Boldly Go...

If we lack the courage to start, we are finished already. – Richard Murray

From the moment He came to earth in a manger, Jesus knew a ‘cross’ loomed large in His future. He set His face to go that way. Hmm!

It’s a simple truth but vastly misunderstood: “to get results you have to actually be doing something,” you can’t just sit there. God never said life would always be pleasant and pain free, but He did promise to walk with us every step of the way and make it bearable for us. And that’s the key, we have to take or make that first step. It’s the hardest thing in the world to do at times; particularly when uncertainty, doubt, fear, or apprehension cloud our thinking. Yes it’s tough to live with the weight of cancer, foreclosure, divorce, etc.; as these are sometimes the issues in our life, but they should not stop us in our walk of faith. God is a rewarder of those who have courage to live by faith, trusting Him to bring about the end results. The good thing we know is in the end it will be for our good and His glory.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“…No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” – Luke 9:62

Looking Beyond Fear

Courage doesn't mean you don't get afraid. Courage means you don't let fear stop you! - Anon

After being beaten and imprisoned for 'preaching' Jesus, Paul and Silas just sang out loud about Him. AMEN!

FEAR! It can cripple the best of us. Stop us dead in our tracks. Make us pull back. Why? The answer lies with us. So often we look at our own mortality, our own status/position, our own possessions, etc., things we'd rather not lose. Notice the emphasis on 'our own'. That's self-centered thinking. Courage requires us to look beyond ourselves and see the greater good. Perhaps that's why there at about 366 verses in the bible that tell us in various ways "not to fear." That's a verse for each day of the year, including leap years. God wants us to focus our faith on Him, put our trust in Him, and when He truly becomes the center of all that we are, He drives out fear and replaces it with peace. And that seems like a great trade-off to me.

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

"You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world." - I John 4:4

Faith to Get Back Up

It’s not whether you get knocked down, it’s whether you have the courage to get back up. – Vince Lombardi

Joseph was sold into slavery by his own brothers and later thrown into prison by his owner, yet Pharaoh made him 2nd in command to all of Egypt. WOW!

Contrary to popular belief the object of football is not just to knock your opponent down but to score. But the action of the game does make a good analogy to life. We spend our life in the pursuit of fruitful things, worthwhile goals, etc. But in our everyday living there will be some big hits, painful blows that knock us down, put us in a daze even. Personal and spiritual attacks from within and without, job issues, health matters just to name a few. But if we really have the faith we profess we’ll be able to pick ourselves up and go on no matter what. Today will give ample opportunity for progress.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.” – II Corinthians 4:8-9

Stay Courageous

He who loses wealth loses much, he who loses a friend loses more, but he who loses his courage loses all. – Miguel de Cervantes

Of all the things Judas lost on that fateful night, his courage to seek a forgiving Christ cost him most. Ouch!

Often we don’t want to face the trials God puts before us, meet the challenges His church requires of us, or step out on faith as His word tells us, but we must. For it is in going through the circumstances of life we grow our faith and our courage for the next battle. We need remember, Satan’s best and most used tool is “discouragement,” and he keeps it at the ready. And he doesn't use it in big 'doses' but little by little, in very subtle ways, so that it begins to wear us down and lead us to apathy. So we must pray that the Spirit will empower us for today, for the challenges, they are a'comin.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith, be men of courage; be strong. Do everything in love.” – I Corinthians 16:13-14

The Courage to Try

It takes as much courage to have tried and failed as it does to have tried and succeeded. - A. Lindbergh

Jonathan against a garrison, David against Goliath. The odds were against them but at a minimum they were willing to step up. God did the rest. Hmm!

We admire them from afar. Those who seem to get the big jobs done. The mountain movers, earth shakers, trend-setters and so forth. They write books, develop apps, shift cultural views, start movements - and we admire them for it, sometimes even give them a royalty like status. But in truth, they are people just like us, who just had enough courage to live by their convictions. A home run hitter in baseball often strikes out. The basketball superstar often misses shots. But the common characteristic of both is they are willing to try day after day no matter what - for that's what made them who they are. The enemy doesn't want us to overcome and be successful so he tries to stop us (discouragement, fear, anxiety, etc.) before we get started. The saying "little is much when we place it in God's hands" doesn't only refer to money. So today would be a great day to step up.

Until tomorrow.....

Pastor Botts

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. do not be terrified, do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." - Joshua 1:9

Living the Full Life

Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s faith or courage. – Anais Nin

Joseph went from slave to prisoner to second in command of all Egypt because of his faith. WOW!

Many people mistake living life in the ‘fast lane’ – doing all sorts of reckless stunts or endeavors – as living life to the fullest. They are not the same. Living life to the fullest is about exercising faith in God or the courage to trust God to extend us beyond our normal ranges of comfort or complacency for OUR benefit. From beginning to end life is a journey, one God truly wants us to enjoy, not recklessly; but with an ever increasing awareness of His presence and His creativity. After all, He made all this for us that we might come to know Him fully.

Until tomorrow….

Pastor Botts

“I have come that they might have life, and have it to the full.” – John 10:10

What it SHOULD Be

History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, however, if faced with courage it need not be lived again. – Maya Angelou

The Israelites remind us in the book of Judges that history does repeat itself, until you try a different way. They finally did. AMEN!

Often, we drift off in our minds to former times in our life wishing we knew then what we know now. Oh the changes we would have made, how much better off we would be, how life would be so much different. It’s good sometimes to be nostalgic, but life was meant for living forward, not looking backward. Living in cycles of despair, depression, or sadness is not God’s plan for us. The truth of the matter is God has graced us to know what we know now, that we may live a better today and tomorrow. Ours is not to wish what might’ve been, but to make life ‘what it should be,’ for God and His glory. The choice to break free is ours.

Until Monday…..

Pastor Botts

“Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 3:13-14

Today's scripture reading: Proverbs 3

Today's scripture question: What makes verses 5-6 stand out so much that they are so often 'quoted"?

Get up!

It’s not whether you get knocked down, it’s whether you have the courage to get back up. – Vince Lombardi

Joseph was sold into slavery by his own brothers and later thrown into prison by his owner, yet Pharaoh made him 2nd in command to all of Egypt. WOW!

Contrary to popular belief the object of football is not just to knock your opponent down but to score. But the action of the game does make a good analogy to life. We spend our life in the pursuit of fruitful things, worthwhile goals, etc. But in our everyday living there will be some big hits, painful blows that knock us down, put us in a daze even. Personal and spiritual attacks from within and without, job issues, health matters just to name a few. But if we really have the faith we profess we’ll be able to pick ourselves up and go on no matter what. Today will give ample opportunity for progress.

Until tomorrow……...

Pastor Botts

“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.” – II Corinthians 4:8-9

Just Get It Started

If we lack the courage to start, we are finished already. – R. Murray

From the moment He came to earth in a manger, Jesus knew a ‘cross’ loomed large in His future. He set His face to go that way. Hmm!

It’s a simple truth but vastly misunderstood: “to get results you have to actually be doing something,” you can’t just sit there.  God never said life would always be pleasant and pain free, but He did promise to walk with us every step of the way and make it bearable for us. And that’s the key, we have to take or make that first step. It’s the hardest thing in the world to do at times; particularly when uncertainty, doubt, fear, or apprehension cloud our thinking. Yes it’s tough to live with the weight of cancer, foreclosure, divorce, etc.; as these are sometimes the issues in our life, but they should not stop us in our walk of faith. God is a rewarder of those who have courage to live by faith, trusting Him to bring about the end results. The good thing we know is in the end it will be for our good and His glory.

Until tomorrow….

Pastor Botts

“…No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” – Luke 9:62

Face It

He who loses wealth loses much, he who loses a friend loses more, but he who loses his courage loses all. – M. de Cervantes

Of all the things Judas lost on that fateful night, his courage to seek a forgiving Christ cost him most. Ouch!

Often we don’t want to face the trials God puts before us, meet the challenges His church requires of us, or step out on faith as His word tells us, but we must. For it is in going through the circumstances of life we grow our faith and our courage for the next battle. We need remember, Satan’s best and most used tool is “discouragement,” and he keeps it at the ready. So we must pray that the Spirit will empower us for today, for the challenges, they are a'comin.

Until tomorrow……

Pastor Botts

“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith, be men of courage; be strong. Do everything in love.” – I Corinthians 16:13-14

Let's Begin Then

The one thing more powerful than the will to win, is the courage to begin. – Anon

Abram left his father’s house, his people, and his land to go to a place he knew not where. But the key fact is he went. AMEN!

As adults most of us know how to walk. We just put one foot in front of the other, and we find we can get almost anywhere. But if we were to think back to our infancy we would realize it took a lot of courage then to do what we do naturally now. The fact is that because we wanted to, we did it. Well, we still have wants. We want the best, we want to win, we want to be successful, we want to be loved. None of these desires are wrong, but we must realize that they are just desires or wants. They are obtainable but only if we go after them. Wanting them to happen doesn’t make it so, we must actually begin the journey to make it happen. The same is true in our walk with God. It takes great courage to believe Him unswervingly, follow Him unquestioningly, and serve Him faithfully. It is a lifelong journey but it still begins with the first step everyday. It’s up to us.

Until Monday…….

Pastor Botts

“I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.” – Philippians 1:20

Faith Does It

Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s faith or courage. – A. Nin

Joseph went from slave to prisoner to second in command of all Egypt because of his faith. WOW!

Many people mistake living life in the ‘fast lane’ – doing all sorts of reckless stunts or endeavors – as living life to the fullest. They are not the same. Living life to the fullest is about exercising faith in God or the courage to trust God to extend us beyond our normal ranges of comfort or complacency for OUR benefit. From beginning to end life is a journey, one God truly wants us to enjoy, not recklessly; but with an ever increasing awareness of His presence and His creativity. After all, He made all this for us that we might come to know Him fully.

Until tomorrow….

Pastor Botts

“I have come that they might have life, and have it to the full.” – John 10:10

Forward Thinking

History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, however, if faced with courage, it need not be lived again. – Maya Angelou

The Israelites remind us in the book of Judges that history does repeat itself, until you try a different way. They finally did. AMEN!

Often, we drift off in our minds to former times in our life wishing we knew then what we know now. Oh the changes we would have made, how much better off we would be, how life would be so much different. It’s good sometimes to be nostalgic, but life was meant for living forward, not looking backward. Living in cycles of despair, depression, or sadness is not God’s plan for us. The truth of the matter is God has graced us to know what we know now, that we may live a better today and tomorrow. Ours is not to wish what might’ve been, but to make life ‘what it should be,’ for God and His glory. The choice to break free is ours.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14