Drive Thru History: Greece and the Word DVD

Drive Thru History: Greece and the Word DVD Released: 2005 Run Time: 95 minutes

Source: Rented from Netflix.

DVD Description from Netflix:
As host Dave Stotts travels to Greece, viewers get a front-seat view into the history of Western civilization. From the origins of the Olympics to the mystery of the Oracle and the missionary journey of Paul the apostle, this presentation provides a fast-paced tour of ancient Greece in which the stories of the Bible are made real and relevant.


My Review:
Greece and the Word is a history DVD with some information on the Christian history of the sites. The presenter was rather silly at times (though less so than in Turkish Delight), probably to make it more interesting to teens and tweens. He gave a good overview of the history of the various places. Most of the information was illustrated with maps or "cut out" style drawings, but there was also some good video of the ruins of the ancient sites. If you're not familiar with the history of a site or person and want to know more, this DVD did a good job.

Section One: 34 minutes 28 seconds - Delphi, Olympic games

Section Two: 37 minutes 5 seconds - Athens, Paul

Section Three: 31 minutes 23 seconds - Corinth


If you've watched this DVD, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Drive Thru History: Turkish Delight DVD

Drive Thru History: Turkish Delight DVD Released: 2006 Run Time: 90 minutes

Source: Rented from Netflix.

DVD Description from Netflix:
Four wheels turn to four legs when host Dave Stotts trades car for camel to explore Turkey's ancient ruins of Laodicea and Colossae and searches for what historical clues they'll yield. Using the journey to illustrate life in the early Christian church, Stotts also takes viewers to Smyrna and Sardis and explores the showdown between Paul and the Ephesian idol makers.


My Review:
Turkish Delight is a history DVD with some information on the Christian history of the sites. The presenter was rather silly at times, probably to make it more interesting to teens and tweens. He did do a good job of giving an overview of the history of a place, though. Most of the information was illustrated with maps or "cut out" style drawings, but there was also some good video of the ruins (or whatever was visible) of the ancient sites. If you're not familiar with the history of a site and want to know more, this DVD does a good job.

Section One: 33 minutes 46 seconds - Smyrna and Sardis

Section Two: 30 minutes 45 seconds - Hieropolis, Colossae, Laodicea

Section Three: 29 minutes 3 seconds - Ephesus


If you've watched this DVD, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Messianic Mo'adiym Devotional by Kevin Geoffrey

Messianic Mo'adiym Devotional: for Israel's Annual Feasts, Fasts and Appointed Times by Kevin Geoffrey ISBN-13: 0-9785504-1-2 Trade Paperback: 170 pages Publisher: Perfect Word Publishing Released: 2007

Source: Bought.

Book Description from Back Cover:
Israel's annual feasts, fasts and appointed times--the Mo'adiym--remind us of ADONAI's dramatic history with His chosen people. But embedded in the annual cycle is also the story of our lives in Messiah--the Mo'adiym teach us about who we are supposed to be in Him. Each year, there unique meetings with ADONAI have the inherent ability to lead us into a deeper walk with the Master.

Presented from a distinctly Messianic Jewish perspective, the Messianic Mo'adiym Devotional will make Israel's appointed times come alive for you like never before.


My Review:
Messianic Mo'adiym Devotional is a devotional book authored by a Messianic Jew. These devotionals are meant to be read on the day(s) that the feasts/appointed times occur. There is one devotional for Passover, seven for the Feast of Unleavened Bread, forty-nine for the counting from the Omer, one for the Feast of Weeks, one for the "Feast of Trumpets," one for the Day of Atonement, seven for the Feast of Tabernacles, and one for the Eighth Day Assembly. The author also gave a brief explanation of each appointed time in the back of the book for those who are unfamiliar with the different appointed times.

Each devotional was 2 pages long. The devotional gave a Scripture quote related to the feast or theme of the feast, then provided commentary on it and a closing prayer. The intent of this devotional is to encourage the reader to a greater trust and knowledge of God.

I really liked this devotional. I'd recommend it to anyone, but especially those interested in doing something special for God's appointed times.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt from pages 23-24
[Please note that some actual Hebrew words and letters are used in the devotional heading and Scripture quotes, but I haven't included them in my excerpt.]

Counting from the Omer - Day 4

1% You

"And ADONAI said to Gid'on, 'Too many are the people who are with you for My giving Mid'yan into their hand, lest Yis'rael glorify itself against Me, saying "[By] my [own] hand has salvation been given to me...."' And ADONAI said to [Gid'on], 'Everyone who laps the water with his tongue as a dog laps, you are to set him apart...' And the number of those lapping...was three hundred.... And ADONAI said to Gid'on, 'By the three hundred men who are lapping, I [will] save you and will give Mid'yan into your hand.'" Shof'tiym (Judges) 7:2,5-7

Too often, we give in to our doubts and fears, believing that ADONAI cannot or will not continue to save us. These fears are not only rooted in our lack of faith in Him, but they also spring from our own arrogance. True faith requires zero self-reliance. We need to understand that total deliverance is birthed from complete dependence on ADONAI. Indeed, our participation in own own salvation is minimal--all we have to do is accept and submit.

When Gid'on set out to fight Mid'yan, he had over 30,000 men...but then ADONAI began to send them home. Of the ten thousand who were unafraid to face Mid'yan, ADONAI chose a mere 300 to complete the task--just 1% of the original fighting force. Why did God do this? So that Yis'rael would not be able to boast against ADONAI saying, "[By] my [own] hand has salvation been given to me." ADONAI's process of elimination speaks to His sovereign ability to save: not only did He not need thousands, but the few hundred that remained were chosen because of their dog-like qualities.

Our natural inclination is to enter a difficult situation decked out for war. We don our strongest armor and take tens of thousands of our best warriors with us. We bring tons of artillery and great weapons of destruction to pulverize the enemy with sheer might. We strategize and make provision for all contingencies, and we psych ourselves up for the battle. Now imagine standing before an enemy horde, naked and alone, holding only a box of rubber bands and some paper clips. This was Gid'on.

We will not win the battles before us because we posses the strength to do it. On the contrary, victory in Messiah is at best 1% us--but in reality, it's all Him. The Lord will use us as we are, dog-like and all. He will work in our lives in ways that we don't expect or even think are possible. What we bring to the table in our relationship with God is of no consequence where our salvation is concerned. He does not ask us to take control of or manage our deliverance--He wants us to let Him complete us, save us...and then deliver our enemies into our hands.

***

ADONAI, forgive my arrogance. Teach me, God, to rely solely on You--to put no stock in my ability to provide for or protect myself. Abba, only You can build a winning army of three hundred from thirty thousand. Show me how to present myself before You, the dog that I am, and know that I am clean and worthy of being used by Your mighty hand. I bless Your Name, ADONAI, for only by Your strength am I saved...