Stealing – 8th Commandment

The heart of God is giving. To me, that is Who God is – a Giver of life, a Giver of eternal life, a Giver of His love, a Giver in general. What can I give God that He has not first given me?

That’s why I think the 8th Commandment of not stealing is so dear to God’s heart. It is unloving to steal. It is taking rather than giving. It is taking what is not given to you and was given to someone else by the grace of God. In that sense, it is a TWOFOLD sin damaging yourself in your relationship with Christ and the person you stole from!

I love Ephesians 4:28 which gives us the antidote to stealing. The antidote is TWOFOLD: work and give to the needy.

We are to work and give to the needy. That’s why I love Truth in Love – we are a giving ministry. Most people cannot afford biblical counseling so we provide it for free thanks to your generous support of our ministry!

That’s why I also like working with Christ Health Center – they are a giving ministry providing healthcare to those in real need.

It’s a great partnership founded on the heart of God – GIVING to those in need. We all work together to give to those in need.

-Mark (God is an amazing GIVER)

Take the TIL 20-20 Challenge!

Recently, I’ve been challenged with losing 20 pounds by the end of the year 2009 - 5 pounds per month for Sep, Oct, Nov, and December.

Therefore, I thought I would issue this “challenge” to myself with YOUR help, if you willingly do so!

Encourage me to lose 20 pounds by December 20th by pledging to give Truth in Love Ministries a $20.00 tax-deductible gift to our ministry. If I weigh 20 pounds less on that day, I’ll blog and let you know. Then, if you want to, you can give TIL a small gift that will benefit you as it is fully deductible! Plus, you can partner with us in the Lord’s work through this ministry (a young person was saved this week thanks be to God and the many who financially support this ministry).

If you never hear from me again, then you’ll know I did not achieve my goal. Just kidding! I’ll blog with updates periodically so people can pledge support at different times.

I need YOUR help and encouragement so please prayerfully consider this pledge!

I need to get into better shape (not just round as the shape I’m in!) so that I can glorify God in my body and through this ministry.

Will you consider helping me by pledging your support today?

-Mark (grateful for your prayer support even more than financial support!)

Taking advantage of God’s goodness!

God is so good. Do we abide in His goodness?

Living a life where we seek Him first in all things according to Matthew 6:33 is how we take advantage of His goodness. We must seek Him and His righteousness which simply means doing what is right in God’s eyes! When we do the right things, we will see the blessings of God pour out on us in this life and in the life to come eternally!

Let’s not be like those who take advantage of God’s goodness and generosity to us by continuing to sin. Let’s focus our minds on things above and seek to advance the kingdom of God!

Partner with us at TIL which is now working in Woodlawn at CHC to help the underserved!

-Mark (developing a heart of Christ for those who are rejected by our society)

ABC 33/40 Video on Christ Health Center

http://cfc.abc3340.com/videoondemand.cfm?id=44819

Please take a moment & watch this video about Christ Health Center

Everyday Talk

I just finished reading Everyday Talk by John A. Younts and I HIGHLY recommend you purchase and read this book if you are a parent.

This book is an easy read that deals with a profound topic: our words about our Creator and how those words impact our families.

I already want to read it again because there are many “ah-ha” themes in it.

Basically, the book is about how we must be mindful of our “everyday talk” with our children about the Lord. The book will challenge you to be more aware of how you talk, listen, and reflect God to your family. It is an easy read written powerfully yet simply. It is my kind of book!

-Mark (thankful for the wisdom of God spoken through John A. Younts!)

Wise insight on Video game & Internet game “addiction”

I spoke to author, speaker, and radio host Mr. Jay Younts today  (www.johnayounts.com) by telephone and he said something that was eye opening to me.

He said that persons who excessively play video & internet games are often doing so because we were originally created to subdue and have dominion over the earth. Because of the Fall, mankind falls short in this original purpose and is thwarted often by sin (see Gen. 3:16-19). Video games give people an opportunity to subdue a fantasy world and to subdue & take dominion over it. Until that world is conquered, people continue to play in an “addictive” manner.

Since the Fall in Genesis 3, mankind has been trying to regain dominion over a fallen world which is a consequence given by God due to mankind’s sin.

Mr. Younts reminded me that this desire in all of us is a product of the Creation, Fall, and Redemption motif for mankind found in the Bible. Video games are simply one way that the desire plays out. Excessive work and
exercise are other ways that people seek to control and take dominion over the earth, too.

Jay Younts is the author of Everyday Talk and he blogs for The Shepherd Press at (www.shepherdpress.com).

He plans to do a series on “Cutting & Self-injury” on that blog and asked me if he could utilize some of the booklet that I wrote! What an honor for me to be used by God in this way!

-Mark (grateful to be learning from thoughtful men like Mr. Jay Younts)

The Family TRANSFORMED begins tonight!

Truth in Love Ministries is excited to be starting a new program tonight at Bethel Baptist Church called:

“The Family T.R.A.N.S.F.O.R.M.E.D.”

Our desire is not simply to see families improve and reform, but to see God change the very fabric and substance of the family by transformation.

Transformation means to change the character and condition of an object whereas reform means to improve its condition. While we want to see improvement, we believe this program that is chocked full of God’s Word and His plan for the family will bring improvement by converting the entire family into new “beings” focused upon pleasing the Lord.

Please pray for us, our biblical counselors, and especially for our participants as we embark on a new challenge and a new adventure in this ministry!

-Mark (grateful for your prayers)