Blessed Intangibly

Strength, rest, grace, mercy, forgiveness, provision, guidance, help, unconditional love. What a God we serve! – E. Stenbock

Jesus said this wicked generation looks for a sign but none will be given. Our Heavenly Father gives many every day. Hmm!

It’s often said that the easiest thing to overlook is what’s right in front of you. How TRUE. We often take for granted the many blessings and mercies God extends to us each and every day. The worldview that blessings are only ‘tangible’ is a warped picture of who God really is. And if it is only tangible blessings we seek after we will never be satisfied, for our heart can only truly be satisfied by being ‘rightly related’ to God. The tangible blessings serve only as reminders of His great love for us and all the intangibles He has continued to provide. Were we never to receive another tangible blessing we can see He is still worthy of our praise.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“I will cause my people and their homes around my holy hill to be a blessing. And I will send showers, showers of blessings, which will come just when they are needed” – Ezekiel 34:26 (NLT)

Develop Good Habits

Habit is overcome by habit.  – T. Kempis

Daniel’s ‘prayer’ habit kept him close to God and got him out of a few close calls. Hmm!

It’s no secret that we get good at what we practice. The more times we repeat a process, the stronger and more refined it becomes in our psyche and way of life. This is okay if the action is virtuous and wholesome, but more often that naught because we often seek the easy, quick, and less burdensome application of ourselves we develop some bad habits. The good news is they can be overcome. And the way to overcome bad habits is the same as developing good habits – practice. We can’t wish them away, send them away, nor ignore them; we simply must put something more beneficial in their place and continue to practice it until it completely roots it out and replaces it. Prayer can help, but only to the extent we’re willing to do or practice what we’re praying about. Change can begin today if we’re just willing to develop the habit.

Until Monday…..

Pastor Botts

“[Jesus] went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom.” – Luke 4:16

Who's the Judge

God himself does not propose to judge a man until he is dead. So why should we? – Sparks

Peter judged all Gentiles to be inferior and beneath him. God put him in a situation with Cornelius that increased his VISION. Wow!

Truth be told we are often quick to pass final judgment on those we know and meet as if we have the actual keys to heaven and hell. And we do it with little rhyme or reason. But God calls us to be witnesses for him, not lawyers OR judges; but witnesses. And like our Supreme Creator we should hold out hope for all mankind to be redeemed. Regardless of where they stand, God wants to use us to make a difference in their lives today, for tomorrow their change just may come. Let us all remember our role.

Until tomorrow…..

Pastor Botts

“And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many….” – Hebrews 9:27-28  

We, Ourselves & Us

You cannot pray the Lord's Prayer and even once say "I." You cannot pray the Lord's Prayer and even once say "my." Others are included in each and every plea. From the beginning to the end of it, it does not once say "me." – Anon

The ‘rich fool’ in Luke 12 came down with the me, myself, and I disease. It only cost him everything. OUCH!

The motto of the common world is ‘Survival of the fittest.’ Where it’s take care of yourself first and if you have anything left over and any compassion you might consider the other guy. And we often, even as God’s chosen fall into this mentality; working long and hard to provide for our needs. The truth is we cannot provide for our needs – only God can. He provides us with the means and the strength. His desire is for us to be concerned about His kingdom and His people – that should be the crux of our living. When we fix our eyes on our own blessings or woes we miss the point – for it is not about us, we are a part of His story. As you enter today remember it’s a lot larger than you.

Until tomorrow……

Pastor Botts

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.” – Philippians 2:3

Walk the Talk

Too many folks have a big Christian vocabulary but little Christian experience. – C. Banning

Jesus called the Pharisees hypocrites because their big talk didn’t match their walk. WHOA!

When we were born we spent at least a few years just taking things in, experiencing life’s joys and disappointments, learning basic motor skills and preferences. It’s as if God was giving us time to really experience life before we had anything to say. Truth is, we really should speak from our experiences for in them we have a depth of knowledge and wisdom to draw from. It seems this is lost in our Christian walk. We often walk in the sinful ways of the world, hold fast to a secular worldview, and spend little time with God – but yet we seem to know the lingo, scriptures to cite, and way to appear ‘holy’ to others. We must be careful in our thinking this way because it is the common ploy of Satan (he masquerades as an angel of light). It’s good to praise God verbally, but a life well lived is the grandest example.

Until tomorrow……

Pastor Botts

“Where words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise.” – Proverbs 10:19

Slow Work

Be not afraid of growing slowly; be afraid of only standing still. – R. Murray

Jesus was twelve when he stymied the teachers of his day, but didn’t start his ministry until he was 30 – he needed the time. Hmm!

When it comes to change too often we want it now, in the dramatic, miraculous fashion; and grow weary and ready to give up when it doesn’t happen that way. But if we look around and understand God and His nature He always takes His time in developing or growing plans. He made man on the 7th day, not the first. Christ came as a ‘baby in a manger’ not a full grown man. God is always at work, ‘He neither slumbers nor sleeps,’ so He is working on us. Our role is to be patient, steady, and persevere under the circumstances in which He has placed us. None of us are where we truly want to be maturity wise, but if we look back we should see a steady pattern or progression of betterment in our lives and with that - REJOICE!

Until tomorrow….

Pastor Botts

“Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 1:6

Doin Too Much

Devoting a little of yourself to everything means committing a great deal of yourself to nothing. – M. LeBoeuf

The Israelites tried serving the gods of their neighbors and Almighty God. Eventually they found themselves with neither. Hmm!

We live in a world that says you can have it all, and unfortunately many believe just that. Sacrifice is not a part of the vocabulary. Many of us are stretched thin, involved in every “in” thing, going to every “in” place. And like our fashionable attendance to these major events (arrive late, leave early) we do the same with our God walk. But God has indeed called us to humbly submit our whole heart to Him alone, and has promised us all other things will fall into place if we do. And if we give it some serious thought, doing less but with a more defined purpose is really not half-bad.

Until tomorrow...

Pastor Botts

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” – Matthew 6:33