Monday, December 27, 2010
When It's Hard to Agree With God: Bob Burridge
Bob Burridge of Genevan Institute for Reformed Studies has a helpful new post up today about the confession of sin.
Sunday, December 26, 2010
'The Hope of the Whole World': John Cullimore
John Cullimore has a really good post up (he's had alot of good ones recently) called 'The Hope of the Whole World'. What John said about the treatment of an autistic boy, Neal, compared with how God entered our world, really struck me.
Saturday, December 25, 2010
The Name of Jesus: Bob Burridge of Genevan Institute for Reformed Studies
Merry Christmas!!! Here's the latest post in 'The Truth About Christmas Series' called 'The Name of Jesus'.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Great God Of Wonders: Samuel Davies (1723-1761)
My old teacher Bob Burridge recommended this hymn by Samuel Davies, a preacher of the 18th century who was also a President of Princeton University. Pastor Burridge writes about Davies in this blog post.
Here are the lyrics for the entire hymn, which gives praise to God alone.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
The Birth of Our Savior: Genevan Institute for Reformed Studies: Bob Burridge
My favorite 7th grade science/Bible/homeroom teacher, Mr. Burridge, has recently started a new website and foundation, the 'Genevan Institute for Reformed Studies'. On the Institute's blog, he has a series of articles about Christmas. Here is Part 8: The Birth of Our Savior, which again mentions 'upper room' (Greek 'kataluma') as the true translation of the place in which there was no room for Christ, rather than the traditional 'inn'. The article, and the others in the series, look at the Christmas story from the perspective of Scripture, removing the false impressions that have been added by years of tradition. I hope you will read this article and then take the time to read the others in the series, as I plan to.
Mr. Burridge is no longer a science teacher. After teaching for many years, he became pastor of Grace Presbyterian Church, Pinellas Park, Florida. Here is a page about the Institute and its founder.
Mr. Burridge is no longer a science teacher. After teaching for many years, he became pastor of Grace Presbyterian Church, Pinellas Park, Florida. Here is a page about the Institute and its founder.
Bigger and Better than Mary: Drunken Mystic blog
Here's a new post by Britt Mooney about the way God works, beginning with the physical and ending with the spiritual, saving the best for last, as He did when He turned the water into wine in John chapter 2.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Saturday, December 18, 2010
'The Seven Storey Mountain' by Thomas Merton: Divisions
Starting here in Thomas Merton's book 'The Seven Storey Mountain' Merton writes about part of the process of his conversion to Catholicism. He speaks about taking a class at Columbia from a professor named Dan Walsh, who was a visiting professor from Sacred heart College at Manhattanville. The class was on St. Thomas Aquinas and Duns Scotus. If you read at the link and go a few pages you'll get to the place where Merton admires Walsh for having
This is a very striking statement of Merton's, first of all because as a protestant it speaks to me of the stifling effect of sectarianism among protestants, who are subject to separation because of issues of philosophy, doctrine, and also of ecclesiastical structure, etc. There are valid reasons for separation, but in many cases I believe Christians allow differences and conflicts to come between when they should be learning from each other with forbearance and love. There are some differences that do not affect salvation and should not come between fellowship in the body of Christ, but these differences are often allowed to cause bitterness, pride, and broken fellowship in the body that should be united with Christ as our Head. Paul said in Ephesians 4:1 I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
Jesus said in John 15:16-17 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. These things I command you, that you love one another.
So, as Merton said about Catholicism, I believe many of protestantism's differing views could be seen as perspectives that can complement one another and lead us all into greater understanding and unity, rather than division, such as the sometimes rancorous division between Calvinists and Arminians, whose respective advocates have been known to regard one another as even being heretical.
Merton's words are striking, secondly, because of the admittance that there is sectarianism within Catholicism, between different philosophies, followings, and orders, which causes division and bitterness between them; as well as the idea that this adherence to one philosophy brings "the evil of narrowing and restricting Catholic philosophy and theology to a single school, to a single attitude, a single system." The latter criticism could be applied to the whole of Roman Catholicism itself, because the dogmatism of Rome has restricted 'Christian' doctrine and philosophy to its own tradition and made these traditions the only ones that can be accepted and believed in order for its members to be saved; for example, Catholics must accept the dogmas of transubstantiation, Papal infallibility, and the Marian doctrines in order to be considered in fellowship with the Church. This narrowing by Rome has caused division after division over the centuries by those believers who could not in conscience accept these dogmas. Yet these dogmas and others were not accepted or even thought of by the early church, which was taught to 'preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace' and knew how to do it in humility and love. Jesus taught in Matthew 18 that "offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes." In other words it could also say: sins that cause division must come, but woe to him by whom those sins come. Here's the whole passage, which then goes on to say that we must separate ourselves from what causes sin:
The whole passage of Matthew 18 is talking about the body of Christ, and the 'little ones' Christ speaks of are not children, but those who have 'become as little children' by faith. If someone causes the little ones of God to stumble into sin, then woe to that person. The Reformers believed vehemently that the church of Rome was causing many little ones to stumble into idolatry, as well as preventing many from entering into the Kingdom of God by teaching a false gospel of works. The Reformers hoped to reform the church from within, but eventually were forced out by the Church itself and by their own consciences. The offenses of Rome caused a 'cutting off' in the body of Christ because one part of the body caused the other parts to sin.
Paul also taught in 1 Corinthians 3:1 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. 2 I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; 3 for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? 4 For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal?....18 Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their own craftiness”; 20 and again, “The LORD knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.” 21 Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things are yours: 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death, or things present or things to come—all are yours. 23 And you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.
We Christians are too quick to puff ourselves up in our own supposed wisdom and look down upon others with differing perspectives as if they had nothing from God to give. We forget that all we have and all we know comes from God, and we have nothing that comes from ourselves. We were commanded to love one another in humility and patience, and we totally disregard that command given by the Apostle and by Christ our Lord Himself.
As a final note, I believe we can pursue unity with individual Catholics when we see the bond of common faith in the Spirit, though I can't see that unity with the Roman Church will ever be possible. An obstacle I encounter in fellowship with individual Catholics is that they have so completely accepted the idea that the RCC is the one true infallible church that they can't go very far in a reciprocal relationship where we can learn from each other, because they don't believe the Spirit and the Word speak directly to believers outside the magisterium, so that believers can exhort one another; nor can they believe that the true church is not the RCC, but consists of a remnant all over the world inside and outside of the many church organizations.
"the most rare and admirable virtue of being able to rise above the petty differences of schools and systems, and seeing Catholic philosophy in its wholeness, in its variegated unity, and it its true Catholicity. In other words, he was able to study St. Thomas and St. Bonaventure and Duns Scotus side by side, and to see them as complementing and reinforcing one another, as throwing diverse and individual light on the same truths from different points of view, and thus he avoided the evil of narrowing and restricting Catholic philosophy and theology to a single school, to a single attitude, a single system.
I pray to God that there may be raised up more like him in the Church and in our universities, because there is something stifling and intellectually deadening about textbooks that confine themselves to giving a superficial survey of the field of philosophy according to Thomist principles and then discard all the rest in a few controversial objections. Indeed, I think it a great shame and a danger of no small proportions, that Catholic philosophers should be trained in division against one another, and brought up to the bitterness and smallness of controversy: because this is bound to narrow their views and dry up the unction that should vivify all philosophy in their souls."
This is a very striking statement of Merton's, first of all because as a protestant it speaks to me of the stifling effect of sectarianism among protestants, who are subject to separation because of issues of philosophy, doctrine, and also of ecclesiastical structure, etc. There are valid reasons for separation, but in many cases I believe Christians allow differences and conflicts to come between when they should be learning from each other with forbearance and love. There are some differences that do not affect salvation and should not come between fellowship in the body of Christ, but these differences are often allowed to cause bitterness, pride, and broken fellowship in the body that should be united with Christ as our Head. Paul said in Ephesians 4:1 I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
Jesus said in John 15:16-17 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. These things I command you, that you love one another.
So, as Merton said about Catholicism, I believe many of protestantism's differing views could be seen as perspectives that can complement one another and lead us all into greater understanding and unity, rather than division, such as the sometimes rancorous division between Calvinists and Arminians, whose respective advocates have been known to regard one another as even being heretical.
Merton's words are striking, secondly, because of the admittance that there is sectarianism within Catholicism, between different philosophies, followings, and orders, which causes division and bitterness between them; as well as the idea that this adherence to one philosophy brings "the evil of narrowing and restricting Catholic philosophy and theology to a single school, to a single attitude, a single system." The latter criticism could be applied to the whole of Roman Catholicism itself, because the dogmatism of Rome has restricted 'Christian' doctrine and philosophy to its own tradition and made these traditions the only ones that can be accepted and believed in order for its members to be saved; for example, Catholics must accept the dogmas of transubstantiation, Papal infallibility, and the Marian doctrines in order to be considered in fellowship with the Church. This narrowing by Rome has caused division after division over the centuries by those believers who could not in conscience accept these dogmas. Yet these dogmas and others were not accepted or even thought of by the early church, which was taught to 'preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace' and knew how to do it in humility and love. Jesus taught in Matthew 18 that "offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes." In other words it could also say: sins that cause division must come, but woe to him by whom those sins come. Here's the whole passage, which then goes on to say that we must separate ourselves from what causes sin:
6 “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. 7 Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!
8 “If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire. 9 And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire.
The whole passage of Matthew 18 is talking about the body of Christ, and the 'little ones' Christ speaks of are not children, but those who have 'become as little children' by faith. If someone causes the little ones of God to stumble into sin, then woe to that person. The Reformers believed vehemently that the church of Rome was causing many little ones to stumble into idolatry, as well as preventing many from entering into the Kingdom of God by teaching a false gospel of works. The Reformers hoped to reform the church from within, but eventually were forced out by the Church itself and by their own consciences. The offenses of Rome caused a 'cutting off' in the body of Christ because one part of the body caused the other parts to sin.
Paul also taught in 1 Corinthians 3:1 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. 2 I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; 3 for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? 4 For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal?....18 Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their own craftiness”; 20 and again, “The LORD knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.” 21 Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things are yours: 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death, or things present or things to come—all are yours. 23 And you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.
We Christians are too quick to puff ourselves up in our own supposed wisdom and look down upon others with differing perspectives as if they had nothing from God to give. We forget that all we have and all we know comes from God, and we have nothing that comes from ourselves. We were commanded to love one another in humility and patience, and we totally disregard that command given by the Apostle and by Christ our Lord Himself.
As a final note, I believe we can pursue unity with individual Catholics when we see the bond of common faith in the Spirit, though I can't see that unity with the Roman Church will ever be possible. An obstacle I encounter in fellowship with individual Catholics is that they have so completely accepted the idea that the RCC is the one true infallible church that they can't go very far in a reciprocal relationship where we can learn from each other, because they don't believe the Spirit and the Word speak directly to believers outside the magisterium, so that believers can exhort one another; nor can they believe that the true church is not the RCC, but consists of a remnant all over the world inside and outside of the many church organizations.
"What must I do to be saved?"
Dr. Joe Mizzi on 'What must I do to be saved?' (Come to Jesus!)
Charles Spurgeon's testimony: "Look, look, look! You have nothing to do but look and live!"
Jesus on salvation: John 6:35 And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst."
Charles Spurgeon's testimony: "Look, look, look! You have nothing to do but look and live!"
Jesus on salvation: John 6:35 And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst."
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Sophia's Nativity Picture
My 6 year old daughter came to me last night and showed me this picture she had drawn: so adorable, beautiful, and sweet.
Psalm 147: "He gives snow like wool; He scatters the frost like ashes"
Praise the Lord!
For it is good to sing praises to our God;
For it is pleasant, and praise is beautiful.
2 The Lord builds up Jerusalem;
He gathers together the outcasts of Israel.
3 He heals the brokenhearted
And binds up their wounds.
4 He counts the number of the stars;
He calls them all by name.
5 Great is our Lord, and mighty in power;
His understanding is infinite.
6 The Lord lifts up the humble;
He casts the wicked down to the ground.
7 Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;
Sing praises on the harp to our God,
8 Who covers the heavens with clouds,
Who prepares rain for the earth,
Who makes grass to grow on the mountains.
9 He gives to the beast its food,
And to the young ravens that cry.
10 He does not delight in the strength of the horse;
He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man.
11 The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him,
In those who hope in His mercy.
12 Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem!
Praise your God, O Zion!
13 For He has strengthened the bars of your gates;
He has blessed your children within you.
14 He makes peace in your borders,
And fills you with the finest wheat.
15 He sends out His command to the earth;
His word runs very swiftly.
16 He gives snow like wool;
He scatters the frost like ashes;
17 He casts out His hail like morsels;
Who can stand before His cold?
18 He sends out His word and melts them;
He causes His wind to blow, and the waters flow.
19 He declares His word to Jacob,
His statutes and His judgments to Israel.
20 He has not dealt thus with any nation;
And as for His judgments, they have not known them.
Praise the Lord!
For it is good to sing praises to our God;
For it is pleasant, and praise is beautiful.
2 The Lord builds up Jerusalem;
He gathers together the outcasts of Israel.
3 He heals the brokenhearted
And binds up their wounds.
4 He counts the number of the stars;
He calls them all by name.
5 Great is our Lord, and mighty in power;
His understanding is infinite.
6 The Lord lifts up the humble;
He casts the wicked down to the ground.
7 Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;
Sing praises on the harp to our God,
8 Who covers the heavens with clouds,
Who prepares rain for the earth,
Who makes grass to grow on the mountains.
9 He gives to the beast its food,
And to the young ravens that cry.
10 He does not delight in the strength of the horse;
He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man.
11 The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him,
In those who hope in His mercy.
12 Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem!
Praise your God, O Zion!
13 For He has strengthened the bars of your gates;
He has blessed your children within you.
14 He makes peace in your borders,
And fills you with the finest wheat.
15 He sends out His command to the earth;
His word runs very swiftly.
16 He gives snow like wool;
He scatters the frost like ashes;
17 He casts out His hail like morsels;
Who can stand before His cold?
18 He sends out His word and melts them;
He causes His wind to blow, and the waters flow.
19 He declares His word to Jacob,
His statutes and His judgments to Israel.
20 He has not dealt thus with any nation;
And as for His judgments, they have not known them.
Praise the Lord!
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Monday, December 13, 2010
Casting Crowns God is With Us
Here's another great song by Casting Crowns. They have a great gift of sharing the old, old story in a way that makes it newly meaningful.
Casting Crowns - I Heard The Bells on Christmas Day Live
I love this version of 'I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day' by Casting Crowns!
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Thursday, December 09, 2010
Amazing Grace - Mark O'Connor
I'm on a music spree, so here's another beautiful song for you to enjoy!
Hebrew for Christians website: Really neat!
Here is a neat website called Hebrew for Christians, which I have linked to once before when I accidentally came upon it in an online search about Joshua the son of Nun. 'Nun' is one of the Hebrew letters, so it came up in my search, and I posted the page for it here. The author has done amazing work to share with us the richness of the Hebrew language. Even each letter is rich with meaning. I encourage you to read through some of the pages on each letter of the 'aleph-bet'. The author, John Parsons, also has much free downloadable teaching material for homeschool or for adult students, as well as some materials for purchase.
Christmas Food Court Flash Mob, Hallelujah Chorus - Must See!
Several people have shared this video in the last few days, so I thought I would post it for you to enjoy. I hope everyone is having a blessed Christmas season!
Tuesday, December 07, 2010
The Light Came to the World: Dr. Joe Mizzi
Dr. Joe Mizzi has a good post up called 'The Light Came to the World'.
Saturday, December 04, 2010
Lord, I Am Your Child: Sharon Lee Beavers
Here's a beautiful song written and performed by Sharon Lee Beavers(Gianuzzi), our Koinonia home school co-op music teacher:
"He waters the hills from His upper rooms"
I posted a few days ago on an Answers in Genesis article called "Born in a Barn?, which states that the word translated as 'inn' in Luke 2:7 is actually the Greek word for 'upper room'; the same word that is used in referring to the room where Jesus met with His disciples. It is a guest room, considered the best room in the house. It stated also that Mary and Joseph may have been planning to stay at a relative's home, but that since there were so many people coming to Bethlehem for the census, that the guest room was full, and Mary and Joseph were staying in the lower room where the animals were sometimes brought if it was very cold outside. The other day, while I was continuing to read Thomas Merton's 'Seven Storey Mountain', Merton quoted from Psalm 104, which in the Douay-Rheims version says "Thou waterest the hills from thy upper rooms: the earth shall be filled with the fruit of thy works." This of course brought to mind the 'upper room' in the gospels and in the article. What an amazing parallel, that God waters the lower rooms, the earth, sending His goodness down from the highest place to the lowest place. As was brought out in an earlier thread, water always flows downward to the lowest place it can reach, and seeps down into the ground to refresh it. This is what God did when He sent His Son to earth. There was no room for Him in the upper room, but He came to the lower room to bring us life, and He said "In My Father’s house are many mansions [rooms]; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also." "Blessed be the Lord, Who daily loads us with benefits, The God of our salvation!" Psalm 68:19
Psalm 133
1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For brethren to dwell together in unity!
2 It is like the precious oil upon the head,
Running down on the beard,
The beard of Aaron,
Running down on the edge of his garments.
3 It is like the dew of Hermon,
Descending upon the mountains of Zion;
For there the LORD commanded the blessing—
Life forevermore.
Psalm 133
1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For brethren to dwell together in unity!
2 It is like the precious oil upon the head,
Running down on the beard,
The beard of Aaron,
Running down on the edge of his garments.
3 It is like the dew of Hermon,
Descending upon the mountains of Zion;
For there the LORD commanded the blessing—
Life forevermore.
Unity and the Roman Catholic Church
Here's an interesting post on unity from Paul Pavao, basically saying unity comes from believers enacting love within the local church.
Unity and the Roman Catholic Church
Unity and the Roman Catholic Church
Thursday, December 02, 2010
Beggars All: Reformation And Apologetics: A word about "intellectual converts"
Interesting post; both the post and the comments mention things that coincide with impressions I've gotten about the RCC and 'converts vs. cradle Catholics'.
Beggars All: Reformation And Apologetics: A word about "intellectual converts"
Beggars All: Reformation And Apologetics: A word about "intellectual converts"
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