LifeLink Devotions for Thursday, November 5, 2026

If you had a choice, would you be a sheep or a goat? If behavior was the only criteria, I would be a goat. I love activity and adventure, and goats seem to personify both. Independence, enthusiasm, exploring, and conquering heights with a proud pose – these are the things that motivate me. And besides, they are the greatest of all time.

Sheep, on the other hand, are mostly docile and easily spooked. They like the comfort of the crowd. They take their time doing anything, resist change, and have a strong stubborn streak.

According to Matthew 25:31-46, when Jesus comes back to sit on the throne of His kingdom, He will separate all the people of the world into two groups – sheep and goats. The sheep will be on His right hand, and the goats on His left. The sheep will enter the Kingdom. The goats will be sent to eternal punishment.

Okay, now I want to be a sheep.

I do not want to be guilty of stretching any comparisons beyond what Jesus intended, so the simple truth is this – the people of God have always been called sheep, not goats. Jesus Himself is called the Lamb of God, not the Kid of God. Psalm 79 says, “But we your people, the sheep of your pasture, will give thanks to you forever.” And Psalm 23 identifies the Lord as our Shepherd. Those who are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ are members of the eternal flock of Jesus. We are His sheep.

Yet I do want to make one comparison to what Jesus says when He separates the sheep from the goats. Sheep and goats, as with any other creature or human being, consistently act according to their nature. Sometimes that nature can be trained or tamed, like lions in a circus, but given the opportunity for freedom, nature takes over.

It is the nature of a goat to be independent, which gets them in a lot of trouble. Meanwhile, the nature of a sheep is to be “sheepish.” They flock together. They respond to each other.

When Jesus judges the people of the earth who are still present when He arrives to rule His earthly kingdom, He separates people based on their nature. Those who are goats have an independent, selfish nature. Those who are sheep have a serving nature. Goats get for themselves. Sheep give for the greater good of others.

Jesus says to the goats, “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’” The goats are judged based on their nature, which was reflected in their actions.

Jesus says to the sheep, Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.  For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ The sheep are rewarded because their actions were the proof of the nature of Christ in them.

Which are you? A greedy goat getting everything you can for yourself and seeking to be the greatest, or a servant sheep, selflessly representing the life of Christ in you by helping others in their time of need?

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Wednesday, November 4, 2026

In our study on the Last Days our focus has been on how we as Christ’s followers are to live while we wait for His return. Our focus today will be on the words of Jesus as He speaks to His disciples about His return to earth at the end of the age. In Matthew 24, the disciples sit down with Jesus in private and ask Him, ”What will be the signs of your coming and of the end of the age?”

As Jesus explains to them some of the things that will happen, He turns His attention on the disciples to challenge them to be faithful. Jesus says,

“Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions.” Matthew 24:45-47

On the surface, this may not seem like a “WOW!” moment. But that’s exactly what it is to me. The Scriptures constantly call each one of us to be faithful servants of Jesus Christ and wise messengers of the Gospel. Some of us have been specifically called to be in charge of feeding Christ’s household, the church. The reward for faithfully feeding the church with the Gospel of Jesus Christ is a place of continuing service in the coming Kingdom of Christ.

I am one of those servants, and it’s feeding time. Here’s your Wednesday meal of spiritual nourishment. These words come from Jesus as a contrast between faithful and wicked servants. It serves as a warning to us that there are false teachers who are abusing their positions of spiritual leadership for personal gain.

Matthew 24:48-51 “But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed,’ and begins to beat his fellow servants and eats and drinks with drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

As one of Christ’s servants, charged with feeding His household, I want to warn you to beware of false teachers who will seek to lead you astray. The Apostle Peter says that they will be identified by their denial of Jesus as Christ, by their sensuality, and by their greed.

2 Peter 2:1-3 “But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.”

My fellow servants of Jesus Christ, beware of preachers, teachers, pastors, and spiritual leaders who disguise the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ in humanistic, self-serving, and self-gratifying promises. Do not be led astray by teaching that satisfies emotional and material needs. Be on the alert for subtle ways that the Gospel is twisted to gratify the need for self-worth and self-fulfillment. BEWARE! Jesus said there is destruction coming for all who teach a false Gospel and also for all who follow such teachers.

My prayer is that you will have the discernment of the Holy Spirit to recognize false teaching, and the strength of the Holy Spirit to endure in the Gospel until Jesus returns.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Tuesday, November 3, 2026

When my wife and I led our church’s mentoring program with couples preparing for marriage, we would give them a two-week assignment. “Every time you say ‘I LOVE YOU’ there has to be a ‘because’ attached to it, and the because can never be an action but a character trait. AND, you can never repeat one in the two week period.”

Some couples found this very difficult. The words I love you can lose their significance through over-use unless a reason for saying them is attached. Try it with your wife or husband. I love you because you are so kind means a whole lot more than I love you because you’re cute.

Now, take that principle and apply it to our spiritual lives with Christ. What if we started giving reasons for why we are okay every time we are asked? How would you finish this statement when someone asks you how you are?

I’m okay because…

If the way you fill in the blank is based on circumstances, then you won’t be okay for long. However, if you finished the statement with something that has to do with the character and activity of Christ in you, then you will always be okay.

In First Thessalonians chapter five the Apostle Paul reminds us why we are okay.

“For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness.”

Here is a list from the rest of that passage to help you get started on your list of reasons you are okay.

1. We are children of Light, and do not have to be affected by the darkness
2. We are awake. We are alert to what is happening and aware of Christ’s sovereignty over it all.
3. We are sober, under the influence of the Holy Spirit alone, so we can rationally understand what is happening around us and respond appropriately.We are protected by faith and love. Our hearts remain strong so that we can endure all things because: 
   • *We have faith in Christ’s saving power; and We know the love of God for us and we are growing in our love for God.
   • Our minds are filled with hope of the glory to come, so the world does not discourage us.

May the Lord strengthen you as you daily remember that you are okay because…

Pastor John

LIFELINK DEVOTIONS for Monday, November 2, 2026

Have you ever been surprised by something you expected?  I’m sure someone has a story, but for the most part, when we expect something, we look for it, and because we are looking for it we are not surprised when it arrives. We even sign up with delivery companies to get alerts on our phones so we know when a package is arriving. When we expect something, we look for it, and we are not surprised when it arrives.

That is to be the reality for disciples of Jesus as we wait for His return. We expect it. We look for it. We will not be surprised when He arrives.

When Jesus returns it will not surprise those who are looking for it.

1 Thessalonians 5:4-11 But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

There is one HUGE principle that determines how true this is for your life.

Do we expect more from this world than we do from Christ’s return?

OUCH! That stings. We tend to expect the world’s system of politics, finances, recreation, employment, status, sports, friendships, sexual passions, and multiple other things to solve our identity crisis and give us value. But they never seem to fulfill us. We always need and want more.

But when we expect Jesus Christ to completely meet our need for identity, acceptance, and value, we turn from looking at the world and we gaze intently into the face of Christ, hoping to see it physically at any moment.

When we expect to find completeness in Christ, we will not be surprised that we find it.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Friday, October 30, 2026

I have mixed feelings about surprises. I like surprises that benefit me. I hate surprises that scare me. One thing I know for sure…everyone of God’s surprises is for my benefit. The same cannot be said for people who are not disciples of Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:1-3 “Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.”

When Jesus returns it will surprise the unsaved, and it will not be a good surprise.

There is a big difference between the perspective of a person saved by the grace of God, and the person who ignores their need to be saved by the grace of God. Saved people desire the return of Jesus. Unsaved people don’t want it to happen. Saved people keep the hope of the Lord’s return on their mind constantly as they live this life in anticipation of eternity. Unsaved people choose to forget that Jesus is coming and live only for the benefits of today hoping that eternity isn’t real.

SURPRISE! Eternity is real, and it will be spent in one of two places – either in the presence of the Savior Jesus Christ, or forever separated from His presence condemned to Hell. There is nothing that can separate the saved from eternity with Jesus. There is nothing except faith in Jesus that can rescue the unsaved from punishment.

Everyone is conceived in sin and deserves eternal judgment. Jesus died on the cross to suffer God’s judgment for us. Those who confess their belief in Jesus as the Savior of their souls is rescued from judgment. There will be no surprises for the saved. There is certain destruction for the unsaved.

If you are saved, let your rejoicing surprise others.

If you are unsaved, you now know the truth. What will you do?

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Thursday, October 29, 2026

Yesterday we looked into the first three principles the Apostle Paul gave Timothy for how to endure the Last Days.  Today, let’s discover the rest from this passage.

“But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”  2 Timothy 3:14-17

1. The Bible is to be the basis for how we interpret and respond to the things that are happening in the world.
2. The Bible is sacred. It is the inspired word of God. It has no errors. It needs no improvement. And the same Holy Spirit who breathed it out dwells in the redeemed so we can breathe it in.
3. The Bible makes us wise for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, and the joy of our salvation is to be the water that quenches every thirst we have. The prophet Isaiah said, “With joy you will draw water from the well of salvation.” (Is. 12:3)
4. When we view the world through the lens of the Bible, three things will happen that are profitable for our endurance and survival:
   1. We will be taught to look at life from God’s perspective, which includes knowing God’s will, participating in God’s work, and learning how to be an effective witness. The Word of God teaches us how to interpret and respond to every circumstance of life in a way that honors Jesus Christ.
   2. God’s Word will convict us of the things in our lives that are dishonoring to God. The Holy Spirit will use the Word of God to rend our hearts so sin can be exposed and confessed. This is critical if we are to live pure lives and be separated from evil.God’s Word will correct us. It’s not enough for us to simply recognize that sin exists. We must cooperate with the Holy Spirit when He initiates a process of correction. We don’t like to be corrected because it conflicts with our goals and agenda. When we switch our agenda to Christ’s agenda, we will gladly participate in the correction necessary so we may participate in Christ’s goals.
   3. God’s Word will train us in righteousness. Embrace the correction of the Holy Spirit as He produces the character of Christ in you.  Learn from God’s Word how to live righteously, then make it happen.

When we do these things, using God’s Word as the source of truth, we will be equipped to endure the Last Days.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Wednesday, October 28, 2026

In our study of the Last Days we are focusing on the contrast between those who are in rebellion against God and those who have been redeemed by God. According to the Apostle Paul, evil is going to increase as people go from bad to worse.

2 Timothy 3:13  “…while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.“

How are we to endure such times as these? The advice God gives the redeemed for how to live faithfully in the Last Days has not changed for two-thousand years. The Apostle Paul reiterates God’s survival plan when he writes the following to Timothy.

“But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”  2 Timothy 3:14-17

I want to dig into these verses today and tomorrow so we can find the strength we need to stand strong as evil increases. Here are a couple of points for us to ponder today.

1. “But as for you…”  Notice that Christ expects that we will be different from those who are going from bad to worse. By grace we have gone from bad to blessed, and Jesus encourages us to continue in the faith. Don’t be tempted or deceived into going back to sin. Keep moving towards the ultimate blessing of eternal glory with Christ.
2. “…continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed…” By the grace of God the redeemed have been given the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit to understand God’s Word and to make application in our lives through obedience. This would be a good time to check how firmly we believe what the Scripture says by how well we trust it and obey it.
3. “…knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings…” I praise God for a family heritage of faith and that I learned the Scriptures from an early age. Some of you may not have that same heritage. Begin today to establish your family in the Gospel so that future generations, if Christ’s return allows for them, will be able to praise God for their heritage of faith as well. Family strength based on faith in Jesus Christ will be a crucial part of enduring the evil of the Last Days.

Tomorrow we will look at more, but spend some time reflecting on these three things today, and rejoice that God has provided everything we need to remain faithful to Him through His Living Word.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Tuesday, October 27, 2026

“You’re going to get in trouble!”

Do you remember hearing that when you were contemplating doing something that pushed the limits of acceptable behavior? I heard it often, and sometimes I took it as a challenge. I got in trouble sometimes. I should have gotten in trouble every time.

No one likes to be told that trouble is coming. Even when we deserve it, we don’t like it. We do everything we can to avoid it. Most often we lie so that the trouble can’t find us.

There’s another saying that is used in a sarcastically humorous way when we see someone approaching us.

“Here comes trouble.”

It’s really a terrible thing to say to anyone. We should never personify trouble and label people that way, even jokingly.

But the Bible says trouble is coming. Here’s a challenging verse for us today from the Apostle Paul.

2 Timothy 3:1  But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.

As we will see this week in our study of the Last Days, the trouble will be rooted in the confrontation of righteousness and evil. The trouble will be the product of the increase in evil, and will magnify when those who are righteous are called out for not supporting evil. The trouble will be felt most by the righteous as they are rejected by society and are persecuted for their faith in Jesus Christ.

Here’s how Paul describes the pervasiveness of evil.

2 Timothy 3:2-7  For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.

Now, contrast that with Paul’s challenge to the righteous.

2 Timothy 3:10-17 You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me. Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Which one of those two passages describes you?

Pastor John

If you have been studying what the Bible has to say about the Last Days, then you recognize that the main focus of the New Testament teaching is on the contrast that is to exist between the disciples of Jesus and those who choose not to believe in Him. In my understanding, the biggest sign we will see of the approaching return of Jesus is the sharp increase in spiritual warfare. The Enemy of God, Satan, will do more and more works of power to seek to deceive as many as possible, even those who claim to be followers of Jesus. The war Satan wages against God is much more significant than any wars and rumors of wars amongst the nations of the world.

The most effective way to recognize a counterfeit is to completely study the original. So before we begin to study what the counterfeits of faith will look like in the Last Days, let’s do some investigation of what faithful followers of Jesus look like.

Here is one verse from the prophet Joel for us to digest today. The context here is that Joel is proclaiming the great and awesome day of the Lord that is coming, when He judges the nations for their sin. Right in the middle of Joel’s description of the disasters that will come upon the world, he gives us this admonition –

Joel 2:13 Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love;

As we consider how we should live in the Last Days, let us use this description of the character of God as the model for our own character. God is gracious, merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love. In the midst of His judgement of sin, God desires more people to come to Christ for salvation. While millions are rejecting Him and rebelling against Him, and He is preparing to implement His judgement, He is calling out to people to return to Him.

I am overwhelmed at the thought of God because His thoughts for me are so unlike my natural thoughts towards other people caught in sin. I am not naturally gracious. I am not very merciful. I am not so slow to anger. I do not abound in love. I am not alone, for you are the same.

Yet God calls us, in these last days, to be gracious and merciful. We are to be slow to get angry at people, at politics, and at injustice. We are not the messengers and enforcers of God’s justice. We are the ministers of God’s steadfast love.

As the world plunges towards the great and terrible Day of the Lord, when Jesus will judge the sin of everyone who does not believe in Him, there is still an opportunity for people to be saved.  They will not be saved by arguments. They will not be saved by us correcting injustice. They will not be saved by political leaders. They will only be saved by confronting the steadfast love of God that forgives sin in Jesus Christ.

Who will stand and represent God’s love so people can return to the Lord?

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Friday, October 23, 2026

This has been a challenging week of devotionals. I know for me it has caused me to reflect on several very important aspects of my faith in Jesus Christ. I hope it has been helpful to you as well.

One of the things that we all need is good motivation. In Second Timothy chapter 4 verse 8 Paul closes out his teaching to Timothy with this motivation.

“Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.”

Let’s consider two things today.

1. Just as God designed the laws of physics that say for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction, he has designed spiritual laws that say because one thing is true, henceforth, this will be the result. Paul says that because he has fought the good fight of the faith, and has run the race, and has kept the faith, the Lord is going to reward him. Focus for just a moment on the word henceforth. As you look backwards at your life, what does the future hold? Based on previous beliefs and previous activity, what is in store for you? If you do not know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior serious suffering is in store. If you know Jesus Christ but have followed him at a distance few rewards will be offered. But if you have been faithful to fight the good fight and run the race and keep the faith there will be a crown of righteousness which the Lord himself will award you. Today is the start of your henceforth. You can wipe away the past by faith in Jesus Christ. You can prepare for a great reward if today you start living faithfully.
2. But don’t be confused. The motivation for living a life of faithfulness is not the reward that we’re going to receive, but rather the love we have for Jesus Christ. Yes Jesus Christ will reward us for faithful service to him. But that faithful service is motivated by the love we have for the one who saved us from our sin. Paul said the same reward that he is going to be given will be given to all who have loved his appearing. Do you love the fact that he appeared in your life and saved you? Do you love the fact that he’s going to appear again and take you into his glorious presence forever? Are you living with that love motivating every other aspect of your life? All who live in that way will receive the same award that Paul said he will receive.

As I mentioned before in a previous devotional there is a day coming when Jesus Christ will descend from the heavens into the clouds of the sky and a trumpet will sound. The voice of the Archangel of God will issue a call for all who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ to ascend into the skies to meet Jesus forever. The dead in Christ will rise from the grave first and then all we who are alive will rise with them. In that instant we will be changed from our earthly bodies into heavenly ones that will live eternally with Jesus Christ our Lord. On that day we will be like him for we will see him as he is.

Now I don’t know about you but for me that’s all the motivation I need to live faithfully for Jesus Christ in this life.

Pastor John