Category: devotional

Just a few days after our blizzard, the temperature shot up to 50 plus degrees.   You can imagine what that did to the children’s snowman in the front yard. As we left for the airport this morning to get our California children back to California our seven-year old grandson looked out the window at the very small pile of remaining snow and said, “Look, he’s still alive!”  Surrounding a little bit of snow was a withered carrot nose and some acorn caps that had been eyes and tummy buttons.

Through the years I have watched some of my very alive and large friends literally melt away until they barely filled their wheelchair.  Little old ladies and little old men weren’t always so little.  It’s too bad that our grandchildren can’t see us when we were as strong and vital as their parents.  My students laugh when I tell them to be careful in heaven.  That pretty lady you eyed on the streets of gold might say, “Watch it young man. I’m your great grandmother.”

Luke 20:38 is a wonderful verse.  It says, “He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.”  Though the Bible clearly speaks of a coming resurrection of the dead (I Corinthian 15 and I Thess. 4.)  Jesus wants us to understand (John 5) that once we accept Him we pass over from death to life. Though our humanity melt away we will always be alive in His memory and via His resurrecting power we shall once again breathe and move and love and do all the wonders that God longs for us.  Jesus is who He says He is – The Resurrection and the Life.

Written by Roger Bothwell on January 3, 2011

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

Rogerbothwell.org

 

‘Tis that wonderful time of the year when each day’s mailbox overflows with catalogs.   Some of the catalogs feature junk that one would be lucky if they didn’t arrive broken.  Then there are others with some lovely very expensive items one would be fearful to use lest they break.  I’m looking at one featuring silver coins from the time of Jesus’ birth.  To guarantee their authenticity they tell us they will send a certificate of authenticity with the coins.  But who is going to certify the certificate of authenticity is authentic?  If someone can make fake coins why not also make fake certificates?

I was wondering if heaven sent out a catalog at this time of the year, what would it feature?  On page one we might find an ad for peace of mind.  That should be a popular item.  Throughout the years I was a pastor I saw hundreds of people who needed this.  Page two could feature patience.  That should be a popular article.  I saw a couple of guys on the freeway this afternoon that really needed this one.  Honesty should be on page three.  That would be a good one for all those people trying to steal our identity and charge Christmas gifts to our credit cards.  Heaven could put the gift of hospitality on page four.  There’s a delightful quality that would enable us to make people comfortable and feel cared for.  That’s a gift that could change the world.

Then of course the feature item of the catalog would be eternal life.  The price would be paradoxical.  It is the most valuable item listed.  But it would be listed already paid for and with free shipping.  All of the items would include free shipping.

Written by Roger Bothwell on December 5, 2010

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

rogerbothwell.org

At first I was a bit taken back and then amused.  There was an elderly lady (someone older than me) in the supermarket with a lip ring and a diamond stud in the side of her nose.  I have gotten used to seeing that in young people but really now – Granny?  I probably should not tell you what text jumped to my mind.  It reveals that I am not such a nice person.  It was Proverbs 11:22, “As a jewel of gold in a swine’s snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion.”

There are some things that just don’t go together.  Ferrari pickup trucks, breeding a Chihuahua with a Great Dane, marrying a Jihadist to a Jew are just a few things that pop into my mind. According to Paul there are a few things that do not go with being a Christian.  He lists them in Galatians 5. “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”

That is a very depressing list.  So let’s feed our souls with Paul’s list of things that do go along with being a Christian.  It is also in Galatians 5.  “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”   Now that’s much better.  If things are good let’s think about them.

Written by Roger Bothwell on December 4, 2010

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

Rogerbothwell.org

 

There is a fascinating clause in Ephesians 3:10.   Paul makes reference to “. . . the principalities and powers in heavenly places. . .”  This evening’s network news reported that astronomers have upped the number of stars accessible to our instruments.  The number is now a three followed by twenty-six zeros.  That looks like this 300,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000.  Are we impressed yet?  Or is it so incomprehensible that it is just a string of zeros?

I have no desire to take advantage of your time by filling this message with my fantasies, but it is so difficult not to wonder just what Paul meant.  Is there some form of government and leadership on each of the worlds God has made?   “. . . his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds. . .”  Hebrews 1:2.  It is obvious that Paul certainly did not think we were alone.

Diplomacy in our State Department is the fine art of representing our nation to other nations.  Might this be our eternal task?  To glorify God by being diplomats that bear physical witness to our redemption.  We, like no other beings, can personally speak of grace.  With us it is not an academic topic.  Salvation is not a subject for sermons or lectures in a classroom.  With us it is personal.  Those who have personally been rescued from some horror can speak with moving power that cannot be replicated by the greatest of actors.

One of my students mentioned the possibility of finally visiting everywhere and becoming bored at some point in eternity.  I am most anxious to find him tomorrow and give him an opportunity to pronounce the number three followed by twenty-six zeros.

Written by Roger Bothwell on December 3, 2010

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

Rogerbothwell.org

 

I have just developed a serious case of printer envy.  I along with one of my colleagues took pictures of our students.  We want the pictures for a display in our department.  Her pictures are about twice as good as mine.  Hers look professional and mine look like a grade school project.  Both of us are using Canon cameras, Canon paper and Canon printers.  But her printer has five different ink cartridges and mine only has four.  The difference in the picture quality is dramatic.

My question is.  Is it okay for me to want a printer like hers as long as I don’t long for her printer?  Am I or am I not violating the “Thou shall not covet”?   I don’t think I am.  I believe the commandment was designed to keep me from scheming how to get something from another person.  I am not to want someone’s job or someone’s wife, something that can’t be replicated.

The entire issue of commandment keeping is all about love for someone other than myself.  It’s the heart of God’s law.  God is not interested in giving us commandments to see if we are obedient.  He is interested in protecting us from harming ourselves and others. This is why obedience becomes the fruit of our experience with Jesus.  With Jesus living in us we lose the desire to do anything that would bring harm.  We can go through the day and do anything we want to do because we only want to do what is beneficial.   This is what Paul is talking about in Galatians 5 and 6.  We have tremendous freedom in Christ and can prosper and do well as long as we allow Him to influence our wants and needs.

Written by Roger Bothwell on December 2, 2010

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

Rogerbothwell.org

 

Do you ever see or hear something so unbelievable you question its veracity?  Me, too.  Try this one. In the November 29 issue of Time magazine you will find this number.  Ninety percent of all children in the United States will eat at a McDonalds at least once a month.  I mentioned this to one of my classes today and they couldn’t believe it.  But as astounding as it is I would assume the publishers of Time magazine would have verified this before printing it.  So I am going to believe it.

Now if I should believe the publishers of Time should I not also believe the Creator of the world when He says some pretty unbelievable things such as He forgives all our sins if we will only ask?  Or how about believing that He is coming again in the clouds of heaven to redeem us and at the same time resurrect those who have died believing in Him?  How about believing that we are saved by grace and not by our labors?  I could go on with some more pretty amazing promises from Scripture but, my point is obvious.  The editors of Time are fallible people like you and me and yet I choose to believe them.  I do this knowing that next week’s edition might possibly print a retraction acknowledging that they overstated the McDonalds thing.

One thing I can be absolutely sure of there will NEVER be a published retraction of John 3:16-17.  Nor will there be one from I Thessalonians 4 or I John 1:9 or John 14.  There are some things that are so sure, so real, so positive that choosing to believe them is a very smart thing to do.

Written by Roger Bothwell on December 1, 2010

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

Rogerbothwell.org

 

There are some verses of Scripture that are so outstanding they jump off the page yelling, “Look at me.  Memorize me.”  Colossians 2:9 & 10 are two of them.  Paul wrote, “For in him (Christ) dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.  And you are complete in him . . .”   Jesus is fully God.  Hebrews 1 tells us Jesus is the exact representation of God and all the worlds (plural) were created by Jesus.  Then Paul adds we are complete in Him.

There is no character defect that He cannot repair.  There is no deficiency of character that He cannot supply.  There is no sin He cannot forgive.  There is no lack of personality that He cannot add to us.  There is no skill needed that He cannot provide for us when we need it.  Every excellence can be developed in us by the indwelling of His Spirit.  We are COMPLETE in Him.  It really doesn’t get any better than this.

What is so exciting about this is we need never to be ashamed of what we are. We can come boldly before His throne and request what we need and then not worry about it.  When we need it, it will be there.  We don’t have to beg.  We don’t have to nag Him.  We don’t have to remind Him of our need.  He knows everything.  He knows we asked.  We don’t have to exhibit all the gifts all the time because we don’t need them all the time.  But they are there and He knows the precise moment when we need them.  This is trusting in Him.  This is knowing that with Him in us life is and will continue to be a growing experience.

Written by Roger Bothwell on November 30, 2010

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

Rogerbothwell.org

 

Being that the Boston Celtics are in the finals against their historic rival the Lakers I am semi-engaged in what is happening.  I say semi because I have never been enamored with ten very tall guys throwing a ball through a hoop.   I have a theory about basketball.  We should give each team 100 points and then play for five minutes.  This week while watching one of the games I heard a new term.  By telling you this I am revealing how ignorant I am, but oh well.  I heard the commentators talking about one of the players getting a triple-double.   I didn’t have a clue.  But I do know how to use Google.  A triple-double is when one player tallies double digits in three areas.  For example, 26 points, 12 assists and 16 rebounds.  Magic Johnson holds the record for 30 triple-doubles during a playoff series.

Obviously one has to be very good to achieve such status.  Hebrews 11 has always fascinated me.  Paul records a list of God’s greats.  These are the triple-double quality people.  It is exciting to note the list is not closed.  Hebrews 12:1 says, “Seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, . . .”  When it’s foggy I think of God’s cloud of witnesses.

There are so many millions of droplets of water.  Heaven’s list is huge and you and I have the opportunity to be included.  Someone is probably saying, “Not me.”  Yes, you.  All you need is perfection and that is a gift from Jesus.

Written by Roger Bothwell on June 11, 2010

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

Rogerbothwell.org

I never thought I would ever meet an apple pie I did not like.  However, this weekend I did just that.  First of all, let me say my wife did not make it.  If she had I would have eaten it with relish and never ever speak of this.  I have learned a few things in 48 years of marriage.  So I am safe to say this was a BAD apple pie.  The apples were those sugary things that come out of a can.  The crust was (How can I put this?) cardboard that had been used as a shipping container for cheap goods from China.  One of the things I was thankful for this past Thursday was I did not have to eat it.  That’s one of the advantages of being a big person and not having to clean off your plate because children are starving in Africa. (I never did figure out why I had to overeat because children somewhere on earth were undereating.)

Will Rogers once said, “I never met a man I didn’t like.”  I’d like to introduce him to someone I know.  I cannot imagine that Jesus liked everyone He met.  I do believe He loved everyone but liking and loving are two very different things.  It is safe to say He did not like the religious establishment in Jerusalem.  If He did He had a strange way of showing it. Please read Matthew 23.  I don’t think we have to like everyone along life’s way.  However, we should indeed care about their well being and help them when they are in need.

Some people are crusty on the outside.  But I am sure Jesus sees something wonderful on their inside.  That’s the way He is.

Written by Roger Bothwell on November 29, 2010

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

Rogerbothwell.org

 

I first saw him literally shuffling into our local market.  He was hard to miss; cashmere sport jacket, wool scarf, Stetson hat, white mustache, white hair flowing out from under the hat, bushy eyebrows, glasses on the tip of his nose and a twinkle in his blue eyes.  I asked him how he was and I never said another word for the next twenty-five minutes while my wife shopped and then came and pulled me away from him.  He was as British as one can be; eighty-eight years old, lonely, a widower for the past two years.  I heard all about WWII in London; bomb shelters, Yanks, airmen, uniforms and officers.

I have met others like him.  As he spoke of the war there was vibrancy in his eyes. Some men love war.  I think they are the ones who never hit the beaches. They are the ones whose lives were full of the adventure of new places, meeting new people, learning new skills and not having to go to a 9 to 5 job.   Theodore Roosevelt glamorized war and was continually enamored with it until his son died in combat.  Suddenly it wasn’t so wonderful anymore.  There is a dear price to pay for the handsome uniforms and the adrenaline rush.

As I left him he said, “You Yanks are really quite boring.”  I guess I was. I never said one interesting thing.  All I said was “How are you?” and “I have to go.”  Truthfully I would like to have listened to more of his stories.  People really are the most interesting animal on earth.  God must be interesting; after all we are made in His image.  He must have some great stories to tell.  He knows them all.

Written by Roger Bothwell on November 27, 2010

Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helen, CA 94574

Rogerbothwell.org