.
Started on: 29 July 2024
Finished on: 4 October 2024
Finished on: 4 October 2024
Title: Ask Pastor John: 750 Bible Answers to Life's Most Important Questions
Author: Tony Reinke
Publisher: Crossway
Pages: 536 pages / 712 pages (e-book)
Year of Publication: 2024
Price: Rp 773,000 (https://opentrolley.co.id/)
Rating: 5/5
Year of Publication: 2024
Price: Rp 773,000 (https://opentrolley.co.id/)
Rating: 5/5
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"Questions are the best steady-state way of creating problems for the mind because a question-free mind is a thinking-free mind and a discovery-free mind. Without this engagement, reading becomes passive entertainment, rather than growth in understanding reality. All learning is the fruit of question-asking and answer-seeking."
The Ask Pastor John podcast was created to fulfill the needs of thoughtful believers who need sound biblical advice for various questions about life in a secular world. The podcast features John Piper, a pastor-theologian and bestselling author who answers life's most difficult questions from the audience. In this book, Ask Pastor John host Tony Reinke summarizes and organizes ten years of their most popular and insightful episodes into thematic sections. Readers can quickly access Piper's insights on Bible reading, career, entertainment, mental health, and more. Through this book, we will realize how asking good questions strengthens faith and grows our understanding of God's word.
"Asking questions is the key to understanding. It wasn't a reminder. It was his brand."
As someone who has listened to the Ask Pastor John podcast for years and has been highly impacted by it, I immediately want to read this book upon its release. Throughout the years, I've only listened to several episodes that answer questions I'm most intrigued about. Reading this book seems more convenient rather than listening to hundreds of episodes. I thank Tony Reinke for combining the 750 most popular episodes into a single guide with dozens of themes. As I read this book, I highlighted many parts that speak to me because John Piper helped me figure out my dilemmas wisely and biblically. In this review, I will share some of my favorite discoveries from this book to give an idea of what you'll get from it.
"Don't expect God to make every Bible reading time unforgettable. But expect a few of them to be especially sweet. Read with this anticipation. And even if God only shows up once a year, it's worth a year's reading."
"The prosperity gospel will not make anybody praise Jesus. It will make people praise prosperity."
The beginning of this book mentions how Christian learning is the process of heart convictions gained by asking great questions and finding convincing answers in the Bible. I reflected on my journey as a Christian for many years and how my faith has grown as I found answers to my questions about Christianity. I love the part that says, "The person who does not know why he believes something or does something is like a robot: he does not know from whence his thought or action springs nor where it is headed." The first chapter I want to highlight in this review is regarding the theme of Bible reading. John Piper reminded us not to expect God to make every Bible reading unforgettable but to expect a few to be especially sweet. I also took notes on sixteen key texts that Pastor John suggests readers memorize, such as Bible verses to battle lust, affliction, fear, depression, and many more. This chapter is an essential start for the book because many people question the importance of reading the Bible.
I am also personally encouraged by the chapter On Purpose, Productivity, and Laziness because I value being productive daily. A part of this chapter reminded me to factor in our seasons because certain seasons will demand more of your focus—such as having a child. I find consolation in the quote, "...the Lord will be pleased if you focus on the chapter you are in and live according to the demands of that chapter with all your might." Another important chapter is On Money, Shopping, and the Prosperity Gospel because it's easy to view money more than God. In this section, we are warned that the prosperity gospel will not make people praise Jesus—it will make people praise prosperity. Thus, we must make it our goal to spend money in a way that shows people how Jesus is better than money. It's a much-needed reminder for us despite how challenging it might be.
"Satan seeks to diminish the glory we give to God in our lives in two ways. One of those is pain, and the other is pleasure."
"God has ten thousand purposes here, so life is never simply 'one thing causes another thing.' There are always thousands and thousands of things God is doing that we cannot see."
One of the most eye-opening parts of this book is where Pastor John redefines the term 'addiction' for me. He gave an illustration of negative and positive motivators. With the right motivation, he says, "You can stop. You can walk away from it. I promise you. With a blowtorch in your face or a million dollars in your pocket—it would be easy." It's a fascinating concept that made me re-think about my habitual sin that I find hard to break. In the following chapter, Pastor John also gives some tips on responding to temptations—which I'm sure will benefit readers. The last topic I will mention in this review is Trials, Sorrow, and Chronic Pain. It's a theme that makes people question God's goodness and sovereignty. In this chapter, Pastor John provides a biblical perspective on thought-provoking questions on suffering. It is a chapter worth re-reading when going through a challenging time in life.
There are still many more compelling topics in this book, such as the unforgivable sin, depression, being childless on purpose, how to find a good local church, and even suicide. Even though it took me quite a long time to finish this book, I'm glad I decided to read it a little each day. Reading it has given me the confidence to help answer difficult questions that people around me have about Christianity. I believe the Ask Pastor John podcast has benefitted a lot of listeners in the past—myself included. I hope many more will be exposed to it by reading this book.
"Every breath we take, any moment we don't suffer—it's all undeserved grace to sinners."
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