Deus Misereatur

Devotions on the Hebrew Bible: 54 Reflections to Inspire and Instruct by Milton Eng My rating: 5 of 5 stars After spending several years at Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson Mississippi, I walked away with some good tools. One of them was the ability to use and read the Biblical languages, Hebrew and Greek. But I noticed over the years, in all of the hurry and hustle of sermon and Bible study preparations, counseling, and pastoral ministry that my use of the Biblical languages began slipping. To remedy this I have looked around for various devotional tools that draw heavily on the Hebrew Scriptures and the Greek New Testament.I have found a few in the passing of time, though not many. Therefore I was delighted to see that Zondervan has published two small devotional volumes that revolve around the original texts [See my review of the first volume " Devotions on the Greek New Testament ."]. The newest installment is "Devotions on the Hebrew Bible" edited by...

Daily Devotional New Testament: Through the New Testament in a Year by Anonymous My rating: 5 of 5 stars To get in the habit of reading Scripture from Genesis to Revelation can be a daunting task, especially if you've never done it before. And it can be doubly dispiriting if you've tried a time or two and never gotten past the first half of Genesis. My normal counsel, when asked, is to encourage "Start small, build steam, then go for the goal!" That's what makes "Daily Devotional New Testament" a delightful project! The aim of this volume is to aid the reader to get through the New Testament in one year. To do this the publisher has broken up the daily readings into bite-size portions, so that day-by-day the reader moves through the whole New Testament in one year. The daily rhythm of the "Daily Devotional New Testament" includes two small readings from the English Standard Version (ESV), punctuated with "Reflections" for each read...

Church Unique: How Missional Leaders Cast Vision, Capture Culture, and Create Movement by Will Mancini My rating: 5 of 5 stars There are lots of programs out on the market to make your congregation hot, hip and huge. The unfortunate side of these approaches is that (1) they function mechanistically, "Our product worked on the East Coast in an upscale New England city, it'll work wherever you are. Just follow our twenty-seven DIY steps exactly." (2) And each project also promotes, or assumes, a specific theology about Church, Christian Sacraments, Worship, and even Eschatology. You can read more about these two downsides here if you are so inclined: ( http://mphilliber.blogspot.com/search... ). That's what makes "Church Unique" unique. Will Mancini, a former pastor and now founder and consultant of Auxano, takes a fresher and healthier stance in this 271 page hardback. He has pulled together some helpful tools and strategies that respect particular cong...

Sunday morning: We praise Thee, O God, our Redeemer, Creator, In grateful devotion our tribute we bring; We lay it before Thee, we kneel and adore Thee, We bless Thy holy Name, glad praises we sing. As your congregation, we give thanks to you, O God, because you give us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ‘s death and resurrection. Therefore, aid us that we may be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord Jesus, knowing that our labor is not in vain in the Lord (1 Corinthians 15.57-58).  And similarly, give us the strength and self-control to never repay evil for evil, but to always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. To rejoice always, pray with ceasing and give thanks in all circumstances for this is your will for us in Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5.15-18). For your Church throughout the world, The Christian Reformed Church; United Reformed Church of North America; Reformed Church U.S.; Netherlands Reformed Church; the Evangel...

It's Biblical, Not Political! How To Line Candidates Up Biblically by Dr. James Taylor My rating: 2 of 5 stars A book by an African-American Evangelical minister promoting politically conservative positions. The book is heavily documented with biblical and historical sources, as well as material from the likes of David Barton, Gary Demar, Russ Walton, John Eidsmoe, the Ryrie Study Bible, Tim LaHaye, and many others. "It's Biblical, Not Political!" leans to the side of the old Moral Majority and Theonomic camps. The author also defends the position that the U.S.A. has a Biblical, moral and divine mandate to support the modern state of Israel. The book is written as a guide for screening political candidates, questions to ask and answers to listen for. If that's your kind of thing, then you may like "It's Biblical, Not Political!" View all my reviews

2016 Young Explorer's Adventure Guide by Sean Weaver My rating: 4 of 5 stars Great book, enjoyable features. There are multiple authors picking up somewhere on the human timeline, whether in the 1800s or off into the future. The stories are short enough to keep attention, long enough to develop story-lines and characters, and fun enough to enjoy. "2016 Young Explorer's Adventure Guide" exhibits some of the most promising YA fiction writers. There is enough diversity to keep a reader looking forward to the next story. I recommend the book. My thanks to the publisher for the e-copy used for this review. View all my reviews

First Defense: Anxiety and Instinct for Self Protection by David Hopkins Jr. My rating: 5 of 5 stars When looking for ways to defend yourself, it is easy to assume programs and products are the simplest and quickest answer. But because violence is often chaotic, other things may be necessary to have a well-rounded approach to self-defense. Dr. David Hopkins Jr., psychologist, martial artist, Krav Maga instructor, and co-owner of Israeli School Security, has taken in hand the task of combining psychotherapy, psychology and personal protection in his easy-to-read 177 page paperback, "First Defense: Anxiety and Instinct for Self-Protection". Hopkins' approach is to help the reader learn to enhance anxiety, and then employ it like an intelligence satellite. To learn to trust one's own anxiety and instincts in critical and crucial settings. For the author, using anxiety as an ally is far different from slipping into "a fear response of panic" (20). When fea...