Pastor Stephen Dedman

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Treasure God’s Word

Encouragement

I have not departed from the commandment of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.
Job 23:12

When was the last time you were really hungry? I mean really hungry. Food was very precious to you wasn’t it?

Now let me ask you, how important is God’s Word to you? When His Word is as important to you as physical food, then you will grow in your walk with the Lord. The problem is some people are starving themselves spiritually.

David said in Psalm 119:162, “I rejoice at Your word as one who finds great treasure.” Both Job and David found God’s word to be a precious treasure. It was valuable and they could not live without it.

Just as our bodies can only go so long without nutrients, our Christian lives can only go so long without good spiritual nutrition. If we starve ourselves the Word of God, we will suffer the consequences.

God told Joshua, “Don’t let the Law depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” (Joshua 1:8)

Did you catch that? When you treasure the Word of God in your heart, you will have good success. What a precious treasure!

Pray

Lord, I need Your Word everyday. I need it more than I desire food. Help me to stay in Your Word and give me an understanding of it.

A New Year

Salvation

And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t.
Romans 7:18

It’s a new day and a fresh new year! The question at hand is, “What does God desire to accomplish in and through me this year?”

Many people are asking God what they can do for Him, but more importantly we should be asking God what He wants to accomplish through us. This life is much more than just what we can do for God. It’s about what He can do in and through us.

God does not need us, but He chooses us. He desires to use people to display His image and glory. People need to see the love of God in us so they can know Him.

Paul says that nothing good dwells in us, that which is in the flesh. The flesh is never good enough to please God. It’s only through the righteousness of Jesus that we are found righteous before God.

So instead of striving to do something good for God, let’s allow God to do something good in and through us for His glory.

Set your mind on the things of God.

Pray

Lord, I praise You for taking away my sin. Help me to keep my sinful nature dead and the new nature alive in You. Thank You for doing a good work through me.

Close To God

Faith

His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him—though he is not far from any one of us.
Acts 17:27

Thank you for your prayers, phone calls, emails, and text messages while my family and I were fighting Covid. I am recovering fine and ready to get back to ministering the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I give God the glory for healing me and my family. – Pastor Stephen

Getting close to the One who loves you the most isn’t as hard as it may seem. However, spending time with God requires effort. Especially when we have an adversary who will do whatever to keep you from spending time with God.

God created us, loves us and wants to be with us. But there is a problem that exists. Our sin separates us from Him because He is a holy and righteous God.

There is good news because God sent His only Son to connect us to Him. 1 Peter 3:18 says, “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit.”

Getting close to God is as simple as having a relationship with Jesus. Knowing Jesus is knowing God. Getting close to Jesus is the same as getting close to God.

If you want to spend time with God you must spend time in the Word of God. God speaks through His Word.

Spend time communicating with God through prayer. Speaking with God draws us close to Him.

Worship helps us seek His presence. Find a way to worship Him today.

Pray

Lord, I love You and want to spend more time with You. Forgive me of my sins and renew my joy of Your salvation. Draw me close to You.