Alice Von Hildebrand on Fleeting Fads and Eternal Truth: An Interview from the National Catholic Register

Alice von Hildebrand

My sister posted this intriguing and timely interview  from the National Catholic Register, of Alice von Hildebrand, Catholic philosopher and wife of the late Dietrich von Hildebrand.
Dr. Hildebrand is a beautiful and truthful lady. I'm not Catholic and don't agree with penance and transubstantiation, but I believe the 'real presence' of Christ is in us, the church, His tabernacles here on earth. And we should reflect His beauty and truth. He is Truth and Beauty and Goodness.
I wish to promote the unity of believers; so even though she and I would disagree on some things, we can agree on the fundamental truths of Christianity and especially on the love of the Truth, who is the person of Jesus Christ: God with us. 

My Lesson for the Day

I'm so weak that everything I've ever had to do has seemed too much for me; but I still haven't learned to quickly ask for help from God and others. Lessons are always painful.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13

Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:14-16

Doing Good: by Christopher Momany

I'm reading this book on my Kindle right now: Doing Good by Christopher Momany. This is the first line of the description: "Christianity in its purest form involves putting God’s love into action. Wesleyans have traditionally understood this embodiment and expression of God’s love as holiness."
I'm not Wesleyan, I'm Baptist, but the subject is of interest to all persuasions of Christians: the Christian understanding of Love and Holiness is the main theme of the book. I like the author's perspective so far.
The book is free on Kindle right now, which is how I found out about it. I get notices from a Kindle Review website for free book offers.
I'll post any ideas I think are interesting for discussion.

Living Lovingly: Bob Burridge

Pastor Burridge has a really good post on 'Living Lovingly', which as I said a few days ago, is one of the most important things to learn in the Christian life.

Colossians 2:4-15 As you have received Christ, so walk in Him

4 Now this I say lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words. 5 For though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.
6 As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.
8 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; 10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.
11 In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. 13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

Three Exercises for the Soul: Bob Burridge

Bob Burridge of the Genevan Institute for Reformed Studies has a new blog post up about three spiritual exercises that believers should remember to practice daily. They are taken from 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 which says: Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. I for one really needed that reminder.

A Lesson in Humility from 1 Peter 5:6 by Bob Burridge

I'm so glad I found Bob Burridge's blog and website. He has so much good to share from scripture. Today's blog post goes right along with yesterdays: We submit to God in order to resist temptation, and we humble ourselves and submit to God because of what He has done for us as He gives us grace to live as He commands.

How to Escape Temptation: Bob Burridge of the Genevan Institute for Reformed Studies

Pastor Burridge has posted a very helpful exhortation today about how to escape temptation.

Another good passage on escaping temptation and conquering sin:

James 4:3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. 4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”?
6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says:


“ God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble.”

7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.

A Meaningful Life: Dr. Joe Mizzi of Evangeliku

Here's an encouraging reminder from Dr. Mizzi.

The Christianity of Thomas Jefferson: Britt Mooney

Here's a good post by Britt Mooney about Thomas Jefferson's Christianity. Apparently there is alot of misinformation about Jefferson out there, because I thought he was a deist who didn't believe in the miracles of Christ. From the quotes Britt gives it appears Jefferson was a true Christian, and also one who didn't accept the institutional Christianity of his day. Some of what he describes as things added to Christ's pure doctrines sounds alot like Roman Catholicism, and probably also applied to the Church of England as well. This is very exciting to me, and I would like to read the book that Britt mentions to find out more about Jefferson.

Eddie's Word Turnings: Review of Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy

My husband did a review of a bio of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Eddie was very impressed with the book, and with Bonhoeffer. The book is available to Kindle users for $9.99.


Eddie's Word Turnings: Review of Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy

On Disciples and Believers: Part 1: Drunken Mystic

Britt Mooney has a new post up called 'On Disciples and Believers Part 1' that is very good. He writes about how modern Christianity propagates a false teaching that one can be a believer without being a disciple: one can 'just believe' without living the faith.

Wash One Another's Feet: John 13

What did Jesus mean here? How do we do this?
Jesus said to him, “He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean"....So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet."
Jesus also says "For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them."
If we want to be blessed, how do we wash each other's feet? I don't think it's a one-time thing, nor even literally washing each other's feet. I think Jesus was talking about a day to day thing, that has to do with helping each other be clean from our daily 'travels' in which we pick up 'dust' from the road along the way. How?

The Word and the Spirit: Eric of 'He was fragged for our sins' blog

Here's a good post by Eric of 'He was fragged for our sins' about how 'Word' church people and 'Spirit' church people can and should unite and help each other.

Drunken Mystic: Among the Lilies Part 1

Here is a great post by Britt Mooney of Drunken Mystic called 'Among the Lilies'. Read part one and then go on to part two and three.
This should call believers to repentance and a return to our first love of Jesus our Bridegroom.

Beggars All: Reformation And Apologetics: William Webster Responds to Beckwith’s "Return to Rome"

Beggars All: Reformation And Apologetics: William Webster Responds to Beckwith’s "Return to Rome"

Above is a link to a post on Beggars All that links to an article by William Webster who is responding to Francis Beckwith's book Return to Rome. That's a mouthful! I'm still working on reading Webster's article.

UPDATE:
If you look in the labels below this post, you will see 'Drowning in the Tiber'. Click on it to find links to listen to a sermon series by Tony Bartolucci that is also a response to Frank Beckwith's book. Tony also has some transcripts available of the series. Tony goes into some other reasons that Frank Beckwith mentions in his book that may have contributed to his reversion, such as some experiences he and his wife had that made them feel they were being 'led' back to Rome. Unfortunately, God is not the only one who can lead us, if we listen to voices other than His.

I also would like to add that there are many believers in the Catholic Church, but I believe they may soon find that they will be called to leave their church or be judged with her for her errors and her long history of violence. I also believe many others will be called to leave their denominations which are descending into error, or be judged as well.

End Time Pilgrim: The Sabbath Rest

Here is a great new article by Dr. Gavin Finley of End Time Pilgrim called 'The Sabbath Rest'. He shows the true fulfillment of the command to keep the Sabbath. This goes along with some earlier posts I did on The Sabbath Rest.
Also, as I keep repeating, this also goes along with Eddie's series 'The Love of God that Overcomes Condemnation.' Part 1 and Part 2.

Exchangedlife.com: Bearing Fruit: The Purpose of Works

Here is part one of a new message by my husband Eddie about the purpose of works in the Christian life. It will eventually be posted on his blog, which is linked in my sidebar. This message is an extension of Eddie's study on 'The Love of God that Overcomes Condemnation.'
It also goes along with the discussion in earlier posts here and here.

The Great Delusion (The Lie): Lyn Mize of First Fruits Ministry

Here is a study by Lyn Mize of First Fruits Ministry about the 'great delusion' that Paul refers to in 2 Thessalonians 2:10-11: They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie.
This is also related to the Parable of the Virgins, and you can read about that at endtimepilgrim.org by clicking on the photo of the virgin refilling her lamp at the top of my blog.

I would like to add that this warning by Lyn Mize doesn't mean that we have to be some kind of 'super-Christians' to escape the great delusion. In John 15 Jesus tells us how to abide in Him, and that apart from Him we can do nothing. We need to submit to God and repent of our sins and our love of the world, and realize that He means what He says. We need to love Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love our neighbor as ourselves. Read Revelation 2 and 3 to see what Jesus says to the churches about what He approves and disapproves and what we must do. It all revolves around belief (as opposed to unbelief) and love (as opposed to lukewarmness or complacency). Remember all this is done by abiding in Christ and depending upon His strength and grace. When we repent and submit, He is near to us and helps us do what we can't do.

Exchanged Life Discipleship blog: The Love of God That Overcomes Condemnation: Part 4 of 5

Here is part 4 of Eddie's series on the love of God. Very, very good.