Pastor Stephen Dedman

Tag: jesus

Enjoy His Presence

Encouragement

But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”
Luke 10:41-42

It’s easy to lose sight of the things that are most important in life especially when there are distractions. We all struggle from time to time with keeping our focus on what matters the most. 

Jesus said there was only one thing that is necessary, one thing important, but very few of us operate our lives like that’s true. Sometimes urgency of life robs us of the one thing that is most important.

Mary shows us in this story of her encounter with Jesus in Luke 10:38-42 what that most important thing is. Two sisters, Mary and Martha, along with their brother, Lazarus, offer hospitality to Jesus as they host Him in their home. Luke tells us that Mary is sitting at Jesus’ feet, soaking in His presence and His words.

On the contrary, Martha is preoccupied with the busyness of cooking, cleaning, and hosting. She is running around making sure everything is prepared and ready for a big meal. She got so busy that she ended up missing out on the most important thing.

Listen to what Jesus told Martha, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things! Calm down! There is only one thing necessary.” 

Today, do the one thing that is necessary. Put everything on pause or mute for a few minutes and be still. Sit and listen to the words of Jesus and enjoy His presence. Be like Mary, you won’t regret it.

Pray

Lord, I want to be in Your presence today. Fill my heart and soul with joy and give me peace. Allow me time to spend with You today.

Time To Worship

Trust

I will sing to the LORD, Because He has dealt bountifully with me.
‭Psalms‬ ‭13:6‬

David expressed his joy by singing to the Lord. He was overwhelmed with joy from meditating on the fact that God had given him salvation. He knew he was saved and rejoiced in it. Singing to God increased his joy even more. 

David used singing to overcome negative thoughts and emotions. When he felt depressed he would sing. If he felt burdened he sang to the Lord. Singing and praising the Lord was his way of coping with the difficulties he faced.

As David reflected on his life he couldn’t help but notice how good God was to him. God was always there for him no matter what he was facing. Do you have a reason to rejoice unto the Lord? 

If you have received the free gift of salvation, you have a reason to sing. If you know your sins (past, present, and future) are forgiven, you have a reason to sing. If you know your eternal home is in Heaven, you have a reason to shout! 

God gave us Jesus so we could rejoice and be glad. Jesus gives us hope for a bright future. When we think about how good God is and how good He has been to us it should put a song in our heart. 

David began Psalm 13 with thinking that God had forgotten about him. He was feeling abandoned and all alone but by the last verse he was rejoicing and was glad. 

When you are feeling down just meditate on the goodness of God. If you feel depressed or overwhelmed with despair think about what good things God has done for you. It won’t take long before your sorrow turns to joy. 

Rejoice in the Lord and be glad today. Put a smile on your face and a song on your lips. Let others around you know how good God is. Let them join you in singing to the Lord. 

Pray

Lord, thank you for giving me Jesus. Thank you for forgiving me of my sins. Thank you for giving me eternal life in Heaven. 

Fall Into The Hand Of God

Encouragement

It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Hebrews 10:31

A proper fear of God drives us to obey Him by believing the gospel. Did you know that there are many who profess to be Christians and still reject parts of the Word of God?  

Some believers do not accept the biblical revelation or the reality of hell. The Bible makes it clear that hell is real and God’s ultimate wrath is real.  

Sadly, sometimes people are scared into salvation for the sole purpose of escaping an eternal torment in hell. Fire and brimstone preaching such as Jonathan Edwards awakens the sinner at the core concept of judgment but essentially salvation is the free gift of God’s grace and mercy.

It is a frightening concept that we each fall into the hands of God. It is something that we should be concerned about, but not dread. God wants us to know how much He really loves us and cares for us. And when we abide in His love daily we discover that life can actually be very pleasant. Sure we live in a evil, fallen world but we don’t have to dread it.

If God is your enemy it can be a fearful thing to fall into His hands. However, if we are a friend of God, it is a wondrous thing to fall into the hands of a living God who loves us. We serve a God who deserves our worship and respect. With this concept in mind, living for Jesus becomes an awesome opportunity.

Pray

Lord, I give You my life and my will for You to do as You please. I will live for You today and be a witness to those who need to put faith in You. Help me to point people to You in everything I do.