Good morning everyone,   Our theme for this month: “Living with joy”   Our Bible verse for today: “If anyone else thinks he has grounds for confidence in the flesh, I have more.” Philippians 3:4 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “Pride comes before a fall”   Pridefulness is a joy-stealer. It is selfish and self-centered and results in a person being preoccupied with themselves. In Philippians 3:4-11 Paul has left his discussion about the dangers of legalism and what a joy-stealer that is, and he shifts his focus to the dangers of pride, and what a joy-stealer it can be. We humans tend to take pride in who we are and in what we have done, and that often leads us to the false assumption that those things – who we are and what we have accomplished, make us better than others and more acceptable to God. It’s a lie.   In Paul’s case he had about the most impressive pedigree a Jew of his day could have. He had been raised in a good Jewish home, he could trace his heritage back to Jacob’s youngest son Benjamin, he was educated and served as a Pharisee, and he was zealous in keeping the Law – to the point of obsession. But none of that made him righteous – instead it just made him mean. Paul, as the Pharisee Saul, was a fire-breathing fundamentalist who stormed around pronouncing judgment on others, breaking up Christian meetings, arresting the followers of Jesus, and even presiding over their executions. His religious fervor just made him a mean and angry man.   But Paul’s point here was that none of the things he just cited about himself made him acceptable in the eyes of God. His religious fervor didn’t, his great education didn’t, his professional achievements didn’t – there was nothing he was or had achieved that made him acceptable in God’s eyes. It was his faith in Christ that did it. Therefore, Paul considered everything else to be rubbish and unimportant by comparison to his faith in Christ.   At one time in Paul’s life all those things did matter to him – a lot. He was excessively proud of his Jewish heritage, and of his education, and of his professional achievements, and of his position as a Pharisee. And he did believe those things made him more acceptable in God’s eyes and better than everyone else. But they didn’t. It was a lie.   Your situation is probably different from Paul’s. Your credentials aren’t the same as his. You aren’t from the tribe of Benjamin. But you are from the USA, a “Christian” nation, right? How proud of you of that. Are you a better person and more acceptable to God because you were born in the USA instead of in Zimbabwe?   You probably weren’t raised in a strict Jewish home, but how about in a strict Christian home? Are you more pleasing and acceptable to God because your childhood home had a Bible and your family went to church?   Maybe you didn’t sit at the feet of the great Rabbi Gamaliel and receive the best education available to a Jewish boy in Paul’s day, but have you gone to college and do you have some degrees? Does your education make you better than anyone else and more acceptable to God? And maybe you haven’t been a Pharisee, but have you had some professional success of which you are proud of? You get the point.   Solomon taught in Proverbs 16:18 that pride comes before a fall. In other words, excessive pride sets us up for a fall. It did for Paul when he was Saul the Pharisee and it can have the same effect in your life and mine. Pride is dangerous and it is a joy-stealer.   God bless, Pastor Jim     If you like what you’re 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 © 2024 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: “Living with joy”   Our Bible verse for today: “Watch out for the dogs, watch out for the evil workers, watch out for those who mutilate the flesh. For we are the (true) circumcision, the ones who worship by the Spirit of God, boast in Christ Jesus, and do not put confidence in the flesh …” Philippians 3:2-3 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “Watch out for those dogs”   Legalism is such a danger and such a joy-stealer that the Apostle Paul gave us an extensive teaching about it in the middle of his “letter of joy.” Clearly, legalism is something God wants us to avoid getting trapped in. So, let’s continue following Paul’s teaching about the issue:   Here in Philippians, and also in Galatians, Paul labels those who preach and teach legalistic doctrine as “dogs” and “evil workers” and “false teachers”. When he says that they “mutilate the flesh” he was referring to the fact that the Judaizers of his day insisted that Christian men had to be circumcised according to the Old Testament law. The foreskin of the penis had to be cut away in a bloody religious ritual that would symbolize that they really did belong to God. In Galatians Paul said he wished that those who taught such perverted lies would cut away all their own manhood entirely rather than just the foreskin.   When he says that “we” are the “true” circumcision what he is referring to is that the kind of circumcision that matters to God is spiritual circumcision, not physical circumcision. The physical cutting away of the male foreskin was intended to be a symbol for those Old Testament Jews that represented the cutting out of their lives any thought or activity that was in any way offensive to God. True circumcision is cutting sin out of our lives, not cutting skin away from our body. It is a spiritual act not a physical one.   The religious ritual of circumcision that the Judaizers were insisting upon for those Christians was not really any different in spirit from the horsehair shirts the Christians of the middle-ages used to wear; or crawling across the square on all fours like the woman in Mexico City was doing (discussed in earlier devotionals in this series); or the long lists of rules and regulations that some of our fundamentalist churches insist on today. It’s the same legalistic principle and as Paul was pointing out here, such practices are death to true joy and freedom in Christ.   For Paul, grace was primary. Grace was so important to him that he wrote about it more than once, defended it, even fought for it, and willingly suffered to promote it. Paul loved grace and he wanted it for others too.   False teachers who lead people away from grace and into legalism is such a problem that not only has Paul addressed it in other letters, but three times in this single verse he repeats the warning “watch out!” He is warning his readers to not be fooled by the false teachers. Don’t let others impose legalistic practices on you that go beyond what God Himself has clearly required of us in the Bible. Don’t let them steal your freedom and joy that comes to you through grace and as a gift from God.   God bless, Pastor Jim   If you like what you’re 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 © 2024 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: “Living with joy”   Our Bible verse for today: “Watch out for the dogs, watch out for the evil workers, watch out for those who mutilate the flesh. For we are the circumcision, the ones who worship by the Spirit of God, boast in Christ Jesus, and do not put confidence in the flesh …” Philippians 3:2-3 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “Embrace grace and live free in Christ”   At this point in his “letter of joy,” Paul continues his discussion about the dangers of legalism and what a joy-stealer it can be in our lives. Since Paul considered this to be such an important issue regarding our ability to fully embrace grace and live free in Christ, it should be that important to us too. So, let’s continue following along as he leads us in our thinking about it.   The reason legalism and all of its rules and regulations can sometimes seem appealing to people is because it takes all the thinking out of the practice of your faith. Legalism essentially provides you with a checklist of dos and don’ts. Then you can just go down the list checking them off and the thinking is that if you do enough of those things, then you will be pleasing and acceptable to God.   Living in grace on the other hand, is much harder. It requires spiritual maturity to be free from long lists of rules and regulations spelled out for you by other people, living instead by the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and to do it in a way that truly does honor Christ.     Some Christians engage in what we call “cheap grace.” Cheap grace is when a person abuses their freedom in Christ and uses it to live in a way that is contrary to Biblical principles. But they conclude it is safe and okay to do that because they’re saved anyway. And so, they profess faith in Christ but then engage in behaviors that are unbiblical, like a homosexual relationship. Or they profess faith in Christ but then have sex outside of marriage even though the Bible expressly forbids that. Or they cheat on their taxes, or any number of other behaviors that are clearly wrong. Those are examples of people abusing grace and treating it cheaply.   Spiritually mature Christians live according to Biblical principles and they do it simply out of love for Jesus.  Grace gives us the freedom to live free in Christ under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Legalism, on the other hand, works to control behavior in a heavy-handed and authoritarian manner. That is the exact opposite of what Jesus intended.   Paul has a good deal more to say on this subject – too much for us to consider in a single daily devotional. So, we will pick this back up tomorrow. In the meantime, I urge you to embrace grace and live free in Christ!   God bless, Pastor Jim   If you like what you’re 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 © 2024 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: “Living with joy”   Our Bible verse for today: “In addition, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. To write to you again about this is no trouble for me and is a safeguard for you.” Philippians 3:1 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “Live free and joyfully”   Today is “Veteran’s Day” in the USA. It’s the day each year when we honor those who have ever served in the U.S. military and we thank them for their service to our great country. It’s because of their sacrifices that we enjoy the freedoms we do. So, if you have served in the armed forces, thank you for your service!   However, there is a freedom that is far greater than living in a democracy as we do. It’s the freedom that is found in Christ, and so this morning, I want to return us to our thinking from yesterday regarding the dangers of legalism as a potential joy-stealer.   Paul begins this passage by urging his readers to rejoice in the Lord. If we keep that statement in the context of what he writes here about the dangers of legalism, we realize that he is urging us to find our joy in Jesus alone and not in extreme acts of religious rituals like he is about to describe in the upcoming verses. He even goes on in this verse to remind them that he has written to them about this previously and he says that doing so (writing about it again), is for their protection. Obviously, Paul considered legalism to be a supreme danger and a guaranteed joy-stealer and therefore he wanted to circle back and address the issue again.   In all his letters when Paul warned about the dangers of legalism, he was almost always referring to the group known as “The Judaizers.” They were Jews who were professing Christians but who were hanging onto the laws of the Pharisees as well. They taught that to be a Christian you had to observe many of the old laws of the Pharisees too. The Judaizers are always portrayed as stern, demanding, critical, uptight, and very judgmental. They do not come across as relaxed and joyful.   That tends to be true of legalism in general. The primary difference between grace and legalism is that legalism teaches there are lots of rules and regulations and acts of self-denial we must engage in to be more acceptable to God. That’s a dark and heavy way to practice your faith. There’s not a lot of joy in that.   Grace leads us to freedom in Christ and a life of joy. Grace helps us understand that because of what Jesus did for us, we are already fully pleasing and acceptable to God. We then obey Him simply because we want to. We do it out of love. And with that kind of outlook, there is a great sense of freedom and joy.   I encourage you to choose grace over legalism and then learn to live free and joyfully in Christ.   God bless, Pastor Jim   If you like what you’re 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 © 2024 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: “Living with joy”   Our Bible verse for today: “Watch out for the dogs, watch out for the evil workers, watch out for those who mutilate the flesh.” Philippians 3:2 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “Legalism is a joy-stealer”   Bible commentator Max Anders tells the story of how once when he was in Mexico City he went to the central square in the city to visit the great cathedrals which border the square. While he was there, he noticed a peasant woman on all fours, crawling across the square on hands and knees. The square was paved with cobblestones which were irregular in shape and with pointy sharp corners. So, the woman’s hands and knees were getting bruised and cut as she crawled along.   As she slowly made her way across the square to the entrance to one of the great cathedrals, she would periodically stop, rise-up on her knees, fold her hands, bow her head, and pray for a few moments. Then she would get back down on all fours and continue her long slow crawl across the square to the cathedral. It was an act of humiliation and penance on her part as she tried to prove to God how sorry she was for her sins.   You are probably sitting there thinking that it’s not necessary for people to do things like that in order to please God, and you would be right. 1 John 1:9 tells us that if we confess our sins God is faithful and just and will forgive our sins. It’s a matter of God’s grace and not some extreme measures we subject ourselves to. But legalism teaches Christians we have to engage in extreme acts of penance, sacrifice, and self-deprivation in order to please God.   That’s the subject Paul addresses here in the beginning of chapter three of his letter to the Philippians – this letter that is all about living free and joyfully in Christ. In the opening verses of this chapter, he refers to a group of religious legalists known as “The Judaizers.” They taught that in addition to the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins, Christian men also had to be circumcised according to the Jewish tradition or they were not really a Christian. Paul was cautioning his readers to reject such thinking. Salvation is found in Christ alone, by grace alone, and not by any additional actions, sacrifices, or rituals.   Sadly, we see modern-day versions of this legalism in parts of the Christian community today. When leaders promote and insist upon practices that go beyond what God Himself requires of us in the Bible – beware! It’s a form of legalism, it is unnecessary, and it is a guaranteed joy-stealer.   Righteousness in God’s eyes is a gift of grace that comes through faith in Christ alone. Beyond that, how to live a life that is pleasing to God is spelled out for us by Him, in the Bible. There is nothing more to it, and nothing less. Beware of legalism – it is a joy-stealer!   God bless, Pastor Jim   If you like what you’re 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 © 2024 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: “Living with joy”   Our Bible verse for today: “Therefore, welcome him in the Lord with great joy and hold people like him in honor, because he came close to death for the work of Christ …” Philippians 2:29-30 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “Living on the edge”   I once read a quote I like very much and which I have held onto. It was an editorial note in the “Every Man’s Bible” and it was about the man Paul was referring to in Philippians 2:29-30 – Epaphroditus. The editors said that one of the lessons we can learn from his example is to be willing to venture out of our comfort zones and even take some risks for the cause of Christ. For example, Epaphroditus was on the mission field with Paul (a courageous act in itself). Then he got seriously sick and almost died. But despite that, as soon as he was well again, he was ready for his next big adventure. In this case it was to travel to Philippi as Paul’s representative.   The quote was: “If you’re not living on the edge, you’re taking up too much space.” The editor’s point was that most of us are obsessed with our comfort and safety – to the point that we go to great lengths to avoid anything that takes us out of our comfort zones or which could be the least bit risky. Well, if you’re not living on the edge for Christ; if you’re not venturing out of your comfort zone and taking a few risks to be a blessing and encouragement to others; then in the opinion of the editors of the “Every Man Bible,” you’re taking up too much space. Get out there on the edge a little bit.   In these verses Paul said that people like Epaphroditus are deserving of honor and recognition. The world is quick to honor people who are beautiful, rich, powerful, and talented, but what kind of people should the church be quick to honor? It should be the people who go over and above for the cause of Christ. They’re the ones who are deserving of our recognition and honor.    Such people are also the ones who are making a difference with their lives. That doesn’t necessarily mean they’re going to far-away places and doing dangerous things. But it does mean they are actively and intentionally on-mission with Jesus in the world. Paraphrasing the great church leader John Wesley, it means that the person is committed to doing all the good they can, for all the people they can, in all the ways they can, for as long as they can. This is a person who lives life large. This is a person who is committed to being a force for good for the cause of Christ. This is a person whose life makes a difference.   We get a sense of fulfillment, satisfaction, and joy when we know we are making a difference for the cause of Christ. So, don’t be timid. Be willing to live on the edge for Jesus.   God bless, Pastor Jim   If you like what you’re 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 © 2024 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: “Living with joy”   Our Bible verse for today: “But I considered it necessary to send you Epaphroditus – my brother, coworker, and fellow soldier, as well as your messenger and minister to my need – since he has been longing for all of you and was distressed because you heard that he was sick.” Philippians 2:25-26 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “Thank God for the encouragers”   I thank God for those with the gift of encouragement. Encouraging someone is one of the most impactful ways to bless a person and it is a major Biblical theme. The Bible is filled with encouraging verses, encouraging examples, and encouraging people. Barnabas has always been one of my favorite New Testament personalities. He was such a source of encouragement for others that the apostles gave him the nickname “The son of encouragement” (Acts 4:36).   Barnabas was such a good example of an encourager that Linda and I once owned a book company that we named after him, “The Barnabas Book Company.” Our motto was, “Encouraging books that will change your life.” I think encouragement is so important that in our church we keep blank encouragement notes in the pew-backs. The idea is for a person to write a note of encouragement to someone and place it in the offering plate. We then forward that encouraging note to the person for them.   In Philippians chapter two we read that Paul wanted to send his protégé and associate Timothy to the Philippians to check on them and to bring news to them – as well as to be a source of encouragement and blessing to them. But for some reason, Timothy wasn’t going to be able to make the trip right away. But that was okay because Paul had another man to send who would be an even bigger source of joy and encouragement for the Philippians – Epaphroditus.   In Philippians 2:25-28 we learn that Epaphroditus had been ill, almost to the point of death, and that the Philippians heard about it and were distressed by the news. But now he was better – well enough to even travel, and so Paul was going to send the news of his recovery to the Philippians by Epaphroditus himself. Evidently, they were only going to learn about his recovery when he walked through the door and delivered the news to them in person.   What a surprise that was going to be. You can picture the startled expressions and the people jumping up to happily greet him. They had been praying for him and for his recovery, and now the answer to their prayers walks through the door! What a time of joy and encouragement. Paul was probably chuckling with delight as he planned it.   Is there someone you can be a source of encouragement for today, someone you know who needs a shot of joy and encouragement?  Everyone needs to be encouraged. Everyone could use a little more joy. Be the source of that encouragement and joy for someone today.   I thank God for the encouragers in life!   God bless, Pastor Jim   If you like what you’re 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 © 2024 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: “Living with joy”   Our Bible verse for today: “Now I hope in the Lord to send Timothy to you soon so that I too may be encouraged by news about you.” Philippians 2:19 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “A kingdom perspective”   In recent devotionals I have referred to the mission trip a group from our church went on to eastern Kentucky. We partnered with our friends from Mr. Airy, MD to work in conjunction with the Christian Appalachian Project (CAP). The underlying mindset of those involved in that effort is an example of what is called “a kingdom perspective.” A kingdom perspective is when we shift our focus from our local church to the larger kingdom of God outside the walls of our church.   The tendency of human beings in general, and of churches as well, is that we often have a “me first” perspective. Our thoughts naturally go to questions like “What’s in this for me?” or, “How will our church benefit from this?” But that’s not how Jesus taught us to think. Instead, we are to take our eyes off ourselves, and even off our own church, and focus instead on others and on the larger world outside the walls of our church. That’s a kingdom perspective.   This is what Paul was referring to in Philippians 2:19. Paul’s focus always went far beyond just the place he was in at any given time. He never limited himself to just local thinking and local concerns. In this case, he sent one of his associates to go to another region, to another group of people, and to be a blessing to them in the name of Jesus and for the good of the Kingdom. Instead of keeping his closest associates with him for his own benefit, he sent them away to other regions and be a blessing to other people.   It’s important for Christians to have a kingdom perspective. Then it’s important to find ministry partners who share that perspective and who will work with us for the sake of the Kingdom. That is our focus at Oak Hill Baptist and it is also the focus of our friends from Mt. Airy. It’s also the ministry model that CAP functions on. God uses the staff of the Christian Appalachian Project to create the ministry context for kingdom work to occur in that region by hosting groups like ours.   I encourage all of us to develop and maintain a kingdom perspective in our personal walk with Jesus. Then be the catalyst to develop and maintain it in your local church. And then, develop ministry partners in other places who share that perspective and with whom you can work to help spread the gospel and build the kingdom of God on earth.   A kingdom perspective is a source of great joy for everyone.   God bless, Pastor Jim   If you like what you’re 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 © 2024 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: “Living with joy”   Our Bible verse for today: “Now I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon so that I too may be encouraged by news about you. For I have no one else like-minded who will genuinely care about your interests …” Philippians 2:19-20 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “Good partners are a source of joy”   As you know, recently I was able to go on a mission trip to eastern Kentucky with a small team from our church. We met-up with a team from Mt. Airy, Maryland who we had worked with before and together, we did community service projects in support of the Christian Appalachian Project (CAP).   One of the things I love about the experience of our two groups working together with CAP is that spiritually it is always a mountaintop experience. CAP itself is an exceptional ministry that does an outstanding job of creating a service context for people like us to come and serve the people of Appalachia in the name of Jesus. Our two groups were made up of twenty-four high-achievers who love Jesus, love people, and who are passionate about serving others and each other. It was a spiritually dynamic environment and it is something we all want to experience more of. We will do it again in the future.     Good partnerships are like that. They are a source of encouragement, inspiration, and joy. And that’s what the Apostle Paul writes about in this section of his letter to the Philippians. He begins in verses 19-20 by telling the Philippians that he is going to send his ministry partner Timothy to them to bring them news about him and to find out how they are doing. He states that Timothy is “like-minded” in his care and concern for them. In other words, Timothy loved the Philippians just as Paul did and therefore through this act of service on Timothy’s part, he would be a source of encouragement and joy to both them and to Paul, and I’m sure that in the process, Timothy himself would be blessed too.   Everyone needs good partners. Nobody can do it all themselves. I’m grateful for my friend Steve Tate and his efforts to plan, organize, and lead teams to places like Martin, Kentucky, and then to invite us to join them. I’m also grateful for the leadership and staff at CAP for maintaining a strong base of operations in the heart of Appalachia and then providing the context for teams like ours to come in and serve. The mountaintop experience wouldn’t happen without them.   Who are the ministry partners in your world that you are grateful for? I encourage you to tell them so today.   God bless, Pastor Jim   If you like what you’re 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 © 2024 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: “Living with joy”   Our Bible verse for today: “…shine like stars in the world, by holding firm to the word of life. Then I can boast in the day of Christ that I didn’t run or labor for nothing. But even if I am poured out as a drink offering on the sacrificial service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you.” Philippians 2:15-17 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “Make your pastor happy”   Our theme for these two months is “living with joy,” and most of it has been about your joy and about being a source of joy for others. But this morning it’s about your pastor’s joy. This is about showing your pastor a little love and being a source of joy for him. And let me be quick to point out that this is the Apostle Paul’s idea, not Pastor Jim’s. This is simply where Paul has taken us in his letter to the Philippians and I’m just being faithful to the text (but yes, it does have the potential of turning out good for me as well. Lol.)   I’m joking a little but there’s a serious note to this too. One of the greatest joys any pastor or Bible teacher can have, is when people in the congregation show evidence of spiritual growth and even start repeating some of the lessons and themes the pastor has been preaching and teaching. Then they begin making changes in their lives and living Biblically.   That’s what Paul was writing about in these verses. The Philippian Christians were special to him. The church in Philippi was the first Christian church in Europe. The first Christian converts in Europe were in Philippi. Over the course of decades Paul visited them several times; he exchanged letters with them; and they sent financial gifts to help support his ministry. They were special to Paul and their growth was a source of joy for him.   In verse 17 he was essentially saying that as he looked back on his decades of ministry to them, and as he considered the strength of their faith and their commitment to service, he rejoiced and was glad. When it was all said and done, his ministry to them had been well worth all that he had poured into them.   If you want to encourage your pastor and bring some extra joy into his life today, you could repeat back to him a point or two from yesterday’s sermon (thereby letting him know that you were listening and learning). But even more than that, live a life of faith and obedience. Live like your faith is strong and deep and makes a real difference in your own life and in the lives of others. Nothing blesses the heart of a pastor more, nor brings him more joy, than to see his people thriving spiritually.   God bless, Pastor Jim    If you like what you’re 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 © 2024 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Oak Hill Baptist Church 3036 Genesis Road Crossville, TN 38571