We just recently picked up this new book to read by John Ensor. The subtitle is “How We Experience God’s Grace” and the Foreword is by John Piper.

I wanted to whet your appetite with the following quote from Ensor’s Introduction:

“The grace of God that forgives us changes us. It changes us not just initially but continually as well. It convicts us and troubles our conscience. Later on it comforts us, “wiping away every tear” (see Revelation 21:4). Soon after, it unleashes irrepressible shouts of praise. The grace of God wounds our pride but then increases our confidence. When God forgives, he exposes the most shameful things only to then cleanse them all from our conscience. And that is just the early work of God in the outworking of grace.

In the ongoing outworking of God’s grace, God reorients our passions. “The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions” (Titus 2:11-12). It produces a radical joy and a strong faith, one that can endure great suffering and yet trust that, in the end, God’s plan will lead to our joy and his glory. The grace that turns us from evil makes us “eager to do good” (Titus 2:14 NIV). The American theologian and philosopher Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) said, ‘Grace is but glory begun, and glory is but grace perfected.’ I want to trace out how this is true and track the human experience of grace doing this perfecting and glorifying work.”

Want to join me in exploring this exciting book?