LifeLink Devotions

Wednesday, January 3, 2024

Isaiah 62:11 “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.’”

There’s a stir in the crowd. Respect for those who are praying keeps people silent for a while, but the news is too important, so whispering begins. As more and more people hear the news vocal chords are activated, and soon, almost sacrilegiously, shouting begins. The decorum of the Temple is no longer considered because news that the Messiah is coming has spread throughout the crowd. There can be no restraint of such enthusiasm.

In their hearts, the people expected this to be the day for which they have prayed throughout the centuries. Since the days of King David, they have had a unified hope of national redemption under the reign of God’s chosen King. Finally, or so they thought, that day had arrived.

They rushed to the outskirts of the city to verify the route the Messiah was taking. Along the way they stopped to collect palm branches which they would use to honor the arriving King. No King should have to walk on a dusty road. As they walked, they began a mental review of the Scriptures they knew so well concerning the Messiah. Quickly the joy of the moment overwhelmed them and they began speaking the words out loud.

“Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”

Then suddenly, up ahead, they see another crowd of people coming towards them. They are already shouting the same words. Their voices begin to amplify, and the surrounding countryside is filled with the stereophonic sounds of praise.

As they draw closer their pitch has been raised to fevered proportions. They began laying down their branches, and when they didn’t sufficiently cover the road, they took off their cloaks and laid them down as well. As the newly proclaimed King passed by they joined in the procession with shouts of joy to the One who would finally set them free.

As they walked, no one really noticed that the King wasn’t riding a great white horse fit for such royalty. Instead, He was on a donkey, and the foal of that donkey. If only they had asked the King for an explanation, they may have had the eyes of their spiritual understanding opened. But as it was, their thinking was dominated by their desire for personal and national prosperity. They were not thinking about their spiritual needs but had interpreted all the prophet’s words about the Messiah in light of a political agenda.

In the days ahead it would be revealed to them that the Messiah they thought would deliver them from Rome’s bondage had a different purpose in in heart. They would reject their King and put Him to death as an imposter. They had totally missed the point of the Son of God’s entrance into the human race and His entrance into Jerusalem. He was and still is primarily concerned with the redemption of people, not nations. That is why He was there, and that is why He died. When He enters the heart of a sinner and saves him by His grace, He has made the real triumphal entry.

Someday the world will see another triumphal entry. Those of us who have already had Him march into our lives as King of Kings and Lord of Lords will be with Him when He returns to this earth to establish the physical Kingdom promised by the Father. For those who reject Him as King today, it will be a horrifying day of eternal judgment.

The tables will be turned from His first entry. The people of earth will not be shouting “Hosanna”, but rather “Help!” We who are with Him will be the ones shouting “Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns.” The people of earth will not put Him to death, but He will sentence them to eternal death. The people who have rejected Him will not enjoy the rewards of the King in His kingdom but will be separated from His presence forever.

We who are His, who understand the purpose of His first triumphal entry, and have experienced the real triumphal entry of Jesus Christ into our hearts, will reign with Him in glory forever and ever! Amen!

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions

Tuesday, January 2, 2024

Isaiah 62:4b “…for the LORD will take delight in you, and your land will be married.”

Ladies, are you a bride?

There are several possible answers to that question, and if you give me some time, I will tell you how they apply to men as well.

• “Nope, and I never want to be.”
• “No, but I want to be.”
• “Not yet, but I’m going to be soon.”
• “YES!”
• “I was once.”

The saddest answer that can be given to the question of “Are you a bride?” is the last one – “I was once.” The first answer sounds sad also, but in reality, there are some people, according to God’s Holy Word, that are able to remain single all their life so as to serve the Lord wholeheartedly. But when a bride reaches the point of not considering herself a bride any longer, that is sad.

Sometimes that point is reached through the death of a husband, or through the God-hated practice of divorce. But the greatest tragedy is when a wife of any length of time, while married, loses the delight of being a bride.

Okay men, you’ve waited long enough: how does this apply to us? Well, according to the words of the angel in Revelation, all who come to Jesus Christ for salvation are considered the bride of Christ – male and female alike. God uses the picture of human marriage to depict our spiritual relationship with His Son Jesus. Even in this passage in Isaiah, in verse 5, the Lord God says, “So will your sons (as in the builder of the family name) marry you.” Jesus Christ, the son of Israel, the eternal Builder of the family name, will marry you. You are a bride.

Notice I said that you are a bride. If you are in Christ, saved by grace through faith, forgiven through the repentance of sin, you are the bride of Christ. The problem is that some of us give the saddest answer of all when asked if we are a bride – we say that we were once.

How tragic that the bride of Christ has lost the delight of being the bride. But you may wonder how you may know if that’s true of you. Here’s how, in Isaiah’s own words as he relates it from a national perspective for the people of Israel.

• You may have lost the desire to constantly talk about the coming of the Groom. “I have posted watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; they will never be silent day or night. You who call on the LORD, give yourselves no rest, and give him no rest till he establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the earth.” (verses 6-7) The Bride of Christ cannot help but look for the Groom and wait for His appearing.
• You may be distracted by the world and giving your heart away to sinful practices. “Never again will I give your grain as food for your enemies, and never again will foreigners drink the new wine for which you have toiled.” (verse 8). Once a marriage has occurred, all the attention of the Bride is to be focused on the Groom. Wandering eyes are not permitted. Thoughts of cheating are never present. Attempts to serve self are blanketed by the unconditional love of God which produces attitudes and actions of service to the Groom.

What is true of marriage is true for us in our relationship with Jesus. It is the promise of restoration for the nation of Israel. It is the present reality for the Bride of Christ. May the Lord Jesus Christ, in the power and presence of the Holy Spirit of God the Father, restore unto each of us the delight of being the Bride of Christ!

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions

Monday, January 1, 2024

There’s one more part to the story from last Friday, and it’s a great way to start the new year. Following the baptism of a new believer, the Lord spoke to our congregation in a very clear and precise way. As a result, one more person came to saving faith in Jesus Christ and entered His eternal Kingdom. Hallelujah! Jesus is mighty to save, and He is not done doing it.

Isaiah 62:2 “The nations will see your righteousness, and all kings your glory; you will be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will bestow.”

As I read Isaiah 62:1-2 again this morning, I was drawn to one phrase – “you will be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will bestow.” For those of you who first think theologically, I know that these verses apply specifically to the restoration of the nation of Israel. But the truth of a new name expands into the church age as well.

When Jesus had the Apostle John write to the seven churches in the book of Revelation, to two of them He declared that those who overcome and remain faithful would receive a new name.

In Revelation 19, when Jesus returns to earth with the armies of heaven, He has on Him a Name known only to Himself – the Name given to Him upon His exaltation to the right hand of God following His resurrection. It is the Name above all names at which every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess, that He is Lord.

Every time a sinner repents and is saved there is a new name written in the Lamb’s book of life in heaven – a name that is written in the blood of the Lamb and can never be erased.

That Sunday, a new name was written down in glory. Personally, I see a lot more of that happening in the future as people become bold enough to speak up about their faith. I believe in these last days we are going to begin to see a clear separation of people from the world who are called to faith in Jesus Christ. I believe that in these last days, those of us who stand up and speak out the true Gospel will be blessed with an increasing harvest of souls saved from their sin by the power of Christ’s blood shed on the cross. Yes, there will be persecution. Yes, there will be suffering. But the blessing of praying with someone who is repenting of their sin, crucifying the old nature, and being reborn into eternal life in Jesus Christ is worth any hardship.

Do you believe that? Will you live that way?

I am reminded of one of my favorite old hymns of our faith. Let it minister to you as it does to me.

“I was once a sinner, but I came
Pardon to receive from my Lord:
This was freely given, and I found
That He always kept His word.

“I was humbly kneeling at the cross,
Fearing naught but God’s angry frown;
When the heavens opened and I saw
That my name was written down.

“In the Book ’tis written, “Saved by Grace,”
O the joy that came to my soul!
Now I am forgiven, and I know
By the blood I am made whole.

“There’s a new name written down in glory,
And it’s mine, O yes, it’s mine!
And the white robed angels sing the story,
“A sinner has come home.”
For there’s a new name written down in glory,
And it’s mine, O yes, it’s mine!
With my sins forgiven I am bound for Heaven,
Never more to roam.”

Pastor John