Pastor Stephen Dedman

Category: Trust

What Are You Seeking?

Encouragement, Trust

For My people have committed two evils: they have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.
‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭2:13‬

Why would anyone ever forsake the Lord?  Could there be anything better than the Lord?  

God can only give good and perfect gifts and could never cause any evil on anyone.  Sometimes we encounter times in our lives when we drift away from the Lord and seek our selfish ways.

Jesus said, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.” (John 7:37)  Jesus wants to give us an endless supply of fresh living water.  A water that will last for eternity.  A living water that gives all.  

Why would we ever seek for anything else but what the Lord has to offer?  God said, “My people have created their own water pots that can’t even hold water.”  This is so true when we try to rely on our own power and strength.  Without God we are nothing and can do nothing.  God desires to give us the best that He has to offer.  The problem is when we think that we can do something bigger or better than God. There is nothing in this entire universe that could ever out do God.

Think about the things that you are seeking in your life today.  Are they the things of God or the things of your own desires?  Be careful not to forsake the fountain of living water that God has to offer.  His ways are much better than our ways.  His provision is much healthier and will sustain us for eternity.  If you are encountering a dry spell in your relationship with the Lord, the problem is not with God.

Pray

Lord, Your promise is that we I seek You, I will find You.  When I draw you close, You draw unto me even closer.  Let me experience Your power today.

Jesus Forgives

Faith, Salvation, Trust

“For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.”
‭‭James‬ ‭2:10‬

God does not grade on a curve. There are no divisions or levels of sin. Someone who told a little white lie is just as guilty as the person who committed murder.

The “godly” person who sinned only once yesterday is just as guilty as the “wicked”one who sinned a hundred times. All sin is ultimately the same in God’s eyes. However, we tend to categorize sin and expect God to treat us accordingly.

We all need God’s grace and mercy through Jesus Christ. There is no one who is too far from being saved. The Bible says, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”‭‭(Romans‬ ‭3:23‬). Jesus died on the cross for everyone. Even the most evil person you can think of can be saved. No one is ever out of God’s reach.

God does not see people as liars or murderers. He sees people in need of grace. So that means everyone is eligible for His salvation.

Now let’s get a little personal. Are you carrying any shame or guilt from sins from the past? God did not set a limit on the size or quantity of sins He was willing to forgive. He sent Jesus to save us all.

Jesus will save anyone. He saves all people and He saves all sins. We all can turn to Him in faith today and be saved and forgiven of all our sins with no limits and no exceptions. Bring your sins to Jesus and trust the promises of His love.

Pray

Lord, forgive me of my sins. I confess that I have fallen short of the glory of God. Thank You for giving me salvation.

Staying On Mission

Salvation, Trust

“Then fear came upon all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has risen up among us; and, God has visited His people.””
‭‭Luke‬ ‭7:16‬

In Luke 7:11-17 Jesus stopped a funeral procession when He saw a widowed woman who was just moments away from laying her only son to rest. This woman had lost her husband and lost all hope of any future because her only son had died. But when Jesus saw her He felt compassion for her. He touched the casket and told the dead man to get up. Immediately and miraculously the man sat up and began speaking. The large crowd was amazed at what they saw but most importantly verse 16 says they glorified God because they recognized Jesus as God.

This passage of Scripture gives us a perfect portrait of how a church is to minister to people. We must realize that the church is who represents Jesus in today’s society. We must see the needs of others and reach out and touch them with compassion and love. When the lost are touched with the love of Jesus, they come alive, spiritually. A church will glorify God when they are on mission and ministering to His people. We can’t miss any opportunities of serving people. And we can never lose our focus of the mission.

An encouraged church congregation can be effective in fulfilling its mission. A discouraged church will not be effective. Every church needs faithful members using their God-given gifts. Members who are not using their gifts are wasting them. Compassion brings people together and to the cross of Jesus. If a church is not loving people it’s not a real church.

Are you fulfilling the command of Jesus and making disciples? We must do the work of Jesus while we still can. The day is soon coming when God will gather His church and it will be too late for the lost to be saved.

Pray

Lord, make your church a place and people who are just like You. Help me to be the hands and feet of Jesus.