LifeLink Devotions for Thursday, April 24, 2025

I have a favorite beverage I drink in the summer. It is healthy, sugar free, and tastes great. It comes in a small packet filled with just enough powder to mix with a 16.9 ounce water bottle. I mix it in a tall glass. It changes the color of the water from being crystal clear to deep red. Most of the time, much to the frustration of my wife, a small amount of the powder falls on the countertop. It is almost invisible while dry. But when I wipe the counter with a wet paper towel, everything turns red – the paper towel, the counter top, and my fingers.

“We cannot be filled without the very real experience of that with which we are filled.”

“…Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power…” Acts 6:8a 

Being filled with grace is only possible if we have truly experienced grace. Grace is defined as “unmerited favor.” Grace is an undeserved gift. Grace is a gift that is completely, irrefutably, undeserved. There is absolutely nothing that makes it a reward for any action or value. It cannot be earned. Absolutely everything about the recipient is contrary to the very nature and character of the gift. Unless we understand that, and have experienced that, we cannot be filled with it, which means we have no such gift to give to others.

Recently a convict, who has just finished his prison term, applies for a job as a night watchman at a jewelry store. With all his heart he wishes to lead an honest life. He hides his past from the potential employer. He is hired. He has full access to the store through the quiet hours of the night when he has everything under his care and every opportunity to rob his employer. On the first evening, he meets one of his old companions, who questions him, “What are you doing here?”

“I’m the night watchman.”

“Over this jeweler’s shop?”

“Yes.”

“Does he know what you are?”

“No, keep quiet; if he knew, I should be dismissed.”

“Suppose I let it out that you are a returned convict!”

“Oh, please don’t; it would be my last day here, and I wish to be honest.”

“Well, you have to give me some money to keep quiet.”

“Very well, but don’t let anyone know.”

This man still has his job, but he lives in constant fear of being found out, because he does not know that his past can be forgiven.

Let’s change the story hypothetically. Let us suppose that instead of the employer hiring the man in ignorance of his character, he chose instead to go to the prison and visit the man in his cell. He then said to the convict prior to his release, “Now I know you—what you are, what you’ve done, every robbery you’ve committed, but I am about to give you a chance of becoming honest. I’ll trust you as my night watchman over my valuable goods.” When he is released from prison, the convict is faithful at his post. He meets an old companion who threatens to inform his employer about his past. The guard asks, “And what will you tell about me?”

“That you were the ringleader of thieves.”

“Yes, but my master knows all that; he knows me better than I know myself. Yet he forgave me of my past and gave me this post as a gift, and I intend to be faithful to him.

Of course, this silences his former companion forever.

The real reason more grace isn’t seen in people’s lives is that they are still thinking about themselves from a position of pride and self-worth. Only when we become truly broken in spirit and recognize that we are totally and irrefutably empty of anything that demands God’s recognition will we experience true grace. Then, and only then, will Jesus Christ visit us in the prison of worthlessness and offer us the gift of eternal life. Jesus Christ is the only Master who is “full of grace and truth.” Jesus Christ is gracious to you and me because He knows the truth about us, that we deserve nothing but hell. But through His grace heaven can be our share, if we personally and by faith appropriate His grace. And once we understand His grace, we too will be filled with grace towards others.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Wednesday, April 23, 2025

The second thing that marked the life of Stephen was that he was filled with the Holy Spirit. Acts 6:5 says, “Stephen (a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit)”

For some reason many people in the Christian church today are avoiding the truth of this blessing from God. They have either decided to be content with a complacent form of Christianity, or they have so emotionalized their experiences that they bear fruit only for themselves. The truth is that from the moment of our salvation we have been given full access to the nature of God through the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. The problem is that we have not given the Holy Spirit full access to us.

Author A. W. Tozer said something very honest and convicting. He said, “Before we can be filled with the Spirit, the desire to be filled must be all-consuming. It must be for the time the biggest thing in life, so acute, so intrusive as to crowd out everything else. The degree of fullness in any life accords perfectly with the intensity of true desire. We have as much of God as we actually want.”

Let me repeat that last line. “We have as much of God as we actually want.” So many people claim to want to be completely committed to Christ yet they aren’t. So many Christians think they desire to be filled with the Holy Spirit, but they aren’t. Far too many of us are in a state of denial about what we really want. We may get all emotional in church and shed a few tears, and honestly at that moment pray for a new sense of commitment and filling, but as soon as the car door slams and we head for dinner, the world invades our minds and we are once again captivated by new desires. We have as much of God as we actually want.

Suppose you had been house hunting in a development of new homes. Several are already filled with families, but some are empty. When you find an empty one you try to get in to see whether you like it or not. If the house was full, occupied by people, you wouldn’t dare try to get in. But an empty one is one that is available for occupancy, and you want to know if it’s right for you.

That’s exactly what Satan does. He looks for empty houses. He looks for unoccupied space. He will enter through any unguarded door or window and take up residence in any unoccupied room. He doesn’t care if it’s a closet. In fact, those are his favorite places because they are the least noticed and usually already hiding something. Satan is always house hunting, and he doesn’t politely knock. He assumes, and rightly so, that any unoccupied space is rightfully his. You may not understand this, but you have given him permission to be there unless you have already given permission for the Holy Spirit to be there.

Jesus told a parable about this in Luke 11:21-26.  “When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divides up the spoils. He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me, scatters. When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’  When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first.”

So many Christians are in a state of despair because they have allowed Satan continued access to their lives. They may not even know they are doing it. But unless we are intentionally and consistently inviting the Holy Spirit to control every nook and cranny of our hearts and minds, we are intentionally giving permission for Satan to have that space. Any unoccupied space is our choice, and whether or not we intentionally send out an invitation, our choice to not let the Holy Spirit occupy it is a choice to let the enemy have it.

You see, we are naturally of the flesh, and therefore the Father of the flesh needs no special permission to invade our space. But as children of the heavenly Father, we have the privilege of inviting the Holy Spirit of God to fill every space of our hearts and minds. And when He does, Satan cannot enter. “Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.” All the enemy can do is knock. He flees when we send Jesus to answer the door.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Tuesday, April 22, 2025

Fifteen years ago my wife and I were headed for Swaziland, Africa, on a missions trip. It was incredibly meaningful, and I want to spend a few days sharing with you some of the enduring lessons of faith the Lord taught me on that trip. I am going to start with what God taught me the day after we returned.

I went to my office to seek the Lord for what He wanted me to preach on the following day in church. The Holy Spirit reminded me of the story of Stephen in the book of Acts. It hit me very hard, and I have taken it as my personal challenge for spiritual growth in my life. It encompasses much of what God showed me on the trip to Swaziland. Stephen’s life may have been short, but it was certainly full and fruitful. Let me tell you why.

There are four things that the Scriptures say were true of Stephen. I desire the same four things to be consistently true of me. Here’s the first one for today:

1. He was a man full of faith.  This is how he is described in two passage in the book of Acts. “Stephen (a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit)…Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power…” He completely trusted his life into the hands of his Savior. He needed nothing else but his faith in Christ. Faith brings fullness of life. He didn’t need possessions to bring fullness to his life. He didn’t need prestige. He didn’t need pride and power. He simply trusted the trustworthy One. He sought the Kingdom of God first and God provided all else that he needed to accomplish the work of the Kingdom.

So many times we get distracted by the things of the world. They may even be good things, like family, friends, and career. But if our top priority isn’t the desire to serve as an ambassador of the King in His kingdom work, then we need to carefully evaluate where we have placed our faith. As you read the story of Stephen in Acts chapters six and seven, you will find that his faith was fully in Christ alone.

• He upheld the truth over traditions. He did not compromise for the sake of keeping people happy.
• He stood up to criticism. He boldly proclaimed his faith in Jesus and the message of the Gospel.
• He was a sincere student of God’s word.
• He accepted responsibility and served in the local church.
• He kept his focus on the eternal and not the things of this life. As the tempers flared and the tension increased, and Stephen began to feel physically threatened, he never turned his focus from his faith in Christ. He never tried to defend himself or protect himself. He simply focused on the glory of God as it says in Acts 7. “But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily into heaven and saw the glory of God, and he saw Jesus standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand. And he told them, “Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand!” 
• He served his Savior no matter what the cost, and the cost for him was being stoned to death.

I encourage you to read the story of Stephen and review the characteristics of a life of faith in Christ alone. Are they evident in your life?

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Monday, April 21, 2025

There was one more box. It was out of sight in the back of the storage area in the basement. We knew it was there, but there was no urgent need to go through it. But now the last minute had arrived. We would be leaving on our trip right after the rest of the family left our home after Christmas, and we needed to sort through the stuff in the box. Some of it would become keepsakes for my brothers and others would be mine.

We dragged the box out into the family room and sat down. Piece by piece we removed items and checked for colored stickers that would indicate which brother had chosen that item as their own. Memories started to roll. A few tears started to flow. Each item had some significance in the married life of my mom and dad. Each item had a story connected to it.

Some of the items had a hot pink sticker to indicate no one had specifically claimed it. One such pink-stickered item was a small desk plaque made out of marble. On the front of the plaque is a laser-engraved face of Jesus created by Joe Castillo that is formed out of scenes from Christ’s life.

The beard is a scene of Joseph, Mary, baby Jesus, and an ox in the manger.

The angels heralding His birth form the right side of His face.

Jesus hanging on the cross forms the left side of His face.

His forehead and hairline are created with the scene of Jesus kneeling in prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane.

One side of His nose and both eyes have highlighted crosses in them.

Underneath the picture these words are engraved from Psalm 105 verse 4 – “Seek the Lord and His strength; seek His face continually.”

I remembered seeing that plaque in my parent’s home, but it wasn’t until that moment that the significance of it really struck me. What strength it took for Him to come to earth and leave the glory of God’s presence.

What strength He displayed when He battled all the temptations of sin and self so that He might save us.

What strength He had to keep His heart and mind focused on God’s purpose for His life so that His eyes were always looking forward to the cross.

What strength He had to so passionately pray through the final temptation to run from God’s will that His sweat turned to blood.

What strength it took for Him to endure the beatings, the thorns, and the nails so that He could intentionally shed His blood for the forgiveness of our sins.

I knew right then and there that I wanted that plaque on my desk where I would look at that created face of Jesus every day. Not as an idol, but as a constant reminder of my salvation and the strength that is now mine in Christ Jesus my Lord. Strength to endure temptation. Strength to press on towards the prize of the high calling in Christ Jesus. Strength to endure any and all hardships for the sake of serving my Savior.

As the writer of Hebrews puts it – let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. (Hebrews 12:1-4)

So if you come to my home and look at my desk in my office you can see this simple little desk plaque. But be prepared. As we talk about it I will most certainly ask you if you are seeking the face of Jesus. I guarantee I will ask you if you are living in His strength or yours.

As for me, I will seek His face continually and stand in His strength confidently.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Friday, April 18, 2025

After spending the last few days digging into the truth of forgiveness, let’s look at the means by which forgiveness is available – the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The sacrifice Jesus made on the cross became the payment for all of our sin.

Philippians 2:5-8  “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

Let’s focus on one word in the last verse – even.

There is no doubt in my mind that I would put my life at risk to save my wife. I would do it for my children. I would do it for my grandchildren. I would like to believe I would do it for you, too.

But our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ went far beyond what I am willing to do. He put His life at risk for His enemies. He voluntarily sacrificed His life for those who hated Him, mocked Him, and abused Him. He wasn’t just put to death, but He willingly went to the cross to die for is enemies. It’s one thing for us to be willing to die for those we love, but quite another for Jesus to die because He loved even His enemies.

Yet even in that, we have not discovered the meaning of the word even. If all we understand is that Jesus obeyed the will of the Father and died for sinners, we have sufficient faith for salvation if we identify as a sinner and receive His forgiveness. But Paul says there is more than just obedience to the point of death, there is obedience even to death of a cross.

It was not sufficient for Jesus to die for sinners: He had to die as a sinner. He not only died for His enemies, He literally became His own enemy and died. He had to, for our sake. Our salvation depends upon the Father declaring Jesus guilty and deserving of death. Paul says it this way in 2 Corinthians 5:21.

“For our sake he[God] made him[Jesus] to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

This is the story of Good Friday. This is the meaning of sacrifice. We see Jesus, the perfect Son of God, becoming obedient to the Father to die not just for us, but as one of us. He was, by death on a cross, publicly declared to be merely human. He was judged guilty of sin. He was condemned as nothing more than a mortal deserving of death. Yet His unjustified condemnation was God’s purpose to save those who are justifiably condemned – you and I. His sacrifice as one of us makes possible our exaltation as one of His children.

I believe most of us, if not all of us, would be willing to sacrifice our life for the sake of those who love us. But I am equally convinced that we also put limitations on how much risk we will endure for the sake of those who hate us.

On this day of commemorating the death of Jesus on the cross, remember the word even. Jesus died for even His enemies. He died even as the enemy of God. He died even for me.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Thursday, April 17, 2025

With age comes wisdom. With wisdom comes discernment. With discernment comes self-reflection. With self-reflection comes two possibilities: regret and shame, OR praise and progress.

Here’s what I’m thinking. There’s a certain line of thinking within the church that we need to live in a constant state of brokenness. Scripture passages are quoted that seem to indicate that unless we are constantly reflecting on what we once were in our sin we will never know the splendor of God’s grace. This can cause a serious spiritual problem when we forget to live in the victory over sin that Jesus has provided. It is very dangerous to fixate on why we are unqualified for eternal life and not live in the reality that the Father has qualified us!

Just like anything in life, the problem becomes one of balance. The backward look at what we once were is necessary, but it must not become the standard by which we measure our spiritual sensitivities. The backward look is only necessary for one primary thing in our lives – to make us appreciate the current status of our relationship with Jesus Christ and live in the joy of our salvation.

The backward look at our past sin, when combined with the satanic influence of shame for that sin, can cause serious spiritual problems.  Yes, I said satanic influence of shame. You see, once God has forgiven our sin in Jesus Christ, ALL condemnation is removed. Shame is Satan’s weapon to condemn us. Shame is not the same as godly sorrow that leads to repentance. Shame is the chain with which Satan binds us to our past.

I hear a phrase coming from the lips of Christians far too often. “I know God has forgiven me, but I just can’t seem to forgive myself.” Nowhere in the Bible are we told to forgive ourselves. In fact, it is a deception of Satan to think that we must. It is how he holds us in spiritual bondage.

As long as we continue to look backward in a self-gratifying brokenness and believe we are still guilty and unworthy we have not truly accepted God’s forgiveness. We are choosing to look at our lives from our perspective rather than from God’s.

The person who believes they have not forgiven themselves is really guilty of not accepting God’s forgiveness. They are still trying to justify their own life and actions, when from God’s perspective they were justified in Christ and made to be His child forever. For some reason in their mind they believe their opinion of themselves is more important than God’s opinion of who they are. Their insecurities, guilt, and shame become the chains with which Satan holds them captive, and the only key he claims to have for deliverance is self-forgiveness and self-justification.

When God forgives there is no need for any additional forgiveness. When we try to forgive ourselves we are in a hopeless state. But the blood of Jesus Christ, the perfect spotless Lamb of God, was poured out for the forgiveness of sin. None of us is required to or capable of forgiving ourselves. We can only – and wondrously – accept the forgiveness already provided by the Father.

My friend, if you are suffering today because you are trapped in the chains of believing you must forgive yourself for what you have done, you are in a futile pursuit. You will never be free. You must realize that what you are really doing is rejecting the forgiveness God offers you. When God says you are forgiven – accept it. When God says you are justified – accept it. When God says you are worthy – accept it. When God says you are qualified – accept it. There is no need and there is no way for you to improve upon what God offers. You do not make yourself worthy of God, so stop trying to make yourself worthy of people, including yourself. When you repent of your sin, God forgives. To believe anything else denies the very nature and character of God.

REJOICE! Your sins are forgiven, and God declares you righteous. Stop arguing with Him.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Wednesday, April 16, 2025

God made an offer of forgiveness to the nation of Israel through King Solomon in 2 Chronicles 7:13-14  “When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 

While the primary application of this well-known and often quoted passage is for the nation of Israel, the fundamental principles of forgiveness that that are expressed apply to each of us today on an individual basis. We all have sinned and fall short of His glory. We are suffering the consequences of that sin. But God has made an offer that says, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will forgive their debt of sin.” It’s an incredible offer, but the conditions attached are difficult.

Humility – We must stand guilty before the One who said he would forgive but who could also demand payment. Humility demands agreement with God about our condition and offers no self-defense. Humility relinquishes all rights and surrenders completely to God’s rulings. Humility trusts God’s grace and mercy. Praise God that the payment has already been made in full by Jesus Christ so that God’s justice guarantees forgiveness

Prayer – We must knock on the throne room door knowing that God will open it, we must renounce all human resources by turning in total dependence upon God, believing that He will do what He promised to do.

Seeking God’s face – We must submit to God’s purpose for our lives and become a witness of God’s grace to others by how we live.  

Turn from wicked ways – We must repent of the sin, turning from it with a sincere heart and desire to not do it again.  

When our hearts truly and sincerely reflect these four conditions, God completely forgives our sin. When we approach the throne of God with humble and broken hearts that cry out to Him in repentance of sin and submission to His will, He will forgive us completely and eternally. Hallelujah! 

As King David prays in Psalms 139, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.”

You can be completely forgiven if you will turn to Jesus today. 

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Tuesday, April 15, 2025

There’s a story of a father in Spain and his teenage son who had a relationship that had become strained. So the son ran away from home and fell into a life of sin. His father, however, began a journey in search of his rebellious son. Finally, in Madrid, in a last desperate effort to find him, the father put an ad in the newspaper. The ad read: “Dear Paco, meet me in front of the newspaper office at noon. All is forgiven. I love you. Your father.” The next day at noon in front of the newspaper office 800 “Pacos” showed up. They were all seeking forgiveness and love from their fathers.

Each of us is a Paco. We have rebelled against God. We are afraid of the consequences of our sin, so we try to hide ourselves and run away so we will not be found out.

Following the first sin ever in the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve tried to hide themselves from God. They knew their relationship with their Creator was broken. They knew their guilt and felt its shame.

God came looking for them. He called out to them. “Where are you?” Now think about this. Almighty, Eternal, All-knowing God knew where they were. His question was not a fact-finding one. God’s question was an offer of forgiveness and restoration. The humans heard it with fear, but God was providing them an opportunity to respond in faith.

When the Father extends His arms of love in an act of forgiveness, we can run to Him in faith rather than run away from Him in fear. Even though the consequences of our sin may remain, the restoration of our love relationship with the Father completely overshadows any of the pain of our sin.

The human consequences of Adam and Eve’s sin were permanent, but the Father covered all of their shame and guilt with His sacrifice. His offer of forgiveness is so magnificent because the restoration of our relationship with the Father far exceeds any of the lingering effects of our sin.

Imagine the joy you can bring to another person’s life if you saw them the same way. They are suffering in their sin. They need to be forgiven. They need to know that someone will love them even while they are suffering the consequences of their sin.

Years ago I had a young man in my office who confessed to me that he had been stealing from local stores. He even stole a larger item from outside a business and dragged it behind his car to his back yard. He wanted to know what to do. I told him that he must immediately go and confess in person to the people from whom he had stolen and return the merchandise. He was scared. He knew that he could be arrested and charged with theft. He knew it meant paying restitution and possible jail time.

As a part of our conversation, I promised him that I would go through this with him, and that nothing he had done could stop me from loving him and serving him. That was a key turning point. Even though he had not sinned against me personally, I was still tempted to separate myself from him until he got his act together. The Holy Spirit showed me that what he needed was someone to walk with him while he got his act together.

Maybe that’s what God is showing you also. Have you separated yourself from someone because of their sin when God may be calling you to forgive them and walk with them through the restoration process? Sure that takes time and energy, and it’s hard work that may not result in anything but more pain. But remember the cost of our forgiveness.

Go looking for that person. Call out to them as God calls out to you – not in a spirit of judgment that produces fear, but in a spirit of grace that offers forgiveness.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Monday, April 14, 2025

On Friday we started a short study on forgiveness. The weight of sin in our lives is more than we can lift or carry. Cain, who had killed his brother, admits in Genesis chapter four that the weight is too much for him to carry.

Our attempts to be free from the burden are varied. We may deny that the sin really exists, as Cain did when God rejected his offering, and he became angry at God. God gave Cain a chance to do the right thing, but Cain rejected God’s offer of acceptance.

We sometimes do the same. We choose to believe that our way is right even when God calls it wrong. We try to convince ourselves and others that what we are doing is not sin. We try to earn our acceptance by making ourselves right, even if it means eliminating from our lives those that make us feel guilty for what we are doing.

Sometimes we lie in an attempt to cover our guilt and personal responsibility for our choices. When God asked Cain where his brother was, Cain responded, “I don’t know. Am I my brother’s keeper?”  He lied about what he had done. Denial is of the Devil. Satan is the father of lies. Lying begins in the heart of a self-centered person who requires approval and acceptance from people. Lying is the product of pride. Lies are designed by a deceived person to avoid rejection and protect image. We fail to understand that the lie is yet another sin which adds to the weight of the burden we cannot lift. We quickly fall into the humanly inescapable quicksand of sin. The more we try to struggle against it, the deeper we sink.

Sometimes we seek the comfort of the world to relieve the pain of our sin. When Cain was expelled from the presence of the Lord because of his choice to protect his position rather than repent, he began to build a city. He put all of his energy into finding satisfaction from what the world had to offer. He even named the city after his son. He did not include God in any of his plans. The world became his opiate.

The world offers many empty promises of relief from sin: promises we quickly and easily accept as truth. Financial success, social status, sex, alcohol, drugs, and so on. Each worldly promise proves itself addictive to the process of pursuing more promises. The temporary relief we may experience ultimately compounds the burden of our sin because we have failed to realize that each promise is itself another sin.

But in the middle of all of this was a promise from God to Cain that is made to all of us as well – “If you do what is right, will you not be accepted?” 

There is a solution to our weight problem. God will carry the total weight of our sin if we release it to Him and do what is right. It is in that moment of repentance that we find forgiveness. Cain was correct when he admitted to God that the weight of his sin was more than he could carry. So is ours. We cannot take it away by ourselves. We must give it to the One who can carry it, and once we do, we NEVER have to carry it again. That means surrendering our rights, telling the truth, and living according to God’s purpose and not the world’s pursuits.

Isn’t it time to have the weight of sin lifted off of your life? God wants to do it, and He can. Turn to Jesus today and sincerely ask for forgiveness. Then accept His forgiveness as a done deal. Then offer the same forgiveness to others. 

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Friday, April 11, 2025

We have a weight problem. We carry far too much weight. I’m not refer to physical weight.  It’s much more serious than that. We carry too much sin and unforgiveness.

In Numbers chapter six Moses is being given some of the laws for community life as the chosen people of Israel. He is specifically addressing the requirements of the Nazarite vow, a vow that could be taken to declare oneself completely separated unto God.

One of the requirements of the separation was that the person making the vow was never allowed to be in the presence of a dead person, not even if his wife, children, or parents died. This would make him unclean, and the vow would be broken.

In verse nine we read an additional requirement concerning the dead. “And if any man dies very suddenly beside him and he defiles his consecrated head, then he shall shave his head on the day of his cleansing; on the seventh day he shall shave it. Even if the Nazarite accidentally came in contact with a dead person, he was declared unclean.

Well that seems harsh. It wasn’t the Nazarite’s fault that someone near him died. He couldn’t help it. But the eternal principle at work here isn’t about whether or not we think we are right, but whether or not we highly respect the righteousness and holiness of God.

The point is this: God’s holiness is not to be taken lightly. We who claim to be in Christ have been called to be separated unto Christ. Therefore, absolutely anything that we do that is contrary to the righteousness of God is sin and places a huge weight on our lives. We need to be forgiven and we need to be people who forgive.

The Hebrew word translated forgive is used some 650 times in its root form in the Old Testament. The word means to lift, to carry, and to take away.  The first time the word is used in the Bible is in Genesis 4:13, where following the murder of his brother Abel, Cain is punished by God and responds to Him by saying, “My punishment is more than I can bear.” 

But Cain’s problem was that he cared more about the weight of the punishment than He did the weight of the sin. That reflects a prideful condition in our hearts that is more concerned with our own hurts than we are the hurt we caused to God or to others. If our focus is on the consequences we have the wrong understanding of the holiness of God.

Over the next few days we are going to study the subject of forgiveness. But for today, start with this. When you sin, and a consequence for the sin is enforced, what do you care most about? If it’s the pain of the consequence, then take some time to break the spirit of pride that keeps you from seeing the pain of offending the holiness of God. Fall on your knees in prayer and release the weight of your sin and experience the forgiveness of Jesus. Then you will be able to begin to forgive others.

Pastor John