Don't Let It Go to Your Head

Learn to humble yourself, after all; before God spoke you were nothing but dust of the earth. – T. Kempis

Simon the sorcerer thought he was a great man until he met the men of God, then he realized he was a sinner in need of grace. Hmm!

We see them all the time – stars, politicians, athletes, etc. – demanding special treatment or recognition because of who they are. It’s a battle we all fight at times – pride, ego, boastfulness. We want to be recognized and seen for all we have done or accomplished, we want others to know of our greatness, the sweat and toil we put in to ‘make ourselves into something.’ But truth be known, no matter how great or renown we become it is all by the grace of God, a gift of the Master for His glory. Public accolades and recognition are great but when we covet them, live for them, and begin to demand they be given we’re treading on dangerous ground. Ours is not to live for praise and adulation but for service.

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

“Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will lift you up.” – James 4:10

No Easy Way

True, it’s easier to walk down a hill than up it, but the view is from the top! – Anon

The rich young ruler who came to Jesus wanted an easy way into God’s kingdom, but Jesus’ answer cost him a little too much. Hmm!

We live in a society that continuously looks for the easy way of doing things but still expecting grand results. They think microwave dinners should taste like 5-star restaurant cooking, or a few months or years on the job should put them in the top position, or even reading a chapter or two of God’s word should make them intimate friends. And often we get caught up in such thinking as well. But in reality we must be willing to give in to discipline and apply ourselves to the task for the long haul if we want to reap the rewards that are truly satisfying and life fulfilling. If God truly does have blessings that “eyes have not seen nor ear heard” maybe a little bit more patient toiling can’t be all bad.

Until Monday…

Pastor Botts

“Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life…” – James 1:12

Hold on a little while longer

When you are down to nothing God is up to something. – Anon

The widow thought she was down to her last meal for her and her son, Elijah told her otherwise. Hmm!

One of the most powerful accounts of faith and trust is the story of Job. A man who was “blameless and upright,” and who feared God, was stripped of all his worldly possessions and family, and stricken with a terrible, terrible affliction. However, in spite of his 'new' situation and circumstances of life, he kept his faith and trust in Almighty God. Maybe, today where you are in your life you feel somewhat like Job. Abandoned by all, resources exhausted, and trouble on every hand. Take heart friend for like Job, you are being tested. God has not left you but is speedily on His way to your rescue. He’ll be there right on time. May you continue to “hold on.”

Until Monday…….

Pastor Botts

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” – Matthew 5:3

Keep At It!

You just can't beat the person who never gives up. - Babe Ruth

Through many conflicts, persecutions, and even imprisonment Paul never quit proclaiming Jesus. Amen!

The Grand Canyon. Without question it is one of nature's greatest miracles to behold. In trying to describe it, someone once said "the Colorado River has shown what can be done just by 'keeping at it.' It was the constant flow of that river that carved such a masterpiece." Are you 'keeping at it?' We must realize our lives are not a sprint, relay, nor a lap or two around the track, but a marathon to be run with perseverance. The greatest thing that can be said of any of us after we've gone on to glory, is not the achievements or awards we collected, nor the great discoveries we may have made, but the fact that we 'plodded on' or kept at it no matter what. None of us know where our race will take us, how many hills, valleys, deserts, or mountains we'll have to endure even in sickness or dire circumstances, but hopefully they will be able to say, he/she was a 'plodder', they never gave up, even when it seems they were beat, they kept at it. That's a life Jesus will one day call "good and faithful servant...."

Until tomorrow.....

Pastor Botts

"Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that our labor in the Lord is not in vain." - I Corinthians 15:58

P.S. - I'm still looking for volunteers to facilitate our Wednesday Night Studies for September beginning with this week. Let me know ASAP.

Humble or be Humbled

Learn to humble yourself, after all; before God spoke you were nothing but dust of the earth. – T. Kempis

Simon the sorcerer thought he was a great man until he met the men of God, then he realized he was a sinner in need of grace. Hmm!

We see them all the time – stars, politicians, athletes, etc. – demanding special treatment or recognition because of who they are. It’s a battle we all fight at times – pride, ego, boastfulness. We want to be recognized and seen for all we have done or accomplished, we want others to know of our greatness, the sweat and toil we put in to ‘make ourselves into something.’ But truth be known, no matter how great or renown we become it is all by the grace of God, a gift of the Master for His glory. Public accolades and recognition are great but when we covet them, live for them, and begin to demand they be given we’re treading on dangerous ground. Ours is not to live for praise and adulation but for service.

Until tomorrow.......

Pastor Botts

“Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will lift you up.” – James 4:10

Hold On

When you are down to nothing God is up to something. – Anon

The widow thought she was down to her last meal for her and her son, Elijah told her otherwise. Hmm!

One of the most powerful accounts of faith and trust is the story of Job. A man who was “blameless and upright,” and who feared God, was stripped of all his worldly possessions and family, and stricken with a terrible, terrible affliction. However, in spite of his 'new' situation and circumstances of life, he kept his faith and trust in Almighty God. Maybe, today where you are in your life you feel somewhat like Job. Abandoned by all, resources exhausted, and trouble on every hand. Take heart friend for like Job, you are being tested. God has not left you but is speedily on His way to your rescue. He’ll be there right on time. May you continue to “hold on.”

Until Monday…….

Pastor Botts

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” – Matthew 5:3

Let's do this Together

If God loves best in community, who are we to set ourselves up as spiritual loners. – J.M. Pope

When Jesus walked the earth even He surrounded himself with 11 ‘faithful’ friends, and then He built for them the church. Hmm!

Nostalgia – we all seem to suffer from it in some form, particularly when it comes to the good-guy or hero, or savior. We buy into the solo act or Lone Ranger attitude. Just look around, we live in a society that teaches and even praises individual independence and freedoms, but that is not by God’s design. From the very beginning God said, “it is not good that man should be alone,” meaning we were created for relationship. Church attendance and fellowship with the brethren may not be important to some, but to God’s people it is a command. I pray you agree.

Until Monday…..

Pastor Botts

“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” – Hebrews 10:23-25.

Faith Looks Up

Sorry looks back, Worry looks around, Faith looks up! – Anon

Paul had a laundry list of persecutions and afflictions he suffered personally, but he always looked up to Christ. AMEN!

Our outlook on life is based on our attitude within. The issues and circumstances of life happen upon us all for the purpose of perfecting our character here on earth. How we respond is based upon what we have within. We can blame the world and everyone else and feel sorry for ourselves, we can cry conspiracy and believe everyone and the system is out to get us, or we can believe God and trust that everything that comes upon us can and will be worked out for our good and His glory. The decision is purely ours.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.” – Isaiah 12:2

Little Lifesavers

In case of emergency........ - Anon

Jesus had a group of twelve, a circle of three, and an ever present One. Rarely did you see Him sweat. Hmm!

It happens on every flight. Before the plane gets off the ground the attendants go through the emergency protocols (seat belt, oxygen, flotation devices, lighting, etc.) the whole nine yards to make sure you're aware of and can operate efficiently in case of an emergency. The intent is to help save lives. What a concept! It's something we should incorporate into our spiritual lives. Lifesavers to help us navigate life's emergencies. A prayer partner or group to keep us lifted up, personal scripture passages or prayers to keep us meditating and hopeful, and of course a prayer closet we visit often - to keep us tethered to our guiding light and strength - God. And remember, emergencies don't announce their arrival so it's best we get prepared.

Until tomorrow.....

Pastor Botts   "If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up." - Ecclesiastes 4:10

Blame or Build

The man who can’t dance thinks the band is no good. – Anon

Because he was not appointed a priest for his people, Korah led a rebellion against Moses and the others. God settled it – OUCH!

One fact of life is we always want to be right, and when we’re not we look for sources outside ourselves to blame. A carpenter blames the tools or materials, a doctor blames the nurse or patient, a team member blames a team mate or the coach, etc.! The bottom line is we also had a role to play in it. The truth of the matter is we are not perfect nor can we do everything. But God has gifted us with certain talents that when used for His glory will leave all those we encounter edified and much richer. Our goal in life is to lift up, not tear down.

Until tomorrow……

Pastor Botts

“……try to excel in gifts that build up the church.” – I Corinthians 14:12

The You the World Needs

The first part of winning is just showing up. - Anon

David said he could not fight Goliath in Saul’s armor for it wasn’t his style. He later ‘rocked’ Goliath to sleep. Hmm!

On the job – come payday everyone likes to show up and get paid, and get paid for what THEY did, and that’s completely understandable. Well, God made you – YOU! He didn’t make any one else like you. He made you to be the YOU the world needs, not to hide behind an ‘identity’ or mask, nor to be a shape-shifter living to please everyone around. YOU are a unique creation of God, made for a specific  purpose in His story of love and redemption  for all of mankind, and our God knows all about YOU. He knows your comings and your goings, your lying down and rising up; yes, even your inner most thoughts. So if He’s okay with you, why not be the YOU He made you to be. The choice is yours!

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“….it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!” – John 12:27-28

Not Easy but that's okay

True, it’s easier to walk down a hill than up it, but the view is from the top! – Anon

The rich young ruler who came to Jesus wanted an easy way into God’s kingdom, but Jesus’ answer cost him a little too much. Hmm!

We live in a society that continuously looks for the easy way of doing things but still expecting grand results. They think microwave dinners should taste like 5-star restaurant cooking, or a few months or years on the job should put them in the top position, or even reading a chapter or two of God’s word should make them intimate friends. And often we get caught up in such thinking as well. But in reality we must be willing to give in to discipline and apply ourselves to the task for the long haul if we want to reap the rewards that are truly satisfying and life fulfilling. If God truly does have blessings that “eyes have not seen nor ear heard” maybe a little bit more patient toiling can’t be all bad.

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…” – James 1:12

Our good His glory

If God is going to work things out for our good, it’s also got to be for His glory! – Anon

After being hated by his brothers, sold as a slave, and even being falsely imprisoned, Joseph became 2nd in command to Pharaoh and realized it was God’s plan. Hmm!

Life sometimes is like a rollercoaster – up at the top one moment and down at the bottom the next, again and again with alarming speed. We love when we’re on top but dislike when we’re at the low points. We wonder how can things take a turn for the worse so quick. Some of it is our own doing, but even though we may trust and follow God’s will, it does not mean everyone else does; as our enemy has allies in this world too. But no matter what comes upon us God will be able to work it out for our good if we are patient and remain faithful, and remember the ultimate end result is that He receive the glory. Whatever we’re faced with today, remember God is at His work.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not give my glory to another, or my praise to idols.”- Isaiah 42:8