Oak Hill Baptist Church

Pray more, worry less

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Rest, relax, renew”

Our Bible verse for today: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV)

Our thought for today: “Pray more, worry less”

I’ve seen multiple studies in recent months regarding the state of mind of the American people. The studies are designed to assess the psychological health of the American public. The findings are not good. On average, almost 70% declare themselves to be very concerned about the economy. More than 60% say they are worried about the future of democracy. A large percentage of people have significant concerns about crime in our nation.

All of that translates into mental health problems for large segments of the population. Close to 70% of those surveyed report feeling somewhat or very overwhelmed by the totality of everything mentioned in the previous paragraph. Close to 50% report high levels of frequent anxiety. 45% report experiencing a prolonged sense of sadness. More than 40% say they are angry.

Although there is evidence of all of that in the Christian community as well, I believe Christians are doing much better than the overall public in terms of good mental health, and I believe a big part of the reason is prayer. It’s what the Apostle Paul wrote about in Philippians 4:6-7 above – the more we pray the better we handle things.

This is important. How can we savor our time; how can we rest, relax, and renew; how can we enjoy and appreciate the gift of life and the moments of our lives; if we’re stressed-out and anxious all the time? We need to pray more so we can worry less. Hebrews 12:2 reminds us, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith …” And in Isaiah 26:3 we find the promise, “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.”

The world is a mess, but Jesus isn’t. Jesus will give us peace that transcends all the issues we are faced with, a peace that will guard our heart and mind. So, let’s pray more and worry less.

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 © 2023 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved.
You are receiving this email because you requested to be included in the Daily Devotional email reader group.

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

Go deep with God

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Rest, relax, renew”

Our Bible verse for today: “Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your breakers and your billows have swept over me. The Lord will send his faithful love by day; his song will be with me in the night – a prayer to the God of my life.” Psalm 42:7-8 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “Go deep with God”

Psalm 42 is a study in contrasts. On the one hand, in verses 1-2, the writer described his deep unsatisfied desire for God as being like a thirsty deer longing for a soothing drink from a cool stream. In verses 5-6 he also wrote about having a dejected and depressed soul immersed in turmoil. But then in verses 7-8, with boldness and confidence, he declares that the Lord will send His faithful love by day and the song of the Lord will be with him in the night. He concludes the Psalm with a great statement of faith and encouragement when he writes in verse 11, “Why, my soul, are you so dejected? Why are you in such turmoil? Put your hope in God, for I will still praise him, my Savior and my God.”

Verse 7 is the linchpin upon which the entire Psalm turns. “Deep calls to deep …” God is deep, and He calls us to go deep with Him. Even as we struggle with turmoil, dejection, and depression, our deep God calls us to meet Him in deep places.

In his book, “Intimacy with the Almighty” Pastor Chuck Swindoll writes, “Deep things are intriguing. Deep jungles. Deep water. Deep caves and canyons. Deep thoughts and conversations. There is nothing like depth to make us dissatisfied with superficial, shallow things. Once we have delved below the surface and had a taste of the marvels and mysteries of the deep, we realize the value of taking the time and going to the trouble of plumbing those depths. This is especially true in the spiritual realm. God invites us to go deeper rather than to be content with surface matters.”

Going deep with God requires time. It requires us to slow down, stop, sit, and spend time with Him. Going deep with God also happens when we participate in group worship services. Good music, good teaching, and good fellowship can be profoundly worshipful experiences as we encounter God in the middle of them.

I encourage all of us to set aside time this weekend for meeting God in a deep place both individually in our quiet time, but also together in group worship.

Go deep with God.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

(If you like what you’re reading in these daily devotionals, and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00, in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville

Slow down and simplify

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Rest, relax, renew”

Our Bible verse for today: “Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.” 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 (NIV)

Our thought for today: “Slow down and simplify”

In 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 the Apostle Paul offers us yet another example of the theme we were thinking about yesterday, appreciating and enjoying the simple pleasures of life. In this passage he gives us an image of an entire life that is simple and quiet, focused on just living a good life that honors the Lord and which makes a positive impact on those around us. There was nothing flashy or overly ambitious pictured here. Just an honest simple life.

In a previous devotional in this series I referred to the story of pastor and author John Mark Comer, as described in his book, “The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry”. John was the lead pastor of a multi-site mega church. On a typical Sunday he would preach and teach five to six times in a single day. The rest of the week was crammed full of meetings, obligations, and responsibilities. He said he felt more like a high-strung stressed-out corporate CEO than a shepherd of God’s people. Finally, he decided he needed to do exactly what Paul was describing in 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 – he needed to simplify and slow down. So, he gave up his high-profile position, became the pastor of a much smaller church, and he simplified the rest of his life as well. He said he restructured his entire life around a few basic and simple goals that involved God, family, and serving other people – and the quality of his life went up exponentially!

John’s story reminds me of a similar book written many years ago by another high-profile pastor about his own life. The pastor was Chuck Swindoll and the book was called “Intimacy with the Almighty.” Chuck’s story was similar to John’s, and so was his solution. In the book Chuck quoted Ecclesiastes 7:29 which in the TEV reads, “God made us plain and simple, but we have made ourselves very complicated.” That described Chuck’s life, and it also describes many of ours. Most of us are not a high-profile pastor of a multi-site mega church, but our lives are still too busy in their own ways. We have indeed made ourselves very complicated.

There’s a lot to be gained from slowing down and simplifying. Seldom if ever does life improve as it gets busier and more complicated. I encourage all of us to slow down and simplify. Let’s give ourselves the time and space to truly savor life.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

(If you like what you’re reading in these daily devotionals, and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00, in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville)

Appreciate simple pleasures

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Rest, relax, renew”

Our Bible verse for today: “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out. If we have food and clothing, we will be content with these.” 1 Timothy 6:6-8 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “Appreciate simple pleasures”

As I write this it’s an early summer morning in July. I’m sitting on my front porch, dawn is breaking, there’s a gentle breeze blowing, and the birds are singing. I love the early morning. I find it soothing and I’m grateful for such a peaceful way to begin the day. It’s a simple pleasure but a beautiful one that I find restful, relaxing, and renewing.

As I was sitting here enjoying the moment and thinking about how rich and satisfying simple pleasures can be, it reminded me of another simple pleasure I’m looking forward to very much and which will occur in just a few weeks. Our son Tom, his wife Liz, and our two-year old grandson Oliver will be coming for a visit. They live in Texas and so we don’t get to see them very often but when we do, it is special. Just being together is special – especially with Oliver (our only grandchild.)

Those thoughts reminded me of a time from a year and a half ago when Linda and I were at their home in Texas and Oliver was only six months old. I have a picture of me holding him, with his little head resting on my chest, he seemed perfectly content to just lie there and bond with grandpa. I was content – deeply content, and I didn’t want the moment to end.

In 1 Timothy 6:6-8 the Apostle Paul was teaching his young protégé Timothy (and by extension us) to learn to enjoy life’s simple pleasures. Pause for them; sit with them; enjoy them; savor the moment. I’m sure you’ve heard the old saying that “The best things in life are not things.” That’s what Paul meant. The best times in life usually consist of special moments with God and people.

Yesterday I shared a little wisdom with you from one of my favorite contemporary philosophers, Snoopy, the dog from the Peanuts comic strip. This morning we’ll end with a little more. Snoopy says: “Enjoy the little things in life because one day you will look back and realize they were the big things.

Yes, godliness with contentment is great gain. Savor the moment. Enjoy the simple pleasures.

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)

Choose joy

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Rest, relax, renew”

Our Bible verse for today: “A joyful heart makes a face cheerful, but a sad heart produces a broken spirit.” Proverbs 15:13 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “Choose joy”

I’m a disciple of that great philosopher Snoopy. I’m speaking of course of Snoopy the dog, from the Peanuts comic strip. Snoopy is indeed wise. He is observant and insightful, an astute student of the human condition, and as a result, he often has helpful advice for Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus, Pigpen, and me.

Take for instance, the Snoopy Dance. Are you familiar with the Snoopy Dance? You should Google it. Seriously. Take a moment, type in the search bar “Snoopy Dance,” select the YouTube video that comes up, and enjoy. It will take less than a minute.

What you’ll see is Snoopy dancing. Fast. Joyfully. His little paws are just pattering away (Snoopy stands and walks on two legs like humans). His head is back, his face is lifted to the sky, his eyes are closed, his arms (front paws) are extended wide, there’s a smile on his face, and he’s just dancing. He’s doing the Snoopy Dance. He’s thoroughly happy and joyful, and he doesn’t seem to have a care in the world.

Now, the question is “What brought on such an expressive explosion of joyfulness?” And the apparent answer is “nothing.” In the scene there doesn’t seem to be any special reason for his joyful dancing other than that he decided to be joyful and dance. It kind of reminds me of Psalm 118:24, “This is the day the Lord has made; I will rejoice and be glad in it.”

Do we really need special reasons to be joyful? Can’t we simply embrace the moment and enjoy it for what it is, as a gift from God? Can’t we simply choose to be joyful and then be intentional about expressing it? Then answer is “yes”, yes we can. Joy can be and should be a choice.

Joy is often a byproduct of resting, relaxing, and renewing. It just feels good to rest, relax, and renew and doing so will often restore to us the sense of joy we were missing. I encourage you to choose joy today.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

If you like what you’re reading in these daily devotionals, and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00, in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville)

Three miles an hour is a good pace

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Rest, relax, renew”

Our Bible verse for today: “Dear friends, don’t overlook this one fact: With the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.” 2 Peter 3:8 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “Three miles an hour is a good pace”

This morning I want to continue our thought from yesterday regarding the pace of our lives. I noted that too often we blow through our days, just skimming the surface of life rather than slowing down and going deep with people and situations, savoring the moments of our lives.

Kosuke Koyama was a Japanese Christian and a professor of theology. He once wrote a book with the title, “Three Mile an Hour God.” The title comes from the fact that the average human, when not in a hurry, walks at approximately three miles an hour. That’s the average speed of a leisurely but steady stroll. It’s the speed at which we notice, appreciate, and enjoy our surroundings. We’re moving, but we’re not rushed.

Koyama’s premise is that God Himself is never in a hurry, and He seldom pushes us to hurry either because under normal circumstances, hurry is neither necessary nor helpful. Instead, He walks with us through life at the speed that is best for us – three miles an hour. Moving, but relaxed and enjoying the trip.

Read the Gospels. Jesus was never in a hurry. And if our Lord didn’t allow Himself to get frantic and agitated, rushing from here to there, and if our goal is to be more like Him, then perhaps we need to back it down a bit.

Peter’s point in 2 Peter 3:8 (above) is that God is outside of time. Time doesn’t apply to Him. Time is a construct God created within which human affairs unfold and are measured, but God is eternal and He is unaffected by time. Therefore, a day is the same as a thousand years to Him, and a thousand years is like a day. God has eternity to work with and therefore He doesn’t need to rush. And actually, the same is true for us. We have eternity to work with too.

So, do we really need to rush so much? In fact, since God walks with us, and since our best speed under normal circumstances is a leisurely three miles an hour, I can picture God with His hand on my shoulder saying, “Whoa, slow it down a little, Jim. What’s your hurry?”

Good question. What is my hurry? Life lived at three miles an hour is a pretty good pace.

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)

Don’t just skim the surface of life

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Rest, relax, renew”

Our Bible verse for today: “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the sun.” Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NIV)

Our thought for today: “Don’t just skim the surface of life”

One of the best books I’ve ever read regarding how to best use our time is “The Relentless Elimination of Hurry” by John Mark Comer. I highly recommend it.

The basic premise of his book is that hurry is a thief. It distracts us from the things that are most important; it causes us to miss precious moments in life; and it steals our joy. Hurry makes it impossible to truly savor moments, people, and events that should be special to us. Hurry also makes us insensitive to other people, and it causes us to miss telltale verbal clues that might have alerted us to the fact that someone else is having a bad day, or is in need of a hug, or a kind word. Speaking of himself Comer realized, “All of my worst moments happen when I’m in a hurry.”

Amen brother.

Philosopher David Zach once referred to such a life as “hyper-living” or, “just skimming the surface of life.” We move through life at such a pace that we just blow by people and situations that really do deserve and should receive our focused attention. We greet people and ask “How are you?” without really listening to how they are. We speed past a beautiful view of meadows and mountains without seeing the meadows and the mountains. We’re just in too much of a hurry. We’re skimming the surface of life.

I love the picture Solomon paints for us in Ecclesiastes 3:1. There is a time for everything and a season for every activity. It’s a picture of a leisurely stroll through life, stopping to smell the roses and talk to the neighbors and pet the puppy. No hyper-living in that picture.

I encourage all of us to slow it down, take a breath, and enjoy the moments of our lives. No hyper-living. No skimming the surface of life. Instead, take the time to pay attention and to go deep with people and situations. Truly appreciate and enjoy the gift of this day that the Lord has given to you. Savor 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)

Relax and enjoy it

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Rest, relax, renew”

Our Bible verse for today: “This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.” (CSB)

Our thought for today: “Relax and enjoy it”

I have this vivid memory of a time from about thirty years ago. It was July. The previous year had been especially busy and trying, but I was on vacation now. My family and I had traveled from our home in Southern California to my parent’s house in New Jersey for a family reunion.

On the day I’m thinking about I was in their backyard (which was bordered by woods), lying in a hammock in the shade of a tree. There was a gentle breeze blowing, birds were singing, and I was reading a good book. Suddenly it dawned on me that I was as relaxed and stress-free as I could remember being in a long time. It seemed as if all the stress and all the tension had been drained out of me. I was serene, comfortable, and content. I remember thinking “This feels soooo good …” and I savored the moment – so much so that I clearly remember it three decades later.

One definition of “savor” is: “To relish; delight in; enjoy; to appreciate fully.” But if we’re going to be able to savor our time – especially our special moments, we have to slow down and truly focus on the person before us, or enter deeply into the event we’re participating in, or really notice our surroundings, so we can fully enjoy and delight in the moment. But how often do we do that? How often do we truly enter in to and savor the moments of our lives like that?

The moment I described from my parent’s backyard thirty years ago involved something very simple – lying in a hammock in a backyard. It was simple but special enough to be remembered, and it is one I try to recreate as often as possible. But the truth is that every moment has the potential to be savored. In Psalm 118:24 the Psalmist reminds us that every day is a gift from God. We can read that as every moment is a gift from God. And if properly handled, it can be embraced, enjoyed, and savored.

Let’s learn to slow down and savor life. Let’s relax and enjoy it. If we don’t, we will miss the best moments in life.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

(If you like what you’re reading in these daily devotionals, and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00, in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville)

Life is short, time is precious

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Rest, relax, renew”

Our Bible verse for today: “Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” James 4:14 (NIV)

Our thought for today: “Life is short, time is precious”

Not long ago I performed the funeral of a friend who died rather suddenly. He was seventy-one, but he had been a healthy and vigorous seventy-one. However, one day they discovered he had cancer and just a few months later he was gone.

Many of you reading this know that a few years ago my daughter Tracy died suddenly as well. The cause was also cancer. It was exactly one week from the time they discovered she even had cancer until she died. One week. I have another friend who lost his daughter instantly, in a car accident. One moment she was alive and well, and the next she was dead.

This is what James was referring to in James 4:14. There’s a thin line separating life and death and any of us can cross it at any moment. Life is fragile, unpredictable, sometimes short, and it often ends abruptly. Therefore, we must savor, guard, and cherish the time we have. Time is precious and shouldn’t be wasted. That’s why one of my favorite sayings about time, and one which I often think about, write about, and use in my preaching and teaching, is the one from Benjamin Franklin which, when rephrased in contemporary language says, “Do you value your life? Then value your time. Because time is the stuff that life is made of.”

Too many of us waste our time; or we rush through our lives allowing ourselves to be so busy that we don’t really enjoy the time; or even worse, we don’t give our time to the people and things which are really most important. The older I get the more I appreciate and value my time.

All this month we have been focusing on the idea of slowing down, focusing on the people and events that matter the most, and truly savoring this gift of life the Lord has given us. Life is short. Time is precious. Let’s be intentional about truly savoring our time by using it in ways that really matter.

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)

Live more in the moment

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Rest, relax, renew”

Our Bible verse for today: “So don’t worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What we will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you. Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:31-34 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “Live more in the moment”

“Living in the moment” means paying attention to what’s going on around you. In the military we called it “situational awareness.” Many of us don’t live in the moment. We’re too distracted. Our minds are filled with thoughts of the problems we believe we have, the things we need to do, and even fantasies of how we wish things were. There’s a lot of noise inside those heads of ours.

I know this to be true because it’s true of me, and since I spend so much time counseling people, I know it’s true of other people too. We spend way too much time brooding about the past and being anxious about the future; thinking about “what was” and “what could be” rather than about “what is.”

True Sabbath rest helps to quiet the voices in our heads so we can refocus on the present. I’m talking about mindfulness. It’s the ability to simply “be” and to see what “is”. It’s a time to savor and reflect and appreciate. It’s only then that we become truly alive. This is when we hear the birds sing; we pause to appreciate the beauty of a flower; and we finally notice – really notice – how spectacular the scenery all around us is.

This is also when we begin to hear that “still small voice of God.” Seldom does God shout to us. Almost always He uses His inside voice – the voice we hear inside our heads and our hearts. It’s soft and quiet and in order to hear it we need to be quiet too – and undistracted.

True rest can help us to live more fully in the moment. Then, hopefully, some of that will carry over to the rest of life. Perhaps then we will begin to live more in the moment as a normal way of life. In Psalm 46:10 the Lord said, “Be still and know that I am God.” That’s another way of saying “Learn to live in the moment.”

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)