living (133)

Ian

Speed Check

Isaiah 56:1–8; Ezekiel 2:1–10 When you’re driving, do you continue to check your speed? What do you do when you check a speed limit sign? A speed limit sign cannot make you stop speeding. A speed limit sign cannot make you speed up. A speed…

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Ian

Whose Crown?

1 Samuel 8:1–22; Mark 10:35–45; 1 Corinthians 1:20–25 One cannot say the beginning of the fall of Israel was at the point they demanded a king. God pointed this out to disappointed Samuel. Israel’s “desire” for a king showed that Israel’s heart continued to not…

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Ian

Heart of Money; Heart of Mercy

2 Corinthians 8:1–15; 1 Timothy 6:17–19 Generosity is a good thing. A generous heart is a good thing. Paul encouraged generosity among the churches. The churches would care for one another as they were going through trials (famines, war, etc.). The graciousness of one church…

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Ian

Cause and Effect

1 Kings 16:29–33; 1 Kings 17:1–5; 1 Kings 18:10–18 Ahab blamed Elijah for the ongoing drought in Israel. Or, at least he could blame Elijah for the drought. Ahab knew that Elijah had declared that no rain would fall on Israel. Sounds like a pretty…

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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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