Pastor Stephen Dedman

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Say The Blessing

Encouragement

Then He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass. And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes.
Matthew 14:19

Praying before a meal is a beautiful testimony of our faith and thankfulness. Jesus gave the perfect example as He prayed over the bread and fish just before it was distributed among 5,000 men. It was a blessing indeed as some would say. 

Do you say grace before you eat? Do you ask the blessing at mealtime? Or do you return thanks before you dig in?

Praying over a meal is called many things and can be expressed in many ways. It is a sign of gratitude from the heart. The most important thing is that we are thankful for the blessings of God.

We are given another example of Jesus praying and blessing the bread before He broke it and ate with the disciples the night before He died on the cross.

It should never become a mindless habit nor should it be an inconvenience. Praying and thanking God for our food should be a pleasure and an expression of our heart’s gratitude. We should teach our children to bless the food and show them the importance of giving thanks for God’s provision. 

Those that do say grace on a regular basis might be tempted to repeat the same phrases or chants from memory. Maybe it’s time to find a fresh way to thank God for our blessings. Think outside the box and identify a couple of things to thank God for. 

Mealtime prayers should not be the only prayers offered up to God. Paul instructs us to pray without ceasing. Let your prayer time be meaningful. And if you are uncomfortable praying with people who don’t pray, let it be your testimony. Don’t ever be ashamed to pray!

Pray

Lord, I am so thankful for all the many things You have given to me. Let my heart be overflowing with gratitude and let my example of saying the blessing be a testimony to others.

Jesus Warned Us

Encouragement

Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.
Matthew 7:15

The New Living Translation says it this way: “Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves.” 

“Disguised as harmless” is a good description of what we see today. There are voices all around us that claim to speak God’s truth. But watch out, most of them are fake, false, and phony.

Pay close attention to the voices you are listening to. Most importantly make sure you discern the voice of God. You can easily discern the voice of God when it aligns with the truth of the Scriptures. 

God’s truth and word does not change and will not change. What He said 6000 years ago is still true today.

Sadly, there are bad people disguised as good people that claim to speak the truth. They tell you how to believe, what to do, what to say, how to vote, how to spend money, how to parent, etc… These voices sound good and look good but they are vicious wolves. Their intent is to devour. 

Jesus warns us to make sure every voice we hear is supported with the authority of God’s Word. Does their message agree with the rest of the Bible? Does it point people closer to Jesus? That is why it is important to know what the Bible says to study it. 

You have a responsibility to choose wisely who you listen to. 

Pray

Lord, help me to discern who speaks in Your name. Let me speak truth and wisdom into others. Protect me and my sheep.

God’s Eternal Love

Encouragement

The Lord your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.
Zephaniah 3:17

We need people in our lives that love us regardless of our failures. We need people who will lift us up and encourage us when we feel like giving up. Do you have someone that can cheer you up when you are down?

You need to realize that God goes far and beyond what anyone else can do. God loves us no matter what we look like or what we have done in the past. God loves with an unconditional, eternal love that is just unfathomable. 

Today’s verse makes us realize that God is always with us in all of our circumstances and is in the very middle of what is going on in our lives. It’s comforting to know that the One who loves us the most is right in the center of our lives. Even though we may think He is not actively involved, He is actually the One who is holding all things together in our lives. 

It’s great to have people in our lives that will help us when we need help. But the One who we need the most is Jesus Christ. We need Christian people in our lives that will point us back to Jesus when we have turned away or have lost all faith. 

Remember that the next time you witness someone who has given up faith and hope. Point them to the One who loves the regardless of what they have done. Direct them to the God who can bring them out of their circumstances and give them a new beginning.

Never forget how much God loves and cares for His children.

Pray

Lord, thank You for loving me and holding all things together when I feel like it is falling apart. Help me to point people to You so they can have the same kind of hope and peace that I have.