Pastor Stephen Dedman

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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.

Well Done

Encouragement, Trust

Well Done

His master said to him, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭25:21‬ ‭

 

Good And Faithful Servant

“Well done” are words that everyone desires to hear.  A pat on the back and a thumbs up make us feel that we accomplished what we set out to do.  We must be careful when we receive the praise of man and not from God.  You may be able to please man but never please God.  Or you may please God and never please man.  We should rather choose to please God rather than man.  It’s never popular to do so but it is the safest thing to do.

God gives us time and resources and we must decide what we are going to do with them.  Will we choose to use them wisely or will we choose to neglect what God has blessed us with?  God knows exactly what your capable of doing and what your limits are.  He will never ask you to do something that you would never be able to accomplish.  He will give you the strength and courage to accomplish whatever task He is asking you to do.

What has God entrusted you to do?  Has He given you blessings in order to bless others?  Has He given you something that you can bless someone else with such as a talent or skill?  Be sure to use everything God gives you to glorify Him and to honor Him in all that you do.  What ever increase is given to you is given by the grace of God.  What do you have to give back today?

Prayer

Lord, I give everything I have for You to use to show someone else who you are.   Lord, use me today.