Tag: jesus

Posted in theology

John MacArthur: The Spurgeon of our Time

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

Also: Remembering John MacArthur: A Faithful Servant

At 6:17 pm Pacific time on July 14, 2025, the greatest pastor-teacher of our time was brought home to personally meet the Master he had preached about for so long.

This is my memory:

It was the mid 1990s. My husband and I were unsaved when we took a VW Camper van camping across the country. He loved AM radio talk shows. When we had gotten south, of course mixed in with all the talk were the ‘JAY-sus’ preachers. Both of us, when we heard that we turned the dial immediately.

BUT … when I heard this certain music and then the voice of one certain guy, we’d always listen a minute. Something compelling about the man’s speech, his content. There was something that set him apart from all the other preacher voices we’d heard on the radio. He was mellow, clear, interesting. He was unapologetically proclaiming of the Word of God, though I didn’t know at that unsaved stage there were shepherds who did not accurately preach the word. The word of God startles and draws.

It was John MacArthur of course. In the camper van I wanted to listen more, and we did listen a bit. Then my husband would change the channel. He and I were pagans, and pagans gonna pag. The Word of God also rebuffs.

Yet, 8 years later when the Lord graciously saved me I’d listen to Adrian Rogers on the computer radio. Then one day I heard that same music! I joyfully did NOT turn the dial and I listened. And listened and listened, and never stopped. What a joy to be educated by his exposition.

One of the first series from him I listened to was “Creation: Believe it or Not” later known as “The Battle for the Beginning”, Genesis 1-3. I loved it. And I love John MacArthur.

Well done, good and faithful servant, John MacArthur no doubt heard those words at 6:17pm last night (July 14, 2026) as he translated to heaven

John MacArthur was the Spurgeon of our time. As you read this memorial essay, hopefully you will notice the similarities.

Spurgeon was called the Prince of Preachers. He was a hard working preacher, a seminary president, prolific writer, itinerant preacher, letter-writer, prayer, constant reader, and husband to Susannah, among other things! He was busy, and his packed schedule contributed to his 24 years of ill health and eventual death on January 1, 1892 at age 57. He literally poured himself out for His savior.

He had been preaching since he was 16 years old. Forty-one years of sharing the Gospel multiple times per week made an impact on his city, his nation, and the world. That is the power of the Gospel and the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

On the last day of the same memorable month of January, the dearly-loved speaker, who uttered such wise and weighty words, “fell asleep in Jesus”. During the darkness the news flashed around the world, and when February dawned, millions of hearts were saddened to learn that C.H. Spurgeon lived on earth no more. Source- the book From the Pulpit to the Palm Branch by Arthur Tappan Pierson

Spurgeon had died in Menton, France, where he had often retreated in his later years during winter, finding the balmy, warm breezes and sunny sunshine a succor for his health. He had desired to be buried on English soil, and so 11 days after Charles had passed, the monumental funeral was held. It seemed that all the world had turned out for it.

“Nothing was seen for miles but bared heads, closed blinds, and universal signs of grief and sorrow. It was indeed a memorable scene. What a lesson that Bible-decked coffin preached to its tens of thousands as it passed through their midst!”

From ‘Laying the Warrior to Rest: (An account of the Funeral of Charles Spurgeon)’ by Unknown

What a gift from God to have raised up such a Godly warrior! He had endured all that the Lord had set on the plate before him- tireless toil, endless prayers, sorrow, joy in marriage, poor health and bodily pain; rejection by men, disappointments, Down-grades, and depression. Yet the Lord kindly allowed his contemporaries to understand that his impact for the kingdom was a magnificent and present glory of the Lord’s bountiful care for His people. To have raised up such a man, put in his mouth so many words, sustain such a stalwart without blot of scandal, and then to graciously ease him home…

Photograph: Funeral Procession of Charles Haddon Spurgeon, West Norwood, London, 1892

With hearts bowed with a great grief, with tender and loving hands, is that precious burden born to its last resting-place. Eight students (specially chosen for that last sad duty) from that college of which he had so long been the head and chief, deposit with reverent hands and stricken hearts that prized casket in its last resting-place. They weep. Well they may. Behold how they loved him! Their master is taken from their head today. They shall see his face no more. It is their last act of service; their last tribute of affection to him who had been so much to them. Alas! how much they have lost as yet they know not! Yet they sorrow not as those without hope. Their beloved one only sleeps, he shall rise again. ~Laying the Warrior to Rest

Newspaper telegraphs ticked the news out and it quickly spread around the world. These same newspapers had for years reprinted Spurgeon’s sermons each Monday for eager readers to devour.

The Late Mr C H Spurgeon, Viewing the Coffin in the Metropolitan Tabernacle, 9 February 1892

The world’s loss is heaven’s gain in both cases, the passage of Charles Spurgeon and of John MacArthur. The Lord gave us a faithful servant in MacArthur who even served longer than Spurgeon’s ministry on earth, and many millions are the better for it. Many are saved and secure, knowing the Lord’s love and salvation, because of one John’s preaching of the doctrines of God. See what the Lord can do? See the Lord’s love for His people? He always leaves a remnant. And He always leaves true shepherds to lead them.

The world had not seen its like, such respect for the man of God and mourning that his time on earth had ended. Though even in Jonathan Edwards’ time as the country’s foremost theologian, his passing had not caused such a stir. Not George Whitefield, either. Spurgeon, Prince of Preachers made an impact. He was well loved by millions. And it is the same with MacArthur.

We mourn the passing of the stalwart soldier John MacArthur today, and we express joy that his labors are complete and he is praising his Lord and resting in his well-earned rest with his beloved Lord.

“Then I will give you shepherds after My own heart, who will shepherd you on knowledge and understanding.” (Jeremiah 3:15).

Posted in theology

Remembering John MacArthur: A Faithful Servant

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

“John Fullerton MacArthur Jr. — pastor, teacher, author, and a strong defender and proclaimer of biblical truth — has entered the presence of his Lord and Savior at 6:17pm PT on July 14th, 2025”.

John Fullerton MacArthur, June 19, 1939 – July 14, 2025

John F. MacArthur was remarkable preacher, a pastor, shepherd, lion of a Godly man, now laid to rest. He was 86.

Dr. John MacArthur had led Grace Community Church since February 1969 as the lead pastor-teacher. He became President of The Master’s University in 1985 and founded The Master’s Seminary in 1986. He was the longest-serving president of the college transitioning to the Chancellor role in 2019.

His media ministry, Grace to You, is a nonprofit organization responsible for distributing John’s books, audio resources and the “Grace to You” radio program to a global audience. More than 3,000 of John’s sermons are available for free on GTY’s website.

He had been married to his wife, Patricia, for almost 62 years, has four married children, 15 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren.

August 30, 2024, Facebook post: “Celebrating 61 years of marriage with my precious Patricia.
My college sweetheart for life.”

“None on earth can estimate his worth. He was the Evangelical Prophet of his age; our modern Isaiah. Like Isaiah, he early saw “the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; ” he had his lips purged with the live coal; and when he heard the call, ” Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” he gladly answered, “Here I am, send me.” Beholding the Lord in His temple, he laid himself upon the altar, and like Isaiah, he was “very bold” to declare the Word of God.” From the Pulpit to the Palm-branch, a book about Charles Spurgeon’s passing

MacArthur often said he had two goals: to preach faithfully, and raise up men to preach faithfully.

“His light rose in obscurity, and broke forth as the morning. He deliberately set his heart against seeking great things for himself, yet fair and clear he shone undimmed before the world for [sixty] years; shining more and more until the perfect day.” From the Pulpit to the Palm-branch

The similarities between Spurgeon and MacArthur, their stances, their controversies, their ministries, and their ministry output, are remarkable. JMac, as he was affectionately called, was very like like Spurgeon in his time, with ceaseless preaching. His was known for his stalwart promotion of the Gospel even though it fell out of season. Leading his seminary and raising up men of faith in good standing to launch then land in places the Lord wanted, was his Gospel faithfulness. Praying, letter-writing, counseling, leading, defending, faithful loving husband to Patricia for over 60 years, shepherding, expositing, even rebuking… JMac was seemingly tireless in his duties in service to Christ for 60-plus years.

He once said a pastor never retires. His men should take him off the stage when he starts not to make sense. There was no retirement when serving God. He said the following in 1984,

I get weary. There is a tolerance level that all of us have, and I don’t know about you, but I seem to be on the edge of it most of the time. And some people would say to me, “Well, why do you keep taking more projects on? Why don’t you just back away?” Well, I don’t know what you mean by that. There’s nothing I can’t not do because of what God has put in my heart. And in the midst of the doing and looking ahead, you say, “Well, aren’t you looking forward to retirement?” I’ll never retire. From what, the gospel? You may dump me long before I’m ready to go but – I mean, this is a life commitment. As long as I have my senses. And the discipline for this time seems a small thing when you think about the hope of eternity, doesn’t it? John MacArthur, Source.

His ministry’s impact was global. Like Spurgeon, his sermons flung out from the point of origin, Sun Valley, CA, to the ends of the world. To the Faroes at the Arctic Circle, deserts of Africa, behind the Iron Curtain, closed China…

In MacArthur’s time he also endured times of favor within his camp and times of disfavor. He became a lightning rod during several controversies due to his stalwart stand on biblical issues. He did not bend to culture. The Lordship Salvation controversy of the late 1970s through the 1980s (opposing ‘carnal Christianity’), the Strange Fire controversy of the early 2000s (opposing charismaticism), and the Beth Moore “Go Home” controversy of the 2020s (opposing feminism & female preaching) involved much ink spilled as debates raged over these important topics within evangelicalism.

His stances, though biblical, were not always appreciated. Once, during a heavily attended Sunday Service, an intruder wearing a backpack strolled down the aisle of the church while MacArthur was preaching, ascended the pulpit steps, and walked over on the stage to confront JMac on his cessationist stance. More here on that incident.

MacArthur authored more than 150 individual books and monographs, he had also contributed to more than 30 multi-author works. His commentary series covers all of the New Testament and he has published several commentaries on books of the Old Testament as well.

MacArthur said of his desire to be a pastor: “I never wanted to be an itinerant minister, because I always wanted to exposit the Scripture. I mean I had poured – I took a Greek minor in college because I wanted to work in the New Testament. I didn’t want ten suits and ten sermons. I didn’t want to be on the road. I didn’t want to be the out-of-town guy. I wanted to follow what my dad did and my granddad did. I wanted to be in a church, and I wanted to exposit the Word of God.“

MacArthur preached on. He is known for having preached through every verse of the New Testament. It was a 43 year endeavor. He completed it on June 5, 2011. He had been preaching at his church since February of 1969. This accomplishment is considered rare in modern church history.

Preaching to male students at The Master’s University Chapel

His long tenure as pastor of Grace Community Church was without any moral failure, without one theological blot, for all these decades, a true testament to God’s faithfulness in raising up lions of the faith.

“Now he has left the pulpit for ever, and he stands amongst the great multitude who are before the throne and before the Lamb, “clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands.” He is not in strange company there, for the song of those who wave the palm-branch was ever his theme as he stood in the pulpit: “Salvation to our God who sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.” From the Pulpit to the Palm-Branch has been for him a very natural transition. He preached Christ here; he praises Him yonder.”
source “From the Pulpit to the Palm-branch“, a memorial to Charles Spurgeon

We mourn the passing of this stalwart soldier today, and we express joy that his labors are complete and he is enjoying his well-earned rest with his beloved Lord.

I am sure that many will write of Johnny Mac, as he was also affectionately called, in better or more poignant terms. But Susannah Spurgeon’s reflections of her husband’s likely entry into heaven impacted me and I re-state it becuase no doubt, NO doubt in my mind, JMac was greeted in this manner as well:

“His ‘abundant entrance’, the ‘Well done, good and faithful servant!’ of the Master, the great throng of white-robed spirits, who welcomed him as the one who first led them to the Saviour, the admiring, wondering angels, the radiant glory, the surprise of that midnight journey which ended at the throne of God; all this, and much more of blessed reality for him, has lifted our bowed heads, and enabled us to bless the Lord, even though he has taken from us so incomparable a friend and pastor. All that was choice, and generous, and Christlike, seemed gathered together in his character, and lived out in his life. He was pre-eminently ‘the servant of all’; yet he served with such humility and wisdom, that, with him, to serve was to reign.

Preaching from his pulpit at Grace Community Church. It’s on a hydraulic lift. more here

Dr. John F. MacArthur truly was the Spurgeon of our time:

“Then I will give you shepherds after My own heart, who will shepherd you on knowledge and understanding.” (Jeremiah 3:15).

Posted in encouragement, Uncategorized

The truth about grace

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

Grace is a concept. But it’s not just a concept. Grace is a gift, but it’s not just a gift. Grace is a force. Think about how powerful grace is. Think about its power as it exists in Jesus, as it is delivered to the saints, its common state as it covers the world, and its special state as it enlivens the saints to do our work.

Here is an excerpt about grace from a sermon from John MacArthur called, Strength Perfected in Weakness, looking at this verse: 2 Corinthians 12:7-10.

or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

In speaking of the linchpin part of the passage, ‘my grace is sufficient for you’, MacArthur said,

But grace is not just an inert sort of concept; it is a force, it is a power. It is a power that transforms us. It is a power that awakens us from sleep. It is a power that gives us life in the midst of death. It is a power that is dynamic enough to transform us from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of God’s dear Son. It is the power that saves us. It is the power that keeps us, the power that enables us, the power that sanctifies us, and the power that one day will glorify us. You have to look at grace as a force, a divine force that God pours out into the lives of His people at all points to grant them all that they need to be all that He desires.

Grace is a gift.
Grace is a state.
and…
Grace is a POWER.

Posted in theology

Strengthening Your Spiritual Armor: A Pep Talk

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

SYNOPSIS

I discuss the necessity of spiritual discernment, wisdom, and readiness in today’s challenging times. Believers should be rooted in scripture, cherish their relationship with Jesus, and remain vigilant. Encouragement, kindness, and sharing faith are crucial as we navigate difficulties, anticipating Christ’s return and the opportunities to reflect His love amidst despair of the lost.

Continue reading “Strengthening Your Spiritual Armor: A Pep Talk” →
Posted in encouragement, theology

Goodness: A Biblical Perspective

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

Love: A Biblical perspective, here

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

SYNOPSIS

Theological literacy for believers is important, particularly understanding key biblical concepts and even common words we think we understand. Common terms, like goodness, often differ in biblical context from cultural interpretations. Central to this is the Fruit of the Spirit, with love as a primary characteristic manifesting through believers, reflecting God’s nature and sacrificial commitment. Let’s look at Goodness today.

Continue reading “Goodness: A Biblical Perspective” →
Posted in theology

Jesus Sees Us: A Personal Relationship

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

SYNOPSIS

In this essay, I discuss the fact of God’s transcendence and relational nature of Jesus. While He possesses incommunicable attributes making Him totally ‘other’, Jesus also intimately connects with individuals, as shown in Mark 6:48. He sees and cares for His sheep, offering comfort and encouragement, reminding believers of His personal presence and compassion for each person.

Continue reading “Jesus Sees Us: A Personal Relationship” →
Posted in theology

The Power of Social Media Influencers in Today’s Digital Age

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

The article discusses the internet and social media. It highlights influencer Hannah Ricketts’ negative review of Nobu Hotel, which sparked significant public response which reflected the power of social media influencing. I warn about the influence of false teachers on believers, emphasizing the need for vigilance against misleading influences in today’s digital age.

Continue reading “The Power of Social Media Influencers in Today’s Digital Age” →
Posted in discernment, theology

A clock that is 5 minutes off is still wrong

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

Pastor Adrian Rogers has gone on to glory, but I enjoy his sermons and the clips that are still broadcast on the radio or Youtube. His body of work remains with us even if his soul is now with Jesus.

I was driving home from church on Sunday and the Christian radio station I was listening to broadcast this short clip from his ministry Love Worth Finding. Dr. Rogers began it by saying Satan is the cleverest liar. It turns out the clip was from a longer sermon called “The Great Deceiver”.

It’s not that often these days that a preacher forthrightly discusses the evil qualities of our adversary. I turned up the volume to listen.

I can’t find the audio to that clip but here is a transcription I found in a book about Dr Rogers. I’ll post it and then below flesh it out from my memory of it as I heard it in the car.

Two things we learn about Satan from the Lord Jesus Christ. 1. He is a murderer. 2. He is a liar. Never forget this about the devil. His motive is murder. His method is the lie. And he is the father of all liars. And he is the best liar. He is the master liar. And because he is the master liar he tells the cleverest lies. And the cleverest lies sound the most like the truth. And every good lie has just a little truth in it. We had a clock that wouldn’t even run that was right twice a day. And any lie has some truth in it.

But I want to say, dear friend, that a clock that is five minutes wrong is more dangerous than a clock that is five hours wrong. You see a clock that is five hours wrong, and you say, “Ha, that’s wrong, what time is it? Somebody tell me.” But a clock five minutes wrong could have caused you to miss your plane. And so the devil wants you to believe the wrong thing. And there are seducing spirits with doctrines of devils. And the devil is not primarily a pusher of dope, though he is; he is primarily a pusher of lies.

He is making an excellent point here. A false teacher who is waaaaay off base and on the fringes of orthodoxy, will be seen for who he is much more easily. You look at a clock that has stopped and you know that is the wrong time, except for one minute, twice a day.

But a clever false teacher will be a clock that is only 5 minutes off. He will blend lots of orthodoxy with the false. He will twist in subtle ways the verses he is preaching. This is a more dangerous path to follow because whether you are 2 hours off or 5 minutes off, you will still miss your plane. You will miss that important appointment. Follow a five-minutes-off clock long enough and your course will soon be off by a wider margin than you realize.

One rebuttal I usually hear when I point to this or that false teacher is, “But they follow/mention/preach Jesus!” This Gospel Coalition article titled “7 Traits of False Teachers” reminds us that,

It’s rare for someone in church to openly deny Jesus. Movement away from the centrality of Christ is subtle. The false teacher will speak about how other people can help change your life, but if you listen carefully to what he is saying, you will see that Jesus Christ is not essential to his message.

In this essay, John MacArthur sticks close to the Bible when explaining the marks of a false teacher by his life and his doctrine.

Invariably, if I write about a false teacher’s lifestyle, a rebuttal will include that it’s none of my business how they live. However in this article by Wyatt Graham, we learn that False Teachers Out Themselves by Their Way of Life, too.

False teachers by definition teach false doctrine. Usually, we imagine that this means that false teachers deny certain concepts like the Trinity, the Incarnation, or the Second Coming. Yet second Peter challenges the idea that false doctrine only means denying true ideas. In Peter’s second letter, false teachers primarily are called such because of how they live. For Peter, false doctrine can mean denying true concepts or denying our Master by our behaviour.

Here is a helpful article titled “10 Invalid Arguments in Defense of False Teachers“

The Bible is precise The Gospel is precise. God is precise. The Word is so precise it can divide bone from marrow (Hebrews 4:12). A clock that is five minutes off is still wrong.

I teach in an elementary school. When I gather my second graders for our small group reading instruction, I rely on the clock to finish the session so I can go pick up my third graders for their small group instruction. I have to release each group to within a minute of the scheduled time because they are on to the next session and they need to arrive punctually so the next teacher has a full period of teaching. The 3rd graders leave me and go to their classes to pack up their books and then disperse for the bus. The buses need to roll within a minute of their schedule so that car riders can get going and release all the children in the gym one by one into the waiting cars. This needs to be completed by 3:10. And the car riders can’t get started until the buses roll, and the buses can’t roll until all the kids are aboard, and the kids can’t get aboard until they pack up and line up, and they can’t pack up until I release them from our group. And so on. It’s an interlocked and cascading schedule of events that relies on precision in order to work.

If I am 5 minutes late letting the kids go from group, the entire school schedule will be put off. The other day I re-adjusted my clock because it was 2 minutes slow.

Why do we care about precision during our commuting/working day, but not about the Gospel? Or a favored Bible teacher’s teaching?

We must.

clock

Posted in encouragement, Uncategorized

The Majesty of KJV: Reflecting on John 1:1-5

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

SYNOPSIS

I share my admiration for John 1:1-5 from the KJV, I love the majestic language and profound meaning of the verses. I highlight the significance of Christ as the source of life and light, underscoring the importance of Jesus and His Gospel as the ultimate Good News and our reliance on Him for salvation.

Continue reading “The Majesty of KJV: Reflecting on John 1:1-5” →