Doing Right

Do the right thing because it’s the right thing to do. – W.C. Stone

Boaz didn’t have to mention there was another kinsman redeemer for Ruth and Naomi, but he knew it was the right thing to do. Hmm!

In our courts systems a witness is sworn in by being asked to ‘tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.’ The idea is there will be no shading or jading or shortage of facts in their testimony. It’s a matter of integrity, loyalty and honesty – not personal benefit to the individual. God expects the same of us in our everyday dealings with one another, to live out the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, and to live by love, complete love, and nothing but unbiased love. True such living may cause some uncomfortable situations, and may require more of us than we’re willing to give; but in those instances we should be reminded of the Cross and what Jesus did for us. So as today unfolds before us with its many situations and circumstances the question is ‘how then shall we live?’

Until Monday…..

Pastor Botts

“The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.” – Proverbs 11:3

True Friends

 Love is blind; and true friendship tries not to notice! – O. von Bismarck

When Paul first came to the faith many would not trust him, but you couldn’t tell Barnabas that. He even brought him to the apostles. WOW!

What makes a friend a FRIEND? Perfection – no, because no one is. Loyalty – no, we’d be better off with a dog. Honesty – only if you don’t ask them certain things. Friendship is a combination of many things, but what makes it work is the willingness to look beyond one’s faults to the person we believe God meant them to be, and doing our part to help them get there; just as God looks beyond our faults and provides for our needs. It’s amazing how often we try to make people ‘fit’ a particular mold or model we have in mind before we will accept them into our circle of comfort or concern. But God chose us sin and all, and He expects us to do the same with those He sends our way.

Until tomorrow……

Pastor Botts

“If anyone says, ‘I love God’ yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen….whoever loves God must also love his brother.” – I John 4:20-21

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

Playing With Fire

Most of us keep one eye on the temptation we pray not to be led into. – M. H. Waldrip

David ‘looked’ a little bit too long at Bathsheba on the rooftop, and you know the rest of the story. OUCH!

Fire. We all know its benefits. It purifies precious metals, forges steel and iron for building, as well as warming our homes and cooking our food. In scripture fire is a symbol of the Holy Spirit at times – all good stuff. Ironically though, fire is also a destroyer, it destroys buildings and homes, possessions, and figuratively speaking, lives and relationships. And again scripturally speaking fire is the agent that makes hell hot. But the one truth about fire whether literally or figuratively speaking is ‘if you get too close you’ll get burned!’ It is not something to be taken lightly. To some extent, each one of us is probably tempted on a daily basis to play with fire knowing the results could be disastrous (flirting, cheating, lying, gossip, etc.), but yet we play; often not even feeling the heat. The enemy tempts us in many ways but the end result is always the same, fire. God asks us to be constantly vigilant in our daily activities for eternity hangs in the balance.

Until tomorrow……

Pastor Botts

“Can a man embrace fire and his clothes not be burned? Can a man walk on burning coals without scorching his feet? – Proverbs 6:27-28

Being You

In the world to come, you will not be asked, "Why were you not Moses, Samuel, David, or Paul? But you will be asked, "why were you not YOU?" – Rabbi Zusya

Paul gave up on being a ‘Pharisee of Pharisees’ and a super-apostle just to be a servant. The church is forever grateful. AMEN!

Truth be known, many of us as we read the scriptures often yearn to be like the great ones; to have the strength of Samson, the faith of Paul, or even the prayer life of Jabez. These were all good people of God whose story and life are there to help impact ours, but not to take the place of ours. God has purpose for each one of us and though we are thousands of years removed from these biblical ancestors, God is still in the process of building up His kingdom. And though some like Samuel, David, Paul, and even Moses were mentioned, think of the millions who were not mentioned; but yet lived out their purpose helping to push the kingdom along. In this day and age God needs each of us in our own UNIQUE ways to reach out and make an impact on the world as our ancestors did. That is being who God made us to be – anything else is a fraud.

Until tomorrow……

Pastor Botts

“Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic. He put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head…. “I cannot go in these” [David] said to Saul, “because I am not used to them.” So he took them off” – I Samuel 17:38-39

Scare Tactics

SATAN: the enemy of Christ who wants to scare the HEAVEN out of you! - Anon

Goliath relied on his size to taunt and frustrate the Israelites. But then a little scrawny kid 'rocked' him to sleep. OUCH!

Growing up there were certain 'invented' individuals that evoked fear in us as children (bogeyman, closet monsters, etc.) that we eventually outgrew. Then there were certain real creatures that evoked fear in us as well (spiders, snakes, hornets, etc.) that we learned to control or stay away from. What's amazing is that in our Christian walk we know we have an enemy who's after our souls and uses scare tactics that seem to intrigue and interest us so much we fail to see what he's up to and where he's leading us. We must realize that he really has no power over us unless we invite him by lowering our guards (no prayer/study/meditation/fellowship), or by lowering our standards (respectable sins?).  Like David, we must see beyond what is immediately in front of us, to the God who is always with us and for us. Not only is the road to hell paved with good intentions, but the way to heaven requires sacrifices.

Until Monday......

Pastor Botts

"Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith...." - I Peter 5:8-9

Looking for Love...

Always remember you already have the greatest gifts ever, someone to love and someone who loves you: GOD – J. Sinor

The 'Ugly Duckling’ is a fairy tale of a graceful swan born in a duck’s nest and considered an ugly outcast. Shunned, he spends his life traveling from place to place in search of the most meaningful gift – LOVE. Hmm!

Many of us are like this. We chase after false ideals, dreams, and even people thinking they will fulfill this need; forgetting or neglecting the only ONE who can truly fill it. The enemy's aim each day is to make us forget or take our eyes off of the one constant truth - 'God is.' We only need to remember this each day, and that no matter what happens to us or who happens upon us, God still loves us as if we were the only one who matters.

Until tomorrow……

Pastor Botts

“The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness. I will build you up again and you will be rebuilt….’” – Jeremiah 31:3, 33

When I Think About The Lord

What comes into our mind when we think about God reveals the most important thing about us. – A.W. Tozer

Pharaoh, Caesar, the sun, moon, ocean, even the trees. People will worship anything that gets them what they want. Hmm!

All across the world, many people with good intentions earnestly say the name “God” every day. But the question is: What do they mean by “God”? What do YOU mean by “God”? It does make all the difference in the world. For most their idea of God has very little in common with the Living God of the universe, theirs is more a god like themselves, with likes and dislikes similar to theirs, a god of substance based on their personal feelings. Where we get our definition of who “God” is, is very important, for it shapes our morals, values, ethics and beliefs. The ‘Living God’ wanted us to know Him and gave us His Word to read and obey. So the question again is: When YOU say “God” what do you mean? Before we answer it would behoove us to look at the way we live.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” – Psalm 119:11

Level Up!

The road to the next level is ALWAYS uphill, and you can't coast there. - J. Maxwell

Faith led Jonathan and his armor-bearer up the cliff and God did the rest. Hmm!

To get ahead in anything you have to be willing to move forward, to take risks. For most of us we do, albeit we tend to like the calculated and certain, those in the 'safe' zone. But often with God the risk factor is uncalculable. It's just the nature of our relationship with Him. Walking in and by faith requires risk taking. God often designs situations and circumstances in our life to see if we'll be willing to trust Him to grow our faith to the next level. So if you're being stretched in your faith right now - praise God. If you're not being stretched or challenged in your faith - ask God why. In either case it's a good reason to open up the prayer lines.

Until tomorrow.....

Pastor Botts

"When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus.......They said 'Rabbi, where are you staying?' 'Come,' [Jesus] replied, 'and you will see.'" - John 1:37-39

Making the most of a second chance

The best time to plant a tree is 25 years ago. The 2nd best time is today. - Anon

Jesus gave Peter a second chance to be bold and Holy Pentecost! WOW!

It's true no matter who you talk to. Every person has something in their life they lament, something they maybe wished they started earlier upon, got more training in, etc. But none of that matters now. The truth of life is there's no time like the present to become an expert on something or at least improve on our position or lot in life. We may not be where we want to be or what we want to be. And thankfully, we serve a God who's not content to leave us where we are anyway. So the good news of today is "things are finally starting to look up!"

Until tomorrow....

Pastor Botts

"......being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." - Philippians 1:6

Where true change happens

Wherever you go in life you always, always take yourself. – J. Graham

Though he was in a foreign land, Daniel refused to defile himself even with the king’s food. AMEN!

People travel to far-away locales, attend extreme makeover camps, or even suffer through intensive ritualistic regimens thinking such activities will change them. A change of scenery may excite the senses, a makeover may make you look better, and a ritual may make you think you are doing better, but true change of who we are can only take place in the heart. It’s God’s domain, and unless we surrender it completely to Him, much of what we do will be lost at the first sign of distress. Joseph had many ‘distresses’ in his life but because of his heart he prospered through every one of them. His God is the same one we serve today.

Until Monday…….

Pastor Botts

“'How do you know me?' Nathanel asked. Jesus answered, 'I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.'" - John 1:48 

Setback to Victory

Some defeats are only installments to victory. – Anon

The Israelites suffered a great deal in their migration from Egypt to the Promised Land, but they eventually made it. AMEN!

Setbacks, delays, losses. They happen to everyone. As far as human history can be studied no one has gone through life without them (remember, even Jesus laid down his life). We don’t like them and they seem to come at the most inopportune time, but come they do. Many times God allows defeat to come our way to get our attention and purposes refocused on his priorities. Because He cares so much for us He would rather have us taste defeat on this side of eternity and remain victorious in the end rather than lose it all. The key for us is not to get bent out of shape and upset with God for what He is trying to bring about. Remember, victory is assured!

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves….” – Hebrews 12:5-6

Next Level Prayer

It’s good to believe in prayer, but what we believe about prayer is far greater. – B. Pile

Daniel prayed 3 times a day. Jesus prayed before every decision, miracle, or move He made. Their results speak loudly! Hmm.

The average person will say they believe a healthy diet and exercise is good for the body, but rarely will they do it. They will say they know they need to save money before an emergency arises, but again, it’s rare if they do. We’re told to ‘pray without ceasing’ but….. Most of us as Christians do pray. However, if we were to look at our prayer life we would see we’re often praying ‘after the fact’ rather than before the storm; which shows our belief about prayer is somewhat lacking. If prayer is able to “change things” or “move God” should we not be asking ahead?

Until tomorrow……

Pastor Botts

“[Uzziah] did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father Amaziah had done. He sought God during the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God. As long as he sought the Lord, God gave him success.” – II Chronicles 26:4-5

Simply Simple

Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler. – A. Einstein

Listening to man and then thinking about God’s creation; it becomes clear why God made us last. OUCH!

“Why is the sky blue?” “Why is water wet?” “Where does the rain come from?” etc. etc. We’ve heard these questions countless times, probably even asked them ourselves a time or two earlier in our lives. And they are great questions. God in His infinite wisdom designed things just so ‘simple’ that we might seek after Him for He wants to be known. All of creation was designed with a single simple purpose - that we might seek after the Creator. And all it takes is simple seeking on our part. We tend to love the complex and the deeply theoretical, thinking the keys to life could never really be so easy, but we must remember we did not design it, God did. Why, because He wants to be known, but He will never force Himself on any of us.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“…God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each of us…” – Acts 17:27

Patience over Anger

If you are patient in one moment of anger, you will escape 100 days of sorrow. – Chinese Proverb

Though James and John were angry with the Samaritans and wanted to destroy them because of their opposition, Jesus made them hold their peace. John was later invited to pray with them. WOW!

ANGER! An emotion that often gets out of hand when it’s “not about us.” The key to remember is the enemy knows this and often toys with us. A person who is not able to control their emotions and urges is ripe for disaster, with results that tend to be burdensome and long-lasting. If we fix our hearts and minds with the desire to bring God glory in all situations today, our tomorrows will certainly be rewarded.

Until Monday…..

Pastor Botts

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” – Galatians 5:22

P.S. - Don't forget our Sunday School Devotional time this Sunday at 9AM. Get answers to the 'questions' you always wanted to know.

Worth through Integrity

We need to get a sense of worth of our own selves and understand that no one is more deserving of our best behavior than we are. – R. Pennington

Though Saul sought to slay him, David couldn't even formulate in his mind a thought to harm God's anointed. Hmm!

If a tree falls in the middle of the forest and no one is around to see it, does it make a sound? A somewhat silly question, and one we often answer with “who cares." But the logic of the question is pure. And if we were to apply it to our daily living it sounds a powerful truth. Regardless of where we are or who we're with, how good or bad the situation, the greatest benefactor of our righteous, holy living is US, not God. Why, because we can't make God any holier than He already is, we can only bear witness of His holiness by the way we live. I pray you may appreciate yourself today!

Until tomorrow......

Pastor Botts

I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.” – I Corinthians 9:26-27        

How to face a challenge

The way to face a challenge is to be convinced that the challenge can be met. – C. R. Powell

David vs. Goliath. Daniel in the lions den. Jesus feeding 5,000. All these men were convinced GOD could handle what they faced. HE Did. AMEN!

In life we all face opposition, hardship, limited or no resources, unscheduled changes, the desires of the flesh, etc. We call them challenges, trials, tribulations, etc. The key is to see them as training opportunities God has placed before us to prove our worthiness, but also our complete dependence on him for success and deliverance.  There is no problem you will face in your life today or tomorrow that is too hard for God. Convincing proof is all around you!

Until tomorrow…….

Pastor Botts

“What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all – how will he not also, along with him graciously give us all things?” – Romans 8:31-32

Take Charge of Your Character

Live so you wouldn’t be ashamed to sell your parrot to the town gossip. – Anon

The bible says Moses was more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth. What a character reference. Hmm!

One thing is for sure in this life, we will all have good days and bad days, ups and downs, situations and circumstances sometimes all beyond our control. However, how we handle those times is completely within our control. God expects us to maintain self-control, with no “unwholesome” talk coming from our lips. We must remember that what we do in the dark will come to light. Though others may not see or hear you – GOD DOES!

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.” – I Peter 2:11-12

In the Plan

God has included you in His plans, have you included HIM in yours? – Anon

God told Jeremiah he “purposed” him from his mother’s womb as a prophet. That’s love friend. Hmm!

By virtue of you reading this God has included you in this great new day never seen before. He’s planned the sunrise and sunset and all in between with you in mind. He woke you, blessed you with health and strength, clothed you, and kept the world as you know it in a state you can deal with. He did all this for you, because He loves you and would like to work through you today. In spite of what you may think is a difficult day ahead, He has already gotten the ball rolling in your favor, and will stay with you if you ask. Have you made any definitive plans yet for Him?

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit – fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other.” – John 15:16-17