LifeLink Devotions

Friday, March 3, 2023

Genesis 41:38 “And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find a man like this, in whom is the Spirit of God?”

I’ve been praying about what to study in my own life as the foundation for these daily devotionals and the Lord has led me to the longest story in the book of Genesis. If you guessed Abraham, you would be incorrect. The story of his great-grandson Joseph is longer. Not that it really matters from a spiritual perspective, but it is a story that has always fascinated me, and a story from which we can learn valuable truths about suffering, character, and wisdom.

The story begins in Genesis chapter 37 and concludes at the very end of the book. I would encourage you to take time to read it this month, maybe more than once, and follow along on the adventures of a young man who grew to be a powerful leader despite tragic circumstances.

The key to Joseph’s life is found in a question that was posed by Pharaoh to his officials following a dream that he had. Joseph has already spent extended time unjustly confined to a prison cell and rudely forgotten by people whom he had helped and served. Yet by the grace and power of God, Joseph was able to interpret Pharaoh’s dream and be restored to a position of authority.

The question Pharaoh asked was this – “Can we find a man like this, in whom is the Spirit of God?”

Now consider this carefully. Pharaoh was a pagan ruler who worshipped idols. Throughout his reign as Egypt’s ruler he has chosen men for leadership based on all the natural characteristics of strength and intelligence promoted by his culture. Yet when confronted with the humble heart of a young man whom he had previously confined to prison, he could speak no higher praise than to say that he saw the Spirit of God in him.

That must be our foundation for this study, and it must be the foundation of our lives, for we are nothing if we are not filled with the Holy Spirit of God. All our personality traits, all our training, all our efforts, and all our accomplishments are meaningless unless they have been done in the power of the Holy Spirit. It is the one and only quality of our lives that really counts.

Therefore, we must spend some time understanding what it means to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Otherwise all the other things we will learn from the life of Joseph will be nothing more than our attempts to learn behaviors that will hopefully bring us some measure of success and blessing. Without the Spirit of God everything we do is done in the strength of man and results only in the outcomes man can produce. But contrast that with what happens when we live in the fullness of the Holy Spirit. Look at what Joseph was able to endure and accomplish. Look at what the disciples did following Pentecost. Look at what the Apostle Paul did. Look at how all of them endured hardship, persecution and even death at the hands of God’s enemies, and yet they accomplished the glorious and eternal purpose of their Savior.

Why? Because they were filled with the Holy Spirit of God. Pharaoh saw it in Joseph even before the Holy Spirit was given as the permanent resident of our lives. The religious leaders of the New Testament saw it in Peter and James and John. But the living testimonies of the power of the Holy Spirit did not end with them. They continue in us.

So when the world takes notice of you: when you are commended or recommended for advancement in your career, is it because of what you claim to have done or because of the work of the Holy Spirit of God in you? Let the world rise up and take notice of the followers of Jesus, because no matter what injustice, hardship, tragedy, or persecution comes our way, they will give us the highest praise possible – “The Spirit of God is in them.”

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions

Thursday, March 2, 2023

The Apostle Peter concludes his second epistle with this challenge to us: “Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 3:18) As we conclude our study of Second Peter it is good for us to accept Peter’s challenge.

As we mentioned yesterday, the world is declining into a fuller expression of depravity. Judgment is coming. Yet Jesus our Lord has not assigned us the task of delivering judgment. He has commissioned us to be ministers of grace. His grace. God’s unconditional offer of forgiveness to the vilest of sinners who believes on His Son Jesus.

Yet we prefer judgment. We prefer to point out the wrongs of others and demand justice. We prefer to alienate ourselves from those who have or who might hurt us.  We are no better than the Pharisees of Jesus’ day who lived in their lofty towers of self-made righteousness and looked down on everyone who wasn’t like them. We have decided that unless people can measure up to our standards they cannot be included in our lives.

WE MUST GROW IN GRACE.

Our local churches would be radically different if Jesus followers would treat each other with grace. Our communities would be transformed if Jesus followers would treat citizens with grace. Our world would be turned upside down if they saw those who have the knowledge of God living out the grace of God. But our growth in knowledge has served only to increase our pride in what we know, when Jesus, who knows all things, expressed grace towards those who didn’t know.

WE MUST GROW IN GRACE.

Do not use your knowledge as a means of self-affirmation. Do not allow your knowledge to alienate you from those who do not know. Do not take pride in your doctrinal position, but rather let all knowledge of God lead you to the reality of grace, for even the knowledge you have is a gift of God’s grace. It Is not of your own doing. The grace of God opened your eyes to the knowledge of Jesus. The grace of God gave you understanding of the redemption of your soul through Jesus. The grace of God has given you all things for this life and for eternity.  May your life be a constant expression of God’s grace.

WE MUST GROW IN GRACE.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions

Wednesday, March 1, 2023

It has arrived. The first day of my retirement. I am officially unemployed. I still get to preach one more time this Sunday and enjoy the celebration of my ministry at my retirement party, but my 27-year tenure as Pastor at Calvary Baptist Church has come to an end. I plan to take some mission trips to the Philippines and to India this spring, but overall, my summer will be spent relaxing with Denise and being refreshed in my spirit so I can hear the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit speak His next instructions to me. I will be ready to go whenever and wherever He calls.

After forty-four total years in ministry, I’ve seen a lot of changes, especially in our culture. It has seriously degraded into a fuller expression of depravity. I sometimes wonder why the Lord has not yet returned and put an end to it. It is in those moments that I remember this verse from Second Peter: “And count the patience of our Lord as salvation…” (2 Peter 3:15)

Just a few verses earlier Peter proclaimed, “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)  The patience of the Lord is motivated by His heart of love to desire all people to come to repentance and be saved.

To be sure, there is a day of judgement coming. Jesus will return in all of His power and authority to inflict the consequences of sin upon all who have rejected Him. It will be horrific. But He is being patient with that judgment so that His followers can proclaim His love and grace to those who stand condemned. The patience of Jesus is our opportunity to see more people get saved from their sin.

However, seeing more people get saved requires us to personally proclaim the message of salvation. Far too many followers of Jesus are willing to rejoice when someone gets saved but miss the inexpressible joy of being the one who shared the Gospel and watched the Holy Spirit transform a life. Why are we satisfied to be fans in the stands when we could be on the field in all the action? Why are we content with occasional cheering when we could be carrying out the game plan of the Head Coach?

My friends, it appears that time is short. Yet every day we awake we have a choice to either protect ourselves from the growing depravity of society, or to engage depraved people in conversations about Jesus, who conquered sin and death and desires that all should come to repentance.

Which will you choose?

Pastor John