Roots by the River

It is relatively easy to believe great things of God as in Psalm 33:6, 9: “By the word of the LORD were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth. For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.” It seems to be more difficult to believe great things of God when it has to do with us: “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work” (2 Cor. 9:8). “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us” (Eph. 3:20). “Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them” (Heb. 7:25). “Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand ” (Rom. 14:4). “That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because...

God, in inspiring the Bible, went through the Creation, the Fall, and the Flood all in eleven chapters. It is as if God was in a hurry to get to Abraham. Then with the next 38 chapters God goes into detail on Abraham and the next three generations. Abraham was the “friend of God” and the father of the Jews and the Faithful. David is a “man after God’s own heart.” The Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, is the son of David. “What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, discovered in this matter? If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God. What does Scripture say? ‘Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.’ Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness. David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the one to...

Our view of God, our view of our own sinfulness (or our own righteousness), and our view of the sinfulness of others all have an effect on how and when we repent. David had a great view of God’s mercy and unfailing love and a great view of his own sin. “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me, against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge” (Psalm 51:1-4). A simple parable presented by Nathan, the prophet, broke David into repentance. Job had a great view of his own righteousness and a great view of God’s injustice to him. “As surely as God lives, who has denied me justice, the Almighty, who has made me taste bitterness of soul, as long as I have life within me, the breath of God in my nostri...

“My son, do not despise the LORD’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke, because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in” (Proverbs 3:11-12). “And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says, ‘My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.’ Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in or...

I came across the following poem (prayer) and devotional in Amy Carmichael's book Edges of His Ways :   Before the winds that blow do cease, Teach me to dwell within thy calm; Before the pain has passed in peace, Give me, my God, to sing a psalm. Let me not lose the chance to prove The fulness of enabling love. O Love of God, do this for me; Maintain a constant victory.   Before I leave the desert land For meadows of immortal flowers, Lead me where streams at thy command Flow by the borders of the hours, That when the thirsty come I may Show them the fountains in the way. O love of God, do this for me; Maintain a constant victory.   "This prayer was written for the ill, and for the tired. It is so easy to fail when not feeling fit. As I thought of them, I also remembered those who, thank God, are not ill and yet can be hard-pressed. Sometimes in the midst of the rush of things, it seems impossible to be victorious, always to be peac...

During my 69 years of being a Christian,* I have been blessed in knowing thousands of believers in Christ. This blessing, however great, has had a little darkness in it. The darkness was not in the unity of the body—that was the blessing. The darkness was the differences the Christians had with each other. The differences were on many things, including baptism (different forms or meanings) and theology (Reformed, Dispensational, Wesleyan, Pentecostal, German Lutheran, Swedish Lutheran, Missouri Synod Lutheran, etc. They would not allow communion to someone whose church was in a different synod or denomination.) Is there a common basis for fellowship in the Bible? There is a basis for breaking fellowship. Unconfessed immorality is one reason. “But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people. What business is...

Here are a few thoughts on evangelism. There is a key responsibility placed upon the unbeliever: “In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30). This is a command to all people everywhere . However, all people everywhere have not heard this command. Let's look at the responsibility placed on the believer: “For, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’ But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, ‘Lord, who has believed our message?’ Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ” (Romans 10:13-17). “To o...

The Bible speaks of the sins of whole nations in many places. Here is one of them: “This is what the Lord says: For three sins of Israel, even for four, I will not turn back my wrath…” (Amos 2:6). Scripture also speaks of the sins of cities (e.g., Amos 1:3, 6). Jesus spoke of judgment on Chorazin and Bethsaida in Matthew 11:21 and of possible judgment on five of the seven churches in Asia in Revelation 2 and 3. The collective sins of the people brought about these judgments. The people of the Church today are not known for confessing their sins. We are even less known for confessing the sins of the whole church or city or nation as Daniel did in Daniel 9: “Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws. We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our pr...