Posted in encouragement, Uncategorized

Heaven Week #5: A Tiny Glimpse of New Jerusalem

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

Paul eagerly looked forward to his crowns and to the rewards awaiting him. He often encouraged his brethren with news of the future rewards and glory. He wrote:

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the Crown of Righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.” (2 Timothy 4:7-8).

We are made a promise, “Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded.” (2 Chronicles 15:7) It is right and also good to look forward to what the Lord has prepared for us, including rewards, for they are also His handiwork.

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Posted in bible jesus, enering His rest

Heaven Week #4: Rest

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

Are the weeks getting longer, or is it just me? By the time Friday comes, I’m just too pooped to pop. Of course, I’m thrilled to have been working in a job I love, so no complaints there.

Weekends are an opportunity to rest and reflect on the week. Sundays are days for worship and fellowship, praising Him. In short, weekends are not only respite from the busy week but a clearing of space and time to reflect on the relationship I have with Him.

The Bible does not speak much of the concept of physical rest, except that when it does speak of rest, it is always in the future. The Bible does speak much about work. Paul uses many active verbs to describe our life here on earth- walk, strive, wrestle, run…

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Posted in prophecy, Uncategorized

Heaven Week #3: Heaven won’t have time

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

Missionary to Vanuatu in the late 1800s, John G. Paton, writing about the death of one of his first native converts in his book Thirty Years Among the South Sea Cannibals, said:

“While staying at Aneityum, I learned with as deep emotion as man ever felt for man, that noble old Abraham, the sharer of my Tannese trials, had during the interval peacefully fallen asleep in Jesus. He left for me his silver watch one which I had myself sent to the dear soul from Sydney, and which he greatly prized. In his dying hour he said, “Give it to Missi, my own Missi Paton; and tell him that I go to Jesus, where Time is dead.”

That converted cannibal had a real and profound grasp of his position in Christ. I have read many times that in heaven sin will be dead, tears will be dead, sorrow will be dead, but I never read anything put quite like that. In heaven, time is dead.

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Posted in theology

Heaven Week #2: It’s a real place

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

Yesterday I wrote about heaven and we defined terms and talked about how exciting the first space trips were when we got to look back and see earth from the heavenly perspective. How wonderful it will be to look to Jesus when we are all really in heaven and see the universe from HIS heavenly abode!

J. C. Ryle wrote:

There is a glorious dwelling place provided by Jesus Christ for all His believing people. The world that now is, is not their rest: they are pilgrims and strangers in it. Heaven is their home.
There will be a place in heaven for all sinners who have fled to Christ by faith, and trusted in Him : for the least as well as the greatest. Abraham took care to provide for all his children, and God takes care to provide for His. None will be disinherited; none will be cast out; none will be cut off. Each shall stand in his lot, and have a portion in the day when the Lord brings many sons to glory. In our Father's house are many mansions.
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Posted in theology

Heaven Week #1: Saints, we’re headed there!

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

The unsaved man says, I am a good person, it’s just that the world doesn’t give me a chance to show how good I am.

The saved man says, I am no good. I was of the world and the world is evil.

This is why Jesus had to come from elsewhere than this world to save us.

“And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but He that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven” (John 3:13).

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Posted in theology

Theme weeks coming up!

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

We started in-person school Friday and I’m so happy. I love being with the kids and I love my school. I used to teach elementary school in Maine and since I’m a native New Englander, all my school life whether as a certified teacher, substitute, or student, I was used to the Post-Labor day start. We had a September to June schedule. I’ve never gotten used to the South’s August to May schedule, but I love the job anyway.

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Posted in Humility

Every family has a story, every colleague, every child

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

I found this to be helpful in how to think of other people in my never-ending quest to esteem others above myself.

“Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” (Philippians 2:3)

Today is the start of a new school year. We met most of the kids and their parents/guardians last night at Open House. Every family has a story. Every child is made in the image of God. Every colleague has a story, and unbeknownst to us sometimes it’s a sad one or a difficult one.

Let’s offer grace, patience, and humility toward one and all today and every day.

Posted in theology

Piety for piety’s sake, and not ‘unto the LORD’

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

We all do things for show, hoping someone will see and notice us doing it. It’s the pride in us that wants to be seen and applauded. But Jesus said when giving or praying or fasting, and by extension any service unto the Lord, render it privately. Don’t let your left hand know what your right is doing.

The Pharisees either hadn’t gotten the message or ignored it, because they were prime example #1 of what not to do when giving service to the Lord. The poor, pitiful tax collector knew, he was a sinful individual and he humbled himself before the Lord in prayer.

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Posted in theology

Crowd Manipulation: They play dirty

Posted on by elizabethprata

by Elizabeth Prata

Rob Curran, cc from Unsplash

But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas, and to put Jesus to death. (Matthew 27:20).

But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having won over the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, thinking that he was dead. (Acts 14:19).

When the seven days were almost over, the Jews from Asia, upon seeing him in the temple, began to stir up all the crowd and laid hands on him, (Acts 21:27)

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