Tag: faith

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

You should have seen it coming

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Jun Weng on Unsplash

Some “through the bible” thoughts from Lamentations 2.

The Lord has done what he purposed;
    he has carried out his word,
which he commanded long ago;
    he has thrown down without pity;
he has made the enemy rejoice over you
    and exalted the might of your foes. (Lamentations 2:17)

When I think of God’s promises, I think of positive ones. I remember promises of his presence protection, provision, and forgiveness.

But what about God’s promises of discipline, punishment, and destruction? As Jeremiah witnesses the siege, invasion, and destruction of Jerusalem, he recalls God’s promise of consequences for unfaithfulness and disobedience (Deuteronomy 29). Whether you like it or not, God keeps his word.

I used to have a little book that listed all of God’s promises by topic. Well, not all of them. Only the positive ones. It never occurred to me that the negative ones had been conveniently overlooked. I don’t think they would sell as many of those books.

Come to think of it, the first promise in the bible was a warning. “Of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” (Genesis 2:17) I never see those words on a t-shirt or wall plaque.

So when you want talk about God’s faithfulness, don’t forget the warnings as well as the blessings. It’s all part of his word that teaches, reproves, corrects, and trains (2 Timothy 3:16).

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

I don’t want to do that

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Vidar Nordli-Mathisen on Unsplash

Some “through the bible” thoughts from Jeremiah 42 and 43.

Most of the nation has been taken into exile. The remnant who’s left wants Jeremiah to ask God, “Now what should we do?” They promise, “We will obey the voice of the Lord our God to whom we are sending you” (Jeremiah 42:6).

Jeremiah passes along this message from the Lord: “Don’t run away to Egypt. Stay here. I’ll take care everything” (42:10-12).

That’s not the answer they wanted to hear. “You’re lying!” they said, and “did not obey the voice of the Lord” (43:7). They all ran away to Egypt, dragging Jeremiah with them.

How often has someone asked you, “What do you think I should do?” Or, “What can I do to help?” After your thoughtful and loving response, they reply, “I don’t want to do that.” You’ve been that someone, haven’t you? Yeah, me, too. We don’t really want advice. We just want someone to affirm what we wanted to do all along.

It’s just like the man who asked Jesus, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Matthew 19:16) He had obey all the commandments, and wanted to make sure he had left nothing undone. When Jesus told him to sell his possessions, give to the poor, and follow Jesus, he walked away sadly because he had a lot of possessions. Jesus’s instructions were the last thing he wanted to do.

The fact that Jesus’s instructions are often the last thing I want to do reveals a lot about my heart. I need his grace a lot more than I like to admit.

Posted in encouragement, faith

Preaching to a busy intersection

Posted on by William Douthwaite

It’s a little hard to see from these pictures, but I believe this guy was preaching at a busy intersection in my community. I believe the book balanced on the pedals of his bike is a bible, that he had just been holding in the air.

This is an intersection with a McDonalds, gas station, supermarket, and bank on the four corners. It’s busy and noisy, and the preacher didn’t have a P.A., so I doubt that anyone could hear him other than that one person stopped there with the window open. Since we all have AC, few windows are open. There are no signs about repentance or contributions, so it’s just him, his voice, and the word competing with busy afternoon traffic.

I’ve heard street corner preachers before. They had a microphone and a portable amp, lots of signs about repentance, and of course, a container for contributions. Many stopped to watch the spectacle, but I seriously doubt that anyone was converted.

I think the best evangelism happens when we get to know someone, care about someone, and make them curious about your life and faith. Once they start asking questions, you’ve got a wonderful opportunity to talk about the Lord.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

A work in progress

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Earl Wilcox on Unsplash

Some “through the bible” thoughts from Jeremiah 18.

“O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter has done? declares the Lord. Behold, like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.” (Jeremiah 18:6)

This is a classic object lesson from the prophet. Every time I read about the potter and the clay, that is, God and his people, he gives me new insights.

This time around it occurred to me that when the shape of the clay isn’t what the potter wanted, he doesn’t toss it out. He mushes it down and starts over. He keeps working with the clay, reshaping it again and again, until it becomes what he intended.

Since I’m far from perfect, on any given day, I can assume that God is still working on me. Today’s appointments, routine chores, chance encounters, disappointments, unexpected blessings, songs on the radio, dog walks, meals prepared, and naps taken are all part of daily formation.

Jeremiah reminds me to ask, “What did I learn today? Who taught me something new? How was I challenged?” It’s all part of the process.

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 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

Lessons from the ocean

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Sean on Unsplash

Some “through the bible” devotional thoughts from Jeremiah 5.

I placed the sand as the boundary for the sea,
    a perpetual barrier that it cannot pass;
though the waves toss, they cannot prevail;
    though they roar, they cannot pass over it.
But this people has a stubborn and rebellious heart;
    they have turned aside and gone away. (Jeremiah 5:22,23)

The ocean is an imposing body of water. It is powerful. A single wave can knock you over. Riptides pull you helplessly away from the shore. Offshore storms create waves that rip apart piers and wash away resort beaches. The seas toss huge ships around as if they were nothing. Pressure at the bottom of the ocean crushes the sturdiest submarines.

But the ocean obeys its creator. They can only go as far as he permits.

People? They are stubborn. They are rebellious. They disregard the barriers of God’s law. They dismiss the guardrails of God’s statutes. They ignore his warnings. They go where they want. They do what they want.

Okay, let’s be honest here. Let’s correct the pronouns. I am stubborn. I am rebellious. I disregard the barriers. I dismiss the guardrails. I ignore the warnings. I go where I want and do what I want.

Let’s get it right. I’m a piece of work. I’m a mess. I’m greedy, selfish, judgmental, prideful, insensitive, and cruel. I’m the enigma Jeremiah describes. I’m the one part of God’s creation who doesn’t honor and obey the creator.

That’s a tough confession to make, isn’t it? It’s honest though, isn’t it? It’s truthful. It’s real. It’s puzzling. It makes Jeremiah’s words come to life. Yeah, he’s talking about me.

Once I get that right, the bible starts to make sense. I need help. I need God’s help. And I have a God who helps. With love, mercy, and grace he gets my attention, draws me in, and shows me how much he still loves me.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Broken cisterns rather than a fountain?

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Muneer ahmed ok on Unsplash

Be appalled, O heavens, at this;
    be shocked, be utterly desolate,
declares the Lord,
for my people have committed two evils:
they have forsaken me,
    the fountain of living waters,
and hewed out cisterns for themselves,
    broken cisterns that can hold no water. (Jeremiah 2:12,13)

I love Jeremiah’s imagery here. He condemns a couple of habits that many of us can relate to. We don’t think God can fulfill our needs, so we pursue other things, people, and experiences we believe will satisfy us.

Those pursuits are just futile. They are sinful, unfaithful, and idolatrous. They reveal distrust, unbelief, and outright disobedience.

Convicted? Yeah, me too.

What are my cisterns? Approval. “Likes” for anything I write. Feeling “fit” compared to so many overweights who can barely walk into a store. A little money in the bank. 20+ likes for any blog post.

Why am I not satisfied with what God provides? Great question. I have no profound answers.