The NEW spot for Southside's Thoughts for the Day as penned by our pastor Herbert Botts
Monday, November 10, 2025
Living With Enthusiasm
Wednesday, August 18, 2021
Living Enthusiastic Lives
Wednesday, October 2, 2019
Burn Bright
Wednesday, June 10, 2015
Catch the Fire
Catch on fire with enthusiasm and people will come from miles around to watch you burn. – J. Wesley
The ‘change’ in the Samaritan woman who met Jesus at the well was so stark, it excited the whole town to come see this Jesus. Wow!
We’ll drive great lengths, we’ll wait in long lines, even sit in not-so-great seats just to have a chance to see ‘our’ team, to cheer them on, scream and yell with exuberance our support, proudly wear the ‘uniform, and talk them up. But when it comes to matters of faith it’s sad that so many of us have a ‘form of Christianity’ that just seems to drain us, tire us out, take our joy, and leave us flat and unappealing to others. Jesus actually said “I come that you might have life, and have it more abundantly.” That sounds like exuberance and enthusiasm. To be enthusiastic for Christ is not just reciting bible verses to people, handing out gospel tracts, or just telling the lost Jesus loves them. To be enthusiastic is to be active in showing others the love, compassion, forgiveness, mercy, grace, humility, and help Jesus would show them if He were present (actually He is in us) in such a way that they could not mistake it for anything else but the favor of God reaching out to them. May we all have fun for Christ today.
Until tomorrow…..
Pastor Botts
“….You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden…..” – Matthew 5:14
Monday, March 10, 2014
Imperfect Saints
A man does not have to be an angel in order to be a saint. – J. Wesley
Of all the people God used in the bible, other than Jesus; not a one of them was perfect. HALLELUJAH!
Though we would desire they go hand in hand, expectations and reality are often far apart. We don’t always do what we know we should do or what we are expected to do. As Christians we strive for perfection or maturity in Christ – that is our daily goal. But in our humanness we sometimes fall short and that’s where grace comes in. We serve a God who will forgive us our trespasses if we repent and confess them to Him – that’s grace. And God expects us to pass that grace gift on towards others. It's one of the great benefits in building relationships, for surely someone will fail us today. It’s a gift that keeps on giving and allows us to live to the best of our ability as God’s children.
Until tomorrow……..
Pastor Botts
“But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ.” – Romans 5:20-21


