By Elizabeth Prata
SYNOPSIS
The term ‘fool’ is used over 300 times in scripture, indicating its seriousness in the biblical context, often linked to rejecting God. Various meanings include deliberate sinfulness and moral corruption. Contrary to light-hearted interpretations, biblical foolishness signifies evil character and ultimate condemnation, emphasizing the importance of recognizing God’s wisdom.
Continue reading “The True Meaning of ‘Fool’ in Scripture”By Elizabeth Prata
SYNOPSIS
The text discusses the debate surrounding women’s roles in church leadership, emphasizing that women are biblically unqualified to pastor. It challenges modern fanciful interpretations of scripture, advocating for adherence to the plain scripture of the Bible. The author argues against female pastors, citing specific biblical passages and historical context while encouraging women to fulfill their rightful roles in accordance with scripture.
Continue reading ““Women can’t preach?! What about Deborah?””By Elizabeth Prata
A man who wanders from the way of understanding Will rest in the assembly of the dead. (Proverbs 21:16).
The phrase ‘assembly of the dead’ is especially vivid. Assemble is active, but dead is passive. Inert, even. We don’t usually think of the dead assembling, or being assembled. But they will all be there, together, away from God. This is a horrifying thought.
I was struck by this illustration when I was looking for stock photos. The clamorous crowd of women reminds me of so many women today, prominent women, whose actions and teachings are a raised fist against God.
Contentious women, rebellious women, haughty women, are a dishonor to the Lord. Proverbs 25:24 says
It is better to live in a corner of the roof Than in a house shared with a contentious woman.
A woman like that is not easily lived with, not in the home nor in the church or in the denomination or in the global church.
No man or women decides to wade into the bog where death lurks. He thinks he is going “my way”, or the “right way”. Or even, the ‘It’s OK, Way”. This is the very bottom of the barrel of sin, which is pride.
Does man, or woman, know better than God? Will there be absolution for those who claim “ignorance of the Law?”
There is only one way, and it is the only right way, as the Bible shows repeatedly in Proverbs 16:2, 25; 21:2. To stay in what the Proverb calls “the way of understanding,” or the Gospel, we love God’s precepts, obey His commands, and mortify our own opinions and philosophies. (2 Corinthians 10:5).
The flesh will want to rear up, (Genesis 4:7, Romans 6:12), so staying in the Word and in constant prayer (1 Thessalonians 5:17) will subdue those inclinations.
Ladies, we are gentle, soft-spoken, kind, teaching and teachable. We are dignified and loving, patient and diligent. We’re moms and widows, virgins and singles. We are strugglers and overcomers, sinners and repenters, but most of all we are loved by Jesus as His own. We are and always will be part of the assembly of the living. Praise Jesus for that!
By Elizabeth Prata
SYNOPSIS
Nehemiah, distressed by Jerusalem’s state, was authorized by King Artaxerxes to oversee its reconstruction against local opposition. He developed a strategic plan, assigning families to rebuild specific gates crucial for defense and community. The gates held historical significance, reflecting their role in city governance and security throughout Jerusalem’s 5000-year history. Let’s explore these magnificent gates.
Continue reading “Nehemiah and the Rebuilding of Jerusalem’s Gates”By Elizabeth Prata
Normally I write about a little-used word but one that we as believers need to know. I’ve written about aseity, omnipotence, and justification, for example. But this week’s word will be Light.
It seems like it is an easy word, and it is, but as with all things in the Bible, there are layers of meaning.
The word Light is used in the Bible in several different ways. There is created light, as when God said “Let there be light”…and He separated the light from the dark. This is literal. There is miraculous light, as in the glory light of Jesus when He transfigured. And there is figurative/symbolic Light, as in the Word is a light or when we are ‘in the light’ as opposed to those sinners who are ‘in darkness’, or ‘don’t hide your light under a bushel’.
In the ATS Bible Dictionary, we read,
One of the most wonderful, cheering, and useful of all the works of God; called into being on the first of the six days of creation, by his voice: “Let there be light;” and there was light. No object better illustrates whatever is pure, glorious, spiritual, joyful, and beneficent. Hence the beauty and force of the expressions, “God is light,” 1 John 1:5, and “the Father of lights,” James 1:17; Christ is the “Sun of righteousness,” and “the light of the world,” John 1:9 8:12. So also the word of God is “a light,” Psalm 119:105; truth and Christians are lights, John 3:19 12:36; prosperity is “light,” Esther 8:16; and heaven is full of light, Revelation 21:23-25. The opposite of all these is “darkness.”
The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia explains
The word “light” is Divinely rich in its comprehensiveness and meaning. Its material splendor is used throughout the Scriptures as the symbol and synonym of all that is luminous and radiant in the mental, moral and spiritual life of men and angels; while the eternal God, because of His holiness and moral perfection, is pictured as “dwelling in light unapproachable” (1 Timothy 6:16). Every phase of the word, from the original light in the natural world to the spiritual glory of the celestial, is found in Holy Writ.
The ISBE even goes on to further separate the different concepts of Light into Natural Light, Artificial Light, Miraculous Light, Mental, Moral, Spiritual Light; and explores its symbolism, expressive terms, and more. Check it out!
We first read the word light in Genesis 1:3 and the Bible closes with it in Revelation 22:5. Light. It’s such a simple word, but such a complex theme.
Further Resources:
Q&A: What Does it Mean that God is Light?
Devotional: Walk in the Light
Study: Light and Darkness
Blog post: Light of the World
By Elizabeth Prata
SYNOPSIS
In this reflective piece, I contemplate the profound and often staggering reality of death, drawing parallels between historical battles and contemporary mortality rates. Citing biblical accounts, particularly from 2 Chronicles and Isaiah, the narrative explores the weight of human loss throughout history, emphasizing the eternal significance of souls lost to death.
Continue reading “Life, Death, and Salvation: A Christian Reflection”By Elizabeth Prata
SYNOPSIS
In this ongoing series, I explore the historical and biblical significance of the cupbearer, a high-ranking official tasked with serving wine to kings while safeguarding them from poison. This role, far from being a mere servant, required immense trust and character, as the cupbearer literally risked his life daily.
Continue reading “A Day in the Life of A: Cupbearer”By Elizabeth Prata
“I was sinking deep in sin…” goes the first line of an old song. (Love Lifted Me, 1912)
No matter how deep in sin a person is, no matter how low…no matter if they are in the gutter, or even one foot down the shaft of the gates of hell (like I was)
God’s arm is not too short to lift you from it!
He won’t make you wait. He won’t toy with you. If you call out to the Lord to save you and forgive your sins, He will, instantly. If you are saved but have sinned or strayed, and you call out to the Lord to forgive you, He will, instantly.
He was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ Immediately Jesus reached out His hand and caught him. ‘You of little faith,’ He said, ‘why did you doubt? (Matthew 14:29-31)
By Elizabeth Prata
SYNOPSIS
Dr. John MacArthur’s passing at 86 years old sparked deep sadness. His consistent, steadfast preaching over 56 years provided reassurance and stability in a chaotic world. MacArthur’s dedication to the Gospel and call for faithfulness remains a profound legacy, marking the end of an exceptional era in Christian leadership.
Continue reading “Grieving the Loss of John MacArthur: A Reflection”By Elizabeth Prata
I call this ‘a kind of review’ because I have not read John Mark Comer’s (JMC) book “The Way“. I am posting links from other reviewers I trust.
Prior to publishing this book, people have taken issue with Comer on other topics, such as his theological approach, his understanding of God, his emphasis on spiritual practices, and his view of the Atonement. You can already detect that this will not be a positive review.
In fact, I would like to give a general warning to my women reader-sisters. The way things are going in Christian publishing, if a new book is popular, you can almost rely on the fact that there will be theological concerns with its premise. Secondly, if a book claims to have recovered a long lost practice/approach/interpretation of the Bible, one that everyone has overlooked till now, you can 100% guarantee it is theologically unhealthy.
JMC’s ‘Way’ involves what some call too much Eastern Mysticism and Richard Foster type disciplines. In the early 2000s, Eastern Mysticism began sweeping into the church. Famously, Beth Moore participated in a DVD teaching that explained how to perform “Contemplative Prayer”. While both the words contemplate and prayer are commanded in the Bible, this particular practice adopted eastern mystic/Catholic methods. Richard Foster and Dallas Willard were primary in bringing these practices into the church and strove to legitimize them. Christian Answers for the New Age has more here on Foster & Willard.
JMC says that the word ‘Christian’ is used only 3X in the New Testament but ‘apprentice’ is used 269X. That the word “Christian” no longer means what it did back in Bible days and plus, it’s a “label Jesus never used”. While indeed earliest Christians were called that, they were also called many other things such as brethren, saints, disciples, the church and so on. But Comer takes the terms we have come to have a common understanding of, i.e. ‘Christian’ and ‘The Way‘ too far off the road of orthodoxy and too much of a stretch, in reviewers’ opinions. We seek to evangelize people to a union with Christ, not solely to ‘a way of life’. Comer’s premise tends to the latter, not the former. Focusing on THE WAY rather than the PERSON of JESUS is a trap.
JMC touts the “Rule of Life”. This is a practice that originated from a Catholic monk named Saint Benedict (named a saint by the Catholic Church) in the 400s, as a rule book for monks to develop contemplative practices.
Kevin DeYoung reviews “The Way”, saying, “The invitation to “come and see” is not about test-driving the way of kingdom love; it’s about discovering Jesus’s divine and messianic identity. That’s why Andrew says, “We have found the Messiah” (1:41) and why Nathaniel exclaims, “You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” (1:49). It’s also why the chapter ends with Jesus referring to himself as the divine Son of Man from Daniel’s prophecy (1:51). Comer has taken a passage explicitly about the revelation of Jesus’s identity as the Christ, the Word made flesh, the Son of God, the Son of Man, the revelation of the Father’s glory, and the king of Israel, and turned it into a rather mundane message about discovering the best way to live. This is not a small interpretive misstep.”
Marcia Montenegro at Christian Answers for the New Age is a trustworthy discerner. She has a review of Comer’s new book about The Way, here. “Comer’s theme is that Christians must pursue the “practices of Jesus,” or the “Way of Jesus,” which are the spiritual disciplines. However, there is no evidence that the spiritual disciplines as taught by Comer and others are taught in Scripture, nor are meditation and prayer modeled in Scripture anything like what is taught by Contemplatives.”
Gary Gilley at Critical Issues Commentary also has a critique of Comer’s book The Way. The link goes to a list of 14 parts, lol, but you can read the titles and pick which critiques to read.
9Marks reviewed his book, saying, “I was left with a Jesus that would make for a great life coach, but not the Savior and Lord as revealed in God’s Word.”
The subtitle of Comer’s book “Be with Jesus. Become like him. Do as he did” reminds me of another book that urged its readers to do as Jesus did. In fact, it’s where we get the mantra WWJD, or What Would Jesus Do? It is from the 1895 book by Charles Sheldon called “In His Steps.” I reviewed that book here. While we always desire to transform our heart and mind toward Christ-likeness, an unhealthy focus on doing rather than worshiping always tips the balance toward experiential and/or Social Gospel. Whether Comer’s “Rule of Life” or Sheldon’s “What would Jesus do?” the tendency is present.
It is best to stick with Christian material that has been authored by a Christian leader who has already passed on. They can sin no more. Their legacy is cemented. They ran the race well. You may hear the phrase “Read the Christian old dead guys”. According to AI, “The phrase “Christian old dead guys” refers to significant, deceased figures in Christian history, often theologians, preachers, and writers whose works continue to be influential and studied today, offering insights into Christian faith and practice. These individuals are sometimes affectionately referred to as “old dead guys” by modern Christians who value their contributions and seek to learn from their legacy.”
the-end-time.org 