Rhythms of Grace

"Music is a world within itself, with a language we all understand...." - Stevie Wonder

Though he was in prison, Paul said the letter/visits he received often refreshed his spirit. Amen!

Make no mistake about it, the rhythms of grace cannot and will not be forced. Just as we have different tempo music for dancing (cha-cha, line, swing, slow dance, etc.) when God gives us a new song it has its own tempo. So often many of us try to force that 'new song' God is giving us to fit the life situation we're currently in. That's often problematic, for the new song is trying to call us out of it to move forward. As an example, I admit that when I do treadmill or elliptical workouts there are certain upbeat gospel songs I can keep pace with to maximize my workout, so I find myself 'clicking' past a song or two that doesn't fit. Depression, anxiety, stress, anger, and other ailments can be readily cured by us moving in step and tempo with the new song God gives. Yesterday, you may have had the 'blues' but behold today God is doing a new thing.

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

"Why are you so downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God." - Psalm 42:5

Moving With Him

Do not ask the Lord to guide your footsteps if you are not willing to move your feet. – Anon

John in his gospel tells us that many people, after they heard the hard words of what it means to follow Jesus went back and “walked with him no more.” A tragic decision. Hmm!

Often, we forget that ours is a Christian journey; being led by our Lord. We willingly signed up when we accepted His call to “follow me.” Though the path may not seem “wise” to us or even dangerous, we must remember, “though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, thou art with me,” we are not alone. He alone knows the path to His Father’s house for “He came from the Father,” and “He goes back to the Father.” We often feel we know our way around down here better than anyone, and that may be true, but it is not “down here” we want to stay if we expect eternal glory one day. So, as Jesus or the Word of God speaks to us, let us move in harmony with the request.

Until Monday…

Pastor Botts

“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?...the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built his house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.” – Luke 6:46,49

Step To The Plan

God will always order your steps.......but you still have to move your feet! - D. Washington

It didn't make much sense at the time, but Jericho's walls fell because of some orderly 'walking'. Hmm!

Hopscotch! How many of us remember this childhood game? Jumping, leaping squares to land in the appropriate box. The diagram was there right in front of you but as you progressed more effort was required, and if you weren't careful - you're out. Admittedly, it was fun even for some of us guys. The game bears some similarity to our faith walk. The way of the Christian is plainly laid out before us in the Word of God. This life we live is an open book test, and that book (bible) has great wisdom and direction to stay on target or even correct our course. Life only becomes fraught with obstacles to put us 'out' when we take or eyes off God. So why not add a little childhood flair to your steps as you walk with God today.

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

"Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out." - Proverbs 10:9

Faith to Level Up

The road to the next level is ALWAYS uphill, and you can't coast there. - J. Maxwell

Faith led Jonathan and his armor-bearer up the cliff and God did the rest. Hmm!

To get ahead in anything you have to be willing to move forward, to take risks. For most of us we do, albeit we tend to like the calculated and certain, those in the 'safe' zone. But often with God the risk factor is incalculable. It's just the nature of our relationship with Him. Walking in and by faith requires risk taking. God often designs situations and circumstances in our life to see if we'll be willing to trust Him to grow our faith to the next level. So, if you're being stretched in your faith right now - praise God. If you're not being stretched or challenged in your faith - ask God why. In either case it's a good reason to open up the prayer lines.

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

"When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus.......They said 'Rabbi, where are you staying?' 'Come,' [Jesus] replied, 'and you will see.'" - John 1:37-39

Time to Stop Running

Running towards what we don’t understand, and away from Him who wants to give understanding; keeps us from truly knowing who we are. – Anon

Adam and Eve ran and hid from God in the Garden and it seems as if man hasn’t stopped since. Hmm!

Believe it or not but ‘The Fall’ is still happening…. Though God has called us into relationship we are still in flight. Just think about it. We withhold information, we mask our true feelings, we twist facts, and we love to hide. Actions such as these are not demonstrations of openness or transparency but darkness. In our selfish flight to be free we only entangle ourselves more deeply. God is still in the business of giving enlightenment, discernment, wisdom, understanding, and purpose to life, and He’s willing to do it today. The great challenge for all of us is to stop running long enough to discover the truth about ourselves and God’s love for us.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“For in Him we live and move and have our being….we are His offspring.” – Acts 17:28

Go Therefore

The Golden Rule is of no use to any of us unless we realize it is our move. – F. Crane

Of the Great Commission passage, it is said the most powerful word therein is not teach, disciple, or even baptize; but GO! For without “going” there would be none of the other things. Wow!

To a man, each of us would more than likely admit we’re glad someone shared ‘the faith’ with us. Even if we grew up in the family and learned it that way, we’re glad our parents took us to ‘church.’ The life we now have we could never imagine without God, and the promise of heaven too – WOW. It’s enough to make us want to shout, almost. But it should make us willing to share, seek out others to tell. And though those we encounter in our daily lives may make it tough and questionable for us to do so, we are still compelled and constrained by love for Christ to “prefer” them. Love is an action word and is known much more for doing than saying. I pray we may have a winning strategy today.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be that same as that of Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 2:3-5

He Sees You

“Every move you make, every breath you take….I’ll be watchin’ you!” – song refrain

Hagar tried to hide thinking no one cared until she realized God knew ‘exactly’ where she was and why she was. Hmm!

Just try it for 2-3 minutes. Sit still and watch a group of sparrows (chee-chee birds). The way they flit about, jump around, dart in and out of trees or bushes. You can’t tell them apart, but yet our Great God can. The bible tells us ‘not one of them will fall to the ground outside of God’s care!’ Now if God cares that much about them, imagine how much more He cares for us, His most valued creation. You may think your movements, actions, or current status are of no consequence to Him, but just as He looks in on those birds. He looks in with even greater attention to you. Sometimes it may not ‘feel’ like He’s there, but the One who loves you most knows exactly where you are and the status of things going on. The question is will you trust Him, surrender and allow Him to work it out for your good? Remember, you were made to bring Him glory – let it rise!

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“…indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord watches over you…” – Psalm 121:4-5

Stepping Stones to Move Forward

We cannot change our memories, but we can change their meaning and the power they have over us. – D. Seamans

Joseph let God erase all the hatred from his heart against his brothers for what they had done. He even ‘cried’ when he saw them again. The reunion was all good. AMEN!

The thing about life is it throws many events our way, some good; some bad. The things that have happened to us cannot be undone. We cannot go back and change it but we should not fear it either, nor let it hold us prisoner. One can only truly fear future events. And since our future is not set in stone, fear is just a head trip. Oftentimes we get stuck in a way of thinking, in a behavior, or in our expectations because we have been hurt before and we have not truly brought the situation to God. From God’s perspective events from our past (good and bad) are stepping stones to move forward in righteousness and faith, for He can bring good out of any situation. Pain is sometimes inevitable, but allowing a memory to keep us in suffering is a choice. God can adjust our attitudes if we allow him.

Until I return…..Aloha

Pastor Botts

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him….” – Romans 8:28

The Power to Move Mountains

The task ahead of us is never as great as the POWER behind us. – Anon

Abraham, he had to leave his homeland, his people, and his father’s house to go someplace God would eventually show him. By God's grace he MADE IT!

Mountains - it seems at times as if life is full of them and they are always in our path. Some of our own making, and others as tests of faith, and each one seems to present a different climate, terrain, and angle to conquer, at times calling on us to make some drastic changes in the way we live before God. Maybe there’s some sin God is continually redressing us on that we need to correct or change, or maybe He wants to develop even a deeper commitment to His kingdom work in us, or maybe He's even trying to move us away from those He knows who are not good for us. Life may seem like an impossibility right now, but we must remember we've made it this far by the power of God, and He's faithful to the end.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

"I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, move from here to there and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.’” – Matthew 17:19-21

Moving WITH God

You’re now free to move about the country. – Southwest Airlines tagline

God led the Israelites from bondage in Egypt to the Promised Land. Whoa!

Travelling is a great enjoyment of life for most of us. And we live in a time where highways, railways, skyways, and cruise lines can take us anyplace we want to go. Moses told God “don’t send us anyplace without your presence going with us”…! It begs the question of us. Do we or have we ever made the same request of God for our lives? As we move about the hustle and bustle of life, changing jobs, moving from location to location, relationship to relationship; is this our continued request of God? Paul prayed that we might be ‘rooted and established in his love’ so that no matter where we settle, it will be at God’s direction. As we think about making changes this New Year, maybe we need to realize that though we are free to move about, we won’t move unless and until God’s presence goes before us.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” – Exodus 33:14

Reverse! Reverse!

God has to often use reverse to move us forward. – Anon

Though he was depressed and afraid while on the run, God told Elijah to go right back to where he left off and then follow His instructions. AMEN!

It would be hard to imagine an automobile without a reverse gear. It’s just a given that sometimes you need to go in reverse to maneuver. That is true of any type of forward progress, sometimes we must back up to maneuver around or over obstacles. Many of us don’t like the idea of going backwards but it is often very necessary in life. Often, we ourselves are the obstacle God has to slow down and turn around for a minute. When we run ahead of God or when we run without God we will eventually come to a time when reverse is necessary, and no matter how much we kick and scream against it, no matter how much pain it causes us, God will make the corrective action in our lives because He loves us. So though life may seem tough right now, or we may be back at square one again, we can rejoice that God still loves us, and is still working in us.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

"My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves….” – Hebrews 12:5-6

Keep At It!

You just can't beat the person who never gives up. - Babe Ruth

Through many conflicts, persecutions, and even imprisonment Paul never quit proclaiming Jesus. Amen!

The Grand Canyon. Without question it is one of nature's greatest miracles to behold. In trying to describe it, someone once said "the Colorado River has shown what can be done just by 'keeping at it.' It was the constant flow of that river that carved such a masterpiece." Are you 'keeping at it?' We must realize our lives are not a sprint, relay, nor a lap or two around the track, but a marathon to be run with perseverance. The greatest thing that can be said of any of us after we've gone on to glory, is not the achievements or awards we collected, nor the great discoveries we may have made, but the fact that we 'plodded on' or kept at it no matter what. None of us know where our race will take us, how many hills, valleys, deserts, or mountains we'll have to endure even in sickness or dire circumstances, but hopefully they will be able to say, he/she was a 'plodder', they never gave up, even when it seems they were beat, they kept at it. That's a life Jesus will one day call "good and faithful servant...."

Until tomorrow.....

Pastor Botts

"Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that our labor in the Lord is not in vain." - I Corinthians 15:58

P.S. - I'm still looking for volunteers to facilitate our Wednesday Night Studies for September beginning with this week. Let me know ASAP.

Worship: Remembering What's Good With God

"Praise is who I am, I will praise Him while I can...." - William Murphy Shekinah Glory

After being beaten and thrown into prison, all Paul and Silas could do was worship God. And boy was God 'moved'. Amen!

Life does get burdensome at times, and often brings pain and bruises. But don't let what's wrong with you keep you from worshiping what's right with God. So often in our "all about me" way of thinking we forget what worship is all about. Worship is forgetting about what's wrong with you, what's wrong with the world around you, and remembering what is right with God. It's like hitting the refresh key on your computer screen. Worship brings focus where it should be, on God. It brings restoration to the spirit, gives vitality to the heart, renewal to our mind, and strength and encouragement to our very being; reminding us that we are not facing this thing called life alone - God is beside us. Mark Batterson says "worship not only changes the spiritual atmosphere, it RECHARGES those involved." Why, because God is there, and where God is it's never plain and ordinary. God is ready to be moved and move today!

Until tomorrow....

Pastor Botts

"I will bless the Lord at all times.....his praise shall continually be on my lips." - Psalm 34;1

Move In Harmony

Do not ask the Lord to guide your footsteps if you are not willing to move your feet. – Anon

John in his gospel tells us that many people, after they heard the hard words of what it means to follow Jesus went back and “walked with him no more.” A tragic decision. Hmm!

Often, we forget that ours is a Christian journey; being led by our Lord. We willingly signed up when we accepted His call to “follow me.” Though the path may not seem “wise” to us or even dangerous, we must remember, “though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death , thou art with me,” we are not alone. He alone knows the path to His Father’s house for “He came from the Father,” and “He goes back to the Father.” We often feel we know our way around down here better than anyone, and that may be true, but it is not “down here” we want to stay if we expect eternal glory one day. So as Jesus or the Word of God speaks to us, let us move in harmony with the request.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?...the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built his house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.” – Luke 6:46,49  

Go for it... with God!

TODAY is that tomorrow you’ve been putting things off for. - Anon

The 5 foolish virgins thought someone would alert them before the bridegroom came so they could get oil for their lamps. OOPS!

As much as we watch clock and calendar, there is never an ideal time to do anything, and if we waited for such a time we would never move forward. God grants us the day, we have to seize it and the opportunities it brings, making the best of the good times and the bad times. And at times we must go with reckless abandon, trusting God will sort it all out. Though God’s Word tells us we should ‘count the costs’ before acting, we cannot always tally our resources before ‘charging the hill of Philistines’ ala Jonathan; we must sometimes leave room for God to act. God is always at the ready, the question is: Are we prepared for Today?

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“…Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified, do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”  - Joshua 1:9

Sweet Sovereign Silence

See how nature – trees, flowers, grass – all grow in silence. See the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence. God is the friend of silence. – Mother Teresa

John tells us in Revelation that when they opened the ‘seventh seal’ there was complete silence in heaven. For an extended period. WOW!

Blaring horns or alarms, phones, TV, radio, gospel music, etc. – this is what most of us continuously go through the day with, often intentionally. We live in the era of continuous communication or input. We are saturated with noise. We rarely take time to listen to or even see God. There are too many things to be done in the limited time we have available. But we must not allow the clock or the calendar to blind us to the fact that each moment of life is a miracle and mystery, full of God’s presence. Instead of powering up each day maybe we should look at it from the other perspective of ‘opening up’ to God. Silence gives Him a great opportunity to speak, and us a better opportunity to think clearly.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“The Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him.” – Habakkuk 2:20

You can't run from God

Running towards what we don’t understand, and away from Him who wants to give understanding; keeps us from truly knowing who we are. – Anon

Adam and Eve ran and hid from God in the Garden and it seems as if man hasn’t stopped since. Hmm!

Believe it or not but ‘The Fall’ is still happening…. Though God has called us into relationship we are still in flight. Just think about it. We withhold information, we mask our true feelings, we twist facts, and we love to hide. Actions such as these are not demonstrations of openness or transparency but darkness. In our selfish flight to be free we only entangle ourselves more deeply. God is still in the business of giving enlightenment, discernment, wisdom, understanding, and purpose to life, and He’s willing to do it today. The great challenge for all of us is to stop running long enough to discover the truth about ourselves and God’s love for us.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“For in Him we live and move and have our being….we are His offspring.” – Acts 17:28

Our Move

The Golden Rule is of no use to any of us unless we realize it is our move. – F. Crane

Of the Great Commission passage, it is said the most powerful word therein is not teach, disciple, or even baptize; but GO! For without “going” there would be none of the other things. Wow!

To a man, each of us would more than likely admit we’re glad someone shared ‘the faith’ with us. Even if we grew up in the family and learned it that way, we’re glad our parents took us to ‘church.’ The life we now have we could never imagine without God, and the promise of heaven too – WOW. It’s enough to make us want to shout, almost. But it should make us willing to share, seek out others to tell. And though those we encounter in our daily lives may make it tough and questionable for us to do so, we are still compelled and constrained by love for Christ to “prefer” them. Love is an action word and is known much more for doing than saying. I pray we may have a winning strategy today.

Until tomorrow……

Pastor Botts

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be that same as that of Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 2:3-5

Daring Moves

Daring ideas are like chessmen moved forward. They may be beaten, but they may also start a winning game. - Goethe

Andrew brought a small boy with 5 barley loaves and 2 small fish to Jesus to feed 5,000. A sensible move – NO! A daring move - you bet!

In business, an 'entrepreneur' is one who has an idea or dream and is willing to risk everything they have to see it come to pass, realizing there is always a small possibility of failure. It's that type of spirit that should empower our faith and deeds. In truth, often for our faith to work or have value we have to step out on the “ledge of risk.” Not every program or every thing we do for God will work, but we will never know until we try, and the bottom line is that God will never be disappointed with our faithful efforts. PERHAPS.....

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed…..For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus sake, so that His life may be revealed in our mortal body.” – II Corinthians 4:8-9,11

Always moving forward

When your faith gets into the past tense, it becomes a pretense! - Anon

Peter's Pentecost sermon brought in 3,000+ souls. WOW! But God still sent him down to little 'ol Cornelius' house. Hmm!

The bible tells us "the Word of God is active and alive.....," although sometimes the way we serves may bring serious doubts to that. Whether we are new or seasoned in the faith, we can never, ever rest on what we did yesterday or yesteryear. God has done many mighty works in us and through us, but we must remember also "God is ALWAYS at His work." Today's opportunities, big or small; He's already planned, and He's hoping we're all available. May He use us without having to ask us.

Until tomorrow......

Pastor Botts

"As long as it is day, we must do the work of Him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work." - John 9:4