LifeLink Devotions

Tuesday, May 24, 2022

Sometimes encouragement and challenge come in the form of admonition or rebuke. We don’t like those times of confrontation, but they are necessary. Our attitude towards the people who have the courage to address our issues can make all the difference.

In today’s Scripture, Jesus must address a serious issue in Peter’s thinking. He does it bluntly and firmly, but not without proper foundation and teaching of Kingdom principles.

Matthew 16:22-25  “Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!” Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”  

In the long run, His confrontation with His disciples made a difference in their lives. He challenged them and encouraged them, even though at the time they may not have thought it very encouraging.

Here’s a story of encouragement and challenge from one of our readers named Terri, who said a former boss she had made a real difference in her life.

“In 1991 I was an executive assistant to a Corporate VP.  He and I got along well, but in all honesty, he was flakey (for lack of a better description) and had personal problems that I was unaware of at the time.  Part of my job was making him look good, so I did my best to “cover for him” when he wouldn’t make it in for an executive meeting—and I thought I was doing a good job of it.  But over the course of a couple years, I realized I had also become “flakey” – coming in when I wanted to and leaving when I wanted to.  I had no heart left in my job but continued to cruise through for the paycheck, knowing my boss would always “cover for me” as I did for him.

“One afternoon he had a meeting with his boss, the Sr. VP. After the meeting he asked me to go with him into a conference room.  He told me that he had just been let go from the company.  It was no secret that his boss didn’t like him. However, I found out right then that his boss also did not like me by default.  I would be given a couple weeks at the company to search for other internal opportunities and then would also be let go.

“Within 15 minutes of finishing that discussion with my boss the Sr. VP came down the hall and told me quite sternly to get up to his office.  His administrator had gone into labor 2 months earlier than expected and he let me know (in no uncertain terms) that I would fill in for her while she was gone. He told me what he had observed about me, and that he felt I was pretty much worthless, but that I was his only option until he could find a replacement.  I could look for other opportunities in the company but was told that he would never provide a reference for me.  I wanted to walk out the door and never come back, but I didn’t.  I knew I was the best at what I did and just hoped I had the opportunity to prove that. My intentions were out of spite, however. 

“A month later, when I arrived at the office (yes, about ½ hour late because I thought he was scheduled for a meeting), he was sitting in his office with the HR manager and asked me to join them.  I was provided with an official warning letter that I would be terminated immediately if I failed to be on time one more morning. I signed the letter to acknowledge I understood, and the HR manager left the office.  My boss just sat there and stared at me with a serious look on his face.  The silence drove me insane, and I started trying to ramble to him about my promises of doing better. He held his hand up for me to stop talking. 

“He asked me how long I thought it took to change something.  Again my nervous rambling started. He held up his hand for me to stop talking again and said, “it takes that long” and snapped his fingers.  He continued “the only thing that takes time is making the decision to change.  Once you are serious and make the decision to change, it happens like that (again, snapping his fingers).”  His gaze never left my eyes, and he was talking sincerely—a side of him I felt I’d never seen before.  It was a profound moment for me because I realized that he was absolutely right. I also realized he must think I’m worth something to even take the time to have this brief exchanged.

“Instantaneously my attitude changed, which triggered a series of changes in my work life and personal life.  He and I formed one of the best working relationships I’ve ever had in my career.  Although 17 years later, he is no longer with the company, I still am and continue to grow professionally from the difference he made in my life. We still keep in touch, and I’ve had the opportunity to thank him for being someone who made a difference in my life.“

Sometimes we need people who will be blunt and firm with us, especially when we understand that they are doing it for our good. If we can get past the initial defense mechanisms of pride designed to protect us from hurt, we will probably see the potential benefit of growth. We all need to listen to the truth that is being spoken rather than reacting to how it is being presented. Most people with the courage to challenge us are doing it for the right reason. Listen to them. It will make a difference.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions

Monday, May 23, 2022

As a young man I was very confused. Everything I did was an attempt to make people like me. Most of it failed miserably and had the opposite result. If you were to ask anyone from my high school graduating class what I was like, they would probably use the word “jerk” to describe me. I’m not making this up – it’s true. When I got to college, I was able to create a new persona and made it work for a while. But I was still not living out the life of Christ in me. I was trying to earn the favor of people by adapting to whatever I thought they wanted me to be. I never believed I was worth much, which was pride in a most dangerous form.

In the Spring of my freshman year of college, I got a phone call from my brother Paul. He was planning on attending the same college. He asked me if he could by my roommate for the coming year. I was overwhelmed. I think it was one of the best days of my life. My younger brother, whom I envied for his popularity and abilities, wanted to bunk with me. Of course I said yes. When we arrived at school that year, we immediately began making plans with the other guys on our dorm floor for our intramural football and basketball teams. Of course, my brother would be the quarterback, the position he played in high school. I never got to play high school football, but I played endless hours with my brother in the yard when I was younger. I knew him, and I discovered that he knew me. We became an unstoppable combination of touchdown passes.

Then basketball season came. I had played on the college freshman team, but when my brother arrived,  I decided to play intramural ball with him. At five foot eleven inches I was the tallest guy on our dorm floor, so I got appointed to play center, a position I had never played before. One of our first games was against the faculty, and the head basketball coach was on that team. He stood six foot ten and weighed at least 250. I was a mere 145 pounds. Of course, I was getting manhandled inside and we were losing the game. At halftime my brother looked at me and said, “John, we need you. You can do better. Take control of the inside and get us some rebounds.” I’ve honestly never had anyone tell me anything more personally significant in my life. I was needed. Someone believed in me. Someone trusted my abilities. It was a life-changing moment for me.

The second half was completely different. I discovered that the coach couldn’t jump very well, but I could. I discovered he was slow, and I was quick. I discovered I could exert some strength and actually move him around. I had the most fun of my life. We won the game and went on to win a lot more as well. All because one person, my brother, saw past my failures and flaws, and combined encouragement with a challenge. He made a difference in my life.

Jesus did that for Peter, too.  In John 21:16we read,  “Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”

After denying Christ three times and giving up hope of ever accomplishing anything of value, he had gone back to fishing. Jesus meets him where he was and combines encouragement with challenge. He takes whatever level of love Peter is able to give Him and provides him an opportunity to use it to do something great. It was Peter’s life-changing moment.

How many people do you know who need encouragement combined with challenge? They don’t need us to point out their flaws. They don’t need to be reminded of their dysfunctions. They need someone to believe in them. How will they ever know that God believes in them if God’s people don’t? Everyone is of value to God. He died for all. He wants to save all. So find one of them today and tell them something that encourages them and gives them the courage to accept a challenge. Then, when they know you care, they will want to know why you care. That’s when you get to tell them about Jesus. It will change their life.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions

Friday, May 20, 2022

Jesus was willing to touch the untouchable. His compassion was obvious. His mercy was extensive. His grace was unending.

Matthew 8:1-3   “When he came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cured of his leprosy.”

As His followers – His disciples – Jesus has energized us with His indwelling Spirit to be the same. We will make a difference when we become Jesus to those in need. When we extend our hands to the hurting and the helpless, we are extended the hands of Jesus to them.

Here’s a testimony of the difference we can make when we reach out and touch others with the compassion of Christ. It comes from a friend named Deb.

“The people in my Small Group made a big difference in my life. When my first husband died in an accident when I was pregnant with my first child, my Small Group was a big support to me. In so many ways, they tried to fill the void left in my life. They helped me remember to get the oil changed in the car, a job my husband would have done. They had me over for dinner, they threw a surprise birthday party for me, and called if they missed me at church. After the baby was born, they offered to babysit, and they let me bring him, even though he was often fussy and noisy, to our Bible studies. And that first Christmas, they helped me set up my Christmas tree with all the trimmings. Some people in those days seemingly fell out of my life as I suppose they didn’t know what to say or do and dealing with grief made them uncomfortable. Others came closer and were an encouragement to me. Those are the ones who made a difference. They were Jesus’ hands and feet, Jesus “with skin on” in my life. They are still my dear friends to this day!”

Don’t be someone who pulls away because you are uncomfortable with or fearful of another person’s condition. Reach out and touch them. Be willing. You will make a difference.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions

Thursday, May 19, 2022

Prejudice is a sin. But I would be wrong to assume that none of us are prejudiced. We may not be prejudiced in certain areas, like race, but we may be prejudiced about other things – like disabilities.

Leviticus 19 :15  “You shall do no injustice in court. You shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great, but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor.”

We all need someone in our lives who will help us conquer prejudicial tendencies. People with enough courage to speak truthfully to us can make a difference. My friend Dudley Donaldson discovered such a friend, and it’s made a huge difference in his life. Here’s his story…

“My first year in the dorms at UW-Madison, I kept noticing a guy in a wheelchair in the cafeteria.  He was very small, his body contorted and hunched over.  He struggled to feed himself and depended on others to get him around from place to place.  But I noticed he always had a group of fellow students around him.  They were always laughing and talking together and this guy in the wheelchair was obviously an important part of the group.  Coming from a very sheltered home life, I felt very uncomfortable around people different from me.  This guy made me very uncomfortable, so I made it my practice to always avoid him.  I’m ashamed to admit that whenever I saw him, I would go the other way.  My second year, as I moved into my new dorm room, I noticed that the door right across the hall from me had a little handicapped symbol on it.  I thought, “Oh no.”  But it couldn’t be, could it?  It could, and it was!  That same guy in the wheelchair lived right across the hall from me!  I tried to ignore him, but it was impossible.  Impossible because he came knocking on my door, introducing himself.  His name was Bob. I soon came to learn that he loved Jesus with all his heart.  The people I always saw with him in the cafeteria were Christian friends, involved with the Navigators.  Soon I was pulled into that same group and for the first time I experienced the love of Christian friends my age.  Bob and I became very close friends.  He was truly an inspiration to me.  Everyone could see how difficult everyday life was for him.  His twisted little body was difficult to look at, even after getting to know him.  But the love of Jesus shown in his eyes and through his life.  On the back of his wheelchair he had a bumper sticker that read, “I’m eternally grateful to Jesus!”  Wow, talk about a testimony!  I always assumed Bob was content to be in that chair and accepted it as just the way it was, but one day he told me that he often had a dream where he was walking on a beach with a girl, holding her hand.  As we talked, I realized that the joy Bob expressed in his life wasn’t because he was naturally a joyful person.  It was because of his relationship with Jesus Christ.  His daily life was a horrible struggle, but still Jesus was his joy.  Bob taught me so much about “walking” with Christ.  He taught me to be eternally grateful to Jesus.  And I’m eternally grateful to God for leading me to my good friend, Bob.“

In Christ, sin and its consequences have been abolished. In Christ, we are spiritually healed from all sin’s disabilities. In Christ, the inside is made holy, so the outside is acceptable. Hallelujah! Bob is living proof. Dudley now understands. Prejudice is being conquered.

We must guard against making decisions about people until we know who they are on the inside. We can all be thankful Jesus did that with us.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions

Wednesday, May 18, 2022

When our children were little, we did something at the conclusion of their conflict with a sibling – and they hated it. We made them hug each other. But we knew that while forced affection during times of animosity is repulsive, it’s also healing. 

One of the churches the Apostle Paul planted was filled with dissention and animosity. It is the church that Paul wrote to the most. We have two of at least four letters he wrote in our New Testament. It was the church at Corinth. After addressing each of their issues, Paul concludes his letter with this phrase – Greet one another with a holy kiss. 

1 Corinthians 16:19-20  “Aquila and Priscilla greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house. All the brothers here send you greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss.”

Forced affection. No conflict was to ever destroy the unity of brotherly love and affection. No personal disputes were to ever overwhelm the reality of acceptance in the Body of Christ. No disagreement was to ever become more important than the spirit of a person. Caring for people is always more important than caring about issues.

We live in a world that is filled with people longing for acceptance and significance. To quote Gary Chapman, “Their love tanks are empty.” Something so simple as a hug can begin the filling process. Here’s a story from a devotional reader who shares that a hug made a difference in her life.

“Even at 8 or 9 years of age, I knew this woman was different and I respected and admired her.  She was my third grade teacher, Esther Lindgren.  She began every school day by reading to us from the Bible!!!  Even in 1964 this was not a common practice.  She stood out in our small community as a very caring and loving woman of God.  Later in my teen years this lady had a major impact in my salvation, and with such a small and seemingly insignificant action.  I knew she was a woman that had a strong faith, but it was her smile and hugs that brought me that last step into Jesus’ arms.  I was searching and I went to her church.  Every time that she saw me, she would grab me and hug me and say, “I’m so glad that you are here today!”  I felt so loved.  Somebody cared. I wanted what she had.  What a simple thing that we all can do!  On this side of heaven we can never know how all those seemingly insignificant actions and words will affect someone. God can use anything and anyone.”

That young girl grew up to be my wife, and is now filling the love tanks of countless people. She’s making a difference in others because someone made a difference in hers. And she’s not the only one who’s been impacted by honest and sincere gestures of love and acceptance. A former member of our church who moved away many years ago, Marian, writes this,

“I want to thank the Pastoral staff and church family of Calvary Baptist Church of Eau Claire, WI for being the first to show me what true acceptance into the body of believers really meant by fostering a  “walking into a hug” fellowship. I got a lot of hugs! I love and appreciate you both. You…have made a profound impact on my life. The church family accepted me and loved me (hat included) as I was. I didn’t have to conform to fit in. You as a church used what I had to offer and made me feel loved and wanted and part of the family. Do you know how rare that is? I do! In my previous 55 years, Calvary was the first to do it.”

I love what Marian said about having a “walking into a hug” fellowship. What a great word picture. Unfortunately for her, and for many others, it took her a long time to discover it. How many people do we meet every day who are longing – craving – for fellowship that feels like walking into a hug. We who have walked into the eternal hug of Jesus are the ones who have hugs to share. Even if you must force it for now, learn to put aside your personal agenda, anxiety, and animosity, and show the affection of Jesus to someone longing for acceptance. Let the love of Christ dwell richly in you and love each other deeply with a sincere love. Greet one another with a holy kiss (HUG).

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions

Tuesday, May 17, 2022

It was late in the summer of 1977. Our first child was only seven weeks old. I had moved my small family from North Dakota to Iowa to take a new position in management with my company. We immediately got involved in a wonderful church in town. The pastor happened to be a lifelong acquaintance of my mother. After attending for several weeks, Pastor Garl Brand, whom our daughter would later call “Pastor Grandpa”, invited me to his office. He said something to me that changed the direction of my life. He said that God had impressed upon his heart that I was in the wrong profession. My business experience would be useful in the future, but that I was called to be a pastor and I needed to get back on track. He committed to training me in all the aspects of church life and pastoral responsibility. As a result, two years later, I began a bi-vocational ministry to two small churches in South Dakota that eventually led to full time ministry here in Wisconsin. Garl made a difference in my life.

Today we begin a devotional series about people who made a difference. I’m sure we all have stories of people who made a difference in our lives. I would love to hear yours. In fact, over the next few weeks, we are going to be looking at people who made a difference. If you send me your story of someone who made a difference in your life, maybe I’ll use it in one of these devotionals.

As we start, let me remind you that you are a person who can make a difference in someone’s life. In the little book of Philemon in the New Testament, Paul makes a difference in the life of a slave named Onesimus who had stolen from his master, Philemon, and then run away. Somehow, by God’s grace, Onesimus met Paul while he was under house arrest in Rome. Paul shared Christ with him, and Onesimus became a repentant follower of Jesus. Onesimus had gone from being useless to his former master, to being useful both to Paul and Philemon. Paul made a difference in his life.

Philemon 1:10-11  “I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains. Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.”

There are questions that plague many of us. “What difference does my life make?” “What use am I in the world?” “Would anything be appreciably different if I were not here?” I’m sure we have all thought about such things from time to time. I found something written by Keith Robinson, who says,

“There is an old saying about putting your hand in a pail of water and withdrawing it: the hole that remains is how much you will be missed when you are gone! I am not pessimistic, depressed, or tired of living, but in reality, I have to recognize that my life has not made much of an impact on the world, certainly nothing like I had intended when I was 18 years old. But I am encouraged by the fact that human worth is not measured only in terms of fame, fortune, and sociopolitical influence. Perhaps the greatest measure of our value is how much we are needed by some other human being. The once useless Onesimus became ‘useful’ to Paul and to Philemon. When the final books are balanced and closed, the greatest tribute anyone could receive would be: They were useful! Someone needed them! And what greater ambition could a person entertain than to be needed, to be useful. If there is someone who needs my love, if there is someone who looks forward to my presence, even if I can be nothing much more than just the object to someone’s love, then I am not worthless. My life is not in vain. My existence is not futile. I may not be much, but I can love someone and make them feel needed. I can be the object of someone else’s love and thus fill their needs and mine. No one is useless unless they give up on life and love.

 Your life does make a difference. God planned it that way. You will have an impact on someone today whether you recognize it or not. Whether that impact will be negative or positive is up to you, but your life will make a difference.  

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions

Monday, May 16, 2022

Ephesians 6:23-24  “Peace to the brothers, and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.”

The Apostle Paul closes his letter to the church at Ephesus with a standard benediction, but I believe that even things that seem standard have divine importance for our lives. In fact, I find several very important truths in the closing two verses. Here are a couple of thought stimulators for your day.

First, I see a distinction between verse 23 and 24. Verse 23 challenges us in our attitudes and behaviors towards those within the body of Christ. Verse 24 challenges us with our love for the Lord Jesus Christ. Verse 23 is about the horizontal life we live, and verse 24 is about the vertical life we live. The life we live with others is to be lived as a product of the love we have for Jesus.  

It is an old and maybe overused analogy, but it is still very true – input determines output. Garbage in – garbage out. “Bad company corrupts good character,” says Paul in his letter to the Corinthians. But when we input the peace and love of God into our lives, that’s what will flow out of us towards others.

Second, we are to be personally characterized by two attributes – peace and love. Paul sends peace to the brothers. Remember, he is in prison while he writes this. The people of the church are worried about him. They are deeply impacted by his condition because as members of the same body they hurt when he hurts. Paul understands the depth of personal emotions when people are connected at the heart of Jesus. He knows they are hurting for him, so he says, “Peace to you.” He wants them to rest and be quiet in the truth that God is in control. He doesn’t want his current circumstances to contribute to their conflict, but rather to be a connecting point of confidence in Christ. He wants them to be one with each other.  

Then Paul says he wants us to have love with faith. Rather than separate these two into separate characteristics, I want to suggest that Paul may have had something else in mind. One simple possibility is that he was referring to love being the natural outflow of our faith. But there’s more. The source of our love with faith is God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. How did they model love with faith for us? Well, if we take the primary meaning of faith to be the moral conviction of truth, then it doesn’t apply to God. He does not have faith – He is the object of our faith. Jesus does not have a moral conviction of truth, He is the truth. But there is a secondary meaning to the word faith – constancy. It is that meaning that describes the nature and character of God. He is faithful. He is consistent. His love was carried to its completion on the cross of Christ. His love never fails.

I believe Paul is telling us to have that kind of love – love that is constant and consistent. Love that does not waver with circumstances. Love that doesn’t demand response. Love that proves our faith. This is critical as we witness to the grace of God. If we say that we know the truth, and our faith is in the One True God who never changes, and that love is the product of our faith, the love will be consistently seen in us. If the product of faith doesn’t validate the faith, then the faith is of no value.

Paul concludes his letter with one more challenge – to love the Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love. The word undying means incorruptible and perpetual. It’s how we are to love Christ, and how we are to love one another. As I get older I realize how love gets stronger. I love the Lord more than ever, and it’s the deepest and darkest trials that strengthen it the most, because I get to experience the faithfulness of His love for me. I love my wife more than ever, and it’s the grace I get from her every day that makes me love her more.

My friends, there is no stronger anchor to hold you in the hurricanes of life than the love of God. There is no more secure place to ride out the storms of life than in the grip of God. Love Him with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. His grace will be sufficient for you every day.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions

Friday, May 13, 2022

We got the first call at around 7:30 in the morning. I was already at the office when Denise called me. Our son Josh was on his way home from work to take his wife Brittany to the hospital. It was the day of the birth of our sixth grandchild. (We now have eleven.) All day long we checked in for updates, and when the time was getting close, we went up to the hospital to wait for the big moment. Twelve hours after the first phone call Josh came out to the waiting room with a picture and announced that he had another son. His name is Liam Chandler, and all eight pounds twelve ounces of him are perfect.

As we waited at the hospital, one of Brittany’s best friends, who is also a nurse and also pregnant, became the messenger of news during the delivery process. That’s kind of interesting when I think of it, because it makes her the “soon to deliver delivery delivery person”. Anyway, each time there was a development in the delivery, she would depart the delivery room and deliver the news to us. She became our conduit of connection to our children. She told us how Brittany was doing, how Josh was doing, and how much time was left. She was such an encouragement to us. She was such a servant.

Ephesians 6:21-22  “Tychicus, the dear brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will tell you everything, so that you also may know how I am and what I am doing. I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage you.” 

Tychicus was such a person. Paul calls him a dear brother and faithful servant. Tychicus had accompanied Paul on his third missionary journey, and delivered two of his letters to churches – this one to Ephesus and the letter to the Colossians. But he was much more than a delivery man. Tychicus was the personal representative of Paul to the people of the churches. When Tychicus spoke, he shared more than information – he shared the heart of Paul. When Tychicus spoke, people became emotionally attached to Paul because he was so deeply connected to Paul.

Paul told the people at Ephesus that when Tychicus shared everything that was going on in Paul’s life, they would know not only what he was doing but also how he was. In fact, Paul said the very purpose he was sending Tychicus was so that the people would know how he was. This is so important. True friendship and intimacy is based on intimate knowledge of a person not on just the knowledge of what they are doing. Most of our conversations with people are pretty shallow and focus on activity. Deep relationships focus on the heart, and relationships like that are the most meaningful and fulfilling.

The reason I emphasized the word know in the last paragraph is because it is the key to the whole point I am making. Jesus used the same word when He described His relationship with us in John 15:5 – “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.” Twice he uses the word in this verse. Once to describe the lack of knowledge of a servant, and once to describe the depth of knowledge of a friend. The contrast is significant. The servant doesn’t even know the master’s business, but the friend has had everything revealed to Him. We are the friends of Jesus, and everything that He learned from the Father has been made known to us. Not just through the passing on of information, but through the experience of the life of Christ. In the prayer of Jesus in John 17, Jesus says, “I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.” WOW! The same love that God has for His Son is found in us because the Son lives in us. Hallelujah!

It’s not the knowledge of what someone is doing that determines the depth of friendship, it’s the experience of who the person is. That’s what Tychicus brought to the people at Ephesus – the experience of Paul’s life. That’s what Brittany’s friend brought to us at the hospital 12 years ago. That’s what each one of us has the opportunity to do with others. It’s what true fellowship in the body of Christ is all about. So ask yourself, “Am I that kind of a friend, or am I just a delivery person?” Delivery people, in the scope of relationship information, are usually called gossips. Friends bring others into the experience of the people they love and encourage them. Let’s choose to be friends like Tychicus.

Pastor  John

LifeLink Devotions

Thursday, May 12, 2022

Some things never change. Human nature is the biggest proof of that. From mankind’s beginnings in the garden of Eden until today, we have not really changed. We have advanced technologically and culturally, but not behaviorally. We have the same dreams of personal fulfillment and the same fears of inadequacy. No matter how advanced we believe we have become on the outside, inside, the nature of man is still the same. We strive for acceptance, and we fear rejection.

This applies to our spiritual lives as well. No matter how strong we think we have become in our faith, we still battle the tendencies of the flesh. No matter how spiritually mature we may claim to be, we still battle the desire to be accepted and the fear of rejection. Satan loves to take our feelings of failure and magnify them in our minds to the point that we become convinced we are worthless. The pride of life convinces us that we should have no weakness. When one is revealed, we are shattered. When will we learn to just be honest and transparent, and trust the grace of God for all of our approval?

Ephesians 6:19-20  “Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.”

I’m encouraged by these verses because I see that the Apostle Paul also battled fear. He knew that he needed the warriors of the faith to stand with him in prayer against the enemy of fear so he could accomplish God’s mission. If he didn’t battle with fear, then he wouldn’t have asked for prayer to be fearless – twice! I think the biggest arena of fear in our spiritual lives is witnessing, and in that stadium, we need to take a stronger stand, because Satan is whipping us. Paul knew it was the bottom line of spiritual warfare, for if the Gospel is not shared, then people are not saved, and the Kingdom of God ceases to grow.

Leighton Ford, an evangelist with the Billy Graham Association from 1955 to 1985, wrote a book in 1977 called Good News is for Sharing. In his book he writes the following:

“In preparing for this book, I have talked to a lot of people, and the fear issue comes up front again and again. What makes people hesitate to share their faith? Here are some of the fears that have been mentioned to me:”

• “I am afraid I might do more harm than good.”
• “I don’t know what to say.”
• “I may not be able to give snappy answers to tricky questions.”
• “I may seem bigoted.”
• “I may invade someone’s privacy.”
• “I am afraid I might fail.”
• “I am afraid I might be a hypocrite.”

We can all relate to some of those questions, and have thought them ourselves. But there is an even greater fear than any of these. Dr. Ford continues…

“Perhaps the most common fear, however, is that of being rejected. A survey was given to those attending training sessions for the Billy Graham crusade in Detroit. One question asked, “What is your greatest hindrance to witnessing?” Fifty-one percent answered that they feared how the other person would react! None of us likes to be rejected, ridiculed, or regarded as an oddball.

The fear of rejection is powerful. But notice something about Paul’s request that people pray for him to speak fearlessly about Christ. Do you remember where Paul was when he wrote this letter to the church in Ephesus? He was in jail in Rome. He had already been arrested and imprisoned for witnessing. It would be logical to assume that he had conquered his fears. But he knew that in any situation, the power of the flesh can rise up and defeat the desire to please the Lord, and Paul wanted every piece of the armor in place so he could stand strong, no matter what the consequences. That final piece of God’s armor is this – the army of the Lord standing together in prayer that we would be fearless in carrying out the command of the King to share the Gospel with the whole world.

Paul closes this passage with three important words – as I should. Here’s a test for you. Be careful – it’s going to cut deep. When you are in public, and have an opportunity to include Jesus Christ in your conversation, or to share a biblical principle or truth as a part of a conversation, do you do it or do your fears overwhelm you and keep you silent? If your fears win out, then the reality is that your desire to satisfy self is more powerful than your love for God. OUCH! But it’s true. We will do the things we really want to do. May the joy of your salvation and the hope of eternal glory so overwhelm you that your desire is to please the Lord who saved you. I will be praying that whenever you open your mouth, the Gospel of Jesus Christ will be heard, and that you will do it fearlessly.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions

Wednesday, May 11, 2022

Years ago I rode motorcycle. One morning as I rode to the office, I noticed a difference in my attitude towards other drivers. When I’m in my car, I’m fairly arrogant about my rights and my skills. I look ahead and know what’s happening several cars in front of me, and I’m usually prepared for any emergency. Unfortunately, I tend to think poorly about other drivers who obviously are not really paying attention. I’m embarrassed by those prideful thoughts, but I’m even more ashamed of the actions that follow those thoughts.

For example, when I’m in my car, and I’m on a four lane road that will soon become only two lanes, I know which lane is the one that ends and which lane has the right of way to proceed. (By the way, the sign tells you which lane that is.) I plan ahead and make sure I’m in the correct lane well before the point of change. You know what’s coming next, don’t you? Suddenly, there’s a person coming up beside me as I approach the point where the lanes merge. One of us has to slow down and let the other one go ahead. Since I’m in the correct lane that is not ending, I refuse to slow down. If they hit me, it will be their fault. I’m not proud of that attitude.

The mind that is controlled by the flesh is a dangerous thing. It convinces us that being right is more important than even personal safety. Something has to happen to our minds so they are controlled by something other than our pride and personal ambitions to get ahead. That something for me is the reality of my vulnerability on the motorcycle. As I was riding home one day, the same thing I just described happened to me. I had to make a choice. I could hold to my rights or I could back off and let the other person proceed. I chose the latter. I had a different perspective of the situation because I was on a motorcycle that would not only lose any conflict with a car, but would cause me to be seriously injured. With that in mind, I made a different choice. It’s the choice I need to make all the time, no matter what I’m driving.

I remember some words of Scripture that I have not applied very well in the daily activity of driving – “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought…Be kind and compassionate to others…Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”

Before I get too diverted from the original point I wanted to make, let me get to it – whatever we have in our mind will determine our actions. Whatever we choose to focus on in our thinking will become the primary motivation for our choices. When the thought of my rights is foremost in my mind, I make a different choice than when the thought of my safety is on my mind. When thoughts of the needs of others is on my mind, I will choose differently than when thoughts of my needs are on my mind.

Ephesians 6:18  “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.” 

So when Paul tells us to take up the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, and use it as the basis for our prayer life, he then says those all important words, “with this in mind.” He is reminding us that something new has become the priority of our thinking and that it will result in different behavior. As our minds are renewed, so that the flesh has less and less influence and the Spirit of God has more and more control, we are to be alert to what’s going on around us. We are to see the other person approaching in the rear-view mirror, and then respond in such a way that confirms the presence of God in our lives. We are to respond to one another’s needs and issues with prayers of all kinds based on the promises of God.  

Paul says it this way in his second letter to the church at Corinth, as paraphrased by Eugene Peterson in The Message. “God of all healing counsel! He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us. We have plenty of hard times that come from following the Messiah, but no more so than the good times of his healing comfort—we get a full measure of that, too.”

Keep that in mind!

Pastor John