Good morning everyone,   Our theme for this month: “Live like it’s true”   Our Bible verse for today: “And now, Lord, consider their threats, and grant that your servants may speak your word with all boldness …” Acts 4:29 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “We will have to be bold.”   Dr. D.A. Carson once wrote, “Of all the great ironies in the modern mind, the intolerance of tolerance must be one of the greatest.” What he meant was that the concept of “tolerance” has become enshrined in the modern liberal mind as one of the highest virtues. But at the same time, those liberal advocates of “tolerance” are often some of the most intolerant towards anyone who disagrees with them. (Try having a conversation about Biblical sexual ethics with a radical advocate of the Gay and Lesbian agenda and see how far their tolerance of opposing views goes.) In 2012 Dr. Carson wrote a best-selling book on the subject. The title was “The Intolerance of Tolerance.” It’s a great read and I recommend it highly.   I refer to “the intolerance of tolerance” just to make the point that we as Christians live in a society that is increasingly intolerant of those who promote and live a Biblical worldview. And things are getting worse not better. I believe we have reached the point in our nation’s history when Christians will face increased opposition and perhaps even persecution as we attempt to live according to our faith and to share the faith with others. Will we be up to the challenge?   In the previous set of devotional messages on the theme of “sanctification,” I referred several times to the writings of author Nik Ripkin, Over the course of several decades, Nik conducted an in-depth study of Christians living in the most oppressive societies in the world. He interviewed them, lived among them, and wrote about them. His objective was to discover how the strongest, most faithful Christians lived their faith in the most difficult and oppressive of environments. Nik’s books “The Insanity of God,” “The Insanity of Obedience,” and “The Insanity of Sacrifice,” are quite literally textbooks or “how to” manuals for all Christians everywhere.   Good discipleship that grows strong Christians has always been important and needed in every society, and that will certainly be true for Christians in the USA in the years to come. If we are going to be faithful and effective, we will have to be mature in our faith so we can then be courageous and bold despite the difficult circumstances we may find ourselves facing.   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: “Live like it’s true”   Our Bible verse for today: “To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Colossians 1:27 (NIV)   Our thought for today: “The mystery revealed”   Do you faithfully attend and fully participate in the gatherings of your church? If so, why? What’s your motivation for going? Is it simply a matter of habit, or a sense of religious duty? Or, have you found your times of corporate worship and fellowship to be spiritually rich and nurturing to your soul? Do you experience God in the gatherings of the people of God?   The two most important reasons for corporate worship are to worship God and to grow spiritually. If we attend with anticipation and expectation that we will meet God in worship and that we will grow spiritually, we will discover that every worship service is a time of encounter, learning, and growing.   In Colossians 1:27 Paul writes of a mystery that had been hidden but now (in his day) had been made known to God’s people. What is that mystery? “Christ in you, the hope of glory,” he says. By means of the Holy Spirit in your heart, Jesus is not just with you but in you. He lives His life in you and through you (John 15:5). What does that mean for us and what impact does that have on us? That too is part of the mystery that is progressively revealed as we mature and grow. As we mature spiritually, we come to understand more and more what it means to live with Jesus and for Jesus, and what it means for Him to live in and through us.   What does that have to do with church attendance? Just that some of our greatest encounters with God occur in corporate worship, and some of the greatest revelation and teaching comes to us through the public proclamation of God’s Word. If we are absent from the gatherings, we are missing out on something God wanted to reveal to us.   With respect to our theme for this month of living like we really believe that our faith is true, our time of corporate worship is a key element in learning to live that way. The intense personal encounter with God in worship, the learning that occurs through the preaching and teaching, and the examples set for us by our Christian brothers and sisters, all combine to teach, strengthen, and encourage us.   God wants to reveal to you more of the mystery of “Christ in you.” I encourage you to go to church with a spirit of eagerness and in anticipation of the revelation awaiting you.   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: “Live like it’s true”   Our Bible verse for today: “But I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that he is able to guard what has been entrusted to me until that day.” 2 Timothy 1:12 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “Do we live like we believe it?”   Dallas Willard is one of my spiritual heroes. He is in heaven now but during his lifetime he had a big impact on the Christian community. Dallas was an esteemed professor of philosophy at the University of Southern California, but he was especially known for his research and writing on Christian spiritual formation.   He wrote many important and helpful books about spiritual formation and about developing a deeper Christian life. In my opinion three of his best were “The Divine Conspiracy,” “The Spirit of the Disciplines,” and “Hearing God: Developing a conversational relationship with God.” Dallas was also a popular conference speaker and he served as a mentor to numerous other Christian leaders.   As he lay dying, Dallas was visited by one of those younger men he was a mentor to – pastor and author John Ortberg. At one point in the visit John asked him, “Dallas, are you at peace? Are you confident of your salvation?” To which Dallas replied with a grin and good humor, “You know, John, I really do believe this stuff I’ve been teaching and preaching all these years.”   What a great answer. And it creates a good question for us. Do we really believe what we profess to believe? And if so, does it show? Do we live like we believe it? Dallas did. His entire life was one big testimony to the certainty he had regarding Biblical truth, and the reality of heaven, and the fact that he was going there. He had no doubts at all, and it showed in everything he said and did.   Dallas Willard lived and worked in what is a largely pagan culture in the Los Angeles area, maintaining a high-profile Christian presence on a very liberal college campus. Everybody knew who he was and everybody knew what he believed. But Dallas Willard really believed. He practiced his faith openly, boldly, with confidence, and with no excuses or apologies. He was kind and gentle, but also confident and unmovable.   May the same be true of us. Let us be so certain of our faith that we are calm and confident, kind and polite as we interact with the unsaved world – but also bold and unmovable. Let it be clear to everyone that we have no doubts at all. It should be obvious that we really do believe this faith we profess – and that we live like we really believe it.   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: “Sanctification”   Our Bible verse for today: “Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship. Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:1-2 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “Live like it’s true”   We have now spent two full months thinking about the important doctrine of sanctification. We have learned that sanctification means to set something aside as holy for God. And we have also learned that sanctification is a process that unfolds in three stages. It begins in the moment of salvation. In that moment your sins are forgiven and you are set aside for God as something holy – so holy that you are now someone who will spend eternity with Him in heaven.   Then, over the course of your lifetime, between salvation and the moment you arrive in heaven, the Holy Spirit is at work in your life to mold you and shape you into the person God wants you to be. That’s progressive sanctification. Although your spirit was sanctified and set aside as holy for God in the moment of salvation, you were still a spiritual baby who needed to grow and mature. Also, although your spiritual self was sanctified and made holy, your mortal body was still a sinful mess. Through the lifelong process of progressive sanctification, the Holy Spirit is changing you spiritually and He is also changing the way you use your mortal body (see Romans 12:1-2 above.) Then, in the moment you arrive in heaven, you experience final sanctification. You will in that moment be the person you are going to be for all eternity.   Most of our study over these two months has centered around the middle stage, progressive sanctification, because that’s the stage of the process we live our lives in. For the coming month we will continue our thinking about that, but from a slightly different angle. Our theme will be “Live like it’s true.” Our focus will be on living what we profess to believe, and making sure that our spiritual maturity is evident in how we think, speak, and act.   Our strong faith must be more than just an internal reality that gives us a warm fuzzy sense of eternal security because we know our sins are forgiven and we have the promise of heaven. More than that, the practice of our faith should be making a meaningful difference and having a positive impact in this broken and bleeding world that we live in.   Let’s live like it’s really true. If we have been made holy for God and if we are becoming progressively more spiritually mature, then our thoughts, words, and actions should reflect that. Let’s make sure the world sees that in us. Let’s live like it’s really true.   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: “Sanctification”   Our Bible verse for today: “I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. 1 John 2:14 (NIV)   Our thought for today: “Thank God for spiritual mothers and fathers”   By the time John wrote the letter of 1 John, he was probably in his late 80s. He was certainly the last of the Twelve Apostles still alive. In his letters of 2 and 3 John, he identifies himself as “The Elder”. That’s how the people would have affectionately thought of him.   The letter of 1 John was intended to be a word of gentle pastoral guidance from a much-loved elder statesman of the church. In chapter 2, verses 12-14, John addresses different groups, by age category, and each for a different reason. Verse 14 is directed to “fathers.” That’s actually a reference to the spiritually mature older people in the church, both men and women. John says he is writing to them because they are spiritually mature, and the implication is that he is depending on them to reinforce the guidance he is giving in this letter and to model it for everyone else.   Another way of thinking about such people is as spiritual mothers and fathers. These are the older saints in the church who for decades have committed themselves to being serious disciples of Christ, and as a result, they have achieved a high level of spiritual maturity. Our churches are filled with these dear saints and we should praise God for them. We should also honor them and learn from them.   In two previous daily devotionals I playfully referred to God’s crazy people. I called them an odd cast of characters. We also thought about how much fun such an environment can be, while at the same time being caring and nurturing.   Our spiritual mothers and fathers are part of that. Many times, they’re the biggest characters. I remember my good friend Leon (he’s in heaven now.) Leon was a great servant with a big heart and he was a very wise man. But he was also a practical joker and a lot of fun to be around. I remember Jane (also in heaven now.) Jane was one of the greatest saints I have ever had the privilege to know. But not only was she wise in the ways of the Lord, she also always had a twinkle in her eye, a smile on her face, and laughter in her voice.   Thank God for spiritual mothers and fathers! They add so much to the depth, the richness, the joy, and the fun of our churches. I encourage you to contact some of them in your church today and let them know how much you love and appreciate them.   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: “Sanctification”   Our Bible verse for today: “If then there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, make my joy complete by thinking the same way, having the same love, united in spirit, intent on purpose.” Philippians 2:1-2 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “A little more about those crazy people”   This morning, I want to continue thinking about those crazy people the group “Casting Crowns” sang about and which we considered in yesterday’s devotional. I’m talking of course, about you and me and the people of our churches and our Christian friends. Actually, I referred to us as an odd cast of characters, it was Casting Crowns who called us “crazy people.” Did you listen to the song? I hope you did. If so, I’m sure it brought a smile to your face.   At Oak Hill Baptist Church I have sometimes teased our people that we’re like the patrons in what has come to be called “The Star Wars Bar”. We were introduced to it in the first Star Wars movie. It was an intergalactic bar whose patrons were odd characters from across the galaxy. There was a green one-eyed man and a purple one with two heads and multiple tentacles. There were creatures large and small and of every conceivable type. But although they were so different and odd-looking, somehow, they all seemed to get along. I remind our folks that we’re like that. Funny-looking and odd people with very different personalities and interests and yet somehow, we all get along.   A good church is like that. It’s a fun place to be – not to mention encouraging, uplifting, and spiritually nurturing. This is what Paul was describing in Philippians 2:1-2. He was reminding us that although we are different in many ways, we share the common bond of having the Holy Spirit living in our hearts and therefore, we are all united in Christ and united in His mission of building the kingdom of God on earth.   What’s also implicit in the meaning of that passage is Christian community. The church is a community of brothers and sisters, members of the family of God. God has brought us together in these little groups known as local churches so that we have a strong community of fellow believers to support us, help us, and protect us. We are better and safer together than alone.   If you are not experiencing Christ in a good Christian community, you are missing a major part of the activity of God in your life. You are also missing an important element of your spiritual growth. So much of our progressive sanctification takes place in and because of our involvement in the community of believers. If you are not involved in such a community, you are missing out on much of what God has for you.   Yes, in many respects we are like that Star Wars bar, or like a bunch of crazy people, or an odd cast of characters – but in a good way, a fun way! You don’t have to be perfect to be one of us. In fact, if you were perfect, you wouldn’t fit in. Check us out and see. Chances are you’re one of those crazy people too and you’ll feel right at home.   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: “Sanctification”   Our Bible verse for today: “These are the twelve he chose: Simon (whom he named Peter), James and John (the sons of Zebedee, but Jesus nicknamed them “Sons of Thunder”), Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James (son of Alphaeus), Thaddaeus, Simon (the zealot), Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed him).” Mark 3:16-19 (NLT)   Our thought for today: “What an odd cast of characters”   What odd choices Jesus made when He selected the men who would be His closest companions and ultimately, the Twelve Apostles. Peter was a loud, brash, overbearing, and impulsive fisherman. James and John were fishermen too, and evidently with explosive tempers. Andrew was quiet and reserved, living in the shadow of his outspoken brother Peter. Matthew was a hated tax collector. Simon was a zealot, a political assassin. And Judas Iscariot was a thief, a fraud, and a betrayer.   Why did Jesus choose them to help Him establish this new faith and then to do the almost impossible work of spreading that faith in an extremely difficult and dangerous cultural setting? Why didn’t he instead select religious leaders and scholars, successful businessmen, powerful politicians, and noted celebrities? People like that would seem to have been much better qualified to help with the huge thing Jesus was attempting. Why this motley crew instead?   It’s because Jesus sees people for who they can become, not for who they are. He sees the potential in us and He knows what we can become and what we can accomplish as His committed disciples. He also knows that it will be His power working in us and through us that accomplishes great things for the kingdom, not our own.   This is what progressive sanctification is all about. This is how and why Jesus saves us and then goes to work changing us. Over the course of a lifetime, He uses our good discipleship practices to mold us and shape us into the men and women He wants us to be.   To this day, He still does it with a motley crew and an odd cast of characters. Look in the mirror. Then look around your church. My goodness! It’s almost laughable what we give Jesus to work with, and it’s nothing short of miraculous what He does with it!   There’s a great song by the contemporary Christian music group “Casting Crowns”. The title is “Crazy People.” The chorus goes,   “Here’s the church, here’s the steeple, here’s to all God’s crazy people! (and) I’m one of those crazy people!”   It’s a fun song that reminds us of what an odd cast of characters we are. You can’t help but laugh. I encourage you to Google it this morning. It would be a fun and lighthearted way to start your day. What an odd cast of characters we are! But Jesus uses us anyway because He sees us how we can be, not how we are.   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: “Sanctification”   Our Bible verse for today: “Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul. When he found him, he brought him back to Antioch. Both of them stayed there with the church for a full year, teaching large crowds of people. (It was at Antioch that the believers were first called Christians.) Acts 11:25-26 (NLT)   Our thought for today: “Praise God for encouraging companions!”   Barnabas is one of my heroes. I love Barnabas. Acts 4:36 tells us that Barnabas (real name Joseph) was such an upbeat, kind and friendly man – such an encourager of others, that the Apostles nicknamed him Barnabas, which means “son of encouragement.”   Encouragement is such an important element of Christian community! Linda and I once owned a Christian book-selling business that we named “The Barnabas Book Company.” Our theme was “Encouraging books that will change your life.” In the churches I have been the pastor of we have always made sure that there are “encouragement notes” in the pew-backs. They are blank notecards that people can write a note of encouragement to someone on and then place it in the offering plate. We then deliver that encouraging note to the person for them.   Barnabas was a great encourager of others, and the reason God put his story in the Bible is to serve as an example for the rest of us. Encouragement is one of the best tools the Holy Spirit has to work with as He uses us to be a blessing to each other. Everyone needs to be encouraged and lifted-up.   Encouragement is one of the marks of a mature disciple of Christ and it is one of the character traits the Holy Spirit wants to develop in us as we grow spiritually – and let’s be sure to note that this is much more than just being a cheerleader. Although words of encouragement are needed and are helpful, actions matter more. When we first meet Barnabas in Scripture, he was giving a generous financial gift to help those in need (Acts 4:36-37.) We see him in action again in Acts 11:25-26 when he makes a long trip to find Paul, bring him back to Antioch, and then spent a full year helping him. Those are just two examples. Barnabas was an encourager and he was a man of action. His nickname was a good one and it fit him well.     One of the great advantages of being a fully involved member of a healthy church family is that you get to be around lots of sons and daughters of encouragement. Our churches are filled with male and female Barnabas-people. God will use them to bless you and minister to you. But it will only happen if you are there. This is yet another reason that God wants all of us to be active members of a good church.   Praise God for encouraging companions!   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: “Sanctification”   Our Bible verse for today: “Praise be to God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort …” 2 Corinthians 1:3 (NIV)   Our thought for today: “This is how God does it”   Recently the Lord has retaught and reinforced for me an important insight about Himself, and I have decided to share it with you this morning. It’s a bit personal and painful, but it’s an important truth about God that I believe we all need to remember. So, I will share with you out of my personal experience.   I have always been a family man. Being a husband and father have been two of the greatest joys of my life and I have always put a lot of myself into those roles. Family has been a huge part of my life. But three years ago, my daughter Tracy died very suddenly. Then just ten weeks ago, my wife Linda died. Then three weeks after that, my son Rick died unexpectedly. Those loses hit me hard and deep, and honestly, I’m still grieving all of them – especially the loss of Linda, my life partner for 47 years. The pain and the grief are especially tough late in the evenings in this empty house, and in the middle of the night when I wake up and realize she isn’t there.   During those times I often find myself wondering about 2 Corinthians 1:3. God is the God of all comfort? Really? The Christian thing to say at this point, of course, is that in those moments I have this overwhelming awareness of God’s presence and it’s a tangible presence that I can feel. But … no. Not most of the time. There have been those special moments … but honestly, they are rare. Most of the time the presence of God is a Biblical truth I am convinced is true and which I have chosen to believe, but His presence is not a tangible presence. Linda was physical. There was no doubt about her presence. But God is spiritual. He is not physical. His presence isn’t the same as Linda’s presence, and therefore it doesn’t replace Linda’s presence.   But wait. Maybe it does, but in a different way. The full passage of 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 reads like this: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.”   What that passage teaches is that God comforts us through each other. This is what Jesus was teaching in John 15:5 in His parable of the vine and the branches. Jesus is the branch. He lives His life and performs His ministry here on earth through His people – He produces His fruit through His people. What that means for this discussion is that most of the time, most of the comfort God wants to bring to us comes through other Christians.   And so, as I think back over these painful times of loss in my life, I remember all the ways the people of God poured out the love and comfort from God upon me and my family. And suddenly I realize that God is indeed the God of all comfort. But the way He delivers that much-needed comfort to us is through His faithful servants.   So, in the middle of the night, when I’m awake and missing my wife and needing to sense some comfort from God, He reminds me of all the ways He has delivered it, time and time again, through His faithful servants. And then those warm fuzzy feelings of comfort and peace begin to wash over me. That mystical, spiritual experience of God’s subtle presence that I was seeking before? There it is. It just came to me through the sweet memories of how His people have delivered it for Him over and over and over again.   If you need comfort from God, look for it from His people. They will be the conduits through which He ministers to your hurting soul. But also, that means that each of us must be that for other people. If other people in your orbit need to experience God’s comfort, there’s a good chance He wants to deliver it to them through you. That’s how God does it.   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: “Sanctification”   Our Bible verse for today: “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” Philippians 4:4 (NIV)   Our thought for today: “A happy joyful soul”   As a young Christian I misread Philippians 4:4 as some sort of rah-rah happy-talk where Paul was essentially saying, “Come on, Jim, lighten up. Don’t worry, be happy.” You know, sort of like an empty cliché that we say to someone when we don’t know what else to say. But Philippians 4:4 is more than happy-talk and it is not an empty cliché. It’s also not a suggestion. Paul wrote it as a command. “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!”   We tend to think that joy is situational and therefore can’t be commanded. But there it is – through Paul, God has commanded us to be joyful. So, that must mean that joy is a choice. We mistakenly think that joy depends on congenial circumstances. If the sun is shining, the birds are singing, and all is right with my world, then I’m a happy boy. But if times are hard and things are not going my way, then it’s unrealistic to expect me to be joyful, right? Well … evidently, no, not right. The Bible says something different.   We need to remember where our joy comes from. Paul is not saying that we should ignore our tough situations or pretend that they aren’t painful and difficult. Instead, Paul commands us to rejoice in the Lord, not in our circumstances. We are to find our joy in Him. It is a fruit of the Holy Spirit who lives in our heart. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23). In John 15:11 Jesus said, “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.”   In other words, joy doesn’t come from the outside and work its way in, it comes from within us and works its way out. It’s a result of spiritual maturity. The more spiritually mature we are, the more the joy of the Lord will become part of who we are. Our joy will be in the Lord and from the Lord.    I love being around people who have joy in their hearts that bubbles up from deep within and radiates out from them. Their lives are never perfect or trouble-free – they have problems, trials, and tribulations just like the rest of us. And yet, they choose to approach life with an upbeat attitude and a positive demeanor because they focus on the joy of the Lord that is in their heart.   Are you a happy, joyful soul? If not, perhaps you are seeking joy in the wrong places or from the wrong sources. If we rejoice in the Lord, His joy will be evident in us.   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