Pastor Stephen Dedman

Tag: daily devotional

Bold Faith

Faith

‘For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.’
II Timothy 1:12

Is your faith worth dying for? Of course it is you say. We say we would die for our faith, but remember Peter said the same words and then denied Jesus three times before the rooster crowed.

Paul was in prison and awaiting death.  He was recounting the cause for Christ that led him to persecution and distress and then imprisonment.  He was writing to a young preacher named Timothy who was a close brother and friend to Paul.  Paul wrote him to encourage the young preacher as he too would face persecution for his faith.

Paul was hated by the Jews for preaching the gospel to the Gentiles.  Even though he suffered persecution and waiting execution, Paul considered his call to preach the gospel a worthy cause.  He never backed down from telling the truth of the gospel and never avoided speaking when he had a chance to share the Word of God with anyone.  His confidence in the Lord produced a boldness that glorified God.  His faith and hope in Christ fueled his efforts of winning souls and building the Kingdom of Heaven.

Paul’s knowledge and faith in Jesus Christ strengthened him daily but God’s grace is what kept him striving to endure the hardships he faced. Our knowledge of God’s Word and our strong faith in Jesus allows us the same opportunities to share the gospel with boldness. Never shy away from telling others about the good news of Jesus and always be ready to give an answer for your faith.  It is during times of persecution and trials that people either coward down or boldly step up.  Be prepared today to speak words of comfort to those who are suffering or lost.

Pray

Lord, give me boldness to speak my faith. When I fear persecution let me remember the words of Paul and not be ashamed. Thank You Jesus, for giving me eternal life.

The Spirit Of Love

Encouragement

‘On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.’
Matthew 22:40

An expert of the law decided to try and trap Jesus by asking Him what is the most important commandment of the law. Jesus responded that the first is to love God with all your heart, soul, and mind. The second is of the same essence: love your neighbor as yourself.

In summary, the spirit of the Bible is love. If we love God we will love others. If we love others it is because the love of the Father is in us.

The Bible is a love story that begins with man rebelling against God, but God kept pursuing him ultimately to a cross. The very thing that separated man from God is what actually brought God to man. It’s all about love and it’s an unending love.

The Ten Commandments can be divided into two sections. The first five commandments deal with our relationship with God and the last five deal with our relationships with others. But they all go hand-in-hand.

Once we establish a right relationship and fellowship with God it will show by the presence of this love for God in our relationships with others. As Jesus brought all the commandments down to two, we can clearly see that it’s the spirit of love.

Jesus came so that we may visualize the love of God. And there is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends (John 15:13). This is the example of true love.

We can do many things right but if we do not love we have missed the whole point. The better we understand the love of God the better we obey the word of God. And the better we obey the word of God the better we show the love of God.

Pray

Lord, help me to understand Your great love for me and let me reflect Your love in my life. Thank You for loving me even when I don’t deserve it. Give me the the spirit of love that others will see who You are.

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.