Deus Misereatur

A Sojourner's Truth: Choosing Freedom and Courage in a Divided World by Natasha Sistrunk Robinson My rating: 4 of 5 stars Sojourner Truth was born into slavery at the end of the 18th Century in Ulster county, New York. She knew what it was like to groan under dark oppression and to long for the day of the Lord's release. Her moment came when she escaped in 1828 and found refuge with an abolitionist family, and obtained her emancipation. She became an itinerant preacher, an avid spokeswoman for abolition and promoter of women's rights. How fitting, then, that Natasha Sistrunk Robinson, Naval Academy alumni, USMC veteran, author, speaker and visionary founder of LINKS, Inc. titles her new 208 page softback "A Sojourner's Truth: Choosing Freedom and Courage in a Divided World." It is an easy-to-read book that weaves in the story of Israel's enslavement in Egypt and subsequent liberation by the hand of God the Redeemer through his servant Moses. It is a ma...

The Absent Superpower: The Shale Revolution and a World Without America by Peter Zeihan My rating: 5 of 5 stars In "The Absent Superpower" Peter Zeihan, geopolitical strategist, speaker and author, picks up where he left off in " The Accidental Superpower ." And in these 422 pages, published in January 2017, the author revs the engine to higher RPMs, slams into first gear, and screeches out onto the track. For a hardback packed with details about geology, oil production, politics, and history, it is amazingly an engaging read! My wife, who read the book, agrees! The main focus in the book is oil production, and specifically shale. Zeihan's premise is that the shale revolution has made the U.S.A. more independent from the rest of the world. Couple that with the end of the Cold War, and the rise of isolationism (evidenced in the 2016 Presidential election), then it is highly likely the America will pull back from the larger world allowing things to go to pot...

This morning I was reading Matthew 17.14-21, and was momentarily stumped. The following is a part of the fruit of my reflection. After Jesus’ transfiguration he comes down with Peter, James and John and is met by a crowd. Out of the crowd comes a father, distraught and devastated by the disintegration of his son, “ And when they came to the crowd, a man came up to him and, kneeling before him, said, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he has seizures and he suffers terribly. For often he falls into the fire, and often into the water. And I brought him to your disciples, and they could not heal him ” (17.14-16). Here is a desperate dad, helplessly and feebly imploring Jesus to do something! Jesus’ response is a bit off-putting at first, “ O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me ” (17.17). It seems to me that he is specifically calling his disciples and the crowd a faithless and twisted generation, not t...

O Lord Jesus Christ, who has generously given yourself for our sins to deliver us from this present evil age, to deliver us from the dominance of the devil, and to deliver us from the fearful bondage of death; as our great High Priest you regard the humble prayers of all who call upon you, who call upon you in truth. Incline your ear and hear. Regard your Holy, Universal Church which you are sanctifying, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word; including this church and West 10 th Street Baptist Church, Western Hills Baptist, Westminster Road Baptist, and Wildewood Baptist Church. Rectify, O Lord, and have mercy upon all the ministers, pastors, elders, and overseers of your Church: aid us to shepherd the flock of God that is among us, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as you would have us do; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in our charge, but being examples to the flock (1 Peter 5.2-3). And keep your ...

Leviticus Bible Study by Jay Sklar My rating: 5 of 5 stars "Are you willing to give Leviticus a chance?" That is the question that drives this in-depth and intensive study guide on Leviticus. Scott Behm, California Lawyer and Covenant Seminary graduate, teamed up with Jay Sklar, Covenant Seminary professor and Commentary-on-Leviticus writer, to give Bible students a roomy, 236 page softback workbook through Leviticus. The book is set up for individual use as well as group study, and ideal for older teens, young adults, empty-nesters, and the hoary-haired. It's friendly on the eyes and fuel for the soul! "Leviticus Bible Study" is a 29-week investigation that works through each chapter from two angles. The lion's share of the material is for individual preparation to be digested piecemeal through the week. There are reflection questions, a prayer, queries to be answered, applications and ways to respond. Did I mention that it's roomy, with loads of ...

Welcoming Justice: God's Movement Toward Beloved Community by Charles   Marsh My rating: 4 of 5 stars They always say chili tastes better the second time around, after it has sat in the refrigerator marinating in it's sauces and aged for a short spell. Maybe that's the case with the brand new, expanded edition of "Welcoming Justice: God's Movement Toward Beloved Community". This easy-to-read 144 page softback has soaked in it's juices for almost 10 years (first published in 2009). The authors, Charles Marsh, director of the Project on Lived Theology and professor of religious and theological studies at the University of Virginia, and John M. Perkins, a leader in the Civil Rights movement, and founder of Voice of Calvary Ministries in Mendenhall, Mississippi, Harambee Ministries in Pasadena, California, and the Christian Community Development Association (CCDA), have freshened up the manuscript, and added a few seasoned insights. Also, it is quite fitti...

(Someone I know sent me an email today asking about the devil/Satan. Here is my reply. I thought some would find it useful) Hi JXXXXX, You're right about the popular notion (even among Christians) of a yin and yang view of Satan and God. In fact, the first sermon I preached on Job (Job 1-3) about 4 weeks ago I mention that. Here's the link to the audio file of that sermon. It might be good to listen when you have a little time: " Job: Woe, Whirlwind, and Wellbeing - Pt 1 " I've never run across anything worthwhile on the demonic and Satan. If we leave aside the fanciful conjectures and just look at Scripture, there's very, very little on Satan....not enough to really write a book on. We know Satan is a real entity that communicates and converses, thinks, is cunning, hates God's people, at times encourages nations to go after God's people and rebel against God, and is a tempter (I just listed everything the Scripture says on the subject fro...