Pastor Stephen Dedman

Tag: faith

Jesus Is Coming Soon

Encouragement

For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
‭‭I Thessalonians‬ ‭5‬:‭9‬


In the 5th chapter of 1 Thessalonians, Paul begins writing about the end times. He says the Lord will return like a thief in the night. He warns Christians to be aware of what is happening.

If we take a close look at the events taking place in the world today I think we would all agree that the end is very near. There are some bizarre things happening all around us.

After the rapture of the church, the world will witness the wrath of God. It will be a series of bad events when the Tribulation occurs. The world has never witnessed the difficulties, distress, and disasters that are going to occur.

Praise God, He has provided a way out of experiencing His wrath and anger. He sent His Son, Jesus, to give us the free gift of Salvation. God wants to protect His children from wrath.

If we truly believe Jesus is coming soon, we should warn others. Paul says to encourage one another with these things. The best encouragement we can witness is the fact that Jesus saves.

It’s our duty and responsibility to encourage others with the truth of God. Think about the people you will encounter today and encourage them with the truth that Jesus is coming soon.

Pray

Lord, thank you for saving me and giving me eternal life. Help me to encourage others to see the light of Jesus. Help me to grow in faith.

It’s Time To Repent

Encouragement

Now it happened, when the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, that he tore his clothes.
II Kings 22:11

Does your heart ache when you sin against God? It is amazing how so many people believe that as long as they don’t feel that something is bad, then it must not be bad. As long as they feel okay about it, they will continue to do it. And as long as God does not deal with them immediately, it must be okay.

Josiah was very young (8 years old) when he became king over Judah. Peace, prosperity, and reform characterized his 31-year reign. At the age of 26, Josiah began the process to repair the temple after it had been desecrated by Manasseh, who built pagan altars and images inside it. 

During the renovation, a copy of the Book of Law (possibly the Book of Deuteronomy ) was found. The high priest informed Josiah of the discovery and read from it to him. In response, Josiah became distressed and tore his robe. He was troubled over hearing what God required of His people as he compared that with how far they had departed from His will.

Josiah feared the anger of the Lord and wanted the people of Judah to repent. Such a response was shocking to the people and reveals that they had not consulted the word of God for a very long time. They had fallen away from God and from His commands.

Those who do not fear God will not fear sin. There is a direct relationship between a high view of God and a high view of sin. A low view of God will bring a low view of sin. When there is no fear of God there is no fear of sin.

Pray

Lord, I survey my life and ask You to convict me of any sin that may be unconfessed. Reveal to me Your will and way so that I may know the path of righteousness.

He Knows My Name

Encouragement

And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him, and said to him, “Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house.”
Luke 19:5

Have you ever considered how big our world is? It makes us look really small in comparison. It also makes us feel really small. We can’t even imagine what lies beyond what telescopes cannot magnify.

In the Bible story about Zacchaeus, we can imagine what he felt as he climbed up into a tree to see Jesus walk by. Zacchaeus was not a popular person nor did he consider himself special. But when Jesus walked by, stopped and looked at him, everything changed in the blink of an eye.

Jesus called him by name and called him out of the tree so He could spend the afternoon with him. We know that it changed his life because after his encounter with Jesus he began giving money to the poor and refunding those he overcharged.

Before meeting Jesus, Zacchaeus was hated by everyone. But after receiving the free gift of salvation, he was a friend of everyone. Jesus changed his world and gave him a new life.

As we remember this amazing story, it would be advantageous for us to realize that Jesus knows everything about us. He knows our past, future, and what we face right now. When we encounter Jesus, He can change our life for His glory.

You may think that the Lord doesn’t care or isn’t listening to your prayers but He is. You may think that He has other things to be concerned about rather than your life, but He doesn’t. He is inviting you to spend quality time with Him today.

Pray

Lord, make me feel Your presence today. Let me know that You are doing something special in my life. Help me to never forget how much You love me.