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Jon Bloom

Jon Bloom serves as teacher and cofounder of Desiring God. He is the author of four books, including Not by Sight and most recently True to His Word. He and his wife have five children and make their home in the Twin Cities.

Ask!

He was one of the walking dead. It had almost been three years since the priest examined that suspicious spot on his left arm and looked at him with sympathy, “I’m so sorry. It’s leprosy. May God have mercy on…

Ask! God Is Willing and Able to Give You the Best Gifts

He was one of the walking dead. It had almost been three years since the priest examined that suspicious spot on his left arm and looked at him with sympathy, “I’m so sorry. It’s leprosy. May God have mercy on…

One of My Heroes...

…is my big brother, Jim. He has been since I was young. Being five years older than me, he was always the epitome of what it meant to be big. But when he was in college (and I in Jr…

Joseph's Painful Decision

Mary wasn’t herself. Joseph had sensed some urgency in her request that he meet her at “their” tree. She was staring at the ground. She seemed burdened. “Mary, is something wrong?” She looked up at him intensely. “Joseph… I’m pregnant.” …

God Will Guide-Even Correct-You When the Decisions are Hard

Mary wasn’t herself. Joseph had sensed some urgency in her request that he meet her at “their” tree. She was staring at the ground. She seemed burdened. “Mary, is something wrong?” She looked up at him intensely. “Joseph… I’m pregnant.”…

Sordid Lineage, Beautiful Legacy

Ruth Wasn’t Even a Jew The book of Ruth is amazing. Not simply because it’s a great story about love, loyalty, faith, romance and redemption. But its very presence in the Bible is amazing. Stuck right there in the Old…

The Beautiful Legacy of a Sordid Lineage

The book of Ruth is amazing. Not simply because it’s a great story about love, loyalty, faith, romance and redemption. But its very presence in the Bible is amazing. Stuck right there in the Old Testament is a book named…

All God's "Musts" Require Trust

In reading through the Book of Revelation recently, by the time I got to the end of chapter 19, the wars, rebellion, suffering, death and judgments were almost overwhelming. Oh how I wanted Jesus to wrap everything up and…

Is God Punishing Me?

As a Christian, when you experience a painful providence like an illness or a rebellious child or a broken marriage or a financial hardship or persecution, do you ever wonder if God is punishing you for some sin you committed …

A Mighty Deacon

When Sam Crabtree (DG Board member and Executive Pastor at Bethlehem Baptist) recently asked us what he needed to do to get some DWYL stickers, Lukas Naugle replied that Sam needed to write a song about what a deacon does…

Some Knowledge Is Too Heavy

There Is More Mercy Than We Realize When God Chooses Not to Tell Us Everything

When the disciples were with Jesus on the Mount of Olives just before his ascension to the Father, one of them asked a question that must have been on everyone’s mind: “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom…

They Don't Teach This Math in School

There’s a lot of gloom and doom in the news these days. If we listen too much, unbiblical fear may begin to govern our actions because we’re only putting our trust in what we see. Imagine for a moment that…

Jesus and Buddha on Happiness

Greatly disturbed by the suffering he saw in the world, 29-year-old Prince Guatama Siddhartha (563-483 BC), who was later called the Buddha (enlightened one), left his wife and young child and set out on a search for the meaning of…

What Jesus Meant When He Said, “You Must Eat My Flesh”

What Jesus Meant When He Said, “You Must Eat My Flesh”

Eating the flesh of Jesus is not about eating bread. It’s about believing in the victory over sin that he accomplished for us on the cross.

Mercy Triumphs Over Judgment

The insults fell on her like blows. “Shame on you, Whore!” Imagine it. She was married, but not to the man whose arms she'd been in. Suddenly the door burst open. Angry men dragged her—and her secret sin—out into the…

Doubt Your Perception of Suffering

There he sat, the scum of society, a sorry piece of work begging the condescending mercy of pious passersby going in and out of the temple. Enough mercy and he could eat The blind man in John 9 didn’t have…

The Night the Angel Didn’t Come

Luke says it so quickly, so matter-of-factly: “[Herod] killed James the brother of John with the sword” (Acts 12:2). In the flow of the story this little phrase sets the stage for Peter’s dramatic prison rescue by the angel. So…

How Grace and Peace Is Multiplied to You

Every morning at 8:45 the Desiring God staff gathers for a 15-minute devotional. We read a small portion of Scripture, apply it to God’s call on us, and then pray for various outreach efforts, needs, and prayer requests. It’s our…

A Quake that is Still Shaking the World

I love the book of Acts. That’s where my Bible reading plan has me right now. And my only regret is that it’s going by so fast, three chapters at a time. But one good thing about reading Acts quickly…

When Prosperity is a Bane and Adversity a Blessing

Lessons from the Young Man in Mark 10

“Teacher! Teacher, please wait!” Jesus and his disciples were just leaving town. They turned and saw a young man hurrying toward them. He was well-dressed, clearly from an upper class family. But his face was troubled and there was urgency…

When the Adulteress Went Home

Living Guilt-free with the Consequences of Past Sin

“Neither do I condemn you; go and from now on, sin no more.” These words were almost unbelievable. A half hour ago she had been dragged out of her illicit lover’s house and shoved through the streets. Just minutes before…

Hopeful Post-Christmas Melancholy

Each year Christmas night finds members of my family feeling some melancholy. After weeks of anticipation, the Christmas celebrations have flashed by us and are suddenly gone. And we’re left standing, watching the Christmas taillights and music fade into the…

Trust Promises, Not Providences

This morning my assistant, Bryan DeWire, found out his father, who 24 hours ago seemed in fine health, didn’t make it through emergency heart surgery. This afternoon, my wife called me in tears to update me on a very difficult…

5 Helpful Prayers

Here are 5 “Ds” that I have made part of my daily prayers: Whatever it takes, Lord, give me Delight in you as the greatest treasure of my heart. Delight in the Lord and he will give you the desires…

What I Learned in a Spiritual Storm

“Spatial disorientation” is what an aircraft pilot experiences when he flies into weather conditions that prevent him from being able see the horizon or the ground. Points of reference that guide his senses disappear. His perceptions become unreliable. He no…

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