This past week I attended my denomination’s, the Evangelical Congregational (EC) Church’s, National Conference at Messiah University. At conference lots of people have asked about my granddaughter, Lily, who was born in January, and who has been on a four-month journey with a heart defect corrected through multiple open heart surgeries. Those conversations have oftenContinue reading “Can you have a defective heart and not know it? – 1st Samuel 13 & 14, Preview”
Tag Archives: heart
Prayer as an instinct – Praying Together, Part 3
I visited my son, daughter-in-law, and two grandkids in Pittsburgh recently. Though my kids live in Lancaster, my granddaughter was born four hours away in Pittsburgh because she has a heart condition. So I got to meet her for the first time in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit of UPMC Children’s Hospital. She was hookedContinue reading “Prayer as an instinct – Praying Together, Part 3”
How to protect your mind – Helmet of Salvation, Part 5
There’s one more facet to the Helmet of Salvation. Helmets protects the vital organs in our heads. Primarily our brains, our minds, our thoughts. Like wise, when we are saved in Christ, we have powerful truths protecting our minds. We humans can be pretty tough on ourselves and others, and that cruelty starts in ourContinue reading “How to protect your mind – Helmet of Salvation, Part 5”
A check-up with God – Jeremiah 44 & 45
I had my first ever colonoscopy a month ago. I followed the procedure: fasted, drank the colon-clearing drink, and went under anesthesia for the procedure. Colonoscopies save lives because they can detect problems deep inside, giving doctors information they need to remove polyps before they become cancerous. To maintain health, we need regular check-ups. InContinue reading “A check-up with God – Jeremiah 44 & 45”
The time someone wasted $70K on Jesus? – John 11:46-12:11, Part 2
This week we’re studying John 11:46-12:11, but our focus in on chapter 12, verses 1-11. In the previous post, we studied John 11:46-12:2, which sets up the story. After hiding from the watchful eye of the Jewish leaders, Jesus travels to the town of Bethany, just two miles outside the city of Jerusalem. In BethanyContinue reading “The time someone wasted $70K on Jesus? – John 11:46-12:11, Part 2”
How to know if you have the right motivations for following Jesus – John 6:22-51, Part 5
If you are following Jesus, why are you following him? This week on the blog, starting here, we’ve been studying Jesus’ interaction with a crowd of people whom he had miraculously fed a free meal (aka “The Feeding of the 5,000”). We examined that miracle last week here. The next day, the crowd wants JesusContinue reading “How to know if you have the right motivations for following Jesus – John 6:22-51, Part 5”
How (and why) God wants you to care for your body – Ezekiel 40-44, Part 4
I love watching videos of chiropractors giving people adjustments, hearing the loud cracks. I don’t quite know why, but something in me finds it fascinating. After watching a variety of chiropractors use similar techniques, I asked my wife if I could give her an adjustment. She said, “No way!” I was kidding, kinda. I haveContinue reading “How (and why) God wants you to care for your body – Ezekiel 40-44, Part 4”
The all-important Step 4 of how God changes us – Ezekiel 35-36, Part 4
We learned so far in this week’s five-part blog series on Ezekiel 35-36 that God says that he will give us a new heart of flesh, and a new spirit. What Spirit? That’s the next step in the transformation process. Learn about steps 1-3 here. Now we learn about the all-important Step Four in verseContinue reading “The all-important Step 4 of how God changes us – Ezekiel 35-36, Part 4”
Steps 1-3 of how God changes people – Ezekiel 35-36, Part 3
How does God describe the process of human transformation, so that we are becoming the kind of people he wants us to be? We find out in Ezekiel 36, verses 24-32. Go ahead and read those verses and see if you can discern the steps of how God changes the human heart? Do you seeContinue reading “Steps 1-3 of how God changes people – Ezekiel 35-36, Part 3”
The critical first step to having a change of heart – Ezekiel 35-36, Part 2
This week on the blog we are seeking to learn if and how a cold heart can be transformed into a warm heart. In other words, can people change? If so, how? After learning about the prophecy against Edom in chapter 35, in the previous post, we now begin chapter 36, and God asks EzekielContinue reading “The critical first step to having a change of heart – Ezekiel 35-36, Part 2”
Engaging Scripture 