Pastor Stephen Dedman

Then a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased.
‭‭John‬ ‭6‬:‭2‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Question
Would you still follow Jesus if He never answered the prayer you are currently praying?

Context
The crowd followed Jesus because they had seen what He could do. They had witnessed His power to heal, and they wanted to see more. But as this chapter unfolds, we discover that Jesus wanted to give them something greater than another miracle, He wanted them to recognize who He truly was.

Application
It is easy to follow Jesus because of what we hope He will do for us. We pray for healing, provision, direction, or a breakthrough. But Jesus calls us to follow Him not merely because of His blessings, but because He is the blessing.

Sometimes God may not give us the miracle we are asking for, but He will always give us Himself. His presence is greater than His provision, and knowing Him is greater than receiving from Him.

Truth For The Day
Jesus is worthy of following even when the miracle we want has not yet come.

Pray
Lord, help me to follow You because of who You are, not simply because of what You can do for me. Teach me to trust You even when I cannot see the miracle. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Now therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts: “Consider your ways!”
‭‭Haggai‬ ‭1‬:‭5‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Question
What area of your life does God want you to stop and reconsider today?

Context
God gave this message to His people after they had returned from exile. They had built and improved their own houses while neglecting the temple. Life had become centered around their own priorities, and God called them to stop and examine the direction they were going.

Application
The phrase “consider your ways” is an invitation to pause and honestly evaluate our lives. Are we spending our time, energy, money, and attention on what matters most to God or simply pursuing what matters most to us?

Sometimes we become frustrated because life feels empty or unproductive, yet we have never stopped to ask whether our priorities are aligned with God’s purposes. Before asking God to change our circumstances, perhaps we need to allow Him to examine our direction.

Truth For The Day
A life going in the wrong direction doesn’t need more speed, it needs a change of direction.

Pray
Lord, help me honestly examine my ways. Show me where my priorities have drifted from You, and give me the courage to make the changes You desire. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
‭‭Romans‬ ‭10‬:‭10‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Question
Does the way you live reveal what you say you believe about Jesus?

Context
Paul is explaining that salvation is not merely about knowing the right things, it is about believing Christ from the heart and openly identifying with Him. Genuine faith begins on the inside, but it doesn’t stay there. What we truly believe eventually makes its way into our words, choices, and actions.

Application
It is possible to say the right words while our hearts are far from God. But when our hearts have genuinely been changed by Christ, our lives begin to reflect that change. Our conversations, priorities, attitudes, and decisions become evidence of what we believe.

Faith isn’t simply something we claim on Sunday. It is something we live every day.

Truth For The Day:
Real faith begins in the heart and becomes visible through the life.

Pray
Lord, help me to believe You deeply, not just with my words but with my whole heart. Let my words, choices, attitudes, and actions reflect the faith I profess. May the people around me see Jesus in the way I live. In Jesus’ name, Amen.