Ask Pastor John

The jealousy of God is both righteous and loving; often, our jealousy is sinful and selfish. How can Christians distinguish these jealousies?

Envy rises up out of a resentful, discontent hearts. Therefore, trust in God’s goodness is the believer’s secret weapon in the battle against envy.

The Holy Spirit testifies that believers are God’s children by working good fruit in their lives and a cry in their hearts: “Father! Lord!”

Behind sexual scenes in entertainment swirls a sea of lust, adultery, and hate — sexual sin that killed Jesus, and that Jesus died to kill.

The four steps of biblical discipline are designed to keep the church holy and pure while it loves the unrepentant back to Jesus.

Pastor John defines selfishness and discusses the holy pursuit for joy in prayers.

Pastor John talks about God’s plan to take his glory to the nations, the spreading of his name.

Self-satisfied hearts that don’t see their desperate need for the all-satisfying Christ are the seedbed for lukewarm Christianity.

Many of us marry with little idea of the gifts and hardships ahead. So what would Pastor John tell his newly married self?

Work, play, and sleep like a Calvinist — outproduce, outplay, and outdream everyone by trusting in your sovereign God.

Pastor John shares eight practical counsels to avoid ministry burnout, starting with, “Love what you do.”

When a lie would win approval and favor from others, a Christian’s truth-telling hinges on contentment in the approval and favor of God.

If we don’t understand that God finds us hateful and loathsome in our sin, we won’t be as stunned by the depth of his love for us.

Believers know their own sin all too well. How can they know they are saved? Pastor John offers encouragement for those struggling with assurance.

Though a great thinker, Jonathan Edwards was blind on the issue of slavery. Pastor John offers five sobering responses to those who read him.

The Bible accommodates strong, godly emotions, but how do we know when godly anger or discouragement has become sinful?

Pastor John explains how God actually does make much of us, so that we might make much of him.

How can Christians pursue a childlike faith while growing mature in their thinking like the Bible commands?

In this special episode of APJ, Pastor John weighs into the non-guilty verdict of George Zimmerman.

Although God loves his people with a special, electing love, he loves all people by freely offering his Son for them to receive.

God delights in all of his works in the grand scope of God’s redemptive plan. But in the day-to-day sins and struggles of his image-bearers, God grieves.

The heart of evil lies in its desire for other things above God. When evil looks out at all that is, it chooses creation over Creator.

By memorizing and reciting Scripture before others, believers become emissaries of grace who make mundane moments explode with significance.

Pastor John walks through Psalm 107 to call Christians who have sinned grievously and foolishly to cry out to the God of steadfast, enduring love.

Properly attributing people's work is a matter of honesty. God wants us to give credit where it's due.

Delight in God as most admirable. Delight in God as Savior and friend. Delight in God through his gifts. And you will delight yourself in the Lord.

If you struggle in your Bible reading, Pastor John commends copying down the Scriptures each day and gives four reasons why.

Spontaneous and memorized prayers teach families important aspects of a real, dynamic relationship with God.

God’s people are Christians before they are patriots, but they still work for the good of their homelands.

Prayers at meals, even when we don't feel like making them, form soul-nourishing habits of joy that can pass from generation to generation.

Food and sex easily turn from gifts into gods. Pastor John encourages believers to dethrone false gods by thanking the true God for his gifts.

Porn ravages souls. Porn demeans women. Porn destroys love. So should porn use be a marriage deal-breaker?

Christian hedonism does not ignore pain for the sake of joy. Rather, it exclaims that God is satisfying enough to give you joy in the midst of pain.

Don’t delight in delight, glorify God by rejoicing in him, and three more safeguards against idolizing joy for Christian Hedonists.

Jesus surpasses whatever good the world has to offer. So rather than worship those good things, disciples of Jesus receive them as gifts.

Some tire of listening to sermons, as though they were lectures. But a preacher is not a professor, but a herald of God, proclaiming the good news to the church.

God’s sovereign working in the gospel assures his people that no hardship is wasted and no wrongdoing will slip by unnoticed. He will settle every account.

God’s joy in himself bears up his self-sufficient, sovereign work in the world. Pastor John unpacks God’s infinite, trinitarian joy.

Christians celebrate interracial marriage, but black-white marriage especially touches sensitive cultural nerves. Pastor John identifies five of them.

In light of two regrettable tweets, Pastor John shares the lessons he learned about how, when, and where to speak online.

When catastrophes hit, pastors should lead their churches toward a healthy response — filled with mourning and worship.

While God calls us to spend most of our time in the thick of regular life and ministry, occasional retreats are good for refreshing the soul.

Pastor John reflects on his move to Tennessee — both his motives for moving and the projects he hopes to accomplish while living there.

Eternal life is sure for the bride of Christ. But prayers and exhortations of Christian community may be the very means God uses to preserve his people.

Pastor John encourages Christian loners — even those who have been hurt by the church — to pursue God in Christ-exalting friendships.

Our affections move us to not only eat, but savor; not only avoid what is evil, but despise it; not only sing by rote, but worship God with delight.

Pastor John shares his personal list of influencers — people who contributed significantly to shaping his mind.

The one gospel does two things: It feeds the saints week by week and it calls unbelievers to repent and believe in Jesus for salvation.

If God is absent, life is meaningless; if he is helpless, we have no hope. But if he is sovereign, he works even evil for the good of his children.

If no single evil act falls outside of God’s control, how can God be completely good?