Deus Misereatur

  As a young believer I spent years in the rise of the Moral Majority, the culture wars, and political and social conservatism. I cut my teeth on R.J. Rushdoony, Gary North, David Chilton, and others. I embraced much of Francis Schaeffer's material as I could get my mind around, and so much more. So, I was interested in reading this 110-page hardback "King of Kings: A Reformed Guide to Christian Politics" by James Baird, a pastor at Covenant Church (PCA) in Naples, Florida. Well, it was an okay read. Though I would agree with the author on many points, the history is flat and bland, as if the founders of the nation overwhelmingly all meant the same thing. A monolithic view of the founders. There's no thoughtful reflection on how the founders had absorbed John Locke's view of 'religion' as a utilitarian good (use religion to promote the national wellbeing, not because one religion or the other is right). Much like the atheists who now call themselves 'c...

(Picture from Lori Laws) O LORD, as the Psalm writer says, you hear the desire of the afflicted; you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, so that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more (Psalm 10:17-18). For these reasons, and more, we make bold to call on you, to call on you in truth (Psalm 145:18). O great God, mighty Sovereign, we pray for our world, all the national governments and their citizens, and our own country. May sound-thinking prevail in all realms and all communities. We pray for Sudan, the Republic of Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Yemen, Peru, Venezuela, and other places where strife has been simmering and begun to boil over; turn this all around for good. Bring those in power – the leaders of various separatist groups and national leaders – to think out what is in the best interests of all, not just their own tribe or faction. Like nations at war, battling over turf, human traffi...

Lord Jesus, you invite us to come and present our requests in your name, “ Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son ” (John 14:13). And so, we come to you, through you, and in submission to you. Compassionate Lord who ate with tax collectors and sinners, who came not to call the righteous but sinners; we pray for those who are unbelievers and those who have strayed away (…). Save them, change them, cleanse them, make them utterly yours. And help us to be part of that amazing-grace work! We pray, O Lord, that of your great goodness, you would comfort, strengthen, aid, and fortify those who, in this transitory life, are in trouble, trial, sorrow, sickness, or any other adversity (…). We beg you to rule the hearts and ambitions of all who bear the authority of government in this and every land. May they be led to wise decisions and right actions for the peace and welfare of our world. We pray this especially right now for Madagascar as they ...

Grasping for Power in and through Ministry (The following is from Sunday evening's sermon on Mark 10:35-52 . You can listen to the sermon here, Grasping for Power in and through Ministry , while you follow the notes below). Lord Jesus, you came not to be served, but to serve and give your life as a ransom for many. May we, like Bartimaeus, cry out to you for mercy, hear your voice, and run to meet you. Amen! Warren Wiersbe wrote a little book for ministers way back in 1991. I love it for numerous reasons, but the title catches the aim of the book well and why I like it so much: “In Praise of Plodders.” In that book he makes this observation, “One day our Lord gave a sermon on the Bread of Life and lost his whole congregation: and yet false prophets always seem to have a crowd” (Warren Wiersbe, “In Praise of Plodders,” pg. 111). Now, decades later, crowd gathering through social media is much easier. This thought actually jabs into the ribs of many of us in ministry, because we are ...

Praise the LORD! Thank you that you have made us a crown of beauty and a royal diadem in your hand, O LORD. Thank you that we shall no more be termed Forsaken or Desolate but shall be called My Delight Is in Her and Married. Thank you, LORD, that you delight in us and that as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride you rejoice over us (Isaiah 62:3-5)! We pray, Lord, that you would have mercy on all of the nations of this earth. O God, you reign over the nations; you sit on your holy throne. May all of the princes of the peoples gather as the people of the God of Abraham. For the shields of the earth belong to you, O God; you are highly exalted (Psalm 47:8-9)! We pray, Lord, that you would have mercy on these United States of America. We pray, God, bless America, but not her sin and immorality. God, bless America, but not where she is unjust and prejudiced. God, bless America, but not where she opposes and resists you. God, bless America, where she seeks to fairly and rightly establish l...

  O life-giving, liberty-giving God of might and power, who made all things, and then lavished good things upon us and still does. Thank you that you give us all things richly to enjoy. That you open your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing. You who knows all things, whose eyes run to and fro through the whole earth beholding the good and evil, from whom no creature is hidden, but all are naked and exposed to your eyes; hear the groaning of those weighed down under stress or distress. See the grief of those who have lost loved ones. Take note of those shackled and shamed by injustice or bigotry from above or below. Give heed to the ones who are unfairly incarcerated or enslaved (…). For all who are in these situations and others, we cry out to you on their behalf, imploring you to raise them up, refresh them, restore their wholesome dreams, and set them free. Spirit of God who hovered over that which at the beginning was formless and void, bringing forth creation;...

    It was back in 2001. I had just spent 20 years on active duty in the U.S. Air Force, retired, finished up seminary, and gotten ordained as a Gospel Minister in the Presbyterian Church in America. I was now the pastor of a small-town church in central Mississippi. And there I was, visiting one of my 70+ year old elders and his wife, and he said it. He was talking about the majority folks in our little town who were of a different ethnicity, and he said it looking me in the eye. “Pastor, I don’t think those people are fully human.” Those words and that sentiment haunts me to this day. Therefore, I was glad to see a new 56-page booklet, “ The Canvas of Creation: ABiblical Response to the Heresy of Racial Superiority ” by Drew Poplin, Associate Pastor of First Reformed Presbyterian Church (RPCNA) in Durham, NC. The material is easy to follow, straightforward, biblical, and very useful. The whole manual aims “to equip Christian to think through and respond biblically to t...