Oak Hill Baptist Church

The hope for peace

Good Morning Everyone,

Our theme for this month: “The power of hope”

Our Bible verse for today: “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you.” John 14:27 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “With Jesus there is always the hope for peace.”

Let’s face it, there’s not a lot of peace in the world today. According to the United Nations, at any given time there are approximately 120 armed conflicts taking place between nations and warring factions worldwide. Then there are the smaller acts of violence and conflict that take place in cities and towns all across the world – everything from armed robberies, rapes, murders and more. Then there are an incalculable number of fights and arguments going on between individual people. Nope, there’s not a lot of peace to be found in this world.

And yet, Jesus said He came to give us peace – His peace. So, is there evidence for the peace of Jesus in the world? Yes, I believe there’s plenty of evidence of it.

First, the peace of Jesus begins in the individual heart. My favorite evangelistic tool is Billy Graham’s little booklet “Steps to Peace with God.” Not only is it a clear and concise presentation of the plan of salvation, but I love the title, “Steps to Peace with God”. I want that. Everybody wants that. To be at peace with God is the starting place to being at peace with yourself, and then with the people around you. Getting right with Jesus will do that.

Once a person is at peace with God, then peace can then begin to spread. It spreads into the relationships you have with those closest to you, and then to those you meet. Eventually, it can spread exponentially as they then share His peace with others. Once a person has the peace of Jesus in their heart and begins to share that peace with others, there’s no telling what the impact will be.

It’s true that in many respects this is an evil, un-peaceful world. But imagine how bad it would be if it were not for the many millions of Christians already spreading the peace of Jesus in their neighborhoods, homes and workplaces. Despite all the evil and the fighting, there is also much good and much peace precisely because the peace of Jesus does reign and rule in the hearts of His followers.

With Jesus there is always the hope for peace. I encourage you to be a peacemaker today.

God Bless,
Pastor Jim

Praise Him in the prison

Good Morning Everyone,

Our theme for this month: “The power of hope”

Our Bible verse for today: “Receiving such an order, he put them into the inner prison and secured their feet in the stocks. About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.” Acts 16:24-25 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “Praise Him in the prison”

I love the scene Luke portrays for us in Acts 16:24-25. Paul and Silas were in the city of Philippi preaching the gospel. The enemies of God attacked them, severely beat them, and locked them up in the bowels of a filthy, stinking prison – with their feet in stocks so they couldn’t even move. Pretty tough stuff! They had been whipped until their backs were a bloody mess. Now they were sitting motionless with their feet locked in stocks for hours and hours.

How did they respond? The verse says that they sat there and had themselves a two-man worship service. They prayed and sang loud praises to God and witnessed to the other prisoners. Wow! Apparently they knew something about how to handle tough times.

Once, on a mission trip to the province of Transylvania in central Romania, our team was conducting free medical and dental clinics in remote Gypsy villages. In one village a little old lady invited some of us to come to her home. She was old, short, hunched-over, and had a weather-worn face. Her home was a small, dark, two room house that was made of cement and mud. The floor was concrete, the home was sparsely furnished, she was obviously very poor, and there was no indoor plumbing.

We sat at her table as she offered us cookies and a drink. She was a Christian and loved to talk about the Lord and as we talked, she absolutely glowed with joy and enthusiasm. Even in the midst of her grinding poverty she was joyful and generous, and she was a wonderful little host. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit with her.

What Paul, Silas, and that little Gypsy grandmother all illustrate is the tremendous joy and peace followers of Christ can have – even in the middle of dark and desperate circumstances. It’s the “Victory in Jesus” that we love to sing about in our churches.

Periodically in life we all go through those prison experiences. Oh, you may not be locked-up in a dungeon with your feet in the stocks, but there are many other kinds of life experiences which are dark and difficult and prison-like – serious illness, unemployment, a struggling marriage, rebellious children, etc.

Regardless of the “prison” you may find yourself in you can choose to praise Him in the middle of it. Just like with Paul and Silas and the little Gypsy grandmother, the hope and joy you have in the Lord will raise your own spirits, as well as the spirits of others around you. It may even cause them to desire the faith which you have.

You can praise Him in the prison.

God Bless,
Pastor Jim

The Bible is our dependable source of hope

Good Morning Everyone,

Our theme for this month: “The power of hope”

Our Bible verse for today: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.” Mark 13:31 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “The Bible is our dependable source of hope”

The world we live in today is confusing. If you listen to the voices of our culture it can easily seem as if black is white, up is down, what used to be immoral is now considered moral, and what used to be considered moral is now narrow-minded and bigoted. There is no standard of absolute truth and situational ethics rule the day. Worse still, what standards there are seem to be always changing.

How is a Christian to live in such a world? Do we just go along so we can get along as we try to fit in? Or, do we swim against the cultural tide and endure the constant resistance? Or perhaps we should withdraw to a cave in the desert or a remote mountaintop and hope that Jesus comes back soon. Is the situation hopeless?

The answer of course is that we are not to give-in, fit-in, or run away. Instead, we are to be actively involved in the world around us and we are to be bold and confident advocates for the truth of God’s Word. We are to be “salt and light” in a world that is shrouded in spiritual darkness.

The way we do that is we stand firm on the absolute truth of God’s Word. It is the inerrant (without error), infallible (incapable of error) always dependable, and always relevant truth from God and it applies to all people, in all places, at all times. And it does not change.

The Bible is our moral and spiritual compass which always points us to true north, and God gave it to us so we can know His will and His ways. Culturally, morally, and spiritually we need never be confused or at a loss for direction because God makes His will and His ways clear to us in His written Word.

Yes, this is a crazy and mixed-up world. And yes, we can often find ourselves faced with challenging and confusing choices, but our situation is far from hopeless. The Bible is our source of hope. We need to know it, we need to follow it, and we need to share its truths with others. It really is true that the Word of God is a lamp unto our feet (Psalm 119:105). And since that’s true, it gives us the sure and confident hope we need for living in a broken, bleeding, and confusing world.

God Bless,
Pastor Jim

We have the hope of guidance from God

Good Morning Everyone,

Our theme for this month: “The power of hope”

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

Our thought for today: “We have the hope of guidance from God.”

In the Bible God has promised that if we seek Him, He will not leave us wandering aimlessly through life without direction. This is a theme woven all throughout both the Old and New Testaments. We find it promised in many passages. “Call to Me and I will answer you …” says the Lord in Jeremiah 33:3. James 1:5 tells us, “Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously …” And in Proverbs 3:5-6 we read, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; think about Him in all your ways, and He will guide you on the right paths.”

When you’re confused, when you need direction and guidance, the Lord will speak to you. It’s true. But it is incumbent on you to seek that guidance – and that’s where the problem usually lies. It’s been my experience as a Pastor that although many people do want direction and guidance from God, not many actually do the work necessary to put themselves in a position before God whereby He can speak to them. Often, in a brief and hurried prayer a person will say something to God about needing guidance or insight, but then they just leave it there and they don’t pursue it any further. Or, they think that in response to that brief prayer there will be a profound and unmistakable response from God – a clear and audible voice, or a miraculous and unmistakable intervention, or an angel who appears in a dream. But that’s not usually how it happens.

How do we hear from God? In many different ways, but there are some things we can and should do to help us hear from Him. We do have to make the effort to do the things that place us in a position before God whereby He can and will speak to us.

First, spend lots of time in focused prayer on the specific subject. Second, search the Bible regarding the specific subject you are dealing with and let Him speak to you through the written Word. Third, consider your current circumstances as they pertain to the specific subject, and look for a pattern of God’s activity in your life that may point to the present and the future. Fourth, get good counsel (preferably from your pastor or from a mature Christian friend or two). Fifth, understand that God’s answers are usually subtle and require us to pay attention and to be discerning.

As Christians we do have the hope and the promise of being guided and directed by God. But we also have to put forth the effort to truly seek Him. We have to pray; we need to search the Bible; we need to look for patterns in God’s activity in our lives; and we have to get good counsel, because those are the ways in which He will probably speak to us. With God you can have the confident assurance that in His way and in His time, He will guide and direct you.

God Bless,
Pastor Jim

In the worst of times, our hope is found in God

Good Morning Everyone,

Our theme for this month: “The power of hope”

Our Bible verse for today: “Why am I so depressed? Why this turmoil within me? Put your hope in God, for I will still praise Him.” Psalm 42:5 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “In the worst of times, our hope is found in God.”

In Psalm 42 the writer was depressed. The issues of life were closing in on him and he was struggling. Have you ever been there? Struggling with life issues that seem to never end? One issue gets resolved and a new one rolls right in to take its place? How did you feel? Did you heave an exasperated sigh, slump your shoulders, kick some dirt in disgust, and give-in to despair? Those would be normal human emotions and it would understandable for you to feel that way. For a short time. But it wouldn’t be okay to stay there.

One of the leaders in our generation whom I have admired for many years is former Secretary of State and former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Colin Powell. He once wrote a book with the title, “My American Journey”. In it he included a list of life and leadership principles he has used to guide his own life, and which he has taught to many others. That list has come to be known as “Powell’s Principles”. One of those principles reads “I am capable of self-pity, but not for long.” Another is “It isn’t as bad as you think. It will look better in the morning.” And, “Optimism is a force multiplier”.

This is what the Psalmist was teaching in Psalm 42. He began by writing about his deep longing to experience God in the middle of his times of struggle. Vs 1-2: “As a deer longs for flowing steams, so I long for you, God. When can I come and appear before God?” He was also realistic about what he was dealing with and how he was feeling. Vs 3: “My tears have been my food day and night, while all day long people say to me, ‘Where is your God?’”

Poor guy. Not only did he feel dejected and abandoned, wondering where God was in the middle of all this, but the people around him were evidently wondering the same thing, “Where is this God of yours while you’re going through all this? Why doesn’t He rescue and deliver you?”

It was okay for the Psalmist to be thinking those things and to be feeling that way – for a short time. As long as he didn’t stay there wallowing in it. So, in verses 4-5 we read of him putting on his big boy pants, remembering God’s faithfulness in the past, and resolving to trust Him going forward: “I remember this as I pour out my heart: how I walked with many, leading the festive procession to the house of God, with joyful and thankful shouts. Why, my soul, are you so dejected? Why are you in such turmoil? Put your hope in God, for I will still praise him, my Savior and my God.”

It’s okay to feel bad about bad circumstances. You don’t have to fake it and pretend those things don’t matter. They do matter. Just don’t allow yourself to slip into a pit of despair or to become absorbed by self-pity. When we’re struggling with the issues of life, the right answer is always to turn our eyes upon Jesus and look to Him for help and for hope.

God Bless,
Pastor Jim

Faith in God gives us hope

Good Morning Everyone,

Our theme for this month: “The power of hope”

Our Bible verse for today: ““We are pressured 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 4:8-9 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “Faith in God gives us hope in tough times”

The apostle Paul knew something about facing difficult times. There was rarely a time in his ministry years when he wasn’t being opposed, ridiculed, persecuted, sick, attacked, or imprisoned. He was constantly being pressured in numerous ways and from many sides, but he was never crushed. He was sometimes perplexed, and the way forward may have seemed uncertain, but he did not despair. He was frequently persecuted, but he never felt abandoned. And often times he was struck down – he was struck down in terms of his ministry efforts being cut off as he was run out of town; he was struck down in terms of being imprisoned; and he was struck down physically when he was sick or when he was beaten and stoned – but none of that could destroy him.

Whew! Paul endured a lot. So how did he do it? How did he stay strong and focused and encouraged? He answered that for us in numerous places in his Biblical writings but perhaps nowhere more clearly than in Philippians 4:11-13: “…for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know both how to have a little, and I know how to have 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 can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”

Paul’s rock-solid faith in the Lord carried him through. He continually relied on Christ. He kept his eyes on Jesus and he trusted in God for provision, protection, and deliverance. His faith and his hope were in God.

Periodically we all face difficult times. Maybe ours aren’t as bad as Paul’s were, or perhaps sometimes they’re even worse. But in all cases, we can count on the Lord to walk through it with us. You may feel pressured, perplexed and persecuted; but you do not have to feel despair, crushed, abandoned or destroyed.

If your faith is in God then you have reason to hope.

God Bless,
Pastor Jim

You can be a source of hope for others

Good Morning Everyone,

Our theme for this month: “The power of hope”

Our Bible verse for today: “In the same way, let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “You can be a source of hope for others”

The great Christian writer Oswald Chambers once observed: “When we meet extra goodness we feel amazingly hopeful about everybody, and when we meet extra badness we feel exactly the opposite.” That’s true. Our attitude, demeanor, and conduct make more of an impression and has a greater impact on others than we realize, and extra goodness is something people in our society need to see a lot more of right now.

In Matthew 5:13-16, which is part of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus was talking about the difference His followers should make in the ordinary everyday ebb and flow of life. He taught that our presence in society should be like salt in meat – it should act as a preservative that prevents it from spoiling and rotting. Then He taught that we should be like a lantern shining spiritual light into dark places. Finally, in verse 16, He says that our good works should shine for all to see and thereby bring glory to God.

When we conduct ourselves in the manner Jesus described, it brings glory to God and it impacts everyone around us in good and positive ways. That’s what Oswald Chambers was writing about. When people see the amazing goodness that Jesus brings out in us, it gives them hope that there is still much good left in this world.

This is especially important in the days we’re living in today. People are angry and loud and sometimes resorting to violence to make their points. Recently I’ve heard some Christians (on both the political right and the political left), argue that it’s reasonable and even necessary for Christians to act that way too, and that we’re being timid if we’re not angry and loud, and maybe even violent.

I disagree. We have no New Testament basis for doing that. There are no passages of New Testament Scripture, no New Testament principles, and no New Testament examples that could be used to justify that kind of conduct on the part of Christians. Jesus, the disciples, and the Apostle Paul all modeled the exact opposite as they dealt with the difficult issues of their day (and they certainly were not timid).

In 1 Peter 3:15-16 we’re told, “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 …” In Colossians 4:6 Paul tells us, “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer each person.” So, be bold, speak up, speak truth, and do so without apology, but be respectful and gracious as you’re doing it. That’s what Jesus meant in His illustration of salt and light and it’s what Jesus, the apostles, and Paul all modeled for us.

This does not mean that Christians can’t engage in peaceful protest and reasoned discourse to express and advocate for our concerns – of course we can. As citizens and as Christians we have the constitutional and Biblical right to do that. But angry confrontations and riotous, violent actions? No. There’s simply no New Testament scripture, principle, or model that allows for that.

Jesus intends for our good example to bless and inspire people, and to remind them that there is still much good in the world. In the midst of a society that’s awash in anger and conflict, I encourage you to be the source of extra goodness that Oswald Chambers wrote about, the salt and light that Jesus taught of. You can be a source of hope and encouragement for others by the way you conduct yourself. I hope you will be.

God Bless,
Pastor Jim

We have great hope in Christ

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “The power of hope”

Our Bible verse for today: “Therefore since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us, and run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith.” Hebrews 12:1-2 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “Our hope is in Christ”

The dictionary defines “nostalgia” as “a bittersweet longing for the past.” It’s a longing for the past because our memories of it are sweet. But nostalgia is also often a bitter sentiment because we miss those times and find ourselves wishing we could relive them, or that the present was more like the past.

And so, we have classic car shows, and 60’s music on the radio, and the Andy Griffith Bible Study series, and antique shops in every town. Reruns of the television shows we watched as kids are popular, and so are High School reunions. There is often much about the past that we would like to carry with us into the future. There’s also much to be found in history that we would like to reproduce for ourselves and others in the present and in the future.

In his letter to the Hebrews the writer meant to encourage and exhort his readers. In chapter 11 he took them on a tour of the “Faith Hall of Fame”. In that chapter he reminded his readers of some the great saints of the past. He wrote of their exploits and their profound examples of faithfulness in trying times. Basically, he was being nostalgic. He was recalling the past for his readers and holding it up as something admirable.

But then, once he has helped us to thoughtfully ponder those memories from the past, in chapter 12 he launches right into soaring exhortation by urging us to use those memories and examples from the past as a catalyst for our own current and future faithfulness. He urges his readers to run their own race with perseverance, keeping their eyes on the goal of attaining Christlikeness. The successes of the past provide hope for the present and for the future.

Reliving the past can be good or bad depending on what memories from the past we dwell on, and the impact they have on us. As Christians we have a rich history. Christianity from ages past is filled with examples of great faithfulness and personal victories. Whether those were your own successes and victories or those of others, the point is that the Holy Spirit did it then, can do it now, and will do it again in the future.

Just fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of your faith. Then keep moving forward because there is great hope in Christ.

God Bless,
Pastor Jim

We start with hope when we start with God

Good Morning Everyone,

Our theme for this month: “The power of hope”

Our Bible verse for today: “I rise before dawn and cry out for help; I put my hope in your word.” Psalm 119:147 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “We start with hope when we start with God.”

Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible. It’s also a beautiful and powerful testimony to the value of spending time listening to God through the reading of His word. For 176 verses the writer goes on and on about how much he loves reading the law of God, how much he has learned from it, how much he depends on it, and what great hope he draws from it. This was written by a man who appreciated and valued his time with the Lord.

Billy Graham is reported to have once said “If I don’t start my day with God, I meet Satan around every corner all day long.”

Amen brother.

Like the Psalmist and like Billy Graham, I too have found that I need to start my day with God. As I consider the busyness and the challenges that lay before me each day it can sometimes seem overwhelming. But if I first spend time in Bible study and prayer, and then lay out my day before the Lord and invite Him to set my agenda for me, I get peace and purpose and direction. I’m also inspired to approach the day with the sure confidence that God is with me. I know that every place I go, every situation I enter into, God is already there and He has prepared both me and the circumstances so that His will may be done. And so, I approach the day with hope.

The same reasoning applies to starting the week by participating in a group worship service and in fellowship with other Christians. Gathering with our church family refocuses our minds, nurtures our souls, lifts our spirits, and prepares us to go back out into the world refreshed, recharged, and ready for the new week. Starting the week in this manner is so important, that the writer of the letter to the Hebrews tells us in Hebrews 10:25 that we shouldn’t miss these gatherings. Just as beginning your day with God prepares you for the new day, beginning your week with God and with other Christians prepares you for the new week.

The Bible tells us that God is for us. He is active and involved in our lives. He has a plan and a purpose He is working out in us, and with us, and through us. And in the process, He will give us help and He will give us hope.

We start with hope when we start with God.

God Bless,
Pastor Jim

Pay attention to the desires of your heart

Good Morning Everyone,

Our theme for this month: “The power of hope”

Our Bible verse for today: “For I know the plans I have for you – this is the Lord’s declaration – plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “Pay attention to the desires of your heart.”

Over the years of providing counseling services, I’ve worked with lots of Christians who were unhappy with the direction their lives had taken. In many of those cases the person had an interest and a passion they would have liked to have pursued, but instead they gave in to pressure from parents, siblings, friends, and others to travel a path different from where their heart was pointing them. Or, they let practicality dictate their direction in life.

So, the boy with a passion for art ends up becoming an electrical engineer because that’s what his father thought he should be – and he’s miserable. Or the girl who desperately wanted to be a dancer went to school instead to become an accountant, because people told her it was a more sensible career, and now she spends the rest of her life wondering what might have been.

Perhaps God does want you to be an electrical engineer, or an accountant, or a whatever … but maybe not. Maybe that desire in your heart was placed there by Him and if you don’t follow it, you’ll end up with a life that is less than what He wanted for you.

Jeremiah 29:11 clues us into the fact that God has a wonderful plan and a unique purpose for each individual life. Usually, we get intimations of that plan and purpose through the desires of the heart. The things we love and are most interested in are usually the things we would be most successful at and which would give us the happiest and fullest life.

Unfortunately, many people ignore the desires of their heart and surrender instead to pressure from others, or to a sense of what seems to be most practical. As author John Eldredge once noted, “They end up living a script written for them by others and in the process, they leave their hearts behind”.

Many years ago, Pastor Rick Warren wrote a wonderful book entitled “The Purpose Driven Life”. It’s a forty-day devotional study designed to help you identify the passion God has created in you, and then to live from that. As Christians we have the confident assurance that God has a unique purpose for us as an individual. It’s essential for us to discover that purpose and for that to be the thing that drives us. God said, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for good ….”

Whether you’re twenty or eighty, if you’re still breathing then God isn’t done with you yet. He has a plan for the remaining days, weeks, months, and years of your life, and the desire of your heart is a key to discovering that plan.

God Bless,
Pastor Jim