Pastor Stephen Dedman

Category: Encouragement

A Wonderful Counselor

Encouragement, Trust

A Wonderful Counselor

…and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor…
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭9:6‬ ‭

Someone To Talk To

The prophet Isaiah spoke of Jesus over 700 years before He was born unto man. Isaiah said His name shall be called “Wonderful Counselor”.  And what a Wonderful Counselor He is.

There are times in our life when we need to turn to wise counsel. Sometimes we have to make hard decisions not knowing what the outcome or impact might be. This is when we trust the Lord for His infinite wisdom. We should always turn to the Lord first and seek His counsel when we need answers to our questions. He is always available to speak to. There is no appointment needed and there is no charge for His services. Why would we seek any other counsel?

Jesus has everything we need. If we need financial help He is our Financial Advisor. When we need marriage advice, He is our Marriage Counselor. If we need help deciding a career, He is our Guidance Counselor. He is a Counselor of all things. We need to turn to Jesus first before we turn to anyone else or to anything.

As a Wonderful Counselor, He will not condemn you. He will listen as One who really cares and understands what you feel and knows what’s going on in your life. He is there to support you and help you every step of the way. He is a friend in time of need. Not only will He give you the truth you need to hear but He will supply the needs that you have. There is only One who can do all things. There is only One who knows all things. He name is Jesus and we call Him “Wonderful Counselor”.

Prayer

Turn to Jesus with everything that is on your heart and mind today.

A New Commandment

Encouragement, Trust

A New Commandment

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.
‭‭John‬ ‭13:34‬ ‭

 

Washing Feet And Loving Others

It was the night before Jesus was to be crucified on the cross and He just had the Passover meal with the disciples.  Jesus grabs a towel and begins to wash their feet.  An awkward moment maybe, but humility was on His mind.  He wanted to teach the disciples a very important lesson that would have lasting memories.  He washed their feet.

Peter didn’t want any part of it.  He didn’t know what was going on but he did felt that it wasn’t right.  That is the principle that Jesus was teaching.  If you want to be great you must be the least among people.  Jesus wanted to teach the disciples that to lead and spread Christianity it was going to take an effort of being a servant and not being served to.  But when Jesus was finished He gave them a new commandment.

This commandment was to love one another. At first sight you might wonder who this was a new commandment.  What Jesus was saying was it is a new commandment in a sense that they were to love as Christ loved them.  They were about to witness the greatest love known to man.  Jesus was soon to give His life as ransom for sinners.  As Jesus displayed His love for others so are we to display our love to others.  Jesus goes on to say in verse 35, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”  Jesus said to love others as He loves them and you will be known for your love toward others.  Let me ask you a question: “Do people know your a Christian because of your love for others?”

Prayer

Ask the Lord to give you an opportunity today to show Christ-like love to someone who needs it the most.

Watch And Pray

Encouragement, Trust

Watch And Pray

“Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation.  The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Matthew 26:41

 

The Spirit vs. The Flesh

Jesus warned Peter, James, and John to watch and pray as He went into the Garden of Gethsemane to pray to the Father.  He had just celebrated the Passover meal with His disciples and was about to be betrayed by Judas.  The guards were seeking to arrest Him and He knew He only had a couple of hours to prepare Himself for the worst suffering and torture known to man. Three times Jesus went away to pray and three times He returned and found the three men slumbering.

Jesus tried warning the three disciples but they let their guard down.  Little did they know that they were about to be tested and tempted more than ever before.  They didn’t think all of this would happen on that night because it was a time of Jewish celebration.  In verse 33 Peter exhaust himself and exclaimed that he would never deny Him even if he were to die.  Three times Peter denied Jesus before the rooster crowed.

We all fall into similar slumbering.  We think all is well and life couldn’t be any better.  That is when Satan prowls like a lion to devour.  We must never let our guard down.  We must always be alert to the temptations of sin.  Jesus said the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.  We all have high regards to what we strive to do for Christ but in the end we each fall into the same category as Peter.  Good intentions are not good enough.

We can all relate to Paul and his dilemma in Romans 7:15-20.  He sums it up in verse 19, “For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.”

Prayer

Pray for the Lord to help you to stay alert keep you from the temptation of sin.