Pastor Stephen Dedman

not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;
‭‭Romans‬ ‭12‬:‭11‬ ‭NKJV‬

Question
Have you grown comfortable in being “warm,” instead of pursuing a life that is fully on fire for God?

Context
In Romans 12, Paul is urging believers to live transformed lives, not just in belief, but in daily practice. Verse 11 challenges us to maintain a spiritual passion in serving the Lord.

Application
God never called us to live in the middle or lukewarm status.

Warm looks okay on the outside. It’s not cold. It’s not dead. But it’s also not passionate, not alive, not fully surrendered. There’s a difference between being on fire and just being warm.

A lukewarm faith often doesn’t happen overnight. It’s gradual. A missed prayer here. A distracted moment there. A slow drift instead of a sudden fall.

God calls us to a faith that burns, a heart that seeks, and a life that is fully engaged in His presence. If your walk with God feels more “warm” than “on fire,” don’t ignore it, respond to it. Return to the place where your heart was stirred. Reignite your time in the Word. Recommit to prayer. Refocus your attention on Him.

Truth For The Day
God didn’t save you to live lukewarm, He called you to live fully alive in Him.

Pray
Lord, I don’t want to settle for a lukewarm faith. Stir my heart again. Rekindle my passion for You and awaken a deeper hunger for Your presence. Help me to pursue You with sincerity and zeal. In Jesus’ name, amen.

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
‭‭Romans‬ ‭12‬:‭2‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Question
What thought pattern in your life needs to be surrendered and renewed today?

Context
In Romans 12, the Apostle Paul shifts from deep theology to practical living. After explaining the mercy and grace of God, he calls believers to respond with a transformed life. That transformation doesn’t begin outwardly, it begins in the mind.

Application
Real change doesn’t start with behavior, it starts with thinking. We often try to fix what’s visible: our habits, reactions, and decisions. But Scripture teaches that lasting transformation happens when our mind is renewed. The way we think shapes the way we live.

Today, pay attention to your thoughts. When something triggers you, don’t just react, reflect. Ask yourself: “What would a renewed mind look like in this moment?”

Truth For The Day
You cannot live a transformed life with an unchanged mind.

Pray
Lord, renew my mind today. Help me to recognize thoughts that are not from You and replace them with Your truth. Teach me to think with clarity, peace, and wisdom. Transform not just what I do, but how I think. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Behold, happy is the man whom God corrects; Therefore do not despise the chastening of the Almighty. For He bruises, but He binds up; He wounds, but His hands make whole.
‭‭Job‬ ‭5‬:‭17‬-‭18‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Question
Are you resisting something that God is using to refine and restore you?

Context
These words come from one of Job’s friends, Eliphaz. While his overall counsel to Job is terrible, this statement reflects a timeless truth found throughout Scripture: God’s discipline is not punishment meant to destroy, but correction meant to restore.

Application
No one enjoys correction. Whether if it comes through hardship, conviction, or unexpected trials, our first instinct is often to resist or question God’s goodness. But this passage invites us to see difficulty through a different lens. God’s discipline is evidence of His care.

Like a skilled physician, God may allow a wound in order to bring deeper healing. Like a loving Father, He corrects not to harm, but to guide us back to life, truth, and wholeness. What feels like breaking is often the beginning of restoration. The same hand that allows the trial is the hand that will heal you through it.

Instead of asking “Why is this happening to me?”, try asking “What is God shaping in me?

Truth For The Day
God’s correction is not condemnation, it is compassionate restoration.

Pray
Lord, help me to trust You even when I don’t understand what I’m walking through. Give me the humility to receive Your correction and the faith to believe that You are working for my good. Heal what is broken in me, and shape me into who You’ve called me to be. In Jesus’ name, Amen.