Pastor Stephen Dedman

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
‭‭Galatians‬ ‭2‬:‭20‬

Question
Are you trying to live for Christ in your own strength or are you allowing Christ to live through you?

Context
Galatians 2 takes place as Paul defends the gospel of grace alone through faith alone. He recounts how the leaders in Jerusalem affirmed his message to the Gentiles and how he later confronted Peter for withdrawing from Gentile believers out of fear. Paul makes it clear that adding the law to faith distorts the gospel. Righteousness cannot be earned; it comes only through Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross.

Application
We spend so much energy trying to prove ourselves to God, to others, and even to ourselves. Yet Paul reminds us that the Christian life does not begin with effort, but with surrender. When we are united with Christ, our old identity no longer defines us.

Faith is not striving to become acceptable; it is trusting that we already are because of Jesus. Every day we wake up, we don’t need to carry the weight of earning God’s favor because we walk in the freedom of living from it.

Truth for the Day
Because I am justified by faith in Christ, I no longer live to prove myself — I live by grace, with Christ living in me.

Pray
Lord, help me rest in the finished work of Christ. Teach me to live today not from fear or performance, but from faith and gratitude. Let my life reflect the grace You have shown me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

The fool has said in his heart,
“There is no God.”
They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity;
There is none who does good.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭53‬:‭1‬

Question
In what area of your life might God be calling you to stop relying on yourself and start trusting Him again?

Context
Psalm 53 mirrors Psalm 14 and was written in a time when moral decay was evident among God’s people and surrounding nations. David isn’t merely addressing unbelief, living as though God does not see, care, or act. This kind of thinking leads to corruption because when God is removed from the center, everything else begins to unravel.

Application
Saying there is no God doesn’t always come from our lips but it often shows up in our lives. We do it when we ignore His Word and rely solely on our own wisdom. A life lived without God’s authority and presence drifts toward emptiness and chaos.

Today, examine your heart honestly. Are there areas where you’re living as though God isn’t involved in your time, your finances, your relationships, or your worries? Invite God back into every space. Wisdom begins when we acknowledge Him not just with our words, but with our trust and obedience.

Truth For The Day
A wise heart doesn’t deny God; it depends on Him.

Pray
Lord, forgive me for the moments I live as if You are not at work. Search my heart, restore my trust, and help me live each day aware of Your presence and truth. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury, and the expression on his face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. He spoke and commanded that they heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated.
‭‭Daniel‬ ‭3‬:‭19‬

Question
When obeying God increases pressures in your life, do you compromise to escape the heat or trust that God is present with you in the fire?

Context
Daniel 3:19 captures the moment when obedience to God provoked the anger of earthly power. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego had already made their stand. They refused to worship the statue, and the consequence was a furnace turned up seven times hotter.

Notice something important: the fire didn’t appear before their faith. Faithfulness does not always lessen the pressures of life; sometimes it exposes us to greater pressures. Notice the intensity of the fire did not change their conviction. They had already settled in their hearts that God was worthy whether He delivered them or not.

The king could control the furnace, but he could not control God. What Nebuchadnezzar intended to destroy them became the very place where God revealed His presence. The fire that was meant to consume them became the setting for divine companionship and testimony.

Application
When obedience leads you into harder circumstances, don’t assume you missed God. Ask instead where God might be revealing Himself in the heat. Stay faithful. The fire may be hot, but it is never hotter than God’s power or presence.

Truth For The Day
Faithfulness to God may increase the fire, but it also invites His presence.

Pray
Lord, help me remain faithful when the pressure rises. Give me courage to stand firm, trusting that You are with me even in the fire. In Jesus’ name, Amen.