Roots by the River

There is another temptation that is more present than sexual temptation that does not seem so evil. After all it is the last commandment and it is not stealing or committing adultery; it is only wanting to steal or commit adultery. "You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor." Exodus 20:17 Jesus spoke to this in Matthew 5:27. You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.' According to Jesus when you have violated the Tenth Commandment you have already violated the Seventh. The Tenth Commandment defines greed and greed is one of the signs of advanced depravity in Romans 1. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. Romans 1:29 Do your own study of greed in the Luke 12:15, Ephesians 5:3, 5, Colossians 3:5, 2 Peter 2:...

We can easily recognize sexual temptation. It is very present in life, in pictures, advertisements, fiction and ritual. We are told how to handle these temptations. RUN! Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. 1 Corinthians 6:18 Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 2 Timothy 2:22 This is how Joseph handled it. He ran. She caught him by his cloak and said, "Come to bed with me!" But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house. Genesis 39:12

1. You may have figured this out that many “born again” Christians have not been born again. How do we know? There are two basic reasons: • They do not show the evidence of life in Christ • They are later truly born again and the evidence then immediately is apparent. 2. You may also have realized that there are Christians, real ones, who live like unbelievers. How can we tell the difference between the believer and the unbeliever? It is difficult, but here is the basic evidence. • The unbeliever can enjoy his sin. • The believer cannot enjoy his sin. Even if not caught by the culture, he is always caught by God and disciplined by God! And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son." Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as...

Forty-five years ago Lyndon Johnson was President of the United States. Art Buchwald wrote the following: “As soon as the President finished his State of the Union speech, I was ordered to get some public reaction. So I immediately called my father in Forest Hills, New York, and asked him what he thought of all the things the President wanted to do (The Great Society). “If he’s got the money,” my father said, “let him go ahead.” “I don’t think he has the money, Pop.” “I knew there was a catch to it.”

Here is a description of a politician between 900 and 1000 BC. It is in 2 Samuel 15:1-6. Absalom was not a good guy. He used promises and flattery. Sometimes this happens in the church too. People are bought with promises, lies and flattery. I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears. Acts 20:29-31 For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. On the contrary, we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts. You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed—God is our witness. We were not looking for praise from men, not from you or anyone else. 1 Thessaloni...

If the ministry that condemns men is glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness! For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. And if what was fading away came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts! And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:9-11, 18 This glory is a glory which is given to men. The one glory faded; in fact it looks as if it had no glory at all in comparison with the surpassing glory, a glory which lasts. This glory which lasts is ever increasing. We as believers have more glory than Moses as long as we keep our hearts and faces unveiled to reflect God’s glory.

These two words both describe one who is following Satan. Yes we know that lying is following Satan. We did not know that being lied to was following Satan. Eve was lied to; she followed Satan. We know we are not lie. We are not to believe lies that are told to us. If we do believe a lie, we are in sin. The liar says that he is telling the truth. The truth teller says that he is telling the truth. It is up to the listener to know the difference. Here are a few ways to discern lying: 1. smooth talk 2. flattery 3. suggestion 4. subtlety 5. involved explanations 6. know the truth very well 7. know the enemy’s tactics well

In the August 27, 2009, Wall Street Journal there was a note on the front page with no story attached. “The Federal Government sent about 3900 stimulus payments of $250 each this spring to prison inmates.” I am assuming that these inmates are old enough to be on Social Security. I can thank of no other reason. That is why we received the $250 each. It certainly could not be intended to buy future “votes” because a conviction of a felony deprives the felon the right to vote. Even if this package was not intended to buy votes, it demonstrates moral irresponsibilty. Our returned checks to the Secretary of the Treasury still has not cleared.

Yesterday I wrote down 35 different questions or statements that have been given to me over the 61 years I have been a Christian. These short sentences and questions were why the questioner was not a Christian. While I was thinking about these reasons I wrote down a Biblical answer to each of them. Although the questions were different there were only a few different real reasons. 1. The person loved sin. 2. He did not want to repent to change. 3. He was afraid God would change him. 4. In other words he did not want an answer to his question. Are there people who ask questions who really want an answer? Yes, but the questions sound different in content and manner. They sound more like this: • God be merciful to me a sinner! • What must I do to be saved? • I am afraid to die. • I am sick of sin. The questions that I wrote down do not sound like this! Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord's servant ...

For those who may be interested, a few months ago, I related how I had returned the $250 stimulus money from Social Security which was electronically deposited in each of our accounts on May 7, 2009. I sent the $500 check made out to the Secretary of the Treasury to our state senator with a letter. This was with the advice of his office. I sent it in April upon the receipt of the announcement from Social Security that we were going to receive the $250 deposits. On 7 May I received the check back from the senator with a letter that it was against Senate rule to handle things associated with the Executive branch of the government. He suggested I get in touch with I.R.S. The I.R.S. said that they could not touch it because it was Social Security money. I got no personal response from Social Security. On 6 June I sent the check directly to the Secretary of the Treasury with a letter. I sent it certified mail. It was signed for on 24 June, 15 days later. It is now 17 August. The ch...

We are greatly concerned about civilian fatalities in Iran and Iraq. We are also very concerned about every American serviceman who is killed in these wars. In a war area it is more dangerous to be a civilian than a soldier. In World War II in addition to the 5, 752,400 Jews killed in the Holocaust, 42,168,000 civilians were killed as opposed to 25,282,100 military personnel. In the Viet Nam war South Viet Nam military fatalities were 220,357. Civilian deaths were 1, 177,446. Let me throw in a few other facts of sin and death. According to John McCardell in the July 2009 Atlantic Monthly, “each year underage drinking kills some 5000 young people, 600,000 injuries and 100,000 cases of sexual assault among college students.” Another 8000 deaths are from legal age drinking. Center for Disease Control says alcohol related deaths not including accidents and homicides are 22,073 a year. Planned Parenthood says that there are 42 million abortions a year, 1.37 million of which are in t...

But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him. 1 John 3:5-6 No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. 1 John 3:9 We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the one who was born of God keeps him safe, and the evil one cannot harm him.1 John 5:18 Do we find it easy to believe that Jesus died so that we might be forgiven and go to heaven yet find it difficult to believe that He died to set us free from the power of sin? His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 2 Peter 1:3 God gave us many provisions not to sin, but the basic one is the new birth.

On Crowds, Mobs, World Cup games, celebrations after the winning of the World Series, NBA finals and the Super Bowl. The crow at the Vienna symphony is not the same as a crowd at a Rolling Stones concert. There will be applause at one and frenzied raucous noise in the crowds of the other. There is a great difference between a frenzied man and a frenzied mob. A frenzied man may be crazy and can be subdued but a frenzied mob is considered innocent and cannot be subdued. A few may be arrested in a riot, but not everyone. A frenzied crowd is contagious for more frenzy. This has been going on for centuries. But the Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason's house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd. Acts 17:5 When they heard this, the crowd and the city officials were thrown into turmoil. Acts 17:8 The assembly was in confusion: Some were shouting ...

On April 15 while driving in Moscow, Idaho, I came across several hundred people having a tax “tea party”. As I understand it was one of several hundred such parties across the United States. I have not participated in these kinds of events. A few days later we received two letters from the Social Security Administration telling us that each of us was having $250.00 deposited into our bank accounts. This was from the law signed by President Obama in February. I immediately made out a check to the US Treasury for $500.00. I am sending it to our senator to give to the Secretary of the Treasury. There were several reasons for this action: 1. We are not AIG, Chrysler, General Motors, Wells Fargo, or Bank of America – we are not too big to fail. We may be too small, but we are not failing. Our home is paid for, as is our car. 2. To send $250.00 to each of millions of Social Security recipients is irresponsible and immoral. It is either conscious money or buying votes. 3. We have alr...

Many of you have read the Chronicles of Narnia . You liked them when you read them or had them read to you. You should read them again for your second or third time. You may say “I am an adult.” Listen, these are stories for adults. I am not talking about the movies. The reason for this important encouragement is this; I first read, The Last Battle 51 years ago. I am reading it again. Please read chapter three and encourage all your friends and relatives to read it also. If all you see is an interesting story, enjoy it and keep reading. However there might be more. Pay attention. Pass this on.

Adam was made a little lower than the angels. Adam was crowned with glory and honor. Everything was put under his feet. Adam died and lost that glory and honor. Jesus was made a little lower than the angels. He is now crowned with glory and honor. Because He suffered death , so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone. The death of Christ for everyone is the reason that Christ is now crowned with glory and honor. He shared in our humanity so He could die. He died to destroy him who holds the power of death – that is the devil – and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. You can find all this in Hebrews, chapter 2.

Two and a half years ago we received the following testimony on the booklet, How to Be Free From Bitterness. It had been forwarded twice when we received it. You can download the booklet from our website www.ccmbooks.org or you can write us for hard copies (we ask $1/each). A paperback version can be ordered from Canon Press at http://www.canonpress.org/shop/item.asp?itemid=392&catid= To Whom It May Concern: Wanted to share: Because I’ve had deep-rooted bitterness and anger for so many years, I kept re-reading the pamphlet, highlighting stuff, but only up to about 2/3rds of it. I couldn’t “sincerely” say the prayer it calls for. After several months of this, I was able too, and found that the other essays after it were XCLNT and informative also. My anger made me a felon almost 7 years ago. Within the last year I’ve been blessed with having that dismissed even. This pamphlet impacted my life, and I will always keep it and reread it to maintain the level of forgiveness it hel...

You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others. Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs—he wants to please his commanding officer. Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor's crown unless he competes according to the rules. The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. 1 Timothy 2:1-6 Here is another comprehensive paragraph. First of all that: 1. Requests 2. Prayers 3. Intercessions 4. Thanksgiving 5. Be made for everyone Why? God is pleased to use our obedience in this to save men by bringing them to the knowledge of the truth.

What are the differences between the following lists of characters in books? 1. Tom Sawyer, Becky Thatcher, Nancy Drew, Oliver Twist, Huckleberry Finn, Jim Hawkins, and Penrod. 2. Hudson Taylor, George Mueller, Amy Carmichael, Adoniram Judson, David Brainard and, Gladys Aylward The first list of names are fictional, the second are real people. The first list are heroes without being Christian. The second are heroes because they are Christian. The first list are forever boys or girls. They never grow up. The second list we have their whole life. The first hat cannot be, or should not be imitated. The second list can be and should be imitated. I encourage you to read biographies of Godly people. Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct. Hebrews 13:7

We have many ways of teaching truth. These include Sunday Schools, Vacation Bible Schools, camps retreats, confirmation classes, Bible studies, Bible colleges, Christian elementary and secondary schools, Christian colleges and universities, seminaries, parachurch group like the Navigators, CBMC, Young Life, Inter Varsity, Campus Crusade for Christ, Youth for Christ, Child Evangelism Fellowship, mass evangelism, radio and TV evangelism, preaching in churches, personal evangelism, literature evangelism, Bible translation, Gospel recordings, foreign missions and parent-child evangelism. Assuming all of these are effective, but considering how much of the above there is, this nation should be a converted and godly nation. Of this list we have participated in, prayed for, or given to all but confirmation classes. Some of the works are very effective, some are less effective. Less effective: 1. where law and judgment are not presented before the good news 2. where there is not genuine lov...