Let Them See Christ In Me

The proof of the pudding is ALWAYS in the eating. – Anon

They were called ‘Christians’ by outsiders, not so much by what they said, but how they lived. Hmm!

It’s one of the greatest ‘professions’ in the entire bible. And what makes it great is that is was backed up by action. Ruth stated to her mother-in-law Naomi “where you go, I will go, where you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people, your God my God…” And we see and read she was very true to her word. And God blessed her and Naomi. It really is food for thought for us today. Our word should be or bond, no “ifs’ ands, or buts.” Our ‘yes’ should be yes and our ‘no’ should be no. And Jesus should be Lord of our life. This calls for a new mindset, one where we don’t need people to hear us say “I’m Christian,” but need them to see Christ in me!

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” – John 7:38

Refresh at the Source

The further we go from the source, the more polluted the water. – B. W. Findeisen

The Prodigal son was so lost and in so much despair he was ready to eat anything including ‘slop.’ He came to his senses and came HOME!

Look around and almost everyone is drinking bottled water. And more brands are constantly being introduced. Water supposedly direct from the spring, the mountains, or deep wells, full of needed minerals and quite refreshing. It’s amazing how we want our liquid refreshment from the source, but we go everywhere else but the source for our spiritual renewal. It’s great to listen to gospel or praise music, attend seminars, concerts, or conferences to keep us focused, but nothing replaces and replenishes like time alone with God and His Word. The key is to not let busyness keep us from drinking our ‘fill.’

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season…..Whatever he does prospers” – Psalm 1:2-3

Love Streams

Love does……. – Bob Goff

Apparently, there were plenty of examples of Dorcas’ love for the people to show Peter. Hmm!

2AM feedings! Constant diaper changes! Cooing and lullaby singing! All the things a mother does for her baby. Why, not because she has to, but because her love motivates her to. The love in her heart for her child won’t let her deny anything the child needs. The living water Jesus promises to flow through us is that same type of love that causes us to express kindness, care, and concern for others, be they family, friend, or mere acquaintance almost as a second nature. And these acts not only benefit those we serve, they satisfy a longing within us which is Jesus trying to live through us. How will He love someone through you today.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” – John 7:38

Don't Send An Invite

Once you open the floodgates, you cannot tell the water where to run. – T. Sowell

Yes, Job's friends were miserable comforters indeed, but he did invite them over. Hmm!

When the levees gave way some years ago in New Orleans, the only thing left to do was assess the damage afterwards. It was much more damage than expected or estimated. So it is when we decide to engage our enemy - Satan. So often, when Satan comes our way with his calling card many of us will hold a debate with him. This is wrong and plays right into his hands, just ask Eve. The implications of one sinful encounter are enormous and impact far more people than you will ever imagine. Satan will always take us further than we want to go, stay longer than our invitation, and cost us more than we ever anticipated. As the day unfolds may we be wise and practice much self-control.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil.” – I Thessalonians 5:21-22

The Power of Cooperation

A river is powerful only because many drops of water have learned the secret of cooperation. – Richard Murray

In the early Christian church where they had “all things common,” they also had power to ‘shake the earth’ through prayer! Hmm.

It is true, each of us must come to Christ individually and have a personal relationship with Him directly, but it does not negate the fact that He built the church to have power here on earth. When the church (collective body) comes together in prayer, evangelism, outreach, and missions it is a force within a force (God’s Spirit) to be reckoned with. When we try to go it alone or do it outside the church’s purview, we’re going against God’s plan. Remember, there is no such thing as a Lone Ranger Christian.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common.” – Acts 2:42-44

No Complaints

Jesus can turn water into wine, but he can’t turn whining into anything. – M. Steele

The Israelites grumbled against God in the desert and it cost them dearly. 40 years to be exact. OUCH!

It’s a given that we will not always like everything that happens to us in life. Adversity, trials, soured relationships, etc. come upon us all. God is testing us, proving us, shaping us for greater work ahead. It’s not so much what happens to us in life, as it is how we respond. God is not expecting murmurings of discontent or grumblings of objection, but OBEDIENCE. Our willful obedience to His will is the sign of growth in The Spirit. If we truly believe God knows what He’s doing in our lives and He can make all things “work together for good” then there’s nothing left to say.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure children of God without fault in a depraved and crooked generation….” – Philippians 2:14-15

Refreshment From the Source

When we cannot find contentment within ourselves, it’s useless to seek it elsewhere. – Francois de la Rochefoucauld

Saul didn’t hear from God so he consorted with the Witch of Endor. He still didn’t like what he heard. OUCH!

Often, if we’re not careful we’ll find ourselves taking on the characteristics of the world in our faith walk. For instance, when teams have a losing streak they call it a dry spell. Sometimes we say the same when we feel we’ve not heard from God or experienced Him working in our lives. But how can that be if the “fountain of living water” (Jesus) resides within? There should never be ‘dry spells’ in our Christian walk. When we hit those arid moments it should provoke us to look at what we’ve become focused on other than Jesus. Spiritual dryness occurs when we supplant our relationship with Christ with activities and busyness. Sometimes it just takes coming back to the ‘heart’ of worship.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.” – Jeremiah 2:13

Precious Time

By labor we can find food and water, but all of our labor will not find for us another hour. – K. Patton

Genesis regales us of accounts of men living 600-900+ years. But in the end they all died at their appointed time. Hmm!

When we were little we wanted to stay up an extra hour or two. Now with our technology we try to stretch it more and more. But in reality we can never increase what God has set in proper order. And in truth, it is not so much how much time we have but how we use it that really matters. Though God’s Word does say to us there is a “time for every thing” it does not truly tell us we get to DO everything – so we must make wise choices. God has set today before us and left the decisions to us. Remember, that which you truly want to do you will make the time for.

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

“Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” – Matthew 6:27

Invitations To Decline

Once you open the floodgates, you cannot tell the water where to run. – T. Sowell

Yes, Job's friends were miserable comforters

indeed, but he did invite them over. Hmm!

Once a dam or levee breaks or gives way, the

only thing left to do is assess the damage afterwards. And it always seems there is much more damage than expected or estimated. So it is when we decide to engage our enemy - Satan. So often, when Satan comes our way with his calling card many of us will hold a debate with him. This is wrong and plays right into his hands, just ask Eve. The implications of one sinful encounter are enormous and impact far more people than you will ever imagine. Satan will always take us further than we want to go, stay longer than our invitation, and cost us more than we ever anticipated. As the day unfolds may we be wise and practice much self-control.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid

every kind of evil.” – I Thessalonians 5:21-22

Let's Get Uncomfortable

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

The Meter's Running

Just because you can’t see God doesn’t mean He isn’t near. – Anon

The angel of the Lord stood right in front of Balaam, yet only the donkey saw him. Hmm!

Gas, water, electric – meters. Every house or apartment has them, and they report how much we use. Now the regulators are not there, but the meter runs everyday or every time you use the services. The regulators don’t see you use it, they don’t see how you use it (good, bad, illegal, etc .), and they don’t see what you use it on. But at the appointed time they send you a bill. We may get angry when it comes and dispute the amount, but we pay it because we don’t like the consequences of being without. God too, has a meter – our heart or conscience – and there will come a time when the ‘bill’ is due. The question that must be answered is will it show we had a heart for and after Him or for other things. Here’s hoping we know for sure where we stand.

Until tomorrow.....

Pastor Botts

“….And do this, understanding the present time….because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.” – Romans 13:11

All In

Becoming a Christian means you give your heart to Jesus. Becoming a disciple means you give Him your life too! - Anon

Joseph, Daniel. Just a couple of guys who let God in every area of their life, and He showed off. Hmm!!

To be a swimmer one must be willing to not only get in the water, but go under the water and go deep in the water; there is no other way. You can talk about swimming all you want, but eventually you have to be 'all in' to do it. The same is true of our life in Christ. Many of us are just happy wearing the name 'Christian', just splashing about in the water. But Jesus wants disciples who are willing to go all in, and all in for the long haul. There are many areas in our lives we tend to try and keep Jesus out of (relationships, finances, recreation, etc.) not to mention our manner of conversation, or way of thinking; but like swimming it's all or none. These areas must get wet or 'washed over' if we're to be made disciples. He'll leave the choice up to us, but He does stand before us proclaiming "come on in, the water's fine!"

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

That Pure Spiritual Goodness

The further we go from the source, the more polluted the water. – B. W. Findeisen

The Prodigal son was so lost and in so much despair he was ready to eat anything including ‘slop.’ He came to his senses and came HOME!

Arrowhead, Sparkletts, Evian; just to name a few. Look around and almost everyone is drinking bottled water. And more brands are constantly being introduced. Water supposedly direct from the spring, full of needed minerals and quite refreshing. It’s amazing how we want our liquid refreshment from the source, but we go everywhere else but the source for our spiritual renewal. It’s great to listen to gospel or praise music, attend seminars, concerts, or conferences to keep us focused, but nothing replaces and replenishes like time alone with God and His Word. The key is to not let busyness keep us from drinking our ‘fill.’

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season…..Whatever he does prospers” – Psalm 1:2-3  

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.

Coming Together

A river is powerful only because many drops of water have learned the secret of cooperation.  – R. Murray

In the early Christian church where they had “all things common,” they also had power to ‘shake the earth’ through prayer! Hmm.

It is true, each of us must come to Christ individually and have a personal relationship with him directly, but it does not negate the fact that he built the church to have power here on earth. When the church (collective body) comes together in prayer, evangelism, outreach, and missions it is a force within a force (God’s Spirit) to be reckoned with. When we try to go it alone or do it outside the church’s purview, we’re going against God’s plan. Remember, there is no such thing as a Lone Ranger Christian.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common.” – Acts 2:42-44

Don't Even Start

Once you open the floodgates, you cannot tell the water where to run. – T. Sowell

Yes, Job's friends were miserable comforters indeed, but he did invite them over. Hmm!

When the levees gave way some years ago in New Orleans, the only thing left to do was assess the damage afterwards. It was much more damage than expected or estimated. So it is when we decide to engage our enemy - Satan. So often, when Satan comes our way with his calling card many of us will hold a debate with him. This is wrong and plays right into his hands, just ask Eve. The implications of one sinful encounter are enormous and impact far more people than you will ever imagine. Satan will always take us further than we want to go, stay longer than our invitation, and cost us more than we ever anticipated. As the day unfolds may we be wise and practice much self-control.

Until Monday…..

Pastor Botts   “Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil.” – I Thessalonians 5:21-22

No Extra Time

By labor we can find food and water, but all of our labor will not find for us another hour. – K. Patton

Genesis regales us of accounts of men living 600-900+ years. But in the end they all died at their appointed time. Hmmm!

When we were little we wanted to stay up an extra hour or two. Now with our technology we try to stretch it more and more. But in reality we can never increase what God has set in proper order. And in truth, it is not so much how much time we have but how we use it that really matters. Though God’s word does say to us there is a “time for every thing” it does not truly tell us we get to DO everything – so we must make wise choices. God has set today before us and left the decisions to us. Remember, that which you truly want to do you will make the time for.

Until tomorrow.....

Pastor Botts

“Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” – Matthew 6:27

Right from the Source

The further we go from the source, the more polluted the water. – B. W. Findeisen

The Prodigal son was so lost and in so much despair he was ready to eat anything including ‘slop.’ He came to his senses and came HOME!

Arrowhead, Sparkletts, Evian; just to name a few. Look around and almost everyone is drinking bottled water. And more brands are constantly being introduced. Water supposedly direct from the spring, full of needed minerals and quite refreshing. It’s amazing how we want our liquid refreshment from the source, but we go everywhere else but the source for our spiritual renewal. It’s great to listen to gospel or praise music, attend seminars, concerts, or conferences to keep us focused, but nothing replaces and replenishes like time alone with God and His Word. The key is to not let busyness keep us from drinking our ‘fill.’

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season…..Whatever he does prospers” – Psalm 1:2-3