Archive for Bruce’s Blogs
Simple Sharing
If you look at the front of your weekly bulletin, you’ll see that our strategy for making disciples is simply connecting people to God and other people, growing in our faith and knowledge of Jesus, and serving like Jesus. Unfortunately, we have over-complicated God’s plan for sharing his gift of salvation through Jesus. Throughout the [...]
Simple Selflessness
We live in a selfish culture. Sometimes we don’t recognize our selfishness, especially when we’re striving for the best of whatever. While it’s not necessarily bad to want the best things of life, what we do to get the best or what we do when we don’t get the best illuminates our selfish motives. Many [...]
Simple Danger
Have you heard the news that some schools are banning “high fives” and teaching kids and teachers how to wash their hands to prevent the spread of the swine flu? Doesn’t it seem strange that our fears have gone from school shootings to simple interaction among kids? While it makes sense to take precautions to [...]
Simple Direction
Have you ever lost your way? Growing up hunting, fishing, hiking, and camping, I’m proud to say that I’ve never been lost. I have, however, been “turned around” a few times. Even though I knew exactly where I was supposed to be—I could point it out on the map—I wasn’t quite sure how to get [...]
Simple Focus
I’m a simple guy, so repetition is a good learning tool for me. I know I just preached this sermon, but I want to stretch the application more than I was able in the sermon. I said in the sermon on August 2 that many of our problems in life are caused by a simple [...]
Simple Forgiveness
In the last issue, I focused on the Good News that we have peace with God because of the reconciliation we have through Jesus. But there’s more to the Christian life than being reconciled to God; we must also be reconciled to each other. Jesus taught his disciples that our forgiveness depends upon the way [...]
Simple Peace
With summer comes thinking about summer vacation, whether you’re taking one voluntarily or not. For some it’s thoughts about relaxing on a beach; for others it’s relaxing in the mountains. Regardless of what you’re thinking about for a vacation, it’s very likely that peace and quiet are at the top of your list of criteria [...]
Simple Refreshment
“How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, down upon the collar of his robes. It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the LORD [...]
Simple Service
In Ephesians 4:11, Paul writes: “It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers.” We get that. We understand that there are people called and gifted to do what we call “ministry.” However, most of us aren’t employed by the [...]
Simple Weight Loss
I hate exercising for the sake of exercising. Unfortunately, the majority of my day doesn’t include activities that cause me to use my body in such a way that burns calories effectively, and so I must purposefully add exercise to my schedule. Since “misery loves company,” we started dragging the kids to the gym with [...]
Simple Submission
When Paul wrote in Philippians 2:5 that our “attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus,” what was he expecting us to do? We usually respond, “Be humble like Jesus,” but what does that mean? Too often we reduce humility to the idea of simply not taking credit for something we’ve done or [...]
Simple Humility
There’s nothing like the events of Jesus’ last week to put the Christian life into perspective. From the beginning of the week, when Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey, to the last supper, when Jesus washed his disciples feet, to the garden, when Jesus prayed for his disciples, Jesus shows us clearly that everything he [...]
Simple Unity
Believe it or not, Easter is just around the corner. The traditions I remember growing up are among my favorite. From the sunrise service to the breakfast that followed to the amazing celebration in worship to the family get-togethers that lasted through the afternoon, Easter has always been an extended family reunion. But it is [...]
Simple Program
It’s cool to be a parent and to be able to say, “Because I said so.” Whether my kids do what I say is another story, but it’s a simple concept to grasp. There’s a benefit of being under that kind of authority as well. Whether you agree or not, you know immediately what you [...]
Simple Mercy
In Luke 10:36, at the end of the parable about the Good Samaritan, Jesus asked, “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” In verse 37 we find the reply: “‘The one who had mercy on him.’ Jesus told him, ‘Go and do [...]