Pastor Stephen Dedman

Tag: God

Standing Before The Throne of God

Salvation, Trust

“After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands,”
‭‭Revelation‬ ‭7:9‬

Can you imagine a crowd of people so large that couldn’t be numbered? The largest stadium in the U.S. is Michigan Stadium, nicknamed the “The Big House”.  The seating capacity is 107,601. Even though that is a large crowd, everyone can be counted.

When Jesus miraculously fed the 5,000 men there may have been a larger crowd of about 20,000 people including the women and children. The Scripture says they sat in groups of 50.

The multitude that John saw in his vision around the throne of God was not able to be counted by man. However don’t forget that God knows how many stars are in the sky and the hair on our heads are numbered. 

What makes today’s verse so special is the correlation of Gods promise to Abraham in Genesis 12:2, “And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.”‭‭

And later when Abraham was seeking God for a son the Bible says, “And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.“” Genesis‬ ‭15:5‬ ‭ESV‬‬

That great promise of God is fulfilled in Revelation 7:9. John sees the great multitude of saints around the throne of God. What a great sight to behold!

It should excite us to know that one day soon we will be standing around the throne of God. We will be clothed in white robes and singing praises to Jesus. Read verses 9-12 and try to imagine what a glorious day that will be when Jesus we shall see. God is faithful and true to keep His promises.

Pray

Lord, we thank you for promising us an eternity in Heaven with You. Give us the vision and mindset of Heaven so we can take our eyes off this world.

God Is Good To Those Who Wait

Faith, Trust

“The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, To the soul who seeks Him.”
‭‭Lamentations‬ ‭3:25‬

Jeremiah was a prophet who preached the Word of God to an ungrateful people. They mocked him and ridiculed his sermons. No wonder Jeremiah was considered the weeping prophet.

While he preached the need for God’s grace, his fellow Israelites searched for other people and other things to satisfy their soul. They gave up on God because He didn’t answer their prayers instantaneously.

Needless to say it didn’t turn out so well when they started worshipping other gods and turned their back on God. Their punishment came in the form of captivity and removal from their land for 70 years.

Jeremiah penned these words, “The Lord is good to those who wait on Him.” This is a verse that many of us should write on a sticky note and put it somewhere it will remind us to wait on the Lord.

If you are like me, sometimes it’s difficult to wait patiently on the Lord. When we pray we want God to answer immediately. But sometimes it’s best for us to wait on the Lord.

When we pray and God doesn’t answer immediately, we must not give up. We must keep praying and keep seeking Him. It’s natural for us to think that God either isn’t listening to our prayers, He doesn’t care, or that He is punishing us. God hears our prayers and will answer in His timing.

Good things come to those who wait on the Lord. Don’t get impatient with God. He knows all things. He’s working all things for His glory.

He has a plan and His plans are much better than ours. When we take matters into our own hands, destruction will happen and things will fall apart. Some of us know first hand what happens when we act as if we are God and take control. It doesn’t turn out so good does it?

Keep praying and keep seeking the will of God. He will ultimately come through at the perfect time. He is not limited to time or resources and will do mighty things for those who remain faithful.

Pray

Lord, I seek You for all things. I have faith that You will answer my prayers at the right time. Give me courage to wait on You.

What Has God Done For You?

Encouragement

‘For You, Lord , have made me glad through Your work; I will triumph in the works of Your hands.’
Psalms 92:4

The New Living Translation says, “You thrill me, Lord, with all You have done for me!” The psalmist unashamedly proclaimed how God’s wonderful works made him glad. God delights in making us glad.

What has God done for you lately? It doesn’t take long to inventory the blessings that God has graciously given to us. Sometimes we just need to pause for a minute and reflect on all that the Lord has done for us.

It’s easy to get caught up in the negativity of the world and only ponder the bad things that are happening around us. So just stop what you are doing and think about the good that God has done and watch how He makes you glad.

With gratitude and thankfulness we praise the Lord. God gets all the honor and glory. This is what delights the heart of God. God is glorified when we “triumph in the works of His hands.” Those who are thrilled by God have a vibrant sense of joy. They easily sing unto the Lord.

Don’t ever be ashamed to speak up and speak out for the wonderful things that God has done. We need to hear more testimonies of how God is working and moving in the lives of His people. We need to hear about the good things that God is doing and how He is working all things out.

Pray

Lord, You thrill me everyday. Every breath I take and every moment I live is for your glory. Use me today to make a difference in someone’s life.