Let His Beauty Shine Through

Beauty IS in the eye of the beholder! – Anon

To those with a pure heart the CROSS is a thing of beauty. AMEN!

Mirrors, Ugh! How we often try to avoid them. They seem to show all our flaws. The pimples, scars, years of aging. The gray hairs, receding hairline, tired eyes. And no matter how much we try to keep our shape, physique, beauty (exercise or otherwise( the mirror has something to point out that we worry about. But thankfully God cares nothing about the mirror image. He looks on the heart, and He looks through the blood of His perfect Son that cleanses us. What He sees is pure beauty, and what He blesses us with each day is to help make that beauty even more inspiring. So friend, let us let that ‘light shine.’

Until Monday…

Pastor Botts

“God saw all that He had made, and it was VERY good…” – Genesis 1:31

The Cherished Friend

I value the friend who for me finds time on his calendar, but I cherish the friend who for me does not even consult his calendar. – R. Brault

Jesus stayed and talked with the two on the Emmaus Road until they finally saw the 'light'. Hmm!

The numbers bear out a startling truth. The more we are connected socially in this wireless, WiFi society the more we disconnected physically. It seems more and more we’re all trying to find time to do it all and have it all. And what often happens is we wind up with sometimes shallow conversations and face time fellowship with the ONES who supposedly love us most, because the gadgets never leave our hand or our side and certainly not our attention. It's the same with Christ, the ONE who loves us more than anything, we've somewhat relegated Him to the electronic device, and without it we can't seem to function. Maybe it's time we took a closer look at HIS example of friendship where no boundaries or interruptions exist, and HE sits just waiting for US to come. I pray we'll become HIS 'cherished' friend.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

"..........that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple...." - Psalm 27:4

In the Stillness of This Hour...

Silence is the sleep that nourishes wisdom - Francis Bacon

King Saul sought the witch of Endor and still got horrible news. Hmm!

Tea leaves! Tarot cards! Horoscopes! Cloud formations! When stretched thin and desperate, folks often resort to all kinds of ways and mediums to try and get a word of wisdom or insight on what the gods or God might be up to in their life. But sometimes silence and stillness is our best option. Sometimes silence is the clearest language possible. "Be still, and know that I am God", carries a lot of weight, power, and oftentimes many of the answers or wisdom we seek. Though we now live in a fast-paced, answer at your fingertips world, we need be reminded - God never set this pace nor is He obligated to operate at our speed. Stillness before Him pays big dividends.

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

"One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple." - Psalm 27:4

Perceiving the Potential

Where we see a block of cement a sculptor sees a work of beauty to unveil. - Anon

The disciples saw nothing good or worthwhile in Paul until Barnabas put him under the light of Christ. Hmm!

There is one profound truth we must all accept: the truth that God loves us more than we love ourselves. Being made in His image, He always sees the 'true' person we can become. He works in our lives through trials to strengthen our faith and trust in Him, struggles to help us fix our focus and dependence on Him, and oppositions to help us realize no one is greater than Him. He allows sickness and pain to remind us He is a healer and comforter, and even allows us to face sorrow/grief to remind us He is greater than death. The reason for all this is He sees in us the same 'character' traits that were in His Son Jesus, and He wants to perfect them in us. Why? That we may be like Jesus and help 'turn' others to Him to be saved. In this New Year, let's not waste any opportunities, let's remember that no matter what is happening in and around us God is at His work, because He knows us and loves us more than we love ourselves.

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

"Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners - of whom I am the worst." - I Timothy 1:15

Days of Future Beauty

Everything has its beauty, but not everyone sees it. – Richard Murray

Through a ‘harsh’ vision God let Peter know that Gentiles were just as acceptable as the Jews were in His sight. Hmm!

“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder!” How true, but how misapplied. We give the right to determine what is beautiful to imperfect individuals like ourselves. It was God actually, who created everything and called it “good,” (beautiful) the highest honor that could be bestowed upon the creation. And everyone created in His image is still beautiful to Him. He sees us very differently than we do ourselves. And though He loves us just as we are right now, His perfect love will not allow us to remain this way forever, for He sees a far more glorious person in us than we could ever imagine, and He will work to bring it about. Our lot is just to admire His handiwork in ourselves and others around us. So, in truth there really are no ugly ducklings.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“…He has made everything beautiful in its time…” – Ecclesiastes 3:11

Seeing the Beauty

Beauty winks back at us each day! - Anon

Even seeing us at our worst, God still took on the form of a human to redeem us. Hmm!

Donna Karan! Louis Vuitton! Georgiou! We prize and admire these icons of fashion and beauty and others like them for their designs. Such talent and God-given ability to create. But yet, in all they do it still cannot compare to the creativity and beauty of what God has done. Jesus himself even goes so far to say "Solomon in all his splendor" could not compare to the natural beauty God made. Everything God made was good and beautiful, and that includes you and me. The things around us, or the clothes/accessories we adorn ourselves with may 'add' to the beauty, but unless we see ourselves as God's most prized and beautiful creation, we have a somewhat warped sense of what true beauty is. Made in His Image - now that's a picture of perfect design and beauty. May we see it and express it to others.

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

"He has made everything beautiful in its time....." - Ecclesiastes 3:11

Life Patches

Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it. - Confucius

Joseph's adventurous life was many times more colorful than the coat his father gave him. Amen!

Quilting is the art of taking 'patches' of fabric from various sources and blending them together for a finished product, usually a blanket, bedspread, or throw. Most quilters take patches of fabric from memorable/meaningful items (favorite old shirt/sweater, apron, couch/chair, etc.) and blend them together for a memorial that keeps them warm and brings comforting thoughts. Thinking along these lines if you were to view your life as a quilt, who/what might be some of the patches? Would any one patch be more meaningful than another? Would you be upset if someone had a few of the same patches? No matter - hopefully the patches that make us who we are allow us to joyfully give thanks to God for what He is doing in our lives.

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

"He has made everything beautiful in its time....." - Ecclesiastes 3:11

An Invitation to Love

You can't tell someone they love you! - Movie quote

Three times a year in addition to 'sabbath keeping' the people assembled before God. Hmm!

Though we are not commanded by 'the law' as the Israelites were to keep certain ordinances, feast days, etc., have you ever stopped to consider or wonder why God commanded them to observe it in the first place? What was He after? Certainly not forced religious activity or vain worship. No, the issue was obedience. Would the people willingly obey and 'openly' come to give thanks and praise to the Creator. It was an invitation to love God. And though it's not a command for us now, I don't think we've changed physiologically to where we don't need such opportunities to show our love to God just like our ancestors. Our growing faith and love for God should always be seeking more 'face time' in His presence, beyond the normal Sunday meeting. Hopefully you've got some plans for this.

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

"...One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple." - Psalm 27:4

The Master Artist

The beauty of God may be copied but never fully captured. - Anon

I imagine Moses' 'glimpse' into the Promised Land was a vision he couldn't forget or even tell the people about. Hmm!

It happens with every I-Phone upgrade. More camera lenses to try and help you maximize your pictures or video. Thinking on this makes me realize a truth of God. The beauty we see through the lens -no matter the magnification level - can never be translated to the finished product. No one makes a sunrise/sunset like God, no one captures a spontaneous smile/smirk like God, it's always there in the moment. Our photos or videos are great but in truth they lose a little of the 'oomph' factor. God is the master artist, who continually designs those moments we try to capture forever reminding us of His presence. And when we stop and notice it as such He is well pleased. So whether it's an April shower, June gloom, or snowy winter day his glory is still awesome.

Until Monday...

Pastor Botts

"What is the way to the abode of light? And where does darkness reside? Can you take them to their places? Do you know the paths to their dwellings?" - Job 38:19-20

A Beautiful Example or A Tragic Warning

If you can’t be a good example, then you'll just have to be a horrible warning. – C. Aird

Noah, Moses, Job, David, Peter, the Babylonians, Assyrians, Canaanites. God used them all: some He saved, some He didn’t save. Hmm!

It is said that “beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” meaning its left open to the interpretation of the individual. What one may consider beautiful, magnificent, or breath-taking; someone else may find hideous and gross. Though the statement holds a lot of truth, the bottom line is that most if not all folks would rather fall on the side of beauty – something to behold and appreciate; and we’re no different. And if we think it through this is exactly what our lives are about. We are either being molded into something of beauty for God that others can appreciate and model or we’re becoming an ‘icon of poison’ for others to see and avoid. And since there is really no such thing as an ‘unfulfilled life’ the question we need be asking ourselves is on which end of the spectrum are we treading?

Until Monday…..

Pastor Botts

“These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us….. So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!” – I Corinthians 10:11-12 

Beauty in Difficulty

A pearl is a beautiful thing produced by an injured, interrupted life. – S. Hoeller

Nathanael thought nothing good could ever come out of Nazareth. Boy was he ever wrong. Hmm!

Truth be known most of us want a simple care-free, stress-free, painless life. We want everything to go our way, on our schedule, and yield to our will. And we seek out ways and people to make this happen. Thankfully, God loves us too much to allow life to happen according to our whims and desires. He is working in us and through us to produce something far more beautiful than we could ever imagine on our own. The key for us is to not grow frustrated with His ‘interruptions’ or feel inferior because of the heartaches and setbacks. Just as the oyster coats the ‘injury’ with its tears to produce its gem, we too can always recover and produce a meaningful, inspiring offering to God. Why not start this weekend.

Until Monday…..

Pastor Botts

“That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” – II Corinthians 12:10

P.S. - Hope you can make it for our Sunday Devotional at 9AM. We'll discuss 'financial' health. 

Breath Taking Views

The things that take our breath away were created by the One who gave it. - L. Fasking

God used and earthquake, fire, and a mighty wind to get Elijah's attention so that he could hear Him whisper. WOW!

A double or triple rainbow. The Northern Lights, the Grand Canyon, or Petrified Forest. The very 1st cry of a newborn baby. We can all think of instances or moments in life that took our 'breath away.' Those times when we realized the overwhelming grandeur of all that was happening and the fact there had to be a grand designer behind it all. When we consider all of God's creation, and the intellect required to design so vast a highly interrelated universe, and the power and strength needed to carve out and create such beauty; then we can understand why 'day after day and night after night' the Heavens declare His glory. So should we. Why not start today!

Until tomorrow......

Pastor Botts

".....All you have made will praise you, O Lord; your saints will extol you." - Psalm 145:10

Beauty Time

Everything has its beauty, but not everyone sees it. – Richard Murray

Through a ‘harsh’ vision God let Peter know that Gentiles were just as acceptable as the Jews were in His sight. Hmm!

“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder!” How true, but how misapplied. We give the right to determine what is beautiful to imperfect individuals like ourselves. It was God actually, who created everything and called it “good,” (beautiful) the highest honor that could be bestowed upon the creation. And everyone created in His image is still beautiful to Him. He sees us very differently than we do ourselves. And though he loves us just as we are right now, His perfect love will not allow us to remain this way forever, for He sees a far more glorious person in us than we could ever imagine, and He will work to bring it about. Our lot is just to admire His handiwork in ourselves and others around us. So in truth there really are no ugly ducklings.

Until tomorrow….

Pastor Botts

“…He has made everything beautiful in its time…” – Ecclesiastes 3:11

Shine the Light!

You are the light of the world, but the switch must be turned on. - A.A. Lewis

When God blessed Solomon with the 'spirit of wisdom' people travelled far and wide just to hear him speak. WOW!

The bible tells us that when it came to looks and appearance Jesus had nothing that would really draw you in. But yet the people thronged to Him, went out of their way to get a glimpse of Him. What did He possess that made this so - RADIANCE! It is true that beauty is only skin deep, but radiance is a completely different matter. Physical beauty is observed with our eyes, but radiance is recognized with our spirit. Just think of how many people you know personally, who the moment you see them or even just hear their voice it lifts your spirits, renews your hope. That's what Jesus possessed. And the great thing is God wants that same radiance to come from us. He did not create us just to be seen from the outside. He created us to be a 'jar of clay' for His radiance to seep through, that people may see, hear, and experience Him and have their spirit lifted. So as you look around yourself today, how's that working out?

Until tomorrow......

Pastor Botts

"For God......made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all surpassing power is from God and not from us." - II Corinthians 4:6-7

No Ugly Ducklings

Everything has its beauty, but not everyone sees it. – R. Murray

Through a ‘harsh’ vision God let Peter know that Gentiles were just as acceptable as the Jews were in His sight. Hmm!

“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder!” How true, but how misapplied. We give the right to determine what is beautiful to imperfect individuals like ourselves. It was God actually, who created everything and called it “good,” (beautiful) the highest honor that could be bestowed upon the creation. And everyone created in His image is still beautiful to Him. He sees us very differently than we do ourselves. And though He loves us just as we are right now, His perfect love will not allow us to remain this way forever, for He sees a far more glorious person in us than we could ever imagine, and He will work to bring it about. Our lot is just to admire His handiwork in ourselves and others around us. So in truth there really are no ugly ducklings.

Until Monday….

Pastor Botts

“…He has made everything beautiful in its time…” – Ecclesiastes 3:11

Growing Into...

If man is not rising upwards to be like an angel, he is sinking downwards to be a devil. – S.T. Coleridge

Near the end of his ministry Jesus told his disciples one of them was a devil. And each one had to give it some deep thought. HMMM!

Family reunions are great times to catch-up on old times and bring one another up to date. Often you’ll eventually hear the phrase “you haven’t changed one bit.” But to say we are the same person today as we were 5 -10 years ago is to say we have wasted a great deal of God’s time. There should be some definite growth in the life we live and the way we view the world. And done in accordance with God’s plan our growth will create a desire for even greater growth and closeness to God. God is testing us in this life to ensure our eternal desire is for Him alone, for if we don’t love to praise Him in all things here, heaven is not for us.

Until tomorrow……

Pastor Botts

“One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.” – Psalm 27:4

Desire to Know

Learning comes not from having books, writings, or even teachers; but the DESIRE within to know. – Anon

God chose many of His servants not based on what they knew, but WHO they pursued. AMEN!

Pre-school! High School! Colleges, universities, the ‘school of hard knocks.’ All avenues of education, life preparation, and social maturation. Each student has access to all they need to learn, but yet teachers still use grades such as A,B,C… to show their progress, which in truth is a measure of the student’s desire to actually know and understand. Similarly, in our Christian lives we have the same equal access to the bible, spiritual teachers/mentors, and fellowship with other Christians, to help us grow in the faith. And we see the same results, not all of us pursue spiritual growth with the same passion or desire. God is calling us into a relationship to ‘know Him’ not just know about Him. And as gracious as He is, He won’t be using a grading scale like our earthly teachers.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“…One thing I ask of the Lord. This is what I seek; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple.” – Psalm 27:4

Eyes of Faith

Some things have to be believed to be seen. – A. Hodgson

Noah had never seen rain in his life, but that didn’t stop him from building the ark. It came in handy later on. WOW!

We readily “ooh” and “aah” and applaud thunderously at magicians with their sleight of hand, smoke and mirrors, and trick angle presentations to amuse us, though we know its trickery. But everyday God presents an incomparable array of natural beauty, windows of great opportunity, and unconditional love; yet He barely gets a raised eyebrow from most. We often miss it because of our self-centered focus. God does reward those who truly seek after Him, for it is only through the eyes of faith that we can actually see Him at work, and when we do it is a most beautiful sight. If we’ve been missing God, it’s not because He’s not there, it’s because we have too much glare (distractions) in our lives. Maybe we need to put on the sunglasses of faith to see a bit more clearly.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice….Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death.” – Hebrews 11:17,19

A Good Example?

If you can’t be a good example, then you'll just have to be a horrible warning. – C. Aird

Noah, Moses, Job, David, Peter, the Babylonians, Assyrians, Canaanites. God used them all: some He saved, some He didn’t save. Hmm!

It is said that “beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” meaning its left open to the interpretation of the individual. What one may consider beautiful, magnificent, or breath-taking; someone else may find hideous and gross. Though the statement holds a lot of truth, the bottom line is that most if not all folks would rather fall on the side of beauty – something to behold and appreciate; and we’re no different. And if we think it through this is exactly what our lives are about. We are either being molded into something of beauty for God that others can appreciate and model or we’re becoming an ‘icon of poison’ for others to see and avoid. And since there is really no such thing as an ‘unfulfilled life’ the question we need be asking ourselves is on which end of the spectrum are we treading?

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us…..So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!” – I Corinthians 10:11-12