Pastor Stephen Dedman

“And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:”
‭‭John‬ ‭16‬:‭8‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Question
Is there something the Holy Spirit has been convicting you about that you need to surrender to God today?

Context
Jesus spoke these words to His disciples shortly before His crucifixion. He was preparing them for His departure and promising that the Holy Spirit would come. The Spirit would have a vital ministry, not only guiding believers, but also convicting the world concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment. Conviction is God’s loving way of opening our eyes to what is wrong and turning our hearts back toward Him.

Application
We often think conviction is something negative, but the Holy Spirit’s conviction is actually an expression of God’s grace. He reveals sin so we can confess it, exposes what is wrong so we can make it right, and reminds us of coming judgment so we will take eternity seriously.

When the Spirit convicts you, don’t ignore Him or make excuses. Listen. Confess. Turn around. God does not expose our sin to destroy us; He reveals it so He can restore us.

And when we share Christ with others, we don’t have to convince people through clever arguments. Our responsibility is to faithfully speak the truth. The Holy Spirit is the One who changes hearts.

Truth For The Day
The Holy Spirit convicts us because God loves us enough to lead us toward repentance and truth.

Pray
Lord, thank You for the ministry of Your Holy Spirit. Give me a sensitive heart that listens when You convict me. Help me recognize sin, turn from it, and walk in righteousness. Give me courage to share Your truth with others and trust You to work in their hearts. Keep me from resisting Your voice. May my life be continually shaped by Your truth. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.
‭‭Romans‬ ‭12‬:‭3‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Question
Are you viewing yourself with humility, or are you allowing pride or insecurity to shape how you see yourself?

Context
In Romans 12, Paul shifts from explaining what God has done for us through Christ to how believers should live in response. He calls Christians to offer themselves to God and to live as part of the body of Christ. In verse 3, Paul warns believers not to develop an inflated view of themselves. Instead, we are to think about ourselves honestly and humbly, recognizing that everything we have, including our abilities and gifts, is ultimately from God.

Application
Humility doesn’t mean thinking less of yourself; it means thinking about yourself accurately. Pride says, “I can do this without God.” Insecurity says, “I have nothing valuable to offer.” Both perspectives miss the truth. God has uniquely gifted you, but He never intended those gifts to become reasons for boasting.

Ask God to help you see yourself through His eyes. Be grateful for the gifts He has given you, while remembering that those gifts are meant to serve others and bring Him glory.

Truth For The Day
We can humbly use what God has given us for His glory.

Pray
Lord, help me to see myself honestly and humbly. Thank You for the gifts and abilities You have given me. Keep me from pride, but also keep me from believing I have nothing to offer. Teach me to use what You have given me to serve others and glorify You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.”
‭‭Mark‬ ‭10‬:‭14‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Question
Have you become so independent that you are trying to live without the childlike dependence and trust Jesus desires?

Context
Jesus’ disciples were trying to keep people from bringing their children to Him. Perhaps they thought Jesus had more important things to do. But Jesus became upset. He called the children to Himself and used them as an example of what it means to enter the kingdom of God. Children were dependent, trusting, and willing to receive what they were given. Jesus was teaching that the kingdom is not earned through status, achievement, or importance, it is received with humble faith.

Application
We can easily become like the disciples. We may unintentionally decide who is important enough to receive our attention, our time, or our invitation. But Jesus reminds us that no one is insignificant to Him.

This is especially important when it comes to children. The church should never view children as a distraction from ministry. Every child who walks through the doors of our church is an opportunity to introduce them to Jesus, teach them His Word, and help them understand His love.

Sometimes our greatest spiritual struggle is that we have become too self-sufficient. We want to understand everything before we trust God. We want to control everything before we surrender. Jesus says that kingdom living begins with the humble faith of a child.

Truth For The Day
Jesus welcomes those who come to Him with humble, trusting faith.

Pray
Lord, give me a heart that trusts You like a child. Help me never to become so busy, important, or self-sufficient that I miss what You are doing around me. Help me welcome others to Jesus and especially teach the next generation to know and love You. Remove my pride and teach me to simply trust and receive from You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.