This weekend we begin an exciting brand new series in the book of 1st Corinthians! Join us as we study, in-depth, this pertinent and applicable letter that the Apostle Paul wrote to the church of Corinth. SonicFlood will be joining us for all services (including Revolution Sunday night which will be open air, outside in the Courtyard!) and we will be celebrating Communion as well. It’s going to be a great time together, in the Word, in worship and sweet fellowship – so make plans to come on out.

Service times: Saturday 6pm :: Sunday 8. 9:45, 11:30am & 6pm

Typically I am privileged to travel a few weeks each summer for Pastor Greg Laurie and do some Impact Rallies for an upcoming Harvest Crusade. This summer is no exception. Already having experienced some of the most exciting Impact Rallies across Southern California, aswell as three of the most amazing nights of ministry in Anaheim, the momentum is now shifting to the windy city of Chicago. And I am praying it will be the type of wind that Jesus described to Nicodemus in John chapter 3 along with the type of rushing wind that powerfully blew upon the disciples on the day of Pentecost in Acts chapter 2.

I will be speaking nine times in some of the greatest churches across Chicago, all with the intent of fire up and mobilize the local body of Christ for the Crusade scheduled for late September. Please keep these important meetings in your prayers and if you find yourself in the Chicago area, come join me for one! It would be great to see you and you’ll get a ton out of it.

It’s going to be an AMAZING week. And remember to keep the Crusade in your prayers and Pastor Greg too. God bless.

THE CHICAGO HARVEST IMPACT RALLIES WITH PASTOR BOB …

:: Friday, August 20
Christ Church Lake Forest 7:00 PM
100 N Waukegan Rd, Lake Forest, IL 60045

:: Saturday, August 21
The Orchard Evangelical Free 10:00 AM
1330 N Douglas Ave, Arlington Heights, IL 60004

Glen Ellyn Bible Church 5:00 PM
501 Hillside Ave, Glen Ellyn, IL 60137

:: Sunday, August 22
New Life Community Church 9:00 AM
4101 W 51st Street, Chicago, IL 60632

Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church 7:30 PM
4543 S Princeton Ave, Chicago, IL 60609

:: Monday, August 23
The Moody Church 7:00 PM
1635 N La Salle, Chicago, IL 60614

:: Tuesday, August 24
Christ Church of Oak Brook 7:00 PM
501 Oak Brook Road, Oak Brook, IL 60523

:: Wednesday, August 25
New Life Covenant Church 7:30 PM
1147 N Western Ave, Chicago IL 60647

:: Thursday, August 26
Harvest Bible Chapel 7:00 PM
Rohlwing Road, Rolling Meadows, IL 60008

Whew that’s a busy week for sure (but there’s always time for pizza).

So where’s the best DEEP DISH in town?

Any CHI-TOWN connoisseurs out there?  Oh bless you!!!

Quote of the day “Opportunity knocks once but temptation leans on the doorbell.” Listen to “OVERCOMING TEMPTATION” click here…

]]> http://www.bobbotsford.com/2010/08/overcoming-temptation/feed/ 0 http://www.bobbotsford.com/2010/07/the-truth/ http://www.bobbotsford.com/2010/07/the-truth/#comments Wed, 14 Jul 2010 19:04:43 +0000 Bob http://www.bobbotsford.com/?p=1755 Pastor Bob spoke on the topic of “Truth” at Horizon this past weekend.
He wrapped up his message with the following video… Watch Carefully!!!

THE TRUTH from Bob Botsford on Vimeo.

When it comes to “Truth”…WHO ARE YOU LISTENING TO???

This past weekend I sensed the Spirit of God leading me to an see a well known scripture in a new light. There is an amazing phrase used by David right in the middle of Psalm 23. A phrase I believe is meant to drop a road-block right in way of any self prescribed life and journey of the flesh. The phrase is “For His Name’s Sake.” More than a thrown out thought, this is the Banner under which everything provided and promised is the Psalm is fully realized. The Lord can’t fully be my Shepherd if my life as a sheep hasn’t been surrendered to His Namesake. His leading, providing, blessing and protecting is only things that come into play when I become completely yielded to Him. So huge is the importance of this compelling phrase that it finds itself not only in the heart of Psalm 23, but throughout the heart of the entire work and will of God. If you have a few moments, take out your Bible and follow along with me at the number of times God will and work is performed under the flag of His name’s sake. I think you’ll be surprised and encouraged to make His name the stamp on your plans.

1 Samuel 12:22 For the LORD will not forsake His people, for His great name’s sake, because it has pleased the LORD to make you His people.

1 Kings 8:41 “Moreover, concerning a foreigner, who is not of Your people Israel, but has come from a far country for Your name’s sake

Psalm 23:3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.

Psalm 25:11 For Your name’s sake, O LORD,Pardon my iniquity, for it is great.

Psalm 31:3 For You are my rock and my fortress; Therefore, for Your name’s sake, Lead me and guide me.

Psalm 79:9 Help us, O God of our salvation, For the glory of Your name; And deliver us, and provide atonement for our sins, For Your name’s sake!

Psalm 106:8 Nevertheless He saved them for His name’s sake, That He might make His mighty power known.

Psalm 109:21 But You, O GOD the Lord, Deal with me for Your name’s sake; Because Your mercy is good, deliver me.

Psalm 143:11 Revive me, O LORD, for Your name’s sake! For Your righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble.

Isaiah 43:25 “ I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; And I will not remember your sins.

Isaiah 48:9 “ For My name’s sake I will defer My anger, And for My praise I will restrain it from you, So that I do not cut you off.

Isaiah 48:11 For My own sake, for My own sake, I will do it; For how should My name be profaned? And I will not give My glory to another.

Isaiah 66:5 Hear the word of the LORD, You who tremble at His word: “ Your brethren who hated you, Who cast you out for My name’s sake, said, ‘ Let the LORD be glorified, That we may see your joy.’ But they shall be ashamed.”

Jeremiah 14:7 O LORD, though our iniquities testify against us, Do it for Your name’s sake; For our backslidings are many, We have sinned against You.

Jeremiah 14:21 Do not abhor us, for Your name’s sake; Do not disgrace the throne of Your glory. Remember, do not break Your covenant with us.

Ezekiel 20:9 But I acted for My name’s sake, that it should not be profaned before the Gentiles among whom they were, in whose sight I had made Myself known to them, to bring them out of the land of Egypt.

Ezekiel 20:14 But I acted for My name’s sake, that it should not be profaned before the Gentiles, in whose sight I had brought them out.

Ezekiel 20:22 Nevertheless I withdrew My hand and acted for My name’s sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the Gentiles, in whose sight I had brought them out,

Ezekiel 20:44 Then you shall know that I am the LORD, when I have dealt with you for My name’s sake, not according to your wicked ways nor according to your corrupt doings, O house of Israel,” says the Lord GOD.’”

Ezekiel 36:22 “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “I do not do this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for My holy name’s sake, which you have profaned among the nations wherever you went.

Matthew 10:22 And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.

Matthew 19:29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.

Matthew 24:9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake.

Mark 13:13 And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end shall be saved.

Luke 21:12 But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name’s sake.

Luke 21:17 And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake.

John 15:21 But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me.

Acts 9:16 For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My
name’s sake.”

2 Corinthians 4:5 For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake.

2 Corinthians 4:11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

2 Corinthians 12:10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Philippians 1:29 For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake,

1 John 2:12 I write to you, little children, Because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake.

3 John 1:7 because they went forth for His name’s sake, taking nothing from
the Gentiles.

Revelation 2:3 and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary.

Taking advantage of some remodeling going on, along with the final installment in our Epilogue series “life’s last chapter” it seemed to be a tangible way for people to respond to all that the Lord has been teaching them. Some came forward and simply signed their name, signifying to the Lord their desire to relinquish control. They were literally signing their life over to Him. Others wrote favorite verses and marked the date as a new commitment of holding nothing back. Others wrote prayers while some simply said thanks be to God for His great love and gift of salvation. It was a memorable time; one I hope our church never forgets. And from now to Kingdom come those names will forever remain on the front wall of our church as a reminder of that our lives are “Signed, Sealed and Delivered”

There was a time when God himself showed up and did something very similar. Back in the days of Belshazzar, the King of Babylon and successor to Nebuchadnezzar, God showed up and wrote some interesting words on the wall of the king’s palace. Turns out it was the very last night of the reign of Belshazzar, as God written for all to see that the king had been weighed in the balances and been found wanting (see Daniel 5).

Point of the story is simply this … although our Sanctuary does not resemble the Book of Life, and signing it does nothing to ensure one’s salvation, it does signify the importance of making sure our lives have been signed over to the Lord Jesus. Today as you let your life come under His signature you can be certain of this promise … you will never be found wanting.

Click here to listen to the conclusion of our EPILOGUE
series from the last chapter of Revelation

In short, we are having the most incredible time and God is totally blessing!

It’s Saturday night here and we just completed another day of teaching and ministry and loving on some of the most needy people on our planet. I spoke at the local Men’s breakfast outreach this morning. It was awesome to be in the presence of the Lord with these men who want nothing more than to serve the Lord. The team joined me afterwards to go to the village to provide blankets and mosquito nets in the name of Jesus and in the name of Horizon Christian Fellowship. You guys just blessed a whole bunch of kids who had nothing…until today.

This has been a remarkable week of service here; preaching a dozen times,
(Willy Briscoe has also been teaching here, so the blessings are being shared abundantly), giving the children a taste of VBS (great job Jared!), bringing food to the villages, providing bedding and mosquito nets, visiting the AIDS baby crisis center, and bringing music and worship (props to the Mike Clark Band) to some folks who praise the Lord passionately!

I will be heading for Germany to speak at the European Pastors Conference this week, as Team Africa returns home. Please be in prayer as we wrap up our ministry to the glory of God.

You are missed and loved by your team. Thanks everyone..for making this trip possible.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Love you, pb

I was reading this passage in the airport today and it struck me that the Lord was giving it to me specifically for this coming trip.

“Look among the nations and watch;
Be utterly astounded!
For I will work a work in your days
Which you would not believe,
though it were told you.”
Habakkuk 1:5

The contrast between dark skin and bright smiles is the most beautiful site to behold in Africa. This continent is both huge and ripe for the gospel. I invite you will join with me as we reach out with the love and hope that is found in the name of Jesus Christ. Modern technology enables us to partner in prayer as we head into the villages, prisons, schools and cities of Malawi. In addition to following updates on the Blog, Facebook and Twitter most of all I need your prayers. AIDS has left gaping hole in the culture here. The devil is wanting to claim the next generation for his bidding. There is a Muslim invasion in Africa like no other place in the world. Time is short. We are excited to be here and ask you to pray for the Spirit of Christ to be released in this land in a life changing way.

I once heard someone say that the Mission of the Church is Missions. I believe that’s true and covet your prayer for these next several days. As the great missionary David Livingston said, “without Christ, not one step. With Him, anywhere.”

Livingston was also famous for saying this (may it challenge you as it has me) “If you have men who will only come if they know there is a good road, I don’t want them. I want men who will come if there is no road at all.” Let’s in prayer may we be the one’s who launch out in bridging the Gap with the Gospel both at home and to the uttermost parts of the world.

Zikomo and God bless,

Pastor Bob