How to Live with Unfulfilled Desires

If we have not what we desire, we have more than we deserve. – T. Watson

The Prodigal Son may have lost his resources and dignity, but he never lost his father’s love. WOW!

To be alive in this world is to live with unfulfilled desires. This does not mean that God has not given us the ‘desires of our heart,’ nor failed to meet our needs. It simply means that in our humanness, our desires will always outpace our living. It’s a God thing. Unchecked, such desires can frustrate and disillusion us, making us ungrateful and self-centered, when in truth all our desires should be for the things of God and His kingdom purposes. In Christ, our desires or aspirations don’t go away, we continue to pursue them, but we realize it’s God who defines us, keeps us, and provides for us; and in the end that is more than enough.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” – Philippians 4:11

The Challenge of Godly Faith

Living by faith is never convenient! – Anon

The Good Samaritan just somehow knew he should do something. Hmm!

We like safe! We like tidy! We like comfort! And admittedly these are all good things to pursue in life, for no one really likes those who live with reckless abandon, nor seem to care for themselves or others. To walk and live by faith doesn’t call us to live with reckless abandon, but it does put us on notice that a convenient tidy life that is “all about me” is no longer appropriate. Godly faith challenges us to go beyond the norms we’ve set for ourselves. To consider others, to assist, care for, help others in their time of need, not necessarily ‘our time’ of convenience or when it’s not taxing us. Godly faith requires us to think like and let Jesus live through us to love, touch, embrace, edify, encourage, and respect others as the person God made them to be. Yes, actually to live by faith is to let Jesus – the one who died for us – live through us.

I will be taking some time off, so until I return this keyboard will be silent.

Blessings…

Pastor Botts

“Lord, when did we see you hungry, thirsty, a stranger, or naked, or in prison {and minister to you?} The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’” – Matthew 25:37-40

Purposeful Work

You may not get all that you work for in this world, but you must certainly work for all you get. – Frederick Douglass

Even in the ‘Parable of the Sower’ Jesus tells us he didn’t reap everywhere He sowed, but He did sow. Hmm!

We live in a world that is changing rapidly. People no longer extend their hands to shake in friendship but with palms up to ask in expectation. There is almost a sense in some that the world ‘owes’ them something. How often we forget that all of us come by our resources the same way - WORK. Work is in itself a virtue God has allotted to us to provide for our needs, His church, and the poor we have amongst us. We all believe that anything worth having is worth working for, so there should be no griping or complaining on our part, but a gracious sense of joy that we can fulfill our purpose in the work God has given us this day, and rejoice in what we receive from it.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” – Colossians 3:23

The Important Things

Don't lose something important fighting for something that isn't! - Y. Chou

It wasn't until he lost every material blessing he had, that the Prodigal Son realized what was most important. Hmm!

"If I were to do it all over again I......" How many times have we all uttered that expression in our lifetime? It usually comes when we arrive at a point in life where the reality of our situation or circumstance is not exactly what our expectations were. We thought we'd be married by now....have a better job/car/home by now......be in better shape by now, and on and on and on. We realize our actions have not produced the 'dreamed about' results. This is a normal occurrence when God is not our point of reference. The truth is no matter our giftedness, talent, resources, or connections, be they small or great; we were made for God's purposes to bring Him glory. And when all the dust settles anything short of this is a wasted life. So, who's top on your agenda today?

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

"But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ." - Philippians 3:7

Future Hope

Whatever the future holds, what we invest in today will be a part of it. - Anon

The people often asked God 'how long O' Lord?' Every time He answered it was rather glorious. Amen!

Ahh, the future. The 'as yet' to happen! Everybody I know looks forward to a better tomorrow than today. A better future than the present. Nobody really wants their life to be bleak, dreary, unforgiving and without joy. They want better. And though God has not promised us 'tomorrow', He has already graced us with more tomorrows than we can count and has promised us a 'hope and a future.' Today should be a great day to think about what we're doing to help prepare for that future. Life is like a savings account: you only get out of it what you put into it. The great thing about God's promise though is not so much what it will bring, but the fact that God Himself will be there in the midst of it. And that is what should give us great hope and anticipation.

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

"The revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end.....Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay." - Habakkuk 2:3

Do You Know Who You're Following?

Worship changes people. We become like whatever it is we worship. - W. Harty

The people were cold-hearted toward God because the idols they worshiped had no heart. Hmm!

The refrigerator. What's in yours? It's a throne we worship at 3 - 4 times a day, yet we often don't know all that's in there nor it's condition. It is any good? Is it spoiled? It's easy to forget. How much easier then is it to forget God's laws, commands, statutes, or promises if we don't assemble ourselves before God's Word and His presence at least daily, and then not with rapid reading but with time for contemplation, meditation, and prayer. He does not expect us to remember every passage and word, but He does expect us to at least take time to read it and talk with Him about it. He longs to be known and wants to 'refresh' our spirits at all times. And here's the good thing about spending this time with God, unlike looking in the refrigerator; He will never give us 'leftovers'!

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. I have taken an oath and confirmed it, that I will follow your righteous laws..." - Psalm 119:105-106

What We Worship

Worship changes people. We become like whatever it is we worship. - W. Harty

The people were cold-hearted toward God because the idols they worshiped had no heart. Hmm!

The refrigerator. What's in yours? It's a throne we worship at 3 - 4 times a day, yet we often don't know all that's in there nor it's condition. It is any good? Is it spoiled? It's easy to forget. How much easier then is it to forget Gods laws, commands, statutes, or promises if we don't assemble ourselves before God's Word and His presence at least daily, and then not with rapid reading but with time for contemplation, meditation, and prayer. He does not expect us to remember every passage and word, but He does expect us to at least take time to read it and talk with Him about it. He longs to be known and wants to 'refresh' our spirits at all times. And here's the good thing about spending this time with God, unlike looking in the refrigerator; He will never give us 'leftovers'!

Until tomorrow.....

Pastor Botts

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. I have taken an oath and confirmed it, that I will follow your righteous laws..." - Psalm 119:105-106

If Only...Nothing

The issue is not where you are, but how you live wherever you are. – Henry Nouwen

Though Paul spent a great deal of his life imprisoned, you’d hardly know it from his writings. Wow!

We frequently think to ourselves “if only my circumstances were different, then things would be better.” And so we begin the merry-go-round of wishful thinking: “if only I had a different job,” “if only I had a different spouse,” “if only I had stayed in school,” “if only, if only….” But such thinking is unproductive and actually blinds us to all that is good that God has placed in our lives and present situation. No matter where we are presently in life, it is good. The view we need to undertake is trying to seek out what God is trying to do through us in our present status or circumstances. What we’ll find often is that it’s not the circumstances that need change so much as it is our inner self and attitude. Remember, with God results count, excuses don’t.

Until Monday……

Pastor Botts

“….I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances…..” – Philippians 4:11

P.S. - Hope you can make it tonight at 6:30 for Family/Friends game night. Also hope you can make it Sunday at 9AM for our next Panel discussion!

Make sure they match

If you walk, just walk, if you sit, just sit. But whatever you do, don’t wobble. – Anon.

Not much is said about Enoch’s life, but we know his talk must have matched his walk as he walked with God daily. Then God TOOK HIM!

Here it is Monday. We’re away from the saints, the ‘hallelujahs and Amens,’ and God’s house; out and about on public display. What will we do/say, who will we be? Life in the church building or sanctuary is easy, life in everyday settings is not. Temptation abounds (gossip, lying, crude talk or language, self-promotion,  keeping bad company, etc., )so our prayers should be that the visible evidence we put forth today would be enough to convict us beyond a reasonable doubt that we truly belong to Christ.

Until tomorrow……

Pastor Botts

“Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’, and your ‘No’, ‘No.’ anything beyond this comes from the evil one.” – Matthew 6:37