LifeLink Devotions for Tuesday, August 12, 2025

“My hope is built on nothing less, than Jesus blood and righteousness.” The words of this grand old hymn are ringing in my head. Oh how I long for them to be absolutely true of my life. “I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus’ name.” No matter how sweet and inviting the world looks, it will not last, nor will it satisfy. “On Christ the solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand. All other ground is sinking sand.” 

As I contemplated the real life application of that truth to my life, I was reminded by the Holy Spirit of the additional verses of that song.

“When darkness seems to hide His face,
I rest on His unchanging grace.
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.”

No matter how dark the world begins to look around me, and how severe the storms of my life become, I know I stand secure in Christ. Why, because His Word NEVER fails. His promises are ALWAYS fulfilled. In Christ our hope is secure!

“His oath, His covenant, His blood,
Support me in the whelming flood.
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my Hope and Stay.” 

Then the final verse came to my mind. It fixed my eyes where they are supposed to be all of the time – on the coming of Jesus to reclaim what is rightfully His. Since I am His, I will be a part of the Lord’s worldwide reclamation project.

When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh may I then in Him be found.
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.

It was then that I discovered the thirty-fourth chapter of Isaiah. It is the beginning of the conclusion of the story for this particular section which describes God’s judgment on man’s sin and rebellion. Isaiah gets our attention in verse one. “Come near, you nations, and listen; pay attention, you peoples! Let the earth hear, and all that is in it, the world, and all that comes out of it!.”

He then begins to describe the incredible day of the Lord’s vengeance (verse 8) which culminates in the enemies of God being destroyed and the people of God being restored in a transformed physical world.

As I was reading, a line from verse four jumped off the page at me and reminded me of another song – one that hitchhiked on the previous song still being sung in my spirit. The line is “and the sky rolled up like a scroll.” As a part of God’s judgment of sin and redemption of the physical world, Isaiah describes the transformations of nature that will take place. As the stars of heaven dissolve, and the sky rolls up like a scroll, I am reminded that there’s nothing in this world that I can stand on, but because I stand on the Rock of Jesus Christ it is well with my soul.

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Monday, August 11, 2025

Think about a victory you have experienced. Maybe it was a sporting event, or maybe it was something more personal. Now think about how long the feelings of that victory lasted. The heaviness of life eventually returns. No matter how great the victory, it is temporary and does nothing – absolutely nothing – to satisfy the longing of our hearts for meaning and purpose. How sad it is for those who put their hope in man and man’s accomplishments.

But there is a victory coming someday that will satisfy every longing of our human hearts. For many of us the victory is already being experienced in our spirit. Others will discover the truth soon, maybe even today. After winning a Super Bowl, Greg Jennings of the Green Bay Packers looked up and around at all that was happening and declared in front of a worldwide audience, “Glory to God.” As great as that moment was after such a thrilling victory, it was not to be compared with the awe we have for Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.

Look up and around, for the day of the Lord is coming with greater majesty and splendor than any earthly victory could produce. Jesus is coming, and when He does He will fill the world with the spectacle of His presence. The blessings of His victory will satisfy us for all eternity.

In our study of Isaiah, in chapter 33, here’s what the Lord says the world will be like after His return. This is what we truly long for with all our hearts:

• Peace and Permanence – verse 20 – “a peaceful abode, a tent that will not be moved; its stakes will never be pulled up, nor any of its ropes broken.”
• Powerful leadership – verse 21 – “There the LORD will be our Mighty One.”
• Protection – verse 21 – “It will be like a place of broad rivers and streams. No galley with oars will ride them, no mighty ship will sail them.” Broad rivers refers to the borders of the land being uncrossable by any enemy.
• Justice and Righteousness – verse 22 – “For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; it is he who will save us.”
• Complete trust in God alone – verse 23 – “Your rigging hangs loose: The mast is not held secure, the sail is not spread.”
• Plenty of provisions for every person’s needs – verse 23 – “Then an abundance of spoils will be divided and even the lame will carry off plunder.”
• Perfect health and well-being – verse 24 – “No one living in Zion will say, “I am ill”;”
• The forgiveness of all sin – verse 24 – “and the sins of those who dwell there will be forgiven.” 

Go ahead – celebrate your victories. But don’t let them become more important than the victory that is to come when Jesus returns – a victory you can celebrate every day of your life and one that is eternally more significant.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Friday, August 8, 2025

Humility.

It is the exact opposite of what the world teaches. Since we were born we have been bombarded with the message that we must excel. We must do everything in our power to become the best that we can be. We must win at all cost. We must get our own way in everything. We must strive with all our might to exceed the popularity, power, and position of everyone close to us. We believe that the true measure of our worth is in the value of our possessions.

Pastor Leith Anderson, in a sermon he preached in 1999 called The Height of Humility, told this story:

“It was a strange bicycle race. According to the story I read, the object of this race in India was to go the shortest distance possible within a specified time. At the start of the race, everyone cued up at the line. When the gun sounded all the bicycles, as best they could, stayed put. Racers were disqualified if they tipped over or one of their feet touched the ground. And so they would inch forward just enough to keep the bike balanced. When the time was up and another gun sounded, the person who had gone the farthest was the loser and the person closest to the starting line was the winner.

“Imagine getting into that race and not understanding how the race works. When the race starts, you pedal as hard and fast as you possibly can. You’re out of breath. You’re sweating. You’re delighted because the other racers are back there at the starting line. You’re going to break the record. You think, This is fantastic. Don’t let up. Push harder and faster and longer and stronger.

“At last you hear the gun that ends the race, and you are delighted because you are unquestionably the winner. Except you are unquestionably the loser because you misunderstood how the race is run.

“Jesus gives us the rules to the eternal race of life. The finish line is painted on the other side of our deaths, right in front of the throne of God himself. There you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous. The winning strategy for this life and for all eternity is caring about others and not about ourselves. It is letting others go first and not pushing to the front. It is giving without the expectation of getting in return. It is to be humble, like Jesus.”

Jesus described Himself as humble and meek. He said He came to serve, not to be served. Yet He is the exalted one. He has risen to the throne of heaven because He gave Himself up for us. Isaiah 33:10says,“Now will I arise,” says the LORD. “Now will I be exalted; now will I be lifted up.” He will arise and bring us with Him when we renounce self and trust Him to be our Provider and Protector. It’s not what we learn from the world, but it is what results in ultimate glory – for Jesus and for us. Remember His words? “The first will be last, and the last will be first. Anyone who loses his life for My sake will find it, but whoever strives to keep his life will lose it.”

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Thursday, August 7, 2025

Have you ever felt like even when you try to do right you can’t get past the consequences of your past? Frustrating, isn’t it? Our past has a way of catching up with us, and when it does it usually overpowers us.

That was the story of the nation of Assyria. They were a treacherous nation that was despised by the other nations of the world. They not only conquered lands, but terrorized people. They were brutal in their tactics. But it was going to catch up to them.

The day would come when Assyria would try to relax and enjoy the fruit of their conquering. But what they had done to others would be returned unto them no matter how much they announced that their terrorist days were done.

Isaiah is praying that the day would come when the attacks would stop and be reversed. He knows that because of their sin the nation of Israel has deserved the punishment that has been inflicted upon them by the Assyrians. He also knows that their past will overwhelm them and that they have no power to stop it. So he cries out to the LORD YHWH and says, “be gracious to us; we long for you. Be our strength every morning, our salvation in time of distress.” (Isaiah 33:2)

Like Isaiah, when your past catches up with you, humble yourself and cry out to God. You cannot stop the consequences of your sin. Only Jesus can. His mercy and grace are the only thing that can give you the victory over the past. He is your strength and salvation in time of distress.

Then, after Isaiah asks for grace from the Lord he begins to proclaim the promises of God and declare the Lord’s attributes. By faith he announces what He knows will happen based on who he knows God to be. This is what Isaiah said, and can be a model to us all as we pray and declare the glory of the Lord:

• There is no one greater than the Lord – At the thunder of your voice, the peoples flee; when you rise up, the nations scatter. (verse 3)
• The Lord will restore us and bless us – Your plunder, O nations, is harvested as by young locusts; like a swarm of locusts men pounce on it. (verse 4)
• The Lord will be exalted in the land and bring peace – The LORD is exalted, for he dwells on high; he will fill Zion with justice and righteousness. (verse 5)
• The Lord is faithful and can be trusted – He will be the sure foundation for your times, (verse 6a)
• The Lord will provided everything we need – a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; (verse 6b)

Then Isaiah says one more thing. He gives us the key to victory over our past and the blessings of the future. He says, “the fear of the LORD is the key to this treasure.”

The fear of the Lord can easily be defined this way:

Father Exalted And Revered.

So that leads us to these questions –

• “In my life, is the Father exalted and revered?”
• “Do I believe that I can deliver myself?”
• “Am I expecting God to deliver me from my past and my sin based on my own merit or on the work of Jesus Christ on the cross?”
• “Do I expect God to bless me and believe I deserve it, or do I fear God and trust Him with every part of my life regardless of the blessings promised, just because He is worthy?”

“O LORD, be gracious to us; we long for you. Be our strength every morning, our salvation in time of distress.”

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Wednesday, August 6, 2025

Let me tell you a story that illustrates the point I made yesterday that we are to be a shelter and a refuge for the hurting around us, no matter who they are.

Last Monday evening I was sitting quietly in my living room relaxing when I got a text message from one of my grandsons. This is what it said.

“I just met a homeless guy. He’s been sitting outside the convenience store next to where I live for three days. He flagged me down because he said I looked like an old movie star, so I started talking to him. He told me his name and that he’s been trying to get to Britt, Iowa for the hobo fest. After talking to him for a while, I bought him a sandwich and a beverage. Then I prayed with him and invited him to attend church if and when he returns from Iowa. I hope something comes of it.”

Unfortunately, far too many of us might consider this a waste of time. But not my grandson. He asked me to pray with him for this man so that God would use his expression of God’s grace and love as a means of bringing him to Christ. He was a momentary shelter in a time of storm for this man. He planted a seed that the Holy Spirit can use to grow into faith that brings him to the Rock of salvation. He did exactly what we talked about yesterday.

How many opportunities have we passed by to be the shelter for others because we predetermine a person’s worth? I hope the story of my grandson challenges us all.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Tuesday, August 5, 2025

One thing is for sure about weather. It can change quickly. This has been a summer of change in Wisconsin. Hot days followed by stormy weather followed by cool temps. Soon it will be winter again. Did I just say that. Shame on me. But weather changes, and everyone needs shelter from the weather.

The nation of Israel sure went through a lot of “weather” changes, if by weather we mean political and spiritual issues. When they obeyed God, He upheld His covenant of blessing with them. When they disobeyed Him, He upheld the consequences stated in the same covenant. God always fulfills His covenants.

In chapter thirty-one of Isaiah, God continues to discipline His people for their rebellion, and also declares the punishment that will fall on the nation of Assyria for rejecting Jehovah. Then in chapter thirty-two God gives a great statement of hope – a King will reign in righteousness.

Isaiah 32:1-2 “See, a king will reign in righteousness and rulers will rule with justice. Each man will be like a shelter from the wind and a refuge from the storm, like streams of water in the desert and the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land.”

From a historical perspective, this refers to King Hezekiah, whose reign was one of righteousness and peace. But from a spiritual and prophetic perspective this promise declares the coming of Jesus Christ as King. What joy I find in these words – Jesus is a shelter from the wind, a refuge from the storm, a stream of living water that nourishes and brings life to the desert places, and the rock that provides shade and protection from the scorching sun of sin.

What joy there is in those thoughts. What refreshment of my spirit there is in relationship with Jesus. He stabilizes my life when the winds of adversity blow against me. He protects me from the storms of crisis and gives me peace even in the midst of them. When the thirst of my soul is no longer satisfied with the water of the world and my pursuits have dried up like the sands of the desert, a spring of living water bubbles up from within and satisfies my every longing. And when the stress of life saps my energy like the heat of the noonday sun God invites me into the shade of His presence and I find rest.

Wait…there is a challenge tucked away in the midst of these blessings. Do you see it at the start of the second sentence? These things are to be true of us as well. We are to be shelters from the wind for others who are unstable. We are to be a place of refuge and peace for those around us who are being battered by the storms of life. We are to be like streams of fresh and refreshing water for those who are not finding satisfaction from the ways of the world. We are to be the place of shade and rest for those whose strength has been sapped by the scorching sun of sin.

You and me. We are the representatives of the righteous King to those living in a weary land. Just as Jesus is our shelter in the time of storm, so are we to be a place of protection for our friends and neighbors when they are being pounded by the winds and waves of adversity. But wait, we are to be like the Rock to more than just friends and neighbors. It is the love of God that will transform our enemies, and what better way to show them His love than to offer them help and hope when they are in their greatest need.

How I praise God for being my Rock, my Refuge, my shelter. Yet I am convicted that I am not those same things to others around me. “Lord, make me a servant to others, no matter who they are, that they may see your love and the hope of glory in me, that they may discover the peace they long to know in you and you alone.”

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Monday, August 4, 2025

Henry Blackaby, in his magnificent study entitled Experiencing God, makes this statement –

“When God speaks, what you do next reveals what you believe about God.”

With brevity and precision that statement dissects our hearts. Here are some profound truths to think about as we start a new week. May they bring initial unrest to our souls followed by the peace of God from knowing our faith has been strengthened.

• God spoke and said, “Whoever calls on my Name shall be saved. Whoever believes on the One and Only Son of God shall have everlasting life. If we will confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us for those sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” So why is it that we still live under the bondage of sin, struggling with it, seeking counseling for it, and in some cases resolving to just live with it? Do we really believe God to be who He said He was and to do what He said He would do?
• God spoke and said, “I have qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For I have rescued you from the dominion of darkness and brought you into the kingdom of the Son I love, in whom you have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” So why is it that we still live with such connections to the worldly kingdom? And why is it that we still struggle to qualify ourselves in the eyes of others, giving them the right to define us and approve us? Do we really believe who God is and what He said He would do?
• God spoke and said, “See, I am coming, with burning anger and dense clouds of smoke; my lips are full of wrath, and my tongue is a consuming fire. You will sing…your hearts will rejoice…for I come to shatter your enemies and deliver you.” Then why is it that we get so bent out of shape about what’s wrong with our world? What does the grumbling and complaining and critical spirit say about who we believe God to be?
• God spoke and said, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” So why do we still worry? What does that say about who we really believe God to be?
• God spoke and said, “If you have the faith of a small mustard seed, you can say to a mountain, move from here to there, and it will move.” As far as I know, God has never asked anyone to move a mountain, but He has asked us to do some pretty out-of-the-ordinary things in our lives. You have heard Him speak to you about those things before. They may involve a career choice, a call to ministry, a sacrificial gift to a church, or one of a million other possibilities. The point is you have heard Him speak to you. He gave you His direction and purpose for that time of your life. Did you obey? If not, what does that say about who you really believe God to be?

“When God speaks, what you do next reveals what you believe about God.”

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Friday, August 1, 2025

Yesterday was tough. It’s hard reviewing all the ways that we personally rebel against God. But having done it, our disgust with ourselves can be turned into rejoicing as we hear about the marvelous grace of God that saves us from it all. After describing our serious condition of rebellion in the first fourteen verses of Isaiah chapter thirty, The Lord God Almighty says this in verse fifteen.

“This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength…”

Let’s dig into the grace of God that is now described.

• God longs to be gracious to us even during our worst rebellion. In verses sixteen and seventeen, after God says we can take rest in His salvation, we still reject Him and rebel against Him. But the Lord rises above our stubbornness and responds with grace in verse eighteen. “Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him.”
• God reveals Himself to us through adversity and trouble.  There’s hope revealed in verses nineteen and twenty. “For a people shall dwell in Zion, in Jerusalem; you shall weep no more. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry. As soon as he hears it, he answers you. And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide himself anymore, but your eyes shall see your Teacher.”
• In verse twenty-one God graciously promises to walk with us constantly and gives us specific direction. “And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.”
• God’s grace brings us to repentance of our rebellion. Verse twenty-two says, “Then you will defile your carved idols overlaid with silver and your gold-plated metal images. You will scatter them as unclean things. You will say to them, “Be gone!” When we experience God’s grace we turn away from all our sin.
• Then in grace God promises to provide for our every need and will bring out the best in everything He gives us. How precious are the words of verses twenty-three and twenty-four. “And he will give rain for the seed with which you sow the ground, and bread, the produce of the ground, which will be rich and plenteous. In that day your livestock will graze in large pastures, and the oxen and the donkeys that work the ground will eat seasoned fodder, which has been winnowed with shovel and fork.”
• And His promises continue in the next two verses as God will heal all the wounds of our suffering.  “And on every lofty mountain and every high hill there will be brooks running with water, in the day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall. Moreover, the light of the moon will be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, in the day when the Lord binds up the brokenness of his people, and heals the wounds inflicted by his blow.”

You have seen the rebellious nature of man, and the splendor of God’s grace. You can now embrace the promise we read earlier as the Lord showers you with salvation and strength. God’s grace has come, and “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength…”

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Thursday, July 31, 2025

We’ve come to the thirtieth chapter of Isaiah, and it is one of contrasts. In it we see the rebellious nature of man and the gracious nature of God. Our pride seeks to protect us from looking at the reality of our nature. Our hearts long to know the depths of God’s grace. The truth is the magnificence of God’s grace towards us cannot be fully comprehended unless we also understand the depths of our depravity. It is where sin abounds that grace abounds more.

We are taught by our flesh and all those around us under the influence of their flesh to avoid any focus on our faults. We grade our spiritual condition on a huge curve of comparison. So many people are worse than us, and very few are better, so we believe we are in no real danger of flunking. But when compared to the holiness of God, all of us fail, and all of us need forgiveness, and none of us can save ourselves. This is the truth that makes the grace of God so grand.

The contrasts between our condition and God’s compassion in this passage have really spoken to my heart. But it will take two days to properly express them. You may want to open your Bible and follow along. Today in verses one through fourteen we will see how Isaiah describes man’s rebellious nature. Then tomorrow we will see God’s grace. I guarantee you that when we are done it will bless you with a deeper appreciation of who God is and what He has done for us.

The Lord God reveals man’s rebellious nature in Isaiah chapter thirty verse nine.“For they are a rebellious people, lying children, children unwilling to hear the instruction of the Lord…” Here’s what makes us rebellious.

• We tend to devise and pursue our own plans rather than God’s. Verse one says, ““Ah, stubborn children,” declares the Lord, “who carry out a plan, but not mine, and who make an alliance, but not of my Spirit, that they may add sin to sin;”
• We seek protection and provision from the world and not from God. Verse two says, ”who set out to go down to Egypt, without asking for my direction, to take refuge in the protection of Pharaoh and to seek shelter in the shadow of Egypt! Then God declares in verses three through five that all such attempts for self-preservation will end in shame and disgrace.
• We build ourselves up in our own eyes by oppressing others and we make ourselves look good to others by lying about who we are. Verse twelve says, “Because you despise this word and trust in oppression and perverseness and rely on them,” But note the serious consequences of not being honest about who you are in verses thirteen and fourteen. ”Therefore this iniquity shall be to you like a breach in a high wall, bulging out and about to collapse, whose breaking comes suddenly, in an instant; and its breaking is like that of a potter’s vessel that is smashed so ruthlessly that among its fragments not a shard is found with which to take fire from the hearth, or to dip up water out of the cistern.”
• We even reach a point where we don’t want to hear the truth anymore and reject all attempts by God to help us. Verses ten and eleven describe the depraved condition of a rebellious person. “Who say to the seers, “Do not see,” and to the prophets, “Do not prophesy to us what is right; speak to us smooth things, prophesy illusions, leave the way, turn aside from the path, let us hear no more about the Holy One of Israel.”

What a sad and scary predicament we are in when we reject what the Lord God has to say. And we have all been there. That’s why we need God’s grace, which we will unfold tomorrow. I would encourage you to take some additional time today to really let God’s Word speak to you about our own tendency toward self-sufficiency, which is rebellion against God. It will prepare your heart to embrace the splendor of God’s grace.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Wednesday, July 30, 2025

It’s just too true: we all fall into varying degrees of discouragement at times. We tend to fix our eyes on the here and now instead of the soon to be, and as a result we get bogged down in what’s wrong instead of rejoicing in the hope of the coming righting of all wrongs. Then, as if we need to make matters worse, we go to great lengths to devise our own plans for fixing it all, only to have our lives more completely turned upside down.

Isaiah recognized that problem in people. He saw the inward spiral of self-fulfillment and how we are trapped in the vortex of vanity. He wrote in Isaiah 29:14-16, “the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish.” Woe to those who go to great depths to hide their plans from the LORD, who do their work in darkness and think, “Who sees us? Who will know?” You turn things upside down, as if the potter were thought to be like the clay! Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, “He did not make me”? Can the pot say of the potter, “He knows nothing”?

All the plans of man will fail. When we learn that we will start thriving rather than just surviving. When we finally fall on our knees in humble surrender to the plans of our Provider and Perfecter of our faith, we will be rescued from the whirlpool of worldly wants and transported into the peaceful port of God’s purpose. Isaiah says in verse 19, “The meek shall obtain fresh joy in the Lord, and the poor among mankind shall exult in the Holy One of Israel.”

Later in verses 22-24, there are several clues to how this transformation can happen in our lives.

Therefore this is what the LORD, who redeemed Abraham, says to the house of Jacob: “No longer will Jacob be ashamed; no longer will their faces grow pale.

As Isiah continues he lists six principles from these verses of overcoming discouragement.

• When we begin to see everything as the work of God…  “When they see among them their children, the work of my hands,”
• When we keep the name of God Holy… “they will keep my name holy;”
• When we apply the holiness of God to every area of our lives… “they will acknowledge the holiness of the Holy One of Jacob”
• When we live in complete worship of God… “will stand in awe of the God of Israel”
• When we commit to following God’s way and not our own we will be made wise… “Those who are wayward in spirit will gain understanding”
• When we learn to praise God no matter what the circumstances we will gain understanding…”those who complain will accept instruction”

Picture a ruler…you know, a measuring stick. It’s six inches long. Each inch is one of the above challenges. How do you measure up? I know I’ve got some growing to do to overcome discouragement.

Pastor John