life (519)

Ian

Storied Reflections

Jeremiah 2:1–13; Matthew 9:35–38; John 7:37–39 Jerusalem was heading at full speed away from God and toward destruction. In many respects, this passage is God’s lament for Jerusalem. It is also, in many regards, the lament for the entire heritage of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

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Ian

Wholly New or Newly Whole

2 Corinthians 5:14–21; Titus 1:1–3 The “new creation” is an often-quoted phrase. Like many verses in the Scriptures, it can stand on its own. However (you knew that was coming), in context its meaning is so much more important than a mere new creation. It…

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Ian

Owed

Luke 4:14–30; John 7:1–9; Romans 13:8–10 Love is a powerful force. Jealousy, envy, and fear are also powerful forces. Over time, love does win over jealousy and envy, but it often takes a lot of time, and the hurt and pain can take a long…

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Ian

Fruit Basket

Daniel 3:8–30; Matthew 7:15–20; Revelation 20:11–15 Thinking about fire is often not comfortable. Homes burn. Forests burn. On the other hand, metal is purified through fire. Through that fire, many beautiful and amazing things are made. Just like in our own lives, fire serves different…

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Ian

The Sent

Jeremiah 1:4–10; Matthew 9:35–10:1; Romans 15:14–19 When confronted by a calling on our lives, often anything but, “yes,” will cross our lips first. This doesn’t mean, “yes” doesn’t come later. If you’re reading this, in some way you’ve already said, “yes.” The question then is,…

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