Change For the Better

Our reward is what we become, not what we get. – Anon

Paul considered becoming more ‘like Christ’ far greater than anything else he had done in his life. Hmm!

We live in a saturated society of more, more, more. We’re told to chase the ‘American Dream,' to follow 'the money'. We’re told 'newer is always better, older is passé'. We learn to measure others by what they possess, where they live, what they do. It should be easy for us to see that our buy-in to such thinking does nothing but keep us on a treadmill trying to reach the next plateau. And until we realize that life is much more about significance (making an impact on other’s lives) than success (gathering trophies and trinkets), we will never be satisfied. God is about changing our character and heart in preparing us for heaven. The hardest part is ours, realizing we do need to be changed, and asking God for help. He’s the Master at making masterpieces, and He thinks we’re worth the change. Welcome to the New Year.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“[And Jesus said]: ‘I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.’” – Matthew 18:3

The Battle in a New Normal

It is fatal to enter any war without the will to win it. – Douglas MacArthur

David often sought God’s will before he sought his enemy. Hmm!

Reveille! Alarm clock! Sunrise! Whatever the means, we’re all awake for today. It’s here and coming on strong whether we like it or not. As you embark upon your day, remember you are at war. Not only with the fallout from the continuing pandemic but with all the changes it has brought along to our normal way of life, our physical gatherings, and fellowship. A 'new' normal is upon us. But the enemy will be continually targeting your heart and mind, firing away to make you lose your focus or resolve and doubt your faith and purpose. Make sure you dress properly for the battle otherwise you are sure to become a casualty of war.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes….” - Ephesians 6:11

The Bill ALWAYS Comes Due

The bill comes due. ALWAYS! - Mordo

The hardest people for Jesus to win were in fact the 'religious' rulers. Hmm!

Turn on your TV and the ads are there. Ally, Chime, Boost. CreditKarma, etc. All advertising ways to boost your credit score/rating, that you may get better financing terms on things you buy. Not a bad idea, but they never address the fact you have to pay back what you borrowed on those favorable terms. Yes, the bill comes due, always! It makes me think often of how we live our lives out in light of God's Word. Often our professions of faith are just that, with our actual lives being lived outside of the faith we say we have like the Pharisees of Jesus' day. God's Word is true and it does say "a person will reap what they sow." That means many of us if we don't change our ways are really not going to like the final bill when it comes. And yes, the bill always comes due. ALWAYS!

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven......" - Matthew 7:21

We Will Win!

It is fatal to enter any war without the will to win it. – Douglas MacArthur

David often sought God’s will before

he sought his enemy. Hmm!

Reveille! Alarm clock! Sunrise! Whatever the means, we’re all awake for Today. It’s here and coming on strong whether we like it or not. As you embark upon your day, remember you are at war. Not only with the current pandemic but with all the changes it has brought along to our normal way of life, our physical gatherings, proximity, and fellowship. The enemy will be targeting your heart and mind, firing away to make you doubt your faith and lose your focus. Make sure you dress properly for the battle otherwise you are sure to become a casualty of war.

Until Monday….

Pastor Botts

“Put on the full armor of God so that you can

take your stand against the devil’s schemes….” - Ephesians 6:11

P.S. - Praying all is well and that you can join us online this Sunday at 9:30am.

Knowledge Blockers

The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance – it is the illusion of knowledge. – D. Boorstin

Paul spent a few years in the desert ‘unlearning’ what he knew to learn the truth about Jesus. Hmm!

Osmosis is the ability of one object to absorb or take in all the elements of another object without harm. This is a scientific process, not an educational method or spiritual growth formula. One of the things that often get in our way of knowing God deeper, is our own belief that we know enough already. We have key scripture passages memorized, bible stories categorized, and gospel songs on demand. These are all good in themselves, but sometimes God just wants us to ask Him a question about His heart or maybe take some time and think about what He’s up to. Just as we built upon our early math skills after we learned basic addition/subtraction, God wants us to build upon those verses, stories, and songs a stronger relationship and understanding of who He is. One thing is for sure, we can never learn all there is about our Great God.

Until tomorrow….

Pastor Botts

“Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering.” – Luke 11:52

Because Faith

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for…… - Hebrews 11:1

It took Nathaniel a minute when he first met Jesus, but after that he ‘believed.’ WOW!

BECAUSE! What a word. Usually it is followed by a rational or logical reason as to why something occurred, “this happened because this or that…..” That’s how we as adults understand its use. But it wasn’t always that way. As children we took it purely by faith. We’d ask our parents or someone we trusted a question, and often the answer was the single word ‘because’ and we were completely satisfied. This is the kind of faith God is searching for in our hearts today: childlike, unpretentious, trusting faith. He doesn’t mind us asking or even testing Him at times, but eventually we should get to a point where “‘because’ God said it, it’s settled and I’ll trust Him in it. The when, where, how, etc., is His business, ours is just to trust and believe it will come to pass.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“….[Jesus said]…I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” – Matthew 18:3

Fight to Win

It is fatal to enter any war without the will to win it. – D. MacArthur

David often sought God’s will before he sought his enemy. Hmm!

Reveille! Alarm clock! Sunrise! Whatever the means, we’re all awake for Today. It’s here and coming on strong whether we like it or not. As you embark upon your day, remember you are at war. The enemy will be targeting your heart and mind, firing away to make you doubt your faith and lose your focus. Make sure you dress properly for the battle otherwise you are sure to become a casualty of war.

Until Monday….

Pastor Botts

“Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes….” - Ephesians 6:11