Don't Waste Your Life

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Summary: Sends an important wake-up call to the Christian.
Review: It seems that Christian publishers tend to simultaneously release books that deal with similar themes (work of the Holy Spirit, grace, etc.). The latest trend appears to be on rising above the ordinary and living passionately for Christ. "Don't Waste Your Life" is a stand-out book among this crowd. John Piper is one of the giants of modern Christian writing, and this book is another showcase of his gifts.

Movies and TV series like "Office Space" and "The Office" strike a nerve because we identify with their main theme - the futility of the average life. How many of us feel that we've somehow managed to settle for complacency and boredom instead of the risk and passion that we dream about? In the Christian's case, how many are just playing it safe by focusing on the 'thou-shalt-nots' instead of actually stepping out in faith to DO God's will? These are difficult questions to answer honestly, but we must do so for our own eternal good. For as Piper states, "only what's done for Christ will last."

Each chapter of "Don't Waste Your Life" deals with different aspects of magnifying Christ. Risk-taking, suffering, and the workplace are all arenas where we can glorify God and enjoy Him as we lead our daily lives. However, the last chapter reveals Piper's heart: missions. Ultimately, the overarching theme of this book is winning others to Christ by our lives, and if necessary, by our words. To that end, Piper implores the reader "in the name of Jesus to wake up, and enlarge your heart, and stretch your mind, and spread your wings." For when all is said and done, what really matters is that those who are lost are lost no more.

Rating:
Summary: Grand and Gripping
Review: John Piper does not mince words, and he does not pull punches. In Don't Waste Your Life he journeys from his own personal search for meaning in life to a grand and gripping vision of life in Christ. He writes, "If you want to be most fully satisfied with God as he triumphs in the history of redemption, you can't go on with business as usual---doing your work, making your money, giving your tithe, eating, sleeping, playing, and going to church. Instead you need to...pray and think about how your particular time and place in life fits into the great purpose of God...May God help you. May God free you. May God give you a fresh, Christ-exalting vision for your life." If you will meditate on the truths of this book, it will have you on your knees.

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Summary: Learn how to avoid wasting your life
Review: Piper is the C.S. Lewis of our time. He writes another amazing book with this latest effort. Piper posits that we waste our life unless we live with a single passion to enjoy and display God's glory in all things for the joy of all peoples. Piper explains how we can magnify Christ through pain and death, taking risks for the kingdom, making others glad in God, and making much of Christ in all spheres of life, even at work. If you dare to dream of being a radical disciple of Jesus, read this book. You will not be disappointed.

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Summary: MUST READ
Review: This book is a MUST READ. If you're serious about living out Romans 12:1 - offering your life as a living sacrifice to the One Who created you AND redeemed you... then you've got to read this book.

Job well done! Chapter seven is outstanding! Not only is it relevant and biblical - IT'S NOT BORING!

If every Christian were to apply the biblical principles exposited in this book... the world would have to watch out!

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Summary: A Response to Our Trivializing Age
Review: This is a great book, an antidote to the trivializing spirit of our age. I would especially recommend it for new Christians and non-Christians. The book is about 200 pages long, divided into ten chapters, and it's easy to read. It's a sort of shortened, more accessible version of Desiring God. Those who have read that book should recognize the theme that God is most glorified in us when we're most satisfied in Him. The opening chapters tell the story of how the author, John Piper, came to recognize that truth in his own life. The next several chapters are about the application of that principle to various areas of life, such as pain, death, the workplace, and missions. The final chapter is a prayer to God. Not much of the content will be new to those who are highly familiar with Piper's material, but it's a good summary of what he's presented in other formats. This book would be a great gift for students and a great tool for evangelism. Even for mature Christians, it's a good reminder of what our priorities should be. This book glorifies Christ and encourages us to love Him and glorify Him more.

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Summary: Good Book but not the best
Review: This is a really great book but it seems to get off the subject of wasting your life some. It has some really great teaching in it but I feel that it could have been just a little better. I would still recommend it though.

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Summary: God wants you to read this book!
Review: This is what the gospel is all about. This book, along with God's message and Spirit, will change your life.

Rating:
Summary: Worth a little time
Review: Those familiar with Piper have come to expect Scripture saturated pleadings to readers to find their ultimate fulfillment and joy in "all that God is for us in Christ." For those unfamiliar with Piper, he is a passionate writer and pastor who spurs his readers to greater depths of devotion to God and sacrificial living. He is typically motivating and convicting.

In this book, short by Piper's standards, he drives home the biblical principle that we must give up our lives to find them. Piper applies this passion for Christ in different areas of life: work, relationships, missions, etc. The chapters on risk-taking and work are alone worth the price of the book. I highly reccommend this book as a gift for graduates and college students, but it is worth reading for every believer who doesn't want to waste their life.

Rating:
Summary: Worth a little time
Review: Those familiar with Piper have come to expect Scripture saturated pleadings to readers to find their ultimate fulfillment and joy in "all that God is for us in Christ." For those unfamiliar with Piper, he is a passionate writer and pastor who spurs his readers to greater depths of devotion to God and sacrificial living. He is typically motivating and convicting.

In this book, short by Piper's standards, he drives home the biblical principle that we must give up our lives to find them. Piper applies this passion for Christ in different areas of life: work, relationships, missions, etc. The chapters on risk-taking and work are alone worth the price of the book. I highly reccommend this book as a gift for graduates and college students, but it is worth reading for every believer who doesn't want to waste their life.

Rating:
Summary: Absolute Must Read
Review: When I first heard the title from this book, I was intrigued. His flier that was sent further intrigued me. On the one side it said something to the effect of "If you could have a good spouse, good kids, nice car, long weekends, a few good friends, a fun retirement, a quick and easy death and no hell, would you be satisfied?" You turn the flier over and it said "This is a tragedy in the making. Don't waste your life". Wow. You can see where he may be going...

What he has put together in this book is truly life changing, and will shatter many of your (and my) preconceived ideas on living a godly life - by using Scripture as his basis in all areas.

The first couple of chapters are more biographical/introductory, and how he came to where he is now. Although interesting, he does seemingly wander a bit in dealing with subjective and objective truth and existintilism in his life (the beginning was not my favorite part of the book). Those are phrases that put the majority of Christians to sleep. Do not let that stop you!! By the end of the 2nd chapter, he is going full force, and the book will seriously begin to challenge your ideas on how we are truly to live.

He has chapters focused on areas such as constantly looking to the Cross of Christ for our joy and our daily living and bearing fruit and being selfless in the manner that we live, as well as a fun expositional on Philippians 1.

However, while all the chapters were very good/excellent, Chapter 7 alone is worth ten times the price of the book. If you don't read anything else in the book, read Chapter 7. This chapter will grab you and radically force you to deal with your life. He quotes 1 Peter 3:15 about "always be ready to give an answer for the hope that is within you.." and turns around and asks the question (something like) "do people see hope in your life by the way you live - or is your life so much like the world's that there isn't much of a difference". I don't want to ruin the chapter by revealing all of the information, but he deals with money, finances, Christian living, and media - for starters. He gives wartime examples of living and shows from Scripture how we are to live.

For those who may be a bit intimidated by Piper, as a few of his books are more difficult to read for "mainstream" readers, this is also one of his easiest books to read and can be read by virtually anyone. This book is very "practical" and deals with daily issues of life. You will find few better authors today than John Piper, and while this book won't get the reading that a "Prayer of Jabez" or "Purpose Driven Life" will get - which is extremely unfortunate and a shame - those that do read this 190 page book will have transformed lives, and not just a warm fuzzy feeling at the end.

Be warned - you will be challenged, and you may not like what he says. However, what he says in the book is what needs to be taught and read today - and most importantly he is right, because his book is based on Scripture. I read a lot of Christian books, and not all of them are as good as I hoped. Trust me - you will NOT be disappointed in this book.