The Gathering Place Where Family Matters

Yesterday I wrote to you of the worthiness of our awesome God. After I wrote this, I discovered a Daily Prescription written long ago. I thought it was fitting to share it again at this point.

“And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation” (Revelation 5:9).

What an awesome sight is presented in our text for today. The Church of the Lord Jesus has been raptured and is now celebrating the greatness of the Lord Jesus Who has been found worthy to open the Book. This Book is the title deed to the earth by which He shall rule as the King of kings and the Lord of lords! We shall sing that grand song of redemption. Did you notice what Heaven is going to look like? It will be made up of those redeemed by His precious blood from every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation!

Years ago when I was the pastor at the First Baptist Church of Marilla, New York, God opened the door for us to have a daily radio broadcast on a secular country and western radio station. This broadcast came during part of the primetime evening commute for people in Western New York. The theme song I selected for our daily radio program was the music for the little chorus, “Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight, Jesus loves the little children of the world!” I wanted our broadcast to reach multiple ethnicities of the dear people in Western New York. Why? Because that’s what Heaven is going to look like, and I want to be part of that kind of evangelism. How about you?

For today: Are you redeemed? Do you know the Lord Jesus as your personal Savior? If so, then someday we together will sing the grand song of praise of redemption before our awesome Lord.

Have you ever read the book of Job?

Most of us wonder if we would have ever reacted to the massive rounds of losses in the way that Job did. Think of what the Bible says.

“In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly” (Job 1:22).

I cannot begin to imagine the heartbreaking emotions that Job and his wife experienced that horrible, horrible day. News came that his entire business was wiped out. As if it couldn’t get any worse than this, the last messenger arrived and informed Job that every one of their children had been killed. Collapsing under the unimaginable weight of grief, Job did an amazing thing. While grieving and falling upon the ground, Job worshipped (Job 1:20). He said, “Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD” (Job 1:21).

He was brokenhearted. His grief was profound. And yet his focus took him to the Lord. It was as if Job ran to the Lord instead of running away. He worshipped.

I don’t know your situation today. However, I can tell you from personal experience that our awesome Lord is worthy of worship on the hard days as well as the good days. Embrace your emotions and even carefully express them. But don’t forget to worship. It will make a big difference!

Think of this today: The Lord is still worthy of your worship even when the events of your life are difficult. I want to continue to be challenged and blessed by the life of Job. How about you?

It is interesting to see how people react to situations. Sometimes people that are near and dear to us cause us to be very concerned. We so much want to confront their behavior. We are fearful that we will say the wrong thing or be misunderstood.

This is nothing new. Think of what the Apostle Paul said to the churches in Galatia.

“Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, you which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted” (Galatians 6:1).

The apostle Paul wrote to the churches in the region of Galatia, communicating with them concerning the importance of restoring a sinning believer. Recently I read the words of a service man graduating from basic training. He stated, “I will never leave an airman behind!” Every branch of our military is trained to fight to protect our homeland and citizens, and servicemen vow never to leave a wounded fellow soldier behind.

There is a tremendous lesson for believers in such a vow. What do we do when someone that we love and know in our local church sins and shows no repentance? In our verse for today Paul presents the strategy for reaching that person. Spiritual believers in the spirit of meekness must seek to reach that brother or sister and restore such a one. The reason for a meek and quiet spirit in approaching this sinning believer is the very real possibility that we likewise could be tempted in the future. Great care must be exercised in this matter. However, wouldn’t it be something if spiritual believers, those truly grounded in the Word, really sought to restore those overtaken in a fault?

For today: We must be careful how we are living and how we are treating even those who are overtaken in a fault!

We are very concerned for our beloved United States of America. I know many believers are earnestly praying for our nation as we go to the polls and vote today.  Isn’t it wonderful to know that our sovereign Lord is fully in control. Doesn’t this wonderful truth daily bless our lives in very personal and practical ways! I wanted to write a personal note of appreciation to you. Thank you for allowing me to come to each day with Dr. Mike’s Daily Prescriptions. I have a verse for us and a perhaps a smile as we think of “microwave Cheryl!”

“You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand” (James 5:8).

Cheryl was one of the most impatient people you would ever meet in your lifetime. Her friends teased her and nicknamed her “Microwave Cheryl” because of her impatient, want-it-now way of living. She often expressed to those nearest to her that she hated waiting for appointments. She hated waiting for medical test results. She even hated waiting at the red light at the intersections. She simply hated to be always waiting.

Then it happened. She was worshipping with her church family when her pastor read James 5. His focus was on the verse that you read in this post today. The pastor explained that the word “patient” means to be long-tempered, to be of a long spirit, not to lose heart. All this is possible when we keep the Lord, His purpose, His plan and eternity in perspective. Cheryl was greatly convicted. Change didn’t come automatically nor did it come quickly. But it did come.

For today: How is it with you, friends? Would you make a good pediatrician because you have “little patients”? I know the proper spelling, friends. It was supposed to be at least a little humorous!

Today I take us back to a Daily Prescription that I wrote over ten years ago. A lot has taken place in my life since then. But I can tell you, friends, I absolutely still believe what I wrote.

“Thou hast put gladness in my heart… I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for Thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety” (Psalm 4:7-8).

David certainly had a lot to be unhappy about in his life. King Saul and his soldiers were making life miserable for David. Though David knew that he himself had been anointed by Samuel to be the King someday, between the anointing and that “someday” was a whole lot of misery! In many of the writings of David, he expresses that misery and cries out to the Lord for help. Here he gives the wonderful report that God Himself put gladness in his heart. The Lord was an encouragement to him. That enabled him to lie down and sleep in peace and safety.

This reminds me of a dear couple. I will change their names. Hank sat behind the steering wheel of his car in the doctor’s parking lot. Beside him sat his wife of forty-seven years. She was weeping softly at the report of Hank’s oncologist. His cancer had returned, and it was very serious. Years before this, Hank and Margie, his wife, had placed their trust in the Lord Jesus. Together they had grown spiritually and learned to love the Lord Jesus with all their hearts. Through the tears that day, God did a wonderful thing. He brought Scripture verses to their minds and specifically some very precious promises from the Word of God. Dear friends would walk through this with them, and family that loved them would be nearby. Hank remembered how God had put gladness in David’s heart, and he asked the Lord to do that very same thing for them.

For today: Sometimes gladness in the heart comes even though there are tears in the eyes!