bible – Page 8

A few ideas for the last day of 2014, from Mark Dever

Posted on December 31, 2014May 9, 2016 by elizabethprata

Mark Dever of 9Marks Ministry wrote these on Twitter this morning.

A few ideas for the last day of 2014:

#1 Read God’s Word and thank Him for what He’s done this year.
#2 Write a few notes thanking those whom God has blessed you through this year.
#3 Check with your local church, and a ministry you appreciate (like 9Marks) to see how their budget is doing.
#4 Read Spurgeon’s Dec 31 entry from “Morning and Evening”
Morning December 31
Evening December 31

What are your plans to send the old year out and see the New Year in?

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. (Isaiah 43:18-19)

bible, boat, galilee, truth

Jesus taught from the boat

Posted on December 28, 2014 by elizabethprata

EPrata photo

Jesus taught from the boat…

Water carries sound and it amplifies it. The crowds were so crushing that in order to even have space, Jesus launched into one of the sailboats (not a dinghy as depicted above, lol) and He spoke to the crowds. Note, He was sitting, they were standing, indicting His important presence.

Were they thirsting for the truth from the Living Waters? Or were they rubberneckers hoping for a personal miracle? Both. We know the end of the story, most people turned out to be rubberneckers only out to see the latest thing in Galilee. Most of these same people eventually rejected Him. (Mark 6:4-5).

What a momentous occasion on that shore! To be present and taught directly by God Himself. We are blessed, we believers in this present Church Age. We have the Holy Spirit in us to teach us these things. This Spirit will never leave us.

Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. (John 16:7)

The blessings from our Lord are manifold, beginning with our indwelled Spirit, and His word which was later written down at the inspiration of His Spirit. Study His word today, worship Him by praising Him for those words, and bless Him by being obedient to them. He is a gracious and magnificent God, who taught His sheep from the boat.

bible, clarity, eschatology, last things, macarthur, mohler, perspicuity, prophecy

Why prophecy is important (The world is unraveling)

Posted on December 27, 2014May 9, 2016 by elizabethprata

I love prophecy. To me, it is the clearest identifier of God as sovereign over the universe, the earth, humans, and time. He writes history in advance, because He is king of all, and what He says will come to pass.

I also love studying the bible. I believe it is the highest and best use of time, to get to know the attributes of the LORD, to seek His face through what He has told us. If you want ‘direct revelation’, the bible cannot be beat for informing us of our Lord and King, Jesus.

The bible is knowable and understandable to the Christian. We have the Holy Spirit in us to illuminate His word to us. (Ephesians 1:17-18). The Holy Spirit teaches us spiritual things. (1 Corinthians 2:10-13). Of course there are some things in the bible we cannot understand, such as the Trinity, One God in three Persons. We cannot understand the Spirit’s overcoming Mary and producing a child. We do not understand all the ways in which God thinks. However, for the most part, the doctrines upon which He has given to us, are understandable.

One such doctrine is the doctrine of eschatology. This is the doctrine of ‘last things’, or end times. Just because there are many people who won’t or can’t understand the various threads of prophecy does not mean there exists confusion about what He plans to do. The pre-tribulation rapture is one of these understandable doctrines, clearly outlined in the bible to those who care to learn. Some people say Revelation is difficult, I find it easy to understand. I do find Daniel difficult, but that does not stop me from studying it, nor from turning to other scripture to help me interpret Daniel’s book. It can be done, and it has been done. Oliver B. Greene’s commentary on Daniel is wonderful. John MacArthur’s book “Because the Time is Near” is a clear explanation of Revelation.

Even this is a doctrine! It is called the Perspicuity of Scripture. According to the Theopedia, the perspicuity of scripture means,

The doctrine of the clarity of Scripture (often called the “perspicuity of Scripture”) teaches that “the meanings of the text can be clear to the ordinary reader, that God uses the text of the Bible to communicate His person and will.”

“The witness of the Church throughout the ages is that ordinary people, who approach it in faith and humility, will be able to understand what the Bible is getting at, even if they meet with particular points of difficulty here and there.”

Yet there are some people who refuse to believe the doctrines of last things, because so many other people are mixed up over them. ‘They can’t be understood, so why try?’ I was told by one man in church. “I’m a pan-tribber, it’ll all work out in the end,” he said.

Illustrator, Chris Koelle, The Book of Revelation

That is a highly offensive statement, and I said so to his face. It is a blight on Jesus, the Spirit, and God who inspired it, and all the Apostles who wrote the inspired word, and all the martyrs who protected it, to be so blatantly dismissive of 30% of God’s holy doctrines. Jesus did not reveal last things to John, nor the angel to Daniel, so God’s people could mock them.

Did you know that every NT book except Philemon mentions last things?

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, (2 Timothy 3:16)

So I was so pleased when John MacArthur was asked about eschatology in his latest Q & A session at Grace Community Church. In Q&A session #62 it was stated by the interviewer that they had received more than a dozen questions regarding eschatology.

First, MacArthur noted that a church without a solid understanding of eschatology has got a huge loose end. Here are MacArthur’s words on the importance of the church understanding and teaching last things:

a church without a solid biblical eschatology, meaning understanding of the end of history has got a huge loose end. It’s huge. I said something about that this morning when I was kind of wrapping up. I said, the Jews wanted to force all the prophesies regarding the Messiah into His first coming. We have Christians who want to take all the prophesies concerning Christ and push them back into His first coming. They’re called pretrerists, amillenialists. So they have this theology with this totally open end. It just has no closure. They don’t seem to care particularly. It’s almost like a badge of Reformed loyalty to be unsure about how everything ends.

I am running into this attitude more frequently, the badge of loyalty to uncertainty. “I’m super-spiritually humble because I refuse to state how things will end.” Or, “I’m super tolerant of all the different interpretations, because who am I to say dogmatically? It’s all just beyond little ole me.” Uncertainty is the new loyalty. But is that right? Is that honoring to Jesus? Here’s more from MacArthur.

I don’t know about you, but that doesn’t work well with me. First of all, I don’t think God gave a clear beginning and just kind of lost Himself at the end. I don’t think if Genesis 1 says that God created in six days and there’s no question about it, and He lays out exactly how He did it; and you get to the book of Revelation and you hear about periods of certain weeks and certain months and certain years and a thousand year millennium, and then an eternal state. I don’t think God lost His way at the end. I don’t think He was confused at the end. I think the end is as precise as the beginning. To be honest with you, I am far more concerned about the end than I am the beginning. The beginning is over. I’m glad it was what it was, and it explains why things are the way they are.

This is an important point. God did not state it clearly in the beginning and then back away from clarity for the end. He is just as clear in Revelation as He was in Genesis.

Source

As for the people who say, ‘There are so many interpretations, it’s just best to let go and let God. It’ll all work out in the end, anyhow,’ I say that’s just a bunch of lazy hooey. There are not many views of last things. There is only one view, God’s view, and He has shared it with us.

But I don’t think you can over estimate the value of a church with a clear ecclesiology and a clear eschatology. Clear understanding of the church, and a clear understanding of what the Bible says about how things are going to end. It does say something. It doesn’t say everything, and it doesn’t say whatever you want it to say. It doesn’t have ten views or five views or four views. There’s just one view.

MacArthur went on to describe a wonderful moment in Kazakhstan some years ago. Kazakhstan is east of Mongolia and north of Turkey. It is around the world. He was asked to teach 1600 men at a pastor’s conference. MacArthur taught 8 hours a day for 6 days a week. The men were hungry for the word, to be taught. They had been behind the Iron Curtain and now were released into more freedoms, including the freedom to practice religion, and to gather. They’d been denied a congregation, education, commentaries, access to internet or anything resembling study aids. They had each other, and the bible…and the Holy Spirit. So they wanted to know about all the doctrines, including eschatology.

MacArthur said,

I laid out; I went through the book of Revelation systematically and showed them the end. They said to me after that – I took a day to do that. The end of that day they said, “You believe what we believe.” I said, “I believe what you believe?” Same Bible. Guess what? It’s so clear that people with no training, no seminary, and no commentaries could understand what the book of Revelation said.

The reason I gave you the illustration about Kazakhstan is because that is as alien a place as you could ever be. Thirty-five hours to get there. You step off the plane. I’ve never been there. I don’t know what’s going on. I teach them a whole day on the end times, and they tell me that’s exactly what they believe. How did they come to that? They don’t have seminaries. They don’t have books. They don’t have anything. That’s what the Bible says. You have to go to school and listen to somebody who deceives you to undo that because that’s what’s there.

MacArthur has said before that any believer who landed on a desert island with nothing else except his bible can and would understand eschatology. The 1,600 Kazakhstan men were as close to desert island as you can get in this modern world, and eschatology was made understandable to them- because they studied it.

Source

As a note, what a glory it is that we believers have this unifying thread! What a moment of recognition between a Scottish-descended pastor from Sun Valley CA and Kazakhstani men isolated behind the iron curtain, to know each other as brothers! This unifying thread is the holy word, the Bible.

For men to say, ‘Ack, it’s all too much for me, it’ll all work out in the end, anyway,’ is a direct rejection of the wonder of being able to recognize and commune with brothers via a common and eternal understanding of God’s word, wherever you are on earth.

Rejecting eschatology is also a rejection of the work that the Spirit has done in men that He has raised up. Many resources are out there, as I mentioned, commentaries, sermons, books, timelines…it is all there for us.

To continue what MacArthur said about eschatology,

I think it matters how it all ends. I think God is glorified when we acknowledge Him as the Creator, the beginning; and I think He is glorified when we acknowledge Him as the consummator, the end. I think that’s a huge benefit for Christians looking at the world and wondering where is this going? Where is this going?

In talking to Al Mohler when I was back there a few weeks ago, he said he’s more eschatological than he’s ever been. He’s almost apocalyptic because he sees a world that just there is no way to reverse this. This thing is in a massive free fall, and there is no way to stop this. He’s pretty well-attuned to the way things are, and he says, “I’ve never felt so eschatological, so apocalyptic about the way the world is going.” Well, if you want to understand where the world is going, you can as a believer. That gives us such a powerful confidence that all that is coming is laid out for us on the pages of Scripture. I think that’s a treasure that a church can’t underestimate.

Do not reject the treasure of eschatology. It is just as much a treasure as the Psalms and the Gospels. Do not reject the work we are to do through eschatology. We have the answer to how it will all end. Lost people are confused and frightened about where this world is headed. We know it. Do not be afraid to study, and then to share.

What message does it send when a mature man of the faith in church makes a public statement dismissing eschatology? It tells the next generation that it is not worth studying, and bible illiteracy increases, just at the time when the next generation may be the very generation to see these things come to pass and could have been more fervent and diligent about sharing the truth with lost and confused people.

John MacArthur is a unique individual and is in a unique position. It was common in the old days for a pastor to stay for decades. Not so any more, where the average pastoral stay is 5 years or less. MacArthur has been at Grace Church for 46 years. He is 75 years old. He has seen history unfold, prophecy fulfilled and apostasy rise. He said,

I’m seeing this world unravel. There doesn’t seem to be any way back. I mean this is totally out of control. This is a free fall down a black hole. So, you can’t just say, “Well, eschatology doesn’t matter.” That is not helpful. People want answers. Where is this thing going? It’s not fair to God, it’s a dishonor to God to say, “Well, the Bible is not clear.” It is clear. It is absolutely clear.

Yes, it is sad and offensive that there are so many people who refuse to study last things. Those who dismiss the Spirit’s work in inspiring that portion of the bible are simply missing out on so much glory. It is also sad that so many brethren have unfortunately come to different understandings of what God clearly laid out. But does that mean we reject it all? Does that mean that is is useless for us individually to study it? No.

I just wish that the church was unified on what the Bible says. I don’t like it that there are Christians who don’t believe in Creation, but believe in some form of evolution. I think that dishonors God and confuses people. I don’t like it that there are Christians who don’t accept what the Bible says about the end either. But I think it’s wonderful that we do, and the answers are there.

God’s word has all the answers, including last things. Please do not be afraid to jump in and read, learn, pray, and receive illumination from the Spirit. Do not be afraid to seek credible, quality study aids. Always remember the perspicuity of scripture. The bible is clear.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Is it better to be here, or there?

Posted on December 17, 2014May 9, 2016 by elizabethprata

As I arrived to work, someone passed me in the hallway and said, “Good morning how are you?” I said, “Great! Just great. It’s a good day.” My colleague said, “It surely is a blessing to be on this side.”

I thought about that for a while. I suppose it is a blessing to be on this side of the veil, praising Jesus and worshiping Him and working for Him. He put us here. Therefore, I agree with the sentiment.

However, it is also good to remember that the curse is all around us and it is in us.

Woman, and all mankind, is cursed. (Genesis 3:15-16)

The ground is cursed. (Genesis 3:17-18)

The creation is cursed. (Romans 8:20-21)

The animals are cursed. (Genesis 3:14)

The creation which was once perfect is subject to futility, in slavery to corruption, is cursed and dying. Our hope is Jesus and His kingdom. While we are part of His kingdom now, being indwelled with the Spirit at our regeneration, which gained us entry into it, the glorified kingdom is in heaven. What a day when the curse is lifted and the Kingdom of Heaven descends to earth!

O, it is a double edged sword, wanting to be here and do well, wanting to be there and be glorified. Wanting to shed our sin-nature and desiring to be in the presence of Jesus! But we are not without Jesus now, for prayer is so sweet, our victories here sweeter- because they are accomplished through the Spirit in spite of our sin-nature. Yet we long for release, it is our ultimate aim.

The reason the bible is so tremendous is that there is nothing in it that is not common to man! Read of Paul’s struggle over these very things-

Our Heavenly Dwelling

For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.

No matter here or there, our aim is to please Him. He is worthy of all praise.

I will extol you, my God and King,

and bless your name forever and ever.

Every day I will bless you

and praise your name forever and ever.

Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised,

and his greatness is unsearchable.

(Psalm 145:1-3)

bible, china

"The Chinese MacArthur Study Bible: 1,000 Chinese pastors receive translated MacArthur Study Bible"

Posted on November 27, 2014May 9, 2016 by elizabethprata

On this day of Thanksgiving to our Lord for the blessings He has bestowed on us, allow me to share what I am thankful for today.

Yesterday I read of a tremendous achievement by the Holy Spirit through the men at Grace To You. I was aware that Dr MacArthur and his team had been laboring to translate the bible into Chinese. They have concluded their efforts. The Master’s College website posted the results on October 1:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

About 1,000 Chinese home church pastors received the MacArthur Study Bible, newly translated into Mandarin, at the Expository Conference in Hong Kong on Sept. 23-26.

The goal of the conference, a cooperative effort of The Master’s College, Grace to You and Grace Bible Fellowship in Singapore, was to get John MacArthur’s material, both the study Bible and his New Testament commentaries, into the hands of as many Chinese pastors as possible, said TMC Marketing Director Kirk Linahan, who attended the conference.

This unique event was organized by Roger Ng, a graduate of The Master’s Seminary (’08) and pastor of Grace Bible Fellowship. Through Ng’s pastoral contacts in China, news about the conference spread by word of mouth.

The pastors, their wives and other church leaders gathered in Hong Kong to hear from MacArthur and TMC Biblical Studies Professor Dr. Daniel Wong via livestream, in addition to local pastors and Grace to You staff.

The need for for expository preaching and training in China is great, Dr. Wong said.

“The church in China—they have the zeal, they have the devotion, but all of this needs to be adjusted, needs to be corrected and…governed and guided by the Word of God,” he said. “They do believe; they’re willing to give their life, but they need to be accurately guided by the Word.”

Indeed, the church in China is continuing to grow. As of 2010, there were more than 59 million Protestant Christians in China, based on a study by the Pew Research Project.

But, the government’s opposition to Christianity makes it difficult for pastors and church leaders to receive training or Bible study resources.

“When they hear the expositional teaching, the Scripture all of a sudden becomes extremely clear,” Linahan said. “It’s no longer mystical or a mystery, and people just latch on to expositional teaching. They finally know what the Bible is saying. So, there’s a great hunger and a great need and a great desire on their part to want these resources and to want that style of teaching.”

The pastors at the conference were also given a copy of Dr. Wong’s new book “The Prospects of Salvation,” the first in a series that he is writing in Chinese to explore the “central theme that runs from the Old Testament to the New Testament,” he said.

Dr. Wong addressed the attendees twice during the conference, introducing MacArthur and encouraging them to attend The Master’s College and Seminary for a solid biblical education.

“I told them that the best place to study like John MacArthur and to preach like him is The Master’s College and The Master’s Seminary, and that they are to come,” he said.

The children of Chinese Christians, who are homeschooled or attend private schools instead of state-run schools, are not eligible for Chinese universities, Linahan said. Many seek higher education outside the country, often in the U.S.

Linahan attended the conference to get the word out about TMC and to help Christian families explore both the College and Seminary as an option for them or their children.

“We were just there to say, ‘…we’re an option for you, not just biblically but also academically.’ Obviously they’re going to get solid biblical instruction (at The Master’s College), campus-wide, every professor, not just in certain departments or certain professors. But secondly, …they’re going to get a solid academic foundation, which will well prepare them for the next level of graduate school.”

In bringing sound biblical materials to the Chinese church and welcoming their students to the U.S., Grace to You and The Master’s College strive to help these believers better understand the God they love and faithfully serve.

“The future of the church, the hope of the church in China is in the Word of God and in knowing the God of the Word,” Dr. Wong said.

For more information about Grace Bible Fellowship in Singapore, visit their Facebook page, here.

Learn more about TMC’s international student community by clicking here.

It brings my heart great joy to see the Word go out to thirsty pastors. It is an incredible work of the Holy Spirit to raise up under-shepherds as He is doing. Just think of the multiplying possibilities, when we see all those men who will stream out across the nation of China, to share the Gospel word with lost souls! To think of the discipling opportunities in the crags and the mountains of China, God’s word edifying them in a great unbroken chain of sacred life that has been going on since Calvary! I am so thankful for the Spirit to come into the hearts and minds of men who brave the hostilities of the government to share an eternal word. I’m grateful to men like Dr MacArthur and his team who labor tirelessly to make these scenes happen. And for the many anonymous donations that were sent to the team in support of their eternal and blessed work.

Thanks to all these, I may well be sitting next to a Brother or a Sister in faith at the greatest thanksgiving feast of all eternity, the Marriage Supper of the Lamb!

I’m thankful for Jesus, the Holy Spirit and Father God. I’m grateful for His angels that guard us and visit us and help us. I’m thankful for scenes like in the photo above, 1000 men, an army of the Lord, standing at the ready to wield His sword the Word. I’m thankful for the cross.

I hope you have many things to be thankful for today as well.

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:17)

bible, encouragement, glory

"Recognizing the Glory of God’s Word" by John MacArthur

Posted on October 28, 2014May 9, 2016 by elizabethprata

I read the latest blog essay at John MacArthur’s site, the title is above. What a gift to the faith Dr MacArthur is! The Lord raises up good men to encourage us.

Denmark Castle

He posted about how wonderful the Word is, and how despite the plethora of bibles available and translations abounding, we set it aside. Spurgeon said, “There is dust enough on some of your Bibles to write ‘damnation’ with your fingers.”

I am guilty of this myself. I love the word and I benefit from it each and every time I open it. I am blessed, convicted, educated, encouraged, trained, awed, or a million other things. And yet there are some days I simply don’t. Paul said,

For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. (Romans 7:15-20).

My only consolation is that Apostle Paul, who was personally taught by Jesus and personally saw heaven, still had a hard time sometimes doing what is right, then I feel slightly less worse. But it’s still no excuse.

Here is a wonderful picture of the bible as envisioned in three dimensions. The excerpt is from the MacArthur essay, in which MacArthur quotes Roy Zuck’s picture of the bible as a magnificent edifice. Here it is for your encouragement.

I once read an illustration that described the Bible as a magnificent palace constructed of precious stone, comprising sixty-six stately chambers. Each one of these rooms is different from the others and perfect in its individual beauty. Yet, when viewed as a whole, they form an incomparable edifice that is majestic, glorious, and sublime.

In the book of Genesis, we enter the vestibule and are immediately introduced to the records of God’s mighty works in creation. This foyer gives access to the law courts, the passage way to the picture gallery of the historical books. Here we find hung on the walls scenes of battles, heroic deeds, and portraits of valiant men of God.

Beyond the picture gallery we find the philosopher’s chamber (the book of Job), which leads us into the music room (the book of Psalms). Here we linger, thrilled by the grandest harmonies that ever fell on human ears. And then we come to the business office, in the very center of which stands the motto: “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people” (Proverbs 14:34). From the business office, we pass into the research department (Ecclesiastes) before continuing into the conservatory (Song of Solomon), where the fragrant aroma of love greets us. Then, we reach the observatory where the prophets with their powerful telescopes are looking for the appearing of the Bright and Morning Star.

Crossing the courtyard at the dawning of the Son of righteousness, we come to the audience chamber of the King (the gospels), where we find four lifelike portraits of the King Himself revealing the perfections of His infinite beauty. Next, we enter the workroom of the Holy Spirit (the book of Acts) and, beyond, the correspondence room where we see Paul, Peter, James, John, and Jude busy at their tables under the personal direction of the Spirit of Truth.

And finally, we enter the throne room (Revelation) where we are enraptured by the mighty volume of adoration and praise addressed to the enthroned King. In the adjacent judgment hall, there are portrayed solemn scenes of doom and wondrous scenes of glory associated with the coming manifestation of the King of kings and Lord of lords. [1]

[1] While various versions of this description exist, it can be found in The Speaker’s Quote Book, by Roy Zuck.

I think that when we get to heaven, and the verse in Revelation 21:4 as we enter the eternal state, that says,

“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

I believe are not tears of joy because Jesus would not wipe those away. I believe they are not tears mourning the loss of earthly things, either, because those will have paled in comparison. I think they are tears of shame.

Metropolitan Museum NYC Great Hall

I think as we leave behind the millennial kingdom and the last bits of sin are wiped from heaven and earth, and the devil and his beast and all unrepentant sinners have been cast to the Lake of Fire, that we will mourn our own Romans 7 acts. All the times we didn’t read the bible, or all the times we didn’t pray, or all the times we could have encouraged a brother in Jesus’ name, or all the times we didn’t go to church, we will cry over. We will be ashamed, seeing what we traded for bible reading. (Dancing with the Stars?) Or swapped for church (football?). Or substituted for prayer. (An extra half hour of sleep?)

I believe we will be ashamed of ourselves. Jesus will reassure us and wipe those tears from our face. What a good and gracious God He is.

Someday we will no longer mourn the missed opportunities we had on earth to further our relationship with Jesus, because He will be present and we will be away from the pleasure of sin, the power of sin, the presence of sin, the penalty of sin. What a day that will be.

Until then, we go on, not understanding our own actions. I could write more … but I am going to enter those majestic rooms of the bible, and read it now. Right now.

——————————–

Further Reading
“A Fourfold Salvation: From the pleasure of sin, the presence of sin, the power of sin, the penalty of sin by AW Pink

Charles Spurgeon: “The Bible” A Sermon

believer, bible, discernment, evolution, God, truth

"Scientists discover that atheists might not exist, and that’s not a joke"

Posted on October 28, 2014May 9, 2016 by elizabethprata

This is an interesting article. It expresses a truth that goes even deeper than the scientists know.

“Scientists discover that atheists might not exist, and that’s not a joke”
Metaphysical thought processes are more deeply wired than hitherto suspected…

WHILE MILITANT ATHEISTS like Richard Dawkins may be convinced God doesn’t exist, God, if he is around, may be amused to find that atheists might not exist. Cognitive scientists are becoming increasingly aware that a metaphysical outlook may be so deeply ingrained in human thought processes that it cannot be expunged.

While this idea may seem outlandish—after all, it seems easy to decide not to believe in God—evidence from several disciplines indicates that what you actually believe is not a decision you make for yourself. Your fundamental beliefs are decided by much deeper levels of consciousness, and some may well be more or less set in stone.

This line of thought has led to some scientists claiming that “atheism is psychologically impossible because of the way humans think,” says Graham Lawton, an avowed atheist himself, writing in the New Scientist. “They point to studies showing, for example, that even people who claim to be committed atheists tacitly hold religious beliefs, such as the existence of an immortal soul.”

We’ve heard what the heathens say. What does the bible say?

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world,g in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. (Romans 1:18-20)

Gill’s Exposition of Romans 1:19 explains how even the Heathens (as Gill terms them) can have knowledge of God-

there are some things which may be known of God, without a revelation. Adam had a perfect knowledge of him; and his sons, though fallen, even the very Heathens have some notion of him, as that there is a God; and by the light of nature it might be known that there is but one God, who is glorious, full of majesty, and possessed of all perfections, as that he is all powerful, wise, good and righteous:

and this is manifest in them, or “to them”; by the light that is given them: it is light by which that which may be known of God is manifest; and this is the light of nature, which every man has that comes into the world; and this is internal, it is in him, in his mind and conscience, and is communicated to him by God, and that by infusion or inspiration;

All men have knowledge of God. But they suppress it. How do they do this, then? The article demonstrates this very thing by what the author says next:

If a tendency to believe in the reality of an intangible network is so deeply wired into humanity, the implication is that it must have an evolutionary purpose. Social scientists have long believed that the emotional depth and complexity of the human mind means that mindful, self-aware people necessarily suffer from deep existential dread. Spiritual beliefs evolved over thousands of years as nature’s way to help us balance this out and go on functioning.

‘If spirituality exists, it MUST have an evolutionary purpose’. See? Not, ‘if spiritualism exists in all of us, there MUST be a God.” Suppressed!

Since the heathens acknowledge the truth that there is a consciousness of God and they attribute that truth to evolution, not to God, they beg the question, which is, why does man, and only man, have a sentient, self-awareness of his own being? And included in this self-awareness is his position in the universe under some Higher Being. But they do not care to answer the problem of consciousness, and with it the knowledge of a spiritual element to our existence. They simply ignore that and go on to explaining that our evolution must have generated this spiritual element in man to aid our ‘existential dread.’

This existential dread has existed in man since the Fall, when we see it rearing up in Cain.

Cain and Abel

Cain had just slain his brother Abel. God is cursing Cain and pronounced the verdict of Cain’s punishment upon him: Cain was to be exiled, never more work the ground successfully, and be a fugitive and a wanderer. (Gen 4:12) Cain cried out that this was more than he could bear. To wander meant that his life would be taken. God assured him that vengeance would be upon anyone who would kill Cain, and then Cain went out.

Cain knew that to wander as a fugitive meant that he would be easy prey to the obviously greatly increased population. Why dread fellow man? Why fear that he would be killed? Cain knew man was to be feared. After all, hadn’t Cain just slain Abel?

From Cain’s line and many that came after Cain from other lines, they knew God but they acknowledged Him not.

Yet the deep need to express ourselves under a Higher Being, or a force, or a spiritual element in our lives still existed. So they took to idols.

Idols are specifically mentioned in the bible first when Rachel took her father’s household gods. (Genesis 31:9). But actually the Tower of Babel was man’s first attempt to worship falsely. Cain worshiped incorrectly (by offering what he knew to be a wrong sacrifice) but not falsely. The Tower of Babel was about man trying to worship unfaithfully. (Genesis 11:4)

How soon men forget the most tremendous judgments, and go back to their former crimes! Though the desolations of the deluge were before their eyes, though they sprang from the stock of righteous Noah, yet even during his life-time, wickedness increases exceedingly. Nothing but the sanctifying grace of the Holy Spirit can remove the sinful lusts of the human will, and the depravity of the human heart. God’s purpose was, that mankind should form many nations, and people all lands. In contempt of the Divine will, and against the counsel of Noah, the bulk of mankind united to build a city and a tower to prevent their separating. Idolatry was begun, and Babel became one of its chief seats. (Matthew Henry’s Commentary)

He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. (Ecclesiastes 3:11)

How will we each respond to the eternity that is set in our heart? We cannot fathom the unfathomable, as Job acknowledged. (Job 42:3) But we can know what God intended us to know about Him, in the specific revelation of His word. We can also see His glory expressed through His general revelation to all men through His creation.

Idolatry is the ultimate unfaithfulness to God. We all have knowledge of Him in us. The question is, will we rightly attribute that knowledge to His planting of it, or to an impersonal universe evolving in us a mere chemical soup? The answer of course is that greatest glory is to see Him as God, Highest and Mighty. He is El Olam- The Everlasting God!

And Abraham planted a grove in Beersheba, and called there on the name of the LORD, the everlasting God. (Genesis 21:33)

Public Domain

bible, direct revelation, hearing God, listening to the Lord, rick warren

"Learn How To Recognize God’s Voice with Rick Warren"

Posted on October 20, 2014May 9, 2016 by elizabethprata

The video below is one hour nine minutes long, but you only need to listen to the first 30 seconds to see that it is a farce.

HT No Compromise Radio

Here is a transcript of the first 30 seconds. Below the video I’ll show how and why this just isn’t biblical, and worse, instills fear. The wrong kind of fear.

Last week we began an new mini-series in understanding how to hear the voice of God. Very few things are more important than this, because you can’t have a relationship with God if you can’t hear God. If all you do is ever talk to Him in prayer, and you never hear God speak to you, that’s a one-way relationship. That isn’t much of a relationship. God wants to speak to you.

We go to the most obvious bible verse, Hebrews 1:1-2, which says,

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.

W.P. Zubar w/eartrumpet Library of Congress

God spoke to us through His Son, who is the Word. He Spirit-energized writers to put to paper the things His Son said. That word was finalized with the completion of Revelation, and to seal the final word, the final speaking of God at this point in time, Revelation 22:18-19 states,

I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, 19and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.

God spoke through His Son.

Now, the Spirit does illuminate the Word to us, making it clear and understandable. But the Spirit is not saying new things. He is simply testifying of Christ, when He points us to His word and illuminates it for us. Here is an essay on illumination. For example, the essay states,

Psalm 119, which is the longest chapter in the Bible, is a song about God’s Word. In verse 130, it says “The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.” This verse establishes the basic method of God’s illumination. When God’s Word enters the heart of a person, it gives light and understanding to them. For this reason, we are repeatedly told to study the Word of God.

God spoke final words, they are through His Son, and those speakings are contained in the closed canon of the bible.

What Warren is saying is that the canon is not closed and we can hear special and personal things in addition to the bible. This violates Revelation 22:18.

Secondly, in the Hebrews verse it states, ‘in these last days’. The last days are the days of grace, between which Jesus incarnated and when He will come back. We are in the last days. We have been since He first came and we will be until He returns again.

However what was most troubling is that Warren made an absolute statement and it is completely unbiblical. He said,

“you can’t have a relationship with God if you can’t hear God”

Woe to the false shepherds who strike the sheep!

When Rick Warren makes an absolute statement like “you CAN’T have a relationship with God UNLESS you hear His voice, he is adding qualifiers to the standards for a relationship that God has already set. Nowhere in the bible is there a condition for faith that includes hearing from God. We know we are saved by grace alone through faith alone.

How to have a closer relationship with God

How to have a relationship with Jesus

We can do a quick keyword search in the NT for the word unless in the context of salvation conditions. One cannot have a relationship with God unless one is saved. So let’s see what it takes to be saved and have this relationship Warren is talking about. Remember, we’re looking in the Bible for a condition placed on our faith as Warren said, ‘unless you hear God speaking to you, you cannot have a relationship with Him.’

“Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven“. (Matthew 18:3).

OK, so that is a biblical condition attached to our faith. Pulpit Commentary explains:

Christ points to little children as the model to which the members of his kingdom must assimilate themselves. The special attributes of children which he would recommend are humility, unworldliness, simplicity, teachableness, – the direct contraries of self-seeking, worldliness, distrust, conceit.

“No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” (Luke 13:5)

“Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3)

Another faith condition. Still not finding “unless you hear God you can’t have a relationship with Him.” Let’s keep looking.

“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.” (John 6:44).

OK, so unless God draws a person, they will not be in a relationship with Him.

So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. (John 6:53).

Gill’s Exposition explains the John 6 verse:

But the words design a spiritual eating of Christ by faith. To eat the flesh, and drink the blood of Christ, is to believe that Christ is come in the flesh, and is truly and really man; that his flesh is given for the life of his people, and his blood is shed for their sins

“I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.” (John 8:24).

“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.” (John 15:4)

We need to repent in order to have a relationship with God. We must abide in Him. Still not finding having to hear Him to have a relationship with Him.

We could go on, but Christians know what it takes to enter into a relationship with God.

As for maintaining a relationship with Him, nothing in the bible says either that if one doesn’t hear Him one CANNOT have a relationship. We already discussed what it takes to have a relationship, and once the Lord delivers grace unto a repentant person, they are now and forever a believer in a relationship with the Father. There is nothing that says hearing Him is a requirement for a relationship, neither entering into one nor maintaining one.

Warren’s attitude toward prayer was sadly dismissive. He said “If all you’re doing is praying to God…” What a scornful attitude toward communication with the Creator of the Universe! The Ancient of Days! The Holy One of Israel! That He entertains prayer, encourages prayer, listens to prayer, answers prayer, is an astounding feature of our relationship with Him!

If “all” we’re doing is praying to God?!?! It’s everything! I am so sorry that it isn’t enough for Warren. He wants more. He wants to HEAR back. It’s not enough to have faith that God listens and answers, He has promised to do so. (Mark 11:24).

It is not a one-way relationship. Here are just a few f the things God does for us: God created the world for us to inhabit. (Isaiah 45:18). Jesus died for us. (Romans 5:8). We have the gift of the Spirit is in us. (2 Corinthians 1:22). He illuminates the scriptures for us. (John 16:13-16). Jesus intercedes for us in heaven. (Hebrews 7:25). He provides for us. (2 Corinthians 9:8 ). He gives us grace and help. (Hebrews 4:16). He sends angels to minister to us. (Hebrews 1:14). And so much more. One-way? Hardly. It is a lopsided relationship, one where He gives so much more to us than we give to Him

The fallacy that in order for our faith to be real, that we must hear God, is very detrimental to the believer. We’re not supposed to hear God, but when people listen to Warren making an absolute statement like he did, they worry they’re not in the faith because they are not hearing from Him. They begin to contrive all sorts of things as Godly utterances, some of which may be satan, others will hear their own inner voice but attribute it to God. Others will simply fear they’re not saved, and begin a fruitless search for ways to ‘hear’ Him. Discouraged, some will lose heart, or be burdened with needless doubt.

Seeking to hear a voice sets aside the sufficiency of the bible as guide for all things. This is the most important point of all. Warren adds to the conditions for faith, dismisses prayer as insufficiently communicative, encourages congregants to pursue a fruitless path of voices and promptings, and worst of all, sets aside the bible for our guide for all things. Whisperings, promptings, voices,all bunk. Read the bible, pray, and watch as God works out Providential things in your life.

Oh, and watch out for wolves like Rick Warren.

bible, double minded, encouragement, heavenly minded

Not being double minded

Posted on September 25, 2014May 9, 2016 by elizabethprata

Janus. Republican coin, c.225-212;
(Kunsthistorisches Museum, Wien) Source

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. (James 1:5-7).

Double minded literally means having one’s soul or heart split between God and the world. It means the man trusts God only so much, and when trials come, he falls away. He is unstable. The verse is speaking of the unbeliever.

If Christians are told not to be double-minded as unbelievers are, then it stands to reason we are to be single minded. Single-minded about what? Jesus.

Philippians 4:8 says, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”

And it stands to reason that all those excellent things come from Who? Jesus. He is the only commendable, He is the source for all that is good. He is the only source of whatever is true.

So if anyone ever says to you “You’re so heavenly minded you’re no earthly good” you know they are a double-minded man, and that you are not. Being single minded about heavenly things IS the good. The only Good there is in all the universe.

bible, false teacher, heresy, pope francis

Pope Francis tweets wrong doctrine. Would you know how to refute it?

Posted on September 2, 2014May 9, 2016 by elizabethprata

The Pope is on twitter. He tweets things. Here are two religious thoughts he tweeted today.

Mary was a sinner, in need of a savior, just like the rest of us. (Luke 1:47). She died and went to heaven, and is awaiting her resurrection body, just like the rest of us. She is not queen of heaven nor is she the mother of the church. Praying to her is forbidden as it is forbidden to pray to the dead or commune with the dead. Catholics consider Mary a mediatrix, interceding for us to Jesus. This is the same as a “medium” and it is strictly forbidden.

GotQuestions: Praying to the dead is strictly forbidden in the Bible. Deuteronomy 18:11 tells us that anyone who “consults with the dead” is “detestable to the Lord.” The story of Saul consulting a medium to bring up the spirit of the dead Samuel resulted in his death “because he was unfaithful to the LORD; he did not keep the word of the LORD and even consulted a medium for guidance” (1 Samuel 28:1-25; 1 Chronicles 10:13-14). Clearly, God has declared that such things are not to be done.

In addition, the bible says we have many mothers and none of us is an orphan!

And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life.” (Luke 18:29-30)

And once again, the bible refutes the pope’s comment: the bible tells us who our spiritual mother is: the heavenly Jerusalem.

But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. (Galatians 4:26).

Commentary: “Believers are children of the heavenly Jerusalem, the ‘mother-city’ of heaven”. (J MacArthur). So you see, we are all set for mothers. Mary need not apply.

We have to “let” Him? What if we don’t? Can we stop Him? Of course not.

Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases. (Psalm 115:3)

I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. (Job 42:2)

Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand. (Proverbs 19:21)

Did you know that Catholics are taught that all redemption of mankind was up to Mary? Here is from a Catholic Apologetics site. The mediator they are talking about is Jesus.

God permitted the Redemption of mankind to depend on the free-will decision of a human being. Whether or not we would have a mediator was dependent on Mary’s “yes.” Had there been no “yes” from Mary, there would have been no mediator.

You can readily see that the above verses regarding God’s sovereignty in His plans and purposes have no meaning for a Catholic, including Pope Francis.

Know your bible by reading it. This will allow us to be able to refute these comments when we come across them. Neither will you be confused, if you know what the bible actually says.

Read it today. It does a body-mind-soul-spirit good!