Pastor Stephen Dedman

Category: Faith

Suffering For A Purpose

Faith, Trust

Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.
‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭4:19‬

We often find ourselves in the midst of suffering. Suffering can surface in various forms such as mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual. As we live for Christ, we will suffer for Christ.

So what should our attitude be when we encounter such great suffering?

Peter gives us detailed steps on how we should respond to suffering. First, we are to rejoice. 1 Peter 4:13 says, “But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.” God is in control of all things and allowing your suffering for a reason.

Second, verse 17 says we are to review our lives. “For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?” Our suffering may be happening because God is cleaning house and He will start with His own first. If the suffering is due to our sin, we need to confess and repent immediately. But always remember Job; he suffered hard and was righteous.

Third, verse 19 says we are to simply rely on Him. “Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.” When we realize that our suffering is for the cause of Christ, we need to rely on the grace of God. Just rely on God’s promises.

Pray

Lord, give me strength to endure the suffering You have set before me and give me wisdom to understand why. Help me to rely on You for all things.

My Light And Salvation

Faith, Trust

The Lord is my Light and my Salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭27:1‬

Have you ever been so afraid that you thought things wouldn’t work out?  Maybe it was a time of bad weather, a time of illness, or even in a time of war. Don’t think you’re alone. Many have feared for their life.

In this psalm, David was crying out to the Lord for help.  This could have been the time when David was running for his life from King Saul (1 Samuel 18:8).  David is talking to the Lord as he fears for his life.  

There are a couple of truths that can be learned as we face fears in our life.

We need to remember that the Lord is very near and personal to those who trust in Him.  Notice the personal relationship that David had with the Lord: “my light and my salvation”.  

Light represents God’s presence which breaks through every darkness.  Salvation is a word for God’s deliverance.  It is “yeshua” the Hebrew name for Jesus.  As David prayed, he had faith that the Lord was going to save him from harm.  His complete trust was in the Lord.

We also need to remember that our strength comes from the Lord.  David said, “the Lord is my stronghold.” He knew not to rely on his own strength but rather the strength of the Lord.  He trusted in the Lord to provide the strength necessary to get through the uncertain circumstances.

Even in the most dreadful and darkest hours, the Lord is present to lift us up and save us.

When you find yourself in troublesome times, trust in the Lord to give you strength and grace to carry on.

Do you trust God to see you through?

Pray

Lord, help me to remember to place my full trust in You. Strengthen me with Your Word and wisdom to endure the evil one. I rest in Your presence and power.

Are You Praying?

Faith, Trust

“Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.”
‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭33:3‬

What are you praying to God today? Do you pray expecting God to answer in a mighty way? Sometimes we pray for something so big to happen but in the back of our minds we have so much doubt.

When we pray we have to realize first and foremost, who we are praying to. We pray through Jesus, who is our mediator. Jesus takes our requests to God.

That is why we end our prayers with, “in Jesus name,” or “in Christ name.” We pray to the Son of God who knows what we need before we ask. He can part waters, move the stars, heal, mend, forgive, and He can change any situation you’re facing.

Second, we must know what we are praying for. Sometimes we ask for things to happen for our good but essentially it’s not for God’s glory. When we pray we seek the Holy Spirit of God to put on our hearts what we need to pray. He will answer the prayers of the righteous because their hearts are in tune with God.

You may be praying for a different job, a person to marry, or even a change of circumstances, but is what you’re praying for going to bring glory to God? We pray for God’s will to be done, not ours.

Third, we must know why we are praying. We are praying because there is something on our heart that we want to see happen.

We want to see the sick be healed, we want to see the poor and needy have what they need, we want to see peace in our lives, we want to live worry-free. We pray because we desire the things of God to happen on earth as it is in Heaven. The real reason we pray is because we know God answers prayers.

Pray

Lord, I seek you with my whole heart. Cleanse me and forgive me. Reveal to me what I need to know today.