Roots by the River

The Bible is not a book that humanists can adjust to; it is too extreme. The humanist wants to be good now and then and here and there. He would like to do “random acts of kindness.” However, a Christian must be kind to everyone (2 Timothy 2:24). The humanist is worried that someone might have low self-esteem. The Bible says, “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you” (Romans 12:3). “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love” (Ephesians 4:2). Unfortunately, many Christians like the humanist standards and approach more than they like the biblical standard. In fact, we hear them judge the text of Scripture in the light of the humanism of our society. That is easier than judging society in the light of Scripture. You might say that if people are doing that, then they are not Christians. That would be a normal conclusion excep...

In our ministry, there are doctrinal differences, but no strife—nothing beyond good discussions. As in too many places, there is sin in our local churches. We see a desire of the elders in different churches to lovingly confront and rebuke those in known sin and to take church action in discipline, if necessary. Pastors of several of the believing churches in our area have been meeting weekly for years to sing and pray for revival. There is a real love for the brothers. I would like to encourage you to: 1. Keep short accounts with God (1 John 1:5-10). We would rather say it in terms of John 1:7: “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” 2. Love each other (John 13:34-35). 1 Peter 1:22: “Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart.” 3. Galatians 6:1: “Brothers, if some...

Since the summer of 1949, my favorite Scripture has been Psalm 91. I escaped death three times in the first year of the Korean War. I have trusted the promises of this Psalm. Recently, I have noticed the different persons in the Psalm. Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord , “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Surely he will save you   from the fowler’s snare   and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers,   and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side,   ten thousand at your right hand,   but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes   and see the punishment of the wi...

This post was written by Bessie Wilson. As Christians, we can say with the Scriptures that temptation is something that our Lord provided for. He did so in the Lord’s prayer. “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil” (Matt. 6:13). Prayer accompanied by our obedience will keep us out of a lot of areas of temptation that some of us are fooling around with. “These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, an heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, a false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren” (Prov. 6:16-19 KJV). A proud look . The NIV renders this “haughty eyes.” In Japanese, it’s taki-buri , which is “high-nosed.” Are ever you tempted to have a high nose? A haughtiness because of your hometown, your college, your forebears, or your race? If you have this proud look, somewhere along the line there was...

“ In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed. ” (Dan. 7:13-14) When Jesus calls Himself the Son of Man, He is referring to this person. The Jewish leaders knew what He was saying and did not like it. “ Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory ” (Matt. 24:30) “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that...

We have just finished the season of great giving or great exchanging, probably much of each. Some of us think only of getting, some of giving, some of giving in order to get, and some of giving because we get. Sometimes it is difficult to sort out our own motives. There is a good truth in giving-getting that is not selfish. The motives were/are absolutely pure. Notice a common truth in the following scriptures: the greatest motive for giving is love, and the greatest expressed love was the death of Christ. “This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins” (1 John 4:9-10). “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). “We love because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19). “Out of the most severe trial, th...