Roots by the River

In the last few weeks I have had separate conversations with three teenage boys, all of whom were raised in evangelical homes. During the conversations I asked each of them where they wanted to be in ten years, professionally, spiritually, and maritally. As I remember they all wanted to be in computers; they all wanted to be Godly and they all wanted to be married. Good answers. What kind of a woman did they want to marry? Each of them wanted to marry a woman who was more Godly than he was. Asked about how they planned to be Godly in ten years, I found none of them wanted to read the Bible, obey their parents and one of them was profane and it did not bother his conscience. I drew their attention that Christian wives are commanded to respect their husband. They also want to respect their husbands. That is also one of their considerations for a prospective husband. Normally they want to marry a man who is older, taller, smarter and if she is a Christian wants him to be Godlier than she...

You have read the last few months in the Injil what God has done and will do through his Son. How do you respond to what God has done? Here are a few statements telling us what our response must be. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. John 1:12, 13 (NIV) For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. John 3:16-18 (NIV) Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him. John 3:36 (NIV...

You have read what God has done for the forgiveness of our sins. There are four words which describe God’s gift to us. They are “Love,” “Grace,” “Kindness,” and “Mercy.” For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 (NIV) But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 (NIV) Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness , tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance? Romans 2:4 (NIV) For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8, 9 (NIV) But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy . He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, who...

The Injil describes the final judgment in several places. Here are a few of them. Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:11-15 (NIV) Is your name written in the book of life? Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. We live by faith, not by sight. W...

Behold, I am coming soon! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy in this book. Revelation 22:7 (NIV) Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. Revelation 22:12, 13 (NIV) He who testifies to these things says, "Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. Revelation 22:20 (NIV) I encourage you to read the entire chapters from which these quotations came. When Jesus comes it will be the end of history as we know it. It will also be the end of sin and Satan. Please correspond with me if you have any questions. We will be glad to send you a copy of the Injil, free, in any language you request.

But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ…Philippians 3:20 (NIV) …for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath. 1 Thessalonians 1:9, 10 (NIV) For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? 1 Thessalonians 2:19 (NIV) May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones. 1 Thessalonians 3:13 (NIV) Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him...

One of the greatest truths in the Injil is the promise of the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. In addition to the promise we see what will happen at that time. The next few days will be quotations from the Injil on His coming. Here are statements from Jesus himself. At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. Matthew 24:30, 31 (NIV) So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. Matthew 24:44 (NIV) Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I wi...

It seems our nation has deteriorated into a state of iffyness on right and wrong. We think if it is legal, it is right (abortion, 19-year-old drinking age). If it is illegal, it might be wrong…on the other hand it might not be wrong (marijuana, 55 mph speed limit). It is right if it is permissive and questionable if it is restrictive. If everyone is doing it, it is okay. Peer pressure also determines right and wrong. Not only is this a relative morality (situation ethics) but it is a constantly changing relative morality and the change is downward. Periodically, there is a hue and cry against immorality based upon bad results, as in Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), or the present pressure to increase the drinking age to 21 (assuming the “drinking” age really means “drunk” age because it is based upon the number of traffic fatalities caused by people “driving under the influence” under the age of 21). Should we also measure the number of fatalities caused by people 21 or over dri...

Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead— Galatians 1:1 (NIV) The last two months you have read many verses from the Injil about the Deity of Jesus Christ, His death for the sins of the world, His burial and His resurrection from the dead. When any one person turns from his sins and turns to the Father because of the Father’s love for the world in the death of His Son, that person receives forgiveness of sins, power to live a godly life, and everlasting life. We will be glad to send you a copy of the Injil, free, in any language you request.