The Gathering Place Where Family Matters

“Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; for as much as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him” (Daniel 6:4).

God was blessing Daniel in the very pagan society of Babylon. Daniel was preferred above the other presidents and princes (Daniel 6:3). A wicked jealousy resided in the hearts of his subordinates. Surely there must be something to be found in this Daniel that would disqualify him from his present state and ministry. Finally these presidents and princes sought to trap Daniel in his love and faithful practice of prayer. Through treachery and trickery they deceived the king. You remember the story very well. No one was to pray to anyone except the king for thirty days. The trap was set. What would Daniel do? As we might expect, Daniel continued in his practice of praying and seeking the Lord. What a testimony this Daniel had. Even his bitter enemies could find no fault or occasion against him. What a great way for you and me to be living in the world today. Wouldn’t it be exciting if our enemies could find no fault or occasion against us except in our prayer life?

For today: Godly living in the world was not only good for Daniel; it is good for us today!

“Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou has set up” (Daniel 3:16-18).

How long has it been since you have read through Daniel chapter three? What a powerful demonstration of the work of the Lord in the hearts of the three Hebrew men as they stood before wicked King Nebuchadnezzar. As you remember, whenever the people heard the music playing, they were to bow down before the image of Nebuchadnezzar. Failing to do this would result in the loss of their lives. At the sound of the music, the great crowd of people fell flat before the image. To everyone’s amazement, there stood that day the three Hebrew men that we know as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They simply refused to bend their knee even if it meant their lives. They would not bow down to the image. Why? They knew that only the Lord, the true and the living God, deserved their worship. Even in the pagan land surrounded by violence and wickedness, they lived by a different set of convictions and principles. Friends, you know things are changing quickly in our world. As our culture and society grow in their pagan intensity, may you and I be people who remain gracious and kind, but above all may we be a people who remain true to our God and bend the knee to Him alone!

For today: May the Lord give you wisdom, strength, and courage today as you put Him first in your life as you live in such a pagan world.

“For who knows whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14).

Esther and Mordecai were engaged in the most important discussion of their lifetime. Wicked Haman, who held a high position in the kingdom, sought to destroy the Jewish people. Earlier, Esther had won the favor of the King and now she would have to take upon herself a mission that would be extremely dangerous. She would come into the King’s royal inner court without being invited. Even Esther was not to enter without being invited. Potentially she could lose her life for such an action. But Esther came to the realization that God had put her there for just exactly a time such as this. It is the same way with us, friends. God has you here and now; He has a wonderful purpose and plan. You could’ve been born 200 years ago. You could’ve lived 1000 years ago! But God has you right here and now. He has great plans for you! Discover what the Lord wants to do in your life by fully yielding yourself to Him and asking for His direction.

For today: Face today knowing that you are here for such a time as this. Make the most of it today!

“As Thou hast sent Me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world” (John 17:18).

Kait was finishing her final year in high school. As a senior who would soon be graduating, she found herself engaged in a conversation one day at lunch. Several of her classmates were discussing what they were going to be doing after graduation when they turned to Kaitlyn and asked her, “Have you really decided to go to that Bible College and waste your life?” Laughter surrounded Kait at that question. Soon it died down so that they could hear her answer. “Yes, I really am going to Bible College,” Kait answered softly as she continued eating her lunch. Looking up at her friends who surrounded her, Kaitlyn looked into the face of each one. She quietly but confidently said, “Several years ago I came to the point where my sins were just too heavy to carry. I discovered that the Lord Jesus died on the cross and shed His blood for my sins. The great news is that He did not remain dead. He rose again the third day. Now He is alive, and I asked Him to become my own Savior. He has something that He wants me to do. I am not sure what it is, but I want to go somewhere in the world to serve Him.” With that statement, many laughed again. Later that evening Kait was discussing this with her mother. Mom wisely reassured her that Christians in every generation have been laughed at or even worse. She opened her Bible to John 17:18. After reading it, she told her daughter that the Lord Jesus had already sent her into the world. That’s exactly what happened at lunch. It’s the same for us, friends. We are in the world but never are we to be like the world. Let the dear folks of the world laugh. The day is quickly coming when they will discover that you were truly a sent one to them.

For today: God has an assignment for you. You and I are sent into the world with the message of His salvation where you are right now. Remember that you are a sent one!

“I am the Vine, you are the branches: He that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

Years ago Karen and I had the privilege of being the pastor and wife at the First Baptist Church of Westfield, New York. If you have enjoyed Welch’s grape juice, there is a very good chance that that grape juice came from Westfield, New York. Not only did I have the joy of serving a very precious congregation, I had the privilege of living in an area where several of our members were grape farmers. I enjoyed going out in the fields with them, watching how they pruned the branches. There I saw firsthand that the vine truly does give life to the branches and the branches displayed the fruit. The branches were not responsible for producing the fruit. The branches only displayed the fruit which came from the life gained through the Vine. It is the exact same way with us today. For those of us who know the Lord Jesus as our personal Savior, He is our source of life. It is His desire to produce fruit that will be displayed in our lives. We don’t have to create the fruit. What a wonderful privilege it is to be one of the branches connected to and receiving life from our precious Vine, the Lord Jesus!”

For today: I am excited about the opportunity to display the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) because I am a branch and the Lord Jesus is my Vine! How about you?