Pastor Stephen Dedman

Tag: daily devotional

Do You Have Compassion?

Encouragement

Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.
I Peter 3:8-9

The phrase “be of one mind” refers to unity. It means to be one with with Christ. While we are not all the same, we are to be like-minded in Christ.

Jesus said in John 13:35, “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” Jesus said people will know that you belong to Me if you have the same mind and same love as Me. Do people know that you belong to Him?

Perhaps the greatest challenge in loving others is when we are wronged. This is when we need the love of Christ in our hearts, right?

The human side of us wants to return evil for evil. The flesh tells us to defend ourselves and to help others by showing them what they did to us. But that is not what Jesus taught.

Peter learned from the best. He studied under the best Teacher known to man. And yet even Peter had to keep himself in check.

When you are challenged with loving others keep in mind the kind of love that Jesus had for all people, even those who persecuted Him. It’s a kind of love or “mindset” that we are to have for all people.

The best way to be of “one mind” in Christ is to keep yourself centered in the love of Christ. Keep focussing on how much Jesus loves you and it will be easier to love others who have wronged you.

Pray

Lord, keep me in Your arms. Let me see how You love others and how I am to love them the same. Help me to understand how much love You have for me.

Hope And Healing

Encouragement

Say to those who are fearful-hearted, “Be strong, do not fear! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, With the recompense of God; He will come and save you.”
Isaiah 35:4

Isaiah prophesied about a time of judgment that would bring them to their knees but then God would strengthen them, raise them up, and save them. The people of Judah had committed adultery against God but God wanted to reveal His love to them.

Always remember God only chastises those whom He loves. He straightens our crooked paths and puts us back on track. He does this because He wants what is best for us.

Hebrews 12:12-13 says, “Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.” The writer of Hebrews quoted Isaiah 35 while driving home the point that after God’s chastisement there is hope and healing.

Just like ancient Judah, we need hope and healing in our country today. We need every believer strong and courageous. We strengthen ourselves when we walk with the Lord.

Even in our present trials, we have the hope of Jesus Christ to help us overcome our fearful hearts. The hope that we have is in the confidence that God will save us and redeem us.

Are you progressing in your walk with the Lord today? Are you strengthening yourself in the Father’s love? God is actively seeking you to do His great work.

Pray

Lord, I need your strength today to do fulfill Your great will. Help me to overcome my fears and failures with Your hope and healing. Help me to encourage others to progress in their Christian walk as well.

Let It Sink In

Encouragement

But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
Galatians 4:4-5

Jesus was born as a man but if He had been born of Adam, He would have inherited the sin nature of Adam. Hence the reason for the virgin birth. Mary gave birth to a son but He was also the Son of God. Let that sink in for a minute.

Jesus was fully man and fully God at the same time. He was in the form of a man but not of man. God had a plan from the very beginning to save mankind from sin.

Here is an interesting viewpoint. Jesus defeated sin and death as a perfect man not as God. Jesus went to the cross fully man and defeated Satan’s power and authority. He could have done it easily as God but He chose to do it as a man.

God could have spoken a single word and Satan would have fallen in the blink of an eye. But instead, God chose to become man to defeat Satan’s dominion.

Animal sacrifices of the old covenant system were unable to provide complete remission of sins. But the blood of Jesus Christ was the complete atonement of sin.

Here is the point to today’s devotional. Jesus, being fully man and fully God, defeated Satan on your behalf. As a believer in Jesus, you no longer belong to Satan. You belong to God!

You have victory over sin, over temptations, over anything that grips you. You do not have to battle Satan and his demons. They were defeated by your Lord and Savior. Let that sink in!

If Jesus is in you and you are in Jesus, you are one. Let Jesus give you His peace and love so that you can live the “abundant life” today.

Pray

Lord, I know You defeated sin and Satan upon that cross. Give me the mindset of victory today so that I will complete this day with joy. Fill my heart with Your love and compassion.