Keep Fighting

Moses didn't make it into the 'Promised Land' but he made it into the PROMISED LAND. - Anon

Paul said he 'trained and beat his body' in such a way as not to be disqualified for the prize. Amen!

Every Major Sport has a team or individual that is eventually crowned as champion. They go through seasons or tournaments being tested. They battle opponents, time, injuries, weather, even themselves to prove they are worthy of that 'championship' title and honor. And though it is an achievement of great note, it will always pale in comparison to what God offers us. Make no doubt about it, life is just as tough if not tougher than sports. And in life we must continue the battle daily and here's why. In the kingdom of God as long as you're still fighting, you're winning. Remember, God doesn't hand out awards for performance, He hands out CROWNS for perseverance.

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

"Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge will award me on that day...." - II Timothy 4:8

P.S. - Please join us today in the sanctuary at 5:30 pm for PRAYER today!

Impaired Judgement

Impaired vision isn't only an eye problem. - Anon

Naomi wanted to be called 'Mara' or bitter. God showed her that name didn't really fit. Amen!

DUI/DWI. Acronyms that no one really wants associated with their name. It means being caught operating a motor vehicle while your judgment has been impaired by alcohol, drugs or medications. Though we do all we can to ensure this is not us, we often find ourselves equally guilty of impaired judgment when it comes to others. We see and assume the worst of people just by their appearance (heavily tattooed - must be a gang member, unkempt or dirty - must be homeless, etc.). The fact of the matter is Jesus tells us not to judge anyone, for we all have issues and shortcomings. The good news is God is not finished with us yet. So, ours should not be a comparison game of who's better off, but a prayer moment of "Lord, help us both, that you might be glorified!" As we greet this new dawning called today, may this be our prayer throughout.

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

"....do not judge, or you too will be judged...." - Matthew 7:1

Getting to Know Each Other

The proof of the pudding is in the eating, not the presentation. - Anon

Barnabas told the disciples and the people that Paul really wasn’t so bad once you got to know him. Hmm!

We roll our eyes, or turn our nose up, or even get offended at the mere glance of a book or movie title. And though the title may give you a clue about the book or movie, the title alone doesn’t tell the whole story – that comes with the reading, getting into it. And so often with the people in our lives we do the same thing, a mere glance and a galvanized opinion is formed. So, we never take time to build a relationship with them, or if we do; we do so through our galvanized lenses, always looking for the facts and circumstances to support it, and often missing the gems and traits that make them unique and lovable by God. A good book always has discovery and intrigue for the reader, drawing them in with twists and plots that often surprise. People are essentially no different. The key to making any relationship successful and prosperous is to find out why the person is so loved by God, after all, they’re possibly doing the same with us.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged...” – Matthew 7:1

Witnesses For God

God himself does not propose to judge a man until he is dead. So why should we? – Sparks

Peter judged all Gentiles to be inferior and beneath him. God put him in a situation with Cornelius that changed his ‘vision.’ WOW!

Truth be told we are all often quick to play judge, jury, and executioner; and pass final judgment on those we see and meet as if we have the actual keys to heaven and hell. And we do it with little rhyme or reason (looks, impressions, etc.). But God calls us to be witnesses for him, not lawyers OR judges, but witnesses. And like our Supreme Creator we should hold out hope for all mankind to be redeemed. Regardless of where they stand, God wants to use us to make a difference in their lives today, for tomorrow their change just may come. We should remember that whatever ‘measure’ we use will be used on us.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many….” – Hebrews 9:27-28

The Work for His Glory

We judge ourselves by what we feel capable of doing; others judge us by what we have done. - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

God thought more of Abel's offering not for 'what' he gave but 'how' he gave it. AMEN!

From early on we're taught to manage our time wisely. We're taught to prioritize, arrange, rank, from the least to the greatest the opportunities we have and do those that bring the greatest return. And so we do, day in and day out. And then we measure ourselves for effectiveness. We may think our time spent teaching a class was better spent than the time we gave passing out pamphlets. Or the mission trip we took to a distant land is greater than the time we spent serving as an usher last week. Maybe it was, maybe it wasn't. In truth, we have no idea what really ranks as the most important part of our work, for it is not really the work itself but the attitude and heart with which we did it. A phone call to an ailing member could be just as important as the Sunday sermon the minister preaches because God is the ultimate judge of all we do and "His ways and thoughts" are not like ours, they are much higher. So the idea here is not to do the work for work's sake, but do the work for the Lord's glory. And just like in school when our final grade was the cumulative effect of all our efforts, the Lord will be grading our efforts and at the end of the day grades will be posted. May we all receive passing grades.

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

"...Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men." - Colossians 3:23

Brotherly Words

Remember not only to say the right thing in the right place, but far more difficult still, to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment. – Richard Murray

At a heightened moment of temptation, Jesus let it pass and carefully uttered “Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.” WOW!

One of the old clichéd truisms of life is “please think before you speak.” The adoption of this principle as a doctrine of life could save us from many stressful situations and later apologies. All of us from our childhood have been taught how to talk and enunciate our words, but rarely when and how to choose our words or responses carefully. We should always be ready to speak the truth, but even it should be spoken in LOVE, not hostility or with ‘superlative’ laced commentary; and refrain from ‘adding’ our two-cents in on matters that are not constructive about others. Temptation will indeed be great to go off course today, but remember God will provide a way of escape.

Until tomorrow…….

Pastor Botts

“Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it….” – James 4:11

Seeds Planted

Don’t judge each day by the harvest you

reap, but by the seeds you plant. – R.L. Stevenson

Each day of his life was troubling and taxing or Jesus, yet he continued to sow seeds of faith. Hmm!

Let’s face it, there are some days when nothing goes right; where it seems that everything that comes our way is bad news or impossible circumstances – the whole world is against us. And it’s easy at these junctures to just get mad at the world, find someone to commiserate with and quit. But again, we must remember it’s not about us; it’s about God and His plans. The events of the day may not be to our liking but within each if we take the time to see or listen to what God is trying to accomplish there is ample opportunity still. After all, the farmer knows the best way to reap a good harvest is to plant and cultivate himself.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops.” – II Timothy 2:6

Seeking Revenge will get you Burned

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

Practice Love

We can either judge others or we can love others – but we can’t do both. – Anon

When the crowd brought the woman taken in “the very act” of adultery to Jesus, they were shocked by His response – LOVE!

Decisions, decisions, decisions. One of the toughest things in the world for us as Christians is to practice consistent decision making. We often go from one extreme to the other always with ‘OUR OWN’ best interests at hand. But if the word of God tells us to “consider others better than ourselves,” I think God’s calling to us is to practice love, not law. This is not to say that we condone the actions of those who transgress God’s commands, but neither do we become judge, jury, and executioner. Ours is to keep ourselves pure and extend grace to others in hopes of their repentance.  I pray we will be like Him today.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“The second [command] is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these’.” – Mark 12:31

Impaired Judgement

Impaired vision isn't only an eye problem. - Anon

Naomi wanted to be called 'Mara' or bitter. God showed her that name didn't really fit. Amen!

DUI/DWI. Acronyms that no one really wants associated with their name. It means being caught operating a motor vehicle while your judgment has been impaired by alcohol, drugs or medications. Though we do all we can to ensure this is not us, we often find ourselves equally guilty of impaired judgment when it comes to others. We see and assume the worst of people just by their appearance (heavily tattooed - must be a gang member, unkempt or dirty - must be homeless, etc.). The fact of the matter is Jesus tells us not to judge anyone, for we all have issues and shortcomings. The good news is God is not finished with us yet. So ours should not be a comparison game of who's better off, but a prayer moment of "Lord, help us both, that you might be glorified!" As we greet this new dawning called today, may this be our prayer throughout.

Until tomorrow.....

Pastor Botts

"....do not judge, or you too will be judged...." - Matthew 7:1

Angel Disguised

True angels rarely dress the part. – Anon

When Jesus walked along with them on the road to Emmaus, the 2 men had no idea who He was. They later found out. AMEN!

We often say “you can’t judge a book by its cover,” but we so often do. We pass judgment on individuals because of the way they look, dress, smell, or even speak; believing they have no point interrupting our life. While it’s true we are to be careful about ourselves, it’s equally true God may be trying to intervene in someone’s life at these chance meetings. Sometimes the angel in question may be you, sometimes it may be the other individual, but unless the encounter takes place we will never know. In any event, we are called to treat all of humanity, the successful as well as the downtrodden with the respect of personhood that God gave them. They may not be at their best, but still God loves them and uses them. We need be aware today, for God will be sending out angels.

Until Monday…..

Pastor Botts

“…..Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it….” – Genesis 28:16

P.S. - Hope you can make our Sunday School Devotional this week at 9AM.

Witness not Judge

God himself does not propose to judge a man until he is dead. So why should we? – Sparks

Peter judged all Gentiles to be inferior and beneath him. God put him in a situation with Cornelius that changed his ‘vision.’ WOW!

Truth be told we are all often quick to play judge, jury, and executioner; and pass final judgment on those we see and meet as if we have the actual keys to heaven and hell. And we do it with little rhyme or reason (looks, impressions, etc.). But God calls us to be witnesses for him, not lawyers OR judges; but witnesses. And like our Supreme Creator we should hold out hope for all mankind to be redeemed. Regardless of where they stand, God wants to use us to make a difference in their lives today, for tomorrow their change just may come. We should remember that whatever ‘measure’ we use will be used on us.

Until Monday…..

Pastor Botts

“And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many….” – Hebrews 9:27-28

P.S. - Hope to see you Sunday morning at 9AM.

Do Doing Done... with Heart

We judge ourselves by what we feel capable of doing; others judge us by what we have done. - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

God thought more of Abel's offering not for 'what' he gave but 'how' he gave it. AMEN!

From early on we're taught to manage our time wisely. We're taught to prioritize, arrange, rank, from the least to the greatest the opportunities we have and do those that bring the greatest return. And so we do, day in and day out. And then we measure ourselves for effectiveness. We may think our time spent teaching a class was better spent than the time we gave passing out pamphlets. Or the mission trip we took to a distant land is greater than the time we spent serving as an usher last week. Maybe it was, maybe it wasn't. In truth, we have no idea what really ranks as the most important part of our work, for it is not really the work itself but the attitude and heart with which we did it. A phone call to an ailing member could be just as important as the Sunday sermon the minister preaches because God is the ultimate judge of all we do and "His ways and thoughts" are not like ours, they are much higher. So the idea here is not to do the work for work's sake, but do the work for the Lord's glory. And just like in school when our final grade was the cumulative effect of all our efforts, the Lord will be grading our efforts and at the end of the day grades will be posted. May we all receive passing grades.

Until tomorrow.....

Pastor Botts

"...Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men." - Colossians 3:23

Proof of the Pudding...

The proof of the pudding is in the eating, not the presentation. - Anon

Barnabas told the disciples and the people that Paul really wasn’t so bad once you got to know him. Hmm!

We roll our eyes, or turn our nose up, or even get offended at the mere glance of a book or movie title. And though the title may give you a clue about the book or movie, the title alone doesn’t tell the whole story – that comes with the reading, getting into it. And so often with the people in our lives we do the same thing, a mere glance and a galvanized opinion is formed. So we never take time to build a relationship with them, or if we do; we do so through our galvanized lenses, always looking for the facts and circumstances to support it, and often missing the gems and traits that make them unique and lovable by God. A good book always has discovery and intrigue for the reader, drawing them in with twists and plots that often surprise. People are essentially no different. The key to making any relationship successful and prosperous is to find out why the person is so loved by God, after all, they’re possibly doing the same with us.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged…..” – Matthew 7:1

The Relentless Pursuit of Us

The bible is not only a bleeding book but also a pleading book. – HD. Rutherford

Much prayer and concern was offered up for Sodom and Gomorrah, but to no avail. All was lost to God’s wrath. OUCH!

We call them bloodhounds, hunting dogs. They are tracking dogs; give them a ‘scent’ and off they go, and go, tirelessly seeking their prey. In that sense, Our Christ operates the same way. He refuses to be ignored, He never gives up. We have tried for over 20 centuries to escape Him, elude Him, ignore Him, discredit Him, smear Him, and yet after all our endeavors, denials, and put-downs He still pursues us. He won’t turn back. We can try like Pilate to wash our hands of Him, or like so many others to deaden our souls cry for Him through the slumbering offerings of this world, but He still seeks us. The one who bled for us and pled for us still searches for us – with open arms! Why, only to love us and save us before the one day comes when He will have to judge us. Hopefully, we’ll tire of running before that day comes.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“….For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him…” – II Chronicles 16:9

Who's the Judge

God himself does not propose to judge a man until he is dead. So why should we? – Sparks

Peter judged all Gentiles to be inferior and beneath him. God put him in a situation with Cornelius that increased his VISION. Wow!

Truth be told we are often quick to pass final judgment on those we know and meet as if we have the actual keys to heaven and hell. And we do it with little rhyme or reason. But God calls us to be witnesses for him, not lawyers OR judges; but witnesses. And like our Supreme Creator we should hold out hope for all mankind to be redeemed. Regardless of where they stand, God wants to use us to make a difference in their lives today, for tomorrow their change just may come. Let us all remember our role.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many….” – Hebrews 9:27-28  

Happily Sow Good Seeds

Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant. – R.L. Stevenson

Each day of his life was troubling and taxing for Jesus, yet he continued to sow seeds of faith. Hmm!

Let’s face it, there are some days when nothing goes right; where it seems that everything that comes our way is bad news or impossible circumstances – the whole world is against us. And it’s easy at these junctures to just get mad at the world, find someone to commiserate with and quit. But again, we must remember it’s not about us; it’s about God and His plans. The events of the day may not be to our liking but within each if we take the time to see or listen to what God is trying to accomplish there is ample opportunity still. After all, the farmer knows the best way to reap a good harvest is to plant and cultivate himself.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops.” – II Timothy 2:6

Sometimes you gotta go deeper

The proof of the pudding is in the eating, not the presentation. - Anon  

Barnabas told the disciples and the people that Paul really wasn’t so bad once you got to know him. Hmm!  

We roll our eyes, or turn our nose up, or even get offended at the mere glance of a book or movie title. And though the title may give you a clue about the book or movie, the title alone doesn’t tell the whole story – that comes with the reading, getting into it. And so often with the people in our lives we do the same thing, a mere glance and a galvanized opinion is formed. So we never take time to build a relationship with them, or if we do; we do so through our galvanized lenses, always looking for the facts and circumstances to support it, and often missing the gems and traits that make them unique and lovable by God. A good book always has discovery and intrigue for the reader, drawing them in with twists and plots that often surprise. People are essentially no different. The key to making any relationship successful and prosperous is to find out why the person is so loved by God, after all, they’re possibly doing the same with us.  

Until tomorrow…..  

Pastor Botts  

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged…..” – Matthew 7:1