prayer ⁽⁴⁵⁸⁾

Psalm 107:1–3, 23–32; Job 29:1–20; Acts 20:1–16 "Any port in a storm!" From a strictly practical standpoint, that sailor quip makes sense. Yet, the port may have dangers of its own that were unexpected. If, for example, naval ships from opposing sides set anchor in…

Psalm 52; Jeremiah 22:1–9; Luke 6:43–45 Have you ever been somewhere with a beautiful bowl filled with fruit, then picked up a piece of fruit, and realized that it was fake? It looks pretty and improves the ambiance, but beyond that, it is useless for…

Psalm 52; Jeremiah 21:11–14; Revelation 21:22–22:5 “This then is how you should live, begin your morning by administering justice. All those who know and follow the will of God will rescue people from their oppressor, particularly for those whose God promised gift has been stolen…

Psalm 52; Ezekiel 31:1–12; Galatians 6:11–18 "When a tree falls in the forest, does it make a sound?" That philosophical question is designed around the presence of a human being. “Sound” being a human word, the implication is that the tree wouldn’t make a sound,…

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,…