Oak Hill Baptist Church

Enjoy it but don’t abuse it

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “The end of anxiety and despair”

Our Bible verse for today: “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery … You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature, rather, serve one another in love.” Galatians 5:1;13 (NIV)

Our thought for today: “Enjoy it but don’t abuse it”

Many years ago, as the pastor of a church in another part of the country, I was witness to an interesting contrast of faith practices between three different women in the church. Two were middle-aged and one was a senior citizen. One was the proverbial “Church Lady” as depicted in the old Saturday Night Live skit by Dana Carvey. She was prim, proper, fussy, and nitpicking. She was sour as a lemon and she always had an opinion to share and a complaint to voice.

Another (the senior citizen) was a wonderful sister in Christ. She was carefree, happy, and a big blessing to everyone. The third was superficial in her faith. She was often involved in conduct that was questionable at best, and sometimes outright sinful.

The first lady was a legalist and a modern-day Pharisee. She was also a very unhappy person. The third lady was guilty of what Dietrich Bonhoffer once called “cheap grace” – it was an abuse of grace. She too was a very unhappy person. But the other sister had found the sweet spot in her relationship with the Lord. She had learned how to live free in Christ without being legalistically tied to a long list of rules and regulations, but also without abusing the grace of the Lord and engaging in unbiblical conduct.

That right there is a key element in learning how to minimize anxiety and despair in our lives. We must learn how to live free in Christ, by grace, without being legalistic and without abusing that freedom. This comes with spiritual maturity. It’s something you grow into. You have to want it and you have to be willing to put forth the effort to develop it. There are things we need to do in order to facilitate our spiritual growth and to live free in Christ.

This morning, I would like to recommend two resources for your personal study that I believe you will find helpful. The first is Experiencing God: Knowing and Doing the Will of God” by Henry Blackaby. That 12-week Bible study will go a long way towards helping you to learn how to live free in Christ without abusing that freedom.

The other is “What’s So Amazing About Grace?” by Philip Yancey. This study will help you to appreciate the full scope of God’s amazing grace in your own life, and how to extend that grace to others.

It’s essential for us to throw off the chains of legalism and learn to live free in the grace of God, but to do so without abusing it.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

It’s all about grace

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “The end of anxiety and despair”

Our Bible verse for today: “Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and dearly loved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a grievance against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you are also to forgive.” Colossians 3:12-13 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “It’s all about grace”

I have often jokingly accused our church of being like the Star Wars bar. I’m referring to a scene from the first Star Wars movie. Hans Solo and Chewbacca are in an inter-planetary bar. It’s filled with the weirdest creatures from across the solar system. There’s a purple guy with octopus-like tentacles. Then there’s the green man with a single eye in the middle of his forehead. There are large brown creatures with four arms, and small yellow ones with fur and pointed ears. You get the picture. It was a very strange group. But they all get along. They accept each other as they are and they just enjoy themselves.

We’re like that at Oak Hill Baptist. We’re all just a little odd and quirky (me especially), but we love each other, accept each other, and we get along well. Rarely are there any squabbles or disputes, and rarely does anyone make an issue out of anyone else’s less-than-perfect habits or mannerisms. Sometimes there is a big deal that does have to be addressed but it’s rare (most things really aren’t worth arguing about and easily can be, and should be, shrugged off).

We talking about grace extended to others and it’s a key to learning to live without (or at least with less) anxiety and despair. In yesterday’s devotional I encouraged us all to give ourselves a break. Today I’m calling us to give others a break. Go a little easier on yourself, and go a little easier on others. I’m not saying we should ignore sin. This is a call to stop being nitpicking and small.

Some of the happiest and most well-adjusted people I know are those who are easy-going and gracious. Some of the most hung-up and anxious people I’ve known are those who are self-appointed experts at pointing out everyone else’s faults and failures.

I encourage you to stop taking yourself so seriously, and stop taking everyone else so seriously too. Give yourself and others a break. You’ll be happier if you do, and so will everyone else. It’s all about grace.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

Maybe your halo is too tight

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “The end of anxiety and despair”

Our Bible verse for today: “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:10 (NIV)

Our thought for today: “Maybe your halo is too tight”

Although anxiety and despair have many causes, one of the big culprits is attitude and perspective. It’s how we think about things. And very often, that includes expecting too much from life, and from ourselves.

I’m paraphrasing a story told by author Brennan Manning: A man went to his doctor complaining of frequent severe headaches. One look at him convinced the doctor that the man was wired too tight, he was tense and stressed out. To establish a baseline upon which to assess the man’s overall lifestyle, the doctor asked him a series of basic questions.

“How much alcohol do you drink?” the doctor asked. The man was instantly indignant and huffily replied, “None! I never touch the filthy stuff!” The doctor then asked, “Do you smoke?” Getting even more offended the man said, “Of course I don’t smoke. Smoking is disgusting!” The doctor then proceeded to ask several more lifestyle questions and the man continued to get more and more perturbed at the nature of the questioning. Finally, he blurted out, “What’s with these questions? What kind of man do you think I am??!!” Without any further questions or testing the doctor said, “I’ve discovered the cause of your headaches. Your halo is too tight.”

The doctor wasn’t advocating poor lifestyle choices, but he was counseling the guy to lighten up a bit. He was taking himself and life too seriously, and he was expecting too much from himself. He, like us sometimes, was striving for perfection. But the only perfect man to ever live was Jesus Christ and … (news flash) you’re not Jesus and neither am I. Therefore, you’re not perfect and neither am I – and we won’t be this side of heaven. So … stop expecting yourself to be.

I’m not issuing you or me or anyone a license to sin. But I am saying that maybe a chocolate donut for breakfast every once in a while, isn’t really that bad of a thing. And yes, maybe you would be better off without that ten extra pounds of belly fat you’re carrying but seriously, is it the end of the world? And yes, you should pay better attention to Pastor Jim’s sermons, take notes, and do what he says, but … I forgive you, and Jesus does too.

You get the point. Lighten up a little, especially on yourself. Jesus came to give us life in all of its fullness and sometimes, that just might mean a big dish of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

Is it well with your soul?

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “The end of anxiety and despair”

Our Bible verse for today: “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1 (NIV)

Our thought for today: “Is it well with your soul?”

Horatio Spafford was a successful lawyer in Chicago in the mid-to-late 1800s. Unfortunately, he invested heavily in expensive real estate along the shores of Lake Michigan and he lost it all during the great Chicago fire of 1871. Several months after that disaster, he booked a trip to Europe for himself, his wife, and their four daughters. But business matters forced him to stay in Chicago for a short while longer and he sent his wife and daughters ahead of him. Sadly, their ship sank in the Atlantic and only his wife survived.

Imagine suffering financial disaster and losing most of your life savings, and then three months later all four of your children die in a single accident! That would crush the souls of most people. Horatio Spafford did suffer deep despair, but his faith in God was strong before all this happened, and so he leaned heavily on the Lord to get him through it. As a result, out of that tragedy, he ended up writing one of the best-loved and most reassuring hymns of all time, “It Is Well with My Soul”:

“When peace like a river, attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll – Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul.
It is well … with my soul … It is well, it is well with my soul.
Tho Satan should buffet, tho trials should come, Let this blest assurance control, That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate, And hath shed his own blood for my soul.
It is well … with my soul … It is well, it is well with my soul.”

Horatio Spafford could have lived the rest of his life in deep despair and endless anxiety, but he didn’t. He grieved his losses, he leaned on the Lord, and he and his wife picked up the pieces of their lives and walked forward into the future side-by-side and with Jesus.

Life is filled with trials and tribulations, and there are always issues that could cause us to be anxious and in despair. I’m not suggesting that as Christians we won’t experience anxiety and despair, but I am saying we don’t have to be controlled by it. Anxiety and despair do not have to define our lives.

Our theme for this month is “The end of anxiety and despair”. By that I don’t mean that we will never experience it. But I do mean that we can deal with it, quickly bring it to an end, and then get on with life. We’ll spend the rest of the month considering how to do that.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

Hold fast to your integrity

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Character and integrity”

Our Bible verse for today: “His wife said to him, ‘Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!” Job 2:9 (CSB)

Our Bible verse for today: “Hold fast to your integrity”

Job is a classic Biblical example of a man who endured terrible circumstances and yet he held fast to his integrity. He was known far and wide as a man of solid character and uncompromising integrity even before his trials began. In Job 1:8 God held Job up to Satan as an example of a man of notable integrity, “Have you considered my servant Job? No one else on earth is like him, a man of perfect integrity, who fears God and turns away from evil.”

Again, in Job 2:3, after the trials had started and Job had lost his children, along with many servants and much of his wealth, God was still commending him to Satan as a man of uncompromising integrity. By the time we get to Job 2:9 we find that he has now been afflicted with painful physical suffering as well, and things had gotten so bad that his despondent wife (this was all impacting her too) urged him to just give up, curse God, and die. But Job refused to even consider doing that.

We don’t know how long Job’s time of trial and suffering lasted, the Bible doesn’t say. It was an extended period of time but through it all Job held fast to his integrity. He suffered terribly, and he did give voice to his suffering, but he held fast to his integrity as a man of God.

It’s during the worst of times that our true selves emerge. It’s easy to come across as a man or woman of character, integrity, virtue, strength, and courage when times are easy. It’s when times are hard that we discover what a person is truly made of. This is when solid character and uncompromising integrity shows itself. This is when it becomes apparent what’s really true of us.

The kind of character and integrity we’ve been learning about all this month doesn’t develop overnight. It’s something that we have to want and something we have to strive for. It’s the result of years of learning, growing, and commitment to Biblical principles. It grows out of prayer, Bible study, and close association with others who are likeminded and just as committed to becoming a man or woman of good character and uncompromising integrity.

I don’t wish the trials and tribulations of Job upon you, but I do pray for the character and integrity of Job in your life. I encourage you to do the work to develop and maintain that kind of character and integrity, and then hold fast to it.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

You’re a ragamuffin, so am I, and so are they

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Character and integrity”

Our Bible verse for today: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” Galatians 5:22-23 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “You’re a ragamuffin, so am I, and so are they”

Recently I’ve begun reading Brennan Manning’s “Ragamuffin Gospel” for the fourth time. I love this book. The term ragamuffin comes out of the novels of Charles Dickens and describes an orphaned child living on the streets of London in the 1800s. He is a poor, ragged, dirty, messy waif and he needs help.

Manning argues that we’re all ragamuffins. At different times and in different ways we’re all bedraggled, beaten down, and burnt-out. We are filled with sorrows, regrets, and insecurities. The gospel of Jesus Christ was written for such people. It was written for you and for me and for them. For all of us. And through the Gospel we find freedom and renewal. That’s the truth we need to experience, and it’s the message we must share with the world.

That brings us to our theme of character and integrity. As we near the end of this theme I want to bring us back to the illustration of steel and velvet – especially the velvet part. Many Christians have the inner core of steel part going on just fine. It’s the outer covering of velvet that often seems to be a problem. In this bitter and often angry society that we live in, with all the shouting, debating, charges and counter-charges, Christians can sometimes become cultural warriors bent on victory at all costs. Our language becomes charged with talk of fighting the fight, seizing the day, defeating the enemy, and winning the victory. And in our zeal, our manner and language can become harsh and unkind. I believe we have to guard against that.

In Galatians 5:22-23 the Apostle Paul describes the velvet part of our illustration. Those characteristics of the Holy Spirit should be what people experience from us and should be what they come to know to be true about us. Godly men and women of character and integrity are known for their moral virtue, yes, but they are also known for their kindness, compassion, grace, and mercy.

Remember, every person you meet has something going on in their lives that they wish wasn’t there. Every person has one thing more going on of which you know nothing. Down deep, we’re all ragamuffins. We’re all bedraggled, beaten-down, and burnt-out. And we all need love, grace, and mercy.

As you go out into the world today, by all means contend for the truth of the Gospel and promote Biblical values in our society. But also bear in mind that you’re just a sinner saved by grace and that others also need the grace and salvation you’ve experienced. You’re a ragamuffin, so am I, and so are they, so let’s give each other a break.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

Be sober-minded

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Character and integrity”

Our Bible verse for today: “Therefore, with your minds ready for action, be sober-minded and set your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 1:13 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “Be sober-minded”

This morning we will continue our discussion from yesterday regarding the great need in our society and in our churches for more men and women who have true wisdom and deep insight.

Recently at Oak Hill Baptist Church we completed a study of the letters 1 & 2 Peter. Peter’s goal in those letters was to encourage believers to live well for Christ in the middle of tough circumstances and to do so by having a Biblical worldview, living holy lives, and by not allowing ourselves to be deceived and misled by liars and false teachers. To set the stage for that teaching, in 1 Peter 1:13 Peter urges us to be “sober-minded”.

What’s being described there are people who are calm and reasoned in their thinking. They are not emotional or easily excitable, and they are not given to extremes in their thinking. They are thoughtful, wise, and insightful. Consequently, they see situations and people for what and who they are, and they respond to them based on that insight. Sober-minded people are not easily fooled or led astray because they base their thinking and decision-making on Biblical truth.

I contend that godly men and women who have spent years of life carefully and intentionally cultivating strong character and sterling integrity will be those sober-minded people who bring clarity and truth into difficult situations. They do that by applying a Biblical worldview to all of life. They take what they are seeing and hearing, lay it alongside the truth of the Bible, and then come to conclusions about what is true or false, right or wrong, based upon how it compares to what God has said in His Word. In order for anything to be the right course of action, it must first be consistent with Biblical principles. Even if the Bible doesn’t speak directly to that particular situation, there will still be Biblical principles that apply.

This does matter. In our society today we need many more godly men and women of character and integrity who are sober-minded (calm, thoughtful, reasonable, and not given to extreme thinking). I encourage you to be sober-minded, and then expect that of others as well.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

We need more people with wisdom and insight

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Character and integrity”

Our Bible verse for today: “Be careful that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit based on human tradition, based on the elements of the world, rather than Christ.” Colossians 2:8 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “We need more people with wisdom and insight”

At the end of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings trilogy, Frodo and his companions are finally returning to their hometown in Bag End after having been gone for a very long time on a very dangerous journey. When they finally arrive in Bag End, they discover that in their absence the town has been taken over by an evil authoritarian strongman by the name of Sharkey. The people were living in fear of Sharkey and they were being ruled with an iron fist.

However, Frodo, now older and wiser, immediately sees that Sharkey is really a paper tiger; he doesn’t have any real power over the people and he is ruling them by means of clever lies and deception. You see, there are two ways to control people. One is through force, the other is through deception. Wise Frodo immediately saw that Sharkey’s control over the people came through lies and deceptions and therefore the people had the power to reject those lies and to no longer be deceived. Once they realized that, Sharkey lost his power over them and he was quickly deposed and banished.

In our nation we are not ruled by force, but we do often allow ourselves to be deceived. That’s true socially, culturally, politically, and sometimes in our churches. And this is why the issue of character and integrity is so important. On the one hand, we need to ensure that those we allow to have positions of power and influence are truly worthy of that trust, that they are men and women of character and integrity. But second, it’s essential that we not allow ourselves to be deceived by the liars and false teachers in our society, in our politics, and in our churches. It’s up to us to be wise, to ask questions, to study the issues, and to hold our leaders accountable.

Over time, men and women of godly character and solid integrity become increasingly wise and insightful as they continue to mature in Christ. Their wisdom and insight can then be brought to bear upon situations in our society and in our churches. They are the ones who are able to see through the lies and deceptions and to help others see clearly as well. And for that reason, we need more men and women of godly character and solid integrity. This is a vital truth and it bears further discussion. Therefore, we will continue our thinking about this tomorrow.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

Don’t give in and don’t give up

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Character and integrity”

Our Bible verse for today: “We are afflicted in every way but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair; we are persecuted but not abandoned; we are struck down but not destroyed.” 2 Corinthians 4:8 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “Don’t give in and don’t give up”

Do you remember our discussion from earlier in the month regarding steel and velvet? In that devotional I made the case that men and women of strong character and solid integrity are made of steel and velvet. They have an inner core of steel in that they have unshakable convictions based upon Biblical principles that they will not deviate from. Their moral and ethical conduct, and their determination to honor God by how they live, is non-negotiable.

But that inner core of steel is wrapped in an outer covering of velvet. Such a person is kind, compassionate, and loving, they’re quick to show mercy and eager to extend grace. People see Jesus in them. I’m inspired by people like that.

And also, because of that inner core of steel, they are people who do not give up despite the difficulty of their circumstances. That’s the kind of person Paul was describing in 2 Corinthians 4:8 (above). Listen to what else Paul had to say about that person in verses 16-18, “Therefore we do not give up. Even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person is being renewed day by day. For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory. So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

I have a dear brother in Christ who is facing a huge medical challenge right now. Tests are still being conducted but it has the potential to be life-threatening. But my friend is tough, and he is one cool customer. He’s a retired law enforcement officer who had an entire career filled with challenges and dangers. He has had guns pointed at him and he has been shot at. Once, he had to shoot someone else. He has dealt with many very bad people and many dangerous situations. He has also battled and defeated cancer five times. Now, as he faces this challenge, he is doing so with calmness and confidence. He said to me, “Pastor, I’m going to do my part in this. I will take care of myself, I will get the tests and treatments they tell me to get, I will pray about it, I will have my family and friends and church pray about it, and then it will be whatever it is going to be. I’m not going to worry about it.” Did I mention that he’s tough and he’s one very cool customer? He’s also a great man of faith – steel and velvet.

People like my friend don’t give in or give up just because things get a little tough. One of my favorite personal sayings, and one that I try to live by is, “Nothing is over until you give up.” So, that’s my word of encouragement for all of us today. Don’t give in and don’t give up.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

Choose your church carefully

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Character and integrity”

Our Bible verse for today: “Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies (dedicating all of yourselves, set apart) as a living sacrifice, holy and well-pleasing to God, which is your rational (logical and intelligent) act of worship. And do not be conformed to this world (any longer with its superficial values and customs), but be transformed and progressively changed (as you mature spiritually) by the renewing of your mind (focusing on godly values and ethical attitudes), so that you may prove (for yourselves) what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect (in His plan and purpose for you.)” Romans 12:1-2 (Amplified Bible)

Our thought for today: “Choose your church carefully”

This morning I want to return to our discussion from yesterday regarding the fact that we are living in an increasingly post-Christian society. Ours is a society where the majority of the population is not active in a church, and Biblical values are having a smaller impact on our culture than ever before in our history. How do committed Christians protect themselves and their families from being swept up and carried along with those bad cultural influences?

The Apostle Paul answers that for us in Romans 12:1-2 (above). I’ve quoted that passage from the Amplified Bible because this translation uses all the English words necessary to capture Paul’s full meaning as originally expressed in Biblical Greek. A truly committed Christian man or woman of character and integrity will be fully surrendered to God, seeing their life as a living sacrifice offered up to God; living a holy life that honors and pleases Him is our ongoing act of worshipping Him; and to do that, we do not conform to the influences of the culture we live in, but we stand firm on Biblical principle, modeling godly values and ethical behaviors.

But many Christians today do not live that way. And many churches today do not teach sound Biblical doctrine. Instead, it’s the cotton-candy gospel that is popular. It is light and fluffy and sweet to the taste, but it has no substance and no nutritional value. In such churches the teaching is all happy, happy, joy, joy, and hot-button social issues are studiously avoided. In other churches the Word of God is twisted and perverted to more readily conform to what is culturally acceptable. Entire denominations have given in to the pressures of the culture and have tailored their teaching and the practice of their faith to more easily fit in with cultural expectations. Theirs is a deeply flawed theology and some key doctrines are twisted and perverted.

Christian men and women who are determined to maintain godly character and strong integrity will choose their church carefully. No cotton-candy preaching and teaching; no flawed theology and perverted doctrine; no path-of-least-resistance faith practices. In the Bible God said exactly what He meant, and His Word applies to all people, in all places, at all times, without exception.

I encourage you to attend church this Sunday. But choose your church carefully. Make sure you are in a church that is fully committed to Biblical truth – without compromise.

God bless,
Pastor Jim