Author: William Douthwaite

Posted in Devotions, Through the Bible Devotions

A sure thing

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Abhishek Singh on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from Genesis 15.

When I bought a house, I signed a mountain of documents assuring the mortgage lender that I was who I said I was, knew what I was buying, and understood how much I would be paying each month for the next thirty years. It was intimidating to say the least.

But that’s nothing compared to what Abram has to endure as God confirms the covenant.

So God says to Abram, “You will have as many descendants as there are stars in the sky” Abram believes. So far so good.

The God says, “I brought you here so you can possess this land, too.”

But this time Abram asks, “Lord God, how may I know that I will possess it?” (Genesis 15:5-8)

If you only knew what you were asking, Abram! God instructs him to round up a cow, a goat, a ram, a dove, and a pigeon. Abram has to slice the big animals in two, and then he has to chase away circling vultures from the carcasses. When Abram falls asleep, he has a nightmare about God himself, appearing in the darkness as a smoking oven and a flaming torch, moves between the butchered animals to say in ancient covenant language, “I guarantee it.” Anyone else might have added, “I swear to God.” But I guess that doesn’t work when God is the one who is speaking.

Everything comes with a guarantee, right? At least for the first thirty days after a purchase. When I bought a cheap toaster, the Walmart cashier asked if I wanted the extended warrantee. It cost nearly as much as the toaster. No thanks.

So it’s only natural to ask God for some kind of assurance. That is, until you get to know him. When you look back in scripture and in your own life and see what God has done, you learn that faithfulness is one of his character traits. You can trust him. Plus, it’s not as messy.

Posted in Devotions, Through the Bible Devotions

Be blessed!

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Ivana Cajina on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from Genesis 14.

I met George and Marie when they brought their son Isaac to vacation bible school every summer. I would run into them every once in a while, and after a quick conversation, George would always say, “Be blessed!”

After Abram makes quick work of the kings who had attacked his nephew Lot, Melchizedek shows up with a blessing,

“Blessed be Abram by God Most High,
    Possessor of heaven and earth;
blessed be God Most High,
    who has delivered your enemies into your hand!” (Genesis 14:19,20 NASB)

We don’t know much about Melchizedek, other than that he was a king and a priest. He shows up out of nowhere, and then he disappears. His name will come up again to help us understand Jesus (Hebrews chapters 5 and 7).

It’s great to have people show up in our lives to remind us that we have been blessed and to credit God for those blessings. It’s easy to forget. It’s easy to allow what someone else has or does obscure the view of the good things in our own lives. What a gift when someone lends us their eyes to see what God has done and is doing in our lives!

Maybe I can bring that gift, too. When I celebrate the good things going on in the lives of others, it’s a great day for God, too. After all, every good and perfect gift comes from him.

Be blessed!

Posted in Devotions, Through the Bible Devotions

Faith is hard

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Klemen Vrankar on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from Genesis 15.

“Proof is easy. Faith is hard damn work.” – Johnny Prentiss

You’ve probably never heard of Johnny Prentiss. He was a character played by Penn Teller in the TV series “Code Black.” Johnny was a magician in the emergency room with a mass in his chest. As he waited for test results, he amazed doctors, nurses, and other patients with a deck of cards.

Over and over again, someone would ask him, “How did you do that?” Johnny answered, “I can’t imagine a world without magic.” For him, magic inspired hope and faith, things that he desperately needed to live.

God told Abram that a son from his own body would be his heir, the first of descendants as numerous as stars in the night sky. Amazingly, Abram believed God (Genesis 15:6).

If Abram had been standing there with his infant son in his arms, it would have been a lot easier to believe that he would be the father of a great nation. But on that night, all he had was God’s word. All he had was a promise.

Aren’t you pleasantly surprised when someone keeps a promise? I think we want to believe, but we’ve been let down too many times. But someone didn’t show up. Or they outright lied. A product didn’t work as advertised. The check wasn’t in the mail.

If someone says, “All you have to do is believe,” they know nothing of faith. Faith is indeed hard work. It means setting aside what you know to be true to embrace what God says is true. Faith is humbling. Faith rarely make sense. Faith is often terrifying. Faith is tough.

But faith is where a relationship with God begins. “God counted it to [Abram] as righteousness” (Genesis 15:6).

You can watch Season 2 Episode 9 of Code Black on Amazon Prime Video. Thanks for reading this “through the bible” devotion.

Posted in church, Devotions, Through the Bible Devotions

Think twice before you mess with Abram or his family

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Joel Moysuh on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from Genesis 14.

A number of years ago, two men from my church took me out to their gun club to do some shooting. They gave me lots of instruction since I had never shot before. Each had several guns with them they let me try, including some 9mm, a .22 target pistol, and a .357 revolver. I did well, hitting targets and a few bull’s eyes at 15 yards.

As they described the guns and how to use them, I asked, “How many guns do you own?”

“Right now, I have eleven.”

Eleven? Why does someone living in a relatively safe suburban neighborhood need nearly a dozen guns at home? In addition to handguns, their collection included a shotgun and several rifles. Apparently they are like potato chips. You can’t have just one. You need one to carry. You need one in the bedside table. You have a favorite for target practice. You have one you used to use for hunting. And so on.

“When Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive, he led out his trained men, born in his house, numbering 318, and went in pursuit as far as Dan.” (Genesis 14:14)

I never would have guessed Abram had an army. Servants? Yes. Workers who watched the flocks? Of course. But trained men, men ready to fight, men able to rough up four formidable kings that had captured Lot, his food, and his family? Think twice before you mess with Abram or his family!

It’s good to remember that we don’t do this alone. Training ourselves for godliness, we fight the good fight of faith together as a church. And God still gives us the victory.

Posted in Devotions, Through the Bible Devotions

This town ain’t big enough for the both of us.

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Chris Hardy on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from Genesis 13.

The cookie was huge, six inches across. Mom told her son, “Break it in half and share it with your brother.” He very carefully bent the cookie in two, to share exactly 50%. Then he held out the two pieces to let his brother choose one, but he held the slightly larger half closer to himself, in hopes that one would be his.

When there’s conflict between their herdsmen, Abram tells his nephew Lot, “This town ain’t big enough for the two of us!”

In an unexpected act of generosity, Abram lets Lot choose which part of the land he wants. Lot chooses the well-watered area of the Jordan which looks like “the garden of the Lord” (Genesis 13:10). Sounds like paradise. Abram gets the plain vanilla-sounding “land of Canaan.”

But appearance isn’t everything. Lot gets to live in the lovely city of Sodom, where the residents are exceedingly wicked. It’s kind of like having a beautiful home in a wonderful community where you hate all your neighbors. Abram on the other hand gets an expanse of land that will be his and his innumerable descendants forever.

Who do you think got the better deal?

It takes some maturity to realize there’s not just one pie. We’re not relegated to a smaller piece of life just because someone else got more. The “pie” or God’s blessing is much bigger than anything we can ask or imagine. Our slice may not look like someone else’s, but it’s custom made for us by the one who truly knows the desires of our hearts.

Thank you for reading this “through the bible” devotion.

Posted in Devotions, Through the Bible Devotions

Remember the promise

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Sean D on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from Genesis 12.

I have put together a lot of furniture that comes in a box filled with wood (at least it looks like wood) and metal parts. I’m an instructions kind of guy, so for a long time, I always followed the step-by-step pictures and assembled desks, shelves, and cabinets.

After a while, though, they all start to look the same. The pictures and the pieces look familiar, so I think, “I know how this goes together.” I unpack everything and get to work.

I should know better. It’s a trap. Those two pieces aren’t the same. One is for the left side, the other goes on the right. I don’t want to attach A to B until I’ve screwed in part of C. Some of the screws are one inch long. Others are 7/8 or 1-1/8 inches long. Sigh. I’ve got to look at and follow the instructions.

There’s a subtle yet profound difference between the two trips Abram takes in Genesis 12.

“The Lord said to Abram, ‘Go.'” (Genesis 12:1)

“So Abram went.” (Genesis 12:4)

“Now there was a famine in the land, so Abram went down to Egypt” (Genesis 12:10).

The first journey is in response to God’s instructions and promises. The second is in response to the dire circumstances Abram finds himself in. The first journey is in response to good news. The second is a reaction to a bad situation.

Sometimes it seems so obvious what needs to be done. You don’t have enough food? Go where the food is. It’s not rocket science. Until Abram and Sarai get to Egypt. Sarai’s attractive, so she’ll have to lie to save Abram’s life. Abram profits nicely when Pharaoh takes Sarai into his harem. But now it’s a sticky situation. Abram and Sarai act independently of God and almost ruin everything.

I say almost because God graciously steps into help. God gets Sarai and Abram out of there alive and wealthier than ever.

A similar thing happened in Eden. Acting independently of God, the man and his wife did what looked right to them. With promises of salvation and a new outfit, God gets them out of there alive.

I’m glad God is like that. Let’s face it, you and I are more likely to respond to the circumstances around us than the promises of God. We launch into action in response to unexpected bills, approaching storms, and medical test results. We know exactly what to do, don’t we? How often do we leave God out of the equation?

Before I take action based on fear-based calculations, there are two important questions I need to can ask. First, “What does God promise me?” Second, “What does God want from me?”

Had Abram remembered God’s instructions and promises from Genesis 12:1-4, he may have responded differently to the famine described in verse 10.

It is so important to keep God’s promises in front of me!

Thank you to Larry Kirk, whose sermon reminded me to ask these two important questions. And thank you for reading this through the bible devotion.

Posted in Devotions, Through the Bible Devotions

What are you babbling about?

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by KoolShooters on pexels.com

A “through the bible” devotion from Genesis 11.

When a child is somewhere around eighteen months old, we teach him or her to stack blocks. From there, it’s not long before challenge them: how high can you go? As tall as you? Taller than you! But it’s not long before someone knocks the tower down and it’s time to start over. Those moments can be filled with laughter. But if a sibling knocks over the tower, you might have tears.

Bigger is better, right? A taller tower. A bigger home. A super-sized fast food meal. An extra scoop of ice cream. A larger worshiping congregation.

Not long after the flood, the growing world population decides, “”Let’s build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top will reach into heaven, and let’s make a name for ourselves” (Genesis 11:4). It’s got to be big. It’s got to be tall. It’s got to be noticeable. It going to make us famous!

Something in us wants to be noticed and admired. I guess you could say we want to be worshiped. Ouch. No one likes to admit that. But left to our own devices, our search for significance will edge God out of the picture. Making a name for yourself often leaves God’s name in the dust. (Isn’t there a commandment about that?)

Developers often buy up large tracts of land to build communities. Without regulation, they would pay little attention to the environment, surrounding neighborhoods, and traffic. Someone has to reign them in, right? Building codes, water management districts, and regulations keep them from getting carried away.

God long ago reigned in the Shinar developers before they got carried away. He confused their speech and scattered them abroad. A single, common language no longer empowers them.

These folks in chapter 11 eventually became famous. They are the reason we ask, “What are you babbling about?” (Genesis 11:9)

Thanks for reading this “through-the-bible” devotion.

Posted in Devotions, Grace, Through the Bible Devotions

I don’t think the flood solved the problem

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Chris Gallagher on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from Genesis 6-9.

As I read about the flood in Genesis 6-9, it occurred to me that the flood didn’t solve the problem. Before the flood, God saw that “Every intent of the thoughts of their hearts were only evil continually” (Genesis 6:5). After? God said, “The intent of man’s heart is evil from his youth” (Genesis 8:21). Doesn’t sound like much changed at all.

That’s the way life is, isn’t it? Clothing gets dirty and has to be laundered over and over again. You have to dust the furniture, clean the bathroom, wash the dishes, and bathe the kids again and again. Everything keeps getting messy, including hearts.

So why wipe out life with a flood? Why save a few people who are just going to get into trouble again?

You have to admit that forty days and night of rain is a powerful message of God’s judgment. By the same token, an ark big enough to ride out the storm and preserve life is a dramatic illustration of God’s grace. The flood is a picture of law and gospel, justice and mercy, and power and love.

Along with David, we pray, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10). God promises, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you” (Ezekiel 36:26). What a difference it makes when Christ dwells in our hearts by faith (Eph. 3:17)!

I’m going to get in trouble again. So are you. Just don’t forget about that big boat of grace.

Posted in church, Devotions, Through the Bible Devotions, worship

Why does someone have to get hurt?

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Tom Jur on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from Genesis 4.

As soon as people began to worship God, worship began to separate people. Cain and Able both brought an offering to God in Genesis 4. But their style of worship was different. Cain brought produce from the farm; Abel brought something from his flock. Because God had regard for Abel’s offering but not for Cain’s, there is post-worship anger, gloom, assault, and murder (Genesis 4:8).

Not much has changed. Worship styles vary from church to church. There is gloom, despair, and agony when some congregations grow and others shrink. Worshipers openly criticize, discredit, and attack each other. And along the way, someone usually gets hurt. That’s what happens when “people [begin] to call upon the name of the Lord” (Genesis 4:26).

Jesus himself got caught up in a worship system that had plenty of room for laws, sacrifices, rituals, and priests, but little room for God. He was the one who ended up getting hurt and ultimately killed.

But that changes everything. The Lamb who was slain is on the throne in Revelation where everyone is on the same page, giving him “blessing, honor, and glory” (Rev. 5:13).

I suppose there’s a lesson to be learned here. Rather than focusing on what someone else is doing for worship, put the blinders on and let the Lord be in the spotlight. Listen to his word, receive his gifts of grace, and respond as someone who has been abundantly loved by loving others.