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New gem discovered in Israel

Posted on February 6, 2019 by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

Because I am interested in gems, I was interested in this headline from last week-

Extraterrestrial Mineral Harder than Diamonds Discovered in Israel

A new discovery in the mountains of northern Israel has caused significant excitement for geologists around the world. While working in the Zevulun Valley, close to Mount Carmel, Israeli mining company Shefa Yamim found a new mineral never before discovered on earth.

The International Mineralogical Association regularly approves new minerals for its official list, with up to 100 new substances added to the register each year. However, this latest discovery was hailed as a significant event, as it was previously believed that this type of mineral was only found on extraterrestrial material.

The article continues with a layman’s understandable explanation as to why this discovery generated so much excitement. For believers reading the article, just ignore the secular geological explanation of how this gem came to be formed, lol.

Forbes has a more technical explanation of the gem’s composition.

https___blogs-images.forbes.com_davidbressan_files_2019_01_YAMIM_2019_Carmeltazite — Carmeltazite, or “Carmel Sapphire,” a new mineral
described from Israel. SHEFA YAMIM

Forbes:
Carmeltazite: A New Unique Gemstone From Israel

There are currently over 5,500 known minerals on Earth, with around 100 new minerals being added to the list each year. Most are quite unspectacular in appearance, with crystals too small to be used in jewelry or too rare to be of any economic interest.
Last week, the International Mineralogical Association recognized carmeltazite as a new, distinct mineral. The mineral was named after Mount Carmel where it was found and the elements it contains – Titanium, Aluminum and Zirconium.

The gem, according to the first article above, was “found embedded in cracks within sapphire, the second hardest mineral (after diamonds) found to occur naturally on earth. Carmeltazite closely resembles sapphire and ruby in its chemical composition, and is found in black, blue-green, or orange-brown colors, with a metallic hue.”

This article was published in December, also interesting:

ring

2000-yr-old Bronze Ring with Remarkable Gemstone Found in Jerusalem

Archaeologists have unearthed a 2,000-year-old bronze ring with a solitaire gemstone in what could be a former ritual bath, or mikveh, in the City of David National Park in Jerusalem.
A Jewish penitent might have misplaced the ring after undergoing a ritual purification and before he embarked on a 2,000-foot climb toward the Temple Mount. “The ring was found by Israel Antiquities Authority archaeologists in what appears to be an ancient mikvah (Jewish ritual bath) on the Pilgrimage Road, which dates back to the time of the second Temple period,” reported the Jewish News Syndicate.

I’ve always been interested in gems. Why? They’re pretty. I used to belong to the Maine Mineralogical & Geological Club. Club motto is: ‘Sharing common interests in minerals, gems, jewelry, geology, paleontology and the related earth sciences and lapidary arts.’ In addition to a major mineral and gem show, and auctions, club meetings and newsletters, the club has secured rights to go onto either private land or mines and are allowed to sift through tailings and do some digs. It’s fun. I’ve found amethyst, garnet, beryl, tourmeline, mica and other pretty gems.

The lapidary process is so interesting. To think, one can dig up a rock, open it, find amethyst inside, and through cutting and polishing, make the formerly dirty rock shine and sparkle. You can wear it as jewelry or display it in its polished state. The earth yields treasures, even while the ground is cursed.

After the curse it lifted and God remakes heaven and earth, we believers are treated to a sparkling new domicile. Literally, it will sparkle with the glorious gems that God will use as…construction materials! The doors will be pearl, the foundations will be emerald and agate and jasper… and so on.

What we believed to be such a precious commodity on earth, gems and jewels, will be simply materials to walk on or sit on. I used this example in a recent essay but I’ll use it again.

I once heard a story that was intended to express how heaven’s riches are beyond measure. It was a story about a rich man who was near death. He grieved because he had worked so hard and wanted to carry his riches with him.

The rich man pleaded with God and was allowed by God to bring one bag. Overjoyed, he loaded his suitcase full of gold bars. Upon arrival at heaven, he was checking in and was told by Peter the bag would not be allowed. He insisted that he had permission. Things were checked on, and it was found that he did have approval from God. When the bag was opened to see what was so needed by the man, Peter exclaimed, “You brought pavement?!”

We laugh at this, because it immediately shows us the different perspective and the priority of heaven. The sparkling jewels we so enjoyed on earth, the diamonds we sought for our engagement rings, the excitement of a new gem recently discovered, all mean nothing in heaven.

Why?

Because in heaven the surpassing jewel will be Jesus. EVERYTHING ELSE fades compared to Him. Remember the pronouncement Jesus made about love and hate?

If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:26)

No, Jesus wasn’t actually saying to hate one’s parents, that would violate the Fifth Commandment to honor they parents (Deuteronomy 5:16, Exodus 20:12). He was making the statement that one must love Jesus so much that by comparison the love we have for our parents seems like hate, it’s so far on the other end of the scale.

It’s the same with beauty. What we consider beautiful here, will pale in comparison and seem paltry next to the Great I AM in the flesh. His surpassing beauty will outshine all else, even the sun. (Revelation 21:23). Sparkling, precious gems here will be a near rubble, used for construction materials in the New Jerusalem.

Well, I can enjoy the gems’ sparkle here on earth, as long as I know what is ahead. Jesus is ahead, just Jesus. He is enough. And yet, He loves us so much he is preparing a place of beauty and adornment for His bride to dwell in. What a future we have!

The New Jerusalem

9Then came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues and spoke to me, saying, “Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.” 10And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, 11having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. 12It had a great, high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were inscribed— 13on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates. 14And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

15And the one who spoke with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city and its gates and walls. 16The city lies foursquare, its length the same as its width. And he measured the city with his rod, 12,000 stadia. Its length and width and height are equal. 17He also measured its wall, 144 cubits by human measurement, which is also an angel’s measurement. 18The wall was built of jasper, while the city was pure gold, like clear glass. 19The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with every kind of jewel. The first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, 20the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. 21And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass. (Revelation 21:9-21)

theology

Jesus judges whole cities

Posted on February 5, 2019 by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

Recently I wrote about what oracles are. Oracles are mentioned in both the Old Testament and the New. These are specific communications from God to man, usually sought by man in answer to a specific question. Many Old Testament oracles involved queries to God from a King asking if he will win a battle, and the like.

In the New Testament, Jesus pronounced oracular woes. He pronounced doom for peoples, individuals, nations, kings. He also predicted doom for entire cities!

NYC as seeen from the East River. Photo by EPrata

Of those cities that reject Him, He said-

be sure of this: The kingdom of God is near. I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town. (Luke 10:11b-12).

Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. (Luke 10:13).

for Sodom—Tyre and Sidon were ruined by commercial prosperity; Sodom sank through its vile pollutions: but the doom of otherwise correct persons who, amidst a blaze of light, reject the Saviour, shall be less endurable than that of any of these. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

And the sense of the whole is, that though the iniquities of Sodom and Gomorrah were very great, and their punishment very exemplary; yet, as there will be degrees of torment in hell, the case of such a city, which has been favoured with the Gospel, and has despised and rejected it, will be much worse than the case of those cities, which were devoured by fire from heaven; and than that of the inhabitants of them in the future judgment, and to all eternity; See Gill on Matthew 10:15. Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

One wonders with the advent of New York City’s rejection of the Gospel and acceptance at its highest levels the horrific infanticide of babies, what their judgment will be.

Scoffers set a city aflame,
but the wise turn away wrath.
(Proverbs 29:8)

And what IS wisdom? Fear of the LORD. Nineveh was wise:

Then the people of Nineveh believed in God; and they called a fast and put on sackcloth from the greatest to the least of them. When the word reached the king of Nineveh, he arose from his throne, laid aside his robe from him, covered himself with sackcloth and sat on the ashes. He issued a proclamation and it said, “In Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles: Do not let man, beast, herd, or flock taste a thing. Do not let them eat or drink water. But both man and beast must be covered with sackcloth; and let men call on God earnestly that each may turn from his wicked way and from the violence which is in his hands. Who knows, God may turn and relent and withdraw His burning anger so that we will not perish.” (Jonah 3:5-9)

Bethsaida and Corazin were not wise, they were scoffers at the Gospel presented to them. Therefore, a whole City is to come under judgment!

This writer below seems pretty heated about the pastoral silence, especially of certain NYC pastors cough-Keller-cough, on the holocaust of the babies under the new abortion law. I don’t agree that every cultural sin requires pastoral comment in a specially developed topical sermon. I am sympathetic with most of his stance. It is an affront to me as it is obviously to him that New York preachers who have specifically trumpeted their intention to bring Gospel light to a dark city have been eerily silent on the deepest darkening of that city in decades, and whose tongues have been silent in bringing needed light and clarity for its members to understand the seriousness of their city’s sin.

The silence of the shepherds on the abortion of the lambs

The oracles of Jesus are also interesting to me for the sake of the false notion that the OT God and the NT God are different. People often point to a meek and gentle Jesus speaking softly to the woman at the well about her adulteries, or mournfully but silently pitying the Rich Young Ruler who rejected Him for his own lands and wealth. But Jesus pronounced DOOM for entire cities, that means populations of thousands if not millions. The five Cities of the Plain were a connected metropolis with enormous populations. When Sodom and Gomorrah were smote for their sin the doom also included the cities of Admah and Zeboiim. (Deuteronomy 29:23). Four of the Five Cities of the Plain gone.

Jesus came in humility the first time but will come in wrath the second time. We can be praying for our leaders, that the Lord would instill in the Christian leaders courage to withstand the secular tsunami of sin that inevitably comes against them. We can pray for the unsaved leaders for God to instill repentance into their heart and then they may do good in His name within their position.

We can also be praying for Jesus to call His Bride home in the Rapture. (2 Timothy 4:8, Revelation 22:20).

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Don’t let discouragement capture you

Posted on February 4, 2019February 4, 2019 by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

I’ve been quietly grieving and upset about the abortion issue. When NY passed the abortion on demand anytime law, I wrote to a friend and predicted that soon we will be confronted with abortions in the birth canal, then simply killings outside the womb.

I was shocked and frankly, surprised, at how quickly my intuition had come true. Two days later VA proposed a bill in committee which would allow just that. I was sickened and turned my head, eyes, and attention away from the discussion.

But the disquiet remained. It was in there. A discouragement curled itself into my heart, and began squeezing. My mind’s countenance fell.

I do not like to remain in discouragement, so I sought the Lord in Bible reading, prayer, and listening to good lessons about Him. This was the remedy.

This Bible verse helped me. Isaiah 6:3 says

And they were calling to one another:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
the whole earth is full of his glory!”

Barnes’ Notes on the Bible says,

The whole earth – Margin, ‘The earth is the fulness of his glory.’ All things which he has made on the earth express his glory. His wisdom and goodness, his power and holiness, are seen every where. The whole earth, with all its mountains, seas, streams, trees, animals, and people, lay the foundation of his praise. In accordance with this, the Psalmist, in a most beautiful composition, calls upon all things to praise him; see Psalm 148:1-14.

Just being outside with the birds, (I saw a killdeer for the first time!) and listening to them tweeting reminded me of God in His glory. The grass here is green and the trees, while most of them are bare, are majestic in their branches reaching for the blue sky. The sun was warm on my shoulders. I felt refreshed in pondering the LORD’S creativity and power in making all this with just His word. And energized by thinking of Jesus for sustaining it all, every moment. (Colossians 1:17).

The earth is filled with His glory now, and after the new earth is made, it will be saturated with it but with no curse, and more! The beauty will be astounding. It already is.

I particularly enjoyed this remedy: Q&A between Phil Johnson and John MacArthur on the Sovereignty of God. Focusing on God and His attributes is always healthy for the heart and mind and soul. Turning my gaze from my own tendril-clutched heart and darkly clouded mind to His glory, His love, His power, His sovereignty is THE remedy. I pass this along to you as a good help for what might be ailing you in these dark end of days. I found their discussion early on about Job especially uplifting.

–Why is there evil?
–Do we have to submit to evil rulers?
–Why does God save some and not others?
–What is the freedom of the will? The bondage of the will?
–Will many be saved?
–Does satan have power to thwart God?

and more. Click on the link below to listen

Answering the Big Questions about the Sovereignty of God

Don’t let the mews of the day get you down. The earth is full of His glory. He is on His throne, nothing is a surprise to Him. He is coming again, in glory and power to receive us to Himself. Jesus has raised up leaders like Phil Johnson and John MacArthur and others, and created technology to send out these edifying discussions, in which men clarify His word and exalt the Lord.

It is all refreshing, energizing, and reviving. It is a comfort to think of Him. Don’t let the news of the day get you down.

theology, word of the week

Word of the week: Regeneration

Posted on February 3, 2019 by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

The thread of Christianity from generation to generation depends on a mutual understanding of our important words. Hence the Word of the Week.

Past Words of the Week have included Justification, Transcendence, Immanence, Propitiation, Sanctification, Glorification, Orthodoxy, Heresy, Omniscience, Aseity, and Immutability.

I then went to a series examining each of the 9 characteristics of the Fruit of the Spirit: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and on December 29, 2018, wrapped up the Fruit series with Self-Control.

Now it’s back to individual words of the week. I’ve chosen Angel, and last time, Exegesis.

Today … Regeneration

heart of stone verse

Regeneration, JI Packer

Regeneration is the spiritual change wrought in the heart of man by the Holy Spirit in which his/her inherently sinful nature is changed so that he/she can respond to God in Faith, and live in accordance with His Will (Matt. 19:28; John 3:3,5,7; Titus 3:5). It extends to the whole nature of man, altering his governing disposition, illuminating his mind, freeing his will, and renewing his nature

Regeneration, Matt Slick

Regeneration is a change in our moral and spiritual nature where justification is a change in our relationship with God. Also, sanctification is the work of God in us to make us more like Jesus. Regeneration is the beginning of that change. It means to be born again.

To understand why we need regeneration I recommend two sources. Martin Luther’s Bondage of the Will, and Jonathan Edwards’ Freedom of the Will. The two men aren’t actually contradicting each other, they say the same thing: man is born with a sin nature that he cannot escape, change, or modify.

In 1524 Luther argued that humans’ sinful nature rendered them slaves to wickedness, free only to sin unless by the intervention of God’s sovereign grace. Read Bondage of the Will for free here, or buy at any book sellers’ outlet.

In this text published in 1754, Edwards investigates the contrasting Calvinist and Arminian views about free will, God’s foreknowledge, determinism, and moral agency. Read Freedom of the Will for free here, or buy at any book sellers’ outlet.

Further resources:

Short devotional from Ligonier:
The Grace Of Regeneration

GotQuestions

What is regeneration according to the Bible?

Verses, just a few on the topic:

He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, (Titus 3:5).

And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. (Ezekiel 36:26).

Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” (John 3:5).

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

angels, praise

“Angel, thanks for nothing”

Posted on February 2, 2019 by elizabethprata

I’ve been stuck in one thought pattern for a while. I keep thinking about God creating the Universe. It took six days and He spoke it and it was so. More than just so, it was good. (Genesis 1:1-31). Now that’s enough to ponder right there, looking at the complexity of the world and the creativity of our God who spoke it all into existence within a few days!

credit

Then we disobeyed. Sin and shame and rebellion entered the world. It was all ruined, poisoned by our sin. God had to withdraw because His holiness cannot be near to sin (Habakkuk 1:13; Is 59:2)

Now the question I have been pondering, is really two part. The first part, I wonder why did God not erase us all and start over? He could have! He was grieved later that He had made us (Gen 6:6) and regretted it. It would have been so much easier for Him to do an etch-a-sketch and shake it all up and begin again. After all, it only would have taken a few days.

He didn’t wipe us out. I can’t get over that. Instead, in His love He chose a 6000 year travail that included more patience on His part that I can ever understand, more love, deaths of His apostles, and His own Son’s sacrifice in a grueling and horrific death!

The second thing I wonder is that even through all this, He still gives us as many gifts as He does. He gives us His son. He gives us salvation. He gives us the Holy Spirit. He gives us armor to resist satan, our enemy. He gives us the bible. And He gives us angels.

“For He will give His angels charge concerning you, To guard you in all your ways.” (Psalm 91:11)

“Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?” (Hebrews 1:14)

“See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven continually see the face of My Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 18:10)

“Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.” (Hebrews 13:2)

There are entire web pages devoted to the ministry of angels, why God created them, and what they do for God in their ministrations to us. There are way more verses about angels than I posted here. Suffice to say that I am continually slain by the outpouring of love from our Father in His gifts to us. Angels! Imagine! To guide and protect us. Minister to us. Serve us. I think of their their faces turned toward God as in the verse in Matthew, like racehorses at the gate, itching to get going and minister to us in His name, waiting for Him to say “GO!”

When I go through a day when nothing uneventful occurs, I thank the angels and the Father Who sent them. I drive an old car, I live in an old house, I dwell where tornadoes come, there are many things that could happen to me each day…that don’t. Don’t take that nothing for granted. It might be interesting if He allows when we get there, to see a rewind of our life’s movie to view the efforts to which our angels went in keeping us safe from harm.

The car accident you didn’t have. The tears you didn’t have to shed. The slip on the ice that didn’t happen.

If you have an uneventful day think of the angels the Lord sends to us in service to our needs. Nothing happened? Thank an angel!

This post first appeared on The End Time on March, 2011

books, theology

It’s payday, so that means…buying books!

Posted on February 1, 2019February 1, 2019 by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

The last day of the month is payday, so the first day of the month I scour the interwebs for good deals on books. They are not only for my consumption, but to have on hand to give away. I love a good book ministry, and I want to be active in offering credible and edifying resources to women, both online and in real life. Part of discernment is choosing good materials from which to study, and I enjoy helping women in this way. It’s a satisfying feeling when I put a good book into the hands of a sister.

I was listening to a clip from John MacArthur about “Dumbing Down the Message“, and in that short clip, he mentioned he was writing a book called “Why One Way?” (2002). I was not familiar with that one from him. Defending the exclusivity of Jesus as the one way to heaven was important in 2002 and even more so now. I became interested in the book, and wandered over to Amazon to browse it. It was $5, so I bit the bait and placed the order.

Ligonier has a Friday $5 sale. Several of their shorter, one-topic paperbacks are always inexpensive, but these were on sale today for $1.88. I bought:

Can I Have Joy in My Life? by RC Sproul
Are People Basically Good? by RC Sproul
Can I Lose My Salvation? by RC Sproul

We know that the Bible itself is the best material in the universe to study. But God raised up men to write commentaries and books and to develop teaching series. These things are perfectly OK to use in aiding your understanding of God. If you are reading your Bible and attending a good church, don’t listen to anyone who disparages good and edifying materials by saying “don’t study ‘man’s words'”. God raised up these men to write words that contribute to the body of information available to the saints.

So what do you do to help younger sisters in the faith access good ministries and materials? What materials have proven useful for you in your growth and education?

theology

Prata Potpourri: The Word of God

Posted on February 1, 2019February 1, 2019 by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

Someone sent me this cartoon that was going around. It’s sad and upsetting, but we are not surprised, given the constant diminishing of God’s glory and authority in favor of a human view of love.

In this way, satan continues to day to God’s people, Hath God said? (Genesis 3:1).

Jesus doesn’t ‘use scipture’ to determine what it means. He doesn’t need to consult commentaries or study the original languages to understand it. He is not only the author of it, He IS the Word! So just on that basis, the cartoon is stupid.

God has revealed Himself through His creation, but the only way we can know who He is, what He desires, and how to obey Him, is through His word. He gave us His word through the Spirit, who is God Himself. The writers recount trials and tribulations writing it, and many martyrs have died preserving it and defending it.

It is not to be dismissed for some version of a human view of an emotion. Further, such a cartoon denies that of utmost importance, God is holy. Yes, He loves, He loves us and sent His son to die for us because He is Holy, and we are not. His holiness is the reason we need Jesus, because the other side of the holiness coin is wrath.

Those who are not in a redeemed position on the day of their death will suffer eternal consequences. Torments in the eternal lake of fire will be their due as penalty for their sin, and though God saves some in love, He punishes others who have not repented of their sins in wrath. Hence, holiness is the utmost attribute one needs to ponder and cherish. He is thrice holy. (Isaiah 6:3).

Myopically focusing on love and dismissing the absolute truth of His word is a deadly position to take.

Here are a few resources on the Word of God.

Here are the women at Naomi’s Table with an essay on the Sufficiency of Scripture. It begins like this:

Did you know that the Bible is all we need to equip us for a life of faith and service? It’s true! And in fact the doctrine of the sufficiency of Scripture is a fundamental tenet of the Christian faith. Sadly, it’s a tenet that has long been under vicious attack from within our own visible, modern churches.

But be assured that no other writings are needed for the Gospel to be understood, nor are any other writings required to equip us for a life of faith. Everything else – entertainment, extra-biblical revelations, mysticism, spiritual deliverance ministries and some forms of psychological counseling all declare that the Bible and its precepts are not enough. But Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me” (John 10:27). His voice is found in every word of the Word; the Scriptures are His voice, completely and utterly sufficient.

Noah’s Ark: Cute and Cuddly, or Wrath and Fury?

What is the first image that comes to mind when you think of Noah’s Ark?
Is it cute bunnies, giraffes, and kangaroos; or is it the death and destruction of sinners at the hand of God?

If you are like most, your mind immediately goes to the various childhood images of a lot of cute animals on a large boat. However, despite its overemphasis, the preservation of animals is not the primary lesson to be learned from the story of Noah’s Ark.

Both Jesus Christ and the Apostle Peter taught about the flood, yet neither of them even mentioned the animals. Instead, they used the flood account to teach on more serious matters such as sin, judgment, and salvation.

What Is Discernment?

Someone I know recently expressed an opinion that surprised and in some ways disappointed me. I said to myself, “I thought he would have more discernment than that.”
The experience caused me to reflect on the importance of discernment and the lack of it in our world. We know that people often do not see issues clearly and are easily misled because they do not think biblically. But, sadly, one cannot help reflecting on how true this is of the church community, too.

But what is this discernment? The word used in Psalm 119:66 means “taste.” It is the ability to…

Michelle Lesley had a thing or two to say about Bible studies aimed at women that sadly focus on narcissistic navel gazing and a skewed version of “love”.

I am so sick of women’s ministry/discipleship/”Bible” study that centers around narcissistic navel-gazing I could vomit. MY hurts, MY feelings, MY opinions, MY self image. Newsflash- You’re not the only person on the planet who’s ever been hurt or had problems. And wallowing …

And let’s finish with a very short clip from John MacArthur about Dumbing Down the Message:

encouragement, theology

Prayerful interlude

Posted on January 31, 2019 by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. (Romans 1:18).

The wrath is already revealed, and they know it but suppress it. They can suppress the truth all day long, all a lifetime long, deceiving themselves that they have successfully avoided God, and thus, their judgment…but ultimately, when they are confronted with the Holy God, they will hide.

And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. (Genesis 3:8)

Then the kings of the earth, the nobles, the commanders, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and free man, hid in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains. (Revelation 6:15)

There will come a day that no one will be able to hide.

Judgment Before the Great White Throne

Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. 13 And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. 14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:11-15)

I often think about my life before salvation. Half my life will have been lived in rebellion to God (if I live to age 84, that is.)

I suppressed the truth, I rebelled, I was self-satisfied, I mocked God. Yet, before I was born, He had set me apart to become His trophy of Grace at the appointed year, day, moment, to glorify Him, redeemed and clean. (cf Galatians 1:15).

In the Garden He opened their eyes to see their own sin. (Genesis 3:7). Yet that opening plunged them into spiritual darkness, never again to see the glory of their Creator with wide-open eyes. At salvation He opens eyes, (Acts 9:18; Ephesians 1:18) to see Him in His glorious light, to know and understand spiritual things.

When He spoke to Adam and Eve after their rebellion, when He spoke to Noah, Abram, Moses…how is it that they did not just shatter into a billion dust motes, scattering across the four compass points like chaff? He is powerful, majestic, yet intimate.

My prayer today Lord is
for you to forgive
my critical mind
my craven heart
my lazy bones
Overlook my childish attempts to glorify you

Pardon my sins
perfidies
disobedience
Wash me in your love
clean my by your forgiveness

provide for me your comfort

send to me your angels

sanctify my prayers.

And He will, for I was plucked out of the darkness to dwell in His Light, eyes wide open, loving Him.

We love because he first loved us. (1 John 4:19).

loveverse2

creation, theology

Sprung fully formed

Posted on January 30, 2019January 30, 2019 by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

The Creation account in Genesis is a wonder to me and energizing to my faith. It is obvious that Genesis 1 and Genesis 2 are meant to be a recounting of actual events. These two books are not poetry, though the language is lofty. It is history. The account is a complete one, at least as far as what God wants us to know. There is no place in those chapters for belief in evolution, gap theories, or poetry.

My Bible reading plan this year started with Job and then went to Genesis. It is a plan that brings the reader progressively from the oldest book (Job, then Genesis) to the most recent. (Revelation).

I’ve been mulling the creation account for a while. I enjoyed John MacArthur’s series on it very much a few years back. I’ll link to that series below.

What struck me are a few verses in Genesis 1 and 2-

And God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth.” And it was so. (Genesis 1:11)

You know that old joke told by secular people, ‘What came first, the chicken or the egg?’ The answer is, the chicken. Or for the purposes of this essay, not the seed, but the plant.

The plants were created fully formed, with their seeds already in them to propagate to the second generation of flora.

And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food.” (Genesis 1:29).

If someone doesn’t believe this is literal, then they must believe that the author is attributing words to God that He didn’t say. Who would put words in God’s mouth and write them down and then the Spirit inspire men to include them into the canon? Would the Spirit accept words into the canon that God didn’t say…that man made up?

Adam was made fully formed, a fully grown and functioning adult man. He was capable of speech and thought and will. Then God created Eve, another fully functioning adult with thoughts and speech and will.

Satan knew that the earth was created by God complete and functioning from the beginning. He was among the holy angels who shouted for joy when creation was performed. (Job 38:7).

Satan knew that it happened this way. When he invented a false religion for the Greeks, he even included an evil shadow of the true creation story in his pantheon of gods and origin stories. Athena was supposed to have sprung fully formed, and in armor, from her father Zeus’s head.

I affirm in joy the account set before us in Genesis 1 and 2, its true historicity and its wonderful language accurately describing this true event. God spoke, and plants, animals, light, sun, stars; all of it, sprung fully formed from His lips. I pray you have joy in believing this, too.

God CANNOT forsake you

Posted on January 29, 2019 by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

I know we sometimes have a hard time understanding the permanent perfect love, such as the love the Triune God lavishes on his saved children.

With child abuse, abortion, abandonment, betrayals, and divorce, the love we say we have for others is oftentimes fatally flawed.

However, when Jesus says He will not leave you or forsake you, He means it. It’s not up for discussion.

When we’re saved, we become part of the Body of Christ. Therefore, when God looks at us, He sees His Son. We are as Paul would say, “in Christ.” (Romans 12:5, 1 Corinthians 1:30, 1 Corinthians 3:1, 1 Corinthians 4:15, 1 Corinthians 15:18, etc.) When He looks at you, He is looking through His Son to see you.

If God were to decide not to love us (which He wouldn’t because He promised to love us forever and He does not fail in His promises) He would be deciding not to love His Son. And that is impossible.

Never fear, if you are “in Christ” you are safely in the arms of God, never not to be loved, never not to be cherished, cared for, provided for. If you struggle with assurance of God’s love, leave the struggle behind God loves His Son and He loves all that are in His Son, you, me, all.

Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever. – Psalm 136:26

love forever verse