Pastor Stephen Dedman

Align To God’s Will

“I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.”
‭‭John‬ ‭17:4

There is nothing worse than being out of the will of God. We may think that a bigger house, a larger salary, or a great getaway is what’s best for us, but God knows what we is best for us.

There is nothing wrong with bettering ourselves and making life more enjoyable as long as we are pleasing God. We should consult with God about everything before we do anything. God knows best.

One of the main problems we face as Christians in a fallen world is self agenda. We do what we want to do, when we want to do it. If we desire to build a house, we try our best to make it happen. If we desire a job that makes more money, we seek after it. When we want to go on a vacation we look for the places that will make us happy. But do we consult with God before we do things that we want to do? Maybe God has better plans for our life.

As Jesus was praying to the Father, He was able to confidently say, “Everything I’ve done has brought You glory.” Can you confidently say that today? Are you glorifying God with your life today? Are there some changes that need to take place? I think we all can make some improvements to glorify God more.

Living for Jesus in today’s world is a difficult task. We are surrounded by worldly things. Commercials are designed to make you think you need their product. We see other people look so happy and we want to be happy as well.

Sometimes we tend to get a little earthy minded in the things we spend our money on. But God wants us to set our minds on the Heavenly things. He wants us living for Him. We were created to glorify Him. We will find joy when we glorify Him. We will be at peace when we glorify His name. Before you do anything, make sure you are doing what God wants you to do.

Pray

Lord, I want to serve You and not this world. Let me be the image of Jesus to those who need hope. Thank you for blessing me today.

The Help Of The Holy Spirit

The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him,
the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and might,
the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.
Isaiah 11:2

Throughout Jesus’ earthly ministry, the Holy Spirit guided and directed Him as He made important decisions. (Mark 1:11) As we see in today’s verse, Isaiah described what the Spirit’s presence would mean for the Lord.

The Spirit gave Jesus the knowledge of the will of God the Father. The Spirit enabled Jesus to take the word of God and apply it to the specific areas that He encountered.

Do you need guidance and wisdom for a decision that you are facing? Are you in a position of great responsibility and feel overwhelmed by the decisions that you must make? Are you seeking the help of the Lord?

As a Christian, you have the same Spirit who lives inside of you. The Holy Spirit comes in wisdom and brings the understanding of God’s ways. The Holy Spirit guides and directs us as we make the difficult decisions of life.

The same Spirit who enabled Jesus to see through the deceptions of Satan will also guide you through the temptations that you face. When the Holy Spirit controls your heart and mind, you can make it through the tough decisions you make and you can live your life effectively.

Pray

Lord, fill me with Your Spirit to give me wisdom to understand the things that I am facing today. Help me to know Your will and way so that I may please You in every decision I make.

Thankfulness Leads To Joy

I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever.
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭86:12‬

Are you a joyful person? Do you look at the brighter side of life? A thankful heart leads to joy.

What is your source of joy? It’s easy to confuse happiness with joy. Joy is eternal and happiness is temporal.

If God were to take everything away from you like he did Job, would you still praise Him? If you were to lose your joy because you had no more money in the bank or popularity or a job then your joy is not in Jesus. You see, joy that last forever is from the Lord. Everything in this world is temporary but everything in the Lord lasts forever.

If Jesus is your true source of joy then He is all you need. He satisfies your every longing.

Jesus wants to give you more than you can imagine. He wants to give you a life of complete joy. But the only way to experience joy is to trust in Him.

Don’t let worldly things consume your heart and mind. The devil is trying to steal from you. The devil wants to keep you from experiencing the benefits of the Lord. The devil wants you to live in fear and panic. But God wants you to be full of joy!

Is Jesus your Master and Savior? Praise Him today for who He is. Give thanks to the Lord for He alone is great. Does Jesus have your whole heart?

Pray

Lord, I pray that I never find joy from any other source than You. Fill my heart with gladness. Let Your light shine through me.