Founded On The Rock

December 8, 2019 Pastor Stephen Dedman Trust

Founded On The Rock

“And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭7:25‬

The Foundation Of Obedience

There is a great advantage of building upon a firm foundation. A structure’s foundation is its most important element. And it’s the storms that test the durability and strength of what lies beneath the surface. Jesus gives great advice to build on the rock.

Jesus was wrapping up His Sermon on the Mount and was giving the final take away. The large crowd that surrounded Him listened attentively to every word that was spoken. The message that Jesus wanted them all to understand was that some listen and obey but some listen and do as they please.

He compared two men building a house. The wise man worked hard and dug deep into the soil to make sure that his house would stand the test of time. But the foolish man was in a hurry and took short cuts so when the storm came his house didn’t stand. It’s obvious that the foolish man didn’t understand the importance of quality and endurance.

The rock of the foundation is obedience. For a Christian it is important to obey the Word of God and keep it close to our heart. Sometimes it is difficult to obey and remain righteous as Jesus instructs. But it’s easy to disobey and fall into sin and live hypocritically.

It takes a foolish person to build a house on sandy soil as it’s also foolish for a person to know God’s Word and not obey it. It’s one thing to listen to instructions, it’s another to obey them. James 1:22 says, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” We must live obediently upon the biblical truth of Jesus Christ.

Prayer

Pray for the truth of God’s Word to embrace your life as you are tempted to take foolish shortcuts of disobedience.

Abide In My Love

December 7, 2019 Pastor Stephen Dedman Trust

Abide In My Love

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.
‭‭John‬ ‭15:9‬

His Love Is Everlasting

There is no greater love than the love of Jesus. God’s love for the world is witnessed through the person of Jesus for the sole purpose that all people should be saved. His love is unconditional and unchanging. The promise of the Scripture tells us that there is nothing that can separate us from His love. (Romans 8:35)

As we read and study the Word of God, the message of His love is embedded through every book and every chapter. God wants us to know who much He loves and cares for each of us. During times of uncertainty and difficulty His love never fails. His great love is all we need to face everyday with hope and joy. Allow the Word of God to penetrate your heart and mind so that you discover His perfect will. Jesus says to “abide” or “remain” in His love.

Jesus desires that we never drift away from the truth of His love. It is easy to get distracted with all the things of the world and forget how much He loves us. No matter how busy we get or how famous we become we never need to forget His loving promises. Sometimes we stray away from His Word and we allow the things of this world to control our minds and hearts. But the only way to abide or remain in His love is to be in constant and consistent meditation of the Scriptures. His Word is living and powerful and we should never find a substitute for it. Your life depends on your devotion and allegiance to the Bible. Stay in His love and stay in His Word.

Prayer

Ask God to remove whatever is keeping you from reading and studying the Bible.

Greater And Greater

December 6, 2019 Pastor Stephen Dedman Encouragement, Trust

Greater And Greater

And David became greater and greater, for the Lord, the God of hosts, was with him.
‭‭2 Samuel‬ ‭5:10‬

God Was With Him

David was a man after God’s own heart. David loved the Lord and God was with him to give him strength and wisdom. He was chosen by God to be king. As David’s kingdom grew the more people he was entrusted with. God’s power was revealed through David. Even though David held much power he was never more powerful than God. It was God who made him greater and greater.

David was a portrait of the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ. David knew God on a personal level. He was not what people would expect a king to look like. In the same way Jesus was not what the Jews expected. Jesus came as a humble servant for the poor. The Jews expected someone with power to bring peace and prosperity. Instead Jesus was meek and humble giving attention to those who were sick and sinful. Jesus came and most didn’t recognize that He was the Messiah.

God is not looking for strong, powerful men. He is looking for men who are able to be changed. God will take a small, uneducated man and make him greater and greater. God wants to show His glory through men who can give Him honor and show others how powerful God is. God desires for husbands and fathers to be the leader of their home. They are the shepherds, pastors, and spiritual leaders of their family. God will give strength and wisdom to the ones who are humbled and under God’s direction. Seek to be the one who God uses to reveal His glory to shine for those who need to see who He is.

Prayer

Lord, use me to shine Your glory and light into this dark, sinful world. Lord give us Christian homes to train up more Christian leaders.