Deus Misereatur

A Charge to Candidates for the Gospel Ministry: 6 February 2015 “Let us know; let us press on to know the LORD” Gentlemen, I am going to give you this charge out of Hosea. We will begin in the middle, go backward and then move forward. Right smack in the middle of Hosea is this welcome from God: “Let us know; let us press on to know the LORD; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth” (Hosea 6:3). Notice the welcome is for us to know this God, to press on and surge forward to know this God who, like the morning sun scatters the darkness; like the spring rain showers brings refreshment, restoration, rejuvenation. This is the God we are to know! Though this is God’s welcome, earlier there was a warning: “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your chi...

Holy Communion: Celebrating God with Us by Kenneth M Loyer My rating: 5 of 5 stars This fine, short, readable, 128 page paperback is just what it says it's about; "Holy Communion: Celebrating God with Us". Kenneth M. Loyer, pastor of Otterbein United Methodist Church of Spry, York, Pennsylvania, explains the Eucharist in non-technical terms through four chapters. Even though the author writes "Holy Communion" from a Methodist perspective, and often refers back to the Methodist Eucharistic liturgy, nevertheless most Christians would benefit from the way he explains the past, present and future aspects of the Lord's Supper. As Loyer explains, "The Lord's Supper is not simply a matter of past and present -- a memorial calling us to remember what Christ has done for us and a means of grace and spiritual sustenance in the present. It also points forward to what is to come. God gives us a foretaste of the heavenly banquet here and now in the sacred ...

Power Prayers for Your Life by Barbour Publishing My rating: 2 of 5 stars It has been difficult to make it through this book of "power prayers". Though there are loads of Scripture passages printed throughout, they are all out of context. And just as importantly, most of the prayers are shallow, greedy, self-centered and at times, down right demanding. It was also a surprise to see a brash (over)confidence in many of the prayers as the praying person tells God what they will do, accomplish and obey. The prayers are written as personal and conversational. Several of them show that they are written from a woman's perspective, something men could benefit from. The prayers are grouped under topical categories, with each section beginning with an explanatory devotional of sorts. There are two prayers on each page, and plenty of room to pen in thoughts, observations and adaptions to the prayers. The format is very convenient and easy on the eyes. "Power Prayers for Your...

Morning Prayer: Almighty God, though a man’s heart plans his ways, it is you who directs his steps (Proverbs 16.9); therefore we pray for this world and your church. We ask you to alleviate the suffering, angst, fretfulness of those who are in dire need of your healing….restore them filling them with your unsurpassable peace to guard their hearts and minds IN Christ Jesus, and give them rock-hard reasons to have hope in you through all these trials and troubles. Please safeguard our U.S. Military people, esp. these….comfort and encourage their families during times of separation, and restore them to their homes unharmed. Please look upon our country; maintain our liberties, and guide us all (personally and politically) along the path of your truth and righteousness. Also, for the nations of our world, O dear God, for the good of Your Church and wellbeing of all, we pray you to reinstate peace and order where there is only war and chaos; and to build strong justice and h...

Half the World by Joe Abercrombie My rating: 3 of 5 stars Left dangling with anticipation in “ Half a King , ” many readers will be delighted that Joe Abercrombie’s soon-to-be-released 384 page hardback, “Half the Word” is about to see the light of day. In this new work the author picks up a few old friends who are drawn into perilous adventures with new oar-mates, forged together by sweat, fear, fighting and savagery, into a family of sorts. Their exploits take them through half the world, creating much needed, but unlooked for, alliances for Gettland, while overcoming obstructions, conflicts, and vows for revenge. “Half the World” revolves around a young teenage girl, Thorn Bathu, who has vowed to one day kill Grom-gil-Gorm, the Breaker of Swords and Maker of Orphans, and the killer of her father. The determination runs deep in her blood, and drives her every waking and sleeping moment. She trains in Master Hunnan’s school with this ambition in mind, only to be set up for failu...

Almighty God, whose eyes run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show yourself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are loyal to you (2 Chronicles 16.9), we pray for this world and your church. We call upon you to relieve the fear, sooth the pain, and settle the trouble of those who need physical, monetary, mental, and relational healing...restore them, remove any gloom or anxiety, filling them with your unsurpassable peace to guard their hearts and minds IN Christ Jesus, and give them solid reasons to have hope in You when they feel all wrung out and thoroughly used up. O Lord, hear our prayer. Please shield, keep safe and brave our U.S. Military people, restore them to their families unharmed. O Lord, hear our prayer. Lord God, Maker, Sustainer and Governor of all things: we implore you to mercifully shower us with the rains and precipitation we need in this area. Thank you for what you have provided us, and grant us enough to hedge off this extended drought. O Lord, ...

Deeply Moved John 11.17-29, 32-35, 38. Often time this passage is rummaged through for its comforting words in verses 25-26. And then v. 35 is latched onto by others who want to sarcastically or humorously flaunt the shortest verse in the Bible, “Jesus wept.” But there is a great depth to this true episode in Jesus’ life, and this afternoon I want to draw your hearts and minds to three things: (1) The Accusing Voices; (2) The Anticipation; and (3) The Anguish. The Accusing Voices (v. 21 and 32) “Lord, if you had been here,…”: You hear it in this scene – the same thing family members hear in their heads and heart; “If only you had been here…If only you had spent more time with them…if only you had only been a better son/daughter…if only you had…!” Even our Lord Jesus, at the death of his dear friend Lazarus heard those voices accusing him, admonishing him, accosting him! Remember this as you hear those voices in your heads, those whispers and jeers condemning you, shaming...