Roots by the River

One of the great words in the Bible is the word truth . However, it does not have a good reputation outside of the Bible. Perhaps it is because liars use it so often: “It’s the gospel truth!” and gossips also use it: “Well, it’s true, isn’t it?” However, if it is rightly understood, it is the measuring stick by which all falsehood is determined. Let’s look at a few of the places the word is used in the Bible.   “ The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).   “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me’” (John 14:6).   “If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives...

There are a few expressions in the Bible that go beyond a simple statement of truth which can be comprehended by the mind, believed, and adhered to. These statements seem to say more than an answer to a catechism question. Here are a few of them: “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart” (Matthew 18:35). “The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45). “Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength” (Deuteronomy 6:5). “Jesus replied:   'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind'” (Matthew 22:37). “For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved” (Romans 10:10). “Speak to one ano...

“ Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares” (Heb. 13:2). What I have to say about this is primarily an observation. That is that Christian people do not give much hospitality. When they do, it is to friends who then return the hospitality. But this text says to give hospitality to strangers . That is not entertaining your friends or giving dinners back and forth. The text gives us a motivation: some have entertained angels unawares. I remember talking to people about this, not recently, but when we lived on the East Coast. They were not about to invite strangers to their homes! They were not concerned that they might be missing angels. They were concerned that the people they entertained might be crooks or thieves who would take advantage of them. They do not expect to entertain angels; they only expect to be taken advantage of. As a result, hospitality goes by the board. “ Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers ....

The following was written by Brad Scheelke, manager of our bookstore (Oasis Books) in Logan, Utah. “But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness” (Heb. 3:13). Notice that: 1) sin is deceitful, 2) this deceitfulness hardens people, 3) hardening can be prevented, 4) giving encouragement daily is a means of prevention, and 5) every individual is important. The important individual is the other person. Self died on the cross with the Lord Jesus Christ. Now it is His life living within and overflowing to others. This warning about hardness and unbelief continues through Hebrews 4:13, where the focus shifts to our hope in the Lord Jesus Christ's work for us. Notice verses 12 and 13: “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creati...

Over the years, I have had several people tell me that they cannot forgive themselves. They probably mean that they will not forgive themselves. They make it sound like they are incapable of forgiving themselves. In either case, this problem is not found in the Bible. There is no teaching or example of people forgiving themselves or not forgiving themselves. My question is, “Who do they think they are—God?” In the Bible, we find that God is faithful and will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If that is true, we should thank God for this forgiveness and cleansing. If a person feels unforgiven, it may be that his sorrow for his sin is not godly sorrow. Godly sorrow leads to repentance, which leaves no regret . “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death” (2 Corinthians 7:10). If he still has regret, it proves that his sorrow is not godly. It is worldly sorrow. That kind of sorrow i...

Give praise to God, for He is the Lord! Give thanks to Him today for His great provision. He is Jehovah Jireh, the God who provides! What a great joy it is to serve God. Every activity, every thought, every action can be our expression of worship toward God. Honor Him wholeheartedly, and we will reflect His attributes, the fruit of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. In chapter 2 of the book of 2 Corinthians, Paul begins his wonderful teaching on the New Covenant, what it means to us as believers, and how it perfectly reflects God's glory. "But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task? Unlike so m...

In Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, he was concerned that some of the churches were followers of men. He mentions it several times: “I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought. My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. What I mean is this: One of you says, ‘I follow Paul’; another, ‘I follow Apollos’; another, ‘I follow Cephas’; still another, ‘I follow Christ.’ Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, so no one can say that you were baptized in my name. (Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don’t remember if I baptized anyone else.) For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preac...

“When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power” (1 Corinthians 2:1-5). Paul’s resolution caused his feelings—weakness and fear and much trembling. The result was a demonstration of the Spirit’s power. It would have been easy for Paul to count on, and trust in, his own eloquence and superior wisdom. His converts would have been the result of man’s wisdom, not of God’s power. That may be one of our problems in evangelism today. We get converts based on man’s wisdom. A simple resolution might make the difference: “to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ a...