Posted in potpourri, theology

Prata Potpourri: Diapers & Doxology, Gilley reviews Girl, What if that couple shows up? and more

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

It’s January, a time of year I’d not enjoyed in the past, when I was living in Maine. It’s cold, frigid, dangerously cold, and snowy. And icy. And cold. Did I say cold? Here in Georgia a cold day is temps in the upper 40s and that only lasts a few days. Then it’s warm again.

I will love New Jerusalem when the temperature will always be perfect and nothing coming from the sky will hinder, annoy, or destroy. As it is, my view in my yard is pretty good for a January day: Continue reading “Prata Potpourri: Diapers & Doxology, Gilley reviews Girl, What if that couple shows up? and more” →

Posted in theology, worship

Passion itself is not worship

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

Oftentimes the method or expression of our response to preaching (i.e. ‘worship’) becomes an idol. Depending on denomination, geographic location, or even age of the believer, people express themselves in church service in various ways. That’s OK. The worrying part comes when, rather than focusing on the object of worship, the method of worship becomes the focus. Don’t let that happen. Continue reading “Passion itself is not worship” →

Posted in prayer, theology

Will you or I be found dead in our prayer closet?

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

I enjoyed listening to GraceLife Pulpit’s Q&A with Phil Johnson and Mike Riccardi. They fielded a question about what they are reading now, and what they’d recommend. They got onto the topic of prayer. Pastor Johnson said he was busy editing a book on prayer by John MacArthur, which is different in format and gist than his several other previous books on prayer. Johnson also noted that of all Christian topics, sermons or talks on prayer usually yield the biggest conviction rate, lol. I know I could do a lot better at prayer. Would we all be found dead in our prayer closet, as Puritan Thomas Watson was. Watson wrote, Continue reading “Will you or I be found dead in our prayer closet?” →

Posted in encouragement, theology

Word of the Week: Fruit of the Spirit, Goodness

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23).

What is goodness? If you ask most people, they would declare that they “are a good person.” But is man’s view of goodness the same as God’s? No. Continue reading “Word of the Week: Fruit of the Spirit, Goodness” →

Posted in discernment, theology

Being led by the Spirit: What does it mean exactly? Should I expect to hear directly from Him? part 2

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

Yesterday in part 1 I’d examined the fact that women for generations now have been taught from so-called Bible teachers and book & devotional authors that we hear directly from God. Whether these revelations or direct contacts are in the form of whispers, prompts, visions, impressions on our heart, ‘told me,’ or audibly, we’ve been taught that it’s supposed to be normal to have a relationship full of lively, direct communication.

I’d said no, that is not the normal method of communication from God, He speaks from the Bible and the Bible alone. Continue reading “Being led by the Spirit: What does it mean exactly? Should I expect to hear directly from Him? part 2” →

Posted in discernment, theology

Being led by the Spirit: What does it mean exactly? Should I expect to hear directly from Him? part 1

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

On Facebook recently I’d posted a mini-discernment lesson regarding a tweet a well-known self-described Bible teacher had written advocating a process for distilling whether a prompt from the Holy Spirit is legitimate or if it’s your own imagination. Continue reading “Being led by the Spirit: What does it mean exactly? Should I expect to hear directly from Him? part 1” →

Posted in discernment, theology

My friend listens to false teachers and goes to events where there are false teachers

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

The false teachers and events draw many thousands of people. I was astounded in 2011, when attending a Beth Moore Living Proof Weekend event, 20,000 women filled the stadium. The pillars shook with thunderous applause when she walked out on stage. Yet the teaching was completely ‘Me-centered’. We didn’t learn about God when Moore ‘taught’ from Deuteronomy, we learned about Beth Moore.

Charismatic healing or prosperity events often fill huge amphitheaters, for example, the South Africa Mighty Men events Angus Buchan hosts or the Benny Hinn ‘healing’ events seen around the world Continue reading “My friend listens to false teachers and goes to events where there are false teachers” →

Posted in theology

When we’re ‘up there’, will we know/see what is happening down below?

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

Some believe that the souls in heaven have absolutely, not one iota of a visual of what is happening down below (John MacArthur). Others, for example, Catholics, (a false religion) think that the souls in heaven hear our prayers and intercede and even visit down below. The Catholic stance, I believe, has led to the popular culture’s opinion that the souls in the heavenlies are “looking down on us”. Certainly their false notion that we can pray to the dead saints and they will intercede for us adds to the misperception. Let’s explore this a bit more. Do dead saints know or see what is happening on earth? Continue reading “When we’re ‘up there’, will we know/see what is happening down below?” →