Good Morning Everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Enthusiasm”

Our Bible verse for today: “I am sure of this, that he who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:6 (HCSB)

Our thought for today: “Take the time to assess your growth.”

Do you keep a daily journal? Christians down through the ages have found journaling to be a helpful tool for a variety of reasons. For one thing, writing helps us to think more clearly. When we take the time to write something down it causes us to think about it, often re-reading and even re-writing it, until we’re sure it does accurately express what we’re thinking and feeling.

But a journal also provides a record of where we’re at spiritually at any given time and what God was doing in our lives at that time. Then at a future date we can go back and review those entries and compare where we were at with God then, and where we are now. The journal then becomes a tool which helps us to assess our spiritual growth.

In Philippians 1:6 Paul was referring to the doctrine of “sanctification”. Sanctification is the process whereby overtime, God progressively molds us and shapes us into the men and women He wants us to be. It’s a process of change and growth that makes us evermore like Jesus.

If you’re living the Christian life well, and if you have established a daily structure that includes the practice of the basic spiritual disciplines as Richard Foster so clearly describes in his great book “Celebration of Discipline”, then you are growing and changing and that is something to be happy about.

Unfortunately sometimes we have trouble realizing just how much God has changed us. This is where assessment tools become so helpful. As has already been mentioned, a journal can help in this respect. Richard Foster’s book is helpful too. How many of those thirteen basic disciplines of the Christian faith are a regular part of the practice of your faith, and do you really enjoy them? Do you find those practices refreshing, fulfilling, and nurturing, and do you look forward to them?

Galatians 5:22-23 (The Fruit of the Spirit) is also a helpful measuring rod. Are you experiencing more love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control now than in the past? If the answer is “yes” then you have grown in your likeness of Christ.

Those are just a few examples of helpful methods to assess your spiritual growth over time. There are others, but the point is that over time, God does change us and grow us and that should be a source of encouragement for us. It should also result in you being even more enthusiastic about what He is doing in your life, and to want more of it.

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Enthusiasm”

Our Bible verse for today: “For I have given you and example that you also should do just as I have done for you.” John 13:15 (HCSB)

Our thought for today: “Service breeds enthusiasm”

There is joy in the act of giving. Few things are as satisfying or fulfilling as seeing someone else being blessed by an act of your service or generosity. When my children were young I was usually a bigger kid on Christmas morning than they were. For weeks before the big morning I would visualize and anticipate the looks of surprise and joy on their faces as they opened their gifts. The satisfaction and fulfillment I got from giving those gifts far exceeded what they experienced from receiving them.

These days I lead short-term mission teams to remote locations around the world. It’s a tremendous privilege to be the bearer of God’s gifts to people in great need. I’m always careful to make sure the people understand that the relief supplies are coming to them as a gift from God and not from me – I just get to be the conduit through which they flow. But still, it’s a wonderful feeling to be able to do things like that for people in great need.

In John chapter 13 Jesus performed a humble act of service for His closest disciples by washing their filthy feet. Then He instructed them to go out into the world and perform similar acts of service for people in need. Jesus wasn’t teaching a lesson about foot washing. He was teaching a lesson about having a servant’s heart. This is the primary way in which people end up coming to faith in Christ. A servant of Christ meets a very real physical need in that person’s life, and that then often creates an opportunity to share the Good News of the Gospel.

There are real and compelling reasons to serve those in need, both physical reasons and spiritual. But what Jesus didn’t mention in this passage was the serendipity embedded in those acts of service. Servants end up experiencing great joy in their own hearts as a result of their acts of service to others and you often end up feeling more blessed than they do. One of the most effective ways of igniting enthusiasm in your faith is to engage in acts of service.

Five years ago at Oak Hill Baptist Church we adopted “The Acts 1:8” model of ministry. We believe the Lord is calling us to be on-mission with Him outside the walls of the church building – in our Jerusalem (Cumberland County); in our Judea (Tennessee); in our Samaria (the USA); and to the ends of the earth. We then developed small ministry projects in each of those locations and we regularly venture outside the church buildings to all of those locations to serve people in need. The effect this had on our church was significant. There’s a spirit of enthusiasm, dedication, and commitment to the cause of Christ that is really pretty remarkable in a day-and-age when so much of church life in the USA tends to be inwardly focused.

I encourage you to participate in acts of service to those in need. You’ll discover that although your acts of ministry are a blessing to them, the bigger blessing will be what God does in your own heart. Service breeds enthusiasm.

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Enthusiasm”

Our Bible verse for today: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and discipline.” Proverbs 1:7 (HCSB)

Our thought for today: “Discipline builds character and strengthens enthusiasm”

Unfortunately the word “discipline” often has a negative connotation for many people. We tend to associate it with punishment as in “We had to discipline him.” And while that is one meaning of the word, it’s actually not the primary meaning. The dictionary defines discipline as, “1. Training expected to produce a specific character or pattern of behavior. 2. Controlled behavior resulting from such training. 3. A state of order based on submission to rules and authority.” Discipline as punishment is only fourth on the list.

Likewise, in Rodale’s Synonym Finder there are thirty synonyms for discipline listed that have to do with character and growth before any mention is made of discipline as a form of punishment. My point is that discipline, as a form of voluntary structure that we choose and then implement for ourselves, is a good thing. Such discipline is needed if we’re going to grow into the men and women God wants us to be.

That’s what Solomon was referring to in Proverbs 1:7. The “fear” of the Lord – a healthy sense of awe, reverence, respect, and love for Him, is the beginning of knowledge. That’s the starting place for spiritual growth. But a fool despises such wisdom and doesn’t implement the voluntary disciplines necessary to grow in their knowledge and understanding of God.

Discipline in the spiritual life is essential. One of the greatest and most helpful books ever written on this subject is Richard Foster’s classic work, “Celebration of Discipline”. In it Foster describes the thirteen basic disciplines of living the Christian life. He does so in a clear, straight-forward, and uncomplicated way, and all throughout the book he offers simple and practical steps for incorporating those disciplines into our lives.

The concluding chapter – the concluding spiritual discipline, is “Celebration” (Yes, “celebration” is actually a spiritual discipline). This is what all the other disciplines lead us to. What we discover as we read this chapter is that a disciplined life is a happy, joyful, productive, and very enthusiastic life – and that will include lots of celebration.

Spiritual discipline is a good thing. We need it. I encourage you to read Richard Foster’s book to learn more about how the structure of spiritual discipline will greatly enhance your relationship with God.

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Enthusiasm”

Our Bible verse for today: “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? Psalm 42:1-2 (NIV)

Our thought for today: “A deep relationship with God creates enthusiasm for Him and for our role in His kingdom-building work.

I love the picture painted by the Psalmist in Psalm 42:1-2. In our mind’s eye we can see an image of a thirsty deer in the forest drinking deeply from a cool mountain stream. The cold water is refreshing and invigorating; the deer is renewed and satisfied.

The Psalmist clearly intended his example to serve as a metaphor for the soul of a God-follower, one who so longs for God that he or she is panting with spiritual thirst and will only be refreshed and renewed by drinking long and deep from the Living Water.

All this month we’ve been considering the subject of “enthusiasm” from a devotional point of view. Our ultimate goal is to become more enthusiastic regarding our relationship with God and our service to others in His name. When we have the kind of desire for God described in these verses, our level of enthusiasm for Him and His kingdom will be very high.

In his book, “Intimacy with the Almighty”, Pastor Chuck Swindoll includes a section he titled “Paul’s Passionate Pursuit”. Pastor Chuck quotes Paul’s own description of the attitude of his heart as described in Philippians 3:10. In the Amplified Version of the Bible it reads:

“(For my determined purpose is) that I may know him – that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding (the wonders of His Person) more strongly and more clearly. And that I may in that same way come to know the power out-flowing from His resurrection (the power it exerts over believers); and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed (in spirit into His likeness) to His death.”

This was Paul’s Passionate Pursuit – to know God deeply and to follow Him and serve Him with commitment and enthusiasm. May it be yours and mine as well.

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Enthusiasm”

Our Bible verse for today: “Lord, please open his eyes and let him see.” 2 Kings 6:17 (HCSB)

Our thought for today: “Spiritual insight dispels fear and fuels enthusiasm.”

The man was afraid, and disheartened. The king of Aram was a formidable foe, and he was mad. He was so mad that he dispatched a large military force to surround the city of Dotham where the prophet Elisha and his servant were residing. That was what the servant was so disturbed about.

The background story to all of this is that Elisha had been receiving visions from God regarding the nefarious plans of the king of Aram. Elisha shared those insights with the king of Israel, who was then able to outmaneuver the king of Aram and defeat him time and time again. The king of Aram quickly came to the conclusion that the only logical solution was to capture Elisha so he could no longer provide divine guidance to the king of Israel – thus the army which now surrounded the city of Dothan.

And so the servant of Elisha was fearful, and few things will kill-off enthusiasm like fear. But interestingly, Elisha, faced with the exact same circumstances, wasn’t fearful or disheartened at all. Instead he was bold and confident. What was the difference? Elisha saw the spiritual reality which his servant was missing.

In verses 16-17 we read: “Elisha said (to his servant), ‘Don’t be afraid, for those who are with us outnumber those who are with them.’ Then Elisha prayed, ‘Lord, please open his eyes and let him see.’ So the Lord opened the servant’s eyes. He looked and saw that the mountain was covered with horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”

So how do you think the servant of Elisha felt then? The Bible doesn’t say, but I’m sure that once he saw that army of mighty angels who had assembled to assist them, his fear was gone, his heart was lifted, and his enthusiasm returned.

There’s a lesson in this for us. It’s expressed in another great passage of Scripture, which we find in Isaiah 41:10. There we read, “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold onto you with My righteous right hand.”

Whenever you sense fear and despair beginning to set-in, ask God to open your eyes to the spiritual realities of the situation. You’re not alone and you are not defeated. Instead, you can boldly and enthusiastically face whatever the situation is because the One who is with you, and who has committed to care for you and protect you, is greater than those who have come against you.

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Enthusiasm”

Our Bible verse for today: “To what should I compare this generation? It’s like children sitting in the marketplaces who call out to each other: We played the flute for you, but you did not dance; we sang a lament, but you didn’t mourn!” Matthew 11:16-17 (HCSB)

Our thought for today: “Superficiality kills enthusiasm”

In his book “The Spirit of Simplicity” Richard Foster writes, “Superficiality is the curse of our age. The doctrine of instant satisfaction is a primary spiritual problem. The desperate need today is not for a greater number of intelligent people, or gifted people, but for deep people.”

In the passage quoted above from Matthew chapter eleven this is the very thing Jesus was speaking of. The people were superficial, content with silly and meaningless things, and all the while they were missing what really mattered. He went on in verses 18-19:

“For John did not come eating or drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon!’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.”

The Pharisees of Jesus’ day were so busy with their rules and regulations and traditions, and they were so content with them, that they completely missed what really mattered.

C.S. Lewis once compared superficial Christians to children who had been offered a vacation at the seashore but were content instead to stay at home and play in mud puddles because they had no concept of, or appreciation for, the joys and wonders of the ocean.

As was noted in yesterday’s devotional, when we take the time and make the effort to go deeper with God, we quickly discover that the more of God we experience, the more of Him we want, and then the deeper we go.

Going deeper fuels enthusiasm for God – superficiality kills it. Far too many Christians are content to play in spiritual mud puddles rather than diving into the deep waters of God’s being. And, their lives show it. They’re fascinated and preoccupied with the trinkets and gadgets of the world, all the while missing the spiritual riches that could be theirs if they would only take the time to go beyond the superficial.

Don’t be content with a superficial relationship with God. Invest the time and effort to go deep with Him. When you do you will discover that your enthusiasm for God, and for your involvement in His work, will grow by leaps and bounds.

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Enthusiasm”

Our Bible verse for today: “Taste and see that the Lord is good. How happy is the man who takes refuge in Him!” Psalm 34:8 (HCSB)

Our thought for today: “The more of God you experience, the more of God you will want.”

All this month we’ve been devotionally considering the theme of “enthusiasm”. We’re giving thought to what enthusiasm is, what it looks like when someone has it, the impact it makes, and how to get more of it.

Being enthusiastic is one of the keys to success in all areas of life. But as Christians it’s vitally important for us to be enthusiastic about God, about His kingdom, and about our role in helping to build His kingdom.

In Psalm 34:8 the Psalmist challenges His readers to experience God – test Him, taste Him, see how good He is. What we’ll discover is that God is so good, and a deep relationship with Him is so satisfying and so fulfilling, that we’ll want more of Him. The truth is that the more of God you experience, the more of God you will want.

In his great little book “Intimacy with the Almighty”, Pastor Chuck Swindoll paints a very compelling picture. He writes, “Deep things are intriguing. Deep jungles. Deep water. Deep caves and canyons. Deep thoughts and conversations. There is nothing like depth to make us dissatisfied with superficial, shallow things. Once you have delved below the surface and had a taste of the marvels and mysteries of the deep, we realize the value of taking the time and going to the trouble of plumbing those depths. This is especially true in the spiritual realm. God invites us to go deeper rather than to be content with surface matters.”

Pastor Chuck continues: “Some of his best truths, like priceless treasures, are hidden in depths most folks never take the time to search out. Our loss! Patiently and graciously He waits to reveal insights and dimensions of truth to those who care enough to probe, to examine, to ponder.”

If you take the time to really seek after God you will, like the Psalmist promised, discover that He is really, really good. And you will then also find that you want more of Him – lot’s more! The more of God you experience, the more of God you will want, and your enthusiasm for Him, and your relationship with Him, and your involvement in His kingdom, will grow by leaps and bounds. “Taste and see that the Lord is good.”

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Enthusiasm”

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

Our thought for today: “Remaining enthusiastic will sometimes mean doing nothing.”

If you’re enthusiastic about something that means you’ll be busily involved in activities related to that something, right? Not necessarily. In fact, sometimes exactly the opposite is true.

Lately my own life has felt a lot like the Disneyland attraction “Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride”. It’s just been a twisting, turning, whirlwind of activity. But most of the activity has been for things that are important to me, much of which I enjoy. Serving in the church, preaching, teaching, leading a mission team to Haiti, writing, and even moving into a new home and selling the old one. (Ok, the moving part isn’t so enjoyable but still, it is important to me.)

So if you’re involved in all sorts of things you enjoy and which are important to you, and if you’re level of enthusiasm is high, then you’re good-to-go, right? Well yes, maybe, for a while. But even Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride only lasts for a short time and then the twisting and turning stops, you get off, and you return to a more balanced and stable state of equilibrium. If you didn’t, the twisting and turning, swirling and whirling, would soon make you sick and you would then no longer be very enthusiastic about the ride.

This morning, as part of my morning devotional time, I began re-reading one of my all time favorite devotional books, “Intimacy with the Almighty” by Pastor Chuck Swindoll. The book makes the case for stopping the ride and regaining your balance by spending extra quality time with God. Deep time. Quiet time. Slow time.

But wait, you don’t have the time to spend extra time, quality time, deep time. The ride is spinning too fast and there doesn’t seem to be a chance to get off. Yup. Been there, done that, got the tee shirt.

But the truth is that you can make it stop. You can get off. Just do it. If you don’t you’ll get sick, or tired, or both. Then you’ll no longer be effective and you certainly won’t be enthusiastic.

I like roller coasters, and whitewater kayaking, and sky diving and yes, even Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride. Those things are fun and adventurous, and they give me an adrenaline rush. I like it. I look forward to it with eager and enthusiastic anticipation.

So too, a life filled with lots of meaningful and challenging activities can be a good thing. But not endlessly. Sometimes the ride needs to slow down and even stop. Even though your busy schedule is filled with things that matter and which you love – things you’re enthusiastic about – you need interludes of peaceful inactivity, times when it’s just you and God – quiet, slow, renewing and refreshing.

Remaining enthusiastic about life in general, and about important things in particular, will sometimes involve doing nothing for a while – and that’s ok.

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Enthusiasm”

Our Bible verse for today: “When Solomon finished praying this entire prayer and petition to the Lord, he got up from kneeling before the altar of the Lord, with his hands spread out toward heaven, and he stood and blessed the whole congregation of Israel with a loud voice: ‘May the Lord be praised! He has given rest to His people Israel according to all He has said. Not one of all the good promises He made through His servant Moses has failed.” 1 Kings 8:54-56 (HCSB)

Our thought for today: “Passionate prayer fuels enthusiastic faith”

Have you seen the movie “The War Room”? It’s a great Christian film that vividly portrays the power and effectiveness of enthusiastic, passionate, heartfelt prayer. The movie serves to remind us that when God’s people pray, things happen.

In 1 Kings Chapter eight the nation of Israel, under the leadership of King Solomon, has just completed building the temple of the Lord. Now they are in the process of dedicating it and in chapter eight, we find the king on his knees at the altar in an extended time of prayer. In the prayer Solomon reviews the history of the nation and the faithfulness of God to them, and he pleads for God’s continued blessing upon the nation. Then, he stands and addresses the people. I like the way The Message paraphrase of the Bible renders this passage:

“Having finished praying to God – all these bold and passionate prayers – Solomon stood up before God’s Altar where he had been kneeling all this time, his arms stretched to heaven. Standing, he blessed the whole congregation of Israel, blessing them at the top of his lungs.”

This was an inspiring and motivational time for them. It was followed by a magnificent worship service complete with extensive sacrifices and special offerings.

Solomon was a God-fearing and dedicated servant of both God and of the people. His enthusiastic leadership was fueled by deep, passionate, extended prayer. Prayer – sincere and meaningful and passionate, can have that effect.

I encourage you to see the movie “The War Room”. It will inspire you to pray more and better. I also encourage you to read the book. The book tells the story in even greater detail and so there’s more we can learn from it than from the movie. And then, pray. Pray a lot. Pray with enthusiasm and pray that God will increase your enthusiasm.

Finally, if your church family meets for regular times of group prayer then I encourage you to participate in it. If your church doesn’t have group prayer meetings you should start one. At Oak Hill Baptist our regular prayer meetings are Wednesday night at 6:00 and Sunday morning at 8:30. We would love to have you join us. It will boost your enthusiasm.

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Enthusiasm”

Our Bible verse for today: “A song to our strong God! A shout to the God of Jacob! Anthems from the choir, music from the band, sweet sounds from the lute and harp, trumpets and trombones and horns: it’s festival day, a feast day to God!” Psalm 81:1-3 (The Message)

Our thought for today: “Worship with enthusiasm.”

For the last half of 2015 I’m reading through “The Message” in my personal daily devotional time. “The Message” is a paraphrase of the Bible which is designed to capture the essence of the Biblical passage in colorful and poetic language.

My reading today included Psalm 81, which is essentially a picture of a joyful and enthusiastic worship service. As I read it I was reminded of a scene I witnessed and participated in on my recent mission trip to Haiti. On both Sunday mornings that our team was in Port-au-Prince, we participated in the four hour early morning service in the mother church in the district of Waney. The church meets in a large tent because the church building had been damaged by the earthquake five years earlier.

The place was packed to overflowing and spilling out into the ally. The 2000 – 3000 people were joyful and animated in their worship. There was even one lady who brought her own trumpet (she was not in the band, just one of the worshippers). Periodically throughout the music service she would start playing along with the praise band from her seat. She would stand, tilt her head back, raise the trumpet towards heaven, and just wail away on that thing – as an act of worship.

This is the kind of scene being described in Psalm 81. It was loud, it was animated, it was joyful, and it was from the heart.

I’m not necessarily advocating for church members to bring their trumpets to church. In fact, I’m not making a case here for any particular style of worship service. But what I do hope to illustrate, both from the excerpt of Psalm 81 and from the example of the worship service in Haiti, is the importance of giving ourselves fully to God in the act of worship.

If for you that means raising your hands, blowing a trumpet, or doing summersaults down the aisle, that’s fine (as long as that’s appropriate in your worship setting). Or maybe you are more reserved like me and while you’re not very demonstrative outwardly, in your mind and heart you are fully engaged. Whatever the case, I encourage you to focus fully and enthusiastically on worshipping our strong and mighty God.

When we participate in worship we’re in the presence of God, interacting with Him in a manner intended to convey our heartfelt love, adoration, and thankfulness. We should do so enthusiastically, with our mind and heart fully focused on Him. I encourage you to worship Him with enthusiasm.

God Bless,

Pastor Jim