The Word Is Truth

April 20, 2022 Pastor Stephen Dedman Faith, Trust

“Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.”
John 17:17

Just before He was taken away from His disciples, Jesus prayed the most beautiful and profound prayer known to man. With suffering and death on His mind, He prayed to the Father for His disciples who He loved so dearly. He prayed that they would be sanctified in the truth, set apart and made holy unto Him.

Sanctification is a specific act of the Holy Spirit. Once a sinner is saved by grace, the ongoing process of becoming holy takes place in the heart of the believer. It’s an ongoing process that is completed once we are in the presence of God in Heaven. Until then we are increasingly conformed in the likeness of Jesus Christ. It’s a life long process.

Everyone who trusts in the Lord for salvation is sanctified the moment they receive the Holy Spirit into their heart. But every believer must go through the process of maturing in their faith. Day by day we progress into the image of Jesus Christ Himself.

We are enriched with truth through the power of the Word of God. The truth of God sanctifies us and separates us from evil. As we meditate and on the Word of God and study its powerful promises, the truth is planted in our hearts. With the Holy Spirit’s help, we trust our heavenly Father to complete a good work that He started in us on the day of salvation.

Have you allowed the Word of God to work in you? The work we do for Jesus is because of our faith in Him. We steadily and boldly work towards being the person God has called us to be. It’s not an easy to be a Christian but it is rewarding. Set yourself apart from the world today and proclaim the goodness of our Lord in your words and actions.

Pray

Lord, thank You for choosing me. You loved me before I loved You. You have set me apart for Your good work and I am up for the challenge.

The Lord Will Fight For You

December 14, 2019 Pastor Stephen Dedman Encouragement, Faith, Trust

The Lord Will Fight For You

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

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.

A Gentle Tongue

December 10, 2019 Pastor Stephen Dedman Encouragement, Trust

A Gentle Tongue

A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭15:4‬ ‭

Choice Words

Words have power. Our words have the power to heal or crush. Positive and encouraging words can build up a person and negative and degrading words will tear them down. We must choose your words wisely.

People need to hear the truth but there is a positive and constructive process to do so. Sometimes our words come out hateful and unkind and are received as criticism. We must be careful to always be alert to what we are say and what kind of tone we say them in. Hurtful words are unforgettable. People will always remember the negative things you say. Right now you probably remember something negative that was said to you years ago. This is why it is important to use our words wisely.

The old saying, “if you don’t have anything good to say, don’t say anything at all” is a very good rule to follow. If we only speak true and positive words in a positive tone the outcome will be positive. We must build each other up and encourage one another in the Lord. Jesus never said anything that was untrue or derogatory. His words were always right and right on time. We must learn to control our speech. It takes much practice but it is possible. We will never be perfect but we can strive for perfection. Your words will have a great effect on people whether you like it or not. Even when you need to give constructive advice you can do it in a positive and encouraging way. Just be sure to pray before you speak. The Lord will give you the right words to say at the right time.

Prayer

Lord, let Your Spirit control my words and allow me to speak the truth with courage.