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Episode notes, devotionals, and Bible study writing — 288 posts and counting.
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The Illusion of Democracy and the Deeper Problem We Face
“The distemper of which, as a community, we are sick, should be considered rather as a moral than a political malady.”
Rapture or Resurrection? Testing the Claims of September 2025
The Viral Claim
How to Have a Bad Day Step 31: Commit to Writing 31 Blogs in One Month
Just kidding—sort of. Some days I was kicking myself for committing to this. It was
Mark 5:25–34 — Who Touched Me?
Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.” Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction. And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My clothes?” But His disciples said to Him, “You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’” And He looked around to see her who had done this thing. But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.” (Mark 5:25–34 NKJV)
Mark 5:21–24 — Falling at His Feet
“Now when Jesus had crossed over again by boat to the other side, a great multitude gathered to Him; and He was by the sea. And behold, one of the rulers of the synagogue came, Jairus by name. And when he saw Him, he fell at His feet and begged Him earnestly, saying, ‘My little d
Mark 1:35–39 — Mission Over Momentum
Episode Notes The night before, Jesus’ ministry looks unstoppable — crowds pressing, healings flowing, demons shrieking. By any measure, this is “momentum.” But at daybreak, He does something shocking: He walks away.In Mark 1:35–39, Jesus trades applause for prayer, success for s
Mark 5:1–20 — Chains Can't Hold Him
Then they came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gadarenes. And when He had come out of the boat, immediately there met Him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no one could bind him, not even with chains, beca
Mark 4:35–41 — Jesus Calms the Storm
“On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, ‘Let us cross over to the other side.’ Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, ‘Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?’ Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, ‘Peace, be still!’ And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. But He said to them, ‘Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?’ And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, ‘Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!’” Mark 4:35–41
Mark 4:30–34 — The Parable of the Mustard Seed
Then He said, “To what shall we liken the kingdom of God? Or with what parable shall we picture it? It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth; but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and sho
Mark 4:24–25 — The Measure You Use
Then He said to them, “Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given. For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”(Mark 4:24–25 NKJV)
How to Have a Bad Day Step 30: Embrace Depression
Statistics say by the time Canadians hit 40, half of us will have—or have had—a mental illness. Half! So basically, either you’ve already been there, you’re headed there, or you’re the unicorn still pretending coffee, retail therapy, and “positive vibes” are enough to keep you sane. We joke, but the numbers are sobering. If half of humanity wrestles with mental illness at some point, then maybe the problem isn’t just
Mark 4:26–29 — The Parable of the Seed
And He said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how. For the earth yields crops by itself: first the blade, then the head, after that the fu
Mark 4:21–23 — The Lamp
Also He said to them, “Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed? Is it not to be set on a lampstand? For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light. If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”(Mark 4:21–23 NKJV)
The Gospel of Mark — Background & Distinctives
In this episode of Studies in the Gospel of Mark, we step back to look at the unique shape and voice of Mark’s Gospel. Who was John Mark? Why does this Gospel read so urgently compared to Matthew, Luke, or John? And what would the first readers — especially in a Roman context — h
How to Have a Bad Day Step 29: Give Up
We live in a world where everything is expected to be instant. Drive-thru meals, Amazon Prime deliveries, binge-watching whole seasons in one night. And somewhere along the way, we decided life should work the same way.
Mark 4:21–34 — The Parables of the Kingdom: An Overview
Before we look at the text itself, let me explain what we’re doing here. In this section of Mark’s Gospel, we come to what feels like a bundle of sayings and parables — the lamp, the measure, the growing seed, and the mustard seed. It’s a longer stretch of teaching than usual, so I want to lay the whole passage in front of us first. Then we’ll step back and ask: is this just a collection of random sayings, or is there a deeper pattern here? In the next posts, we’ll slow down and take each saying one at a time.
Mark 4:13–20 — The Parable Explained
And He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? The sower sows the word. And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts. These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they stumble. Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”
How to Have a Bad Day Step 28: Don't Think too Hard
“It’s hard to know what to believe anymore…”
Mark 1:12–13 — The Temptation of Jesus
Immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness. And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan, and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to Him.
Mark 1:9–11 — The Baptism of Jesus
It came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And immediately, coming up from the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove. Then a voice came from heaven, “You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
Mark 4:1–9 — The Parable of the Sower
And again He began to teach by the sea. And a great multitude was gathered to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole multitude was on the land facing the sea. Then He taught them many things by parables, and said to them in His teaching:
How to Have a Bad Day Step 27: Love Yourself
Get in touch with your inner you. Create your own reality. Find yourself. Hug the person in the mirror. Speak your truth. Manifest it. Love yourself first.
Mark 4 — From Miracles to Parables
We’ve been following the story of Jesus through the opening chapters of the Gospels, watching His ministry unfold with growing momentum. Up to this point, the focus has been on His actions — calling disciples, healing the sick, casting out demons, and facing rising opposition. But now the story shifts. From here, Jesus begins to teach in a new way: through parables.