Please, Don’t Waste Your Life
Last night my CrossPoint University Class completed John Piper’s book, Don’t Waste Your Life (Crossway Books, 2007). It is funny how tonight—after 10 weeks of study—was perhaps the defining moment for the class.
The final chapter of Piper’s book will surprise you. It is a six-page written prayer; a profound written prayer. Additionally, the study guide did not provide questions for discussion this week. So much of tonight’s class was spontaneous. And, as I expected, the discussion was enlightening.
For me, and for many others, the greatest challenge of reading the book was measuring up to the call to live a life making much of our love for Christ. We are called to glory in Christ, to magnify Him, to make much of Him by treasuring His supremacy in our life. And the result of living such a life would be to cause others to live a life of love and joy for God. Rather than desiring to be admired by God, we are called to admire God. Rather than thinking of ways God loves us, we should think of ways we should love and honor God for the way He loved us.
Janice Powers enabled the CPU class conclude the study by referring to a paragraph on page 45 of the study guide. Piper writes:
If that paragraph did not slap you across the face, then take the time to read it again. How many of those who call themselves “born-again” live this kind of life? How many of us live for comfort and convenience. Instead of reading the paragraph again, I suggest you purchase the book and read it.
Upon concluding this study, I am convinced I am not living up to the standard of making much about Christ in my life. Much of my preaching is man-centered and Ryan-saturated. Instead, my preaching should be Christ-centered and cross-saturated. Much of my day is spent dwelling on myself. Instead, my day should be spent dwelling on Christ. Much of my preoccupation with life centers on comfort, security and pleasure. Instead, I should be preoccupied with taking risks, giving my all and pleasing the Lord in order to glorify Him.
I don’t know if you can catch the general idea of what I writing today. I am awestruck by what I learned during this study. It is my desire to provide the class again during the next semester of CrossPoint University. My purpose for doing so would be to expose many more CrossPointers to the challenge TO NOT WASTE YOUR LIFE.
The final chapter of Piper’s book will surprise you. It is a six-page written prayer; a profound written prayer. Additionally, the study guide did not provide questions for discussion this week. So much of tonight’s class was spontaneous. And, as I expected, the discussion was enlightening.
For me, and for many others, the greatest challenge of reading the book was measuring up to the call to live a life making much of our love for Christ. We are called to glory in Christ, to magnify Him, to make much of Him by treasuring His supremacy in our life. And the result of living such a life would be to cause others to live a life of love and joy for God. Rather than desiring to be admired by God, we are called to admire God. Rather than thinking of ways God loves us, we should think of ways we should love and honor God for the way He loved us.
Janice Powers enabled the CPU class conclude the study by referring to a paragraph on page 45 of the study guide. Piper writes:
You may not be sure that you want your life to make a difference. Maybe you don’t care very much whether you make a lasting difference for the sake of something great. You just want people to like you. If people would just like being around you, you’d be satisfied. Or if you could just have a good job with a good wife, or husband, and a couple of good kids and a nice car and long weekends and a few good friends, a fun retirement, and a quick and easy death, and no hell—if you could have all that (even without God)—you would be satisfied. That is a tragedy in the making. A wasted life.
If that paragraph did not slap you across the face, then take the time to read it again. How many of those who call themselves “born-again” live this kind of life? How many of us live for comfort and convenience. Instead of reading the paragraph again, I suggest you purchase the book and read it.
Upon concluding this study, I am convinced I am not living up to the standard of making much about Christ in my life. Much of my preaching is man-centered and Ryan-saturated. Instead, my preaching should be Christ-centered and cross-saturated. Much of my day is spent dwelling on myself. Instead, my day should be spent dwelling on Christ. Much of my preoccupation with life centers on comfort, security and pleasure. Instead, I should be preoccupied with taking risks, giving my all and pleasing the Lord in order to glorify Him.
I don’t know if you can catch the general idea of what I writing today. I am awestruck by what I learned during this study. It is my desire to provide the class again during the next semester of CrossPoint University. My purpose for doing so would be to expose many more CrossPointers to the challenge TO NOT WASTE YOUR LIFE.
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