Loving Everyone

We make our friends and our enemies, but God makes our neighbor. – Anon

The expert lawyer was looking for a loophole as to who his neighbor was. Jesus cleared it up. Hmm!

Choice – what a great gift God gave us. The ability to make our own choices or decisions. We get to choose where to live, what to eat, what to drive, even who gets to be our friend. But the one choice God did not leave to us is who to love. We’re commanded to love everyone, especially our neighbor. And though we’d like it to be the people who live to the right and left of us, God says emphatically our neighbor is anyone we can help regardless of location, color, creed or affiliation. So as the day and weekend unfolds remember God might be bringing ‘new neighbors’ our way.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“….and the second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” – Mark 12:31

P.S. Hope you can join us for 'Family Fun and Game Night' tonight at 6:30pm.

Friend or Foe? Love Em Both!

The Bible tells us to love our neighbors, and also to love our enemies; probably because they are generally the same people. - G.K. Chesterton

Jesus preached, loved, and reached out to sinner and saint alike, often converting the former to the latter. AMEN!

“Friend or foe!” was the shout given by the sentry when someone unknown approached his station. Their answer would then dictate his response, whether to relax and receive them or to prepare to defend his post. Though we don’t shout it today we are in a similar position, however our charge is only to befriend in either case. And though we say it’s hard to do so, it really isn’t if we let the Holy Spirit rule in our life. The love of God is unconditional and the Spirit of God within us will manifest that love if we submit our will to Him. It may seem irrational and hard at times, but when it does all we need do is just imagine God loving us at all.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself,’ you are doing right.” – James 2:8

Love and Pray for Your Enemies

Speak well of your enemies. After all you’ve somehow made them that way. – D. Guptil

Though Saul was David’s enemy, David held him in high regard. He refused to say anything against God’s anointed. Hmmm!

It’s been said the best way to get rid of an enemy is to make him your friend. That’s easier said than done, but it can be done. But it can’t happen until we begin to consider the possibility. Often in our conversation it’s fairly easy to lavish praise on ourselves and those we care about. Maybe we can’t lavish praise on our enemies just yet, but the quickest way to speak well of them is to pray for them in earnest, and pray for God’s direction in our life as well. It may not rid us of enemies, but it will rid us of hostility, increasing our capacity to show love to all.

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

“But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you; that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good….” – Matthew 5:44-45

Pray for Your Enemies

Worrying about your enemies is wasted time. Praying for them is a sound investment. – Anon

In the Psalms it seems

David was sometimes almost hostile toward his enemies in his prayer time with

God. But, God heard him. Hmm!

It’s a fact of life that

anyone who tries to live a righteous, holy life will have enemies. We have an

adversary who is wise and knows how to manipulate the hearts and minds of those

we interact with – so we will have enemies. But giving them all our attention

by continual worrying is not wise. Just as the bible tells us that not one of

us can make ourselves grow another inch or add another hour to the day by

worry, the same is true of our enemies. We cannot make them do anything by

worrying about them, but we can put our heart at ease by praying for them. It’s

an amazing truth but you really can’t grow to love someone until you begin to

pray for them, asking God’s blessing in their lives. Be prepared to pray and

pray often today!

Until tomorrow……

Pastor Botts

“But I say to you, love your enemies, bless

those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you…” – Matthew 5:44

Love Honor Respect

The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good. – S. Johnson

David set a cripple named Mephibosheth at his table. The Good Samaritan bandaged up, nursed, and paid for the care of his enemy. Ulterior motives? Yes – LOVE. Hmm!

Regrettably, in this work-a-day, do all you can to get ahead world, we tend to focus our efforts only on those who can be of benefit to us somehow. Most of our actions are calculated on a risk/return basis. The homeless, the parking lot attendant, the janitor, tend to become transparent or get the short shrift of our goodness. But if God showers His love on us unconditionally our goal should be to do the same with all men. To be like Jesus we must be willing to give proper respect to everyone we meet. God is expecting us to make an impact on the world TODAY for Him.

Until Monday…….

Pastor Botts

“If you love those who love you; what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners; expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting anything back. Then your reward will be great; and you will be sons of the Most High, because He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” – Luke 6:32-36

The Choice To Love

We make our friends and our enemies, but God makes our neighbor. – Anon

The expert lawyer was looking for a loophole as to who his neighbor was. Jesus cleared it up. Hmm!

Choice – what a great gift God gave us. The ability to make our own choices or decisions. We get to choose where to live, what to eat, what to drive, even who gets to be our friend. But the one choice God did not leave to us is who to love. We’re commanded to love everyone, especially our neighbor. And though we’d like to be the people who live to the right and left of us, God says emphatically our neighbor is anyone we can help regardless of location, color, creed or affiliation. So as the day and weekend unfolds remember God might be bringing ‘new neighbors’ our way.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“….and the second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” – Mark 12:31

Neighbor? Enemy? Love!

The Bible tells us to love our neighbors, and also to love our enemies; probably because they are generally the same people. - G.K. Chesterton

Jesus preached, loved, and reached out to sinner and saint alike, often converting the former to the latter. AMEN!

“Friend or foe!” was the shout given by the sentry when someone unknown approached his station. Their answer would then dictate his response, whether to relax and receive them or to prepare to defend his post. Though we don’t shout it today we are in a similar position, however our charge is only to befriend in either case. And though we say it’s hard to do so, it really isn’t if we let the Holy Spirit rule in our life. The love of God is unconditional and the Spirit of God within us will manifest that love if we submit our will to him. It may seem irrational and hard at times, but when it does all we need do is just imagine God loving us at all.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself,’ you are doing right.” – James 2:8

Eyes on the Prize

It’s very hard to take the wrong turn when you’re looking in the right direction. – Anon

Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness on 3 different occasions, each time Jesus looked to His Father and His Word. Hmm!

No one likes to ‘crash and burn’ in life yet it happens very often, when we take our eyes off the goal. And the one thing that’s a certainty in life everyday is our enemies attempt to get us to take our focus off of God and His Word. Our enemy uses every avenue or medium, every subtlety or deception, and every emotional appeal to trip us up, and YES, he even knows our every weakness. That’s why it’s very critical for us to keep God and His Word in the center of our lives. It’s virtually impossible to get off course when we are led this way. We may not like some of the scenery along the way but we can take comfort in knowing God is with us and directing our paths.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“My eyes are always looking to the Lord for help, for he alone can rescue me from the traps of my enemies.” – Psalm 25:15 (NLT)

Enemies No More

Speak well of your enemies. After all you’ve somehow made them that way. – D. Guptil

Though Saul was David’s enemy, David held him in high regard. He refused to say anything against God’s anointed. Hmmm!

It’s been said the best way to get rid of an enemy is to make him your friend. That’s easier said than done, but it can be done. But it can’t happen until we begin to consider the possibility. Often in our conversation it’s fairly easy to lavish praise on ourselves and those we care about. Maybe we can’t lavish praise on our enemies just yet, but the quickest way to speak well of them is to pray for them in earnest, and pray for God’s direction in our life as well. It may not rid us of enemies, but it will rid us of hostility, increasing our capacity to show love to all.

Until Monday……

Pastor Botts

“But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you; that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good….” – Matthew 5:44-45

God Time

He who waits on God loses no time. – V. Havner

While the disciples were waiting for the ‘promise’ of Pentecost, they became avid prayer warriors. AMEN!

The art of waiting may have been lost by man but not by God; He has not changed. He moves not according to the watch we wear or the clock we look at, but according to His own schedule. We say “God is in control” but our actions often reflect otherwise as we try to push, prod, and pull Him into action when we deem it best. All of us have at one time or another been a personal recipient of God’s timeliness, which should serve as a constant reminder that we need to be patient. The world gives the illusion today that it moves faster than it did years ago but we must remember it’s the same world, and He’s the same God. Waiting on Him is one of the greatest acts of trust and obedience.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“My times are in your hands; deliver me from my enemies and from those who pursue me.” – Psalm 31:15

Unconditional love to all

The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good. – S. Johnson

David set a cripple named Mephibosheth at his table. The Good Samaritan bandaged up, nursed, and paid for the care of his enemy. Ulterior motives? Yes – LOVE. Hmm!

Regrettably, in this work-a-day, do all you can to get ahead world, we tend to focus our efforts only on those who can be of benefit to us somehow. Most of our actions are calculated on a risk/return basis. The homeless, the parking lot attendant, the janitor, tend to become transparent or get the short shrift of our goodness. But if God showers His love on us unconditionally our goal should be to do the same with all men. To be like Jesus we must be willing to give proper respect to everyone we meet. God is expecting us to make an impact on the world TODAY for Him!

Until Monday…….

Pastor Botts

“If you love those who love you; what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners; expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting anything back. Then your reward will be great; and you will be sons of the Most High, because He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” – Luke 6:32-36