You may or may not be familiar with the term “offering grace”, but many religious people use the term to describe offering thanks to God before a meal. This is not so much a study of the term “offering grace” as it is on the giving of thanks for one’s food. Is it really required of Christians? When one is in public or at work, should a child of God really bow their head and thank God for what they are about to eat?  Let’s see what the word of God teaches us about this.

Prayer is a vital part of the Christian life. As Paul put it, saints are to pray without ceasing (I Thess. 5:17). Interestingly the brethren were also admonished in this text that “in everything give thanks” (verse 18). Did followers of the Lord really pray before all their meals? Consider our Savior when He walked on this earth. When Jesus miraculously fed the five thousand with five loaves and two small fish, He had the people sit down. He then offered thanks before everyone ate (John 6:11). Jesus also offered thanks before He fed four thousand people with seven loaves of bread and a few fish (Mark 8:6-7).

Obviously, Jesus sets forth a wonderful pattern to follow. However, this was not unique to Jesus. In Acts 27, you can read where Paul and others were on a ship in the midst of a terrible storm while he was being transported as a prisoner to Rome (verse 13-20). The crew was so busy trying to save the ship that they had not taken time to eat for fourteen days. Paul urges the centurion and soldiers to eat (verse 34). Notice Paul’s activity in verse 35 though.

“And when he had said these things, he took bread and gave thanks to God in the presence of them all; and when he had broken it he began to eat.”  Who takes time to pray after not eating for 14 days? Who takes time to publicly pray when surrounded by people who don’t follow the Lord? God’s people do.

Some people are rightly concerned with what Jesus said in Matthew 6 about not wanting people to pray for the purpose of drawing attention to themselves (verse 5). This is correct – it is one thing to be somewhere when you quietly bow your head and silently offer thanks for your meal. It is other matter altogether to stand up when you are at Wendy’s having lunch and announce to all in the restaurant, “Excuse me everyone, please be quiet, I am about to pray to my God for the food I am about to receive!”

When Christ taught about prayer, He mentioned that we ought to ask our Father for our daily bread (Matt. 6:11). If we are provided with the very thing we petitioned the Father for, why would we not thank Him for it? Those who are faithful followers of the Lord know that every perfect gift comes from above (James 1:17). We may have a job and we may have earned the money to buy the food we are eating. Yet we need to ask ourselves, who gave us life? Who gave us the ability to work? Who provided the materials for people to work for? As we can see, we are nothing without our Creator.

We should not be surprised that even on the night of His betrayal when He instituted the Lord’s Supper, Jesus first gave thanks before eating and drinking (Matt. 26:26-28). This clearly reveals people who pray before meals are not just “traditionalists” or mindlessly praying without purpose. To even suggest that praying for food is not necessary is wrong on many different levels. After all, what Christian would not want to express their gratitude for their physical blessings?

No, praying for our food is not a man-made tradition. It is that which saints are admonished to do with thanksgiving (I Tim. 4:3-5).

Chuck 

Churches have a responsibility to focus on the work God has given it to do (Eph. 3:10). As local congregations spread the gospel and edify the members (Eph. 4:11-12), they all need to realize the circle of life. By that, I mean every gathering of saints throughout this world go through the same changes. Some people are converted, some fall away. Some members move in, some move away. Members grow old and pass away, while other members bring children into the world, who often grow up and become Christians.

The things that were just mentioned cannot be prevented. Because of such, any given church will increase in their church family, and then they may go through a time when they decrease. In some cases a local church can go out of existence. Is the church at Corinth that Paul addressed (I Cor. 1:1), still meeting?  The answer is no. Consider the pews we use at the church building. For those who don’t know, a county congregation existed for a good while. Many families came together and worshipped in a small town. The children eventually grew up and moved to find work. Eventually their doors were closed and we were given their pews.

We need to ask ourselves, is a church failing when they go through these circles of life? No. Was there some sort of transgression that took place when a church went out of existence? Not necessarily. Even though the church at Corinth no longer meets, it doesn’t mean the church has been destroyed – for it can’t be (Matt. 16:18).  For example, my dad passed away 10 years ago. Did that mean his family no longer exists? We know that’s not true, because I am here.

Churches need not live in the past. I once labored with a church that would only talk about the “good ole days.” They could remember when the building was full and brother so and so was the preacher. It’s nice to reminisce, but brethren must also move ahead. The days of old will not make up for the lack of working today. When I read Acts 8:4, I am thankful my brethren in the past went everywhere preaching the word. But what about now? No, I need not live in the past, but I should learn from the past. Let’s all understand the circle of life and press towards the mark – heaven.

Chuck

I am starting a series of lessons that I will be preaching Sunday mornings for the next little while on the family. There is little doubt that the family unit, as God ordained, is under attack. We must not only be aware of such, but do what we can to stand strong. The key to success is to focus on the family as God would have it, since He designed it. Let’s look at the pattern that we ought to follow.

The seriousness of marriage

When society puts little value on the institution of marriage, that same attitude can enter the minds of God’s people. It is so serious that man needs to see that the choosing of a mate is until death do they part (Rom. 7:1-4).  It isn’t the idea that they “try out” each other before the vows are made. The Hebrew writer pointed out, “Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.”(Heb. 13:4). The idea of “saving” oneself until marriage is a joke in many circles. With that, it has also become a joke that marriage is for life. The danger of not taking marriage seriously can put one in a situation where their life is miserable and possibly a separation, having destroyed the right to ever remarry (Matt. 5:32; 19:9).

Choosing a mate wisely

Marriage is not something you rush into. Sadly, the mindset in past times was the “shotgun” wedding. Committing fornication is not a reason to get married. To think you “have” to get married is not thinking properly. The choosing of a lifelong mate should take into

consideration if this person will be a help or hindrance to your spiritual growth. Since we are admonished to choose our friends wisely (I Cor. 15:33), how much more so when it comes to someone you desire to marry? Too, keep in mind that if you find yourself in a situation where your mate is no longer, or never has been, a help to you, remember that you can influence them by your godliness (I Cor. 7:16).

The roles as God designed

The goal we all need to have is to function the way our God designed it. It isn’t our place to say that I want the woman to be the head of the household and for the man to be the keeper of the home, when God says otherwise (Eph. 5:23; Titus 2:5). Of course, that does not mean the husband treats his wife like a slave – read Ephesians 5:28-29.  Nor does it mean the wife is confined to the home – read Proverbs 31:10-31, about the virtuous woman. Keep in mind God designed marriage and the roles, not man. Therefore, we ought to ask ourselves; who really knows what’s best?

The role of parents

Just as there is divine guidance for the husband and wife, the same goes for parents. When children are brought into this world there are many God given responsibilities that must be obeyed. Most people accept the idea of providing for their physical needs (II Cor. 12:14). However, and more importantly, is the need to bring them up to serve the Lord (Eph. 6:4). This means to train them in the way they should go, knowing they need guidance (Prov. 22:6). Of course, the best way to do this is to lead by example. This was a blessing that Timothy received from his mother and grandmother (II Tim. 1:5).

The role of children

Even though children are just that, children, they have a duty to obey their parents (Eph. 6:1). It isn’t their place to make demands, and act as if they are entitled to everything they want. They also need to be thankful and show respect. This is what you read concerning the children of the virtuous wife (Prov. 31). In this passage, the children rise and called their mother blessed (vr. 28). This is just a sample from the lessons that will be preached in a series of lessons over the next few weeks.

Chuck

I heard a great lesson on hope the other day. This is a subject that brings a great deal of comfort to God’s children. When it comes to Biblical hope, we can also use the word assurance. Our hope of going to heaven is based upon evidence. This is why our expectation of heaven more than just wishful thinking.

Peter spoke on this subject: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time,” (I Pet. 1:3-5).

What a wonderful message! Knowing that Jesus resurrected from the dead, there is power through which we can obtain salvation by faith. This is clearly not a dead faith (Jas. 2:24-26) but rather a faith that obeys from the heart that form of doctrine (Rom. 6:17). Knowing that Christ did rise from the dead, we can be baptized into His death and bury our old man of sin and rise up in newness of life (Rom. 6:3-7). Having entered this new life, we can then walk in the light by striving to living faithfully until death (Rev. 2:10). We truly have a living hope.

In contrast to all of this, many “hope” to go to heaven like they hope they do not get cancer or hope they do not get into a car accident or face some other calamity. That is not the kind of hope we are talking about, yet many religious people have just that kind of hopelessness. They do not have a living hope based upon a strong feeling or desire. Jesus Himself said that this sort of faith would not make it to heaven (Matt. 7:21-23).

Having this assurance creates a confidence that Paul expressed in his final days where he said, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith,” (II Tim. 4:7). Like the many examples we can find in the Bible, let’s make sure that our hope is a living hope.

Chuck

As one reads through the book of Daniel, there are many great stories to revisit. One that stands out is when Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego were cast into the fiery furnace for not bowing to the golden image (Dan. 3). Another is when Daniel was thrown into the lion’s den for breaking a law by praying to God (Dan. 6).

Do you remember how Daniel’s enemies were able to get him in trouble with the king? In Daniel 6:4, the governors and satraps concluded that “they could find no charge or fault, because he was faithful; nor was there any error of fault found in him.”  You might expect these evil men to struggle to get Daniel to do anything wrong. You would be right…in the eyes of the Lord.

The interesting thing is what these wicked individuals decided to do. “Then these men said, ‘We shall not find any charge against this Daniel unless we find it against him concerning the law of his God.”  (verse 5). They realized that if they are going to discredit Daniel in the eyes of king Darius (who liked Daniel), they would have to use Daniel’s loyalty to his God against him.

They convinced the king to make a decree that for thirty days no one could petition any god or man except the king (verses 7-9). Thus, when Daniel prayed to God as he always did, his enemies now had something of which to accuse him to the king (verses 12-13). They had successfully used Daniel’s faith against him. 

This is a valuable lesson we need to learn as Christians today. When God’s people are faithful, Satan will do all he can to get us to grow weary in doing good (Gal. 6:9). If members of the church will not engage in the immoral acts the world offers, then the devil will use our dedication to the Lord to create division within the body of Christ. This is exactly what the faithful church at Philadelphia was warned about (Rev. 3:7-13).

The devil can use the faithfulness of Christian’s against them by having our good actions condemned as evil ones (I Pet. 3:15; 4:14). For example, the world criticizes Christians who are rightly opposed to homosexual acts (Rom. 1:26-28). Similarly, local churches can be criticized for rightly disciplining a person who brings reproach upon the church. Some people will resist scripturally-required church discipline, and well-intentioned, faithful Christians can stumble in the face of this criticism even though it is something God calls for.

This should not surprise us. Why? Just like the enemies of Daniel, a local church full of godly members who are united in serving the Lord can still be divided by Satan if he uses their faithfulness against them. If the church strives to please the Lord by trying to keep itself unspotted, Satan can try to use this as a tool (I Pet. 5:8). However, the faithful will endure because they stay focused on two Godly goals; keeping the church unspotted (Eph. 5:27) and doing everything we can to help others be faithful to God (James 5:19-20).

To illustrate these points, I was told a wonderful story recently. A congregation and its preacher were trying to help return his wayward daughter to the Lord. She had been living in an ungodly way, and they wanted her to repent. Eventually, the preacher had to tearfully read the letter of withdrawal. His daughter stood up while he was reading and started to come forward. The preacher (her dad) ran down and embraced her. There was not a dry eye in the building. I was told this while attending a funeral. Both the preacher and his daughter were in attendance at the funeral. May we trust in the Lord and in His ways even when those around us offer criticism.

Chuck