Tag: God

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

A faith journey

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Karina Syrotiuk on Unsplash

I was today years old when I learned some things about Abram I had never thought about before (from Genesis 12).

  • When the Lord said to Abram, “Leave your country…and go to the land I will show you,” it wasn’t the first time he spoke those words. According to Acts 7:2-4, God gave him those instructions when he was in Mesopotamia. In Genesis 11:31, the family only made it to Haran. The Lord gives them another nudge, and they finally settle in Canaan (12:5). I wonder why they didn’t go the whole way the first time?
  • The Lord said, “Leave…your people” (12:1). Abram mostly did, but took his nephew Lot with him (12:4). Lot would trouble later when Abram had to give him part of the land (13:5-9), and later when Abram had to rescue him from captors (14:16). Maybe he should have left him home.
  • Then, when there’s a famine, Abram goes to Egypt to find food. While there, Sarai acquires an Egyptian maidservant named Hagar, whom she would hate when Abram fathers a child with her (16:1). Maybe they should have trusted God to provide for them in Canaan.

Even though childless, Abram believed God’s promise to make him the father of a great nation. He’s the poster child of faith: “Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness” (15:6). But rather than a heroic faith, Abram had a growing faith. Abram made some questionable choices, but always circled back to square one, built an altar, and called on the name of the Lord (12:8; 13:18). His actions had consequences, but nothing can derail God’s plans. And along the way, Abram learned how to trust God.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Why are you so upset?

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Andre Hunter on Unsplash

When I get to Genesis 4, I have so many questions.

  • What was wrong with Cain’s offering?
  • Why was Cain so angry? (Even the Lord asks, “Why are you angry?”)
  • Was Cain angry at God or at his brother Abel?
  • Why did Cain’s anger escalate to murder? Did he set out to kill his brother? Or did his anger get out of control?

I’ve got three clues from scripture to help me understand.

“By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did” (Hebrews 11:4).

“Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous” (1 John 3:12).

“Woe to [these ungodly people]! They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam’s error; they have been destroyed in Korah’s rebellion” (Jude 11).

So Cain had more than just anger issues. He rejected God. His response both to the Lord and Abel stemmed from unbelief. Cain is numbered with Balaam and Korah, who foolish rebelled against God.

The first sin is disobeying God’s instruction, “You must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil” (Genesis 2:17). From there, things progress from bad to worse. The next recorded sin is murder. No wonder Cain’s offering was unacceptable. His life was on a trajectory away from God. “Without faith it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:6).

Every Old Testament sacrifice pointed to Christ, the sacrifice for sin. If worship is about you rather than him, you’re missing the point.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Good and evil

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Dominik Van Opdenbosch on Unsplash

The Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die” (Genesis 2:16).

When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it (3:6).

We’re not adept at discerning good and evil. Things that feel good, look good, smell good, and taste good aren’t necessarily good for us. Plus, it’s an ever-changing standard. Things that used to be good for us turned out to be bad, and vice versa. Eggs used to be bad. Now we need them for essential fats. Butter used to be bad. But then we discovered that substitutes like margerine were worse. Coffee? That’s like the weather. Good one day, bad the next. Some cut salt out of their diet only to discover their sodium levels are dangerously low.

People who dress nicely and command respect aren’t always good people. Those who look a little rough around the edges turn out to be the nicest people you’ve ever met.

And then there’s the assumption that if something is good for us, more of that will be even better. Most of the time, that’s not true. Too much of a good dose might just be harmful to your health, if not lethal.

The knowledge of good and evil takes us down a rabbit hole of trying to figure out things that are far beyond our understanding rather than trusting God to point or lead us in the right direction. We usually get it wrong. And God knew that this would only result in suffering, death, and separation from him.

God wasn’t surprised by their disobedience. He knew about the tempter, the temptation, the disobedience, and the consequences. The need and his plan for a Savior was in place before creation (Ephesians 1).

As Jesus would later say, “There is only one who is good” (Matthew 19:17). We don’t have to figure it out. He’s the one.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Who are you talking to?

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Image by Surprising_Media from Pixabay

“And God said…” (Genesis 1:3)

Who is God talking to?

“The earth was formless and empty” (1:2). There’s no one else around.

Who is he talking to?

I daily walk by people who seem to be talking to themselves. But then I see their AirPods or ear buds and realize they are talking to someone on the phone.

Others aren’t on the phone. But they still have much to say to someone (or someones) living in their mind. You know, that little voice that won’t shut up.

Or they are talking to themselves, just as we do sometimes. I’ll tell myself to keep quiet, keep walking, just listen, let it go, ignore them, just smile, be kind, take a breath, etc. You know what I mean.

On the one hand, you could say God is talking to himself. A triune God is never wanting for some to talk with.

On the other hand, God doesn’t make small talk. When he speaks, something happens. In the verses to follow, God speaks and there’s light, sky, land, plants, fish, birds, and animals. His word is creative. God can speak to nothing at all and suddenly something exists.

So if you talk to yourself, it’s okay. Just think of it as being created in the image of God. Or being like Jesus, by whom and through whom all things were made.

Or maybe you’ve got one of those voices that makes things happen. You motivate and encourage. You teach and explain. You persuade and lead. The world is different, better after you’ve spoken.

For six weeks during Covid isolation I preached sermons to an iphone on a tripod. I felt like I was talking to no one. Or simply to myself. It was a very strange feeling. I have no idea who heard my words. That feels like such a long time ago.

What happens when someone speaks God’s word?

Posted in communication, God

A message through creation

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Today’s First 15 devotion was about how God speaks through his creation. We know he speaks to us in the bible. But the bible says he speaks to us through his creation.

“For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made” (Romans 1:20).

In Psalm 147:8-9, and 15-18, scripture tells us that he sends his word to feed the animals and affect the weather.

Jesus said the birds who are fed by the heavenly Father and the flowers he beautifully clothes proclaim a powerful message: stop worrying (Matthew 6:26-30).

Today I journaled, “While there is much about God I can’t learn from creation, I can ask him, ‘What are you teaching me through creation today?'” In that sense, God has much to say through the air I breathe, the water I drink, the food I eat, the sunrise colors I see in the sky each day, and the trees that line my morning walk.

What I learned today:

  • He provides for me. I am alive because he gives me life, breath, and everything (Acts 17:25).
  • He is a creative creator. He came up with so many forms of plant and animal life that not only fit together but benefit each other.
  • He knows what will pique my interest and what will take my breath away. From colors to clouds to creatures (like singing birds), I love to walk down the streets of my neighborhood. There is always something new to notice, appreciate, and give thanks for.

There are many more messages in the starry night sky, the roaring ocean waves, gusty winds bending the trees, and pouring rain soaking you as you dash inside the house.

What are those things saying?

Posted in color

The first color of the day

Posted on by William Douthwaite

When we rounded the corner (the big dogs and I), I caught a glimpse of the first color of the day. It’s usually dark when we leave for our morning walk, and the world is mostly shades of dark, punctuated by white lights on houses, headlights on cars, and the moon and a few stars in the sky.

Then, suddenly, something beautiful happens. Long before the edge of the sun touches the horizon, its light awakens the first color of the day. Light blue is first. Not a deep navy blue like you might expect. Pinks often accompanies the blue, though oranges might greet me as well. It depends on the clouds, the weather, and the season.

That moment never gets old. I always exclaim, “Wow.” The first color of the day takes my breath away. Morning loves to splash color in my field of vision. Yes, it’s a new day!

When God said, “Let there be light,” was it white? Yellowish? All the colors of the spectrum? Did that light explode or take over the darkness gradually, intentionally, and beautifully? God’s creative command echoes every morning as that first color touches the night.

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

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.