LifeLink Devotions for Friday, May 3, 2024

If you are tuned in to what is happening in the world, you know there is a noticeable decrease in wisdom. People are following political, social, economic, intellectual, and even spiritual trends without understanding the difference between knowledge and wisdom.

Wisdom is the proper application of truth. Therefore, for us to be wise we must have a knowledge of the truth. Not just knowledge, but knowledge based on absolute truth. And since God is the ONLY source of absolute truth, we can only be wise if our lives are grounded in the knowledge of God.

We need to become people of wisdom. So today we begin a journey to become wise.  We are using as the basis of our study a passage of God’s Word in Proverbs 22:17-21.

“Pay attention and listen to the sayings of the wise; apply your heart to what I teach, for it is pleasing when you keep them in your heart and have all of them ready on your lips. So that your trust may be in the LORD I teach you today, even you. Have I not written thirty sayings for you, sayings of counsel and knowledge,teaching you true and reliable words, so that you can give sound answers to him who sent you?”

I have broken that passage down into 5 key points:

1.      Let wisdom transcend all else (v. 17a)

2.      Let wisdom be transmitted to you (v. 17b)

3.      Let wisdom transform your heart (v. 18a)

4.      Let wisdom transpose your speech (v. 18b)

5.      Let wisdom transfer your trust (v. 19)

We will take one of those points each day and look at it closely, beginning with “Let wisdom transcend all else.”  Here are some principles to get us started.

1.      Wisdom is the application of knowledge so that it affects actions

2.      Wisdom begins with the knowledge of God – Prov. 9:10 – “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”

3.      The knowledge of God goes much deeper than just a knowledge of His actions, but to an understanding of His heart. We do not simply change our behavior so that it matches what we think God would do, but rather we allow God’s nature and character to change our heart so our actions are the life of Jesus being fleshed out in us as a loving response to God’s power in us.

4.      For this to happen, wisdom must be more important than anything else to our hearts – it must transcend all else.

So here’s your assignment as we get started. Read the first four chapters of Proverbs. As you do, take a couple of different colored highlighters and do this – with one color highlight all the verses that describe the consequences of not pursuing wisdom, and with the other color highlight all the verses that describe the benefits of pursuing wisdom. Then consider which way you want to live. Don’t just assume you know the answer right now – do the exercise to gain the growth. What this will do is touch into your heart, so that more than your mind is involved. Your decision will be an act of your will, and it will transform your heart so that Godly action results. When that happens you are gaining wisdom. Nothing in your life is more important than this development of character because it is the only part of our personal being that will stand in the presence of God someday.

Enjoy your study. Monday we will dive in to the principles of wisdom.  

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Thursday, May 2, 2024

So far in our study of life principles we learn from faith, we have discovered:

1.   God is working to increase faith

2.   Faith minimizes risk

3.   Faith makes a few powerful

4.   Faith results in commitment

Now today, let’s look at the final principle – Commitment and determination bring victory.

In the story of Jonathon and his armor-bearer we have been studying in 1 Samuel 14, the armor-bearer is so committed to God’s plan that he follows Jonathon up the side of a cliff, climbing rocks to the top. Jonathon has it easy: the armor-bearer has all the stuff. The young lad carrying the sword and shield and supplies has a much tougher climb, but he keeps up. We know this because when Jonathon gets to the top it says he started killing Philistines, and the armor-bearer was right behind him killing more.

What a great picture of the commitment that follows faith. It is quite the opposite of what we see from professional sports athletes these days. You know the type of player I mean – the ones who care more about their image, their health, their looks, and their wallets, and they put personal pursuits ahead of the team. What happened to loyalty? What happened to the commitment and dedication that results in a player playing through lack of attention, the lack of higher salaries, or even in pain, begging to get back in the game for the best of the team, and knowing that if they pushed themselves to the absolute limit of endurance there is a reward waiting. Oh, maybe the reward is not a game victory, but it will most certainly be a fame victory, and that fame will be for all the right reasons.

Now, how do we apply that to our spiritual journey of faith? The Body of Christ is, unfortunately, filled with spiritual well-wishers and whiners. People who wear the uniform of Christianity, but don’t participate at the team level with a heart of commitment and determination that produces victory. “Let the other guy beat me” and “Let the other guy take the ball from me” and “Please don’t hurt me” are the typical battle cries of the defeated and unfaithful.

What the body of Christ needs is more armor-bearers. No one knows his name, but he was determined to do his best and beyond for the glory and benefit of another. His faith made the insignificant powerful, and his commitment and dedication brought victory.

What area of your life right now is embarrassing you, or making you ashamed, or holding you in bondage, or causing you to give up and walk off the field before the game is over? Maybe it’s time to evaluate your commitment and dedication level. I bet you find that in that area you’re more committed to self than to God. Take care of that today – victory is assured.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Wednesday, May 1, 2024

The life principle we are reviewing today is this: Faith results in commitment.

As God works to build our faith, and we learn to trust Him in all circumstances, the product of that will be a deeper and stronger commitment to Him and His purpose. This commitment involves the following things:

1.   Denying self

2.   Taking up the cross

3.   Following Christ

These are huge issues when we seriously consider their implications and ramifications. To deny self means we must sacrifice our best for God’s best, which at times feels like the worst that could happen. Then, when we are feeling like we’ve lost something significant – our pride – we are told to pick up a burden, a cross, and carry it down a road that leads to more loss and death. Why would we want to do that?

The risks of that commitment should not be a huge factor because the benefits will be so overwhelming to us. What are the benefits of this level of commitment?

1.   Experiencing the Fulfillment of life – and realizing that fulfillment has nothing to do with the value we get from the temporary and the tangible but everything to do with our identification with God who is permanent and eternal.

2.   Discovering the Purpose of life – and realizing that it has nothing to do with the goals and agendas of the world’s system but everything to do with the glory of God.

3.   Experiencing the Power to live life – and realizing that it has nothing to do with what we have and what we know but has everything to do with Who we know and the hope that is in us because of our faith. That hope strengthens and preserves us no matter what the risk.

I know, we still seem to want material benefits, but go back a consider the incredible satisfaction of the ones God has provided. Can there be anything better?

Now, let me ask a very searching and revealing question about the depth of our commitment to God in faith. Consider this carefully before you answer.

Am I so convinced that my faith in Jesus Christ is sufficient for all things, and that my commitment to Him is so real, that I can say to Him at any time of any day, “Whatever you choose to do with my life is exactly the way I like it?”

One of my former elders, when asked about a task that he did not necessarily want to be involved in, responded this way: “Whatever way you do it is exactly the way I will like it.”  God has really impressed that statement on my heart as the one I need to be able to make to God in every circumstance. It will test my level of faith and commitment. Try it! Can you sit still and not get involved when God asks you to? Can God send you anywhere, for any purpose, and you will be totally satisfied, even if it results in loss or death, because you are accomplishing His purpose for His glory?

That’s the kind of faith God is trying to build in us.

Let Him.

Pastor John