Desiring God: FREE Audiobook

“Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you.” -Psalm 63:3

Six years ago (when I was still cool and a fairly new Christian) a friend gave me a copy of John Piper’s Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist. Just a few pages in, and the book became an instant favorite. It is a must-read book on living for and delighting in our greatest treasure:

GOD.

Sucker-punching your heart with timeless truths from Scripture, Dr. John Piper unpacks the theme statement that “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him” and boldly dares you to seek your maximum joy—in God.

THIS MONTH ONLY, you can download the entire audiobook for free at Christianaudio.com

Yup… FREE.

Christianaudio.com, you have done it again.

Of First Importance…

“If there’s anything in life that we should be passionate about, it’s the gospel. And I don’t mean passionate only about sharing it with others. I mean passionate about thinking about it, dwelling on it, rejoicing in it, allowing it to color the way we look at the world. Only one thing can be of first importance to each of us. And only the gospel ought to be.”

–C. J. Mahaney, from The Cross-Centered Life

Top-Down Theology

Pastor Mark Driscoll on maintaining a “Top-Down theology”…

Click On These [10/28]

I haven’t done one of these in a while. Here are a few clickable items that I’ve found recently on the blogosphere. They are worth your time.

Mark Dodd On Cheapening Grace vs. Celebrating It
Romans 8:28 states that “God works all things for the good of those who love Him.” This widely known verse has the tendency to be misused time and time again. My good friend Mark Dodd considers its biblical context. Read it.

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“Here I Stand” – Martin Luther Is Downloadable
April 18, 1521, was a huge turning point in Christian history, to say the very least. On this day, Martin Luther the great reformer of the Christian faith, stood before Roman officials and appealed in defense of the biblical gospel of grace that was under attack by the “Church” of his day. The famous speech he delivered, Here I Stand, marked the beginning of the Reformation… when the gospel of grace through Christ alone was rekindled by God throughout the land. You can download an audio re-enactment FREE until November 1st. Read my Luther mini-bio here.

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John Piper on God’s Sovereignty, Our Responsibility, and Studying Scripture
Both a sobering defense of a God who is sovereign and an encouragement to faithfully exercise our human responsibility– and all because He is a faithful God who completes every good work he began in his children. You will be humbled to trust and encouraged to act.

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ESV Study Bible Preview
I don’t know how long this website has been live; I’ve only been aware of it for a day. Lately, some people have asked me if I recommend a particular study bible (including one friend who’s a curious atheist… how rad is that?) Well, this is it :) Click on the link above to preview some of the rad features of the ESV Study Bible, along with publisher Crossway’s goal and vision for it. Highly recommended–hands down.

A Pastor and an Atheist Collide

FINALLY.

Tomorrow marks the release of Collision – the long-awaited documentary/debate between Reformed evangelical Pastor Doug Wilson and well-known atheist/author Christopher Hitchens.

Hitchens, who prefers the label “anti-theist” is known for his strong assertions that religion and Christianity are “bad for the world.” He, along with fellow atheists Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris and Daniel Dennett have often been referred to as “The Four Horsemen”. He is the best-selling author of the book “God Is Not Great.”

Wilson is the pastor of Christ Church in Moscow, Idaho, editor of Credenda/Agenda magazine, and a faculty member at New Saint Andrew’s College. A prolific writer and editor, he has also authored a few books himself, including Letter from a Christian Citizen, Reforming Marriage and Heaven Misplaced: Christ’s Kingdom on Earth.

(from the website…)

COLLISION carves a new path in documentary film-making as it pits leading atheist, political journalist and bestselling author Christopher Hitchens against fellow author, satirist and evangelical theologian Douglas Wilson, as they go on the road to exchange blows over the question: “Is Christianity Good for the World?”. The two contrarians laugh, confide and argue, in public and in private, as they journey through three cities. And the film captures it all. The result is a magnetic conflict, a character-driven narrative that sparkles cinematically with a perfect match of arresting personalities and intellectual rivalry. COLLISION is directed by prolific independent filmmaker Darren Doane.

CHECK OUT THE TRAILER… looks good.

Global Warming Protest

bahahahahahahahaha

HT:  @challies (Tim Challies)

For L(OC)als Only… PHIL WICKHAM tonight!

Phil Wickham is playing tonight in San Juan Capistrano, promoting the upcoming release of his new album, Heaven & Earth (out November 17).

Perhaps I’ll see some of you there…

A couple videos to whet the appetite:

True Love (from the 2007 album Cannons):

Heaven (from the upcoming album Heaven & Earth):

Your Highest Treasure

“I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” (Philippians 3:8)

Watch this:

Click On These [10/7]

Tim Challies interviews Desiring God Ministries
Continuing his Meet the Ministries interview series, Challies interviews Matt Perman, a director at Desiring God. For those unfamiliar with them, Desiring God’s mission statement is “to spread a passion for the supremacy of God in all things for the joy of all peoples through Jesus Christ.” Most notable for me: at the end of the interview Perman recommends these four resources, among others:

• The message “Let Your Passion be Single.”
• The message “Doing Missions When Dying is Gain.”
• The article “The Goal of God’s Love May Not be What You Think.”
• The sermon “Sustained by Sovereign Grace – Forever“—especially for those who are going through difficult times.

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Dr. Albert Mohler on the Biblical Marks of Manhood

While web-surfing the Rebelution website (the ministry, not the reggae band), I ran across a very insightful article by Al Mohler, written a few years ago, on the functional realities of biblical manhood. He provides a solid list, suggesting there are 13 marks that define the biblical man—every dude should aim to achieve these. And ladies, email this link to the young men in your life.

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Matt Chandler on Walking with Jesus

Matt Chandler, lead pastor of Highland Village Church near Dallas, TX, is interviewed regarding his personal walk with Jesus. He provides good wisdom on both feeding and watching your spiritual affections.

Four Letters and a Punctuation Mark That Bug

A question that bothers me: What Would Jesus Do?

Remember all the “WWJD?” paraphernalia from the 90’s? Yeah, you do. The key chains… bracelets… necklaces… bumper stickers… license plates… Who hasn’t seen the popular acronym before? I couldn’t help but laugh when a few days ago I stumbled upon the old “WWJD?” key chain that faithfully held my first car key during my sophomore year in high school. What made this especially funny to me is that I wasn’t even a Christian then. I thought I was a Christian (but only by default, since I went to a Christian church); however, it would be another few years til I truly knew the gospel and came to that radical saving faith in Christ.

So, with key chain in hand, I asked myself: what was it that inclined an unbelieving Chris Poblete to dig the “WWJD?” phrase at the time? Perhaps it was an attractive ideology to live by?

That’s when I realized that, though totally well-intentioned, “WWJD?” was the wrong question to be asking myself.

I don’t think it’s a bad question… not at all. However, it does miss the point. Hugely. “What would Jesus do?” sells Jesus Christ as an ideology… and idea for how to make good decisions for living a proper life. It sells us short of knowing the Gospel. He becomes our friendship model, our self-help mantra, our ‘5 steps to a better marriage’ and our ‘10 steps to worry-free living.’

But Jesus came to bring the Gospel.

And the Gospel is good news… not good advice.

Now that I’m saved, I understand that God did not send his Son to teach me the right things to do in this life…

Jesus didn’t come to make me more religious and spiritual. He didn’t come so that I would be overcome by emotional religious piety and experiences. He didn’t come so that I would vote for family values and lowered taxes. He didn’t come so that I would passionately serve in the latest cause, raising awareness for health pandemics and social injustices. He didn’t come so that I might be encouraged to drive a bag of collected plastic bottles to the recycling center in my Toyota Prius because God cares about his Earth. He didn’t come to teach me to be accepting and open-minded to everyone else, everywhere and no matter what (unless they are not as “open-minded” as I am). He didn’t come to make me a better people person with a charming smile, a good handshake and polite manners.

Definitely not saying that these are all bad (though some are), but he didn’t come because I needed the perfect example on how to do good “Jesus-things”.

He came because I needed a Savior.

You see, the Jesus Christ we need is the Great Reedemer–the Savior King. This King of Kings showed God’s own love for us by leaving his great throne in heaven to live a life that we were supposed to have lived, die a death that we are otherwise condemned to die, and rise victoriously from the grave in triumphant victory over sin, satan and death. He came to free us! He absorbed the wrath of God and ushers us not into a life of reconditioned morals, but rather, into a life marked by God’s irresistible grace, the forgiveness of sins, and the free gift of salvation.

That’s what Jesus did.

“… he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed” -Isaiah 53:5

“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God” -1 Peter 3:18

This is a message worth sharing. It’s a life that he provides–a NEW life–not a lifestyle. It’s a Gospel that saves. And thus the new question we should be asking:

What DID Jesus Do?

… let us ask and remind ourselves daily.