Peace of Mind Control

If you want peace of mind, start controlling what you allow into it. - Rick Warren

King Saul would often summon young David to play the harp before him to calm his troubled mind. Hmm!

Capital One "What's in your wallet?" wants to get into your wallet! At least they're upfront about it. See, the enemy knows the battle of our will is waged in the mind. And he seeks to control our mind or way of thinking through all sorts of subversive, subliminal, and deceptive media, via every possible distribution outlet (TV, Radio, Internet, Social Media, etc.) available. Anxiety, stress, life disorders and so forth are often brought about by a worrisome mind, a heart with no peace or rest. But there is a way to overcome the enemy's assault on our mind. Choose carefully what we consume in our media diet. The benefits are tremendous. As has been said: "No Jesus, No peace! Know Jesus, Know peace"!

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

"...we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." - II Corinthians 10:5

Enjoy Every Second

For every moment you are angry you lose 60 seconds of happiness. - Richard Murray

Cain lost his temper for a moment but regretted it for a lifetime. OUCH!

It's common knowledge. No one likes being around an angry person, it just seems to suck up all the energy or opportunity in the room. To have to 'walk on eggshells' all the time is no way to live, so we try to avoid it. But how do you do it when you are the 'elephant' in the room. Some of us refuse to let happiness into our lives, holding on to anger/rage from years and years ago. And when God tries to break through, we even refuse to acknowledge the greatness of His works (think Jonah). Life is short and can change in the blink of an eye. So now is the time to let go of that anger and forgive, for we never know if and when we may not have the opportunity again. We can't add any time to our lives, but we can make sure we enjoy every second of it. It's our choice!

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

"....human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.." - James 1:20

Time Best Spent

Wisdom is the power to put our time and our knowledge to proper use. - T. Watson

When it came to building the ark, Noah didn't know how much time he had but he also didn't waste any of it. Hmm!

A smart phone! That's what I have. And it often tells me things I guess I should be made aware of. Like, each month it will give a summary of my time driving and show me the day I traveled the most miles. Yeah! Like I really, really need to know that. But one thing I did notice is the total time I spent driving (hours/minutes). It made me wonder. What if the phone tracked the amount of time we spent on social media, the amount of time we spent following news leads/individuals, podcasts, playing games, or just amusing ourselves with pictures or recipes, etc? Would we like the results? Could some of that time have been better spent in prayer, meditation, or even meaningful conversation with a family member or friend? I know we use these distractions to escape for a breather, but some distractions actually steal opportunities, while others hinder our obedience to "seek the things of God and His righteousness." Though it is a smart phone, I think we should be smart as to how we use it instead of letting it use us.

Until Monday...

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

Seeing the Opportunities Over the Obstacles

In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity. – Albert Einstein

When Goliath came against the Israelites, the soldiers all thought, "He’s so big we can never kill him." When David looked at the same giant he thought, "He’s so big I can’t miss." Hmm!

Economic uncertainty. Political rhetoric. Cultural dissonance. Job stability/availability. There are a lot of difficult choices ahead for us, that will further impact our individual status. But no matter where we are in our lives, no matter what our circumstances; opportunities abound to make things better. And the first step is to change how we view what we’re up against. If our God truly is greater than any obstacle we can ever face, maybe we need to take it to him and view it through His lenses. He’s already promised to give us ‘a future and a hope,’ and as the author of ‘every good and perfect gift’ every situation can be beneficial to us. It’s all in how we see it.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” – I John 4:4

He Sees You

“Every move you make, every breath you take….I’ll be watchin’ you!” – song refrain

Hagar tried to hide thinking no one cared until she realized God knew ‘exactly’ where she was and why she was. Hmm!

Just try it for 2-3 minutes. Sit still and watch a group of sparrows (chee-chee birds). The way they flit about, jump around, dart in and out of trees or bushes. You can’t tell them apart, but yet our Great God can. The bible tells us ‘not one of them will fall to the ground outside of God’s care!’ Now if God cares that much about them, imagine how much more He cares for us, His most valued creation. You may think your movements, actions, or current status are of no consequence to Him, but just as He looks in on those birds. He looks in with even greater attention to you. Sometimes it may not ‘feel’ like He’s there, but the One who loves you most knows exactly where you are and the status of things going on. The question is will you trust Him, surrender and allow Him to work it out for your good? Remember, you were made to bring Him glory – let it rise!

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“…indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord watches over you…” – Psalm 121:4-5

Mind Control

If you want peace of mind, start controlling what you allow into it. - Rick Warren

King Saul would often summon young David to play the harp before him to calm his troubled mind. Hmm!

Capital One wants to get into your wallet! At least they're upfront about it. But the enemy knows the battle of our will is waged in the mind. And he seeks to control our mind or way of thinking through all sorts of subversive, subliminal, and deceptive media, via every possible distribution outlet (TV, Radio, Internet, Social Media, etc.) available. Anxiety, stress, life disorders and so forth are often brought about by a worrisome mind, a heart with no peace. But there is a way to overcome the enemies assault on our mind. Choose carefully what we consume in our media diet. The benefits are tremendous. As has been said: No Jesus, No peace! Know Jesus, Know peace!

Until tomorrow.....

Pastor Botts

".....we take captive every thought to

make it obedient to Christ." - II Corinthians 10:5

More than Dreamers

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

What you make of Life

A pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees opportunity in every difficulty. – Winston Churchill

Saul and his 600 men waited under the pomegranate tree trying to figure out their strategy against the Philistines, Jonathan and his armor-bearer just went with God. God WON!

There’s no greater truism than “life is what you make of it.” Circumstances, situations, and unexpected occurrences are daily events for all of us, and we can never be prepared for everything or every situation. How we ‘respond’ to the situation or circumstance will dictate its impact on our lives and our response is dictated by our attitude or outlook. If we truly believe nothing is too hard for God then we will see opportunity as we search for the lesson God has planned through the circumstance at hand. If all we see is difficulty and problems maybe we need to check who’s in charge in our lives. In spite of all the worldly issues and cynicism it’s still a great time to be alive!

Until tomorrow……

Pastor Botts

“Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 2:5

An Offer You CAN Refuse

I detest millionaires, but it might be dangerous to offer me the position. - Mark Twain

The Jews hated being under Roman rule, but the position of tax collector was one they all coveted. Hmm!

A common cliché is that every man has his price, that for which he would sell out or compromise his values. And in the schools of negotiation it is often taught that “he who mentions price first – loses.” But what is uncanny is though we live in a world where our enemy is always the first to ‘offer’ (and he never offers full price – he can’t) people are often quick to compromise. Temptation is a fact of life for all of us each and every day, but God has guaranteed a way out if we so desire. In regards to sin our ‘NO’ should always be ‘NO’ and never ‘MAYBE’

Until Monday…..

Pastor Botts

“Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.” – Matthew 5:37

The Challenging Pressure

When we long for life without difficulties, we should remember diamonds are not made without undergoing great pressure. – P. Marshall

After Paul fully understood God’s grace, he began to revel in his infirmities. – WOW!

The challenges are what bring out the best in us, and without them we would seldom if ever seek to improve ourselves or our lot in life on our own. God does not allow challenges or difficulties into our life to defeat or frustrate us, but to grow our faith and trust in Him and move us along the path on our journey towards eternity with Him. And remarkably, God does not mind when we cry out to Him in the midst of our difficulties, He rather prefers it; as it shows we believe and trust He can do something about it or help us bear up under it. The key is to understand that as challenges come along, it’s actually God just loving on us.

Until tomorrow……

Pastor Botts

“I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation….” – Philippians 4:12

What does your life say?

History is HIS story. – Rick Warren

The prophets, apostles, and even Jesus told the same message – God is working things out to His own glory. Hmm!

Most of us will probably never write a book, play, or song, or create a great piece of art that says this is who I am. We will not go down in history like Dr. King, Mother Teresa, Shakespeare or the likes of them. But that’s okay, we were not meant to be those individuals – just ourselves. And even in this God has something He wants to say to the world through our lives. God wants others to know of Him through the way we live – great or small – and the service we give. That’s the great thing about life for God, its service oriented; which gives us all an equal playing field to work with. The question we need to ask ourselves is: what is my life saying right now?

Until tomorrow….

Pastor Botts

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

How One Sees It

In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity. – Albert Einstein

When Goliath came against the Israelites, the soldiers all thought, "He’s so big we can never kill him." When David looked at the same giant he thought, "He’s so big I can’t miss." Hmm!

Economic uncertainty. Political rhetoric. Job stability/availability, housing needs, relationship issues. There are a lot of difficult choices ahead for us, that will further impact our individual status. But no matter where we are in our lives, no matter what our circumstances; opportunities abound to make things better. And the first step is to change how we view what we’re up against. If our God truly is greater than any obstacle we can ever face, maybe we need to take it to him and view it through His lenses. He’s already promised to give us ‘a future and a hope,’ and as the author of ‘every good and perfect gift’ every situation can be beneficial to us. It’s all in how we see it.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” – I John 4:4

Why Not?!

Its three strikes and you’re out whether you swing the bat or not, so SWING! – Babe Ruth

Jonathan and his armor-bearer took out a garrison of Philistine soldiers with one sword. The Lord 'helped' his swing. Amen!

Abraham Lincoln failed at many things before he became President of the U.S. Thomas Edison struck out over a thousand times before he discovered the light bulb. The common denominator is these men and other great people like them never let yesterday’s disappointment stop them in their tracks. They took advantage of every opportunity again and again to press on and succeed. One thing we know about life is that like baseball it doesn’t care if you swing or not, it will take you out if not lived properly. But God gives us opportunities everyday to make an eternal impact for his kingdom, which builds our own self-worth. These are the moments that sustain us, so we can’t afford to miss those pitches!

Until tomorrow……

Pastor Botts

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

False Prophets in Disguise

Beware of self-styled experts. An ‘ex’ is a has-been, and a ‘spurt’ is a drip under pressure. – D. Wagoner

Simon the Sorcerer amazed the people posing himself to be the great “Divine Power of God”, until he ran into God’s man Philip. What a wonderful CHANGE! (Acts 8)

It's no secret that we all desire to be at our best, in the know, and on top of our game; even in our walk with God. But in this day and age of free-flowing information, books, tapes, etc. and our desire to stay positively focused on God’s desires; it is very easy to get caught up in ‘winds of doctrine’ that sound true but are not. Many bestsellers by well known individuals are fraught with erroneous theology, embellished truths, and positions of thought that are out of order and often contrary with the one true source, God’s word. Our prayer should be for a discerning heart.

Until ....…..

Pastor Botts

“Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” – I John 4:1

I'll be taking a few weeks off for some R&R. So until I return this keyboard will be silent.

Interconnected

Every life is a profession of faith, and exercises an inevitable and silent influence. – H. Amiel

Not much detail is given, but Naomi (Israelite) had a deeply profound effect on her daughter-in-law Ruth (Moabite), who left all to follow her. And the rest as we know it is HIS STORY!

The saying goes, "no man is an island," meaning none of us can truly go it alone, we need other people and relationships to be healthy. So no matter how much we want to believe our life is ours to live alone, the truth is it is not, and it will in some way impact others, and often in very profound ways that we’re not even aware of. Most of us are our parents children. We not only look like them, we often have their mannerisms, morality, and worldview. And that's okay assuming they were/are God-fearing folk.  Having said such, we need remember the old adage: “you get from people what you give them.” The greater question I guess is what do we want to receive today?

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” – Colossians 4:5-6

Watch Your Step

Temptation is an irresistible force at work on a moveable body. - H.L. Mencken

The prodigal son's journey into a 'far country' began with his first step. - Anon  

Growing up we used to think of the world as this big, big place with far away distant lands that seemed unreachable, almost unimaginable to us. Today with planes, trains, and autos, the world has become a much smaller place. But that doesn't mean we can't wander into a 'far distant' place away from God. It is not so much the place travelled as it is the decisions we make. In truth, a 'far country' is any decision or move we make that takes us away from God. It may seem like a small step or two, but every journey begins with the first step. And once that journey begins it could take months or years to return. So as we are putting on our shoes today let's be careful and watch where we step.

Until Monday......

Pastor Botts

"...I have kept my feet from every evil path so that I might obey your word." - Psalm 119:101  

Look to see what He says

Behind every work of God you will always find some patient, kneeling form. - D.L. Moody

It took God 4 tries before the boy Samuel finally learned to say "speak, Lord, for your servant is listening." Hmm!

Have you ever been in a conversation with someone who only talks about him/her self? Being polite and friendly you strike up a conversation by asking a question and off they go, endlessly talking about themselves, their situation, their life history, worldview, on and on as if they have a quota to fill. And NEVER once asking anything about you. Been there, huh! Imagine then at times, what it must be like for our Heavenly Father to listen to our prayers and petitions. We greet Him in His authority and off we go with our wish lists of wants and needs, rarely asking Him the desires of His heart, rarely inviting Him to speak to us intimately, to show us His more perfect way(s). Prayer is a gift, but it is also a work, getting ourselves out of the way that God's will may become central and that His will may be done in us and through us. Now that's worth TALKING about!

Until tomorrow......

Pastor Botts

"I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what He will say to me......." - Habakkuk 2:1

The Great Opportunity

Great opportunities come to those who make the most of small ones. - Anon

Because a little boy came prepared and was willing to share his lunch, five-thousand plus were fed. WOW!

Those who we see somewhat successful in life and/or strong in the faith are really only those who made the most of an opportunity, blessing, or hardship that came into their lives. Situations do not make themselves known as the 'great opportunity' but only as a circumstance with consequences; which is when we should turn to God for guidance. His direction and guidance will bring the best out of every situation and open doors for even greater blessing and opportunity. Just as He led the Israelites, making way after way for them; He waits to do the same for us. It really is just a small thing to trust in a GREAT GOD!

Until tomorrow......

Pastor Botts

"....and God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work....." - II Corinthians 9:8

Sweet Mercy

Every mercy we receive from God should obligate us to walk closer to Him. - M. Henry

In his prayer, the tax collector desired nothing of God except His mercy. AMEN!

We serve a God who is gracious by nature. He says "ask and it shall be given you." He bestows blessing upon blessing upon blessing on us and in our lives, and by nature most of us are thankful for His benevolence. YES, asked blessings we take note of , but we seldom reflect on His mercies and favor. At our best, we're imperfect, self-centered beings putting ourselves on God's throne, making it all about us. He has the right to be offended, but yet He shows great patience. It's true, grace has saved us, but His mercies sustain us, otherwise we would be 'consumed' by His wrath and life would be unbearable. As we enter today with its situations, as mercy is extended, be thankful and let it pass to others.

Until tomorrow.....

Pastor Botts

"The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and plenteous in mercy.....He has not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities." - Psalm 103:8,10

The right tool

When your only tool is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail. – A. Maslow

Though Jesus was raised as a carpenter's son, he rarely used those tools. Hmm!

The right tool for the job. Although a slogan borrowed by many a hardware store or craftsman, it is a reality born out of God’s word. If you’re still getting results you don’t like, maybe you’re using the wrong tool. We need to sometimes ask ourselves based on what is presently going on in our lives, what tool is God trying to add to our toolbox? A little love, compassion, or forgiveness maybe? Or maybe even some patience, prayer, humility, or wisdom. Remember He’s equipping us for His glory not our own, that the world may know we are His by our “handiwork.”

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“Study to show yourself approved…….that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” – II Timothy 3:17