Torn In Two

August 19, 2019 Pastor Stephen Dedman Encouragement, Faith, Salvation

Torn In Two

And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split.
Matthew 27:51

All Access

Matthew, Mark and Luke share the same event of the curtain (or the veil) being torn when Jesus died on the cross. The tearing of the curtain has a significant meaning that we must consider as we remember the death of Jesus. The events that took place while Jesus was on the cross prove that Jesus was the Messiah.

The Jewish temple was a complicated place of worship. On the outside there were courts set aside for women and Gentiles to be able to worship God. On the inside the temple the Jewish men were allowed to worship. The temple had a very special room called the Holy of Holies. Once a year the High Priest would go into the Holy of Holies and offer a sacrifice for the sins of the nation of Israel. There were certain rules and arrangements made just for this special occasion. A beautiful curtain blocked the entrance of this special place where the presence of God was said to be in the Ark of the Covenant. The curtain was approxmiately 60 feet long, 20 feet wide and 4 inches thick. The historian, Josephus, said horses tied to each side could not pull it apart. But yet we read that when Jesus died on the cross, the curtain was torn from the top to the bottom. Only God could have done such a wondrous work.

The torn curtain symbolizes how every Christian now has access to God without going through a priest. As a Believer we can go directly to God anytime we want to. Because the Holy Spirit resides in the heart of the Believer there are no longer any barriers separating us from God.

Prayer

Father God, we thank you for sending us Jesus to save us and give us eternal life. We thank you for removing all barriers and allowing us to pray directly to You.

My Redeemer Lives

July 31, 2019 Pastor Stephen Dedman Trust

My Redeemer Lives

For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth.
‭‭Job‬ ‭19:25‬

Because He Lives

The resurrection of Jesus is the single most important day for Christians. The Bible declares the wonderous story of Jesus defeating not only sin but death as well. From the oldest book in the Bible, Job foretells the resurrection of Jesus Christ thousands of years before it took place.

Because Jesus lives we have hope and assurity that we too will be resurrected. We will have a glorified body that will never die, never grow old, never ache, never thirst, never hunger, nor will we ever sin! That’s the greatest promise that we have from our risen Savior. One day soon He will break the clouds and call His children home and forever we will be with Him.

Today, we can celebrate because we know that Jesus is alive and is at the right hand of the throne of God. All of Heaven is singing praises to Him and awaiting the time for all of us to gather together with them at the throne of God. What a glorious day that will be. In the meantime, we patiently wait upon the Lord.

Our hope is in Jesus because He came back alive. No one else has the power or might to do such a miraculous work. We offer up to Him our bodies as living sacrifices that are pleasing unto Him. He is worth our praise and sacrifice. He is worthy to be called the Son of the Living God. He alone is our Salvation and Redeemer. He purchased us with His blood and delights in calling us His Bride.

Prayer

Thank You Jesus for all that You are and all that You have done. Today we seek to praise and honor you.

Blessed Is The Nation

July 4, 2019 Pastor Stephen Dedman Faith, Trust

Blessed Is The Nation

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage!
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭33:12‬ ‭

Let Freedom Ring

Our first President, George Washington, was quoted saying, “It is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor.” America, the Beautiful, was founded on the principles of freedom of religion. Our forefathers established this great nation with the mindset that there could be a nation whose God is Lord.

Over the years we have witnessed a decline in Christian values and belief. Our religious freedoms are actually disappearing right before our eyes. People are swiftly slipping away from Christian belief. Churches are declining in attendance and effectiveness. Christians are remaining silent when it comes to proclaiming lordship. Is it possible that one day we will not be a Christian nation?

Jesus invested into His disciples who made new disciples who made new disciples and then eventually those disciples came to a land of freedom. We must keep making disciples who will make new disciples. If we want to continue to exist as a Christian nation we must invest in people who will call Jesus, Lord and Savior. As a Christian, you have a duty to uphold the faith and invest in other people. How many disciples have you made? Do you remember who invested in you as you were made into a disciple? The work must continue if we are going to be a Christian nation whose God is the Lord.

Prayer

Lord, put someone in my life so that I can invest into them and make them a disciple of Jesus Christ.