Prayer Work

Remember that nothing will run itself, unless it’s running downhill. – Anon

In the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus exhorted the disciples to “keep watch and pray” and not sleep.  Though they failed on several occasions, they finally got it right later. AMEN!

It’s true the life Jesus promised us is the life we all want, but it’s also true that to have the life we want we must put in the “work” required.  If we were to ever seriously look at the life Jesus lived we would see the first and last order of work is prayer. The reasons our lives are often run down, drained, and without effect is because we don’t do the necessary work in prayer. Prayer is what keeps the life running. It is as vital to the Christian life as food is to the physical life. Without it we cease to exist. I pray yours is effective.

Until Monday…..

Pastor Botts

“Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me and answer me. When thou saidst, ‘Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek. Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger, thou hast been my help, leave me not neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.’” – Psalm 27:7-9  

P.S. Hope to see you at the picnic. We'll join for prayer around 9:30AM.

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

Godly Change

If man is not rising upwards to be like an angel, he is sinking downwards to be a devil. – S.T. Coleridge  

Near the end of his ministry Jesus told his disciples one of them was a devil. And each one had to give it some deep thought. HMMM!  

Family reunions are great times to catch-up on old times and bring one another up to date. Often you’ll eventually hear the phrase “you haven’t changed one bit.” But to say we are the same person today as we were 5 -10 years ago is to say we have wasted a great deal of God’s time. There should be some definite growth in the life we live and the way we view the world. And done in accordance with God’s plan our growth will create a desire for even greater growth and closeness to God. God is testing us in this life to ensure our eternal desire is for Him alone, for if we don’t love to praise Him in all things here, heaven is not for us.  

Until tomorrow……  

Pastor Botts  

“One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.” – Psalm 27:4

Who you are

To always dream of the person you’d like to be is a waste of the person you are. – Anon  

The apostles had visions of being great leaders in a restored Jerusalem. Jesus wanted them to be servants in a coming kingdom. They finally got it!  

Growing up we all had dreams of what we’d be, firemen, doctors, lawyers, president, etc. But these noble ideas never kept us from being the rambunctious kids that we were. When we feel we must be perfect before we can be of benefit to God’s kingdom we waste valuable time and miss the point. The person we want to be can only come into existence through the guidance and direction of the hand of God and He is working perfection out in us through the daily routines of life’s circumstances. Be careful in today’s decisions, God is at work building your character.  

Until tomorrow…..  

Pastor Botts  

“Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” – Ephesians 5:15-16

Praying More

Work for God should always be done with God. – D. Bonhoeffer  

Though Saul was anointed ‘king’ by God he tried to rule God’s people by his own thinking. It cost him dearly. Hmm!  

Sometimes the things that we claim we do for God have nothing to do with Him at all. They are merely our own agendas, for often we have never even stopped long enough to whisper a prayer or listen for directions from God about what it is we're doing or considering. The Word of God tells us that it is impossible to do the work of God without the authorization or ‘power’ of God, and that any such activity is empty of promise. Running with our own agendas leaves no room for God’s grace, promise, or enabling power. Serving others is difficult enough with God’s direction and blessing, so we would be foolish to try it in our own strength. So before we act maybe we should pray.  

Until tomorrow…..  

Pastor Botts  

“The disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, ‘Why couldn’t we drive it out?’….He replied,. ‘…….But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.’” – Matthew 17:19, 21

What matters most

The most basic craving of man is not food, sex, recreation, or money. It is knowledge that he matters to someone. – W. Sheldon  

Moses did it. So did Elijah. Then Jesus came along and did it too. 40 days alone with the ONE who mattered most. What a great declaration of worth by God. Amen!  

Often, if we’re not careful we get caught up doing “life” work for the sake of the necessary things (housing, sustenance, etc.) and forgetting we have a larger more important purpose: GOD. We matter to Him! Regardless of what others may demand of us or even think of us, we matter to Him. He knows all about us and He cares for us; and this should motivate us to seek a closer intimate relationship with Him. And since God is never in a hurry, maybe we should not be either when we draw near to Him.  

Until tomorrow……  

Pastor Botts  

“The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat he said to them, ‘Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest. So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place’.” – Mark 6:30-32