This devotional was thought-provoking and insightful, as most are. But this one had the unique take in that we got to virtually travel around to the places Jesus spent time in. The descriptions were vivid, and the photographs were helpful. A map would have been very useful. Overall, a recommended read as an introduction for those who've never been to the holy land, and as a trip down memory lane for those who have been there.

30 Days in the Land with Jesus: A Holy Land Devotional, by Charles H. Dyer is a devotional travel guide.

In the Introduction, the author shared, "If you have never visited Israel you might struggle to place these events into their proper historical and geographical context.... But reading our geographical understanding into the Bible can lead to a misunderstanding of the story... I want to guide you in a month-long journey through the land of Israel.... The more you are able to place the events in the life of Jesus into their proper historical and geographical context, the more you will understand the message of the Bible."

Each daily devotion is actually a chapter that features a scripture passage to look up and read, as well as the devotional text and a section titled Walking in Our Land. Plus, there are full-color photographs depicting life in biblical times, such as the Judean Wilderness between Jerusalem and Jericho, Looking toward the cave at Caesarea Philippi, located at the base of Mount Hermon, and Old olive trees in the Garden of Gethsemane.

30 Days in the Land with Jesus, which is geared towards adults, is a one-month devotional travel guide focused on the book of Psalms.

"Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people both now and forevermore." Psalm 125:1-2


Note: I received this book from NetGalley, which is a program designed for bloggers to write book reviews in exchange for books, yet the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

The author, Charlie Dyer, wants his readers to understand the Land of the Bible, Israel, geographically and literally, not as a place like their own towns and cities.
The author goes chronologically through Jesus' life, describing Bethlehem and Nazareth, and revealing that the remoteness of Nazareth was for Jesus' protection from those people like Herod who wanted any threat to their power destroyed.
Jesus grew up in Nazareth, and the word "Netzer" means "branch" or "shoot."
"The netzer is the shoot that grows from the root of the olive tree . . . and it can eventually become another trunk of the tree jutting out from the base.
The word netzer, along with another word for branch, was used by the Old Testament prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Zechariah to refer to the Messiah.
Isaiah wrote, “Then a shoot [netzer] will spring from the stem of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit."
You will visit some of the places that Jesus ministered in, such as the Sea of Galilee, and feel like you are actually there with Jesus and His disciples because you get a detailed description of the places He ministered in.
You will learn why Jesus had to leave the area He was in after John the Baptists death, and find another reason for Him to walk across the Sea of Galilee.
Isn't it interesting that the raising of the widow's son in Nain was only 3 miles from Shunem, where Elijah raised the Shunammite woman's son?
You will feel like the Bible is coming to life when you see where Jesus lived, performed His miracles and died!

This is an excellent devotional. It is a fresh perspective of the Bible. 30 Days in the Land with Jesus is like taking a virtual tour through the several places in the life of Jesus. As someone who has visited the holy lands, it felt like I was transported back for another visit. It was truly inspiring.
What I found fascinating was when Charles Dryer identified locations in the Bible with a significance in the life of Jesus but only vaguely mentioned in the scriptures. For example, one of the devotions covered the location where Jesus performed most of His miracles. (No spoilers in this review. Must read the book to find the answer.)
I was refreshed and inspired as I read this book. And I can’t wait to read the rest of the author’s books. I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest and unbiased review

I greatly enjoyed this devotional! I would love to see a lot more along this line. Each day's reading takes approximately 10-15 minutes to read, and during that time, the reader will be presented with a geological, sociological, or archaeological tidbit about the time when Jesus was on this earth. I learned so much! I will probably never get to visit the Holy Land or attend seminary classes, but this book gave me a taste of both. It's definitely written for the lay person and doesn't get too deep into theology. I enjoyed that, as I'm usually reading my devo in the very early morning hours, usually an hour or so before I really wake up and before my brain is firing on all cylinders. I will probably use this devo with my high schoolers in our morning Bible times.

I gratefully received this book as an eARC from the author, publisher, and NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased review.