Deus Misereatur

The Book of Common Prayer: A Biography by Alan Jacobs My rating: 4 of 5 stars Recently I heard Alan Jacobs, author of "The Book of Common Prayer: A Biography," interviewed on Mars Hill Audio Journal. The whole discussion intrigued me and so I snatched up a copy of this 236 page hardback. I found it easy to read, free of laborious longitudinal loquaciousness, and full of perceptive and instructive material. The first five chapters of “The Book of Common Prayer” take the reader through the environmental history of Thomas Cranmer and his original prayer book, as well as its literary and liturgical ingredients. The flux and flow of its use and disuse, along with its society-shaping consequences are brought forward in broad strokes and embossed swipes. Jacobs has made what could have been a dry labor into something accessible and attention-grabbing. The final two chapters, coupled with the appendix, take the reader around the corner. Here Jacobs shows how the pressure to m...

{ Zip over here for the audio file } --- Revival and Reformation Pt 8 1 Chronicles 15-16 Reformation A-Fire By your Word and Spirit, burn bright in our hearts, O Holy God, that our sin might melt away, and that the blazing warmth of your love would make the aroma of Christ more pronounced in us. Amen Have you noticed the habit of God? It’s being played out here in these chapters. God delights to show mercy! He takes great relish in giving beauty for ashes, and the oil of gladness for mourning. He finds great pleasure in turning our mourning into dancing, and our funeral clothes into gladness. And that is what Chapters 15-16 show us. Remember, chapter 13 describes when a revival and reformation misfires; chapter 15-16 displays a revival and reformation a-fire! A. Preparation to Move Ark : 15:1-15. V. 2 (+v.15c) & 12-13 is a whole-hearted return to the Word of God. Sentiment and majority agreement isn’t enough in Revival and Reformation, there must be a burn...

[You have liberty to use this in your church or personal devotions. May your heart be lifted. Mike] ----- Our hearts and minds are lifted up to you, O our God, in rich appreciation. As Jonathan told his armor bearer when they took the daring risk to engage the Philistines, “ nothing can hinder the LORD from saving by many or by few ” (1 Samuel 14.6). There is nothing, no one, no condition, no circumstance, no competitor, no cerebral malfunction, no failure of courage, no catastrophe that can hinder you from saving, rescuing, and triumphing! And therefore, there is no created thing out there or in here that can separate us from your love! No, in fact, because this is who you are, then truly in all these things we are more than conquerors through yourself who has loved us – and the seal, the guarantee of this truth is Christ crucified for our transgressions (O what costly love!) and is risen for our justification (Romans 8.37-39, 4.25)! Holy God, see the nations, the peoples and ...