Featured Blog Posts (723)

For the first ten years of my life, I was an only child. I guess my parents didn’t believe in baby-sitters or perhaps couldn’t afford them, I just remember accompanying my parents to a lot of adult events. At each, I was told to “be seen and not heard.” So, I grew up being rather quiet, and reserved. That lifestyle carried over into my prayer life. In fact, I remember wondering in church, why some people prayed such long, wordy prayers, and why in the worship service, we spent so much time…

After the large group of disciples deserted him Jesus ministered only in Galilee for some time. He did not go at all into Judea because the Jewish hierarchy were threatening to kill him. With the Feast of Booths at hand Jesus went back to his childhood home in Nazareth. There he found his brothers and sisters and their families gathered. His oldest brother, Joseph, welcomed him. 

“Jesus! We are glad to see you. We…

I watch a lot of college football.  I've seen all the bowl games, even the ones that no one has heard of.  In one of those games, I saw a commercial that really intrigued me.  It pictured a "first date" meet-up between Satan and 2020 (personified as a woman), and then the development of a relationship between them. 

It's unlikely that the producers of the commercial have any idea about spiritual warfare, but the reference brought to my mind the fact that 2020 was indeed a…

Times have changed. People are staying home from church services in record numbers – and blaming the COVID virus. History has shown when we are forced by circumstances to change, we eventually get comfortable with the change, and even prefer the new methods to the old. John Cage, an American composer, artist, and philosopher, confessed, “I can’t understand why people are frightened by new ideas. I’m frightened of old ones.” Most churches I know have recovered approximately half of their…

#ItSeemsToMe...

"God save everyone" is a well intended prayer that is guaranteed not to be answered. 

This is how God loved the world - God gave his one-and-only (Jesus) to die for everyone. Anyone who believes will be saved.

My "God save everyone" prayer is a fine sentiment but unbiblical. It makes us…

As our countries face many difficult issues, amidst the riots, the uncertainly with the COVID 19 pandemic. It's easy to get discouraged, especially when thinking of the world our grandchildren are living in today. However, we have a big God bigger than the challenges and struggles we experience at this time and our grandchildren's …

I haven’t been sleeping well lately. I wake up in the night and am unable to get back to sleep. I’m sure it is partly due to the physical, since I am facing major surgery in the next few days. I am also sure it is partly spiritual, since this was happening, to a lesser extent, long before the need for surgery. Sometimes, when I wake up, I do so with scripture on my mind. Often the scripture comes in the form of a song or hymn. I remember many years ago, confessing this rather unusual habit…

#ItSeemsToMe... it is way too easy for Christians to unintentionally offer prayers that are actually more Republican than righteous; sound more like a Democrat than a disciple. When our political preferences infect our intercessory petitions, we have shifted from empowering the Spirit to employing the Spirit. No one of us is immune from this politicized syncretism.…

Are you growing nearer to God in prayer?

We are familiar with John 15 that says our Lord is the vine and we are His branches. Jesus applies that wonderful picture in the verses that follow.

John…

http://markmirza.com/conflict/

There are a lot of ideas on how to address our problematic issues in the USA, namely:

• Racial Fairness
• Political Tension
• Employment Disparities
• Etc.

From my little perch in Midtown Atlanta, GA, I see the numerous arguments, and the emotional intensity on opposite sides of each issue! They are evident in both the world and the church.

May I…

The Web of Prayer

Phil Miglioratti (MA ’74)

Spring 2001 TEDS Bridge magazine

I think five or six of us showed up that June 1990.

We placed our chairs in a small circle and introduced ourselves: “Hi, I’m Al from Palatine…I’m Joe from Arlington Heights…John from Lake Zurich…Gary from Schaumburg.” They had come to my office…

Connect with Others Who are Applying Romans 12:2

To Both Personal & Corporate Praying

Don’t be conformed nor confined by the status quo...

Let God transform…

A year's worth of blog entries!

Praying in Color: Drawing a New Path to God combines memoir with theology. Step-by step instructions introduce the practice of praying in color as a way to do intercessory prayer.

Posted by Phil Miglioratti

In the early days of the Coronavirus quarantine, I was extremely restless and frustrated. Even in retirement, I’ve been running close to full speed. Sitting in my den recliner I was reading my Bible, and praying, and asking God what I was to “do” since my travel was now limited and cancellations had caused more Liquid Paper than ink on my calendar. Having just read James 1:22, “Be doers of the word,” I looked up and saw on the fireplace mantle, my wife’s display of all the books I had…

God is on the move ...

https://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/us/2020/june/meet-the-man-proclaiming-jesus-at-the-george-floyd-memorial-site-where-a-supernatural-awakening-has-begun

Ps 24:7-10 BSB…

God is at work From Sally McClung's blog https://floydandsally.com/blog/2020/5/22/he-is-at-work

1. The Lord is my strength and my song. Exodus 15:2, Psalm 118:14
2. The Lord is a warrior. Exodus 15:
3. The Lord is greater than all other gods. Exodus 18:11
4. The Lord is slow to anger…

Yesterday we concluded our group study of Paul Miller's "A Praying Life".  We've been meeting online for the last 6 sessions, and we did lose quite a few people along the way.  We've been following the outline of the book loosely and bringing in other materials and topics for the class.

We ended our study by looking at community prayer, that is, praying effectively in a group setting.  This was one of the items identified at the beginning as an item that the group wanted to discuss,…

Praying for and during Ramadan

 

Ramadan is starting on April 23, 2020 (or April 24, 2020) this year. During the month of Ramadan, billions of Muslims will be fasting, praying, and reading the Quran as a community. Lockdowns, curfews, and restrictions on public gatherings across most countries due to COVID-19 have dampened Ramadan preparations this year. 

As our Muslim cousins shelter in place, we want to…