Pastor Stephen Dedman

Tag: faith

Be Strong And Do Not Fear

Encouragement

Say to those who are fearful-hearted, “Be strong, do not fear! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, With the recompense of God; He will come and save you.”
Isaiah 35:4

Isaiah prophesied about a time of judgment that would bring the nation to their knees but then God would strengthen them, raise them up, and save them. The people of Judah had committed adultery against God but God wanted to reveal His love to them.

Always remember God only chastises those whom He loves. He straightens our crooked paths and puts us back on track. He does this because He wants what is best for us. 

Hebrews 12:12-13 says, “Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.”The writer of Hebrews quoted Isaiah 35 while driving home the point that after God’s chastisement there is hope and healing. 

Just like ancient Judah, we need hope and healing in our country today. We need God-fearing believers to be strong and courageous. We strengthen ourselves when we walk closely with the Lord.

Even in our present trials we have the hope of Jesus Christ to help us overcome our fearful hearts. The hope that we have is in the confidence that God will save us and redeem us.

Are you progressing in your walk with the Lord today? Are you strengthening yourself in the Father’s love? God is actively seeking you to do His great work.

Pray

Lord, I need your strength today to do fulfill Your great will. Help me to overcome my fears and failures with Your hope and healing. Help me to encourage others to progress in their Christian walk as well.

He Will Give You What You Need

Encouragement

He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things?
‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:32‬

Paul asked: “If God gave us His Son, then will He not give us everything else He promised us?”  

How do we know if God’s goodness and love are going to be given to us?  To answer that question we must understand that If God has given us His Son, then He will give us everything else we need. 

In Genesis 22, in the Old Testament story of Abraham offering his son Isaac, God asked Abraham to sacrifice his own son. The Bible says Abraham did not spare his only son. Of course, God intervened at the last second and provided a ram for the sacrifice.  

That was a picture of what Jesus Christ would do one day on that same mountain range of Moriah when God would send His only Son, the Lamb of God, to take away the sins of the world.  Paul was essentially saying, “If God was willing to do that for us, then why wouldn’t He do anything and everything else for us?”

God did not send His own Son into the world because we were good people.  Jesus came to die for us because of our sinfulness.   That’s what makes God’s gift of salvation that much more wonderful.  

The Bible says that while we were sinners, God sent His Son to die for us.  If while we were sinners, God sent His best and most costly gift, and now that we are His children, don’t you think He will give us everything else?  If God gave you His greatest gift while you were His enemy, what is He going to withhold from you now?  Nothing!

Thank God for giving you everything you need. He loves you too much to not meet your needs.

Pray

Lord, thank You for giving me the best gift I could ever receive. Your love and grace gives me peace and comfort.

We Have Promises

Encouragement

Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.
2 Corinthians 7:1

Our acceptance by God is on the basis of grace through faith. We can’t earn it and we definitely don’t deserve it. God offers His righteousness so that we may be accepted through His Son, Jesus Christ. That’s grace!

Paul told the Philippian jailer, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved…” (Acts 16:31) There was nothing that he needed to do but believe and receive. Grace secures our position in Christ as being right with God. 

Paul ultimately says in today’s verse, “Since we have been given grace we work toward complete holiness because we desire to honor God.” We honor God when we are practicing holiness. The day that we accepted Christ as Savior, our sins were forgiven but it doesn’t mean we are sinless. 

Everyday we grow and mature in our faith. Our lives reflect what we believe. Are you working towards holiness? Are you becoming more like Christ? 

The good news is that as a Christ follower, you have already been accepted by God. The pressure is off in regards to living a perfect life.

When God looks at you He sees the perfection and righteousness of Jesus in you. In return, we desire to please Him in everything we do and say. We work out what God has worked in you through His power and grace.

Pray

Lord, I desire to please You with my life. Thank you for giving me the free gift of grace. I strive to live my life holy unto You.