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Ask Pastor John

Ask Pastor John

2,304 episodes — Page 37 of 47

Jesus’s Aggressive, Relentless, Surgical Love

Our souls thirst for water that will satisfy us fully and forever. We long for the fullness of life that only Jesus himself can provide.

Dec 31, 20147 min

Best Piper Books for Beginners

Pastor Piper has written dozens and dozens of books Where should someone begin — especially a new believer — if they want to start reading Piper’s work?

Dec 30, 201410 min

Incredible Growth in 2014, Goals for 2015

Pastor John gives an update about the ways God worked through Desiring God in 2014, and shares goals of the ministry for 2015.

Dec 29, 20149 min

Christmas at the Piper Home

Pastor John and Noel talk about how they celebrated Christmas in their home as their kids were growing up and their two overarching goals.

Dec 24, 20149 min

How Do Men and Women Show Physical Affection in the Church?

Establish a principled and emotionally healthy and happy place at your church where people, especially women, feel safe to hug or not to hug.

Dec 23, 20147 min

Is God Less Glorified in the Judgment of Sinners?

God’s glory does not rise and fall as our effectiveness in showing him glorious rises and falls.

Dec 22, 20148 min

How Does Scripture Serve Our Prayers?

The most important thing we do every day is make our souls happy in God by praying over the Bible.

Dec 19, 20148 min

What Will Submission to My Husband Look Like?

Submission is mainly a wife’s intelligent, happy, wise support for her husband’s leadership.

Dec 18, 201412 min

The Message of the Magi’s Star

We can’t explain precisely what the star of Bethlehem was, but we do know God formed it to bring the nations to their Savior.

Dec 17, 20147 min

Is My Relationship with God Healthy?

There are certain tests from the Bible that help us know if our relationship with God is a good one.

Dec 16, 201412 min

Are New Testament Ethics Final or Trajectory-Setting?

If you think the New Testament simply sets a trajectory for ethics, you might effectively strip the Bible of its final authority.

Dec 15, 201410 min

Can a Spiritually Dead Soul Thirst for God?

Unless the Spirit gives us eyes to see that the true God is beautiful and desirable, we won’t seek him.

Dec 12, 201410 min

How Open Should I Be with My Parents?

Trusting your parents by being honest is a huge honor to them.

Dec 11, 20145 min

Declare War on Sin

There is a mean streak in Christianity, and it is not against anybody else but ourselves and our sinfulness.

Dec 10, 20147 min

What Arminians Have Helped You Most?

Men like John and Charles Wesley, G.K. Chesterton, George MacDonald, and, in a sense, C.S. Lewis have been the most influential Arminians in Pastor John's life.

Dec 9, 20148 min

The Camaraderie of Christian Hedonism

Christian fellowship does not distract from the supreme glory of God in the believer’s life, it testifies to it.

Dec 8, 20146 min

Is My Boyfriend’s Video-Game Addiction a Marriage Deal-Breaker?

An addiction to video games says something about a man’s subjection to Christ, state of mind, self-control, and fitness to lead a family.

Dec 5, 20147 min

Advice for Fathers of Sons

For fathers of new sons, Pastor John summarizes his encouragement: Be a weeping, happy, loving father full of God, full of truth, full of joy.

Dec 4, 20149 min

Pray This Daily for Your Family

If you want your kids, spouse, parents, coworkers, and friends to know God — if you want to know God — rehearse Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 3.

Dec 3, 20147 min

Why Was Adam Lonely If God Is Enough?

When we enjoy what God has created, we know and enjoy God more. And when what has been created fails us, our Creator never will.

Dec 2, 20149 min

Are We Satisfied ‘in God’ or ‘by God’?

We are satisfied in God rather than by God if God is the object of our satisfaction, not simply the provider of it.

Dec 1, 201410 min

Doesn’t Prosperity Preaching Glorify Jesus?

The prosperity gospel falls short on two counts: It presents a weak God, and it neglects to reckon with the Bible’s teaching on suffering.

Nov 26, 20149 min

Are Smart People Less Happy?

For the Christian, knowing God’s word and world increases our sorrow — and our joy.

Nov 25, 20148 min

Does Happiness Require Apathy to Others’ Sorrows?

Sorrow and suffering make up daily life across the world. So what does it look like for Christians to be both happy and sorrowful?

Nov 24, 20148 min

Avoid the Unrepentant — But What If They’re Family?

How should believers behave toward family members who walk in unrepentant sin but continue to call themselves Christians?

Nov 21, 20146 min

A Prayer for Those Stuck in Sin

Even if deliverance does not come right away, our prayers are not in vain. If you are stuck in sin, this prayer is for you.

Nov 20, 20147 min

Good Motives for Bible Memory

Memorizing Scripture offers Christians at least eight benefits, including fostering fellowship with Jesus and combating Satan’s lies.

Nov 19, 20145 min

Is Sexual Attraction Essential for Marriage?

Sexual attraction is not essential for marriage, but God does call for marital intimacy — both physical and emotional.

Nov 18, 20147 min

Must My Wedding Be in a Church?

The Bible doesn’t detail the cultural symbols for a marriage ceremony. Does this mean a wedding doesn’t need to happen in a church?

Nov 17, 20144 min

Should I Look at Beheading Images?

Viewing horrific images may prepare Christians distant from horrors in the world to embrace the sovereignty of God over what is to come.

Nov 14, 20147 min

Do You Regret Partnering with Mark Driscoll?

What should our response be to Mark Driscoll’s failures? Pastor John unpacks some lessons from his partnership with the former Seattle pastor.

Nov 13, 201411 min

Christ Reigns over Every Inch

Know the glories and beauties of Christ who reigns supreme over kings and tyrants, over mountains and hurricanes, over time and death.

Nov 12, 201411 min

The Role of Family Worship

Family worship often includes prayer and reading scripture. But it can also include singing and memorization as you leave a legacy of worship.

Nov 11, 20145 min

Can I Confess the Name of Jesus and Be Unsaved?

If no one can say that Jesus is Lord except in the Holy Spirit, then why are there people who say, “Lord, Lord,” whom Christ denies ever knowing?

Nov 10, 20146 min

Did God Commission Terrorism in the Bible?

When the Israelites entered the Promised Land, they slaughtered at God’s command. How can Christians claim the moral high ground over modern genocides?

Nov 7, 201411 min

Is My Pastor a Bully?

It’s a weighty thing to be a pastor. Shepherds bear greater responsibility. How do we discern when they are abusing their position?

Nov 6, 201411 min

Killing Our Addiction to Human Praise

When the fresh water from Jesus’s well quenches your thirsty soul, the tepid drink of praise from other people loses its allure.

Nov 5, 20144 min

How Do I Go Deeper with Christ?

What does Paul mean when he commands us to be “rooted and built up” in Christ? How does he tell us to get there?

Nov 4, 20148 min

I’ve Never Read the Bible, Where Should I Start?

If you are new to the Bible, the life and ministry of Jesus recorded in the gospels will illuminate the rest of the Bible. Let the adventure begin!

Nov 3, 20146 min

Prayers That Don’t Work

If Jesus says, “Whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you,” how can James say that sometimes God withholds our requests?

Oct 31, 20146 min

We Pray to a Father

When we pray to God as our Father, we remember he is more than a boss. He is the lover of our still sinful souls, working in us to seek after him.

Oct 30, 20145 min

Joy, Sorrow, and the Healthy Prayer Life

Our requests, our laments, and even our complaints in prayer have worth in the hands of the God who works sovereignly through them.

Oct 29, 20145 min

Fighting for Solitude

Tim Keller offers help for distracted believers who struggle to focus their minds and warm their hearts when they pray.

Oct 28, 20146 min

How to Pray the Psalms

The Psalms can give us spiritual breath that we didn’t even know we needed. Tim Keller offers practical help to pray the Psalms.

Oct 27, 20146 min

Encouragement for Slow Readers

For some, reading feels like a chore instead of a joy. Audio Bibles open the door to God’s word, even for those who don’t read.

Oct 24, 20148 min

The Future of World Missions

World missions is the great work of the church, and David Platt exudes a passion to reach the unreached peoples with a massive God behind him.

Oct 23, 20148 min

Winning the War Against Lust

Fight lust with a stronger weapon than guilt, shame, and fear. Fight lust by feeding faith with the knowledge of an irresistibly glorious God.

Oct 22, 20145 min

Why Our Happiness Makes God Happy

God doesn’t need anything from anyone, so when we obey God, do we obey him for his sake or for our own happiness?

Oct 21, 201413 min

How Do I Fight Same-Sex Desires?

Paul said that it is better to marry than to burn with passion. What does that mean for the person struggling with homosexual desire?

Oct 20, 20147 min

When Enjoying Money and Possessions Is a Work of Grace

The message of Ecclesiastes: Life — and money and possessions — is empty and futile without God.

Oct 17, 20147 min