| Good Morning Everyone, Our theme for this month: “Stay strong” Our Bible verse for today: “Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.” 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 (NIV) Our thought for today: “A simple life of faith” Billy Graham once wrote that by worldly standards, Jesus was a failure. He lived a short life in poverty, died a criminal’s death, and seemed to have failed to achieve anything of lasting value. He never married and He left no children behind to carry on His name. He owned nothing, wrote no books, and the words of His that were remembered and recorded (the red letters in your Bible) are hardly enough to fill a medium-sized pamphlet. And yet, His influence has endured for two thousand years and reshaped the world. Too often we measure success, status, impact, and legacy based upon the standards and values of the world. When we do, we conclude that what’s needed are things like physical strength, good looks, a charismatic personality, a powerful position of authority, and of course, wealth. But Jesus relied on none of those things. Instead, He had a deep sense of what was important to the Father, and He lived by that. That divine calling became His North Star in life. Nothing else was needed and nothing else mattered. As long as He was living in the center of the Father’s will, everything else would take care of itself. And it did. Two thousand years of Christian history prove it to be so. There are numerous other examples of this. The Apostles Peter, James, John, and Paul, just to name a few from the Bible. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Billy Graham, just to name two from modern history. Then there are thousands upon thousands of average everyday Christian grandmothers and grandfathers, moms and dads, aunts and uncles, brothers and sisters, all living quiet and simple lives of faith and obedience to the Father. Those people aren’t famous, rich, or powerful, but their lives are making an important difference in their little corner of the world, and their legacy will be an enduring one. My point is that in the long run, the thing that will truly makes a difference in your life will be your resolve to know the will of God and to live in obedience to it. Nothing else will have the impact that a godly life will. In 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 the Apostle Paul urged us to live simple lives of faith. Why? Because nothing more is needed. Resolve to honor God with your life and everything else will take care of itself. God Bless, Pastor Jim |
| Copyright © 2021 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved. |
-
Follow
Following
Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
Oak Hill Baptist Church 