13 MARKS OF MANIPULATORS & ABUSERS When it comes to relationships, there is an extremely common misconception that forgiveness equals trust. Or, that once forgiveness is offered, the relationship in question is now reconciled. But in reality (and according to Scripture), these concepts are very different and distinct. In other words, forgiving someone does not mean that one is required to (or even should) “trust” the offender or consider the relationship reconciled on the basis Continue Reading
Real Reconciliation
Cutting Through The Confusion When it comes to reconciliation, we have a tendency to confuse vertical reconciliation with horizontal reconciliation. As a result, the process of how to truly reconcile with others can be misconstrued. Worse yet, the gospel itself can be distorted. Such confusion and error leads to all kinds of grief and destruction, now and even in eternity. Which is why it's so important that we clarify the differences (and similarities) between the two types of reconciliation Continue Reading
Performance = Value
The Lies (Part 3) [ Read Part 1 and Part 2 of Truth & Lies ] Lie #1: Performance = Value My value comes from my performance. The first specific lie we'll look at in our series on Truth & Lies is the one that says: My value is based upon my performance. In other words, believing how well we are performing or how much we have achieved determines our value. This lie tells us that doing enough good works, or attaining a certain level of perfectionism will somehow make us worthy of Continue Reading
Truth & Lies: Part 2
Truth and Lies [ Read Part 1 ] When it comes to falsehood, the usual rationale or justification for listening to questionable sources goes something like this ... Just eat the meat and spit out the bones. It’s okay because the good stuff outweighs the bad. I don’t know if it’s true, I just know it helped me. All truth is God’s truth. Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. All I know is I felt it, I experienced it, so it must be true - and it can’t be bad. It works. Continue Reading