Pastor Stephen Dedman

Category: Encouragement

Give Thanks With A Grateful Heart

Encouragement

And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 5:20

Happy Thanksgiving!

We have so much to be thankful for today. And we must give thanks for everything. In everything there is something we can give thanks for.

The Apostle Paul clearly instructs us to be thankful for everything, good and bad. Paul set forth an example of how to be thankful even when his circumstances were not good. His heart was full of joy and he knew they it came from the Lord Jesus Christ.

A heart that is thankful is overflowing with joy. A heart that is not thankful is full of groaning and complaints. The difference is your heart’s condition.

God can make a difference in your life. If you are having a difficult time expressing gratitude just set your mind on praising God for all that He has done for you and you will see a difference. Hopefully you’re already praising and thanking God for who He is and what He has done for you.

Despite all the negative things that have happened in our lives we have so much to be thankful for. We have many people who we should be thankful for. We have many things that we should be thankful for. But most of all we serve a God who deserves our expression and devotion of gratitude.

Thanksgiving is more than just food, family and fellowship, it’s a way of life. Let God fill your heart with joy and let it overflow with praise and thanksgiving.

Pray

Lord, I thank You for everything. I praise You for everything. Most of all I thank You for showing me mercy and grace and giving me eternal life.

Sing Praise To The Lord

Encouragement
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I will exalt you, my God and King, and praise Your name forever and ever. I will praise You every day; yes, I will praise You forever. Great is the Lord ! He is most worthy of praise! No one can measure His greatness.
Psalms 145:1-3

As we begin this week of celebrating Thanksgiving, let’s do it with praise. Everyday this week let’s sing praise to God. He is worthy of our praise!

As David writes this psalm or song, he is proclaiming that only God deserves his praise. And He deserves it everyday.

Do you pray? I am sure your answer is a quick “YES!” But let me ask you, “Do you praise God?” And if you do, how do you praise God?

David draws deep from within his heart the praise and worship that God is worthy of. He says in verse 3, “No one can measure His greatness.” That my friend is speaking from experience.

Is it easy for you to praise the Lord? Can you do it even when it’s not Sunday?

More importantly, can you praise the Lord even when things are not going your way? If God is worthy of praise He is worthy of praise all the time, even during difficult circumstances.

If you are having a difficult time praising the Lord right now, then start with exalting His name. Even the name of God has to be exalted. And exalting His name lifts Him up. It’s a great way to start.

Today, reflect upon the name of the Lord and how you can exalt Him and His greatness.

Pray

Lord, I lift Your name up and praise Your greatness. Nothing is compared to Your excellence. I praise You as Lord and King of my life.

Remembering 9/11

Encouragement, Faith

‘that this may be a sign among you when your children ask in time to come, saying, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’ ‘
Joshua 4:6

September 11, 2001 was a day that many thought could never happen. Why would someone hijack a plane and use it as a suicide bomb? How could two planes cause so much havoc in New York City? Although it’s been 20 years, many still remember like it was yesterday.

Today’s verse proves that events such as 9/11 should never be forgotten. Memorials have been built so that people always remember what happened. People died and families were destroyed because of the cowardly attacks on our society.

God places emphasis on building memorials. They not only serve as reminders of what happened in the past but they also remind us how God brought so many people through.

There is even more attention put on this special day as our military was removed out of Afghanistan and the terrorist are back in power. It’s as if the war on terrorism was fought in vain. It’s as if the terror attacks never happened. Has America lost its patriotism?

When we are asked questions similar to, “What do these stones mean to you?”, what will we say? We should take this opportunity to remember how even in the midst of great tragedy, God was with us. Let’s recall how for a short time afterward, we were all united together as ONE NATION, UNDER GOD.

God please help us! And God bless the USA!

Pray

Lord, may we never forget that You are in our midst even in times of trouble. May our nation be turned back to You. Help us to unite together as one under You as our Almighty Creator, God.