My Top 8 Books Of 2008

I love books.  I love to read.   I hope to echo John Piper someday;  he says, “Reading is more important to me than eating.”  We are turning another page in our lives as we enter a new year, so I figured one of my last posts in 2008 should be about the most influential books I have read in 2008.

These are not in any particular order.  They have all had, in different ways, a huge impact on me.

Why We’re Not Emergent (By Two Guys Who Should Be) by Kevin DeYoung & Ted Kluck

This book is not an all out emergent church bashing, but it does make us aware of many dangers of the emergent church movement.  It is cleverly written by two Bible-saturated men, Kevin DeYoung (Pastor) and Ted Kluck (Author), and it is full of God-centered truths that we, as the body of Christ, must be aware of as new movements emerge (no pun intended) in our day.

Do Hard Things by Alex & Brett Harris

Alex and Brett are the finest examples, in my opinion, of young people being truly on fire for God.  This book calls young people to “a teenage rebellion against low expectations.”  It is a culture-changing book for any teenager (it probably wouldn’t hurt for everyone to read it!) to read.  This past year Alex and Brett conducted a series of conferences called the Do Hard Things Tour.  They also manage a website for teens called The Rebelution.  Check it out and get this book for the teens in your sphere of influence.

Disciplines Of A Godly Man by R. Kent Hughes

Discipline is a trait that is greatly lacking in Christian men.  I don’t think it’s a recent development; It is a topic that needs to be addressed at all times.  Kent Hughes does a magnificent job, in this volume, showing us what a godly man looks like.  It is a very practical book, yet it is absolutely saturated in Scripture.  This is a must read for any man, young and old alike, with a desire to live in a godly, Christ-exalting manner.  He co-authors Disciplines of a Godly Family with his wife, Barbara, and she authors Disciplines of a Godly Woman.

When I Don’t Desire God (How To Fight For Joy) by John Piper

I read this book through, for the third time, with my small group at school.  I am a John Piper junkie.  Not as big a fan as my good friend, Bryan DeWire, who recently shared with me that he has read every one of John Piper’s books.  I have only read about 2/3 of his books.  This book is in the top 3 ever written by J.P., in my opinion.  He is my Pastor, my teacher, and my mentor.  He is a gift to the church of Christ.  In this book he lays out, in a God-centered, Bible-saturated way, twelve chapter’s full of godly counsel for the Christian that is fighting to take joy in God all the time.  We are told in psalm 16:11 that “in his presence there is fullness of joy,” and at his right hand there are “pleasures forevermore.” But we don’t always feel like this is true.  This book aids us in our daily fight for joy.

Death By Love (Letters From The Cross) by Mark Driscoll & Gerry Breshears

This book is brutally honest about the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.  This book talks about sin, suffering, and real problems that real people are dealing with in a way most would not.  I was struck at the many reminders of all that Christ accomplished on the cross, in obedience to his Father, for the sake of the elect.  This book will drive you to your knees as you consider the preciousness of the cross and the beauty of Jesus.  You will be pointed to our Savior, Jesus Christ.

The Doctrine Of Repentance by Thomas Watson

Repentance is one of the least used words in your average church.  Why?  Because we don’t want to think about having to truly forsake sin, the big ones or the tiny ones we hide in the closet, and follow hard after God.  But the truth of the matter is that a right knowledge of what repentance is, and actually repenting is absolutely essential to the Christian life.  This little volume, by the English Reformer Thomas Watson (1620-1686), will humble you, challenge you, point you to the cross, and push you toward true repentance.

Crazy Love: Overwhelmed By A Relentless God by Francis Chan

This book is a short read, but it had a lasting impact on my life.  It truly is crazy to think about our God—the Creator of EVERYTHING that is, or was, or will come—extending an invitation to me—a scumbag of a sinner—to enter into an eternal relationship with him. This  book will push you to leave your current level of mediocrity, and reach out to know God in the same way the Apostle Paul did (Philippians 3:7-8).

And last but definitely not least:

When Sinners Say I Do: Discovering The Power Of The Gospel For Marriage by Dave Harvey

My wife and I have been married for almost five months now, and this book has been a rock on which to stand.  We read this book during our engagement, and it has served as one of the most helpful things we did in preparation to spending our lives together.  There are so many marriage books on the shelves of every bookstore.  Most of them contain steps, formulas, and keys to a better marriage.  This is not what Dave Harvey does.  He points us to the Gospel.  He points us to the root of all problems in a marriage—our sin-filled nature.  We have problems because we are sinners.  We must look to the Gospel if we desire a Christ-centered marriage.

Well, there you have it.  My top 8 books of 2008.  I commend these books to you; May you be richly blessed and strengthened as I have been.  Now, on to many more books in 2009!

Bible Reading Plans for 2009

Looking for a Bible reading plan that “fits” you well?  Justin Taylor helps with the decision-making process here.

Resolutions

Many people make them and don’t keep them.  Some people don’t make them because they know they won’t keep them.  I think it’s still a good idea.

My wife and I just spent an hour at Dunn Bros on Lake St. putting together our list of Resolutions for 2009.  We did it “Jonathan Edwards” style (e.g. Resolved, to…).  By the way, I would recommend a great little book that contains J.E.’s resolutions.  It will challenge you in significant ways.  I have never forgotten the things I read in there for the first time several years ago.

What about you?  Do you plan on making resolutions for 2009?  And what is your plan for making sure that your resolutions are accomplished?

In Honor of J.C.

This coming year, 2009, is John Calvin’s 500th birthday.  We, as the body of Christ, owe much to this great Reformer’s work and ministry.  He wrote the Institutes with its first publication in Latin in 1536, and this volume has continued, through the years, to be of tremendous spiritual help to scholars, theologians, and laymen alike.

Reformation 21 will be blogging through the Institutes Of The Christian Religion in 2009.  I am going to be reading through it using this convenient reading plan.  Why read through The Institutes?  Mark Dever gives ten reasons for doing so.  I know this is a pretty hefty book, but I would encourage you to consider reading through it.

I am thoroughly looking forward to this challenge.

Piper on Prayer & Predestination

Back in 1996, Piper wrote this conversation between Prayerful and Prayerless:

Prayerless: I understand that you believe in the providence of God. Is that right?

Prayerful: Yes.

Prayerless: Does that mean you believe, like the Heidelberg Catechism says, that nothing comes about by chance but only by God’s design and plan?

Prayerful: Yes, I believe that’s what the Bible teaches.

Prayerless: Then why do you pray?

Prayerful: I don’t see the problem. Why shouldn’t we pray?

Prayerless: Well, if God ordains and controls everything, then what he plans from of old will come to pass, right?

Prayerful: Yes.

Prayerless: So it’s going to come to pass whether you pray or not, right.

Prayerful: That depends on whether God ordained for it to come to pass in answer to prayer. If God predestined that something happen in answer to prayer, it won’t happen without prayer.

Prayerless: Wait a minute, this is confusing. Are you saying that every answer to prayer is predestined or not?

Prayerful: Yes, it is. It’s predestined as an answer to prayer.

Prayerless: So if the prayer doesn’t happen, the answer doesn’t happen?

Prayerful: That’s right.

Prayerless: So the event is contingent on our praying for it to happen?

Prayerful: Yes. I take it that by contingent you mean prayer is a real reason that the event happens, and without the prayer the event would not happen.

Prayerless: Yes that’s what I mean. But how can an event be contingent on my prayer and still be eternally fixed and predestined by God?

Prayerful: Because your prayer is as fixed as the predestined answer.

Prayerless: Explain.

Prayerful: It’s not complicated. God providentially ordains all events. God never ordains an event without a cause. The cause is also an event. Therefore, the cause is also foreordained. So you cannot say that the event will happen if the cause doesn’t because God has ordained otherwise. The event will happen if the cause happens.

Prayerless: So what you are saying is that answers to prayer are always ordained as effects of prayer which is one of the causes, and that God predestined the answer only as an effect of the cause.

Prayerful: That’s right. And since both the cause and the effect are ordained together you can’t say that the effect will happen even if the cause doesn’t because God doesn’t ordain effects without causes.

Prayerless: Can you give some illustrations?

Prayerful: Sure. If God predestines that I die of a bullet wound, then I will not die if no bullet is fired. If God predestines that I be healed by surgery, then if there is no surgery, I will not be healed. If God predestines heat to fill my home by fire in the furnace, then if there is no fire, there will be no heat. Would you say, “Since God predestines that the sun be bright, it will be bright whether there is fire in the sun or not”?

Prayerless: No.

Prayerful: I agree. Why not?

Prayerless: Because the brightness of the sun comes from the fire.

Prayerful: Right. That’s the way I think about the answers to prayer. They are the brightness, and prayer is the fire. God has established the universe so that in larger measure it runs by prayer, the same way he has established brightness so that in larger measure it happens by fire. Doesn’t that make sense?

Prayerless: I think it does.

Prayerful: Then let’s stop thinking up problems and go with what the Scriptures say. Ask and you will receive. You have not because you ask not.

Step 2 is very important

I have had many new subscribers as a result of the Christmas Giveaway, but only a small percentage of the new or old subscribers have followed through with step 2, which allows me to be able to randomly select a winner on New Year’s Day.  So, please follow through in order to make my random selection an accurate one. Thanks!

Clothed in Christ’s Righteousness

It is an excellent idea to change our clothes everyday.  We might get an extra day out of a shirt, or a few extra days out of a pair of pants.  There are no extra days for undergarments.

It is not so with our spiritual clothing.  We, as chosen believers, are clothed in the perfect, spotless Righteousness of Jesus Christ.  Christian, this should be of great significance to you.  Your spiritual clothing does not need to be changed.  It is given to you once for all time.  Jesus became sin for us so that we might be clothed in his righteousness before a wrath-filled, just God (see 2 Corinthians 5:21).  “We are clothed in Jesus’ Righteousness so that we can walk in the flame of God’s holiness without being consumed.”¹  God’s anger and justice are dangerous things without Christ’s Righteousness.

I give glory to Jesus for clothing undeserved sinners like me in his Righteousness.  He is entirely worthy to be praised!

¹ This quote was taken from pastor John Piper’s sermon on 12/27/08.

“There is power under the hood.”

Read what H. Reeder has to say about the preciousness of the Gospel:

When I was sixteen, my father bought me a car at an auction for $75.  It was a pink ’57 Ford, which dad insisted was “coral.”  I couldn’t drive a pink car to school!  I then heard words that in a not-to-distant future my children would hear, “Son, a poor ride is better than a proud walk.”  It was said so convincingly I knew it was probably in the Bible.

Then my Dad opened the hood, and to my surprise, underneath was a 390 engine with two four-barrel carburetors.  The car had been a South Carolina State Interceptor (a highway patrol car).  Nothing had more power under the hood.  Space and conviction prevents me from detailing the surprises that Corvettes and Roadsters would get after they looked laughingly at my pink ’57 Ford while sitting side by side at stoplights.  It didn’t look like much, but there was power under the hood.

Young Christian, the world despises the Gospel in its simplicity and disdains the vessels entrusted to carry and proclaim it.  But there is power under the hood.  Live the Gospel, believe and preach the whole Gospel—the Gospel blessings that declare who you are in Christ, the Gospel imperatives that call you to your new life in Christ.  This Gospel transforms the hearts, minds, and wills of sinners.  Thankfully, it continues to transform mine.  Preach it to yourself, to each other, and to the lost, and know the joys of the Gospel-driven life.

– Harry L. Reeder III (Tabletalk, 01/08: The Gospel-Driven Life, 71)

Generous Giving

We, as a country, are in an economic crisis.  I know this isn’t breaking news, but I do have extraordinary news for you.  Ready?  If you find yourself running out of money, then give more!  It sounds crazy, but it’s an entirely biblical idea.

Mark Driscoll, pastor of Mars Hill Church, is preaching a sermon series entitled Generous.  I encourage you to follow along as he preaches through this series.  You will be thoroughly blessed and challenged.

My first Christmas as a married man

I am so blessed to be married to the most patient, loving, caring, godly girl that I know, Rebecca Lynn Laparra.  Today was our first Christmas as a married couple.  Merry Christmas, Rebecca!

One of my gifts to her was a poem, First Christmas.