Painting by Johnny Mays, Nationalight Ministries Several years ago, the Lord drew me to the book of First Samuel. Through the stories in First Samuel, God began to show me pictures of Christ being despised by His own people. The pictures gave me a small glimpse of the grief the Lord has suffered–and still suffers–for our sakes….
Category: Old Testament
Evening THEN Morning?!?
“And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day” (Gen. 1:5). In the story of creation, have you ever wondered why each day concludes with the words, “And there was evening, and there was morning”? Wouldn’t a day be morning then evening? Have you especially wondered why this phrase occurs the first day,…
The Rejected King
Sketch by Patrick Murphy Below is an excerpt from “Despising the Lamb” a booklet that will soon be available at The Voice of One. *** Samuel led Israel until he was old. His sons were dishonest and greedy (1 Sam. 8:1-3). The elders of Israel approached Samuel and said, “[A]ppoint a king to judge us the same as all…
Dead Men, Has-Beens, and Jailbirds
God brought forth the promised son when Abram was as good as dead (Rom. 4:19). God used Moses to deliver Israel from slavery only after he was a has-been tending sheep in the desert for 40 years. Paul is remembered as a powerhouse of ministry, a fearless preacher, a worker of miracles. But when was…
The Fruitlessness of the Cross
The following is excerpted from a booklet I am close to finishing–Despising the Lamb: Pictures of Contempt in First Samuel *** First Samuel opens with a story about Elkanah and his wives, Hannah and Peninnah. Hannah was unable to have children. Peninnah bore children for Elkanah and smugly needled Hannah about it: “Her…
The Bible Just Ain’t Hip
Last week, I read a blog entry by a woman whose husband has a bad hip. She and her husband are believing God will heal his hip but trust the Lord if He chooses not to. It was a blessing to hear from someone placing themselves in the hands of the Lord. I would encourage…
Slimy
There are many days when I’m painfully aware of my shortcomings. My thoughts, reactions, feelings, and judgments flow by like sewage. If I dwell on things at all, it’s easy to start drowning in it. Psalm 40 says, “I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of…
Secret Place
I’ve been thinking about Psalm 91 lately. This passage teaches us about being in Christ. He is our secret place, our dwelling wherein we are safe and at rest (Psalm 91:1-2, 9). The New Testament tells us that, in Christ, we are crucified and dead to sin. In Christ, we are also raised from the…
Trees and Mountains
Early this morning, I lay awake for a short time. My mind wandered to Genesis. Two trees take center stage in the garden of Eden: The tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. There was a commandment associated with the latter tree: “You must not eat from the tree…
The Book of the Wretched Sins of Mankind (and Especially Yours)
“[T]he heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God” (Ezek. 1:1). Ezekiel does not begin with man’s sin but with God. Sin is not the center of the universe, God’s thoughts, or His eternal plan. Unfortunately, in the way we often think about the Lord, sin usurps the place that belongs to God’s glory. …
The Voice of One 