Pastor Stephen Dedman

Happy Thanksgiving!

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

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

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

A heart that is thankful overflows with joy. A heart that is not thankful is full of groaning and grumbling. The difference is in 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.

Praise His Name

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 reflect upon Thanksgiving Day, let’s do it with praise. Everyday is a good day to praise 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.

Treasure The Word Of God

I have not departed from the commandment of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.
Job 23:12

When was the last time you were really hungry? Really, really, hungry? Food was very precious to you wasn’t it?

How important is God’s Word to you? When His Word is as important to you as physical food, then you will grow in your walk with the Lord. The problem is some people are starving themselves spiritually.

David said in Psalm 119:162, “I rejoice at Your word as one who finds great treasure.” Both Job and David found God’s word to be precious treasure. It was valuable and they could not live without it.

Just as our bodies can only go so long without vital nutrients, our Christian lives can only go so long without good spiritual nutrition. If we starve ourselves the Word of God, we will suffer the consequences.

God told Joshua, “Don’t let the Law depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” (Joshua 1:8)

Did you catch that? When you treasure the Word of God in your heart, you will have good success. What a precious treasure!

Pray

Lord, I need Your Word everyday. I need it more than I desire food. Help me to stay in Your Word and give me an understanding of it.