LifeLink Devotions for Friday, August 16, 2024

In Philippians chapter three the Apostle Paul gives us four principles for rejoicing in the Lord. All of them have a theological basis. As we discovered yesterday, proper theology is essential to the experience of enduring joy. We learned that joy can only be found in salvation by faith alone in Jesus Christ and not by the works of man.

Today, in theological principle number two, we discover the joy of knowing the resurrection power of Jesus in our lives.

Philippians 3:10-11 “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.”

If we are going to rejoice in the Lord, we must grow in our knowledge of the Lord who is in us. Specifically, we need to know the power of resurrection life. You may wonder how resurrection life is possible when you have not died yet. Well, in Christ you have. Listen to how your salvation is described in Romans chapter six.

“What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? ² By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? ³ Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? ⁴ We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

“⁵ For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. ⁶ We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. ⁷ For one who has died has been set free from sin. ⁸ Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. ⁹ We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. ¹⁰ For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. ¹¹ So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.”

Good news. You have died. You died to sin when you came to Jesus for salvation from sin. Here’s more good news. When you spiritually died to sin, God gave you the resurrected life of Jesus to live in you by the power of the Holy Spirit. You have been united with Jesus in His resurrection. Death has no power over you. And yet we allow sin to continue to have power over us. This is a joy sucker. It should not be so.

There is an alternative: to know the resurrection power of Jesus in our lives that conquers sin and death. But for us to know it’s power we must first consider ourselves dead to sin. We must stop keeping sin alive by desiring it or placing value on it. Crucify the sin in your life. The resurrection power of Jesus will grow up in you and give you a life filled with joy. It’s the truth.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Thursday, August 15, 2024

Philippians 3:1 “Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord!”

Paul begins the third chapter of Philippians by telling us to rejoice in the Lord. But wait, hasn’t he been telling us to rejoice all along?  He told us to rejoice because we are partners in the work of the Gospel. He reminded us to rejoice in the power of prayer.  We can rejoice because of the unity we have within the church because our focus is on Christ. And Paul convinces us that we can have joy even when we are suffering because of our intimacy with Jesus. So why now is he telling us to rejoice?

Look closely at what he says – “Rejoice in the Lord.” In the lord.  Not in circumstances, not in the results of the Gospel. We are to rejoice in our relationship with Jesus. He just finished telling us to rejoice in suffering and in serving because we have intimacy with Jesus, but now he explains that intimacy is possible only if the relationship is based on truth. We can only rejoice in the Lord if we know the truth about Jesus and stand up for that truth consistently. Being theologically pure produces rejoicing.

Over the next few days we are going to discover four things from Philippians chapter three that are essential to our theological position in Christ. Don’t let the word theology scare you from this study. I promise I will make it simple and applicable to our lives.

In Philippians three, verses two through four, Paul gives us theological principle number one: we can rejoice because our confidence is not in the flesh but in the finished work of Jesus Christ in our lives.

“It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you. Watch out for those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh. For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh-though I myself have reasons for such confidence.”

We do not depend on what the flesh can provide for us, but we glory in what Jesus has provided for us, and we worship Him by the power of the Spirit of God. There is not much reason to rejoice when our hope is in the finite and failing system of the world, but there is every reason to be filled with joy when our hope is in the eternal and the never-failing power of God to save us through the blood of Jesus Christ shed on the cross.

So many people today are stuck in the bondage of earning their salvation by good works. That’s why there is so much hopelessness. You see, when good works are motivated by a need to purchase God’s favor they become joy suckers and leave us lifeless. But when good works are the product of salvation by grace through faith alone they become joy producers.

As you read on in chapter three you see Paul declaring that if anyone has a reason to rejoice because of the flesh it is him. He did everything religiously right. But it was all for the wrong reason. He then says this. “I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ-the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.” Everything Paul did to earn God’s favor was rejected and by faith alone He received salvation as a gift of God’s grace.

That theological truth is the starting point of being able to rejoice in the Lord.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Wednesday, August 14, 2024

Let’s continue our conversation about the joy of intimacy. It’s based on the Apostle Paul’s statement in Philippians chapter 2 about his own relationship with his apprentice Timothy. Yesterday I shared the first challenge of our human relationships reflecting the intimacy we have with Jesus. Here are the other two challenges.

2.      Am I being a Timothy by sacrificing anything and everything for the sake of God’s work? I struggle here because of the seeming conflict between the blessing of God with sufficiency and the desire to give it all up to see people saved and the church flourish. I hope that my heart is visible and that you can see the willingness to give anything for the cause of Christ. I also pray that the willingness to sacrifice for the work of Jesus will permeate every aspect of your personal life as well. When we are filled with the joy of our salvation, there is nothing more important to us than to share the good news of salvation with others no matter the cost.

3.      Am I being a Timothy by being open and approachable at the level of intimacy that people need for their spiritual growth and development? I hope people can see that there is nothing more important to me than being able to listen to what God is doing in their life and to connect with their heart on a spiritual level of intimacy. I also hope you know that you have the incredible privilege of giving that gift of intimacy to each other.

These three challenges from yesterday and today are emphasized by Paul in the rest of Philippians 2, where he tells the story of Epaphroditus, another of Paul’s intimate joy producers. Read the rest of the story below. It is obvious from the story that the church at Philippi understood intimacy because of their relationship with Epaphroditus, and that intimacy brought them great joy. There was genuine concern from both sides of the relationship. This was a shared intimacy, not a one-way giving and taking. The people of the church had sent him out as their representative because of the love they had for Paul, and  Epaphroditus was a sacrificing servant of Jesus Christ who was willing to die for the cause of Christ and the love of Christ’s people. He went beyond the call of the average and became a man worthy of our honor.

My friends, I want my legacy to be that I went beyond the call of the average and genuinely loved others. I want your legacy to be the same. It is in that kind of intimacy that true joy is experienced and expressed.

Pastor John

Philippians 2:25-30 “But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs. For he longs for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill. Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow. Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you may be glad and I may have less anxiety. Welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor men like him, because he almost died for the work of Christ, risking his life to make up for the help you could not give me.”

LifeLink Devotions for Tuesday, August 13, 2024

The Book of Philippians is an incredible book because the author, Paul, expresses multiple reasons for joy while he is suffering in prison. Each day we are discovering a new truth that helps us to be more joyful people, and today we discover the importance of having intimate friendships. Paul had a student whom he was mentoring and molding for ministry. His name was Timothy, and he brought Paul great joy. A first glance at today’s scripture passage reveals what cheered Paul up.  

Philippians 2:19-24 “I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you. I have no one else like him, who takes a genuine interest in your welfare. For everyone looks out for his own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel. I hope, therefore, to send him as soon as I see how things go with me. And I am confident in the Lord that I myself will come soon.”

Paul was filled with anticipation of receiving heart-warming news from the people at Philippi when Timothy returned from visiting them. But we learn something much deeper in these verses: true joy is not based on information but on intimacy.

Unfortunately, so many of us base our joy on what’s happening to us instead of Who’s working in us. However, joy is not a product of our circumstances, but rather it is the produce (the fruit) of the Holy Spirit in us. Joy is experienced to the fullest when there is intimacy of relationship with God. That intimacy will then flourish in our relationships with people, so that even when circumstances are ugly, our spirits can be filled with joy.

Look at how Paul describes his relationship with Timothy: he has no one else like him who takes a genuine concern for the people he serves. Timothy is described as a humble, compassionate, caring, loving and sacrificial servant of God and people. He has proven himself worthy of leadership because he has put the work of Jesus Christ ahead of all else. We can hear in Paul’s words the joy in his heart to have a partner in the work like Timothy.

I am challenged by three things as I consider this type of intimacy. Let me reveal the first challenge today. It starts with a question that pounds in my heart.

1. Am I being a Timothy to the people God has given me to shepherd by showing genuine concern for their welfare? I hope they see that in me, because it is my heart. I never want ministry to be a job that must be done, but rather a privilege that gets to be done.

My desire is that each of you looks at your place of service or ministry within your church in the same way. When serving becomes your obligation it is time to check your attitude and place of service. When we are using the spiritual gifts God gives it is with love and grace that we use them, not obligation. And it is with the power of the Holy Spirit that we serve so we never grow weary. As Paul says in another passage in Galatians, “let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”

Intimacy with Jesus through the indwelling Holy Spirit produces joy that endures through all circumstances of life and sustains us. Let that joy flow out of you in your relationships with others.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Monday, August 12, 2024

Last Friday we looked at the first principle of finding joy in suffering as described in Philippians chapter two. This would be a good time to go back and review verses twelve through 18. I’ll wait.

Here’s principle number two – Others will experience joy when they see our lives of obedience and dedication to accomplishing God’s purpose.

Paul was glad that his dear friends in the church were people who obeyed the Word of God. They were not just hearers, but doers of what they had been taught. He compared them to stars in the universe that shine in the darkness because they were holding out the word of life. This concept of “holding out” is powerful. Paul uses the same Greek word in 1 Timothy 4:16 when he says, “Watch your life and doctrine closely.” The word means to “give attention to, hold onto, and apply with action.” The people of the church at Philippi were people who paid attention to the teaching of God’s truth, held onto it, and applied it to their actions. When Paul saw them doing that while he was with them it gave him great joy. When he heard that they were still living that way he was filled with more joy.

This kind of obedience and application of truth is possible because God is at work in us to accomplish it. Paul’s statement that we are to work out our salvation with fear and trembling can be confusing. He is not stating that we work for our salvation, but that we work to apply our salvation to how we live our lives. Paul says that God is at work in us to give us the will, or desire, to live obediently by acting according to God’s standards. This becomes one of the reasons we rejoice. Put simply, when by faith I received from God through Jesus Christ the forgiveness of my sin and the salvation of my soul, God began a work in me to cause me to want to obey Him and serve Him. He has given me a passion to fulfill His redemptive purpose. When I live according to those desires from God’s heart, I experience joy. We always get joy from doing what we want, but the joy is magnified when what we want is also what God wants. The Godly people who observe my life are also filled with joy, as Paul was when he saw the Philippian people living that way. He was filled with joy because he knew his work for Jesus Christ was not in vain, even though it had caused him pain.

That brings us to principle number three. We will also experience joy when we see others whom we have brought to Christ and discipled living obedient lives according to God’s desires and purpose for their lives. Just as Paul was overjoyed to see the people of Philippi living faithfully for Jesus, so we can be filled with joy when we see the people who came to faith through our lives and ministry following Jesus faithfully.

Ultimate joy, even in suffering, is possible when all three of these principles are true in us. Which ones, if any, are lacking from your life right now? There are many factors that may be keeping one or more of these joy-producers from working in our lives. Selfish desires stop us from serving Jesus. Fear of witnessing, lack of personal involvement with other people, and peer pressure stop us from faithfully living out the Gospel every day. Let’s carefully review our lives and renew our commitment to seeking God’s purpose in all things, and to living out God’s Word in all areas, and the joy will return.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Friday, August 9, 2024

Welcome back to our study of the book of Philippians where we discover how we can be people of joy. Let’s see what we learn from the next passage of Scripture in chapter two starting in verse 12.

“Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed-not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence-continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life-in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing. But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.”

Paul was in prison and in chains.  He was convinced that his suffering would not end soon. In fact, he even states that he was facing death when he says that his life may be poured out like a drink offering. Yet he said he was glad and rejoiced with all the people in the church at Philippi. How is that possible?

I see three principles that will help us understand how joy can be experienced through suffering. Let’s look at principle number one today.

1. We will personally experience joy, even when we are suffering, when we are fulfilling the desire God has given us to accomplish His redemptive purpose.

Paul could rejoice while he was suffering in prison because he had obeyed Christ’s commission to go to Philippi and preach the Gospel. He was filled with joy because he was seeing the fruit of his ministry in the lives of others. Even though at this point in his life he was nearing death, he reflected on his life and saw it all as a drink offering being poured out on the sacrifices and service that were coming from the people of the church.

I can attest to the feeling of joy that comes when I see the people of the church accomplishing the ministry of the Gospel because they have faithfully responded to the commission of Jesus Christ on their lives. People serving in all capacities, with the same level of love for Jesus and passion to serve the Lord. It overwhelms me with the joy of the Lord when this is the attitude and activity of the church. The joy of it all sustains me, as it did Paul, even when there is suffering.

So, from principle number one we have two challenges. First, are we faithfully serving Jesus in love by passionately pursuing people with the Gospel? And second, are we filled with joy that sustains us through tough times because we know the fruit of our labors is living on in the lives of others?

Take some time today to contemplate three things. First, the level of love you have Jesus. Second, the desire to serve Jesus that comes from His love. And third, the level of joy you have because you are acting on the desire to serve Jesus.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Thursday, August 8, 2024

Anyone who has ever been involved in a team competition or been a fan of a team can relate to what Paul says today about joy.

Philippians 2:1-4 “If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”

There is nothing that destroys the joy of a team faster than dissension caused by the self-serving attitudes and actions of a team member. In the same regard, there is nothing that brings greater fulfillment of joy than to see a group of people from various backgrounds and experiences with differing personalities and passions coming together to accomplish a common goal for the good of all.

I have been part of such a team. Over the years I have joined various other men to form a team to play in fundraising golf tournaments for Christian ministries. On the surface it appears that we are competing against each of the other four member teams. But that would be an incorrect evaluation of the day. The goal is to raise money for Gospel ministry to people. The primary focus of the event is to see how much money we can contribute to see more people come to Christ. When the contributions of each member of the team are recognized and valued, no matter how small, heroes are eliminated, and joy is made complete. There is great joy at the end of the day  because it didn’t come down to one person’s swing or score, but because the team had come together in unity and reached the goal.

It would be very easy at such events to focus on the wrong things. It would be easy to be recognized as the hero for making two 20-foot putts in a row to save par and having team members fall on their knees in front of me in an act of homage. But that would have been to accept what was not rightfully mine, for other team members got us to the position where those putts could be made. Everyone’s contribution on our team led to us winning the championship that day, but the honor of winning was not the completion of the joy for the day. If it was, then it was only our joy at the expense of all of those who did not win. No, the real joy was in seeing all the golfers and volunteers come together and accomplish a common goal of advancing the cause of Christ.

That’s what Paul refers to in today’s Scripture. We must not get so enamored by the small accomplishments of the individual that we fail to see the bigger accomplishment of the whole team. If there is one thing I hate about professional sports more than anything else it is when an athlete draws attention to himself after doing something great. The game is not over. The team has not accomplished its goal. The athlete has done only what they are being paid to do. But still, they selfishly seek the approval and praise of people.

May this attitude never enter the church of Jesus Christ. May individual churches never boast about their accomplishments until all churches accomplish together the goal of reaching the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ. May individuals in our churches never boast about anything accept what the whole body is doing. May we truly have the attitude of Jesus, who humbled Himself and became a servant to others for their good, and as a result has been exalted to the highest position of joy. Make my joy complete by being those kind of people.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Wednesday, August 7, 2024

True joy is possible when we see life from God’s perspective, and the best place to get that view is in prayer. Here are the words of the Apostle Paul in that regard from Philippians 1, verses 19-26.

“Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me.”

Paul states that the prayers of people on his behalf cause him to rejoice, because he knows they are working for his deliverance. He defines deliverance as either release from prison to be able to visit them or release from this life to be able to be with Christ forever. In fact, he says that the choice between the two options is a tough one. He longs to be with Jesus as we all do, but he also longs to be in this body. But look at his reason for wanting that option – it’s to be a servant to the people he loves in the church. It is not for selfish reasons in any way. He does not want a new car, or a new job, or a new wife, or a new baby, or a summer vacation, or any other thing that the world might offer as an alternative to desiring heaven. He wants to be a part of the body of Christ on the earth and see its progress and growth. The fellowship he will have with them will bring him and them joy because it will be God’s miraculous work that makes it possible.

All this sharing of joy begins at the altar of prayer. It is through prayer that Paul can be content with any outcome because he sees what God sees. Through prayer the power of the Holy Spirit is released to do mighty and God-magnifying things, including Paul being released. It is through prayer that God’s plan is both revealed and implemented, as Paul becomes aware that he will remain in the body for God’s purpose in the church. It is through prayer that peace comes because God’s purpose is understood and discovers that his labor will be fruitful. 

Are you short on joy? Maybe you’re short on prayer. Are you lacking peace? Maybe your prayers are lacking the power of surrender to God’s purpose. You see, there is no power in prayer unless there is surrender to God’s power while you pray. Prayer has no power of its own. The power of God is released in a surrendered heart to His Divine purpose. When we surrender and God supplies, we rejoice. It’s time for joy to begin. Start praying to see things God’s way. 

Pastor John 

LifeLink Devotions for Tuesday, August 6, 2024

Welcome to day two of our study of joy from the book of Philippians. Paul is in prison. Listen to what is happening because of it.

Philippians 1:12-18  “Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly. It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.”

Because of Paul’s incarceration there is a renewed sense of urgency that has developed in people to be bold in their witness for Jesus Christ.  Paul’s willingness to endure hardship for the sake of Jesus Christ has motivated others to become more courageous in their sharing of the gospel.

Paul’s life motivated this response because of how he responded to the jail time. He says while in chains the whole palace guard and those responsible for the operation of the jail have been exposed to the truth of salvation in Jesus Christ. Everyone in the churches knew of Paul’s boldness when he was free to speak. Now they have seen his boldness when there is an attempt to silence him. They have seen the true nature of salvation: it is not simply a convenient lifestyle that produces positive results, but it is a total transformation of the whole being that produces consistency despite circumstances.

Because of that, the people of the churches were being motivated to experience the total surrender of their lives to the cause of Jesus Christ. Oh, there were some who were faking it and were boldly speaking out for Christ out of envy and rivalry, and maybe even out of the selfish motives of spiritual attention deficit disorder. But Paul understood, as we should, that the power of God is in the speaking of the truth not in the motive of the heart. The motive determines our reward, but not the hearer’s response. The Word of God does not return void – ever!

For this reason Paul rejoices. He is filled with joy because the gospel of salvation is being preached and taught to more and more people. My friends, we are partners in the gospel, as I said yesterday, and we should be rejoicing when we hear of the gospel being preached. My heart is broken when I hear about churches that are fighting over how the gospel is preached or what methods are being used for evangelism. I am distressed when I get reports as I did recently of people who are secretly forming attack committees in a particular church to remove the pastor because they don’t like the new program they are promoting. I am confused by the people who call themselves Christians and continue to cause division and hurt in the church because music, worship style, and people’s personal freedoms do not match their own choices. To quote Paul, “What does it matter?” We should all be rejoicing because the gospel is being preached. Our only concern should be for the truth and that it is not a false gospel. The method and the motive are insignificant if the message is true.

Let’s spend today repenting of the criticisms of the church, and rejoicing over the ways the people of the church are spreading the gospel. That’s all that really matters.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Monday, August 5, 2024

Now that we have finished our study on how to stay strong and secure in all the hardships and storms of life, there’s another response to difficulty that needs to be considered. It is not a natural response, but one that is encouraged and commanded in Scripture. It is a fruit of the Holy Spirit in us. I am referring to joy. What makes joy possible during the trials and uncertainty of life?

The Apostle Paul wrote a letter to the church at Philippi while he was in prison, and yet it was his most uplifting and encouraging letter. What makes that kind of joy possible when the circumstances of life were so horrible? I think we will discover from Paul’s letter some wonderful truths that will help us not only know the answer to that question but also experience the reality of it as well.

It is significant that the first statement of joy that Paul makes to the people in Philippi while in his prison cell is based on his relationship with them.

Philippians 1:3-6  “I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

Relationships are vital to the experience of joy in our lives. Paul calls the people in this church his partners in the Gospel, and it is because of that partnership that he is able to endure hardship. We see this principle worked out in a variety of ways in our everyday lives. Like athletes who press on toward the prize of winning a championship even though they are seriously hurting from an injury because they are surrounded by partners in the pursuit of the goal who support them and carry out their roles.

This is what the people of Philippi were to Paul – partners in the work of bringing people to Christ. Even though Paul was sidelined by his imprisonment he was filled with joy when he thought of the partners he had who were still hard at work to carry out their commission to spread the Good News. I have discovered this joy of partnership in the church. So many pastors have yet to experience it because they are forced to do all the work alone. They are leading a flock of impotent and sterile sheep who are unwilling to propagate the Gospel. Somehow they have gotten the idea that it is the shepherd’s responsibility to produce more sheep. These churches may be filled with people who do all kinds of work in the church but fail to do the necessary work of evangelism in the world. I know the sorrow that is produced in the heart of a pastor when he is leading a church like that.

I also know the joy of being in partnership with people who are experiencing the finishing work of God in their lives. They are at work in the church and in the world with the primary focus of their work being the salvation of lost souls.  They are growing in their love for Jesus Christ, which is expressed in their abounding love for each other. (see Philippians 1:9-11). They are striving for purity and holiness, and their lives are filled with the fruit of righteousness so that it is obvious in how they live every day that they belong to Jesus Christ.

I praise God for such partnerships in the Gospel. When things go wrong on any given day, and hardship comes, we can be filled with joy anyway because of those partnerships, knowing that others are serving our Lord and Savior with all of their heart. I trust that your partnership with me brings you the same joy.

Pastor John