Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist [Paperback]

John Piper (Author)

Book Description

Release date: April 17, 2003

Scripture reveals that the great business of life is to glorify God by enjoying Him forever. In this paradigm-shattering classic, newly revised and expanded, John Piper reveals that the debate between duty and delight doesn't truly exist: Delight is our duty. Readers will embark on a dramatically different and joyful experience of their faith

The pursuit of pleasure is not optional. It is essential.

Scripture reveals that the great business of life is to glorify God by enjoying Him forever. In this paradigm-shattering work, John Piper reveals that the debate between duty and delight doesn’t truly exist: Delight is our duty. Join him as he unveils stunning, life-impacting truths you saw in the Bible but never dared to believe.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Mind-hammering and heart-warming." – Os Guiness

"A must read for every Christian and a feast for the spiritually hungry." – John MacArthur --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 358 pages
• Publisher: Multnomah Books; Revised and Expanded edition (April 17, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1590521196
• ISBN-13: 978-1590521199
• Product Dimensions: 5.9 x 1.1 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (295 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #167,925 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

John Piper is the Pastor for Preaching at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He grew up in Greenville, South Carolina, and studied at Wheaton College, where he first sensed God's call to enter the ministry. He went on to earn degrees from Fuller Theological Seminary (B.D.) and the University of Munich (D.theol.). For six years he taught Biblical Studies at Bethel College in St. Paul, Minnesota, and in 1980 accepted the call to serve as pastor at Bethlehem. John is the author of more than 30 books, including Sex and the Supremacy of Christ, Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, What Jesus Demands from the World, and Don't Waste Your Life.

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#46 in Books > Religion & Spirituality

#46 in Books > Religion & Spirituality

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

72 of 75 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Read one of the best books in Chrisitan thought today! April 16, 1997

By A Customer

Format:Paperback

John Piper's God-exalting book is one of the most stimulating and engaging books that I have ever read. The chief end of man, Piper writes, is to glorify God by enjoying him forever. He expands on this by repeatedly teaching us that God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him. God gets the glory, we get the pleasure and happiness. In other words, God's desire to be glorified and my desire for lasting peace, happiness, joy, and satisfaction are not at odds with each other, but are one and the same goal.
Reading this book will take you through a whirlwind tour of God-centered Christianity by a careful and very wise guide. Piper shows how a Christian Hedonist uses her money, loves his neighbor, worships his God, and seeks to have others join in worship by exalting God in missions and rejoicing in suffering. Using our sword (the Word) and empowered by prayer, we can be obedient in this battle.
This book could reawaken countless numbers of Christians to exalt God for who he is, and is even recommended for the non-Christian who believes that this particular faith is a usual, boring one. It is no exagerration to state that this book will point one to the fountain of joy: God Himself. Therefore, I would recommend this to all who are Christian Hedonists and all who desire to become one!

40 of 42 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars "Desiring God" refreshed my soul and reshaped my faith. October 30, 2001

By Hephzibah

Format:Paperback

This is my testimony on how Dr. John Piper's "Desiring God" has transformed my life and strengthened my walk in the Lord with it's God-centered, God-glorifying good news.

I am a 6.5-year-old Christian. In the first 4 years, I thought I was "working" very hard in serving the Lord "with ALL my heart, with ALL my soul, with ALL my mind, and with ALL my strength (Mk. 12:30)", till the point that I felt almost "used up, burnt out, and dried up". Seeing me struggled, an accountable friend of mine kept mentioning this name "John Piper" and his God-anointed insights and perspectives to me for about 1.5 years! Yet, I paid little attention, and my heart and ears were not tuned to accept this help from God. It was not until one day, when I sunk in Dr. Piper's "Desiring God" and a few other books of his about one year ago that my entire life was transformed.

After reading "Desiring God", dramatic changes happened: my spiritual eyes were opened when I read God's word, so that I can feel the author of Ps.119's passion and hunger for God's word, and would join Jeremiah to say, "When Your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart's delight, for I bear Your name, O Lord God Almighty. (Jer. 15:16)"; leading Bible studies is not any more a mere "duty" for me, but a deep "delight"; when I pray for others, I realize that I am able to "weep with those who weep with an unshakeable joy"; there are still troubles and sufferings in my life, but "sorrowful, yet always rejoicing (2 Cor. 6:10)" becomes one of the most frequently-recalled, hope-given life verses of mine, etc.

Although I once wished I could have come across this book years ago, I later realized that back then, I was not mature enough (both spiritual-wise and language-wise) to take in, appreciate, and then be changed by what Dr. Piper presented in this book. Now I think I owe a big "THANK YOU" to my friend who introduced Dr. Piper's works to me; to Dr. John Piper, who passionately and clearly presented his "God-centered, Christ-exalting, Spirit-wrought, Bible-saturated", sound, biblical doctrine in a very practical way; and to God who granted me understanding and made all these things happened.

Dear brothers and sisters, many of my friends are Desiring more of GOD daily since I shared this book with them. Pray that you'll be the next one to be blessed. Be ready to be challenged by the author, changed by God, and called to "Spread a passion for the supremacy of God in all things for the joy of all peoples". You will think deeply and differently, but rightly on what you believe. "GOD is most glorified when we are most satisfied IN HIM."

Growing (with you) in the family of our Father.

P.S.
Both "Desiring God" and Dr. John Piper's other fundamental masterpiece, "The Pleasures of God", are rated 5 stars by DiscerningReader.com, and both are labeled as "A 20th Century classic!"

98 of 112 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The most life-changing book I have ever read May 23, 2000

By Brian G Hedges

Format:Paperback

The Bible aside, this is the most life-changing book that I have ever read. If I could bump it up to six stars, instead of five, I would! John Piper has done the Christian community a great service by focusing a Biblical lense on the whole concept of Christian motivation. And what he so eloquently reveals is that the key to it all is delight - not duty - because delight IS our duty! The concepts of "Christian Hedonism" are hammered out with iron-clad logic and lyrical prose. Piper is both a poet and a scholar and both his clear thinking and his deep feeling about a God-centered God who delights to be the delight of His people come through. His chapter on The Happiness of God is worth its weight in gold. His reflections on conversion are very helpful in our day of easy-believism and seeker-oriented evangelism that produces decisions, but not conversions. The reflections on worship are absolutely paradigm-shifting, and the application chapters on Scripture, prayer, money, marriage, missions, and suffering all provide a biblical compass to give direction to the hungry-hearted disciple. After reading this book three times, I am still getting help from it, and I recommend it whole-heartedly to all who dare risk considering "the meditations of a Christian Hedonist!"