Your Life: Take 1: Action!

One day your whole life will flash before your eyes. Now’s the time to make sure it’s worth watching. – Anon

God was pleased with Hezekiah’s life story enough to extend his life fifteen years. Hmm!

We’ve all seen movies or shows that we vowed we would never see again. Whether it was bad acting, a bad plot, gratuitous violence or language etc., or just plain silliness it somehow left a bad taste or memory with us that we don’t want to revisit. It would be a complete waste of time. Though this is on the big screen it should evoke some thought as to how we live our daily lives before God. The truth of the matter is we will all one day have to give an account of what we’ve done, and nothing in all creation is hidden or can be hidden from Him. The idea of having to stand there and watch our lives flash before our eyes in God’s presence should be a wake-up call. And yes, His grace goes a long way to cover a multitude of sins, but He did say something about us personally paying for willful sin. Let today be a day of repentance and a new beginning.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“…So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.” – Romans 14:12

Focus Forward

To keep proper focus always remember: From where you came; Where you are going; and to Whom you must give account. – Richard Murray

In all of his misery Job never forgot that “naked I came into the world and naked I shall depart, but the Lord is to be praised.” WOW!

With all that’s going on in the world around us and in our immediate lives sometimes it’s easy to lose sight of the bigger picture. The number one goal of our enemy is to get us to take our focus off of God and major in the minor things in our life, our imperfections, failures, our losses. When we get caught up in self pity we leave little room for God to work in us and on us. We can’t wallow in the moment, we must remember we’re on a journey for God. Progress sometimes is slow, but if we keep moving forward we will one day have a good report.

Until Monday…..

Pastor Botts

“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.” – Philippians 3:12

Accounting for the Idle Silence

As we must account for every ‘idle word’, so must we account for every ‘idle silence.’ – Benjamin Franklin

On the day of ‘reckoning’ the bible says we will have to give an account to God. Every second, minute and hour. Hmm!

The Great Commission commands us to go into the world and spread the good news. And with the technological advances we’ve made, instant communication seems to be of paramount importance. And we’re saying a lot. But with God the issue is not so much what we say with our words, but moreso what we say with our actions and the heart behind them. In a world that needs more love, more compassion, more goodness – will we be faithful to supply it no matter the person or cost to us,  or will we sit idly by and watch despair grow. True enough, there will often be nothing tangible in it for us, but as we wonder ‘what would Jesus do,’ the simple answer is whatever it takes to bring God glory. If we’re to ‘love our neighbor as ourself,’ we cannot sit idly by and allow them to suffer without offering whatever means of support we can. God still loves the world which is why He’s sending forth you and me today.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“…. Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.” – James 4:17

Push Press Progress

To keep proper focus always remember: From where you came; Where you are going; and to Whom you must give account. – R. Murray

In all of his misery Job never forgot that “naked I came into the world and naked I shall depart, but the Lord is to be praised.” WOW!

With all that’s going on in the world around us and in our immediate lives sometimes it’s easy to lose sight of the bigger picture. The number one goal of our enemy is to get us to take our focus off of God and major in the minor things in our life, our imperfections, failures, our losses. When we get caught up in self pity we leave little room for God to work in us and on us. We can’t wallow in the moment, we must remember we’re on a journey for God. Progress sometimes is slow, but if we keep moving forward we will one day have a good report.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.” – Philippians 3:12

Silent Speech

Let your speech be better than silence, or be silent – J. Gibbons

At the transfiguration, it seems Peter just had to have his say. God spoke and put him to SILENCE!

There is an old proverb that says, “it is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.” How true. But in this day and age of communication technology silence has gone the way of dinosaurs (extinct). Truth be known often we converse with others just to hear ourselves talk. We need be careful of what we say and how we say it, but moreso we need remember God is a friend of silence, for in the midst of it He often speaks. Are you listening?

Until tomorrow……

Pastor Botts

“But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted; and by your words you will be condemned.” – Matthew 12:36-37