Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Attitude”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “The boundary markers have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.” Psalm 16:6 (HCSB)

 

Our thought for today: “Relax and enjoy your life”

 

In the Old Testament world land was a major indicator of wealth and blessings. Boundary markers identified the extent of your land. So the term “boundary markers” was used to describe a tangible physical reality (the scope and limits of your land). But the idea of boundary markers was also a metaphor used to describe the blessing of God upon your life and it also described the circumstances of your life.

 

This is the way in which David was using the term in Psalm 16:6. God had given him a good life and he was happy with it. His profession, his home, his family, his talents, his hobbies, his friends – all of it made up the structure of his life and he found it very pleasant indeed. I hope that’s true for you too.

 

But there’s also another way in which we can think of the boundary markers which God has established for us and that’s in terms of Biblical boundaries. In the Bible God has given us the behavioral boundaries within which he wants us to live. Those boundaries are actually very wide, and there’s a lot of room for some very good living within those boundaries, but there are boundaries, and we do have to stay within them.

 

However, as I said, within those boundaries there’s a lot of room for some very good and enjoyable living. God is nowhere near as restrictive as we sometimes imagine Him to be. Dallas Willard once used the example of his young children at play in the backyard. The backyard was fenced-in (boundaries), and he expected his children to stay within those boundaries. But as long as they were, then he didn’t care if they were swinging on the swing set, playing in the sandbox, playing fetch with the dog, lying in the hammock reading a book, or sitting at the picnic table enjoying a snack. All of those activities (and others) were just fine with him as long as the kids stayed within the boundaries of the fenced-in backyard.

 

Sometimes we make the idea of obeying God seem as if it’s a monumental effort on our parts. We grit our teeth and resolve to obey whether we want to or not, “I’m going to do this even if it kills me!” Well stop that. It’s a big backyard and there’s a lot of very good, very enjoyable life to be lived within the boundaries of it. Relax and enjoy the life God has given you. Be grateful for it.

 

Just stay within the boundaries, relax, and enjoy your life.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Attitude”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “Whatever you do, do it enthusiastically, as something done for the Lord and not for men, knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord. You serve the Lord Christ.” Colossians 3:23-24 (HCSB)

 

Our thought for today: “Don’t settle for mediocrity”

 

Recently I was reminded of the inspiring example set by the great British Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson. Nelson was arguably the greatest of all the British Admirals. It was his leadership during the Battle of Trafalgar that turned the course of the war against Napoleon.

 

What made Nelson such an inspiring leader was that he would settle for nothing less than excellence in his own life and in the lives of others. He believed that God has assigned each of us a role to play in life, some larger and some smaller, and that each of us has a responsibility before God to play our part to the absolute best of our ability.

 

If your role in the story of life is to play the part of a British Admiral, then be the best British Admiral you can be. If your part is to be a shoemaker, then strive to make the best shoes that have ever been made. If you are a butcher, baker, or candlestick maker, a stay- at-home Mom, a truck driver, a school teacher, an accountant, a doctor, nurse, student, or preacher, be the best one you are capable of being.

 

Also, as the seasons of life change and as your abilities change, continue to settle for nothing less than your best – whatever “the best” is under the prevailing circumstances.

 

And that attitude right there, the attitude of continuing to excel despite changing circumstances and limiting factors, might be the most inspiring part of Admiral Nelson’s story because at one point Admiral Nelson lost his left eye in battle. Shortly after that he lost his right arm in battle. But even without his left eye and right arm he continued to serve and he continued to excel to the best of his abilities and as it turned out, his greatest achievements in life occurred in the seven years after he lost his eye and arm.

 

You see, it wasn’t the healthy and whole Lord Nelson who is remembered as a hero it was the maimed and disabled Lord Nelson who achieved the greatest victories. The reason that was true was because he refused to give up and he refused to use his disabilities and limiting circumstances as an excuse to do less than his best.

 

In Colossians 3:23-24 the Apostle Paul calls all of us to strive for excellence in whatever we are called by God to do. Your station in life is not the issue – your attitude about it is. Never ever settle for mediocrity. It’s beneath the dignity of a child of God.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Attitude”

 

Our Bible verse for today: I want their hearts to be encouraged and joined together in love, so that they may have all the riches of assured understanding and have the knowledge of God’s mystery – Christ. All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Him.” Colossians 2:2-3 (HCSB)

 

Our thought for today: “What’s your attitude about your faith?”

 

What is your attitude about your faith? Are you ambivalent and a little complacent, willing to accept it as it is? Maybe you would like to have a stronger and more dynamic faith but you’re just not sure how to go about it. Or are you fired-up and enthusiastic about your relationship with the Lord and about your own spiritual growth?

 

Whatever your attitude is about your relationship with the Lord will, to a large extent, determine where you are at in your relationship with the Lord. You will be stagnant and stuck in the spiritual mud, or you will be growing and learning and excited about it, based upon your attitude. Your attitude about your faith will determine almost everything else about the condition of your faith – including the pace and the extent of your spiritual growth.

 

In Colossians 2:2-3 Paul was describing mature Christians who have tapped into the deep well of spiritual understanding and knowledge. They have uncovered treasures of spiritual understanding and things that used to be mysteries to them have now been revealed and explained. All of this then leads to a mature life in Christ. But it doesn’t just happen. It’s the product of a positive attitude about your faith. It comes from an enthusiastic pursuit of spiritual growth.

 

Yesterday I mentioned that in March at Oak Hill Baptist Church we’re going to begin a Sunday night Bible study series entitled “Fresh Encounters”. It’s all about personal and corporate revival. It’s based upon the premise that God wants us to be on-fire for Him. That revival begins in individual hearts and then spreads to the rest of the church. It’s like King David wrote in Psalm 51:10 “Create in me a pure heart, O God; renew a steadfast spirit within me.” (NIV)

 

Please note that David didn’t pray that God would revive the person sitting next to him in the pew. No, David was seeking revival in his own heart. That’s what we need as well. This isn’t about God reviving your husband or wife, your sister or brother, your kids or your church. It’s about renewal in your own heart first.

 

So what’s your attitude about your faith? Are you learning and growing, and are you excited and enthusiastic about it? A good attitude is the underlying motivator that leads to sustained spiritual growth.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Attitude”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit – the Father will send Him in My name – will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have told you. “ John 14:26 (HCSB)

 

Our thought for today: “Sorry, but you’re going to have to think.”

 

A common complaint I hear from Christians, especially Christians who have yet to grow deeply in spiritual maturity, is that they are unable to hear God or to get clear direction from Him regarding important decisions. It’s almost as if they’re expecting to be able to sit down with a paper and pencil to take dictation as God verbally recites for them, item-by-item, step-by-step, what He wants them to do. That rarely happens.

 

Instead what does happen is that over time God develops us in spiritual maturity so that we’re able to think things through and make good decisions of our own, decisions that honor and please Him. It’s similar to how a parent raises a child over the course of many years. As a parent we don’t want to have to be constantly giving our children step-by-step detailed instructions about every decision that needs to be made in their lives. Instead we want to train them to be able to think things through, evaluate the situation for what it is, and then make a good decision of their own (one that we as the parent would be proud of and pleased with).

 

That’s exactly what God does with us! He doesn’t want to have to dictate every step we take. Instead He wants us to use our spiritually mature brains to think it through and to then make a decision that pleases Him.

 

Welcome to the world of spiritual maturity. I know, I know, this is hard. In one respect life in the Old Testament world was easier because you simply had a long list of rules and regulations to obey. You could just go down the list checking them off one-by-one and you were good to go. But in New Testament times we have to actually think. It almost makes my brain hurt.

 

But, God has not left us to figure this stuff out for ourselves. It’s the job of the Holy Spirit to teach us, guide us, and to help us make those good decisions. That’s what Jesus was explaining in John 14:26.

 

Would you like to feel better about your ability to make good decisions in life that truly do please and honor God? It that’s your attitude God will honor it and bless you with greater understanding and increased ability to make good decisions. But you have to do your part too. You have to do the things that will bring about spiritual growth.

 

In March at Oak Hill Baptist Church we will begin a new Sunday night Bible study series called “Fresh Encounters”. It’s all about “renewing a right spirit within us” and bringing us to the point, individually and as a church, of spiritual revival and increased spiritual growth.

 

When it comes to spiritual growth attitude is important – you have to be willing to do the things that place you in a position before God whereby He can bring about your growth. Participating in the Bible study “Fresh Encounters” will help to revive our attitudes. I encourage you to join us.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Attitude”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “Don’t set foot on the path of the wicked; don’t proceed in the way of evil ones. Avoid it; don’t travel on it. Turn away from it and pass it by.” Proverbs 4:14-15 (HCSB)

 

Our thought for today: “Avoid even the appearance of impropriety.”

 

Henry David Thoreau once wrote, “It is best to avoid the beginnings of evil.” That’s exactly what Solomon meant in Proverbs 4:14-15. Don’t even start down that path!

 

Recently I heard a security expert in a television interview make this statement, “Nowadays every person should assume they are always being watched.” What he meant was that there is surveillance everywhere – even in places we would never expect it. There are red light cameras at many intersections, surveillance cameras in businesses and in elevators as well as at random locations on the streets. There are also surveillance satellites hovering in outer space with super-powerful cameras that can zoom in so close they can identify your facial features as you’re standing in your front yard. There are mini-drones flying through neighborhoods broadcasting live video feed and now, the devices in our homes such as laptop computers, cell phones, and controllers such as “Alexa” can be hacked into and used to monitor our activities.

 

We are “alone” and “unobserved” much less frequently than we think we are, and therefore we need to give extra thought to the things we do and say when we believe we are alone and unobserved.

 

But that’s really nothing new anyway. Our actions have always been under constant observation by God. In Luke 12:2-3 Jesus said, “There is nothing covered that won’t be uncovered, nothing hidden that won’t be made known. Therefore, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in an ear in private rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.” The author of the letter to the Hebrews reminded us that we are “surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses.”

 

That being the case it should be our desire to always conduct ourselves in such a way that it would not cause us to be embarrassed before people or before God. Now granted, that’s a pretty high bar. None of us is perfect and none of us would be comfortable living under a microscope of constant observation. Being that squeaky clean is virtually impossible. But, it’s not a bad goal to strive for. The desire to be that good is a good attitude to have.

 

Billy Graham established a personal standard for himself and for his closest associates that in both their public and in their private lives they needed to strive to “avoid even the appearance of impropriety.” Now again, none of us is perfect (least of all me) (and least of all you), but we should have high standards that we strive to meet, and avoiding even the appearance of anything inappropriate is a pretty good goal to have.

 

I was once briefly associated with a small group of Christian leaders whose conduct and decision-making behind closed doors was sometimes borderline unethical. Also, the way they sometimes treated people was questionable at best and occasionally unjust. They were also rather secretive about their maneuverings and a little fanatical about keeping it “in-house”. One of their favorite justifications was “We deal with everything in-house. We don’t air our dirty laundry in public.” They were concerned that if the nature of their deliberations and actions became public it could make them look bad.

 

My response was, “Shame on you! If the way you conduct yourselves behind closed doors can’t stand to be exposed to the light of day without making you look bad, then you shouldn’t be doing it!”

 

That’s true for all of us too. We should strive to conduct ourselves in such a way – in public and in private, that we avoid even the appearance of impropriety. It’s a good attitude to have.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Attitude”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into Him who is the head– Christ Jesus. Ephesians 4:15 (HCSB)

 

Our thought for today: “Resolve to continue growing.”

 

Last night I was reading some of the writings of Vice-Admiral James Stockdale. You may remember that as a Navy Captain Admiral Stockdale was the highest ranking prisoner of war held by the Vietnamese during the Vietnam War. He spent eight years in captivity, four of them in solitary confinement, two of them in leg shackles. He was tortured fifteen times and was permanently disabled because of it.

 

Despite his years of captivity in horrifying conditions, and despite the repeated brutal torture, Admiral Stockdale never gave-in to his captors. He also assumed command over the other POWs and served as an inspiration to all them. After being released at the end of the war Admiral Stockdale was awarded the Congressional Medal Honor. He also continued his career in the Navy – ultimately being promoted to Three Star Admiral before retiring.

 

I met Admiral Stockdale in 1996. My old friend Sam Tangredi was assigned to be the Commanding Officer of a ship in San Diego. Sam asked me to attend the change-of-command ceremony as his guest. The guest speaker that day was Admiral Stockdale. Sam’s family had been friends with the Stockdale family as Sam was growing up and so Sam had known Admiral Stockdale for many years. At the reception after the change-of-command ceremony Sam introduced me to the Admiral. I got to shake the great man’s hand and spend a few minutes speaking with him.

 

In the Admiral’s book that I was reading last night I came upon a passage where he was reflecting on four attributes that he had observed in the life of virtually every successful person he had ever known – attributes which in his experience are essential elements in any life lived well. When I read his four attributes I immediately realized that the Apostle Paul teaches these same lessons in his writings.

 

1. A successful person is committed to continual self-improvement in all areas of life. Such a person never stops learning and is always striving to improve. Admiral Stockdale considered this commitment to continual growth and personal improvement the most important element in a successful life.  (Ephesians 4:15).
2. A successful person is known for his or her integrity. This is a man or woman who has learned to be honest, trustworthy, and dependable, and they diligently practice those virtues even when doing so isn’t easy. (2 Timothy 1:13)
3. A successful person never gives up, especially in the face of adversity, set-backs, and failure. (Galatians 6:9)
4. A successful person is willing to be seen as a leader and they set a good example for others. ( 2 Timothy 2:2)

 

I’ve said it before and I want to repeat it again this morning, “Attitude is everything”. How we think about life, and how we approach it, determines almost everything else about us.

 

But developing a good attitude, and the virtues that comprise it, is a continual process of learning and growing, of developing and transforming. I encourage you to never stop growing. Make it your goal in life to learn new things everyday and to keep improving in all the ways that really matter.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Attitude”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 (HCSB)

 

Our thought for today: “We must be strong and courageous but also merciful and kind.”

 

In recent days we’ve been thinking about cultivating character traits such as boldness, courage, determination, perseverance, and faithfulness. Yesterday I pointed out that since all of those attitudes have a strong element of assertiveness to them, it’s important that the whole package be clothed in grace. Today I want to continue that discussion.

 

Probably my favorite illustration of the kind of person who exemplifies this balance of assertiveness and gentleness comes from a book written by Dr. Audrey Andelin many years ago entitled, “Man of Steel and Velvet”. Such a person has an inner core of steel (we’re talking about strong convictions and moral stature that is rock solid and unshakeable), but it’s wrapped in an outer covering of velvet. This is a person who is unmovable in terms of integrity, honesty, and firm moral conviction, but at the same time is kind, gentle, compassionate, and merciful.

 

In the book Dr. Andelin used Abraham Lincoln as his model of such a man, and I believe that to have been a good choice, but I can think of lots of others who meet that standard as well. Joshua would be one of those. From everything we read about him in the Bible he was a man or rock solid integrity, firm convictions, strong faith, great courage, and admirable boldness, but he was also fair, kind, and easily approachable. He had an inner core of steel but it was wrapped in an outer covering of velvet.

 

When God commanded Joshua to be strong and courageous I believe He was talking about more than just physical strength and courage. I think that command also applies to moral strength and courage. It involves the strength of character and the courage to be willing to stand-up for what you believe to be right, to oppose those who are wrong, and weather the storms of adversity for the sake of righteousness and justice. I believe Joshua was that man. This was the inner core of steel.

 

And then we see the other side of his personality, the outer covering of velvet, when at the end of his life he challenged the nation of Israel to consider the example he had set in the life of his own family. In Joshua 24:15 he challenged the people with the statement, “As for me and my family, we will worship Yahweh.” Other translations say, “As for me and my family, we will worship the Lord.”

 

That right there gives us a glimpse of the other side of Joshua. He was a man of great faith, a man who prayed and who led his family in the ways of the Lord. It shows us a man who obviously loved his wife, children, and grandchildren and was therefore the husband, father, and grandfather they needed him to be.

 

The concept of steel and velvet applies to all people, men and women alike, and it’s a general attitude of life that we can all aspire to and work to cultivate. I encourage you to be strong and courageous, but also kind and merciful – an inner core of steel, wrapped in an outer covering of velvet.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Attitude”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “You, therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.” 2 Timothy 2:1 (HCSB)

 

Our thought for today: “Be gracious”

 

Already this month we’ve given some thought to the advice the Apostle Paul gave to his young protégé Timothy in the letters first and second Timothy. You may remember that Timothy was a young man who had been trained by Paul to be an evangelist, church planter, church fixer, and a pastor. It was hard work and Timothy often found himself discouraged and sometimes doubtful. The letters Paul wrote were filled with advice and encouragement about how to survive and thrive in difficult circumstances – and so much of it had to do with maintaining a good attitude.

 

We’ve already learned from the advice Paul gave to Timothy that some of the character traits that comprise a good attitude include boldness, courage, perseverance, and faithfulness. We saw these same attributes modeled for us in yesterday’s devotional when we considered the example of Caleb who, at the ripe old age of 85, was still fired up and ready for whatever life brought next. Today we’ll consider the attribute of graciousness.

 

In 2 Timothy 2:1 Paul urged Timothy to be strong in grace. He was referring to the grace that is found in a personal relationship with Christ Jesus. Not only do we experience grace from Christ, but we are also to be dispensers of the grace of Christ. A gracious spirit should be a prominent aspect of our personality.

 

To be gracious means to be characterized by kindness, warmth, courtesy, tact, mercy, and compassion. This becomes especially important if you are also in the process of cultivating the other character traits we’ve considered such as boldness, courage, and even the feistiness of old Caleb. Those character traits are all important and needed, but if they’re not clothed in grace then such a person can easily become arrogant, obnoxious, rude, and even hurtful. It’s good to be bold and courageous and even feisty, as long as it’s all wrapped up in grace.

 

Billy Graham was bold, but he was also very gracious. Mother Teresa was bold, but she was also gracious. President Ronald Reagan was bold, but he was gracious. This needs to describe us too. We’re going to explore this idea a little further tomorrow as we discuss the concept of “Steel and Velvet”. In the meantime, be gracious.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Attitude”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “Here I am today, 85 years old. I am still as strong today as I was the day Moses sent me out. My strength for battle and for daily tasks is now as it was then.” Joshua 14:11 (HCSB)

 

Our thought for today: “Be like Caleb!”

 

Caleb is one of my Old Testament heroes and the guy I want to be like. He was the lifelong buddy of Joshua and as a young man he was one of the twelve spies Moses sent out in Numbers Chapter thirteen to scope out the Promised Land. But unlike the ten girly-men who came back whimpering and whining about giants and fortified cities and big hairy scary potential problems, Caleb, along with Joshua, came back fired-up and ready to charge forward in the name of the Lord.

 

It was Caleb who, after the “frightened ten” told their sad story of doom and gloom, stood up and attempted to quiet and calm the now disturbed Jews. In Numbers 13:30 we read, “Then Caleb quieted the people in the presence of Moses and said, ‘We must go up and take possession of the land because we can certainly conquer it!”

 

Well, you know the rest of the story. The people didn’t listen to Caleb and Joshua and they did not trust the Lord. So they ended up wandering in the wilderness for forty years. Every adult of that generation, except Caleb and Joshua, perished in the desert and never got to enter the Promised Land.

 

But Caleb did. Not only did he survive the forty years of wandering in the desert, he thrived. Now, here in Joshua 14:11, we find him a vigorous and spunky 85 years old. He was in the process of receiving his inheritance in the Promised Land and he was still ready to kick butt and take names!

 

I want to be Caleb! I want to be 85 and still riding my Harley. I want to stay healthy, and strong, and vigorous right up until the end. At 85 Caleb was probably still taking the rambunctious young guys out behind the woodshed for a talking-to and a little corrective therapy. I want to be like that.

 

But staying strong and healthy and vigorous doesn’t happen by accident. It requires the right attitude. It requires positive thinking, daily discipline, vision for the future, and living a life that God can and will bless. And it requires never giving up. Caleb didn’t give up. He hung in there. He walked through forty years of tough times. He obviously never lost his faith in God or in himself. And he must have been very determined to persevere. That needs to be true of us too.

 

Regardless of your age it’s important to have the right attitude about life. It’s true that as we age our physical abilities decline and therefore our activities must be adjusted. But it’s also true that far too many people use advancing age as an excuse and they end up doing far less than they are really capable of. Many of them end up just sitting around waiting to die. I urge you not to do that. Live life – really live it – to the fullest you are able to. Caleb didn’t just sit around waiting to die and neither should we. Be like Caleb.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Attitude”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “Don’t rebuke a mocker, or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man, and he will love you.” Proverbs 9:8 (HCSB)

 

Our thought for today: “Are you spiritually mature enough to admit when you are wrong and to accept correction?”

 

It’s a good question, really. Are you spiritually mature enough to admit when you are wrong and to accept correction? Many people aren’t. It takes a good measure of humility. Spiritually immature people often let their pride get in the way and they refuse to admit they are wrong and they resent words of correction.

 

The fact is that nobody is infallible. We are all wrong about things from time-to-time. The question isn’t whether or not you will be wrong about some things, sometimes; the question is whether or not you’re a big enough person to admit you were wrong and to be grateful that someone cared enough to talk to you about it.

 

In Proverbs 9:8 King Solomon observed that a small-minded, spiritually immature person will resent the implication that they are wrong and they will be angry at you for attempting to correct them. But a wise person will immediately recognize their error, admit it, and be grateful to you for caring enough, and for having the courage, to talk to them about it.

 

There is no shame in being wrong. But there is shame in staying wrong. And the longer you stay wrong the more damage your error is likely to cause. Arguments drag on when they could have and should have been resolved; relationships remain broken when they could have been healed; jobs are lost, ministries are harmed, resentment and bitterness take root; and all because stubborn people don’t have the spiritual maturity and strength of character to admit they are wrong.

 

Sadly, this is such a common problem that many books have been written offering guidance on what to do when you’re dealing with someone like this. Many years ago there was a book written by Gene Edwards with the catchy title, “Crucified by Christians”. It offered good guidance to Christians about what to do when another Christian did something wrong which caused you great harm but they refuse to admit it or to correct it.

 

One of the greatest things that can happen to any of us is to grow in spiritual maturity to the point that we are able to admit when we are wrong and to gracefully accept correction.

 

There is no shame in being wrong. But there is shame in staying wrong.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim