Our Limitations, God's Opportunities

Your limitations become your prison only when you treat them as such. – Anon

The Israelite army felt powerless against Goliath and the Philistines, letting him severely taunt them for 40 days. Then David and his GOD came along. VICTORY!

For most of us as Christians or children of God there are many things we draw the line at saying “I just can’t do it.” Not that we don’t think the task worthy, we just don’t think it’s in us or we possess the ability. But we serve a God who has always equipped his children in their ‘hour of need’ as they sought him out. In reality our limitations are God’s opportunities. We should just give them over to God and watch the miracles unfold.

I will be taking the next week off, so this keyboard will be silent until I return. So until then Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Pastor Botts

“Ah. Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.” – Jeremiah 32:17

P.S. - Don't forget we start at 9AM this Sunday.

Reaping Investments

Don’t anticipate your ship coming in to port if you’ve never sent one out. – Anon

Joseph told Pharaoh he needed to prepare for the future for severe famine was on the way. With Joseph in charge the Egyptians never faced want. Wow!

It’s amazing how often people think things will magically work out. They often hold out for the day their ‘luck’ will change and everything will fall into line when ‘their ship’ comes in. But just as we would never go to a bank to withdraw money when we’ve never deposited any or expect a paycheck for a job we’ve never worked, it’s just as foolish to expect our life to be changed by an event that cannot happen because we’ve done nothing to cause it to happen. It’s amazing how we often expect our lives to become more godly and Christ like when we don’t do the things to cause it to happen. To reap the rewards of an investment you must invest. Today is another opportunity God has given us to prepare.

Until tomorrow….

Pastor Botts

“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” – II Chronicles 7:14

Where it comes from

You are not judged by the height to which you have risen, but from the depth from which you have climbed. – F. Douglass

King Nebuchadnezzar paraded and saluted himself over his vast kingdom and all “he” had accomplished wanting the world to see. Shortly thereafter God dealt with him most severely. OUCH!

Often we want others to see us, applaud us, and admire us for our great feats in life, our vast accumulation of things, or our new status, going out of our way to show it. Doing things to get recognized or noticed, saying things to get attention.  But as often happens in this we forget where we came from and who brought us along the way. No matter what your present station in life, may you take time to thank God for where He’s brought you from.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are His. He changes times and seasons; He sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.” – Daniel 2:20-21

Prayer Power

Things begun in prayer usually end in power. – Anon

The early church prayed for power to speak the truth ‘boldly’ and caused an earthquake. WOW!

When you get right down to the nuts and bolts of what we do and how we do it, we all want and look for things to end well, with pizzazz, fireworks, crescendos, flair, or just plain ol’ great success. That’s just human nature. But the end result is often predicated on the start and follow through that we put into it. This is particularly true in the ways of God. There is nothing we should ever attempt to do for Him without consulting Him first, even when it comes to our daily living. And when He answers, whether big or small request; it’s not hard to see His hand in the process. But we must remember it is not titles, awards, past performance, or special recognition that guarantees such results, it is by prayer. Prayer accomplishes much and it is the ‘work’ of the faithful. The key to an effective prayer life is to value that which we know brings glory and honor to the Father.

Until tomorrow……

Pastor Botts

“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful” – Colossians 4:2

Easy as...huh?

Living a good life is like eating with chopsticks, it looks easy until you try it. – Anon

In his mind Peter was ready to die for Jesus, that is, until his physical life was at stake. Good thing Jesus forgives. AMEN!

Lots of things in life look easy enough, that is as long as we stay on the sidelines. But get us in the game action and we find complexities and challenges we never imagined, and a skill set that seems all thumbs at times. It is something we should always bear in mind with others we see and encounter, possibly doing their best and giving it their all, just because it doesn’t measure up to what we expect. God only knows the struggles or hardships they are dealing with, so our response should be one of encouragement. Besides, the same holds true for us as well. In our ‘all thumbs’ episodes of life God never once criticizes, He only offers encouragement, help, and of course hope.

Until tomorrow….

Pastor Botts

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” – I Thessalonians 5:11

Going Through

God does not offer us a way out of the adversities of life. He offers us a way through, and that makes all the difference. -W.T. Purkiser

God ‘parted’ the sea for the Israelites to walk through, he didn’t magically make it disappear, nor did He make them superhuman. Hmm!

Some years ago the Temptations recorded a song ‘Ball of Confusion – That’s What the World is Today.’ For many it still is. For we who belong to God, it can be when we begin to try and see it through our own eyes and conquer it in our own strength. One thing is certain whether we trust God or not - we will certainly see and experience adversity firsthand, and if we are not prepared it can often be quite confusing and impede our efforts. The instinct of a Christian is that we know adversity is a part of life, but we also know and trust that God will see us through it. So our prayers are not so much “Lord, get me out of this mess,” but moreso “Lord, I trust you will provide all I need to persevere, and I pray I will gain insight from this to give greater glory to you.” Knowing this makes any day bearable.

Until Monday….

Pastor Botts

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33

P.S. - Don't forget tomorrow. If it's raining we gather at 9AM at the church for Prayer Breakfast. If it's not raining we gather at 10AM the park for the kick-ball rematch. Hope you can make it.

Those Little Buggers

The trouble with little sins is that they don’t stay little. – Anon

Cain, Achan, David, the woman at the well. These people thought their sin was well concealed, but somehow it got bigger than them. OUCH!

It happens in almost every family where the firstborn son is named Junior. He normally turns out to be several times as big as his father. Sin has a lifecycle like that as well. Starting small with maybe just a thought or hint, but left unchecked it grows into a massive slave owner. At first, sin does fascinate, but in the end, it assassinates. Often we feel we’ll be the one to beat it, to get away with it and keep it secret, but God sees all we do, and “the wages of sin is still death.”  But God’s “mercies are new every morning,” and with each new day He gives us a new opportunity to “go and sin no more.” HALLELUJAH!

Until tomorrow……

Pastor Botts

‘You may be sure that your sin will find you out.” – Deuteronomy 32:23

Like Jesus

Someone will need to see Jesus today, are you available? - Anon

Elisha thought it would be great to be just like Elijah, in life and spirit. Such a noble idea. Hmm!

Growing up we all had someone in mind we wanted to be like (mom, dad, coach, etc.). We were impressed with the way they carried themselves and seemed to make a difference in life. In his life here on earth Jesus was witnessed in all sorts of situations – all pertaining to the spreading of God’s righteousness and love. Feeding/healing the people, both physically and spiritually, rubbing elbows with the common folk and socially outcast, and even challenging the ‘religious right’ of His day regarding His Father’s will. True it led to a lot of suffering and eventually death on a cross, but in truth that is why He came, to die in our place; and in retrospect: if we haven’t found a cause worth dying for, we’re really not fit to live ourselves. Though we rarely face death for our faith these days, a better question to ask ourselves is how often does Jesus live through me?

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“…Now if we are children, then we are heirs – heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.” – Romans 8:17

Release the Relics

A trip to nostalgia now and then is good for the spirit, so long as you don’t set up housekeeping. – D. Bartolovic

After witnessing Jesus' transfiguration, Peter wanted to stay there and build altars. God said no, follow My Son. AMEN!

Closets, attics, trunks, garages, refrigerators. What do they all have in common - they are storage spaces. But the other thing they have in common is every so often they need to be cleaned, purged of old useless, spoiled, outdated items. True, some of these items carry great memories, but yet and still they must go to make room for new ones. Even God told His people "forget the past, behold I'm doing a new thing...." All too often our holding on to items, relics, etc., make us complacent and unable to move forward. But move on we must, and the truth is we will experience even greater marvels of God's glory in our lives. So maybe it's time we do a little housecleaning in eager expectation that something good is on the way.

Until tomorrow.....

Pastor Botts

"....But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me......" - Philippians 3:13-14

Facing Hardships

Expecting life to treat you well because you are a good person is like expecting a hungry bear not to charge you because you're a vegetarian. - S. Barr

For all the good he did for Saul, David couldn't understand why Saul wanted him dead. The kingdom maybe. Hmm!

Live long enough and you will find that bad things do happen to good people - OFTEN! We seem surprised at times that the hardships or misfortunes of life come home to implode on us. We even sometimes become indignant about it, as if we have a free pass because we're good people, we do everything right, we play fair and by the rules. But the issues of life apply to all, no one is above hardship or exempt from misfortune. These are often learning and growth opportunities for our faith and maturity. If we trust "that in all things God works for the good..." in perfecting our faith, then we must have a few of these events in our lives for Him to work through. So as these situations arise in our lives we shouldn't look for an escape clause but for God's purpose and an opportunity to grow closer.

Until tomorrow......

Pastor Botts

"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me." - Matthew 5:11

Practicing for What

Amazing. The more often I try something, the better I get at it! - G. Richards

Nehemiah, the more he prayed, the more he had need to pray. Amen!

When you hear titles like 'Virtuoso,' 'Master Craftsman,' 'Expert,' etc., you tend to think of individuals who are very, very good at what they do. They've mastered their craft or skill through hours and hours and hours of repetition and testing. The same dynamic holds true for us as well. We can and do become proficient at anything we do often enough, and with continued practice/application become highly skilled or a master. But here is the caveat - when we don't practice the things that make us strong and help us to grow in our faith, we are actually in fact practicing the things that will turn us away from God. We either practice righteousness or unrighteousness - there is no in between or sitting still. We're often tempted not to do something for God for we fear we will do a poor job. That's just the enemy getting in our head. We need to remember every giant in the faith before us started out just as us, but just kept on being faithful. Remember we're responsible for the work, the increase is up to God.

Until Monday......

Pastor Botts

"He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters." - Matthew 12:30

Priority One

Prioritize or be prioritized. – D. Swanberg

Because the Israelites didn’t like to keep God’s covenant He introduced them to the Babylonians, Assyrians, Persians, etc. OUCH!

No matter how you slice it, each day has only 24 hours in it, and if you’re anywhere near being a responsible person you know it’s not enough to get everything done on our to-do lists. Why, because well-meaning family, friends, and co-workers have a way of making unexpected demands on our time; not to mention, the unforeseen difficulties that crop up. It’s the same with life as well. That’s why it’s important we learn to do first things first. These are the most important ‘must do’ events in life and of the day, and they start with God. If we don’t prioritize our life others are ‘chomping at the bit’ to do so, and their means and motives often only go to serve their own interests. We need remember we were made to be victors and not victims.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“God gave them over to those things that were inconvenient…..”

Living the Possible Life

People often say “life is hard!” I always ask them “compared to what?” – Sparks

After hearing what Jesus told the rich man about gaining eternal life, his disciples thought it was impossible or too hard to attain. Jesus told them nothing is impossible with God! Hmm!

The one constant about life is that it comes – relentlessly. And its true things don’t always work out the way we think they should or to our advantage, but by and large everyday God gifts to us has tremendous blessings within, and our good days far outweigh our bad days (assuming we can call any day a bad one). Life is meant to perfect us, shape our character, and strengthen our spirit – for these are all we’ll take into eternity with us. Experience is sometimes the best teacher God can use when we won’t listen and learn otherwise. So as the day unfolds with its circumstances, don’t look at them as hardships but rather as growth opportunities. That’s how God wants it.

Until tomorrow….

Pastor Botts

“I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” – Philippians 4:13

Being

To always dream of the person you’d like to be is a waste of the person you are. – Anon

The apostles had visions of being great leaders in a restored Jerusalem. Jesus wanted them to be servants in a coming kingdom. They finally got it!

Growing up we all had dreams of what we’d be, firemen, doctors, lawyers, president, etc. But these noble ideas never kept us from being the rambunctious kids that we were. When we feel we must be perfect before we can be of benefit to God’s kingdom we waste valuable time and miss the point. The person we want to be can only come into existence through the guidance and direction of the hand of God and He is working perfection out in us through the daily routines of life’s circumstances. Be careful in today’s decisions, God is at work building your character.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” – Ephesians 5:15-16

You never know till you try

It's why they play the game! - Anon

Gideon and his rag-tag army of 300 were really no match for the vast army of the Midianites and Amalakites. But they fought and won anyway. Wow!

On paper, you don't stand a chance. The odds are mightily against you. The laws are stacked against you. On the field or court, the opponent is bigger, stronger, quicker, and nastier than you. It's like Goliath against little scrawny David. But yet, they still play the game and often the 'expected' outcome is not the end result. Somewhere during the battle, during all the scratching and clawing, the courage, faith, obedience, and willingness to lay it all on the line proved more than enough for the underdog to walk away with the victory. In sports they call it momentum, in our daily walk we call it God fighting our battles. We may not win every time, but we'll never know until we let go and let God. That's how and why we should play the game today!

Until tomorrow....

Pastor Botts

"Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up..." - Luke 18:1

Prayer Overcomes Sin

You can't keep praying and sinning at the same time! - Anon

The priest Eli died an inglorious death because of his failure to heed God's commands regarding his sons in the priesthood. Hmm!

This life is full of absolutes like: "What goes up must come down!" or "Everyone may not grow up, but they do grow older..." Absolutes are those tried, tested, never failing rules that we are governed by. And in our attempt to live a godly life there is this absolute: 'You can't keep praying and sinning at the same time! You will soon give one of them up, but not both. As we look at our lives the question we have to answer is which one? And in truth, the answer will be totally obvious, not only to ourselves but to those around us. God is able to change our heart, attitude, tame our tongue, control our temper, and even our primal urges. So if we're not changing in any of these areas maybe it's because we've stopped going into our prayer closet. The good thing is God is still waiting.

Until Monday....

Pastor Botts

"No one who lives in Him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen Him or known Him." - I John 3:6

P.S. - Don't forget this Sunday at 9AM. Exciting stuff happening at our Roundtable Discussions.

P.S.S. - I would like to invite all Auxiliary Heads/Ministry Leaders to our monthly business meeting tomorrow at 10AM in Parmes Hall.

It's up to you

Life is a given, the destination and how is a choice?

The good thing about the Prodigal Son is that he wound up back at his beginning, his father's house. Hmm!

Rollercoasters! In our prime we loved them. The speed, the jerks and turns, and of course the 'stomach in your throat' downhill runs. It was a somewhat scary thrill but we did it again and again with eager expectations. When considered, daily life is just like that, a rollercoaster ride with all the effects. Truthfully, none of us asked to be here, but we were blessed with life by God, and even told by Him which rollercoaster to choose 'blessing or cursing, life or death....choose life' for the best results, but He left the final decision to us. So if we're not enjoying life, if it has too many thrills that 'stress us out' or leave us 'broken' God will allow you to change. Remember Jesus' words "I am come that they might have life to the fullest..." I think He expects us to enjoy the ride.

Until tomorrow.....

Pastor Botts

”...anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God." - James 4:4