Jesus troubles those who don't worship him. That's the situation of Matthew 2, as John Piper explains in today's Advent reading:

Matthew 2:1–4,

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, ²saying, "Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him." ³When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; ⁴and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.

Jesus is troubling to people who do not want to worship him, and he brings out opposition for those who do…

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Where in the world is it? I couldn't find my electric beard trimmer. I opened the sink cabinets and moved around a few bath towels. Still nothing. Inanimate objects don't grow legs and walk away (my mother used to say), but this was gone. I decided to forget it and move on after searching around ten seconds.

But then it dawned on me...

I have mistaken accessibility as actuality. What I mean is, functionally, because the beard tool wasn't right there I acted as if it wasn't real. Because it wasn't accessible, I pretended it didn't exist.

The Problem with Impatience

It does exist, though. I really do own one. I've seen it before. I've used it. But because it wasn't right there when I want…

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"There's something I want you to pray about, Jason," his grandfather said. Now this at least got his attention. Jason's grandfather was a successful farmer in rural South Dakota, and not to mention, a trusted elder in the local Reformed church. When he spoke, people listened — especially Jason standing beside him under a cold, overcast sky. "I've been noticing your life," his grandfather continued, "and I believe God is calling you into the ministry."

What?

That's not what Jason expected. Matter of fact, he might as well as got a punch in the stomach. Ministry? Really? Like a pastor? Jason kept his thoughts to himself and politely listened to what his grandfather said. But it still didn't …

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Packer had me at “horseback.”

In his new introduction to John Flavel's Keeping the Heart, J. I. Packer tells a story from Flavel’s devotional life. Now I remembered hearing of a spiritual experience Edwards had on horseback, and of another from Moody. Then there it was again in Flavel:

It is recorded of him that he spent much time in meditation, self-examination, and prayer, and on one occasion at least he had an extraordinary experience of God. Meditating on horseback, “his thoughts began to swell and rise higher and higher like the waters of Ezekiel’s vision till at last they became an overflowing flood. Such was the intention of his mind, such the ravishing tastes of heavenly joys, and …

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Here on the last day of November — endearingly known as Movember by many working a fresh mustache for men’s health awareness — we went behind the blog for some backstories on the full face of content we grew in the last month.

Some posts are pretty straightforward in their conception, production, and presentation. But others have more disputed histories, with uncertainties about their precise genesis or even a touch of conspiracy theory. Like our new Advent ebook.

In this episode, we talk about the new collection of December devotional readings from John Piper, as well as several fresh resources from the past month. Topics range from Spurgeon’s rocker to improving your baptism to wha…

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What does "complementarian" mean?

In this short video, John Piper explains that affirming the glorious differences of men and women locates Christians between two lamentable errors.

This excerpt begins at the 2:29 mark of this week's sermon.

“When it comes to human sexuality,” John Piper begins, “the greatest display of God’s glory, and the greatest joy of human relationships, and the greatest fruitfulness in ministry come about when the deep differences between men and women are embraced and celebrated as complements to each other.”

This is a way of life shaped by Scripture and thus it rejects two kinds of errors: One side is chauvinistic, harsh, and abusive under male domination. It is rejected. The other side is sex-blind, gender-leveling, and neutered under a unisex culture. It also is rejected.

Examining key biblical texts, John Piper explains what it means to be “complementarian” — that is, the way we understand God’s …

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It was a stretch you might say. A 19th century British preacher apprehended a 3,000-year-old psalm for peace and courage in the midst of dire circumstances. Andree Seu Peterson tells the story in a recent article:

In the middle of a cholera epidemic in 1854, Charles Spurgeon was returning home from yet another funeral when a shard of paper wedged in a shoemaker's window caught his eye. It said, "Because thou hast made the Lord … thy habitation, there shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling." Surgeon subsequently wrote:

"The effect upon my heart was immediate. Faith appropriated the passage as her own. I felt secure, refreshed, girt with immortality. I wen…

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The full media from our recent conference on disability is now available!

"The Works of God: God's Good Design in Disability," hosted Novemeber 8, featured four messages, a speaker panel, and a special testimony on God's sovereignty and goodness in disability. The audio and video of each resource can be streamed or downloaded by going to the respective links:

John Piper
"When Jesus Meets Disability: How a Christian Hedonist Handles Deep Disappointment"

Nancy Guthrie
"Thinking Like Jesus About Disability"

Mark Talbot
"Longing for Wholeness: Chronic Suffering and Christian Hope"

Greg Lucas
"Parenting When Your Heart Is Continually Crushed"

John Piper, Nancy Guthrie, Greg Lucas, Mark Talb…

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Disability is real and difficult. This is true. The recent "Works of God" conference featured several voices who met in agreement on this point. But they also agreed that God is sovereign and good.

This truth was seen most vividly in Krista Horning's unforgettable testimony. While each message expounded key biblical texts and their relevance to disability, Krista modeled it as she described what God says to her over and against the lies of disability.

She shared, from memory, 13 beautiful things God tells her:

1. God tells me he is in control of everything, even my disability (Exodus 4:11).
2. God tells me I'm not alone (Isaiah 43:1–3).
3. God tells me he will always help me (Psalm 121:1–…

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