LifeLink Devotions

Monday, December 25, 2023

MERRY CHRISTMAS

There were those in ancient Israel who were still anticipating the coming of the Messiah. Though they had not heard from a prophet for over 400 years, the prophecies of Isaiah and others still stood as the shining hope of national rescue and renewal. 400 years is a long time to maintain hope in the fulfillment of a promise, and most had forgotten the tiny details that would validate His coming, like the fact that He would be born to a virgin.

Matthew 1:18-23 “This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.  Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.  She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:  “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”—which means, “God with us.”

Try to put yourself in the position of the average citizen of rural Israel. You have heard of the promised Messiah, and you have heard the writings of faithful men who proclaimed the promise read to you in the synagogue. You have never had a reason to doubt the reality of the ancient prophets and the validity of what they wrote, and you have looked for His coming. But doubt certainly rises in your mind when someone from Nazareth tells you a rumor that a young girl is pregnant without ever being intimate with a man. You immediately conclude that this must be a deeply troubled young girl who is seeking attention. She most certainly has lied to protect some man’s reputation. Who could believe that she is really carrying the Messiah?

Yet that was the sign that God proclaimed would validate the birth of His Son – it would be a virgin who would give birth. How else would it be possible for God to dwell with men as man and still be God? A natural conception by a man and a woman would have sealed His fate as a sinner, having inherited Adam’s nature from them. But this baby was a child of the heavenly Father, created by the power of the Holy Spirit who overshadowed Mary’s sinful flesh. What an incredible miracle – God born as a man. Because I know the rest of the story of His life, I believe it all to be true. But what would I have believed if I were there? Would I have left my sheep in the field to go see Him in the manger? Would I have traveled for two years from the farthest reaches of the known world to worship Him?

Here’s how I know whether I would have or not – Did I get up today and prepare myself for His next coming? I have never had any reason to doubt the reality of the ancient prophets and the validity of what they wrote. I have not doubted the truth of what Jesus has said. But did I arise today in anticipation that this might be the day the Messiah returns? Do the tiny details of world events cause me to consider the closeness of His appearing? Do I live each day as I did the last or as the last day?

At His first appearing, it was “God with us.” At His next appearing it will be us with God. Forever. Look up – it may be today. It may even be before you open presents, but will that matter?

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions

Friday, December 22, 2023

Luke 2:1-7 “In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.  ²(This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.)  ³And everyone went to his own town to register. ⁴So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.  ⁵He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.  ⁶While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born,  ⁷and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”

It was the busiest travel day of the year. Everyone was returning to their hometown. People were clamoring for a place to stay and something to eat. The hotels were filled to capacity. People were camped out in the streets. They had come to fulfill a government requirement. If only they had known what was about to happen. Would it have made a difference? Would they have stepped aside and sacrificed a motel room for the soon to be born King? Would they have stopped complaining about the inconvenience of the trip and started praising God as they saw the glory of God shining in the sky as His birth is announced? Would they have stopped pushing and shoving in line as they waited for a chance to get the last piece of bread? Might they have been more concerned about the Lamb of God than a slice of leg of lamb?

Let’s look at another scene in another time. This will be the busiest travel weekend of the year. Millions of people are returning to their hometowns. They come to fulfill a cultural tradition of gifts and goodies. They are willing to camp out on the floor of the home so that everyone can be together. They take drives through their communities to see homes well lighted with the colors and glitter of the season. The memories of the hardships of shopping on Black Friday have faded into the joy of watching smiles on the faces of those who open what was purchased.  

Yet in all of the beauty and fun being had by everyone, where is Jesus?  

There still seems to be no room for Jesus. He is given the place of lowest regard and seen as an intruder into the holiday originally instituted to be a holy day celebrating His birth. Any reference to Christ or depiction of His birth is eliminated from public display. Politically correct terms must be used so as not to offend the non-believers. Even those who truly worship Him have pushed Him aside for a moment by canceling worship services when Christmas falls on a Sunday. Personal pursuits, family traditions, social pressure and inconvenience have relegated Jesus to another manger because the rooms of our lives are filled.

If only we would stop and look outside of our boxes: if we could just catch a glimpse of the sky again. We haven’t been able to see it for a while because of the “cities” and skyscrapers we have built – “cities” of social and cultural acceptance designed with skyscrapers of possessions, prestige, relationships, recreation, and more. Every time we look up we see what we have done. But there, in the sky, outside the city of our own building, where there is only what God has built, the angel still announces good news of great joy for all people. The glory of God is still appearing and proclaiming to all who will listen, “Peace on Earth.” We may not be able to see it because we’ve not been willing to get outside of the city named “My Life”. But when we do, we will discover that in our “cities” is a place of humility. We must step outside of the comfort of our homes, businesses and relationships and discover that in the lowly place of personal sacrifice a King has been born, and He will change our lives. Maybe it’s time to make room for Jesus in your skyscrapers.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions

Thursday, December 21, 2023

At the age of five, a certain young boy named John had committed a terrible offense against his brother. The shame he felt for what he had done weighed heavy on his heart. He had to talk to someone. His mother told him the story of Jesus and forgiveness. The boy repented of his sin and accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior.

Several weeks later the family moved into a new house across town. John was sitting on the back steps of the house with a coloring book and crayons when the boy that lived across the alley came wandering into the yard. His name was Dennis. He was invited to sit down and color, and a friendship began. A few days passed, and John was burdened for his new friend. He had heard him use some bad words while they were playing together, and he wondered if Dennis had ever heard about Jesus. He determined to tell him the next time they were together.

The time came later that day when Dennis came over to color again. John asked Dennis if he knew what sin was, and proceeded to tell him how Jesus had come to the earth to die for our sins so that we could be forgiven. Dennis admitted he had sinned and was worried about it, so John prayed with him to ask Jesus for forgiveness and Dennis received Jesus as his Savior.

Dennis moved away a few years later, and John has never heard from him again. Not many eight year olds stay in touch after moving away. But John prays for Dennis to this day and hopes that he is still thrilled with the forgiveness God provided through His Son Jesus.

That was over 65 years ago, and it was my first time ever witnessing to anyone else about Jesus. I was so thrilled that God would send Jesus to bring me forgiveness for sin that I had to tell someone – especially someone I liked.

Luke 2:16-18 “So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.”

The shepherds were thrilled with what they had been told about Jesus as well. Immediately after meeting Him, they went and told everyone they met the good news, and the people that heard their story were amazed. I want you to think about three things:

1. Are you still thrilled with the forgiveness of your sins?
2. Are you so thrilled that you must tell others who haven’t heard about it yet, especially those you like? Have you thought about their suffering in sin and how they can be forgiven if only they knew the story?
3. Do you understand that they will be amazed at the story when they hear it?

What are you waiting for? What are you afraid of? Start telling the story!

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions

Wednesday, December 20, 2023

It was an ordinary day. I had gotten used to sleeping on a smaller portion of the bed. I was always an early riser, so the 5 a.m. restlessness was normal. But this time the movement wasn’t mine. Denise was restless and experiencing some pain in her back. She tried to sleep some more while I showered and got ready for another typical day at work. Denise rose and prepared for her day, but the pains would not subside. We called the hospital, and the day became extraordinary. We soon held our third child in our arms. His name is Joshua, and today is his birthday. God had invaded this ordinary day at first light and given us an extraordinary gift.

Max Lucado describes another ordinary day.

“An ordinary night with ordinary sheep and ordinary shepherds. And were it not for a God who loves to hook an “extra” on the front of the ordinary, the night would have gone unnoticed. The sheep would have been forgotten, and the shepherds would have slept the night away.

“But God dances amidst the common. And that night he did a waltz.

“The black sky exploded with brightness …. Sheep that had been silent became a chorus of curiosity. One minute the shepherd was dead asleep, the next he was rubbing his eyes and staring into the face of an alien.

“The night was ordinary no more.

“The angel came in the night because that is when lights are best seen and that is when they are most needed. God comes into the common for the same reason.”

Luke 2:8-12 “And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

God invades the ordinary. It’s an invasion of supernatural proportions. His presence is experienced in moments of greatest contrast. Light is brightest when night is darkest. Love is warmest when hate is coldest. Joy is most exuberant when sorrow is most oppressive. Forgiveness is best when sin is at its worst. God is understood when man cannot understand.

It is in the ordinary that God shows up and reveals the extraordinary. Lonely shepherds. The outcasts of society. Longing for a stable for their lambs, and instead are introduced to the Lamb of God. That’s how God does it. He turns the ordinary desires of our hearts into extraordinary spiritual encounters with His Son. Nothing is the same after that. Shepherds are still shepherds, but they’re shepherds with hope and joy.

Look out! God is preparing to invade your ordinary day, your ordinary routine, your ordinary lifestyle and your ordinary attitude. He’s about to show you where to encounter His Son. He’s going to do something that will change you forever. Nothing will ever be ordinary again.

 Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions

Tuesday, December 19, 2023

Winter in Wisconsin brings a challenge to keeping clothing clean. Yesterday I brushed up against my car. My black pants were instantly covered with white powder, because my car hasn’t been washed since the last snowfall. The salt on it is really ugly, mainly because on a white car it isn’t very noticeable.   I could take the car to a car wash and remove the salt, but the flaws in the paint would still be there. My one older vehicle is  showing the signs of age. The paint has chipped in some places and the inevitable bubbles of rust are appearing in other areas. No matter what I do, I cannot return that vehicle to its former days of glory when it was new. It will always be used and worn. I can keep it clean and running, but never will it be new again.

It is very tempting to look backwards to the days when something was better and wish we could have it that way again. We want our youth. We want the body we had when we were 18. We want the job we had before this one. We want the money we had before the emergency fund was drained. We want the retirement fund we had before the stock market took a big percentage of it away. We want the music in church we sang when we were young. We want, we want, we want. The fact is that too many of us keep from going forward by looking back to the good old days. This can cause us to become cynical about the future. We are very easily swayed into the belief that things will never again be as glorious as they once were. The result is apathy and complacency, and eventual death – both personal and corporate.

The nation of Israel was in a similar situation. They had lost hope for the future by focusing on the past. They had done their best to provide for themselves but had failed to put their full energy into accomplishing God’s purpose. (Read Haggai 1) Then the Lord intervenes to correct their thinking and their activity.

Haggai 2:6-9  “This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. I will shake all nations, and the desired of all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,’ says the LORD Almighty. ‘The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the LORD Almighty. ‘The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,’ says the LORD Almighty. ‘And in this place I will grant peace,’ declares the LORD Almighty.”

God reminds them that their best plans to succeed and provide for themselves have failed because they were not doing what God had called them to do. Instead of building His temple they built their own houses. Their focus on the past had caused them to live in fear of the future. But the LORD says to them three times “I am with you,” and then gives them this promise – “The glory of the future will be greater than the glory of the past.”

I personally chose this passage of Scripture many year’s ago as my theme for our church’s building program. The LORD asked the people of Jerusalem “Who is left that can remember the glory of this house in the past?” We had many attending who could. But we couldn’t let the past victories and success stories of the church keep us from the future victories God had in store. He promised to fill the house with His glory, and it would be greater than any past glory. So, with our eyes fixed on the future, we looked to the LORD Almighty who was about to shake the Chippewa Valley and fill His house with His glory.

Don’t look back to what was. Look ahead to what will be. Remember the words of the LORD – “I am with you…Be strong, for I am with you…and my Spirit remains among you. Do not fear.” (Haggai 1:13, 2:4-5)

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions

Monday, December 18, 2023

The nation of Israel was in desperate shape. Their sin had brought upon them the consequences of enemy invasion and captivity. Their land had been decimated and their cities destroyed. They were experiencing God’s justice. They were about to come face to face with the promise of His forgiveness.

The truth is that for us to fully understand forgiveness we must undergo judgment. It is only as we comprehend the consequences of our sin that we will fully realize the magnificence of forgiveness.

Isaiah 62:11-12 “The LORD has made proclamation to the ends of the earth: “Say to the Daughter of Zion, ‘See, your Savior comes! See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him.’” They will be called the Holy People, the Redeemed of the LORD; and you will be called Sought After, the City No Longer Deserted.”

I was struck this morning by the wonder of God’s promise in Isaiah 62. The Savior is coming! He is coming with rewards and restoration. He comes to forgive, and when He does, everything is made new. People’s lives are rescued from slavery to sin. They are redeemed and made holy. Lives that lie in ruin without hope are suddenly sought after. Loneliness is replaced with the inhabiting Holy Spirit. God sends Jesus to restore life. He does that by forgiving sin.

To forgive someone involves three things. First, it means to forego the right of striking back.  Even in the Old Testament when God struck back at sin in His perfect justice, He did so with words of grace that imparted faith to those who chose to listen. While proclaiming the coming destruction of their nation and the loss of their freedom, God also gave them a glimpse of the coming day when their King would arrive and bring peace. If they chose to live in their sin, they would die in their sin. If they chose to repent and live in the hope of the coming Messiah, their sins would be forgiven. God told them the Savior was coming.

Second, to forgive means to replace the feeling of resentment and anger with good will, a love which seeks the other’s welfare, not harm. God did not simply strike back – He struck out from His heavenly glory and came to forgive those who had struck Him. Forgiveness for any offense is possible when love overcomes anger. God’s love sought the good of those who had hurt Him. When the Savior came, He came with rewards for those who love Him. Forgiveness allows us to look beyond the sin which we want to punish and bring good to the sinner.

Third, forgiveness means taking concrete steps to restore good relations. God’s judgment of sin took the people of Israel into captivity. Their cities, especially the capital city of Jerusalem, lay desolate and uninhabited. God’s promises for them were unclaimed by people who chose sin instead. But God initiated restoration. He promised that the coming Savior would restore the people to their right relationship with God and would restore the land to its intended glory. The people would be redeemed, and the city would be sought after. What a marvelous promise for not only Israel, but for our lives as well. No matter what consequence you are currently experiencing because of the choice to sin, the Savior brings forgiveness and restoration. No longer do you need to live a life of fear – there is forgiveness. You no longer need to feel alone and abandoned – Jesus is seeking after you. He has taken every step necessary to restore His relationship with you – the Savior has come! Run to Him. Restoration and rewards are waiting.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions

Friday, December 15, 2023

“You’re overqualified.” I’ve never had an employer tell me that, but maybe you have. You’ve done a great job in the interview and think you have a superb chance of landing the job, only to have the Human Resources director tell you, “You’re overqualified.” According to a Wall Street Journal article, that’s bologna. The real reason they won’t hire you may be one of the following:

• You’re too expensive and wouldn’t even consider working for the pay we will likely offer.
• You are set in your ways, will come with baggage and bad habits, and won’t do things our way. 
• You’ll be a “know it all pain in the butt” who intimidates the manager and the staff.
• You may take this position, but the moment the market turns or you get an offer at your previous level, you’ll leave, so why go through that pain?

What all these things expose is this – the company you have applied to doesn’t really want to improve. They have become ingrown and self-protective. It’s good you found that out now. You don’t want to work for them under those conditions. Any good, growing, and visionary company will jump at the chance to hire “overqualified” people and improve their market position. They will create opportunities for you to use your skills and accomplish bigger and better things.

Isaiah 49:5-6 “And now the LORD says… “It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.”

When the LORD declares the primary purpose of the coming Messiah – to restore the nation of Israel – He says, “You are fully qualified.” God says, “The first task I have assigned does not fulfill my total vision for my Kingdom. Therefore, I am adding duties to your job description.” God didn’t limit the growth of His “company” to just one small nation, but rather He brought salvation to the ends of the earth. Jesus came to fulfill God’s total purpose and He was qualified to do it.

What about us? Are we allowing God to write the job descriptions of our lives so they fulfill His purpose and our potential? What about our church? Are we ingrown and self-protective when we should be visionary and growing? You may have been the manager of a ministry in your church for years when God sends an “overqualified” person to assist you. Your fears of being replaced overwhelm your vision of ministry growth and you become protective of your position. 

We must guard our hearts in this area. We must not become prideful and protective of what we are doing. I pray that we would be humble enough to let Jesus reign as the Head of His church and let Him provide the people He knows we need to accomplish His purpose, and that we would rejoice when He does. 

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions

Thursday, December 14, 2023

One of the most meaningful prophecies of Jesus from the Old Testament is found in Isaiah 42:1-4, where God proclaims what type of ruler the Messiah would be. 

Isaiah 42:1-4  “Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him and he will bring justice to the nations. He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth.”

There are several significant attributes of Christ’s character as a King that are mentioned:

• He will be a ruler with a servant’s heart
• He will be upheld by God Almighty
• He will be the delight of His heavenly Father
• God’s Spirit will be upon Him
• He will reign in perfect justice
• He will be gentle, not obnoxious (He will not shout or cry out, or raise His voice in the streets)
• He will be faithful to God’s purpose
• He will remain strong
• He will not be discouraged

I intentionally skipped over two items, because they are so meaningful to me and I want to address them specifically. These words have been of great comfort to me in times of hardship and hurt. They have encouraged me when I have been down on myself. They remind me that Jesus Christ does not abandon the unlovable and the hurting. He is the approachable King who will not break us when we are bruised or snuff us out when we have become nothing more than a smoldering wick. He will not lash out at us with harsh words of condemnation, but will lead us to healing with compassion, comfort, and care.

It’s simply amazing to me – with the power and authority of heaven to bring justice to the earth, Jesus will reign with gentleness. He even described Himself that way while on the earth. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”  Later, when He triumphantly entered Jerusalem days before His crucifixion, Matthew wrote that Jesus was fulfilling the prophecy that declares, “See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” He could have called down ten thousand angels to destroy all those who rejected Him, but He did not come into the world to condemn the world, but to save it (John 3:17). He came to conquer sin, not destroy the sinner.

Today, Jesus presents Himself to the world as the King who has already conquered sin and now seeks to restore sinners. His message to the world today is not one of condemnation, but of compassion. Read with joy these descriptive passages of the Messiah’s ministry:

Psalm 34:17-18 “The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

Psalm 147:3  “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”

Isaiah 61:1-3  “The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD’S favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.”

Jesus declared that He is the fulfillment of these prophecies. On one occasion, after reading from the scroll of Isaiah 61, He said, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke 4) Jesus came to restore people to fullness of life.

Are you brokenhearted? Is your spirit crushed? Are your emotions wounded? Are you being held captive by unforgiveness and bitterness? Are you suffering in the darkness of despair? Are you a bruised reed or a smoldering wick? Turn to Jesus and admit it all to Him. “A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.”

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions

Wednesday, December 13, 2023

I was impressed when I read a story about the great conductor Eugene Ormandy. He was leading the Philadelphia Orchestra in one of Stravinsky’s compositions, and during one of the rousing movements he dislocated his shoulder. He was so passionately involved in what he was doing and giving his all that he went beyond the limits of his physical capabilities. Now that’s zeal! As I read that I wondered, “Have I ever had so much zeal for something that I’ve dislocated anything? Maybe, just maybe, while preaching I might dislocate my tie.”

Isaiah 9: 6-7 “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given… And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace…the zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.”

When Isaiah prophecies the coming Messiah, he gives us two primary pieces of information – the names by which He will be called, and the task to which He has been assigned. He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace, and He will come to rule the world in peace forever. Then Isaiah adds “the zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.” What is zeal? According to the Hebrew dictionaries, zeal involves several things – passion, determination, and jealousy. Now passion and determination I can understand, but jealousy troubles me. But as I think about it, I understand that God will accomplish His purpose of restoring mankind to relationship with Himself because He is jealous for us. I would do the same for my wife if she were ever distracted from me. My zeal – my jealousy for her and her alone – would drive me to passionate determination to win her back. That’s zeal!

When Isaiah says that the zeal of the LORD will accomplish this, I believe he is referring to more than just the reign of Christ on David’s throne. I believe the zeal of the LORD will also accomplish the Names of the Messiah in our lives. God’s zeal is for more than the fulfillment of a plan – it is for the revelation of Himself to His people. God’s zeal is for us to know Him intimately and experience Him fully. He is determined that we know Him as our Wonderful Counselor, our Mighty God, our Everlasting Father, and our Prince of Peace. He is passionate about bringing us to the abundance of life that can be ours when we know Him fully.

I wonder if we really want to experience Jesus as our Wonderful Counselor, for that implies that we need counseling. We spend our lives avoiding trouble and hardship, when during such trouble we may learn the greatest lessons about God. 

Luther B. Bridgers began preaching at age 17 while he was a student at Asbury College in Kentucky. He was a young Methodist minister of unusual zeal and evangelism. In 1910, now 26-years old, the future looked bright for this fiery preacher. God had blessed him with a wonderful wife and three children. The Bridgers family was visiting Mrs. Bridger’s parents at Harrodsburg, Kentucky for the weekend. After the family retired for the night, a neighbor noticed flames coming from their house. He ran into the house and was able to rouse Mrs. Bridgers’ parents and Luther, but the rest of the family members were beyond reach. The young pastor lost his wife and children.

In the awful days of sorrow that followed, Luther remembered that God offered songs of comfort in the night (Ps. 42:8) and would never forsake him. It was during this period that Luther wrote the words and music to a great old hymn entitled “He Keeps Me Singing.” You may be familiar with the words but read them carefully and see the depth of understanding in the heart of the author based on what you know he was experiencing when he wrote them.

In the darkest night, in the depths of despair, God gave an inward song to Luther Bridgers that has blessed millions. Out of a pit of grief came a song of blessing, because He knew Jesus by the name of Wonderful Counselor.

Whatever it is that you’re enduring right now, Jesus is your Wonderful Counselor. Rather than fight the problem, recognize that the zeal of the LORD is accomplishing His purpose in you, so every name of Jesus becomes the sweetest name you know.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions

Tuesday, December 12, 2023

If you were to go to New York City and take a walk up Fifth Avenue, you would discover, if you were looking for it, a stark contrast between man’s view of government and God’s view. First,  stop in at the RCA/GE building.  Inside there is a statue of Charles Atlas.  He is straining every muscle as he carries the world upon his shoulders.  That’s one philosophy by which we can live.  In contrast, if you walk across the street and go into St. Patrick’s Cathedral there is another statue.  This statue is of Jesus when He was boy, maybe eight or nine years old,  and He’s holding the world in His hands, showing no effort whatsoever. That’s the other way you and I can choose to live. Both statues answer the question of “Who’s in charge of our lives?”

Isaiah 9: 6-7 “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders…Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.” 

Isaiah’s prophecy specifically applies to the day that Jesus returns as King of Israel and reigns on David’s throne forever and ever. But for us in the Christian era after the resurrection of Christ, it applies to His reign on the throne of our lives. Who is really on your throne?

A.W. Tozer has a good insight into the condition of our hearts and the church today when it comes to the reign of Jesus. He says we are living much like the people of England. He says,  “The present position of Christ in the gospel churches may be likened to that of a king or queen in a limited constitutional monarchy. The monarch (sometimes depersonalized by the term “the Crown”) is in such a country no more than a traditional rallying point, a pleasant symbol of unity and loyalty much like a flag or a national anthem. He is lauded, feted, and supported, but his real authority is small. Nominally he is head over all, but in every crisis someone else makes the decisions. On formal occasions he appears in his royal attire to deliver the tame, colorless speech put into his mouth by the real rulers of the country. The whole thing may be no more than good-natured make-believe, but it is rooted in antiquity, it is a lot of fun, and no one wants to give it up.”

What a sad but true analogy of our lives and our churches. We say and sing “He is Lord”, yet we rule our own lives. We work out every day to strengthen the muscles of our minds, emotions, and wills so we can better carry the world on our shoulders. So much of what we do each day is done to become better equipped to handle tomorrow. What fools we are to work so hard for what is not guaranteed. What fools we are to believe in our pride that we carry anything. We call Jesus Lord, but we refuse to let Him reign. We’ve given Him some safe areas of our lives but reserve the right to rule over the important ones.

We believe we can better determine outcomes for ourselves, so we relegate Jesus to a position of non-binding counselor, when He could be our Wonderful Counselor.

We’re convinced that our knowledge and wisdom is sufficient to handle our problems, and our inner strength will carry us through, so while we acknowledge He is God, we deny He is Mighty God.

We know in our heads that life is terminal, but in our hearts we live as if there is an endless supply of tomorrows, and we must provide for them. In doing so we become the sustainer of our lives rather than surrendering to the loving care and provision of our Eternal Father.

We expend excruciating amounts of energy to produce comfort and contentment on the outside, hoping it will bring us peace on the inside, so everything is viewed as the price of peace when Jesus could be our Prince of Peace.

When Jesus was exalted by God to the throne of heaven, it was not under a limited constitutional monarchy. He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords. He reigns supreme! We sing, “He is exalted! The King is exalted on High. I will praise Him!” But praising Him is not enough. Submit to Him! Serve Him! Surrender the throne of your life to the One who alone is qualified to reign. Stop wearing yourself out carrying the world on your shoulders. He’s got the whole world in His hands. Let Him carry you!

Pastor John