The Gathering Place Where Family Matters

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to His abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in Heaven for you” (1 Peter 1:3-4).

Two men were riding the rapid rail on their way home from work one day. “Some days I wonder why I bother to put in such long hours. To be honest, I know that I can’t take anything with me. I know I have to provide for my family, but somehow I just feel so empty,” Jackson quietly said.

His friend Tim, who was a junior partner in the firm, thoughtfully answered him. As the train picked up speed before the next station many miles away, Tim folded the newspaper he was reading and said, “Jack, we’ve haven’t known each other a long time. You do know that I’m a Christian. I’ve several times told you that I would give my very best to our practice, but I know that this world is not my home. I have the certainty that eternity awaits. Heaven is my home. Christ is my confidence, and based on what He has done for me I live in great expectation of what He has planned, both now and then forever.”

The elder partner looked at Tim and said, “For the first time, what you are saying is making sense to me. I want to know much more about your confidence.”

How about you? Do you know Christ as your Savior? He is the only way to Heaven.  He rose from the dead! The Father’s stamp of approval upon His blessed sacrifice assures us that we will be with Him for all eternity! Do you know the Lord Jesus as your own Savior?

Be prepared to come face to face once again with the awesome, incredible fact that our Savior paid the huge price of our sin debt. Think with me of this verse.

“Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree” (1 Peter 2:24).

I’ve changed the names, but let’s listen in on a conversation that is in progress.

“You’re telling me that I can never be good enough to get to Heaven?” Carl growled at his friend Peter. “Why, all my adult life I’ve gone to church, gave a few bucks in the offering plates, and once even helped with the church’s chicken barbeque. I’ve never even killed anyone. And yet you say I will never be good enough?” Carl blasted his friend with a raised voice.

Peter calmly looked his friend in the eye and said, “That’s what I’m telling you, old friend. Why else would the Lord Jesus die on the cross and rise again? Your self-righteous acts in the sight of the holy God are like greasy, oily, filthy rags and will never wash your sins away nor will they pay the price of your sin. But the Lord Jesus bore your sins in His precious body on the cross and rose again. That satisfied the Father’s holy demands.”

Carl was instantly convicted and began to cry. Never before did he realize what the gospel really was all about. But now he did! It was the great moment he came to place his trust in Christ alone for the forgiveness of sin. How about you? Have you trusted in Christ alone for salvation?

Let me send you on your way with one more verse. This is what the Lord Jesus said on the night before He died for our sins. “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me” (John 14:6). That settles it for me. How about you?

“And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given Himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour” (Ephesians 5:2).

I’ve changed the names in our devotional today.

Louise and her husband were entertaining her husband’s boss and wife. Unexpectedly they had shown up at Ray and Louise’s home just about supper time on that Friday night. The boss and his wife were arrogant and filled with pride as they rehearsed their many luxuriant places and vacations. How embarrassing when the boss’s wife looked at the pot roast and remarked that she had never seen meat like that and passed it by. At first Louise was really angry. Then she remembered our verse for the day. She must act in love toward this rude lady and her husband. This was necessary not because they were the boss and wife. It was because she belonged to Christ and was commanded to walk in love in light of Christ’s offering and sacrifice to His Father.

Louise said to the boss’s wife, “You spoke to us of your dream vacations. What wonderful places the Lord has allowed you to visit. I would like to invite you to come for lunch sometime next week, and I would love to tell you where Ray and I are going someday. I am not going to tell you tonight where it is, but when you can come for lunch, I will not only tell you about this place, but I believe you and your husband will want to consider it as well.”

The boss’s wife was intrigued. “How about Tuesday?” she asked.

“Why, Tuesday will be perfect. See you then,” Louise said. With that the couple was out the door.

Ray turned and reached for his wife. “Way to go, Honey. You could have slapped her a couple of times, but you didn’t. The love of the Lord came through. Way to go about wanting to tell her about Heaven!”

For today: So, who is the most difficult person to handle in your life? Let the love of Christ be seen in your responses.

Friends, it really challenges me. It really encourages me. It really strengthens me. It really stretches me. What am I talking about? It’s the verse I have chosen for our daily prescription today.

“And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given Himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour” (Ephesians 5:2).

The New Kings James Version of the Bible translates this as “And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and has given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.”

There is no amount of space that could ever be devoted to explaining and applying this incredible and marvelous ministry of Christ. He gave Himself totally. He fulfilled the picture of the Old Testament burnt offering. His sacrifice was total. It was complete. It paid in full every holy and righteous demand of the Father Who was not only satisfied, He was completely pleased at the completed atonement for sin. We don’t often use the term “sweetsmelling savour.” For today, think of the preciousness of your awesome Savior. He is beloved of the Father, and His sacrifice for you is total and complete.

Poor Louise! She was so hurt and angry that she could have thrown a plate at the rude woman. I can’t wait to tell you about the situation tomorrow.

For today: What a precious Saviour to Whom we belong!

“Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not” (Ecclesiastes 12:1).

So, do you remember the little conversation at the lunch table in the rainforest at the zoo with Pastor and Mrs. Kenward and their grandchildren? Out of the clear without any warning, seven-year-old grandson Jackie said, “Grandpa, you are lucky.”

A great teaching moment came about as Grandpa explained that we do not live by luck. We trust the Lord. As you might guess, the elderly pastor-grandpa just couldn’t resist what caused his young grandson to tell him that he was lucky. So he pressed the question to him.

The answer from seven-year-old Jackie was, “You’re lucky because you can stay up until 9:00 at night if you want to, and my mom won’t even tell you to go to bed. You’re lucky.” It tickled Grandma so much she almost choked on her soft drink.

Later that night they remembered Jackie’s statement. “If he only knew that I am struggling to stay awake,” Grandpa Kenward said. “Let’s see, what time is it?” he asked as he glanced at his watch. It was 8:30.

“Oh, Jackie, if you only knew! But also, Jackie, I hope that you will remember the Lord now in your younger years so that you can live for Him all your life,” Grandma Kenward said as she still smiled at her grandson’s view of luck.

For today: Aren’t you glad that the Lord is in control of our lives and that we do not live by luck?