Pastor Stephen Dedman

Category: Faith

The Cost Of Freedom

Faith, Trust

“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”
‭‭John‬ ‭15:13‬

Since America’s struggle for independence from Britain till today, countless men and women have answered the call of duty to serve in the U.S. military.  They have performed a tremendous service that cannot be repaid.

Some have made the ultimate sacrifice… giving their life for the cause of freedom.  They gave their life so others may live.

Maybe you are the loved one or a friend of someone who has died for our country. If so, you too, have made a sacrifice that many cannot imagine.

Jesus recognized such a sacrifice in John 15:13 when he said, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” The

On this Memorial Day, let’s remember the courageous men and women who have given their lives to ensure our freedom. May their patriotism and their love for God and country inspire us to do something selfless for our fellow man. 

Let us never forget the sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross at Calvary. Jesus ultimately set us free from the bondage of sin. Through His death and resurrection we can live confidently knowing that we inherit eternal life in Heaven.

Have you thanked God for giving us Jesus? Have you thanked God for giving us men and women who boldly serve our country? We are blessed by God to live in a country with liberty and justice for all.

Pray

Lord, we thank You for giving us our freedom. You love us so much that You sent Your Son to die for us. Your precious gift of salvation is the greatest blessing of all.

Does God Hear My Prayers?

Faith, Trust

Listen! The Lord ’s arm is not too weak to save you, nor is his ear too deaf to hear you call. It’s your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, he has turned away and will not listen anymore.
Isaiah 59:1-2

Do you ever feel that God is not listening to your prayers? You don’t want your prayers to be hindered because when your prayers are hindered, it means you are not connecting with God.

It’s at this point that God seems distant and you don’t sense His presence like you did before. There is nothing more terrifying than for a Christian to feel disconnected from God our Father. 

For an unbeliever this is a way of life. There’s no peace, no grace, no forgiveness and no fellowship with God. They know something is missing but are so spiritually blind they cannot see the Light of Jesus Christ. Hence the reason we as Christians need to fill the gap and be an influence in their life. 

People need to witness the power of our prayers. That is what gets people’s attention most. When we pray and seek God and He answers our prayers, people are amazed. In fact we’re drawn to prayer warriors who seem to have a direct connection with God. We all need to be these types of prayer warriors. Do people see the power of God in your prayers?

There are several things that can hinder our prayers but one of the most obvious reasons is due to our sins. Unconfessed sin can clog our direct line with God. The way we live results in our prayer life. It makes sense that God will not hear from those who cherish sinful behavior. We must have our sins removed so God will answer us. Here are some other reasons why your prayers may be hindered. (10 Ways Prayers are Hindered)

Pray

Lord, please remove any sins that are keeping me from having good fellowship with You. Make me to know my sins and where I have stumbled. Renew me and cleanse me from all unrighteousness.

Allow God To Lift You Up

Encouragement, Faith

‘For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.’
Luke 14:11

Take every opportunity to promote yourself before and above others. Seize occasions for recognition and manipulate your way into the center of attention. According to the world, this is the proper way to attain high esteem.

But according to God’s design, you must put others first. Humble yourself. It’s when God sees your humility that He will exalt you.

If we put our efforts into promoting ourselves, we will be brought down and humiliated. Jesus spoke of a man who tried to enhance his own image (Luke 14:7-11). While attending a dinner, he quickly claimed the seat of most honor. When the host saw this take place, he humiliated the man by asking him to move to another seat, the lowest seat in the room.

Jesus said the wise thing to do is seek the lowest position and allow someone else to exalt you when they feel that you need to be recognized.

When we strive to remain humble, we bring glory to God and not ourselves. If we honor God, He will honor us. When the world exalts you, you are the center of attention. But when God exalts you, others will praise Him for what He has done in your life.

Allow God to be the One who honors you in the way that pleases Him!

Pray

Lord, please keep me humble. I ask You to remove all pride from my heart. May Your Holy Spirit transform me and change me.