by Mark Shaw | Aug 4, 2009 | Devotions, Life Lessons, Posts by Mark, Truth in Love Staff
Interesting observation I’ve had through the years in counseling. Christians who have truly been victims really do not want to stay that way. They want to be victorious through Christ! Another observation – those who are not true victims of others’...
by Mark Shaw | Aug 1, 2009 | Biblical Counseling, Posts by Mark
Now that you are dead to yourself, you are to be alive to Christ. You are to live for Him! What a difficult life Jesus lived! It was not a life of ease. Jesus was challenged by religious leaders. Jesus said things that people became so angry about that they tried to...
by Mark Shaw | Jul 25, 2009 | Biblical Counseling, Posts by Mark, Scripture, Truth in Love Staff
I wrote The Heart of Addiction for one primary purpose: to glorify God by pointing people to Christ and His Word for the answer for all types of “addictions.” Glorifying God means honoring His Word which is THE most powerful weapon in overcoming any and...
by Mark Shaw | Jul 22, 2009 | Biblical Counseling, Posts by Mark
I hear people and even counselors say, “Her perception is her reality.” While that is a half-true statement, it is not wholly truthful. People believe lies. People deceive themselves. I do it, too, sometimes! None of us are immune to falling prey to...
by Mark Shaw | Jun 29, 2009 | Biblical Counseling, Posts by Mark, Truth in Love Staff, Vs. Psychology
A friend told me that Tozer used to say that the “prevailing winds often blow toward hell.” What he meant is that popular opinion of the majority are often WRONG spiritually speaking. As Christians, we are to be called out, holy, pure, and different from...
by Mark Shaw | Jun 24, 2009 | Devotions, Posts by Mark, Truth in Love Staff
I posed the question: “Is God ever thankful?” in an earlier post. Now, I’m posing the question “Is God ever disappointed?” Certainly, God is not sad as humans are sad. If God knows everything that ever was, is, and ever will be, then how...
by Mark Shaw | Jun 19, 2009 | Biblical Counseling, Posts by Mark
I get a lot of encouraging emails from people who read my books and I’m so thankful for the encouragement since the message is so counter-cultural against the thinking of this modern age: “addiction is NOT a disease” but is rather a sin nature...
by Mark Shaw | Jun 18, 2009 | Biblical Counseling, Posts by Mark
I am encouraged at the number of SERIOUS Christians today! What I am seeing is a smaller number of people who are deeply committed to Christ and His agenda! These followers of Christ stand in stark contrast to many who call themselves “Christians” but...
by Mark Shaw | Jun 17, 2009 | Biblical Counseling, Posts by Mark
I Thess. 5:14 is a verse that captures what Truth in Love Ministries does on a daily basis: “And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.”** We believe this is God’s heart –...
by Mark Shaw | Jun 1, 2009 | Biblical Counseling, Devotions, Posts by Mark, Truth in Love Staff
“Happy” comes from the word “happenstance” and is dependent upon one’s “circumstances.” Notice the commonality in the two words, happenstance and circumstance- “stances.” Joy, on the other hand, is a willful choice...
by Mark Shaw | May 27, 2009 | Biblical Counseling, Posts by Mark
Most people think of counseling as lying on a couch, venting and complaining about your problems, and then paying the counselor for your 50 minute visit. But is that what we do as biblical counselors? No! Truth in Love Ministries provides biblical counseling and...
by Mark Shaw | May 24, 2009 | Biblical Counseling, Posts by Mark, Truth in Love Staff
Did you realize that “self-pity” is prideful? When one is mired in self-pity, they are being prideful. Why? Because they are focused upon themselves and not focused upon Christ. “Woe is me” is the attitude. “I deserve better” is the...
by Mark Shaw | May 23, 2009 | Biblical Counseling, Posts by Mark
Sadly, we see a number of problems as biblical counselors. I’ve ranked them from 1 to 10 so you’ll know what we deal with on a typical day. At #10, we meet with many rebellious teens/youths. These young people fail to listen to their parents, respect...
by Mark Shaw | May 22, 2009 | Biblical Counseling, Posts by Mark, Scripture, Vs. Psychology
One of the joys of biblical counseling is that the Word of God never changes. It consistently applies to every situation no matter how different the circumstances. It is such a joy to have a weapon that offers my counselees hope and practical help whose truths never...
by Mark Shaw | May 15, 2009 | Biblical Counseling, Posts by Mark, Truth in Love Staff
What qualifies someone to be a biblical counselor? What credentials are necessary? How about these 2 essential elements: 1) knowledge of the Word of God and 2) yielding to the Holy Spirit. The Word of God is only understood by the illuminating power of the Holy...
by Mark Shaw | May 12, 2009 | Biblical Counseling, Posts by Mark
Philippians 2:3-4 (ESV): “Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”** In EVERY Christian relationship, God...
by Mark Shaw | May 12, 2009 | Biblical Counseling, Posts by Mark, Vs. Psychology
So many of us do NOT want to believe that problems can be diagnosed as “sin” or “selfishness” or “self-centeredness”. Why is that? Until we confess our sins and ask God to forgive us through Christ Jesus, we stay in bondage (I John...
by Mark Shaw | May 10, 2009 | Biblical Counseling, Posts by Mark, Truth in Love Staff, Vs. Psychology
And when you give someone a diagnosis, even when that diagnosis is NOT based upon objective data but is merely conjecture and subjective, do NOT try to take that diagnosis away from that person! Often, the diagnosed person will hold onto that diagnosis with both hands...
by Mark Shaw | May 9, 2009 | Biblical Counseling, Posts by Mark, Truth in Love Staff, Vs. Psychology
When family members have a loved one who is acting in a bizarre, dangerous, extreme, abnormal, or unusual manner, they want a “diagnosis” for that loved one. They want to know exactly what is wrong so it can be treated. They want their loved one...
by Mark Shaw | May 9, 2009 | Biblical Counseling, Posts by Mark, Truth in Love Staff
Proverbs 27:5 says: “Better is open rebuke than hidden love.” (ESV) One of the Puritans, Richard Baxter, wrote about the pride of mankind that hinders spiritual growth: “We are so tender, that a man can scarcely touch us but we are hurt; and so...
