LifeLink Devotions for Tuesday, September 9, 2025

I know what it is to be exhausted. I have given up when strength gave out. I remember the most blatant example of this from my high school days. I was a fairly good athlete, and I was very fast. I went to a very large high school in St. Paul, Minnesota until I was a senior. I never had a chance to participate in any organized sports except summer fast-pitch softball in a church league. I had lots of baseball experience as a kid. But then things changed.

Our family moved to a very small town in North Dakota, and it was expected that everyone would participate in sports. It was the end of the football season, so I didn’t have that chance. But when basketball season started I was right there. The first night of practice the coach informed us that we may not be the most talented team in the district, but we would be the most physically conditioned team. He assigned us our first conditioning drill – seventy laps around the gym and that included going up and down the bleachers. Fortunately there were only bleachers on one side of the gym, and they only went up eight rows, but seventy laps is 560 steps up and 560 steps down.

I had never done anything like that before. The rest of the guys who had played every year knew what to expect. I didn’t. I wasn’t prepared. After about forty laps I ran for the bathroom and pretended to be sick. I needed a break. I gave up for a moment. I came back and forced myself to run until the rest were done, but I did not do seventy laps. I was exhausted.

The next night of practice we ran another seventy laps. That was followed by three nights of running eighty laps. That was followed by being in the best shape of my life, and we literally ran other teams off the floor during games. Even if we lost the game, we could have played another one. I found a strength I never thought I could know.

I started out complaining. I ended up stronger. That is the contrast offered at the end of Isaiah chapter forty. Instead of looking around and complaining, we should be looking up and rising above what’s around us. We tend to wonder if God really cares about how we are wandering around in our current situation, and then we whine because we choose to believe He doesn’t care. But there is an alternative – perseverance that produces power. When we are humble enough to admit our weakness, God offers strength. New strength. Fly high above your issues strength. Run without pain strength. Walk without fainting strength.

Isaiah 40:29-31 “He gives power to those who are tired and worn out; he offers strength to the weak. Even youths will become exhausted, and young men will give up. But those who wait on the LORD will find new strength. They will fly high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.”

Sometimes it’s the mundane routine that gets to us. Walk without fainting in the strength of the Lord. Often it’s the stress of life’s race. Run in the strength of the Lord. Maybe you’re struggling with the constant noise of problems and issues in your personal life or because of the political situation around us. Rise up on wings like an eagle and soar above it all in the presence of the Lord.

Remember – turkeys can fly too, but they can’t soar. They weren’t designed to. But you are. Choose to be an eagle and leave the turkeys behind.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Monday, September 8, 2025

It doesn’t pay. It doesn’t change anything. It doesn’t do any good. It’s nothing more than venting or letting off steam. It has no value other than to create a false sense of accomplishment. It strokes our pride to think that our ideas for resolution just might work, yet nothing ever moves beyond the verbal exercise stage. Complaining is meaningless and worthless.

I know far too many complainers. I know that I am one of them. I observe some in the church whom I actually believe would like to re-define complaining as a spiritual gift. It would be included in the modern day list of gifts right along with gossip and apathy.

I fought the urge to complain when I went grocery shopping the other day.  Instead, I prayed and gave thanks to the Lord for two things: first, that the price of food has nothing to do with the promises of God that He will care for me; and second, that we walk in these last days with confidence in the promise of the return of Jesus.

For years I have had a policy as a Pastor: if you have a complaint or suggestion, I would be glad to listen to it on one condition – that you have thought through it well enough to offer a solution and you express a desire to be involved in implementing the solution. Otherwise all you are doing is complaining. That policy has worked very well, except in one church where they thought I was unapproachable because they seemed to like their complaining.

The worst part about complaining is that it shows the real object of our faith and the true trust level of our heart. That’s a very thought-provoking statement if you will take the time to think about it. The attitudes we present in public indicate what we really believe.

Isaiah 40:27-29 “Why do you say, O Jacob, and complain, O Israel, “My way is hidden from the LORD; my cause is disregarded by my God”? Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.”

Christians who complain do great damage to the efforts of faithful followers of Jesus to show the world that the LORD is the everlasting God, the creator of the ends of the earth. Complainers crush the truth that God does not grow tired or weary. Complainers undermine the understanding of God’s limitless understanding. Complainers reveal nothing about faith in God and convince others of only one thing – that God doesn’t care and isn’t big enough to handle the problem. Complainers tell everyone else that they can’t find enough strength from God to make it through whatever problem they are complaining about.

“Lord Jesus, forgive me for complaining. Forgive me for my weak faith. Forgive me for how many times I have turned inward and expressed anger outward – anger that removes the credibility of my witness for you. Forgive me for not showing the people of the world, and even your people, that I trust you and believe you are in absolute control. Restore unto me the joy of my salvation and fill me with the hope of glory so that others see that hope and ask me about it. Let my life and my words back up what I believe in my heart – You are the LORD, the everlasting God!”

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Friday, September 5, 2025

Contrast makes things more visible. Try this right now: on your phone or tablet find the contrast control and set it to its lowest setting. How does that look? Washed out, isn’t it? Now set it to its highest setting. Quite a difference isn’t it. Contrast makes things stand out more clearly.

When we visited the bayou in Louisiana years ago we met a pastor who is man of contrasts. How I admire and respect him. God was using this humble man to accomplish great things for God’s glory. His long full beard seems out of place in the hot and humid weather of the Bayou. It may be a carry-over from the hippie days on the west coast when he ministered to that generation alongside people like the late Keith Green.

On the outside he appears rough. However, on the inside he’s soft and supple. By his own admission he struggles with frustration, but in reality the Holy Spirit flows out of him more than his flesh does. He is to me the model of meekness like Jesus. He is a man of great strength, but it is under the absolute control of the Holy Spirit so that his nature is that of a shepherd.

I watched him a lot when I was there. I learned to appreciate his sense of humor that was revealed by the gleam in his eyes. I was blessed by his sensitive heart that was seen by the tears in his eyes. His strength was revealed in the calluses on his hands. His compassion was revealed as he used those same hands to care for his wife and the sheep of his flock.

Strength under control: that’s what meekness is. That’s who Jerry is. That’s who Jesus is.

Isaiah 40:10-11 (New Living Translation) “Yes, the Sovereign LORD is coming in all his glorious power. He will rule with awesome strength. See, he brings his reward with him as he comes. He will feed his flock like a shepherd. He will carry the lambs in his arms, holding them close to his heart. He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young.”

The Sovereign Lord is coming in glorious power. He will rule in awesome strength. And when He comes to His people He has all of that power under control. How thankful we must be for that, or we would surely die. Yet Jesus comes to us as a shepherd. He feeds us. He carries us. He holds us close to His heart. He gently leads us. He doesn’t force us. He doesn’t push us. He doesn’t manipulate us. He doesn’t overpower us. He comes alongside of us and befriends us.

I want to be more like Jesus. Far too many times I fall back on my own strength and let it rise to the forefront of my circumstances and relationships. I take control. I push. Oh that I would be more gentle in spirit and let the Lord Jesus not only shepherd me but then shepherd others through me.

Maybe you have issues of control. Maybe your strength comes to the surface more than it should. It’s possible that the way you communicate with and respond to people comes across harsh and frustrated. It may be that some wrong of the past corrupts your present relationship with someone. Maybe it’s your own insecurities that you cover with an attitude of power and strength and control.

Whatever it may be, will you seek the heart of Jesus and learn meekness? Fine tune the contrast on the screen of your life so Jesus is more clearly visible.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Thursday, September 4, 2025

It was a thought-provoking question. It came from a sincere desire to be a better witness for Jesus Christ at her place of work. “How can I be more bold to talk about my relationship with Jesus? Why do I fear doing that at the workplace?”

I discerned in her question an attitude of fear based on a misconception that witnessing means convincing and convicting. I believe that is true for many of us. We have the idea that being a witness means winning others to Christ. While that is our ultimate desire, the actual process of introducing someone to Jesus Christ should be much less threatening. A witness is not someone who convinces others of what they need – that’s the Holy Spirit’s ministry in their heart. A witness is someone who testifies to what they have experienced personally in their own life.

As I explained this to her, she was delighted. It released her from the fear that had gripped her and kept her silent. “Just put your everyday conversations into the context of praise and thanksgiving to God and let that be your witness. You don’t have to convince people that they need God – you just have to show them the reality of God in your own life.”

That leads me to ask this question to myself and all of you – “How do the people of the world see the reality of Jesus in our lives?” They certainly don’t see that we trust God when we complain about a financial crisis. How can they see the peace of God when we worry about the political crisis in our city, state, nation, or world? They are unable to see the reality of the love of God when all they can see is the love we have for self and the world. People need to see those who claim to love God making sacrifices for the Kingdom of God and for people in need.

We claim to have been transformed by the love of God. We claim to trust Him. We claim to walk by faith and not by sight. Yet the unsaved people of the world claim that they cannot see the reality of God because we look so much like they do. We have the good news of the Gospel and yet it seems what dominates our conversations is the bad news of the world.

Isaiah 40:9 “You who bring good tidings to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who bring good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with a shout, lift it up, do not be afraid; say to the towns of Judah, “Here is your God!”

It is time for us to stand up boldly and tell the world about our God. Not condescendingly, but compassionately. Not arrogantly but passionately. Not with fingers pointed at people but with hands lifted in praise to Jesus our Savior.

Lift up your voice with a shout and with no fear. Proclaim to everyone that Jesus is Lord of your life. And let the way you live your life prove it.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Wednesday, September 3, 2025

You really can’t tell by standing on it, but the ground is sinking. In fact, it’s already several feet below sea level. That’s what it’s like on the bayou in Louisiana. The road serves as a dike to hold back the sea. When it floods, and it usually does during a hurricane, it’s easy to have three to four feet of water everywhere. In addition to the flood threat, the land mass is actually sinking at a rate of up to two inches per year.

Because of those two realities, the people who live there need unique houses. They need to live above ground level – well above the potential flood level. The houses are built on pillars, sometimes up to 12 feet above the ground. Many of the homes were at ground level at the time of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. That’s why the people of our church travelled to the bayou and helped rebuild homes for people who were still living in terribly rotten conditions.

The placing of the pillars for the home is the most important part of the rebuilding process. Huge, treated telephone poles are brought in. Holes are drilled into the ground at least 8 to 10 feet deep and then filled with concrete to within two feet of the surface. Holes are then drilled through the poles two feet from the bottom, through which thick rebar is passed. The rebar extends out from the pole 2 feet, and each end is then welded to another piece of rebar that connects them all forming a 2 foot by 2 foot square around the pole. The pole is then placed into the concrete-filled hole, and then concrete is poured around it and over all the rebar. This is done to keep the pole from sinking into the ground. If the ground does sink, the pole moves with it and maintains the integrity of the home above.

I went into that detail for a purpose. It’s a lot of work to lay the right foundation for a home to be built. It’s also a lot of work to build the right foundation upon which to build a life. People have tried lots of options and alternatives, but there is only one foundation that cannot sink or fail – the Word of God.

Isaiah 40:6-8   A voice says, “Cry out.” And I said, “What shall I cry?” “All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field. The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the LORD blows on them. Surely the people are grass. The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever.”

Our lives – the houses in which we live on this earth – are to be built on the pillars of truth in God’s Word: pillars that are firmly grounded on the Rock of Jesus Christ. Any pillar not resting on the Rock is sure to shift and sink, causing the house to crack and fall.

In the average bayou house there are at least 12 pillars, but there could be more depending on the size of the house. I’ve seen some houses with more than 20. But every one of them is put down the same way with the assurance of the same stability.

The number of pillars in our lives varies based on each individual’s choice of how extensive their life will be – how many activities they will be involved in. But each pillar must be placed on the same foundation of God’s Word. Every choice we make for recreation, career, relationships, hobbies, finances, or ministry becomes a pillar of our life, and it must be resting on the truth of God’s Word. If not, our lives will fall apart. Try as hard as we might to keep them together, there is no hope that our houses will survive unless they are grounded on the Bible.

Check the pillars of your life today – those things you think are indispensable and define you. Are they really resting on the promises of God’s Word, or are they settling into the sinking sands of the world. It may be time to demolish the old structure and build a new house.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Tuesday, September 2, 2025

It was tedious, but it had to be done. After all, the work they were doing was being done unto the Lord. Sure, they could have skimped, but eventually that would have caused problems. The easy fix is not always the right fix.

So while I tended to some plumbing issues, three of our mission crew took to their knees and starting filling in all the nail holes and imperfections in the floor with a fast-setting putty. After it was dry, they hand sanded every spot to make sure it was perfectly smooth. They did this in every room of the house. It took them almost two days to complete. They were tired and sore from all that bending and kneeling. But now the floor was ready to accept  the free-floating vinyl.

You see, every one of those flooring nails and screws, if not puttied, could loosen and raise up and cause damage to the flooring that would be laid over them. Every indentation in the wood would cause the flooring to become dented at that point. Every bump or low spot had to be made level, and it had to be a permanent fix, or the floor would be damaged.

Our lives are like that. We are filled with rough spots and deep dents. Our character is rugged. The seemingly insurmountable mountains of circumstances drive us into valleys of pain and despair. There is more preparation to do before the fullness of God’s glory can be laid upon us.

This morning one of my facebook friends posted a quote from the devotional book entitled Streams in the Desert. “Beloved, never try to get out of a dark place except in God’s timing and in His way. A time of trouble and darkness is meant to teach us lessons we desperately need. Premature deliverance may circumvent God’s work of grace in our lives. Commit the entire situation to Him and be willing to abide in darkness, knowing He is present.”

God’s promises make that possible. Today the Word of the Lord comes through the prophet Isaiah with such a promise. Chapter 40 verses 4-5 tell us, “Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it.”

Finally we put the last piece of trim in place after laying all the flooring in the house we had prepared. Anyone who walks in will see only the finished product. They will not see any of the putty that was used. They will not see any of the dust that was created from the sanding and smoothing process. They will see no bumps or dents. They will only see the beauty of the finished product.

So it is with our lives. Every rough spot, rugged place, and mountain will be made smooth. Every valley will be raised up. And when God has finished His work in us, His glory is all that will be seen. So let God do His work. Let us cooperate with Him by rejecting any notion of pride in our prayers, our personal life, and our choices. Let Him smooth out all the rough spots of sin in us and  lift us up out of the valleys of discouragement, depression, and despair. Let Him turn your rugged places into productive and pleasant plains. His glory is about to be revealed.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Monday, September 1, 2025

We spent 4 days travelling almost 3,000 miles, one day worshiping and relaxing, and four days working in 90 degree temps with high humidity. It was tremendous. We joined God in doing His work and we received the greatest blessings. God’s Kingdom principle of being more blessed by giving than receiving was proven true once again.

When we arrived on the bayou in southern Louisiana, those of us who had been there right after the hurricanes were impressed with how the landscape had recovered. At the same time we were also saddened by the number of homes that had once been under water and were still standing on the ground and being occupied. We actually worked on one such home that had no running water and a broken sewer pipe with raw sewage running down the back of the house onto the ground. We fixed the water and the sewer pipe, but the house needs a lot of work and needs to be raised up.

Living in that house were a grandma and grandpa, their 26-year old disabled daughter, and two grandchildren who were left there by their mother who ran off. The water hasn’t worked for weeks. They get their water through a garden hose hooked up to the neighbor’s house. It’s all cold. They flush the toilet with a bucket. They bath in cold water. In order to fix everything, two of our men had to crawl under the house with only 18 inches of clearance. They slid through rats and spiders and sewage to reach the broken water line. They cleaned the sewage from the back of the house to repair the broken pipe. They went back under the house and strapped up all the other water lines. It was a mess, but now it works. Grandma said she couldn’t wait to take a hot shower.

Serving people. That’s what Jesus did. He went into the sewage of sin and served us. He saved us. Pastor Jerry Moser from the church these people attend said this to me about the conditions these people live in: “When we stand before the Lord someday, how will we explain to Him that we let someone right next door to us rot to death?” Those two men who went under that house are true servants of Jesus. They are real world heroes, although they would never want to be called that.

How far are we really willing to go to bring comfort to others? Would I have been able to ignore and conquer my claustrophobia and crawl under that house? If I lived in that house, how long would I have put up with those conditions? How long must we wait for the comfort we have been promised?

In Isaiah 40, God is telling the people that their hard service is completed, their sins are paid for, and comfort is coming. But wait, it would be 100 years before their land would be invaded and they would be taken captive. Then it would be another 70 years before their captivity would end. Yet in the mind of God it was already done. They were to take comfort in the promise of God for a glorious outcome even while it was a long way off.

Oh if I could only have that kind of faith. Why do the problems of today overwhelm me so much? Why is my focus always on the hurdles I keep tripping on rather than on the finish line where Jesus stands with outstretched arms to greet me and reward me for my faithful service?

Whatever you are struggling with today, God’s promises are not voided by your circumstances. No matter how long you have been in the middle of this hardship, God’s comfort is available. Your sins have been forgiven. In the mind of God your time has been served. The lessons He wants to teach you are being learned. You are becoming more and more like Jesus. Just keep your eyes on the finish line. Jesus will get you there!

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Friday, August 29, 2025

How great is our God! His glory is being revealed.

Our choice of focus determines our attitude about those statements. Surrounded by hardships, tragedies, and negativity, it is easy to become discouraged and even depressed. Unfulfilled dreams become wet blankets thrown over the flames of faith. Personal failures force the pride of life to turn our attention inward in a misguided attempt to find pleasure in pity. All of which turn our attention toward self and we miss seeing the glory of God.

That’s where you might find yourself today. The Enemy of our soul may be attacking viciously in an attempt to turn your focus from the face of Jesus to fear generated by any of the following:

• Worldwide tragedies of war and nature.
• Economic hardships projected upon our personal finances, which may cause us to consider stealing from God to pay our bills and fulfill our own dreams.
• Hurtful words spoken by others become more believable than God’s Word as the statement of our worth.
• Pride that turns the focus inward on personal pain rather than the pain we caused in others, hindering true repentance and forgiveness.

These are the things that oppose the glory of God in our lives today. Yet I hear the voice of God calling out from Isaiah 40 verses 3-5. “A voice of one calling: “In the desert prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”  

Oh that I might see the glory of God today. Reveal yourself, O Lord, in ways today that grab my attention and snap my head up to look at you.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Thursday, August 28, 2025

Isaiah 40:1 “Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.”

What does it take to make you feel comfortable? I’m not talking about your pillow-top bed or your Lazy Boy recliner. I’m not referring to the temperature outside or inside. What is it that makes you feel comforted when all around you life is a mess? Where do you find your peace of mind when there is nothing but war around you – the war of words from people and the war of the worlds from an economic and political perspective?

The reason we may not feel as comforted as we should is that we are so shallow. We are really in denial of how much our sinful nature continues to dominate our thinking and dictate our attitudes. We say we are people of faith and trust, but in what have we truly placed our faith? We may think we have placed it in God, but I suspect that most of us have misplaced our faith in the knowledge of God’s activity rather than in the knowledge of His character and nature.

If our faith is placed in the knowledge of God’s activity and plan for our lives, then we will never find true comfort in the storms of life. Our faith must be completely in the nature of God and His character, regardless of how much information he provides about His specific plans for our situation.

Many years ago I was in a 24-foot boat with outriggers crossing a five mile stretch of the Pacific Ocean in the Philippines. We were on our way home from an island where we had dedicated a new church. The wind was strong, blowing right down the straights. The waves were bigger than anything I had ever experienced. There was one question on my mind. I did not care how far it was to the shore. I did not care what direction we were traveling. I did not care how long it was going to take to get out of the waves. The only thing I cared about was whether or not the boat was strong enough to carry us through. The nature and character of the boat mattered more than anything else.

John Hannah, writing in Preaching Today, tells this story:

“My wife returned from a gynecologist’s appointment some years ago to say, “In my routine checkup today the doctor discovered a lump.” I knew what that could mean. At the time we had a four-year-old and a two-year-old. I said to myself, “How will I ever raise my daughters alone?” For six months I thought that, trying to be brave.

“I would put my wife to bed and then go out into the living room and turn off the lights. In the darkness, with my Bible in my hand, I discovered the greatest comfort that can be given any man: not knowing that everything will be all right, but knowing that everything is under control.

“What comforted me was not the answers—there were none—but the character of God. I realized that God cared for me. He cares for the mountain goats, and he cares for me. I found out that this world is not chaotic. He controls the behemoth and the leviathan. He is infinite God, and I am finite man.

“So I could go to bed and rest, not in my knowledge, but in confidence in the character of God. He is good. He is infinite. He is full of mercy.”

Comfort comes from rightly placed faith. Make sure your faith is not wrongly placed in human understanding of God’s plan, but in the knowledge of Who God is. That is the key to comfort.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Wednesday, August 27, 2025

Today’s devotional will be brief. Don’t think it won’t be important. It has certainly been convicting to me.

Yesterday we talked about hindsight. There is another type of “sight” that is problematic. It is when we are shortsighted. You know, looking at the immediate rather than the future. Now that’s an appropriate topic in this day of wars, economic uncertainty, and social unrest.

Here’s the story from Isaiah 39. King Hezekiah decides to show off to the envoys from Babylon. He reveals to them the what he thinks is the glory of Israel – its wealth, technology, and military power. He does not reveal to them its true glory – the glory of God. Hezekiah needed affirmation and personal recognition, so he did what he thought was necessary to receive it – he showed off to visitors from another land.

As a result, God declared that the nation that he tried to impress would eventually use the information to overthrow Israel. His descendants, some not even born to him yet, would be taken captive. The nation would go into slavery, and all its wealth would be carried off.

Now, here’s the shortsighted response of Hezekiah.

Isaiah 39:8 “The word of the LORD you have spoken is good,” Hezekiah replied. For he thought, “There will be peace and security in my lifetime.”

Hezekiah only cared about his lifetime. In his mind he’s doing the math. “Let’s see, I have fifteen years left to live. I am going to father some children. When Babylon attacks those children will be old enough to be taken as slaves. That means I will be already dead when this invasion occurs. Therefore, it doesn’t matter. There will be peace and security for me for as long as I’m alive and that’s all I care about.” 

What a horrible attitude. His choices and actions were going to result in the downfall of his country and the loss of his family, yet all he cares about is his immediate security. He had no concern for the future generations.

Before we get too hard on him, let’s take some time today to consider whether our political, financial, and even spiritual platforms are based on the same kind of shortsightedness, or are they based on the truth of God’s Word and His glorious outcomes.

Pastor John