Good morning, everyone,   Our theme for this month: “Be gracious, even when others aren’t”   Our Bible verse for today: “At the same time pray also for us that God may open a door to us for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ …” Colossians 4:3 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “Please pray for us”   Today Aimee and I will be leaving on a mission trip with a group from our church. We will be going first to the Amazon Jungle in Peru to spend some time at the El Arca Children’s Home in Puerto Maldenado. Then we will go to the city of Cusco, high up in the Andes Mountains, and we will visit the ancient Inca ruins at Machu Picchu.   El Arca is a ministry directed by my friend Bud Lenz. He and his wife, Laura, and their nine biological children began El Arca more than twenty-five years ago. Over those years they have provided a Christian home for hundreds of orphaned and abandoned Peruvian children (at times having as many as thirty or forty children in their care.)   In the early years, El Arca was in a remote location in the Andes Mountains. For the last decade the home has been on 110 acres at the edge of the southern Amazon Rainforest. I have been taking teams to El Arca to minister alongside of them for more than twenty years (these days a young couple in our church are the team leaders and I just get to go along for the ride.)   Things are a little different at El Arca now compared to years ago. Bud is seventy-one. Laura is in heaven. The nine biological children are all grown and live in different locations in the USA and around the world. So, with the assistance of a few of the Peruvian children who grew up in El Arca and who are now young adults, Bud runs the ministry himself. By necessity, there are fewer children than in years past, perhaps a dozen, but the work of caring for them, tending to the animals and crops, and being a strong Christian witness in the community goes on.   On this mission trip we will bring supplies to Bud, help with some tasks with the land and buildings, but mostly, our goal is to provide fellowship and encouragement for my old friend.   The next daily devotional message you will receive from me will be on Monday August 3rd. At that time, we will continue our thinking about being gracious even when others aren’t. Until then, I would like to ask you to do two things. One: pray for Bud and for our team every day when you would normally be reading the devotional message. And two: each day go back and review some of the devotional messages from this month.   Without question, our society needs to experience increased measures of graciousness. You can be one of those who are gracious even when others aren’t.   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: “Be gracious, even when others aren’t”   Our Bible verse for today: “One of his disciples, the one Jesus loved, was reclining close beside Jesus … This is the disciple who testified to these things …” John 13:23; 21:24 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “What if you lived like you’re loved?”   There’s a song by the artist Hawk Nelson which was popular on Christian radio a few years ago. The title is “Live like you’re loved”. The chorus goes:   “So go ahead and live like you’re loved It’s ok to act like you’ve been set free His love has made you more than enough So go ahead and be who he made you to be.”   What if we really did live like we knew we are loved by God? How much would that change us? Sociologists have a theory they call “The Looking-Glass Self”. This theory holds that over time a child will become what the most important person in their life thinks they are. So, if the most important person to that child is their mother, and if the mother constantly tells the child they are stupid, the child will inevitably do poorly in school. But if the mother constantly affirms the child’s intelligence, that child will do well. You will become what the most important person in your life believes you to be.   Jesus was the most important person in the life of the Apostle John. Early on, when John first began following Jesus, Jesus playfully referred to him and his brother James as “The Sons of Thunder!” That was because John and James were rough tough fishermen with short tempers and loud mouths. But Jesus knew John could be different and better. After spending three years with Jesus, and realizing that he was deeply loved by Him, John changed into the man Jesus believed him to be.   Historically John became known as “The Apostle of Love”. That was because being loved by Jesus was the most important reality in John’s life and it is what formed his personality. It changed John to the point that he went from being a “Son of Thunder” to “the Apostle of Love.”   What if we lived like we knew we are loved by God? Philip Yancey asks the question, “How would my life change if I truly believed the Bible’s astounding words about God’s love for me, if I looked in the mirror and saw what God sees?”   Becoming a gracious person begins with receiving God’s grace. You can’t give what you don’t have. So first and foremost, receive His grace and know that you are loved. Then His grace and His love will change you. You will begin to become the person He knows you can be.   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: “Be gracious, even if others aren’t”   Our Bible verse for today: “I delight in your commands, which I love. I will lift up my hands to your commands, which I love, and will mediate on your statutes. Remember your word to your servant; you have given me hope through it. This is my comfort in my affliction: Your promise has given me life.” Psalm 119:47-48 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “Equal measures of grace and truth”     Psalm 119 is the longest of the Psalms and it is the longest chapter in the Bible. It is 176 verses celebrating the beauty of the Word of God. It begins with the joyful declaration: “How happy are those whose way is blameless, who walk according to the Lord’s instruction! Happy are those who keep his decrees and seek him with all their heart.” 119:1-2   What’s interesting about Psalm 119, and what also tends to be true of the Bible in general, is that it alternates between roughly equal measures of grace and truth. We are told we need to know and obey God’s commands, and then we will be blessed we will be if we do that. The clear lesson is that the best life you will ever have is the one that is lived in obedience to God’s commands, because that then keeps you within the Biblical boundaries whereby God can bless you.   This is why God gives us equal measures of grace and truth. The truth is for our own good and is designed to help us live well. The grace is because He loves us and thoroughly enjoys blessing us. Because God so wants to bless us, He gives us all the truth we need so we can live in such a way that He can bless. Author Mark Batterson explained it this way: “Grace means I’ll love you no matter what. Truth means I’ll be honest with you no matter what.”   That’s what God does for us and it’s what we need to do for each other. We need to love each other no matter what, and we need to speak Biblical truth to each other no matter what. And if we do love each other without condition and without reservation, the truth will be communicated in a gracious manner.   Psalm 119 is a great testimony by a writer who learned from personal experience the value of knowing God’s Word and then living by it. He found that his life was blessed when he did live by it, and it was troubled when he didn’t. He then went on to share that wisdom with the rest of us in this Psalm.   The great preacher and writer Charles Spurgeon once observed, “A Bible that is falling apart usually belongs to someone who isn’t.” God wants you to live well and to live blessed. In the Bible He has provided all the truth we need so we can live in a way He can bless.     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: “Be gracious, even when others aren’t”   Our Bible verse for today: “You reveal the path of life to me; in your presence is abundant joy; at your right hand are eternal pleasures.” Psalm 16:11 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “Your circumstances should not determine your attitude”   People often make the mistake of thinking they would be happier, nicer, more content, not as grumpy, and they would have more joy if their circumstances were different. If their spouse was nicer, if they had a better job, if their co-workers were more competent, if they lived somewhere else … if, if, if, then life would be better.   But usually that’s not true. There is no perfect spouse. There are no faultless co-workers, no stress-free jobs, and no ideal places to live. There’s something wrong with everything and everyone. A joyful and gracious countenance has nothing to do with your occupation, your education, your income level, your geography, or your spouse. A winsome personality doesn’t happen because everything in your life is perfect. Instead, it’s a matter of who you are as a person and the condition of your relationship with God.   If you are consistently unhappy, and if you find yourself struggling with relationships at home, on the job, and elsewhere in life, there’s a pretty good chance the problem isn’t external, it’s internal. The problem isn’t “them” – it’s you. You are the common denominator in all of that.   You’ve probably heard it said, “Wherever you go, there you are.” In other words, “You take yourself with you wherever you go.” So, if you are unhappy in one setting, and then in another, and in still another, there’s a pretty good chance that will continue to be true even if the setting changes again – and it will be so because you took yourself with you everywhere you went.   The answer to that dilemma is touched on by the Psalmist in Psalm 16:11, “in the presence of the Lord there is joy.” In other words, if your relationship with the Lord is strong and well-developed it will produce a deep sense of joy in you. That then is what you will carry with you wherever you go. And that joy of the Lord will be the factor that determines your demeanor, not whatever the circumstances happen to be at any given moment and in any given place.   It’s easy to believe that if we can improve the circumstances of our lives then we’ll be truly happy. So, if we lose weight, meet the right person, get a better job, or whatever, then everything will be better. But the truth is that the best thing any of us can do is to develop a deep and abiding joy-producing relationship with the Lord. That then will be the condition of your heart and that will determine your attitude – and your attitude will then impact and influence your circumstances, rather than the other way around.   Circumstances should not be allowed to dictate your attitude. Rather, your attitude should be determined by your relationship with God – and that then will have a positive impact on everything else in your life.   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: “Be gracious, even when others aren’t”   Our Bible verse for today: “Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit.” 2 Kings 2:9 (NIV)   Our thought for today; “You can be both bold and gracious”   The Old Testament prophet Elisha is an interesting study in contrast between great boldness and gentle graciousness. Elisha had served as a personal assistant and understudy to the prophet Elijah. He saw Elijah perform many miracles and he heard Elijah boldly preach prophetic words from God – even to the point of confronting and challenging kings and queens.   When it was getting close to the time for Elijah to leave this life and to be transported to heaven, Elisha boldly declared that he wanted to inherit a double portion of Elijah’s power. Not just that he wanted to follow in Elijah’s footsteps, and not just that he hoped to maybe one day become as great a prophet as Elijah, he wanted to be twice the prophet Elijah had been – and he said so!   And sure enough, Elisha did inherit the mantle of Elijah’s ministry, and he did go on to perform twice as many miracles as Elijah did. Also, Elisha had a long ministry of boldly proclaiming the words of God and of standing strong in the face of hostile kings and armies. Elisha was a very bold man indeed.   But he was also an exceedingly kind, compassionate, and gracious man. He had a soft spot for widows, providing food and protection for them. He had compassion on a grieving mother and raised her dead son back to life. He fed hungry prophets, purified the water supply for a thirsty town, healed an Aramean general who was suffering from leprosy, stopped an epidemic of food poisoning, and much more. In addition to being bold and fearless, Elisha was kindhearted, caring, and gracious.   It is possible to be both. Boldness and graciousness do not cancel each other out. As the people of God, we should be bold. Like Elisha we shouldn’t hesitate to ask God to do great things in us and through us. He is a mighty God who loves to accomplish magnificent things through his faithful people. So, ask Him to empower you and to use you.   But at the same time be gracious about it. Be kind and caring. Look out for the little guy, help those who are struggling, encourage those who are down, cuddle a baby, hug a widow, visit a sick person.   We should be bold and confident as we go out into the world in the name of Jesus proclaiming Biblical truth, and at the same time we can help to make the world a better place by spreading kindness and compassion too. You can be both bold and gracious.   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: “Be gracious, even if others aren’t”   Our Bible verse for today: “I have had enough! Lord, take my life, for I’m no better than my fathers.” 1 Kings 19:4 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “How about a little humble pie?”   In some respects, the scene recorded in 1 Kings 19:4 is sad. The great prophet Elijah was physically and emotionally exhausted and he was depressed. He was in hiding from Queen Jezebel, who was trying to have him killed, and he had given up to the point that he wished he was dead. Considering what a powerful man of God Elijah was and how much success he had in ministry, it’s difficult to see him in this condition now.   But on the other hand, it shows that Elijah was human. It also shows that he didn’t think too highly of himself. As great as other people thought he was, Elijah knew he wasn’t really that different or any better than everyone else, “for I’m no better than my fathers.”   Trials, tribulations, and occasional failure can actually be good for us. They keep us humble. This is especially true when a person experiences a little more success than is probably good for them. In such cases it’s too easy to get a big head and to start thinking you’re really something special – the proverbial cat’s pajamas – too cool for school.   Challenges, trials, tribulations, and even some failures help to keep us grounded. We find the proof of this all throughout the Bible. Moses was too humble to believe he was qualified for the assignment God wanted to give him. Then, even once he had accepted the assignment and received empowerment from God, he continued to face difficulties he couldn’t handle and failures for which he was ashamed. Even after decades of successful leadership and ministry he was still the humblest man on the earth (Numbers 12:13).   We find similar stories in the lives of Joseph, Gideon, David, Isaiah, and Jeremiah, just to name a few. They were all great men of God who benefited from experiencing trials, tribulations, and failures. Then of course there were others who needed to experience a big fall in order to get their heads on straight. I’m thinking of Samson, Jonah, and Peter, just to name three.   A little humble pie for dinner every once-in-a-while is a good thing. It helps us to remember that we’re really no better than anyone else. Gracious people are humble people, and challenges help to keep us humble.   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: “Be gracious, even if others aren’t”   Our Bible verse for today: “He gives strength to the faint and strengthens the powerless. Youths may become faint and weary, and young men stumble and fall, but those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not become weary, they will walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:29-31 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “The Lord will strengthen you”   I enjoy hiking. Over the years I’ve hiked in many different terrains including long miles on straight beaches, easy walks on nature trails, slightly more challenging treks in the Smoky Mountains, and I’ve even done some hiking along the ancient stone trails of Machu Picchu in the Andes Mountains of Peru.   Although I enjoy all types of hiking, by far the most interesting and enjoyable are those hikes with varied terrains (like in the Andes). The problem with such hikes is that the level of difficulty changes frequently depending on the terrain. Some parts of it are easy and others require great effort and exertion.   A hike through spectacular mountains with changing terrain and varying degrees of difficulty is not unlike our journey through life. The Bible often describes our journey through this world as “walking with the Lord”. And like those hikes through the mountains, the difficulty of the terrain we encounter as we walk through life can vary greatly.    In Isaiah 40:29-31 the prophet gives us some advice about how to handle those times when the journey gets tough and we find ourselves struggling. We’re to look to the Lord to renew our strength and energy. If we do that, we will soar as if we are on wings of eagles. In other words, God will help us to handle even the most difficult times well.   This is an important point, especially with respect to our theme of graciousness. A hike through the Andes Mountains is hard, and it requires you to reach deep into reserves of strength and energy if you’re going to keep going. But the reward is the spectacular vistas you get to see and the satisfaction and sense of achievement when you’ve successfully reached the top.   Likewise in life. With the Lord not only can you find the strength to push through the hard places along the way, but you can soar through them as if you were being carried along on wings of eagles. Rather than trudging wearily through your days, you lift your head high, you smile and are nice to people, and not only do you find blessings for yourself even when the journey is hard, but you find ways to extend blessings to others you meet along the way. That’s graciousness in the middle of difficulty. It’s finding joy in the most difficult parts of the journey, and it comes when you turn to the Lord for strength and renewal.   You can be gracious even in the most difficult places in your journey through life. Turn to the Lord and He will lift you up. He will strengthen you and He will enable you to soar.   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: “Be gracious, even when others aren’t”   Our Bible verse for today: “But while the son was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him.” Luke 15:20 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “Unconditional love and abounding in grace”   We have a distorted understanding of God. Truth be known, most of us see God as a stern disciplinarian who is monitoring our behavior, taking notes, and meting out punishment. That at least, is the most common perception of who He is and what He is like. Of course, we say things like “God is love” and “He is merciful”, and in our head we know that’s true, but still, deep down, there’s this lingering concern that we have to perform well in order to please Him and if we don’t … well, it could get painful.   The idea that God is exceedingly gracious and that His love comes to us abundantly and freely without condition, goes against our human nature. That’s why every major religious system except Christianity is performance based. The Buddhists have their eight-fold plan, the Hindus have their doctrine of Karma, the Jews have the Mosaic Law, and the Muslims have a very strict code of conduct. Only Christianity is based upon an understanding of God’s unconditional love and abounding grace. And yet, we still struggle with it.   To help us in our struggle God has infused the New Testament with multiple illustrations of how much He loves us and of how eager He is to forgive us. Luke chapter fifteen is a showcase of God’s unconditional love and abundant graciousness. In that chapter we read the story of a shepherd who is overcome with joy after having found his lost sheep (that’s how God felt when He recovered you). We also read about a woman who lost a valuable coin but then rejoiced when she found it (you are the valuable thing that was found by God). And then of course we read about the wayward son who left home and wandered off into the world. In Luke 15:20 we’re given a picture of the son finally coming home to the father, and the dignified father being so overcome with joy that he gathers up the folds of his robe, runs down the dusty road, and tearfully embraces his son who has now come home.   The intent of those illustrations is to help you understand that you are incredibly valuable to God. He loves you more than you can ever know. He hurts when you hurt, He grieves when you wander, and He rejoices when you come home to Him.   That’s not a picture of a stern celestial disciplinarian. Instead, it’s a picture of a heavenly Father who is the very definition of love and graciousness. God is exceedingly gracious and He wants you to know that about Him. That’s why He packed the New Testament full of such illustrations.   I encourage you to spend some extra time this morning meditating on the great truth of how much He loves you, how important you are to Him, and how much joy you bring to Him.   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: “Be gracious, even if others aren’t”   Our Bible verse for today: “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “It’s better to show grace than to explain it”   I personally think that in the public arena the Christian community today spends too much time declaring and debating “truth”, and not enough time graciously showing the love of Jesus. Not only do we vigorously and sometimes aggressively argue with the non-Christian world, but we also engage in cross-denominational squabbles within the Christian community regarding what we consider to be the best or most correct ways to practice the Christian faith. Sometimes it gets so ungracious in nature.   Let me be clear that we should contend for the truth. It’s imperative that we know what we believe and why we believe it, and we should be prepared to boldly and confidently explain those beliefs to others. But people will be much more impacted by our actions than by our words. Showing love is always more effective than just talking about it.   Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 5:16 about letting our light shine is often misunderstood and misapplied. Usually, we equate it with speaking an evangelistic message. We’re to let our light shine by going out and telling people about Jesus. But those words were actually spoken by Him in the middle of the Sermon on the Mount, which is much more about doing than it is about speaking. The sermon focuses heavily on having a kind, gentle, and humble manner. If you read the verse again you will see that Jesus is urging us to shine for Him by what we do rather than by what we say.   I’ve been a Christian for almost four decades now. I’ve been in ministry in some capacity for almost thirty-five years. Over those years I’ve known and encountered many thousands of Christians, here in the USA and around the world. I encountered many Christians who had strong words that they felt compelled to declare and debate at every opportunity, so much so that I have sometimes found myself wondering how we could get them to shut-up. I’ve also known many who simply shined with the love of Jesus in a quiet and gracious way.   Personally, even as a Christian, I would rather be around the quiet gracious ones than those who constantly declare, debate, and argue. If that’s true of me, a Christian, how much more must it be true for those who don’t yet know Jesus?   In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus called for us to be gracious people who impact the world by shining with His love and grace. As Philip Yancey wrote, “I would rather convey grace than explain it.” I think that’s what Jesus meant too. Let your light shine – by what you do. Your words do matter, but your actions matter more.   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: “Be gracious, even when others aren’t”   Our Bible verse for today: “A good person produces good out of the good stored up in his heart. An evil person produces evil out of the evil stored up in his heart, for his mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart.” Luke 6:45 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “You mouth is a window into your heart”   I know a man who most people consider to be very gracious, at least at first. But the more time you spend with him the more you come to realize that his graciousness is actually a bit phony and contrived. He is gracious in a sticky-sweet kind of way. His speech is a little too smooth, his words tend to drip with honey, and his smile is strained and wax-like. Over time you also realize that he has a way of slipping in slightly barbed comments and sly observations that are smooth and silky, and yet which really aren’t very nice. In psychology it’s known as being passive-aggressive.   In Luke 6:45 Jesus taught an important lesson about human nature: whatever is really in your heart will, sooner or later, work its way to the surface and show itself in words and actions. Like the man I described in the first paragraph, you can put on an act and work hard to contain the things in your heart, but sooner or later those things do work their way up and out.   This is why the things politicians say in their unguarded moments are so revealing and important. It’s not the carefully worded and highly nuanced speeches and press releases that matter so much, it’s what pops out of their mouths in unguarded moments that we need to pay attention to. That’s when we get a glimpse into the soul of that person, that’s when we get to see what’s really in his or her heart.   What does this have to do with our theme of graciousness? Just that for your graciousness to be genuine it must be something that has been worked into your heart and into your personality by the Holy Spirit. It must be the real you. It’s the product of spiritual maturity, and spiritual maturity happens as a direct result of practicing spiritual disciplines. The more we pray, study our Bibles, worship, fellowship, and serve others, the more we place ourselves in a position before God whereby the Holy Spirit can bring about real change in our heart.   Left to itself, sooner or later our human nature will always show up in ugly ways. But as Christians we don’t want our words and actions to be natural – we want them to be supernatural, and it’s only the Holy Spirit who can make that happen in us.   Your mouth is a window into your heart. Fully surrender your heart to the Lord and your mouth will be under control.   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