LifeLink Devotions for Monday, September 15, 2025

I don’t like the new ones. Some of the old ones that just went up and down were okay, but these new roller coasters scare me – you know – the ones that go upside down and swing you way out around curves hanging helplessly in space twenty stories above the ground. That’s not for me.

Lately life has been like one of those new roller coasters. There are moments of excitement as the buggy I’m in slowly comes up over the top of a huge hill and I see the incredible vision of all that is laid out before me. Then there’s the thrill of taking off down the hill towards it all. But invariably there is a sharp curve at the bottom of every hill that throws me off track and puts fear in my heart. The vision is blurred by the speed of the turn and change of direction. Occasionally things even get turned upside down and it all seems backwards as the buggy speeds away in the opposite direction of the vision I first saw. When do we get to the “coaster” part of this ride?

As I contemplate this analogy, one truth comes to my mind that stabilizes my thoughts – fear is the absence of trust. What I don’t like about roller coasters is that I’m not sure I can trust those little tiny wheels to hang on to that steel rail. I know they are clamped on, but when I’m hanging way out over the edge of a huge curve hurtling at break-neck speeds I’m not thinking about all the testing that went into those wheels and clamps, or the hundreds of times they have safely travelled this route before. My mind chooses to focus on what could go wrong, and I bet yours does too.

That’s the root of seeing life as a roller coaster ride – choosing to focus on the twists and turns rather than the God who designed them all to build our character and accomplish His purpose. God has been this way before. He has tested every aspect of our journey and determined that it is good and that is for our good. He is the one who can be trusted. My fear is the product of not trusting Him.

When life doesn’t make sense, where do you turn to try to figure it out? Like most of us, you probably turn to the counsel of people. The futility of that response is shown in Isaiah 41 where God speaks to the people about their fear that comes from not trusting Him.

“Present your case,” says the LORD. “Set forth your arguments,” says Jacob’s King. “Bring in your idols to tell us what is going to happen. Tell us what the former things were, so that we may consider them and know their final outcome. Or declare to us the things to come, tell us what the future holds, so we may know that you are gods. Do something, whether good or bad, so that we will be dismayed and filled with fear. But you are less than nothing and your works are utterly worthless; he who chooses you is detestable. I have stirred up one from the north, and he comes—one from the rising sun who calls on my name. He treads on rulers as if they were mortar, as if he were a potter treading the clay. Who told of this from the beginning, so we could know, or beforehand, so we could say, ‘He was right’? No one told of this, no one foretold it, no one heard any words from you. I was the first to tell Zion, ‘Look, here they are!’ I gave to Jerusalem a messenger of good tidings. I look but there is no one—no one among them to give counsel, no one to give answer when I ask them. See, they are all false! Their deeds amount to nothing; their images are but wind and confusion.

So when you’re hanging out over a curve, or screaming as the bottom drops out and you head down a steep slope, look up. God designed this roller coaster just for you, and He can be trusted to keep you safe.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Friday, September 12, 2025

I remember a scene in an old movie that depicted a soldier struggling on his hands and knees to cross a desert. I don’t remember the movie or the actor, but I remember the incredible make-up job they did on the guy. His lips were swollen and blistered with sunburn, as was his face, except it was drawn in from dehydration. His tongue hung out of his mouth and was chalky dry. He needed water desperately. Even now I find myself licking my lips to see how dry I am.

This is the analogy God gives to Isaiah to demonstrate the depth of our spiritual thirst.

Isaiah 41:17  “The poor and needy search for water, but there is none; their tongues are parched with thirst. But I the LORD will answer them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.”

I see thirst everywhere. Unfortunately many are looking for physical water when they could be looking for the Living Water. It is the only source of true satisfaction.

We live in a day when those of us who are over the age of fifty have the greatest potential for ministry to the younger generation. You see, they are truly thirsty. They have tried what the post-modern philosophy has taught them and discovered that it doesn’t work. They attempted to accept anybody’s experience as truth and have discovered a conflict deep in their souls that cannot be resolved. They are learning that relativism doesn’t work, and they want to know if there is a truth that endures the test of time. That’s where we old folks come in. We are the models to them of enduring truth, and they are watching us. They are even talking to us.

The church is filled with young men and women who want to know the truth, and many are turning to Jesus who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. They are asking to be put into small groups with people of the older generations because, in one of their own words, “We have so much wisdom to learn from them.” Young families are coming to Jesus because they see grandmas and grandpas that are living joy-filled lives based on a personal relationship with Jesus. They see the heritage of faith being lived out in their children and now their grandchildren. They see the reality of faith and the real love for others that results.

This is our day to shine. The world is being driven to a crossroads, and when they arrive at the cross, they want to know which path to choose. We can show them. Don’t falter in your faith. Don’t withdraw from the public because of your age. Engage them. Encourage them. Enlighten them. You are the clay pitcher in the hands of the Potter and He has filled you with Living Water. Spill it onto those who are thirsty.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Thursday, September 11, 2025

If you have ever been to the central part of Wisconsin around the Dells, you have seen the massive rock formations that are there. The Wisconsin River was formed as a result of the Biblical flood and these rock cliffs seemingly rise out of nowhere and tower above the landscape.

For a long time now that area has been a Midwestern tourist attraction. I remember as a young man with a family spending every Labor Day weekend with the kids and relatives at a campground near there and enjoying all the water parks and recreation.

But one thing was missing – nice golf courses. Not anymore. Several fabulous golf courses have been built in recent years, along with massive resorts with indoor water parks for year-round recreation. I got to experience one of those courses, and it was fantastic.

How they built the course fascinates me. Portions of it are carved right out of the rock formations. Much of it meanders through grasslands on top of the rocks. Some of it squeezes through huge trees of a century-old forest. The machinery they used to build it had to be huge. Dirt movers, tree haulers, and rock cutters all combining to create a recreational paradise for people like me.

Not only did the designers and builders do an incredible job, but the people who work there were fabulous also – friendly and models of servant hearts. But there’s more. I had made a promise to my good friend and missionary to Swaziland, that I would take him golfing before he went back to Africa. I said we would get in the car and drive as far south as we must to find a nice course open and ready for play. Well, one of his relatives got wind of our plans, and completely paid for our entire day – unlimited golf with a cart on a fabulous golf course. We were both exhausted when we were done, but it was a great day.

So many people coming together to make this possible for us, but who really gets the credit? Well, I don’t know about anyone else, and I can’t speak on behalf of the people that did all the work and manage it now, but for me, to God be the glory great things He has done!

It is so tempting to take credit for our accomplishments. It is so easy to bask in the pleasure of our possessions and pursuits. It is so satisfying to be praised for what we do. We are so needy when it comes to our emotional health, and we have been deceived by the world and our own pride into believing that we deserve praise and that the praise will somehow heal our hearts.

When Israel was at one of its lowest points in history and walking in fear because of the terrifying enemies all around, God told them not to be afraid. He told them to have a proper perspective of who they were, and it wasn’t very nice.

God said they should see themselves as worms, and little ones at that. That doesn’t fly with today’s self-worth philosophies, does it? But humility to that degree is essential if we want to know God and see His work. Look at what God says in Isaiah 41 starting in verse14.

“Do not be afraid, O worm Jacob, O little Israel, for I myself will help you,” declares the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel. “See, I will make you into a threshing sledge, new and sharp, with many teeth. You will thresh the mountains and crush them, and reduce the hills to chaff. You will winnow them, the wind will pick them up, and a gale will blow them away. But you will rejoice in the LORD and glory in the Holy One of Israel.”

Every tool they needed to do their work was from God. Every enemy that was conquered was because God gave them strength and weapons. Every accomplishment of their own hands was never the result of their own hands, but the hand of God. In everything that they did they were to rejoice and give glory to God.

May that be true of us always. Give all the glory to God.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Wednesday, September 10, 2025

We had some serious storms go through our part of the world this summer. Tornadoes touched down within five miles of our home. We had strong winds and hail and heavy rain. Many homes and cars were damaged, The weather can evoke fear and cause trembling.

No sooner had the skies cleared than pictures of the damage started to show up on Facebook. Then the local television stations had video. People were already coming together to start the clean-up. Men with chain saws were cutting fallen trees into manageable chunks. Kids were hauling branches off the streets. Everyone came together to help their neighbors. That’s what community is all about.

Here’s an interesting passage of Scripture from Isaiah chapter 41, starting in verses 5.

“The islands have seen it and fear; the ends of the earth tremble. They approach and come forward; each helps the other and says to his brother, “Be strong!” The craftsman encourages the goldsmith, and he who smooths with the hammer spurs on him who strikes the anvil. He says of the welding, “It is good.” He nails down the idol so it will not topple.”

At first glance, the verses above appear to be a solid statement on the importance of community. Something has caused the people to fear and tremble. They come together with a plan, they encourage each other, and they work together to bring about a solution. The problem is that they are looking for the answer to their fear from a false God.

The context of chapter 41 tells us something more. God is informing the people of Israel that He is empowering a new king from the east to be a part of the fulfillment of His plan for Israel. His name was Cyrus, the King of Persia, who overthrew the Babylonians and gave permission to Ezra to take a contingency of people back to Israel to start rebuilding after the captivity. But the nations of the world were scared. They saw the ferocity of the Persians, and they trembled in fear.

They knew they had only one chance – supernatural intervention. So they started making idols to their false gods. They came together nicely as a community, with a completely erroneous focus. They were putting all their eggs in a rotten basket and the bottom was about to fall out.

That’s when we reach verse eight. God says to the people of Israel, “But you, O Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, you descendants of Abraham my friend, I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you. I said, ‘You are my servant’; I have chosen you and have not rejected you. So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. All who rage against you will surely be ashamed and disgraced; those who oppose you will be as nothing and perish. Though you search for your enemies, you will not find them. Those who wage war against you will be as nothing at all. For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.”

What a contrast. People in fear who put their faith in what their own hands can accomplish versus people in fear who conquer their fear by putting their faith in the One and Only God who eliminates all enemies and gives strength and hope.

The choice is yours.

Pastor John

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