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Sincerity is a wonderful thing.  But sincerity by itself is empty. All sincere people are always sincere about something. I have seen Mormons who were sincere about their Mormonism and communists who were sincere about their communism. I have seen sincere environmentalists blow up ships and sincere Muslims blow up buildings. Many Republicans and Democrats are sincere about their politics, but their sincerity causes them to push for opposing policies.  For all I know, Hitler himself was quite sincere about Nazism. This should challenge the rabidly popular notion that sincerity is what makes a heart right. You’ve heard the idea….

Open the eyes of my heart to see that You, O God, are the source of all good things and fill me with gratitude for Your kindness.   The heart that sees God sees that we owe everything to Him.  The heart that sees God sees that every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father of lights (Jas 1:17).  The heart that sees God is constantly grateful.  It is grateful for simple things like a cup of tea.  It is grateful for weightier things like children, which are a gift from God (Ps 127:3).  It is grateful for…

A walk in the woods with the snow falling. A hot cup of coffee and a chat with a friend. Diving under the blankets when the wind howls. A warm sun. A laughing baby. A hearty bowl of stew. These pleasures are all brought to you by God. Mothers and fathers and children and families. The tulips in April and the fiery hillside in October. The watermelon and the raspberry. Green grass and blue sky. The starfish and the mountain ram. These gifts are all brought to you by God. Laughter. Sight. Rain. Fresh air. A mind. A purpose. These…

Father, grant me a heart that is pure and simple and devoted to you, and I shall be content.   The University of Texas is a sophisticated world.  Professors, thinkers, influencers, media.  Indeed, the University of Texas is quite proud of its sophistication.  But God is not necessarily looking for sophisticated people. God wants a simple heart in His people.   A simple heart trusts God as a child does.  It laughs as a child does.  It rejoices in simple pleasures and is free.  Praise you, God, for the sunrise this morning! A simple heart is content.  It does not require…

Father, may I trust you as a three-year-old would.   No one can experience God unless he has faith.  Faith believes what is unseen, and without faith it is not possible to please God (Heb 11:1, 6).  This is basic.  Faith deals with our beliefs, and since it deals with our beliefs, one may think that it does not belong in a discussion about the heart.  But faith is first and foremost a matter of the heart.  “If you … believe in your heart that God raised [Jesus] from the dead, you will be saved” (Rom 10:9). Faith does have…