Pastor Stephen Dedman

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Disguised As Harmless

Trust

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.”
Matthew 7:15

The New Living Translation says it this way: “Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves.”

“Disguised as harmless” is a good description of what we see today. There are voices all around us that claim to speak God’s truth. But watch out, most of them are fake, false, and phonies.

Pay close attention to the voices you are listening to. Most importantly make sure you discern the voice of God. You can easily discern the voice of God when it aligns with the truth of the Scriptures.

God’s truth and word does not change and will not change. What He said 6000 years ago is still true today.

Sadly, there are bad people disguised as good people that claim to speak the truth. They tell you how to believe, what to do, what to say, how to vote, how to spend money, how to parent, etc… These voices sound good and look good but they are vicious wolves. Their intent is to devour.

Jesus warns us to make sure every voice we hear is supported with the authority of God’s Word. Does their message agree with the rest of the Bible? Does it point people closer to Jesus? That is why it is important to know what the Bible says to study it.

You have a responsibility to choose wisely who you listen to.

Pray

Lord, help me to discern who speaks in Your name. Let me speak truth and wisdom into others. Protect me and my sheep.

Living In Hope

Faith, Trust

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,”
‭‭I Peter‬ ‭1:3‬

Are you dwelling in the living hope of Jesus Christ? We have hope through Jesus’ death and resurrection because he defeated sin on the cross. Jesus’ last words on the cross were, “It is finished.” His final words give us a living hope only found in Him.

The hope that we have is based upon the fact that Jesus is coming back soon. When Jesus comes all things will be made new. This earth will be dissolved and a new earth will be created for our good. Until Jesus comes back we patiently wait for the glorious day to appear.

Some days we let the worries of the world get the best of us. We sit and sour over things that sometimes are meaningless. If we dwell in the living hope of Jesus our mindset will give us a positive outlook on life. Our hope in Jesus will give us courage to face opposition of the enemy. And our assurance of Jesus’ return will Make for a great anticipation of good things to come.

Until the day Jesus comes back we honor and praise His wondrous name. We live our life in a way that brings glory to God. We set ourselves apart from evil and resist the devil. We live every day like it is our last day here. We desire to hear Jesus say, “good and faithful servant.”

You may be faced with a dilemma today but rest assured in the blessed hope of Jesus. He will see you through to the end. It may not be the outcome you were expecting but God has a purpose and a plan just for you. Will you trust in His blessed hope today?

Pray

Lord, thank you for giving me hope and assurance. I praise you and honor you for who you are. As I go through this day, help me to see what you have in store for me.

God Is Good To Those Who Wait

Faith, Trust

“The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, To the soul who seeks Him.”
‭‭Lamentations‬ ‭3:25‬

Jeremiah was a prophet who preached the Word of God to an ungrateful people. They mocked him and ridiculed his sermons. No wonder Jeremiah was considered the weeping prophet.

While he preached the need for God’s grace, his fellow Israelites searched for other people and other things to satisfy their soul. They gave up on God because He didn’t answer their prayers instantaneously.

Needless to say it didn’t turn out so well when they started worshipping other gods and turned their back on God. Their punishment came in the form of captivity and removal from their land for 70 years.

Jeremiah penned these words, “The Lord is good to those who wait on Him.” This is a verse that many of us should write on a sticky note and put it somewhere it will remind us to wait on the Lord.

If you are like me, sometimes it’s difficult to wait patiently on the Lord. When we pray we want God to answer immediately. But sometimes it’s best for us to wait on the Lord.

When we pray and God doesn’t answer immediately, we must not give up. We must keep praying and keep seeking Him. It’s natural for us to think that God either isn’t listening to our prayers, He doesn’t care, or that He is punishing us. God hears our prayers and will answer in His timing.

Good things come to those who wait on the Lord. Don’t get impatient with God. He knows all things. He’s working all things for His glory.

He has a plan and His plans are much better than ours. When we take matters into our own hands, destruction will happen and things will fall apart. Some of us know first hand what happens when we act as if we are God and take control. It doesn’t turn out so good does it?

Keep praying and keep seeking the will of God. He will ultimately come through at the perfect time. He is not limited to time or resources and will do mighty things for those who remain faithful.

Pray

Lord, I seek You for all things. I have faith that You will answer my prayers at the right time. Give me courage to wait on You.