Breslau, Germany. He grew up in Berlin, where his father worked as a physician. His boyhood friends inc... Read More

Excerpts from 'Devotional Classics' edited by Richard Foster and James Bryan Smith Douglas V. Steere (1901- ) Introduction to the Author Douglas Steere was educated at Michigan St, Harvard and Oxford in the early 1900's. A Rhodes scholar, brilliant thinker and skilled author of many fine devotional ... Read More

Excerpts from 'Devotional Classics' edited by Richard Foster and James Bryan Smith E. Stanley Jones (1884-1973) Introduction to the Author E. Stanley Jones devoted his life to the subject of Conversion. He was one of the best known missionaries and religious writers in the first half of the 20th cen... Read More

Excerpts from 'Devotional Classics' edited by Richard Foster and James Bryan Smith Evelyn Underhill (1875-1941) Introduction to the Author Few women in the twentieth century have dome more to further our understanding of the devotional life than Evelyn Underhill. Her scholarly research and writing h... Read More

Excerpts from 'Devotional Classics' edited by Richard Foster and James Bryan Smith Francois Fenelon (1651-1715) Introduction to the Author Francois de Salignac de La Mothe Fenelon was a prominent members of the court of Louis XIV, serving as tutor of the duke of Burgundy. A man of high esteem in the... Read More

Excerpts from 'Devotional Classics' edited by Richard Foster and James Bryan Smith Frank Laubach (1884-1970) Introduction to the Author In 1915 Frank Laubach went with his wife to the Philippine Islands as a missionary. After founding churches on the island of Mindanao, he established and became dea... Read More

Excerpts from 'Devotional Classics' edited by Richard Foster and James Bryan Smith Gregory of Nyssa (331-396) Introduction to the Author Gregory of Nyssa was one of the great 'father' of the Church. He lived in the fourth century, a time when the persecution of the Christians was coming to an end. G... Read More

Excerpts from 'Devotional Classics' edited by Richard Foster and James Bryan Smith Henri J. M. Nouwen (1932-) Introduction to the Author Henri Nouwen was born in Nijkerk, Holland and came to the U.S. in 1964. A Roman Catholic priest and psychologist, he has taught at several prestigious universities... Read More

Excerpts from 'Devotional Classics' edited by Richard Foster and James Bryan Smith Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556) Introduction to the Author Ignatius was born in the family castle of Loyola in the Basque country of Spain. His family belonged to a long line of nobility, and Ignatius reflected his ref... Read More

Excerpts from 'Devotional Classics' edited by Richard Foster and James Bryan Smith Isaac Pennington (1617-1680) Introduction to the Author Isaac Pennington was the son of the mayor of London. In 1658 he joined the Society of Friends (Quakers). He was such a zealous follower of Christ and filled with... Read More

Excerpts from 'Devotional Classics' edited by Richard Foster and James Bryan Smith Jean-Pierre de Caussade (1675-1751) Introduction to the Author Little is know about the life of the Jesuit Jean-Poerre de Caussade beyond the bare facts of his career. He was born is Toulouse, France and was ordained ... Read More

Excerpts from 'Devotional Classics' edited by Richard Foster and James Bryan Smith Jeremy Taylor (1613-1667) Introduction to the Author Born and educated in Cambridge, England, Jeremy Taylor soon became famous for his scholarly abilities. He was ordained in 1633 and later became the chaplain of Char... Read More

Excerpts from 'Devotional Classics' edited by Richard Foster and James Bryan Smith John Bunyan (1628-1688) Introduction to the Author John Bunyan was born in the parish of Elston England. His father, like himself, was a poor tinker but he anages to send John to school for a short time. later, John s... Read More

Excerpts from 'Devotional Classics' edited by Richard Foster and James Bryan Smith John Calvin (1509-1564) Introduction to the Author Born in Noyon, France and educated at the University of Paris, John Calvin grew up in an atmosphere of wealth and nobility. His father wanted him to study theology, b... Read More