Greg & Laile DeWeese

Continual Repentance

DeWeese — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 23:25:00 GMT

O GOD OF GRACE, Thou hast imputed my sin to my Substitute, and hast imputed His righteousness to my soul, clothing me with a bridegroom’s robe, decking me with jewels of holiness. But in my Christian walk I am still in rags; my best prayers are stained...(read more)

The Dark Guest

DeWeese — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 13:44:00 GMT

O LORD, Bend my hands and cut them off, for I have often struck Thee with a wayward will, when these fingers should embrace Thee by faith. I am not yet weaned from all created glory, honour, wisdom, and esteem of others, for I have a secret motive to...(read more)

Yet I Sin

DeWeese — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 13:01:00 GMT

ETERNAL FATHER Thou are good beyond all thought, But I am vile, wretched, miserable, blind; My lips are ready to confess, but my heart is slow to feel, and my ways reluctant to amend. I bring my soul to Thee; break it, wound it, bend it, mould it. Unmask...(read more)

Self-Knowledge

DeWeese — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 03:25:00 GMT

Searcher of hearts, It is a good day to me when Thou givest me A glimpse of myself; Sin is my greatest evil, But Thou art my greatest good; I have cause to loathe myself, And not to seek self-honour, For no one desires to commend his own dunghill. My...(read more)

Just Where, Exactly, Was Jesus Born?

DeWeese — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 00:02:00 GMT

While Mary and Joseph could have been in a stable or cave (certainly not an inn!), Luke’s word choice is very telling. In 2:7 , inn is the Greek word kataluma. But in Lk. 10:34, Luke uses another word for inn : pandoxeion . This was the usual word used...(read more)

Where was Joseph?

DeWeese — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 23:54:00 GMT

We know from Luke 2:7 that Mary gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn . But, was she alone? Was there a mid-wife? Was Joseph out with the other nervous...(read more)

Reconsidering the Christmas Story

DeWeese — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 23:31:00 GMT

This month at the International Bible Church we're considering all the ways that God the Father prepared his Son Jesus to begin his public ministry at 30 years old, a ministry that would end 3 1/2 years later in a brutal death on the cross. July is...(read more)

Always One Set of Footprints

DeWeese — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 02:06:00 GMT

The famous poem Footprints is special to many, but it actually can lead us to falling into one of the three traps of perpetual immaturity mentioned in Eph. 4:13-16 (being tossed to a fro, carried about by every wind of doctrine). When the man in the poem...(read more)

Honoring Christ and Loving People in Times of Darkness, Part 4

DeWeese — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 13:39:00 GMT

16. Express your personal cherishing of the sovereignty of God as the ground of all your hope as you face the human impossibilities of life. The very fulfillment of the New Covenant promises of our salvation and preservation hang on God's sovereignty over rebellious human wills--both ours and others.

Mark 10:24. "The disciples were amazed at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, 'Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.' They were even more astonished and said to Him, 'Then who can be saved?' Looking at them, Jesus said, 'With people it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God.'"

Jeremiah 32:40. "I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; and I will put the fear of Me in their hearts so that they will not turn away from Me."

Hebrews 13:20-21. "Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen."

17. Count God your only lasting treasure, because he is the only sure and stable thing in the universe.

Psalm 73:25-26. "Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail, But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."

18. Remind everyone that to live is Christ and to die is gain.

Philippians 1:21-23. "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. . . . I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better."

2 Corinthians 5:7-9. "We walk by faith, not by sight - we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him."

19. Pray that God would incline their hearts (both the one who is hurt as well as those who inflicted the pain) to his word, open their eyes to his wonders, unite their hearts to fear him, and satisfy them with his love.

Psalm 119:36. "Incline my heart to Your testimonies And not to gain."

Psalm 119:18. "Open my eyes, that I may behold Wonderful things from Your law."

Psalm 86:11. "Unite my heart to fear Your name."

Psalm 90:14. "O satisfy us in the morning with Your lovingkindness, That we may sing for joy and be glad all our days."

20. At the right time sound the trumpet that all this good news is meant by God to free us for radical, sacrificial service for the salvation of men and the glory of Christ. Help them see that one message of all this misery is to show us that life is short and fragile and followed by eternity, and small, man-centered ambitions are tragic.

Acts 20:24. "But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God."

Titus 2:14. "[Christ] gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds."

Philippians 1:21. "To live is Christ."

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Please include the following statement on any distributed copy: By John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: desiringGod.org

Jesus, Priceless Treasure

DeWeese — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 14:44:00 GMT

Here is the text of a wonderful hymn. It was written in the 17th century, on the heels of the 30 Years War. The tune, by Johann Kruger, is in a minor key, which lends it a serious tone. As Christians of that era knew, the battle for truth was hard won and the battlefields were often literal. Yet, the battle to see and savor Jesus is well worth it!

Jesus, Priceless Treasure

Jesus, priceless treasure,
Source of purest pleasure,
Truest friend to me,
Long my heart was burning,
And my soul was yearning,
Lord, with you to be!
Yours I am, O spotless Lamb;
Nothing I’ll allow to hide you,
Nothing ask beside you.

In your arms I rest me;
Foes who would molest me
Cannot reach me here.
Though the earth be shaking,
Every heart be quaking,
Jesus calms my fear.
Sin and hell in conflict fell
With their bitter storms assail me;
Jesus will not fail me.

Satan, I defy you;
Death, I now decry you;
Fear, I bid you cease.
World, you cannot harm me
Nor your threats alarm me.
While I sing of peace.
God’s great power guards every hour;
Earth and all its depths adore him,
Silent bow before him.

Hence, all earthly treasure!
Jesus is my pleasure,
Jesus is my choice.
Hence, all empty glory!
What to me your story
Told with tempting voice?
Pain or loss or shame or cross
Shall not from my Savior move me
Since he chose to love me.

Hence, all fears and sadness,
For the Lord of gladness,
Jesus, enters in.
Those who love the Father,
Though the storms may gather,
Still have peace within.
For, whatever I must bear,
Still in you lies purest pleasure,
Jesus, priceless treasure!

Words: Johann Frank; translated from German to English by Catherine Winkworth, 1863Music: Praxis Pietatis Melica, by Johann Crüger, 1653 (Jesu, meine Freude)

For a nice version of this hymn, click on this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_366MZpYvc#

Post-Father's Day Thoughts

DeWeese — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 13:52:00 GMT

“Remember your leaders,” says Heb. 13:7, “those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.” Joseph of Nazareth may not be one we would typically consider a leader, but I think after considering the outcome of his way of life, you will be moved to imitate his faith. When life is breathed into this often downplayed man, it becomes apparent that he is part of the great cloud of witnesses that surrounds us. And since we are surrounded by people such as Joseph, we can be encouraged to “also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb. 12:1-2).

What a man and model Joseph of Nazareth is for us.

“And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egpyt” (Mt. 2:14). Fathers, one of the best ways to protect those entrusted to us is to obey God right away, without delay and without arguing. Boys and singles, make it your habit to imitate Joseph in obedience: the life of your future family may one day depend on your obedience. Right away, no delay, and no arguing. Are we living our lives and leading our families in such a way that God will bless and not chastise us? If we don’t follow God’s ways, think of the danger we bring to our families. The consequences for our disobedience will be experienced by our family. In Joseph’s case, lack of immediate obedience would have resulted in the death of Jesus and immense pain for Mary.

Honoring Christ and Loving People in Times of Darkness, Part 3

DeWeese — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 13:26:00 GMT

11. Point the hurting to the momentous issues of sin and repentance in our own hearts and the urgent need to get right with God through his merciful provision of forgiveness in Christ, so that a worse fate than death will not overtake us.

Luke 13:1-5. "Now on the same occasion there were some present who reported to Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. And Jesus said to them, 'Do you suppose that these Galileans were greater sinners than all other Galileans because they suffered this fate? I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or do you suppose that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them were worse culprits than all the men who live in Jerusalem? I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.'"

Revelation 9:18-21. "[As a judgment of God] a third of mankind was killed by these three plagues, by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which proceeded out of their mouths. . . . The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, so as not to worship demons, and the idols . . . and they did not repent of their murders nor of their sorceries nor of their immorality nor of their thefts."

Revelation 16:8-9. "The fourth angel poured out his bowl upon the sun, and it was given to it to scorch men with fire. Men were scorched with fierce heat; and they blasphemed the name of God who has the power over these plagues, and they did not repent so as to give Him glory."

12. Remember that even those who trust in Christ may be deeply hurt, but that does not mean they have been abandoned by God or not loved by God even in those agonizing hours of suffering. God's love conquers even through calamity.

Romans 8:35-39. "Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written, 'FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG, WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED.' But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

13. Mingle heart-wrenching weeping with unbreakable confidence in the goodness and sovereignty of God who rules over and through the sin and the plans of rebellious people.

Lamentations 3:32 "For if He causes grief, Then He will have compassion According to His abundant lovingkindness. For He does not afflict willingly Or grieve the sons of men."

Genesis 45:7 [Joseph said to his brothers who sinfully sold him into Egypt] "God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to keep you alive by a great deliverance."

Genesis 50:20 [Joseph says to his fearing brothers] "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive."

Other texts on the absolute sovereignty of God over all things: Ephesians 1:11; Isaiah 46:9-10; Lamentations 3:37; Amos 3:6; Proverbs 16:33; Exodus 4:11; 1 Samuel 2:6-7; 2 Samuel 12:15-18; John 9:2-3; James 4:15; 1 Peter 3:17; 4:19; Matthew 10:29.

14. Trust God for his ability to do the humanly impossible, and bring you through this pain or nightmare and, in some inscrutable way, bring good out of it.

Romans 8:28. "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."

Lamentations 3:21-24. "This I recall to my mind, Therefore I have hope. The LORD's lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. 'The LORD is my portion,' says my soul, 'Therefore I have hope in Him.'"

2 Corinthians 1:8-9. "For we do not want you to be unaware, brethren, of our affliction which came to us in Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life; indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead."

2 Corinthians 4:17. "Momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison."

15. Explain, when the time is right, and they have the wherewithal to think clearly that one of the mysteries of God's greatness is that he ordains that some things come to pass which he forbids and disapproves of.

The clearest example is his ordaining that his Son be killed.

Acts 4:27-28. "Truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur."

See the Appendix titled "Are There Two Wills in God? Divine Election and God's Desire for All to Be Saved," in The Pleasures of God (Sisters, OR: Multnomah Press, 2000), pp. 313-340.

Please include the following statement on any distributed copy: By John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: desiringGod.org

Five More Ways to Help Those Who Are Hurting

DeWeese — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 14:08:00 GMT

6. Affirm that Jesus Christ tasted hostility from men and knew what it was to be unjustly tortured and abandoned, and to endure overwhelming loss, and then be killed, so that he is now a sympathetic mediator for us with God.

Hebrews 4:15-16. "For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted [or "tested" which makes the application larger!] in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

Isaiah 53:3-6. "He was despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely our griefs He Himself bore, and our sorrows He carried; yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; but the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him."

7. Acknowledge that God has permitted a great outbreak of sin against his revealed will, and that we do not know all the reasons why he would permit such a thing now, when it was in his power to stop it.

Deuteronomy 29:29. "The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our sons forever, that we may observe all the words of this law."

Romans 11:33-37 "Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, OR WHO BECAME HIS COUNSELOR? Or WHO HAS FIRST GIVEN TO HIM THAT IT MIGHT BE PAID BACK TO HIM? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen."

8. Express the truth that Satan is a massive reality in the universe that conspires with our own sin and flesh and the world to hurt people and to move people to hurt others, but stress that Satan is within and under the control of God.

Job 1:6, 12, 21-22; 2:6-10. "Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them. . . . Then the LORD said to Satan, 'Behold, all that he has is in your power, only do not put forth your hand on him.' So Satan departed from the presence of the LORD. . . [After losing all his possessions and his ten children Job says] 'Naked I came from my mother's womb, And naked I shall return there. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD. Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God. . . . [After a second meeting in heaven] the LORD said to Satan, 'Behold, he is in your power, only spare his life.' Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. . . . Then his wife said to him, 'Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die!' But he said to her, 'You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?'"

Job 42:2, 11. "I know that You can do all things, And that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted. . . . Then all his brothers and all his sisters and all who had known him before came to him, and they ate bread with him in his house; and they consoled him and comforted him for all the adversities that the LORD had brought on him.

Luke 22:31-32. "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers."

2 Corinthians 12:7-9. "Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me - to keep me from exalting myself! Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.' Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me."

Compare the following two perspectives on the cause of Jesus' death.

Luke 22:3-4 "Satan entered into Judas who was called Iscariot, belonging to the number of the twelve. And he went away and discussed with the chief priests and officers how he might betray Him to them."

9. Express that those who cause the pain or hurt rebelled against the revealed will of God and did not love God or trust him or find in God their refuge and strength and treasure, but scorned his ways and his Person.

2 Thessalonians 3:1-2. "Finally, brethren, pray for us . . . that we will be rescued from perverse and evil men; for not all have faith."

Galatians 5:6. "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is of any avail, but faith working through love."

Galatians 5:16. "Walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh."

James 4:1-4. "What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God."

10. For those who were hurt by intentionally others, rebellion against God was at the root of the act. In light of this, we all should fear such rebellion in our own hearts, and turn from it, and embrace the grace of God in Christ, and renounce the very impulses that caused this tragedy.

Proverbs 3:5-6. "Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight."

Psalm 9:10. "And those who know Your name will put their trust in You, For You, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You."

Psalm 56:3. "When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You."

Please include the following statement on any distributed copy: By John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: desiringGod.org

Five Reasons to not Begrudge Affliction

DeWeese — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 14:04:00 GMT

In his blog, John Piper shares five specific benefits from Psalm 119: 67 and 71 that God gives in sending us affliction. He notes that, principally, affliction comes to help us learn God’s word, to understand God’s word and keep it. There are innumerable ways affliction can benefit us, as there are innumerable experiences. But here are five that Piper mentions:

Affliction takes the glibness of life away and makes us more serious so that our mindset is more in tune with the seriousness of God’s word.
Affliction knocks worldly props from under us and forces us to rely more on God which brings us more in tune with the aim of the word.
Affliction makes us search the scriptures with greater desperation for help rather than treating it as marginal to life.
Affliction brings us into the fellowship of Christ’s sufferings so that we fellowship more closely with him and see the world more readily through his eyes.
Affliction mortifies deceitful and distracting fleshly desires, and so brings us into a more spiritual frame which fits God’s word more.

I pray that we will not begrudge the pedagogy of God.

How God Teaches the Deep Things of His Word

DeWeese — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 13:56:00 GMT

The Bible always has ways of reshaping our perspectives. The writer of Ps. 119 does exactly this when he expounds on one great reason for affliction. As John Piper examines just 8 verses of the longest Psalm, I was reminded of yet another wonderful good that God works from every situation--Greg

A Meditation on Psalm 119:65-72

By John Piper June 11, 2008

The reason Psalm 119 has 176 verses is that the Hebrew alphabet has 22 letters. The psalmist exults in the multifaceted preciousness of God’s word by taking each letter of the alphabet and writing eight verses of exultation, each verse beginning with that letter. It’s like saying: “The word of God is precious in every way from A to Z—beyond perfection.” (Eight is one more than seven, the number of completeness and perfection.)

Ordinarily in each group of eight verses, the psalmist uses mostly different words that start with the letter for that section of the acrostic. For example, the verses beginning with the letter heth (verses 57–64) use eight different words beginning with that letter. But verses 65-72, that start with the Hebrew letter teth, stand out, because they begin with the same word five times—the word good (tov). This makes us sit up and take notice.

Something really good is being emphasized. What is the good he wants us to see?

Here is my translation in awkward English that lets you see the prominence of the word good.

65: Good (tov) you did, Yahweh, with your servant according to your word.
66: Good (tov) discernment and knowledge, teach me, because in your commandments I trust.
67: Before I was afflicted I erred, but now I keep your word.
68: Good (tov) you are and you cause good to happen, teach me your statutes.
69: Smear upon me lies, so do the proud, but I with all my heart watch your precepts.
70: Gross like fat is their heart, I delight in your instruction.
71: Good for me (tov li) it was that I was afflicted, so that I might learn your statutes.
72: Good for me (tov li) the instruction of your mouth, more than thousands of gold and silver pieces.

These are not random comments about what is good. They are connected. And a specific good is in mind.

Verse 65 says that God did something good. It accords with his word. That means God’s word is designed for our good and that what God does to help us go deep with his word is good. What did he do that makes the psalmist write this?

In verse 66 the psalmist prays that God would give him good discernment because he trusts in God’s commandments. That means God does not bless with discernment a negative attitude toward his word. If we trust that his words are the best counsel in the world, he will give us discernment when we ask.

So the psalmist pleads for a mind and heart that penetrates deep into the word of God and becomes spiritually discerning for all the hundreds of situations that are not addressed directly by the Bible. So, he prays—and we should pray—God, do whatever you must do to teach me your word.

Verse 67 tells us what God did to answer this prayer for biblical discernment: “Before I was afflicted I erred, but now I keep your word.” God sent affliction. And this affliction was a profound teacher. It moved the psalmist into deeper obedience (“Now I keep your word”).

But not only obedience, also understanding. Verse 71: “Good it was for me that I was afflicted, so that I might learn your statutes.” Affliction brought learning. This is the discernment he had prayed for.

So the good that God did (v. 65) was Bible-illumining, discernment-giving, obedience-producing affliction. What was the affliction? It was slander from spiritually hardened adversaries. Verses 69: “The proud smear me with lies, but I with all my heart watch your precepts.”

This is the good the psalmist wants us to see. Verse 68: “Good you are, and you cause good to happen.” The good is the affliction that brings about understanding, discernment, and obedience. “Good it was for me that I was afflicted, so that I might learn your statutes” (v. 71).

How can he call affliction good? It’s because in his value-scheme, penetrating insight into God’s word is more valuable that thousands of gold and silver pieces.

Verse 72: “Good to me is the instruction of your mouth more than thousands of gold and silver pieces.” If God and his word are your highest values—your greatest desires—then whatever helps you know them and experience them deeply will be good—not easy, and maybe not even morally right (like slander from your adversaries), but good in the sense that God ordains it to give you what is absolutely best—the illumining effect of God’s infinitely valuable word.

In Martin Luther’s meditation on these verses he said that trials (Anfectungen) were one of his best teachers:

I want you to know how to study theology in the right way. I have practiced this method myself.... Here you will find three rules. They are frequently proposed throughout Psalm [119] and run thus: Oratio, meditatio, tentatio (Prayer, meditation, trial).... [Trials] teach you not only to know and understand but also to experience how right, how true, how sweet, how lovely, how mighty, how comforting God’s word is: it is wisdom supreme.

As soon as God’s Word becomes known through you, the devil will afflict you... and will teach you by his temptations to seek and to love God’s Word. For I myself... owe my papists many thanks for so beating, pressing, and frightening me through the devil’s raging that they have turned me into a fairly good theologian, driving me to a goal I should never have reached. (What Luther Says: An Anthology, 1359–1360)

Lord, incline our hearts to your word and not to gold and silver. Make us cherish your word so much that we embrace whatever it takes to give us understanding and good discernment and faithful obedience.

And when it comes, give us the grace to say, “Good you are, and you cause good to happen.”

Please include the following statement on any distributed copy: By John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: desiringGod.org