The Gathering Place Where Family Matters

Does it seem noisy to you?
Does your world seem to go from one problem to another?
Does the trouble and heartache seem to grow and grow?

We all need to take a time out!

That wonderful time out is found in Psalm 46:10. Have you read it lately? Have you practiced it lately? Have you discovered the joy that comes from this lately? Here is the Scripture. “Be still, and know that I am God.”

The words “be still” is the Hebrew word raphah which means to “relax, abate, be quiet, let drop.” This does not mean that we live in denial, that we ignore our problems hoping they will go away, and most certainly it does not mean that we live in the land of imagination, pretending that all is fine when it is not. It does, however, mean that we discipline ourselves to settle down, quiet down, rehearse Who our God is and what our God is doing.

The Psalm continues to remind us that we can know that He is God. He is Elohim, the God of majesty and power. He is our refuge (Psalm 46:1a) and a very present help in trouble (Psalm 46:1b). Don’t face your problems by yourself in your own strength.

Quiet down.
Look up.
Trust Him.
Get to know Him better.

Have you invested moments with the Lord today? I have and I know how important these are to the Lord and to each of us.

I am thinking today of a person who has always been a great testimony to me. No, I have never met this person. However, he still has been a great testimony to countless numbers of people throughout the years. Today is April 11th. That is significant in the life of the man of whom I am speaking.

His name is George Mueller. On this date in 1836, George opened his first orphanage in Bristol, England. What a remarkable change in the life of this man when he trusted Christ to be his Savior. Before his conversion, his lifestyle was filled with trouble and rebellion. But then on a Saturday night in 1825 he came to know the Lord Jesus as his own Savior, and very quickly everyone could see the change!

Of all things, he became a preacher of the gospel, and during this time the Lord greatly laid a burden on his heart for the homeless children who were ragged and running wildly through the streets of Bristol, England. At a public meeting on December 9, 1835, he presented his plans to meet those needs in the form of an orphanage. Against all odds and despite those who thought it could never be done, on April 11th, 1836, the doors of the orphanage located at 6 Wilson Street were opened. Twenty-six children were immediately taken in. A second house opened and then another and another. These were built on the solid conviction that nothing could take place without sincere prayer. These orphanages eventually housed over 10,000 orphans. According to lifecoach4.god.life, it is said that his prayer journal recorded 50,000 answers to prayer.

My speaking of George Mueller is not to make you and me feel like we aren’t measuring up to the standard and accomplishment of this dear man. It is only to serve as an encouragement of how big our God really is and how powerful He is to lead, guide, and provide for His people. Don’t limit the blessings by not praying. Don’t think of situations being impossible. Don’t conclude that “nothing is going to happen anyway, so why I should pray?” Think of it.

“But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6).

I’m challenged and blessed by this. I want to continue to trust the Lord and watch Him working that which pleases Him. How about you?

Well-meaning people sometimes make a hard situation even worse by carelessly and thoughtlessly saying, “Oh I know just how you feel” when in reality, they don’t! The great blessing is that the Lord always does know how we are feeling. Think about this with me.

“Seeing then that we have a great High Priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:14-16).

We live in a very broken world. Sooner or later troubles and heartbreaks will find their way to each of us. The good news is that we can know Christ personally. We can have a precious relationship with Him that makes such a difference, not only for eternity but daily as well. As we read in our verses for today, He understands us. He has experienced what we are experiencing. He is there to help and welcomes us to come boldly before His throne of grace.

Mitchell had experienced deep hurt and sorrow over the years as two of his sons had died. Their deaths were about twenty-five years apart. Then a few years later his wife died. His trust in the Lord was unshakable, but his grief was indescribable. A well-meaning person came up to him several weeks after his wife died and said, “Mitch, I’m sorry about your wife. I know just how you feel. My sister-in-law has a cousin who died the other day.” Part of Mitch wanted to respond with furious tones, screaming, “YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW I FEEL!” Immediately controlling his thoughts, to his mind came, “But the Lord Jesus does know just exactly how I feel, and He’s welcoming me to come for help!”

For today: How will the Lord’s understanding and welcoming you to come for help affect you today?

Ok. I have some questions for you. When it comes to appointments, which kind of person are you?
1. Always very early.
2. Always on time but with little time to spare.
3. Always chronically a few minutes late.

You will laugh at my answer!

“And as it is appointed unto man once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation” (Hebrews 9:27-28).

In my family, we laugh about what it means to be on time. When my beloved Karen was alive, she never was late. However, I know she wouldn’t mind me telling you that she wasn’t extremely early. I mean, if her appointment was at 9:00, she was in the waiting room at 8:57 or 8:58.

Most of my family still laugh at me, their old dad. If my appointment is 9:00, I am there somewhere between 8:30 and 8:45. That’s on time to me! Which camp are you in?

Regardless of how we approach appointments and our arrival times, there is an appointment that we will meet absolutely on time. Unless we are the generation that is alive when the Rapture occurs, every single person is going to die. It is a divine appointment. Upon death for the believer, there will be immediate joy and blessings in His presence. Faithfulness and obedience are rewarded. How amazing! But on the other hand, for those who reject His gracious gift and offer of salvation, there is a dreadful and fearful appointment that they will keep. It is called the Great White Throne of Judgment and begins an eternity apart in the Lake of Fire. You can read about it in Revelation 20:11-15.

A sure appointment stated clearly in God’s Word is what I’ve shared with you today. This is not my idea. This is God’s statement that I am merely passing along. Please act upon it wisely and heed it carefully.

For today: If you are not sure where you will spend eternity, please go to www.michaelpeck.org and click the banner “Heaven!” Nothing is more important today than settling this question.

“But the LORD shall endure for ever” (Psalm 9:7).

Charlie stood looking at the flower bed just outside their dining room window. The daffodils and crocuses were peeking up through the ground. Seeing this, he turned to his wife and said, “Well, finally! After this long and hard winter I wondered if they would ever come up again.”

Susanna left the kitchen and came and stood beside her husband looking out the dining room window. They had lived in this home for many years, and the flower bed had brought them great joy throughout the early spring as well as summer. Some of the flowers that they would plant would even last quite late into the fall. “You know, Honey, seeing the flowers that are springing up and knowing that we will enjoy them for a few short months reminds me that nothing on this earth, apart from people, is eternal. I am so glad that we belong to the Lord who shall endure forever,” Charlie said to his wife.

They both agreed that life here on earth is relatively short. The seasons come, and the seasons go. The flowers spring up. The trees bud. But all too soon fall will come, and the flowers will need to be trimmed back, and the trees will lose their leaves. All of these are just great reminders that our precious God is awesome and He endures forever.

For today: The more I see the coming and going of seasons, the greater is my anticipation of that eternal city with my eternal God! Do you know Christ as Savior?