Gazing on Beauty
Most of my life I failed to appreciate beauty. Oh, I loved the look of sails on the sea and snow on the mountains, but mostly I liked sailing those …
Beliefs of the Heart
What’s So Bad About Works Righteousness?
The week before Christmas I heard the best argument against Christianity I’ve heard in years. I met with a professional woman who had worked seven …
Conquering Chronic Sins
My twelve-year-old self had a violent temper. My fuse was short, and my bursts of anger detonated at perceived-insults as unexpectedly as bursts of …
All This Took Place To Fulfill…
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call …
When “Good” Christians Do Bad Things
I hate the presidential election season, the rhetoric, emotional responses, hushed conversations, and mud-slinging candidates. I especially hate those …
I Cannot Do This Without Your Help
I write Beliefs of the Heart articles to help people see and know God personally. Many of you help me with this goal. Each week hundreds of you share …
Living a Staged Life
A year ago, my wife and I decided to sell the farmhouse we’ve lived in for twenty-five years. While we were excited about moving into the next chapter …
Circumstantial Evidence
A pastor-friend of mine once went through a series of disappointments. His favor with his followers faltered, his once fruitful ministry began to …
Twin Motivations
I once had a client whose business-gifting outshined the stars of the Harvard Business Review. Yet she scorched everything she touched. Relationships …
The First Time I Ever Heard God
I was ten years old the first time I heard God speak. It was autumn, a new school year had just begun, and a new fad was spreading among my adolescent …
Three Keys to The Seven Steps that Reveal The Five Secrets of Success
I recently feel a need for action, practically (selling our house, helping a ministry I support, promoting my book) and humanly (a friend in divorce …
Why Don’t We Hear God’s Voice?
Humanity was designed to hear God. It’s in our DNA. So why is his voice so rare? Scripture says, “God speaks in many and diverse ways, but nobody …