Deus Misereatur

  If you've ever stumbled across anything written by Bishop J.C. Ryle, who served as a minister in the church of England from 1841 to 1880, and Bishop of Liverpool from 1880 until his death in 1900, you know he can be helpful, hard-hitting, straightforward, and sometimes a bit wordy. And yet much of what he wrote is worth the time to read. Thankfully a new 385-page hardback devotional has surfaced that will give readers bit-sized doses of Ryle's thought. Bryan Schrank, executive director of Rescue the Preborn , has compiled a year-long devotional from Ryle's sermons and works in "Our Great Redeemer: 365 Days with J. C. Ryle." Each day begins with a passage from sacred Scripture, normally a verse or so. Then the editor pulls out a portion of an exposition Ryle did on that verse. Then, at the bottom of the page there is the notation of the origin of the passage quoted. It's a very simple devotional. If only used by itself it may lack the necessary punch a soul n

When I became a Christian I was part of a charismatic house church meeting on the Air Base where I was stationed in Turkey. A few months later I shifted over to the Campbellite Church of Christ. My early Christian years were spent in traditions that had unwritten codes of faith and conduct, and it was often like walking through a minefield. You never knew when you were about to cross the (doctrinal or ethical) line and set off an explosion. That's what makes the old teaching technique of catechizing so helpful to me. A catechism, as it was traditionally practiced, had a series of systematic questions that used short answers. This approach helped to pass on, in memorable ways, the Christian faith to future generations. You can see it in Roman Catholic history with the Baltimore Catechism , and in the Lutheran stream with Luther's Small Catechism . So, I have always enjoyed the Reformed version laid out in several catechisms, and especially the Westminster Shorter Catechism . The

  O our God and Father, who is making the first last and the last first, and who has made little children the measure of your kingdom, we pray for your church here and worldwide, including Newchurch, Nicoma Park Christian, North MacArthur Church of Christ, and North Pointe Baptist Church. Please give us that wisdom from above which is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere (James 3:17). As we operate, deliberate, and at times, remonstrate, may it not be as enemies and adversaries, but as fellow human beings made in your image, made to have unending fellowship with you, O Father, Son and Holy Spirit. May we grasp right from wrong and choose that which is right for ourselves, our families, and our people. May partiality and prejudice be put far from us, and integrity and equality gain the upper hand. Lord, as we pray for our local, State and National leaders, we affirm with the Sage in Proverbs that the wisdom of the pru