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
Laziness and the Gladness of God
Scott Hubbard | Our sinful flesh primes us for laziness. Yet in Christ, we can take up even our dirty dishes and unbalanced checkbooks with gladness and strength.
Life on the Seas of Death
Greg Morse | Living can feel like a ship adrift in a raging sea, no anchor, no harbor, no hope. But Moses helps us navigate the chaotic waters by anchoring our hope in God.
Gluttony and the Fullness of God
Clinton Manley | Do you seek in food what you can only find in God? Gluttony deceives by promising from food what only the fullness of Christ can provide.
Take Up the Fight Against Small Sins
David Mathis | Too often, we dismiss sins like gluttony, gossip, and laziness as minor. But the Spirit hates the sins we often tolerate. And he’s ready to help us put them to death.
Christ Gives Sleep to His Beloved
David Mathis | Sleep may feel like an inconvenience, a pause in your productivity. But what if every bedtime provides an opportunity to pursue joy in God?
Christ Sweetens Every Friendship
Marshall Segal | How does Christ work through friendships? A good friend picks you up, keeps you close, fights your fights, and guards your soul.
Christ Frees Parents to Play
Scott Hubbard | Parents, what kind of God do your kids see reflected in the way you treat them? Would they ever get the impression that God is happy beyond our wildest imagination?
Preach Sermons, Not Commentaries
Greg Morse | Good preaching requires far more than commentary on the text. It marshals unity, order, and proportion to bring God’s word to bear on human hearts.
Christ Satisfies Those Who Evangelize
Greg Morse | Many Christians view evangelism as a duty to be endured, but what if proclaiming the gospel is a joy to be pursued?
Thou Shalt Not Hide from Neighbors
Greg Morse | When so many obligations demand our attention, we might avoid engaging with neighbors. But love for God and love for neighbor go hand in hand.
Does Joy in God Touch All of Life?
Clinton Manley | Joy in God touches far more than just Sunday morning. It touches the kitchen and the classroom, the bedroom and the office. Joy touches everything.
Confess and Forsake
Greg Morse | God offers free forgiveness to all who will confess and forsake their sins — meager terms for tremendous mercy. What are you waiting for?
The War Against the Woman’s Offspring
David Mathis | Abortion is not simply wrong. For those who have God’s word, and observe Satan’s devices, abortion is profoundly, diabolically anti-God and anti-Christ.
The Demons Who Devour Babies
Greg Morse | Throughout history, cosmic powers have demanded the sacrifice of children on their altars. Those demons are still active and behind abortion today.
The God Who Defies the Spirit of Abortion
Clinton Manley | The spirit of abortion stands against the heart of God. Abortion sacrifices the weak to the will of the strong; God sacrifices himself to rescue the weak.
The Ambition That Destroys Children
Scott Hubbard | For all the differences between Pharaoh’s infanticide and America’s abortion, both end in a heap of dead children. And often, both arise from the same ungodly ambition.
Have Babies and Don’t Kill Them
Marshall Segal | Recent pro-life decisions have not forced abortions to fade away. When our country kills children by the millions, what should be our response?
The Sweetest Reasons to Read the Bible
Clinton Manley | When the allures of the world tempt us with ease and comfort, Scripture holds out better promises in every way. Taste and see that God’s word is good.
‘I’ve Lost My Taste for God’s Word’: Bad Reasons We Neglect the Bible
Greg Morse | There are many things we can approach casually, but God’s word is not among them. The Maker of worlds and Redeemer of souls deserves far more than flippant attention.
‘I Don’t Understand What I Read’: Bad Reasons We Neglect the Bible
Brian Tabb | What can you do when reading the Bible feels more bewildering than edifying? Pray for illumination. Ask questions for insight. Read books for instruction.
‘I Don’t Need to Hear God Today’: Bad Reasons We Neglect the Bible
Gerrit Scott Dawson | When you sit down in front of God’s word, does pride pull up a chair too? How we respond when we hear from God reveals much about our hearts.
Are You Tempted to Leave Jesus?
Greg Morse | If you are growing bored with daily bread, longing for the world’s pleasures, and grumbling against God, beware — that is the path to apostasy.
‘I’m Too Distracted When I Read’: Bad Reasons We Neglect the Bible
Scott Hubbard | When you sit down to read God’s word and a hundred distractions flit through your mind, how do you fight for attention?
‘I’m Not Feeling It Today’: Bad Reasons We Neglect the Bible
David Mathis | We will experience few, if any, moments of spontaneous joy with friends if we don’t make a habit of being together. The same is true of our relationship with God in his word.
The Real Reasons We Don’t Read the Bible
Marshall Segal | Why don’t we read the Bible more often? Many of us say we’re too busy, but what if the real reasons for our neglect go much deeper than that?
Humbled to Be an American: A Hopeful Exile at 250
David Mathis | At the 250th anniversary of their nation, American Christians have two reasons to add humility to their gratitude: America’s party spirit and the church’s greater allegiance.
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 . . .”
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.
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