Why does God want us to praise Him? And what if praising God sometimes feels awkward, artificial, or forced? In this reflection on Psalm 67, John Ortberg explores the same question that once troubled C. S. Lewis. Lewis eventually discovered that God doesn't need praise like an insecure person needs compliments. Praise is actually part of our enjoyment of what's good. We naturally praise the things we love, and we want other people to enjoy them too. That's why Lewis concluded that praise does...

What do you do when you're afraid? In this reflection on Psalm 62, John Ortberg shares a memorable Dallas Willard story about a terrified cat clinging to a tree, and asks a surprisingly revealing question: What's your branch? When we're afraid, we clutch. We grasp for control over relationships, money, health, reputation, work, or whatever makes us feel secure. But Psalm 62 offers another way. Let go. Lean on God. And stand firm. John explains how these two seemingly contradictory postures be...

Who has your attention? In a world where screens, money, health, worries, ambitions, and countless other forces compete for our focus, John Ortberg asks a deeper question: Who is my master? Psalm 143 teaches us how to pay attention to God through two important practices: focused attention and open attention. John explores why attention is so powerful, how what we consistently attend to can actually change us, and how we can learn to notice God's presence throughout an ordinary day. The invita...

Sometimes you need to stop moving long enough to notice where you actually are. In this reflection on Psalm 100, John Ortberg pulls over at a vista point and invites us to create a “vista point” in our own day: pause, look around, notice the beauty and goodness of God, and make a joyful noise. John also shares the remarkable story of a $3 thrift-store jersey that turned out to be worth $90,000. It looked discarded, but it was a treasure. Maybe you need that reminder too. You are not self-made...

What do people experience when they're around you? In this conversation on Psalm 23, John Ortberg is joined by Keith Matthews, who spent 18 years teaching alongside Dallas Willard. Keith shares what Dallas was really like, why he loved Psalm 23, and a remarkable story about a young woman whose life changed after simply watching Dallas interact with someone on the USC campus. Dallas often prayed that people would have “a radiant life and a radiant death.” His life embodied a deep confidence in...

We're surrounded by voices telling us to maximize ourselves: our looks, productivity, wealth, health, status, experiences, and potential. But Jesus offers a radically different path to maximum life. In this episode, John Ortberg explores the “self-maximizer” inside us and contrasts it with John the Baptist's famous words: “He must increase; I must decrease.” The paradox of God's kingdom is that abundant life doesn't come from making ourselves bigger. It comes as we loosen our grip on ego, rep...

What does your soul actually need for self-care? Psalm 19 gives a surprising answer: “The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul.” In this episode, John Ortberg explores why God's instruction isn't meant to burden us, but to help make us whole. Our souls become divided when our thoughts, desires, values, words, and actions pull in different directions. God's Word shows us what is good and helps bring our lives back into alignment. John also shares how memorizing 1 Corinthians 13 helped...

We're surrounded by surveys. Rate your phone call. Rate your church experience. Rate your doctor's visit. John even got asked to rate his experience giving a urine sample. 😂 But what about the things that actually matter? In this reflection on Psalm 36, John Ortberg gives us two surveys worth taking every day. Survey #1: Is there anything in me that needs correcting? Instead of reading about “the wicked” and immediately thinking about someone else, Psalm 36 invites us to look honestly at ours...

Remember where you come from. According to John Ortberg, remembering where you truly come from gives you two remarkable gifts: Identity and hope. In this reflection on Psalm 139, John explores what it means to be “fearfully and wonderfully made.” In this episode: Psalm 139 and where we truly come from Why remembering your origin gives you identity What it means to be fearfully and wonderfully made Your body as your “little kingdom” The biblical word golem Gollum and the Ring “What's your r...

What happens when God shows you something about yourself you don't want to see? Our instinct is often to defend. Explain. Distract ourselves. Push it away. But what if the uncomfortable truth is actually an invitation to transformation? In this reflection on Psalm 32, John Ortberg explores the relationship between pain, honesty, forgiveness, and genuine change. John begins personally, describing a conversation in which a longtime friend helped him recognize uncomfortable patterns of co...