Podcast Ask Pastor John by Desiring God Episodes

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	Title	Pub. Date	Duration
	Jesus’s Warnings to the Comfortable	19 Jun 2025	00:12:15
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.
	Seven Ways to Break Free from Misplaced Hope	16 Jun 2025	00:13:59
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.
	Seven Anchors That Hold When Tragedy Hits	15 May 2025	00:12:41
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.
	Will God Judge People for Being Born Muslim?	15 Jul 2024	00:11:14
Will God condemn someone for being born into another religion? Pastor John responds to a former Muslim deeply worried about her loved ones.
	Do the Biblical Warnings Against Riches Apply to Most Americans?	16 Apr 2018	00:12:31
The aim of wartime simplicity is not to be as poor as possible, but to use all of our resources for the advancement of the gospel.
	Have I Really Forgiven Someone If I Keep Remembering Their Wrong?	13 Apr 2018	00:12:59
The sign of forgiveness is not that you forget the pain another caused you, but that you relinquish the desire to punish, and instead seek their good.
	How Do I Avoid the Pitfalls of Too Little Introspection and Too Much?	11 Apr 2018	00:11:27
Self-examination can quickly turn into self-condemnation. Pastor John offers three strategies to keep introspection in its proper place.
	When Do We Intervene in Other People’s Conflicts?	09 Apr 2018	00:08:42
God calls Christians to be peacemakers. But when and how should we intervene in other people’s conflicts?
	Does the Bible Portray Women as Emotional and Men as Rational?	06 Apr 2018	00:12:18
Our culture often stereotypes women as hyperemotional and men as rational. But is this a biblical dichotomy?
	How Do I Show Kindness to My Children and Expect Them to Obey?	04 Apr 2018	00:14:23
How do we teach our children to respect our God-given authority, while also treating them with Christlike humility and servant leadership?
	Is the Great Commission for Every Individual Christian?	02 Apr 2018	00:11:04
God may not call you to move to another country to join the Great Commission, but he has called you to play a significant part.
	Does Reformed Theology Impede Racial Reconciliation?	30 Mar 2018	00:12:12
Some have suggested Reformed theology is a hurdle to racial harmony. Pastor John explains why the opposite has been true over decades of urban ministry.
	Dating: Good Jealousy and Bad	28 Mar 2018	00:10:17
Is all jealousy bad? No, God models perfect jealousy, and calls us to have the same zeal for his glory in all we do — even in dating.
	Is It Sinful for My Husband and Me to Pray Against Pregnancy?	26 Mar 2018	00:07:45
God’s highest priority is not for us to have children, but for us to have Christ-exalting faith that overflows in meeting the needs of others.
	On Repetitive Worship Songs	11 Jul 2024	00:11:04
“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?
	Isn’t It Loving to My Family to Prepare for Doomsday?	23 Mar 2018	00:10:35
Has a husband and father failed in his God-given responsibility if his family is suffering when he could have prevented it?
	How to Climb the Corporate Ladder — for Jesus’s Sake	21 Mar 2018	00:12:11
How can we glorify God in our jobs? Pastor John offers ten reflections to help Christians integrate their Christian life with their working life.
	My Midlife Crisis — and Counsel for Yours	19 Mar 2018	00:13:40
Some men may avoid a midlife crisis, but many of us will face one. Pastor John describes his own midlife crisis, and how God carried him through.
	Sex-Abuse Allegations and the Egalitarian Myth	16 Mar 2018	00:15:17
For fifty years, our culture has denied that men have any unique responsibility to care for and protect women. It was a myth, and it isn’t working.
	When God Feels Distant, He May Want Us to Grow Up	14 Mar 2018	00:11:34
When God feels distant, he may be calling us away from a flimsy faith to a tough, unshakable allegiance to Jesus.
	God’s Sovereign Plans Behind Your Most Unproductive Days	12 Mar 2018	00:09:33
God’s priorities for efficiency in this life are not ours. His aim is not to provide the most direct route, but to sanctify the traveler.
	How Do We Avoid Over-Thinking (or Under-Thinking) the Christian Life?	09 Mar 2018	00:11:41
The Bible calls us not to over-think, under-think, think poorly, or think falsely. So how can we avoid slipping into these ruts?
	Do Christians Carry More Emotional Stress Than Non-Christians?	07 Mar 2018	00:11:12
Many believers experience deep emotional stress over the sin and pain in the world. When these emotions become paralyzing, what should we do?
	Christians Are Marrying Later — How Do I Wait in Faith?	05 Mar 2018	00:12:01
Although some singles are delaying marriage for the wrong reasons, many are not. What does God say to those who yearn to marry but have no prospects?
	Will We Be Finally ‘Saved’ by Faith Alone?	02 Mar 2018	00:15:42
Protestants have long championed justification by faith alone. But we distort this truth when we confuse justification and final salvation.
	Let the Bible Smash Your Bad Theology	08 Jul 2024	00:09:42
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.”
	Do Reproductive Technologies Oppose God’s Design?	28 Feb 2018	00:12:27
What encouragement does God give to those who are the product of reproductive technology and feel like they were abandoned by a biological parent?
	In What Way Will Christians Judge Angels?	26 Feb 2018	00:10:12
In the new heavens and new earth, Christians will sit with Jesus on his throne. Ordinary believers will join God in judging the universe.
	Do Cessationists Miss Out on the Full Joys of Christianity?	23 Feb 2018	00:09:21
God calls us to pursue our fullest joy in him. Will we fall short if we don’t pursue the extraordinary supernatural gifts like tongues and prophecy?
	On the Day Billy Graham Died	21 Feb 2018	00:24:25
In this special episode, Pastor John reflects on the life and legacy of Billy Graham.
	Can a Devout Roman Catholic Be Genuinely Born Again?	21 Feb 2018	00:10:01
Roman Catholic teaching has led many astray, even into destruction. But are there some genuine Christians in the Roman Catholic Church?
	How Does ‘Willful Sinning’ Threaten My Salvation?	19 Feb 2018	00:11:29
All sin involves the will. But continuing to sin deliberately — with eagerness and persistence — will destroy the soul.
	Isn’t Veganism Closer to God’s Original Design?	16 Feb 2018	00:10:21
Bacon, ground beef, sausage — God allows us to eat meat. But he didn’t always allow it. Is it wise to return to a pre-fall diet?
	In What Sense Did Christ Die for the Non-Elect?	14 Feb 2018	00:10:56
Don’t let the truth of God’s electing love prevent you from declaring that Christ died for all. Whoever believes in him will have eternal life.
	Avoiding Pride in a World of Selfie Sticks and Social Media Platforms	12 Feb 2018	00:08:51
Instagram selfies, Facebook updates, and endless Snaps feed off our self-focus and self-exaltation. But the sins behind the technology are not new.
	Did Jesus Advocate Castration to Break Sex Addiction?	09 Feb 2018	00:09:10
If you pluck out your right eye to fight lust, your left eye will pick up the slack. We need more than self-mutilation to fight this enemy.
	The Good Grace of Being American	04 Jul 2024	00:12:31
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.
	How Important Is It to Confess My Sin to Someone Other Than God?	07 Feb 2018	00:11:21
The New Testament teaches that Christians should confess their sins regularly — not only to God, but also to each other.
	Did Jesus Say I’d Be Healthier If My Faith Were Stronger?	05 Feb 2018	00:09:12
If you have a mustard seed of faith and mountains aren’t moving, you may have the wrong kind of faith — or God may have a better plan.
	How Do I Fight Pride When Competing in School, Business, and Sports?	02 Feb 2018	00:11:53
Grading on a curve, competing for a job against others, sports-team tryouts — how do we seek the good of others when they are our rivals?
	Two Strategies to Win the War on Lust	31 Jan 2018	00:13:12
God calls us to not only resist lustful thoughts, but to fill our minds with the beauties of Christ so that our desires gradually conform to his.
	Following Christ Is Costly — But How Do You Count the Cost?	29 Jan 2018	00:09:05
We don’t get to negotiate the cost of following Christ. But there is no cost you can pay that won’t be made up a thousandfold in the resurrection.
	“Let Your Light Shine” — Should I Instagram My Good Works?	26 Jan 2018	00:13:13
Jesus commands us to do our good deeds in secret, but he also commands us to let our good deeds shine before others. How can we do both?
	Is This Life Too Short to Determine Our Eternal Destiny?	24 Jan 2018	00:10:57
God would be just to condemn us even if we only sinned for five seconds. The time it takes us to sin does not measure the gravity of the offense.
	Is There a Place for Female Professors at Seminary?	22 Jan 2018	00:08:56
Seminary professors need to be more than competent exegetes, linguists, or theologians. They need to embody the pastoral office.
	Does God’s Happiness Depend on Mine?	19 Jan 2018	00:10:51
When one sinner repents, God and his angels rejoice in heaven. Does that mean that God’s happiness depends on ours?
	What Value Is the Old Testament to the Christian Life?	17 Jan 2018	00:10:46
All Scripture is profitable — not just the pages of the New Testament. But how should Christians read the Old Testament in light of Christ’s coming?
	Is My Joy Commanded or Spontaneous?	01 Jul 2024	00:11:06
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.
	Does God Love the Non-Elect?	15 Jan 2018	00:10:25
God has a special love for his adopted children, but that does not mean he has no love for those who reject him.
	Do Non-Christians Ever Please God?	12 Jan 2018	00:09:55
Can a non-Christian ever please God? If not, how should we understand the account of Cornelius in Acts 10?

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