Our theme for this month: “Life on this side of the cross”

Our Bible verse for today: “Do not lack diligence in zeal; be fervent in the Spirit; serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; be persistent in prayer.” Romans 12:11-12 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “Don’t start to fade.”

Welcome to week number four of the COVID 19 lock-down! How are you holding up? Have you had your fill of social distancing, hand sanitizer, face masks, and an economy in free-fall? Are you experiencing a little bit of cabin fever? Do you need a haircut? Are your pants getting tight? Are you getting grumpy? Have you suddenly discovered that your spouse blinks too loud?

Well, don’t let yourself start to fade! It appears as if the spread of the pandemic here in the USA is just about at its peak and we should be on the downhill side of this thing perhaps even this week. Now is the time to get your second wind.

I think perhaps the Apostle Paul wrote Romans 12:11-12 for just such a time as this. In those verses he gives us some excellent advice for handling difficult situations like this which seem to drag on and on and on. For one thing, he tells us to be patient. Give it time. This too shall pass. He also tells us remain hopeful. Romans 8:28 is still true and God will work in the middle of this mess to bring good things out of it. And he tells us to pray. Have some extra time on your hands, do you? Well then, now you’re not too busy to pray and read your Bible.

In those verses Paul also provides us with a few action items. He tells us to be diligent in our zealousness. In other words, don’t let yourself fade! Suck-it-up; ramp-it-up; resolve to be an even more enthusiastic follower of Christ now during this difficult time. And he tells us to serve. That’s right, even during this time of social restrictions you can still make it a point to serve the Lord and other people. Get on the phone and encourage some people. Send some cards and notes. Interact on social media. Go get some groceries for a shut-in or for an elderly or sick person. Find some ways to be useful to others.

But the most helpful piece of advice found in those verses is when he tells us to “be fervent in the Spirit.” In our age, on this side of the cross, we have the Holy Spirit living in our hearts strengthening us, encouraging us, and renewing us. So reach deep and encounter Him in your heart, He’s there for you.  On the other side of the cross, before Jesus came, and before the coming of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost, the people of God didn’t have the Spirit living in their hearts like we do today. But on this side of the cross, you have Him. So take advantage of it. He is there for you!

Now is not the time to fade. Now is the time to get your second wind and deal with the rest of this difficult situation in a manner that truly does bring honor and glory to Jesus. Let the rest of the world see how a committed follower of Christ handles something like this.

God Bless,
Pastor Jim

Our theme for this month: “Life on this side of the cross”

Our Bible verse for today: “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me, even if he dies, will live. Everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” John 11:25-26 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “What the resurrection means for us.”

The resurrection of Jesus was the most important event in history. Death is the great enemy of the human race. But when Jesus arose from the grave, He defeated death once and for all. From that moment forward, any person who places his or her faith in Christ for the forgiveness of their sins receives the gift of eternal life and that person will never truly experience death.

In Biblical terms, true death is eternal separation from God and true life is to spend eternity in the presence of God. In that respect, no child of God ever experiences death. Physically we do experience the process of this mortal body dying, but the instant this body ceases to function our spirit is released from it and we are immediately in the presence of God. That’s what Jesus was explaining to Martha in John 11:25-26.

What happened in that scene was that Jesus’ friend Lazarus was sick, and so his sisters Mary and Martha sent word to Jesus to come to them so he could heal their brother. But by the time Jesus got there Lazarus had already been dead and in the tomb four days. In verses 25-26, as Jesus and Martha stood in front of the tomb, Jesus asked Martha if she believed that her brother would live again. Martha gave a theologically correct answer indicating that she knew that because of his faith in Christ, her brother would indeed live for eternity in the presence of God. That’s exactly the response Jesus was looking for. Jesus also intended to return the mortal body of Lazarus to life in just a few moments but first, He wanted to establish this important theological truth for Martha and for the rest of us too: Faith in the resurrected Christ leads to eternal life.

This is what the resurrection of Jesus means for us. Because He lives, so will we. Because He defeated death once and for all, we too are now freed from the curse of death. This is what the Apostle Paul meant when he wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:54-55 “Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, death, is your victory? Where, death is your sting?
The answer, of course, is that death now has no sting. Because He lives, so will we.

God Bless,
Pastor Jim

Our theme for this month: “Life on this side of the cross”

Our Bible verse for today: “For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, in which he also went and made proclamation to the spirits in prison who in the past were disobedient …” 1 Peter 3:18-20 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “With God there is always something going on behind the scenes.”

On Friday Jesus suffered and died upon the cross, taking the sins of the world upon Himself. On Saturday He was in the grave and it appeared as if He had failed in His mission to redeem the world. To those who had observed those events, they could only conclude that it had all come to a sad end.

But there was a lot happening behind the scenes.

In 1 Peter 3:18-20 we discover that on Saturday, while His physical body was in the tomb, Jesus was in the spiritual realm declaring a message of victory to imprisoned demons. Not only did people in the physical realm believe that Jesus had failed in His mission, but at that point Satan and the demons thought so too. But what happened on the cross was actually a great victory, and what was going to happen on Sunday would be a bigger victory still. So on Saturday, while the body of Jesus was in the tomb, there was a lot going on behind the scenes in the spiritual realm. I will teach more about this in the Easter sermon at Oak Hill Baptist Church this Sunday morning. You can watch and listen at www.oakhillbaptist.net.

What we see being demonstrated in that passage is the great truth that with God there are always things going on behind the scenes, things that we are probably unaware of. This is what the Apostle Paul was explaining to us in Romans 8:28 when he wrote, “We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” That does not mean that all things are good, because of course many things are not, they are bad. The crucifixion of Jesus was a cruel and horrible act that was bad. But God works behind the scenes in bad situations bringing good things out of them for those who love Him.

That was true for Jesus and it’s true in your life too. Regardless of how rough Friday was, and regardless of how bad things might look on Saturday, God is at work in the middle of your situation and Sunday is coming! As I wrote in yesterday’s devotional, hang in there. Better days are coming. God’s not done yet. There are good things being prepared for you behind the scenes that you’re not even aware of yet.

God Bless,
Pastor Jim

Our theme for this month: “Life on this side of the cross”

Our Bible verse for today: “Because of the Lord’s faithful love we do not perish, for his mercies never end. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness! I say, “The Lord is my portion, therefore I will put my hope in him.” Lamentations 3:22-24 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “Thanks to Jesus we always have the promise of better days ahead.”

Today is the day we call “Good Friday”. It’s the anniversary of the day that Jesus was crucified. It seems strange that we would call such a day “good” because what was done to Jesus was not good, it was bad, very bad. He was falsely accused, unfairly convicted, tortured, and executed in a cruel and hideous manner. It was horrible. But we call it “good” because of the end result. Jesus took our sins upon himself and He suffered our punishment so that we wouldn’t have to. The Apostle Paul explains how that was possible in 2 Corinthians 5:21, and I will address that in the Easter sermon this Sunday at Oak Hill Baptist Church. (You can watch and listen online at www.oakhillbaptist.net).

Many years ago Tony Compolo wrote a great little book entitled “It’s Friday but Sunday’s Coming!” It was all about how, on that Friday, it appeared as if Jesus had failed in His mission to redeem the world. But that was Friday and Sunday was coming. In other words, Jesus snatches victory out of the jaws of apparent defeat. What seemed like a failure was actually just a prelude to victory – demonstrating very powerfully that with Jesus there is always the promise of better days ahead.

Lamentations 3:22-24 is a beautiful Old Testament affirmation of this same truth. In that case, the city of Jerusalem had been overrun and destroyed. The prophet Jeremiah was walking the streets of the devastated city weeping and mourning the incredible loss of life and property and freedom. But, as this passage explains, he knew that with God there is always hope for a better day. God is good and His plans are perfect, and today is always leading to a better tomorrow for those who love Him and who are faithfully obedient to Him.

Are you struggling with doubt and despair today? Do things look dark and grim and hopeless? Hang in there. All is not lost. There is hope. Better days are ahead. It’s Friday, but Sunday is Coming!

God Bless,
Pastor Jim

Our theme for this month: “Life on this side of the cross”

Our Bible verse for today: “Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, death, is your victory? Where, death, is your sting?” 1 Corinthians 15:54-55 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “Live long and live well, but don’t fear death.”

Recently I lost a good friend to cancer. J.D. was one of the leaders in our church. He served on our Church Council and was therefore one of my closest advisors, one of the men I turned to for help in thinking through difficult situations.

For two long years J.D. fought lung cancer. He loved life and he lived it fully, and he was determined to fight the cancer as long as he could. He tried every treatment they offered, he did his part to stay as healthy as he could for as long as he could, and he milked every ounce of joy from every day that he had on this earth. But he was also at peace and ready to die whenever the time came. J.D.’s faith was strong and he was ready for eternity. Therefore, as he approached his death, he did so with courage and dignity – just as I have seen so many other Christians do.

It’s interesting to me that we’re approaching the worst of the coronavirus pandemic in the week leading up to Easter. During a time when so many people are living in fear of death, we’re celebrating the fact that Jesus defeated death. And because He defeated death, so can we. That’s what Paul was writing about in 1 Corinthians 15:54-55. In John 11:25-26 Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me, even if he dies, will live. Everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

Just as my friend J.D. did, we should do everything we can do to stay as healthy as we can for as long as we can. We should also resolve to live fully and to live well every day that the good Lord allows us to go on living. However, we don’t need to fear the prospect of dying. Although the actual process of dying can be unpleasant, the moment this body ceases to function your spirit is released and you are instantly in the presence of the Lord. You then enter into an eternity that is better and more glorious than you can possibly imagine.

By all means, live long and live well. But don’t fear death. If you belong to Jesus there’s no need to fear it.

God Bless,
Pastor Jim

Our theme for this month: “Life on this side of the cross”

Our Bible verse for today: “Do not fear; for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “Trust God and be obedient”

Health experts in infectious disease control tell us that we have now entered the most dangerous period of the coronavirus pandemic here in the USA. The predictive models tell us that infections and deaths from the virus will soar, peak, and then begin to decline over the next 14 days.

That being the case, many people are even more fearful now than they have been up to this point. I was speaking with a doctor the other day who is in his 60s and has some health issues of his own. He admitted that he is worried about his own safety and that he is approaching this upcoming peak period with an underlying sense of fear always nipping at the edges of his thoughts. And yet, he keeps doing his duty because he feels it is his responsibility to do so.

There’s an interesting scene recorded for us in chapter nine of the book of Acts which is a New Testament example of the Old Testament promise given to us in Isaiah 41:10. There we find the man Ananias receiving a vision from God telling him to go find a man named Saul of Tarsus and pray over him and restore his sight. Ananias immediately realizes that this is the same Saul who has been leading the murderous assault against Christians everywhere, and he can’t believe God is sending him directly into the presence of this evil man who is persecuting Christians. It would be like telling a Jew in Nazi Germany to go find Hitler and pray for him.

But God explained that through the obedience of Ananias He was going to heal Saul’s blindness, and that Saul would then become an instrument of ministry to achieve God’s purposes. God told Ananias to overcome his fear and to go do what needed to be done. So Ananias went, he did what he was supposed to do, and sure enough, it turned out exactly like God said it would.

During these worst days of the pandemic the natural tendency for all of us will be to hunker down at home, shut out the world, and hopefully shut out the virus too. However, not everyone can do that. There are still shut-ins who need food and medicine delivered to them; there are still vital professions such as healthcare professionals, and law enforcement, and store clerks that need to continue doing their jobs; church leaders still need to go and record worship services; trash needs to be collected; banks need to remain open, etc. We can’t all retreat into our homes and shut out the world. Instead we need to take the best precautions we can and then go do the things that need to be done.

I encourage you to not allow fear to overcome your obedience. Do the things that others are depending on you to do. Be smart, take precautions, trust God, and do what you are supposed to do.

God Bless,
Pastor Jim

Our theme for this month: “Life on this side of the cross”

Our Bible verse for today: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)

Our thought for today: “Stay close to Jesus and you won’t live in fear.”

Those of you who have known me for a long time have probably heard me quote and explain Matthew 11:28-30 more than a few times. That’s because it’s one of my personal life verses. A “life verse” is a passage of scripture that’s especially meaningful and helpful to you and which you recite, think about, and mediate on frequently, and which you make an extra effort to apply in your life. I have several other life verses as well.

In this passage Jesus used a metaphor that His listeners in that day would have easily related to. He pictured a team of oxen yoked together and working in a field. His listeners would have understood that in every team of oxen there is a lead ox, which is bigger, stronger, and more experienced, and there is a follower ox, which is younger, smaller, and less experienced. The lead ox carries most of the load and provides the direction. The follower ox walks alongside the lead ox, sharing in the load but following the lead ox.

In this parable Jesus was saying “Let me be your lead ox. Yoke yourself to Me and let’s walk through life together. I will carry most of the load and I will provide all of the direction. You just stay next to Me and we will do this together.”

The point of the lesson is that life is always better with Jesus than without Him. And that’s true regardless of the circumstances of that life. Whether you are rich or poor, healthy or sick, living in the USA or in a remote part of Africa, whatever the circumstances of that life are, life will always be better with Jesus than without Him. He will walk with you through your days and He will help you with strength, direction, courage, and assurance.

That truth is especially important during times like these. We’re living in unsettled and uncertain days right now. The coronavirus pandemic is a serious and dangerous thing. And as was noted in yesterday’s devotional, it’s especially insidious because it is invisible and you don’t even know it’s there until it’s too late and you are already infected and it’s making you sick. Additionally, our nation is in an economic tailspin because of this. The economy is essentially shut down and we don’t know how long this is going to last or how bad the impact will be.

We all need strength, comfort, peace, and assurance from Jesus. We need to be close to Him, walking through this with Him. I encourage you to stay very, very close to the Lord during these times. Stay yoked to Him and He will get you through this.

God Bless,
Pastor Jim

Our theme for this month: “Life on this side of the cross”

Our Bible verse for today: “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because He cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:6-7 (NIV)

Our thought for today: “Draw close to Jesus”

One of the most frightening aspects of the COVID 19 virus is that it is invisible. You can’t see it and you don’t even know it’s there until it’s too late. The similarity to demonic activity is amazing. You can’t see demons either, and likewise you usually don’t realize the severity of their attack on you until it’s too late and you are already experiencing the results of it in your life.

When dealing with demons, even though we can’t see them, we take it on faith that they are there and we do the things the Bible tells us we must do in order to protect ourselves from them (Ephesians 6:10-18). The situation is similar for the coronavirus. We can’t see it either but it is there and we do have the instructions we need in order to be prepared to protect ourselves and our loved ones. We need to simply have faith and do our part.

The experts in infectious disease control, along with our government leaders who are all tracking the progress of this pandemic and who are paying close attention to the forecast models, tell us that the worst is yet to come. Over the next couple of weeks, we’re likely to see a dramatic spike in the number of infections and in the death rate. Therefore, a lot of people are living in fear.

In 1 Peter 5:6-7 the apostle Peter told us what to do about that. We’re battling a deadly invisible foe and we need the Lord’s help. We can’t see demons, but God can. Likewise, we can’t see the coronavirus, but God can. More than ever, this is a time for all of us to be on our knees in humble submission before the Lord, asking for His protection and trusting in His goodness and His grace. Peter assures us that if we will do that, we will find that we can cast those cares upon Him and then trust in His care and protection.

You don’t need to live in fear – fear of demons or fear of the coronavirus. I encourage you to humble yourself before the Lord. Draw near to Jesus and trust in His love for you and your loved ones. Ask Him to protect you and then trust in His goodness and grace. We’ll think more about this tomorrow.

God Bless,
Pastor Jim

Our theme for this month: “Life on this side of the cross”

Our Bible verse for today: “But Naaman got angry and left, saying, ‘I was telling myself: He will surely come out, stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the skin disease.” 2 Kings 5:11 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “God normally works in low-key, subtle ways.”

There’s an Old Testament story which helps to illustrate the New Testament principle we were considering yesterday about the Christian life being “a long obedience in the same direction”. We find it in 2 Kings chapter 5 and it involved an army commander by the name of Naaman. Naaman was the commander of all the armies for the king of Aram, and he had leprosy. He was told there was a Jewish prophet in the land of Israel by the name of Elisha who performed amazing miracles. So Naaman received permission from the king to travel to Israel and to seek a miraculous healing from Elisha.

As 2 Kings 5:11 reveals, Naaman was expecting to experience a big dramatic miracle. Instead, Elisha didn’t even come out to meet the great General. He simply sent word via a messenger that Naaman was to go to the river, dip himself seven times, and he would be healed. But Naaman was thinking, “That’s it? He’s telling me to go take a bath? What kind of miracle is that?” He felt disrespected and disappointed and so he stomped away mad. Fortunately for him a servant convinced him to just do what the prophet said, and sure enough when he did, he was healed!

Oftentimes we expect to experience God in spectacular ways and if we don’t, we believe we haven’t experienced Him at all. But nothing could be further from the truth! Although God does sometimes work in sensational ways, more often He is subtle. I once knew a man who had advanced prostate cancer. It was confirmed three times. But after a time of intense group prayer over the cancer, suddenly it simply wasn’t there anymore. The doctors were stunned and couldn’t explain it. That was more than twenty years ago and the cancer never came back! It was a healing miracle and it was spectacular. But more often in such cases God uses medical science, applied slowly and progressively over time, to bring about healings like that. It’s a still from the hand of God, and it’s still a miracle, but it’s much more subtle and less dramatic than the cancer simply disappearing before any chemotherapy could even be applied.

Likewise, sometimes in a worship service we sense an overwhelming movement of the Spirit of God in our heart and the next thing we know, we’re kneeling at the altar with tears flowing down our cheeks. That’s powerful and it happens sometimes. But most worship experiences are not like that. More often our experience of God is a subtle sense of peace and joy as we encounter Him in the act of worship. It’s still an encounter with God, and it’s still nurturing and renewing and it’s pleasing to both Him and to us, but it’s not like those other more dramatic experiences.

God’s normal interaction with us is usually low-key. Part of our spiritual growth involves learning to recognize and appreciate God’s work in our lives even when it is quiet and subtle.

God Bless,
Pastor Jim

Our theme for this month: “Life on this side of the cross”

Our Bible verse for today: “Not that I have already reached the goal or am already perfect, but I make every effort to take hold of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:12-14 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “The Christian life is a long obedience in the same direction.”

I believe it was pastor and author Eugene Peterson who originally coined the phrase “a long obedience in the same direction” to describe the Christian life. What he meant was that for the most part, the Christian life consists of simply doing the right things over and over and over again. Those things are usually not spectacular or even noteworthy in any special way. Instead they are mostly small things (but the right things), incorporated into our daily lives and then accomplished faithfully as a matter of routine.

In Philippians 3:12-14 Paul was describing an example of a long obedience in the same direction. In that case he was referring to the process of sanctification in the life of the Christian. Sanctification is the process whereby, over the course of a lifetime, the Holy Spirit slowly and progressively molds you and shapes you into the man or woman God wants you to be. For your part, you must cooperate in that process by incorporating into your daily life the basic disciplines of the Christian life. Those disciplines would include things like prayer, Bible study, scripture memorization, worship, fellowship, acts of service, etc. The more those practices are a regular part of your daily life, the more you are placing yourself in a position before God whereby the Holy Spirit can transform you. That’s a long obedience in the same direction and it’s what Paul was describing in that passage.

In a similar but slightly different way, that same principle applies to all of us right now as we work our way through this COVID 19 pandemic. There are some basic things we all need to be doing, some rules and guidelines we all need to be faithfully following, to get us through this time. We need to stay home as much as possible; we need to cough and sneeze into our sleeves so the germs don’t spread to others; we need to wash our hands frequently; if we feel sick we need to immediately seek medical treatment; and in the middle of it all, we need to remember to bless and encourage others as we seek to help them through this time as well. And also, we need to honor God by the way we conduct ourselves in the middle of this trial.

It’s a long obedience in the same direction that’s required of us right now. We have to patiently exercise basic disciplines, over a period of weeks or perhaps even a couple of months, and if we do, this will pass and we will be through it.

So please, be disciplined, be patient, and do your part.

God Bless,
Pastor Jim