Author: Ian Bothwell

While waiting for a waitress I watched a young man service one of those big glass boxes with a large claw that sells you a chance to snag a stuffed toy.   I was intrigued that he did not just randomly toss in a new supply of Bert and Ernies.  Ever so carefully he put in each new toy so it was positioned upright.  Layer after layer of cute teddy bears and such were all poised so the claw could easily grasp it by the head.  The advantage was for the child operator and not for the owner of the restaurant.   He was smiling as he locked it up and carefully cleaned the glass.

I liked that guy.  He reminded me of Jesus who also positions everything to our advantage.  Jesus has tried to give everyone the best chance possible.  However, I must admit life’s circumstances do indeed impede millions of people.  If one is born into the home of an abusive father, calling God “Father” can create a gigantic barrier to the Gospel.  If one is raised in an underprivileged neighborhood the disadvantages can distort one’s view of God and can very much get in the way of realizing what is available.

I am a great supporter of Head Start programs.  They aid underprivileged children to have a running chance at a good education.  I’m wondering if unbeknownst to us God has a “Head Start” program for those who need it.  What I do know is God is in the business of saving people and positions “heads-up” all that’s needed for our salvation.  What is great about it is we don’t have to put two quarters in the slot to have a chance.

Written by Roger Bothwell on September 13, 2010

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

Rogerbothwell.org

 

I’m sitting here watching a mosquito buzz about my computer screen.  It is only a matter of seconds now until he discovers me sitting so very close. I’m a nice 98.6 degree warm juicy meal. I have been known to let them eat while I watch but I’m not in the mood tonight.  Should she dare to rest on me I am going to squash her flat.  Fortunately I’m not in Uganda this evening where a bite from her might send me to bed with fever and chills. Tonight I’m in Massachusetts and I just do not want an itchy red spot for a day or so.  The consequences for being her supper are quite relative ranging from annoyance to possible death.

Her bite isn’t like sin.  The ultimate consequence of all sin is always the same – death.  Contrary to popular opinion there is no such thing as big sins and little sins; at least in ultimate consequences.  Some sins often seem to be little because the immediate consequences seem to be minimal or unseen.   However, something like an attitude toward others may remain hidden and unexpressed and may seem inconsequential but we are diminished by it.  Our harboring it and thinking it reduces our capacity for having an ultimate day.

An ultimate day is a day with unhampered growth.   An ultimate day is like one of the days of creation in Genesis 1 where God came to the close of the day and said, “That’s good.” I am hungry for one of those days.   Wouldn’t it be so grand if at the end of a Wednesday God could look at us and say, “That’s good”?

If we can get a Wednesday then we can start praying for a Thursday.

Written by Roger Bothwell on July 21, 2010

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

Rogerbothwell.org

There is no question about whether or not Paul believed in predestination. Just read the first few verses of Ephesians 1.  There you will read the “Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,.” Please notice the tense.  It is past.

If that was all we had of Scripture we would conclude our salvation is a done deal.  But there is more. There is also free will.  God, in His magnificent love for us, will not force His will upon us.  It is His will to save us.  It is our choice to accept.   It is His pleasure to see us consent.  And should we consent the blessings begin flowing our way.  Please note “all spiritual blessings in heavenly places” are ours.  Once we consent changes begin to occur.  Our likes and dislikes are altered.  Our passions are diverted toward righteousness, right thinking and right doing. Opportunities are opened for growth.  We grow in understanding the mystery of His wisdom.

Many of the so called “smart” people of this world just do not understand what God’s children understand.  When they rely upon their own intellect, no matter how vast, it is not enough to grasp what a small child with Jesus can understand.  This incredible world, though soiled with sin, is and can never be the product of random chance.  We are the fruit of His love.  We are the product of His design.  Our task is not merely to reproduce and die.  It is instead to reproduce and live forever with the fruit of our love.

Written by Roger Bothwell on August 2, 2010

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

Rogerbothwell.org

 

Last semester I overhead two theology majors discussing the physical features of the cross of Jesus.  One had taken the position that Jesus’ nailed feet were only a foot above the ground while the other took the more traditional view that His nailed feet were about eye level.  Both of them were quite passionate regarding their position.  After one reads Ephesians 1 one can easily come to the conclusion that it does not matter.  What matters is “Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: and hath put all things under his feet, . . .”

Using ancient Middle Eastern imagery Paul envisions Jesus’ absolute dominion over the entire universe by placing everything that is under His feet. Jesus rules.  Please note this is not a future tense but a present tense reign. Best of all it is eternal. It will never be usurped.  That is good news for us.  His lavish beneficence toward us means there will never be a time when all our needs will not be fully provided.

When I use the word “needs” I am not speaking of the basic needs of survival.  I am referring to the entire needs pyramid.  We will have all the basics, all the security, all the love, all the self-esteem and all the actualization possible for that specific moment in eternity.  The next day it will be increased as we increase in the likeness of Him.  Please notice verse 18 speaks of our increased understanding and the riches of His glory being ours. This is heaven far beyond petting lions and playing with tigers.

This is big people’s heaven.

Written by Roger Bothwell on August 3, 2010

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

Rogerbothwell.org

 

I, along with hundreds of millions of us, am cautiously breathing with more ease now that the blown out well in the Gulf of Mexico appears to be plugged abating a potential Revelationish plague.  We are being reminded that now that the flow has ceased there are still major remaining after effects. It’s just like stopping a sinful behavior. We stop. God forgives. But the aftermath, the natural fruit, continues on. We can stop mistreating people but instant harmonious relationships don’t begin the next day.  We can stop smoking but healthy lungs don’t miraculous fill our chests.

A teen once told me he was thrilled with the Gospel.  Since he was young and it took several years to destroy his young healthy body he was going to try everything.  When he was in his thirties he would give his life to Jesus, be forgiven and thus will have had the best of both lifestyles.  Really? Should he live to his chosen reformation year he will have to deal with the aftermath of broken relationships, addictions not so easily set aside, and impaired abilities.  Actually there is a larger issue.  Who says an unhealthy lifestyle that focuses on self-gratification at the expense of others is something to be desired? Is there really a best to that?

The U. S. Army used to have a great slogan. “Be all that you can be.”

Should he have attempted his divided life he could never be all that he could have been.  If you begin a journey with a cup half full you will never be what or where you would have been had you begun the journey with a full cup. The aftermath will always be there.

Written by Roger Bothwell on August 5, 2010

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

Rogerbothwell.org

 

While it is true that birds of a feather do flock together it is also true that flocking together alters our feathers.   Our norms, our standards of what is acceptable, our eating habits, our standards of beauty, our vocabulary and our attitudes toward right and wrong merge into a social network that in turn forms who we are.  So much of what we are, who we are, what we are becoming and who we are becoming are the fruit of our choices.

If we are an adult we can choose how to spend not only our spare time but how we spend our work time by the choice of a career or work place. It is so very important for us to understand the importance of our total environment’s impact on who we are.  There is no such thing as watching a movie, reading a book or being friends with someone without it altering our personality and character.  Things, events and people affect us even though they might be removed from us by several degrees of separation.  What happens to your boss’s wife affects him.  He affects you and you affect your children.  Your children will most likely never meet your boss’s wife but she has changed their lives.  The things we watch on the network evening news change our lives.

We cannot over emphasize the importance of personal choice in each day’s activities.  While there are so many things over which we have no control there are hundreds of things that are up to us.  This is where the influence and the power of the Holy Spirit mean so much.  We must claim the promise of Jesus in John that He will always be with us via His Spirit.

Written by Roger Bothwell on August 4, 2010

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

Rogerbothwell.org

I saw the strangest thing this evening.  I was standing at the condiment counter at a McDonalds beside a fairly nicely dressed elderly man who was stuffing his pockets full of those little packets of ketchup, mustard and relish.  Looking right at him I said, “Hey, how you doing?”  Without the slightest embarrassment he responded, “Fine” and kept right on cleaning out the bins.  Unlike the day I observed an old man steal a fish from our supermarket, I wasn’t sure if this man was stealing.  I mean, those packets are there for people to take.

Have you ever done something that wasn’t illegal but somehow just didn’t feel quite right?  It’s one of those fine line issues that isn’t covered by a rule or law and yet isn’t really right. It’s the difference between living by laws or living by principles.  It was what Paul was talking about in Galatians.  When we begin to live by the principle of love, laws cease to matter.  We don’t need a law telling us not to steal because love motivates us not to harm someone by taking from them.  The same goes for telling bad stories about someone.  When we love we will not do that because we don’t want to.

Have you ever heard someone say he did not want to be a Christian because there were too many don’ts?  They just don’t get it.  When one is a Christian there are only two principles to guide us, love for God and love for man.  It’s the non-Christian who has to worry about not doing a host of things he might want to do. Living by principles is what Paul is referencing in Galatians 5 when he speaks of our freedom in Christ.

Written by Roger Bothwell on April 30, 2010

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

Rogerbothwell.org

 

The fall 2010 Football season began this evening with a battle between the reigning Super Bowl champions verses the oldest quarterback in the league.  You will have to forgive me for what I am about to write because I am a psychology teacher at our college and I cannot resist a bit of Freudian philosophy regarding the value of football to the male community.   One of Freud’s famous ego-defense mechanisms is identification.  The success on the football field of a few provides a feeling of success for those who have chosen to be fans.   If life hasn’t provided very many exhilarating moments we (usually guys) can get pretty excited when the ones we are rooting for perform with excellence.  A long pass for a touchdown, a fifty-yard field goal can raise our blood pressure and fill us with almost as much joy as if we were the one who kicked the ball.   We identify with winners and quickly become disinterested when our team doesn’t do well.  Being a fan is of undisputed value for youth and old guys who never felt the joy of hearing applause directed their way.

Somewhere along life’s journey I discovered the unutterable joy of being a fan of Jesus.   What happened on Sunday morning means we are identifying with the ultimate winner.  Don’t you love Revelation’s promise that overcomers will sit with Him in His throne?  What a joy to hear Him invite us up.  What a wonder to participate in the divine nature.  What a thrill to put this aging body aside and awaken every morning to renewed strength and a new opportunity to learn and grow more talented.  I enjoy football but I thrill to identify with Jesus.

Written by Roger Bothwell on September 9, 2010

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

Rogerbothwell.org

 

This morning I read 1 Thessalonians 4 to a class of thirty-six supposed Christian youth average age of about twenty-one.  I don’t know what I expected.  I know I didn’t expect Hallelujahs and Amens but what I did get startled and bewildered me.  Basically what I got was nothing.  No changes in facial expressions.  They looked bored when I started and they looked bored when I finished.  I had to jar myself to remember that I teach in a “Christian” school.   Have we become so jaded by pop culture that unless text is accompanied by a carefully scripted soundtrack of music it makes no impact?  Or worse, have we become so used to the spectacular promises of God’s Word that they have become ho-hum?  Does the joy of the Word regarding resurrection and eternal life only mean something to those of us who are running out of years?  When one is twenty-something with decades of career and family ahead perhaps they are overwhelmed with thoughts of “that’s not important for me now”?  I will not even suggest that perhaps they just don’t care or believe.

Once again let me say I don’t actually know what I was looking for, but what I got left me with a feeling of desperation.  When we open the Word we are handling the Bread of Life.  We are reminding ourselves of the greatest promises in the universe.  Surely angels must long to have the opportunity I have each day to share the finest and the best of God with young people.   Maybe my wife got it right.  She said, “It is the beginning of the semester.  Those students don’t really know you.  Perhaps it’s them that don’t know what to expect.”   I do hope she is right.

Written by Roger Bothwell on September 8, 2010

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

Rogerbothwell org

 

 

This afternoon we stood 140 feet above the Connecticut River in the middle of the King French Bridge.   Since 1932 it has safely aided millions of trucks and cars across its 460 foot span.  It is a thing of beauty.  While we were watching speed boats below us two semis, one going west and one going east, rumbled past.  Ever so gently the bridge trembled under our feet.  It was a tremendous amount of weight but the bridge was more than up to the task.

It was a beautiful day and I couldn’t help but think of Jesus who spanned the abyss of sin and death.  Without Him it would have been impossible for us to have safe passage across the hell that hungrily devours the lost.  Millions without Jesus fall into the depths of despair and death.  Every day we see miserable lives and we long to have them understand there is a way to happiness and life.  In John 14 Jesus declared He was the way.   Our trying to scale our way to heaven by our own righteousness is like the ancients trying to build a tower to heaven.  It is so futile it mocks our feeble efforts.

In Genesis in a dream Jacob saw a ladder from earth to heaven.  The ladder was Jesus.  He is the Way.  His righteousness is so perfect we need nothing else.  If any righteousness was required of us we would most likely brag that we had done the whole thing. It is Jesus from beginning to end.  He is the Alpha and the Omega.  As Isaiah so descriptively put it, “Our righteousness is like filthy rags.”  We have a bridge and the name is not King French.  It is King Jesus.

Written by Roger Bothwell on September 7, 2010

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

Rogerbothwell.org