by Mike Ratliff

21 Τεκνία, φυλάξατε ἑαυτὰ ἀπὸ τῶν εἰδώλων. 1 John 5:21 (NA28)

21 Little children, guard yourselves from idols. 1 John 5:21 (NASB) 

Our English word idol is derived from the Greek εἴδωλον (eidōlon). Homer used eidōlon for phantoms and apparitions. In later Classical Greek, it carried the other non-religious meanings of picture, copy, or “any unsubstantial form, an image reflected in a mirror or water, an image or idea in the mind.”

By Elizabeth Prata

Acts 6:10-14, the pivotal moment after Stephen delivered his sermon, says:

“they were unable to cope with the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking. Then they secretly induced men to say, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God.” And they stirred up the people, the elders and the scribes, and they came up to him and dragged him away and brought him before the Council. They put forward false witnesses who said, “This man incessantly speaks against this holy place and the Law; for we have heard him say that this Nazarene, Jesus, will destroy this place and alter the customs which Moses handed down to us.”

The bottom line was, they didn’t like the words he was speaking. The wisdom in Stephen’s words cut them to the core and they could not cope. Stephen challenged their stranglehold…

By Elizabeth Prata

Here is a good article by Lauran Robinson at LauranLou blog. She asks a good question and it’s timely. When I talk with the younger women in the faith who seek and apply discernment, they acknowledge that it’s hard to really trust anybody (without doing significant pre-vetting before buying a book, subscribing to a podcast, liking on social media, etc). I was asked just this week ‘who is out there that we can trust?’ (Note: not blind trust, discerning trust).

It’s a grief to ask this question because it’s a grief to see friends and even women we don’t know follow false female teachers. (Or any false teacher). Won’t it be a relief and a joy in the eternal state with no sin and perfect trust in all whom we meet! Until that day, we must ask the question Lauran Robinson asked, ‘Where are all the discerning…

By Elizabeth Prata

I was born in December 1960. My first memory is when I was a few weeks past 3 years old, when the Beatles performed on Ed Sullivan Show on television in February 1964.

So I grew up in the turbulent 1960s. Day by day, week by week, year by long year, TV viewers were shown images of war, never before seen in such gruesome vitality. Live shooting in an incomprehensible jungle and a nightly count of the deaths and wounded solemnly intoned by Walter Cronkite. Other newsworthy scenes we were subjected to were of mayhem, marches, chaos, angry feminists, open homosexuals, riots, Kent State, constantly on the news and in newspapers, the only widespread sources at the time. Once, my mother asked my brother if he would go to Viet Nam as a soldier when he turned 18 or if he’d object and go to Canada. He…

By Elizabeth Prata

Eternity. Everlasting. Forever and ever. Forevermore. Who is and was and is to come. Always.

Did you ever think about eternity? The weight of the fact that God has always existed and always will? That He just is? That heaven will be eternal for His vessels of grace and will also be eternal for His vessels of wrath?

By Elizabeth Prata

A reader asked me my opinion of a certain author, which happens a lot. In this case it was Linda Dillow. I had not heard of her or her ministry.

It is encouraging to me when women are careful before getting involved rather than asking me how to get out after they already have been grabbed by false teachers.

I was not familiar with Linda Dillow. As I went about searching for information on her, I thought it would be a good idea to present how I vet an author. Mine isn’t a foolproof method, and there are undoubtedly things I’m overlooking, but I feel it gains me enough information initially as to whether to proceed in absorbing the author’s material or recommending her to others. My discernment radar is always up after accepting an initial positive assessment. Discernment’s not a “one and done” kind of thing.

by Mike Ratliff

2019 ended with the start of the Impeachment proceedings against President Trump. As that farce played out the Covid-19 pandemic farce began to be played out. Oh, the disease is real, but the political reaction to it is without a doubt bizarre. Many things this year have troubled me greatly. One of those was the reaction by many Christians when the fake bad news about the pandemic started being blasted out to us constantly in the Spring. I witnessed many who before all this started professed to have a very strong faith and walk before the Lord Jesus Christ, but these same people’s faith seemed to evaporate and be replaced by a vapid fear when things got rough. Yes we had to deal with that at the very same time that we are in the midst of one of the most nasty election years I have ever…

I came across a wonderful post on Instagram today from a solid Christian lady who is out there walking her talk. I just love that in a person, don’t you? This little post is an encouragement and a reminder that while we find ourselves in ridiculously ridiculous times, we who claim Christ have a joyful obligation to draw near to Him and be His vessels here in this ever-decaying place.

The death of Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg over the weekend has women all over the country praising her to the skies, mourning a trailblazer of epic proportions who did so very much for women everywhere. Crowds gathered outside the Supreme Court and sang John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’ in glorious unison, which, if you know the song, is actually a perfect tribute for someone with the worldview she held. Intelligent no doubt, she used her position to fight for a…