4 out of 4 stars
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“He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm" (Proverbs 13:20). The words of J. C. Ryle in the book, Thoughts for Young Men are full of wisdom and whoever chooses to follow and walk by them is bound to become wise. They are inspiring, surprisingly practical and thought-provoking, simply put, they are life-changing.
J. C. Ryle starts the book with an appeal to young men not to fall prey to the pleasures of this world but to stand firm in their faith, courageous and undeterred in their pursuit for true holiness. In the first chapter, he gives his reasons for encouraging and urging young men to pursue Christ. In later chapters, he explains clearly the dangers that beset young men, giving them counsel and pivotal rules that will help in their walk of faith.
Even though J. C. Ryle’s message in Thoughts for Young Men was conveyed many years ago, it is refreshingly applicable to today’s generation. In fact, it is actually so well suited for young people today you would think it was written in our current times. The theme of the book was so well put together; I could not help but imagine hearing the words from Ryle himself. His warm, wise and fatherly personality radiates from the book’s pages; it is obvious that seeing young men grow and mature in Christ was important to him.
I found Ryle’s message to be also honest and candid. He avoids flattery at all costs and says it like it is. I liked his honesty and remarkable wisdom which he voiced in a very straight-forward way. He further backs his words with Biblical scriptures which adds to the depth of the message he conveys.
Another great aspect of the book Thoughts for Young Men were the questions following after each chapter. They helped me reflect on what was contained in every chapter and also aided in my application of the content in my everyday life. Additionally, I found them to be a great self-examination tool. The cover was also creative and attractive. Additionally, the book was well-edited and skillfully organized. On grammar, I identified only one grammatical error. Given all the great features of this book, I rate it 4 out of 4 stars.
It is, by all means, a must-read for all men who are after God’s own heart. The book contains words of life founded on Scriptures from the Bible. The reader will not read Thoughts for Young Men by J. C. Ryle and remain the same.
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Thoughts for Young Men
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