Good Morning Everyone,   Our theme for this month: “Resilience”   Our Bible verse for today: “I lift up my eyes to the hills – where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.”  Psalm 121:1 (NIV)   Our thought for today: “Reject learned helplessness and the easy path of victimhood.”   Pastor John Ortberg tells of a research project conducted at the University of Pennsylvania in the 1960s. Lab animals were put in a box and given small shocks. At first, they moved and jumped and tried to get away from the source of the shock, but to no avail. No matter what they did or where they moved to, the shocks still came. Soon they learned to stop trying and to just accept the shocks. Then they were moved to another box where they could avoid the shocks by simply moving a few steps in another direction. But they didn’t even try. Instead, they continued to accept the shocks even though they didn’t have to. It was learned helplessness. They had a sense of helplessness that they had learned through their previous circumstances and even though the circumstances had changed, they still believed they were helpless to do anything to improve their situation.   People get like that too. They learn to believe they are helpless. Then they convince themselves that they are victims. And then they stop trying. This results in low emotional intelligence (the opposite of what we were discussing in yesterday’s devotional). It also results in a sad life lived well below the potential of the individual. This is not a thriving individual who is living life well.     Resilient Christians reject learned helplessness. They reject the easy path of victimhood. The way they do that was discussed in an earlier devotional in this series regarding the importance of maintaining a positive attitude. That lesson taught us that although we don’t always have control over what happens to us, but we do always have control over how we respond to what happens to us.   For instance, you can refuse to give-in or to give-up. It really is true that nothing is over until you give-up. Therefore, as long as you refuse to give-up, you can still find ways to make your situation better. This is the attitude the Psalmist was expressing in Psalm 121:1. He knew that there was always help and hope waiting for him if he would turn in faith and expectation to the Lord. Maybe his circumstances would get better, but even if they didn’t, the Lord would give him the strength and courage to deal with his circumstances in a dignified and noble manner. There is no giving-in or giving-up, no learned helplessness or victimhood, in the words of Psalm 121:1.   I encourage you to reject learned helplessness and the easy path of victimhood. Do not give-in or give-up. With the Lord there is always help and there is always hope!   God Bless, Pastor Jim

Copyright © 2021 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved.

Good Morning Everyone,   Our theme for this month: “Resilience”   Our Bible verse for today: “For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.” Proverbs 2:6 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “Develop your emotional intelligence”   “Emotional intelligence” is a concept developed by psychologist Daniel Goleman and published in his ground-breaking 1995 book by the same title.   It’s been common knowledge for much of human history that people with high IQs often do not do well in life. They’re very smart in terms of knowledge, quick thinking, and the ability to grasp complex concepts and to solve difficult problems, but often those same people seem to have little common sense, they sometimes have poor communication and relational skills, and therefore they struggle in life – sometimes tragically so. In his research Goleman discovered why that it. It’s the difference between intellectual intelligence and emotional intelligence.   Goleman discovered that humans effectively have two minds – the rational mind and the emotional mind. The rational mind gathers and processes information and solves problems. The emotional mind governs feelings, moods, instincts, judgment, and decision-making. Emotional intelligence includes many of the factors that combine to create the Biblically resilient individual we’ve been thinking about this month – the person with self-awareness, self-discipline, empathy, optimism, hope, compassion, trust, and faith. It’s the wisdom and knowledge of Proverbs 2:6.   Emotional intelligence is a different way of being smart and it’s actually the more important of the two. People with high intellectual intelligence often flounder in life and consequently end up unhappy. People with high emotional intelligence may have modest IQs by comparison, but yet seem to do surprisingly well in life.   Would it surprise you to learn that God is more interested in your emotional intelligence than He is in your intellectual intelligence? Can you see the correlation between emotional intelligence and Biblical virtues?   Resilient Christians have a high level of emotional intelligence and as a result they tend to thrive in life. And here’s the good news: emotional intelligence can be learned and developed. That’s exactly what we’re doing all this month through these daily devotionals and I’m eager to continue exploring this subject with you. Tomorrow we’ll consider another interesting concept known as “learned helplessness”. Learned helplessness is common problem and is a product of low emotional intelligence – but there is help and hope for it. We’ll think more about that tomorrow.   God Bless, Pastor Jim

Copyright © 2021 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved.

Good Morning Everyone,   Our theme for this month: “Resilience”   Our Bible verse for today: “Then Caleb quieted the people in the presence of Moses and said, “Let’s go up now and take possession of the land because we can certainly conquer it!” Numbers 13:30 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “Hope gives us confidence”   This morning I want to return to our thought from yesterday regarding hope and the fact that hope is more than just optimism because it is rooted in something deeper. Optimism involves having a positive outlook and living with the expectation of good things to come. “Hope”, as used in the Bible, is one step beyond optimism because it is rooted in faith and trust in God.   Caleb and Joshua had that kind of hope. That’s what we read about in Numbers chapter thirteen. Twelve spies had been sent out by Moses to survey the Promised Land and to bring back a report. What they discovered was exactly what God had promised – it was a beautiful land filled with promise and great potential. It was everything God said it would be, and more. But there was a problem. The people living in the land were big and strong and well-armed. Ten of the spies returned afraid and unwilling to go forward. They said, “We seemed like grasshoppers compared to them!”   Caleb and Joshua saw the same thing, but from a different perspective. While the ten saw the challenge and they panicked, Caleb and Joshua saw the promise and they rejoiced. The ten were focused on the size of their enemies, Caleb and Joshua were focused on the size of their God. The ten had fear, Caleb and Joshua had hope – hope in the Biblical sense of strong faith and full trust in God. Theirs was the eager expectation of good things to come. It was optimism plus God.   Hope gives us confidence as we look to the future. Strong faith and full trust in God help us to see the promise rather than the problems. Resilient people live with hope and therefore resilient people live with confidence.   As you gather with your church family for worship tomorrow, I encourage you to do so with a great sense of hope – celebrating your faith and trust in Almighty God. We live in tough times right now and there are some challenges in front of us, but God is bigger than our challenges. So, we can face the future with confidence and with the eager expectation of good things to come.   God Bless, Pastor Jim

Copyright © 2021 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved.

Good Morning Everyone,   Our theme for this month: “Resilience”   Our Bible verse for today: “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you may know what is the hope of his calling, what is the wealth of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the mighty working of his strength.” Ephesians 1:18-19 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “Keep your fork because the best is yet to come.”   I once read a story about a woman who was buried with a fork in her hand. It’s true. As her friends came to view her body laid out in the casket they were surprised and confused to see a fork in her hand.   Later, in the sermon, the preacher explained that the fork was there at her request. You see, this fine lady had been a good Southern Baptist her entire life and she was a member of the First Baptist Church of the Covered Dish. They were famous for their potlucks and if you’ve even been to a Southern Baptist potluck, then you know that the best part is the dessert table. So, once the dishes are cleared away after the main course you “keep your fork” because “the best is yet to come”. For this woman the symbol of the fork was a reminder that even in death, “the best is yet to come” because she had the promise of heaven waiting for her. She lived with that hope and she then died with that hope – and she had fun with it in the process!   Resilient Christians learn to live with hope – with the expectation that the best is yet to come. That’s their attitude about eternity in heaven, but it’s also their attitude about all of life. Resilient Christians have great faith in the sovereignty, love, and goodness of God. They know that God is watching over them, guiding them, and fulfilling His good and perfect plan for them. Therefore, they live with hope and with the eager expectation of good things to come. That’s what Paul was saying in Ephesians 1:18-19. His prayer for his readers was that they would learn to live with hope.   In his book “If You Want to Walk on Water You’ve Got to Get Out of The Boat” pastor John Ortberg writes, “Hope is the fuel that the human heart runs on … Hope includes all the psychological advantages of optimism, but it is rooted in something deeper.” He was writing about spiritual living. People who have learned to live with hope focus on more than just the issues of the moment. They have learned that with God there is always a higher purpose and there is always something more and better waiting for them. So, they have hope (optimism, but at a deeper level).   I encourage you to train yourself in the habit of being hopeful. Learn to live beyond optimism. God is good, all the time, and your future is bright.   God Bless, Pastor Jim

Copyright © 2021 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved.

Good Morning Everyone,   Our theme for this month: “Resilience”   Our Bible verse for today: “But have nothing to do with pointless and silly myths. Rather, train yourself in godliness. For the training of the body has limited benefit, but godliness is beneficial in every way, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.” 1 Timothy 4:7-8 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “Train your habits”   This morning I want to return to our discussion from yesterday regarding the habit of excellence and the important role it plays in the resilient life. I said that excellence is a learned habit. That’s true, but it’s true of all habits. Habits, be they good or bad, are learned behaviors. That means that they can also be unlearned and replaced with new and better habits.   In his book “Resilience” former Navy SEAL and former Governor Eric Greitens, writing about the importance of habits in a letter to a friend, shared a helpful insight about the nature of habits and the impact they have on a life. He wrote: “Your life has a natural point of aim. It flies in the direction of your habits. To change the direction of your life, you have to reset your habits … You have enormous potential to create yourself … When a habit has become so ingrained that actions begin to flow from you without conscious thought or effort, then you have changed your character … If we are intentional about what we repeatedly do, we can practice who we want to become. And through practice, we can become who we want to be.”   I don’t think Greitens was intending to be Biblical when he shared that advice with his friend but he was none-the-less. That was the exact point Paul was making to his young protégé Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:7-8 – we can train our habits in order to become the person we can and should be. Our life will fly in the direction of our habits. Train yourself for godliness by practicing godly habits, and overtime you will transform into a godly person. Train yourself in habits that are consistent with a resilient life, and over time you will become more resilient.   Training yourself to be optimistic instead of pessimistic is one of the habits that will lead to a more resilient life. Practicing excellence in the small things so that you will also be excellent in the big things, is also a resilient trait. Tomorrow we will think about the role hope plays in developing and maintaining a life that is resilient (thriving).   God Bless, Pastor Jim

Copyright © 2021 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved.

Good Morning Everyone,   Our theme for this month: “Resilience”   Our Bible verse for today: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” Colossians 3:23 (NIV)   Our thought for today: “Be excellent”   When I went to Navy bootcamp in 1971 I was a kid of seventeen with little self-discipline. So imagine my shock when I discovered that I had to make my bunk with precision – with perfectly squared corners and sheets pulled so tight that a quarter would bounce off of them. There was also an exact spot on the floor that I had to stand at attention on, and my toes couldn’t be off by even a fraction of an inch. The tee shirts and boxers in my locker had to be folded to exact specifications (the drill instructor would actually pull out a ruler and measure the dimensions of the folded boxers to verify that I had done it exactly right).   At the time it all seemed thoroughly ridiculous to me and I thought it was an absurd waste of time. Later I realized that they weren’t really teaching me how to properly fold underwear. Instead, they were teaching me how to pay attention to detail and to strive for excellence, even in the small things. Because, in order to achieve excellence in the big things you must first have the habit of being excellent in the small things. Excellence is not an exception reserved only for big and important matters, it’s a prevailing attitude that characterizes how a person approaches life. A person who strives for excellence in the small things will also achieve excellence in the big things. Excellence is a habit, it’s a way of life, and it can be learned.   Remember our definition of resilience – it’s more than simple perseverance, it’s more than just sticking with something and getting through it. A resilient person thrives as they persevere; a resilient person learns and grows and becomes better as they continue to achieve; a resilient person is optimistic, approaching their tasks with enthusiasm and eagerness; a resilient person isn’t content with being mediocre or average. The pursuit of excellence is part of the resilient life, and it’s a habit that can be learned.   I encourage you to strive for excellence in all that you do. That doesn’t mean you need to be a perfectionist. But it does mean that you shouldn’t be willing to settle for less than your best. That’s what Paul was teaching in Colossians 3:23 – whatever you do, do it with all your heart because you’re doing it for the Lord, and He deserves your best. We’ll think more tomorrow about how to develop habits that lead to excellence.   God Bless, Pastor Jim

Copyright © 2021 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved.

Good Morning Everyone,   Our theme for this month: “Resilience”   Our Bible verse for today: “For when David had served God’s purposes in his own generation, he fell asleep …” Acts 13:36 (NIV)   Our thought for today: “On a mission from God”   One of my favorite movies from the 1980s was the comedy “The Blues Brothers”. It starred John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd and was about two hapless brothers, Jake and Elwood Blues. After being released from prison, Jake reunites with his little brother Elwood. Soon afterwards they learn that the Catholic orphanage where they were raised was in danger of being shut down because it owed $5000 in back taxes. So, Jake and Elwood decide they’re going to get their old band back together, “The Blues Brothers”, and they were going to raise the money by playing gigs in bars. Their much-repeated reason for doing so was “We’re on a mission from God”.   It was a funny movie but one which actually highlights an important characteristic that is almost always true of resilient Christians – they’re on a mission from God. Resilient Christians have direction and purpose in life. They know who they are, what they’re doing, and why they’re doing it. A resilient Christian has a reason for living and they know they’re needed by others.   Having a worthy cause to be involved in is essential in all seasons of life. In Acts 13:36 we read about King David and how his life was characterized by purpose and direction. He was on a mission from God and he knew it. That sense of purpose and direction filled his days until his dying day, and it kept him going. It wasn’t until that purpose was fully fulfilled that God called him home to heaven.   We all need a reason for living that gets us out of bed in the morning and keeps us moving through life with eagerness and enthusiasm. It could be a call to vocational ministry; or it could be a career that you love and which is fulfilling and rewarding; or your purpose can be raising your children or being active in the lives of your grandchildren. It can be your ministry at church, or your involvement in civic organizations. The nature of the purpose will vary widely from individual to individual but the truth is still the same – we need to be needed. We need challenges in life and worthy causes to be involved in. It’s good for us.   A key to being a resilient Christian is to have a sense of direction and purpose. If you don’t already have your own “mission from God”, I encourage you to get one. Regardless of the season of life you’re in there are always many ways to be active and involved, making a difference for the cause of Christ and for the good of others.   God Bless, Pastor Jim

Copyright © 2021 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved.

Good Morning Everyone,   Our theme for this month: “Resilience”   Our Bible verse for today: “I am able to do all things through him who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “Optimism is a force multiplier”   There’s an old leadership principle used in both the military and in the corporate world which states, “Optimism is a force multiplier”. As we approach any situation, we must do our best to plan and prepare, and we should bring all the forces or resources we have to bear on the situation. But it’s also vital to approach the situation optimistically, expecting a good outcome. A healthy dose of optimism multiplies your efforts and increases the impact of every other resource you bring to bear on the situation. Optimism is a force multiplier – in the military, in the business world, and in life.   A university once conducted a study regarding the long-term academic performance of incoming freshmen over the course of their four years in college. They discovered that an optimistic attitude about their studies was a much better indicator of academic performance than was SAT scores. Likewise, the American Heart Association conducted a study of men who had suffered similar kinds of heart attacks. They sought to determine which kinds of men were most likely to have long-term recovery and survival. They measured factors like improved diet and exercise, but they also evaluated attitudes. They discovered that those who were optimistic about their recovery prospects were 300 percent more likely to have good recovery and long-term survival.   Resilient Christians train themselves to be optimistic. First, they resolve to do their best in all situations, thereby ensuring that they have done their part to be successful. Then they also pray hard and seek guidance from the Bible and from other Christians. But once they have done those things, they then trust the Lord and they expect good outcomes. Pastor and author Gordon MacDonald once termed it “vital optimism”. “Vital” as in “urgent”, but also “vital” as in “alive, energetic, and thriving.” Resilient Christians are alive, energetic, and thriving – briming with optimism and the expectation of good things to come.   Remember, how we think about things matters. We tend to attract to ourselves the outcomes we expect. I encourage you to train yourself to be optimistic. Expect good things.   God Bless, Pastor Jim

Copyright © 2021 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved.

Good Morning Everyone,   Our theme for this month: “Resilience”   Our Bible verse for today: “Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and bless his name. For the Lord is good, and his faithful love endures forever; his faithfulness, through all generations.” Psalm 100:4-5 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “Feed your soul”   It’s been a tough week for us here in the USA. We’re still in the middle of a surging pandemic; the economy is still struggling, with millions unemployed; and a very nasty Presidential election cycle came to disastrous conclusion with an angry mob actually storming the halls of Congress. Virtually all Americans are grieved that it came to that. Some feel strongly that the election was stolen from their candidate, others feel just as strongly that it wasn’t. Either way, as a nation we are all hurting and we need to heal.   First, we need spiritual healing – we need to feed and nurture our souls. We need to take some steps to reorient ourselves. The social, economic, and political issues of our day are vitally important and we should be concerned about them. And yet, there’s a higher and more important reality to consider. As Christians we are citizens of whatever country we live in on earth, but we’re citizens of the kingdom of God first. We should be concerned about and involved in the issues of the day in whatever society we live in, but we should be more focused on the Kingdom of God.   And therein lies the good news for us. Despite what’s happening in the USA at the moment, the kingdom of God, which we’re a part of, is doing just fine. In Matthew 16:18 Jesus told us that He would build His church and all the forces of hell would not prevent it. That has proven to be true. The Church has survived and thrived for over two thousand years. It has transcended cultures, borders, languages, generations, and changes in government. Today there are more Christians in the world than at any previous time in history. This is what the Psalmist was referring to in Psalm 100:5 when he wrote, “For the Lord is good, and his faithful love endures forever; his faithfulness, through all generations.” “Through all generations …” That’s why regardless of social, political, economic, or any other issues of the day, God’s people throughout the generations have joyfully gone to their places of worship to praise God, to engage in discipleship, to fellowship with one another, and to grow spiritually.   Resilient Christians stay resilient by nurturing their souls. They come together with brothers and sisters in Christ in their houses of worship and they feed their souls on praise, worship, study, and fellowship. That keeps them strong and it keeps the Church growing despite all turbulence, the ups and downs, and sometimes even chaos, of events in the world.   I encourage you to do that this Sunday. You need it. Your soul needs it. Attend your own church, or join us at Oak Hill Baptist Church in-person, or online on Facebook, or on the church website at http://www.oakhillbaptist.net. The worship service begins at 10:00. In the sermon I will talk more about what happened this past week and how we as the Church can most effectively help our nation to heal. I hope you’ll join us.   God Bless, Pastor Jim

Copyright © 2021 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved.

Good Morning Everyone,   Our theme for this month: “Resilience”   Our Bible verse for today: “Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, what is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable – if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy – dwell on these things.” Philippians 4:8 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “Feed your mind.”   In his great little book, “If You Want to Walk on Water You’ve Got to Get Out of The Boat” Pastor John Ortberg made the statement, “People are often astoundingly cavalier about the way they treat their minds.” He was writing about the truth that how we act is determined by how we think, and how we think is determined by what we feed our minds. But people are often very careless about taking care of the mind. We allow a lot of junk into it.   This is important because how you think creates your attitudes, shapes your emotions, and determines your behavior. Everything about you flows from your mind, and the condition of your mind is determined by what you put into it. Bad influences produce bad thoughts which produce bad behaviors. Positive influences produce positive thoughts which produce positive behaviors.   This brings us back to what we were discussing the other day regarding memorizing key verses of scripture that teach some aspect of resilience. Bring those scriptures to mind frequently so you can dwell on them, visualize them, and embed them deeply into your subconscious mind. Feed your mind on Biblical truth about resilience. Resilient people are intentional about training and conditioning their minds to think in a way that will result in behaviors and outcomes that produce the kind of life they want to have. It all starts with how you think, and how you think is determined by what you put into your mind.   I encourage you to be careful and intentional about what you feed your mind. Choose influences that will help you to develop the perspectives and attitudes that will produce positive results. We’ll think more about this tomorrow.   God Bless, Pastor Jim

Copyright © 2021 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved.