On Mission

"Stay on target..." -Gold Five (Star Wars)

God was exact in all His measurements. I wonder if we should take a lesson there. Hmm!

Bullseye! Everyone is familiar with the term. It's the center of the target - dead aim center; what we all shoot for. The mark of perfection. Now when it comes to our profession of Christ it brings up a question. Are we ourselves moving towards it in a way others can see and praise or are we moving away from it, tarnishing the glory of the God we serve. One of the harshest words Jesus used for the 'religious right' of His day was hypocrite, as they were actually making it almost impossible for the people to see and witness God's presence. We will all struggle from time to time in our walk, that's not the issue, the issue is whether those around us who really know us would be able to say with certainty that we are still striving for the target or actually doing a disservice to the Lord. Since the target has not moved or changed the answer lies within us.

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

"....Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind..." - Matthew 22:37

The Exact

To find the exact answer, one must first ask the exact question. - S. T. Webster

Jesus’ answer to the rich man to ‘sell all he had and come and follow me’ upset him. It wasn’t the answer he wanted. OUCH!

Far too often we strive to live in the ‘grey’ area of life. It’s the areas that we’ve reasoned in our minds that leave a little ‘wiggle room’ for our proclivities. We know God does have a ‘good and perfect will’ but we tend to think if we never ask the questions or do the reading we will not be held accountable. But the scriptures do emphatically state: "there is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.” Though God is gracious His commands are always exact friend, and there is no wiggle room in Him or His word. We are commanded by the Word to ‘study and show ourselves approved’ so not reading it or never asking the questions will not get us off the hook. If our exact destination is heaven, then the Bible is the book to answer all of our questions EXACTLY!

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“......And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly, and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” – Micah 6:8

Compromise Not

Compromise is simply changing the question to fit the answer. – M. Malloy

When Samuel caught Saul red-handed with plunder from the victory over the Amalekites, Saul tried to appease Samuel and God with an offering of the cattle and sheep, animals he knew were to be destroyed in the battle. God was not pleased.

A somewhat recent new term introduced into the English language is “politically correct.” It means to speak within the context of what is perceived as right. Perception is not necessarily truth. The enemy is so very subtle. All he needs is just a little change in the word of God, a little “gray area” in our thinking and compromise enters in. Just think back to the Garden of Eden. But God has always been exact in his instruction and requirements for obedience. The events and circumstances that arise each day are but tests and trials to prove ourselves faithful in all things. Compromise erodes the will, but obedience increases faith.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.” – Joshua 1:7

YOU Know...

True, the exact age of the human race is unknown; but it is certainly old enough to know better! - Anon

Achan knew in his heart it was wrong to take the sacred things, but he did it anyway. It cost his people and it cost his life. OUCH!

When you get right down to it: right is right, and wrong is wrong; and we know it. We may not like it, but we know it. Some of the crutches we often use to defend our sinfulness is the phrase “I’m not that strong spiritually”, or “I haven’t reached that level of maturity yet.” The reality of the situation is that it is not how strong you are or what ‘level’ you’re on, it’s what you know and WHOM you trust. The common sins we continue to fall prey to, we know better. And God knows we know better because He has given us His instructions. We can offer up excuse after excuse for our actions but God doesn’t take excuses, only results.

Until tomorrow…….

Pastor Botts

“Jesus said, ‘If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.’” – John 9:41

The Exact Answer

To find the exact answer, one must first ask the exact question.  - S. T. Webster

Jesus’ answer to the rich man to ‘sell all he had and come and follow me’ upset him. It wasn’t the answer he wanted.  OUCH!

Far too often we strive to live in the ‘grey’ area of life. It’s the areas that we’ve reasoned in our minds that leave a little ‘wiggle room’ for our proclivities. We believe God does have a ‘good and perfect will’ but if we never ask the questions or do the reading we will not be held accountable. But, “there is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.” God is and always has been exact friend, and there is no wiggle room in Him or His word. And, we are commanded by the Word to ‘study and show ourselves approved’ so not reading it or never asking the questions will not get us off the hook. If our exact destination is heaven, then the Bible is the book to answer all of our questions EXACTLY!

Until Monday…..

Pastor Botts

“He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly, and to love mercy and t walk humbly with your God.” – Micah 6:8