family (219)

Ian

Lamentable Change

Psalm 30; Lamentations 1:16–22; 2 Corinthians 7:2–16 The might of God both obvious and not-so should provide comfort for all who follow God. We should also be aware of it such that we do not wander far away. We read the triumphant story of Joshua…

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Ian

Green Majesty

Psalm 92:1–4, 12–15; Ezekiel 17:22–24; 2 Corinthians 5:11–17; Mark 4:26–34 If you’ve ever walked in a forest, particularly a rain forest (like the one on the Olympic Peninsula), you might see a fallen and dead tree. On that dead tree, or from even its stump,…

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Ian

All About Me

Psalm 130: Genesis 3:8–15; 2 Corinthians 4:13–5:1; Mark 3:20–35 Self-examination is probably one of the hardest Christian practices. It is probably also the one most needed today. When we do our self-examination properly, we are better equipped to recognize some issues we have that inhibit…

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Ian

Sackcloth and Ashes

Psalm 115; Ezra 9:5–15; John 16:16–24 Collective guilt has been on the top of many lists in the last year. Regardless of your political, philosophical, or religious perspective of the collective guilt issues, it does allow us to better understand the pressure that Ezra felt…somewhat.

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Ian

Hand Power

Psalm 115; Numbers 8:5–22; Titus 1:1–9 In Numbers, the outline for priestly behavior is pretty minimal. Do your job. They also have an end date, 50. Yes, there were other concerns (as the children of Eli showed in 1 Samuel). By and large, though, the…

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