Oak Hill Baptist Church

Picture this being true of you

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Savor the time”

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

Make the most of your time by serving others

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Savor the time”

Our Bible verse for today: “Everyone should look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.” Philippians 2:4 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “Make the most of your time by serving others”

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 people, ministers, authors, and people from all walks of life, and 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 today (during the pandemic), 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 in particular. 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 that 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

Protect your relationships

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Savor the time”

Our Bible verse for today: “Above all, maintain constant love for one another, since love covers over a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “Protect your relationships”

Today Linda and I are celebrating our forty-third wedding anniversary. We’ve been together as a couple for forty-five years. I praise God for the gift of those years and I pray there will be many more.

On the one hand, I’m amazed that it has been that long. Forty-five years is almost half a century! On the other hand, I’m not surprised our marriage has lasted. We’re committed to it, and we always have been. Our vows to each other and to God meant something.

But that’s not to say it’s always been easy, because sometimes it hasn’t been. We’ve had our share of disagreements, arguments, and fights. We also raised a handicapped child (the stress of which often drives a wedge between spouses). There have been major illnesses; changes of careers; cross-country moves; financial struggles; boomerang kids (adult kids who move back home after they’ve been launched and sent off into the world); and all sorts of other things which can, if allowed to, will drive couples apart.

Part of the secret to our longevity is that we meant our vows. We decided right from the start that we were in this for life and divorce would never be an option. But another strategy that has worked well for us is a determination to stay focused on the positive rather than the negative. We deal with troublesome issues as necessary, but we deal with them as quickly as possible and then we leave them behind. Then, to the greatest extent possible, we focus on and savor the good times, the special moments.

One way we do that is by displaying family pictures. Lots of them. They’re everywhere in all the rooms of our home, and in my office, and in Linda’s office, and on our phones – everywhere you look there are pictures. I know that sounds excessive, but it works for us. We’re constantly reminded of special people and special times. We think and talk often about all the memories and all the special moments created over forty-five years as a couple and as a family. Doing so has carried us through many rough patches in life.

In 1 Peter 4:9 the apostle reminds us to do what it takes to maintain constant love for each other. In other words, remind yourself of the love that your relationships are built on. Savor the memories, and the special moments, and the special people, and protect those relationships.

Maybe displaying lots of family pictures isn’t your thing. That’s okay, discover what your thing is and do that instead. Do whatever it takes to savor the special times with special people. Doing so helps to protect the relationships so they will last.

God Bless,
Pastor Jim

It will carry-over and carry you through

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Savor the time”

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-over and carry you through”

Yesterday 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 and peace and confidence that the Lord develops in you with then carry-over and carry you through the tough times.

God Bless,
Pastor Jim

Call to Him and He will answer you

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Savor the time”

Our Bible verse for today: “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and incomprehensible things you do not know.” Jeremiah 33:3 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “Call to Him and He will answer you”

Of all the different kinds of special times and special moments we can and should learn to savor, none is more important or more rewarding than time with the Lord. No experience in life surpasses the joy and satisfaction of special moments with God.

This morning I want to return us to the subject we explored in yesterday’s devotional, and in a previous one from last week – sitting quietly with God and going deep with Him. In his book “Intimacy with the Almighty”, Pastor Chuck Swindoll quoted author Richard Foster from his great book “Celebration of Discipline”. Foster wrote, “Superficiality is the curse of our age. The doctrine of instant satisfaction is a primary spiritual problem. The desperate need today is not for a greater number of intelligent people, or gifted people, but for deep people.”

Yes, that is the desperate need. Far too many Christians just skim the surface of a relationship with God. It’s superficial. Swindoll says, “We have to learn anew to think deeply, to worship meaningfully, to mediate unhurriedly.” And, “No one is ready to take on the depths unless he or she is fed up with the superficial. What you long for, unless I miss my guess, is intimacy with the Almighty. You want to be profoundly aware of His presence, in touch with Him at the deepest possible level, thinking His thoughts, gleaning His wisdom, and living as close to His heart as is humanly possible.”

Are you living as close to His heart as is humanly possible? Are you among those people who would be considered “spiritually deep”? Do you want to be?

God wants that for you. But you have to want it too, and you have to be willing to put in the time and put forth the effort to seek it. In Jeremiah 33:3 He told us, “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and incomprehensible things you did not know.”

God is deep, and He is ready to meet you in the deep places as well. He wants to interact with you in ways that go far beyond the superficial. But you have to go to those deep places to meet Him there. Will you? I encourage you to spend some time today going deep with God. Call to Him, and He will answer you.

God Bless,
Pastor Jim

May your hidden self be settled and strong

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Savor the time”

Our Bible verse for today: “Be still, and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10 (NIV)

Our thought for today: “May your hidden self be settled and strong”

Basil Pennington was a Trappist monk who looked like Santa Claus. He was a bit hefty; he had a full head of snow-white hair and a big flowing beard to go with it; he had puffy cheeks that were rosy red; and a big friendly smile that put you at ease. I would have liked to have met him. Someday in heaven I will.

Pennington is best known for his writing and teaching about the contemplative way of life. He was especially an advocate of what he called “centering prayer”. He maintained that most of our prayers are way too chatty and too superficial. To a large extent we’re just saying stuff because we think we’re supposed to, we think that’s what prayer is.

While it’s true that God is interested in all aspects of our lives, and He does want us to talk to Him about all of it, there’s also a time and a place to simply “Be still, and know that I am God.” There needs to be time when we just sit quietly and enjoy God in adoring silence. Often, that turns out to be the best time of prayer. It’s certainly the most relaxing and renewing.

If you’re like me, then often your prayer time is not relaxing and renewing. Instead, it’s more like work. It’s spiritual warfare. Sometimes prayer feels like I’m wrestling with both God and the devil, sometimes both of them at the same time! But that’s okay. Sometimes prayer is like that. Prayer is work and it is warfare. But it shouldn’t be like that all the time. Sometimes prayer should be a deep dive into the mystery and majesty of God. It should be like jumping off a rock on a hot summer day into the cool refreshing waters of a mountain lake.

Pennington wrote a series of books on the subject of being still before God. His most popular was “Centering Prayer”. In it he teaches us how to quiet our noisy minds so we can simply be with God in adoring silence. His prayer for his readers is, “Out of his infinite glory, may God give you the power through his Spirit for your hidden self to grow strong.”

I like that phrase, “for your hidden self to grow strong”. Your spirit is your hidden self. It’s your real self, but it’s hidden deep within your physical self. And when your hidden self is strong, your physical self will reveal it. Your spiritual strength will be evident and it will show itself by how you live and how you interact with the world around you. Learning to be still before God settles your spirit and thereby settles your body. Your spirit is calm so your body is calm.

I encourage you to spend some time this morning just being still before God. Don’t feel like you need to talk and talk and talk, working your way down a long list of issues and items. Instead, truly savor and enjoy your time with Him. My prayer for you is that your hidden self will be settled and strong.

God Bless,
Pastor Jim

Learn to be content

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Savor the time”

Our Bible verse for today: “… I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I find myself. I know both how to make do with little, and I know how to make do with a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content – whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need. I am able to do all things through him who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:11-13 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “Learn to be content”

The other day I was visiting with some friends who live in a tow-behind travel trailer in a mobile home park near a lake. It’s a very nice trailer, pretty large as far as tow-behind traveler trailers go, complete with slide-outs to expand the living space, and with all the modern conveniences. It’s just enough room for two people to live comfortably but modestly, and with no excess. They’re not doing it for financial reasons. They have the assets to live in any manner they would like. But they love the simplicity of their lifestyle and they’re happy and content with it. They don’t need or want more.

The great Christian writer G.K. Chesterton once wrote, “There are two ways to get enough. One is to continue to acquire more and more. The other is to desire less.” Actually, I think Chesterton was only half right. Learning to desire less and to simply be content with what we have is certainly a key to happiness. But an endless quest to accumulate more and more never leads to true contentment. The fact that the person is still striving for more is evidence enough that the person is not content with what they have. With that mindset, there’s never any such thing as ‘enough”.

In Philippians 4:11-13 the Apostle Paul revealed an important lesson he had learned in his own life. He learned to be content. And please don’t miss the fact that he “learned” to be content. In other words, it didn’t come naturally and it required a learning experience for him to get there. From what we know of Paul, it means that he was intentional and disciplined about learning the lesson. He trained himself for contentment. In verse 13 he reveals that it was his continuous focus on Christ that was the key to achieving the contentment he had just been writing about.

It’s difficult to truly savor the special moments in life if we have an unsettled spirit that is always striving and yearning for something more, rather than simply being content with and enjoying life as it is in the present moment.

I think it would helpful for all of us to ask ourselves, “How much is enough?” and, “Will “more” ever truly become “enough”? The truth is, if we are going to truly enjoy and savor life, we need to learn to be content.

God Bless,
Pastor Jim

Fulfill your purpose

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Savor the time”

Our Bible verse for today: “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)

Our thought for today: “Fulfill your purpose”

I love the way the New Living Translation uses the word “masterpiece” to describe those who have new life in Christ. When you placed your faith in Christ God created you anew, you became a new creation – a master creation of His.

But there are two important things to note about that verse. First, the “masterpiece” reference is to your spiritual self, not your physical self. Good thing too. As I can attest, the older we get the less and less our physical selves resemble anything looking like a masterpiece (unless you’re into antiques). No, as amazing a creation as the human body is, the true masterpiece of God’s creation is that wonderful eternal spirit of yours, and that’s what Paul was referring to in that verse. Your spirit is contained within your body, but it’s the spirit that’s the new creation.

The second thing to note is why God created you anew in Christ. Although the verse doesn’t specifically mention it, we know that the first and most important reason was so we can spend eternity with Him in heaven. But also, as the verse does say, it was “… so that we can do good things he planned for us long ago.” And that brings us to our theme for this month of savoring and fully enjoying the time on earth that the Lord has given us. We’re using our time well when we’re doing the good things He has planned for us to do.

The great Christian writer C.S. Lewis once observed, “If you read history, you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were precisely those who thought most of the next. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this one.”

In my observation the happiest, most joyful, and most content Christians tend to be the ones who are fulfilling their God-given purpose as His masterpieces, doing the good works in this world that He has planned for them to do from the very beginning. It’s when you are serving others (especially those who are less fortunate than you or those who are hurting and in need), that you are fulfilling your purpose. That’s when you will feel most fully alive and most satisfied. The best thing you can do to make yourself feel better is to take your eyes off of yourself and do something for someone else. It’s what God created you for. It’s what He planned for you to do.

You are God’s masterpiece, created by Him to do good works that He has planned for you from the very beginning. I encourage you to fulfill your purpose today.

God Bless,
Pastor Jim

Pray, relax, and enjoy life

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Savor the time”

Our Bible verse for today: “And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19 (NIV)

Our thought for today: “Pray, relax, and enjoy life”

Some of my longtime readers will recognize the name of Dick DeGrow. I’ve mentioned him often in daily devotionals and in sermons. Dick was an early mentor of mine shortly after I retired from the Navy and became a pastor. He was a retired pastor who was a member of my first church, Bancroft Baptist in Spring Valley, CA. He served as a deacon, adult Sunday school teacher, and he was the church custodian.

Dick was a quiet, calm, and relaxed man who had learned to take life as it comes and to just roll with things. He also had a lot of wisdom to share that was born of many years of faithful service as a pastor, and therefore he was my closest advisor in the church. We met for lunch once a week.

That was almost twenty-five years ago but to this day, the image of Dick that continues to stand out in my mind is that calm, quiet, relaxed, easy-going manner. And the reason he was like that is captured beautifully by the Apostle Paul in yesterday’s Bible verse, Philippians 4:6-7, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” And by today’s verse, “And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” Dick prayed a lot and he simply trusted all things to the Lord. Then he just went through life enjoying it, savoring it.

I want to be more like that.

Dick was also responsible for one of my bad habits. He loved ice cream and he had some every night. Every. Single. Night. It was a ritual he never missed, a treat he never denied himself. Up to that point I enjoyed ice cream, but I’m pretty sure I wasn’t addicted to it. But Dick was a man I admired very much, and I attempted to emulate him, copying his fine qualities and reproducing them in my own life. Soooo …”Hi, my name is Jim and I’m addicted to ice cream.” I mean, if my mentor could do it and be so happy, serene, and content, there must be something to it, right?

But the primary example that Dick modeled so effectively was of a man who had learned to pray a lot, trust God, and enjoy life. That’s a pretty good way to be. It’s a pretty good example to follow.

Pray, relax, and enjoy life.

God Bless,
Pastor Jim

Let’s pray more and worry less

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Savor the time”

Our Bible verse for today: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV)

Our thought for today: “Let’s pray more and worry less”

The other day I saw an article published by the American Psychological Association. It reported the findings of a recent study designed to assess the psychological health of the American public. The findings were not good. 84% in the study declared themselves to be very concerned about all the social unrest in our country. 81% said they’re worried about the future of our nation. 80% reported being concerned about COVID 19 and/or related issues, including the long-term impact of the pandemic on our nation. 74% reported significant concern about the deep political divide that just seems to keep getting worse.

All of that translates into mental health problems for large segments of the population. 67% of those surveyed in that study reported feeling somewhat or very overwhelmed by the totality of everything mentioned in the previous paragraph. 47% reported high levels of frequent anxiety. 44% reported experiencing a prolonged sense of sadness. 39% were angry.

Although there is evidence of all of that in the Christian community as well, I believe Christians are doing much better than the overall public in terms of good mental health, and I believe a big part of the reason is prayer. It’s what the Apostle Paul wrote about in Philippians 4:6-7, the more we pray the better we handle things.

This is important. How can we savor our time, how can we enjoy and appreciate the gift of life and the moments of our lives, if we’re stressed-out and anxious all the time? We need to pray more so we can worry less. Hebrews 12:2 reminds us, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith …” And in Isaiah 26:3 (NKJV) we find the promise, “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.”

The world is a mess, but Jesus isn’t. Jesus will give us peace that transcends all the issues we are faced with, a peace that will guard our heart and mind.

Let’s pray more so we can worry less.

God Bless,
Pastor Jim