Ask Pastor John

How important are emotions in the Christian life? Pastor John looks to AI and suffering to clarify the essence of what makes us unique as human beings.

In Scripture, long periods of suffering and pain serve as a backdrop for God’s great kindness. Pastor John offers three reasons for long sorrows.

What does true freedom look like in the Christian life? Pastor John describes the apostle Paul’s burden for both single and married believers.

If sex outside of marriage doesn’t hurt anyone, why does Scripture call it sin? Pastor John unfolds the spiritual significance of sex from 1 Corinthians 6.

Should every sermon make a beeline to the cross? Pastor John traces the pattern of the New Testament from the death of Christ to the holiness of Christians.

Eternity with God can sound too good to be true — even impossible. Will heaven really never end? And if not, will we still be happy after a million years?

How should we respond when friends embrace worldly entertainment? Pastor John offers encouragement for when personal convictions lead to loneliness.

How do we present ourselves to God “as a living sacrifice”? Pastor John applies Romans 12:1–2 to believers’ daily lives.

Should all believers assume they are called to missions? Pastor John provides seven factors to direct a desire for ministry at home or abroad.

God’s sovereign grace is strong enough to overcome all human sin and rebellion — changing belief in Jesus from “will not” to “want to.”

Does the Bible teach that everything happens for a reason? Pastor John offers grounding from Romans 8 for God’s purpose in our suffering.

When Christians encounter signs of the end times, how should we respond? Pastor John outlines a biblical approach to waiting well for Jesus’s return.

How can believers push past surface-level Bible reading to the reality behind the words? Pastor John offers five practices to enliven dry devotions.

Why do people reject God when creation proclaims his presence? Pastor John explains how truth becomes suppressed, both internally and externally.

How can those who have wandered far from God come back home to him? Pastor John offers hope in the face of deep failure.

How do Jesus’s teaching and example shape our leadership? Pastor John examines the traits of a godly leader in the home, church, or workplace.

What is God doing while we wait in a painful place? Pastor John shows how God uses waiting to produce a new security, a new song, and a new significance.

How can we find peace when struggling to see the goodness of our individual design? Pastor John illustrates God’s love and wisdom in his creation.

When does faithful lament become sinful complaint? Pastor John offers five statements on lament to help us cry out to God in great pain.

How do we cling to Christ when faced with the unknowns of aging? Pastor John encourages older Christians in the battle against bitterness and fear.

By nature, we are selfish and God-ignoring and God-belittling. But no matter how hard a heart may be, the sovereign God can still save.

Indwelling sin still pervades those who are in Christ. But God’s mercy is more than enough to meet, match, and master any guilt we bring to him.

How might pastors approach the many administrative needs of a congregation? Pastor John draws four helpful guidelines from Jethro’s counsel to Moses.

Why do Christians make such a big deal about sex? Pastor John shows what godly sexuality says about the God who made us and the Christ who redeemed us.

Why is Christianity the best religion? Pastor John offers four reasons, including the hope of the gospel and the uniqueness of the God-man.

How does God’s word guide our heart’s instruction in the night? Pastor John explains the ways God uses nighttime counsel to teach and lead us.

When does stewardship of the body cross over into self-glorification? Pastor John helps us test our motivations with three questions.

When we lift our hands in worship, are we displaying public faithfulness or public performance? Pastor John gives three ways to test our hearts.

How do we rejoice in God without neglecting to rejoice in our salvation? Pastor John clarifies how to rightly rejoice in God and his good gifts.

How does reading the Bible lead to life transformation? Pastor John offers three suggestions to experience more of the Spirit’s power.

How do we craft a personal mission statement? Pastor John helps us draw the details of our lives into God’s ultimate purpose.

How can we make New Year’s resolutions in a way that honors God? Pastor John explains the mystery of fulfilling resolves in the strength of another.

How can we root our joy in Jesus rather than in his gifts? Pastor John gives four strategies for loving God in and above every gift.

What does it feel like to meet the living God in the pages of Scripture? Pastor John gives us a glimpse into a profound encounter with God.

How do we avoid falling into spiritual complacency amid daily routines? Pastor John warns of the danger of viewing God as a nonfactor in everyday life.

How should we respond when we face accusations, especially if they seem unwarranted? Pastor John helps us bear all kinds of criticism with gutsy guilt.

How can we love our aging parents through the many challenges of caregiving? Pastor John shares counsel from Scripture and personal experience.

Why would a gospel-driven ministry define itself as Reformed? Because Reformed theology guards and glorifies the grace at the heart of the gospel.

How can trust regrow in the aftermath of adultery? Pastor John identifies two needed miracles for a marriage to survive and thrive again.

Can a Christian lose patience and not be in sin? Pastor John explains why patience and impatience may be more complicated than we think.

As we steward the body, our appearance might change for the better. How do we keep our focus on being a whole person, not just an attractive shape?

Satan wouldn’t exist if God didn’t keep him around — so why is he here? Pastor John explains four ways in which God is using Satan for his glory.

Differences in belief can feel bigger than they are — but sometimes they are truly big. What separates personal opinion from soul-damaging theology?

If God refuses to act “for our sake,” does that mean he refuses to do us good? Pastor John resolves a perplexity and holds forth lavish grace from Ezekiel 36.

Does Psalm 82 teach that human beings are gods? Pastor John describes the moment when Jesus quoted the psalm to escape an early death.

How could Jesus, the King of kings and true Son of God, be ashamed at the final judgment? Pastor John digs into Jesus’s argument for following him.

Are “fleshly” Christians truly Christian? Pastor John traces Paul’s distinctions between natural people, carnal Christians, and spiritual Christians.

How can we learn to rest in the saving work of Jesus Christ? Pastor John offers eight God-given ways to increase our confidence in him.

What is the bottom-line, existential, frightening, glorious question of Romans 8? Pastor John draws out two signs that a professing Christian is secure in Christ.

When pastors have the freedom to decide what to preach, how do we make a wise decision in line with the mind of Christ?

When we move to a new place, how do we find a good local church to call home? Pastor John offers nine steps to take in our search.

What should we do when two texts seem to say opposite things about God and his character? Pastor John digs to the common root of truth.

James says God cannot be tempted, but Hebrews says Jesus was tempted just like we are. How do these two passages fit together?

If a man wants to be married but is too young to pursue it, how can he keep his desires in the right place? Pastor John offers five weapons for the fight.

Sorrow and joy are not just sequential emotional states: first sorrow, then joy. Miraculously, we can experience overflowing joy in the midst of deep sorrow.

How can we delight in the good work we do while keeping our work in its proper place? Pastor John situates daily work within God’s larger purposes.

Does human evil really call for infinite punishment? Pastor John confronts the ultimate sin of ignoring God’s infinite value.

Pastor John connects God’s word with his ability to perform that word, grounding our faith in the unstoppable purposes of our loving God.

In Isaiah 58, does God condemn his people for having too much delight in his ways? Pastor John distinguishes hypocritical pleasure from true, generous joy in God.

God promised a home to faithful eunuchs in the Old Testament, but what about childless believers today? Pastor John sees three enduring blessings.

In the Bible, God sometimes tests his people to see how they will respond. Why does he do this if he already knows every heart?

Should Christians seek mystical experiences as a way to grow closer to God? Pastor John looks at how Paul responded to his own visions.

When a society normalizes sin, how should the church respond? Pastor John calls for spiritual integrity that doesn’t depend on society’s opinion.

God destroys many enemies in the Bible, and he promises to destroy many more in hell. As his people, should we celebrate our enemies’ downfall?

Sometimes, when the Bible describes indifference to God, it sounds like us. How can we resist our tendency to drift away from him?

How might we understand the apparently casual way some biblical writers quote earlier parts of Scripture? Pastor John explores how Hebrews handles God’s word.

With so many decisions for us to make every day, why doesn’t God tell us exactly what to do in each situation?

Serving children in Jesus’s name is beautiful and God-pleasing. Gathering for worship is crucial and soul-preserving. So, how much corporate worship should we miss to serve?

In a day when sexualized content seems to be everywhere, including in many shows and movies, Pastor John gives twelve reasons to never watch nudity.

What might Simon of Cyrene teach us about supporting one another in trials? Pastor John digs into the perseverance of the saints and the church’s crucial role.

How can we rebuke without compromising love and show gentleness without diminishing truth? Pastor John gives counsel for speaking with emotional wholeness.

What does a ring-wearing pig have to do with physical beauty? Pastor John describes God’s purposes for beauty and how we so often misuse it.

Does the Bible say women should never teach anything anywhere? Pastor John traces and applies Paul’s argument from the created order.

To understand the two sides of pre-Christian suffering, Pastor John analyzes the two identities we had before we became believers.

What happens when Christians saturate themselves with worldly entertainment? Pastor John calls us to offer a resolute no for the sake of a better, sweeter yes.

Why would anyone say that God causes suffering when Satan is so clearly at work? Pastor John leads us through the shocking sovereignty of God.

How do we live with unfulfilled desires, especially when we thought God had promised them to us? Pastor John meditates on mature sorrow and persevering joy.

What are some common but wrong reasons for coming to Christ? Pastor John warns against coming to Jesus to get something other than Jesus.

Jesus laid woes on cities and even an entire generation. Does God still render corporate judgments today — and if so, what happens to believers in these groups?

When we feel stuck, is God redirecting us, or are spiritual forces trying to derail us? Pastor John delves into the mysteries of providence.

The Internet is full of different teachers and various doctrines. So, how do we discern false teachers from true, and good doctrine from bad?

As long as we sincerely love God, does it really matter if we have wrong doctrine? Pastor John shows what’s at stake in our knowledge of God and his ways.

When we feel the pressure of worldly expectations, what should really matter to us? Pastor John defines true success in a world of conflicting advice.

If a couple sins their way into marriage, should they split up and start over? Pastor John calls a weary husband and wife back to their lifelong covenant.

How can we be sure that God truly forgives us, especially when our past sins feel unforgivable? Pastor John ministers hope to the unassured.

In a corrupted and corrupting world, how can we protect our minds without becoming isolated or indifferent to the world around us?

When Jesus calls down woes on the rich, full, and laughing, does he have any qualifications in mind? Pastor John uncovers a clue in the context.

What if we feel more excited to see family than to see Jesus in heaven? Pastor John offers seven practical suggestions for pursuing deeper love for Christ.

If we don’t wrestle against flesh and blood, why does it so often feel like we do? Pastor John explores the demonic designs in human opposition.

If we want to get close to God, then we won’t ask how close we can get to sin. We’ll ask how we can enjoy more of the Holy Spirit’s fullness.

Anxiety can overwhelm us, especially in times of deep loss. How do we fight our fears of the future when so much has already gone wrong?

Life gets harder as we age. We can’t do the same ministries forever. How do we cling to joy in God amid the loss and uncertainty?

When Paul talks about the riches of God’s inheritance, is God the one inheriting, or are we? Pastor John offers four clues from the context.

How do churches decide when repentance is real, discipline is done, and someone removed from membership is ready to be restored?

How can faithful parents maintain a meaningful relationship with a wayward child? Pastor John helps moms and dads walk wisely through the pain.

If the world was already fallen with Adam and utterly corrupt at the flood, why did God wait thousands of years before sending Jesus?

How do we face death and broken relationships, especially when they pile on at the same time? Pastor John helps us find wisdom, love, and strength in deep loss.

How can women navigate a corrupt and confusing world? Pastor John offers biblical strategies for confidence, strength, and freedom.

In a world where Christians deal with chronic pain and awful sickness, how can we understand and apply the promise that “God heals all your diseases”?

Can we lose eternal rewards by becoming incapacitated or less fruitful as we age? Or can our sin cancel out rewards we would have received?

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

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”?

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.

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?

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

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?

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

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

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?

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

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?

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

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

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?

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?

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.

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.

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?

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

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

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

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

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

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

In the Old Testament, witchcraft is met with capital punishment — but not in the New. Why does God handle this sin differently across redemptive history?

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.

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.

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?

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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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?

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

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.

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?

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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

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?

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.

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

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

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.

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

“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?

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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

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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.

Why do so many American Christians bear the marks of worldliness? Too often in our churches, Christ is too cheap, heaven is too distant, and earth is too big.

“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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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.”

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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

Staying married is not first about staying in love. It’s about keeping a covenant that reflects Jesus’s own faithfulness to his bride, the church.

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

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

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

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

“For his steadfast love endures forever” appears 26 times in Psalm 136. What might we learn from this psalm about the right kind of repetition in worship?

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

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

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.

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

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

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.

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

Paul says that the renewed mind discerns God’s good will “by testing.” What does that testing look like in the thousands of everyday decisions we make?

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

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?

Why does Paul call Satan “the prince of the power of the air”? Pastor John explores the extent of Satan’s authority and Christ’s decisive victory.

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.