[By Elizabeth Prata]

Wondering about the Babylon Bee: Do we need satire?

Posted on August 9, 2016August 9, 2016 by elizabethprata

I love The Onion. When I was a newspaper publisher and editor I loved reading the headlines and laughing at how closely the writers of that satirical newspaper came to making their fake headlines seem almost real. It takes skill and nuance to consistently produce satire, and often there are just as many misses as there are hits with less talented writers and humorists.

When the Babylon Bee, a satirical Christian digital newspaper, came out, I loved it. The writers are hilarious and consistently produce nearly true or could be true headlines almost every day. I’ve quoted the Bee a few times, always admiringly. I mean, who doesn’t laugh at these satire news headlines?

Sermon On Tithing Moves Congregation To Commit 10% Of Their Attention…
Megachurch Apologizes After Statement Of Faith Found On Its Website
Local Man Waiting For Second Person To Gather So Jesus Can Show Up
New Journaling Bible To Eliminate Scriptural Text Entirely

All those are hilarious takes on the foibles and issues facing Christians today. The Bee takes on Christian Living, Church Life, Theology, Megachurches, Politics…no sphere is sacred and all have been lampooned. Most, devastatingly so.

However, I’ve had a growing sense of dismay over the Bee’s existence these last few months. Recently I posted this on The End Time Facebook Page:

“The Babylon Bee (BB) is an American Christian satirical news media outlet. African News Updates (ANU) is an African news AND satire outlet. All of the BB is satire. Some of the ANU site presents real news and some of it is satire, but they’re labeled. The top story is from the Babylon Bee, posted July 19, and is satire. The bottom story is from African News Updates, posted July 14 and is NOT satire. It’s real news and it’s horrible.” The two stories are not related…except for the fact that visible Christianity is getting so ridiculous it’s hard to tell when it’s fake and when it’s real. I say “visible Christianity” because the true church is always beautiful in God’s eyes.”

And that is the issue. The world of Christianity is so wayward today that many of the satires on the Babylon Bee could actually be happening. And so, many people post and re-post them as actual. I was thinking about this issue a great deal but was unsure how to approach my thoughts which had not yet coalesced.

Then today I came across the Wretched Daily Clip from Todd Friel, which mentioned this exact issue before moving on to explain the theology. Friel said,

Several people also sent me an article, and I have to confess to you that it’s tragic that they did…not that they themselves are the tragedy, but because we are living in a world right now where this could be possible…the headline is about a megachurch that debuts a water slide baptismal.

I thought it was sad that people had sent in the article as a truthful article with the statements of, ‘shucks, what is the world coming to, Todd?’ More and more people believe the Babylon Bee articles are real, because as Friel said, it is possible. Outlandish is no longer outlandish. The ridiculous is the new normal. An entire generation of youth have grown up with the kind of Christianity the Bee lampoons, who don’t know it’s wrong.

My concern in writing a blog has always been to produce clarity, provoke thought, and of course, exalt God. My fear has always been that I would instead be adding to the general confusion. My grief would be to write something that leads someone astray.

So today my question is, do we need a Babylon Bee? Does the Babylon Bee exalt God? Provoke thought? Promote clarity? Or does it add to the general confusion? I submit that it does the latter.

Not that clarity, thought, and exaltation are the only ‘good’ in Christianity. Humor and laughter are fine. I’m not a fuddy duddy. However, my own opinion is that we are so far gone that the sting of a Bee is lost on a crowd that believes its stories to be real. In 1950, I could envision that a media outlet such as the Babylon Bee would immediately be seen as satire. Pastors wore suits and ties, preached from the Bible and not from anecdotes, didn’t arrive on a zipline, didn’t have a smoke machine, and were intentional about their call for their congregation to pursue holiness. Nowadays, not so much.

The sad thing is that the point is made by the end of Friel’s 2 minute clip. The satirical waterslide baptism? It turns out that one of his staff members informed Friel that there actually is a church that baptizes their kids in a pool with a fire truck and confetti shoots out of a cannon when the child comes up out of the water.

So…do we need a Babylon Bee?

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

Sources:

Wretched Daily Clip

Babylon Bee

discernment, Uncategorized

Relying on tradition and incomplete knowledge can be devastating

Posted on August 8, 2016August 9, 2016 by elizabethprata

Tradition is the enemy of truth.

People hear things over and over and eventually take them as truth. Instead of searching them out diligently, they accept sayings as Biblical truth. They begin to think they are in the Bible or that God said it. Case in point, the phrase, “Cleanliness is next to Godliness” is not in the Bible. Nor is “the Sinner’s Prayer”. Nor is salvation by “Accepting the Lord.” These are the traditions we grew up with in the American millennium era.

Traditions are nothing new. In the Bible days, the Pharisees had many traditions also. For example, tithing cumin and mint was not a biblical law. (Matthew 23:23). Walking no more than 2000 cubits on the Shabbat had not originated in the Law. They were traditions. The latter arouse from a twisting of Joshua 3:4.

Here is where tradition begats laziness and self-satisfaction.

They replied, “Are you from Galilee too? Search and see that no prophet arises from Galilee.” (John 7:52).

This was the Pharisees’ contemptuous retort to Nicodemus’ attempt to defend Jesus on one point. Their rage and self-satisfaction and scorn was so towering that they forgot that Micah and Jonah and Elisha did come from Galilee, (Micah 1:1, Joshua 19:13, 1 Kings 17:1) and perhaps also Nahum and Hosea had come from Galilee. Rage blinds, as it did to the Pharisees here and on multiple other occasions. Their rage against Jesus blinded them so thoroughly, their self-righteous power-hungry minds were so set against a backwater like Galilee, the Pharisees forgot that prophets do, indeed, come out of Galilee.

Another devastating behavior stemming from tradition that blinds us to the truth is the failure to search the scriptures but instead to think you already know. Behind this wall lies truth. However, the Pharisees had built a wall against it, brick by brick. Each brick was a tradition that eventually blocked their own access to truth.

EPrata photo

In John 7:42 we read their assertion,

Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the offspring of David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?”

They were correct, but incompletely so. Yes, the scriptures say that the Messiah will come from Bethlehem. (Micah 5:2). Yes, the Pharisees correctly knew Jesus lived in Galilee, the town of Nazareth. But if they had bothered to search their facts even momentarily, they would have discovered that Jesus had been born in Bethlehem. The Romans conducted a census, if you remember, and the census records were available. Romans kept good records. They could have checked the Temple records, Joseph and Mary did all that was required by Law, and they both came from the lineage of David. (Luke 2:22). Or, they could have simply asked Joseph, Mary, or Jesus where He had been born. But they thought they knew, without searching for the facts. This is willful ignorance.

Do you ever settle in the pew and look at the bulletin and see that the sermon is going to be on a passage you’re extremely familiar with? Does your heart sink, your mind saying, “Aw, man, I already know this one”? I dare to suggest, that is Pharisee talk. The scriptures speak every time they are delved into. It is our job to search them out, even if we think we already know. It isn’t that the scriptures aren’t fresh, it’s that our eyes get dull.

It’s a truism that a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing, meaning that a small amount of knowledge can delude people into thinking that they are more expert in their field than they actually are. The Pharisees’ knowledge was prodigious, but it was head knowledge without love, and combined with tradition, pride, and self-righteousness, they failed at the critical moment to recognize the Messiah they had been waiting for. (2 Timothy 3:7).

Let’s be careful not to assume the facts, but search them out. Let’s be diligent to investigate. Nicodemus did. Annas didn’t. Let’s not rest on tradition, assuming it’s Biblical. Cleanliness isn’t next to Godliness, holiness is. Search the scriptures diligently with fresh, open eyes. Pray to the Spirit to illuminate them to you. It’s harder to do the longer you’re a Christian to keep fresh eyes on the Bible, but the Spirit is always fresh and will open your mind to the truths in every case. Peter said that Jesus had the words of eternal life. Eternal words never get stale.

encouragement, Uncategorized

Do you have the peace that passes all understanding?

Posted on August 6, 2016August 6, 2016 by elizabethprata

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:7)

Even if the worst happens on our shores (war, earthquake, tsunami…) I have the peace that passes all understanding. He is in control and our anguish and our life is but a breath, so it will only be for a short time. I pray you have that peace as well. Barnes Notes explains the peace that passes all understanding so well.

Which passeth all understanding – That is, which surpasses all that people had conceived or imagined. The expression is one that denotes that the peace imparted is of the highest possible kind. The apostle Paul frequently used terms which had somewhat of a hyperbolical cast (see the notes on Ephesians 3:19; compare John 21:25, and the language here is that which one would use who designed to speak of that which was of the highest order. The Christian, committing his way to God, and feeling that he will order all things aright, has a peace which is nowhere else known. Nothing else will furnish it but religion. No confidence that a man can have in his own powers; no reliance which he can repose on his own plans or on the promises or fidelity of his fellow-men, and no calculations which he can make on the course of events, can impart such peace to the soul as simple confidence in God.

Are you saved? If so, then demonstrate that faith by clinging to Him, His promises, and His Truth. It is the best- the only- safe port in a storm! This is a great time in the United States to be peaceful, for others will see your calmness and through the grace of the Holy Spirit, they will ask you…”what is it that you have…?” and you will have the inestimable privilege of saying, “Let me tell you about Jesus…”

If you are not saved and you see someone who seems calm and graceful all the time, whose countenance seems glowing. (Exodus 35:35) it is because we have what Jesus has given us- His peace. We have been with God. We are no longer at war against Him but have become friends and sons of the Most High God. He imparts a peace that allows His children to look upon earthly circumstances with an eternal perspective.

Dear unsaved person, your good works are not enough to get you to heaven. Being really, really nice is not enough to get you to heaven. You can never do enough to get to heaven. The only way is through Jesus. You wonder what is it about Christians that makes them (us) seems o gentle and calm and they just look different? It’s His peace. The sin struggle is over. The unanswered questions about why we are here and how the world was born and why people are like they are…these questions are answered. Right now would be a good idea to start praying seriously to the Lord above to resolve your internal war. You are a God-hater, perhaps actively but certainly passively. Do you want peace and rest from always striving and yet not knowing? (2 Timothy 3:7). He will provide His peace, upon repentance and faith in His resurrected self.

discernment, Uncategorized

The problem with tolerating false teachers is…

Posted on August 4, 2016 by elizabethprata

A friend and I were talking about the younger church generation. A kind of “Kids these days” conversation, lol. She said, “They’ve been swimming in Beth Moore stuff for so long they don’t know if they are even in troubled water.” She and I, and others I’ve spoken with, notice the younger generation of 16-25 year olds simply do not have a solid theological grounding. They do not approach Bible study credibly. They infuse it with feelings, mysticism, romanticism, and subjective experience. They think this is the norm.

This is wrong.

And it is our fault.

This problem is what I dub the ‘Symbolic Jezebel problem’. It’s a generation thing. You see, in Revelation 2 metaphorical Jezebel who was a false prophetess of Thyatira. She was tolerated (one would assume, by the elders of the local church) for so long, unfortunately another generation of spiritual daughters had sprung up under her influence with her false teaching as a model. The ones coming up didn’t know any better, because they had false prophetess ‘Jezebel’ as their example. They must have figured this is the right way to practice the faith, because after all, the elders were not saying anything. It was tolerated. The issues were her false teaching, her false prophesying and the fact that she was teaching in a position of authority in the church. There’s a lot wrong right there. Jesus said to this church-

But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. 21I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality. 22Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works, 23and I will strike her children dead. (Revelation 2:20-23).

The other day I was talking with a 25-year-old. He was frustrated his peers could not see the truth that certain teachers are false or they could not understand why they approaches to study and communing with God were false (liver shivers, manifestations, circle praying, contemplative prayer…etc). I’d replied that his generation was the first one to have grown up completely under the false emergent, purpose driven, emotional, romantic, mystical model. An entire generation has been exposed to false teachings of one sort or another that have been tolerated by elders.

Beth Moore has been teaching locally since 1984 and went public with incorporating Living Proof Ministries in 1994. She’s nearly 60 now, Christine Caine is turning 50 next month. Lysa TerKeurst is 47. “Experiencing God” the terrible mystical curriculum that took the SBC by storm was published in 1976 and grew to monstrously popular proportions in the 1980s. All this is 25-30 years ago and we are reaping the terrible penalty for it now with our soft youth who are growing up as the the next generation of leaders. The problem is seen in this 2015 headline from Christianity Today, which unwittingly puts its finger dead center on the problem-

What Happens When We See Women Teach the Bible; A figure like Beth Moore shows evangelical women what’s possible.

No. It’s about what happens when we see not what’s possible, but what’s tolerated.

These young kids coming up who are 16 or 20 or 25 have been exposed to these things from their birth, even in homes that are solid (because it creeps in anyway). These teachers have been at it for a long time. Forty years is the length of a generation.

We tolerate a Moore, we accept a Experiencing God, we teach subjective methods of Bible study, and incrementally it all adds up. Inch by inch and then foot by foot and then mile by mile, we are on a downward slide that accelerates from a snowball to a tsunami. The generation of kids who use this stuff become the next generation of leaders, and promote it all over again to a new generation coming up. That is what is happening now.

What can you do about it? The Apostles of the first century church and their leader successors spent a great deal of time stamping out error, falsity and heresy where it sprang up. They didn’t let it go, They didn’t tolerate it, except in the case of the Thyatiran church, where Jesus personally dictated a letter telling them they were in danger of being smited by His hand! Jesus takes error seriously, the Apostles took error seriously and we should too. Error kills. (Galatians 5:9, John 10:10).

What should we do?

Repent of your personal sin so that your heart and mind can stay clear.

Don’t overlook the small errors that pop up when they occur in your sphere. Satan’s tentacles will gradually creep in (2 Timothy 3:6). Notice them and address them. Would you ignore a spark on a haystack just because it’s small and pretty? No the spark has the power to ignite a conflagration and destroy the entire thing. What happens in your garden if you let a few weeds go, and you don’t pull them up? Pick your battles (because you’re not a lone ranger, others in your church have the gift of discernment and exhortation, too 😉 and speak up. I know it’s tiring. I know it’s a message that is increasingly unwanted. But do it.

Also, stay in the Word. Keep reading and delving into who Jesus is and His character and nature. It is the way we stay sharp and grounded and on the Rock.

I do not have a new message here. I always say to repent, pray, and stay in the word. That’s because this is what Jess says to do. The messages in the Bible are true and right, and if we follow them, and continue to do our duty by Him, we will be all right.

Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved. (Psalm 55:22).

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MemeHeresy: Don’t Be a Pineapple

Posted on August 3, 2016August 3, 2016 by elizabethprata

Meme Heresies are those frequently re-posted or re-tweeted quotable quotes or Bible verses, usually with a picture. Sometimes the scripture picture or quote will contain the Bible address associated with it, usually not. Sometimes the quote will have the person’s name as to who originally said it, but usually not. If there is a Bible address, it’s sometimes wrong. The same thing happens with the repeated memes with quotes on them, the quote is sometimes misattributed.

There’s a satirical meme that speaks to this,

Which is funny of course, because Abraham Lincoln lived and died well before the internet was invented. They are called memeheresies because many of these memes promote things that are at odds with the Bible, hence, “heresies”

The meme on the left is one that I saw this week, and I addressed it by creating my own counter-point on the right.

The meme isn’t explicitly Christian but it’s being promoted as if it is. It’s one of those nebulous, inspirational sayings that people go “awww’ when they read it and then think they’ve absorbed something from the Lord. But it’s not. Let’s see what the Bible has to say about being a pineapple.

Be a Pineapple

There is nothing expressly wrong with being compared to something. Jesus compares his children as sheep and the unsaved ones to goats. Saved vs. unsaved are compared as wheat and chaff. We can go to the ant, we’re to be as wise as a serpent and harmless as a dove. And so on. There is nothing wrong with humans being compared to something. But there are no qualities of a pineapple stated here that are especially helpful to the body of Christ or to the lost people.

Stand Tall

The Bible tells us to stand firm. (Philippians 4:1-2). It says that a lot. We are also to stand our ground. We’re also to stand. (Ephesians 6:13). But stand tall?. The righteous grow as tall as the cedars of Lebanon. (Psalm 92:12).

1 Corinthians 10:12 does warn us not to put too much stock into our standing, lest we fall.

So, whoever thinks he stands must be careful not to fall.

Those who stand tall receive a warning.

Christians can and do stand tall – in our soul because the Good in us is Christ. We do not need to prance around standing tall. We know who we are, craven sinners forgiven by the grace of Jesus Christ. He is tall. We are not.

Wear a Crown

The only people who wear crowns are kings and queens, and even then, just for ceremonial purposes. Taken literally, it’s ridiculous. Biblically, we read in Isaiah,

The earth mourns and withers, the world fades and withers, the exalted of the people of the earth fade away. (Isaiah 24:4).

I’d rather wait to wear my crown, and at that, we will probably hand it back to Jesus just as the elders did. (Revelation 4:10–11).

If it’s meant metaphorically, walking around as if we were kings and queens just makes for haughtiness. We know that Jesus hates haughty eyes. (Proverbs 6:17). As a matter of fact, we are to ‘Take up your cross and follow Me’ which means being willing to die in order to follow Jesus. Wear a crown? How about deny self.

Be Sweet on the inside

It’s always nice to try and be nice to people. We are called to be gentle, sweet, kind, thoughtful… As a matter of fact, if we are pressing on toward the prize, the Spirit is growing us in sanctification and we are bearing fruit of the Spirit consistent with those qualities I just mentioned. However, the heresy comes in where people believe there is anything sweet inside of us to begin with, or apart from the Spirit. On our own, there is nothing sweet in us. There is sin, pollution, iniquity, rebelliousness and depravity inside us. Nothing sweet at all.

So you can see that on the surface if you read the meme quickly it seems nice and probably true. If you compare it to scripture, you find the opposite. The point of exploring memes for heresies is to get you to think before you share on social media. Be thoughtful about what you present as inspiring or as Christian.

The younger generation needs solid food and we do not need to be confusing them or anyone with what Jesus’ real message was and is. We should not confuse, but enlighten. We should not settle for shallow, but dig deep. We should not promote heresy. We are not to mislead, but are to be salt and light. What you put out on social media should clarify and edify. Every time.

discernment, Uncategorized

“What recommendations do you have for Women’s Studies?”

Posted on August 2, 2016 by elizabethprata

A friend asked me to recommend some women’s studies for a new church plant. Though there are many fine Bible studies aimed at women or by women on the market, I don’t prefer them. First, these times if apostasy means women are especially vulnerable to it, and there are tons of false teachers out there of the female persuasion. Even solid teachers who have for decades developed good curricula of late have made a turn for the worse. (I’m thinking of Kay Arthur, among others). What is recommended today might be apostasy-ridden tomorrow when the woman creates her next curriculum. Though men are not immune from the same, it is a fact that satan attacks women with impunity. (Eve, symbolic Jezebel of Revelation 2, 2 Tim 3:6, etc)

J. Ligon Duncan and Susan Hunt do express the need for women’s ministry in the local church in their excellent book, Women’s Ministry in the Local Church. I would say if one is going to start a women’s ministry in a new church or resurrect a suspended ministry in an old church, to know why you are doing it and what the Bible has to say about it. Don’t have a women’s ministry just to have one. That’s where the Duncan book comes in. An excerpt from the Dallas Theological Seminary’s review of it states,

The book builds on five foundational themes taken from Paul’s pastoral letters: the Gospel, truth, sound doctrine, discipleship, and covenant. From these themes Duncan and Hunt identify five key passages, each emphasizing a different element that they feel is necessary for developing a healthy women’s ministry: 1 Timothy 2:9–15 (submission), 1 Timothy 3:11 (compassion), 1 Timothy 5 (community), Titus 2 (discipleship), and 2 Timothy 3:1–17 (Scripture). Each section offers a solid interpretation of the text, gives biblical examples of women who exemplify the meaning, and lists practical ways to carry out each element in a women’s ministry. Each chapter ends with testimonies from men and women who have implemented that principle in their own ministry experience.

The authors give five reasons why women’s ministry is important in every healthy evangelical church, and they warn of the adverse effects to marriages, families, and churches if women fail to have opportunities to meet and serve together.

I’m not opposed to all women’s ministries of course, but I’m advising care and thought into the creation of it and a watchful eye from the elders to ensure its solidity over time.

What I’d shared with my friend is the second reason I’m not all that excited about women’s ministries led by women is that all too often the ministry delves into topics aimed at women only, meaning, dating, courtship, marriage, and children. While they are important and worthy topics, first, it marginalizes single women by definition. Second, many times these topics are dealt with emotionally and not as theologically as one would prefer. I prefer theology for all ministries, men’s, women’s, and youth. Even children.

As for women, my specific target audience, if satan targets women then it behooves the church elders to formulate a plan for combating that attack. Grounding women in solid theology seems the best method. And yet women are often the last to be offered solidly theological studies in which to delve.

Even at that, the women who nod most vigorously during a solid theological sermon are often the first to gush about the latest Beth Moore study/Lysa TerKeurst book/Sarah Young devotional. That’s why I appreciated the chapter on Scripture in Duncan & Hunt’s book about women’s ministries.

There are three issues with the church ministries’ approach I’ve noticed over time, I’d mentioned in the conversation, and I’ll flesh out further here. (Twitter limits are so exasperating sometimes!) Women as well as men-

1) deny the beginning,

2) mock the end,

and

3) are biblically illiterate with most everything in between.

To ground women in the beginning, Genesis 1-11 studies help. I believe the following studies from Genesis would make a wonderful addition to the rotation of any women’s or men’s ministry. We must know what we believe and why. Genesis provides that foundation. If more youths, especially girls, were taught the basics that are contained in Genesis, perhaps when they reach age 20 they would not be Already Gone.

A good resource is Genesis 1 to 11- Before Abraham, Creation, Sin, and the Nature of God (MacArthur Bible Studies)

Another good resource for Revelation: This book promises blessing yet too many people fear it, especially women. Here is a booklet that will help, “Jet Tour Through Revelation” ($2 for the booklet or click here to read it free of charge)

Biblical illiteracy: For a new church, I recommend Justin Peters’ seminar “Clouds Without Water“, which discusses what discernment is and why it is important, as well as critiquing the word-faith movement;

This free booklet (free for a limited time as of July 2016) “Discernment: Spiritual Survival for a Church in Crisis“.

9Marks: Anything from 9Marks, an organization designed to help church plants and older churches become and stay healthy.

So that’s it. I might be somewhat if an anomaly, single and childless yet in my mid 50’s. I’m a Titus 2 elder woman who has nothing to say about marriage or child rearing except what the Bible says, not from experience. Perhaps that is why I focus on theology so much. Of maybe it is the Holy Spirit impressing on me that women, man, youth or child, you’re never too young or too old to study God, which is simply what theology is.

prophecy, Uncategorized

An After School Satan Club could be coming to your kid’s elementary school

Posted on August 1, 2016August 1, 2016 by elizabethprata

I worked with CEF as a Good News Club teacher for several years. My secular vocation is also in an elementary school. This issue is near and dear to me. As you read the headline you might want to dismiss it as a satirical Babylon Bee article, or a hoax you can check through Snopes or Hoax Slayer. No. This is a real attack. Worse, the Temple of Satan organization is specifically targeting schools that already have an evangelical Good News Club in it. The news is from a Washington Post article published Sunday, July 30, 2016.

An After School Satan Club could be coming to your kid’s elementary school Continue reading “An After School Satan Club could be coming to your kid’s elementary school” →

discernment, Uncategorized

The Duty and Delights of Discernment

Posted on July 30, 2016 by elizabethprata

I watched Pastor Justin Peters last night at Grace Community Church’s live stream of the introduction to his conference Clouds Without Water: A Biblical Critique of the Word-Faith Movement. That introductory hour of the two day conference was helpful in laying the ground work for the remainder of his lessons, because he explained what discernment is, and why it is important to practice, even for Christians who do not possess the gift of distinguishing of of spirits. (1 Corinthians 12:10).

Though Peters adds new video clips and updates the details over time, the overarching topics remain the same. Therefore if you are ever in a position to attend or watch it online as a video-conference, please do. I haven’t found a better series of lessons in which discernment is explained and then the audience is shown how to apply it to today’s Christian landscape. This link brings you to the conference outline and the topics specifically covered.

Providentially, as I read my Bible this morning, my reading brought me to John 7:17.

If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority.

The context of that verse is Jesus is teaching at the Feast of Tabernacles. The audience is amazed that He teaches with such insight and authority. They wondered where Jesus obtained this insight and knowledge and the above verse is part of His answer. Now…what does it mean? Matthew Henry explains the first part of the verse:

That the most competent judges of the truth and divine authority of Christ’s doctrine are those that with a sincere and upright heart desire and endeavour to do the will of God (v. 17): If any man be willing to do the will of God, have his will melted into the will of God, he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speak of myself.

Observe here, First, What the question is, concerning the doctrine of Christ, whether it be of God or no; whether the gospel be a divine revelation or an imposture. Christ himself was willing to have his doctrine enquired into, whether it were of God or no, much more should his ministers; and we are concerned to examine what grounds we go upon, for, if we be deceived, we are miserably deceived. Matthew Henry’s commentary on the whole Bible: complete and unabridged in one volume

Walvoord continues with an explanation for the rest of the verse-

The religious authorities figured that either a person studied in a traditional school or else he was self-taught. But Jesus’ reply pointed to a third alternative. His teaching was from God who had commissioned Him (cf. 12:49–50; 14:11, 24). Jesus was God-taught, and to know Jesus properly one must be God-taught (6:45). In order to evaluate Jesus’ claim, one must desire to do God’s will. Since Jesus is God’s will for man, people must believe in Him (6:29). Faith is the prerequisite for understanding. Without faith it is impossible to please God (Heb. 11:6). If Jesus were only self-taught (speaking on His own) or a genius, then His ministry would be self-exalting. But He did not seek honor for Himself. The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, Walvoord, Blum

John MacArthur finishes us off. Remember, the verse is that if anyone’s will is to do God’s will then he will know if the teaching is from God. The first cause is that the person desires to do God’s will. THEN he will be able to discern the teaching.

There’s a beautiful analogy to this in Proverbs Chapter 1 where wisdom is personified and is an analogy to Christ. Chapter 1, verse 20, “Wisdom shouts in the street, even as Jesus did; lifts her voice in the square; at the head of the noisy streets she cries out; at the entrance of the gates in the city she utters her sayings: ‘How long, O naive ones, will you love being simple-minded? And scoffers delight themselves in scoffing? And fools hate knowledge? Turn from your folly, from your simple mindedness, from your scoffing, and I will pour out my spirit on you and will make my words known to you.'”

Do you see? You turn, and then it becomes known to you. Repentance comes first. God does not grant light on his truth unless a man is anxious to walk according to that light. He doesn’t grant an understanding of truth until a man is willing to obey that truth. John MacArthur, Embracing the Claims of Christ

Are you willing to walk in His light? Are you desirous of understanding truth, discerning right from wrong and truth from error? Jesus was the only man on earth ever to perfectly represent the Father. Though we cannot represent Him perfectly, our our task is to strive for a better representation of Him each day, and we do this by obeying His will, delving into His truth, and discerning truth from error. Discernment is part of the mix in striving to represent the Father. He grants it all to us, the desire of His will, repentance, and discernment, so let’s praise Him that He drew us out of darkness and depravity so we could represent Him at all! He gave us the wonderful gift, He poured out His spirit on us and has made His words known to us.

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I live a small life in obscurity. Can I really make a difference for God?

Posted on July 29, 2016August 1, 2020 by elizabethprata

We see so many stories of people launching ministries, or selling everything to move into an inner-city, or striking off to a mission-receiving nation. They are doing Big Things for Jesus.

Sometimes I receive a comment where a Christian woman feels ineffective and insignificant for Jesus. She is either a stay-at-home mom, or works in a job in which she is not a decision-maker, a person droning away in a cubby somewhere. She feels like she would like to make a bigger impact for His kingdom but is not in any kind of powerful position to do so. How can we make a Gospel-impact for Jesus where we are?

I’d first like to celebrate the fact that there are women who yearn and strive to obey her King and to make a difference in souls. Like David, there are many women who adhere to this verse from Psalm 119:59–

I hastened and did not delay To keep Your commandments.

And yet, many wonder since their sphere is so small, how they can minister effectively? Are they making any difference at all? Could we do more?

Our pastor is teaching through Genesis. We learned about Joseph last Sunday. By Genesis 39, Joseph has been sold into slavery by his duplicitous brothers. He is working in the house of Potiphar the Captain of the Guard, as a slave. He is a slave, remember. Bought with money as property to do a master’s bidding. Joseph had no say, no power, no sphere in which he wielded decision making capabilities. He was just chattel, slaving obscurely away in a palace of a captain of Egypt.

Now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt, and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, had bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there. (Genesis 39:1)

The Hebrew word sar is sometimes rendered chief (Genesis 40:2, 41:9), prince (Daniel 1:7, KJV), ruler or governor (Judges 9:30, 1 Kings 22:26). This same Hebrew word denotes a military leader, official, commander, or captain (Exodus 18:21; Deuteronomy; 1:15; 1 Samuel 18:13, 1 Samuel 22:2, 2 Samuel 23:19; 2 Kings 1:9), the “captain of the bodyguard” or “the captain of the guard” (Genesis 39:1, 41:10), or, as sometimes shown in marginal references, it may be rendered “chief of the executioners.”

The “captain of the guard” or “captain of the body-guard,” both titles meaning the same thing, was responsible for the security of the king’s prisoners and for executing their sentences upon them. He was also the official guardian of the person, or body, of the king—the chief of the king’s bodyguard. Source: Freeman, J. M., & Chadwick, H. J. (1998). Manners & customs of the Bible

From that Commentary we know that Potiphar was no low person on the totem pole. When Joseph arrived at “Potiphar’s house”, it wasn’t a bungalow. Perhaps Potiphar did not even see Joseph much at the beginning, or if he did, it was in passing.

The Bible is silent on Joseph’s exact circumstances, but much has been written about slavery in many different eras, especially Roman times. In the Roman era, as many as 10,000 slaves per day were auctioned off. The Master or the Master’s representative would buy them off the block, usually in bunches. Initially, the Master would not know what each slave was capable of. Their skills were a mystery. They were just faceless laborers, an unknown quantity. At first, they would usually be put to menial work and as the Master or his representative got to know the slaves better he would re-distribute them around the property or give them tasks according to their strengths. This is what happened with Joseph.

The LORD was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, and he was in the house of his Egyptian master. 3His master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD caused all that he did to succeed in his hands. 4So Joseph found favor in his sight and attended him, and he made him overseer of his house and put him in charge of all that he had. (Genesis 39:2-4)

Joseph slaved away, and yet the LORD was with him. He was apart from his family, alone…but the LORD was with him.

Matthew Henry says of this situation in his complete Commentary,

His master preferred him, by degrees made him steward of his household, v. 4. Note, (1.) Industry and honesty are the surest and safest way both of rising and thriving: Seest thou a man prudent, and faithful, and diligent in his business? He shall stand before kings at length, and not always before mean men. (2.) It is the wisdom of those that are in any sort of authority to countenance and employ those with whom it appears that the presence of God is, Ps. 101:6.

Matthew Henry’s commentary on the whole Bible: complete and unabridged in one volume

And we know how the event ended. God used Joseph in a mighty way for His purposes. (Genesis 50:20).

If Joseph, a slave, persevered in Godly character enough to influence an entire household and then an entire nation, what can God do with us? Anything, no matter where we are or no matter how small our own sphere seems. Use your vocation for Godly influence, doing all as to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31). Even then, we don’t have to save an entire nation. The biggest things on the planet are influencing people with the Gospel, the true words of Christ. Even one soul impacted for the Kingdom is the highest work one can accomplish. InZechariah 4:10 we read,

For whoever has despised the day of small things shall rejoice, and shall see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. “These seven are the eyes of the LORD, which range through the whole earth.”

What does that verse mean? John MacArthur comments,

In that case, the re-building of a temple smaller than the one smaller than Solomon’s may have been discouraging to some, (cf Ezra 3:12, Haggai 2:3), The Lord announced that His pleasure was upon this work, and that His omniscient care was watching over and taking pleasure in its completion. He said in effect, don’t despise what God is pleased with.”

If you’re a person with no influence, a small sphere, or seeming insignificance for the Kingdom, you’re not. Don’t despise the small things. It is the Lord’s work and He is pleased with it. To Him, it is big things, especially when He fills them to perfection on His Day of glorification when ALL things come to completion. Use your vocation for Him in any way, large or small, that you can. His eyes range through the whole earth, and He sees you, and loves you and is with you.

This light isn’t a mighty lighthouse guiding thousands to port safe from the storm, but its light sure means a lot to the one family trying to get home.

encouragement, Uncategorized

Why does God say ‘look to the ant’?

Posted on July 28, 2016 by elizabethprata

Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. 7Without having any chief, officer, or ruler, 8she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest. 9How long will you lie there, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep? (Proverbs 6:6-9)

Matthew Henry Commentary

6:6-11 Diligence in business is every man’s wisdom and duty; not so much that he may attain worldly wealth, as that he may not be a burden to others, or a scandal to the church. The ants are more diligent than slothful men. We may learn wisdom from the meanest insects, and be shamed by them. Habits of indolence and indulgence grow upon people. Thus life runs to waste; and poverty, though at first at a distance, gradually draws near, like a traveller; and when it arrives, is like an armed man, too strong to be resisted. All this may be applied to the concerns of our souls. How many love their sleep of sin, and their dreams of worldly happiness! Shall we not seek to awaken such? Shall we not give diligence to secure our own salvation?

The Scripture alphabet of animals

If you look at the sixth verse of the sixth chapter of Proverbs, you will read, “Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise.” A sluggard, you know, is a man, or woman, or child, who does not love to read or to do any kind of work, but likes to sleep or be idle all the day long. Do you think you were ever acquainted with one?

Now see what the Bible tells the sluggard to do. It bids him go to the little ant, and “consider her ways,” that is, look on and see what she does. Have you ever watched the ants when they were busy at work? It will give you very pleasant employment for half an hour on a summer’s day. In some places you may see small ant-hills scattered about, so close together that you can hardly step without treading on them; and you may find other places where there are not so many, but where the hills are much larger. I have seen them so large that you could hardly step over one of them without touching it with your foot and breaking some part of it. And then how busy the little creatures are! Just kneel down on the grass beside them, and notice how they work! You will see one little fellow creeping along as fast as he can go, with a grain of sand in his mouth, perhaps as large as his head. He does not stop to rest, but when he has carried his grain to help build the hill, away he goes for another. You may watch them all day and never see them idle at all.

You see why God tells the sluggard to go and look at the little ants: it is that when he sees them so busy, he may be ashamed of himself for being idle, and learn to be “wise,” or diligent in whatever he undertakes. I should not think he could help going to work, after he had looked at them a little while.

The ants seem to be very happy, and I think it is because they are so busy. God has put nobody in this world to be idle: even children have something to do. The inside of an ant-hill is very curious, but it is not easy to examine it without destroying all the work that the little insects have taken so much pains to finish. There is a kind of ant in warm climates that builds for itself hills as high as a man. They are not made of sand, but of a kind of clay; and have a great many cells or apartments, and many winding passages leading from one part to another. All this is done, as the Bible says, without “guide, overseer or ruler;” that is, they have no one to direct them how to do it. God gives them skill just as he does to the honey-bees in building the beautiful cells which you have so often admired; all His works are wonderful.
Cook, H. N. (1842). The Scripture alphabet of animals. New York: American Tract Society.