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Don't Waste Your Life by John Piper (click on the book to see the one without the DVD)

About John Piper: an article where he claims to be a "seven point" Calvanist ... and an article that might be good to understand who John Piper is titled: A Personal Introduction to the Teaching of John Piper.

Visit the website for Bethlehem Baptist Church (where John Piper is the pastor)

I am planning on updating this site as we go through the book "The Purpose Driven Life" by Rick Warren. If you are wondering what other people are saying about this book, just click on the picture of the book on the left and read the reviews that Amazon customers have posted. [Note: once on the Amazon page, click on the picture of the book again, then scroll down to get to the customer reviews] When you finish reading the book yourself, why not add your own review to the list on Amazon (just click on the book, then POST your own review!) There are 40 chapters in the book, and our group is going through them, one chapter per day (not to read ahead!). I will try to post a quote from each chapter as I go through the book.

I'm also including a RESOURCE list at the end of this page, sharing some other sources that I am familiar with that would go along well with specific chapters in the book. (I am not sure that I will always have another resource for each chapter, so let me know if you have one that I can use). Jump to Resource List

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Memory Verse for Week One:

"For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:10 NIV

1

It all starts with God (it's not about me)

pg21 - You may choose your career, your spouse, your hobbies, and many other parts of your life, but you don't get to choose your purpose. [see also Resource List]

2

You are not an accident

pg24 - God is not haphazard; he planned it all with great precision. The more physicists, biologist, and other scientists learn about the universe, the better we understand how it is uniquely suited for our existence, custom-made with the exact specifications that make human life possible. [see also Resource List]

3

What Drives Your Life?

pg29 - It's also a myth that if I get more, I will be more important. Self-worth and net worth are not the same. Your value is not determined by your valuables, and God says the most valuable things in life are not things! The most common myth about money is that having more will make me more secure. It won't. Wealth can be lost instantly through a variety of uncontrollable factors. Real security can only be found in that which can never be taken from you - your relationship with God. [see also Resource List]

4

Made To Last Forever

pg37 - One day your heart will stop beating. That will be the end of your body and your time on earth, but it will not be the end of you. Your earthly body is just a temporary residence for your spirit ... When you fully comprehend that there is more to life than just here and now, and you realize that life is just preparation for eternity, you will begin to live differently. You will start living in light of eternity, and that will color how you handle every relationship, task, and circumstance. Suddenly many activities, goals, and even problems that seemed so important will appear trivial, petty, and unworthy of your attention. The closer you live to God, the smaller everything else appears. [see also Resource List]

5

Seeing Life From God's View

pg41 - "We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are."

pg42 - Your unspoken life metaphor influences your life more than you realize. It determines your expectations, your values, your relationships, your goals, and your priorities. For instance, if you think life is a party, your primary value in life will be having fun. If you see life as a race, you will value speed and will probably be in a hurry much of the time. If you view life as a marathon, you will value endurance. If you see life as a battle or a game, winning will be very important to you. [see also Resource List]

6

Life Is A Temporary Assignment

pg48 - Imagine if you were asked by your country to be an ambassador to an enemy nation. You would probably have to learn a new language and adapt to some customs and cultrural differences in order to be polite and to accomplish your mission. As an ambassador you would not be able to isolate yourself from the enemy. To fulfill your mission, you would have to have contact and relate to them. But suppose you became so comfortable with this foreign country that you fell in love with it, preferring it to your homeland. Your loyalty and commitment would change. Your role as an ambassador would be compromised. Instead of representing your home country, you would start acting like the enemy. You'd be a traitor. The Bible says, "We are Christ's ambassadors." Sadly, many Christians have betrayed their King and his kingdom. They have foolishly concluded that because they live on earth, it's their home. It is not.

7

The Reason For Everything

pg53-55 - The ultimate goal of the universe is to show the glory of God. ... We are commanded to RECOGNIZE his glory, HONOR his glory, DECLARE his glory, PRAISE his glory, REFLECT his glory, and LIVE for his glory. ... All sin, at its root, is failing to give God glory. ... Refusing to bring glory to God is prideful rebellion, and it is the sin that caused Satan's fall - and ours, too. [see also Resource List]

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Purpose #1 - You Were Planned For God's Pleasure ???

Memory Verse for Week 2: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." Mark 12:30 NIV

8

Planned For God's Pleasure

I got stuck in this chapter ... so I compiled a document with all the Bible references in one of the most accurate English Translations (NASB) and in the Amplified Translation (which expands text to try to encompass the full meaning of the original Greek and Hebrew text). I also tried to put some context around each of the reference verses so that it is more clear what is actually being said (to help prevent misinterpretations).

See the reference verses in NASB and Amplified translations with added context (the line before and after): MS Word Document file

9

What Makes God Smile?

List of verses referenced in NASB: MS Word Document

10

The Heart Of Worship

pg 81 - "Retirement is not the goal of a surrendered life, because it competes with God for the primary attention of our lives."

List of verses referenced in NASB: MS Word Document

11

Becoming Best Friends With God

List of all referenced verses in the NASB translation with ADDED CONTEXT (usually one line before and after): MS Word Document

12

Developing Your Friendship With God

List of all referenced verses in the NASB translation with ADDED CONTEXT (usually one line before and after): MS Word Document

13

Worship That Pleases God

14

When God Seems Distant

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Purpose #2 - You Were Formed For God's Family

Fellowship requires: Authenticity, Courtesy, Mutuality. Commuity Building Blocks are: Mutual Encourgement, Mutual Honoring, Mutual Accountability, Hospitality, Unity (not uniformity) in purpose with humility.

Related verses: 1Tim 3:14-15, Rom 12:9-16, 1John 1:7-8, Heb 4:12, Titus 3:2, Rom 12:12, Ecc 4:10, Rom 12:10, Rom 12:13, Acts 2:46, 1Cor 1:10, James 4:6

Memory Verse for Week 3: "In Christ, we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others." Romans 12:5 NIV

15

Formed for God's Family

List of all referenced verses in the NASB translation with ADDED CONTEXT (usually one line before and after): MS Word Document

What Matters Most

pg124 - "It's not enough to say, 'One of the things I want in life is to be loving,' as if it's in your top ten list. Relationships must have priority in your life above everything else. Why? Life without love is really worthless... Often we act as if relationships are something to be squeezed into our schedule. We talk about finding time for our children or making time for people in our lives. That gives the impression that relationships are just a part of our lives along with many other tasks. But God says relationships are what life is all about."

In the end ... God won't ask us about our accomplishments - he will ask ushow we treated other people, especially those in need.

List of all referenced verses in the NASB translation with ADDED CONTEXT (usually one line before and after): MS Word Document

A Place To Belong

pg131 - "Following Christ includes belonging, not just believing. We are members of his Body - the church. ... To Paul, being a 'member' of the church meant being a vital organ of a living body, an indispensible, interconnected part of the Body of Christ. ...You were created for a specific role, but you will miss this second purpose of your life if you're not attached to a living, local church."

pg 133 - "When we come together in love as a church family from different backgrounds, race, and social status, it is a powerful witness to the world."

List of all referenced verses in the NASB translation with ADDED CONTEXT (usually one line before and after): MS Word Document

Experiencing Life Together

pg 140 - "The world thinks intimacy occurs in the dark, but God says it happens in the light. Darkness is used to hide our hurts, faults, fears, failures, and flaws. But in the light, we bring them all out into the light, we bring them all out into the open and admit who we really are. Of course, being authentic requires both courage and humility. It means facing our fear of exposure, rejection, and being hurt again. Why would anyone take such a risk? Because it is the only way to grow spiritually and be emotionally healthy."

pg140-141 - "All of us are more consistent in our faith when others walk with us and encourage us. The Bible commands mutual accountability, mutual encouragement, mutual serving, and mutual honoring. Over 50 times in the New Testament we are commanded to do different tasks to "one another" and "each other". ... You are not responsible for everyone in the Body of Christ, but your are responsible to them. God expects you to do whatever you can to help them."

pg143 - Many people are reluctant to show mercy because they don't understand the difference between trust and forgiveness. Foreveness is letting go of the past. Trust has to do with future behavior. Foregiveness must be immediate, whether or not a person asks for it. Trust must be rebuilt over time. Trust requires a track record. If someone hurts you repeatedly, you are commanded by God to forgive them instantly, but you are not expected to trust them immediately, and you are not expected to continue allowing them to hurt you."

List of all referenced verses in the NASB translation with added context (usually one line before and after): MS Word Document

Cultivating Community

pg145 - "Cultivating community takes honesty. You will have to care enough to lovingly speak the truth, even when you would rather gloss over a problem or ignore an issue. While it is much easier to remain silent when others around us are harming themselves or others with a sinful pattern, it is not the loving thing to do. Most people have no one in their lives who loves them enough to tell them the truth (even when it's painful), so they continue in self-destructive ways. Often we know what needs to be said to someone, but our fears prevent us from saying anything. Many fellowships have been sabotaged by fear: no one had the courage to speak up in the group while a members' life fell apart."

pg147 - "Frankness is not a license to say anything you want, wherever and whenever you want. It is not rudeness. The Bible tells us there is a right time and a right way to do everything. Thoughtless words leave lasting wounds."

pg148 - "Humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less. Humility is the thinking more of otheres. Humble people are so fucused on serving others, they don't think of themselves."

List of all referenced verses in the NASB traslation with added context (usually one line before and after): MS Word Document

Restoring Broken Fellowship

Protecting Your Church

pg162 - Longing for the ideal while criticizing the real is evidence of immaturity. On the other hand, settling for the real without striving for the ideal is complacency. Maturity is living with the tension."

pg163 - "The sooner we give up the illusion that a church must be perfect in order to love it, the sooner we quit pretending and start admitting we're all imperfect and need grace. This is the beginningn of real community."

pg164 - "God warns us over and over not to criticize, compare, or judge each other. When you criticize what another believer is doing in faith and from sincere conviction, you are interfering with God's business. ... Whenever I judge another believer, four things instantly happen: I lose fellowship with God, I expose my own pride and insecurity, I set myself up to be judged by God, and I harm the fellowship of the church. A critical spirit is a costly vice."

pg164 - "Refuse to listen to gossip ... When someone begins to gossip to you, have the courage to say, 'Please stop. I don't need to know this. Have you talked directly to that person?' People who gossip to you will also gossip about you. They cannot be trusted. If you listen to gossip, God says you are a troublemaker."

Purpose #3 - You Were Created To Become Like Christ

It's a partnership - I need to WORK OUT my salvation (not work FOR it, but I do have to do my part) at the same time as God WORKS IN me. This is all related via Phillipians 2:12-13: "...work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you..."

Tools are: The Bible (2Tim 3:16-17), His Holy Spirit (Rom 8:11 & 2Cor 3:18) and Circumstances (Rom 8:28-29)

But I must make CHOICES: What I think about (Prov 4:23 & Eph 4:23 & Psalm 119:1-11), to depend on God's Spirit (John 15:4-5) and to RESPOND to circumstances (correctly) (James 1:2-4)

Memory Verse for Week 4:

Created to Become Like Christ

pg173 - "God wants you to develop the kind of character described in the batitudes of Jesus [Mat 5:3-12], the fruit of the Spirit [Gal 5:22-23], Paul's great chapter on love [1Cor 13], and Peter's list of the characteristic of an effective and productive life [2Pet 1:5-8]."

pg175 - "God waits for you to act first. Don't wait to feel powerful or confident. Move ahead in your weakness, doing the right thing in spite of your fears and feelings. This is how you cooperate with the Holy Spirit, and it is how your character develops."

pg176 - "God uses his Word, people, and circumstances to mold us. All three are indispensable for character development. God's Word provides the truth we need to grow, God's people provide the support we need to grow, and circumstances provide the environment we need to practice Christlikeness. If you study and apply God's Word, connect regularly with other believers, and learn to trust God in difficult circumstances, I guarantee you will become more like Jesus."

pg177 - "God is much more concerned about your character than your career, because you will take youru character into eternity, but not your career."

List of all referenced verses in the NASB traslation with added context (usually one line before and after): MS Word Document

How We Grow

List of all referenced verses in the NASB traslation with added context (usually one line before and after): MS Word Document

Transformed by Truth

List of all referenced verses in the NASB traslation with added context (usually one line before and after): MS Word Document

Transformed by Trouble

List of all referenced verses in the NASB traslation with added context (usually one line before and after): MS Word Document

Growing Through Temptation

List of all referenced verses in the NASB traslation with added context (usually one line before and after): MS Word Document

Defeating Temptation

List of all referenced verses in the NASB traslation with added context (usually one line before and after): MS Word Document

It Takes Time

List of all referenced verses in the NASB traslation with added context (usually one line before and after): MS Word Document

Accepting Your Assignment

List of all referenced verses in the NASB traslation with added context (usually one line before and after): MS Word Document

Shaped For Serving God

List of all referenced verses in the NASB traslation with added context (usually one line before and after): MS Word Document

Understanding Your Shape

List of all referenced verses in the NASB traslation with added context (usually one line before and after): MS Word Document

Using What God Gave You

List of all referenced verses in the NASB traslation with added context (usually one line before and after): MS Word Document

How Real Servants Act

List of all referenced verses in the NASB traslation with added context (usually one line before and after): MS Word Document

Thinking Like A Servant

List of all referenced verses in the NASB traslation with added context (usually one line before and after): MS Word Document

God's Power In Your Weakness

List of all referenced verses in the NASB traslation with added context (usually one line before and after): MS Word Document

Chapter 1 - It all starts with God

In Six Days; Why Fifty Scientists Choose To Believe In Creation edited by John F Ashton Ph.D. is an excellent book that came to mind. It is a compilation of a short essay from 50 scientists from many different fields of study, such as Mechanical Engineering, Biology, Biochemistry, Medical Research, Physics, Physical Chemistry, Genetics, Organic Chemistry, Horticulture Science, Inorganic Chemistry, Mathematics, Botany, Theoretical Chemistry, Medical Physics, Geophysics, Zoology, Astronomy, Meteorology, Orthodontics, Geology, Electrical Engineering, Geological Engineering, Geography, Architectural Engineering, Hydrometallurgy, Forestry Research and Chemistry. Each one explains why they KNOW there is a God based on something in their field of expertise that just couldn't have happened"by chance". [30 customer reviews on Amazon]

Chapter 2 - You are not an accident

The Creator And The Cosmos: How the Latest Scientific Discoveries of the Century Reveal God by Hugh Ross, Ph.D. is an excellent book that reviews the many aspects of the universe that God specifically designed just for us - that could NOT have happened just "by chance". It is fantastic to see how science actually helps prove there is a God and that we are created in his image! For example, Chapter 16 is "A Just Right Universe". It debunks the idea that with enough time, the right natural processes, and enough building blocks, even systems as complex as organisms could be assembled without the help of a supreme being. Sure, we can look at it this way, "imagine the possibility of a Boeing 747 aircraft being completely assembled as a result of a tornado striking a junkyard." But this book is written by a scientist and explains the same improbability for our world randomly ending up with a nuclear force constant that is just right ... like wise a gravitational force constant, electromagnetic force constant, fine structure constant or even the decay rate of Beryllium... and it does it all in language that I can understand and appreciate! (and THAT is saying something). [16 customer reviews on Amazon]

Chapter 3 - What Drives Your Life?

Money, Possessions and Eternity by Randy Alcorn is an excellent book to put "stuff" into proper perspective. It is very Biblically based with Scripture references on nearly every page (and the book is nearly 500 pages), If "materialism" is one of your struggles, this book will help you view it in an entirely different light. If you were brought up to believe that having more "stuff" will make your life better, this book looks at that too. Finally, if you thought that becoming a Christian was supposed to guarantee you "the good life" here on earth, you will find this book enlightening. But, the reason I ordered the book for myself was because an ad that spoke of a study that found "six months after winning the lottery, you are likely to be no happier than if you had been paralyzed in a car crash". [see pg 355 where it talks about the Lottery]. [12 customer reviews on Amazon]

Chapter 4 - Made To Last Forever

Eternity In Their Hearts by Don Richardson delves into this interesting phenomenon. Is ETERNITY really written in each person's heart? The blurb on the back cover sums it up well, "The year is 1795, and deep in the jungles of Burma hundreds of native tribesmen rush out to a clearing to greet a white-skinned stranger. Could he be the one to bring THE BOOK their forefathers lost so many centuries ago - the book that tells the secrets of Y'Wa, the Supreme God? Yes! And later missionaries were astounded at the way in which God had prepared these people for one of the greatest mass conversions in history! ... This and twenty five other incredible but true stories prove the truth of the words in Ecclesiastes: "He [God] has also set eternity in the hearts of men." [21 customer reviews on Amazon]

Chapter 5 - Seeing Life From God's View

Bridal Intercession by Gary Wiens immediately popped into my mind right from the first sentence of the chapter (which was "We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are." - Anais Nin). So without further ado, here is the quote from Bridal Intercession, page 56, that was a very significant turning point for me:

"I remember some years ago watching an instructional video on paradigms - the belief lenses through which we experience reality. The video used an interesting tool to demonstrate the amazing ability of human beings to edit what we experience by the subconscious use of paradigms. A deck of playing cards was shown, one card at a time, in very rapid sequence - each card was shown for only one-twentieth of a second. Most of the cards were fairly easily identifiable, but there were several I simply couldn't see well enough to recognize. And that was the point of the video, because when the instructor slowed down the speed of the exposure of each card, I realized that the cards I couldn't see were cards like a red 10 of spades, or a black six of diamonds. See, the issue was that spades are normally black, and diamonds are normally red, and so when they were shown in a way different from what I expected, my brain could not register the new reality it was seeing. This is how paradigms work. Wee see what we expect, and we are disoriented to the point of non-comprehension when we see or hear or experience something outside our paradigm." [12 customer reviews on Amazon]

Chapter 7 - The Reason For Everything

The Thomas Factor: The Key To Believing When You Cannot Find An Answer by Winkie Pratney. This book just popped into my head tonite! It was one of the first books that I read after giving my life over to Christ. A very significant aspect of this book was something I didn't really understand fully ... but maybe now I have a bit more understanding in it. Actually ... this was more or less the basis of the whole book ... page 42 sums it up quite nicely:

There is a divine order even to the WAY we receive truth from God. It goes something like this;

1) Revelation --- God speaks
2) Practical Service --- We do it
3) Illumination --- He explains it (maybe!)

This communication order is inherent in all of God's dealings with mankind ...... The MAYBE in the above diagram is important. Explanation is not our own option. God neve HAS to explain it. Obedience always precedes illumination. A.W. Tozer put it like this: "Obedience is the opener of the eyes."