Pastor Stephen Dedman

Tag: daily devotional

Praise The Lord

Encouragement

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Psalm 150:6

It is estimated that the average person takes an average of 23,000 breaths a day. Every breath you take is important. If you were to stop breathing… death is near.

Breathing is not something you have to think about unless you are having a hard time breathing. Our lungs naturally inhale and exhale and most of the time we don’t even notice the action.

Here is the point of today’s message. We are given 23,000 opportunities to praise the Lord. We should praise God for every breath He gives us.

Let’s praise the Lord for every breath we take and with every breath let’s praise the Lord!

Do you praise the Lord 23,000 times a day? With the mindset of praising God for giving us our next breath we can. But don’t wait until you can’t breathe to be thankful for each breath.

Take a deep breath right now and consider what happens when your lungs fill with air (oxygen) and you exhale the converted air (carbon dioxide). The 3 to 5 seconds that it took to breathe in and breathe out is amazing. The oxygen you inhale contains vital nutrients for blood to carry nutrients throughout your body to live.

Interestingly enough, you exhale carbon dioxide that provides sufficient nutrients for plants to survive. And in return plants give off oxygen for humans to survive. God works in mysterious ways!

How many times you can praise the Lord today?

Pray

Lord, thank You for every breath I take. Thank You for the clean air that I breathe and the plants that provide oxygen for me to breathe. Help me to realize that every breath I take matters and is an opportunity to praise You.

Remember The Cross

Encouragement

For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
1 Corinthians 1:18

Most all of our problems are due to sin. Some of our problems cause us great suffering. But sometimes our problems are so severe they can lead to death. 

We all have somewhat similar problems. However, some of us have more serious problems than others. But praise Jesus, there’s a great promise given to us from the Scriptures. 

The message of the cross is the power of God for us who are being saved. What that means is the cross that Jesus died on was a burden that Jesus overcame for you. It was for your sin, which causes problems. The cost has been paid. And it’s been paid in full. 

The next time you think about a problem you are facing just think about the cross. Think about the cross and the victory that Jesus had on the cross. 

The message of the cross is that Jesus defeated sin and conquered death. This means that Satan will not and cannot have any power over us as Christians. Jesus has all the power! 

Your problem is never too big for God. Don’t let your problems of this world get the best of you when God gave His best for you. 

Pray

Lord, there is no problem that I have that you can’t handle. Take my worries away. Take my burdens away. Let me focus on what you want me to be focused on today. 

Encouragement

For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.
John 6:38

After Jesus fed the 5,000 men He gave a discourse about the Bread of Life. He wanted people to know that He was sent from God to do the will of the Father. He wanted them to know He was the Messiah, the Christ, in the flesh.

Jesus wanted to show His followers He could provide all their needs, from bodily sickness to spiritual brokenness of the soul. He used the natural to illustrate spiritual truths and miracles to demonstrate His power.

Many refused to believe in Jesus until He performed a miracle. They were seeking Him to satisfy their earthly appetites while He was trying to satisfy their spiritual poverty. He told them, “you have seen Me and yet do not believe.” (John 6:36)

May we never get caught up in trusting Jesus to solely meet our earthly desires only to miss out on the spiritual blessings that satisfy our soul. Just as we need bread and water to survive, we need Jesus for eternal life and joy. We never need to be so focussed on our earthly problems that we forfeit the joy and peace that Jesus brings into our life. 

Do you trust Jesus to meet your needs? If so, why do you worry? 

Do you believe Jesus can give you life and life more abundantly? If so, why not seek Him for spiritual blessings that nothing on this earth can satisfy.

Pray

Lord, thank You for sending Jesus to come and accomplish Your will on this earth. Keep me from earthly appetites and carnal desires so that I can be filled with the spiritual blessings from Heaven.