I don’t fast. Many Christians extol fasting as a spiritual discipline, a catalyst of spiritual power, and an exercise in humbling oneself. I understand the reasons others choose to fast, and I respect their convictions. But I don’t fast, and I’d like to tell you why. I don’t share my thoughts to suggest other…
Category: the resurrection
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,…
Learning Despair
The following is an excerpt from Absolute Surrender by Andrew Murray. *** Once more: these disciples were men who had been led to despair of themselves. At the beginning of their three years’ class of instruction they had to give up all they possessed; but it was only at the end of that time that they began to…
Incomprehensible Union
Some good thoughts on the Lord’s supper from Institutes of the Christian Religion by John Calvin… *** But as this mystery of the secret union of Christ with believers is incomprehensible by nature, he exhibits its figure and image in visible signs adapted to our capacity…. We now, therefore, understand the end which this mystical blessing has…
Slaves of Death
“Now since the children have flesh and blood in common, Jesus also shared in these, so that through His death He might destroy the one holding the power of death–that is, the Devil–and free those who were held in slavery all their lives by the fear of death” (Hebrews 2:14-15). Certainly, the above verses…
Call Me Bitter
What follows is something the Lord started dealing with me about just the other night. It’s rather unrefined but I wanted to share it anyway. *** The book of Ruth opens with a story about a woman named Naomi. Naomi moves to Moab with her husband because there is a famine in Israel. Naomi and…
The Temple of the Son
Near the end of Ezekiel, the prophet has a vision of God’s glory returning to a restored temple (Ezek. 43:5). He has no vision of the temple being built; it is already built–without hands. As the temple’s design is unfolded to Ezekiel, he sees that the altar lies at the center of the temple. The…
The Myth of Heaven (?)
Our Pastor is preaching through 1 Corinthians. Today we started chapter 15. Paul is dealing with a Corinthian coterie that says there is no resurrection (1 Cor. 15:12). It’s possible this was a group of Gnostics. Gnostics said the body was meaningless. It was only a house of corruption imprisoning the spirit. Bodily resurrection would…
Bloom without End
Photo by Carrie McKamey If you’ve followed The Voice of One at all, you know weakness is a theme that comes up regularly. I’m thinking about it again tonight. Weakness usually comes to mind when personal failures or shortcomings break out of me like a caged animal. Or when it seems my soul is surrounded…
The Voice of One 