In the previous post, we learned that God’s people had covered their ears and closed their eyes, so that they could not see or hear him. They were giving God the cold shoulder. How does God respond? God does not close his eyes and cover his ears. He continues to call out for the people,Continue reading “Is God trying to pry your eyes open? – Ezekiel 12, Part 2”
Tag Archives: hope
How to change a heart of stone into a heart of flesh (and help others do the same) – Ezekiel 11, Part 5
Editor’s Note: Thanks to David Hundert who is our guest blogger this week, continuing our series through Ezekiel. Think about your heart. Not your actual blood pumper…but your inner being. Would you say you have a heart of stone or a heart of flesh? Do you feel somewhat cold or dead inside? Is there hopeContinue reading “How to change a heart of stone into a heart of flesh (and help others do the same) – Ezekiel 11, Part 5”
The transforming power of confession – Ezekiel 11, Part 4
Editor’s Note: Thanks to David Hundert who is our guest blogger this week, continuing our series through Ezekiel. Take a look at the title of this post and think about the word, “confession.” What comes to mind? I envision a courtroom with a judge and jury, and a witness being grilled by a lawyer, whoseContinue reading “The transforming power of confession – Ezekiel 11, Part 4”
How to overcome a false sense of security – Ezekiel 11, Part 3
Editor’s Note: Thanks to David Hundert who is our guest blogger this week, continuing our series through Ezekiel. In Ezekiel, the leaders are at it again! Thinking that God is slow in responding to their need, they are worshiping at the altar of their own idols. They have traded the true God for a godContinue reading “How to overcome a false sense of security – Ezekiel 11, Part 3”
Is there hope for a world on fire? – Ezekiel 11, Preview
Wildfires have been ravaging sections of the western USA. It happens every years during the hot, dry months of summer, but 2021 is particularly bad. I heard a news report that the acreage destroyed to this point in 2021 is three times that of 2020, and we thought 2020 was bad. A few weeks ago,Continue reading “Is there hope for a world on fire? – Ezekiel 11, Preview”
How to move from selfish blame to loving grief – Ezekiel 8, 9 and 10, Part 5
Blame. As we saw in the previous post, we can be especially quick to blame God for difficulties in life, even when we face consequences of our own decisions. Or consider that when a loved one passes away, including passing away of old age, we can bitterly question, “God, how could you let this happen?”Continue reading “How to move from selfish blame to loving grief – Ezekiel 8, 9 and 10, Part 5”
Hope in the middle of a nightmare – Ezekiel 8, 9 and 10, Part 3
I am person who dreams almost every night during sleep. How about you? Over the years I’ve had some freakish nightmares. Sometimes they are recurring, going night after night. Others will be one-off dreams that never recur. I also have settings like the home we lived in years ago, or my church’s building, or theContinue reading “Hope in the middle of a nightmare – Ezekiel 8, 9 and 10, Part 3”
What my peach tree teaches me about resurrection – Easter 2021, Part 3
I’m writing this in early spring, when I am starting to see the beginning of buds growing on the peach tree in my yard. Maybe you have fruit trees, and you’ve seen this growth process underway. As the buds eventually flower, the tiny fruit will begin to grow. Frequently, some fruit ripens early and weContinue reading “What my peach tree teaches me about resurrection – Easter 2021, Part 3”
Why we should look to Jesus to win us the victory – Colossians 2:8-15, Part 5
All week long in this five part series on Colossians 2:8-15, I have been seeking to understand the Apostle Paul’s answer to the question, “What is truth?” After hearing his concern that there are deceptive philosophies in the world that seek to captivate us, Paul focuses our attention on Jesus, saying that Jesus is theContinue reading “Why we should look to Jesus to win us the victory – Colossians 2:8-15, Part 5”
How God wants to fix our broken world – Colossians 1:15-20
All things are in need of reconciliation. True or False? Just for the sake of argument, assume that statement is true. Why do all things need reconciliation? Because things are broken. You reconcile when you have a broken relationship. Something happened. Relationships break apart in all sorts of ways, right? From small slights to massiveContinue reading “How God wants to fix our broken world – Colossians 1:15-20”
Engaging Scripture 