A Taste of Grace with Bruce Green

Breaking Open Our Jar

Full disclosure: “Here Comes the Sun” is one of my favorite songs. I like the music, I like the words, and I love the message of hope that it gives. It’s had a special place in our family over the years as we’ve shared it with each other on a few occasions. Recently, I cameContinue reading “Breaking Open Our Jar”

All You Need Is Love

It was a different place and a different time. It was 1967 and what would become known as the summer of love. There was an ambitious idea from Aubrey Singer and the BBC for a global television event called Our World—a live broadcast featuring segments from all over the world. The Beatles were asked to comeContinue reading “All You Need Is Love”

Mark

Mark And Chronology Jesus From Mark (1) Jesus From Mark (2) Face To Face With The Good News (1) Kingdom Authority (1) Not Even Close! (1) Learning To Listen To God (1) (1:35) Learning to Listen To God (2) (1:35) The Glories Of God’s Kingdom (2:1-3:6) The Joy That Jesus Brings (2:18-27) He Cares! (3:7-12)Continue reading “Mark”

Speaking The Truth In A White Lie World

“You have my word on it.” Does that mean anything today? Hopefully, it does. We’d like to think it means that you meant what you said, you can be trusted, others can count on you. The sad truth though is that we live in a world where the truth isn’t always the truth. We live in aContinue reading “Speaking The Truth In A White Lie World”

You Are The Treasure That I Seek

Jesus has been discussing seeking God through giving, praying, and fasting in Matthew 6:1-18. He’s instructed His disciples to “do not” in regard to certain practices of the Pharisees (v. 2,5,16). In 6:19ff, He takes up another “do not,”—do not seek earthly treasure. Once again, the Pharisees are the entry point of the discussion. They were lovers of moneyContinue reading “You Are The Treasure That I Seek”

Winning The Day

It’s hard to read through the Sermon on the Mount without being struck by Jesus’ emphasis on living life in the same manner as it is given by God—one day at a time. To this point He spoke about praying for daily bread (“Give us this day our daily bread” – Matthew 6:12). It’s easyContinue reading “Winning The Day”

What Happened In The Wilderness

It’s easy to think of Jesus resisting temptation in quantitative terms—He was able to do more than we could. We could have resisted up to a point, but Jesus resisted all of the way. There’s truth to this of course, but it’s not the whole truth and consequently if we treat it like the whole truth itContinue reading “What Happened In The Wilderness”

What Bible Study Should Be

The Sadducees were sold on first five books of Scripture and found no resurrection there. What they did find was the levirate marriage (Deuteronomy 25:5-10). In Matthew 22:23-33 their argument to Jesus pits potential circumstances created through application of this law with the resurrection (as they understood it). Their conclusion was that the resurrection was not possible—GodContinue reading “What Bible Study Should Be”

What Are You Doing With Your Treasure?

We don’t know exactly when the wise men arrived in Bethlehem to see the Christ. They had followed the star to Jerusalem where they inquired, “Where is the One who has been born the King of the Jews?” (Matthew 2:2). You can almost see Herod strutting out of his throne room saying, “Here I am!”Continue reading “What Are You Doing With Your Treasure?”

Up All Night

“Worry is a prayer to the wrong god.” Jack Exum said that. I don’t know whether it was original to him or not but I know that it’s true. When we’re anxious and worried we are worshiping at the wrong altar. Paul told Timothy that “The Spirit God gave us does not make us timid,Continue reading “Up All Night”