Today's Devotions

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Showcase: Assorted Treats

  • Introduction to The Death of Death..by JI Packer +

    INTRODUCTORY ESSAY ___ to John Owen's The Death Of Death in the Death of Christ ___ By J.I. Packer _________ Read More
  • An Interview with Os Guiness on the 25th Anniversary of Francis Schaeffer's Death-Justin Taylor, 2009 +

    Next week (May 15) will be the 25th anniversary of the death of Francis Schaeffer, who died in his home Read More
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deadmtn1I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree that the law is good. But in fact it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do.

Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me. So I find it to be a law that when I want to do what is good, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God in my inmost self, but I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind, making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! Romans 7

Solomon Burke sings about this very frustration in the song, Like Anyone Else, which he performs with the Derek Trucks Band.

I'm just trying to understand ohh
Just really, really who I am
Ohh oh who I am oh lord lord lord now

Is there any truth, is there any doubt
Born of the flesh, Trying to figure out my purpose in life
I feel I wanna be a servant of the cause
Got to change my ways, tribulation loss
Starting right now, right now, right now, right now, right now


This song presents the confusion and frustration Paul describes: we don’t do what we should do or want to do. We fail. Life as a Christian is a struggle. But as Paul notes, thanks be to God—we have Jesus Christ—our redeemer, our deliver.


Solomon Burke, a member of the rock and roll hall of fame since 2001, described as the best soul singer of all time by Atlantic Records producer Jerry Wexler, was born in a church in Philadelphia on March 21, 1940, and has kept his faith strong over his 70 years. Solomon describes his approach simply and straightforwardly: “but there I was, born in grace, and it was always easy for me to understand the goodness of God. I strived never to be too overwhelmed or overbearing with it and do what the Lord said to do.”

Like Anyone Else

There are times I do, there are times I don't
First I say I will, then I say I won't, make up your mind
Heaven knows I can, then I say I should
Then I start to doubt if I really could oohhh oohh
So turned around, so turned around, so turned around
Figure it out babe
Think about it baby
I'm just trying to understand ohh
Just really, really who I am
Ohh oh who I am oh lord lord lord now


Is there any truth, is there any doubt
Born of the flesh, Trying to figure out my purpose in life
I feel I wanna be a servant of the cause
Got to change my ways, tribulation loss
Starting right now, right now, right now, right now, right now


Realizing baby
Working and working and working it out working it out baby
Cause I got to leave here - ???
I really wanna know who, who I am
Oh lord, who I am, who I am, who I am


There are times I do, There are times I don't
First I say I will, then I say I won't
Ohh oohh make up your mind, make up your mind
Heaven knows I can, then I say I should, then I start to doubt if I really could
Soo turned around, turned around, turned around


Trying to figure it out baby
Thinking about it baby
Just can't understand
Who I really really really really
..... who I really am


Is there any truth
Is there any doubt, any doubt, any doubt
... any doubt, any doubt I'm trying to figure it out -
Just a servant of the cause
Got to change my ways, start right now...

Reflections to Consider

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Publications

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Music

  • Jesus be the centre

    Center is a song that speaks of the essence of our life in Christ, and echoes the words the Christ Read More
  • I Lift My Hands

    A powerful hymn of adoration and praise Arkansas Gospel Mass Choir. This succinctly captures the joy of knowing our savior. Read More
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Audio & Video

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Favorites

  • Transforming this World: The Hope of Glory by NT Wright +

    Wright confronts the perspective that this world doesn’t matter, and that we live only to be in heaven. He shows Read More
  • What is Good in a World that Defies Hope: a talk by NT Wright +

    This is the second part of three talks by NT Wright at Harvard University in November, 2008 on the topic Read More
  • The Stream, the Lake and the River: NT Wright +

      Acts 2.1-21; John 7.37-39; a sermon at the Eucharist on the Feast of Pentecost, 11 May 2008, by the Read More
  • Jesus in the Perfect Storm by NT Wright +

    Zechariah 9.9-17; Luke 19.28-48; A sermon for Palm Sunday, April 17, 2011, In the University Chapel of St Salvator, St Read More
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Hidden Blessings

  • Christ is a Great Savior: a review of the movie Amazing Grace +

    Amazing Grace is a historical drama about William Wilberforce who was elected to British Parliament at the age of 21 Read More
  • Wilberforce, Hollywood's Amazing Grace, Charlotte Allen +

    William Wilberforce's relentless campaign eventually led the British Parliament to ban the slave trade, in 1807, and to pass a Read More
  • Making Beauty out of Ugly Things: Grace by U2 +

    Grace, she takes the blame She covers the shame Removes the stain It could be her name Grace, she carries Read More
  • The True Nature of Grace and Love: a movie review of the Soloist +

    The 2009 movie The Soloist is based on a book by the same name, written by Los Angeles Times columnist Read More
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