Learning About Life

Radical by Daivd Platt

markman700 — Wed, 11 May 2011 11:04:30 +0000

Radical is a book about taking back your faith from a culture that has lulled you away. The subtitle is “Taking back your faith from the American dream,” so anything else would be false advertising. Platt views the American dream as the mindset that if you try hard enough than through your hard work and ability you can achieve anything. Through the opening of the book the reader is taken on a journey through why this mindset is contrary to the biblical mindset that all our power and strength comes from God. As the book progresses, Platt develops the idea of God empowered lives and shows how it would effect the direction of our lives. Mixed throughout the book are personal stories that bring to life the reality of the message and lets the reader know that normal people can take up this journey. Platt ends with a one-year plan on how to have a Radical life. Each step is something anyone can do and leaves room for the reader start their own Radical journey.

I enjoyed the book, it was an easy read and the content was easily digested. While Platt lays out what seems like a wild journey, he manages to bring it to back to journey that anyone can start. In many books I have read about letting go of mainstream Christianity the authors always end up taking more of a liberal stance with the bible, but I felt that Platt was able to challenge the readers without straying from the truths of the bible. I would recommend this book to anyone who feels that there is something wrong with the way their faith life and their current Christian practices.

Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book to read and give my opinion. Either good or bad.

Pushing on

markman700 — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 10:52:46 +0000

Currently, I have finished 2 timothy and Titus. I have begun Ephesians but seen to be having trouble focusing in on memorizing. Gotta keep pushing on, keep moving forward. Feels like I am mentally climbing a hill every time I get started.

Titus has opened my eyes to the breadth of things that a church leader is to teach his followers. Verse that has stuck the most is “…always be gentle towards everyone.” (Ch. 3)

1 & 2 Timothy and Titus (Life Application Bible Studies)

markman700 — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 13:03:41 +0000

Designed as a Bible study and workbook combined. The book is divided into two parts. The First section, is these three books which are taken straight out of the Life Application Bible(foot notes and all).
The second section is a basic workbook that goes along with three books in the first section. Each lesson is broken into part by the “R” word actions:

Reflect on you life,
Read the passage,
Realize the principle,
Respond to the message, and
Resolve to take action

As the section connect together they are designed to draw the reader from understanding to action. (thus the name Life Application)

I always have a special spot in my heart for the Life Application Bible, it was my first study type bible and help to fuel me into deep studies of the word. That being said, I had a hard time with this study.
First, the reader is somewhat left in the dark on what to do. the book opens up with the introduction our the Life Application bible, discussing how to read and interact with the translation, study footnotes and so on. So are you suppose to read all three books first and then do the study or are you suppose to skip to the back and dive right into the study? I found that the layout of the book distracted from the aim of the material.
So, once I made it though to the second half of the book, you are greeted with an introduction to the study. It seems like the compilers just took two separate books and stuck the together.
While doing the study lesson, you are referenced back to the books in the begin and to some of the footnotes. I got detracted with the page all the page flipping.
In the end, I didn’t really care for this Bible study approach. I could not connect to the questions and was left scratching my head, rather then empowered to apply the Bible to my life.

———–
Tyndale House Publishers has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book to read and give my opinion of the book. Either good or bad.

Lost track of the Days, but the journey continues

markman700 — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 12:25:36 +0000

Well I have managed to finish 1st timothy and an 1 chapter away from having 2nd timothy memorized. It has been hit and miss for a while, until I got moved back into the Yard at work 3 days a week. Now I can memorize while running certain machines, so those days I am able to get 10 or so verses.
So far my mind has really been blown on how much Paul is against arguing and quarrellings. Paul is very focused on teaching timothy to bring the glorious gospel of Christ Jesus to all men.

Until next, Grace be with you.

Days 11-16

markman700 — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 18:57:43 +0000

Things are progressing well. I have the first chapter in Timothy down and am trying to recite it at least once a day. Currently I am a little behind, but life has been pretty crazy lately. Hoping to get back into a routine again soon, but life is full of these little ups and downs.

Chapter one ends in a fascinating way, but Paul makes sure that the focus of his instruction is love and edification.

Days 5-10

markman700 — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 15:02:43 +0000

Things are getting tricky around the birth of Katelyn, but it happens. I have fallen a little behind. I am suppose to have 1 Timothy Chapter 1 done, and am about 4 verses from having it solid.

Part of these verses talk about different things that side track people in their faith. The major one is “meaningless talk,” I wonder how much time is wasted by good hearted people seeking after meaningless sets of information and debate.

Day 3 and 4

markman700 — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 11:52:08 +0000

Day 3 was a rougher day. I had trouble making through my readings and didn’t really have time to work on the days memory verses that much. Thankfully, Micah was a little wound up at bed time so I rocked him for a while and worked on them then. It is amazing how I have been blessed with extra moments in the day to work on this task.
Today is the last regular day, before the weekend and vacation/Katelyn’s birth week. I usually don’t do well during unstructured times, so be praying for my discipline this next couple weeks.

The New Journey- Day 2

markman700 — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 12:31:19 +0000

Todays verses: “The goal of this command is Love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Some have wandered away from these and turned to meaningless talk. They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm. We know that the law is good if one uses it properly.” 1 Timothy 1:5-8

Yesterday, I got the first two verse memorized in the morning and struggled the rest of the day trying to get the next two down. Thankfully it was bath night and I got to recite the verses to the boys as they played in the bath. Oddly enough, this made them super hyper, but I was still able to get them down.

A New Journey

markman700 — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 12:43:14 +0000

Today I have started a new journey. I am going to embark on a 5 year plan to memorize the New Testament. The reason I am posting this is because I need accountability. It seems like such a big task, but I know that I need to do it to grow in my understanding of God and his words. If you are interested you can check it out at:

http://www.fultoncountygospelnews.org/pdf/You_Can_Memorize.pdf

Today, I read Mark 1-5 and am working on memorizing 1 Tim. 1:1-4.
“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our savior and of Christ Jesus our Hope. To Timothy my true son in the faith: Grace, mercy and peace from God the father and Christ Jesus our Lord. As I urged you when I went to Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain men not to teach false doctrines any longer nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. These promote controversies rather than God’s work – which is by faith. “

Wild at Heart (Revised and Expanded) Discovering the Secret of a Man’s Soul by John Eldredge

markman700 — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 20:18:36 +0000

Wild at Heart is a journey into the question that haunts almost every man: What does it take to be a real man? Eldredge breaks down this question into three parts: Who am I?, What am I made of?, and what am I destined for? Framed in a Christian world view, the reader is taken on a journey through personal stories connected by thoughts, quotes and ponderings. Eldredge challenges the reader to investigate their perception of their masculinity by coming to grips with the past and owning the future.

I enjoyed many parts of Eldredge’s journey, but got side tracked on his view of God as Wild and the thought trails the precede from that view. God is untame and unrestrainable, but to associate wild with God can allow someone to associate the negative qualities of wild to the unchanging sustainer of all creation.

Personally, I was challenged by Eldredge’s three questions and found them helpful in dealing with past issues. While Wild at Heart will not make you want to start a primal scream club (it was a 90′s thing), it will spur you to get off the couch and move into action. I would recommend this book to every man who feels a lacking in their manhood.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”