Granted, I don't know what "effort" means in the world of the omnipotent but nonetheless I felt as if I mattered to God and that He truly cares for me. Though I learned an abundance from my experience fasting, I do feel some improvements could be made in order for me to have an increasingly meaningful experience next time. The most obvious aspect of fasting I could improve on for later occurrences would be logistics. I had a lot on my plate the day I chose to fast and did not have free time anytime soon. If I were to have a day free of errands to accomplish, my mind would be free to focus on fasting and the meaning behind it. Next time I fast I will be sure to do it on a day that lacks plans. Another way my fasts could be of greater purpose would be if I distance myself from food. As stated earlier, I fasted during a workday. Currently, I work at restaurant and therefore was subjected to my enemy of that day, food. This made it all the more difficult to ignore temptations feelings of hunger throughout the day making me not only suffer for food...
It is a historical pattern for traditions to be a thing of the past once it is realized that they are obsolete. Fasting has stood this test of time however and is still alive and well most likely because of its power to connect a person to God on a spiritual level. Many obstacles get in the way of a successful fast and it may become easy and tempting to stray from the fast when ridden with thoughts of the obstacles. If one thinks of the effects the fast will have on their relationship with God throughout the anguish, they will be thrilled when it is over. Our relationships with God are as unique as ourselves. There are not many ways in which humans universally find a connection with Him but fasting is an exception. Through minor suffering and devotion of one's mind, body, and soul to God for one twenty-four hour period, a person is bestowed with infinite love and knowledge of God.
Views in the New Testament Besides the Hebrew Bible which mainly refers to the Old Testament, the New Testament also has its views about poverty and social justice. The New Testament majorly makes use of the Christian virtues throughout the whole book with Jesus His disciples being the main mentors. Most of the Christian virtues given by Jesus and the latter seem to be favoring the poor. The prayer that Jesus
Introduction An educator who possesses a biblical worldview and a Christian philosophy of education means that the instructor views life, life’s purpose, and all of history from the standpoint of the Christian religion. For such an instructor, the Incarnation is the most important moment in all of history, because it is the moment in which God became Man and the beginning of the redemption of mankind was initiated. The biblical worldview
The Jews, of course, were as antagonistic to hearing Stephen preach the life of Christ as they were to Christ Himself -- Who is the way of salvation, and Whom they have rejected. Stephen's speech is fiery and full of love and fury -- love for Christ, fury for the Jews who rejected Him: "You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised." (Here Stephen as much as
Exegesis of Luke 4:1-13 According to John Hayes and Carl Holladay, exegesis is an exercise in "leading" -- which is to say that a Scriptural exegesis acts as a kind of interpretation, helping people to understand more fully the Word of God (1). This paper will provide an exegesis of Luke 4:1-13 in which Jesus is tempted thrice by the devil, and it will also show how each temptation helps to
high degree of misinformation I had received from traditional teachings about the church and the beginning of Christianity. Moreover, I was struck by the notion that most other people in the Western world receive this same degree of intentional misinformation, so much so that I have even heard people defend the idea that knowledge of the historical church is irrelevant to modern Christianity. Reading through the class material, I
With St. Paul, Luke traveled to several different destinations including Samothrace and Philippi -- where he appears to have lingered to guide the Church. The duo then reunite in Troas and Luke is with St. Paul during the latter's stay in a Roman jail. As Paul says: "Only Luke is with me" (2 Timothy 4:11). Exactly what Luke did with Paul during this time is debated: "St. Jerome thinks it
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