Pastor Stephen Dedman

Tag: grace

Joy Leads To Encouragement

Encouragement

Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord!
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭31:24‬ ‭

We all get discouraged from time to time.  Discouragement is the opposite of encouragement.  If you find yourself discouraged today then today’s Scripture is just for you.

Many people throughout the Bible were discouraged at some point in time.  Elijah experienced a great mountaintop revival and then wanted to die.  

Discouragement is rooted in the fact that things didn’t turn out the way we had planned. We all like good results but sometimes we must endure the hardships which build character in our lives.

The cure for discouragement is quite simple.  You must realize that joy comes from a relationship with God through Jesus.  Joy leads to encouragement.

Be on guard!  Once you have great joy, Satan will desire to steal it away from you. Watch out for the people or things that come after your joy and the things you love.  

Spending time with God will give you the best encouragement.  No one ever comes into the presence of God and walks away discouraged.  God fills our life with peace and hope.

Showing mercy and kindness towards others will encourage your spirit as well.  Forgive those who have wronged you and you will begin to be encouraged.  

Protect your joyful heart, produce faith by spending time alone with God, and practice forgiveness as often as you can.

Pray

Lord, when I am discouraged, help me to find time to spend with You.  Give me faith to see the impossible and a heart to love others the same as You do.

Rejoicing In His Salvation

Trust

And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord ; It shall rejoice in His salvation.
Psalms 35:9

Do people believe that the most important thing to you is God?  It’s one thing to say that God is the most important thing; it’s another to prove it.

We must celebrate God in front of everyone we know.  We should never hide the fact that we belong to Jesus.  People should hear you speak about the One who gives you life and life eternal.

Do you take your relationship with God serious?  If you say yes, how much time do you spend with Him?  More importantly though, would God say you take your relationship with Him serious?

David took his relationship with God very serious.  He promised that his entire being would be given to honor God.  He truly celebrated and rejoiced in knowing God.

It makes a difference when we can rejoice in His salvation.  It’s not our salvation.  Salvation belongs to God and is given to us through the blood of Jesus Christ.  That is something to celebrate about!

When you know you are saved and redeemed you can’t help but let others know it.  You can’t hide it under a bushel.  Let the whole world know who you belong to.

Pray

Lord, I praise You and honor You as my Lord and Master.  Give me courage to never be ashamed to tell others that I love You.  May my life prove that love You more than anything in my life.

A Life Worth Living

Encouragement

Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
John 15:4

It’s important to understand our position in Christ. As we understand our position it will make a difference in how we live out our daily lives.

When we place our trust in Jesus for the forgiveness of our sins, our standing before God changes. We are no longer guilty because Jesus set us free. We went from prisoner to priesthood in the fraction of a second.

Because of the grace and goodness of God, our standing or position is affirmed through the work of Christ. We don’t deserve it nor can we earn it. Jesus satisfied the requirements of God.

The riches of God’s grace gives us a purpose for living. We have a new hope that one day we will be in the presence of God for eternity. Living in Christ makes for a more joyful experience in this life.

Some people consider their accomplishments as a standard of position. For example, if I work hard and earn a lot of money then I can be a person of worth and wealth. Sadly, money will never satisfy our longing of joy.

Jesus makes our life worth living. Being in Christ and abiding in Him satisfies our need of belonging. Everyone has a longing to belong to something. When we find our joy in belonging to Christ, we will live in the understanding of being in Him.

Pray

Lord, You make my life complete. You give me strength and comfort to face each and every circumstance I face. Help me to stay on purpose with Your will.