Pastor Stephen Dedman

Tag: jesus

It’s Time To Walk

Encouragement

Jesus told him, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!” Instantly, the man was healed! He rolled up his sleeping mat and began walking!
‭‭John‬ ‭5:8-9‬

As Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem, He was met by a paralyzed man who had been crippled for 38 years. This man went down to the pool of Bethesda everyday with the hopes that he would have an opportunity to be healed. 

Tradition holds that when the water in the pool started to bubble or stir, whoever was the first in the pool would be healed. The problem this man faced was he needed someone to assist him into the water. Little did he know the “Living Water” had come to him. 

The day Jesus came walking by changed this man’s life forever. Jesus asked him if he wanted to be healed. The man replied with the excuse we all would use, “I can’t.” 

He said to Jesus, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.” (John‬ ‭5:7‬) Immediately Jesus commanded him to stand up, pick up his mat, and walk. 

Can you imagine the thoughts that were going through this man’s mind? He had never walked a day in his life. And if he was able to get up and walk he wouldn’t need help getting into the pool. 

Jesus instructed this man to stand up and quit making excuses. He was ultimately saying, all you need is Me!

This man had to be willing to get up. He had to be willing to take the first step. He had to be willing to try. He had to quit giving reasons why he couldn’t do something and have faith in Jesus. 

Sometimes things happen to us that keep us paralyzed from receiving a blessing from God. But we can’t let those things stop us from being blessed by God.

Some of the best blessings we can receive are brought forth because of our faith in Jesus. Yes, we may fall but Jesus will catch us. Yes, we may stumble but Jesus is there to help us. 

We may even go a wrong direction but Jesus is there to redirect our steps. Are you coming up with excuses of why you can’t do something? Stop giving excuses and get up and walk. Are you willing to overcome the fear that crippling you and fall into the arms of Jesus?

Pray

Lord, I don’t know all the how’s, where’s, why’s, or when’s but I know you will be with me through it all. Give me the willpower to stand up and walk in faith. 

Dealing With Distractions

Encouragement

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
Hebrews 12:1

Do you have any distractions in your life? Who doesn’t, right? The devil desires to keep us distracted so that we aren’t aligned with the will of God. 

When we allow distractions to overcome us we allow our minds and hearts to stray from God’s plan and purpose. To stay on course means we must guard ourselves from becoming distracted. Most of the time we aren’t even aware that it is happening. 

The New Living Translation says, “let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.” (Hebrews 12:1b) This terminology helps us to see that anything that weighs us down, especially sin, will keep us from achieving the perfect will of God. 

We need to “strip off” whatever is distracting us. What distraction is keeping you from being one with God?

Our relationship with God through Jesus Christ should be the most important relationship in our life. Jesus said the most important commandment is to love God with all of our hearts, soul, and mind and then we are to love others. 

When our hearts are focussed on God and the things of God we will do what God expects. Is Your heart in the right place?

It’s easy to get distracted when we are weighted down with sin. When we focus on holiness, we stray from sin and other distractions.

Pray

Lord, forgive me and keep me from sin. I confess my sin to You. Give me strength to stay the course and keep myself holy and pure.

Be On Your Guard

Encouragement

And he (Jesus) said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭12:15‬ 

Many people foolishly believe that what matters most in life is how much they own. It may be money or things that can be acquired. The misunderstanding comes from thinking that having more of what we desire will make us content. But according to the Bible, only God can satisfy our every need. 

It’s so easy for us to direct our attention toward earthly pursuits and lose our eternal perspective. Worldly ways produce greedy and covetous attitudes. But Jesus taught the things of this world will all pass away while the things of Heaven are eternal and more meaningful. 

Jesus made it very clear that His Kingdom is not based upon fleshly desires or the pursuit of pleasures. If we were to be honest, we all desire a life of luxury and ease. Even the people that Jesus ministered to had the same desires. 

We are encouraged to be on guard against covetousness and greed.  Jesus said, “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Mark‬ ‭8:36‬)

If we spend our life focused on the things of this world and coveting the things we don’t have, we are wasting our life. The life that we lose here will be rewarded with much gain in Heaven. Jesus said to “lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.” (Matthew‬ ‭6:20‬) 

Our life does not consist in the abundance of our possessions but of the treasures that we have stored up in Heaven. 

Pray

Lord, keep me from selfish desires and envying what others may have. Help me to live for Christ today and produce fruit that proves I belong to You.