In Chapter 1 (“An Exhausted World”) of One Way Love, Tullian Tchividjian observes that reward and punishment, this for that reciprocity defines our economy, our relationships, our careers, and our institutions. Everything in our world demands two-way, conditional love. Pastor Tchividjian adds that through conditionality, we gain safety and control- as far as those two […]
Today Mary DeMuth (The Wall Around Your Heart) concludes her discussion of ten ways we joyfully can escape Satan’s relational traps. 6. Realize you’re not the only one. Mary states that Satan would like you to believe that you are the only one with your specific problem. Our individual pain is not unique. We’re not alone […]
Author Mary DeMuth continues Chapter 10 of The Wall Around Your Heart by listing and discussing ten ways we joyfully can escape Satan’s relational traps. The first five are presented today. 1. Let go of busyness. Satan dangles overactivity in front of us as a tempting way to avoid dealing with our pain, Mary states […]
Jesus replied, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”- Matthew 22:38-39 In Chapter 11 (“But Rescue Us from the Evil One: Be Fully Alive”), the […]
In today’s blog, author Mary DeMuth concludes her discussion of nine surprising facets of forgiveness, as found in Chapter 9 of The Wall Around Your Heart. 7. Forgiveness reminds you of your need. Although forgiveness is for our sakes, when we offer it God also reminds us of our own need for forgiveness. It’s all […]
In Chapter 9 of The Wall Around Your Heart, author Mary DeMuth delves further into forgiveness, discussing nine surprising things about forgiveness. Today the first three facets of forgiveness are presented. 1. Forgiveness makes you act counterculturally- as Mary describes, “to bless instead of curse, to rest instead of retaliate, to keep walking instead of fighting.” The […]
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”- 2 Corinthians 5:17 “I don’t think of all the misery but the beauty that still remains.”- Anne Frank Rudy, who died two years ago, studied theater at Valparaiso University with hopes of becoming an […]
Mary DeMuth begins Chapter 9 (“As We Have Forgiven Those Who Sin Against Us: Defy Bitterness”) of The Wall Around Your Heart, she notes that trials are normative in the life of believers- and they often come in the form of people. Rather than moving forward in holy momentum, we become ensnared by our focus […]
As Mary DeMuth continues Chapter 7 of The Wall Around Your Heart, she cautions that if you’re an all-or-nothing person (as the author tends to be), one small mistake can open the door for widespread failure the rest of the day! For example, if you give in to anger, you’re likely to throw up your […]
“No one can build my secret history of God for me. The level of intimacy I walk with Him is a direct function of my hunger and desire. I can have as much of Him and His kingdom as I want. The question is: How much do I want? How hungry am I?”- Michele Perry, […]
“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporal, but what is unseen is eternal.”- 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 In Chapter 6 (“As It Is in […]
“Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” . . . Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”- Romans 12:19,21 Mary DeMuth (The Wall Around Your Heart) continues her presentation of five earthly kingdoms […]