Devil Repellant

Small impressions can have a large and lasting impact. - Anon

There's a reason Jesus got up early in the morning to pray. Hmm!

Mosquitoes, fleas, ants, bees, etc,. Small creatures created by God, but they pack a punch when they bite into us. One small bite/sting is annoying enough, with its constant irritating itch or sting, agitating us as the day wears on, taking away our ability to fully enjoy the moment. Could you imagine 3, 4, or 5. NO - it's why we put on the repellants, long sleeves, socks, etc., to keep them at bay. Knowing this and also knowing we have an enemy that's ALWAYS on the prowl looking to attack our spiritual well-being, here's the greater question we need to ask ourselves each day: Have I put on any repellant/armor for his tricks and attacks? A word to the wise is sufficient!

Until Monday...

Pastor Botts

".....therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground...." - Ephesians 6:13

Think Big, Start Small

The person who moves mountains, still begins by carrying away small stones. – Anon

On the day of Pentecost Peter preached a sermon that moved a mountain of people to accept Christ. He got his start sometime ago by just following Jesus. Hmm!

Many times we want to do the great and miraculous, the big event like Peter here that gets us noticed. But in truth the “big event” is actually an accumulation of the small things. Saving and scrimping to buy the car or house. Doing night or Saturday school to get the diploma or degree. The same is true in our walk with God. Bible study, prayer, meditation, fellowship – small things – done in faith turn mountainous problems or obstacles into molehills that are easily overcome. Start small and stay steady!

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“The disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, ‘Why couldn’t we drive it out.’ He replied, ‘Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. {But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.} Nothing will be impossible for you.” – Matthew 17:21-22

WHO Brought You From A Mighty Long Way?

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

Getting Strong Now

To be physically fit, one has to actually get ‘physical.’ - Anon

David was a valiant warrior because he trained himself to be one, just ask Saul. OUCH!

Whether we want to believe it or not, this great God we serve has a plan for every aspect of our lives, and that actually includes provisions for our physical well-being. True, most of us work hard at work, but we seldom work hard on our health. But God expects us to do so “bodily exercise is of value.” (I Tim. 4:8). Our culture and society is one where leisure is glorified and mass consumption is worshiped. But God did not create us to live lives of gluttony or laziness. He created us to do far greater things. The truth is the more we exercise and learn to say ‘no’ to those times of temptation to just skip it or give in, the stronger we also grow in our battle to resist the enemy in his other deceptive tactics upon our lives, and in both cases we become better fit to serve.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“….so, whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God…” – I Corinthians 10:31

Double Double

A blessing shared is not halved but doubled. – Anon

A little boy shared his lunch with Jesus one day and they fed 5,000+ and they took up 12 baskets full of leftovers. Hmmm!

We by nature are greedy people. We are taught survival of the fittest and to look out for number one from a very young age. And we keep these teachings ingrained in our psyche for life. And then we come to God’s economy which is completely different, give to receive, die to live, etc., and we find it a hard transition. But that’s what faith is – totally abandoning your way of thinking, your desire for control – trusting completely in God. And when we do and learn to share this way we realize there is never a shortage in what He supplies no matter how much we give away. Therefore, with every blessing we receive we should seek to pass it on to others, for we must always remember when God blesses us, He has more than us in mind.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“Freely you have received, freely give.” – Matthew 10:8

Which Door Will You Open?

Opportunity knocks sparingly, but temptation beats at the door every day. – Anon

Every time the angels came to present themselves before God, though he was not invited; Satan showed up anyway. Hmm!

We all know everyday life is filled with choices and decisions. It’s the stuff that makes it exciting and even daring at times. The key is to determine which are true opportunities versus urging temptations. Sometimes we might be perplexed as to which is which, however if we listen to the Spirit within us, He will lead us to understand that ‘opportunity’ ALWAYS allows us to do what is right and honorable; whereas temptation loves to hang in the shadows of darkness and concealment and uncertainty. Remembering we’re called to ‘let our light shine’ the choice or decision really then shouldn’t be that hard.

Until Monday…

Pastor Botts

“Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.” – Colossians 4:5

Created On, With and For

Most people have no idea what to do in their life, yet they want it to last forever. – M. Kennicott

Esther went from a virtual nobody to Queen and relished it. Mordecai had to remind her that maybe God made her “for such a time as this.” Hmmm!

We live in a world where the majority of people do not like what they do for a living. We live in a world where a great number of people have no idea what they will do with an education. And we live in a world where the average person has little hope for a successful future. The common denominator in all of this is that of these groups all of them want life to go on ad infinitum. But we serve a God of purpose, a God of hope, and it is never too late to be what you might’ve been. The bottom line is God did have a purpose in mind when you were created, a character profile He wants to develop in you, one that will live forever. Why not start TODAY!

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” – Ephesians 2:10

What Develops From Difficulties

What seems a hindrance often becomes a way of progress. – Henry Nouwen

Paul said his ‘chains’ (prisoner status) actually aided him in furthering the gospel message. AMEN!

Admittedly, we seldom do well in difficulty. Hindrances and difficulties seem to frustrate us, make us angry with others, even God at times. And because we are self-centered more than we ought to be, hindrances and difficulties often make us feel victimized, “why me?” And our natural response is to try and sidestep them if at all possible. In truth, difficulties can and do tell us much about ourselves, and they are an important factor in change. God knows this and He creatively often uses hindrances and difficulty to get our attention or focus on what’s really important. The truth of the matter is when we take time to pray, be still, and face the hindrance or difficulty head on, we’ll discover that it was not what it first seemed – a hindrance – but in fact a way to a new experience with God. And in the end, isn’t that what we’re after?

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“….Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance…” – James 1:2-3

Walk With Him

If a man can have salvation and not know it, he can lose it and not miss it. – A. Rogers

Samson slept hard and not only lost his hair, but lost his strength as well. The LORD had “departed” from him.

It's a truth that 'no one wants to be taken for granted.' People like to feel or believe they can offer something to the relationship - even God. But like Samson, many of us often walk day after day believing our relationship with God is all right, never really taking time to stop and commune with Him. But if we find ourselves committing the same sins over and over and constantly asking forgiveness, it’s a sure sign the LORD has departed from us; for His presence would give us true spiritual power to overcome the enemy or situation, whatever it may be. God is willing to walk with us to get us there, the question is: are we willing to walk with Him? His ways are exacting!

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth, meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” – Joshua 1:8

Boldly Go...

If we lack the courage to start, we are finished already. – Richard Murray

From the moment He came to earth in a manger, Jesus knew a ‘cross’ loomed large in His future. He set His face to go that way. Hmm!

It’s a simple truth but vastly misunderstood: “to get results you have to actually be doing something,” you can’t just sit there. God never said life would always be pleasant and pain free, but He did promise to walk with us every step of the way and make it bearable for us. And that’s the key, we have to take or make that first step. It’s the hardest thing in the world to do at times; particularly when uncertainty, doubt, fear, or apprehension cloud our thinking. Yes it’s tough to live with the weight of cancer, foreclosure, divorce, etc.; as these are sometimes the issues in our life, but they should not stop us in our walk of faith. God is a rewarder of those who have courage to live by faith, trusting Him to bring about the end results. The good thing we know is in the end it will be for our good and His glory.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“…No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” – Luke 9:62

Steps in the Right Direction

The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step - Chinese proverb

The bible says Jesus 'set his face to go to Jerusalem and the Cross.' That journey still continues today. WOW!

10,000 steps a day! Approximately 5 miles! According to many health advisory boards it's a goal we should aim for every day. Such activity can help lead to a decrease in chronic illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, and other metabolic syndrome issues, and increase one's overall health. A noble task indeed. So we grab the FitBit, Apple Watch, pedometer, or phone-app and off we go. Hooray for us! But this good application of ourselves does beg another question. How many of those steps are in the path the Lord chose for us this day? How many of them took us to where Jesus needed to be to minister through us, to encourage, give help or hope, spread love, show concern, or share in compassion or sympathy? If we're going to walk, why not be like Enoch and walk with God.

Until Monday...

Pastor Botts

"In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps." - Proverbs 16:9

P.S. - Hope to see you tomorrow for Prayer Breakfast!

Not Rocket Science or Powered

The power of prayer rests on the ONE who hears it, and not on the one who says it. – A. Brown

Jonathan’s victory over the Philistine outpost was ‘perhaps’ because he trusted in God. Hmm!

Prayer! Why is it such a hard thing to do? Why do we fear others hearing us pray out loud? So often we approach prayer like it’s an IRS form or a job application, and we have to fill in all the spaces correctly or there’ll be big trouble. Or we feel we have to say all the right words or be somewhat long or overtly emotional in our plea. God is not standing over us in a white coat and clipboard when we pray. He knows our heart and our needs before we even ask Him. His invitation to prayer is really just a desire to commune together, meet and share concerns, hopes, dreams, and encouragement. There is no standardized format. The main thing in our prayer time is that we acknowledge God for who He is, and our complete dependence upon Him. And since there is nothing ‘too hard’ for Him, He eagerly awaits us to show His power.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know…” – Jeremiah 33:3

Don't Fake the Funk

It is okay not to know, it is not okay to pretend you know, when you don’t. – Richard Murray

Even Jesus himself said He didn’t know the time His Father had set for the end of times. Hmm!

‘How To’ books – the shelves are full of them, from A to Z, on whatever suits your fancy. Most are tried and true, which is of great benefit to those of us who want to learn the ‘How’s’ of life. Unfortunately there are scores of these books that are purely fictional, theoretical, and guesswork. In this great creation of God there are some things God kept to Himself, and we should in no wise try to guess, theorize, or fill in what is missing. It’s okay for us to say “I don’t know!” The great thing is that He gave us enough to know Him and love Him, and in the end that’s all that matters.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“….The secret things belong to the Lord our God…” – Deuteronomy 29:29

Something Came Up...

It’s amazing how quickly an emergency arises the moment you start saving for one. – Sparks

After healing Peter’s mother-in-law and many others, Jesus slipped away to pray. Or so he thought he did! Hmm!

Good intentions – we all get started on them but often find ourselves falling short. Saving for a home/car/vacation, and suddenly something else catches our eye. Enrolling in school or exercise classes and suddenly another opportunity opens up. Resolving to give more time to God/church and suddenly new friends and outings are before us. Call it test or trial if you will, but the issue still is what will you prioritize, for the final decision is always up to you. God expects us to be wise to the deceptive practices of our enemy and not lose focus. He will never put a hindrance to us coming to Him, so maybe we need to re-evaluate that emergency.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.” – Matthew 6:20

P.S. Hope to see you tonight at 5:30pm for our Prayer Meeting.

There's No Balancing This

The symbol of the religion of Jesus is the cross, not the scales. – J. Stott

In Luke 18 the Pharisee wanted God to see how well balanced and pious his life was by his acts of service. God was not impressed. Hmm!

All too often we’re like the Pharisee, we’ll do just enough to balance things out, give God just enough time, offering, praise, etc. to cover the blessings He gives. But we miss the boat. The cross represents the symbol of our Lord’s suffering. It is where He was hung and crucified with OUR sins. Nothing we do can atone for His sacrifice or “balance out” the deed. We are forever in His debt. Jesus did not call us to balance the books but to “take up our cross daily” and follow Him.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“Suppose one of you had a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Would he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, ‘Come along now and sit down to eat?’ Would he not rather say, ‘Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink…So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants, we have only done our duty,” – Luke 17:7-10