Paradise Lost: Book XII, LINES 469-478

After Michael, the archangel, explains to Adam how God will bring good through his sin, through a Savior for all mankind, Milton's Adam has this response:

"O goodness infinite, goodness immense!
That all this good of evil shall produce,
And evil turn to good; more wonderful
Than that which by creation first brought forth
Light out of darkness! Full of doubt I stand,
Whether I should repent me now of sin
By me done and occasioned, or rejoice
Much more, that much more good thereof shall spring,
To God more glory, more good will to men
From god, and over wrath grace shall abound." -JOHN MILTON (1608-1674)

Love II by George Herbert

Immortal Heat, O let thy greater flame

Attract the lesser to it: let those fires,

Which shall consume the world, first make it tame,

And kindle in our hearts such true desires,

As may consume our lusts, and make thee way.

Then shall our hearts pant thee; then shall our brain

All her intervention on thine Altar lay,

And there in hymns send back thy fire again.

Our eyes shall see thee, which before saw dust;

Dust blown by wit, till that they both were blind:

Thou shalt recover all thy goods in kind,

Who wert disseized by usurping lust:

All knees shall bow to thee, all wits shall rise,

And praise him who did make and mend our eyes.

George Hebert

Finally Alive

I realize it is shocking that I would be reading a book by John Piper, but this one has novel merit for me as a pastor.  The term "born again" has lost its weight and that loss has done violence to the Gospel leaving some to believe they have crossed over from death to life when they have not.  Consider the following quotes from the Introduction; 

"I'm not saying their [the Barna Group on the indistinguishable qualities of "born again" believers from their non-believing counterparts] research is wrong.  It appears to be appallingly right.  I am not saying that the church is not as worldly as they say it is.  I am saying that the writers of the New Testament think in exactly the opposite direction about being born again.  Instead of moving from a profession of faith to the label born again, to the worldliness of these so-called born again people, to the conclusion that the new birth does not radically change people, the New Testament moves in the other direction.

It moves from the absolute certainty that the new birth radically changes people, to the observation that many professing Christians are indeed not radically changed, to the conclusion that they are not born again." (see 1 John 2:29, 3:9, 4:7, 5:4 and 5:18)

...

"Jesus said to Nicodemus in John 3:7, "You must be born again." Not "I suggest it," or "Your life would improve if you added this experience."  Why is it that "unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3)?   This is one of the great reasons for pursuing a right knowledge of the new birth.  Until we realize that we must be born again, and why we must be born again, we probably will not realize what our condition really is without salvation."

Finally, a full review by Tim Challies. 

This Momentary Marriage (John Piper)

I'm discovering that I am lacking something as a husband.  I do not have an appreciation for God's intention in my marriage.  I could preach a decent sermon on the subject, but my heart still needs some work.  When I step outside of God's plan for me or when there is some disunity in my marriage, I want to feel what God feels and be grieved by something lost.

The romance in this book is not lacking but it is different.  It is directed Godward - painting a crystal clear picture of the glory of marriage for the glory of God.  "This..." will stir your heart to long for that experience where your relationship touches something eternal and finds a thrilling source of energy "till death do us part."  

Discussion Questions
I'll add these as they are developed:

CHAPTERS 1-3

CHAPTERS 4-6

CHAPTERS 7-9