Fiercely Catholic - Learn your faith. Love your faith. Live your faith.’s Post

Explore the biblical teaching on the person and work of the Holy Spirit today. Deepen your knowledge of God the Holy Spirit and his miraculous work in this new series by Drs. John Frame and Steve Childers.

Have you made any New Years Resolutions? This time of year can be difficult at the best of times, without the constant pressure to improve. The next Cake, Coffee & Conversation will look at the theology of struggle. What does our faith say about working on ourselves or our craft - and can self-improvement ever really make us more holy? Join the conversation! 📅 18th Jan ⏰ 11am-12 📍 43 The Calls Book here: https://buff.ly/3RFlUZi

The author of Ecclesiastes spent a lot of time exploring the meaning of life. This "Teacher," a king of Israel in Jerusalem (traditionally identified as King Solomon), tried it all in his quest for meaning-power and prestige, wealth and women. And, yet, still, he observed that generations come and generations go, but it all seems to be an endless cycle... We work hard, but we eventually die. We acquire things, but we eventually die. Whether we spend our lives doing good or evil, we all eventually die. But he goes on to say: "Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God's work from beginning to end." Ecclesiastes 3:11 NLT When you gaze up at a star-filled sky, hold a newborn baby in your arms, or hike through a field of wildflowers, you are meant to be reminded of something greater—your Creator. When you study what's been recorded in human history or even process your own life, you get glimpses of the bigger picture—but you can still only see so much. It's not your job to know everything, but it is your job to trust God. At the very end of the book, the Teacher shares his final thoughts: "Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind" (Ecclesiastes 12:13). When you look back on this year, what was beautiful? Even if it was challenging or excruciating, what did God teach you through it? Regardless of the past or what the future holds, you can trust that God is working from beginning to end.

What does the wayside indicate in this parable? Matthew 13:19: “When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart.” What causes a person to not understand the truth? 1 Corinthians 2:14: “The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” As such: 1 Corinthians 2:13: “We impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.” Where then does our answer come from? 2 Timothy 3:16: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” The reason why Christians are so described in: Acts 17:11: “These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the Word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.” Therefore: James 1:5: “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” What’s more? Colossians 3:16: “Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom.” christatthehelm.org

Reading the Bible Through Lent is the perfect accompaniment to Lenten study and reflection using the scripture readings of the Catholic liturgy. For every day of Lent, it provides the Bible readings for the day (taken from the Revised New Jerusalem Bible), with a short commentary, two questions for personal reflection and two prayers – all written by the Revd Dr Adrian Graffy, a member of the Pontifical Biblical Commission – enabling the Bible to be read in the contemplative tradition of Lectio Divina. https://lnkd.in/e9eZJMVf

BOOK OF THE WEEK: On the Holy Spirit by Basil the Great Basil’s classic treatise on the Holy Spirit is a great example of what I’ve come to appreciate about the church fathers over the past few years: namely, their incredible depth and precision of theological thought. Written during the 4th century (which was characterized by many crucial debates over Trinitarian doctrine), Basil articulates and defends what would become known as standard Nicene orthodoxy regarding the relation of the Holy Spirit to the Father and the Son, forming a powerful and compelling case from the biblical text. His arguments lead him to address a surprising number of other subjects as well, such as typology, baptism, and the role of church tradition (though I would significantly differ from him in those last two areas). And his concluding remarks on the state of the church in his day contain many pastoral insights that could also be applied to the church of our own day. This important work is a short but weighty and worthwhile read.

Romans: A Guide to Successful and Wise Living

Examine the evidence for the fulfillment of Biblical prophecies. Learn how these fulfilled predictions strengthen our faith and confirm the truth of Scripture. https://wix.to/qvUGXn5 #newblogpost

Discover what the Bible says about fasting. Explore the spiritual significance, practices, and teachings related to this ancient discipline. https://wix.to/LU1TFPU #newblogpost

C H A N G E D A Closer Look at Things Relating to Conversion Written for teachers, seekers, and proselytes, this book addresses the foundational doctrines of biblical Christianity by taking A Closer Look at Things Relating to Conversion: “The Drawing of the Holy Spirit”, “Repentance”, “Coming to Faith in God”, “The Meaning of Baptism”, “Receiving the Gift of the Holy Spirit”, and “You Must Be Born Again”. Click HERE > https://lnkd.in/gPCMj5YP