Good morning everyone,   Our theme for this month: “Christian community”   Our Bible verse for today: “And let us watch out for one another to provoke love and good works, not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching.” Hebrews 10:24-25 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “We’re losing ground quickly”   In recent years there has arisen an increasing flood of sermons, Bible studies, blogs, essays, articles, and research studies from pastors, denominational leaders, ministry leaders, seminary professors, and Christian research institutes, sounding the alarm that the Christian community in the USA is weak and getting weaker. In 1937 70% of Americans reported that they regularly attended church services every week. In 2021 that number was down to somewhere between 21-28%, depending on the survey. Even among those who identify themselves as “committed” church members, only 55% attend faithfully every week. Another 30% of self-identified “committed” members average once per month. That culture of absenteeism is killing our churches.   Worse, recent research from Lifeway, Gallup, and the Pew Research Institute found that anywhere from 60-70% of “conservative” Christians are no longer certain that Jesus is the only way to heaven. Despite the Lord’s clear declaration in John 14:6 “I am the way the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me”, almost two-thirds of professing conservative Christians cannot say with certainty that statement is actually true. Those same surveys found that approximately 30% of conservative Christians now believe that homosexuality is a Biblically acceptable lifestyle.   My friends, Christian influence in the USA is rapidly declining. Just in the short period of almost thirty years that I’ve been in this profession, I have experienced churchwork becoming increasingly more difficult for pastors. Just getting people to attend regularly is a struggle, and pastors everywhere are asking, “How can we teach people sound doctrine and strengthen them to lifestyles that honor God if they don’t even show up?”   I don’t mean to sound desperate or discouraged. I’m not. Jesus is still on the throne and I’m still saved. In the end, Jesus wins and Satan loses. But we do have a fight on our hands. The struggle is real and it’s getting worse.   All this month I would like to explore with you the importance and value of Christian community. In these evil days we’re living in, now more than ever, it’s essential for Christians to be united, to stay together, to be faithful, and to keep each other strong.      God bless, Pastor Jim   (Join us at Oak Hill Baptist Church every Sunday morning at 10:00. Join us in-person if you are close by, or if you’re geographically distant or a shut-in, then live online at www.YouTube.com/oakhillbaptistcrossville)

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Good morning everyone,   Our theme for this month: “How to inhabit time”   Our Bible verse for today: “Be still and know that I am God.” Psalm 42:10 (NIV)   Our thought for today: “Make time for quiet reflection”   Yesterday was my day off and so I went for a long hike on a favorite trail. It was raining most of the day, sometimes hard, but I was dressed for it and it was warm, around 60. At one point I sat on the riverbank, in the rain, under an umbrella, and just watched the winding river gently flowing towards me. It was a beautiful woodsy scene, tranquil, and very peaceful. In my head I kept hearing Psalm 42:10, over and over again, “Jim, be still and know that I am God. Just be still and know that I am God.” It was the most relaxed and peaceful I have felt in a long time.   As we end our two-month study of how to inhabit time, I want to encourage all of us to slow down a bit and to be more reflective. That’s what Psalm 46:10 calls us to. When we do that, not only will we find deep peace for that moment, but the Holy Spirit also uses that quiet and reflective time to clear our minds and to help bring the rest of life into focus. He will often help us to see things we missed, or to understand things that confused us.   Do you know what a contrail is? It’s that white vapor trail we often see high in the sky that was left by a passing jet airplane. The plane has long-since past, but the vapor trail remains behind and is visible evidence that the plane had been there. Likewise, the Holy Spirit leaves contrails. It’s the evidence that He was present and active in our lives. But often we’re so busy and distracted that we’re unaware of his presence and activity. Quite reflection helps us to see the evidence of His activity in our lives more clearly, even if only in retrospect.   Quite reflection is helpful for multiple reasons. One is that it can reinforce and strengthen our faith. As mentioned, we can often see God and His activity in our lives better in retrospect than in real-time. But once we do see it, even looking backwards, we’re strengthened and encouraged by that realization.   Another reason such reflection is helpful is because the more we learn to see the presence and activity of the Spirit in retrospect, the more attuned we will be to Him in real-time. Quiet reflection increases our sensitivity to and awareness of the presence of the Spirit here and now.   I encourage all of us to make more time for quiet, thoughtful, prayerful reflection. It’s one of the most helpful things we can do to truly appreciate and enjoy life.     God bless, Pastor Jim  (Join us every Sunday morning at 10:00, live online at http://www.YouTube.com/oakhillbaptistcrossville)

Copyright © 2023 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved.

Good morning everyone,   Our theme for this month: “How to inhabit time”   Our Bible verse for today: “But he passed right through the crowd and went on his way.” Luke 4:30 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “We learned to be cool from You.”   The singer Jimmy Buffett once sang a song with the title, “We learned to be cool from you”. It was about people he had encountered in his life who approached life with a cool head and an even temper, unflappable and confident. He sang of his admiration for them and his desire to be more like that himself.   That song makes me think about the situation Jesus faced in Luke 4:30. In that scene, a bunch of people in the synagogue in Nazareth were furious with Him because He reminded them of some Biblical truths that they didn’t like hearing. So, in a rage the crowd attempted to drive Jesus to a cliff on the edge of town and throw Him off. But the passage ends with, “But he passed right through the crowd and went on his way.”   In my mind’s eye I see a frenzied and enraged crowd all around Him, but Jesus is in the middle of the crowd calm, cool, and confident. With unflinching assurance, he cooly walks through the middle of the mob and goes on His way. Totally unfazed. Jesus was cool. He was calm and in control of His emotions.   There’s a lesson for us in how Jesus handled Himself in situations like that. Since we belong to God through Christ, and since God is sovereign over the affairs of our lives, and since nothing can touch us unless God chooses to allow it, we can live with faith and confidence too. No need to get fretful or anxious in difficult or tense situations. There’s also no need to rush through life stressed and frazzled.   Jesus was never in a hurry. Not once in the Gospels do we see him frazzled or rushing. And despite the near continuous problems and challenges He faced not once do we see Him freaking out. He was Chuck Norris, James Bond, and Cool Hand Luke all rolled into one. And remember, this was in His humanity. This wasn’t Jesus relying on His divinity, this was Jesus the man, one of us, but calm and cool. And that being the case, if in His humanity Jesus could conduct Himself like that, it must be possible for us to develop that kind of a cool head and confident approach to life too. Jesus is our Master and Lord. As His disciples it’s our goal to become more like Him. If He could be that way, then we can too.     May you be cool-headed, unflappable, steady, and confident as you pass through your day today. You know, like Jesus was.   God bless, Pastor Jim

Copyright © 2023 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved.

Good morning everyone,   Our theme for this month: “How to inhabit time”   Our Bible verse for today: “Well done, good and faithful servant! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Share your master’s joy.” Matthew 25:23 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “Well done, good and faithful servant”   As we prepare to close our two-month study of how to inhabit time, I want to bring us back for our last few days to what is perhaps the primary issue we need to focus on if we’re going to live well – faithfulness and dependability. Although the best use of our time at any given moment varies considerably depending on a wide variety of circumstances and considerations, the truth still remains that in each moment we need to be where we’re supposed to be, doing what we’re supposed to be doing (whatever it is that is most appropriate for that moment).   The writer Bob Goff once noted, “Nobody will be remembered for what he planned to do.” Right. We will be remembered for what we actually did, not for what we said we were going to do but then never actually did. Have you ever had to deal with someone like that, the guy who always had an excuse? He had the best of intentions – he was going to do this, and he was going to do that, but then something always seems to come up. There’s always a reason he didn’t do what he said he was going to do, or wasn’t where he was supposed to be. Despite your best intentions, regardless of what you planned to do, it’s what you actually do that matters – everything is just talk.   In the parable found in Matthew 25:14-27 Jesus told the story of three servants, each was entrusted with resources, and each was expected to do something meaningful with what had been given to them. Two of them did that, and they were then commended by the master. The third made excuses and was admonished by the Lord. Jesus’ point was clear – it’s doing that matters. We’re expected to be faithful and dependable.   To live the Christian life well, and to make the best use of the gift of time the Lord grants to us each day, we must be thoughtful and faithful. We have to be intentional about how we use each moment, and we need to be faithful and dependable to do what we’re supposed to do and be where we’re supposed to be.   When it’s all said and done, will you hear the Lord say to you, “Well done, good and faithful servant!”? That will depend largely on what you did with your time.   God bless, Pastor Jim

Copyright © 2023 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved.

Good morning everyone,   Our theme for this month: “How to inhabit time”   Our Bible verse for today: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.” Matthew 5:9 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “Dial it back and tone it down”   The other day I began reading a book that was given to me as a gift. The title is “Choose Life: Answering Key Claims of Abortion Defenders with Compassion”. It’s a compilation of twenty essays written by Christian professionals from across the spectrum of the pro-life movement. It provides good answers to the claims made by defenders of abortion, but the answers are delivered in a kind, compassionate, and respectful manner. The book was compiled and edited by two professors, one of which was Dr. John Goodrich, a professor of New Testament at Moody Bible Institute, who is the nephew of a good friend and church member of mine.   I once wrote a similar book and for a similar reason. The title was “Getting Along without Going Along: Biblical Sexual Ethics in an Age of Controversy and Conflict”. The concept was the same – to provide good answers to tough questions regarding sexual ethics, but to do so in a kind and respectful way, rather than with harsh and overheated rhetoric.   I read a statement recently where an author declared, “The greatest moral crisis of our time is not sexual immorality, but vindictiveness.” His point was that many of us have become scathing in our assessment of everyone on the other side in the culture wars, and our rhetoric drips with scorn, combativeness, and yes, vindictiveness. Much of the rhetoric coming out of the Christian community these days with regard to political, social, and cultural opponents is harsh and mean, as well as caustic and sometimes mocking. And far too many Christians giggle and snicker when they hear it, rather than being saddened or distressed by it.   Jesus called His followers to be peacemakers. On the one hand, He did teach us to stand firmly and boldly for the truth; and we are to promote Biblical principles in word and deed. We are also to fearlessly be His witnesses even in the most hostile of situations. And yes, it’s also true that the world around us is often unkind and mean – many of the comments made about us and directed at us are overheated, cruel, and false. But still, we’re not to respond to them by being like them.   That was Jesus’ point.  In Matthew 5:9, in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus called His people to be peacemakers. In 1 Peter 3:15-16 Peter counseled us, “Always be ready to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you. But do this with gentleness and respect …”   Fortunately, many Christian leaders, speakers, and authors today are issuing the call for Christians to conduct themselves in a more civil and Biblical manner with respect to what they say and how they say it. There is an increasing flow of sermons, Bible studies, podcasts, books, and articles urging Christians to dial it back and tone it down. Your anger, bitterness, and scathing scorn isn’t going to win anyone to faith in Christ, nor is it likely to do much to further the cause of Christ on earth. But a kind and respectful response just might.   I encourage all of us to be the peacemakers Jesus called us to be. It takes more strength and spiritual maturity to respond firmly, but with reason and respect, than it does to let your emotions drive your angry rhetoric. Try it. Dial it back and tone it down a bit.   God bless, Pastor Jim

Copyright © 2023 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved.

Good morning everyone,   Our theme for this month: “How to inhabit time”   Our Bible verse for today: “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:10 (NIV)   Our thought for today: “Is it more than just a countdown to the end?”   One of the problems with a preoccupation with end times theology is that it’s little more than a countdown to the end, and therefore it devalues the individual days of life. Christians with a fascination about the end times seem eager for it to arrive, looking forward to it with anticipation. Sometimes they even seem eager for others to face judgment. An excessive preoccupation with the end is unhealthy for many reasons, but one is that it takes our focus off of the present.   We often see that same mindset as people age. Some people are excessively focused on their advancing age, commenting on it frequently, complaining about it, and dreading what they believe it’s leading to.   In John 10:10 Jesus said that one of the reasons He came was so we can have life and have it fully. He meant that in the most complete way. He was referring to eternal life in heaven, but it also means life now, in this lifetime. And in that sense, He meant both the full span of our years, and the individual days of our lives. All of it is to be lived fully and lived well – each day and each moment embraced and appreciated for the gift it is.   In a church I was the pastor of many years ago, there was an elderly lady named Jane. At that time, she was in her late 70s or perhaps even early 80s. She was perky, joyful, and full of life. She was present at church virtually any time the doors were opened. She served as the Sunday school director and as a women’s teacher, and she was involved in many community activities as well. Jane seemed to be here, there, and everywhere, always bubbly and smiling, always ready to engage in whatever was going on, always looking for someone to help or to encourage. I’m pretty sure Jane regularly made Jesus smile and say, “Yes, that’s what I’m talking about, life to the full.”   The days of our lives are more than just a countdown to the end. Each day is a gift from God, and He intends for us to live it fully. I encourage you to do that today.   God bless, Pastor Jim

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Good morning everyone,   Our theme for this month: “How to inhabit time:   Our Bible verse for today: “There was also a prophetess, Anna, a daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was well along in years, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and was a widow for eighty-four years. She did not leave the temple, serving God night and day with fasting and prayers.” Luke 2:36-38 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “It was just another ordinary day until …”   Anna was an elderly widow who was also a devout godly woman. The passage in Luke 2:36-38 tells us that “She did not leave the temple, serving God night and day with fasting and prayers.” That probably means that she lived in some sort of widow’s apartment in the temple complex, and perhaps served as an aide or temple worker.   In the character profile about Anna in the Experiencing God Study Bible, the editors include this statement about her: “The greatest day in Anna’s life occurred on a seemingly ordinary day when she kept her spiritual eyes open and responded to God’s activity around her.”   What they’re referring to is found in the verses before and after the ones cited above. The scene was of Mary and Joseph presenting the baby Jesus for dedication in the temple. Anna was there to witness that, and in verse 38 we read, “At that very moment, she came up and began to thank God and to speak about him to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.”   The point is that it was an ordinary day in Anna’s life. She was simply where she was supposed to be, doing what she was supposed to be doing. But she was alert. As she went about her daily routine there in the temple, her spiritual eyes were opened to the activity of God around her. And as a result, an ordinary day turned into the most special day of her life.   The fact is that most of life consists simply of being where you’re supposed to be and doing what you’re supposed to do. Eugene Peterson once described it as “A long obedience in the same direction.” He meant that most of life is not a mountaintop experience. Instead, it’s simply about being faithful in the small things and the ordinary routine of life. But if we do so with our spiritual eyes wide open, aware that God is with us and at work all around us, even in the ordinary and mundane, it is possible that any moment can become an extraordinary moment.   Anna was faithful. She showed up; she was where she was supposed to be; she was doing what she was supposed to be doing; and she was paying attention. May that be true of all of us today.   God bless, Pastor Jim

Copyright © 2023 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved.

Good morning everyone,   Our theme for this month: “How to inhabit time”   Our Bible verse for today: “Forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead, I press on toward the goal …” Philippians 3:13-14 (NIV)   Our thought for today: “Get started; keep going; don’t quit”   The person I was speaking with sighed and asked, “How do I make myself do it, Jim? I know I need to do this, and I want to do it, but I just can’t seem to get started. And even when I do start, then I don’t stick with it. What’s the answer? How do I do this?”   I’ve heard similar versions of that question more times than I can count. In fact, I’ve been guilty of saying it myself. Whether the speaker is referring to losing weight and getting in better shape; or adopting better spending habits; or a hundred other life issues that we want to clean up, we often have a problem getting started and sticking with it.   Usually when a question like that is asked it’s with a hint of hopefulness that I know of some revolutionary new product, or an amazing new diet program, or a magic pill that can be taken, or a reset button that can be pushed, and presto-chango, the problem is solved.   Sorry. There is no magic pill or bright red reset button. There’s only doing. You just have to do it. And then don’t stop. And I’m not talking about doing it tomorrow, or next week, next month, or next year. I’m talking about doing it now. Don’t procrastinate any longer. Stop making excuses. There is no magic. There’s only doing.   However, although there may not be any magic pills to take or easy reset buttons to push, there is guidance and encouragement available. There are coaches, videos, workout partners, friends who will encourage you, and books you can read. For instance, “Toughness Training for Life” by Dr. James Loehr isn’t a Christian book, but it is a very insightful study into the natural tendencies of our human nature which often inhibit our perseverance and growth. Dr. Loehr teaches us how to get past the procrastination so we can get started, and then how to stick with it once we have started. I think you would find it worth the read.   Often, the thing holding you back from achieving what you want and need to achieve is your thinking. It’s all in your head. And here’s the good news: you can change your thinking. In Philippians 3:13-14 (above) the Apostle Paul was describing an attitude that can easily be applied to all of life. In that particular case he was writing about his disciplined pursuit of Christian growth, but the same attitude applies to any endeavor.   Now is the time to do it. This is the moment. You can train yourself to think differently and you can resolve to be disciplined and to persevere. But you have to stop making excuses. You have to make yourself get started, then keep going, and do not let yourself stop. Just refuse to quit.    God bless, Pastor Jim

Copyright © 2023 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved.

Good morning everyone,   Our theme for this month: “How to inhabit time”   Our Bible verse for today: “A manifestation of the Spirit is given to each person for the common good.” 1 Corinthians 12:7 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “Serving others makes you a better and happier person”   In Exodus 31:1-6 we read that God gave the man Bezalel son of Uri the skills of a craftsman so he could create artistic designs and build things of wood and gold and precious stones, all for the glory of God. God goes on in that passage to say that He has given similar skills to every artisan and craftsman among His people, and for the same reason. As a pastor I realize how very much the church needs people like that who can make things and fix things.   In 1 Corinthians 12:7 (above) Paul reminds us that every person has been gifted and empowered by God with skills, talents, and abilities to in some way contribute to the overall work of the church, and that it is for the common good. In other words, the church, the community, and the world are all better places when each person is doing their part to make things better.   The fact is that we all can help in some way – and we need to be helping. Not only is the world a better place when we use our skills and abilities for the sake of others, not only is the church better off and our fellow Christians too, but it makes us a better and happier person as well. Just the other day I came across the results of yet another study that found that those who engage in volunteer work, and those who have found ways to use their skills and abilities to help others, are happier, healthier, better adjusted, and they report a higher quality of life overall, than those who don’t routinely serve others.   Psychologists have known this for decades. A good psychologist will tell you that one of the most effective therapies for a depressed person is to get that person to take their eyes off of themselves and to focus instead on helping others. When we stop thinking about ourselves so much and focus instead on helping someone else who is in even worse shape than we are, we find that soon we start feeling better.   Yesterday I encouraged us all to be involved in a higher purpose, something that inspires and motivates us. For the Christian there is no higher purpose than to be actively on-mission with Jesus, helping to build His kingdom on this earth. God has empowered you to do that. He has gifted you with skills, talents, and abilities that you can use to help with the work of the church in your community.   We all need a purpose worthy enough to inspire us. For the Christian, serving others in the name of Jesus is that purpose. There is no better use of your time, and doing so will make you a better and happier person.     God bless, Pastor Jim

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Good morning everyone,   Our theme for this month: “How to inhabit time”   Our Bible verse for today: “… but whoever loses his life for me will find it.” Matthew 16:25 (NIV)   Our thought for today: “A purpose worthy enough to inspire you”   What gets you out of bed in the morning? (Please, don’t tell me your bladder). What I mean is, do you have a sense of purpose that inspires you so much that you look forward to each day and approach it with eagerness and expectation? Does it make you want to get up and get going?   Jesus had that sense of purpose. In John 4:32 He told his disciples, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.” He wasn’t referring to bread and meat. He was talking about His sense of purpose for being involved in His Father’s business in this world, and accomplishing meaningful things for the kingdom of God on earth. That sense of purpose and mission drove Him – it inspired Him and kept Him going through even the most difficult of times.   That’s what Jesus was calling for from us in Matthew 16:25 when He told those same disciples, “… but whoever loses his life for me will find it.” What He meant was that when we make His mission our mission, we find that our life has purpose and meaning far beyond what it would have otherwise. Being successful in your career, owning a nice home, raising a family, building your bank account, going bowling on Thursday nights, are all things that might be meaningful and helpful, even enjoyable, but they don’t add up to the life Jesus wants for you.   Those other aspects of life do matter, but being a faithful disciple of Christ and being on-mission with Him in this world matters more. He wants us to concentrate on blessing people in need, comfort the suffering, offer words of hope to the despondent, and share His love in word and deed. That doesn’t mean you can’t go bowling on Thursday night. But it does mean that while you’re bowling on Thursday night you could also be looking for opportunities to bless other people. It’s not hard to incorporate that sense of mission into all the rest of life. Smiling, being friendly, listening to someone who might be struggling with life issues, offering some help, inviting them to church on Sunday – you get the idea.   We all have to live life. Working, playing, eating, sleeping, changing diapers, mowing the lawn, talking to the neighbors, and washing the car are things we all have to do just by virtue of being human and living in this world. But all of it can be undergirded by and inspired by a higher and worthier purpose. Having a sense of purpose that is larger than yourself will make your life richer, fuller, and more meaningful, and it will inspire and motivate you.   This is an important aspect of how we value our time and how we use the gift of time that God gives us each day. It’s so important that we will continue this discussion tomorrow.   God bless, Pastor Jim

Copyright © 2023 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved.