Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Pushing through adversity”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “… and it shall come to pass,” Genesis 4:14 (KJV)

 

Our thought for today:  “This too shall pass.”

 

How often does the phrase “It shall come to pass” or “And it came to pass” appear in the Bible? Well, it depends on which version of the Bible you’re looking at. It appears in the King James Version 120 times. The phrase is sprinkled liberally by God all throughout the Bible and is used by Him in a variety of different ways. But always it indicates the passing of time and the turning of a page.

 

King Solomon wrote of this in the book of Ecclesiastes when he said, “Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever. The sun rises and the sun sets and hurries back to where it rises.” (Ecclesiastes 1:4-5)

 

Yes, time passes. Minutes turn into hours, hours turn into days, days into weeks, weeks into months, and months into years, and as time passes so do the events of our lives. Nothing lasts forever. That includes adversity. As deep and painful and difficult as it may seem at the time – and as long as it might seem to be dragging on, nothing lasts forever.

 

So the goal for us is to hang in there and push through it, knowing that this too shall pass. Yesterday we learned the helpful lesson of “Press on Regardless”. That’s a mindset that will carry us through the toughest times in life. The Bible often refers to it as “perseverance”. Another word that is often used for those who have learned to persevere and to just push through is “resilience”. Such people are said to be resilient.

 

The truth is that we have no better choice, really. If we don’t lean into it and push through it then adversity will defeat us. It will knock us down and keep us stuck in misery and despair. But who wants a life of misery and despair? Not me and I’m sure not you. The only alternative is to lean into it and push through it knowing that in time, this too shall pass. And it will!

 

This isn’t something we’re prone to do naturally. We learn to do it. We think about it and we decide that we are going to hang in there and we are going to push through it. This month will about learning to do exactly that.

 

I don’t know what you’re dealing with today but I encourage you to hang in there and don’t give up because this too shall pass.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Pushing through adversity”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.” James 5:11 (NIV)

 

Our thought for today: “Press on regardless!”

 

In his great little book, “Bounce: Learning to thrive through loss, tragedy, and heartache”, author Aaron Fruh tells the story of Matthew Lawson. Matthew is remembered by his children and grandchildren for the valuable life-lesson he taught them.

 

Matthew was an adventurous soul who enjoyed challenges. An old picture of him shows him standing in his study, in front of a desk piled high with books, wearing an Indiana Jones – style hat, a leather jacket, a holster around his waist, and a six shooter in his hand. There’s an old oil painting of an Apache Indian chief hanging on the wall in the background.

 

When his children were still young, Matthew established an annual family tradition each summer that left a deep impression on all of his extended family. Matthew would take off by himself into a particular area of the Mexican wild lands. Then after a few days his family would leave their home in Arizona and follow after him. When they got to the designated starting point they would find a paper plate tacked to a wooded stake driven into the ground. On the plate would be the letters POR with an arrow pointing forward.

 

They would follow the designated path until they came upon another plate attached to a stake, also with the letters POR and an arrow pointing the direction. This would continue for hours until finally, the family would arrive at some special campsite already set-up by Matthew and waiting for them. The site would usually be at some spectacular setting and the family would then enjoy a fun-filled and adventurous family vacation.

 

The letters POR stood for “Press on Regardless” and were meant to inspire them to keep going no matter what. Even though they did not know exactly what lay ahead of them; even though they didn’t know what obstacles or challenges they might face along the way; even though they didn’t know how long the journey would last or how difficult it was going to be, they were to Press on Regardless.

 

The family continued to observe that tradition every year for as long as Matthew lived, and POR became a metaphor for life that everyone of them carried with them. No matter what challenge, obstacle, or adversity they faced in life, they were to Press on Regardless”.

 

Life is filled with obstacles, challenges, and adversity. We all face those things and when we do, we all have a choice to make. We can either let those things stop us in our tracks and we can feel sorry for ourselves as we wallow in despair, or we can press on regardless.

 

This month we’re going to spend our time exploring the theme of pushing through adversity. The Bible is filled with examples, exhortations, encouragement and commands designed to help us do exactly that. I’m looking forward to learning about it with you. Our goal will be to “Press on regardless!”

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “A prosperous life”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “… rather, train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.” 1 Timothy 4:7-8 (NIV)

 

Our thought for today: “Be an inspiration for others.”

 

Now that we’ve spent an entire month considering what a truly prosperous life looks like from God’s perspective, I’m sure you realize that a life that is lived well, a life that is truly prosperous in the ways that really matter, has much more to do with character than it does with wealth or possessions. Wealth and possessions are nice to have, and they can be good tools to be used in helpful ways by wise people, but wealth and possessions mean little if they’re not coupled with a life of godliness, integrity, and good character.

 

This is a point the Apostle Paul stressed to his young protégé Timothy. As Paul guided Timothy in his spiritual growth he repeatedly placed heavy emphasis on character, reputation, and relationships. His point to Timothy was that he was to lead a life that set a good example for others, and which would inspire others to live in a like manner.

 

To teach his lessons Paul often used vivid word pictures, especially metaphors that stressed toughness and dedication. For instance, to help teach the point that the Christian life lived well requires discipline and training, in his second letter to Timothy Paul used the example of a brave and faithful solider (2:3-4); a skilled and well trained athlete (2:5); and a hard working farmer (2:6). What those professions have in common are the virtues of training, dedication, toughness, hard work, and diligent persistence in order to be successful at them. The Christian life is like that too.

 

Does that describe your life? Are you committed, dedicated, and disciplined? Do you work hard, strive for excellence, and stick with a task until it is successfully completed? Can people count on you, and are they inspired by the outstanding example you set?

 

As we conclude our study of “A prosperous life”, a life that is lived well and which is successful in ways that really matter, I want to encourage you to prayerfully consider any adjustments you need to make, and then to incorporate those changes into your daily routine. As Paul taught in his letters to Timothy, living a godly life that is thriving and successful in meaningful ways is a learning process. We train ourselves for it by incorporating the right spiritual disciplines and activities into our lives, and then doing them over and over again until they become routine.

 

I pray you will live a life that is truly prosperous, and that it will be an inspiration to everyone who knows you.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “A prosperous life”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8 (HCSB)

 

Our thought for today: “This is why a prosperous life matters so much.”

 

It has always been Jesus’ plan to carry out His kingdom-building work through His followers. In addition to dying upon the cross to pay the penalty for the sins of the world, another purpose of His was to raise-up followers to carry on His work once He returned to heaven.

 

All throughout His ministry years we see Him preparing that first group of followers to carry on with the work once He was gone. That’s what the Great Commission is all about. That’s what Jesus was referring to in Acts 1:8. But in order to carry on with His work of blessing others, sharing the Good News, and drawing others into the family of God, His followers would have to be focused on others rather than on themselves.

 

All this month we’ve been considering what a truly prosperous life looks like in Biblical terms. We’ve learned that although it may be prosperous to some degree in terms of worldly wealth, true prosperity from God’s perspective consists of a heart that is overflowing with the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). It’s a life of service as the person works to bless others (Matthew 25:31-40). It’s a life that is fairly low maintenance (1 Timothy 6:6-8; 1 Thessalonians 4:10-12). And it is a life lived by a person who has learned to be content (Philippians 4:10-13).

 

When a follower of Jesus is prospering in Biblical terms, that person is well-equipped and in the right frame of mind to help carry on the Lord’s kingdom-building work. Such a person is not overly preoccupied with or distracted by the cares of life. Such a person has a buoyant and cheerful disposition and they are living a life that is attractive to those who need to be reached with the Gospel.

 

That right there is a key point. Are you living a life that unsaved people are likely to admire and be attracted to? When they observe you do they see a kind and compassionate person who truly cares about others and who goes out of their way to bless others? This is what a truly prosperous life looks like and it will be the subject of our final message on this topic tomorrow.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

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