His Word Speaks Volumes

Don't say that God is silent when your bible lies there closed. - D. Washington

God's command to Joshua to "Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips..." seems like a good practice to follow. Hmm!

It's somewhat amazing. I can't tell you the number of times I've talked to people who are looking for answers, praying and asking God for direction in their lives, and when I ask if they've read the bible lately the answer is 'not really.' It's true, God does want to be involved in our lives and He will direct our paths if we seek Him. But one of the major ways we do that is through reading His Word. He speaks volumes to us through it. And most of the time the answers we seek are already recorded for us there. God will do for us only what we can't do for ourselves, so if we're looking for answers He's not yet given maybe we should put our face in the book.

I'll be taking some time off to rest....so...

Until I return...

Pastor Botts

"Blessed is the man.....whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night" - Psalm 1:1,2

God Is Here

It is not necessary to advertise food to hungry people, fuel to cold people, or houses to the homeless. -- J. K. Galbraith

Jacob sent his sons to Egypt to buy food during the famine, not because their brother Joseph was there, but because that’s where the food was. Hmm!

Fishermen go out to lakes, rivers, or the ocean to fish because they have a love for fishing and that’s where the fish are. Along the same line of thinking, it’s amazing but it seems that before we come to God we often expect Him to advertise for our service, worship, and praise. It’s as if we expect Him to perform miracle after miracle in our lives constantly, for us to readily seek Him and give Him praise. But the thing is He does advertise Himself everyday. With each new dawning, daily provision, deliverance, and opportunity; God is advertising how much he loves and cares for us. The question must be begged: Do we care for Him? We would do well to remember that our actions speak much louder than anything we say.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night reveals knowledge." - Psalm 19:1-2

The Truth of What Matters Most

The things which matter most, must never be at the mercy of things which matter least. – Goethe

Jesus had a word for the Pharisees and religious leaders of the day for their love and respect for ‘traditions’ rather than God’s word -Hypocrites!

On average, most of us say we know what’s important. Hmmm! We’ll work 60-80 hours a week to provide for our family because they are important, yet we’re too busy working to spend time with them. We’ll say our marriage is important, yet we willfully spend inordinate amounts of time away from our spouse or good amounts of time on our social media platforms in their presence. We’ll even say our relationship with God is of prime importance, yet we struggle to give Him 5-10 minutes a day. The fact of the matter is no matter what we say, the life we live bears the truth, because you will only do that which matters most to you! The question is to determine what matters to you most.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it, “Love your neighbor as yourself. All the law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments’.” – Matthew 22:37-40

No Worries Mate

Don’t worry about the “what ifs”; concentrate on the “what IS…..” – Anon

Noah completed the ark because he trusted in God’s weather report. Hmm!

A hurricane in California – wow! Didn’t see that coming. Life is full of surprises, risks, contingencies and unknowns. But if we take time to think about it, these are exactly the things that make life worthwhile – not always knowing for sure how things are going to turn out. But though we may not know, we should never live in fear of or be ‘paralyzed’ by the thought of not knowing. We have been blessed with enough raw material and resources for TODAY only, God will supply tomorrow if necessary, so we need only to take care of the here and now not worrying about anything else. We’ve already been assured that the great 'what IS', is that God is still on the THRONE, God is still in CONTROL, God is still FOR YOU, and God WILL ALWAYS WIN OUT. What, me worry?

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“….if God be for us, who can be against us…” – Romans 8:31

The Capacity to Love

Nothing is too much trouble for love. – Desmond Tutu

Even after he wasted all his money and 'soiled' himself with unrighteous living, the Prodigal Son's father quickly lifted his spirits. Wow!

Often, we may feel overwhelmed and alone, like all the problems of the world have come resting right down on our shoulders. When we do feel like this it is only because we have taken the wrong view. When our fate hung in the balance and rested at God's discretion, he showed us the way by exercising love (John 3:16). You may feel your family's plight is unbearable, or your life situation too heavy, but remember when love is added in; even the heaviest of weight is lifted. Ask God for a little more capacity to love and see what a difference it will make in your life.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

"....God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him." - I John 4:16

Lessons on Nothing

One of the lessons of history is that nothing is often a good thing to do and always a clever thing to say. – W. Durant

When asked to pass judgment on a woman caught in adultery Jesus just kept writing in the dirt. HMMM!

The late longtime Dodger baseball announcer Vin Scully lived by the credo “you can’t announce the roar of the crowd,” noting you can’t do or say anything to improve on it. Often in our lives there are situations presented where there is nothing we can add to it without detracting from God’s purposes or making the situation more intense or insightful. As God brings scenes and situations upon you today remember that deep meaningful spiritual lessons and insights can be learned by observation and silence.

Until Monday…

Pastor Botts

“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” – Psalm 46:10

Set Us Free

Liberty is one of the most precious gifts that heaven has bestowed on man. - M. de Cervantes

David was imprisoned in his own heart until he confessed his sins to God. It was truly an uplifting event. Hmm!

Most bank vaults are built to be secure. Surrounded by several layers of concrete with reinforced steel, other materials, and alarm systems makes them virtually impenetrable. It would take a concerted, monumental effort to break in. When you think about it, this is the same building process or method Satan uses to hold us hostage in our own heart. He sows guilt, shame, fear, or some other sin in our heart and then begins to build around it. Day by day and layer by layer he coats it with all the 'reasons' we should keep it secret and locked away, holding us hostage. Our freedom however, is ever near. The power of confession to Christ breaks every bond and grip of the enemy and sets us free, to live our lives fully for the glory and honor of God. Freedom is just a repentance and prayer away.

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

"...The Spirit of the Lord is on me.......He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners." - Isaiah 61:1

Heart Smiles

A smile is a curve that can set a lot of things straight. – Richard Murray

At the initial reunion, the Prodigal Father’s face told his son all he needed to know. AMEN!

True, the shortest distance between two points is a straight line; but the quickest way to set someone’s heart at ease is with a curve of the lips, or smile. It can change the tenor of a room, conversation, or even an individual. It’s amazing when you truly think about it, but God made us in such a way that when we smile truly from our heart, our whole body feels it. It costs nothing but gives so much; both to the one to whom it is given; and to the one who gives it, for you cannot give a smile without it warming your own heart. Life may have its ups and downs but never so much to where we can’t smile about it.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit.” – Proverbs 15:13

Don't Go Down In Flames

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

How Do You Want to Be Remembered?

Life is for one generation only. A good name is forever. – Japanese Proverb

Noah, Abraham, Job, Ruth. Mary, Lazarus, Peter. No matter the time period, each one only lived a short time, yet their names and life stories are never forgotten. HMM!

“What will it matter 100 years from now?” It’s a common refrain heard throughout our lives. It’s as if to say nothing we do has any eternal value or could possibly offer any one coming behind us anything of import. But the truth of the matter is everything we do has eternal significance. The circumstances and situations we deal with TODAY help determine our tomorrows and our eternal destiny, and will be remembered one way or another. Every action of ours has a rippling effect on our children, friends, acquaintances, and society. The question God leaves for us to answer is "how do we want to be remembered?"

Until tomorrow…….

Pastor Botts

“By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings." - Hebrews 11:4

Just Wait On Him

One moment of patience may ward off great disaster; one moment of impatience may ruin a whole life. – Chinese Proverb

In all of his affliction, Job would not curse God. He waited patiently for an answer. He got more than he could hold. AMEN!

There’s an old cliché I’m sure we’re all familiar with ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day.’ It intimates that it took a great deal of time to build that great city. We can take from this that noble lives also take time to perfect. Unfortunately it seems to be a lesson that is lost on most people. We are constantly on the go, in the mix, forging ahead, making it happen. We have no time for preparation, planning, discipline, or delayed gratification. 'Just do it' is the motto of the day. But if God is leading the way in our lives we should never run ahead of Him. And often He expects us to wait or be patient for His response. What He has planned is always greater than what we could ever achieve on our own. Life may happen fast but our response should be at our own pace.

Until Monday…

Pastor Botts

“We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.” – Hebrews 6:12

It's the Principalities of it..

Staying angry is like taking poison and waiting for the other person to die. – Anon

Jonah was angry enough to die just because God wanted to save the Ninevites. Wow!

Grudges. Chips on our shoulders. Vindication. Etc. Call it what you may but often these things are nothing more but concealed anger, thoughts we carry around in our heart on how to get even or get over on someone we feel has wronged us. Satan even gives it a colorful metaphor to help us when we say “it’s the principle of the matter.” True it may be, but to be angry and let it fester builds 'callouses' in our heart and in a way hinders us from truly living a pure and righteous life for Christ. We need to just let it go and let God do the rest.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

"In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.” – Ephesians 4:26-27

Take some Time and Think On These Things

Readers are plentiful, thinkers are rare. – H. Martineau

The greatest king in Israel’s history was David, the one who loved to ‘meditate’ on God’s word. Hmm!

Newspapers, magazines, the bible, novels, internet news articles, we read them all alike – we READ them. Just news and information to pass the time and give us information to share in passing conversations. We should never read the bible for quantity, but quality; looking to gain understanding, insight, wisdom, and application to our lives. The God who endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect did not intend for us to forgo their use, but very often when it comes to His Word and other life issues we do. We read the bible but we don’t think through or meditate on what we read. We see God’s awesome works but we don’t envision God in the process. From the tiniest insect to the largest beast in the field God is involved. From the minutest detail to the greatest issue in our lives God is involved. The question we must answer is how involved is He and what is He asking of me. Think on it friend.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long. Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever with me.” – Psalm 119:97-97

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

Prayer Then Action

Work for God should always be done with God. – Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Though Saul was anointed ‘king’ by God he tried to rule God’s people by his own thinking. It cost him dearly. Hmm!

Sometimes the things that we claim we do for God have nothing to do with Him at all. They are merely our own agendas, for often we have never even stopped long enough to whisper a prayer or listen for directions from God about what it is we're doing or considering. The Word of God tells us that it is impossible to do the work of God without the authorization or ‘power’ of God, and that any such activity is empty of promise. Running with our own agendas leaves no room for God’s grace, promise, or enabling power. Serving others is difficult enough with God’s direction and blessing, so we would be foolish to try it in our own strength. So before we act maybe we should pray.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“The disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, ‘Why couldn’t we drive it out?’….He replied,. ‘…….But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.’” – Matthew 17:19, 21

Choose Your Attitude

Take charge of your attitude. Don't let someone else choose it for you. - Anon

Once she set her mind to it, the Canaanite woman was treated with indifference and insults in coming before Jesus. Nevertheless, her daughter was healed. AMEN!

Athletes call it 'putting on their game-face.' It's attitude. Our attitude impacts everything we do. It determines whether we give it our all or try to skate by with feebleness. Like the outer clothing we wear, our attitude cannot be hidden, it's in plain sight, molded by what we've let into our hearts and spiritual thinking. Attitude is what motivates and drives us. The question is where is it taking us right now? God has placed us right where we are right now to make a difference for his kingdom, whether that is interacting with others, or just being an example of righteousness. It's not too late to take charge of what is rightfully yours.

Until Monday...

Pastor Botts

"...But even if [God] does not rescue us, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up." - Daniel 3:18

Speak Truth. Lie Not

Too many 'white' lies can lead to color blindness. – Anon

Jesus not only called Satan a liar, but the father of lies. I wonder how He really felt about him. Hmm!

White lies - we call them little, we call them insignificant, we call them a fact of life – but in reality when we willingly tell them they are just lies. It’s easy to stretch the truth just a bit so that we don’t look so bad, or have to go the extra mile, or have to be imposed upon, or give someone false hope, but when we knowingly do so and leave others with a false understanding, we’ve lied. And when we begin to make concessions in one area of our life, it usually creeps into other areas as well. That’s just the way sin is. Just as smoke never stays in the ‘smoking section’ sin never stays little or hidden – it grows, and it branches out into all areas of our lives to blur the lines of distinction between right and wrong. In a world that desperately needs the truth spoken and lived out, God is expecting us to lead the way. We must not settle for easy over right.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.” – Matthew 5:37

The Important Things

Don't lose something important fighting for something that isn't! - Y. Chou

It wasn't until he lost every material blessing he had, that the Prodigal Son realized what was most important. Hmm!

"If I were to do it all over again I......" How many times have we all uttered that expression in our lifetime? It usually comes when we arrive at a point in life where the reality of our situation or circumstance is not exactly what our expectations were. We thought we'd be married by now....have a better job/car/home by now......be in better shape by now, and on and on and on. We realize our actions have not produced the 'dreamed about' results. This is a normal occurrence when God is not our point of reference. The truth is no matter our giftedness, talent, resources, or connections, be they small or great; we were made for God's purposes to bring Him glory. And when all the dust settles anything short of this is a wasted life. So, who's top on your agenda today?

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

"But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ." - Philippians 3:7

Weathering the Storms

A ship is safe in harbor, but that’s not what ships are for. – W. Shedd

David, Israel’s greatest king; loved the battlefield more than the throne room for he was a warrior at heart. Hmm!

Safe – a word that means a lot to us. But often we take it in only one manner, that being safe or away from harm. But it also means ability to withstand certain levels of stress, or ability to provide certain conveniences or needs. To many, the Christian life is seen as one cocooned about with other saints at all times (the holy huddle) and never venturing out into uncharted waters where some danger may lurk. But God has promised to go with us through every Jordan (trials) we face. And though we may be tousled a bit, we can weather any storm for He is with us. We were never called to just sit still and watch, but to be prepared to go. So when the storms come or even if they are here now – sail on!

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