A Taste of Grace with Bruce Green

Bearing The Suffering Of Others (Dunkirk)

Dunkirk is Christopher Nolan’s latest offering and it’s quite compelling. As with most of what he’s done (Memento, Inception, Interstellar), there are some interesting creative choices that have been made. There is little attempt to present the events of Dunkirk on the grand scale that it was (more than 300,000 troops were rescued by over 800 civilianContinue reading “Bearing The Suffering Of Others (Dunkirk)”

Be A Blessing (Schindler’s List)

God appears to Abraham and makes some remarkable promises to him. In Genesis 12:2-3,7, we read that God will: make him a great nation, bless him, making his name great, bless those who bless him, curse those who curse him, give him a land. An impressive list, don’t you think? But in the midst of all ofContinue reading “Be A Blessing (Schindler’s List)”

Atonement (Atonement)

Briony Tallis has it in her to be a writer of fiction at a very young age. She is intense, imaginative, and has just completed her first play, The Trials of Arabella, which was about, what else?—“the complications of love.” After all, she is thirteen and has a crush on her sister Cecilia’s suitor, Robbie. Nonetheless, all of theseContinue reading “Atonement (Atonement)”

At The Movies

Atonement (Atonement) Be A Blessing (Schindler’s List) Bearing The Suffering Of Others (Dunkirk) Believes All Things (The Miracle Worker) Better Days Are Coming (Places in the Heart) Buckling Up (The Bourne Identity) Celebrating True Adventure (We Bought A Zoo) Checked Your Anchor Lately (Hereafter) Christ On The Waterfront (On The Waterfront) Consider Yourself At HomeContinue reading “At The Movies”

911 And Singing On The Steps

For those of you who were around and remember, did your life change significantly because of the events of 911? Unless you lost a loved one, had someone in the military, or are a first responder, I’m guessing your answer is “no.” There have been some changes here and there, maybe a greater appreciation of world events,Continue reading “911 And Singing On The Steps”

Giving God Fast Prayers

It’s important to note that the record of Jesus’ teaching that Matthew relates to us in 6:1-18, is given in response to Pharisaical abuses (5:20,21,27,31,33,38,43). If the “hypocrites” of 6:2,5,16 aren’t exclusively Pharisees, it certainly would include them (see 23:13,15,23,25,27,29). So we shouldn’t approach the text as an open forum on the subjects of giving, fasting, andContinue reading “Giving God Fast Prayers”

“God Answered Our Prayer!”

“God answered our prayer!” we proclaim as someone who has been in our hearts, thoughts, and prayers is brought to better circumstances. We mean well by such a statement. We mean to bring glory to our Father and recognize what He has done. But the truth is, these words can be a poor way of expressing our joy. Church bulletins,Continue reading ““God Answered Our Prayer!””

Nice Prayers or Good Prayers?

When we have prayed over every wart, pimple, and problem of people both known and unknown, have we really ministered to them? Have we done what God would have us to do for them? Is this the essence of what the church is to be about? Curiously, there’s nothing in the New Testament to sanction the fervorContinue reading “Nice Prayers or Good Prayers?”

Merging Our Letter With God’s (2)

Hayley Smith and Harrison Waldron met at Harding University, married in 2014 and graduated the following spring. That summer while attending a wedding in New York, Harrison was involved in an ATV accident. The injuries he received cause immediate death 90% of the time but he survived and was med-flighted to Erie, Pennsylvania. Today, overContinue reading “Merging Our Letter With God’s (2)”

Merging Our Letter With God’s (1)

Hezekiah’s prayer in the temple is a powerful example of reliance upon God. Hezekiah was a righteous king who nonetheless had a penchant for trusting in foreign alliances rather than Yahweh. In order to protect Judah from the Assyrians, he made alliances with Egypt (2 Kings 18:21) and Babylon (Isaiah 39 along with 2 ChroniclesContinue reading “Merging Our Letter With God’s (1)”