Honor is Preferred

Fame is something that must be won; honor is something that must never be lost. – A. Schopenhauer

The people of Lystra fawned over Paul and Barnabas and thought they were ‘gods’ in human form. Paul and Barnabas clearly stated they were only ‘men of God.’ WHEW!

Truth be told, everyone wants a bit of notoriety, praise, or credit for their special successes, and that's okay; for in and of itself fame is not bad. However we must never confuse it with honor or integrity. There is a vast difference between the two. Fame is prestige or reputation you receive for an achievement, primarily from people you don’t know or see (fans), honor is hard earned trust from those who know you best. One of the keys of life is never to trade the latter for the former. As we face the circumstances and situations of the day that God puts before us, it shouldn’t be too hard to guess which way He leans.

Until tomorrow……

Pastor Botts

“What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?” – Mark 9:36-37

Don't let it go to your head

Angels can fly because they take themselves lightly. – G. K. Chesterton

Though Paul started many churches and had audiences with kings, he never forgot that he was just a servant of Jesus Christ. AMEN!

Fame, titles, positions, possessions – if not careful; these things can tend to give one an attitude of superiority or pride. Success in and of itself is not bad or sinful, but when we allow it to dictate to others how we should be treated, or demand special considerations because of it, we’ve set ourselves up for a fall. Yes, life is a serious matter. But we, like the people we deal with on a daily basis are imperfect creatures too. So no matter our success we must remember that it too has been by God’s grace, not so much our own making. Remember, God “sets up and knocks down kings” as He purposes.

Until tomorrow……

Pastor Botts

“For by the grace given to me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.” – Romans 12:3

Calculating Life

Price is not the same as value! - Anon

Don't ask Esau the value of a birthright. OUCH!

Price! So many different terms (wholesale, retail, discount, sales, etc.) it's hard to truly determine worth. And worth itself is somewhat objective depending on the individual. And what's worse is we've confused all of this with value. Example, we'll pay a star athlete or top-movie star millions a year to excite or entertain us for a few hours, but teachers and educators almost pennies on the dollar (comparatively) to educate us and help prepare us for life. Go figure! God referred to Esau as 'godless' for selling his birthright for a bowl of stew; meaning he did not know the true value of what he possessed. As a society often we're not far behind. God is not against fame or fortune, he just wants us to realize in the grand scheme of life they are not that important. What we add to life by way of the blessings He gives to us is the key. Don't miscalculate the value of your life or your contribution to God's work. We will all give an account one day.

Until Monday......

Pastor Botts

",,,.the Lord abhors dishonest scales, but accurate weights are His delight." - Proverbs 11:1

Individual Success

Success is a word in search of individual definition. – E. J. Blohm

Peter preached a sermon that won 3,000 souls and also wrote 2 books in the bible. Andrew, his brother, just brought him to Jesus. Which would you call the success?

Fame, power, wealth, glory – all well-known definers of success – by men. Yes, the world has its own definition of success, and quite often if we’re not careful we get caught up in its wake. It’s not wrong to want to be the best in any chosen field, God wants us to shine; but it should never be our identifier. We wear a name far greater than anything the world can offer us. God’s measure of success is never what it has achieved for us personally, but what it has done to advance His kingdom purposes. If it’s true that ‘only what we do for Christ will last’ then success takes on a whole new meaning.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful." Joshua 1:8

Prefer Honor

Fame is something that must be won; honor is something that must never be lost. – A. Schopenhauer

The people of Lystra fawned over Paul and Barnabas and thought they were ‘gods’ in human form. Paul and Barnabas clearly stated they were only ‘men of God.’ WHEW!

Truth be told, everyone wants a bit of notoriety, praise, or credit for their special successes, and that's okay; for in and of itself fame is not bad. However we must never confuse it with honor or integrity. There is a vast difference between the two. Fame is prestige or reputation you receive for an achievement, primarily from people you don’t know or see (fans), honor is hard earned trust from those who know you best. One of the keys of life is never to trade the latter for the former. As we face the circumstances and situations of the day that God puts before us, it shouldn’t be too hard to guess which way He leans.

Until tomorrow……

Pastor Botts

“What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?” – Mark 9:36-37

No big heads here

Angels can fly because they take themselves lightly. – G. K. Chesterton

Though Paul started many churches and had audiences with kings, he never forgot that he was just a servant of Jesus Christ. AMEN!

Fame, titles, positions, possessions – if not careful; these things can tend to give one an attitude of superiority or pride. Success in and of itself is not bad or sinful, but when we allow it to dictate to others how we should be treated, or demand special considerations because of it, we’ve set ourselves up for a fall. Yes, life is a serious matter; but we like the people we deal with on a daily basis are imperfect creatures too. So no matter our success we must remember that it too has been by God’s grace, not so much our own making. Remember, God “sets up and knocks down kings” as He purposes.

Until tomorrow……

Pastor Botts

“For by the grace given to me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.” – Romans 12:3