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Creation Grace: Fragility

Posted on December 29, 2013May 9, 2016 by elizabethprata

“Heaven and earth will pass away,

but my words will not pass away.“

(Luke 21:33)

We think of the earth as something solid, firm, lasting forever. Some believe it has been here for billions of years and will remain for billions more. In truth, the earth is passing away as we speak, and it is no more firm than above bubbles children at a festival were trying to burst.

The fragility of life is seen in the gossamer web spoken of in Jonathan Edwards’ Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God sermon:

“Your wickedness makes you as it were heavy as lead, and to tend downwards with great weight and pressure towards hell; and if God should let you go, you would immediately sink and swiftly descend and plunge into the bottomless gulf, and your healthy constitution, and your own care and prudence, and best contrivance, and all your righteousness, would have no more influence to uphold you and keep you out of hell, than a spider’s web would have to stop a falling rock.”

The fragility of our lives, of our deeds, of the very earth is no more solid than the walls of Jericho which fell without warning, (Joshua 6:20) and the Tower of Siloam,which fell without warning. (Luke 13:4). So it will be for the Great Wall of China, which seems so strong and sturdy,

CC photo, use w/attribution, Fabien Dany – www.fabiendany.com

Even now, it is crumbling

CC photo, by Bill Price III

The earth is fragile, cracked and quaking even as we speak-

US Geological Survey

“The earth staggers like a drunken man; it sways like a hut; its transgression lies heavy upon it,

and it falls, and will not rise again.“

(Isaiah 24:20)

Our lives, our deeds, the very earth is fragile. The breath we draw is fleeting. No more substantial than the silk of a gossamer web, no more sturdy than a butterfly wing, no more lasting than a bubble ascending to some height, only to vanish in its evanescence and be no more.

Jesus lasts forever. He is the eternal, the substantial, the durably secure shelter in which we cling.

“The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he.” (Deuteronomy 32:4)

Hide thy fragile self in Him, the Rock of Ages!

francis, pope, popery, spurgeon

The Guardian Liberty Voice asks the prophetic question: "Could Pope Francis Be a Modern-Day Jesus?"

Posted on December 29, 2013May 9, 2016 by elizabethprata

There is no doubt that Pope Francis is the rock star religious celebrity of the day. His humble attitude, message of tolerance and unity, and his rapport among people have endeared him to millions, despite his tenure has so far lasted less than one year. He was chosen man of the year by Time Magazine. He has an 88% approval rating among US Catholics. Why is he so popular? And why is he being likened to a modern day Jesus?

Catholic Online wondered the same thing about his popularity, and wrote yesterday, “The secret to Pope Francis’ fame REVEALED“

They like that he doesn’t act like a televangelist, megachurch pastor, or a king (though Pope Francis is a king) by succumbing to the lavish lifestyle so many in his position or level of wealth take as their due.

“He deliberately lives as impoverished a lifestyle as possible, lives in a Vatican guest house, eats with the staff, and mingles with the public far beyond what his security detail thinks prudent. He has expressed, on several occasions, his desire for the Church to be “a poor church, for the poor.”

This is a strange statement coming from a man who accepted the globe’s only absolute monarchy worth an estimated 110 billion dollars today (source Time Magazine estimation of the Vatican’s worth in 1965, adjusted for 2013 dollars). I wonder if the Pope would give away 100 billion of the money, keeping “only” 10 bn for expenses? Or alternately, how can a poor church help the poor, if it’s poor? So it seems that the people like that Pope Francis pretends to be poor.

“There seems to be no end to the public fascination with Pope Francis. While the Pope is the Vicar of Christ and is expected to serve as God’s representative on Earth, complete with splendid regalia, Pope Francis actually walks and talks like a living saint. … Why does he capture our attention? The ordinary man, the person who has no hope of incredible wealth or power, sees Pope Francis who has all the access, money and power that a man can have, and he watches Francis turn away from it. Pope Francis chooses humble garments, lunch with homeless men and their dog, to ride in the back seat of a compact car, and to make sandwiches for the people who are meant to wait on him. Has the modern world seen a better example of a holy man?

Pope Francis has not turned away from incredible wealth. He is the the only absolute monarch on the planet and sole manager of the largest amassed wealth and treasure on the planet. Turning away from it would mean he declined to be Pope. “I do not seek, nor will I accept…” But no, Pope Francis accepted the papal office and all the wealth, luxury, and power that comes with it.

Anyway, that is a slight bit of background as to this new religious rock star we have on our hands. On to the article that asked if he is a modern-day Jesus, though the previous article asked pretty much the same question already. The people love Pope Francis because he brings a message the lost and carnal world wants to hear. Jesus came to bring a sword, to show the way was narrow and exclusive. To show we are condemned in our sins but He is the Good News. Pope Frances says he brings a white flag of peace, a message of love and unity for all who are all on one broad path, holding hands and singing kumbayah. To the lost, this is a better Jesus.

Pope Francis gave a speech in St. Peter’s Basilica balcony the other day. It was his first Christmas message. The article below pounced on the Pope’s message of love, tolerance, and unity, digging in like a lion on a wildebeest.

“In a world where many of today’s clergy seek to tear down anyone or religion that doesn’t line up completely with what they believe, the Pope is sweeping through the world like a breath of fresh air. Francis has chosen not to waste time with different persuasions of belief or religions; instead he focuses on what’s most important in the world: a message of love, hope and peace. … While the fallen nature of mankind loves religion, since it bolsters the ego and boots one’s self esteem, Jesus came to bring the gift of relationship which includes a message of love, hope and peace; much like Pope Francis.” (source)

Oh my.

The false, satirical message “Pope declares all religions are true” that Snopes recently debunked, and the real message Pope Francis has consistently brought so far this year, are hard to tell apart because essentially, the pope does say all religions are true. He even says atheists and unbelievers can get in. “He realizes that atheists and agnostics are people of good intentions and good morals with whom we want to work closely,” said Martin,” explained the culture editor of ‘America Magazine.’

BTW, Billy Graham said the same thing. If you have good intentions and good morals and lived a sincere life, you’re in. I am not making this up.

Here is the snopes-debunked satirical Pope message:

“…because Muslims, Hindus and African Animists are also made in the very likeness and image of God, to hate them is to hate God! To reject them to is to reject God and the Gospel of Christ. Whether we worship at a church, a synagogue, a mosque or a mandir, it does not matter. Whether we call God, Jesus, Adonai, Allah or Krishna, we all worship the same God of love. This truth is self-evident to all who have love and humility in their hearts!“

It doesn’t sound so different from the real pope’s message, does it?

Shortly after he took papal office, Pope Francis said that peoples from different faiths are united under God, it sent shock waves throughout the Catholic Church. This is because for two thousand years, the Catholic Church said said anyone who is not a Catholic is anathema (cursed) and is going to hell. Now the RC message -via Pope Francis- has changed. Don’t overlook the significance of that.

The bible says that the entire church age will be filled with false teachers and the spirit of antichrists (1 John 2:18) but it will get a lot worse by the end of the end. This following verse could be speaking to all popes from then until now!

“And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.” And he said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition!” (Mark 7:6-9)

The Pope is a false prophet, having the spirit of antichrist, and with his popularity and his espousing of the prophesied message of peace and ecumenism we know will come to fruition in the Tribulation, he is certainly a good candidate for the Antichrist. He is laying the groundwork anyway.

As the antichrist will be, Pope Francis is also concerned with the economy, with the poor and disenfranchised, and wants to stop their exclusion from the economy and include them. Just a few weeks ago. Daily Kos said “Pope Francis has attacked unfettered capitalism as “a new tyranny”, urging global leaders to fight poverty and growing inequality in the first major work he has authored alone as pontiff,” calling it “a scathing critique of modern capitalism in an 84-page document, known as an apostolic exhortation, and which amounts to an official platform for his papacy and the Roman Catholic Church.”

Pope Francis is setting the platform for all the precepts the antichrist is prophesied to espouse.

We know that in the Tribulation one man will hold sway. It will be his dictates on economy, finance, and religion that will cause the entire world to worship Him and swear allegiance (except for the people who come to faith after the rapture and become martyrs, the Tribulation Saints).

It is a hard thing to see the sweep of popery come across the world with such renewed vigor. It is a worse thing to see popery, Catholicism, and its Roman mysticism intertwine within the precious walls of the Christian evangelical faith, heresies brought in by many, including Beth Moore!

We mourn for Pope Francis in his lost state, and all the Catholics who are also lost. See how Spurgeon puts it. Charles Spurgeon said of popery:

It is the bounden duty of every Christian to pray against Anti-Christ, and as to what Anti-Christ is no sane man ought to raise a question. If it be not Popery in the Church of Rome there is nothing in the world that can be called by that name…because it wounds Christ, because it robs Christ of His Glory, because it puts sacramental efficacy in the place of His atonement, and lifts a piece of bread in the place of the Saviour, and a few drops of water in place of the Holy Ghost, and puts a fallible man like ourselves up as the Vicar of Christ on earth; if we pray against it, because it is against Him, we shall love the persons though we hate their errors; we shall love their souls though we loath and detest their dogmas, and so the breath of our prayers will be sweetened, because we turn our faces towards Christ when we pray.”

We turn our faces toward the true Christ, His message, and His statutes. He is the One whom all knees will bow, including all kings, sultans…and popes. (Revelation 6:15-17).

feminist, gay marriage, homosexuality, rachel held evans, repent, sinner

Marriage is to be between a man and a woman, yes, even in this day and age

Posted on December 28, 2013May 9, 2016 by elizabethprata

I think Rachel Held Evans, the author of a Year of Biblical Womanhood, has revived an essay she wrote, in which my blog essay mentioning her is linked to. In any case, though the blog entry is months old, I am suddenly receiving a LOT of traffic from and to. The subject is homosexuality.

Given the culture war regarding this particular sin, especially the explosive week regarding the Duck Dynasty controversy, and given that there are many eyes reading or re-reading these essays, I’ll speak to the subject again.

Homosexuality is the last battleground in a culture that is fighting to live or die. In Romans 1, Paul laid out in the inspired word, a process which a culture undergoes when it is rejecting God. It begins with individual’s suppression of the truth in unrighteousness, and continues worse as more and more people in that culture suppress the truth. As they do, God judges them and He judges the society. Eventually, He gives them over to their sin. S. Lewis Johnson wrote in an article re-published 2010,

“The devolution in human history is reflected in the more recent tendency of society to accept the sin of homosexuality and other sexual deviations as a mere sickness and not as sin. … This is God’s temporal judgment which is preliminary to His eternal judgment on a rebellious human race.”

It may surprise some to know that God judges people and societies before they die and go to hell. But He does. God ordains “thus sin shall be punished by sin” said Heinrich Meyer. Homosexuality is the final earthly judgment in the process of traveling away from His holiness into carnal rebelliousness. When the verse says “He gave them over,” it doesn’t mean God threw up His hands saying ‘Kids these days!’ It means a holy, judicial act has occurred.

“He positively gave men over to the judgment of “more intensified and aggravated cultivation of the lusts of their own hearts with the result that they reap for themselves a correspondingly greater toll of retributive vengeance.” (S. Lewis Johnson & John Murray, Epistle to the Romans)

The passage speaking to this is Romans 1:18-32. It is titled in the ESV, “God’s Wrath on Unrighteousness”. Lest you think I am cherry picking, in the NIV the section is titled “God’s Wrath Against Sinful Humanity.” Even the NLT says “God’s Anger at Sin”.

It begins this way:

“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 of God IS REVEALED. Present tense, and means “uncover, revealing what is hidden”. So? Where is all this wrath? Do we see fire and brimstone coming down on San Francisco as it did to Sodom? Do we see lakes of fire opening up under the NYC Gay Pride Parade? His wrath will be that blatant on His Day, AKA the Tribulation period, but it is being revealed now too. It is being revealed every day since the Garden, when man became cursed with a sin-nature.

Think on this, the first thing Jesus did when He went to Jerusalem at the start of his public ministry – His first public act – was to wrathfully overturn the tables of the merchants at the temple, crying out against their defilement of his temple. As John MacArthur said, Jesus didn’t send an advance committee and make His statutes sound like harps and flowers. Instead, in wrath He cried out against their defilment of His temple.

Jesus casting out the money changers at the temple – Carl Bloch

Today we don’t have a temple, but the temple is our body.

“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God?” (1 Corinthians 6:19a)

And today the holy wrath against defiling His temple is just as strong!

“Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.” (1 Corinthians 6:18)

His wrath was revealed in the curse. It was revealed in the Flood. It was revealed in the sacrificial system. It was revealed on the cross. It is revealed as Romans 1 states, when He allows the moral order to collapse.

People today who want to re-define homosexuality as acceptable and gay marriage as normal are usually concerned with two overarching themes. Besides actively participating in the moral collapse of society, one thing they are inordinately concerned with is “love” and the other is “judge.”

Scripture can be used correctly or incorrectly. It is the word of God, breathed from Him to men, inerrant in the original language and profitable for all teaching, correction, and reproof. (2 Timothy 3:16). It is the bread from heaven (John 6:32) and the way we learn about who God is…AND what His standards are. And He’s got standards. We cannot simply clip out of the bible that which displeases us.

Photo by Alexandria Searls, are of the two Bibles from which
Thomas Jefferson clipped text to create
“The Philosophy of Jesus of Nazareth.” Source Jefferson Library

It is up to each Christian to determine if the things they are being taught are based on a correct understanding of scripture, and to “judge” whether a teaching is valid or not valid. In this way, you reader, too, “judge”. (1 John 4:1-3). And I certainly hope you test what I’ve written against the scriptures in context.

In the bible, God said that He has standards for behavior, morals, language/speech, sexual fidelity, marriage, and etc. He listed specific sins that disqualify one from heaven. He continually reminds us that our default condition as sinner precludes us from heaven. Man tries to writhe out of His standards, but to do so is death to him.

“There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the ends thereof are the ways of death.” (Proverbs 14:12)

Helping someone who is knowingly or unknowingly struggling under the false conclusion that they are not sinning is not judging them. It is loving them. There are many lists of sins that He hates, (Proverbs 6:16-19,1 Corinthians 6:9, 1 Corinthians 5:11) and one of them in particular, He used as a benchmark of a society’s collapse. Homosexuality. (Romans 1:28-32). Sin is serious!

Not everyone is qualified for marriage. Not everyone is getting into heaven. Not everyone worships acceptably. For example, it is a sin to come to the Lord’s table unrepentant. (1 Corinthians 11:27-2). It is a sin to come to church drunk. (1 Corinthians 5:11-13). Not everyone behaves in a way that pleases God. He has standards. Though the bible is the clear and plain outline of what standards will please Him, some fail the standard. Society hates to hear this.

“Heaven visited me” Creative Commons, by Kevin Dooley

Now, in today’s permissive “tolerant” society, people don’t like that Christians hold to the standards God laid out. They do not like it when Christians tell them that some things are forbidden. They call it “hate.” It IS hate to them, they hate to be told they can’t do what their carnal heart desires! People can redefine judging, hate and love all they want, but those redefinitions to suit their carnal desires will not stand on the day they face THE Judge.

“Those who forsake the law praise the wicked, but those who keep the law strive against them.” (Proverbs 2:4-5)

Homosexual marriage is not a marriage, because it is outside God’s law. Marriage is between a man and a woman. Period. (Genesis 2:24, Matthew 19:4-5).

Homosexuals have the “right to love” as much as any sinner! They can choose to love Jesus and His statutes. Or they can choose to hate Jesus and His statutes. But they are not qualified for marriage. And they do not have the right to love one another in a sexual way. Sodomy is not “love” – it is hate against God’s statutes and standards. It is loving to tell them so, in order that they may repent.

Do you approve of sex between a 37 year old man and an 8 year old girl? No? Then you are “judging” aren’t you? Do you approve of relations between a 42 year old man and his German Shepherd dog? No? Then you are “judging.” Do you approve of your spouse having sex with another person while you’re married? No? The bible forbids those acts, by the way, just as much as it forbids sexual acts between same sexes.

Yes, I am intolerant, in the way people want to use the word. I am intolerant of sin, my own especially. I’m intolerant of people who try to change God’s laws to suit their own carnal desires. I try to tell them that they are doing a disservice to Jesus and to their own selves, but some won’t listen. Yet I persist because I love them. I love them in the biblical way: because Jesus first loved us, and came to seek and save sinners. Jesus’s first ministry words were an order, not an invitation and certainly not harps and flowers. He said,

“Repent and believe.” (Mark 1:14-15).

Creative Commons, Art4theGlryOfGod

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Setting the course for the New Year

Posted on December 27, 2013May 9, 2016 by elizabethprata

I’ve mentioned before that I lived on a yacht and sailed around for two years. We sailed north. We sailed south. We sailed coastal. We sailed offshore. We sailed fast and we sailed slow. We sailed during the day and we sailed at night.

I remember one night passage in particular. We had been anchored at Nassau’s Paradise Island and had upped anchor to scoot to nearby Rose Island. Rose Island is a long, skinny palm tree-lined island with no roads and no houses. A daily excursion boat playing a steel drum version of Yellow Bird arrived every day. We’d hear Yellow Bird coming, we’d hear Yellow Bird staying, we’d hear Yellow Bird going. I liked hearing the distant calypso steel drums, their notes winding around the palm tree leaves before bouncing off to arrive at our swaying boat to serenade us. In between it was quiet. Very quiet.

When we decided to leave, we wanted to head back north to Great Abaco Island. We plotted our trip on the chart. It necessitated scooting around the western tip of Rose island we were anchored behind, turning north, making a deep water passage, and then turning west to get inside the Abaco island chain. There were no navigational aids to mariners. We’d have to sail in between dodgy narrow cliffs with shallow waters dotted with deadly coral heads. Coral is sharp, it could rip a hole in the bottom of your boat faster than a blink.

It’s easy to see coral heads if the sun is behind your back, you’re wearing polarized sunglasses, and you stand far forward on the bow or even better, higher up if you have a wheelhouse. Unfortunately, this meant that to arrive in time for the sun to be behind our back in order to navigate the coral, we’d have to get there before noon. And that meant sailing overnight to arrive at sunrise.

We left Rose Island at dusk, and as the sun set, turned our vessel toward Great Abaco. Our heading was 0 degrees, due north.

Source

Compass set for 0 degrees captain. Easy enough. The sky darkened, turned blue, then purple, then black. The stars came out. Absent any competing light, they were bright. However, one star stood out. It hung off our left spreader. The spreader is the cross-spar halfway up the mast. Our mast was unusual for a modern boat, it was wooden.

If I pointed the left spreader with the star just at the end of it, I could maintain my true north, 0 degree course. That is because the star was the North Star, and the north star never moves. All the other stars rotate around it, but Polaris never moves.

A long exposure photo of Polaris & neighbouring stars
(exposure time 45 min),taken in Ehrenbürg
(Walberla) in 2001. Source

The North Star is a pole star, and it’s called Polaris. There is only one, the North Star. Wiki says, “While other stars’ apparent positions in the sky change throughout the night, as they appear to rotate around the celestial poles, pole stars’ apparent positions remain virtually fixed. This makes them especially useful in celestial navigation: they are a dependable indicator of the direction toward the respective geographic pole although not exact; they are virtually fixed, and their angle of elevation can also be used to determine latitude. … The North Star has historically been used for navigation since Late Antiquity, both to find the direction of north and to determine latitude.“

We did not sail by celestial navigation, even though we had a sextant. We didn’t have a GPS either but we used the compass and the charts and eyeball and Loran. (Yes, that’s how old we are). We loved using the North Star as our navigational aid. It made us feel like sailors of antiquity, brave and adventurous, casting off to parts unknown and getting there using only what was set in the heavens.

Little did I know that in truth, that ten years later I’d come to know the real God who set the stars in the heavens. (Genesis 1:16). Now my adventures are more biblical, casting off for spiritual parts unknown, and following my North Star, who never moves from His position, and is always bright.

My New Year wish for you is that you follow the North Star. Always, always keep your heading to true north. Always check for drift and for undersea hazards that can rip your keel off and sink you in a blink. It is Jesus who never moves, never changes, and all other beings, planets, and stars rotate around HIM. You cannot go wrong with a compass heading as true as that. Follow Him, whether it is night or day, or whether there are rough or smooth waters. Navigate by His brightness, and the course that is set will see you there safely.

“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.” (Revelation 22:16)

Happy New Year.

false, hearing God, jesus calling, sarah young

Amazon’s best sellers of the year: Even Slate gets it about Sarah Young…

Posted on December 26, 2013May 9, 2016 by elizabethprata

Slate presents “Amazon’s Best-Selling Books of 2013, and What They Tell Us About America“

Even Slate gets it about Sarah Young’s #5 seller, Jesus Calling

“We’re desperate for guidance from Jesus,

even if it’s just an author named Sarah Young pretending to be Jesus.“

And yes, Jesus Calling IS Amazon’s number five best selling book of the year. Not in Christian Books. All books. Now I will go off to a corner somewhere and cry.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Further Reading

Sarah Young, was it really Jesus Calling, or someone else?

Jesus Calling review, and why ‘hearing’ God is a bad thing

Reaction to the book “A Christian Rebuttal to Sarah Young’s ‘Jesus Calling'”

blogging, spirit, writing

My top posts of the year

Posted on December 26, 2013May 9, 2016 by elizabethprata

I’m preparing my annual earthquake update chart, comparing the number of quakes in the 5, 6, 7, and 8+ magnitude range to USGS annual benchmark, from 2001 onward. I publish that annually on Dec 31. Meanwhile, I’m looking over the past year or two in terms of what interested people and what brought them to the blog. I don’t tailor my writing to keyword entries or search engine optimization, I just write what I’m burdened to write, but I am curious to see where the Spirit leads people and what blog entries are read. What is on people’s minds?

The posts which receive the most views always surprise me. They’re never the ones where I’d shed the most tears in prayer and anguish writing them. They are never the ones I felt were spiritually necessary. They’re never the ones I think will be the most edifying. They are always a surprise.

Blogger gives you the option for seeing statistics for the month, day, week, or all time. Not the year. So in looking at all-time posts here is the skinny.

ChurchChannel TV

The top posts of all time come from 2013 and 2011. I write in three categories; encouragement, discernment, and prophecy. Regarding discernment, I write about many famous individuals, comparing their doctrine to the bible’s to see if they are presenting orthodoxy, heterodoxy, or heresy. To that end, I’ve looked at famous Rick Warren, Mark Driscoll, Beth Moore, Christine Caine, Sarah Young, Rachel Held Evans, and Billy Graham. The post in which I wrote about a person which received the most views are none of those. In 2011 I wrote about Jentezen Franklin and it is the post about him which still lingers near the top for most hits ever. Surprise!

Remember the Daniel Plan? Not Rick Warren’s Daniel Plan, Jentezen Franklin’s. It was a heavy fad in 2011. I wrote about the Plan and about Mr Franklin’s book in November 2011 and we were off and running.

Jentezen Franklin and his false teachings about fasting.
I started it this way:
“There are many churches today participating in the current fad known as The Daniel Fast. This is a man-made so-called spiritual activity that is supposed to automatically draw you closer to God by eating things that are on a list and not eating things that are not on a list.“

My church at the time was one of those participating in the ‘fast’ and flogging the book from the pulpit too. Heavily. I thought the only book that should be promoted from the pulpit should be the bible, and was concerned that the leadership was falling into false doctrines put out there by a known word-faith, liberal preacher by having us sign legalistic contracts committing to the fast and other things which were of concern. I shared these concerns with the leadership and learned first-hand about Mark Driscoll’s method of dealing with members who ask questions: either you get on board unquestioningly or you are thrown under the bus with the other dead bodies that had been thrown there. This was Bevere’s ‘Covering Theology‘ on steroids. I was summarily fired from all the ministries I’d been involved in for years, told I was a critical troublemaker led by the devil, and disfellowshipped the same day. No one ever sought reconciliation, or even told me what my sin was.

So the Jentezen Franklin blog entry’s high number of hits shows me that others are concerned, also. The Lord is gracious and wise, and I’m forever grateful for the experience I learned at that time. He gave me an opportunity to speak Holy Truth to carnal power, to learn many things doctrinal and heretical, caused me to search out the truth about this flavor of false doctrine, and help other people who struggled with the devastating effects of spiritual abuse.

In 2011 I also wrote about the people who spent all their savings ahead of the Doomsday date that the now-deceased Harold Camping predicted (May 21, 2011).
Facepalm: man spends all his savings in advance of (false) May 21 rapture date

This is still the second most looked at blog entry. People are inordinately curious about dates, looking for clues as to “when”, and constantly seek after people who claim to “know.” (1 John 2:20). Many sought after Mr Camping when he said that he had unlocked the secret date from the bible, that the rapture would be May 21, 2011. His heart was in the right place, he sincerely wanted people to repent before it was too late, but his methods got tangled up. Later Mr Camping repented and apologized.

However, some sold all they had and waited, in vain of course. That was what the blog entry was about, that we all have the same Spirit and no one knows the date of His coming. No one has different knowledge than another who can also appeal to Him for illumination of His eternal truths. (1 John 2:20, John 14:26).

The top blog entry this year and also tops all others in terms of hits, by a lot, is the Sideways Necklace entry. I’m astounded at this. Of all things I’ve written about, prophetic, discernment, or encouraging, that this should remain the most looked at blog entry of all. I wrote it in March of this year, and despite its newcomer status, quickly outstripped the Ghost Horse of Tarhir Square, The Harold Camping rapture date debacle, and the Jentezen Franklin Daniel Fast, all of which were written several years ago and are also near the top in views.

When Egypt erupted in a violent overthrow
and its government fell in Spring of 2011 (Arab Spring)
some say they saw on video a Pale Horse ride
in Tarhir Square. No one debunked it, ever, and you know
how they love to do that

The latest Christian fad- Is wearing a sideways (horizontal) cross good, or bad?

I wondered, is it because it is about jewelry and probably mostly women read this blog? Is it because (one may hope) that Christians don’t want to bring shame onto the name of Jesus or His symbol by doing something wrong with it? Is it a cultural fad that goes deeper than I thought? Is it spiritual warfare on a scale I don’t understand? All the answers to these questions I ask about this blog entry escape me. All I know is the blog entry caused and is still causing a stir. It sparked a forum war on the women’s scrapbooking discussion page Two Peas. Twice. It was linked to on a Yahoo discussion page. Every day if I look at the stats page, there it is, topping the list. There is no doubt, a LOT of people want to know what the sideways cross means.

All this teaches me that there is no essay I can write about Jesus in His name or for His name that I can take for granted. NO! It teaches me caution, humility, and carefulness to a higher degree.

I was listening to a John MacArthur Q&A recently. Someone remarked to Dr MacArthur that all his sermons are online, the sermons he’s preached since 1969, as well as commentaries, essays, and other writings. It is a massive volume of material that is accessible to the public, for our edification. He praised the Lord for the ability to reach people in this way, but then said with a seriousness to his voice, “It’s a lot to be responsible for.”

He sets a good example. We will be called to account for every idle word we speak (Matthew 12:36) so please let none of these words be idle. I should be just as careful to represent truth as best as I know and in grace and humility (but firmly) as I did when I started this blog 5 years ago. Let not familiarity with writing about Him ever breed contempt! Each and every word I write, no matter what the subject, which aims to edify, encourage, or rebuke should be done consciously and carefully.

Ultimately it’s not a lesson in hits or views but a lesson in the road the Spirit takes. Some entries edify only a few people but in a deep way. That is satisfying. Some entries seem more superficial to me but affect many more people for longer periods. That is satisfying too. In the end it doesn’t matter, because the Spirit is in charge and all He does, and all I hope to do through Him, is point to Christ. Jesus is the only subject that matters. Every subject is about Him. If anything I write, from jewelry to the Resurrection, points to His glory, justice, beauty, mercy, grace or any other attribute, then it is well with my soul.

South Sudan erupts in ethnic violence and inches toward civil war; US involved

Posted on December 26, 2013May 9, 2016 by elizabethprata

Over the last week a hot war has broken out in South Sudan. I’ve stayed away from political and war stories the last few days due to the holiday but it is important to bring this news to you now.

Sudan is one of the regions mentioned as being a future participant in the Gog-Magog war. (Cush, Ezekiel 38:5). And, anything happening in the so-called ‘epicenter’ is worthy of note. As Joel C. Rosenberg’s Facebook page states, he “tracks geopolitical and spiritual events and trends in Israel and throughout the Middle East”. We call this region the epicenter because all historical-to-prophetic events important to God arise from this region, especially Israel.

The Washington Post reported on December 23, “The world’s newest country is already on the brink of civil war. Here’s how it happened.”
“It was considered one of the world’s great successes when, on July 9, 2011, South Sudan became an independent nation. After many unhappy years as a region of Sudan, the new country declared its independence with crucial support from the outside world, particularly the United States.”

“Now, less than two and a half years later, South Sudan appears to be on the verge of a potential civil war. Since an alleged coup attempt Dec. 15 (it probably wasn’t really a coup), fighting between rebels and government forces has killed at least 500, injured four U.S. troops and left entire cities disputed. As of this writing, the South Sudan army says it’s preparing to attack rebel groups who’ve taken control of oil-producing regions. How did this happen?“

The report goes on to enumerate four reasons, and explains them in easy to understand terms.

The BBC reports this morning, “South Sudan crisis: Kenya and Ethiopia leaders in Juba for talks“
“The leaders of two of South Sudan’s neighbours, Kenya and Ethiopia, have arrived in the capital, Juba, in an attempt to halt fighting there. Thousands of people are feared dead in violence that began 11 days ago and has raised fears of a civil war. President Salva Kiir was seen going into talks with Ethiopian PM Hailemariam Desalegn and Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta on Thursday.”

There is oil in S. Sudan…

“Fears are intensifying that South Sudan is on the verge of full civil war, and that the country’s estimated 250,000 b/d of oil production could be put at risk as a result. Hundreds of oil workers are flying out of South Sudan as former vice president Riak Machar claims his rebel forces have seized control of the oil-rich Unity state, which can produce some 45,000 b/d of oil.” (source)

The United States was hit while trying to evacuate personnel:

“Gunfire hit three US military aircraft trying to evacuate American citizens in a remote region of South Sudan that on Saturday became a battle ground between the country’s military and renegade troops, officials said. Four US service members were wounded in the attack in the same region where gunfire downed a UN helicopter the day before.” (source)

CBS reports that U.N. Investigators Find Mass Graves In South Sudan but then later the UN denied there was a mass grave of 75 bodies and revised the death toll downward to 34 with 75 missing. The fog of war… And how many people have to die and be buried together before they call it a ‘mass grave’?

The US is sending troops to South Sudan in anticipation they may be needed to respond to the violence, as well as the UN “increase in peacekeepers in a bid to rein in South Sudan’s ethnic violence.”

Here is a chart of the modern names of the ancient nations named in Ezekiel’s prophecy of a future regional war: (Ezekiel 37-38).

So that is the unfortunate news. More strife in the Middle East, more deaths and eternal destinies cemented forever. More inching toward the moment when it will all break out as Ezekiel and the other prophets have said. Prophecy is sure, so it will happen, perhaps on our watch or perhaps on another generation’s. I feel it will be us who sees the final eruptions begin even as we are whisked homeward by the call of our Savior.

christmas, encouragement, jesus, kingdom, manger, repent

He came down!

Posted on December 25, 2013 by elizabethprata

Today is a day we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior. He deigned to leave his holy place and incarnate as God and as Man, to live among us. His story extends beyond the manger. The helpless babe, innocent and swaddled, grew in stature and wisdom. (Luke 2:52). And the grace of God was upon Him. (Luke 2:40).

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The Coming of the Kingdom

“Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed, nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.”

“And he said to the disciples, “The days are coming when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. “And they will say to you, ‘Look, there!’ or ‘Look, here!’ Do not go out or follow them. “For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day. But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.”
(Luke 17:20-25)

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The Kingdom is still in your midst. The Holy Spirit who indwells believers is crafting a sanctified kingdom of wisdom and stature which pleases God. If you seek entry to this kingdom, which is among you in this age of grace, do not reject the cornerstone of the kingdom, who is Jesus.

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A Living Stone and a Holy People

“As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in Scripture:

“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone,

a cornerstone chosen and precious,

and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

(2 Peter 2:1-7)

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“Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

(Mark 1:14b-15)

Merry Christmas! The Lord has come. Will you believe?

christmas, jesus, joseph, nazareth, prophecy

"He shall be called a Nazarene": God is the author of the future

Posted on December 24, 2013May 9, 2016 by elizabethprata

“But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, “Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child’s life are dead.” And he rose and took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he withdrew to the district of Galilee. And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled: “He shall be called a Nazarene.” (Matthew 2:19-23)

God is the author of the future. He ordained it and only He knows it. Sometimes, He tells us before it happens. That is what’s called prophecy.

God tells us in different ways what His plans are for the future. In the Old Testament, He told Adam directly there would be a savior. Other times, He selected men as Prophets to receive His word. In the NT, He selected men as Apostles and told them to speak His future. Then finally, He spoke through His Son. (Hebrews 1:1-2). The life and death and resurrection of Christ is part of that amazing reliability of God’s ordination of events, because all the events prior to His coming pointed to Him!

“I will tell of the decree: The LORD said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you.”

(Psalm 2:7)

And after Jesus rose and went to heaven, God sent His Spirit to inspire men to write it all down so we could read the past, the present and the future all at once, in one book.

John MacArthur wrote,
There is no way to explain the Bible’s ability to predict the future unless we see God as its Author. For example, the Old Testament contains more than three hundred references to the Messiah of Israel that were precisely fulfilled by Jesus Christ (Christ is the Greek translation of the Hebrew word Messiah).

Peter Stoner, a scientist in the area of mathematical probabilities, said in his book Science Speaks that if we take just eight of the Old Testament prophecies Christ fulfilled, we find that the probability of their coming to pass is one in 1017. He illustrates that staggering amount this way:

We take 1017 silver dollars and lay them on the face of Texas . They will cover all of the state two feet deep. Now mark one of these silver dollars and stir the whole mass thoroughly. . . . Blindfold a man and tell him he must pick up one silver dollar. . . . What chance would he have of getting the right one? Just the same chance that the prophets would have had of writing these eight prophecies and having them come true in any one man. ([ Chicago : Moody, 1963], 100-107)

And Jesus fulfilled hundreds more than just eight prophecies!

God is the author of the future. In eons past, He ordained that His Son would redeem a sinful humanity, and do it in a way that stops our heart just thinking about it. His Son would voluntarily depart from His holy habitation in heaven and descend into a helpless babe’s body. He would live and grow on earth as a human, amid the pollution, curse, and sin we created. He would teach and prophesy and die a bodily death as the Spotless Lamb of God, and pleased with His Son, God would raise Him on the third day.

“Be silent, all flesh, before the LORD; for He is aroused from His holy habitation.“

(Zechariah 2:13)

This was His plan since the beginning and made known to us since Genesis 3. Jesus is a fulfillment of God’s prophecies, His plan since the beginning of time, and the very embodiment of love.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him…”

(John 3:16-17)

And He was and is called The Nazarene. Believe on Him and be saved.

christmas, malachi, shepherds, spurgeon, three kings, worship

Christmas, Malachi 1, and the nature of true worship

Posted on December 23, 2013 by elizabethprata

In Malachi 1:6-14, the LORD our God rebukes the priests and the people for offering polluted worship. Let’s take a look at what proper worship is by first looking at what proper worship isn’t, from the mouth of the LORD. Here is His rebuke in full:

“A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear? says the Lord of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. But you say, ‘How have we despised your name?’ By offering polluted food upon my altar. But you say, ‘How have we polluted you?’ By saying that the Lord’s table may be despised. When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not evil? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that not evil? Present that to your governor; will he accept you or show you favor? says the Lord of hosts. And now entreat the favor of God, that he may be gracious to us. With such a gift from your hand, will he show favor to any of you? says the Lord of hosts.”

“Oh that there were one among you who would shut the doors, that you might not kindle fire on my altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you, says the Lord of hosts, and I will not accept an offering from your hand. For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name will be great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts. But you profane it when you say that the Lord’s table is polluted, and its fruit, that is, its food may be despised. But you say, ‘What a weariness this is,’ and you snort at it, says the Lord of hosts. You bring what has been taken by violence or is lame or sick, and this you bring as your offering! Shall I accept that from your hand? says the Lord. Cursed be the cheat who has a male in his flock, and vows it, and yet sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished. For I am a great King, says the Lord of hosts, and my name will be feared among the nations.”

He said that the priests bring the people’s sick and the lame animals for the altar, not even the Governor would accept these blemished offerings. Yet they bring them to Him, the Holy God of Israel. They sneer at the weight of having to sacrifice, saying it’s a burden. They give no thought to the Lord’s table nor revere Him as King. They don’t even honor Him as Father.

In this day and age, we have come to believe the lie that just because we show up to church, mumble a few prayers, half-heartedly sing a few theology-less songs, and sit through a sermon that’s interfering with the timing of the crock pot, that we have blessed God.

God has standards for everything, including worship. He calls those who bring less than their best a “cheat”. He says that they “pollute” his temple. He refuses to accept their sacrifices. And He says they still expect Him to show them favor. And it shouldn’t be a duty nor a burden, because as He says, “I am a great King, says the Lord of hosts, and my name will be feared among the nations.”

What if God were to expose our worship today? What if He spoke a word from through a person as He did Malachi, saying that we are evil, polluters of His sanctuary, and are not worthy of favor? That we might as well all just leave and close the church doors behind us? That He has no pleasure in us? (Reminiscent of the condemnations in the letters in Revelation 2-3). The church as it is today would probably reject Him! They’d say He is being too mean, not being tolerant or inclusive, and after all, they are doing the best they can and He should just be happy with that. (Revelation 3:20)

Worship is important, but it doesn’t stop at the church doors when we enter in. Showing up isn’t worship. We need to worship in the right way.

Superficial worship, shallow worship, wrong worship cripples, debilitates, robs God of what is rightfully His, limits your usefulness, denigrates your whole Christian experience. We need to worship in the right way, to give God what He is due and to put ourselves in a position of being most useful to God. (source)

I am thinking about true worship on the almost eve of the celebration we offer to God for sending His Son into the world, in flesh. Jesus’ birth is a monumental moment in history, one that culminated with His death and resurrection. Man and God reconciled. Do we offer pure, and good worship to Him? This week of all weeks is a week to worship! What are a few of the positive templates of worship we see in the New Testament?

Adoration of the Shepherds (The Holy Night)
Correggio 1530

I think of the Shepherds to whom the angels appeared with the glad tidings on that night in Bethlehem so long ago.

“When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.” (Luke 2:15-18)

The shepherds truly worshiped! First, they listened to the angels. They did not run away and they did not sneer or mock or say “what weariness is this?” They listened with all their heart and souls. We know this from Luke 2:9 when the shepherds feared the glory of the Lord.

Then, they obeyed. They were instructed to get up and go, seek the babe, and they did. “In haste”!! They heard the message and they obeyed it as fast as their feet could carry them. Inertia didn’t keep them on their bedrolls. Weariness from a long day shepherding didn’t stop them. Fear didn’t paralyze them. Resentment at being marginalized from the worship structure of the day didn’t hinder them. They got up, gathered together and they searched for the babe, in haste. This shows us that nothing else was as important to them at that moment. The shepherds worshiped by obeying the word they had heard from on high.

Third, when they saw the sign of the babe in swaddling clothed confirmed, the shepherds went out and told the news. “They made known.” They must have told a lot of people if the angels’ message had become known. They didn’t stop at one or two people, they made it known. This also is worship- to proclaim Him.

Byzantine art usually depicts the Magi in Persian
clothing which includes breeches, capes, and Phrygian caps.
Mosaic, ca. 565. Ravenna, Italy

How about the Kings from the East? “Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him. … ” And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.” (Matthew 2:1-2; 11).

These kings had come from a distance of what was probably at least 800-900 miles away. In any case, distance was of no matter to them, they set their eyes on the west and walked until they found Him. Would you walk the distance from Atlanta to Oklahoma City because you had heard Jesus was there?

They brought Him their best, best offering. They did not bring a blind lamb and a broken-winged dove! Their worship was that they had known He was coming, and had watched for His appearing. Then they put action to their worship by seeking Him. And do you see the manner of their worship? Unlike those in Malachi, the kings brought best offerings they had. And they fell down.

“Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him“. (Psalm 72:11)

As the Christian Courier delves into the discussion between Jesus and the woman at the well, the article discusses true worship:

“In drawing the contrast between Samaritan worship and Hebrew worship, Christ emphasized that true worship is more than emotion; it is grounded in knowledge. … Away goes the contention that the format of worship is immaterial, so long as one is sincere.” (John 4:22-23, source)

To properly worship, we must know Who we are worshiping and we must do it in the proper mode. I’m not talking about a list of legalistic rules, but only referring to the templates of worthless worship and proper worship presented to us in His word. It is a heart condition. We no longer have sacrifices to bring, but do we worship sacrificially, with all our heart, mind, and soul? Or do we vow a large tithe but switch it for lesser at the last minute?

Cursed be the cheat who has a male in his flock, and vows it, and yet sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished… (Malachi 1:14)

Do we acknowledge not only the babe in the manger, but the glorious risen KING of Kings and LORD of Lords who is to come?

For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering…(Malachi 1:11)

Do we know who we are worshiping and why? Do we love Him?

Who among the gods is like you, LORD? Who is like you– majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders? (Exodus 15:11)

Spurgeon speaks of true spiritual worship.

Christ comes to tell us that now his worship is to be wholly spiritual, even the altar which belongs to antediluvian times is gone, for we have an altar of another kind; even the sacrifice which belonged to the early period has departed like a shadow, because we have the sacrifice of Christ in which to trust. … At any rate, my dear hearers, if you have not with your whole hearts loved and worshipped God, repent over it, and pray the Holy Ghost to make you spiritual. Go to Christ’s cross, and trust in him; then, and not till then, will you be capable of adoring the most High God in a style in which he can accept your worship. God grant that this may be impressed upon the hearts of all of us, that we may worship God in spirit and in truth.