The Gathering Place Where Family Matters

“O give thanks unto the LORD; for He is good; for His mercy endures for ever” (1 Chronicles 16:34).

We are thinking of the blessing of becoming more thankful and expressing our gratitude to the Lord. King David set the tremendous example before the people in that he gave thanks to the Lord for His goodness and His mercy. I don’t know about you, but I am very thankful that my great and awesome God is good and merciful. Be watching today for the many times that you will be the recipient of the goodness and mercy of God. Then be sure to give Him thanks!

For today: Aren’t you glad God is good and has extended mercy to you?

“Give thanks unto the LORD, call upon His name, make known His deeds among the people. Sing unto Him, sing psalms unto Him, talk ye of all His wondrous works” (1 Chronicles 16:8-9).

I love this time of year. Thanksgiving and Christmas are some of the most special and significant times to me out of the entire calendar. I realize that Thanksgiving is not the only time of the year in which I am to be thankful. But I am thankful! And these next two weeks I’m going to share a brief thought or two about the idea of “giving thanks” unto the Lord. In our verse for today David celebrates the bringing of the ark of God up to Jerusalem. He rejoices in the good things that His awesome God was doing. Will you be giving thanks unto the Lord and calling upon His name today? Are you a thankful believer?

For today: I want to grow in my attitude of gratitude. How about you?

“God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds” (Hebrews 1:1-2). NKJV

As you read and study the Old Testament, it is very interesting to note the various ways that the Lord spoke and revealed His will. At times He spoke through visions or dreams. Once He wrote on a wall. Often He spoke through prophets. It is an interesting study indeed to note the various ways He communicated His message. Now He speaks to us through His Son and His Scriptures. The night before the Lord Jesus went to the cross, He reported to His Father, “I have manifested Thy name unto the men which Thou gavest me out of the world” (John 17:6). I love to encourage people to read through Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John and listen to the words that are recorded as spoken by the Son of God. Think of what He says. You can never think too highly of the Lord!

For today: Someday we who trust in Christ the Savior will see Him face-to-face! What a grand day it will be!

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16).

I shared with you the change that came over Travis and Marlene’s neighbors. Something had happened to them. Slowly but surely their lives changed from being sinful, obnoxious, and loud into becoming the model neighbors. Then that Sunday morning came that Travis was trimming his hedge when the neighbors came out of their house carrying Bibles and heading to church. Travis couldn’t stand it and asked, “What’s happened to you?” What a wonderful conversation the neighbors had the next evening! They explained to Travis and Marlene how they heard the gospel and what a wonderful change had come into their lives when they asked the Lord Jesus to be their Savior. What a testimony they had in their neighborhood. How about you? Do you know what the gospel is? Have you trusted Christ to be your Savior? Would you take a moment sometime today and go to my website www.michaelpeck.org and read the little article entitled, “Heaven”? You can access it from any page of my website. Aren’t you glad that the Lord Jesus died for your sins and rose again?

For today: I am so glad that I know the Lord Jesus as my Savior. Do you know Him?

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16).

Their language was foul. Often it was unpleasant to be around them. Their music was loud, and there were times that Travis and his wife, Marlene, wished their rambunctious neighbors would be transferred to another city. Then an incredible thing happened. The day came when the music quieted down. In fact, even with the windows open in the summer, no loud music could be heard. The neighbors’ language changed, and believe it or not, the neighbors actually became pleasant to be around. Travis was trimming the hedge when the neighbors came out on that Sunday morning. They looked nice and were carrying something. It turned out to be Bibles. The neighbors were going to church. “Hey, neighbor. How are you, Travis?” the man called. Travis replied, “I’m all right, I think. I never thought I would see you going to church. What’s happened to you?” We’ll pick it up here tomorrow morning. For now, think of the power of the gospel. It changes people from the inside out.

For today: Aren’t you glad for the gospel? Don’t you wish everyone knew it?