Month: January 2021

I was sitting in a waiting room this morning that had one of the machines that makes almost instant hot coffee.  You take a small container and insert it in the top, close the lid, press a button and almost instantly coffee flows out.   A very tall old guy came over to use it and my wife said to him, “Pretty amazing machine.”  To which he responded, “They are wasteful.  They are not good for the environment and contribute to the destruction of our world.  That is one expensive cup of coffee.”  He then made himself a free cup of hazelnut flavored coffee. If I had been up for a confrontation I would have, should have, called him a hypocrite.

We shouldn’t be allowed to have it both ways.  If we want to complain about something we should live accordingly.  Jesus certainly had words for such people.  Matthew 23 is full of Jesus’ indignation over such.  Here’s a sample.  “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You are liken unto whitewashed sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.”

One of Shakespeare’s most quoted lines comes from Hamlet.  “The lady doth protest too much.”  In psychology we call it a reaction formation.  It is defined as when a person is guilty of something and yet strongly crusades against his or her problem.  Preachers need to be careful about denouncing something over and over because it soon becomes apparent they have a related problem.  While we should not fear to call out sinful behavior that is harming someone, we also need to understand ourselves and why we are saying what we are saying.

Written by Roger Bothwell on January 20, 2012

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

Rogerbothwell.org

 

I wasn’t feeling very good when I got out of the car at Murchison Falls in Uganda.  As we climbed to the overlook I continued to feel worse and worse.  Finally I moved off the trail a bit so I could lie down and throw-up.  While waiting to gather my strength a strange but very friendly face peered into mine and he said, “I’m Doctor David Livingston, may I help you?”  Even in the midst of my nausea I managed to skeptically say, “Sure you are.”  We quickly learned that he really was Doctor David Livingstone.  He was the famous African explorer’s grandson. He worked at a hospital in southern Africa and was on holiday.  Fortunately for me, he was able to help with malaria medication.  We saw him again with his family that evening in a nearby lodge.

Ever after I have wondered how many times God speaks to us only to have us skeptically think, “No, not really.”   He spoke to Samuel only to have Samuel think it was Eli calling.  He spoke to Elijah, but not in an earthquake or fire, but in a still small voice. There are some who are like Samuel and hear a voice.  However, most of us are on the still small voice channel.  We wait for some horrific event to occur on Earth or to us thinking God will be inthe big events.  He is, but most of the time He is whispering.

And what does He have to tell us?  For each of us the communication is unique because each of us has different needs.   Your needs are not my needs. You are special.  God’s message to you is especially for you.  Listen carefully.  Because He is whispering sometimes we need to turn off our noisy electronics.

Written by Roger Bothwell on January 20, 21013

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

Rogerbothwell.org

 

The same man held up the same donut store in our town three times in two weeks.  He was finally captured when the employee with the headset asked a drive-up customer to dial 911.   Either this man needs to go to jail or to a learning facility.  Then again perhaps he is smarter than we think!  It is very cold here.  Winter has arrived and jail is a warm room, a bed and three meals a day.  His clothes are provided and he doesn’t have to get up in the morning and go to work.  Humm?  The more I think about it the more I think he wanted to get caught.

I wonder what the judge will do with him.  I cannot imagine how difficult it must be to judge righteously and fairly.  It seems it would be difficult not to become calloused to all the nonsense and evil. Why would someone want such a job?  It is something we need and thankfully there are some willing to do so.  Then again I know many people who do a lot of judging when they really should mind their own business.

In I Corinthians 6 Paul speaks of us judging the world and angels. Considering the fact that Jesus will judge the world I have to conclude that Paul means we will have an opportunity to evaluate Jesus’ decisions regarding people we know.  Should we discover someone we love is not with us in heaven Jesus gives us the opportunity to check the records and thus understand His judgment was righteous.   Difficult as this would be, it hast to be lest we spend eternity thinking Jesus made a mistake.  That would have awful consequences.

I hope the donut shop holdup man enjoys his warm accommodations.

Written by Roger Bothwell on January 19, 2012

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

Rogerbothwell.org

 

The esteemed historian Will Durant wrote, “Since men love freedom, and the freedom of individuals in society requires some regulation of conduct, the first condition of freedom is its limitation; make it absolute and it dies in chaos.  So the prime task of government is to establish order; . . .”   The statement echoes Paul in Galatians 5.  In verse 1 Paul declares that we have been set free by the sacrifice of Jesus.  As he continues on he warns us not to use our freedom foolishly or we will end up consuming ourselves.  “For you, brethren, were called for freedom; only use not your freedom for an occasion to the flesh, but through love be servants one to another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: Thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself. But if you bite and devour one another, take heed that you be not consumed one of another.”  Galatians 5:13-15

Christ has set us free from the obligations of the law.  Instead of the law being a standard of conduct to earn salvation, it has become an instructional tool for those of us who need to be taught how to behave in a loving manner.  If I love you I will not steal from you.  If I love you I will not tell bad stories about you.  It is for us who are conduct challenged.  In II Corinthians 5:14 Paul wrote that “the love of Christ compels us” to do the right thing.

Freedom is not license to feed out lower nature and harm others.  As we can see from the above quote from Will Durant, this is not just a spiritual issue.  It is a governmental issue both in kingdoms of man and also in God’s.

Written by Roger Bothwell on January 18, 2012

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

Rogerbothwell.org

She looked to be about ten years old and her maternal instincts were soaring as she came out of the pet store.  Cradled in her arms was a plastic bag filled with water.  I never did see the fish because she was doing her best to protect it from the single digit temperature in the parking lot.  No mother hen was more attentive than she.  How could I not but think of Luke 13:34?  Jesus said, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killed the prophets, and stoned them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!”

It was Jesus who led the children of Israel out of Egypt and across the Red Sea.  It was Jesus who supplied them with water from the rock and manna each morning.  For 1500 years He had cared for them and now when He came to them they would not have Him.  He did not meet their expectations of what the Messiah was to be.

Often times our loving, caring God does not meet our expectations. When horrible things happen to good people we have to remind ourselves that the rain falls on the just and the unjust.  He would love to save us from all pain and suffering but He is involved in a great war with evil.   The ultimate victory will only come when we and the universe see where sin and selfishness take us.  There are intellectual issues raised by Lucifer that must be resolved so sin will be ended forever.  Only then will we be safe to save.  We must never be allowed to carry our disease to the rest of God’s kingdom.

Written by Roger Bothwell on January 17, 2012

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

Rogerbothwell.org

 

I’m going to guess when 99% of us hear “That’s all folks” we immediately think of the conclusion to a Loony Tunes cartoon.  Usually it’s Porky signing off but occasionally Bugs has the honors.  For a few moments the thought crossed my mind that we will never hear “That’s all folks” in heaven because there will be a never ending supply of life, health, learning, talent development, etc.  No matter how skilled we get at a particular task there will be more time for more honing.

Then it occurred to me that we will indeed hear “That’s all folks.”  When the topic of death arises we can safely say with no possibility of correction, “That’s all folks.”   As for pain, “That’s all folks.”  As for crime, “That’s all folks.”  How about sickness and disease?  “That’s all folks.”

When I was a little guy I loved cartoons (still do) and was always just a bit disappointed to hear “That’s all folks.”  I wanted the cartoon to continue.  I never got (get) tired of Bugs outwitting Elmer Fudd and hearing Elmer say, “You wascal wabbit.”  There are certain things that are timeless and I have to disagree with Paul’s comment in I Corinthians 13.  Now that I am a man I still have not put away all my childish things.  Maybe it’s a male thing.  My wife really couldn’t care less about cartoons.   But I have occasionally seen her changing clothes on Samantha, her American Girl Doll.  Often when I am visiting someone in a nursing home I see a little old lady holding a doll. Or is it a dolly?

I was going to close with “That’s all folks.”  But I will write again tomorrow.

Written by Roger Bothwell on January 16, 2012

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

Rogerbothwell.org

 

It started in the gardens behind our home in East Africa and ended in the front seat of our Ford Cortina.  Somehow in my youthful foolishness I caught a seven foot long cobra and asked my wife to drive me to our school’s biology room.   I was pretty cool about it until, there in the small confines of the car, it began to struggle with me.  While holding it behind the head with one hand I tried to stop its thrashing about on my lap inches from my wife with my other hand.  As we pulled up to the school it relaxed but I did not.  Beads of anxious sweat ran down my face.  It was only when putting it in the biology room box did I understand its battle.  It was dead.  It had been thrashing for the precious air I was not allowing it to have.  It was the only thing I have ever strangled.  But perhaps not the only thing I have ever deprived of life, at least eternal life.

Paul speaks of being a stumbling block. “Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak.”              I Corinthians 8:9.  So often we talk about people approaching us in heaven and thanking us for encouraging them.  But what of those we have discouraged?  As a teacher I wonder how often I flipped off a causal remark to be funny but actually deeply hurt a student.  What persons decided they didn’t want to be in heaven if we are there?

I once heard someone say if he had to live his life over again he wouldn’t do anything differently.  I thought, “What a fool.  He learned nothing along the way.”

Written by Roger Bothwell on January 14, 2013

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

Rogerbothwell.org

 

Winter has finally arrived.  We awakened this morning to a lovely white blanket covering our brownish yard and the maple and birch branches were outlined in white against the backdrop of a gray sky.  It is a heavy wet snow and perfect for snowballs.  It packs nicely and has given birth to a new population.  Here and there one will spot a portly fellow with a corncob pipe and long thin orange nose.

It’s a temporary population very susceptible to some promised 40 degree days.  Like people going into a sauna they will rapidly lose weight, but unlike most people they will not regain it the next day.  We also are a temporary population.  Our 70 plus years are as fleeting as Mr. Snowman.  We melt away and our molecules will most likely once again be used in another human or perhaps a snowman.

If all there is to life is this temporal experience one has to ask why.  Of what use or value is this other than a few years of happiness if we are fortunate?  I genuinely feel sorry for very bright people who have no hope beyond here.  They learn many languages.  They get many degrees.  Then it all goes the same place Mr. Snowman went.  Solomon speaks of its futility. I want so much for them to understand we have an incredible God who wants to build on what they have accomplished.  There awaits a never-ending acquisition of knowledge and to speak a multitude of languages without Star Trek’s universal translator button.   There is so much science to learn, so many poems to write, so many essays to study and so many places to visit.

Alas, without Jesus we are merely snowpeople.

Written by Roger Bothwell on January 13, 2012

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

Rogerbothwell.org

Some years ago I was driving across the Indiana Turnpike and realized I was close to the university I had attended and if I tuned the radio to the university station I could hear the weekly church service.  Much to my delight when the speaker was introduced I knew him.  In the next few minutes my delight turned into keen interest for the sermon was one I had written.  A year or so prior the speaker’s brother asked if I could help him out with a half dozen sermons.  Apparently he had passed them on.  As I listened I was sure somewhere in that sermon due credit would be given.  It wasn’t.

Was I miffed?  Yeah, I was.  But the more I thought about it the more I understood how wrong it was for me to be miffed.  Number one – I gave it away.  Number two – I have never had an original idea in my whole life.  Everything I have ever written or spoken has been taken from others.  All I ever do is repackage the ideas with different words.  And number three – the whole point is to bring glory to God for giving us Jesus and saving us.  Why was I wanting the glory?  I really needed to put things into perspective.  It wasn’t about me.  It was and always is about Jesus.

By the time I got halfway across Ohio I had it pretty much worked out.  I remembered Revelation 5:12.  “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing.”

Many times since I have reminded myself that it isn’t about me.  It’s all about Jesus.  At least it’s supposed to be.  Sometimes I forget.

Written by Roger Bothwell on January 12, 2012

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

Rogerbothwell.org

 

When God finished each day of Creation He said, “That is good.”  That was until the end of the 6th day.  Then He said, “That is very good.”  He had just created Adam and Eve.  They were magnificent.  Angels sang and Lucifer complained.  For the Psalmist wrote, “You made him a little lower than the angels; you crowned him with glory and honor.”  Psalm 8:5.  At least that is how the King James Version of the Bible is translated.  The translators could not bring themselves to translate the Hebrew word “elohim” which is usually translated “God” and so they substituted “heavenly beings” or “angels.”  Some translations render it with the usual translation.  It seems there was something special about Adam and Eve.  They had something the angels did not.  Until then Lucifer had been the most glorious fruit of God’s handiwork.

I looked in the mirror this morning.  How very depressing.  Sin has more than taken its toll.  The bloom left the rose a long time ago.  I just now noticed.  Years ago one of the saints, H.M.S. Richards, was asked if it was morally right for women to use makeup.  His response was classic, “If the barn needs painting, paint it.”  We do need a lot of care.  Clothing covers a multitude of flaws.  Glasses on older people distract us from the bags and wrinkles about our eyes.  Hair, if we have any, can be stylishly coiffed to enhance our plainness.  We can even grow it long by our ears and comb it over the top holding it there with lots of spray.

How very grand it will be when the promises of eternal life made to us by Jesus will come to fullness.  Forever young.   Forever in full bloom.  Forever in His image.

Written by Roger Bothwell on January 11, 2013

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

Rogerbothwell.org