… the thoughts from a life in the Son-shine State

Posts tagged ‘inspirational’

Book Review: Radical Together

Radical Together

FINALLY!!!
It took me waaay too long to finish this book.
But, alas, it’s complete!

Radical Together: Unleashing the People of God For the Purpose of God, by David Platt, was a good book. I would describe the this book as more of the “how-to,” compared to the first of the series as the “ought-to.”

To be honest, It started well, but then began to drag a bit. This is when I put it down, and didn’t get back to it for a while.

I started to lose interest because I felt as though it was beginning to be redundant, repeating ideas covered in the first book (Radical), and retelling stories that might as well have been the same ones, even if they weren’t. I felt as though it was beginning to be redundant, repeating ideas covered in the first book (Radical), and retelling stories that might as well have been the same ones, even if they weren’t.

I hope I didn’t lose you there… but I think I made my point.

Fortunately, I was determined to finish.
This was a review copy provided by WaterBrook Multnomah, after-all, and I wanted to be honest, as well as finally get a new book (as if I don’t already have plenty others to read)…

I am glad that I chose to finish it!

Once I got back into the book, it began to improve.
Platt finishes really strong with some great chapters on the church, prayer, seeker-sensitivity, and God himself.

I would recommend this as a good read to follow-up the first book with, but just a heads-up that there is some repetition there is some repetition. ;)

Onward toward the “radical” call…

Steve

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Book Review

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Book Review: Reggie

Reggie: You Can’t Change Your Past, But You Can Change Your Future, by Reggie Dabbs (with John Driver), was not at all what I was expecting! Reggie takes you through his life with stories, flashbacks, and lessons he learned (which I did expect). The subtitle, You can’t change your past, but you can change your future, is the message that is driven home through this fascinating autobiography. What I was not expecting (but should have) was the emotional journey that Dabbs takes us on as he uses the experiences of his past to confront us with our past. He eloquently weaves a thread of confrontation and challenge, while offering hope and change.

Having seen Reggie Dabbs in person several times, I approached the book expecting a great autobiography through the art of storytelling; which would naturally read easy. What I didn’t anticipate was the moments I would be brought very near to tears, and the sense of hope that I would feel. I was forced to look at my life—past, present and future—and evaluate what I needed to change in order to be the man that God has called me to be. I found myself not wanting to put this book down! This was a great surprise, and would recommend it to anyone.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://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 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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Book Review, Christian Life, Spiritual Growth, Teenagers

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The Initiative Against Dreaming

Today’s post is actually a page taken out of the book My Utmost For His Highest, by Oswald Chambers. The book is a daily-reading devotional type book, and very challenging. This particular page was the reading from a few days ago, but is a good follow-up to the last post, What’s In Your Hand? I hope that this is as challenging to you as it was to me. God gives us His Word and His Spirit, that we would not just get fat and lazy, but that we would go out and give it away!

February 20th.

THE INITIATIVE AGAINST DREAMING
“Arise, let us go hence.” John 14:31

Dreaming about a thing in order to do it properly is right; but dreaming about it when we should be doing it is wrong. After Our Lord had said those wonderful things to His disciples, we might have expected that He would tell them to go away and meditate over them all; but Our Lord never allowed “mooning.” When we are getting into contact with God in order to find out what He wants, dreaming is right; but when we are inclined to spend our time in dreaming over what we have been told to do, it is a bad thing and God’s blessing is never on it. God’s initiative is always in the nature of a stab against this kind of dreaming, the stab that bids us “neither sit nor stand but go.”

If we are quietly waiting before God and He has said – “Come ye yourselves apart,” then that is meditation before God in order to get at the line He wants; but always beware of giving over to mere dreaming when once God has spoken. Leave Him to be the source of all your dreams and joys and delights, and go out and obey what He has said. If you are in love, you do not sit down and dream about the one you love all the time, you go and do something for him; and that is what Jesus Christ expects us to do. Dreaming after God has spoken is an indication that we do not trust Him.

Man… Let’s get up and go! If you are a follower of Christ, then you have the hope of Christ in you! And, our hearts should be like Christ’s heart: that no one would die without knowing Him!

  • If you are still dreaming about something specific God is calling you to, then that’s awesome. Dream away, baby!
  • But there are some things that we don’t need to dream about — like sharing the Gospel with people that need it.

Tired of daydreaming and ready to do this thing!

steve

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Christian Life, God, Life, Ministry

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