What does it mean to be a mostly healthy person? Here are a few ideas: Toward God, we have a loving relationship with Him through the forgiveness offered in receiving Jesus Christ as our Lord. With God as our primary support system, we have a sense of worth that is grounded in His view of us, are able to discover meaning in the unexpected crosses of life, and can say ‘no’ to requests which we believe do not represent God’s best for us (1 Cor 16:12). As one who loves the Lord and others, we keep a clear conscience (1 Tim 1:5).
Toward self, we have enough self-control to adequately manage anxiety so it doesn’t become incapacitating. We have biblical values and, while we typically live in the present, we do have long-range goals we believe the Lord has given us. In major life areas (job, family, social obligations) we function properly, seek to develop our potential (Mt 5:48), and are able to both give and receive. Since we see ourselves as our Lord does, we have a positive self-image and are optimistic (Rom 8:28). Being humble, we are teachable, acknowledge our mistakes (Jas 5:16), and are kind/loving (1 Jn 3:14).
Toward others, we are not manipulative, controlling, or intrusive. Our actions are not self-destructive or harmful to others and we encourage others to develop their abilities. We are willing to risk appropriately deep self-disclosure with significant others while avoiding destructive forms of communication such as denial, controlling, or placating. Inasmuch as we display good manners (1 Cor 13:5), we are honest, respectful, and thoughtful toward others. We love them. Having compassion for others, we look for ways to be suitably helpful, are generous with them, and don’t have to be proven correct on non-sinful matters of opinion (Rom 14:1).
We may avoid enriching commitments because they are costly.
We need to increasingly be delivered from error, unnecessary evil, and the evil one.
by Dr. Mark Avery Reed
A ‘hopeless’ spouse doesn’t mean a hopeless marriage. Have you ever felt hopeless about your marriage improving because it seems that your spouse is unwilling to change? You don’t think your marriage can get better because you believe your spouse is hopelessly unwilling to change – and you assume that their changing is necessary for marital improvement to begin. That assumption is wrong.
(Paperback Version)
by Dr. Mark Avery Reed
Daily Christian Living is set up to be a daily two-minute Bible study on one of over 275 topics about how to live the Christian life. It includes passage insights from about 50 translations, top commentaries or language aides, quotes, and stories from famous people. All this is geared to answer the question, ‘How then, should I live?’ In two short minutes, you learn great things from the Bible that many people don’t know with wonderful applications about how to live.
(Paperback Version)
by Dr. Mark Avery Reed
Have you ever wondered how to get the most out of your Bible reading? Do you want deeper insight into the meaning of the Lord’s Prayer? This book covers five key ways of interpreting the Bible that will enrich your understanding of it. Many other ways to better understand the Bible are explained in an appendix.
(Paperback Version)
by Dr. Mark Avery Reed
God’s 40 hints are taken from the Old Testament book, The Song of Songs. The Song depicts the kind of marital lovemaking the Lord wants His saved couples to experience. By looking at the key characteristics of marital sex the couple in the Song displays, we can understand what to do to vastly improve our own marital lovemaking.
(Paperback Version)
by Dr. Mark Avery Reed
It is so easy to be insensitive to the very many ways we are rude to our spouse. Jesus said that the key problem in marriage is hardness of heart (Mt 19:8). This book addresses the great need to recognize many of the ways we are rude and gives us ideas for how to display better manners toward our spouse. It is vital that we improve our manners in marriage. Small changes can eventually have great results.
(Paperback Version)
by Dr. Mark Avery Reed
Discover tools to answer many of the burning questions we all face each and everyday. It is not enough just to make a flippant decision on daily matters whether large or small. God has a specific plan for our life that involves listening to Him and making sound judgement.
(Paperback Version)
by Dr. Mark Avery Reed
We know the enemy’s strategies for ruining our lives. He will attack our vulnerabilities, but if we can identify what those are and prepare ourselves, we may avoid ourselves and family through unnecessary pain and anguish.
(Paperback Version)
by Dr. Mark Avery Reed
Too many people live their lives in a very general manner - believing that as long as they do “good” things and try their best they are fulfilling God’s plan for their life. However, that is not how Jesus lived, and it is not how we should live either. We are to be directed by the Spirit on a day in, day out basis.
(Paperback Version)
Instead of being timid, learn to be appropriately bold.