Quotes from John Piper

The most precious truth in the Bible is that God's greatest interest is to glorify the wealth of His grace by making sinners happy in Him—in Him!

If we desire that there be no boasting except in the cross, then we must live near the cross-indeed we must live on the cross.

When this world totally fails, the ground for joy remains.

Prayer is the open admission that without Christ we can do nothing. And prayer is the turning away from ourselves to God in the confidence that He will provide the help we need. Prayer humbles us as needy and exalts God as wealthy.

Say to the next generation again and again: God is truthful; God keeps his word; God does not lie; God can be trusted! That's one blessing of Advent. Receive it as a wonderful Christmas gift, and give it to as many people as you can.

The true dimensions of a soul are seen in its delights. Not what we dutifully will but what we passionately want reveals our excellence or evil.

The magnifying of Christ in the white-hot worship of all nations is the reason the world exists.

Thinking is one of the important ways that we put the fuel of knowledge on the fires of worship and service to the world.

Resolved: To live with all my might while I do live." And

It is my eager expectation and hope that . . . Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. . . . To depart and be with Christ . . . is far better. . . . I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. (Phil. 1:20–21, 23; 3:8)

Living to magnify Christ is costly.

the main reason God has given us minds is that we might seek out and find all the reasons that exist for treasuring him in all things and above all things.

Tact is that quality of grace that wins the confidence of people who are sure you won't do or say something stupid. You can't inspire a following if people have to hang their heads in embarrassment at the inappropriate and insensitive things you say or do. Tact is especially needed in a leader to help cope with embarrassing or tragic situations.

I will give them a heart to know that I am The Lord." Jeremiah 24:7 He gives it at new birth, then again and again.

And so with faithful Ruth we pray That bitter providence today Tomorrow will taste very sweet, And every famine that we meet And every broken staff of bread In death, will bring us life instead.

Authenticity begins when you start by admitting that you are inauthentic.

In other words, when all the supports of human life and earthly happiness are taken away, God will be our delight, our joy. This experience is humanly impossible. No ordinary person can speak in truth like this. If God alone is enough to support joy when all else is lost, it is a miracle of grace.

Faithfulness is only half the equation. God expects fruitfulness as well.

If you cannot embrace the pain of learning but must have instant gratification, you forfeit the greatest rewards of life.

Indeed the devil thinks more true thoughts about God in one day than a saint does in a lifetime, and God is not honored by it. The problem with the devil is not his theology, but his desires. Our chief end is to glorify God, the great Object. We do so most fully when we treasure him, desire him, delight in him so supremely that we let goods and kindred go and display his love to the poor and the lost.

God uses means to awaken joy in himself

The way we honor Christ in death is to treasure Jesus above the gift of life, and the way we honor Christ in life is to treasure Jesus above life's gifts.

God owns and controls all things. And there is nothing that he could give you for Christmas this year that would suit your needs and your longings better than the consolation of Israel and the redemption of Jerusalem, restoration for past losses and liberation from future enemies, forgiveness and freedom, pardon and power, healing the past and sealing the future.

It would seem more appropriate to say that we are debtors to God's justice, not to his grace.