Pastor Stephen Dedman

Category: Encouragement

Peace And Holiness

Encouragement, Faith, Trust

Peace And Holiness

Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭12:14‬ ‭

Only Through Jesus

We are instructed to pursue peace and holiness as we mature in our Christian life.  But notice carefully that without holiness no one will see the Lord. You may be active in church attendance, engaged in spiritual activities, and believe you are a spiritual person, but if you do not have holiness you will not see the Lord.  In other words those who are without holiness, which is godliness or Christlikeness, will not inherit eternal life in Heaven.

Some people believe that if they do enough good it will gain them eternal life in Heaven.  The truth is we are only able to see the Lord in Heaven through Jesus Himself, not by our good deeds.  There is no way we could do enough good things to impress God in order to gain eternal life in Heaven.  However, Jesus did live a good and perfect life which qualified Him to be the ultimate sacrifice that pleased God.  And the only way that He was able to do so was because He was God in the flesh.  Jesus lived a holy and perfect life that was in complete obedience to God and He did it all for those who could not keep the law of God.

All who trust in the person and works of Jesus Christ are given the gift of the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit enables those who are in Christ to pursue holiness and possess a longing for the things of God.  A new yearning to live holy and perfectly is the result of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.  If you pursue peace and holiness it is because God gives you the ability to do so.  You cannot pursue peace and holiness outside a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Prayer

Ask the Lord to give you strength and courage as you strive to live holy and perfectly according to His Word.

Saved

Encouragement, Trust

Saved

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
‭‭I Corinthians‬ ‭1:18‬ ‭

Power of God

The message of the cross is all about Jesus Christ. It is a redemption story that will be retold for eternity, even in Heaven. The most amazing element of the message is love. Jesus endured the punishment of sin so that you would be set free. Set free from your bondage and guilt of sin.

For those who are spiritually blind and ignorant of the truth, it is foolishness. Paul was stating the fact that for some people the message of the cross is meaningless. Some people do not realize how much love God has for them. Even though God hates sin, He loves the sinner and wants to redeem him/her and bring them into a right relationship and fellowship with Him and the Saints of God.

However, for us who have been saved the message of the cross brings us power. The power of God is given to us through the Holy Spirit of God that reveals to us what it means to be saved. Being saved of our sins gives us freedom to live under grace and not by the Law. No one can keep the Law perfectly but everyone can experience the grace of God. It’s given and not earned. It is power to the Believer because we know the truth. The power of God is what makes us live confidently in this evil world. It produces boldness and courage for those who desire to please the Lord.

Prayer

Lord Father, we thank you for sending us Jesus to die in our place. We boldly confess You as King. Give us someone to share Your love and grace with.

You Who Seek The LORD

Encouragement, Faith, Trust

You Who Seek The LORD

Listen to Me, you who pursue righteousness, you who seek the LORD: look to the rock from which you were hewn, and to the quarry from which you were dug.
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭51:1‬ ‭

Where Do You Come From

The nation of Israel began with the faithfulness and obedience of Abraham.  For several generations God blessed the children of Israel by showing them favor and giving them prosperity.  God revealed Himself to many strong and spiritual leaders.  Men like Moses, Joshua, Elijah, Isaiah and Jeremiah witnessed some amazing things from God.

However, there are also some times in the Bible that we discover that people turned their back on God and served other gods.  The children of Israel missed out on the amazing things of God because they were not seeking Him first.  The Bible is full of history that details the events that took place when God’s people were not being blessed and were even taken captive by evil nations and evil kings.  It shows us how important it is to never fall away from trusting God and waiting on His promises.

Can you see the big picture of God’s redemption and grace?  You are an important person when it comes to God’s plan.  You may not think that you have any significance but for generations to come your faith can be spoken about through children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and more.  Think about your heritage and just ponder on the people who have made an impact on your life.  Our forefathers made a great difference in which we are reaping what they sowed both good and bad.  What are you doing or what can you start doing today that will make a difference in the lives that aren’t even born yet?  We can start with what we have right now.  Demonstrate righteousness and faithfulness today and watch what happens.

Prayer

Lord, thank you for making me part of Your great plan and giving me a purpose.  Help me to make a difference in the life of others today.