Here's a list of books I've read recently or am in the process of reading that are worth sinking our teeth into and digesting:
1) 'The Enemy Within' - Kris Lundgaard.
"If God has redeemed me from sin, and given me his Holy Spirit to sanctify me and give me strength against sin, why do I go on sinning?" (pg 13) In answering this question, which every Christian asks at some stage in their Christian life, Lundgaard has sought the help of the Puritan John Owen. Lundgaard has dug deep in the mines of two great John Owen books: Indwelling Sin and The Mortification of Sin, and presents the treasures he has found in a fresh and extremely readable way.Lundgaard's clear and concise chapters help us delve deep into understanding why it is we continue to sin, and help us to take action in the ongoing battle against sin as he brings us right to the heart of the problem. The questions at the end of each chapter make sure that we don't go away without thinking seriously through the implications, and make the book a great resource to use with an accountability group.
2) 'Filling Up the Afflictions of Christ' - John Piper.
This is the latest collection of biographical sketches to come from the pen of John Piper. He looks at the lives of William Tyndale, John G. Paton and Adoniram Judson, highlighting especially the huge sufferings that they faced in order to see the gospel advance. These three men faced exile and eventually execution for translating the Bible into the language of the people (Tyndale), sickness, danger and loss of loved ones to see foreign nations reached with the gospel (Paton and Judson). However, Piper does not merely want to tell the stories of these men, he wants us to be challenged by their example, he is constantly pressing home lessons from their lives. The overall challenge that Piper leaves us with is: if we want to see the nations come to "worship at the Saviour's feet" (Paton's phrase), then this will mean suffering for Christ's people. This was a huge challenge to me and made me think through the ways in which I must suffer in order to see the gospel advance in Ireland (where I plan to serve after my time at college, God willing), and not to shy away from such suffering but to gladly embrace it so that Christ might be glorified.3) 'The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment' - Jeremiah Burroughs.
This great Puritan classic is centred on Philippians 4:11 - "...I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content." (ESV). Burroughs spells out in great depth what it means for us to have contentment in any and every situation and how we can come to such contentment. Don't be put off by the age or the old language of the book, whilst it might take a bit of time to get used to the slightly older English, it is well worth the effort. Here is a man who knows his Bible and knows the human heart, and skillfully applies the Bible to the heart. There have been times in reading when it seemed as if Burroughs was addressing my situation directly (even though he was writing in the 17th century!). Here is great riches to help us to glorify God, by being those who rejoice in Him in any and every situation.4) 'At the Heart of the Universe' - Peter Jensen.
This book is a short overview of Christian doctrine with a difference - Jensen has decided to reverse the traditional order of the way what Christians believe is usually presented. He starts with the 'last things' first and works backwards. In the first section of the book he looks at the goal of all things, the end towards which God is working the whole universe. Then having established this, it helps us make sense of our existence and shows us how the rest of the themes of Scripture fit together as a whole. This is a very refreshingly Christ-centred book, and also helps us to see clearly the vital relevance of Christian doctrine for our lives and our world. A great read for someone wanting to get a grasp on the big picture of Christian doctrine, or for someone about to start at theoogical college as they prepare to study systematic theology.
