Thinking Thankfully Every Day

A lack of thankfulness is directly tied to a lack of thoughtfulness. – T. Abram

God freed the Israelites from 430 years in bondage to the Egyptians, and as soon as they got to the Red Sea the complaints started. WOW!

This idea we celebrate once a year is really one that should be celebrated DAILY. Each of us, no matter what our lot in life may be at the present; have an abundance of blessings heaped upon us each day by Almighty God. Were we to try and count them it would be impossible. How could you number God’s Wondrous Works, His Daily Provisions, His Grace, Mercy, and Forgiveness, His Daily Revelations, His Future Plans for Us, Others to Fellowship With, just to name a few. HAPPY THANKSGIVING indeed!

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“Be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.” – Psalm 100:4-5 (KJV)

Blending Together

Life is like being a simple letter in the alphabet. It can be meaningless standing alone, or it can be part of a great spelling in fellowship with other letters. – Jewish Proverb

Apollos was a greatly educated orator. After spending time with Aquila and Priscilla he became an even greater preacher. Amen!

Supercalifragilistic expealidocious! Other than the song from ‘Mary Poppins’ I really don’t think the word exists or has meaning – but the letters together look and sound quite grand and added something to the song. The life God has called us to live out in his glory is along the same lines. The various sub and eco-systems of His creation work in perfect harmony to make this planet perfect for us to live on and His expectation is all of us working together in harmony to bring a song of victory or praise to Him. That’s why fellowship is so important – it helps us blend together to bring perfect pitch to the melody of life. Are you in or out?

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“I will give you thanks in the great assembly; among throngs of people I will praise you.” – Psalm 35:18

Life Patches

Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it. - Confucius

Joseph's adventurous life was many times more colorful than the coat his father gave him. Amen!

Quilting is the art of taking 'patches' of fabric from various sources and blending them together for a finished product, usually a blanket, bedspread, or throw. Most quilters take patches of fabric from memorable/meaningful items (favorite old shirt/sweater, apron, couch/chair, etc.) and blend them together for a memorial that keeps them warm and brings comforting thoughts. Thinking along these lines if you were to view your life as a quilt, who/what might be some of the patches? Would any one patch be more meaningful than another? Would you be upset if someone had a few of the same patches? No matter - hopefully the patches that make us who we are allow us to joyfully give thanks to God for what He is doing in our lives.

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

"He has made everything beautiful in its time....." - Ecclesiastes 3:11

The Power of Thanks

"Thanks" is still one of the world's best painkillers! - Dudley Rutherford

When the 1 leper came back to say thanks, Jesus took notice. Hmm!

It takes a real person to be a Christian. To live in this world with bad, ungrateful, self-centered people. To reach out and serve them time and again and never hear the word 'thanks', or 'thank you!' But like Jesus it is what we are called to do. It is said we get back in kind what we give, so let us first learn the true art of thankfulness, starting with God. Then, through the transforming power of the Holy Spirit, learn to be 'thankful' in all situations ourselves, whether we are aiding someone or receiving aid ourselves. This attitude puts the pain-relieving action in motion. And God who sees and hears us will be glorified, and isn't that the end result we all want anyway?

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

"...... give thanks with a grateful heart......"

A Thanksgiving Shot in the Arm

Happy Thanksgiving! Today I'm passing on some words of encouragement from a friend, Dusty Rubeck at CDF. May they help us all appreciate this day even more.

Imagine if there was a vaccine for Thanksgiving. 

One single, painless, shot in the arm that would remove all anger and anxiety and replace it with an overwhelming spirit of gratitude. If there was ever a year our nation needed such a vaccine, this is the one.


I know, I know…a vaccine as powerful as this would need to go through months of testing before receiving FDA approval. And of course, it would probably be in limited supply for months, only available to those who needed it the most.


But as long as we are imagining, let’s just imagine it is freely available to all of us right now.


The instructions accompanying the Thanksgiving Vaccine might go something like this:


Step 1: Thank God for His Protection, and pray it continues.


Step 2: Thank God for His Provision, and commit to share our bounty with others.

Step 3: Thank God for His Promises, and look forward with faith to see them fulfilled.
May your Thanksgiving celebration this year have special meaning as you pause to reflect on what you have been through, how far you have come, and the road that lies ahead.


"Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, His love endures forever."- I Chronicles 16:34


Blessings!
Bro. Botts

Good for What Ails Ya

God’s best for you today may not be your preference. – Anon

Though there were

cleaner pools of water near his home, Naaman had to dip in the ‘muddy’ Jordan

to be cleansed. HE DID!

Castor oil, hog hoof

tea, vapo-rub, cod liver oil, etc. – I’m sure we can remember these and

other home remedies from our early childhood. Though we would have preferred a

visit to the doctor, maybe a few days off from school and so forth; our parents

‘forced’ these remedies on us. And you know what; we are so much the better off

today because they did. In truth, their intentions were right in line with the

way God deals with us. Just as medicine is not always pleasant and easy to deal

with, it is what is best for us when we are ill. The situations or

circumstances God allows into our lives may seem harsh, unappealing, and

distasteful to us; but He is always working in our best interests. So though we

may not like the ‘state of things’ as they are right now, remember God knows

what is best and has a plan for how it will all turn out for good.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“Give thanks in all circumstances

for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” – I Thessalonians 5:18

Time Perspective

There are no more hours in a bad day than in a good one. - Richard Murray

Though Daniel spent the night in the lion's den, it was but a short respite from the world. He and God were OKAY, WOW!

Time flies when you're having fun, but seems to slow to a crawl or snail's pace when things are bad or circumstances are grim. But maybe, just maybe it's in the way we look at it. Often when we take our eyes off of God and His purposes we tend to get narrow minded and a bit more impatient, which only tends to make bad situations appear to last longer. If we focus on God and His goodness, the day never really is long enough to give proper thanks.

Until tomorrow......

Pastor Botts

"This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be GLAD in it. " - Psalm 118:24

Think about His goodness

If we pause to think, we will have cause to thank. – Anon

When Jacob awoke from his sleep and thought about his dream, he praised God and gave thanks. I think it was for more than just sleep. WOW!

Henry Ford once said, “I’m convinced thinking is the hardest work there is, which is why so few people do it.” It does give one cause to ponder. We have worked so hard at being an on-the-go society we seldom have down time and fret we’re missing something when we do have it. But no matter what pace we move at there will always only be 24 hours in a day. Our pace has gotten us away from God. God is a friend of silence and patience. It is in these moments we have time to reflect on His glory and His goodness. And when we truly reflect on these our only expression can be THANKS!

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“Give thanks to the Lord; for he is good, his love endures forever.” – Psalm 107:1

Killin it with Thanks

Thanks is still one of the world's best pain-killers! - Dudley Rutherford

When the 1 leper came back to say thanks, Jesus took notice. Hmm!

It takes a real person to be a Christian. To live in this world with bad, ungrateful, self-centered people. To reach out and serve them time and again and never hear the word 'thanks', or 'thank you!' But like Jesus it is what we are called to do. It is said we get back in kind what we give, so let us first learn the true art of thankfulness, starting with God. Then, through the transforming power of the Holy Spirit, learn to be 'thankful' in all situations ourselves, whether we are aiding someone or receiving aid ourselves. This attitude puts the pain-relieving action in motion. And God who sees and hears us will be glorified, and isn't that the end result we all want anyway?

Until tomorrow.....

Pastor Botts

"...... give thanks with a grateful heart......"

The Best Time Is

The best years in life are those between birth and death. – Anon

Through good times and a lot of suffering, Jesus made the most out of his life here on earth so at the last he could profoundly say “It is finished.” WOW!

Complain, complain, complain! Sometimes it seems it’s all we can do or it’s all we hear from others. It almost makes one think life is not worth the living no matter what age one reaches. But in truth, it really doesn’t matter how young or old one is the best time of life is right now. No matter the circumstances, good or bad, up or down, sickness or health, the joy or misery that comes out of them will be directly proportional to the effort and attitude we attack them with. True we may not like our station in life right now but God still expects us to ‘rejoice’ in it, meaning we can look for the lessons and inspiration He would have us learn from it. Today is a great gift just full of blessings and benefits if we know how to approach it. The choice is ours and ours alone.

Until tomorrow….

Pastor Botts

“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” – I Thessalonians 5:16-18

P.S. - Don't forget all Ministry/Auxiliary reports for 2016 for the Annual Business Meeting package are due by this Friday.

Also, hope you're preparing for our Panel Discussion this coming Sunday at 9AM.

Everyday Thankful For

What if you woke up TODAY with only the things you thanked God for YESTERDAY? - Anon

Nebuchadnezzar, king one day and wild animal the next. God was trying to get his attention. Hmm!

If you've ever tried it, you know it's true - it is impossible to count your blessings. But for the average person that's not an issue for we very often forget we're blessed, or very often feel we deserve what we've been blessed with. In either case God gets overlooked and slighted, rarely thanked, and even growled at because we don't have 'more.' No one likes to be taken for granted, and that includes God, the giver of every good and perfect gift. And because He is so loving, kind, merciful, and forgiving, it makes His GRACE all the more unsearchable. Maybe today would be a good time to start with a prayer of Thanksgiving and ThanksLiving.

Until Monday........

Pastor Botts

".....Give thanks with a grateful heart....."

Thoughtfully Thankful

A lack of thankfulness is directly tied to a lack of thoughtfulness. – T. Abram

God freed the Israelites from 430 years in bondage to the Egyptians, and as soon as they got to the Red Sea the complaints started. WOW!

This idea we celebrate once a year is really one that should be celebrated DAILY. Each of us, no matter what our lot in life may be at the present; have an abundance of blessings heaped upon us each day by Almighty God. Were we to try and count them it would be impossible. How could you number God’s Wondrous Works, His Daily Provisions, His Grace, Mercy, and Forgiveness, His Daily Revelations, His Future Plans for Us, Others to Fellowship With, just to name a few. HAPPY THANKSGIVING indeed!  

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“Be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.” – Psalm 100:4-5 (KJV)

Best Medicine

God’s best for you today may not be your preference. – Anon

Though there were cleaner pools of water near his home, Naaman had to dip in the ‘muddy’ Jordan to be cleansed. HE DID!

Castor oil, hog hoof tea, vapo-rub, cod liver oil, etc. – I’m sure we can remember these and other home remedies from our early childhood. Though we would have preferred a visit to the doctor, maybe a few days off from school and so forth; our parents ‘forced’ these remedies on us. And you know what; we are so much the better off today because they did. In truth, their intentions were right in line with the way God deals with us. Just as medicine is not always pleasant and easy to deal with, it is what is best for us when we are ill. The situations or circumstances God allows into our lives may seem harsh, unappealing, and distasteful to us; but He is always working in our best interests. So though we may not like the ‘state of things’ as they are right now, remember God knows what is best and has a plan for how it will all turn out for good.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“Give thanks in all circumstances for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” – I Thessalonians 5:18

How you look at it

No man has ever injured his eyesight by looking on the bright side of things. – T. T. Crabtree

Though sold in into slavery, falsely imprisoned, accused, and forgotten by man, Joseph was never down in Spirit. He knew God was still at work. Hmm!

Bad Weather, bad news, sickness, family problems, you name it; we’ve all had it at one time or another in our lives. And we’ll have it again in the future. Jesus said “in this life you will have trouble.” Our challenge is not so much the ‘trouble’ itself but how we respond to it. Maybe God wants us to learn to look at these situations and circumstances for the opportunities they bring to deepen our faith, and increase our praise and worship of Him. You’ve got nothing to loose and everything to gain by looking at it this way, and it does make life more bearable.

Until Monday…..

Pastor Botts

“Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you....." - I Thessalonians 5:18

P.S. - Don't forget Prayer Breakfast tomorrow at 9AM and our Annual Business Meeting Sunday after morning services.