Articles by Desiring God
Articles from the Teaching Team at Desiring God, offering biblical insights and reflections on faith, life, and Christian living. Each episode presents a written article read aloud, covering topics such as God's sovereignty, suffering, joy, and the gospel. The podcast aims to encourage and deepen listeners' understanding of Scripture and their relationship with God.
Episodes
Pornography and the War for the World
Greg Morse | Too often, we imagine pornography as an individual sin, but the cumulative effects are cosmic. Satan loves to use lust to cripple God’s army.
Faith Never Prays, ‘If You Can’
Greg Morse | No problem is too big for God, but our faith may be too small. Sometimes the biggest barrier to freedom is a prayer that begins “If you can . . .”
Spread Great Joy in a Big God to the Next Generation
John Piper |
Ask Whatever I Wish? God’s Unblushing Promises for Prayer
David Mathis | “Ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” Why would God attach such a staggering promise to prayer? Because he really wants us to pray.
Submission Holds Heaven’s Attention
Scott Hubbard | When you imagine a submissive wife, what kind of woman comes to mind? Is your picture embarrassing — or is it beautiful?
Sin Will Find You Out
Greg Morse | No matter how hidden sin seems to be, it will always find you. You can’t run from the consequences, but you can hide in Christ from the condemnation.
When Friends Fail and the Earth Gives Way
Greg Morse | When you find yourself in one of life’s caves, shut off from the sun, forsaken by friends, confused and full of sorrow, know that God makes his kings in caves.
Find Heroes Better Than Harry Potter
David Mathis | For as helpful as fictional heroes can be, Christian parents have no lack of real-life heroes to hold before our kids. Jonathan Edwards is one of them.
Tomorrow May Be Too Late: Testimonies of the Damned
Greg Morse | If the damned could speak, they would warn us that delay is deadly. The gospel offer is urgent; tomorrow may prove too late.
Artificial Preaching: The Temptation of AI
Greg Morse | Ministers desire to be fruitful, but the means matter. What can Joshua’s battles at Ai teach leaders about their use of AI?
Jesus Raged? The Righteous Anger of God Incarnate
David Mathis | Our anger easily gets corrupted by our sin. But as the life of Jesus shows, human anger can also be holy, a flare of righteous love for God and man.
Keep Praying for a Breakthrough
Scott Hubbard | However long you’ve been praying for some deep, God-honoring desire, don’t lose heart. Keep asking, seeking, and knocking. Keep praying for a breakthrough.
This Little Light of Mine: Why Don’t I Let It Shine?
Greg Morse | Our Lord tells all his followers, “You are the light of the world.” Yet are we too timid, too modest, or too lazy to shine as bright as we should?
The Trial of Daily Bread
Greg Morse | We may not walk through a physical wilderness, but pain still tempts us to ask, “Will God provide?” Yes, he will — just what we need, just when we need it.
Lead at a Pace They Can Follow
Greg Morse | When it comes to shepherding a family, faster is not always better. Wise leaders know whom they lead and guide them at a pace they can manage.
Take That Risk for Jesus
Scott Hubbard | Jesus calls all of us to follow him, but he leads each of us down a peculiar path. Only by following Christ, not the crowd, can you become all he made you to be.
No Sin Is Worth Hell
Greg Morse | At the final judgment, the pleasures of sinners will be forever forgotten, and the poverty of believers will be swallowed up by eternal life. Which will you choose?
The Voice of ‘A Great Awakening’
Greg Morse | What kind of voices might God use today to awaken souls? Voices like George Whitefield’s: consecrated, capable, convicting, courageous, and quickening.
The Day Death Tried to Swallow Life
Clinton Manley | Easter Sunday was a very bad day for Death. Just three days after he swallowed the Lord of life, Jesus broke through Death’s teeth and doomed him to die.
He Came, He Died, He Conquered
Greg Morse | What do you see when you look at the cross? The eyes of the world see only defeat and death, but the eyes of heaven witness glory and triumph.
The Agony of Sin and Love
David Mathis | As the cross approaches, our desire to imitate Jesus stops in its tracks and stands in awe. Maundy Thursday is not for dreaming of our love but for marveling at his.
How to Live the Unblessed Life
Scott Hubbard | The self-gratifying life the world considers blessed often tugs at our hearts. But Jesus snaps us back to reality with one chilling word: “Woe.”
When Jesus Looks You in the Eye
David Mathis | Can you imagine what it will be like to meet the eyes of Jesus? One day you will, and his gaze will fill you either with terror or thrill.
‘Jacob I Loved’: The Heart Behind Election
Greg Morse | When God declares his love for you, do you find it hard to believe? Do you question it? Do you doubt? If so, take a long look at the doctrine of election.
He Purifies Our Hearts with Pleasure
Marshall Segal | We live in a world where impurity comes easily. But if we understand the staggering promise God makes to the pure in heart, we’ll pursue purity with all our might.
Faithful Churches Can Rescue Cities
Greg Morse | A city on the path of destruction can yet be saved — if its Christians will pray, speak, and act with social concern and evangelistic urgency.
Sketch Beauty in Suffering
Greg Morse | Are you anxious about your life? Do the walls close in? When life is unkind, reply by savoring small blessings.
What Will War Bring to Iran? Praying for a Country in Crisis
David Mathis | As the crisis in Iran unfolds, with its devastating sorrows and tremendous hopes, how might Christians watch and pray with the eyes of faith?
He Defends Our Meekness with Might
Greg Morse | Meekness is not a beta virtue for those too scared to stand up to wickedness. Psalm 37 clarifies how the meek think and believe in an evil world.
He Sweetens Our Joys with His Sorrows
David Mathis | “Blessed are those who mourn.” What could Jesus mean when he calls the sad ones happy, and those who grieve glad?
A Shy Guy’s Guide to Big Groups
Greg Morse | For those less socially inclined, there can be a temptation to preserve energy for private settings. But love demands that we steward our energy, not hoard it.
The Beatitudes: Our King’s Call to All Joy
Clinton Manley | For many today, to be “blessed” is little more than a cliché. But ancient hearers knew that “blessing” from Jesus’s mouth meant one thing: unshakable joy.
Who Needs to Hear Your Hard Words?
Scott Hubbard | In the household of God, the fight against sin is never single combat. Help protect your brothers and sisters with the weapon of exhortation.
When God Denies Good Desires
Greg Morse | When our holy ambitions come to naught, when our dreams die, when God denies a cherished desire, how should we respond? Was it all a waste?
All God’s Soul Is for Your Good: The Wonder of Enthused Omnipotence
David Mathis | If God’s hand works for you, even begrudgingly, no enemy stands a chance. But what if God Almighty seeks your good with all his heart and all his soul?
Before You Rule, Rule Yourself
Greg Morse | If future earthly kings must rule their bodies, minds, and tongues carefully to one day rule well, how much more so Christians destined to rule with Christ?
He Dawns as Prince of Peace
Greg Morse | At Christmas, the peace we forfeited comes to us as a child born, a son given, a prince we don’t deserve.
Jesus Showed Up: The In-Person Visit of the Incarnation
David Mathis | An online, video-chat, remote-work world devalues the good gift of in-person visits. Christmas reminds us of the greatest in-person visit of all.
He Dawns as Everlasting Father
Marshall Segal | In Jesus, you have not only an older brother but also an Everlasting Father. He will provide for you. He will protect you. He will bring you safely home.
You May Not See the Fruit of Your Ministry
Greg Morse | Have you labored faithfully for years without seeing much fruit? What do you do when you fear it’s all been for nothing?
He Dawns as Mighty God
David Mathis | We needed far more than a human warrior to rescue us from sin and death. We needed the divine Son himself to come and fight for us as Mighty God.
He Dawns as Wonderful Counselor
Scott Hubbard | The name Wonderful Counselor not only calls to mind Christ’s many wonders. It also puts our hearts at ease when we wonder what he’s doing.
Where the Wild Things Are
Greg Morse | A house with little children is often a messy house, an untidy house, a house that falls short of a mother’s desires. But oh, what abundance such a house holds.
The King Dawns in Darkness
Clinton Manley | Every Advent, we remember that a child was born into our world to torch the darkness, to banish night, and to be for us the everlasting Light.
Not Ashamed to Be Yours: The Honor of God in the Dreams of His People
David Mathis | God is most honored in us when we are most desirous of him and the future he promises with him.
What If I Don’t Enjoy the Christian Life? A Letter to Young Men
Greg Morse | Caleb wonders why he isn’t enjoying the Christian life. He had more happiness in the world. What does he do now?
Preach the Bad News Too: A Surprising Lesson from Spurgeon’s Converts
Greg Morse | Under God, why did the ministry of Charles Spurgeon bring so many to saving faith? Partly because he did not shrink from preaching the bad news.
Stay Put and Make Disciples: A Plea to Aging Saints
David Mathis | Retirement does not mean retreat. Without the demands of a career, aging saints are free to invest in others who desperately need their rooted presence.
From Sinners to Sons: How God Welcomes the Lost
Greg Morse | The unspoken grace in the parable of the prodigal son is that the Father receives a lost son with joy because he sent another Son to bring him home.
How Do I ‘Look to Jesus’?
Scott Hubbard | All Christians want to look to Jesus, to see him and savor him. But how does this beautiful idea become a practical means of daily strength and joy?
How Is Christian Joy Different from the World’s?
David Mathis | The world talks about joy, and yearns for joy, and pursues joy. So, what makes Christian joy any different?
The Lord Is My Shepherd: Why God Made Sheep
Greg Morse | Timid yet stubborn, weak yet wandering, sheep are not impressive creatures. And neither are we. Yet Christ is not ashamed to be our shepherd.
Just Try to Outgive Your God
David Mathis | God is wonderfully, stunningly, sometimes laughably generous. You never will outgive him, but for your joy, he invites you to try.
Do Not Neglect the Gift You Have
Scott Hubbard | God gives each of his children gifts to steward for his glory. So, don’t let ungodliness, false humility, or impatience cause you to neglect yours.
When We Must Walk Alone
Greg Morse | When friends forsake and companions grow scarce, we are left alone with God. In those lonely times, God forges the man.
The Wartime Way to Stay: How Senders Win the Nations
Marshall Segal | In the war to win the nations, we need not only devoted goers but also sacrificial senders. We need men and women who send for souls, against greed, from joy.
His Eyes Still Roam the Earth: God’s Help for Humble People
David Mathis | As in the days of the ancient kings, God’s eyes still roam the earth. His target? Weak people who know it, admit it, and ask for his help.
Preachers, Perfect Your Voice
Greg Morse | The voice is the most potent instrument the preacher wields, yet how often do we attend to it, hone it, tune it, seek to make it more worthy of the message it bears?
When Death Draws Near
Greg Morse | When you consider the questions death poses, do they leave you terrified? What comes next?
The Bible Is Not ‘a Book’
David Mathis | The Bible may look like a book, but it is far, far more than any other book. It is a living, expansive Library where we hear the very voice of God.
When the Soul Lies in Shadow
Scott Hubbard | When we are neck-deep in spiritual darkness, joy in God can feel like a beautiful dream we once had. But even groaning after God is better than letting go of him.
When Anxiety Clouds Reality
Marshall Segal | Even in seasons of deep uncertainty, when anxiety threatens to cloud reality, Christians have more reasons to rejoice than to worry.
When Love Calls for Sacrifice
David Mathis | The Christian life may require daily sacrifice, but the engine that drives our self-denial is resilient joy. Like Jesus, we endure for the joy set before us.
Holy Ambition Doesn’t Hurry
Greg Morse | God wants his people to have holy ambition. But what does that ambition do when God leads us into a place of prolonged waiting?
When Dearest Dreams Shatter
Clinton Manley | When our dreams lie shattered at our feet, how easy it can be to let hope and happiness die with them. But Habakkuk shows us a better way.
Disciple-Making in a Busy Season
Scott Hubbard | Disciple-making seemed more manageable before marriage, kids, and a full-time job. How can we still obey Jesus’s call in a life with little room?
When Joy Feels Unthinkable
Marshall Segal | We may feel that suffering and joy cannot coexist, that we cannot be happy in hardship. But Jesus has joy to give even when joy feels unthinkable.
The Sky Is Falling: Noah, Chicken Little, and the Return of Christ
Greg Morse | Jesus is coming again — soon. That transforms every aspect of life, especially your spiritual disciplines, witness, and family life.
The Wonders of His Weather: Sensing God’s Majesty in the Storm
David Mathis | When you hear the blast of thunder, and see the burst of lightning, pause and ponder the majesty of God.
None Too Old to Serve the King
Greg Morse | Though many do not acknowledge his rule, Christ is King over all things. How shall we serve such an unseen King?
The Cost of Courageous Preaching
Greg Morse | If we would preach faithfully, declaring the whole counsel of God and not just the immediately comfortable parts, then we will need to treasure Christ over people-pleasing.
A Christian Vision for Exercise: Ten Lessons from a Ten-Year Project
David Mathis | The body is the training partner of the soul, both working together to enhance our joy in God. How can we move our bodies to maximize our joy?
The Sudden Ruin of a Stubborn Heart
Greg Morse | Wise correction is a gracious gift of God, but one that bears an expiration date. Warnings will not last forever. The hard heart will inevitably be broken.
Rise, Christian, and Conquer
Greg Morse | King Jesus doesn’t save people to sit on couches. He summons his people to conquer, to fight the flesh and the devil, and to extend his kingdom.
How to Get Strong in God
David Mathis | You get weary. You get weak. You get lonely. In such times, how can you strengthen yourself in your Lord?
What Should I Read Next?
Scott Hubbard | Why do Christians read? Perhaps the best answer is love. We read to love God, to love others, and to see and savor loveliness.
Evangelism for Introverts
Greg Morse | Does the thought of sharing the gospel with a stranger terrify you? Here are two practical suggestions to help.
How Do I ‘Give Glory’ to God?
David Mathis | There is no greater aspiration than to give glory to God. This is what we were made for. But what exactly does it mean to give God glory?
Saved from Shallow Faith: A Sermon That Woke Me Up
Greg Morse | How does a Christian come into being? Is conversion merely a human decision to follow Christ, or does something far more radical happen?
Don’t Make Friends with Doubt
Greg Morse | Even David, the man after God’s own heart, struggled with doubts. What wisdom can we glean from him to help us when faith falters?
Recommended
Athens, GA Real Estate Brief
Changing Academic Life
The Trail Went Cold
Breaking the Cycle
Bloom and Belong
Bruno Mars - Biography Flash
Spiritual Wisdom Weekly – from GOCSL
Self Love Chats: Money Mindset & Personal Growth for Ambitious Women
Dad V Girls After Hours
Saints‘ Hill Church Podcast
The Arab Film Club Podcast
AI Fire Daily
