Pastor Stephen Dedman

Category: Encouragement

Enjoy What God Has Made

Encouragement, Trust

And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭1:31‬

Have you taken time this week to appreciate God’s creation?  As you look out into space you can’t help but think about God placing everything in the right place.  The moon and stars are just perfect.

Just consider the things of the earth. A peaceful flowing river of crystal clear water carving out its path to the sea.  A sunset with a mixture of rich colors exploding with delight. Thick clouds swirling in motion to provide an afternoon thunderstorm.  

The heavens and the earth are full of God’s glory. They are His wondrous masterpiece.

God hasn’t made any mistakes and never will.  Everything He says and does is perfect and beyond imagination.  After creating everything into existence, He looked over His marvelous work and said it was very good.  

The words “very good” and can mean many things to different people.  If you were to say something was very good it would be your opinion.  A very good Mexican dish or a fresh warm banana pudding would be very good to some, but not to all.  When God says it is very good, it is not just another opinion but His glory revealed.

When you witness the beauty of God’s creation you can’t help but to notice His handiwork.  Even the birds and animals, the trees and grass in the field, and the fish in the sea declare His wondrous love.  He made everything for you to know who He is.  

Make sure to take time today to enjoy God’s perfect creation.

Pray

Lord, help me to take time to notice what You have handcrafted.  Thank You for thinking of me when You created all things. Help me to enjoy what You have made for my pleasure.

Be Gracious To Others

Encouragement, Faith, Salvation, Trust

And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭9:54‬

Have you ever been so angry that you wanted God’s wrath to be poured out on someone? We need to be careful with this type of attitude.

As Jesus made His final trip into Jerusalem to face the cross, He wanted to minister to a village of Samaritans but the people would not welcome Him.  Jesus sent a few men ahead of them to find a place to stay but they couldn’t find one.  

The city of Samaria wanted nothing to do with Jesus.  When James and John discovered this, they wanted to see the village go up in flames.  They thought the people should be destroyed because they rejected the Messiah.

James and John were nicknamed “Sons of Thunder” because of their bodacious attitudes. (Mark 3:17)  They were brothers and close friends to Jesus and expected people to believe in Jesus as Messiah.  However, we all know that Jesus is rejected by many.  

Even today we witness people rejecting the message of Jesus but we should never want to see them consumed with fire because of their hardened hearts.  Instead we should pray for them and for their hearts to be softened to receive the gospel of Jesus.  Jesus rebuked James and John for their judgmental attitude.

Again in Acts 8:5, Philip (one of the twelve disciples) went back to Samaria to preach the Gospel and great things happened as they received the Word of God.  We should never give up on those who reject the gospel of Jesus.  

We should be consistent with sharing the love and good news to those who are ignorant to the truth.  Calling down judgment and wrath is not the right perspective.  God’s ultimate plan was carried out as they finally accepted Jesus and believed.  But what if they were destroyed before they ever believed?

Prayer

Lord we want to see Your great work done here on earth and we want to witness your power and grace. Help me to have a soft heart and a compassion for others.

The Throne Of Grace

Encouragement

‘Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.’
Hebrews 4:16

There is a feeling that we all experience at some point in our lifetime and that is the state of helplessness. It is a feeling that makes us think that there is nothing we can do. It comes when we have exhausted all resources.

Helplessness can actually be a good thing. When we turn to God in our helplessness, great is the reward. Actually God will allow us to get to that point so that all we can do is turn to Him. So many people in the Bible were helpless and they turned to God for help. (Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, Job… just to name a few.)

Some things are just out of our control. The feelings that occur when we are in a state of helplessness are sometimes expressed through stress, discouragement and anger.

It’s in times like these that people feel overwhelmed, frustrated, and angered because there is nothing they can do about their situation. I am sure you can remember a time when you endured a circumstance that made you feel this way.

God gives us grace when we are in time of need. It’s in these times that only God can help us. It’s in these times that we are desperate for God to help us. Are you desperate for God?

Pray

Lord, help my helplessness. Help me to turn to You for all things. Give me grace that will get me through any situation I face.