Deus Misereatur

[The following is what I presented on 22 June 2016 at the Capitol Forum, at the Oklahoma State Capitol] Demon Piety Luke 8.26-39 Did you know that the devil is very pious or religious? And did you know that our best religious efforts are often duplicated by demons? Why should this matter? Because it ought to inspire in you and me to examine ourselves, our religiousness, our Christianity, and yearn to be authentic God-lovers ! Consider the “piety’” of the demoniac: Demons have religious insight: “ Jesus, Son of the Most High God” (v.28). Demons have a form of religiousness: notice they pray to Christ for some form of mercy: “ I beg you, do not torment me” (v.28)! Demons were persistent in their prayers: “ they begged him... ” (v.28, 31, 32). Demons praying in a humble, subservient posture: “he cried out and fell down before him” (v.28). Demons pray with deep feeling: he cried out... and said with a loud voice” (v.28). Demons use humble expressions in their p...

From Psalm 127 Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep. LORD, you are the One who builds the house, and watches over the city. We plant and water, but you are the one who gives the growth! Bless our congregation with fitting and fair growth; that we would grow roots downward and bear fruit upward; that you would add to our number such as are being saved. Father, we pray you would bring us families with children, pre-teens, middle school and upper school kids. We ask for single people, widowed, married and divorced. We solicit your help in drawing in families and folks from the Glen Eagles, Fairhill, Redlands and Brasswood neighborhoods. We also long to have men, women, boys and girls who will come, believe in Jesus, profess their faith, and receive Chris...

From Psalm 29 Ascribe to the LORD, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength. Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness. Royal and regal God, who sits above all that claims our allegiances, and who is enthroned over all who are deified and idolized; we pray that you would bring all self-made divas and divinities (like youthfulness, money, health, many pop-musicians, movie stars, politicians; whatever we fawn over and grovel before) to see that there is no authority or acclaim outside of you and your control. Raise up the humble, and cast the wicked to the ground. And as we asked for earlier this morning in the doxology, may all that is in heaven, on the earth and under the earth come join with us and worship you in all of your splendor and steadfast love.  Hear our prayer, O Lord, and let our cry come to you !  The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the LORD, over many...

D-Day, June 6, 1944: The Battle for the Normandy Beaches by Stephen E. Ambrose My rating: 5 of 5 stars Ambrose does a delightful job wedding the reader's emotional engagement with historical events through his masterful storytelling of that fateful day in 1944. Not only does he supply the background material necessary to retain a sense of the preparations and intensity of operational tempo, but he also shows how even best laid plans can all go awry, since we are not master's of our own destinies....or landing zones! The author is a master storyteller. There were times when tears streamed down my cheeks as I read some of the episodes. There were other times I sat on the edge of my chair griping the book. I highly recommend the book for teenagers, younger and older adults, men and women. You will likely never let June 6 pass by thoughtlessly ever again. View all my reviews

From Psalm 2 Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his Anointed, saying, “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.” O God, see how the peoples and nations of this world conspire and rage against your Son and his Lordship: through judication, legislation, execution of orders, shaming on the air waves, taunting and demonizing through social media and music, and in some places downright brutality and cruelty. See, O Lord; take note and come to the aid of your chosen ones. We long to see our own nation flourish as a just and lawful land. We long to see our neighborhoods, cities and State to show themselves to be the land of the free and the home of the brave. Hear our prayer, O Lord, and let our cry come to you ! He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify th...

The Image of God in an Image Driven Age: Explorations in Theological Anthropology by Beth Felker Jones My rating: 5 of 5 stars What does it mean for humankind to be created in the image of God? Are there ways this should play out in our social, inter-racial, and marital relationships? Is there anything restorative and health-giving for the battered, abused and molested in knowing that they are in the image of God? Many of these questions, and more, are tackled in a new 272 page paperback anthology, “The Image of God in an Image Driven Age: Explorations in Theological Anthropology.” This compilation is edited by Beth Felker Jones, associate professor of theology at Wheaton College, and Jeffrey W. Barbeau, associate professor of theology in the Graduate School at Wheaton College. It is a collection of twelve essays are drawn from the 2015 Wheaton Theology Conference, and are penned by authors across the ecclesiastical-theological-racial-gender spectrum. These papers, pulled together, ...

Krav Maga Professional Tactics: The Contact Combat System of the Israeli Martial Arts by David Kahn My rating: 5 of 5 stars There are days during training when the "martial" is clear; there are other days that it's obvious that it's truly "art"; on occasion it feels as if it is only a sport, with all of the emphasis on scoring points, countering the "attack", and looking for quick openings. That's why it's useful, once in a while, to delve into books that recall what it's all about. In this regard a new volume has just rolled off the press by David Kahn, a certified Israeli Krav Maga Association instructor, and trainer of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies along with all branches of the U.S. military. "Krav Maga: Professional Tactics" is a 352 page instructional manual that is designed for "security-conscious civilians, law enforcement officers, military personnel, and security professionals alike who w...