Tag: bible

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

God is really good at the game of Risk

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Some “through the bible” thoughts from Jeremiah 46.

“The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the nations” (Jeremiah 46:1).

It turns out that God had a message for the whole world, not just Israel or Judah. God speak of judgment for Egypt, Philistia, Moab, Ammon, Edom, Syria, Persia, and Babylon. Their violence, cruelty, pride, oppression, and idolatry has not gone unnoticed. Don’t worry. God will deal with them.

As I read through these chapters, I jotted down two notes in my journal. First, God is not a spectator in human history. He doesn’t passively watch it unfold. He’s the star. He’s on the stage, causing and working through current events.

My second note is, “God is playing the game of Risk.” Risk was one of my favorite childhood games. We left the Risk board on a basement table, since an ongoing game might take days to complete. Ours was an original game with wooden pieces representing armies and tens of armies. Risk taught me geography and strategy, along with statistics and luck. With a large enough army, I could defeat anyone, even if the dice seemed to be against me.

When it comes to God, there’s no luck or odds. He’s in control of the board, and he comes out on top. I too often forget about God’s role when I read the news. For better or worse, he’s behind all the headlines. He’s not a passive observer of human ambition. God is the headliner, the main event, and the star of the show. Nothing happens outside of his control. There may be a lot of players in the game of Risk (I think six is the max), but when it’s all said and done, God always wins.

My memories of playing Risk with my brother and sister and neighborhood friends helps me understand the Old Testament. There are lots of nations in play, we think it’s all random and luck, but God reveals himself and his plans as nations rise and fall.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Why were there so many false prophets?

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Some “through the bible” thoughts from Jeremiah 14.

The Lord said to me: “The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I did not send them, nor did I command them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a lying vision, worthless divination, and the deceit of their own minds” (Jeremiah 14:14).

Why were there so many lying prophets at the time of Jeremiah?

On the one hand, you have the prophet Jeremiah warning the congregation of enemy invasion, starvation, and illness (sword, famine, and pestilence).

On the other hand you’ve got “prophets” who say just the opposite, that is, “There will be peace and prosperity.” Their message is nothing but worthless lies, stuff they made up on their own. They will suffer the fate they deny, death by sword and famine.

Throughout history, Satan, always opposes God. The adversary will use what ever means he can, from demons to counter the angels, lies to challenge God’s truths, and false prophets who contradict the messengers of God. Martin Luther said, “Where God builds a church, the devil builds a chapel.” Satan always imitates God for the purpose of leading a person (or a nation) astray.

In 1 Kings 9, Saul is worried about consulting with a man of God because he has nothing to bring him. Fortunately, his servant has a quarter of a shekel they can give to the prophet Samuel. One could make a living acting the part of a prophet, even if you hadn’t been called by God.

How hard is it to tell people what they want to hear? Most people preferred to hear that everything was going to be okay, rather than a real prophet’s threatening call to repentance. False prophets abounded while those who actually called by God were few and far between.

Jesus told his disciples to be on guard against false prophets. They would abound and continue to proclaim lies in the life of the New Testament church.

That is a troubling truth. We sheep better know well the genuine voice of our shepherd.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Jeremiah’s nasty underwear sermon

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Some “through the bible” thoughts from Jeremiah 13.

Jeremiah preached with cool object lessons. In Jeremiah 13 God tells him to get a pair of your tighty-whities (a loincloth in Old Testament times), bury them under a rock in a river for a while, and then retrieve them when they were wet, dirty, moldy, rotten, stained, and smelly.

The outline of Jeremiah sermon goes like this: “You won’t listen to God’s word, you do whatever you please, and you worship idols. You are as useful as this nasty pair of my underwear!” (Jeremiah 13:10). (Hold up the boxer briefs for effect.)

It’s a vivid, concrete, offensive, clear, and memorable image. Worthy of a handshake and, “Nice message, Jerry!” How many of us picture ourselves in that way?

You prefer the “God loves me and has a wonderful plan for my life” message, don’t you? I know I do. Who wouldn’t? (Can’t I at least be a nice clean pair of underwear?)

Jeremiah was faithful, but he wasn’t a popular prophet. He cut to the chase, no matter how insulting, gloomy, and insensitive the truth was.

Posted in productivity, Through the Bible Devotions

What have you been doing?

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Some “through the bible” thoughts from Jeremiah 9.

Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.” (Jeremiah 9:23,24)

Have you ever met someone who boasted, “I know and understand God”? Yeah, me neither.

Instead I hear, “I don’t understand why God would do that.” Or, “I don’t know why God would allow that to happen.”

When someone asks, “So what have you been doing lately?” I never respond, “I’ve been getting to know God.” Instead I mention what I’ve been reading, the workouts I’ve been doing, all the things I’ve been writing about, places I’ve gone and things I’ve done, plus all the cooking and baking I’ve done.

Does that qualify as boasting? I don’t like to think so. After all, you asked. But I certainly don’t want to answer, “Not much.” I still fall prey to the notion that I must be productive. So I have to make sure you know that I’ve been doing something, something worthwhile, something that justifies my taking up space on the planet.

After I’ve shared my recent activity, it feels so good to hear, “Wow, sounds like you’ve been busy!” I love to hear that. It makes my day.

In Jeremiah 9, invading armies and widespread destruction are on the way because God’s people didn’t get it. They lived their lives as if they didn’t know God at all. Everything they learned, earned, and accomplished would mean little when Jerusalem was a heap of ruins and the cities of Judah were desolate and uninhabited (9:11).

I suppose there’s a lesson to be learned here. There always is. What if I asked, “So what have you been doing lately, God?” I’ll bet I’d be amazed at his response. Maybe I would exclaim, “Wow, sounds like you’ve been busy!”

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Just get up

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Matias Ilizarbe on Unsplash

When men fall, do they not rise again?
    If one turns away, does he not return?
Why then has this people turned away
    in perpetual backsliding?
They hold fast to deceit;
    they refuse to return. (Jeremiah 8:4,5)

I’m old enough to remember LifeAlert’s 1987 television commercial that featured a woman on the floor, crying out, “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!” The LifeAlert system would make sure help was on the way.

Typically, when you fall down, you get up. Babies learning to walk fall back on diaper-padded bottoms and get back up as they find their balance and learn to walk. A pile of football players get up after blocks, runs, catches, and tackles, huddling up to get the next play. My grandkids run around the yard (and house), fall a lot, laugh and get up over and over and over.

But Jeremiah preaches to people who fall and don’t get up. They fall into idolatry and sin, but never repent, never return to God, never get back on the right track. It’s not that they can’t. They won’t. They refuse.

That’s Jeremiah’s congregation. They won’t listen. They refuse to change. They are impossible to teach.

The thing is, God wants to help you get back up. He knows you’re going to disobey, fail, blow it, and make a huge mess of things. But he’s all about forgiveness and restoration. He’ll do whatever it takes to get you back on your feet, even if you come away with a few bruises and lot of hard lessons learned.

So when you fall (fail), will you take his hand, or thumb your nose at God? When Peter walked on the water with Jesus, he suddenly began sinking. Jesus took his hand and pulled him up.

That’s the kind of God he is.

Are you going to pass that up? Are you going to refuse his help when you are out of answers? Are you going to dig in your heels when you know what you should do?

Yes, you will. Yes, I do. I am so thankful for his steadfast love and daily morning mercies!

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Closer than you think

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash

Some “through the Bible” thoughts from Isaiah 59.

Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save,
    or his ear dull, that it cannot hear (Isaiah 59:1).

The hearing aid business must be doing very well. They take out full page ads in the local paper. I get robo-calls and lots of direct mail from a variety of vendors. I’m in that age group. Everyone my age has some hearing loss. At this point, I’m not aware of my need for assistance.

I am shorter than I used to be. For most of my adult life I was five foot ten inches. Somewhere I lost an inch. Now I’m only 5′ 9″.

So it’s only natural to think that the eternal God, the ancient of days, may have lost a step or two. At the very least, he’s not as quick to respond as we would like.

I love how Isaiah addresses this. “Behold…” in other words, “Look…” God’s reach is as long as it’s ever been. His hearing is just fine. He’s not the problem. You are. Your sin, your failures, your mistakes, your disobedience, and your dishonesty has created distance between you and God. At a distance, objects look smaller than they really are.

So does God.

Like a young child who wanders ahead of the parents, we don’t realize how far we’ve strayed until we need divine assistance. Then all of a sudden we wonder why God seems so far away. Guess what? He never moved. You did. And I did.

It happens at the beach. You’re out in the water having a great time. You look up and realize you’ve drifted far from your beach umbrella and cooler.

It happens at sporting events. You thought you had good seats. But the players seemed so small from where you were sitting.

Younger kids often look through the wrong end of binoculars. Everything looks so small!

How often do you look at God through the wrong end of the binoculars? How small and remote is your view of God?

Only scripture can turn the binoculars around. In the bible God is bigger than the seas, mountains, rivers, creatures, weather, trees, and hailstorms. He overcomes trouble, storms, hunger, fatigue, doubt, and death. Impressive. Much bigger than we think or imagine.

We can’t get close to God. But he comes to us. Jesus comes to make the impossible possible. God with us!

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Speaking with purpose

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Jamie Street on Unsplash

A “through the Bible” devotion from Isaiah 55.

“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
    and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
    giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
    it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
    and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. (Isaiah 55:10,11)

Everything God says has a purpose.

That is so different than many people who make their voices heard. I believe many speak because they simply like to hear the sound of their voice.

As toddlers, we learn to communicate what we want. We cry, scream, complain, or plead for what we need.

When God speaks, however, it is to create. Sometimes to warn. Often to instruct and lead. Definitely to invite. Like the prophets who implore, “Repent!” Or Jesus who says, “Follow me.”

If God speaks with purpose, I should listen. I’ll bet most who devalue scripture simply don’t want to hear what God has to say.

I do. I want to hear his promises, assurances, and instructions. He gave me life. His instructions for life are worth listening to.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

A few more years

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Richard Burlton on Unsplash

A “through the Bible” devotion from Isaiah 38.

Hezekiah is one of Judah’s better kings. According to the writer of Kings, “he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, according to all that David his father had done” (2 Kings 18:3). He purged idolatry from Judah and restored worship of the one true God. When threatened by the Assyrians, he turned to God for salvation.

When an illness threatens his life, Hezekiah also turned to God. He prays, “O Lord…restore me to health and make me live!” (Isaiah 38:16) God hears his prayer and gives him fifteen more years of life.

However, during those fifteen bonus years, his son Manasseh is born, arguably one of Judah’s worst kings, doing evil in the sight of the Lord (2 Kings 21:2). He assumes the throne at age twelve, and undoes all the good his father did. Because of his actions, God declares he will bring disaster on Jerusalem and Judah (2 Kings 21:11,12).

Would things have turned out differently if Hezekiah had not lived those fifteen additional years? What if Manasseh had not been born? What if another son had become king and continued Hezekiah’s spiritual reforms?

Early on in my ministry in Florida, a ninety-year old member fell off a stool while having his picture taken for a church directory. He was in serious condition, but recovered and lived fifteen more years. However, over the next fifteen years, his son and daughter became embroiled in disagreements, hearings, and lawsuits about the care of their parents. At one point, seven different lawyers were involved as the courts decided who would get power of attorney, guardianship, and control of the assets. In the end, I believe the lawyers ended up with most of the estate. Sure, he lived to one hundred and five years, but the family conflict continues twenty some years later.

There’s got to be a lesson somewhere in this. We pray for health, healing, and long lives, not knowing what will happen down the road. Sometimes, God grants our request. But sometimes he doesn’t. Did you ever stop to think that the latter might be better?

All of that gives you a lot to think about. But don’t overthink it. God knows the number of your days, and has a purpose for short and long lives, from conception to last breath. Be grateful for today. Enjoy his daily morning mercies (Lamentations 3:22,23).

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

The fear of God: more than a command; an experience

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by hannah joshua on Unsplash

A “through the Bible devotion” from Isaiah 29.

And the Lord said:
“Because this people draw near with their mouth
    and honor me with their lips,
    while their hearts are far from me,
and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men,
 therefore, behold, I will again
    do wonderful things with this people,
    with wonder upon wonder;
and the wisdom of their wise men shall perish,
    and the discernment of their discerning men shall be hidden.” (Isaiah 29:13-14)

I wonder how much of this is true about me? Do I fear God because someone told me I should fear him? Is my fear of God “a commandment taught by men”?

On the one hand, I am thankful for my parents, pastors, teachers, and friends who taught me to fear God. I’ve never been afraid of God, but I have a healthy respect for his power, which exceeds every nuclear weapon, cat 5 hurricane, destructive tornado, or devastating earthquake.

On the other hand, my fear of God is rooted in what I’ve been taught about him. I have not camped at the foot of a rumbling Mt. Sinai. I have not walked through a parted Red Sea or Jordan River. I have not survived in a desert with nothing but a daily supply of manna. I have not directly witnessed a miraculous healing or resurrection.

I’ve been taught these truths.

God won’t let us limit him to textbooks or lectures. He promises to “again do wonderful things with this people.” His work of salvation isn’t limited to the past. It’s happening right now.

When my faith becomes nothing more than lecture notes, God promises to do wonderful things. He’s more than anything the best communicators can tell us about him. He’s an active participant in my life.

Will I see it? Will I witness his power? Will I see what he can do? Will I fear him because I’ve experienced him? Because I know him?

I certainly hope so!