Posted in theology

Stand firm, sisters. Here’s how

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

Satan is relentless. We see him pursue the Jews in Revelation. He is prophesied to have had most of them killed in the world’s worst holocaust, (Revelation 12) satan then went “to wage war against the rest of her offspring—those who keep God’s commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus.” (Revelation 12:17). Those will be the Christians. Satan wants to steal, kill, and destroy, that’s it. There isn’t an ounce of compassion, love, kindness, or anything in satan. He is all dark, all sin.

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Posted in theology

Prata Potpourri: Spurgeon on Paul on books; MediaGratiae on Rutherford on Grace; Rose on Reading, New Blogger, Rules for Christian wives- more

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

Fall on a horse farm, north Georgia. EPrata photo

It is fall here in north Georgia, and no better place to be. New England is rightly applauded for the foliage display, but the time up there where you can see it is short. The leaves are less vibrant down south due to the milder temps, but the season is gloriously, luxuriantly long. It’s especially sweet because the break from the summer oven temperatures never gets old. Whatever season you enjoy, God is author and manager of it all-

While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease. (Genesis 8:22).

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Posted in esther, for such a time as this, last days, prophecy

How does “For such a time as this” have meaning for us today?

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

I’m just in awe of the Lord these days. I sit stunned, day after day, at the news of the hour. We are living in the last days, the end of time. We have been since Jesus ascended and will continue to until the rapture and we are gathered up and glorified.

Therefore in addition to studying the Bible and watching for His return as we are commanded, we also should ponder His plan and providence of His decision to station us here, now, for such a time as this. Whatever time we are living in.

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Posted in theology

How high or low you are doesn’t matter to Jesus

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

Yesterday I wrote about a named woman of the Bible called Joanna. Her life story, gleaned from what little we know of Luke’s two verses, seems interesting. I’m intrigued by these glimpses of the different people the Bible shows us.

Always remember these people are real people. They aren’t characters in a book, though they are in a book, THE Book. They really lived in a real culture and had feelings and families and tears and joys.

In my essay, I delved into Joanna’s life, and afterward I wondered for a good while what her life must have been like. I thought of her contrasted with Potiphar’s wife. Joanna was wife of Chuza, Tetrarch of Galilee. A Tetrarch was a Roman governor of a province or country. It’s a pretty high up position, and the Tetrarch’s steward would hold a high position of authority and status.

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Posted in theology

Joanna: Who was she?

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

Luke has this intriguing little nugget tucked in to the beginning of chapter 8.

Women Accompanying Jesus

1Soon afterward he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him, 2and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, 3and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s household manager, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their means.

We only find her mentioned by name one other time in any of the Gospels or even the rest of the New Testament. It’s in Luke 24:10, where the women were the first to find the empty tomb of the resurrection and went back to tell the apostles: Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles,

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Posted in theology

The future visiting of us ladies

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

Dorcas Restored to Life

Now there was in Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which, translated, means Dorcas. She was full of good works and acts of charity. In those days she became ill and died, and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, urging him, “Please come to us without delay.” So Peter rose and went with them. And when he arrived, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood beside him weeping and showing tunics and other garments that Dorcas made while she was with them. But Peter put them all outside, and knelt down and prayed; and turning to the body he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. And he gave her his hand and raised her up. Then, calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive. (Acts 9:36-41).

As a God-fearer, Lydia used to meet with other women by the riverside. (Acts 16:13).

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Posted in gospel

Peace, or trouble? Repentance is the key

Posted on by elizabethprata

Zechariah 14:9 says:

“And the LORD will be king over all the earth. On that day the LORD will be one and his name one.”

The saints know Jesus is coming soon. We are excited to see what He is doing in the world. Not that people are in pain or distress, obviously, but rather that His name is on the lips of many. His glory and power are noticed, and His word is repeated between and among believers and non-believers alike. This ‘crazy time’ isn’t crazy. It is a controlled series of events from the Creator of people, the Creator of the earth and all that is in it. He is telling us something. How many warnings will there be? Not many more, I fear. He has been patient with us, kind and generous. That period of warning will end and after the rapture, the judgments will begin.

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Posted in theology

Old fashioned visiting

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken. (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)

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Posted in theology

Share God’s word, even if you don’t know how to say it

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

In Spurgeon’s Evening devotional for September 30, he writes:

A living, loving, gospel sermon, however unlearned in matter and uncouth in style, is better than the finest discourse devoid of unction and power.

Evening Devotional, Spurgeon

I can imagine that Charles Spurgeon, the great preacher of the 1800s, was thinking of his own conversion as he wrote this devotional. It was a snowy January day in 1850. The young lad had been raised by a loving father who preached the Gospel rightly. His mother had given him loving instruction at her knee since Charles was a babe. Charles was sent to live with his Grandfather for a period, and his grandfather was also a preacher, with many coming to conversion under him. His grandfather also had inherited a fabulous library as preacher, and Charles read theological books voraciously. As a teen Charles himself attended a Congregational church, and he read the Bible diligently.

Charles had a good education and access to eloquent teachers and preachers. Yet he was miserable and disturbed in his soul that he was not saved. He made a vow to himself that he would visit every Congregational Church in his area until he found someone who would tell him the way to heaven and how to be released from the condemnation of the Law. He felt the Law’s condemnation acutely, painfully, almost physically.

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