Oak Hill Baptist Church

06/20/2026

"Happy Father's Day"

Good morning, everyone,


Our theme for this month: “Savor the moment”


Our Bible verse for today: “Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him.” Psalm 127:3 (NLT)


Our thought for today: “Happy Father’s Day”


As I sit here early in the morning on this Father’s Day weekend getting ready to write this devotional message about savoring time and special moments, I’m in a thoughtful and reflective mood. I’ve been thinking back over my life, about the things that have mattered most and which turned out to be truly important. I’ve had a good life, productive and reasonably successful. There have been college degrees and promotions in the military; I’ve written a few books, owned some homes, cars, trucks, motorcycles, and boats; served as the pastor of three churches; there has been lots of mission trip travel to exotic places, and some nice vacations too.


But sitting here this morning thinking back over the years of my life, none of those memories tug at my heart or bring any sniffles and tears of sweet remembrance. Instead, emotions like that are triggered by other memories. On a bookshelf here in my office, I see a picture of myself and my oldest son Rick standing in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. many years ago. Rick and I both had an interest in U.S. history and politics. Therefore, that father-son trip to our nation’s capital was a special time for both of us. Rick is in heaven now and that’s a memory I treasure.


I think back to times with my daughter Tracy (who was physically and mentally handicapped and who is also now in heaven). I remember how much she enjoyed the two of us just being together. We didn’t have to “do” anything – just being together was enough. Tracy was a daddy’s girl and right up until her dying day at the age of forty-nine she simply enjoyed being with me (and I with her).


I remember so many nights when my two youngest sons, Tom and Adam, were still little boys and we used to just hang out in their bedroom. With bunkbeds, race car wallpaper, stuffed animals, and toys scattered all around, we would lay on the floor reading stories, playing with Legos, wrestling, and watching cartoons. It was just Dad and his boys hanging out and enjoying being together. Tom and Adam both live in other parts of the country now and so we don’t get to see each other very often anymore.


Then there was the time just last week when I was at my son Tom’s home in Texas sitting on the sofa with my five-year-old grandson Oliver curled up next to me. We were watching one of his favorite cartoons and just enjoying the closeness of being together. How can you beat a moment like that?


Too often we allow ourselves to get caught up in the busyness of life – focusing on the wrong things, and we miss the moments that matter most. Then suddenly, those moments are gone and only memories are left. This morning I find myself thinking much less about past accomplishments and accolades and possessions, and much more about those special moments with the special people in my life.


I’m so glad I took the time to make those memories with Rick, Tracy, Tom, and Adam and I hope to continue making more special memories with the special people who mean the most to me. I hope you do too.


Happy Father’s Day to all the dads and grandpas out there. I encourage you to savor those special moments with the special people 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/


Copyright © 2026 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved.

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

06/19/2026

"Call to Him, and He will answer you"

Good morning, everyone,


Our theme for this month: “Savor the moment”


Our Bible verse for today: “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and incomprehensible things you do not know.” Jeremiah 33:3 (CSB)


Our thought for today: “Call to Him, and He will answer you”


Of all the different kinds of special times and special moments we can and should learn to savor, none is more important or more rewarding than time with the Lord. No experience in life surpasses the joy and satisfaction of special moments with God.


This morning I want to return us to the subject we explored in yesterday’s devotional about sitting quietly with God and going deep with Him. In his book “Intimacy with the Almighty”, Pastor Chuck Swindoll quoted author Richard Foster from his great book “Celebration of Discipline”. Foster wrote, “Superficiality is the curse of our age. The doctrine of instant satisfaction is a primary spiritual problem. The desperate need today is not for a greater number of intelligent people, or gifted people, but for deep people.”


Yes, that is the desperate need. Far too many Christians just skim the surface of a relationship with God. It’s superficial. Swindoll says, “We have to learn anew to think deeply, to worship meaningfully, to mediate unhurriedly.” and “No one is ready to take on the depths unless he or she is fed up with the superficial. What you long for, unless I miss my guess, is intimacy with the Almighty. You want to be profoundly aware of His presence, in touch with Him at the deepest possible level, thinking His thoughts, gleaning His wisdom, and living as close to His heart as is humanly possible.”


Are you living as close to His heart as is humanly possible? Are you among those people who would be considered “spiritually deep”? Do you want to be? God wants that for you. But you must want it too, and you must be willing to put in the time and put forth the effort to seek it. In Jeremiah 33:3 He told us, “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and incomprehensible things you did not know.”


God is deep, and He is ready to meet you in the deep places as well. He wants to interact with you in ways that go far beyond the superficial. But you must go to those deep places to meet Him there. Will you? I encourage you to spend some time today going deep with God. Call to Him, and He will answer you.


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/


Copyright © 2026 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved.

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

06/18/2026

Good morning, everyone,

As we at OHBC are approaching the new church year (which begins in September), and as we are all considering the ministry areas we will each serve in this upcoming year, I want to call your attention to several opportunities in the children's department. Since our children's ministry is growing, we need to in some areas:

1. Since we have several newborns and infants in the church now, we need to restart the nursery ministry. We will need a nursery director and nursery workers during Sunday school and during the morning worship service. This service will be for ages 0-1

2. We will also be restarting the toddler Sunday school class. This will be for ages 1-3. Two co-teachers will be needed for this class.

3. We also need a co-teacher for the children's Sunday school class. This class is for ages 4-11. The group will be divided in two, with one teacher taking the younger children and the other teacher taking the older ones, but with both groups in the same room. It is a very large room with plenty of space for each group to meet.

If you sense God might be calling you to any of these ministry positions, please speak to our Sunday school director, Mike Pender, or to Carla Cox, or to me.

To work with the children you must have been a member in good standing for a minimum of six months, have a national background check completed, and go through the training program "Minimizing the Risk", which is a safety program designed to keep our children safe while participating in church events.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

06/18/2026

"May your inner self be strong"

Good morning, everyone,


Our theme for this month: “Savor the moment”


Our Bible verse for today: “Be still and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10 (NIV)


Our thought for today: “May your hidden self be strong”


Basil Pennington was a Trappist monk who looked like Santa Claus. He was a bit hefty; he had a full head of snow-white hair and a big flowing beard to go with it; he had puffy cheeks that were rosy and red; and a big friendly smile that put you at ease. I would have liked to have met him. Someday in heaven I will.


Pennington is best known for his writing and teaching about the contemplative way of life. He was especially an advocate of what he called “centering prayer”. He maintained that most of our prayers are way too chatty and too superficial. To a large degree, we’re just saying stuff because we think we’re supposed to, we think that’s what prayer is.


While it’s true that God is interested in all aspects of our lives, and He does want us to talk to Him about all of it, there’s also a time and a place to simply “Be still and know that I am God.” There needs to be time when we just sit quietly and enjoy God in adoring silence. Often, that turns out to be the best time of prayer. It’s certainly the most relaxing and renewing.


If you’re like me, then often your prayer time is not relaxing and renewing. Instead, it’s more like work. It’s spiritual warfare. Sometimes prayer feels like I’m wrestling with both God and the devil, sometimes both at the same time! But that’s okay. Sometimes prayer is like that. Prayer is work and it is warfare. But it shouldn’t be like that all the time. Sometimes prayer should be a deep dive into the mystery and majesty of God. It should be like jumping off a rock on a hot summer day into the cool refreshing waters of a mountain lake.


Pennington wrote a series of books on the subject of “being still before God”. His most popular was “Centering Prayer”. In it he teaches us how to quiet our noisy minds so we can simply be with God in adoring silence. His prayer for his readers is, “Out of his infinite glory, may God give you the power through his Spirit for your hidden self to grow strong.”


I like that phrase, “for your hidden self to grow strong”. Your spirit is your hidden self. It’s your real self but it’s hidden deep within your physical self. And when your hidden self is strong, your physical self will reveal it. Your spiritual strength will be evident, and it will show itself by how you live and how you interact with the world around you. Learning to be still before God settles your spirit and thereby settles your body. Your spirit is calm, so your body is calm.


I encourage you to spend some time this morning just being still before God. Don’t feel like you need to talk and talk and talk as you work your way down a long list of issues and items. Instead, truly savor and enjoy your time with Him. My prayer for you is that your hidden self will be settled and strong.


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/



Copyright © 2026 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved.

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

06/17/2026

"Learn to be content"

Good morning, everyone,


Our theme for this month: “Savor the moment”


Our Bible verse for today: “… I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I find myself. I know both how to make do with little, and I know how to make do with a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content – whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need. I am able to do all things through him who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:11-13 (CSB)


Our thought for today: “Learn to be content”


I remember once visiting with some friends who lived in a travel trailer in a mobile home park near a lake. It’s a very nice trailer, complete with slide-outs to expand the living space, and with all the modern conveniences. It had just enough room for two people to live comfortably but modestly, and with no excess. My friends were not living like that for financial reasons. They had the assets to live in any manner they would like. But they loved the simplicity of their lifestyle, and they were happy and content with it. They didn’t need or want more.


The great Christian writer G.K. Chesterton once wrote, “There are two ways to get enough. One is to continue to acquire more-and-more. The other is to desire less.” I think Chesterton was only half right. Learning to desire less and to simply be content with what we have is certainly a key to happiness. But an endless quest to accumulate more-and-more never leads to true contentment. The fact that the person is still striving for more is evidence that the person is not content with what they have. With that mindset, there’s never any such thing as “enough”.


In Philippians 4:11-13 the Apostle Paul revealed an important lesson he had learned in his own life. He learned to be content. And please don’t miss the fact that he “learned” to be content. In other words, it didn’t come naturally and it required a learning experience for him to get there. It means that he was intentional and disciplined about learning the lesson. He trained himself for contentment. In verse 13 he reveals that it was his continuous focus on Christ that was the key to achieving the contentment he had just been writing about.


It’s difficult to truly savor the special moments in life if we have an unsettled spirit that is always striving and yearning for something more, rather than simply being content with and enjoying life as it is in the present moment.


I think it would be helpful for all of us to ask ourselves, “How much is enough?” And “Will more ever truly become enough?” The truth is, if we are going to enjoy and savor life, we need to learn to be content.


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/


Copyright © 2026 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved.

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

06/16/2026

"Fulfill your purpose"

Good morning, everyone,


Our theme for this month: “Savor the moment”


Our Bible verse for today: “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)


Our thought for today: “Fulfill your purpose”


I love the way the New Living Translation uses the word “masterpiece” to describe those who have new life in Christ. When you placed your faith in Christ, God created you anew, you became a new creation - a master creation of His.


But there are two important things to note about that verse. First, the “masterpiece” reference is to your spiritual self not your physical self. Good thing too. As I can attest, the older we get the less-and-less our physical selves resemble anything looking like a masterpiece (unless you’re into antiques). No, as amazing a creation as the human body is, the true masterpiece of God’s creation is that wonderful eternal spirit of yours, and that’s what Paul was referring to in this verse. Your spirit is contained within your body, but it’s the spirit that’s the new creation.


The second thing to note is why God created you anew in Christ. Although the verse doesn’t specifically mention it, we know that the first and most important reason is because He wants us to spend eternity with Him in heaven. But also, as the verse does say, it was “… so that we can do good things he planned for us long ago.” And that brings us to our theme for this month of savoring and fully enjoying the time on earth that the Lord has given us. We’re using our time well when we’re doing the good things He has planned for us to do.


The great Christian writer C.S. Lewis once observed, “If you read history, you will find that the Christians who did 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.”


In my observation the happiest, most joyful, and most content Christians tend to be the ones who are fulfilling their God-given purpose as His masterpieces, doing the good works in this world that He has planned for them to do from the very beginning. It’s when you are serving others (especially those who are less fortunate than you or those who are hurting and in need), that you are fulfilling your purpose. That’s when you will feel most fully alive and most satisfied. Often, the best thing you can do to make yourself feel better is to take your eyes off yourself and do something for someone else. It’s what God created you for. It’s what He planned for you to do.


You are God’s masterpiece, created by Him to do good works that He has planned for you from the very beginning. I encourage you to fulfill your purpose today.


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/


Copyright © 2026 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved.

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

06/15/2026

Hello everyone,

I wanted to share this picture with you of Michael Braun.

Those of you who are familiar with his story, you know that he spent many years of his life addicted to drugs, in and out of jails and prisons. He spent years behind bars.

But as his church family you never gave up on him. Not only did we pray for him, send him cards, letters, and gifts, and not only did I visit with him numerous times in jails and prisons, but when he was ready, we helped him to get started in a college degree program while he was still in prison.

In the years since then, Michael has completely turned his life around. He has been out of prison and off of drugs for several years. He not only completed a long-term rehab program, but now he is a staff member there helping other men to turn their lives around.

And he has continued working on his college degree. This past Sunday he was awarded his Associates Degree in Pastoral Ministry.

We are all very proud of Michael and it will be exciting to watch as God continues to work out His plan for Michael's life going forward. Thank you for never giving up on him!

God bless,
Pastor Jim

06/15/2026

"Pray, relax, enjoy life"

Good morning, everyone,


Our theme for this month: “Savor the moment”


Our Bible verse for today: “And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19 (NIV)


Our thought for today: “Pray, relax, and enjoy life”


Some of my longtime readers will recognize the name of Dick DeGrow. I’ve mentioned him in other devotional messages and in sermons. Dick was an early mentor of mine shortly after I retired from the Navy and became a pastor. He was a retired pastor who was a member of my first church, Bancroft Baptist in Spring Valley, CA. He served as a deacon, adult Sunday school teacher, and he was the church custodian.


Dick was a quiet, calm, and relaxed man who had learned to take life as it comes and to just roll with things. He also had a lot of wisdom to share that was born of many years of faithful service as a pastor. Therefore, he was my closest advisor in the church. We would meet for lunch once a week to talk and pray.


That was thirty years ago but to this day, the image of Dick that continues to stand out in my mind is that calm, quiet, relaxed, and easy-going manner. The reason he was like that is captured beautifully by the Apostle Paul in yesterday’s Bible verse, Philippians 4:6-7, “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.” And by today’s verse, “And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” Dick prayed a lot and he simply trusted all things to the Lord. Then he just went through life enjoying and savoring it.


I want to be more like that.


Dick was also responsible for one of my bad habits. He loved ice cream and he had a bowl every night. Every. Single. Night. It was a ritual he never missed, a treat he never denied himself. Up to that point I enjoyed ice cream, but I’m pretty sure I wasn’t addicted to it. But Dick was a man I admired very much. I learned from him, copying his fine qualities and reproducing them in my own life. Soooo …”Hi, my name is Jim and I’m addicted to ice cream.” I mean, if my mentor could do it and be so happy, serene, and content, there must be something to it, right?


But the primary example Dick modeled so effectively was of a man who had learned to pray a lot, trust God, and enjoy life. That’s a pretty good way to be. It’s a pretty good example to follow.


Pray, relax, and enjoy 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/


Copyright © 2026 Oak Hill Baptist Church, All rights reserved.

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

06/14/2026

Hello everyone,

Here's a link for the recorded version of the OHBC worship service for June 14th

God bless,
Pastor Jim

Sermon Title: Bible Verses: June 21, 2026Copyright CCLI #: 112678...

06/14/2026

Join us at 10:00 AM!

Sermon Title: God and CaesarBible Verses: Mark 12:13-17June 14, 2...