Oak Hill Baptist Church

What’s holding you back?

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Sanctification”

Our Bible verse for today: “But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:13-14 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “What’s holding you back?”

If my illustration this morning seems a little crude, please pardon me and make allowances for an old sailor. Many decades ago, when I was a young sailor serving my first enlistment in the U.S. Navy, I heard a somewhat colorful response to a situation that I found both convicting and motivating. It was a challenge that was sometimes said to those guys who were always talking about what they were going to do, but never actually doing it. It was, “Well, I don’t see an anchor tied to your rear-end. What’s holding you back?” (The actual language was a little more colorful. We were sailors, after all).

But the point is well-taken. What is holding you back from doing the thing you know you should do, and you need to do, but which so far, you’re just talking about?

In yesterday’s devotional I urged us all not to waste any of the years of our lives. Unfortunately, many of us do waste precious time by thinking about what we’re gong to do, talking about what we’re going to do, but then making excuses instead of actually doing it.

Once we begin procrastinating and making excuses it becomes a pattern that is increasingly hard to break free from. Sometimes we will feel guilty about it, and we regret the lost time and the wasted opportunities. But we can get mired in that regret as well, and that too can become like an anchor or, to shift metaphors, like quicksand sucking us down and holding us back.

The Apostle Paul allowed for none of that in his life. Instead, he shrugged off the past, cut the tether to the anchor, and kept moving forward. That’s the result that progressive sanctification should be having in our lives. It should be the thing that keeps us moving forward. This is why we intentionally do our part by engaging in the daily spiritual disciplines that place us in a position before the Holy Spirit whereby He can mold us, transform us, and keep us moving forward. If we are growing spiritually and therefore being transformed, we will not be standing still and making excuses.

If you are feeling stuck in the mud in life, or perhaps, feeling as if there is something acting as an anchor holding you back, the solution is to ramp up the practice of your faith. If you do your part, the Holy Spirit will break you free and move you forward in life.

What’s holding you back? The answer should be, “Nothing. Nothing is holding me back. I’m moving forward.”

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

Don’t waste any of the years of your life

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Sanctification”

Our Bible verse for today: “For I am being poured out as a drink offering, and the time for my departure is close. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” 2 Timothy 4:6-7 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “Don’t waste any of the years of your life”

Bob Buford is in heaven now but during his lifetime he accomplished two important things. First, he made full use of all the seasons of his life. As a young man, he was a successful entrepreneur who worked hard, built businesses, invested wisely, and made a lot of money. Then, second, in middle-age he shifted gears and decided it was time to move from success to significance. He realized that a life that makes a real difference is about much more than just making money and having lots of possessions. Success gets you things, significance makes a difference for good in the lives of others.

So, Bob wrote a book about that which became an international best-seller. It was called “Halftime: Moving from Success to Significance.” He then spent decades leading seminars and mentoring people as they made the shift from success to significance. Finally, he followed that with another best-seller called “Finishing Well: The Adventure of Life Beyond Halftime.” That book was all about remaining significant in the last season of life, what is often referred to as “the retirement years.”

In “Finishing Well” Bob tells the story of a study that was conducted by Fuller Seminary which helps to illustrate the danger of living without passion and purpose. They looked at one hundred people in the Bible and how they finished life. The conclusion the study arrived at is that only one-third of those Biblical figures finished life well. Two-thirds of those people failed in some big way in the last season of life, and the primary reason for it was that they got lazy – lazy in life in general, and in the practice of their faith. They got lax about applying the truth of Scripture to their lives; then they stopped serving God and other people; and finally, they made excuses for their conduct.

A similar pattern can be seen in Christians all around us. They live without a clear purpose and without a passionate commitment to making a meaningful difference in the world. This tends to become even more of a problem in the retirement years. They become less productive; they have no real purpose in life anymore that gets them out of bed in the morning; and they become less passionate about the practice of their faith and participating in ministry activities.

This is sometimes referred to as the “retirement mode” and it is aimless and without focus. Studies show that people who retire without a new purpose they are passionate about and which gives them a sense of making a meaningful difference in the lives of others, die on average in less than seven years after retiring.

God calls His people to be significant in all the seasons of life. We are not to waste any of them. The Apostle Paul was a man who lived well – he made a difference in life and he finished well. Paul didn’t waste any of his years, and neither should we.

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.
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Our mailing address is:
Oak Hill Baptist Church 3036 Genesis Road Crossville, TN 38571

We are responsible for knowing what God has revealed

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Sanctification”

Our Bible verse for today: “The Lord our God has secrets known to no one. We are not accountable for them; but we and our children are accountable forever for all that he has revealed to us, so that we may obey all the terms of these instructions.” Deuteronomy 29:29 (NLT)

Our thought for today: “We are responsible for knowing what God has revealed”

There is much about God and the spiritual realm that we cannot know. Such knowledge is beyond our human capacity for understanding and will therefore remain secret to us until we are one day in heaven. But there is also much we can know. In the Bible God has revealed to us everything we need to know in order to live our best life.

We are not held accountable by God for the things we cannot know because they are beyond us; but we are held accountable for the things that we can and should know. As Moses explained to the people of Israel in Deuteronomy 29:29, God expects us to know and live by all the truth He has revealed to us.

This is where your full involvement in the life of a good church comes into play. Solitary prayer and Bible study are important, but it’s not enough. The Christian life is to be lived in community. Except for short periods of solitary withdrawal for the purpose of communing with God, there are no examples in the New Testament of followers of Jesus isolating themselves from other believers and it having been a good thing. In both the Old and New Testaments, a healthy spiritual life for the people of God is always portrayed as taking place in community.

When we are gathered with fellow believers for Bible study and worship, God speaks to us through the instruction in Sunday school, through the music in worship, and through the words of the preacher in the sermon. Those are all ways the Holy Spirit makes us aware of and teaches us about the things that God has revealed to us and for which we are therefore responsible for knowing and obeying.

The exciting news is that God always has some new lesson, some new revelation prepared for you. Every time you walk through the doors of the church you have a new opportunity to discover, learn, and grow.

Today is Saturday, tomorrow is Sunday. Will you be attending the gathering of your church? If not, I wonder what you will miss. I wonder what new insight God had prepared to reveal to you, something you are responsible for and which He does expect you to know, but which you won’t be there to discover.

We are responsible for knowing what God has revealed. He does hold us accountable for what we can and therefore should know.

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

A little less like me; a little more like Jesus

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Sanctification”

Our Bible verse for today: “We all, with unveiled faces, are looking in a mirror at the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is Spirit.” 2 Corinthians 3:18 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “A little less like me; a little more like Jesus”

2 Corinthians 3:18 is one of the clearest and most helpful of all the verses that teach about progressive sanctification. It speaks of gazing upon and contemplating the glory of God, and as we do, we are progressively transformed more and more into the image we are contemplating.

This is one of the reasons God tells us in Psalm 46:10 to “Be still, and know that I am God.” What God was calling for in Psalm 46:10, and what Paul was teaching in 2 Corinthians 3:18, is that we need to spend time simply sitting before God, thinking deeply about who He is and what He is like. Consider His goodness, His grace, His mercy, and love. Think about how you have personally experienced those qualities of God manifested in your own life. Dwell on it; contemplate it deeply. Then consider the extent to which those attributes are becoming increasingly true of you.

A. W. Tozer once described it this way: “Only to sit and think of God, oh what a joy it is! To think the thought, to breath the Name; Earth has no higher bliss.”

Sitting quietly before God in contemplation and deep appreciation of who He is and what He is like transforms us, and is therefore for our own good. But it’s not only for our own good; it’s also for the good of those around us. Being transformed more and more into the image of Jesus will produce a sense of humility in us. It will sand down and smooth out the harsh edges of our personality and bring out mercy, grace, and love instead. Not only are we better off for it, but those around us are also impacted for good by the transformation God is bringing about in our lives.

With each little advance in transformation, as each of us as individuals become a little more like Jesus, the world is a slightly better place and everyone is better off. So, my goal for today is to be a little less like me, and a little more like 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

Knowing about God is not the same as knowing God

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Sanctification”

Our Bible verse for today: “Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father’s Son, will be with us in truth and love.” 2 John 3 (NIV)

Our thought for today: “Knowing about God is not the same as knowing God”

I once knew a man who was practically a walking encyclopedia of the Bible. I could cite verses I had memorized, but he could site entire passages and even entire chapters from memory. And, he always had an answer. Regardless of the issue, he could tell you something the Bible had to say about it.

However, the man was also reserved and somewhat unapproachable in his demeanor. He was often blunt, sharp, and unkind in the way he spoke to people. He was impatient with others and frequently came across as critical and judgmental. Yes, he was a walking encyclopedia of the Bible, but I saw little of Jesus in his manner. I often wondered if he was truly saved. I saw little of the grace, mercy, peace, and love that John wrote about in 2 John 3 above.

Knowing about God is not the same as knowing God. In yesterday’s devotional I wrote about Jesus being the way, the truth, and the life. I explained that He is the Truth in that He is the embodiment of truth, and by means of His Holy Spirit living in our heart and serving as teacher, counselor, and guide, He opens our eyes to truth. But simply knowing facts and having lots of information (even true and accurate information), is not the same as truly knowing Jesus. As James reminds us in James 2:19, “Even the demons believe – and they shudder.”

Regarding Scriptural truth and the impact it should have on us, author Alan Fadling observed, “Knowing the truth is having a heart, mind, soul, and body that are increasingly in harmony with kingdom reality.” When we truly “know” Jesus, we become changed people. As His disciples we progressively become more like Him in character and manner, and our lives display that. We don’t just talk like we’re saved – we live like we’re saved.

Knowing about God is not the same as knowing God. If you have the Holy Spirit of God living in your heart it should be evident to all – not just by the things you say, but by the way you live.

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

Without Jesus we’ve got nothing

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Sanctification”

Our Bible verse for today: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “Without Jesus we’ve got nothing”

Jesus’ words in John 14:6 constitute the most important definitive statement that has ever been made. There Jesus declared, directly and unequivocally, that faith in Him is the only way to salvation. Those words are so clear and so conclusive that they leave room for no other option. If those words of Jesus are true (and they are), that means that salvation is found in no other god of the world, no other faith system, and by no other means. It’s not a matter of being a good enough person, or performing enough religious rituals, or donating money to charity, or anything else. It is faith in Christ for the forgiveness of your sins and nothing else.

But John 14:6 also pertains to more than just salvation As Pastor Chuck Swindoll explained, “Jesus is the Way. He is the Truth. He is the Life. Without the Way, there isn’t any going. Without the Truth, there isn’t any knowing. Without the Life, there isn’t any living.”

Without the Truth, there isn’t any going. That means that Jesus is the only way to heaven. We know that. It’s the common understanding of that verse. But then Chuck reminds us, “Without the Truth, there isn’t any knowing.” In other words, without the insight Jesus provides us through His Holy Spirit living in our hearts and serving as our teacher, counselor, and guide, we will never have a proper perspective on the issues of life or of eternity. Jesus embodies that truth and He reveals it to those who follow Him.

And then, “Without the Life, there isn’t any living.” It’s only through Jesus that we have real life – real life in eternity, but now in this world too. If you aren’t living with Jesus then you aren’t really living. For one thing, as Paul explained in Ephesians 2:1, prior to placing your faith in Christ and being born again you were a dead man (woman) walking: “And you were dead in your trespasses and sins …” You were walking through life with a dead spirit inside your physical body. Well, that explains a lot! That explains why people act the way they do. They’re walking around with a dead thing inside of them!

But Jesus changed all that for you. When you were born again your spirit came alive and so now, you really are living. And the fruit of that living spirit inside of you is: “Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23). Okay! Now you are living – and Jesus did that for you. Without the Life, there is no living.

Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Without Him, we’ve got nothing.

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

Keep your eyes on Jesus and press on

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Sanctification”

Our Bible verse for today: “Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith.” Hebrews 12:1-2 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “Keep your eyes on Jesus and press on”

In yesterday’s devotional we learned that when we find ourselves faced with temptation, we are to focus on the grace and strength provided to us by God in that moment. Don’t concern yourself with the larger issue of defeating this pattern of sin in your life once and for all and forever. That is the long-term goal but it is also a steep hill to climb, and it can seem insurmountable. Instead, focus fully on having victory over it in this moment. Fix your eyes on Jesus, draw strength from Him, and move on.

Hebrews 12:1-2 expresses that same mindset in a slightly different way. In this case it was the same principle, just applied broadly to all of life. The writer urges us to resolve to fix our eyes on Jesus, lean into whatever the challenge is, and keep moving forward as we live a life that honors the Lord.

That’s a strategy the Apostle Paul employed in his own life. In Philippians 3:12-14 he wrote, “Not that I have already reached the goal or am already perfect, but I make every effort to take hold of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus.”

Paul was not perfect. He still struggled with sin and with all the other challenges of life, as we all do. His strategy for dealing with it was to fix his eyes on Jesus, lean into the situation, push forward, and just keep moving on – always with his eyes focused on the Lord. Author Alan Fadling reminds us, “Legalism looks for sins to overcome (it focuses on the sin); grace-based living looks to Jesus, who has overcome sin.”

Through the process of progressive sanctification, we learn how to live fully in the grace of our Lord, by keeping our eyes firmly fixed on Him.

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

My new book

Hello everyone,

Today I am happy to announce the release of my latest book, “The End of Anxiety and Despair”. It is a short book, written in daily devotional format for easy reading.

Anxiety and despair are common human emotions. We all face them and we all have to deal with them. That’s just life and as Christians, we’re not immune to the challenge. But in the Bible God provides us with the guidance we need to effectively overcome anxiety and despair, and to live victoriously in Christ even while facing difficult or painful life experiences. I believe you will find this little book to be helpful.

Some years ago, my wife Linda and I decided we would no longer sell my books but would instead offer them as a gift to whoever would like a copy. If people are blessed and helped by this writing ministry, that is payment enough. Therefore, Linda and I have been absorbing the expense of publishing, reprinting, and postage, and we have been happy to do so as a gift to God’s people.

However, since this is now the fifth book, and since all of them are still in print and periodically being reprinted, and often mailed to people in distant locations, we decided it is time to accept donations. This book, as with the other four, is complimentary and I will be happy for you to have a copy of it. You can get one at Oak Hill Baptist Church, or I would be glad to mail one to you. Simply send me an email at pastorjimmohbc@gmail.com with your name and address.

If you would like to make a donation to help continue the reprinting and free distribution of these books, that would be appreciated and helpful (but not necessary). Please make checks out to Jim Mersereau. You can mail it to 13 Julien Court, Crossville, TN, 38558. Your donation will help to replenish the supply of whichever of the five books needs to be reprinted next.

I’m very grateful for all of the faithful readers of these books and daily devotional messages for all these years, and I look forward to sharing “The End of Anxiety and Despair” with you.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

Don’t park in front of the donut shop

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Sanctification”

Our Bible verse for today: “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to all mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.” 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV)

Our thought for today: “Don’t park in front of the donut shop”

I read an interesting piece of advice the other day. It came from Reginald Ward in his book, “A Guide for Spiritual Directors.” The topic was guiding believers through the process of progressive sanctification, and helping them to develop lifestyles that are more consistent with what would be expected of a serious follower of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The issue being discussed was temptation, and how to break free from the habitual patterns of sin that we all sometimes get stuck in. How do we break the pattern of sinful, bad, or unhealthy habits? Ward offers this advice, “Lengthen the space between offenses.” In other words, rather than focusing on the ultimate goal of having complete victory over this sinful, destructive, or unhealthy habit, focus instead on overcoming the temptation in this moment. Never mind if you will be able to resist the temptation tomorrow, or next week, or next month, or next year. Can you resist it today, in this moment? And the answer, of course, is yes, you can.

That’s what Paul was teaching in 1 Corinthians 10:13. God will give us the strength to resist the temptation now, in this moment. Then we can deal with the next moment of temptation when it arises tomorrow, or next week, next, month, or next year.

Just do what you need to do to resist it now. This moment is where you will find the grace and the strength to do it. Let tomorrow take care of itself. But you do have to do your part. You do have to intentionally avoid the situations that you know will potentially create temptations for you, and you must take the off-ramps out of situations as God shows them to you.

For instance, if you struggle with maintaining a healthy diet, and if donuts are one of your weaknesses, then when you’re looking for a parking spot at the strip mall do not park in front of the donut shop! Do your part to stay out of situations that could tempt you.

Breaking bad habits happens one moment at a time. There is grace and strength found in each moment, but it is also incumbent on each of us to do our part by looking for the way out of the situation that God promised us will be there.

So, don’t park in front of the donut shop.

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

Worship nourishes your soul

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Sanctification”

Our Bible verse for today: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is your true and proper worship.” Romans 12:1 (NIV)

Our thought for today: “Worship nourishes your soul”

In his excellent devotional book, “A Year of Slowing Down: Daily Devotions for Unhurried Living,” Alan Fadling offers this insightful thought about the impact our Sunday morning corporate worship should have on the rest of our life Monday through Saturday:

“When we gather for worship, the most important thing happening is not just the amazing activity of a few trained and gifted leaders (preacher, singers, musicians) but the opportunity for us all to refresh our vision of God and respond to the goodness, beauty, and truth of this God we see more clearly. We learn to discern God’s presence and see that presence more truly so that we can respond with worship in all our moments.”

In other words, our times of corporate worship on Sunday morning should lead us into an encounter with God that is so profound and impactful, that it contributes to what Paul was calling for in Romans 12:1 – a Monday through Saturday lifestyle that is itself a profound act of worship.

Corporate worship, at its best, leads us into an encounter with God that we can then take with us into the rest of life. This contributes to the process of progressive sanctification and as a result, we will have grown just a little more in our spiritual maturity.

The story is told of the old deacon who encountered a fellow church member in the grocery store, but it was a church member who had not been in church for a long time. The deacon asked him why he had stopped coming to church and the man responded by saying, “I have been attending church for decades, singing the songs and listening to the sermons. But one day I realized I couldn’t even remember most of the songs I have sung, and I remember very few of the sermons I have heard. It was then that I decided I was wasting my time. So, I decided to just stay home and sleep late on Sunday mornings.”

To that the old deacon replied, “Well, I have been married for more than fifty years. My wife has prepared a good meal for me almost every night of those fifty years but honestly, I can’t remember most of them. However, each one of them nourished my body and if I had not eaten them, my body would have been withered and weak. The weekly worship services are like that. They nourish your soul, and if you aren’t getting that nourishment, your soul will be withered and weak.”

That’s a great illustration and it speaks of an important truth. Our corporate worship services are encounters with the Living God. They nourish our souls and keep us spiritually healthy. They lead us into an encounter with God that we can then take with us out into the rest of our Monday through Saturday life. I encourage you not to skip church. Worship nourishes your soul.

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