LifeLink Devotions

Wednesday, May 17, 2023

Hosea 6:3 “Let us know; let us press on to know the LORD; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.”

There are four eternal truths found in today’s Scripture verse. The first is based on the words “Press On.” We are to have a passion to know God.

Have you ever thought about what the word passion means? For most of us it has an emotional context. We think of passion in terms of intense desire for things or goals. We equate passion with love – from love of things to love of people to love of activities. While all these applications of passion have some validity, did you know that the word passion primarily means suffering. Yet according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary that meaning is obsolete? Culture has re-defined the word passion from its original roots to something more definitive of man’s fleshly desires.

The real definition of passion originated in the Bible. Our English word passion is the translation of the Greek word paskho and is translated 39 times in the New Testament as suffering. That’s why the time of our Savior’s life between His arrest and His resurrection is called the passion of Christ.

So what does this mean for us today? Pressing on requires the courage to suffer for what one believes in. There is no true passion in a person’s life without the willingness to suffer as they press on to achieve what they believe in.

A rock-climber has a passion for reaching the top, which means they will suffer whatever physical pain and contortions of the body are necessary to accomplish it, all potentially based on a love for adrenaline and the belief that the meaning of life will be found in the view from the top.

A single mom has a passion to protect and raise her children in a safe environment and will endure whatever financial and emotional suffering she must to see her children grow up strong and stable.

A football player has a passion to be the best at his position and will endure whatever pain he must to recover from injury and play through pain to become the MVP of his league.

Passion always requires the courage to suffer for what one believes. It is the same in pressing on to know the Lord. We are not passionate for Christ if we live in fear of rejection or retribution from the world. It is unreasonable to state that we are passionate for the Lord and yet not press on to know Him through consistent prayer and Bible Study, using our busy schedules as an excuse. We dare not claim to be passionate for the souls of the lost while we hide our faith in public and seek to be accepted by our culture.

Passion always requires suffering. It is the nature of the word that originated with Christ and is fulfilled in the context of Christ’s life in us. Pressing on to know Christ is to be our passion, because Christ’s passion to know us sent Him to the cross. His love for us was courageously expressed in His sacrifice for our sins. He suffered for us, so we who are His children will also joyfully suffer for Him. He is our passion, and His passion becomes our life. We will press on to know Him no matter what it costs or how it hurts.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions

Tuesday, May 16, 2023

Psalm 119:176  “I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek your servant…”

As we come to the end of the longest chapter in the Bible, filled with praise, prayer, problems, and practical wisdom for maturing disciples, consider two culminating truths in the very last verse:

• All we like sheep have gone astray; every one of us has turned to his own way. (see Isaiah 53:6)
• The Savior is constantly seeking the lost. (see Luke 19:10)

What joy it brings to the heart of every child of God to know that the Savior is constantly seeking us when we wander. What blessing there is to be found in the words “seek your servant.” Is this not the heart of God?

My own heart is overwhelmed this morning with the indescribable love of God that compels Him to seek and save the lost. You can hear His heart throughout the Scriptures:

• Ezekiel 34:6, 16
  “My sheep were scattered; they wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. My sheep were scattered over all the face of the earth, with none to search or seek for them. I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice.”
• Matthew 18:12-14
  “What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.”

From the very beginning of recorded history God has been seeking those who have wandered into sin.

“And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. But the LORD God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” (Genesis 3:8-9)

What a conclusion to this majestic symphony we call Psalm 119. All the music of the songs of praise and movements of prayer crescendo to this final chord – no matter where we go or what we do, God is seeking us!

My mouth bursts forth with songs of its own. “My Jesus, I love thee, I know Thou art mine. For thee all the follies of sin I resign. My gracious Redeemer, my Savior art Thou; if ever I love Thee my Jesus ‘tis now.”

“I love Thee because Thou hast first loved me, And purchased my pardon on Calvary’s tree; I love Thee for wearing the thorns on Thy brow; If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.”

“I’ll love Thee in life, I will love Thee in death, And praise Thee as long as Thou lendest me breath; And say when the death dew lies cold on my brow, If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.”

“In mansions of glory and endless delight, I’ll ever adore Thee in heaven so bright; I’ll sing with the glittering crown on my brow, If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.”

ALL BECAUSE HE SOUGHT ME OUT AND SAVED ME!

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions

Monday, May 15, 2023

After college I took a special interest in photography. Obviously, I wasn’t very good at it or I would still do it. I bought a wonderful thirty-five-millimeter camera with several lenses, and took to the prairies of North Dakota to take pictures. I love ducks and geese, and they were the subject of most of my photographs, although I did get some pretty good shots of a certain chick.

I soon learned that certain lighting conditions required certain settings on the camera, and that the final picture quality could be improved by using lens covers that altered the light. I had a variety of colored lenses that changed the image on the film and brought out certain features, colors, or qualities that I wanted enhanced. The goal was to make the photo look as much like what God created as possible.

Just like a camera, we also wear lenses on our eyes. We put on the ones we think will make the picture of our life look better. We have telephoto lenses we use to look closely at the lives of others. We have wide angle lenses to help us see as much of life as possible. We put on colored lens covers to alter the real picture – lenses of denial, selfishness, and judgmentalism – in hopes that we will like the new look.

Many times, no matter what lens we put on the camera, the picture doesn’t improve.  We look for the lens of hope but we seem to have misplaced it. That’s when we finally cry out to God to change the picture.

The issue is that we haven’t tried the only lens we ever need – the lens of God’s Word. Every picture of life, when seen through the lens of God’s promises and commands, turns out exactly the way God created it to look.

Just look at the words of the Psalmist today.

Psalm 119:169-172  “Let my cry come before you, O LORD; give me understanding according to your word!Let my plea come before you; deliver me according to your word.My lips will pour forth praise, for you teach me your statutes. ¹⁷² My tongue will sing of your word, for all your commandments are right.”

His cries for understanding are changed into praise as he begins to see the picture of his life through the lens of God’s word. His pleas for deliverance and a change of scenery are transformed into singing about the Word of God because through that lens everything looks right. Everything changes when seen through the right lens.

God wants us to see the picture of our life from His perspective, as He created it to look. The only way to do that is to see it through the lens of His Holy Word the Bible. Every detail of our lives, every event, every interruption, every hardship, every blessing, is His design to create a masterpiece of faith. We will only start to see its true beauty when we see it through His lens. Let’s stop trying to alter the photo to fit our preferences. Let’s enjoy the beauty of what God is creating in us – the life of Jesus Christ.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions

Friday, May 12, 2023

Psalm 119:162 “I rejoice at your word like one who finds great spoil.”

When I was a 10-years old my family moved from Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan to the lower peninsula town of Oscoda. We lived in a church parsonage right next to the church just north of town. Across the highway was Lake Huron, and behind the house were woods with a small creek running through them. Next door to the north was another church, and in its backyard were small sand dunes left from an era when Lake Huron was much larger.

I will never forget the treasure hunting I would do in those sand dunes and along the edges of the woods. The reason was because I would find old arrowheads that had been carved out of stone. I wish I still had some of them, but they were all lost somewhere in subsequent moves.

How fascinated I was with imagining how they had been made, by whom they had been made, and how they had been used. Every arrowhead held a different story for me. I never grew tired of looking for another one, and I would be overwhelmed with joy whenever I would find one. Not only was it a treasure to find, but it held unending possibilities for my imagination.

I still find earthly treasures today, and I still rejoice. But sadly the rejoicing I do over earthly treasure generally exceeds the rejoicing I do over spiritual treasure. Why is that? Why is it that we can jump and shout in a crowd of people watching a concert or sporting event, but we hold back from any visible display of emotion when worshipping Almighty God? When will the discovery of truth be to us as great a treasure as the discovery of material wealth?

Here’s one suggestion for us today. Count the number of text messages, Facebook posts, Tweets, emails, and phone calls you made yesterday. Now, count the number of all those that related to spiritual things. What does it reveal about where your treasure is? Did not Jesus say, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”?(Matthew 6:21)

I believe it’s time for a heart check. So here are some helpful verses to get us started on re-evaluating our priorities and treasures. Please take the time to read them carefully, prayerfully, and humbly. Ask the Lord to reveal any inconsistency in our heart so that He alone is our treasure and the reason for our rejoicing. Are you ready to discover some treasure?

Proverbs 7:1 “My son, keep my words and treasure up my commandments with you;”

Proverbs 15:16 “Better is a little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble with it.”

Matthew 13:44“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.”

Luke 12:19-21 “And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”

Luke 12:33 “Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

1 Timothy 6:18-19 “They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share,thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.”

Rejoice in God’s Word like one who has found a treasure. Do not return to the comforts of our own making we think are found in the treasures of the earth?

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions

Thursday, May 11, 2023

When I was a child, I remember thinking that three-way light bulbs were pretty cool. I can’t find any reference on the internet to when the first 3-way bulb was introduced, but it seemed like they were fairly new when I was a kid. Any of you that are older than me remember having them?

I was fascinated by the way you could change how much light came out of one bulb just by turning the switch. I remember the two 3-way lamps in the living room of our house, and how my dad would constantly ask if we really needed the light to be that bright. He loved saving money. I liked playing with the lamps.

Now they have dimmer switches for everything with infinite possibilities, but somehow, it’s just not the same for me. You see, with dimmer switches, it’s too easy to just leave it on full and forget we actually have the ability to change the brightness. But with three-way switches, we have to go through all of the levels to get back to off, thus reminding us with each use of the opportunity for cost savings and mood creation.

I see a correlation to three-way lamps in today’s section of Psalm 119.

Psalm 119:159  “See how I love your precepts; preserve my life, O LORD, according to your love.”

Three times the Psalmist uses the phrase “preserve my life,” and each time a little more light is shed on our relationship with our heavenly Father. Look at the three verses with me:

• ¹⁵⁴ Defend my cause and redeem me; preserve my life according to your promise.
• ¹⁵⁶ Your compassion is great, O LORD; preserve my life according to your laws.
• ¹⁵⁹ See how I love your precepts; preserve my life, O LORD, according to your love.

Each time the Psalmist asks God to preserve his life, it is for a different reason, and each request reveals a brighter intensity of the relationship.

• Preserve my life because you promised to.
• Preserve my life because you are just.
• Preserve my life because you love me.

A thorough reading of verses 153 through 160 reveals that the Psalmist is in trouble. He is suffering at the hands of enemies who are persecuting him. He asks for deliverance and redemption. He asks for his life to be restored to a place of security. In the darkness of the day, he remembers that there is a light that will surround him with safety so he reaches for the switch and turns it on.

“Preserve my life because you promised to, and you cannot break a promise.”

After spending a few moments letting his eyes adjust to the light that now brings hope to his heart based on the remembrance of God’s promises, he turns the switch one more time. 

“Preserve my life because you are just, and everything is happening according to your laws. Those who break your laws are guaranteed to be held accountable to you, and those who live in righteous obedience to your laws will be rewarded.”

He confesses his personal failure to obey God’s laws, and the compassion and forgiveness that sweep over his soul restore his faith in God and His justice. The light shines brighter in his heart as he gives thanks for God’s grace and releases his plans for vengeance to the One who is the final Judge.

He turns the switch once more.

“Preserve my life because you love me, and I love you. Everything that has happened has been approved by your love for me to bring me to a place of rest in your arms.”

The light can shine no brighter than this. If we are not content with the love of God, and turn the switch again, all will become dark. The promises of God bring some light. The grace and forgiveness of God bring more light. But the love of God is the full expression of His light to us. Jesus is the Light of the world, and when the Light of God’s love shines fully in our hearts, we need nothing more.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions

Wednesday, May 10, 2023

A young boy was having great difficulty with math. He avoided it as much as he could. His dislike for it was a result of his initial inability to understand it, and as a result he chose to not even try any more.

After several meetings with school teachers and officials, the parents decided to enroll him in a private school where he could get more specialized attention. After only one day of attendance his parents noticed him doing math homework. Every day the first subject he talked about was math. They called the teacher to see what had happened, and she had no explanation other than the fact that he was determined to do well.

When asked by the parents why the sudden and drastic change in attitude and performance, he responded, “They take math really seriously at this new school. Right on the wall in the front of the class is a plus sign with a man nailed to it.”

Trouble has a tendency to change our perspective on truth. The Psalmist was in that predicament as he wrote today’s verse, Psalm 119:151, “But you are near, O LORD, and all your commandments are true.”

In the preceding verse, Psalm 119:150, he had written, “They draw near who persecute me with evil purpose; they are far from your law.” His perspective was that the trouble was near. Then, in a moment of truth, he recognized that no matter how near the trouble, his Lord was nearer.

The Hebrew word translated near brings depth to our understanding of the nearness of our Lord. There are three contexts in which the word near appears:

• Near in location
• Near in relationship
• Near in time

What marvelous truths these are. Our Lord is ever-present with us. He will never leave us. His location to us is nearer than anyone or anything else, for He is in us. By the regenerating and indwelling power of the Holy Spirit the Lord Jesus Christ lives in those who by faith in His sacrifice for sins are saved eternally. This is what the Apostle Paul refers to as our hope of glory – Christ in us! The Lord is near.

He is near in relationship, for by abiding in us we are in constant fellowship with Him. He cannot and will not forsake us, for we are His children by rebirth. We are heirs of all things in eternity with Jesus Christ himself, with all the rights of a family’s first-born son. Our heavenly Father honors for all eternity the birthright that was granted to us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Brother.

The Lord is also near in time. There is never a need to make a future appointment to deal with present trouble. Never do we have to stand in line to see Him, talk to Him, or hear from Him. And after hearing from Him, while we may wait for Him to do His work in His time, we do not wait for His presence to keep us constantly at peace. He is instantly available, immediately accessible, and intimately approachable.

The enemy may be drawing near. Trouble may be approaching. BUT YOU ARE NEAR, O LORD!

May this promise be our constant perspective, for it is truth!

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions

Tuesday, May 9, 2023

Babies cry. It’s the primary way they can communicate for the first few months of their lives. It’s God’s gift to them and to the baby’s parents. It’s hard for the parents to accept this gift at 3:00 AM, but nonetheless it is a gift. Love hears the need not the annoyance. Love focuses on the person not on the imperfections of the communication.

This truth thrills my soul when I meditate on it from a spiritual perspective. Many times I must appear to my Father in heaven as a crying baby, vocalizing nothing but murmurs and groanings. Yet with ears of love He hears my deepest need. He answers me according to His lovingkindness.

Psalm 119:149 “Hear my voice according to your steadfast love;”

Charles Spurgeon writes this in his classic work entitled “The Treasury of David.” “When God hears prayer according to his lovingkindness he overlooks all the imperfections of the prayer, he forgets the sinfulness of the offerer, and in pitying love he grants the desire though the suppliant be unworthy. It is according to God’s lovingkindness to answer speedily, to answer frequently, to answer abundantly, yea, exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or even think.”

Our hearts long to know the surrender of our will to the extent that we fully trust the lovingkindness of the Father. Questions arise in our minds and are answered as soon as they are asked:

• When are we ever worthy of asking the Lord for anything?
• When have we earned the answer we seek?
• Are not all our prayers to be voiced with this attachment – answer me according to your lovingkindness?
•  Is this not the only way we can be assured of any answer at all?

“Father, teach us to pray with the humble cries of a child. Teach us that it is not in our abilities and perfections that we receive your grace and love, but in our brokenness that you hear us and extend your lovingkindness. Grant us the faith to understand that your love surpasses our weakness and inabilities, and that only good answers come from your heart, and only answers that come from your heart are good for us. Thank you for hearing us with your ears of love! Amen.”

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions

Monday, May 8, 2023

Psalm 119:147-148 “I rise before dawn and cry for help; I have put my hope in your word. My eyes stay open through the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promises.”

I’m blessed to be able to sleep very soundly. I find that I don’t sleep for very long in that state, but it’s very restful. I fall asleep fast, sometimes in the middle of sentences, and I don’t move much for the first four hours. After that anything can happen. There are no guarantees of sound sleep after 2:30 AM.

Most of the time I’m able to go back to sleep right away, but if there’s been stress in my life my mind starts racing as it looks for solutions. Sleep comes harder then. Worry can set up a stronghold more powerful than caffeine.

I am convinced that if we took a poll of our friends and family, we would discover that sleepless nights are common. We would also find that the cause of sleeplessness is also common – the cares of life. We literally spend hours each week lying awake at night thinking about how to fix life’s problems.

Worry is not always the problem. I also don’t sleep well when I am excited about something I get to do the next day. It’s especially bad if that event starts early in the morning, like a summer fishing trip. I might as well not even go to bed the night before, because all night I will be looking at the clock wondering if it’s time to go yet. Enthusiasm is an equally powerful stimulant.

The Psalmist admits to sleepless nights caused by enthusiasm. His early morning wake-up calls and his middle-of-the-night ceiling stares have nothing to do with worry, but rather with the enjoyment of time with his Lord and Savior. He confesses that he needs help, but his sleeplessness is not caused by his own problem-solving efforts or ownership of the issue. Instead, every time an issue keeps him from sleeping, he turns to the Word of God in which he has placed his hope. He even proclaims that he intentionally uses the sleepless times to meditate on God’s promises.

I have discovered the blessing of sleepless nights when my mind is at rest in Christ rather than racing to find solutions to problems. I have discovered the strength that comes from God even when I have had less sleep because my hope is in Him.

I remember one Saturday night years ago when I was totally confident in what I had planned for the next day. I was looking forward to sleeping in a little. But at 4:45 AM my alarm went off. I did not remember setting it. I had not intended to wake up at that time. As I quickly reached over and shut it off my very next thought was this- “What do you want, Lord? There must be a reason you want me up this early.” I argued with His answer for only one minute, and then rose, got dressed, and headed to the office to see what He had planned. As I drove, I looked carefully for any opportunities along the way that He had prepared for me. There was nothing – no accidents, no hitchhikers, and no stranded motorists. There was nothing out of the ordinary at the convenience store when I got my coffee. As I drove the last few blocks to the office, I wondered what He was going to show me.

When I arrived and opened my notes for the Sunday sermon, the Holy Spirit clearly revealed that there was more He wanted me to know. So, for the next two hours I did more research, more praying, and more writing. I hadn’t even cried for help, but He knew I needed it and woke me to fulfill His promise of constant care for me.

As I reflect on that early morning, I now understand what the Psalmist meant when he said his hope is in God’s Word and he meditates on His promises. Not once on that Sunday – not early in the morning nor mid-afternoon nor early evening – did I ever feel tired, or regret having been awakened by the Lord. It was especially significant to me that after being awakened, every thought of my mind was focused on what God’s purpose was for getting my attention. It was truly a time of walking fully in the Spirit of God.

How about you? What causes your sleepless nights, and what do you do with your time? Forget counting sheep, and spend time with the Shepherd.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions

Friday, May 5, 2023

Psalm 119:143 “Trouble and anguish have found me out, but your commandments are my delight.”

I am so thankful for the short time I had growing up in a rural farm community. There’s something about the farm that captivates my heart. As I drive through our scenic state my heart is most often moved by the sight of a farmhouse with outbuildings nestled into a grove of trees surrounded by rolling hills of pasture and cropland. It brings a sense of peace to me that is only rivaled by being on the water in a boat.

One of the visual images I have in my mind from those days on the farm in North Dakota is a scene that involves young calves. They have been penned up overnight in a small enclosure with adequate room to move and find water, but with not enough space to run and jump as calves love to do.

I arrived at the farm at dawn to help my friend move the calves to pasture. We re-positioned all the gates of the feed lot so that the calves would be funneled to the wide-open spaces of the pasture. The funnel was intentionally narrow to control the calves’ behavior. The final gate we opened was the gate that held back the energetic young steers. We did not have to coax them to go through the opening.

They proceeded quickly through the one-hundred-yard passageway, generating more speed with every step that drew them closer to what they considered to be freedom. They had done this before and knew that very soon there would be no more restrictions. Within five steps on exiting the last gate every calf started jumping and running and twisting and turning and leaping. They were exuberant. FREEDOM! That word exploded from every release of energy every calf made.

That is the picture that came to my mind as I read the words of Psalm 119:143. “Trouble and anguish have found me out, but your commandments are my delight.”

What brought that farm picture to my mind was a verse used by Charles Spurgeon in his daily promise devotional called “Faith’s Checkbook.” The verse is found in Malachi 4:2, and it says, “But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall.”

Sometimes, and probably more often than not, we feel like those calves penned up in a stall. The troubles of life have us caged in. We are being nourished just enough to stay alive, but we are far from feeling free enough to leap for joy. But as we begin to recall the previous experiences of freedom found in the commandments of the Lord, the light of dawn begins to appear. Hope rises in our hearts when we hear Heaven’s voices coming from the mansion on top of the hill. The Son of Righteousness has risen, and He is coming to open the gates.

We quiver with anticipation as each promise and command of our soul’s Farmer is remembered. We delight in each promise as the gates swing open. We can see a passageway to the pasture where we can be fed again. Then at last the Master stands at the final gate that has locked us in, and with one word of permission he sets us free. We move towards it, not caring any longer that our movements are still restricted by the same barriers that seconds earlier had penned us in. There is now an opening in the cage, and our hearts and minds are fixed on making our way to it.

When the last barrier has been removed, we begin to leap for joy. We run and don’t get weary. We jump and don’t get injured. We have been released into the great pasture of God’s promises. FREEDOM! That word explodes from every part of our lives as we move about in the spaciousness of God’s grace.

Whatever has you penned up today, there is hope for freedom in the commandments and promises of God. The Son of Righteousness shall rise with healing in His wings, and you will soon go out leaping for joy if you pass through the gates He is opening.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions

Thursday, May 4, 2023

I haven’t seen one for a long time, but it used to be that in every pair of new pants I would buy there would be a little white piece of paper in one of the pockets. On it were printed the words “Inspected by” followed by a number or a name. It was the manufacturer’s promise of quality control.

I also noticed that mechanical devices are stamped with the symbol of Underwriters Laboratories. They are a safety consulting and certification company established in 1894 and have participated in the safety analysis of many of the last century’s new technologies, most notably the public adoption of electricity and the drafting of safety standards for electrical devices and components. Their stamp on the devices we purchase is a promise of quality control because we know they have been thoroughly tested.

There is a difference between inspecting and testing. I’m pretty sure that Rudy, the pants inspector, didn’t personally try on every pair of pants that passed by him. My pants weren’t tested, but they were inspected. However, the new microwave or refrigerator or television was plugged in and tested prior to packaging – at least it would be by a reputable company.

When we purchase something, it comes with certain expectations of performance. We love things that work, and we get frustrated at things that don’t live up to the sales pitch. Several years ago, when a good friend of mine left for the mission field, he left some things at my house that he couldn’t take with him. He left a very nice rechargeable air pump with several other options built in. He said he wanted me to keep it for him. After a year of looking at it, I finally decided I needed to use it. I plugged it in, and after 24 hours came back to use it. It didn’t work. The battery would not charge. It was worthless.

I was disappointed. It was a nice unit, but it did not fulfill the expectations it had promised. The same can be said about the Axe body spray he left behind. Not all things can do what the creator of them says they can do.

But there is a Creator who faithfully and completely fulfills promises. He has appointed us testers of them. His very nature eliminates the need for testing, and yet He says, “Put them to the test.”  When we do, we discover what the Psalmist was able to say when he wrote, “Your promises have been thoroughly tested; that is why I love them so much.” (Psalm 119:140) David also said, “This God—his way is perfect; the word of the LORD proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.” (Psalm 18:30) King Solomon wrote, “Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.” (Proverbs 30:5)

Every promise of God has been thoroughly tested by the fire of God’s holiness. Now it is time for us to test them so that we can say we truly love them.

As I was communicating with a friend about a trial of fire he was passing through. The Holy Spirit formed this thought in my mind.  “Every day holds God’s glory and is designed by Him to build our faith so we can see it.” Every day is filled with fiery tests that are designed by God so that we can test His promises. Once thoroughly tested, we will love the promises, and we will love the Promisor more.

What is God doing in your life right now that is His invitation for you to test His promises?

Pastor John