Productive living is always rooted in a humble sense of personal neediness. This neediness only comes when you begin to understand and accept what the Bible has to say about sin, and daily reach out for the help that can only be found through the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Sad News about Sin

On the off chance that you haven’t noticed already—or, more likely, that you haven’t considered it recently—here’s something you need to stay aware of. There will be a war in your heart between what the Bible has to say about you and what you would like to think is true about you. You and I tend to think we are wiser and more sanctified than we actually are. That is why we get defensive when someone points out our sin and weakness. I become defensive when what people say about me doesn’t agree with my view of myself. It feels like I am being misjudged.

This is why I need to remember constantly that the Bible is the world’s best diagnostic tool. When I look into the mirror of the Word of God, I see the exact essence of who I am. Only when I am willing to embrace the sadness of seeing myself accurately can I experience the joyful grace that God gives to those who acknowledge their need.

This means that, although I am constantly tempted to think otherwise, I must face the fact that my greatest need is not environmental. My greatest need does not derive from the fact that the brokenness of the Fall fractures every situation, every relationship, and every context. Yes, all my relationships are flawed in some way. And no, the world around me does not operate as God intended. But this environmental brokenness is not my greatest, deepest, most abiding problem. No matter what I face in this fallen world, my greatest problem in life exists inside of me and not outside of me.

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Read the second excerpt from Chapter 3, or jump to any chapter from the menu buttons at the top of the page.

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Buy Broken-Down House from:
_Shepherd Press
_Amazon
_Paul Tripp Ministries
_WTSBooks
_CBD

Read reviews from:
_Challies.com (Discerning Reader)
_Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
_Tim Lovegrove

Other Great Book Sites
Marriage: Marriage is the union of two people who arrive at the altar toting some surprisingly large luggage. Want a dose of honest, biblical reality that is sobering yet full of genuine hope? Check out Dave Harvey's book, When Sinners Say "I Do" at WSSID.com and subscribe to the book's Twitter feed, @WSSID.

Reaching Angry Teens: Need help communicating with a troubled teen? See @outtamy on Twitter and outtamy.com to learn more about Get Outta My Face!, a book by Rick Horne.

Spiritual Formation/Holiness: Wordsmiths and book lovers might enjoy watching a new Shepherd Press book as it goes through the editing process.

These programs were created for Shepherd Press by Kevin Meath.