LifeLink Devotional

Monday, February 12, 2018

Psalms 150  Praise the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with tambourine and dancing, praise him with the strings and flute, praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD.

What an incredible journey it’s been. This is our 175^th devotional during our scenic tour of the Psalms. We agreed to take a little sight-seeing trip each day and stop at any scenic overlook the Lord pulled us into. We have discovered some marvelous treasures along the way. I’m sad to see this trip come to an end. I wonder where God will take us next?

There’s only one scenic overlook on today’s excursion. As we exit our vehicles and walk over to the edge to get the full effect of the view, we are immediately overwhelmed by the simple complexity of what we see – simple because there’s only one thing to observe, yet complex because of the diversity of ways to observe it. It is the panorama of praise.

It’s an awesome vista. Multiple individual scenes all turned and tuned to one focal point. No matter which direction we look, our eyes are always drawn to one place. There is no inclination to be distracted by the individual elements of the view. Every part of the scene has but one purpose – to draw attention to the One who created the scene.

Some parts are doing it with a variety of musical instruments. Some parts have chosen to make loud, rhythmic noises. Some parts are dancing. Every part that has breath is singing and shouting. But one thing is consistent – they are all directing their attention to the One who gave them life and breath. In unity they inhabit the panorama of praise.

Some choose to praise the LORD in the security of their homes and churches. Some have decided to climb to the heights and praise Him in public. But one thing is common to them all, they are praising God.

Some praise Him because they have experienced His acts of power. Some are praising Him because they are experiencing the reality of who He is. But one thing remains the same with them all – they are praising Him.

As we look out over this amazing scene at the end of the road, we get a glimpse of heaven. We haven’t seen this view before, mainly because we’ve been preoccupied with our way of praising God. Suddenly it becomes clear – our way is not the only way. As we gaze out over this panorama we are awestruck by the diversity of people and their patterns of praise, and yet they all come together to make one sound – a clear sound – that draws complete and continual attention to the One on the throne. It’s as if all the music, drums, dancing, shouting, and singing have combined to create a new form of music – one unknown to us here on earth.

Our minds are immediately taken to the scene in heaven when all the saints are present, and it begins to make sense.

Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirit of God sent out into all the earth. He came and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song:

“You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.”

Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they sang:

“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!”

Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing:

“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!”

At last we understand. None of the songs we sing today, and none of the musical preferences we have held so dear, will be the final voice of praise in heaven. They will blend with the voices and styles of saints from every age and every tribe and every language and every race and form one new song, with its one and only focus on the One and Only King – Jesus Christ.

We could stand at this spot for a long time and take in the true beauty of what we see.

As we walk away from the edge and return to our vehicle to begin whatever journey God has planned for us next, we are deeply impacted by what we have just seen. We follow the lead of the Holy Spirit to make a renewed commitment to start practicing our praise for heaven. We understand now that the best way to do that is not to invite everyone else to praise God as we do, but rather to let everyone praise God as they do, and let God, the Master Conductor, bring us together in harmony to create the final concerto.

Let the crescendo of praise begin.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotional

Friday, February 9, 2018

Psalms 149:1-5  Praise the LORD. Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise in the assembly of the saints. Let Israel rejoice in their Maker; let the people of Zion be glad in their King. Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with tambourine and harp. For the LORD takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with salvation. Let the saints rejoice in this honor and sing for joy on their beds.

Earlier this week in a devotional, I referred to a Pastor friend named Jerry. I want to share another story from that relationship that will draw out a spiritual truth from today’s Psalm.

When our church started a relationship with Pastor Jerry and the people of Bayou DuLarge Baptist Church, we asked him to give us the name of someone for whom he really wanted us to pray for salvation. He gave us the name of Raymond. We started praying immediately. For three years we prayed for him. He was on our daily prayer list at our staff devotions, and many of our church people prayed for him in their personal devotions as well.

I remember the trip to the Bayou when God answered our prayers. It was a Tuesday night, and without any notice, Raymond showed up at the church and asked if he could talk to me. Thirty minutes later Raymond and I were on our knees as he surrendered his life to Jesus and repented of his sins. Hallelujah! For three years, no one on the bayou would have thought it was possible. But with God nothing is impossible. Our God is mighty to save.

Raymond and I celebrated together. We cried together, we prayed together, then we cried some more. Then we laughed. We set out on a course of confession of Christ to those people who were closest to him – first his wife, and then Pastor Jerry. Soon the whole bayou knew. Raymond was not ashamed of his Lord.

His wife, who is a born again Christian, told me that it’s the love of God that won his heart. She said he has never had anyone really love him for who he was, so when I loved him it really softened his heart to the love of God. Instead of having to be proud and protective of his life, he could finally let go and humble himself before God. How could he be expected to surrender to God and trust Him to save him when he never had an example of that kind of love? That’s not to say that he didn’t see it in any other Christians on the bayou, but he never really had anyone take a personal interest in his life and accept him as he was. He never really had a relationship of love and trust with a Christian man before.

Raymond is just like so many others that we know and work with every day. They are afraid to be humble before God because they fear what He will say or do to them based on their sin. That fear is very real to them because of the way we as God’s people tend to pound on sinners. If we, the ambassadors of Jesus Christ, pile shame of those who sin, and separate ourselves from them, then what other impression of God could they possibly have than to think that He will do the same. If we want people to come to Jesus on their knees in confession and repentance, then we must respond to them the same way that Jesus will – with compassion, love, and forgiveness. It’s time we stop telling people they have to change, and time to start showing them that God has changed us.

But I struggle with something – why is it so hard to do that where we live? We love to go on mission trips and serve others, but there isn’t the time to get intimate and personal with them. We feel protected. We can leave them a good surface impression of God’s love, but we never show them the grace of God that is necessary to forgive us for our sin and cover our shortcomings. Heaven forbid that other people should ever see us as weak.

Yet all around us are people who need to see the real love of God that accepts people at their worst and transforms them into God’s best. We all have people near us who are hurting and lost, and need to see the compassion, acceptance, and forgiveness of God so they can humble themselves before Him. They want to see love in action. They want to see Jesus in us.

But we tend to get so wrapped up in our own lives that we only show God’s love when it is convenient or profitable to us. Yet God calls us to live that way every day, right where we are.

Imagine the rejoicing that would be going on in our churches if the people who are lost in their sin understood that the LORD takes delight in them, and will crown them with salvation if they will humbly come to him. They will flock to our sanctuaries and worship centers to find a place of acceptance and forgiveness.

But they are afraid.

They will only overcome their fear of God when we show them how loving He is by loving them as they are. They will understand that God takes delight in them because we take delight in them. They will trust God to forgive them and accept them, because we accept and forgive

We represent God to them. You and I are the ones God has chosen and honored with this mission. Let’s go and love our neighbors as we love ourselves, and show them the love of God.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotional

Thursday, February 8, 2018

There is nothing that stimulates and revitalizes me more than being out in the splendor of God’s creation. I am closest to God when I am closest to the simplicity and beauty of His creation that is unspoiled by man.

With that in mind, read what the Psalmist wrote in Psalm 148:

Praise the LORD. 

Praise the LORD from the heavens, praise him in the heights above.

 Praise him, all his angels, praise him, all his heavenly hosts.

Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars.

Praise him, you highest heavens and you waters above the skies.

Let them praise the name of the LORD, for he commanded and they were created.

 He set them in place for ever and ever; he gave a decree that will never pass away.

Praise the LORD from the earth, you great sea creatures and all ocean depths, lightning and hail, snow and clouds, stormy winds that do his bidding, you mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars, wild animals and all cattle, small creatures and flying birds, kings of the earth and all nations, you princes and all rulers on earth, young men and maidens, old men and children.

 Let them praise the name of the LORD, for his name alone is exalted; his splendor is above the earth and the heavens. 

He has raised up for his people a horn, the praise of all his saints, of Israel, the people close to his heart.

Praise the LORD.

I know it is the dead of winter right now, but I challenge you to take every opportunity you have to praise God in the midst of nature.

Earlier this week, as I walked up my driveway after placing the garbage can by the road, I looked up into a crisp, cold, clear sky, and I stopped and praised the Lord. I beheld the infiniteness of God, praising Him that he is far beyond the billions of light years of distance to the farthest star.

I look forward to the day, hopefully soon, when I can sit in the warmth of the sun and praise Him for the gift of the Son that turned my cold heart of sin into a warm home for love.

I desire to sit by the shore of a lake and listen to the waves splash against the rocks, and while I consider the numerous forms of life that live there I will praise the Lord for His life that now lives in me because I have been washed with living water. 

I look forward to watching as storm clouds rise in the west to bring thunder, lightning, and much-needed rain to a parched ground, and I will praise Him for the storms that come into my life that nourish my faith in His sovereign control.

In the fall I will observe the splendor of His creation from a tree stand while I contemplate Christ’s exalted position over it, and I will be humbled that it is simply a foretaste of the splendor of His presence, which I will behold someday face to face with my Lord.

Through our study of the Psalms I have learned an important lesson: every situation and circumstance of life is an opportunity to praise the Lord. Every experience of life is to be an experience of the presence of God.

No matter what life brings today, God is in control. There is no problem that is bigger than His compassion. There is no hardship that is greater than His strength. There is no good thing we accomplish that surpasses His grace and our need to trust Him.

Do not succumb to pity because of problems. Do not be puffed up with pride by prosperity. In all things, be pumped up with praise.

May every event and observation of your life today and every day lead you to praise.

Praise the Lord.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotional

Wednesday, February 7, 2018

Psalms 147:1, 4-5, 10-11 ( NIV ) Praise the LORD. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him! He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name. Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit. His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of a man; the LORD delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.

Many years ago, while in college, I stood on the American side of Niagara Falls. I was spellbound. I could not contemplate the continuous surge of water flowing down that river and over that cliff. Since the days of Noah and the flood, millions of gallons of water per minute have crashed to the rocks 170 feet below the river bed. As I stood absorbing facts I was reading and trying to avoid the cold spray from the force of the falling water, I was awestruck by the immensity and greatness of God. He created those falls. He created the water in the river. He sustains the flow of the water. Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit. It made me wonder how great a person has to be to know this awesome God.

Later, on that same trip, my friends and I stopped at a rest area in Michigan. We were tired and thirsty. On the outside of the building was a sign with an arrow pointing down a short path. The sign said, “Drinking Water…clear and cold.” At the end of the path was a pipe sticking straight up out of the ground with water bubbling out of it. We initially thought it was a pretty weird drinking fountain. But then I remembered as a youth being taught about Artesian Springs, where water from a pressurized aquifer flows out of the ground without the need for pumping. Here was one of them, just squirting away.

We bent over and drank a little to test it. It tasted fantastic, and after multiple swallows of the ice cold water, it completely quenched our thirst. What the mighty waters of Niagara couldn’t do, this obscure little spring did. There was nothing great about it, but it provided me with the greater pleasure.

I understand now that our greatness cannot bring us closer to God. The great Biblical commentator Albert Barnes once said, “It is the bubbling stream that flows gently, the little rivulet which runs along day and night by the farm-house, that is useful, rather than the swollen flood or warring cataract. Niagara excites our wonder; and we stand amazed at the powerful greatness of God there, as He pours it from the hollow of His hand. But one Niagara is enough for the continent of the world, while the same world requires thousands and tens of thousands of silver fountains and gently flowing rivulets, that water every farm and meadow, and every garden, and shall flow on every day and night with their gentle, quiet beauty. So it is with the acts of our lives. It is not by great deeds that good is to be done, but by the daily and quiet virtues of life.”

Find great joy in this truth, my friends. God’s pleasure is not in the greatness of your deeds. His delight is not in the wisdom of your ways. He delights in those who fear Him, and put their hope in His unfailing love. Do not compare yourself to what some may call a Niagara of the faith. God loves and uses little squirts like us all the time. And when a bunch of little squirts unite together with a common purpose, it soon grows to be a powerful Niagara-like force.

APPLICATION: Are we seeking to make a name for ourselves and draw attention to ourselves, or are we satisfied to be a little squirt from whom living water abundantly flows to meet the spiritual needs of others?

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotional

Tuesday, February 6, 2018

Psalms 146:1-2, 7-9 ( NIV ) Praise the LORD. Praise the LORD, O my soul. I will praise the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live…He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets prisoners free, the LORD gives sight to the blind, the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down, the LORD loves the righteous. The LORD watches over the alien and sustains the fatherless and the widow…

I have a deep respect for people who serve the LORD by meeting the needs of others. It is a refreshing breath of spiritual air to hear about humble servants of God who sacrifice their own desires for the sake of touching someone else’s life with grace. So much of the spiritual air we breathe today is self-centered and self-serving. Selfishness surrounds us. We declare ourselves to be the needy ones. We demand the attention of others. We seek to be served rather than serve. But every once in a while a person comes along who reflects the heart of Jesus to seek out and serve some of the “least of these.”

One such example is a pastor friend of mine whom I used to get to spend time with years ago, but because of God’s leading into different areas of ministry we don’t get together in person any more. He lives in Louisiana, and once pastored a church on a bayou where the land sits below sea level. His name is Jerry. Following hurricanes Katrina and Rita, he had a passion to use his skills and resources to rebuild people’s houses. Our church used to send work crews there to assist in the rebuilding efforts.

I remember one specific trip when 22 of us went down to work on a specific house. It was located just two houses down from the church. The house the people currently live in is a mess because it was on ground level when the storm surge flooded it. The new house will be built 12 feet up on huge poles. We will be framing in the house, putting rafters up, and putting on the roof.

What’s amazing about this project is that these people have no connection to the church. In fact, according to Pastor Jerry’s assessment, these people would be the most unlikely people on the whole bayou to ever respond to the love of Jesus. That’s why Jerry chose to help them.

Praise the LORD for people like Jerry who intentionally sacrifice their own resources to help those who, because of their life choices, are the least likely to respond to grace. If only all our hearts were so moved by the love and compassion of Jesus. If only we would understand that God’s greatest work is done in the lives of the most needy. If only that we would see God’s heart is focused on the broken and humbled and not the proud and self-sufficient.

Here in the Chippewa Valley we have people like that. They serve at the Hope Gospel Mission, at the Ruth House, at APPLE Pregnancy Care Center, at the emergency shelters for battered women, at the community table, and in numerous other ministries that focus on hurting and hopeless people. These servants have sacrificed their lives for others because the love of Jesus has captivated their hearts. These servants believe that God still does miracles today – miracles of providing food for the hungry, setting prisoners free from the bondage of their sin, giving hope to the hopeless and help to the helpless.

I’m proud to be a part of a church that has such a heart. I’m excited about our partnership with those ministries I mentioned as they reach out to help those in need. I’m glad that God is teaching me to be a true giver of His love without expecting any earthly return on the investment. It will be a miraculous day in the life of the church of Jesus Christ when we all live for the benefit of others and not ourselves. That day is possible as we allow the heart of Jesus to captivate our lives and see others the way he sees them.

Living for Jesus is not about what Jesus will continue to do for me – He has already done everything for me by saving me from my sin and granting me access to God the Father for all eternity. Living for Jesus is about serving others – no matter who they are – and connecting them to the love of God.

I want to say thank you to those of you who have been my examples – you know who you are. I want to challenge the rest of you to set your hearts on things above, and not on the things of the earth. God’s greatest miracles are yet to be seen, and they will be seen in the lives of people who are the most least likely to respond.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotional

Monday, February 5, 2018

Psalms 145:3  Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom.

Math was my favorite subject in school. I loved the logic and consistency of it. It was black and white. There were rules to follow and predictable results. My mind was captivated by the process of problem solving. The fact that all problems could be resolved fascinated me. But the more I learned, the more I realized how much more there was to learn.

I remember one rule from early in math class – always reduce your answer to its simplest form. While two fourths is the correct answer when adding one fourth and one fourth, it is not its simplest form. The correct answer would be one half. That rule is especially significant when solving algebraic formulas which contain unknowns. The goal is to figure out what “x” is, and the only way to do that is to begin reducing all the other elements of the formula to their simplest form.

The difference between algebra and God is that God cannot be reduced, nor can He be solved – His greatness no one can fathom. But there is a process of simplification that can help us to understand and appreciate His greatness. The Psalmist uses that process in Psalm 145. After declaring the greatness of God, he seeks to understand God better by looking at the individual attributes of God in their simplest form.

The first thing he does is talk about the great work God does. The nature of God is revealed in the nature of His work. In verses four through six he declares the great work that God has done.

One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts. They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful works. They will tell of the power of your awesome works, and I will proclaim your great deeds.

The Psalmist then begins to speak of the individual attributes of God as they relate to our experience of Him. He makes things simple. We need simple sometimes. We need to be able to touch God at a specific point. We need to know He is approachable and can relate to our immediate need. In His totality He is unfathomable. In His simplicity He is relatable. Let the simplicity of God touch you today as you read the Psalmist’s description of Him, and find the point where you need to relate today.

They will celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness. The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. The LORD is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made. The LORD is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made. The LORD upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food (He is our provider) at the proper time. You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing. The LORD is righteous in all his ways and loving toward all he has made. The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them. The LORD watches over all who love him…

We cannot fathom the sum total of God. He is beyond human comprehension. But He has revealed Himself in simple terms to us so that we can relate to Him. When life seems too complex to understand, and God seems beyond your reach, then do this – reduce your problems to their simplest form. Then look to the individual characteristics of God. There is an understandable attribute for every part of your problem.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotional

Friday, February 2, 2018

Psalms 144:1 Praise be to the LORD my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle.

 In 19^th century England the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ was prominent and powerful. We have heard of some of the famous preachers like Charles Spurgeon and Andrew Murray, but it was the work of local pastors like William Pennefather that had the most significant impact on the culture of that era. Pennefather’s church, planted in the German section of England, became the home of the “Mild May” Conference, where preachers like Andrew Murray helped light an evangelistic fire that spread across the channel to Germany. When Pennefather died at the age of 57, his wife Catherine kept the church and the conference going and growing. She was a gifted poet and writer, and for the next 20 years until her death she kept serving her Lord and Savior. In 1881 she wrote a series of books entitled Follow Thou Me. In the volume subtitled Service she writes the following in relation to Psalm 144:1.

I want to speak of a great defect among us, which often prevents the realization of going “from strength to strength”; viz., the not using, not trading with, the strength already given. We should not think of going to God for money only to keep it in the bank. But are we not doing this with regard to strength? We are constantly asking for strength for service; but if we are not putting this out in hearty effort, it is of no use to us. Nothing comes of hoarded strength.

“Blessed be the Lord my strength, which trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle.” David, you see, was looking for strength for a purpose. Some people seem to expect strength, but never attempt to put forth their hands to war, and their fingers to fight—there is so little venturing upon God, so little use of grace given, partly from fear of man, partly from indolence and worldly-mindedness … It is not for us to be merely luxuriating in the power which God supplies. Action strengthens, and before we have a right to ask for an increase, we must use that already given.

Some things about our Christian culture have not changed from those days. Of all the strength we pray for God to provide, how much is used to actually get involved in the war against sin? We have become accustomed to asking only for survival strength, when God has made provision for victory strength.  We have become satisfied to live in the foxhole with our heads covered when God has provided for us to live in response to the bugle call of “charge.”

It is not for lack of a perfect model that we withdraw from battle. Christ himself, the Captain of our salvation, was a valiant soldier who used the strength of God to do the work of God. Remember His trip to the wilderness following His baptism? He was bold in attack, for he began the combat by going up into the wilderness to defy the enemy. Like Him we should be prepared through prayer and fasting for every attack of the enemy no matter how dry and lonely the wilderness of our circumstances.

He was skillful in defense, parrying every attack with God’s Word. We may not need our hands and fingers to carry a sword or a sling as King David did, but they are to be trained to page through the Scriptures so we are prepared for the spiritual battle in which we fight. We can defeat every attack of the enemy with the authority of God’s Word.

He was steadfast in conflict, for he persevered to the end, till the devil left him, and angels came and ministered unto him.  We should not be content with repelling the first attack, but persevere in our resistance until all evil thoughts are put to flight, and heavenly resolutions take their place.

We have been called to spiritual battle by our Captain. His victory guarantees ours. We must move from survival mode to success mode. We have been given all the resources of heaven to fight the spiritual battle and to achieve victory in the name of Jesus. He is our Rock, our loving God, our fortress, our stronghold, and our deliverer. He has issued a call to battle. He has provided us with weapons of warfare that are powerful to the pulling down of all the enemy’s strongholds. No weapon of the enemy formed against us can prosper. We have been made more than conquerors through Him who loves us and gave His life for us. We have been trained for battle, and it’s time to put our training into practice. We are guaranteed of victory, so what’s the risk?

Listen. You can hear the bugle sounding “Charge.”

Let’s go!

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotional

Thursday, February 1, 2018

Psalms 143:1 – 2 O LORD, hear my prayer, listen to my cry for mercy; in your faithfulness and righteousness come to my relief. Do not bring your servant into judgment, for no one living is righteous before you.

I have had a word running around in my brain for the last few days and I can’t shake it. It’s not a word that I usually use in any of my conversations with people or even with God. It’s a word that is not generally accepted as appropriate in the context of spiritual conversations with unbelievers in our culture. It would be considered politically incorrect to use it to describe the average citizen of our country. But it is a word the Bible uses to describe us all. The fact that we don’t use it much anymore has hindered the cause of Christ and dramatically slowed the harvest of souls for the King. People are not coming to Christ for salvation, and it may in large part be due to the fact that they don’t understand they need to be saved from their sin. They don’t know that they are condemned.

We use that word to describe buildings that need to be torn down, but we have stopped using it to describe the spiritual condition of every person on the planet. By choice we have rebelled against God and become slaves to the nature of sin in us all. Having been conceived in sin we have conceived the activity of sin. Just as the building is sentenced to be destroyed upon the pronouncement of condemnation, so we are sentenced to the eternal destruction of life based on God’s pronouncement of the condemnation of our sin.

Jesus taught this clearly in John 3, where He says, For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

Everyone is condemned, just as David said in Psalm 143:2. But like David, everyone can come to Christ for mercy. The Judge of sin is also the Savior from sin. In His faithfulness and righteousness, He will forgive those who come to Him and cry for mercy. But the cry for mercy can only be sincere if there is a sincere recognition of condemnation. When we humbly and honestly consider the hopelessness of our sinful position before Almighty God we can better appreciate the splendor of His saving grace.

Chuck Colson relates the following story from many years ago during his prison ministry.

I was speaking at the Indiana State Prison. Only weeks earlier, Stephen Judy had been electrocuted there. An execution always creates a special tension in a prison, and I could sense it that day. It was in the air, in the voices of the guards, in the faces of the men.

After my talk, the warden walked us through the maze of cell blocks to that most dreaded of places—an isolated wing where five men awaited their final decree and death. Nancy Honeytree, the talented young gospel singer who is part of our team, was with me; several of our volunteers came along as well. Finally, we were ushered through two massive steel gates into the secure area. The inmates were allowed out of their cells, and we joined in a circle in the walkway while Nancy strummed the guitar and sang. It was a beautiful moment for those condemned men—and for us—as we closed by singing together “Amazing Grace.”

Two of the men, I knew from their correspondence with me, were believers. One of them, James Brewer, had the most radiant expression during our visit, and he sang at the top of his lungs.

As we were shaking hands and saying good-bye, I noticed that Brewer walked back into his cell with one of our volunteers. The others began filing out, but this volunteer remained in Brewer’s cell; the two were standing shoulder to shoulder, together reading the Bible. I was expected in two hours in Indianapolis for a meeting with the governor, so I walked back into the cell. “We’ve got to go,” I called out, beckoning to our volunteer.

“Just a minute, please,” he replied. I shook my head and repeated, “Sorry, time’s up, the plane is waiting.”

“Please, please, this is very important,” the volunteer replied. “You see, I am Judge Clement. I sentenced this man to die. But now he is born again. He is my brother and we want a minute to pray together.

I stood in the entrance to that solitary, dimly lit cell, frozen in place. Here were two men—one black, one white; one powerful, one powerless; one who had sentenced the other to die. Yet there they stood grasping a Bible together, Brewer smiling so genuinely, the judge so filled with love for the prisoner at his side.

Impossible in human terms! Brewer should despise this man, I thought. Only in Christ could this happen. The sight of those men standing together as brothers in that dingy cell will remain vivid in my mind forever.

Someday, maybe even today, we will stand arm in arm and face to face with the Judge – the One who had the power to sentence us to eternal death because of our sin. But we will meet Him as our Savior – the One who personally died in our place so that we might have life. He was condemned so that we could be forgiven.

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:1-2)

Hallelujah!

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotional

Wednesday, January 31, 2018

Psalms 142:1 – 7 I cry aloud to the LORD; I lift up my voice to the LORD for mercy. I pour out my complaint before him; before him I tell my trouble. When my spirit grows faint within me, it is you who know my way. In the path where I walk men have hidden a snare for me.  Look to my right and see; no one is concerned for me. I have no refuge; no one cares for my life. I cry to you, O LORD; I say, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.” Listen to my cry, for I am in desperate need; rescue me from those who pursue me, for they are too strong for me. Set me free from my prison, that I may praise your name. Then the righteous will gather about me because of your goodness to me.

Now, for those of you who skipped it, please go back and really read today’s Psalm. The Holy Spirit is to be your primary teacher every day. Let Him speak to you before you read what He said to me.

How deeply are you troubled today? How unbearable is your emotional burden? How lonely are you? How close are you to giving up? How loudly are you crying out to God for mercy? This Psalm is your help and your hope.

Back in December I was in Israel in the location where King David took refuge in caves to hide from his enemies. Once he was hiding from King Saul, who had him surrounded with 3,000 soldiers and there was no hope of escape. The other time he was seeking refuge from the Philistines who had taken over Bethlehem. As David writes this Psalm he recalls how he felt during those times of exile.

The cave he was in is nearly impenetrable. I did not get to go into the cave when I was there, but I did walk along the edge of the cliff and saw it. Another visitor, who at one time found his way in, described it this way.

It is situated on the side of a mountain, having a fearful gorge below, gigantic cliffs above, and the path winding along a narrow shelf of the rock. At length, from a great rock hanging on the edge of the shelf, we entered by a long leap to a low window which opened into the perpendicular face of the cliff. We were then within the traditional hold of David, and, creeping half doubled through a narrow crevice for a few yards, we stood beneath the dark vault of the first grand chamber of this mysterious and oppressive cavern. Our whole collection of lights did little more than make the damp darkness visible. After groping about as long as we had time to spare, we returned to the light of day, fully convinced that while inside David was safe, and all the strength of Israel under Saul could not have forced an entrance into it and would not have even attempted it. (William Thompson)

While the cave offered David safety from the enemies outside, it could not protect him from the attack against his spirit which grew faint within him. With no visible means of escape, and no way of replenishing his supplies, he does what we all tend to do – he exaggerates the severity of his condition. He looks around and declares that he is alone and no one cares about his life.

Go with me into that cave for a moment where the darkness is so complete that without man-made light you cannot see your hand in front of your face. Of course, he could not see anyone when he looked around, even though 400 people had gathered with him in the cave to support him and care for him. He was surrounded by his mighty men who put their lives on the line for him when he needed a drink of water. But the physical darkness had closed his spiritual eyes.

There is a personal lesson in this for us. In the midst of whatever cave you find yourself and the darkness you are currently experiencing, do not forget the truth that the other members of the Body of Christ – your spiritual family – are still with you. Even though your physical eyes may be unable to see a resolution, do not let your spiritual eyes become darkened to the truth of your connection to Christ and His community of believers.

There is another lesson that is important as well – in your times of despair, loneliness and hopelessness, God knows the way. When people and circumstances have set snares for you and you feel trapped, God knows the way. When you feel alone and rejected, God is your refuge and your portion in the land of the living. He is your constant companion and friend. He cares for you.

This was the prayer of a man who was desperate. These were the words of a man who was in a deep and dark cave. This was the cry to God of a man who believed in the power of God to rescue him.

These were the words of a man who lived to write about it.

This can be your prayer of faith to God who knows the way. Put your trust in him. He will show you the way out of your cave. Until He does, He will NEVER leave you alone. He who knows the way is with you to stay.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotional

Tuesday, January 30, 2018

Psalm 141:1-2  O LORD, I call upon you; hasten to me! Give ear to my voice when I call to you! ²  Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice!

I need answers!

We all need answers at times, but where we go to find them can make all the difference in our lives. There seem to be many options for us – from worldly philosophies and self-help gurus to escape mechanisms like drugs, alcohol, and sex. All are available to us, but all any of them do is provide an escape that keeps us from facing the real need. However, I can assure you that the real answer is found in only one place. In Psalm 141, King David declares and demonstrates that only real option is to call out to God in prayer.

But how can we know that God will answer us when we call to Him? Let me give you some basic truths that may help. Read Matthew 7:7-12.

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”

First, God is the source of all your answers. Whatever your need, God has promised to answer it. Do you need the provision of your basic needs for living? Ask, and it will be given to you. Do you need wisdom and understanding for your current situation? Seek, and you will find it. Do you need doors opened for you to move ahead in your life in serving God? Knock, and they will be opened. Every need you have will be met with the response of God’s provision, power, purpose and protection. He is the source of all your answers.

Second, His answers are significant, because they are the expression of His endless love for you. Every answer He gives is a good and perfect gift from His heart. When you pray with a humble heart of dependence upon your loving Father in heaven, and seek to know His will and purpose for your life, then every answer is a manifestation of His love for you that will result in the experience of good.

The Apostle Paul understood this when he wrote ^“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:26-28)

The answer may not make sense to you today, and it may not be what you expected or had hoped for, but it is God’s best for you. God cannot deny His nature, and every answer you receive is the expression of His love to you that will result in His glory and ultimate good.

Third, the starting point of receiving God’s answers is to ask correctly. Jesus uses the illustration of a son asking his father for food, and showing how the father would respond in love. After making His point that God’s love motivates His answers as well, He then makes this crucial point – in everything you ask for, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

We can be assured of God’s answers when we ask with the right motive. What is the right motive? The glory of God and service to others. Isn’t it interesting that the verse we call the Golden Rule is connected to the principle of prayer in Jesus’ teaching? It’s also very interesting that the majority of our prayers are self-centered. James, the brother of Jesus, wrote, When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. (James 4:3) The starting point of all our asking is to be for the benefit of others, not self.

All basic needs will be provided when we ask for them in the context of using them to serve others. All wisdom and understanding will be granted to us when we seek it on behalf of others. Doors of opportunity will be opened for us when we knock with the intent of ministering the grace of God to others. When we come before the Father in heaven with our requests, let them be motivated by a humble desire to serve Him according to His purpose for our lives, and we will receive everything we need to do it. His love will respond.

Pastor John