Pastor Stephen Dedman

Tag: devotion

A Good Conscience

Encouragement, Faith

A Good Conscience

Then Paul, looking earnestly at the council, said, “Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.”
Acts 23:1

A Clean Slate

If you remember the life of Saul before the Lord changed his name to Paul, you will remember how he was persecuting the church and killing Christians.  He was not considered a good person in our perspective.  But here in this verse Paul says to the Sanhedrin council, “I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.”  How could he say such a profound statement?

Paul knew his past was not good.  But he also knew that he had received God’s forgiveness and grace.   Even though he had previously acted out violent persecutions against Christians, he was a new person in Christ.  He always used his testimony to show people how Jesus changed his life.  So Paul could honestly stand before the council and declare that he had a good and clear conscience before God.  His slate was clean and he was cleared from all unrighteousness.

That is a great way to live.  We should all seek to live before God with a good conscience.  The only way you can effectively do so is to confess your sins and turn from all evil.  A problem occurs when we confess our sin but keep doing the same sinful things.  We are to confess, repent, and turn away from repeating the same sins.  The only way to receive a good conscience before God is to be clean and free from sin.  Paul was able to let the past stay in the past and live in the present for the Lord.  Is there any sin in your life that is troubling your soul and keeping you from having peace with God? Confess and repent today.

Prayer

Pray and ask God to reveal any unconfessed sin and repent from it today.

The Judgment Seat

Encouragement, Trust

The Judgment Seat

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.
2 Corinthians 5:10

Standing Before Christ

There are many things that motivate us as Christians to live a life that is pleasing to God.  Possibly one of the most important is the fact that one day we all will give an account of our life to Christ.  We will not have to report what we did or did not do because Jesus knows all things.  Neither will there be any reasons to give excuses for our life here on Earth.  As the Scripture says, we will receive what is due for what we did while we were in our mortal bodies.

Paul was motivated by this truth and desired to please God with all his might.  The idea of standing before Christ gave him an expected urgency to obey the small still voice of God.  The Holy Spirit guides us to do the will of God.  That is why Paul says that it is important be controlled by the Spirit of God and no other thing or person.  Paul’s ministry was pleasing to the Lord.  He was not perfect but he strived to live everyday for the Lord.  His actions and words were living proof that Jesus was His master and Lord.

The promise that we receive as true Believers in Christ is found in Romans 8:1, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”  The blood sacrifice of Jesus paid for our sin once and for all to give us eternal life in Heaven but we will still stand before Christ to receive our just reward for the things done good and bad.

Prayer

Lord, Thank you for dying on the cross for me and my sins.  Give me strength to live courageously for You as I strive to please only You.

I Am With You

Encouragement, Trust

I Am With You

Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭41:10‬

His Presence Is Everything

This is a verse we all should memorize and keep close to our hearts.  Whenever you feel that God may not be listening, remember this promise.  Or when you feel you just can’t make it another day, know that God is still there.  When you just cannot do it, He will.  He holds everything together in the palm of His hand.

The truth of this great verse is found in the promise of His presence. We never know what we may encounter from day to day, but we can count on God being right here with us.  If we have fear, His presence is all we need.  If we are without understanding, His wisdom surrounds us.  When we are lacking, He fills us with His love.  The power of His presence is overwhelming when we realize how close He is.  God is not far away.  As a Christian, He is living inside of you.  He wants to be part of your life.

We should seek and desire His presence everyday.  Moses said to God in Exodus 33:15, “If Your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here.”  Moses didn’t want to make a move until he knew God was going with them.  Moses was so use to seeking His presence that He would be lost without it. That should be our same attitude and desire.  God’s presence is the most important thing we know.  The Holy Spirit is God’s presence.

Prayer

Praise Him out loud by saying or singing, “You are my strength, You are my help, You are my God!”