Barnes & NobleWhy Do I Do What I Don't Want to Do?- Replace Deadly Vices with Life-Giving Virtues by Jonathan "JP" Pokluda

Amazing

Right in the feels

Omg! This book hits home hard. Wanna know where you’re falling short? Looking to do better? This is the book. JP writes directly to the reader. If you’re looking for a feel good, sugar coated hypocrisy, this is not the book for you. This book is full of truth and you’d better be prepared to feel convicted. One read is not enough. I found myself wanting to read it multiple times, taking notes, highlighting paragraphs and preparing a bible study for it. It truly is a MUST READ!

Great book!

This book invites the reader to stop and consider the trajectory of their lives and provides insight into some of the ways the enemy attacks us. When we know the tactics the enemy uses, we can better have a defense for it. This book brings some harsh realities to light about choices make and gives insight to where those choices will lead. It provides the reader with a fork in the road: to remain on a path following vices that do not honor God, or choose to pursue the virtues that lead us closer into relationship with God. If you desire to grow in your relationship with God, this book is for you. It is a good place to start to understand where you may be most tempted to go your own way. Then dive into the Word and let the Spirit lead you to grow in faith and character. For me the chapter on Apathy and Diligence was a harsh truth in realizing the apathy in my own life. I love how JP ended that chapter: “Rebuilding is work. But through diligence, you have the opportunity to build something stronger…. Your faith will be built up into something that can remain firm through life’s biggest challenges.”

MUST READ!!

The book is jam packed with biblical & life giving council! I feel that this book helps you grow closer to God and deepen/mature your walk with Him! One aspect of the book I love is that you are able to see the heart of God & how He loves us despite our faults and vices. If you loved “Outdated”, you’re definitely going to love this book as well! One of my favorite quotes from the book- “If your motive is to do something for the appearance of being holy, you have missed the point completely and are grieving the heart of God. But if your motive is to make much of God and to move closer to the heart of God, you are going to grow in maturity and in the likeness of God.”

Highly recommend! GPS for the Christian journey

This book is filled with practical application for EVERY CHRISTIAN, from the newbie to the octogenarian. Do you have a problem with pride? Put on humility. Greed? Replace it with generosity. Apathy? Learn diligence. Lust? Ask the Holy Spirit to help you develop self control. Perhaps you’re perfect and don’t struggle with any of those sins. Then what about perception management, entitlement, busyness, drunkenness, or cynicism? Magic solutions are NOT presented here. Instead, the authors make it clear that godliness isn’t a quick transformation, and “choosing the path of least resistance” doesn’t lead to the life most of us desire. Instead, we drift to a place we never intended. It takes diligence and discipline, coupled with time spent in God’s Word, prayer, and community, to move in the long direction of godliness. The chapter on apathy really resonated with me. The uncomfortable image of a 22 year old standing up to nurse from his mother called out our immature spiritual tendencies and the desire to dine solely on the easy-to-digest liquid diet meant for baby Christians alone. This book is a fork in the road; walk away unchanged, and you have wasted your time reading it. Allow it to move you into a closer relationship with God and His Word, and it has done the job Pokluda and Green set out to accomplish.

Such a beneficial tool for Christians!

I highly recommend this book for anyone who calls themself a Christian. I think often, one of the verses that plagues us (me!) is this verse this book specifically hits on and we often wonder why do we go back and do the same things that aren't beneficial when we know better. Well, this book gives practical, necessary tools to navigate how to stop doing the things we know we shouldn't do. This is not for someone who doesn't know Jesus, though. It's for the person who wants to continue to be changed by Him and grow in our relationship with Him, all for His glory. As someone who has been walking with Jesus for over 30 years now, this book will be a re-read and it will be gifted to many family members and friends. Such a needed resource! So grateful for this book, for JP's authenticity, and the way he unashamedly speaks the truth in love while calling believers to truly live lives that glorify Jesus in every area.

Living Out Virtues

I really enjoyed reading JP’s newest book. I was at The Porch when he taught on a few of these vices and virtues. The book not only gives great reasons as to why someone might be stuck in a vice, but it also gives practical, Biblical steps to turn towards the virtues and a relationship with Christ. ​ The chapters in the Modern Wars section, especially Entitlement & Gratitude, hit harder than I was expecting. I was happy to see so much scripture brought in and in the center instead of just to prove a point. Luke 14 was a great passage to go back and read in full and then reflect on ways I have taken the nice seats at the dinner table instead of humbly taking the least favorable spot and this chapter was convicting. Entitlement really is a heart posture of thinking it is what we deserve but leaves us “perpetually frustrated and never thankful for what [we] have”. I am praying for all who read this book, especially those with hard hearts, to see the gravity of their vices and to rely on God for strength to turn to and live out the virtues.

Another Great Read from JP!

JP has once again written a book that I just couldn’t set down. Much like with his other books, JP’s writing feels conversational and he is transparent in a way that is perfect for sharing the truth about hard topics. In this latest publication, he writes about 10 common sin struggles and corresponding virtues that are rooted in God’s word, with practical advice for how to lead a more fulfilling life. Even the few chapters about vices that aren’t big struggles for me were beneficial for the way they helped me better understand the people who fight those battles. I’m glad I read this book and highly recommend it!