A Bookish Approach To The Bible A Roman Cross And A Jewish Carpenter (1) A Roman Cross And A Jewish Carpenter (2) Back To The Garden (1) Back To The Garden (2) Digging Deep And Standing Tall Doing It By The Book Dwelling In The Shelter And Resting In The Shadow Exploring Off The CoastContinue reading “Getting Started In The Scripture”
Category Archives: Opening the Bible
Deliverance In The Wilderness
The summer before I started third grade, we moved into the house that I would grow up in. It was in the downtown area of a small town. We could walk or ride our bikes anywhere we wanted to go. For an eight year old, this was heaven. There was a baseball field just around the corner and up theContinue reading “Deliverance In The Wilderness”
Big Wheel, Little Wheel
Grace is a gift (Romans 5:15ff). It is freely given (Romans 3:22-24; Ephesians 1:6). It cannot be earned or merited. It is undeserved. Like oil and water, grace and these things are mutually exclusive of each other. If it can be earned, it’s not grace. If it is of grace, then it cannot be earned. This is exactly the point Paul makes in RomansContinue reading “Big Wheel, Little Wheel”
Crazy Hope
Abraham is 100 and Sarah is 90 when they have Isaac. It’s been 25 years since God initially told Abraham He would make him a great nation. Over those years, Abraham and Sarah have waited patiently and some times not so patiently (as in the case of Hagar). But God has his own timetable and He bringsContinue reading “Crazy Hope”
When The Spear Is Pointing At You
Saul was out of control! He was trying to kill David, the person God has chosen to be the next king of Israel. In fact, he was determined to do this. He personally tried to kill him (18:10-11,19:9-10), he put David in a situation where he thought there was a good chance he’d be killed (18:12-17), and thenContinue reading “When The Spear Is Pointing At You”
Two Kings And The School Of Suffering
It would be hard to read 1 & 2 Samuel (originally just one book), without getting the idea that the writer’s intent is to convey the events leading to a monarchy in Israel. Even more to the point, he would have us to understand how the Davidic kingship was established. That being the case, we see this theme pursued and developed through atContinue reading “Two Kings And The School Of Suffering”
It’s A God Thing (2)
There’s more to be said about discerning God’s activity in our world. James tells us that every good thing comes from Him (1:16-17)—can’t we just say that all good things are God things? We can if we’re saying that we recognize that He is the ultimate source of all our blessings. I think that’s not onlyContinue reading “It’s A God Thing (2)”
It’s A God Thing (1)
It’s a done deal that David is to be the next king of Israel. He is a man after God’s “own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14). No less than Samuel the prophet showed up at his house to anoint him. It doesn’t get any more definite than that! Of course the current king, Saul, is none too happy about thisContinue reading “It’s A God Thing (1)”
What About The Amalekites? (3)
Understanding that God doesn’t punish the innocent is helpful, but it doesn’t completely clear things up, does it? In fact, it just merges us into the much larger question: Why do the innocent suffer have to suffer at all? Why doesn’t God simply punish the wicked and spare the righteous? Wouldn’t that send a much clearer message toContinue reading “What About The Amalekites? (3)”
What About The Amalekites? (2)
A look at the text God tells Samuel, “I will punish the Amalekites for what they did to Israel when they waylaid them as they came up from Egypt,” (v. 2). You can read about this in Exodus 17:8-16 and Deuteronomy 25:17-19. Saul observes this part of the command quite carefully as he separates the Kenites from the Amalekites (v. 7). Whatever else then isContinue reading “What About The Amalekites? (2)”
A Taste of Grace with Bruce Green 