Roots by the River

He who fears the LORD has a secure fortress, and for his children it will be a refuge. (Proverbs 14:26) We all know little children who run to their mother or father when they are hurt or afraid. As the children get older and leave home, they should have a fortress they can run to for refuge. Do you have that kind of fortress, a secure one? This post coordinates with tomorrow's reading in the To the Word! Bible Reading Challenge . If you are not in a daily reading plan, please join us at biblereading.christkirk.com . We would love to have you reading with us.

When I was a little boy, I thought I would stay that way forever. It did not happen. Here I am still thinking I will stay this way forever. It is not happening.* Here are a few of my favorite verses in Scripture: “ Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved. ” (Acts 4:12) “ The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. ” (2 Corinthians 4:4) “ The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments. ” (1 Corinthians 2:14-15) “ Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through...

“Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age’” (Matthew 28:18-20). “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires” (2 Peter 1:3-4). God’s part is past tense: “All authority has been given to Jesus... His divine power has given us...” And present tense: “I am with you always...” With the past and present actions of God, our belief and obedience is simple and assured. Notice that we are to teach o...

“Through him and for his name’s sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith” (Romans 1:5). “I am sending you to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me” (Acts 26:17-18). “I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power. Although I am less than the least of all God’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things” (Ephesians 3:7-9). Paul, here, is not speaking of saving grace but of preaching grace . This grace was given to him to: ·        preach the unsearchable riches of Christ ·  ...

The Bible is not a book that humanists can adjust to; it is too extreme. The humanist wants to be good now and then and here and there. He would like to do “random acts of kindness.” However, a Christian must be kind to everyone (2 Timothy 2:24). The humanist is worried that someone might have low self-esteem. The Bible says, “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you” (Romans 12:3). “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love” (Ephesians 4:2). Unfortunately, many Christians like the humanist standards and approach more than they like the biblical standard. In fact, we hear them judge the text of Scripture in the light of the humanism of our society. That is easier than judging society in the light of Scripture. You might say that if people are doing that, then they are not Christians. That would be a normal conclusion excep...

In our ministry, there are doctrinal differences, but no strife—nothing beyond good discussions. As in too many places, there is sin in our local churches. We see a desire of the elders in different churches to lovingly confront and rebuke those in known sin and to take church action in discipline, if necessary. Pastors of several of the believing churches in our area have been meeting weekly for years to sing and pray for revival. There is a real love for the brothers. I would like to encourage you to: 1. Keep short accounts with God (1 John 1:5-10). We would rather say it in terms of John 1:7: “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” 2. Love each other (John 13:34-35). 1 Peter 1:22: “Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart.” 3. Galatians 6:1: “Brothers, if some...