I am begging you to purchase and read “The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism” by Timothy Keller. I am not sure if I have ever mentioned this book on the blog or not… have I? If I have you might be annoyed but I remain at peace because it may just need to be reiterated. I just finished reading it for the second time and I loved it even more this time around. The first time around I was spending most of my energy processing and interacting with the content but this time I was able to sit back, relax on my couch and read it over a cup of chamomile tea and it has blessed me so. Dr. Timothy Keller is the Pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City. He engages culture and gospel in a unique way and he does it all with the heart of a Pastor.
I am begging you.
Here is a sneak peak at just one little selection… I don’t want to spoil too much for you.
“The doctrine of the Trinity overloads our mental circuits. Despite its cognitive difficulty, however, this astonishing, dynamic conception of the triune God is bristling with profound, wonderful, life-shaping, world-changing implications… Ultimate reality is a community of persons who know and love one another. That is what the universe, God, history, and life is all about. If you favor money, power, and accomplishment over human relationships, you will dash yourself on the rocks of reality. When Jesus said you must lose yourself in service to find yourself (Mark 8:35), he was recounting what the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit have been doing throughout eternity. You will, then, never get a sense of self by standing still, as it were, and making everything revolve around your needs and interests. Unless you are willing to experience the loss of options and the individual limitations that comes from being in committed relationships, you will remain out of touch with your own nature and the nature of things. In many other places in this volume, I’ve traced out how impossible it is to stay fully human if you refuse the cost of forgiveness, the substitutional exchange of love, and the confinements of community… this world was not created by a God who is only an individual, nor is it the emanation of an impersonal force… We believe the world was made by a God who is a community of persons who have loved each other for all eternity. You were made for mutually self-giving, other-directed love. Self-centeredness destroys the fabric of what God has made… The universe is understood as a dance of beings united by energies binding yet distinct, like planets orbiting stars, like tides and seasons, “like atoms in a molecule, like the tones in a chord, like the living organisms on this earth, like the mother with the baby stirring in her body.” The love of the inner life of the Trinity is written all through it. Creation is a dance!” (selected from pages 215-217, 219 of “The Reason for God”).
Are you kidding me??
I love it.
Seriously.
Please bless yourself and buy this book or check it out from the library or download it on your kindle or borrow it from a friend or read it standing in the aisle at Barnes & Noble…whatever you have to do, try and make it happen. And then perhaps we can move on to downloading his sermons in the near future. Wink.
Also, please do not forget to pray for God to move mightily at Living Proof Live in Fargo, North Dakota!
Happy Friday Sweet Siestas!
109 Responses to “I am begging you.”
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What a blessing just reading this, can't wait to devour the book. Thanks and blessings!
Melissa: I'm going to pick this up tomorrow! With a 16 hour flight to Johannesburg, South Africa Sunday night, this will be the perfect chance to read with no interruptions…
Much love,
Mrs.Jan
Praying for Fargo!
I guess frivolous Friday posts have their place, but this not so frivolous Friday post is more my cup of tea, so thanks for sharing. There's only one thing I like better than a good book recommendation and that is getting my hands on a copy of the recommended book itself. I'll have to find it at the library or read a chapter at a time in the isle at Barnes & Noble because there is no budget for books at our house these days. Long story, but I will say that God is providing for our every need. Now that I think about it, or perhaps at the Spirit's prompting, they probably have a copy of it in the church library. Thanks again, Melissa.
Blessed to be a blessing,
Patti Hayes
Lutz, Florida
My 2nd/3rd grade Sunday School class had a lesson on the Trinity a couple of weeks ago. (We used the apple analogy, and then ate the apple.) One of the things that came out in the lesson was something I had not really thought much about before, and that was the way that each person of the Trinity gives to the others. Jesus says in John that the Father has glorified the Son, but also tells the Pharisees that the Son glorifies the Father. In John 16, Jesus tells the disciples that when the Comforter comes, He won't speak of Himself, but will point to Christ. So, it is not that God is all about Himself, but rather that each member of the Trinity is constantly giving to the others and the gift is US!
Do you know what one of the boys remembered most from the lesson? That the three persons of the Trinity never fight with each other. Blew his mind!
Anne
Adding it to my list..:)
Hello, my friend.
Good tip…will look into it after I finish The Call (Oz Guinness), Radical Cross, and Soul Cravings…the never ending "must read" pile never sees bottom!!
Since we're sharing "MUSTS!", if you haven't already you MUST watch Francis Chan's Luke Warm and Loving It:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBhqrtMqrv8
I learned this week from some great believers that this message is probably the most life-changing message they've heard. So, I watched it…and it is PHENOMENAL!!!!
It's about 38 minutes long, but worth every minute. Hope you enjoy it.
Keep sharing "MUSTS! I love it!
Praying regularly for LPM,
Susan
I've ben reading this book and LOVE it. Tim Keller is a favorite of mine. One of my Sunday School teachers introduced me to him, and I've learned so much from him.
Wow – Thanks Melissa!!!
I'll get it soon! I've loved the book recommendations so far! Thanks, Melissa.
Praying for Beth, LPL and the Ladies of Fargo and surrounding areas! They will, no doubt, be blessed.
My husband has been doing a lot of Tim Keller studies his birthday is in two weeks so now I know what to get him… and then I can read it! : ) My brother is also a huge Tim Keller fan so I have his birthday present now too! Thanks! Emmy
"Self-centeredness destroys the fabric of what God has made"……
Love, love, love that! What an incredibly insightful way to look at the Trinity as an example of truly living in service and community with others.
Can't wait to read more!
I just ordered the audio CD- thanks for the recommendation- thanks, Aunt Siesta
Wow, that excerpt was great. sounds good to me, and who could get annoyed at a good book recommendation, even if you said it twice. Besides who's to say when it needs to be said, maybe for someone who just started reading the blog that need it and you were put here to say it.(for such a time as this!) I just finished Esther, can you tell?!!
Melissa, I was just in LifeWay this afternoon and saw another book by Timothy Keller that I wanted to pick up and buy. Thanks for the recommendation. Thanks for the excerpt!
Carol from Carrollton, TX
I will definitely be buying it. As a philosophy major at a secular school and planning to tone day teach at a secular school, this book sounds like a must for preserving my faith and answering critics. Thanks, Melissa!
Just sent in a comment, but I'd like to add a praise comment. So many people close to me worry that now that I have sitched my major to philososophy I will begin to lose my faith, even though it was my faith that made me change my major. God has been extremely faithful and taken plenty of steps to secure my faith through this journey. First through providing me with a devout, knowledgeable Christian teacher for my first 2 semesters of philosophy who helped me strengthen my faith my freshman year of college, then by moving me to a church where the youth pastor just so happened to be interested in philosophy and tends to use it in his lessons. He also used a winter retreat lesson about the resurrection to precede a class about existentialism, which greatly gave me more hope in the resurrection. He even mad sure I was doing the Esther study at a time when I had a teacher who brought up destiny somewhat frequently. I think this post is another of His ways of letting me know that He is going to hold on to me; He cares about my faith and isn't about to let it be stolen by the enemy. WHAT AN AWESOME GOD WE HAVE!!!
I Chron 29:11-12 NKJV
11 Yours, O LORD, is the greatness,
The power and the glory,
The victory and the majesty;
For all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours;
Yours is the kingdom, O LORD,
And You are exalted as head over all.
12 Both riches and honor come from You,
And You reign over all.
In Your hand is power and might;
In Your hand it is to make great
And to give strength to all.
Annette
Richmond, TX
Melissa,
this is great! I am going to get this book. I wish you would post on the lproof website a page of "reading recommedations" or even better a "lpm bookclub" of sorts. Anyway, I'm always looking for good theological books to read but afraid I will pick up something hellish instead. I trust you and Beth's recommendations very highly!
Oh, and I picked up your suggestion of pens at office depot yesterday! I'm such a dork, but I feel kinda cool and smart using the same pen my insanely intelligent girlfriend uses. You are so right, it is the perfect pen!
Happy weekend! KT
Currently reading The Prodigal God and preparing to lead our small group through the sutdy guide this fall. Just last week someone else recommended Reason for God!
Tim Keller is certainly a gifted writer and speaker (saw him at the Leadership Summit, too). I'll be downloading it to my Kindle shortly! Thanks for the suggestions in all the comments.
Thanks Melissa! I love getting book recommendations from others who are like-minded, as in hungry to go deeper with God. I'm going to Amazon to look for this now!
Melissa, thank you so much! I must tell you that the bits you chose to post resonated with me as I'm preparing for a huge life change (marriage next month at age 50) and have been "mourning" my impending loss of "independence" which would more correctly be termed "complete selfishness." Thank you again.
PS – love a fellow book nut! My friend Pam and I were at dinner last night talking about how funny it was recently when we both took short weekend trips and limited ourselves to only bringing along one book and one magazine. We could not shake the awful insecure feeling that came along with leaving our usual canvas bag full of books at home. Can you relate?
Hi Melissa,
Our Pastor just talked about this book on Sunday. My Hubs asked me to pick it up for him and now I'm going to read it too! All of you ladies are special and so timely!
God bless!
Christine
Richmond, VA
The Prodigal God by Timothy Keller is frankly amazing and in some ways a better book. Especially for those looking for a light easy read. My 11 year old read it and it has started some great discussions.
Costco sells this book!!!
I'm passing this on to my Bible study friend who owns a Christian Bookstore of which we have our "Beth Moore" weekly Bible studies.
If she does not have this-I'm sure she'll be picking it up for her customers soon! Can't wait to get my hands on it!
Please keep in prayer for we have a lady in our newest Bible study "A Woman's Heart God's Dwelling Place" that doesn't know the Lord. The fight is huge here for her-she has said she wants a change. Praise God! Praying that she attends every week of Bible study…and of course accepts Christ Jesus. Thanks! Love you girls and your love of the Lord..
Praying Paula
Moorefield, WV
Thanks for the post, Melissa. I just had someone tell me about this book yesterday…about the same time you were making this post! So when God brings something across my path from different sources…I try to take the hint!
Hi,
I got this book from a neighbor who recommended I read as a possible book to give my sister-in-law who is a skeptic about God. Well my husband read it in one day and I am still reading it. I am like Melissa in that I ponder over the content. It is unlike any book I have ever read and highly recommend it as one to read.
Thanks Melissa. Your passion for this book makes me want to go out and buy it today. . . I'll definitely put it on my list to read. have you ever read J.P. Moreland's "Love Your God with all Your Mind"? I just started this one. Hope it's a good one:) have a great weekend.
LOVE Tim Keller!! I just listened to this last week.
http://abbafund.wordpress.com/2009/08/07/tim-keller-the-gospel-and-the-poor/
And then downloaded this to read afterward!
http://api.ning.com/files/YNRmTqny6RH3UNYGX7PrdDCeuwqi0FLDPvUltmDaeplNSzeSOdfsPGAmdmdsUxTMNBRMlvV7i2h*bhDW0IvZNo01U3rYeCIj/TheGospelAndThePoorOutline.pdf
Good stuff!
Brittnie
I recently finished The Prodigal God by Timothy Keller and enjoyed his writing so much, I ordered The Reason For God as well. Although I have not finished it yet, I couldn't agree more – it is a fantastic book! Thanks for the recommendation.
Gina – Benton, IL
Well, gosh, since you begged. By the way, one of my old friends from college was at LPL this weekend. She just posted that she went on facebook.
Thanks for the post Melissa…Love this book. And you're right about a second read through… Mmmm-mmm.
Have you ever seen Tim's sermon to pastors called Gospel centered ministry? It's on Google video…Oh,so worth spending the 54:49 minutes with him. I woke this morning while it was still O dark hundred….and since I couldn't sleep and was a bit too blurry to read…watched this again. It's something to savor! It's an easy find….just do a google search.
Sandi
Woa. That was one tasty morsel of a book!
Thanks for the tip!
Melinda
Hey Mrs. Melissa:)
You have had a bunch happening, finding a new perfume, seeing your momma, and reading a good new book!:) The excerpt you posted is good, he has a way with those words!:) Yay, LPL was a blessing!!! God is Good:):)
Blessings to you today, Mrs. Melissa, Love in HIM, ((HUGS):)
katiegfromtennessee
My son, a Biblical studies major who will be headed off to seminary next fall came home Friday night with Tim Keller's book in hand and emphatically announced that I had to get it ASAP!
He was rather surprised when I told him he was the second person that day who had passionately recommended it. 🙂
I showed Keller's quotes that you posted, to my Pastor/Husband and he used it in his sermon today! It fit in perfectly with what he was preaching.
We are finishing up Prodigal God by Keller right now and we will be checking out your recommendation next.
When I told my daughter about your post she said: "You should read some of Keller's sermons, mom." So that will be my next adventure -reading some of his sermons on the internet.
Thanks for the suggestion!
Got it – and had to force myself to put it down last night… hubby sleeping soundly and the clock said 11:11 YIKES!! – I am headed out right now to get in some more precious reading time – thanks for the recommendaiton.
Malinda / Grants Pass, OR
Thanks girl!! It is on my hold shelf at the library as we speak.. 🙂
I must second this read, as well as any sermon downloads. He is an all-time favorite of mine.
Love Tim Keller. He is like the pope of the PCA. 😉 There was much rejoicing when he finally published a book.
We had to listen to his marriage tapes before our church would marry us, and one thing he said comes into my mind at least once a week (paraphrased): "The minute you realize that any certain problem in your marriage is caused by YOUR selfishness, you can begin to solve it."
Um, OUCH. But dadgummit, 99% of the time he's right.
YAY! Just found this book at my local library! Looking forward to reading it! p.s. note to BETH! I am freaking-out worried that you are NOT wearing a seat belt in the last round of Seista videos! I pray daily for your safety and protection! Work with me, girlfriend!
Thank you for the recommendation! Always on the look-out for great books….it is now in my Blackberry (which I lovingly call my crackelberry) under books to purchase and it's at the top of the list. It's also a great add-on because I have recently made a commitment to myself to begin focusing on literature again, and pull myself away from the stinkin' TV (my husband is just waiting for me to say…take it away!)
I love his word picture ….dancing.And that's a God-thing… Wonderful!
Blessings!
Sharoni
I will most definately have to go purchase that book! The excerpt was beautiful! Thank you for sharing. I can already tell God will romace my soul through this book. What a beautiful illustration regarding creation as a dance! Thanks again!
I was so excited to see this post because I just bought this book and was getting ready to dig into it. It is always so encouraging when you see good stuff about a book you have been really wanting to read!
Thanks,
Esther
I love that! I just finished listening to a 9-session series of cds from that pastor from the same church on marriage! They were so good and I will never forget the things he said and the things I learned. Thanks for recommending that book, I will totally look into it. Since I work at Lifeway Store, that would be pretty easy! Love you so much! ~Laurie
Melissa,
Thank you SO much for the recommendation. I was so intrigued with the snippet you posted that I went out and bought the book right after work on Friday and have scarcely been able to put it down! Not only is it phenomenal, but your timing could not be better.
I was on a business trip last week and one night was out to dinner with the group of people with whom I was working. One of the judges in our group, who is Jewish yet a self-proclaimed atheist, turned the conversation toward religion and shared why she is an atheist. I didn't share much that night, but had an incredible opportunity to talk with her the next day when it was just the two of us, about my faith and beliefs and how they are the basis for how I live my life. Because I was not the package she expects a Bible loving, evangelical Christian to arrive in (not that I live like a heathen, it's more about my political beliefs and my work in that arena =-), she was fascinated, and God blessed our conversation immensely. I was really praying about a follow up, and there you were, with your perfect book recommendation. I am going to get her a copy, and being the avid reader and deep thinker that she is, I know she will eat it up! So, thanks again. Please know that God has used you mightily.
Blessings,
Melissa
PS- thanks for writing about the perfume too! Sunday afternoon I ran down to Ulta to check out the best of the best. Good stuff!
Lianne said
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on all your understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight.
Womans Devotional Bible NIT Bk 1
Lianne Hogg Charlottetown Prince Edward Island
Just got my copy from Amazon in the mail and can't wait to start it. However I have to finish Kay Arthur's Lord, Give me a Heart for You first. I love the way she has her readers mark different topics in different symbols and colors. Helps me actually pay attention and notice what I'm reading. And, since we've been talking about pens recently, it gave me a reason to go to WM and buy a whole set of Pilot G-2 07's. Ten pens in different colors. Love them! I feel like a kid with a new box of crayons.
Oh my goodness! My friend just told me to get it & read it, so I bought it and when I am finished reading Sacred Influence by Gary Thomas, I will read it. Our pastor is preaching out of it and it is an excellent series! Thanks for the recommendation!
I attend Redeemer in NYC and Tim Keller's sermons are at http://www.redeemer.com for downloads and they are AMAZING. I partiuclarly recommend the marriage series. I listened to it when I was single and it completely changed my views of why I should be dating and what I should be looking for in a mate.