Author: Ian Bothwell

It was a red 2000ish Toyota.  It was sitting in the school parking lot with its lights on.  A student walking across the lot wanted to help.  So she went over and tried to get to the light switch but it was locked.  How frustrating!  In just a few hours the owner would have a real problem and she could not help.  She walked away leaving the 2000ish Toyota with its lights sucking the energy from its battery.

Have you ever wondered if there are times when God wants to help us but He can’t.  While it is true, God is all-powerful and could force His good sense on us, He will not violate our power of choice.  To do so would shatter the principle of love, which only exists where there is choice.  Love is not love when it is coerced.  Once coerced, it becomes benevolent tyranny.

Our coed could have broken a window of the Toyota to gain access to the light switch, but the broken window would have been a violation of the owner’s property.  The solution to the problem would have been worse than the immediate difficulty.  Should God violate our freedom by imposing His wisdom on us, His intervention would have long-term effects worse than the fruit of our immediate danger.

God could have forced Eve away from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, but had He done so everything He has asserted about freedom and choice would have been a lie.  (Titus 1:2)

Written by Roger Bothwell on April 13, 2003

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

rogerbothwell.org

 

In 2003 it would have been pretty difficult for anyone with a television not to know about Joe Millionaire, who according to Fox Network, was a construction worker pretending to be a millionaire in order to woo a gold-digger.  It was by far one of the worst shows ever produced.

If it was so bad, why bother to mention it?  There is a reverse story.  And this one is true!  The wealthiest being in the universe became poor and lived with us.  The incarnation of Jesus Christ is the most remarkable story of all time.  Paul describes it like this, “He, Jesus, had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status…. Not at all.  When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human!…It was an incredibly humbling process.  He didn’t claim special privileges.  Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that: a crucifixion.”  Phil. 2: 6-8

It is such an incredible story.  How could the Creator become one of His created?  Why should He care enough about us to do it?  God’s love knows no bounds.  His compassion for us is the theme of all time.  In Colossians 1: 15-16 Paul writes, “ We look at this Son and see the God who cannot be seen.  We look at this Son and see God’s original purpose in everything created.  For everything, absolutely everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him.”

What a story we have to tell!  What a God we have to love and be loved by!

Written by Roger Bothwell on March 3, 2003

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

rogerbothwell.org

 

He spent the morning in a small room filled with other anxious citizens.  They had been called for possible grand jury service.  As they waited, he was sure his thoughts were similar to the others.  How, if selected, could he manage the months of service?  Who would teach his classes?  What about all his other commitments?  Fortunately, at noon a man entered the room and told everyone they were dismissed and could go home.  People wasted no time leaving the building

As he was getting into his old truck, it occurred to him that the man who had just dismissed them did not display any symbol of authority.  What if he had just been another juror from another room who decided to have some fun and dismiss everyone?  That all  had instantly believed him because he told them what they wanted to hear.  They never asked for any verification of his authority.  They just hurried out.

Such it is with most of the things we accept as truth.  If someone comes bearing a message that pleases us, we seldom ask for verification.  We are quick to believe what we want to believe.  Jesus warned us “many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.”  (Matt. 24:11)  A man told the prospective jurors they could leave and they left.  They never looked back.  They never asked, “Who are you?”

In Thessalonians 5:21 we read, “Test everything.  Hold onto the good.”

Written by Roger Bothwell on April 9, 2003

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

rogerbothwell.org

In 1945 my father was the principal of an elementary school in Duncannon, Pennsylvania.  That entitled him to a few extra gallons of gasoline made possible by receiving extra little red ration tokens.   As I am sitting here holding some of those tokens I find it difficult to imagine rationing.  It was a different time when World War II demanded all manner of limitations on what people could purchase.  Items like shoes, cheese, sugar, rubber items and even typewriters were on the ration list.

It occurs to me that God has a no ration list and a ration list.  On His no ration list is grace.  There is a limitless supply of His willingness and ability to completely and totally forgive us from misdemeanors and felonies. (Are there such things in His kingdom or is a sin a sin?)  What I do know is no matter how heinous it might be He will upon our request blot it out.  Wow.

On His ration list would be power.  Power is something that has to be limited to the user’s ability to use it wisely.  Too much power in the hands of a novice can be deadly.  He gives us just enough for our daily needs.  Jesus told us to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread.”  I like the term “just enough.”  It reminds me of Goldilocks.  Not too hard, not too soft, not too hot and not too cold.  Our heavenly Father knows us so well and can grant us all manner of blessings in a “just enough” manner.

I am thankful He rations.  Humans can be very dangerous when given too much of most everything.  Grace is excluded.  How grand.

Written by Roger Bothwell on April 10, 2015

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

rogerbothwell.org

 

I have an acquaintance who I have to say is a bit crazy. (Am I allowed to say that?)  He’s not dangerous just obsessively preoccupied with the end of the world or I guess I should say the second coming of Jesus.  Daily he scans the news in search of signs of the end.  When I ask him about it he is quick to quote Jesus in Matthew 24 where Jesus speaks of earthquakes and wars and rumors of wars.  I’m intrigued that he does this because in that context Jesus said, “But see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. . . .All these are the beginning of birth pains.”

Then there is Luke 17 where Jesus says, “”The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed; . . .” Paul says in I Thessalonians 5, “You know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.”  Peter says the same thing.  “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.”  II Peter 3

But my acquaintance asks, “How then will I know when to be ready?”  The answer seems obvious.  Always be ready.  What does that mean?   Make Jesus your savior, spend time with Him as you would a friend, enjoy being in His kingdom which is. (Please note the present tense.)  Trust and obey.  Trust because He is trustworthy and obey because obedience is the smart way to live.  It is true the world is in a mess but WWI and WWII were not picnics!

Written by Roger Bothwell on April 9, 2015

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

rogerbothwell.org

 

 

I was panhandled today.  It was interestingly different.  As it was happening I remembered as a child hearing Bing Crosby sing, “Brother, Can You Spare a Dime.”  That was the forties – seventy years ago.   How things have changed.  This man asked for forty-one dollars for a bus ticket to New Jersey.  Between my wife and me we had it.

So someone might ask what if it was a scam.  Then shame on him, not shame on me because he could have really needed it.  Then there is Hebrews 13:2, “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.”  Let me think about this.  Could an angel be bald with a comb-over, glasses, chinos, a sport shirt and Rockports?   Yeah, I think so.

I had just finished listening to a radio report about a refugee camp outside of Damascus, Syria where people have no electricity, no running water and worse – no food. I was probably in a mood to try to help someone.  Maybe God led the man to us because God knew I needed to do something.  While teaching in Uganda village children used to come and browse through our garbage pit.  They would also eat from the school cafeteria garbage area.  All this happened everyday for the six years we were there.  I am still haunted by it.

Someone might say I worked for what I have.  True.  But my education, my teaching opportunities, my physical strength, my twenty-twenty I.Q. are all gifts.  I did not choose to be born when and where.  Good parents, a great wife, a knowledge of Jesus and His love are all gifts, without which, I could be in that Syrian refugee camp.  Stewardship is a sacred responsibility.

Written by Roger Bothwell on April 8, 2015

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

rogerbothwell.org

 

This week Rolling Stone magazine had to print a retraction and an apology for publishing a story that turned out not to be true.  It seems that the journalist involved fell victim to being human.  For once we develop an opinion concerning an issue, we often become blind to information that does not support our view and we capitalize on ideas that support our position.  If we believe the world is a bad place we particularly make mental note of the horrors that fill news broadcasts.  We rarely think about the everyday good things that occur in our communities as we feed on the day’s bad news.

As Christians we are particularly susceptible to this because we are told the world will fall into a horrible state just before Jesus comes again.  We want Him to return; therefore, we almost love seeing bad news.  We sometimes forget that Jesus told us His kingdom has already come and we can as citizens begin right now to benefit from its blessings.  “Now having been questioned by the Pharisees as to when the kingdom of God was coming, He answered them and said, ‘The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed; nor will they say, “Look, here it is!” or, “There it is!” For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst.’” Luke 17:20-21

If this is so and if we believe what Jesus said, should we not be living the abundant life which He promised in John 10?   This does not mean we are Pollyannas and don’t know the world is a dangerous place.  It does mean that instead of being preoccupied with those things we should be thinking of that which is pure, good, wholesome and true.  It makes a huge difference in the everyday quality of our lives.

Written by Roger Bothwell on April 7, 2015

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

rogerbothwell.org

 

In Colossians 1:11 Paul prays for us to be “strengthened with all power, according to His [infinite] glorious might.”  In Philippians 4 Paul wrote, “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.”  In my second favorite book, The Desire of Ages, is the following passage.  “All who consecrate soul, body, and spirit to God will be constantly receiving a new endowment of physical and mental power. The inexhaustible supplies of heaven are at their command. Christ gives them the breath of His own spirit, the life of His own life. The Holy Spirit puts forth its highest energies to work in heart and mind. The grace of God enlarges and multiplies their faculties, and every perfection of the divine nature comes to their assistance in the work of saving souls. Through co-operation with Christ they are complete in Him, and in their human weakness they are enabled to do the deeds of Omnipotence.”*

I wish I could tell you I know what this means.  Yes, I know the definitions of the words, but I am overwhelmed by the incredible scope of the promises.  “I can do all things.”  “constantly receiving a new endowment,” “God enlarges and multiplies,” “enabled to do the deeds of Omnipotence.”   I am stunned by the extravagance of the language.  I want it to be true for you and me.  What are “deeds of Omnipotence?”  What is realistic for us to expect?  I want to say we are only human but Peter says, “We can participate in the divine nature.”   He means now.  II Peter 1:4

I feel like a baby just learning to see the vastness of God’s Kingdom.  There is so much to have and we have only just begun.

*page 8

Written by Roger Bothwell on April 6, 2015

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

rogerbothwell.org

 

According to the first law of thermodynamics energy in a closed system is neither created nor destroyed.  It is merely transformed from one form to another.  Just a few forms are wave energy, kinetic energy, potential energy and energy of mass.  Think about a box of matches.  It is a small bundle of potential chemical energy.  Yet it has the potential to release energy in the form of heat and thus fire.

A community is something like that box of matches.  Each person is a source of energy.  Each person has the capacity to do great things for their community—be it a school community, a church community, a neighborhood community.  Multiplying that potential by the number of people in the community produces a staggering dream of what can be.

In Acts 2:3 we read the story of the Holy Spirit filling the disciples with power.  And what happened when all that power was transformed into work?  Acts 17:6 says, “They turned the world upside down.” And we can do that today.

Written by Roger Bothwell on March 25, 2003

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

rogerbothwell.org

Have you every considered cosmetology as a career?  The root of the word cosmetology is the Greek word cosmos meaning “an orderly harmonious whole.”  You may remember when the astronomer and physicist Carl Sagan hosted a wonderful television series entitled, “The Cosmos.”  The series was about our world and its relation to our universe.

When someone goes to a beauty shop they are hoping to bring harmony out of their natural disorder.  They want to be well groomed and have their blemishes covered.  The cosmetologist is paid to make them look their best.

Bringing order out of chaos is remarkable feat.  Jesus is coming back to earth to bring an end to war, suffering, death and sin.  He will bring harmony.  He is “The Great Cosmetologist.”  Paul wrote, “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.  So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass. the saying that is written, ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’

I Corinthians 15:52-55.

Written by Roger Bothwell on March 30, 2003

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

Rogerbothwell.org