Tag Archive | thoughts and feelings

The Shack: How do we respond?

Mar10

th-22

There’s a lot being said about the new movie, based on the best seller, The Shack. 

   Therefore, I have felt moved to address the issues concerning this book from the perspective of my book, Fiery Darts: Satan’s Weapon of Choice. I will not be recommending or criticizing this book. What I hope to do is to encourage my readers to examine the thoughts put forth in this book (and more recently the movie) to see how they line up with the Truths of Scripture. 

Why? Because millions are reading this book.

   And due to the controversial content concerning spiritual matters such as the Trinity, Submission, Free Will, Forgiveness, Scripture and Revelation, and Salvation many could become confused. As a result, we need to be able to discern what is Truth regarding these matters from what is not. 

 . . . the more familiar we become with God’s Word, the more determined our will becomes in choosing the way of Christ, as we ward off the Enemy’s fiery darts with specific verses. p 63-64, 3rd edition FD

   Throughout my book, I emphasize the importance of becoming familiar with the Truths of God’s Word. This is our greatest protection against the lies of fiery darts. 

By tempting us not to spend time in God’s Word, our ability to recognize the lies of fiery darts is equally diminished,. . . In the place of God’s Truth, the world’s concept of truth (which is no truth at all) begins to define our thinking. p 35-36, 3rd edition FD 

So it comes down to this:

   Those who base their view of God on the Bible, should stand ready to help those whose view of God is based on something other than the Bible. Because this book raises questions about God that will need clarification. 

I recommend the perspective this author takes on the book:

we must also realize that, because of the emotional impact of reading good fiction, it can be easy to allow it to become manipulative and to allow the emotion of a moment to bypass our ability to discern what is true and what is not. This is another thing the reader must keep in mind. We cannot trust our laughter or our tears but must allow our powers of discernment to be trained to distinguish good from evil (see Hebrews 5:14). Discernment is primarily a Spirit- empowered discipline of the mind rather than an emotional response.

Who’s Messing With Your Self Worth?

Oct7
The Cognitive Triangle

The Cognitive Triangle

First we entertain a thought. That thought will cause certain related feelings. Thus, behavior is based on our thoughts and feelings.  p.16, FD

     Several years ago and over a two year period of time, I suffered from a serious bout of depression. I remember battling suicidal thoughts and deep sadness to the point that my prayers became a desperate cry for God to hold on to me because I had no strength left to hold on to Him.  I survived that dark time in my life but that’s about it. It wouldn’t be until several years later as God initiated my training in fiery dart recognition that I would be able to recognize the bondage that defined my existence during those two years. 

Here’s what happened to me and I see this same overused but deadly effective tactic of Satan’s still being used today!

     Refer to the diagram above. In my case I was a people pleaser. If I felt significant people in my life approved of me, then life was good and I felt good about myself. On the other hand, if there was strife or conflict in these relationships life was not good and I became convinced I had little reason to feel good about myself. Self approval you see was strongly connected to what others thought of me. (Or what I thought they thought!)

Do you see the pattern?

     First this negative thought (fiery dart remember) would plant itself into my head producing some very negative feelings or emotions. Never mind that these negative thoughts had no basis in Truth! The poison of these fiery darts seeped into my thinking producing destructive attitudes and behavior. 

     The purpose of these fiery darts, you see, was to diminish any sense of self worth that I might still possess. I was an easy target because it was way too important for me to have the good opinion of those significant people in my life. As relationships with these people deteriorated, so did my self worth.

I wonder if I have touched a nerve? 

     Are you sad seemingly all the time? Are you convinced you don’t measure up and that significant persons in your life don’t approve of you? Does the dangerous thought that your family would be better off without you ever sneak into your mind? Please hold on, for I have glorious news for you in my next post. In the meantime hold on to the following verse,

For I know the plans that I have for you, declares the LORD. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. To give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11