Something Came Up...

It’s amazing how quickly an emergency arises the moment you start saving for one. – Sparks

After healing Peter’s mother-in-law and many others, Jesus slipped away to pray. Or so he thought he did! Hmm!

Good intentions – we all get started on them but often find ourselves falling short. Saving for a home/car/vacation, and suddenly something else catches our eye. Enrolling in school or exercise classes and suddenly another opportunity opens up. Resolving to give more time to God/church and suddenly new friends and outings are before us. Call it test or trial if you will, but the issue still is what will you prioritize, for the final decision is always up to you. God expects us to be wise to the deceptive practices of our enemy and not lose focus. He will never put a hindrance to us coming to Him, so maybe we need to re-evaluate that emergency.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.” – Matthew 6:20

P.S. Hope to see you tonight at 5:30pm for our Prayer Meeting.

The Root of It

Thousands hack at the branches of evil when it only takes one good strike at the root. - Henry David Thoreau

The Gadarene demoniac had often been chained and quartered by the people to no avail, but one moment with Jesus changed his life. Wow!

Anyone who has ever planted a garden or cared for a lawn knows you will get weeds. And the only way to get rid of them is not to cut them (they grow back) or spray them (they still grow back), but to uproot them completely (dig them out of the ground by their roots). The same is true of sin and unrighteousness in our hearts. We can identify and attack the activities in our lives where it is evident, but unless we destroy it in the heart it will manifest itself again in a whole new way. The only way to destroy it at the root is to repent and turn our heart over to God for renewal. If we’re really seeking to change, God can make it happen.

Until tomorrow……

Pastor Botts

“However, this kind (sin) does not go out except by prayer and fasting.” – Matthew 17:21

The Weight of Words

Words must be weighed, not counted. – Polish Proverb

‘Mene, mene, tekel, parsin.’ Just a few words but they carried a powerful message to Belshazzar. OUCH!

500 minutes. 1,000 minutes. 2,500 minutes. You probably recognize these numbers, they are normally attached to monthly cell-phone plans. Enough minutes to cover everything you need to say, and we’re saying it. But as a Christian it’s not so much what we say but how we say it. And just because we can say something doesn’t necessarily mean it needs to be said. We’re called to watch our manner of speech, idle conversation, and promises made, ‘Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’ and your ‘No’ be ‘No’. Our words have the power to edify and build up or tear down and destroy. The choice is ours and either way we will be rewarded.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted; and by your words you will be condemned.” – Matthew 12:36-37