The Gathering Place Where Family Matters

“And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of Him through all the region round about. And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up: and, as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up for to read” (Luke 4:14a, 16).

What a tremendous passage of Scripture. There are so many things of which we could write and share. I want to take a little phrase to bring to us today. It is the phrase “as His custom was.” The idea of this custom gives the idea of “typical practice, what one usually does, that which is second nature.” Going into the synagogue on the Sabbath was not a new experience for the Lord Jesus. Old habits can be sinful and should be broken! But some old habits that are Godly should be embraced. A few of these “good habits” would include daily Bible reading, praying, witnessing, choosing to rejoice instead of complaining, worship with the Lord’s people, and finding ways to be kind to others. These are very good customs.

For today: I am a creature of habits! Please, Lord, help me to be in the habit of doing that which is right!

“O God, Thou knowest my foolishness; and my sins are not hid from Thee” (Psalm 69:5).

When I was a police chaplain in the City of Binghamton, in the middle of the night my partner and I decided to pull a car over because the driver was driving very suspiciously. As the police officer switched the emergency lights on and tapped the siren, the driver continued on. Both windows in the car ahead of us came down, and the occupants started throwing illegal drugs out of the windows. Now the siren was more than tapped, it was activated. Other cars started pulling over and getting out of the way as this car continued on. More contents were thrown out of the window. Finally the driver pulled the car over, and right before our eyes, the driver and the passenger switched positions in the front seats. You should have heard the lying and attempted cover-up that took place. The short story version is that they couldn’t fool us any more than we can fool the true and living holy One. Our sins, no matter how cleverly and secretly acted out, are seen clearly by the Lord. Maybe you have a friend who needs this reminder today. Please feel free to share this Daily Prescription with that friend. It’s good also for us to remember that sin never pays.

For today: Our perfect and great God still hates sin. Thankfully He loves us dearly. Be careful how you are living today.

“Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. And when they saw Him, they worshipped Him: but some doubted” (Matthew 28:16-17).

This is one of the glorious appearances of our resurrected Lord. Many Bible scholars believe it is one of the later appearances, and perhaps this is that which the Apostle Paul wrote about in 1 Corinthians 15:6, “After that, He was seen of above five hundred brethren at once.” Certainly in the open countryside at a mountain location, the Lord Jesus could have revealed Himself to more than 500 people at one time. Many wonder who the doubters are in the text. Some commentators believe this refers back to the same eleven who before were doubters. Maybe. Others believe that in the gathering of 500 people some originally doubted until the Lord Jesus really revealed Himself. I tend to believe that this probably is the case. The important thing to grasp is that our precious Savior is alive. He is revealed Himself. He accepts the worship of His people. His people fully trust Him. What a wonderful Savior. You can rest secure in the fact that you belong to such a marvelous Lord today. No matter what may come, Christ can be trusted.

For today: Lord, I pray that You will give us a heart of worship rather than a spirit of complaining.

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8).

This verse teaches that every believer should be very self-controlled and alert. We have a spiritual enemy who is lurking on the prowl ever ready to catch some careless person to destroy. Marcia laughed at her friend Lucinda. “Lucy, Lucy, don’t talk to me about that religious stuff. I don’t believe in it, and even if I did, it’s my life, and I will live it any way I want,” Marcia said as her tone of voice changed from laughter to resentment. Lucinda, or Lucy as she was often called, had good reason to be concerned for her friend. First and foremost, Marcia didn’t know the Lord as her Savior. Secondly Marcia lived in a reckless way. She partied heavily on the weekend and drank throughout the week as well. Then came the weekend when Marcia was arrested for public intoxication and disorderly conduct. When she sobered up, Lucinda was the first person she called. “Lucy?” a very somber and sober Marcia asked as she spoke in the phone. “You tried to warn me, and I laughed at you. Could you stop by my house? I really need the Lord,” Marcia said quietly. The question is, “Who are you praying for today? Or are you the one for whom folks are praying concerning your lifestyle?” We need to remember that Satan indeed is an adversary!

For today: I want to be self-controlled and alert today. How about you?

“Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said unto him, Do you believe on the Son of God?” (John 9:35).

Over the last few days we have been camping in John 9 and considering the mighty miracle that took place in the life of the man born blind. The religious leaders interrogated the man several times. Their questions were answered to the best of his ability. Now another round of interrogation takes place, and the same questions are pressed. The man in whose life sight was restored said to them, “Why, herein is a marvelous thing, that you know not from whence He is, and yet He has opened mine eyes. If this man were not of God, he could do nothing” (John 9:30, 33). At this point the religious leaders become irrational and cast him out of the temple. As marvelous as the restoration of eyesight would be, I think an equally wonderful thing takes place as the Lord Jesus comes looking for the man. This is awesome indeed. I am thankful that the Lord seeks and saves us. We could never find Him on our own, nor would we be able to choose Him on our own. What a wonderful Lord to Whom we belong today. You can trust Him.

For today: Aren’t you glad that the Lord Jesus came seeking you? Be sure to praise Him throughout your day.