Ask Pastor John with John Piper on MOR Music Podcasts

May 1, 2025 The Most Extraordinary Experience in This World

Knowing God is the most extraordinary experience in the world. But how do we come to know him authentically, deeply, personally?

April 28, 2025 ‘No One Ever Hated His Own Body’ — Really?

Did Paul know about self-harm and poor body image? If he did, how could he still say that “no one ever hated his own flesh”?

April 24, 2025 Every Pinch of Pain Has Purpose

Persecution, troubles, heaviness of heart — are these different forms of God’s discipline? Pastor John traces God’s good purposes in different kinds of pain.

April 21, 2025 Will Heaven Ever Grow Boring?

We know the new heavens and new earth will be a place of perfect, endless joy. But will we really never get bored, even after millions of years?

April 17, 2025 The Cost of Being a Loner

Those who try to live the Christian life outside of community are missing something crucial. So, how might Christian loners move toward life together?

April 14, 2025 God Withholds Nothing We Need

If God has already promised not to withhold anything good from us, then does asking him for more imply that yesterday’s good wasn’t good enough?

April 10, 2025 How Can I Grow in Humility as I Grow in Knowledge?

If knowledge puffs up, will formal Bible education make us proud? Pastor John points out pride’s craftiness and offers five weapons of humility.

April 7, 2025 How to Become the Mother of Jesus

What does the Bible say about Mary, Jesus’s mother? What is Mary’s true legacy for Christians today?

April 3, 2025 Distinguishing Shame from Guilt

What is the difference between guilt and shame? And when do true feelings of guilt or shame become false feelings that reject God’s grace?

March 31, 2025 What Jordan Peterson Gets Wrong About Happiness

Is the purpose of life to find meaning? Pastor John responds to Jordan Peterson’s claim that happiness cannot be our goal.

March 27, 2025 Does God Withdraw His Presence from Me?

God promises never to leave us nor forsake us, but sometimes the Bible says he withdraws his presence from us. How can those both be true?

March 24, 2025 Seven Promises That Have Kept John Piper

How can our faith turn from nominal to authentic? Pastor John reflects on God’s power to establish and sustain belief through his promises.

March 20, 2025 Help Me Live a Genuine Life

When God commands a godly life of genuine affections, how do we obey? John Piper draws our attention to the transforming mercies of God.

March 17, 2025 How Did Jesus Freely Live a Scripted Life?

As Jesus headed toward the cross, he knew he was fulfilling the script that was written for him. So, how did he authentically choose a death already decided?

March 13, 2025 How Much of Christianity Remains a Secret?

How much of the Christian faith has already been revealed to us now, and how much of it remains a secret that we won’t understand until we get to heaven?

March 10, 2025 If No One Seeks God, How Is Anyone Saved?

If sinners cannot seek God, how does anyone receive salvation? Pastor John shows that God must give his power and grace precisely because we cannot seek him on our own.

March 6, 2025 Are Christians Happier Than Non-Christians in This Life?

Why are Christians most to be pitied if there’s no resurrection? Don’t we still experience more joy than non-Christians? Pastor John gives four responses.

March 3, 2025 I Never Felt Like God’s Enemy — Was I?

If we have no memory of hating or opposing God before he saved us, then how should we understand the Bible’s claim that we were his enemy?

February 27, 2025 Advice for Reading Romans After Decades of Experience

Why does Pastor John believe Romans is the greatest letter ever written? And how would he encourage Christians to benefit from this monumental book?

February 24, 2025 Should I Use AI to Help Me Write Sermons?

Should pastors and ministry leaders use artificial intelligence as a tool to write their sermons and newsletters? If so, how? If not, why not?

February 20, 2025 Every Good Sermon Has Application

How much life application should pastors offer in their sermons? Pastor John commends interweaving exposition and application throughout each sermon.

February 17, 2025 What Makes Someone Spiritually Dirty?

When Jesus taught that impurity comes from within, was he departing from the Old Testament? Pastor John considers purity across the covenants.

February 13, 2025 Why Does the Bible Say Baptism Saves Us?

If God justifies by faith apart from works, then why do some passages seem to suggest that forgiveness comes through the act of baptism?

February 10, 2025 Living with Gospel-Sized Ambition

Acts 20:24 has encouraged and challenged Christians throughout the centuries. How, in particular, has it shaped the life and ministry of John Piper?

February 6, 2025 Why Is Witchcraft Handled So Differently Across Scripture?

In the Old Testament, witchcraft is met with capital punishment — but now in the New. Why does God handle this sin differently across redemptive history?

February 3, 2025 Is There Good Magic and Edifying Sorcery?

Do the signs and wonders in Scripture justify using righteous magic in fiction? Pastor John helps us discern the kinds of stories that serve our sight of Reality.

January 30, 2025 How Do I Become Happy in God?

Sometimes, the story of another Christian’s joy in God serves to kindle our own. Pastor John takes us to a remarkable moment in the life of Hudson Taylor.

January 27, 2025 If God Pastors Me, Why Do I Need Pastors?

God could have designed the world so that all the help we need comes from him directly. Instead, he often ministers to us indirectly through other people. Why?

January 23, 2025 How Do I Apply Bible Stories to My Life?

How can we begin to grasp the meaning of biblical narratives and their application to life? Pastor John offers an example from the story of Joseph.

January 20, 2025 One Believer Dies, Another Lives: On Reading Providence

In Acts 12, God allows Herod to kill James, but he thwarts the king’s plan to kill Peter. What might this chapter teach us about God’s providence?

January 16, 2025 The Pleasure That Defeats Pornography

How does a promise about the future help us fight for purity today? Pastor John unpacks the power of the greatest pleasure purchased at the greatest price.

January 13, 2025 Does God Believe in Atheists?

People for millennia have said, in one way or another, “There is no God.” Pastor John describes five ways we suppress the knowledge of God’s existence.

January 9, 2025 Is Heaven a Real Place Right Now?

Is heaven a physical place that exists right now? As Pastor John answers, he encourages us to focus mainly on the relational, not the spatial, aspect of heaven.

January 6, 2025 Why Pray for Protection When Suffering Keeps Coming?

Even when our prayers for protection feel pointless, they are not. God is our good and sovereign Father, and it is never pointless to ask him for what we need.

January 2, 2025 The Spiritual Battles in Your Bible Reading

As we begin a new year of Bible reading, what obstacles can we expect to meet along the way — and what benefits will keep us reading day by day?

December 30, 2024 ‘A Man at Church Thinks We Should Marry — I Disagree’

If someone is convinced that he knows God’s will for us, yet we disagree, what can we do? Pastor John offers five ways forward.

December 28, 2024 Your Bible-Reading Feedback, and How to Help Us in 2025

Hear John Piper’s invitation to partner with us. A $10 monthly gift enables us to reach 70 more people with God-centered resources. https://dsr.gd/3AYGuj2

December 26, 2024 Am I Overusing Bible Commentaries?

God gives the church teachers, including Bible commentators, to help us understand his word. But how can we tell if we’re relying on commentaries too much?

December 23, 2024 Does Christmas Bring Peace or War?

At Christmas, Jesus came to bring God-exalting happiness through peace with God — and merciful warfare against everything that destroys such happiness.

December 19, 2024 The God over Geopolitics

In his infinite wisdom, righteousness, and power, God designs even the deeds of evil kings for the good of his people and the glory of his name.

December 16, 2024 How Does God Deliver Me from Pain by Pain?

Sometimes God delivers us from affliction through affliction. But what kinds of affliction does he use — and how can we know when he does so?

December 12, 2024 Every Gift Points Us to Christ

How can we know that we love God more than his gifts, especially during the Christmas season? Pastor John unlocks the answer with two keys.

December 9, 2024 Will I Suffer My Singleness Forever?

Single Christians may be tempted to despair over missing the experience of marital love. But God himself will see to it that our joy is eternally full in Christ.

December 5, 2024 On Creepy, Darker Media

Since the Bible calls Christians children of light, should darkness and violence have any place in the stories we create?

December 2, 2024 On So-Called ‘Gender Pronoun Hospitality’

Should Christians show so-called “gender pronoun hospitality”? Pastor John shares practical ways to speak the truth in love with those confused about their sexuality.

November 28, 2024 Christian Thankfulness: What It Is (and Isn’t)

What is Christian thankfulness? Pastor John commends the power of a heart filled with gratitude to the Giver of every good gift.

November 25, 2024 ‘Help, I’m Struggling to Believe Anything Is True’

When we continually struggle with doubts and unbelief, how can we know what is true? How can we believe that truth even exists?

November 21, 2024 Will We See God in Eternity?

Will we be able to see God when we get to heaven? If so, how does that fit with Scripture passages that say no one can see God?

November 18, 2024 What’s True and False in Job?

How do we discern what’s true and what’s false in Job? Pastor John provides a grid for the entire book to help us interpret it accurately.

November 14, 2024 Can a Church Require Tithing?

Should church leaders require Christians to tithe since God commanded tithing in the Old Testament? Pastor John commends a better approach.

November 11, 2024 Can We Know Truth with Complete Certainty?

Arguments, logic, and careful analysis may give us 99 percent certainty for some doctrine or truth claim. But what about the remaining 1 percent?

November 7, 2024 Ministry After God Takes a Beloved Wife

Why did God take the life of Ezekiel’s wife and then command Ezekiel not to mourn? Pastor John considers the perplexing yet merciful ways of God.

November 4, 2024 I Want God’s Wrath on My Enemy

How can we love our enemies when they treat us horrifically? Pastor John appeals to six biblical realities to help us face unimaginable darkness.

October 31, 2024 How Not to Respond to Suffering

“Curse God and die.” Why does the author of Job relate the apparent despair of Job’s wife? What purpose does she play in the message of the book?

October 28, 2024 Perfectionism Makes Me Indecisive — What Can I Do?

How can perfectionists make decisions without getting paralyzed by fear? Pastor John shares seven encouragements for those who feel stuck.

October 24, 2024 When Are Good Grades Good Enough?

How much should we sacrifice in order to do excellent work? Pastor John encourages perfectionists to find wisdom from a strong, spiritually mature community.

October 21, 2024 What Future Judgment Will Christians Face?

If Christians are no longer under wrath, why does Paul say that we will stand before God’s judgment seat? Pastor John clarifies the Christian’s future judgment.

October 17, 2024 How Much Money Do I Need to Retire?

How much money should we set aside for retirement? Pastor John commends three biblical principles to apply in our various contexts.

October 14, 2024 How God Guards You

Does God ultimately sustain our faith, or do we? Pastor John unfolds 1 Peter 1:4–5 to show how God guards us to the end.

October 10, 2024 Does Free Will Exist?

Do humans have free will — and if so, what is it? Pastor John considers the depravity of the human heart and the sovereign grace that saves us.

October 7, 2024 Do Christian Hedonists Deny Self-Denial?

Does God’s command to deny ourselves contradict Christian Hedonism? Pastor John clarifies the God-centered, pleasure-seeking aim of all Christian self-denial.

October 3, 2024 Joy’s Triumph over Spiritual Sloth

How does zeal for God relate to joy in God? With help from Jonathan Edwards, Pastor John traces the crucial connection in four steps.

September 30, 2024 Overcoming Spiritual Laziness

How do we overcome half-hearted spiritual laziness? Pastor John appeals to the apostle Paul and Jonathan Edwards to commend a life totally devoted to Christ.

September 26, 2024 Rome’s Seven Deadly Errors

The Roman Catholic Church teaches numerous unbiblical doctrines. So, can devout Catholics be genuinely saved?

September 25, 2024 Celebrate the Reformation with Us This October

Luther didn’t stand alone 500 years ago. Nor does he stand alone today. We’ve created a 31-day journey to introduce you to the many heroes of the Reformation. Join us at desiringGod.org/stand.

September 23, 2024 The Busy Soul Learning to Wait for God

How can active, impatient doers learn to wait on God? Pastor John describes spiritual waiting — and shows how we can answer such a question for ourselves.

September 19, 2024 DG’s Slogan, Coined 36 Years Ago Today

“God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him.” How did John Piper craft this memorable motto? Tony Reinke tells the story.

September 16, 2024 Why Do I Exist?

Why do you exist? Why does anything exist? Pastor John shows from Isaiah 43:1–7 that God created his people to glorify him by enjoying him.

September 12, 2024 Will God Forgive My Worst Sin?

Will God forgive my very worst sin? Pastor John shares seven powerful encouragements for those paralyzed with guilt.

September 9, 2024 The Pitfalls of Being a Thinker

Thinking is indispensable — but thinking is also dangerous. How can we use our minds to glorify God rather than puffing up ourselves?

September 5, 2024 On Hoarding

How can we help those struggling with hoarding? Pastor John shares five underlying factors and five practical suggestions for those who seem stuck.

September 2, 2024 How to Find the Meaning of a Bible Verse

How do we make sense of Bible passages that we don’t understand? Pastor John demonstrates how to patiently interpret Scripture with Scripture.

August 29, 2024 What Is ‘White-Hot Worship’?

Though our response to God often feels frustratingly inadequate, he is worthy of all our heart, soul, and mind. He is worthy of “white-hot worship.”

August 26, 2024 Did My Negligence Kill My Baby?

What comfort does God give to those who feel responsible for tragic loss? Pastor John offers eight words of hope to a brokenhearted mom.

August 22, 2024 Defining Success in My 9-to-5 Job

What does it mean to “work heartily, as for the Lord” in our 9-to-5 jobs? Pastor John considers five qualities of faithful work from Paul’s words in Colossians 3.

August 19, 2024 Your Holy Deeds Are Not Filthy Rags

In Christ, the righteous deeds you do by faith are emphatically not “filthy rags.” Pastor John corrects a common and profound misunderstanding.

August 15, 2024 Are Motorcycles for Fools?

If God is sovereign over life and death, does it matter what risks we take? Pastor John considers the place of precautions beneath God’s providence.

August 12, 2024 Should We Ever Speak Directly to the Devil?

Scripture gives us a category for addressing the devil, but our normal way of defeating him is by trusting the promises of God and killing our own sin.

August 8, 2024 Seven Encouragements for Parents of Prodigals

How can we not lose heart over children who wander from Christ? Pastor John opens the parable of the prodigal son to offer encouragement after encouragement.

August 5, 2024 Can We Pray for God to Teach Someone a Lesson?

Can Christians ask God to teach the unrepentant hard lessons? Pastor John helps us pray against othersâ€™ sins without presuming to be God.

August 1, 2024 Should My Construction Company Help Build a Casino?

Should a Christian construction worker help to build a casino â€” or any other building that facilitates sin? Pastor John offers principles for the Christian conscience.

July 29, 2024 When Love Wanes, the Marriage Covenant Remains

Staying married is not first about staying in love. Itâ€™s about keeping a covenant that reflects Jesusâ€™s own faithfulness to his bride, the church.

July 25, 2024 Can a Single Pastor Date in His Church?

Where should an unmarried pastor look for a wife? Pastor John encourages single men in ministry to take practical steps while trusting Godâ€™s providence.

July 22, 2024 What Makes a True Friend?

What makes for a true friend, according to Godâ€™s word? Pastor John sketches the nature and importance of friendship across the Scriptures.

July 18, 2024 God Is Eager to Work for You

God looks throughout the earth, eager to work for those whose hearts are whole toward him. Pastor John unfolds glory from a favorite verse.

July 15, 2024 Will God Judge People for Being Born Muslim?

Will God condemn someone for being born into another religion? Pastor John responds to a former Muslim deeply worried about her loved ones.

July 11, 2024 On Repetitive Worship Songs

â€œFor his steadfast love endures foreverâ€ appears 26 times in Psalm 136. What might we learn from this psalm about the right kind of repetition in worship?

July 8, 2024 Let the Bible Smash Your Bad Theology

If you want more of your thoughts to become captive to Christ, open the Bible and pray, â€œAnything in my thinking that needs to be destroyed, destroy it.â€

July 4, 2024 The Good Grace of Being American

American citizens enjoy lavish blessings of common grace. Pastor John calls us to give thanks without giving away our far deeper allegiance to Godâ€™s special grace.

July 1, 2024 Is My Joy Commanded or Spontaneous?

If joy in God is a gift from God, why does he also command us to rejoice? Pastor John takes us into a paradox that lies at the heart of the God-glorifying life.

June 27, 2024 The Next Generation of Missionaries

The local churchâ€™s task of sending and sustaining long-term missionaries rests on several deep biblical assumptions. Pastor John shares five.

June 24, 2024 How Your Heart Governs Your Mind

At the root of our sin is not a mind ignorant of Godâ€™s ways, but a darkened love, a hardened heart, and a will bent away from Godâ€™s ways.

June 20, 2024 Resurrection Power for Our Pain

In this fallen age, resurrection power does not keep us from pain. Instead, it brings life to others as we keep loving Jesus in our pain.

June 17, 2024 The Emotional Roller Coaster of Bible Reading

Bible reading can bring comfort, but Bible reading can also bring fear. How can we rightly embrace both the comfort of Godâ€™s promises and the fear of his warnings?

June 13, 2024 Taste Test Your Way to Godâ€™s Will

Paul says that the renewed mind discerns Godâ€™s good will â€œby testing.â€ What does that testing look like in the thousands of everyday decisions we make?

June 10, 2024 Godâ€™s Purpose in Our Boredom

Our boredom in this world is meant to point us to another world â€” a world where the infinitely interesting God will banish boredom forever.

June 6, 2024 How Can I Convince Comfortable People to Embrace Christ?

No matter how comfortable our friends and neighbors may seem, they are headed for hell unless they repent. So, what words might break through their comfort?

June 3, 2024 Satan, the â€˜Prince of the Airâ€™ â€” What Does That Mean?

Why does Paul call Satan â€œthe prince of the power of the airâ€? Pastor John explores the extent of Satanâ€™s authority and Christâ€™s decisive victory.

May 30, 2024 If Iâ€™m Not Elect, How Am I Guilty for Not Believing?

If God has not chosen to save me, then why would he condemn me for not believing? Pastor John explains the kind of inability that does not remove responsibility.

May 27, 2024 What Shia LaBeouf Gets Wrong About Joy

Is Shia LaBeouf right to say that Jesus experienced â€œmaximum joyâ€ as he died? Pastor John considers the joy set before Christ and the horrors of the cross.

May 23, 2024 Killing Lust with the Cross of Christ

â€œCross,â€ â€œnails,â€ â€œspear,â€ and â€œthornsâ€ are words that evoke images in our minds â€” images with tremendous power to dispel lustful thoughts.

May 20, 2024 Ten Questions for Readers of Erotica

How should Christians think about sexually explicit material on the page rather than the screen? Pastor John offers ten questions for readers of erotica.

May 16, 2024 Warning Our Children of Rebellion

Parents have the God-given duty to warn their children not to rebel against Christ, and some of the most powerful warnings come from stories of failed rebellions.

May 13, 2024 Momâ€™s Role in Raising Boys

How can a mom raise boys to become strong and godly men? Pastor John offers counsel for training up the next generation.

May 9, 2024 The Prayer You Donâ€™t Want Answered

Sometimes, God responds to our sinful requests with a merciful no. But other times, he gives what we ask, brings misery with it, and then amazingly works good through it.

May 6, 2024 How Can I Grow in Expressing Affection?

How can Christians grow in expressing their deepest affections for God and others? Pastor John offers eight pieces of counsel for those who struggle to speak.

May 2, 2024 Why Does God Allow Satan to Block the Gospel?

God could destroy Satan at any moment. So, why has God allowed Satan to blind the minds of unbelievers from seeing the glory of Christ?

April 29, 2024 Are Parents to Blame for Prodigals?

Does Proverbs 22:6 promise that children raised by godly parents will become Christians? Pastor John explains the proverb and points parents to their ultimate hope.

April 25, 2024 How to Write a Good Sentence

What makes a good sentence? Good sentences are true, clear, authentic, thoughtful, creative, well-timed, clean, loving, and glorifying to God.

April 22, 2024 A Daily Morning Exercise

How can we walk through this world of sin, suffering, and futility with strength and joy? Psalm 90:14 holds the key.

April 18, 2024 Am I Confident or Arrogant?

In a society steeped in self-worth and self-esteem, how can Christians aim for significance in a way that glorifies Christ?

April 15, 2024 Should the Church â€˜Blessâ€™ Same-Sex Relationships?

Should churches be willing to somehow â€œblessâ€ same-sex relationships? Pastor John responds to Pope Francisâ€™s concerning proposal.

April 11, 2024 How Can I Glorify God as I Pray for Myself?

God does everything he does for his glory, including answering our prayers. So, how can we align all our requests with this big, overarching purpose?

April 8, 2024 Am I Abusing Caffeine?

How can we tell if weâ€™re abusing caffeine (or any food or drink)? Pastor John offers three questions to guide a Christianâ€™s consumption.

April 4, 2024 â€˜Death Is Yoursâ€™ â€” What Does Paul Mean?

If death belongs to the children of God, as the apostle Paul says, then death not only loses its sting, but it turns around and becomes our servant.

April 1, 2024 The Man Who Died in the Pulpit

On September 22, 1967, V. Raymond Edman collapsed while delivering a chapel message at Wheaton. Pastor John reflects on his college chancellorâ€™s final words.

March 28, 2024 How Do I Forget My Sinful Past?

Some Christians carry an ongoing sense of guilt for sins confessed long ago. What can we do with these stubborn guilt feelings?

March 25, 2024 God Delivers from the Suffering He Ordains

If God is sovereign over our suffering, then we can trust him to strengthen us in suffering, sanctify us through suffering, and ultimately save us from suffering.

March 21, 2024 The Gift of Godâ€™s God-Centeredness

From eternity, God has been self-sufficiently happy in himself. And because he has no needs of his own, he is gloriously free to meet ours.

March 18, 2024 Should Confidence in Sovereignty Make Me Prayerless?

If our souls are deeply satisfied in God, what room is there for petitionary prayer? Pastor John reframes the question by clarifying the nature of prayer.

March 14, 2024 Your Most-Asked-About Bible Verse

If God is sovereign over salvation, do the non-elect even have a chance to repent? Pastor John addresses Romans 9:22, your most-asked-about Bible verse.

March 11, 2024 How Much Error Can I Believe and Still Be Saved?

Some biblical truths are essential to believe for salvation â€” but not all. So, how much error can someone hold and still be saved?

March 7, 2024 Is My Child Transgender Because of Me?

How can parents resist the despair that comes from feeling like failures? Pastor John offers ten words of hope for parents of prodigals.

March 5, 2024 The â€˜Ask Pastor Johnâ€™ Book Is Here

After ten years and two thousand episodes, Tony Reinke has distilled the best of â€˜Ask Pastor Johnâ€™ in a remarkable new book.

March 4, 2024 Is Obedience Without Affection Still Love?

If we obey God outwardly but feel no affection for him inwardly, is our obedience still love? Pastor John takes us to the heart beneath God-pleasing obedience.

February 29, 2024 How Preachers Grow Graceless

How do preachers guard themselves from hypocrisy? Pastor John traces double-faced preaching to its deepest root: the love of human praise.

February 26, 2024 Your Suffering Is Not Meaningless

How did Paul endure such unimaginable sufferings without turning from Christ? Pastor John traces three threads of the apostleâ€™s perseverance.

February 22, 2024 Why Did God Stigmatize the Disabled?

In Leviticus 21, God forbids men with physical defects from participating as full priests. How do we reconcile this prohibition with Jesusâ€™s approach to the disabled?

February 19, 2024 Enjoying God in His Gifts

How do we enjoy pizza, friendship, or any other good gift without committing idolatry? Not only by enjoying God more than his gifts, but also by enjoying him in them.

February 15, 2024 Whatâ€™s the Essence of Love?

How do Paulâ€™s travel plans relate to the Trinitarian depths of Godâ€™s love? Pastor John shows how ultimate reality undergirds the love between the saints.

February 12, 2024 Political Flag-Waving Isnâ€™t Enough

Christians have not only the right but the calling to speak truth to power. But such speech differs greatly from mere political flag-waving.

February 8, 2024 Does Hidden Sin Bring Physical Suffering?

The wrath of God is gone for those who are in Christ. But does God still sometimes bring physical suffering in response to unconfessed sin?

February 5, 2024 How Should I Choose a College Major?

What factors should Christian students consider when choosing a college or major? Pastor John gives five guidelines for those who donâ€™t want to waste their lives.

February 1, 2024 Do I Have a Hard Heart?

How can we know if our heart is hard toward God? Pastor John diagnoses hardness of heart, and gives a remedy for remaining soft to Godâ€™s Spirit.

January 29, 2024 Was Jesus Confused by the Cross?

â€œMy God, my God, why have you forsaken me?â€ Do these haunting words from Jesus suggest he was confused by the horrors of the cross?

January 25, 2024 What Would World War III Mean for Missions?

We live in a time of mounting global tensions, of wars and rumors of wars. What hope do we have for the future of missions should conflict continue to build?

January 22, 2024 Strategies for Building a Reverent Church

In a day starving for transcendence, how might church leaders arrange every element of the Sunday gathering to promote joyful Godward reverence?

January 18, 2024 Leading a Church out of Casual Culture

How might churches move away from casual culture toward heartfelt, happy reverence on Sunday morning? Pastor John shares five steps for preachers.

January 15, 2024 On Coffee-Sipping in the Sanctuary

Is it wrong to drink coffee during corporate worship? Pastor John moves beyond mugs to the heart of the issue.

January 11, 2024 Should Christians Make Bucket Lists?

From college grads to retirees, many people love to keep bucket lists. Should Christians? Pastor John puts rest and recreation within a biblical mindset.

January 8, 2024 How Do I Find the Main Point of a Psalm?

How can we discern the main point of not only a single verse, but an entire paragraph, section, or even chapter of the Bible?

January 4, 2024 The Good News of Godâ€™s Faithfulness to God

Godâ€™s faithfulness to God may not sound like good news. But the foundation of our hope rests on Godâ€™s zeal to display the worth of his name.

January 1, 2024 Read the Bible with Us in 2024

On the first day of a new year, Pastor John commends a yearlong Bible-reading plan and invites listeners to join him from Genesis to Revelation.

December 29, 2023 Appeal from John Piper

Your prayers and financial support help us bring more people into the fullest enjoyment of the greatest treasure ever found. For every $10 per month you give, we can reach 70 more people with God-centered resources. Would you join us as a monthly partner? https://dsr.gd/Give

December 28, 2023 My Bible Reading Feels Flat â€” What Can I Do?

Sometimes, perhaps even often, we read Scripture with our eyes, grasp its truth in our minds, yet feel little pleasure in our hearts. What can we do in such moments?

December 25, 2023 Four Reasons Christmas Is Special

Christmas is a day for marveling. Pastor John shares four earth-shaking, soul-satisfying reasons to glory in the coming of the Son of God.

December 21, 2023 Looking Back at 2023, Looking Ahead to 2024

As a new year nears, Pastor John marvels at Godâ€™s grace from 2023 and shares exciting plans for the months ahead.

December 18, 2023 Make the Bible Part of Your Everyday in 2024

What makes regular Bible intake not only helpful for the Christian life, but crucial? Pastor John gives ten reasons to make the Bible part of your everyday.

December 14, 2023 Feast on the Bibleâ€™s Grammar

The word â€œthereforeâ€ appears almost five hundred times in the New Testament. And every one of them is a doorway to life and love.

December 11, 2023 How John Piper Marks Up His Books

Pastor John never reads a book â€” even novels â€” without a pencil in hand. What does he do with it, and why wonâ€™t he use a pen?

December 7, 2023 Make Your Life Count: Twelve Rules for Teens

How can teens make their lives count? From dating wisely to failing well, Pastor John offers twelve rules for teenage followers of Christ.

December 4, 2023 Go to the Ant

We know God inspired the Bible, but we sometimes forget that he also spoke creation into existence. How might we begin to learn from both of Godâ€™s books?

November 30, 2023 How to Study the Bible on a Topic

How can normal Christians learn to study the Bible on a topic? Pastor John models his own approach as he prepares answers for â€˜Ask Pastor John.â€™

November 27, 2023 Learning for Those Who Donâ€™t Love Learning

The apostle Peter calls Christians to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus. But how might we grow in knowledge if we donâ€™t enjoy the process of learning?

November 23, 2023 How Thanksgiving Shapes Your Life Story

At the heart of our unbelief lies not only our refusal to glorify God, but our refusal to thank him. Apart from grace, we take the gifts and ignore the Giver.

November 20, 2023 How Does Learning Deepen Joy?

What role should emotions play in Christian education? If we take our cue from Scripture, appropriate feelings will be central, not peripheral, to all our learning.

November 16, 2023 Learning in a World Blind to God

God communicates through not just his word, but also his world. Christian learning presses deeply into the Bible, but the stars have something to say as well.

November 13, 2023 How to Lead Teens Deeper into Their Bibles

How can youth leaders lead teens deeper into their Bibles? By teaching with an eye on language, a heart for reality, and a knack for question-asking.

November 9, 2023 How Can I Return to Normal Life After Tragedy?

Seasons of affliction, however painful or even deadening they may feel, do not last forever. God will restore the souls he has saved.

November 6, 2023 Hoping in God When Our Heroes Die

Godly pastors and leaders are a tremendous gift to Christâ€™s church. So, how do we keep hoping in God when our spiritual heroes die?

November 2, 2023 How Can I Kill My Selfishness?

If you want to kill your selfishness, focus on more than your selfishness. Fill your soul to overflowing with Christ.

October 30, 2023 What Do We Celebrate on Reformation Day?

Over five hundred years after Lutherâ€™s Ninety-Five Theses, what do we celebrate on Reformation Day? Pastor John traces five of the Reformationâ€™s greatest recoveries.

October 26, 2023 Is My Painting Hobby a Wartime Waste?

When do our hobbies glorify God, and when do they become a wartime waste? Pastor John offers three guiding questions to ask of any hobby.

October 23, 2023 Should We Consult with Dead Ancestors?

What do the Scriptures say about communicating with dead ancestors? Pastor John explains four truths about God and the sufficiency of his revelation.

October 19, 2023 Can Pro-Life Advocates Lie to Save Lives?

With so much at stake in the fight against abortion, can pro-life advocates use doctrinal falsehoods to persuade parents to keep their babies?

October 16, 2023 John Piper on ChatGPT

Intelligence without affection is barren, mechanical â€” even artificial. Pastor John reflects on his ministry in the light of developing AI technologies.

October 12, 2023 Is It Sinful to Be Unhappy?

Given Paulâ€™s command to â€œrejoice always,â€ do we sin when we lack joy? Pastor John offers a simple answer with three crucial qualifications.

October 9, 2023 Is Joy a Choice or a Feeling?

Genuine joy in God is far deeper than a choice we make. Even so, our actions can help or hinder the spontaneous experience of joy.

October 5, 2023 What Old Testament Promises Are for Me?

Can new-covenant Christians claim old-covenant promises? As long as we keep some key distinctions in mind, we not only can, but should.

October 2, 2023 Evidence for the Cross and Resurrection

God has not left us without evidence for the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. But evidence alone will never open the eyes of the blind.

September 28, 2023 Does God Love Us Simply for His Glory?

God-centered theology can raise all kinds of questions about Godâ€™s love for us. Pastor John asks and answers nine of them.

September 25, 2023 If Sinâ€™s Penalty Is Eternal, Why Isnâ€™t Jesus Still Suffering?

If the penalty for sin is eternal punishment, how could Jesusâ€™s finite sufferings pay the price of our redemption?

September 21, 2023 Six Reasons Jesus Left Earth After Easter

Why did Jesus leave earth after his resurrection? Pastor John gives six reasons for Jesusâ€™s ascension to the Fatherâ€™s right hand.

September 18, 2023 Even If Our Faith Is False, Arenâ€™t Christians Happier People?

If Christ has not been raised, Paul says, then Christians are â€œof all people most to be pitied.â€ But why should we be pitied when we live with such joy?

September 14, 2023 What Does Piper Mean by â€˜Satisfiedâ€™?

â€œGod is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him.â€ What does Pastor John mean when he talks about â€œsatisfaction in Godâ€?

September 11, 2023 Christ, Our Sabbath Rest at Work

Christ is our rest on Monday as well as Sunday. But how do we experience the peaceful rest of Jesus in the midst of our labors?

September 7, 2023 How Can I Become a Humbler Calvinist?

The doctrines of grace are designed to destroy human boasting. So, what can we do if we find our theology becoming a platform for pride?

September 4, 2023 Will We Work in Eternity?

At least six biblical pointers give us reason to expect some kind of work in the age to come. But whatever eternity holds, it will be a future beyond disappointment.

August 31, 2023 Ten Authors for Your Soul

Rich doctrine makes the heart sing. So, where might Christians start if they want to read time-tested, soul-deepening books?

August 28, 2023 Why John Piper Reads Books

With so many demands on our time, why should we carve out precious minutes for books? Pastor John gives seven reasons he loves to read.

August 24, 2023 I Donâ€™t Feel Godâ€™s Love â€” What Can I Do?

When life is hard and heaven seems silent, how can Godâ€™s people still feel his love? Pastor John offers six reminders for those in spiritual darkness.

August 21, 2023 Ten Reasons You Need Unconditional Election

How important is unconditional election for the Christian life? Pastor John offers ten reasons why Christians need this crucial doctrine.

August 17, 2023 Ten Criticisms of John Piperâ€™s Preaching

Anyone who preaches for long will find his preaching criticized â€” sometimes unfairly, but often wisely. Pastor John shares ten criticisms that have shaped him.

August 14, 2023 Do Christians Really Suffer in America?

If Jesus and his apostles promised that faithful Christians would suffer, how can comfortable disciples make sense of their experience?

August 10, 2023 How Can I Explain Christian Joy to Unbelievers?

The Bible rings with the language of pleasure and joy in God. But how can we explain that pleasure and joy in ways non-Christian loved ones may understand?

August 7, 2023 Why Does God Choose the Foolish?

World evangelization would spread more quickly, it may seem, if God had chosen the wise and powerful. So, why did he choose the foolish and weak instead?

August 3, 2023 Resisting the Inner Skeptic in Our Bible Reading

When doubts disrupt our Bible reading, how can we resist the inner skeptic? Pastor John offers six ways to fight for faith in daily devotions.

July 31, 2023 Can I Still Have Joy in Seasons of Doubt?

Seasons of doubt may afflict our minds and shake our hearts, but they need not take our joy. Beneath the waves of doubt, joyâ€™s deep waters can still remain calm.

July 27, 2023 How Does Godâ€™s Joy Become My Joy?

The New Testament seems to connect the person of the Holy Spirit with the joy we experience as believers. But how do the two relate to each other?

July 24, 2023 Fifty Years of Theological Battles

If you want to prepare for the unknown controversies of tomorrow, know your Bible deeply, thoroughly, confidently, joyfully.

July 20, 2023 What Does It Mean to Be Spiritual?

Some Christians identify spirituality with gifts like speaking in tongues and healing. Does that view match the Bibleâ€™s own description of truly spiritual people?

July 17, 2023 How Are We Being Saved Right Now?

If we are in Christ, then God has saved us from our sins in the past, and he will save us from his wrath in the future. But in what sense is he saving us right now?

July 13, 2023 How Can I Encourage Without Flattering?

How can we celebrate the good we see without succumbing to flattery? Pastor John traces a key distinction between godly and ungodly praise.

July 10, 2023 What Do We Give to God?

God is self-existent and self-sufficient, far beyond any need or lack. So, what can we give to God when we gather for corporate worship?

July 6, 2023 What Does It Mean to Serve God?

The command to â€œserve the Lordâ€ appears all through Scripture â€” but Scripture also assures us that God has no needs. So, how do we serve an all-sufficient God?

July 3, 2023 Learning to Forgive Family

For some, forgiving family from the heart may be one of the hardest steps of obedience. Pastor John offers five ways forward when forgiveness feels impossible.

June 29, 2023 On Sibling Rivalries

Sibling rivalries have fractured families since Cain and Abel. So, how does God work redemptively between siblings, and how might parents do their part to promote peace?

June 26, 2023 Manhood and Womanhood in Parachurch Ministry

Increasingly, parachurch ministries are allowing women to occupy positions of spiritual authority once reserved for men. Do they have biblical warrant to do so?

June 22, 2023 What Will We Remember in the New Creation?

In Isaiah, God promises that â€œthe former things shall not be rememberedâ€ in the new creation. Will we really have no memory of this age in the age to come?

June 19, 2023 Better Than Scrolling Your Phone in the Morning

Why do so many of us reach instinctively for our phones in the morning? Pastor John identifies six temptations and points to a better way to begin our day.

June 15, 2023 Dangers in Exposing Cultural Sins

How can a preacher faithfully call out a cultureâ€™s sins while still sounding the dominant note of amazement at the glories of God in Christ?

June 12, 2023 The Sick Love of Controversy

How can we recognize what Paul calls â€œan unhealthy craving for controversyâ€ in ourselves and others? Pastor John identifies six traits of a controversy-loving spirit.

June 8, 2023 How Much Should Pastors Make?

â€œThe laborer deserves his wagesâ€ â€” including those who labor in preaching and teaching. But how might a church decide what a pastorâ€™s wages should be?

June 5, 2023 Can Single Men Pastor?

In Paulâ€™s elder qualifications, he seems to assume that pastors will be married. So how should churches assess the qualification of a single man who wants to pastor?

June 1, 2023 Why Do We Pray for Our President?

Why does Paul call Christians to pray for kings and other political rulers â€” and what specifically might we ask God to do in them and through them?

May 29, 2023 Hope for the Fragile and Fragmented

In a world filled with wars and rumors of wars, earthquakes and famines, a right understanding of the end times can bring stability to anxious minds.

May 26, 2023 The Joy of Jesusâ€™s Return

When Jesus returns, he will magnify the radiance of his glory by multiplying our own joy in that glory. We will happily marvel, and he will forever shine.

May 24, 2023 Why God Wills Suffering for the Children He Loves

If weâ€™re going to rejoice in even the worst circumstances, then we need clear and strong reasons for why God wills suffering for the children he loves.

May 23, 2023 Upcoming Changes to APJ

Tony Reinke shares two upcoming changes to Ask Pastor John in light of a brand-new John Piper sermon podcast called Light + Truth.

May 22, 2023 Go to Work, Go to Church â€” Christ Is Coming Back!

Throughout the New Testament, Jesus and the apostles draw some profound connections between the glorious second coming and our ordinary everyday lives.

May 19, 2023 Death Can Only Make Me Better: Remembering Tim Keller (1950â€“2023)

Today Tim Keller entered the reward of his Master. In this special episode of Ask Pastor John, Tony Reinke shares a sermon clip from Dr. Keller on the joy of God in the face of cancer.

May 19, 2023 Popular Blunders About Christâ€™s Return

Discussions of the second coming often spiral into speculation â€” or misconception. Pastor John explains five mistaken beliefs about Christâ€™s return.

May 17, 2023 Five Ways to Find Wisdom

In the midst of a busy life, how can we find the time to read great Christian books? We might begin by setting aside just fifteen minutes a day.

May 15, 2023 Nicotine, Amphetamines, and Holy Concentration

God does not give us a list of foods and drinks we can and cannot consume. Instead, he gives us his words and his Spirit to shape how we see all of life.

May 12, 2023 A Beautiful Savior for the Unattractive

If we are going to find lasting satisfaction in the beauty of Christ, despite the pain of rejection, four massive changes need to happen in our hearts.

May 10, 2023 The Hardest Act in Parenting Teens

Headship calls a man to put away his anger and initiate reconciliation â€” no matter how much of the fault lies with his wife or with his children.

May 8, 2023 The Path from Orthodoxy to Demon Theology

The movement from orthodoxy to demon theology happens sometimes slowly and sometimes suddenly â€” but always because love for Christ has grown cold.

May 5, 2023 â€˜Nothing Is to Be Rejectedâ€™ â€” Including Pot?

â€œNothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving,â€ Paul says. So can Christians enjoy pot if they thank God for it?

May 3, 2023 What Makes You Happiest?

What is the deepest source of your joy â€” what God gives to you, or who God is for you?

May 1, 2023 Can I Be Saved If I Never Evangelize?

Will a professing Christian go to hell if he never shares the gospel? Pastor John gets to the heart and offers practical suggestions for growing in evangelism.

April 28, 2023 Should Men Still Pray with Lifted Hands?

Paul desired that â€œin every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands.â€ Should men in the church today still lift their hands when they pray?

April 26, 2023 Our Joyful Duty

At the core of Christian Hedonism is the glorious reality that the duty God requires of us is the path to our greatest joy.

April 24, 2023 Caring for Families with Cross-Dressing Children

Should parents allow children to cross-dress? Pastor John explains why this cuts across the grain of God-created reality and how to offer counsel to Christian parents.

April 21, 2023 Should the World Like Us or Hate Us?

Jesus promised that his followers would be â€œhated by all,â€ but Paul said pastors must be â€œwell thought of by outsiders.â€ So should the world like us or hate us?

April 19, 2023 Why Did Jesus Use Spit and Mud to Heal?

Jesus could have healed the man born blind with a simple command; instead, he used spit and mud. Why?

April 17, 2023 Does My Sexual Past Disqualify Me from Pastoring?

If a man has a history of fornication, is he disqualified from the office of pastor â€” or can he still be considered â€œthe husband of one wifeâ€?

April 14, 2023 Overcoming Fear

If God has really given us â€œa spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control,â€ then why do we still struggle with fear and anxiety?

April 12, 2023 The Gospelâ€™s War Against Our Fears and Insecurities

In the face of every fear and insecurity, the gospel says, â€œIn Christ, God is for you â€” always and forever, with all of his heart and soul. So what can man do to you?â€

April 10, 2023 Should We Despise the Vile â€” or Love Them?

In Psalm 15, David tells us to despise the vile; in Matthew 5, Jesus tells us to love them. How can we do both?

April 7, 2023 If God Desires All to Be Saved, Why Arenâ€™t They?

God â€œdesires all people to be saved,â€ Paul tells us â€” but clearly not all people are saved. Does this mean God cannot do what he wants to do?

April 5, 2023 Christâ€™s Plan for the Globe â€” and You

Christâ€™s global purpose to ransom people from every tribe and tongue can be summed up in his words, â€œI have other sheep. I must bring them also.â€

April 3, 2023 Is Work a Blessing or a Curse?

God gave work as a blessing in the beginning, but we live now on the other side of the fall. So is our work today a blessing or a curse?

March 31, 2023 Best Commentaries on the Whole Bible

Alongside his personal study of Scripture, what whole-Bible commentaries has Pastor John found most helpful over the years?

March 29, 2023 How Do I Find My Identity?

If you want to settle the question of personal identity, donâ€™t ask â€œWho am I?â€ Ask, â€œWhose am I?â€

March 27, 2023 Can Satan Put Thoughts into Our Heads?

We know the devil can tempt us and attack us and try to deceive us, but can he put thoughts into our heads?

March 24, 2023 Does God Read Every Thought?

At every moment, God knows the thoughts and intentions of every human heart. Pastor John explores six vast implications of this foundational truth.

March 22, 2023 John Piperâ€™s Conversion Story

The book of Romans interprets life â€” and it also transforms life. Pastor John shares how Romans has shaped him, from conversion to the pastorate.

March 20, 2023 How to Glorify God in Business Success

How can a Christian business leader speak about his success in a way that makes God, not him, look great?

March 17, 2023 Is Venting the Same as Complaining?

Is there really a difference between complaining about our problems and venting about them â€” or are we just kidding ourselves?

March 15, 2023 Christian Hedonism in Two Minutes

What is the simplest, shortest definition of Christian Hedonism? Pastor John explains in two minutes why pursuing joy in God is essential to the Christian life.

March 13, 2023 How Does Childbirth Save Women?

Women, Paul says, â€œwill be saved through childbearing.â€ How does childbirth save women â€” and what about women who never have children of their own?

March 8, 2023 1 Percent of a Book Can Change Your Life

Even if you remember only one sentence of a book, that one sentence can create an immeasurable moment, a flash of insight that shapes you forever.

March 6, 2023 Is â€˜De-Genderingâ€™ a Sin?

What might Scripture say to a woman who desperately wants to become a man? Pastor John offers six reasons why attempting to â€œde-genderâ€ is a tragic act of sin.

March 3, 2023 Are Christians Obligated to Vote?

Are Christians who have the opportunity to vote obligated to do so â€” or can we abstain from the whole process for righteous reasons?

March 1, 2023 Why Christians Donâ€™t Need Holy Shrines

Seven times in the book of Hebrews, the author captures the heart of Christianity in a simple, wonderful command: draw near.

February 27, 2023 Do Angels Carry Our Prayers to God?

No angel, no saint, and not even Mary herself can improve the access to God we already have through Christ and his finished work.

February 24, 2023 Was Paul Really the Worldâ€™s Worst Sinner?

In 1 Timothy 1:15, the apostle Paul claims to have been â€œthe foremostâ€ of sinners. Is Paul speaking in hyperbole here, or was he really the worldâ€™s worst sinner?

February 22, 2023 Overcoming Fear and Passivity in Evangelism

How can we become bolder in evangelism? Pastor John shares a story of his stumbling attempts to love a neighbor, and Godâ€™s patient persistence through it all.

February 20, 2023 Was God at Work in My Pre-Conversion Life?

When we look with eyes of faith on our pre-conversion life, we find abundant reason to thank God for his mercy, and abundant reason to give others hope.

February 17, 2023 How Could God Be Jealous?

The jealousy of God shows his zeal for his own worth â€” and it also shows his zeal for our deepest joy.

February 15, 2023 The God-Centeredness of God Unlocks the Gospel

The biblical mindset puts God and his glory, not man and his desires, at the center of the universe. And grasping this blazing center unlocks the greatness of the gospel.

February 10, 2023 Sinners or Saints â€” How Should We Speak of Christians?

Should we speak of Christians as saints or sinners? Pastor John explores why Paul addresses Christians as saints dozens of times â€” and as sinners almost never.

February 8, 2023 Why We Share the Gospel

What drove the apostle Paul to win people to Christ? He longed to taste the joy of the gospel not only in his own heart, but in the hearts of countless others.

February 6, 2023 Preaching the Gospel of the Happy God

Sound preaching comes from those who live in the presence of God-centered glory and long to echo his infinite worth.

February 3, 2023 Can I Really Trust My Interpretation of the Bible?

â€œThe law is good, if one uses it lawfully,â€ Paul says. But how can we tell if we are using the law in the way that God intends?

February 1, 2023 How to Keep Your Eyes on Christ

How can we guard against drifting in the Christian life? By looking and looking and looking at Jesus.

January 30, 2023 How Can I Have a Good Conscience?

You do not need to walk in sinless perfection in order to have a good conscience. You just need to walk in the light.

January 27, 2023 Did Paul Oppose Fiction?

The apostle Paul strongly warned Timothy and Titus against the â€œmythsâ€ of his day. What might he have to say about the fictional stories in our own day?

January 25, 2023 Turn Down the Noise and Listen to Jesus

If weâ€™re going to listen to Jesus and not drift away from him, we likely will need to turn down the noises that capture so much of our attention.

January 23, 2023 Where Do You Draw Lines for Ministry Partnerships?

Where should pastors and other Christians draw lines for ministry partnerships? Pastor John shares the degree of unity he has pursued in six ministry settings.

January 20, 2023 Were Abortions Induced on Old Testament Adulteresses?

Does Numbers 5:22 suggest that women guilty of adultery were punished with miscarriage? And if so, how does this passage speak to the pro-life position?

January 18, 2023 Fight for Delight by Planning Your Devotions

If we donâ€™t have a plan for when, where, and how we will read the Bible, our devotions will probably fall before the demands of the day.

January 16, 2023 Eight Counsels for Those Thinking of Quitting

Every pastor receives criticism. But at what point might criticism become so serious or sustained that a pastor should consider stepping down?

January 13, 2023 When Does Despondency Become Sin?

Everyone passes through seasons of despondency â€” seasons when the soul is troubled and hope feels thin. But when does despondency become sin?

January 11, 2023 How Do I Push Truth from My Head to My Heart?

How can we push the truth of the Bible from our heads to our hearts, so that our times of daily Bible reading become times of daily worship?

January 9, 2023 Getting the Tone Right on Sunday Morning

Given the pain of this world, the joy of salvation, and the glory of God, what kind of tone should a pastor seek to set on Sunday morning?

January 6, 2023 Is Intermittent Fasting Sacrilegious?

Some people find intermittent fasting helpful for losing weight. But is fasting for merely physical purposes a sacrilegious use of a spiritual gift?

January 4, 2023 The Bibleâ€™s Main Road Out of Discouragement

The psalmists show that darkness and discouragement are part of the normal Christian life. And they also show a crucial strategy for finding the light again.

January 2, 2023 John Piperâ€™s Favorite Things

Pastor John, like the rest of us, has his likes and dislikes. From movies and soft drinks to breakfasts and songs, here are twelve of his favorite things.

December 30, 2022 Can I Be a Nurse for a â€˜Gender-Reassignmentâ€™ Surgery?

If a hospital asks a Christian nurse to participate in a â€œgender-reassignmentâ€ surgery, should she agree â€” or should she take her nursing skills elsewhere?

December 29, 2022 Appeal from John Piper

Your prayers and financial support help us bring more people into the fullest enjoyment of the greatest treasure ever found. For every $10 per month you give, we can reach 70 more people with God-centered resources. Would you join us as a monthly partner? https://dsr.gd/Give

December 28, 2022 Beat a Path to the Word in 2023

Strong Christians read the Bible, memorize the Bible, meditate on the Bible, and live on the Bible. They make intentional plans for the word to be their daily bread.

December 26, 2022 How Do I Put Away My Desire for Praise?

A desire to do good can easily become a desire to look good. So how do we put away our hunger to be praised by other people?

December 23, 2022 The Christmas We Needed

The best gift anyone can receive at Christmas is deliverance from our two greatest enemies: sin and Satan.

December 21, 2022 What Makes for a Good Musical Worship Experience?

A good musical worship experience involves head and heart, truth and affections. It will lead people to know their God and to embrace him with joy.

December 19, 2022 â€˜Though He Slay Meâ€™ â€” Why the Silence on This Verse?

â€œThough he slay me, I will hope in him.â€ Why has Pastor John barely mentioned these remarkable words of Job throughout his decades of preaching and teaching?

December 16, 2022 Does God Still Save the Lost Through Visions?

Does God save the lost through visions today â€” or does someone need to hear the gospel to be saved?

December 14, 2022 John Piperâ€™s 2022 Year-in-Review

Pastor John discusses personal and ministry highlights from 2022, including podcasts, books, global outreach, and a new goal for Look at the Book.

December 12, 2022 Good and Bad People-Pleasing

How can we find freedom from living for the opinions of people? Pray for and pursue a big vision of God. Find a firm identity in Christ. Look to your eternal reward.

December 9, 2022 How Can I Cast My Cares on God?

Casting your cares onto God begins with believing that he really is the infinitely powerful, all-wise, always-good God he reveals himself to be.

December 7, 2022 Satan Cannot Scare You into Hell

Satan may oppress you, attack you, and rage against you. But if you are in Christ, he holds no power to finally destroy you.

December 5, 2022 Build Structures to Serve Your Calling

How can leaders prevent the pressures of running an organization from squeezing out opportunities for face-to-face work and ministry?

December 2, 2022 How Can Satan Harm Christians?

Scripture is clear that Satan is not ultimately sovereign â€” God is. But under that sovereignty, in what ways can Satan still harm Godâ€™s people?

November 30, 2022 Amusing Ourselves from Death

Outside of Christ, the fear of death is a slave master that holds everyone in bondage â€” even those who seem unaware of their chains.

November 28, 2022 Give Young Christians a Chance to Lead

Our churches grow in wisdom and maturity when the young honor the old, the old listen to the young, and all clothe themselves with humility.

November 25, 2022 Should We Seek to Suffer?

Suffering may be the price of Christian love, but it is not the aim of Christian love. Our aim is to do as much good as we can on the lowly path of service.

November 23, 2022 Pray Your Way into Thanksgiving

How can we aim to be done with anxiety and enjoy peace in any circumstance? By bringing every circumstance to God in prayer.

November 21, 2022 How Does Baptism Save Us?

If God saves his people through faith alone apart from works, why does Peter say that baptism now saves us?

November 18, 2022 Do Unbelievers Get a Second Chance After Death?

In 1 Peter 3:19, we read that Christ â€œwent and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, because they formerly did not obey.â€ What might Peter mean?

November 16, 2022 How Do I Pray from the Misery of My Sin?

There is no distress that puts you beyond the good news that God brings â€” not even the distress caused by your own sin.

November 14, 2022 Let the Nations Be Glad! â€” Thirty Years Later

Thirty years after â€˜Let the Nations Be Glad!â€™ was published, Pastor John reflects on the bookâ€™s beginnings and its lasting legacy.

November 11, 2022 What If I Donâ€™t Have a Spiritual Gift?

Paul and Peter charge Christians to use our spiritual gifts for the good of the church. But what if we donâ€™t seem to have any spiritual gifts?

November 9, 2022 What Makes My Gift a Spiritual Gift?

If God has given helpful skills to both believers and unbelievers, what makes the difference between a merely natural ability and a spiritual gift?

November 7, 2022 What Makes My Life Christian?

How can Christians live so that, at bottom, we can say with Paul, â€œIt is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in meâ€?

November 4, 2022 Should I Charge Other Christians for My Expertise?

Christ bids his people both to wisely get and freely give, and he supplies us with the grace we need to discern when to do what with our talents.

November 2, 2022 Christâ€™s Death Was No Accident

The death of Christ was no accident. He came to be crucified, that he might hang the sins and sufferings of those he loves with him there.

October 31, 2022 How Does Love Cover a Multitude of Sins?

Christian love labors to overlook the sins of others, just as Christ went to the cross to forgive us, not to shame us.

October 28, 2022 Christian Unity in Three Steps

Real differences exist between real Christians. But where we lack unity of conviction, we can share unity of humble, sacrificial disposition.

October 26, 2022 Step One in Preparing to Suffer

We ready ourselves to suffer well when we look our life dead in the eye and say with Paul, â€œI count it all as loss compared to Christ.â€

October 24, 2022 Is Suffering a Paradox for Christian Hedonists?

When Christ died, so did our sin-loving selves. Now, God sends suffering to weed out the sin that lingers and stunts our joy in Christ.

Episodes