Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “A prosperous life”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before you to hear your words, but they do not put them into practice. Their mouths speak of love, but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain. Indeed, to them you are nothing more than one who sings love songs with a beautiful voice and plays an instrument well, for they hear your words but do not put them into practice.” Ezekiel 33:31-32 (NIV)

 

Our thought for today: “Don’t fake it”

 

Ezekiel was a prophet and priest who ministered among the people of Jerusalem prior to and after the invasion of the Babylonians in 586 B.C. Along with Jeremiah, Ezekiel was one of the prophets who repeatedly warned the people of coming judgment from God if they didn’t change their ways. But, the people wouldn’t listen. Oh, they pretended to listen, they claimed to be very religious and they even went through the motions of practicing their faith, but their hearts were far from God.

 

The primary way in which their hearts were far from God, was in the way they lived when they were not in church. As Ezekiel 33:31-32 says, they came to the worship services and sang the songs; they seemed to listen attentively as Ezekiel preached; they mouthed religious clichés and they gave their offerings; but then they walked out the doors and engaged in corrupt business practices, or they mistreated other people, or they lived the proverbial lives of “sex, drugs, and rock and roll”.

 

Jesus spoke of this same thing almost six hundred years later in Luke 6:46 when He asked the people, “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord’, and then not do what I say?”

 

One thing that really angers God’s is phony religion. He hates it. Few things make Him angrier than for people to claim the name of “Christian” – followers of His Son Jesus, but to then behave in ways that His Son Jesus never would have. “Christian” means “to be Christ-like”. So as His followers we need to ask “What was Christ like?” and then we need to behave that way too.

 

Today is Saturday, tomorrow is Sunday. When you go to church tomorrow and sing the songs will you mean the lyrics you are singing? When you listen to the sermon will you embrace the truths you hear and then walk out the doors of the church and live what you profess to believe?

 

A truly prosperous life is a life that is lived in right relation to God, in a way that honors Him. Live what you profess to believe.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “A prosperous life”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayers.” Acts 2:42 (HCSB)

 

Our thought for today: “A truly prosperous life includes a good church family”

 

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about church and what a big part of my life our church family is. It probably doesn’t surprise you that a Pastor thinks about church a lot, or that his church would be a big part of his life. But it’s not just me. All of the truly devoted Christians I know would tell you that church is a big part of their lives too.

 

Active participation in the life of a good church family seems to be a common denominator among those who are passionate about their faith and who are really living what they profess to believe. That’s because God designed church life to be a place of refuge where His children gather to support and encourage one another, and to help each other grow spiritually. With the sole exception of John the Baptist, you will not find any New Testament examples of “Lone Ranger” Christians. Healthy Christians are always shown in the New Testament as being actively involved in a church family.

 

In Acts chapter two we read about the early church in Jerusalem. The outstanding characteristic of those believers was that they were always together. The descriptive term used of them is that they were “devoted”. They were devoted to learning, they were devoted to praying, they were devoted to fellowship with other Christians, and they were devoted to sharing money and possessions in order to meet each others needs.  And it all took place within the context of being together.

 

Recently I’ve been reading a book that illustrates just one of the many advantages of being part of a good church family. It was written by father and son Bill and Jim Putman entitled “Hope for the Prodigal: Bringing the Lost, Wandering, and Rebellious Home”. As the title suggests, it’s a book for those who have prodigal children in their lives.

 

The authors have unique qualifications for writing such a book – they were both prodigals themselves; they then both raised prodigal children of their own; and they are both pastors of churches with prodigals. Bill was a prodigal child who eventually came back to the Lord and to his family. Then he became a pastor. His son Jim was a prodigal who also eventually came back to the Lord and to his family and then he too went on to become a pastor. Jim’s son Christian also was a prodigal who eventually came back to the Lord and to his family, and he ended up in ministry as well.

 

One of the keys Bill and Jim discovered to dealing with the problem of prodigal children is to make sure a good church family is involved. Raising a child in a good church helps to prevent them from becoming a prodigal to begin with. If and when a child does stray, a good church family helps the family to deal with the situation in a godly manner. And, a good church family gives the prodigal a welcoming environment to come back to.

 

I could write many pages about the important role a good church family plays in a life that is truly prosperous. Church is a place of worship, refuge, learning, encouragement, and growth. We all need a good church family. If you don’t already have one, we would love you have you visit with us at Oak Hill Baptist this Sunday. A good church family is an important part of living a life that is truly prosperous in all the important ways.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “A prosperous life”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act.” Proverbs 3:27 (NIV)

 

Our thought for today: “God has given you the power to bless others.”

 

Yesterday I explained that as a way of moving us to bless others, God hard-wired us to feel good about it. The release of endorphins in the brain that gives us a feeling of happiness and satisfaction is God’s way of instantly rewarding us for doing something nice for someone else.

 

In today’s Bible verse we learn that not only does God reward us for doing good deeds, but He also empowers us for it. You have the power to bless others, and doing so can take a thousand different forms. It could be as big as donating large sums of money to a worthy cause, or it could be as small as smiling at someone and offering them a word of encouragement. It could be risking your life to protect someone else, or it could be simply spending ten minutes listening as a friend tells you of her struggles coping with the recent loss of a spouse. In a thousand different ways you have the power to do good for others.

 

In Proverbs 3:27 God tells us that we are not to withhold good from those to whom it is due. That almost sounds as if there are people who are entitled to receive blessings from us. Did you read it that way? Well good. That is how God meant it. Others are entitled to be blessed by us. I encourage you to stop here for a moment, open your Bible, and read Matthew 25:31-40. In that passage Jesus makes it clear that those in need are essentially surrogates for God. They are stand-ins for Him to receive our acts of blessings and good works. “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.” When you do it for them you have in fact done it for Him.

 

Now revisit that thought about whether or not people are “entitled” to receive blessings from you only substitute “God” for “those”. Is “God” entitled to receive those acts of blessing from you? If so – if God is entitled, then by extension they are entitled. God has designated “them” or “those” to be His surrogates to receive the blessing on His behalf. And the one who is entitled to receive that blessing is whoever the Lord has put in front of you at this time who might need to be blessed in some way.

 

The best life you will ever have, the happiest life, the life that is prosperous in all the right ways, will be the life that is lived with a servant heart and a willingness to bless others. Do not withhold blessings from those to whom they are due.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “A prosperous life”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “Happy is one who cares for the poor; the Lord will keep him and preserve him. The Lord will keep him and preserve him; he will be blessed in the land.” Psalm 41:1-2 (HCSB)

 

Our thought for today: “Serving and giving makes for a happy life.”

 

Psychologists will tell you that the happiest people are those who are generous by nature and who enjoy serving others. The unhappiest people are those who are not generous and who seldom do things for others. (Think Bob Cratchit as opposed to Ebenezer Scrooge).

 

It’s simply an observable and clinically verifiable fact that when we take our eyes off of ourselves and do things for others it makes us happy. Whereas being self-centered, uncaring, and stingy tends to make a person sour and unhappy. Not only is this a Biblical truth, and not only is it proven simply by observing people, as well as by clinical studies conducted by psychologists as they worked with depressed and unhappy people, but it has also been medically proven.

 

Decades ago medical researchers discovered that the acts of generosity and service release endorphins in the brain. Endorphin is a chemical that induces a sensation of satisfaction, pleasure, and peace. Some scientists have compared it to the effect opioids have on the body. They discovered there are certain activities we can engage in that serve to release endorphins, thereby causing us to be happy. When you eat something that tastes especially good to you, endorphins are released in the brain causing a deep sense of pleasure. Sexual intimacy is another example. Serving and blessing others is another activity that falls into this category of endorphin-induced feelings of pleasure and satisfaction.

 

In the Bible God tells us that blessing others will have this effect on us. Psalm 41:1-2 is just one of the many passages that remind us of this great truth. You bless others, God will bless you, and you will feel good about it.

 

The happiest people I have ever known have been then those who were generous and who had a servant’s heart. The unhappiest people I know are those who are self-centered, stingy, and who are forever focused on their own issues and problems.

 

The best and happiest life you will have is when you make it a point to bless others. Doing things for others simply makes us feel good, it makes us happy. That’s the way God designed us.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “A prosperous life”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “… make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.” 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 (NIV)

 

Our thought for today: “Andy had it right.”

 

I’ve always been a big fan of the Andy Griffith show. I grew up with Andy, Opie, Barney, and Aunt Bea on my television. The thing I liked so much about that show (and still do) is the quiet simple life it portrayed and the honorable quality of the lives of those ordinary everyday people. The neighborhood where I actually grew up in central New Jersey was more of a “Leave it to Beaver” setting, but it had a similar simplicity, quietness, and wholesome quality to it.

 

Had the Apostle Paul lived in the 1960s I think he would have been a big fan of the Andy Griffith Show and Leave it to Beaver. The simple and wholesome lifestyle that was modeled for us in those shows is a theme that Paul returned to frequently in his Biblical writings. In Philippians 4:10-13 he urged us to learn how to be content. In 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 he commends a quiet life of honest work and personal behavior that others view with admiration and respect. He carried that thought forward in 2 Thessalonians where he emphasized qualities like being firm in your convictions (2:15); being faithful in prayer (3:1); working hard (3:12); and doing good (3:13).

 

We live in a world that glorifies high profile accomplishments. The message seems to be that we should all be hard-charging, aggressive, flashy, even self-promoting if necessary, as we go through life achieving all we can, accumulating all we can, and consuming all we can. But we all know what an empty life that mindset often creates.

 

Please don’t misunderstand the point I’m making here. Those of you who know me know that I’m a firm believer in “living life large”. I do think we should get a good education, develop our skills and abilities, work hard to accomplish meaningful things, take advantage of our opportunities, and seek out adventure such as international mission trips. The Apostle Paul did all of those things. But at the same time Paul was a simple and quiet man who had learned to be content and who valued good character and high integrity.

 

Can there be an “Andy of Mayberry” quality to your life while still living life large? Yes. I personally know many people who are doctors, lawyers, nurses, school teachers, paramedics, etc, who go on mission trips, assist in disaster relief efforts, ride motorcycles, go on cruises, and lots of other exciting and fun things.  In other words they are living lives of achievement, purpose and adventure but at the same time there is a sense of peace and quiet, simplicity and integrity at the center of their lives.

 

You can have both. Don’t forget that Andy was a Sheriff and Ward Cleaver was an investment banker in New York City – two busy and honorable professions held by men who are remembered as quiet, simple, and of high character.

 

I think Andy had it right. So did Ward Cleaver. So did the Apostle Paul. How about you? Don’t get so focused on achievement and accumulating that you sacrifice simplicity and peace.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

 

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “A prosperous life”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9 (NIV)

 

Our thought for today: “Don’t give up”

 

As you read these devotional messages each morning it might seem to you that I refer to myself, or use myself as an example, a lot. That’s true, and it is so because the writing of these messages is part of my personal daily devotional time with God. Therefore He usually uses these topics to address issues in my own life first. So these messages are usually for me first and for you second. That’s the case again today.

 

I’ve mentioned many times what a joy and a blessing it is for me to be the Pastor of Oak Hill Baptist Church. But in December of 2010 I almost quit. I was at one of the lowest points in all my years of ministry and I was on the verge of resigning. By then I had been the Pastor for two years. I had worked hard, used every method and strategy I knew of to help the church get healthy and to grow, but had little success. I felt like I was banging my head against a brick wall. Satan was all over me. He had me convinced I was the wrong man for this church and the best thing I could do was to get out of the way so they could get a new Pastor who could do something with the church.

 

So on a Sunday morning in December 2010, as I got up to preach, I was deeply discouraged. I opened my Bible and my notes, opened my mouth, and nothing came out. I tried again, but nothing. I stood there for a moment, but just could not preach. Finally I sensed the Lord telling me to just close my notes, pull up a stool, and talk to the people – just tell them what I was feeling. So I did.

 

Honestly, I was pretty sure that would mark the end of my time at Oak Hill. If they didn’t fire me I was going to quit. But the exact opposite happened. By the time we were done that morning people were crying, there were hugs, and person after person came up to me to affirm the importance of my ministry and to ask me to just hang in there. Over the next few weeks I received cards and calls and visits and encouragement. It ended up being the turning point for me and for our church. From that moment on, everything about our church life started to change.

 

I could write many pages about all the wonderful things God has done at Oak Hill Baptist Church in the seven years since then. I’ve mentioned some of those things before in other devotional messages. As I said in a different message just the other day, my ministry here at this church has ended up being a rich and deep spiritual experience for me and it’s one of the great joys of my life.

 

But here’s the point in all of this: I almost missed it! I almost quit and walked away! The best part of all of my years of ministry and I almost missed them by giving up when I was supposed to have stuck with it. I thank God for the kind and sensitive people who encouraged me to hang in there and to keep trying.

 

What is it that you are on the verge of walking away from? Obviously nothing lasts forever and sometimes things do have to end, but seldom is our problem that we stick with something too long. More often the problem is that we give up and quit when we should have stuck with it. I can’t help but wonder how many good things we miss in life because we gave up and quit when we should have stayed and kept trying.

 

I want to encourage you today to stick with it. Whatever “it” is in your life, stick with it. Don’t be too quick to give up. The best may be yet to come.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

 

 

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “A prosperous life”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “The glory of the Lord went up from within the city and stopped above the mountain east of it.” Ezekiel 11:23 (NIV)

 

Our thought for today: “Has the glory of the Lord departed from your life?”

 

In chapters 10-11 of the Old Testament book of Ezekiel the prophet records for us one of the saddest events in the history of the Jews. It’s the record of how the glory of God progressively departed from the people and from the nation, and they didn’t even realize it.

 

In 10:3-4 we read of the glory of the Lord moving from the altar within the temple to the threshold of the temple and then hovering there. Then in 10:18-19 the glory of the Lord moves further away, this time from the threshold of the temple to above the temple. Then in 11:23 we find that the glory of the Lord moved away from the temple altogether, left the city of Jerusalem, and hovered briefly over the mountains east of the city before departing entirely.

 

Now please don’t miss the point that in these chapters there is no indication that the people were aware this was happening, or that the glory of the Lord eventually departed from them altogether. In fact, just the opposite was true. In chapter 13 Ezekiel tells us of false prophets who were circulating among the people professing to have had visions from God and who claimed to be bringing the people encouraging words from God. And the people believed them.

 

How could the people of God have become so spiritually dull that the glory of God could depart from them and they didn’t even miss it? The entire book of Ezekiel answers that question. The people made a shallow show of worshiping God but their hearts were actually devoted to virtually everything but God. Their hearts were captivated by money and possessions and comfort and pleasure. They had filled their lives with things and activities that had become more important to them than a deep and genuine relationship with God. Their religion had become little more than a show.

 

What happened to the ancient Israelites in the time of Ezekiel also happens to modern Christians in our day. The glory of God departs from their individual lives, from their homes, from their churches, from their cities, and from their nation, and they don’t even miss it. They have become so spiritually dull and so superficial in the practice of their faith that they were unfamiliar with the glory of God to begin with. Therefore once it is withdrawn from them they don’t even realize it’s gone. Like the people of Ezekiel’s day they just continue on with their showy but fake religious games, assuming everything is fine. But it isn’t.

 

A life that is spiritually prosperous is a life that is so used to experiencing the glory of God that any diminishing of His glory in your life would be noticed immediately, and would be a cause of alarm and concern.

 

Has the glory of God departed from your life? Would you know it if it did?

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

 

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “A prosperous life”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV)

 

Our thought for today: “Sometimes God must rearrange things in your life.”

 

Yesterday I told you about a difficult period in my own life that was scary and uncertain. But I also explained how it was that over time God reached into the middle of that deep and dark situation and brought some good and beautiful things out of it. In order to do that God had to rearrange some things in our lives. The major health episode Linda suffered wasn’t caused by God, but it was what God used to bring about some very good things for us – He just needed to make some adjustments in our lives in order to do it.

 

The Apostle Paul had several situations like that in his own life. In 2 Corinthians 12:1-10 he wrote of one such situation. There he tells of a “thorn in his flesh” that he was to carry with him for the rest of his life. We don’t know exactly what Paul’s “thorn” was but we do know it was debilitating in some way and in Paul’s own words, it hindered him to the point of “weakness”. Many Bible scholars believe it was eyesight that was so bad that Paul needed others to read and write for him.

 

However, as Paul explained in that passage, the thing that he saw as his “weakness” actually turned out to be a major source of Paul’s success. For one thing that “thorn” created within Paul a sense of humility and dependency that never existed in him before. Our impression of Paul (Saul the Pharisee) before this was of a strong-willed, overly-confident, and somewhat harsh man who was hard-charging and unyielding. But after this he would always need to rely on trusted assistants such as Barnabas, Timothy and Silas. Paul needed them simply to function in daily life and to minister effectively.

 

This turn of events in Paul’s life, which certainly seemed bad at the time, ended up being the turning point that led him into a season of life, and a record of achievements, that never would have happened otherwise.

 

The lesson we learn here, from the example of Paul today and from mine and Linda’s story as related yesterday, is that God often uses bad and even tragic situations in our lives to move us on to the next great thing He has in store for us.

 

I don’t know what’s going on in your life today but I do know that God is sovereign over those events and that He can and will use them for your benefit and for His glory. Whatever it is, I encourage you to commit it to God and ask Him to redeem it for your good and for His glory.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “A prosperous life”

 

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: “Lord, how do you want to use this for your glory?”

 

On March 3, 2007 my wife Linda had a major stroke. I found her in bed unable to move or speak. She had had a brain stem stroke. The left side of her cerebellum was swelling. It was pressing against her brain stem and shutting down all life functions. She was airlifted to Erlanger Medical Center in Chattanooga, TN and the next day she underwent brain surgery to remove the swelling side of her cerebellum.

 

For three days we didn’t know if she would survive. Once it became evident that she would live, it was quickly apparent that she was going to have major, life-altering disabilities. And, I realized that our lives had just changed forever. Nothing would ever be the same again. Frankly, I was scared. I had no idea what the future held or how we were going to handle it. If you would be interested in reading the details of that story and how we handled it, you can go to my website at www.JimMersereauBooks.com, click on the tab “Free Articles” and download the essay “I’m a Survivor Too”.

 

One late night in the hospital, totally exhausted and emotionally drained, I prayed Proverbs 3:5-6 over the situation. It was already one of my life verses but now it took on special meaning. I committed the entire situation to God. I affirmed that I had complete trust in His goodness and His grace, as well as in His watch care over us. I knew that He loved us, would provide for us, and would get us through this. Essentially I asked Him, “Lord, how do you want to use this for your glory?”

 

Little did I realize at that time the amazing ways in which God intended to redeem that situation. I look back now after almost eleven years and I stand amazed at all God has done. Linda did end up with significant disabilities but her positive, upbeat, can-do attitude about it has been an inspiration to me and to everyone else. Our marriage, which was always pretty good, actually got even better. We are closer as husband and wife now than ever before.

 

God also opened the door for me to leave my profession as the Vice-President of an International Humanitarian Relief Agency. That needed to happen because the job required a lot of travel and time away from home, but I needed to be home with my wife. Instead God allowed me to become the Pastor of Oak Hill Baptist Church. That has turned into one of the great joys of my life. Being the Pastor of this church is a deep and rich spiritual experience for me. We have an amazing church family who we love deeply and who love us in return.

 

During these years I have also developed a writing ministry, publishing two books, numerous magazine and newspaper articles, and a daily devotional series. I could go on for many pages about all the amazing things God has done in our lives over these last eleven years but my point is that a situation that began as a great tragedy has been redeemed by God and turned into a series of amazing blessings that continue to unfold even today. Paraphrasing Joseph’s words in Genesis 50:20: “Satan meant it for evil but God used it for good.”

 

Whatever situation you are facing in life today I encourage you to consecrate it to God and ask Him to redeem it for His good purposes. Meditate on Proverbs 3:5-6. Believe it. Claim it. And then go forward, trusting that God is at work behind the scenes and that He has good things planned for you.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “A prosperous life”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result – the survival of many people.” Genesis 50:20 (HCSB)

 

Our thought for today: “Invite God to redeem your circumstances for His good purposes.”

 

Joseph was a young man who suffered horrible injustices. His brothers hated him and sold him into slavery in Egypt. Joseph then spent thirteen years first as a slave in a rich man’s house, and then as a prisoner in jail. But he never lost faith in God and he invited God to use his circumstances, even the worst of them, for some good purpose. Eventually Joseph was released from prison, elevated to a position of high authority and influence, and used his situation to be a blessing to the very ones who had mistreated him. You can read his story in Genesis chapters 37-50.

 

Likewise, yesterday I asked you to prayerfully consider inviting God to use even the worst of your situations as a means of accomplishing His good purposes and also as a means of blessing others. This attitude is a key to living a life that is truly blessed and prosperous in all the important ways. Attitude is everything. This morning I want to share with you a few important observations from author Jack Alexander in his book, “The God Guarantee”:

 

“As children of God, we can bring him anything and everything – our jobs, our children, our marriages, our gifts, our addictions and weaknesses, our time, our finances – to be used according to his purposes and open to his blessings. God can make every part of our lives holy if we invite him to do so.”

 

“Over and over, I’ve seen God bless the people, decisions, and opportunities I’ve consecrated to him. He desires to redeem not only the big things and the major moments but also the seemingly unimportant details.”

 

“When we reverently invite God’s power, presence, and purposes into anything, something shifts in the heavenlies … too many people leave consecration out of their daily lives … very simply, consecration is inviting God and his holiness into the details of our lives.”

 

We have now entered into the key element of living a life that is blessed by God in all the most important ways. It’s the issue of consecrating all that we are, and all that we have, and all of our circumstances, to God to be used for His purposes. Like Jack wrote, “When we do that something shifts in the heavenlies.” We will spend much of our remaining time this month exploring this very important truth.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim