Pastor Stephen Dedman

Category: Encouragement

Be An Example

Encouragement

‘Shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. ‘
1 Peter 5:2-3

Peter knew the importance of being an example for Christ. Jesus told Peter to feed and tend to His sheep. Most importantly, Peter was to have a heart like Jesus, a willingness to give up his own life for the sake of others and to care and nurture to the needs of others. That is the characteristic of a spiritual leader.

Peter seemed to remember what Jesus told him to do in John 21:15-17. Here is what it says… ‘When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. ‘

Do you know what our society needs today? We need more Christian leaders. We need men and women alike that have a heart like Jesus to step up and lead in a spiritual capacity. Our world is in desperate need of leaders that will care for the spiritual and physical needs of others.

Sadly, we have community leaders that try to profit off the needs of others. They rally support for people to give money to programs that help feed hungry people but most of the money goes into the pockets of the administration.

Peter says in our Scripture verses for today, “Be examples”. Be an example to your friends, coworkers, family members, or to your church. Good leaders lead out of example. How good of an example are you setting for others today? Be an example of Christ and for Christ.

Pray

Lord, give me a heart like Yours. Help me to see and hear people like You see and hear them. Help me to live holy and righteous so that I can set an example to others.

How To Honor God

Encouragement

‘But now the Lord says: ‘Far be it from Me; for those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed. ‘
I Samuel 2:30

When we honor God, He honors us. But just the same, those who disrespect God will be treated as least in His Kingdom. It is fair to say that how we respond to God will determine how God responds to us.

God had to deal justly with Eli, the priest. Although he had served and honored God for many years, his sons were evil. Eli knew the standard of God’s righteousness and holiness but he chose to honor his sons and not God.

Eli revealed his heart when he failed to honor God before the people of Israel by the way he dealt with his sons wickedness. He allowed them to continue in sin.

God is not pleased when you praise Him on Sunday but not on Monday. It does not bring honor to God when you accept the standard of wickedness and sin from your family, friends and co-workers.

God expects us to honor Him completely and consistently. Just because we work or play around sinful people does not mean that we conform their ways. We must honor God by standing up for what is right and holy.

You may not be the popular person for excusing yourself when you around filthy conversation or jokes. You may even be mocked when you tell others to stop the nonsense. But that is what God expects from those who completely honor Him.

Pray

Lord, I will honor You with my whole heart. I will stand up against wickedness and stand strongly for the things that bring praise and honor to Your name. Father, forgive me for caving into the temptations of this world.

God Loves You

Encouragement

‘The Lord your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.”’
Zephaniah 3:17

We need people in our lives that love us regardless of our failures. We need people who will lift us up and encourage us when we feel like giving up. Do you have someone that can cheer you up when you are down?

You need to realize that God goes far and beyond what anyone else can do. God loves us no matter what we look like or what we have done in the past. God loves with an unconditional, eternal love that is just unfathomable.

Today’s verse makes us realize that God is always with us in all of our circumstances and is in the very middle of what is going on in our lives. It’s comforting to know that the One who loves us the most is right in the center of our lives. Even though we may think He is not actively involved, He is actually the One who is holding all things together in our lives.

It’s great to have people in our lives that will help us when we need help. But the One who we need the most is Jesus Christ. We need Christian people in our lives that will point us back to Jesus when we have turned away or have lost all faith.

Remember that the next time you witness someone who has given up faith and hope. Point them to the One who loves the regardless of what they have done. Direct them to the God who can bring them out of their circumstances and give them a new beginning.

Never forget how much God loves and cares for His children.

Pray

Lord, thank You for loving me and holding all things together when I feel like it is falling apart. Help me to point people to You so they can have the same kind of hope and peace that I have.