Keep On Going

Whoever said anybody has a right to give up! – M. W. Edelman

Joseph, Moses, Job, Ruth, Stephen. In spite of their adversity and opposition quitting was not in their nature, but God was. They all won glory for him. Amen!

It is said that the man who is successful is just someone who held on a little longer. The greatest tool of the enemy is discouragement. He knows if discouragement is employed enough in our lives we will often quit or give up, believing the goal is unattainable or not worth the effort. The enemy will see to it that things go wrong, dreams get delayed, education gets off-track, prayer and meditation time is pushed aside, suffering and heartache come, etc. – that’s his job and he does it well – but we’re told to ‘fight’ through it all and keep the faith. God has called us to hold on until the end for He is faithful in His promises. Even if we can’t see the goal with our own eyes, we know it’s there by faith – so we press on. Is it in you?

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross….Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” – Hebrews 12:2,3

Lock In on the Guide

I try to avoid looking forward or backward, and try to keep looking upward. – Charlotte Bronte

God was a ‘cloud’ by day and a ‘pillar’ of fire by night leading the Israelites. He’s still looking for a few good folks to lead today. Hmm!

As anyone who has ever been on a guided tour knows, you always keep your eyes and ears on the Tour Guide. They know the way, what’s important along the way, how much time should be spent at a station and so on…to lose sight of them is to risk getting lost, getting in trouble, or missing out on the tour’s main offering. Life is very similar to this as we journey each day. To keep looking back is to live with the shame, regrets, pain, and heartache of the past, which drastically lessens our hope and encouragement that things will get better. To keep looking into the future is to run the danger of moving beyond God’s stride and direction, running ahead of His plans and purposes and ending up unfulfilled. That’s why it’s imperative that we keep our focus on God, walk at His pace, never letting go of His hand. He will allow us to take time and enjoy His creation, but also ensure we never get lost, never have need to fear, and never linger longer than necessary at any point.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“…..Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith….” – Hebrews 12:2

Removing the Unnecessary

The longer you entertain what’s NOT for you, the longer you postpone what is! – D. Washington

In the wilderness temptation Jesus rebuffed Satan’s attacks quickly, and angels immediately appeared to care for him. Amen!

We all know the scripture “bad company corrupts good morals!” (I Cor. 15:33). One thing we often forget though is so does the enemy. And he is very, very subtle at getting us to believe certain people, recreations, and habits are good for us when in reality they hinder our growth and progress. It’s why the Israelites spent 40 years in the desert wandering – God getting rid of a generation who didn’t trust in Him. It is why God gave them commands NOT to intermingle and accept the ways of their neighbors. It led to corruption and faithlessness, something on the surface they could not see of themselves. The question we have to ask is what might we ourselves be in lock-step with that may be actually hindering our complete joy with Christ? Who or what may we have made ‘respectable’ in our lives but still lies outside of God’s will and Word? God is always ready to gift us, but He will never do it in competition with anything we possess.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“….let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” – Hebrews 12:1

The Secret of Success

It's hard to make it to the Major Leagues, and it's even harder to stay. - Anon

Moses wanted his people set free, he just didn't really know what it would take. Amen!

Success - a noble idea indeed and something we all seek. And if we're not careful we'll find ourselves often in envy of others successes and achievements, "oohing and aahing" their praises. But what we often fail to see is that which lies below the surface, the many failures and negative responses they endured before they became successful. In truth, a lot of failure, a lot of pain, and a lot of life goes into success. And it's what we learn in these instances and how we build upon these experiences that will either propel us onto the success platform or the pit of despair. That's why it's good to know the God of grace we serve, who is generous in second chances, and asks us to prove nothing to Him but our love, and that is the greatest success one can have in life.

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." - Hebrews 12:2

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

Taking Life Off Pause

Even if you can’t get over it, get on with it! – R. Gilbert

Esau was infuriated with his brother Jacob for ‘stealing’ his blessing, but he managed to make a good life for himself and his people. It changed his heart too! WOW!

Life is a series of actions, circumstances, and events that come upon us all. And oftentimes the end results are not pleasant or to our liking. But we must remember God is not so much concerned about our ‘comfort’ in life as He is with our character. The things He allows (and yes sometimes He uses our enemies) are to help shape and mold us into what He needs us to be. We injure ourselves and slow our progress when we hold grudges or revenge in our heart – it's just excess baggage. Our lives should not be on hold because of what happened yesterday, we should be continually pressing on toward ‘the prize.’

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw of everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance, the race marked out for us.” – Hebrews 12:1

Pressing Forward

Don't stumble on something behind you! - church sign

Jesus brought a new way of life to the people and the religious leaders couldn't understand it. Hmm!

No doubt about it, every one of us has a past. And in that past more than likely are some things we're not too proud of. Some hurts, habits, hang-ups, and actions we took. It's human nature! The key to remember though is life is not defined by a few bad actions, nor is it over because of what we may consider a major incident. God uses flawed people. Consider Noah (heavy drinker), Moses & David (murderers), Rahab (prostitute), Matthew (tax collector), or Paul (Pharisee), all somehow flawed. But once they submitted themselves to God their past was just that - PAST. Though others may not have wanted to let it go, they themselves did. The same is true for you and me. We don't have to be victims of our past, nor do we have to be weighed down by them. Cast them on the Lord and He will bear us up at all times, and like Paul we can 'press forward forgetting what is behind.....' The way to keep from being tripped up is to look forward.

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

"Let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith." - Hebrews 12:1-2

The Way to a Brighter Day

I glory in conflict that I may hereafter exult in victory. - Frederick Douglass

Matthew the tax collector hated his job and was hated by his people. Along came Jesus. AMEN!

Life as we experience it can sometimes appear overwhelming, and it happens every day, like clockwork. It can often get on top of us and smother us, suck all the hope, joy, and pleasure out of us if we're not careful. That friend, is our enemies goal. To keep us so preoccupied, so self-absorbed with a defeatist attitude that we seem to stay in a gloomy, doomsday frame of mind. Hopeless despair. But life is a gift from God, not to be endured but lived to the fullest with great joy. The most critical step to overcoming the enemy's attack is to believe there is a WAY, and then to seek that WAY. Jesus assures us there is a way and HE is it. He is not just the WAY to the Father, He is the WAY to all of life. He is the 'bread' of life, 'living' water, the 'truth', the 'source' of joy and above all 'victorious' over all things. So all we really need to do is re-focus. Stop looking at life and look at Jesus.

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

"...Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith......" - Hebrews 12:2

Reverse! Reverse!

God has to often use reverse to move us forward. – Anon

Though he was depressed and afraid while on the run, God told Elijah to go right back to where he left off and then follow His instructions. AMEN!

It would be hard to imagine an automobile without a reverse gear. It’s just a given that sometimes you need to go in reverse to maneuver. That is true of any type of forward progress, sometimes we must back up to maneuver around or over obstacles. Many of us don’t like the idea of going backwards but it is often very necessary in life. Often, we ourselves are the obstacle God has to slow down and turn around for a minute. When we run ahead of God or when we run without God we will eventually come to a time when reverse is necessary, and no matter how much we kick and scream against it, no matter how much pain it causes us, God will make the corrective action in our lives because He loves us. So though life may seem tough right now, or we may be back at square one again, we can rejoice that God still loves us, and is still working in us.

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 12:5-6

Redeeming Time for His Glory

There are really only 2 things you “have to” do in life. You “have to” die, and you “have to” live until you die. You make up all the rest. – R. Anthony

Moses felt he needed to do everything for the Israelites and neglected himself. His father-in-law showed him a better way. AMEN!

Whether we will admit it or not, most of us are too busy. We’re trying to do it all and have it all, with little or no time for the MAKER of all. Satan, our enemy; will either make us bad (sinful) or busy (unholy), both are equally bad positions to be in. God has never said we must do it all by ourselves, nor must we do it all. He wants us to redeem the time and use it wisely, and the best way is to make sure all we do is for His Glory and not our own egos or pocketbooks!

Until Monday…

Pastor Botts

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” – Hebrews 12:1

More Lessons Learned

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

At God's Pace

If you're not running your race, then you're running at someone else's pace. - Anon

When the Prodigal Son 'found' himself life got a whole lot simpler and more rewarding. Hmm!

If you've ever watched a track and field meet, in the distance races it seems someone always tries to set the pace. A pace they are comfortable with but with little concern for the others. The objective is to force the other runners to adjust to your stride hopefully tiring them out and taking the life out them. In life, when we let issues like conceit, prejudice, bitterness, envy, jealousy, comparison - just to name a few - crowd and direct our lives, we're in essence running someone else's race or running at someone else's pace. We're allowing them to control us through these mechanisms, suck the joy out of daily life, and miss out on the beautiful life God has for us. If anything, Enoch's life story shows us that walking at God's pace can be quite rewarding. Care for a stroll?

Until tomorrow....

Pastor Botts

"...let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." - Hebrews 12:1

In It to Win It!

You cannot achieve victory unless you are in the contest! – Anon

Even though God had promised the Israelites the land flowing with ‘milk and honey’ they still had to fight for it. Hmm!

VICTORY! What a wonderful state to be in. Many of us say we want victory but we’re seldom willing to do anything about it. But just like we must work to receive a paycheck or attend classes and do the assignments to receive a good grade, we must work to have victory in those areas of our life we seek to change or make new. Just wearing the name of Christ is not a once-for-all automatic inheritance or guarantee of victory in all things. God requires us to show our faith and that means activity on our part. If we’re seeking victory and just waiting on God, maybe God is just waiting on us.

Until Monday…

Pastor Botts

“…..let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” – Hebrews 12:1

The Pain Process

To hurry away pain is to leave a classroom still in session. – Y. Lababidi

Because of his great endurance, Job learned to know and love God in a whole new way. AMEN!

No one likes pain, but it is a reminder of our humanness, our frailties. God has so designed it that pain is often our timekeeper, reminding us of our limitations. It is the heart or body’s mechanism to signal something is wrong, something needs to be addressed – and we can’t go on like this until it is noted and healed. Pain is never without reason and what we need to understand is you can’t rush the healing of a broken heart or spirit, or relationship. The pain is there to remind us we’re just not quite ready, we need more time (to hear God’s calling). So we need not fear to admit we have pain, for it should inspire us to know that God is still working in our lives and we need to seek His understanding in it.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” – Hebrews 12:11

What to do Now

Just where you are, that’s the place to start. – P. Chodron

When Jesus called his disciples, it seems all of them immediately left what they were doing and followed. AMEN!

How do you work God into your ‘to-do list’? Truth be told, this pandemic situation has slowed us all down a bit, given us a bit more time to be reflective, purposeful, and focused. It may have even streamlined our ‘to-do list’. But the fact remains we still have a ‘to-do list’. Has God received any more of our time in prayer, meditation, study, fasting, etc.? Have we sought out new ways to explore His character and glory? I think maybe a key is in how we approach what we do. If we do ‘everything in the name of the Lord’ as the scriptures command, it puts God smack dab in the middle of all we have on our lists, and it actually might just make the list shorter and easier. It’s worth a try!

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“..let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for US.” – Hebrews 12:1

Looking in the Right Direction

I try to avoid looking forward or backward, and try to keep looking upward. – Charlotte Bronte

God was a ‘cloud’ by day and a ‘pillar’ of fire by night leading the Israelites. He’s still looking for a few good folks to lead today. Hmm!

As anyone who has ever been on a guided tour knows, you always keep your eyes and ears on the Tour Guide. They know the way, what’s important along the way, how much time should be spent at a station and so on…to lose sight of them is to risk getting lost, getting in trouble, or missing out on the tour’s main offering. Life is very similar to this as we journey each day. To keep looking back is to live with the shame, regrets, pain, and heartache of the past, which drastically lessens our hope and encouragement that things will get better. To keep looking into the future is to run the danger of moving beyond God’s stride and direction, running ahead of His plans and purposes and ending up unfulfilled. That’s why it’s imperative that we keep our focus on God, walk at His pace, never letting go of His hand. He will allow us to take time and enjoy His creation, but also ensure we never get lost, never have need to fear, and never linger longer than necessary at any point.

Until Monday…..

Pastor Botts

“…..Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith….” – Hebrews 12:2

Enduring the Bitter for the Sweetness Ahead

That which is bitter to endure now may be the sweetest to remember later. - T. Fuller

Paul suffered many hardships for Christ (beatings, imprisonments, etc.) and called them all momentary for Christ's glory. AMEN!

Humble Pie! Nobody likes to eat it. But oftentimes we must. Those times we bit off more than we could chew, extended ourselves beyond our means, or let our guards down and got taken advantage of. In the midst of these experiences we find life harsh, unpleasant, and even painful, crying out to God to help us end it. But by the grace of God those times are in our past and serve as great testimonies of His goodness, mercy, and favor to us. So if life is offering a bitter pill right now just know God's got some sweetness on the way!

Until tomorrow.......

Pastor Botts

"let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross......and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

-Hebews12:2 

Necessary Corrections

To find direction from God you must take correction from God. – Anon

Before Isaiah uttered his familiar refrain to God, “Here am I, Send me,” God had to purge and cleanse him for the task. Hmm!

All too often we want God to just pour out His blessing on us without speaking a word into our lives. But God is a God of relationship and covenant, our Heavenly Father; and as such has the authority to “correct” us when we stray. Just as our parents spoke into our lives and provided for us as we were growing up, the pattern they followed was given by God. So if we want and expect His blessings we must seek His ways. If we heed not the correction His ways require we are not his children nor entitled to the blessings. I pray we may all find our way today.

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, and he chastises everyone He ACCEPTS as a son.” – Hebrews 12:5-6

P.S. - Never been to a VBS night, why not try tonight. You won't be disappointed! 6:30pm at Southside.

Hold Press and Push On

Whoever said anybody has a right to give up! – M. W. Edelman

Joseph, Moses, Job, Ruth, Stephen. In spite of their adversity and opposition quitting was not in their nature, but God was. They all won glory for him. Amen!

It is said that the man who is successful is just someone who held on a little longer. The greatest tool of the enemy is discouragement. He knows if discouragement is employed enough in our lives we will often quit or give up, believing the goal is unattainable or not worth the effort. The enemy will see to it that things go wrong, dreams get delayed, education gets off-track, prayer and meditation time is pushed aside, suffering and heartache come, etc. – that’s his job and he does it well – but we’re told to ‘fight’ through it all and keep the faith. God has called us to hold on until the end for He is faithful in His promises. Even if we can’t see the goal with our own eyes, we know it’s there by faith – so we press on. Is it in you?

Until Monday…..

Pastor Botts

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross….Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” – Hebrews 12:2,3

P.S. - Don't forget to bring your Voting Ballots back this Sunday!

Let's Get On With It

Even if you can’t get over it, get on with it! – R. Gilbert

Esau was infuriated with his brother Jacob for ‘stealing’ his blessing, but he managed to make a good life for himself and his people. It changed his heart too! WOW!

Life is a series of actions, circumstances, and events that come upon us all. And oftentimes the end results are not pleasant or to our liking. But we must remember God is not so much concerned about our ‘comfort’ in life as He is with our character. The things He allows (and yes sometimes He uses our enemies) are to help shape and mold us into what He needs us to be. We injure ourselves and slow our progress when we hold grudges or revenge in our heart – its just excess baggage. Our lives should not be on hold because of what happened yesterday, we should be continually pressing on toward ‘the prize.’

Until tomorrow....

Pastor Botts

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance, the race marked out for us.” – Hebrews 12:1