That Broad Way

Sometimes the majority only means that all the fools are on the same side. – Anon

After only 2 of the 12 spies reported favorably on their trip into the Promised Land, the people were against going forward. That decision cost them dearly. Hmm!

It’s true we were created for fellowship, however we must often be careful with whom we fellowship with and what we allow to pass as fellowship; “for what has light to do with darkness.” All too often if we’re not careful we are swept up into the crowd hysteria and mentality. Public opinions and emotions may be strong one way or the other, but we are not to be known by our opinions but by our fruit. In the marketplace of ideas may we not conform but seek transformation. Here's hoping we bear fruit for Him today!

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” – Matthew 7:13-14

Walk. With God

“THE POINT of walking with God is not to arrive, but to walk with God.” – C. Barnes

The bible tells us Enoch walked so well with God that God took him home. I imagine they still walk today. WOW!

When we were babies we started out crawling, then wobbily walking, to striding, to a full blown run. And it seems that we’ve taken to the thought that all in life is at a running pace. But God is not in a hurry, His glory is much more awesome at the pace He sets. As we walk along, we discover that God is still making a way by providing water in OUR deserts. . . . food from the sky in OUR times of hunger….companionship by fire in OUR times of loneliness…..and direction by His Word in OUR times of confusion. Yes, He’s still the same God. If the wilderness (world) still appears to be a frightening place, then the stream, sky, Spirit, and Word along the way are the symbols of God’s grace that He continues to walk now as He did then. This gives a lot more weight to the saying “slow but steady.”

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” – Micah 6:8

Use It

Use what talents you possess: The woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those who sang best. – Henry VanDyke

God sent Moses on his way to liberate His people from Pharaoh with just a ‘staff’ in his hand. It actually worked! WOW!

Training, preparation, honing one's skills. All things we do in life to help us get better and move forward - sort of. Often we don't, we get used to the preparation, and sometimes we let the preparation become our goal, rather than what it should be preparing us for. We begin to overanalyze the situation and tell ourselves we're not quite ready, we need a little more training. So we often shrink back from the work or call of God, figuring we’re not prepared, qualified, or rightly situated to do it. It's called 'paralysis by analysis.' But in reality God has equipped each of us with exactly what we need for each new encounter. Remember, God never gives the test until He has equipped us, or reminded us we need to call on Him. May we all ‘sing’ for Him today.

Until tomorrow…….

Pastor Botts

“We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.” – Romans 12:6-8

Prayer. What God Can Do

When we rely upon education, we get what education can do; when we rely upon skill, we get what skill can do; when we rely upon technology, we get what technology can do; but when we rely upon prayer, we get what God will do. – Robert Leroe

When Peter and John were charged not to preach Jesus anymore the early church didn’t start a letter writing campaign nor go on strike – they prayed. GOD MOVED!

Without a doubt most of us are highly qualified for the work we do. We’ve spent years in disciplined training and vast hours in education. We’ve honed our skills to near perfection and enhanced our life with the latest technological innovations. But often we find in life, when it comes to dealing with people no matter how much education, skill, or technology you have, they are of little help. That’s why it pays to be a praying person. Prayer can do things all these other advantages can’t. Prayer interjects Our God who can change the hardest of hearts – even ours.

Until tomorrow……

Pastor Botts

“Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.” – Luke 18:1

Neighbor? Enemy? Love!

The Bible tells us to love our neighbors, and also to love our enemies; probably because they are generally the same people. - G.K. Chesterton

Jesus preached, loved, and reached out to sinner and saint alike, often converting the former to the latter. AMEN!

“Friend or foe!” was the shout given by the sentry when someone unknown approached his station. Their answer would then dictate his response, whether to relax and receive them or to prepare to defend his post. Though we don’t shout it today we are in a similar position, however our charge is only to befriend in either case. And though we say it’s hard to do so, it really isn’t if we let the Holy Spirit rule in our life. The love of God is unconditional and the Spirit of God within us will manifest that love if we submit our will to him. It may seem irrational and hard at times, but when it does all we need do is just imagine God loving us at all.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself,’ you are doing right.” – James 2:8

Remember the Wonders

Life would be truly wonderful if we could forget our troubles as quickly as we seem to forget our blessings. – Anon

The Israelites cried out to God for over 400 years to be free of their Egyptian oppressors. As soon as He set them free and they came to the Red Sea they were ready to go back. Hmm!

Truthfully speaking, it is a great day and a great time to be alive. No matter the circumstances of our lives or what station we occupy now, we are blessed beyond measure. Hardships may come, sickness may strike, but these don’t last always and often God will use these instances to help us grow stronger in our faith – and draw us closer to Him – that He may bless us even more. If we are to be in heaven praising eternally, God wants us to be long in memory and character as to what that really entails, so as the day unfolds God wants us to practice keeping our focus on Him and his purposes no matter what may arise.

Until Monday……

Pastor Botts

“Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always. Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced.” – I Chronicles 16:11-12

It only takes a Spark

The greatest fire is often lit by the faintest spark! – Anon

On the Day of Pentecost, 12 common, unlearned men empowered by the Spirit turned their world upside down for Jesus. WOW!

No matter how great the person, no matter how great the work they have done, it had it’s origin in a tiny burst of an idea. Desire was added, along with perseverance and we see the finished work. The key in this is common to all of us. We all have the same potential to do great things, and God expects great things of us. Anyone who has ever said one person can’t do much has never spent the night with a mosquito.

Until tomorrow……

Pastor Botts

“I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name…” John 14:12-13

Extraordinarily Ordinary Discipleship

The true call of a Christian is not to do extraordinary things, but to do ordinary things in an extraordinary way. – D. Stanley

Though the disciples were first called ‘Christian’ at Antioch, they were still human. Hmm!

Though Jesus was God in the flesh, he never denied his human nature. He ate, drank, slept, and enjoyed fellowship with others, even sinners. That in itself, was the perfect model of discipleship. Discipleship does not mean that we live lives of deprivation or poverty but rather we live lives full of appreciation, thankfulness, and sharing. It is not the shrinking away from, or downplaying of the blessings God bestows on us that we may identify with those less fortunate, discipleship is drawing others in to share in those blessings that God gives in order that they may come to know him. True, the call to discipleship is to deny our self-centered nature, but never the blessings God brings our way to help further the kingdom.

Until tomorrow….

Pastor Botts

“Honor the Lord with thy substance…..” – Proverbs 3:9

Opportunities to Serve

Opportunities today are the results of actions taken yesterday. - Anon

Andrew spending that 1st day with Jesus ultimately led to 3,000 souls being saved on Pentecost. Wow!

Being involved in Christ’s mission to save mankind can be overwhelming if we forget our place. It is easy to get burnt out when we think it is all on us. But God is not asking you or me to individually solve the injustices of the world, He’s asking us to reach out and help the individuals He places in our path. True, there will be many, and it may seem like our contribution is small and won’t change anything, but the success of our actions is not what gets measured, nor whether they accept Christ or not. What God looks upon is the measure of faith by which we shared the love of Christ inside us, that’s what’s important; for we never know how far reaching it will be. We need only remember that Jesus’ actions already saved the world, we’re just to remind them about it.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants through whom you came to believe – as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.” – I Corinthians 3:5-6

Praise for our own good

We praise God not for His benefit, but for our own. – R. Murray

In the throes of all his woes Job refused to let go of God. He knew God was all he had left – and God richly rewarded him.

Though God needs nothing from us He ‘covets’ our praise. Not because He needs them but because He is worthy of them. He will continue to exist and be God whether we praise Him or not. But we should note, though He is an ‘audience of one’ that we give all our allegiance, worship, and praise to, the major benefactor in all of this is we ourselves. Praise allows us to come closer to God, get connected to him, hear what his heart is beating for. To live our lives any other way is to live dis-connected from the very God who gave us ‘the breath of life.’ And as we praise him, and the more we praise him, the more we will have our eyes opened to see how he has blessed us in abundance already; which will in turn lead to more praise. AMEN!

Until tomorrow……

Pastor Botts

“Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom. One generation will comment your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts.” – Psalm 145:3-4

The One True Standard

A man with one watch knows what time it is. A man with two watches is never sure. – Sparks

The people of Athens had more gods than you could shake a stick at. Paul tried to introduce them to the only GOD they needed. Hmm!

We live in a world where everyone has an opinion or belief about life and the way it is supposed to be lived, with a bit of this and a dash of that. And we live in a world where everyone often feels compelled to share their ideas and opinions freely. Words like truth, morality, justice - are often debated and assigned different values depending on who is speaking (alternate facts), or the need for the day. And what is true today may not be true tomorrow. We must be careful to weigh the views of these ‘well-intentioned’ folk against the standard measure. There is only one standard of truth – God’s Word.

Until Monday……

Pastor Botts

“Let God be true, and every man a liar. As it is written: so that you may be proved right when you speak and prevail when you judge.” – Romans 3:4

Release the Pretense

People defend nothing more violently than the pretenses they live by. – A. Drury

The Pharisees and religious leaders of His day proudly defended their religious piety before men. Jesus said they forsook God’s law. He called them hypocrites. OUCH!

Things are not always as they seem. We spend a great deal of time trying to convince others that we are people that we are not. We live one way in public and another way at home. We often go out of our way and through a lot of expense to place ourselves in the best positive light, and become upset when questioned or doubted. But just as Jesus could look ‘through’ the woman at the well and know all about her life, He knows the same about each of us.  And just as He was willing to forgive her and restore her upon her confession, He is willing to do the same for us. All He asks is that we acknowledge our sins and shortcomings and repent. There is nothing we can hide from the “one who searches every heart.” Ready or not He’s looking in.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.” – I Corinthians 13:11

Individual Success

Success is a word in search of individual definition. – E. J. Blohm

Peter preached a sermon that won 3,000 souls and also wrote 2 books in the bible. Andrew, his brother, just brought him to Jesus. Which would you call the success?

Fame, power, wealth, glory – all well-known definers of success – by men. Yes, the world has its own definition of success, and quite often if we’re not careful we get caught up in its wake. It’s not wrong to want to be the best in any chosen field, God wants us to shine; but it should never be our identifier. We wear a name far greater than anything the world can offer us. God’s measure of success is never what it has achieved for us personally, but what it has done to advance His kingdom purposes. If it’s true that ‘only what we do for Christ will last’ then success takes on a whole new meaning.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful." Joshua 1:8

Away with The One we matter to

The most basic craving of man is not food, sex, recreation, or money. It is knowledge that he matters to someone. – W. Sheldon

Moses did it. So did Elijah. Then Jesus came along and did it too. 40 days alone with the ONE who mattered most. What a great declaration of worth by God. Amen!

Often, if we’re not careful we get caught up doing “life” work for the sake of the necessary things (housing, sustenance, etc.) and forgetting we have a larger more important purpose: GOD. We matter to Him! Regardless of what others may demand of us or even think of us, we matter to Him. He knows all about us and He cares for us; and this should motivate us to seek a closer intimate relationship with Him. And since God is never in a hurry, maybe we should not be either when we draw near to Him.

Until tomorrow……

Pastor Botts

“The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat he said to them, ‘Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest. So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place’.” – Mark 6:30-32

Reflections of You

A loving person lives in a loving world. A hostile person lives in a hostile world. Your world is a mirror of yourself. – K. Keyes Jr.

The Apostle Paul is a great study on the concept of polar extremes. From hateful arch-rival to loving die-hard friend. Why – because of Jesus – that’s all!

It’s true the world is not perfect, and people don’t always receive us the way we want, but the world and the people were made by a loving God, who still loves them; and we are called upon to love them as He does. One thing the bible teaches us over and over again is that you reap what you sow, so our world around us, the people in our inner circle (family, close friends, associates) are a reflection of who we are and what we give. Remember, for the Christian love is not a feeling but a COMMAND. So if our individual world is 'hostile' maybe a little more prayer is needed.

Until tomorrow…….

Pastor Botts

“For out of the heart the mouth speaks. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him.” – Matthew 12:34-35.

A Healthy Dose of Rest

Rest has cured more people than all the medicine in the world. – H. J. Reilly

After six days of awe-inspiring work, God; who neither slumbers nor sleeps, did something else miraculous – HE RESTED!

A bygone fitness organization, Bodies In Motion; used the slogan “You can rest when you’re dead!” By the look of things in society it appears the majority of people firmly believe that. Almost everything now can be done 24/7, 365 days a year and we’re busy trying to keep pace with it and becoming worse off. But God COMMANDED, not suggested; that we take time out to rest. He made us and knows our bodies need physical rest and spiritual renewal. To avoid these is a recipe for disaster. No matter how much money we get, or how many ‘toys’ we acquire the best thing for our well-being is rest and spiritual renewal. Make sure you get both this weekend.

Until Monday.....

Pastor Botts

By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it HOLY, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.” – Genesis 2:1-3“

This Is the Day

Today is that ‘someday’ you’ve been waiting for. – K. Shook

When called, Matthew immediately left his tax booth and followed Jesus. He never regretted it. WOW!

"Someday." "One of these days." "When I turn …I’ll do this." Sound familiar – these are all silent promises we often make to ourselves. Promising ourselves we’ll really start living when ‘that day’ arrives. We need to wake up and realize that this is IT – this is LIFE! God did not design us to simply stand by and watch life pass and wonder why we’re not more fulfilled. Nor did He make us to ‘coast’ along playing it safe. His words to Adam and Eve were “subdue the land, rule over the living creatures,” or in other words take life by its horns. This is not to suggest that we live fast, loose and dangerous, but that we simply LIVE as God purposed us. We have a limited amount of time to do it, so again, today is the ‘someday’ you’ve been waiting for.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes….” – James 4:14

There For You

The sun, with all those planets revolving around it and dependent upon it, can still ripen a bunch of grapes as if it had nothing else in the universe to do. – Galileo

When Jesus spoke he not only calmed the sea, he astonished each man there with him. WOW!

This is an amazing feature of God’s nature – yes He is running the universe, keeping the moon and the stars aligned, keeping nature balanced, making sure day follows night, etc – but in addition to all of that God loves each one of us as if we were the only one that matters. We were each uniquely made that He might love us each in our own unique way, and no matter what else goes on in the world God is always there for each one of us ALL THE TIME! And beyond this he still longs to be closer to each of us still. Yes God has time and eternity on His hands for us, the question is do we have time for Him.

Until tomorrow….

Pastor Botts

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem….how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing.” – Matthew 23:37