No Matter How You Slice It...

I haven’t committed a crime, what I did was fail to comply with the law. – Anon

Saul thought he did nothing wrong in not completely destroying the Amalekites as God commanded, it only cost him a kingdom. Hmm!

We often look at life and try to categorize it into big and little issues. And in the big issues we assign more weight to doing right or being obedient than we do in the smaller issues. In these so often we like to think its all in how you look at things, keep them in a shade of ‘grey’ to satisfy our inner self that we are okay with God. But God’s Word has no shade of ‘grey,’ and with Him there are no big or little issues. He means exactly what He says and when we fail to heed and obey in the least bit, no matter how we twist things to suit our situation, in His eyes it is sin plain and simple. And no, it may not be a big deal in the way we look at things, but then again in the final analysis; our standing before Him and giving an account won’t be viewed in the way we look at things, but in the way He has already set forward.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

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

Speak Truth. Lie Not

Too many 'white' lies can lead to color blindness. – Anon

Jesus not only called Satan a liar, but the father of lies. I wonder how He really felt about him. Hmm!

White lies - we call them little, we call them insignificant, we call them a fact of life – but in reality when we willingly tell them they are just lies. It’s easy to stretch the truth just a bit so that we don’t look so bad, or have to go the extra mile, or have to be imposed upon, or give someone false hope, but when we knowingly do so and leave others with a false understanding, we’ve lied. And when we begin to make concessions in one area of our life, it usually creeps into other areas as well. That’s just the way sin is. Just as smoke never stays in the ‘smoking section’ sin never stays little or hidden – it grows, and it branches out into all areas of our lives to blur the lines of distinction between right and wrong. In a world that desperately needs the truth spoken and lived out, God is expecting us to lead the way. We must not settle for easy over right.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.” – Matthew 5:37

The Way of Obedience

Conscience only tells you what is wrong, it doesn’t stop you from doing it. – Anon

Aaron's sons knew they were not supposed to offer 'strange fire' to God, yet they did it anyway. OUCH!

STOP….. , ONE-WAY...., 55 MPH…..., NO PARKING……, NO TURN ON RED……, YIELD…., NO LEFT TURN DURING THE HOURS OF....? You’ve probably guessed by now these are all traffic signs posted to keep traffic flowing at a smooth safe pace. I’m sure we’re all aware of what happens when someone doesn’t heed the message Life is very similar. When we wrestle with right and wrong our conscience is trying to point out the signs we should obey, while the flesh is demanding satisfaction. However, we are not to satisfy the desires of the flesh but live by the Spirit. Our daily prayer should be that we will have a Spirit-filled, Spirit-led day.

Until Monday…

Pastor Botts

"So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me.” – Romans 7:21

Whose Lead Are We Following?

Though important to know where you are going, better still is to know who you are following. – Sparks

Paul/Saul knew he was a highly dedicated and well-trained man on a mission for God, until he met Jesus on the road. WOW!

Upon reflection, I’m sure most of us can remember a journey or two we took where we didn’t like the end results. And in most cases, it was more than likely because we did not know fully the details, we were ‘excited to be invited.’ However, without question, whether it be trend or person the majority of people today will still follow along without question. The common thinking is often that the “consensus can’t be wrong, the excitement can’t be false,” so this must be real. Though God has given us the church, pastors, teachers, leaders, friends, etc., His call for us is not to them, but to Him and His Word. People are fallible and may stray, but God’s Word will always lead us to Him. In circumstances that come upon us the question to ask is ‘whose lead are we following?’

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong…… do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd.” – Exodus 23:2

Before You Speak...

Remember not only to say the right thing in the right place, but far more difficult still, to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment. – Richard Murray

At a heightened moment of temptation, Jesus let it pass and carefully uttered “Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.” WOW!

One of the old clichéd truisms of life is “please think before you speak.” The adoption of this principle as a doctrine of life could save us from many stressful situations and later apologies. All of us from our childhood have been taught how to talk and enunciate our words, but not so much when and how to choose our words or responses carefully. We should always be ready to speak the truth, but even then, it should be spoken in love, not in hostility or with other unnecessary commentary. And yes, there are times when we should just remain silent and refrain from ‘adding’ in our two-cents on matters that are not constructive about others. Temptation will indeed be great to go off course today, but remember God will provide a way of escape.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it….” – James 4:11

All Aboard!

If you board the wrong train, it is no use running along the corridor in the other direction. – Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Abraham left his homeland and his people looking for a new home. God finally showed it to him. Hmm!

If you could go anywhere, where would you like to go? Not in terms of vacation or sightseeing, but in terms of your life. See, the truth of the matter is we are actually on that journey right now whether we realize it or not. We are all traveling inevitably toward the ends of our lives. The journey started from the day we were born and continues day by day. Life is a lot of ‘doing’ but the question confronting us is have we figured it out yet, selected a destination, and began steering our course; or are we still allowing ourselves to be pushed along with the tide or crowd, letting others determine where we’ll end up. The choice is entirely up to us, but we must know the end always comes much, much sooner than we expect.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“When I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.” – Ecclesiastes 2:11

Read, Meditate and Meet God

The world is a spiritual kindergarten, where thousands of bewildered children are trying to spell ‘GOD’ with all the wrong blocks. – E.A. Robinson

King Solomon. He spared himself no expense nor pleasure to find the true meaning and purpose of life, only to conclude it’s God and His word. Hmm!

We all know what we like and dislike, and we're pretty quick and adamant to let our family, friends, and associates know, so that we'll get the respect, treatment, and cooperation we want. That's just part of our nature, it's what helps to make us who we are. Interestingly enough though, we rarely seem to give that same type of thinking to God and His desires. Often, we just wear ourselves out looking under every rock or behind every tree for the latest fad to draw closer to Him. He's given us His Word that we might know Him deeply, but somehow, we think an open book test is all too easy. Maybe it’s just time for us to read and believe the bible. After all, what have we got to lose?

Until Monday…

Pastor Botts

“Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.” – Psalm 1:1-2

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

Playing on Team Integrity

If being a team player requires doing what is wrong, you’re on the wrong team. – Chuck Swindoll

Rehoboam and his young advisors conspired against God’s people. Ananias and Sapphira his wife conspired against the Lord and his church. They all lost big time! Hmmm.

We live in a world that says things like ‘winning is everything,’ or ‘win at all costs,’ or ‘just win baby.’ That is the motto for survival of the fittest. It doesn’t matter what it takes to get the win, land the account, get the signature, make the sale, or even get rid of the ‘loser.’ Integrity is passé. Honor is outdated, “just do it.” But God calls us to a higher standard, away from the ways of the world. His ways require us to be truthful in all accounts, go the extra mile when necessary, and show care and concern when no one else will for we are His ambassadors. Rest assured there will be exams today and hereafter in your life.

Until tomorrow…

Pastor Botts

“It is unthinkable that God would do wrong, that the Almighty would pervert justice.” – Job 34:12

Brotherly Words

Remember not only to say the right thing in the right place, but far more difficult still, to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment. – Richard Murray

At a heightened moment of temptation, Jesus let it pass and carefully uttered “Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.” WOW!

One of the old clichéd truisms of life is “please think before you speak.” The adoption of this principle as a doctrine of life could save us from many stressful situations and later apologies. All of us from our childhood have been taught how to talk and enunciate our words, but rarely when and how to choose our words or responses carefully. We should always be ready to speak the truth, but even it should be spoken in LOVE, not hostility or with ‘superlative’ laced commentary; and refrain from ‘adding’ our two-cents in on matters that are not constructive about others. Temptation will indeed be great to go off course today, but remember God will provide a way of escape.

Until tomorrow…….

Pastor Botts

“Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it….” – James 4:11

Keeping Your Temper

When you are in the right you can afford to keep your temper; and when you are in the wrong, you cannot afford to lose it.   – Gandhi

The temptation in the wilderness, the false trials, the scourging. Jesus suffered all this and never ‘lost it.’ What a great example!

Patience, long-suffering, self-control. It’s truly astonishing the number of times the Word of God tells us we should perfect these traits in our lives. Not only does it make life a bit more peaceful but it also makes it much healthier and less costly. It’s okay to be angry, we’re emotional beings, but we do not act on emotion or feelings. Just as God exercises great restraint in dealing with us, and Jesus was our perfect example of self-restraint, we too are expected to master such times of adversity. Life will sorely test us  today from every vantage point – job, family, strangers, finances, etc. – because God is out to perfect us. I pray we all pass with flying colors.

Until Monday……

Pastor Botts

“But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship…discharge all the duties of your ministry.” – II Timothy 4:5

P.S. - Daylight Savings Time ends this weekend. Remember to set your clocks BACK 1 hour Saturday night!

Staying On Course

It’s very hard to take the wrong turn when you’re looking in the right direction. – Anon

Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness on 3 different occasions, each time Jesus looked to His Father and His Word. Hmm!

No one likes to ‘crash and burn’ in life yet it happens very often, when we take our eyes off the goal. And the one thing that’s a certainty in life everyday is our enemies attempt to get us to take our focus off of God and His Word. Our enemy uses every avenue or medium, every subtlety or deception, and every emotional appeal to trip us up, and YES, he even knows our every weakness. That’s why it’s very critical for us to keep God and His Word in the center of our lives. It’s virtually impossible to get off course when we are led this way. We may not like some of the scenery along the way but we can take comfort in knowing God is with us and directing our paths.

Until Monday…..

Pastor Botts

“My eyes are always looking to the Lord for help, for he alone can rescue me from the traps of my enemies.” – Psalm 25:15 (NLT)

Rich Beyond Measure

No one is poor who can by prayer open up the storehouse of God. – Anon

Solomon prayed asking God for guidance and wisdom to rule his people. He got that and every other blessing God could muster. Amen!

When it comes to living on this earth most of us are poor because we live on “fixed” incomes. Fixed by what WE see, what WE can do, and by what WE are. But we serve a God who is the Creator of all things and is able to “do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine.” Yet we live as paupers. God is ready to open the storehouse of heaven for us if only we would ask. The key however, is not only praying in God’s will, but in making God’s will OUR will – then all of heaven is at our disposal. I’m not advocating the ‘prosperity gospel’ some preach but the truth that a Christian in any situation knows they are rich beyond measure.

Until tomorrow……

Pastor Botts

“You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” – James 4:2-3

See and follow the signs

Conscience only tells you what is wrong, it doesn’t stop you from doing it. – Anon

Aaron's sons knew they were not supposed to offer 'strange fire' to God, yet they did it anyway. OUCH!

STOP….. , ONE-WAY...., 55 MPH…..., NO PARKING……, NO TURN ON RED……, YIELD…., NO LEFT TURN DURING THE HOURS OF....? You’ve probably guessed by now these are all traffic signs posted to keep traffic flowing at a smooth safe pace. I’m sure we’re all aware of what happens when someone doesn’t heed the message Life is very similar. When we wrestle with right and wrong our conscience is trying to point out the signs we should obey, while the flesh is demanding satisfaction. However, we are not to satisfy the desires of the flesh but live by the Spirit. Our daily prayer should be that we will have a Spirit-filled, Spirit-led day.

Until Monday…..

Pastor Botts

“So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me.” – Romans 7:21

The Journey of Life

If you board the wrong train, it is no use running along the corridor in the other direction. – Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Abraham left his homeland and his people looking for a new home. God finally showed it to him. Hmm!

If you could go anywhere, where would you like to go? Not in terms of vacation or sightseeing, but in terms of your life. See, the truth of the matter is we are actually on that journey right now whether we realize it or not. We are all traveling inevitably toward the ends of our lives. The journey started from the day we were born and continues day by day. Life is a lot of ‘doing’ but the question confronting us is have we figured it out yet and selected a destination, and began steering our course; or are we still allowing ourselves to be pushed along with the tide or crowd, letting others determine where we’ll end up. The choice is entirely up to us, but we must know the end always comes much, much sooner than we expect.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“When I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.” – Ecclesiastes 2:11

Forgive Again

An eye for an eye will make the whole world blind. – Mahatma Gandhi

Jesus asked forgiveness for his suitors, not just retribution. Hmm!

Live long enough and you will be wronged – accidentally, by oversight, and often intentionally. It’s the price we must pay for living with imperfect beings like ourself. But often, the problem is not in being wronged, it is in our expectation and desire to set things right. We often think the only antidote or solution to being wronged is revenge, to get even by a similar action on our part. God’s way of thinking is different, and often much easier – FORGIVE. Rather than scheme and plot and possibly suffer more retribution and harm, why not just forgive. It’s refreshing and saves a lot of wear and tear on the body and the heart.

Until Monday…..

Pastor Botts

“For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your heavenly Father will not forgive your sins.” – Matthew 6:14-15

Spirit Decisions

In order to be right or wrong you must first make a decision! – F. Giampietro

Abraham’s decision to ‘offer’ his son Isaac wasn’t easy at all, but the Spirit within told him to trust God. You know the rest of the story. AMEN!

In the investment arena there is no such thing as certainty or guaranteed results. In life there is – Jesus. Yet, for those of us who follow Christ, often certainty and our faith do not always merge together, and we sometimes find it hard to determine if it’s God’s voice or our own telling us what to do. These times call for us to admit that we are vulnerable and powerless, and to submit to the Holy Spirit within. The discernment He gives will always be to make the choice that glorifies God no matter the cost. The payoff, though we may not see it at times; will always far exceed the investment, for God rewards faithful service.

Until Monday……

Pastor Botts

“….But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak of his own; he will speak only what he hears, and tell you what is yet to come….” – John 16:13

P.S. - Looking forward to seeing you this Sunday morning at 9AM for our Sunday School Devotional time.

Whose lead are you following?

Though important to know where you are going, better still is to know who you are following. – Sparks

Paul/Saul knew he was a highly dedicated and well-trained man on a mission for God, until he met Jesus on the road. WOW!

Upon reflection, I’m sure most of us can remember a journey or two we took where we didn’t like the end results. And in most cases it was more than likely because we did not know fully the details, we were ‘excited to be invited.’ However, without question; whether it be trend or person the majority of people today will still follow along without question. The common thinking is often that the “consensus can’t be wrong, the excitement can’t be false,” so this must be real.  Though God has given us the church, pastors, teachers, leaders, friends, etc; His call for us is not to them but to Him and His Word. People are fallible and may stray, but God’s Word will always lead us to Him. In circumstances that come upon us the question to ask is ‘whose lead are we following?’

Until tomorrow….

Pastor Botts

“Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong…… do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd.” – Exodus 23:2

Uncovering the Cover-up

When things go wrong, don't go with them. - Anon

King David and Bathsheba tried to cover up their sin and it just led to greater troubles. OUCH!

Try as we might to avoid the enemy through prayer, meditation, scripture reading/study, sometimes Satan gets the best of us and we sin. However, when this happens we should immediately confess it and repent before Almighty God, and not try to conceal it with further lies or other sinful acts, for it plays right into our enemies hands. We need remember Jesus said 'what is done in the dark will come to light.' Repentance and confession stops us and the enemy cold, and restores us back to God.

Until Monday.....

Pastor Botts

"Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody..... Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."
- Romans 12:17,21

P.S. - Don't forget Part II of our Sunday School Devotional this Sunday at 9AM. Hope you can make it!

Patient Actions

Patience is also a form of action. – A. Rodin

God waited 40 years for Moses to become the man he needed him to be to set the Israelites free from Pharaoh and his people. WOW!

Waiting! It’s an issue of life we’re never really comfortable with. To us it seems to be a waste of time, lack of desire or motivation. We live in a hurry-up world, a do it now culture, which we learned from birth. We want and need answers immediately, results soon, and payoffs now to all of life’s ills or circumstances. But if we put our focus back on God’s ways we will clearly see that patience is truly an asset of the wise. God has NEVER been in a hurry. Hurried thoughts, actions, and words often lead to errors that can cause hurt and long term heartache. Being patient is not wasting time waiting; it’s taking action against doing the wrong thing.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.” – Hebrews 6:12