In Spirit And Truth

September 29, 2019 Pastor Stephen Dedman Faith, Trust

In Spirit and Truth

But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.
‭‭John‬ ‭4:23‬

True Worshippers

The day that Jesus encountered the woman at the well something amazing occurred. Jesus went to the well after traveling and was very thirsty. He met a Samaritan woman who was drawing water and asked her to draw Him some water. He promised her living water that would truly satisfy. Then he asked her to call her husband. She said she had no husband but Jesus knew she has had five husbands, and was living with a man. This woman was looking for satisfaction and fulfillment but could never find it.

She tried to change the subject with her question about worship. The question is not where you worship but what you worship. She was trying to find satisfaction from a man instead of from God. Jesus, of course, had full knowledge of her heart and history.

The fact that the woman came to the well at noon reveals a lot. She did not draw water in the morning when the other women were around because she was shameful. But her encounter with Jesus changed her life. After she met with Jesus, “The woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?”” (John 4:28–29) She immediately went to the people she had avoided with an invitation and an openness about herself. The shamefulness was over. Jesus knew all that she had done and still offered her living water. That is a result of a true worshipper.

Prayer

Lord, I worship You and You alone. You are all that I need. Change me and make me new.

Lord Of Glory

September 25, 2019 Pastor Stephen Dedman Faith, Trust

Lord Of Glory

My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory.
‭‭James‬ ‭2:1‬ ‭

God’s Beauty

What comes to mind when you think of God’s glory? Is it a cloud of smoke? Maybe a bright light? Both are great visions because of what men visioned the glory of God to be in the Scriptures.

James writes to believers who were scattered due to the persecution of the church in Jerusalem. He is concerned with the faith of believers and wants to make sure their faith is real. We too, should read the book of James with this concept in mind; is our faith real? Most certainly there are tests to confirm such a truthfulness as we live out our faith everyday. We face trials and sufferings and even encounter temptations because we are tested in our faith. Our faith will increase as we obey the Word of God and testify to the truthfulness of God’s Son. Faith in Jesus saves us from our sins and gives us eternal life in Heaven. That is why we all must be certain that our faith in Christ is real.

James says that our faith will reflect the glory of God. Real faith in Jesus will be evident in the things we say and do. Everything we do should show the beauty of God. Our lives will display the glory of God even though we suffer and are persecuted. The reflection of God’s glory will be a witness and testimony without having to declare that you are a Christian. People will see you for who you really are. They will see your actions in accordance to how you live your daily life. We all sin, but we show God’s glory through mercy and forgiveness.

Prayer

Lord, let Your glory shine through me today. Help me to be a witness of Your beauty.

Anger Lodges In The Heart

September 18, 2019 Pastor Stephen Dedman Encouragement, Trust

Anger Lodges In The Heart

Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the heart of fools.
‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭7:9‬

Slow To Anger

Frustration can lead to bitterness. Bitterness leads to anger. If anger resides long enough it can get the best of you. The key to overcoming anger is not just a forgiveness issue, it’s a heart issue. If you are bitter and angry for too long you will suffer physical and spiritual problems.

It is sad that people like to watch and listen to disagreements. Reality TV shows are a booming business because of this. Some people feed off of drama. They are thrilled when someone gets what they deserve and anticipation grows when they don’t. In the real world it’s the same. It’s very sad but it’s true to say that some people like to watch others suffer.

As Christians we are to be different from the rest of the world. However, if we fill our minds with the filth and garbage of reality TV, gossip, and drama, we tend to engage upon it. There comes a point in time when the Holy Spirit urges us to stop feeding on the negativity and start feeding on positive thoughts and actions. It can be difficult sometimes but it is best to abstain from the filthy lust of the flesh. Evil surrounds us and is easily enticed when we allow it. But on the opposite spectrum, when we fill our hearts and minds with encouraging and uplifting spiritual things we produce righteousness. Feeding our bodies with the correct nutrients is comparable to feeding our souls with the necessary nutrients. If you want to produce good fruit you will need to feed your soul biblical truth. The more you mature in the Word of God the more distance can come between you and sin. Thrive on the blessings that only come from God and reap the joy of doing so.

Prayer

Lord, take my focus off the negative things of this world and allow me to see the great things You are doing in my life.