LifeLink Devotions for Friday, November 14, 2025

I really don’t like to think about it. I’d rather not be reminded of it. Every ounce of self-protection in me screams for pain like that to be avoided. My flesh tries to convince me that I will never allow it to happen again, and in far too many cases the flesh wins. But the Spirit of the Living God in me says it will happen, and in fact it must happen to experience the fullness of Christ’s resurrection power.

This pain is caused by one thing – rejection: being despised by people for what I do, what I say, or just for who I am. It’s horrible. I’ve experienced it and I hate it. I have had people hide their faces from me, and it cuts to the core of my being. Sometimes my actions and words demanded correction, but never did I expect the people who were supposed to be my brothers and sisters in Christ to treat me so hatefully. Never should a person be despised just because we believe they have wronged us.

I’m not sure we understand how selfish it is to focus on how we have been wronged. It’s downright dysfunctional and sinful to focus on our hurts and then respond with hate towards the person who hurt us. Jesus is the proof of that. He came in love to save the sinful souls of mankind. They didn’t like what He said. They took His words as threats to their comfort zones. They despised Him and rejected Him. He suffered at their hands. He was hurt by them. Yet He never responded with hate. In fact, in the midst of the worst rejection anyone could ever experience, while hanging on the cross, He asked His Father to forgive them.

Isaiah 53:3  “He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.”

We have all been hurt. We have all been rejected. We may have even experienced the sorrow and pain of being considered dead to someone. Being despised is horrible. But allowing their treatment of us to overwhelm the Spirit of God in us so that we return the hurt will eventually cause more pain than the original rejection. When we suffer at the hands of men, we must focus on the fact that we are secure in the hand of God.

My friends, the day has arrived – the day Jesus promised would come – when at the hands of secular culture those who stand for the truth will be despised and rejected. We have three choices:

1. We can stop standing for the truth and compromise our lives with the world so the culture will accept us;
2. We can return hurt for hurt, and do harm to those who harm us;
3. We can consider ourselves blessed to suffer as Christ did and return love to whomever rejects us.

Just think of the emotional energy we will conserve if we choose option #3. Imagine the physical stress that will be avoided by choosing option #3. But greater than both of those combined is the fact that by choosing option #3, we will be avoiding spiritual darkness and keeping our enemy the Devil from establishing a foothold in our lives.

I choose Option #3. No longer will I allow my love for self to dictate my response to people’s treatment of me. No longer will my response be one of vengeance. No longer will I model to others that I really love me most by even secretly wishing that something bad will happen to those who hurt me. NO…I will choose this day and every day to stand with my Savior, secure in His eternal acceptance of me, knowing that He will never reject me, and that I will experience more of His resurrection power every time I suffer as He did. May everyone who ever hurts me or rejects me see only the love of God in me.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Thursday, November 13, 2025

Isaiah 53:2is an  interesting verse because it reveals our fleshly tendency to be attracted to what appeals to us and benefits us.

“He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to Him, nothing in His appearance that we should desire Him.”

From the beginning of human existence on the earth when God created Adam and Eve, we have been attracted to people and things that we believe add value to our lives. It doesn’t matter what the environment is like or what the influence of culture or society is, we have been given the God-image-bearing right of choice, and we tend to use it to serve ourselves. Just look at the historical record of what happened in the perfect environment of the Garden of Eden –

“When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.” (Genesis 3:6)

Eve did what we all do; she took her eyes off of her perfect identity in Christ and began looking at what was humanly attractive.

In a nutshell, (wow, this turned out to be a big nutshell) here’s what the Lord is teaching me about this:

• I have a hard time not wanting God to simply make this life better.
• The reason for that is that I don’t really believe that my spiritual life is more important than my physical life.
• God promised to take care of me physically if I put my spiritual life ahead of everything else.
• I must not really trust Him all that much if I keep trying to provide for my physical needs ahead of my spiritual.
• God knew that we would all be in that same condition when He sent Jesus to be our Savior, so the human form Jesus took was totally unattractive to us, and the lifestyle He modeled and taught was unappealing to most.
• There was nothing about the appearance, personality, or leadership style of Jesus that made people instantly want what He had.
• When the people of Israel wanted their first King, they chose Saul because he was the most physically qualified and attractive, and look where that got them.
• The crowds that followed Jesus did so primarily because they thought He would bring them the physical and political benefits they wanted. They were, like us, focused on the immediate and not on the eternal.
• The ENTIRE focus of the ministry of Jesus was to provide spiritual restoration and deliverance from the bondage of the physical. That is the ultimate goal of redemption, and all of creation cries out for that day when we will be delivered from the physical – so why do we spend so much time trying to nurture and strengthen what God wants destroyed?
• If we are attracted to Jesus because of what we think He offers us in this life, then we are missing the point of salvation. There are far too many teachers and preachers who proclaim that God and Jesus are your tickets to human wealth and health, when from the very beginning of His introduction to us God says that Jesus would come with absolutely no human attraction and that His purpose would be completely spiritual. Any and all who come to Him for salvation must come on those terms.

I wonder what would be different about American Christian churches if we all understood this. I wonder how it will change our lives.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Wednesday, November 12, 2025

Have you ever thought about the correlation between the Gospel and Rambo? In case you don’t know who that is, he was a fictional movie character played by Sylvester Stallone.  Seems like a stretch of a metaphor, doesn’t it? But hang on with me for a minute or two.

A group of American soldiers are being held in a Vietnamese prison camp long after the war was supposed to be over. They knew their country loved them and wanted them back, but they had long ago given up hope that anyone was really looking for them. In their hearts they wanted to believe that no man would be left behind, but time had diminished their hope.

Finally one man discovers evidence that there are soldiers being held prisoner and questions why no one is going to get them. The government officials are covering it up.  He is finally allowed to organize a mission and allowed to think that he will succeed, but behind the scenes the officials are plotting his failure.

Rambo works his way through the jungle to the place where the enemy holds the prisoners captive. It is heavily guarded and totally secluded. The conditions are horrible, and the prisoners are suffering severely. When the hero reveals himself to them, they refuse to believe that he has come for them, or that he has any power to rescue them. As a result he gets caught by the enemy and tortured.

However, he escapes from his tormentors and begins an attack on the enemy that results in the destruction of the enemy camp and the release of the prisoners. As more and more explosions occur, more and more hope grows in the hearts of the prisoners until finally, when Rambo appears to unlock their cages, they embrace him and follow him to freedom. There would be more battles on the way out of the jungle, but they all now believed that they were going to make it.

Now, look at the story of the Gospel. For centuries the nation of Israel had been in bondage. There was hope based on their heritage and the prophecies declaring that the Messiah was coming and that He would set them all free. But time had diminished their hope. When He arrived the government officials denied who He was and convinced the people He had no real power to rescue them. They rejected Him and turned Him over to the enemy and He was tortured.

However, He overcame the torture and destroyed the enemy, setting the captives free and giving them a living hope. There are still battles being fought, but the power of the enemy has been overcome, and the Messiah is leading us to victory. Unfortunately there are many who remain in prison because they choose not to believe.

As I said, it’s a stretch of a metaphor, but it serves to remind us of the answer to the question posed by Isaiah in chapter 53 verse 1.“Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”

I know my answer to the question.

ME!

And you too, if you have accepted what Jesus the Messiah did on the cross to pay the price for your freedom.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Tuesday, November 11, 2025

The watchmen are lifting up their voices. They are shouting for joy. It is time for us to join them and burst into songs of joy together, for the Lord is coming to reign on the earth.

Isaiah 52:13    “See, my servant will act wisely; he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted.”

With those words the prophet Isaiah begins the last section of his book, declaring the coming of the Servant of the Lord to redeem the people of the world and reign as their King. I am so excited to study the remaining chapters of Isaiah which reveal the suffering and second coming of the Savior.

From the very beginning of Isaiah’s revelation of the Messiah, he lays the foundation of all redemption – the suffering servant who pays the price for man’s sin. After introducing Him to us as the servant who will act wisely, he declares that He will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted. This has two meaning within the context:

• In order to be raised and lifted up, He had to have been subjected to the worst possible human suffering; and
• He will be exalted over all those responsible for His suffering.

Today we open our hearts to the incredible joy of our salvation, paid for by the suffering servant. We must never grow weary of experiencing the pain of the suffering servant so that we might fully celebrate the redemption of our souls that He purchased.

The very first thing that Isaiah does after introducing us to the Servant of God who will be exalted is to tell us how terribly He suffered. He says, “…His appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man and his form marred beyond human likeness…” I don’t know about you, but those words send a chill up my spine and bring tears to my eyes. Jesus Christ, the King of all eternity, became one of us and then suffered the most inhumane treatment ever given to any man so that He might fully bear the wrath of God against sin in His body. He was so brutally beaten that it disfigured Him. He was marred beyond human recognition. His love for you and me drove Him to willingly endure it all so that we might be saved. He could have called the angels of heaven to destroy all who were treating Him so unjustly, but He had me in mind and His love for me kept Him from seeking an escape from the pain.

Not only am I overwhelmed with thanksgiving and joy for what He did for me, but I am also feeling a little guilty about all the times I seek an escape from the pain of this life. I especially feel ashamed of all the times I have avoided the potential pain of personal rejection by remaining silent about my faith in Jesus Christ, all while saying I love Him.

What kind of love is it if it is embarrassed to be lived out publicly? What kind of love for Jesus do we really have when we can so easily put our own pleasure and well-being ahead of our commitment to living for Jesus every day? How dare we say that we love others the way Christ loved us when we so quickly evaluate every interaction with others and determine whether a statement or action of faith in Christ would bring negative results to our lives? What kind of love for Jesus is that?

We must begin to act wisely in these last days as the return of Jesus draws near. The Servant acted wisely by enduring any and all suffering for the sake of love for God and God’s people. We must act wisely by declaring the love of God to the lost world around us through our actions and our words. We must never be motivated by pain, but always by the principle of love – not love for self, which seeks to avoid pain, but love for God and others, which endures any and all suffering for the sake of God’s glory.

My friends, let us act wisely, for in the end, we too will be raised and lifted up, and be highly exalted with our King. That’s what Jesus paid for.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Monday, November 10, 2025

I love Biblical baptisms. You know, the kind that are a personal testimony to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ in one’s life. And I especially like the ones done in a river.

When I do any baptism by immersion, each person comes into the water with me, and a declaration of truth is made over their lives as they prepare to be immersed under the water. “This baptism does not save you. This water cannot wash away your sins. No act of man can, except the act of death on a cross by the Son of Man. This baptism is a public testimony of your faith in the saving power of Jesus Christ, who was buried in sin yet conquered the grave by being raised from the dead. This step of obedience to your Savior begins a life of power in the Holy Spirit to be a public witness for Jesus. You are declaring today that the old life of sin has been buried with Christ, and that you are now raised to new life in the risen Lord.”

Then, with their arms folded in front of them, in a symbolic act of surrendering their lives to Jesus, they completely surrender their strength to me to bury them under the water and bring them back up again. As they are leaned backwards into the water, the words of Scripture are spoken over them: “You are buried with Christ in the likeness of His death.” Complete immersion representing complete burial of the old life. Then, as they are raised up out of the water, more Scripture is spoken: “So you are raised to newness of life.” Up from the symbolic grave of sin and death they arise to live for the rest of their lives as representatives of Jesus Christ.

I NEVER grow tired of seeing people make a public commitment to follow Jesus. They know they are not worthy. They know that they were in sin destined for eternal death. Yet without money or works of any kind, they were redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ on the cross.

Isaiah 52:3 says, “For this is what the LORD says: ‘You were sold for nothing, and without money you will be redeemed.’”

Jesus is the full purchase price for the sin of man, and is the only payment acceptable by the Father – Jehovah God. There is nothing we bring as an offering. There is no exchange of anything of value, for we have nothing of value to offer God. In His eternal love for the human race created in His image but separated from Him by sin, He sent His One and Only Son to pay the price for our sin – death. Then, to validate the payment, God raised Jesus from the dead and sin was conquered for eternity for any and all who will come to Jesus for salvation.

Every person who brings the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to another person is beautiful, right down to their feet. Isaiah 52:7 says, “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to the people “Your God Reigns!’”

It reminds me of a song.

Oh happy day, happy day,
You washed my sin away.

Oh happy day, happy day,

 I’ll never be the same;

Forever I am changed.

And it’s FREE! Never get tired of celebrating your salvation!

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Friday, November 7, 2025

There is a conflict between man’s knowledge of earthly things and his desire to know God. We are smart people, but we are spiritually dumb. The insensitive nature of man’s heart towards spiritual things was revealed in a statement made by Jesus. He said, “You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.”  (Matthew 16:3)

When the storm of sickness hits and you can’t do much other than watch television, you begin to see the course of human events through a not-so-rounded world view on a flat screen. Life is pretty obnoxious when seen only from that perspective. There are movies and shows filled with sex and violence. Portions of movies depict a godless life as life’s greatest opportunity. The newscasts are filled with natural disasters, political turmoil, financial crisis, and the evil of man’s heart. Just check out the headlines on your favorite news source.

Pretty gloomy, isn’t it? There’s not much hope out there right now. Just ask the average person. And  the gloomier it gets, the more our hearts fall into the bondage of blindness, and we keep looking to the same old places for the same old solutions. We get worried and scared, when we should be getting up and looking up.

Again, Jesus said, “There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea.   Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken.   At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.   When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”  (Luke 21:25-28)

That’s exactly what the prophet Isaiah said to the nation of Israel in today’s Scripture reading. Look up. Look around. When you see the signs of destruction, then shout for joy, for God’s salvation is on the way. God’s justice is coming.

Isaiah 51:6  “But my salvation will last forever, my righteousness will never fail.”

Our hope is in Him. And when the destruction starts, we have nothing to fear, for our salvation will last forever, and the Lord’s righteousness will never fail.

How I praise God more than ever that my salvation is permanent; my eternity is secure; my faith is in the One who cannot fail. He is coming soon to redeem us from this lost and dying world. But until He returns, I will do everything I can to make sure those around me don’t get left behind.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Thursday, November 6, 2025

There may not be many people in Jamaica thinking about joy and gladness right now. There’s not a lot of singing going on. They are recovering from the hurricane that brought intense destruction to a large part of that island nation. Our prayers are with them and for them, but not just for their physical well-being. No, what is most significant 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 has 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, especially focusing 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 of 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.

Isaiah 51:3    “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.”

The nation of Israel stand as an example of destruction and desolation, with very few nations if any truly supporting the biblical claims to the Promised Land that God’s covenant demands. The world is rapidly turning anti-semetic.

But here’s what the Lord promises to the nation of Israel – “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! (Isaiah 51:4-6)

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 for Wednesday, November 5, 2025

I appreciate my heritage – a heritage of faith in Jesus Christ passed on from generation to generation. Not by perfect people, but by a faithful God. Not all memories are positive, but they were all used by God to bring out His best in me.

Some people don’t have such a heritage of faith. Some are the first generation of believers in their family, but their desire is to be the start of a spiritual heritage that will be passed on to their children and their children’s children.

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 those who were seeking Him 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 renews 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 in Hebrews chapter twelve.

“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)

There’s the rock from which we were cut, and the quarry from which we were hewn. There’s the pursuit of righteousness and the seeking of the Lord. Our spiritual heritage motivates us. It moves us to action.

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 an eternal spiritual heritage.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Tuesday, November 4, 2025

Yesterday the Holy Spirit challenged us to follow the True Light that shines in the darkness of our hearts and lives.  It was a time for each one of us, if we chose to, to consider what or whom we really trust when times get tough. In fact, 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.

God knew that was the truth about us when He spoke through Isaiah the words that follow His great promise of Light in the darkness. They are found in Isaiah chapter fifty verse eleven. Here they are from the New Living Translation.

“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.”

You see it don’t you? You see the natural tendency we all have to try 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 that 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 friends 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 has to be found 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!

So 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 for Monday, November 3, 2025

I love camping. My wife and I didn’t get to do enough of it this summer. But there are trips that still live in my memory.  Like the one fourteen years ago we spent with our shepherd group from church. The kids were great and stayed occupied with the sand and swings. The campfire was stoked throughout the days and into the nights. The conversation with friends was stimulating and enlightening. We had a great time.

When the first evening of campfire chat had died down, 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.

That memory brings me to the next couple of verses in our study of Isaiah. Chapter fifty verse ten says, “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.”

Just as Denise trusted me that night by walking behind me as I led the way through the dark, we also can trust the Holy Spirit in us to guide us through the darkness of life. But there is one difference. You see, even though I was leading I was still walking in the dark. But with Jesus leading we are walking in the light because He is the Light of life.

Trust Jesus to light your way through the darkness when you follow Him.

Pastor John