Hold On Just A Little While Longer

Even the darkest hour has only sixty minutes. – M. Mandel

Joseph being sold by his brothers, Daniel’s night in the lion’s den – mere blips on the radar of life that they lived for the God they trusted. Hmm!

When you take time to think it through it’s amazing how we can sit through a nail biter of a ballgame that lasts 3-4 hours (though they only play 60 minutes) enjoying every moment of every anxiety filled play and think nothing of it, even rehashing and relishing the replays, but yet when trials come upon us we want relief as fast as Rolaids (60 seconds). The key to perseverance in the midst of dark trials is not to focus on the trial itself but on the One who is there with us – God. If we truly believe in His promise ‘never to leave or forsake us', then though the trial be painful, it is bearable; with an ending that we know will be for our good and His glory. All we need to do is hang on a minute longer.

Until Monday…

Pastor Botts

“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” – Romans 8:18

God's Omnipresent Glory

A man can no more diminish God’s glory by refusing to worship Him, than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word ‘darkness’ on a wall. – C. S. Lewis

The religious leaders heaped all the darkest insults, derogatory remarks, shame and reproach they could muster upon Jesus while He was on the cross. But, His GLORY still leaked out. AMEN!

It has been scientifically proven that a single drop of liquid can contain thousands, if not millions of living organisms. Though we cannot see it with the naked eye, under a microscope it comes to life. The glory of God defies all logic, and is vividly seen in every detail of life to the person who has eyes of faith and a spirit of understanding. He’s there all the time, friend.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory, and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by His powerful word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.” – Hebrews 1:3

Responding In Righteousness

Be careful when you fight the monsters, lest you become one. – Friedrich Nietzsche

Though Saul hated and tried to destroy him, David had nothing but love for God’s anointed man. WOW!

It happens time and time again. We come across obstinate, arrogant, defiant, evil intentioned people in our lives; in our jobs, in our homes, sometimes even in our church. It’s an almost constant battle where our righteousness is severely put to the test. A good tactician knows the easiest way to defeat an enemy is to get them out of their normal routine or comfort zone, and strike quickly; which is what our enemy constantly tries with us. And if we’re not careful we soon cross the line into no man’s land. But God calls on us to practice self-control, to respond in righteousness, and not repay evil for evil. Just as we hate to see our child or star pupil act out of character, so does our Heavenly Father. He’s counting on us to show the world what a saint really looks like.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified from the prize.” – I Corinthians 9:27

Really Real Obedience

Unless he obeys, a man cannot believe no matter how often he says he does. – Dietrich Bonhoeffer

When God gave 99-year old Abraham the covenant of circumcision, that very day he and his household were circumcised. Hmm!

Every day we witness it and think little of it, but it has a profound belief behind it – a traffic light. We obey the colors and we know unequivocally RED means stop, so we obey. The danger in not obeying is too great. We’ve seen the destruction that happens when one disobeys. The same is true in life. We see it every day as well, lives interrupted or shipwrecked by disobedience to God’s Word by those who say they confess Christ as Lord. God’s desire is not to cause us harm but good, so somewhere there must be a disconnect. Life is more than platitudes and feel good statements. It may make us feel good to say “God knows my heart”. He does indeed know it, but He is still looking for obedience. It is a matter of living up to what we say we profess. God would have it no other way.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“But Samuel replied: Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice…” I Samuel 15:22

True Joy

God only wants for us what we would want for ourselves if we were smart enough to want it. – A. Rogers

God set opportunity before the Israelites and even told them to choose ‘life.’ He’s been busy trying to give it to us all since. WOW!

More of this, less of that, more of those, none of those. If we had it to do ourselves this is precisely how we would set our life to run. It would be a life of all joy, excitement, unlimited resources, and unlimited time. Everything would go our way and no one would tell us NO! But that’s not how it goes and not how it should go. We would never know true joy if we never experienced sorrow or grief. We would never know what plenty meant if we never experienced lack. God knows what’s best for us which is why life isn’t as we want but it is as we need it, that we may be perfected in His righteousness. The key is to try and think like God or have a heart after God – this makes it much easier to bear and quite a bit more enjoyable.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us….” – Romans 8:26

It's How You Come

Present your body as a living sacrifice. – Romans 12:1

When Peter recognized it was Jesus he saw, he quickly girded himself with the proper attire before coming ashore. Hmm!

We all know the cliché ‘You never get a second chance to make a first impression!’ And I’m sure it’s played out many times over in our lives in various settings both good and bad. And the truth is it plays out in our faith walk every day as well. Whether we are at work, school, vacation, or home; God is thoroughly concerned with the way we present ourselves before others as we live for Him. The bible speaks on grooming, being properly ‘adorned’ for service, being washed, clean, and unnoticeable in our times of fasting, and by not using or offering our ‘temple’ for acts of unrighteousness, including our eyes (what we see) and ears (what we hear). The bible calls us ‘ambassadors’ and that carries a certain air of expectancy with it. This is not to say we always walk around formally dressed and coiffed, but that we are ‘presentable.' The idea is if people are going to look to Jesus to have hope, first they will look to us as representatives of that hope. The question then becomes not how much do you know, but do they want to know you?

Until Monday…

Pastor Botts

“But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto myself.” – John 12:32

We Have Not Because...

Heaven is full of answers to prayer for which no one bothered to ask. - Billy Graham

James told the saints of old “they have not because they ask not.” Makes good sense to me. AMEN!

“It’s the squeaky wheel that gets the oil,” is a phrase many of us remember growing up with; indicating that the one who cried out the most and/or the loudest seemingly got all the attention. That’s a good analogy to use when it comes to prayer. We can’t cry out too loud or too often to God. Oftentimes in our prayer lives we seemingly don’t bother God with various problems or issues thinking them too little or vain or even silly. But with God there is no small, vain, or silly prayer – as He just loves to hear from His children, and He has ‘wonderful things in store’ for those who ask. You might’ve noticed in some of His answers an abundance of blessing, could it be possibly because He hears from us so rarely He just pours it on? Hmm!

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from Heaven…..” – II Chronicles 7:14

Faith to Get Back Up

It’s not whether you get knocked down, it’s whether you have the courage to get back up. – Vince Lombardi

Joseph was sold into slavery by his own brothers and later thrown into prison by his owner, yet Pharaoh made him 2nd in command to all of Egypt. WOW!

Contrary to popular belief the object of football is not just to knock your opponent down but to score. But the action of the game does make a good analogy to life. We spend our life in the pursuit of fruitful things, worthwhile goals, etc. But in our everyday living there will be some big hits, painful blows that knock us down, put us in a daze even. Personal and spiritual attacks from within and without, job issues, health matters just to name a few. But if we really have the faith we profess we’ll be able to pick ourselves up and go on no matter what. Today will give ample opportunity for progress.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.” – II Corinthians 4:8-9

Be YOU-nique

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 of 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

No Cheat Days

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

God Gives the Increase

I looked at my hands and they looked new, I looked at my feet and they did too! - Song refrain

I'm sure Jesus' mother noticed something different about him every day. Hmm!

Well, look at you! Here you are all grown up. The physical changes are amazing. From a babe in a crib to a full grown, walking, talking, feeding yourself adult. Praise God! Yes, we really should praise God. This is one of the best illustrations of God doing something new every day in our lives. From our birth to now He's has been at work in our bodies bringing about the 'natural progressions' of our growth. And if God can do this day by day with our physical growth just imagine what He could do with our spiritual, emotional, financial, and relational growth if we trust Him with it. The blessings and benefits we desire and expect in these areas may not happen overnight (neither did we) but growth will occur for sure, for that's God's will, He gives the increase! Are you ready for Him to do something new in your life?

Until Monday...

Pastor Botts

"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?" - Isaiah 43:18-19

P.S. - Hope your day is filled with prayer and we'll see you tomorrow morning at 9:30am to 'break' the fast.

Get To the Root of It

Thousands hack at the branches of evil when it only takes one good strike at the root. - Henry David Thoreau

The Gadarene demoniac had often been chained and quartered by the people to no avail, but one moment with Jesus changed his life. Wow!

Anyone who has ever planted a garden or cared for a lawn knows you will get weeds. And the only way to get rid of them is not to cut them (they grow back) or spray them (they still grow back), but to uproot them completely (dig them out of the ground by their roots). The same is true of sin and unrighteousness in our hearts. We can identify and attack the activities in our lives where it is evident, but unless we destroy it in the heart it will manifest itself again in a whole new way. The only way to destroy it at the root is to repent and turn our heart over to God for renewal. If we’re really seeking to change, God can make it happen.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“However, this kind (sin) does not go out except by prayer and fasting.” – Matthew 17:21

P.S. - Our 40-hour Prayer Fast begins this evening at 6:30pm and ends Saturday morning at 10:30am.

-No solid foods (broths, pureed soups, etc. are okay).
-Prayer points to consider:
    Being a better disciple(r)
    Breaking free from a sinful habit
    A greater burden for the lost
Join us at Prayer Breakfast this Saturday morning at 9:30 am to break the fast.

Handcrafted For You

The best gifts are those that keep on giving! - Anon

The staff God gave to Moses was a lot more than just a walking stick. Hmm!

Handmade gifts! The idea of someone thinking us so special that they would go out of their way to make something special for us. Be it a bouquet of flowers from their garden, a specially prepared meal, or maybe even a knitted scarf or sweater. It's just heartwarming. But oftentimes the receiver may not understand or consider all the time and effort the giver put into the gift. We are all guilty of this when it comes to God. We so often take for granted His daily handmade gift of TODAY! "This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it." We rush into it after coffee or tea, or we begin to complain about our aches, pains, or shortcomings; often without a thought of what God has set before us to enjoy. Let us remember each day is a handmade gift that bears our 'giving thanks' before we do anything else. We'll often find if we start the day this way it flows much better.

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

"In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly." - Psalm 5:3

Learning Life's Lessons

I am always ready to learn, although I do not always like being taught. – Winston Churchill

Jesus questioned Peter 3 times about his love for him. Each time Peter squirmed but answered truthfully. Pentecost says he PASSED the test!

The book ‘All I Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten’ sold thousands of copies in the stores. It was a bit misleading as it only talked about basic premises for life, not that our education was through at this level of schooling. Sadly, many people feel they are through learning when their prescribed course of education is completed. But life is an ever-evolving educational process. Our education begins the day we are born and ends the day we die. God knows exactly how much time He’s allotted for us and He will use each and every moment to bring us into a deeper understanding of who He is. At times some lessons are more painful than others, not because of God but because of our own schemes. As you go through the day remember God is the Master of the pop quiz.

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 12:7-8

Those Pesky Charming Foreign gods

Not all idols sit on a mantle or hang on a wall. - Anon

It wasn't hard to see what Judas 'loved' most. Ouch!

Most Christians will say without wavering "they love God with all their heart....." In truth we 'feel' that way about God, but our lives say something different. And that's the problem with feelings - they are fleeting, they fluctuate almost like the weather. For example, no sooner had God freed them from bondage in Egypt our ancestors set themselves up another god - a golden calf. And even after God Himself instructed them from the mountaintop "you shall have no other gods before me....." they soon went after the gods of their foreign countrymen. We read the scriptures on this often and shake our heads at such pitiful behavior, but even today we often struggle with the same attitude. We don't want to be totally without God, but neither do we want to miss out on the world's delights and offerings. Like our ancestors we are 'charmed' by its values, speech, immorality, entertainment, and fleshly gratifications. These have become our 'foreign gods', and their path still leads to ruin just as in the past. Love for God alone takes a strong will or the word we don't like to use - COMMITMENT!

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

"Your word have I hidden in my heart that I might not sin against you." - Psalm 119:11

Battles In The Mind

When you fix your thoughts on God, God fixes your thoughts!" - Anon

After his encounter with Jesus, people found the once demon possessed man sitting at Jesus' feet in his 'right mind.' Hmm!

Anxious thoughts! Troubling thoughts! Rebellious thoughts! Evil thoughts! The list can go on and on and on. Believe it or not our 'thought' life is central to our actual life. As Emerson truly said, "a person is what they think about all day long." God gave us a mind to think, and if we're not careful it can run us crazy. Which is why Paul tells us to think on 'heavenly things' (Phil. 4:8). Since we know the battle is for our mind/(heart) we should be very, very careful what we allow into our thought process. The enemy knows that our eyes and our ears are the portals to our thinking and he blitzes us every day with ads enticing us to fix our thoughts everywhere but on God. And though we may not act on our 'evil' thoughts, let us remember Jesus still knows what we're thinking in our hearts. The key is to learn how to keep our thoughts and hearts pure. And for that there is only 1 remedy. More time with God and His Word.

Until Monday...

Pastor Botts

"we demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." - II Corinthians 10:5

P.S. - Don't forget to set your clocks FORWARD 1-hour this Saturday night.

Clothed In Joy

Joy is the best makeup! - Anon

In all that he went through Joseph’s countenance never seemed to fall. He always trusted God in all things. Hmm!

In sports it’s called putting on your ‘game face.’ That expression that lets people know you are serious minded and physically ready to play. For those of us in the faith it is not a game face but a heart condition – JOY. A life truly filled with joy will always impact those around it. Why, because in all situations, circumstances, and events; hope is perpetually on exhibit. The trials, pains, and hardships of life don’t change the expression of the heart, and that expression is always evident. As Christians we are not exempt from the problems of the world, we don’t get a free pass; but we have complete confidence in the One who will ensure ‘it will work out for our good.’ Dress appropriately today!

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed…” – II Corinthians 4:8-9

Jammed Signal?

Prayer - the best wireless connection ever! - Anon

Going to the temple to pray every day was not a ritual but a necessity to the early disciples. Hmm!

A short! Faulty wiring! It's a nuisance. It drains the battery, causes static in the music or the TV picture. Causes the car to stall, etc. It robs us of the intended use of our devices causing much frustration. Here's a question to consider. What do we allow to steal our energy and grieve the Holy Spirit within us? Our spiritual well-being and growth is energized by our connection with God and His Word. It can be greatly diminished by small little parasites and distractions, things that may seem minute and inconsequential to us, but a major impediment to our connection. It all depends on where and how we stop to feed ourselves. If we're giving more time to social media feeds, worldly passions/pursuits, or even earthly success, we're being drawn away from our true source of power. God doesn't distance Himself from us, but we can distance ourselves from Him, allowing for much interference.

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

"One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer....." - Acts 3:1

The Secret Is...

None of the secrets of success will work unless you do. – Anon

Naaman didn't understand why he had to 'dip' in the muddy Jordan, but he remained a leper until he did. Hmm!

Djokovic! Nadal! Gauff! All highly successful people in the tennis world not because of luck but because of applying themselves to their profession. The same application holds true for us as children of God if we expect to be successful. The secret to prayer is secret prayer. The secret to walking with God is walking with God. The secret to knowing His Word is reading and obeying His word. It works this way every time. There are no magic tricks or formulas; it just requires discipline and action. Good intentions count for nothing; results only come to those who willingly put forth the effort. God will grant us all we need for success today, the rest is up to us!

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“Jesus replied, ‘No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God’.” – Luke 9:62

The Big Payback?

People who fight fire with fire usually end up with ashes. – Anon

Pharaoh mocked every miracle of God until it cost him his own son. OUCH!

Revenge – oh how sweet it sounds. We often want it and often take it to our own later regret. True, our emotions are hard to control, but they can be controlled. God in His word tells us we must practice self-control, and we can master it; as it is one of the many ‘fruits’ of The Spirit. We tend to view life and all its circumstances through the eyes of justice and fairness, but everyone is not of the same mind. But God has said He will settle accounts in His time and in His way, our role is to live before HIM in a faithful, obedient manner no matter what man may do to us. God gave us His Son as our ultimate example, who even upon being executed (a lot worse than anything we will encounter) prayed for the forgiveness of his persecutors.

Until Monday…

Pastor Botts

“For we know him who said, ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ and again, ‘The Lord will judge his people.’ It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” – Hebrews 10:30-31