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Ian

Future Tensely

Psalm 126; Isaiah 40:1-11; Romans 8:22-25 Have you realized that Advent is weird? I love Advent, don't get me wrong. However, the world has done a successful job of retraining us on what Advent is all about. Partially, I think, this is because of the…

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Ian

Good Fire. Bad Fire.

Psalm 142; Amos 5:1–9; Acts 21:27–39 Depending on who you talk to, the ability to make fire may be the most important invention of humanity. It kept creatures of the night away. It allowed the cooking of food, purification of water, and it kept people…

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Ian

Facing It

Psalm 119:81–88; Jeremiah 16:1–13; James 5:7–12 The yearning in Psalm 119:81–88 is almost palpable. The need for relief with a counterbalance of trust produces a huge amount of tension within a few verses. This tension is often part of our own lives as we desire…

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Ian

Seriously

Psalm 123; Jeremiah 7:16–26; 2 Corinthians 10:7–11 The Christian understanding of God is one of love, forgiveness, and grace. These are often the primary characteristics on which we focus. If we are honest, it’s because, with such a God, a lot of pressure is off…

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Ian

Passed The Gates

Psalm 88; Leviticus 15:19–31; 2 Corinthians 9:1–5 I have long felt this passage in Leviticus to be unfair to women. No, not because of certain cultural influences of today. Perhaps it was the era I grew up in, or because my mom worked as a…

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