Pastor Stephen Dedman

“No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭16‬:‭13‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Question
What do my priorities and daily choices reveal about who or what is truly ruling my heart?

Context
Jesus spoke these words while teaching His disciples about stewardship and the proper use of earthly possessions. He wasn’t condemning wealth itself, but warning against allowing money to become our master. The Pharisees, who loved money, believed material prosperity was a sign of God’s favor. Jesus exposed the danger of divided loyalty, reminding His followers that every heart ultimately serves one master.

Application
Money is a useful tool, but it makes a terrible master. Our priorities, decisions, and spending habits often reveal what truly has our hearts. When financial security, possessions, or the pursuit of success begin to take God’s rightful place, our devotion becomes divided. Christ calls us to wholehearted allegiance. As we place Him first, we discover that our security is not found in what we own but in the One who owns all things.

Truth For The Day
Whatever has first place in your heart will ultimately shape your life. When Jesus is your Master, everything else, including your finances, finds its proper place.

Pray
Lord, I confess that it is easy to become distracted by the pursuit of money and the things of this world. Help me to love You above all else and to trust You as my Provider. Give me wisdom to steward what You have entrusted to me in a way that honors You. May my heart be fully devoted to Christ, my only true Master. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭23‬:‭1‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Question
Are you carrying a burden today that belongs in the Shepherd’s hands instead of your own?

Context
Psalm 23 was written by David, a man who understood both the responsibilities of a shepherd and the pressures of leadership. He had faced lions, bears, giants, and enemies, yet when he reflected on God’s care, he simply declared, “The Lord is my shepherd.”

A shepherd doesn’t merely point the way, he stays with his sheep. He leads them to green pastures, provides fresh water, protects them from danger, and searches for them when they wander. David knew that God had done all of those things in his own life.

Application
The same is true for every believer today. We often carry burdens we were never meant to bear. We worry about tomorrow, try to solve every problem, and exhaust ourselves striving for control. But our Shepherd never asks His sheep to carry the weight of the flock. He simply calls us to follow Him.

When Jesus identified Himself as the Good Shepherd (John 10:11), He demonstrated the greatest expression of shepherding love by laying down His life for His sheep. Because of His sacrifice, we can trust that He will faithfully provide everything we truly need.

Today, remember that your peace is not found in having all the answers but in staying close to the Shepherd. His guidance is perfect, His provision is sufficient, and His presence is constant.

Truth For The Day
The safest place you can be is following the Good Shepherd one step at a time.

Pray
Lord, thank You for being my faithful Shepherd. Forgive me for trying to carry burdens You never intended for me to bear. Help me to trust Your leadership, rest in Your provision, and follow wherever You lead. Thank You that Your presence is with me through every valley and every mountaintop. Teach me to walk closely with You today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
‭‭Galatians‬ ‭5‬:‭25‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Question
Are you walking according to your own desires today, or are you intentionally keeping in step with the Holy Spirit?

Context
The book of Galatians was written to believers who were being tempted to return to a life of legalism instead of walking in the freedom Christ had purchased for them. Paul reminds them that the Christian life is not lived by human effort alone but by the power of the Holy Spirit. The same Spirit who gives us new life also desires to direct our daily steps.

Application
It is possible to claim Christ yet rush through the day without ever considering His direction. We make plans, react to circumstances, and speak words without pausing to ask, “Lord, what would You have me do?” Walking by the Spirit is not a mystical experience reserved for a few believers, it is the normal Christian life. It means yielding our attitudes, decisions, conversations, and priorities to the Lord each day.

When we stay in step with the Spirit, He produces what we cannot manufacture on our own. Love replaces bitterness. Peace overcomes anxiety. Patience triumphs over frustration. Our lives begin to reflect the character of Christ rather than the impulses of our flesh.

Truth For The Day
The Holy Spirit doesn’t simply live within you to comfort you, He lives within you to lead you.

Pray
Lord, thank You for giving me Your Holy Spirit to guide and strengthen me. Help me to slow down and listen to Your voice today. Produce in me the fruit that honors Christ, and give me the courage to obey wherever You lead. May my life reflect Your presence in every word, decision, and action. In Jesus’ name, Amen.