“The Messiah” is a piece of music by George Frideric Handel for chorus and orchestra. It is traditionally performed during the Christmas season. The words all come from scripture. Charles Jennens selected the verses and arranged their order. Beginning with old testament passages, the lyrics tell the story of Christ: from prophecies to His passion,…
Category: Theology
A Cut Above the Rest
“This is My covenant, which you are to keep, between Me and you and your offspring after you: Every one of your males must be circumcised. You must circumcise the flesh of your foreskin to serve as a sign of the covenant between Me and you” (Gen. 17:10-11). Genesis 17 introduces circumcision. The flesh of…
Surrogate
Genesis 16 tells the story of Abram and Hagar, Sarai’s slave. In chapter 15, we saw God’s promise to Abram: “one who comes from your own body will be your heir” (Gen. 15:4). We don’t know how much time elapsed between the giving of the promise and the events of chapter 16. It simply opens…
Head Covering
While wandering the internet I stumbled across a blog advocating that women cover their heads. Naturally, 1 Corinthians 11:5-6 was the author’s text— But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, since that is one and the same as having her head shaved. So if a woman’s head is not…
What Is the Gospel?
Ministering to the poor and homeless is not the gospel. Speaking in tongues, prophesying, and moving in other gifts is not the gospel. Pro-Christian political activism is not the gospel. Intercessory prayer is not the gospel. Healings and miracles are not the gospel. Tradition is not the gospel. Creation care is not the gospel. Evangelizing…
Why the World Is Real
The view from our cabin at Camp Orkila Last week I went to fifth grade camp with my daughter at Camp Orkila on Orcas Island. It was a physically grueling week. I don’t know how many miles we hiked. All I know is I ended the week exhausted, sporting huge blisters and aching to my…
Stepping off the Merry-Go-Round
The golden calf…. It’s as epic an event as is found in scripture. The drama peaks when Moses comes down Mount Sinai and sees the Israelites worshiping the calf. Moses is so angry he *smashes* the stone tablets on which God wrote His commandments. You have to be pretty ticked–boiling, nuclear–to smash God’s commands. But…
Seeing the Father–Cameron Fultz
The following is by my friend, Cameron Fultz. Carmeron has done guest-posts on The Voice of One before. His books are available at Amazon. *** As of late certain passages of the Bible about seeing the Father have stood out to me. John 1:18 says, “No one has ever seen God; the only God,…
Image-Bearing
The idea of image (especially God’s image) runs throughout Genesis. In chaper 1, humans are created in God’s image. After the fall, God’s image in mankind was marred. God intended His image to fill the earth and subdue it (Gen. 1:28). But Adam brought forth after his own image and likeness (Gen. 5:3). By…
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