Peace of Mind Control

If you want peace of mind, start controlling what you allow into it. - Rick Warren

King Saul would often summon young David to play the harp before him to calm his troubled mind. Hmm!

Capital One "What's in your wallet?" wants to get into your wallet! At least they're upfront about it. See, the enemy knows the battle of our will is waged in the mind. And he seeks to control our mind or way of thinking through all sorts of subversive, subliminal, and deceptive media, via every possible distribution outlet (TV, Radio, Internet, Social Media, etc.) available. Anxiety, stress, life disorders and so forth are often brought about by a worrisome mind, a heart with no peace or rest. But there is a way to overcome the enemy's assault on our mind. Choose carefully what we consume in our media diet. The benefits are tremendous. As has been said: "No Jesus, No peace! Know Jesus, Know peace"!

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

"...we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." - II Corinthians 10:5

Battles In The Mind

When you fix your thoughts on God, God fixes your thoughts!" - Anon

After his encounter with Jesus, people found the once demon possessed man sitting at Jesus' feet in his 'right mind.' Hmm!

Anxious thoughts! Troubling thoughts! Rebellious thoughts! Evil thoughts! The list can go on and on and on. Believe it or not our 'thought' life is central to our actual life. As Emerson truly said, "a person is what they think about all day long." God gave us a mind to think, and if we're not careful it can run us crazy. Which is why Paul tells us to think on 'heavenly things' (Phil. 4:8). Since we know the battle is for our mind/(heart) we should be very, very careful what we allow into our thought process. The enemy knows that our eyes and our ears are the portals to our thinking and he blitzes us every day with ads enticing us to fix our thoughts everywhere but on God. And though we may not act on our 'evil' thoughts, let us remember Jesus still knows what we're thinking in our hearts. The key is to learn how to keep our thoughts and hearts pure. And for that there is only 1 remedy. More time with God and His Word.

Until Monday...

Pastor Botts

"we demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." - II Corinthians 10:5

P.S. - Don't forget to set your clocks FORWARD 1-hour this Saturday night.

Use the Information

Some people will pay their tuition, and then defy you to give them an education. – R.A. Cook

Naaman traveled long and hard to get ‘cured’ of his leprosy, and then decided he didn’t like the remedy given. Hmm!

We live in the information age. It comes at us from all directions – TV, radio, internet, billboards, magazines, newspapers, and of course the phone at our fingertips – all the time. Most of the time we willingly go after it, but in the end its just news to us, it requires nothing of us, no changes, no challenges. Often, we use the same application process when it comes to our reading and studying of God’s Word. We love the information content, and though it does challenge us to change or charge us to be obedient, our old attitude wins out and we do nothing. Though the world’s news may not require anything of us God has said “we will all one day have to give an account.” If we’re going to acquire the understanding of His Word, it’s only practical to put it to use. That’s what life is for.

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.” – Romans 12:2

Knowing Disobedience

Knowing and not doing are equal to not knowing at all. – Anon

Peter and John were arrested and charged not to “preach in the name of Jesus” anymore. It was the only NAME they knew. And boy did they preach!

It’s never a minor thing to know God’s will and not do it. The bible calls this sin. We can make excuses for our lack of obedience, “I’m just not ready yet,” or “I’ll do it later,” or “I can’t afford to,” etc. Other times we may even deceive ourselves into thinking that good intentions equal obedient actions. But good intentions without corresponding action is still disobedience. God has granted us TODAY with its host of opportunities to get it right, to make a difference. Go for it!

Until tomorrow……

Pastor Botts

“Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.” – James 4:17