Pastor Stephen Dedman

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What Does God’s Grace Mean To You?

Faith, Salvation

‘To me (Paul), though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, ‘
Ephesians 3:8

Paul understood the grace of God. When he discovered that Jesus was the Messiah his eyes were opened to the grace of God. Despite his murderous past and hatred of Jesus, Paul was chosen by God to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

After his conversion, Paul was a total different person. He called himself “small Paul”. He was not one of the twelve disciples who followed Jesus, nor was he baptized by John unto repentance. Paul wasn’t among the men who received the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost but God chose to use him greatly.

Because Paul was made new in Christ, he had a great understanding of salvation. He gives us understanding of God’s grace through his personal experience. It is not surprising that Paul could only refer to himself as the very least of all the saints.

More importantly, he referred to God’s grace as “the unsearchable riches of Christ.” For someone who deeply knows that he has been forgiven and freed of the bondage of sin, he can preach the Good News of Jesus Christ.

The moment we fully realize the fullness of God’s grace is the moment that we will bel sold-out for Christ.

Pray

Lord, I praise You for the unfathomable, unsearchable, boundless riches that I have received by grace through faith. I have every right to be condemned but instead You lifted me up into the courts of a heavenly royalty. Thank You for saving me from the depths of hell.

He Will Assist You

Encouragement, Trust

‘Cast your burden on the Lord , And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.’
Psalms 55:22

Have you ever given something to someone but when you reached out to hand it to them you couldn’t release it? That sounds pretty silly doesn’t it?

To not let go means it’s valuable and you don’t want to get rid of it. So what’s keeping you from giving your burdens to the Lord?

When you give a burden to the Lord, you hand it over for God to deal with it. Look at what the psalmist says after casting your burden on the Lord… “and He shall sustain you.” The true meaning of the word sustain means to assist.

When we cast our burden on the Lord we allow Him to carry the load. We allow God to take the heavy load off our shoulders so that we can walk freely in His grace. It takes the pressure off of us.

It doesn’t mean that your troubles disappear. It doesn’t mean that you won’t have to make tough decisions or deal with difficult situations. But it does mean that God will give you the strength to get through. He will assist you.

Jesus said in Matthew 11:28, “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” The only way that we can rest is to fully trust in the Lord. Jesus wants us to have peace and not be anxious.

The best thing we can do with our burden is to release it. It’s very similar to throwing a fishing lure into the water. Once it’s released there’s nothing we can do but wait. And with our burdens, we wait on the Lord to do His great work.

Pray

Lord, I know You care but You are waiting on me to ask for help. So Lord, help me! I can’t do it alone. I praise You for what You are doing in my life.

The Wilderness Class

Faith, Trust

‘So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord . ‘
Deuteronomy 8:3

Have you ever been at a place where you couldn’t turn to anyone but God? You had nothing else and no one else to count on? This is how God humbles us.

God humbled Israel as He brought them to a place where all they could do was depend on Him. The wilderness was a classroom of learning to be humble. God was teaching Israel a lesson on dependency.

Israel had no other option but to rely on the Lord. They were allowed to hunger so that they could experience the goodness of God. For some, this doesn’t make sense but it’s how God works.

The lesson in the wilderness was to teach the Israelites to trust God in His word instead of trusting in material things. We too must learn that the word of God is our food and substance where we find life. Obedience to the Word of God is a place of joy and blessing.

It’s okay to be in the wilderness. The wilderness is a place where we can truly count on God. It’s a place where God allows suffering for our own good. The place where we experience the grace and goodness of God. A place of blessings indeed.

Pray

Lord, I want to trust in You and You only. Guide me through the wilderness if I need to go through it. Humble me now before I pride myself into destruction.