Soul Prints

Life is just a chance to grow a soul. – A. P. Davies

Before Jesus laid down his life for us, he impacted 11 others who did pretty much the same thing. That’s growth. Hmm!

We spend a great deal of our life dealing in cryptic clichés; ‘trying to figure it all out,’ ‘asking what does it mean,’ and ‘how do I make the best of things.’ But God in His infinite wisdom has granted us purpose and provision to fulfill that purpose in a meaningful way. The end result of this life as we know it is to properly mature our soul for the next life. We’re not to get so bogged down or tied up in the affairs here that we ‘can’t’ or ‘won’t’ leave, but we’re to make this place somehow better by our being here. It’s not the situations or circumstances that we endure or overcome so much that help us grow, but the lives we impact in those situations and circumstances, and the amount we give of ourselves. Just like a seed grows from the inside out, so do we. That’s the way God designed it.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“For every living soul belongs to me, the father as well as the son – both alike belong to me. The soul who sins is the one who will die.” – Ezekiel 18:4

God At Work

What we see depends truly on what we're actually looking for! - Anon

Many folks saw Noah working on the ark but none of them believed God was with him. Hmm!

Jesus said "my Father is always at His work!" So the question I guess is how often throughout the day do we actually see God working? It's all a matter of perspective and understanding. Many people look at a tree and just see a tree. A person of faith sees 'God at work' with all that the tree provides - homes for birds and other animals, shade/shelter, food - not to mention greenery for beauty and to aid in the production of oxygen for us. Many people see children at play and that's it, but a person of faith sees 'God at work' reminding us to choose joy and happiness in the midst of an imperfect world. Our perspective is shaped and informed by what we know. So the more we know of God and His Word the more we will see Him 'at His work' in and around our lives. Praying today may be eye opening and breathtaking to us all.

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

"I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living." - Psalm 27:13

Where Are You Headed?

The road to abundant living here, and heaven afterwards, runs right through the giver of peace: Christ. - Anon

The reason the Israelites wandered 40 years in the desert is because they were ‘lost.’ God wasn’t. Hmm!

Sun! Moon! Compass! GPS! Over the eons we’ve progressed through technology to help us navigate around this great big planet, for no one likes being lost. But here’s a question we rarely ask ourselves: "Am I at peace with the direction of my life?" Days and years pass quickly, and many of us are okay with the ‘events’ of life (birth, childhood, school, marriage, career, etc.) but rarely do we seem to have found the purpose for which God created us. And because of this we seem to lack that ‘peace that surpasses all understanding’ that God promised. It’s good to know where you are, but it’s best to know where you’re headed and why, for this gives life great meaning. If we’re on the wrong path or don't like the direction we're travelling the great news of the day is that God allows U-turns.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“…You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.” – Isaiah 26:3

What's Your Source?

People who say God is dead and Elvis is alive can’t be too bright! – L. J. Harvey

Amaziah consulted with God, and then went out and conquered the Edomites and their gods which could not save them. Then he turned around and consulted with their gods. HMMM!

Advice. No matter how brilliant, wise, and aged we are, we all need it at times. True, most times it's unsolicited, but often when we do need it we rarely think of our Heavenly Father or His word. We turn to worldly books, talk-shows, unsaved friends and other soothsayers. But if we’re trying to live a holy, righteous life, maybe we should seek the advice of the one who is holy, righteous and all knowing - God! When changes and difficulties come our way, maybe we should seek His way.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“ When men tell you to consult mediums and spiritists, who whisper and mutter, should not a people inquire of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living?” – Isaiah 8:18-19

It's How You Come

Present your body as a living sacrifice. – Romans 12:1

When Peter recognized it was Jesus he saw, he quickly girded himself with the proper attire before coming ashore. Hmm!

We all know the cliché ‘You never get a second chance to make a first impression!’ And I’m sure it’s played out many times over in our lives in various settings both good and bad. And the truth is it plays out in our faith walk every day as well. Whether we are at work, school, vacation, or home; God is thoroughly concerned with the way we present ourselves before others as we live for Him. The bible speaks on grooming, being properly ‘adorned’ for service, being washed, clean, and unnoticeable in our times of fasting, and by not using or offering our ‘temple’ for acts of unrighteousness, including our eyes (what we see) and ears (what we hear). The bible calls us ‘ambassadors’ and that carries a certain air of expectancy with it. This is not to say we always walk around formally dressed and coiffed, but that we are ‘presentable.' The idea is if people are going to look to Jesus to have hope, first they will look to us as representatives of that hope. The question then becomes not how much do you know, but do they want to know you?

Until Monday…

Pastor Botts

“But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto myself.” – John 12:32

Great Efforts to Please The Great I Am

“You call what you’re doing a living sacrifice?” – God

Jacob had to leave his family, slept alone with a ‘rock’ for a pillow, and still got up and praised God. Hmm!

Often most of us just fall into the rut of life, just doing what we need to do to get by, make ends meet, keep the lights on, etc. And unfortunately, the same attitude falls upon our ministry and worship efforts. But if God is a God of life, joy, vibrancy, and the One who is ‘doing a new thing’ should not our lives somewhat parallel the One in whose image we were made? The spirit-filled individuals we read about in His Word had problems as well, but it seems they went out of their way and normal routines to praise/please God. If God is the same ‘yesterday, today, and forever,’ I think the same type of attitude and effort is still what pleases Him. Hopefully we’re all up for it today.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“{God said} Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.” – Job 1:8

Let Them See Christ In Me

The proof of the pudding is ALWAYS in the eating. – Anon

They were called ‘Christians’ by outsiders, not so much by what they said, but how they lived. Hmm!

It’s one of the greatest ‘professions’ in the entire bible. And what makes it great is that is was backed up by action. Ruth stated to her mother-in-law Naomi “where you go, I will go, where you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people, your God my God…” And we see and read she was very true to her word. And God blessed her and Naomi. It really is food for thought for us today. Our word should be or bond, no “ifs’ ands, or buts.” Our ‘yes’ should be yes and our ‘no’ should be no. And Jesus should be Lord of our life. This calls for a new mindset, one where we don’t need people to hear us say “I’m Christian,” but need them to see Christ in me!

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” – John 7:38

Love Streams

Love does……. – Bob Goff

Apparently, there were plenty of examples of Dorcas’ love for the people to show Peter. Hmm!

2AM feedings! Constant diaper changes! Cooing and lullaby singing! All the things a mother does for her baby. Why, not because she has to, but because her love motivates her to. The love in her heart for her child won’t let her deny anything the child needs. The living water Jesus promises to flow through us is that same type of love that causes us to express kindness, care, and concern for others, be they family, friend, or mere acquaintance almost as a second nature. And these acts not only benefit those we serve, they satisfy a longing within us which is Jesus trying to live through us. How will He love someone through you today.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” – John 7:38

What's Done In the Dark...

The nice part of living in a small town is that when I don’t know what I’m doing, someone else does. – Anon

When Lot was in trouble down in Sodom & Gomorrah, someone told Abram; and he came to his rescue. AMEN!

One of the truths we come to realize as we grow older is that the world isn’t as big as we once thought it to be. With the current technology and innovations anything can be brought to light almost instantly, and unfortunately it often is. We often think we can get away with or hide our ‘habits,’ ‘dirty deeds,’ or non-Christian behaviors, but in reality, we can’t. Someone is always looking, and generally it is someone we know or who knows about us. True, sin is a part of all our lives, but habitual, behavioral sin is what Christ frees us from. In a day and age where a lie can go around the world before truth has an opportunity to tie its shoes, we need to be mindful of whom we belong to at all times.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I am full of joy over you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil.” – Romans 16:19

Zest For Life

You don’t grow old by living, but by losing interest in living. – Richard Murray

After Joseph’s ‘perceived death’ Abraham lost a lot of his zest for life. God later ‘revived’ him. Wow!

Life comes one day at a time, and as we accumulate the days we grow older. That’s been the formula since the beginning of time. But though our bodies age our zest for life need not, for there is ever excitement and wonder afoot in God’s creation. The sad truth is though, most of us aren’t even living, we’re just existing. Going through the paces or routines of everyday life, in a rut. Not expecting anything different to happen, not expecting to make a difference because we’re so focused on ourself. God gave us life and He receives glory when we live it for Him, and the same is true for us. Our lives will be fuller and much more meaningful when we learn to live them with, and for others, in such a way that they see the goodness of God, and we live without thought of being compensated for all we do. Life is God’s gift to us and it should never feel like a sentence or prison. Each day should be seen as an opportunity to see just what God is up too. What will you do with today’s gift?
Until Monday…

Pastor Botts

“…as long as it is day, we must do the work of Him who sent me. Night is coming, when no man can work….” – John 9:4

P.S. - PRAYER BREAKFAST tomorrow at 9:30am. Hope you can make it!

Shaped in the Darkness

Some of the sharpest pictures are developed in the darkest rooms. – W. Smith

While Jesus was dying on the cross there was darkness all over the land. But then came The Resurrection. Can you say - Hallelujah!

Photo albums. We all have them. And from time to time we revisit them and reflect on the character and nature of the photo and what we were doing at the time. But have you ever really thought about the fact the albums only have pictures of us in 'good times.' That there are no pictures of us when we were going 'through it,' the tough times, down times. The times that really shook us but yet shaped us the most. The fact of the matter is we’ve all had grief, suffering, heartache, and sorrow in our lives, sometimes more than we think we can bear or deserve. But in truth it is often out of the ‘crucible’ of our dark times we encounter the greatest growth, changed hearts, deeper convictions, or greater appreciation for who God really is, and we are made a little more like Christ. And that’s a good thing!

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead……" -I Peter 1:3

Is This A Convenient Time?

Living by faith is never convenient! – Anon

The Good Samaritan just somehow knew he should do something. Hmm!

We like safe! We like tidy! We like comfort! And admittedly these are all good things to pursue in life, for no one really likes those who live with reckless abandon, nor seem to care for themselves or others. To walk and live by faith doesn’t call us to live with reckless abandon, but it does put us on notice that a convenient tidy life that is “all about me” is no longer appropriate. Godly faith challenges us to go beyond the norms we’ve set for ourselves. To consider others, to assist, care for, help others in their time of need, not necessarily ‘our time’ of convenience or when it’s not taxing us. Godly faith requires us to think like and let Jesus live through us to love, touch, embrace, edify, encourage, and respect others as the person God made them to be. Yes, actually to live by faith is to let Jesus – the one who died for us – live through us.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“Lord, when did we see you hungry, thirsty, a stranger, or naked, or in prison {and minister to you?} The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’” – Matthew 25:37-40

Refreshment From the Source

When we cannot find contentment within ourselves, it’s useless to seek it elsewhere. – Francois de la Rochefoucauld

Saul didn’t hear from God so he consorted with the Witch of Endor. He still didn’t like what he heard. OUCH!

Often, if we’re not careful we’ll find ourselves taking on the characteristics of the world in our faith walk. For instance, when teams have a losing streak they call it a dry spell. Sometimes we say the same when we feel we’ve not heard from God or experienced Him working in our lives. But how can that be if the “fountain of living water” (Jesus) resides within? There should never be ‘dry spells’ in our Christian walk. When we hit those arid moments it should provoke us to look at what we’ve become focused on other than Jesus. Spiritual dryness occurs when we supplant our relationship with Christ with activities and busyness. Sometimes it just takes coming back to the ‘heart’ of worship.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.” – Jeremiah 2:13

Just Let Your Soul Grow

Life is just a chance to grow a soul. – A. P. Davies

Before Jesus laid down his life for us, he impacted 11 others who did pretty much the same thing. That’s growth. Hmm!

We spend a great deal of our life dealing in cryptic clichés; ‘trying to figure it all out,’ ‘asking what does it mean,’ and ‘how do I make the best of things.’ But God in His infinite wisdom has granted us purpose and provision to fulfill that purpose in a meaningful way. The end result of this life as we know it is to properly mature our soul for the next life. We’re not to get so bogged down or tied up in the affairs here that we ‘can’t’ or ‘won’t’ leave, but we’re to make this place somehow better by our being here. It’s not the situations or circumstances that we endure or overcome so much that help us grow, but the lives we impact in those situations and circumstances, and the amount we give of ourselves. Just like a seed grows from the inside out, so do we. That’s the way God designed it.

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

“For every living soul belongs to me, the father as well as the son – both alike belong to me. The soul who sins is the one who will die.” – Ezekiel 18:4

Easier Watched Than Done

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

Peace at the Intersection of Direction and Purpose

The road to abundant living here and heaven afterwards runs right through the giver of peace: Christ. - Anon

The reason the Israelites wandered 40 years in the desert is because THEY were ‘lost.’ God wasn’t. Hmm!

Sun! Moon! Compass! GPS! Over the eons we’ve progressed through technology to help us navigate around this great big planet, for no one likes being lost. But here’s a question we rarely ask ourselves:  "Am I at peace with the direction of my life?" Days and years pass quickly, and many of us are okay with the ‘events’ of life (birth, childhood, school, marriage, career, etc.) but rarely do we seem to have found the purpose for which God created us. And because of this we seem to lack that ‘peace that surpasses all understanding’ that God promised. It’s good to know where you are, but it’s best to know where you’re headed and why, for this gives life great meaning. If we’re on the wrong path or don't like the direction we're travelling the great news of the day is that God allows U-turns.

Until tomorrow….

Pastor Botts

“…You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.”

– Isaiah 26:3

Godly Advice From A Godly Source

People who say God is dead and Elvis is alive can’t be too bright! – L. J. Harvey

Amaziah consulted with God, and then went out and conquered the Edomites and their gods which could not save them. Then he turned around and consulted with their gods. HMMM!

Advice. No matter how brilliant, wise, and aged we are, we all need it at times. True, most times its unsolicited, but often when we do need it we rarely think of our Heavenly Father or His word. We turn to worldly books, talk-shows, unsaved friends and other soothsayers. But if we’re trying to live a holy, righteous life, maybe we should seek the advice of the one who is holy, righteous and all knowing - God! When changes and difficulties come our way, maybe we should seek His way.

Until Monday…….

Pastor Botts

“ When men tell you to consult mediums and spiritists, who whisper and mutter, should not a people inquire of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living?” – Isaiah 8:18-19

P.S. - I will be picking up tickets for Movie Night today. I hope you've placed your order, if not let me know quickly.

In face of the everyday

Any idiot can face a crisis; it’s this day-to-day living that wears you out. – A. Chekhov

Elijah threw up his hands and said to God “I’ve had enough! Take my life….” God said “let me show you something Elijah…” He was forever a changed man. Hmm!

Demands at work! Rush hour traffic! Family pressures! Daily stress! It’s enough to drive your blood pressure up, put your temper on edge, and take the joy out of life. We all face such things in life. Yet, notice how some cheerful souls seem to never be fazed, they just seem to roll with the punches and keep on smiling. They have an ability to put a positive spin on every situation or circumstance. They seem able to see the humor in life even when things go way wrong. It seems like life never gets a good hit on them to knock them down or steal their joy. Generally these are the folks who have put their faith and trust in God and don’t take themselves too seriously. They’ve learned that laughter is a great medicine, actually a gift from God; and that faith is the greatest preserver and encourager known to man. So depending on the situation they can face any fiasco, handle any hassle, find sunshine on a rainy day, and still enjoy the blessing of life. May we all be so blessed!

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 1:1

Not what you may expect

Blessings come in all shapes and sizes just as we need them, but rarely how we expect them. - Anon

Paul wanted a natural ‘physical healing’ until God told him just how “GRACED” he already was. AMEN!

Holidays, birthdays, weddings, graduations; the dates of gift-giving, and often even before the gifts are opened; the giver is somewhat measured by the size or shape of the gift. We often say “it’s the thought that counts” but many times that’s not true – it’s the gift. So we want big packages, expensive wrappings and so forth. But such an attitude begs the question: How many times do we miss God's blessings because they are not packaged as we expected? He is the giver of “every good and perfect gift,” so it really should not matter in its size or presentation. And best of all God delivers them to us everyday at just the right moment. This should make every day exciting for us.

Until Monday…..

Pastor Botts

“I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” – Psalm 27:13

Model Behavior

The nice part of living in a small town is that when I don’t know what I’m doing, someone else does. – Anon

When Lot was in trouble down in Sodom & Gomorrah, someone told Abram; and he came to his rescue. AMEN!

One of the truths we come to realize as we grow older is that the world isn’t as big as we once thought it to be. With the current technology and innovations anything can be brought to light almost instantly, and unfortunately it often is. We often think we can get away with or hide our ‘habits,’ ‘dirty deeds,’ or non-Christian behaviors, but in reality we can’t. Someone is always looking, and generally it is someone we know or who knows about us. True, sin is a part of all our lives, but habitual, behavioral sin is what Christ frees us from. In a day and age where a lie can go around the world before truth has an opportunity to tie its shoes, we need to be mindful of whom we belong to at all times.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I am full of joy over you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil.” – Romans 16:19