Roots by the River

Posts

Doing Something for Jesus

I have just written to a man in a California prison.* He has just started on a 44-year prison sentence. After that, he has 35 years waiting for him in an Idaho correctional institution. His children live with their mother in Florida. He is not a Christian. I am sending him a Bible and books. I am his only correspondent. We send Bibles and books to many people in prison at their request. We correspond with some of them and take collect calls from others. If you were here, you would think it is our only ministry. It is only a minor part, but biblically it is a very important part. Jesus said in Matthew 25:31-40, “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, y...

What God Has Joined Together

“‘Haven’t you read,’ he replied, ‘that at the beginning the Creator “made them male and female,” and said, “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh”? So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate’” (Matthew 19:4-6). The marriage service says that marriage is a “holy estate.” The Christian marriage is more than physical, economic, cohabitating and child bearing and rearing. It is a spiritual fellowship; it is a picture on earth of Christ and His body, the Church. “Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with w...

Why Pray?

“And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him” (Matt. 6:7–8). Why do we need to pray when God already knows what we need? First, we should pray because God commands us to. We are to obey Him. “Rejoice always, pray continually , give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thess. 5:16–18). “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests . With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people” (Eph. 6:18). The quality of our obedience is inextricably linked with the closeness of our walk with God. A major component of that walk is prayer. For a strong Christian life, look to the Lord continually. Seek His face. Pray the prayers of Scripture. God has chosen us to fulfill His will. He taught us to pray...

Keep the Unity of the Spirit

“Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3). There is a unity in the Spirit. We become part of that unity at the instant we are born of the Spirit. “There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called—one Lord, one faith, one baptism” (Ephesians 4:4-5). This unity is a reality! We are to make every effort to keep it. We cannot establish it. It is true already by virtue of our being born into the body of Christ. Here are few of the ways we destroy this unity: · We become men followers (1 Corinthians 1 & 3). · We seek followers for ourselves (Acts 20:30). · “ We have the best church government.” · “ We have the best form of worship.” · “ We have the best doctrine.” · ...

The Confidence We Have

“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us” (1 John 5:14). Much of prayer is wishful, hopeful, anxious, or desperate praying. This text and the ones below are God’s conditions for answered prayer. “ Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, with prayer and petition, with thanksgiving , present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7). “Until now you have not asked for anything in my name . Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.” (John 16:24) “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit— fruit that will last . Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other” (John 15:16-17). “But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt , because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tosse...

Practical Godliness: Solid Food & the Christian Life

by Chris Schlect I was recently* involved in a conversation regarding two distinguished, voluminously-published theologians. Both are divorced; their wives left them because they spent so much time reading, writing, and teaching that their families suffered from neglect. I was also disappointed to hear of a pastor who wrote a rather helpful book on child discipline, yet has a rebellious child. All three of these men know their Bibles very well, but their lives have not demonstrated practical godliness. Practical godliness lies at the heart of the Christian life. Knowing good and evil is important, but it is not enough. Good must be practiced. The Scriptures speak of a difference between milk and solid food . Milk is for the immature, and solid food is for the mature. We often associate milk with simple, basic truth, and solid food with lofty theological concepts. But Scripture denies any necessary correlation between godliness and vast Bible knowledge. The men mentioned above cou...