Pastor Stephen Dedman

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭16‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Question
Where in your daily life is God calling you to shine more boldly for Him?

Context
In Gospel of Matthew chapter 5, Jesus is delivering the Sermon on the Mount. It’s a foundational teaching on what it looks like to live as a citizen of God’s kingdom. Just before this verse, He calls His followers “the light of the world.” This wasn’t just poetic language; it was a calling. In a world marked by spiritual darkness, believers are meant to reflect the character, truth, and love of God in visible ways.

Application
Your life is constantly communicating something. The way you speak, serve, forgive, and respond under pressure either reflects light or blends with the darkness. You don’t have to manufacture the light. God has already placed it within you. Your responsibility is to let it shine.

Jesus is not telling us to draw attention to ourselves, but to live in such a way that our lives point beyond us and to the Father. When you live this way, people don’t just see you they begin to see God at work in you.

Truth For The Day
Your life is a reflection either revealing God’s glory or hiding it. Choose to shine.

Pray
Lord, thank You for placing Your light within me. Help me not to hide it out of fear, pride, or distraction. Give me the courage to live in a way that reflects Your goodness in every situation. Let my words, actions, and attitudes point others to You. May my life bring glory to Your name. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”
‭‭Mark‬ ‭9‬:‭23‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Question
What is one area of your life where you’ve been saying “if You can” to God, instead of trusting that He already can?

Context
There’s a moment in Mark 9 where a desperate father brings his son to Jesus. The boy is tormented, the disciples have failed to help, and hope is fading. In a raw, honest plea, the father says, “If You can do anything…” Jesus responds with a powerful correction: “If you can believe…”

Application
The issue wasn’t Jesus’ ability, it was the father’s faith. How often do we live in that same tension? We believe, but not fully. We hope, but with hesitation. We pray, but with an escape clause in case nothing happens. Yet Jesus redirects us to a deeper truth: belief unlocks the door to what God wants to do.

This verse isn’t a blanket promise that we can control outcomes with our faith. It’s a call to trust the One who holds all power.

What makes this story even more powerful is the father’s next words: “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24). That’s where many of us live, caught between faith and doubt. And Jesus doesn’t reject him for it. He meets him right there.

Today, whatever you’re facing—whether it’s a burden, a battle, or a broken place—bring it to Jesus. Don’t wait until your faith feels strong. Come honestly. Come expectantly. And trust that what seems impossible to you is not impossible to Him.

Truth For The Day
Faith doesn’t have to be perfect to be powerful. It just has to be placed in the right Person.

Pray
Lord, I believe but I know there are places where doubt still lingers. Strengthen my faith. Help me trust You fully, even when I don’t understand. Remind me that nothing is too hard for You. In Jesus’ name, amen.

But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.
‭‭James‬ ‭1‬:‭6‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Question
Where in your life are you wavering instead of trusting God fully?

Context
The Book of James is a practical letter written to believers facing trials and pressure. In chapter 1, James encourages them to ask God for wisdom with only one condition: they must ask in faith, not in doubt. This wasn’t about perfection, but about a settled trust in God’s character.

Application
Doubt doesn’t just affect what you think, it affects how you live. James paints a picture of a wave tossed back and forth by the wind. It has no stability, no direction, no consistency. That’s what a doubting life looks like. It’s constantly shifting based on circumstances, emotions, or fear. Faith, on the other hand, anchors you.

This doesn’t mean questions won’t come, but it does mean your confidence in God remains firm, even when life isn’t. The problem isn’t that God is unreliable. The problem is when our trust in Him becomes inconsistent.

God is not asking for perfect faith. He’s asking for committed faith. Don’t let your life be driven by the winds, be grounded in faith.

Truth For The Day
A steady faith in God will keep you from living a shaky life.

Pray
Lord, strengthen my faith. Where I have doubted, help me to trust You more. Keep me from being unstable in my walk with You. I choose to believe You are faithful, even when I don’t see immediate results. In Jesus’ name, Amen.