Hi Stephen,I am so glad you do bring this up to us all here and having been caught up in a lot of spurious things early on I would have a bit of a different slant. Without a doubt the wisdom given is first and foremost yet I would add the same blessed help I received when I was in a state of confusion over who to believe and what to read, sensing that somebody must have a better idea of what all entails this life.A dear lady pointed me back to the classics and the difference was profound, compared to what is passing for a lot of Christian thought in our day.Part of why I believe this is helpful is that many of these books have stood the test of time. Truth never changes, it is just ourselves and the generation we are living in that do, in that sense they can never be 'dated' as they speak to our condition more so than what is contemporary at the time.With that also comes some discernment and found a lot of that both in what I believe the Holy Spirit would have me to grapple with in any given moment of time and just as well there are books that are beyond us depending on our level of understanding, where 'our heads are at.'Though we can be clever in our reasoning to read only things that 'fit', that are instantly agreeable, there is just as well books that will challenge us and that we shouldn't resist because of that.Which leads me to ask you all how I should be reading these books - not at all, with very much caution or with an open mind? One thing I will be doing is to continue praying as I read - as I realize that this is about more than just an intellectual understanding - this is a life or death spiritual understanding that can only be given by God.The ones you mentioned... would agree with Karl there, and you already have discerned the issues by mentioning the "liberal" aspect, certainly both of these are dangerous heretical teachings.In this case "Not at all". My own tendencies though faulty are to be more on the skeptical side most of the time (something likely ingrained in me by my father). Would like to think it has developed more into a defensive posture only in approaching things with an open mind, yet always with the backdrop of "is this in scripture, is that really true?" It is not to forceful to state that we must be good Bereans, no matter who it is we are reading.Personally there are many that I could recommend and many that have been recommended by the saints here that have developed and broadened my own understanding and still continue to. These 'classics' have actually had the opposite effect often times of what I might have suspected, that it might become a feeding on as Max Lucado put it, "pre-digested food" (that has always stayed with me, that line) but it really has caused me to dig more into the scriptures in a variety of ways. Some things you want to check on first hand, others lead to more thought that I think even the authors may never had intended and will send one digging.It must be biblical, not as building on a book, but in just so far as the Bible is regarded not as a record of doctrines or history to be authoritatively accepted, but as a book of honest testimony to experience. Its supreme value lies just here. For the testimony of another is our chief road to enlargement of life. Most of all, it is through such simple, honest witness that the New Testament puts us face to face with the redeeming personality of Christ. Whatever our theories about the Bible, it is not as compelling authority, but as simple, honest witness that the New Testament brings us emancipating power.Henry Churchill King Think this sentiment can carry across our reading as well. So Stephen I hope you do take a look around here, there is just a wealth of resources, articles, sermons, that cut across denominational lines and some battle worn saints that have a great deal of input here in this forum.Without bogging down with too many recommendations, perhaps a glance through this thread might be of some help:The top 3 books that have influenced your life (other then the bible) Note the ones that are often repeated. I think it would be fair to state this one in particular comes up often enough and was for myself a great turning after where I had previously been feeding.A.W. Tozer "The Knowledge of the Holy"Believe there is an online version around somewhere.But as a corollary, this was also a very important book personally:The Pursuit of God by A. W. Tozer
