Episodes

From Ask Pastor John

Daily Q&A episodes.

Episodes

God’s Plan for Your Prayers 2026-07-09
If God is sovereign, why should we pray? Pastor John encourages us to seek God with confidence in his power and plan for our lives.
When Your Pastor Feels Distant 2026-07-06
How can the pastor of a growing church care for each member? Pastor John encourages shepherds to care tenderly for the flock and depend on God’s…
Breaking Prayer Ruts 2026-07-02
How can we shift our prayers from rote repetition to an awareness of God’s larger purposes? Pastor John models praying Scripture back to God.
Obedience Will Never Ruin Your Life 2026-06-29
How can Christians act in obedience when they face a life-changing cost? Grace can sustain us through the painful consequences of following God.
Why God’s Protection Still Hurts 2026-06-25
How can we reconcile the pain we feel in this fallen world with God’s promise to keep us from all evil? Pastor John applies Psalm 121 to this life.
Sovereignty and My Murdered Friend 2026-06-22
Even great evil serves God’s eternal purposes — yet God also gives us precious promises to comfort us in the midst of our pain and grief.
How to Save a Marriage 2026-06-18
To redeem relationships, we need humility — but how do we get that kind of sacrificial heart? Looking to Christ and his cross strips away entitlement.
Zeal For God Gone Wrong 2026-06-15
How can Christians tell the difference between true and false zeal for God’s name? Pastor John examines Jehu’s tragic history in 2 Kings.
Preaching Outrage 2026-06-11
Should pastors expose every fresh cultural outrage from the pulpit? Pastor John encourages pastors to condemn sin without being consumed.
Defeating Daily Anxiety 2026-06-08
When we face day-to-day pressure and stress, Jesus’s teaching steadies our hearts and minds. Pastor John offers eight truths to fight anxiety.
The God Who Gives You Worth 2026-06-04
Is God’s pursuit of his glory and man’s pursuit of our joy a selfish transaction? Pastor John insists on keeping our joy in God connected to God…
Kill Your Ego, Find Your Joy 2026-06-01
Every recognition and reward we receive is a gift of God’s steadfast love, poured out so that we might magnify the glory of his undeserved grace.
The Secret Superpower of Silence 2026-05-28
How does Jesus’s silence before his accusers teach us how to suffer? Pastor John offers encouragement for Christians facing unjust treatment.
The Freedom That Kills Regret 2026-05-25
True freedom means our desires align with God’s; we want what he wants. Pastor John answers three questions from Galatians about Christian liberty.
The God Over Dice 2026-05-21
What do we mean when we say God is sovereign? Pastor John traces God’s sovereignty throughout the Bible and draws out two big, soul-steadying truths.
Don’t Wait for the Pain to Stop 2026-05-18
We don’t need to wait for painful seasons to end before we feel joy again. By God’s grace, we can hold sorrow and joy in the very same heart.
Why Your Mind Cannot Die 2026-05-14
If consciousness is part of the soul, what are the implications when the brain degrades and dies? Pastor John speaks to consciousness in both life…
When Obedience Is Evil 2026-05-11
How should Christians respond when an authority asks them to sin? Pastor John encourages believers to respect earthly institutions without…
Delighting in a Holy God 2026-05-07
God’s children are set apart as saints, given the privilege of sharing in Christ’s moral beauty. Pastor John explains how God’s holiness draws us to…
Suffering for Joy 2026-05-04
Christianity isn’t a fix for all suffering in this life — but it does offer unshakable joy in trials and immediate relief from the deepest of pains.
Ten Seconds After You Die 2026-04-30
Do the souls of believers “sleep” in the grave after death, or do they go to be with the Lord? Pastor John explains the logic of the resurrection.
Don’t Let Her Die Before You Say This 2026-04-27
How can we show Christ’s love to a dying, unbelieving loved one? Pastor John shares ten ways believers can embody God’s love.
Fur Babies and Pet Stewardship 2026-04-23
How should Christians steward pets? Pastor John offers guidance for enjoying animals without treating their companionship like human companionship.
Wasted Talents 2026-04-20
Without Christ-exalting love, spiritual gifts serve as self-promotion — even when they produce powerful results.
Where AI Fails 2026-04-16
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…
Long Sorrows Set the Stage 2026-04-13
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.
The Bondage of Singleness 2026-04-09
What does true freedom look like in the Christian life? Pastor John describes the apostle Paul’s burden for both single and married believers.
Sex Is Worship 2026-04-06
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…
The Wrong Kind of Cross-Centered 2026-04-02
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…
Will You Be Happy in a Million Years? 2026-03-30
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…
Made Lonely by Holiness 2026-03-26
How should we respond when friends embrace worldly entertainment? Pastor John offers encouragement for when personal convictions lead to loneliness.
Dying to Live 2026-03-23
How do we present ourselves to God “as a living sacrifice”? Pastor John applies Romans 12:1–2 to believers’ daily lives.
Stop Waiting for a Sign 2026-03-19
Should all believers assume they are called to missions? Pastor John provides seven factors to direct a desire for ministry at home or abroad.
Your Only Roadblock to Heaven 2026-03-16
God’s sovereign grace is strong enough to overcome all human sin and rebellion — changing belief in Jesus from “will not” to “want to.”
Everything Happens for a Reason 2026-03-12
Does the Bible teach that everything happens for a reason? Pastor John offers grounding from Romans 8 for God’s purpose in our suffering.
Your Main Calling in the End Times 2026-03-09
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.
Five Escapes from Dry Devotions 2026-03-05
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 Smart People Reject God 2026-03-02
Why do people reject God when creation proclaims his presence? Pastor John explains how truth becomes suppressed, both internally and externally.
Hope for Screwups 2026-02-26
How can those who have wandered far from God come back home to him? Pastor John offers hope in the face of deep failure.
Marks of a Godly Boss 2026-02-23
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.
Waiting Is the Hardest Part 2026-02-19
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…
The Gospel of Gorgeous 2026-02-16
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.
Regretting the Day I Was Born 2026-02-12
When does faithful lament become sinful complaint? Pastor John offers five statements on lament to help us cry out to God in great pain.
Aging with Joy 2026-02-09
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.
The Hardest Heart God Can Save 2026-02-05
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.
Life Guidance for Sinners 2026-02-02
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.
Learning to Delegate 2026-01-29
How might pastors approach the many administrative needs of a congregation? Pastor John draws four helpful guidelines from Jethro’s counsel to Moses.
Is Sex as Dangerous as Christians Make It Seem? 2026-01-26
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…
Why Is Christianity the Best Religion? 2026-01-22
Why is Christianity the best religion? Pastor John offers four reasons, including the hope of the gospel and the uniqueness of the God-man.
Why Mental Clarity Arrives at Night 2026-01-19
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.
Three Metrics for Your Fitness 2026-01-15
When does stewardship of the body cross over into self-glorification? Pastor John helps us test our motivations with three questions.
Are Raised Hands in Worship Just Showing Off? 2026-01-12
When we lift our hands in worship, are we displaying public faithfulness or public performance? Pastor John gives three ways to test our hearts.
Piper, Did You Miss Something? 2026-01-08
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.
Maximize Your Daily Bible Reading 2026-01-05
How does reading the Bible lead to life transformation? Pastor John offers three suggestions to experience more of the Spirit’s power.
Make a Life Plan for 2026 2026-01-01
How do we craft a personal mission statement? Pastor John helps us draw the details of our lives into God’s ultimate purpose.
God Wants Your Resolve 2025-12-29
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.
The Gift Trap 2025-12-25
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 a Fruitful Devotional Feels Like 2025-12-22
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.
Complacency: A Silent Killer 2025-12-18
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…
When You Get Accused 2025-12-15
How should we respond when we face accusations, especially if they seem unwarranted? Pastor John helps us bear all kinds of criticism with gutsy…
Loving Aging Parents Well 2025-12-11
How can we love our aging parents through the many challenges of caregiving? Pastor John shares counsel from Scripture and personal experience.
Keeping Sovereign Grace in Gospel Partnerships 2025-12-08
Why would a gospel-driven ministry define itself as Reformed? Because Reformed theology guards and glorifies the grace at the heart of the gospel.
Marriage Survival After Betrayal 2025-12-04
How can trust regrow in the aftermath of adultery? Pastor John identifies two needed miracles for a marriage to survive and thrive again.
The Apostasy of Impatience 2025-12-01
Can a Christian lose patience and not be in sin? Pastor John explains why patience and impatience may be more complicated than we think.
Improving the Body Without Fixating on Image 2025-11-27
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?
Why Satan Persists 2025-11-24
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.
What False Teachings Should Make Me Leave a Church? 2025-11-20
Differences in belief can feel bigger than they are — but sometimes they are truly big. What separates personal opinion from soul-damaging theology?
The God Who Breaks Us with Kindness 2025-11-17
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…
How One Bible Verse Disarmed a Mob 2025-11-13
Does Psalm 82 teach that human beings are gods? Pastor John describes the moment when Jesus quoted the psalm to escape an early death.
Shame Today Is Worth It 2025-11-10
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.
What Is a ‘Fleshly’ Christian? 2025-11-06
Are “fleshly” Christians truly Christian? Pastor John traces Paul’s distinctions between natural people, carnal Christians, and spiritual Christians.
Eight Ways to Live Out Your Assurance 2025-11-03
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.
How Can I Know I’m a Christian? 2025-10-30
What is the bottom-line, existential, frightening, glorious question of Romans 8? Pastor John draws out two signs that a professing Christian is…
How I Decide What to Preach 2025-10-27
When pastors have the freedom to decide what to preach, how do we make a wise decision in line with the mind of Christ?
Nine Steps to Find a Home Church 2025-10-23
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.
Does God Punish from His Heart? 2025-10-20
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.
Was Jesus Tempted by Evil Desires? 2025-10-16
James says God cannot be tempted, but Hebrews says Jesus was tempted just like we are. How do these two passages fit together?
Sexual Purity Is an Act of Love 2025-10-13
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…
Sorrows Surprised by Happiness 2025-10-09
Sorrow and joy are not just sequential emotional states: first sorrow, then joy. Miraculously, we can experience overflowing joy in the midst of…
Work as Worship 2025-10-06
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.