Good morning, everyone, Our theme for this month: “Sound doctrine, strong faith” Our Bible verse for today: “This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Romans 5:5 (CSB) Our thought for today: “The confident expectation of good things to come” I love this – hope for this life and for the next. We Christians get to live with the hope. But hope in the Biblical sense is more than just a wish – it is the firm and confident expectation of good things to come in this life and in the next. First, it is the certainty of eternity in heaven. But let’s be honest here. Is that, by itself, enough? Isn’t Kenny Chesney right when he sings “Everybody wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to go now”? It’s true! Most of us enjoy living, and we want to keep doing it. While we do want to go to heaven – someday, we don’t really want to go today. It reminds me of little Johnny sitting in Sunday school and the teacher said to the children, “Everybody who wants to go to heaven raise your hand.” And all the children raised their hands, except little Johnny. Confused, the teacher asked, “Johnny, don’t you want to go to heaven?” And Johnny replied, “Well, yes, but not today. Mom’s making peach cobbler for dessert.” Isn’t that true of all of us? I am looking forward to going to heaven, but not yet please. The good news is that as the children of God we don’t just have hope for the next life, but for this one too. We get to have peach cobbler for dessert – and it’s okay to be looking forward to it! We get to hold the baby, pet the puppy, enjoy a cold drink of sweet tea on the porch on a lazy Sunday afternoon, and then marvel at the beautiful sunset in the evening. And then we get to do it all again tomorrow. We have hope for the next life, and we get to enjoy this one too! Right now, in this life, as Christians we have the Holy Spirit of God in our hearts and He is slowly but surely forming the fruit of the Spirit in us, progressively transforming us more and more into the image of Christ, making these virtues our own: “Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” As we grow in Christ, that comes to describe more-and-more who we are as an individual and we discover even more to be joyful about and to enjoy. We learn to sing with the Psalmist, “This is the day the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it.” It’s still true that life is hard and challenging but the fact is, we are overcomers through Christ. We are more than conquers through Jesus and we have learned to say with the Apostle Paul, “We are afflicted in every way but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair; we are persecuted but not abandoned; we are struck down but not destroyed.” “I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.” It is our faith in Christ that enables us to have that kind of a life. Faith really is the victory. It really is true that when we come to God through faith in Christ, we have hope for the next lifetime, but for this one too. It is the firm and confident expectation of good things to come. 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 © 2026 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Oak Hill Baptist Church 3036 Genesis Road Crossville, TN 38571

Good morning, everyone, Our theme for this month: “Sound doctrine, strong faith” Our Bible verse for today: “And not only that, but we also rejoice in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces character, and proven character produces hope.” Romans 5:3-4 (CSB) Our thought for today: “This will make you stronger” In Romans chapter five the Apostle Paul is pointing out four benefits we accrue as the result of having sound doctrine that leads to strong faith. So far, we have learned that we get peace with God and we get direct access to God. Today we find that we also receive strength to face the trials of life. Tomorrow we will learn about the hope we have for both this life and for the next. Now that we are at peace with God and now that we are using our direct access to Him, we discover that this relationship with God makes us strong – especially in our times of trials and adversity. Essentially what Paul is saying here is that God uses the difficult times in our lives to make us stronger. This is the same principle behind strength training with weights. This is why doctors encourage us to not only watch our diet and to get regular exercise, but to make sure some of our exercise includes resistance training. When we lift weights, our muscles endure stress and strain. But that stress and straining serves to make the muscles stronger. So, in that sense, the resistance created by the weight is good for us – we are better and stronger for having endured it and pushed back against it. Challenges and trials in life serve the same purpose and achieve the same results. Tough times force us to try harder and to push past the resistance that challenge creates. That makes us stronger and better. It is in that sense that Paul means it here. The lesson is that if we are in right relationship with God, and if we are allowing the Holy Spirit to guide us through the difficulties we face, then God will use those difficulties to further develop our Christian character. The Apostle James wrote about this too in James 1:2-4: “Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.” Now, Paul and James are not teaching that we should be glad that we just got laid off from work; or that this angry person is standing in front of us yelling and cursing; or that we suddenly discover that we have a serious illness. I don’t know about you but it’s unlikely that I would be standing there thinking, “Hey, this is great. Good for me!” But what if we were to approach situations like that with the thought, “Lord, I’m really discouraged that I just got laid off, and I am concerned about it. But I know that you are the God of all provision and that you are my protector and provider, so through this I want to learn to trust you even more.” That’s a good attitude. You will still have to go out and find another job, but with that attitude you will end up with greater trust in God and a stronger faith in Him. That’s the kind of mindset that both Paul and James were writing about, and it involves using our challenges in life to make us even better and stronger as a man or woman of God. When you are in right relation with God, and you have peace with God, and you are using your full, unrestricted access to the throne of God, you suddenly discover that you have a strength you never had before. Sound doctrine does indeed lead us to strong faith. 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 © 2026 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Oak Hill Baptist Church 3036 Genesis Road Crossville, TN 38571

Good morning, everyone,   Our theme for this month: “Sound doctrine, strong faith”   Our Bible verse for today: “We have also obtained access through him by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.” Romans 5:2 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “You have direct access to God”   As a child I was raised in the Catholic Church, and I was taught that I needed a priest to intercede with God on my behalf. Not only that, but I also had to confess my sins to him. Along the side walls of our church there were little closet-like compartments called “confessionals.” As a repentant sinner you would open the door of the confessional, go inside, close the door, kneel facing a lattice screen on the wall (face high), and wait. In a moment you would hear a little sliding door on the other side of the lattice slide open and the deep voice of the priest would say, “Confess your sins.” It was dark in there and you couldn’t see the face of the priest, but you knew he was there right on the other side of the lattice. Sometimes you could smell his breath.    After you confessed every sin (big and little), the priest would sigh, maybe ask you a question or two to clarify just how bad your sinning was, and then he would assign your penance. The penance usually amounted to a series of memorized prayers you were to say (the “Our Father” and the “Hail Mary”) which you were to recite over-and-over again the specified number of times, depending on how serious and extensive your sinning was. As a teenage boy, I spent a lot of time in that confessional and that priest earned his pay!   Fortunately, I have since learned that I don’t need a priest to intercede with God for me. In Hebrews 4:16 we read, “Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with boldness so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need.”   Once we have arrived at the place of being at peace with God through Christ (as we learned in yesterday’s devotional), we then have direct access to Him. We do not need an intermediary. I don’t need a priest to speak to God on my behalf. God is on the throne and we, His children, are always welcome into His court. We can walk right up to the throne and speak directly to Him. Not only that but we are told to do it boldly – in other words, with confidence. You do not have to crawl on your belly shaking in fear, because you are welcome. God is pleased that you have come to see Him.   This great truth about this access to God is depicted for us in that scene in Matthew 27:51. In the moment Jesus gave up His spirit as He hung on the cross, our sin debt was paid and in that very moment, the huge curtain in the temple that separated the people from the inner sanctuary, the Holy of Holies (which represented God’s presence), was instantly and miraculously torn in two right down the center. The symbology of that event was meant to communicate the great truth that from that moment on there was nothing that separated people from God. If we come to Him through faith in His Son Jesus Christ we can confidently come directly to Him, with nothing impeding the way. We are welcome.   Once you are at peace with God you then have direct access to God. You don’t need a priest, a pastor, or anyone else to pave the way for you. Jesus already took care of that.   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 © 2026 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Oak Hill Baptist Church 3036 Genesis Road Crossville, TN 38571

Good morning, everyone,   Our theme for this month: “Sound doctrine, strong faith”   Our Bible verse for today: “Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 5:1   Our thought for today: “Being at peace with God changes everything”   “Peace with God.” Don’t you just love the sound of that? Doesn’t it sound wonderful to be able to live with a sense that you are at peace with God? Up to this point in this letter to the Roman Christians Paul has addressed two key truths that every person has to come to terms with – the need for justification and the means of justification. We have a need to be made right with God, and there is a way to be made right with God. Sin separates us from God, but Jesus paid the penalty for our sins and thereby He restores us to God. So, we have the need, we have the means, and now in chapter five Paul tells us about the results of being right with God.   The first result of being made right with God is that we are at peace with God. No longer in rebellion, no longer God’s enemy, no longer fighting Him, but finally, at peace with Him. This is something that every human being wants, longs for, and is searching for, even if they don’t realize it. It is just a basic truth of human nature that every human being longs for God. That is because, as Solomon taught us in Ecclesiastes 3:11, “He has put eternity in their hearts.” God created us with an inner awareness of the fact that there is a God, there is a spiritual realm, and there is more for us than just this lifetime. To be human is to be aware of the eternal and to long for it. That’s why every culture that has ever existed has always had a belief in the supernatural. It’s because God designed the human heart that way.   That’s simply a basic fact about being human and none of us can escape it. Deep down in our hearts we are all longing for God – even if we don’t realize it is God we are longing for. That explains the truth that Mikey Gilly once sang about in his famous country song, “Looking for love in all the wrong places.” That’s us as we desperately try to fill the empty place in our heart that can only be filled by God.   Paul teaches here that when we cross the threshold of faith – step across that line between doubting God and trusting God, and we place our faith in Christ for the forgiveness of our sins, the empty place in the human heart is flooded with the love of God and from that moment on we can have peace with God. We have found our home in Him, and we are secure for all eternity from that time on.   My friends, that should change everything. When we are at peace with God, we are then ready to be at peace with ourselves and with others. And truly, this is what everyone really wants. Every person wants to be at peace with God, and they want to be at peace with themselves, and they would really love to live a life that is more tranquil, stable, and enjoyable by being at peace with others around them. But it starts with achieving a state of being at peace with God.   Down deep this is what every person longs for and Jesus has made it possible. You can have peace with God. This is a game changer. This changes everything. When you are at peace with God you are ready to live the life you have always wanted, the life that God has always wanted for you.   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 © 2026 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Oak Hill Baptist Church 3036 Genesis Road Crossville, TN38571

Good morning, everyone,   Our theme for this month: “Sound doctrine, strong faith”   Our Bible verse for today: “Just as David also speaks of the blessing of the person to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: Blessed are those whose lawless acts are forgiven and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the person the Lord will never charge with sin.” Romans 4:4-6 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “David is another great example”   In Romans chapter four Paul is calling his readers to develop a strong faith based in sound doctrine by considering the inspiring examples of great men of God who have gone before them. In yesterday’s devotional we read of how Paul referred to Father Abraham, the biological and spiritual father of Israel. Now he turns our thoughts to the example of David, the greatest king of Israel.   Here Paul quotes the words of David from Psalm 32:1-2 and his point was that if Abraham, the Father of Israel, set the standard for faith in the early chapters of Genesis, David, the King of Israel, confirmed it in his writings in the Psalms. David probably wrote these words about himself. His thoughts could be paraphrased like this: “Blessed is the one whose awful sins are covered over by the grace of God.”   We today don’t normally think of David as “sinful” or “wicked”. We think of him as the man after God’s own heart. We remember him as the one who killed the giant Goliath. We also remember that he wrote many of the Psalms, and we know that he was the greatest of all the kings of Israel. But at one time David was also a very wicked man. He seduced another man’s wife, got her pregnant, and then had the husband killed to cover-up his own sinful behavior. It was a wicked thing to do, and David paid a dear price for it. But once he genuinely repented in sincere faith, God forgave him and David went on to live a full and productive life as Israel’s greatest king. He is even remembered as “a man after God’s own heart.”   David was a flawed man, as was Abraham, but they both went on to accomplish mighty things for God and for God’s people – and that’s what they are best remembered for. But still, despite their great accomplishments, neither Abraham nor David gained righteousness in God’s eyes because of their works – as impressive as they might have been. Abraham and David both are great figures in the history of Israel, but they were both sinners saved by grace. They were both sinners who needed to be saved by grace because even their great works did not add up to enough to cover over their sins.   Paul used these two great figures from Israel’s history as examples for us of people who got it – they understood that righteousness comes through faith. If even great men of God like Abraham and David couldn’t have their sins covered over by any amount of great works (not even works as great as theirs), then how much truer must that be for you and me? My friends, you cannot earn your salvation. You can only accept it as the gift of grace that it is. Abraham and David are great examples of that important truth.   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 © 2026 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Oak Hill Baptist Church 3036 Genesis Road Crossville, TN 38571

Good morning, everyone,   Our theme for this month: “Sound doctrine, strong faith”   Our Bible verse for today: “For what does the Scripture say” Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness.” Romans 4:3 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “Amazing faith”   In Romans 3:28 Paul wrote, “For we conclude that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.” There Paul uses what is sometimes referred to as “the royal we.” The “royal we” is when the Queen of England speaks of herself in the third person when she says something like “We are very pleased by what we see.” It lends authority and weight to the pronouncement and reminds everyone that the person speaking does indeed have great authority and influence. Paul’s use of the “royal we” is more of an “apostolic we” but it serves the same purpose. It reminds us that he is speaking to us as an Apostle and with the authority of God, and the pronouncement is that God is more impressed with our faith than with our works.   Paul knows that example is always more helpful than simple statements of fact, and so now in chapter four he gives us examples of this kind of faith at work in the lives of people we all know and can relate to. He begins with the man Abraham.   Abraham was the most influential figure in Judaism, even more so than Moses. As important and influential as Moses was, even Moses looked back to, and up to, Abraham for guidance and inspiration. Abraham was affectionately known as “Father Abraham.” But here’s the thing, he was not just the lineal biological father of the Jews, but also the lineal spiritual father of Christians. Ultimately, the roots of Christianity run all the way back to Abraham. Even Jesus referred to the example of Abraham in some of His teaching. Three of the largest religions in the world all trace their roots to Abraham – Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.   So, here Paul directs our attention to a lesson that Abraham himself learned and then modeled for the rest of us. Paul quotes Genesis 15:6 that Abraham “believed God” and it was that belief, that faith, that was credited to Him as righteousness. That statement was made in reference to God’s promise to Abraham that God was going to give him a son to be his heir and that ultimately the line of Abraham would grow to be more numerous than the stars in the sky. And although that seemed impossible, Abraham chose to believe the promise of God rather than the apparent impossibility of the circumstances.   Paul’s point is that this is the kind of faith God is looking for from us. Despite how impossible our circumstances may seem, God is sovereign over our circumstances. He is all-powerful and He is good, He loves us unconditionally and He has a great plan for our lives. So, are we going to believe God or our circumstances? Abraham chose to believe God. I hope you will too. Abraham’s faith was amazing. I hope yours is too.   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 © 2026 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Oak Hill Baptist Church 3036 Genesis Road Crossville, TN 38571

Good morning, everyone,   Our theme for this month: “Sound doctrine, strong faith”   Our Bible verse for today: “Jesus heard this and was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, “I tell you, I have not found so great a faith even in Israel.” Luke 7:9 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “Would you like to amaze Jesus?”   Is there anything we can say or do that would amaze Jesus? Don’t be too quick to answer that. The answer most of us would likely give, and the one that is certainly most theologically accurate is, “No. Jesus is God and therefore He is omniscient. He knows everything. So, no, Jesus cannot be amazed.” And that would be a theologically correct answer. In that application of the word, amaze means to startle, surprise, stun, astonish.   But a couple of synonyms for amaze, and therefore another meaning of the word is to dazzle and electrify. This form of being amazed is the equivalent of being joyfully pleased on the positive side, or deeply disappointed in a negative sense. “I am amazed – exceedingly pleased, with how good and beautiful this is.” Or “I am amazed and very disappointed at how bad this is.”   The reason I ask if you think it’s possible for Jesus to be amazed by us is because the Bible tells us it is possible. There are two times in the Gospels when we are told that Jesus was amazed. Once He was amazed in a positive way and once in a negative way, and both instances had to do with faith.   In Luke 7:9 the Scripture says that Jesus was amazed at the faith of the Roman centurion who asked Him to heal his servant. He believed that Jesus could and would heal him. In that case, it wasn’t that Jesus didn’t know in advance that the centurion had such faith, He knew. And since Jesus is God, He also knew in advance that the centurion was going to display that faith. So, when the verse says that Jesus was amazed at such a display of faith, it means that Jesus was exceedingly pleased by such a pure and beautiful demonstration of faith.   But then in Mark 6:6 we read that when Jesus returned to His hometown of Nazareth it was revealed that many there were hardhearted and unbelieving and they refused to believe in Him. Verse six says that Jesus was amazed at their unbelief. That obviously doesn’t mean that it caught Him by surprise. It means that He was disappointed and distressed at that lack of faith and at the hardness of their hearts.   So, is there anything that you and I can do that would amaze Jesus in the ways I have just described? The answer is “yes” we can amaze Him by our strong, pure, and beautiful faith, or we can amaze Him by our lack of it as He sadly shakes His head (as with the people in His hometown), and thinks to Himself, “How can you not have faith?”   This is the issue the Apostle Paul will have us think about as we dip into the main lessons of Romans chapter four over the next several days. For today, I encourage you to amaze Jesus with the depth and sincerity of your great faith.           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 © 2026 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Oak Hill Baptist Church 3036 Genesis Road Crossville, TN 38571

Good morning, everyone,   Our theme for this month: “Sound doctrine, strong faith”   Our Bible verse for today: “For we conclude that a person is saved by faith apart from the law.” Romans 3:28 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “Yes, you are good enough?”   Yesterday I asked you to consider the question “Am I good enough?” It was based on Paul’s long teaching throughout Romans chapter three which depicted religious people thinking they could be good enough in God’s eyes simply by a matter of heritage, or by ritualistic adherence to rules and regulations. Paul’s point was that none of that was sufficient to make us right in the eyes of God and all of it left the person feeling empty and doubtful.   With respect to their relationship with God and the question of “Am I good enough” many people believe the answer to be, “Yes, I am good enough.” They wrongly believe that although they may not be perfect, they’re not brazenly evil either. “Maybe I do smoke and chew and go with girls who do”, but I’m not a murderer; I’m not an adulterer; I don’t cheat on my taxes, kick puppies, or steal lollipops from the mouths of toddlers. I’m basically a good person and surely that’s good enough for God.”   Paul’s logic in Romans three leads us to the realization that it is only through faith in Christ that we become “good enough”. Once we embrace that truth and make it our own, we then have a solid doctrinal foundation upon which to build a life of strong faith, and that will go a long way towards improving the image we have of ourselves.   Paul’s point in all of this is that rather than putting on a big, hypocritical religious show, we would be much better off if we would fall to our knees, get our own hearts right with the Lord, and then live a life as a fully committed disciple of Jesus.   So back to our original question, “Are you good enough?” Well, yes, you are – if you have placed your faith in Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and if you are living the life of a faithful disciple of Christ, then you look pretty good to God.   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 © 2026 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Oak Hill Baptist Church 3036 Genesis Road Crossville, TN 38571

Good morning, everyone,   Our theme for this month: “Sound doctrine, strong faith”   Our Bible verse for today: “For we conclude that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.” Romans 3:28 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “Am I good enough?”   Now there’s an uncomfortable question, “Am I good enough?” It’s a question we all ask ourselves sometimes, and it often grows out of our insecurities, or out of a sense of low self-esteem and a feeling that we just don’t measure up. It might be the result of a troubled childhood that left you with a deep-seated sense of inadequacy and insecurity. There are a lot of people who spend a large part of their adult lives trying to get over their childhood. Maybe for you your doubts about “Am I good enough” result from comparing yourself to others in terms of looks, body image, education, job status, economic status, or other false standards of measure like that which we often apply to ourselves. We then conclude that we fall short.   In our society counselors and psychologists make a pretty good living trying to help people get over their insecurities and poor self-image and to change their answer to that question to, “Yes, I am good enough.”  Getting to that point is a great victory – it’s a glorious day for the individual.   All throughout Romans chapter three the Apostle Paul has been attempting to help us realize that there is nothing we can do to make ourselves good enough in the eyes of God. Heritage won’t do it. Being raised in a Christian family won’t do it. Being a good enough person, giving enough money to charity, performing enough religious rituals – none of it will make you “good enough”. In 3:23 he reminded us that, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” But then in verse 28 he revealed the solution to it all, “For we conclude that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of law.”   If you are a Christian then you are a child of God, created in the image of God. Your Father in heaven loves you unconditionally and you are fully accepted by Him because of your position in Christ. None of those other manmade standards of measurement created and promoted by the world are the true measure of your worth. Your body image, your educational level, your economic status, the number of followers you have on YouTube or Twitter – none of that defines your worth in the eyes of God. If you are “in Christ”, you are a new creation – a beautiful fully forgiven and fully accepted child of God and so then the answer is, “Yes, I am good enough. I am good enough to God because I come to Him in Christ”.   That’s where Paul has been trying to get us to in our thinking. That is the sound and solid and essential doctrinal understanding that leads to a strong faith that cannot be shaken. If you belong to the Father through faith in His Son Jesus then the answer to our opening question is “Yes, you are good enough.”   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 © 2026 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Oak Hill Baptist Church 3036 Genesis Road Crossville, TN38571

Good morning, everyone,   Our theme for this month: “Sound doctrine, strong faith”   Our Bible verse for today: “Their condemnation is deserved!” Romans 3:8b (CSB)   Our thought for today: “Should God continue to bless us anyway?”   In Romans 3:1-8 Paul has been making the point that God’s standards are right and His judgment is righteous, and any attempt to rationalize ungodly behavior is absurd. Now Paul has come to the point that he won’t engage in this ridiculous dialogue any further because, well, because it is ridiculous. It is nonsensical and it is therefore a waste of his time.   His point was to show how it is that when people become so deeply invested in their sinful ways and so determined to justify it, they object to traditional Biblical values but without any sense of objectivity. In other words, you can’t reason with them. That’s what happened with the Jews back then, and that is what has been happening in America today. They cannot be reasoned with.   For many of the Jews in that day they had come to the point of believing they were in favor with God because of their heritage, and they believed that to be true despite how they were living. They were cultural Jews, but they were far from God. The same is true in America today. Many in our society are living far from God but still believe God is blessing America because we have a Christian heritage. Like the early Jews, those Americans may be cultural Christians, but they are living far from God.   One of my favorite patriotic songs is “God Bless America.” “God bless America, land that I love. Stand beside her guide her, through the night with the light from above.” We faithful Christians often call out to God and ask Him to bless America. But I wonder if that’s really a good and appropriate prayer. Should we be asking God to bless America? I mean, considering the sinful ways of our society, does America deserve to be blessed by God right now? If we ask for God to bless us in our current condition, aren’t we essentially saying, “God, despite all the bad things we’re doing, please continue to bless us anyway.”   Now let me be quick to say that I like being blessed, and I don’t want it to stop. I like prosperity, and I like my comfortable lifestyle. I like living safely and well-protected in the strongest nation in the world and I like all our creature comforts. I like freedom. So, yes, God, please continue to bless America because when you do so, you are by extension blessing me.    But when we ask God to continue to bless us despite all the sinful things our society is doing, aren’t we then essentially asking God to enable our bad behavior? Isn’t that like a child saying, “Daddy, I know we’re misbehaving and acting like a bunch of spoiled brats, but we still want our ice cream anyway.”   Rather than praying “God bless America,” maybe we should be praying “God discipline America.” Maybe we should be asking Him to bring our society to its knees so that we will repent and change our ways. And if I’m not willing to pray such a prayer, is it possible I’m more concerned with my comfort than with God’s honor?   To some degree, our Christian heritage has become a problem for us – a stumbling block. We have been experiencing blessings we no longer deserve to have and yet we expect them to keep coming. Should God keep blessing America? I sure hope He does but I’m not sure we deserve it.   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 © 2026 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Oak Hill Baptist Church 3036 Genesis Road Crossville, TN38571