"The greatest enemy of hunger for God is not poison but apple pie. It is not the banquet of the wicked that dulls our appetite for heaven, but endless nibbling at the table of the world. It is not the X-rated video, but the prime-time dribble of the triviality we drink in every night. For all the ill that Satan can do, when God describes what keeps us from the banquet table of his love, it is a piece of land, a yoke of oxen, and a wife (Luke 14:18-20).
The greatest adversary of love to God is not his enemies but his gifts. And the most deadly appetites are not for the poison of evil, but for the simple pleasures of earth. For when these replace an appetite for God himself, the idolatry is scarcely recognizable, and almost incurable."
John Piper, Hunger for God, p.14
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12 comments:
"the idolatry is scarcely recognizable, and almost incurable"
frightening in its truth and familiarity - broken cisterns that keep you from dying of thirst as if the sense of dying from thirst were a bad thing
I love the quote of the week.
John Piper is so wise and full of knowledge and truth.
Keep up the great posting!
In Him,
Kinney Mabry
Susan
At times I think it's the American dream that is most dangerous... wife, two kids, home with white picket fence, two cars and a upwardly mobile job....
Kinney,
Thanks for stopping by with a comment - we share your appreciation for JP quotes on this blog!
ESI - I need some technical help please. I would like for people to be able to post on my blog even if they don't have a blog id of their own - but I don't want (and have had quite a few of late) multiple anonymous commenters who don't seem to want to follow the request I have made to leave a name.
I don't want to have to go to comment enabling but it seems to me that if someone wants to say something they should at least be willing to sign their name to it so the threads can be kept straight - is there a way to do this on blogger?
Thanks!
Susan
I think that there really isn't a way to force people to identify themselves other than comment moderation.
I personally do not mind anonymous comments since most of those who comment on my blog tend not to express strong negativity or abusive language. I find comment moderation cumbersome and requiring too much effort.
A wife. Sigh.
LL,
I think it's fair to say that it would apply to husbands or children too ;-)
The Creator must always be esteemed higher than His creation. But Satan knows that he doesn't need the biggest and fanciest lures. He is quite proficient with subtleties, and so our time, talent and treasures get misprioritized...
"scarcely recognizable" - because choices come from variations, and at some point the number of variations decreases the distinction between things and all things are an indistinguishable transition- consequence of supply, demand and affluence.
perhaps also what we hear and resonate with, in comments by piper, is the undercurrent of authority expressed in spirit and truth, but if we do not draw near the we forget and need to hear again, and at some point all that can be said of us is that we listen and read teachings.
we as believers draw near to the light that unveils our sin, and as we draw near the sin is left behind.
True.
And we can really only enjoy the good gifts of God when God is our one desire and passion.
any thoughts anyone on law-keeping vs. fruit-bearing
Mark, not sure what you mean but law keeping cannot produce fruits that lead to eternal life..
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