LifeLink Devotions

Friday, September 29, 2023

Some of us question why God allows natural disasters. The truth is that these events in nature – from earthquakes to hurricanes – are a part of God’s call to spiritual revival and renewal.

Ever since sin entered the world through Adam and Eve, God has been using what Satan intended for evil to bring people to their spiritual knees. It is in that position that renewal begins. That’s where the compassion and comfort of God are found. That’s where joy and gladness begin. That’s where the sound of singing can be heard.

The whole story of the world since the Garden of Eden is one of restoration. Satan is convinced that he has enough power to destroy God’s creation, and he has been determined to do it. He is especially focused on people because we are created in God’s image. Nothing in the world is off limits to his vicious attacks. Nature itself with all its power has been corrupted by the influence of man’s sin, and Satan uses it to what he thinks is his advantage.

But Almighty God, the One and Only Sovereign Ruler of all eternity, is making all things new. No matter how bad it looks right now, God is in the process of returning joy and gladness. Someday, when Jesus returns and sin has been vanquished, the earth will be restored for the time of His Kingly reign.

The nation of Israel stands as an example of destruction and desolation.  Many nations seek control of the Middle east, without any Biblical support for their claims. God’s unconditional covenant with Abraham still stands, and Israel has the right to it all. Here’s what the Lord promised them. 

Isaiah 51:3-6 “The LORD will surely comfort Zion and will look with compassion on all her ruins; he will make her deserts like Eden, her wastelands like the garden of the LORD. Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the sound of singing. Listen to me, my people. Hear me, Israel, for my law will be proclaimed, and my justice will become a light to the nations. My mercy and justice are coming soon. Your salvation is on the way. I will rule the nations. They will wait for me and long for my power. Look up to the skies above, and gaze down on the earth beneath. For the skies will disappear like smoke, and the earth will wear out like a piece of clothing. The people of the earth will die like flies, but my salvation lasts forever. My righteous rule will never end!”

Storms are required for us to experience the wonder of renewal: and God’s renewal is guaranteed. Without storms we would never know God’s grace, which is sufficient for every need. We need the needs. While there may be weeping in the night, morning is coming and joy will be restored. That’s the promise of God. But it all starts on our knees, looking up to the One who brings us salvation that lasts forever. Spiritual renewal must be our first priority.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions

Thursday, September 28, 2023

I am thankful for my spiritual heritage. The first van Gorkom immigrants to America came from Holland to escape religious persecution. They settled in Pella, Iowa and began new lives of spiritual freedom. Eight generations later the Gospel is still the compelling reality in most of our lives.

Whether or not you have a spiritual lineage in your family, there is a spiritual heritage that is yours. God reminded the nation of Israel of their heritage when He told them to look back at the rock from which they were cut.

Isaiah 51:1    “Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness and who seek the LORD: Look to the rock from which you were cut and to the quarry from which you were hewn;”

God was referring to Abraham and Sarah, and He was asking them to reflect on all the ways He had fulfilled His covenant promises to them and their descendants. Based on that heritage, God renewed His commitment to them to fulfill every word He ever spoke.

You and I are a part of that same spiritual heritage. We have been cut from the Rock, Jesus Christ. Whether you are a first-generation believer or have a multi-generational heritage, we can look back to the same place of origin – the cross of Calvary where Jesus died to redeem us. We have the privilege of looking back at all the heroes of the faith that prepared the way for Jesus and then proclaimed the truth of His grace and power since He rose from the dead.

When God tells Israel to look back, He is reminding us to do the same. Look back at the spiritual heroes of the Bible. Look back at the spiritual heroes of your family. Look back at the life of Jesus, the greatest Hero of all. If you need help doing that, read the eleventh chapter of Hebrews. Then, digest the wonderful truths and challenge of what comes next from the heart of God –

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” (Hebrews 12:1-3)

The rock from which we were cut, and the quarry from which we were hewn, motivates the pursuit of righteousness and the seeking of the Lord.

So, look back and see the rock. Then look up and see the Rock. Then look ahead and see the rock you are becoming as you prepare for the return of the Rock. You are a part of the heritage.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions

Wednesday, September 27, 2023

Yesterday the Holy Spirit challenged us all to consider the True Light that shines in the darkest darkness of our hearts and lives.  What or whom do we really trust when times get tough? God designs the darkness so that we are brought face to face with the truth of our trust. That’s a reality many of us avoid facing. We want to think we really trust God, but when it gets dark, we tend to turn on our own lights first.

Following His great promise of Light in the darkness, God spoke these words.  

Isaiah 50:11 “But now, all you who light fires and provide yourselves with flaming torches, go, walk in the light of your fires and of the torches you have set ablaze. This is what you shall receive from my hand: You will lie down in torment.”

Here’s a simple paraphrase: “But watch out, you who live in your own light and warm yourselves by your own fires. This is the reward you will receive from me: You will soon lie down in great torment.”

The natural tendency we all have is to create our own light to show us the way out of the darkness. We build our own campfires called comfort zones that will hopefully sustain us in the darkness and protect us from whatever lurks in the shadows.

We build campfires using firewood from friends, finances, and family.  We spend our daylight hours searching for more firewood so that when the darkness comes, we will be able to keep the fire burning. We even keep a pile of fast-burning wood like alcohol, drugs, sex, and money. It flares up quickly so we can get instant relief, even though we know that after it is burned up it will leave us in deeper darkness.

We carry flashlights powered by disposable batteries of human wisdom. We stock up on batteries for the impending storm by seeking the counsel and companionship of people. We look for the ones that will give us the most light for the longest time, knowing full well that even the bunny gets tired and copper tarnishes. That’s why we keep buying more – more self-help books, more counseling sessions, more internet time. Somewhere out there someone must be available who can really help us.

The problem with campfires and flashlights is that besides needing to always be powered by self-effort, they are motivated by fear. It is fear that makes us believe that fires and flashlights are necessary. When we finally admit that fear has taken over parts of our heart, we are on the way towards finding the eternal Light that shines in the darkness.

When fear is recognized and confessed, faith takes over. Now the True Light can shine, and it never needs to be stoked or stocked.  There is no human effort needed to keep the Light shining. It is powered by its own eternal nature, for God is Light!

Here’s what we need to do. First, let’s face our fears, and the best way to do that is to put out our campfires and shut off our flashlights. Go ahead – right now – fill a bucket with the Living Water of God’s Word and throw it on your fire. Then switch off the flashlight of human understanding. Go one step further – remove the batteries. Let it be dark with no hope of any human light. Now look up. Don’t look out into the darkness. Look up into the light of heaven. It may only appear as a twinkle at first, but when your eyes are on that twinkle you become unaware of the darkness around you. It’s only when you extinguish the fire and shut off the flashlight that you can see the stars. And when you do, fear is dissolved into faith!

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions

Tuesday, September 26, 2023

I enjoy camping. It’s relaxing. Campfires are the best part. I remember one camping trip with friends and family where the campfire was kept going all day long. Many conversations were held as we sat and watched the flames doing multi-colored dances above the firepit.

When the evening campfire chat had come to a conclusion, Denise and I realized we had not brought a flashlight with us to the campfire. It wasn’t a long walk back to our campsite, but it was very dark. I told my wife that it would be fine because I’m a bowhunter and I walk in the dark all the time when pursuing Bambi. After a subtle comment from someone around the campfire about me being in the dark all the time, we took off hand in hand to walk back to our camper.

When we got near it, I told her to follow me closely because there were obstacles in the path that could hurt if bumped into. She grabbed hold of my shirt and walked right behind me, trusting me to keep her safe. I didn’t lead her astray, and we arrived safely at the door.

The next morning when I got up, I read this verse in my devotions, and I was instantly taken back to that demonstration of trust.

Isaiah 50:10 “Who among you fears the LORD and obeys the word of his servant? Let him who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the LORD and rely on his God.”

There is no further application necessary. You have sufficient insight from the Holy Spirit to apply the truth of this passage to your own periods of darkness. Let the Holy Spirit shed light on your path today.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions

Monday, September 25, 2023

Facebook has some value. I especially appreciate all the people who use it to share the Gospel and post Bible verses. One morning a particular post caught my attention.

“No one can know what anyone else is really thinking except that person alone, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. And God has actually given us his Spirit (not the world’s spirit) so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us. When we tell you this, we do not use words of human wisdom. We speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths.” (First Corinthians 2:11-13)

The Lord opened my ears. Just think of the truth in those verses. Our human rational thought process is incapable of knowing God and His plans for us. But He has given us His Spirit so we can know Him and know what He desires for us. We can know what God thinks of us. That’s simply amazing.

Then, as if that’s not enough, His Spirit also qualifies us to teach the spiritual truths to others. I wonder how many of us are not doing what God has planned for us because we don’t think we are qualified? How many people are eliminated from our prospect lists because we don’t think they are qualified? How many more servants of Jesus would become strong leaders for Jesus if we realized that He has called them and that we are the ones to help qualify them?

Isaiah 50:5  “The Sovereign LORD has opened my ears, and I have not been rebellious; I have not drawn back.”

God says there are two ways that we become unqualified for helping others with the spiritual truths God has given us:

1. We rebel against God. The word here means “open, contentious disobedience.” Some people are like that. They try to follow God, but when things don’t go according to their own desires and plans, they openly reject God and rebel against Him. Attitudes and actions like that keep us from teaching spiritual truths to others because we have become unteachable by the Holy Spirit.
2. We draw back from God. This is where I think many of us struggle. The Hebrew word used here means “to move away, turn back, and backslide.” Every time we step off the path of God and onto a path of our own making we are guilty of drawing back from God (Psalm 44:18). Every time we ignore what God has taught us and don’t apply it to our lives, we have drawn back from God. And even though we think it’s not really that serious, it is to God, and the punishment for drawing back is the same as for worshipping false gods. To be sure, read Zephaniah 1:4-6.

God has graciously saved us. He has filled us with His Spirit who teaches us all the spiritual truths we need for an abundant life of service to His Son. But we have drawn back into a comfort zone of culturally defined Christianity. It is time for us to ask the Lord to open our ears, and to pledge to Him that we will not rebel, and that we will not draw back.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions

Friday, September 22, 2023

One day years ago I had a ministry appointment out in the country. On the way I would pass the farm of an elderly gentleman that I had not yet met, but who might be willing to let me bow hunt for deer on his property – at least that’s what another new acquaintance of mine told me. So, I stopped in to his house. He wasn’t home. On my way home from my appointment, I dropped by again, and he still wasn’t home. I was disappointed. In one month, the season opens, and it sure would be nice to have some land to hunt that was closer to my home. I regretted not having a business card in my pocket so I could leave a note for him in the door.

In the fiftieth chapter of Isaiah, God is having the same kind of a day with the nation of Israel.

Isaiah 50:2  “When I came, why was there no one? When I called, why was there no one to answer? Was my arm too short to ransom you? Do I lack the strength to rescue you?”

He came to visit them, and they weren’t home. He called them and there was no answer. Then the Lord gives them the reason for His visit – He was there to rescue them from the trouble they were in. Unfortunately, they weren’t available.

As God gives the people the reasons for His visit, He also reveals the reason for the trouble they were in – they didn’t think God really cared or that God could really do anything about it. God says, “do you really think I don’t care or that I lack the ability and resources to help you?

I wonder how many times I have missed a visit from God in my life because I was off trying to fix things in my own wisdom and strength. As I reflect on my natural tendencies, I jump rather quickly into fix-it mode. Then, when my strength and resources are exhausted, I turn to God for help. How sad!

How great is the denial in which we live when we think that what we are doing is just our natural tendency, almost as if we are trying to justify our behavior. We need to fall on our knees before the Father and admit that we just don’t trust Him or think He really cares. We prefer our own control rather than surrender to His control. As a result, we wander off to do things our way, and we miss His visit.

But God is so gracious. He reaches into His bottomless pocket and pulls out His business card and a pen. Then, with ink that strangely resembles blood He writes these words – “Sorry I missed you” – and places it in the door of our heart where we are sure to see it whenever we choose to open it again.

Quick. Go check the door. Maybe God’s been at your place recently. He’s still available.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions

Thursday, September 21, 2023

The context of the first seven verses of Isaiah 49 is prophetic. Jesus the Messiah is being foreseen, and He is the one spoken of.

Jesus, the Second Person of the Trinity, who is fully and eternally God, was called by the Father to accomplish His will – to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel that had been kept by God. But before He clarifies the call God confirms the commitment. Was Jesus, the Son of God, in all His eternal glory, willing to humble Himself and become a man, taking on the form of a servant, if that’s what it took to accomplish God’s glory? Or would He consider that calling too small a thing for someone so qualified? So the Father makes an addition to the call. The Messiah would be a light for the Gentiles – you and me – and bring salvation to the ends of the earth.

Isaiah 49:6   “And now the Lord says, ‘It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.’”

When I first started out in ministry, I served two small churches in rural South Dakota. To provide for my family, I needed full-time employment. I spent almost eight years in bi-vocational ministry.

Years ago, as the church I pastored was growing, we had a need for a part-time associate pastor. We searched for a long time. We were discouraged by the unwillingness of those called to ministry to serve the Lord in bi-vocational ministry. The call seemed too small for them.

We have created a culture in our modern church era that places ministry on the same level as professional employment. Granted, the Bible teaches that the workman is worthy of his hire, but the same Apostle who wrote that first taught by example how to be bi-vocational to ease the burden on the local church so ministry to people could flourish. Time and time again while contacting potential applicants the same response was given – “I have my degree, I’m a professional, and I have certain pay requirements, and I can’t do part-time.”  In some cases, the hearts of the applicant were right based on the needs of their family, and I respect that. But there were far too many people that made it clear that our position was too small a thing for them.

I believe that we are in denial about how serious this issue is in our own lives. We don’t want to take the time to reflect on how much the materialistic society in which we live has impacted our willingness to serve Jesus sacrificially. I truly believe that there are things God has called us to do that we have determined are beneath us and don’t meet our needs. We are blinded by the immediate and therefore miss the glory that could be seen. We have climbed to the mountain top of our pride and forgotten that the only view of God’s glory is from the lowest place.

When I recently travelled to the Philippines and to India, I met men and women who understand the call of God to serve Him. They know there is no call too small. They know there is no need to put conditions on God’s call. Obedience to God’s call will always be accompanied by God’s provision to accomplish it. We tend to put the provision ahead of the call, and that is not how God works. There’s a reason for that…because that puts us in a position to receive glory to ourselves. If we focus on the provisions as a condition, then when the task is complete, we will believe we had some part in making it happen. God has stated clearly that He will not share His glory. (Isaiah 48:11) If we are seeking to provide for ourselves, then God will not honor the work we are about to do, for it is not 100% being done for Him.

What a blessing it was to meet pastors who sacrifice their personal ambitions out of love and reverence for the One who saved them. As for me and you, let’s be ready to consider any place He takes us for any reason, and not consider any call too small.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions

Wednesday, September 20, 2023

Isaiah 48:18-19   “If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your righteousness like the waves of the sea. Your descendants would have been like the sand, your children like its numberless grains; their name would never be cut off nor destroyed from before me.”

“If only…” 

Those are powerful words. They conjure conviction. They remind of regrets. They are saturated with shame.

“If only…” We can all finish that sentence, and when we do, it becomes a sentence. It locks us in the prison of what could have been.

The Enemy of our souls mocks Almighty God with the lives of the redeemed who are locked in the bondage of regret. As pride combines with the pursuit of self-worth, the past becomes a prison.  The remembrance of failure fuels our fear. Our view of our value is no longer vertical. We have lost hope for the future. We live only in the dream of reliving the past. It is exactly where Satan wants us – convinced that we cannot be forgiven. Life lived under the control of “If only…” is obnoxiously opposed to the grace of God.

The Lord only reminds us of the past to magnify His grace that has set us free. The past is a building block upon which our lives stand to gain a higher view of God, rather than a block that forms a wall that limits our view of God. When God reminded the Israelites of what could have been, it was to set them free from the bondage of those memories. God longs with an eternal longing to shower His grace and restore His embrace.

That freedom comes at a price – our obedience. The Lord reminds us of the past so that we might learn to obey Him. Satan reminds us of the past to convince us that we are no longer able to obey. Memories of the consequences of our sin are the fertile soil in which God plants the seeds of righteousness. Confession of our sin fertilizes the seeds with the grace of forgiveness and the seeds grow to produce fruit for the glory of God.

Satan attempts to steal the seeds. In their place he plants seeds of doubt, fear, and worthlessness. They do not grow to bear fruit but serve only to make the soil hard. The water of the Word of God begins to run off rather than soak in, and we are left dry and weary. But in the words of the Vernon Charlesworth hymn, “Jesus is the Rock in a weary land.”

When the people of Israel were in such a dry and weary land as they escaped from the bondage of Egypt, they did not thirst as water came flowing from the rock. Even though they thought it was hopeless and they complained, God was there to show grace. Hundreds of years later God reminds them of that fact through Isaiah’s words in verse 21. Read it and be refreshed.

“They did not thirst when he led them through the deserts; he made water flow for them from the rock; he split the rock and the water gushed out.”

God’s grace gushes out.

The prison walls of “If only…” are not able to stand against the gushing of grace. God has declared you are free. He says to us in verse 20 to leave the place of bondage for the Lord has redeemed you. Shout it with joy to the ends of the earth. We are free. All memories of the past are washed in the blood of the Lamb and are now only reminders to obey and experience the fullness of God’s blessing from this day forward.

Look up. You are about to be gushed upon.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions

Tuesday, September 19, 2023

Isaiah 48:5   “Therefore I told you these things long ago; before they happened I announced them to you so that you could not say, ‘My idols did them; my wooden image and metal god ordained them.’”

To get a full understanding of the context and content of God’s message to us today, I suggest you read Isaiah 48:1-11 first. Then do not be discouraged and stop reading after the next paragraph. Think hard about its truth, but do not be discouraged. There is hope.

We are stubborn people. We don’t have to try to want our own way; it is the natural expression of our sinful nature.  It culminates in us giving credit to gods of our own creation for what happens in our lives. That way our pride can be fully self-sustaining with no need for outside interference. It is the circle of bondage that pleases the Enemy of our souls. We are obnoxious to Almighty God when we live according to the flesh.

God is full of grace and mercy. For his own sake – for the sake of His Name and fame – He delays His wrath. He has chosen to reveal Himself and His plan to us so that He may be honored and glorified in our lives. Our troubles are His testing ground to prove His faithfulness and build our faith. He does not permit His people to remain in a place of pride. In His love for us as His children He draws us back to His heart so that in us and to all who know us He is shown to be the only true God.

One way that God destroys our pride and restores our souls is through prophecy. In Isaiah 48 God reveals to us the importance of prophecy. It has to do with our stubbornness. First, He reminds us that the prophecies of old that have come true give us a foundation of faith upon which we can look to the future. If God had not revealed specific details of His plan to His people, their pride would have allowed them to give credit to gods of their own choosing – gods they created to allow the co-existence of faith and flesh in their lives. But because God told them what would happen eons before it did, they had to give credit to Him.

That’s why the study of Old Testament prophecy is important – we see the workings of Almighty God and build an understanding of His sovereignty. Without that foundation of faith, we would quickly give credit for what happens in our world to gods of our own creation; gods like government or economics or the worst one of all, personal knowledge and power. But when we study the Old Testament and see the prophecies of God proclaimed hundreds of years before the event took place, and the perfection of every prophetic detail, we can give glory to only One – Jehovah God.

Second, God has revealed new things that have not yet been fulfilled, and our study of them will bring the blessings of faith, patience, and perseverance to our lives. We will understand current events in light of God’s purpose. For the nation of Israel God revealed His plan for their restoration as a nation, and that is the theme of the rest of Isaiah. It is the plan for the restoration of His glory to His chosen people the nation of Israel. For us, the prophecies extend into the New Testament and reveal the glory of God in His church and into eternity. His wrath will be revealed as He strikes down all sin and all sinners. His glory will be revealed as the church fulfills its calling as the Bride of Christ. Those who study these prophecies will be constantly refined and revived and will be able to keep their eyes fixed on Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith, despite the circumstances of life.

But we are a stubborn people. We still turn our attention to man’s solutions for the problems of the world, rather than seeing the problems through God’s perspective. Four times in verses nine through eleven God says that what He does is for His sake – for His glory. He will not share His glory. If in any way we have created gods that get glory for what happens in our lives, we will be tested and afflicted. It is God’s expression of love to His children so that we turn back to Him. We are to be the proof of God’s glory to the sinful world around us. Unfortunately, many so-called Christians are becoming proof of humanism and man’s glory rather than God’s. Let that not be said of us! Let us return to the study of prophecy and listen to the words of Scripture. May our discussions of current events always be in the context of God’s plan revealed in Scripture, not man’s plan devised in stubbornness and rebellion against God.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions

Monday, September 18, 2023

Isaiah 48:1   “Listen to this, O house of Jacob, you who are called by the name of Israel and come from the line of Judah, you who take oaths in the name of the Lord and invoke the God of Israel – but not in truth or righteousness.”

I’m stuck. It’s a dilemma. I cannot get past the last six words of this verse. No matter what I try the Holy Spirit keeps bringing me back to them. I believe God wants me to learn a lesson about who I am. Maybe this is for you too.

The people of Israel were God’s chosen people. Nothing could ever change that. They had a rich and meaningful spiritual heritage. They were called by the name God had chosen for them. But their spiritual activity was a sham – a ritual that had no righteousness – a task that wasn’t the expression of truth.

Religion can become just that – truthless tasks and righteousless rituals. (Don’t try to correct my spelling – that word isn’t in the dictionary, but is descriptively powerful.) We have become people who have a form of godliness but deny the power of it in our everyday activity. (2 Timothy 3:5) We make great promises to God about our plans to change, but those plans are quickly absorbed into our secular and worldly lifestyles. We turn to God in our dark times of deep need, but we only want rescue rather than repentance.

Religion produces self-defined people. Look at the people of Israel. They were chosen by God. They were called by God. They were set apart for God’s purpose. They were given a special name. They inherited a spiritual heritage that is the model for all people. But they quickly turned all of that into a license to satisfy the desires of their own sinful hearts. They translated their past into permissiveness – their perceived security into personal self-fulfillment. No longer did they choose to let God define them, but rather they chose to define themselves.

Now let’s look at ourselves. We are a chosen people (1Peter 2:9). We are called by God (Romans 1:6). We are set apart for God’s purpose (Philippians 2:13). We have been given a special name (Acts 11:26). We have inherited a spiritual heritage (Galatians 4:7). How then do we live? Are we also guilty of turning all of that into a license to satisfy the desires of our sinful nature that was to have been put to death when we came to saving faith in Jesus Christ?

Let us all take some time today and every day to consider this – am I living my life according to God’s eternal definition of me or according to my own definition that is convenient for today? May every activity of our lives be seen by God as the expression of the truth of His definition of a Christ-follower. May our lives be lived in the righteousness of Christ. That is holiness – a life without contradiction.

Pastor John