Clothed with New Life

Christianity is not turning over a new leaf, it’s turning over a new life. – Sparks

Paul, a man of means and status (Pharisee), considered his former life “rubbish” compared to a relationship with Jesus. HMMM!  

Sweatshirts. Rainwear. Sweaters, etc. We often wear these outer garments when the weather dictates it. Often however, we wear our “Christianity” the same way, when situations dictate it. But in reality our relationship with Christ must be an inward change of the heart permeating every area of our life, and not areas we want to pick and choose. Remember, if you don’t LIVE IT, you don’t BELIEVE IT!  

Until Monday…..  

Pastor Botts  

“You were taught, with regard to your  former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” – Ephesians 4:22-24

Lesson Learned?

The toughest lesson to learn is probably the one you thought you already had. – Sparks  

Peter thought he was ready to die for Jesus until it was showtime. True he failed, but Jesus gave him another opportunity. AMEN!  

Déjà vu, coincidence! It seems life is like this quite often for most. Things we thought we were over and done with, habits we thought we had firmly broken away from or grown up from; seem to reappear on the horizon, tripping us up time and again. But often when we look at it properly we see they are not coincidental, they are the life lessons God is trying to work out in our lives. And until we pass the test convincingly with understanding, we will be sorely tried on every hand. God is effectively trying to cleanse and purge us from all sin (not big sin, little sin; but ALL sin) and He wants us to prove our love to Him not by words but by our actions and our heart. Life today will be filled with opportunity.  

Until tomorrow….  

Pastor Botts  

“So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. I think it is right to refresh your memory.” – I Peter 1:12-13

Crowd Mentality

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 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

What's the score?

The surest way to win in a relationship: just don’t keep score! - Sparks  

Though the disciples failed him many times and even fled, Jesus still entrusted the church to them. They later turned the world upside down for him. AMEN!  

Record keeping is good for business matters, but bad for relationships. Relationships are built upon love, and God’s model is best. God is gracious, merciful, and forgiving. No matter the size of the infraction, He willingly forgives and shows mercy if we seek Him. This is not to say we continue in sin and error, it is just God’s way of letting us know He understands our imperfections and is willing to work with us to overcome them. Likewise He fully expects us to demonstrate the same traits in our daily lives (“freely you have received, freely give”) with those we interact with. The goal is not to win the war but to win the person.  

Until tomorrow……  

Pastor Botts  

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” – I Corinthians 13:4-7

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 changed his ‘vision.’ WOW!  

Truth be told we are all often quick to play judge, jury, and executioner; and pass final judgment on those we see and meet as if we have the actual keys to heaven and hell. And we do it with little rhyme or reason (looks, impressions, etc.). 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. We should remember that whatever ‘measure’ we use will be used on us.  

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

The Best in our Heart

We are not made rich by what is in our pockets or portfolios, but by what is in our hearts. – Sparks  

The disciples were indignant that the woman ‘wasted’ her expensive perfume to anoint Jesus. He said it was a beautiful thing for her to do. Hmm!  

Fine China. Fancy Silverware. Candles and Table linens. An expensive restaurant – NO! For most of us it’s our cabinets at home. They're stuffed with these things. We’re waiting for the special moments or occasions to break them out. Often, we live our lives for Jesus in the same way, waiting for those special moments to show our best. But he asks us to spend our costs daily “take up your cross;” not holding back anything. As you enter into the heart of today may you spend God’s grace and mercy profusely, you won’t run out!  

Until tomorrow…..  

Pastor Botts  

“Freely you have received, freely give.” – Matthew 10:8

Mad Pets

Pets are creatures that are willingly kept by their owner, so I’ve never understood a pet peeve. - Sparks  

No matter what Moses did the people were always finding fault and never satisfied. No wonder God called them ‘stiffnecked.’ OUCH!  

If we’re honest about it, there’s probably something in most of us that at the slightest infraction gets our blood boiling; and our enemy knows it. The question is why does it have such a grip on us? It’s true we will be frustrated and upset at times, but we’re to never let our anger linger over anything nor carry it around day to day. This is not only stressful it is sinful for the bible says “let not the sun go down on your wrath.” This means we should not have any anger or malice in our hearts toward anyone. God doesn’t ask us to practice forgiveness He COMMANDS us to do so. And even if we were the one wronged, forgiveness lies within our own heart. Maybe it’s time we let God work it out for us, unless we like keeping useless pets.  

Until tomorrow….  

Pastor Botts  

“Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.” – Psalm 55:22

Get in the Game

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

Though king Darius recognized and decreed the God of Daniel as worthy of reverence, he himself never served him. WOW!  

Nike has a $150 basketball shoe. It won’t make you run any faster, jump any higher, or make any more baskets – but it will look good on your feet and that should make you feel better. 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

Servants of the Lord

A man who trims himself to suit everybody will soon whittle himself away. – Sparks  

Jethro had to take his son-in-law Moses aside and give him some fatherly advice about leading the people. It worked wonders. WOW!  
Conflict. We all somewhat hate it, and try to avoid it at all costs. And that's okay as long as it doesn't cause us to shape ourselves into something we're not, or cause us to take on more than we need to or should be doing. In those cases we need to stand firm, and remember our purpose. Try as we might, but one of the hardest lessons for us to learn is we cannot be everything for everybody. Though we serve a God with unlimited power and resources, we must remember we were created to serve Him and Him only. And in the long run when you please Him first, everything else seems to fall right in place.    

Until tomorrow…..  

Pastor Botts  

“Jesus said, ‘Away from me Satan! For it is written; Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.’” – Matthew 4:10

Say Cheese!

True, God gave us faces, but we create our own expressions. –Sparks  

Jacob’s spirit was “revived” with news of Joseph. Hezekiah “wept sore” in prayer. Mary “pondered things in her heart” about Jesus. I imagine all of these pleased God.  
All of us go through various stages of emotion throughout the day and our life, and if we’re not careful we get jaded in our views and personal outlook. But the fact that God loves you no matter what the situation or circumstance should anchor your heart with JOY and express itself overwhelmingly in all you do. So as others see you and encounter your 'spirit' remember it speaks volumes as to who you are and to whom you belong. Say cheese….!  
Until tomorrow……  

Pastor Botts  

“And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” – Ephesians 3:17-19

Good Intentions Bad Distractions

It’s amazing how quickly an emergency arises the moment you start saving for one. – Sparks  

After healing Peter’s mother-in-law and many others, Jesus slipped away to pray. Or so he thought he did! Hmm!  

Good intentions –the road to hell is paved with them. We all get started on them and often find ourselves falling short. And it’s truly amazing what things, issues, circumstances, or situations appear when we try to do right by God. These are not by chance, they are designed schemes of the enemy to keep us out of contact with Almighty God. Jobs that take us away from church and/or bible study. Sunday morning doldrums that keep us home or make us late, interruptions that keep us out of the Word or our prayer closet. These are all tools of Satan to keep us from ‘storing up treasure in heaven,’ where we're doing what may be good but not what's best for us.  But God expects us to be wise to the deceptive practices of our enemy, and not lose focus. God will never put a hindrance to us coming to Him, so maybe we need to re-evaluate the emergency.  

Until tomorrow…….  

Pastor Botts  

“But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.” – Matthew 6:20

Second Chances

History repeats itself – which is good, because most people don’t listen the first time. – Sparks 

The book of Judges had a recurring pattern for the Israelites: apostasy, oppression, distress, deliverance. They had 14 different Judges – but God came each time they called.Amen! 

Other than Jesus, there hasn’t been a person who did everything right the first time in their life ever. A scary but interesting thought. We are truly blessed when we realize God is a God of second, third, or multiple chances to get it right. This does not mean we continually live contrary to His will and purposes, but acknowledge He is gracious and longsuffering with us. And if God is that way with us we ought to extend the same courtesy to our fellow man. One way or another, today, or sometime this week “history” will be repeating itself in our lives maybe for us personally or those in our lives. Our aim should be to get it right this time. 

Until tomorrow…… 

Pastor Botts 

“So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. I think it right to refresh your memory…” – II Peter 1:12-13

THE Way THE Truth THE Life The Lord

A man with one watch knows what time it is. A man with two watches is never sure. – Sparks 

The people of Athens had more gods than you could shake a stick at. Paul tried to introduce them to the only GOD they needed. Hmm! 

We live in a world where everyone has an opinion or belief about life and the way it is supposed to be lived, with a bit of this and a dash of that. And we live in a world where everyone often feels compelled to share their ideas and opinions freely. Words like truth, morality, justice - are often debated and assigned different values depending on who is speaking, or the need for the day. And what is true today may not be true tomorrow. We must be careful to weigh the views of these ‘well-intentioned’ folk against the standard measure. There is only one standard of truth – God’s Word. 

Until Monday…… 

Pastor Botts 

“Let God be true, and every man a liar. As it is written: so that you may be proved right when you speak and prevail when you judge.” – Romans 3:4 

The Rules Say Follow The Leader

Don't be satisfied with following the rules. Follow the ruler. - Sparks

The religious leaders of Jesus' day felt they were right because they had the law of Moses and honored the Sabbath Day. Jesus said they had no idea who his Father was. WOW!

The 10 commandments! The Lord's Prayer! Church Allegiance! Many of us are content with knowing the rules and regulations of the church per se. We often feel that because we know them and obey them it makes us right with God. But, it's not what we do or don't do that makes us holy, it's who we are rightly related to that does it - God. He wants to commune with us and be involved in our day-to-day lives in every detail. And that friend, takes relationship - not just obeying the rules.

Until tomorrow....

Pastor Botts

"....One thing you lack [Jesus said], 'Go sell everything you have and give to the poor......then come, follow me." - Mark 10:21

The gift of Life

One of the greatest keys to contentment is to realize that life is a gift, not a right! - Sparks Stripped of all he owned and his health, Job still held his integrity for God.  His love was rewarded. Today is upon us. Most people will enter it without much thought, as if they deserved it, and if events don’t flow smoothly they become disgruntled and unhappy. But the truth is God has granted us this day, He has granted us our life to this point, not because we deserve it or earned it, but because He loves us. When we look at it from this point of view life can’t get any better. As you make your way through Today, problems or not, unwrap your gift with care. Until Monday…… Pastor Botts “When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him?” – Psalm 8:3-4 P.S. - Hope you can make the Prayer Breakfast tomorrow at 9AM. Remember, God is moved by prayer and petition more than anything else.

The Gift of Today

One of the greatest keys to contentment is to realize that life is a gift, not a right! - Sparks Stripped of all he owned and his health, Job still held his integrity for God.  His love was rewarded. Wow! Have you ever thought about the beauty of a gift? They are hand-picked by the giver to bless and aid the recipient. The gift of Today is upon us. Most people will enter it without much thought, as if they deserved it, and if events don’t flow smoothly they’ll become disgruntled and unhappy. But the truth is God has granted all of us this day, He has granted us our life to this point, not because we deserve it or have earned it, but because He loves us. When you look at it from this point of view life can’t get any better. As you make your way through Today, problems or not, unwrap your gift with care. Until tomorrow…… Pastor Botts “When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him?” – Psalm 8:3-4