Pastor Stephen Dedman

Category: Encouragement

It’s Time To Walk

Encouragement

Jesus told him, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!” Instantly, the man was healed! He rolled up his sleeping mat and began walking!
‭‭John‬ ‭5:8-9‬

As Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem, He was met by a paralyzed man who had been crippled for 38 years. This man went down to the pool of Bethesda everyday with the hopes that he would have an opportunity to be healed. 

Tradition holds that when the water in the pool started to bubble or stir, whoever was the first in the pool would be healed. The problem this man faced was he needed someone to assist him into the water. Little did he know the “Living Water” had come to him. 

The day Jesus came walking by changed this man’s life forever. Jesus asked him if he wanted to be healed. The man replied with the excuse we all would use, “I can’t.” 

He said to Jesus, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.” (John‬ ‭5:7‬) Immediately Jesus commanded him to stand up, pick up his mat, and walk. 

Can you imagine the thoughts that were going through this man’s mind? He had never walked a day in his life. And if he was able to get up and walk he wouldn’t need help getting into the pool. 

Jesus instructed this man to stand up and quit making excuses. He was ultimately saying, all you need is Me!

This man had to be willing to get up. He had to be willing to take the first step. He had to be willing to try. He had to quit giving reasons why he couldn’t do something and have faith in Jesus. 

Sometimes things happen to us that keep us paralyzed from receiving a blessing from God. But we can’t let those things stop us from being blessed by God.

Some of the best blessings we can receive are brought forth because of our faith in Jesus. Yes, we may fall but Jesus will catch us. Yes, we may stumble but Jesus is there to help us. 

We may even go a wrong direction but Jesus is there to redirect our steps. Are you coming up with excuses of why you can’t do something? Stop giving excuses and get up and walk. Are you willing to overcome the fear that crippling you and fall into the arms of Jesus?

Pray

Lord, I don’t know all the how’s, where’s, why’s, or when’s but I know you will be with me through it all. Give me the willpower to stand up and walk in faith. 

In Great Distress

Encouragement

And David said to Gad, “I am in great distress. Please let us fall into the hand of the Lord , for His mercies are great; but do not let me fall into the hand of man.”
II Samuel 24:14

What do you think was David’s greatest sin? The first that comes to mind may be when he committed adultery with Bathsheba. But what about murdering her husband, Uriah. Both were terrible sins but those may not be the greatest of his sins. 

When David chose to number the people of Israel great consequences followed. Seventy thousand people died. God allowed pain, sorrow, and death to make David hurt deeply. David confessed his sin and repented.

God, in His grace and mercy, forgave David of his sin. God in His mercy doesn’t give us what we deserve, in His grace He gives us what we don’t deserve. God’s grace is forgiveness. Forgiveness isn’t cheap; it cost Jesus his life.

We must never doubt the promises of God, no matter how we feel when God disciplines us. There may be painful consequences to our sins, but these sorrows don’t mean we are not forgiven. 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” We must claim this truth in faith.

What sin is holding you captive? Confess it and receive God’s grace of forgiveness.

Pray

Lord, I confess my sin of… I need Your grace of forgiveness even though I don’t deserve it. Your mercies are great!

Dealing With Distractions

Encouragement

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
Hebrews 12:1

Do you have any distractions in your life? Who doesn’t, right? The devil desires to keep us distracted so that we aren’t aligned with the will of God. 

When we allow distractions to overcome us we allow our minds and hearts to stray from God’s plan and purpose. To stay on course means we must guard ourselves from becoming distracted. Most of the time we aren’t even aware that it is happening. 

The New Living Translation says, “let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.” (Hebrews 12:1b) This terminology helps us to see that anything that weighs us down, especially sin, will keep us from achieving the perfect will of God. 

We need to “strip off” whatever is distracting us. What distraction is keeping you from being one with God?

Our relationship with God through Jesus Christ should be the most important relationship in our life. Jesus said the most important commandment is to love God with all of our hearts, soul, and mind and then we are to love others. 

When our hearts are focussed on God and the things of God we will do what God expects. Is Your heart in the right place?

It’s easy to get distracted when we are weighted down with sin. When we focus on holiness, we stray from sin and other distractions.

Pray

Lord, forgive me and keep me from sin. I confess my sin to You. Give me strength to stay the course and keep myself holy and pure.