LifeLink Devotions for Wednesday, June 19, 2024

Today’s wisdom passage is hard for me, because in my human nature I tend to rejoice when people who have done wrong get their just rewards.

Proverbs 24:17-18 “Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when he stumbles, do not let your heart rejoice, or the LORD will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from him.”

You must know what I mean and have felt the same way about certain people. For example, as you’re driving down the interstate, a sports car races past you going at least 85 mph. What’s the first thought in your head? I’ll bet it’s what mine is – “I hope there’s a highway patrol up ahead and he gets stopped.” Two miles up the road we see the flashing lights ahead, and we think another thought – “I hope it’s that sports car guy.” We drive by, and when we see that it is, we smile and think – “good, you got caught.”

If our thoughts at such a time go beyond just being thankful that we have police to keep our roads safe, and they move to rejoicing over someone else’s misfortune (even though they made the choice to speed and deserved the consequences), then we are not acting in God’s wisdom. God’s wisdom is defined in James 3:17, which says, “But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.”  I cannot in any way justify my feelings of revenge or rejoicing over someone else’s misfortune when I read this description of wisdom.

What is my heart thinking when I wish harm on another person? What kind of spiritual dysfunction exists in my mind when I am happy to see a sinner suffer? How carnal have my attitudes become when I devise ways to see justice enforced upon other people? How un-like Christ do I appear when I love conflict more than peace, self more than surrender, and justice more than mercy? How self-centered I truly am when I desire consequences for the actions of others but seek to avoid consequences for my own choices? Oh that the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ toward enemies and sinners overwhelm us with sincere compassion for those who need to be shown the path of wisdom and righteousness.

Dale Carnegie, who wrote the book How To Win Friends and Influence People, says “You attract more flies with honey than with vinegar.” The simple point I would like to make today is this – We will attract more people to Christ by showing them the right and the good way they could live rather than by constantly pointing out to them the wrong and the bad way they are living. When we focus on sharing the good news, we become merciful. When we focus on voicing the bad news, we become judgmental. Wisdom is merciful and loving. Let’s “Be wise in the way we act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let our conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that we may know how to answer everyone.” (Colossians 4:5-6)

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Tuesday, June 18, 2024

I can still remember the person who first told me about the future hope of heaven. He was a tall man with no hair, and he had an insatiable hunger for the Word of God. Every time I would go over to his house to visit he was studying his Bible. He was a retired preacher who still did evangelistic crusade ministry in churches, focusing on prophecy and the book of Revelation. I would go over to his house as a child because I loved to play in his back yard where a creek meandered through a grove of trees. I would climb out onto the branches of those trees that overhung the creek and just watch the water go by, looking for trout that would dart out after food as it passed by in the current.

I remember going into his house on one such visit and asking him what heaven would be like. Most of my questions were pretty childlike. “Would there be fishing in heaven?” “Will I be able to climb trees?” “Will I know people that I knew here on earth?” He was patient with me and directed my attention to the real joy of heaven, the presence of Jesus Christ. But he also gave me an assignment; read Revelation 21 and discover the wonder of the heavenly city.

I read the assignment, and as a result developed my own appetite for studying God’s Word, especially in the area of prophecy. For most of my childhood and my early adult years, it was the focus of most of my study and preaching. I know that I do not have all  the answers to prophecy, but I do know this – Jesus Christ is coming back, and it could be at any time.

Proverbs 24:14  “Know also that wisdom is sweet to your soul; if you find it, there is a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.”

Living with the expectation of Christ’s return changes my life in several ways:

1.      I am made more aware of the selfishness that exists in my life, and I am given a desire to renounce it for the sake of serving Jesus.

2.      I am made more aware that the greatest fulfillment of life comes from accomplishing God’s purpose for His glory, not my purpose for my advancement.

3.      I am made more aware of the interruptions that God brings into my life because God wants me to minister to the need of someone else so that they can see a visible example of His love.

4.      I do not question inconveniences or hardships, because they are not worthy to be compared to the glory that will be revealed in me when Jesus Christ returns.

5.      I am made more willing to sacrifice anything of this world for the sake of bringing one more person to Jesus for salvation, knowing that their life is the only treasure from this world that I can take into eternity.

6.      I am made more aware of the value of time and using it to the fullest for God’s purpose and not my own.

These are just a few of the ways that a constant expectation of the imminent return of Jesus Christ affects my life every day. I am so thankful to the man who developed the hunger in my life for Christ’s return. I still love him even though he is with the Lord right now. He died when I was about 20, but his heritage lives on in my heart. I will see him again, and I will know him, because we were connected at a spiritual heart level here on earth. I just want to thank him again for investing in my life.

Thank you, Dr. J.A. van Gorkom, my grandfather.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Monday, June 17, 2024

It’s the beginning of another week, and I have a question nagging at me that just won’t go away. I believe it is God’s question for all of us today, and for every day. It comes from the very heart of God and His concern for a lost world of people. Listen to these words of wisdom in the form of questions in Proverbs 24 verses 11-12.

“Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter. If you say, “But we knew nothing about this,” does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who guards your life know it? Will he not repay each person according to what he has done?”

My burning  question is this: “How many people over the weekend did I see through the eyes of God and recognize their hopeless condition of being led away to death by their sin?”

I saw lots of people. They seem to be everywhere. I saw normal people. I saw happy people. I saw angry people. I saw determined people. I saw distracted people. I saw people I would want to know better. I saw people I tried to avoid. I saw people in all kinds of situations going about their duties and recreation and calling it life.

I made judgments about people based on my perceptions of them. I responded to people in different ways because of those judgments. I saw their exterior and determined their worth and value, usually based on the return or hurt I would get from contact with them.

What I did not do very often was to see their heart from God’s perspective and realize that whatever was on the outside could be radically changed by the transforming power of Jesus in their heart. I noticed their physical condition without recognizing the spiritual need that caused it. I need to sit up and take notice from God’s perspective.

But then another question nags at me: “What will I do about it when I do see people through the eyes of God?”

It doesn’t do us any good to sit up and take notice if we keep on sitting. Taking notice of people’s spiritual condition puts us on the right track, but as Will Rogers once said, “Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.” Once I recognize the spiritual need in a person’s life, I must also recognize that I have already experienced the answer to that need, and that I now have the Power to give that answer away to others.

Yesterday as you worshipped in the gathering of your church, you were equipped in some way to better represent Jesus Christ to a lost and dying world of people. You will see many of those people every day. Will you see them through the eyes of God? How many of them will pass into a Christ-less eternity because we did nothing about it?

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Friday, June 14, 2024

Yesterday we looked at the first of three principles for spiritual success found in this Bible verse:

Proverbs 24:5-6  “A wise man has great power, and a man of knowledge increases strength; for waging war you need guidance, and for victory many advisers.”

Our first principle was this – we must be determined to be a success.

Here are the other two principles.

2.      Surround yourself with spiritual protectors – the Holy Spirit will direct us to people who can encourage us, teach us, train us, and fight for us. Get to know these people intimately. Trust them. Serve them. Develop a common goal and commit to its accomplishment. Study each other’s strengths and weaknesses so you can stand by them no matter what the opposition is. Let’s become a team.

3.      Study the opponent. Even though we have developed a game plan under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the people that are on our team, we must be aware of what the opponent is going to do to try to stop God’s plan. We must discover where he is and how he will try to stop us, and then run where he isn’t. Then, as we get stronger and more confident in God’s power to protect us, we can start running where the opponent is, and make him run away. James 4:7 says, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

It’s a great moment in a football game when the offense decides it is time to run at the strength of the defense because they have worn them down and are determined to overwhelm them. It’s also a great moment in a Christian’s life when they are able do the same. 

Psalm 20:7 says, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.”

It is not the size of the church, or the money in the bank that make the Body of Christ spiritually powerful; it is the name of the LORD our God. Find in Him all the strength you need for any battle today, because “greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world.”

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Wednesday, June 12, 2024

There’s one more wisdom principle for us to apply from King Solomon if we are going to build a life of meaning and purpose. It’s found in Proverbs 24:3-4.

“By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures.”

After laying the foundation of salvation, and establishing our house firmly on that foundation through understanding of how and by whom we were saved, we furnish the inside of the house with rare and beautiful treasures by growing in our knowledge of God and His purpose.

We are all guilty of furnishing areas of our lives with the inferior quality goods that come from the world. Why? We have available to us all the riches of God in Christ Jesus to furnish every room in our house. It’s time to start a little summer clean-up project and remodeling. Check out all the rooms in your spiritual house. Are they furnished with the eternal riches of God’s grace or the cheap imitations of a failing world system? Check out these verses:

Ephesians 1:7-8 “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.” 

Ephesians 3:16-19 “I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”

Philippians 4:19 “And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”

So, how is your house inspection going? I know I have a couple of rooms that need work. I’d better get at it. The Building Inspector could come today.

Pastor John

LifeLink  Devotions for Thursday, June 13, 2024

Small football players fascinate me. One of the greatest running backs of our era didn’t think anyone in the National Football League would give him a chance because he was too small to succeed. But the Dallas Cowboys liked what they saw in his heart and gave him a chance. For fifteen years he was the model of sportsmanship and success. Here’s what Emmit Smith accomplished:

He was rookie of the year, three-time rushing champion, three-time Super Bowl champion and once was the Super Bowl MVP. He also held or still holds eight different
NFL records. 

What it is that makes a 5’9”, 180-pound running back have any kind of a chance against 6’5”, 275-pound defensive lineman? There is only one answer – wisdom and guidance.

Proverbs 24:5-6  “A wise man has great power, and a man of knowledge increases strength; for waging war you need guidance, and for victory many advisers.”

First of all, he surrounded himself with a bunch of 6’5”, 300-pound offensive lineman to run interference against the huge, headhunting defensive guys. He was made strong and earned victory because of the many advisors that he had – from coaches teaching him what to look for in defensive alignments to other players making a path for him on which to stay safe.

Secondly, he filled himself up with as much knowledge of his opponent as possible, so that when he came into the game situation he was able to adjust his running to what he recognized the defense would try to do. His eyes were always alert to the location of every opponent, and he avoided being hurt by running where they weren’t.

There are some great spiritual lessons for us in this that can be applied to how we run the race that has been marked out for us by God. Here’s one of those lessons for today.

Fill yourself with the determination to be a spiritual success, which is really a product of the filling of the Holy Spirit. It is an act of our will to surrender to the will of God and be empowered by the Holy Spirit to accomplish that purpose. We must make it our priority to be spiritually successful.

When we walk in the Spirit of God, we are promised victory over the desires of the flesh. However, we must be determined to put to death those ungodly desires that disrupt our fellowship with Jesus. We must be determined.

Several years ago a song was released by Tim Shepherd that really spoke to my heart. It was entitled “I Am Determined.” I pray the lyrics will motivate you to be determined to live for the Lord.

Darkness around me, sorrow surrounds me
Though there be trials, still I can sing
For I have this treasure – My God reigns within me
And I am determined to live for the King

Hell’s gates are trembling from our prayers ascending Darkness is crumbling from praises we sing
Our Sovereign, Victorious is marching before us
And we are determined to live for the King

When I am weary – I’ll look to His face
And when I am tempted
I’ll trust in His grace —
Yes, I’ll trust in His grace —–

I am determined to be invincible
‘Til He has finished His purpose in me
And nothing shall shake me
For He’ll never forsake me

And I am determined – I am determined — I am determined to live for My King

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Wednesday, June 12, 2024

There’s one more wisdom principle for us to apply from King Solomon if we are going to build a life of meaning and purpose. It’s found in Proverbs 24:3-4.

“By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures.”

After laying the foundation of salvation, and establishing our house firmly on that foundation through understanding of how and by whom we were saved, we furnish the inside of the house with rare and beautiful treasures by growing in our knowledge of God and His purpose.

We are all guilty of furnishing areas of our lives with the inferior quality goods that come from the world. Why? We have available to us all the riches of God in Christ Jesus to furnish every room in our house. It’s time to start a little summer clean-up project and remodeling. Check out all the rooms in your spiritual house. Are they furnished with the eternal riches of God’s grace or the cheap imitations of a failing world system? Check out these verses:

Ephesians 1:7-8 “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.” 

Ephesians 3:16-19 “I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”

Philippians 4:19 “And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”

So, how is your house inspection going? I know I have a couple of rooms that need work. I’d better get at it. The Building Inspector could come today.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Wednesday, June 12, 2024

There’s one more wisdom principle for us to apply from King Solomon if we are going to build a life of meaning and purpose. It’s found in Proverbs 24:3-4.

“By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures.”

After laying the foundation of salvation, and establishing our house firmly on that foundation through understanding of how and by whom we were saved, we furnish the inside of the house with rare and beautiful treasures by growing in our knowledge of God and His purpose.

We are all guilty of furnishing areas of our lives with the inferior quality goods that come from the world. Why? We have available to us all the riches of God in Christ Jesus to furnish every room in our house. It’s time to start a little summer clean-up project and remodeling. Check out all the rooms in your spiritual house. Are they furnished with the eternal riches of God’s grace or the cheap imitations of a failing world system? Check out these verses:

Ephesians 1:7-8 “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.” 

Ephesians 3:16-19 “I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”

Philippians 4:19 “And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”

So, how is your house inspection going? I know I have a couple of rooms that need work. I’d better get at it. The Building Inspector could come today.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Tuesday, June 12, 2024

Everyone desires a life of purpose and meaning, and there are lots of building plans being promoted  in the world. Which plan should we follow?

King Solomon, the wisest of all human builders, discovered that a life built on God’s wisdom is the only one that makes sense. Yesterday we determined that for a life to be built well it must have a good foundation, and the only foundation that withstands all the storms of life is Jesus Christ.

The second thing that is necessary in building a house is for it to be established, and understanding is the building material. In other words, everything built on top of the foundation must be connected to the foundation and use materials that remain strong and unmovable in the storms of life. Notice in the following to passages of Scripture how life is established through our understanding of God:

Colossians 1:9-11 “For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience,”

Colossians 2:2-4 “My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments.”

The more we come to understand our great salvation and the God who provided it, the stronger our house becomes. That is why a daily study of God’s Word is so important to our spiritual vitality. But it cannot stop with just understanding it. We must also do what we understand. James 3:3 says, “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.”  It’s not enough to have all the building materials delivered to the construction site. Let’s pound some nails!

Tomorrow we will look at one more wisdom principle for building a solid life.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Monday, June 10, 2024

All my life I have loved tools. I have trouble walking through a hardware store and not picking up a new tool and trying to justify why I need it. I think my love for tools comes from a couple of childhood memories about my grandfather, Gunnar Gabrielson, who lived in Cleveland, Ohio. I loved to go down to the basement and look at his tools. I don’t ever remember seeing a power tool, just the old-fashioned hand tools. But what beautiful work he would do with those tools. He was a skilled craftsman. In fact, he designed and built the first ever sewing machine cabinet for the White Sewing Machine Company. It is on display in a museum in Cleveland. 

The major difference between my love for tools and my grandfather’s love for tools is that he knew how to use them well. He was careful and precise about everything he did. I do not understand those concepts. I am the proverbial bull in a china closet. I have tried to discipline myself to be careful, and I have accomplished some nice projects, but they are always flawed in some way, and it is always traceable to my lack of patience and carefulness, and to my pride that says I know just enough to do the job, when in fact I lack the wisdom to do the job well.

In today’s wisdom verses, Solomon uses the analogy of building a house to reveal to us the wisdom necessary for building a real life.

Proverbs 24:3-4 “By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures.”

In this wisdom we see a natural progression of spiritual growth. Today would be a good day for us to evaluate our progress in building the house of our lives. Maybe there’s a project that needs to be completed before the Building Inspector arrives.

The first thing that is necessary in building a real life is the fear of the Lord. Solomon says that “by wisdom a house is built.” Earlier he stated that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” There is a common foundation under every spiritual house – Jesus Christ. That foundation is only available to those who have come face to face with God and recognized their hopeless and worthless condition considering His awesome perfection and holiness. “Woe is me, I am undone,” says the prophet Isaiah. From that condition of fear comes a faith in the mercy and grace of God to forgive, and in repentance we choose to build our house on Jesus Christ.

If we are going to be wise “life builders” we must have a firm foundation, and there is only one – Jesus Christ. Before you start thinking about what the house of your life will look like, make sure the foundation is properly in place.

Tomorrow we will look at some more life-building wisdom.

Pastor John