Oak Hill Baptist Church

You’re a ragamuffin and so am I

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Writing and Reading”

Our Bible verse for today: “This is a saying that is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” – and I am the worst of them.” 1 Timothy 1:15 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “You’re a ragamuffin and I am too”

In recent days we’ve been considering the importance of spiritual reading. Spiritual reading is the reading of good Christian literature which builds and expands on Biblical truth. It can take many forms, including books, pamphlets, essays, articles, and devotional messages, and it can be instructive, inspiring, and even entertaining.

In one of those daily devotional messages, I shared with you some of my favorite books – what I term “The best of the best”, and I invited you to share some of your favorites with me. There was a pretty robust response to that and this morning I want to share some of your favorites with your fellow daily devotional readers. It turned out that several of my favorites were also on your lists, including “Experiencing God” by Henry Blackaby; “Boundaries” by Cloud and Townsend; and “The Traveler’s Gift” by Andy Andrews. Some of the others you mentioned were “Heaven” by Randy Alcorn; “Unbroken” by Lara Hillenbrand;” “In the Grip of Grace” by Max Lucado; “The Prayer Code” by O.S. Hawkins; anything by Charles Stanley or Tony Evans.

Another that was mentioned was a special little book which I read years ago but which I’m going to go back and reread now that I was reminded of it. It is “The Ragamuffin Gospel”, by Brennan Manning. It’s based on the premise that we are all flawed individuals who have sinned and failed, and then sinned and failed again. And as a result, we often live with remorse and regret, spending years of our lives beating ourselves up over our shortcomings and failures.

Brennan would know. He was an alcoholic defrocked former Catholic priest. It took him years to finally embrace the truth that God loved him and accepted him anyway. Brennan’s book illustrates the great truth expressed by Paul in 1 Timothy 1:15 (above) that each of us is “the worst of all sinners”, but Christ died to save us and God loves and accepts us just the same. The message is that you’re a ragamuffin and I am too. We all are. But the Gospel of Jesus Christ is all about grace and it’s for ragamuffins just like you and me.

Brennan’s book is encouraging, reassuring, and uplifting, and that’s exactly the point of spiritual reading. That’s why we invest the time to read good books. God uses the writing of others to build into our own lives and we end up better, stronger, and happier as a result.

I encourage you to select a good Christian book and commit some time to spiritual reading today.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

Man up

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Writing and Reading”

Our Bible verse for today: “I am about to go the way of all the earth. So be strong and show yourself to be a man.” 1 Kings 2:2 (CSV)

Our thought for today: “Man up”

To “man up” means a man has to be brave enough and tough enough to do what it takes to deal with a difficult situation. Traditionally, historically, across cultures and down through the ages, there has been the expectation of men being strong and courageous, principled and trustworthy, protectors of the weak and the vulnerable.

That’s not macho strutting; it’s not exaggerated or aggressive male pride; and it’s not in any way denigrating of the female half of the human race. It’s simply an observation of fact that men were designed by God to be the larger and stronger of the two genders, and there is a Biblical expectation that a man will conduct himself in particular appropriate ways. That’s what David meant in 1 Kings 2:2 when, on his deathbed, he urged his son Solomon to show himself to be a man by demonstrating courage, conviction, and integrity.

Tragically, in our society today a lot of men are confused about what it means to be a man. The concept of Biblical manhood is especially derided as being patriarchal and misogynistic (strongly prejudiced against women). But nothing could be further from the truth. The Biblical man is the best kind of man, and Biblical manhood is what our society needs much more of.

I came across a great statement the other day which I believe is important and insightful. It reads, “Masculinity is not something given to you, but something you gain.” In other words, a boy may be male by birth, but he still has to be taught how to be a man. Today, many men need to be taught how to be men.

Sunday is Father’s Day. It’s the day we celebrate fathers in particular, but all men in general – especially Christian men. I always use it as an opportunity to preach and teach about Biblical manhood, and I also use it as an opportunity to lift up and encourage our men. I will do that this Sunday at Oak Hill Baptist Church. The title of the sermon is “A Man of Grit Who Will Not Quit”. I hope you will join us in person or online.

Today I also want to share with you a few of my favorite Christian books about Biblical manhood: “Man of Steel and Velvet” by Aubrey Andelin; “Strong Men in Tough Times” by Edwin Louis Cole; “Disciplines of a Godly Man” by R. Kent Hughes; “Kingdom Man” by Tony Evans; and, if you would like a fun read that is insightful and inspiring but also a little whimsical, I recommend “Mansfield’s Book of Manly Men: An Utterly Invigorating Guide to Being Your Most Masculine Self” by Stephen Mansfield.

Finally, many years ago I wrote an essay about the role of a man within a truly Biblical marriage. It’s based upon the Apostle Paul’s teaching in Ephesians chapter five and if you would like a copy of it, let me know. I would be happy to send it to you.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

Good books are a great source of encouragement

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Writing and Reading”

Our Bible verse for today: “Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus by birth, the one the apostles called Barnabas (which is translated Son of Encouragement), sold a field he owned, brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.” Acts 4:36-37 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “Good books are a great source of encouragement.”

Barnabas is one of my favorite characters in the New Testament. His real name was Joseph but the disciples gave him the nickname Barnabas, which means “Son of Encouragement”. Barnabas was an encourager by nature. In the scene depicted in Acts 4:36-37 we find him encouraging the disciples and the rest of the church family by making a generous donation to help those in the church who were in need. Later, in Acts chapter eleven, we find him going to Antioch to help and encourage the Christians in that city. Then he goes to Tarsus to find Paul and to draw him into further ministry. Then he spends years assisting Paul in his ministry. And then he spends more years serving as a mentor to his young cousin John Mark.

Encouragement is an important aspect of life in the family of God and Barnabas is the patron saint for the ministry of encouragement. He was an encourager in life, and he has continued to be a great encourager by his legacy.

Many people are like Barnabas, they are encouragers by nature and we should thank God for them. Good Christian books serve to encourage and inspire us too, and that’s one of the reasons I’ve always loved reading them and sharing them with others. Back in the 1990s Linda and I actually owned a book company which we called “The Barnabas Book Company”. Our slogan was “Encouraging books that will change your life”. We held book fairs in churches and at Christian schools as well as at special events, and we even set up in flea markets. It was great fun. We loved sharing good books with others. Unfortunately, I was a terrible businessman. I was so eager for people to read our books that I probably gave away more than I sold.

For thousands of years the Holy Spirit has been using the ministry of Christian writers to lift up, strengthen, and encourage Christians by means of good Christian literature. Good books are a great source of encouragement and therefore I urge you to develop the habit of daily reading.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

There is great value in spiritual reading

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Writing and Reading”

Our Bible verse for today: “When you come, be sure to bring the coat I left with Carpus in Troas. Also bring my books, and especially my papers.” 2 Timothy 4:13 (NLT)

Our thought for today: “There is great value in spiritual reading”

There’s an old truism about writing and reading that goes, “Writers are readers”. What that means is that we learn to write by reading, and the more you read the better you will write. Personally, I’ve never met a writer who didn’t also love to read.

The Apostle Paul was undeniably a great writer. He wrote two-thirds of the New Testament. And Paul was obviously also a lover of reading. We know from his personal history that he was a diligent student and a scholar, and in 2 Timothy 4:13 we learn something about his love for books. There he instructs his young protégé Timothy to gather up some of his (Paul’s) personal belongings and bring them to him in his prison cell in Rome. He specifically tells Timothy not to forget his books and papers. Older translations refer to them as scrolls and parchments. We don’t know what those books and papers or scrolls and parchments contained, but obviously it was reading material that was important to Paul and which he wanted in his possession.

There’s a discipline in the practice of the Christian faith known as “spiritual reading”. Spiritual reading is the reading of Christian literature other than the Bible but which builds on, explains, and enhances our study of the Bible, as well as our understanding of and application of Biblical principles. The most common sources of literature for spiritual reading are Christian books, articles, pamphlets, essays, and devotional messages. By reading this devotional message today you are engaging in spiritual reading.

Spiritual reading is an essential part of our growth and maturity as a Christian. The Holy Spirit uses the writing skills of others to communicate to us insights and understandings that we might not have otherwise come to grasp. Therefore, including the reading of good Christian literature as a regular part of your practice of the faith is important. Regular reading of the Bible is the most important kind of reading you can do. Reading other types of Christian literature is second to that, but still very important. We’ll think more about spiritual reading in its various forms in the days to come. In the meantime, thanks for reading this devotional message today. Now I encourage you to select a good Christian book to add to your daily reading as well.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

Voltaire was wrong

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Writing and Reading”

Our Bible verse for today: “So my word that comes from my mouth will not return to me empty, but it will accomplish what I please and will prosper in what I send it to do.” Isaiah 55:11 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “Voltaire was wrong”

From its earliest days the Bible has withstood vicious attacks from the enemies of God as no other book ever has. Many have tried to ban it, burn it and outlaw it, from the days of the Roman empire right up to today in communist and Islamic countries. Perhaps one of the most notable and ironic stories is that of the infamous French writer and philosopher Francois-Marie Arouet, better known in history as “Voltaire”.

Voltaire was a popular and prolific writer who produced numerous works in every literary form including plays, poems, novels, essays, histories, letters, pamphlets, and scientific expositions. He even owned his own printing press. It was said that in his lifetime (1694-1778) he wrote over 20,000 letters and more than 2,000 books and pamphlets. But the thing that Voltaire is remembered for most is his hatred of Christians, Christianity, and the Bible. Much of his writing and public speaking involved scathing denunciations of Christianity in general, and the Bible in particular. He once claimed that within one hundred years of his death Christianity as a faith would be swept from existence and the Bible would be found only in museums.

Well, not only was Voltaire wrong regarding the demise of Christianity, but fifty years after his death the Geneva Bible Society purchased Voltaire’s home in Paris and his printing press that was in it. They then used the printing press to mass produce Bibles and Christian pamphlets, and they used his home to store them. It was one of the most ironic twists of fate in recorded history.

It’s estimated that worldwide, since the time of Voltaire’s death, over 5 billion Bibles, or portions of the Bible, have been printed in over 2000 languages. Today over 100 million Bibles are printed annually around the world (25 million in English); 168,000 are given away free every day; and Gideon’s International reported distributing over 59 million Bibles worldwide in 2021 alone. Additionally, with the advent of digital Bible apps, over 66,000 people worldwide are accessing a digital Bible app at any given time, and three people share a Bible verse online every second of every day.

Oh, and there are more professing Christians on this planet today than at any time in the two-thousand-year history of the faith. So, Voltaire was wrong. He was very wrong. Christianity and the Bible have survived very well, thank you, and a copy of the Bible is available for almost anyone who wants one. That’s especially true in the developed nations of the world. Our challenge, and our shared responsibility, is to get people to actually read it, and to read it deeply.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

The printing press changed everything

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Writing and Reading”

Our Bible verse for today: “After this letter has been read at your gathering, have it read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you also read the letter from Laodicea.” Colossians 4:16 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “The printing press changed everything”

History is a little fuzzy regarding who actually invented the first printing press. We do know that the Chinese had a very crude form of a press in the late 800s A.D. which used wooden blocks and produced only a single copy at a time. In the 1300s the Koreans had a more advanced version of the press which involved moveable type and which was a little faster than the Chinese printing press.

But it was in 1436 that a German goldsmith by the name of Johannes Gutenberg invented a mechanical movable printing press that was efficient, dependable, and fast, and which launched humanity into the era of mass media. Prior to this, printed literature was produced painstakingly slowly and at great expense. But now it could be copied quickly, in quantity, and inexpensively. Soon broadsheets, newspapers, pamphlets, books, and especially Bibles were being mass produced and widely disseminated.

As a result, from that point forward, the literacy rate in Europe more than doubled every 100 years. Now that printed material was so widely available, everyone wanted to know how to read. And read they did! Especially the Bible. The advent of the printing press, and the corresponding widespread availability of the Bible in the language the people actually spoke, helped to spur the Protestant Reformation.

So, what a tragic turn of events that today the trend is in the opposite direction. As we’ve already learned this month, fewer and fewer people do very much serious reading anymore – not even reading of the Bible. Instead, there’s a sad regression taking place. Digital technology has clearly brought with it a corresponding trend towards short superficial reading rather than the deep reading (which used to be so common), like that which spurred both the cultural renaissance and the scientific revolution of the1600-1700s. This regression cannot bode well for civilization.

The answer, of course, is for each of us to read more, and to encourage others to read – especially the Bible. If we can’t get Christians to read other types of literature frequently and deeply, let’s at least work to get them to read the Bible that way.

Tomorrow I’ll share with you a story associated with the history of the printing press and the Bible that is both sad and ironic, but which also offers us some hope.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

Plunder the Bible

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Writing and Reading”

Our Bible verse for today: “Open my eyes Lord so that I may contemplate wonderous things from your instructions. I am a resident alien on earth; do not hide your commands from me.” Psalm 119:18-19 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “Plunder the Bible”

One of the truly amazing aspects of the Bible is how it can be both shallow and deep at the same time. It is shallow in that many of its truths are right there on the surface and therefore easily understood, even by children. It is deep in that even the most educated scholars can study it for a lifetime and learn something new every time they read it.

Recently I came across a statement written by the eminent Bible scholar, professor, and author Martin Marty. He said that the Bible must be searched and plundered. That conjures up images in my mind of pirates searching for buried treasure, finding it, and then eagerly plundering the treasure chest. While I don’t think we Bible students are pirates, I do love the image of the Bible containing buried treasure just waiting to be discovered. And I do love the idea of me as a treasure hunter discovering and uncovering the treasure, and then joyfully plundering it.

Those of you who have read my book “Walking with Paul” might remember a story I told in one of the chapters. It’s about a farmer in Texas who lived a long life trying to scratch out a living on a poor piece of land. For years he and his family struggled through dust storms, droughts, diseased crops and sick animals, as well as all the other problems faced by small farmers in that area. He always dreamed of one day striking it rich, maybe winning the lottery.

One day a representative of an oil company knocked on his door and said the company’s geological survey indicated there might be oil located under his land. He asked the farmer for permission to sink an exploratory well. The farmer gave his permission and in only a short time they discovered a substantial oil field right under his farm. Almost overnight he went from being a dirt-poor farmer to being a multi-millionaire.

The sad part of the story is that the wealth had always been there. All those years when he was poor and struggling that wealth had been his and was right there waiting for him, but he didn’t know it because he never searched for it. That’s true for many Christians as well. There are precious nuggets of spiritual truth and insight waiting to be uncovered in the Bible, but most Christians never discover them because they never do the work to dig for them.

At Oak Hill Baptist Church we dig for them. Every Sunday morning in Sunday school and in the sermon; on Sunday nights in our seasonal Bible studies; on Wednesday nights in our midweek prayer meetings and Bible studies; and every day in our daily devotional messages we dig for and discover Biblical treasure. I invite you to join us as we plunder the Bible together.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

Learn the principles; stay within the boundaries; enjoy life

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Writing and Reading”

Our Bible verse for today: “I have chosen the way of truth; I have set your ordinances before me. I cling to your decrees; Lord, do not put me to shame. I pursue the way of your commands, for you broaden my understanding.” Psalm 119:30-32 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “Learn the principles; stay within the boundaries; enjoy life”

The Bible is the most important form of written communication there has ever been and reading it is the most important form of reading we can engage in. As J.I. Packer wrote, and which I quoted in yesterday’s devotional, we need to know it forwards and backwards. We need to remain immersed in the entirety of God’s story by reading it cover-to-cover, and then reading it again and again; we need to do deep dives into it as we engage in serious study of individual books of the Bible; we must memorize key passages and verses; and we have to be intimately familiar with Biblical principles as they apply broadly to the full range of life issues.

If we want to know God, we must know the Bible. If we’re going to live in a way that obeys and honors God, we have to know His precepts, principles, and boundaries – and that is what the Bible does for us, it provides us with the boundaries within which God wants us to live.

This is a big beautiful world God has created for us, and life is filled with lots of adventures and choices. We have a great deal of freedom to choose for ourselves what we will do and how we will do it. God is not only okay with that, He prefers it. He didn’t design us to be a bunch of robots blindly obeying Him because we’ve been programmed to do so. Instead, He created us with free will and He has set before us a world filled with choices. Then, He gave us the Bible to guide us as we live in this world and as we make those choices.

So, live big. Live large. Have fun. Just stay within the boundaries. That’s what the writer of Psalm 119 meant in verses 30-32 (above). He was using the Word of God as His guide for living life, and then he just went and lived his life.

He went on in verses 33-37, “Teach me, Lord, the meaning of your statutes, and I will always keep them. Help me understand your instruction, and I will obey it and follow it with all my heart. Help me stay on the path of your commands, for I take pleasure in it. Turn my heart to your decrees and not to dishonest profit. Turn my eyes from looking at what is worthless; give me life in your ways.”

It’s as easy as that. Read your Bible; learn the principles; stay within the boundaries; and go enjoy life.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

Four keys for effective Bible reading

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Writing and Reading”

Our Bible verse for today: “I rejoice in the way revealed by your decrees as much as in all riches. I will meditate on your precepts and think about your ways. I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word.” Psalm 119:14-16 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “Four keys for effective Bible study”

J.I. Packer is in heaven now, but during his lifetime he was a widely known and highly respected theologian, professor, and Christian author. I personally believe his best book was “Knowing God”. I have a copy of it on my bookshelf and have read it multiple times. It is deeply insightful and very helpful.

There’s an article by J.I. Packer in “The Every Man’s Study Bible” regarding how to read/study the Bible. Like most of the books and articles Packer wrote, this one is very helpful. Therefore, I want to summarize/paraphrase for you his four keys to reading the Bible.
Before you open your Bible, remember you are in the presence of God. Remind yourself that God is the primary author of Scripture and that what you are seeking is the personal togetherness that you would hope for if you were opening a letter from someone you knew cared for you … then ask God to speak to you, and to make you listen as you read.All the Bible should be read, and read regularly. We should acquaint ourselves with the full landscape of Scripture and keep covering it backwards and forwards.Focus particularly on the richer books. This is quite distinct from point two. There are some books in Scripture which, as words from God to his people, have a richer vitamin content than others. The four Gospels in which you see your Lord in action are the most precious books in the world. They are the Bible books that ought to be read oftener than any others. I also think the Psalter ought to be read regularly, one or two psalms every day. The writers of the Psalms were more alive in themselves and in God than most of us are … and therefore their writings should be studied by us.Linger in the books that have a special resonance with you individually at this time in your life.
I agree with Packer and I think his four keys to Bible study are a pretty good guide. The Bible is God’s letter to you. Read it over and over and over again.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

Read the directions

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Writing and Reading”

Our Bible verse for today: “Blessed are they whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord. Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart.” Psalm 119:1-2 (NIV)

Our thought for today: “Read the directions”

As was noted in the first devotional of this series about the gift of the written word and the importance of reading, throughout this month we will consider our subject from many different angles. But the most important form of written communication is the Bible, and therefore we’re spending the first part of the month thinking about it. Next week we’ll move on to other forms of writing and reading.

Over the last couple of days, we’ve considered the importance of staying immersed in the story of God so we can develop a feel for how God interacts with people (including us). Today we will consider another way of using the Bible to hear from God.

Shortly after I became a Christian, I met George and Dorcas Taggart. They were an older couple who operated the church bookstore. They sold Bibles, Christian books, cards, gifts, etc. It was George who guided me in my selection of my first Bible, “The Disciple’s Study Bible”. (I still have it and I’m using it to write this devotional). I love this Bible! It’s filled with all sorts of helps in using the Bible to establish and maintain the life of a committed disciple of Christ.

One section provides instructions on how to use the Bible to find guidance pertaining to common life issues which we all must deal with. It lists Biblical principles that pertain to the issue, and it directs you to numerous Bible verses and passages that teach about it. The idea is to read each of those verses and passages, jotting down in your notebook your understanding of what they teach regarding the issue you are dealing with. Once you have read them all, you write a summary statement about your overall understanding of the Biblical teaching regarding the issue. Then you go back to the Biblical Principles Guide and compare your summary statement to the explanation of the principle to make sure your summary is in fact consistent with the Biblical teaching.

Most study Bibles offer a section of helps similar to that. Most Bibles also offer a concordance in the back which helps you to locate verses and passages by category. There are also handy little books like “Walk Through the Promises”, which list hundreds of Bible promises by category; or “God’s Wisdom for Daily Living” which takes all the wisdom sayings from Proverbs and lists them by category and by life issue. All of those tools help us to find verses and passages which pertain to the subject we need help with.

This study method takes a little time and effort but it is extraordinarily helpful for getting Biblical guidance regarding basic life issues. It directs us to the many passages and verses that pertain to our issue and, it helps to ensure that we don’t “cherry-pick” verses, or take them out of Biblical context. I encourage you to try it.

God bless,
Pastor Jim