One of the Great Mysteries of Grace

God doesn’t always smooth the path, but sometimes He puts springs in the wagon. – M. Lucas

Joseph’s pathway to prominence as Pharaoh’s 2nd in command wasn’t the smoothest, but God’s hand of favor was always upon him. Amen!

Hardship is as much a part of life as the air we breathe. For if we had no hardship, we really would not know the true experience of joy. Troubles may come and not seem to get better with much prayer and meditation, but God has promised to be with us every step of the way, and where one area of our life may be particularly troubled, God is still blessing in other areas. That’s one of the great mysteries of ‘grace.’ If we count our blessings, we’ll see it’s true.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“There was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, ‘MY GRACE is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”’ – 2 Corinthians 12:7-9

Joy In Pain

God doesn’t always smooth the path, but sometimes He puts springs in the wagon. – M. Lucas

Joseph’s pathway to prominence as Pharaoh’s 2nd in command wasn’t the smoothest, but God’s hand of favor was always upon him. Amen!

Hardship is as much a part of life as the air we breathe. For if we had no hardship we really would not know the true experience of joy. Troubles may come and not seem to get better with much prayer and meditation, but God will not put more on us than we can bear, and where one area of our life may be particularly troubled, God is still blessing in other areas. That’s one of the great mysteries of ‘grace.’ If we count our blessings we’ll see it’s true.

Until tomorrow……

Pastor Botts

“There was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, ‘MY GRACE is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”’ – II Corinthians 12:7-9

Wait for The Promise Keeper

He who has lost confidence can lose nothing more. – Boiste

In spite of all his physical suffering and his friends accusations of sin in his life, Job still wanted an audience with God. Hmm!

Life itself is our greatest blessing, but often we see it as only hardship, suffering, toil, and lack. Sure, we’ve been sick or down on our ‘luck’, but we only know these things in comparison to the many times we’ve been well and on top of our game – all blessings from God. Discouragement may come, but from what we know of God and have tasted of Him, it should never rob us of our confidence that God’s promise to care for us is true. So just as sure as God is on His throne, and He is; and just as sure as Christ is risen and alive, and He is; we hold fast to the promises of God – for we are the sheep of His pasture.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“….Blessed are all who wait for Him!” – Isaiah 30:18

Keep Your Cool

When you are in the right you can afford to keep your temper; and when you are in the wrong, you cannot afford to lose it.   – Gandhi

The temptation in the wilderness, the false trials, the scourging. Jesus suffered all this and never ‘lost it.’ What a great example!

Patience, long-suffering, self-control. It’s truly astonishing the number of times the Word of God tells us we should perfect these traits in our lives. Not only does it make life a bit more peaceful but it also makes it much healthier and less costly. It’s okay to be angry, we’re emotional beings, but we do not act on emotion or feelings. Just as God exercises great restraint in dealing with us, and Jesus was our perfect example of self-restraint, we too are expected to master such times of adversity. Life will sorely test us  today from every vantage point – job, family, strangers, finances, etc. – because God is out to perfect us. I pray we all pass with flying colors.

Until tomorrow……

Pastor Botts

“But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship…discharge all the duties of your ministry.” – II Timothy 4:5

How to face a challenge

The way to face a challenge is to be convinced that the challenge can be met. – C. R. Powell

David vs. Goliath. Daniel in the lions den. Jesus feeding 5,000. All these men were convinced GOD could handle what they faced. HE Did. AMEN!

In life we all face opposition, hardship, limited or no resources, unscheduled changes, the desires of the flesh, etc. We call them challenges, trials, tribulations, etc. The key is to see them as training opportunities God has placed before us to prove our worthiness, but also our complete dependence on him for success and deliverance.  There is no problem you will face in your life today or tomorrow that is too hard for God. Convincing proof is all around you!

Until tomorrow…….

Pastor Botts

“What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all – how will he not also, along with him graciously give us all things?” – Romans 8:31-32

A little comfort for the rough journey

God doesn’t always smooth the path, but sometimes He puts springs in the wagon. – M. Lucas

Joseph’s pathway to prominence as Pharaoh’s 2nd in command wasn’t the smoothest, but God’s hand of favor was always upon him. Amen!

Hardship is as much a part of life as the air we breathe. For if we had no hardship we really would not know the true experience of joy. Troubles may come and not seem to get better with much prayer and meditation, but God will not put more on us than we can bear, and where one area of our life may be particularly troubled, God is still blessing in other areas. That’s one of the great mysteries of ‘grace.’ If we count our blessings we’ll see it’s true.

Until tomorrow……

Pastor Botts

“There was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, ‘MY GRACE is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”’ – II Corinthians 12:7-9