Oak Hill Baptist Church

You’re a ragamuffin, so am I, and so are they

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Character and integrity”

Our Bible verse for today: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” Galatians 5:22-23 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “You’re a ragamuffin, so am I, and so are they”

Recently I’ve begun reading Brennan Manning’s “Ragamuffin Gospel” for the fourth time. I love this book. The term ragamuffin comes out of the novels of Charles Dickens and describes an orphaned child living on the streets of London in the 1800s. He is a poor, ragged, dirty, messy waif and he needs help.

Manning argues that we’re all ragamuffins. At different times and in different ways we’re all bedraggled, beaten down, and burnt-out. We are filled with sorrows, regrets, and insecurities. The gospel of Jesus Christ was written for such people. It was written for you and for me and for them. For all of us. And through the Gospel we find freedom and renewal. That’s the truth we need to experience, and it’s the message we must share with the world.

That brings us to our theme of character and integrity. As we near the end of this theme I want to bring us back to the illustration of steel and velvet – especially the velvet part. Many Christians have the inner core of steel part going on just fine. It’s the outer covering of velvet that often seems to be a problem. In this bitter and often angry society that we live in, with all the shouting, debating, charges and counter-charges, Christians can sometimes become cultural warriors bent on victory at all costs. Our language becomes charged with talk of fighting the fight, seizing the day, defeating the enemy, and winning the victory. And in our zeal, our manner and language can become harsh and unkind. I believe we have to guard against that.

In Galatians 5:22-23 the Apostle Paul describes the velvet part of our illustration. Those characteristics of the Holy Spirit should be what people experience from us and should be what they come to know to be true about us. Godly men and women of character and integrity are known for their moral virtue, yes, but they are also known for their kindness, compassion, grace, and mercy.

Remember, every person you meet has something going on in their lives that they wish wasn’t there. Every person has one thing more going on of which you know nothing. Down deep, we’re all ragamuffins. We’re all bedraggled, beaten-down, and burnt-out. And we all need love, grace, and mercy.

As you go out into the world today, by all means contend for the truth of the Gospel and promote Biblical values in our society. But also bear in mind that you’re just a sinner saved by grace and that others also need the grace and salvation you’ve experienced. You’re a ragamuffin, so am I, and so are they, so let’s give each other a break.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

Be sober-minded

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Character and integrity”

Our Bible verse for today: “Therefore, with your minds ready for action, be sober-minded and set your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 1:13 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “Be sober-minded”

This morning we will continue our discussion from yesterday regarding the great need in our society and in our churches for more men and women who have true wisdom and deep insight.

Recently at Oak Hill Baptist Church we completed a study of the letters 1 & 2 Peter. Peter’s goal in those letters was to encourage believers to live well for Christ in the middle of tough circumstances and to do so by having a Biblical worldview, living holy lives, and by not allowing ourselves to be deceived and misled by liars and false teachers. To set the stage for that teaching, in 1 Peter 1:13 Peter urges us to be “sober-minded”.

What’s being described there are people who are calm and reasoned in their thinking. They are not emotional or easily excitable, and they are not given to extremes in their thinking. They are thoughtful, wise, and insightful. Consequently, they see situations and people for what and who they are, and they respond to them based on that insight. Sober-minded people are not easily fooled or led astray because they base their thinking and decision-making on Biblical truth.

I contend that godly men and women who have spent years of life carefully and intentionally cultivating strong character and sterling integrity will be those sober-minded people who bring clarity and truth into difficult situations. They do that by applying a Biblical worldview to all of life. They take what they are seeing and hearing, lay it alongside the truth of the Bible, and then come to conclusions about what is true or false, right or wrong, based upon how it compares to what God has said in His Word. In order for anything to be the right course of action, it must first be consistent with Biblical principles. Even if the Bible doesn’t speak directly to that particular situation, there will still be Biblical principles that apply.

This does matter. In our society today we need many more godly men and women of character and integrity who are sober-minded (calm, thoughtful, reasonable, and not given to extreme thinking). I encourage you to be sober-minded, and then expect that of others as well.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

We need more people with wisdom and insight

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Character and integrity”

Our Bible verse for today: “Be careful that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit based on human tradition, based on the elements of the world, rather than Christ.” Colossians 2:8 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “We need more people with wisdom and insight”

At the end of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings trilogy, Frodo and his companions are finally returning to their hometown in Bag End after having been gone for a very long time on a very dangerous journey. When they finally arrive in Bag End, they discover that in their absence the town has been taken over by an evil authoritarian strongman by the name of Sharkey. The people were living in fear of Sharkey and they were being ruled with an iron fist.

However, Frodo, now older and wiser, immediately sees that Sharkey is really a paper tiger; he doesn’t have any real power over the people and he is ruling them by means of clever lies and deception. You see, there are two ways to control people. One is through force, the other is through deception. Wise Frodo immediately saw that Sharkey’s control over the people came through lies and deceptions and therefore the people had the power to reject those lies and to no longer be deceived. Once they realized that, Sharkey lost his power over them and he was quickly deposed and banished.

In our nation we are not ruled by force, but we do often allow ourselves to be deceived. That’s true socially, culturally, politically, and sometimes in our churches. And this is why the issue of character and integrity is so important. On the one hand, we need to ensure that those we allow to have positions of power and influence are truly worthy of that trust, that they are men and women of character and integrity. But second, it’s essential that we not allow ourselves to be deceived by the liars and false teachers in our society, in our politics, and in our churches. It’s up to us to be wise, to ask questions, to study the issues, and to hold our leaders accountable.

Over time, men and women of godly character and solid integrity become increasingly wise and insightful as they continue to mature in Christ. Their wisdom and insight can then be brought to bear upon situations in our society and in our churches. They are the ones who are able to see through the lies and deceptions and to help others see clearly as well. And for that reason, we need more men and women of godly character and solid integrity. This is a vital truth and it bears further discussion. Therefore, we will continue our thinking about this tomorrow.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

Don’t give in and don’t give up

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Character and integrity”

Our Bible verse for today: “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.” 2 Corinthians 4:8 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “Don’t give in and don’t give up”

Do you remember our discussion from earlier in the month regarding steel and velvet? In that devotional I made the case that men and women of strong character and solid integrity are made of steel and velvet. They have an inner core of steel in that they have unshakable convictions based upon Biblical principles that they will not deviate from. Their moral and ethical conduct, and their determination to honor God by how they live, is non-negotiable.

But that inner core of steel is wrapped in an outer covering of velvet. Such a person is kind, compassionate, and loving, they’re quick to show mercy and eager to extend grace. People see Jesus in them. I’m inspired by people like that.

And also, because of that inner core of steel, they are people who do not give up despite the difficulty of their circumstances. That’s the kind of person Paul was describing in 2 Corinthians 4:8 (above). Listen to what else Paul had to say about that person in verses 16-18, “Therefore we do not give up. Even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person is being renewed day by day. For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory. So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

I have a dear brother in Christ who is facing a huge medical challenge right now. Tests are still being conducted but it has the potential to be life-threatening. But my friend is tough, and he is one cool customer. He’s a retired law enforcement officer who had an entire career filled with challenges and dangers. He has had guns pointed at him and he has been shot at. Once, he had to shoot someone else. He has dealt with many very bad people and many dangerous situations. He has also battled and defeated cancer five times. Now, as he faces this challenge, he is doing so with calmness and confidence. He said to me, “Pastor, I’m going to do my part in this. I will take care of myself, I will get the tests and treatments they tell me to get, I will pray about it, I will have my family and friends and church pray about it, and then it will be whatever it is going to be. I’m not going to worry about it.” Did I mention that he’s tough and he’s one very cool customer? He’s also a great man of faith – steel and velvet.

People like my friend don’t give in or give up just because things get a little tough. One of my favorite personal sayings, and one that I try to live by is, “Nothing is over until you give up.” So, that’s my word of encouragement for all of us today. Don’t give in and don’t give up.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

Choose your church carefully

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Character and integrity”

Our Bible verse for today: “Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies (dedicating all of yourselves, set apart) as a living sacrifice, holy and well-pleasing to God, which is your rational (logical and intelligent) act of worship. And do not be conformed to this world (any longer with its superficial values and customs), but be transformed and progressively changed (as you mature spiritually) by the renewing of your mind (focusing on godly values and ethical attitudes), so that you may prove (for yourselves) what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect (in His plan and purpose for you.)” Romans 12:1-2 (Amplified Bible)

Our thought for today: “Choose your church carefully”

This morning I want to return to our discussion from yesterday regarding the fact that we are living in an increasingly post-Christian society. Ours is a society where the majority of the population is not active in a church, and Biblical values are having a smaller impact on our culture than ever before in our history. How do committed Christians protect themselves and their families from being swept up and carried along with those bad cultural influences?

The Apostle Paul answers that for us in Romans 12:1-2 (above). I’ve quoted that passage from the Amplified Bible because this translation uses all the English words necessary to capture Paul’s full meaning as originally expressed in Biblical Greek. A truly committed Christian man or woman of character and integrity will be fully surrendered to God, seeing their life as a living sacrifice offered up to God; living a holy life that honors and pleases Him is our ongoing act of worshipping Him; and to do that, we do not conform to the influences of the culture we live in, but we stand firm on Biblical principle, modeling godly values and ethical behaviors.

But many Christians today do not live that way. And many churches today do not teach sound Biblical doctrine. Instead, it’s the cotton-candy gospel that is popular. It is light and fluffy and sweet to the taste, but it has no substance and no nutritional value. In such churches the teaching is all happy, happy, joy, joy, and hot-button social issues are studiously avoided. In other churches the Word of God is twisted and perverted to more readily conform to what is culturally acceptable. Entire denominations have given in to the pressures of the culture and have tailored their teaching and the practice of their faith to more easily fit in with cultural expectations. Theirs is a deeply flawed theology and some key doctrines are twisted and perverted.

Christian men and women who are determined to maintain godly character and strong integrity will choose their church carefully. No cotton-candy preaching and teaching; no flawed theology and perverted doctrine; no path-of-least-resistance faith practices. In the Bible God said exactly what He meant, and His Word applies to all people, in all places, at all times, without exception.

I encourage you to attend church this Sunday. But choose your church carefully. Make sure you are in a church that is fully committed to Biblical truth – without compromise.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

Can your church count on you?

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Character and integrity”

Our Bible verse for today: “And let us watch out for one another to provoke love and good works, not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching.” Hebrews 10:24-25 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “Can your church count on you?”

Can your church count on you to be there when the church meets for Bible study, worship, prayer, or special events? Can they count on you to faithfully serve in the church in some way? Can they count on you to sacrificially give financial gifts to help support the work of the church? Can your church count on you?

Sadly, more and more these days the answer to that question is “no”, the church can no longer count on people to be there, to participate, and to support financially. We’re living today in what is being called “a post-Christian society”. In other words, a majority of the population no longer attends church on a regular basis, and Biblical values are having less influence on cultural thinking than in the past.

Consequently, our churches are struggling in many ways. In addition to the overall societal loss of interest in Christianity and in Biblical values, and the corresponding decrease in attendance and participation from that, most churches have also never fully recovered from the impact of the pandemic. The average church in the USA today is still at about 70% of pre-pandemic levels in terms of attendance and participation in ministry activities.

All of this adds up to churches across the land that are struggling. Therefore, it’s more important than ever for those who still value church life and who conform to Biblical values to be even more faithful. It’s essential for the remaining 70% to prioritize church life and to double-down on their resolve and their commitment to support the work of their church. Now more than ever our society needs the churches in their communities to be strong and to be faithful.

An increasingly important measure of godly character and integrity in our day is the resolve a person has to be there for their church. Can your church count on you? I encourage you to prove it by being there.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

You will be known by your fruit

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Character and integrity”

Our Bible verse for today: “A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, neither can a bad tree produce good fruit … So you will recognize them by their fruit.” Matthew 7:18;20 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “You will be known by your fruit”

Integrity is everything. Character and integrity together combine to form your reputation. Your reputation is what people have come to believe to be true about you, and it is based upon what they have observed in you over the long-term. Over time, people will come to know you by what you do and by how you live. This is the truth Jesus was teaching in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 7:18;20 (above). It’s the fruit you produce which will ultimately tell the real story of your life, and it is the fruit you produce that will eventually form your reputation.

Do you remember our discussion from a couple of weeks ago about the principle of the righteous lie? People who abuse that principle by playing fast and loose with the truth come to be known as people who sometimes lie. Others come to know that this person cannot be relied upon to always tell the truth. They know that there are at least some times when this person will tell a lie and conclude that it was okay to do so because in their personal opinion, it was a righteous lie.

With such a person we soon realize that we can never be sure when they are telling the truth and when they are not, because it’s hard to know what fits into their category of being a righteous lie. That person then becomes known by their fruit of sometimes telling lies.

Likewise, if we have the habit of making promises that we then do not honor and fulfill, over time we will come to be known as a person who does not keep his or her word and who therefore cannot be depended upon. That will be the fruit people see produced from our actions, and that’s how they will come to know us.

Integrity is too valuable a character trait to be played with. It is too important a part of our reputation to be squandered. And no matter how clever we think we are being, over time what’s really true about us will become obvious by the fruit we produce. Jesus said so.

I encourage all of us to live in such a way that the fruit we produce is consistent with the faith we profess.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

Do the right thing because it is the right thing

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Character and integrity”

Our Bible verse for today: “And he said, ‘I will be with you; that shall be your sign that it was I who sent you. And when you have freed the people from Egypt, you shall worship God at this mountain.” Exodus 3:12 (New Jerusalem Publication Society Bible)

Our thought for today: “Do it because it’s the right thing to do”

Recently, in my personal quiet time, I’ve been reading through Dr. Dennis Prager’s commentary on Exodus from his series of commentaries called “The Rational Bible”. In chapter three Moses has his encounter with God at the burning bush. There God informs him that he is to return to the land of Egypt (the very place he fled from in fear for his life), and he is to serve as God’s instrument to bring about the deliverance of the nation of Israel from slavery.

Needless to say, Moses was skeptical. More, he was convinced that he was not the man for the job. And, he probably had no desire to leave his nice, quiet, safe, and comfortable life in the desert. So, he argued with God and questioned Him repeatedly, looking for a way out of this. But in verse 12 God told Moses that if he was obedient and if he did this thing, when it was over he would find himself worshipping God and giving Him thanks for their successful deliverance.

Obeying God and doing the right thing is an act of faith. It requires us to go forward in obedience and to trust God for the outcome. We do the right thing because it is the right thing to do, and we trust God for the rest. And, like Moses, it’s only when we look back at the event afterwards that we can see how God ultimately worked it out.

Dr. Prager observed, “Perhaps this is one meaning of the biblical verse that we can only see God from the back (Exodus 33:23) – only after an event happens can we see God’s hand in it.”

Men and women of character and integrity do the right thing simply because it is the right thing to do. They trust God for the outcome, understanding that it will only be after they have gone forward in faith and obedience that they will be able to look back and see how God used that righteous act and worked things out according to His will.

I encourage you to resolve to do the right thing simply because it is the right thing to do, and then just trust the outcome to God.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

You are responsible for your happiness

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Character and integrity”

Our Bible verse for today: “Happy are the people whose God is the Lord.” Psalm 144:15 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “Your happiness is your responsibility”

One of my favorite books regarding personal responsibility is “The Traveler’s Gift” by Andy Andrews. It’s a fictional story about a man named David Ponder who is at the lowest point of his life. Everything has gone wrong. His life is a trainwreck and he can see no way out of his mess.

In a dream God takes David on a trip through time. In each era of history David encounters an historical figure who teaches him a vital lesson regarding the personal responsibility each person has to make their own life successful. Out of those encounters David formulates a list of seven decisions that determine personal success. It’s an inspiring story and the lessons it teaches will be helpful for any person.

Decision number five on that list was learned from David’s encounter with the young Jewish girl Anne Frank. It was during World War II and Anne and her family were in an extended period of hiding from the Nazis. But despite her perilous situation, Anne left behind a diary which has become famous for its wise insights and its irrepressible joy and happiness. The lesson about personal responsibility that David learned from that encounter is that despite our circumstances, each of us is responsible for our attitude and our happiness. The way he phrased it on his list of seven resolutions is, “Today I will choose to be happy. I am the possessor of a grateful spirit.”

As we learned in yesterday’s devotional, an upbeat and joyful disposition is a matter of choice. We can choose to embrace every day as a gift from God, and we can choose to rejoice and be glad in it. I will go so far as to say that your happiness is your responsibility.

Godly men and women of character and integrity understand that rejoicing in the Lord and being grateful for our blessings is an essential attitude that must be chosen and cultivated. If we wait for life to give us happiness, we will be waiting a long time and we will spend most of our time dissatisfied and unhappy.

I encourage you to choose to be happy. You are personally responsible for your attitude and for your own happiness. Embrace it. Choose joy. Do it for yourself, and do it for those who have to live with you.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

It’s Monday. Rejoice and be glad!

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Character and integrity”

Our Bible verse for today: “This is the day the Lord has made; I will rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “It’s Monday. Rejoice and be glad!”

Welcome to Monday! Are you happy? Are you glad? Are you singing with the Psalmist, “This is the day the Lord has made; I will rejoice and be glad in it”? Or, are you a Monday hater?

Monday often gets a bad rap because for most people it’s the beginning of the work week, and many of them hate their jobs. I once had a retiree say to me, “Retirement consists of six Saturdays and a Sunday, but I still hate Monday.” He had spent his entire working life hating Mondays and now in retirement he couldn’t break the habit.

I contend that men and women who are spiritually mature and who have developed godly character and integrity have learned to appreciate every day, every moment, and every breath of life as a gift from God – and they find reasons to rejoice in it. Being upbeat, positive, and enthusiastic about life is a trait shared by the spiritually mature. In my opinion being habitually negative (the glass-half-empty person), indicates a lack of spiritual growth. And not only does it make you miserable, but your negative attitude has a bad impact on the people who have to live with you, work with you, or encounter you in the world.

Do you know Eeyore? Eeyore is the donkey from the Winnie the Poo stories. He is Donnie Downer. He is an expert at finding a negative to go with every positive. If you say it’s a beautiful day, he will tell you there’s a chance for rain. If you say life is good, he’ll tell you that something bad is bound to happen. People like Eeyore tend to be so focused on themselves and their perceived woes and problems that they miss many of the opportunities for joy in life – and they rain on everyone else’s parade in the process.

My friends, don’t be Eeyore. God has filled each day with many reasons to rejoice and to be glad. And since rejoicing and being glad is an attitude based on a decision, you can therefore control it. The Psalmist proclaimed this to be so when he wrote “I will” rejoice and be glad in it. He had made up his mind to rejoice and be glad, and then he proceeded to do it. It was an attitude born out of a decision.

Men and women of character and integrity tend to be positive and upbeat because it’s Biblical to view life that way. We’ll think more about this tomorrow. In the meantime, enjoy this beautiful Monday!

God bless,
Pastor Jim