Most God-focused book on the Gospel I've ever read. Piper ends the book with a great discussion of old and new hymns that express the focus of this book.

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This is the first book I have ever finished by John Piper. I did start Desiring God a few years ago but at that time in my life he was too deep for me so I gave up on it. (looking back I can see this, I had just come out of a Charismatic/ Pentecostal background) I found this book a while after that at the library for $1 and being unable to resist such a good deal I bought it and it sat on my shelf for a while until I was listening to a podcast and one of speakers mentioned this was in his top 5 most influential Christian books ever. My interest piqued I retrieved the book from the shelf and put it in my âto read' pile. Wow. Right off the bat let me say this is a paradigm shifting book. Mostly we are encouraged by churches nowadays to accept Christ to avoid hell. Piper says that's not the end game. God is. Piper challenges you right off the bat in the introduction, â The acid test of God-centeredness- and faithfulness to the Gospel - is this : Do you feel more loved because God makes much of you, or because, at the cost of his Son, he enables you to enjoy making much of him forever? Does your happiness hang on seeing the cross of Christ as a witness to your worth, Or as a way to enjoy God's worth forever? Is Gods glory in Christ the foundation of your gladness?â More than likely this is going to be new stuff to you, unless you have read Piper before that is. He seems repetitive at first, because of course, he is. He really hammers on his points. It may seem too weighty for you but I would encourage you to stick with it. After you get used to Pipers style and what he's trying to say it becomes a real eye and heart opener. I think it's safe to say this is also in my top 5 as well. Just an incredible book.

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