John Piper's short biography on William Wilberforce is available January 29 as a softcover book and immediately as a free PDF. Speaking of Wilberforce, Piper notes: "He believed with all his heart that new affections for God were the key to new morals (or manners, as they were sometimes called) and lasting political reformation. And these new affections and this reformation did not come from mere ethical systems. They came from what he called the "peculiar doctrines" of Christianity. For Wilberforce, practical deeds were born in "peculiar doctrines." By that term he simply meant the central … [Read more...] about William Wilberforce – book by John Piper
Theology
Response to Peter Masters’ Critique of Desiring God
One of the courses in The Bethlehem Institute is called Practical Theology: The Pursuit of God in All of Life. It consists of a series of seminars by Pastor John Piper on the following topics: Future Grace; Why We Believe the Bible; TULIP; Sexual Complementarity; Biblical Eldership; Desiring God; Corporate Worship; Prayer, Meditation and Fasting; and Suffering. On some of these topics, Piper has written full-length books for a mainstream audience. On others, he has only written shorter booklets available at Bethlehem Baptist Church via Desiring God ministries.For each of these seminars, … [Read more...] about Response to Peter Masters’ Critique of Desiring God
The Folly of Evil
This year I am listening to and reading the Bible with The One Year ESV Bible. This morning I was struck with the description of the fruit of the wicked in Psalm 7:14-16: "Behold, the wicked man conceives evil and is pregnant with mischief and gives birth to lies. He makes a pit, digging it out, and falls into the hole that he has made. His mischief returns upon his own head, and on his own skull his violence descends." Surely he did not intend to fall in the hole that he made, but the pursuit of pleasure in sin always reaps far more pain than originally anticipated. From a short-term … [Read more...] about The Folly of Evil
When The Darkness Will Not Lift – John Piper
John Piper recently published a 79-page book entitled When the Darkness Will Not Lift: Doing What We Can While We Wait for God -- and Joy. The book began as the final chapter of a 272-page book, When I Don't Desire God: How to Fight for Joy. The Introduction talks about the doctrine of justification by faith alone, and how it relates to our fight for joy. Chaper 1 then discusses various physical causes of spiritual darkness and depression, and to what extent the use of medication might be appropriate. Chapter 2 is about waiting in a time of darkness for what can seem an unbearable amount … [Read more...] about When The Darkness Will Not Lift – John Piper
Numbering our Days
Psalm 90 repays a slow reading at the turning of a year: "The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away. Who considers the power of your anger, and your wrath according to the fear of you? So teach us to number our days, that we may get a heart of wisdom." (Ps. 90:10-12) Josh Harris begins a series of posts on 4 qualities of the “heart of wisdom” we should seek to cultivate (v.12). … [Read more...] about Numbering our Days
Pat Robertson predicts “mass killing” in late 2007
Pat Robertson is at it again, making predictions with an authoritative facade of "the Lord told me." How embarrassing to Christians everywhere! VIRGINIA BEACH, Virginia (AP) -- Evangelical broadcaster Pat Robertson said Tuesday that God has told him that a terrorist attack on the United States would cause a "mass killing" late in 2007. … [Read more...] about Pat Robertson predicts “mass killing” in late 2007