The Gathering Place Where Family Matters

I want to lift two phrases from the text for today. Before I do that, let me share the entire text. It is Psalm 143:10-12 and I will be using the NKJV today.

“Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God: Your Spirit is good, lead me in the land of uprightness. Revive me, O LORD, for Your name’s sake! For Your righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble. In Your mercy cut off my enemies, and destroy all those who afflict my soul; for I am Your servant.”

Here are the two phrases.

“You are my God” (Psalm 143:10).
“I am Your servant” (Psalm 143:12).

Even though King David was going through a very hard period of time (Psalm 143:3-6), he knew that the LORD is his God and that he is the Lord’s servant. God is in charge; David is not. Friends, when you and I keep this exact same focus and purpose, He is God, I am the servant, we know the place of blessing in our lives.

That’s it, my friends. That’s it. He is God. I am His servant. He is in charge. I am not. Thus, I can live with joy, contentment, and purpose today. How about you?

If I had five dollars for every time I heard my wife quote this verse to our children, I think I would be a rather wealthy man!

If there was one verse that I could point to that really was the operational goal of our household, it would be this verse! Ready for it? It’s from the letter to the church at Ephesus. “And be ye kind one to another…” (Ephesians 4:32).

But I also know that kindness was not just the goal for our children. It was the goal for mom and dad as well. It truly is the goal for every believer. This wonderful word “kindness” is chrestos (khrase-TOS) which has the basic meaning of “fit for use, able to be used.” It is the direct opposite of being harsh, mean, sharp or bitter in our words and actions.

We all have met people who have been hard to please, hard to be around, and hard to love. I don’t want to be one of those people. So, while hearing my dear Karen quoting “And be ye kind one to another” and because they heard it so often, I actually heard my children quoting to each other, “And be ye kind one to another.” I still need to remember the same truth for myself today.

Off you go on your way today. I know being kind is a great opportunity that is out before you today. Watch how many times you will be able to be kind to someone today.

I am preparing for the message at the Abbe Road Baptist Church of Elyria. It is right here in our area in northern Ohio. It caused me to think back over the fifty-nine years of preaching that the Lord has allowed me. After pastoring wonderful church families for many, many years, the Lord brought us to Baptist Church Planters where I would have the privilege of serving as the vice president for many years. Traveling to preach on the weekends was just part of the precious ministry.

Where I was preaching and when it happened has now escaped me. But I can vividly remember a man coming up after one of my family conference preaching/teaching session and saying, “Thanks for coming to our church, Dr. Mike. Does your car play CD’s?” I know this dates how long ago this took place. After telling him it did, he handed me a CD of southern gospel music and told me, “You have a long drive home, and I want you to have some music to listen to.”

I thanked him very much for the gift and later, on the drive home, I listened to his CD. One of the songs was by Bill Gaither and sung by George Younce. “Thanks to Calvary” is the title and it so beautifully tells the story of a man going back to the places he used to go and now, thanks to Calvary, he doesn’t go there anymore. It goes on to speak of the child who used to be afraid of him. George, with his deep voice, sang about not being afraid of him any longer because you have a new daddy now. I don’t remember right now any of the other songs, but oh, how I loved that because for decades it has been my privilege to see the transformation that comes into the lives of those who place their trust in the Lord Jesus to be their Savior.

Listen to this! “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Perfect? Not yet! But I have been an eyewitness to the change that comes about in the lives of men and women, boys and girls, who have a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus.

So as you go about your day: If you know Christ as your Savior, you are not the same person you used to be. I am amazed at God’s grace. How about you?

Loneliness.
Homesickness.
Missing someone special.

Sooner or later, everyone experiences these. Some right now are experiencing the feeling of aloneness, missing the familiarity of home and family, or missing a loved one who has died and being sad about it. Sometimes people can feel this sadness even when there are many people surrounding them.
You might ask, “Dr. Mike, with all the interaction you have with people all day long, are you ever experiencing these emotions?” The answer is yes, at times I most definitely do. Please don’t misunderstand. My family is wonderful, and I am grateful for the time with them. I love connecting with people and I do connect frequently with them. (During the brief time of writing this Daily Prescription, I’ve had five different connections with people already.)

Here’s how I view these times of sadness.

First, there are people that I love that are Home with the Lord and I miss them. I don’t want them back; however, I miss them, and of course there will be times that I am lonely for them.

Second, the very big reason I sometimes am lonely and homesick is that I’m just not “home” yet! The Lord Jesus told us, “In My Father’s house are many mansions: if were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:2-3).

Third, while I might “feel” lonely, I am never really alone. Listen to these assuring words of Scripture for believers. “Lo, I am with you alway” (Matthew 28:20). “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand. My Father, which gave them Me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of My Father’s hand. I and My father are one” (John 10:27-30). “I will never leave thee nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:5).

As you are on your way today: When you have a moment, check out what Hebrews 4:14-16 says about our awesome Savior understanding and helping us!

Let me share with you something that happened fifty years ago in a church I was pastoring. But first, let me share a wonderful, wonderful verse with you.

“For our conversation is in Heaven; from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 3:20).

It was a great service as I recall. The singing was wonderful. The choir number was a blessing. The spirit in the service was joyous. All was going well, at least that’s what I thought until after the service. I had a man with a red face and angry appearance approach me.

I had been preaching through the book of Philippians. When I arrived at Philippians 3:20, I had explained that the KJV word “conversation” actually means citizenship. It is a wonderful blessing to know that we are citizens of Heaven because of the amazing grace of the Lord. Well, this man was angry. For many years he had thought the word “conversation” meant his words. He didn’t want to hear what the verse actually meant. He liked his misunderstanding better! While it is true that the Lord hears His children, it is far better to know that wherever we are, whatever we are doing, and whatever happens to us, we are citizens of Heaven. This world is not our home!

Here is a grand and glorious thought for today: Regardless of your earthly citizenship, if you know the Lord as your own Savior, you are a citizen of Heaven. Awesome!