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Kay Cude Poetry: “Rest Well”
Category: theology
Home from G3 Conference: Some photos
By Elizabeth Prata
I just posted a blog about my feelings after coming home from the national G3 Conference held in Atlanta for the last three days. (It was great!). Here are a few pics.
This was just a small portion of the 6500 strong audience. G3 has become one of the largest National Reformed Conferences in the world.
A couple of the gals I traveled with. The next generation is coming up just fine.
On the final day we got seats very close! This is Steven J. Lawson preaching the last message “The Light of Jesus’ Resurrection“
Final Day Q&A. Scott Aniol, new Editor-in-Chief of the G3 Ministries, moderating. Next to him from left to right are Conrad Mbewe, James White, Virgil Walker, Darrell Harrison, Hensworth Jonas, Nathan Busenitz, and Phil Johnson
Some of the G3 vendors and sponsors give away books every day. With the exception of Andrew Rappaport’s “What Do They Believe?” which I bought, I got:
John MacArthur, one of the finest expositors of the last century and this, and one of my personal favorites, on the jumbotron. When we didn’t have seats closer, we could see very well on one of the hanging screens.
Another gorgeous sunrise over the city of Atlanta. We were blessed with perfect weather
View from our hotel hallway
Leaving this afternoon to come home and back to reality. But we know it’s Jesus’ reality, the best one!
Home from G3 Conference: A Report
By Elizabeth Prata
*Podcast player at bottom. Some photos of the event and the city of Atlanta, here
I arrived home from three days in Atlanta for the G3 Conference. The three G’s stand for Gospel-Grace-Glory. The emphasis is on Reformed expositional preaching from some of the most credible men in the faith, doctrinally solid worship music, and fellowship. The aim and goal of the conference founder and organizer, Josh Buice, and his congregation at Pray’s Mill Baptist Church in Douglasville GA is to bring back the teaching and reignition to our local churches, which are the most important. ‘Conferences are nice, they are good, but the local church is paramount,’ Buice said.
It’s very hard to describe the event in emotional terms. I can offer you the schedule, which is aggressive. They keep us moving. It’s morning till night, and they start on time. I can list the speakers, ones like John MacArthur, Paul Washer, Voddie Baucham, Conrad Mbewe, Steve Lawson, James White, and many, many others of that caliber. I can tell you of the luxurious hotel attached the venue we stayed in with city views and valet parking; and of the venue itself, also very nice especially if you’re going to spend 9-10 hours a day in it. It was a joy to meet so many Twitter and Facebook friends. I enjoyed our conversations, whether they were long and deep, or were short hello’s and quick hugs as we passed each other among the exhibitor booths.
But how do I articulate the convictions of conscience from the preaching of the scriptures, the tears for the lost we mourned, the concern for missionaries we heard in reports, the skill of the preachers bringing us to the throne and back, to the depths of the pigpen of our sin and back, the glories of the Triune God exalted? How do I encapsulate the awe we felt for God in lifting up these men preach for decades, one of whom recently went to jail for the privilege of bringing the Gospel to his congregation? How do I tell of the joy of 6500 voices strong, singing praises to God, united of heart and purpose, which was to see God glorified?
I can’t.
It’s just in my heart. Whatever reactions I have are being knit to other tendrils of the faith that the Spirit in me will eventually grow into a redeemed, future glorified tapestry of good works done in His name. He will cultivate knowledge that is the fragrance of Him and flow from me to the aroma of life to life. I don’t know what the Spirit is doing in my heart with this gush of Gospel preaching nor with the sterling truths swirling in my brain. I just know that after 16 sermons, three days of fellowship, music, and intimacy with Christ, of gazing upon Him with intent love, my heart is full.
648: Are false teachers really so bad? – The End Time Blog Podcast
Yes, they are.I discuss Alisa Childers' shift toward engaging with false teachers to reach the lost. While some support this view, I warn against the dangers of false teachers, asserting they corrupt faith and lead believers astray. I emphasize the importance of avoiding such influences, offering evidences of biblical warnings regarding sin and temptation.
- 648: Are false teachers really so bad?
- 647: 'Should I do events if there is a false teacher present?' Navigating cultural moments with discernment
- 646: The Consequences of Celebrating Death: A Biblical, Ethical, and Moral Reflection
- 645: Finding Peace in a Darkening World
- 644: Celebrating Death: A Disturbing Reality
Scenes and quotes from G3 2021
By Elizabeth Prata
I am currently attending the national G3 Conference. G3 stands for Gospel-Glory-Grace. It was founded by Josh Buice (pronounced Bice rhymes with nice) pastor of Pray’s Mill Baptist Church in Georgia. It has grown to be one of the largest Christian evangelical conferences in the world.
This year almost 6500 people are attending, from all 50 states and several countries. The lineup of speakers is unlike any other I’ve even seen, even rivaling the stellar lineup the Shepherd’s Conference held in California at John MacArthur’s Grace Community Church. Top-flight speakers with a clean track record theologically and morally are presenting on the topic of Christ.
That’s it- Christ. No fluff, no themes, simply three days of firehose theology on Christ from high-end, preachers who have preached and taught for decades without swerving and who have o moral or theological blot. Ahhh.
I’ve already benefited from the preaching, having been inspired by Joel Beeke’s preaching topic of our union in Heaven with Christ. His deep dive into our marriage with Him in eternity, where we will never shift our gaze from Him again, was terrific. So was his announcement of an upcoming 5-min family devotional for 4-9 year olds based on Genesis. More on that in upcoming days.
Here are scenes from Atlanta, a beautiful city where the conference is held, with some quotes from the speakers interspersed. I don’t have photos of people attending because I forgot my camera (can you BELIEVE it?!). The pics are ones I took with my friend’s phone on drive in and the walk over to the venue.
“In heaven, our faith becomes sight- of Jesus.” ~Joel Beeke. The Utopian Marriage with Christ in Heaven
“It will be impossible to be unChristlike.” Joel Beeke. The Utopian Marriage with Christ in Heaven
“The martyrs under the altar don’t sing of joy or of praise or of mercy. They cry out, longing for justice.” ~Owen Strachan. Christ as Eternal Judge
“God holds evildoers to account.” Owen Strachan. Christ as Eternal Judge
“If you want to see the sovereignty of God and the responsibility of man mesh together, look to the cross.” ~Steve Lawson, The Darkness of Golgotha
“Delayed obedience is disobedience.” ~Steve Lawson, The Darkness of Golgotha
“It is finished.’ Please note, Jesus did not say ‘I am finished’.” ~Steve Lawson, The Darkness of Golgotha.
“Isaiah 53 is a masterpiece of divine revelation and the providence of God” John MacArthur, The Suffering Servant
Prata Potpourri: Show Me The Father review, Lyrical Encouragement, God Gave this to Me, KJV language, more
By Elizabeth Prata
School year 2019 was hard, and 2020 was as well. But this year is harder, we all think so, and we can’t figure out why. We’re stressed, sometimes feel defeated, we crawl toward Friday. God is graceful in allowing me to go to #G32021. I need Christ so badly, hearing about him for 3 days straight, ahh. I plan to blog Thursday and Friday, but my plans may go awry if the internet service at the place we’re staying is too slow, or I’m too tired. Well see. 😉
Here are some links you may be interested in:
Continue reading “Prata Potpourri: Show Me The Father review, Lyrical Encouragement, God Gave this to Me, KJV language, more”Critical Race Theory’s next step: “Cultural Humility”
By Elizabeth Prata
Are you culturally humble? If not, and you’re an employee of the city of Atlanta, you soon will be.
I am headed to the G3 Conference in Atlanta in a few days, so I was googling around to see what the Atlanta ordinances were regarding COVID, and also just researching the city. While Googling, I found this headline from September 21, 2021, which intrigued me in all the bad ways.
Atlanta City Council to require LGBTQ humility training for all city employees
Continue reading “Critical Race Theory’s next step: “Cultural Humility””Tough times call for soft encouragement
By Elizabeth Prata
Podcast Below
DISCERNMENT: Have you polished, adjusted, and thanked God today for your spiritual armor? We should be armed and ready, from head to toe, and praising the Lord for His generosity in protecting us from the demons and from the evil one himself! If we are on guard, rooted in His word, and seeking His face, we can always spot the real from the imitation, the Godly miracle from the demonic copy, the truth from a lying sign. It is a skill that needs honing, and we will need it more than ever as each day from now on progresses. Be ready and sharpen that sword: read your Bible today!
HOW, THEN, SHALL WE BE? Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, (2 Peter 3:11). When He comes, how will Jesus find each one of us? Arguing with a spouse? Or serving with humility? Without self-control? Or sober and watchful? In His glorious wisdom He gave us opportunity to obey Him. Let us be faithful and diligent in His service, till the end!
BAD TIMES ARE GOOD TIMES: Oh what an exciting time we live in! Are you looking up, looking forward, and looking out? Share Him, expect Him, and love each other till the moment the trumpet sounds… He said He will come, He said to look up when we see these things come to pass, and He is coming soon. Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we first believed. (Romans 13:11). Now is the time to urge those who do not believe to seek truth. Truth resides in Jesus and in Him alone. And aren’t we who know Him blessed with the most wonderful relationship of which we can possibly conceive? Even if we do not have opportunity to witness every day, let us reflect Him in our demeanor and smile. We are rejoicing always!
For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him. Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up, just as you also are doing. (1 Thessalonians 5:11)
SPEEDING UP! Do you feel things are going faster and faster? The news that is coming at us is ever more forceful in its depravity? I do! I feel like a gal stuck in a snowball that is gathering speed as it rolls down the hill. The times are picking up steam. Are you using one eye for looking out (for your fellow man) and the other eye for looking up (for our redemption draweth nigh)?
KINDNESS IS THE WATCHWORD: The times are getting harder now for all of us, financially, emotionally, physically. Let us remember to share our faith with unbelievers but also encourage each other. Now is the time to let grudges go, to refrain from being annoyed by small things. Put personal differences aside and “build each other up” as we face increasing iniquity that disheartens and depresses, as the news indeed often does. (Be Salt & Light, Matthew 5:13-16)
Jesus said we do not need to worry. Matthew 6:25: “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?”
It has been The End Time since Jesus ascended and will end when He returns. We are in the last days. The Lord may tarry longer but it feels to me and many others that the end of the end days may be upon us. Whether or not they are, let us watch and marvel at His word, feel joy in His promises, even as we see the needs of others rise in confusion and fear…because that represents a tremendous opportunity to share Jesus with them! It is hard but it’s also exciting for us to actually see many of God’s works unfold in these days.
Whatever it is or whatever you’re going through, God’s got this! It is not a surprise to Him, it is ordained for His glory and our good. Cling to that and the knowledge that if you are in Him, He is your all in all, Alpha and Omega, perfect Savior who loves His children dearly.
648: Are false teachers really so bad? – The End Time Blog Podcast
Yes, they are.I discuss Alisa Childers' shift toward engaging with false teachers to reach the lost. While some support this view, I warn against the dangers of false teachers, asserting they corrupt faith and lead believers astray. I emphasize the importance of avoiding such influences, offering evidences of biblical warnings regarding sin and temptation.
- 648: Are false teachers really so bad?
- 647: 'Should I do events if there is a false teacher present?' Navigating cultural moments with discernment
- 646: The Consequences of Celebrating Death: A Biblical, Ethical, and Moral Reflection
- 645: Finding Peace in a Darkening World
- 644: Celebrating Death: A Disturbing Reality
Book Review of Emily Lex: “Freely and Lightly: God’s Gracious Invitation to a Life of Quiet Confidence”
By Elizabeth Prata
Podcast audio here or podcast itself at bottom
I’m often asked to review or share my thoughts on a Christian Bible study, a new book, or other material. As someone with the spiritual gift of discernment I am happy to do this for women since the gifts were distributed for the edification of the church; local first, then global. Recently I was asked about a popular book by Emily Lex. The book is called-
Freely and Lightly: God’s Gracious Invitation to a Life of Quiet Confidence
Continue reading “Book Review of Emily Lex: “Freely and Lightly: God’s Gracious Invitation to a Life of Quiet Confidence””Is your marriage as strong as Roman concrete?
By Elizabeth Prata
I love all things Italian. My father’s side of the family came from Italy. I have a fascination with the Roman empire because of its monumental achievements. Who wouldn’t be amazed at the discipline of the Roman legion? The straight and paved Roman roads? The soaring aqueducts, bridges, and buildings? The breakwaters?
Wait, wut? The breakwaters?
Yes, perhaps the most amazing achievement of all. Astonishing because they have lasted for 2000 years, and, modern engineers can’t figure out how.
Continue reading “Is your marriage as strong as Roman concrete?”Religion News: Blurbs and roundups of what’s happening
By Elizabeth Prata
A short roundup of some religion news for you.
Some good news, the Truth Matters Conference, usually held at John MacArthur’s Grace Community Church, moved its venue to the middle of the United StatesS so more people could attend. It will now be held at “The Ark Encounter in Williamstown, Kentucky, for three days of unforgettable Bible teaching, glorious music, and rich fellowship with the extended Grace to You family.” This conference also sold out within minutes of opening ticket sales, which is great news. People still clamor for truth and fellowship with the saints. If you missed getting a ticket, the event will be open for free May 18–20, 2022 on livestream at the link above.
Beth Moore/Living Proof Ministries is now partnering with The Voice of the Martyrs-America. Video announcement here. H/T Amy Spreeman
Pastor Gabe Hughes, known to us as Pastor Gabe on Twitter, the voice of WWUTT.com and Associate Pastor at First Baptist Church of Lindale TX, has been banned from tweeting from his Twitter Account for one week for posting this:
David Platt, formerly President of the International Mission Board and pastor at McLean Bible Church, has been scheduled as one of the speakers at IF:Gathering, a feminist, social justice, parachurch organization, and will be speaking alongside such false teachers as Francis Chan, Christine Caine, Ann Voskamp, Lysa TerKeurst, and so on.
The G3 Conference is going to take place September 30-October 2. It has drawn 6400 participants, from all 50 states and several countries. G3 Ministries’ new Editor-In-Chief, Scott Aniol said,
It's remarkable that the good folks of one regular local church have built a huge conference, and now an expanded ministry, not by compromising truth, not by inviting speakers from a diluted pool of widely divergent views, but by an unapologetic emphasis upon the sufficiency of Scripture, expository preaching, confessional orthodoxy, and the primacy of the local church. Gives me hope. Evangelical leaders take note. Honored to be joining with them. @G3Conference #G32021
Officials in other English speaking countries such as Australia and Canada are moving faster and faster toward tyranny. In British Columbia, Canada, proof of vaccination is now required to enter many settings. The good news is that – so far – you don’t need to show your papers vaccination card for worship services. In Australia, Victorian church leaders anxious about COVID vaccine mandate, fearing the creation of modern-day ‘lepers’. The leper allusion is something I wrote about in July.
Paul Washer of HeartCry Missionary Society issued an urgent prayer request in early September for one certain mission family in Afghanistan, and asks for general prayer for that situation. HeartCry is a credible organization and though news from that region of the world may be misty due to fog of war, my opinion is that HeartCry will offer the most solid information we can get in this sad and fluid situation. HeartCry link here
In June, it was reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is out after 12 years of leading Israel. Since then, he has been struggling to form a coalition government with his opposition.
The Kendrick Brothers have a new film out, Show Me The Father. This is the duo who produced Courageous, Fireproof, and Facing the Giants. This film is not a narrative like previous filsms, it’s a documentary. As World Magazine describes, “The film highlights the importance of fathers by telling the stories of several men whose father figures affected them for good—and evil.” This might be a good thing, as increasingly the Kendrick Brothers’ films have demonstrated a more prosperity gospelish bent than one would like. I wrote about them here. I’m hopeful the documentary approach will yield edifying content. The Brothers can put together a movie quite well, so perhaps this one will be the one for which discerning Christians will give a thumbs up.
the-end-time.org 