| Good morning everyone, Our theme for this month: “A fresh start in a new year” Our Bible verse for today: “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity.” 2 Peter 3:18 (CSB) Our thought for today: “This is the most important thing” As Peter closed out his letter of 2 Peter, he did so with an exhortation to his readers to do the things necessary to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. Peter’s purpose in writing this letter was to encourage and strengthen his readers in their faith. He included sections about growing in the faith, trusting in the prophetic word of God, guarding against the poison being spread by false teachers who were twisting Biblical doctrine, and being ready for the second coming of Jesus. With those thoughts in mind, he closes with verse 18 which exhorts us to be intentional about our spiritual growth. This is the most important thing. On this eve of the New Year, as we lock-in the New Year’s resolutions that will serve to guide us throughout the year, number one on the list should be a plan for spiritual growth. Nothing will have a greater impact on your life than the depth of your relationship with Jesus. The stronger that relationship is, the better your life will be. And that will be true regardless of any other event that unfolds (good or bad). As we go through life, dealing with the situations and circumstances that are common to all people, we need to be firmly grounded in the deeper reality of a strong relationship with Christ. This is the center, the anchor, the firm foundation upon which our lives need to be established and lived. Far too many Christians are way too casual about the practice of their faith. For them, prayer and Bible study is hit-or-miss most days; attendance at church is also uneven and spotty. They also could not claim to be fully invested in the full life of their church, including a ministry that is theirs. That’s a casual and half-hearted practice of the faith, not serious discipleship. What changes will you make to the practice of your faith in 2025? In what ways will you ramp it up? One good practice would be to use a good study Bible such as The Experiencing God Study Bible” or “The Swindoll Study Bible” for your daily personal study time. Also, I encourage you to make a resolution to get fully involved in the life of your church by faithful attendance on Sunday, joining a small group Bible study, participating in special church events, and participating in a ministry in the church. The single most important thing any of us can accomplish in 2025 would be to makes significant progress in spiritual maturity by growing more in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. God bless, Pastor Jim (If you like what you are reading in these daily devotionals, and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00, in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville |
| Copyright © 2024 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Oak Hill Baptist Church 3036 Genesis Road Crossville, TN 38571 |
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Pastor Jim…Thank you for all the morning Meditations throughout the Last few years. I have shared th
Thank you, JoAnne. I appreciate the positive feedback. God bless you.