Good morning, everyone,   Our theme for this month: “Be gracious, even when others aren’t”   Our Bible verse for today: “But while the son was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him.” Luke 15:20 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “Unconditional love and abounding in grace”   We have a distorted understanding of God. Truth be known, most of us see God as a stern disciplinarian who is monitoring our behavior, taking notes, and meting out punishment. That at least, is the most common perception of who He is and what He is like. Of course, we say things like “God is love” and “He is merciful”, and in our head we know that’s true, but still, deep down, there’s this lingering concern that we have to perform well in order to please Him and if we don’t … well, it could get painful.   The idea that God is exceedingly gracious and that His love comes to us abundantly and freely without condition, goes against our human nature. That’s why every major religious system except Christianity is performance based. The Buddhists have their eight-fold plan, the Hindus have their doctrine of Karma, the Jews have the Mosaic Law, and the Muslims have a very strict code of conduct. Only Christianity is based upon an understanding of God’s unconditional love and abounding grace. And yet, we still struggle with it.   To help us in our struggle God has infused the New Testament with multiple illustrations of how much He loves us and of how eager He is to forgive us. Luke chapter fifteen is a showcase of God’s unconditional love and abundant graciousness. In that chapter we read the story of a shepherd who is overcome with joy after having found his lost sheep (that’s how God felt when He recovered you). We also read about a woman who lost a valuable coin but then rejoiced when she found it (you are the valuable thing that was found by God). And then of course we read about the wayward son who left home and wandered off into the world. In Luke 15:20 we’re given a picture of the son finally coming home to the father, and the dignified father being so overcome with joy that he gathers up the folds of his robe, runs down the dusty road, and tearfully embraces his son who has now come home.   The intent of those illustrations is to help you understand that you are incredibly valuable to God. He loves you more than you can ever know. He hurts when you hurt, He grieves when you wander, and He rejoices when you come home to Him.   That’s not a picture of a stern celestial disciplinarian. Instead, it’s a picture of a heavenly Father who is the very definition of love and graciousness. God is exceedingly gracious and He wants you to know that about Him. That’s why He packed the New Testament full of such illustrations.   I encourage you to spend some extra time this morning meditating on the great truth of how much He loves you, how important you are to Him, and how much joy you bring to Him.   God bless, Pastor Jim   (If you like what you are reading in these daily devotionals and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00 – in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville

Copyright © 2026 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Oak Hill Baptist Church 3036 Genesis Road Crossville, TN 38571

Good morning, everyone,   Our theme for this month: “Be gracious, even if others aren’t”   Our Bible verse for today: “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “It’s better to show grace than to explain it”   I personally think that in the public arena the Christian community today spends too much time declaring and debating “truth”, and not enough time graciously showing the love of Jesus. Not only do we vigorously and sometimes aggressively argue with the non-Christian world, but we also engage in cross-denominational squabbles within the Christian community regarding what we consider to be the best or most correct ways to practice the Christian faith. Sometimes it gets so ungracious in nature.   Let me be clear that we should contend for the truth. It’s imperative that we know what we believe and why we believe it, and we should be prepared to boldly and confidently explain those beliefs to others. But people will be much more impacted by our actions than by our words. Showing love is always more effective than just talking about it.   Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 5:16 about letting our light shine is often misunderstood and misapplied. Usually, we equate it with speaking an evangelistic message. We’re to let our light shine by going out and telling people about Jesus. But those words were actually spoken by Him in the middle of the Sermon on the Mount, which is much more about doing than it is about speaking. The sermon focuses heavily on having a kind, gentle, and humble manner. If you read the verse again you will see that Jesus is urging us to shine for Him by what we do rather than by what we say.   I’ve been a Christian for almost four decades now. I’ve been in ministry in some capacity for almost thirty-five years. Over those years I’ve known and encountered many thousands of Christians, here in the USA and around the world. I encountered many Christians who had strong words that they felt compelled to declare and debate at every opportunity, so much so that I have sometimes found myself wondering how we could get them to shut-up. I’ve also known many who simply shined with the love of Jesus in a quiet and gracious way.   Personally, even as a Christian, I would rather be around the quiet gracious ones than those who constantly declare, debate, and argue. If that’s true of me, a Christian, how much more must it be true for those who don’t yet know Jesus?   In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus called for us to be gracious people who impact the world by shining with His love and grace. As Philip Yancey wrote, “I would rather convey grace than explain it.” I think that’s what Jesus meant too. Let your light shine – by what you do. Your words do matter, but your actions matter more.   God bless, Pastor Jim   (If you like what you are reading in these daily devotionals and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00 – in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville

Copyright © 2026 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Oak Hill Baptist Church 3036 Genesis Road Crossville, TN 38571

Good morning, everyone,   Our theme for this month: “Be gracious, even when others aren’t”   Our Bible verse for today: “A good person produces good out of the good stored up in his heart. An evil person produces evil out of the evil stored up in his heart, for his mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart.” Luke 6:45 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “You mouth is a window into your heart”   I know a man who most people consider to be very gracious, at least at first. But the more time you spend with him the more you come to realize that his graciousness is actually a bit phony and contrived. He is gracious in a sticky-sweet kind of way. His speech is a little too smooth, his words tend to drip with honey, and his smile is strained and wax-like. Over time you also realize that he has a way of slipping in slightly barbed comments and sly observations that are smooth and silky, and yet which really aren’t very nice. In psychology it’s known as being passive-aggressive.   In Luke 6:45 Jesus taught an important lesson about human nature: whatever is really in your heart will, sooner or later, work its way to the surface and show itself in words and actions. Like the man I described in the first paragraph, you can put on an act and work hard to contain the things in your heart, but sooner or later those things do work their way up and out.   This is why the things politicians say in their unguarded moments are so revealing and important. It’s not the carefully worded and highly nuanced speeches and press releases that matter so much, it’s what pops out of their mouths in unguarded moments that we need to pay attention to. That’s when we get a glimpse into the soul of that person, that’s when we get to see what’s really in his or her heart.   What does this have to do with our theme of graciousness? Just that for your graciousness to be genuine it must be something that has been worked into your heart and into your personality by the Holy Spirit. It must be the real you. It’s the product of spiritual maturity, and spiritual maturity happens as a direct result of practicing spiritual disciplines. The more we pray, study our Bibles, worship, fellowship, and serve others, the more we place ourselves in a position before God whereby the Holy Spirit can bring about real change in our heart.   Left to itself, sooner or later our human nature will always show up in ugly ways. But as Christians we don’t want our words and actions to be natural – we want them to be supernatural, and it’s only the Holy Spirit who can make that happen in us.   Your mouth is a window into your heart. Fully surrender your heart to the Lord and your mouth will be under control.   God bless, Pastor Jim   (If you like what you are reading in these daily devotionals and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00 – in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville

Copyright © 2026 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Oak Hill Baptist Church 3036 Genesis Road Crossville, TN 38571

Good morning, everyone,   Our theme for this month: “Be gracious, even if others aren’t”   Our Bible verse for today: “Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and dearly loved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a grievance against another.” Colossians 3:12-13 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “Put up with each other graciously”   One of the things I love about Oak Hill Baptist Church is that we are all so different and yet we get along so well. I have sometimes jokingly compared our church to what I call “The Star Wars Bar”. You may remember the scene from the first Star Wars Movie when Hans Solo and Chewbacca were in an interplanetary bar. It was packed full of odd-looking creatures from across the galaxy. They were all sizes, shapes, and colors. One guy looked like Cyclops with a single eye in the center of his head. Another had five eyes along with tentacles coming from the sides of his head. And on it went. You get the picture. They were all seriously different and yet they all accepted each other, and they all got along well.   Well, that’s us! We’re a strange group, all of us very different in many ways, and yet we love each other and we get along well. A big part of being a gracious person is the ability to accept people as they are, even if they’re different from you.   How do you typically respond to people who look different than you, believe different than you, and behave differently than you? I’m not talking about people who are engaged in blatant and unrepentant sin, I’m just talking about people who see life different than you do and who therefore make different choices and decisions than you do. Can you easily accept the fact that they are different and that’s okay?   There’s an old saying that goes, “Those who dance are thought to be crazy by those who can’t hear the music.” Maybe the reason the other person sees things differently than you do is because they’re dancing to music you can’t even hear. They’re just marching through life to the beat of a different drummer (and maybe they think you’re a little weird because you’re not dancing to their tune).    We’re all different, and most of the time that’s okay. As long as we’re not talking about different in sinful ways, as long as we’re just being our own unique selves but still honoring Jesus, then it’s okay. You can be different from me, I can be different from you, and hopefully we’ll accept each other’s difference and still get along just fine.   Let’s put up with each other and let’s do it graciously.   God bless, Pastor Jim   (If you like what you are reading in these daily devotionals and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00 – in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville

Copyright © 2026 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Oak Hill Baptist Church 3036 Genesis Road Crossville, TN 38571

Good morning, everyone,   Our theme for this month: “Be gracious, even when others aren’t”   Our Bible verse for today: “What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” Micah 6:8 (NASB)   Our thought for today: “Grace is often one-sided”   Grace is a demonstration of love that is undeserved, unearned, and unconditional. That’s how God deals with us and that’s how we are to deal with others. So, if we are to be gracious to others in the manner that God is gracious to us it will mean that we intentionally act towards others with love and grace whether they deserve to be treated that way or not.   Now that’s tough! I can easily be gracious with those who are gracious with me. It’s not hard to be nice to a nice person. But it’s much harder to show grace to a knucklehead who I would really like to choke rather than bless.  Likewise, it’s easy and even fulfilling to do something kind and generous for a person who is appreciative and who makes me feel good in return. But it’s disappointing to go out of my way to do a good deed for someone only to have them shrug it off or not show proper appreciation. My human nature will certainly make me less inclined to do something like that for them in the future.   But grace isn’t picky or conditional like that. Grace is often one-sided. Grace depends not on the receiver of grace but on the giver of grace. God is gracious because grace is who He is. It’s simply part of His nature. Likewise, we should be gracious not because the other person deserves it but because it’s simply who we are as a spiritually mature Christian.   In Micah 6:8 the prophet describes intentional actions taken by a faithful person, and it says nothing about the recipient of such actions deserving to be treated that way. You do it because of who you are not because of who they are. You do it because you obey God and follow His commands. You do it because that’s what Jesus did and as a Christian you want to be like Him.   Grace is often one-sided and that can make it hard – unless of course that kind of graciousness has been worked into your personality by the Holy Spirit to the point that you do it simply because it’s your nature to do so. In that case grace is easy, even if it is one-sided.   Be gracious to others today, even if they don’t deserve it and even if they are not gracious back.   God bless, Pastor Jim   (If you like what you are reading in these daily devotionals and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00 – in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville

Copyright © 2026 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Oak Hill Baptist Church 3036 Genesis Road Crossville, TN 38571

Good morning, everyone,   Our theme for this month: “Be gracious, even when others aren’t”   Our Bible verse for today: “For he (Barnabas) was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith.” Acts 11:24 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “You will be remembered for who you are”   Today I will perform two funerals, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Both will be for older women who lived lives of great faith and who consequently were a blessing to many. We will celebrate their lives and talk about many of the things they did in life. But more than remembering the things they did, we will remember them for who they were.   I’ve mentioned before that Barnabas is one of my favorite people in the New Testament. Acts 4:36 identifies him as “The Son of Encouragement”. Acts 11:24 says he was “a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith”. He was known for his generosity, for his encouraging ways, for being good and kind, and for being gracious. He was a man of strong faith, and the fruit of the Spirit was evident in his life. He was always lifting people up and blessing them.   The New Testament does give us some specific examples of ways in which he blessed people, and many of us remember those specific examples, but more than being remembered for what he did, Barnabas is remembered for who he was. He was the “Son of Encouragement”.   The same was true of my mother. When she passed away in April 2012 we were inundated with emails, cards, letters, and phone calls from people who just wanted to say how much they loved her and how highly they thought of her. People from across the country and from across the decades suddenly surfaced to share glowing memories about her. One old family friend from our childhood actually got on a plane in Dallas early in the morning, flew to Nashville, rented a car, drove to Crossville for the funeral, drove back to Nashville, and flew home to Dallas, all in one day and all just to be at my mother’s funeral.   The phrase people used over-and-over again to describe her was “she was such a beautiful person”. By “beautiful” they were referring to her character. She was a beautiful person in her heart, and it showed in the way she treated other people. My mom was kind, friendly, generous, and gracious. And although people cited many specific examples of ways in which she had blessed them, more than anything else they remembered the kind of person she was more than just the specific things she did.   The same will be true of you and me. People will remember us more for the kind of person we were rather than for what we did. It’s true that what you do will be a product of who you are, but in the end, people will remember your character more than they will remember your deeds.   Ask the Holy Spirit to help you be the person you want to be remembered as once you are gone.   God bless, Pastor Jim    (If you like what you are reading in these daily devotionals and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00 – in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville

Copyright © 2026 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Oak Hill Baptist Church 3036 Genesis Road Crossville, TN 38571

Good morning, everyone,   Our theme for this month: “Be gracious, even when others aren’t”   Our Bible verse for today: “It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.” Acts 15:19 (NIV)   Our thought for today: “Don’t make it more difficult than it is”   The words we read in Acts 15:19 were spoken by James, the biological brother of Jesus. The context they were spoken in was what has become known in history as “The Council of Jerusalem”. The new Christian church was very young and consisted mostly of former Jews. These formally Jewish Christians were steeped in Old Testament Law and the customs of the Pharisees. Freedom in Christ and living by grace were still new concepts to them. For them, the practice of their Christian faith still involved many of the trappings of Judaism, including rule-keeping.   But now thousands of Gentiles were coming to faith in Christ as well. Should they be required to be rule-keepers too? The Council of Jerusalem had to decide. Amazingly their answer was “No”. Following Christ did not involve keeping a lot of archaic and manmade rules. And of all people, James was the one to verbalize the decision. James was probably the strictest and most structured of the bunch.   To their credit these early disciples of Jesus were willing to embrace and share grace, even though it was a foreign concept to them when it came to practicing their faith. Extending such grace to others, rather than insisting on a legalistic practice of the faith, was a tremendously gracious act on their part, and one they struggled to arrive at.   Many people in our day struggle with it too and sadly, often unsuccessfully. The great Christian writer H.L Mencken once described a Puritan as “a person with a haunting fear that someone somewhere is happy.” Today many people would apply that same caricature to evangelicals in general, and to fundamentalists in particular. As Philip Yancey noted, “Nowadays legalism has changed its focus. In a thoroughly secular culture, the church is more likely to show ungrace through a spirit of moral superiority or a fierce attitude toward opponents in the ‘culture wars”.   When unbelievers hear the ungracious speech of many Christians, and by being the targets of stern judgmental condemnation, what do they come to think about the Jesus we preach?   We can learn a lesson from James and the early disciples. We don’t get to make the rules for everyone else. Not only do we not get to make the rules for the rest of the world, but we don’t even get to make extra-Biblical rules for other Christians to follow (rules that go beyond what the Bible actually says).   The way James and the other apostles came to their decision in Acts 5:19 was through prayer, reading scripture, and by considering the example of Jesus. They were Biblical and they were gracious. They did not try to make God say more than He really said, and they dealt with others in grace. We should do no less. The Bible says what it says. We are not to take away from it, and we are not to add to it. God has granted us freedom in Christ, and we should graciously extend that freedom to others as well. This is not a license to sin – it’s simply letting the Bible say what it says (no more and no less) and leaving it at that.   Instead of being stern rule-makers we need to be Christians who model the love and graciousness of the One we profess to follow. Again, quoting Yancey, “The world thirsts for grace in ways it does not even recognize.”   God bless, Pastor Jim   (If you like what you are reading in these daily devotionals and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00 – in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville

Copyright © 2026 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Oak Hill Baptist Church 3036 Genesis Road Crossville, TN 38571

Good morning, everyone,   Our theme for this month: “Be gracious, even when others aren’t”   Our Bible verse for today: “… for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I find myself. I know both how to make do with little, and I know how to make do with a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content – whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need. I am able to do all things through him who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:11-13 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “Be gracious in times of adversity”   Pastor Chuck Swindoll once wrote, “In all my years of walking with the Lord, I have yet to meet one Christian who has ‘lived happily ever after.’ On the other hand, I have met a great many significant saints who have endured affliction, loss, disappointment, setbacks, failures, and incredible pain through the years. And I have seen many of those same men and women cling to their joy, radiate hope, and sustain a winsome spirit, even through heartache, even through tears, even at death’s door.”   I agree with Chuck, I have never met a Christian who lived a fairytale life of pure bliss, just skipping along the yellow brick road of life. However, I have known many Christians who faced the hardships and trials of life with a sense of peace, confidence, and even joy, despite the pain and heartache. They were people who maintained a winsome personality and radiated a sense of hope and happiness even though they were dealing with great trials.   Early in my years as a seminary student, I had the privilege of knowing a woman by the name of Phyllis Forte. She was a member of our church, and she was one of those great saints who simply radiated joy and love, despite the circumstances. Phyllis had diabetes, and it was slowly eating her alive. Over the years I knew her I watched the disease take a toe, and then another, and then all of them, and then the entire foot, and then half a leg, and then the other leg started to go. Soon she was confined to a wheelchair and finally she was homebound and a shut-in.   I used to visit her frequently, and we would even celebrate the Lord’s Supper together – just the two of us at her kitchen table. No matter what she was dealing with personally, she was always upbeat and funny (and fun). She never wanted to talk much about herself or her problems. Instead, she wanted to know all about me and my family. She asked how Linda and the kids were. She wanted to hear about what I was learning in seminary, and if I was taking proper care of myself, and so on. She was kind and gracious and a great joy to be with!   In Philippians 4:11-13 the Apostle Paul described a depth and maturity of faith that enabled him to be happy and content regardless of his circumstances. That’s because his joy came from within his heart and radiated out, rather than coming from outward circumstances and working its way in. His joy, contentment, and graciousness came from Christ and not from circumstances.   Paul and Phyllis were content, joyful, and gracious, regardless of the circumstances they found themselves in. May the same be true of us.   God bless, Pastor Jim   (If you like what you are reading in these daily devotionals and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00 – in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville

Copyright © 2026 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Oak Hill Baptist Church 3036 Genesis Road Crossville, TN 38571

Good morning, everyone,   Our theme for this month: “Be gracious, even when others aren’t”   Our Bible verse for today: “The Lord has repaid you for all the blood you shed in the household of Saul, in whose place you have reigned. The Lord has given the kingdom into the hands of your son Absalom. You have come to ruin because you are a murderer!” 2 Samuel 16:7-8 (NIV)   Our thought for today: “Watch those words!”   The other day I came across an interesting phrase which I had not heard before: “Avoid not only the words you may have to eat, but the words that may eat you.” It was said about a guy by the name of Shimei, whose words you just read in 2 Samuel 16:7-8. Here’s what happened:   King David had just been overthrown as king of Israel by his son Absalom, and he was now fleeing for his life. As he was trudging along the rural dusty roads leading to his exile, he encountered a man who was a descendant of King Saul (who God had removed from being king before David). His name was Shimei. Shimei hated David because he thought David had stolen the throne from Saul. So now that David himself had been overthrown, Shimei encountered him on the road and began to mock David and shout curses at him and even throw stones at him.   Okay, so fast forward some short time into the future, to the time that the army loyal to David defeated the army of Absalom, and David was now headed back to Jerusalem to reclaim the throne. Once again, he would be the king over all of Israel (and the king over Shimei). So, in 2 Samuel 19:19-20 Shimei, realizing that he was now in deep doo-doo, hustled out to meet the returning King David and he begged the king’s forgiveness, “When Shimei son of Gera crossed the Jordan, he fell prostrate before the king and said to him, ‘May my lord not hold me guilty. Do not remember how your servant did wrong on the day my lord the king left Jerusalem. May the king put it out of his mind. For I your servant know that I have sinned, but today I have come here as the first of the whole house of Joseph to come down and meet my lord the king.”   In this case Shimei had to eat his words. Lucky for him David was gracious and forgave him, but as punishment, David placed certain restrictions on where and how Shimei could live for the rest of his life.   Now fast-forward again, this time to 1 Kings 2:8-9 and we find that David, now very old and approaching death, has passed the kingship to his son Solomon. Shimei (evidently thinking he was now free and clear because David was no longer king), violated the terms of his agreement with David. He no longer adhered to the restrictions David had placed upon him. Hearing of this, Solomon had Shimei arrested and executed. Therefore, ultimately Shimei’s foolish words from all those years earlier ended up eating him.   An important part of being a gracious person is found in how we speak. It matters what you say and how you say it, and who you say it too. Foolish words – words that should not be spoken, often have a way of coming back and biting us. Sometimes you will have to eat those words, and sometimes those words will eat you.   Gracious people speak in gracious ways – all the time. So, watch those words!   God bless, Pastor Jim   (If you like what you are reading in these daily devotionals and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00 – in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville

Copyright © 2026 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Oak Hill Baptist Church 3036 Genesis Road Crossville, TN 38571

Good morning, everyone,   Our theme for this month: “Be gracious, even when others aren’t”   Our Bible verse for today: “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” John 8:7 (NIV)   Our thought for today: “Grace is a little taste of heaven”   The Pharisees were hyper-legalists. They were also cold, hard, and mean. In John 8:1-11 we read of a time they caught a woman in the act of committing adultery. Knowing Jesus’ tendency to be kind and compassionate and wanting to trap Him in a violation of their law, they brought the woman to Him. They asked Him to pass judgment on her for her adultery (which was unquestionably a sin and for which the Law of the Pharisees allowed execution by public stoning).   The Pharisees challenged Jesus to pronounce judgment on her but instead, He pronounced judgment on them for being so totally lacking in grace and compassion. He said that if there was one among them without sin, they should be the one to throw the first stone. And of course, since they all had plenty of sin of their own, there was no one who would dare to step forward to pick up that first stone. So, they all quietly slipped away. Jesus then forgave the woman and sent her on her way.   This story is like one Philip Yancey tells in his book “What’s So Amazing about Grace?” In that case there was a drug addicted prostitute who sometimes sold her four-year-old daughter to be used by men for kinky sex. She made more money from that in an hour than she made selling herself multiple times throughout the night. She was wracked with guilt for doing it and yet her addiction drove her to continue selling her daughter. Finally in desperation she went to see a counselor for help. The counselor suggested she go to church. The prostitute looked at the counselor with confusion and shock. Then she said, “Go to church? Why would I do that? I already feel bad enough about myself!” In other words, she was sure the people of the church would only judge her, condemn her, and make her feel worse than she already did.   Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia (a strong Christian) was once giving a speech about law and justice. In it he explained the difference between legalism and grace. “In heaven there will be no law because there will be no need for it. The lion will lie down with the lamb. In hell there will be nothing but law, and it will be rigorously enforced without mercy. Grace gives us a little taste of heaven. Legalism gives us a little taste of hell.”   When we are gracious with people we give them a little taste of heaven. When we are judgmental and hard we give them a little taste of hell. I encourage you to give people a little taste of heaven today. Be gracious.   God bless, Pastor Jim   (If you like what you are reading in these daily devotionals and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00 – in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville

Copyright © 2026 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Oak Hill Baptist Church 3036 Genesis Road Crossville, TN 38571