[F]or I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose[.]’

[F]or I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose[.]’ Isaiah 46:9-10

This afternoon, I completed John Piper's Reading the Bible Supernaturally: Seeing and Savoring the Glory of God in Scripture, moving on beyond the final chapter (27) covered yesterday to the conclusion.  Here, Piper leaves us with a few encouraging statements to recap his book.  His dismisses those across the ages who see the Bible as less than perfect in its structure and presentation.  Piper writes that "God knew exactly what he was doing when he inspired all of these diverse authors and diverse writings that we have in this one inspired book?  That is what I believe." He is prayerful that "many would turn from [this] book to God's book with new zeal and aggressive attentiveness and active reading.  We are to "pursue the natural act of reading the Bible supernaturally."  Finally, Piper invites us to join him as "[i]t is the only way for your life to be of lasting service to the world, and for your work to show forth the glory of God, and for your soul to be fully satisfied forever."  

 

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are amazing God and Your Word IS perfect and it is You and You provide it for me to help me see and savor Your Glory and for me to grow in my understanding and love of You - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You provide You Word for me and for You bless me in immeasurable ways! My sin continues...worry, etc.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

The Lord is good and right; he points sinners to the right way. He shows those who are humble how to do right, and he teaches them his ways.

Pages: 285-292

The Lord is good and right; he points sinners to the right way. He shows those who are humble how to do right, and he teaches them his ways. Psalm 25:8-9

This morning, I continued with John Piper's Reading the Bible Supernaturally: Seeing and Savoring the Glory of God in Scripture, continuing with Part 3 The Natural Act of Reading the Bible Supernaturally, chapter nineteen - Reading the Bible by Faith in His Promise to Instruct Us. Here, Piper seeks to build on the previous chapter where he focused on the 3rd letter of APTAT to trust or believe that God will help and guide us in our understanding of the Bible. His guidance from the last chapter was to "attach to specific promises of God, rather than dangling vaguely in the air of God's goodness."  This morning's chapter provides specificity around which promises we can use. 

Piper starts with Romans 8:32, where Piper says that "[t]here is no greater foundation (God's sacrifice of his Son in our place) and no greater structure built on that foundation-the promise that God will give his children all things."  He stresses that this promise "does not include every comfortable thing in life." Instead, Piper writes that God gives us what we need: "God will give us what we need in order to do his will and reach the goal of likeness to Jesus."  He points to Philippians 4:12-13 and 19 to further demonstrate a focus on needs vs desires or wants.  

He then comes back to the "crucial" point that "we fasten our faith to two or three clear expressions of this all-embracing promise in Scripture...[and that] hazy hope provides weak motivation." We are encouraged to memorize specific verses for us to attach our faith.  Piper provides the following examples:

• 2 Chronicles 16:19
• Isaiah 41:10
• Psalm 23:6, 84:11, 34:9-10, 25:2, 8-9, 12, 32:8, 73:24
  
• Matthew 6:33
• 1 Corinthians 3:21-23
• 2 Corinthians 1:20
• Proverbs 2:6-7, 3:5-6
• Luke 12:11-12  
  

Of course there are examples the apply based on specific needs including finances, pride, sexual temptation, etc. 

Piper also wants us to understand that while greater understanding may be provided to teachers (and greater accountability - see James 3:1-2), His guidance may be over time and through circumstances.  However, we should be certain that "God will help us see in the Bible all we need to see in order to arrive safely in his presence at the end of our lives, or at the day of his coming."

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are indeed great and worthy of my constant praise and worship.  Thank You for Your Word, Your Son, and the Holy Spirit - all of which You provided to me through grace alone...thank You.  I am wholly undeserving.  My sin continues...daily.  Divided heart, etc. Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard?

Pages: 277-283

So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard? Galatians 3:5

This morning, I continued with John Piper's Reading the Bible Supernaturally: Seeing and Savoring the Glory of God in Scripture, continuing with Part 3 The Natural Act of Reading the Bible Supernaturally, chapter eighteen - Reading the Bible by Faith in the Promises of God.  Here, Piper seeks to unpack the 3rd letter of our "practical and biblical guide" - APTAT - and this 3rd letter "t" represents trust. Piper points to Hebrews 11 for scriptural evidence of how God wants us to walk and live - to do everything - by faith.  Piper writes that "the necessity of doing everything by faith - including reading the Bible - is that this is the only way God will receive the glory he should have from us in every action."  He goes on to say that "[t]rusting God for his help in what we do draws attention to his power and trustworthiness...[it] turns every act into a God-exalting virtue." Piper goes further and provides Galatians 3:5 to show us that "law keeping is not the channel through which the Spirit flows as he does he powerful work.  Rather the channel through which the Spirit flows is faith.  When we trust the promises of God, the Spirit moves to do his powerful work."

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are trustworthy and faithful as all of Your promises come true - I can and do believe in the promises You make.  I have seen the work of Your hand in my life and have faith - thank You Jesus!  Yet I am undeserving of Your faithfulness as my own faith and trust in You sometimes falters - please forgive for this and for my many sins which continue...daily...including worry, etc.  Please forgive me and help me overcome and turn from my sins towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith. Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.

Pages: 234-249

Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. James 1:21

This morning, I continued with John Piper's Reading the Bible Supernaturally: Seeing and Savoring the Glory of God in Scripture, continuing with Part 3 The Natural Act of Reading the Bible Supernaturally, chapter fifteen - Humility Throws Open a Thousand Windows.  Here Piper builds on the previous chapter by exploring how we "act the miracle that God causes?" Piper provides a five step process using an acronym - APTAT (video describing this process here):

1. Admit: admit that without Christ we can do nothing (John 15:5)
   
2. Pray: pray for God's help, whatever form of help I need (Matthew 7:7, James 4:2, Psalm 50:15)
3. Trust: trust in a specific promise of God that is tailor-made to my situation or a general promise (Isaiah 55:11, 41:10, Matthew 10:20, 2 Corinthians 9:8, Philippians 4:19)
4. Act: act in obedience, expecting God to act under and in and through my acting (1 Corinthians 3:6-7, 15:10, Philippians 2:12, Romans 8:13)
5. Thank: thank God for whatever good comes - give Him the glory (Ephesians 5:20)

Piper states that it "begins with humility" - one of the most-oft discussed topics in the Bible. He writes that "[i]t begins with a real sense of how depraved and distorted our minds are, and how readily our hearts desire other things more than we desire God." Piper uses child-like humility to discuss how we should be humble: "[t]he humility of a child, rather, is his free and willing awareness that he cannot provide for his own needs and must have an adult to meet all his needs." The Holy Spirit is central here to "humble us so that we relish the glory of Christ more than we relish our self-exaltation."

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who has blessed us with the Holy Spirit to humble us so that we may receive Your word, to see and savor Your glory so that we may be transformed day-by-day into Your image until glorification when we see You face to face.  Oh what a day that will be!  Thank You Jesus for all of this and all that You do!  Yet I know that You are not yet finished me and I am undeserving - there is more sanctification as my sin continues.  Please forgive me Jesus for my sins - worry, etc. help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

Pages: 224-240

Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. Philippians 2:12-13

This afternoon, I continued with John Piper's Reading the Bible Supernaturally: Seeing and Savoring the Glory of God in Scripture, moving on to Part 3 The Natural Act of Reading the Bible Supernaturally, chapter fourteen - God Forbid That We Despise His Natural Gifts.  Here Piper seeks to unpack the paradox he refers to in the title of the chapter - his "aim...is to encourage a deep dependence on God and the fullest use of your natural powers in the supernatural act of reading the Bible."

Piper starts by stating that "[w]ithout God's supernatural intervention, we would have no motivation to read the Scriptures in the hope of treasuring Christ above all things (1 Kings 8:58, Psalm 119:36)." It is God who grants us the heart and eyes to see His glory. The critical point here is found in Philippians 2:12-13 as Piper writes that we "work out" or effect our salvation because God is already at work in us through a saving relationship.  He continues that this salvation is the..."specific daily deliverance from the soul-destroying works of the flesh (1 Peter 2:11)-things like anger and self-pity and greed and lust." Proverbs 2:1-7 is also used to help us better understand how God works in us. "We do the [reading and] thinking-the rigorous effort to read with understanding; God creates the miracle of supernatural light in processes of our thought."

God gives us the will to read and see His glory and we do the act of reading - and ultimately the seeing and savoring of His glory...through which we are transformed day by day.

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God and I know You are at work in me and giving me the will to read and the eyes and heart to understand Your Word - thank You Jesus!  Amazing and I am truly grateful!  Yet I am undeserving.  My sin...of many kinds...continues.  Please forgive me.  Help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

God’s word is alive and working and is sharper than a double-edged sword. It cuts all the way into us, where the soul and the spirit are joined, to the center of our joints and bones. And it judges the thoughts and feelings in our hearts. Nothing in all the world can be hidden from God. Everything is clear and lies open before him, and to him we must explain the way we have lived.

Pages: 211-221

God’s word is alive and working and is sharper than a double-edged sword. It cuts all the way into us, where the soul and the spirit are joined, to the center of our joints and bones. And it judges the thoughts and feelings in our hearts. Nothing in all the world can be hidden from God. Everything is clear and lies open before him, and to him we must explain the way we have lived. Hebrews 4:12-13

This morning, I continued with John Piper's Reading the Bible Supernaturally: Seeing and Savoring the Glory of God in Scripture, Part 2 The Super Natural Act of Reading the Bible, chapter thirteen - New Testament Pictures of Bible Reading as a Supernatural Act.  Here Piper seeks to help us understand how the "Bible describes [the] act...[of] God giving [believers] the decisive ability to see the all-surpassing worth of the glory of God" - in other words, what scripture points to how God helps us read the Bible supernaturally?

Piper starts by saying that "we must be born again-we must be given spiritual life-in order to see the things of the Spirit as they really are-more beautiful and more precious than all earthly treasures....[and this] new birth happens through the word of God."  Piper gives us several key passages that describe this - starting with James 1:18-21 and 1 Peter 1:23-2:3. Both passages point to processes where our soul is saved and Piper writes that "[n]atural processes do not save the soul[.]" Piper also uses 1 Thessalonians 2:13-14 to show that is a supernatural process - by "the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe." Piper then moves on to show God is at work in us as an ongoing process from sanctification to glorification - see Hebrews 4:12-13. Piper extends this supernatural reading process by showing how we can overcome Satan by "word of God abiding in us" - see 1 John 2:14.

Piper wraps up this chapter by encouraging us to understand that "we are to listen to Jesus as he speaks to us in the Scriptures so that his joy-the supernatural joy of the Son of God-might be our joy, and ours might be full (John 15:11)."

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God and You give me eyes to see and ears to hear Your Word - and I am grateful.  I am able to see and taste Your glory and it is amazing.  I am grateful for all that You have done and continue to do in and through my life.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of the many blessings You pour out for me.  My sin, gossip, worry, etc. continues.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior. Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete.

Pages: 65-73

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete. 1 John 1:1-4

This morning, I continued with John Piper's Reading the Bible Supernaturally: Seeing and Savoring the Glory of God in Scripture, covering chapter three - Reading to See Supreme Worth and Beauty, Part 1.  Here, Piper seeks to demonstrate the third of six implications that flow from the ultimate goal of reading the Bible (as listed here); the third of the six implications is "that we should always read his word in order to see this supreme worth and beauty[.]" In this chapter, which is the first of three to explore this specific implication, Piper points to both John and Paul to provide scriptural examples that demonstrate that we are to read the Bible "to see [God's] supreme worth and beauty[.]"  

John, in not just his gospel account, but also in his epistles (1, 2, 3 John), sought to help later generations see the glory of God through his writing - using John 1:14, 2:11, 11:40, 14:26, 16:13-14, 20:29-31, and 1 John 1:1-4 to help readers see the connection between reading an eyewitness account of the glory of Christ and "seeing" the glory of Christ. Piper writes that in 1 John 1:1-4, John refers to what was seen or manifest six times...and "[t]he intention that the faith and life he received by seeing the glory of Christ, his readers would also be able to receive by seeing what he saw-the glory of Christ shining through the inspired writing." 

Paul, in Ephesians 3:3-8, "makes a rare and crucial reference to the aim of reading his own epistle." His hope is that "by reading [church in Ephesus] may 'see' or get a glimpse, into what Paul was shown by God."  The "boundless riches of Christ" referenced by Paul is then more fully described by Piper as the riches of the "glory of Christ" and Ephesians 1:18 and Colossians 1:27 help clarify this.  

Piper then encourages us to avoid focusing on specific passages of scripture that help us see God's glory, and supreme worth and beauty, but instead to see the glory of God "in and through all things," and he uses 1 Corinthians 10:31 to help us see "all things in relationship to the glory of God-starting with the most ordinary things, like food and drink." 

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and whose glory I see in the Word and with every passing day I can see the Holy Spirit working in and through me to sanctify me and bring You glory.  You pour out Your mercies and blessings every day for me.  Thank You!  Yet I am undeserving.  I worry.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.

Pages: 55-63

Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Romans 12:11

This morning, I continued with John Piper's Reading the Bible Supernaturally: Seeing and Savoring the Glory of God in Scripture, covering chapter two - Reading the Bible toward White-Hot Worship.

Here, Piper seeks to demonstrate the second of six implications that flow from the ultimate goal of reading the Bible (as listed in my previous post); this second implication is that "that the supremely authentic and intense worship of God's worth and beauty is the ultimate aim of all his work and word[.]"  Piper describes the six stages of redemptive history (predestination/Ephesians 1:5, 14, creation/Revelation 4:11, incarnation/Revelation 5:12, propitiation/Revelation 5:9, sanctification/Philippians 1:11, consummation/2 Thessalonians 1:10), demonstrating that, through scripture, worship is the goal of all God's acts. 

Piper then describes authentic and intense, or white-hot worship, writing that "there is a correlation between the measure of our intensity in worship and the degree to which we exhibit the value of the glory of God." We are encouraged to pursue not "lukewarm" relationships with Jesus, but instead ones that display "zeal" and "fervent" worship (Romans 12:11). Another dimension to this zeal and fervent worship is that it is authentic and undivided - there must be no competitors to God nor half-hearted affections. Piper points to the following scripture as evidence:

• Luke 10:27
• Deuteronomy 4:29, 10:12
• 1 Samuel 7:3
• Proverbs 3:5
• Zephaniah 3:14
• Psalms 9:1
  

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an incredible God who gives me inexpressible joy - thank You Jesus - in all things I see Your hand and Your ways and deeds are both perfect and full of love - for me and for all of Your children!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving for all the love and blessings You pour out for me.  I worry...please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy[.]

Pages: 37-53

Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy[.] 1 Peter 1:8

This afternoon, I continued with John Piper's Reading the Bible Supernaturally: Seeing and Savoring the Glory of God in Scripture, covering the Introduction to Part 1: The Ultimate Goal of Reading the Bible and chapter one - Reading the Bible toward God's Ultimate Goal. 

Piper starts by stating that "our ultimate goal in reading the Bible is that God's infinite worth and beauty would be exalted in the everlasting, white-hot worship of the blood-bought bride of Christ from every people, language, tribe, and nation."  Piper extends this by drawing out six implications "that flow from this," including:

1. "the infinite worth and beauty of God are the ultimate value and excellence of the universe;
2. that the supremely authentic and intense worship of God's worth and beauty is the ultimate aim of all his work and word;
3. that we should always read his word in order to see this supreme worth and beauty; 
4. that we should aim in all our seeing and savoring his excellence above all things; 
5. that we should aim to be transformed by this seeing and savoring into the likeness of his beauty, 
6. so that more and more people would be drawn into the worshiping family of God until the bride of Christ-across all centuries and cultures-is complete in number and beauty."

The remainder of chapter one focuses on how from "eternity[-past] to eternity[-future] - in predestination, creation, incarnation, propitiation, sanctification, and consummation-the Bible makes explicit that God's ultimate aim in all things is the revelation and exaltation of his glory."  In the next chapter, Piper explores and discusses implication #2.

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God and deserving of authentic and intense worship from me and all of Your children. You bless me every day with mercies that abound!  Thank You Jesus!  Yet I am not deserving.  I too often allow myself to be distracted by the things of this world - please forgive me!  Help me turn from and overcome such sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.