Forgetting What Is Behind...

To be wronged is nothing unless you continue to remember it. – Confucius

Though Peter scolded him and denied even knowing him, Jesus still gave him Pentecost. WOW!

We live in a fallen world with fallen people. So often we seem to forget this fact. Fallen people tend to do wrong, sometimes intentionally. The truth of the matter is that we will be lied to, lied on, mistreated, misjudged, and flat out hated at times just because we breathe or exist. These are the issues of life that will create excess baggage and emotional instability if we allow it. The example Jesus gave to us is that we just keep moving closer to God, give it all to Him and allow Him to heal it and make us stronger for the fight ahead. Forgiveness is a great gift once we learn how to use it properly and remember God will bring justice as He promised.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” – Matthew 5:10

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

Curves Ahead

A bend in the road is not the end of the road - unless you fail to make the turn. - Anon

From the belly of the great fish Jonah suddenly had time to think and repent. WOW!

'Smooth sailin'!' 'Nothing but the open road, baby!' 'Puttin' the pedal to the metal!' All phrases we're familiar with that paint a picture of someone just movin' through traffic (life) with no cares or problems. However, sometimes there are curves to navigate and even turns to negotiate, which when traveling at the appropriate speed are easily manageable. If the curves and turns of life are upsetting to you maybe it's time to slow down a bit, and always remember God does allow U-turns.

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

"Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me." - Psalm 119:133

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

Life Runs On Prayer

Remember that nothing will run itself, unless it’s running downhill. – Anon

In the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus exhorted the disciples to “keep watch and pray” and not sleep. Though they failed on several occasions, they finally got it right later. AMEN!

It’s true the life Jesus promised us is the life we all want, but it’s also true that to have the life we want we must put in the “work” required. If we were to ever seriously look at the life Jesus lived we would see the first and last order of work is prayer. The reasons our lives are often run down, drained, and without effect is because we don’t do the necessary work in prayer. Prayer is what keeps the life running. It is as vital to the Christian life as food is to the physical life. Without it we cease to exist. I pray yours is effective.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

"Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain." - I Corinthians 15:58

Temples of God

Unless love is written on the heart it is merely just a word. - Anon

The Good Samaritan acted because of a heart condition. Hmm!

In Old Testament times the 'Book of The Law' of God was kept in the temple and read to the people by the priests. Every so often because of war or sinful leadership it was lost or misplaced so there was no reading of it. No keeping of the commands of God. Hence, God's decision under the New Covenant to put His Word in the hearts of the people, therefore we are now the temple of God (our hearts) and the Word of God should reside within us, so it can never be lost or hindered in its power to work. That's why it is imperative for us as Christians to set aside time to study, meditate, pray, and commune with God that His Word will become more ingrained in our hearts. It takes more than just sporadic Sunday church attendance, it's a pining in the heart for connection, which then translates to action. After all, love is a word of action.

Until Monday...

Pastor Botts

"Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?..........God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple" - I Corinthians 3:16-17

It Hurts Because It's True

The truth doesn’t hurt unless it ought to. – B.C. Forbes

Peter was ‘hurt’ when Jesus questioned his love those 3 times after his denials. But he finally got point. OUCH!

Jesus referred to himself as ‘the Truth.’ God never gave us the truth to hurt us, but to set us free. The power of the truth is in its application – love. If we walk in the truth we feel the love and warmth of God. If we walk outside of the truth we feel its painful sharp edges trying to push us back into line. If pain lingers its only because of our refusal to acknowledge and accept God’s plan and purposes over our own. We can get mad and go away but the TRUTH (God’s Word) will never change, for it is His agent to change us. Lets strive for a pain-free day today!

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“Sanctify them by the truth, your word is truth.” – John 17:17

Endless Possibilities

You are not stuck where you are unless you decide to be. – W. Dyer

Joseph went from prisoner to Prime Minister because he kept his eyes on God, not his surroundings. Hmm!

“It’s just my lot in life.” “That’s just the way it’s going to be.” "It is what it is!" How often have we heard or even used such language. Hope is one of our greatest assets in our faith walk, but oftentimes it seems buried under the issues or cares of life. We often tend to think presently that “this is all life has to offer”, or “this is who we will always be,” so we give up on trying to move forward (educationally, spiritually, financially, physically, etc.) and begin to give less than our best effort. But each day God grants us is a new opportunity to get better, move forward, draw closer to Him. If we’ve resigned ourselves to the fact that we’re stuck with who we are and where we’re at, it’s only because we’ve allowed the enemy to change our focus and steal our desire. Refocus on God, I guarantee you’ll like the vision much better.

Until Monday…..

Pastor Botts

“Come, follow me, Jesus said, and I will make you fishers of men.” – Matthew 4:19

Navigating and Negotiation the Curves

A bend in the road is not the end of the road - unless you fail to make the turn. - Anon

From the belly of the great fish Jonah suddenly had time to think and repent. WOW!

'Smooth sailin'!'  'Nothing but the open road, baby!' 'Puttin' the pedal to the metal!' All phrases we're familiar with that paint a picture of someone just movin' through traffic (life) with no cares or problems. However, sometimes there are curves to navigate and even turns to negotiate, which when traveling at the appropriate speed are easily manageable. If the curves and turns of life are upsetting to you maybe it's time to slow down a bit, and always remember God does allow U-turns.

Until tomorrow....

Pastor Botts

"Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me." - Psalm 119:133

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

Pray About It

Don’t put people down – unless it’s on your prayer list. – S. Michalski

Jesus got even with those who crucified him by…….PRAYING! Hmmmm…..

Proud. Boastful. Arrogant. Loud. Obnoxious. Unkempt.….you kind of get the hint. We all have people of this sort in our circle or sphere of influence. Sometimes WE are them. So it makes sense then that we should never denigrate or try to humiliate them, but put them down for prayer. If it’s true that “the prayer of a righteous man avails much,” why not give it a try and see what develops.

Until tomorrow……

Pastor Botts

“I urge then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone – for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior.” – I Timothy 2:1-3

Put in the Work

None of the secrets of success will work unless you do. – Anon

Naaman wanted to dip in clean waters to cleanse his leprosy. He remained a leper until he dipped in the muddy Jordan just as the prophet Elisha prescribed. Hmm!

Roger Federer! Bill Gates! All highly successful people not because of luck but because of applying themselves to their profession. The same application holds true for us as children of God if we expect to be successful. The secret to prayer is secret prayer. The secret to walking with God is walking with God. The secret to knowing His Word is reading and obeying His word. It works this way every time. There are no magic tricks or formulas; it just requires discipline and action. Good intentions count for nothing; results only come to those who willingly put forth the effort. God is counting on us today!

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“Jesus replied, ‘No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God’.” – Luke 9:62

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

Prayer Work

Remember that nothing will run itself, unless it’s running downhill. – Anon

In the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus exhorted the disciples to “keep watch and pray” and not sleep.  Though they failed on several occasions, they finally got it right later. AMEN!

It’s true the life Jesus promised us is the life we all want, but it’s also true that to have the life we want we must put in the “work” required.  If we were to ever seriously look at the life Jesus lived we would see the first and last order of work is prayer. The reasons our lives are often run down, drained, and without effect is because we don’t do the necessary work in prayer. Prayer is what keeps the life running. It is as vital to the Christian life as food is to the physical life. Without it we cease to exist. I pray yours is effective.

Until Monday…..

Pastor Botts

“Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me and answer me. When thou saidst, ‘Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek. Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger, thou hast been my help, leave me not neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.’” – Psalm 27:7-9

Temple of the Heart

Unless love is written on the heart it is merely just a word. - Anon

The Good Samaritan acted because of a heart condition. Hmm!

In Old Testament times the 'Book of The Law' of God was kept in the temple and read to the people by the priests. Every so often because of war or sinful leadership it was lost or misplaced so there was no reading of it. No keeping of the commands of God. Hence, God's decision under the New Covenant to put His Word in the hearts of the people, therefore we are now the temple of God (our hearts) and the Word of God should reside within us, so it can never be lost or hindered in its power to work. That's why it is imperative for us as Christians to set aside time to study, meditate, pray, and commune with God that His Word will become more ingrained in our hearts. It takes more than just sporadic Sunday church attendance, it's a pining in the heart for connection, which then translates to action. After all, love is a word of action.

Until tomorrow.....

Pastor Botts

"Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?..........God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple" - I Corinthians 3:16-17

Unstuck

You are not stuck where you are unless you decide to be. – W. Dyer

Joseph went from prisoner to Prime Minister because he kept his eyes on God, not his surroundings. Hmm!

“It’s just my lot in life.” “That’s just the way it’s going to be.” "It is what it is!" How often have we heard or even used such language. Hope is one of our greatest assets in our faith walk, but oftentimes it seems buried under the issues or cares of life. We often tend to think presently that “this is all life has to offer”, or “this is who we will always be,” so we give up on trying to move forward (educationally, spiritually, financially, physically, etc.) and begin to give less than our best effort. But each day God grants us is a new opportunity to get better, move forward, draw closer to Him. If we’ve resigned ourselves to the fact that we’re stuck with who we are and where we’re at, it’s only because we’ve allowed the enemy to change our focus and steal our desire. Refocus on God, I guarantee you’ll like the vision much better.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“Come, follow me, Jesus said, and I will make you fishers of men.” – Matthew 4:19

Still Looking for Obedience

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

The Truth Hurts... Sometimes

The truth doesn’t hurt unless it ought to. – B.C. Forbes

Peter was ‘hurt’ when Jesus questioned his love those 3 times after his denials. But he finally got point. OUCH!

Jesus referred to himself as ‘the Truth.’ God never gave us the truth to hurt us, but to set us free. The power of the truth is in its application – love. If we walk in the truth we feel the love and warmth of God. If we walk outside of the truth we feel its painful sharp edges trying to push us back into line. If pain lingers its only because of our refusal to acknowledge and accept God’s plan and purposes over our own. We can get mad and go away but the TRUTH (God’s Word) will never change, for it is His agent to change us. Lets strive for a pain-free day today!

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“Sanctify them by the truth, your word is truth.” – John 17:17