Tag: faith

Posted in faith

Time’s up: you’re no longer a noob

Posted on by William Douthwaite

I’ve been walking past this car with a “Please Be Patient: New Driver” magnet sticker for longer than a year. It’s been there so long that the “New Driver” words have completely faded.

How long can someone claim to be a “new driver?” Certainly not a year. Maybe a month at most.

What driving behavior would require my patience? Driving much slower than the speed limit? Cutting corners and hitting curbs while turning right? Lingering at an intersection after the light turns green? Slowing to a crawl on the interstate entrance ramp? Lol. Those are normal driving habits. Experienced drivers do these things all the time.

How long can someone claim to be a rookie? A noob? I meet folks who claim that status after being Christians and church members for over five years. How long can you avoid ministry by stating, “I’m new at this”?

From my experience, the longer I follow Christ, the more questions I have. I feel less qualified and more dependent on grace. I have to trust him more than my own experience or expertise. I no longer say, “I’ve got this,” but rather, “He’s got me.”

It’s more like, “Please be patient: I’ve been doing this a long time.” That’s the perspective of a mature faith.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Soon

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Simon Reza on Unsplash

Some “through the bible” thoughts from Revelation 22.

“I am coming soon” (Revelation 22:7, 12, and, 20).

When someone says, “I’ll be there soon,” I expect their arrival within five minutes at the most. If someone assures me, “Just a minute,” I’m thinking somewhere around sixty seconds. When the text reads, “We’re almost there,” I walk out into the driveway and look for the car coming down the street towards our house.

I’ve learned that soon means different lengths of time to different people. It could be anywhere from a few minutes to a few days to whenever. Or a few thousand years in the case of Jesus who brings the bible to a close with the promise, “I am coming soon.”

The thing is, I live in a world with next day delivery, express lanes, microwavable meals, instant pudding, lightning passes, gig-speed internet, and fast-setting Quikcrete.

So we wonder, “How much longer?” And we pray, “Come, Lord Jesus.”

On the other hand, we are quick to react, “Already?” Vacation is over, it’s time to go back to work or school, and we lament, “Already?” When a loved one dies, it’s often “too soon,” and we wish we had more time with them. Supper’s over and the kids are asking for snacks. Already? Six months have passed and it’s time for your dentist appointment. Already?

Rather than marking a day on the calendar, Jesus leaves us hanging with his promise, “I am coming soon.” That promise makes every day significant, because it might be the last. Make the most of it. It makes every day a gift. Another chance. It keeps him on the front burner of my mind, rather than thinking, “I’ve got lots of time.” It makes today more important than someday.

Do I have a lot of time to witness to a friend? To serve? To pray? Maybe. Maybe not. After all, Jesus is coming soon.

I began this reading through the bible on June 18, 2024. I think it took longer this time since I decided to write devotionally along the way. Now what? Start over again? Read cover to cover using a different translation? Pick a book of the bible and spend more time there? I’m not sure. I’ll figure it out. Soon.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Evaluating Churches: Insights from Revelation 2 and 3

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Cosmic Timetraveler on Unsplash

Some “through the bible” thoughts from Revelation 2 and 3.

When I look at a church, whether my own or another, I tend to notice different things than God does.

  • I look at it’s size. How many gather for worship? I think most of us assume that bigger is better. They must be doing something right, right?
  • I evaluate the style. What kind of music do they have? What’s the quality of the music? What message does the music communicate?
  • I pay attention to the demographics. Is it just a bunch of old people? I like to see a multi-generational gathering, with lots of families with children.
  • What about their programming? Do they have a lot of things going on? How full is the weekly calendar of events? Is the congregation reaching out to the local community as well as supporting mission efforts around the globe?

As John writes to the seven churches, we learn that God looks at the church in an entirely different way.

  • Is that church’s activity fueled by love (Ephesus)?
  • How does the church respond to difficulties and challenges (Smyrna)?
  • What false teaching does the church tolerate (Pergamum)?
  • What false teachers does the church tolerate (Thyatira)?
  • What programs have stalled out (Sardis)?
  • Is the church pursuing opportunities for ministries in the immediate area (Philadelphia)?
  • Does the church care about people, the community, and the world? Or are they indifferent, isolated in a bubble (Laodicea)?

How can anyone not be convicted when they read these chapters of Revelation? No church is perfect. No church checks all these boxes. Every church has something to work on.

Every church needs to repent.

Any church can dig in and declare, “We’re right and they’re wrong!” How many churches will admit, “We have a lot to work on”? How many will commit to being the kind of church that the Lord wants us to be?

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Turn up the volume

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Al Elmes on Unsplash

Some “through the bible” thoughts from Jude.

“Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3).

In the first church where I served as pastor, the sanctuary was separated from a kitchen/fellowship area by a long accordion-style folding divider. One Sunday morning, a meal was scheduled to follow the worship service. I had to contend with slicing, chopping, conversation, and chuckling from well-intentioned parishioners busy with food preparation during the sermon. With a louder-than-usual-voice and lots of projection, I was up to the task.

It didn’t happen often, but some babies weren’t happy at their baptism. I had to contend with their louder-than-usual cries at the font. Once again, I was up to the task, calling upon the breath support I usually used for playing the trumpet.

Jude calls on believers to “contend for the faith” because there was a lot of other noise filling the early church air. The voices of false teachers, grumblers, complainers, and boasters created division in the church, even denying Christ himself! Jude encourages them to turn up the volume of the apostles’ words, praying and strengthening their faith in the promises of God.

Is the church a place filled with the sounds of joy or complaining? Are we united in mission or divided over worldly issues? Do we hear the voice of truth or lies from the enemy?

It’s always a good day to turn up the volume of love, mercy, and grace as we contend for the faith.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

We have an advocate

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Immo Wegmann on Unsplash

Some “through the bible” thoughts from 1 John 2.

“If anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1 John 2:1).

Over the years I’ve written many letters of recommendation for youth seeking admission to college or applying for financial aid. Most of the time, I knew them well, having taught them and gotten them involved in various church ministries. I enjoyed advocating for each one, anticipating their future success.

A few times I had to be honest and admit I didn’t know them very well. I did my best to write positively about them and their future potential.

I think it’s interesting that one of the roles the bible assigns to Jesus is advocate or mediator. But he doesn’t advocate for those who are upstanding citizens of heaven. If we fail, if we blow it, if we give in to temptation, if we do terrible things – if we sin, “we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous.”

Who would you ask to write a letter of reference to God for admission to heaven? Isn’t that what we hear at funerals. Actually, that’s what you always hear at funerals. The deceased was the nicest person you could ever meet, unselfishly willing to do anything for anyone in need. Most of those in attendance know better, but dare not tell the truth. Grief is hard enough without recounting past hurts, regrets, and grudges.

Jesus is the one you want as an advocate. He doesn’t sugar coat your life. He simply assumes your guilt and shame and lets you wear his righteousness, which secures your admission to eternal life. You aren’t the nicest person he’s ever met, but he loves you so much he doesn’t hesitate to go to bat for you.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

A few supplements for a life of faith

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Zoltan Tasi on Unsplash

“Whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins” (2 Peter 1:9).

I started wearing glasses when I was ten years old. My fourth grade teacher alerted my parents when she noticed I squinted to see the chalkboard. A few weeks later I was wearing black-framed glasses for distance. As I matured, I needed increasingly stronger prescriptions for glasses and then for contact lenses.

When Peter writes about a nearsighted faith, he attributes it to a lack of the qualities he mentions in verses five through seven: virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, and love (1:5-7).

This is a departure from the usual, “All you need to do is believe.” Which is true. We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. There is nothing we can add to that.

However, Peter encourages his audience to supplement their faith with these qualities because we’re living in a world corrupted by sin that distracts us from God. Our sinful desires can easily shove God aside. These spiritual supplements help us see how our faith shapes every part of our lives and relationships.

Perhaps it’s like receiving the gift of a new bike. It’s yours. It’s beautiful. You adjust the seat and the handlebars to fit your body. You learn how to shift smoothly, keep a steady cadence, get in and out of the toe clips, adjust the brakes, check tire inflation, negotiate traffic, dress for different weather, and take off down a hill without ever touching the brakes. You don’t have to do any of those things, but it’s more fun riding when you do!

God knows you’ll really enjoy taking your faith for a spin!

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

The colors of grace

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Some “through the bible” thoughts from 1 Peter 4.

“As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” (1 Peter 4:10-11).

I love Peter’s description of God’s grace like the color chip display at a paint store. The variety of hues never fails to amaze me. Grace might look like love, but it can also show up as hospitality, stories of God’s power, or helping others. It’s like everyone has their own individual grace language or seasoning.

I believe it’s much easier to state what grace is rather than describe what it looks like. Grace is God’s gift of salvation for us through the redemptive suffering and death of his son Jesus on the cross. That is an unchanging, historical image of God’s grace. But putting on Christ in baptism (Galatians 3:27) will look a little different on each one of us.

Sometimes it sounds like a bold, confident prayer. Other times, it will be a simple song sung by a child. Sometimes it tastes like lunch with a dear friend. It could be the reassuring words of a doctor. Or even just laughter that makes you chuckle, too.

Since I really don’t deserve anything good from God, every blessing is an expression of grace. God uses people to deliver that grace, just as he used his own son to bring us life.

The other day I was walking the big dog when an Amazon truck pulled over for a delivery. A young man hopped out with a package while an older woman (his mom?) stayed behind the wheel. He exclaimed, “Is that a Great Dane? Is she friendly?”

“Yes. Too friendly. She wants to be friends with everyone.”

As he scratched behind her ears, he mentioned, “My grandmother had a Great Dane, a harlequin.” With a truck full of deliveries, he couldn’t stay long.

But around the block, the same truck stopped in front of another house, and he got a bunch of kisses from the dog. In her own way, the dog brought back sweet memories of an important person in his life.

Sometimes grace looks like a guy walking his dog down the street.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

What does faith look like?

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Kyle Loftus on Unsplash

Some “through the bible” thoughts from Hebrews 10 and 11.

So what does faith look like?

I guess there as many answers as there are answer-ers. For some, faith looks like going to church. For others, it’s traveling far from home on a mission trip. Memorizing bible verses? Praying before meals? Wearing a cross necklace? Being nice. Honest. dependable. Perhaps all of the above.

But perhaps more. In Hebrews 11, faith means looking forward to everything God promised, trusting him, and doing what he says. It means not looking back, but always towards what will be.

Why do that? Because he who promised is faithful (10:23). That’s why faith looks like confidence (10:19), full assurance (10:22), and no wavering (10:23). It’s absolute certainty in God’s mercy and grace that is ours in Christ.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Plenty of contentment

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Holly Mandarich on Unsplash

Some “through the bible” thoughts from 1 Timothy 6.

“If we have food and clothing, with these we will be content” (1 Timothy 6:8).

When I read those words, my first thought is, “Yeah, right. Who does that?” Who’s content with life’s basic needs? No one I know.

What about a house? Utilities? A bed, a dresser, a lamp, and a table and chairs for the dining room? Pots and pans, dishes and cups, and utensils for the kitchen? Appliances? Curtains for the windows? Cleaning supplies? Transportation to and from your job? Glasses? A watch?

From there it’s a small step to a cell phone, wi-fi, various insurances (which someone demands you have), a termite bond, a backpack, trashcan, lightbulbs, a coffee maker, and a microwave.

I don’t think any of that is excessive. In my world, those things are required. Well, almost.

But even with all that, contentment is elusive. Everyone – yes, everyone – is working hard to steal my contentment and sell me something. From door-to-door folks to ads that accompany my Google searches, hard working sales people hawk so many things I never knew I needed! Everything I own can be upgraded to something better. Shelf lives are short, so everything must be replaced often. Who has time to be content?

Maybe Paul was writing about himself and his traveling companions. On their missionary journeys, they didn’t have to worry about homes and vehicles and everything associated with them. Indeed, all they needed was some clothing, some food, and a place to stay for the night. It’s like living out of a backpack, working odd jobs, and depending on the hospitality of others for a place to stay.

So, in this example, the less I have (just a backpack) – or see others have – the more content I am. That’s not intuitive. But it’s worth pondering.