Pastor Stephen Dedman

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Only Jesus Can Satisfy

Salvation

‘Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”’
John 4:10

Wouldn’t it be awful to know that God had a gift for you that you never received? There are so many things that God desires to give us that we have never unwrapped or discovered. God offers us gifts that truly satisfies our soul.

When Jesus conversed with the woman at the well, He offered her a gift that would change her life forever. She was completely unaware of that gift until she encountered Jesus. He knew the longing in her heart for true love and acceptance. Her ways of searching for love and acceptance always left her unsatisfied and empty inside.

Jesus looked beyond her physical needs and met the desires of her heart. He offered her the gift of living water, the gift of eternal life. What a wonderful gift!

He offers the very same gift to you today. A fresh start with forgiveness and an intimate relationship with the living God. You can begin again!

Sometimes we search for satisfaction in the wrong places or in the wrong people. You don’t have to keep drinking from a well that never satisfies. Real satisfaction comes when you discover your significance in Jesus Christ.

Only Jesus can satisfy your soul!

Just as the woman responded, “Please sir, give me this water so I will never thirst again.”, is the same response we need have today. Believe and receive the free gift of grace today. Don’t leave it unopened.

Pray

Lord, I receive what You have to offer to me. I desire to search for You and Your amazing grace. Help me to discover the great things you have intended for me to have.

Listen For God’s Voice

Encouragement, Faith

‘And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left. ‘
Isaiah 30:21

There is nothing like knowing you are in the sovereign will of God. Your life is much more peaceful when you’re listening and following the voice of God. It’s comforting to hear His voice and sense the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

It’s reassuring to a child when they hear the voice of their mother or father. And it is the same for every child of God when we hear Him speak.

Do you listen for God’s voice in everything you do and everywhere you go? It seems that we tend to separate our spiritual lives from our everyday routines. We tend to lean towards God for the most important decisions but not in every decision.

It takes an intentional effort to listen for God’s voice in everything we do. We make a special effort to listen for God’s voice when we go to church or when we read our Bible and pray. But what about the other times when we think we have it all planned out?

The Bible says that faith comes by hearing and hearing the word of God. (Romans 10:17) When you hear the word of God spoken do you hear the voice of God? What is He speaking to you today? But God doesn’t just speak through His word, He also speaks through His Spirit, circumstances, and even other Christians. It’s important that we discern the voice of God and allow Him to reveal Himself to us.

The Bible is full of examples of how God spoke to His people. He still speaks to us today. The problem is that we tend not to be listening or ready to receive what He has to say. Most of the time God’s voice is just a small whisper. You really have to listen for it. You have to be ready for it. You have to be in position to hear it.

Free yourself from sin and listen for His voice. Tune out the world and tune into His word. Pray and practice the art of listening for the still small voice of God. He has much to say and we have so much to learn.

Pray

Lord, speak to me today. Allow me to pay attention to the things that surround me and to discern what is true and what is false. I need You to teach me and give me wisdom.

True And Eternal Value

Trust

‘Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you! Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have heaped up treasure in the last days. ‘
James 5:1-3

What would you do if you knew that your bank accounts would be empty tomorrow? Would go buy as much as gold and silver that you could?

What if you owned stock in a company that you knew was going under tomorrow? You would sell your stock today, right? It wouldn’t make sense to hold on to something that has no value.

It’s obvious that we ought to invest in things that last and let go of things that are of no value. Only a wise person will comprehend that the material things of this world will not last but to invest their life into the life that is to come.

James gives us much needed wisdom today. He says that our treasures here on earth are already corrupted and moth-eaten. Our possessions will testify against us for wasting what God has entrusted us with.

Stockpiling is not an act of faith or trust. Instead it is a lack of being a good steward of what God has blessed us with. In fact, some of our possessions are keeping us from being close to God. It may be time to get rid of something.

What if Jesus returned today? What you have stored up wouldn’t matter. But what would matter are the things that bring glory to God instead of yourself.

Pray

Lord, keep me grounded in Your Word and truth. Help me to have an eternal mindset. Show me how to invest in the kingdom of heaven.