I Shall Not Want

October 13, 2019 Pastor Stephen Dedman Encouragement, Faith

I Shall Not Want

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
Psalm 23:1

Keeping Sheep

David knew what it meant to be a shepherd. He knew what it took to protect sheep and keep them from harm. It was more than just leading sheep to water and feeding them. When he was about to fight Goliath he said to King Saul, “…And when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock, I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck him and killed him. Your servant has struck down both lions and bears.” (1 Samuel 17:34-36) David was more than a mighty man, he was a great shepherd.

David said the Lord is “my” shepherd. In a very personal way, the Lord was the provider and protector for David. When David was all alone in the wilderness with his sheep, the Lord was there with him. And when he faced lions and bears, the Lord was there with him. God gave him strength and might to be able to fight wild animals. No wonder the Philistine giant was no problem for David. It was just another day in the field. David knew the power that God would give to him when he faced difficulties. Going against Goliath was a walk in the park compared to fighting with lions and bears.

Interestingly, David also said because the Lord is my shepherd, “I shall to want.” What an amazing statement. Because the Lord is our shepherd we will never be in want for anything. Don’t confuse this with fleshly desires though. David was implying here that the Lord will never allow His sheep to be in need. Every need will be met and be given with pleasure.

Prayer

Lord, I know that You alone are my shepherd and I turn to you for everything. Thank You, Jesus, my Shepherd.

Endurance And Encouragement

October 8, 2019 Pastor Stephen Dedman Faith, Trust

Endurance And Encouragement

For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
‭‭Romans‬ ‭15:4‬ ‭

For Our Instruction

Reading and studying the Scriptures is not just to gain knowledge and wisdom. We engage ourselves with Scripture so that we may be encouraged as well. It must become a routine of our life in order to make a difference in how we live. As this verse says, it takes endurance.

The Word of God brings us hope. It is what connects us to the will of our Heavenly Father. It’s one thing to say that you are a Christian, it’s another to live as a Christian. God has given us His Word so that we may know what is expected of us as we live out our faith here and now. We are in the process of sanctification. Until we meet our Lord we are preparing for Heaven. How well are you preparing?

There are many things competing with the things of God. That is the reason why many today feel hopeless. The things of this world are not eternal and therefore will not sustain. The things which bring us hope are the things that are eternal. God’s love for example is eternal. God’s love brings us hope and sustains us even right now. God’s mercy and grace brings us hope. God’s patience brings us hope. The list can go on and on. But the fact of the matter is this; if we never dive into the Word of God for what it really is, then we may never really know lasting hope and contentment. Make God’s Word be part of your daily routine.

Prayer

Lord, I love Your Word. May it be my guide and way for living during these evil days. Speak to me today through it.

The Fool Says

October 7, 2019 Pastor Stephen Dedman Faith, Trust

The Fool Says

The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good.
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭14:1‬

Make Room For God

David begins Psalm 14 by describing what many people say within their hearts, “There is no God.” This concept is formed from the mindset of atheism. This is not a new concept either. There have always been and will always be people who will not believe that there is a God. David says that those who say in their hearts that there is no God are fools.

David refers to these people as fools because they are not observant. Romans 1:20 says, “For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.” A person is foolish if they cannot realize that there is someone greater than themselves. The attributes of God can be seen by anyone. And if you don’t see these things, you are without excuse.

The result of believing that there is no God and refusing to make room for God in our lives is that we become corrupt. David makes this clear as he continues in verse 1, “They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds, there is none who does good.” We are guilty of being foolish when we do not make room for God in our lives. We may believe that God is real but if we don’t make room for Him in our lives we are considered as fools. Not only are we to believe that God is real and true, we must also make room for Him in our personal lives. We are to make sure that our lives are reflecting that we do believe there is a God and He is alive and with us.

Prayer

Lord, help me to make room for you in all the areas of my life. I depend on you daily and need you every hour.