Good morning everyone, Our theme for this month: “Selfcare” Our Bible verse for today: “There is an occasion for everything, and a time for every activity under heaven … a time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance.” Ecclesiastes 3:1;4 (CSB) Our thought for today: “We need a theology of play” The word theology refers to the study of God and His relation to the world – what is true about Him, how we interact with Him, and how we practice our faith. The term theology can be used in a broad sense to describe our complete understanding of our faith and practice, but it also applies in a more narrow and focused manner to individual beliefs and practices. Therefore, we have a theology of worship, and a theology of prayer, study, stewardship, service, etc. We also have a theology of work, in that we are to approach our labor as ordained by God and ultimately as an act of service to Him. In that vein, we should also have a theology of play. As Solomon teaches in Ecclesiastes chapter three there is a God-ordained time for everything under heaven. That would include our times of recreation and play. But do we think of our times of recreation and play as being ordained by God and as a gift from Him? Usually not. In fact, I submit that we are more likely to feel a little guilty about such times, as if we’re stealing time from other more important things and neglecting higher priorities to goof-off on the golf course or lake. In his wonderful little book “The Christian at Play” Dr. Robert Johnson urges Christians to develop a theology to govern our times of playing and recreation. He maintains that it was God’s idea for us to carve out time for play and recreation and that doing so is a necessary element in maintaining a healthy life overall. The human person is a complex composite of the physical, mental/emotional, and the spiritual and we must be healthy in all those ways if we are to be living our best life – balanced and thriving. Times of play and recreation are an important part of that mix and therefore in the Bible, God gives us permission to play and we see examples of His people doing exactly that. In the days to come we will consider what a personal theology of play would look like in actual practice. In the meantime, I encourage you to allow yourself some time today to do something fun. God bless, Pastor Jim (If you like what you’re reading in these daily devotionals, and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00 – in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville

Copyright © 2025 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Oak Hill Baptist Church 3036 Genesis Road Crossville, TN 38571

Good morning everyone, Our theme for this month: “Selfcare” Our Bible verse for today: “I have told you these things so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.” John 15:11 (CSB) Our thought for today: “Jesus was joyful and we should be too” For more than twenty-five years I have had a picture hanging on the wall in my office of Jesus laughing (Aimee and I also have a copy of it on the wall in our living room). It’s my favorite picture of Jesus. His head is back, He has a broad smile and a look of delight on His face, and He is clearly letting loose with a deep belly laugh. This is more than just a grin and a chuckle. This is more like holding-your-sides and trying not to pee your pants robust laughter. And I love it! As I gaze at that picture (with a grin on my own face), I wonder if Jesus was really like that. Did He laugh like that? Did He have moments (perhaps frequent moments) when He was so thoroughly enjoying Himself that He just let loose with howls of laughter? Yes. I believe He did. In John 15:11 Jesus told us that one of His objectives was to instill in us the joy that He Himself experienced. But I think when we read that statement, we might over-spiritualize it. In our quest to be pious we conclude that Jesus must have been referring to a kind of reverent, button-down, dignified, stained-glass joy (little more than a small smile and a nod of approval.) But I’m not buying that. Have you ever been to a Jewish wedding, or perhaps seen one depicted in a movie? It’s a riot. It’s loud and boisterous with fast music, clapping, singing, dancing, laughing, feasting, and wine. Lot’s of wine. Jesus went to such weddings. John chapter two tells us so. And get this, Jesus made the wine. More than 100 gallons of it, and the passage tells us that it was deemed by the master of ceremonies to be the finest of wines. The good stuff. This is a devotional not a wine commercial and my only point is that Jesus was a fun-loving person and as His followers, we should be too. We need light-hearted attitudes about life and we need what author Robert Johnson once referred to as “a theology of play.” In terms of selfcare, this is important. Therefore, we will spend the next several days exploring this idea of developing a personal theology of play. In the meantime, I encourage you to spend some time thinking about Jesus as joyful and playful, and then let His joy be your joy. God bless, Pastor Jim     (If you like what you’re reading in these daily devotionals, and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00 – in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville

Copyright © 2025 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Oak Hill Baptist Church 3036 Genesis Road Crossville, TN 38571

Good morning everyone, Our theme for this month: “Selfcare” Our Bible verse for today: “How happy are those whose way is blameless, who walk according to the Lord’s instruction! Happy are those who keep his decrees and seek him with all their heart.” Psalm 119:1-2 (CSB) Our thought for today: “Live your best life!” What’s the secret to living your best life ever? The secret is that it’s not a secret. Through the writer of Psalm 119 God told us plainly almost three thousand years ago that we would find our best life ever if we study His commands and keep them. God has a good and perfect plan for your life. Jeremiah 29:11-14 assures us of this: “For I know the plans I have for you – this is the Lord’s declaration – plans for your well-being, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. You will call to me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when your search for me with all your heart. I will be found by you …” That is exactly what the Psalmist was expressing in Psalm 119:1-2. Make the effort to know and understand and apply the principles for living found in the Word of God. Live by it. Then you will discover your best life ever. The fact is that the best life any of us will ever have is the one lived in the center of God’s will. No matter what else you accomplish in life, no matter how much wealth and possessions you accumulate, no matter how much the world sings your praises and honors you with accolades, no life will be as good as the life you could have had and can have living in the center of God’s will for you. You will also be your most effective in life when you are in the center of God’s will – living by the direction of and in the power of the Holy Spirit who lives in you. The Spirit will make you strong, tough, and resilient as you tackle the many challenges life throws at you. Let me say it again: The secret to living your best life ever is that it isn’t a secret. God has made it plain. Seek Him with all your heart. Study His Word. Live by it. Then enjoy life in the center of His will. God bless, Pastor Jim (If you like what you’re reading in these daily devotionals, and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00 – in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville

Copyright © 2025 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Oak Hill Baptist Church 3036 Genesis Road Crossville, TN 38571

Good morning everyone, Our theme for this month: “Selfcare” Our Bible verse for today: “How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping your word. I have sought you will all my heart; don’t let me wander from your commands. Psalm 119:9-10 (CSB) Our thought for today: “Our nation needs Jesus” Today is the 4th of July. Independence Day. It’s the day we celebrate America and all that our nation stands for. We all want the best for our country, but what is that? What would be most helpful for our nation at this time in our history? The answer is that we need more citizens who are faithful followers of the Lord Jesus Christ and who live according to Biblical principles. In recent days in this devotional series, we have been thinking about priorities, focus, simplicity, and even downsizing for selfcare and to achieve a better quality of life. But how do we get there from here? I mean, we live in a loud, chaotic, demanding world filled with responsibilities, pressures, distractions, and many competing demands for our time and attention. How do we filter through all of that, distill it, eliminate the superfluous and unhelpful, and somehow achieve a better quality of life for ourselves, our families, our communities, and our nation? Recently I came across an interesting observation about the nation of Israel in Old Testament times that seems to speak about our society as well. It was from the editors of the “Experiencing God Study Bible” and it was part of the introduction to the book of Ezra. Here’s what they observed about Israel in those days: “About 458 B.C, almost a century after the first return from Babylonian exile, Israel looked for identity and hope as they struggled with worship without meaning, daily living without focus, and a nation without identity, ruled by foreigners. Ezra called God’s people to find meaning and hope in renewed worship, dedication to obey God’s commandments, and separation from pagan influences. The book of Ezra seeks to encourage an indifferent community of God to find new life in their worship of God and obedience to His word, as they forged a unique identity as the people of God.” That’s pretty good advice for us too. As Christians, many of us are lost in a world of noise and distraction, and it is killing us. It is draining away our spiritual vitality and leaving us physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually empty. But the answer for us is the same as it was for them: Return to God. As the editors also noted, “The world lures God’s people into doing things the world’s ways rather than God’s. The Bible presents God’s unchanging standard for his people.” That’s it right there. The Bible, along with a vibrant practice of our faith, is our true north. That’s what the Psalmist meant in Psalm 119:9-10 and that is what will keep us headed in the right direction rather than getting lost in a confusing and dangerous world. Our nation needs to return to Biblical principles, but that must start with you and with me. God bless, Pastor Jim (If you like what you’re reading in these daily devotionals, and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00 – in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville

Copyright © 2025 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Oak Hill Baptist Church 3036 Genesis Road Crossville, TN 38571

Good morning everyone, Our theme for this month: “Selfcare” Our Bible verse for today: “You will seek me and find me when you search for me with all your heart. I will be found by you …” Jeremiah 29:13-14 (CSB) Our thought for today: “Sink deeply into your relationship with God” Over the next several days I want to share a personal story with you about my own decades-long journey of pursuing depth over superficiality in all of life. Please note that I do not claim to have arrived or to be a particularly deep person. Just like you, I am very much a work in progress. Also, this journey has been an evolution that has progressively unfolded over the course of decades, and it is still unfolding today.   I’m simply sharing with you part of my journey, just as Chuck Swindoll shared about his pursuit of depth in his great little book, “Intimacy with God.” In fact, it was Chuck’s book that inspired my own pursuit of depth over superficiality – and maybe something in my story will be helpful to you just as his was for me. After reading Chuck’s book, I realized I had to begin with God. My personal relationship with God must be deep and rich. Then, everything else will flow from that. So, I resolved to engage in serious discipleship by means of daily Bible study, lots of prayer, reading many good Christian books, spending time with other Christians more advanced in the faith than myself, full involvement in the life of my church, and lots of contemplative and reflective time with God. This is what God was saying to us in Jeremiah 29:13-14. If you will put the time and effort into seeking Him, He will be found by you. And the more you seek Him, the more of Him you will discover. King David was described by God in 1 Samuel 13:14 as being “a man after My own heart.” That was David’s legacy – he sought God in deep ways. About that personal experience David told the rest of us in Psalm 34:8, “Taste and see that the Lord is good. How happy is the person who takes refuge in him!” David was saying that the more you experience of God, the more of Him you will want. He found that to be true in his own life, and he was certain we would find it to be true as well. This is the starting place for a life of depth rather than superficiality – seek God with all your heart. Be deep in Him. All the rest of life will then flow from that. This is the most important and helpful thing you can do in terms of selfcare: sink deeply into your relationship with God. God bless, Pastor Jim (If you like what you’re reading in these daily devotionals, and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00 – in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville

Copyright © 2025 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Oak Hill Baptist Church 3036 Genesis Road Crossville, TN 38571

Good morning everyone,Our theme for this month: “Selfcare” Our Bible verse for today: “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul.” Psalm 23:1-3 (NIV) Our thought for today: “Rest, relax, and trust God” I love the way King David began Psalm 23 – with words of rest and restoration. God is his shepherd and the first thing David tells us about his shepherd is that the shepherd leads him to rest. It’s a tranquil picture of calmness and serenity. But the point David makes first, and as a prelude to the part about resting, is that God as the shepherd is also the provider, therefore, “I shall not be in want” and therefore “I can simply lie down in green pastures and rest beside quiet waters as my soul is restored. In other words, “God has this.” And since He does, David can slow down and he can even stop for a while. Interestingly, in the Bible Jesus is never depicted as being in a hurry. Also, there are no instances of Him urging His disciples or us to be in a hurry either. Instead, as Psalm 23 so beautifully depicts, we are to follow Him, at His pace, and trust that when we are resting, He is still protecting and providing. But this is a tough concept for many of us to believe and embrace. We believe we have so much to do that we can’t stop nor can we even slow down. Instead, we have to rush to get this thing done so we can then rush to get the next thing done. As author and pastor John Ortberg playfully wrote, many of us act as if the Psalm says, “The Lord is my shepherd, therefore I gotta run faster.” But good shepherds don’t run. They walk and they lead their sheep at a relaxed pace. That’s what Jesus does with us and it’s what David was depicting in the beginning verses of Psalm 23. We need to slow down. We live life at a frantic pace that isn’t good for us (or for those around us). Instead, we need to be intentional about choosing a simpler, slower, unhurried life that nourishes our soul rather than drains it, and which allows us to fully focus on the things in life that truly matter most. In the days to come, I will share with you some of the very wise insights contained in John Mark Comer’s excellent book, “The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry.” For now, as written by John Ortberg in the introduction to that book, “Take a deep breath. Put your cell phone away. Let your heart slow down. Let God take care of the world.” God bless, Pastor Jim (If you like what you’re reading in these daily devotionals, and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00 – in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville

Copyright © 2025 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Oak Hill Baptist Church3036 Genesis Road Crossville, TN 38571

Good morning everyone,   Our theme for this month: “Selfcare”   Our Bible verse for today: “But we encourage you, brothers and sisters, to do this even more, to seek to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, so that you may behave properly in the presence of outsiders and not be dependent on anyone.” 1 Thessalonians 4:10-12 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “Maybe you should downsize and simplify”   In recent days we have been considering the idea that good selfcare often involves narrowing our focus for the purpose of going deep in all areas of life. Deep rather than wide, intimate rather than impersonal. I have introduced you to two great little books that will help in that effort, Chuck Swindoll’s “Intimacy with God” and John Mark Comer’s “The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry.” And I have been sharing a bit of my personal story with you regarding my own decades-long effort to bring about quality over quantity in my own life.   Today I will conclude that part of our study by sharing one more important evolution that needed to take place in my own life. It involved an intentional decision made more than a decade ago by my wife Linda (who is now in heaven) and myself regarding the need to downsize and simplify our lives. We realized we owned far too much stuff (most of which we didn’t use) and our lives were entirely too busy (filled with too many activities and responsibilities). We owned a large house that was  way too much living space for only two people, on a large piece of property that required a lot of upkeep. So, we sold that house and bought a home less than half the size of what we had, on a smaller piece of property that required much less upkeep.   We also sold or gave away approximately 75% of our possessions – most of which were going unused and sitting in storage anyway. Professionally, I narrowed my focus to being a pastor, a writer, and my jail/prison ministry, and I resigned from all other boards, committees, and ministry activities. In my personal life my focus narrowed to mostly my wife, my immediate family, and a circle of close friends.   It was amazing how much space that created in my life. Head-space, for one thing, but also, physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually I discovered how much more relaxed and peaceful my entire life became. My life still included much meaningful service for the kingdom of God, along with plenty of focus and interaction with the people who were most important to me. And we still owned the possessions that we needed and which were most important to us. But everything else went. And the difference was tangible. In some respects, it was remarkable how much more enjoyable our lives became. And I would not go back.   That’s exactly the point both Swindoll and Comer were making in their books, and it’s the point the Apostle Paul was making in 1 Thessalonians 4:10-12. Simple is often better than complicated, small can be better than big. It’s also the point Solomon was making in the TEV version of Ecclesiastes 7:29 that we considered that other day: “God has made us plain and simple but we have made ourselves very complicated.”   Sometimes an important part of good selfcare will involve simplifying and downsizing in life. Are there some ways in which you could create more space in your life?   God bless, Pastor Jim   (If you like what you’re reading in these daily devotionals, and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00 – in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville

Copyright © 2025 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Oak Hill Baptist Church 3036 Genesis Road Crossville, TN 38571

Good morning everyone, Our theme for this month: “Selfcare” Our Bible verse for today: “Don’t you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought at a price. So glorify God with your body.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (CSB) Our thought for today: “The first and most important reason” This morning, I want us to consider today’s Bible verse in conjunction with the one we looked at yesterday from 3 John 2. That verse reads: “Dear friend, I pray that you are prospering in every way and are in good health, just as your whole life is going well.” In that verse John was referring to a wholistic approach to life. He prayed for prosperity in “every” way – in the person’s whole life. The truth is that you are a whole person who consists of a physical body, a mind, and a spirit. To be truly healthy and doing well in all aspects of life, you must be healthy physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. All those parts of you combine to make up the whole you, and they are interrelated. Each impacts the other and if you are unhealthy in one of those areas, it will have a direct and negative impact on the other two. We must take care of the whole person. So, when Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit he is saying that your physical body (which is home to your mind, emotions, and soul) is also home to the Holy Spirit of God. And therefore, we as individuals have a stewardship responsibility to keep all aspects of our person as healthy as possible for as long as possible, and to use our whole person for the honor and glory of God. Paul also tells us in verse 20 that we were bought for this purpose at the price of Jesus’ death on the cross. On the cross not only did Jesus purchase your eternal soul, but He purchased your physical body (and your whole person) to be a walking, talking, mobile temple of God’s Holy Spirit. In the Old Testament the Spirit of God resided in a temple made of stone. In the New Testament the Spirit of God resides inside the bodies of the followers of Jesus Christ. And just like the people of God had a stewardship responsibility to properly care for the Temple in the Old Testament, so too do the people of God in our day. We have the same responsibility to take proper care of the temple of God and in our day, and that temple is your body. This is the first and most important reason you must take good care of yourself – because God said so and He requires it of you. You are the temple of His Holy Spirit and therefore you must take good care of yourself. We will now spend the rest of this month discussing many ways to do exactly that. God bless, Pastor Jim (If you like what you’re reading in these daily devotionals, and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00 – in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville

Copyright © 2025 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Oak Hill Baptist Church 3036 Genesis Road Crossville, TN 38571

Good morning everyone,

(This daily devotional message was originally sent on June 2^nd)

Our theme for this month: “Selfcare”

Our Bible verse for today: “Dear friend, I pray that you are prospering in every way and are in good health, just as your whole life is going well.” 3 John 2 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “Take care of yourself”

One of the great maladies of our age is that as a society we are too busy and too stressed-out. Korean-born philosopher and cultural theorist Byung-Chul Han once wrote a book about it called “The Burnout Society.” His research revealed that our competitive, multi-tasking, service-oriented society is taking a severe toll on our mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical health. This has resulted in psychological disorders of epidemic proportions, including depression, attention deficit disorder, and borderline personality disorder.

Another consequence that is becoming increasingly evident in our society is the Japanese phenomenon known as “Karoshi” or, “death from overworking.” “Karoshi” does refer to suicides that are directly related to workplace stressors, but it also refers to health issues such as high blood pressure, heart attacks, strokes, and poor lifestyle choices such as alcoholism, bad diet, and lack of exercise (when those symptoms are attributed to working too many hours under too much stress).

“Karoshi” began to show itself in Japanese society in the 1970s and exploded in the 1980s. In recent decades it has spread to developed nations around the world (including ours), until today it is recognized by the World Health Organization and the National Institute of Health as a global health crisis. We are all trying too hard to do too much for too long and we are not taking proper care of ourselves.

This is a spiritual issue. Yes, it is physical, and yes it does have impacts on us mentally and emotionally, but as we will see as this series unfolds, it is very much a spiritual issue as well – with spiritual implications and consequences.

That being the case, and this being the beginning of summer and vacation season, it’s a good time for us to consider this issue. Selfcare is critical, and most of us don’t do a good enough job of taking care of ourselves. We can all do better.

God bless,

Pastor Jim

(If you like what you’re reading in these daily devotionals, and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00 – in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville

Good morning everyone, Our theme for this month: “Selfcare” Our Bible verse for today: “So I do not run like one who runs aimlessly or box like one beating the air. Instead, I discipline my body and bring it under control, so that after preaching to others, I myself will not be disqualified.” 1 Corinthians 9:26-27 (CSB) Our thought for today: “I must practice what I preach” Most of us are better at giving advice than receiving it, and we are better at telling others what they should do rather than doing that same thing ourselves. Preachers and writers are sometimes guilty of that too. If we’re not careful, we can become very good at telling others what they should do while excusing ourselves for not doing that thing. That’s what the Apostle Paul was writing about in 1 Corinthians 9:26-27. He was referring to his own life as a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. In the letter of 1 Corinthians Paul had really been giving the Corinthian Christians a stern talking-to. He was setting them straight regarding many important issues. In 9:26-27 he paused to reassure them that he himself does the things he was urging them to do. Essentially, he said, “I practice what I preach.” I need to do that too. All this month I have been writing about the importance of good selfcare. While I’ve been doing that, I have also had a very full schedule of regular ministry activities; while at the same time preparing to get married this Sunday (in a small private ceremony); and I traveled to Nashville to pick-up family who flew-in for the wedding and who are now visiting; while I have also been moving into a new home. It has all been good, but exhausting. So, I’m going to give myself a break. Today will be the last new daily devotional message until Monday July 7th.  Aimee and I will be going on our honeymoon in October after our big “family and friends” wedding on October 18th, but this coming week we will be settling into our new home together. So, I won’t be attempting to write these daily devotional messages during that time. Instead, each morning for the next week I will resend one of the most well-received devotionals from the past month. There’s still a lot more for us to consider regarding the subject of good selfcare and so, we will continue that discussion throughout July beginning again on July 7th. Between now and then, I encourage you to review some of the devotional messages from this past month. And please, be sure to practice good selfcare. God bless, Pastor Jim (If you like what you’re reading in these daily devotionals, and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00 – in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville

Copyright © 2025 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Oak Hill Baptist Church 3036 Genesis Road Crossville, TN 38571