The Gathering Place Where Family Matters

“And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided Him. And He said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts” (Luke 16:14-15).

Sheila spoke quietly but emphatically to her teenage daughters. Seventeen-year-old Kirsten and fourteen-year-old Carmen had been giving their mom a difficult time the past several days. Mom knew that her teenage daughters were rebelling against her reasonable rules. Mom remembered well what it was like to be a teenager, and she purposed not to have a lengthy list of unreasonable expectations. “I found the email that you sent to one of your friends on our family laptop. You thought that you had erased it, no doubt, but it was still there. Now neither of you will admit to writing what was sent to your mutual friend. Both of you have declared your innocence. This time, girls, I am going to commit to the Lord what I’ve talked to you about. You have justified yourselves, but truly, Kirsten and Carmen, God knows your hearts. I love you, but God knows much more about you and cares more deeply about you than I ever could.” With that mom got up and walked away. Silence nearly screamed from the other room. Several hours later Carmen came and confessed that she was the one who had written the email. “When you spoke about how God knows my heart, Mom that really broke me. I’m sorry, Mom,” Carmen said as she sobbed in remorse. What a great lesson for each of us. We need to remember that God knows our hearts. Nothing is hidden from Him.

For today: God knows my heart. This is both refreshing and challenging as well. How about you?

“Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God” (John 12:42-43).

What a sobering verse. A good number of chief rulers actually believed on the Lord Jesus, and yet they did not act upon their belief because they feared being put out of the synagogue. They thrived on the praise of men more than the praise of God. Roberta faced a similar situation in her dormitory at college. She came face-to-face with the decision either to compromise and “fit in” with dorm life or to be gracious and yet uncompromising in her stand for Christ. That very evening she read the text that begins our Daily Prescription for today. Quietly she prayed and committed herself to the Lord. In the days ahead, she would need the Lord’s strength and help, but the great blessing of knowing that she pleased the Lord was a wonderful encouragement to her. How about you? How will this play out in your life today?

For today: More than anything else, I want to please the Lord. How about you?

“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God; I will strengthen thee: yea, I will help thee: yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness” (Isaiah 41:10).

Mason shared a room with his younger brother, Michael. After turning the light out and settling into their beds, the boys talked about Michael’s fear of water. The family would be leaving for camping the next morning. Michael so wanted to be able to enjoy the lake along with the rest of the family. But his fear of the water could easily spoil his time with his family. Though no one pressured Michael to swim, he didn’t enjoy sitting on the beach alone. But he surely didn’t want to get in the water. Mason said, “Mike, how about if I hold on to you? Would you get in the water and enjoy it if I held onto you and kept your head above the water?” After thinking for a minute or two Michael replied, “Sure, if you promise not to let go!” How about you? What fears are you facing today? Far better than the promise of Mason not to let go, if you are a believer, you have the promise of the Lord that He will never let you go.

For today: What strength comes in knowing that we are in the Lord’s hands. What security!

“This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy…that thou mightest war a good warfare” (1 Timothy 1:18).

I rode in the hearse with the funeral director following the committal service at the cemetery. He was somber following the burial that had taken place with full military honors. Many years before this, the funeral director had been captured and held as a prisoner of war. Though our conversation was brief, I will never forget how he described the price he and others paid in defending our nation. “I still cannot eat carrots, Pastor. When I was a POW, I often was fed spoiled carrots. Still can’t eat them, and folks don’t have any idea what price has been paid by service folks.” It made me think of the description that Paul used with his son in the faith. Young Timothy would have to remember that living for the Lord would necessitate spiritual warfare. This battle against sin, sinful philosophies, and Satan is daily in its scope and focus. Battle well, dear believer! War a good warfare. Keep focused on the Lord and stay in His Word today.

For today: We need to pray for each other and remember that we are in the battle together!

“If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain” (James 1:26).

Our words are bullets, and our tongues are the firearms that discharge them. Once at the First Baptist Church of Marilla, New York, I stood before the congregation ready to dismiss them from the morning service. I told them, “I am rather fearful today after preaching in the book of James. I realize that there are over 300 weapons loaded and ready to fire in the foyer today. Church family, I am speaking of your tongues!” We smiled together, and I made folks promise to be careful how they used their tongues. Many years later I told this story to the folks at the Central Baptist Church of Binghamton, New York. It’s good for us today as well. Before you speak (especially if you are provoked), stop and think of the word “TANK.” Are my words True (Ephesians 4:15), Acceptable to the Lord (Psalm 19:14), Necessary for me to say (Proverbs 10:32), and are they Kind (Ephesians 4:32)? TANK! I need to be thoughtful of this today. How about you?

For today: A bridled tongue is a good first step in living differently as a Christian. Let’s put it into practice today.