Author: Ian Bothwell

For Christmas my grandchildren gave me a spray bottle of Polo after-shave.  Instead of using it for after-shave I have it on my desk and spritz myself.  It’s nice to know I am not offensive, at least scent wise and it reminds me of my grandchildren.  There are many other ways to be offensive, as we all know.   Being that I have a propensity to want to express my opinion about things, I have had to work at listening instead of spouting.  People don’t like braggarts.   It is difficult to contain oneself and not brag about being a Christian.  Christianity is very unique from all the other religions of the world.  It is the only religion that offers salvation as a gift of God’s grace.  All other religions have complex rules and regulations and acts of penitence to gain God’s favor.  Christ’s message is we are God’s children and God loves to shower gifts of grace on His children.

There are some flavors of Christianity that have added acts of penance and many other do’s and do not’s.  Once they have done so they cease to be Christians.  They just don’t realize they become the same as pagans.  Alas, the Bible is so plain and clear.  Ephesians 2, “It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.”   Our prayer should be for us to be able to speak of this wonder without being offensive. We will be a sweet incense to God.  “Everywhere we go, people breathe in the exquisite fragrance. Because of Christ, we give off a sweet scent rising to God, which is recognized by those on the way of salvation an aroma redolent with life.”  II Corinthians 2 in The Message

Written by Roger Bothwell on March 18, 2014

Spring of Life, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

Rogerbothwell.org

 

I’m sitting here watching a bunny gobble down some carrots my wife tossed out onto the snow.  He is very alert.  As he munches away he is constantly watching, ready to run for safety.  He needs to be alert.  There are hawks overhead, coyotes and weasels in the bushes.  Actually the weasels will tunnel under the snow and pop up and grab them.  I am so thankful to be at the top of the food chain.  Though we have bears in the neighborhood they run from us.  The most dangerous animals we need to fear are other people.

Many years ago when my boys were small we drove across the grasslands in Uganda to see some lions that were spending the afternoon in a tree.  Unfortunately, I backed into a hole and had to get out of the car to push.  While doing so the lions perked up a bit and watched my every move.  I wasn’t feeling very sure that I was at the top of the food chain.  I thought I heard one of them whisper, “Please pass the A-1 Sauce.”

It was a remarkable day when God said, “Let us make man in our image.”  We have a Creator who not only brought us into being but wants for us to ascend with Him to heights unimaginable to us in our present state of mind.  In Ephesians 2 we read, “God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.”  Talk about being at the top of the food chain.  We will spend eternity being showered with gifts of intellect and power.

Written by Roger Bothwell on March 17, 2014

Spring of Life, PO Box 12, St. Helena, CA 94574

Rogerbothwell.org

 

Ecclesiastes 12 is becoming more and meaningful.  I can feel its cold breath on my neck.  I have been in denial.  But the latest sign could not be denied.  It was simple and yet dramatic.  I got out of the car and was halfway to the supermarket when I heard a horn.   A friendly sounding man called out, “You might want to close your car door.”  As I twirled around I saw it.  There it was standing wide open.  I had opened it, gotten out and just walked away.

I am so thankful for Isaiah 49:15.  Isaiah assures us that God will never forget us.  We need that verse because in Daniel 7 He is called The Ancient of Days.  Apparently God handles His age better than we do.   Unlike some gray bearded old guy on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel He is eternally young.  Before there was anything He was.  Abell 1835 IR1916 is His creation and is over 13 billion light-years from us.  Our telescopes are time machines showing us not what is but what was. The name Ancient of Days doesn’t even begin to describe Him.  He always was, is and always will be and He will never forget us.

When times become difficult, and they will,  He remembers you.  When you’re feeling down, and you will,  He remembers you.  When you seem to be forgetting everything, and you will,  He remembers you.  He knows what you need and in His infinite wisdom He will give you what you need.  What I needed was someone to tell me to close my car door.  Maybe it was Him.

Written by Roger Bothwell on March 13, 2013

Spring of Life, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

Rogerbothwell.org

 

If you are old enough to remember the cartoon strip Li’l  Abner you might also remember Joe Btfsplk.  Joe was a regular character in Li’l Abner and always had a dark cloud over his head.  Wherever he went the cloud was sure to be there to cause trouble.  It had no silver lining.  For almost six hours this afternoon I felt like Joe.   This afternoon we drove from Philadelphia to our home in central Massachusetts and it rained hard the entire trip.  The storm moved up the east coast at the same rate we moved up the east coast.  We managed to stay right in the heart of it the entire way fighting our way through the blinding clouds of water generated by hundreds of semis.  Needless to say it wasn’t a pleasant trip.

While crossing the George Washington Bridge at New York City I remembered a church member I had in my very first pastorate.  She was Joe Btfsplk in the flesh.  There was nothing in her life that was right.  After visiting with her I would have to go home and eat ice cream or do something to lift my spirits.  I have to give it to her she was gifted.  She could take any blessing and turn it into something bad.  I would try to point out good things to her but she always bested me with her gloom and doom.  One of her horrors was none of her children ever became Christians.  Really?  I wonder why?

It is just as easy to find the bright side to something as it is to find the dark side. Happiness is a choice.  Sharing Jesus with others is a happy choice.  If it isn’t a call to a better more abundant life then it really isn’t a choice at all.

Written by Roger Bothwell on March12, 2013

Spring of Life, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94547

Rogerbothwell.org

Yesterday my wife was visiting an elementary school and while she was washing her hands she said to a little girl, “We wash our hands to kill germs so we don’t get sick.  We get sick from germs.”  The little girl responded, “I have a cold but I didn’t get it from germs.  I got it from my cousin.”

And so we are confronted with a dilemma created by Jesus.  A. Birds of a feather flock together.  It’s an old adage that is supported by massive amounts of data.  And B. “This man eats with publicans and sinners” is an accurate description of Jesus’ friends and activities.  How does a person like you and me, well at least me, hope to be like Jesus and associate with publicans and sinners and not catch their habits, their vocabulary and their attitudes?  We catch all manner of thought patterns and outlooks via the conversations with have with others.  Thus we are told by our parents to be careful with whom we make friends.

This also points out the necessity for spending time each day with Jesus via His word.  Studying the life of Christ should whet our appetites for wholesome intellectual input.  There is the issue of the inner presence of the Holy Spirit.  That is a huge help in educating us.  So often we use the text about training up a child in the way he should go in regards to our children.  In God’s eyes we are His children so it doesn’t matter how old we are.  We need to be training ourselves in the way we should go.

Then there is the issue that most publicans and sinners don’t want to be bothered with someone who doesn’t join in.  They might catch something from us.  (Isn’t this a smug devotional?  I’m assuming we are not publicans and sinners.  Alas, what a self-deceived snob I can be.)

Written by Roger Bothwell on March 14, 2014

Spring of Life, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

Rogerbothwell.org

 

Have you ever desired to be a doppelganger?  If you select the right person being a doppelganger can be a wonderful thing.  Just in case you don’t know what a doppelganger is that’s why I am writing about it.  It’s new to me.  Being a doppelganger is looking exactly like someone else but not being a twin.

A few years ago while waiting to board an airplane a doppelganger of my father came and sat across from me.  He was even wearing a fedora and had a cigar in his mouth.  I wanted to go over and hug him.  I’m sure he wondered why I continually stared at him.   Many years ago in a bookstore I saw a doppelganger of my wife. After a while I realized that if I did not stop following her from bookshelf to bookshelf I would be arrested for harassment or stalking.

By this time you know where I am going with all this doppelganger talk.  The name Christian means to be Christ-like.  Wouldn’t the best thing in the world to hear if someone said to you, “Because I know you I now know what Jesus looks like”?  Realistically speaking that would take a long, long time for most of us.  That’s why we need eternity.

In John 14 Jesus spoke of His doppelganger.  While speaking about His Father, He said, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father.”  He went on to speak of doing His Father’s will.  So there it is.  If you wish to be a doppelganger of Jesus, the way is plotted out.  Do His will.

Written by Roger Bothwell on March 13, 2014

Spring of Life, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

Rogerbothwell.org

Before David became King of Israel, before Saul died, when David was a fugitive warrior, a raiding party of Amalekites burned Ziklag and kidnapped David’s wives, Ahinoam and Abigail, and the wives and children of David’s raiding party.   David with 600 warriors pursued them, found them and defeated them, taking much plunder while rescuing their loved ones.  During the pursuit 200 of David’s men wearied and could not continue.  Upon returning with all the loot the 400 did not think the 200 should receive anything except their wives and children since they had not engaged in the battle.  But David would not have it so.   The men who stayed behind with the supplies received the same as the fighters.  Every fighting force needs a support team if they are to be successful.

Therefore, the principle was set.  Each has his or her role to play and each will be rewarded.  At times we look at the rock star preachers and evangelists and think they will have so much more reward than the rest of us.  Not so.  God does not play favorites.  Just because someone is up front does not make them more worthy than the ones listening.  The ones listening are the ones making it possible for the one up front to speak.  Without their offerings and their attendance the big names would only have the shower in which to “sing their songs.”  God is an equal opportunity lover.  He loves the little old lady in the back as much as the elder in the front.

This is righteous because everyone makes it by grace.  No contributions on our part count lest we spend eternity boasting.  See Ephesians 2.  Scripture is plain. Salvation was God’s idea and His task.  We are the blessed ones.

Written by Roger Bothwell on March 12, 2014

Spring of Life, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

Rogerbothwell.org

 

I received some eloquently written messages today chastising me for yesterday’s exaltation of procrastination; therefore I am turning a new leaf in my old age.  Henceforth I will instead speak of the incredible benefits that are derived from being on time and doing things on time.  From now on I shall begin my classes when the big hand reaches the 12.   I will send in my taxes before April 15 and I will get my wife’s birthday present on time.

Jesus did say in Matthew 24, “But of that day and hour knows no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.  But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.”  His message was one of being ready at anytime, always, for the end.  Here in New England we drive on a lot of icy roads which are the cause of many deaths.  I have no guarantee that I will make it to the grocery store.  In these days of mass shootings I don’t know if someone will shoot me while I am sniffing a cantaloupe.  Therefore, be ready.

But what does that mean?  The answer is really very simple.  Jesus made it very clear in John 5:24, “I say unto you, He that hears my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”  Before being beheaded Sir Thomas More said to his executioner.  “Do not be afraid of your office.  You send me to God.”   He is then asked, “Are you so sure?”  His answer rings through the ages, “He will not refuse one who is so blithe to go to him.”

Written by Roger Bothwell on March 11, 2014

Spring of Life, PO Box 124, St. Helena, Ca 94574

Rogerbothwell.org

 

I have a clock on my desk that didn’t need to be changed this morning.  No, it’s not a modern one that automatically updates when the time changes.   This is the old fashioned kind.  I just never bothered to change it last fall so it’s correct once again.  This stirs me to speak in favor of procrastination.  When I was a student I learned that if I studied all semester, I still had to review the night before a test.  So why not just wait until the night before the test and then learn it.   It’s fresh and never needed reviewing.  If I finish preparing a sermon on Monday or Tuesday for the coming weekend I have a problem.  Once it is ready, I am ready.  I am like a race horse at the gate waiting for the bell.  If I don’t finish preparing until the end of the week then I am not anxious all week.  So don’t bother to change your clocks.  They will be correct again in six months or so.

Now that I have taken this stance I need to qualify it regarding salvation.  Just because God accepts deathbed confessions, it is not wise to wait.  You might wait too long and develop a condition that renders you unable to choose.  You could be suddenly killed in an accident or have drastic heart failure.   And of course, most importantly, you would spend a life without experiencing the joys of following Jesus.  He is wonderful.  He brings a peace that cannot be duplicated any other way.  Your relationships with others are better if you are like Him or becoming like Him.   Your health is better because of the lack of stress.  Folks, it is just the smart way to live.  The benefits of citizenship in the Kingdom begin now.

Written by Roger Bothwell on March 10, 2014

Spring of Life, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

Rogerbothwell.org

While waiting in a pharmacy for a prescription I watched a four-year-old little girl come up to her mother with a penny she found on a counter.  When her mother told her to put it back there was not a moment’s hesitation.  She ran back to the counter and carefully put it back where she found it.  As she was returning to her mother she stopped and said to me, “Why are you smiling at me?”  I was a bit startled but then responded, “Because you were such a good girl.  You obeyed your mommy right away.”

I chatted a few moments with her mom and thought, “I think there are lots of smiles in heaven when we are obedient.”  There are many opportunities each day for us not to obey and God’s reputation is on the line.  He has maintained that we can overcome.  Paul wrote in I Corinthians 10:13, “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”

Satan is an accuser.  He delights when we fail and he can throw our failures in God’s face.  So when we do well Satan is frustrated and God is so pleased.  When we obey we give God the satisfaction of being able to say, “Well, done my good and faithful servant.”  And just like any proud parent He beams at our successes.  God has done so much for us.  It is grand to be able to do something for Him.  Today let’s give Him tons of opportunities to smile.

Written by Roger Bothwell on March 5, 2014

Spring of Life, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

Rogerbothwell.org