Deep Roots

The following entry is today's devotion from Springs in the Valley. My copy of this devotional book was my great grandmother's and it's a cherished part of my personal library. This is a companion book to the more well known Streams in the Desert.

"Trees that brave storms are not propagated in hot-houses!

"The staunchest tree is not found in the shelter of the forest, but out in the open where the winds from every quarter beat upon it, and bend and twist it until it becomes a giant in stature.

"It requires storms to produce the rooting.

"Out on the meadow it stands to shelter the herds and flocks. The earth about the tree hardens. The rains do little good for the water runs off.

"But the terrific storm strikes. It twists, turns, wrenches, and at times all but tears it out of its place. If the tree could spek it might bitterly complain. Should nature listen and cease the storm process?

"The storm almost bends the tree double. It is wrath now. What can such seeming cruelty mean? Is that love? But wait!

"About the tree the soil is all loosened. Great cracks are opened up away down into the ground. Deep wounds they might appear to the inexperienced. The rain now comes in with it gentle ministry. The WOUNDS fill up. The moisture reaches away down deep even to the utmost root. The sun again shines. New and vigorous life bursts forth. The roots go deeper and deeper. The branches shoot forth. Now and again one hears something snap and crack like a pistol: it is getting too big for its clothes! It is growing into a giant! It is rooting!

"This is the tree from which the mechanic wants his tools made--the tree which the wagon-maker seeks.

"When you see a spiritual giant, think of the road over which he has travled--not the sunny lane where wildflowers ever bloom, but a steep, rocky, narrow pathway where the blasts of hell will almost blow you off your feet, where the sharp rocks cut the feet, where the projecting thorns scratch the brow, and the venomous serpents hiss on every side.

"The Lord provides deep roots when there are to be wide-spreading branches."

I think to have a true appreciation and vision of this devotion you have to be familiar with the western plains where trees may be few and far between. I've noticed since moving to the south where trees are EVERYWHERE that sometimes, totally unexpected and without a storm, a tree may just topple over! I suppose there's a whole different message to be gleaned from those incidents such as maybe a tree looking healthy on the outside, but inside being eaten up with disease or insects (anger? bitterness? unforgiveness? covetousness?) until one day it just crashes to destruction. But across the other side of the Mississippi it's common to see perhaps many, many acres of flat land or farm land with NO trees except maybe one lone tree out there. This tree is generally not a pretty tree, but knarled and twisted but with a substantial trunk and large limbs. You have to wonder how the tree got there in the first place, or why. Some speculate a farmer long ago planted a seed at the edge of his field so one day there would be a big shade tree to take a rest under when it was time to plow or harvest the field. Others say the seed was dropped by a bird and the tree grew as a result. Regardless of the beginning, there now stands a tree with deep roots that secure it in place and provide the necessary nourishment.

I especially was blessed by the part of the devotion talking about the big cracks in the hard soil around the trunk of the tree appearing as great wounds. Sometimes we may feel like we're all alone, braving the harsh elements, and that we're deeply wounded by the cruel winds and storms but it's those gaping wounds that allow the nourishing rains to penetrate all the way to the roots. Without the wounds, the roots wouldn't be accessible and no new growth would occur. Like the old saying, "No pain, no gain." But our Lord will sustain us and help us to grow and flourish as a result of enduring the storms. Praise God. I don't want to have suffered wounds in vain, but I want pain to be turned to gain! AMEN!

KJV Bible

Here's what I think about the KJV. There's been a lengthy debate at the one and only forum I visit, and my good friend Tammy Washburn is doing a magnanimous job of defending the KJV and she LOVES the debate. I, on the other hand, do NOT like debate. I'm no good at it. I'm just good at stating my opinion--not defending it. :-) Since this is a blog, not a forum, I will take the opportunity to share my opinion where I am the "queen" and can delete comments or posts whenever I like.
First of all, I feel it's very dangerous to allow questions or doubts enter our thoughts concerning God's truths. The devil is so good at planting seeds of doubt that can grow into full grown acceptance of heresy. Heresy, by definition, is an "opinion or doctrine at variance with the orthodox or accepted doctrine, esp. of a church or religious system." The KJV is the accepted, Assembly approved Bible for the English language. Therefore, for The Church of God member, the matter is settled.
When I read statements made by people I love, declaring the KJV is full of errors it hurts me deeply. My heart breaks. I love the Bible more than life itself, and to have it criticized and demeaned is very, very hurtful. It's something like telling a man his wife and kids are dumb and ugly. He wouldn't take too kindly to such words. Likewise, I don't take kindly to my Guidebook and Bread of Life picked at.
The question I have is: The folks who feel it so dreadfully important to point out "errors" in the KJV admit that there are no doctrinal errors or variations between any of the so called revisions made in the first century after the KJV was written--so why make such a big deal? Are there any "errors" in my Bible that could possibly prevent me from making it to heaven? However, there ARE errors in the other versions of the Bible that definitely could cause people to miss heaven. If the answer is "no" to there being any errors that could cause me to miss heaven, then WHY is it so important to discredit my Bible? Can anything good or righteous or edifying come from it?
My husband and I have been going through the book One Book Stands Alone, by Dr. Doug Stauffer. We also have the books by Gail Riplinger, which first caught our attention several years ago. The book we'll be going through next is King James Onlyism versus Scholarship Onlyism by Dr. Peter S. Ruckman. I understand this last book would REALLY stir the ire of the "educated crowd." The phrases "too smart for their own good" and "too big for their britches" come to mind. Childlike innocence is something to be envied. " Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein" (Luke 18:17). "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was" (2 Tim. 3:1-9). Ever learning...intoxicated with knowledge, they stagger, stumble and recklessly endanger other souls they come in contact with. It's scary.
Call me ignorant. Call me uninformed. Call me closed-minded. That's okay with me. I desire first and foremost to be pleasing to God and to TRUST His Word, regardless of what anybody else thinks, or thinks of me. I keep 1 Corinthians the first chapter in mind: "Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh [the educated fools], not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world [those who have childlike faith to just BELIEVE without seeing proof, i.e. Heb. 11:1] to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised [O, how the "educated" despise folks who just BELIEVE and they feel they MUST destroy their belief], hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord" (vv.25-31). Jesus Christ IS the Word, and He is my righteousness, my sanctification and my redemption. Praise the Lord!
Okay. Well, there it is. A lot of other scriptures come to mind--all from the KJV, of course. ;-) The KJV is beautiful beyond compare. It makes me feel safe. I love the Word of God--the pure, unadulterated Word of God.