Pastor Stephen Dedman

God’s Presence

And he said to him, “If your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here.”
‭‭Exodus‬ ‭33:15‬

There are many people today who are not concerned about the presence of God.  They are not concerned if God is with them personally or in their church.  It is alarming to know how many people claim to be Christian but are not concerned with God’s presence.  

Moses was concerned with God’s presence.  He didn’t want to go into the Promise Land if God was not going with them.  Moses said he would rather stay in the wilderness with God rather than be in a land flowing with milk and honey and be without the Him. Moses couldn’t imagine living life without God’s presence.

We should be praying daily that we are aligning our life with the way that God desires for us to live.  We make life choices everyday but are we seeking God’s way?  Too many times we exclude God from our lives.  We often make the mistake of doing things that we think we should and never ask God if it is what we should be doing.

God’s presence is powerful and brings peace into our lives.  Without God’s presence we will face many turmoils and disturbances that will cause us to lose sight of God’s big picture.

Do you sense the presence of God where you are right now?

Pray

Lord, mold me to make me what You want me to be.  Plant my feet on solid ground and move me to where You want me to be.

Are You A Leader?

“Then Moses turned to the Lord and said, “O Lord, why have you done evil to this people? Why did you ever send me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has done evil to this people, and you have not delivered your people at all.””
Exodus‬ ‭5:22-23‬

If you are in any type of leadership you know the weight and responsibilities that come with the position. People under your leadership need to know that you are mindful and cautious in every decision you make.

As a leader you are responsible no matter what happens. People rely on leaders, but people don’t always respect their decisions. Part of being in leadership is knowing that you must make the decision and live with what happens next.

Good leaders aren’t always the most popular people. They lead the best they know how and do what they think is right. But most importantly, every leader must lead with courage. 

Moses knew the burdensome of leadership when God appointed him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt and out of slavery. Moses did as God instructed but Pharaoh resisted and punished the people even more severely. Moses was distraught. He didn’t understand why God was not following through with His part.

At first Moses was the bad guy in the eyes of the Israelites. However, Moses stood courageous and confident in the Lord’s power. Good leaders exercise courage.  

The definition of courage is: the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc., without fear; bravery. Moses didn’t think he could be a good leader but God wanted to use his weaknesses to display His power. Moses led according to God’s Word. And that my friend takes courage. 

It takes courage to stand for what is right, to face your enemy, to rise above evil, and to call out wickedness. God will never ask you to do something He will not equip you to do. He will use you to display His power and glory. God just wants you to be a courageous leader!

What are some of the decisions you have made or having to make that are not very popular with other people? Do your decisions point people to Jesus? Does your leadership reflect the character of God?

Be strong and courageous!

Pray

Lord, I know you will give me the power and wisdom to do what you’ve called me to do. I trust you to use me any way I can be used. Give me courage and boldness. 

Daily Devotional

The Lord Will Fight For You

The Lord Will Fight For You

The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.
‭‭Exodus‬ ‭14:14

Daily Devotional

Crossing Over Dry Land

Moses was leading the Israelites out from Egyptian bondage. They were approaching the Red Sea and thought they were all going to die. Either Pharoah and his army would pursue them or they would drown in the Red Sea. They were at a point of no return and nowhere to go. It was at that point God provided a way as He instructed Moses to take his staff and touch the waters. Then the waters parted and they walked across on dry ground. After crossing over the Red Sea they looked back and watched their enemies be consumed by the waters.

The greatest part of this victory was that the people remained silent. They didn’t have to do anything but walk forward.  God provided a way and protected them through the flowing waters. God also defeated their enemies that would not leave them alone. The Red Sea experience gave them inspiration of the power of God.

There will be days in our life when we face a rock and a hard place. We will be wondering what to do and crying out to God for help. It is in those times that we remain silent and let the Lord fight our battles. We just need to be patient and trust God to show us a way. God will always lead and direct you in the way you should go. The key is to be quiet and listen to what the Lord has to say that us. Sometimes in the silence we hear the voice of God whisper to us.

Prayer

Lord, help me to be silent and trust entirely in your sovereignty and grace.

Daily Devotional