Pastor Stephen Dedman

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What Are You Asking Jesus For Today?

Encouragement, Faith, Trust

And stopping, Jesus called them and said, “What do you want me to do for you?”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭20:32‬ ‭

What if Jesus asked you, “What do you want Me to do for you?” What would be your response?  

What is the most pressing thing on your mind today?  Is there something that you could quickly ask for?

Jesus was passing through Jericho on His way to Jerusalem and heard two blind men cry out, “Have mercy on us!”  Jesus walked over to them and asked them what they wanted Him to do for them and of course they asked for their eyes to be opened.  

This was a great miracle because there was no cure for blindness and there was no doctor that could restore someone’s vision.  The Scripture says Jesus compassionately touched them and they were able to see.  

As soon as their eyes were opened they saw Jesus!

We all have things that we want the Lord to do for us.  The problem is most of the time we ask selfishly for things that we really don’t need.  Most of the time it is considered a want and not a need.  

Jesus promises to give us what we need.  He always knows what we need.  He just wants us to have faith that He is going to meet our needs.

He wants us to go to Him first before we go to anyone else.  Just as these men cried out for mercy, we too should be crying out to Jesus for mercy and forgiveness. Only Jesus is able to do such wonders in our life.

What do you want to ask Jesus for today?

Pray

Lord, open my eyes that I may see You for who You really are.  You are my Lord and Master and I will serve you everyday. Give me mercy and forgiveness.

Armor Up

Encouragement, Trust

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.”
Ephesians 6:10

Sometimes life can be a real struggle. Reality can be obscured from a fantasy by what we watch in advertisements, in Hollywood, and see on social media.

While the battle itself is invisible, the battlefield is very much visible. Individuals fight, couples argue, families quarrel, and churches split. Add school shootings to the list as well. The struggles of our children are amongst the conflicts as well. Depression and anxiety added to the mix equates for a real messy situation. Life is a struggle.

The true reason of why we struggle in life is much deeper than we can imagine. What we commonly think is the source of our struggles is that we are in conflict against flesh and blood, against other people. However, Paul says our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but an invisible battle between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan.

The good news is that we are strengthened and can be set free through Jesus Christ. Through Him we obtain strength and courage to endure any situation. The Lord helps us overcome any obstacle we face.

Satan doesn’t have any power over God’s children. When Jesus defeated Satan on the cross and defeated death on the third day when He arose. We who believe are set free to live an abundant life.

However, when we don’t rely on the strength of the Lord we become weak. Paul tells us to put on the whole armor of God. The struggle is real but the Lord is ready to deal with our struggles.

Armor up with the strength of the Lord through the truth of His word. Face your daily struggles with confidence and assurance of who you are in Christ. Don’t try to do life without Him!

Pray

Lord, I am powerless and need You. Strengthen me in the knowledge of Your truth and wisdom. Help me to understand that without Jesus I am nothing. Thank You, Lord.

It Wouldn’t Have Mattered

Faith

Likewise the chief priests also, mocking among themselves with the scribes, said, “He saved others; Himself He cannot save.”
Mark 15:31

What comes to mind when you think about the crucifixion of Jesus? If we close our eyes and picture the horrific event we can envision several things. The cross obviously, the three nails driven into His hands and feet, a crown of thorns, and the blood-stained body of Jesus.

These are definitely the gruesome pictures that we have of Christ dying on the cross. But if we notice closely this is not what Mark’s account depicts of the crucifixion.

Mark 15:21-32 doesn’t put a lot of emphasis on the physical description of the crucifixion. Nor does Mark describe the agony that Jesus encountered on the cross.

Instead, Mark depicts the humiliating and emotional abuse that came from the people who watched Jesus suffer and die on the cross. They made fun of Him and joked about Him with words of mockery and insult.

The central idea of the people’s attitude claims that if Jesus was truly the Messiah then He should save Himself and come down off the cross. Even the religious leaders claimed that He saved others so He should be able to save Himself.

So what would Jesus have needed to do to make the unbelievers believe? Would saving Himself and climbing down off the cross be enough for them to believe? Or would an empty tomb be the best evidence?

Even after Jesus arose from the dead the mockers still didn’t believe!

Sometimes we fall into the trap of needing God to do something really amazing for us to know that He is present in our life. Let the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus be enough evidence to show that God loves you unconditionally and wants only the best for you.

Pray

Lord, when I struggle to believe that You are in control, help me to remember the cross. When I start to think You don’t care, let me remember the empty tomb. Help me to know I don’t need anymore proof.