LifeLink Devotional

Tuesday, March 09, 2021

We traveled over four thousand miles in five days. We slept in the car. We navigated almost fifteen hundred miles of gravel roads through the mountains. Twice we almost slid off those roads and down the mountainside because of rain. But when we arrived in North Pole, Alaska, the joy of serving the Lord as summer missionary interns at a Christian radio station was more than we expected.

I learned a life lesson from that trip. The promise of what awaits us at the final destination is motivation to continue the journey and endure the hardships we may encounter along the way.

Jesus teaches that principle to His disciples in the upper room the night before His crucifixion. He has informed them that He was leaving them. He told them that they could not go with Him. He predicted that life would get tough. Yet He gave them all the motivation they needed to endure what was ahead by informing them of what was waiting for them at the end.

John 14:2-3 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

The Holy Spirit, in the book of Hebrews, teaches us the same principle of endurance based on being focused on the finish line.

Hebrews 12:1-2 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, 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.

The finish line is glory. It is glorious. It is promised for those who believe. It motivates those who choose to fix their eyes on it. The joy of what Jesus has prepared far exceeds any hardship we experience on the journey.

The question is this: On what have you fixed your eyes and your heart?

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotional

Monday, March 8, 2021

Imagine for a moment that you have just been told you will miserably fail at something you believed you were capable of doing. You even bragged to others about how you were confident in your ability.  Plus, you told the one person you wanted to impress the most that He could count on you. But that person’s response to you predicted your failure to follow through on your promise.

The last thing we would want to hear at that moment is someone telling us to not worry or be troubled. Having just been told that we would fail, our emotions would be raw, and raw emotions generally need to be expressed rather than ignored or denied. Yet the person who predicted your failure now tells you to not let he pending failure bother you. I’m pretty sure we would not respond well.

This is exactly the scenario playing out in the Upper Room as Jesus spends His last night before His crucifixion with His disciples. Peter bragged about his ability to be strong and faithful.  Jesus tells him that he not only won’t be faithful but will deny even knowing Him. Not just one denial, but three. Imagine Peter’s feelings. Imagine the personal conflict going on between his heart and his mind. He believes Jesus speaks truth. Peter also believes he spoke truth when he promised to be faithful.  But the words of Jesus ring loudly in his ears and penetrate to the core of his heart. He is troubled when faced with the truth of his own inabilities.

Peter said to him, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the rooster will not crow till you have denied me three times. Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.”  John 13:37-14:1

Where can we find comfort when faced with failure? How can we not be troubled when we realize that our commitments are often unfulfilled because of our inability to live up to our own expectations?  Jesus gives us the answer to both questions – believe in God, and believe in Jesus.  But that begs another question. What does belief in God and Jesus have to do with easing the feelings of discouragement and troubled hearts caused by our failures?

Here’s the answer. GRACE. When things don’t turn out the way we thought they should, there’s GRACE. When we mess up and things get all messed up, there’s GRACE. When we fall flat on our face, there’s GRACE. When our hearts are troubled, the answer is belief in God, and to believe that the grace of God is sufficient for our every need and is best realized when we are our weakest. (2 Corinthians 11:9) When things go wrong, belief in God means that we trust the grace of God to make all things right. 

So no matter where you are, or what you’ve done, believe in God, and believe in Jesus.  GRACE will abound and cover all sin.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotional

Friday, March 5, 2021

My mother gave birth to three sons within thirty-three months. As we grew, she was determined that we would know how to manage everyday household chores. From an early age we washed and dried dishes, cleaned toilets, scrubbed floors, dusted furniture, vacuumed floors, and did laundry, including folding it after it was dry. The second hardest thing I ever learned was to fold a fitted sheet. You may be asking what could be harder than that. The answer is easy. Learning to fold the sheet differently after getting married.

When we learn something, we learn best when we imitate the teacher. However, when we become the teacher, we protect our way of doing it. This can cause conflict when there are multiple acceptable ways of accomplishing a task. Most of the tasks we do in life have a variety of methods for completion. There will be problems in our relationships when we fight to prove that our way is the best way.

But when there is only one way to do something, everyone should do it that way, right? Unfortunately, conflict still arises as we argue about the validity or the value of the one way. Opinion is elevated to an equal position of authority and the truth is manipulated by those opinions.

Such is the case with the subject of love. Jesus declared there is only one way to love. Jesus lived exclusively in that one way of love. Jesus commanded us to love the same way He did since it’s the only way to love.

John 13:34-35  A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Jesus stooped to wash the disciple’s feet, even the disciple who hated Him and betrayed Him. He washed the feet of the one who would publicly deny Him. He washed the feet of those who would doubt Him and hide from Him in His greatest hour of need. Jesus showed us the one and only way of love – sacrifice of self for the sake of others.

Why is it that we argue about how to love others? Why do we justify our self-centered motives for love based on benefits we will receive? Why do we exclude from our expressions of love certain people who have hurt us? We do we build walls of self-protection? Did not Jesus command us to love just as He loves us?

That’s a tough challenge for our consideration. However, it is only tough if we do not yet understand the love that has been shown to us. That’s your starting point. Spend time considering the eternal love of God expressed through Jesus Christ for unworthy and undeserving us. Then, with a fresh sense of how much love has been lavished on you that you should be called a child of God, you will be able to love others as you have been loved.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotional

Thursday, March 4, 2021

The way I understand the experiences of life is different than the way I expect others to understand me when I speak.

The circumstances of life, especially the difficult ones, are generally observed and understood in a very narrow context. It’s almost as if each event is self-contained and disconnected from all other events. For example, on a long drive home from college many years ago, in the middle of an ice storm, I had a flat tire. I was frustrated and miserable as I changed the tire in freezing rain. I only saw that hardship within the boundaries of that moment and failed to see the bigger picture. More on that later.

Yet when answering questions or explaining events, I want others to see the bigger picture. If I am in the garage working on a project, and my wife asks me what I am doing, I do not answer in literal detail by saying that I am holding a steel rod connected to a plastic handle and using it to turn a small threaded screw into a board to hold it to another board. Instead, in big picture context, I tell her I’m building a birdfeeder.

We need to learn to see the circumstances of life in big picture format. I should have learned that lesson after changing the tire. After returning to the car and driving for 15 minutes, I came upon a serious car accident. As I calculated the estimated time of the accident, I realized that had it not been for my flat tire I could have been involved. The flat tire was a blessing when seen in the context of the big picture.

As Judas rose from the table after being exposed to the Light of Jesus, the disciples all wanted answers to the little picture perspective of where He was going. But when Jesus spoke to them, He at once drew their attention to the big picture.

John 13:31 When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him.”

Our focus tends to be on the current event, and we want it defined in terms that apply only to its specific context. We want to know what it means and how it will be resolved.

But Jesus desires that we interpret all events in the context of the big picture of His glory. Instead of asking how to handle or resolve the current crisis, Jesus declares that all events are working to reveal His glory and the glory of the Father. When we adapt the big picture perspective of life, we will, like Jesus, find peace, hope, and endurance, knowing that every step we take is leading to the full revelation of the glory of God.

Spend some time contemplating that today. Maybe we all need to learn to better focus on the big picture.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotional

Wednesday, March 3, 2021

On Monday I made a purchase that required careful inspection. Before leaving home, knowing that I would need to be able to see into dark corners, I put into my pocket a small flashlight with brand new batteries. When inspecting anything, flaws hidden in the darkness will be revealed when exposed to the light.

When Jesus came into the world He announced Himself as the Light of the world. However, not everyone wanted their lives to be exposed to the Light. Jesus explained this early on in His ministry when He said:

 “And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”(John 3:19-21)

Now, almost three years later, Jesus again reveals that the heart of man prefers hiding sin in the dark rather than exposing it to the Light. While in the upper room with His disciples, Jesus exposes the evil intentions of Judas, who at once hides himself from the Light.

John 13:30  So, after receiving the morsel of bread, he (Judas) immediately went out. And it was night.

Judas preferred the darkness to the Light. He went out into the night, leaving the presence of the Light of the world. Judas preferred the immediate rewards of rebellion to the eternal rewards of repentance.

What about you? Are you insisting on keeping certain parts of your life in the dark, or are you allowing every part of your life to be exposed to the Light of Jesus Christ? Hiding in the dark produces shame unto death, as the suicide of Judas exemplifies. The earthly rewards that entice us to sin in the dark do not settle the account of sin that is owed, thus resulting in hopeless despair.

However, the exposure of sin to the Light of Jesus removes the stain and the shame of all sin, granting hope, joy, and peace.

When the Holy Spirit points to sin in your life, you can choose to leave the Light and go out into the darkness of night. Or you can stand in the Light and let Him cleanse you from all unrighteousness. The choice is yours.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotional

Tuesday, March 2, 2021

As I write this, I am still rubbing my eyes as I awaken from a vivid dream. The final statement I was making while preaching in a small church is still resounding in my heart and mind.

“Since by faith in the atoning work of Jesus Christ on the cross we have received the forgiveness of our sins, and have been declared eternally righteous by God, we ought to be constantly growing in faith unto spiritual maturity as measured by the fullness of the stature of Jesus Christ. So why is it, then, that so many self-proclaimed Christians are not mature, and are not visibly daily living by faith and thereby displaying the glory of God to others?

As I completed that question in my dream, I awoke, and immediately grabbed my coffee and wrote it down for all to read. It is the piercing question for all of us to consider for this day. 

The Apostle Paul defines maturity for us.

“He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.” Ephesians 4:10-16 

Are you becoming mature in Christ?

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotional

Monday, March 1, 2021

I find it almost impossible to begin a day without a shower. Being clean is essential for me to assure you of having a good day. You see, if you were to approach me some morning when I had not bathed adequately, our relationship could be in danger. You would potentially be exposed to the stench of body odor. It would be unpleasant for you.

But when I have showered in the morning, I can go all day and still feel clean at supper, unless I have engage in sufficient physical activity to undo the effects of the soap used that morning. However, no matter how clean I feel, there are multiple times during the day when I wash my hands. Sometimes I even wash my face. Throughout the day, parts of my body are exposed to dirt, and those parts need to be cleaned. I don’t shower my whole body when only my hands are dirty, but I do wash the dirt off my hands.

Jesus uses this same illustration in John chapter thirteen when peter refuses to allow Him to wash his feet. Yet the teaching of Jesus goes much deeper than just having dirty feet. He is addressing the issue of spiritual cleanliness and the need for constant cleansing from the dirt of sin.

John 13:10  Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.”

There are two essential truths for us to consider today. First, Jesus declares to His disciples that those who have believed His words are already clean. They do not need to repeat their spiritual bathing. Unfortunately, there are many people if various churches who are being taught that their spiritual cleansing can be nullified by sin. But here, as Jesus washed the feet of the disciples, He assures Peter, and all of us, that by faith we have been cleansed once and for all, and do not need to repeat the bathing of salvation. In other words, when you have been saved by faith, you are permanently saved and eternally clean.

Second, Jesus reminds us that every day we get dirty as we walk through life in this evil world. The sin that we touch and that sticks to us must be washed away so we can fully share in the glory of our relationship with Jesus. However, we must not confuse the need for daily cleansing from the sins we commit with the loss of salvation and the supposed need to be saved all over again. That which is eternal – the life of Christ we have been given – cannot be removed from us. However, sin will interfere with our intimacy with Jesus, and that must be dealt with.

My friends, I have known far too many people who live in fear that they will die after sinning and lose their salvation. Let me assure you that Peter’s words in First Peter 1 are the direct expression of the truth he learned on the day Jesus washed his feet.

1 Peter 1:3-5 ³  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴  to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, ⁵  who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Praise God I do not keep myself saved, for if I did I could never stay saved. I am kept by the power of God!

However, when I sin, as the Apostle John wrote in his first letter to believers, I must confess the daily dirt of my sin, and when I do God is faithful and just to forgive me and cleanse me from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

By faith we are saved eternally – once and for all. By faith we allow Jesus to wash our feet each day so we can share fully in our relationship with Him. Do not confuse the two, but do not exclude the joy of either.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotional

Friday, February 26, 2021

After showing the Disciples the full extent of His love by washing their feet, Jesus explained the importance of such love to the overall mission of redemption.

“For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.” John 13:15-17 

Jesus was not commanding foot washing.  He was commanding the expression of love to the full extent of His love.  Jesus set us an example of not only how to love, but who to love. Love humbly, and show love to those who hurt you. 

We would argue with following Christ’s example, claiming that we need to protect ourselves from further hurt. We would justify the withholding of love because of potential pain. Yet Jesus, who has sent us as His servants and messengers, declares that we dare not consider ourselves better than our Master. How can we think it is acceptable to do less than He did?

Go today and begin to love as Jesus did by serving others, especially those who despise you and treat you hatefully.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotional

Thursday, February 25, 2021

“I don’t understand why you are doing this!”

I heard that statement on several visits to a dairy farmer years ago. I had shown up unannounced at his farm to help him with chores. I shoveled manure. I fed cows. I helped milk. After each chore I would thank him for the opportunity to get to know him and then leave.

“I don’t understand why you are doing this!”

My response was always the same.

“Someday you will.”

The expressions of love in acts of service eventually led to the farmer repenting of His sin and receiving Christ’s forgiveness. Now he is also a servant of others.

While washing the disciple’s feet, Jesus came to Peter, who questioned what He was doing. Jesus simply responded,  “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.”(John 13:7)

The act of becoming a servant by washing the disciple’s feet would only be fully understood when the Servant sacrificed His life on their behalf.

So it is for us in our witness to others. Serving others will have its full effect when sacrifice is evident.

Don’t stop serving because there have been no results. Serving is not results driven.

Serving is love driven, and love has no limits, nor does it require a return on investment.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotional

Wednesday, February 24, 2021

It seems that most cultures in the world reference various forms of what has been called shapeshifting.  Greek mythology is filled with stories of physical transformations. The mythological gods would punish humans for their rebellion.  

• Zeus transformed King Lycaon and his children into wolves.
• Demeter transformed Ascalabus into a lizard for mocking her sorrow.
• Athena transformed Arachne into a spider for challenging her as a weaver.

There are also instances where the mythological gods would transform themselves into beings that would be able to better relate to humans.

•  Zeus repeatedly transformed himself to approach mortals as a means of gaining access.
  • To Europa he appeared as a bull
  • To Leda as a swan
  • To Ganymede, as an eagle
  • And to Semele he appeared as a mortal shepherd

Yet one thing is common in most, if not all, of the mythological transformations – they only served the purpose and good of the god. Rarely were they ever for the benefit of the human.

Yet the One True God, Jesus Christ, chose to transform Himself for the benefit of humanity.

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.”

Jesus became a servant so he could save us! He was transformed for our benefit, and for His ultimate glory. But His transformation was different than those of the mythological gods. They only transformed their appearance. No matter what their shape, the actions of the gods were driven by their greed for power. However, Jesus transformed His nature. He became a servant, so all His actions were driven by the desire to serve others in love. He modeled that in the upper room with the disciples.

John 13:4-5  “[Jesus] rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.”

Consider this: Have you worked hard to take on an appearance of good, but you are still driven by greed for power or personal gain? OR, has your nature been transformed by Jesus Christ into the form of a servant, so that you are driven to meet the needs of others in love?

Rise up and take off your outer robes. Wrap yourself in a servant’s towel, and wash some feet.

Pastor John