Tag: power

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Words with power

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Polina Tankilevitch on pexels

Some “through the bible” thoughts from 1 Thessalonians 1.

“Our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction” (1 Thessalonians 1:5).

It’s easy to forget that the gospel is more than just words. It is the power of God to change lives, produce hope, and inspire faith. The gospel itself is very simple: Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and rose from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:3,4). But that simple message speaks of profound love, unequaled power, unfailing hope, and an amazing future. It’s a simple message that has changed the lives of young and old for millennia.

I find the power of words fascinating. Words can make me burst out in laughter or well up in tears. They can create images in my mind. Strung together they tell memorable stories. Words stir some to action. They may help others calm down.

We anticipate the first word of a child. We remember the last thing a loved one said to us before their death. We’ll look through dozens of greeting cards in search of the one with just the right words. Some permanently tattoo words on their bodies. Others creatively paint words on the sides of boxcars.

I find the power of the gospel fascinating, too. It’s a story. But Jesus makes it my story. It covers my past and reassures me of the future, giving me two secure handles for today. The same God who spoke creation into existence and called the dead back to life speaks into my life with power, the Holy Spirit, and conviction.

What a blessing!

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Stronger than you think

Posted on by William Douthwaite

A few “through the bible” thoughts from Ephesians 3.

“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:16-19).

We’ve got a big dog. That’s no surprise to my readers. I often write about the adventures I’ve had with our Great Dane. She’s not as big as some of the Great Danes I’ve read about. She’s only about 105 pounds. Some of you are thinking, “only?”

She is all muscle. But she doesn’t realize how strong she can be. She doesn’t always leave a mark, but I remember every whip of the tail, butt of the head, lean of the body, swipe of the paw, and leap onto the love seat next to me. In her mind she’s just a lap dog. In reality, she’s a beast.

Paul’s words remind us that we’re a lot stronger than we think we are. If Christ dwells in our hearts through faith, then we have been strengthened with divine power. Faith – even faith the size of a mustard seed – means you are much stronger than you think. You have the power to grasp the dimensions of his love for you. It that experience, not just knowledge, that changes everything. “Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint” (Isaiah 40:31).

It’s the original and renewable energy source. It’s the power to believe, not lose heart, persevere, rejoice, and live.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Far above

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Tolu Olarewaju on Unsplash

Some “through the bible” thoughts from Ephesians 1.

Paul ends a long, long sentence describing Christ as “far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come” (Ephesians 1:21).

When I worked for Bell Labs forty-five years ago, I found myself in a sea of engineers far smarter than me. They had developed transistors, long distance networks, and digital communication for trips to the moon. It was a privilege to be out of my league for a few years.

From there I found myself at the seminary, surrounded by theologians far smarter than me. As I struggled to parse a Greek word, they read, taught, and preached from the Greek New Testament as if it were their native language. They explained eras of church history as if they had lived back then. It was a privilege to be out of my league for a few years.

Years later I worked out at a CrossFit box, surrounded by athletes older, younger, and in far better shape than me. As I struggled through box jumps and burpees, they flew through thrusters and muscle ups. They flew up and down ropes before carrying crazy heavy dumbbells over their heads the length of the floor. And back. It was a privilege to be out of my league with them.

On the one hand, it’s humbling to be in the presence of those whose abilities are far beyond mind. On the other hand, it’s a great opportunity to learn and be inspired.

It’s good to appreciate the humility of Jesus. He humbled himself and became the lowest of servants. But that’s not the end of the story. He was also exalted to the highest place, to a place of authority far above any other. And not just for a moment. All day today. And tomorrow. And forever.

Plus, he has authority over every other authority, rule, power, and dominion. That includes every dictator, billionaire, influencer, writer, entrepreneur, spiritual leader, venture capitalist, scientist, or AI. This includes those who exist now and those who will exist in the future.

When you think about it, what kind of a God wouldn’t have that kind of authority? Such a God wouldn’t be much of a God.

And yet, we quickly forget that he’s got a handle on things. He has a handle on everything. Nothing – from your health to the stock market to an election – happens outside the realm of his control. Which begs the question, “What are you worried about?”

Are you worried about your health? The country? Your freedoms? Your portfolio? That mole on your back? Your church? Your children (or grandchildren or great-grandchildren)? Your garden? Your neighbor? Your bloodwork? Your schools?

He’s got a handle on it.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

His last miracle

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Ryan Olson on Unsplash

A “through the Bible” devotion from Isaiah 50.

“I clothe the heavens with blackness
    and make sackcloth their covering.” (Isaiah 50:3)

God speaks those words through the prophet Isaiah to people who must have forgotten his power to save, dry up bodies of water (like the Red Sea), or darken the sky (like one of the plagues).

Later, Jesus would find himself immersed in darkness from noon till 3 in the afternoon, when he breathed his last on the cross and died. I never thought of this before, but since he’s the son of God, he created that supernatural three hours of darkness. It was the last miracle of Jesus’ public ministry, foretold long before by Isaiah.

That darkness is an indication that things were going according to plan, not spinning out of control. When Jesus seemed to be helpless and powerless, he was preaching with that unusual darkness, making a powerful point. The judgment of God was real and it was fully released on the one who deserved it the least. Jesus, the righteous one, was suffering the wrath of God for sin, in place of all those (all of us) who deserve it.

“By him all things were created” (Colossians 1:16), including light and darkness, day and night, the heavens and the earth. The one who can blot out the sun and can also blot out your sins. The one who clothes the heaven with blackness can also clothe us with his righteousness. The one who covers the skies with sackcloth can adorn us with garments of salvation and robes of righteousness.

Never for a moment, even in death, underestimate his power, his mercy, and his love.

Posted in God, Life

Time for a new battery

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Rowl-rowl-rowl-rowl.

Uh-oh. I know exactly what that sound means. I’ll give it one more try.

Click.

Yep, I knew it. Battery’s dead. “Battery’s dead; I’m going to get a new one.”

“How do you know it’s the battery?”

It’s usually the battery. Life in the Sunshine State means your car will need a new battery every three years. It works fine one day, and it’s DOA the next.

Has it really been three years already? I rummaged through the glove box. Yes! I knew I saved the receipt. It’s a little faded, but I can still read it. It was a three-year battery. Of course, the three-year replacement warranty ran out last week.

The good news? The car was parked in my driveway, right next to my other car, well within jumper cable distance. I opened the hoods of both cars grabbed my jumper cables and got to work. I’ve done this lots of times, but I paused and decided to glance at the owner’s manual. Which car do I hook up first? On which car do I clamp onto the engine bracket? I just wanted to be sure. I have a lot of respect for that little black box I trust to start the car each morning.

That morning I had just read about God’s presence on Mount Sinai while Moses and Israel camped nearby. They were told to keep their distance. Don’t touch. Don’t even get near. I thought to myself, “I probably fear this small black battery in my car than I fear God.”

I’ll bet that’s true for most folks. We have little fear of God. He’s a friend. Compassionate. Merciful. Slow to anger. Abounding in steadfast love.

All of that is true. But God is also holy. Isaiah took that for granted until he found himself in God’s presence (read Isaiah 6). Then he feared for his life. After that, he got a very clear view of God’s mercy.

The holiness of God not only reveals the depth of our sinfulness, but also the depth of grace. We need both to grasp how high and wide and deep and long is the love of God.