Coming to God – Page 6 – A Taste of Grace with Bruce Green

God’s Redeeming Curse (3)

So where does all of this mean to us? Much more than can begin to be said here! Books have been written on this and an excellent one is Celebrating the Wrath of God by Jim McGuiggan. Here are a few jumping off places. It should temper the way we think about our Father. God’s goal forContinue reading “God’s Redeeming Curse (3)”

God’s Redeeming Curse (2)

What does this redemptive curse entail? I think the better question would be to ask what it doesn’t involve? According to Deuteronomy 32 (the same text that spoke of God’s moral perfection), it’s all encompassing (see v. 23-27). Tornados, tsunamis, droughts, earthquakes, and famine, are all under His domain. Even the abuse, brutality, and criminality of the wicked (althoughContinue reading “God’s Redeeming Curse (2)”

God’s Redeeming Curse (1)

Mankind was cruising along in the garden and it was great! There was uninterrupted fellowship with the Father, perfect companionship with a special partner, and a an uncursed creation in which to live (who can really say what that was like?). All we had to do was follow God’s loving directions given for our ownContinue reading “God’s Redeeming Curse (1)”

Oneness With God

Last week part of the fence in our back yard was taken down. Before that, it had formed an L-shaped corner with a longer section of fence. There was a wooden pallet leaning in that corner with one of those wire plant baskets perched on top of the pallet. As you’ve probably figured out, itContinue reading “Oneness With God”

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)”

Living A Fast Paced Life (2)

Fasting slows us down. Busyness is not the same thing as holiness. Most of us are in need of wait training. But we’re not alone. The book of Acts begins with the disciples being told to wait (1:4). By helping us to humbly focus on God, fasting slows us down and can serve as part of the renewal process (Romans 12:1-2). The disciple’sContinue reading “Living A Fast Paced Life (2)”