Do we do an adequate job of gathering the pertinent facts before coming to a conclusion? Proverbs 18:17 encourages us to listen to both sides of a matter. The apostle Paul told Governor Felix that the accusation against him could not be proven (Prov 24:13). The assumption is that there should be reasonable proof to accuse someone of wrongdoing (Mt 18:15). This is why the Bereans were commended for gathering biblical evidence to see if what Paul said about Jesus being the Christ could be accurate (Acts 17:11).
In the 18th century Buffon, a very well-respected naturalist, said that the physical conditions of America would hinder the healthy development of plants and humans. He never went to America to see for himself (Tuchman, First Salute, p 77). Another example of jumping to a conclusion without knowing the facts concerned Julia Grant, Ulysses S. Grant’s wife. Near the end of the Civil War, after Lincoln left the Hampton Roads conference with Confederate officials, he met Julia. At first, she criticized Lincoln for not coming to terms with the Southern representatives. Once Lincoln told her the terms he had offered them, she realized that Lincoln had been very kind in his offer and that her criticism of Lincoln was wrong (Boller, Presidential Wives, p 141).
How many times do we criticize others without knowing enough information? We do far better to suspend judgment until or unless we develop an adequate understanding to make our evaluation fair (Jn 7:24).
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.