Bloom Where You are

'Thrive' - Kaiser Permanente Healthcare slogan

Joseph. Daniel. A couple of men whose lives were lived in harsh conditions, but yet they thrived. Hmm!

If you've ever watched a few of the National Geographic or Planet Earth shows you'll notice they show the beauty of nature under some of the harshest conditions. Plants, trees, ponds, etc., that get watered sporadically, maybe once a year. But boy, when they get it they thrive - all of life in all its beauty and activity burst out. The saying is 'bloom where you are'! For possibly all of us, life isn't quite what we envisioned or expected in certain areas (job, marriage/singlehood, health, finances, etc.) but be that as it may, God's grace, mercy, and compassions are NEW every day, so we should still be full of life and hope, a display of God's beauty for all to see. May we be more attracting than distracting to the kingdom today.

Until Monday...

Pastor Botts

"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." - I Thessalonians 5:16-18

Opportunities Abound

We are all continually faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as insoluble problems. – J. W. Gardner

Moses, as leader of the Israelites, is the prime example of developing faith on the job. AMEN!

The internet. A great tool of invention that opens us up to a host of opportunities to communicate, research, do media, and even do commerce. However, it is also a tool fraught with pitfalls and danger. It requires a little work to “surf” the web successfully. Similarly, every day and moment God grants us is an opportunity to bring glory to Him. Every individual we meet is an opportunity to share Christ’s love with them. Yes, opportunities abound, but like the internet they require a little effort or “work” to be beneficial. That’s how we grow.

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

"But I will stay on at Ephesus until Pentecost, because a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me.” – I Corinthians 16:8-9

The Secret to Being...

Recipe for contentment: Remember the day’s blessings, quickly forget the day’s troubles. – Anon

The apostle Paul said he ‘knew’ the secret to being content in all things. It was his new attitude in Christ. Hmm!

We spend a great deal of our time, resources, and efforts chasing after the seemingly elusive ‘zone of peace.’ The bible does tell us to seek peace and pursue it, but it never said it was in the things made by man. The only true peace comes from being rightly related to God and not straining or taking the relationship for granted. Since we alone choose what to allow our hearts and minds to dwell on, in Christ; contentment, peace, and happiness are just a mindset away. As the day unfolds what it cooks up will be up to us.

Until Monday…

Pastor Botts

"I will bless the Lord at all times, his praise shall continually be on my lips...." - Psalm 34:1

Living Faith Takes Practice

'Ability' is commonly found in people who continually tried to do something a little better! – Anon

Joseph, Samuel, David, Paul. They all did great things simply because they put their mind and heart to it, and God honored them for it. AMEN!

We admire it in others. We wish it for ourselves. We wonder how someone could be so good or ‘gifted’ at it? And the answer is so simple – PRACTICE! You get good at what you practice, and the more you practice the better you get. Ability is honed or sharpened over time usually through disciplined practice. The problem is most people love to perform but hate to practice, even us as God’s children. We say we want to live holy, righteous lives but we rarely ‘practice’ the things that would bring it about. We keep our same routines, same friends, music, entertainment, recreational acts, and wonder why we can’t do what we admire in others. Living faith takes practice. We all have the ability within us to be whatever we want to be. The choice to do so is ours.

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall because it had its foundation on the rock,” – Matthew 7:24-25

This is the Day to Rejoice!

The best years in life are those between birth and death. – Anon

Through good times and a lot of suffering, Jesus made the most out of his life here on earth so at the last he could profoundly say “It is finished.” WOW!

Complain, complain, complain! Sometimes it seems it’s all we can do or it’s all we hear from others. It almost makes one think life is not worth the living no matter what age one reaches. But in truth, it really doesn’t matter how young or old one is the best time of life is right now. No matter the circumstances, good or bad, up or down, sickness or health, the joy or misery that comes out of them will be directly proportional to the effort and attitude we attack them with. True we may not like our station in life right now but God still expects us to ‘rejoice’ in it, meaning we can look for the lessons and inspiration He would have us learn from it. Today is a great gift just full of blessings and benefits if we know how to approach it. The choice is ours and ours alone.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” – I Thessalonians 5:16-18

Seeing the Hidden Opportunities

We are all continually faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as unsolvable problems. – J. W. Gardner

Moses as leader of the Israelites, is the prime example of developing faith on the job. AMEN!

The internet. A great tool of invention that opens us up to a host of opportunities to communicate, research, do media, and even do commerce. However, it is also a tool fraught with pitfalls and danger. It requires a little work to “surf” the web successfully. Similarly, every day and moment God grants us is an opportunity to bring glory to Him. Every individual we meet is an opportunity to share Christ’s love with them. Yes, opportunities abound, but like the internet they require a little effort or “work” to be beneficial. That’s how we grow.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“But I will stay on at Ephesus until Pentecost, because a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me.” – I Corinthians 16:8-9

Just Worship

"Praise is who I am, I will praise Him while I can....." - song refrain

After being beaten and cast into prison all Paul & Silas could do was - PRAISE. Hmm!

Have you ever considered Job's resumè? What made God give him such rave reviews in the presence of Satan..."have you considered my servant Job..." He often offered sacrifices for his children 'just in case' they sinned. And then, on what has to be the worst day of his life, where he lost everything, he grieved AND then worshiped God. No finger-pointing, no plots of revenge, or even self-pity. Just worship. Maybe there's a lesson for us here. Maybe instead of anger, bitterness, outrage, or self-absorption in some of our worst moments, we just stop and praise/worship God. It could make life a bit easier to bear, reduce the heartache, and bring the hope we have back into clear view. God is still in the restoration business, and just as He restored Job, I know and believe the 'plans' He has for us are far better than what we presently see. So whatever the struggles of life might be right now, let's put praise at the top of each day.

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

"I will bless the Lord at all times, His praise shall continually be on my lips...." - Psalm 34:1

Do YOU Care?

No one else has to care, so long as you do! – Anon

God had an adjective for the Samaritan who helped his prejudiced neighbor in need. I think it was “GOOD.”

Let’s face it. If we’re not careful we often do look around to see what everyone else is doing, and if anyone cares about the things we care for. But God has made each one of us and called us each individually, to do what WE KNOW to be right in His sight. The cross we are to bear daily is for His glory alone. As life comes at you today remember He cares for you and hopes you care for Him.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

"The eyes of the Lord look continually for those who have a heart like him.” – II Chronicles 16:9

Worship: Remembering What's Good With God

"Praise is who I am, I will praise Him while I can...." - William Murphy Shekinah Glory

After being beaten and thrown into prison, all Paul and Silas could do was worship God. And boy was God 'moved'. Amen!

Life does get burdensome at times, and often brings pain and bruises. But don't let what's wrong with you keep you from worshiping what's right with God. So often in our "all about me" way of thinking we forget what worship is all about. Worship is forgetting about what's wrong with you, what's wrong with the world around you, and remembering what is right with God. It's like hitting the refresh key on your computer screen. Worship brings focus where it should be, on God. It brings restoration to the spirit, gives vitality to the heart, renewal to our mind, and strength and encouragement to our very being; reminding us that we are not facing this thing called life alone - God is beside us. Mark Batterson says "worship not only changes the spiritual atmosphere, it RECHARGES those involved." Why, because God is there, and where God is it's never plain and ordinary. God is ready to be moved and move today!

Until tomorrow....

Pastor Botts

"I will bless the Lord at all times.....his praise shall continually be on my lips." - Psalm 34;1

Constant Change

Life is a process of continually becoming, a combination of stages we have to go through. Where people fail is that they wish to elect a state and remain in it. That is death. - Anais Nin

Joseph, Abraham, David, Paul – men who suffered mightily but were changed by it, and helped change the world for God. Hmm!

When we were young we couldn’t wait to grow up. Oh the ideas we had back then on how we would live our life out. And now here we are trying like the dickens to just keep the ‘status quo.’ We say things like “I’m too old to change,” or “I like my life just as it is.” But change we must, for we serve a God who is ever working out his purposes in our lives. And just as nature has its 4 seasons, there are seasons for us as well. We will never be twenty-something again, but thirty, forty, fifty-plus can’t be bad because God has prepared us for it. We cannot truly grasp the present and presence of God unless we let go of the past.

Until tomorrow….

Pastor Botts

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.” – Ecclesiastes 3:1

Inspired by the Work

To be inspired one has to actually be busy. – B. Pile

After the early church prayed and prayed, the power of God came upon them and they were filled with the Spirit and 'acted' with boldness. Hmm!

Often in our lives many of us are like the search lights we see flashing across the night skies, searching for something that is not there. We wait, we procrastinate, we put things off, believing something will happen to inspire us to take action. But inspiration is an additive, not a starter. It aids, lends strength, gives momentum, like the Spirit of God. God is ready to inspire us today, all He needs is our step of faith.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

"We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers. We continually remember before our God and Father, your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” -  I Thessalonians 1:2-3

Make it Known

Silent gratitude isn’t of much use to anyone! – Gertrude Stein

The Pharisees wanted the crowd to stop praising Jesus at the triumphal entry. He replied “if the people were silenced the stones would cry out.” WOW!

The ‘Didache’ community has a saying of “whether receiving or giving, it involves the action of stretching forth one’s hands,” meaning there must be specific intent made. How much moreso then, with an expression of gratitude. If it is not uttered in a timely manner it is wasted and lost forever. We should not take today for granted or the events or people that bless our lives, nor should we assume they know how we feel. We should just tell them. We cannot thank God enough, but we can thank Him!

Until tomorrow…….

Pastor Botts

“I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.” – Psalm 34:1-2 (KJV)

A Little Work For A Great Opportunity

We are all continually faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as insoluble problems. – J. W. Gardner

Moses as leader of the Israelites, is the prime example of developing faith on the job. AMEN!

The internet. A great tool of invention that opens us up to a host of opportunities to communicate, research, do media, and even do commerce. However, it is also a tool fraught with pitfalls and danger. It requires a little work to “surf” the web successfully. Similarly every day and moment God grants us is an opportunity to bring glory to Him. Every individual we meet is an opportunity to share Christ’s love with them. Yes, opportunities abound, but like the internet they require a little effort or “work” to be beneficial. That’s how we grow.

Until Monday……..

Pastor Botts

“But I will stay on at Ephesus until Pentecost, because a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me.” – I Corinthians 16:8-9

P.S. - tickets for our upcoming 'Nite at the Movies' will be $10. Movie time will be approximately 7pm. Please indicate on your communication card this Sunday if you will be attending.