Category: encouragement

Posted in encouragement, rapture

The anchor holds, my ship has come in: rapture

Posted on by elizabethprata

I lived by the water growing up and most of my adult life, mainly the ocean. Some years were spent on a lake. I loved it.

The ocean has moods, a personality, mystery, and power. Who doesn’t love a day at the beach? Even better, who doesn’t love a day ON the water? When we got a chance, we got on a boat. After a while, we had a boat. LOL, back in the day, a bunch of teenagers zooming around the bay on a 20 foot Boston Whaler wasn’t unusual.

We grew up knowing how to use our knees to ride the waves, could look at the rocks to spot the state of the tide, knew how to anchor, dock or throttle up to reach plane. We kept a weather eye on the clouds, watched the whitecaps, and had a grand time.

Despite having such familiarity with the water, and were so comfortable on it, we knew its dangers. On Narragansett Bay there was a navigational hazard called “boiler awash”.

It is a shallow patch of water near Hope Island near Prudence Island. A Navy tug sank there and its boiler, being tall, presented a hazard to the keels of boats passing over it. To make the shallow water issue worse, its boilers came to just under the surface of the water at low tide. It was a hazard all right. We always gave it a wide berth.

As an adult, I lived on a sailing yacht for two years and we sailed from Maine to Florida, crossed the Gulf Stream, and went on to the central Bahamas. We returned with the weather following the same route. Our route took us on almost every coastal river, sound, bay, and canal along the entire eastern seaboard as well as the Atlantic ocean waters off it.

Because we lived on the boat and were no longer teenagers messing around near shore, we well knew the hazards. Our VHF radio was full of calls from mariners in distress, the squawk of the marine weather station, and calls from the Coast Guard to alert to hazards (container awash, drifting and disabled boat, etc). Sailing in New England meant having intimate knowledge of reefs, shoals and rocks, and sailing in Florida meant having intimate knowledge of drunken fools, wannabe mariners and rich guy weekend warriors. In between, we learned to respect the fishermen, shrimpers, oystermen, and all the others trying to make a living.

We quickly acclimated to the water living and became respectful of the hazards. When you are underway, you are always on guard, even if it’s familiar water. Always, every second. Because any second, anything could happen, and since your boat was both your home and your transportation as well as your life, well, if it required being vigilant, that is what you did.

That is why, when the anchor was set and the engine turned off, you breathed a special sigh of relief. Oh, anything could still happen, but the ratcheting down of the vigilance was considerable. As long as the anchor held, you were all set.

I remember feeling a wonderful sense of relief when the day’s run was ended and we anchored. The engine turned off and all we could hear were the sounds of the birds and the waves. We were still, secure, and finished for the day. I hadn’t realized how much tension I’d carried in my shoulders until the engine went off and the anchor was finally set. Day’s movement done. Day’s diligence concluded. Phew, we made it.

In bible days there were only three ways to travel. You got there by walking, riding an animal, or boat. Paul traveled a lot and because of that, he was on a boat a lot. He used many marine references in his letters, examples the people of the era would know well and understand immediately. Here are a few examples Paul and the other Apostles used:

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. (James 1:6)

…tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine (Ephesians 4:14)

These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds (Jude 1:12)

holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith, (1 Timothy 1:19)

Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. (Hebrews 2:1)

The interesting thing about that last one is that the drifting away in the Greek literally means from God’s anchor.

Strong’s explains, to “drift away from,”pararrhyéō, only occurs in Heb 2:1 where it refers to going spiritually adrift – “sinning by slipping away” (from God’s anchor). It means to “lapse” into spiritual defeat, describing how we slowly move away from our moorings in Christ.”

Friends, stay moored to Christ. He is our anchor. Though our journey is tense, and long, imagine the sweet relief we will feel when we get there! When all storms are over, and there are no more hidden reefs. The empty clouds deceive us no more, and our friends and family’s spiritual shipwrecks (so hard to watch!) are but a distant memory gentle Christ wipes from our mind. The sweetness and rest awaiting us beside the glassy sea is unimaginably wondrous. Rest in that assurance 🙂

Here is “The Story Behind – “The Anchor Holds” written and performed by Lawrence Chewning“

Mr Chewning shares about the year his father died, his burnout as pastor, division in his church, his wife’s three miscarriages, his discouragement, sabbatical. It is tearfully affecting. Friends, if you are also going through a storm, rely on the anchor!

I have journeyed
Through the long, dark night
Out on the open sea

By faith alone
Sight unknown
And yet His eyes were watching me

The anchor holds
Though the ship is battered
The anchor holds
Though the sails are torn

I have fallen on my knees
As I faced the raging seas
The anchor holds
In spite of the storm

I’ve had visions
I’ve had dreams
I’ve even held them in my hand

But I never knew
Those dreams would slip right through
Like they were only grains of sand

The anchor holds
Though the ship is battered
The anchor holds
Though the sails are torn

I have fallen on my knees
As I faced the raging seas
The anchor holds
In spite of the storm

I have been young
But I am older now
And there has been beauty
That these eyes have seen

But it was in the night
Through the storms of my life
Oh, that’s where God proved
His love to me

The anchor holds
Though the ship is battered
The anchor holds
Though the sails are torn

I have fallen on my knees
As I faced the raging seas
The anchor holds
In spite of the storm

Songwriters
CHEWNING, LAWRENCE / BOLTZ, RAY

Read more: Ray Boltz – The Anchor Holds Lyrics | MetroLyrics

Posted in encouragement, lot, mockers and scoffers, sodom

Surely You’re Joking, Mr Lot!

Posted on by elizabethprata
Angels of Sodom, Gustave Moreau 1890

“Then the men said to Lot, “Have you anyone else here? Sons-in-law, sons, daughters, or anyone you have in the city, bring them out of the place. For we are about to destroy this place, because the outcry against its people has become great before the Lord, and the Lord has sent us to destroy it.” So Lot went out and said to his sons-in-law, who were to marry his daughters, “Up! Get out of this place, for the Lord is about to destroy the city.” But he seemed to his sons-in-law to be jesting.” (Genesis 19:12-14)

The scene is of Sodom, of course. The angels who had been sent by God were set to destroy the city are telling Lot to gather his family and get them out of the city. Its sins had reached an outcry ascending to heaven, and God had arrived at the limit of His longsuffering patience.

Lot was righteous (2 Peter 2:7–8, Genesis 19:7). Even though Lot had allowed his witness to become tarnished by living in the city walls with all that sin around him, and in so doing, failed to raise his family in a more Godly way, Lot knew the living God and was faithful to Him after all was said and done. Living in Sodom greatly distressed and tormented Lot as he saw and heard wicked deeds daily.

His sons-in-law no doubt would have heard Lot speak of sin and righteousness, and have begged them to do right in God’s eyes. After all, he said as much in Genesis 19:7.

So here’s the thing. When the angels came to the city, and Lot recognized them as angels right away, and they said they were going to destroy the city, Lot went and got his sons-in-law. Despite having seen Lot’s righteousness, outwardly flimsy or inconsistent though it may have been, it must have seen bright compared to the dark backdrop in Sodom. The men thought Lot was kidding, and refused to believe him.

In Romans we see a progression of sin and the point at which God gives a society over to it. First, you will see mass sexual immorality. (Romans 1:24). If they persist, then God will give them over to depravity in the form of homosexuality and lesbianism (Romans 1:26-27). If they continue and will not repent, the last stage is that God gives them over to a reprobate mind. (Romans 1:28).

Destruction of Sodom & Gomorrah, Joachim Patinir c.1520

The term depraved mind here actually means worthless, failing the test. In other words, their mind can’t think straight and they are futile. Gill’s Exposition explains:

“God gave them over to a reprobate mind; a vain empty mind, worthless, good for nothing devoid of all true knowledge and judgment; incapable of approving what is truly good, or of disapproving that which is evil; a mind that has lost all conscience of things, and is disapproved of by God, and all good men”.

This is clearly seen in the form of the lusty mob which had just been struck blind, still groping for the door to gang rape the angels! As a matter of fact, we see the mob scream at Lot in a way we see mobs (on comment streams and Facebook) scream today when someone tries to point to righteousness. In Genesis 19:9 we see that Lot had ascended to a position of responsibility, “sitting at the gate”. It was where the elder men sat and spoke of wisdom and judicial matters. Boaz went to the men at the gate to settle his marriage to Ruth. But even though Lot was an elder at the gate, he was still not seen as one of them.

“But they said, “Stand back!” And they said, “This fellow came to sojourn, and he has become the judge! Now we will deal worse with you than with them.””

They’re saying ‘You’re a foreigner, you have no right to judge us! Because you dared to speak, we will go after you and not let up!’

Don’t we hear that today?! ‘Who are YOU to judge?” And then they turn from their original discussion to go against the one talking of Jesus and deal worse with them.

Reprobate minds are seen in the form of sons-in-law, who, however minimally exposed to righteousness of God through Lot, thought Lot was joking when he spoke of imminent judgment. Their mind was so far from righteousness, they didn’t even think of God at all. They didn’t even for a moment believe there would be consequences to sinful actions. Connecting sin and judgment was so far from their conscience, they thought it was a joke.

Don’t we see that today? As in Sodom, our sins have piled up to heaven. As Lot did, many faithful pastors and watchmen speak of the coming judgment. As in Genesis 19, the society in which we live is full of sexual immorality, homosexuality, and people with seared consciences and reprobate minds doing what ought not to be done. If you speak of judgment to them, they think you’re joking. And then they rabidly claim you can’t judge and they go after you like mad dogs (or blind mobs).

In Romans 1:32 the terrible progression of sin concludes this way:

“Though they know God’s decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.”

Deep down they know it’s wrong but their mind is so futile they instead applaud the sin and joke about judgment. Jude 1:18-19 reminds us–

“But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit.”

The section of Jude there is titled “A Call To Persevere”. That is our call. Despite the heavy weight of sin all around us, we must persevere. Lot persevered, though not without many stumbles. In the end he tried to get the mob to stop…he pleaded with his sons-in-law… he listened to- and believed–  the angels sent by God.

After reminding us that in the last days there will be mockers and scoffers, Jude gives us some practical advice:

“But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.” (Jude 1:20-23)

That’s a lot of great advice! As we wait for the Lord’s return, let’s unpack that list and see how rich it is with what we can and should do:

–build yourselves up in your most holy faith (read your bible, go to church, fellowship with brethren, repent daily)
–pray in the Holy Spirit, (1 Thessalonians 5:17)
–keep yourselves in the love of God (Psalm 119:11, 2 Timothy 3:16)
–wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life (Isaiah 40:31)
–have mercy on those who doubt; (Matthew 5:7; Colossians 3:13)
–save others by snatching them out of the fire (Matthew 28:16-20)
–to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh (Proverbs 8:13)

Jesus walks on Water, Ivan Aivazovsky, 1888

Our wonderful bible is so rich with instruction and comfort. Though you may be vexed by sin where you live, or even in your own family, the Word of God shows us that we are not alone. Abraham, Lot, Paul, Peter, Jude…all lived with the same circumstances. Paul sent letters to the Corinthians who lived in a culture of orgies and temple prostitution. He sent letters to the Romans, who were being burned alive as torches for Nero’s garden orgies.

 If you are in a sin-storm or are living in a sin-storm, look to Jesus, who saves, comforts, sanctifies. The first century churches had the letters from the Apostles to encourage them. And we have the entire word of God, where-

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

The greatest hope is that he is coming soon. Whether by death or rapture, we know this life is not the end, but a paltry and mean beginning of eternal glory with our Holy Jesus.

Posted in comfort, encouragement, revelation

Comfort from Revelation, of all places!

Posted on by elizabethprata

When people need spiritual comfort there is only one place to go: the bible. And I know that many people go to Philippians or the Psalms for comfort. It’s rare to hear someone say “Revelation is such a comforting book!” But I find it to be comforting, and is that so remarkable? All scripture is God-breathed and therefore powerful,

“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

I can’t hardly open the bible to any location in the Old Testament or the New, and not find comfort. It’s comforting to read of His hatred for evil, His love by sending Jesus, His intellect, power, holiness…it’s all good stuff. So I turn to the letter in Revelation from Jesus via John to the church at Ephesus. It’s fascinating.

photo credit: SBA73 via photopin cc

In Revelation 2:2 we read this:

“I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false.”

Does that speak to us now in this evil, fallen, corrupt world, or what?!

The evil that men do makes us want to close our eyes! It makes us grow tired of outing one false pastor or teacher after another. It’s enough to make us want to throw up our hands and say of false doctrine, “what’s the use? People believe it anyway.”

photo credit: doovie via photopin cc

But Jesus comforted the church at Ephesus. Now there was an evil world. Christianity was not even known. People were pagans and did much worse than we see today, regularly. I mean, killing slaves for sport in the arenas was the entertainment. Life was cheap, sin was rampant, and Christianity was this weird new religion. It must have seemed like to the Ephesians that they were truly trying to beat back an ocean of sin with a teacup.

Jesus said He would be with us even unto the end of the age. As He was preparing to ascend, he told the Apostles, “And lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” Amen.” (Matthew 28:20.)

And so he is. We see in the Revelation verse above, Jesus said “I know…”

The Ephesians were sharing the Gospel and working for Christ and part of that work was testing false

Enduring patiently. photo credit:
Elizabeth Thomsenvia photopin cc

ones. The more we are sanctified the harder it is to be with evil ones who say they are apostles but are not. It grates on our Spirit because they are such a blight on the name of Jesus. It’s hard. Just as it was then, it is hard today. But we exhibit patient endurance and keep working and we have the great comfort of knowing that Jesus knows the work we do by the Spirit in His name for His name. He knows.

He said in the next verse, “I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary.” (Revelation 2:3)

He knows! Every day we bear up patiently, every time we are mindful of His name’s sake, every time we keep moving and not grown weary, He knows. Isn’t that comforting!

I find it comforting in the first place that He is so involved in the church. When He said I am with you always, He meant it. He knows what’s going on.  I know we often examine the disapproval verses in Revelation, looking at why Jesus was disapproving of this or that in a particular church. However, the commendation is important too.

The most comforting thing of all, I find, is the fact alone that Jesus came to John to tell John specific items about specific churches. Jesus is highly involved in His church.

Sometimes it feels like a curse to see the vividness of false doctrine where wolves drag off the unwary and the weak. It is hard to watch the numerous souls who are headed for hell. How did Jesus stand it?! It is like I’m on the playground, and outside the chain link fence of where children are playing is a ring of child molesters, leering, drooling, fingers entwined in the chain link, waiting their moment to grab a careless child. And I know that because the bible says so, some will be carried off by false doctrine or false teachers. Satan is a roaring lion seeking whom he will devour.

One reason I’m longing for redemption of the body is so that I’ll finally be in the place where sin will destroy no one anymore… oh what a day that will be!

So do the full work of Christ, which does include testing the ones who call themselves apostles but are not. Love what He loves, and hate what He hates, and keep doing it until the Day he calls us home via death or rapture. He knows, brethren, He knows. He knows you, by name, and all your works for His name’s sake. What a comfort.

Posted in encouragement, fragrance, odor, smell

Smelling heaven

Posted on by elizabethprata

I have no sense of smell. I never could smell and I have never smelled one thing and I never expect to smell anything.

photo credit: fikirbaz via photopin cc

I don’t think much about it. I never had it so I don’t truly know what I’ve missed. Though when my baby sister was little and I’d give her a bath, and the baby skin became soft and pink and her hair was freshly shampooed, she looked so cute and cuddly. I understand that a freshly clean baby is a good smell. Mown grass. Strawberries. Flowers. Baking bread. Sometimes I’d wonder what those things smelled like, and occasionally lamented the lack.

Sometimes I’d be sad at having this handicap. I worry about not being able to smell my gas heat, or food burning, or an electrical fire. I was not allowed to babysit when I was a teen because of the safety factor of not being able to detect gas leaks or smoke or fire. Never mind not being able to smell if the diaper was dirty. But I don’t dwell on it, I just push the thought out of my head and go on.

photo credit: ~jjjohn~ via photopin cc

The bible speaks of fragrances and smells. The woman Mary poured out an expensive perfume and washed the feet of Jesus with it. The whole house smelled of the fragrance. (John 12:2-4).

The LORD smelled the pleasing aroma of Noah’s burnt offering, and He “said in his heart, “I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention of man’s heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done.” (Genesis 8:20-21).

Exodus 30:23 talks of a sweet smelling cinnamon. Psalm 45:8 mentions “All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia…”

It sure would be good to smell spices, or at least have first hand knowledge of these odors to which the bible refers.

But then I decided…no.

photo credit: Prabhu B Doss via photopin cc

I decided this because it is a better blessing to wait. I am anticipating my first smell…and it will be heaven. I’m speaking literally. When I’m glorified at the rapture, the very first thing I’ll ever smell is heaven. And in heaven, there will be no malodorous things to smell. I’ll never have smelled pollution, or septic, or waste, or rot.

I’ll only ever smell the sweet fragrance of the knowledge of Jesus. (2 Corinthians 2:14).

Thank you, Jesus, for this blessing.

Posted in bible, encouragement, exhortation, worship

Worship Jesus

Posted on by elizabethprata

Worship Jesus and Jesus alone. Worship this same Jesus as God revealed Him to the world.

Do not worship Prophets, past or present.

“And Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.”” He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” (Matthew 17:4-5).

Jesus stopped Peter from making three tabernacles. It is acceptable to worship ONLY Jesus. This is such a strong truth that the Spirit stopped Peter from proclaiming worship of Moses and Elijah while he was still saying it.

Do not worship Angels.

“I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.” (Revelation 22:8-9).

Again we read, ‘Worship God.’ Angels are fellow servants with us of the Most High God.

Do not worship men.

“And when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in Lycaonian, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!” Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. And the priest of Zeus, whose temple was at the entrance to the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates and wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds. But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their garments and rushed out into the crowd, crying out, “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them.” (Acts 14:11-15).

Worship Jesus. Listen to Him.