The Gathering Place Where Family Matters

“Sing praises to God, sing praises: sing praises unto our King, sing praises. For God is the King of all the earth: sing ye praises with understanding” (Psalm 47:6-7).

As the wickedness of the world’s people increases at every turn, there is something else that should be increasing! You read of it in our verses today. In spite of what is happening in the world and while we should be very concerned about the people of the world, our praises to the Lord should be getting bigger and bigger! We can consistently sing praises to the Lord because He really is the King. He really is in charge! I am so delighted to belong to Him. Whatever you and I might face today, we do not face it alone. We do not face situations that are taking the Lord by surprise and that are out of His control.

For today: May this glorious truth be an encouragement to you today as you sing praises to our God.

“If you be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye: for the spirit of glory and of God rests upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part He is glorified” (1 Peter 4:14).

I was very, very young when I first learned the glorious truth that the Lord Jesus is coming again. I may not have been very tactful as a pre-teen, but I was so excited that I went from door to door in my neighborhood with the wonderful truth that the Lord Jesus is coming again. The Bible says so and they needed to know! It was my first tiny, tiny taste of being “reproached.” Several didn’t take too kindly to my uninvited visit! I have tasted very little of genuine reproach compared to the severe price other believers are paying around the world. Whatever we face for the witness of Christ, may we have the reaction of which Peter spoke. We need to remember what our Savior experienced and count it a joy whatever we might experience for His name.

For today: Through the ages, God’s people have stood and been willing to suffer reproach. May we have the same grace to do the same thing.

“Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” (Isaiah 5:20).

Isaiah preached, prophesied, and pleaded with the people of Judah and Jerusalem to turn from their wicked ways. The ten northern tribes had already been swept away into Assyrian captivity. Did the two southern tribes learn from this? It surely didn’t seem so. One of the terrible characteristics of that day was the spiritual decline to the point of calling evil good and good evil. Honestly, friends, I believe that this is more and more describing America. For instance, I am looking at the New York State Endangered and Threatened Species with the source being the NYSCEC Division of Fish, Wildlife, and Marine Resources, revision, 2010. I tell you all this so that you can see that I am not making this up. This list separates the species into three categories: Endangered Species, Threatened Species, and Species of Special Concern. Here are just a couple of species that are endangered according to the State of New York: the Eastern Tiger Salamander, the Northern Cricket Frog, the Bog Turtle, the Queen Snake, the Fence Lizard, the Piping Plover and the Alleghany Woodrat. These are declared “Endangered.” Yet the New York Legislature and the Governor signed legislation that a baby could be aborted (killed) right up to the moment of birth. My heart grieves. I am more determined than ever to share the gospel with as many as I can, because as in the case of Isaiah, judgment is surely, surely coming.

For today: I pray that you and I will be the model of 1 Peter 3:15!

“What is man that Thou art mindful of him?” (Psalm 8:4).

Let me take you to three different scenes today. In scene one we find a middle school teacher who reaches out to a struggling student and offers to help. That student can’t believe his teacher even notices him. In scene two we find a police officer who, out of his own funds, purchases warm socks, shoes, and clothing for a homeless man who refuses to go to a shelter. The homeless man looks up as the officer bends down and says to him, “Friend, I really wish you would reconsider that shelter. I’ll drive you there right now. But even if you don’t, here’s something warm to wear.” The homeless man couldn’t believe that the officer even noticed him, let alone cared about him. Those are wonderful. However, I’ve saved the best until last. In scene three we find King David rejoicing that the very God Who created everything stoops way down to think about him and care for him. The teacher and police officer were great to reach out and be thoughtful. But just think about this glorious fact: the Lord of all creation thinks about you. You are on His mind. How wonderful is that?

For today: How will the fact that you are on God’s mind impact your life today?

“Create in me a clean heart, O God” (Psalm 51:10).

David sinned. He felt horrible. After acknowledging that he indeed had sinned, he confessed this to the Lord and asked God for His mercy (51:1). He really felt like his heart was dirty and only the Lord could make it clean. When we speak of the “heart,” we of course are not speaking of that muscle within our chest that pumps blood throughout our body. Rather, the heart of which King David wrote is the control center of his being. It is that amazing part of our lives that has thoughts, emotions, and the will. David prayed that God would cleanse his heart. Yes, David sinned, and now he needed God’s cleansing. I am thankful for God’s cleansing (1 John 1:9) in my life. None of us go very long without sinning. Thank the Lord for His faithful cleansing. There’s nothing any better than a clean heart.

For today: Don’t let your heart get hard and stay dirty. You’ll be glad when you allow God to cleanse your heart. Everyone around you will be glad as well.