Good morning everyone,   Our theme for this month: “Sanctification”   Our Bible verse for today: “They placed the Ark of God on a new cart and brought it from Abinadab’s house, which was on a hill. Uzzah and Ahio, Abinadab’s sons, were guiding the cart that carried the Ark of God.” 2 Samuel 6:3-4 (NLT)   Our thought for today: “When in doubt, read the instructions”   In yesterday’s devotional we were reminded that God is the One who is writing the story of our lives, but sometimes we get impatient and we try to steal the pen out of His hands and write the story ourselves. When we do that, we get ourselves in trouble.   King David found that out. In 2 Samuel 6:3-4 we read about the time that David instructed his people to take possession of the Ark of the Lord (it had been in a location it wasn’t supposed to be in). The goal was to move it to Jerusalem where it was supposed to be. Doing that would have been a good thing, except that David was in a hurry and so he did it his way instead of God’s way. God had given explicit instructions on how the Ark was to be handled and transported, and this wasn’t it. Moses had even written the instructions down for them in the books of Exodus and Numbers.   But David was in a hurry and he didn’t bother to read the instructions. As a result, God was mad, people died, and the Ark did not end up getting to the place it was supposed to be. We are often like David. We get in a hurry and we don’t bother to check the instructions (the Bible). Instead, we wing it. We do it our way instead of God’s way and as a result, we mess things up.   In the Bible God has given us all the information we need in order to know His will and His ways well enough for us to stay in the center of His will. There are dozens and dozens of very direct and explicit dos, don’ts, and detailed instructions. Beyond that, there are numerous principles that apply broadly across the spectrum of life issues. Combined, it’s all we need to know in order to live life God’s way instead of our way.   We just need to read the instructions. As Pastor Chuck Swindoll notes, “We often get into trouble when we press forward without checking God’s word for wisdom.” In essence, God says, “If you want to follow my will, check My Word.”   Spiritual maturity teaches us to be patient, to wait on the Lord, and always, always, always, check the Bible to be sure we are doing things His way instead of our own. When in doubt, read the instructions.   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: “For I know the plans I have for you” – this is the lord’s declaration – “plans for your well-being, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. You will call to me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you search for me with all your heart. I will be found by you.” Jeremiah 29:11-14 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “Stop trying to steal the pen”   I was listening to a Christian radio station the other day (it was “The Message” on Sirius XM satellite radio.) In addition to great Christian music with no commercials, the DJs often share Scripture and inspiring thoughts and insights like this gem: “God is still writing your story, so stop trying to steal the pen.”   Yup, that’s me. I keep trying to steal the pen so I can write my own story. I have strong ideas about how things ought to be, and how I want them to be. So, with gusto and determination I set out to accomplish my lofty goals, convinced that God surely agrees with my plans and that He is cheering me on.   But wait, who is writing this story, me or God? According to the Old Testament prophet Jeremiah God is the One with the pen in His hand. He is the Author of this story. Jeremiah is pretty clear that God is the One with the plan. My part in this is to call to Him, pray to Him, seek Him with all my heart, and obey Him.   Jeremiah 29:11 is one of my personal life verses. It speaks to me in deep ways and I remind myself of it frequently. God has a plan. I just need to stay in-synch with Him. That also reminds me of another of my life verses, Proverbs 3:5-7, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”   This process of progressive sanctification that is playing out in our lives, and the spiritual growth that results from it, is part of God’s plan and it’s an important part of the story of our lives that He is writing. The key to living that life is for me (and you) to be a little less focused on what we want, and a little more focused on what God wants for us. His job is to write my story; my job is to seek, follow, and obey. – and it would help if I would stop trying to steal the pen.   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: “Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is right, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.” Philippians 4:8 (NLT)   Our thought for today: “Think about your thoughts”   In his excellent devotional book, “A Year of Slowing Down: Daily Devotionals for Unhurried Living,” Alan Fadling makes an interesting point with respect to Paul’s teaching in Philippians 4:8. He wrote, “I have the freedom to think about my thoughts. This is important.”   I almost agree with him. Thinking about our thoughts is important. But more than just having the freedom to do so, we are instructed Biblically to do so. That’s more to Paul’s point. We are told to think about what we’re thinking. Other translations use the word “dwell” instead of “think.” That might be even better because often the thoughts that occupy our mind are more than just passing thoughts. Frequently we dwell on things. We ponder them, ruminate over them, obsess about them. And as we do, whatever those thoughts are, they work their way deep into our subconscious mind. Then, those things determine how we think even when we are not consciously thinking.   We do need to think about how we think. As Paul insists, we can attend to our thoughts and we can make decisions about what we will allow our mind to think about and dwell on. And as Fadling pointed out, this is important. What we think about God, ourselves, other people, and situations may be the most important thing about us. How you think will determine everything else about you including the decisions you make, the words you speak, and the actions you take.   Ultimately, your thoughts shape your life. Imagine how different your life might be, how lighter your heart would be, how much brighter your countenance would be, if your mind was consistently dwelling on things that were true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy. What if your mind was filled with positive, upbeat, encouraging thoughts that made you happy and which resulted in positive feelings about God, yourself, other people, and situations?   Think for a moment about your thoughts and consider what kind of a person you are as a result of what your mind is dwelling on. Then think about what kind of a person you could be if you changed your thinking. Perhaps a good spiritual exercise for all of us this morning would be to sit quietly before the Lord in prayer and humble submission, and think about our thoughts.   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: “But as the one who called you is holy, you also are to be holy in all your conduct; for it is written, Be holy, because I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:15-16 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “Holy people make a holy land”   Dr. Denis Prager is an eminent Old Testament scholar – one of the best in our day. In his excellent commentary on the book of Exodus Dr. Prager points out that never once does the Bible refer to the land of Israel as “The Holy Land.” All references are to “The Promised Land.” It’s the people who are called to be holy, and it is the people who will make the land holy – or not.   By “land” the Bible is usually not referring to soil, rocks, and trees, but to the nation of people who inhabit the land. In most Biblical uses of the word, “land” means “nation.” The implication is that holy people will make for a holy land, and unholy people will constitute an unholy land.   So, that begs the question, “Is our land a holy land or an unholy land today?” And if it is not holy, we then need to ask, “Who is at fault?” Who is it that God has called to be holy? Is it the unsaved sinners God expects holy behavior from, or is it the people of God?   You know the answer – and so do I. It’s us. We are the ones who are to be holy, and we are the ones who are then responsible for making the land (the nation) a holy land. It starts with the people of God and it can then extend out into the neighborhoods, towns, cities, states, and the nation. How can the nation be holy if God’s people aren’t?   So, are we? Are we, God’s people, living the lives of holy people? Maybe. Maybe some of us and maybe sometimes. But maybe not often enough and maybe not holy enough. For instance, I sometimes hear Christians indignantly declare “We need to put prayer back into schools!” But do you know how many churches don’t even have regular weekly prayer meetings? And of those that do, do you know how poorly attended those prayers meetings are? We need to put prayer back in schools?? I think we need to put it back in churches first.   You get my point. Are we, God’s people, living holy lives of our own – in our personal lives, in our homes, and in our churches? If we are going to have a holy land, we (God’s people) will have to fist be holy people.   As individuals and as a body of believers we must recommit ourselves to holy living. Our communities and our nation will never become a holy land if we ourselves are not first a holy people.   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: “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 3:13-14 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “Wherever you go, there you are”   Our devotionals this week have largely focused on the state of our society. We have considered how difficult things are now, and how difficult they are likely to get in the future for Christians as we continue to serve, minister, and share the Good News of the gospel in a culture that is increasingly uninterested in and even hostile to our faith.   This morning, I want to call our attention to Paul’s encouraging attitude as expressed in his letter to the Philippians. In 3:13-14 he wrote about perseverance despite circumstances. In 4:10-14 he wrote about how he had learned to be content in all circumstances – even in intense hardship, and that he knew the Holy Spirit would strengthen him in Christ to face whatever had to be faced. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Because Philippians 4:13 was true of Paul, he had the endurance and determination to persevere no matter what he faced. His attitude was that he would lean into it, push forward, and just keep on keeping on, and he could do that because Jesus strengthened him to do so.   But please don’t miss the fact that Paul “learned” how to be that way. He said so in Philippians 4:11 where he wrote, “I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I find myself.” Over decades of faithful discipleship and the subsequent spiritual growth that came with it, Paul had learned and grown into a spiritually mature saint who was strong and confident in the Lord. So, as he sat there in his incarceration, an old and sick man near the end of his life, he brought that spiritual maturity with him into that situation. That explains why he was able to write the things he wrote in Philippians.   God is using your current circumstances and your current discipleship practices to prepare you for what you will face tomorrow. You are learning and growing. Your discipleship practices, your faithful service, your trust in the Lord now, is molding and shaping you into the man or woman God wants you to be, and all of that is preparing you for whatever the future may bring.   There’s an old saying that reminds us, “Wherever you go, there you are.” In other words, you bring yourself with you wherever you go. Whoever and whatever you are, that is what you have brought with you into this new situation.    This is why good discipleship practices are so important. Discipleship practices are the tools the Lord uses to mold and shape you. Therefore, the more serious you are as a disciple, the more spiritual growth you will experience and the more prepared you will be to face whatever it is the future holds for you.   Wherever you go, there you are. You bring yourself with you wherever you go. The person you are becoming today will be the person you bring with you into tomorrow. So, who are you becoming today, and is that the kind of person you want to be when you arrive in tomorrow?   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: “You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “Create a circle of light”   This morning, I want to build upon what we have been thinking about in the last several devotionals. On Monday and Tuesday I wrote about the sad state of affairs in our nation with respect to morals, ethics, and Biblical standards. I noted that as a nation we have been on a long slippery slope and that things are getting worse not better. In yesterday’s devotional we thought about the fact that love at its best is a verb – an action word. And we learned that originally Valentine’s Day was intended to spur Christians to engage in acts service that share the love of Jesus with hurting and needy people.   All of that reminded me of a story Nik Ripkin told in his book “The Insanity of God.” Nik was telling about how desperate the humanitarian crisis was in Somalia in those days, and how dark and oppressive the spiritual situation was. It was a difficult and dangerous environment for the Christian missionaries and their national partners, and it got to the point where they were physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually exhausted. Also, they were all doubting the effectiveness of their efforts. It seemed to them that they were not gaining any ground in terms of meeting the physical or spiritual needs of the people.   Nik said that after much time spent in prayer trying to understand their situation, he came to the realization that their job in that dark and desperate place was to create what he called “little circles of light in this vast void of darkness.” Each of them was to go out and shine the light of Jesus through their acts of humanitarian assistance, enveloping those they encounter in their little circle of light.   Our situation here in the USA is certainly not that dark or desperate, but Nik’s strategy is still a good one for us too. As we consider the sad state of our society today, and the prospect of things getting progressively worse, it can seem as if ours is a lost cause. That being the case, it can seem unlikely that any of us as individuals would be able to make much of a difference. That could be discouraging. But we need to remember that God isn’t calling us as individuals to solve the big problems ourselves. He’s only calling us to create little circles of light everywhere we go, impacting the person in front of us at that moment, enveloping them in our little circle of light.   By yourself, you can’t solve the big problems. But you can make a difference in one life at a time. You can make a difference in the life of that person standing in front of you right now. So, don’t get discouraged. Just do your best to make a difference in one life at a time. Create your own little circle of light and draw people into it. Let your light shine 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: “Sanctification”   Our Bible verse for today: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 (NIV)   Our thought for today: “It’s about more than a box of chocolates.”   It is often said that love is a verb. It is an action word. If you love someone it will show in your actions. It’s easy to say you love someone, but it takes intentionality and effort to prove it by what you do for them. For instance, God didn’t just say He loves us, He proved it by sending Jesus to pay the penalty for our sins. Love is a verb, an action word. One of the marks of a spiritually mature Christian, one who has progressed far in the process of progressive sanctification, is that they are known for their demonstrations of love for others.   Today is Valentine’s Day. Nowadays it’s all about celebrating romantic love. Cards will be sent, gifts will be given, and sweethearts will express their love for each other. There will be candlelight dinners, pink Teddy Bears holding red hearts, boxes of chocolates, and much more. But what about those who don’t have a valentine partner? Is Valentine’s Day – this celebration of love, not for them too?   It could be, and it should be, and it will be, if our understanding of the day is correct. Valentine’s Day was named after “Saint Valentine,” a Catholic priest who lived in Rome in the early 200’s. He was known for his sacrificial demonstrations of God’s love, especially to the poor and to those who were suffering and struggling. He was kind and compassionate, and he was committed to providing humanitarian relief to those in need.   Valentine’s Day was originally established in his honor and its purpose was to encourage Christians to engage in similar acts of Godly love and compassion. It wasn’t until the 1400s that the English poet Geoffrey Chaucer associated Valentine’s Day with romantic love.   What if we Christians reclaimed Valentine’s Day and used it for its original purpose – as a great outpouring of God’s love for the world? How much more meaningful and encompassing would the day then be? How much more of an impact for good would it then have? In John 21:15-19 Jesus famously asked Peter three times “Peter, do you love me?” And three times Jesus told him to prove it by caring for people – “Feed my sheep” Jesus told him.   Love is a verb. It is an action word. And Valentines Day is about more than a card, a box of chocolates, and teddy bears. Who will you show the Lord’s love to today? I encourage you to celebrate Valentine’s Day by sharing the love of Jesus with someone. (By the way, Jesus loves you, and so do I. Happy Valentine’s Day!)   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: “Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.” James 1:2-4 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “We will need to be strong”   We have had a good run here in the USA in terms of religious freedom. There has been no real persecution of Christians because ours has been a society that honored and appreciated Biblical values. We’ve had a good run. It has lasted a long time – hundreds of years. But that good run appears to be coming to an end. In the last fifty years the tide has turned, our nation has drifted far from our Biblical roots, and at this point there doesn’t seem to be any turning back. We are on a long slippery slope and there’s an old saying that warns, “The longer you stay on a slippery slope the faster you go and the further you fall.” That does seem to be the case for us now.   But as was noted in yesterday’s devotional, that shouldn’t surprise us. Historically, God’s people have always had to deal with opposition and persecution. Down through the ages most of God’s people have lived in societies that were not Biblically based and which have therefore been opposed to God and His ways (and by extension, opposed to His people). What we have experienced here in the USA over the course of the last few hundred years is unique in the history of Christianity and therefore, it has always been unlikely to last. But please don’t misunderstand me, I’m not giving up on America, there can still be revival and spiritual awakening, but we should also be preparing ourselves for something worse.   In his book “The Insanity of God” author Nik Ripkin writes of how he once conducted an extensive study of the persecuted church. His goal was to learn how Christians survive and thrive in hostile cultures with oppressive governments. So, he traveled to places that were like that and he interviewed many Christians who had, and were, living in such conditions. One old pastor who had lived, served, and suffered in the Soviet Union explained to Nik that opposition and persecution were just a fact of life for Christians, and they therefore didn’t make a big deal out of it. They just accepted it as a fact of being a Christian in this world, and they then got on with faithfully serving the Lord each day under the conditions as they were. The old pastor said, “Nik, just as the sun rises in the east each morning, so too we know that opposition and persecution will come.” That attitude served to strengthen them and to increase their faithfulness.   This is why good discipleship is so essential. As Christians in the USA today our focus has to be on growing deep and strong in the Lord and helping others to do so as well. Going forward, the remnant of God’s faithful people in this nation will have to be strong and courageous as we continue to faithfully do our part to build the kingdom of God in a broken, bleeding, and unreceptive society.   We will need to be strong.   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, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me. So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and in difficulties, for the sake of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “Jesus will make us strong”   It’s really rather amazing how many verses and passages there are in the Bible that pertain to the opposition and outright persecution the people of God have faced throughout the course of Biblical history. There are hundreds. Additionally, beyond Scripture, the history of God’s people down through the ages has been one of opposition and persecution. In fact, seldom in history have there been extended periods when groups of God’s people have not faced opposition and persecution, and during those times when they haven’t, it has often been because the people were compromising with the culture and government. They were going along in order to get along.   The gospel puts us in opposition to the trends of culture. Jesus said it would happen. “If the world hates you, understand that it hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own. However, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of it, the world hates you.” (John 15:18-20)   In 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 the Apostle Paul seems to be glorying in persecution. He wrote that it gave him pleasure when he faced insults, persecutions, and difficulties. Why would he feel that way? Probably because he concluded that it validated his ministry. Jesus said that if we were doing our jobs as His disciples, spreading the good news and building the kingdom, we would encounter opposition. And, there it was.   Paul went so far as to say that when he faced opposition and persecution, and realized that he could not deal with it in his own strength, he discovered a strength beyond himself and that experience served to make him strong. He was strong in Christ. That’s what he meant when, years later as an old man sitting in a prison facing death, he could write in Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”   This is an important lesson for us Christians today in the USA. Things have changed in our nation for Christians, and they are going from bad to worse. We need to get ready for what’s probably coming next. There will be increasing opposition and persecution.   The transformation the Holy Spirit brings about in us as we grow in spiritual maturity serves to make us strong when we need to be. He teaches us how to draw our strength from Christ as Paul did. We need this and so, we will think more about this tomorrow.   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 I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to myself, so that where I am you may be also.” John 14:3 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “A place for you and you for a place”    Recently I came across one of the best descriptions I have ever read of the process of progressive sanctification and I want to share it with you this morning. It comes from Pastor Chuck Swindoll and is included in the editorial notes on John 14:3 in The Swindoll Study Bible:   “During the interval of time between the Lord’s departure from earth and His return, He is involved in two projects. One: to prepare a place for His children. Two: to prepare His children for a place. He is engaged right now in preparing heaven for His own. That’s what’s happening away from our sight. But on this earth, He is also engaged in preparing us for the life we will live in eternity with Him.”   Jesus is preparing heaven for you, and He is preparing you for heaven. The day will come when your place in heaven will be ready for you, and you will be ready for your place in heaven. This causes me to believe that one of the reasons God is keeping me here on earth rather than bringing me to heaven is because He’s not done with me yet. Nor is He done with you. I suspect another reason is because He has more work for each of us to do here on earth. But in the meantime, He is also molding and shaping each of us, sanding down the rough edges of our personalities; He is growing us spiritually, and bringing each of us to the point where we are ready to join Him in heaven.   But I can’t help wondering why it’s taking so long. In my vanity I would like to believe that He is turning me into something really special (spiritually) and so it’s taking a long time; and also, that my place in heaven will be correspondingly awesome, so that’s taking some time too. (I suspect the truth is probably that I’m like hard wood that requires a lot of sanding in order to make much change at all and it’s just taking God a long time to do much of anything with me.)   In any case, I think Pastor Chuck is right – Jesus is preparing heaven for us, and He is preparing us for heaven.   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