Lock In on the Guide

I try to avoid looking forward or backward, and try to keep looking upward. – Charlotte Bronte

God was a ‘cloud’ by day and a ‘pillar’ of fire by night leading the Israelites. He’s still looking for a few good folks to lead today. Hmm!

As anyone who has ever been on a guided tour knows, you always keep your eyes and ears on the Tour Guide. They know the way, what’s important along the way, how much time should be spent at a station and so on…to lose sight of them is to risk getting lost, getting in trouble, or missing out on the tour’s main offering. Life is very similar to this as we journey each day. To keep looking back is to live with the shame, regrets, pain, and heartache of the past, which drastically lessens our hope and encouragement that things will get better. To keep looking into the future is to run the danger of moving beyond God’s stride and direction, running ahead of His plans and purposes and ending up unfulfilled. That’s why it’s imperative that we keep our focus on God, walk at His pace, never letting go of His hand. He will allow us to take time and enjoy His creation, but also ensure we never get lost, never have need to fear, and never linger longer than necessary at any point.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“…..Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith….” – Hebrews 12:2

Just Do It...Righteously

Fallacies do not cease to be fallacies just because they become fashions. – G.K. Chesterton

The idolatry practiced by their neighbors looked like fun and good times to the Israelites, but God thought otherwise. Ouch!

Wokeism. Cultural appropriation. Personal pronouns. New Age. Avant-Garde lifestyles, etc. Call it what you will, but we now live in a society where it is fully acceptable to find new ways to lower morality and shun any personal responsibility or acknowledge Almighty God. Everybody has turned to his own way. Even we as Christians if we’re not careful can get easily tangled up in the worldly offerings (media, leisure, clothing, idols, affirmations, etc.). But no matter what society calls it or how society sells it, before God it is still SIN, period! Don’t just do it, do it righteously.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“Do not put out the Spirit’s fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil.” – I Thessalonians 5:19-22

Don't Send An Invite

Once you open the floodgates, you cannot tell the water where to run. – T. Sowell

Yes, Job's friends were miserable comforters indeed, but he did invite them over. Hmm!

When the levees gave way some years ago in New Orleans, the only thing left to do was assess the damage afterwards. It was much more damage than expected or estimated. So it is when we decide to engage our enemy - Satan. So often, when Satan comes our way with his calling card many of us will hold a debate with him. This is wrong and plays right into his hands, just ask Eve. The implications of one sinful encounter are enormous and impact far more people than you will ever imagine. Satan will always take us further than we want to go, stay longer than our invitation, and cost us more than we ever anticipated. As the day unfolds may we be wise and practice much self-control.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil.” – I Thessalonians 5:21-22

Empty Tombs

Maintaining a complicated life is a great way to avoid changing it - NOT! – Elaine St. James

The Pharisees were proud of their traditions, rituals, and aided-law ways that set them apart. Jesus called them EMPTY TOMBS! Hmm.

Back in the creation account God gave man dominion over all the earth and a helpmate too. They ruled over it all and had plenty of time to walk and talk with God in the Garden each day. Believe it or not, God is searching for the same type of relationship with us today. If He took care of sin through Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection shouldn’t the scales tip heavily in His favor instead of towards all the gadgetry, entertainment, and busyness that consumes us? Let us not get so busy that we too become empty tombs! Remember, it was never left to us to HAVE it all or to DO it all.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“The Lord answered, [Martha] ‘you are worried and upset by many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.’” – Luke 10:41-42

P.S. - REMEMBER our Prayer Gathering is at 5:30pm TODAY in the Sanctuary.

Unentangled Lifestyles

Fallacies do not cease to be fallacies just because they become fashions. – G.K. Chesterton

 

The idolatry practiced by their neighbors looked like fun and good times to the Israelites, but God thought otherwise. Ouch! 

 

Fads. New wave. Cutting edge. Avant Garde. Lifestyles, etc.  Call it what you will, but we now live in a society where it is fully acceptable to find new ways to lower morality and shun any personal responsibility, or acknowledge Almighty God. Everybody has turned to his own way. Even we as Christians if we’re not careful can get easily tangled up in the worldly offerings (media, leisure, clothing, idols, affirmations, etc.). But no matter what society calls it or how society sells it, before God it is still SIN, period! Don’t just do it, do it righteously.

 

Until tomorrow…..

 

Pastor Botts

 

“Do not put out the Spirit’s fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil.” – I Thessalonians 5:19-22

Roads Not Traveled Again

If you must make mistakes, it would be more to your credit if you’d make a new one each time. – Sparks

Though Peter denied the Lord on that fateful night, as imperfect as he was he never went down that road again. Hmm!

No matter how long we’ve been around “learn from your mistakes,” is a siren call we’ve heard almost all of our lives. And true to the task many of us have learned, albeit the wrong way. We still commit the offense (sin), but we’ve learned how to make it seem plausible, acceptable, even almost necessary; that we may live with the guilt. Our old excuses may work with one another, but God looks on our hearts and no matter how we want to perceive it, with God it is still wrong, and one for which we will have to give an answer. His will is that we learn to avoid the mistakes, not grow to accept them. He knew we were imperfect which is why He sent a redeemer and reconciler. But if we continue in our ways we cannot be His disciples.

Until tomorrow……

Pastor Botts

“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” – Romans 6:1-2

P.S. - To access the daily devotional (The Word for You Today) go to mydevoapp.com. The app access code is ISO.

Looking in the Right Direction

I try to avoid looking forward or backward, and try to keep looking upward. – Charlotte Bronte

God was a ‘cloud’ by day and a ‘pillar’ of fire by night leading the Israelites. He’s still looking for a few good folks to lead today. Hmm!

As anyone who has ever been on a guided tour knows, you always keep your eyes and ears on the Tour Guide. They know the way, what’s important along the way, how much time should be spent at a station and so on…to lose sight of them is to risk getting lost, getting in trouble, or missing out on the tour’s main offering. Life is very similar to this as we journey each day. To keep looking back is to live with the shame, regrets, pain, and heartache of the past, which drastically lessens our hope and encouragement that things will get better. To keep looking into the future is to run the danger of moving beyond God’s stride and direction, running ahead of His plans and purposes and ending up unfulfilled. That’s why it’s imperative that we keep our focus on God, walk at His pace, never letting go of His hand. He will allow us to take time and enjoy His creation, but also ensure we never get lost, never have need to fear, and never linger longer than necessary at any point.

Until Monday…..

Pastor Botts

“…..Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith….” – Hebrews 12:2

Incog-Christo

A celebrity is a person who works hard all their life to become well known, then wears dark glasses to avoid being recognized. – Fred Allen

On the fateful night Jesus was betrayed, Peter, his most outspoken disciple; did all he could to avoid being identified as his follower. Hmm!

Why do I go to church on Sunday, and forget everything I heard on Monday. Why do I sing “My Life to Him I Give,” and never in my daily walk for Him do I live….. True they are only words from a poem, but they have a degree of truth to them. When we look at the world around us there is often little, if any, difference between them and us. It’s honestly hard to tell if someone belongs to Christ. And no, God doesn’t expect us to go around wearing clothing emblazoned with ‘Jesus’ on it – it’s our actions and conversation that should speak loudly to others who we are, and to WHOM we belong. If people are truly searching for Jesus, they should be able to see him living in us.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him, when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.” – Mark 8:38

Don't Even Start

Once you open the floodgates, you cannot tell the water where to run. – T. Sowell

Yes, Job's friends were miserable comforters indeed, but he did invite them over. Hmm!

When the levees gave way some years ago in New Orleans, the only thing left to do was assess the damage afterwards. It was much more damage than expected or estimated. So it is when we decide to engage our enemy - Satan. So often, when Satan comes our way with his calling card many of us will hold a debate with him. This is wrong and plays right into his hands, just ask Eve. The implications of one sinful encounter are enormous and impact far more people than you will ever imagine. Satan will always take us further than we want to go, stay longer than our invitation, and cost us more than we ever anticipated. As the day unfolds may we be wise and practice much self-control.

Until Monday…..

Pastor Botts   “Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil.” – I Thessalonians 5:21-22

God O'Clock

Maintaining a complicated life is a great way to avoid changing it - NOT! – E. St. James

The Pharisees were proud of their traditions, rituals, and aided-law ways that set them apart. Jesus called them EMPTY TOMBS! Hmm.

Back in the creation account God gave man dominion over all the earth and a helpmate too. They ruled over it all and had plenty of time to walk and talk with God in the Garden each day. Believe it or not, God is searching for the same type of relationship with us today. If He took care of sin through Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection shouldn’t the scales tip heavily in his favor instead of towards all the gadgetry, entertainment, and busyness that consumes us? Let us not get so busy that we too become empty tombs! Remember, it was never left to us to HAVE it all or to DO it all.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“The Lord answered, [Martha] ‘you are worried and upset by many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.’” – Luke 10:41-42

Scare Tactics

SATAN: the enemy of Christ who wants to scare the HEAVEN out of you! - Anon

Goliath relied on his size to taunt and frustrate the Israelites. But then a little scrawny kid 'rocked' him to sleep. OUCH!

Growing up there were certain 'invented' individuals that evoked fear in us as children (bogeyman, closet monsters, etc.) that we eventually outgrew. Then there were certain real creatures that evoked fear in us as well (spiders, snakes, hornets, etc.) that we learned to control or stay away from. What's amazing is that in our Christian walk we know we have an enemy who's after our souls and uses scare tactics that seem to intrigue and interest us so much we fail to see what he's up to and where he's leading us. We must realize that he really has no power over us unless we invite him by lowering our guards (no prayer/study/meditation/fellowship), or by lowering our standards (respectable sins?).  Like David, we must see beyond what is immediately in front of us, to the God who is always with us and for us. Not only is the road to hell paved with good intentions, but the way to heaven requires sacrifices.

Until Monday......

Pastor Botts

"Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith...." - I Peter 5:8-9

Fix your eyes...

I try to avoid looking forward or backward, and try to keep looking upward. – C. Bronte

God was a ‘cloud’ by day and a ‘pillar’ of fire by night leading the Israelites. He’s still looking for a few good folks to lead today. Hmm!

As anyone who has ever been on a guided tour knows, you always keep your eyes and ears on the Tour Guide. They know the way, what’s important along the way, how much time should be spent at a station and so on…to lose sight of them is to risk getting lost, getting in trouble, or missing out on the tour’s main offering. Life is very similar to this as we journey each day. To keep looking back is to live with the shame, regrets, pain, and heartache of the past, which drastically lessens our hope and encouragement that things will get better. To keep looking into the future is to run the danger of moving beyond God’s stride and direction, running ahead of His plans and purposes and ending up unfulfilled. That’s why it’s imperative that we keep our focus on God, walk at His pace, never letting go of His hand. He will allow us to take time and enjoy His creation, but also ensure we never get lost, never have need to fear, and never linger longer than necessary at any point.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“…..Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith….” – Hebrews 12:2

Sin. Always out of fashion.

Fallacies do not cease to be fallacies just because they become fashions. – G.K. Chesterton

The idolatry practiced by their neighbors looked like fun and good times to the Israelites, but God thought otherwise. Ouch!

Fads. New wave. Cutting edge. Avant Garde. Lifestyles, etc.  Call it what you will, but we now live in a society where it is fully acceptable to find new ways to lower morality and shun any personal responsibility, or acknowledge Almighty God. Everybody has turned to his own way. Even we as Christians if we’re not careful can get easily tangled up in the worldly offerings (media, leisure, clothing, idols, affirmations, etc.). But no matter what society calls it or how society sells it, before God it is still SIN, period! Don’t just do it, do it righteously.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“Do not put out the Spirit’s fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil.” – I Thessalonians 5:19-22