Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Friends and Associates”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room in the inn.” Luke 2:7 (NIV)

 

Our thought for today: “Merry Christmas”

 

Every time I read Luke’s account of the birth of Jesus I never fail to wonder at how much Jesus humbled Himself. He is of course, the Lord of Glory and the King of Heaven. He voluntarily left the splendor of heaven to come to earth to rescue us from our sins. But He did it in such a humble way!

 

In his book, “The Jesus I Never Knew” author Philip Yancey describes a visit to the USA by Queen Elizabeth II. She came with four thousand pounds of luggage including two outfits for every occasion, a mourning outfit in case someone important died while she was here, forty pints of plasma in case of a medical emergency, and white leather toilet seat covers which were placed on the toilets of whatever suite of rooms she was staying in. She had flashing jewelry, trumpets and heralds to announce her arrival wherever she went, bodyguards, and much pomp and circumstance.

 

The entourage and security surrounding the Queen was such that nobody could even get close to her. If Jesus had come to us in such a fashion we wouldn’t have been able to get close to Him either.

 

But He didn’t come like that. He came humbly, as a baby, in impoverished circumstances. Doing so made it easy for us to be with Him. He not only came as one of us, but He came as a defenseless baby.

 

Then, as He grew, He passed through all the stages of human growth and development until finally, as an adult, He began His ministry among us as the Son of God and the Messiah, the Savior. But again, even then, He remained humble and approachable. People could be with Him, they could talk to Him, they could see, hear, and touch Him.

 

The primary reason Jesus came to earth was so that one day He could die upon the cross to pay the penalty for our sins. But He also came to make it possible for us to relate to God in a real and personal way. According to the prophet Isaiah one of the descriptive names for Jesus is Immanuel, “God is with us”. In John 10:30 Jesus said of Himself, “The Father and I are one.” And in John 14:9 He said, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.”

 

Because Jesus came to us in the manner He did, we can now know God in ways that were never possible before. Tonight at Oak Hill Baptist Church at 5:00 we will celebrate a Christmas Eve Candlelight service. We’ll sing songs and light candles, but I will also speak a bit more about this subject of God being with us in such a personal and non-threatening way in the person of Jesus. I invite you to join us.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Friends and Associates”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will be on His shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. The dominion will be vast, and its prosperity will never end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from now on and forever.” Isaiah 9:6-7 (HCSB)

 

Our thought for today: “Align yourself with Jesus.”

 

To whom or to what have you aligned yourself? In life we all form loyalties and make commitments to people and organizations and to movements. Many of those bonds are strong and our sense of commitment to them is intense. That sense of connection could be to a sports team, a political party, an individual leader or celebrity, a philosophy or worldview, or to a deity. In life we all align ourselves to someone or to something.

 

However if history proves anything it is that no matter how popular and influential an individual is, no matter how strong a movement seems to be, no matter how persuasive the worldview or philosophy, and no matter how significant the events of the moment appear to us, on the large stage of history it’s all fleeting.

 

Larger-than-life figures appear on the stage for a short time, they strut, they boast, they make money and gain power, but then they’re gone. Political parties dominate for an election cycle or two, but then they’re in the minority again. Last year’s World Series champion is this year’s cellar-dweller.

 

The danger of all these flashy and noisy pretenders is that they distract people from the One Being and the one movement that is not temporary and which is in fact, at the very center of all human history.

 

All of history is in fact “His-story”. The birth of Christ even divided world history in two, B.C. (Before Christ) and A.D. (Anno Domini, which means “The year of our Lord”).

 

Jesus is the most important figure in history.  His kingdom is the only governmental structure which will endure forever; the building of His kingdom is the only movement that has eternal value; and therefore it only makes sense for us to be committed and loyal to Him first, rather than to anyone else or to anything else.

 

We can of course have other people in our lives who are important to us and to whom we are committed. And we can support political parties and sports teams, but our loyalty first and foremost must be to Jesus and to His kingdom-building work. When it comes to your alignment, it must be to the kingdom of God. When it comes to loyalty, it must be to Jesus.

 

And with respect to friends and associates, who else should you choose to be around than those who are also properly aligned with, totally committed to, and completely loyal to the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Prince of Peace?

 

I encourage you to include in your celebration of Christmas this year a recommitment to Jesus, the One who was born for you, and the One who died for you.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Friends and Associates”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)

 

Our thought for today: “Jesus walks with us through life.”

 

Yesterday we considered the fact that Jesus invites us to be His friend. We also thought about what it means for a person to be a friend. It involves things like trust and dependability and empathy; there is a sense of closeness and a deep level of comfort; and it also involves understanding and being understood.

 

Proverbs 18:24 describes the most advanced form of friendship as one who sticks closer than a brother. It’s the Hebrew word that was used to describe Abraham’s friendship with God, and it certainly applies to the kind of friendship Jesus offers to His followers.

 

In practical terms, I think the best New Testament description of what that friendship looks like on daily basis is given to us by Jesus Himself in Matthew 11:28-30.

 

Jesus spoke those words to the Jews of His day, almost all of whom lived and worked in an agrarian (farming) society. They were used to seeing teams of oxen yoked together, working together, to accomplish hard work. They knew that in every team of oxen there was a lead ox which was bigger, stronger, and more experienced, and there was a follower ox. It was up to the lead ox to carry most of the load and to provide the guidance. The job of the follower ox was to walk alongside the lead ox, share the load, and learn.

 

In this illustration Jesus was saying, “Let Me be your lead ox. Yoke yourself to Me and then let’s walk through life together. I’ll carry most of the load and I’ll provide the guidance. You just stay next to Me and we’ll do this together.”

 

The truth is that life is always better with Jesus than without Him. Whether that life is lived in a shack in Africa or in a mansion in Beverly Hills, life is always better with Jesus than without Him. And since Jesus is the all-powerful and mighty God of the universe, and since He is willing to walk through life with you carrying most of your burden and providing all of the guidance, He is the best friend you could ever have.

 

As you celebrate this Christmas season you will of course remember that the primary reason Jesus came as a baby in a manager was so He could one day die upon a cross to pay the penalty for our sins. But another reason He came is so He could be your friend, your best friend, and walk through life with you. It’s all a gift from God.

 

I encourage you to joyfully and gratefully accept the gift – all of it. Receive the gift of salvation from Jesus, and also receive the gift of friendship with Jesus. Then rely on Him to walk with you through life helping you to carry the load, and providing the guidance you need.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Friends and Associates”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “No one has greater love than this, that someone would lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do what I command you.” John 15:13-14 (HCSB)

 

Our thought for today: “Jesus is the best friend you will ever have.”

 

Today is Monday December 21^st. It’s the beginning of Christmas week and therefore we will spend the week thinking about Jesus. Of course we’ll consider His miraculous birth, His perfect life, and His eventual death on a cross to pay the penalty for our sins, but in keeping with our theme of “friends”, I also want to talk about the friendship of Jesus.

 

In John 15:13-15 Jesus made a startling claim to His disciples. They considered Him to be their Lord and Master but He states here that He thinks of them as His friends. What an extraordinary claim. This is the God of the universe in a human body. This is the Creator of heaven and earth, the Sovereign and Majestic Lord of all. Surely He is my God who deserves to be – indeed must be – worshiped, but my friend? Well, according to Jesus, yes, a friend.

 

What does that mean in practical terms to us as individuals? According to the dictionary a friend is a person who you know, like, and trust. It’s someone who supports and sympathizes with you; is favorably disposed to you; understands you and is easy to understand in return; and one who is warm, comforting, and easy to be with.

 

Jesus claims to be that for you and for me. Proverbs 18:24 describes Him as a “Friend who sticks closer than a brother.”

 

But wait. In terms of real life day-to-day living, there’s more. Without question the primary reason Jesus left the glory of heaven and came to earth was so that one day He could die upon a cross to redeem us from our sins. But as for being a friend, in terms of walking with us through life day-by-day as a good and true friend does, there’s more, there’s much more. But I’m going to save that for tomorrow.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

 

 

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Friends and Associates”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without criticizing, and it will be given him.” James 1:5 (HCSB)

 

Our thought for today: “Godly wisdom leads to spiritual health.”

 

I’m sure you’ve heard the old cliché, “The Church isn’t a Country Club for saints it’s a hospital for sinners.” It’s an old and somewhat tired cliché to be sure and yet, profoundly true. The only real difference between the people inside the church and those outside the church is that those outside are sin-sick and not doing anything about it; those inside the church are also sin-sick, but are in the process of getting well.

 

One of the ways in which we help each other inside the church to get well, is by helping each other to acquire Godly wisdom. True wisdom is much more than just gaining knowledge, although it does include that. True wisdom, Godly wisdom, is wisdom that helps us to live well, according to Biblical standards. This is the skill of living in a way that is not sin-sick. Godly wisdom is the medicine we need in order to get spiritually well and it’s an important reason that we gather together in our church/hospitals.

 

James, the author of the New Testament book of James, was a Pastor in the early church. He was also the biological brother of Jesus. His letter is a spiritual prescription to help sin-sick Christians and churches to get well. With the directness and precision of a skilled physician, he focuses on the root cause of their problems and he gives his readers precise instructions on how to deal with those issues. Dealing with problems in a direct way, and resolving them according to Biblical standards, is the “wisdom” he was referring in the beginning sentences of his letter.

 

Churches are imperfect places filled with imperfect people – sin-sick people. Churches are a place where people are brought face-to-face with the worst aspects of themselves and then given the help they need to deal with those areas of their lives. This is often messy business. And that being the case, church life is seldom easy. When I’m physically sick I’m often not the best of company. That can be even truer when I’m spiritually sick.

 

This Sunday, as you gather with your church family, remember that everyone there is dealing with something. Everyone there has an issue, a problem, a secret sin, a struggle that you might not know anything about, and it impacts how they interact with others. So be kind and patient and gracious with others as they work through their life issues, acquiring the wisdom that will help them to get well. And the rest of that will do that for you too as you confront and deal with your own issues.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Friends and Associates”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to make one proselyte, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as fit for hell as you are!” Matthew 23:15 (HCSB)

 

Our thought for today: “We must help each other to stay doctrinally pure and Biblically accurate.”

 

Would it surprise you if I told you that human reasoning is flawed? No, you don’t need me or anyone else to point that out, the world itself is filled with examples of flawed human reasoning. It’s simply amazing how we can find ways to rationalize and justify the most outrageous beliefs and conduct.

 

As whacky, perverted, and even dangerous as some beliefs, practices, and fads can get, few things do as much damage as the actions some people take in the name of religion. Weird cults have perpetrated some of the most unbelievable lies and yet have managed to attract hundreds and thousands of followers. Radial Islamic Jihad, as practiced by ISIS and Al Qaeda today, is a current horrifying example of religion having become twisted and sick. Author Eugene Peterson once wrote:

 

“More people are exploited and abused in the cause of religion than in any other way. Sex, money, and power all take a back seat to religion as a source of evil. Religion is the most dangerous energy source known to humankind. The moment a person (or government or religion or organization) is convinced that God is either ordering or sanctioning a cause or project, anything goes. The history, worldwide, of religion-fueled hate, killing, and oppression is staggering.”

 

This is the kind of thinking Jesus was condemning the Pharisees for in Matthew 23:15. They had taken the pure and perfect Word of God and twisted it according to their own desires. They had added to it immensely, creating an extensive and complicated system of rules and regulations designed to regulate and control virtually every aspect of life for the people – with them, the Pharisees, ruling over it all.

 

In the Bible God has given us everything we need to know in order to live lives that honor and please Him. He didn’t forget anything and He doesn’t need our help to improve upon it. Therefore we don’t have the freedom to take away from what He gave us, and we also don’t have the freedom to add to it – at least not as a system of rules that we expect other people to follow. (If we feel the need to impose some additional structure or restrictions on our own conduct that’s one thing, but as soon as we begin creating rules and regulations that go beyond what the Bible itself teaches, and we attempt to require other people to obey those rules, we have become modern-day Pharisees.)

 

As a community of believers we must know what the Bible actually says, and what it does not say. Then we must base our faith and practice on just that, nothing more and nothing less. We also must hold one another accountable for sticking to the Bible and the Bible alone. When others among us begin to venture in extra-Biblical rule-making, or they begin to twist Scripture to conform to their own personal preferences and biases, we as a community must take a stand against that.

 

The Bible itself is pretty clear. God didn’t write it in secret code that only a privileged few can understand. Individually we must pray and study and genuinely trust God to give us accurate understanding. Then we must keep company with others who do the same.

 

As a community of believers lets insist that we all stick to what the Bible actually says – nothing more and nothing less.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Friends and Associates”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “See to it brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” Hebrews 3:12-13 (NIV)

 

Our thought for today: “We help one another to stay strong.”

 

We don’t know who the author of the letter to the Hebrews was. Parts of it read like Paul’s letter to the Romans and therefore many think it was written by Paul. Perhaps it was. Many of the themes are Pauline in nature.

 

Just as Paul did, in Hebrews there is a heavy emphasis on the person of Christ. Again like Paul, the writer also placed great importance on the role Christians are to play in helping each other to stay strong. Hebrews 3:12-13 is one example. Hebrews 10:23-25 is another. These passages remind us of why it’s so important for us to take advantage of every opportunity to be together with our Christian brothers and sisters. We need to be at the regular gatherings of our church family. We also need to fill our lives outside of church with lots of association with other strong Christians.

 

Another device the writer used as a means of providing encouragement and inspiration to his readers is by referring to the examples set by towering figures in the faith from generations past. Hebrews chapter 11 is commonly referred to as “The Faith Hall of Fame”. Read it and you can’t help but be inspired to be more faithful yourself.

 

I personally have always been a big fan of biographies. On my bookshelf I have a series of thirty-two biographies recounting the lives of some of the greatest missionaries who have ever lived – people like Lottie Moon, Hudson Taylor, David Livingston, and George Muller. Their stories of service, sacrifice, and faithfulness inspire me in my own walk with the Lord.

 

The good examples of other Christians help us to stay strong. Whether by actually being with them in gatherings such as Bible study groups, worship services, or social events, or by immersing ourselves in their stories by means of Bible reading and biographies, drawing inspiration from the example of others is an important way in which God helps us to stay strong and to be faithful. I encourage you to seek out all of that kind of good association you can get.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

 

 

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Friends and Associates”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained by the world.” James 1:27 (HCSB)

 

Our thought for today: We, the people of God, should be characterized by mercy and compassion towards those in need.”

 

A couple of months ago I had the privilege to lead a short-term mission team to Haiti. Our acts of service were varied and consisted of construction projects, preparing hot meals for hungry school children, conducting Vacation Bible Schools, evangelism activities, and more.

 

But the ministry activity that impacted the team members most was our work in the orphanages and in the home for the widows. As our team members interacted with those children and with the elderly widows, their hearts melted. I could see it in their faces; it was evident in their mannerisms; you could hear it in their voices; and you could definitely see it in their actions. The love they had for those children and widows, and their eagerness to be a blessing to them, was obvious and touching.

 

Yesterday I offered a word of caution regarding the fact that we Christians, individually and as a community of believers, must use good judgment regarding our acts of mercy and compassion. We want to be sure that our helping actually helps rather than hurts. We want to lift people up rather than enabling them to continue in destructive behaviors.

 

But with that said, the characteristics which must dominate our thinking and be most evident in our actions, are mercy, grace, and compassion. If we are going to err, then let’s err on the side of mercy. I would rather we give too much than too little. It’s always better to be too kind, than not kind enough; too compassionate rather than hard and cold; too engaged rather than aloof and detached.

 

I made reference to those scenes I witnessed in the orphanages and widow’s home in Haiti because I think it’s a perfect picture of the heart attitude our Lord wants to see from us. The sight of pain and suffering should break our hearts; the knowledge that people are struggling and in need should elicit in us a strong desire to find a way to help. The people of God should be the kindest and most merciful people of all.

 

As mentioned yesterday, we are not to be doormats and we should not allow ourselves to be manipulated and taken advantage of. But with that word of caution said, let’s be sure it is mercy and grace and compassion which are our first and dominate response to those in need.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Friends and Associates”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “If anyone isn’t willing to work, he should not eat.” 2 Thessalonians 3:10 (HCSB)

 

Our thought for today: “Sometimes helping hurts.”

 

One of the most perplexing problems we as a Christian community sometimes face is the issue of how to help someone in a way that truly does help, rather than hurt. The fact is that not all helping actually helps. Sometimes helping hurts. Sometimes mercy crosses the line into enabling.

 

As Christians we’re predisposed to help. From start to finish, Genesis to Revelation, the Bible is chockfull of instructions from God to His people about how we are to have mercy and compassion on those in need. We are to feed the hungry, house the homeless, care for the widow and the orphan, visit the sick, comfort the despondent, and work for social justice. In short, the people of God are to intentionally and actively make this world a better place.

 

But if we give money to an alcoholic and he uses it to get drunk, have we helped him or hurt him? If we use the church benevolent fund to pay rent for a person who seems to make a living out of making the rounds from one church to another seeking help from them all, have we been good stewards of the Lord’s money? If a person doesn’t have a job and doesn’t want one, but could in fact be working, should we give them food from the food bank?

 

There is no easy answer to this question, and it’s also not a new problem for the people of God. The Apostle Paul felt it necessary to give the Christians in Thessalonica instructions about it. They had among them some people who could work but were choosing not to. Those people were then evidently living off the generosity of the Christian community. What were Paul’s instructions on how to deal with such folks? “Let them go hungry.” The understanding being that if they get hungry enough they’ll get a job so they can eat.

 

Without question the people of God are to be kind and compassionate, helpful and generous. That’s especially true with respect to hurting people who have desperate needs. But we are not to be mindless dupes either. We do not have to allow ourselves to be taken advantage of, tricked, or manipulated. We’re tasked with being good stewards of God’s money, and we therefore are required to make wise decisions about what kind of help is most appropriate in any given situation.

 

Also very common is that in our over-zealousness to be a blessing and a help to someone we care about, we do things for them that they really should be doing for themselves. This kind of helping often takes the form of creating an environment for them that allows them to delay making forward progress or taking actions that they really need to be taking. In this case our efforts to help them are actually holding them back. This is a classic example of enabling.

 

Most of the time helping really does help – but not always. Sometimes helping hurts. It’s up to us, as individuals and as a community of believers, to use good judgment and to make smart choices. Sometimes “not” helping is the right thing to do.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Friends and Associates”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “Most of the brothers in the Lord have gained confidence from my imprisonment and dare even more to speak the message fearlessly.” Philippians 1:14 (HCSB)

 

Our thought for today: “A good attitude is contagious.”

 

Philippians is known as “The Epistle of Joy”. The message is especially powerful because Paul’s own circumstances were so bad when he wrote it. He was old, sick, a prisoner in a Roman jail, and probably facing death. And yet as we read Philippians we discover that he was joyful, content, positive, and bold in his teaching – so much so that his example was an inspiration to all those around him. That’s what Philippians 1:14 was referring to.

 

In his paraphrase of the Bible entitled “The Message”, in the introduction to the book of Philippians, author Eugene Peterson writes that a good attitude, especially in the face of adverse circumstances, is not only inspiring but also contagious. Here’s what he wrote:

 

“Happiness is not a word we can understand by looking it up in the dictionary. In fact, none of the qualities of the Christian life can be learned out of a book. Something more like apprenticeship is required, being around someone who out of years of devoted discipline shows us, by his or her entire behavior, what it is. Moments of verbal instruction will certainly occur, but mostly an apprentice acquires skill by daily and intimate association with a “master”, picking up subtle but absolutely essential things, such as timing and rhythm and “touch”.”

 

Peterson goes on: “When we read what Paul wrote to the Christian brothers in the city of Philippi, we find ourselves in the company of just such a master. Paul doesn’t tell us that we can be happy, or how to be happy, he simply and unmistakably is happy.”

 

A good attitude is contagious. Being around people who are happy, content, upbeat, and positive, helps us to be that way too. Immersing ourselves in positive and encouraging literature such as Philippians is essential as well.

 

Much of life is not upbeat, positive, and happy, and it would be unrealistic for us to believe we can avoid negative people or bad environments. But the more good association we immerse ourselves in, the less impact the negative can have on us. And we can, overtime, actually become a person like Paul who effectively turns a negative situation into a positive one for all those around us.

 

I encourage you to strive to become that person. Be someone whose upbeat and positive attitude is contagious to the point of causing others to be that way too.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim