Ask Pastor John

Does God want us to be happy or holy? How are holiness and happiness not at odds, but work together?

If Moses and Paul wished to be personally damned so others could be saved, didn’t they prioritize mission for others over joy in God?

We don’t receive Jesus in a saving way when we receive him as a ticket out of hell. He’s not a ticket. He’s a treasure — the greatest treasure.

When everyone gets grace, no one actually gets grace. Michael McClymond explains how universalism expels the biblical view of grace.

What is Christian universalism, and how should we respond? Michael McClymond, author of a new book on the topic, details the basics.

Do Christian Hedonists call people to experience a level of joy now that will be available only in heaven?

We often miss Christ’s beauty in his word because our hearts are out of sync. Pastor John explains how he prepares his heart to meet God.

We know God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him. But is God at all glorified in those who reject him?

David Platt, like all of us, has past regrets and future hopes. Here’s what he would say to his 20-year-old self.

If our affections are the thermometer of our relationship with God, how can we remain stable through all our emotional ups and downs?

Security, comfort, and wealth aren’t the primary guides for our job decisions. God is. But how do we discern his will?

A bank account with seven, eight, or nine zeros is not necessarily sinful. But it is dangerous for hearts that easily treasure dollar signs.

An excessive self-focus leads to either discouragement or pride. So what steps can we take to conquer the curse of self-consciousness?

Wherever saving truth is hated, distorted, and muted, Satan is at work. Our best weapon against him is to tell and live the truth.

Caring for a disabled child often goes unthanked and unrecognized in this world. But God sees every sacrifice, and he will reward you.

Everything we need in life and death was bought by the blood of Jesus. We have nothing to fear — not even death.

The Bible doesn’t have a category for retiring from ministry. We may retire from a paid vocation, but never from loving and serving others.

Both drug users and Christians feel ups and downs. But the parallels end there. Pastor John gives five reasons why the experiences are different.

Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat — they allow us to say more words to more people than ever before. So how can we use them for an eternal purpose?

Worry gains us nothing. As soon as we discover we have a problem, God has already been working on it, and the solution is on the way.