Pastor Stephen Dedman

Tag: daily devotional

Moving Forward

Encouragement

Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:13-14

Life is full of surprises and full of challenges. How we deal with the unexpected issues of our daily activities determines how view God. God allows us to encounter challenging circumstances for a reason.

The apostle Paul knew how to get through difficult situations by pressing forward. He understood that everything he faced was for a reason and had a purpose. Many of our struggles help us strengthen our faith in God and deepen our relationship with Him.

Instead of giving up we must step up. It’s easy to throw in the towel but it takes courage to keep pressing on. God encourages us to rely on Him for wisdom and understanding. With God all things are possible (Matthew 19:26).

Whatever your facing today just know that you are not facing it alone. As Christians we have everything we need through Jesus Christ. He gives us the strength to keep going and to overcome any new challenge or difficulty. Don’t ever think that you have to do it all on your own.

Jesus wants to be your Helper, Counselor and Savior. Trust Him for all things. Take on the attitude that Paul had and forget what has happened and reach forward to the things ahead. Press on! 

Pray

Lord, give me strength and courage today to do the things I must do. Help me to maintain an attitude that is pleasing unto You. Help me to keep my head up and my eyes on the prize.

Share The Good News

Encouragement

What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice,
Philippians 1:18

Is sharing Jesus with others a priority for you? When was the last time you shared with someone the grace and goodness of God?

The most important thing to Paul was that Christ needed to be proclaimed and exalted. Even when he was in prison, Paul was thinking of ways he could preach about Jesus. The only thing that brought him joy was proclaiming the grace of God.

Paul’s message was not always received in agreement. Many times he was stoned, beaten or rebuked for preaching the name of Jesus. But nothing stopped him from preaching Christ. He loved Jesus.

What’s keeping you from sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ today? We have so many resources at our fingertips yet we sometimes remain silent. Even in some churches, Christ is not preached! This ought not to be so. 

Paul was motivated by God’s grace. He was living proof of what God can do with a person who desires to be used by God. We should be just as eager as Paul to share the Good News of Jesus. 

Paul could have lost heart being imprisoned in Rome yet he rejoiced in his circumstances. He recognized that God was ordaining every situation of his life. Despite all of the negative circumstances, he kept rejoicing and proclaiming the saving name of Jesus.

Are you motivated by the love of Christ?

Pray

Lord, thank You for what You have called me to do. Help me to keep rejoicing and speaking Your great name. I pray that wherever You guide me today, I will tell others about You.

You Are Blessed

Encouragement

And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God:
Deuteronomy 28:2

When you are in good fellowship with God you don’t have to ask for His blessings because you already have them. Obedience puts you in a position to receive God’s best.

Just as you may enjoy blessing someone, God delights in blessing you in ways that you wouldn’t imagine. God’s blessings are right in the midst of your everyday life. 

For example, you could receive an encouraging message in the middle of a stressful day or you might receive a friendly phone call from a loved-one at the end of a long, hard day. You could check your mail and receive a card from someone who has been thinking of you or receive an unexpected sum of money just at the perfect time. 

Often times, God has a way of blessing us when we least expect it. He has a way of blowing our minds. Blessings come just in the nick of time as an expression of His love for us. He reminds us that He knows what is happening in our life.

Blessings are a result of obedience to God. When you walk closely with the Lord, you obey His commands and blessings come. When you are living in obedience to God’s Word, blessings will also come to those around you. 

Solomon enjoyed peace and prosperity during his reign as king, but his blessings came largely as a result of his father, David, walking closely with God. God promised Abraham that his obedience would bring blessings to all the inhabitants of the earth (Gen. 12:2-3).

We don’t need to take God’s blessings for granted. When you receive an unexpected blessing, thank God for His everlasting love and recognize the next time His blessings surprise you and overtake you!

Pray

Lord, I want to be close to You. I desire to be obedient to Your commands and submit to Your will and way. Let my obedience to You also bless someone else so that they may see Your glory.