God does everything for his glory. Therefore, you don’t need health, wealth, or prosperity in order to be happy. Message by John Piper desiringgod.or... Read or listen to this message at: desiringgod.or...
Being a Christian man and saved by Christ's blood, I wake up daily and throughout my day I feel my flesh yearning. And I hate it. It makes me sick to my stomach. The thoughts that creep into my mind everyday; the desires of my flesh, makes me literally sick. But thanks for the sovereign love and grace from the Lord that His Holy Spirit speaks to me and tells me to pray to the Father when I feel so weak and unlovable. I know He loves me, but it's crazy to think that too. But God does, because He purchased me at a price; that price was His son Jesus. Amen.
I pray the Lord strengthens you to persevere. For each of us who follow Christ, may the Holy Spirit revive in our hearts the truth that “nothing feels as good as it feels to be right with God”. Hang in there 🙏🏼
If you haven’t already, go to “The Stop Drinking Expert” on RU-vid. I did ... and it’s been a year and a half since I swallowed any poison! Your body belongs to God. So you may REFLECT God. Just start telling others what Christ did on the cross... and watch the strength and JOY He gives you!! !!!
I used to strive to obey God out of fear, but over the past year He has given my heart a deeper revelation of His love and forgiveness and security in Christ, which in a way makes it harder to obey, because now the motivation to obey is to love God in return, not out of fear of judgement. It’s tricky. Lord help me to love you as you have loved me….
I pray the holy spirit captivates your heart with it. I used to struggle with it, too. But I kept reading the bible, listening to sermons and praying for my heart to be captivated by it and one day driving it all just hit me and I broke down.
jimbobgeorgejohn I do beg to differ...Of whom I am the worsttt!...see...i'm even fighting to likely try to be humble...but really likely pride...and you see, pride - cording to cs...is the worst...-so I'm sooo the worst here!! (chpt 4 mere christianity...good stuff)
jimbobgeorgejohn "But praise be to God...for he just washes - cleanses...and new beginnings, new chances...to be not quite the worst of sinners!!"...Alex/cheryl as I try to be righteousness...(on my own strength) its like a filthy icky yuckity, sticky RAG!
I'm in sort of a weird place right now. I'll get just on fire for God and living the godly life and not wanting to sin anymore, but then I'll get to these moods where I'll sometimes think "since I'm saved, I can just sin whenever I want." Now, I don't like these worldly thoughts, but it's like my sensitivity towards them has decreased! Literally! I do want out of the sin, but I'll often make the choice to stay right in, and it's just getting ridiculous at this point. Its causing me to seriously doubt my salvation and it has to go.
I’m in a similar place, friend. Pray and fast and worship. Worship really helps me, it puts my heart and mind in line with the truth of God’s word and helps me to live the lifestyle He wants.
What a dismal fate to live without this Most High GOD, his salvation. What a dismal fate to have confidence in a world that cannot in human terms explain the meaning of life. Pray for the unbelievers and have patience with their doubts. It's okay, it's scriptural.
Thats right!! God gives us a joy, that nothing else matters, wether it be health or wealth prosperity! Where is God in our thoughts? How often do we meditate on eternal things? That is a joy, that surpasses all understanding!!!! Amen Brother John!!!!
Wow!! I know I'm viewing this seven years after it was posted, but God has truly led me to this video. I've been stuck in such a rut trying to do things for myself, and God has fallen into the background. It's time to put Him first, and glorify Him in all things! Definitely going to be re-watching this and taking some notes. Your words resonated with me with such truth. Thank you for this message and all that you do, God bless.
Thank you for sharing your struggle to truly desire God everyday of your life through the good and the bad. I too struggle with desiring God through everything I do daily. I will pray for you please pray for me as I cry out to the Father for his healing power to cause me to obey his commands and do the means of grace that he has given us to draw bear to him daily. For my joy and for his glory 🙏🏼
Keep watching Christian sermons to help you along. Everyone's purpose is already written - to serve and glorify God, as Father of Christ. But not everyone knows it, of course.
Connor Connelly I get that, but in my day-to-day life it doesn’t mean I know what I’m supposed to be doing. For most of us, we also derive purpose and meaning from the work we do, whether that’s a job or being a stay at home mom. This takes up a huge chunk of one’s life. When it feels meaningless, your life will feel meaningless.
We see god as an infinite version of our self. So no matter how hard we try to imagine him loving us it ends up weird and impossible to believe. Reading scripture especially the parts that appear to be harsh and judgmental (all over the old and some in the new testaments) end up as absolute unacceptable pride and tyranny in our hearts even if we accept it to be righteous with out mind. only God can reveal himself to our hearts. Hope we while still on earth would understand the depth of his affection for us that led him to live in poverty and die the most terrifying shameful death because we watched dirty things and thought evil things and acted on it. He would have done it for just you alone. The devil mixed up love, lust and pride in our heart to make this terrible abomination that keeps us from knowing God. But God can change that. If we can see God for what he is. We would desire to suffer for him and greatly enjoy giving up every other dream of ours for him.
All you people up here that are like “ohh god knows my heart, he loves me oh so much” “oh god is so great” I ask you all…how did you get that mindset..those feelings? Honestly..god makes me angry…am I really so bad of a person? Why go thru suffering for a god that will allow undeserving suffering to his followers?
lycanTYD3 it was our sin that put him there. Jesus did not desire to be put on the cross and have the Fathers face turned away from him but it was the only way we could live. He did it 100% on our behalf and for us. He knew we could not bear it so he took the weight of the world on his back on the cross.
Thank you Dr. Piper...I appreciate your heart, your clarity, your humility and your standard of excellence. Bless you, Brother...Keep writing it, living it and of course: Preaching it from the Mountain tops.....(A couple of Your books 20 yrs were basically required reading and mostly rather over my head)...this is chew able...and I look forward to living my life on display for Jesus Christ...Here we go: life!
This makes so much sense! How he clarified what it means to exalt God (including the analogy), and what the implications of exalting God are (including how God shows His love for us by exalting Himself) fulfill the intellectual part of me that failed to grasp the logic in all of this.
John Piper is quite DEEP in his sermons...i find it difficult to understand when he gets quite " theological " but i make it a point to listen to this GODLY man.
At the end of the day, this arguing in the comments will get you no where. The world knows "facts" the Christian knows facts. Simply ignore the ignorance, and just enjoy God and the message He used piper for:-)
crucifying jesus was a sin right? so how is sinning against god gonna be the solution to sinning against god? so the atonement for sin is an act of sin?
dorian lake lol. The entire scene of Jesus dieing on the cross was a sin. The soldiers were the sinners. why do you think Jesus said " Forgive them, for they know not what they do. " The point of the Gospel is that Jesus was the sinless man. He was the ultimate sacrifice. So yes, nailing Jesus to the cross was a sin. But if we are looking at it from a biblical perspective, Jesus was the atonement. Your comment is a paradox; willfull ignorance on the topic. Simply Google your answer, it'll be answered with doctrine. Lol. He who has been forgiven little loves little mayne.
"it will be answered with doctrine.".. yer that's why you literally haven't made an argument against it... no Christianity is an irrational pradox - youre so dumb, you literally just admitted that crucifying jesus was a sin - so explain how do you not therefore believe that sin is atoned for by an act of sin? .. saying he was the ultimate sacrifice is not an argument. wait... jesus said " Forgive them, for they know not what they do. " not " Forgive them, for they believe in me. " that's hilarious.
Evil exists because we chose to do evil, not saying Satan does not exist but because God gave us freewill. God all powerful limited His will and gave us limited freewill. You see, God is true love He won't force you to love Him back otherwise that wouldn't be called love. Is like when you have a child, that child has the same DNA as you but does that mean that he/she will automatically love you, or would you force his/her to love you back? We all have a choice to make. Oh and by the way hitler embreaced evolution.
God forgive me for being so selfish. Please give me a new heart that desires you. Please help me put away all lust of the flesh. Please don't let me die in my sins. I got so much wickedness in my heart and I have sinful desires and I can't stop wanting those things not on my own..I feel so trapped but nothing is impossible for you and you've saved my life so many times already and the way I've acted is so bad. Forgive me for being so ungrateful of your grace and mercy. My heart is hurting. I need to be cleansed in your blood. Take me back Lord please Amen😔
Where have you read he NEEDS glory from us?... He DESERVES glory from us. And we know this when everyone who comes in living contact with God in the bible has the same emotions.. That is fear and trembling and saying "they are not worthy to be in such a presences".
In the name of Lord Jesus Christ your heart be opened and your eyes see, your spirit be in the Lord and his in you. Awaken, In the name of Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Hey friend, if you're with Jesus, you're not struggling in any way shape or form. Not to desensitize the life problems and issues on this earth, but Your God's bigger than it all. All I can say is, when it seems I can't hold my head over the water, I remind myself that I don't have a big problem, I have a big God. God bless!
Lord, Jesus, may you open the heart of this one to be in you as I your angel also am in you, we can joy in you, and all can be right. In Jesus Christ's name I ask. Amen.
God's Self-exaltation and presentation is loving because he is love. By exalting and presenting himself he is exalting and presenting love. Good things reveal his glory, his worth because he is the only one who is good. If he were to withhold his glory or abstain from being glorified he would have to abstain from doing good, which is against his nature. It is the nature of God to be glorified just as it is the nature of light to shine, and the nature of love to be given.
I am unsure of my salvation because I do not seem to delight in God or feel any love for Him. I obey Him out of obligation and fear of Hell, rather than obeying out of love. So what do I do now? How do I make myself feel the emotions that are necessary for salvation? Since I am asking God to give me those emotions and I am still not feeling them, does that mean that I am not one of the elect? John Piper often speaks of how delighting in God and treasuring Him above all else is necessary in order to go to Heaven, but what should one do if they do not delight in Him or treasure Him? I'm beginning to lose hope and I think I may be a lost cause.
I don't believe this necessarily means you are not one of the elect. Just the mere fact that you have a desire to know God is a really good sign. Jesus said, "All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away." John 6:37. However, I do believe that there is definitely a specific point when everyone gets saved. For me, it was when I was 13 and raised my hand to accept Jesus. Upon doing this the most powerful feelings of love, joy, and happiness overwhelmed me. It brought me to the point of tears. Not everyone has to have the same powerful experience to be considered saved, but scripture supports the idea that there is a certain point where your life changes and you cross out of darkness into light. I have not been perfect since then but I'm strongly convicted that my life has been set on an entirely different course. Look back on your life and see if there was a specific time when a life change occurred. If not, it could be possible that you are not currently saved. I however am not the judge so I can make no determination on this. It is a serious question which answer should be sought after by prayer and continued searching of the scriptures. If you do find that this hasn't happened and you feel you are not saved, this by no means you can't be saved. Simply keep praying, keep seeking, and God will be faithful to save you. God will work out change in your life and give you the desires you long for, just keep seeking and trust in him. I really hope this helped. Everything I say is out of love and a desire to help. Jesus loves you! God bless!
For me I had to realize how good God is. You desire the good things in your life and all of those things are from God and I’m not talking about the material things
I love his charisma and his delivery. He’s definitely good at it. I used to listen to him until the Spirit led me to look deeper. But brothers and sisters look deeper. He is a Calvinist. Being such he believes that God predestined from before time the ones who would be saved called “the elect”. The rest He predestined to hell and eternal torment. The predestined are predestined from conception to go to hell or heaven. No grace for babies thief very rules of belief will not allow it. Predestined is from conception which means babies that die or are aborted that are off the “non elect” go to hell and are in torment. They deny the words of Christ out of his own mouth “For God so loved the WORLD thar He gave His only begotten Son so that WHOSOEVER believes on Him will have everlasting life”. Calvinist believe He only died for “the elect” not the world as he says. They also believe God hates because ususuing just one verse out of context to meaning “Jacob I loved, Esau I hated”. They can not say God loves you or God is Love in an evangelical way because God may not. You maybe the one predestined to hell whom He hates. Why evangelize the elect have already been chosen and the non elect are damned and can not change that. They believe God Condemns the non elect to eternal torment in order to show His Glory. Brothers, Sisters use discernment with these people. Let the Holy Spirit tell you of the mighty, marvelous, beautiful love of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. My God is a God of love. He says in his word He wishes no one to Parrish. Jesus died for all. He truly Loves us like we can never even grasp with our human minds. Go and spread the love of Christ to all.
If Jesus died for all, no one would be in hell... He died for all those who BELIEVE the Gospel of Jesus. And those who believe will love. And those who love will obey Him.
Why God does everything that He does? Jonathan Edwards said in his book The end for which God created the world: So if God both esteem and deliht in His own perfections and virtues, He cannot but value and delight in the expressions and genuine effects of them. So that in delighting in the expressions of His perfections, He manifests a delight in Himself; and in making these expressions of His own perfections His end, He makes Himself His end. I think Jonathan Edwards explain when God says: FOR MY NAME'S SAKE.
Always have loved John's teachings. But he said if all you have is a mere decision for Christ and no the liking Christ and you don't have christ, that's not true. Cuz there are moments when a person doesn't have the light in Christ and that's why he's preaching right now because the title is when I don't desire God it comes from the root of a person that should be desiring god. And I'm not talking about easy beliefism or accepting or signing a card, I'm talking about a repentance of heart that says Christ is all he's my only hope and without him not only do I die but I can't even breathe, knowing that isn't salvation but that being the decision that you've made about Christ that was given to you that was given to you and that and it only grows
That's one of the reason GOD SAID WALK IN THE SPIRIT SO YOUR WANT FULFILL THE LUST OF THE FLESH,the devil has access to the fallen nature of man and that one day will be destroyed and we will be given new bodies ( heavenly) until then read your Bible any how,resist temptation any how, don't fulfill the lust of the flesh,love is a commitment not a feeling.
We are ALL sinners that fall short of the glory of God. And we ALL are deserving of eternal punishment in hell because sin is so serious (sin is evil and it is the cause of all pain, death, and suffering). And that’s why Jesus suffered soooo much for us, and that’s why He died on the cross for ALL our sins (past, present, AND future sins) and rose from the dead 3 days later! Jesus did all this because He loves us sooooo much, you can’t even fully comprehend it! And you may have eternal life with Him if you repent (to change your mind about Jesus, to believe that Jesus Christ is the Lord our God) and have faith in Him, then you will be saved! (Let’s make it clear that being a good person WILL NOT get you into Heaven! You can only be saved by the grace God will show you, if you repent and have faith in Jesus and in what Jesus did for us on the cross and that He rose from the dead 3 days after He died for us! ONLY THEN, will you will be saved)! And do not wait because you do not know when you will die (sit and think deeply about that. You have NO CLUE when you will die! Today could be your last day, tonight could be your last night. You can die in your sleep or even in the next hour!) I want you to realize how urgent and important it is to have Jesus! But if you have Jesus, you will NEVER have to worry! You won’t have to worry about school, family problems, life, or EVEN DEATH because you will have the LORD your GOD, RIGHT BY YOUR SIDE, EVERY SINGLE DAY, EVERY SINGLE HOUR, EVER SINGLE MINUTE and EVERY SINGLE SECOND of your life! GOD can help you through ANY challenge, through ANY hardship, and through ANY depressing time in your life! GOD WILL NEVER leave you, GOD WILL NEVER forget about you, GOD WILL NEVER betray you, GOD WILL NEVER forsake you, and GOD WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU!!! And that is why GOD is calling you RIGHT NOW to be saved!
God intends for us to see his excellence by contrasting it with how fallen the world and ourselves are. Love isn’t possible without choice. He intends for us to be fallen so we can fully understand Y forgiveness and grace is good. If we expect God to love us, isn’t it right that we should love others, even the ones we consider undeserving?
So has he experienced this Joy he preaches of while he was poor and sick. If not , then how can he really preach this. If he has , then he should add that to his sermon. If he hasn't , then he is preaching what he heard and read. Thank you..
Wow I feel stupid. I thought the title was “when I don’t DESERVE God.” As I was reading the comments I was thinking “what high horse are you riding? No one deserves God.”
Why come here if you don't believe in God? That shows so much bitterness on your part and I can definitely see that fruit. If you think we are so wrong and crazy, then let us be. Some of us have tasted that God is true and good. And that trueness and goodness is not coincidental, believe me. The world today saddens me. Geez.
Why don't I desire God? Because God doesn't make me happy. So I don't have a relationship with God. Why don't I desire work? Because work doesn't make me happy. So I don't work. Why do people desire food? Because food makes them happy. So they eat. Why do people desire family? Because family makes them happy. So they spend time with family. Why do people desire helping people. Because helping people makes them happy. So they help people. Why do I desire video games? Because video games make me happy. So I play video games. People do what they do to be happy. If God made me happy, I would desire him. God has made alot of people happy. But he's never made me happy. So it's no wonder that you desire God way more than I do. One more thing: soldiers have died for my country to save me and protect me. Do I appreciate them? Sure I do. Do I desire them? No. I barely think about them or even know their name. Yet they died for me so that I could live in freedom. The most I do for them is maybe have a moment of silence every now and then to remember them. Think about that before you say "Jesus died on the cross for you to save you, how can you not desire him and love him so much?". Well, I've just explained exactly why in the most reasonable analogy. So my question is: How do I desire God, because I don't, and I don't feel like it? So show me how.
by praising his name seek for him and he will find you. most people want god to touch them no you go out touch god. He want you to look for him maybe I don't what you going through but I can tell you this he loves you never leave you for your rest of your life amen god bless brother.
by praising his name seek for him and he will find you. most people want god to touch them no you go out touch god. He want you to look for him maybe I don't what you going through but I can tell you this he loves you never leave you for your rest of your life amen god bless brother.
Hay Ryan. It is a great thing that you are open to the idea of desiring God. we are all designed to worship one thing either God or the things of this earth etc. If your desires are to gratify yourself of course you will never desire God. for 21 years i knew God and Jesus existed but i too liked things of this world, God was more of an inconvenience to me i had no desire for him but i saw the destructive nature and emptiness of my own ways. God brought me to a place that i knew he was the only one that could give me joy and my desire for him keeps growing. Happiness is a feeling it comes and goes anything in life can alter your feelings. You can laugh at times but still be empty/hurting inside. Joy is not a feeling. i hope and pray you will see it quicker than i did God loves you more than anyone on this planet. more than u know. Do not live your life for yourself because any day could be your last on this earth. Much love brother!!
i do believe in Jesus' sacrifice for me, I do seek him, I have tried to follow him, but I still find so much happiness in worldly things, and find no satisfaction in having a relationship with Jesus. Believe me, I've tried, I've experienced what it's like to live a holy life for Jesus, and it's nothing but painful constant resisting of temptations and no feeling of satisfaction in Jesus' love, no matter how much I prayed, no matter how much I believed and had faith, no matter how much I asked for Jesus' help. It was like having a relationship with a brick wall, who never talks back or responds. I have asked God so many times "Help me to have a desire for you", but he never did, or even gave me a response. It's sad really. Cuz I was so willing, and still am. I don't think God likes me, if he did, he would help me when I try so hard, and believe, and pray.
John Piper is adamant about teaching that man is NEVER the ultimate determiner of his own thoughts or actions. Therefore, to be consistent within his own teaching, if one finds themselves not desiring God.... it is only by God's decree. One can not love God, pray, worship, read their Bible or rob a bank, etc. etc. any more or any less than God has already determined form before you were even conceived. That is foolishness, but it is the logical conclusion of what this man believes and teaches.
You have to contrast that with the opposite statement and see which one is closer to what the Bible tells us. Our free will is only in the boundaries he sets for us. Even if it is our will to breathe water, if he hasn’t given us gills we still can’t. It’s the same in terms of salvation.
I hope people hear what Piper say and not only read it because there's a lot of mistakes! Like forgot instead of for God, which is clearly not the same thing!
inspired you need to explain yourself when you use the word inspired and where you get this knowledge of inspiration from? Again what is inspired and what is not
God said He would preserve His word through the generations. His words are inspired by the Holy Spirit which literally means God breathed the words... the Hebrew and Greek words. The KJV is the translation of the Received Text, which I believe is inspired. I'm a KJV-onlyist to an extent, and see why people hold to it, but I am a RT-onlyist and I use the KJV as a study tool.
@@koldfront85 hi koldfont, how about with Indonesian bible or Malay bible? Native in my place couldnt understand english as good as a native English speaker. Do you think it's just a tool or any opinion?
I didn't watch the video I'm a brother does anyone know how I can get ahold of John Piper or Paul washer I wrote to Paul washer but he never wrote back
It's so interesting, I have realized when listening to Piper and Jordan Peterson, people often laugh at things that they say that are not meant to be the least bit comical...I think because what they say are just super uncomfortable truths and people do not know how to react to it....