Desiring God

Meditations of a Christian Hedonist
by John Piper

The title of this work may raise red flags with those of a more pious bent. However, Piper, who openly credits (after Jesus and St. Paul) Jonathan Edwards and C.S. Lewis for his inspiration, maintains that it is our duty to delight and be happy in God. This thoughtful work on the joy and happiness inherent in our relationship with God is ably read by Grover Gardner. His resonant voice is deliberate in delivery; it is a careful and thoughtful presentation by one who considers his words well. This carefulness is by no means an indication of a boring recitation. This is an expression of joy, reverent joy, from the heart.

When I Don't Desire God

How to Fight For Joy
by John Piper

For over twenty-five years John Piper has trumpeted the truth that “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him.” He calls it Christian Hedonism. The problem is that many people, after being persuaded, find that this truth is both liberating and devastating.

It’s liberating because it endorses our inborn desire for joy. And it’s devastating because it reveals that we don’t desire God the way we should. What do you do when you discover the good news that God wants you to be content in him, but then find that you aren’t?

If joy in God were merely the icing on the cake of Christian commitment, this book would be insignificant. But Piper argues that joy is so much more. Our being satisfied in God is necessary to show God’s worthiness and to sustain sacrifices of love.

Jesus endured the cross for the joy that was set before him. He tasted it. It sustained him through the deepest suffering. His Father was glorified. His people were saved. That is what joy in God does.

The absolutely urgent question becomes: What can I do if I don’t have it? With a pastor’s heart and with radical passion for the glory of Christ, John Piper helps you answer that question.

Battling Unbelief

Defeating Sin with Superior Pleasure
by John Piper

John Piper has had a lifelong passion for bringing the truths of the Gospel to those desiring a deeper, more abundant experience with God. However, this compilation of the application chapters of his 2005 work, FUTURE GRACE, might be more accessible in print, as the topics could be perused individually when the reader becomes so inclined, not impelled through each in turn. Rob Lamont's rich, friendly baritone embraces some of the text well but doesn't fully engage the listener during the more abstract chapters. While a full presentation of the work would most likely be better integrated, the tracks here are short, so there is no convenient way to access pertinent portions of the text.

When the Darkness Will Not Lift

Doing What We Can While We Wait for God--and Joy
by John Piper

Even the most faithful, focused Christians can encounter periods of depression and spiritual darkness when joy seems to stay just out of reach. It can happen because of sin, satanic assault, distressing circumstances, or hereditary and other physical causes. In When the Darkness Will Not Lift, John Piper aims to give some comfort and guidance to those experiencing spiritual darkness.

Readers will gain insight into the physical side of depression and spiritual darkness, what it means to wait on the Lord in a time of darkness, how unconfessed sin can clog our joy, and how to minister to others who are living without light. Piper uses real-life examples and sensitive narrative to show readers abundant reason to hope that God will pull them out of the pit of despair and into the light once again.

 
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