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What You Read and Your Heart…

May 19, 2011 by Phil Auxier

Was challenged by Russell Moore’s post yesterday, Can Romance Novels Hurt Your Heart? Here’s the conclusion:

How many disappointed middle-aged women in our congregations are reading these novels as a means of comparing the “strong spiritual leaders” depicted there with what by comparison must seem to be underachieving lumps lying next to them on the couch?

This is not to equate morally “romance novels” with the grave soul destruction of pornography. But it is worth asking, “Is what I’m consuming leading me toward contentment with my spouse (or future spouse) or away from it? Is it pointing me to the other in one-flesh union or to an eroticized embodiment of my own desires? Is this the mystery or a mirage?

You really should read his entire post…

However, I recognize that my heart can easily drift toward self-righteousness when my wife or another Christian woman is reading the “fluff stuff.” Therefore, I think we would do well to ask the question, how does what I read affect my heart? For some, the newspaper might affect your heart. For guys, in particular, it might be that catalog, motorcycle or golf magazine, or sports stuff. Just ask these questions about what you read…am I able to be discerning as I read, or is this holding too much sway or influence over me? Realize that what you ingest into your heart will come out of your mouth. Therefore, be careful what you read!

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Filed Under: Books, glorifying God, Russell Moore

From One Degree To Another?

Yeah, that's right. My one, consuming passion is Jesus Christ, my Lord. I'm totally gripped by one message: the Gospel - the good news that God came after me when I was far from Him. So, the life I live, I live by faith in Him: He loved me and gave Himself for me.

From One Degree To Another is the change that He's accomplishing in me by grace. Growing downward in humility, upward into Him, outward toward others, and inward with renewal characterize my existence.

This site is where I flesh all of these types of things out, including my life as a slave to Jesus, husband, father, coffee-enjoyer, and pastor. I hope it encourages you.

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