Enemies of the Heart is the newest title from pastor and author Andy Stanley, although this is the first I have read. Sorry, Andy. But if this book is any indication of the punch that Andy delivers, it won't be the last.
The subtitle is Breaking Free from the Four Emotions That Control You. Andy cuts right to the point in this book, expressing what I feel are some deep ideas in a way that everyone can relate to. That doesn't mean he dumbs it down. He tells it like it is.
Stanley's theory is that we have tried forever to fix ourselves by fixing our behavior. As you may have noticed, in yourself and others, it's not working out so well. The problem with behavior modification is that this is not the core of our problem. The problem is our heart, where everything stems.
This can be a bit hard to swallow, as all of us want to assume we're actually good people. But again, experience begs to differ. So does the Bible. The Bible clearly teaches that we are a people with a bent on doing evil. It's called the sinful nature. The Bible says we are all stuck with this disease and that Christ is the only cure.
Stanley further shows how Jesus points out that these problems stem from the heart. After making that truth crystal clear, he spends the rest of the book talking us through spiritual exercises that will address the heart issue and make the heart stronger. It's all very practical, though not always easy. But who said exercise should be easy?
I received the e-book version of this book from my good friends at Waterbrook Multnomah. They didn't tell me I had to say anything nice, just say something. They're pretty cool like that. You can purchase the book here. I would highly recommend that you do so.
The subtitle is Breaking Free from the Four Emotions That Control You. Andy cuts right to the point in this book, expressing what I feel are some deep ideas in a way that everyone can relate to. That doesn't mean he dumbs it down. He tells it like it is.
Stanley's theory is that we have tried forever to fix ourselves by fixing our behavior. As you may have noticed, in yourself and others, it's not working out so well. The problem with behavior modification is that this is not the core of our problem. The problem is our heart, where everything stems.
This can be a bit hard to swallow, as all of us want to assume we're actually good people. But again, experience begs to differ. So does the Bible. The Bible clearly teaches that we are a people with a bent on doing evil. It's called the sinful nature. The Bible says we are all stuck with this disease and that Christ is the only cure.
Stanley further shows how Jesus points out that these problems stem from the heart. After making that truth crystal clear, he spends the rest of the book talking us through spiritual exercises that will address the heart issue and make the heart stronger. It's all very practical, though not always easy. But who said exercise should be easy?
I received the e-book version of this book from my good friends at Waterbrook Multnomah. They didn't tell me I had to say anything nice, just say something. They're pretty cool like that. You can purchase the book here. I would highly recommend that you do so.
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