Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Boundaries”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and every creature that crawls on the earth.” Genesis 1:28 (HCSB)

 

Our thought for today: “We must have reasonable boundaries.”

 

Ok admit it, how often do act as if Genesis 1:28 is your personal responsibility? Seriously, do you act as if you’re personally responsible for everything and everyone and for every task, and that somewhere in the world there may be fish in the sea or birds in the sky that are missing your personal attention? Most of us would laugh and say “no” but the way we actually live our lives tells a different story (I’m preaching to myself here).

 

Many of us today are stretched way too thin in terms of the demands on our time and the number of activities and responsibilities we have crammed into our lives. The result is a population of people who feel hassled and harried, discontent and often unhappy – and tired. It’s amazing that in the most technologically advanced society that has ever existed, enjoying the highest standard of living that any society has ever had, we also have one of the highest percentages of people on anti-depressant medications of any nation in the world. How can people have so much and still be so stressed, so tired, and so unhappy? Most of us need to gain better control over our lives.

 

In their wonderful and helpful book “Boundaries” Henry Cloud and John Townsend write, “Part of taking responsibility or ownership, is knowing what is our job and what it isn’t … It takes wisdom to know what we should be doing and what we shouldn’t. We can’t do everything.”

 

Many of us need to take steps to slow down and to simplify our lives. We need to learn to say “no” more often. Yes, sometimes your boss needs to hear you say “No, I can’t work that overtime”. Sometimes the adult children who continue to rely on us more than they should, and who continue to expect more from us than they should, have to be told “Ok, that’s it, enough is enough”. Sometimes the PTA project needs to be led by somebody else. You get the idea.

 

This month we’re going to devotionally consider how we can establish and maintain proper boundaries in our lives. And as we will see, doing so is Biblical. The old saying is still true, “God created us to be human “beings” not human “doings” “. We have to learn to establish proper boundaries in our lives. I look forward to exploring this subject with you.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Busyness”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “There is profit in all hard work, but endless talk leads only to poverty.” Proverbs 14:23 (HCSB)

 

Our thought for today: “Being busy is actually good, if you’re busy with the right things.”

 

As we conclude our theme of “busyness” I want to be sure to stress that busyness is not necessarily bad. On the contrary, the Bible repeatedly teaches that God expects us to be industrious, hardworking, diligent, and conscientious about life in general. We are not to be lazy and we are not to make excuses for not doing the things we should do. This is important because too many people claim to be “too busy” for this or that, when in fact they’re just using busyness as an excuse to get out of doing something they should do.

 

And so, we have to be smart about this. We have to be wise in the choices we make regarding the things we will say “yes” to, and those we will decline to do. This is a problem for a lot of people. I’ve received a good bit of feedback from some of you regarding how much you wrestle with this issue in your own lives.

 

Since finding good solutions for dealing with the busyness of our lives is such a problem for so many people, I’ve decided to spend the month of August revisiting a theme we explored once before, back in September 2014. It’s the theme of “Boundaries”. Even though we have explored this subject once before, it was three years ago. Many of you were not part of our email and Facebook reader groups back then and therefore this will be entirely new for you. Others of you were part of the group back then but will still find it helpful to review these important lessons.

 

There is only so much we can allow into our lives at any one time. That means we have to say “yes” to some things and to some people, and we have to say “no” to others. In other words, we have to establish boundaries that will determine who and what we will allow into our lives, and who and what can not come in.

 

We have to do this. If we don’t then our lives will quickly become a lot like that Hungarian circus I made reference to the other day, the one with lots of wild monkeys out of control and causing chaos.

 

Much of what we consider in the coming month will be borrowed or excerpted from the great book “Boundaries” by Henry Cloud and John Townsend. If busyness and proper boundaries is a challenge for you then I recommend you read that book.

 

I look forward to exploring this important subject with you. We can all use better boundaries to help us gain control over the busyness of our lives.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Busyness”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “Above all, fear the Lord and worship Him faithfully with all your heart, considering the great things He has done for you.” 1 Samuel 12:24 (HCSB)

 

Our thought for today: “Prepare your heart for worship”.

 

I’ve always been attracted to monasteries. Maybe it has something to do with my Catholic upbringing. I’ve never actually been to a monastery but I’ve read books and stories, journals and devotional messages written by people who have.

 

You don’t have to be a monk or a nun to go there. Most monasteries offer regular folks the opportunity to visit for a quiet retreat. That’s the thing that I find attractive about the thought of going to one – a period of time secluded from the world. No televisions, computers, or cell phones, just long hours of quiet reflection in a beautiful old cathedral, followed by more hours of hiking through the woods, or sitting beside a lake, or sleeping.

 

Most of us are too busy in the way we practice our faith. We rush through our times of prayer and Bible reading. Then we squeeze in a little time for a ministry activity. When we gather on Sunday mornings there’s lots of laughing, joking, talking, singing, listening to a sermon, and then we rush off to lunch. But there’s little time of quiet reflection. Sometimes it seems as if we just barge into the presence of the Lord like a noisy group of chattering teenagers.

 

Don’t get me wrong, I love the happy and friendly atmosphere of joyful fellowship. That’s a sign of a healthy church family. But we need to be careful our church time doesn’t get so noisy and busy that we don’t spend time thoughtfully and prayerfully preparing our hearts to enter into a time of worship. This is what the Old Testament prophet Samuel was calling for in 1 Samuel 12:24 – a time of thoughtful reflection faithfully preparing your heart and considering all the great things He has done for you.

 

As you prepare yourself to go to church this Sunday I encourage you to spend time beforehand quietly and prayerfully preparing your heart. Think deeply about God and all that He has done for you. Consider His greatness and His majesty. Spend the time to properly prepare yourself for entering into His presence in deep and meaningful worship.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Busyness”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you; plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

 

Our thought for today: “God has a plan.”

 

I have a good friend who I don’t want to embarrass so I’ll just identify him by his initials which are “Mike Sims”. A couple of years ago my friend (whose initials are “Mike Sims”) was going through a time of transition in his life. He had had great success in his professional life and had risen to a high position in a prominent corporation. But times change, economies change, companies change, and at midlife Mike found himself having to make a career change. It was a somewhat confusing time for him.

 

So I loaned him a book from my library (which he never returned by the way, but it’s ok. Really, it’s ok).  The title of the book (which I don’t have anymore) was “Halftime” by Bob Buford. In that book Bob explains that sometimes we reach a point in life where big adjustments are necessary. But rather than that being a bad thing God can turn it into something very good. We just need to turn the situation over to Him and then allow Him to lead us through it. (That book is so good and so helpful, and such a good one to have in your library, that I think I’ll buy myself another copy of it.)

 

Well my friend (known only by the initials “Mike Sims”) handled his situation correctly – he turned it over to God and trusted fully in Him for the outcome. The result was not just a better job, but a better life. In terms of quality of life in all the important ways, like time with family, strong faith, good health, Mike’s life ended up even better than it was before.

 

All kidding aside, I love Mike as a brother in Christ and I’m proud to call him my friend (even if he doesn’t return books). His is a great example of how God can take our overly busy lives, rearrange things, and lead us to something much better.

 

As you need to make decisions about important changes that really do need to occur, it’s imperative that you walk lock-step with God all the way through it. His plan is good and His plan is perfect. So make sure it is His plan that you are seeking.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Busyness”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” 1 Corinthians 12:4-7 (NIV)

 

Our thought for today: “Be busy with the work God has called you to.”

 

Each year at this time at Oak Hill Baptist Church we ask all of our members to prayerfully consider what church ministry they will serve in when the new church year begins in September. We believe that God has equipped every person to serve in some manner. So we provide our people with a list of all the different ministry opportunities available, we ask them to select one or more, and then to commit to serve in that way for one year.

 

In 1 Corinthians 12:4-7 that we read above Paul explains that there are many different kinds of service that are needed, and that the Holy Spirit has given every person skills and abilities to perform one or more of those services. He also says that it is for the common good. We all benefit when each person is serving in the way in which God has called and equipped them.

 

This is an important lesson and so Paul taught it several times in different letters. In Romans chapter twelve he compared the church to a physical body. Just as the physical body has many different parts, and each part has a unique function and is needed, so too in the church there are many different people with many different skills and abilities. All are important and all are needed in order for the body to function properly.

 

In Luke 2:49, when asked by His parents why He was doing the things He was doing the boy Jesus answered, “I must be about My Father’s business.” Yes, that was true of Him and it’s true of us as well. This is something we should all be busy with.

 

As you give thought to the things you should be busy with (and the things you shouldn’t), it’s important to consider what skills and abilities God has developed in you, and how you should be using those skills and abilities for the benefit of others and for the common good. As you establish and perhaps rearrange your priorities in life don’t lose sight of the fact that God gave you the skills and abilities you have for a purpose, and in the Bible He has clearly and repeatedly instructed us to use those skills and abilities in His service. Ministry is something that should be high on your list of priorities. It’s something you should be busy with.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Busyness”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “He answered, ‘I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” Matthew 15:24 (NIV)

 

Our thought for today: “God has called you to do some things, but He has not called you to do everything.”

 

In Matthew 15:21-28 we read about the faith of a Canaanite woman who came to Jesus pleading with Him to cast a demon out of her young daughter. Amazingly Jesus said “no”. He explained that casting demons out of gentile girls was not His mission. He told her that He had been sent by God to minister to the lost sheep of Israel. But the woman pleaded with Him all the more, even argued with Him! Jesus then reversed course and cast the demon out of the girl as the mother had requested.

 

It’s a confusing passage for many reasons, especially since we know that Jesus was sent for more than just the Jews. He was sent to make salvation possible for all mankind. Bible scholars debate what we should take away from this passage. For one thing we should certainly be impressed with the faith and boldness of the Canaanite woman.

 

But I think there’s another lesson in this too, one that pertains to our own theme of busyness. Jesus knew exactly what He was supposed to be doing, and He also knew what He was not supposed to be doing. His ministry was to be focused in Israel on the Jews. That was the starting place. Later His followers would expand the reach of Christianity beyond Israel and out into the gentile world, but it was others who were to do that, not Jesus Himself.

 

There’s a lesson in that for us. God has called you to do some things, but He has not called you to do everything. Many of us seem to think it is our responsibility to try to do everything.  But the truth is that God has called you and equipped you to do some things, and then He has called and equipped others to do things that you are not called and equipped to do.

 

This is a liberating truth. Once we understand the things that are our responsibility it frees us to say “no” to things that rightly belong to someone else. And you do need to say “no” to the things that are not yours. If you don’t, others will gladly let you do your work and theirs as well.

 

It is true that if others are not doing their part, and if you don’t then do it for them, there are some things that might not get done. That’s unfortunate. But it’s also true that if you keep doing for others what they should be doing themselves, you will get overwhelmed and burned out and ineffective. So you need to stay focused on what does belong to you and let God deal with those people who might be shirking their responsibilities.

 

There’s an old Hungarian saying that goes “Not my circus, not my monkeys”. It means that not everything is your responsibility. While it is true that sometimes it is your circus and those are your monkeys, it’s also true that it is just as often not the case. So when it is somebody else’s circus you need to let them be the ringmaster, let them coral those monkeys. Then you can sit back and relax, eat popcorn, and enjoy the show.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Busyness”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “And the boy Samuel continued to grow in stature and in favor with the Lord and with people.” 1 Samuel 2:26 (NIV)

 

Our thought for today: “Stay focused on God.
As we continue thinking about the problem of busyness, we have moved away from thinking about the causes of our busyness and the damage excessive busyness causes, and we have begun considering how to handle our busyness.

 

I believe an important part of the answer can be found in the contrasting examples of two ancient leaders of Israel. Both of their names begin with “S”. They both appear in the Old Testament book of 1 Samuel, and both of them led busy lives. They are Samuel and Saul.

 

The example of Samuel is positive and inspiring. From his earliest days his unwavering devotion to God was the foundation upon which his life was built. Also, it was always the starting place for Samuel- God came first, obedience to His commands was not optional, and everything else in his life grew out of that. From there he went about his daily duties of leading the people in worship, and providing wise counsel and good judgment in the administration of the affairs of the nation, and everything else that went along with being a busy leader. But it all started with God, and Samuel never lost sight of that.

 

Saul was different. His example is mostly negative and it’s one we need to be sure we don’t follow. Saul began well, he was humble and obedient. But he quickly drifted from his spiritual roots, began depending on his own wisdom, engaged in lots of behaviors that went against God’s clear commands, rationalized his behavior, and came to a sad and disgraceful end. You can read his sorry story in the book of 1 Samuel.

 

Samuel and Saul were both busy men with important duties. The primary difference between them was that Samuel remained focused on God first and foremost, and Saul did not. In his busyness he lost sight of what was most important, and his life quickly became very messy.

 

The lesson here for us is that regardless of how busy we are, first and foremost we have to stay true to God. He is our firm foundation and our anchor. He is the one who will keep our head screwed on straight and our thinking clear.

 

Unfortunately, for many people, rather than holding tightly to the practice of their faith, as the busyness of life increases they begin to make excuses for not praying, or reading the Bible, or attending the regular gatherings of their church family. After all, they’re just so busy!

 

Wrong! Worst possible thing you could do. God isn’t your problem He’s your answer. If you’re too busy for praying and Bible study and church attendance then my friend you are entirely too busy! And, you are now officially drifting. You are following the path of Saul rather than that of Samuel.

 

As you attempt to get control of your busyness I encourage you to remember that the faithful and obedient practice of your faith needs to be the foundation of your life, the starting place for every other activity in your life, and it has to be non-negotiable. Everything else is of lesser importance.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Busyness”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “The one who works his land will have plenty of food, but whoever chases fantasies lacks sense.” Proverbs 12:11 (HCSB)

 

Our thought for today: “You should work hard and well.”

 

As I write this it is Monday morning and most of us are beginning a new work week. As we continue thinking about the issue of “busyness” we can easily be tempted to think that our job is a problem and a major source of our busyness. In many cases that could be true, and we will talk about it more in a moment, but a job is actually a good thing and it is a blessing from God.

 

It has always been God’s intention that we would work in order to provide for ourselves and for our families. It began with Adam in the Garden of Eden. We read in Genesis 2:15, “The Lord God took the man and placed him in the Garden of Eden to work it and watch over it.” Then throughout scripture productive work is always portrayed as a good thing – Proverbs 12:11 being just one example.

 

So the problem isn’t having a job, the problem is when the job becomes too important to you and you give it too much of your time and attention; or when your employer begins making unreasonable demands upon your time. That’s when a good thing begins to become a bad thing because it causes the rest of your life to get out of balance. That then creates new problems.

 

I’ve written in previous devotional messages about a syndrome the Japanese call “Karoshi”. “Karoshi” is a Japanese word that means “death from overwork” and it’s becoming more and more of a problem in Japanese society. Japanese culture creates a lot of pressure to be seen as successful, and there is such a strong desire among the Japanese people to earn lots of money in order to acquire lots of consumer goods, that men and women allow their lives to be defined by, and consumed by, their jobs. They end up working long hours under tremendous pressure to meet unrealistic expectations. They eat fast food on the run, get little exercise, they don’t get enough sleep, they use too much alcohol, smoke too many cigarettes, battle relentless traffic, and ignore their families.

 

As a result they end up with high blood pressure, lung cancer, and a wide range of other degenerative diseases. The suicide rater in Japan is very high and it is increasing. They’re killing themselves by overworking.

 

It is true that you should have a job and you should work hard and well. But don’t kill yourself doing it. Keep your work in its proper place. Don’t allow your job to define, monopolize, or consume the rest of your life.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Busyness”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “Be still, and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10

 

Our thought for today: “Give yourself a break.”

 

Sometimes the best thing you can do is nothing. That’s right. Sometimes the best thing you can do is to do nothing at all. I know that seems counterintuitive but it’s true. Well, maybe a better way to put it would be that rather than being busy with endless activities, a better use of your time would be to simply sit still and rest for a while.

 

That’s the point God was making in Psalm 46:10. In this verse He is essentially calling us to rest. This is important because we can easily get caught in the trap of thinking that the only time we’re being productive is when we’re in the process of accomplishing some task. But the truth is that sometimes the best thing to do is to just stop all the activity and sit quietly with the Lord for a while. I’ve often told others (and myself) that when you’re tired, stressed, stretched thin and feeling overwhelmed, sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is to take a nap.

 

We know this and yet we don’t do it. At least we don’t do it enough. I’m preaching to myself here. I’m always making excuses for my busyness, and I convince myself that I really don’t have a choice but to keep going and just push through it. But that’s wrong. We all have a choice about this. And there’s a reason God gave us Psalm 46:10.

 

My profession (Pastor) is one of the highest turnover professions there is. According to LifeWay Church Resources Research Division, only 10% of pastors stay in the profession long enough to retire from it. At some point 90% give-up and quit. One of the top reasons is burnout. I know this is true, and I have a deep desire to be in the 10% that makes it all the way, yet I continue to make excuses for my busyness and I often disregard the Lord’s clear instruction to dial it back a bit every once in a while.

 

But this applies to you too. You’re too busy too. And you make excuses for it too. Did I mention that sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is to take a nap? Or a vacation. Or at least an extra day off.

 

As the people of God we are to live productive lives that includes meaningful labor, and we are to be involved in ministry that blesses the Lord and other people. But we’re also to have a healthy balance that includes plenty of rest and relaxation. It’s the rest and relaxation part that most of us need to get better at. Give yourself a break. You’ll be better and you’ll last longer if you do.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

 

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Busyness”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:41-42 (NIV)

 

Our thought for today: “Good can be the enemy of best”

 

In our effort to understand how we end up becoming so busy, yesterday we began considering the story of Mary, Martha, and Jesus, as recorded in Luke 10:38-42. Jesus came for a visit. Mary sat down to enjoy His company, but Martha immediately began busying herself with chores. Mary and Jesus were in the living room talking and laughing. Martha was in the kitchen banging pots and pans. Soon Martha began resenting her busyness while others were relaxing, and she said so. In today’s passage we read Jesus’ response.

 

Please note that Jesus did not say that there was anything wrong or bad about cooking a meal and serving your friends. Those things are good when they are done at the proper time and with the proper attitude. In His response to Mary, Jesus simply pointed out that as nice as it was for her to want to prepare a meal for them, sitting quietly with Him and enjoying His presence would be a better use of her time at that moment. Preparing and serving is good, but not if it sours your disposition, creates anxiety, and causes resentment. It also isn’t good if it’s taking you away from something better.

 

The same is true of so many other things that we fill our lives up with. Working hard and earning a living to support yourself and your family is good, but becoming a workaholic is not good. Hobbies and recreational activities are good, but not if they get in the way of more important things. Sometimes our priorities get a little skewed and something that may be good and is therefore ok in and of itself, begins to get in the way of things that are more important and better.

 

As a Pastor I’ve spent a lot of time with people who were dying. During those hours sitting at bedsides listening to them talk, I’ve often heard dying people say they wished they had spent more time with their family, or done a better job of taking care of their health, or spent more time involved in ministry activities. But I’ve never heard anyone say they wished they had spent more time at work.

 

What activities is your life filled up with? And are those activities getting in the way of things that are more important? It’s a compelling and convicting question that deserves some prayerful consideration. Sometimes “good” becomes the enemy of “best”.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim