by Mark Shaw | Aug 27, 2010 | Posts by Mark, Teaching, TRANSFORMED, Truth in Love Staff
Why do we offer people anything less than Christ? I love what Peter says in Acts 3:6 in the following historical account about a beggar crying out for alms (I liken it to crying out for a medication like Prozac) when what he really needed was Christ but he had no idea...
by Mark Shaw | Aug 1, 2010 | Biblical Counseling, Posts by Mark, Truth in Love Staff
One of the very pieces of EVIDENCE that show that addiction is NOT a “disease” was told to me by a police officer commenting about the addictive properties of crystal meth. After the FIRST usage of crystal meth, 70% of people become physically addicted to...
by Mark Shaw | Jul 26, 2010 | Biblical Counseling, Posts by Mark, Truth in Love Staff
Recently, I had the opportunity to visit Teen Challenge’s women’s program. I came away VERY impressed at their approach. They are tough but very loving to those ladies. They speak the truth in love while serving both men and women at two separate locations...
by Mark Shaw | Jul 24, 2010 | Biblical Counseling, Posts by Mark, Truth in Love Staff
Isaiah 5:20 says this: Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! Sadly, our culture continues to call evil things...
by Mark Shaw | Jul 23, 2010 | Announcements, Biblical Counseling, Posts by Mark
When I was a child playing sports and someone would make a mistake or break a rule on accident, someone would simply yell “DO OVER” and we’d replay the point. Kinda like a mulligan in golf! Well, at the last Webinar, Dr. Rick Thomas had a power...
by Mark Shaw | Jul 14, 2010 | Biblical Counseling, Posts by Mark
Everyone lives by faith. Everyone. People are either living by faith in mankind or faith in God. But everyone lives by faith. For those who are trusting in mankind, it is a sad existence. They keep hoping for man to be redemptive and instead, mankind fails them. Crime...
by Mark Shaw | Jul 13, 2010 | Biblical Counseling, Posts by Mark
I heard someone say, “I just want to go back to the days when I was 5 years old and didn’t have this abuse happen to me. I want to go back to those days before I became an addict. I want to be a better me.” I understand that sentiment. I really do....
by Mark Shaw | Jul 12, 2010 | Posts by Mark, Teaching, TRANSFORMED, Truth in Love Staff
Some of you reading this blog are in recovery from an addiction. Others of you reading are being transformed from an addiction. So what’s the difference? I’m going to lay it very plainly to you like this and I hope you don’t get offended: Unbelievers...
by Mark Shaw | Jul 7, 2010 | Announcements, Biblical Counseling, Posts by Mark
The National Association of Nouthetic Counselors (NANC) is sponsoring a biblical counseling training course for the DEAF. ASL stands for American Sign Language and it is one of the most prevalent languages spoken in our country today. I think it’s the third most...
by Mark Shaw | Jun 28, 2010 | Announcements, Biblical Counseling, Posts by Mark
Check out this review at http://www.amazon.com/Heart-Addiction-Biblical-Perspective/product-reviews/1885904681/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1 entitled “This book works…” It’s a 5 star review that states: I’ve...
by Mark Shaw | Jun 24, 2010 | Posts by Mark, Scripture, Truth in Love Staff
One of my favorite verses is in Ephesians 1:4 and simply says: “even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world…” There is much more in that chapter but this little statement reminds me that there is no good deed I can do to earn...
by Mark Shaw | Jun 21, 2010 | Biblical Counseling, Life Lessons, Posts by Mark
Most Christians love those who are being oppressed: the poor, needy, those affected unjustly, etc. But Christianity calls us to love those who are OUR oppressors. In other words, do you love those who treat you unfairly and unjustly? Do you love those who treat you...
by Mark Shaw | Jun 20, 2010 | Devotions, Posts by Mark
I listened to several teachings and sermons one week and I must’ve heard every one of them give at least one C.S. Lewis quote in each of those lessons. C.S. Lewis – what a thinker! We love to read him today but would we want C.S. Lewis in our churches?...
by Mark Shaw | Jun 16, 2010 | Biblical Counseling, Posts by Mark, Truth in Love Staff
I believe that we are living in the last days. When I read the book of Acts and see how the early church functioned in Acts 2 & 4 specifically, I see a caring group of believers sharing material possessions, praying, worshipping, and living out the call together....
by Mark Shaw | Jun 15, 2010 | Announcements, Biblical Counseling, Posts by Mark
Do your addiction support group meetings allow Cross talking? Well, I break that self-help support group meeting rule of “no cross talking” and many other ideas of mankind in my latest book called: Cross Talking. It’s a daily devotional designed to...
by Mark Shaw | May 18, 2010 | Biblical Counseling, TRANSFORMED, Truth in Love Staff
When I think about that great man of faith, George Muller, I am emboldened in my faith! He was a man who started an orphanage and prayed never asking any person for financial support. What a great man of faith he was and his motive was sincere: to glorify God. Now,...
by Mark Shaw | May 17, 2010 | Biblical Counseling, Posts by Mark, Truth in Love Staff
Recently, someone heard a “Christian therapist” say on a national radio show that the church is not equipped to deal with the “blended family issues” that he “specializes” in “treating” – on an on – which is...
by Mark Shaw | May 13, 2010 | Biblical Counseling, Posts by Mark, Truth in Love Staff
Paul David Tripp coined the phrase “personal ministry” for biblical counseling which is really discipleship (Matt. 28:18-20). You have the pulpit ministry in churches. You have small groups. AND now you can have “personal ministry” which is...
by Mark Shaw | May 9, 2010 | Biblical Counseling, Posts by Mark, Truth in Love Staff
Recently, I heard a discussion between 2 of my mentors about biblical counseling. I think they missed the heart of the issue when discussing biblical counseling as a “special calling.” Biblical counseling is NOT a special calling. Nowhere in the Bible is...
by Mark Shaw | May 5, 2010 | Biblical Counseling, Posts by Mark, Truth in Love Staff
I remember hearing that phrase long ago and now it makes sense to me: firsthand! I have been finding out that several churches are implementing a Truth in Love model of counseling – even a few in our local area! How cool is it that churches would imitate this...
