1 Corinthians 15:50-58 Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold, I tell you a…
The language in the Ten Commandments is countercultural, counterintuitive, offensive, and shocking to anyone who has not embraced the God-centeredness of God. We might summarize the first two commandments like…
Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger, for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness that God…
Today, the need I see for Christian boldness is a little different. It’s not so much that evangelicals are grasping for so-called “Christian America.” Rather, it’s our being drawn into…
God is sovereign, wise, just, and merciful. He governs all things, making no mistakes, doing no one wrong, and making all things serve the everlasting joy of undeserving persons who…
Here’s what Pastor John Piper said when he was speaking to children about COVID-19. “I’m 74 years old. That means I’m old enough to be your granddad and maybe your…
Pastor John Piper was asked “How Do We Make Sense of the Coronavirus?” Here is his thoughtful answer: “How do I make sense of this? How do you get understanding?”…
John Piper teaches a powerful lesson on God’s conditions for answering your prayers. Here’s how to pray more powerfully! “God never ignores his children. He is never too busy. Never…
In the beginning, the earth was formless and void, but that did not deter the Almighty. He looked into the fathomless depth of its darkness and concluded, “All it needs…
John Piper, in his magnificent book, “Why I Love the Apostle Paul,” asks us why Paul didn’t boast more about his vision of the third heaven. Where did Paul go?…
Spiritual Weapons “For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh . . .” 2 Corinthians 10:4— that is, they are not merely human. This is not a…
Here is an enlightening answer to a seldom-studied character in the Bible: Job. The book of Job is a profound work on human suffering, worthy of a lifetime of study…
Luke describes the arrival of Jesus in Jerusalem at the beginning of that last week of his earthly life: As he was drawing near, at the descent of the Mount…
Expect evil, hate evil, endure evil for God’s purposes. Pray for escape from evil. Give thanks for its refining effects, overcome evil with good. Remember that God is in control…
History’s most spectacular sin was the murder of Jesus. Satan’s power in Judas’ sinful passions, Satan’s role in His own destruction, God’s role in the murder of His Son and…
“You will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” – Jesus Christ 1. Existing fetal homicide laws make a man guilty of manslaughter if he kills the…
Introverts and extroverts — it seems like a useful designation for personality types. Even if they’re not biblical categories, they lead to an interesting conversation for Christians, and to this…
Prayer is not mainly a peace-time activity in the New Testament. It is surrounded by a sense of urgency and alertness and warning. It is a war-time instrument. It’s made…
History is being played out on two levels. One is seen, the other is unseen. One has humans as the main actors; the other has “gods” as the main actors.…
“What would you do if you were 22 again?” I was recently asked that question as part of a conference on world missions. I turned 22 in the middle of…
I believe there is a Satan precisely because I believe in Jesus. If Satan is our mythological holdover from a pre-scientific age, then the life-long struggle of our Lord Jesus…
I ask this question because some Bible-believing Christians feel that prayer for peace in these “last days” would be contrary to God’s will, since Jesus said, “When you hear of…
It is beautifully fitting that Christians gather for corporate worship every week. When we do, we give united expression to our truth-rooted knowledge of the triune God and our treasure-rooted…
As chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary, I want to send a different message to our students, and to the readers of Desiring God, than Jerry Falwell, Jr. sent to…
“The best way to think about Satan’s power is not in terms of physical strength, but moral deception.” Deceiver and Accuser Even though this supernatural being, this fallen angel and…
Tony Reinke, author of 12 Ways Your Phone is Changing You, carefully examines the blessings and challenges of technology in our lives. If you live long enough, pray earnestly, and…
Choosing a life partner is serious business. It can be the greatest blessing of your life, or the biggest mistake you will ever make. Pastor John Piper gives an insightful…
There is a beauty in simplicity. And there is a greater beauty in harmonious complexity. Referring to Jesus, Jonathan Edwards said that there is in him “an admirable conjunction of…
According to Luke 1:1–4, the Gospel of Luke and its sequel the Acts of the Apostles were written to help Theophilus (and all subsequent readers) know the truth of the Christian…
Are you questioning God today? How do you pray when you don’t understand what He is doing? You can argue with God. David did. Let’s be like David, and every…
Here are some essential questions that each prospective couple should discuss before marriage. Theology What do you believe about . . . everything? Perhaps read through the Desiring God Affirmation…
Here’s an urgent and practical question: How should we relate to evil? We can’t stick our heads in the sand. How should we think and feel and act about Satanic…
Unspeakable tragedies. Infamous acts. Brutal terrorist attacks even in Sunday church services. Unlike us, many Christians around the world risk their lives to go to church. In the face of such…
What kind of prayers do you pray? Do you pray with faith or doubt, selfishly or unselfishly? Dr. John Piper reveals how Christians often ask God for their good,…
One of the most important discoveries I have ever made is this truth: God is most glorified in me when I am most satisfied in him. This is the motor…
Awkward. Mom and Dad sitting in the room. How do you have “the talk” with them: tough subjects no one wants to mention? John Piper writes: “So you’re a parent.…
How do we balance justice and forgiveness? “Can we pray for justice, and yet love our enemy at the same time?” The answer is yes. But let’s start with our…
God directed you to this sermon, I believe, so that you would know, first, that you don’t have to die, and, second, so that you would know that Jesus, who…
It is often said that fear of God has no place in the Christian’s life for, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear…
This moving sermon by John Piper was preached at Watermark Church and was titled “A Tender Word for Pharisees.” Jesus shows God’s love for Pharisees in his parable of the…
The spectacular sin of those who built the Tower of Babel was used by God in spite of the pride of the wicked people. Where do all the languages in…
What is the difference between necessary judgments of probability and sinful prejudice? How did Jesus respond in these situations? In a reflective look of Martin Luther King’s life and Roe…
As a Christian adult, how do I deal with and honor Christian parents who don’t acknowledge the abuse I suffered at their hands as a child? It’s appropriate, I…
Twice the Apostle John tells us that Christmas happened: the Son of God became a human being to take away sin, or to destroy the works of the devil, namely,…
At the end of this article I will give four very practical steps that I take as I enter the arena of each day where I must make moral choices.…
Christian Smith, professor of sociology at Notre Dame, wrote in the most recent Books and Culture a review of six books that deal with the new phenomenon of “adultolescence”—that is,…
Staying married is not about staying in love. It is about keeping covenant. “Till death do us part,” or, “As long as we both shall live” is sacred covenant promise:…
Getting old to the glory of God means resolutely resisting the typical American dream of retirement. It means being so satisfied with all that God promises to be for us…
We cannot afford to be lukewarm Christians. Paul teaches in Romans 12:11 that serving the Lord means 1) seeing the Lord as worth more than what the appetites offer; and…
In the last generation, the rise of existentialism says that there are fixed, closed natural laws, that make the world understandable and scientifically manageable, and these laws do not allow…
Jesus’ own brothers and countrymen doubted His deity and Messiahship because He wouldn’t claim an earthly kingdom and take His country by storm. ?Many of the Jewish people in Jerusalem…
John Piper affirms the use of “the miracle gifts” mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12-14, but believes that the most effective forum is in the context of a small group where…
“You will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” – Jesus Christ 1. Existing fetal homicide laws make a man guilty of manslaughter if he kills…
This is not a defense of the humanity of the unborn. It is an argument that if the unborn are human they ought not to be aborted. There are some…
In this passage about Elizabeth’s unborn child, John the Baptist, the word “baby” is used to describe Jesus while He was still in His mother’s womb. What Luke is doing…
Erik Reece is writer-in-residence at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, teaching environmental journalism, writing, and literature. He published a book last April entitled, An American Gospel: On Family, History,…
I want to give you, at the end of this article, four very practical steps that I take as I enter the arena of each day where I must make…
We must love people but also love the truth. (1 Corinthians 13:4). Paul teaches we need purity for the sake of unity. We must watch out for those who cause…
The life of John the Baptist expressed how Christ can be reflected powerfully in our lives by being unconventional, uncompromising, bold and truly humble. So John sums up God’s work…
God takes human life very seriously. God is much better than an earthly father. He is rich in mercy. The key is: You have a Father in heaven. He loved…
God promises spectacular blessings to those of you who remain single in Christ, and he gives you an extraordinary calling for your life. To be single in Christ is, therefore,…
The psalms are inspired by God and are meant to instruct us how to think about God, man and the world. Zeal for God’s glory, pleading for rescue and crying…
The first consequence of Adam’s and Eve’s sin mentioned in Genesis 3:7 is that “the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves…
When we see and experience God’s glory, we receive grace. Our task is to help people to see Him. Beholding the glory of God (according to 2 Corinthians 3:18) is…
Erik Reece is writer-in-residence at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, teaching environmental journalism, writing, and literature. He published a book last April entitled, An American Gospel: On Family, History,…
Sexuality is designed by God as a way to know Him more fully. Knowing God is designed by God as a way of guarding and guiding our sexuality. By John…
If you are parenting in the worst of times, or want to get ready for parenting in the worst of times, or simply want hope in the worst of times,…
Satan has been decisively defeated in the death and resurrection of Christ through Christians who believe and speak the Word of God and wear His armor. Satan will finally be…
I have in mind men and women. For men it’s obvious. The need for warfare against the bombardment of visual temptation to fixate on sexual images is urgent. For women…
How does the psalmist respond to discouragement? He asks God why. He affirms God’s sovereign love. He sings. He preaches to his own soul. He remembers past experiences. He thirsts…
On October 22, 1976, Clyde Kilby, who is now with Christ in Heaven, gave an unforgettable lecture. I went to hear him that night because I loved him. He had…
Let me tell you about a most wonderful experience I had early Monday morning, March 19, 2007, a little after six o’clock. God actually spoke to me. There is no…
The idea of “getting what we deserve” makes many people uneasy these days. Both Christians and morally sensitive non-Christians have trouble uttering the word “deserve.” This is why the grading…
Why is the love of human glory, rather than God’s glory, so contradictory to faith? One is that true faith in Jesus gives all glory to God and none to…
Why does God allow a financial recession? He intends for a recession to expose hidden sin and so bring us to repentance and cleansing. He intends to wake us up…
Intentionality in the discipline of private prayer where no one else can hear us is a fruit of the gospel. We must obey our Savior, desire to receive more and…
These reflections are written on the eve of my cancer surgery. I believe in God’s power to heal—by miracle and by medicine. I believe it is right and good to…
Help the children believe in God’s sovereign wisdom and goodness in creating them with the body that they have, to believe in God’s sovereign wisdom and goodness in making other…
What Is Christian Hedonism? My shortest summary of Christian Hedonism is: God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him. We all make a god out…
Celebrity pastors? High-profile mega-churches? I have unanswered questions about how to navigate the new world of media-driven celebrity attention to pastors. As Advance09 started in Durham, North Carolina, the News…
Many have asked the intriguing question, “Why was it right for God to slaughter women and children in the Old Testament? How can that ever be right?” It’s right for…
The basic tenet of Christian hedonism is that the desire to be happy is a proper motive for every good deed. Or conversely, if you abandon the pursuit of your…