Truth is ancient; it's grey hairs may make it venerable;
it comes from Him who is the ancient of days. --Thomas Watson

 

17 December, 2005   comments: (0) Resource Spotlight   Can Biography Help You Overcome Mediocrity? John Piper says that Christian biographies have served as much as any other human force in his life to overcome the inertia of mediocrity. They are living theology, the stories of flawed and encouraging saints, stories of grace and deep inspiration. Now Piper has made available some of the most uplifting biographical audio summaries; best of all - they are free of charge and ready for download right here. Why are biographies important? John Piper says: Hebrews 11 is a divine mandate to read Christian biography. The unmistakable implication of the chapter is that, if we hear about the faith of our forefathers (and mothers), we will "lay aside every weight and sin" and "run with perseverance the race that is set before us" (12:1). If we asked the author, "How shall we stir one another up to love and good works?" (10:24), his answer would be: "Through encouragement from the living (10:25) and the dead" (chap. 11). Christian biography is the means by which "body life" cuts across the generations. [Read more] I spent many hours in the car listening to these audio biographies from John Piper. They are an excellent introduction to Christian history, but more than that - they are an inspiration to pursue God in a greater way, as you learn of the great things these men have accomplished while enduring tremendous hardships. Up until recently, these audio files were only available at a cost, but have recently become available for free download. Listen to them on your computer or iPod, or burn them on to CD. They are a bit larger than the average MP3 file, so expect to wait a few minutes for each download. Free MP3 Audio Files (click below to download): Partial Text Excerpts George Mueller's Strategy for Showing God: Simplicity of Faith, Sacred Scripture, Satisfaction in God Transcript John Newton, writer of Amazing Grace: The Tough Roots of His Habitual Tenderness Transcript "How Few There Are Who Die So Hard" - The Cost of Bringing Christ to Burma Suffering and Success in the Life of Adoniram Judson Transcript John Owen: The Chief Design of my Life - Mortification and Universal Holiness Transcript To Live Upon God That is Invisible: Suffering and Service in the Life of John Bunyan Transcript "You Will Be Eaten by Cannibals!" Lessons from the Life of John G. Paton Transcript David Brainerd: Oh, that I may never loiter on my heavenly journey! Transcript Jonathan Edwards: The Pastor as Theologian - More MP3's from the Edwards 300th Anniversary Conference Transcript Charles Simeon: Brothers, we must not mind a little suffering Transcript William Cowper: Insanity and Spiritual Songs in the Soul of a Saint Transcript J. Gresham Machen's Response to Modernism Transcript Charles Spurgeon: Preaching Through Adversity Transcript Peculiar Doctrines, Public Morals, and the Political Welfare Reflections on the Life and Labor of William Wilberforce Transcript Contending for Our All: The Life and Ministry of Athanasius Transcript John Calvin: The Divine Majesty of the Word Transcript Martin Luther: Lessons from His Life and Labor - More Luther MP3's available from the Reformation History series Transcript The Swan is Not Silent: Sovereign Joy in the Life and Thought of St. Augustine Transcript Stay tuned, in future weeks I'll be listing some of the best biographies of Christian women. Posted by: Jim B.   Link: http://www.oldtruth.com/blog.cfm/id.2.pid.112   Be the first to post a comment about this article        Home  |   About  |  Videos   |  Calvinism