Category: bible jesus

Posted in beth moore, bible jesus, bible teaching, discernment

Troubled by Beth Moore’s teaching: Part 7, Conclusion

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

I’ve spent a good deal of blog time writing the last day or so about the errors in Beth Moore’s teachings. I hope that my careful analysis and examples using scripture showed you not only where Beth Moore’s teaching is in need of strengthening, but that it also provided enough of a lesson for how to be discerning of any teacher who teaches the Bible. We all long for good teachers of the Word. We all need strengthening in these evil days, and the Word is truly the only good strengthening there is. We can trust it. We read and study on our own, but who isn’t refreshed by a good teaching among brethren once in a while? Certainly I am. But trusting today’s Bible teachers is another matter entirely.

I’m wary of women teachers. There are good ones, but there are also bad ones. Women have a tendency to teach the Word from emotion and personal experience. Why not? That is how most women relate to the world. But with the Word, it is not the natural way to teach its truths.

I believe the Lord did a good thing putting the brakes on female teachers of the Word. I’m not saying that there should never be women teachers. The Bible shows us that there were women contending alongside Paul. (Phil 4:3). Priscilla was noted along with her husband as a teacher of the Word. (Acts 18:26). Phoebe is noted as an outstanding servant at the church (Romans 16:1) and in Acts 21:8 Philip’s four unmarried daughters are mentioned as prophets. All these women are speaking the Lord’s Truth in public or to the public in some way.

But there is also mentioned a father, apostle, or husband working closely with the woman. I think this is good and wise. Now, before I get thousands of emails calling me a betrayer of my gender, I’m just reflecting back to you from scripture the way God set it up. I think in the cases where women are teachers it takes a special attention to ensure the Word is handled properly because of the tendency to teach emotionally and relationally. I am reminded of the warning we received in 2 Timothy 3:6, “They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weak-willed women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires…”. What is spoken of in the verse just prior is to watch out for people who “having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.”

Barnes Notes explains that “For of this sort are they which creep into houses – Who go slyly and insidiously into families. They are not open and manly in endeavoring to propagate their views, but they endeavor by their address to ingratiate themselves first with weak women, and through them to influence men; compare Titus 1:11. … And lead captive silly women – One of the tricks always played by the advocates of error, and one of the ways by which they seek to promote their purposes. Satan began his work of temptation with Eve rather than with Adam, and the advocates of error usually follow his example. There are always weak-minded women enough in any community to give an opportunity of practicing these arts, and often the aims of the impostor and deceiver can be best secured by appealing to them. Such women are easily flattered; they are charmed by the graceful manners of religious instructors; they lend a willing ear to anything that has the appearance of religion, and their hearts are open to anything that promises to advance the welfare of the world. At the same time, they are just such persons as the propagators of error can rely upon. They have leisure; they have wealth; they are busy; they move about in society, and by their activity they obtain an influence to which they are by no means entitled by their piety or talents. There are, indeed, very many women in the world who cannot be so easily led away as men; but it cannot be denied also that there are those who are just adapted to the purposes of such as seek to spread plausible error.”

The verse says that some women are easy prey to seducers, plain and simple, and we see the model of that in Genesis 3:1. So who are the good women teachers? Well, I don’t know. But in one of the blog entries I referred to The Watchman’s Bagpipes, a discernment and apologetics blog run by Glenn E. Chatfield. He had done a point by point look at the statements Beth Moore has made and did so with gentleness but truth.

Glenn E. Chatfield at The Watchman’s Bagpipes said, “While maybe not noticed in her books, Beth Moore’s arrogant and obnoxious behavior on her DVDs are something Christians should not emulate or even condone. Additionally, her teachings are rife with error and pop-psychology. Although Beth Moore indeed has some excellent teachings, her error is of the nature that she should be warned against and not given a pass because of her popularity. Women have much better role models in Kay Arthur, Joni Eareckson Tada, Jill Briscoe, Martha Peace and others.”

I have not personally partaken of any of the teachings of any of these women except for Kay Arthur, and in Kay I found no error. Kay teaches how to study the Bible, precept by precept, and so her studies do a double duty. You learn the Word and you learn HOW to study the Word. But if you decide to investigate any of these women teachings yourself, then I feel if you have read all the blog entries on Beth Moore, have studied what the Bible has to say about wisdom and discernment, and prayed, then you have a good grounding in how to detect solidity in biblical teaching, if it is there, and how to detect if it is not.

Philip Way wrote a good series on “Learn to Discern“. Tim Challies also wrote a good book, “The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment.” Because ultimately, sisters, it is not about Beth Moore. It is about us in our own walk and growth. Are we maturing? Do we rely on the Holy Spirit to lead us into all truth? Have we been practicing discernment? Can we detect whether we ourselves are a silly woman, held captive by sin, or are a sensible pious woman of Proverbs 31?

Pray much and rely on our Helper. In John 14:26 Jesus told the Apostles, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.” And we know where reliance on Him and His Helper have led us since that time…to a world where the truth has blanketed it, leading us out of sin and darkness. To the only faith where we can know the truth, and know The Truth, personally. Rely on Him always and let Him lead you into good discernment.

Entries in this series

Troubled by Beth Moore’s teaching: Part 1, Introduction and Casualness
Beth Moore plays up the southern belle, delicate flower, Texas big hair, ultra-feminine mystique…something that I as a Yankee find mystifying. It’s a cultural thing, I know. But just because it is a women’s ministry doesn’t mean all women will understand the southern belle, delicate flower, Texas big hair persona or even understand what she’s talking about half the time. However, if the Bible is center stage, it will transcend cultural differences, wouldn’t it? Let’s see.

Troubled by Beth Moore Teaching, Part 2: Un-dignified teaching
In which I look at one of the things that happens when women teach (tag-end questions and affirmation seeking), the undignified delivery of her lessons, and the problems with a rapid-fire teaching.

Troubled by Beth Moore’s Teaching, Part 3: Contemplative Prayer
In which I explain what Contemplative Prayer is, why it is bad, and Beth Moore’s participation in it.

Troubled by Beth Moore Teaching, Part 4: Legalism
In which I define legalism, and show three examples of Moore’s tendency toward it.

Troubled by Beth Moore’s Teaching, Part 5: Personal Revelation
Beth Moore claims direct revelation from God. Is this biblical?

Troubled by Beth Moore’s Teaching, Part 6: Eisegesis, Pop Psychology, & Bad Bible Interpretations
Does she interpret the Bible that badly?

Troubled By Beth Moore’s Teaching, Part 7: Conclusion
It is not about Beth Moore-it is about our own proper discernment. Recommendations for discernment studies and also good women teachers

Posted in beth moore, bible jesus, eisegesis, pop psychology

Troubled by Beth Moore’s Teaching, Part 6: Eisegesis, Pop Psychology, & Bad Bible Interpretations

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

I am working on a series of essays looking at the teachings of Beth Moore. She is currently a wildly popular Christian Bible teacher. Her books, DVDs, lessons, devotionals and tours sell like hotcakes. She regularly fills stadiums and arenas to capacity. She is sought after for speaking engagements and has a regular spot on a television show called Life Today. She teaches Sunday School in her home town of Houston when she is in town and has had that position since 1984.

This essay looks at how Mrs Moore combines improper handling of the Word (eisegesis) with her female-slanted pop psychology that forms the foundation of her current teachings.

First, the pop psychology- You have rights, you know! You have a right to make claims of God! At least, after listening to at least ten clips from Beth Moore’s teaching on Life Today, that seems to be one of the themes popping up more frequently than is wise. I’ll give just one example:

LIFE Today: Beth Moore “Your Right to a Sound Mind“
“Every single one of us has the right, in Christ, to be a whole healthy, individual. To have a healthy heart and a healthy mind, it is your right in Christ. Here’s what happens. For a long time we won’t admit we don’t have any stuff at all. But once we do come to grips with the fact that we really do have some pretty severe stuff, the enemy starts playing on us with- he begins to convince us that if we ever did open that can of worms, we wouldn’t even be able to deal with it. So if he ever could convince us, if I ever really looked into my past and dealt with the things that happened to me in childhood, I would go crazy. I would go crazy. Listen, it’s a big one cause it’s a serious threat. Because really, honestly, that could happen. And you know what? I’m really not so sure it couldn’t. Unless you claimed your right. Claimed your right in Christ. [emphasis hers].”

She continues with talks about facing your past, and how that makes the enemy cower.

I translated it word for word, you know. It makes no sense. She is simply babbling. I have no clue as to what the ‘stuff’ is or what the ‘can of worms’ is, or what the ‘serious threat’ is. It opened and closed with the show’s premise: you have some rights in Christ. And you must claim them. Now! I have a few things to say about that.

I mentioned in part one that Mrs Moore teaches a women’s ministry but that not all women have the same cultural background or even the same experience. Not all of us were abused as a kid. Not all of us adopted a child and then gave him back (or lost custody, depending on the story). Some of us don’t even have ‘stuff’ to face and there is not a can of worms in sight. I don’t understand what she is saying and I don’t connect with it. But why should all of that matter? Because Beth Moore uses the Bible as a cure-all for women’s emotional hurts and applies the worst pop psychology to do it. She does not preach from the Word, which delivers consistent understanding, but rather she preaches from her experience and applies the Word, which is hit or miss in the understanding department.

What we have with Beth Moore is a case of eisegesis, and not exegesis. GotQuestions has a great explanation of the difference, and provides a devastating example at the end of the page, and it corresponds exactly to what Beth Moore does in her teaching.

Here is the first paragraph of GotQuestions’ explanation of the difference between eisegesis and exegesis:

“Exegesis is the exposition or explanation of a text based on a careful, objective analysis. The word exegesis literally means “to lead out of.” That means that the interpreter is led to his conclusions by following the text. The opposite approach to Scripture is eisegesis, which is the interpretation of a passage based on a subjective, non-analytical reading. The word eisegesis literally means “to lead into,” which means the interpreter injects his own ideas into the text, making it mean whatever he wants. Obviously, only exegesis does justice to the text. Eisegesis is a mishandling of the text and often leads to a misinterpretation. Exegesis is concerned with discovering the true meaning of the text, respecting its grammar, syntax, and setting. Eisegesis is concerned only with making a point, even at the expense of the meaning of words.”

What Mrs Moore does is begin with a pop psychology point: in this case, your right to be whole and healthy. Others are ‘Pressing past our fears” or “Don’t be Demotivated”, “The Closer They Are, The Worse They Hurt”. She comes to the Bible with an emotional, psychological need in mind, and then finds the verses matching up that will show women how Christianity will take care of it for you. The verses she chooses are used out of context and often just wrong.

When Mrs Moore claimed, “Every single one of us has the right, in Christ, to be a whole healthy, individual,” she did not provide a biblical verse that supported her claim. There wasn’t a Bible verse that supported the premise, and this is also a problem because the Bible is present but little used at a Beth Moore study. With her statement about having certain rights, and about claiming them, there are two issues.

First, we all come to the cross broken. It is what sin does to us. It is what others’ sins do to us. The Lord allows the effects of sin to pollute the world and even unsaved children, or mature Christians are affected by the pollution. We’re ALL broken. We ALL have ‘stuff.’ It is the reason we need Jesus. But the Bible is not a cure-all. It is not to be trotted out and read with an eye for how this verse or that verse is going to magically cure my emotional hurts. I have sympathy and sensitivity for people who have gone through stuff. I have gone through stuff. But the key phrase is “gone through.” I am not stuck in it and if I was I would not use the bible as the self-help book. I have the following attitude toward wallowing in personal hurts:

Now, to the eisegesis of another teaching of hers I’d mentioned from Hebrews called, “Don’t throw away your confidence”. I’ll show how pop psychology will often lead to an understanding of the text that is exactly opposite to its true meaning. She uses Hebrews 10, especially verse 19-20 as the source text, “Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. By a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body,” and verse 36, “You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.”

Moore speaks then of how “we have let the enemy drain us of the confidence and competence we were given in Christ. These are the kinds of things that even when we are in our workplace and something has happened and something has tripped us up or we’re getting intimidated about a presentation we’re about to make, something that we’re about to do out front and it is really not our thing, these are verses you need to be saying to yourself.”

She worries for us that “perhaps you’ve been given somebody the power that only God should have over you and that is under cutting your confidence.” So the teaching is about you, your confidence, and someone else that is moving in on your goods. It is not about Jesus. Eisegesis vs exegesis. But people love her teaching because it’s always about us. To be truthful it’s always about her, but she relates so well to the audience that she makes it seem like it’s about us together, anyone with me on that? But it’s not about Jesus.

I was offended by that teaching, first because Moore seems always to think that women are walking emotional wounds, in need of biblical band aids in order to function. Then I was also offended in the extreme because the source text was NOT about having self-confidence. It was about having confidence in Jesus. The verse actually began with the writer’s use of  “Therefore…” This is an exegetical clue. The point has already been made, and this sentence is the conclusion. For good exegesis we always look to the context, read what is prior to the verse and what is after the verse. Never pick just one verse and then make a popular doctrine of it. Because Moore did this, she got the teaching exactly backward.

The writer had been talking about the sacrifice Jesus made, and how His flesh was the veil that had been torn. The writer explained that without blood there is no remission of sin. Because Jesus did this, and because His sacrifice is perfect, we can have all confidence that our sins are forgiven, forever.

And she taught that the verse was having self-confidence when you walk into a meeting.

Having turned the Bible into stuff about us, she often tells the audience that we have rights. So to close with the opening,  from “Your right to a sound mind”, she had said, “Every single one of us has the right, in Christ, to be a whole healthy, individual”. It was a claim not backed up by scripture. I’m not surprised, because it can’t be backed up by scripture. Scripture actually says the opposite.

Romans 12:1 says “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.” If we sacrifice ourselves to God do we have claims later? Takes-backsies? No. The quid pro quo of faith and worship is that His mercy saved us, and in submitting to that mercy we recognize that He has full rights to us because He knows us and He has a plan for us. (Jer 29:11). Sometimes He tells us what the plan is and sometimes He doesn’t. Did He tell Jeremiah ahead of time that he’d minister and exhort 40 years without a single convert? And live friendless? And be thrown into a pit?  Did Jeremiah shout from the pit ‘I have the right, in Christ, to be a whole healthy, individual! And to walk into my meeting with confidence!’ No.

In Beth Moore-land, Nebuchadnezzar was cheated out of his ‘right’ to a sound mind? In Daniel 3:26-30 the king was floored by God’s work with the three in the fiery furnace and proclaimed God as the One to worship. In Chapter 4, Nebuchadnezzar’s pride returned and God made him go insane for 7 years. Beth Moore should look into this outrage. Or maybe the ACLU, his rights were denied.

Are we entitled to a sound body? No. Ask Paul. Paul was buffeted constantly, beaten up, stoned, flogged, left for dead. (2 Cor. 11:23-26). Each time the Lord healed Paul. But Paul did ask if the Lord would lighten satan up a bit on the harsh resistance, but the Lord said, no, My grace is sufficient for you.” (2 Corinthians 12:7-9) And being the slave to Christ that Paul was, he went off to another city to receive some more earthly beatings.

God has a plan and the sacrifice WE make is that we fling ourselves fully at the base of the cross and say “Abba! Father! Use me!” Did you know that we are slaves? Yes, slaves. Paul uses the word but it is often translated bond-servant, or diluted even further to servant. We’re slaves to Christ. Slaves have no rights. Our faith is based on the fact that God is perfect and will use us perfectly for His glory. We certainly don’t have rights and we definitely don’t make claims of God! Here is a great teaching on our slave-Master relationship from John Macarthur.

We’ve gone on a long journey now, from part 1 to part 6, from simple concerns about dignified teaching to proofs of how Mrs Moore twists scripture to the detriment of the honor and glory of God. Verve and energy she has, but underlying that stage frenzy is a lot of false teaching. And just at the time when we need solid teaching most…

Entries in this series

Troubled by Beth Moore’s teaching: Part 1, Introduction and Casualness
Beth Moore plays up the southern belle, delicate flower, Texas big hair, ultra-feminine mystique…something that I as a Yankee find mystifying. It’s a cultural thing, I know. But just because it is a women’s ministry doesn’t mean all women will understand the southern belle, delicate flower, Texas big hair persona or even understand what she’s talking about half the time. However, if the Bible is center stage, it will transcend cultural differences, wouldn’t it? Let’s see.

Troubled by Beth Moore Teaching, Part 2: Un-dignified teaching
In which I look at one of the things that happens when women teach (tag-end questions and affirmation seeking), the undignified delivery of her lessons, and the problems with a rapid-fire teaching.

Troubled by Beth Moore’s Teaching, Part 3: Contemplative Prayer
In which I explain what Contemplative Prayer is, why it is bad, and Beth Moore’s participation in it.

Troubled by Beth Moore Teaching, Part 4: Legalism
In which I define legalism, and show three examples of Moore’s tendency toward it.

Troubled by Beth Moore’s Teaching, Part 5: Personal Revelation
Beth Moore claims direct revelation from God. Is this biblical?

Troubled by Beth Moore’s Teaching, Part 6: Eisegesis, Pop Psychology, & Bad Bible Interpretations
Does she interpret the Bible that badly?

Troubled By Beth Moore’s Teaching, Part 7: Conclusion
It is not about Beth Moore-it is about our own proper discernment. Recommendations for discernment studies and also good women teachers

Posted in beth moore, bible jesus, discernment

Troubled by Beth Moore’s teaching: Part 1, Introduction and Casualness

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizbeth Prata

I mentioned I was headed to a Beth Moore convention this weekend, part of the Living Proof Ministries tour. I should say right off the bat that I don’t favor gender-segregated ministries. I am not a fan in particular of woman’s ministries. I think they rely too much on emotion and not nearly enough on theology.

I should also say I’m from the North, but I live in Georgia. I’ve never gone through a Beth Moore study. Last year was actually the first time I’d heard of her. When a church friend mentioned her and I innocently asked “Who’s she?” I’ll never forget the response. She looked at me like I had two heads and gushed “BETH MOORE! You’ve GOT to go through one of her studies!!!!!!!!!” And so on. Lots of exclamation marks.

I was immediately skeptical. Because I have a discernment ministry, and knowing it is the end time and we’re to expect false doctrines, I’m always skeptical of wildly popular Christian personalities. Being wildly popular these days is almost a sign that falsity exists. People do not stand for sound doctrine, period. “The time will come when they [the people in the church] will not endure [tolerate] sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires; and will turn away their ears from the truth, and will turn aside to myths” (2 Timothy 4:3-4). If there is a wildly popular, lucrative book, DVD, and speaking tour, sellout crowds, AND it is based on strict truth and nothing but the truth, show it to me and then knock me over with a feather.

Last, Beth Moore plays up the southern belle, delicate flower, Texas big hair, ultra-feminine mystique…something that I as a Yankee find mystifying. It’s a cultural thing, I know. But just because it is a women’s ministry doesn’t mean all women will understand the southern belle, delicate flower, Texas big hair persona or even understand what she’s talking about half the time. However, if the Bible is center stage, it will transcend cultural differences, wouldn’t it? Let’s see.

So those are my beginning positions. But none of them are important, because the only thing that is important, ultimately, is Beth Moore’s stance on the word. Does she, or does she not, teach truth? That is what I am looking into. This will be a multi-part series. Apparently, there is a lot to say…

First, let’s look at discernment. Discernment is a good characteristic, something we need: “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12) Having no discernment is bad: “Folly is joy to him who is destitute of discernment, but a man of understanding walks uprightly.” (Proverbs 15:21)

Discernment is called for especially in these end times of deception: “For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough” (2 Corinthians 11:4; and 2 Timothy 4:3 quoted above).

Discernment defined by John MacArthur is “ability to understand, interpret, and apply Truth skillfully.” Tim Challies defines discernment as “the skill of understanding and applying God’s Word with the purpose of separating truth from error and right from wrong.”

Hebrews 5:14 teaches that: “solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” Discernment is a skill that has to be exercised.

One last caveat: I’ve watched Beth Moore clips and studies. I’ve read up on her. I’ve prayed. I’ve consulted the scriptures. I have some early concerns about her approach to theology, her method of teaching and her doctrines. I’m still looking forward to the weekend, because I want to investigate these things in person. But I do have grave concerns already. I did not want to go on the trip to the convention but the Spirit prompted me to, and even made provisions for me to go. I have a feeling that a discernment ministry is the reason. If you have rebuttals to what I share here, you must do in like kind, have watched her, prayed, and most important, consulted the scriptures and share the verses that inform your opinion. ‘I love Beth Moore and you’re a silly-head” kind of comments won’t make it through moderation.

OK, to start with my concerns about Beth Moore:

The first one I came across was disappointment when I went to the Living Proof webpage to see what she would be speaking about in Charlotte. I like to prepare ahead. I read the verses, I read the context, I pray, I get a sense of the intent of the verses. I need that grounding and I like to have it. I was surprised at what I found:

“Beth’s focus will be on the Scripture that God lays on her heart for each individual Living Proof Live event — no two are the same.”

So, no verses. Aside from my personal disappointment at not having an opportunity to learn the verses, the context, and to pray for her and the women I’m attending with based on those verses, I have a qualm about this kind of approach to Bible teaching. It is too casual for me. It sounds nice, it sounds like it is being personalized, but it is not. She sold out at the Columbia Colonial Life Arena (18,600) last year and apparently the one I’m attending at Charlotte’s Time Warner Cable Arena holds about the same number and is also nearly sold out.

Simply waiting for the Spirit to ‘lay it on her heart’ and being good to go seems disrespectful and also dangerous. In the first instance, it is disrespectful to God to be unprepared. Secondly it is disrespectful to the audience. I want to know that she has spent time treating the Word rightly, preparing and double checking. Would you like it if your pastor told you Sunday morning that he waited for the verse to be laid on his heart and then he bounded up the pulpit steps and launched in? No, I wouldn’t either, and he is a seminary trained man whose systematic theology is his foundation. Beth Moore has none such. The risk of treating the word casually is too great to approach it this way.

2 Timothy 2:15 says, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

Barnes notes explains the verse:
“Study to show thyself approved unto God – Give diligence 2 Peter 2:10, or make an effort so to discharge the duties of the ministerial office as to meet the divine approbation. The object of the ministry is not to please men. Such doctrines should be preached, and such plans formed, and such a manner of life pursued, as God will approve. To do this demands study or care – for there are many temptations to the opposite course; there are many things the tendency of which is to lead a minister to seek popular favor rather than the divine approval. If any man please God, it will be as the result of deliberate intention and a careful life.”

Now, to be fair, there is a period of ten days to two weeks or so between each event, and perhaps she does study between each one as the Lord lays it on her heart. But the seeming lack of forethought doesn’t inspire confidence that that is what is happening. As a matter of fact, it inspires the opposite. If she rightly divides the word at some point the scripture explanation will be consistent, because the Holy Spirit is consistent. Last, I am not worried that “any two will be the same.” I’m not an excitement junkie. I don’t worry about repeats. Even if the scriptures used at one event are the same scriptures used another a year later, I will be a different Christian because I will have grown. I’ll absorb it differently. And what if the Spirit DOES lay the same scripture on her heart, gasp! two events in a row? Would she chuck it, fearing ‘it might be the same?” Maybe she is the excitement junkie.

Next blog entry, we’ll look at her manner of delivery. I’m going through the more superficial (but just as important) things before getting into her treatment of the Word itself.
———————–

Entries in the series-

Troubled by Beth Moore’s teaching: Part 1, Introduction and Casualness
Beth Moore plays up the southern belle, delicate flower, Texas big hair, ultra-feminine mystique…something that I as a Yankee find mystifying. It’s a cultural thing, I know. But just because it is a women’s ministry doesn’t mean all women will understand the southern belle, delicate flower, Texas big hair persona or even understand what she’s talking about half the time. However, if the Bible is center stage, it will transcend cultural differences, wouldn’t it? Let’s see.

Troubled by Beth Moore Teaching, Part 2: Un-dignified teaching
In which I look at one of the things that happens when women teach (tag-end questions and affirmation seeking), the undignified delivery of her lessons, and the problems with a rapid-fire teaching.

Troubled by Beth Moore’s Teaching, Part 3: Contemplative Prayer
In which I explain what Contemplative Prayer is, why it is bad, and Beth Moore’s participation in it.

Troubled by Beth Moore Teaching, Part 4: Legalism
In which I define legalism, and show three examples of Moore’s tendency toward it.

Troubled by Beth Moore’s Teaching, Part 5: Personal Revelation
Beth Moore claims direct revelation from God. Is this biblical?

Troubled by Beth Moore’s Teaching, Part 6: Eisegesis, Pop Psychology, & Bad Bible Interpretations
Does she interpret the Bible that badly?

Troubled By Beth Moore’s Teaching, Part 7: Conclusion
It is not about Beth Moore-it is about our own proper discernment. Recommendations for discernment studies and also good women teachers

Posted in bible jesus, end of days, end time, prophecy, sin

Why TV cooking shows have morphed into adventure programs

Posted on by elizabethprata

I’ve been talking about two things lately. First, are the increasing superlatives that must be attached to describe the events we’re seeing in the world. Because Jesus likened the time to birth pangs, we know that birth pangs get worse and worse, more and more painful as the big event nears. The weather is record shattering, this flood is the worst ever, this tornado outbreak is the biggest in history. Yet the superlatives keep getting attached to the events in ever bigger form as the events grow larger and records keep getting shattered. It is an upward spiral that eventually will bring everyone down.

The second thing I’ve been mentioning is ever-deepening sin. Sin’s depths know no bounds. In 1969, Charles Manson was discovered to have led a bevy of mind-controlled females and males into committing the Tate/LaBianca murders in California. Nine people died and it absolutely shocked the country. Nowadays if there aren’t at least nine killings on a television show the ratings dip. As one sin becomes passe, another worse one has to take its place. There is simply no where else to go for the rush except to top it and try and repeat the rush next time.

This deepening of sin and its combined adrenaline rush is played out in television show titles. I was noticing on the television listings about the nature of the titles of reality shows. The Food Network for example. In decades past, the shows used to feature gourmet chefs who were galloping, or were frugal. The titles were benign, inoffensive, charming. The very first cooking show on television was James Beard in 1946. (no, not Julia Child, she came along more than a decade later, in 1962). Beard’s show was simply called “I Love To Eat.”

Nowadays we have gone from:

Top Chef … to … Chopped …to… Iron Chef …to… Extreme Chef. Where once upon a time, people were content to simply sit still for half an hour and watch a competent chef teach them something new, we watch quick-edits of chefs running in the desert and dodging hailstones while extracting ingredients from a block of ice or using a Swiss Army knife as a lone cooking utensil, being are pushed to their physical and mental limit. All for a good pasta.

In 2003 “The Restaurant,” a reality show featuring two owners at odds with each other, was compelling enough to spawn more restaurant shows, each with a more adrenaline-rush name:

Hell’s Kitchen … to … Restaurant Nightmares… to …Restaurant Battle …to … Restaurant Impossible. Impossible! As each television season unveils a new show, the names have to be tougher, the people participating in them have to be rougher, the fights bigger, the injuries worse. And these are the cooking shows. In order to lure increasingly jaded audiences, they entice them with teasers promising blood, crashes, fisticuffs. Again, I’m talking about cooking shows.

In 2000, The History Channel aired a 46-minute episode titled “Ice Road Truckers” as part of the ‘Suicide Missions’ series. The IRT episode became a break out show on its own. After four years, Ice Road Truckers alone wasn’t good enough (not enough of them sank beneath the cracking ice to drown their drivers in a frozen lake?) so we got IRT: Deadliest Roads in the Himalayas with constant quick-cuts to crushed vehicles at the bottom of precipitous inclines.

The shows titles and of course their material are getting more extreme. I think if we looked at a prime time television line-up schedule from 1965 and then looked at one now we’d be shocked at the mentions of extreme, death, deadly, etc. Like this- What’s after ‘Fear Factor’? “Terror Factor”?

The only place to go is down. Television is rapidly becoming more and more shallow, nasty, and polluted. However, being a mirror for our culture, it is only reflective of the people who watch it and our descent into sin is also rapid, polluted, and nasty. It is a progression James 1:15 aptly describes: “Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.” The lust he describes is not just a sexual lust, it is a coveteousness, desire, sensuality that seeks to fill the emptiness inside. That emptiness is a place just waiting for Jesus, His light, His holiness, His righteousness. But if they do not accept Jesus, they continually seek to fill it with ever deepening poisons and perversions.

Unbelievers say that they are free. They are not, they are slaves to their lusts. The television schedule shows us that, plainly. But Jesus is the INSTANT answer to the need for that emptiness to be filled. He is waiting to fill it. You will be a participant in His plan to regenerate you from the inside out. He replaces lusts and poison and depravity with light and holiness and righteousness. You feel fresher. You no longer seek and seek and seek the next high, because you have finally found the ultimate High: Jesus.
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Posted in bible jesus, end times, pelosi compares obama to job

Pelosi says that Job is nuthin’ compared to Obama

Posted on by elizabethprata

And the biblical allusions just keep on coming. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said today in referring to the debt limit talks, that Obama has more patience that Job. Really, WAY more. Her transcribed comments:

“I want to commend the president – I have never seen – Job is no place compared to this president in terms of patience,” said Pelosi at a press briefing on Thursday. “He [Job] doesn’t even begin because this president has demonstrated a level of patience, not only during the meetings but as respect, respectful of the suggestions that are made by all parties at the meeting, in his preparation for the meeting, and his coming back to address concerns that are expressed by others.”

Article here, at CNS, and video below

So Job doesn’t even begin to compare to Barack Obama. Wow. Just wow. Well, maybe she’s right. Let’s check

Obama sat through four meetings, feeling attacked by Republicans. Job was attacked by satan, the most evil being in heaven or earth.

Obama lost time on the golf links, and planning his birthday bash.
Job lost all his herds and all his children in one day.

Obama goes home to a loving and supportive wife.
Job went home to a wife that urged him to “curse God and die.”

Obama has all the possessions he wants or needs.
Job lost everything he had.

Obama worries about graying hair.
Job worried about finding enough potsherds to scratch the pus-filled boils on every inch of his body.

Obama has friends who say he is the  greatest man alive.
Job’s friends told him he was a scummy sinner that deserved what he got, including dead children.

I could go on but you get the idea. Let’s cut to the chase. Here’s the truth. Obama has petulance. Job had patience. Obama has the spirit of antichrist. Job has eternal glory in the bosom of God. I guess Pelosi is right. Obama and Job do not compare.
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Posted in bible jesus, conforming to the world, end time, liberal theology

An example of what happens when seeking crumbs from secular tables

Posted on by elizabethprata

Wow, I was excited when I read a tweet from a Christian College Academician who recommended a secular article about the Bible. He titled his tweet and the introduction to the essay, “Well, Well, The HuffPo Finally Gets an Essay on Scripture Right!” It had been retweeted by a twitter pal who is in seminary. Wow, I thought, two bigwigs! They should know! This article ought to be good, and how wonderful an accurate and respectful secular article is in the Huffington Post! I clicked and read. The Seminary Professor’s introduction to the Huffington Post’s essay on the bible went like this:

“David Lose does a good job in analyzing the common misrepresentations of ‘how we got the Bible’ and then he does an even better job of describing how the process of ‘scripturalization’ (my word, not his) worked. Give it a read. I know, I was apprehensive too at first given the fact that the Huffington Post doesn’t usually do accuracy when it comes to Bible related stuff. But they managed to get an informed essayist this time.”

Okey dokey. I plunged on. The HuffPo article begins by offering the three most common cultural misconceptions of how the bible came to be, ‘Holy Dictation, Imperial Decree, and Forgeries and Falsehoods.’

Here is the Huffington Post explanation about what the secular world thinks of Holy Dictation:

“A: Holy Dictation. Promoted by conservative Christians, this view stresses the inerrancy — that is, the factual accuracy in all matters of faith, history, and science — of the Bible. Authors, in the grip of the Holy Spirit, received a divine revelation directly from God that they transcribed without error. So while the biblical authors may have written in their own voice and style, the contents of their compositions were nevertheless divinely inspired and controlled. For this reason, there are no errors of any kind in the Bible; hence, if the Bible says the world was created in seven days then, indeed, it was created in seven days.”

True enough! Next came the essayists’ discussion of it. He said that the answer of where the bible came from is not ‘A. Holy Dictation,’ nor ‘B. Imperial Decree’, and not ‘C. Forgeries and Falsehoods’, either. It’s ‘D. ‘None of the above.’ He wrote, “All of the “possibilities” are flawed”. In fact, the author of the essay wrote: “In fact, the theory of inerrancy — a word never used in the Bible — was only coined only a century ago by fundamentalist Christians seeking to defend the Bible from recent discoveries about its historical origins and fallible conclusions in the realms of history and science.”

Christians have come to expect this kind of thought about our bible from secular essayists. That he didn’t deride the bible nor the “option A. Divine Inspiration” is to his credit. We usually see much more hostile treatment from the secular crowd and worse from liberal media like HuffPo. I don’t take issue with the HuffPo author.

Of course, I take issue with the secular essayist’s proposition that the bible’s delivery by Divine Inspiration is a possibility and not a fact. Of course I take issue with the notion that the doctrine of Divine Inspiration is flawed. I don’t take issue with the author, though. That’s to be expected from Christians, but we don’t bark up every secular tree, because the world is fallen. They can’t help but believe these things.

But Christians should know better.

I take issue with the Christians who make a public claim that the article is an “informed answer”. I take issue with Christians who make public statements about how the essay promoting the notion that the bible’s inerrancy doctrine is flawed. I take issue with Christians who say that essays promoting these things is “is a good job”. I take issue with Christians who state that their apprehensions of yet another mischaracterizing bible Christian representation disappear when reading that the bible ISN’T Divinely Inspired.

I am making two points here.

The first is that Christians of today have a tendency to attach to the world. They want the world’s approval. They get tired of always defending, contending, fighting the good fight. They compromise on small things, then larger things. They accept leaven with the dough and pretty soon their entire doctrine is polluted. Attaching to  the world skews a Christian’s perspective. Satan influences Christians by incremental degrees. A jot here, a tittle here. If he was to burst in on the scene and say that the entire book of Ephesians was non-inspired, or something egregious like that, we’d know the force behind the sentiment is satan. But he creeps. He slouches toward the goal line stealthily and subtly. (Jude 1:4; Gen 3:1). But we are not unaware of his schemes! (2 Cor 2:11).

We are in a war. (Ephesians 6). It’s WAR. In war do you let down your guard? Sleep on patrol? Give ground to the enemy just because he pleased you? Accept his compliments because you would rather not carry your battle armor any more and just want to go home? We all want to go home. But we’ll go home when the LORD calls the battle-weary up to heaven and until then, don’t give the enemy one inch of ground.

Brethren, it is tiring to be Christian. We stand, we walk, we race. We fight, we run, we go. It’s all active, every day. Christians who get tired are called liberals. Soon after, they are called apostates. Does one think it pleases the Holy God for Christians to be so attached to the world that they are grateful for a secular crumb in an online blog that besmirches Holy Scripture? Have we become that pathetic? Yes. Revelation 3:14-15 tells us that through Christ’s rebuke to the lukewarm Laodicean church, AKA the apostate church. We’re supposed to be separate from the world, as God told Ezra as the model of separating so as not to be polluted:

“Now make confession to the LORD, the God of your fathers, and do his will. Separate yourselves from the peoples around you and from your foreign wives.” (Ezra 10:11). Haggai 2:12-13 has something to say about it, too. So the first point is that by conforming to the world we soon seek the world’s approval and not God’s. Christian, beware! It’s a sly and subtle process.

Secondly, the point also is that academia these days seems especially polluted. I am not saying there aren’t good bible colleges. But most of them have compromised. For example, there are about 105 colleges in the Christian Coalition and only 6 adhere to a biblical, literal interpretation of the Genesis 6-day creation. Rather than being a bastion of free, conservative and staunch doctrinal thought, seminaries, Christian colleges and Christian Universities tend to the heretical rather than the biblical. I’ve noticed this in my own experience time and again. I know people who were hot to become missionaries operating under the Godly influence of the pure Holy Spirit but when they went to Christian Seminaries they came out academic gamesmen, pursuing academic thought in ever higher sheepskin degrees for its own sake, not the Lord’s.

My advice to you is to be wary and skeptical of Professors, Academic Theologians AND Seminary students and their doctrines than accepting of them. In all cases, even with the most conservative and proven pastors or professors, be a Berean and ask the Spirit to deliver wisdom to you in situations where you have a conflict between doctrines you’ve learned or a question about scripture. He leads into all truth, being the Holy Teacher. Also, ask for discernment. The scriptures are rife with Godly men asking for it, as David did here:

“Teach me good judgment and knowledge, for I believe in your commandments.” (Psalm 119:66). We have this promise, too:

“My son, if you receive my words,
And treasure my commands within you,
So that you incline your ear to wisdom,
And apply your heart to understanding;
Yes, if you cry out for discernment,
And lift up your voice for understanding,
If you seek her as silver,
And search for her as for hidden treasures;
Then you will understand the fear of the LORD,
And find the knowledge of God.
For the LORD gives wisdom;
From His mouth come knowledge and understanding;
He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; ” (Proverbs 2:1-7a)

Be very, very careful these days. And for heaven’s sakes, don’t read Huffington Post!
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Posted in bible jesus, end of days, end of days. prophecy, God

Glory be!

Posted on by elizabethprata

Jesus came for God’s glory. (Hebrews 1:3).  Jesus said this over and over. He came for us, of course, to seek and save the lost, but Jesus came to increase God’s glory. God is passionate about His glory, “I am the LORD, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, Nor My praise to graven images.” (Isaiah 42:8)

God’s glory is increased when He redeems sinful man to Himself. It is the single greatest act of a Holy God. Redeeming. Sinful. Man. THAT is the expression of His highest glory in the most glorious act, and that His Son would incarnate (not just for 33 years, but forever) and live a human life and die a horrendous death, and in between would seek God’s glory at every moment. This is something admirable to ponder.

Philippians 4:8 – “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

Think on the admirable things.

1 Corinthians 10:31 – “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” This verse is saying that even if we are not missionaries leading thousands to Christ, even if we are not fiery preachers speaking before thousands, even if we are not teachers publishing hundreds of books, we, the small and mundane, should do everything we do for the glory of God. The small tasks, the routine, the everyday, are glorious to Him if performed with Him in mind as the utmost audience. Do all with an awareness that you are doing it for God. And it will be a fragrant aroma unto Him.

“and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.” (Ephesians 5:2).

So think on the admirable things:

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Posted in bible jesus, end of days, satan, true vine

Satan is such a copycat!

Posted on by elizabethprata

Remember the kid on the playground that used to bug you (or your brother/sister) by copying everything you said? Even when you said “Stop copying me!” they’d giggle and say “Stop copying me!” which at that point would usually devolve into a fistfight.

We know satan is a counterfeiter. We know he never had an original idea, except the one where he says he will exalt himself above God. (Isaiah 14:13-14). It may help to see through scripture exactly the difference in language where God IS and satan copies.

In Daniel 2:21a God changes times and seasons. Just like that. “He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them.”

The antichrist will SEEK to change times and seasons. (Dan 7:25). In other translations it says he will think to change them, or he will try to change them. “He will speak against the Most High and oppress his saints and try to change the set times and the laws. The saints will be handed over to him for a time, times and half a time.” You notice here that Jesus HAS complete authority, and He DOES the act. The antichrist/satan is given some authority, he TRIES to do the act.

Jesus IS resurrected in Matthew 28:6, “He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.”

Antichrist SEEMS to be resurrected- Rev 13:3, “I saw one of his heads as if it had been slain, and his fatal wound was healed. And the whole earth was amazed and followed after the beast;”

Jesus DOES miracles. Mark 1:21-28: “Then they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught. And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. Now there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit. And he cried out,  saying, “Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!” But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!”  And when the unclean spirit had convulsed him and cried out with a loud voice, he came out of him. Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.” And immediately His fame spread throughout all the region around Galilee.”

Antichrist/satan seem to do miracles 2 Thess 2:9, “The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders,” such as this one in Revelation 13:13-14a: “He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast…” so the only miracles he does are those he has been granted power to do and  in limited scope, at that, ‘within the sight of the beast.’

God gives the breath of life, Genesis 2:7- “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.”

The antichrist/satan are only granted power to seem to give breath of life and only to an image, not a person, at that: “He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed.” (Rev 13:15)

Satan is of the vine of the earth (Rev. 14:19) but Jesus is the true vine from heaven. (John 15:1-2).

In summary, “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.” (Romans 1:20). God’s power is eternal, it has been seen to be so from the beginning. His eternal power is inside you. “You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4).

Vine of the earth,
illustrated manuscript 1300

Satan is false. He only copies. Anything copied is not real. Make sure you remember where the real power comes from, Jesus. Tap into His power through prayer and bible study, witness and a straight walk. Repent often, love much, and grow strong as fruit of the True Vine. The harvest is coming.

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Posted in bible, bible jesus, end of days, end time, prophecy, rapture, tribulation

How long, O Lord?

Posted on by elizabethprata
I had someone ask me recently about the duration of all this. My friend intimated that I’ve been talking about this stuff for almost three years now, when’s it gonna GET here? Sooo, could I be wrong in translating the news of the world in terms of an imminent prophetic event? Am I wrong? Am I promoting an imminence that is false? Let’s take a look at that notion, biblically.

Generally, time has no meaning. Our life is “but a vapor that appears for a little while then vanishes away.” (James 4:14).  I ask, what’s 3 years in the face of eternity future? In the face of 6000 years past? In front of a God to whom a day is a thousand years and a thousand years is as a day? (2 Peter 3:8). He has the full measure of the timing He wants. He waits until the grapes of wrath are fully ripe, even a little overripe, (Rev 15:16). He waits until the entire measure of the iniquity is filled (Gen 15:16). He waits until the full number of Gentiles are come in. (Romans 11:25).

Now, more specifically, in 1948 Israel was born, and that was a huge end times sign. It was a direct Hand of God moment. And by most interpretations the generation who sees that will not pass away before seeing all these things come to pass.(Mt 24:34). No one who is alert and studious can fail to notice the signs. Over these last 3 years the US has fallen from prominence, half the work force is on food stamps, crime is up nationally 41%, homelessness and bankruptcies are a tidal wave upon the banks, which are failing at an exponential number since 2007. Even John MacArthur said this week that America’s judgment must truly be imminent.

Now even more specifically, I referenced the scripture about “peace and security” which is from 1 Thessalonians 5:3. Paul is talking about the period of judgment called The Day of the Lord, and the Second Coming. Here is the verse: “For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape.” Now here is the rest of the verse:

“But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober.” Though Paul is talking about the judgment period of the Tribulation, we can back-extrapolate the principle he is explaining, to us at the threshold of that time. Understanding the signs, understanding our position as the generation placed here at Divine will to accomplish His purposes in these last days, understanding that time means nothing, how does the bible say we are supposed to live? As a child of the light, alert and sober! Here is what that means:

Barnes Notes: “But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief – The allusion here is to the manner in which a thief or robber accomplishes his purpose. He comes in the night, when people are asleep. So, says the apostle, the Lord will come to the wicked. They are like those who are asleep when the thief comes upon them. But it is not so with Christians. They are, in relation to the coming of the day of the Lord, as people are who are awake when the robber comes. They could see his approach, and could prepare for it, so that it would not take them by surprise.”

We will not be surprised. Why? We are not asleep! We see His approach. We prepare for it! We who are soulfully injured by blasphemy, evil, iniquity, sin…should and do pray for His appearing. 2 Timothy 4:8 says, “Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.” Not only is it right to expect Him to appear any day, any moment, and to live for Him completely as if this moment could be our last to serve him on earth forever, but we receive a crown as a reward for eager anticipation!

For those who may be flagging…may be tiring from expectancy and anticipation: Habakkuk, that wise old prophet, recorded what God had to say about that: 

For the vision is yet for the appointed time; 
It hastens toward the goal and it will not fail. 
Though it tarries, wait for it; 
For it will certainly come, it will not delay. (Hab 2:3)

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