The Conversation @ 125 Alma

Same Kind of DIfferent as Me

125alma — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 02:28:19 +0000

Same Kind of Different as Me, is actually a non-fiction book but could just as easily be fiction. It tells the unlikely story of the unlikeliest of friends—Ron Hall and Denver Moore. The fact that it is told in a narrative way was a tad distracting for me because I am very into non-fiction books usually. (Generally speaking, I almost never pick up fiction material!)
But, I was pleased with the way that the story was told. Some of the wording and grammar was difficult to understand at first due to the nature of the writing, though it reminded me of another book I had read as a child – The Kay. I became more familiar with the flow of wording as the story went on, and there was a good exchange of perspectives that gave an excellent and complete story.
The biblical message of the story was good, though I can see why other bloggers have said that there were some “loose ends” in the gospel message given in the book. I would recommend this book to someone who wants a good book to break out of their strict non-fiction/theological book-shelf.
(I am with Nelson Booksneeze)

40 Day Spiritual Journey

125alma — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 04:56:14 +0000

The book “Living Life in the Zone: A 40 Day Spiritual Game Plan for Men” by Kyle Rote Jr. and Dr Joe Pettigrew is a tremendous tool for any man eager to grow in their faith. It is designed as a self study discipleship tool for men. It does not shy away from topics that are both relevant and hard-hitting to men such as marriage, sexuality, integrity, and many others. The authors use personal examples to illustrate to us the keys to spiritual growth in different areas and I think that this book would be an excellent tool for discipleship and group study. If a small group of men were to be able to come together and use this as a tool for study and accountability I think that the 40 days of spiritual growth would be the beginning of something incredible and even further reaching! I highly recommend this book and would very much encourage you to check it out or even take the step to read it with a friend who may be needing some direction in their life as well! (I am a member of Thomas Nelson’s Book Sneeze)

Where have all the storybooks gone?

125alma — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 17:47:16 +0000

Hey, I recently picked up this book called “Greatest Stories of the Bible” from Thomas Nelson Publishing. It began to strike me more and more as I flipped through it that in much of our preaching, teaching, discussions, and all around Christian thought, we have forgotten some of the most basic and yet inspiring things of all: stories.

Think about it. Do you pay enough attention to the stories of the Bible? Do you let the stories of others’ lives penetrate and motivate you towards God?

Maybe you do, but I know I sure didn’t. I get so caught up in the theories and theologies that Bible Colleges, books, and speakers have to offer that I forget to just open sometimes to the stories of young men standing against odds with only God’s strength to carry them through, or crowds of men and women standing before Jesus as he feeds thousands with only a few pieces of food.

Pick this book up if you get a chance. Remember the stories that God’s Word provides us with; for many times it is through these stories of others’ faith and even failures that our lives can be reformed.

Jesus Lives! Seeing His Love in Your Life

125alma — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 18:32:20 +0000

I recently picked up the book “Jesus Lives” by Sarah Young. This is – in my opinion – one of the best little books I’ve ever found of its nature.

I am a student pastor and I have already been using portions of the readings in my teachings as well as my day-to-day run-ins with the troubles that people around me are facing. It is an awesome tool for leaders and Church-goers to have at their disposal.

Currently I am using this book as a supplement to my daily devotions. The segments are not dated or specified to go in any particular order, but the power of the words worked out of Scripture make it a perfect companion for a morning coffee, a bedtime prayer, or a quick read anytime of the day.

Sarah’s writing is derived directly out of Scripture and are formed into a beautiful, poetic “letter from God” that helps demonstrate and explain the love of Christ for us. Each new segment is written in a first person “letter from God” explaining how much we mean to Him while giving Scriptural references to help us study our Bible even deeper.

I would highly recommend this book as a gift for someone this holiday season, or for a personal tool to keep at your side when you need to hear something special from God!

Go your own way

levittmike — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 03:56:28 +0000

“Go Your Own Way”

125 Alma Young Adults (November 2009)

M. Levitt & C. Parish

We have read the word of God in Deuteronomy 7 that says “you are a people holy to the Lord; the Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be His people, His treasured possessions”. This is a big promise of destiny in our lives, yet with that promise will come confusion and misdirection. We can become all too caught up with producing results and finding our own path that we can miss the point of our destiny: becoming a people “holy to the Lord”.

In this talk, we will discuss some of the ramifications of “going our own way” and the alternate blessings that come when we seek God in our divine moments of destiny.

The prophet Isaiah says this in Isaiah 30:

“Woe to the obstinate children,”

declares the LORD,

“to those who carry out plans that are not mine,

forming an alliance, but not by my Spirit,

heaping sin upon sin…

Therefore, this is what the Holy One of Israel says:
“Because you have rejected this message,
relied on oppression
and depended on deceit,

this sin will become for you
like a high wall, cracked and bulging,
that collapses suddenly, in an instant.

It will break in pieces like pottery,
shattered so mercilessly
that among its pieces not a fragment will be found
for taking coals from a hearth
or scooping water out of a cistern.”

Have you ever gone your own way? Have you ever decided that you knew what needed to be done and grabbed up your bags and went?

What is it that causes us to call our own shots – to “go our own way” – when it comes to our destiny? (Lack of faith, lack of knowledge of God, lack of time spent with Him, too much pride/self-reliance, self sufficiency)

There’s a song titled “Go your own way” with these lyrics:

If I could, I’d give you my world.

Open up, everything’s waiting for you. (c) Lindsey Buckingham/Fleetwood Mac

Even though those lyrics have a different meaning, those words can easily be used to describe what God wants for us. He wants us to have His world; to open things up for us.

We have God’s destiny waiting for us – some of us have it on the doorstep waiting for us to step into – but we don’t always do that. We turn to ourselves instead and “go our own way”.

Maybe it’s because you’ve bought into the same lie that Eve did when she bit the apple. When you bite the apple you rely on yourself instead of God – that was the whole point – the apple was supposed to make her into her own God. She could choose her own destiny and determine what was right and wrong for her life.

If that’s you, you will call your own shots and make your own judgments. You are literally making yourself into your own God tonight.

This might seem like an obvious question, but why does this self-reliance in the big things of life and in our day to day lives diminish the power of God in our destiny?

Secondly, maybe you genuinely want to put God first. You know who He is and want Him to guide your destiny, but you’re too busy. About 60 percent of Christians say that the busyness of life gets in the way of developing their relationship with God.

What’s keeping you busy these days?

Luke 10:38-42 says this:

³⁸As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. ³⁹She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. ⁴⁰But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

⁴¹“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, ⁴²but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

It seems that Martha allowed busyness to distract her from spending time with Jesus. When she welcomed him into her home, she was preoccupied with preparing the meal, washing their feet, and making sure that the “doing” was taken care of.

Martha’s busyness and preparation turned into her own work that ended up distracting her from sitting with Jesus and reflecting on his words. She got so caught up with producing something that she missed the chance to sit and receive from Jesus first and foremost.

*If you are too busy for God, you are too busy.

Think about the passage Jesus speaks in his Sermon on the Mount. He says in Matthew 6:33 to “seek first the Kingdom of God and all other things will be taken care of in you”. What does this mean in regards to our busyness?

Are you carving out the rest you need in order to truly seek Him first? Is your day so stressful and filled with work that you miss the whole point of destiny – being with God?

To summarize:

1. You can’t chase your destiny without God involved. You will eventually fall short of your full destiny that God has for you – either because you are relying on yourself or because you are too busy to seek God first.

2. If you’re too busy you’re not spending enough time with God. Stepping into the life God has for you requires that we are first spending a great deal of time at the feet of Jesus.

3. If you’re not spending time in the Word, you are not experiencing the true rest needed to seek Him. This is why the idea of finding rest is so important to our spiritual walks – we cannot grow close to someone who we find no time for.

Concluding thoughts: God calls us His treasured possession and “a holy people called out of all the nations of the earth”. He has a destiny for you to step into, (beginning even tonight). Confusion will set in. Misdirection will overcome you in the face of this destiny, yet there is one way you can be sure to be guided into the future: giving up the need to “go your own way” and seeking first God’s Kingdom each and every day of our lives. Growing close to Him – sitting at His feet – is the only way our future is left in His hands rather than our own.

Let’s commit to making that time the pinnacle of our days, now, as we all look forward to stepping into the future that God has for us.

Book Review: Finding Purpose Beyond Our Pain

125alma — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:25:36 +0000

Finding Purpose Beyond Our Pain: Uncover the Hidden Potential Beyond Our Pain,” by Paul Meier, MD and David L. Henderson, MD, was written to teach readers how to confidently face painful struggles in a way that allows growth as well as emotional and spiritual maturity. The book explores the seven most common life challenges: injustice, rejection, loneliness, loss, discipline, failure and death.

Honestly, I had difficulty getting through this book because it seemed a little too preachy for me. However, I could see the purpose and how it would help someone who 1) is easy to reach through these authors’ style of writing, and 2) is thinking that they’ve lost all hope and has nothing else to lose.

Despite my initial impressions of the book there were definite areas and passages that stuck out for me. From the introduction, “It is not easy to find purpose beyond our pain in such trails, but God assures us it is there. Over and over the Bible reveals a good and loving God who allows our pain as part of His greater plan of redemption and new creations. Through the prophet Isaiah, God assures His people, ‘I will not cause pain without allowing something new to be born’ If you focus on Him during your pain, it will be worth the wait.”

This book, I believe, definitely offers truth, necessary Biblical references, examples and tangible steps to take. I simply did not find it interesting. It could be because I don’t believe it’s relevant for me at this time, however, it is one that I will keep on my bookshelf for reference and later reading.

The Great Invitation (TGI) – Pt. 2

125alma — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 16:11:34 +0000

A youth pastor of mine once told me that when people act too much based on passion, you usually end up with either babies or dead people. I agree with that when you consider the way we usually sum up passion nowadays – with the Hollywood scenes of one enemy pulling the trigger with such energy and hatred in his eyes, or the passionate kiss between a vampire and emo-chick.

However, I think that when it’s viewed the right way, one of the greatest things you can have in your life is passion. One of the greatest things you can learn to do is develop dreams and develop passion for those dreams.

One of the things that I finally began to realize a few years back when I was just getting out of high school was this idea that I am able to live for something that is a lot bigger than just my own little life-story. In fact, not only am I able to do that, but I am actually meant to do that! There was that moment in time when all of the sudden I knew that I could either keep going day to day with my own little adventures in homework and the smoker’s pit, or I could actually somehow become part of something that was magnificent and moving.

I was actually called to be with God and live for God.

This came as a shock to me because the world around me was so caught up with focusing inward on ourselves and building ourselves up first before we give of ourselves to others. And, to an extent that is true. We cannot give what we haven’t first received. We have to take care of ourselves spiritually, emotionally, physically, and all of the ways that we can be healthy. We aren’t meant to neglect ourselves and, thus, grow to be unhealthy people; however, there was this moment that it clicked in that life is so much bigger than my own mind and my own feelings. I was being developed for a purpose.

At one point in the New Testament, Jesus is asked what the greatest commandment in all of the Word of God is and he answers, “To love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor.” (Meaning everybody you come in contact with!) This was quoted to me again this past week and it really sunk in again that when I read that passage, the only person who isn’t mentioned is…me!

I do matter so much to God; so much in fact that Jesus died to take away my sins, yet in the way I live my life from day to day it matters more how I love God and love others than how others can benefit me and build me up.

You can spend your life very empty, straying away from God and focusing only on yourself or you can enter into this greater story that God has intended for you to live.

I knew as I was in my final years of high school and my first year of University that it was time for something bigger. It was time to dream again and see what this “bigger life” looked like for me.

Be back soon!

P. Corey

The Great Invitation – Pt. 1

125alma — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 15:48:14 +0000

What matters?

Seriously…what’s the point of everything?

You can’t take any question seriously until you can answer that question first. At least I don’t believe you can. What does it matter how you live or what you do with your life if there’s no purpose to you?

Just get a decent job with enough money to survive and buy some cheap alchohol every week to get thrills while you’re still alive and kicking. Have sex with lots of people and find a way to funnel some extra cash out of work here and there to pay for cable TV.

Buy a really nice car so the opposite sex will flirt with you.

And set up a good retirement plan while you’re young so that you can spend your winters getting nice and leathery in Florida. Never forget that.

You see, this all makes perfect sense to me. To live a half-hearted, self-centered existence based on the thrill of the moment is the only sensible way to live…

…if we don’t answer the question: “what’s the point of everything?”

It’s really easy to live with no meaning. It’s really simple to be an accident and a small blip on the radar. But as easy as it is, one thing is for certain, it is not fulfilling. It can’t be fulfilling because there’s nothing to be filled up with in the end…

Life is an emptying experience if there’s nothing to work towards in the end. It’s an emptying thing if there’s no reason for it.

So, what’s the reason? Why live? What matters in the end?

Until you answer that question, no other question has any real purpose.

More to come.

P. Corey

Conversations

125alma — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 17:24:33 +0000

Question: What makes a good story?

Answer: You.

This blog will hopefully provide insights, commentary, a splash of humour, and other tidbits of info that will help share what 125 Alma is all about.

God brought us all here. Now we just need to figure out what we are to do. We all have a calling. Have you heard yours? Are you listening? Are you afraid of what you will hear, so you won’t listen?

Praying for all of us.

See you soon.

Be blessed!

Mike