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

Peace Be Still

It is always darkest before the dawn. - T. Fuller

The Israelites looked back and saw the Egyptians coming, Moses looked up to God and the Red Sea parted before them. Hmm!

Beloved football announcer Keith Jackson had some euphemisms when calling a game. From a 'barnburner' - meaning this will be exciting, to his famed "Whoa Nellie" - meaning lookout, beware, something big is loosed and headed our way with potential to do damage. With the happenings of today in our Nation's capital some of us might feel like saying "Whoa Nellie!" But I think even when confronted with such a scene in our time and lives the words of Jesus still have power and ring true if we remember them: "Peace, be still!" These words calmed a raging, surging sea, and Jesus promised such peace to us. So, no matter what comes upon us from the White House, the economy, world crises, even family disagreements, we can all say "Peace, be still" and trust God to work it out. Just have faith and trust Him and see what He will do. Trust that no matter what we're going through He's already working it out for our good and His glory.

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

"I am God, and there is none like me. I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please." - Isaiah 46:9-10

Slowing Down the Pace

“I’m not tired yet!” – Song refrain

Interestingly, when God led His people out of Egypt He was never in a rush or hurry, He knew they needed a steady pace and more time with Him. Amen!

We all seek it! We even plan for it! That thing that God even told us we needed – REST. Oh we relax, or slow down at times, but it seems we just don’t get it at the heart level that we need it. Just think, here it is a week into the New Year and truth be told many of us are already tired, worn out. Why, because we’ve missed the secret of gaining God’s wisdom for the peace, rest we seek. God told us “in repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.” (Isaiah 30:15). It’s right there for the taking but as is true of so many of us, we want to go our own way and chart our own path. We can continue to chase that ‘fictitious’ utopian dream or enter in and accept the peace, joy, happiness, satisfaction, AND rest God has ordained for us by just living out His Word. It’s not a new resolution, it’s just plain old obedience.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“It is not good to have zeal without knowledge, nor to be hasty and miss the way.” – Proverbs 19:2

Looking Beyond Fear

Courage doesn't mean you don't get afraid. Courage means you don't let fear stop you! - Anon

After being beaten and imprisoned for 'preaching' Jesus, Paul and Silas just sang out loud about Him. AMEN!

FEAR! It can cripple the best of us. Stop us dead in our tracks. Make us pull back. Why? The answer lies with us. So often we look at our own mortality, our own status/position, our own possessions, etc., things we'd rather not lose. Notice the emphasis on 'our own'. That's self-centered thinking. Courage requires us to look beyond ourselves and see the greater good. Perhaps that's why there at about 366 verses in the bible that tell us in various ways "not to fear." That's a verse for each day of the year, including leap years. God wants us to focus our faith on Him, put our trust in Him, and when He truly becomes the center of all that we are, He drives out fear and replaces it with peace. And that seems like a great trade-off to me.

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

"You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world." - I John 4:4

Life In Order

Life is much too complicated not to be orderly. – Anon

Daniel’s life was such that he needed to stop all he was doing to pray at least 3 times a day. It kept him focused!

It’s a debate that has been going on almost since the beginning of time: Did God actually create the heavens and the earth or did they just ‘spring’ forth from chaos (big bang). I think by now all of us are smart enough to know from personal experiences that chaos only creates more chaos, not order or peace. Man can explain how things may work in God’s creation, but he can’t explain why they work. And he knows if they don’t work properly we have chaos and disorder. The bottom line in all of this for us is that unless we put our life in proper order – God first in all things – we too will suffer chaos, disorder, and disappointment in greater proportion than normal.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.” – I Corinthians 14:40

More In Common

"Mr. Gorbachev, tear these walls down!" - Ronald Reagan

Even though the religious leaders continuously opposed him, Jesus still gave them soul-saving instructions. Hmm!

Buffets! If you've ever been to a lunch or dinner buffet it's tantalizing, with so many great choices. The idea is to present enough foods to satisfy everyone's different cravings. It's a good way to get a group of people who can't decide on a particular cuisine to come together and eat. To me, this is comparable to our Christian walk. We won't always agree with everyone in our circle of influence, but we can have peace among us when we realize we often have more in common that binds us together than separates us. Paul reminds us in the letter to the Christian church in Rome. He said we need to 'seek new ways that we may co-exist in peace'. Someone has actually said Romans 12 should be titled 'How To Love Those YOU Can't Stand!' putting all the emphasis on 'YOU!' Well, there it is.

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

"If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." - Romans 12:18

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

Are You Afraid of...?

Fear is the darkroom where 'negatives' are developed. - Anon

One man - Goliath - struck fear in a whole army, that is until David came along. WOW!

Kryptonite! It was Superman's weakness. It completely immobilized him and his superpowers. What about us, what might ours be - FEAR! Not the 'scared of the dark' kind of fear, but the fear of inadequacy, fear of not measuring up. We fear our past cropping up to embarrass us. We fear our future will be too difficult. We fear letting others down, letting ourselves down. Our fears keep us from reaching out, and often reaching UP to God. The enemy's greatest ploy is to fill us with fear. That's why God's Word directs us and commands us time and again not to be afraid. Just as He told Joshua to be 'strong and courageous' going into a foreign land, as we commune with God each morning we should leave that encounter 'strong and courageous' as we enter into the new territory of TODAY. As long as we are walking faithfully we really have no need to fear for God has our back, front, sides, etc., for He is all encompassing around us. So, we have nothing to fear but.......actually nothing!

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you...Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid..." - John 14:27

Content in Our Lane

Envy shoots at others and wounds herself. - Anon

Haman’s ire and dislike for Mordecai was the beginning of his own downfall and eventual hanging. OUCH!

We don’t say it out loud, but often if we’re not careful we can be caught being envious or jealous of someone else. Many of our statements about others belie our true feelings. Their position in life, their possessions, their looks or even their personality, how we wish we were like them, even if it were just for a little while. But this type of thinking only stunts our own individual development and growth, and that in itself causes pain and sorrow, for if we are not growing we are dead. We must soon realize that we are who God needs us to be right now, and that He’s shaping us for who He will need us to be later. If we see the world and others through the eyes of God, then love; and not envy is the end result.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.” – Proverbs 14:30

The Secret to Being...

Recipe for contentment: Remember the day’s blessings, quickly forget the day’s troubles. – Anon

The apostle Paul said he ‘knew’ the secret to being content in all things. It was his new attitude in Christ. Hmm!

We spend a great deal of our time, resources, and efforts chasing after the seemingly elusive ‘zone of peace.’ The bible does tell us to seek peace and pursue it, but it never said it was in the things made by man. The only true peace comes from being rightly related to God and not straining or taking the relationship for granted. Since we alone choose what to allow our hearts and minds to dwell on, in Christ; contentment, peace, and happiness are just a mindset away. As the day unfolds what it cooks up will be up to us.

Until Monday…

Pastor Botts

"I will bless the Lord at all times, his praise shall continually be on my lips...." - Psalm 34:1

A Key to Easing Stress

Patience! The windmill never strays in search of the wind! - A. Sklivis

Throughout the whole bible there was never a time God or His Son was in a hurry. Hmm!

Haste makes more than waste; it makes folks tired. There is almost an inverse relationship when you really think about it. The more patient we are, the more accepting we will be of what is, rather than insisting that life be exactly as we would like it to be. Without patience, life is extremely frustrating. We become easily annoyed, bothered, and irritated. Patience adds a degree of ease and acceptance to life, and it’s essential for inner peace. One key to having this patience is learning to look for and see the innocence in the situations that arise that test us. People interrupt us or situations arise not out of conspiracy but because life happens. Our loved ones show up unexpectedly, street lights slow us up, long lines crop up, not because of a vendetta against us; but because life was never supposed to be catered to us but lived by us. To try and hurry it along only brings stress, and I imagine it makes God laugh a bit too!

Until Monday...

Pastor Botts

"....But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience...." - Galatians 5:22

Our Responsibility

God’s part we cannot do. Our part God does not do. – Richard Murray

God told Moses He would set His people free. All He needed was for Moses to go to Pharaoh, and the rest is HIStory.

The Creation Account tells us God created everything necessary for man’s existence in six days, then He created man. Man was not consulted in the creation account but he was given charge to manage it for God. Regardless of what has happened since then, the fact is we still have a responsibility to God. He has expectations that we conduct ourselves in a manner that is proper for a ‘manager.’ Adam’s sin does not let us off the hook, for God has already provided a redeemer, but He will not force us to accept Him, nor force us to live for Him. That is still our part. Today matters to God so it should matter to us.

Until Monday…

Pastor Botts

“Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech. He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it.” – I Peter 3:10-11

Hope you can join us tomorrow morning at Prayer Breakfast 9:30am.

Attractive Gospel

Would you follow yourself on social media? - Anon

The bible says Jesus often drew crowds wherever he went. Hmm!

Pheromones! It's what insects emit to attract mates. You can't really see them with the naked eye, but yet we know the process works. It made me think of how the Holy Spirit works within us. We're tasked with making the gospel of Christ 'attractive' and really the only way that can be accomplished is through the Holy Spirit living in and through us. He has the power to draw others to Himself. Who He draws may not look like us or even sound like us, but that is how God builds His house to include every nation, tribe, and tongue. The Holy Spirit is the unifying presence that makes us all work together as one in Christ. Hopefully, we all smell good enough to attract someone.

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

"Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace." - Ephesians 4:3

Moving God

Praying people are the deputies of God. They seek law, order, peace AND unity! - Anon

The walls and gates of Jerusalem were rebuilt on the prayers of Nehemiah and the people. AMEN!

It should not be a secret that God is moved by prayer, and earnest conversation with His people more than anything else. And as we search the scriptures, we realize it doesn't have to be a long drawn-out diatribe, nor a 'fill in the form' correctly submission. Just a reverent, honest confession of the heart. In the midst of a rebellious nation God was often 'moved' by the remnant that remained faithful and showed mercy. He seeks the prayers and solicitations of His people and is overjoyed when we invite Him into our lives, activities, and relationships. So, if we truly need action in our life, mountains moved, or any other favor of God, His ear is open.

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

"The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry." - Psalm 34:16

Peaceful Living

The way to win an atomic war is to make sure it never starts. – Omar Bradley

To save his life Jacob’s mother sent him away to relatives he’d never met. It was a wise move. Hmm!

If you think about it, war is actually a last resort. It is the result of failed attempts to resolve an issue, and atomic war is a desire to completely annihilate the enemy. Often, if we’re not careful we find ourselves not only in a war, but an atomic one, ruing the birth of our enemy. This should not be, for as people of God we’re called to live at peace with our neighbor. It’s not easy at times, but we must remember God will not accept excuses at the door of heaven. The way to win a fight - keep the peace. The way to win an argument – speak only in love. And the way to best Satan – stay in company with God. Peace, I leave with you!

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath…” – Romans 12:18-19

Refuge in the Storm

Serenity is not freedom from the storm, but peace amidst it. - Anon

People thought for years Noah was crazy to build the ark. I'm sure it kept him sane before and after. Hmm!

In inclement weather times (hurricane, tornado, blizzard, etc.) for those who can't flee before the onslaught hits, they're told to "batten down the hatches" hold on and try to ride it out. Question: what happens when life throws such seemingly harsh events at us, and we're unable to flee? What do you do, where do you go? In this post pandemic world anxiety, depression, stress, racial bias, etc., is on the rise and seems to come at us stronger and stronger almost weekly. We can try and distract ourselves with busyness, comfort foods, or sticking our head in the sand and wishing it all away. But in truth, we need a much stronger source of assurance all will be alright. God is that refuge. Only He can keep us from feeling overwhelmed and alone. He is the perfect place for refuge, rest, restoration, and RESET to keep us on solid footing. If He cares for the sparrows of the field, surely He'll care for us.

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

"Keep me safe, O God, for in you I take refuge." - Psalm 16:1

Peace Through Forgiveness

Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal to throw at someone else; you are the one who gets burned. - Buddha

Even knowing what Judas did, Jesus still washed his feet. WOW!

Just the sight of them makes our blood boil. Just the thought of them upsets our stomach or peace. Most of us have people like this in our lives. We know we shouldn’t, but hey we’re human. Thank God for the scripture that says “grow in grace!” Yeah, we need to grow that we may forgive and move on. The question arises though, how long should it take us to grow that much? I think if we’re honest we already know the answer. Colossians 3:13 tell us “forgive as the Lord forgave you.” If God forgives us and extends grace instantly when we repent and confess to Him, then our response to others should be equally the same. So, we must ask ourselves: how forgiven am I by God? Well, have you asked?

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“If it is possible, ….as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” – Romans 12:18

A Little Pitstop

You ever notice the Indianapolis 500 often has a ‘pace’ car on the track! - Anon

When Jesus saw how harried, harassed, and hungered the crowds looked, He made them take a ‘time out’. WOW!

We’ve all seen the pet hamster in the cage running on the circular wheel. Running hours on end going nowhere! For him, it’s just exercise, but how often for us does that seem a way of life? Even in this pandemic riddled year, our personal world can still be so busy we find it a challenge to really, really rest. Overwhelming needs abound – family, financial, physical, mental, spiritual – and seemingly continue to push us. We get so busy ‘doing’ we have little or no time for ‘being’. If anything, 2020 has given us all a new perspective on life. It’s as if God were saying “you’ve been running on empty, why not come to me. The peaceful, tranquil, and purposed life you seek begins with me.” Truthfully speaking, I can’t think of anyone I’ve ever known or read about being harmed by spending too much time with God. If time is truly in His hands and runs at His command, maybe we should adjust our lives to His pace.

I'll be taking a few days off, so until I return…

Pastor Botts

“…..[Jesus said] ‘come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” – Mark 6:31

The Truth About Peace of Mind

There is no pillow so soft as a clear conscience. – French Proverb

 

After Samuel anointed Saul as king over Israel, he had the people testify against himself and his priesthood. It was for his own exoneration and an example to Saul. HE PASSED! Saul did not.

 

For anyone, believer or not; one of the main things sought after is “peace of mind,” the ability to not have to worry about what you said or did yesterday or last week coming back to haunt you. The truth of the matter is it is entirely possible to have. All one has to do is speak the truth in all things (in love) and live for God in all things as Samuel did. The conscience is at peace when it does not have to worry about anything but the truth we’ve told, the righteous life we’ve lived, and the helping hand we’ve lent. Well, this sounds like a believer to me. May we do the things necessary that our minds rest easy.

 

Until Monday……

 

Pastor Botts

 

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not be afraid.” – John 14:27

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