Church guide

Day 155 – Worthy is the Lamb “And they sang a new song, saying: ‘You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; for You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us kings and priests to our God; and shall reign on the earth.’” (Rev. 5:9-10) The Revelation is an amazing book. In chapter 1 we’re introduced to the glorified Jesus Christ. In chapters 2-3, Jesus instructs and encourages the seven churches of Asia Minor. In chapter 4 we get a glimpse of the glory of heaven. In chapter 5, the Apostle John sees a scroll with many seals that need to be broken in order for God’s will to be done. The heavens were searched to find someone worthy enough to break the seals and read the scroll, but no one emerged. As a result, John wept bitterly. But just then, one of the 24 elders reassured John that “the Lion of the Tribe of Judah…has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals” (Rev. 5:5). Jesus Christ – the Lion of Judah – is worthy to reign over heaven and earth! Through their new song, the elders of heaven explain why Jesus is worthy. “For you were slain” – like a lamb to the slaughter, Jesus died for us! “And have redeemed us to God by your blood” – through His blood, Jesus paid the price for our sins! “Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation” – in other words, the ground is level at the foot of the cross. It’s doesn’t matter your color, nationality, or economic status – if you’ve placed your faith in Jesus you are a child of God! “Have made us kings and priests to our God” – we will reign with Jesus and even now we can offer Him the sacrifice of praise. “Worthy is the Lamb…to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing!” (Rev. 5:12). #bohbc #comehometothedome

Welcome Jerald, Rebecca, Caroline, and Zachary Jenkins to the BOHBC family! #comehometothedome

If you are going through a problem today, turn your eyes upon Jesus. He is our hope & hope never disappoints. “And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” ‭‭Romans‬ ‭5:3-5‬ ‭ #hope #disappointment #turnyoureyesuponjesus #heisourhope #jesuschrist #intheword #bohbc #growbohbc #comehometothedome #knoxville

Day 154 – Dealing with Correction “Let the righteous strike me; it shall be kindness. And let him rebuke me; it shall be as excellent oil; let my head not refuse it.” (Psalm 141:5) Did you parents ever tell you, “This is going to hurt me worse than it hurts you.” Did you believe them? Probably not – it was hard to believe that our parents could actually hurt when we were the ones receiving the punishment. When we were kids, correction probably hurt us more physically. Where I came from, it was not uncommon for a disobedient child to get a “whooping,” or maybe even some correction involving a belt or switch. Those things usually got my attention quickly. As we grow older we don’t get too many spankings, but we still need correction. Sometimes correction comes by way your spouse. Sometimes it could be through a parent. Still other times it could be the warm rebuke of a teacher. No matter who corrects us, sometimes it’s hard for us to accept. Why? Because are prideful people – we don’t like to admit that we’re wrong and someone else is right. For that reason, when we’re corrected we often get upset. Today’s verse reminds us that the correction of a righteous person should not be resisted. If a godly man/woman takes the time to correct you, receive it as a blessing, not a burden. Why? Because “it shall be kindness” and “excellent oil.” If you listen to the correction of someone who loves the Lord, you’ll be more like Christ by heeding their counsel. So then, the next time a godly friend corrects you, put your pride aside and make the necessary adjustments for the glory of God. #bohbc #comehometothedome #dailydevotion

Can we really smile in the midst of pain & hurt, dejection & rejection? Can we really smile and rejoice in the midst of all that? Yes. How are we going to learn to persevere with our relationship with God if we don’t have some trials in our life? He loves us and wants us to persevere. Don’t throw in the towel. Do NOT give up. Instead, look up! If you are going through pain & hardship, God is at work in your life. Smile because tribulations produce perseverance. Smile because perseverance produces character. Smile because character produces hope. Smile because hope never disappoints. Senior Paster, Dr. Todd Stinnett Black Oak Heights Baptist Church “And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” ‭‭Romans‬ ‭5:3-5‬ ‭ #perseverance #character #hope #smile #rejoice #joyofthelord #sundaytruth #sermonquote #bohbc #growbohbc #comehometothedome #knoxville

Day 153 – Lukewarm Christians “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.” (Rev. 3:15-16) When it’s hot outside, there’s nothing better than a nice tall glass of water, lemonade, or sweet tea. Likewise, when it’s a bitter cold winter day, there’s nothing more soothing than a tall mug of hot chocolate or a bowl of piping hot soup. But in both cases – hot or cold – the last thing we want is something lukewarm. Room temperature water really doesn’t satisfy our thirst on a hot day, and lukewarm hot chocolate really doesn’t warm us up when we’re freezing cold. Today’s verse comes directly from Jesus directed to the church at Laodicea. We need to understand something about Laodicea to rightly interpret this verse. Laodicea was known for it’s hot springs. People would come from all around to soak in the hot springs for a medicinal purpose. Likewise, the city was also the beneficiary of an aqueduct that would carry cold water into the city. So then, hot water had a medicinal purpose and cold water had a physical purpose – both were good! One thing that served no real purpose for the Laodiceans was lukewarm water – it wasn’t warm enough for healing and it wasn’t cold enough for refreshment. When Jesus calls the Laodiceans “lukewarm,” essentially he’s saying that by trusting in their own prosperity they’ve become useless for the cause of Christ. I wonder, have you allowed circumstances to render you useless for the cause of Christ? If so, here is Christ’s command to you today – “be zealous and repent.”

Miraculous Mission - VBS begins tomorrow at 6:15 pm. Register online at BOHBC.org. Don't Miss It!!!

Every one of us experience storms of life! We all go through hard times. Our lives goes through seasons we never expected or imagined, but as Christians we have a reason to smile, even in life's storms. Join us Sunday morning for small groups at 9:15 and morning worship at 10:30! #bohbc #comehometothedome

Day 152 – Forsaking Your First Love “Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.” (Rev. 2:4 ) There’s a good chance that you have a significant other, and if not you can probably remember a time when you did. If you have a significant other – a spouse, fiancée, or special friend – I bet you can look back and remember what it was like when the two of you met and began to date. Remember the butterflies in your stomach. Remember the way you were afraid to eat in front of him/her. Remember how you used to hold hands and talk for hours at a time. Perhaps you’ve been with that significant other for months or years. Answer this question honestly – what is the current status of your relationship? Do you love that person just as much as you used to? Do you love them more? Have certain barriers hindered your relationship, or have you forsaken your first love through unfaithfulness? I think we’d all have to agree it is entirely possible for someone to forsake his/her first love by substituting other “loves” in their place. Today’s verse is Jesus speaking to the church at Ephesus. They had done many amazing things for the glory of God (Rev. 2:2-3), but just because you’re “busy for God” doesn’t mean you’re really in love with Him. So how is your love for the Lord? Is it as strong as it used to be, or have the distractions of life and sin kept you from loving Him with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength? If so, Jesus has one word for you – “repent.” Do whatever it takes to make Him your first and greatest love! #bohbc #comehometothedome #intheword #dailydevotion

Everything- the good, the bad, & the ugly- will work together FOR GOOD, to those who love God. We don’t have to understand His plan to trust His plan. Have faith & trust God. #allthings #worktogether #forgood #lovegod #hispurpose #havefaith #trustgod #bohbc #growbohbc #comehometothedome #knoxville

Day 151 – Readers, Hearers, and Doers “Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.” (Rev. 1:3) Today’s verse takes us to the Revelation – God prophetic Word to the Apostle John concerning the end of time. Revelation is one of the most widely-read and widely-debated books of the Bible. After reading it’s words, scholars have come up with words like premillennial, amillennial, and postmillennial. Some speak of being pretribulation, midtribulation, or posttribulation. Subjects such as the Antichrist, the mark of the beast, and the Kingdom of God are hot topics of Revelation conversation. All those discussions are fine and necessary, but from the outset of the Book our Lord wants to make one thing very clear. The only ones who can expect a blessing are those who deal faithfully with what God has revealed. So how do we do that? First, we must be readers of the Word – “Blessed is he who reads.” You will not get very far in your relationship with God if you are not an avid reader of His Word. We must constantly safeguard our time spent reading the Scriptures. Further, we must go beyond reading to hearing the Word – “those who hear the words of this prophecy.” It’s one thing to read the Bible, but it’s another thing to understand it. So then, we can’t just read the Bible – we must study the text for comprehension. And of course, we must be doers of the Word – “keep those things which are written in it.” Remember, God gave us His word for information AND transformation! The end is near – make certain you read, hear, and apply the Word of God! #bohbc #comehometothedome #intheword

The question isn’t “if” but when. When adversity & trials of life find you... 1. Strengthen yourself in the Lord. There may not always be someone around to encourage you, and as Christians, we can learn to encourage ourselves. Get into God’s Word, memorize scripture, and cling to His Truth to encourage and strengthen yourself during life’s storms. 2. Seek the face of God. Simply put, pray. Get alone with God & pray. 3. Surrender to God’s will. We may not understand it; we may not even ‘like’ it but we DO have to do whatever God says. Study of the Life of David- 1 Samuel: 29 Senior Pastor, Dr. Todd Stinnett Black Oak Heights Baptist Church #trials #adversity #prayalways #seekhimfirst #surrender #intheword #bohbc #growbohbc #comehometothedome #knoxville

Day 150 – Search Me & Lead Me “Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:23-24) Today’s passage takes us to Psalm 139 – a psalm of David praising God for His omniscience and omnipresence. After standing in awe of God throughout the psalm, David asks God to do several things for him at the conclusion. First, he says search me. In other words, “God please analyze my life as only you can!” That sounds like something a little intimidating doesn’t it? When was the last time you asked God to search through the secrets of your life? FYI – He already knows our secrets anyway! Next, David asks God to know me - to “know my heart” and to “know my anxieties.” God knows every fiber of your being. David is simply asking God to understand all his frailties. It’s good to know we serve a God that knows everything we struggle with, and yet He loves us anyway! David also asks to the Lord to try me. In this context, to “try” something is to prove it’s integrity. David is essentially asking God to prove his character – whether or not he is really a man of God. David then asks the Lord to see me – “see if there is any wicked way in me.” In other words, he was asking God to point out any inclinations toward sin – any areas where a root of wickedness could be rising up. If we ask God to point out our impurities, He certainly will! And finally, David asks the Lord to lead me – “lead me in the way everlasting.” This is an earnest prayer to be led by God rather than the influence of the world. May we also ask God to search us and lead us as well! #bohbc #comehometothedome #dailydevotion #intheword

Are you facing an adversity? Join us tonight as we study this truth- God can turn any adversity into an opportunity! BOHBC Fellowship Hall @ 6:30pm #biblestudyfellowship #adversity #opportunity #intheword #bodyofchrist #worshiptogether #holyspiritcome #bibletruth #bohbc #growbohbc #comehometothedome #knoxville

Hard times come to everyone, but God can turn your adversity into opportunity. Join us tonight for Bible Study at 6:30 as we continue studying the Life of David.

VBS starts next week!! It’s going to be a great week! Invite a friend or an entire family by sharing this post or tagging them below! Or both!! It’s free!!! Sign up @ www.bohbc.org **Help is still needed! Reach out to Konnie Evans, Jesse Holden, or call the church office to find out how YOU can help make this VBS the best year yet! Miraculous Mission- How Jesus Saves the World 🌎 ❤️ #vbs2019 #summer2019 #jesussavedtheworld #miraculousmission #bohbc #kidsattheoak #knoxvilleevents

Day 149 – No Greater Joy “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.” (3 John 4) Joy is “a feeling of great pleasure and happiness.” There are a countless number of things that bring us joy. How about marrying the man/woman of your dreams? How about the birth of your first child? How about the time your favorite team won the championship? A trip to the mountains, a trip to the beach, a trip to your favorite restaurant – all of these things are sure to put a smile on our face. For many people, life is nothing less than the pursuit of perpetual joy. In today’s verse, the Apostle John tells us what brought the biggest smile to his face. No, it’s not a lot of money, worldwide notoriety, or even planting a huge amount of churches. The Apostle’s greatest joy was “to hear that my children walk in truth.” Why is truth so important? Because without truth we can’t even worship the Heavenly Father (John 4:23-24). Jesus Himself is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. When we operate outside the bounds of truth, we have ceased to serve Jesus Christ. I’ve got six children. All of them are enrolled in school and have big dreams concerning all that the future holds in store. My dream for each of my kids is not that they would make a lot of money. It’s not that they would marry the most beautiful woman or handsome man. It’s not that they would drive nice cars and live on the nicest side of town. My dream is that my children walk in God’s truth each day of their lives. How about you? Are you walking in truth or are you perpetuating a lie? #bohbc #comehometothedome #dailydevotion #intheword

Study the promises of God. Memorize the promises of God. Then, when the devil comes to attack you, USE the promises of God to send him on his way. With the sword of the Spirit, we can be victorious over the devil because we have a God that keeps His promises. And all the people said...?? #promisesofgod #godkeepshispromises #swordofthespirit #intheword #womenofgod #menofgod #bodyofchrist #worshiptogether #holyspiritcome #bohbc #growbohbc #comehometothedome #knoxville

Day 148 – Think Before You Speak “Do you see a man hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him.” (Prov. 29:20) “Impulsive” is defined as “acting or doing without forethought.” Sometimes being impulsive is a good thing. I remember watching a video of a child walking out into rush hour traffic. There was an adult standing close by, and as soon as he saw the boy toddling into oncoming traffic he rushed into action, picked the boy up, and saved his life. At the ocean I’ve seen lifeguards do the same thing – acting with no thought to their own safety so that someone else’s life could be saved. Unfortunately, there are many times when acting impulsive can be very bad. That’s especially true of the words we say and the manner in which we say them. All of us have been guilty of blurting out the first thing that came to mind. Refusing to think before speaking has cost many people their relationships, their jobs, and their credibility. The old saying “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me” – we all know that’s not really accurate. Today’s verse encourages us to think before speaking. And what should run through our minds? Paul left us a verse that can help – “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers” (Eph. 4:29). We should ask ourselves, “Is what I’m about to say going to build someone up or tear someone down? Is this going to help or hurt the situation?” Let’s not be found playing the fool. Think and PRAY before you speak! #bohbc #comehometothedome #intheword #dailydevotion

We may not know how He will provide, but we know that He will. We may not receive everything we ask for, everything we “want”...but if we know the Lord Jesus Christ, we have everything we need. Jesus Christ has provided every single need that we have. “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4:19‬ ‭ #godwillprovide #pastorquotes #sundaytruth #bibletruth #wantsvsneeds #hewillprovide #allmyneedsaremet #hissacrifice #holyspiritcome #provision #phillipians419 #scripture #taketoheart #bohbc #growbohbc #comehometothedome