Pastor Stephen Dedman

whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.
‭‭James‬ ‭4‬:‭14‬

Question
What plans, decisions, or areas of your life have you been handling without seeking God’s direction?

Context
James writes to scattered believers who were making confident plans about business, travel, and future success, yet leaving God out of their decisions. He challenges their pride and self-reliance, reminding them that life is fragile, temporary, and completely dependent on God’s will. The issue wasn’t planning, it was planning without God.

Application
Today, slow down and acknowledge God in your plans. Before you make a decision, commit it to Him. Ask, “Lord, what do You want?” Plan with humility, live with purpose, and treat every moment as an opportunity to honor God. Let the brevity of life push you into deeper dependence on Him.

Truth For The Day
Life is a vapor so live today with God’s purpose in mind.

Pray
Lord, thank You for the reminder that my life is a precious and brief gift from You. Help me to live with humility, intention, and dependence on Your will. Teach me not to take moments for granted but to honor You in every decision. Guide my steps today and align my plans with Your purpose. Let my brief life reflect Your eternal glory. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor.
‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭4‬:‭9‬

Question
Who is one person God is calling you to partner with, support, or invite into your journey today?

Context
Ecclesiastes is Solomon’s reflective look at life “under the sun” apart from God’s eternal perspective. In chapter 4, he observes the emptiness of isolation and the value of companionship. He notes that oppression, loneliness, and the pursuit of success without relationship lead to weariness. In contrast, partnership, community, and shared labor bring strength, protection, and blessing.

Application
Life was never meant to be lived alone. God wired us for relationships, first with Him, then with others. Solomon reminds us that two working together accomplish more than one striving alone. We are stronger when someone can lift us when we fall, pray for us when we’re weak, and celebrate with us when God blesses us. Community multiplies strength, joy, and perseverance. Whether in marriage, ministry, friendship, or family, God places people around us as divine helpers to encourage and sharpen us.

Ask God to show you the people He has placed in your life to walk with you in this season. Be intentional about building those relationships by making the call, sending the message, asking for prayer, or offering help. Don’t try to carry everything alone; allow someone to lift one side of the weight.

Truth For The Day
God multiplies what we do when we don’t walk alone.

Pray
Lord, thank You for the gift of relationships. Help me to recognize the people You have placed in my life to walk with me, strengthen me, and encourage me. Give me the humility to seek help when I need it and the compassion to offer support when others are weak. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“Then the master said to the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.’”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭14‬:‭23‬

Question
Who is God placing on your heart to invite Jesus into their life?

Context
In Luke 14, Jesus tells the Parable of the Great Banquet while dining in a Pharisee’s home. After the invited guests reject the invitation with excuses, the master widens the invitation to the poor, the broken, and eventually to anyone found in the highways and hedges. The story reveals God’s heart to reach the overlooked, the urgency of the gospel invitation, and the calling of believers to go beyond comfortable places to bring others into His Kingdom.

Application
You are God’s servant in this parable. Someone in your life either at work, in your family, or neighborhood, needs an invitation. They need hope. They need belonging. They need Jesus.

Extending an invitation might look like:
A conversation that breaks their loneliness.
A prayer that lifts their burden.
A meal that reminds them they matter.
A loving invitation to church.

God wants His house filled and He wants to use you to reach those who feel far away.

Truth For The Day
God’s invitation is for everyone and He calls us to carry it boldly, compassionately, and consistently.

Pray
Lord, thank You for inviting me to Your table. Give me eyes to see those who feel forgotten and courage to reach out with Your love. Use me today to compel others to come and experience Your grace. In Jesus’ name, Amen.