Thriving in (Not Merely Survival from) Past Sufferings
I reached the high-water mark of my physical fitness at the age of twenty-four. Back then, I ran thirty miles a week, sweated three hundred pushups a …
Cultural Creep
Was Esther A Sex Slave or A Collaborator?
Why do we paint biblical heroes more virtuous than Scripture does? Hiding their faults robs us of grace, and it robs God of glory. That’s why the …
These Inward Trials
This past year was difficult for me. Nothing horrific: I lost no loved ones and received no dreadful news. But it was inwardly difficult to navigate. …
The Powerful Authority of Humility
My wife is not a fan of Tom Cruise. I see her point. It’s like his acting powers peaked in Top Gun (or maybe A Few Good Men), and all his subsequent …
The Worldly Deceit of Willpower
In 1975, three friends and I participated in a 200-mile bicycle marathon on Belle Isle, an island-park owned by the city of Detroit. The course was a …
The Unworthiness of Self-Esteem
The Times of London once asked leading British intellectuals to enter a competition, writing articles that answered this simple question: “What is the …
Controlled
Years ago I read a study asking people to list their earliest memories of world news. The results were fascinating, but I wanted to test them for …
When Two Parties Claim the Same Throne
I vividly remember my introduction to spiritual warfare. I was in my Detroit high school prayer group, the New Vine, when someone got a hold of some …
Is Modern Therapy Serving Up Spiritual Malnutrition?
A few years ago, I attended a men’s conference on discipleship. There were only two full-audience speeches; the rest of the conference consisted of a …
When Helping God is Lethal
I have an atheist friend who hates the Bible because of the Old Testament: the violent wars, people struck dead, and idea of a fearful God. He doesn’t …
Imagine There’s No Heaven
Early one spring morning in 1971, John Lennon sat at a Steinway piano in his bedroom and composed one of the most popular songs of all time. His wife, …
Why Can’t We Forgive Ourselves?
I know a man convicted of a violent crime against someone he loves. He acted in a momentary rage. He had never been violent before. It shocked him. …