Product Description

This follow-up to the popular A Godward Life is made up of 120 daily meditations that are solid meat and sweet milk from God's Word. They will brace the mind with truth and nourish the heart with God's sovereign grace. Their aim is to spread a passion for the supremacy of God in all things for the joy of all peoples. Readers will discover not only why, but how to more fully delight in the Lord in John Piper's life-changing devotional.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #437860 in Books
• Published on: 1999-10-12
• Released on: 1999-10-12
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 400 pages

About the Author
John Piper, pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis since 1980, is the author of The Dangerous Duty of Delight, Desiring God, Future Grace, A Godward Life, and The Pleasures of God. He received his doctorate in theology from the University of Munich and taught biblical studies for six years at Bethel College, St. Paul, before becoming a pastor. He and his wife, Noel, have four sons and one daughter.

Customer Reviews

A Strong Variety of Meat
Here is a collection of John Piper's thoughts on a garden variety of topics; from doctrines, church, prayer, personal resolutions, family, teenager, Christian biography, history, and mission to abortion, lottery, government, and education. Among other things that are touched upon briefly, I noticed there is quite an extensive coverage on abortion where strong, compelling, reasonable, logical, compassionate pro-life arguments are brought up and yet met with a headstrong opposition (read for example, his jail conversation with a pro-choice proponent) that clings on seemingly nothing else but the idolized human free-will which is why embracing the doctrine of autonomous self is so devastating, but is sadly endorsed by many Christians. I have never seen a preacher engaging cultures in so many different fronts relentlessly like Pastor John; not only through preaching, but also through actions. If this book is to be used as a devotional set, it would be a highly beneficial one that challenges the readers with self-examining, heart-searching, culture-impacting, and most importantly Godward thoughts, as the title suggests.

Lively, interesting reading
This book examines Jonathan Edwards life with a lot of personal details, and yet, also examines his thinking. It is informative, and provocative at times. Great to read!!!

A Word of Warning About Piper's Emphasis
This is a general comment on Piper's books. I deeply appreciate the work of John Piper--especially his emphasis on missions and on living God-centered, Christ-exalting lives of worship. And I am Augustinian, so I love Piper's theology and am thrilled that he has become so popular. But I do want to provide a warning. Piper's main emphasis is (and you'll read this over and over again) "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied (or delighted) in Him." This is a biblical and wonderful proposition that Piper became aware of through the writings of Jonathan Edwards. And to Edwards, this was one small part of his theology.

But Piper has taken this idea, which he calls "Christian Hedonism," and built his whole life and ministry around it. The problem is that if you read enough Piper, you will begin to focus on the FEELING of being delighted in Christ, rather than on Christ Himself. And when your feelings don't match what you want them to be, you will become disheartened. (And let's face it, few of us have the emotional intensity of John Piper.) At that point, your feelings (of being delighted in God) become the object of your desires and, thus, an idol. Yes, they are feelings TOWARD God--but those feelings are NOT GOD. And when the focus of your life has become your emotions, it has deceptively become an idol.

I know Piper fights against this tendency. But I'm afraid he is often unsuccessful. The fact is, the Christian life is not going to be one of unending joy in God. Read the Psalms to see how often the psalmists cry out in agony and desperation and sadness to the Lord. Read Romans 7 to find out how tough and discouraging the Christian life can really be.

According to Piper, our happiness in God should be the driving motivation in our life. But when Christians are inevitably not overflowing with delight in God, then under Piper's framework, the only solution is to seek that feeling of joy rather than just do our duty. There are times when duty and obligation (which Piper hates) are the only motivations for the Christian to be obedient and live a life of faith. I agree wholeheartedly with Piper that delight in God is a much better motivation for the Christian than duty. But when that delight is not there, we still must be faithful and obedient, and we can't always wait on our feelings to drive us on toward the prize.

Read Piper's books. And enjoy his passionate and Christ-exalting preaching. But beware and repent when your emotions--rather than the Triune God Himself--become the focus of your life.