The Battle in a New Normal

It is fatal to enter any war without the will to win it. – Douglas MacArthur

David often sought God’s will before he sought his enemy. Hmm!

Reveille! Alarm clock! Sunrise! Whatever the means, we’re all awake for today. It’s here and coming on strong whether we like it or not. As you embark upon your day, remember you are at war. Not only with the fallout from the continuing pandemic but with all the changes it has brought along to our normal way of life, our physical gatherings, and fellowship. A 'new' normal is upon us. But the enemy will be continually targeting your heart and mind, firing away to make you lose your focus or resolve and doubt your faith and purpose. Make sure you dress properly for the battle otherwise you are sure to become a casualty of war.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes….” - Ephesians 6:11

Master Craftsmen

Amazing. The more often I try something, the better I get at it! - G. Richards

Nehemiah, the more he prayed, the more he had need to pray. Amen!

When you hear titles like 'Virtuoso,' 'Master Craftsman,' 'Expert,' etc., you tend to think of individuals who are very, very good at what they do. They've mastered their craft or skill through hours and hours and hours of repetition and testing. The same dynamic holds true for us as well. We can and do become proficient at anything we do often enough, and with continued practice/application become highly skilled or a master. But here is the caveat - when we don't practice the things that make us strong and help us to grow in our faith, we are actually in fact practicing the things that will turn us away from God. We either practice righteousness or unrighteousness - there is no in-between or sitting still. We're often tempted not to do something for God for we fear we will do a poor job. That's just the enemy getting in our head. We need to remember every giant in the faith before us started out just as us, but just kept on being faithful. Remember we're responsible for the work, the increase is up to God.

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

"He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters." - Matthew 12:30

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

Rise Against the Opposition

A certain amount of opposition is a great help to man. Afterall, kites rise against, not with the wind. – J. Neal

From the moment of his birth on earth until his death Jesus was met with opposition. He promised us some of the same in our life. Hmm!

A single small grain of sand is a nuisance to an oyster. But it takes that nuisance and works with it and over time it produces a precious gem. God expects the same principle application with our lives. Earth is our proving ground, and the daily situations we encounter will prepare us for an eternal home one day. As we have put our lives in God’s hands we must remember that He is often engineering situations and circumstances, and like the oyster, the opposition should soften rather than harden our hearts, for God is searching for those with a heart after his own. When your mettle or ire begins to rise today, remember God’s purposes.

Until tomorrow……

Pastor Botts

“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33

We Will Win!

It is fatal to enter any war without the will to win it. – Douglas MacArthur

David often sought God’s will before

he sought his enemy. Hmm!

Reveille! Alarm clock! Sunrise! Whatever the means, we’re all awake for Today. It’s here and coming on strong whether we like it or not. As you embark upon your day, remember you are at war. Not only with the current pandemic but with all the changes it has brought along to our normal way of life, our physical gatherings, proximity, and fellowship. The enemy will be targeting your heart and mind, firing away to make you doubt your faith and lose your focus. Make sure you dress properly for the battle otherwise you are sure to become a casualty of war.

Until Monday….

Pastor Botts

“Put on the full armor of God so that you can

take your stand against the devil’s schemes….” - Ephesians 6:11

P.S. - Praying all is well and that you can join us online this Sunday at 9:30am.

Prayer: The Necessary Component

A prayerless life for a Christian is a high crime against God. - Anon

When Jesus said "when you pray" he wasn't making a suggestion. Hmm!

As you look around it's hard to miss -phones. Yeah. People are talking/texting and what not in great numbers seemingly all the time. Everybody is having a conversation. God says He's 'listening' for one. He says His ears are open to the cries of His people. Wow, what an invitation. Prayer anyone! Admittedly, it is not the quantity of words in the prayer but the heart, but also admittedly, as our relationship grows with God our walk should draw us into deeper more meaningful 'conversations' with Him over time. Prayer should become  a source of joy and inspiration to us (Jesus often withdrew to do so) and a necessary component to our daily survival. Prayer is the easiest and hardest of all things! Many people believe in it, but not many pray. How about you?

Until tomorrow.....

Pastor Botts

"What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him?' - Deuteronomy 4:7

Who ARE You?

What they call you is up to them, what you answer to is up to you. - Anon

Saul once called David a boy, but after Goliath he realized David was a warrior. WOW!

Winebibber, glutton, friend of sinners, Beelzebub! Those who despised him had many names for Jesus, most of them unflattering and downright mean. But he never forgot who he was nor his ultimate calling - SAVIOR. People of the world today are not much different than people then, this we know for many of us have had some unflattering names, gestures, and remarks hurled our way. It just goes with the territory. The question is how we respond, if we respond. Remember, you don't have to attend every argument/fight you're invited to. But if and when we do, may we like Jesus remember our ultimate goal - to reflect God in all we do in word and deed.

I will be away for a few days, so this keyboard will be silent.

Until then,

Pastor Botts

"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me." - Matthew 5:11

Disciplined Choices

Those who would play with kittens must expect to be scratched. – Cervantes

The Israelites gave their daughters in marriage and took other nations daughters in marriage in direct violation of God’s word. Though marriage was honorable in this case it was wrong. They later felt God’s wrath. Hmm!

Often in life, the easiest choices carry heavy consequences that can mar and scar our lives deeply. Our choice of friends, entertainment, and recreation will impact the way we think and act. Our choice of intellectual stimulation, lack of continued disciplined spiritual development will impact our morals, values, and contribution to life. In essence, what we take in will most definitely make an indelible mark on our conscience. Satan often presents sin as something rather glamorous, adoring, and necessary. It is only after we’re entangled that we realize it’s not for us. The good news is that God is willing and able to forgive us of such transgressions, but he expects us to knowingly avoid such temptations. Actions and decisions have results, and life is full of both, but our ultimate aim should be to please God in all we do.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“But if you fail to do this, you will be sinning against the Lord; and you may be sure that your sin will find you out.” – Numbers 32:23

You never know till you try

It's why they play the game! - Anon

Gideon and his rag-tag army of 300 were really no match for the vast army of the Midianites and Amalakites. But they fought and won anyway. Wow!

On paper, you don't stand a chance. The odds are mightily against you. The laws are stacked against you. On the field or court, the opponent is bigger, stronger, quicker, and nastier than you. It's like Goliath against little scrawny David. But yet, they still play the game and often the 'expected' outcome is not the end result. Somewhere during the battle, during all the scratching and clawing, the courage, faith, obedience, and willingness to lay it all on the line proved more than enough for the underdog to walk away with the victory. In sports they call it momentum, in our daily walk we call it God fighting our battles. We may not win every time, but we'll never know until we let go and let God. That's how and why we should play the game today!

Until tomorrow....

Pastor Botts

"Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up..." - Luke 18:1

Patient Actions

Patience is also a form of action. – A. Rodin

God waited 40 years for Moses to become the man he needed him to be to set the Israelites free from Pharaoh and his people. WOW!

Waiting! It’s an issue of life we’re never really comfortable with. To us it seems to be a waste of time, lack of desire or motivation. We live in a hurry-up world, a do it now culture, which we learned from birth. We want and need answers immediately, results soon, and payoffs now to all of life’s ills or circumstances. But if we put our focus back on God’s ways we will clearly see that patience is truly an asset of the wise. God has NEVER been in a hurry. Hurried thoughts, actions, and words often lead to errors that can cause hurt and long term heartache. Being patient is not wasting time waiting; it’s taking action against doing the wrong thing.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.” – Hebrews 6:12