LifeLink Devotions

Friday, December 29, 2023

As a follow-up to yesterday’s devotional, I want to tell you a story from my past ministry experience. I hope you will read the entire post  as it is rather lengthy,

One Sunday after church, a young lady came to give me a hug after the service. I had been praying for this teenager for a couple of years. Occasionally I would ask her about her readiness to make a commitmentI to Christ, and I would get a polite but cold response. The Holy Spirit directed me to ask her again, and to put it into the context of the upcoming baptism service planned for the next Sunday.

As I looked in her eyes, I challenged her again to consider her commitment to Christ, and she said she would, and that she would contact me later in the week. Now I really started praying.

During that week she celebrated her 16^th birthday and I sent her a note of congratulations. That evening my phone buzzed that I had a text message. It was her. She said this – “Hey Pastor John…I’ve been thinking about the baptism on Sunday and I wanna do it.” My heart leapt into my throat with excitement. I quickly texted her back and asked if I could call her, and she said yes.

At this point many pastors and even many parents would simply assume that the person is saved and ready for baptism or they wouldn’t ask for it, but that is completely and deceptively wrong! Am I ever glad I didn’t do that. I spoke up, and it resulted in an eternal transaction taking place. With absolutely no offense intended to this young lady, I have her permission to share the context of our conversation.

As we talked, I discovered something very significant – she didn’t really understand the Gospel. I have been aware of the false Gospel being promoted in churches all over the world for a long time and have been trying to warn people about it, but when someone in my own church is not understanding salvation even though the truth is preached, I realized the depth of the deception that is going on in our so called Christian community.

I asked her when she got saved, and she didn’t know what that meant. I asked her about her commitment to Christ, and she said she wanted to try harder to change her life. God was working on her heart, but she was putting everything into the context of her efforts rather than confessing her unworthiness which would result in faith in Christ’s efforts on our behalf. Just as many others are, she had been deceived into thinking that knowing about God and following God are our responsibility, and if we work at it hard enough we will be successful and He will save us. HOW FALSE THIS IS! If you believe this, you are still lost. I’m only speaking up because I love you.

I took her back to the Garden of Eden and God’s original creation. I showed her how man sinned and rejected total intimacy with God and placed their trust in their own wisdom and understanding. With every new foundation of truth I asked her if she understood, and the Holy Spirit was opening her eyes and her heart as she said yes!

I asked her if there was anything in her of worth that she could offer to God as payment for her sin, and she said no. I proceeded to tell her that God so loves us that He wants to save us. I asked her what God had given us so that our sins could be forgiven. She said “Baptism.” Ouch. My heart was pierced with the deception of the Gospel again. I simply said that wasn’t right, and I asked the question again. This time she said, “Communion.” The knife twisted again in my heart. How many people all over the world are being led directly to an eternity in Hell because they believe that an activity of man can bring them forgiveness? It breaks my heart to think of it.

When I told her again that her answer was incorrect, I could hear the nervousness in her voice. I reassured her that this was all necessary so she would really know the truth and be saved, and we continued. I began quoting John 3:16 to her –  “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son…” and I stopped. She immediately finished quoting the verse for me. I asked her if it said that whoever is baptized shall have eternal life, and she of course said no. I did the same with communion, and she again said no. I emphasized the truth to her that whoever believes on Him – Jesus Christ and His work on the cross – shall have everlasting life. The light of truth was being turned on for her.

I said very simply to her that there were three things she needed to believe:

1. That she is a sinner and incapable of ever doing enough to earn her salvation from sin. (See Romans 3:23 and Titus 3:3-7)
2. That God sent Jesus to the earth to completely pay the price for our sin by becoming our sin and dying voluntarily on the cross, and that God proved His  satisfaction with the sacrifice by raising Jesus from the dead and exalting Him to the right hand of God in Heaven, guaranteeing eternal life those who believe in Him. (Hebrews 10:11 – “But when [Jesus] had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God.”)
3. That all she needs to do is believe in her heart that Jesus died and was resurrected from the dead for her sins, and confess with her mouth that Jesus is Lord, she will be saved. (Romans 10:9-10) In that moment of belief and confession, your sins will be forgiven and you will be saved for all eternity.

I asked her if she was ready to do that and she said yes. YES!!! What a moment. We prayed and she confessed her need of forgiveness. She confessed that Jesus had died for her sins. She confessed she could do no works to earn salvation. She accepted God’s forgiveness and surrendered her life to Jesus Christ and asked Him to change her from the inside out. Hallelujah, it is finished! Her debt was paid by Jesus. She experienced another birthday on her birthday!

She was baptized the next Sunday as a believer, not to earn anything, but as an expression of her personal faith in Jesus Christ. Baptism is not a means of entering into faith. She was baptized because she already had sufficient grace for salvation, not to receive more grace.

That is the Gospel. Don’t be deceived any longer. That is the one and only truth of Scripture, and until I die I will rejoice in every opportunity to speak up about it.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions

Thursday, December 28, 2023

I love it when someone asks me to speak. I am a verbal person. Verbose maybe. Annoying sometimes. But I love to talk. The question is, why?

With sincere repentance in my heart, I must admit that for much of my life the motivation for my communication was selfish. It is still a difficult struggle. I get to tell my stories. I get to watch people’s reactions and hear their responses, hoping that they might benefit me in some way. When I talk, the attention is on me, and I like that. Come on. Look deep into your heart. It may be true of you too.

But why is it that when words will benefit someone else, we find it difficult to speak them? It’s amazing how we speak when we should be silent, and we are silent when we should speak. Personal benefit motivates our activity more than we dare to admit. Fear of rejection and fear of retribution cause us to go silent.

Isaiah was in a tough place. The nation to which he had been called as a prophet was rejecting the word of the Lord. He had two choices – shut up and stop telling the people what God wanted and thereby stay safe or speak up and proclaim the truth no matter what the consequences. What would motivate any of us to do the latter?

Isaiah 62:1 “For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, for Jerusalem’s sake I will not remain quiet, till her righteousness shines out like the dawn, her salvation like a blazing torch.”

The answer is…LOVE! What we love the most determines our activity. Isaiah loved the people that God loved, because he loved God. For the people’s sake he could not keep silent. If it was for his own sake, he would have run away and never been heard from again. But he had determined in his heart that his love for God and for God’s Word would produce a love for people who needed God, and he could not remain silent. Regardless of the consequences, love always dictates action, and Isaiah had God’s love for people, so he acted on it.

Oh that we would do the same! We who love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength cannot remain silent when surrounded by so many people who need to see and experience the love of God.

Today, for their sake, we must not keep silent until righteousness is revealed in their lives and their salvation has been accomplished.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions

Wednesday, December 27, 2023

As I look out over the snowless back yard at my house, I see work that needs to be done. I know it’s way too early to think about spring yard work, but the lack of snow keeps all the potential projects visible. It will be a long winter of waiting if I can’t ignore them.

As I study Isaiah chapter sixty-one my attention is drawn to the gardening metaphors.

• Isaiah 61:3 “We will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendor.” Isn’t that exciting – we…you and me…are planted by the Lord so we can display His splendor to the world! How’s that going for you? Does the world see us despairing over the sufferings of life or displaying the splendor of the Lord?
• Isaiah 61:11 “For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign LORD will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations.” This metaphor confused me. I understand the soil part of causing a seed to germinate, but since when does a garden cause seeds to grow? Seeds will grow outside of gardens as well, won’t they? Then it hit me – the Lord is the soil; He is the garden. We are the seeds. When we are planted in Him, in the soil that He has prepared, and when we remain in Him, within the boundaries of His garden, then we spring up as righteousness before all the nations and praise Him.

I like that. Life started in a Garden, where everything was good, and righteousness and praise continually sprang up. Even though that original physical garden is gone, destroyed by man’s sin, there is a spiritual garden in which each of us can be planted to spring up with righteousness and praise.

I am reminded of the words of Psalm 1 – “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.”

I wonder if the reason we don’t spring up with righteousness and praise more often is that we are drawing our water from the wrong place. The water of the world will bring disease and death to any seed, but the water from the River of Life brings a harvest of spiritual prosperity.

God has prepared a garden for each of us in which we are to sprout up and spring up with the splendor of His grace. It is a well-watered garden, and in it we will flourish. The world has a garden also, but just beneath the soil that looks fertile is the blight of death. Be careful where you choose to be planted. Plant yourself in the garden of God, and spring up with life.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions

Tuesday, December 26, 2023

The word “delight” is interesting. When heard, read, or spoken it immediately creates an emotional response. Yet at first glance it appears to be an oxymoron. To de-light means to make dark, yet the general use of the word means to brighten.

I looked up the etymology of the word. I discovered it is not the word light with the prefix de. The original word is French – delit – from the word delitier which means “to please greatly.” Until the sixteenth century it was spelled delite, so when you see it used that way in advertising it’s okay – let it go.

Okay, enough about the word. Sorry, but my love for words got the best of me and this is a word I love. Try it. Say it out loud right now. Look around. How many people are looking at you? They heard you say it and I bet there’s a smile on their face, right? They are either smiling because they think you are crazy, or they are smiling because the word you said affected them. I know it has affected you already. What you are feeling is delight.  It’s delightful, isn’t it?

I wonder what really gives us delight. What is it in our lives that instantly lifts our spirits and pleases us greatly? I take delight in a perfectly cooked steak. The beauty of a sunrise glistening on the water of a glassy lake as a screeching eagle soars overhead is even better. But the smile of a grandchild running to greet me with a hug is more delightful. There’s something deeply pleasing about the look on a child’s face as they smile back at me when their eyes meet mine. It is delightful when another person delights in us.

Delight is reciprocal. It’s contagious. It’s that way with people, and it’s most certainly that way with God. Did you know that God desires to delight in you? Our delight in Him always results in God delighting in us!

Isaiah 61:10  “I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.”

The Scripture is filled with motivation for us to delight in the Lord.

• We are to delight in His salvation – “Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD and delight in his salvation.” (Psalm 35:9)
• We are to delight in His Word – “I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.” (Psalm 119:16)
• We are to delight in God’s commands – “…for I delight in your commands because I love them.” (Psalm 119:47)
• We are to delight in the fear of the Lord – “…and he will delight in the fear of the LORD.” (Isaiah 11:3)

And when we take delight in the Lord, He takes delight in us.

• “For the LORD takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with salvation.” (Psalm 149:4)

That reminds me of my favorite verse of delight in the Bible. It’s found in the book of Zephaniah, chapter three, verse seventeen.

“The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.”

That’s delightful! Who dares let the snow or the price of gas or politics or war discourage them when the Lord Himself sings over us with delight. He has clothed us with garments of salvation and arrayed us in robes of righteousness. That’s delightful!

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions

Monday, December 25, 2023

MERRY CHRISTMAS

There were those in ancient Israel who were still anticipating the coming of the Messiah. Though they had not heard from a prophet for over 400 years, the prophecies of Isaiah and others still stood as the shining hope of national rescue and renewal. 400 years is a long time to maintain hope in the fulfillment of a promise, and most had forgotten the tiny details that would validate His coming, like the fact that He would be born to a virgin.

Matthew 1:18-23 “This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.  Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.  She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:  “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”—which means, “God with us.”

Try to put yourself in the position of the average citizen of rural Israel. You have heard of the promised Messiah, and you have heard the writings of faithful men who proclaimed the promise read to you in the synagogue. You have never had a reason to doubt the reality of the ancient prophets and the validity of what they wrote, and you have looked for His coming. But doubt certainly rises in your mind when someone from Nazareth tells you a rumor that a young girl is pregnant without ever being intimate with a man. You immediately conclude that this must be a deeply troubled young girl who is seeking attention. She most certainly has lied to protect some man’s reputation. Who could believe that she is really carrying the Messiah?

Yet that was the sign that God proclaimed would validate the birth of His Son – it would be a virgin who would give birth. How else would it be possible for God to dwell with men as man and still be God? A natural conception by a man and a woman would have sealed His fate as a sinner, having inherited Adam’s nature from them. But this baby was a child of the heavenly Father, created by the power of the Holy Spirit who overshadowed Mary’s sinful flesh. What an incredible miracle – God born as a man. Because I know the rest of the story of His life, I believe it all to be true. But what would I have believed if I were there? Would I have left my sheep in the field to go see Him in the manger? Would I have traveled for two years from the farthest reaches of the known world to worship Him?

Here’s how I know whether I would have or not – Did I get up today and prepare myself for His next coming? I have never had any reason to doubt the reality of the ancient prophets and the validity of what they wrote. I have not doubted the truth of what Jesus has said. But did I arise today in anticipation that this might be the day the Messiah returns? Do the tiny details of world events cause me to consider the closeness of His appearing? Do I live each day as I did the last or as the last day?

At His first appearing, it was “God with us.” At His next appearing it will be us with God. Forever. Look up – it may be today. It may even be before you open presents, but will that matter?

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions

Friday, December 22, 2023

Luke 2:1-7 “In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.  ²(This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.)  ³And everyone went to his own town to register. ⁴So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.  ⁵He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.  ⁶While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born,  ⁷and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”

It was the busiest travel day of the year. Everyone was returning to their hometown. People were clamoring for a place to stay and something to eat. The hotels were filled to capacity. People were camped out in the streets. They had come to fulfill a government requirement. If only they had known what was about to happen. Would it have made a difference? Would they have stepped aside and sacrificed a motel room for the soon to be born King? Would they have stopped complaining about the inconvenience of the trip and started praising God as they saw the glory of God shining in the sky as His birth is announced? Would they have stopped pushing and shoving in line as they waited for a chance to get the last piece of bread? Might they have been more concerned about the Lamb of God than a slice of leg of lamb?

Let’s look at another scene in another time. This will be the busiest travel weekend of the year. Millions of people are returning to their hometowns. They come to fulfill a cultural tradition of gifts and goodies. They are willing to camp out on the floor of the home so that everyone can be together. They take drives through their communities to see homes well lighted with the colors and glitter of the season. The memories of the hardships of shopping on Black Friday have faded into the joy of watching smiles on the faces of those who open what was purchased.  

Yet in all of the beauty and fun being had by everyone, where is Jesus?  

There still seems to be no room for Jesus. He is given the place of lowest regard and seen as an intruder into the holiday originally instituted to be a holy day celebrating His birth. Any reference to Christ or depiction of His birth is eliminated from public display. Politically correct terms must be used so as not to offend the non-believers. Even those who truly worship Him have pushed Him aside for a moment by canceling worship services when Christmas falls on a Sunday. Personal pursuits, family traditions, social pressure and inconvenience have relegated Jesus to another manger because the rooms of our lives are filled.

If only we would stop and look outside of our boxes: if we could just catch a glimpse of the sky again. We haven’t been able to see it for a while because of the “cities” and skyscrapers we have built – “cities” of social and cultural acceptance designed with skyscrapers of possessions, prestige, relationships, recreation, and more. Every time we look up we see what we have done. But there, in the sky, outside the city of our own building, where there is only what God has built, the angel still announces good news of great joy for all people. The glory of God is still appearing and proclaiming to all who will listen, “Peace on Earth.” We may not be able to see it because we’ve not been willing to get outside of the city named “My Life”. But when we do, we will discover that in our “cities” is a place of humility. We must step outside of the comfort of our homes, businesses and relationships and discover that in the lowly place of personal sacrifice a King has been born, and He will change our lives. Maybe it’s time to make room for Jesus in your skyscrapers.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions

Thursday, December 21, 2023

At the age of five, a certain young boy named John had committed a terrible offense against his brother. The shame he felt for what he had done weighed heavy on his heart. He had to talk to someone. His mother told him the story of Jesus and forgiveness. The boy repented of his sin and accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior.

Several weeks later the family moved into a new house across town. John was sitting on the back steps of the house with a coloring book and crayons when the boy that lived across the alley came wandering into the yard. His name was Dennis. He was invited to sit down and color, and a friendship began. A few days passed, and John was burdened for his new friend. He had heard him use some bad words while they were playing together, and he wondered if Dennis had ever heard about Jesus. He determined to tell him the next time they were together.

The time came later that day when Dennis came over to color again. John asked Dennis if he knew what sin was, and proceeded to tell him how Jesus had come to the earth to die for our sins so that we could be forgiven. Dennis admitted he had sinned and was worried about it, so John prayed with him to ask Jesus for forgiveness and Dennis received Jesus as his Savior.

Dennis moved away a few years later, and John has never heard from him again. Not many eight year olds stay in touch after moving away. But John prays for Dennis to this day and hopes that he is still thrilled with the forgiveness God provided through His Son Jesus.

That was over 65 years ago, and it was my first time ever witnessing to anyone else about Jesus. I was so thrilled that God would send Jesus to bring me forgiveness for sin that I had to tell someone – especially someone I liked.

Luke 2:16-18 “So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.”

The shepherds were thrilled with what they had been told about Jesus as well. Immediately after meeting Him, they went and told everyone they met the good news, and the people that heard their story were amazed. I want you to think about three things:

1. Are you still thrilled with the forgiveness of your sins?
2. Are you so thrilled that you must tell others who haven’t heard about it yet, especially those you like? Have you thought about their suffering in sin and how they can be forgiven if only they knew the story?
3. Do you understand that they will be amazed at the story when they hear it?

What are you waiting for? What are you afraid of? Start telling the story!

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions

Wednesday, December 20, 2023

It was an ordinary day. I had gotten used to sleeping on a smaller portion of the bed. I was always an early riser, so the 5 a.m. restlessness was normal. But this time the movement wasn’t mine. Denise was restless and experiencing some pain in her back. She tried to sleep some more while I showered and got ready for another typical day at work. Denise rose and prepared for her day, but the pains would not subside. We called the hospital, and the day became extraordinary. We soon held our third child in our arms. His name is Joshua, and today is his birthday. God had invaded this ordinary day at first light and given us an extraordinary gift.

Max Lucado describes another ordinary day.

“An ordinary night with ordinary sheep and ordinary shepherds. And were it not for a God who loves to hook an “extra” on the front of the ordinary, the night would have gone unnoticed. The sheep would have been forgotten, and the shepherds would have slept the night away.

“But God dances amidst the common. And that night he did a waltz.

“The black sky exploded with brightness …. Sheep that had been silent became a chorus of curiosity. One minute the shepherd was dead asleep, the next he was rubbing his eyes and staring into the face of an alien.

“The night was ordinary no more.

“The angel came in the night because that is when lights are best seen and that is when they are most needed. God comes into the common for the same reason.”

Luke 2:8-12 “And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

God invades the ordinary. It’s an invasion of supernatural proportions. His presence is experienced in moments of greatest contrast. Light is brightest when night is darkest. Love is warmest when hate is coldest. Joy is most exuberant when sorrow is most oppressive. Forgiveness is best when sin is at its worst. God is understood when man cannot understand.

It is in the ordinary that God shows up and reveals the extraordinary. Lonely shepherds. The outcasts of society. Longing for a stable for their lambs, and instead are introduced to the Lamb of God. That’s how God does it. He turns the ordinary desires of our hearts into extraordinary spiritual encounters with His Son. Nothing is the same after that. Shepherds are still shepherds, but they’re shepherds with hope and joy.

Look out! God is preparing to invade your ordinary day, your ordinary routine, your ordinary lifestyle and your ordinary attitude. He’s about to show you where to encounter His Son. He’s going to do something that will change you forever. Nothing will ever be ordinary again.

 Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions

Tuesday, December 19, 2023

Winter in Wisconsin brings a challenge to keeping clothing clean. Yesterday I brushed up against my car. My black pants were instantly covered with white powder, because my car hasn’t been washed since the last snowfall. The salt on it is really ugly, mainly because on a white car it isn’t very noticeable.   I could take the car to a car wash and remove the salt, but the flaws in the paint would still be there. My one older vehicle is  showing the signs of age. The paint has chipped in some places and the inevitable bubbles of rust are appearing in other areas. No matter what I do, I cannot return that vehicle to its former days of glory when it was new. It will always be used and worn. I can keep it clean and running, but never will it be new again.

It is very tempting to look backwards to the days when something was better and wish we could have it that way again. We want our youth. We want the body we had when we were 18. We want the job we had before this one. We want the money we had before the emergency fund was drained. We want the retirement fund we had before the stock market took a big percentage of it away. We want the music in church we sang when we were young. We want, we want, we want. The fact is that too many of us keep from going forward by looking back to the good old days. This can cause us to become cynical about the future. We are very easily swayed into the belief that things will never again be as glorious as they once were. The result is apathy and complacency, and eventual death – both personal and corporate.

The nation of Israel was in a similar situation. They had lost hope for the future by focusing on the past. They had done their best to provide for themselves but had failed to put their full energy into accomplishing God’s purpose. (Read Haggai 1) Then the Lord intervenes to correct their thinking and their activity.

Haggai 2:6-9  “This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. I will shake all nations, and the desired of all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,’ says the LORD Almighty. ‘The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the LORD Almighty. ‘The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,’ says the LORD Almighty. ‘And in this place I will grant peace,’ declares the LORD Almighty.”

God reminds them that their best plans to succeed and provide for themselves have failed because they were not doing what God had called them to do. Instead of building His temple they built their own houses. Their focus on the past had caused them to live in fear of the future. But the LORD says to them three times “I am with you,” and then gives them this promise – “The glory of the future will be greater than the glory of the past.”

I personally chose this passage of Scripture many year’s ago as my theme for our church’s building program. The LORD asked the people of Jerusalem “Who is left that can remember the glory of this house in the past?” We had many attending who could. But we couldn’t let the past victories and success stories of the church keep us from the future victories God had in store. He promised to fill the house with His glory, and it would be greater than any past glory. So, with our eyes fixed on the future, we looked to the LORD Almighty who was about to shake the Chippewa Valley and fill His house with His glory.

Don’t look back to what was. Look ahead to what will be. Remember the words of the LORD – “I am with you…Be strong, for I am with you…and my Spirit remains among you. Do not fear.” (Haggai 1:13, 2:4-5)

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions

Monday, December 18, 2023

The nation of Israel was in desperate shape. Their sin had brought upon them the consequences of enemy invasion and captivity. Their land had been decimated and their cities destroyed. They were experiencing God’s justice. They were about to come face to face with the promise of His forgiveness.

The truth is that for us to fully understand forgiveness we must undergo judgment. It is only as we comprehend the consequences of our sin that we will fully realize the magnificence of forgiveness.

Isaiah 62:11-12 “The LORD has made proclamation to the ends of the earth: “Say to the Daughter of Zion, ‘See, your Savior comes! See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him.’” They will be called the Holy People, the Redeemed of the LORD; and you will be called Sought After, the City No Longer Deserted.”

I was struck this morning by the wonder of God’s promise in Isaiah 62. The Savior is coming! He is coming with rewards and restoration. He comes to forgive, and when He does, everything is made new. People’s lives are rescued from slavery to sin. They are redeemed and made holy. Lives that lie in ruin without hope are suddenly sought after. Loneliness is replaced with the inhabiting Holy Spirit. God sends Jesus to restore life. He does that by forgiving sin.

To forgive someone involves three things. First, it means to forego the right of striking back.  Even in the Old Testament when God struck back at sin in His perfect justice, He did so with words of grace that imparted faith to those who chose to listen. While proclaiming the coming destruction of their nation and the loss of their freedom, God also gave them a glimpse of the coming day when their King would arrive and bring peace. If they chose to live in their sin, they would die in their sin. If they chose to repent and live in the hope of the coming Messiah, their sins would be forgiven. God told them the Savior was coming.

Second, to forgive means to replace the feeling of resentment and anger with good will, a love which seeks the other’s welfare, not harm. God did not simply strike back – He struck out from His heavenly glory and came to forgive those who had struck Him. Forgiveness for any offense is possible when love overcomes anger. God’s love sought the good of those who had hurt Him. When the Savior came, He came with rewards for those who love Him. Forgiveness allows us to look beyond the sin which we want to punish and bring good to the sinner.

Third, forgiveness means taking concrete steps to restore good relations. God’s judgment of sin took the people of Israel into captivity. Their cities, especially the capital city of Jerusalem, lay desolate and uninhabited. God’s promises for them were unclaimed by people who chose sin instead. But God initiated restoration. He promised that the coming Savior would restore the people to their right relationship with God and would restore the land to its intended glory. The people would be redeemed, and the city would be sought after. What a marvelous promise for not only Israel, but for our lives as well. No matter what consequence you are currently experiencing because of the choice to sin, the Savior brings forgiveness and restoration. No longer do you need to live a life of fear – there is forgiveness. You no longer need to feel alone and abandoned – Jesus is seeking after you. He has taken every step necessary to restore His relationship with you – the Savior has come! Run to Him. Restoration and rewards are waiting.

Pastor John