Oak Hill Baptist Church

It’s what God says that matters

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “The power of words”

Our Bible verse for today: “I rejoice in the way revealed by your decrees as much as in all riches. I will mediate on your precepts and think about your ways. I will delight in your statues; I will not forget your word.” Psalm 119:14-16 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “It’s what God says that matters”

In yesterday’s devotional we learned that the most important and powerful words of all are those given to us by God in the Bible. The Bible is the Word of God and He is speaking to us through it in the most clear and direct way. He gave us the Bible because He wants to be heard and understood so we can then obey Him and live in a way that honors Him. Also, as we learned yesterday, the words of the Bible are more than just words on a page. Instead, they are spiritually supercharged; they are alive by the power of the Holy Spirit.

In the Bible God provides us with lots of very clear directives in the form of dos and don’ts. The Ten Commandments are the most famous of those lists. So, if you’re wondering if it’s okay to commit murder, or adultery, or to steal, the Bible will quickly clear that up for you. Beyond that, in the Bible God gives us lots of general principles to guide us. Whereas a direct command (Do not commit murder) is specific to certain situations and actions, general principles are guidelines that apply broadly across the spectrum of life and they are taught in many places and in many ways all throughout the Bible. Speaking to people with kindness and respect is one of those general Biblical principles (Colossians 4:6; 1 Peter 3:14-15).

Taken together, the direct commands and the general principles found in the Bible form what we call a Biblical worldview. It provides us with the guidance we need from God so we can know how to live in this world.

Our worldview is comprised of the ethics and values which inform our thoughts and guide our actions. A Christian worldview comes from God and is based on the direct commands and general principles given to us in the Bible. Therefore, we take everything we are seeing, hearing, and being told to do by the world, and we lay it alongside the Bible. We want to know how it compares to what God has said. That then helps us to know if the thing we are seeing, hearing, or being told to do by the world is consistent with God’s guidance. The rightness or wrongness of anything is determined by how it stacks up to the Word of God. That’s a Biblical worldview and it is the guide for Christian living.

It’s essential for Christians to have and maintain a Biblical worldview and to then live life according to it. Regardless of what the world says, it’s what God says that matters. .

God bless,
Pastor Jim

(If you like what you are 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 © 2025 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved.

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

The most important and powerful words of all

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “The Power of Words”

Our Bible verse for today: “For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “The most important and powerful words of all”

Henry Blackaby, the author of the famous Bible study “Experiencing God: Knowing and Doing the Will of God,” was once asked, “Which is more important, praying or reading the Bible?” To which Henry answered, “Reading the Bible. It’s much more important for me to hear from God than for God to hear from me.”

Amen! God already knows everything about me, but I don’t know everything about Him. I can’t tell God anything He doesn’t already know, but He can tell me a lot that I don’t know. It’s much more important for me to hear from God than for God to hear from me, and the primary way God speaks to me (and to you) is through His written word – the Bible.

As the writer of the letter to the Hebrews explained in Hebrews 4:12, the words of the Bible are alive. Much more than just being words on paper, they are spiritually supercharged, infused with the power of God and used by the Holy Spirit to cut right through the lies of Satan (as well as through all my excuses).

I can’t count the number of times that I’ve been minding my own business, casually reading the Bible (without consciously thinking about the fact that God was speaking to me through those words), when suddenly the words jumped off the page, grabbed me by the collar, and shook me up real good! It turned out the words were alive and they demanded my attention – they pierced my heart, they poked me in the eye, and they kicked my butt. The words were indeed alive and they came after me!

In this study we will consider the power of words with respect to what God says to you, and what you say to God, and what you say to others. But the most important thing is what God says to you, and most of what He has to say to you will come through the Bible.

The words of the Bible are the most important and the most powerful words of all.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

(If you like what you are 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 © 2025 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved.

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

You need as much as you can get

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “The power of words”

Our Bible verse for today: “How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping your word. I have sought you with all my heart; don’t let me wander from your commands. I have treasured your word in my heart so that I may not sin against you.” Psalm 119:9-11 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “You need as much as you can get”

I love Psalm 119. It’s the longest chapter in the Bible and it’s all about the Bible. The writer spends 176 verses expressing his love for the Word of God. He writes of his complete dependence on it and the value of being immersed in it.

Almost thirty-five years ago, as a new Christian, I had the good fortune to stumble upon a biography about the life of the famous missionary to China, Hudson Taylor. One thing in his story that had a deep impact on me at the time, and which has stayed with me ever since, is something that happened to him as a young man as he was responding to his call from God to be a missionary. Hudson realized that many of the great men and women of God who he admired all seemed to have one thing in common – they all had the habit of reading the Bible cover-to-cover, over-and-over again. Some of them had read the entire Bible fifty times, seventy-five, even one hundred times.

Taylor resolved that he was going to develop that habit as well. His goal was to read the Bible cover-to-cover at least forty times in his lifetime. (I believe he ultimately did it more than that.) When I read that about Hudson Taylor, and realized that so many others have had that habit too (to their great benefit), I decided I would adopt it for myself. I resolved to read the Bible every day, and to read it cover-to-cover at least once a year, sometimes twice a year. That was almost thirty-five years ago and I continue that practice to this day.

Now, let me be quick to point out an obvious danger here: It’s easy to fall into the trap of simply reading for milage instead of for depth. In other words, you assign yourself a certain number of chapters to read each day and then you power through it to quickly get it done. I encourage you to avoid that. Read the Bible like the story it is, yes. Read it like you would read any other book. But also, be sure to study it. Read large volumes of it, but you should also be conducting a deeper study of individual books or passages. You need to go deep as well as wide in your reading.

Reading the Bible like a book and simply immersing yourself in large volumes of Scripture every day, is of immense value. Just like watching your favorite movie numerous times, or listening to a favorite song over-and-over again, reading and rereading the story of the Bible makes it more-and-more your story, one that you know well and treasure in your heart.

I encourage you to immerse yourself in the Word of God every day. You need as much of it as you can get.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

(If you like what you are 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 © 2025 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved.

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

The Power of Words

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “The power of words”

Our Bible verse for today: “Life and death are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” Proverbs 18:21 (HCSB)

Our thought for today: “The power of words”

So, there I was, nearing the end of the month of October, needing a new theme to write about in these daily devotionals for the month of November, but the Lord hadn’t given it to me. I had prayed about it, repeatedly, but I didn’t sense Him leading me to a subject. But finally, the leading did come and it came from a source I wasn’t expecting.

Recently my wife, Aimee, bought me a copy of a devotional book that she was using and which she found to be deep, insightful, and helpful. The title is, “God Never Blinks: 50 Life Lessons for Life’s Little Detours” by Regina Brett. I love it. The lessons are based largely on her own life and experiences, but they apply broadly to all of us.

On that particular day, as I was still searching for a theme for our November devotionals, Regina told the story of how she had spent decades of her life working at jobs that she neither liked nor which were fulfilling for her. They included jobs like store clerk, secretary, waitress, funeral assistant, and others like that. Finally, she went back to school, earned a degree in journalism, and began writing for a living. She quickly realized that she had found her niche as a newspaper journalist and then as a devotional writer. She wrote, “My vocation is to inspire people through writing. That is the place where my deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet. I write to make people feel less alone.”

That resonated with me. It reminded me of how, many years ago, I adopted the vison that guided the ministry of pastor and author Eugene Peterson. He once wrote, “I am a pastor and a writer. Those are not separate vocations competing for my time and attention, they are both part of a unified calling. I am a pastor and a writer; it is a single coherent identity. My artistic medium is words, written and prayed and preached.” Those words changed the course of my life and ministry.

As I sat there considering the words of Brett and Peterson, it caused me to think about the power of words to impact people for good or for bad. Not just for those of us who write, preach, and teach for a living but for all of us. Words are powerful and they impact people for good or for bad, depending on how they are used.

It’s not just pastors and authors who use words to write and pray and preach – we all do, in one form or another. We use words everyday all day. We receive them from God and from others, and we give them back to God and to others. Words are powerful and they do matter.

So, for the month of November we will prayerfully and devotionally think about the power of words – the words we speak, the words we read, the words we write, and all the different ways in which we communicate those words. We will consider the power of the Word of God, and the power of the words of people. And we will consider the responsibility we all have to use our words well.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

(If you like what you are 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 © 2025 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved.

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

Accessing the power of God for your life

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “God’s power in you and for you”

Our Bible verse for today: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.” Hebrews 12:1-2 (NIV)

Our thought for today: “Accessing the power of God for your life”

Thank you all for your patience over these last two weeks while Aimee and I were on our honeymoon and I was not sending out daily devotional messages. We had a wonderful time and it was also very restful. Today we will conclude our two-month study of the theme, “God’s power in you and for you.”

The great Christian writer C.S. Lewis once observed, “If you read history, you will find that the Christians who did the most for the present world were precisely those who thought most of the next. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this one.”

What Lewis was referring to is casual Christianity. He was writing about superficial faith that makes little difference in the lives of those who profess it. It’s like the singer Jimmy Buffett once sang, “There’s a fine line between Saturday night and Sunday morning!” What Lewis and Buffett both meant is that there are a lot of professing Christians who sing like angels on Sunday morning but who then live like the devil the rest of the week. Their faith has no power to influence their lives in a positive way.

The reason that happens is because those professing Christians are not serious disciples of Jesus. They may have professed faith in Him as Savior, but they are not following Him as Lord. By contrast, the writer of the letter to the Hebrews, in 12:1-2, urged us to throw off the distractions and practices that hinder us and hold us back, and to instead fix our eyes on Jesus and keep following Him closely.

This is where our power for holy living comes from. This is what C.S. Lewis was referring to when he wrote that those Christians who have had the greatest impact on this world are the ones who were most focused on the next world. In other words, they were serious disciples. And by “greatest impact” Lewis was not just referring to the impact made by high-profile people like Billy Graham, or famous missionaries. He was also referring to average every-day Christians like you and me. Husbands and wives, mothers and fathers, grandmothers and grandfathers who live simple but serious lives of faith and who therefore make a positive impact on those around them.

Accessing the power of God for maximum impact in your daily life is simply a matter of fixing your eyes on Jesus and then letting your faith in Him determine your thoughts, words, and deeds. The power of God is in you, and it is for you, but you must do your part to let Him work in your life.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

(If you like what you are 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 © 2025 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved.

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

God’s plan is always good

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “God’s power in you and for you”

Our Bible verse for today: “The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him … For this reason a man will leave his mother and father and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.” Genesis 2:18;24 (NIV)

Our thought for today: “God’s plan is good”

For me, one of the most exciting truths in Scripture is that God is sovereign over all the events of our lives and that His plan for us is good. Jeremiah 29:11 speaks to this, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.” This is the power of God at work in our lives and for our good.

But sometimes events happen in life that are painful and which seem unexplainable. Such times can cause us to wonder about the goodness of God’s plan, or at least, to be perplexed about it. But even in those times, God is sovereign, powerful, and good. Even when we don’t see it and don’t understand it He is still there, still working, and still committed to our ultimate good. The Apostle Paul referred to this truth in Romans 8:28 when He wrote, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

When Aimee lost Tim and I lost Linda we were both grieved, bewildered, and uncertain about the future. But God was there to walk through the dark valley of grief with us, and to then bring us out of it and into a new season of life – together. It was totally unexpected by each of us but it was proof once again that God is sovereign, He is powerful, He does work behind the scenes to orchestrate events, and His plan is always perfect.

Today Aimee and I will have our second wedding. The first wedding was a small private ceremony with just a few family members present. This is the big wedding in a barn, for family, friends, neighbors, and church family. Tomorrow, we will leave on our honeymoon. That being the case, this will be the last daily devotional message you will receive from me until Friday October 31^st. We would appreciate your prayers for safe travel and for a delightful, memorable, and fun honeymoon.

I want to leave you with this reminder: God’s plan is always good.

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 © 2025 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved.

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

The power of God on display in nature

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “God’s power in you and for you”

Our Bible verse for today: “The heavens proclaim the glory of God. And the firmament shows His handiwork.” Psalm 19:1 (NKJV)

Our thought for today: “The power of God on display in nature”

Aimee and I both love nature and therefore, we both love being outdoors. Individually, we have each always been “porch people.” By that I mean we would rather be out on the porch than inside, even during cold weather. It might require a heavy winter coat, gloves, blanket, an outdoor space heater, or even a fire in the propane firepit, but we both prefer to be outside instead of inside.

Now that we’re married, in the home we share (which is in the country at the foot of a mountain), we have a back porch that is screened-in and which provides us a great view of the mountain. It too is equipped with a large space heater and plenty of heavy blankets. We plan to continue using it throughout the fall and winter because we want to be outside enjoying God’s wonderful creation rather than being cooped up inside the house.

The Fall is our favorite season because we love the crisp autumn air and the beautiful colors of the leaves. This is God displaying His majesty through the change of the seasons. It is awesome, beautiful, and awe-inspiring. Which, of course, is true of God’s wonderful creation in general. There’s so much beauty in the world! That’s exactly the point the psalmist was making in Psalm 19:1. Nature itself proclaims God’s glory. (I think we must conclude that God Himself loves beauty because He created so much of it.)

I encourage you to spend some time outdoors this weekend enjoying the beauty of God’s marvelous creation. Soak it in. Let it soothe your soul. And let it remind you of just how awesome, majestic, and all-powerful God is. His creative power is on full display all around 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

Look for the helpers

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “God’s power in you and for you”

Our Bible verse for today: “For we know that all things work together for the good of those who are called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “Look for the helpers”

In his wonderful little devotional book, “The World According to Mister Rogers” (which was written for adults), Fred Rogers related some words of wisdom which he received as a child from his mother: “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” To this day, especially in times of disaster, I remember my mother’s words, and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers – so many caring people in this world.”

What Mr. Rogers was expressing was the truth contained in Romans 8:28 that even in the middle of the worst of times, God is at work behind the scenes bringing some good out of the bad, and He usually does it by inspiring good people to do good things. Acts of mercy and kindness – the willingness to help and even sacrifice for those who are in distress and in great need, that’s how Christians are to be channels for God to work in this world.

Romans 8:28 is an important verse of Scripture because it reminds us of the sovereignty and power of God. It reminds us that God is fully aware, always present, and ultimately in complete control. The verse does not mean that all things are good – because obviously many things are not good. But it does mean that when bad things happen, God goes to work, orchestrating events (often quietly and behind the scenes), by bringing some good thing out of the bad – especially for those who love Him and belong to Him. And frequently, He does it through the faithful service of those who belong to Him.

We are part of God’s plan to help those who are suffering and in need. As Mr. Rogers’ mother told him, “Look for the helpers.” If you do, you will always find people who are willing to help. And hopefully, you will be one of them. God will provide the helpers. It’s one of the ways His power gets manifested during our times of need.

Look for the helpers. Be one of the helpers.

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

Look for the helpers

People helping people who help people

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “God’s power in you and for you”

Our Bible verse for today: “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us work for the good of all, especially for those who belong to the household of faith.” Galatians 6:10 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “People helping people who help people”

I’m in a reflective mood this week. On Saturday Aimee and I will celebrate our second wedding. We were married in a small private ceremony on June 29^th but this Saturday, October 18^th, we will have our big barn wedding with family, friends, neighbors, and church family. It’s going to be so much fun! We envision something akin to an Amish event where the entire community of faith comes together in a beautiful country setting to celebrate some significant life event for one of our own. Everybody working together to make it happen, each family brings something to share for the community meal, and it’s a fun and joyous time for everyone. We’re intentionally planning it to be light-hearted, fun, and in some ways, even funny.

But I said I was reflective. I can’t help but recall the events that led up to this time. Before there was a wedding, before there was Aimee and dating and courting, there was the darkest period of my life. My wife, son, and daughter had all died in a relatively short time. I was living alone for the first time in my adult life. I had to work through a long and difficult period of extended grieving. It was very hard. (Aimee had a similar road to walk after her husband Tim died unexpectedly just six months before I lost Linda.)

But my church family was there in big, meaningful, and important ways for me. I was overwhelmed with all the expressions of concern, love, support, and kindness. Once, when I was trying to express my thanks and appreciation to someone, the person made a comment that has stuck with me. He said, “Pastor, you have been doing this same thing for so many other people for almost thirty years as a pastor. We’re just doing for you what you have done for so many others.”

That comment stuck with me and I realized that what was being described was a basic truism of church life – people helping people who help people. What goes around comes around. What you do for others, others will one day do for you. This is Church Life 101. Believers taking care of believers. Brothers and sisters in Christ watching out for and taking care of one another. This is God applying His power in our lives in ways and at times when it is desperately needed, and doing it through His people as they take care of each other.

That’s true during the dark times, but its also true during the good times. That big barn wedding that’s coming up in just three days? We couldn’t do it without the help of the church. It’s amazing how many in our church family have come forward and asked to be allowed to help with planning, and with food, and with setting up and cleaning up, and with a dozen other tasks and details.

How do people navigate life without a good and loving church family? I don’t know. I do know they’re missing something very special. In the church, people help people. That’s just a given in good and healthy church life. You do for them, and they go out of their way to do for you too. It’s evidence of God’s power being manifested in and through the lives of His 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