Good morning everyone,   Our theme for this month: “God’s power in you and for you”   Our Bible verse for today: “When it is in your power, don’t withhold good from the one to whom it belongs.” Proverbs 3:27 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “Do all the good you can”   John Wesley was one of the most important Christian thinkers, theologians, and leaders in 18th century Europe. He was the principal leader of a reform and revival movement within the Church of England that ultimately led to the formation of the Methodist church as a denomination.   One of Wesley’s foundational precepts for living the Christian life was to do compassionate acts of service for those in need. The precept came to be known as “Wesley’s Rule” and it went like this: “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as you ever can.” That precept became a foundational principle in Methodist theology and practice. It emphasizes proactive and extensive service and kindness to others.   Wesley’s precept is just a practical application of a Biblical principle that we find in numerous passages of Scripture in both the Old and New Testaments. God’s people are to be a blessing to others everywhere they go. We are to be sensitive and aware of the trials and struggles people are dealing with (especially the weak, vulnerable, elderly, and poor), and we are to do something about it. That is precisely what Solomon was teaching in Proverbs 3:27 (which is just one example from an extensive body of Biblical literature that teaches this lesson.)   In yesterday’s devotional we considered the truth that the Holy Spirit is at work in the world restraining the evil of Satan. He is doing it through the simple acts of service performed by Christians, day-in and day-out, in millions of ways in places all around the world every day. All those simple acts of blessing and service help to restrain and push back against the evil that is so pervasive in the world.   John Wesley’s precept for living is a pretty good guide for all of us. Do all the good you can, in all the ways you can, for all the people you can, for as long as you can. If you will do that, your little corner of the world will be a better place 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

Copyright © 2025 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: “God’s power in you and for you”   Our Bible verse for today: “Don’t you remember that when I was still with you I used to tell you about this? And you know what currently restrains him, so that he will be revealed in his time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work, but the one now restraining will do so until he is out of the way, and then the lawless one will be revealed.” 2 Thessalonians 2:5-8 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “God’s power at work through you”   In 2 Thessalonians 2:5-8 the Apostle Paul was writing about the spirit of the antichrist at work in the world. He was not referring to the actual antichrist, who will appear in the world at the beginning of the seven-year tribulation as described in the book of Revelation. Instead, Paul was writing about the spirit of the antichrist, the spirit of evil, that is at work in the world perpetrating evil deeds and doing Satan’s work for him.   Paul said in that passage that the mystery of this lawlessness is already at work in the world, but something is currently restraining that evil. In other words, as bad as the evil sometimes seems, it could and would be much worse if that restraining influence was not there. And someday, according to Paul in this passage, that restraining influence will be removed. Then, literally, all hell will break out on earth.   The restraining influence on evil in the world today is the power of the Holy Spirit at work in and through the lives of the followers of Jesus Christ. When the rapture occurs, the believers alive at that time will be removed from the earth and therefore the power of the Holy Spirit to restrain that evil will be removed with them. But until then, the restraint that opposes and pushes back against the evil in the world continues by means of the Holy Spirit working through us.   This is important. It explains the crucial role that you play in the world today. Not necessarily by casting out demons or performing miracles and leading large evangelistic crusades, but more commonly, by simply living a righteous and holy life right there in your little corner of the world. God has you right where He wants you so you can model Biblical principles in your daily life, bless others in the name of Jesus, oppose evil where you see it, and help to further His kingdom-building work right there where you are.   This is the role the followers of Christ play in the world today. It’s God’s power at work in the world through you. As bad as things seem in the world today, they would be much worse without the presence of the followers of Jesus using the power of Jesus to confront and restrain evil.   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

Good morning everyone,   Our theme for this month: “God’s power in you and for you”   Our Bible verse for today: “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and followed him.” Matthew 4:19-20 (NIV)   Our thought for today: “Choose Him and His Kingdom”   The disciples had a choice, they could continue being fishers of fish or they could follow Jesus and He would teach them how to be fishers of men. They could continue doing what they had been doing, on their own and in their own power, or they could come alongside Jesus, help Him with His work, doing it in His way, and He would give them His power. They had to choose.   And so do we. How you live your life and what your focus is, is your choice. Jesus calls you to follow Him. If you do, He will teach you to do the things He wants you to do (Matthew 4:19-20), and He will empower you to do it (Acts 1:8: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”) God’s work, done God’s way, will include God’s power.   Yesterday, as we ended the month of September and an entire month of considering the impact of God’s power in us and for us, we thought about the challenge given to us by the writer of the letter to the Hebrews in 12:1-2, to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus as we persevere on our journey through this world. Today, as we continue that study into the month of October, we begin with Jesus’ invitation to “Come and follow me.”   What both of those passages illustrate is the potential impact the power of God can have on your life when you choose to focus on Him and to follow Him as your Lord as well as your Savior. It will change your life. The disciples were never the same again and neither will you be.   If you choose Him and His ways, His kingdom instead of your kingdom, the power of God will be manifested in you and through you to accomplish the will of God in your little corner of the world. I encourage you to choose Him and His kingdom.   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

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: “Maintain your focus”   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.”   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 Buffet once sang, “There’s a fine line between Saturday night and Sunday morning!” What Lewis and Buffet 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.   Utilizing the power of God for maximum impact in our daily lives is simply a matter of fixing your eyes on Jesus and then letting your faith in Him determine your thoughts, words, and deeds.   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

Good morning everyone,   Our theme for this month: “God’s power in you and for you”   Our Bible verse for today: “He said, ‘Don’t be afraid, you who are treasured by God. Peace to you; be very strong!’ As he spoke to me, I was strengthened.” Daniel 10:19 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “Maybe your world is not falling apart”   The contemporary Christian recording artists “Casting Crowns” once sang a song with the line, “Maybe your world isn’t falling apart; maybe its falling into place.” That line is a powerful reminder that when we are in the middle of what seems to be a tragic or impossible set of circumstances, it can seem as if our world is falling apart. But God is always at work behind the scenes orchestrating events as needed to achieve His purposes. Sometimes the situation may have been created by God to advance His plan for you, but other times its simply life happening. Then God goes to work to use those circumstances for some good purpose for you.   In the Old Testament book of Daniel, we read about Daniel and his three young friends being taken captive by an invading army and relocated to Babylon to serve as slaves in the court of the King. That was a tragic event for them. But it turned out that God was simply relocating them to be involved in some magnificent adventures that would alter their own lives, and which would then be recorded in the Bible for all time to serve as an example and inspiration for readers down through the ages.   When they were taken captive and separated from their homes and from their families, it probably felt like their world was falling apart. But God was actually repositioning them so their lives could be of maximum usefulness for the Kingdom of God. As a result, they ended up holding places of great influence in the government. They also experienced God’s power at work in their lives as they were delivered from death in a fiery furnace, and from the jaws of hungry lions in the lion’s den. Daniel also experienced visions from God regarding prophecies pertaining to important future events; and he was given the power to interpret dreams for the king.   Had they not faced those trials they would probably never have had those experiences, nor would they have come to know God in such a deep and powerful way. It turned out that they were better off for having gone through those trials. Had any of it been avoided, they would have missed out on the best God had for them.   Whatever it is you find yourself in the middle of today, I encourage you to remember that God is at work behind the scenes using His mighty power on your behalf and just maybe, your world is not falling apart, but is really falling into place.   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

Good morning everyone,   Our theme for this month: “God’s power in you and for you”   Our Bible verse for today: “When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours.” Romans 1:12 (NLT)   Our thought for today: “This is why we go to church”   In Matthew 22:35-39 Jesus reminded us of the two greatest commandments of all: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”   Everything else God wants of us is contained within those two commandments. If you love God with all your heart you will obey Him and live in a way that honors and pleases Him. And if you love your neighbor like yourself you will be a blessing to others and you will not sin against them. Everything it takes to live a God-honoring life is wrapped-up in those two commandments.   But those two commandments also provide us with the two primary reasons we go to church. The first is all about God. We gather so we can worship Him with others and so we can learn more about His will and His ways. Doing that will deepen our love for Him and it will better enable us to live in a way that honors Him.   And being gathered like that with our brothers and sisters provides us with the opportunity to express love and encouragement for each other. That folds right into the commandment to love your neighbor as yourself. It’s hard to express that kind of love for each other when we’re not together. That’s what Paul was referring to in Romans 1:12 (above). He had love for the Roman Christians, and they had love for him, and they could tell each other about it through letters (or in our case through phone calls, text messages, and emails), but that’s not the same, or as good, or as effective as doing it in-person.   Being present in church, gathered with your brothers and sisters in Christ, creates a powerful spiritual dynamic that deepens your love for God and for others. This is why we go to church, and I encourage you to be there. If you’re not, you will miss out on what will probably be the most powerful spiritual experience available to you all week. There will be great worship, there will be learning, there will be love and encouragement, and it will be a powerful spiritual experience. Don’t miss it!   God bless, Pastor Jim    (If you like what you’re reading in these daily devotionals and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00 – in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville

Copyright © 2025 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: “God’s power in you and for you”   Our Bible verse for today: “God gave these four young men knowledge and understanding in every kind of literature and wisdom. Daniel also understood visons and dreams of every kind.” Daniel 1:17 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “God’s power in the worst of times”   So, there was Daniel and his three friends Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Four young Hebrew men who had been taken captive by the army of Nebuchadnezzar. They were brought to Babylon and made to be slaves. Their situation was desperate and dangerous. They were going to have to do exactly what they were told, conform to every rule and regulation and meet every expectation, and do it all to the satisfaction of their captors, or they would be punished, beaten, and perhaps even executed.   To their credit, they decided that if they were going to be slaves then they would be the best slaves they could be. They would obey, conform, and do a good job – so long as doing so didn’t conflict with the standards of conduct set for them by the One True God to whom they belonged. And as we read in Daniel 1:17, God honored their faithfulness and bestowed His favor upon them. He empowered them with skills and abilities that enabled them to excel, even in the middle of such a bad situation. That’s why God chose to include their story in the Bible as an example for us.   As the editors of the Experiencing God Study Bible noted in their introduction to the book of Daniel, “Daniel’s book seeks to convince believers that God is steadily working out his purposes even during the worst of times and that persecution of believers is a call to faithfulness, not to apostasy. Though times may be difficult now, God is in control, steadily working out his purposes and gradually bringing history to an end… Some of your greatest encounters with God can come during your most difficult moments in life. God is at work, even when your enemies appear to be defeating you.”   God honors integrity and righteousness by giving us protection and power. He empowered Daniel and his friends to not only stand tall and to be faithful in the middle of extremely difficult circumstances, but He went a step beyond that and He enabled them to not just endure but to excel. He can and will do that for you too.   God’s power is available to help you survive and thrive even in the worst of times.   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

Good morning everyone,   Our theme for this month: “God’s power in you and for you”   Our Bible verse for today: “Daniel determined that he would not defile himself with the king’s food or with the wine he drank.” Daniel 1:8 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “The power to be faithful”   Daniel lived under circumstances that most of us will never experience. His country had been defeated by an invading army; the leaders were all either killed or imprisoned; most of the people, including Daniel, were taken off into captivity in Babylon and made to be slaves; and Daniel then spent the rest of his life as a slave in a foreign country.   Worse, he was expected to conform to the cultural norms of the society he was now in, many of which were evil or in direct opposition to the moral standards of the One True God whom Daniel worshiped and obeyed. But, as we read in Daniel 1:8 (above), Daniel refused to defile himself by conforming to unbiblical cultural expectations – even if his refusal would get him in trouble with the authorities. This is the standard that would one day be established by Peter and John in Acts 5:29 when they said, “We must obey God rather than men.”   If you read the twelve chapters of Daniel’s story you will find that the results were a mixed bag for him. Sometimes he got along okay, sometimes he was even held in high esteem by the authorities for a short while, and at other times he was dangerously out of favor. But Daniel never waivered from his commitment to honor the Lord with his conduct.   How did he do it? Daniel was a powerful man of God who was determined to honor God. God in turn honored Daniel’s resolve by giving him the power he needed to stand tall no matter what he faced. Daniel was living proof of the promise God made almost 900 years earlier to Joshua in Joshua 1:9, “Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord our God is with you wherever you go.” And again, through Isaiah almost 200 years before Daniel’s time, “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)   There’s a lot we can learn from Daniel’s example about God’s power in us and for us, and we will come back to it tomorrow. For today, please remember that no matter what difficulty you are faced with, God is there with you and He will empower you to stand tall for Him and to honor Him by how you handle your challenges.   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

Good morning everyone,   Our theme for this month: “God’s power in you and for you”   Our Bible verse for today: “The wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.” James 3:17 (ESV) Our thought for today: “Power under control”   I love the definition of the phrase “power under control”: “Power under control means having significant strength, authority, or capability but choosing to direct and restrain it responsibly and with great self-discipline, rather than using it to dominate, intimidate, or cause harm. It is the essence of meekness, where power is not a sign of weakness but a testament to a disciplined will, similar to a tamed wild horse possessing immense strength that is now directed by a master.”   Hello! That should describe Christians. We have the power of God within us which provides significant strength and authority, but it must be restrained and used in a responsible self-disciplined manner, rather than using it to bully, dominate, intimidate, or cause harm.   The murder of Charlie Kirk was a tragic incident that is dominating the news right now, and which serves as a great example of the point I’m making. Charlie was a Christian who had the power of God within him to accomplish an important task, but it was power under control that was used in a responsible way to accomplish God’s intended purpose. That was what made him so effective. As James described in James 3:17 (above), Charlie’s wisdom came from above, his motives were pure, he was peaceable, gentle, open to reason, merciful, and he produced good fruit. Charlie was calm, confident, balanced, and reasonable, rather than emotional, unbalanced, and unreasonable.   Contrast that with the angry and mean-spirited voices coming from some who profess to be Christian but who are acting anything but Christlike. Some of them are calling for retaliation and retribution. Their speech is over-heated, filled with anger, distain, and even hate. That’s not power under control it is power out of control. It is possible to try to usurp the power of God for your own purposes by claiming the name of Jesus, and seeking the support of the Christian community, but then acting in a very un-Christlike manner. Also, there’s a big difference between passionate enthusiasm and over-zealous fanaticism. There are few things more harmful to the cause of Christ than an angry religious fanatic.   As Christians the power of God is available to us to accomplish His plan in His way. Charlie Kirk was an excellent example of that and I encourage the rest of us to learn from his example and then to conduct ourselves in a similar manner. It is power under control.   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

Good morning everyone,   Our theme for this month: “God’s power in you and for you”   Our Bible verse for today: “For you yourselves know how you should imitate us: We were not idle among you.” 2 Thessalonians 3:7 (CSB)   Our thought for today: “God’s power in every season of life”   The Apostle Paul wrote his letter, 2 Thessalonians, in the later years of his life. It had been a hard life. He had experienced many years of very difficult ministry. He had been shipwrecked, persecuted, beaten, imprisoned, starved, chased out of towns by violent mobs, and much more. It had been tough. He had been through a lot. But there he was, older and certainly worn out, but still at it. Still active, still preaching and teaching and writing, still setting a good example for everyone to see.   That reminds me of my old friend Dick DeGrow. I met him when I became the pastor of Bancroft Baptist Church in Spring Valley, CA in the mid-1990s. At that time Dick was already in his 70s. He was a retired pastor and he had some health issues, but he served in our church as a deacon, Sunday school teacher, and as the church custodian.   That’s right, church custodian. Retired pastor, deacon, teacher, and custodian. He didn’t need to be the custodian. He didn’t need the money and he wasn’t exactly a spring chicken. I asked him one time why he did it. He smiled a warm smile and in his soft voice he paraphrased Psalm 84:10 by saying, “Pastor, I would rather clean toilets in the house of the Lord than to be the CEO of a Fortune 500 company.” Then he smiled again and said, “You have a good day now.” And he shuffled off to clean the toilets and take out the trash.   What the Apostle Paul and Dick DeGrow both modeled for us is the truth that God’s power is available to us for continuing acts of ministry throughout all the seasons of life. The nature of the ministry activities may change over time, but being actively involved in serving God and His people is supposed to be something we all continue doing right up until the time the Lord lifts us out of this life and brings us home to heaven. Even if your final days are spent bedridden and physical ministry is no longer an option for you, you can still pray for yourself and for others; you can still worship the Lord in your mind and heart even if you can’t attend services; you can still accept visitors and be a source of encouragement to them; you can choose to be a pleasant encounter and a blessing to the healthcare providers caring for you. The point is, almost always there is still something we can do for the Lord and for others in every season of life.   No matter your season of life, God’s power is available for you, in you, and through you to accomplish meaningful things for the Kingdom. What are you doing for Him and for others 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

Copyright © 2025 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Oak Hill Baptist Church 3036 Genesis Road Crossville, TN 38571