- Indiana Hoosiers QB Fernando Mendoza Wins Heisman Trophy While ‘Always Praising Jesus Christ’. Kevin Mercer writes “Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza entered the college football history books on Saturday evening, becoming the latest winner of the Heisman Trophy. Mendoza is the first Hoosier ever to win college football’s highest award.
- New Year’s Goal-Setting for People with Actual Lives. Joe Carter writes “What we need isn’t a better to-do list but a better grid for making wise decisions across every domain of life, whether we’re planning our fitness goals or our prayer habits. Such a grid should work for anyone, in any season, pursuing faithfulness in any calling. Three biblical priorities can serve as this grid: Prioritize your priorities, prioritize your energy, and prioritize your limits.”
- A Roundup of Roundups. Tim Challies offers a roundup of his various roundups for 2025.
- My Favorite Movies of 2025. Brett McCracken shares his favorite movies and documentaries of 2025.
- God Wants Your Resolve. On this episode of the Ask Pastor John podcast, John Piper responds to the questions “In the Christian life, can New Year’s resolutions serve a meaningful purpose in helping to align our lives with God’s will, or do they often lead to frustration and spiritual burnout? Are they truly helpful in fostering growth and obedience, or are they ultimately harmful, perhaps setting us up for inevitable failure in our pursuit of holiness? And as we seek to approach this topic from a biblical perspective, how does Scripture guide us in navigating the art of goal-setting, resolutions, and the pursuit of personal change in a way that honors God and reflects the grace he offers?”
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§ Favorite Quotes of the Week
- Bible Reading Plans for 2026. Nathan Bingham from Ligonier has compiled a number of helpful reading plans for your consideration.
- The Joy of Bible Journaling. Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth writes “Journaling through the whole Bible was a long process, and not always easy. But think about it: When was the last time you walked down the street and stumbled across a pile of gold? It doesn’t work that way. Finding gold requires time and effort digging for it.”
- Jesus, Help Me Exercise: 5 Considerations When Making Resolutions. David Mathis writes “For Christians resolved to cultivate new exercise and “bodily training” habits, how might we seek to glorify our God not apart from these bodies but in these bodies? I offer five inputs to form and feed your journey.”
- Maximize Your Daily Bible Reading. On this episode of the Ask Pastor John podcast, John Piper gets into the topic of how we ensure that we get daily benefit from our daily Bible reading. The topic arose in the Romans series in a sermon titled “Let Love Be Genuine,” on Romans 12:9, preached on November 21, 2004.
- A Reformed Approach to Spiritual Formation. On this episode of Life & Books & Everything, Kevin DeYoung visits with Matthew Bingham, author of the excellent book A Heart Aflame for God: A Reformed Approach to Spiritual Formation.
- When You Get Accused. On this episode of the Ask Pastor John podcast, John Piper responds to the question “Thank you for frequently teaching on ‘gutsy guilt’ here on the podcast, from Micah 7:8–9. The prophet’s response to his own sin shows a profound balance between owning his guilt before God and trusting in God’s ultimate vindication.” Yes, that’s what makes it so profound. “When others point out our sin, especially when it feels harsh or humbling, how should we respond? Micah’s ‘gutsy guilt’ seems to model a response that refuses to hide or deflect blame. Yet, it can be difficult to maintain this posture when others confront us, particularly when their judgment feels less merciful than God’s. How can we humbly receive correction from others, in the spirit of gutsy guilt, in a setting that feels like a personal attack?”
- How Should Christians Understand the “Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit”? How should Christians understand the “blasphemy against the Holy Spirit” in Matthew 12:31-32? Dr. Daniel Stevens answers in this episode of Honest Answers.
- Complacency: A Silent Killer. On this episode of the Ask Pastor John podcast, John Piper responds to the question “I write because Zephaniah 1:12has been weighing on my heart. It says this: ‘At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and I will punish the men who are complacent, those who say in their hearts, “The Lord will not do good, nor will he do ill.”’ Obviously, a strong warning against complacency, one I want to fully grasp and apply to my life, especially in terms of my goals and aspirations. How can I avoid becoming complacent in my faith and ambitions, especially when it feels like things are just ‘going along’ without much change or excitement? What does this verse teach about living with purpose and faith, trusting that God is at work in everything — even when it seems quiet?”
- Did Jesus Take on Our Sin Nature? In taking on our humanity, Jesus sympathizes with our weakness ( 4:15). But wouldn’t Christ also need to assume our sinful nature for Him to be tempted as we are? Michael Reeves brings clarity to this question.
- How Can Believers Grow in Holiness Without Falling Into Legalism? In this video, Michael Reeves discusses distinctions between a passion for personal holiness and legalism.
- What a Fruitful Devotional Feels Like. On this episode of the Ask Pastor John podcast, John Piper responds to the question “Can you bring us into your own Bible reading and articulate for me the difference between simply reading the Bible and those precious, rare times, not every time, in which you are met with the glory of Christ shining in the pages of Scripture? I presume this does not always happen? But what’s it like for you when it does?”
- What Should I Do If I’m Struggling With the Same Sin? In this video, Sinclair Ferguson provides counsel to Christians who are struggling with sin.
- Did the Old Testament Saints Know God as Trinity? How clearly did people in the Old Testament understand the triune nature of God? Michael Reeves explores how the Old Testament reveals the Trinity and how the coming of Christ brings this truth into even greater light.
- If God Predestines Everything, Why Do We Do Anything? In this video, Albert Mohler answers a question about God’s sovereignty and human responsibility.
- Make a Life Plan for 2026. On this episode of the Ask Pastor John podcast, John Piper responds to the questions “How do I, as an average Christian layperson, go about coming up with a personal mission statement? Should we be strengths/talents-oriented about it? Focus on roles? Should we mostly focus on spiritual needs in the church, both locally and globally? And how do we avoid letting this statement grow so broad that we get overwhelmed to the point that such a statement does nothing to actually help us focus our energies?”
- How Can I Make Missions a Part of My Everyday Life? Paul Akin answers this question in this episode of Honest Answers.
- Suffering and Sovereignty in the Story of Joseph. On this episode of the Crossway podcast, John Lennox unpacks the story of Joseph, exploring the unforgettable ways that Joseph’s life portrays the relationship between forgiveness and repentance. Dr. Lennox also leads us in considering other themes in Joseph’s story, such as endurance, trusting God, and suffering.
- To the unregenerate, God’s will is inevitably unpleasant, simply because it is his will and not their will. Sinclair Ferguson
- Those who experience the grace of God in justification want to experience his grace in sanctification too. Sinclair Ferguson
- Jesus Christ went more willingly to the cross than we do to the throne of grace. Thomas Watson
- In heaven we will not be interrupted by care or sins; no weeping will dim our eyes; no earthly business will distract our happy thoughts. We will have nothing to prevent us from gazing forever on the Sun of Righteousness with tireless eyes. Charles Spurgeon
- Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, “What are you doing for others?” Martin Luther King Jr.
- God’s grace is so powerful that it has the capacity to overcome our natural resistance to it. R.C. Sproul
- Genuine love for Jesus manifests itself in obedience to His commandments. C. Sproul
- In order to achieve final salvation, sanctification is as necessary as justification. Sinclair Ferguson
- Christ became what we are that he may make us what he is. Athanasius