Pastor Stephen Dedman

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November 10, 2026

Trust

Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all.
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭34‬:‭19‬ ‭NKJV‬

Question
What current affliction do you need to place fully in God’s hands today instead of trying to carry it yourself?

Context
Psalm 34 was written by David after he escaped danger while fleeing from King Saul. David had to pretend insanity before Abimelech to save his life (1 Samuel 21). This psalm rises out of fear, uncertainty, and real affliction. Yet instead of focusing on the threat, David magnifies the Lord.

Verse 19 is honest: righteousness does not exempt us from trouble. Faith does not create a pain-free life. But the promise is greater than the problem: the Lord delivers.

Application
Some days feel heavier than others. You may be walking through stress, disappointment, grief, or pressure that no one else sees. The enemy whispers, “If you were really blessed, this wouldn’t be happening.” But Scripture says the opposite. Afflictions are not proof of God’s absence; they are opportunities for His deliverance.

Notice the word “many.” David doesn’t sugarcoat reality. But he also uses the word “all.” The same God who allows you to walk through trouble promises to bring you out of it. Deliverance may not always be immediate, but it is always certain in God’s timing and way.

Truth For The Day
You are not alone in your affliction, and it will not have the final word. The Lord is your Deliverer.

Pray
Lord, You see every burden I carry. Thank You that my struggles do not surprise You. Strengthen my heart in the middle of difficulty. Help me trust that You will deliver me in Your perfect timing. Teach me to magnify You even before I see the breakthrough. In Jesus’ name, amen.

November 9, 2026

Encouragement

And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
‭‭II Corinthians‬ ‭12‬:‭9‬

Question
How might God be using your weakness to reveal His strength today?

Context
In 2 Corinthians 12, the apostle Paul speaks openly about a “thorn in the flesh”, a persistent struggle he asked God to remove. Three times Paul prayed for relief, yet God did not take it away. Instead, the Lord gave Paul a deeper revelation: his weakness was not a liability but an opportunity for God’s power to be displayed. This moment reshaped Paul’s understanding of strength, suffering, and grace.

Application
We often assume that God’s greatest work happens when we feel strong, capable, and confident. But Paul learned that God often works most powerfully in places of limitation. The very thing Paul wanted removed became the place where God’s grace was most evident.

Identify an area of weakness, frustration, or limitation in your life. Instead of resisting it, surrender it to God and ask Him to reveal His power through it.

Truth For The Day
God’s grace does not always remove the struggle, but it always supplies the strength.

Pray
Lord, thank You that Your grace is more than enough for me. Teach me to rely on You in my weakness and to trust that You are working even when the struggle remains. Let Your power be made perfect in my life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

November 8, 2026

Encouragement

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.