Roots by the River

People are followers; people are imitators. They copy other people in language, manners, dress, and conduct. This characteristic describes 100% of the population—in other words, all of us. Initially, we do not get to choose whom we copy. We are born into a certain family, in a certain culture. We imitate those who are older than we are and those we are next to. We have their language, accent, diet, clothing, and profession. There is something common to all the cultures of the world. In the Scripture, it is called several things. One of them is “human tradition,” and the other is “the basic principles of this world.” “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ” (Colossians 2:8). “Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules?” (Colossians 2:20). “So also, when we...

Excerpted from The Narrative of Surprising Conversions by Jonathan Edwards These gracious discoveries given, whence the first special comforts are derived, are in many respects very various. More frequently, Christ is distinctly made the object of the mind in His all-sufficiency and willingness to save sinners; but some have their thoughts more especially fixed on God, in some of His sweet and glorious attributes manifested in the Gos pe l, and shining forth in the face of Christ. Some view the all-sufficiency of the mercy and grace of God; some, chiefly the infinite power of God, and His ability to save them, and to do all things for them; and some look most at the truth and faithfulness of God. In some, the truth and certainty of the Gospel in general is the first joyful discovery they have; in others, the certain truth of some particular promises; in some the grace and sincerity of God in His invitations, very commonly in some particular invitation in the mind, and it now appears...

Excerpted from The Narrative of Surprising Conversions by Jonathan Edwards Horatius Bonar tells of an awakened soul in Scotland who, in the bitterness of his spirit, set himself to work and pray, in order to get peace. He doubled the amount of his devotions, saying to himself, “Surely God will give me peace,” but the peace came not. He set up family worship, saying, “Surely God will give me peace.” But the peace came not. At last he bethought himself of having a prayer-meeting in his house, as a certain remedy; he fixed the night, called his neighbors, and prepared himself for conducting the meeting by writing a prayer and learning it by heart. As he finished the operation of learning it, preparatory to the meeting, he threw it down on the table saying, “Surely that will do; God will give me peace now.” In that moment a still small voice seemed to speak in his ear, saying, “No, that will not do; but Christ will do.” Straightway the scales fell from his eyes and the burden fr...

“ At that time Jesus said, ‘I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do. All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light’” (Matt. 11:25-30). Isn’t that wonderful? Come to Him and find rest for your souls. I can’t think of a better thing to come to Him for. His yoke is easy, and His burden is light. He will carry our burdens. This is Jesus’ object: to bring us to the Father. We can come to the Father through the Son and find rest for our souls. This post coord...

“So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them” (Matt. 6:31-32). There are two reasons not to worry. First, that is what the pagans do. Do you want to be like the unbelievers? Second, your Father knows that you need all these things. “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matt. 6:33). I remember 4 January 1958. We lived just off Piney Branch Road on Aspen Street in Washington, D.C. It was a Saturday morning. We had a little food in the house, but it was not the kind that our three preschool children liked: no peanut butter, milk, bread, eggs, or orange juice. We had no money to buy food. Standing in the dining room, Bessie and I read this passage from Matthew to God. We told Him that we were not anxious and that we were seeking first His kingdom and His righteousness. The m...

“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness” (Colossians 2:6-7). Years ago, a friend of mine told me that he was not into evangelism because the more converts he had, the more backsliders he had. Of course, that is not a reason to hold back on evangelism, but it makes you wonder why it sometimes seems to be so. Here is a major reason. The new Christian often is not taught to live the Christian life the same as he was taught to receive Christ. He is taught a different way of living than he was taught of receiving. That is why he falls. The new Christian received Christ by grace through faith. He did not receive Christ by trying or by effort. He is not to live by trying or by effort. He is to live by grace through faith. In other words, the Christian life should be like being born again every day. Please pray for the new Christians you kno...

“So we know and believe the love God has for us” (1 John 4:16 RSV). What struck me when this passage was brought to my attention were the two verbs know and believe . We know the love of God. We believe the love of God. The New International Version says, “We know and rely on the love of God.” Let me say it this way: We know and trust the love of God. The verse starts out with the word “so,” which means this conclusion is based on the previous verse: “If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us” (1 John 4:15-16), That is how we know , and that is how we believe . This post coordinates with today's reading in the Same Page Summer Bible Reading Challenge . If you are not in a daily reading plan, please join us at TotheWord.com . We would love to have you reading with us.

  “But that night they caught nothing.” “Friends, haven’t you any fish?” “When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread.” “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” “Come and have breakfast.” “Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish.” (Selections from John 21) Jesus had been fishing. Jesus had made or purchased bread. Jesus started a fire and cleaned the fish. Jesus cooked the bread and the fish. Jesus invited the men to breakfast. Jesus served them their breakfast. This was the risen Christ. “None of the disciples dared ask him, ‘Who are you?’ They knew it was the Lord.” Isn’t this a wonderful picture of the risen Lord? He is still a servant. We are to be like Him. This post coordinates with today's reading in the Same Page Summer Bible Reading Challenge . If you are not in a daily reading plan, please join us at TotheWord.com . We would love to have you reading with u...

There are two verses in the Scripture that speak to the immanency of conversion. “Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor” (John 4:35-38). “Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field’” (Matt. 9:37-38). These are the truths: the harvest is ripe; the harvest is plentiful; and there are few harvesters. That means that there are more people who want to get into the kingdom than there are Christians who want them in. Over the years, I have not been fru...