He's the One That Can Make Us Better

The human race has improved everything, except the human race. – Richard Murray

Rehoboam saw God’s favor in his father Solomon’s reign. One can only wonder why he didn’t follow suit. His ways brought ruin on the people. Hmm!

We constantly live in a world of change. Everything around us and everything we use is always being made over new or improved upon. From what we eat, to what we drive, to what we watch, even to how we serve God. The only problem here is we continually look outward to make improvements and rarely look inward. This is why once the novelty has worn off the 'new' product the same old feelings and thoughts of despair arise. The only way to have true peace and inner joy is to make ourselves 'new' from within. God is in the reclamation and restoration business. He reclaims broken hearts and restores them to better than new when He’s done. If we want to be a better human, we have to defer to the MAKER, not His creation. Today’s a good day to start.

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

“They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator – who is forever praised. Amen.” – Romans 1:25

Created On, With and For

Most people have no idea what to do in their life, yet they want it to last forever. – M. Kennicott

Esther went from a virtual nobody to Queen and relished it. Mordecai had to remind her that maybe God made her “for such a time as this.” Hmmm!

We live in a world where the majority of people do not like what they do for a living. We live in a world where a great number of people have no idea what they will do with an education. And we live in a world where the average person has little hope for a successful future. The common denominator in all of this is that of these groups all of them want life to go on ad infinitum. But we serve a God of purpose, a God of hope, and it is never too late to be what you might’ve been. The bottom line is God did have a purpose in mind when you were created, a character profile He wants to develop in you, one that will live forever. Why not start TODAY!

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” – Ephesians 2:10

Fully Known, Fully Loved

Your individuality should never surpass your identity. - Anon

John the apostle wrote in Revelation about the scene he saw in heaven saying he saw a ‘host of folks that could not be numbered’. Hmm!

Imagine it! 9 billion (with a B) plus living individuals on the earth, not to mention those who have already gone on to glory before us; and each one fully distinguishable by our One True God. Though we were all created in His image, each one of us is fully distinguishable from anyone else ever born to Him. Just as God knows every star by name, because He hung them Himself; He knows each of us even more intimately than we really know ourselves. There is nothing hidden from His sight. And here’s the kicker, He has enough love, mercy, and forgiveness to offer every one of us our needed portion every day in just the way we need it. Maybe today would be a good time to cozy up to Him and ask for some.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made…” Psalm 139:13-14

The Absolute Truth Is Out There

Truth is eternal. Knowledge is changeable. It is disastrous to confuse them. – Anon

After fleeing Egypt the Hebrew people thought they knew enough to go on without God’s man Moses. Twenty-three thousand found out they were wrong! OUCH!

Many years ago the Temptations had a hit single ‘Ball of Confusion,’ lamenting the state of affairs in the world due to man’s thinking he no longer needed the truth, everyone can just do their own thing. Well we have and look where it’s gotten us - CONFUSED. Ask almost anyone and you’ll find that we seem to live in a world where truth is no longer absolute but relative; you make up your own; and what’s true today doesn’t have to be tomorrow. To deny the truth does not mean it doesn’t exist. Methods (ways of doing things) often change, but principles (why we do them) never change. The problem really is not that absolute truth doesn’t exist, but that most people just can’t handle it. Many ways may seem right but in the end lead to destruction.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator – who is forever praised. Amen.” – Romans 1:25

Declare His Glory

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

God's Story Told Through Us

God created man because He loves storytelling. – Elie Wiesel

Moses went to Egypt not only to free the Israelites, but to tell Pharaoh GOD’S STORY! Hmm.

It’s very true that God is for us, but the bigger picture is God is all about being God. He wants every one to know Him for who He is, what He has done, and what He can and will do in their lives, and He uses ordinary people like you and I to tell His story through. Granted our life may not be like Moses’, Esther’s, David’s or even Paul’s, but God has already told His story through them. He wants to now tell it through us. The daily circumstances and situations in our lives only serve to add color to the story. What is more important is that we make sure the mute is off and the sound is properly adjusted that others may hear.

Until tomorrow……

Pastor Botts

“[Jesus said to them]…..’But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth’.” – Acts 1:8

Eternal Purpose Starts Here

Most people have no idea what to do in their life, yet they want it to last forever. – M. Kennicott

Esther went from a virtual nobody to Queen and relished it. Mordecai had to remind her that maybe God made her “for such a time as this.” Hmmm!

We live in a world where the majority of people do not like what they do for a living. We live in a world where a great number of people have no idea what they will do with an education. And we live in a world where the average person has little hope for a successful future. The common denominator in all of this is that of these groups all of them want life to go on ad infinitum. But we serve a God of purpose, a God of hope, and it is never too late to be what you might’ve been. The bottom line is God did have a purpose in mind when you were created, a character profile He wants to develop in you, one that will live forever. Why not start TODAY!

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” – Ephesians 2:10

Don't Hate the Player

You can safely assume that you’ve created God in your own image when it turns out that He hates all the same people you do. – A. LaMott

James and John wanted to call down fire from heaven and destroy the Samaritans because they did not want Jesus in their village. He went to another village – later the Samaritans were saved. AMEN!

"THEM! Oh those people, they make me so mad. How could they even think God loves them?” It’s a statement we often cavalierly or casually make, but it shows what’s in our hearts, how we feel about a certain class of people, “out of the heart the mouth speaks.” Remember, God does not hate anyone. He hates the sin within them but he loves the individual and wants to save them from their sins. And He’s calling on us to share His message and love with them. As we encounter friends, co-workers, or even strangers today remember we were once ‘lost’ too. Let's give them a godly chance.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law…….Love your neighbor as yourself.” Romans 13:8,9b

Mornings with God

There are two kinds of people. Those who wake up in the morning and say, "Good morning, Lord," and those who wake up in the morning and say, "Good Lord, its morning!" – Anon

Jesus sneaked away early one morning to pray. Peter found him to remind him there was ‘work’ to do. Hmm!

You would think by now in our many years of life we would have learned to adjust or adapt. Our alarm clock goes off the same time every morning, and often it upsets us to no end. We awake and often greet the day with an attitude geared toward what we know is scheduled (Monday mornings, meetings, doctor’s visit, school test, work, etc) rather than with an attitude toward who created the day and woke us to see and be a part of it. The first order of business on any day, rain or shine, is to spend time with the One who created it, seek His will, direction, protection, and provision. Nothing ever takes God by surprise and if we let Him do the leading in our daily lives rarely will it happen to us. This is a day He has made, we should just rejoice!

Until tomorrow……

Pastor Botts

“For by him all things were created, things

in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.” – Colossians 1:16

Live Your Moment

The 2 most important days

in your life are the day you were born and the day you find out why? - Mark Twain

Contrary to popular thinking, Esther

wasn't the only one born for 'such a time as this!' AMEN!

Though we all say "I just want

to do God's will," truth be told we wouldn't mind if it also got us some

recognition by others, a little respect, or even a handclap of admiration -

we're human after all. We all want our moment to be on a grand scale, with much

fanfare. But in the big picture of God, Esther's moment was only known by her

people. It wasn't a world televised event, nor did it make the newspapers, we

have it recorded for our posterity. It was however a grand moment in God's

story, the redemption of mankind. And if we abide in Him the same can and will

be said of us as we live out whatever our 'moment' may be in His great story.

Can't you kind of hear it now. "Good and faithful servant, you've been

faithful........."

Until Monday......

Pastor Botts

"For we are God's workmanship, created

in Christ Jesus to do good works....." - Ephesians 2:10

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

Enjoy the Day!

There are two kinds of people. Those who wake up in the morning and say, "Good morning, Lord," and those who wake up in the morning and say, "Good Lord, its morning!" – Anon

Jesus sneaked away early one morning to pray. Peter found him to remind him there was ‘work’ to do. Hmm!

You would think by now in our many years of life we would have learned to adjust or adapt. Our alarm clock goes off the same time every morning, and often it upsets us to no end. We awake and often greet the day with an attitude geared toward what we know is scheduled (Monday mornings, meetings, doctor’s visit, school test, work, etc) rather than with an attitude toward who created the day and woke us to see and be a part of it. The first order of business on any day, rain or shine, is to spend time with the one who created it, seek His will, direction, protection, and provision. Nothing ever takes God by surprise and if we let Him do the leading in our daily lives rarely will it happen to us. This is a day He has made, we should just rejoice!

Until tomorrow……

Pastor Botts

“For by him all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.” – Colossians 1:16

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

The Story Imma Tell!

God created man because He loves storytelling. – E. Wiesel

Moses went to Egypt not only to free the Israelites, but to tell Pharaoh GOD’S STORY! Hmm.

It’s very true that God is for us, but the bigger picture is God is all about being God. He wants every one to know Him for who He is, what He has done, and what He can and will do in their lives, and He uses ordinary people like you and I to tell His story through. Granted our life may not be like Moses’, Esther’s, David’s or even Paul’s, but God has already told His story through them. He wants to now tell it through us. The daily circumstances and situations in our lives only serve to add color to the story. What is more important is that we make sure the mute is off and the sound is properly adjusted that others may hear.

Until tomorrow……

Pastor Botts

“[Jesus said to them]…..’But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth’.” – Acts 1:8