Enhancing Other Lives One At A Time

You can stand tall without standing on someone, and you can be a victor without having victims. – H. Woods

Jesus said “there is none greater in heaven than John the Baptist,” and all he did was preach and baptize. Hmm!

One of the worldly perspectives we digest early on in life is that there is always a winner and a loser, that someone has to come out on top; and at all costs we’re to make sure that someone is us. And in truth we spend an inordinate amount of time trying to ‘scratch and claw’ our way up the ladder of success, for success requires the type of thinking and action where one must fight for all they get. In the search for significance, however; one seeks how they may best benefit society and those around them. Their way of thinking is not self-fulfillment but the enrichment of others, which is wholly in line with God’s desires, for we never stand taller than when we reach down to help someone else up.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For even Christ did not please himself….” – Romans 15:2-3

Lighten Your Load Today

There will always be enough for today, without taking on yesterday or tomorrow. – Richard Murray

God rained down manna on a daily basis for the Israelites to eat. In their craftiness they tried to save some of it for the next day. It only created other problems. Hmm!

It has often been said that “worry is the interest paid on tomorrow’s trouble - today.” Yet even knowing this we still have a habit of carrying this excess weight with us, and it impacts our lives and testimony for God. The truth of the matter is when we agonize over yesterday’s decisions or fret over tomorrow’s possibilities, we show a lack of trust and faith in our Heavenly Father. He is so willing to forgive us our past mistakes, and He is so willing to help us with tomorrow when it comes. What He wants though, is for us to just live for Him in the current moment. As 'His mercies, grace, provisions, are new every morning' today is our turn to represent Him as light and life in a dark world.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” -Matthew 6:34

Good Suffering

Suffering in life, while hard on us; is NEVER without its potential for growth. – Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Though he was already an example of a righteous man as seen by God, Job still grew closer to God because of his suffering. Hmm!

A bountiful garden is a beautiful sight but hard work, even from the plants perspective. Every seed planted has to die to begin new life, and even then push its way up through the hardened soil before it can stretch forth and blossom. The sufferings we face and endure have the potential and end-goal to help us shine more for Christ. It’s how we progress through it that will tell whether we blossom and become better or wither and become bitter. And though we dislike the process, it is God’s way for us sometime; but if we look over our life we can see it really doesn’t occur that often, that our good days far outweigh our bad days – so why complain?

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“….So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.” – I Peter 4:19

Being More Like Christ

Practice without improvement is meaningless. – C. Knox

David learned to sling stones long before he came upon Goliath. Amen!

Ask any athlete, coach, musician, or even doctor, and they’ll tell you the whole idea of practice is to get better, quicker, stronger, more adept, etc., at their craft. It’s not just spending time ‘on the field’ its practice with a purpose or intent. The same is true of us as Christians. The whole idea and principle of our faith is to bring us into a closer communion and fellowship walk with God and make us more like Christ. But often we’re content just to go through the motions of church activity to appease our conscience, and convince ourselves we’re godly, growing complacent; without any intent on improvement, overcoming sin, growing in faith, or letting go of our worldly ways. The one thing we must always remember every day of our lives when it comes to our faith is, it’s not ourselves we have to convince – it’s God.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“This has been my practice: I obey your precepts. You are my portion, O Lord; I have promised to obey your words.” – Psalm 119:56-57

Make Room for New Blessings

To grab hold of your blessings you must let go of your problems. - Anon

Mary took the angel Gabriel at his word, and the rest is His-story. AMEN!

Garage sales, flea markets. Great concepts and outlets for getting rid of things you no longer need. After all, it's been said "one person's trash is someone else's treasure!" But the idea behind these events is to get rid of stuff you no longer need and possibly make a little money to apply toward something else you want. In other words make room for something new. I wonder if we ever consider such logic in our faith walk. Many of us are seeking the blessings and favor of God, who is ready and willing to give it, but we so often don't want to release or give up the issue God points out to us that is standing in the way, or even the problem we brought before Him. Though God doesn't withhold any good thing from us He surely would like us to use it in a way that glorifies Him, therefore He often waits on us. If your blessing seems to be held up in transit, maybe you should check your heart.

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." - Hebrews 11:6

Remembering...

No one can make you feel inferior without your consent. – Eleanor Roosevelt

Though the Pharisee tried to snub him at prayer time, the publican held his peace. Only one of them went home blessed and it wasn’t the Pharisee. Hmm!

The slogan of the United Negro College Fund is “A mind is a terrible thing to waste.” Very powerful, and very true. It’s no secret that the enemy we face day in and day out is trying to sway our mind or way of thinking. Two of his major weapons are doubt and discouragement, for they create the illusion in our mind that we are not worthy or we can never measure up. But the completed work of God through Jesus Christ has made us ‘worthy’ in all things. So no matter our outward circumstances we “are more than conquerors” in any situation we face. As the day unfolds and the assaults come remember the God you serve.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free…..” – Romans 8:1-2

Enough Prayer for the Journey

A day without prayer is a day without power. - Anon

You ever wonder why Jesus often got away early in the morning to pray? Hmm!

Ask anyone who has ever driven across the country and 1 thing they will tell you is before you embark on each day's drive make sure the gas tank is full. In this day and age of electric cars, the last thing you want to do is run out of power/fuel. How about us in our spiritual life? Do we check the fuel gauge or power up each morning? So often we just start the day with a cup of coffee (tea) with toast and off we go. No time for a conversation with God, no time to read His Word, no time to even really contemplate His gift of today. And yet we wonder why things so quickly get out of hand and stacked against us. The enemy is ALWAYS waiting to pounce, and when we fail to invite God into our day we are as defenseless as new born baby. God knows the path He's chosen for us today so maybe thing would go somewhat better if we took a few minutes and asked Him to 'order our steps'. It will never hurt to ask.

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

"Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight..." - Psalm 119:35

Bringing God Glory

May God use you without consulting you? – W. C. Brumby

The man born blind, Lazarus being raised from the dead, the man at the pool of Bethesda. All healed for one reason only – to bring God GLORY. Hmm!

Most of us grew up under the authority of our parents and we marched to the commands they laid down without question or hesitation. Well, God has a great agenda for this day. He plans to reach out to those in need, lift the spirits of those who are down, help those who seem to need no help, forgive all who need it, comfort those who are mourning, be patient with those who don’t even know Him, have mercy on those who curse Him, and love those who don’t deserve it. The thing about His agenda is there are no specific timeframes, nor any set roles; but He is expecting full cooperation from us. As the day comes upon us may we remember we are His!

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 to the interest of others.” – Philippians 2:3-4

No Permission Needed for This Mission

Initiative consists simply of doing the right thing without being told. – I. Mack

Jonathan charged a garrison of Philistine soldiers that led to an Israelite conquest. Was he told to do it? NO! Was he right to do it? YES!

"I wonder what I should do!" It's a question we often ask ourselves, with hopes someone else will direct us. If we are honest about it, many of us have never outgrown our adolescent need of being told what to do. It’s comforting to us, because it somewhat absolves us of responsibility and inspiration. However, God leaves us with many choices to make; and the one expectation He has in each case is that we will do the right thing. Many of us are waiting for permission to do what God has already commissioned us to do. The charge is to ‘GO’ until we hear God say ‘STOP!’

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.” – James 4:17

God At Work Through Us

Without God I can’t, but without me God won’t. – Augustine

God promised the Israelites a land ‘flowing with milk and honey.’ They still had to rely on Him and ‘take it’ by force. They DID!

Though we live in a day and time 2000+ years removed from when Jesus actually walked the earth, He is still present with ‘skin on’ today. When we do the good works God prepared for us to do are we not Jesus with skin on? Did not Jesus do all the things His Father asked of him? YES! We can look at the condition of society, the heartache and pains of others and cry out to God in prayer, demanding He 'do something,' and His answer will always be “I sent you!” God is always at His work doing great things in little ways. He’s looking for hands, feet, voices, and hearts that will allow Jesus to fill them and continue the work. Are you in or out?

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

“I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” – Philippians 4:13

The Power We Have

No power can make us do wrong without our consent. – Anon

Eve did not force the forbidden fruit upon Adam, he was a willing accomplice. It cost him and us dearly. OUCH!

Flip Wilson popularized the line “the devil made me do it”. But in reality we know though Satan is real, he only has the power of suggestion, he needs our consent to carry out his schemes and ungodly behaviors. This is why the Word of God tells us to “resist the devil and he will flee” from us. The moment we try to debate or outwit him we lose, for he is the craftiest of them all. We must also realize that sometimes our silence or refusal to “flee” the presence of evil is indeed implied consent. As you journey today remember who you are, to WHOM you belong, and the POWER you have.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger of sword? As it is written: ‘For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.’ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” – Romans 8:35-37

Don't Just Chew On This

Chewing gum only proves that you can have motion without progress. – Sparks

The Israelites wandered for 40 years on a trek that should have roughly only taken them 2-weeks or so. WOW!

Merry-go-rounds. You've seen them spinning with the horses going up and down, a lot of motion and activity. But when they stop, you're still in the place you started - no progress made. Often people are just like that in their commitment to God. Many of us sometimes just go through the motions, fooling only ourselves. God is not deceived, for remember “he looks on the heart” and “knows the thoughts and intents of man.” So it is not our keeping of ‘duty’ that stirs God, but our desire for relationship with Him. Out of this communion spring all the details of life’s actions. Our steps truly become ordered, our words truly become seasoned, our time truly invested in others for the sake of the kingdom, and our labor is not in vain. Are you game?

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” – Luke 6:46

A Slow Feast On The Right Loaf

To eat bread without hope is still slowly to starve to death. - Pearl S. Buck

The crowd followed Jesus because he once physically fed them. He hoped they would make the spiritual connection. Hmm!

It's interesting that many of us who claim Christ as our daily bread are still starving, always chasing after the latest religious fad, the burgeoning exciting church, the most provocative speaker/singer, hanging on their every verse or premise. There's nothing wrong with wanting more, but when we chase after these to 'fill us up' thus supplanting Christ, we actually grow more malnourished. We wind up having a faith that's a mile wide yet only an inch deep, and it shows rather quickly when any adversity or trouble arises in our lives. If Christ truly is the bread that fills and saves (and He really is) maybe we need to eat a little slower and digest a bit more. After all, doctors will tell you eating this way is a healthy process.

Until Monday...

Pastor Botts

"Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare." - Isaiah 55:2

Time to make the BEST investment this planet has to offer

You cannot kill time without injury to eternity. – Henry David Thoreau

Jesus told his disciples they MUST work while it is day, for it would soon come a time when they couldn’t. OUCH!

Alarms, bells, whistles, chimes, etc. We’re surrounded by gadgets that each day remind us of the time. Time is the most precious commodity on planet earth. It is even more valuable than money. We can get more money, but we cannot get more time.  Each morning we all awake with the same 24-hour timeframe with which to work. How we spend it will well determine where we go when our time is no more. The key is not to waste it on fruitless endeavors, dead-end roads, harboring resentment and hate, or meaningless living; but rather invest it in lives and projects that will make an eternal difference. Martin Luther King, Jr. said “the time is always right to do what is right.” And that time is now, for none of us is getting younger by the day.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” – Psalm 90:12

Always Have The Master's Plan

A man without a plan for the day is lost before he starts. – L. Bendele

The bible tells us Jesus often started his day

very early in the morning meeting with his Father. He never once lost HIS WAY! Hmmm.

Most, if not all of us would say we always have plans. And we’ve got our schedules on our phone, I-pad, PC, wall/desk calendars to remind us. We’ve also got, agendas, to-do lists, and errands to work on to keep them in order. But if we truly believe we were made for God’s glory and God’s purposes then we must realize nothing on our horizon should supplant his desires. To start our day without seeking his will, direction, guidance, and protection, is to start without a plan, and failure is imminent. Did you REALLY stop to pray this morning?

Until Monday…….

Pastor Botts

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil.”

– Proverbs 3:5-7

Helping to Build

You can stand tall without standing on someone, and you can be a victor without having victims. – H. Woods

Jesus said “there is none greater in heaven than John the Baptist,” and all he did was preach and baptize. Hmm!

One of the worldly perspectives we digest early on in life is that there is always a winner and a loser, that someone has to come out on top; and at all costs we’re to make sure that someone is us. And in truth we spend an inordinate amount of time trying to ‘scratch and claw’ our way up the ladder of success, for success requires the type of thinking and action where one must fight for all they get. In the search for significance, however; one seeks how they may best benefit society and those around them. Their way of thinking is not self-fulfillment but the enrichment of others, which is wholly in line with God’s desires, for we never stand taller than when we reach down to help someone else up.

Until Monday….

Pastor Botts

“Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For even Christ did not please himself….” – Romans 15:2-3

Reason To Doubt Or Reason To Believe?

Dreams come true, without that possibility, God would not incite us to have them. – John Updike

Abraham’s righteousness was ‘accounted’ to him simply because he believed in what God said. – WOW!

When it comes down to the promises of God our beliefs are in full effect. The bible tells us ‘all the promises of God are Yes in Christ.’ The enemy and his allies will throw up situations, circumstances, issues, and even pain to make us doubt this. That’s where our beliefs come into play. As one writer asked “are you looking for a reason to doubt God’s promises or a reason to believe and claim them”? No matter what we’re faced with now, how large, intense, or consuming it may appear, a brief look back at what God has already brought us through should remind us He has a promise to get us through this s well, if we believe. Do you?

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“….the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.” – Psalm 84:11

Mind Games

No one can make you feel inferior without your consent. – Eleanor Roosevelt

Though the Pharisee tried to snub him at prayer time, the publican held his peace. Only one of them went home blessed and it wasn’t the Pharisee. Hmm!

The slogan of the United Negro College Fund is “A mind is a terrible thing to waste.”  Very powerful, and very true.  It’s no secret that the enemy we face day in and day out is trying to sway our mind or way of thinking. Two of his major weapons are doubt and discouragement, for they create the illusion in our mind that we are not worthy or we can never measure up. But the completed work of God through Jesus Christ has made us ‘worthy’ in all things. So no matter our outward circumstances we “are more than conquerors” in any situation we face. As the day unfolds and the assaults come remember the God you serve.

Until tomorrow……

Pastor Botts

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free…..” – Romans 8:1-2

Initiative: Permission Not Required

Initiative consists simply of doing the right thing without being told. – I. Mack

Jonathan charged a garrison of Philistine soldiers that led to an Israelite conquest. Was he told to do it? NO! Was he right to do it? YES!

"I wonder what I should do!" It's a question we often ask ourselves, with hopes someone else will direct us. If we are honest about it, many of us have never outgrown our adolescent need of being told what to do. It’s comforting to us, because it somewhat absolves us of responsibility and inspiration. However, God leaves us with many choices to make; and the one expectation He has in each case is that we will do the right thing. Many of us are waiting for permission to do what God has already commissioned us to do. The charge is to ‘GO’ until we hear God say ‘STOP!’

Until tomorrow……

Pastor Botts

“Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.” – James 4:17

Bad Seeds

No garden is without its weeds. – T. Fuller

Even in the 12 Jesus personally chose after praying all night, there was one bad seed. Hmm!

Floral arrangements are truly beautiful, but they are just that – arrangements. Pre-picked and pre-arranged for their beauty. Life is not pre-picked or pre-arranged, and much to our dismay it can’t be. Even in our homes, on our jobs, in our relationships, churches and organizations; no matter where we go we will find that all is not picture perfect. Weeds (problems or issues) are a fact of life. It’s difficult sometime to determine how the weeds get in our garden, but suffice it to say that we deal with imperfect people and we ourselves are imperfect. Often, we need the weeds in our life to force us to grow stronger in our foundations and principles of righteousness for the kingdom’s sake. The key is not to get ‘choked’ out by them but to hold on until harvest.

Until tomorrow……

Pastor Botts

“The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares……when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared…” – Matthew 13:35