Category: discernment

Posted in discernment, theology

Of Gnats and Camels

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

camel

We see a lot of professing Christians decrying cultural gnats while failing to strain out camels. They are like the Pharisees that Jesus accused in Matthew 23:24, foaming at the mouth with the smaller uncleanliness while ignoring the greater:

“You blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.”

Both gnats and camels were deemed unclean, (Leviticus 11:4, 23) yet the Pharisees’ excessive focus on gnats to the exclusion of camels is warned against, due to resulting hypocrisy. I found Matthew Henry’s explanation compelling here, beczuse he gives great examples of the difference between a gnat and a camel: Continue reading “Of Gnats and Camels” →

Posted in discernment, theology

Beth Moore’s spiritual biography

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

Yesterday I wrote an essay posing the question, ‘Has Beth Moore drifted, or was she always false?‘ In researching for that essay I came across some interesting items that helped me formulate the origins of her theology. I promised to write a follow-up essay noting these items, a spiritual biography, as it were. This is that essay. It’s long, as a biography should be. It is made long also because I used much scripture.

Beth Moore has had a long career writing and teaching Bible studies, speaking, traveling, and preaching. At age 63 as of this writing, she is slowing down with the traveling a bit but her popularity remains and her influence still reaches out globally. She is one of LifeWay’s most favored and money-making writers. As Annette Ard who works for Lifeway stated in 2018, “No one’s products provide as much revenue as Beth Moore’s.”

Continue reading “Beth Moore’s spiritual biography” →
Posted in discernment, theology

Has Beth Moore only recently drifted, or has she always been false?

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

Follow up essay: Beth Moore’s Spiritual Biography

Answer: Beth Moore is a false teacher. She has always been false.

Who is Beth Moore?

Beth Moore is a Bible teacher based out of Houston. She is married with two grown children, and is a grandmother. Her company is called Living Proof Ministries, a tax-exempt corporation founded in November of 1995. She has written over 35 Bible studies, three memoirs, and a novel. Moore has a television program on the TBN channel, and also travels around the country teaching at Living Proof Live (LPL) weekends, two-day sessions that fill arenas with enthusiastic women. These LPL attendees are a unique crowd in that some are groupies who follow her from city to city. Others who don’t physically follow Moore from venue to venue but follow her online and her teachings, are fervent in their embracing not only of what Moore teaches but her entire persona. If Moore is critiqued negatively in any way, her followers defend her madly.

Continue reading “Has Beth Moore only recently drifted, or has she always been false?” →
Posted in discernment, theology

Anniversary of An Open Letter To Beth Moore

Posted on by elizabethprata

On June 18, 2019, the following Open Letter to Beth Moore was posted on mine and several other ladies’ blog sites. To date, Mrs Moore has chosen not to directly and clearly answer these very simple questions, questions that any Christian would have a ready answer to, but also ones the Bible says we should. (1 Peter 3:15, Colossians 4:6).

Continue reading “Anniversary of An Open Letter To Beth Moore” →

Posted in discernment, theology

You’re not wonderful

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

I’m not wonderful either.

Sisters, aren’t we continually inundated with messages like, “You are a mighty warrior of God!” Or, “You are royalty, Daughter of the King!” We’re all Queen Esthers. We have royal blood flowing through our veins. We’re all Mighty Warrior Princesses.

Wonderful.

Except it’s not. Continue reading “You’re not wonderful” →

Posted in discernment, theology

Sisters, be careful who you follow (not Rachel Hollis); and I’m sorry if you’re grieving today

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

I wrote earlier today of the sad news that author Rachel Hollis and her husband Dave are seeking a divorce. Both parties put out separate announcements on their Instagram accounts.

Rachel said in her announcement that they have been struggling “endlessly for three years to make it work”, and Dave said that “our marriage has run its course”.

I’d written in the above essay that divorce is painful (and a sin) and that I felt empathy for the couple and sad for the children who will now come from a broken home.

There are two other sadnesses and griefs I did not mention. This essay is about those 2 griefs. Continue reading “Sisters, be careful who you follow (not Rachel Hollis); and I’m sorry if you’re grieving today” →

Posted in discernment, theology

Why General Revelation isn’t enough to get you into heaven

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

pineapple top

I was saved from God’s wrath because God in His uninfluenced will decided before the foundation of the world that He would create me and then save me in His perfect timing. Salvation comes through the work of Jesus on the cross, to die for our (my) sin as having lived as the spotless holy Lamb, which God requires of every person, but which we cannot do, except for Christ. Once resurrected, Jesus became the Door through which all of God’s elect arrive in heaven’s glory. (Ephesians 1:1-5, Romans 3:23, Hebrews 10:14, John 10:7). Continue reading “Why General Revelation isn’t enough to get you into heaven” →

Posted in discernment, theology

Preaching a pandemic?

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

On April 19, 2020, a Georgia pastor delivered a sermon about the COVID-19 issue, the biometric chip, mark of the beast, government conspiracy, vaccines, and Hegelian dialectic.

Many people lauded the sermon. It is getting a lot of play, re-postings, and comments in my area. Maybe because we’re fellow Georgians and his church isn’t that far. Maybe because not many other pastors have directly addressed these issues from the pulpit in this manner and people were hungry for some answers. Continue reading “Preaching a pandemic?” →

Posted in discernment, theology

Why conspiracy theories shouldn’t matter to the Christian

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

[Tomorrow on the blog: No, the COVID-19 vaccine, if it’s ever produced, isn’t the mark of the beast. And, what IS the mark of the beast, anyway?]

This is a big subject. I considered making it into 3 parts, but decided to break up the text and keep it as one, with line breaks. I know it’s long, but I felt to do justice to the subject this was the best way. Continue reading “Why conspiracy theories shouldn’t matter to the Christian” →

Posted in discernment, theology

Secrecy is a delusion

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your countenance. (Psalm 90:8)

We all have secret sins. Some of them we knowingly perpetrate and feel guilty about. Other sins, we consider “acceptable”. A few, like David, we sin without even knowing we’re sinning. (Psalm 19:12).

When we sin and we know were sinning, we do it in the dark. The dark could be actual (adultery, porn, that certain movie or tv show, that gallon of ice cream at 2am…), or the dark could be metaphorical (lusting after a coworker in he darkness of our heart, for example). Continue reading “Secrecy is a delusion” →