Living With TRUE Faith

Faith is not the belief that God will do what you want, it is the belief that God will do what is right, ALWAYS! - Max Lucado

It took Caleb 40+ years to get his blessing but he kept his faith through all the ups and downs. AMEN!

Most if not all of us have probably been disappointed one time or another in purchasing a product that did not deliver on its promises. We had hoped upon purchase it would do exactly what it said in the advertisement. We had instantaneous faith. Hebrews 11:4 tells us what true faith is: "The substance of things 'hoped for' the evidence of things not yet seen." But if we're being honest here, many of us don't live with that kind of faith. We have instantaneous faith. We want and task God to answer all of our prayers in our lifetimes, visibly, the way we want them answered and exactly when we need them answered. Isaiah prophesied of the coming Messiah and many generations believed He would come in their lifetime. But they died without seeing the promise come to pass yet their faith 'lived on' (Heb. 11:39). Our 'faith' should be in God's perfect plan of redemption - for that's why Jesus came - not so much in our personal pleasures and position. As the bible tells us if we "seek God's kingdom and His righteousness first...." that God will add to us in our lifetime unlimited blessing and favor. Now that's real faith.

Until Monday...

Pastor Botts

"Abraham believed the Lord, and He credited it to him as righteousness." Genesis 15:6

The Lord Will Walk With You

“I'm a success today because I had a friend who believed in me and I didn't have the heart to let him down.” - Abraham Lincoln

Paul considered everything he suffered a ‘momentary’ thing compared to what awaited him in glory. Hmm!

In the ‘Road Less Traveled’ (Scott Peck) the book opens with an ominous but very obvious truth: Life is difficult! And for many of us that is putting it mildly. We not only experience difficulties, we endure tragic accidents and illnesses. We endure family where addictions, habits, emotional and mental issues just seem to expand the dysfunctional nature. It seems our spirit is under attack on a daily basis. We try to live with authenticity, but we know within we’re not bullet-proof or immune to the effects. The one truth we should NEVER forget though is God is with us too! What no calamity can do is devour our faith. Test it – YES, devour it – NEVER! In Christ we are victors not victims. Our battle may not be won today, but it will be won. Life is full of buzzer-beating examples, why not be one of them!

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“The Lord is with me; he is my helper. I will look in triumph on my enemies.” – Psalm 118:7

Personally Known

God has no grandchildren; either you know Him personally or you don't know Him at all. - J. Ray

Hannah dedicated her son Samuel to the faith, but God 'called' him to the ministry. And CALLED he was. WOW!

It's both sad and true, but for many of us going to church is something we do because mom and/or dad dragged us there while we were growing up and now we've become 'accustomed' to it. We have inherited our parents religion and we're comfortable with it. But if we must stand before God one day and give an account of ourselves, it is highly apparent we must know God and what He requires of us apart from our relationship to our parents. In other words we must know God for ourselves. Mother and father can do great things but getting us into heaven is not one of them.

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

"...Yet, to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God." - John 1:12

Sunglasses 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

P.S. - Hello Southside Family. Today is the National Day of Prayer. I'm asking, if you're able, for us to fast and pray until NOON today. Using Luke 18:1 as a guide pray that this world crisis will begin to turn our hearts back to God.

Direct Connect

No one has more access to God than you! – Anon

The friends of the paralytic man cut a hole in the roof, just to put him before Jesus. He was welcomed and healed. WOW!

It’s funny how we sometimes think others have an ‘in’ with God that we don’t, as if there were some secret to it. Upon Jesus’ death on the cross the ‘veil of the temple’ was torn asunder; giving all believers equal access to God. It is true others may be more devoted in their prayer and meditational times with God – but He patiently waits and longs for each one of us to come by and come often. Yes, it’s good, healthy, and scriptural to ask others to pray for you, but God will hear each one of us as if we were the most important person there is. Remember, He shows no partiality!

Until tomorrow……

Pastor Botts

“Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become the children of God.” – John 1:12

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