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

Good morning everyone, Our theme for this month: “Selfcare” Our Bible verse for today: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV) Our thought for today: “Trust God and keep moving into the future” One of the most troublesome and even challenging scenarios in life is when we are faced with uncertainty regarding the future. That’s especially true when we’re dealing with difficult situations which are stress-producing and painful, and which may turn out badly. Almost thirty-five years ago I adopted Proverbs 3:5-6 as my primary life-verse. When it comes to living the Christian life on a daily and moment-by-moment basis, in the big details of life as well as the little ones, Proverbs 3:5-6 provides us with a failsafe way of dealing with life and walking forward into the future. Trust in the Lord with all your heart because you know that He loves you. You know He has a good plan for your life and that He will direct you if you want Him to. Therefore, rather than relying on your own understanding, seek to know His will because you know that being in the center of His will is always the best and safest place to be. Then, go forward trusting that He is guiding your steps. You may not have all the answers, you may not have things all figured out, but that’s okay because He does and He is the one directing your steps. God is more interested in your life than you are and He wants you to live a good life even more than you want it. So, He will guide you if you will let Him.   Just do your best to make sure your heart is right and you truly are seeking to know His will so you can be obedient to it. Then just trust Him to lead you. This too is selfcare. Doing this relieves us of the constant stress and strain of always feeling like we must have it all figured out.   Author John Eldredge once offered up this prayer, “Jesus, I don’t need to know everything. I just need to know what you want me to do next. What are you saying to me about the next step in my life, Lord?” An important element in good selfcare is to learn to trust God as you keep moving into the future. 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: “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Don’t let your heart be troubled or fearful. John 14:27 (CSB) Our thought for today: “Relax and rest” This morning, I want to continue our thinking from yesterday about God coming to you like a fresh breeze and cool water on a hot day. From what we have learned so far in this devotional series we already know that God has promised if we will seek Him, He will be found by us (Jeremiah 29:13-14). And we learned yesterday that the most important thing we can do in terms of selfcare is to spend time with God – the more the better. A fresh spiritual breeze; cool water for your thirsty soul; isn’t that what you truly long for? Well, that’s exactly what God wants you to have. That’s the uplifting and encouraging truth Paul was expressing Romans 15:13 when he wrote, “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace …” It’s also what he described for us in Galatians 5:22-23 where he wrote: “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” These are the things God wants to fill your life with. The other evening my fiancé, Aimee, sent me a text message with a link to the song “Rest” by TobyMac. I had never heard the song before but it instantly became one of my new favorites. It speaks so beautifully about finding peace and rest in God that I want to conclude this devotional by asking you to Google the song and listen to it right now. Not only will it soothe your soul, but it’s a song you will want to listen to over-and-over again. Here’s the link for it: https://youtu.be/g0toxVJu3MM You’re welcome in advance. 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: “He is like a tree planted beside flowing streams that bears fruit in its season and whose leaf does not wither.” Psalm 1:3 (CSB) Our thought for today: “Like a fresh breeze and cool water” I love the image the Psalmist paints for us in Psalm 1:1-3. The full passage reads, “How happy is the one who does not walk in the advice of the wicked or stand in the pathway with sinners or sit in the company of mockers! Instead, he delights in the Lord’s instruction, and he mediates on it day and night. He is like a tree planted beside flowing streams that bears its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.” The prophet Jeremiah expressed the same truth in slightly different words in Jeremiah 17:7-8, “The person who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence indeed is the Lord, is blessed. He will be like a tree planted by the water: it sends its roots out toward a stream, it doesn’t fear when heat comes, and its foliage remains green. It will not worry in a year of drought or cease producing fruit.” The editors of the Pastor’s devotional book “Apples of God” offered this illustration which helps to highlight that truth expressed in Psalms and Jeremiah: “When you are working in the hot sun there will be a time when it becomes unbearable. Your shirt is drenched with sweat, you are covered with dirt, and the air is thick. The heat saps your energy, and if you don’t consume lots of liquids you become dehydrated and dizzy. Eventually, you would lose consciousness. When a cool breeze starts blowing, it feels luxurious. It is so refreshing, especially if you can enjoy a break in the shade and splash some cold water on yourself.” They go on, “This is what God wants for us. Our lives are full of good things. But they can also be troublesome. We are in a battle, and we’re worn down and tired. God comes like a fresh breeze and cool water. He gives us renewed strength to continue the fight. Are you weary? Take a seat and wait on God.” The number-one most important thing we can do in terms of selfcare is to spend time with God.  He will come to you like a fresh breeze and cool water. Can you feel God refreshing your soul? 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