Pastor Stephen Dedman

Category: Encouragement

Watch And Pray

Encouragement, Trust

Watch And Pray

“Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation.  The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Matthew 26:41

 

The Spirit vs. The Flesh

Jesus warned Peter, James, and John to watch and pray as He went into the Garden of Gethsemane to pray to the Father.  He had just celebrated the Passover meal with His disciples and was about to be betrayed by Judas.  The guards were seeking to arrest Him and He knew He only had a couple of hours to prepare Himself for the worst suffering and torture known to man. Three times Jesus went away to pray and three times He returned and found the three men slumbering.

Jesus tried warning the three disciples but they let their guard down.  Little did they know that they were about to be tested and tempted more than ever before.  They didn’t think all of this would happen on that night because it was a time of Jewish celebration.  In verse 33 Peter exhaust himself and exclaimed that he would never deny Him even if he were to die.  Three times Peter denied Jesus before the rooster crowed.

We all fall into similar slumbering.  We think all is well and life couldn’t be any better.  That is when Satan prowls like a lion to devour.  We must never let our guard down.  We must always be alert to the temptations of sin.  Jesus said the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.  We all have high regards to what we strive to do for Christ but in the end we each fall into the same category as Peter.  Good intentions are not good enough.

We can all relate to Paul and his dilemma in Romans 7:15-20.  He sums it up in verse 19, “For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.”

Prayer

Pray for the Lord to help you to stay alert keep you from the temptation of sin.

Well Done

Encouragement, Trust

Well Done

His master said to him, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭25:21‬ ‭

 

Good And Faithful Servant

“Well done” are words that everyone desires to hear.  A pat on the back and a thumbs up make us feel that we accomplished what we set out to do.  We must be careful when we receive the praise of man and not from God.  You may be able to please man but never please God.  Or you may please God and never please man.  We should rather choose to please God rather than man.  It’s never popular to do so but it is the safest thing to do.

God gives us time and resources and we must decide what we are going to do with them.  Will we choose to use them wisely or will we choose to neglect what God has blessed us with?  God knows exactly what your capable of doing and what your limits are.  He will never ask you to do something that you would never be able to accomplish.  He will give you the strength and courage to accomplish whatever task He is asking you to do.

What has God entrusted you to do?  Has He given you blessings in order to bless others?  Has He given you something that you can bless someone else with such as a talent or skill?  Be sure to use everything God gives you to glorify Him and to honor Him in all that you do.  What ever increase is given to you is given by the grace of God.  What do you have to give back today?

Prayer

Lord, I give everything I have for You to use to show someone else who you are.   Lord, use me today.

Faithful God

Encouragement, Faith

Faithful God

Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations,
Deuteronomy 7:9

Every Word Matters

We live in a world of broken promises. From the workforce to marriages there are people suffering from broken promises and unfulfilled commitments.  A person’s word has no merit when it comes to contracts and legal documents.  Unkept promises make for a frustrating life.

When we learn about the truth of God we know that faithfulness is part of His character.  It’s what makes Him God. He keeps every promise because He is faithful.  If God were not faithful, we could not be saved nor would there be any reason to pray and absolutely no hope for the future.  We live in faith knowing that God is faithful and true.

To say that God is faithful we must realize that what He says is the truth.  He says what He means and means what He says.  His word never fails or falters.  His promises will always be kept.  2 Corinthians 1:20 says, “For all the promises of God find their Yes in Him. That is why it is through Him that we utter our Amen to God for His Glory.” If God says it we can count on it.

Sometimes when we face trials in our life we tend to think that God has either forgotten about us or He doesn’t care what happens to us.  That is far from the truth and we must change the way we view God’s character.  God loves His children and He is faithful in every aspect known to man.

Prayer

Show the Lord that you trust His faithfulness by praising Him in every circumstance you face whether it is good or bad.