Truth: Friend or Foe?

Truth is either the greatest of friends or an unbeatable foe. – Anon

As Jesus stood before him, Pilate had a major decision to make about the truth. We know how it ended with him. WOW!

TRUTH – Courts of law search for it; we demand it in our daily interactions. Yes, truth is something we are to seek after, embrace, and affirm. Yet it is not so much a matter of us finding the truth as it is us surrendering to it. Jesus said “You shall know the truth and it will set you free.” To know means to understand, accept, and abide in. Our surrender to ‘truth’ is what establishes our foundation for a life of integrity, honesty, and righteousness before God and others. The point we often overlook is that when we find the truth and refuse to surrender it no longer remains our friend but actually becomes the foe that condemns us. God leaves the choice to us.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice…” – Proverbs 21:3

There's No Balancing This

The symbol of the religion of Jesus is the cross, not the scales. – J. Stott

In Luke 18 the Pharisee wanted God to see how well balanced and pious his life was by his acts of service. God was not impressed. Hmm!

All too often we’re like the Pharisee, we’ll do just enough to balance things out, give God just enough time, offering, praise, etc. to cover the blessings He gives. But we miss the boat. The cross represents the symbol of our Lord’s suffering. It is where He was hung and crucified with OUR sins. Nothing we do can atone for His sacrifice or “balance out” the deed. We are forever in His debt. Jesus did not call us to balance the books but to “take up our cross daily” and follow Him.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“Suppose one of you had a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Would he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, ‘Come along now and sit down to eat?’ Would he not rather say, ‘Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink…So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants, we have only done our duty,” – Luke 17:7-10

Sometimes We Need A Break

A horse must be “broken” before he’ll work. So must some people. – Anon

God at one time made King Nebuchadnezzar ‘unfit’ for society until he acknowledged God’s greatness and sovereignty. Amen!

In the midst of turmoil or struggles in our life we are prone to ask the "why me" question. And though trouble comes to all men equally, there are times when God speaks directly to our situation and relationship with Him. Like Nebuchadnezzar, we often chase our own success, satisfaction, and glory to the detriment of our relationship with God. Often we think we’re giving God His due, but it’s merely ritual platitudes and tokenism. And though it pains Him to do so, sometimes God has to completely ‘interrupt’ or ‘subdue’ us (financial crises, ill health, detached relationships, etc.) to get our attention, to show us the error of our ways. So our question should not so much be "why me," but what is God trying to tell me?

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

“You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” – Psalm 51:16-17

Really Real Obedience

Unless he obeys, a man cannot believe no matter how often he says he does. – Dietrich Bonhoeffer

When God gave 99-year old Abraham the covenant of circumcision, that very day he and his household were circumcised. Hmm!

Every day we witness it and think little of it, but it has a profound belief behind it – a traffic light. We obey the colors and we know unequivocally RED means stop, so we obey. The danger in not obeying is too great. We’ve seen the destruction that happens when one disobeys. The same is true in life. We see it every day as well, lives interrupted or shipwrecked by disobedience to God’s Word by those who say they confess Christ as Lord. God’s desire is not to cause us harm but good, so somewhere there must be a disconnect. Life is more than platitudes and feel good statements. It may make us feel good to say “God knows my heart”. He does indeed know it, but He is still looking for obedience. It is a matter of living up to what we say we profess. God would have it no other way.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“But Samuel replied: Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice…” I Samuel 15:22

It's How You Come

Present your body as a living sacrifice. – Romans 12:1

When Peter recognized it was Jesus he saw, he quickly girded himself with the proper attire before coming ashore. Hmm!

We all know the cliché ‘You never get a second chance to make a first impression!’ And I’m sure it’s played out many times over in our lives in various settings both good and bad. And the truth is it plays out in our faith walk every day as well. Whether we are at work, school, vacation, or home; God is thoroughly concerned with the way we present ourselves before others as we live for Him. The bible speaks on grooming, being properly ‘adorned’ for service, being washed, clean, and unnoticeable in our times of fasting, and by not using or offering our ‘temple’ for acts of unrighteousness, including our eyes (what we see) and ears (what we hear). The bible calls us ‘ambassadors’ and that carries a certain air of expectancy with it. This is not to say we always walk around formally dressed and coiffed, but that we are ‘presentable.' The idea is if people are going to look to Jesus to have hope, first they will look to us as representatives of that hope. The question then becomes not how much do you know, but do they want to know you?

Until Monday…

Pastor Botts

“But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto myself.” – John 12:32

Great Efforts to Please The Great I Am

“You call what you’re doing a living sacrifice?” – God

Jacob had to leave his family, slept alone with a ‘rock’ for a pillow, and still got up and praised God. Hmm!

Often most of us just fall into the rut of life, just doing what we need to do to get by, make ends meet, keep the lights on, etc. And unfortunately, the same attitude falls upon our ministry and worship efforts. But if God is a God of life, joy, vibrancy, and the One who is ‘doing a new thing’ should not our lives somewhat parallel the One in whose image we were made? The spirit-filled individuals we read about in His Word had problems as well, but it seems they went out of their way and normal routines to praise/please God. If God is the same ‘yesterday, today, and forever,’ I think the same type of attitude and effort is still what pleases Him. Hopefully we’re all up for it today.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“{God said} Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.” – Job 1:8

Sacrificing Now for Later

Your new life is going to cost you your old one. – Anon

Paul willingly counted everything he had accomplished as ‘lost’ for the sake of having Jesus. Wow!

Sacrifice! Now that’s a word where we all seem to understand its meaning but have the greatest problem committing ourselves to it. The ability to delay gratification for something greater, the ability to give oneself up to aid in the greater cause. It’s so hard to do, but yet, it is what Jesus did for us, and willingly. Even with all the hardship that He knew He would endure. He still willingly and lovingly sacrificed Himself for us. And admittedly, no matter where we stand in life right now, up or down, thin or flush, we all still want and believe there is something better. That there is more to ‘life’ than where we are right now. The question is are we willing, like Jesus to sacrifice the now for the later.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

"…No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” – Luke 9:62

Remember the Thanks

A thankful heart is not only the greatest virtue, but the parent of all other virtues. – Cicero

The Psalms tell us indirectly there are 2 words the Lord never tires of – “thank you.” Maybe we should try it, Hmm!

So often, we allow ourselves to become so preoccupied with the demands of daily living that we forget to say ‘thank you’ to the Giver of all good gifts. Worship and praise should be a part of everything we do for it is who we are at our core – a work of praise and worship to God. Praise is effusive in thanksgiving and adoration, and it opens our hearts to walk even more closely with God. It is when we forget to praise Him that we are so easily overwhelmed by life’s issues and lose our perspective. Work may be hard and strenuous, but we should thank Him for the means to provide for ourselves. Heartache may visit us from time to time, but we should thank Him that we have learned what love is all about. No matter the situation we may currently be facing, we should praise Him. Not only does it pay to praise God, but it lifts the spirit of our hearts, and that friend, is a blessing in itself.

Until Monday…

Pastor Botts

“….through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise – the fruit of lips that confess His name….” – Hebrews 13:15

A Gift Through Sacrifice

"What is man that you are mindful of him....?" - King David

Even after much prayer, it wasn't an easy decision for Hannah, but she kept her promise to God. Hmm!

Years ago there was great public debate about a couple who had another child specifically to take bone marrow from to aid in the health/recovery of their older child. It matters not which way you weighed in on the issue, for the truth is most of us would give ourselves or try and move heaven and earth to save our children. They are our creation and we believe in them and want what's best for them. But along those lines here's the question: would we be willing to sacrifice our children for anyone else, possibly someone we don't even know, or doesn't look like us? The answer is what gives God's gift of His Son such weight and magnitude. He willingly offered up His own Son's blood and life for someone the likes of you/me. Oh, the worst and vilest offenders of the earth - yeah, them too!

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

"...but God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." -Romans 5:8

Ineffective Scare Tactics

SATAN: the enemy of Christ who wants to scare the HEAVEN out of you! - Anon

Goliath relied on his size to taunt and frustrate the Israelites. But then a little scrawny kid 'rocked' him to sleep. OUCH!

Growing up there were certain 'invented' individuals that evoked fear in us as children (bogeyman, closet monsters, etc.) that we eventually outgrew. Then there were certain real creatures that evoked fear in us as well (spiders, snakes, hornets, etc.) that we learned to control or stay away from. What's amazing is that in our Christian walk we know we have an enemy who's after our souls and uses scare tactics that seem to intrigue and interest us so much we fail to see what he's up to and where he's leading us. We must realize that he really has no power over us unless we invite him by lowering our guards (no prayer/study/meditation/fellowship), or by lowering our standards (respectable sins?). Like David, we must see beyond what is immediately in front of us, to the God who is always with us and for us. Not only is the road to hell paved with good intentions, but the way to heaven requires sacrifices.

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

"Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith...." - I Peter 5:8-9

Truth: Friend or Foe?

Truth is either the greatest of friends or an unbeatable foe. – Anon

As Jesus stood before him, Pilate had a major decision to make about the truth. We know how it ended with him. WOW!

TRUTH – Courts of law search for it; we demand it in our daily interactions. Yes, truth is something we are to seek after, embrace, and affirm. Yet it is not so much a matter of us finding the truth as it is us surrendering to it. Jesus said “You shall know the truth and it will set you free.” To know means to understand, accept, and abide in. Our surrender to ‘truth’ is what establishes our foundation for a life of integrity, honesty, and righteousness before God and others. The point we often overlook is that when we find the truth and refuse to surrender it no longer remains our friend but actually becomes the foe that condemns us. God leaves the choice to us.

Until Monday…

Pastor Botts

“To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice…” – Proverbs 21:3

You CAN'T Do It All

Devoting a little of yourself to everything means committing a great deal of yourself to nothing. – M. LeBoeuf

The Israelites tried serving the gods of their neighbors and Almighty God. Eventually they found themselves with neither. Hmm!

We live in a world that says you can have it all, and unfortunately many believe just that. Sacrifice is not a part of the vocabulary. Many of us are stretched thin, involved in every “in” thing, going to every “in” place. And like our fashionable attendance to these major events (arrive late, leave early) we do the same with our God walk. But God has indeed called us to humbly submit our whole heart to Him alone, and has promised us all other things will fall into place if we do. And if we give it some serious thought, doing less but with a more defined purpose is really not half-bad.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” – Matthew 6:33

Do You Really Believe?

Unless he obeys, a man cannot believe no matter how often he says he does. – Dietrich Bonhoffer

When God gave 99-year old Abraham the covenant of circumcision, that very day he and his household were circumcised. Hmm!

Everyday we witness it and think little of it, but it has a profound belief behind it – a traffic light. We obey the colors and we know unequivocally RED means stop, so we obey. The danger in not obeying is too great. We’ve seen the destruction that happens when one disobeys. The same is true in life. We see it everyday as well, lives interrupted or shipwrecked by disobedience to God’s Word by those who say they confess Christ as Lord. God’s desire is not to cause us harm but good, so somewhere there must be a disconnect. Life is more than platitudes and feel good statements. It may make us feel good to say “God knows my heart” and He does indeed know it, but he is still looking for obedience. It is a matter of living up to what we say we profess. God would have it no other way.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“But Samuel replied: Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice…” I Samuel 15:22

Sing your Song

A bird doesn't sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song. - Maya Angelou

The Good Samaritan didn't solve all the world's problems, but he did do one thing - love his neighbor. God was well pleased. Hmm!

It would be great to know each day exactly what activities God wanted us to accomplish, or people He wanted us to witness to, but it is not always that simple. And if we stop and think about it, we don't need to know all the exact details, that's God's business; we just need to be obedient to what we already know to do - go and tell the good news, love one another - and that will suffice. May we all have that song in our hearts today.

Until tomorrow.....

Pastor Botts

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship." - Romans 12:1

Dead on Your Feet

What is truly sad is when something dies inside a man while he is still living. – Albert Einstein

Because of his continued willful disobedience God removed His “favor” from king Saul. He became a very vexed man who died a horrible death. Hmm!

“I’m okay!” It’s a statement we all use from time to time to tell ourselves and others all is right. But is it really? Just because life goes on as usual does not mean all is okay. Saul continued in his kingship devoid of God’s blessing and coverage, but hell bent on destroying David, a friend who had shown only love for him. Though we may attend to the “religious” detail of our life; without the livelihood of the indwelling Spirit we’re just going through the motions. What made Job truly remarkable in God’s sight was not only his obedience, but his attitude towards righteousness (he offered sacrifices just in case his children sinned). As we conduct our ‘check-up from the neck-up’ may our Spirit be alive and well.

Until Monday……

Pastor Botts

“You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” – Psalm 51:16-17

Proper Presentation

Present your body as a living sacrifice.  – Romans 12:1

When Peter recognized it was Jesus he saw, he quickly girded himself with the proper attire before coming ashore. Hmm!

We all know the cliché ‘You never get a second chance to make a first impression!’ And I’m sure it’s played out many times over in our lives in various settings both good and bad. And the truth is it plays out in our faith walk as well every day. Whether we are at work, school, vacation, or home; God is thoroughly concerned with the way we present ourselves before others as we live for Him. The bible speaks on grooming, being properly ‘adorned’ for service, being washed, clean, and unnoticeable in our times of fasting, and by not using or offering our ‘temple’ for acts of unrighteousness, including our eyes (what we see) and ears (what we hear). The bible calls us ‘ambassadors’ and that carries a certain air of expectancy with it. This is not to say we always walk around formally dressed and coiffed, but that we are ‘presentable.' The idea is if people are going to look to Jesus to have hope, first they will look to us as representatives of that hope. The question then becomes not how much do you know, but do they want to know you?

Until tomorrow……

Pastor Botts

“But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto myself.” – John 12:32

Doin Too Much

Devoting a little of yourself to everything means committing a great deal of yourself to nothing. – M. LeBoeuf

The Israelites tried serving the gods of their neighbors and Almighty God. Eventually they found themselves with neither. Hmm!

We live in a world that says you can have it all, and unfortunately many believe just that. Sacrifice is not a part of the vocabulary. Many of us are stretched thin, involved in every “in” thing, going to every “in” place. And like our fashionable attendance to these major events (arrive late, leave early) we do the same with our God walk. But God has indeed called us to humbly submit our whole heart to Him alone, and has promised us all other things will fall into place if we do. And if we give it some serious thought, doing less but with a more defined purpose is really not half-bad.

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” – Matthew 6:33

Influence: Making the world a better place

What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others. – Pericles

Solomon realized all his building and creating were nothing but works of vanity. He said “knowing God is what counted most.” Hmm!

Drive by any cemetery and you will see them. Magnificent headstones, supposed monuments giving testimony to the one who is buried beneath. But the true test of a legacy is what is left behind in the lives of those we touch. The idea for this life God gifts to us is to make the present moment better for those around us and for those coming behind us. We’re not to take out of life but add joy and peace to it. And we need not a wide circle to influence, for just as a pebble creates an ever expanding ripple on a pond, a little influence can indeed go a long way in someone’s life. All we need do is just think where we would be without God.

Until tomorrow….

Pastor Botts

“By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did….when God spoke well of his offering. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.” – Hebrews 11:4

Broken Hearts

If through a broken heart God can bring His purposes to pass in the world, then thank Him for breaking your heart. – O. Chambers

God heard Hannah’s painful heart-broken prayers. He answered by giving her a son mighty in the priesthood.  AMEN!

Necessity may be the mother of invention, but pain, sweat, and tears are what get the job done. Now admittedly, we all have an aversion to pain of any kind. With so much to do, so many places to go, or people to interact with we seldom have time to be laid up or sidelined with it. But that is the call of an intercessor, to have a deep-hearted pain for others that only God can soothe and heal. Pain is not optional in the Christian walk, it is inevitable; and as much as we avoid it, sometimes we need to ask God to break our heart.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” – Psalm 51:16-17