Immortal Acts of Sevice

What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal. – A. Pike

The folks in Hebrews 11 are mentioned not so much for themselves, but for what they did, why they did it, and WHO they believed in. AMEN!

Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Dr. King, Cesar Chavez – just a few names of ordinary people of our day who did extraordinary things that are not forgotten, because they did it to benefit mankind and others, not themselves. Their acts of sacrifice have opened many doors and paved many avenues for a host of others to benefit from, simply because they believed in the greater good of mankind. This world can be so demanding and cruel that we lose sight of our calling to help others, for it is in the helping of others that we help ourselves most. God designed us all the same way he designed those who have gone before us, so the potential lies within us. Today is a gift He has given that we may prove Him right.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did….he was commended as a righteous man…And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.” – Hebrews 11:4

Immanuel for Times Like These

In times like these remember that we’ve always had times like these. – L. J. Harvey

The prophets of God (Jeremiah, Isaiah, Haggai, etc.) would often remind the people of God from whence they came, and WHO they belonged to. It was often reassuring. AMEN!

COVID! More COVID strains! Rising gas prices! Rising food prices! Rising homelessness rates. More dysfunction in our government! I could go on but I think you get the idea. When we stop to think about it, it seems there is a new obstacle or hardship popping up daily. Just as soon as we get one situation under control and check in, another one rears its head. If we’re not careful we’re prone to becoming distressed and depressed. That’s why daily time with the Lord and His Word is so crucial. It reminds us of all the ‘tough times’ we’ve already come through by way of grace, and gives us hope that the current crisis is nothing to fear and will soon pass. Tough times never last - “weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning,” - is what the scriptures tell us. So, no matter wherever you are at this point, remember God won’t leave you there.

Until Monday…

Pastor Botts

“I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.” – Psalm 37:25

Refuge in the Storm

Serenity is not freedom from the storm, but peace amidst it. - Anon

People thought for years Noah was crazy to build the ark. I'm sure it kept him sane before and after. Hmm!

In inclement weather times (hurricane, tornado, blizzard, etc.) for those who can't flee before the onslaught hits, they're told to "batten down the hatches" hold on and try to ride it out. Question: what happens when life throws such seemingly harsh events at us, and we're unable to flee? What do you do, where do you go? In this post pandemic world anxiety, depression, stress, racial bias, etc., is on the rise and seems to come at us stronger and stronger almost weekly. We can try and distract ourselves with busyness, comfort foods, or sticking our head in the sand and wishing it all away. But in truth, we need a much stronger source of assurance all will be alright. God is that refuge. Only He can keep us from feeling overwhelmed and alone. He is the perfect place for refuge, rest, restoration, and RESET to keep us on solid footing. If He cares for the sparrows of the field, surely He'll care for us.

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

"Keep me safe, O God, for in you I take refuge." - Psalm 16:1

Alone Time

Sometimes I am better company than anyone else! - Anon

A striking thought: Enoch walked with God everyday and we never see where he asked if he could bring along a friend. HMM!

FOMO – a recently coined contraction. Fear Of Missing Out! It’s innate in all of us. You see babies who don’t want to nap – FOMO. You see kids who despite being sick/injured continue to play - FOMO. You see adults practically tied to cell phones, I-pads, etc. – FOMO. We all desire to belong, to be a part of the conversation or collective group in some fashion, even if we listen from afar. We just don’t like being alone. Why, maybe it’s because we don’t really like ourselves, or possibly we are afraid of being alone with our own thoughts. But Jesus, our leading example teaches us it is good AND necessary to be alone at times – “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” – in solitude to connect with the Heavenly Father. He always seemed to come away from those times fully energized. I think this beats a 5-hour energy drink anytime!

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

"After he [Jesus] had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone….” – Matthew 14:23

Friendly Therapy

Sometimes we seek theology when what we really need is therapy. - LeCrae

After Satan 'devastated' Job's life God sent him some friends. Hmm!


Hurts, habits, hang-ups, ghosts in the closet. We all have them, if we're human. And often they eat at us as a 'child of God'. They try to steal our position in Christ often whispering something like "You know a real Christian wouldn't _______!" And even though we may have a solid grasp of God's Word, sometimes we just need help or enlightenment to put our current life situation into proper context. Friends, whether personal or professional, are given to us for that purpose. No one is meant to go through this life alone as a 'Lone Ranger.' These friends often help us see not so much the theology of God's Word, but our life in the context of God's Word. These insights help us to realize that in the midst of our pain, struggles, trauma, etc., God is right there with us. He has not abandoned us, and is waiting for us to cast our cares upon Him to bear. The longer we try to bear it ourselves or hide it from others, the stronger the 'shame of it all' grows, and we weren't meant to carry that. Job may have called his friends 'miserable' comforters, but they were therapeutic, they helped him get it all out of his system. May we all be so blessed today.


Until Monday.....


Pastor Botts


"Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work. If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!" - Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

God In Silence

To be alone with silence is to be alone with God. - S. Hageman

Even though Jesus was in the desert alone for 40 days, He knew His Father was nearby watching. WOW!

Pop-quizzes, mid-term exams, finals, UGH! We all remember these from our school years. And yet, we survived them. And in all of these settings there was one common denominator - silence. Even the teacher sat by quietly. We often wonder why it seems that God is silent, particularly in those "hard times" of life. Could it be He is testing us? Could it be He is expecting us to show our growth and maturity in the faith. After all, God never gives us a test without preparing us for it beforehand. So if it seems God is distant at this moment in our lives, maybe we should go back and study His Word a bit more to get the faith lift we need to ace our current test. It is an open book test, you know!

Until tomorrow....

Pastor Botts

"But the Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him." - Habakkuk 2:20

A True Friend Knows

A true friend knows the song in your heart and sings it to you during hard times, or when memory fails. – Anon

During David’s waiting period to ascend to the throne, the king’s own son Jonathan was his closest friend and ally. Hmm!

The familiar refrain “when I am sad He makes me glad, He’s my friend,” that we sing about Jesus is a powerful reminder of what true friendship is. He reminds us of God's love for us and our purpose, and steadfastly tries to keep us on point. It is actually a value judgment we should use to measure those we allow into our sphere of friendship. God places those in our life that can help us keep our heart song true, pure, and uncluttered by other tunes or melodies (worldliness). When we want to go outside of the parameters God sets for friendship and fellowship (righteousness), we risk having our heart song broken, interrupted or even changed, falling away from our purpose and true character. Here's hoping your melody is still inspiring to you.

Until tomorrow…….

Pastor Botts

“It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” – Genesis 2:18

To Benefit Mankind

What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal. – A. Pike

The folks in Hebrews 11 are mentioned not so much for themselves, but for what they did, why they did it, and WHO they believed in. AMEN!

Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Dr. King, Cesar Chavez – just a few names of ordinary people of our day who did extraordinary things that are not forgotten, because they did it to benefit mankind and others, not themselves. Their acts of sacrifice have opened many doors and paved many avenues for a host of others to benefit from, simply because they believed in the greater good of mankind. This world can be so demanding and cruel that we lose sight of our calling to help others, for it is in the helping of others that we help ourselves most. God designed us all the same way he designed those who have gone before us, so the potential lies within us. Today is a gift He has given that we may prove Him right.

Until tomorrow….

Pastor Botts

“By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did….he was commended as a righteous man…And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.” – Hebrews 11:4

Love makes it better

Nothing is too much trouble for love. – Desmond Tutu

Even after he wasted all his money and 'soiled' himself with unrighteous living, the Prodigal Son's father quickly lifted his spirits. Wow!

Often we may feel overwhelmed and alone, like all the problems of the world have come resting right down on our shoulders. When we do feel like this it is only because we have taken the wrong view. When our fate hung in the balance and rested at God's discretion, he showed us the way by exercising love (John 3:16). You may feel your family's plight is unbearable, or your life situation too heavy, but remember when love is added in; even the heaviest of weight is lifted. Ask God for a little more capacity to love and see what a difference it will make in your life.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

"....God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him." - I John 4:16