Category: devotional

Surely people are the most interesting thing God has created.  We come in an infinite array of shapes, colors, weights, ages and intelligences. This afternoon I watched a wisp of an elderly lady dine.  Her dyed hair did not disguise her life experience.  What amazed me were her three trips back to a soup bar, her three large bread sticks, a full sized cheese burger and fries and two large colas.  I’m sure I weigh twice what she does and I could never have handled all that food.

People watching is so much more interesting than bird watching or any other kind of watching.  Stars are predictable but people can be most surprising.  Someone asked me what I thought we would do for eternity and my response was people watching, angel watching, alien watching, etc.  There will be so many beings to interview.

I’m sure for the disciples Jesus watching was filled with surprises.  When they expected Him to chase away children instead He invited them to come to Him.  When they expected Him to shun lepers instead He touched them.  When they thought He would snub the woman at the well, she was the first person to whom He revealed His true identity.  When they thought He would foster the favor of the religious establishment instead He indicted them for hypocrisy.   Jesus watching will also be incredible for us because according to Hebrews , “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.”   That is definitely worth watching.

Written by Roger Bothwell on July 3, 2015

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

Rogerbothwell.org

 

 

While Paul didn’t know anything about our 4th of July, one of his letters should be the official 4th of July document.  The theme of Galatians is independence – freedom from righteousness by works.   After his personal greetings to the church in Galatia he wastes no words getting to his reason for writing.  “ I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel – which is really no gospel at all.  . . . If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse!”

After Paul moved from Galatia others came with the following.  “Yes, we are saved by grace, but . . .” Everything that follows that “but” is heresy.  “But, you have to be circumcised.”  Circumcision was the particular item but the issue was more profound because we can substitute any work for the word circumcise.  “We have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified. . . . if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing.”  Chapter 2.   “You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. . . The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” Chapter 5

Does that mean we are free to do anything stupid and evil?  Of course not.  “Do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. The entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”   Chapter 5

Written by Roger Bothwell on July 4, 2014

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

Rogerbothwell.org

 

I watched Family Feud this evening and I am tired of people “high-fiving” each other.  During one of the commercial breaks in three of the eight commercials people were “high-fiving.”  It was cute 24 years ago when Kevin was left “Home Alone.”  But enough is enough.  Is it just me or do you also get tired of things that are run into the ground by excessive repetition?  Do you remember the “Where’s the Beef” little old lady?  I am so glad that finally died out.  I weary of preachers asking for amens.  I figure if what was said was worthy of an amen, he will get one.  But please don’t ask me to amen you.  I might think what you said was trite.

Wow.  I just read that last paragraph and I sound like a grumpy old man.  I wonder how old you have to be before one is allowed to be grumpy.  People sometimes say old people are grumpy because they don’t feel good.  But I feel good.  I enjoyed my walk this evening and loved the rumbling of thunder overhead.  I just want to be grumpy because I enjoy it.  Can you imagine what those people were like in the Book of Genesis who lived for 600 plus years?  Talk about grumpy!

I shouldn’t be grumpy.  Jesus loves me.  He also loves you.  Jesus has forgiven all my malicious and stupid sins.   He will also forgive yours.  Jesus has promised me an eternity of endless intellectual growth.   He also promises that to you.   I have a great wife, two terrific sons and six grandchildren who are smarter than yours.  So shame on me for being grumpy.  I don’t think there will be grumps in heaven so I better knock it off.

Written by Roger Bothwell on July 3, 2014

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

Rogerbothwell.org

 

 

Today I heard someone say, “God loves you and there ain’t anything you can do about it.”  I wish I had said that.  But I like it so much I am going to repeat it.  “God loves you and there ain’t anything you can do about it.”  Peter with curses publicly renounced Jesus.  Jesus kept on loving him.  Judas sold Jesus to the priests and begged Jesus to free Himself.   Jesus kept on loving him.

Often Jesus isn’t thrilled about our decisions and behavior.  He actually might hate what we do.  But He keeps on loving us.  It’s His nature.  When something is ingrained in us we can’t help ourselves; at least the way we think.   We can help our actions. Actions are the fruit of decisions.  But we often cannot help our thoughts.  Thoughts only become sinful when we dwell on them and fantasize how to perpetrate them.  Because He lives in us God knows those thoughts.  Check out the last verse of Ecclesiastes. It talks about our hidden things. Lest that verse frighten and discourage us, we also need to check out John 5:24.  Accept Jesus and we will not be condemned. The moment we allow Him into our lives we cross over from death to life because, amazingly so, He keeps on loving us.

“I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God . . .” Romans 8

So what is your great sin?  It doesn’t matter.  He will forgive you because Jesus keeps on loving you and there ain’t anything you can do about it.  See I John 1:9.

Written by Roger Bothwell on July 2, 2014

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

Rogerbothwell.org

 

Every good salesman knows if he takes a client golfing he, the salesman, must be sure to miss those crucial putts and not win.  A pool table came with our house and occasionally we have guests who want to try it out.  I make sure to miss those side pocket shots. My guests are important.  There is an abundance of archeological evidence that the people of Ephesus were avid game players.  Knowing that Paul lived in Ephesus for quite some time leads me to think that someone with such an acute mind was a pretty good game player.  And being that Paul had something to promote I doubt if he won very often.

Sometimes we are led to believe “witnessing for the Lord” is passing out pamphlets or confronting people.  However, the most effective witnessing is much more subtle.  Effective witnessing is valuing others and their feelings.  People like to be affirmed and know that we are genuinely interested in them.  So often when talking to someone we are waiting for them to take a breath so we can jump in and tell our stories.  When we tell our stories we don’t learn anything.  We already know the ending.  We learn when we listen.  If they are telling about their six-inch surgical scar we don’t have to tell them about our twelve-inch scar.  Let them shine.  When we listen we communicate care and people leave our presence happy.  They just might want to know more about our Jesus if we are nice people.

Recently I heard someone bragging about being with a group of people that were eating hamburgers.  The braggart proudly stated that he refused.  Therefore, he said, he had witnessed.  Witnessed what?

Written by Roger Bothwell on July 1, 2014

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

Rogerbothwell.org

 

The Book of Revelation speaks of a remnant people saved by Jesus out of a great last day conflict.  The word “remnant” is defined as scraps, fragments, leftovers.  When I was younger I never left anything on my plate.  My mother taught me to eat everything.  Now that she is not here to watch me and that my appetite is not like that of a growing boy, I often leave quite a bit on my plate.  Instead of pushups I do pushaways.  My leftovers become the remnant and are tossed in a dumpster.  And so it is interesting that God describes His people as remnant.  They aren’t much to look at.  They aren’t particularly desirable; that is to anyone but Him.  He wants them even if they have already been dumped.  The best way to describe this is God is a dumpster diver.  He digs around in the scrap heap of humanity and comes up with an interesting group He calls His children.

The Gospel is a wonderful story of rescue and redemption.  Because our scope is so limited we sometimes fall into error thinking we are really something special.  And I guess we are.  However, our specialness has nothing to do with our merit.  It has everything to do with a loving Heavenly Father, who according to Hebrews, “saves to the uttermost.”  The Gospel is an intriguing story not only of our being pulled from the dumpster and washed up, but of our becoming temples.  We become His dwelling place.  This is better than PBS’s Antique Road Show, where people drag stuff out of their attics and have it appraised for major money. We are dragged from the dumpster and become princes and princesses of the universe.  Rags to riches is what the Good News is all about.

Written by Roger Bothwell on June 20, 2014

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

Rogerbothwell.org

 

He was a mountain of a man.  He had to be over 400 pounds and filled the door to my hospital room.  He came to draw blood and was gentle and kind.  When he spoke he was obviously not from New England.  He was from deep Mississippi and his speech did nothing to hide that.  Out of his huge man came the sweetest voice as he said to me, “Mr. Harvey,  I’ll try not to hurt you.”   He was a character out of a southern gothic novel by William Faulkner.   His large dark hands could have crushed one of mine but he was ever so careful with the needle. I never felt it slip in for its drink.  On his way out as he closed the door for the night he said softly, “You have a blessed night.”  I did.  He helped.

It is fascinating how some people seem larger than life.  With a few kind words and a caring demeanor they can change our entire day.  Jesus was that way.   John was certainly aware of that.  He wrote in I John 1, “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched–this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.”  What is amazing is John’s experience is not reserved only for him.  We too will see with our eyes and we too shall touch the One who speaks worlds into existence.  “In these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.”  Hebrews 1

This is awesome beyond words.

Written by Roger Bothell on June 29, 2015

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

Rogerbothwell.org

 

I sat down this afternoon to watch a program on Netflix.  It was a British production and I was having such a difficult time understanding what they were saying I finally turned on the subtitles.  That helped a lot.  I felt kind of stupid needing subtitles for something in my native tongue.  Or is British English my native tongue?  This afternoon I doubted it.

My students in Africa used to argue amongst themselves about what language we will speak in heaven.  Of course each tribe was a rabid supporter of their language.  I never got into the fray.  I didn’t have to.  I know it will be American English.  But wait will that be American English in Georgia or Boston or Des Moines?

I used to have some church members who were insistent that I should use the King James Version when I preached.  They were convinced that Jesus said “Thee” and “Thou” as I should if I was going to have any authority.   So what language does God speak?  He speaks the language of the heart.  He doesn’t need the mutterings of our mouths to understand our needs, our desires, our passions and our longings.

I love Romans 8:26 and 27.  “In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.”  Perhaps in heaven we will retain our native tongue and use a universal translator button on our shirts. (robes!)  However it will work, it will be just fine.

Written by Roger Bothwell on June 9, 2015

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

Rogerbothwell.org

If your church has a school or is affiliated with another church that has a school please do not weary hearing offering appeals for Christian Education.  Over and over we hear calls for funds for evangelism and never bat an eye.  After all isn’t that what the church is all about?  Evangelism, proclaiming the good news about Jesus, is our calling.  One of the last things Jesus told us was to “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”  Matthew 28:19

But what good is it to bring new believers into the church if we are not keeping our children?  Surely there is no greater evangelistic campaign for any church other than teaching our children to love Jesus.  Just this spring one of our local church school teachers had her children write autobiographies to go into a class book.  One of the children wrote the following, “…I’ve been through a lot in the last 12 years.  I lost my grandpa, went to Oshkosh, made friends, learned to love Jesus, and came to a Christian school.  My life has been so much better with Christ in it.  I want to be an ER doctor, help people and save their lives like Jesus wants us to.  So my life is great and there are many more memories to come…”  (Oshkosh was national gathering of Christian children for a week.  It was like a Boy Scout Jamboree.)

If we ever wondered about the value of Christian Education this short testimony says it all.  This is real evangelism.  This is the salvation of our children.

Written by Roger Bothwell on May 28, 2015

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

Rogerbothwell.org

We have a lovely oak tree that has been living beside a straggly looking pine.  The pine was once very nice and almost 50 feet tall.  But it was damaged in our last hurricane and never recovered so today we had it removed.  My wife told me to watch the oak.   It now has more room and light and will prosper and spread out.  It is like people.  We are designed to grow and spread out.   I’m not talking about our waists but our talents, abilities and influence.  Regretfully, often we are in an environment that stifles us and sometimes it is family and friends. Often others who haven’t done much with their lives don’t want anyone else to be successful.   I’ve known husbands who didn’t want their wives to go to school.  Sometimes people mock those who want to change and better themselves.  If so, it is time to change one’s environment. Since we can’t cut others down we need to move on if we are going to fulfill our dreams and maximize our potential.

Jesus was very unique.  He could mingle with riffraff and not be polluted and degraded.  Being that Jesus didn’t do anything we cannot do, we have to know He was successful because of His reliance on His Father.  We usually don’t do so well.  It seems that a barrel of rotten apples doesn’t get better because there is a good one put into the mix nor does the good one stay good.  Perhaps I should at this point say we need to rely on our connection with our Heavenly Father and we should.  Often we hear that we should grow where we are planted.  That’s true.  However, I think the message really is to go where we can prosper and grow.

Written by Roger Bothwell on June 26, 2014

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

Rogerbothwell.org