Pastor Stephen Dedman

Category: Encouragement

Enjoy The Good Times

Encouragement

‘“The Lord our God spoke to us in Horeb, saying: ‘You have dwelt long enough at this mountain. ‘ Deuteronomy 1:6

If God only allowed us to experience “mountaintop” circumstances, we would never experience trouble or sorrow. You might think that sounds great but neither would we experience any victories. Great victories allow us to see God’s greatness.

The Israelites had gathered together at the bottom of Mount Horeb while God spoke aloud to them concerning His law and commandments. Fire and smoke consumed the mountaintop, lightning flashed from the clouds, and loud trumpet sounds were heard for miles. The ground shook and the people trembled in awe of what they experienced. (Exodus 19:16-25) It must have been a truly amazing experience to behold.

At times God will graciously provide us with mountaintop experiences. These experiences come in various settings: during a worship service, in time alone with Him, with Christian brothers and sisters, or even on the side of the road with a flat tire.

You may wish you could spend the rest of your life on the mountaintop, but just remember, that mountaintop encounters are God’s way of preparing you for the battles that await you. Enjoy the good times and consider the bad times as a way to see what God has planned next.

Pray

Lord, thank You for giving me mountaintop encounters so that I know who You are. Thank you for giving me trouble and sorrow so that I know that You can trust You. Help me to appreciate the good and the bad times.

Be Humble

Encouragement, Trust

“For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭14:11

It is natural for us to desire places or positions of honor and importance that make us look good. But it’s not biblical.

Jesus taught a very valuable lesson as He spoke to a multitude of people seeking to hear Him. He spoke a parable about attending a wedding reception and intentionally not taking the seat of honor just in case someone else arrived who was more important.

He said it would shame a person to place oneself in a place of honor when someone else deserves it more. Instead He said to sit at the lowest place and let the one who invited you place you at a higher place and then you will be honored by those you sit with.

Jesus spoke this parable to teach us about humility. When we seek to take honor to ourselves, we will always be humbled or humiliated. It is important for us to start off being humble and then let someone else exalt us.

Jesus was the perfect example of this. He deserved the highest place of honor but chose the lowest place and then God granted Him the highest place. Philippians 2:5-9 says, “though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,”

We live in a world that places so much value on being successful. While it’s good to strive to be the best at what you do, it’s equally important to consider how you treat others in the process. Lift others before yourself. Your actions reflect the condition of your heart.

Pray

Lord, help me to be humble. Let me notice what others need and want before myself. Thank you for being lowly and setting the perfect example for me to follow.

Representing Christ

Encouragement, Faith

‘Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. ‘
II Corinthians 5:20

There is so much to the idea of being an ambassador for Christ. An ambassador does not speak on his own authority; his own opinions mean nothing. He represents the King who sent him. He is more than a messenger; he is a representative.

God has entrusted to us His message of reconciliation. God is making His appeal through us. This is why it is important for us to know His desires, values and priorities.

One might say that eliminating pain, poverty, and suffering would bring people true contentment. However, addressing the external needs won’t satisfy our spiritual needs. Even without pain, poverty, and suffering, you can still feel empty deep inside.

If we don’t address the deepest need of the human soul which is to know God, we’ve just given people a version of empty consumerism. Jesus always addressed the external and the internal needs of mankind. Meeting the external needs first gives us the opportunity to address the most important spiritual needs of people’s lives.

As an ambassador of Christ we should be the representative that shows others the love of God. Simply telling others that God loves them is not enough. We must prove it.

Pray

Lord, there are people all around me that need to know Your love and grace. Help me to represent You in such a way that people cannot resist the need of knowing You personally through Jesus Christ.