Must Read

Today I want to inform you of a book that every born again Christian should have on their shelf. This book should be read carefully and often. It is probably one of the most convicting books that I have ever read that was not primarily written to pastors. This book will change the way that you view God, yourself, and your relationship with God. There are some big words in it so prepare yourself to break out a dictionary if necessary. There are some extremely deep truths dug up and exposed within it, so prepare to read and re-read certain chapters. There are 369 pages, so go ahead and complain. This is not an easy read that you are going to breeze through in a few days (at least not for most people). This is a book that will drive you to the Word, to your knees, and to your thinking chair. Don’t let all that scare you. This book is very readable and I can’t think of anyone who couldn’t handle it. It just will not be as easy to read as Max Lucado.
The book is based upon the premise that our chief duty in life, as believers, is to glorify God and enjoy him forever. The way that we can best do that is by obeying Psalm 37:4 which calls us to delight ourselves in the Lord. It is a serious book about being happy in God. This book was written over 20 years ago and has been edited several times through the years. I read an earlier edition that a friend loaned me about 6 years ago. I returned his copy after being unable to complete the book because I was so convicted. I talked to another friend in Pascagoula and asked him if he had ever heard of this book. He stated that he had and had tried to read it, but had gotten so convicted he couldn’t finish it either. A few years ago I mustered up the courage to go and buy the 2003 edition. It is a powerful book and I challenge you to buy it, read it, re-read it, and study it. If you can make it through it without being convicted you are either in much better spiritual condition than I am or you missed something somewhere!
In this book you will read about conversion, worship, love, the scripture, prayer, money, marriage, missions, and suffering all from a perspective that you have probably never heard. You will be challenged to make God the chief object of your affection. I believe this book will change your life. Are you ready for the title? It is…Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist by John Piper. John MacArthur calls Desiring God “A soul stirring celebration of the pleasures of knowing God…A must read for every Christian and a feast for the spiritually hungry.” If you are spiritually hungry, get this book. Of course, there are some things in it that may be hard to swallow. There are some things in it that you might not need to swallow. Bring along your Bible, test what Piper has to say by the Word of God, and try not to let your ingrained traditions root out the unchanging truth of God’s Word. Open your mind, open your Bible, and open Desiring God, and get ready to have your world turned upside down.