Letting Go

Abundance is a process of letting go; that which is empty can receive. - B. McGill

We know Jacob wrestled with God - I'm quite sure he would have taken the blessing of God without the limp. Hmm!

We've all played it at one time or another. The old 'tug-o-war' game, trying to pull your opponents over the dividing line into the mud puddle. It was a lot of fun as kids, But I wonder if we realize we never left the basics of the game behind as we matured. When you think about those periods of restlessness, anxiety. edginess, and even selfishness in our lives, could it not be we are playing the game with God, trying to win Him to our way of thinking or our personal desires. We take our prayer requests and lay them before Him, but yet we kept hold of the rope ourselves (worry, impatience, gloom, etc.) trying to get the exact outcome we wanted. If we would just take a moment and look back we will see that God is true to His promises. Everything in the past He has worked out or is working out for our good. So why not just let go of the rope in this current crisis or situation and let God be God. It's much better this way and you won't get as muddy!

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

"Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall." - Psalm 55:22

P.S. - If you have not signed up yet and plan to attend the Voter's Symposium this Sunday after services please let me know by close of day. Your name and the candidate/proposition you will speak on. Thanks!

Out of Our Hands

If it's out of your hands, it deserves freedom from your mind too! - Anon

In exile, Daniel's desire to serve God was always stronger than his desire to return home. Amen!

WORRY! All too often it is the lubricant of our mind. We try to change what has happened, and try to project what will happen, playing the scenario over and over strategically like a game of chess. Many of us are mentally, spiritually, and emotionally fatigued and we often wonder why. Could it possibly be that though we've 'prayed' on it we have not really released it to God? There is nothing impossible or too hard for God, but He will NEVER do anything we think we can do ourselves. Worry keeps the issue on our realm. God made us and He alone knows how to bring relief to our soul, to revive our spirit, but it's only when we allow Him to work wholeheartedly on the matter. He's going to be up all night, why not trust Him with it.

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

"Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall." - Psalm 55:22

Pray On My Friend

Prayer and helplessness are inseparable. Only those who are helpless can truly pray. - G. Hallesby

When Jonah hit rock bottom the only thing he could do was pray. Hmm!

The truly great thing about prayer is that it requires no special preparation, no precise vocabulary, no appropriate posture (other than a humble heart), and no special time. God is always available and listening. Yes, we're told to 'enter our closets' or 'steal away' for more meaningful time and intimacy, but that doesn't mean we can't pray right where we are now. How about it! If songs and prayers of praise come about when life is good and blessings are flowing, then serious cries, petitions, intercessions and other prayers for supplication and help begin in our times of trouble. And for most of us trouble is always the norm. So pray on friend, pray on, and trust that God's answer will always be wiser than your request.

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

"As for me, I call to God, and the Lord saves me. Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice." - Psalm 55:16-17

Learning to let go

Abundance is a process of letting go; that which is empty can receive. - B. McGill

We know Jacob wrestled with God - I'm quite sure he would have taken the blessing of God without the limp. Hmm!

We've all played it at one time or another. The old 'tug-o-war' game, trying to pull your opponents over the dividing line into the mud puddle. It was a lot of fun as kids, But I wonder if we realize we never left the basics of the game behind as we matured. When you think about those periods of restlessness, anxiety. edginess, and even selfishness in our lives, could it not be we are playing the game with God, trying to win Him to our way of thinking or our personal desires. We take our prayer requests and lay them before Him, but yet we kept hold of the rope ourselves (worry, impatience, gloom, etc.) trying to get the exact outcome we wanted. If we would just take a moment and look back we will see that God is true to His promises. Everything in the past He has worked out or is working out for our good. So why not just let go of the rope in this current crisis or situation and let God be God. It's much better this way and you won't get as muddy!

Until tomorrow.....

Pastor Botts

"Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall." - Psalm 55:22

Worry Made Them Grow

Troubles are like babies, nurse them and they’ll grow. – W. C. Brumby

Saul’s insecurity led to jealousy. His jealousy led to attempted murder. Thank God David was a God-fearing man. AMEN!

Whether real or imagined all of us face troubles at times. It was a promise of our Lord. And though we often say we’re not affected by them, the time we spend worrying about them says otherwise, and only multiplies their size and impacts our actions and decisions. We serve a God who is bigger and stronger than anything we can come across, and He is expecting us to trust the matter to Him. Depression, stress, anxiety, fear, and bondage all come upon us when we keep God out of our lives. Remember, don’t tell people how large your troubles are, tell your troubles how great your GOD is.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall. But you, O God, will bring down the wicked into the pit of corruption….” – Psalm 55:22-23

Prayer in times of Helplessness

Prayer and helplessness are inseparable. Only those who are helpless can truly pray. - G. Hallesby

When Jonah hit rock bottom the only thing he could do was pray. Hmm!

The truly great thing about prayer is that it requires no special preparation, no precise vocabulary, no appropriate posture (other than a humble heart), and no special time. God is always available and listening. Yes, we're told to 'enter our closets' or 'steal away' for more meaningful time and intimacy, but that doesn't mean we can't pray right where we are now. How about it! If songs and prayers of praise come about when life is good and blessings are flowing, then serious cries, petitions, intercessions and other prayers for supplication and help begin in our times of trouble. And for most of us trouble is always the norm. So pray on friend, pray on, and trust that God's answer will always be wiser than your request.

Until tomorrow.......

Pastor Botts

"As for me, I call to God, and the Lord saves me. Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice." - Psalm 55:16-17

Oh the pets we keep

Pets are creatures that are willingly kept by their owner, so I’ve never understood a pet peeve. - Sparks

No matter what Moses did the people were always finding fault and never satisfied. No wonder God called them ‘stiffnecked.’ OUCH!

If we’re honest about it, there’s probably something in most of us that at the slightest infraction gets our blood boiling; and our enemy knows it. The question is why does it have such a grip on us? It’s true we will be frustrated and upset at times, but we’re to never let our anger linger over anything nor carry it around day to day. This is not only stressful it is sinful for the bible says “let not the sun go down on your wrath.” This means we should not have any anger or malice in our hearts toward anyone. God doesn’t ask us to practice forgiveness He COMMANDS us to do so. And even if we were the one wronged, forgiveness lies within our own heart. Maybe it’s time we let God work it out for us, unless we like keeping useless pets.

Until tomorrow….

Pastor Botts

“Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.” – Psalm 55:22

Worry, No Good. Prayer, All Good!

Anything worth worrying about is worth praying about. – Anon

In the midst of hostility and deceit, Nehemiah worked and prayed, prayed and worked. God answered. WOW!

Stressed out, worried sick, anxiety-laden, or just plain fearful. These are emotional states to avoid for we know no good thing can arise from them. But yet we often find ourselves going through these emotions over some of the smallest matters (an unreturned phone call, a non-existent rumor, a friend’s strange stare or non-stare, etc.). It is a testament to what we believe about our God in terms of what we will take before Him in prayer, and how soon we’ll take it there. Worry does nothing good for us and it keeps us from fully trusting in God. There will always be uncertainties in life and things we just can’t know at the time, but God doesn’t want them to interfere with us fully enjoying what He has given us right here, right now, so pray if you must.

Until tomorrow.....

Pastor Botts

“Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous fall.” – Psalm 55:22

Got Troubles? Trust God

Troubles are like babies, nurse them and they’ll grow. – W. C. Brumby

Saul’s insecurity led to jealousy. His jealousy led to attempted murder. Thank God David was a God-fearing man. AMEN!

Whether real or imagined all of us face troubles at times. It was a promise of our Lord. And though we often say we’re not affected by them, the time we spend worrying about them says otherwise, and only multiplies their size and impacts our actions and decisions. We serve a God who is bigger and stronger than anything we can come across, and he is expecting us to trust the matter to him. Depression, stress, anxiety, fear, and bondage all come upon us when we keep God out of our lives. Remember, don’t tell people how large your troubles are, tell your troubles how great your GOD is.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall. But you, O God, will bring down the wicked into the pit of corruption….” – Psalm 55:22-23