Right Sight

We don’t see things as they are; we see them as we are. – Anais Nin

Mary & Martha believed Jesus as the son of God but could only see him as human like them. When Lazarus died, their “eyes” were opened! Wow!

Often, the hardest thing to see is what is right before us. Why, because we often have a fixed or made up mind of what it should be. We live most of life this way. But God is asking us to trust Him, have faith that He knows what He is doing though it may not appear so to us. We must remember just as God is not through with us, He also is not through with those around us and those in our lives. Our call is not to make or pass judgment on them based on our flaws or imperfections but to see every bit of God at work in their life as much as possible, and help it along.

Until tomorrow…….

Pastor Botts

“Peter replied, ‘I have never eaten anything impure or unclean." The voice spoke to him a second time, "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean." - Acts 10:14-15

Patience is the Key

The key to everything is patience. You get the chicken by hatching the egg, not by smashing it. -  A. Glasow

God worked 13 years with Joseph, 40 years with Moses, 3+ years with Peter before they were ready for ministry. But oh; what a ministry they had. AMEN!

NOW! That seems to be the watchword of today. Everything has to happen now, we must have everything now, we must do everything now. It’s a great tool of the enemy – rush them into decisions, don’t give them time to think it through or plan it out – force them into actions and decisions that will hinder or impact their development and purposes for God. It’s a rare breed that would slow down, put off selfish desires, or immediate gratification. But it’s what God requests of us with a promise that what He has planned for us will be far better and more enjoyable than anything we could have ever imagined. He’s given us example after example in His word, so we know He keeps His end of the bargain. Today would be a good day to start trusting Him more.

Until Monday……

Pastor Botts

“Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” – Psalm 27:14

Kneel in Strength

When life gives you more than you can stand.......KNEEL!- Anon

David, Paul. Just a couple of men with great burdens like us who were often found kneeling. Hmm!

Subjection, oppression, weakness. In our cultural way of thinking all of these words indicate a position of vulnerability, inadequacy, the inability to measure up and we tie them with kneeling before another. But not so with God. His way of thinking is far from ours. To kneel doesn't indicate any of this. When we kneel before Him, He sees it as our plea for help, restoration, supplication in life in all matters that are really too great for us to go alone. We have to remember that after all God gave us 'flexibility' in our legs for more than just walking or running.

Until tomorrow.....

Pastor Botts

"Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker." - Psalm 95:6

Come Clean About Sin

It's not so difficult confessing sins................as long as they're someone else's.- A. Christing

The Pharisees and teachers of the law were glad to bring the adulterous woman before Jesus...........until he asked them to think about their own behavior. Hmm!

It's a conundrum! A mind boggler! A strange but true fact! As Christians we have admitted we were sinners saved by grace in need of a Savior. As Christians we know we now have a mediator between us and God to forgive us our sins - Christ Jesus who will never turn us away. But yet, for some reason we don't avail ourselves of this grace gift. Rather than confess our sins oftentimes we try to hide them or legitimize them as 'not really that bad'. But any and all sin separates us from God, which is why He gave us this great gift of forgiveness. Holding on to our sin hinders our relationship with God in every way (blessings, praise, spiritual growth, etc.). It is when we readily and willingly admit our weaknesses and brokenness that we are ready for breakthroughs. And here's the kicker in all of this, We think the hardest person to tell our sins to is Jesus, it's not - He already knows. No, the hardest person to convince is ourselves. Hopefully, we're all ready to come clean today.

Until tomorrow....

Pastor Botts

"If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." - I John 1:8-9

Prayer: The Necessary Component

A prayerless life for a Christian is a high crime against God. - Anon

When Jesus said "when you pray" he wasn't making a suggestion. Hmm!

As you look around it's hard to miss -phones. Yeah. People are talking/texting and what not in great numbers seemingly all the time. Everybody is having a conversation. God says He's 'listening' for one. He says His ears are open to the cries of His people. Wow, what an invitation. Prayer anyone! Admittedly, it is not the quantity of words in the prayer but the heart, but also admittedly, as our relationship grows with God our walk should draw us into deeper more meaningful 'conversations' with Him over time. Prayer should become  a source of joy and inspiration to us (Jesus often withdrew to do so) and a necessary component to our daily survival. Prayer is the easiest and hardest of all things! Many people believe in it, but not many pray. How about you?

Until tomorrow.....

Pastor Botts

"What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him?' - Deuteronomy 4:7

Being Faithful Not To Stumble

Men climb great mountains but yet stumble over pebbles. – E. Cady

Peter preached a sermon that brought 3,000 new souls to Christ, yet he found it hard to get over his prejudice of Gentiles. Hmm!

Without a doubt, most of us would have no problem signing up to do something great or noteworthy; it’s what we live for. The big job, the special assignment, the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity – count us in. We love being able to deliver the goods for everyone’s praise. But God never asks us to climb great mountains, or seek fame and fortune or praise; He only asks us to be faithful to Him each day, and for some reason it seems to be the hardest thing to do. Maybe therein lies the problem – we want to DO, we’re good at DOING - but God says BE.  If we realize that being faithful is the greatest thing we can DO maybe we can somewhat cure our stumbling problems.

Until tomorrow……..

Pastor Botts

“My son, preserve sound judgment and discernment, do not let them out of your sight;…..Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble.” – Proverbs 3:21,23

Beyond the Building

Too many people quit looking for God once they find a church. – Herb Botts

The parents of the blind man Jesus healed said nothing because they didn’t want to be thrown out of the synagogue. Hmm!

Complacency is a dangerous thing, and it’s something our enemy is very familiar with and often uses to trap us. In honesty, most of us love our church; we love the building, the amenities, the programs, the service, and of course the people. Unfortunately we often fall in love with these ‘things’ and cease to seek after God. But we must always remember God does not want to dwell in a building but in our hearts, so we must continually seek Him always.

Until Monday…..

Pastor Botts

“Jesus declared, ‘Believe me, woman; a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem…... God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and truth.’” – John 4:21,24

P.S. - Mark your calendar:  Tonight at 6:30PM - Good Friday Service (Dinner/Movie)

Tomorrow at 9AM - Prayer Breakfast

Sunday at 10:30 AM Resurrection Day Services

Listen Up

Remember, you can't learn if you're always talking. - Henry David Thoreau

Job had much to say on life's matters, but when God spoke he suddenly went....mum. Hmm!

Though we won't openly admit it, most of us love to talk. We love to talk about ourselves and in addition to this it seems we have an opinion on anything and everything. It's almost as if we've achieved a level of all-knowing (omniscience). Somewhere along the line we seemed to have forgotten that life is an everyday experience and education, and that the first step to learning and being taught is the ability to listen. To quiet ourselves, our hearts, open our mind and listen. Even in silence there are great lessons to be learned. God, the Master Teacher will be at work today, here's hoping we all attend class.

Until tomorrow....

Pastor Botts

"He who has an ear, let him hear." - Matthew 11:15, 13:9

Humble or be Humbled

Learn to humble yourself, after all; before God spoke you were nothing but dust of the earth. – T. Kempis

Simon the sorcerer thought he was a great man until he met the men of God, then he realized he was a sinner in need of grace. Hmm!

We see them all the time – stars, politicians, athletes, etc. – demanding special treatment or recognition because of who they are. It’s a battle we all fight at times – pride, ego, boastfulness. We want to be recognized and seen for all we have done or accomplished, we want others to know of our greatness, the sweat and toil we put in to ‘make ourselves into something.’ But truth be known, no matter how great or renown we become it is all by the grace of God, a gift of the Master for His glory. Public accolades and recognition are great but when we covet them, live for them, and begin to demand they be given we’re treading on dangerous ground. Ours is not to live for praise and adulation but for service.

Until tomorrow.......

Pastor Botts

“Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will lift you up.” – James 4:10

Living Focused Lives

A man who chases two rabbits catches neither. – D. Ashwell

King Saul wanted his own fame and that of David. He lost everything including his life. Hmm!

If you’re human chances are you’ve suffered a time or two from ‘opportunity-itis,’ the giving of yourself to too many enterprises and activities. As Christians we often feel compelled to chase a number of activity options for fellowship, ministry, and service. This in itself is not bad, but when we add family and friends and other social gatherings to the mix we become stretched thin and lose the ability to do anything meaningful. Jesus called on his followers to live ‘focused’ lives, lives that have a distinct purpose that will impact others. Just as a laser is more powerful and effective when narrowly focused, so should we be.

Until tomorrow…….

Pastor Botts

“Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” – Psalm 90:12

Life Doesn't Procrastinate

Somebody said it couldn’t be done – it wasn’t God. – Anon

God was willing to work with Gideon and the ‘fleece’ in any fashion to show him the time was now. Hmm!

It’s amazing how we always want our turn when playing a game or receiving a blessing, but how we want to put our turn off when it comes to something unpleasant. We don’t seem to mind procrastinating then. When you really stop to think about it, the habit of procrastination takes a 2-fold toll on us. First, important work that needs to be done goes undone. Second, valuable energy we could use in doing the work gets wasted in activities we ‘drum up’ to avoid what we should be doing. So what results is delay, followed by anxiety, then a hurried, harried attempt to catch-up, leading to more anxiety or stress. The truth is we procrastinate out of fear, fear that we’re somehow inadequate at the time to do the job. But God gives us all we need beforehand, or will equip us with what we need ‘during’ the test so we need not fear, only ask His help to tackle the task. So if we meet the challenge head on we can avoid untold trouble, worry, and stress. Life doesn’t procrastinate – neither should we.

Until tomorrow….

Pastor Botts

“….Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself….” – Matthew 6:34

Connection Issues? Count Your Blessings!

When you’re unable to pray, count your blessings. – Anon

King Saul sought out a medium or spiritist in his turmoil. David continued faithful and waited on God for his answer. We know which one was God’s man! Hmm.

Prayer is our most important communication link with God. He covets it and there is never a time when He does not hear us. But there are times in life when it seems like our prayer link to God is broken, we just can’t seem to get through when we really need Him most no matter how often we call. In truth, there are times that God is silent not because of our sin or distance, but because He has already “graced” us with blessings that fulfill all we need. Just try counting, I’m sure you’ll find you won’t be disappointed.

Until Monday…..

Pastor Botts

“Taste and see that the Lord is good; BLESSED is the man who takes refuge in him.” – Psalm 34:8

Giving the Best

The first and worst of all frauds is to cheat oneself. – G. Bailey

When Ananais and his wife Sapphira tried to 'cheat' the Holy Spirit with their offering, they realized too late they were actually cheating themselves as well. Hmm!

In this day and age we ought to be truly THANKFUL that God does not deal with us today as He directly dealt with them then. But the truth of the matter is still the same. When we cheat or defraud ourselves we are in essence defrauding the Spirit God has placed within each of us, and limiting its potential to do great things in our lives. God deserves our best, and just because we may not 'feel' like giving our best or think it's too much at the time, we are not God nor do we sit in His place. May our best shine forth today!

Until tomorrow……

Pastor Botts

“If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” –James 1:26-27

What is it you want?

The first step to getting the things you want out of life is this: decide what you want. – B. Stein

All Solomon wanted was wisdom to rule God’s people righteously. He got that and more from God. AMEN!

The story of the dog who starts out on a foxhunt and ends up chasing his tail fits a lot of people. We are often distracted by what we see others enjoying and sometimes we  begin to secretly covet.  The fact is most of us really don’t know what we truly want. We say we want happiness, joy, peace, etc. but yet we refuse to come to the only one who can give it – Christ. The more we try to achieve the things of life our way, the more frustrating our life will become. To have the things we truly want, we must decide what they are and then be willing to sacrifice all other things to have them. The key to remember is if God is not in the plan our decisions are essentially empty.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.” – Proverbs 14:12, 16:25

Less is More

Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away. – Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Paul said he looked not for profit but considered ‘everything loss’ for the sake of Christ. Hmm!

In the fashion world perfection is a fully matching outfit with all the accessories (shoes, purse, gloves, belt, tie, etc.). And amazingly, we take that same crite

ria for perfection into our view of life. We seem to believe that with all the proper accoutrements or attachments we will be complete and whole, ready to take on the world. But God’s idea of perfection is quite the opposite and our road to spiritual maturity is not in the acquisition of attachments but the elimination of our carnal habits and sinful nature. Since God is perfection, sin and carnality cannot dwell with Him. He will not wrestle these desires from us, but He gently tries to ‘love’ us away from them. It’s our choice!

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“Then [Jesus] said to them all: ‘If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” – Luke 9:23

Laugh it Up!

Blessed are they who can laugh at themselves, for they shall never cease to be amused. – Anon

Abraham and Sarah laughed to themselves thinking they were much too old to have a child. A year later they named their son Isaac, meaning “God has brought me laughter.” WOW!

Photo albums are a great source of fun and nostalgia. We often look back at ourselves and remember the exact situations and laugh out loud at the memories. If we were that funny back then what has happened to change us now? Laughter is not a childhood gift to be put on a shelf, but a lifelong companion to help us make it through each day. No matter how mature and wise we become, we’re going to have moments when all is not quite right, we flub a line, miss our cue, run the wrong way, etc. – it’s just human nature – so laugh.  Remember, with God on our side; the issues of life are not that serious, only salvation is.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven….a time to weep and a time to laugh…” – Ecclesiastes 3:1,4

Beauty in Difficulty

A pearl is a beautiful thing produced by an injured, interrupted life. – S. Hoeller

Nathanael thought nothing good could ever come out of Nazareth. Boy was he ever wrong. Hmm!

Truth be known most of us want a simple care-free, stress-free, painless life. We want everything to go our way, on our schedule, and yield to our will. And we seek out ways and people to make this happen. Thankfully, God loves us too much to allow life to happen according to our whims and desires. He is working in us and through us to produce something far more beautiful than we could ever imagine on our own. The key for us is to not grow frustrated with His ‘interruptions’ or feel inferior because of the heartaches and setbacks. Just as the oyster coats the ‘injury’ with its tears to produce its gem, we too can always recover and produce a meaningful, inspiring offering to God. Why not start this weekend.

Until Monday…..

Pastor Botts

“That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” – II Corinthians 12:10

P.S. - Hope you can make it for our Sunday Devotional at 9AM. We'll discuss 'financial' health. 

Adjust your Focus

If we aren't seeing eye to eye with God, there is a good chance His eyes aren't the ones needing adjustment! - J. Wilson

It wasn't until Cleophas and his friend actually looked up they realized the 'Resurrection' was right before them. Wow!

When it comes to the Word of God and the issue of our own hearts, there are commands that we just don't seem to agree with, we don't see the reasoning or logic behind them (give, serve, love, forgive, etc....). But God told us in His Word there are some things He reserves or keeps to Himself, He is not obligated to share with us every detail. But also there are many commands that only bring blessing when obeyed in faith. and God has given us enough to still trust Him fully. He has always been God, His ways have always been and always will be perfect, and He loves us unconditionally and does everything for 'our good' and His glory. So though we may not see it at the time, if we just keep our focus on Him it will be alright. If we continue to look for the answers we miss God, but if we look for God we get both.

Until tomorrow....

Pastor Botts

"My eyes are ever on the Lord, for only he will release my feet from the snare." - Psalm 25:15

Arriving at the right Conclusion

Disillusionment is the child of illusions. – C.S. Lewis

Naaman left Elisha’s house infuriated and still leprous, because he already had in mind what should take place for his healing. Hmm!

When we get right down to it and think things through, most of our frustrations in life come not from the circumstances that we find ourselves in, but from our assumptions of what should have happened when we acted. We fall into the worldly thinking of perfect order, that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. We get frustrated when people AND God don’t respond the way we think they should or the way we expect them to. But when we start with a wrong set of assumptions, it’s no wonder we arrive at wrong conclusions. The key is not to try and out guess what man or God will do, but to be patient and prayerful and wait. Truth always manifests itself.

Until tomorrow……..

Pastor Botts

“But wisdom is proved right by her actions.” – Matthew 11:19

Life through difficulty

Difficulties are meant to rouse, not discourage; for the human spirit grows strong by conflict. – W. E. Channing

The Apostle Paul suffered many great perils in his life. He was also one of the greatest missionaries the church has ever seen. AMEN!

Truth be known, most of us like life easy. We want things to fall neatly into place, people to do what they’re supposed to do, and all lights to be green. Where’s the fun or challenge in that? How would we ever develop our character?  Today you will get hit with difficulties, circumstances, and situations that will seem like Mt. Everest. The key is to not be discouraged by the outlook, but encouraged by “looking up.” There is nothing too hard for God, and there is nothing He won’t do for His children. It may get perilous and painful, but the outcome is already assured.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” – James 1:12

BE the Change!

Be the change you want to see in the world. – Mahatma Gandhi

The woman at the well. The Gadarene demoniac. Each one had a profound impact on their community after meeting Jesus. Hmm!

Dirty politicians. Immoral athletes. Greedy televangelists. Uncaring neighbors. Ungodly co-workers. The list could go on and on and on. Each of us somehow affected by others but with the know how to make things better. It's true, we all know how to change the world for the better, but no one wants to start with himself. In truth, God never called us to change the world, but to live a changed life in the world. That in itself would be quite an accomplishment and have a deep impact on the world. May we all be a change agent today.

Until tomorrow…….
 
Pastor Botts

“But be transformed by the renewing of YOUR mind...." - Romans 12:2

Discovering God

God is actually closer than you think! – J. Ortberg

Elijah, at one time thought God to be in the mighty wind, then in the powerful earthquake and fire, but found Him in the gentle whisper that followed. WOW!

When it comes to life’s lessons the best ones are those we discover on our own. For example, we know fire is hot, not so much because our parents told us so, we discovered it to be true by getting too close to the stove or heater or other open flame. Lessons like these form an unforgettable impression on our mind so we remember how to respond appropriately each time. In the same way God longs to be discovered by us in new ways. Too often we settle for the providential things of God (“His rain falls on the just and the unjust”) and miss out on new discoveries of His nature. If God was a ‘cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night,’ to guide the Israelites, if He used a ‘donkey to speak to a man’, and if He ‘cursed a fig tree and it withered’, then surely if anything He is unpredictable. Good -  but unpredictable, and that’s worth discovering.

Until Monday…..

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 one of us.” – Acts 17:27

P.S. - Financial Freedom Part II tomorrow at 9am.