Our theme for this month: “Changing the tone of the conversation”

Our Bible verse for today: “I did not know, brothers, that he was the high priest”, replied Paul, “For it is written, ‘You must not speak evil of a ruler of your people.” Acts 23:5 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “Do not engage in character assassination”

I’m currently reading Senator John McCain’s new book, “The Restless Wave: Good times, Just Causes, Great Fights, and Other Appreciations”. Senator McCain has terminal brain cancer and is nearing the end of his life. He wrote this book as a means of reflecting on his long career in the military, and on his decades of public service in politics.

I have great admiration and respect for him. He’s a military hero and a committed and passionate public servant. I know he’s not conservative enough for some on the far right of the political spectrum. They call him a “Rhino” – “Republican in name only”, but I disagree. He’s a principled and fair-minded moderate who understands that getting anything done in the world of politics requires the ability to get along with others and to negotiate compromises.

One of the things I admire and appreciate about Senator McCain is his ability to get along with, and to speak respectfully of, those with whom he disagrees. Politically he had ferocious battles with Ted Kennedy and Barak Obama. But Ted Kennedy was also one of his best friends, and although they were on opposite sides of the politically, they spent time together socially and they treated each other with respect. John McCain also disagreed with Barak Obama on almost every important issue of our day, and yet he still spoke respectfully of the man as a person.

One of the most damaging and problematic elements of our national conversation today is the poisonous, mean-spirited, disrespectful, and even hateful personal attacks that take place on a daily basis. Not only are people disagreed with, but they are viciously attacked, on a personal level, as individuals. The object is to disparage, destroy, and crush. It is character assassination and it is wrong.

In Acts 23:5 we find the Apostle Paul on trial before the Sanhedrin, the religious court of his day. In a fit of anger Paul made a disparaging remark about one of the authority figures present, who turned out to be the high priest. Realizing that what he had said was inappropriate, Paul apologized. It was wrong of him to speak in a disrespectful manner of an authority figure. He still went on to state his case. He still told the high priest and the rest of the religious court why he thought they were wrong, but he did it in a respectful manner, as he should have.

As Christians we need to be careful about how we say things. We are free to disagree with others. We are free to explain to them why we think they are wrong, and we can even state our case strongly. But we are not free to engage in character assassination, or in other unkind, disparaging, or mean-spirited talk.

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Our mailing address is:

Our theme for this month: “Changing the tone of the conversation”

Our Bible verse for today: “Don’t participate in the fruitless works of darkness, but instead expose them.” Ephesians 5:11 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “We have to speak-up”

In Ephesians 5:11 the Apostle Paul gives us two directives regarding our response to things that are obviously dark, evil, sinful. First, we are not to participate in such things. Second, we are to expose them for what they are. We have to speak-up.

“The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.” That quote is commonly attributed to the philosopher Edmund Burke and it speaks to a growing problem in the Christian world. Christians are becoming increasingly fearful and timid about speaking-up, so they are remaining silent. Because the cultural landscape today seems to be super-charged with anger, animosity, and even outright hatred, and because you can probably count on receiving a fair amount of blowback if you publically proclaim unpopular views, many Christians are choosing instead to remain silent.

In their great little book “Redeeming How We Talk”, authors Ken Wytsma and A.J. Swoboda write about how in ancient times, maps designated unexplored regions of the world with the phrase “Here be dragons”. It was a warning to sailors and explorers not to go to those regions because dragons and other monsters were rumored to live there. It was safer to just avoid those places and stick to the areas known to be safe.

Many Christians today view some regions of the cultural landscape in our society with the idea of “Here be dragons”, and it’s safer to just avoid those areas. But Biblically we aren’t free to do that. We have to go there and do battle with the dragons. We have to contend for Biblical truth.

My new book, “Getting Along without Going Along: Biblical Sexual ethics in an age of controversy and conflict” was written to help equip Christians to speak to the difficult issues of our age with boldness and confidence, but also with kindness and grace. The book has now been released and is available for sale at Oak Hill Baptist Church. Soon it will also be available for purchase online as well. If you would like to purchase a copy before then, and if you are not near Oak Hill Baptist Church, you can send a check for $12.95 plus $2.95 shipping and handling to Oak Hill Baptist Church, 3036 Genesis Road, Crossville, TN 38571. Be sure to include a note that the check is for a copy of the book.

As the followers of Jesus we do have to speak-up for the cause of Christ and for Biblical principles. Lies need to be exposed. Truth needs to be spoken. We are to do so boldly and with confidence, but also with kindness and with grace.

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Our mailing address is:

Our theme for this month: “Changing the tone of the conversation”

Our Bible verse for today: “So too, though the tongue is a small part of the body, it boasts great things. Consider how a small fire sets ablaze a large forest. And the tongue is a fire. The tongue, a world of unrighteousness, is placed among our members. It stains the whole body, sets the course of life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. Every kind of animal, bird, reptile, and fish is tamed and has been tamed by humankind, but no one can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.” James 3:5-8 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “The tongue is powerful.”

The reason we’re spending an entire month discussing the way in which we speak to each other is because words have such power. Wars have been started by words. People die because of spoken words. Look at the passage from James 3:5-8 again – the spoken word can be like a little spark that sets an entire forest on fire.

In his book, “James: Guidelines to a happy life” Pastor John MacArthur shares this thought about the power of the tongue:

“The tongue is you in a unique way. It is a tattletale that tells on the heart and discloses the real person. Not only that, but misuse of the tongue is perhaps the easiest way to sin. There are some sins that an individual may not be able to commit simply because he does not have the opportunity. But there are no limits to what one can say, no built-in restraints or boundaries. In Scripture, the tongue is variously described as wicked, deceitful, perverse, filthy, corrupt, flattering, slanderous, gossiping, blasphemous, foolish, boasting, complaining, cursing, contentious, sensual, and vile. And that list is not exhaustive. No wonder God put the tongue in a cage behind the teeth, walled in by the mouth!”

As we have learned this month, the tongue can be used to speak words of peace and blessing. If we use it correctly and Biblically, the tongue can speak words of life to hurting people. But the tongue can also be a little monster that is evil and vile, causing pain, heartache, even wars and death.

James tells us that the tongue can’t be tamed, but that’s hyperbole. He said that just to illustrate what an evil little thing it can be. All of the other Bible verses we’ve considered so far this month, and those yet to come in this series, tell us that the tongue can be tamed, but only by bringing it into submission under the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Your tongue is small but powerful, and it is either evil or good (probably a little of both). But it can be tamed by being trained. I encourage you to train your tongue to be a blessing rather than a curse, good rather than evil.

God Bless,
Pastor Jim

Our mailing address is:

Our theme for this month: “Changing the tone of the conversation”

Our Bible verse for today: “When there are many words, sin is unavoidable, but the one who controls his lips is prudent.” Proverbs 10:19 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “There are too many people doing too much talking.”

In yesterday’s message I pointed out that God created humans as relational beings and that we need positive and encouraging interactions with other people. I also noted that we can use our words to help or to hurt, to bless or to curse.

God created words. The ability to communicate with each other is intended by God to enhance our relationships and to meet that deep need within each of us to be nurtured by others in positive and encouraging ways. So you would think, since we live in “the information age”, with our 24/7 news cycles and social media platforms that provide us with near instantaneous communications with almost anyone else anywhere on the planet, that we would be awash in good, positive, affirming communications. Yes, you would think that. But the exact opposite is true.

The overwhelming volume of constant and instantaneous communication with others is, for the most part, not bringing us joy and adding meaning to our lives. Instead, sadly, texting, tweeting, and posting seem to have opened the floodgates for a tsunami of loud, angry, and highly opinionated voices. Suddenly everyone is a talk-radio host. Anyone with an opinion and a keyboard can gain an audience 24/7.

In their book, “Redeeming How We Talk” Ken Wytsma and A.J. Swoboda write, “The ability of humans to talk in dignified and respectful ways has fallen on hard times. It isn’t that the amount of information or words has declined, but rather that deep, transformational, and redemptive communication has fallen victim to the new realities of modern culture.” As Christians we need to prayerfully consider why God has given us the ability to communicate to begin with. Why did He make words so powerful and how does He intend for us to use them?

I stated in “Our thought for today”, that too many people are doing too much talking. It would probably be more accurate to say that too many people are doing too much talking that is not redemptive, nurturing, or encouraging. What if today everyone started to use their social media platforms for good instead of for bad? What if all of that constant and instantaneous information flow was lifting people up and blessing their socks off instead of provoking them and making them mad?

What if you and I were the ones to start that?

God Bless,
Pastor Jim

Our mailing address is:

Our theme for this month: “Changing the tone of the conversation”

Our Bible verse for today: “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity or cowardice or fear, but (He has given us a spirit) of power and of love and of sound judgment and personal discipline (abilities that result in a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control.)”

2 Timothy 1:7 (Amplified Bible)

Our thought for today: “Be kind but be bold”

The Amplified Bible is a very helpful translation because the translators use all the English words necessary to capture the full meaning of the original Biblical language. Doing so sometimes results in long and awkward sentences, and it can make for difficult reading, but it does capture the full original meaning for us. Such is the case with 2 Timothy 1:7.

Timothy was a young pastor and a protégé of the Apostle Paul. He had been assigned to lead the rambunctious and unruly church in the city of Ephesus. Not only were the non-Christians in that city resistant and even opposed to the Gospel, but the Christians in the church were a pretty tough crowd too. So Timothy had his work cut-out for him as he attempted to speak truth to a sin-filled culture. He got a lot of blowback.

So in 2 Timothy 1:7 Paul reminded him that thanks to Jesus we do not need to be timid or fearful as we face such challenges. The Holy Spirit gives us a spirit of power, love, sound judgment, discipline, self-control, a well-balanced mind, and a sense of calm confidence. It’s in that frame of mind that we should approach our encounters with those who might disagree with us, or who might be unreceptive and even hostile to our message.

In previous devotional messages in this series we’ve discussed ways in which this calm sense of confidence and courage is developed and nurtured. It comes from doing your homework so that you are sure of what you believe and why you believe it. It also comes from taking the time to understand the other person’s position so you are then prepared to speak about it in an intelligent and rational manner. And most importantly, it comes from bathing the entire situation in prayer before you begin speaking.

When it comes to speaking a message of Biblical truth to people who disagree and who might not want to hear what you have to say, your situation might be challenging, but it probably won’t be as challenging as the situation Timothy faced. And if the promise of 2 Timothy 1:7 was helpful for him, it will certainly be helpful for you and me too.

You can be kind but bold. God will help you. Fearless and confident, calm and self-controlled, you can make your case and you can make it well.

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Our mailing address is:

Our theme for this month: “Changing the tone of the conversation.”

Our Bible verse for today: “Now go! I will help you speak and I will teach you what to say.” Exodus 4:12 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “God will give you the words.”

This morning I want to return to our subject from yesterday of praying before you speak. If you ask Him to, God will give you the words He wants you to speak. In Exodus 4:12 we find an Old Testament example of a man who was unsure of himself when it came to speaking. So God reassured Moses that when the time came, He would give him the words.

Jesus picked up on this theme in Matthew 10:19 and Luke 12:12. There He told His disciples not to worry about whether or not they would know what to say when it came time to speak for Him, because the Holy Spirit would give them the words. James also hints at this when he writes in James 1:5 that if any of us lacks wisdom we should ask God for it and it will be given to us.

All of this suggests a prayerful attitude on the part of the individual. This is about people who want their words to honor God and to bless others, and who are therefore seeking the right words from God.

As has been noted in a previous devotional this month, when a person is prayerful and thoughtful about what they are going to say, and when they have taken the time to be sure of their facts, that person can then approach the conversation with a quiet sense of confidence. When you know what you believe and why you believe it, and you understand the other person’s position as well, you are prepared to speak calmly and rationally.

It’s when a person has a weak position that they will be unsure of themselves, and they will then have a tendency to get defensive and emotional. That’s also when a person is most likely to use poor logic, superficial clichés, and overheated language. Praying about it first can help to prevent this from happening.

If you pray before you speak God will give you the words He wants you to say, words that will honor Him and bless others.

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Our mailing address is:

Our theme for this month: “Changing the tone of the conversation”

Our Bible verse for today: “Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue.” Proverbs 17:28 (NIV)

Our thought for today: “Pray more, speak less.”

“Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.” That clever line is usually attributed to Abraham Lincoln, Mark Twain, or Samuel Johnson. But whoever spoke it, it was obviously inspired by Proverbs 17:28. A wise person thinks before they speak, while a fool just blurts out whatever pops into his or her head. However, even the fool stands a chance of being thought wise if he would just be quiet. Sadly, fools are seldom quiet.

I used to be related to a man who fits that description. He is loud and obnoxious by nature. Worse, he has an opinion about everything, and it’s inconceivable to him that other people might not be interested in hearing his opinions. So he shares them often, and loudly, and usually with multiple exclamation points. Most of what he says is silly nonsense, and all he succeeds in accomplishing by making those statements is to convince everyone that he really is silly and nonsensical. But on and on he goes, spitting and sputtering and spouting off.

Most of us would benefit from speaking less and listening more. And when it is time to speak, most of us would benefit from praying more about it before we speak. Ask God to give you the words He wants you to speak. Invite the Holy Spirit to influence your speech so that it honors God and blesses others.

I’ve mentioned before that I’m a student of history and that I read many biographies. One of the men I have great respect for from American history is George Washington. He was a dignified and quiet man who had the habit of listening more than he spoke. Most of the time Washington would simply sit and listen as everyone else spoke. He himself would say little. Instead he would carefully consider what everyone else had to say; he would give lots of thought to what he himself wanted to say; and then when he finally did speak, his words had substance and were profound. Everyone knew that when Washington finally decided to speak, it would be with words that were worth listening to.

Most of us speak too much and listen too little. And we also speak too quickly without praying about it first. Our words should honor God and bless others. So pray first and speak second.

God Bless,
Pastor Jim

Our theme for this month: “Changing the tone of the conversation”

Our Bible verse for today: “No foul language should come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need, so that it gives grace to those who hear.” Ephesians 4:29 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “Your words should make things better not worse.”

Ephesians 4:29 is just one of the places in Scripture where the people of God are instructed to not use profane, foul, corrupting, or course language. The issue must be important to God since He teaches it so many times in so many different places in the Bible. Instead of bad language the people of God are to choose their words carefully, ensuring their speech honors God and blesses others. By the end of this month we will have referred to at least twenty-six of those verses and passages.

However, despite the clear teaching of Scripture, I know Christians who routinely pepper their speech with “salty” language. It’s not too often that I hear Christians using explicitly profane language, (after all, I’m a pastor, who talks that way in front of their pastor?) But I do hear them use what the Bible calls “course” language, which we would probably consider to be questionable but not necessarily profane speech. The teaching of the Bible is that we shouldn’t talk like that. Our words are to be gracious and helpful, building people up instead of tearing them down, making situations better instead of worse.

I also know Christians who routinely use unnecessarily strong, provoking, and angry words, especially on social media such as Facebook. Although such talk could not be classified as profane or foul, it certainly is not helpful and it does not build others up. It also does not further the cause of Christ. Nobody is going to be won to faith in Christ, or be persuaded to abandon unbiblical positions, as a result of mean-spirited statements and angry, provoking words. Statements like that just stir things up and make the situation worse.

The teaching of the Bible is clear – we are to bless people with our words, building them up instead of tearing them down, and promoting the cause of Christ with love and grace.

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Our mailing address is: