Pastor Stephen Dedman

Tag: jesus

A New Year

Salvation

And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t.
Romans 7:18

It’s a new day and a fresh new year! The question at hand is, “What does God desire to accomplish in and through me this year?”

Many people are asking God what they can do for Him, but more importantly we should be asking God what He wants to accomplish through us. This life is much more than just what we can do for God. It’s about what He can do in and through us.

God does not need us, but He chooses us. He desires to use people to display His image and glory. People need to see the love of God in us so they can know Him.

Paul says that nothing good dwells in us, that which is in the flesh. The flesh is never good enough to please God. It’s only through the righteousness of Jesus that we are found righteous before God.

So instead of striving to do something good for God, let’s allow God to do something good in and through us for His glory.

Set your mind on the things of God.

Pray

Lord, I praise You for taking away my sin. Help me to keep my sinful nature dead and the new nature alive in You. Thank You for doing a good work through me.

No Room In The Inn

Encouragement

And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
Luke 2:7

We have the Christmas story of what took place when Jesus was born. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit through a virgin named Mary. He was born in a small farming village called Bethlehem. And He was wrapped in swaddling cloths and laid in a feeding trough.

What we don’t have is the story of what took place in heaven when Jesus came to earth. We must remember that Jesus left His eternal glory in heaven and came to a place that was limited to time, space and matter. In heaven, Jesus was not constrained to time, space, or matter.

Hebrews 10:5 says, “Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: ‘Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body You have prepared for Me.'” God the Father prepared and used a mortal body for Jesus to live through that could be used to identify with humanity.

As God-Man, Jesus experienced sufferings, encountered sorrows, and endured sin but knew no sin. He identified Himself with us. There is nothing that we face that Jesus didn’t face. He can sympathize with us.

Whatever you are facing today just know that Jesus cares. He cares about your sorrows, your pains, your sufferings, and even your sins. He cared so much about them that He laid down His life so that you didn’t have to. Because of Jesus we can live a victorious life.

Pray

Lord, You know what I am facing and what I am feeling today. I lay my burdens at Your feet. Help me to live victoriously in Your name.

Wise Men Seek Jesus

Salvation

And when they [the wise men] had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Matthew 2:11

Wise men still seek Jesus! Isn’t that a fascinating quote? Looking back 2,000 years ago, there were some wise men seeking the truth.

When they saw the star in the East, they followed it until it brought them to the place where the young Child, Jesus, was living. They risked their lives to get to Jesus, but they had a longing to see Him.

They came bearing gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Gold, symbolizing His royalty; frankincense, His deity; myrrh, His death. Although an unusual gift for a young child, myrrh was used to embalm the dead.

Of course the myrrh foreshadowed Jesus’ death and burial. We are not sure if the wise men actually understood it but God appointed it. It was just something else for Mary to ponder in her heart.

When the wise men saw Jesus they fell down and worshipped Him. They knew they had met the God-Man, the Messiah. And they gave their best gifts.

We don’t have to risk our lives nor do we need to travel through deserts to find Jesus. All we have to do is open our hearts and let Him come in. It was no accident that the wise men found Jesus. It’s also no accident that you found Jesus.

God has a specific way of bringing people to Jesus. Will you be the light (the star) that leads someone to find Jesus?

Pray

Lord, use me to bring people to You. Let every word and action be pure and holy. Forgive me of my sins and restore my joy and fellowship with You.