LifeLink Devotional

Tuesday, September 3, 2019

I spent the last several months being refreshed. At least that was the intent of my sabbatical. God accomplished His purpose. More than I expected.

For me, the best times of refreshment are those spent in the splendor of God’s creation. I camped, fished, golfed, and travelled to places I had never been to experience the majesty of God’s handiwork. It was refreshing.

But God wanted more for me. He desires for me, and you, that we get beyond fascination with what He has done and embrace intimacy with Who He is.

Psalm 73:25 And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.

This is what God wanted for me – that there is nothing on this earth that I desire besides Him.

Besides God. It is essential that we understand this. God does not time share. God is not to be diminished to a place of equal consideration with other pursuits. We are not to declare ourselves spiritually healthy because we have put God ahead of other things. That is shallow discipleship. That is self-centered discipleship that leaves open the option to replace God with other things that provide more immediate benefit. We are to desire nothing other than God.

Oh how we live so much of our lives in the deception of Satan, who has us convinced that there are other good things besides God. They may not be as good, yet we believe they are still good. So we put them on our necessity list, but declare ourselves to be spiritual by placing God above them. Yet God is to be on the list alone!

God does not desire to be included in our other activities. God desires that we include all other activities in Him. It may sound more like semantics than theology, but these are profound truths. There is NOTHING on earth that we are to desires besides God! God is not to be asked to bring his blessing upon our choices, but rather we are to only make choices that already carry His blessing.

We live compartmentalized lives, and because we have given God the highest and largest compartment we think we are holy. But we are to be holy as He is holy, which means the elimination of all compartments so that there is nothing in our lives except Him.

So what do you really want? Some want a life that is their own, and reject God completely. Some want a life that is their own, yet has a portion of God that satisfies their need to be spiritual. Some want a life of spiritual vitality, yet continue to hang on to things that bring some form of personal reward. But there are some, one of whom I desire to be, that want nothing but God. We choose to declare all things of this life and world to be unworthy to coexist in the Presence of God. We desire to be one of those who truly know Him, and are known by Him.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotional

Monday, September 2, 2019

Proverbs 27:19 As in water face reflects face, so the heart of man reflects the man.

One morning as I scanned Facebook to stay connected to some of my friends from around the world, I came across this picture from one of my “adopted” daughters in the Philippines.

Live without pretending – that’s integrity. Every part of our lives integrated together in perfect harmony with no contradictions. Nothing fake. Nothing done to impress others. Just a life lived as a reflection of the character of God in us.

Love without depending – that’s identity. It’s knowing we have God’s approval rather than seeking the world’s approval. That’s accepting God’s definition of our being rather than seeking it from others. That’s giving to others out of security rather than to receive affirmation. The world’s love depends on a response and looks for a return benefit, but sacrificial love originates in the heart of God and flows freely from a Godly heart.

Listen without defending – that’s humility. Be able to be corrected. Pride defends the value we think is being attacked. Humility listens to the possibility of improvement. Pride protects personal choice. Humility submits to anything or anyone as being God’s instrument of perfecting our lives. Pride convinces us we are right and that we have rights. Humility sees the right in others. Pride cannot see a reason to improve because that would require admitting a weakness or fault. Humility can admit faults because value is not found in performance but in the Person of Jesus Christ.

Speak without offending – that’s grace. Speak the truth, but do it in love, with a pure and holy motivation to truly help the person to whom you are speaking. Do not speak to be heard. Do not speak to build up self. Speak to impart God’s wisdom so that it will be heard and applied. Speak to be an instrument of God’s grace to others.

Now those are four rules by which we all should live.

Pastor John