Eyes On the REAL Prize

Gaze at God, glance at life. - Carlos Whittaker

After all his great feats, accomplishments, and life projects, Solomon set his eyes back firmly on God and His commands. Hmm!

In school we make a plan, we plot our courses, electives, and time such that we come out with our preferred degree objective BA, BS, MBA, Doctorate, etc. This is great for our earthly existence, but what about our spiritual growth? Do we ever make a plan, plot out prayer/study time, seek opportunities/classes to help us grow in our spiritual disciplines. It is a proven fact that the way to get better at anything is through study and application. The bible tells us the undisciplined life is the way of a fool. It's not that God is trying to force us into a structured way of ritual living, but more of a communal way of walking with Him more closely like Enoch. And hey, that had a great ending!

Until Monday...

Pastor Botts

"[Abraham] was looking forward to the city without foundations, whose architect and builder is God." - Hebrews 11:10

The Cherished Friend

I value the friend who for me finds time on his calendar, but I cherish the friend who for me does not even consult his calendar. – R. Brault

Jesus stayed and talked with the two on the Emmaus Road until they finally saw the 'light'. Hmm!

The numbers bear out a startling truth. The more we are connected socially in this wireless, WiFi society the more we disconnected physically. It seems more and more we’re all trying to find time to do it all and have it all. And what often happens is we wind up with sometimes shallow conversations and face time fellowship with the ONES who supposedly love us most, because the gadgets never leave our hand or our side and certainly not our attention. It's the same with Christ, the ONE who loves us more than anything, we've somewhat relegated Him to the electronic device, and without it we can't seem to function. Maybe it's time we took a closer look at HIS example of friendship where no boundaries or interruptions exist, and HE sits just waiting for US to come. I pray we'll become HIS 'cherished' friend.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

"..........that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple...." - Psalm 27:4

In the Stillness of This Hour...

Silence is the sleep that nourishes wisdom - Francis Bacon

King Saul sought the witch of Endor and still got horrible news. Hmm!

Tea leaves! Tarot cards! Horoscopes! Cloud formations! When stretched thin and desperate, folks often resort to all kinds of ways and mediums to try and get a word of wisdom or insight on what the gods or God might be up to in their life. But sometimes silence and stillness is our best option. Sometimes silence is the clearest language possible. "Be still, and know that I am God", carries a lot of weight, power, and oftentimes many of the answers or wisdom we seek. Though we now live in a fast-paced, answer at your fingertips world, we need be reminded - God never set this pace nor is He obligated to operate at our speed. Stillness before Him pays big dividends.

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

"One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple." - Psalm 27:4

Eyes Forward

To hold fast to one’s goals means to dismiss many others. – Richard Murray

No matter the number of miracles he performed, Jesus constantly reminded his disciples his goal was the cross. WOW!

It is so easy to become distracted in the Christian life! The moment we seem to grasp what God wants or calls us to do, it seems as though everything and everyone around us requires our time and attention. It takes a strong resolve not to lose focus or get sidetracked by the issues or cares of life, and the enemy is crafty at bringing such things in our periphery. Discipline or dedication is a very, very hard thing. Like Jesus, our resolve to go where God is calling us ought to be clearly evident to those around us. We should never let temptation or ‘opportunity’ keep us from obedience to God’s calling.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you. Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.” – Proverbs 4:25-27

An Invitation to Love

You can't tell someone they love you! - Movie quote

Three times a year in addition to 'sabbath keeping' the people assembled before God. Hmm!

Though we are not commanded by 'the law' as the Israelites were to keep certain ordinances, feast days, etc., have you ever stopped to consider or wonder why God commanded them to observe it in the first place? What was He after? Certainly not forced religious activity or vain worship. No, the issue was obedience. Would the people willingly obey and 'openly' come to give thanks and praise to the Creator. It was an invitation to love God. And though it's not a command for us now, I don't think we've changed physiologically to where we don't need such opportunities to show our love to God just like our ancestors. Our growing faith and love for God should always be seeking more 'face time' in His presence, beyond the normal Sunday meeting. Hopefully you've got some plans for this.

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

"...One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple." - Psalm 27:4

Spiritual Discipline

Gaze at God, glance at life. - C. Whitaker

After all his great feats, accomplishments, and life projects, Solomon set his eyes back firmly on God and His commands. Hmm!

In school we make a plan, we plot our courses, electives, and time such that we  come out with our preferred degree objective BA, BS, MBA, Doctorate, etc. This is great for our earthly existence, but what about our spiritual growth? Do we ever make a plan, plot out prayer/study time, seek opportunities/classes to help us grow in our spiritual disciplines. It is a proven fact that the way to get better at anything is through study and application. The bible tells us the undisciplined life is the way of a fool. It's not that God is trying to force us into a structured way of ritual living, but more of  a communal way of walking with Him more closely like Enoch. And hey, that had a great ending!

Until tomorrow.....

Pastor Botts 

"[Abraham] was looking forward to the city without foundations, whose architect and builder is God." - Hebrews 11:10

Growing Into...

If man is not rising upwards to be like an angel, he is sinking downwards to be a devil. – S.T. Coleridge

Near the end of his ministry Jesus told his disciples one of them was a devil. And each one had to give it some deep thought. HMMM!

Family reunions are great times to catch-up on old times and bring one another up to date. Often you’ll eventually hear the phrase “you haven’t changed one bit.” But to say we are the same person today as we were 5 -10 years ago is to say we have wasted a great deal of God’s time. There should be some definite growth in the life we live and the way we view the world. And done in accordance with God’s plan our growth will create a desire for even greater growth and closeness to God. God is testing us in this life to ensure our eternal desire is for Him alone, for if we don’t love to praise Him in all things here, heaven is not for us.

Until tomorrow……

Pastor Botts

“One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.” – Psalm 27:4

Desire to Know

Learning comes not from having books, writings, or even teachers; but the DESIRE within to know. – Anon

God chose many of His servants not based on what they knew, but WHO they pursued. AMEN!

Pre-school! High School! Colleges, universities, the ‘school of hard knocks.’ All avenues of education, life preparation, and social maturation. Each student has access to all they need to learn, but yet teachers still use grades such as A,B,C… to show their progress, which in truth is a measure of the student’s desire to actually know and understand. Similarly, in our Christian lives we have the same equal access to the bible, spiritual teachers/mentors, and fellowship with other Christians, to help us grow in the faith. And we see the same results, not all of us pursue spiritual growth with the same passion or desire. God is calling us into a relationship to ‘know Him’ not just know about Him. And as gracious as He is, He won’t be using a grading scale like our earthly teachers.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“…One thing I ask of the Lord. This is what I seek; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple.” – Psalm 27:4