Editor’s Note: Thanks to guest blogger David Hundert for continuing the Ezekiel series this week. Have you ever felt like things are so bad, there’s no hope? The “story” is ending at the moment of failure, and there is no way things could possibly turn around. Life can seem like that. But with God, there’sContinue reading “With God, the end of your story has not been written – Ezekiel 20, Part 2”
Tag Archives: Discipleship
God’s surprising history lesson – Ezekiel 20, Part 1
Editor’s Note: Thanks to guest blogger David Hundert for continuing the Ezekiel series this week. I want to talk with you about “teachable moments.” What are teachable moments? Teachable moments are an event or experience which gives a good opportunity to learn something about life. Now, at the this time, because Joel isn’t blogging, I’mContinue reading “God’s surprising history lesson – Ezekiel 20, Part 1”
When God laments, it can change everything – Ezekiel 19, Part 5
In Ezekiel 19 (starting here) we have seen God lamenting, expressing his pain, in the form of an allegorical funeral dirge, that simply says, “My children whom I love, you have betrayed me and become something totally different and oppressive, something I didn’t want for you. I have tried hard to express my love forContinue reading “When God laments, it can change everything – Ezekiel 19, Part 5”
Why and how we need to sit in our pain? – Ezekiel 19, Part 4
This week we’re studying Ezekiel 19 and its two allegorical parables of lament. The first was a lament about lions. The second parable of lament is similar. Read about it in verses 10-14. Very similar to the lions, isn’t it? A vine grows fruitful and abundant and strong. But it gets uprooted, withered by anContinue reading “Why and how we need to sit in our pain? – Ezekiel 19, Part 4”
A lament about lions? – Ezekiel 19, Part 3
Now that we have taken time to understand lament here and here, we return to Ezekiel chapter 19, verse 1, where we learn that God is asking Ezekiel to deliver a lament. Notice that this lament is the opposite of the psalms of lament. In the psalms of the lament, David and the other psalmistContinue reading “A lament about lions? – Ezekiel 19, Part 3”
When you cry out to God, and he doesn’t seem to answer – Ezekiel 19, Part 2
Jesus lamented. He was hurting deeply, and he expressed that hurt to God. We don’t normally think about Jesus like that, complaining to God. Yet arguably the most famous example of spoken lament comes from Psalm 22, where the psalmist, David, writes, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” It’s famous because JesusContinue reading “When you cry out to God, and he doesn’t seem to answer – Ezekiel 19, Part 2”
Crying as a spiritual practice – Ezekiel 19, Part 1
I recently attended the baptism of my niece. It was wonderful to hear her share the story of her faith in Christ, her commitment to him, and why she wanted to be baptized. There was so much joy as my brother-in-law baptized her. That moment when she rose up out of the water, as itContinue reading “Crying as a spiritual practice – Ezekiel 19, Part 1”
Fight or Flight: How do you handle pain? – Ezekiel 19, Preview
What do you do when you are upset? It is fascinating to me how differently we humans handle our pain. Have you ever heard of “fight or flight”? While there are other ways to handle pain, fight or flight are two common ones. The fighters among us tend to get aggressive and confront the painContinue reading “Fight or Flight: How do you handle pain? – Ezekiel 19, Preview”
Why we need a new heart and a new spirit, and how to get them – Ezekiel 18, Part 5
Editor’s Note: I’m thankful to guest blogger Brandon Hershey for this week’s study of Ezekiel 18! In God’s words to the Jews in Ezekiel 18 (which we started studying here), God does not want to see us suffer the consequences of our sin. Instead, he wants to see us repent and live. Unlike the exilesContinue reading “Why we need a new heart and a new spirit, and how to get them – Ezekiel 18, Part 5”
How God can be both loving and just at the same time – Ezekiel 18, Part 4
Editor’s Note: I’m thankful to guest blogger Brandon Hershey for this week’s study of Ezekiel 18! How can God be both loving and just at the same time? Doesn’t it seem that his love will cancel out his justice, or that his justice will cancel out his love? As we continue studying Ezekiel 18, weContinue reading “How God can be both loving and just at the same time – Ezekiel 18, Part 4”
Engaging Scripture 