Category: theology

Posted in theology

Reporter no more

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

When I was writing for the local paper and the Athens Banner Herald some years ago, I’d developed a following of people who enjoyed my column and my features articles. Someone asked me if I was planning to go back to reporting. I said it was a negative business and I wanted to get out. Over the 6 1/2 years of running a small-town weekly paper, I had to learn and know things that I normally would never have wanted to know, the dirtiness, dishonesty, things about peoples’ lives, government sausage making. It takes a toll on one’s spirit.

I was so looking forward to my last day of work, August 9, 2006. The company that had bought my paper had already closed my local office and I had been commuting 10 miles to my new office, shared with the editor of one of the other newspapers they own. I was not fond of the commute, parts of it were dangerous. It was early, 5:30 a.m., on my last day as I hopped in the car and took off into the fog.

I came upon a crash scene. Dawn revealed the tragedy. Officials were diverting traffic, which a normal person would be happy to go around but I was a reporter, if for 8 more hours. I told the Officer that I was a journalist and I needed to get some shots. He waved me ahead and told me to stay 200 feet away from the workers. “It’s a bad one,” he said.

Two television channels were already shooting video. I had to jockey for position. At 4:30 a.m. conditions had been foggy, the tv guys told me, and an 18 year old girl had been zooming to work. She lost control of her small car, it skidded on the dew drenched road, flew, flipped then wrapped around a tree 100 feet into the woods. She was thrown from the vehicle and killed instantly. Rescue had a very hard time extracting the nearly disintegrated car and a very hard time extracting her from the woods.

EPrata photo

We stood around for an hour, the TV guys and me, waiting for the shots we knew we had to get. The white sheeted body being pulled from the trees, stretcher being loaded into the ambulance, close ups of the wreckage. The car was so shattered there was nothing for the tow truck to hook onto and it took a long time to find some solid metal to hook onto. It was boring so when it got close to when things emerged from the woods, we couldn’t help but get agitated. We scuttled forward, trying to get the money shot. I hated this part.

The whole time I kept thinking about the morning’s quietude, how the girl was probably singing and driving and planning about her day. And how suddenly her life was gone, and all that was left was a crushed car and three media journalists trying to get a shot that would represent her last moments by a bloody sheet and a hanging fender. My final shot was of long strands of grass hanging off the inside mangled wheel well as it was slowly winched on the truck bed. I left then.

When I got to the office the other editor had heard the scanner and was about to send someone out. I told him I got the whole thing already, including shots and quotes. He’s ghoulish and kind of likes car crashes. He likes them better if someone dies. He jumped up and pumped his hand in the air. “Yes! That’s great!” He looked at me sideways, and asked “Do you want to call the family?” We had to get a quote from them. I looked hard at the guy and I said “I’ve gone almost 7 years without having to make the call to a grieving family and I really don’t want to go out with one on my last day.”

Things like this affected me too much, but equally I was afraid of the day that they wouldn’t affect me, that I’d become like that other editor where a death of a human being represented newspaper sales.

I had recently been saved by the grace of God and my worldview had shifted. I thought about the brevity of life. She was most likely a Muslim, her family was from Iran and barely spoke English. Though I’d thought about the brevity of life prior to being saved, it was always an occasion either for puzzlement (where do we go after we die?) or an inescapable mystery founded on the fact that we all die and I will too. My thoughts usually ended there, with a shudder and a firm mental push of that thought away from me.

But now that I know that I know my eternal destination, it is both a comfort knowing my end will be bliss, but also a grief that many others won’t be.

Life is short. We must be about our Father’s business.

Behold, You have made my days as handbreadths,
And my lifetime as nothing before You;
Surely every man, even standing firm, is altogether vanity. Selah. (Psalm 39:5)

I’m glad the Lord gave me employment with children, a much more positive and soul-warming thing that reporting in misdeeds, tragedies, and negative news.

The cycle of news is endless because sin is endless. Thefts, murders, malfeasance, corrupt officials, tsunamis, hurricanes, fires, abductions, the list goes on and on. It’s important to cover the news, yes, let people know what is going on in fair and balanced fashion. But I was glad to step out. What a glory to know that there will come a day we will not need newspaper reporters because there will be no sin, no tragedy, no death. “Obituary writer” will be a thing of the past.

For people nowadays who cry out “Why is the news always negative? How about some good news once in a while?” the Day will come when we will only speak of the excellencies of Christ. His GOOD NEWS, and the wonder of His justified Bride. What a day that will be.

Further Resources

The Brevity of Life…A Call to Improve It, Sermon 6 – by Andrew Gray (1634-1656) (Puritan who died young, having had a three-year ministry).

James Smith, “The Time is Short!” 1860

Thomas Watson: Time’s Shortne)ss (A sermon preached July 2, 1676, at the funeral of Pastor John Wells).

The Brevity of Life– sermon by Alistair Begg, audio and transcript

Posted in theology

Taste and see?

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

O taste and see that Yahweh is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him! (Psalm 34:8)

As a Christian, we don’t have simply a mental assent that God is good. It’s not just a cognitive comprehension.

For example, we can know a certain dish is good, maybe Shepherd’s Pie. We can see the list of ingredients in the recipe and know that its culmination will be tasty. We can see photos of the completed dish and see it is good.

But when we taste it, THEN the item comes inside is to be digested and its goodness applied to every organ. We are then absorbing it into our whole body, its goodness is sent along the bloodstream, and its good properties applied to every part of our body.

When we taste something we are experiencing it in its entirety. See two old time Commenters on the Psalm 34 ‘taste and see’:

Barnes’ Notes on the Bible,
The word “taste” here – טעם ṭâ‛am – means properly to try the flavor of anything, Job 12:11; to eat a little so as to ascertain what a thing is, 1 Samuel 14:24, 1 Samuel 14:29, 1 Samuel 14:43; Jonah 3:7; and then to perceive by the mind, to try, to experience, Proverbs 31:18.

Gill’s Exposition,
in conversion a new taste is given, so as to have a saving experimental knowledge of the grace and goodness of God in Christ, an application of it to them; and in such manner as to live upon it, and be nourished by it; and though this is not a superficial taste of things, like that of hypocrites, nor a single one only, being frequently repeated; yet it is but a taste in comparison of the enjoyment of it in the heavenly state; and every taste now influences and engages trust in the Lord

Here is a resource along those lines: a book by pastor Nate Pickowicz, “How to Eat Your Bible: A Simple Approach to Learning and Loving the Word of God”.

Blurb:
Loving God means loving His Word.
If you’re feeling distant from God, could it be because you’re ignoring His Word? But maybe you don’t know where to start. Maybe the long books and strange names feel overwhelming. Maybe you just don’t like reading. Whatever the case, How to Eat Your Bible will help you cultivate an appetite for life-long study of God’s Word. Find practical guidance for overcoming the hurdles that have kept you from making Bible study a regular part of your life. You’ll also become encouraged to pursue God’s Word by learning how other Christians throughout time maintained this crucial practice. Pastor Nate Pickowicz also includes a unique Seven Year Bible Plan so that you can apply what you’ve learned and continue drawing near to God as you consume His Word.

Consume the banquet of His word. I need to do that myself. School starting a few weeks ago has hit me hard and I’m often tired both in the morning and in the evening. I have been spotty with tasting that that Lord is good. His word when consumed, goes into the brain and then the Holy Spirit applies the Living and Active word to my living body. He illuminates it to my mind and it circulates in my whole being, finally resting in my beating heart, now a permanent part of me. Why do I leave off absorbing the word of God? It is a fine meal.

Posted in theology

Kay Cude Poetry: In Song and In Praise

Posted on by elizabethprata

Kay Cude is a Texas Poet. Used with permission.

Artist’s statement. She has been through an extremely rough year,

“… and yet as I’ve been brought to repentance and a deeper desire to draw close to the Lord in obedience and worship, I find that some of the greatest encouragement and rest for me comes through this beautifully simple hymn! Therefore, I am compelled to share it with the redeemed as a reminder and with the lost as an encouragement to respond to a call to salvation. I am far from how I desire to be!

Dear reader, when you go through tough times, rely on the scriptures, and bathe in good hymns, too. The older ones have scripture IN them, or are closely based on scripture. Find comfort in God’s word.

Posted in theology

Three points about Russell Moore’s opinion of John Bunyan & Pilgrim’s Progress

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

1685, John Bunyan (1628 – 1688), the English writer and preacher who wrote ‘Pilgrim’s Progress’. Original Artwork: Drawn by Kenneth Maclean from a rare print by Francis Hall, after the painting by T Sadler. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

I listened to the podcast of Russell Moore and Karen Prior that people are up in arms about. It’s called Losing Our Religion: Evangelical Imagination with Karen Swallow Prior.

Russell Moore is Editor in Chief of Christianity Today and had been the President of the ERLC. He holds a Ph.D. in systematic theology from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Karen Swallow Prior had until very recently been the professor of Christianity & Culture at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. She is an author, speaker, and podcaster.

It is sad. Prior could be so interesting & the topic of imagination, literature, and how God uses us to create, would be wonderful to delve into, IF she wasn’t such a liberal and Moore so far from evangelical. There was one thing Prior said that I agree with: for too long we have neglected the aesthetic in literature. As modernists, I also think we have neglected the aesthetic in music, art, and architecture, too.

I’ve often studied this topic- imagination, art, and the Christian. I’ve blogged on “Writing, and writing for the Lord“. I enjoy Sheehan Quirke’s “Cultural Tutor” twitter threads and his newsletter “Areopagus”. For example, here, he talks about minimizing design too much.

I’m not necessarily talking about beauty here. I’m just talking about things having some discernible qualities & characteristics. The bollard on the left is hardly “beautiful,” but it *does* have some character. The one on the right… it exists. That’s all. S.Quirke

And when Sheehan Quirke does talk about beauty, wow. Beauty in music, art, architecture, literature. It is God-honoring to attribute creativity and means to the Lord.

I took and completed a wonderful course at Ligonier called “Recovering the Beauty of the Arts”. RC Sproul taught it. The premise is that “the first step in recovering the lost beauty of the arts — God’s glory — is to begin to think critically and clearly about the Christian’s relationship to art and aesthetics. … and to motivate you to support God-honoring art within and without the Church, so that we can heed more fully the apostle’s charge by meditating on “whatever is true, . . . honorable, . . . just, . . . pure, . . . lovely, [and] commendable” (Phil. 4:8).”

Beauty. In Ezra 3:12-13, the young men wept with joy when the temple foundation was laid, but the old men who had seen the glory and splendor and beauty of the previous one, Solomon’s temple, they wept and mourned. The second Temple would not be as beautiful or grand. Not even close.

Beauty is important. It moves us, it brings tears to one’s eyes. So does the lack of it. It is sad to see a graceful building decay…a glorious piece of art slashed…a masterpiece of literature rejected. And that brings us to Moore and Prior.

Youtube video with transcript here
Podcast website, episode here

There are three points to discuss here. But first, let’s see what Moore and Prior said. Excerpt:

Moore: I don’t like John Bunyan. I like the person of John Bunyan. I like the life of John Bunyan, but Pilgrim’s Progress leaves me cold and Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners even more so. And I think because I’ve seen so many people who started reading some Puritan literature from that time period who became so morose and so introspective and believing there’s no way they could really be a Christian.

And all of the tests that they were giving to themselves, then they would test whether or not they had the objectivity to go through the tests, you know, all of that. That Puritan era, I think, brought some things that just really creeped me out.

But you talk about in the book just how significant Pilgrim’s Progress really was in terms of shaping everything around us, which I don’t think I’d ever thought about before. I mean, I knew it was at one point the most popular book other than the Bible, but I didn’t really think about how the story actually changed the way we see things.

Prior: I’m going to be completely honest here. I mean, the Pilgrim’s Progress is kind of a drag to read. I mean, even teaching it, my students love to hate it, and I love to teach it to try to hate it with them and help them see it. And I’m so glad, actually, that I came to it as a student of literature before more than a Christian. I mean, I was a Christian, but I approached it as literature.

Point #1: Rejection of some books is more telling than just having an opinion about them

First, it is correct to say that people have opinions of books and authors and they are just opinions. Moore expressed his high opinion of southern writer Flannery O’Connor. I’m not a huge fan of O’Connor, I enjoy Zora Neale Hurston more. OK fine.

However Pilgrim’s Progress is not just any book. It is obviously sparked by God in a man whose imagination had been influenced by His word. It is a book designed to evoke vivid mental pictures and emotional responses toward God. No, it’s not the word OF God, but is closely parallels it. For Moore to say it ‘leaves him cold’ raises questions in people who understand that a book that has been in print for 346 years, and until recently was the 2nd most printed book after the Bible.

Point #2: Hating on the writing from the entire Puritan era.

Even if we put that aside, my second of three points here today is this: Moore dismissed the entire era of Puritan writing. THE WHOLE THING. “It really creeped me out,” he said.

Let’s look at the Puritan era for a moment. The era’s beginning and ending, though nebulous, is generally considered to have lasted from 1533 to 1740. Two hundred years. Why would a professor and an editor such as Moore dismiss the entire two hundred years of writing from evangelical Reformers? They had impact on theology AND history. For example, the article at the First Amendment Encyclopedia at Middle Tennessee State says,

“The bravery and initiative of the Puritans served as a source of inspiration for colonists during the Revolutionary War. Later, the framers of the Constitution would look to the Puritan era in history for guidance when crafting the First Amendment rights for freedom of religion.”

The Founding Fathers considered the Puritan writings to be good enough to include their precepts into the Constitution. In fact, the first civil agreement in the US was the Mayflower Compact, and so became the first document to establish self-government in the New World.

“Mayflower Compact laid the foundations for two other revolutionary documents: the Declaration of Independence, which stated that governments derive their powers “from the consent of the governed,” and the Constitution” writes The History Channel.

But the Puritan era’s writers really creep Moore out.

Point #3: Liberals love their emotions and decide things based on them. Moore is no exception.

The third thing is that he not only dismissed an obvious and enduring work of God in rejecting Pilgrim’s Progress, and not only rejected important writing from a 200-year-period of our history, but he did so on the basis of emotions.

Moore left, Prior right.

And that is the liberal to a T. How they FEEL about a thing becomes their truth about the thing. “It left me cold”. “It creeped me out”. Moore observed others becoming “morose”, ‘doubtful’ and “introspective.” These are emotions.

Feelings are everything to a liberal. Truth is what they feel, not what they know. Feelings are their guide, not what is objectively true.

Prior later complained amid the outcry, “So you can listen to a very clipped clip that’s circulating, or you can read the books. (Yeah, we know what the click-baiters will choose.)”

She is being disingenuous. It’s a clip but it’s the entire part about Bunyan. I listened to the whole podcast and the clip of their discussion and rejection of Bunyan’s works is presented in its entirety. It didn’t range over long hours with only a minimal clip cherry picked for spitefulness, as Prior seems to allude. It extends from minute 26:00 to 27:28. A minute and a half. That’s all the talk of Bunyan there was. So, it IS a clipped clip, Mrs Prior. And since your talk was public and you were free to say all you wanted to say about Bunyan and the writing and aesthetic from “the Puritan era”, we are likewise free to comment publicly on your and Moore’s comments.

If you are interested in aesthetics and God, as good old RC used to say, what is good, what is beautiful, and what is true, then here are some for you-

RESOURCES

Here are some more solid resources for you on the topic of imagination, aesthetic, and God:

Article: The Triune God, Good, beautiful, and True, by Harry Reeder

Book: The Liberated Imagination: Thinking Christianly About the Arts, by Leland Ryken.

Pamphlet: Art for God’s Sake: A Call to Recover the Arts, Leland Ryken

Novelette: Art & The Bible, by Francis Schaeffer

Art Book: Visual Exegesis Vol I, by Christopher Powers of the ministry Full of Eyes, a ministry that “seeking to help people see, savor, and sing the beauty of God in Jesus Christ.”

Course: Recovering the Beauty of the Arts: Ligonier.org, RC SProul

Online article: Aesthetics and Worship by James S. Spiegel

Posted in theology

What is Spiritual exhaustion?

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

Spiritual exhaustion can be a real thing.

I’m not talking about the burnout that some busy pastors or elders experience, though that is a real thing as well. A genuinely burned out pastor is a tragedy. It happens over time from mental stresses of studying to produce an accurate sermon or two each week; from sadness of counseling relationally broken relationships, or physical exhaustion of small church pastors who do everything from mow the grass to paint the fellowship hall.

I’m not talking about spiritual weariness either. That’s when the relentlessness of daily Bible reading, prayer, intercession, church-going one or more times per week, just the long-term weariness that comes when you do anything for along time. Some days you (or I) might not feel like reading the Bible. We might not feel like praying. We might not feel like leading or participating in home devotions. We might feel ‘dry’ or distant from God. We’re weary.

I’m talking about spiritual exhaustion. Like after you’ve delved into a Bible teacher in a discernment project and discovered he or she is false. Like after a series of close encounters in a spiritual battle over your sin or the impact of others’ sin upon you. Like after a period of extra-closeness with the Lord. Close-up holiness is spiritually exhausting to the still-sinful human.

Here is a biblical example of spiritual exhaustion. Daniel.

This precious prophet was given a lengthy vision of the time of the end. All the abominations and trampling and death and inexplicable scenes, and especially the blasphemy, passed through his Yahweh-loving mind and his heart. When the vision was done, Daniel said,

Then I, Daniel, was exhausted and sick for days. Then I got up again and carried on the king’s business; but I was astounded at the vision, and there was none to explain it. (Daniel 8:27).

He said in the next chapter,

while I was still speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision previously, came to me in my extreme weariness about the time of the evening offering (Daniel 9:21).

Paul experienced spiritual exhaustion. And no wonder! He endured more hardships over 40 years than anyone I can think of! He traveled thousands of miles planting churches, relentlessly writing letters to each, urging spiritual strength and reliance on God. And he was the model of it. He said that he was weary often to the point of exhaustion, excessively grieved, sorrowful, angry, concerned… He relentlessly prayed for his congregations. He mourned over their sin. He engaged in endless spiritual battles.

When he wrote he was poured out like a drink offering, it means he had served the Lord down to his dregs. He was exhausted, used up, wrung out, and rejoiced in his soon homecoming.

Not many of us are called to serve like that, but in our frailties, we do get spiritually exhausted. Always turn in prayer and the word of God to refresh. His is an infinite and endless fountain of refreshment in living water.

He will lift you, sustain you, refresh you!

“For I satisfy the weary soul and fill up every soul who wastes away.” (Jeremiah 31:25)

EPrata photo
Posted in theology

Watch out for Jealousy!

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

Someone got a raise you thought you should receive. Jealous! A friend got a new dress and it looks good on her. Jealous! Someone has a better relationship with the boss than you do. Jealous!

Photo by negar nikkhah on Unsplash

There are a million ways to sin with the sin of jealousy. Sin is endless and inventive. We could be jealous of someone’s looks, their power, their influence, their speaking ability, their clothes, their car, their house, their kids, their husband… Goodness, I could fill the internet with more ways to be jealous. It is a very old sin and it appears suddenly as an angry flash or simmers in a low burn that settles in with a long lease of resentment that eats away your insides.

We see in the Bible numerous instances of jealousy. None of them had a good ending.

Miriam and Aaron were jealous against their brother Moses (Numbers 12).

In this instance, Miriam seems to be the ringleader. She was jealous that God spoke to Moses and not to her (or Aaron). Barnes’ Notes says,

Miriam, as a prophetess (compare Exodus 15:20-21) no less than as the sister of Moses and Aaron, took the first rank among the women of Israel; and Aaron may be regarded as the ecclesiastical head of the whole nation. But instead of being grateful for these high dignities they challenged the special vocation of Moses and the exclusive authority which God had assigned to him.

She dare not accuse God, so she accused his intermarriage with an Ethiopian woman. This turned out to be a critical mistake. God gave Miriam leprosy. Moses begged, and God changed it to leprosy for a week. I surmise it was a lesson Miriam never forgot.

A tranquil heart is life to the body, But jealousy is rottenness to the bones. (Proverbs 14:30).

Miriam is cursed with Leprosy, stained glass, mid-16th c., Museum Schnütgen. Wikimedia

Eliab (the eldest) was jealous of his brother David (the youngest) (1 Samuel 17:28-29)

Now Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab’s anger burned against David and he said, “Why have you come down? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your insolence and the wickedness of your heart; for you have come down in order to see the battle.” 29But David said, “What have I done now?”

Plate with David’s Confrontation with Eliab MET DT11581.jpg Byzantine; Plate; Metalwork-Silver. Creative Commons Zero, Public Domain Dedication

First of all we see in David’s reply that this isn’t the first time his oldest brother had spoken this way to the youngest. Perhaps Eliab was still smarting over David being selected for king over him. Matthew Henry points out the nature of jealousy here:

Consider this, (1.) As the fruit of Eliab’s jealousy. He was the eldest brother, and David the youngest, and perhaps it had been customary with him (as it is with too many elder brothers) to trample upon him and take every occasion to chide him. But those who thus exalt themselves over their juniors may perhaps live to see themselves, by a righteous providence, abased, and those to whom they are abusive exalted. Time may come when the elder may serve the younger. But Eliab was now vexed that his younger brother should speak those bold words against the Philistine which he himself durst not say. He knew what honour David had already had in the court, and, if he should now get honour in the camp (from which he thought he had found means effectively to seclude him, v. 15), the glory of his elder brethren would be eclipsed and stained; and therefore (such is the nature of jealousy)…

Henry, M. (1994). Matthew Henry’s commentary on the whole Bible: complete and unabridged in one volume (p. 413). Hendrickson.

Eliab had thought that a lowly occupation such as shepherding was proper for the ruddy faced runt, while Eliab perhaps intended to gain glory on the battlefield, a nobler pursuit in his eyes. And now here was David intruding on his sphere, which Eliab had thought was all to himself! Jealous! We know the end. David slew Goliath and his stature grew. Eliab’s faded.

Proverbs 29:23– A person’s pride will bring him low, But a humble spirit will obtain honor.

A most famous instance of jealousy is King Saul against David.

“Saul Endeavours to Pierce David” James Jacques Joseph Tissot (French, 1836-1902)

Now it happened as they were coming, when David returned from killing the Philistine, that the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with joy and with other musical instruments. 7 The women sang as they played, and said,

“Saul has slain his thousands,
And David his ten thousands.”

8 Then Saul became very angry, for this lyric displeased him; and he said, “They have given David credit for ten thousands, but to me they have given credit for only thousands! Now what more can he have but the kingdom?” (1 Samuel 18:6-8)

In his increasing jealousy-fueled paranoia, Saul tried to kill David numerous times. This is the end result of jealousy. Or, perhaps even further along the spectrum, madness is. Saul in the end tried to commune with a witch and contact the dead. Crazy time.

Sin will always drag you along a path you don’t want to go. If you were shown where unresolved jealousy ends up from the beginning, you would either be horrified and repent immediately, or you would just not believe it. But like leaven that puffs up dough, sin spreads and infuses your soul in ever increasing amounts. Jealousy is one of those sins.

Other instances of jealousy that didn’t turn out well are of course, Joseph and his brothers (they didn’t like hearing they would bow down to Joseph, nor did they like their father’s favoritism). (Genesis 37:11). They had a point with that last one. But that is no reason to attempt murder. See? Jealousy brings a person along. If the brothers were told when Joseph was born, looking at that sweet innocent baby, that one day they would try to kill him, throw him down a well, and later sell him to slave traders, they’d be aghast. But jealousy builds.

The Corinthians. Paul had to speak severely to that group. They were dividing into factions, and puffed up with pride and jealousy, which was causing strife.

And I, brothers and sisters, could not speak to you as spiritual people, but only as fleshly, as to infants in Christ. 2 I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to consume it. But even now you are not yet able, 3 for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like ordinary people? 4 For when one person says, “I am with Paul,” and another, “I am with Apollos,” are you not ordinary people? (1 Corinthians 3:1-4).

In my opinion, people think too little of the seriousness of sin these days. All sins. Any sin. Jerry Bridges wrote a terrific book called Respectable Sins. “Have we become so focused on “major” sins that we’ve grown apathetic about our subtle sins? Renowned author Jerry Bridges takes you into a deep look at the corrosive patterns of behavior that we often accept as normal”…

No, while sin is part of our nature, sin is not normal. It didn’t start out that way. In the beginning, all things were “very good.” But disobedience to the Holy God of creation occurred and we inherited sin natures from Adam. Before salvation we sinned every day…every moment. We are awash in sin and do not recognize it. But once the Light comes and we see the darkness of our heart, we are grateful for the Holy Spirit’s help in slaying jealousy and other sins that try to thwart our holy walk with God.

Jealousy may be common to the human condition, as we see in the biblical examples, but it is not right. It leads down a tunnel of darkness that could end in murder, madness, or separation from God*. At the very least, it hinders our walk with God and destroys earthly relationships.

The good news is as Christians we can ask the Holy Spirit to help us identify its presence in our life, and once detected, to kill it. Step on that spider making a strangling web around your heart, and come back into full light of holiness.

*If we are saved, we cannot lose our salvation, but we could feel separate from God and the unrepented-of sin could hinder our walk, and destroy blessings. If we are not saved, jealousy could indicate that the person isn’t saved, and in the end demonstrate their walk was not genuine.


Posted in theology

Wise precaution, or morbid fear?

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Pastor James Bell

Editor Note: Pastor James Bell has been pastoring Southside Baptist Church in Gallatin TN for nearly 50 years. He sends a weekly newsletter and I am a recipient of it, even though I am not a member of this Tennessee congregation. Pastor James Bell is an example of one of the many, many pastors who labor faithfully in unknown corners of the world, shepherding, teaching, evangelizing persistently. The Lord has many like him, and I take encouragement from that fact every time I read one of his newsletters. I also take encouragement from its contents, always solidly Christian and quite encouraging. The newsletter material below is excerpted. It is Volume 48, No. 32, which means it is the 48th year of this newsletter and the 32nd week is August 15, 2023.

Again, the church is Southside Baptist Church / P.O. Box 1594 / 1028 South Water Avenue, Gallatin, TN 37066 (615) 452-5951.

Grow in grace newsletter!
BY PASTOR JAMES BELL

Poisoned arrows! The Lord’s supper!

I. Faithfulness to Jesus; regardless of poisoned arrows! Years ago, missionary John G. Paton, was warned not to take the gospel among the ‘head-hunters’ in the New Hebrides! Why? They killed with poisoned arrows and had a reputation of never missing their targets! Paton remained focused on taking the gospel to these lost souls! Paton, obviously, believed that living and spreading the gospel must not be stopped because of difficulty or danger!

Trusting God alone and in bold humility, Paton proclaimed: “I am invincible until God calls me home!”  so, Paton went to the New Hebrides; he arrived and proceeded inland! The poisoned arrows began to fly— but all of them missed their target! The head-hunters were so stunned that they listened to the gospel; and the kingdom of God was advanced.

II. What was it— now 3 or 4 years back? We had to deal with a virus, called covid-19. We were bombarded with 24 hour per day ‘official’ information from select elite sources— mostly from ‘authorities’ who were not on the front lines of actually treating patients! However, they and the many who supported them screamed: “Do what we say or you will die; or you might cause others to die!  The positions of Dr. Fauci; CDC, (and others who agreed with them); and the media who was their 24/7 mouth-piece must be believed. All other positions are extreme, radical conspiracy theories. Moreover, these demi-Gods warned: “we will delete your information, which is different from ours; and block you from information which is different from ours.” as a result, many lived in daily fear and isolation!

Iii. There was and still is a virus; and some are warning of worse ones to come! Wake up— history is filled with the accounts of diseases and plagues and much more! Jesus warns of more coming. In the midst, Christians, we have a high calling!

Iv. Faithfulness with the gospel!

Regardless of various diseases, wars, persecutions, financial troubles— Jesus will continue to build his church. [the religious harlot who loves the world and is loved by the world is not what Jesus builds!] The church   which Jesus is and will be building will be built by those, (like John Paton), who know that they/we are free to go forward, advancing the gospel— because, we are “invincible until God calls us home!” the apostle Paul labored with the same spirit: acts 20:21-24!!

Questions I must ask myself:

[1] am I, in all honesty living in morbid fear: forsaking the local church to which I say the holy spirit has joined me— forsaking gathering to worship; forsaking the encouragement of fellow saints; and forsaking going out to proclaim the gospel— because I fear I might die? (or because I fear I might lose friends?)

[2] or… Am I going to go forth in submission to Christ… And in love for Christ and his church; and resting in the reality that I am safe on this planet in the will of God— until Jesus calls me home?

Point number [2], above … Does not mean that God wants you or me to be a ‘dare devil!’ rather, do as most of you have always done: you take personal responsibility. You investigate. You seek to learn and to apply truth. You take precautions, like or similar to those we print every week on the last page of this newsletter.

What ‘point number [2] does mean is that in the same spirit with the apostle Paul, I confess:
“and see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there, 23 except that the holy spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me. 24 but none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.” (Acts 20:21-24).

Posted in theology

False piety is a killer

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

“Nothing in my nature is a Godly woman. So every morning I have a challenge ahead. I need prayer.” ~Beth Moore

While true, Moore’s constant emphasis on her unworthiness eventually reveals a pietistic drumbeat similar to Pharisees mumbling long prayers or disfiguring their fasting faces in public. After 50 years as a Christian, one would hope there was something in Beth’s nature that she could acknowledge as good, namely 50 years of progress in slaying sin in her ever forward sanctification. But no.

While it seems humble to point to one’s sinful state, one must also thank the Holy Spirit at some point for His work. Constant pointing to one’s self, either as a boastful and prideful success, or as a seemingly pitiful sinner, is unbalanced theology and is a worldly focus on self.

@BethMooreLPM preaches Jesus but converts people to dead religion filled with fake piety and false holiness. Be careful not to fall into the trap of the Pharisees, making a show of our piety as a virtue signal instead of pointing to Jesus and reveling in His love and forgiveness.

Read about Esau’s false piety here, from Ligonier where we learn to be wary of seeking “the covenant’s benefits without seeking the covenant’s Lord“.

Fake piety is described in many places in the Bible, like here, 2 Timothy 3:5, holding to a form of godliness although they have denied its power; avoid such people as these.

Jesus gives us the main text against false piety:

Matthew 23:1-12
THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES DENOUNCED
Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples, saying: “The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses; therefore all that they tell you, do and keep, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say things and do not do them. And they tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as a finger.

But they do all their deeds to be noticed by men; for they broaden their phylacteries and lengthen the tassels of their garments. And they love the place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues, and respectful greetings in the marketplaces, and being called Rabbi by men.

But do not be called Rabbi; for One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. Do not be called instructors; for One is your Instructor, that is, Christ. But the greatest among you shall be your servant. And whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.

The Publican and the Pharisee
Posted in theology

I saw a Cardinal. Did I Just Receive a Sign from God?

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

People see things and then decide that is it a sign from God or a particular instance of personal comfort in a person’s grief. Let’s use the “cardinal sighting” as an example.

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It’s said that when you see a cardinal it means angels are near to you and bringing a loving or comforting message from their loved one in heaven. Or that it’s a sign from heaven indicating the loved ones’ spirit is with you. This concept has been around a long time and the thought occurs in many cultures.

But IS It a sign from God? Or, are there other small signs of comfort He sends us that only the person would understand? Some people say they saw a such and such and it was a sign from God, a particular sunset, a certain tree, a rainbow, etc

Let’s go over what we KNOW.

We know that:

— ‘Signs’ as defined in the Bible are actual miracles such as speaking in tongues, visions, healing, raising the dead, and prophesying (having temporary ‘omniscient’ knowledge). A miracle is something that occurs that is outside of or suspends ‘natural’ law. (See Water into Wine miracle, blind-since-birth man sees),

— Signs in the Bible were for unbelievers & Jews as a judgment (i.e. Tongues at Pentecost- Isaiah 28:11–12 & 1 Corinthians 14:21) and also to authenticate the Apostles as having definitely come from God. (Mark 16:20).

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If a person is attributing an object or circumstance to God as a sign, this is dangerous. We must never ascribe a word or deed to God he didn’t say or perform. A cardinal is a naturally and frequently occurring common sight. If we ascribe to this bird “comfort from God” or “spirit of loved one” to it we are in essence putting words in His mouth or a deed He didn’t ordain.

What we do know about Jesus when we are grieving or struggling is:

Here is what we KNOW about Jesus and His operations among the believing populace:

— Jesus is intimately involved with His churches (Rev 1-3),

— Jesus is intimately involved with each individual believer even if they are alone (Matthew 28:20, Hebrews 13:5. see: Hagar in the desert, marginalized Woman at the Well, John exiled on Patmos…),

— Jesus knows the heart and mind of each person on earth. (John 1:48),

— He promised to comfort us- (Matthew 5:4,“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. He is the God of all comfort, (2 Corinthians 1:3–5). He is close to the brokenhearted- (Psalm 34:18 ).

So the question left to ask is, HOW does the God of all comfort give us that comfort? Not by having you see a cardinal or other sign or omen.

One way of course is that we take comfort in His promises in the word. That is the most secure place to seek and receive comfort, to be close to God, to ask for comfort, and even to receive answer to prayer (through illumination of the word to our mind). We take comfort when we pray knowing He is near to us and listening.

Also know that Jesus comforts us. We know He answers prayer according to his will. So, what was that thing I saw if it wasn’t a sign??

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This Q&A from Randy Alcorn’s Eternal Perspective Ministries addresses this question. Though the questioner in this essay thought the ‘sign’ might be her departed loved one sending her a signal. I thought the author worded her answer well: (https://www.epm.org/resources/2017/Jan/13/loved-ones-signs/)

Answer from Shauna Hernandez:

Thanks for your question. Sometimes I think God does indeed give us gifts that remind us of the loved ones we’ve lost. My mom passed away a few months ago, and God has definitely been kind in different areas. For example, my mom had made up pie dough earlier this year and froze it. We used it this past year at Thanksgiving and it felt like she was still able to contribute to our meal! I don’t believe this was any type of sign, but rather, it was God being sweet and, in a way, allowing my mom’s legacy to still be a part of our day.

While there really isn’t any Biblical evidence for those in Heaven sending us signs, or even for God giving us gifts to remind us of loved ones, He does say to be thankful for all things. I can’t tell you for sure that the break in the clouds and sunshine you mentioned is from God, but I believe it could be. He is the creator of the skies and the heavens (Nehemiah 9:6, Isaiah 45:12), and the giver of all good things (James 1:17). It could be the Lord giving you a gift as you think about your loved one who is now with Him. Certainly you can seek to be drawn closer to Jesus as you thank Him for the beauty of His creation and for His gift of salvation.

I love that God is so good and gives us reminders of His presence and care, both in our day-to-day lives and in His Word: “Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you” (Isaiah 46:4).

If something you notice as you go along in your grief reminds you of God, His love, His promises, then great. The Spirit might be reminding you of comforting verses that remind you of His promises. Or if you see a beautiful sunset and are reminded that God painted it and you used to watch a nice sunset with your mom, then great, as an example.

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I think it is unwise to state with certainty that the THING was definitely a message from God. Unwise because God has said many times in His word that He hates when people ascribe things to Him that He did not do or did not say. I think it is safe to say that you have a positive feeling that God answered that prayer and you can’t wait to find out for sure once you get there.

Philippians 4:4-7 says,

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all people. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and pleading with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Oh, the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor? Or who has first given to Him, that it would be paid back to him? For from Him, and through Him, and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen. Romans 11:33-36

Posted in theology

Social Media and Flaming Fingers

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

I saw a new book come across my screen and it piqued my interest. It is called “Taming the Fingers: Heavenly Wisdom for Social Media” by Jeff Johnson.

The book blurb says,

“While social media has many benefits, it often serves as a breeding ground for divisiveness and hostility. Hidden behind our screens, we are often tempted to type things we would never say aloud. With wisdom from the Proverbs, Pastor Jeff Johnson offers five practical questions that can help us cultivate heavenly wisdom in our use of social media: • Am I controlled? • Am I calm? • Am I careful? • Am I compassionate? • Am I conscientious? Read Taming the Fingers to turn social media into a tool for God’s glory.”

Intrigued, I purchased it and have read the introduction and first part of chapter 1. It’s a very short book, only 71 pages.

I am old enough to have lived a good part of my adult life prior to the invention of the internet. I was 37 years old when the world wide web came to my house. I wasn’t saved yet but as a life-long writer and a lover of research, I was thrilled I could self-publish and overjoyed not to have to drive 45 minutes in the freezing Maine snowy weather to the library and look stuff up from the card catalog.

Now, information was available at the touch of a button. Communication with loved ones far away was instant. Finding answers to burning questions such as ‘what is the diameter of the sun?’ or even niggling questions like when you’re watching a movie and you can’t quite remember the actor’s name, ‘what was that guys’ name??’ – just go to imdb.com.

It is a huge blessing to have this tool. Don’t take it for granted. It’s become such an embedded part of our lives and several generations have now been born after its invention, that we forget what a boon it is.

Then 6 years later I was saved. What joy! To be able to spread the GOOD NEWS of Jesus Christ at the touch of a button. To witness, evangelize, proclaim. To hear sermons from long dead or still alive preachers! To read Spurgeon’s sermons. To look up Puritan books online. To make friends with internet Christians.

The internet can be a wonderful tool.

It also can be a satanic tool.

In fact, the first line of “Taming the Fingers” book is:

“Sin does not operate independently of tools.”

It wasn’t long before doctrines of demons began percolating on the www (world wide web). Before long, a mixture of genuine Christians, false Christians, and non-Christians began muddying the doctrinal waters. False teachers like Joyce Meyer or Beth Moore grabbed ahold of the internet right away to spread their brand of evil.

False Christians and atheists know how to push buttons. Righteous indignation rises and before we know it we’re blotching our pure witness with unrighteous anger or secular snark or other behavior we are sorry for later. That’s the flaming fingers, having typed something you realize you either inadvertently worded poorly, or was drenched with some sort of sin you regret exposing to the world.

On Twitter (sorry I just not used to “X” yet, a curious name for a social media) D. Michael Clary, a Reformed conservative pastor of a church in Cincinnati, wrote the following on his Twitter stream the other day and I liked it. I thought it matched well with the above comment about the book Taming the Fingers I was preparing anyway, so I asked Mr Clary if I could repost it. He said yes.

Michael Clary @dmichaelclary said

The Twitter/TikTok generation should take heed of Proverbs 12:16.

“The vexation of a fool is known at once, but the prudent ignores an insult.”

People naturally want to talk about the things that make them angry. An insult. A betrayal. An injustice. An evil.

They quickly vent their frustrations online and others will cheer them on in agreement.

This is foolish. Anger can make you irrational and impulsive. Social media rewards our foolish impulses in all the worst ways.

If you’re angry or upset about something, don’t vent about it online. Everything you say on the internet is instantaneous, global, and permanent. There’s nothing good that will come of it, but plenty of bad things that can come of it. “An evil man is ensnared by the transgression of his lips” (V13).

Proverbs urges discretion. Don’t be rash with your words (V18). The “heart of fools proclaims folly” (V23). Ignore the insult (V16).

There are times to speak out about evil in the world, even on social media. But not as a self-serving emotional release. There are many pitfalls. “A prudent man conceals knowledge, but the heart of fools proclaims folly” (V23).

There are times to speak out about evil in the world, even on social media. But not as a self-serving emotional release.

Jeff Johnson, “Taming the Fingers”

In Proverbs, fools just talk-talk-talk all the time, venting their hot takes, contradicting themselves, lying, slandering, and confidently asserting nonsense. “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes” (V15).

The wise pick their moments. They hold their tongues (or their thumbs), and speak when it is wise to do so. They “conceal knowledge.” They see things and know what’s going on, but don’t weigh in on everything. But in the right time, they’ll speak up and make a meaningful contribution.

“Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment” (V19). ——end Clary comment

I’ve tried to abandon snark entirely online. I know, Paul was sarcastic, so was Elijah once or twice. I’m not them. I think just being nice and polite is enough. Mocking and anger have to go too. They don’t result in a gentle witness. With so much of our lives not on screens, taming the fingers is more important than ever. Proverbs and prayer can help with this.

If social media is getting you down, then there are a few things you can do.
–You can scroll by and not read or engage in comments that rile you.
–You can do a cleanse of the accounts that upset you with their comments by muting or blocking.
–You can say ‘No thank you’ to invites on lists or Groups that will occupy your time negatively.
–You can delete the particular social media that tempts your witness.
–You can take a break from social media for a period of time.
–You can delete social media altogether.

I’ve deleted a few social medias, such as MeWe and Pinterest, mainly because I felt overloaded with too many platforms. I’ve said ‘no thank you’ to invites on Facebook into Apologetics groups and Reformed groups. I don’t join Twitter ‘Lists’ or formulate them. I do not have a Youtube Channel. I haven’t even looked up TikTok or Blue Sky.

For me, I feel Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and my WordPress blog allow me to express my thoughts about Jesus and His word well enough. And that is the point. We can use social media for entertainment, sure. But if you use it for proclamation of the GOOD NEWS of Jesus Christ, then we should work in taming the fingers so we can maintain witness that satan cannot point to with accusations. God’s glory is the chief end of man.