The Pursuit of Better

If you are good, be better. – Anon

Cornelius lived a righteous and devout life and loved giving alms to God. Peter told him how to live even better. AMEN!

A wise Elder of ours lived his life by the credo “education begins the day you’re born and ends the day you die.” Many of us often live our lives as if we’ve peaked, we’ve reached a certain age or status and so we’ve settled in there – “good enough” we say. Some of us have accomplished major goals and aspirations and we’ve settled there – “I made it” we say. But just as the products we buy are often ‘New and Improved’ God is always at His work in our lives, trying to better shape, purge, refine, and polish us that we may shine even brighter for Him. So no matter how far we’ve come and how miraculous our change for the better has been, He’s not finished so neither should we be.

Until Monday…

Pastor Botts

“He who pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity, and honor.” – Proverbs 21:21

Living With TRUE Faith

Faith is not the belief that God will do what you want, it is the belief that God will do what is right, ALWAYS! - Max Lucado

It took Caleb 40+ years to get his blessing but he kept his faith through all the ups and downs. AMEN!

Most if not all of us have probably been disappointed one time or another in purchasing a product that did not deliver on its promises. We had hoped upon purchase it would do exactly what it said in the advertisement. We had instantaneous faith. Hebrews 11:4 tells us what true faith is: "The substance of things 'hoped for' the evidence of things not yet seen." But if we're being honest here, many of us don't live with that kind of faith. We have instantaneous faith. We want and task God to answer all of our prayers in our lifetimes, visibly, the way we want them answered and exactly when we need them answered. Isaiah prophesied of the coming Messiah and many generations believed He would come in their lifetime. But they died without seeing the promise come to pass yet their faith 'lived on' (Heb. 11:39). Our 'faith' should be in God's perfect plan of redemption - for that's why Jesus came - not so much in our personal pleasures and position. As the bible tells us if we "seek God's kingdom and His righteousness first...." that God will add to us in our lifetime unlimited blessing and favor. Now that's real faith.

Until Monday...

Pastor Botts

"Abraham believed the Lord, and He credited it to him as righteousness." Genesis 15:6

Melodious Friendship

A true friend knows the song in your heart and sings it to you during hard times, or when memory fails. - Anon

During David’s waiting period to ascend to the throne, the king’s own son Jonathan was his closest friend and ally. Hmm!

The familiar refrain “when I am sad, He makes me glad, He’s my friend,” that we sing about Jesus is a powerful reminder of what true friendship is. He reminds us of God's love for us and our purpose, and steadfastly tries to keep us on point. It is actually a value judgment we should use to measure those we allow into our sphere of friendship. God places those in our life that can help us keep our heart song true, pure, and uncluttered by other tunes or melodies (worldliness). When we want to go outside of the parameters God sets for friendship and fellowship (righteousness), we risk having our heart song broken, interrupted or even changed, falling away from our purpose and true character. Here's hoping your melody is still inspiring to you.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

'Your decrees are the theme of my song wherever I lodge...." - Psalm 119:54

Forgetting What Is Behind...

To be wronged is nothing unless you continue to remember it. – Confucius

Though Peter scolded him and denied even knowing him, Jesus still gave him Pentecost. WOW!

We live in a fallen world with fallen people. So often we seem to forget this fact. Fallen people tend to do wrong, sometimes intentionally. The truth of the matter is that we will be lied to, lied on, mistreated, misjudged, and flat out hated at times just because we breathe or exist. These are the issues of life that will create excess baggage and emotional instability if we allow it. The example Jesus gave to us is that we just keep moving closer to God, give it all to Him and allow Him to heal it and make us stronger for the fight ahead. Forgiveness is a great gift once we learn how to use it properly and remember God will bring justice as He promised.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” – Matthew 5:10

Responding In Righteousness

Be careful when you fight the monsters, lest you become one. – Friedrich Nietzsche

Though Saul hated and tried to destroy him, David had nothing but love for God’s anointed man. WOW!

It happens time and time again. We come across obstinate, arrogant, defiant, evil intentioned people in our lives; in our jobs, in our homes, sometimes even in our church. It’s an almost constant battle where our righteousness is severely put to the test. A good tactician knows the easiest way to defeat an enemy is to get them out of their normal routine or comfort zone, and strike quickly; which is what our enemy constantly tries with us. And if we’re not careful we soon cross the line into no man’s land. But God calls on us to practice self-control, to respond in righteousness, and not repay evil for evil. Just as we hate to see our child or star pupil act out of character, so does our Heavenly Father. He’s counting on us to show the world what a saint really looks like.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified from the prize.” – I Corinthians 9:27

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

Keep Fighting

Moses didn't make it into the 'Promised Land' but he made it into the PROMISED LAND. - Anon

Paul said he 'trained and beat his body' in such a way as not to be disqualified for the prize. Amen!

Every Major Sport has a team or individual that is eventually crowned as champion. They go through seasons or tournaments being tested. They battle opponents, time, injuries, weather, even themselves to prove they are worthy of that 'championship' title and honor. And though it is an achievement of great note, it will always pale in comparison to what God offers us. Make no doubt about it, life is just as tough if not tougher than sports. And in life we must continue the battle daily and here's why. In the kingdom of God as long as you're still fighting, you're winning. Remember, God doesn't hand out awards for performance, He hands out CROWNS for perseverance.

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

"Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge will award me on that day...." - II Timothy 4:8

P.S. - Please join us today in the sanctuary at 5:30 pm for PRAYER today!

Master Craftsmen

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 tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

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

Temper Temper

Temper is what gets most of us into trouble. Pride is what keeps us there. – Richard Murray

Cain was so upset with how God perceived his offering; he went out and killed his brother Abel. WOW!

There’s no denying that we are emotional beings, God made us that way. But he also made us with the ability to overcome our emotions with sound, rational, thinking and spiritual wisdom. It’s when we refuse to engage in the latter that we find ourselves in more trouble than we often bargained for. It’s not a sin to get angry or upset, but it should never result in sinful behavior. The problem is it is so easy to cross the line, then feel compelled that we must prevail for the sake of ‘principle.’ We must remember our calling is not so much for the sake of principle as it is for righteousness and holy living.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control.” – Proverbs 25:28

Along with the Blessings...

Those whom heaven blesses, hell curses. – Anon

Paul had great successes in building and establishing churches but suffered massive persecution, afflictions, and even threats from within and without. Hmm!

In war, it cannot be overstated that one should always know their enemy and his tactics, or it could prove fatal. It’s a simple fact that we often overlook. We tend to forget in our Christian walk that we’re at war, fighting for or working out our salvation. And just as we start off with 'new mercies' every day, the enemy plans new strategies and attacks to upset us. Yes we are ‘marked’ for easy identification by the enemy, but we only need be reminded we carry a powerful cross, not a bullseye. As we seek God's blessings in this New Year let us be mindful, we're always at war. The question we must answer is do we want the blessings?

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” – Matthew 5:10

Stepping Stones to Move Forward

We cannot change our memories, but we can change their meaning and the power they have over us. – D. Seamans

Joseph let God erase all the hatred from his heart against his brothers for what they had done. He even ‘cried’ when he saw them again. The reunion was all good. AMEN!

The thing about life is it throws many events our way, some good; some bad. The things that have happened to us cannot be undone. We cannot go back and change it but we should not fear it either, nor let it hold us prisoner. One can only truly fear future events. And since our future is not set in stone, fear is just a head trip. Oftentimes we get stuck in a way of thinking, in a behavior, or in our expectations because we have been hurt before and we have not truly brought the situation to God. From God’s perspective events from our past (good and bad) are stepping stones to move forward in righteousness and faith, for He can bring good out of any situation. Pain is sometimes inevitable, but allowing a memory to keep us in suffering is a choice. God can adjust our attitudes if we allow him.

Until I return…..Aloha

Pastor Botts

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him….” – Romans 8:28

Don't Get Duped!

Don’t throw away the old bucket until you know whether the new one holds water. – Anon

The Israelites asked for judges and then a king to rule over them, never realizing they had God all the time. OUCH!

We live in a disposable world, where if you don’t like what you have or who you are just start over. We do it with our stuff, our friends, our bodies, even our ‘faith.’ Nothing is off-limits it seems. We jump from one trend or friend to another, without so much a thought of what we’re leaving or where we’re going. And all too often we later find that what we had in the beginning was much better than what we are now stuck with. It’s okay to move on to better things in life, but we need to make sure they really are better. Our enemy is the master of deceit and subtlety, and he never tires. God’s ways are tried and true and never change. The choice is ours.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“…for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.” I Corinthians 11:14-15

What Does the Heart Say?

When it comes to righteousness, the heart of the problem is always the problem of the heart. - Anon

Paul admitted there was always a battle going on within his heart, but he was ‘thankful’ to Jesus for the victory. Hmm!

HEART. The word has many positive uses in our everyday language. When someone shows courage we say they are ‘lion-hearted.’ When someone shows kindness we say they have a ‘heart of gold.’ When we try to encourage others we say ‘take heart.’ Even in our studies when we learn something well we say we ‘know it by heart.’ There are many others you could attach, some even with negative connotations. But the rudimentary thought is this, “as a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” So, it begs the question – how are WE? Do others place a positive or negative connotation with our name? If we’re ever to live like Christ and be the example of Him to the world today, we must give Him our heart.

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” – Mark 12:30

Qualified, Accepted, Loved

Don't waste a second of your time convincing other people you're worth loving. - Atticus

Jesus let the disenfranchised know they really weren't disenfranchised. Wow!

MENSA: an organization with world-wide name recognition and prestige, not to mention high qualifying standards. But, here's a question to ponder. Are clubs and organizations like these really established to group together like-minded, like skilled people and build upon them, OR are they really established to keep people not like them out? I'll let you be the judge, but here is a truth that we should all hold dear. Despite our imperfections (and they are many) God never casts us aside or kicks us to the curb. He never even says there's a 'special section' for you in heaven. Everyone is loved by Him as if they were His only son or daughter. Race, creed, color, language, shape, size, etc., none of it matters to Him. He has opened His home (heaven) to all who are willing to accept His grace. I think we might all qualify.

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

"Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me that day - and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing." - II Timothy 4:8

THIS Is The Way

Though hindsight is 20/20 vision, most people would prefer not to exercise it. - Anon

Proverbs 14:12 and 16:25, there has to be a reason God had this sentiment recorded twice. Hmm! [There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.]

You see it almost daily. Little children being held by the hand of their parents. But yet they tug, squirm, and pull trying to break free. To exercise their independence, confident that they can navigate this world on their own. We smile knowingly, but in truth it's a picture of us with God. As He tries to lead us, we confidently break away -thinking this path/way is better. As He tries to instruct us - we refuse His teaching and foolishly say we know better, often thinking His ways are antiquated and out of touch with reality. But yet, He stands by and patiently waits for us to realize who's WHO! If life has taught us anything it's that 'God the Father Knows Best' and He will never lead us astray. Open arms are awaiting anyone wishing to return to Him.

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

"He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake...." - Psalm 23:3

Be Better

If you are good, be better. – Anon

Cornelius lived a righteous and devout life and loved giving alms to God. Peter told him how to live even better. AMEN!

A wise Elder of ours lived his life by the credo “education begins the day you’re born and ends the day you die.”  Many of us often live our lives as if we’ve peaked, we’ve reached a certain age or status and so we’ve settled in there – “good enough” we say. Some of us have accomplished major goals and aspirations and we’ve settled there – “I made it” we say. But just as the products we buy are often ‘New and Improved’ God is always at his work in our lives, trying to better shape, purge, refine, and polish us that we may shine even brighter for Him. So no matter how far we’ve come and how miraculous our change for the better has been, He’s not finished so neither should we be.

Until tomorrow………

Pastor Botts

“He who pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity, and honor.” – Proverbs 21:21

God Knows Best

God only wants for us what we would want for ourselves if we were smart enough to want it. – Adrian Rogers

God set opportunity before the Israelites and even told them to choose ‘life.’ He’s been busy trying to give it to us all since. WOW!

More of this, less of that, more of those, none of those. If we had it to do ourselves this is precisely how we would set our life to run. It would be a life of all joy, excitement, unlimited resources, and unlimited time. Everything would go our way and no one would tell us NO! But that’s not how it goes and not how it should go. We would never know true joy if we never experienced sorrow or grief. We would never know what plenty meant if we never experienced lack. God knows what’s best for us which is why life isn’t as we want but it is as we need it, that we may be perfected in His righteousness. The key is to try and think like God or have a heart after God – this makes it much easier to bear and quite enjoyable.

Until Monday……

Pastor Botts

“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us….” – Romans 8:26

Today's Scripture reading: Proverbs 10

Today's scripture question: Why do you think Solomon differentiates between father and mother in verse 1?

The Good with the Bad

Those whom heaven blesses, hell curses. – Anon

Paul had great successes in building and establishing churches but suffered massive persecution, afflictions, and even threats from within and without. Hmm!

In war, it cannot be overstated that one should always know their enemy and his tactics, or it could prove fatal. It’s a simple fact that we often overlook. We tend to forget in our Christian walk that we’re at war; fighting for or working out our salvation. And just as we start off with 'new mercies' everyday, the enemy plans new strategies and attacks to upset us. Yes we are ‘marked’ for easy identification by the enemy, but we only need be reminded we carry a powerful cross, not a bullseye. The question we have to answer is do we want the blessings?

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” – Matthew 5:10

Today's scripture reading: Proverbs 7

Today's question: What does this chapter tell us about the way(s) of sin/folly?

Take A Side

There’s nothing in the middle of the road but yellow stripes….and roadkill. – J. Hightower

Not only is fence sitting painful, Jesus said it was impractical. Hmm!

Though we as people are often highly opinionated on almost every issue, many of us often try to live our lives in the middle of the road. We don’t really want to hurt or harm anyone. But the truth of the matter is in the arena of principle, morality, and all things righteous no one can remain neutral, nor should we want to; for neutral men are the devil’s allies. God calls for us to take a stand, leave the holy huddle and get in the game. When we try to placate both sides by remaining neutral we’re actually giving the enemy the upper hand, as the only necessity for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing. And like cigarette smoke, evil does not know how to stay in its own section, it soon touches all facets of life. God is giving us TODAY with all of its ‘fullness’ to make a difference. Now its up to us.

Until tomorrow.....

Pastor Botts

“No man can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.” – Matthew 6:24

Lessons on Humility

Characters live to be noticed. People of character notice how they live. – N. Moser

Jesus said we should do our ‘acts of righteousness’ not to be seen of men but God; that is if we expect to receive a reward. Hmm!

They usher themselves before us everyday via the news, social media/internet, magazines, radio, etc. News releases of some celebrity and their bid for a bit more recognition for their 'contribution' to society. And admittedly, a lot of us live for such news, and also admittedly, a lot of us live so to bring about such news a

bout ourselves. Accomplishments should be lauded and celebrated as the blessings they are, not who they make us to be. Granted our lives are not to be lived in seclusion or inconspicuously, but we are called to be known by the ‘fruit we bear’ not by the horn we toot or flag we wave, after all God has said, “not even a sparrow falls to the ground without His notice.”

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” – Luke 14:11