Pastor Stephen Dedman

Tag: jesus

Daily Devotional

Their Unbelief

Faith

Their Unbelief

And He (Jesus) did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭13:58‬ ‭

Daily Devotional

Despised And Rejected

Jesus returned to His hometown to teach and preach in the local synagogue.  After they heard Him, they discredited His wisdom by making statements like, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?”

Rather than opening their hearts and having faith, the people were skeptics and resistant.  Because they rejected Jesus, they were not able to see the great works and miracles that could have been done in that town.  Many people could have been healed and saved.  Some could have had new life by simply believing in Him.  Even more could have been forgiven of their sins.  That is tragic to hear that some people would reject the One who came to save the world.

Does your unbelief keep you from seeing the mighty works and miracles of Jesus?  Sometimes we are just like those people who were skeptical and resistant.  Sometimes we limit the power of God because of our unbelief.  Just like the people of Nazareth, we try to humanize the things of God.  Unbelief holds you back from witnessing the greatness of God.  It enables us to see God’s power and glory.  Unbelief hinders the work that God desires to do in you and through you.  Unbelief causes us to question His ability to do great things.  We should be like the father of the child in Mark 9:24 when he says, “I believe; help my unbelief!”

Prayer

Lord, I confess my unbelief and ask You to forgive me.  Help me to faithfully live out what I believe.  

Daily Devotional

Saved

Encouragement, Trust

Saved

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
‭‭I Corinthians‬ ‭1:18‬ ‭

Power of God

The message of the cross is all about Jesus Christ. It is a redemption story that will be retold for eternity, even in Heaven. The most amazing element of the message is love. Jesus endured the punishment of sin so that you would be set free. Set free from your bondage and guilt of sin.

For those who are spiritually blind and ignorant of the truth, it is foolishness. Paul was stating the fact that for some people the message of the cross is meaningless. Some people do not realize how much love God has for them. Even though God hates sin, He loves the sinner and wants to redeem him/her and bring them into a right relationship and fellowship with Him and the Saints of God.

However, for us who have been saved the message of the cross brings us power. The power of God is given to us through the Holy Spirit of God that reveals to us what it means to be saved. Being saved of our sins gives us freedom to live under grace and not by the Law. No one can keep the Law perfectly but everyone can experience the grace of God. It’s given and not earned. It is power to the Believer because we know the truth. The power of God is what makes us live confidently in this evil world. It produces boldness and courage for those who desire to please the Lord.

Prayer

Lord Father, we thank you for sending us Jesus to die in our place. We boldly confess You as King. Give us someone to share Your love and grace with.

You Who Seek The LORD

Encouragement, Faith, Trust

You Who Seek The LORD

Listen to Me, you who pursue righteousness, you who seek the LORD: look to the rock from which you were hewn, and to the quarry from which you were dug.
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭51:1‬ ‭

Where Do You Come From

The nation of Israel began with the faithfulness and obedience of Abraham.  For several generations God blessed the children of Israel by showing them favor and giving them prosperity.  God revealed Himself to many strong and spiritual leaders.  Men like Moses, Joshua, Elijah, Isaiah and Jeremiah witnessed some amazing things from God.

However, there are also some times in the Bible that we discover that people turned their back on God and served other gods.  The children of Israel missed out on the amazing things of God because they were not seeking Him first.  The Bible is full of history that details the events that took place when God’s people were not being blessed and were even taken captive by evil nations and evil kings.  It shows us how important it is to never fall away from trusting God and waiting on His promises.

Can you see the big picture of God’s redemption and grace?  You are an important person when it comes to God’s plan.  You may not think that you have any significance but for generations to come your faith can be spoken about through children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and more.  Think about your heritage and just ponder on the people who have made an impact on your life.  Our forefathers made a great difference in which we are reaping what they sowed both good and bad.  What are you doing or what can you start doing today that will make a difference in the lives that aren’t even born yet?  We can start with what we have right now.  Demonstrate righteousness and faithfulness today and watch what happens.

Prayer

Lord, thank you for making me part of Your great plan and giving me a purpose.  Help me to make a difference in the life of others today.