Posted in theology

Languages at Pentecost was a prophetic fulfillment

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

Let’s take a look at “tongues” as a prophecy.

Now there were Jews residing in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven. And when this sound occurred, the crowd came together and they were bewildered, because each one of them was hearing them speak in his own language. They were amazed and astonished, saying, “Why, are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we each hear them in our own language to which we were born? Parthians, Medes, and Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea, and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya around Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own tongues of the mighty deeds of God.” (Acts 2:5-11)

In Corinth during the early church, believers had a tendency to lust after the more showy spiritual gifts, particularly tongues. Tongues were actual languages believers could spontaneously utter. The person speaking it not having studied or having any knowledge of the language at all, yet could speak it perfectly. This was a sign to unbelievers, a fulfillment of a prophecy given in the Old Testament. (Isaiah 28:11).

The biblical meaning of speaking in tongues is that the language was an actual language spoken by a people group on earth. It was not gibberish babble.

The sermon at Pentecost miraculously delivered unto the disciples an ability to speak in the same languages as the multitudes that had gathered from the nations for Passover.

The annual Passover pilgrimage swelled the walls of Jerusalem with hundreds of thousands, because so many people came from so many nations for the event. They all spoke different languages. The disciples didn’t have time to go to a mission college and take two years to learn Arabic to begin the command to take the Gospel to the people, so the Lord delivered to them an ability to speak in Persian, and Cyrillic and Greek and all the other languages of the day- instantly. It was NOT a baby talk gibberish! Look carefully at the verses above.

The Lord opened up the disciples’ minds so they would be able to preach to the Gentiles who had traveled there from far places for the Passover. They spoke each in their own language so the visitors could hear the Gospel message. How amazing is our God!

So how does Pentecost relate to a prophecy in Isaiah? Many prophecies in the Bible have a dual fulfillment. It’s a near-in-time fulfillment and a far-in-time fulfillment. For the Isaiah 28:11 prophecy spoken of by Isaiah, the near term fulfillment was that Isaiah said that an enemy army was going to come, speaking a language the Jews did not know, and sweep them away from the Southern kingdom just as the Assyrians did to the northern kingdom 15 years before. It turned out to be the Babylonians who came and swept them all away to captivity.

So for the unbelieving Jews, it was a warning sign of judgment to come. Isaiah 28:11 says: “By people of strange lips and with a foreign tongue the Lord will speak to this people.” In Corinth, the apostle Paul liberally paraphrased that verse in 1 Corinthians 14:21, just before saying that tongues are a sign to unbelievers. What is the sign? His meaning is that tongues are a sign of judgment against the unbelieving Israelites and a token of divine grace to the Gentile unbelievers who hear the message in their own tongues.

John MacArthur wrote- “For the first time ever, inspired truth was revealed by God in languages other than Hebrew. This in and of itself was a remarkable sign, not only to the unbelieving Gentile hearers, but also to the unbelieving Jews. In 1 Corinthians 14:20-22, “Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature. In the Law it is written, “By people of strange tongues and by the lips of foreigners will I speak to this people, and even then they will not listen to me, says the Lord.” Thus tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers, while prophecy is a sign not for unbelievers but for believers. … Speaking in tongues signified that “the times of the Gentiles” (Luke 21:24) had begun.” ~John MacArthur, Four Points about Tongues from 1 Corinthians 4

In the OT, the way the Hebrews knew the hammer judgment of God was about to come down would be when they looked up and saw many foreign people speaking to them foreign language. Paul referred to it when he said’ it is written in the Law’, it is the Isaiah 28:11 prophecy. When the men in Acts at Pentecost began to speak in foreign tongues it was the same indicator, judgment was here. The Pharisees should have known. Jesus had warned and warned that judgment would come. Every time He pronounced “Woe” unto them was a warning. Sadly, they did not heed.

A sign is a sign. It’s not an ongoing event. When you see a sign announcing your destination in 10 miles, you don’t see sign after sign (unless it’s “South of the Border” signs, there are 175 of those!). A sign was to announce the event prophesied was here and after the sign is given it’s no longer needed. So that is one reason why ongoing gift of tongues has ceased. Its purpose was fulfilled.

So, God’s salvific gaze shifted from the Jews to the Gentiles, where His gaze remains to this day. It is still times of the Gentiles. One day, His salvific gaze will return to Israel. (Romans 11:25).

Tongues at Pentecost were for an ancient prophetic sign to unbelievers, not a gift of gibberish to be played with on TBN. Did you know that tongues were a prophetic sign predicted 700 years prior to its fulfillment? Our God is amazing!

Posted in cull, east greenwich ri, end time, prophecy, wayside cross

The Wayside Cross of East Greenwich RI

Posted on by elizabethprata

East Greenwich, Rhode Island is an old New England town, founded in 1677. Many of the original colonial homes are still standing and inhabited, and the town is quaint beyond belief. It is also my home town.

I grew up near the corner of four streets intersecting, where a charming cemetery is located on one corner. A brook runs through the cemetery, and a beautiful stone bridge serves as the entry to it. I used to play there frequently, as the property abutted our home and the hills are perfect for bike-riding, the brook contained tadpoles, and the leafy quietude was a huge draw for this shy child.

In the middle of the crossroads of this intersection was a Wayside Cross. It stood on a triangular island and the redwood crucifix with little roof had nailed to it a little plaque. The cross was put up in 1922, and its construction was noted in the St. Andrews Cross newsletter of October 1922; They wrote:

“THE first wayside cross to be erected in Rhode Island, if not in New England, was recently set up on a triangular piece of ground in East Greenwich. This cross is in memory of Dr. James H. Eldredge, a life-long resident of East Greenwich and at one time president of the Town Council. It is the gift of his granddaughters, one of whom is Mrs. Henry M. Saville, wife of the Rev. H. M. Saville, rector of St. Mary’s Church, East Providence. The cross was formally presented to the town by the Rev. Mr. Saville, and Bishop Perry conducted a simple ceremony of dedication in the presence of about one hundred people, including twenty-five school children of the nearby district school, who are pledged to watch the cross and see that no harm comes to it. Members of St. Luke’s choir led in the singing of several hymns, the Rev. J. M. Hunter leading in the Lord’s Prayer. The cross was accepted by the president of the Town Council. The inscription on the cross reads: ‘In Memory of James Henry Eldredge, Physician, Lover of God and Man, Who for fifty years traveled these roads to visit the sick and suffering. Died February 20, 1891.’ Since its erection, hundreds passing have stopped to observe the cross and to read the inscription, and those who placed this beautiful memorial to an exemplary life feel that it will indeed be a light by the way and a guide post to Heaven.” (photo from 1922 newsletter)”

St. Mary’s in our town is the Catholic Church. Though these stations by the road are called ‘Wayside Cross’ they are actually a crucifix. A hanging Jesus is attached to the crossbars.

One of the local elementary schools is named after Dr. Eldredge, I attended as a child.  You can see by the fact that the cross was erected and the lengthy newsletter article, in those days (1922- a hundred years ago!), a Wayside Cross was something to be proud of (even if it was a crucifix). Ceremonies were held when they were erected, and volunteers lovingly and diligently maintained them.

That was then.

Growing up, before I left the town in 1978 for college, my atheist father used to complain about that cross. It had been erected in the middle of the intersection. I suppose it could be seen as a road hazard to drivers. But that was not why my father hated it.

He hated driving past it. He railed and groused and gritted his teeth. More than once I heard him mention it, and not in glowing terms either. He used to say it had no place on town property. Well, someone else felt that way too, because during the week of November 28, 1986, Steven Brown, executive director of the Rhode Island affiliate of the ACLU, wrote to Town Manager Robert T. Tempest that the ACLU had received a complaint about the Wayside Cross, which sits on public land on the island at the intersection. Brown asked the town to move the crucifix to private land on behalf of Peter A. Marks of Middle Rd., who had lived in the town for just about a year. Thus began a fight that lasted two years, made national headlines, and caused a good young man to be arrested.

New resident Marks wanted the cross to come down. “I find it offensive” Marks said. He avoided driving past it because of his conviction that it made non-Christians feel unwelcome. This is 1986 now. He didn’t know, as many still do not, that the crucifix isn’t a Christian symbol. It’s an idol which means nothing. But anyway,

Very public legal wrangling ensued. This wrangling so upset teenager Laurence Moulton, that he sawed the cross off at the base and hid it, hoping to defuse the controversy. The climate between the religious and the ACLU in RI was already heightened by an enormous then-recent lawsuit (1984) when in a very famous case, the ACLU sued the city of Pawtucket for having a Christmas creche. The case challenging the legality of holiday decorations on town property made it to the Supreme Court of the United States. (Lawsuit here)

The ACLU lost the Christmas Creche suit but undaunted, again picked up the banner of separation of church and state a year later with the East Greenwich Wayside Cross issue. The controversy immediately re-ignited, having not yet died down from the Supreme Court creche suit. This bickering bothered young Mr. Moulton tremendously, and in his teenager-addled brain, he thought if he sawed off the cross that would settle the issue. He was eventually sentenced to one year probation.

Why am I writing all this? I’m old and nostalgic. I was googling around google street view to look at photos of my old town. I spent a long time doing this. It is a beautiful town and not much has changed. I started thinking of that cross, nearly across from my driveway, and how it was a historic landmark for me and an emotional one too. As a kid, when I saw it I knew I was almost to my house.

My childhood was atheist dominated with overtones of apathy and occasional spurts of Unitarianism. I really had no religious upbringing and that state of affairs continued into college and young adulthood. I lived in RI for 17 years, and then Maine for 30 years, both states in the bottom ten for citizens NOT going to church. In Maine, only 27% of adults attend church weekly or nearly weekly, a dismal statistic surpassed only by two other states, both neighbors of Maine: NH and VT. For 44 years I lived in an environmental desert of atheism and agnosticism and indifference. How, may I just please ask HOW, does an adult in middle age suddenly claim Jesus as savior?

His grace, that’s how. He sent the Holy Spirit to convict me, and my unhardened heart allowed the conviction. Increasingly for the Christian, there is no remedy for our offense. The true cross is deemed frivolous and no-account, dead wrong, “offensive” and we are marginalized for wanting to retain the right to display our faith in public.

These arguments about separation of church and state hurt us: just ask young Mr Moulton who was tormented by adult wrangling over-the-top over-reaching on the part of those who want to wipe the entire nation and earth of any Christian display. In 1922 the Wayside Crucifix was a place where it was hoped that many would be comforted, its construction a moment of celebration. In 1988 it was a point of state-wide controversy and bitter anger. In 2022 is the wayside station at the junction of 4 roads even remembered? It has by now been moved to the nearby cemetery, a fitting place for it. Such is our prophesied trajectory away from Our Lord.

“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:18).

The cross was eventually moved from the middle of the intersection to just inside the cemetery. it’s a more appropriate place safety-wise and location wise.
Posted in theology

The Continual Trumpet Blast from the Monstrous Regiment of Beth Moore Battle-axes

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

In 1558, Scottish Reformer and minister John Knox wrote a treatise called “The First Blast of the Trumpet Against the Monstruous Regiment of Women“. In it, Knox proffered the argument that it was unnatural for women to rule and it was contrary to the Bible.

The archaic word monstruous meant “unnatural” and is often written “monstrous” today, meaning hideous or frightful. Regiment meant rule or government.

In 2011, then-member of Team Pyro Phil Johnson, at his team blog Pyromaniacs, riffed off Knox’s title, posting a blog named, “The First Blast of the Trumpet Against the Monstrous Regiment of Discernment Divas“. He wrote,

“The following video (40+ minutes) is from the recent Psalm 119 Conference in Keller, TX, sponsored by “Wretched,” featuring Todd (“Freakishly Tall”) Friel. Todd dragged me on stage to discuss the Elephant Room and other issues related to wall-building, biblical discernment, bad discernment ministries, shrill-and-sharp-tongued women who fancy themselves called to ministries of full-time criticism—and a few other interesting topics.”

Sadly, that video is no longer available, but the lengthy comment section is interesting.

Johnson apparently spoke spontaneously at that conference about the influx of women claiming the gift of discernment but not employing it in charitable – or even biblical – ways. He said, and I excerpt some of the comments,

In short, I was referring to those very vocal (mostly, but not all female) self-styled “discernment” specialists who seem to think screeching, angry emotions are as good a response to heresy as carefully reasoned, biblical answers.

The pejorative that was floating in my mind during that conversation with Todd is actually a biblical term: busybodies.

[They] relentlessly pestered me with everything from silly taunts and insults to the crassest sort of slander.

[Their] watchblog-style criticism consisting of raw passion or verbal hysterics instead of rational or biblical arguments…are especially prone to fire off rabid posts and caustic comments without sufficient forethought.

Furthermore, these Discernment Divas tend to be incorrigible when you try to point out that this is not a good thing. In fact, they seem to like to drum up campaigns and comment-flurries and virtual tar-and-feather mobs when anyone questions their technique.

Mr Johnson has a way with words. And he got his point across. That discussion, both at the conference and afterward on his blog, made waves.

Eleven years ago was only a few years after the Year of the Blog, 2003. That was when Google bought Blogger’s platform and made it available to the whole world. WordPress launched that year too.

Anyone and everyone suddenly had a blog and could publish anything they wanted, for better or for worse.

In the Christian realms, people found blogging a wonderful way to propagate Christian principles, theology, practical Christian living ideas, and more. Just being able to publish scripture alone, was a revelation. Yay!

But with great visibility, great foolishness is often revealed.

One who withholds his words has knowledge, And one who has a cool spirit is a person of understanding, says (Proverbs 17:27).

Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is considered wise; When he closes his lips, he is considered prudent. (Proverbs 17:28).

Fools are fools for a reason. They do not know when to remain silent. When blogs became a thing, there was also a sudden birth of discernment bloggers. People, women included, who misjudged their supposed ‘gift of discernment’ and used their “gift” as an excuse to tear down, destroy, slander, and simply be cruel. They do not display the gifts of the Spirit nor do these people exemplify the virtues of a Godly woman.

This week, G3 Ministries leader and Pastor of Prays Mill Church Josh Buice had an interaction with Beth Moore of Living Proof Ministries. It did not go well. Moore had said in a previous tweet that she was pleased with her vines producing grapes, and “If Jesus is trying to get me to have a crush on him, it’s working.” Hers was a blasphemous statement, and Buice chided Moore for it. THAT is why the interaction devolved immediately. Moore did not take the chiding to heart (shocker). Her followers, for which this essay is titled, dove immediately into mob mentality with screeching that could be heard from pillar to post.

Those were the PG rated responses. Of the defenses I’ve seen this past few weeks, particularly surrounding Beth Moore but also others, I stand amazed at how yet again the Bible is real. I see the verse from Genesis 6:5 brought to life before my very eyes-

Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of mankind was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of their hearts was only evil continually.

I am truly amazed that people who profess Christ would be so free to slander and condescend and make tirades and say such awful things. But of course, most of them only profess, but do not possess the Spirit, and sinners are indeed ugly and sin is indeed rampant.

Instead of being shrieking feminist harridans, instead of unteachable snarks & uncorrectable mockers, instead of slanderers and harpies, women in God’s economy can and should be so much more. We have the Holy Spirit! With His help, we can be what God has called us to be: gracious, modest, wise, hospitable, kind, discreet, humble, respectful…

In one sense, as ugly as it is to read such comments, and as harsh as they are against their intended recipients, these women help me to see the contrast between worldliness and godliness. Not that I need such illustrations to obey God, but their behavior motivates me- in the other direction. Seeing such ugliness on display illustrates the ugliness of sin and the importance of kind speech, the beauty of submission, the elegance of humility.

Virtues that God wants us to cultivate ARE beautiful. They ARE for the common good. I don’t need to test God in this, but trust Him in this.

There is no in between. We can be a crone, or a queen.

Posted in theology

Prata Potpourri: Thinking, unmet expectations, poetry, smiley emoji, more

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

EPrata painting

The above is preferred. Today, instead of the legion of demons inhabiting the Gadarene who were sent into the pigs, we have today a Legion of Feminists sent on the wings of unholy spirits to flood pulpits, making irruptions into God’s churches and turning pulpits into synagogues of satan. That’s all. I just wanted to (again) express my distaste for unchaste women prancing about in pulpits, making a shameful display of themselves and besmirching the name of Jesus. Here, TableTalk magazine offers some perspective on women preaching.

Here is a handy dandy list of ministries of the Holy Spirit. It’s incredible what He does for us, and in His role as pointer-to-Christ. Our Triune God is perfectly unified, yet He separately have His own personality and functions. It’s a mystery how this works, but I’m grateful that it does! The list is a screen shot from the MacArthur Daily Bible.

Sam Chan says the smiley emoji no longer means what it used to mean. He explains Why you can’t use the smiley emoji any more.

I saw this on Twitter from Dr. Jack Hughes, @DrJackHughes. He is Pastor of Anchor Bible Church, expository preacher, Teacher, author, and @MastersSeminary grad.

I don’t know if he made this himself or obtained it from another source, but since I so often urge women to THINK, here is a super easy chart of how to do just that. He wrote, “A glorious, comprehensive text, that scans our souls to reveal if our thoughts and attitudes are glorifying to God or not. Let the spectrometer of the Word of God scan you and confess and repent of any of those sinful thoughts and attitudes that do not glorify the Lord.”

Dr. Jack Hughes is married to Lisa Hughes, who has a website you can check out: https://scripturepaths.com, “Where you’ll find in-depth, inductive, expository Bible studies designed to keep you in the Word regularly, blogs to strengthen your walk, and more!” This past spring, Lisa a conversation with the hosts of Women’s Hope podcast (Kimberly Cummings and Dr. Shelbi Cullen) on Special Interview With Lisa Hughes, Author of ‘Unmet Expectations: Reshaping Our Thinking in Disappointments, Trials, and Delays’. It is Episode 132.

If you like scriptural poetry, Susan Lafferty is your woman. Her posts are short, lyrical, and interesting. Like this one (at the site it’s accompanied by a photo):

Faithfulness. My parents just celebrated a milestone. Their 66th wedding anniversary. 
Sixty-six years traveling together across oceans. Living in tropical urban centers and American towns.
A journey marked by great joys. Victories.
And deeply painful losses. Hurts. Dark nights.
The thread running through it all? Faithfulness.

Darryl Dash at Dash House has some thoughts on Deliver Us From Evil (Matthew 6:13). “There are six petitions in the Lord’s Prayer. The one that I find the most confusing is the last one: ‘And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.’ “

A lot of people are hurting right now. Let’s be kind. Songs of Suffering: A Short Film Featuring Joni Eareckson Tada.

Thomas Coutouzis with a good word from Twitter on how satan baits us. I put into the Thread Reader Unroll so it would be in one segment instead of multiple tweets. It begins this way:

When Joseph was tempted by Potiphar’s wife he resisted every time. With James 1:13-14 in mind we know that Satan tempts people with specific bait to get them to fall.

Seth Lewis reminds us that “Knowledge is not a Bank“. “Now that my children are getting older, it has come to my attention that I have lost access to some of my own knowledge. I learned algebra in school, for example, but now that my son has taken it, I find that the lessons I had all those years ago seem to have slipped through a crack into some inaccessibly cloudy region of my skull.” Oh, yes, I can identify with this!

EPrata photo
Posted in theology

Buy Truth

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

Listen to your father, who fathered you,
And do not despise your mother when she is old.
Buy truth, and do not sell it,
Get wisdom, instruction, and understanding.
(Proverbs 23:22-23)

“Obtain the truth at all costs, then never relinquish it at any price.”

John MacArthur Daily Bible, August 22

“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells everything that he has, and buys that field.” (Matthew 13:44).

“That of the treasure hid in the field. Many slight the gospel, because they look only upon the surface of the field. But all who search the Scriptures, so as in them to find Christ and eternal life, Joh 5:39, will discover such treasure in this field as makes it unspeakably valuable; they make it their own upon any terms.”

Matthew Henry Commentary

I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, white garments so that you may be clothed and your shameful nakedness not exposed, and salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. (Revelation 3:18)

“Buy” does not imply that we can, by any work or merit of ours, purchase God’s free gift; nay the very purchase money consists in the renunciation of all self-righteousness, such as Laodicea had (Re 3:17). “Buy” at the cost of thine own self-sufficiency, and the giving up of all things, however dear to us, that would prevent our receiving Christ’s salvation as a free gift- for example, self and worldly desires. Compare Isa 55:1, “Buy … without money and price.”

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17so that the man of God may be complete, fully equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

Scripture testifies to its worth. What is it worth to you?

Posted in theology

If in fact the spirit dwells in you…

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

People who are Christians often swing one of two extremes. Either they are told never to doubt their salvation, that it’s the devil trying to get them to doubt. Or they’re told to always doubt their salvation, that it’s arrogant to think we can be sure and secure.

Neither of these extremes are correct. Neither of these extremes are profitable.

Let’s use Romans 8:9 as a launching off point for today’s blog.

Continue reading “If in fact the spirit dwells in you…” →
Posted in theology

Attributes of God: Eternity, Freedom, Glory

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

Sundays are a good time to ponder who God is. He is worthy of service and worship.

Tim Challies has created a visual theology of God’s attributes. Remember, God’s attributes are not parts that make up a whole. Everything good that there is, is 100% contained in God. He is 100% beauty, 100% aseity, 100% omniscient, etc. He is complete in Himself.

The paragraph on the left side in the visual illustration below explains how to view these attributes, explains what summary attributes are, and why some are in blue and others are in red. Right-click to open the illustration larger in new tab.

“To study God’s attributes is to study his character, to answer questions like, Who is God? and What is God like? A typical classification of God’s attributes divides them into those that are incommunicable (those that he does not share or “communicate” to anyone or anything else) and communicable (those that he shares with other beings).” Source, Tim Challies.

“Like most theological classifications, this one is imperfect but still helpful as we seek to understand what is so far beyond ourselves. God’s communicable attributes can be further categorized into: attributes of God’s being, mental attributes, moral attributes, attributes of purpose and “summary” attributes (attributes that, in a more particular way, modify each of the others). It is important to consider that God is not simply the sum of his attributes. His attributes are not separate from one another, but each one modifies or qualifies each of the others.” Source, Tim Challies.

ETERNITY: God has always existed, having no beginning and no end, and experiencing no succession of moments.

FREEDOM: (Attributes of Purpose) God does whatever he pleases.

GLORY: (Summary Attributes) The created brightness that surrounds God’s revelation of himself.

Previous week: Attributes of God: Aseity, Beauty, Blessedness

Further Reading: Ligonier: The Primacy of God’s Glory

Previous weeks-1. Aseity, Beauty, Blessedness
2. Eternity, Freedom, Glory
3. Goodness, Holiness, Immutability
4. Invisibility, Jealousy, Knowledge
5. Love
6. Mercy, Omnipotence, Omnipresence
7. Peace, Righteousness, Perfection
8. Will, Wisdom, Wrath

Posted in end time, florence chadwick, prophecy

Keep persevering – with keeping the prophetic finish line in sight

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

This example is used a lot in sermons and devotionals. It is an oldie but a goodie.

Florence Chadwick was a young woman in 1952 but had already swum the English Channel, both ways, and broke records doing it. One morning in 1952 she stood on the shores of California with intent to swim the 26 miles to Catalina Island. It was foggy. She was used to fog, rough water, and cold, having swum in these conditions since when was 11 years old so she was prepared for any conditions that may beset her on the long swim. It was so foggy that Florence could not see the support boats motoring around her to scare away the sharks. However after 15 hours of rough water stroke after stroke, she felt like she wasn’t getting anywhere. Despite encouragement from her mother and others in the support boat next to her, Florence wearied and asked to be taken out of the water. She soon discovered that she was half a mile from her goal.

The Lubec Maine shoreline. There’s a lighthouse in the photo. Can you see it? EPrata photo

At a news conference the next day Florence said, “All I could see was the fog.…I think if I could have seen the shore, I would have made it.”

Florence tried again two months later. This time, she made it! What made the difference? She said that she kept a mental image of the shoreline in her mind while she swam.

This is the same scene as above after the fog rolled away. [Photo by EPrata]

Prophecy is not meant to BE the fog. It is knowable, profitable, and given to us for all education. It is a light to keep in our heart as to the immutable existence of God, His eternal promises, and the goal for every believer, to reach the eternal Lighthouse.

There are end of time prophetic utterances in much of the Old Testament and in every book of the New except for four. And three of those four are single-chapter letters to one individual. Jesus meant prophecy to be the mental image for us to hold dear as to the goal. Do not give up half a mile from the finish line!

He is near, He is coming. Do not wander, drift, be swept away by currents taking you far from the goal. May every stroke of your swim toward eternity be as vigorous as the one before. Pray for that vigor. The Holy Spirit is there to help us:  “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;” (John 14:16)

If you knew that Jesus was returning tomorrow would it change your decision not to study the Bible today? Not to pray? Not to help someone? If you knew it was next week, or next year, how differently would you act as a Christian? You’re tired. We are all tired. The wages of sin splash up on us, and sometimes splash into us. It is wearying holding firm against the current. But keep the goal in mind! Envision scenes the Bible gives us of that happy Day.

behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and someone was sitting on the throne. And He who was sitting was like a jasper stone and a sardius in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald in appearance. Around the throne were twenty-four thrones; and upon the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white garments, and golden crowns on their heads…Revelation 4:2-4.

Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created. (Revelation 4:11)

The River and the Tree of Life: And he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb, in the middle of its street. (Revelation 22:1).

Keep persevering – with keeping the prophetic finish line in sight!

Posted in theology

ACTS: A prayer method

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

EPrata photo

Here are some listening and reading encouragements: starting with prayer in the ACTS format. ACTS is a method our Elders are leading us in through our congregational prayer as we begin our services. ACTS stands for Adore, Confess, Thanks, Supplicate.

It follows what Jesus said to the Disciples when they asked Jesus to teach them to pray. (Luke 11).

A: (adore). Opening a prayer with adoring God is a good thing. The souls in heaven are saying/will say: “every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” Revelation 5:13.

“Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.” (Revelation 4:11)

C: (Confess) I confess to You Lord that though my spirit was willing to be productive today, my flesh was weak. I confess to your Lord I did not give you as much glory as you well deserve, forgive me. Lord I confess to you___ and ask your forgiveness for ___

I prayed to the LORD my God and confessed, and said, “Oh, Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and faithfulness for those who love Him and keep His commandments, we have sinned, we have done wrong, and acted wickedly and rebelled, even turning aside from Your commandments and ordinances. (Daniel 9:4-5).

T: (thanksgiving)I am grateful that Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, I proclaim my gratitude, by which I may offer to You an acceptable service with reverence and awe; (Hebrews 12:28).

I am so grateful for you Lord, that “The Lord’s acts of mercy indeed do not end, For His compassions do not fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:22-23).

S: (Supplication) Please Lord hear my request, “Incline Your ear, O LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy.” (Psalm 86:1).

Be merciful to me, O Lord, for I call to You all day long. Bring joy to Your servant, for to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul. (Psalm 86:3-4)

Further resources

READING MATERIAL

Sometimes during pregnancy, our emotions can play havoc with us, or the exhaustion makes us not want to pray. Here are two articles aimed at women during pregnancy to help combat this:

A Pregnant Woman’s Defense Against the Schemes of the Devil

Growing in your love for God during pregnancy

PODCAST

Ep. 124: An Interview with the Author of “Heart & Habits: How We Change For Good” The Women’s Hope Podcast, part of The Master’s Seminary, By Kimberly Cummings and Dr. Shelbi Cullen. Shelbi and Kim interview Greg Gifford about his book, “Heart & Habits: How We Change For Good.” Gifford, a TMU biblical counseling professor, offers insight on the relationship between our frequent practices and spiritual growth.

Posted in theology

There is a reason to be wary of flatterers with smooth speech: ‘Bad company ruins good morals’

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

In 1 Corinthians 15:33, we read Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.”

Source

Every translation of this verse begins with the warning not to be deceived.

In context, Paul had been “addressing problems regarding their worship practices (11:2–14:40), Paul continues by addressing reports about the Corinthians’ beliefs. In this chapter, he focuses on the issue of resurrection.” Source Faithlife Study Bible

Paul sends them a strong warning about their beliefs, which had been and could continue to be corrupted by smooth talkers. Barnes’ Notes explains so clearly:

Be not deceived – By your false teachers, and by their smooth and plausible arguments. This is an exhortation. He had thus far been engaged in an argument on the subject. He now entreats them to beware lest they be deceived – a danger to which they were very liable from their circumstances.

Evil communications – The word rendered “communications” means, properly, a being together; companionship; close contact; converse. It refers not to discourse only, but to contact, or companionship. Paul quotes these words from Menander, a Greek poet.

It is implied in this, that there were some persons who were endeavoring to corrupt their minds from the simplicity of the gospel. The sentiment of the passage is, that the contact of evil-minded men, or that the close friendship and conversation of those who hold erroneous opinions, or who are impure in their lives, tends to corrupt the morals, the heart, the sentiments of others.

It is always true that such contact has a pernicious effect on the mind and the heart. It is done:
(1) By their direct effort to corrupt the opinions, and to lead others into sin.
(2) by the secret, silent influence of their words, and conversation, and example.

We have less horror at vice by becoming familiar with it; we look with less alarm on error when we hear it often expressed; we become less watchful and cautious when we are constantly with the frivolous, the worldly, the unprincipled, and the vicious. Hence, Christ sought that there should be a pure society, and that his people should principally seek the friendship and conversation of each other.

It is in the way that Paul here refers to, that Christians embrace false doctrines; that they lose their spirituality, love of prayer, fervor of piety, and devotion to God. It is in this way that the simple are beguiled, the young corrupted, and that vice, and crime, and infidelity spread over the world. –End Barnes Notes

This is why we do not ‘eat the meat and spit out the bones’. We avoid false teachers altogether. We avoid close continual contact with those who are morally corrupt, unsaved. You see the processes Barnes outlined: the secret silent influence of a corrupt person’s words will infiltrate and dampen our horror of sin, make us less watchful, and then we begin to think and act impurely.

It’s why Jude 1:23 says And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh

Jude is saying we should be careful if we choose to help a doubter or one that’s involved with false teaching.

even the garment—do not let pity degenerate into connivance at their error. Your compassion is to be accompanied “with fear” of being at all defiled by them. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

It’s because the risk is so great. Our society has fallen into a tolerance of sin. Many have no horror of it. Worse, we believe that if sin comes in soft words and flattering or charming packages, is is to be accepted. When you look up flattery in Nave’s dictionary, the entry says –

DECEIT : See FLATTERY
FALSEHOOD : See FLATTERY
DECEPTION » SELF » See FLATTERY
SPEAKING » EVIL » See FLATTERY

God considers flattery to be an evil deceit! Yet we think of it as a ‘respectable sin‘ as Jerry Bridges would call it. This should not be so. But it works because the false teachers use words of flattery to deceive the simple. (Romans 16:18)

Flattery is defined as: “Insincere and undeserved praise or words of encouragement, used with the intention of gaining favour with others.”

Flattery is deceitful
Ps 12:2-3 See also Ps 5:9; 55:20-21; 62:4; Pr 27:6; Jer 9:8

The results of flattery are ruinous
Pr 26:28 See also Pr 29:5

Flattery is rejected by godly people
Job 32:21-22 See also Gal 1:10; 1Th 2:5-6

Honesty is preferable to flattery
Pr 28:23 See also Pr 16:13; 27:9

False teachers use flattery
Ro 16:17-18 See also 2Ti 4:3-4; Jude 16-19. Source: Dictionary of Bible Themes: The Accessible and Comprehensive Tool for Topical Studies. Martin Manser.

Hanging around worldly people, flatterers, gossips, charmers with twisted doctrine is bad for your soul. Commune with the believers who are pure, strive for holiness, and enjoy refreshing, Godly conversations. You will be the better for it!