LifeLink Devotions for Tuesday, May 13, 2025

Just when we get all excited about a new possibility inevitably something happens that has the potential to throw us into a fit of frustration. These are the tests designed by God to answer this question: In whom do you really trust?

I have permission to share this story. One of my former church members and his wife were in the process of adopting a baby boy from Ethiopia. On a certain Friday they had their home visit from the adoption agency, and everything was in perfect order. All they had to do was come up with the next payment of $1200 to keep the process moving. They were so very excited.

The next day as they visited a friend, something went wrong with their handicapped accessible van that they needed for the transportation of their son. After extensive investigation into all the “symptoms” the husband was convinced he had blown a head gasket…on the vehicle. He didn’t blow his. The cost to repair? You guessed it. $1200. He admitted to me on Sunday morning that this was a test. He had already decided to trust God, but it was hard because now he would have to rearrange all his finances to make both the car repair and the adoption happen. But he was resisting taking this into his own hands and moving ahead in his own wisdom. He really wanted to see how God would handle this.

Then one morning I received this email from him. Get the Kleenex ready.

“Well, apparently we must have passed the test! I received a phone call from my mechanic yesterday and he informed me that it seems to be only the water pump and NOT the head gasket. PRAISE THE LORD!!!

“I truly believe, following along with what you taught us recently that we all have to go through tests day to day in order to strengthen our faith. Last Saturday, when I thought the head gasket had blown; all the elements would have indicated this to be true. Coolant on the ground (check), low coolant level (check), too hot of an engine (check) and the oil was even too full (almost three times too full) with an “orange-ish” tint to it, indicating coolant in the oil (CHECK)… I checked and re-checked the oil to make sure I wasn’t missing something. The van had been sitting close to an hour, so there is no way the oil could still be 2-3 times too high on the dipstick, right? Another man there even took a look and confirmed that it seemed like there was coolant in the oil.

“Like I said, I believe this was a test. I don’t think I aced the test, but I do believe I passed it. There are certainly areas of the day that I have been reflecting on that I could have acted out differently. All in all, though, I was surprised at how much peace I had come over me through the whole ordeal. Initially it was going to cost every penny we had in our adoption fund, but God had a plan.

“In the past this would have been devastating news, but God was there with me. Instantly the thought “everything will be fine, God will provide” kept going through my head; and I BELIEVED IT. I knew God had a plan and that all would be just fine. I just didn’t realize His plan would be so great. I should have, but I am only human. It will not be costing us every penny of the adoption fund. In fact, we won’t even have to touch this money!

“SO, I guess I just wanted to pass along this wonderful PRAISE offering to our Lord. The power of faith and prayer is truly amazing. I just want to thank the Lord for providing our every need, even before we know what it is.”

Here’s what Isaiah says. “Stop trusting in man, who has but a breath in his nostrils. Of what account is he?”(Isaiah 2:22)

When trouble happens, don’t trust your own understanding. Trust God. He’s perfecting your faith.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Monday, May 12, 2025

Pride is such a deadly enemy because it makes itself appear in every form as a friend.

Isaiah understands that the corruption of culture is completely the consequence of people’s pride because we have made friends with the world.  We have placed our trust in what we are able to accomplish rather than what God has already done. And then, to bring pride to its ultimate expression, we even take what God has done and give ourselves the credit for it and control over it.

But Isaiah warns us that God will soon destroy the pride of man in Isaiah 2:12 and 17.

“The LORD Almighty has a day in store for all the proud and lofty, for all that is exalted… The arrogance of man will be brought low and the pride of men humbled; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day,” (Isaiah 2:12-17)

In between verses twelve and seventeen Isaiah lists five expressions of pride and how God will deal with them:

• Creation – Society has become guilty of worshiping the creation rather than the Creator. (Romans 1:25) The emphasis on elevating animal and plant life to equal status with human life is absurd and denies the Creator’s image in each of us.
• Comforts – People are building treasures for this life, and every lofty tower that provides comfort is a denial of our need to depend on God for every earthly need.
• Construction – Mankind takes great pride in what they are able to build. Every fortified wall we build is a denial of our need to depend on God for our protection.
• Confidence – We have learned to depend on ourselves. Our culture is built around providing for self, defending self, and having confidence in ourselves to improve the quality of life.
• Commerce – We have built an economic system that has become our hope for survival. The trading ships and stately vessels are symbolic of our demand for financial security, and we have put our hope for that security in a system we have built for ourselves.

But notice what God says – “The arrogance of man will be brought low and the pride of men humbled; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day.”

My friend, what happens to your heart when something you own is taken from you? Does it end up revealing to you that it actually owned you? God does not share His glory. God does not distribute worship around to the idols of our own making. God is a jealous God and will fight to keep what is rightfully His. He will begin to remove everything that interferes with your relationship with Him. He will bring trouble upon you until you open your eyes and surrender the throne of your life back to Him. This is because He loves you!

Take some time today to evaluate your heart in the five areas above. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you any pride that has crept in any area. Then confess that pride, and surrender to the control of Jesus Christ. It is imperative for the days ahead – days of severe testing and tribulation upon the Christ-less cultures of the world – that we stand courageously for Christ at all cost. That is only possible if we are fully committed to him and not to our culture.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Friday, May 9, 2025

The Book of Isaiah is like a mirror. The first five chapters are a reflection of what society looks like when God is removed from culture. As Isaiah looks into the cultural mirror of ancient Israel, he sees what we see in our culture today; spiritual age spots, moles, and signs of cancer that develop when people don’t take care of their souls.

Over the next few days we will take a much needed look at what sin is doing to our society as its people continue to ignore God and place their faith in what the world has to offer.

In his very first look in the mirror, Isaiah sees some things we wouldn’t necessarily think are all that horrible. I mean, we would think that we would read about murders and rapes and corruption. That’s the real news of a decaying and decadent culture, isn’t it? But Isaiah sees this in Isaiah 2:6-9.

“They are full of superstitions from the East; they practice divination like the Philistines and clasp hands with pagans. Their land is full of silver and gold; there is no end to their treasures. Their land is full of horses; there is no end to their chariots. Their land is full of idols; they bow down to the work of their hands, to what their fingers have made. So man will be brought low and mankind humbled—do not forgive them.”

• They are full of superstitions from the East – People are being influenced by and living under the philosophies of Eastern Mysticism.
• They practice divination like the Philistines – People are fascinated by and practicing divination…fortune telling, astrology, psychic prophecies, etc.
• They clasp hands with pagans – People are forming partnerships in business, marriage, and casual friendships with pagans…people who live only for the flesh and deny any need for God.
• Their land is full of silver and gold; there is no end to their treasures – People are captivated by wealth and prosperity.
• Their land is full of horses; there is no end to their chariots – People are content and feel secure because of their possessions and the power of their political rulers.
• Their land is full of idols; they bow down to the work of their hands, to what their fingers have made –  People believe that their value comes from their performance and their status at work.

It’s apparent that the effects on culture of rejecting God are the same today as they were in Isaiah’s day. But the worst part of this picture is that the people of the church have also become like the culture in many ways. God’s people are the one’s turning away from faith in Jesus Christ to adapt to the world around them. The average Christian is in denial about the poverty of their spiritual life because they are so enamored with the seeming wealth they are receiving from the world.

Many Christians today have lost a true spirit of discernment about the influence of sinful practices in their lives. They are in denial about how much their choices to just have fun in the world are sapping their spiritual joy and leaving them fighting inner battles with no real hope of victory. We have lost our first love – the love we once had for Jesus Christ because of His death on Calvary and the grace of God extended to us for the forgiveness of sins. The love that filled our hearts with a passion for obedience and surrender to Jesus. The love that once dominated our decisions. We have chosen to love the world and the things in the world. We have chosen to shake hands with sinners and seek their approval. We have chosen to affirm ourselves, rather than believing in the affirmation of God through Jesus Christ, thus becoming guilty of worshiping self as an idol.

It is time for us to turn from our wicked ways. It is time for us to set ourselves apart from the world and rise above the status quo. It is time for the age spots, moles, and signs of spiritual cancer to be healed by Jesus Christ so that we can shine forth the light of His grace. We must look in the mirror of our culture, and when we do we must recognize our role in making it what it is.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Thursday, May 8, 2025

“In the last days the mountain of the LORD’S temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. Many peoples will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.”   (Isaiah 2:2-3)

What a beautiful word picture in this passage of Scripture. Prophetically it refers to the Millenial Kingdom when Jesus Christ reigns the entire earth from Jerusalem. Symbolically it refers to the church of Jesus Christ and has the following applications:

• It is the will of God that the church of Jesus Christ be established and raised up above all other religions. As followers of Jesus, we must not fear or back down from other religions. We need to boldly proclaim the Name of Jesus to the world.
• This will result in the people of the world streaming to the church to know more about the One True God and His Son Jesus.  I believe that there will be people from every tribe and language and nation that will come to Jesus Christ for salvation prior to His return to set up His Kingdom. Therefore, we must believe that there are people around us every day who want to hear about Jesus, and we must tell them.
• The people that come to the church are doing so because they have a desire to be taught to be followers of Jesus. They are tired with running their own lives and suffering the consequences of sinful choices. They are exhausted from trying to find purpose and significance for their lives. They are hungry for truth.

We have an incredible opportunity in this era to reap a huge harvest of souls for the King. But there is one thing that is interfering with this harvest –many people who are in the church have closed the damper on the fire of desire to know God’s ways. They have replaced their desire to follow God’s paths with a desire to pursue a path of their own making. The result is that the people of the world who long to come to the house of the Lord to know Him and His truth are confused. The Holy Spirit has given them a glimpse of God’s power to transform their lives, but they are having a difficult time finding living examples of it.

My friends, we must return to our first love – our love for Jesus Christ and His truth. We must desire to learn from Him. We must pant after the streams of Living Water the way deer pant after a brook. We should be modeling a completely transformed lifestyle that is clearly identifiable as the living proof that Jesus is alive. We must re-prioritize our hearts and minds so that the passion for Christ exceeds and dominates ALL other passions and desires.

When we do this, the world will beat a path to our door. Some will come in anger to destroy us. Many will come in humility to meet our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We do not fear the first group. We must, however, be prepared for the second group when they come.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Wednesday, May 7, 2025

We have probably all laughed at this. We have probably all said it to our children in one way or another. I remember the first time my dad said it to me, and it confused me. Just before the paddle came down across the padded place designed by God to absorb the pain of discipline, he said, “This is going to hurt me more than it hurts you.” Yeah, right! That made no sense to me. Couldn’t he see the tears in my eyes and hear the pain of my screams? He had no tears. He didn’t scream. But now I understand what he meant, having felt the deep emotional pain myself when intentionally causing temporary pain through discipline to bring about permanent change resulting in blessing.

The story of God’s relationship with His chosen people Israel is like a broken record of pain and blessing. It just keeps repeating itself. But God never gives up on His children. He never stops loving them. He never stops seeking their good. He never stops working to improve them. And in His love, He never stops disciplining them to bring about change.

There is a wonderful truth found in the book of Hebrews about the relationship between love and discipline expressed by our heavenly Father. It says, “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.” Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. … No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” (Hebrews 12:5-11)

Isaiah understood this relationship between love and discipline 600 years earlier when he explained to the people of Israel why God was going to discipline them for their sin.

“I will turn my hand against you; I will thoroughly purge away your dross and remove all your impurities. I will restore your judges as in days of old, your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward you will be called the City of Righteousness, the Faithful City.” (Isaiah 1:25-26)

God’s discipline is ALWAYS intended for our transformation, restoration, and blessing! The discipline we may be under right now as a result of our sinful choices is proof that we are under the loving care of the Father. And when we discipline our children, it must be in the same spirit of love.

I did not always do this correctly. There were times I disciplined my kids out of frustration. Yelling accompanied the “discipline” because things were interrupting me and my schedule or interfering with my outcomes. Anger was expressed, not at the sinful behavior but because of my pride that I wanted super ceded what was best for the children.

But God’s discipline is ALWAYS intended for our transformation, restoration, and blessing. He ALWAYS has our good in mind. That’s not always true of us, is it?

We must put aside our preferences and our pride when it comes to the discipline we receive from the Father in heaven. It must never be viewed through the eyes of pride or expressed through words and actions of frustration. Frustration is…dare I say ALWAYS…the result of pride. Pride keeps us from understanding what God is doing to transform and restore us so we can receive His blessings.

When we remember that God constantly loves us and allows only those things into our lives that will transform us into the image of His Son, we will embrace the discipline and be thankful that God cares for us as our Father and wants what’s best for us.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Tuesday, May 6, 2025

I remember a time when the oldest of my grandchildren were still very young and afraid to climb up into the playhouse we had for them in the back yard. No matter how many times I would stand behind them and encourage them to “go to the top”, they just wouldn’t climb the ladder. Then it dawned on me to climb up first and invite them to come up to where I was. It worked! With my hand extended and a simple “Come on up here,” they climbed right up.

We enjoy getting invitations. It seems like we interpret them as a means of escape from the drudgery of our routine lives. But not all invitations are accepted.

Isaiah reminds us of the invitation the Lord offers to anyone and everyone who wants to “come on up here” in chapter one verse eighteen.

“Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”

Jesus invites us to come together with him and reason with Him so that we can be forgiven of our sins. The Hebrew word for “reason” has several meanings. It means,

• to prove – come together with God and let Him prove to you who He is and what He says
• decide – God always gives you the choice to believe or not
• judge – He wants everyone to know He is the ultimate Judge and will condemn all sin
• rebuke – He rebukes all sin and offers an alternative of righteousness
• correct – He will provide the power of His Holy Spirit to correct all our sin issues
• be right – He will make us right

The invitation God extends is for the forgiveness of sins and the removal of shame. That’s what Jesus paid for on the cross. Hebrews tells us that, in an act of enormous courage and defiance, Jesus “endured the cross, despising the shame” (Hebrews 12:2) and then adds, significantly, that he is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Incarnation, atonement, resurrection, and ascension—the going down and coming up of the Son of God—open the way not only for the forgiveness of our sins, but also for the lifting of our shame. For these are ingredients in the accepting grace of God and in the invitation to union with God’s Son.

What a marvelous invitation from Jesus – the forgiveness of sins and the abolishment of shame. No matter how dark the stain of sin, the blood of Jesus Christ makes us white as snow.

For those who have already said yes to His invitation, there is still a responsibility. We are now the ones who stand at the cross with the resurrected Jesus and extend the invitation to others. We do not walk through life telling people to go to the cross: we walk with them and invite them to come with us to the cross. Today, and every day, become the living invitation others need to experience the grace of God. They are looking for what we have.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Monday, May 5, 2025

It was exciting to see. It was humbling to experience. Really humbling. It produced a level of thanks and praise in my heart I hadn’t experienced for a while. All the glory goes to God. I am amazed that I am included in the Savior’s plan.

Years ago in a former church we made the audacious decision to remove all the pews and put in chairs so we could increase our seating capacity. We went from being able to seat 225 in pews to around 275 in chairs, with some space for overflow. One Sunday we needed the overflow. Extra chairs were set up in the back. But there was a spirit of enthusiasm there that was far more significant than the number of people. Every part of the service engaged the congregation. Every song of worship drew our attention to the throne of God. The Word of God went forth with power and conviction and the Holy Spirit used it to change hearts. It was so very meaningful to me.

Now set that experience up against what happens in far too many churches today. It’s not a new phenomenon. It’s thousands of years old. Isaiah wrote about it in Isaiah one starting in verse 10.

“Hear the word of the LORD… “The multitude of your sacrifices- what are they to me?” says the LORD…When you come to appear before me, who has asked this of you, this trampling of my courts? Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me. New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations— I cannot bear your evil assemblies. Your New Moon festivals and your appointed feasts my soul hates. They have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them. When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide my eyes from you; even if you offer many prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are full of blood; wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight! Stop doing wrong, learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.”

This tragedy of religion has many names – Formality, Tradition and Hypocrisy are the three that come to mind. But they all have one cause – pride. It is pride that motivates us to enter into a worship service with the intention of trying to please God and earn His favor. It is pride that puts importance on tradition rather than truth. It is pride that elevates form over function. It is pride that puts on a weekly show that is contrary to the true condition of one’s heart. And God hates pride.

Why do you go to church to worship? Let the Holy Spirit use what Isaiah wrote as you consider this…worship is a lifestyle of surrender and sacrifice to acknowledge Who God is, not a means of earning more from God. The Apostle Paul said, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.” (Romans 12:1)

How wonderful it is to worship in a church with people who live out their worship every day. I pray that more will continue do that and more people will come and find the truth.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Friday, May 2, 2025

Unless the LORD Almighty had left us some survivors, we would have become like Sodom, we would have been like Gomorrah. (Isaiah 1:9)

Today we begin a new devotional study that takes us to one of my favorite books in the Bible – Isaiah. Reading it is like springtime to me. After long prophecies about the impending judgment of God on a sinful society, the book closes with a glorious vision of the Kingdom of God on earth when Jesus reigns on the throne of Jerusalem. The splendor of that vision brings hope and joy to those who study it and believe it.

We will not take a lot of time going verse by verse through the book, but we will point out the highlights and significance of Isaiah’s prophecies and relate the relevance they have to our modern culture. I pray it will be meaningful for you.

Isaiah’s ministry as a prophet of Almighty God began in 740 B.C. and spanned the last five kings of Israel. The tragic fall of Samaria to the Assyrians in 722 B.C. occurred during his ministry.

Isaiah was the son of Amoz, born in Judah, probably in Jerusalem, about 760 B.C. He enjoyed a significant position in his society and had a close relationship with the reigning monarchs. His education is clearly evident in his superb writing that has gained him eminence in Hebrew literature hardly surpassed by any other. He had a thorough grasp of political history and dared to voice unpopular minority views regarding the state and the economy. His knowledge of the religious heritage of Israel and his unique theological contributions inspire awe. He was fully aware of what was transpiring in the court, in the marketplace, in the shallowness of high society, and the political frustrations of the nation.

When Isaiah was about twenty years old he had a vision of God’s glory and holiness and was called by God to be a prophet (Isaiah 6). The things he saw became the basis for how he viewed God and shared God with others. God warned him that his ministry would bring disappointment and meager results, but God also assured him that forgiveness was always available to those who repent. God also told Isaiah that the promises of God would be fulfilled.

So much for the historical background. Now, for today’s spiritual principle. Isaiah begins his book with an honest evaluation of what society was like in his day. It’s also very relevant to our day. But in the middle of this picture of a sin-sick society is an incredible statement of the grace and patience of God.  Isaiah 1:9 says. “Unless the LORD Almighty had left us some survivors, we would have become like Sodom, we would have been like Gomorrah.”

This is so simple, yet so profound and challenging. God’s incredible grace has provided a way for our culture to escape the judgment of its sin. That’s the simple part. The profound and challenging part is this – you and I are responsible for impacting our culture with the grace of God. In the midst of continued corruption and overt oppression stand God’s people as the lights of hope for a sin-sick society. You and I are here because God has chosen to place us here as His witnesses and to provide an escape for people from the coming judgment of sin.

Now the all-important application point – What kind of an impact for Christ are you having on your society?

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Thursday, May 1, 2025

Well we’ve reached the end of our list of ways the power of God is at work in us but remember this – the Power of God has no end. It is limitless, just as He is.

There are two power principles left.

9.   God’s power is at work in us so that we may be servants of the Gospel.

What does that mean? Everyone serves something or someone. In our natural flesh we serve self, demanding that we benefit from our choices. We serve self by working for employers for the benefit of payment or prestige. We serve self by using those with whom we have a relationship to gratify our need for value or pleasure. We serve self by choosing our desires over the wishes of others. We are by nature servants, but with selfish motives.

But when Christ humbled Himself and became the Servant of all he went so far as to sacrifice His life in obedience to the Father He served. By faith in His sacrifice we have been gifted the same Spirit of servanthood so that we may no longer be motivated by self but by the Gospel.

As Paul says in Ephesians 3:7, “I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power.”

Every decision we make in life can and should be motivated by our love for Jesus. We have become servants of the Gospel.

But we are weak, and we fail. We fall back into the desires of the flesh, which brings us to our final power principle.

10.  The power of God is at work in us so that we might bring glory to God even when we are weak.

The Apostle Paul recognized His weakness and was transparent about it with Christ. He tells us how God responded to his confession in 2 Corinthians 12:9. “But God said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”

When we cover up our weaknesses with self-generated power, we become even weaker, expending all our energy of self-preservation. But when we admit our weakness to God we are promised His power, not because we demand it or deserve it, but because He is gracious and gives it freely so that He receives the glory.  The more we try to glorify ourselves the more frustrated we will become with the lack of success. But when we embrace the power of God to displace our weakness so that He is glorified, we become strong.

There you have it. Ten ways the power of God is at work in you. Each one is significant. Maybe you should print out these last five devotionals and remind yourself consistently that just like Stephan, you too can be full of power. God’s power.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Wednesday, April 30, 2025

Are you filled with power? And if you are, what would that even mean or look like?

When Stephen is described in Acts chapter six as being filled with power it stimulated a study of what the Bible says about the power of God that is at work in those who follow Jesus. So far we have discovered six truths that can define our lives. There are four more to dive into.

7.   God’s power is at work so that we might patiently endure all things with thanksgiving and joy.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t like to endure hardships. I embrace them when they happen, but with a fixit mentality. I even try to fix other people’s troubles. I’m not good at endurance.

But the power of God at work in us can teach us to have GREAT endurance and to do it with joyful thanksgiving. The Apostle Paul teaches us this in Colossians 1:11-12.   “Being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.”

Being filled with God’s power produces satisfaction with our circumstances knowing that they cannot change our eternal qualification or inheritance, AND THAT GIVES US GREAT JOY!!!

8.   God’s power in us also gives us supernatural ability to overcome sin. This power principle is found in Ephesians 6:10-11.  “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.”

God’s power is our defense against every scheme of Satan to tempt you to forsake your faith and follow your flesh. But His power is not only a defense. God has given us two weapons of attack – the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, and prayer. Ephesians 6:18 says, “Praying at all times in the Spirit.”

God’s power gives us the ability to not only understand His Word, but to also apply it to our daily lives and speak it into the lives of others. It is our weapon of defeating the Enemy, for He cannot stand against what God says. In addition, as fully equipped members of God’s army, God ‘s power grants us access into the eternal war room through prayer so that we may receive our daily marching orders directly from our Commander-in-Chief. Every step we take can be ordered by Jesus Christ and empowered by His Holy Spirit in us so that we can not only stand against the enemy, but we can advance against him.

Is your walk with Christ advancing, or is it stagnant? Are you enduring but not progressing? God’s power will equip you to do both if you will trust Him and not lean on your own understanding. Stop being the fixer for things that have already been conquered.

Pastor John