Pastor Stephen Dedman

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What Does God’s Grace Mean To You?

Faith, Salvation

‘To me (Paul), though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, ‘
Ephesians 3:8

Paul understood the grace of God. When he discovered that Jesus was the Messiah his eyes were opened to the grace of God. Despite his murderous past and hatred of Jesus, Paul was chosen by God to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

After his conversion, Paul was a total different person. He called himself “small Paul”. He was not one of the twelve disciples who followed Jesus, nor was he baptized by John unto repentance. Paul wasn’t among the men who received the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost but God chose to use him greatly.

Because Paul was made new in Christ, he had a great understanding of salvation. He gives us understanding of God’s grace through his personal experience. It is not surprising that Paul could only refer to himself as the very least of all the saints.

More importantly, he referred to God’s grace as “the unsearchable riches of Christ.” For someone who deeply knows that he has been forgiven and freed of the bondage of sin, he can preach the Good News of Jesus Christ.

The moment we fully realize the fullness of God’s grace is the moment that we will bel sold-out for Christ.

Pray

Lord, I praise You for the unfathomable, unsearchable, boundless riches that I have received by grace through faith. I have every right to be condemned but instead You lifted me up into the courts of a heavenly royalty. Thank You for saving me from the depths of hell.

Tell Others About Jesus

Encouragement, Salvation

The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and said to the men, “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?”
John 4:28-29

Have you ever received some information that surprised you so much that it made you forget what you were doing at the present time?

Or have you ever gone the grocery store to pick up something simple and returned home only to realize you didn’t even purchase what you originally went for?

Maybe there was something you thought you knew how to do but after listening to an expert you were convinced that you didn’t need to do it? A change of mind or a change of direction can turn out to be very interesting.

In John 4, Jesus encounters a Samaritan woman who came to the well to draw water and discovered the Messiah. Jesus used an analogy to to show her that as she came seeking water from the well, what she really needed was living water from Him.

Once she realized that she needed the living water which only He could provide, she went away to go tell others. And what is so fascinating is that John tells us in verse 28 that she left her waterpot at the well. This tells us that what she originally went searching for didn’t turn out to be so important after all.

After encountering Jesus, this woman’s life was changed. She went to the well at that certain time to avoid others but now she wants people to know that she was changed.

Isn’t it great to see people who are on fire for the Lord? You can tell when someone has the gift of God in their heart and wants to give it to someone else.

What a great example this woman set for us. We too need to be telling others about Jesus. We need to rekindle the excitement that we first had when we encountered Jesus and let everyone know about what Jesus can do for them.

You may think you are not the right person to tell someone about Jesus but you are. You may think you don’t have the right words to say but you do. Don’t be intimidated about telling others about the grace and love of Jesus that you have.

Pray

Lord, let my fire for You burn like never before. Help me to be bold and share Jesus with everyone I meet. Most of all, put someone in my path today that I can tell them about You.

He Will Assist You

Encouragement, Trust

‘Cast your burden on the Lord , And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.’
Psalms 55:22

Have you ever given something to someone but when you reached out to hand it to them you couldn’t release it? That sounds pretty silly doesn’t it?

To not let go means it’s valuable and you don’t want to get rid of it. So what’s keeping you from giving your burdens to the Lord?

When you give a burden to the Lord, you hand it over for God to deal with it. Look at what the psalmist says after casting your burden on the Lord… “and He shall sustain you.” The true meaning of the word sustain means to assist.

When we cast our burden on the Lord we allow Him to carry the load. We allow God to take the heavy load off our shoulders so that we can walk freely in His grace. It takes the pressure off of us.

It doesn’t mean that your troubles disappear. It doesn’t mean that you won’t have to make tough decisions or deal with difficult situations. But it does mean that God will give you the strength to get through. He will assist you.

Jesus said in Matthew 11:28, “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” The only way that we can rest is to fully trust in the Lord. Jesus wants us to have peace and not be anxious.

The best thing we can do with our burden is to release it. It’s very similar to throwing a fishing lure into the water. Once it’s released there’s nothing we can do but wait. And with our burdens, we wait on the Lord to do His great work.

Pray

Lord, I know You care but You are waiting on me to ask for help. So Lord, help me! I can’t do it alone. I praise You for what You are doing in my life.