Deus Misereatur

The Pastor at Prayer - Revised Edition by George Kraus My rating: 5 of 5 stars Years ago, when I was first ordained, I found myself in a quandary. For 20 years as an Air Force enlisted man I was used to a high-tempo mission, one that was constantly focused on churning out quality and quantity in a hurry. Then I retired, finished seminary, and was ordained in the Presbyterian Church in America. The pastoral and ecclesiastical tempo was different, more simplified, and slower-paced. I fretted that I wasn’t doing enough and that I was missing something terribly important. A friend came to my rescue, pointing me to the primo pastoral mission statement espoused by the apostolic band in the early days of their ministry. When confronted with the predicament of widows being neglected they wisely held to their prime directive, “But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word” (Acts 6:4). Prayer and the ministry of the word! I could easily get swamped in all kinds of bu...

A Pocket Guide to Prayer, Deluxe Edition by Steve  Harper My rating: 4 of 5 stars It is titled a "Pocket Guide to Prayer", and that is exactly what it is. Its slim, small size could easily fit into the back pocket to be carried around. And its format is simply to guide the one handling it in prayer at set times of the day, when first awakening, morning, noon, evening and bedtime. There are also insightful instructions on how to help make times of prayer more devotional and profitable in the back sections; "A Rule of Life", "Lectio Divina", and "Growing in Prayer". The central two sections of the book lead the praying person through four weeks of prayer. Each day has a hymn, a suggested prayer with space to interject one's own concerns and petitions, and a short snippet from "the Saints", ranging from Francis of Assisi, to Julian of Norwich, even William Law, St. John of the Cross, and Evelyn Underhill, to name a few. It does not ...

Talking Doctrine: Mormons and Evangelicals in Conversation by Richard J Mouw My rating: 3 of 5 stars When honest folks who come from differing religious perspectives sit down to clearly discuss their differences, respect the others' positions, civilly disagree, and agree where they can with integrity, is a good endeavor. "Talking Doctrine: Mormons and Evangelicals in Conversation" is the result of a 15 year effort to do just those things. Richard Mouw, professor of faith and public life after twenty years as president of Fuller Theological Seminary, and Robert Millet, coordinator of the Office of Religious Outreach and professor emeritus of religious education at Brigham Young University, have pulled together a number of participants from among the Latter-day Saints (LDS) and Evangelicals, who have compiled observations and results of their numerous discussions, and put them into this book. "Talking Doctrine" breaks out into two sections, the first giving giv...

Sunday morning: O Lord, who has mercy on whom you have mercy, and compassion on whom you have compassion, so that it depends not on human will or exertion, but on you, who has mercy (Romans 9:15-16); thank you for your mercy and your compassion which we have tasted with bread and fruit of the vine this day. We pray for the weighed down and careworn peoples in our world, suffering from floods, famines, unemployment, military threats, societal fears and virulent disease ( Syria, Afghanistan, South Africa, Liberia, Myanmar, Ukraine, to name but a few ). Please establish peace, justice, recovery and efficient economies in all lands for the good of all, so that the Gospel of Jesus may spread unchecked, and that your Church may dwell securely in peace and quietness. Guide our own national, State, county and city leaders to cast away selfish, harmful designs and desires and to put on that which will bring about real justice and civil harmony. Dear God, be merciful to our land!...