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John Piper

John Piper is founder and teacher of Desiring God and chancellor of Bethlehem College and Seminary. For 33 years, he served as pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is author of more than 50 books, including Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist and most recently Foundations for Lifelong Learning: Education in Serious Joy. Read more about John.

Unrelenting Sorrow and Relentless Joy

Unrelenting Sorrow and Relentless Joy

The greatest comfort in the world is that God is good and that he never breaks his promises.

Does God Keep His Promises?

Does God Keep His Promises?

According to the book of Romans, the majority of ethnic Israelites have rejected the Messiah even though they have unique privileges. How do we account for both Israel’s privileged status and Israel’s unbelief?

All of God’s Promises Rest on God

All of God’s Promises Rest on God

The word of God has not failed. Therefore, God’s promises will hold true.

Six Reasons to Read the Bible Every Day

Six Reasons to Read the Bible Every Day

The Bible, as God’s revealed word, offers us the unparalleled opportunity to come face to face with the reality of who he is and glimpse the glory of the King and Creator of the universe, making it more deserving of our efforts than any other book.

Introduction to Romans 9

Introduction to Romans 9

Whether you want it to or not, your understanding of the God of Romans 9 will shape everything else in your life.

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Should I Look at Beheading Images?

Should I Look at Beheading Images?

Viewing horrific images may prepare Christians distant from horrors in the world to embrace the sovereignty of God over what is to come.

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Romans 8:10–11: The Spirit in You Is Life

The Spirit in You Is Life

Romans 8:10–11

Even though we’ve been saved by Jesus, we all still die. What does it mean for us that the Spirit lives in us? What does it mean for our fight against sin, our relationship to Jesus, and our death? Piper answers in this lab.

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Do You Regret Partnering with Mark Driscoll?

Do You Regret Partnering with Mark Driscoll?

What should our response be to Mark Driscoll’s failures? Pastor John unpacks some lessons from his partnership with the former Seattle pastor.

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Christ Reigns over Every Inch

Christ Reigns over Every Inch

Know the glories and beauties of Christ who reigns supreme over kings and tyrants, over mountains and hurricanes, over time and death.

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You Are Not Your Own: Romans 8:9

You Are Not Your Own

Romans 8:9

When we belong to Jesus, when we are found in him alone, we are finally able to make God look glorious in every area of our lives, fully pleasing to him.

The Fallibility of the Foundling’s Savior: Marilynne Robinson’s Lila and Jonathan Edwards

The Fallibility of the Foundling’s Savior: Marilynne Robinson’s Lila and Jonathan Edwards

John Piper reviews Marilynne Robinson’s latest novel...

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Can I Confess the Name of Jesus and Be Unsaved?

Can I Confess the Name of Jesus and Be Unsaved?

If no one can say that Jesus is Lord except in the Holy Spirit, then why are there people who say, “Lord, Lord,” whom Christ denies ever knowing?

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Did God Commission Terrorism in the Bible?

Did God Commission Terrorism in the Bible?

When the Israelites entered the Promised Land, they slaughtered at God’s command. How can Christians claim the moral high ground over modern genocides?

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Romans 8:9: The Spirit Lives in You

The Spirit Lives in You

Romans 8:9

Jesus bought us with his death and then sealed us with his Spirit. In this lab, John Piper unfolds the glory of the Trinity in our salvation and the role of the Spirit in showing that we belong to Jesus.

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Is My Pastor a Bully?

Is My Pastor a Bully?

It’s a weighty thing to be a pastor. Shepherds bear greater responsibility. How do we discern when they are abusing their position?

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Killing Our Addiction to Human Praise

Killing Our Addiction to Human Praise

When the fresh water from Jesus’s well quenches your thirsty soul, the tepid drink of praise from other people loses its allure.

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Romans 8:7–8: The Mind Against God Is Dead

The Mind Against God Is Dead

Romans 8:7–8

Romans 8:5–8 gets down to the bottom of our sin, untangling the reasons we rebel against God. Pastor John highlights the meaning of two “for” statements to show the relationship between sin, hostility to God, death, and worldliness.

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How Do I Go Deeper with Christ?

How Do I Go Deeper with Christ?

What does Paul mean when he commands us to be “rooted and built up” in Christ? How does he tell us to get there?

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I’ve Never Read the Bible, Where Should I Start?

I’ve Never Read the Bible, Where Should I Start?

If you are new to the Bible, the life and ministry of Jesus recorded in the gospels will illuminate the rest of the Bible. Let the adventure begin!

We Are Not Our Own: On God, Brittany Maynard, and Physician-Assisted Suicide

We Are Not Our Own

On God, Brittany Maynard, and Physician-Assisted Suicide

No matter what they’ve told Brittany Maynard, we are not our own. These lives are not ours to take.

Contemporary America and a Call to Prayer

John Piper calls the church to new passion in prayer.

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Romans 8:5–6: Set Your Mind on the Spirit

Set Your Mind on the Spirit

Romans 8:5–6

The Bible often presents two ways for us to live. In Romans 8:5–6, Paul describes two different lives, two different mindsets, and two different conditions. This lab carefully traces the serious differences in order to cause us to look to Christ.

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Romans 8:3–4: What the Law Could Not Do

What the Law Could Not Do

Romans 8:3–4

Purpose clauses (“in order that”) tell us why God does what he does. In this lab, Pastor John looks at why God gave us the law and why he sent his Son to die on the cross. All along, he asks how the Christian should relate to the law after Christ has come.

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Encouragement for Slow Readers

Encouragement for Slow Readers

For some, reading feels like a chore instead of a joy. Audio Bibles open the door to God’s word, even for those who don’t read.

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Romans 8:3–4: Love Fulfills the Law

Love Fulfills the Law

Romans 8:3–4

Romans 8:3–4 says Christ died so that the law would be fulfilled in us. What does it mean for the law to be fulfilled? And how is it fulfilled in us? In this lab, John Piper tackles these two critical questions.

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