Deus Misereatur

  The Magna Carta of Humanity Sometimes it takes non-American eyes to see America well. Os Guinness, born in China and expelled by the Chinese Revolution in 1951, prolific author, social critic, senior fellow at the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics and founder of the Trinity Forum, has a pair of those eyes, and shares his observations regularly. His most recent survey and evaluation has come forth in his new 288-page hardback "The Magna Carta of Humanity: Sinai's Revolutionary Faith and the Future of Freedom". This densely argued dossier  is a valuable excursion through history, political philosophy, economics, Bible, theology, social analysis, as well as the "is" and "ought to be". This is an adult manuscript that forms readers into citizens, and citizens into neighbors. Guinness picks up his theme from a previous work distinguishing between the French Revolution (1789) and the American War of Independence (1776). He chronicles the rise of five...

  Dr. Dave Dorst, a veteran Presbyterian minister, father and grandfather, has pulled together a series of devotional studies to walk readers through the New Testament. "A Year with the New Testament" Volume 2, is a 512-page paperback that looks "closely at what the New Testament itself says" and seeks to "faithfully apply it" to the lives of writer and reader (vii). It's written for "busy people, but busy people willing to devote" a manageable amount of daily time to "serious study of the Bible." It's is crafted for middle-schoolers and older adults alike. The style is basic and straightforward. It begins with an opening prayer suggestion, then moves to the Scripture passage of the day as it walks readers through the New Testament stage-by-stage. Next it spends time making short observations that lead to applications, after which it presents readers with potential material to memorize. Further, the book gives ideas for prayer f...

  Dr. Dave Dorst, a veteran Presbyterian minister, father and grandfather, has pulled together a series of devotional studies to walk readers through the New Testament. "A Year with the New Testament" Volume 1, is a 512-page paperback that looks "closely at what the New Testament  itself says" and seeks to "faithfully apply it" to the lives of writer and reader (vii).  It's written for "busy people, but busy people willing to devote" a manageable amount of daily time to "serious study of the Bible." It's is crafted for middle-schoolers and older adults alike. The style is basic and straightforward. It begins with an opening prayer suggestion, then moves to the Scripture passage of the day as it walks readers through the New Testament stage-by-stage. Next it spends time making short observations that lead to applications, after which it presents readers with potential material to memorize. Further, the book gives ideas for prayer...

  Toxic Relationships: Taking Refuge in Christ It came in the mail as a gift the other day, so my wife and I sat down and used it together in our evening devotions. "Toxic Relationships: Taking Refuge in Christ" is a 104-page softback devotional crafted by Ellen Mary Dykas, women’s ministry coordinator at Harvest USA and the author of Sexual Sanity for Women as well as several mini-books. This is part of the "31-Day Devotionals for Life" series edited by Deepak Reju. My wife and I just finished the easy-to-read mini-manual tonight and I rushed right in to give it this review. "Toxic Relationships" is exactly what this book is about. Each devotional begins with a Scripture passage, and then 1.5 pages of reflections on the biblical text and how it addresses some aspect of our relationship's toxicity and the Gospel-remedy. Dykas tackles same-sex  associations, marriages, dating, abusive affiliations, co-dependency, and other connections that are poisoned ...

  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 numbers such as are being saved. Father, we pray you would bring us families with children, pre-teens, middle school, and upper school kids, single people, widowed, married, and divorced, and those across the ethnic spectrum. We solicit your help in drawing in folks from the neighborhoods around here. We also long to have men, women, boys, and girls who will come, believe in Jesus, profess their faith, and receive Christian baptism. And then, Mighty God...

  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, musicians, movie stars, politicians, or 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 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 waters. The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of...

  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. And on this 77 th Anniversary of D-Day, may we reflect and recall the bravery of many, the loss of countless numbers, and the sacrifice of so much in the cause of the right. Hear our prayer...