Roots by the River

“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?” (Luke 16:10-12). Stealing is a common characteristic of the natural man. It is sin (Exodus 20:15), and in most states and nations it is also a crime. When we think of it as crime, then we are grateful that we have not been caught. When we think of it as sin, we know that we are always caught. Most stealing is not through burglary or hold-ups or shoplifting. It is being dishonest in very little and being dishonest in much. Crime is measured in petty larceny and grand larceny. Petty larceny is a misdemeanor, and grand larceny is a felony. The penalties are proportionate to the crimes. Sin is also measured in size; however, the size...

Merry Christmas! When Jesus came to this earth, He did not come alone. He was attended by a multitude of the heavenly host. How many this is we do not know. It was a lot. “And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying [not singing], ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased’” (Luke 2:13-14). There was a similar event recorded in Revelation, also about the Lord Jesus, the Lamb of God. “Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they were saying: ‘Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!’ Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: ‘To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb b...

St. Paul said, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body” (Philippians 1:21-24). “We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8). I am not anticipating going to be with the Lord imminently, but it will not be in the distant future.* I am ready to go. This readiness has nothing to do with merits; I had none and have none. “At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. 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 thr...

“Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen” (Galatians 1:3-5). “But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons” (Galatians 4:4-5). These two verses give us the reason for Christmas: ·        to rescue us from this present evil age ·        to redeem those under the law so that we might receive the full rights of sons Rescue, redeem, receive, from “the present evil age” to “full rights as sons.”