What We Take In

Those who would play with kittens must expect to be scratched. – Cervantes

The Israelites gave their daughters in marriage and took other nations daughters in marriage in direct violation of God’s word. Though marriage was honorable in this case it was wrong. They later felt God’s wrath. Hmm!

Often in life, the easiest choices carry heavy consequences that can mar and scar our lives deeply. Our choice of friends, entertainment, and recreation will impact the way we think and act. Our choice of intellectual stimulation, lack of continued disciplined spiritual development will impact our morals, values, and contribution to life. In essence, what we take in will most definitely make an indelible mark on our conscience. Satan often presents sin as something rather glamorous, adoring, and necessary. It is only after we’re entangled that we realize it’s not for us. The good news is that God is willing and able to forgive us of such transgressions, but he expects us to knowingly avoid such temptations. Actions and decisions have results, and life is full of both, but our ultimate aim should be to please God in all we do.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“But if you fail to do this, you will be sinning against the Lord; and you may be sure that your sin will find you out.” – Numbers 32:23

Cheerful Soul Strength

Any idiot can face a crisis; it’s this day-to-day living that wears you out. – A. Chekhov

Elijah threw up his hands and said to God “I’ve had enough! Take my life….” God said “let me show you something Elijah…” He was forever a changed man. Hmm!

Constant demands at work/home! Rush hour traffic! Financial pressures! Daily stress! It’s enough to drive your blood pressure up, put your temper on edge, and suck the joy out of life. We all face such things in life. Yet, notice how some cheerful souls seem to never be fazed, they just seem to roll with the punches and keep on smiling. They have an ability to put a positive spin on every situation or circumstance. They seem able to see the humor in life even when things go way, way wrong. It seems like life never gets a good hit on them to knock them down or steal their joy. Generally, these are the folks who have put their faith and trust in God and don’t take themselves too seriously. They’ve learned that laughter is a great medicine, actually a gift from God; and that faith is the greatest preserver and encourager known to man. So, depending on the situation they can face any fiasco, handle any hassle, find sunshine on a rainy day, and still enjoy the blessing of life. May we all be so blessed!

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance….” – James 1:1

Out of Our Hands

If it's out of your hands, it deserves freedom from your mind too! - Anon

In exile, Daniel's desire to serve God was always stronger than his desire to return home. Amen!

WORRY! All too often it is the lubricant of our mind. We try to change what has happened, and try to project what will happen, playing the scenario over and over strategically like a game of chess. Many of us are mentally, spiritually, and emotionally fatigued and we often wonder why. Could it possibly be that though we've 'prayed' on it we have not really released it to God? There is nothing impossible or too hard for God, but He will NEVER do anything we think we can do ourselves. Worry keeps the issue on our realm. God made us and He alone knows how to bring relief to our soul, to revive our spirit, but it's only when we allow Him to work wholeheartedly on the matter. He's going to be up all night, why not trust Him with it.

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

"Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall." - Psalm 55:22

Going Through It

The best way out is always through. - Robert Frost

The only way into the Promised Land was through the nations of people God would help the Israelites conquer. They thought otherwise but finally trusted God's commands and were rewarded. AMEN!

No one likes pain or distress, and when they come we immediately try to circumvent them. But when God engineers situations for us He is shaping, pruning, and perfecting our character for His glory, and our perseverance is the order of the day. To quit, give up, or seek another avenue is to miss out on the blessings and growth He desires for us. True, it may be hard, unpleasant, distasteful, and seem lonely right now; but we must remember what He tells us in His Word "though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death....He is with us." Situations and circumstances in our life may not be the best, but that only means we've not quite made it through yet. We should just trust God and enjoy the journey.

Until tomorrow......

Pastor Botts

"Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him." - James 1:12

Happily Make the best of Things

Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out. – John Wooden

The apostle Paul said ‘his chains actually helped him advance the gospel.’ Go figure!

Happiness! For most it’s a commodity they believe they deserve, or have somehow earned with all their hard work and toil. But in truth it is not a ‘commodity’ that can be purchased like food or clothing, it is rather an attitude. When we pursue it in our endeavors it becomes even more elusive, for it is really a by-product of right thinking and right behavior; or godliness. It is the by-product of a life that is lived in the will of God. And being in the will of God we know not everything will turn out the way we expect, but God will leave us with opportunity to rejoice. And that’s really not a bad thing.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live.” – Ecclesiastes 3:12

Expect it to work out good

An optimist is a fellow who believes a housefly is actually looking for a way to get out. – G. Nathan

Throughout all his afflictions Job looked for God’s response and insight. He was well rewarded. Amen!

Life pays back in kind, and much of what we will receive is based upon how we respond to the stimuli in life. The key is to trust that no matter what God brings into our lives today via work, family, friends, or even strangers; He is going to work it out “for good.” The truth is we have Christ, so we should always have hope and look for the best, whether it be with people or circumstances. And just as God sees us as we can be, not as we actually are; we too should also see others in the same way. The trick is not to get rankled, riled up, or fly off the handle, but believe.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” – Genesis 50:20

Why Not?!

Its three strikes and you’re out whether you swing the bat or not, so SWING! – Babe Ruth

Jonathan and his armor-bearer took out a garrison of Philistine soldiers with one sword. The Lord 'helped' his swing. Amen!

Abraham Lincoln failed at many things before he became President of the U.S. Thomas Edison struck out over a thousand times before he discovered the light bulb. The common denominator is these men and other great people like them never let yesterday’s disappointment stop them in their tracks. They took advantage of every opportunity again and again to press on and succeed. One thing we know about life is that like baseball it doesn’t care if you swing or not, it will take you out if not lived properly. But God gives us opportunities everyday to make an eternal impact for his kingdom, which builds our own self-worth. These are the moments that sustain us, so we can’t afford to miss those pitches!

Until tomorrow……

Pastor Botts

“Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity….” – Ephesians 5:15-16

In face of the everyday

Any idiot can face a crisis; it’s this day-to-day living that wears you out. – A. Chekhov

Elijah threw up his hands and said to God “I’ve had enough! Take my life….” God said “let me show you something Elijah…” He was forever a changed man. Hmm!

Demands at work! Rush hour traffic! Family pressures! Daily stress! It’s enough to drive your blood pressure up, put your temper on edge, and take the joy out of life. We all face such things in life. Yet, notice how some cheerful souls seem to never be fazed, they just seem to roll with the punches and keep on smiling. They have an ability to put a positive spin on every situation or circumstance. They seem able to see the humor in life even when things go way wrong. It seems like life never gets a good hit on them to knock them down or steal their joy. Generally these are the folks who have put their faith and trust in God and don’t take themselves too seriously. They’ve learned that laughter is a great medicine, actually a gift from God; and that faith is the greatest preserver and encourager known to man. So depending on the situation they can face any fiasco, handle any hassle, find sunshine on a rainy day, and still enjoy the blessing of life. May we all be so blessed!

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance….” – James 1:1

Answers greater than the Requests

Some of God’s best gifts are unanswered prayers. – Anon

Though God’s answer to Paul was a resounding ‘NO’ to his prayer for healing, Paul came to know the GRACE of God in a much deeper sense. Hmm!

If we are true to ourselves all of us could possibly think of times we were disappointed our prayers weren’t answered as we thought they should be, or that life would have been so much better if God would have just done exactly what we asked of Him. But in reality we need to take a step back and see actually what God did do in those situations – He worked it out for OUR good and HIS glory. That's His nature and His way. When God is slow to respond to our requests or says no, He has plans greater than we can fathom at the time. We should be eternally thankful that God’s answers are much wiser than our requests. If we were honest none of us would trade where He has us now for what might’ve been.

Until Monday……

Pastor Botts

“For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.” – Psalm 84:11

Disciplined Choices

Those who would play with kittens must expect to be scratched. – Cervantes

The Israelites gave their daughters in marriage and took other nations daughters in marriage in direct violation of God’s word. Though marriage was honorable in this case it was wrong. They later felt God’s wrath. Hmm!

Often in life, the easiest choices carry heavy consequences that can mar and scar our lives deeply. Our choice of friends, entertainment, and recreation will impact the way we think and act. Our choice of intellectual stimulation, lack of continued disciplined spiritual development will impact our morals, values, and contribution to life. In essence, what we take in will most definitely make an indelible mark on our conscience. Satan often presents sin as something rather glamorous, adoring, and necessary. It is only after we’re entangled that we realize it’s not for us. The good news is that God is willing and able to forgive us of such transgressions, but he expects us to knowingly avoid such temptations. Actions and decisions have results, and life is full of both, but our ultimate aim should be to please God in all we do.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“But if you fail to do this, you will be sinning against the Lord; and you may be sure that your sin will find you out.” – Numbers 32:23

Going through it

The best way out is always through. - R. Frost

The only way into the Promised Land was through the nations of people God would help the Israelites conquer. They thought otherwise but finally trusted God's commands and were rewarded. AMEN!

No one likes pain or distress, and when they come we immediately try to circumvent them. But when God engineers situations for us He is shaping, pruning, and perfecting our character for His glory, and our perseverance is the order of the day. To quit, give up, or seek another avenue is to miss out on the blessings and growth He desires for us. True, it may be hard, unpleasant, distasteful, and seem lonely right now; but we must remember what He tells us in His Word "though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death....He is with us." Situations and circumstances in our life may not be the best, but that only means we've not quite made it through yet. We should just trust God and enjoy the journey.

Until tomorrow......

Pastor Botts

"Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him." - James 1:12

Reaping Investments

Don’t anticipate your ship coming in to port if you’ve never sent one out. – Anon

Joseph told Pharaoh he needed to prepare for the future for severe famine was on the way. With Joseph in charge the Egyptians never faced want. Wow!

It’s amazing how often people think things will magically work out. They often hold out for the day their ‘luck’ will change and everything will fall into line when ‘their ship’ comes in. But just as we would never go to a bank to withdraw money when we’ve never deposited any or expect a paycheck for a job we’ve never worked, it’s just as foolish to expect our life to be changed by an event that cannot happen because we’ve done nothing to cause it to happen. It’s amazing how we often expect our lives to become more godly and Christ like when we don’t do the things to cause it to happen. To reap the rewards of an investment you must invest. Today is another opportunity God has given us to prepare.

Until tomorrow….

Pastor Botts

“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” – II Chronicles 7:14

Going Through

God does not offer us a way out of the adversities of life. He offers us a way through, and that makes all the difference. -W.T. Purkiser

God ‘parted’ the sea for the Israelites to walk through, he didn’t magically make it disappear, nor did He make them superhuman. Hmm!

Some years ago the Temptations recorded a song ‘Ball of Confusion – That’s What the World is Today.’ For many it still is. For we who belong to God, it can be when we begin to try and see it through our own eyes and conquer it in our own strength. One thing is certain whether we trust God or not - we will certainly see and experience adversity firsthand, and if we are not prepared it can often be quite confusing and impede our efforts. The instinct of a Christian is that we know adversity is a part of life, but we also know and trust that God will see us through it. So our prayers are not so much “Lord, get me out of this mess,” but moreso “Lord, I trust you will provide all I need to persevere, and I pray I will gain insight from this to give greater glory to you.” Knowing this makes any day bearable.

Until Monday….

Pastor Botts

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33

P.S. - Don't forget tomorrow. If it's raining we gather at 9AM at the church for Prayer Breakfast. If it's not raining we gather at 10AM the park for the kick-ball rematch. Hope you can make it.

Those Little Buggers

The trouble with little sins is that they don’t stay little. – Anon

Cain, Achan, David, the woman at the well. These people thought their sin was well concealed, but somehow it got bigger than them. OUCH!

It happens in almost every family where the firstborn son is named Junior. He normally turns out to be several times as big as his father. Sin has a lifecycle like that as well. Starting small with maybe just a thought or hint, but left unchecked it grows into a massive slave owner. At first, sin does fascinate, but in the end, it assassinates. Often we feel we’ll be the one to beat it, to get away with it and keep it secret, but God sees all we do, and “the wages of sin is still death.”  But God’s “mercies are new every morning,” and with each new day He gives us a new opportunity to “go and sin no more.” HALLELUJAH!

Until tomorrow……

Pastor Botts

‘You may be sure that your sin will find you out.” – Deuteronomy 32:23

You get out what you put in

It takes as much stress to be a success as it does to be a failure. – E. Trujillo

After meeting Jesus, the apostle Paul worked just as hard or harder to build up the church as he did beforehand when he tried to destroy it. Hmm!

There is a common saying that “you get out of life what you put into it.” The thought behind it being that you get to determine how far you want to go in life. The common denominator in life is not intelligence, money, race, or chance; its effort and discipline. And no matter one’ s station in life it takes effort and discipline to maintain it. No one fails because they have to, it’s generally because they were not willing to do all necessary to have success. God grants us all we need for an abundant life here and offers us second and third chances that we may be overcomers. The question is what’s holding you back?

Until tomorrow….

Pastor Botts

“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.” – Galatians 6:7

Get Out of the Zone

If you want to walk on water you have to get out of the boat. – J. Ortberg

James and John left their father Zebedee in the boat mending nets when Jesus called them. They learned to ‘fish’ for men. Hmm!

We have a natural tendency in life to find our “comfort zone” and then firmly position ourselves there in place, unwilling to move or change regardless of who we encounter. But it’s often in these situations where we miss out on God’s activity. If we are in a situation or lifestyle where we are perfectly capable of handling everything, then we’ve ceased growing in our understanding and dependence on God. God’s assignments generally disrupt our comfortable routines and take us into the realm of the unknown – where we learn to trust Him more – because He wants to be known in a new way to us. When the uncomfortable comes, maybe we should ask God what’s He up to!

Until Monday….

Pastor Botts

“And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.” – Matthew 19:29-30

P.S. - ISCC parents, we would love to have the children available for Sunday evening services.

Invest in Preparation

Don’t anticipate your ship coming in to port if you’ve never sent one out. – Anon

Joseph told Pharaoh he needed to prepare for the future for severe famine was on the way. With Joseph in charge the Egyptians never faced want. Wow!

It’s amazing how often people think things will magically work out. They often hold out for the day their ‘luck’ will change and everything will fall into line when ‘their ship’ comes in. But just as we would never go to a bank to withdraw money when we’ve never deposited any or expect a paycheck for a job we’ve never worked, it’s just as foolish to expect our life to be changed by an event that cannot happen because we’ve done nothing to cause it to happen. It’s amazing how we often expect our lives to become more godly and Christ like when we don’t do the things to cause it to happen. To reap the rewards of an investment you must invest. Today is another opportunity God has given us to prepare.

Until tomorrow….

Pastor Botts

“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” – II Chronicles 7:14