Christians and non-Christians alike often embrace a low view of God, and consequently a casual view of sin and Scripture. This low view of God is reflected in their attitudes about God, their attitudes about Scripture, and their attitudes of the heart. This book is about being "transformed by the renewing of your mind" and not being "conformed to this world" (Romans 12:2). Your Heart is who you are on the inside. It is what you think, your motives, and your desires. Our hearts have been conformed to the world's way of thinking. Paul wrote, "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind..." (Romans 12:2). If you have a teachable heart, Attitudes of a Transformed Heart will help you truly honor God by what you think. Study questions are at the end of each chapter.
Martha Peace is a biblical counselor with the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors. She is the author of many books and speaks and teaches nationally and internationally.
I really admire Martha. I've read many of her books, listened to her on podcasts, and at conferences, it is apparent that I've been encouraged by her ministry. When I am reading a book, I like to finish it before starting another book, however, I put this book down several times. Martha exhaustively over-used Bible verses. I think it is great to include Bible verses, but if I wanted to read that many, I would of chosen to just read the Bible. Also, Martha uses the phrase 'pleasing God' several times throughout this book. This is one of those phrases I believe Christians say, potentially without even recognizing the meaning behind it. When I read or hear someone say they want to please God, it makes me wonder if they are working for their salvation. I do not believe that is how salvation happens at all. Usually, Christians say it in reference to obeying God, which was the background why Martha used the phrase. Instead, I like to say 'honor God'. In an article that my pastor, Kevin Carson wrote Living to Please God...Really?, he explains that it is impossible for us to please God on our own effort. He says, "Thankfully, God does not require your effort to be pleasing to God. Jesus, as the wrath-bearing sacrifice, died in order to reconcile you to God (2 Cor. 5:18). By God’s grace, your sins were placed on Christ and Christ’s righteousness was imputed to you (v. 19). Paul writes, “For He [God] made Him [Christ] who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we [the believers] might become the righteousness of God in Him [Christ]." Therefore, God’s pleasure in the believer does not stem from the believer’s attitudes and actions which make the believer worthy; instead, God’s pleasure is in Christ’s willing obedience to die on the cross and bear the wrath of God. Once a person is saved, then, the believer is made alive in Christ, raised in Christ, and placed in Christ where God’s grace provides new life in Christ—as part of God’s good work (Eph. 2:4-10)."
Chapter 1 I did not have a key statement.
Chapter 2 1KS Pg 13 “Man Most High” is an unbiblical view of mankind that is man-centered and man-esteeming instead of God-centered and God-esteeming. Of course all men have God-given value in that they are created in God’s image, but in the “Man Most High” view of man, man takes his quest for personal worth or goodness too far. In this view, man “thinks more highly of himself than he ought to think (Rom 12:3). He seeks to find worth and glory for himself beyond what the Scripture allow.s Instead, man should be seeking to call attention to the worth and glory of God." 2KS “If man were left to his own devices, he would never choose God. Instead, he would naturally choose himself the benefit of the doubt when it comes to his ability to be good and thus earn, deserve, or choose God’s favor. Apart from Christ, man is already spiritually dead in his sin and if he is not saved by God, he will someday not only be physically dead, but also eternally separated from God. Only God has the power to make a person right with Him. Man is not “Most High”- God is. Man is completely dependent on his Creator.”
Chapter 3 If you enjoy reading about psychology, you may find this chapter interesting. 1KS Pg 39 “The original purpose of science was (and still should be) to learn more about God’s creation so that we can give God more glory. For instance, the more stars scientists find, the more reasons we have to be in awe of God and His power.”
Chapter 4: Our High and Holy God 1KS Pg 50-52 “God does not take a hand off and say ‘lets see what they will do’ view of His creation. He is not present in the sense that we can see Him, but He is nonetheless ever present and working in His creation. God’s work is displayed through His Creation Gen. 2:2, Ps 19:1. God continues to work in His creation Ps. 104:5-24. God delights in working in His creation though exercising HIs loving-kindness, justice and righteousness on earth her. 9:23-24. The Lord Jesus Christ came to earth to accomplish the work of salvation for sinful man John 17:1-4. God uses circumstances in our life to work for our good Rom 8:28. God is working now to mature believers Phil1:6; 2:13.” This was well said!
Chapter 5: God's High and Holy Standard I disagree with Martha on page 69. Martha starts listing off things sins that “MOST” Christians would not commit, or come close to crossing the line with. It is wise to call sin as sin, but I don’t think it is helpful that she said “Most” Christians wouldn’t do these things, because there very well may be a repented Christian who has committed the sins she explains. I think it can hurt our ministry when we start listing off sins we have not done because it sort of puts us on a pedestal that we are better than the person who has committed it. I doubt that was her direction for writing that. 1KS Pg 70-80 13 Biblical Ways to Glorify God: Aim your life exclusively at God's glory. Worship the God of glory. Sincerely confess your sins. Believe in Him for salvation and throughout your life. Give God glory through bearing fruit for him. Cultivate grateful contentment where God has placed you. Grow spiritually. Stand up for God's truth. Cultivate zeal for His name. (Zeal is a mixture of love and anger-an intense love for God and anger at sin.) Witness to the lost. Be willing to suffer or die for God. Direct all credit give to us on to God. Pray." Martha goes in great detail for each of these ways to glorify God, very good things she had to say!
Chapter 6: Doctrine 1KS Pg 87 “If you want to know more about God and want to please Him, then you have to study His Word.” I disagree that she used that phrase, but I get that she was talking about honoring God. 2KS "The Importance of studying doctrine is so we will not be deceived and will be mature."
Chapter 7: Practical Application of Doctrine 1KS Pg 102 “If we are truly gong to understand how God guides us to know His will for us, then we need to begin with what we can now for sure….One thing that we know for sure is that God is sovereign..His will for us as it is revealed in Scripture.” That is absolutely true!
Chapter 8: Practical application of doctrine: Worship 1KS Pg 121 “[Worship] is expressing through words, thoughts or music adoration of God Most High. It is living a life (because of God’s mercies) as a holy and pure sacrifice that desires God’s will and pleasure more than you desire you own. It does occur on Sunday but it is also ongoing in our hearts and outward actions every day.”
Chapter 9: Thoughts and Attitudes 1KS Pg 129-135 “ To have the right thinking you must have right presuppositions about God Ps 90:2; 83:18, Isaih 46:5-9. To have the right thinking you must have a proper regard for God’s Word 1 Thess 2:13, 1 Peter 1:23-25, Heb 4;12. To have the right thinking your mind must be renewed Romans 12:2, 2 Cor 10:3-6, 1 Peter 1:13; 4:19.To have right thinking you must put off wrong thoughts and put on godly thoughts Eph 4:22-24, matt 12:34-35; 15:16-20, Ecc 5:7."
Chapter 10: The Attitudes of a Humble Heart 1KS Pg 152 “It is utterly crucial to realize that no one stops being proud until they start being humble and it goes without saying that no one was ever truly righteously humble apart from God’s enabling grace. God gives grace to those who seek His help, who realize they don’t know it all.” 2KS Pg 152-156 “Attitudes of humility: You are aware of your need for God’s grace and ask Him for humility Heb 4:14-16. You immediately think “God show me where I’m wrong,” instead of thinking, “I’m right and I will prove it” James 4:10You have the attitude of ‘teach me’ not ‘I know all I need to know’ Psalm 119:33-34. You think first of others’ feelings and needs, not ‘What about me?” Phil 2:3-4. You give God the credit for your achievements and salvation. You do not think “Look what I have done!’ Jeremiah 9:23-24. You are truly worshiping God, not merely going through the motions of religious pretense Luke 18:10-14. You are willing to suffer humiliation and embarrassment for Jesus’ sake even if you are never vindicated in this life 1 Peter 4:14-19”
Chapter 11: The Attitudes of a Godly Heart (My favorite chapter) 1KS Pg 162 “A Christian with an obedient heart has a desire to and strives to perfectly keep the commandments of God.” 2KS Pg 165 “Contentment is an inward grace given by God that results in a mindset of being satisfied to stay in your circumstances for as long as God wills.” 3KS Pg 167-168 “True contentment can only come from God. The natural heart is lustful after more; it can never be satisfied. Contentment comes from being in a right standing with God. Contentment is a mindset. I’s not what you have that makes you content, it’s what you tell yourself about it. It is a sin not to be content with what the Lord has given you.” 4KS Pg 173 Biblical principles on the attitude of a grateful heart “we are to be thankful for God’s gift of grace to us, the Lord Jesus Christ 2 Cor 9:15. Gratefulness to God is part of worshipping Him Psalm 100:1-5. Not being grateful to God is a characteristic of unbelievers Romans 1:21. We are commanded to be thankful Col 3:15. Be thankful for whatever God brings your way 1 Thess 5:18, Job 1:21.”
Chapter 12: The Attitudes of a Pure Heart 1KS Pg 186 “It was not only the physical act of sexual intercourse but also the mental attitude of the heart’s desire that Jesus condemns in Matthew chapter five.” 2KS Pg 194 “Lust is a mental attitude sin of desiring and/or envisions the sex act with someone other than your spouse.” I thought she did a good job explaining what lust actually is.
Chapter 13: The Attitudes of a Loving Heart I did not have a key statement.
I'm going to defer to my best friend's review of this book. She says it much better than I could
"Overall I do recommend this book. The other book by Martha Peace I read and fell in love with was The Excellent Wife and so I had high expectations from her with this book. There were a few areas that caused some need for discernment in my heart and seeking the Lord and His Word as to what He was really saying and found myself in disagreeance with her (see Can We Be Led By Our Feelings? and Identity in Christ and Our Self-Worth ) but this is not an area to be divisive of and not recommend her book on. Martha comes from a writing perspective where she has a great heart to see men and women follow hard after the Lord but often the tone with which she approaches certain aspects can come across as very blunt and harsh without a lot of grace. Black and white with a period at the end. As long as you can remain looking beyond this and see her true heart behind her words then you will get through this book no problem. I think overall the messages and the convictions that sprouted from this book made it a worthwhile read and I would indeed recommend it."
A dense book full of hard, convicting truth. Why am still surprised when wrong assumptions I hold surface in the light of biblical scrutiny? I'm with Paul on this one...(Romans 7:24-25).
I need to work through this book again. The author has included chapter review questions that would likely prove a beneficial exercise to solidify conviction.
This is a must-read for every Christ-following women (from their teens up). I have taught five Bible study groups using this book as our homework reading and exercises as a springboard for discussions. I often assign it as homework with my counselees.
Brand new Christ-followers will gain a solid foundation of biblical truth on which to live out their lives. Other Christ-followers will be reminded of solid biblical truth and maybe even learn a few things they don’t already know.
Martha Peace is a masterful writer. She plainly presents and explains biblical truth and then, in very practical ways, helps us understand how to apply those biblical truths in our walk with Christ. I love the comparison charts that help us see the difference in our “man-centered” view and a “God-centered view of the Trinitarian God and Scripture, as well as our thoughts, emotions, words, and actions.
I think this is the best book by a Christ-following woman for Christ-following women that I have read.
I recommend this book all the time. Very practical life applications. Love the charts that compare what to do and what not to do. Love the encouragment for having the right attitude, and how the whole book breaks that down. 👏 Can't recommend enough!
This book was recommended by a friend in Biblical Counselling. In turn I recommend it to others. The author Martha Peace has an excellent way of taking very serious matters (such as God's holiness and our own sinful hearts) and invites us to examine what Biblical truth has to say. I found the discussions of different perspectives (psychology vs. religion), medical/physiological, emotional vs. spiritual... all together enlightening. My favorite part are the charts and study questions. Fantastic resources!
Currently participating/co-leading a study on this book. Although the author's points are truthful and convicting the book itself is dry. But, again full of convicting truths. Our group is committed to finishing this book study.
This is an excellent Bible study book, meant to be read a little at a time, thought over and discussed. She brings out so many ideas to consider that are so necessary for each one of us.
It reads like PowerPoint slides, however, so if you are looking for smooth reading, this isn't it.
But it addresses in detail those sinful attitudes we tend to have and walks us through biblical processes of how to deal with those attitudes. And that's always good.
Excelente libro, tanto para un nuevo creyente como para uno maduro; confronta mucho actitudes que viene como resultado de lo qué hay en la corazón, animando a renovar la mente por medio de la palabra. Al inicio el libro empieza como una crítica al cristianismo actual, el cual no es bíblico, luego de la importancia de estudiar las doctrinas y finalmente se vuelve más devocionales al hablar de la aplicación de la palabra. Personalmente se ha vuelto en uno de mis libros favoritos.
This is a timeless must-read. I read this book when it was published 20 years ago, led a group of women through it more than a decade ago, and then walked through it again with a different group of women (someone else leading). Each time, it's been a convicting, challenging, and encouraging journey. I recommend this to all Christian women. Read it--and if you can, discuss it with other Christian women. Teach the foundational truths within to your children.
I was very convicted of an area of sin that Mrs. Peace talks about in Attitudes of a Transformed Heart. She gives Biblical truths and verses in the Bible for study. The study questions at the end of each chapter and a study on salvation towards the end of the book are very helpful.
I appreciated the book but found it not very organized and wordy at times . I really did appreciate the chapter on godly character being reflected in a humble heart that desires to obey God, to be content, to be grateful, to be servant hearted and to be forbearing. There was still a lot of meat to consider and it motivates me to press on toward the prize of the upward call in Christ Jesus .
Evidence that all books need not be judged by their covers. This book is a straight shooting, Bible-centered call to arms for women of all stages and ages. I just finished reading with a friend, chapter at a time and am all the better for this book's practical richness.
Good content, for the most part, but a slow read for me. And a few things she said seemed a little more like “grit your teeth and do it anyway” instead of humbly relying on the grace of Jesus for help.
I was really blown away with depth of this book! I knew I was having some attitude issues with my heart, but what the Lord convicted me of in reading this was ways I was not even aware! If only we could do everything mentioned in this book!
This is an excellent book, solid on Biblical teaching. The study questions help to solidify, as do the chapter conclusions. I particularly found the practical applications very good.
I like this author’s work! I think she does a great job of making her points, proving them with scripture, adding a few examples here and there, and asking really good and pertinent questions. I think this is beneficial in helping one form a better understanding of where one might land in the discourse. I recommend reading this title as well as taking the added time to answer each of the related questions in full.