Good morning, everyone,   Our theme for this month: “Be gracious, even if others aren’t”   Our Bible verse for today: “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV)   Our thought for today: “Pray for our nation”   Today we in the USA celebrate our 250th birthday as a nation. The USA is the greatest, healthiest, and most successful representative democracy there has ever been. The entire rest of the world has been and is blessed because of America’s success story. We have a lot to celebrate.   But we also have a lot to be concerned about. Historically, nations don’t continue to survive and thrive indefinitely. Sooner or later, all great powers have eventually declined – and many have ceased to exist altogether. The historical odds are not in our favor.   There are powerful negative forces at work attempting to undermine our democracy and to significantly alter the social, cultural, political, and economic landscape in our nation. Marxism and socialism ideologies are gaining in popularity among the population. Cultural changes are taking place that would have been unthinkable just a decade ago. So, while we have much to celebrate on this Fourth of July, we also have much to be concerned about.   But the USA has proven itself to be unique among the nations of the world in many ways. So, we could defy the odds and continue to thrive when other nations have not. That’s especially true if we continue to have the hand of God upon us and the blessings of God being bestowed. But for that to happen, God’s people must step-it-up and rise to the occasion.   What our nation needs right now, perhaps more than at any other time in our history, is a strong and vibrant Christian community playing a major role in the ebb and flow of everyday life in America. We must rise-up and be the church – and that must start with prayer. Pray for our nation. Pray for our leaders. Pray for the Church to be a powerful influence for good in our land. And pray for yourself, that you will recommit yourself to doing your part to advocate for and model Biblical principles in your little corner of our nation.   God has promised that if His people will pray, repent, and turn from our own wicked ways, He will hear from heaven and there can be healing in our land.   On this 250th birthday of our nation, I encourage you to pray for our country.   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: “My dearly loved brothers, understand this: everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger, for man’s anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness.” James 1:19-20 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “Confidence leads to calmness”   Yesterday I told you about the conference on Biblical sexual ethics that I attended and how impressed I was by the friendly and respectful way in which the leaders and attendees discussed the difficult and emotionally charged issues being addressed. This was especially impressive considering it was not a one-sided discussion. The presenters and attendees included people from across the cultural spectrum including conservative evangelical Christians, leaders of the gay and lesbian community, Republicans, Democrats, liberals, conservatives, and everyone in-between.   To introduce yesterday’s devotional, I quoted 1 Peter 3:15-16 which tells us that we must be prepared to present our views when the opportunity arises, but we have to do it with gentleness and respect, “Always be ready to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you. However, do this with gentleness and respect, keeping your conscience clear.”   One of the reasons the leaders and attendees at that conference were able to discuss such difficult issues in a calm and reasoned manner was because they all had a quiet sense of confidence. They had all done their homework. Everyone had taken the time to thoroughly study the issues from their own perspective, and from the perspectives of those who saw things differently. Then, after lots of research, thoughtful listening, and a genuine desire to get to the truth, each participant arrived at the point of knowing what they believed and why they believed it. Therefore, they were confident in their positions and prepared to discuss it in a calm and respectful way.   One of the reasons people often get upset and defensive when they’re discussing difficult issues is because they feel threatened. And one of the reasons they feel threatened is because they’re not sure of themselves. They often don’t have good answers for hard questions, and they attempt to compensate for that by raising their voice, or using exaggerated language, or silly clichés.   But people who are sure of themselves – people who know what they believe and why they believe it, and who are prepared to discuss it, tend to have a quiet sense of confidence. They are therefore not threatened by opposing points of view. This is why at Oak Hill Baptist Church we are a “teaching church”. In other words, there’s a heavy emphasis on teaching the truth of Biblical principle and doing it in ways that are easy to understand and easy to apply to everyday life situations. Therefore, our folks know what they believe and why they believe, and they’re prepared to discuss those beliefs.   When we know what we believe and why we believe it we will feel comfortable discussing those issues, even with those who disagree with us – and we will do it with grace. This is true because confidence leads to calmness.   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: “Always be ready to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you. However, do this with gentleness and respect, keeping your conscience clear …” 1 Peter 3:15-16 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “There is hope”   Yesterday we gave some thought to the shrill and unkind tone which underlies much of the national conversation in our nation these days. I mentioned a Bart Simpson-like sense of snarkiness which seems to have taken hold of many people. I noted the mean-spirited nature of the political dialogue in our nation’s capital, and I pointed out that God’s people should be different, that we should be people who are known for our gracious manner, for our warmth and kindness and compassion.   Sadly, that’s sometimes not true of Christians. Far too often we allow ourselves to get emotional and angry when it comes to hot button cultural issues, and we allow our rhetoric to become overheated and caustic. Sometimes angry Christians are the ones with the sharpest tongues.   But there is hope. In fact, I’m encouraged. Some years ago, I wrote a book with the title “Getting Along without Going Along: Biblical Sexual Ethics in an Age of Conflict and Controversy.” The subject of my book was inspired by a conference of church leaders I attended in Nashville. The conference was sponsored by the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention. The title of the conference was “The Gospel, Homosexuality, and the Future of Marriage.” There were over two thousand church leaders there from forty-eight states and five countries. The general sessions and the workshops covered a large spectrum of issues related to Biblical sexual ethics and there was a lot of discussion about the rapidly evolving cultural landscape in our country with respect to sexual ethics.   The conference leaders invited spokespersons, leaders, and authors from the Gay and Lesbian community to attend and to participate in the discussions as well. There were also liberal professors and left-leaning news media invited. The object was to create an atmosphere where all sides of the issues were fully and fairly presented so that honest dialogue could then take place.   What impressed me most about the conference was the kind and respectful tone of the discussions. There were no pulpit-pounding hellfire and brimstone sermons; there was no angry finger pointing; and there were no chicken-little types running around crying about the sky falling. Instead, everyone was measured in their speech, the points were well-reasoned and logically presented, and there was a spirit of mutual respect all throughout.   I will tell you more about this conference in tomorrow’s devotional. For now, it’s enough to know that there is hope. That conference is just one example of numerous efforts being made by Christians to do what Peter called for in 1 Peter 3:15-16. We can stand for truth, and we can contend for Biblical principles while being kind and gracious in our manner, even when dealing with emotionally charged cultural issues.   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: “He who loves a pure heart and whose speech is gracious will have the king for his friend.” Proverbs 22:11 (NIV)   Our thought for today: “Be a gracious person”   Typically, in the Christian world when we speak about grace we’re talking about God’s grace bestowed upon us. The most common theological definition of grace usually reads something like, “Undeserved blessings freely bestowed upon man by God.” Most references to grace in the Bible are about some form of God’s grace bestowed upon us.   However not only is grace a character trait of God’s, but it is also supposed to be a character trait which the Holy Spirit brings out in us. God freely bestows grace upon us, and we are to freely bestow grace upon others. Another way to look at it would be that as His people we are to be conduits through which His grace flows to others.   When the character trait of grace becomes a dominant feature of an individual’s personality, we say that person is “gracious” – their manner is one of graciousness. The dictionary tells us that a gracious person is, “Marked by kindness and warm courtesy; tactful; merciful or compassionate; marked by elegance and good taste.”   Our world needs a lot more people who are gracious – people who are marked by kindness and warm courtesy, people who are tactful in their manner, merciful and compassionate with others (and some elegance and good taste would be a nice touch too).    Can I get a witness? The discourse in our culture has become increasingly shrill and unkind. The tone set by many of our leaders is caustic and often mean-spirited, and we see throughout our society an increasing trend towards Bart Simpson-like snarkiness.   But the people of God should be different. In our manner we should demonstrate the graciousness of God. We should be people who are known for our kindness, warmth, courtesy, tact, mercy and compassion.   In Proverbs 22:11 Solomon noted that a gracious person is the friend of kings. What he meant was that everybody likes a gracious person. It’s hard not to! People who are kind, compassionate, warm and tactful are very likeable.   Hopefully through our study this month the Holy Spirit will have the opportunity to sand off some of the sharp edges of our personalities and we will all become more gracious and likable.   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: “Savor the moment”   Our Bible verse for today: “For I know the plans I have for you – this is the Lord’s declaration – plans for your well-being, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “Today is the tomorrow you were looking forward to yesterday”   Not long ago a friend posted an insightful and thought-provoking statement on her Facebook page. She said, “I am currently right in the middle of what I used to look forward to.” As I considered that statement several things occurred to me. First, whatever it was she was experiencing in her life when she wrote that, it was something she had been looking forward to and now it was happening. But beyond that, she was aware of and appreciative of the fact that it was happening. Evidently, she wasn’t taking it for granted.   Many people spend their lives looking forward to something but once it happens, rather than savoring it, their thoughts quickly turn to the next thing they’re looking forward to. The adolescent longs to be a teenager because he thinks being a teenager will be cool. But then the rebellious teenager longs to be a high school graduate so he can break free from the authority of his parents. The high school graduate longs to be a college graduate so he can be done with school and have a career. The young parent looks forward to middle-age when the kids will be grown and there will be extra money for travel and fun. The middle-aged person is planning for retirement. The retired person is longing for the next visit from the adult kids and grandkids. And on and on it goes.   Much of our thinking and emotional energy gets focused on what’s next rather than on what’s now, and as a result, we often miss the best moments in life. Or at least we don’t fully appreciate and enjoy them.   Jeremiah 29:11-14 is a classic passage which speaks about the fact that God has a purpose and a plan for your life. All throughout your life He is leading you and guiding you along a path He has selected for you. He doesn’t necessarily dictate every step you take and every choice you make, but He does have a purpose and a plan for you. As you travel through life, He brings you progressively to one day after another, one event after another as your life unfolds. What a shame if rather than appreciating and enjoying where the Lord has you at the moment, you are instead constantly looking forward to what might lie around the next bend in the road. Psalm 118:24 reminds us that, “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Yes, this is the day; this is the moment; enjoy it; savor it. Then, when you get to the next day, the next moment, enjoy and savor it as well.   Chances are you are currently right in the middle of what you used to look forward to. Today is the tomorrow you were looking forward to yesterday. Enjoy it! Savor the time.   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: “Savr the moment”   Our Bible verse for today: “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is near.” Philippians 4:4-5 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “Stop grumbling, be grateful, enjoy the moment”   Once, after the worship service ended and as people were leaving, one of our members stopped to comment on something I said in the sermon. The topic was “Loving God and Loving People” and it was based on Matthew 22:34-40. There we read about the two great commandments given to us by Jesus. My point was that rather than Christianity being a complicated religious system of dos and don’ts (like Old Testament Judaism), Jesus simplified it and reduced it down to a matter of the heart, “Love God and love people”. Once you have those two things right, everything else will take care of itself.   The comment my friend made was that he agreed with my point about the practice of the Christian faith being a simple matter of the heart, and he added that in his own life he has also found it helpful to focus on being grateful as well. He constantly reminds himself of all that he has to be grateful for, and that helps him to be positive rather than negative, and to appreciate the moment he is experiencing rather than looking backward or forward. That then has a positive impact on every other area of his life as well, including his interactions with other people.   That’s what the Apostle Paul was teaching in Philippians 4:4-5 when he instructed us to “Rejoice in the Lord always.” Interestingly, when Paul wrote that he was old and sick, sitting in a Roman dungeon facing probable execution. Yet despite such terrible circumstances, he wrote what is certainly the most joyful and upbeat book in the entire Bible (Philippians), and he encouraged us that we too can and should find our joy in the Lord, even the middle of difficult circumstances.   Then in verse 5 Paul touched on the point my friend referred to, “Let your graciousness be known to everyone.” You see, when your heart is right it will be evident in your demeanor and that then will impact every other part of your life, including your interactions with other people. Gratitude makes you gracious.   What does all of that have to do with our theme of savoring your time? Everything! You cannot savor, enjoy, and make the most of your time if you’re grousing and grumbling and being miserable. The condition of your heart will be evident in your demeanor, and it will color and impact every other part of your life.   So, stop grumbling and be grateful. “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again, Rejoice in the Lord!” and “Let your graciousness be evident to everyone”.   An attitude of gratitude makes you a happy and gracious person   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: “Savor the moment”   Our Bible verse for today: ““A great and mighty wind was tearing at the mountains and was shattering cliffs before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was a voice, a soft whisper …” 1 Kings 19:11-12 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “This is why we call it “quiet” time”   We do not live in a quiet world; we live in a noisy world. Very noisy. There’s seldom a time when we’re not exposed to some kind of manmade noise. Think about it. Even when you have turned off the television and the radio; even when there are no other people around who are talking; even if you can get away from the sounds of traffic in the distance; there’s still manmade noise. Can you hear the air conditioner humming in the background? Is the refrigerator running? It’s difficult to achieve real silence. Many people don’t even want to. Some people are afraid of true silence because then they will have to listen to all the noise in their head.   But silence is an essential part of entering into deep communion with God. Seldom does God shout to be heard. Instead, His voice is usually soft and subtle.   That’s what Elijah discovered in 1 Kings 19:11-12. Elijah was having a bad day. He was physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually exhausted after an extended time of intense ministry. He was in the desert in a cave when God confronted him regarding the pity-party he was indulging in. As something of a dramatic set-up for His coming appearance, God sent a tornado-force wind to blow. Then there was a ground-shaking earthquake. That was followed by roaring flames of fire. But God wasn’t in any of that. Instead, after the dramatics were over and God had Elijah’s attention, He spoke to Him in a soft, subtle, gentle voice which Elijah would have to pay close and careful attention to if he wanted to hear it. This is what is sometimes referred to as “The still, small voice of God”.   This is how God typically speaks to us too. Seldom does He speak to us with a booming voice out of the whirlwind, the earthquake, or the fire. Those things can be helpful in getting our attention and causing us to settle down and listen, but when God speaks, it’s usually out of the quiet. And … that’s why we call it “quiet” time.   If you want to hear the voice of God you will have to settle down, shut down, stop the noise, and just be quiet before Him.  We call it “quiet time” because we need to be quiet if we want to hear from God. I encourage you to be quiet and listen to Him this morning.   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: “Savor the moment”   Our Bible verse for today: “(For my determined purpose is) that I may know Him – that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding (the wonders of His person) more strongly and more clearly. And that I may in that same way come to know the power out-flowing from His resurrection (the power it exerts over believers); and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed (in spirit into His likeness even) in His death.” Philippians 3:10 (Amplified Bible)   Our thought for today: “Picture this being true of you”   What we’ve just read in Philippians 3:10 (above) was the Apostle Paul’s personal mission statement for his life. This is what he was all about. It’s what got him out of bed in the morning, and it’s what kept him going through the day. This was his inspiration, his motivation, and his determination.   I like the way Pastor Chuck Swindoll dissected this verse in his book “Intimacy with God”. He encourages us to take that passage, get alone in a quiet place, and slowly turn the key words and phrases over in our mind: “That I may know Him … progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him … perceiving … recognizing … understanding … continually being transformed …”   That’s what Paul wanted in his own life and it’s also what we should want in ours. Nothing should be more important for the Christian than to know Christ, progressively becoming more intimately acquainted with Him, being more spiritually perceptive, recognizing and understanding the ways of God, and continually being transformed more and more into His image.   But that takes time – set aside and protected time – time that belongs only to you and God. It takes effort – applied effort – in deep-dive Bible study, in prayer, sitting quietly and patiently before God, and it takes time spent in worship (both personal and corporate).   But we’ll only do that, we’ll only commit the time and make the effort, if that kind of relationship with God is important enough to us. And that brings us back to Paul’s mission statement in Philippians 3:10, and to Chuck Swindoll’s dissection of it. If you do what Chuck suggested, get alone in a quiet place, slowly turn the key words and phrases over in your mind, make it a matter of prayer as you ask God to create this desire in your heart – if you do that, then Paul’s desire for his life will start to become your desire for your life.   This is important. For the child of God there should be nothing more important than to know God in this way. I encourage you to try the exercise Pastor Chuck suggested. Spend some quiet time with Philippians 3:10. Think deeply about it. Picture it being true of 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, TN 38571

Good morning, everyone,   Our theme for this month: “Savor the moment”   Our Bible verse for today: “Everyone should look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.” Phillippians 2:4 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “A common cause for the common good”   John Bridgeland is a man who served as the director of the White House Domestic Policy Council under President George W. Bush. John was also one of the co-founders in 2019 of an organization known as UNITE. The focus of UNITE is to bring Americans from across the political, social, economic, and racial spectrums together to cooperate for common causes. The object is to focus more on the things we have in common rather than on the things that divide us, and to work together for the common good on a vast array of issues and projects.   The effort involves politicians, celebrities, business owners, ministers, authors, and people from all walks of life. The object is to simply find ways within our own communities that we can all work together to make things better. They’re not asking anyone to put aside any of their dearly held beliefs about any issue. Instead, it’s all about finding ways that we can help each other achieve things that are of benefit to us all. The quote from John Bridgeland that caught my attention was “Service transforms us. When you serve a great cause, as we see the nurses and doctors and health-care workers doing, you lose yourself and find a greater purpose.”   If that’s true for our society in general (and I’m convinced that it is), then it’s even truer for the Christian community. The great cause that we all share is the cause of Christ on earth. We are to be working together to serve others in the name of Jesus and to share the Good News of the Gospel with as many people as possible. Regardless of any differences we may have on other issues, as Christians we all share the common goal of advancing the kingdom of God on earth. We need to focus more on that and less on any other thing that could distract us, derail us, or divide us.   Service to others is at the core of the Christian mission. It’s what we’re supposed to be all about. Jesus was a servant and He calls us to be servants too. As Christians we make the most of our time and we do the most good for our society, when we work together for the greater good of advancing the cause of Christ on earth.   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: “Savor the moment”   Our Bible verse for today: “Though the fig tree does not bud and there is no fruit on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though the flocks disappear from the pen and there are no herds in the stalls, yet I will celebrate in the Lord; I will rejoice in the God of my salvation! The Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like those of a deer and enables me to walk on mountain heights!” Habakkuk 3:17-19 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “It will carry you though the tough times”   Recently in my personal study time I was reading from the Old Testament book of Habakkuk. Habakkuk was a mysterious guy. We know virtually nothing about him. We don’t know where he came from or what his background was. All we know is that he was a prophet in the land of Judah during and after the time of good King Josiah in 609 B.C. After Josiah died things got bad. It was a time of trouble and turmoil in Judah. Habakkuk’s assignment from God was to inform the Jews that they’d better buckle their seat belts because as bad as things were, they were going to get worse, and it was all because of their unfaithfulness to the Lord as a nation.   In the three short chapters of the book, Habakkuk had a message for the unfaithful ones – they were about to experience the consequences of their bad choices. But he also had a message for the faithful ones. He urged them to trust God and to live by faith. In 2:4 he wrote, “But the righteous one will live by his faith.” And then he concluded the prophecy with a declaration of his own faith that we read in 3:17-19 (above) – no matter how bad things got, he would continue to trust in the Lord and to live by faith.   Where did Habakkuk’s strong faith come from? Since he was called by God to be a prophet, I think we can deduce that Habakkuk was a faithful man of God who had the long practice of going deep with God (as we’ve been thinking about in previous devotional messages). Habakkuk was already strong in the Lord and that strength, which was developed in better times (during the reign of good King Josiah), now carried over into the bad times and helped to carry him through. And likewise, where did the other faithful ones referred to in 2:4 get the strength of their faith that Habakkuk expected would carry them through the tough times? I think the answer must be the same.   And for us? Yes, it’s the same answer. It’s those who are faithful and who have the habit of going deep with God in the good times, who are strong and ready to walk faithfully with Him through the tough times.   I encourage you to savor your time with God today. Go deep with Him. Meet Him in the deep places and draw strength from Him – and do it every day. If you do, the strength, peace, and confidence that the Lord develops in you will then carry over and carry you through the tough times.   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