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The Pleasures of God: Meditations on God's Delight in Being God
THE SOURCE OF TRUE SATISFACTION.
Isn’t it true—we really don’t know someone until we understand what makes that person happy? And so it is with God!
What does bring delight to the happiest Being in the universe? John Piper writes, that it’s only when we know what makes God glad that we’ll know the greatness of His glory. Therefore, we must comprehend “the pleasures of God.”
Unlike so much of what is written today, this is not a book about us. It is about the One we were made for—God Himself. In this theological masterpiece—chosen by World Magazine as one of the 20th Century’s top 100 books, John Piper reveals the biblical evidence to help us see and savor what the pleasures of God show us about Him. Then we will be able to drink deeply—and satisfyingly—from the only well that offers living water.
What followers of Jesus need now, more than anything else, is to know and love—behold and embrace—the great, glorious, sovereign, happy God of the Bible.
“This is a unique and precious book that everybody should read more than once.”
J.I. PACKER
Regent College, Vancouver, British Columbia
Includes a study guide for individual and small-group use.
Isn’t it true—we really don’t know someone until we understand what makes that person happy? And so it is with God!
What does bring delight to the happiest Being in the universe? John Piper writes, that it’s only when we know what makes God glad that we’ll know the greatness of His glory. Therefore, we must comprehend “the pleasures of God.”
Unlike so much of what is written today, this is not a book about us. It is about the One we were made for—God Himself. In this theological masterpiece—chosen by World Magazine as one of the 20th Century’s top 100 books, John Piper reveals the biblical evidence to help us see and savor what the pleasures of God show us about Him. Then we will be able to drink deeply—and satisfyingly—from the only well that offers living water.
What followers of Jesus need now, more than anything else, is to know and love—behold and embrace—the great, glorious, sovereign, happy God of the Bible.
“This is a unique and precious book that everybody should read more than once.”
J.I. PACKER
Regent College, Vancouver, British Columbia
Includes a study guide for individual and small-group use.
309 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1991
371 people are currently reading
7358 people want to read
About the author
John Piper
609 books4,588 followersJohn Piper is founder and teacher of desiringGod.org and chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary. For 33 years, he served as senior pastor at Bethlehem Baptist Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
He grew up in Greenville, South Carolina, and studied at Wheaton College, 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 50 books and more than 30 years of his preaching and teaching is available free at desiringGod.org. John and his wife, Noel, have four sons, one daughter, and twelve grandchildren.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
He grew up in Greenville, South Carolina, and studied at Wheaton College, 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 50 books and more than 30 years of his preaching and teaching is available free at desiringGod.org. John and his wife, Noel, have four sons, one daughter, and twelve grandchildren.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 253 reviews
March 23, 2024
So many book darts, highlights, and notes. Is it meaty and a little tough to get through at points? Yes. But, it was good for me to work and think through it. I am not sure I could write my current book without having read this one. Truly formative. That last chapter is worth all the time you spend reading up until that point.
May 21, 2012
Saying I have a love-hate relationship with John Piper would be too strong a statement. It's more a love-meh relationship. I love his preaching- heck, I'd be willing to say that in my opinion he's easily the best living preacher. But I've regularly found his books to be, well, meh. Not that they're theologically bad, it's just that they're long and dry and only really work if you read them in his voice in your head, and that gets tiring after a while. So I picked up The Pleasures of God (provided free by the publisher on the condition that I write a review- not necessarily a good one) with no more than moderate expectations. The book lived up to my expectations.
Summary: The Pleasures of God is about just that: what makes God happy? To that end, Piper broke the book into two sections: 1) The pleasure of God in Himself (in Jesus, in His actions, in creation, in His own Glory); 2) the pleasure of God in His people (in election, in justification, in providence, in our prayer, in our obedience).
Analysis: Like pretty much every Piper book I've ever read, it's theologically correct, full of wonderful insights, dry, and about a hundred pages longer than it really needs to be. Also, it is about how God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him.
Who Should Read This Book: People who will likely never pick up Jonathan Edwards. Really, The Pleasures of God is an interpretation of Edwards' theology in The End for which God Created the World. Which is a dense and difficult book that most people will never even start, let alone finish. Even though this book is longer, it's a much easier read and the place to begin if you want to get the gist of Edwards' ideas.
Who Should Not Read This Book: People who've read more than three of Piper's other books, or who've never had any encounter with Piper before. If you've read a good number of Piper's books, you know that he just applies the same theme (God's Glory) to different topics. Which isn't a bad thing, of course. It just means that after a while it gets repetitive. On the other hand, if you've never encountered Piper, his books just aren't the place to start. I recommend getting on his website (www.desiringgod.org) and listening to a few of his sermons. If you enjoy them, pick up the book and give it a read.
Having said all of that, the idea behind the book is a critical one for modern Christianity. Especially in modern America, where our idea of God bounces between a kindly, inept grandfather figure and a buddy who mildly approves of everything we do, Piper's revelation of the Biblical theme that God is ultimately delighted in Himself, rather than in us. So I suppose technically another category of people Who Should Read This Book is that of those modern Americans who've bought into the various lies about God that modern American culture shills to us 24/7...
Overall, this is a worthwhile read, and very useful as a devotional. I recommend reading it with a group and taking advantage of the study guide in the back.
Summary: The Pleasures of God is about just that: what makes God happy? To that end, Piper broke the book into two sections: 1) The pleasure of God in Himself (in Jesus, in His actions, in creation, in His own Glory); 2) the pleasure of God in His people (in election, in justification, in providence, in our prayer, in our obedience).
Analysis: Like pretty much every Piper book I've ever read, it's theologically correct, full of wonderful insights, dry, and about a hundred pages longer than it really needs to be. Also, it is about how God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him.
Who Should Read This Book: People who will likely never pick up Jonathan Edwards. Really, The Pleasures of God is an interpretation of Edwards' theology in The End for which God Created the World. Which is a dense and difficult book that most people will never even start, let alone finish. Even though this book is longer, it's a much easier read and the place to begin if you want to get the gist of Edwards' ideas.
Who Should Not Read This Book: People who've read more than three of Piper's other books, or who've never had any encounter with Piper before. If you've read a good number of Piper's books, you know that he just applies the same theme (God's Glory) to different topics. Which isn't a bad thing, of course. It just means that after a while it gets repetitive. On the other hand, if you've never encountered Piper, his books just aren't the place to start. I recommend getting on his website (www.desiringgod.org) and listening to a few of his sermons. If you enjoy them, pick up the book and give it a read.
Having said all of that, the idea behind the book is a critical one for modern Christianity. Especially in modern America, where our idea of God bounces between a kindly, inept grandfather figure and a buddy who mildly approves of everything we do, Piper's revelation of the Biblical theme that God is ultimately delighted in Himself, rather than in us. So I suppose technically another category of people Who Should Read This Book is that of those modern Americans who've bought into the various lies about God that modern American culture shills to us 24/7...
Overall, this is a worthwhile read, and very useful as a devotional. I recommend reading it with a group and taking advantage of the study guide in the back.
July 29, 2011
My mothers favourite book- she wrote this about it in the flyleaf of a copy sent to friends before she died:
"Other than the Scriptures, no book has brought such sheer delight to my soul as this one. It is not to be consumed in one sitting, but read one delicious section at a time; to be chwed on, ruminated upon before going on to the next juicy morsel!
My hope and prayer is that this book will encourage your heart to delight even more, and cherish with greater passion, the God, who in loving abandon, took upon Himself human flesh.
For our God and His Glory! Love, Susan (Becker) "
"Other than the Scriptures, no book has brought such sheer delight to my soul as this one. It is not to be consumed in one sitting, but read one delicious section at a time; to be chwed on, ruminated upon before going on to the next juicy morsel!
My hope and prayer is that this book will encourage your heart to delight even more, and cherish with greater passion, the God, who in loving abandon, took upon Himself human flesh.
For our God and His Glory! Love, Susan (Becker) "
April 27, 2021
One of the most important books in my life!
July 8, 2025
Classic Piper. Lots of exalted and happy theology, but wordy at times.
Worth a read.
Worth a read.
February 23, 2021
i would recommend this book to anyone.
get to know what makes the heart of God happy.
piper's chapter on obedience was scripture soaked and life-altering.
get to know what makes the heart of God happy.
piper's chapter on obedience was scripture soaked and life-altering.
June 3, 2010
A phenomenal, life-changing book! It clearly deserves it's place in World Magazine's list of the top 100 books of the twentieth century. This is a rich feast for the soul that requires reading slowly and taking plenty of time to chew on, savor, and digest each chapter. More than one reading will be needed to digest all that's here. An excellent follow-up to "Desiring God" by the same author. I look forward to reading "Future Grace", the final book in the "trilogy".
The premise of "The Pleasures of God" is that we can learn about God's character by observing what gives Him pleasure, and as we reflect on this, we can't help but be more conformed to Him. Each of the ten chapters addresses an object of God's love or pleasure, from His Son, to His creation, to doing good for His children. The appendix on the two wills of God is worth the price of the book. Piper's writing is both deeply theological, with clear, careful biblical exposition, and profoundly devotional. He tackles apparently contradictory verses in Scripture that few dare to address with grace and deep insight. The view of God he presents is awe-inspiring, enthralling, and beautiful. He is clearly enraptured with the beauty of God and longs for others to join him.
The premise of "The Pleasures of God" is that we can learn about God's character by observing what gives Him pleasure, and as we reflect on this, we can't help but be more conformed to Him. Each of the ten chapters addresses an object of God's love or pleasure, from His Son, to His creation, to doing good for His children. The appendix on the two wills of God is worth the price of the book. Piper's writing is both deeply theological, with clear, careful biblical exposition, and profoundly devotional. He tackles apparently contradictory verses in Scripture that few dare to address with grace and deep insight. The view of God he presents is awe-inspiring, enthralling, and beautiful. He is clearly enraptured with the beauty of God and longs for others to join him.
March 14, 2021
Wish I knew how important this book was sooner rather than just assuming it was another ubiquitous Piper book. It’s a goldmine of precious truths. I thought Desiring God was the only must must read Piper book but this is the other side of the coin. (This is not to say his other works aren’t good or important, but these two tower above the rest in my estimation.)
June 10, 2025
Definitely a calvinist, so to read this you have to have the presumption of the elect. Although, he does a good job in the appendix making a biblical point about it. So looking back, I would read the appendix first honestly. Other than that, great book that really makes you think.
January 11, 2021
"... God has no need that I could ever be required to satisfy. God has no deficiencies that I might be required to supply. He is complete in Himself. He is overflowing with happiness in the fellowship of the Trinity... And since that is the way God is, we are not surprised to learn from scripture–and our faith is strengthened to hold fast–that the way to please God is to come to Him to get and not to give, to drink and not to water. He is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him."
September 22, 2021
True joy is found in knowing God. I loved slowly going through this and savoring each chapter. My only disappointment is that it wasn't longer. So I will just have to start reading it again. Don't try to read this quickly. Slow down. Meditate on it. Let it sink in. Experience true joy in delighting in what God delights in.
September 19, 2019
In Piper's God series (Desiring God, Hungering for God, Pleasures of God) this is the best. To be fair, Hunger for God is about prayer and fasting not so much a full theological work. POG distills Piper's controversial theology that the Church has slowly come to love and embrace: that God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him. It shows Piper's Calvinism bleed through into the affections of the heart.
Just as a side-note: I have heard many preachers take portions (un-cited) of POG into their sermons when this book first came out. That's a credit to Piper's winsome and passionate appeals. We all wish we could explain God like Piper!
Just as a side-note: I have heard many preachers take portions (un-cited) of POG into their sermons when this book first came out. That's a credit to Piper's winsome and passionate appeals. We all wish we could explain God like Piper!
February 17, 2020
Enjoyable, soul-stirring, absolutely God-centered. From all of Piper's books I've read so far, this is definitely the best (and all of them were really good). The last four chapters were especially powerful and encouraging, melting the heart with the love of God towards us as we hope in him, pray to him, and obey him. I sincerely wish this volume was more well-known.
May 9, 2022
Excellent. Worth reading slowly and meditatively.
God is indeed a happy God who is rightly pleased in His own perfections, namely those seen in His Son Jesus, His works, His creation, His fame, election, the bruising of His Son, doing good to those who hope in Him, the prayers of the upright and obedience.
As one who struggles deeply at times with doubt, the truths expounded in this book give such helpful insight into God’s revelation of Himself as the fountain of living waters who delights to give of Himself to those who see their need for Him. I’m so thankful not just for the truths of this book but for Piper’s pastoral applications. I was incredibly helped by this and highly commend it.
God is indeed a happy God who is rightly pleased in His own perfections, namely those seen in His Son Jesus, His works, His creation, His fame, election, the bruising of His Son, doing good to those who hope in Him, the prayers of the upright and obedience.
As one who struggles deeply at times with doubt, the truths expounded in this book give such helpful insight into God’s revelation of Himself as the fountain of living waters who delights to give of Himself to those who see their need for Him. I’m so thankful not just for the truths of this book but for Piper’s pastoral applications. I was incredibly helped by this and highly commend it.
July 27, 2022
This was refreshing. My favorite Piper book by far. Read it and fight to believe God’s really that good. Amen
February 25, 2025
John Piper is one of my favorite authors and this is one of my favorite Piper books. It is great. I highly recommend it to anyone wishing to know and love God more!
February 19, 2012
Described by the author as "the younger cousin" of his Desiring God, The Pleasures of God is a deep, thoughtful, and rich survey of many of the ways that God finds pleasure in his own works & humanity's as well.
Downsides: Piperishly heavy, focuses in a little TOO much on a few nitty-gritty details of a thought or passage, and carries the same, single overriding theme as most of Piper's works.
Upsides: Pipersihly heavy, focuses on areas & trains of thought that many will not see in a passage, and reiterates the same, single overriding theme that I need to be reminded of more than I am.
I wanted a theological feast to start the year, and I got it. TPOG is worth your time, to be sure - especially if you need a renewed, deeper, more glorious view of your Creator. And especially if within that view you need to be reminded of why he does all he does, as an inspiration and basis for you to do all you do, for him.
Downsides: Piperishly heavy, focuses in a little TOO much on a few nitty-gritty details of a thought or passage, and carries the same, single overriding theme as most of Piper's works.
Upsides: Pipersihly heavy, focuses on areas & trains of thought that many will not see in a passage, and reiterates the same, single overriding theme that I need to be reminded of more than I am.
I wanted a theological feast to start the year, and I got it. TPOG is worth your time, to be sure - especially if you need a renewed, deeper, more glorious view of your Creator. And especially if within that view you need to be reminded of why he does all he does, as an inspiration and basis for you to do all you do, for him.
May 21, 2010
Absolutely excellent! This is a fascinating study of God based on the premise that what someone delights in reveals much about who they are. So, Piper has written a book unlike any other that I've read where he identifies, explores and explains many of the things in which God takes pleasure. D.A. Carson calls The Pleasures of God the most important book Piper has ever written. As a word of warning, the concepts are heavy and the exegesis is thorough, so the book will likely be most enjoyed by highly motivated high school students and up, since it is conceptually and theologically on par with a seminary course.
June 10, 2009
John Piper's books are slow reading for me, not because they are dull but because their subject matter takes time to digest and reflect upon. This book was a spiritually enriching read and an aid to getting to know who God is. And guess what? He is actually quite happy and wants to share his perfections with others so that their happiness will be complete.
January 22, 2016
I have been loving this book, loving God. I don't always agree with Piper, but a respected friend quotes him frequently and I find his articles thoughtful and well-phrased.
I remember my college campus minister preached a stirring sermon once on Ephesians 5:10, "And find out what pleases the LORD." I had found a couple of verses of things that pleased God, but John Piper has found a whole volume of verses on the topic.
I remember when I first brought my husband (then-boyfriend) home to meet my family, my mom was horrified that I hadn't even found out what kind of salad dressing he liked. She made sense to me - for me to find out what kinds of things my beloved liked - and God is even more so our Beloved.
The word that stood out to me in other readings lately was "Rejoice!" That is why John Piper's book on "The Pleasures of God" appealed to me. Sometimes I get tired of studies on being good. Yes, I need to be good. Yes, I try to be good. Yes, I can fail rather miserably. But my hope is in the God Who loves to astound us with His mercy, and that God has captivated my heart, even if sometimes my will power runs low.
Sometimes, I just need to stand in awe of God, and there are not many people writing books like that. John Piper is esoteric and pedantic. Some people would find him dull. Sometimes, I disagree with him or he aggravates me, but this book is food for my soul, because it speaks of the glory of God and does so with string after string of elegant scripture.
I like the Henry Scougal quote from the "Life of God" that Piper included: "The love of God is a delightful and affectionate sense of the divine perfections which makes the soul resign and sacrifice itself wholly unto Him, desiring above all things to please Him, and delighting in nothing so much as in fellowship and communion with Him, and being ready to do or to suffer anything for His sake or at His pleasure."
I like Piper's goal for the book, the verse:
"We all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being changed into His likeness from one degree of glory to another. - 2 Corinthians 3:18. That is, that we will, by gazing at God, become more like Him. That is a completely different approach than the be-good, self-help kinds of sermons.
Chapter 1: The first chapter is about God the Father delighting in His Son. I found it interesting that the key verse for that chapter was the same verse that our church used for the "identity triangle," where God the Father affirmed Jesus at His baptism. "This is my beloved Son with Whom I am well pleased."
Perhaps without even knowing the identity triangle, John Piper destroyed the theology of the identity triangle, which I already found suspicious. It seemed odd to me that the authors of the identity triangle thought we could claim this blessing of Jesus by His Father as our own without any reasoning (such as the cross.) I know that we have always been beloved, even despite our sin (Romans 5:8), but we have not always been well-pleasing to God because of our sin. (Romans 3:11, Romans 3:23) So, I tried to "fix" the identity triangle by drawing a cross on the well-pleased leg of the triangle. Jesus has healed the breach for us with His sacrificial death and that He became our righteousness. (He did the right thing with the right heart when we had not. His righteousness and our sin were swapped. See Romans 5:9)
But, even beyond the issues of righteousness, sin, redemption, and forgiveness, John Piper used verses to show that God the Father was well-pleased with His Son in other ways that are not ours to claim, just as Jesus' deity is not ours to claim. Proverbs 8:27, 30 shows Jesus, as Wisdom, delighting His Father's heart as they co-created. It's absurd to think that we had a part in that, or in other ways as well.
God the Father's delight in Jesus goes beyond what He did for us - and well it should. His delight in Jesus also exceeds His delight in us. Again, that is appropriate. We are not God. We do not have the shared experiences that Jesus had with His Father; we have not done what He has done. We can rest in God's love for us and His value of us without feeling jealous of the Father's affection for Jesus.
Chapter 2: The 2nd chapter was equally as powerful, focusing on the verse:
"Whatever the LORD pleases, He does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps." - Psalm 135:6
This chapter focused on God's pleasure in being both Sovereign and all-powerful, and brought me in awe of Him, of those attributes. It also discussed the conflicting pleasures of God. Like us, God apparently can have mixed emotions.
"Why will you die, O house of Israel? For I do not have pleasure in the death of any one, says the LORD God; so turn and live." - Ezekiel 8:31
In speaking of unrepentant Israel, God said, "And as the LORD took delight in doing you good and multiplying you, so the LORD will take delight in bringing ruin upon you and destroying you." - Deuteronomy 28:63
Piper wrote, "God is not a sadist. He is not malicious or bloodthirsty. Instead, when a rebellious, wicked, unbelieving person is judged, what God delights in is the exaltation of truth and righteousness, and the vindication of his own honor and glory." And, I would add that He delights in freeing the oppressed, in their relief and joy.
Piper also wrote, "Let this be a warning to us. God is not mocked. He is not trapped or cornered or coerced."
Chapter 3: The 3rd chapter was about God's delight in Creation. That one is very easy for me to see. I take pleasure myself in it - and feel a sense of peace in its beauty and a sense of longing for its Author. Even its more frightening aspects are demonstrations of His power.
Chapter 4 was about God's pleasure in honoring His own name. He does much to uphold His reputation in a variety of ways, although not always immediately.
I gave my youngest child my favorite quote from this chapter on God's honor in response to worry over a loved one. The quote was actually John Piper's paraphrase of several Bible verses together. "It was God's good pleasure to join you to Himself in such a way that His name is at stake in your destiny. Or again: it was God's good pleasure to possess you in such a way that what becomes of you reflects upon His name." He is a good shepherd of us, a good father, a good Lord. (Vast understatement.) He is good to us and He wants people to know it. He will take care of us.
I would rather that His motivation would be His love and not His pride in taking good care of us, but I think there's plenty of verses to show that it's actually both. He is like a good father, taking pride in that all his kids have appropriate school clothes, or that they all know how to change a tire or plow a row. It's because He's provided for them well and taught them well - and because He's there for them when they need Him, even if it doesn't look like it at the moment. He takes pride in loving us well and the story is not yet finished.
Chapter 5 is my source of frustration with John Piper: The Pleasures of God in Election. I do think that much glory should be given to God in every aspect of our coming to Him, and that is often overlooked. He created and/or allowed the circumstances that brought us to Him and gave us the right people to be key in our lives at the right time. He even designed our personalities and knew what would resonate with us most. He planned it before time, orchestrated it, brought us to the moment and the moments thereafter. He paid the unfathomable sacrifice on the cross, too. He is in our transformation and our conversion from beginning to end.
My problem with the chapter has more to do with undermining our own role, as small as that may be, to accept, to turn to Him, to strengthen our belief.
I worry about those people who think they don't have faith simply because God hasn't chosen them. I worry that they would turn from Him rather than cry out to Him, "I believe; Help my unbelief." (Mark 9:24)
My hope for those unsaved I love is 2 Peter 3:9, that God doesn't want anyone to perish. I pray that for them, knowing that it is His desire and His will for them, too. John Piper lists that verse, as well as 1 Timothy 2:4 as verses which people bring up against election, but doesn't really counter them. I do like his quote about them, "My aim is to let Scripture stand - to let it teach what it will and not to tell it what it cannot say."
Yes, I do agree that God can have conflicting emotions and be grieved when He judges even while He is glad to be just. But while God can feel compassion for them, I am not sure that we do, if we view them as somehow less because they were not chosen. I am also not sure that many would go to the extremes to reach them if they thought that responsibility entirely God's. God would call them, so why should I bother? (The devil's advocate, there.) I know that John Piper had examples of people alive for God who believed this way and fully engaged in trying to rescue others, but I think that there are plenty of people who believe that way, who don't. That, by the way, isn't necessarily a good test of truth, because people are so fickle and illogical they don't always act on their beliefs.
Piper lists John 10:25-26, where Jesus said, "... you do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep." I would have taken that verse to mean that they don't belong to His sheep - yet, currently - but still may in the future. Many times, people are told more than once in a variety of ways and in a variety of circumstances before they believe. We even think of this as planting seeds.
My personal opinion is that it is both, a paradox and a mystery - vastly more His choice and foreknowledge, but that we actually do play some role in it. Even that is to His glory, not our own. For some reason I can't explain, His choice and ours, for ourselves, always agree.
With Christianity as a whole under attack, I think it is more important to focus on Jesus' cross and resurrection and His saving of us rather than argue about election vs. free will.
I am also curious about John Piper's claim how not believing in election moves people into Unitarianism and Universalism. Yes, he showed how that has sometimes happened, but I don't see the connection or the link.
Chapter 6: The Pleasure of God in Bruising His Son. Very good, very deep, very beautiful gift He gave us.
I think that John Piper has selected my passage to give the middle school students tonight: Romans 3:23-24 "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. They are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus."
Although it is a hard topic, I think that John Piper's quotes are valid.
"The Biblical teaching on the eternity of Hell is inescapable."
"Why then did Christ die, if we make the only atonement that is necessary?"
"It is no act of love to deny the reality of a terrible future which men and women can escape if they know it is coming. And it is no act of love to Christ to reduce His awesome sin-bearing substitution to a model martyrdom."
John Piper talks about the love Jesus had for His Father's glory and about that being one of the motivating factors that He went to the cross. That is so. But there were other reasons as well that have scriptural basis. His love for us. His obedience to the Father.
Chapter 7: The pleasure of God in doing good to all who hope in Him. I love the premise of this chapter, that God loves to show mercy. I have often thought that myself - that we can be safe with Him, even when we've not been acting very lovable, simply because He loves show mercy. How bad we've been is not the point; the depth of His mercy is. And I am grateful.
This chapter includes 2 Chronicles 16:9, "The eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show His might in behalf of those whose heart is whole toward Him." The emphasis here is that our hearts have to be undividedly His.
Some good John Piper quotes:
"God loves to show off His greatness by being an inexhaustible source of strength to build weak people up."
"God is doing everything that needs to be done for you to enjoy His own enjoyment of you."
My favorite part of this chapter, though, was John Piper's comment on Pslam 147:11. That verse says, "...but the LORD takes pleasure in those who fear Him, in those who hope in His steadfast love." Piper compared that to watching a dangerous storm from a safe place and wrote, "But not everything in the feeling called fear vanished from your heart. Only the life-threatening part. There remained the trembling, the awe, the wonder, the feeling that you would never want to tangle with such a storm or be the adversary of such a power."
He also wrote, "Our fear reflects the greatness of His power and our hope reflects the bounty of His grace."
"When You hope in God you show that He is strong and you are weak; that He is rich and you are poor; that He is full and you are empty."
Chapter 8: The Pleasure of God in the Prayers of the Upright. "... but the prayer of the upright is His delight" - Proverbs 15:8
Without understanding that He loves to satisfy our soul-needs as only He can do, and that we just bring our thirst for Him, "... our efforts to please Him will become subtle means of self-exaltation, in end in the oppressive bondage of legalistic strivings."
"Prayer is His delight because prayer shows the reaches of our poverty and the riches of His grace. Prayer is that wonderful transaction where the wealth of God's glory is magnified and the wants of our soul are satisfied. Therefore God delights in the prayers of the upright."
"If our behavior does not glorify God, it is not pleasing to God."
"Let him who serves serve in the strength that God supplies in order that in everything God may get the glory." - 1 Peter 4:11
"This is the man to whom I will look, he that is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word." - Isaiah 66:2
I like all the lists of scripture that Piper gives for praying for lost souls to know Jesus. It is an appropriate time for me to pray for the children in our middle school ministry, (and if you would, reader, take a moment to pray for them as well.)
Prayer "is a wartime walkie-talkie for spiritual warfare, not a domestic intercom fto increase the comforts of the saints. And one of the reasons it malfunctions in the hands of so many Christian soldiers is that they have gone AWOL."
Chapter 9: Obedience. I liked Piper's quote, "obedience to God makes this God-glorifying hope visible and proves that it is real in our lives."
I liked how Piper took the story of Saul's disobedience around 1 Samuel 15:22, and spoke about each of the aspects of disobedience. Then he summarized it with "It puts the fear of man in the place of the fear of God. It elevates pleasure in things above pleasure in God. It seeks a name for itself instead of a name for God. It seeks out additional guidance besides God's, instead of resting in the wisdom of God. And it sets more value on the dictates of self than on the dictates of God and thus attempts to dethrone God by giving allegiance to the idol of the human will."
"Therefore God has great pleasure in obedience. He beams like any father would when His children are courageous because they know their daddy's strong arm is behind them. He takes pleasure in us when our obedience shows that we put our treasure in Him and not the enticements of sin. He delights in the meekness and humility of our submission that loves to make a name for God and not man. He rejoices over the resting of our souls in the sufficiency of His wisdom. And He exults over us with singing when we enthrone His will as more precious than all the ways of the world."
"His commands are only as hard to obey as His promises are hard to believe."
"It is not merely the promises of God that satisfy us. It is all that God Himself is for us."
"Unless God has raised you up for this very thing, you will be worn out by the opposition of men and devils, but if God be for you who can be against you?" - John Wesley
One of the other reviewers stated that this was a perfect book for a middle school ministry to study. I can't imagine our middle school ministry doing anything this deep, or that they would cover so many verses - but I would love it if they did.
I remember my college campus minister preached a stirring sermon once on Ephesians 5:10, "And find out what pleases the LORD." I had found a couple of verses of things that pleased God, but John Piper has found a whole volume of verses on the topic.
I remember when I first brought my husband (then-boyfriend) home to meet my family, my mom was horrified that I hadn't even found out what kind of salad dressing he liked. She made sense to me - for me to find out what kinds of things my beloved liked - and God is even more so our Beloved.
The word that stood out to me in other readings lately was "Rejoice!" That is why John Piper's book on "The Pleasures of God" appealed to me. Sometimes I get tired of studies on being good. Yes, I need to be good. Yes, I try to be good. Yes, I can fail rather miserably. But my hope is in the God Who loves to astound us with His mercy, and that God has captivated my heart, even if sometimes my will power runs low.
Sometimes, I just need to stand in awe of God, and there are not many people writing books like that. John Piper is esoteric and pedantic. Some people would find him dull. Sometimes, I disagree with him or he aggravates me, but this book is food for my soul, because it speaks of the glory of God and does so with string after string of elegant scripture.
I like the Henry Scougal quote from the "Life of God" that Piper included: "The love of God is a delightful and affectionate sense of the divine perfections which makes the soul resign and sacrifice itself wholly unto Him, desiring above all things to please Him, and delighting in nothing so much as in fellowship and communion with Him, and being ready to do or to suffer anything for His sake or at His pleasure."
I like Piper's goal for the book, the verse:
"We all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being changed into His likeness from one degree of glory to another. - 2 Corinthians 3:18. That is, that we will, by gazing at God, become more like Him. That is a completely different approach than the be-good, self-help kinds of sermons.
Chapter 1: The first chapter is about God the Father delighting in His Son. I found it interesting that the key verse for that chapter was the same verse that our church used for the "identity triangle," where God the Father affirmed Jesus at His baptism. "This is my beloved Son with Whom I am well pleased."
Perhaps without even knowing the identity triangle, John Piper destroyed the theology of the identity triangle, which I already found suspicious. It seemed odd to me that the authors of the identity triangle thought we could claim this blessing of Jesus by His Father as our own without any reasoning (such as the cross.) I know that we have always been beloved, even despite our sin (Romans 5:8), but we have not always been well-pleasing to God because of our sin. (Romans 3:11, Romans 3:23) So, I tried to "fix" the identity triangle by drawing a cross on the well-pleased leg of the triangle. Jesus has healed the breach for us with His sacrificial death and that He became our righteousness. (He did the right thing with the right heart when we had not. His righteousness and our sin were swapped. See Romans 5:9)
But, even beyond the issues of righteousness, sin, redemption, and forgiveness, John Piper used verses to show that God the Father was well-pleased with His Son in other ways that are not ours to claim, just as Jesus' deity is not ours to claim. Proverbs 8:27, 30 shows Jesus, as Wisdom, delighting His Father's heart as they co-created. It's absurd to think that we had a part in that, or in other ways as well.
God the Father's delight in Jesus goes beyond what He did for us - and well it should. His delight in Jesus also exceeds His delight in us. Again, that is appropriate. We are not God. We do not have the shared experiences that Jesus had with His Father; we have not done what He has done. We can rest in God's love for us and His value of us without feeling jealous of the Father's affection for Jesus.
Chapter 2: The 2nd chapter was equally as powerful, focusing on the verse:
"Whatever the LORD pleases, He does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps." - Psalm 135:6
This chapter focused on God's pleasure in being both Sovereign and all-powerful, and brought me in awe of Him, of those attributes. It also discussed the conflicting pleasures of God. Like us, God apparently can have mixed emotions.
"Why will you die, O house of Israel? For I do not have pleasure in the death of any one, says the LORD God; so turn and live." - Ezekiel 8:31
In speaking of unrepentant Israel, God said, "And as the LORD took delight in doing you good and multiplying you, so the LORD will take delight in bringing ruin upon you and destroying you." - Deuteronomy 28:63
Piper wrote, "God is not a sadist. He is not malicious or bloodthirsty. Instead, when a rebellious, wicked, unbelieving person is judged, what God delights in is the exaltation of truth and righteousness, and the vindication of his own honor and glory." And, I would add that He delights in freeing the oppressed, in their relief and joy.
Piper also wrote, "Let this be a warning to us. God is not mocked. He is not trapped or cornered or coerced."
Chapter 3: The 3rd chapter was about God's delight in Creation. That one is very easy for me to see. I take pleasure myself in it - and feel a sense of peace in its beauty and a sense of longing for its Author. Even its more frightening aspects are demonstrations of His power.
Chapter 4 was about God's pleasure in honoring His own name. He does much to uphold His reputation in a variety of ways, although not always immediately.
I gave my youngest child my favorite quote from this chapter on God's honor in response to worry over a loved one. The quote was actually John Piper's paraphrase of several Bible verses together. "It was God's good pleasure to join you to Himself in such a way that His name is at stake in your destiny. Or again: it was God's good pleasure to possess you in such a way that what becomes of you reflects upon His name." He is a good shepherd of us, a good father, a good Lord. (Vast understatement.) He is good to us and He wants people to know it. He will take care of us.
I would rather that His motivation would be His love and not His pride in taking good care of us, but I think there's plenty of verses to show that it's actually both. He is like a good father, taking pride in that all his kids have appropriate school clothes, or that they all know how to change a tire or plow a row. It's because He's provided for them well and taught them well - and because He's there for them when they need Him, even if it doesn't look like it at the moment. He takes pride in loving us well and the story is not yet finished.
Chapter 5 is my source of frustration with John Piper: The Pleasures of God in Election. I do think that much glory should be given to God in every aspect of our coming to Him, and that is often overlooked. He created and/or allowed the circumstances that brought us to Him and gave us the right people to be key in our lives at the right time. He even designed our personalities and knew what would resonate with us most. He planned it before time, orchestrated it, brought us to the moment and the moments thereafter. He paid the unfathomable sacrifice on the cross, too. He is in our transformation and our conversion from beginning to end.
My problem with the chapter has more to do with undermining our own role, as small as that may be, to accept, to turn to Him, to strengthen our belief.
I worry about those people who think they don't have faith simply because God hasn't chosen them. I worry that they would turn from Him rather than cry out to Him, "I believe; Help my unbelief." (Mark 9:24)
My hope for those unsaved I love is 2 Peter 3:9, that God doesn't want anyone to perish. I pray that for them, knowing that it is His desire and His will for them, too. John Piper lists that verse, as well as 1 Timothy 2:4 as verses which people bring up against election, but doesn't really counter them. I do like his quote about them, "My aim is to let Scripture stand - to let it teach what it will and not to tell it what it cannot say."
Yes, I do agree that God can have conflicting emotions and be grieved when He judges even while He is glad to be just. But while God can feel compassion for them, I am not sure that we do, if we view them as somehow less because they were not chosen. I am also not sure that many would go to the extremes to reach them if they thought that responsibility entirely God's. God would call them, so why should I bother? (The devil's advocate, there.) I know that John Piper had examples of people alive for God who believed this way and fully engaged in trying to rescue others, but I think that there are plenty of people who believe that way, who don't. That, by the way, isn't necessarily a good test of truth, because people are so fickle and illogical they don't always act on their beliefs.
Piper lists John 10:25-26, where Jesus said, "... you do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep." I would have taken that verse to mean that they don't belong to His sheep - yet, currently - but still may in the future. Many times, people are told more than once in a variety of ways and in a variety of circumstances before they believe. We even think of this as planting seeds.
My personal opinion is that it is both, a paradox and a mystery - vastly more His choice and foreknowledge, but that we actually do play some role in it. Even that is to His glory, not our own. For some reason I can't explain, His choice and ours, for ourselves, always agree.
With Christianity as a whole under attack, I think it is more important to focus on Jesus' cross and resurrection and His saving of us rather than argue about election vs. free will.
I am also curious about John Piper's claim how not believing in election moves people into Unitarianism and Universalism. Yes, he showed how that has sometimes happened, but I don't see the connection or the link.
Chapter 6: The Pleasure of God in Bruising His Son. Very good, very deep, very beautiful gift He gave us.
I think that John Piper has selected my passage to give the middle school students tonight: Romans 3:23-24 "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. They are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus."
Although it is a hard topic, I think that John Piper's quotes are valid.
"The Biblical teaching on the eternity of Hell is inescapable."
"Why then did Christ die, if we make the only atonement that is necessary?"
"It is no act of love to deny the reality of a terrible future which men and women can escape if they know it is coming. And it is no act of love to Christ to reduce His awesome sin-bearing substitution to a model martyrdom."
John Piper talks about the love Jesus had for His Father's glory and about that being one of the motivating factors that He went to the cross. That is so. But there were other reasons as well that have scriptural basis. His love for us. His obedience to the Father.
Chapter 7: The pleasure of God in doing good to all who hope in Him. I love the premise of this chapter, that God loves to show mercy. I have often thought that myself - that we can be safe with Him, even when we've not been acting very lovable, simply because He loves show mercy. How bad we've been is not the point; the depth of His mercy is. And I am grateful.
This chapter includes 2 Chronicles 16:9, "The eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show His might in behalf of those whose heart is whole toward Him." The emphasis here is that our hearts have to be undividedly His.
Some good John Piper quotes:
"God loves to show off His greatness by being an inexhaustible source of strength to build weak people up."
"God is doing everything that needs to be done for you to enjoy His own enjoyment of you."
My favorite part of this chapter, though, was John Piper's comment on Pslam 147:11. That verse says, "...but the LORD takes pleasure in those who fear Him, in those who hope in His steadfast love." Piper compared that to watching a dangerous storm from a safe place and wrote, "But not everything in the feeling called fear vanished from your heart. Only the life-threatening part. There remained the trembling, the awe, the wonder, the feeling that you would never want to tangle with such a storm or be the adversary of such a power."
He also wrote, "Our fear reflects the greatness of His power and our hope reflects the bounty of His grace."
"When You hope in God you show that He is strong and you are weak; that He is rich and you are poor; that He is full and you are empty."
Chapter 8: The Pleasure of God in the Prayers of the Upright. "... but the prayer of the upright is His delight" - Proverbs 15:8
Without understanding that He loves to satisfy our soul-needs as only He can do, and that we just bring our thirst for Him, "... our efforts to please Him will become subtle means of self-exaltation, in end in the oppressive bondage of legalistic strivings."
"Prayer is His delight because prayer shows the reaches of our poverty and the riches of His grace. Prayer is that wonderful transaction where the wealth of God's glory is magnified and the wants of our soul are satisfied. Therefore God delights in the prayers of the upright."
"If our behavior does not glorify God, it is not pleasing to God."
"Let him who serves serve in the strength that God supplies in order that in everything God may get the glory." - 1 Peter 4:11
"This is the man to whom I will look, he that is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word." - Isaiah 66:2
I like all the lists of scripture that Piper gives for praying for lost souls to know Jesus. It is an appropriate time for me to pray for the children in our middle school ministry, (and if you would, reader, take a moment to pray for them as well.)
Prayer "is a wartime walkie-talkie for spiritual warfare, not a domestic intercom fto increase the comforts of the saints. And one of the reasons it malfunctions in the hands of so many Christian soldiers is that they have gone AWOL."
Chapter 9: Obedience. I liked Piper's quote, "obedience to God makes this God-glorifying hope visible and proves that it is real in our lives."
I liked how Piper took the story of Saul's disobedience around 1 Samuel 15:22, and spoke about each of the aspects of disobedience. Then he summarized it with "It puts the fear of man in the place of the fear of God. It elevates pleasure in things above pleasure in God. It seeks a name for itself instead of a name for God. It seeks out additional guidance besides God's, instead of resting in the wisdom of God. And it sets more value on the dictates of self than on the dictates of God and thus attempts to dethrone God by giving allegiance to the idol of the human will."
"Therefore God has great pleasure in obedience. He beams like any father would when His children are courageous because they know their daddy's strong arm is behind them. He takes pleasure in us when our obedience shows that we put our treasure in Him and not the enticements of sin. He delights in the meekness and humility of our submission that loves to make a name for God and not man. He rejoices over the resting of our souls in the sufficiency of His wisdom. And He exults over us with singing when we enthrone His will as more precious than all the ways of the world."
"His commands are only as hard to obey as His promises are hard to believe."
"It is not merely the promises of God that satisfy us. It is all that God Himself is for us."
"Unless God has raised you up for this very thing, you will be worn out by the opposition of men and devils, but if God be for you who can be against you?" - John Wesley
One of the other reviewers stated that this was a perfect book for a middle school ministry to study. I can't imagine our middle school ministry doing anything this deep, or that they would cover so many verses - but I would love it if they did.
August 28, 2018
Is it possible to worship your way through an entire book?
Read the absolutely masterful book, The Pleasures of God, and find out.
The work is a transcription of Piper's meditation upon a central thought, namely: If it is true, as Henry Scougal says, that "the worth and excellency of a soul is to be measured by the object of its love," how then is God's excellency to be measured? Is it possible to measure what sorts of things God's affections are stirred by and so better understand his character?
Here's the list Piper comes up with in my own words and some of his:
In short, what does God's love?
1. His Son (Matthew 17:5)
Whereas I am limited in my love because my heart finds nothing worthy, and my energy is too weak, and nothing really lasts, God has been infinitely happy from all eternity because he has always been overflowingly happy with his Son.
2. His works (Psalm 135:6)
"God acts in sovereign freedom. His acts do not spring up from the need to make up deficiencies but from the passion to express his own delight."
3. His creation (Psalm 104:31)
Look around you, the entirety of his creation express his joy, praises him, displays his wisdom, hearlds his enormous power and points to him!
4. His fame (1 Samuel 12:22)
"The great ground of hope, the great motive to pray, the great wellspring of mercy is God's awesome commitment to his name."
5. Election (Deuteronomy 10:14-15)
Election removes all the boasting of man and places all boasting in the accomplishments of God. God loves his glory and this formula magnifies him.
6. The bruising of his Son (Isaiah 53:10)
"If God were not committed first to vindicate the worth of his own glory there would be no gospel and no hope, for there would be no glorious God."
7. Doing good to those who hope in him (Psalm 147:10-11)
"God takes pleasure in this response because it magnifies the glory of his grace and satisfies the longing of my soul."
8. The prayers of the upright (Proverbs 15:8)
"God is the kind of God who will be pleased with the one thing I will have to offer - my thirst."
9. The personal obedience and public administration of justice by his followers (1 Samuel 15:22)
When I obey God, I declare through my actions by faith that God is praiseworthy and reliable, that everything he commands is for my good, and that his commands are difficult.
In sum, what does it teach us about God and his character when we examine that which he loves so much?
A truckload, and oh boy is it AWESOME!
Read the absolutely masterful book, The Pleasures of God, and find out.
The work is a transcription of Piper's meditation upon a central thought, namely: If it is true, as Henry Scougal says, that "the worth and excellency of a soul is to be measured by the object of its love," how then is God's excellency to be measured? Is it possible to measure what sorts of things God's affections are stirred by and so better understand his character?
Here's the list Piper comes up with in my own words and some of his:
In short, what does God's love?
1. His Son (Matthew 17:5)
Whereas I am limited in my love because my heart finds nothing worthy, and my energy is too weak, and nothing really lasts, God has been infinitely happy from all eternity because he has always been overflowingly happy with his Son.
2. His works (Psalm 135:6)
"God acts in sovereign freedom. His acts do not spring up from the need to make up deficiencies but from the passion to express his own delight."
3. His creation (Psalm 104:31)
Look around you, the entirety of his creation express his joy, praises him, displays his wisdom, hearlds his enormous power and points to him!
4. His fame (1 Samuel 12:22)
"The great ground of hope, the great motive to pray, the great wellspring of mercy is God's awesome commitment to his name."
5. Election (Deuteronomy 10:14-15)
Election removes all the boasting of man and places all boasting in the accomplishments of God. God loves his glory and this formula magnifies him.
6. The bruising of his Son (Isaiah 53:10)
"If God were not committed first to vindicate the worth of his own glory there would be no gospel and no hope, for there would be no glorious God."
7. Doing good to those who hope in him (Psalm 147:10-11)
"God takes pleasure in this response because it magnifies the glory of his grace and satisfies the longing of my soul."
8. The prayers of the upright (Proverbs 15:8)
"God is the kind of God who will be pleased with the one thing I will have to offer - my thirst."
9. The personal obedience and public administration of justice by his followers (1 Samuel 15:22)
When I obey God, I declare through my actions by faith that God is praiseworthy and reliable, that everything he commands is for my good, and that his commands are difficult.
In sum, what does it teach us about God and his character when we examine that which he loves so much?
A truckload, and oh boy is it AWESOME!
November 10, 2022
The thesis of Piper’s book is Henry Scougal’s argument that “The worth and excellency of a soul is to be measured by the object of its love.” He adds to this that “the most excellent soul is the soul that loves God most.” And with these in mind, he concludes that God’s worth and excellency is infinite because of his unbridled love for himself. Based on this foundation, he asserts that “grace is the pleasure of God to magnify the worth of God by giving sinners the right and power to delight in God without obscuring the glory of God.” This is the basis for Piper’s book which he proceeds to explore throughout it.
Two key chapters in the book include Piper’s opening chapter that affirms God’s pleasure in the Son, which forms the basis for the rest of his pleasures. It is from the overflow of this satisfaction that all other pleasures are enabled. Another key chapter is Piper’s affirmation of God’s pleasure in his fame (which, far from arrogant, is necessary to avoid idolatry), which forms the basis for every action he undertakes towards humankind. These two foundational chapters (chapters 1 and 4) were incredible in opening up so much of God’s character to me and enabling me to see his motivation for acting as he does. They were also so helpful in adding to the beauty of the gospel, and helping me to see why the good news of Jesus truly is such good news, which is only amplified throughout the rest of the book.
The book beautifully encapsulates the heart of God for his children and the greatness of God’s pleasure in the actions and prayers of his children in response. It was an incredible book that enabled me to gain a clearer picture of who God is and the motivation for his actions. My only critique would be it occasionally felt like Piper tried too hard to fit every little thing into his own systematic theology at times, and I don’t think such stringent arguments were necessary for this book (especially surrounding election - I would have just referenced his other book, The Justification of God, and left the discourse at that). However, excluding that overly pedantic critique, The Pleasures of God was a fantastic read. I would strongly recommend The Pleasures of God to all Christians, especially after reading Desiring God!
Two key chapters in the book include Piper’s opening chapter that affirms God’s pleasure in the Son, which forms the basis for the rest of his pleasures. It is from the overflow of this satisfaction that all other pleasures are enabled. Another key chapter is Piper’s affirmation of God’s pleasure in his fame (which, far from arrogant, is necessary to avoid idolatry), which forms the basis for every action he undertakes towards humankind. These two foundational chapters (chapters 1 and 4) were incredible in opening up so much of God’s character to me and enabling me to see his motivation for acting as he does. They were also so helpful in adding to the beauty of the gospel, and helping me to see why the good news of Jesus truly is such good news, which is only amplified throughout the rest of the book.
The book beautifully encapsulates the heart of God for his children and the greatness of God’s pleasure in the actions and prayers of his children in response. It was an incredible book that enabled me to gain a clearer picture of who God is and the motivation for his actions. My only critique would be it occasionally felt like Piper tried too hard to fit every little thing into his own systematic theology at times, and I don’t think such stringent arguments were necessary for this book (especially surrounding election - I would have just referenced his other book, The Justification of God, and left the discourse at that). However, excluding that overly pedantic critique, The Pleasures of God was a fantastic read. I would strongly recommend The Pleasures of God to all Christians, especially after reading Desiring God!
January 14, 2025
It's so, so easy for us as sinners to put ourselves at the centre of everything. We put ourselves at the centre of our lives, others lives, and often without realizing it, we put ourselves at the centre of God's life. Sometimes you'll hear people say that God saved us because He loves us so much. And while that's true (e.g. John 3:16), it's a mistake to think that that is the biggest reason why He has done so. If we are saved only because God loves us, well, that's not very comforting. It's all too easy to think God loves us less when we sin against Him (even though it's totally untrue). We need a foundation for His love for us outside of us, or else we will constantly worry He will grow tired of us. In this book, Piper presents that foundation: God's great love for us is, first and foremost, an outpouring of the great love He has for His Son. What is a more secure foundation? That we are saved because a holy God loves wretched sinners that constantly dishonour Him? Or that a holy God loves the glorious, awesome, majestic beauty He Himself has so much that He wishes to display and share it, and by doing so, has devised a plan to save wretched sinners that constantly dishonour Him, and give them the joy of God that He Himself has? God is at the centre of God's life. Everything is better when He is at the centre of our lives.
May 10, 2020
Another life changing book from Piper. There’s a few key reasons I love this book and would recommend it for any believer...
1) No book has ever driven me back into the Bible more than this one. I found it took me twice as long to read because it forced me to hang on each word of a verse, then dive into its context, then start to cross reference. It essentially forces the reader to face tough but important truths, and perform exegesis in a heart changing way.
2) It’s meaty. It will challenge your heart and challenge your mind, and force you into prayer. For the most part I agree with Pipers theology - but where I disagreed I had to really search and pray over the Scriptures. You can’t gloss over or avoid truth if you read this book.
3) In general I am grateful for Pipers heart. While it’s not an easy read and will challenge your mind, I found myself pausing to pray in praise, or meditate on Gods love and truths, or just be glad in God. Piper’s love for Jesus is contagious and this book is an overflow of that.
I’m grateful for what the Spirit has done through Piper - and this book is near the top of my list.
If I had to critique - sometimes it seems like there’s some unnecessary rabbit holes he goes down - but it’s worth it.
Amazing read I highly recommend!!
1) No book has ever driven me back into the Bible more than this one. I found it took me twice as long to read because it forced me to hang on each word of a verse, then dive into its context, then start to cross reference. It essentially forces the reader to face tough but important truths, and perform exegesis in a heart changing way.
2) It’s meaty. It will challenge your heart and challenge your mind, and force you into prayer. For the most part I agree with Pipers theology - but where I disagreed I had to really search and pray over the Scriptures. You can’t gloss over or avoid truth if you read this book.
3) In general I am grateful for Pipers heart. While it’s not an easy read and will challenge your mind, I found myself pausing to pray in praise, or meditate on Gods love and truths, or just be glad in God. Piper’s love for Jesus is contagious and this book is an overflow of that.
I’m grateful for what the Spirit has done through Piper - and this book is near the top of my list.
If I had to critique - sometimes it seems like there’s some unnecessary rabbit holes he goes down - but it’s worth it.
Amazing read I highly recommend!!
May 14, 2024
“God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him”
Loved meditating on what brings God pleasure- both the pleasures of God in his character and the pleasures he takes in his people.
The biggest thing I gleaned from this book was the thought that whenever we are drawing wisdom or strength or life from ourselves or any source other than God, we are robbing God of the glory he deserves. Instead, God takes immense pleasure and ultimate glory when we draw our wisdom, strength, and enjoyment in Him.
My only criticism of this book was that there were some loooong segments of piper’s writing that I found too academic and lost me in a devotional aspect, but that was definitely a personal preference.
Loved meditating on what brings God pleasure- both the pleasures of God in his character and the pleasures he takes in his people.
The biggest thing I gleaned from this book was the thought that whenever we are drawing wisdom or strength or life from ourselves or any source other than God, we are robbing God of the glory he deserves. Instead, God takes immense pleasure and ultimate glory when we draw our wisdom, strength, and enjoyment in Him.
My only criticism of this book was that there were some loooong segments of piper’s writing that I found too academic and lost me in a devotional aspect, but that was definitely a personal preference.
August 29, 2020
An excellent, stirring book full of deep theology. This is the third time I’ve read it. This time I read it considerably faster, enjoying it without underlining or pausing to dwell too much. As a result, this time I felt more of the overarching structure of the book—God’s delight beginning within the Trinity, to creation, to the cross, to the church, and then to our good works.
I would recommend this 100x over to anyone. This book alone was the book about 10 years ago which originally led me to deeper appreciation of God, theology, and the Bible. I can’t recommend it enough.
I would recommend this 100x over to anyone. This book alone was the book about 10 years ago which originally led me to deeper appreciation of God, theology, and the Bible. I can’t recommend it enough.
August 17, 2020
"The worth and excellency of a soul is to be measured by the object of it's love." (Henry Scougal). So what does God love? What are His pleasures? This is the subject of this book. The shocking answer, for the man-centred, self-obsessed age that we currently live in, is that God loves Himself supremely before all others. These are meditations on God's delight in being God. They leave you more confident in the God of the Bible and more desirous to spread His fame. Highly recommended.
December 16, 2017
I love this book so very much. It is very rich and packed with truth written in an artful, frank and easy-t0-read way, which I greatly appreciated. I will definitely read it again and treasure it, at times I didn't fully appreciate its wonder, which is why I went so slow. But once I quieted down and focused on reading it, I loved it.
April 21, 2021
The Pleasures of God are found in God. But what gives God pleasure? As Christians we are to be among the most joys and most gratuitous. That is realized when we see God not as we choose to see him but as He reveals Hinself. That includes seeing what brings Him joy. I especially enjoyed the chapters on Obedience and on the Fathers pleasure in bruising the Son.
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October 7, 2021«Los deleites de Dios» es un libro que deleita. De esos libros que valen la pena leer, ya que demuestra convincentemente que, como dijo Jonathan Edwards, «el disfrute de Dios es la única felicidad que puede satisfacer nuestra alma» (p. 103).
Lee la reseña en Coalición por el Evangelio.
Lee la reseña en Coalición por el Evangelio.
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