DEVOTIONAL FOR SATURDAY AND SUNDAY OCTOBER 12-13, 2013

Good Morning Everyone,
 
Our theme for this month: “Peace”
 
Our Bible verse for today: “Teacher! Don’t you care that we’re going to die?” Mark 4:38
 
Our thought for today: “Jesus provides peace in the storms of life.”
 
The disciples found themselves in a raging storm out on the Sea of Galilee. Jesus was there but He was asleep in the bow of the boat. The storm raged, the disciples feared, and Jesus slept. Finally one of them shook Him awake and implied that since they were struggling and He was sleeping, He must not care that they were all going to drown.
 
You know the story. Jesus calmly got up, looked around, and in a strong voice commanded “Peace! Be still!” and just like that the storm was calmed. As it turned out, even though it appeared to the disciples that Jesus was unaware or uncaring about the storm they were going through, He was actually very much aware and very much in control. He just wasn’t panicking like they were. At the right time and in the right way Jesus calmed their storm.
 
Maybe you are going through a storm right now. Maybe the is black and and the clouds are thick in your life right now and you’re wondering where the Lord is at in all this. This passage from Mark 4:38 was part of my daily reading yesterday in the Daily Walk Bible. Let me share with you the insightful editorial comment the editors included as a side bar to the passage:
 
“The Sea of Galilee is usually calm and tranquil, but it can become treacherous when violent storms spring up. The lake is like life itself: beautiful and tranquil at times, stormy and threatening at others. At the end of a long day, Jesus and his disciples got into a boat to cross the lake. After pushing away from the shore, Jesus fell asleep … and then a storm exploded. Twelve frightened men rushed to Jesus and exclaimed, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?” Now go back to verse 35. What did Jesus say to his disciples just before entering the boat? “Let’s go to the middle of the lake and drown?” Of course not! He said, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” What stormy, unexpected event in your life has you feeling panicked and fretful? Remember, Christ intends to take you to the other side safe and secure. Invite him into your “boat” right now, and let him still your storms of doubt.”
 
Jesus will give you peace in the midst of the storm.
 
God Bless,
Pastor Jim

DEVOTIONAL FOR FRIDAY OCTOBER 11TH

Good Morning Everyone,
 
Our theme for this month: “Peace”
 
Our Bible verse for today: “The Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron and his sons, This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them: “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” Numbers 6:22-26
 
Our thought for today: “The Lord speaks words of peace over you.”
 
I love that passage from Numbers chapter six. It so clearly expresses the heart of God for us. He wants us to have a wonderful sense of being blessed by Him, and an awareness of His grace in our lives, and a deep sense of peace – so much so that He instructed Moses to have Aaron and his sons (the priests of the nation) to regularly speak these words of blessing over the people.
 
In those days the nation of Israel was still in the time of wandering. They had left Egypt but had not yet arrived in the Promised Land. For long periods they traveled, day after day after day. Then they settled in one spot for a while but when they did, they worked hard. They repaired their tents and other equipment, they tended to their animals, they mended their clothes, and much more. Whether they were traveling or stationary their lives were filled with work and activities, from early in the morning till late in the evening, day after day.
 
That being the case, keeping the Sabbath was an important and even vital part of their weekly routine. They needed the break. Sabbath was about more than just gathering with their church families for times of worship, it was about rest too. Much needed rest. And interestingly, it was on the Sabbath that they would have heard Aaron speak those words of blessing from God. It was on the Sabbath, while they were worshiping and resting, that they would have heard their Minister pronounce words of blessing, grace, and peace from the Lord upon their lives.
 
By the time you read this you will probably be nearing the end of a busy week. What will you do this weekend? Will it be filled with more work, more activities, more responsibilities, or will you rest and worship? Of course we can experience the blessings and the peace of God at any time, but Sabbath is the time set aside for us by God for rest, renewal, and peace.
 
The Lord wants to bless you. He wants you to experience rest, renewal and peace. He wants you to hear those words of blessing pronounced over your life. I encourage you to gather with your church family this weekend.
 
God Bless,
Pastor Jim
 

DEVOTIONAL FOR THURSDAY OCTOBER 10, 2013

Good Morning Everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Peace”

Our Bible verse for today: “Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it.” 1 Peter 3:11 (NLT)

Our thought for today: “Peace isn’t for wimps.”

Edmund Burke was an Irish author, philosopher, and statesman who lived in England in the mid to late 1700’s. He served in the British House of Commons during the time of the American Revolutionary War and he was a strong advocate in favor of American Independence. He is best remembered for his profound statement:

“The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.”

Burke’s point is exactly what Peter was writing about in 1 Peter 3:11. It’s not enough to just shun or turn away from evil – we must actively strive to do good. We have to be intentional about it. It takes effort and work. We have to “search” for peace – look for it, uncover it, and then “work” to maintain it. What’s being described is an active effort.

Too often people equate pacifism with peace. They conclude that simply avoiding conflict – at all costs – results in peace. By that definition then, people living under the rule of a brutal dictator have peace. Even though the ruler is evil and the laws are unjust, as long as they conform and obey they will have a form of peace. But is that really peace? And could it be what God wants for us?

Sometimes achieving peace means confronting situations that are wrong and engaging in a struggle to bring about good. Sometimes it could mean even intentionally creating conflict so that real peace can eventually prevail. The circumstances that prompted Burke’s famous quote are a case in point. If the American colonists had simply submitted to the unjust dictates of the king of England they would have had a form of peace, but it would not have been real peace. Instead they intentionally provoked a conflict in order to oppose the injustice and eventually that did lead to peace.

Peter’s command in 1 Peter 3:11 is another example. If we simply remain silent and allow evil to have it’s way we’ll have a form of peace – in that the world will ignore us and we will therefore enjoy an absence of conflict, but that’s not real peace. Instead, we are commanded to shun the evil – actively resist it. Then we move in the direction of good – searching for real peace. And then once we have it, we must do the hard work to maintain it. It’s active and intentional. It’s achieving peace by opposing evil. It’s hard work and will probably involve conflict.

Achieving and maintaining peace is an intentional and active process. Peace isn’t for wimps.

God Bless, Pastor Jim 

DEVOTIONAL FOR WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 8TH

Good Morning Everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Peace”

Our Bible verse for today: “Work for the peace and prosperity of the city were I sent you into exile.” Jeremiah 29:7 (NLT)

Our thought for today: “We are to be instruments of God’s peace wherever He has placed us.”

In Jeremiah 29:7 the prophet was writing to the Jews who were in exile in Babylon. Babylon was not their real home. The culture around them wasn’t conducive to living a godly life and the people of God experienced mistreatment and persecution. But through Jeremiah God instructed the people to be obedient and productive citizens in the city where He had put them, and to be instruments of peace and prosperity for the greater good.

Likewise, as Christians we are a people residing in places that are not our real homes. We’re citizens of heaven on a journey through this world and our destination is the eternal kingdom. For the time being God has placed us in cities and towns, in neighborhoods and in jobs, in civic organizations and on PTA committees, and like the Jews in Babylon we are to be instruments of peace and prosperity for the greater society we’re part of. The world should be blessed because the people of God are among them.

Where has God placed you? Wherever it is, you’re not there by mistake. God has a reason for you to be in that town, or part of that work force, or on that school board. Even if you find yourself in an increasingly godless culture; even if you’re surrounded by people who do not share your faith; and even if you face some occasional opposition, you can still be a force for good wherever you are.

I want to encourage you today to be intentional about being an instrument of God’s peace in the place where He has put you.

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

 Our theme for this month: “Peace”

 Our Bible verse for today: “Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by His vast strength. Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the tactics of the Devil.” Ephesians 6:10-11

 Our thought for today: “We achieve and maintain peace by being strong.”

 Those of you who know me know that I’m a retired Naval Officer. I served in the Navy for twenty-one years and even though I’ve been retired from the military for twenty years, I still have a military mind set and I apply military type thinking to most areas of my life. It’s something that will stay with me for the rest of my life I’m sure.

 A basic premise which undergirds military thinking is that strength deters aggression. When a nation, military unit, or individual is obviously strong and well prepared to defend themselves, a potential adversary will think twice before starting something. Conversely, weakness invites aggression. When a nation, military unit, or individual is perceived as being weak, bad guys are emboldened. And so, we maintain the peace by being strong.

 That same truth applies in the spiritual realm. In Ephesians 6:10-19 the Apostle Paul used a military metaphor to help us understand that we are engaged in spiritual warfare. It’s a battle and we have to be strong if we’re going to be victorious. The Lord Himself provides us with the strength and the resources to not only fight the battle, but to win it. However, we need to do our part of if we’re going to “be strengthened by the Lord and by His vast strength.” In that passage Paul then goes on to provide detailed instructions about the steps we need to take to be strong in the Lord. For an expanded teaching on this subject see chapter fourteen of my book “Walking with Paul”. You can get a copy at http://www.JimMersereauBooks.com or visit us at OakHillBaptistChurch and I will be happy to give you one.

 Strength deters aggression. That’s true for nations on the world stage; it’s true for military units keeping the enemy at bay; it’s true for individuals who are determined to deter the bad guys who live in every community; and it’s true in the spiritual realm. If Satan detects weakness in you, he will pounce. If he sees that you are spiritually strong, fully clothed in the armor of God, he will probably look for an easier victim.

 We achieve and maintain the peace by being strong.

 God Bless,

Pastor Jim

 

 

DEVOTIONAL FOR MONDAY OCTOBER 7TH
 
Good Morning Everyone,
 
Our theme for this month: “Peace”
 
Our Bible verse for today: “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you.” Isaiah 26:3 (NLT)
 
Our thought for today: “Focus on God, not on circumstances.”
 
I love the promise God gives us in Isaiah 26:3. If we will keep our thoughts focused on Him, He will help us achieve and maintain a peacefulness deep within. Why? Because our trust is in Him and that pleases Him. So, He grants us peace in return.
 
What’s the best way to keep your thoughts focused on God? By meditating on Scripture verses. Now, when I say “meditate” I’m not talking about sitting cross-legged on the floor in the lotus position, eyes closed, palms turned upward, and softly saying “Ohmmm ….”. That’s eastern mysticism. To meditate on Bible verses and therefore maintain a focus on God means simply that you have a verse of Scripture in your mind and you recite it to yourself, think about it, chew on it, let it settle deeply into your heart. You can do that as you’re driving in your car, sitting at your desk, walking down the street, or virtually any other time.
 
Most of us have favorite Bible verses that are especially comforting to us personally and therefore we rely on them frequently. I’ll share a few of my favorites with you:
 
“Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9
 
“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 on to you with My righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10
 
“For I know the plans I have for you – this is the Lord’s declaration – plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11
 
“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.” Matthew 6:33
 
“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to humanity. God is faithful, and he will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation He will also provide a way of escape so that you are able to bear it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13
 
“Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7
 
Those are just a few I rely on frequently. There are many others but the point is that in the Bible God has provided us lots and lots of reassuring promises which help us to stay focused on Him and His power, rather than on our problems and circumstances . It really is true that He will keep in perfect peace the one whose mind is focused on Him.
 
God Bless,
Pastor Jim
 
DEVOTIONAL FOR SATURDAY AND SUNDAY OCTOBER 5-6
 
Good Morning Everyone,
 
Our theme for this month: “Peace”
 
Our Bible verse for today: “How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony (peace)! It is like fine oil on the head, running down the beard, running down Aaron’s beard onto his robes. It is like the dew of Hermon falling on the mountains of Zion. For there the Lord has appointed the blessing – life forevermore.” Psalm 133:1-3
 
Our thought for today: “Protect the peace!”
 
After decades of pastoring churches I’m a firm believer in the value and importance of the regular gatherings of the church family. The overwhelming majority of the time when God’s people gather together it is a thing of beauty, peace, compassion, and blessing. Yes, most of the time. But not always.
 
Whenever we bring together a large group of people, each with their own unique personalities, each with different preferences and desires, and all of them bringing with them a wide variety of personal issues, the potential for conflict exists. All it takes is one or two irritable and fussy people having a bad day to get the sparks flying. A short temper here, some hurt feelings over there, and pretty soon the squabbling begins. As the people of God we have to guard against that. The fellowship of a church is a potentially fragile thing that can easily be damaged if we don’t protect it.
 
Some people are more likely to be the source of those disruptions than others. I believe that how easily a person is offended – and reacts to that offense, is a measure of the depth of their spirituality. The more spiritually mature a person is the less easily that individual is offended; the more immature they are the more offense they will take and the more likely they are to react to the perceived offense.
 
As David expressed in Psalm 133, peace and harmony among brothers and sisters in a church family is a beautiful thing. It is a blessing to all who are gathered and it is pleasing to God. I’m so grateful for the peace and harmony we enjoy at Oak Hill Baptist. Our church family is filled with spiritually mature individuals who love and care for each other and who are not easily offended.
 
When you gather with your church family this weekend I encourage you to protect and nurture the harmony and peace that should exist whenever God’s people are together.
 
God Bless,
Pastor Jim

DEVOTIONAL FOR FRIDAY OCTOBER 4TH

Good Morning Everyone,
 
Our theme for this month: “Peace”
 
Our Bible verse for today: “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 1:3
 
Our thought for today: “Bless someone today with Biblical words of grace and peace.”
 
One of the unique characteristics of the Apostle Paul’s writings is that he always opened his letters with a salutation that communicated a word of blessing in the Name of the Lord. You just read one of them in 1 Corinthians 1:3 above. He used the exact same statement to open his letters to the Romans (Romans 1:7), the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 1:3 and 2 Corinthians 1:2), the Galatians (Galatians 1:3), the Ephesians (Ephesians 1:2), the Philippians (Philippians 1:2), the Thessalonians (2 Thessalonians 1:2), and in his letters to his friends Titus and Philemon.
 
In some of his other letters he changed the wording a bit but the greeting was essentially the same:
“Grace to you and peace from God our Father.” Colossians 1:2
“Grace and peace to you.” 1 Thessalonians 1:1
“Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.” 1 Timothy 1:2 and 2 Timothy 1:2
 
In the USA we American Christians are not in the habit of opening our communications with each other using words of Biblical blessing, but in other places around the world it’s common and even expected. Many times when I receive an email or facebook message from a friend in Romania or Peru it will begin or end with one of the verses I listed above. That’s also true for cards and letters and sometimes even in phone calls. That habit is also common among Christians in places like Africa and Asia.
 
Greeting each other with Biblical words of grace and peace is … well, it’s Biblical. In Ephesians 5:19 Paul calls us to speak to one another in “psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs …” That doesn’t mean we have to walk around all day quoting scripture to each other or serenading one another with songs from the Baptist Hymnal, but greeting each other with words of grace and peace, even quoting verses right out of the Bible, has been the practice of Christians down through the ages and continues to be done today by Christians in many places around the world.
 
So, may you enjoy “grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord”, and have a nice day.
 
God Bless,
Pastor Jim

DEVOTIONAL FOR THURSDAY OCTOBER 3RD

Good Morning Everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Peace”

Our Bible verse for today: “If you follow My statutes and faithfully observe My commands, I will give you rain at the right time, and the land will yield its produce, and the trees of the field will bear their fruit … I will give peace to the land, and you will lie down with nothing to frighten you. I will remove dangerous animals from the land, and no sword will pass through your land.” Leviticus 26:3; 6

 Our thought for today: “God blesses the nation that obeys Him.”

 As I write this the government of the USA has been partially shut down. Our leaders can’t agree with each other on a variety of issues; they have also been unable to work out a compromise budget, and so the government has shut down. I wish I could write that this is an isolated incident and that surely common sense will soon prevail, but we all know that’s not true. Our federal government has become increasingly dysfunctional to the point of inertia. It is mired in partisanship, self-interest, corruption, and small-minded pettiness.

 It’s an old political truism that politics is the art of compromise. The way public policy gets done is that well-intentioned and reasonably intelligent people with differing opinions come together and work things out. So how did our federal government get so messed up? How did we end up with so many elected officials – in all three branches of the government, who are so incapable of playing nice with those of differing perspectives?

 In Leviticus 26:3-6 Moses describes the kind of nation that enjoys the blessings of God and therefore prospers in all areas of national life. It is the nation that faithfully obeys God. That used to describe the USA but it doesn’t anymore. We have drifted far from our Biblical roots and the further we have drifted, the more dysfunctional our life as a nation has become. Let me share with you a few quotes regarding our Christian heritage which may help us to better understand what we’re experiencing today:

 “It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded not by religionists but by Christians, not on religions but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ.” Patrick Henry, 1776

 “Our laws and our institutions must necessarily be based upon and embody the teaching of the Redeemer of Mankind. It is impossible that it should be otherwise; and in this sense and to this extent our civilization and our institutions are emphatically Christian.” Supreme Court of the United States, 1892 (After citing 87 precedents)

 “If God and His word are not known and received, the devil and his works will be. If the power of the Gospel is not felt throughout the length and breadth of the land, anarchy and misrule, degradation and misery, corruption and darkness will reign.” Daniel Webster, 1787

 “Anarchy and misrule, degradation and misery, corruption and darkness …”

 Pray for our nation. We have lost our moral compass because we have drifted far from our Christian roots. We no longer honor God in our national life and so we are now experiencing life without His blessings. Without the Prince of Peace a nation will not have peace … or prosperity … or true security … or a functional government. Pray for our nation.

 God Bless,

Pastor Jim

DEVOTIONAL FOR WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 2ND

Good Morning Everyone,

 Our theme for this month: “Peace”

 Our Bible verse for today: “But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without favoritism and hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who cultivate peace.” James 3:17-18

 Our thought for today: “Let it begin with me (and with you!)”

 I like the definition of peace offered by the editors of “The Christian Arts Daily Planner”: “At the heart of peace is harmony. To be at peace with someone – whether a neighbor, a family member, or God – is to be in a harmonious relationship with them.”

 Doesn’t that sound nice, to be in a harmonious relationship with God and with others? Wouldn’t this world be a better place if more of us worked at being peacemakers and therefore there was more harmony?

 That’s what James was writing about in the verses cited above. In the context of the entire passage, he was contrasting the difference between those who function out of a worldly mind set and those who are guided by the Spirit of God. Worldly wisdom produces envy, selfish ambition, bragging, and dissension. Godly virtues result in love, gentleness, mercy, good fruits, and peace. More than that, those who are functioning under the influence of the Holy Spirit will actually go the extra mile and “cultivate” a spirit of peace. They will sow seeds of peace in their relationships with others and then carefully tend those seeds to grow and maintain a spirit of peace.

 In Galatians 5:22-23 the Apostle Paul reminds us that one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit, one of the virtues He brings out in the lives of those submitted to Him, is peace. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control.”

 Experiencing peace; exuding peace; cultivating peace; that’s what the Spirit does in and through us.

 I’ve used this quote before and I’m sure I will use it again because it communicates such a powerful and important truth. It comes from Saint Francis of Assisi, “Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me.” I encourage you today to be a source of peace in the world. Be intentional about it. Sow it. Cultivate it. Let it begin with you.

 God Bless,

Pastor Jim