Deus Misereatur

Half a King by Joe Abercrombie My rating: 5 of 5 stars Surprises come in different shapes and sizes. In literature there are those that come out of the sky interrupting the flow of the story, and then there are those that simply fit. They are unseen and thoroughly unexpected, but once they explode onto the scene it is obvious they match the texture, flow and rhythm of the tale. Joe Abercrombie’s soon-to-be-released 352 page hardback, “Half a King” is an adventure that is chock full of such wonders. This is a delightfully entertaining, entrancing saga that will charm and win many readers, from the tweens to those in their prime. It is a story of tragedy, treachery, high adventure, and deep friendships expressed with captivating style and clearheaded urgency. “Half a King” revolves around a young prince named Yarvi, who is not a “whole man” because he was born with a crippled, malformed hand. Yarvi’s lack makes him a prime candidate to be trained as a minister, part of a network of...

{Preached at Heritage Presbyterian Church 3 August 2014. Listen here } With Joyfulness and Gladness of Heart: Deuteronomy 28.47-48 In my morning devotional reading a few weeks back, I was reading through Deuteronomy 28. It is the portion of God’s story where he tells his people that there are rich blessings awaiting them as they will faithfully obey the voice of YHWH their God and are careful to do what he tells them (“ if you faithfully obey the voice of the LORD your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth ”28.1). But that there are also adverse circumstances – curses – lurking around the corner if they chose to turn their back to him and follow their own way (“ if you will not obey the voice of the LORD your God or be careful to do all his commandments and his statutes that I command you today, then all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you ”28.15). It...

[Click on the link and listen to the Sermon Audio File while perusing the manuscript below] ----- Revival and Reformation Pt. 4 1 Chronicles 10.1-11.9 Building a Head of Steam Now, Lord God, as we move into the action of 1 and 2 Chronicles, grant us the ears to hear what we need to hear so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. Amen. When you’re up to your eye-balls in trouble and trauma, it is very easy to get swallowed up and drown. When you can’t get your head above the water line enough to see the rescue boat speeding your way, desperation and defeat can set in and drag you under. What we need in those moments is some way to see beyond the storm so that we get our bearings, and everything is put back in proper perspective. That’s something of what is going on here in Chronicles. Before launching into 19 straight chapters on David – his reign, feats and enterprises – the Spirit-guided editors/historians bring us – ou...

Your servant, Augustine, once rightly observed; “There is a joy which is not given to the ungodly, but to those who love you for your own sake, whose joy is you yourself. And this is the happy life: to rejoice in you, of you, for you. This is true joy, and there is no other” (“Confessions,” 10.22). We declare our agreement! You yourself are our true joy, and there is no other. But we acknowledge that we are often lured into seeking our joy in success at work, or the feats of our families, or triumphs of our own achievements. Lord God, forgive us! Help us to be fully persuaded that your yourself are our greatest joy, and loving you for your own sake is our utmost good. O Lord, hear our prayer. As we prayed last week: O God most high, we acknowledge that you are right and just, even when your wrath is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who often suppress your truth in unrighteousness. We love this nation you have providentially placed us in. But ...