SUB-VER-SIVE – adj. Intending or intended to subvert an established order, especially to undermine or overthrow an established government. (The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language) We don’t normally think of the message about Jesus as being subversive. That’s to our poverty because it absolutely is. After all, becoming a follower is spoken ofContinue reading “The Subversive Gospel”
Author Archives: A Taste of Grace with Bruce Green
Scared of the stink
Martha was scared of the stink. When Jesus told them to “Take away the stone” from Lazarus’ tomb, Martha shot back with, “But Lord, by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days” (John 11:39). We do this godly lady an injustice if we understand these words as reflectingContinue reading “Scared of the stink”
Clean, Bright & New
I hope the past year has gone well for you and the new one will be even better. I think New Year’s Day is a great holiday. It tends to get the short end of the appreciation stick because it comes right after Christmas and can easily be overshadowed by it (i.e., compare the numberContinue reading “Clean, Bright & New”
Tree Branches and our Eternal Home
My father has been gone for over three decades now. Life has gone past full circle in that I’ve been fortunate to live longer than he did. I have a brother who is two-and-half years older than me and one aunt on my mom’s side of the family but other than that—everyone else is youngerContinue reading “Tree Branches and our Eternal Home”
God Is With Us!
Matthew’s gospel was written to Jewish disciples in the years prior to Jerusalem’s destruction (AD 70). Tension between the synagogue and the church was continuing to escalate, and life was difficult for the follower of Jesus. By beginning his gospel with a genealogy connecting Jesus to Abraham and David (1:1), Matthew was, in a sense,Continue reading “God Is With Us!”
A Horse, A Desert, and Hope
Several years ago, our family vacationed at a state park near Warm Springs, Georgia, where FDR’s Little White House is located. Roosevelt had the house built just before he took office in 1933. He had initially visited the springs almost a decade earlier, like so many others, looking for a cure for the polio that ravaged his body. Although he never foundContinue reading “A Horse, A Desert, and Hope”
A Gift Idea
If you’re having a difficult time finding a gift for someone (or even if you’re not), consider getting them a copy of This Is The Day. It would make the perfect stocking stuffer (although at this late date, you’d probably just need to settle for a card or note telling them the book is onContinue reading “A Gift Idea”
When God Owns Your History
Although lupus took her life at the age of thirty-nine, Flannery O’Connor wrote two novels and thirty-two short stories that garnered several awards and honors. She was a Roman Catholic and made no secret about it or apologies for it (“I write the way I do because I am a Catholic”). Due to her illnessContinue reading “When God Owns Your History”
Are Your Feet Touching the Bottom?
Our three grandsons (7, 9, 11) were watching a water polo match on television during the ’24 summer Olympic Games. The players were jostling for position, splashing up a storm, all while trying to either throw a ball into the net or prevent the other team from doing so. The boys thought it looked likeContinue reading “Are Your Feet Touching the Bottom?”
Israel, the Pharisees, and Prayer
Israel wanted a king (1 Samuel 8)! There were some legitimate reasons why they needed a king. A king would help them to be something more than the loose confederation of tribes they were—characterized by infighting and the failure to come to the aid of each other when under attack (see the book of Judges). Furthermore,Continue reading “Israel, the Pharisees, and Prayer”
A Taste of Grace with Bruce Green 