The People of Today

If you have one eye on yesterday, and one eye on tomorrow, you’re going to miss today. – Anon

On the road to Emmaus the 2 disciples were so concerned with what had happened and what might’ve been, they almost missed HIM WHO IS!

Last minute shopping, making preparations for the holiday, looking back over the years events, making new calendars and agendas for next year. Does any of this sound familiar? Possibly so for most of us! This time of year we lament on how fast the year has gone by and begin to make plans on how we’ll attack the New Year. It’s enough to wear you out. God knows what’s best for us which is why He only promises one day at a time. We should give the bulk of our resources, the bulk of our attention, and the bulk of our time to those people who cross our path today. This is how we spread the Good News and build the kingdom. At the last day God is not going to ask us if we worried about the needs or cares of life, but if we met the needs of those He sent our way.

I'll be taking some time off so this keyboard will be silent for a few days.

Until then...

Pastor Botts

“Sing to the Lord, all the earth; proclaim his salvation day after day. Declare his glory among all nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.” – I Chronicles 16:23-24

Patience with Progression

Be not afraid of growing slowly, be afraid of only standing still. - Richard Murray

Jesus was 12 when he stymied the teachers of his day but didn't start his ministry until he was 30 - he needed the time. Hmm!

When it comes to change all too often we want it yesterday, in the dramatic miraculous fashion. And we grow weary and ready to give up when it doesn't happen that way. But if we look around and understand God and His nature, He always takes His time in developing or growing plans. He made man on the 6th day, not the first. Christ came as a 'babe in a manger' not a full-grown redeemer. God is always at work for He never rests, therefore He is still at work in us. Our role is to be patient, steady, and persevere under the circumstances and conditions in which He has placed us. None of us are where we truly want to be maturity wise, but if we look back we should see a steady pattern of progression or improvement in our lives and with that we can rejoice.

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

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

Living Faith Takes Practice

'Ability' is commonly found in people who continually tried to do something a little better! – Anon

Joseph, Samuel, David, Paul. They all did great things simply because they put their mind and heart to it, and God honored them for it. AMEN!

We admire it in others. We wish it for ourselves. We wonder how someone could be so good or ‘gifted’ at it? And the answer is so simple – PRACTICE! You get good at what you practice, and the more you practice the better you get. Ability is honed or sharpened over time usually through disciplined practice. The problem is most people love to perform but hate to practice, even us as God’s children. We say we want to live holy, righteous lives but we rarely ‘practice’ the things that would bring it about. We keep our same routines, same friends, music, entertainment, recreational acts, and wonder why we can’t do what we admire in others. Living faith takes practice. We all have the ability within us to be whatever we want to be. The choice to do so is ours.

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall because it had its foundation on the rock,” – Matthew 7:24-25

The Battle in a New Normal

It is fatal to enter any war without the will to win it. – Douglas MacArthur

David often sought God’s will before he sought his enemy. Hmm!

Reveille! Alarm clock! Sunrise! Whatever the means, we’re all awake for today. It’s here and coming on strong whether we like it or not. As you embark upon your day, remember you are at war. Not only with the fallout from the continuing pandemic but with all the changes it has brought along to our normal way of life, our physical gatherings, and fellowship. A 'new' normal is upon us. But the enemy will be continually targeting your heart and mind, firing away to make you lose your focus or resolve and doubt your faith and purpose. Make sure you dress properly for the battle otherwise you are sure to become a casualty of war.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes….” - Ephesians 6:11

Make Room for New Blessings

To grab hold of your blessings you must let go of your problems. - Anon

Mary took the angel Gabriel at his word, and the rest is His-story. AMEN!

Garage sales, flea markets. Great concepts and outlets for getting rid of things you no longer need. After all, it's been said "one person's trash is someone else's treasure!" But the idea behind these events is to get rid of stuff you no longer need and possibly make a little money to apply toward something else you want. In other words make room for something new. I wonder if we ever consider such logic in our faith walk. Many of us are seeking the blessings and favor of God, who is ready and willing to give it, but we so often don't want to release or give up the issue God points out to us that is standing in the way, or even the problem we brought before Him. Though God doesn't withhold any good thing from us He surely would like us to use it in a way that glorifies Him, therefore He often waits on us. If your blessing seems to be held up in transit, maybe you should check your heart.

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." - Hebrews 11:6

Bigger Than His Words

Reality leaves a lot to the imagination. - J. Lennon

You ever wonder what language the heavens use to 'declare' God's glory? WOW!

Here is a mind-blowing truth: God is ALWAYS bigger than anything He says or promises. Why, because words are truly inadequate to fully express His person and what He can truly do. Language is OUR means of communication - with its ideas and definitions - with one another. And as grandiose as we can make it, words could never contain or express the fullness of God Himself, no matter it be Latin, Greek, Hebrew, or the King's perfect English! And if God transcends language, can you truly imagine how great then His promises must be? And how powerful His Spirit at work in us can and should be? So I guess the question is: How great is our God, and how GREAT should He be?

Until Monday...

Pastor Botts

"..to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to HIS POWER that is at work within us...." - Ephesians 3:20

Good Little Snowflakes...

In an avalanche every snowflake pleads “not guilty.” – Anon

When Jesus stated to his disciples “one of you will betray me," even Judas asked, “surely not I?” He KNEW all along. Hmm!

An avalanche is somewhat of an anomaly. It is a thing of beauty and power; to see the snow crashing and thundering down the mountainside leaving a clean pristine trail, but it is also a natural disaster destroying everything in its wake. And in the science behind it no one really knows how and/or when it occurs. Sadly, a lot of us have lives that are teetering on the brink of an avalanche, filled with all sorts of activity but little time for God. God is trying to get us to “return to Him,” to let go of those roads and projects that lead to nowhere, and we’re constantly adding more and more to our plate. The trick of the enemy is to fill our lives with “good things” so we take our focus off the “best thing - God.” Maybe it’s time we review our portfolio.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“He is before all things, and in him all things hold together…….so that in everything he might have the supremacy.” – Colossians 1:18

Cheerful Soul Strength

Any idiot can face a crisis; it’s this day-to-day living that wears you out. – A. Chekhov

Elijah threw up his hands and said to God “I’ve had enough! Take my life….” God said “let me show you something Elijah…” He was forever a changed man. Hmm!

Constant demands at work/home! Rush hour traffic! Financial pressures! Daily stress! It’s enough to drive your blood pressure up, put your temper on edge, and suck the joy out of life. We all face such things in life. Yet, notice how some cheerful souls seem to never be fazed, they just seem to roll with the punches and keep on smiling. They have an ability to put a positive spin on every situation or circumstance. They seem able to see the humor in life even when things go way, way wrong. It seems like life never gets a good hit on them to knock them down or steal their joy. Generally, these are the folks who have put their faith and trust in God and don’t take themselves too seriously. They’ve learned that laughter is a great medicine, actually a gift from God; and that faith is the greatest preserver and encourager known to man. So, depending on the situation they can face any fiasco, handle any hassle, find sunshine on a rainy day, and still enjoy the blessing of life. May we all be so blessed!

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance….” – James 1:1

Time to Come Clean

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

P.S. - Hope you can join us tonight for prayer at 5:30pm.

Show Some Love

If we look for opportunities to show love, we’ll bypass many, many opportunities to hate. – Anon

The town was stirred with hatred and ready to stone the adulterous woman, but Jesus seized a chance to practice love. Hmm!

Often, because someone is not of our ilk, or up to our standards, or allowing us the freedoms we want, we shamelessly find ways to “put them down.” But if we’re to “love even our enemies,” then hatred, division, or separation should be the last thing we seek. If God loves us in our imperfect status because He sees what we can be, we should love others the same. Love may not make the world go round, but it does often make the ride worthwhile, and you’ll find life a bit less stressful as well.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” – John 3:16-17

Like Jesus or Waldo?

Christians are useless if they are fruitless. - H.C. Mears

Jesus told us to let our light "so shine" that others may see it, not have to go looking for it. Hmm!

The whole idea behind 'Where's Waldo' is that he is always deeply concealed within the masses. You have to look long and hard to find him. That was not the case with Jesus. He came to serve and not be served, and you didn't have to look hard to figure it out. You could easily find Him in some of the most menial jobs (foot washing, cooking breakfast, etc.) and there never was a question of who was really in charge, He stood out like a 'sore thumb.' Though he had no outer beauty of His own, He was truly one who made a lot of heads turn, attracted crowds, and made leaders contemplate their actions and words carefully. Here's the question of the day: when it comes to our daily living would we be considered more like Jesus or Waldo?

Until Monday...

Pastor Botts

"....[Jesus said] I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master..." - John 13:13-14

Grace for This Life

Imagination was given to us to compensate for what we are not; a sense of humor was given to us to console us for what we are. – M. McGinnis

Sarah’s laughter at God’s prophecy of a child showed her state of mind, God’s fulfillment showed his omnipotence! Amen.

Dreams, hopes, aspirations, imagination. These are all desires key to our existence. Life itself is really not worth the living without them. The thing we need to remember about life is that it is not static, it can change at a moment’s notice. And since we know “God is not finished with us yet,” all options are still available to us. Therefore, we should not take ourselves too seriously as if we are controlling it all, but just rest in God’s grace day to day, allowing him to work out the desires of our heart.

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

“I thank my God every time I remember you…..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 1:3,6

How We Show Up

Punctuality is the politeness of kings. – Louis XVIII

Even though Abraham was going to the mountaintop to sacrifice his son, he still rose early in the morning to get started. Hmm!

It’s both amazing and somewhat sadly amusing when you think about it, but the One who transcends time is the One always on time. God is never late. He may show up unannounced, that’s His nature; but He shows up on time; every time. And in truth, when we think about it, He deserves the same from us. Everything else in this world gets our early attention. We’ll tailgate before football games, show up early at the ballpark to watch batting practice, get to the movies early to watch the previews, stand in line overnight to get a bargain, and on and on. But when it comes to church, bible study, Sunday School, or some other ‘God function’ it seems tardiness is the norm. If it’s important to us that God be on time in our lives, maybe, just maybe it’s important to God that we be on time for His activities.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

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

Following God

When the map and the terrain don't match, follow the terrain. Man made the map; God made the terrain. - General Boykin

As Pharaoh pursued the Israelites God told Moses to stretch his rod out towards the sea. What do you know, it worked! Hmm...

Life is full of decisions (single/marriage, work/self-employ, rent/own, etc.) that don't have a clearly defined roadmap for success. We know what we want and trust that through our obedience to God things will work out okay. But often, the path God chooses for us to follow will include some geography that doesn't make sense - that's where faith comes into play. Will we be willing to trust God to blaze the trail way for us, or will we insist on not moving until we can clearly see the roadway and choose the safest lane. Faith is not always having certainty or assurance in hand; it's trusting in the One who has NEVER given us any reason to doubt Him or His promises. If we ever take time to look back and see where we've come from or in reality seeing what God has brought us through, then we can continue in our task of just putting one foot in front of the other.

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

"And God said.....this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain..." - Exodus 3:12

Faith to 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 incalculable. 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

Working With Weeds

No garden is without its weeds. – T. Fuller

Even in the 12 Jesus personally chose after praying all night, there was one bad seed. Hmm!

Floral arrangements are truly beautiful, but they are just that – arrangements. Pre-picked and pre-arranged for their beauty. Life is not pre-picked or pre-arranged, and much to our dismay it can’t be. Even in our homes, in our jobs, in our relationships, churches and organizations; no matter where we go we will find that all is not picture perfect. Weeds (problems or issues) are a fact of life. It’s difficult sometime to determine how the weeds get in our garden but, suffice it to say that we deal with imperfect people and we ourselves are imperfect. Often, we need the weeds in our life to force us to grow stronger in our foundations and principles of righteousness for the kingdom’s sake. The key is not to get ‘choked’ out by them but to hold on until harvest. Jesus will do the separating.

Until Monday…

Pastor Botts

“The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares……when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared…” – Matthew 13:35