• Home
  • Daily Devotional
    • Daily Devotional
  • Daily Reflections
    • Daily Reflections
  • Couples Devotional
    • Couples Devotional
  • God Names Devotional
    • God Names Devotional
  • Thoughts
    • Thoughts
  • Sermons
    • Christian Sermons
  • Bible
    • Bible
  • Things of the Bible
    • Things of the Bible
  • Bible Verses
    • Things of the Bible
  • Bible Dictionary
    • Bible Dictionary
  • Prayer
    • Prayer
  • Daily Prayer
    • Daily Prayer
  • Women
    • Christian Women
  • Christian Books
    • Christian Books
  • Quotes
    • Quotes
  • Biographies
    • Biographies
  • Christian Life
    • Christian Life
ourdailydevotional logo
christian devotional
  • Home
    • Home
  • Sermons
    • Christian Sermons
  • Devotional
    • Daily Devotional
    • Couples Devotional
    • God Names Devotional
    • Thoughts
  • Reflections
    • Christian Reflections
  • Prayer
    • Prayer
    • Daily Prayer
  • Women
    • Christian Women
  • Bible
    • Bible
    • Bible Dictionary
    • Bible Verses
    • Things of the Bible
  • Books
    • Christian Books
    • Biography
  • Quotes
    • Christian Quotes
  • Life
    • Christian Life


HOME
CHRISTIAN BOOKS

Desiring God

Author: John Piper Publishing House: Multnomah Books

The longing to be happy is a universal human experience, and it is good, not sinful. We should never try to deny or resist our longing to be happy, as though it were a bad impulse.


Desiring God, By John Piper

TOWARD A DEFINITION OF CHRISTIAN HEDONISM
 
Fresh ways of looking at the world (even when they are centuries old) do not lend themselves to simple definitions. A whole book is needed so people can begin to catch on.

Quick and superficial judgments will almost certainly be wrong. Beware of conjecture about what lies in the pages of this book! The surmise that here we have another spin-off from modern man’s enslavement to the centrality of himself will be very wide of the mark. Ah, what surprises lie ahead!

For many, the term Christian Hedonism will be new. Therefore, I have included the appendix: “Why Call It Christian Hedonism?” If this is a strange or troubling term, you may want to read those pages before plunging into the main chapters.

I would prefer to reserve a definition of Christian Hedonism until the end of the book, when misunderstandings would have been swept away.

A writer often wishes his first sentence could be read in light of his last—and vice versa! But, alas, one must begin somewhere.


So I offer the following advance definition in hope that it will be interpreted sympathetically in light of the rest of the book.

Christian Hedonism is a philosophy of life built on the following five convictions:

1 The longing to be happy is a universal human experience, and it is good, not sinful.

2 We should never try to deny or resist our longing to be happy, as though it were a bad impulse. Instead, we should seek to intensify this longing and nourish it with whatever will provide the deepest and most enduring satisfaction.

3 The deepest and most enduring happiness is found only in God. Not from God, but in God.

4 The happiness we find in God reaches its consummation when it is shared with others in the manifold ways of love.

5 To the extent that we try to abandon the pursuit of our own pleasure, we fail to honor God and love people.

Or, to put it positively: The pursuit of pleasure is a necessary part of all worship and virtue. That is: The chief end of man is to glorify God.

This book will be predominantly a meditation on Scripture. It will be expository rather than speculative.

If I cannot show that Christian Hedonism comes from the Bible, I do not expect anyone to be interested, let alone persuaded.

There are a thousand man-made philosophies of life. If this is another, let it pass. There is only one rock: the Word of God.

Only one thing ultimately matters: glorifying God the way He has appointed. That is why I am a Christian Hedonist. That is why I wrote this book.

John Piper

John Piper

John Piper studied Literature and Philosophy at Wheaton College. After college, he completed a Bachelor of Theology at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena California.

Book cover of Desiring God
Blessed be His name! He never gives up the search until the chosen are sought out successfully. They are not people sought today and cast away tomorrow.

DAILY DEVOTIONAL

Treasures in the Mud: The Grace of Being Searched

Charles H. Spurgeon
The surpassing grace of God is seen very clearly in that we were not only sought, but we were also sought out. People seek for something that is lost upon the floor of the house, but in such a case there is only seeking, not seeking out. The loss is more perplexing and the search more persevering when something is sought out.
What can you do to inspire others to defend the truth with both courage and love?

DAILY DEVOTIONAL

Fighting for the Truth and Love

John MacArthur
In a world where truth is under attack, few rise to defend it. But let's remember that our apathy won't be an excuse before Christ. In Revelation, we see how He rebuked the churches that tolerated falsehood. Let's do the same, bravely defend the truth.
If you find your conscience vanishing, you must realize the seriousness of your condition and repent; beseech God for a clear, functioning conscience

DAILY DEVOTIONAL

Holy Hatred of Sin

John MacArthur
We desperately need to recover a holy hatred of sin. We need to do this corporately as a church, but we also need to do it individually as believers. Sin is surely not a pleasant subject to study or preach on, but it is necessary.
Our task is to do what the psalmist David did: He didn’t worry about “great matters” or things “too profound” for him.

DAILY DEVOTIONAL

Calm And Quiet

David Jeremiah
According to medical researchers at Duke University, there is a “vicious cycle” involving insomnia, anxiety, and depression. It’s sort of a “which came first: the chicken or the egg?” scenario.
When we learn His purposes and make them our prayers, we are giving Him the opportunity to act.

DAILY DEVOTIONAL

The Rope of Prayer

David Jeremiah
Daniel was a man who communicated with heaven. He prayed fervently, consistently, and for the will of God. He knew nothing of praying only before meals, at bedtime, and when he really needed God’s help.
Our Daily Devotional Logo
followmeusa.net@gmail.com
OURDAILYDEVOTIONAL.NET
"We follow Jesus"
Sitemap | Sitemap | Sitemap Bible | Privacy Policy & Cookies
Follow us on Youtube