LifeLink Devotions

Thursday, August 31, 2023

Football season is here. Fans are speculating about how great their team is going to be. Much of their speculation is based on past victories, that really have nothing to do with the present reality.

Many people pride themselves on their past victories, and they have a right to. I have trophies in my office from days long past and skills long lost. But to dwell on the past and believe that there is nothing more to be done is to put ourselves on the road to a meaningless existence. Resting on past accomplishments minimizes the chance of any future ones.

Don’t get me wrong – God requires memorials of His past victories in our lives. He told the Israelites to set up memorials at key times of their history. But now He tells them to forget those things and press on to the new things that He is going to do.

Isaiah 43:18-19  “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.”

This teaching of the Lord has a spiritual and a corporal application. From a personal perspective many people, especially those of us who have surpassed the age of fifty, sixty, and now seventy, tend to spend far more time looking backwards at what we did and how we did it than we do looking forward to the adventure that God has planned for the future. We get stuck in our ways, and then we get critical and bitter towards new people doing new things. This must not be!  God says, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.”

It happens corporally in the church as well. Too many times we hear the phrase “But we’ve never done it that way before.”  God says “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.”

Do you think for one iota of a nano-second that when God told the people to forget what He did at the crossing of the Red Sea that He was telling them to devalue it and consider it unimportant? No way! To do that He would have had to devalue Himself and admit He was wrong. God did what God did, and at that time it was great and good. But He would not do it that way again. He used part of the method the next time at the Jordan River, but not all of it. He adapted to new situations with new methods. That doesn’t mean the way He did it the first time was wrong. In fact, it was just the right way to do it for that time. Now it was a new time, and God was going to use new methods to reach His people.

This really speaks to me, both personally and pastorally. I need to meditate on this today and let the Lord show me if there is anything from the past that I am still holding on to because I believe for some reason it validates my life. I need to let the Holy Spirit tell me if there is any accomplishment or method from my past from which I receive my affirmation. Then I need to confess the idolatry of that and surrender to the new things He wants to do in and through me.

Will you join me in that process of growth and healing today?

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions

Wednesday, August 30, 2023

Isaiah 43:10  “You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD…

I want to continue with some thoughts on witnessing.  Let me take you to the story of Jesus meeting a Samaritan woman at a well in John 4:1-30. Let me share with you the first three points that the Lord taught me about the model witness Jesus was.

First, as you may remember from the story, Jesus was on a trip from Judea to Galilee. Instead of going the traditional Jewish route which avoided any contact with the region of Samaria and/or Samaritan people, He intentionally went into the “forbidden” territory. Jesus was travelling, but His itinerary was scary.

It’s scary to intentionally go out witnessing. It’s scary just answering spiritual questions people ask us. But early in His ministry on earth and in the training of His disciples, Jesus modeled the priority of doing the Father’s will, which is to be a witness. It is what we have been called to do. It is our divine purpose. We are the ambassadors of Christ, bringing the message of reconciliation through the cross to the unsaved people of the world.

Jesus intentionally went to where the unsaved were. Not only did He choose to go into dangerous territory, but He put His own reputation at risk by communicating with a Samaritan woman – and an adulterous Samaritan woman at that. That was totally contrary to anything that a respectable Jewish man would do, let alone one who was proclaiming Himself to be the Jewish Messiah. But risk meant nothing to the Savior of the world when compared to the mission He had been assigned by the Father. Obedience to the Father and trust in His Sovereign grace was the priority of His life.

Are we willing to accept the call the go wherever God leads us to bring the Gospel to the lost? What does your itinerary look like today? Is it comfortable and controllable, or does it include something scary like sharing Jesus with an unsaved person?

Second, Jesus went to the well at a time of the day when He would meet someone who was rejected by the rest of society. The traditional time for the women of the city to go out to the well and draw water was early in the morning. They might also return in the evening. They never came at noon because it was too hot. Only the people who weren’t a part of the “in” crowd went to the well at other times. So it was with the woman Jesus met. Because of her marital and sexual immorality, she had most likely been excluded from the circle of fellowship with the other women. Jesus went to a place where He would meet the worst that society has to offer.

How about us? Are we only comfortable sharing our faith with our peers, or will we intentionally go out of our way to meet the spiritual needs of the people commonly rejected by those in our social strata?

Third, Jesus asks the woman for a drink, fully intending to steer the conversation to the living water He had to offer her. I was blown away by something so simple yet so profound in this section of the story – Jesus NEVER got His drink of water. He was thirsty, but her thirst came first! He completely set aside all His fleshly desires for the sake of fulfilling His purpose to be a witness to the woman of God’s salvation.

So again the questions pop into my mind. What desires do I have for my life that I have made a higher priority than being a witness? What am I thirsty for, and how many opportunities to be a witness have I missed because I am pursuing my physical or emotional thirsts rather than seeing the spiritual thirst of others?

CONVICTION…followed by repentance…followed by forgiveness…followed by a renewed commitment. That’s the plan for today.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions

Tuesday, August 29, 2023

When I was young I took lots of notes in my Bible. I don’t do it as much as I used to, but when the Lord teaches me something from His Word, it is appropriate for me to make a note of it in the margins. As I look through my Bibles from the past, I realize I should have been doing something more – I should have been writing down when and where I was when the Lord revealed that truth to me. It would be helpful to have the context of the Holy Spirit’s teaching to give me a deeper connection to it.

Such is the case this morning as we come to Isaiah 43:10-15. At some point in my study of this prophetic book the Lord showed me something very special that I have written down, but I don’t know when it was or what the circumstances were. Oh well. Such is the memory of an aging man.

Isaiah 43:10  “You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD, “and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me. I, even I, am the LORD, and apart from me there is no savior.”

Next to this verse I simply wrote down three words – wonder, worship, and witness.

Notice first the wonder of who God is. There is no other God, nor will there ever be. There is no other Savior, nor will there ever be. He has revealed Himself, He has saved us, and He has proclaimed His purpose to us. Then as if it isn’t enough for us to see His splendor and majesty, He has told us that we can know Him, believe Him, and understand Him. What a wonder that is!

Then notice the worship of God. When we know Him, we worship Him. We worship Him as our Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel. We worship Him our Lord and King. We worship Him as the eternal one, the ancient of days. Our worship is personal and intimate as God reveals Himself to us. He is our God, not just a god. The more we understand the wonder of God the more we will worship Him in the splendor of His majesty.

Finally, notice the witness for God. Worship is a witness. Worship motivates witnessing. God calls us witnesses. He calls us to witness. We are witness of who He is and what He has done. He calls us to be unashamed to tell others everything we know about Him.

The wonder of God produces worship to God which produces witnessing for God.

Let that be the flavor of your life today and every day.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions

Monday, August 28, 2023

Someday.

That word defines our perspective most of the time. When we are young life is all about someday as we dream of what we will grow up to be. As adults we have lots of somedays.

• Someday I’ll meet the right person to marry.
• Someday I’ll get rich.
• Someday I’ll own a home.
• Etc. Etc.

Some of our somedays have to do with the trials and tribulations of life.

• Someday I’ll get better.
• Someday I’ll change him/her.
• Someday I’ll get out of this mess.
• Etc. Etc.

Don’t get me wrong – dreams are okay. Goals and ambitions are fine. But we tend to live in a wishful world of denial. We are always looking for the better that’s ahead when the very best may be right here right now. In fact, where God is working in our lives right now is the most important place for us to be and invest all our attention and energy.

This is especially true in regards to our salvation. Yes, there is a futuristic reality to our salvation when Jesus returns to complete our redemption by completing His work of sanctification in our lives. We will be like Him when we see Him face to face. However, far too many of us are satisfied to live in that Someday when God wants us to see His saving and keeping power in our lives TODAY! We are missing the best this life can offer when we live for the someday instead of realizing that God has given us His best for today.

Constantly looking to Someday makes us self-dependent in the realities of today. When trouble comes, we have to fix it because Someday hasn’t arrived. When the circumstances of life, finances and relationships test us to the limits of our strength and resolve, we have nowhere else to go because we only believe in Someday. That’s not what God intended for us. If we are living that way, we are living beneath our privilege.

Read these words of the Lord carefully in Isaiah 43:2-3  –  “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.”

Do you see the Today in those promises? Not Someday, but Today when you are experiencing the torrents of tribulation or the flames of fear, the Lord you God is your Savior. WOW!!!!!!! The power of Christ’s resurrected life in you is a very present reality and not reserved for Someday.

So go ahead – live for today. That’s where God is doing His greatest work in your life. You can see it, know it, and experience it.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions

Friday, August 25, 2023

“I miss my mommy.”

That sentiment came through loud and clear as one of our grandkids sat on the couch at our house looking out the window. It was almost time for his daddy to pick him up, but he wanted his mommy. Once daddy arrived he was fine, but he made a bee-line for the truck to get home as fast as he could. He wanted to be where she would be.

As kids we may not have analyzed the reasons why we loved mom so much, but we sure knew there was something special about her. One aspect of  mom’s abilities stands out to me. Moms have an incredible sense of balance. They know how to be tough when it’s called for, but they also know when it’s time to snuggle. They know how to give warnings and then follow them up with warmth. They know just how much fear of consequences to instill and at just the right time they bring the assurance needed to offer safety and security.

In that respect, moms are a great example of God’s heart. In the section of Isaiah we are studying God demonstrates this balance. He gives warnings and warmth. He is strict but He is sensitive.

Isaiah 43:1  “But now, this is what the LORD says—he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.”

All of this reminds me of a scene from The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. The children have arrived at the house of the beaver and they are talking about the winter conditions and when spring will ever come. The beaver informs them of Aslan the Lion. “You see, Aslan is not just a lion, but he’s a great Lion. He’s the King of the Beasts, and the real ruler of Narnia. Then Susan asks the beavers, “Is he safe?” Mrs. Beaver says, “If there’s anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking, they’re either braver than most or else just silly.” Lucy asks, “Then he isn’t safe?” And Mr. Beaver says this famous line about Aslan: “’Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”

There’s an old saying,

“Wrong will be right, when Aslan comes in sight,
At the sound of his roar, sorrows will be no more,
When he bares his teeth, winter meets its death,
And when he shakes his mane, we shall have spring again.”

Aslan is the picture of God. He isn’t safe, but He is good. There’s balance. At the end of Isaiah 42 there is a strict warning about not paying attention to what God is doing. Then, at the height of their fear, God comes as their Comforter and provides them a security blanket. He says, “I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; YOU ARE MINE!” As they shook with fear because He is not safe, they were called by name and gathered into His arms in a heavenly snuggle and reassured of their value and status provided by the Redeemer who died on the cross for their sins.

God is so good at that. At just the right time, when all looks gloomy, He comes with His grace and reminds us that we are His. When worry brings wallowing God comes with the warmth of wisdom because He knows our every need and cares for us. When we are trembling with fear, He reminds us that death has no power over us because we are redeemed.

Whatever gloom remains in your life today; whatever wrong continues to break your spirit; look for the Lion. When He returns to the throne of your heart, all will be made right. You are His…FOREVER!

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions

Thursday, August 24, 2023

“Pay Attention.”

I cannot count how many times those two words rang out from the teacher’s lips while I was in school. It humbles me to admit that most of the time they were directed at me. I was an undiagnosed ADHD child. My eyes were open, and I saw many things, but they were always flitting around trying to be a part of everything that was going on near me. My ears were one channel, hearing only what my eyes were focused on, which was usually not the teacher. Later my wife would coin the phrase “selective hearing.” Yet somehow, in the back of my mind, I heard everything she said, got all my work done, and hovered consistently around the top of my class. The brain is a fascinating creation of an infinite God, and it amazes me.

As I observe the actions and attitudes of the general public, I am convinced that there is a rampant yet undiagnosed epidemic surging through the world. It is called Spiritual ADHD. It has been present in the world for many millenniums but is now reaching an infectious rate never before seen in history. People look like they have their eyes open, but all they see is man’s activity. They appear to have their ears open, but all they hear is man’s voice. As I progress through these days, the circumstances of life are shouting God’s invitation to “Pay attention!” I’m pretty sure that the public is not listening.

Isaiah 42:20  “You have seen many things, but have paid no attention; your ears are open, but you hear nothing.”

Inthe Gospel of Matthew chapter 16, Jesus is approached by a group of religious leaders who had Spiritual ADHD. Here’s the story:

“The Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus and tested him by asking him to show them a sign from heaven.   He replied, “When evening comes, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,’   and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.”

Even back in the days of our Lord’s ministry on earth He was trying to get people to pay attention. There were sufficient signs in the physical, cultural, and political events of the day to uncover God’s purpose and plan as revealed in the prophecies of Scripture. The general public should have been able to see them and discern their meaning.

But before we go getting all high and mighty about ourselves and put these guys down, how many of us are spending sufficient time in Scripture to understand what God said about the days in which we live? And if we are, how many of us are paying attention to the signs of the times and adjusting our lives accordingly?

I believe that every event in these last days is an opportunity for us to hear God’s voice calling us to pay attention. He is calling us to become more and more active in the advancement of His kingdom and not the kingdoms of this world. Those who are paying attention are devoting more and more of their time and resources to the work of the Gospel. Priorities need to be adjusted so that our lifestyles reflect our commitment to the cause of Christ. Instead of changing our personal budgets so that God gets less we need to adjust our spending habits so that God gets more than ever. Otherwise, we are not paying attention.

Look around. The fruit on the tree is getting ripe and the fields are already white unto harvest. Pray that the Lord will send forth workers into the harvest field and pray that you will be one of them.

PAY ATTENTION!!!!!

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions

Wednesday, August 23, 2023

It had been at least eight years.  A lot of crud can accumulate in that amount of time, and it had. I wouldn’t have thought about it except suddenly during a shower the water just quit running. After about ten seconds it kicked back in again and pressure returned. At first, I thought one of our house guests was playing a trick on me. Not so. That began the investigation into the cause.

We have a well at our rural home, so I went to the basement where the pressure tank is located. I began to check the pressure switch and discovered that it wasn’t working properly. I started making some adjustments. I would turn the set screws one way and then the other, trying to get them in just the right place so that the water would flow smoothly without interruption. I would get it to work for a few days, and then it would get messed up again.

Finally, after days of fighting with it I realized that the problem might be either a faulty switch or a plugged feed line to the switch. You see, water has to pass through the feed line under pressure to turn the switch on and off. If the feed line is plugged, the switch can’t work and the water won’t flow consistently.  

I decided to fix it once and for all, so off to the plumbing supply store I went to buy the parts. I got everything I could potentially need, plus used the opportunity to buy a couple of new tools. WooHoo! When I returned my wife and I filled some buckets with water in case we needed it, and then the fun started.

I shut off the power to the pump, disconnected the water conditioner and softener and moved them out of the way. I wondered how rusted in place the parts would be on the back of the pressure tank. I prayed a quick prayer that they would be easy to remove and replace. The first turn of the wrench on the pressure switch surprised me. Why? Hadn’t I just prayed? It came off easily, and not with a “snap” like sometimes. You men know what I mean.

When I turned the switch over and looked at it the feed pipe was almost totally clogged with gunk – oozing rusty crud. No wonder the switch would take forever to turn on and off – there was no way the switch could register the pressure readings. The pipe and switch both needed to be replaced, and while I was at it, I put on a new pressure gauge as well. I had it all done and working in less than an hour. What a blessing. I stopped and thanked the Lord for making the job easy and for giving me the skills to accomplish it. He gets all the glory.

Isaiah 42:8  “I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not give my glory to another.”

I wonder how many times I have done things and taken the credit for them? Probably a lot. You too I’ll bet. God doesn’t take kindly to that. When we take credit for what has been done we have made ourselves into an idol that we worship. That may seem hard to stomach, but it’s the truth. We are our own god much of the time.

The problem is that it fills the feed line of our lives with crud – oozing rusty gunk called pride. We make all kinds of external adjustments trying to keep the water flowing smoothly, but every day something interrupts the flow, and we get caught in the middle of a mess with no water. So, we try to make more external adjustments when what is really needed is a clean feed line.

Let me ask you – How clean is the feed line through which the Living Water is supposed to flow into your life? Are you spending time every day in Scripture and prayer? Do you ask the Father for His direction and wisdom every day? Do you praise the Son for your forgiveness and eternal life every day? Do you depend upon the Holy Spirit to produce the character of Christ in you every day? Is the Water flowing?

One more thing – make sure God gets the glory for everything you do. Don’t be guilty of idol worship.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions

Tuesday, August 22, 2023

His earthly ministry is almost over. There are just a few more details to teach His disciples about what will be happening in the next few days and beyond. According to the traditional timeline, Jesus met with His disciples in the upper room on Thursday night. The things He will tell them will deeply distress them. They will be confused and concerned about their own futures, let alone their Lord’s. Each one will respond differently to the things they will hear to cover their pain.

Peter will get very vocal and bold, refusing to have his feet washed and claiming that he will endure to the end and suffer death if need be. It was a cover-up for his pain to keep his assumed image intact.

They will all question the sincerity of their hearts and their commitment levels when Jesus announces that one of them will betray Him. They quickly have a meeting and elect John to ask Him who it is so they can hopefully ease their own minds.

When Jesus announces that He is leaving, and that they will join Him someday, Thomas reveals the confusion of all of them when he says that they don’t get it. “Where are you going, and how do we get there?”

Even after answering them and telling them that He was the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and that they could arrive at the Father’s home through Him, Philip asked to see the Father. How embarrassing to ask a question to which you should have already known the answer.

Imagine the pain they must have been experiencing. For three years they have followed Jesus based on some cultural and religious presuppositions. Every step of the way Jesus had gently addressed those assumptions and declared to them nuggets of truth that could have changed their perceptions. They didn’t understand. They still thought that the outcome was going to be the installation of a King on the throne of David and that they were going to get to be in the inner circle of leadership in the new Kingdom. Now it was beginning to dawn in the darkness of their minds that there was a different plan. It hurt to see the brightness of the light that began to shine.

Their hearts were wounded. They were bending severely under the weight of their misunderstanding. The fire of their enthusiasm was reduced to a mere smolder of smoke as they struggled with their own identity and worth.

But Jesus – the servant of God in whom He delights – does not cry out or raise His voice. He does not bend them further until they break. He does not extinguish what remains of their fire. He fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah 42:1-4, which declares,“Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him and he will bring justice to the nations. He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. In his law the islands will put their hope.”

Instead of correction, Jesus comforts them by saying, “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.”

What comfort that was! What compassion was revealed! Jesus the encourager. Preparing Himself to suffer and die he reached out to help those who were hurting far less than Himself. They could not know the depth of their Lord’s pain, even if they were not so focused on their own. But that did not matter to Jesus. He reached out to them and lifted them out of their gloom and despair and gave them hope.

Take heart, my friend. Whatever it is in your life that is bending you to the breaking point or extinguishing all the fires of enthusiasm in your heart, Jesus will not break you or snuff you out. He will respond to your need with compassion and lift you out of your gloom and give you hope. Let Him adjust your perspective!

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions

Monday, August 21, 2023

I don’t like the new ones. Some of the old ones that just went up and down were okay, but these new roller coasters scare me – you know – the ones that go upside down and swing way out around curves leaving you hanging helplessly in space twenty stories above the ground. That’s not for me.

Lately life has been like one of those new roller coasters. There are moments of excitement as the buggy I’m in slowly comes up over the top of a huge hill and I see the incredible vision of all that is laid out before me. Then there’s the thrill of taking off down the hill towards it all. But invariably there is a sharp curve at the bottom of every hill that throws me off track and puts fear in my heart. The vision is blurred by the speed of the turn and change of direction. Occasionally things even get turned upside down and it all seems backwards as the buggy speeds away in the opposite direction of the vision I first saw. When do we get to the “coaster” part of this ride?

As I contemplate this analogy, one truth comes to my mind that stabilizes my thoughts – fear is the absence of trust. What I don’t like about roller coasters is that I’m not sure I can trust those little, tiny wheels to hang on to that steel rail. I know they are clamped on, but when I’m hanging way out over the edge of a huge curve hurtling at break-neck speeds I’m not thinking about all the testing that went into those wheels and clamps, or the hundreds of times they have safely travelled this route before. My mind chooses to focus on what could go wrong, and I bet yours does too.

That’s the root of seeing life as a roller coaster ride – choosing to focus on the twists and turns rather than the God who designed them all to build our character and accomplish His purpose. God has been this way before. He has tested every aspect of our journey and determined that it is good and that is for our good. He is the one who can be trusted. My fear is the product of not trusting Him.

When life doesn’t make sense, where do you turn to try to figure it out? Like most of us, you probably turn to the counsel of people. The futility of that response is shown in Isaiah 41 where God speaks to the people and says: (read this carefully)

“Present your case,” says the LORD. “Set forth your arguments,” says Jacob’s King. “Bring in your idols to tell us what is going to happen. Tell us what the former things were, so that we may consider them and know their final outcome. Or declare to us the things to come, tell us what the future holds, so we may know that you are gods. Do something, whether good or bad, so that we will be dismayed and filled with fear. But you are less than nothing and your works are utterly worthless; he who chooses you is detestable. I have stirred up one from the north, and he comes—one from the rising sun who calls on my name. He treads on rulers as if they were mortar, as if he were a potter treading the clay. Who told of this from the beginning, so we could know, or beforehand, so we could say, ‘He was right’? No one told of this, no one foretold it, no one heard any words from you. I was the first to tell Zion, ‘Look, here they are!’ I gave to Jerusalem a messenger of good tidings. I look but there is no one—no one among them to give counsel, no one to give answer when I ask them. See, they are all false! Their deeds amount to nothing; their images are but wind and confusion.“

So when you’re hanging out over a curve, or screaming as the bottom drops out and you head down a steep slope, look up. God designed this roller coaster just for you, and He can be trusted to keep you safe.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions

Friday, August 18, 2023

I remember a scene in an old movie that depicted a soldier struggling on his hands and knees to cross a desert. I don’t remember the movie or the actor, but I remember the incredible make-up job they did on the guy. His lips were swollen and blistered with sunburn, as was his face, except it was drawn in from dehydration. His tongue hung out of his mouth and was chalky dry. He needed water desperately. Even now I find myself licking my lips to see how dry I am.

This is the analogy God gives to Isaiah to demonstrate the depth of our spiritual thirst.

Isaiah 41:17  “The poor and needy search for water, but there is none; their tongues are parched with thirst. But I the LORD will answer them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.”

I see it every day. I am encouraged to see that so many are looking for Living Water because they have discovered that it is the only source of true satisfaction.

We live in a day when those of us who are over the age of fifty have the greatest potential for ministry to the younger generation. You see, they are truly thirsty. They have tried what the post-modern philosophy has taught them and discovered that it doesn’t work. They attempted to accept anybody’s experience as truth for them and have discovered a conflict deep in their souls that cannot be resolved. They are learning that relativism doesn’t work, and they want to know if there is a truth that endures the test of time. That’s where we old folks come in. We are the models to them of enduring truth, and they are watching us. They are even talking to us.

Churches are filled with young men and women who are turning to Jesus and standing on the truth. They are asking to be put into small groups with people of the older generations because, in one of their own words, “We have so much wisdom to learn from them.” Young families are coming to Jesus because they see grandmas and grandpas that are living joy-filled lives based on a personal relationship with Jesus. They see the heritage of faith being lived out in their children and now their grandchildren. They see the reality of faith and the real love for others that results.

This is our day to shine. The world is being driven to a crossroads, and when they arrive at the cross, they want to know which path to choose. We can show them. Don’t falter in your faith. Don’t withdraw from the public because of your age. Engage them. Encourage them. Enlighten them. You are the clay pitcher in the hands of the Potter, and He has filled you with Living Water. Spill it onto those who are thirsty.

Pastor John